When I saw a recipe for raw granola bars on Kris’ website I knew I had to try them. They turned out so well that I had a ton of great plans for them- crumbles, raw granola and a perfect morning snack. This raw crumble makes a great dessert and a decadent healthy breakfast perfect for a summer morning.

Raw granola bar topping:

(adapted from Kris’ recipe)

• 1 cup oats
• 1 banana mashed
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup coconut
• 2 tbsp flax seed
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds
• Cinnamon
• ¼ cup agave nectar or honey

Filling:

• Chopped cherries (can alternate with apple or any other berry)
• Lemon

1. Mix all of the ingredients for your raw granola bars and feel free to taste and modify to your liking.
2. Freeze for 30-45 minutes pressed into a pan with parchment paper (or store them over night, these keep for a long time in the freezer and always taste fresh)
3. Chop up cherries or berry of choice and squeeze fresh lemon on top
4. Crumble raw granola over your berries
5. Top with lemon zest, coconut and agave nectar.

Summer Scallops with Citrus Guacamole and Arugula

Serves 2

• 1 Tortilla
• 8 Scallops
• 1 Avocado
• 1 Lemon
• 1 tbsp Ginger
• Arugula
• Cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp Olive oil
• 2 tsp Baslsamic vinegar
• 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Zest lemon and set aside
3. Blend avocado in Cuisinart with lemon juice from your lemon and chopped fresh ginger
4. Cut tortilla into triangles, brush with oil, place in oven and bake until crispy
5. Sear scallops with olive until golden brown on each side and firm
6. Assemble arugula salad with cherry tomatoes, add avocado blend and crispy tortilla chips.
7. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and lemon zest

This can be served as a light meal or as an appetizer.  This would also be great with shrimp or salmon!

The weekend came at just the right time.

After a week of loss, stress and heavy emotions, I was ready to draw open the blinds and let the light in.

John and I celebrated the weekend by exploring the city, enjoying each other’s company and some great meals.

On Saturday morning the sun was shining and I set out to make a batch of raw cherry crumble with a big batch of beautiful cherries I’d just bought on sale.

I sliced up the cherries, crumbled my raw granola bars on top, drizzled some maple syrup and added some lemon zest.

The first few bites were heaven.  And then…I felt a strong heat running through my body.  My arms were burning and the heat was crawling up them.  They were turning red.  My knees turned red and my legs started to turn red.  I ran to the mirror to see my face start to turn red.

John immediately put on his shoes and ran to the pharmacy to get some antihistamines.  It turns out I’m severely allergic to cherries.  Wish I hadn’t bought a pound of them.  Fear not, John ate my portion and his of the delicious crumble so it wouldn’t go to waste.  I’ll be re-creating this with another berry soon.

While it was a stressful realization, I also realized that John will be there for me in a heart beat, and he realized how much it scared him to have anything happen to me.

I also figured it was better to find out on a Saturday morning at home then at someone’s house for dinner!  “This cherry pie is…oh my god…oh my god…my skin…” It would not be pleasant.

The rest of the day went by without crisis.  In fact, just the opposite.

We checked out one of the summer markets just down the street from us, treated ourselves to massages and a UV sauna session for the price of nothing using a coupon I’d found, watched some of the US Open in a restaurant and satisfied my urge to try Gorilla Food, an organic, raw, vegan restaurant.

We shared the raw falafel wrap (a romaine lettuce wrap filled with spicy seed and veggie falafel balls on a bed of zucchini hummus and topped with a seasoned tahini sauce and grainless tabouli) as well as a Southern fire veggie burger (two veggie burger patties thickly topped with guacamole, fresh tomato slices, cucumber slices, shredded seasonal veggies and a ginger-tomato ketchup with a hot salsa).

The verdict?  I loved the freshness, the textures of the falafel and the warm flavors of the veggie burger.  It was light, energizing and I left fantastic afterwards.  On the downside the food could use a little more spice, the space was a little cramped and the service a little lack luster.  I bought some crackers to take home and I was sold another kind than the one I asked for.

