One of my mom’s favorites are scones!  I got busy in the kitchen this morning and mixed, baked, blended, and boiled to make a batch of fig and date scones as well as raw almond milk–

– and a quick batch of organic orange marmalade.

Her favorite flowers are freesias and I was able to find a beautiful pink bouquet at Trader Joe’s the night before.  I split the bunch up between three recycled glass jars and the buds are slowly blooming as they adorn the dining room table.

The marmalade complemented the scones well and the unsweetened almond milk was the perfect match for the two.

I hope you are having a wonderful mother’s day with your loved ones and enjoying the rest of this weekend!

Date + Fig Scones

This recipe is adapted from Good Life Eat’s basic scone recipe.  It is perfect to get creative with and add in different juices, fruits, and zests, as well as experiment with different flours (you can make a gluten-free version).  I wanted to use some of the fruits that are in season which is how I came up with adding fig and dates to it.

Almond Milk

Making anything from fresh after having a box/canned/bottled version of it is always amazing!  It’s funny how different fresh almond milk tastes to me vs. the kind you get in the stores.  I made a very pure version– didn’t add any sweeteners or other flavorings, it’s just raw almonds and water.

This recipe does require you to soak the almonds, overnight if possible, so I soaked the almonds the night before to make sure they were ready for me in the morning.

A friend of mine had asked before about the fat content in almond milk so I did a little research.  Although it has more fat content than soy milk and skim milk, it actually has fewer calories than both!  Unsweetened almond milk may contain about 40 calories, while soy milk and skim milk has about double the amount.  Almond milk (as well as soy milk) also contains fats that are good for you, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  Those help to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, and protects against cardiovascular and neurological diseases.  It also contains a good dose of dietary fiber, between 1 to 4 grams depending on the richness and fortification of the milk.  It is also a great source of B vitamins.  With all that said, I think you should try to make some yourself and reap all these benefits!  Also, when you make it at home you can make sure you use organic almonds and control the amount of sweetness you’d like in it.

I used a Vita-mix for this recipe which definitely makes the job a lot easier, but you can also use a regular blender.  You will also need cheesecloth if you want your milk to be very smooth and free of any almond bits.

Last comment– it’s kind of cool to me that you blend this up and even though the almonds have that brownish skin, the milk is white!  I just thought about that as I was looking through the photos.  Anyway, try this out and enjoy having fresh almond milk in your fridge

As with all things fresh with no added preservatives,  consume as soon as possible and if needed keep in the fridge in an airtight jar, bottle, or container, and drink or use within the next few days.

-1 cup of organic raw almonds, soaked in water overnight
- 3-5 cups of water
- agave nectar (optional)

Drain the raw almonds.  Place in blender along with 3 to 5 cups of water.  (You can start with 3, see how you like the thickness and add more water if needed.  Because I didn’t strain the milk, I add more water to thin it out a bit.)

Blend until smooth, or as smooth as possible.

If you want to smooth it out even more, pour the milk through cheese cloth.  (You can save the almond meal and bake with it or add it to a salad.)

Serve as is or chilled.  Enjoy!

Orange Marmalade

An easy way to make fresh marmalade!  I also like this because you can make a small amount and finish it, instead of having a jar lingering in your fridge for months when you just needed / wanted a little bit.

A food processor will make this recipe a bit easier to make, but is not necessary.

This recipe is from Food.com by carol in orlando.

- 1 organic orange, whole, washed very well
- 1/2 cup of sugar  (I don’t like things too sweet but if you do, you may want to add more sugar)
- 2 TBS of water

Take your clean orange and cut off both ends.

Cut into larger chunks to be placed in a food processor until the orange is in tiny pieces, or finely chop by hand.

Place the orange, sugar, and water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Continue to boil for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Let cool and serve or place in a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

I thought, “What a great idea!”  It never occurred to me to use any leftover herbs to garnish the table before!  Below are some more ideas and inspiration.  You can go beyond herbs and use any greens from a variety of veggies as well.  So many possibilities and they smell great and you don’t have to worry about any falling into the food!

In recycled bottles and jars via Apartment Therapy
A little goes a long way with just a sprig or two tucked into old bottles and jars.  Use one glass vessel or group a few together as shown in the photo.

A lovely bouquet via decor 8
Exercise your florist skills and add flowers for color to make a full and gorgeous arrangement.

