This summer marked a huge shift in my life. I have shared bits and pieces through social media and for my fans and followers you've been a part of this transition. I wanted to share with everyone the changes that have happened recently and why I am celebrating my favourite season, fall, bigger than ever.
After some treatment for my neurological complications from my car accident, it became obvious that returning to a job that requires me to sit in front of a computer almost exclusively, was an unrealistic goal. It was apparent that the goal of this caused me great anxiety as I simply couldn't imagine being able to do the basic parts of my job, let alone the more complex aspects of human resources management. I decided that it was best for me to resign from my job, and let go of the notion that I could or would return to that work.
I was cleared by my doctor to do a trial period of work, and she recommended I return to the kitchen as it was physically more flexible for me. So I made a huge leap and signed up to be a vendor at our local farmer's market and enlisted friends and family to help me out. I work very limited hours and only have a few truly productive hours a day, if I'm lucky. It is somewhat torturous for an ex type A, hyper multitasker to do less. My desire to be productive is quickly met with mental exhaustion that forces me to plan to do very little.
Returning to the kitchen, and in particular Kimberley's Kitchen, has been an amazing experience this summer as I continue with my recovery. I've met wonderful people and found purpose, again, in being creative. I still have pretty profound memory loss, confusion, and mental lapses but I'm better able to laugh about it. I watch myself and see a different person now. In some ways this is tough because I see myself struggling to find words or remember names. In other ways I'm proud that I found the strength to take risks and put my health first.
Thanks again for your support and for joining me on this journey. See what's new at Kimberley's Kitchen or come by the farmer's market and say hi!
Cheers- Kimberley
I'm still here
It has been a while. How are you? I'm missing you. All of you.
I'm still here. Quietly waiting. Anxiously anticipating publishing this post. I think it's time I catch you up.
I'm still (!) recovering from my car accident. If someone had told me I would be here I would not have believed them. I know that so many of you can relate. After months of tests and appointments I had conclusive diagnoses. Then more testing, more waiting for specialists. Time heals. Or does it?
Time has taken it's toll on me for sure. Had I received immediate treatment my injuries would likely not be as serious as they are now. You don't know what you don't know. But I've learned so much and in the past few months have managed to make incremental progress. This is good.
I have always been hopeful, grateful, and certain that recovery was my path. I didn't know that it would bring me here. Or that I would bring me here.
When we moved to the country, much of our motivation was to live a simpler, slower life. We wanted to grow some food, know our neighbours, enjoy nature. Little did I know that I would be catapulted into living simpler out of necessity. Because it's all I can manage in a day.
Speaking of days, what day is it? My task this week from my neurologist is to remember the day of the week for the whole day. I have strategies and techniques. Tricks and tips. But mostly, I am slowly, so slowly, learning to remember in a new way. How my memory functioned before is lost to me for now, so I need to use my brain differently. Easier said than done.
I am a different person now. But I would like to think that in many ways I am so much better. I'm more patient with my children. I laugh at myself much more. I care much less about what people think of me. I'm shedding the need to accumulate stuff and learning to live with less. I don't take communication for granted. I savour more of each day. I'm less confined by technology (I just can't use it that much anymore) and more aware of nature and simple things.
Being forced to slow down has dramatically changed my life. And mostly for the best. But we are still on this journey. Health and healing are constant aspirations.
And so this blog will now evolve. I haven't been able to fully grasp what I should do here. But in the last few days it all became very clear to me. I have so much to share with you. Recipes, stories, and my passion for food and family.
Won't you join me?
-Kimberley
I'm still here. Quietly waiting. Anxiously anticipating publishing this post. I think it's time I catch you up.
I'm still (!) recovering from my car accident. If someone had told me I would be here I would not have believed them. I know that so many of you can relate. After months of tests and appointments I had conclusive diagnoses. Then more testing, more waiting for specialists. Time heals. Or does it?
Time has taken it's toll on me for sure. Had I received immediate treatment my injuries would likely not be as serious as they are now. You don't know what you don't know. But I've learned so much and in the past few months have managed to make incremental progress. This is good.
I have always been hopeful, grateful, and certain that recovery was my path. I didn't know that it would bring me here. Or that I would bring me here.
When we moved to the country, much of our motivation was to live a simpler, slower life. We wanted to grow some food, know our neighbours, enjoy nature. Little did I know that I would be catapulted into living simpler out of necessity. Because it's all I can manage in a day.
Speaking of days, what day is it? My task this week from my neurologist is to remember the day of the week for the whole day. I have strategies and techniques. Tricks and tips. But mostly, I am slowly, so slowly, learning to remember in a new way. How my memory functioned before is lost to me for now, so I need to use my brain differently. Easier said than done.
I am a different person now. But I would like to think that in many ways I am so much better. I'm more patient with my children. I laugh at myself much more. I care much less about what people think of me. I'm shedding the need to accumulate stuff and learning to live with less. I don't take communication for granted. I savour more of each day. I'm less confined by technology (I just can't use it that much anymore) and more aware of nature and simple things.
Being forced to slow down has dramatically changed my life. And mostly for the best. But we are still on this journey. Health and healing are constant aspirations.
And so this blog will now evolve. I haven't been able to fully grasp what I should do here. But in the last few days it all became very clear to me. I have so much to share with you. Recipes, stories, and my passion for food and family.
Won't you join me?
