Five More Photos of Spring

These photos were taken over the past couple weeks…definitely not the last couple days. The reason I say this is the past couple days we have been experiencing the outer edges and remnants of a Nor’easter that has really pummeled much of the east coast. We (Western New York) were lucky in that we’ve only experience cold, rain, sleet, and snow…but it’s the dreariness that gets me; cold, wet, and dark for days at a time. Anyhow, these photos were obviously taken during sunnier times–and they’ll come again, likely sooner than later–but for now I think they are nice to look at, and I thought I’d share them.

Urban Simplicity.

A Cold, Wet Day and Evening..good for practice

Today–as the title of this post stated–was cold and wet. Not the dangerous frigid cold you get in mid-winter, but that bone-chilling wet-cold that can only come in the spring. And it’s been sort of snowing and raining for the better part of the day. Anyhow, I mentioned in a previous post how dismayed I have been at the continual money pit of car ownership (and that my pickup has to be repaired before it passes inspection by the end of the month), and that I have been considering finally selling the truck and going car-free…at least as a test run. Interestingly, in my mind I already am car-free…well today was a test. Sure riding a bike is fun when it’s nice out…but it’s not always nice out. Rain is my least favorite element to ride in. But still I rode my bike in the snow/rain the short distance to-and-from work today, and this evening I wanted to go to the health club and by this time it was coming down pretty hard. While my truck is still “legal,” it’s really not safe until it gets repaired. So I had two choices: I could stay home or I could ride in the rain. I chose the latter, and you know what…I didn’t melt. But I have to admit that the steam room at the health club felt extra good today, as does the heat from the wood stove as I type these words. Small steps, that’s how it’s done.

Urban Simplicity.

Two Signs of Protest

The above image was borrowed from Face Your Farmer, and the below one has been floating around the internet for quite a while. I like what they say and I believe them both to be true and accurate…but that’s not why I do both these things (at least not the only reason). Each year I grow a victory garden in my front and rear yards and of course I ride bikes a lot, mostly for transportation. I do this because I enjoy the vegetables and I dislike cutting grass, and the bike riding keeps me fit and saves money on petrol. But mostly, I do both these things because I enjoy doing them…I’m just saying. But, on the same note, I also feel that if more people did these things–because they wanted to, not because they were forced to or had to out of necessity–the world would likely be a better place. I also like both of these acts because even an introvert like myself can perform them and still–hopefully–have an impact. At the very least, I hope that if you–the reader or visitor to this blog–agree with these that you will download the images and pass them along. I’ll get off my little soapbox now. Peace.

Urban Simplicity.

Lebanese-Style Chicken-and-Brown Rice (sans boeuf ou d’agneau)

Yes I’ve posted this recipe before–or many variations of it–but it’s one of my favorites and I can’t help but post it again in hopes that more people try it. This is yet another variation of the classic Lebanese Chicken-and-Rice recipe that I grew up with. While this version still has toasted vermicelli, I used whole wheat pasta, and rather than white rice I used brown, which increases its cooking time by about 25 minutes. Also, the recipe usually contains ground beef or lamb as well; this I omitted entirely, not that I don’t enjoy it, I’m simply making a conscious effort to reduce my red meat consumption (but not give it up entirely). I also added some sliced green beans to the dish for color, flavor, and added texture. Anyhow, if you’ve never made this recipe or tasted it you are in for a real treat when you do. It is without doubt one of my favorites and the aroma as it cooks will make your mouth water.

This dish, by the way, goes great with a salad dressed with this mint-garlic vinaigrette. If you’d like more information and additional pictures of this dish–or variations of it–click here, here, or here.

On a somewhat different note, I’ve mentioned in the past that two pugs own me (yes, I’m aware of that wording). Tonight while I preparing the above meal they were acting extra excited, pacing back and forth. I was off to a late start as it was and was occupied with preparing my dinner. I thought maybe the aroma of chicken cooking was making them a little crazy. Then I remembered…I was so occupied (and late) with cooking my dinner I had completely forgotten to feed them their dinner. You can see the look of concern in their eyes in the bottom photo of this post. If they could speak they’d likely have a few choice words for me. And yes, I felt so bad I gave them each a bit of chicken 🙂

Anyhow, here’s the recipe and how to prepare it in pictures and words; for other versions click the above links.