Keep it simple via decor 8
Even a tiny sprinkling of herbs here and there brings some life and color into any table setting.

A beautiful bunch via Heather Bullard
I love the composition and layers in this photo: the greens on top of the white plate on top of the wooden table.

With peonies via Jemma Keech
Peonies + Herbs + An open book = Perfection

With artichoke via Jonathan Fong Style
Beautiful textures and shades of green in this bouquet.  It also comes with a tutorial so you can try your hand at making one– a wonderful gift for a dinner party hostess!

Tied with twine via Real Weddings
Tucked it into the folds of a napkin for a fragrant touch, perfect for a wedding, a dinner party, or just because.

And of course this dish would be vegan

I wanted to come up with an easy egg-less way to make this with lots of colorful veggies minus the sauce.  It’s almost like an open face breakfast sandwich, that can really be eaten any time of the day.

The components consist of wonderfully dense and thick whole wheat artisan bread, slices of plump vine ripened tomatoes, sauteed garlic rainbow chard, tofu–which replaces the egg– lightly pan fried with tumeric and nutritional yeast, topped with sliced scallions and a dash of freshly ground pepper.

The combination of flavors, colors, and textures, makes for a healthy, easy, and flavorful dish!

Egg-less Florentine with Tofu + Rainbow Chard

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Easy Eggs Florentine.

Below are the ingredients, you can make as little or as much as you want depending on the number of servings you will need.

- whole wheat artisan loaf, thickly sliced
- vine-ripened tomatoes, thickly sliced, lightly sprinkled with salt
- rainbow chard, washed and roughly chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- extra firm tofu, sliced, about 1/4″ thickness, pat dry with paper towels
- tumeric
- nutritional yeast
- scallions, sliced
- olive oil for cooking
- salt and pepper

The Rainbow Chard
Heat up some olive oil in a frying pan.  When heated, add the garlic.  Cook for a few minutes until fragrant.  Add the chard.  (If your pan won’t fit all your chard, start with a handful and as the chard cooks down continue to add more.)  Saute for a few minutes, then add a TBS or two of water to add a bit of moisture and steam.  Continue to cook until greens have wilted.  Sprinkle on some salt and pepper, and give it a good stir.  Remove from heat and set aside.

The Tofu / The Bread
In the same pan, add some more oil to lightly cover the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle a little bit of tumeric and nutritional yeast into the oil and stir with a wooden spatula.  This will give the tofu a pretty yellow color.  Add the tofu.  Sprinkle with a bit of salt.  Pan fry on each side for about 3 minutes, or until the outsides are crispy.

While you are cooking the tofu, toast the slices of bread.

Flip and repeat on the other side.  Once cooked, remove from pan and lay on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any access oil.

Assemble It

Start with your bread.  Add a slice of tomato on it.  Layer with a spoonful of the cooked chard.  Place the tofu on top.  Sprinkle with the scallions and a bit of freshly ground pepper and salt if desired.  Serve as is or sliced in half.

Lovely lavender via Dreamy Whites
Add some beautiful color to the morning by adding a bouquet tucked into a re-purposed glass bottle or jar.  Love this tray as well; it looks like it is made out of wood and chicken wire.

Satisfy a craving for wanderlust via A Spoonful of Sugar Designs.
This post comes with a great tutorial and it’s easy to personalize with a map of a place that has special meaning or a future trip destination.

Breakfast bento box
Super cute and easy idea!  Grab a bento box at your local Mitsuwa, Nijiya, or other Asian market.  The different compartments are perfect to hold condiments and a variety of treats.  *If anyone knows who this photo belongs to, please let me know so I can give proper credit!  I cannot find the original photographer!

For the nature lover via Gray Works Interpretive Furniture Design
Visit their etsy shop to get your own beautiful wood tray and shop their other eco-friendly items that make for the perfect cozy addition to any kitchen.

A bit of moss via Dom In Stil
This blog is actually is in Slovenian but I was able to translate it into English.  It comes with a great tutorial for this green spread.  Add a bit of fabric and twine for the finishing touches!  If you aren’t able to translate it but would like the instructions, please send me an email at yummyyearproject(at)gmail(dot)com.

Another use for a crate via Buckets of Burlap
If you have an old wine crate lying around, upcycle it and transform it into this rustic bed tray.  This is one of my favorites– I am obsessed with revived crates and palettes.  A single bloom is the perfect contrast to the color and texture of the wood.