-Kimberley
Sin Buns Recipe (Easy Cinnamon Buns)
I made you something. I know that I have been promising you this recipe for about a million years. So it is finally here. In my defense, every time I made some to take photos for you, we ate them before I could photograph them. So this time I was smart and made them secretly, quickly snapped some photos, and months later am finally sharing this with you.
These won't disappoint. Easy, delicious, and basically a food group in my humble opinion.
Love to you!
Kimberley's Kitchen Sin Buns
~makes one dozen buns~
Ingredients:
Dough:
Dough:
-1 cup warm milk
-3 Tablespoons melted butter
-2 teaspoons yeast
-3 1/2 cups flour
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 egg
-1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
(combine the following in a bowl and have ready for when dough is rolled out)
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-2 Tablespoons cinnamon
-1/2 stick melted butter
-1 cup raisins (optional)
Glaze:
-1 cup confectioners sugar
-2 Tablespoons milk
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-in the bowl of a mixer, or in a large bowl, combine milk, melted butter, and yeast. Allow yeast to get foamy- approximately 5 minutes.
-add 3 cups flour, egg, and salt and mix. Slowly add remaining flour until dough is sticky.
-kneed dough for 5 minutes
-place dough in a well oiled bowl, covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap, place in a warm spot in kitchen (I put it on my oven) and allow to rise to double the size (usually 30 minutes)
-preheat oven to 375 degrees
-remove dough from bowl, roll out into rectangle approx 8 x 11 inches.
-spread filling over dough, leaving a 1/2 edge around rectangle
-roll long end of dough and pinch dough closed
-with a sharp knife, slice dough in two pieces, and then slice those pieces into 6 pieces
-place rounds cut side up in a well oiled baking dish (9 x 9 or 9 x 13). Drape with damp towel or plastic wrap and leave in warm place to rise again for 30 minutes
-remove towel/wrap and place baking dish in oven to bake for approx 25 minutes or until golden brown
-remove from oven, allow to cool in dish on wire rack, serve once cooled with a drizzle of glaze
Enjoy!
-2 teaspoons yeast
-3 1/2 cups flour
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 egg
-1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
(combine the following in a bowl and have ready for when dough is rolled out)
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-2 Tablespoons cinnamon
-1/2 stick melted butter
-1 cup raisins (optional)
Glaze:
-1 cup confectioners sugar
-2 Tablespoons milk
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-in the bowl of a mixer, or in a large bowl, combine milk, melted butter, and yeast. Allow yeast to get foamy- approximately 5 minutes.
-add 3 cups flour, egg, and salt and mix. Slowly add remaining flour until dough is sticky.
-kneed dough for 5 minutes
-place dough in a well oiled bowl, covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap, place in a warm spot in kitchen (I put it on my oven) and allow to rise to double the size (usually 30 minutes)
-preheat oven to 375 degrees
-remove dough from bowl, roll out into rectangle approx 8 x 11 inches.
-spread filling over dough, leaving a 1/2 edge around rectangle
-roll long end of dough and pinch dough closed
-with a sharp knife, slice dough in two pieces, and then slice those pieces into 6 pieces
-place rounds cut side up in a well oiled baking dish (9 x 9 or 9 x 13). Drape with damp towel or plastic wrap and leave in warm place to rise again for 30 minutes
-remove towel/wrap and place baking dish in oven to bake for approx 25 minutes or until golden brown
-remove from oven, allow to cool in dish on wire rack, serve once cooled with a drizzle of glaze
Enjoy!
Easy Yummy Scones
I am in love with scones. I have been for quite some time. Every time I make them I fall in love just a little bit more. They are one of the most satisfying baked goods to make from scratch. A far cry from what we have become accustomed to eating at cafes and coffee shops, the homemade scone made with butter, is a treat to be revered. And it is easy. Shhhhh. I shouldn't even tell you how easy it is to make scones. But I am sharing my secret with you. Because I really love scones.
This batch was lemon. But you can make almost any kind of scone that you can dream up or make something traditional like currant. Raspberry is one of my favorites. But you know how much I love lemons. So I had to make you Lemon Scones.
Secrets to this being so easy? It is a one bowl recipe. It takes very little time or baking skill. It takes few ingredients. So easy that my 5 year old has been making these since before she was 2. And now she has the recipe memorized. She recites it to me. Because as I age I tend to forget it. This works out well for me.
Easy Yummy Lemon Scones
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center
- In a large bowl, mix 2 cups AP flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt
- To this, add 4 Tablespoons sugar and blend to combine
- Cut in 1 stick of cold butter with a pastry blender or two knives until pea-sized pieces of butter are mixed throughout
- Add zest of 1 large lemon (or other mix-in as desired, such as currants, berries, or chocolate chips)
- Make a well in center and add 1 egg and 1/2 cup milk or cream
- Combine dough until mixed thoroughly
- Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and pat with floured hands into a circle that is about 1 inch thick
- Cut into 6 or 8 wedges, depending on desired size of scone
- Place on parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet
- Brush tops of scones with cream and sprinkle with sugar
- Bake for approx 15 minutes until lightly browned on top
- Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool
- Serve with butter, lemon curd, or jam. Eat and enjoy!
Baking with lemons is so easy, especially when you have a handy tool for zesting. Save the zested lemon for juicing but be sure to store in fridge to prevent it from drying out. Never waste a lemon. They are so versatile and what I consider a "perfect food".
