Recipe: Shrimp Ceviche

 

 

 

Several moons ago I worked in a restaurant, I know, this is new news. At this place there was a manager who didn’t have many redeeming qualities, but on occasion, he would make the staff ceviche in the middle of the day when it was slow. He always made a big production out of doing it, and you really just had to wait that out before he set it down and we would all share the treat and chat.

Pulled from my garden

I never really asked him for his recipe, because ceviche is so straightforward I just throw my own together. It’s especially helpful this time of year because many of the items you need are in your garden and its too hot to start the stove.

So here is how I put together ceviche.

 

Shrimp Ceviche

Serves 2 or 20

Can be an appetizer, but my husband I and just eat it as a meal.

You can tweak the portions as you prefer and don’t overthink what kind of tomatoes you have-yes, some are runnier, but its just the nature of it. Exact is not ceviche’s style.

Everything gets diced or chopped like you’re making pico de gallo.

3 large tomatoes or 6-8 plum
2 cucumbers peeled
3 jalapenos (leave some of the seeds if you want more heat)
1 medium onion (more if you prefer)
1 avocado (more if you prefer)
the juice of 2 limes
1lb thawed cooked shrimp (dice this too)
3/4cup chopped cilantro
salt (to taste)
white pepper (optional)

Mix up and serve with chips!

Will keep in the fridge for up to 1 night. If you want to make it the day before, wait and add the avocado right before serving.

Enjoy!
~C

 

 

5 Things to do in August to transition into Fall

Oh Illinois, how you like to live in a constant state of transformation. I think people in Illinois have to be some of the most patient people because there is never any certainty in the weather, so we are always flexing plans and arrangements to accommodate Mother Nature’s personal agenda.

While it can be a hassle, it certainly has its charm at times, and I love living in a place that has all 4 seasons…even though we often experience 3 in a day. August marks a significant transition, not only for the weather, but for the community. Schools begin, schedules change, it’s a time of preparation. It’s interesting to me that even among my friends we have been talking about the awkwardness of August. Do we put out fall décor? Is that too soon? When does Halloween go out?

So I sat down and started looking over some of the things that I do, and I’m going to offer them to you, if you’re navigating the change of energy August brings. 

1.  Get out your flameless candles.

I personally LOVE Luminara flameless candles. They look like the real thing with a moving ‘flame’ and the best part is they have a 5 hour timer. I put them in dark parts of my Victorian home to create some light for moving around when it starts getting darker earlier. And they just
create a good vibe on cool nights.These candles stay out all year long and fit any decor style.

2.       2. Bake some bread

Zucchini bread is a great way to use up some garden harvest and between the act of baking and the cinnamon in the batter, you will feel good and cozy. My recipe makes a double batch, so I send one loaf to work with the hubby.

3.       3. Set your Fall goals

When we started this, I don’t remember, but each season my husband and I sit down and talk about all the things we’d like to do that is specific to the season. The list may include carving pumpkins, going on a drive when the leaves turn, having a bonfire, etc. We also have seasonal movie lists that we fold in with the DVD’s (yes, we still have DVDs). These lists are helpful when we have free time or need inspiration. Do we mark everything off? Never. But the act of making the lists is fun!

4.       4. Schedule your furnace inspection

My uncle gave me this advice after we bought our house. Schedule your furnace inspection in August because you don’t need the heat on, it’s a good cushion of time if there is an issue and the companies are not busy yet.

A few other things you might need to schedule:

·         Trimming the trees back

·         Gutter cleanout

·         Clean exterior windows

·         Any winterizing that is a pain to do when its cold

5.       5. Change the playlist

This is probably the easiest way to create a vibe and adjust it to the day. Summer playlists are a little easier to find, but how do you create on for Fall? I’ve been experimenting with a few, but this really does depend on your tastes so I’ll offer this as a stepping off point.

On Spotify, they have playlists called: Cottagecore Fairy Tale, Cozy Jazz Café, Autumn Instrumentals and Autumn Piano. I also have been doing a Bach station that has been pretty nice in the background.

What would you add to the list?

~C

Zucchini Bread (Double Loaf Recipe)

 I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe yet! I looked through past posts because I just assumed it would be here. Shame on me for not sharing this sooner. 

Late July and early August make for an interesting time with cooking. The gardens are popping and the last thing you want to do is warm up the kitchen. I get it. I do have a hack for that if it helps. Put your bathing suit on under your clothes and go jump into the pool or run through the sprinkler when you have some down time. Even the coldest water is refreshing. Don't think you're going to change later, because as soon as you try to wrestle out of that bra into the suit, you're spent.

So, now that you're in your bathing suit and the clothes are on, get yourself set up to make zucchini bread.

NOTE: This recipe is for a double loaf, so you can cut it in half if you need to, but who are we kidding? We need to use up the zucchini! You can freeze the second loaf or I send it to work with my husband and it always gets devoured.

Zucchini Bread (Double Loaf)

Approx Cook time: 1 hour

3 eggs well beaten
1 cup cooking oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini (I use my food processor for this bit)
2 Tbsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)
dash ground clove

Add oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla to beaten eggs. 

Sift dry ingredients together.

Add sifted dry ingredients to wet mixture. 

Optional: Stir in Pecans

Pour into two greased loaf pans (I line the bottom with parchment to make removing the loaf easier) and bake at 350F for approximately 1 hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

Enjoy!
~C

Weekly Letter: You don’t have to get it all done

 *Weekly Letter is the letter I include in my weekly yoga studio newsletter.*

Some of you might know that I’ve been updating my kitchen. It all started with the laminate floor peeling up and well…the thread was pulled. Working in small batches has been fine, but the dust has been exhausting to keep up with.

Then add in that the gardens are popping and my mother is dropping off BOXES of vegetables each week (pictured) and the feelings of being overwhelmed are pretty significant. Do I appreciate the vegetables? Yes, of course. But it’s also the time it takes to turn them into something I can store before they all go bad. So another clock starts. Tik Tok.

A dust bunny rolls by. Tik Tok.

A client email pops up on the phone. Tik Tok.

How is someone supposed to get it all done? Guess what? They’re NOT. Everything comes at the expense of something else and I don’t know about you, but I’m beyond placing these huge expectations on myself just to feel like crap all the time.

I got a messy piece of the kitchen project done over the weekend and then I didn’t open the store Monday so I could deep clean my house from the project. But that meant the store was closed (expense). Tik Tok.

What it also means is that now I have something big off my plate, getting the house in order can eliminate clutter in the mind. The niyama saucha (purity) teaches us this. If your home space, work space or other is cluttered or in disarray, the energy cannot move around. It’s bumping into everything out of place and doesn’t allow the mind to rest or focus. Have you ever gone to class and someone’s yoga mat was placed haphazardly on the floor? Did you want to fix it? By noticing this you’re tuning into the energy of creating a clean and organized space for practice. By creating some order, you’re able to move more efficiently and allow the mind the space it needs to have a deeper experience.

Did I HAVE to deep clean my house yesterday? No. But what will that leave me open for? For the foreseeable future, it appears to be putting up veggies, but then, there’s always something.

In time,

~C