Case in point?  The juicer.  I feel like there are SO many parts to this machine but it literally takes me like 2 minutes to turn all this fruit into juice and even less time for me to drink it all vs. if I had to eat it the old fashioned way by chewing it up.  And really, it didn’t take me that long to wash the parts and even if it did, it’s totally worth it for the delicious, freshly made juice you get!  I can’t think of a better way to start off the mornings than with a good dose of your fruits and veggies for the day.

But before I juiced everything up, I wanted to make sure to highlight all the beautiful colors and textures each ingredient had…

It’s a great way to add some color into your AM spread and a great Mother’s Day beverage for those mamas who don’t aren’t big coffee or tea drinkers.

I came across this combo of fruits and vegetables via Healthy-Life.  I changed the proportions a bit to make enough juice for the family and make sure the flavors were pretty equal.

Cheers!

Carrot + Peach + Apple + Raspberry Juice

You will need a juicer for this recipe.  They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and prices.  You can check some out here– I did a quick amazon search for “juicers”.

Because I am drinking all the produce whole with the peel, I opted for organic ingredients, then made sure to scrub and wash everything.

Makes about 4 to 6 servings.

- 8 to 10 carrots, heads removed, cut in half if needed
- 4 to 5 peaches, stem and pit removed and sliced to fit into your juicer
- 4 to 5 gala apples, core/seeds removed and sliced to fit into your juicer
- 2 cups of raspberries

If you want to save the carrot pulp to make into a salad, muffins, or give to your pet, juice the carrots first then transfer the carrot pulp into an air tight container and refrigerate if not using right away.

If not, toss everything into the juicer and enjoy!

1.) Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is right around the corner and brunch always comes to mind.  It’s not really a tradition at my house but maybe it will be!  There are so many things to make for brunch and so many ways to serve it– sweet, savory, scrambled, baked, toasted, booze in the AM, coffee, juice, tea, in bed on a tray, on a beautiful spread with fresh flowers– it’s always the thought that counts but it doesn’t hurt to make something delicious and pretty, especially if it’s for that special lady in our lives!

2.)  The B+B Caretaker job opening for Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary‘s B+B, The Guesthouse

What a weird thing to be inspired by but it’s a combination of all my favorite things: animals, farms, and vegan food!  I didn’t even know this was my dream job until I got SOOO excited coming across this post!  Caretaker of a VEGAN bed + breakfast that goes to support a farm animal sanctuary?!  Oh and did I mention this job comes with living arrangements in an 1800′s era farmhouse!?!  I love this so much.  I have never wished I lived in New York as much as the second I saw this employment opportunity.  One day!

I am sure there are many tough aspects to this job but what I had painted in my mind was an amazing picture of a beautifully rustic, peaceful, and cozy setting with delicious food surrounded by nature.  This is where I’d want to eat and what I’d want to eat.

With this in mind, I set out to find breakfast and brunch dishes that can be re-invented or will highlight the wonderful colors and flavors this month’s fruits and veggies have to offer.  In the following weeks there will be recipes for fresh fruit juice, an egg-less florentine, warm just-baked scones, jams from seasonal fresh fruit, almond milk from scratch, and lots more!

May is rustic, hearty, healthy, colorful, cozy, and lovely.

YYP will continue to support The Ebongalethu Educare Center Preschool + Nursery (The EEC for short) located in Motherwell, South Africa by providing $3.30 per day to feed the 60 children who are cared for and educated there.  Everyday I will put $1.30 into the pot and the hope is I will be able to raise $2.00 a day with some help from you lovely folks out there

The goal for the next 12 months is to: use as many of the fruits and vegetables that are in season to create delicious and healthy meals!

A more personal goal of mine for the year is to learn more about the farm animal sanctuaries that pour so much heart and hard work into saving and caring for many beautiful chickens, cows, goats, pigs, and many others that come their way.  Hopefully this year I will be able to visit a few of them and share more about what they are about and what they do.

To help me focus, get inspired, and cover a variety of dishes, each month will have a theme!  They are:

There are also some new things on the site:  you can find the story on how this project came to be, what happened in year 1, and a recipe index coming very soon for an easier way to find what you are looking for.

I am very excited to start this up again and get crackin’ on year 2!  Thank you for visiting and your support– ENJOY!