Enjoy!
~Kimberley
Time Flies
This week we celebrate the 5th birthday of our first daughter, Georgia May. These phone pics are from when she was 2 and we were baking. I was also holding our new baby, Olivia Skye, while taking these. Literally juggling the two of them to keep everyone happy.
It is overwhelming to look at photos from the past 5 years and to see them grow and laugh and play. Georgia was practically born baking and we have photos of her receiving that apron, some oven mitts, and baking supplies when she was 18 months old. Already, at that age, I had her on a chair in the kitchen with me, cooking and baking.
I remember that she was making these cookies for Grandpa. We always baked for visits with Grandpa.
Yesterday we had guests over to our house for dinner and they remarked on how I let the girls into the kitchen with me to help bake and cook dessert. We have 2 step stools and Georgia and Olivia pulled them up to the counter and helped make the strawberry shortcake we served. I remembered that not everyone does that. In fact, I don't remember my Mom letting me cook with her. I always did it on my own. But bringing my girls into the kitchen from a young age has served many purposes and has helped to build a foundation of kitchen skills, food knowledge, and appreciation for the food we enjoy.
It is perhaps the best thing I have done as a parent so far.
And as we approach celebrating 5 years since having our first child and becoming parents, I think it is a good time to reflect on all that we have done right. Of course we have made mistakes. But I think that when we focus on what we are doing well, and keep doing it, it diminishes those mistakes or all the things I am completely unaware of that I am doing as a parent and will find out later.
Five years has gone by fast. And we have faced many challenges along the way. But I wouldn't change it for anything. My daughters are two great people and I feel so honored to be their mother.
~Kimberley
Easy Healthy Beautiful Food Choices
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| Photo from Food Inc |
How often have you vowed to eat healthier?
How often have you rewarded or punished yourself with food?
I think most of us have the self-awareness to realize we do this and we want to make changes. We want to eat better. But where do we start?
I actually think that the first place to start is to change how we think about food and its purpose in our lives. The connection of food to self- image has somehow turned us on ourselves and created this inner battle.
Have you seen the video that's gone viral about beauty? It's pretty amazing and got me thinking about how often we criticize ourselves and then punish ourselves with food or by withholding food. And how often others connect our beauty to the food we eat.
In talking to my toddlers about food, I often use science to make food fun. We talk about the vitamins and elements in food and what that does in our bodies. We talk about where the food comes from and how it was produced. We talk about what we love about food and love about cooking and baking. I believe these kinds of discussions create a foundation for a healthy relationship to food. We are treating it with reverence and respect but we are also building the connection about the science of food and our bodies. We don't talk about dieting, carbs, reducing anything. When there is something that we want them to learn to enjoy in moderation, we say just that. "Too much of anything will make you sick."
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| Photo from Martha Stewart Living |
I believe its possible. And I am declaring that this is my mission this year. As I embark on my year of turning 40, I have set fitness goals for myself. But I think that I need to take one step back and start with how I think about food and my body. I will start today with one easy choice: I love my morning coffee. I know that coffee has health benefits. But I put sugar in my coffee. So every time I put it in I feel a twinge of "I would be a better, thinner person if I didn't put sugar in my coffee every morning." But would I enjoy my coffee? No. So let it go, Kimberley. Is this how I want to start my day? Feeling guilty about my favorite beverage? I don't think so.
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| Photo by Kimberley's Kitchen |
I think that as individuals, when we are kind to ourselves, we make the biggest difference in the world. Let's enjoy our food and believe we are beautiful. Because we are all beautiful.
~Kimberley
Simple Whole Food
Simple Whole Food. Is there anything faster or easier? In a time when two or three of the generations think that convenience and fast food is cheaper and easier than cooking real food, it's not a simple question.
Growing Up
I grew up with parents that cooked whole, real food. I grew up shopping at the markets, catching fish, picking vegetables from the garden, picking berries at the farm. I learned about whole food and cooking because it is all I lived. But as I got older, I discovered that not everyone grew up that way. Now as a parent, and seeing what is in the lunch bags at schools, not much has changed. Or it has and it has become much worse.
Real Snacks
At the grocery checkout the other day, as the cashier scanned my canteloupe, she said, "now this will be about 6 dollars. Are you sure you want it?" I appreciated her concern because sometimes produce can be more expensive than you expect it and she probably had several canteloupes turned back that day. I said to her that I don't cut corners on fruits and vegetables that my children enjoy. She smiled. I told her that in fact, $6 was a good deal for how many snacks I would get out of that one melon. Probably about 12 snack servings. So, at 50 cents each, I think its a great deal.
The next day I saw a lunch bag of one of the other children at the daycare. It had a package of "fruit" snacks, which is really candy. You know the ones. This is not food. It is candy. Out of curiosity, when I was back at the grocery store I checked the price on a box of those "snacks". Four freakin' ninety-nine. Even, let's say, it was on sale for $3.99, that is very expensive for what I think is 8 packages of candy. Candy would be cheaper! And no, just because it is made with some fruit juice does not make it fruit or healthy.
The Naked Chef
This is but one example. Of course. And there are so many more. When Jamie Oliver started the Naked Chef years ago, the first episode I watched was him making pasta in the time it took to make a box of mac and cheese. It was such a great example of how it was cheaper and faster to make real pasta. I still remember this because I often make a meal in the time it takes to boil pasta or quinoa or couscous.
