The past week or so baking has really been my creative outlet instead of the usual knitting or sewing. Something about the whole process of creating healthy but delicious food has really been a much needed meditation for me, even if it sometimes doesn't come out that great. Of course it helps to have two eager helpers. K has always been my sous-chef and C is right there with her. You should here the conversations between K and I when we are cooking, she loves being called sous-chef!
Last baking day I had a craving for bagels with cream cheese. The girls and I decided to try to make our own whole wheat bagels. We tried the recipe in 'the New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook' and it was fun to make. Granted we need quite a bit of practice in forming the perfect bagel ring but I think we'll get there with practice. The girls especially loved watching the bagels being dropped in the boiling water, we made so many bagels that was a good 45 minutes or so of entertainment.
Part of our bagel assortment
After the bagels were done we looked for a good cream cheese recipe. We came across quite a few involving yogurt that sounded really good so I combined and altered a couple of the recipes to make up my own version. It was simple and a healthy substitute to cream cheese. It only had three ingredients, yogurt, honey and strawberries.
We mixed the three ingredients together (above) and then poured them into a strainer lined with cheesecloth (it's very similar to making curd if you have ever done that. My husband used to make it all the time back when he was a monk) and let it sit on a dish in the fridge overnight.
The next morning it was the consistency of cream cheese. Excited to try it right away, K set our table, while I lit our candle, toasted our bagels and spread on our strawberry yogurt cheese. Then we all sat down at the table and enjoyed our homemade breakfast (aren't those the best kind?). It was delicious. I can't wait to experiment more with the bagel and the yogurt cheese recipes to see what else we come up with. Who knows, maybe those will be my WIPs coming up.
Wishing you all a delicious start to your week!!
26 comments:
Back when he was a monk?! There is a good story there methinks.
I was CRAVING bagels this morning and now I am ready to reach through the screen. What a fabulous home made breakfast, thank you for the inspitation Nicole. Being in the kitchen with my mom was ALWAYS special, even if the cooking/ baking genes never rubbed off on me. :)
Lovely bagels. I have that cookbook too...it's a good one. Actually picked it up at The Farm. You know we live pretty close to The Farm, right?
Are you guys eating dairy? What kind of yogurt did you use. It looks so yummy! My mom used to make bagels and doughnuts when we were little. I hope to find a way around the gluten.
And Kevin was a monk! WOW! Now that is neat story! I want to hear more!
Just when I thought that you and your wonderful family could not be any more inspirational, you casually mention that your husband used to be a monk! Thank you for writing this blog. You are a true inspiration and I treasure all of the beauty and inspiration that you share in this space. Someday when I am a mama I will surely look back on this blog for inspiration.
xo,
Jacqueline
P.S. This is my first time commenting here but I've been reading for quite some time!
Yum! I've been totally craving bagels & cream cheese lately. These look so good.
I love it all! The bagels look yummy and the cream cheese looks fabulous! I really want to try the yogurt cheese. We made spelt pretzels similar to your bagels, and they were a huge hit here. Fun stuff!
Those look so good!What a great idea :)
Mmmm.... Bagels and Cream Cheese! We are heading out to visit our families this week, and I always buy a dozen bagels from the best bagel place I know there! They are delicious and you have me craving them now!! :)
Good for you! It continues to surprise me how absolutely delicious homemade foods like spreads and sourdough really are. I haven't made bagels yet, but I do have fond memories of my mom making doughnuts, ONCE.
If you have not already heard about it, I have to recommend the newly released book, "Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture." It's right up your ally, with encouragement and challenges to continuing on a path of self-sufficiency and positive, simple living. I just started reading and reviewing it on my Euhoria blog: http://www.euphoriababy.com/blog/
What a sweet post. I bake several times a week. It's so meditative and healing. I find a lot of comfort in the familiar rhythm. :-)
Do you really bake only one day a week though? I made that same bagel recipe about 13 years ago, then never tried making bagels again until a month ago, it was a disaster, a very messy, very time consuming disaster! Maybe I need to try the old recipe again, but I'm guessing there is some white flour substituting to be done. I will have to remember your cream cheese experiment, we just started eating real yogurt too, the girls love it.
Enough food rambling, for now, xo
Don't you just LOVE when you can count the ingredients in something on one hand? :-)
And, yes, I need to hear more about the "used to be a monk" story, please :-D
Have a fantastic week!
Your bagles turned out beautifully, and the yogurt spread sounds delicious. I love baking day as well, there is just something so warming about the smell of fresh baked bread
Yum, yum!! I grew up with my mom making whole wheat bagels quite often, so this post makes me very happy. :) that yogurt cream cheese looks DIVINE!! Mmmm...
I'm in love with the picture of your little using her rolling pin....not to self - MUST GET ONE. Oh...I wrote on my blog this morning about a book called Night is Coming and I thought instantly of you and your girls when I read it last night to my Brady. Have you read it? The pictures are beautiful....
I agree that you can't just casually mention that your husband was a monk and leave it at that! We would love to hear more if you are willing to share.
And the bagels are gorgeous! I'm impressed!
You know, I have been meaning to ask.
do you eat the whole nine yards? No garlic, no onion, no egg?
We try to ( I do love my garlic and onion like crazy) but occasionally I have egg product as does my daughter. But my husband will not touch it at all. I see your baking and wonder if it is vegan.
That book looks great.
What a beautiful, peaceful warming post Nicole! Both the bagels and yogurt mix looks amazing! Thank you for sharing this sweet inspiration : )
Hee,hee, you ladies!! :p Quick response be back later with more...
My husband the monk..ahh yes :) It was a few years before we met. I'll see how he fels about possibly telling his story :) I'll keep you updated!
Yes we are eating dairy *gulp* for me it's a HUGE change b/c I had been vegan since I was 15 so almost 15 years!! It's only in small amounts right now.
We do bake many more times a week but our Monday baking day rhythm is the day we are more fully involved in it. We go through bread like crazy so that's made at least twice a week as well as extra yummies.
We don't eat eggs and avoid animals ingredients (like rennet)in our dairy. We do however eat garlic and onions. I try and replace them with hing when possible but for the most part eat those two.
Ok I have more questions to answer and I will be back soon to do so! Thanks everyone!!
oh yum, those bagels and strawberry cream cheese look so good!
wow! those look excellent! even though my husband and i have just gone raw, we still feed our son cooked foods. i think i'll have to try this on one of our baking days!
It's not silly at all...I feel my Nanny with me when I knit, bake, sew...all things I did with her when I was little. I just blogged about my mom's hands when we were kids, making playdough...and how I feel that strong continuity when I carry on those tasks with my children. Bagels look amazing! I love your blog.
We like the yogurt cheese we make as well.
Thank you for the reminder about making our own bagels too.
Thanks again everyone!
Alyssa - I haven't heard of that book, I'll have to check it out, thanks!
Stitchedincolor - My friend Marina told me about that book recently and I have been meaning to see if our library has it. You are pushing me to get off my butt and actually do it! Thanks!
That recipe for strawberry yogurt cheese sounds absolutely yummy! I can picture you and your sweet girls gathered in the kitchen making some wonderful memories together!
Awh, baking with children is such a treat. Suche eager helpers they are, and eaters too! The bagels look so yummy. I bet they tasted delicious. Thanks for the recipe for the yougurt cream cheese. I'll most certainly try it.
Wow your bagels look great! We went down to the farm a year and a half ago, and were lucky enough to be there during one of their monthly community dinners. Yummmy vegan goodness indeed.
:)Lisa
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