Field Trip to a Farm

When I can, I try to buy produce at a farmer's market - or if I am really lucky - directly from a farm. I frequent Green String Farm in Petaluma. I enjoy walking around and seeing the animals; the chickens and goats are incredibly cute.

Beyond my obvious interest in food and sustainability, my trips to this and other farms are part of a larger goal to explore new places.

You Scream, I Scream . . . Ice Cream!

Okay, I'll admit it, I have a very big sweet tooth and a particular weakness for quality ice cream made from local organic ingredients. Some of my favorite places in the Bay Area include Ici in Berkeley (started by former Chez Panisse pastry chef Mary Canales), Lush Gelato and Scream Sorbet, both in Oakland. For those of you who live in LA, I recommend Scoops.

If you want to explore flavors, creative ideas and products, my friend Bethany has an amazing ice cream blog called Scoopalicious.

While I am on the topic of healthyish deserts, let me tell you about making vegan chocolate mousse using tofu.

I also recently found this vegan ice cream recipe on the Nourishing Gourmet. I hope to try it soon.

Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream 
3 cups of unsweetened coconut milk (about two cans)
2/3 cup of cocoa powder
6 tablespoons agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk cocoa powder in a small amount of coconut milk, until smooth. Then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until well combined. Or dump all ingredients together and blend with a stick blender. Make according to your machines instructions.

Identity, Branding, and Design (oh my!)

Sometimes I take on graphic design projects. Recently I have been working with John King, a piano performer and educator on his outreach materials. I am in the process of designing a website, logo, and business cards for his company, John King Piano Studio. I'd like to share my draft concepts. Please feel free to give me suggestions and recommendations for edits or additional content.  You can check out John's website: http://johnkingmusic.weebly.com/

Crochet!

I am teaching myself how to crochet scarves. I use an organic wool-nettles blend yarn. I have two different styles: single stitch and double stitch. I am taking requests if anyone wants a scarf to help stay warm this winter.  Available colors include orange, red, gray or green. The picture below shows a single-stitch orange scarf in process and a detail of a double stitch red scarf. My line is called Amanda Panda Productions.

Happy New Year

I love food, friends and cultivating a sense of community. As my New Year's resolution I am starting this blog to catalog my various adventures in cooking, art, music, recreation, and general fun! I want to preserve ideas that work for me - that improve the quality of my life and the lives of my friends and family.  I have a lot of curiosity, and hopefully in 2011 I will learn many new and fascinating things about myself and the world around me. 

Please join me and feel free to contribute to the dialogue. May 2011 be full of love, health and a myriad of wonderful moments!

All the best, Amanda

Juicing

I asked for a juice maker for Christmas/Hanukkah. Ever since I have been juicing up a storm. Some of my favorite recipes include * beet-ginger-apple juice * carrot juice (pictured below) * kale-celery-tomato juice * homemade apple cider (warm apple-ginger juice); and * Orange juice. As you can see I have had a lot of new juices to try.  And there are many more on my list.

Fresh juices have numerous health benefits. Juices are high in nutrients and easy for your body to digest. They are a great inclusion to a cleanse diet.

Next I am going to try this recipe by Dr. Oz:

Ingredients
2 cups spinach
2 cups cucumber
1 head of celery
1/2 inch or teaspoon ginger root
1 bunch parsley
2 apples
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 lemon