The Perfect Egg
So, how do we continue to move forward toward more of us eating simple whole food? I propose we start with the egg. I apologize if you are vegetarian (although I doubt too many read my blog since I talk about bacon so much). There is nothing more beautiful or perfect than an egg. A real egg. From a chicken that was raised humanely, kindly, nurtured to bring us this amazing food. The egg is perfect, it is protein, it is versatile, it is easy. And it is cheap.
The cost of the dozen organic, local eggs pictured above that I buy at a small, local butcher? I pay $4 a dozen. That is less than 35 cents an egg. Now, there are cheaper eggs. But they come filled with crap, from abused, mutilated chickens, with an enormous carbon footprint. But these eggs are less than 35 cents each. So for a serving of 2, 68 cents gets me a meal. How quickly do eggs cook? 5 minutes for soft boil, poached or fried. Pretty fast. Can you think of anything better? ( I can. Having my own chickens. Which I will do one day!)
So why not start with simple changes to real food. Buy the better eggs. Make that one change to your shopping and the small extra cost will be worth it. And then next month, make another small simple change. And slowly, in a year, you will be buying and eating more whole real food. Isn't that easy?
~Kimberley
Love & Loss
I'm back. Back to blogging. I took a hiatus but I am here. I missed you.
This photo was taken on a trip to visit my parents with my children. This was the last time they saw their one and only beloved Grandpa. It was a wonderful visit with beautiful memories. I feel so lucky that we had this time together. And that I took photos so that when they are older we can share the stories.
My Dad treasured his grandchildren. In that way that you always hope that your parents will love your children. He had a special bond with each of them.
Above is Olivia, his youngest grandchild. Olivia embodies all that was wonderful about my Dad. She is kind, patient, loving, funny, smart and has something so special about her that you can't quite put your finger on it. My Dad had a bond with her that was indescribable. They simply knew each other. She loved him from day one. I feel as though she is in my life because I was going to lose my Dad. She is my connection to him.
As hard as it has been to lose my Dad, one thought I had while we spent days at the hospital was "thank goodness it is happening to my Dad and not his grandchildren." He wouldn't have been able to handle that. As strong as he was. He loved his grandchildren so much.
We miss you, Dad.
~K
Giving from My Kitchen {Guest Post}
Guest Post from Emily - visit her blog here
I love being creative in the kitchen. I find it therapeutic. Unfortunately I no longer have the metabolism of a 13 year old so I can't eat all that I make. No, I can eat it all, I just shouldn't. In order to bake as much as I want to I give a lot of things away as gifts. From granola to jellies here are a few of the things I've done in the past, but didn't really get around to this year. Hopefully they will inspire you.
CookiesWhether it's Espresso Shortbread or Vanilla Bean Icebox Cookies, a pretty bag or tin of cookies made with quality ingredients, (local unsalted butter, organic vanilla, free range eggs), is always appreciated. I find that the classic, old fashion cookies have great keeping quality so they work really well. Depending on the recipient I'll even tuck in a copy of the recipe.
See my previous post for a few recipes that are great for giving.
BiscottiOne year I made custom flavours for family, everything from classic chocolate almond to spiced fruit and nut to blueberry white chocolate. I use a simple basic recipe and then jazz it up with different flavour. I like to package these using paper coffee bags or in some cellophane.
SpicesI love making my own spice mixes. I keep a basic Tex-Mex one on hand that I use for tacos, chili and anything else that needs a kick. Hubby also is super at making different rubs of meat. Simply whip up a big batch of your favourite spice mix fill up some pretty jars and label. Include a few ideas for how to use it!
PreservesSince I can remember I've been involved in making jam. Strawberry season rolled around and I got the task of standing on a chair by the sink hulling the strawberries while mom and dad did the slicing and boiling. Then it was raspberries, apricots and blackberries. As I got older I graduated to using the food mill. Each summer and fall I look forward to socking up the pantry with jam. This year I only got a few batches made, the week before baby arrived, I made Strawberry Vanilla Bean jam and in August apricot. I`ve still got Roasted Garlic Jelly on the list. Hopefully next year I`ll get ahead of myself and get enough made to give away!
Because there is quite a bit of science involved in canning, and no one wants to get Botulism or other nasties that can appear in improperly canned goods, it`s important to use highly tested recipes. I find that the Bernardin website has a great selection of recipes and good instructions for beginners too!
Because there is quite a bit of science involved in canning, and no one wants to get Botulism or other nasties that can appear in improperly canned goods, it`s important to use highly tested recipes. I find that the Bernardin website has a great selection of recipes and good instructions for beginners too!
Gifting Granola {Food Love}
Have you made your batch of granola yet? Well, if you are having fun baking up oats and nuts and spices, make some extra and give as gifts.
Here are some simple ideas for packaging and a label for you to download and print for your gifts.
These brown bags keep granola fresh and are lightweight for shipping. You can add some baker's twine and a tag for simple adornment.
Jars are a great way to package granola and a perfect container for storing it. With a little ribbon and a label, they are all ready for giving.
Small parcels of granola are nice to give for a quick snack or to take on the go. I used a paper punch to add some detail to these little boxes.
I hope that you are inspired to give something from your kitchen this holiday season. Handmade gifts are always appreciated and enjoyed.
