June 03, 2009

Morning Veggie Pastry, Lunch Strawberry Arugula Salad, Dinner With Fellow Blogging Foodies

Sunny morning. My mom and cat are still asleep. I am in the mood for a comforting breakfast. I don't need to think much, I'm going to bake. Checking for ingredients: flour, eggs, yogurt, oil. There. I want stuffed pastry... Veggies! I have zucchini, red bell pepper, some corn. Quickly beginning.

Breakfast pastry with zucchini, red bell pepper and corn



As usual I lose track of how I knead the dough for it, fellow foodies raise eyebrows at me. Luckily, the dough itself is nothing special, doesn't drive the hungry folk mad. It's the combination with veggies and baking that matters.



It's the mesmerizing smell that fills the house, makes it home. I even want to go overboard and associate it with "giving birth at home" kind of comfort - but I'm yet to try it myself.



I love to sprinkle black cumin seeds (nigella sativa!) on savory pastries. Flavor enhancing. They're good for us too. Although, I hear that consuming them raw has more use.

Say, if the hungry folk also feels impatient - I give tips on easy dough making here.

Oh the sheer joy of linking to self. =giggle= Nah, just short in time.

***

Strawberry, arugula and cheese salad with olive oil, thyme and lemon

Then comes the noon. It feels hotter now. Trying to concentrate on last bit of studies, for final exams. My mind feels anything but concentrated. Okay, I get it. Nutrition refill time.

Wandering around, discovering new food blogs; recently I tend to notice strawberries in salads a lot. I am intrigued, experiment time.



Foodies mostly bring strawberry & spinach together. Well, I have arugula! How do they taste together?

I'm delighted to discover. Also, feeling enlightened. If it weren't for being in food blogging, it'd hardly dawn on me to use strawberry in a salad. Taboo!

I am feeling euphoric as new discoveries bend my borders. Lifetime resolution : extend beyond borders.



I love cheese. So I include some and my salad brings these ingredients together: Strawberry, arugula, cheese, thyme, olive oil and drops of fresh lemon. Cheese just completed the missing link.

By the way, I am munching on a new (to me) variation of salad at the time of typing my post: Arugula, fresh apricot, corn, cherry tomatos, olive oil, drops from freshly squeezed lemon.


Talk about sour, sweet, zesty and tangy! It's a sense stimulating salad.

My mind is blown away ...

***



Last Saturday I've been to a latin dance show by myself. One of the dancers - also dance teachers (male in photo) is my former classmate from university. I've seen him dance before, he's great. It felt so nice to see him on stage again, after a long while.

I asked a dancer guy to let my friend know I came. I couldn't speak to him, cause I arrived later than we planned to meet, so he was in backstage by then. It was pretty weird that a piece of velvet curtain and some social rule prevented me from going to see my friend in the back. Oh the good manners and home sweet homes.

Even from a distance though, I felt his soothing energy making me feel welcomed. Appreciated. Very few people can do that, unconditionally.

Sometimes, I like to believe that people like him have a purpose to brighten up others' lives without expecting anything in return. Nothing... Except for not being taken for granted. This is not to be taken lightly, in miu book.

On that note, I want to thank Ann of Happy and Healthy Cooking for appreciating me. I've seen awards going around, and the idea behind them is nice. Anything to appreciate the effort someone shows. It's my first, in that sense. I haven't been around for long in food blogging (since March 1st to be exact) , and some people have been there for me more consistently than other fellow foodies, making this experience a fruitful one for me with their company and support. In fact, I can count more names in my mind. I am thankful for everyone nevertheless, but here my special thank you's go to:

The Duo Dishes
"Frand" of Cooking For Zo
Tangled Noodle
LouAnn of Oyster Food & Culture
Kim of Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet
Curious Domestic
Reeni of Cinnamon, Spice & Everything Nice
Jenn of Bread + Butter
Leela of She Simmers
Pass The Pocky
Chez What?
Pooja at My Experience With Cooking
Gita
Justin
Poornima
Vrinda
Deeba
The World Tastes Good
.
.
.
(Aww sorry some of your blog names I'll edit later)


I am inspired by this "awarding" idea. Expect some dedication posts for fellow foodies and good causes in near future, Spirited Miu Flavor way 8-)

Happy Hump Day.

