2 Years + Some July 4th Inspiration

enjoying all of the summer produce from the market

I had an oh-sh*t moment this morning when I realized this little blog's 2nd anniversary had come and gone without me even realizing it.  It happened nearly a whole month (!) ago and it never even crossed my mind.  My brain has been so consumed lately with the market season that I suppose I plumb forgot (or rather "peach" forgot since we are now knee deep into peach season).  My brain gets so focused on whatever I'm working on at the moment that it is necessary for me to make lists.  Grocery lists, market lists, ingredient lists, target lists, 5-year-plan lists, and millions of others are scribbled onto post-it notes in the hopes that I won't forget something.  Sometimes things fall through the cracks and unfortunately this time, it was an event that should have garnered more attention (and perhaps a spot on a list).

In the midst of all that is going on in my life at the moment, I decided to pause and really think about Sweet Miscellany and where I want it to go in the next few years.  I always feel uncomfortable thinking about the future and making plans for which the outcome is not really in my control.  I suppose I have a fear of failure and it seems to hinder me from doing things I should or want to do.  Somebody told me recently that nobody ever really says about their life that they are glad they played it safe.  You have to take risks to reap the rewards.  This is not something I've been comfortable with in the past, but I'm trying to evolve.

My recent contribution to the summer issue of Chickpea Magazine was one such instance of taking a risk.  I wrote an article in addition to developing and photographing 4 fresh summer recipes.  The recipe developing and photographing has become easier than it used to be, but I wanted to go a step further and write an article about something I was passionate about.  It scared the crap out of me.  I'm not much of a writer, especially when it's not some sort of work assignment.  I worried over it for a while before I actually dove in and wrote what felt right.  It was a leap of faith, but I'm certainly glad I made it.

Speaking of the summer issue of Chickpea (like that transition there?), I developed 4 light and summery dishes for it that would be perfect for any of your holiday festivities this week.  They rely on fresh and bright flavors from summer produce and require no cooking!  The only recipe that uses the oven is the panzanella, but you could totally get away with making croutons on the stove top or even by leaving torn up bread out to dry overnight.  For the recipes, scroll down to see a sneak peek, then head on over to the summer issue preview.  (if you want to support the magazine, you can buy a digital copy for only $4, or a print copy for $17 right here)

raw corn & avocado soup with tomato pepita salsa

watermelon and mint lassi

summer panzanella with preserved lemon dressing

mini basil peach tarts with summer berries