Here are some of my favorite sources for packaging:
The Baker's Confections - packaging and baking supplies
The Twinery - my favorite baker's twine
In The Clear - great packaging and details
Here is the label that I used on the jars~
Happy Gifting!
~Kimberley
Here is the label that I used on the jars~
Happy Gifting!
~Kimberley
3 Easy DIY Granola Recipes to Eat + Give {Food Love}
Granola is one of my favorite foods. I make a fresh batch each week and we often eat it for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. It is easy to make and saves you so much money. The other upside is that you can control the ingredients, the flavors, and cater to your taste and diet.
The basic recipe for granola is easy: toasted whole oats with some oil and sweetener. What you add to it makes for an endless variety of flavors. Try one of these or experiment with your own.
We buy organic oats at our local health food store and they are less expensive than regular oats at the chain grocery store. We also buy organic/sulphite free dried fruit and nuts. I choose honey or organic sugar for our sweetener but use whatever you like best.
Basic Granola (makes approximately 4-5 cups, depending on add-ins)
Preheat oven to 300
In a large bowl, mix the following-
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking oats)
4 Tablespoons oil (any vegetable oil will work)
1/2 cup sweetener (honey, molasses, brown sugar, organic sugar all work well)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Spread mixture on a large, rimmed baking sheet
Bake until golden, stirring halfway through to evenly bake the oats
Allow to cool.
Store in a glass jar or airtight container.
Or package up for gifts (Gifting Granola post coming soon!)
This recipe can easily be doubled for gifts, or make several batches in different flavors.
3 Easy Granola Variations
Nut~
Add to the mixture before baking, a total of 1 cup of raw, unsalted nuts such as almond, pecans, or seeds (if adding walnuts, add after baking)
Spice~
Add to the mixture before baking, 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (or any spice combo of your choice)
Fruit~
Add to your baked Basic Granola, 1 cup total of dried fruit of your choice such as cranberries, raisins, apples, mango or toasted coconut
Want to give your delicious granola for gifts? A healthful gift is always appreciated and gourmet granola is a wonderful homemade gift. My next post will be all about Gifting Granola with packaging inspiration and labels.
We love yoghurt and granola with a little honey. A great breakfast or afternoon snack for our children.
Enjoy!
~Kimberley
Avoiding store-bought advent calendars~
While I love the idea of advent calendars, I am not a fan of the store-bought/fake chocolate (especially the licensed character) versions. I needed something easy to make myself, stuff with toys, and a few treats, that both my girls could open each day leading up to Christmas.
Easy, inexpensive, and most of all, not filled with artificial chocolate.
This would be easy to make in any color theme, style of packaging, and even tie the boxes together to hang down a wall or banister. What does your advent calendar look like this year?
Baking Therapy {Food Love}
This is my lovely 4 year old daughter, Georgia May. She is an extraordinary baker already and here is her first batch of spritz cookies for the season. She truly loves cooking and baking and loves to learn new recipes and techniques.
We cook and bake together every day. I include her in almost all meal preparation and she has even learned to cook at the stove with my help and supervision. And then there are baking projects she can do herself from start to finish (with the exception of handling items in and out of the oven, of course).
Since my accident, I have been stumbling through work (day job as HR Manager) and life. Apparently sitting and working on a computer is the worst thing I could be doing right now. Given that my profession is almost 100% doing just that, things have been a challenge, to say the least.
I was baking these cookies with Georgia and Olivia. It really helps that Georgia can do a lot of the "work" and wants to. It makes it much easier for me to do something fun with the kids without hurting myself.
A friend was asking if I am in pain when I am baking. I began to explain that standing, moving around the kitchen, and using my hands actually was a lot easier than sitting. (still painful but better). They commented that baking must actually be therapy for me.
You know how if you say something out loud it just becomes more true? Well, in that moment it all sunk in. Yes, baking is actually helping me right now. With the exception of lifting, most tasks in the kitchen feel good. I have been advised to "keep moving" which is good. I am not a lay-around-and-do-nothing kind of person. So, in fact, light cooking and baking is likely helping me recover.
So there you have it. The thing I love the most, the place I love to be the most, are indeed the best for me right now. Thank goodness. I don't know what I would do if my doctor said stop baking. Well, I would go crazy. Maybe lose some weight. Ha ha. But at least I have something I can do that's good for me, fun for the kids, and produces delicious results.
Is baking a form of therapy for you? If so, what do you love to bake more than anything else?
~Kimberley
Balancing sweets and treats during the holidays~
Most people would assume that my children eat a lot of candy. While I do make handmade candy as a part-time profession, my children consume very little sugar and treats on a regular basis.
Early on with both daughters, we closely monitored sugar intake. We restricted useless calories and refined sugars and flours right from the first solids. My first daughter didn't try chocolate until she was almost 3, and at that only had a small organic chocolate egg for Easter.
Both my girls enjoy treats and have only eaten good quality sweets. They have never consumed processed junk food or manufactured candy and "chocolate" bars. (We forbid chocolate milk, soda, and trans fats too). They have only had good, mostly handmade sweets in very small quantities.
For us, we try to make sweets and treats something special to look forward to at Christmas, Easter and birthdays. In between, we do baking, and most of our home baking is very low sugar and high quality flours and grains. However, we don't want to restrict treats all-together. We try to strike a balance of enjoying one treat, really savoring it, and not consuming handfuls of it.