With Love,
Olivia

Miso is a thick paste made from fermented soy beans, rice, and/or barley.   You can find miso at any Japanese or Asian market.  They come in different varieties, such as white, yellow, or red.  White miso has a light and sweeter taste, yellow miso has a mild flavor, and red has the strongest flavor.  If you have never tried miso before, the yellow kind might be the best way to go and you can control the intensity of flavor by adjusting the amount you add into the soup.

Tofu + Shitake Mushroom + Ginger Miso Soup

- 2 cups of water
- 1 heaping TBS of miso (you can use more or less depending on your taste buds)
- 1/4 to 1/2 a block of firm tofu, cut into small rectangles or squares
- 3 to 4 shitake mushrooms, sliced
- a 1 to 2″ piece of ginger, peeled
- green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
- dried seaweed, torn into small pieces for garnish (optional)

Place water and ginger in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and add the miso paste.  Whisk or stir with a wooden spoon until the miso dissolves into the water.

Bring the pot to a simmer.  Add the mushrooms.  Cook mushrooms until they are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the tofu, cook for another few minutes until tofu is heated through.

Remove the piece of ginger.

Add green onions if using.

Spoon into serving bowls and top with torn bits of seaweed if using.

I have to admit that I totally believed I would meet the 365 recipe goal– even with only 14 days left and over 100 recipes remaining lol.

Reality finally set in 7 days before the end date and I thought to myself, “Man…I don’t think this is happening!”  A part of me is really disappointed that I was not able to accomplish what I had set out to do.

But the other part of me– actually more like 99.9% if me– is so happy I took on this project!  I am so appreciative and amazed at all the support I have received and for every donation, no matter how big or small, that came in to help get these children fed– children that none of my donors have ever met who live half way around the world!  The amount of generosity and compassion cannot be put into words– I was SO excited the first time I got a donation from a random stranger and still get very excited with every donation that makes its way here!  It is also amazing how many opportunities and great people I have met because of YYP– I have had an incredible time.

And with the recipes I was able to try, it has been a lot of fun sharing them and eating them!  I really did eat out a lot less, ate more veggies, tried a bunch of new dishes, and all around became more aware of what I was consuming and made healthier choices!  I still have a TON I can improve on, but this was a good beginning– and this really is just the beginning!

Below is a recap of the first year of The Yummy Year Project!

A very heartfelt thank you and big hugs to every single person that has been a part of it!

The Numbers
The final tally is-
- 215 recipes completed
- $1537.72 raised
- 60 children fed for 365 days

The Lessons
Planning goes a long way!!! Life happens and when it does, we still need to refuel our bodies in order to keep going.  A big problem I had before was that I would get too wrapped up in work / too busy to eat and when I did realize I was hungry, I wanted food right at that second– no time to prep or cook because I was starving!  Planning meals in advance completely solves that problem whether it’s cooking in advance and freezing it, prepping earlier, or having quick food options in stock which would probably have been healthier than going to Taco Bell or something.

Also, if I had planned my 365 recipes better (figured out what they all would be, assign recipes to each day and accounted for days I wouldn’t be able to cook) I may have reached my goal!  This is a bit hardcore and is not necessary for every day life but loosely outlining the meals you’d like really saves time.  Getting all the ingredients needed for the week’s meal every Sunday or whenever you go grocery shopping really helps with saving time as well.  Then you end up having food in the house you want to eat, know exactly what you are going to prepare, and save on eating out.

The other thing this project has taught me (that I still need a lot of work on) is the art of focusing!  When I am cooking my mind slows down and I focus on exactly what I am doing in the moment– probably because I don’t want to chop a finger off or add too many cups of flour or too little or set something on fire (which I did manage to do to 5 taco shells- oops).  My mind is always racing and my life has always been fast-paced and this helps to slow things down– in a really good way.

This year has also been full of changes and ups and downs for me, and being in the kitchen has been a great source of (free) therapy.  This whole project, and remembering who I am doing this for and why– has always lifted my spirits and most importantly reminded me when I needed reminding that there are bigger and badder things going on in this world!  It’s ok to have different emotions– we all will go through ups and downs and feel sad or angry or upset– but in the big scheme of things what really matters?  When life gets me down, thinking of these kids has really put things in perspective for me.