20 comments:

  1. Ozge,
    The breakfast recipe sounds so new to me and looks yummy. The touch of 'black cumin' makes it look so wonderful, I never heard of it.
    I 've all the ingredients to try it today except the cumin! :)
    Isn't that giving(awarding concept) to others feels great than receiving? :) :)

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  2. Excellent post from the savory pastry to the salad and then the dance theater...

    Thanks for the shout out too!

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  3. Ann, I'm sure you can handle the dough making part - just go with what feels right and toss in the veggies, there! Little effort.

    You're right about the awarding...

    DoggyBloggy, my pleasure :)

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  4. The salad sounds so light and delicious. Nice way to start the day.

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  5. AnonymousJune 03, 2009

    I appreciate your appreciation! Your excitement about food is contagious and delightful. California was the first place I ever saw a strawberry in a salad. When they are ripe, YUM! I like them with a balsamic vinegar dressing.

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  6. I love how the corn adds that sunrise of color!

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  7. Lovely veggie pastry and salad Ozge! Healthy breakfast for a healthy day! Loved the addition of black cumin to the pastry. And thanks for the mention. I know how much effort you put into each of your posts and I believe that every effort is worthy of appreciation :)

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  8. I'm lovin' all the dishes. I've got to try that veggie pastry. Looks really good.

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  9. 3-in-one! that veggie pastry is tempting!! yum!

    i love that...extend beyond borders...train thy palate..=)

    ac

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  10. AnonymousJune 03, 2009

    Back to say thanks for the shout out! :) It's very appreciated!

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  11. Wow..That's a great stack of pastry..Nice post Ozge

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  12. Wow, this post is packed with everything for everybody. I've been wanting to make that kind of flatbread. Looks delicious. Everybody's been talking about those nigella seeds and I still have yet to find them in my area. Ugh.

    Thanks for the shout out. :)

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  13. The pastry and salad sound delicious! Your photography is beautiful and so vivid that I can almost smell and taste the flavors and textures. Your dancer friend is not the only one who brightens others' lives without expecting anything in return! 8-)
    Thank you so much for including me on your list!

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  14. i loved the veggie pastry..looks delicious..do you have the recipe for it? can u pls share? oh by the way first time here and m enjoying it..hopped on from Ann..will visit often now :)

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  15. Your photos are fabulous, and the food looks fantastic. I love the pastry idea. Seems pretty easy and still very healthy.

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  16. That strawberry salad looked so fresh and tasty. I'm not a big salad person but I'd eat that in a heartbeat.

    Many thanks for adding me to your list! My blog is pretty new too, and I know how it can be difficult to gain an audience when there are so many well seasoned blogs already out there.

    We blogger noobs will just have to stick together. I love coming here so keep up the good work! :)

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  17. Welcome newly visiting foodies =)

    &

    Oh, I'm so glad to put you all up on that list and there are more people I didn't mention.

    I wouldn't have thought blogging would turn out like this... thank you *hug*

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  18. AnonymousJune 06, 2009

    Wow, I had so much fun reading this post - as usual. First started out with the awesome breakfast pastries, and as its before breakfast here, it got me thinking and wanting some of those goodies. Then I caught a glimpse of the wonderful looking and sounding strawberry salad, wow, is all I can say.

    Then I got a bit of culture and the happiness of seeing you recognized for your well deserved reward. You share so much about cooking and your life its always a joy to see what you've been up to.

    Here's a *hug* back to you for being such a wonderful person and your beautiful personality comes out in your blog.

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  19. I normally do the spinach and strawberries because they both get done about the same time. However, I love the argula especially that wonderful peppery bite it gives.

    Great post and such a colorful commentary!

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  20. Everything looks SO wonderful!

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You could feedmeback! I still appreciate it even if it's too spicy. Spice is good.

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