Case in point: as my family and friends helped me prepare for my recent Christmas market, my girls saw the trays of treats being packaged up. They asked a few times for a marshmallow. (Who wouldn't?) I told them they could come to my market and choose one treat. They were so excited to see me at the market and I let them and their cousins choose one item. Both girls chose my gourmet s'mores and ate about half of it. There you go. They enjoyed it. Savored it. And didn't even finish it. Their bodies aren't addicted to sugar and they are very comfortable with knowing when to stop eating when they are full.
In that moment I realized that we were on the right track with teaching our kids about enjoying life, treats, and all the good things about holidays. We don't need a lot (of anything, really) to enjoy something of good quality.
When I talk to my customers, I truly encourage eating sweets in moderation. I do myself (most of the time!). And I think it is a healthy way to enjoy treats, find balance, and make the most of the holidays. And there is no way I could completely give up my sweet tooth!
~Kimberley
Early on with both daughters, we closely monitored sugar intake. We restricted useless calories and refined sugars and flours right from the first solids. My first daughter didn't try chocolate until she was almost 3, and at that only had a small organic chocolate egg for Easter.
Both my girls enjoy treats and have only eaten good quality sweets. They have never consumed processed junk food or manufactured candy and "chocolate" bars. (We forbid chocolate milk, soda, and trans fats too). They have only had good, mostly handmade sweets in very small quantities.
For us, we try to make sweets and treats something special to look forward to at Christmas, Easter and birthdays. In between, we do baking, and most of our home baking is very low sugar and high quality flours and grains. However, we don't want to restrict treats all-together. We try to strike a balance of enjoying one treat, really savoring it, and not consuming handfuls of it.
Case in point: as my family and friends helped me prepare for my recent Christmas market, my girls saw the trays of treats being packaged up. They asked a few times for a marshmallow. (Who wouldn't?) I told them they could come to my market and choose one treat. They were so excited to see me at the market and I let them and their cousins choose one item. Both girls chose my gourmet s'mores and ate about half of it. There you go. They enjoyed it. Savored it. And didn't even finish it. Their bodies aren't addicted to sugar and they are very comfortable with knowing when to stop eating when they are full.
In that moment I realized that we were on the right track with teaching our kids about enjoying life, treats, and all the good things about holidays. We don't need a lot (of anything, really) to enjoy something of good quality.
When I talk to my customers, I truly encourage eating sweets in moderation. I do myself (most of the time!). And I think it is a healthy way to enjoy treats, find balance, and make the most of the holidays. And there is no way I could completely give up my sweet tooth!
~Kimberley
Learning to Cook {Family Love}
I experienced a full-circle moment yesterday. As a Mother, I think these moments are precious and poignant. And truly reinforce all that is beautiful about Motherhood.
I grew up watching my Mom cook. And some of my most memorable moments with my Mom are of the two of us watching Julia Child. Back then, we didn't have entire TV channels devoted to cooking shows. There were 2 or 3 programs on PBS. But it really doesn't get any better than Julia. I loved those lazy afternoons with my Mom.
When I started cooking on my own (at a pretty early age), I would imagine that I was the host of a cooking show and talk through all the steps of what I was making. I would talk to the wall like it was the audience and camera. I can only imagine what I must have looked and sounded like.
My love of performing didn't fade and I went to university to pursue an acting career. Some of my most memorable moments on stage were related to food. Apparently a scene that I did that involved me not being able to open a pickle jar was a highlight. It sounds so mundane but I think it was probably tragic and comic all at the same time.
When I was in my early twenties, I became a devoted fan of Martha Stewart. I began my subscription to Martha Stewart Living and consumed every show, special, publication, and book. I went on to adopt more subscriptions and proudly carted all my back-issues around with me for every move. I have a lot of magazines.
Some of the first books that my daughters read were my Martha Stewart magazines. They are actually wonderful for toddlers because the photography is so beautiful and about such varied topics. It was here that Georgia first identified eggplant- a vegetable that I don't like or cook with, but she saw the photo and learned about it.
Fast forward a few years and I now have 4 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old girls that LOVE to cook and bake. They come by it honestly. It is my passion and my kitchen is where I am happiest. So of course they want to join in. Georgia, my oldest, is quite adept in the kitchen and becoming very independant. She can prepare a meal, from start to finish. She understands many cooking principles and is very knowedgeable about food and kitchen safety. Olivia is still at the stage where she wants to mix and dip her fingers in for a lick.
The 3 of us have such fun in the kitchen and we usually start with me pouring dozens of back issues of Everyday Food magazine on the kitchen table and asking them to choose a few recipes. Again, with such great photography and the "digest" size, these magazines are perfect for kids. Georgia is already reading recipes out of these handy magazines.
When I learned of Everyday Food cancelling their monthly publication I was incredibly disappointed. I love this magazine but am happy to have so many back-issues that they will continue to be useful for every day menu planning. I understand the reality of print media and it appears that Everyday Food is going to continue with other media outlets such as videos, their blog, and web content.
I was scrolling through the Martha Stewart website and saw the link to the Everyday Food videos. I thought it would be fun to show one to Georgia. We sat and watched Sarah Carey make chocolate mousse and Georgia asked for another video. She instantly fell in love.
We have now watched about 14 of the videos in the last 3 days. She has chosen a few of the meals for us to make. This is fun for me because she is choosing recipes that are new to us and she wants to experiment.
