In the chill of the early morning I pull up the quilt tightly around my shoulders. Mornings are brisk and refreshing. I see my breath in the air as I take out the garbage or go for a morning walk.
By afternoon the autumn sun has filled the house with warmth and light. I'm restless at my desk, longing to be outdoors. And so, I give in and head for the beach. The tides are high these days; the sky blue, blue, blue; and as I walk, the cool wind blows away the cobwebs of care.
Not fully autumn, but definitely not summer. It's a quandary to know what to cook. In the mornings I think of hot soup or a warming dish, but by mid-afternoon, something cooler and lighter comes to mind.
Today's dinner struck the perfect balance. I played with the hearty flavours of roasted squash, created a red wine and onion reduction, and served it up on mixed greens with cranberries and maple for a hint of sweetness. And alongside, Almond Chicken breast. Satisfying and perfectly suited to the season.
Recipes can be found on my other blog....
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Almond Crusted Chicken
That looks delicious and oh so pretty! Glad that you are taking advantage of walking along the beach...
ReplyDeleteYum! I would like to sit on the patio in the late afternoon sunshine with that plate in front of me.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy these days...we know this weather can't last.
This looks so delicious Lorrie. I didn't pull the swiss chard after it froze and was surprised to see it growing back - maybe I'll pick some today and try your idea - with walnuts because I don't have cranberries. I'm going to make borsht today as well. I love your beaches. When I was in Nanaimo I asked my friend to take me there but we ran short of time. We did get to Piper's Lagoon though and I had memories of taking my son and there with my sister and my nephews. It's a lovely beach.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like the perfect meal for this time of year. I can't wait to be home and cooking in my own kitchen again. I just found out that the two afternoon ferries were booked up by 8 this morning. I foresee a long wait in the lineup to get to the island tonight!
ReplyDeleteThis post is my idea of perfection!
ReplyDeletedear lorrie,
ReplyDeletethat looks very delicious!!!
yes,here in germany is definitiv autumn,with colder temp.
i wish you from the bottom of my heart a happy weekend,
hugs regina
No, absolutely not. S'not fair.
ReplyDeleteTake the picture of the beach and the picture of the food off the blog this instant.
I cannot be made to look on heaven without having a share of it.
That's a beautiful dish, Lorrie ~ AND a beautiful view as well! Oh how I long to live near the beach but sadly, we're a 3 hour drive away :(
ReplyDeleteOn a happy note, I will enjoy this view you have posted here for us to see!
Have a great weekend!
~Kathleen
Thank you for visiting my blog this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding us to slow down a little bit in our busy lives! Love the photo of the beach.
Your dinner looks delicious!
Wishing you a wonderful week!
Hugs, Sharon
Miam !! ça a l'air vraiment délicieux !
ReplyDeleteHi Lorrie,
ReplyDeleteI stumbled onto your blog from a comment you left at Posie gets cozy. I had so much fun looking through some of your older posts, especially all your gorgeous photos of your area! I love BC and want to go back so badly for another visit.
I have Canadian roots, as my father is from Ontario, and would also love to explore that area too.
I loved a couple of your posts on your love of Versailles. You see I lived in France for two years(back in 2002-2004) and I lived 10 minutes from Versailles. I could NEVER get enough of that place, and we went A LOT :) When we go visit, we always have to go to Versailles, and the last time we were there was 2009, and I finally got to spend some time on the little farm.
Sorry this is a rambling comment, but I really enjoyed your blog, and I'm making the recipe you have on this post for dinner tonight! I have all the ingredients so that is a plus.
Just wanted to say hello, from San Francisco Bay Area.
Elizabeth
What a nice post! It's like getting a big hug through the internet (hmmm...though I suppose it does sound a bit creepy when put like that!)
ReplyDeleteIf you get a chance, I'd love for you to link to this on Not "Baaad" Sundays with LambAround :)
Oh Lorrie...what a perfect beginning...a walk on the beach and perfect ending...that fabulous dinner...to any day! You are truly blessed!
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful week~
;-D Kathleen