Passion

While this first part may seemingly not have much to do with art and my process, it does. I saw Brokeback Mountain a few evening ago and it was a remarkable movie. Very touching. Without going into too much detail, I think the part that spoke to me was primarily that the expression of love is one of the most important things in life. And art is always somewhere close by, in my opinion. At least, I see art as a way to express love. And I see that I have more choices than I realize. Those choices may not be the most popular, but if I let myself gravitate toward what really speaks to me, then popularity is not really that important. Sometimes movies just make me feel really grateful for my life and all that's in it...

Yesterday I was thinking about what I wanted to do...and knowing that I had to make dinner I decided that I would cook. It was great! I finally baked loaves of bread that actually rose! (I learned a few tips regarding yeast that I think will change my life forever!). We had a great vegan soup, some vegan bread, and a nice salad. I felt really good about pulling off a real meal and not something that I thought of last minute involving pasta. I will also get to cook a little for a family I am working for, which excites me. I can try out the recipes at home and then share them if I think they are tasty enough.

Cooking is a totally different form of expression for me. It's calculated. And I also enjoy having the time and space to really do it well. I like seeing bread rise in the oven, and seeing the evolution of something that I have no idea how it will taste. I also like filling people's bellies with good, healthy food. I look forward to more chances to cook (I think Josh does too!) and more happy bellies. See below for these great, easy recipes.

Easy Vegan Wheat Bread
Ingredients (use vegan versions):

* 2 1/2 cups warm water
* 3 cups whole wheat flour
* 2 tablespoon of yeast (or two packets)
* 1/2 cup molasses
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup vegan soymilk
* 3 to 4 cups unbleached white flour
* 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

This is super easy to make. Most of the time is spent letting the dough rise and bake. You don't spend much time in the kitchen...I SWEAR!

Mix water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the molasses together in a large bowl. Pour in the 3 cups of wheat flour and mix well. Cover the bowl with a towel and place in a dry place. Let it sit for a minimum of 20 minutes, up to a day! Fit it into YOUR schedule.

Pour in the rest of the molasses, oil, soy milk and salt. Mix together. Begin adding white flour, a 1/2 cup at a time. After the third cup, it begins to get pretty dense. I begin kneading the vegan bread in the bowl and it is still a bit "sticky," so I'll add another 1/2 to 1 cup of flour as I knead the vegan bread. Knead it for 5 to 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.

Cut the dough into two, equal parts. Shape them into loaves and place them into two, 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 greased vegan bread pans. (You can also make 24 rolls...or 1 loaf, and 12 rolls...whatever you want!!!).

Cover pans with a towel in a warm place and let the dough double in size. This will take at least an hour to an hour and a half.

Baking: Bake loaves at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes. Rolls should be baked at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Serves: many!

Preparation time: 2 hours

Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients (use vegan versions):

* 1 2-3# butternut squash (peeled/cut in 1 inch cubes)
* 1 large sweet potato (peeled/cut in 1/2 inch cubes)
* 1 can vegetable broth
* 1 onion (chopped)
* 1 large garlic clove (minced)
* 1 tlbs parsley
* 1 tablespoon bazil
* a few good shakes of cayanne and white pepper
* salt to taste
* 2 cup water
* olive oil

Directions:

Cook Squash until tender. Drain, and puree in blender with vegetable broth until smooth. In pot, cook onion and garlic in a little olive oil still soft. Add squash mixture and rest of ingrediants. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until sweet potatos are tender. Adjust seasonings to your taste!