This morning, I walked into the kitchen and heard a little voice. Georgia was at her toy kitchen, cooking a meal and teaching her "audience" how to make it. I hear her say, "the spinach will reduce and then you add the lemon juice." And in that moment I realized that I had re-created that very special memory I have of my Mom for my daughter. She is following in my footsteps with a passion for food, and maybe even a talent for teaching and performing.
I was careful to not let her notice me so that I could listen in on her TV cooking show debut. I soaked up the moment. And I fell in love with my daughter all over again.
~Kimberley
Balancing an Organic Life {Food Love}
How do I balance an organic life while owning and operating a candy business? It may seem like a contradiction when I talk and share about food rules and organic food when I also make and sell candy. Well, actually, the whole reason I started my candy company was to provide a better quality sweet treat for my family and others.
I started with a few principles that have helped me find this balance: No artificial or synthetic flavors and colors, use organic and Fair Trade ingredients whenever possible, reduce plastic in food production by sourcing more sustainable packaging options, and provide a quality product that is delicious and memorable.
Artificial and synthetic colors and flavors are rampant in food production, not just candy. They are in so many produced foods and in Canada we have very loose labelling guidelines for declaring these items. Think of it this way, any time an item has vanilla extract in it, it is a highly processed flavor. Far from the natural vanilla bean. It is processed with alcohol which itself is highly processed. Now, most items would contain a very small amount of this. But think of all the food you eat that has added color, flavor and undeclared ingredients. It adds up.
Choosing whole and natural flavors for my marshmallows has been the most time and money consuming aspect of what I offer. Using extracts and flavors for marshmallows and candy is easy and cheap. And there are now an array of flavors so you could make anything from banana to cotton candy. Trust me, those are not made with natural flavors. I made this choice because as I started selling and labelling my products I wanted to be able to say that all flavors were sourced from whole, natural ingredients. Like vanilla bean seeds that I scrape out of the pod. Organic and Far Trade, these vanilla beans are expensive. But if you have had one of my Vanilla Bean marshmallows you know the difference that it makes. I also purchase these from a small, Canadian importer, with the hopes that I am helping another small food business rather than a huge company that has no values when it comes to natural food.
Organic and Fair Trade ingredients tend to be more expensive because this usually involves chocolate and coffee. If I am going to rely on ingredients grown elsewhere and imported, I wanted to ensure it was sustainably sourced, supporting smaller Canadian importers, and supporting ethical growers in other countries. Vanilla beans, chocolate and coffee are my most expensive ingredients. The difference is worth it in terms of flavor.
When searching for a good espresso for my very popular espresso marshmallows, I was delighted to find a local roaster that crafts organic, fair trade coffee and roasts an excellent dark roast. Chicken Creek Coffee if our coffee of choice at home and makes for a better marshmallow. Once again, supporting a local (in Smithers) business, reducing our carbon footprint by not purchasing from a large food company, and offering a whole, natural flavor that is simply better tasting.
Plastic is a curse of the food industry. On the one hand, it is cheap and makes it possible for food producers to reduce weight in packaging, cost, and make more "convenient" food. On the other hand, just think about how much plastic food packaging is going into our land fills, our oceans, our planet. I promised myself that if I could only use conventional plastic for packaging, then I wouldn't sell candy. I spent a great deal of time and money researching and testing alternatives. Luckily, there is more and more demand for sustainable choices and I was able to find a compostable "plastic" bag that is approved for food. This cost is 300 times the cost of conventional plastic bags. I also use recycled/recyclable kraft paper bags and boxes. There are so many beautiful plastic options for food packaging, that are cheaper and more available. But I will not package in plastic. And now, I am currently designing a custom box that is going to be very expensive, but beautiful, useful, and perfect for retailers. It will be worth it.
Crafting delicious and memorable confections truly comes from my heart. I dream up seasonal treats and test confections with simple and whole ingredients. My line of confections is often inspired by my Dad who passed on his sweet tooth and love of really good candy. My marshmallows are inspired by the ingredients I find. This summer, local strawberries and rubharb were abundant at my farmer's market. I bought some, created a preserved syrup, and will feature this flavor next summer. The possibilities are endless for me.
My hope is that you enjoy eating and sharing my handmade confections as much as I enjoy making them. I am always working on improving every aspect of my business and love your feedback and suggestions. I love hearing stories from my customers about how they enjoyed their treats and the small part Kimberley's Kitchen has played in their special occassions. Please keep sharing- it inspires me to continue.
Once again, thanks for your support!
~Kimberley
Building a Family {Family Love}
Since having children, we have never lived close to family. My husband and I moved back to my home town on the West Coast before we were married, with the intention of starting a family and being close to my family. But in all that time, my family was always been a fair distance away.
We definitely felt it when we had our first daughter- the distance meant that visits were either "trips" or quick meals at a restaurant. We quickly realized that "help" from family was not going to be in the form of babysitting, Sunday dinners, playdates.
I made a photo album with family photos for my daughter to learn her grandparents, aunt and uncle, and cousins. We talked about our family often so they became a regular part of our lives, even if she didn't see them often.
My mom was amazing and helped us on several occasions with babysitting, especially when we had our second daughter. But even then, it was a strain because it meant my mom was away from home.
