78 and counting. That’s how many boxes of books I’ve donated in the last ten days. Not to mention the two full garbage bins, and multiple trips to Goodwill. At this moment I don’t recognize my space or my life. It was exhausting, stressful and emotional but I feel so much lighter and at ease letting go of all the stuff that’s been cluttering up my life. I’m not going to lie, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It’s really hard to let go of things that you’ve been holding on to. Will I miss it when it’s gone? Why am I keeping it? I had to ask myself that question over and over again and the more I did it, the easier it became until I was getting rid of more than I was keeping. I can already see that my life will be so much simpler with less stuff. It’s easier to find what I’m looking for, easier to keep the house picked up, easier to figure out what to wear in the morning. By having less stuff, I feel like I’m living more and I couldn’t be happier.
I’ve been exhausted at the end of each day but filled with a sense of accomplishment and purpose so dinner has been hit or miss the last few weeks. I finally had a moment to take a breath and wanted to come up with something simple but satisfying for dinner. I found some lovely cauliflower at the market and decided to make some fritters but paired it with a simple parsley and pomegranate salad to make it a full meal. The yogurt and tahini sauce is the perfect complement to the cauliflower and all the fresh herbs brighten the whole thing up. While the cauliflower steams, you can prep the sauce and the salad and the fritters only take a few minutes once they hit the pan. They were super satisfying but not too heavy. You can easily double to recipe and freeze the leftovers, just a few minutes in a 350 degree oven and they will crisp right up so you can have dinner on the table quickly.
I want to take a moment to thank everyone that has written me with encouragement about all the changes I’m going through. It’s a little scary making so many changes after being settled for so long but I can see that the effort is going to be so worth it and I can’t wait to share the experience with you all.
- yogurt sauce:
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- cauliflower fritters:
- 1 cauliflower about 1 pound cut into florets
- ½ cup all-pupose flour
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
- 1 large egg
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- parsley salad:
- 2 cups parsley leaves
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- 1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- In a small bowl combine all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce and set aside to let the flavors meld while you prepare the fritters.
- Steam the florets in a steamer basket over an inch of boiling water until easily pierced with a knife and set aside in a small bowl to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, Put the flour, chopped parsley and mint, garlic, egg and salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine into a smooth batter. Using a potato masher lightly smash the cauliflower until it is in pea sized pieces, add to the batter and mix lightly to combine.
- Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and heat until the oil sizzles when you sprinkle a drop of water to the pan. Using a ¼ cup measuring cup scoop up the batter and lightly shape into a patty flattening it slightly. Place it in the pan and let cook on each side for 3 to 4 minutes until the fritters are golden brown. Drain the fritters on a paper towel and if desired pre-heat an oven to 200 degrees and put them on a tray in the oven while you prepare the rest of the fritters.
- In a large bowl combine the parsley, mint, fennel and pomegranates with the lemon juice and o?˘˘
Your photography is amazing!
Thanks so much Shana, that’s such a nice thing to say. The photography is the reason that I keep blogging, I’ve found that I really have a passion for it and enjoy developing my craft.
did anyone make this yet? i’m so curious about the taste.
Have to try them this week!, Thank you, Tina! I am in love with your pictures! <3
I hope you like them if you try them, they are worth the effort!
Taking photos is by far my favorite part of blogging, if it wasn’t for that I don’t think I would keep doing it but it’s a great way for me to work on my skills!