Lebanese Chicken-and-Rice
Makes 4 servings
3 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken breasts
4 ounces diced onion
2 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, broken into pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup long grain brown rice
3 cups hot chicken broth
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Heat the olive oil over high heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sauté the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and vermicelli to the pan and cook until golden, then add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Add the cinnamon, cumin, allspice, and salt; sauté two minutes while stirring. Add the onions and pasta back to the pan along with the rice, stirring to fully coat it with with the oil and spices. Then add the chicken breasts to the pan, pushing them gently into the rice. Pour in the broth and cover the pot with a lid. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Remove the pot from the stove and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with minced parsley.


Lebanese-Style Chicken and Brown Rice (sans boeuf ou d’agneau)

Yes I’ve posted this recipe before–or many variations of it–but it’s one of my favorites and I can’t help but post it again in hopes that more people try it. This is yet another variation of the classic Lebanese Chicken-and-Rice recipe that I grew up with. While this version still has toasted vermicelli, I used whole wheat pasta, and rather than white rice I used brown, which increases its cooking time by about 25 minutes. Also, the recipe usually contains ground beef or lamb as well; this I omitted entirely, not that I don’t enjoy it, I’m simply making a conscious effort to reduce my red meat consumption (but not give it up entirely). I also added some sliced green beans to the dish for color, flavor, and added texture. Anyhow, if you’ve never made this recipe or tasted it you are in for a real treat when you do. It is without doubt one of my favorites and the aroma as it cooks will make your mouth water.

This dish, by the way, goes great with a salad dressed with this mint-garlic vinaigrette. If you’d like more information and additional pictures of this dish–or variations of it–click here, here, or here.

On a somewhat different note, I’ve mentioned in the past that two pugs own me (yes, I’m aware of that wording). Tonight while I preparing the above meal they were acting extra excited, pacing back and forth. I was off to a late start as it was and was occupied with preparing my dinner. I thought maybe the aroma of chicken cooking was making them a little crazy. Then I remembered…I was so occupied (and late) with cooking my dinner I had completely forgotten to feed them their dinner. You can see the look of concern in their eyes in the bottom photo of this post. If they could speak they’d likely have a few choice words for me. And yes, I felt so bad I gave them each a bit of chicken 🙂

Anyhow, here’s the recipe and how to prepare it in pictures and words; for other versions click the above links.

Lebanese Chicken-and-Rice
Makes 4 servings
3 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken breasts
4 ounces diced onion
2 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, broken into pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup long grain brown rice
3 cups hot chicken broth
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Heat the olive oil over high heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sauté the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and vermicelli to the pan and cook until golden, then add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Add the cinnamon, cumin, allspice, and salt; sauté two minutes while stirring. Add the onions and pasta back to the pan along with the rice, stirring to fully coat it with with the oil and spices. Then add the chicken breasts to the pan, pushing them gently into the rice. Pour in the broth and cover the pot with a lid. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Remove the pot from the stove and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with minced parsley.

La Menthe Vinaigrette (ou citronette)

This is by far my favorite vinaigrette sauce. And I consciously use the word sauce rather than dressing because it is more than a salad dressing. This can be used as a dip or drizzled over poultry, seafood, or meat..and of course used as a salad dressing (it is in fact the basis to the Lebanese salad Fattoush). It is so simple to make if you have a blender…simply put everything in and give it a quick spin. And if you prefer the flavor of basil that is a good alternative to mint. A loose translation of the French word vinaigrette is “little sour wine,” or “little vinegar.”  Seeing how there is no vinegar in the recipe it is technically a citronette. But whatever you call it, it certainly is delicious and takes about 30 seconds to make.

Garlic-Mint Vinaigrette
Makes about a cup

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup lemon juice
2/3 cups virgin olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Urban Simplicity.

Now This is Interesting (a brief story)

Most who visit this blog know that I like bikes…a lot. I ride mainly for transportation, but also because I enjoy it. And some also know that I am not entirely car-free, but car-lite (I own one small late model pick up truck and a small fleet of bikes). Sometimes it seems silly that I still own the truck seeing I can get by without it, and given the true cost of car ownership. Today, for example, I took the truck to my mechanic for it’s annual inspection…it turns out I need to have hundreds of dollars of work done prior to inspection (surprise!). Anyhow, feeling somewhat down (disgruntled even) about the continual money pit of owning a car, I took my two dogs for a walk this evening and was contemplating what it would be like–and if I truly would be able–to be entirely car-free; as I walked I thought about selling the truck. And as I walked and my dogs stopped to pee on whatever vertical thing they could find, the above woman happened to pass me. As she passed I noticed her somewhat unique bike (it’s shaft driven; no chain) and asked her about it. It turns out Tanya was here in town from Vancouver to attend the Complete Streets Summit today and is helping to start up a SoBi bike share program. Excellent! She was also nice enough to agree to have her picture taken (thanks Tanya!). So…was this fate, that I’m walking around considering going car-free and I run into someone helping to do a bike share start up? Maybe, maybe not…then again maybe I’m just over-analyzing (which I tend to do). Whether I sell the truck or not it’s exciting news to have a bike share coming to Buffalo.

