I am in the process of getting organized for summer and, as a part of this giant undertaking, I have been trying to make meal planning a little bit easier for myself. I am not really all that control-freaky about it now, but I would like to be a bit more organized with my sources of inspiration (cookbooks, websites, emails from friends' recipe exchanges...)

A couple of weeks ago I promised to post a recipe for a veggie rice bowl. This recipe comes together fairly quickly and tastes great- the fresh ginger is a highlight. Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Veggie Rice Bowl
Makes 2-3 generous servings

Olive oil
1/2 package (8 ounces) firm tofu (not silken), cubed
Teriyaki sauce (I like Trader Joe's "Island Soyaki")
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (about 10)
2 cloves of garlic, minces
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 inch of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
6 green onions, chopped
4-6 cups chopped bok choy
1/2 teaspoon shichimi togarashi (or red chili flakes, adjust amount to your desired level of spice)
2 cups cooked brown rice

1. Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute tofu until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium-low and add enough teriyaki sauce to generously coat tofu and to have some sauce in the pan and cook a couple more minutes. Set aside.
2. Heat a little more olive oil over medium heat and add mushrooms, garlic, and carrots. Saute until veggies begin to soften a bit then add ginger, green onions, and bok choy. Cook just until bok choy is wilted and slightly soft then add tofu and teriyaki sauce and remove from heat. Serve over brown rice.

My sinuses are irritated and my throat is scratchy. I'm not full-blown sick, just a little off of normal and feeling tired. I did get my run in this morning, though, and that takes care of half of the problem. The half that turns me inside out and upside down when the mornings are dark and the grass is frosted over. When I run, I get into my groove by the middle of the first song on my playlist and then I'm on my way to feeling a billion times better than when I woke up.

After lunch I took the kids out for a little exploring in our neighborhood. The weather has been amazing here, with temperatures in the 60s, and we've been outside a lot for January. While I'm walking I breathe in the warm air trying to sense every detail of its layers. Earth. Grass. Leaves. Wet mossy rocks. Skunk. Yes, skunk.

The comfort of a little sunshine and fresh air, splashes of rocks in the creek, and golden light highlighting moments framed by tree boughs helps a lot. Then a warm drink, a little quiet, and finally a soft blanket will help to ease the rest. Exploring, nourishing, and soaking in.

This little drink that I threw together is so warming and felt good on my scratchy throat. It is definitely a repeater!

Spiced Scratchy Throat Elixer

• Whole spices of choice (I used 1 cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamom pods, and 3 cloves)
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Honey or agave nectar, to taste (about 1 tablespoon)

1. Heat the water and the whole spices to a simmer in a small pot and cook for about 10 minutes. Note: You can also toast the spices a bit in a dry pan before adding the water, but it isn't necessary.
2. Juice 1/2 of a lemon into a mug then add a dash of cayenne, and honey (or agave) to taste. Strain and pour the water into the mug and stir well.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine applesauce (or other puree), milk, flax "egg", brown sugar, oil, molasses, and maple extract in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and nuts. Add wet ingredients and stir until just combined (don't over-mix). Bake in an oiled muffin pan for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.