I would still come back for the freshness and the thrill of trying some different foods (I heard their carrot cake is to die for), but I may have to work on coaxing John back there.  I made him a tuna melt when we got home because he was still starving.  We both agreed that I should take the food as inspiration to make a more flavorful variation of my own.

After some shopping and strolling we settled up at the apartment with a barbeque dinner and a movie on TV.  We both kept smiling at each other and saying what a perfect weekend it was.

I can’t think of any better therapy than spending the day with someone I love, enjoying good food and making the most of the day.

Today I’m taking it easy, getting ready for the week, and feeling grateful for everything I have.

Friday night dinner: Scallops with a ginger, citrus guacamole, crispy tortilla chips and a fresh arugula salad

Saturday morning breakfast: Raw cherry crumble

Discovering the market near our apartment






Stopping to watch some of the US Open golf

Lunch at Gorilla Food

Raw veggie falafel and fire veggie burger with a side of dehydrated crackers

Cleaned that plate..


Spicy tuna melt for a hungry man

Question of the day: Are you interested in recipes of some of these meals? I’m working on a cookbook and would love to start sharing some of my creations and recipes with you! Let me know which recipes you’d like to see and I’ll put them in a follow-up post!

I will always feel lucky to have the dad I do.

Every time I see him I’m overwhelmed by how much I like spending time with him, with how fun he is, curious he is, and how much I love him.

He is gentle, but doesn’t take crap from anybody.

He has a lot to say, but is happier at home with a good book and something cooking in the oven than he is out at a party.

He keeps to himself at times, but you can always be sure that he loves you.

He is in his sixties, but he’ll join me on a six hour walk or hike in a heartbeat.

He loves food and wine, but loves it all in moderation, and can always be found on his yoga mat in the morning.

He is a hard worker, but he relishes every moment of free time and relaxation.

He is my dad, but also my friend, and I love him for all that he is.

I am definitely your daughter…

My cousin called me last night to tell me her mom died.

I was shocked.  I was so happy to hear her voice but not expecting the sad news.  Her voice shook.

I wanted to reach through the telephone wires and hold her.

Later that night I called my mom to tell her.

“And you heard about Tatu, right?”  She said.

“Tatu?”

“He died four months ago.”

I had no idea.  My Columbian friend with the big smile and larger than life spirit apparently had an accident four months ago in Paris and died.

My mind twisted into a knot and my heart started to quiver.

How could my young friend, so full of life, be gone as well?

How come I didn’t make an effort to see him in Paris last time I was there?

We met the summer I was 15 or 16 and bonded over our love of Steve Miller Band and Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here.

He teased me like an older brother, said whatever he thought, and inspired me with his love of life.  He was always dancing, hugging, making friends with whoever walked in the room.

When my mom and I moved to Ireland he came and stayed with us.  He walked down the streets of our town in bright yellow shorts and striped socks and our friends and the cafe down the streets joked you could spot him from a mile away.

One of the last times I saw him in Paris when I was 19 we walked through the streets singing Beatles songs together.

It’s hard to imagine him gone.  We lost touch over the years but there was always the feeling that we’d see each other again, make fun of each other like we used to.

Some things are hard to understand.  Death, for the old and the young, never seems real until it happens.

Life is so fragile.

Rob & Yvonne’s 40th Anniversary from Inform Interiors on Vimeo.

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted.

It’s been a long time since I’ve written from the heart.

But slowly and surely I have been finding my voice, my energy, my smile and myself lately.

Too much stress, too many long days, and too many unhealthy substitutions for lack of sleep had me losing myself.

My week off to think and be around people I love brought me back down to earth.

I started making changes, switching coffee for exercise, dealing with the brutal headaches while downing  bottles water instead of a bottle of wine and finding the balance I had lost.

Sometimes I just need to step back, re-assess things, and get back in the right direction in full force.

I have two more weeks of work, celebrations to attend, and then important decisions to make on where the next step will be.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this good.

Me as a young girl, happy as can be