Falafel is of course that awesome and healthy snack food that can become an entire meal when served over a salad or wrapped in flat-bread. And when paired with taratoor (tahini-garlic sauce) it is nothing short of culinary genius (in my humble opinion). This is a variation on the classic chickpea falafel in that itContinue reading “Broccoli Falafel with Taratoor (Yum!)”
Category Archives: urban simplicity
Weird and Wonderful…For Real
Okay….by now–if you’ve visited this blog prior–you know that I type away at my keyboard in Buffalo, NY. And while I love to travel and post recipes and pictures from elsewhere, this is my home; and for most of my life it has been. But at the same time, while much of what I writeContinue reading “Weird and Wonderful…For Real”
Photos of a Mid-Winter’s Dusk…
Urban Simplicity.
Playing with Light…Two Views from My Handlebars
So first of all I have to say it was cold today…really cold. The high temp was 18F/-8C. Tonight it is supposed to dip into the single digits (F). Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the brisk riding conditions. Mind you, I wouldn’t want it like this all the time (though in the dog days of summerContinue reading “Playing with Light…Two Views from My Handlebars”
Two Short Videos Honoring Two Great Men…
I find both of these videos really moving. The one below shows Nina Simone singing a song (which she and the band had just learned) honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, jr just three days after his assassination. And the very short clip above shows the humility of our president…a man who holds oneContinue reading “Two Short Videos Honoring Two Great Men…”
Something to Ponder…
I came across this short clip a few days ago. It makes me feel small (which isn’t a bad thing, I believe, in the ego-centric world in which we live). It also makes me remember that we–human beings on planet earth–are all in this together. For better-or-worse we are all on this big marble hurtlingContinue reading “Something to Ponder…”
Turkey and Sun-Dried Tomato Meatballs with Basil and Asiago
Okay, so I’ll say this as I say about many of the recipes on this page (but I really mean it)…these are as easy to make as they are delicious (and they are really, really delicious). You simply put everything in a bowl and mix it together then shape it into balls; the most difficultContinue reading “Turkey and Sun-Dried Tomato Meatballs with Basil and Asiago”
Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#443) and the View from My Handlebars
On the bike…nearly $170 in groceries. The view in front of me…a big, big sky on a cold, cold winter’s day. Urban Simplicity.
A Really Simple (but Superbly Delicious) Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe with Homemade Whole Wheat Noodles
What is it about chicken soup? Even when I go through one of my “very-little-meat” phases I still welcome and crave this simple food. It’s a sort of cultural phenomenon…every culture and nationality has their own version of this humble dish. One of my favorite names for this recipe is “Jewish Penicillin,” making reference toContinue reading “A Really Simple (but Superbly Delicious) Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe with Homemade Whole Wheat Noodles”
A Really Simple (but Superbly Delicious) Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe with Homemade Whole Wheat Noodles
What is it about chicken soup? Even when I go through one of my “very-little-meat” phases I still welcome and crave this simple food. It’s a sort of cultural phenomenon…every culture and nationality has their own version of this humble dish. One of my favorite names for this recipe is “Jewish Penicillin,” making reference toContinue reading “A Really Simple (but Superbly Delicious) Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe with Homemade Whole Wheat Noodles”
Past and Present…The View from My Handlebars (#2)
This is really a continuation of a previous post that is similar. I had the day off today and went for a bike ride downtown (on a cold, cold day I may add) armed with a couple cameras and prints of old photos. All of the original photos were taken–I believe–somewhere between 1895 and 1910.Continue reading “Past and Present…The View from My Handlebars (#2)”
Five Quotes from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968 “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to theContinue reading “Five Quotes from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
Kibbeh (Lebanese Meatballs)
Kibbeh is a Lebanese recipe that comes in many shapes and forms, but if you’ve ever discussed food with a Lebanese person you know that the discussion always comes back to kibbeh. I’ve mentioned before that I myself am Lebanese-American (half, actually, on my dad’s side) and grew up eating this dish. It is basicallyContinue reading “Kibbeh (Lebanese Meatballs)”
How To Make a Really Good Loaf of 100% Whole Wheat Bread (step-by-step directions, photos, and recipe)
This bread is by far the most common bread that I make…it’s my everyday bread. It is exceedingly easy to make, and good for you. It takes just a few basic ingredients and a few hours of your time (with minimal effort). Below are pictures and the very basic directions on how to make it.Continue reading “How To Make a Really Good Loaf of 100% Whole Wheat Bread (step-by-step directions, photos, and recipe)”
How To Make a Really Good Loaf of 100% Whole Wheat Bread (step-by-step directions, photos, and recipe)
This bread is by far the most common bread that I make…it’s my everyday bread. It is exceedingly easy to make, and good for you. It takes just a few basic ingredients and a few hours of your time (with minimal effort). Below are pictures and the very basic directions on how to make it.Continue reading “How To Make a Really Good Loaf of 100% Whole Wheat Bread (step-by-step directions, photos, and recipe)”
Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#442)
Two bottles of red wine and $22.67 in groceries. Urban Simplicity.
Past and Present…a View from My Handlebars separated by 116 Years
So this is interesting, I think. Earlier today I came across some old photos on this site (I love old photography). Anyhow, a few of the photos were streets that I travel on virtually every day. So I printed a couple of them out and stood in the spot of what I think is likelyContinue reading “Past and Present…a View from My Handlebars separated by 116 Years”
Five Quotes from Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda (né, Narendra Nath Datta) 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902 To learn more about Swami Vivekananda, visit one of the foundations that bear his name (here or here), or also this wiki.“We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; theyContinue reading “Five Quotes from Swami Vivekananda”
Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#441), the View from My Handlesbars, and a Brief Comment
On the bike…a cardboard box containing seven pints of homemade dog food (minced, leftover meat scraps), and a plastic milk crate containing a canvas book bag with–among other things–three books, and a nylon camera bag containing an extra camera and battery pack and charger. As I type these words it is January 10th and IContinue reading “Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#441), the View from My Handlesbars, and a Brief Comment”
Broth, Bouillon, Brodo (y Caldo)
“Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.”–LouisP. De Gouy A couple things… Firstly, I have relatively little trouble eating (and ultimatley sustaining on) meatless or near-meatless meals. Actually, I prefer it. But IContinue reading “Broth, Bouillon, Brodo (y Caldo)”
Urban Simplicty 