Urban Simplicity.

Five Quotes from John Muir

Photo Credit: National Park Service
John Muir (21 April 1838 – 24 December 1914)
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
“God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.”
“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”
“The power of imagination makes us infinite.”
The below photo is my son, Isaac, and I in Muir Woods during the summer of 2010. 

To read more in the Five Quotes series, click here.
Urban Simplicity.
 

Five Photos of Flowers…and a few words

I took these photos mostly in a neighbors front yard when I arrived home from work late this afternoon. The sun shone just right that they almost seemed illuminated. Interestingly, of the three cameras that I own, the smallest of them–a teeny Sony Cyber-Shot that I purchased for $99 two years ago–takes the best close up images with bright colors, such as these. And that’s what I used to take these photos. Click any for a larger view.

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#424)

A nylon bag containing a computer, a canvas bag containing an extra camera, an electronic reader, two books, a journal, a small tripod, and various writing tools; a dough rising bucket containing a small paper bag which contains a smaller plastic tub of homemade gravy; a round tin resting atop the dough rising bucket containing 4 chive crepes stuffed with beef stroganoff; two loaves of freshly baked oatmeal-flax bread.

Urban Simplicity.

Oatmeal-Flax Bread (whole wheat, of course)

In an effort to make ever healthier breads, this is my latest one. It’s really just a variation on a them of whole wheat breads. This one simply includes oatmeal and flax seed. The big difference is that you have to add even more water to the dough because the oatmeal and flax absorb some. I know that ground flax is said to be healthier because you absorb more nutrients and omega 3 oil, but I really like the crunch of the whole seeds in the finished bread. It is delicious (it I do say so myself), and like all of the breads on this blog, it is really easy if you just follow the steps. Anyhow, the recipe is below.

WholeWheat Oatmeal-Flax Bread
Makes2 or 3 loaves
6cups whole wheat flour, divided
2cups oatmeal, plus additional for coating
½cup flax seed
2tablespoons vital wheat gluten
4cups water, divided
2tablespoons instant yeast, divided
¼cup olive oil
¼cup honey
2teaspoons kosher salt
Separatethe ingredients into two bowls using this ratio: In one bowl combine4 cups of flour, two cups of oatmeal, the flax seed, wheat gluten,and 3 cups of water; stir until just combined. In the second bowlcombine the remaining 2 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of yeast, and 1cup of water; stir until just combined. Cover the bowls and allow theingredients to rest and begin fermenting for at least an hour, but upto 12. Then combine the contents of bowl bowls into the bowl of anupright mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the remaining tablespoonof yeast, along with the olive oil, honey, and salt. Knead the doughon medium speed for about 8 minutes, then cover and allow to rise forone hour. Transfer the dough to a work surface, cut it into two orpieces, gently shape it into loaves. Dust the counter with extraoatmeal and roll the loaves in it, gently pressing oatmeal into thesurface of the raw dough. Place the loaves into oiled loaf pans,cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 45 minutes. Preheat anoven to 425F. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or until goldenbrown and sounds hollow when tapped on. Remove the bread from theirpans and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#423)

Payday today, the house was bare with essentials. After a brief steam and swim I ran errands and did some shopping. This is what I carried on–or pulled with–the bike tonight from 4 separate stores:

 Two bags of of dog food, $67 in groceries, vitamins, sundries, a bottle of red wine, a canvas bag containing an extra camera, books, and writing tools, a gym bag full of wet clothes, an extra jacket, and an extra chain lock.

Urban Simplicity.

Raw Vegetable Salad with Oil-Braised Garlic and Near East Spices

This vegetable salad is so delicious it’s making my mouth water as I look at the picture; it’s also exceedingly easy to make. You can use whatever vegetables you prefer, or whatever seasonings you prefer. The recipe is below, but these are the basic steps.

Slice, chop, or shred whatever vegetables you like.
Put the vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle salt over them.
Slow-cook whole garlic cloves in olive oil.
Add spices to the pan and remove from the heat.
Stir the still-hot oil-garlic-spice mixture into the vegetables
Stir in lemon juice.