When my husband and I started talking about moving to a small town, one of the reasons was to live somewhere where we felt a sense of community. We figured, we are far away from family anyways, what difference does it make if we are now a plane ride away? We moved to our new town for all the right reasons, but we knew it meant family visits would be even further and farther between. We agreed that we would create a new "family" for our children here with friends and neighbours.
About a month after moving here, a mom at my office offered to take the kids for a sleep over if we ever needed a date night or weekend away. The concept sounded kind of crazy to me. A date night? We honestly have had 4 dates in the past 4 1/2 years. I am not joking. One was a friend's wedding and one was a work Christmas party. So that brings us to 2 meals alone together, sans kids.
My new friend offered this without hesitation, and admitted that because all her family is here she has always had lots of help with her children. She is a single mom, works full-time, and is active in the community and her kids' lives. She and I quickly bonded over our love of baking. But her offer seemed like such a foreign concept to me, I never even considered it.
We have, in the past year, built our community of friends and neighbours. We have slowly grown our new "family" for our kids- people who we trust and enjoy spending time with. So when this past week threw us a curve ball and I was forced to take time off of work and recover, we were overwhelmed with all the help that was offered. I am not seriously injured. I am okay. But still, people gathered around and offered what they could.
My baking friend, whom my girls love, offered to take them for a sleep over. I thought it would be nice- I could rest and they could have more fun with her than with me right now. Our neighbour loaded car seats into his truck to drop them off. Co-workers stopped in with a week's worth of prepared meals AND chocolate cake (they know me well). Flowers, get well cards, and lots of reassurance that I needed to rest and just take care of myself.
While my husband was at work on the late night shift, and my kids were off on their first sleepover, I cried as I sat down to a delicious meal. I was so overwhelmed with the kindness. During a time of relatively mild problems. Our new "family" did what we would do for others. I have never experienced this before. I have never had people just help out with the kids and do things for us "just because".
I am beyond grateful and I have really learned who our friends and "family" are. The support my parents have offered has been in the form of talking on the phone, and being compassionate and supportive. Of course if they were closer they would be helping out too. But now, with our new "family" they are reassured that we have a supportive community around us.
I have also been incredibly grateful for all my friends online that have sent notes of support, encouragement and inspiration. Having so many people be so kind and caring really feels good.
I am a big believer in karma. I really do believe that what we give the world we get back. In one form or another. So thank you for all that you have given back to me and my children. We are grateful, uplifted, and are stronger because of it. I look forward to being back on my feet to do more for all of you.
~K
We definitely felt it when we had our first daughter- the distance meant that visits were either "trips" or quick meals at a restaurant. We quickly realized that "help" from family was not going to be in the form of babysitting, Sunday dinners, playdates.
I made a photo album with family photos for my daughter to learn her grandparents, aunt and uncle, and cousins. We talked about our family often so they became a regular part of our lives, even if she didn't see them often.
My mom was amazing and helped us on several occasions with babysitting, especially when we had our second daughter. But even then, it was a strain because it meant my mom was away from home.
When my husband and I started talking about moving to a small town, one of the reasons was to live somewhere where we felt a sense of community. We figured, we are far away from family anyways, what difference does it make if we are now a plane ride away? We moved to our new town for all the right reasons, but we knew it meant family visits would be even further and farther between. We agreed that we would create a new "family" for our children here with friends and neighbours.
About a month after moving here, a mom at my office offered to take the kids for a sleep over if we ever needed a date night or weekend away. The concept sounded kind of crazy to me. A date night? We honestly have had 4 dates in the past 4 1/2 years. I am not joking. One was a friend's wedding and one was a work Christmas party. So that brings us to 2 meals alone together, sans kids.
My new friend offered this without hesitation, and admitted that because all her family is here she has always had lots of help with her children. She is a single mom, works full-time, and is active in the community and her kids' lives. She and I quickly bonded over our love of baking. But her offer seemed like such a foreign concept to me, I never even considered it.
We have, in the past year, built our community of friends and neighbours. We have slowly grown our new "family" for our kids- people who we trust and enjoy spending time with. So when this past week threw us a curve ball and I was forced to take time off of work and recover, we were overwhelmed with all the help that was offered. I am not seriously injured. I am okay. But still, people gathered around and offered what they could.
My baking friend, whom my girls love, offered to take them for a sleep over. I thought it would be nice- I could rest and they could have more fun with her than with me right now. Our neighbour loaded car seats into his truck to drop them off. Co-workers stopped in with a week's worth of prepared meals AND chocolate cake (they know me well). Flowers, get well cards, and lots of reassurance that I needed to rest and just take care of myself.
While my husband was at work on the late night shift, and my kids were off on their first sleepover, I cried as I sat down to a delicious meal. I was so overwhelmed with the kindness. During a time of relatively mild problems. Our new "family" did what we would do for others. I have never experienced this before. I have never had people just help out with the kids and do things for us "just because".
I am beyond grateful and I have really learned who our friends and "family" are. The support my parents have offered has been in the form of talking on the phone, and being compassionate and supportive. Of course if they were closer they would be helping out too. But now, with our new "family" they are reassured that we have a supportive community around us.
I have also been incredibly grateful for all my friends online that have sent notes of support, encouragement and inspiration. Having so many people be so kind and caring really feels good.
I am a big believer in karma. I really do believe that what we give the world we get back. In one form or another. So thank you for all that you have given back to me and my children. We are grateful, uplifted, and are stronger because of it. I look forward to being back on my feet to do more for all of you.
~K
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