“Everyone should blog, even if it's not under your own name — every single day.
If you're in public, making predictions and noticing things, your life gets better.
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Because you'll find a discipline that can't help but benefit you. If you want to do it in a diary, that's fine. But the problem with diaries is because they're private, you can start hiding. In public, there it is.
Are you able, every single day to say one thing that's new, and that you're willing to stand by?” ~ Seth Godin via the Tim Ferris podcast
On any given day, when I come to this space to write. I have a notebook full of ideas. Things I've thought about, things that I'd like to share.
There's no ritual really, I think about what's next in the queue and ask myself, does it still matter? Can I do it better? Is it something worth adding to the breadcrumbs of my life that I'd like to leave behind?
Last week a sweet reader sent me a link. Every so often fellow blogger Pip checks in with herself, her way of marking the days/moods/seasons. Included was a note reminding me that it's never wrong to breathe deeply, and take stock of what's going on around us.
Such a fun idea, a great exercise in writing, and most importantly an excuse to pay attention to all of the simple but wonderful things happening every day
Making: black garlic in the slow-cooker
Cooking: Anything on the grill and putting it on big salads.
Snacking: Raw + vegan five-minute blondies are always a good decision
Drinking: Warm almond milk with cinnamon. Smoothies. Also water; always water
Reminding Myself: When you're hungry, but nothing sounds good, you're actually just thirsty. Drink some water. Good grief
Reading: When Breath Becomes Air – the latest issues of Vanity Fair and Bon Appetit
Wanting: More fun dates with my husband
Listening: To the kids playing at the elementary school right behind our house
Looking: Out the window at the sweetest pair of cardinals. I love it that he picks out the very best kernels and feeds them to her.
Playing: The Surprisingly Awesome Podcast. Especially #8 (Frequent Flyer Miles and the Pudding Guy), and #3 (Concrete)
Wishing: For all of our house projects to be finished. I'm excited to put ours on the market and find one that suits us a little better
Enjoying: This season and different relationships with my children. The gift of grandchildren who are terribly cool(!)
Liking: A spritz of lavender. Opening the windows and feeling the fresh air. Long walks. Hot showers. Candles. Friendship.
Knowing: What is, is simply meant to be
Loving: Night walks around the neighborhood
Feeling: Peaceful
This rustically elegant Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce is a great starter for a light dinner or fun appetizer for your next dinner party.
The buttermilk sauce is full of flavor and adds an acidity that works wonders with the slightly greasy nature of the eggplant and the sweet pomegranate seeds.
If you don't have pomegranate seeds, dried cranberries may be a good substitute to try. While not exactly the same, they'll emulate the color pop and sweet-tartness flavor
Enjoy!
xoxo
~ Adapted from Plenty: Vibrant Recipes by London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi
Rustically Elegant Eggplant and Buttermilk Sauce
Ingredients
- Eggplant
- 2 large eggplants
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon thyme leaves
- pinch or two of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pomegranate Seeds
- 1 pomegranate (alternately you could purchase pomegranate seeds)
- Sauce
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp buttermilk
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- Pinch salt
- Garnish
- 1-2 tsp za'atar
- a few whole sprigs of lemon thyme
- a drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Cut the eggplants in half lengthways, cutting straight through the stalk
- Using a small sharp knife, make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half (without cutting through to the skin)
- Repeat at a 45-degree angle to get a diamond-shaped pattern.
- Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Brush them with olive oil .. keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed by the flesh.
- Sprinkle with the lemon thyme leaves and some salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is soft, flavorful and nicely browned.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely
- Pomegranate Seeds
- (If you're de-seeding the pomegranate .. follow the steps below. If you purchased pomegranate seeds, skip this step)
- While the eggplants are in the oven, cut the pomegranate into two horizontally.
- Hold one half over a bowl, with the cut side against your palm, and use the back of a wooden spoon or a rolling pin to gently knock on the pomegranate skin.
- Continue beating with increasing power until the seeds start coming out naturally and falling through your fingers into the bowl.
- Once all are there, sift through the seeds to remove any bits of white skin or membrane
- Sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
- Taste and adjust seasoning
- Chill in the fridge until ready to serve
- Finish and Serve
- To serve, spoon plenty of buttermilk sauce over the eggplant halves (without covering the stalks)
- Sprinkle za'atar and plenty of pomegranate seeds on top
- Garnish with lemon thyme.
- Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
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