sweet miscellany

I FINALLY got my hands on some local strawberries this past weekend. I’m pretty sure I ran over with a goofy smile on my face, picked up a flat (8 lbs), then ran back to my table before all of the market customers would come and inevitably buy every last berry. Yes, I literally ran. And my arms might have been flailing. And I may have almost tripped…

The berries are awesome this year: bright red, plump, and bursting with that sweet strawberry flavor. When they are this good, I like them raw. It doesn’t take me long to start finding ways to use/eat them in everything. This past weekend, I felt like making a stack of simple pancakes on the one morning I get to sleep in and take it slow. I’m constantly messing around with gluten free flour combinations and I think this one worked out really well. They are soft and moist with a bit of a cakey quality to them. They absorb the syrup really well and of course they provided a lovely canvas for the fresh, sliced strawberries.

These pancakes can serve as a starting point for fancier versions. If you want to go with a spring vibe, try adding some poppy (or chia!) seeds into the batter along with some fresh lemon zest and juice. Or, if you are still feeling the late winter thing, add in some chai spices and toasted chopped almonds. Have fun and go enjoy some pancakes my friends 🙂

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Lately I’ve been reading about spring bringing changes, new beginnings, inspiration, etc. on other blogs. I suppose spring has a way of doing that. We all emerge from the shroud of winter, gladly running around barefooted at the first hints of spring (or at least we do in Texas). The transitional seasons of spring and fall typically bring about changes in us as they do in mother nature. I guess it can only be expected since we are indeed a part of mother nature.

All of this is to say that I’ve been feeling the spring inspiration lately. I’ve been trying to think about everything I’m juggling and how I want to make it better, make more time for it, or evolve it in a way that best suits me right now. In terms of the blog, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed and uninspired when it comes to baked goods/sweets because all of my time and energy for that is being spent in recipe development for my shop and the farmers market. It’s been a little bothersome to have random sweets from a post lying around when I’ve already got loads of others from recipe testing enticing me.

I know I mentioned it briefly at the beginning of the year, but I eat mostly vegan now in addition to being gluten free. Since my dinners at home were vegetarian to begin with, it really hasn’t been too hard of a transition. I know this isn’t the case with most folks out there, so I’ll be sharing more savory vegan fare here from now on. But, since I don’t like having strict rules for the blog, I may throw in anything else I’m digging at the moment. Basically I’m taking a cue from my yoga practice and finding what feels good.

So, tofu scramble! It’s become one of my go-to recipes when I’m short on time because I almost always have a block of tofu and some seasonal veg hanging out in the fridge. It’s one of those customizable recipes that will work with whatever veg you like or have on hand. Easy, peasy. You can eat it as is, though I highly recommend it with a side of fresh avocado. It also makes an awesome taco filling in case that’s what you are feeling at the moment. Load up some fresh corn tortillas, add some avocado and salsa of course, and you’re good to go! Since my stomach is starting to growl, I’ll leave you with the recipe. Have a good rest of the week my friends 🙂

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Simple Pancake Stack for One with Local Strawberries

Tofu Scramble