Day 11 :: Self Kindness & Food

My compassion practice is focusing on kindness to self this week. Today, I put my attention on properly nourishing myself - an act of kindness that can easily fall to the bottom of the priority list on busy days. I love fresh, whole foods! Preparing them feeds my soul and focuses my mind; eating them energizes my body.

I got off to a healthy start with a favorite breakfast - homemade blueberry-almond granola and Kashi shredded wheat. Served in a hand-thrown ceramic bowl with a cup of creamy coffee on the side, and I'm happy, heart & soul!

Blueberry-Almond Granola
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup dried blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss oats, coconut & almonds. In a small bowl, stir together oil & honey. Pour over mixture & toss. Bake, tossing occasionally, until lightly toasted, 16 to 20 minutes. Place in a large bowl & stir in blueberries. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.

Dinner was another act of kindness for myself. I rarely prepare fish at home, as I'm really the only one who wants it. But tonight, I served a pan-grilled fillet of Wild Alaskan Salmon, brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt & fresh ground pepper.

On the side was a fresh green salad and Disappearing Zucchini Orzo from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I also made some fresh pesto using a bounty of garden-fresh basil, and following a recipe in Molly Wizenberg's lovely book A Homemade Life.
New to me, Wizenberg recommends pounding the basil leaves until bruised to help release their flavor. It was so yummy, and I made a double batch to kindly share with others! For you, the recipe:

Basil Pesto
2 cups tightly packed basil leaves, washed & dried well
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

Put the basil leaves in a zip lock plastic bag; press air out & seal. Pound the bag until the leaves are bruised. Put pounded basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in food processor. Process to a smooth, creamy consistency. Transfer to a medium boll and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano.