The house is oddly quiet. My dear Mirjam has gone back to Holland with a suntan and seashells. With her sweet Pepper who is a real gourmand. My Dutch friend gave me back my dutch oven (orange, Holland's color!) and told me to use it, season it well, and then return it to her (a wedding gift that has been in my closet for years) by coming to visit. I gave her boo's good luck envelope so that Mirjam can find a house in the countryside and move out of the big city. It warmed my heart to see them eat my food with gusto. Mirjam said it’s a crying shame that more people don’t get to eat my food. (her favorite was this almond tarte in the photo, it's for her i dedicate this tarte and message) That is the highest compliment ever as Mirjam is a chef. She asked Benji, “does she cook for you and Amaya like this each day?” Yes, he nodded sheepishly. “It’s the fresh ingredients that make the difference,” I chimed in, “the organic pork and grass-fed beef, the local vegetables from our CSA basket and fun things that I find, like the almonds and figs but also that it forces me to think beyond normal recipes and be creative and filled with love in the kitchen. That is what you taste. Love.” I love cooking, I love watching my friends and family eat. Creative self expression. Through my kitchen, my crafting, sewing, gardening, coming up with green ideas to help with our home and our community. That is the key to unlocking happiness to let it abound. Making things is the biggest emotional high; one that lasts. And people benefit. Love also is another key. Love for mother earth. Love for my family and friends. For my neighbors, farmers, fish mongers, and stray cats. (She gives her fish heads to the neighborhood ferals.) Love is not shopping at Target or Walmart or Carrefour (the French equivalent complete with price-fixing and employee abuse across the globe) nor is it part of being a creative human which we all want: to be useful. For many people those places are part of an addiction to fill that black hole in our souls. Financial wealth and physical possessions are an addiction. It is what ruled my life before because I didn’t know anything else. Shoes, handbags, jackets, more and more art supplies that I never gave myself time to use because I was working 60-70 hours a week to make more and more money. A treadmill. I was trying to fill my life with things that I wanted and didn’t have like self-love, emotional contact, self-care and creative self-expression. Eliminating the daily spending of money from our lives (the “go and get” mentality) has made us more conscious. Made me realize what is important. Now our lives reflect that intimacy with human beings. (Amaya keeps asking for Pepper, going from room to room, “bebe Pepper?”) The more love that we have, the less we are driving to accumulate money and possessions. We gave away four boxes of belongings last week and already, I have two more boxes for donations. It liberates us from our material burdens and allows us simplicity and balance. We are not wasting. We are back to basics: Love for our friends and family and being creative. Something that I cherished with Mirjam each day.

Nile zander fillet with artichoke - nile zander fillet (400g); - canned marinated artichoke hearts (200g in a 425ml can); - onion; - red bell pepper; - garlic; - white wine; - salt & pepper; - lemon juice. Before I start, I want to tell why artichoke? It's a great vegetable that many people just do not eat. I first ate artichoke in Germany. It is an amazing helper against cholesterol and detoxification. Nile zander might not be rich in Omega 3, but I love it. For Omega 3 you should use salmon fillet. Ok. Like every time, images are almost self-explanatory. Again, put as much as you think you will eat. Nothing bad can happen if you have a little more fish or onion and so on. The nile zander fillet will be fried. You can also put it into the oven if you like. Use just a pinch of oil. Should be done in 5 to 10 minutes. Chopped onion and bell pepper will be fried until they soften. Add the artichoke and the garlic (minced or sliced). Artichoke was canned (Bio) and about half of the liquid was poured into the pan as well. Add 50ml of white wine. Salt & pepper according to taste. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Serve with lemon and/or lemon juice. That is it. I would like something in return this time. Could you please tell me how much you pay for artichoke in your country? NIKON D5000 105mm f/2.8 1/200 s at f/9, ISO 200