Here it is in pictures, a recipe is below.

Raw Vegetable Salad with Oil-Braised Garlic and Near East Spices
 
Makes about 12 portions, but the recipe may easliy be reduced in size.
Slice, chop, and shred enough of your favorite vegetables to feed 12 people (I used red onion, cabbage, carrot, zucchini, asparagus, red bell pepper, celery, cucumber, and green beans). Mix the vegetables together in a large bowl and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of kosher salt over them; mix the vegetables again and set aside. In a small skillet, combine 1 cup of olive oil and up to 25 whole garlic cloves (their sharpness is greatly diminished when they braise). Place the pan over low-medium heat and cook the garlic for about 20-30 minutes…it will simmer for quite a while before it begins to brown, if it browns too quickly the heat is too high. After the garlic is lightly browned and soft enough that it can be mashed with the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat. Stir into the oil-garlic mixture–while it is still hot–1 tablespoon curry, 1 tablespoon black sesame seed, 2 teaspoons crushed hot pepper, 2 teaspoons whole coriander seed, 2 teaspoons whole cumin seed, and 2 teaspoons whole mustard seed. All the spices to cook in the hot oil for about 30 seconds, stirring them gently, then pour this mixture over the raw vegetables. Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice and gently stir the salad. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#421)

Two nylon bags, a canvas bag, 3 books, an electronic reader, a pocket Bible, a camera, a tripod, a magazine, a laptop computer, a journal, and various writing implements.

Urban Simplicity.

A Few Test Photos…and a few words, too

I just purchased an inexpensive used camera from someone off craigslist today. I now have three cameras and none cost more than $99US. This is not meant to be a braggart’s statement, but just to reinforce that one does not need a $500 camera to take good pictures. Anyhow, and this is interesting, I think, how they all function differently and that they are each better at some tasks than others (obvious, right?). The smallest of the three, a little palm-sized point-and-shoot takes the best close ups…yup, that’s right, most of the close up pictures of flowers on this blog were taken with a camera that is small enough to be hidden within the two palms of my hands. The new used one I purchased today seems to have the best zoom qualities, which will be interesting. All the pictures in this post were taken with that camera. The seagulls above, for example, were likely 1/2 mile in the sky, as was the church steeple below (I love that one). The one below that is of the Bubble Man of Allen Street; he was a half block away and 3 floors up. The fat pregnant stray cat below…well, how could I not take a picture of her if my camera was already in my hand. And the bottom picture is a silhouette of Allentown at dusk with pink sky in the background, the last scene I saw before entering my house. I like this camera.

Urban Simplicity.

Updated…

Many readers likely know that for some time now this blog has had two entities, sister or mirror blogs if you will..the blogger version and the mirrored wordpress site. A few months ago I purchased the domain name urbansimplicity.com as the blogger site, and just a few days ago I transferred the wordpress address to urbansimplicity.net. It will still run as the same…posting to the blogger site (urbansimplicty.com) then transferring it to wordpress (urbansimplicity.net). Both sites will still be identical with the exception that the blogger address has more links on the sidebar. Thank you to those who visit and comment, it makes me remember that my idiosyncratic ramblings and photos are actually received by someone. Peace.

Four Photos of Flowers (and how they inspire me)

It’s interesting. I like many adults have suffered from sleep problems for most of my life. It’s rare for me to sleep more than 6 hours. But every so often I do. My body crashes. Last night was one such instance. I went to bed around 1:00am–which is late for me–and didn’t wake until nearly 11:00am this morning. It was disorienting to say the least. And I’m not sure what it was–the long sleep or the grey and rainy day–but I woke with a feeling of melancholy. Not anything too heavy, just enough to put me in an introspective mood. Seeing that I woke too late to go to church, I read the NY Times on line while I had coffee and then went out for a long walk in the drizzly weather and took photos. I took a bunch of them–of all sorts of things–but am only showing some of my favorites; the flowers. I find it interesting in that when taking photos it forces me to look at–contemplate–the thing I’m pointing the camera at. The one above, for example, is a flower on a tree…who knew that inside its white leaves was hidden such beauty. Or the one directly below–a dandelion–on any other day these are the nemesis to my garden, but when viewed up close, through the lens of a camera, it is beautiful. Anyhow, it’s likely that the brilliant color of these flowers on such a grey day has added color–inspiration–to my spirit. And I thought I’d share. Click any for a larger view.

Urban Simplicity.