The Favorites
The first 5 recipes that pop into mind:
1) Exotic Moroccan Tagine
2) Delicious Hummingbird Cake
3) Donna’s Incredible Enchiladas
4) Cozy and hearty 3 Bean + Whole Grain Chili
5) PICKLES!
There are so many more, I might have to dedicate a post to the favorites!

The Never Agains
Nothing really I would never try again– some things might be better the second time around!

The Next Chapter
Year II of the project will begin in May.  I am taking April to update the site a bit and (finally) launch YYP’s etsy shop!!  But starting in May, we will be back in full force with a different goal and approach!  I will be focusing on using only fruits and vegetables that are in season each month and trying to create a little more.  There is no numeric goal this time around (I WILL go for 365 recipes again though!) but each month is themed, which I am very excited about.

So stay tuned!

In the meantime, stay in touch by signing up for the mailing list (it’s under “STAY IN TOUCH” on the right hand menu bar, just type in your email and you are good to go!), liking The Yummy Year Project’s Facebook page, and following us on Twitter!  Always feel free to contact me directly as well, at yummyyearproject (at) gmail (dot) com.

Thank you so much, hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have, and I will talk to you soon!

PS- The last 3 recipes will be posted very very soon!

1) Swedish House Mafia- My friend Tal sent me this video and at first I was like what the heck is this!  BUT here’s a hint, if you love dogs, you must watch this music video, it is awesome and hilarious! (Thank you Tal for sharing!)

2) Swedish Picture Frame- Love or hate IKEA, this is a super cute hanging picture frame from the Swedish home furnishings shop!  It’s not a traditional Swedish style frame or anything, but it’s made in Sweden and is named Fiskevik so I think it works with the theme.  Plus it’s $5.99- can’t beat that!

3) Swedish “Meat”balls- And while at IKEA, I decided I wanted to see if I could find a vegan version of a Swedish meatball recipe.  Which I did and I loved since the main ingredient was potato.  But the best part was the ground almonds I think, which gave it an interesting flavor.  Below is the recipe as well as one for gravy– which you will you have to use your imagination to picture since I burnt the whole thing while re-heating!  Oops.  Always check to make sure you have turned off the burner!

Swedish Meatless Balls

This recipe is from food.com, thank you Dreamer in Ontario for posting!  The original recipe calls for frying the meatballs, which you can do, or you can try baking them as I did, which is what is instructed below.

- 3 or 4 medium potatoes, cubed (I used Russet potatoes)
- 1 vegan bouillon
- 1 cup ground almonds (I ground up almonds, cashews, and walnuts since I was short on almonds– just put it in a food processor or you can purchase it ground)
- 4 TBS flax seed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
-  salt and pepper, to taste
- olive oil, for cooking

In a large pot, place potatoes, vegan bouillon, and enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft.  Stir mid way to make sure the bouillon has dissolved and is evenly distributed.

Drain water from potatoes, saving a cup to make gravy with.  Mash and let cool.

While the potatoes are cooling, heat up some olive oil in a frying pan.  Add onions and cook until they start to brown.

Place the flax seed in a small bowl, add 1/4 cup hot water and let stand for about 10 minutes.  Once the seeds absorb the water, they will get sticky and gooey, which is what we want.

When the potatoes have cooled, add the flax seed and water it was soaking in, ground almonds, cooked onions, and salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Shape the potato mixture into small balls and line on the baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs for about 20 to 30 minutes, until they are heated through and outsides are crisp and turning golden brown.

Vegan Gravy

From Food.com, posted by Sharon123.

- 2 cups of vegetable broth OR 2 cups of water + a vegan bouillon
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (the less yeast you use, the less cheesier it is)
- 3 TBS cornstarch
- spices of your choice, to taste– I like to use onion powder, garlic powder, herbs de provence since that has a little bit of everything)
- salt and pepper, to taste

In a small saucepan, heat up the broth or water.

Ladle some of the heated liquid into a small bowl.  Add the cornstarch to this, whisk well, then set aside.

To the pot of liquid, add the nutritional yeast and seasonings/spices, stirring until dissolved.

Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot, and cook on low heat until the liquid thickens (about a few minutes).

Add salt and pepper, and more seasonings if desired.

This is great over the Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, veggies, and pasta!  (I will make it cheesier by adding more of the nutritional yeast when I use this over pasta.)