Leeks

Often when I am preparing food - I get distracted by the beauty of what I’m cooking. It happened when I was cutting up leeks. There was something about the way they were scattered on the cutting board…the change in color from almost all white to almost all green…the layers like tree rings....the outer layers sometimes separating from the rest.

I took a closer look at several cross sections with the 7x loupe. Even the rounds that were almost all white had some color in their centers.

The green ones have variation in their outer layer where the veins were still functioning. It is also noticeable that while the outer layers are a smooth oval - the inner ones are not. They are shaped like a green flame.

The colors of leeks are appealing too: green and white…in a nicely shaped package…and good to eat too!

Pancakes for Dinner

Pancakes are one of my favorite meals, any time. Last night - we wanted something warm for dinner because outside is was so cold and snowy; we also needed a comfort food after hearing the news about the shootings at Columbia Mall which is not that far from where we live. Pancakes are both - warming and comforting.

I make buttermilk pancakes using the recipe on the powdered buttermilk package; the only change is I make half the flour whole wheat rather than all-purpose….and I add a tablespoon of flaxseed meal. My husband topped his pancakes with butter and maple syrup; turkey sausage completed his meal.

I topped my pancakes with a baked apple concoction:

• Two small apples cut up and cooked in the microwave for 2 minutes
• A tablespoon of marmalade, a sprinkle of cinnamon, a sprinkle of orange zest, and 1/4 cup of chopped pecans - stirred into the apples - cooked in the microwave for another 2 minutes.

Tasty!