- Page 17 of 69 - Wholesome Recipes Made for Sharing

May 6, 2016

Lavender Lemon Spelt Scones with Honeyed Lemon Ricotta

Each school morning we begin with a full hour of reading as I’ve found it’s been quite a pleasant and sweet way to begin our school time together. We curl up on the couch, sip tea, and immerse ourselves in piles of books. On one of the days during this past week, I thought it would be fun to do something a little extra-special- a simple breakfast and reading time in bed. My daughter was completely delighted. We took turns reading to each other as we ate our scones and sipped our tea. During this season of homeschooling, I’ve prioritized our reading time together with hopes that it will rekindle her love for books and her curiosity to learn. It’s in these small ways that I hope to make reading and learning a positive and joyful experience for her. We’ve already noticed small changes- she now reads on her own again, the lists of books she wants from the library are getting longer, and she is always excited to begin the school day because of these shared times of reading. We are thankful.

April 28, 2016

Swiss Chard, Fennel, and Sausage Pasta

Pasta makes an appearance at our dinner table usually about once a week, mostly because it’s simple and also because my kids make me feel like a hero whenever I announce pasta for dinner. I still remember the time when I served pasta tossed with a plain old jar of store-bought marinara sauce and my son declared it “my best meal EVER”. (Oh why do I even bother sometimes?!)

This pasta, while not quite as easy as opening a jar, has minimal preparation and comes together quickly on busy weeknights . I used some homemade tomato sauce that I still had frozen from last summer’s tomatoes, but you could easily substitute any purchased canned or jarred tomato sauce. Ricotta and parmesan mellow out the acidity of the tomatoes and the seasonings from the chicken sausage help to further flavor the sauce. I like my pasta heavy with vegetables so there are two whole bunches of swiss chard along with a large fennel bulb, although in the end I probably could have used even more after the vegetables cooked down. It’s a simple dinner, I know, but delicious just the same and it’s these one-pot meals that get me through the week.

April 18, 2016

Walnut Torte with Coffee Coconut Cream

It had been a rough day, the kids were finally in bed, the house was quiet, and Ryan and I wearily sat down for a quiet moment to ourselves. All of my earlier efforts making dessert were paying off now that we could sit in peace and ease into uninterrupted conversation. After reading Ashley’s Date Night In book, we’ve been trying to be more deliberate about the time we spend together, and one evening a week we put everything aside to focus on each other. Sometimes it’s dinner together after the kids are in bed, other times it’s just dessert. It’s requires a bit of extra thought and preparation, but the investment has been worth it. In the midst sibling squabbles, the constant flurry of after-school activities, and now homeschooling, I often forget what Ryan and I were before we had kids. Going out is always fun, but dating in the calmness of your own home is also fun and intimate in a different sort of way.