EAT - P A N C A K E S

Oh whatever, so I am still on my Gwyneth Paltrow kick.  What can I say I am enchanted with her cooking style.  What better day to make pancakes from scratch than on a Sunday morning and that is just what I did this past weekend.  Again, it was so easy that I was left thinking the same thing as when I was making the Blueberry Muffins .  Gwyneth says, "Invest in what's real.  Drink while you cook.  Make it fun.  It will be what it will be."  I like her style and I like her pancakes.





Bruce Paltrow's
World - Famous Pancakes
1 1/2 cups unbleached flower
3 tbsp sugar
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 eggs (preferably organic)
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus 1/2 tsp per batch to grease pan
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
About 1/2 cup whole milk
Maple syrup

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Whisk eggs, 3 tbsp butter and buttermilk in another bowl.  Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.  (small lumps are fine.)  Cover batter and let rest overnight in the refrigerator.  Heat a large greased griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add milk to batter until it reaches desired consistency;  the more milk, the thinner and more delicate the pancakes.  Working in batches of three pancakes, spoon batter onto griddle or skillet.  Cook until surface of pancake is covered with bubbles, 2 to 3 minuets.  Flip and cook the other side until golden, 2 to 3 minuets.  Drizzle warmed maple syrup over the pancakes.  Serve.

EAT - S U N S H I N E

One of my favorite soup recipes comes from Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer cook book.  Page 28 to be exact - Happiness Soup. The book automatically opens to this recipe due to the many soup splatters on the page.  All of the ingredients are yellow, super mellow and amazingly simple.   Over the years I have come to  tweaked this recipe and the name to best suit my taste.  I hope you like it as much as I do.

Sunshine Soup

18 ounces yellow squash (2 large)
zest and juice of 1 small lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon curry (recipe calls for turmeric)
4 cups of organic chicken stock
1/2 cup of orzo (recipe calls for basmati rice)
roasted chicken breast - chopped (not in original recipe)
sea salt and pepper to taste

Cut the squash into fine rings and then finely dice them (I used a "slap chop").  Put them into a pan with lemon zest and oil, stir to coat, then cook on a gentle heat for about 5 minutes, stirring until they've slightly soften.

Stir in the curry and pour in the stock and lemon juice and then drop in the orzo.

Cook uncovered, for 10-12 minuets,  until the squash and rice are tender.  Taste for seasoning.  Leave to cool slightly before serving so that you can eat the soup warm rather than hot.  I also find that this soup taste 100% better the next day!  You may find that the orzo will absorb the liquid overnight, no worries just add a little chicken broth or water to thin it out.  Also, love to dip warm crusty bread with a little butter into this lovely soup.

Serves 4 - 6

Berry goodness

For me eating healthy does not have to be boring and bland. You can take the simplest purest ingredients and make the most amazing and good for you food. I remember when I was in Paris, I had been out shopping and when I came back into the apartment I was hit with the most amazing aroma ever. My dad had just put a sandwich into the oven to heat up. It consisted of fresh baguette, ham and cheese....that was it. Nothing else. Three simple, pure non processed ingredients. That day changed my eating habits forever.
So, today I started my day with oatmeal... Oatmeal you say, oh how boring, not my oatmeal. I cooked up some multi-grain oatmeal, added fresh blackberries and raspberries, sprinkled with a little brown sugar and low fat milk. Delicious!