Too beautiful to pass up

I was walking down the street yesterday and saw these babies at a local fruit & veggie stand. Artichokes are in season now and I'm trying to buy some every chance I get.  I didn't eat many artichokes living in the States, not sure why.  

Here in Chile I discovered that people eat them by dipping them in mayonnaise.  In fact, many people here like to dip much of their food in mayonnaise.  I realize that may not be the healthiest way to eat artichokes, but it sure is delicious. 

I boiled these in water with a clove of garlic, lemon wedge and bay leaf. Today I used the water from the artichokes to make a really healthy cream of veggie soup.  You know there are a ton of nutrients that are released into the water that you're cooking those fresh vegetables in, right? Here's a great article about which vegetable waters are good for using later as a soup stock.  Should vegetable cooking water be saved?  Vegetables with the least amount of pesticides or organics are always the best choices.  

Do you have a recipe that uses vegetable water?  

Craving Focaccia Bread

Not just any Focaccia Bread but The Easiest, Bestest Focaccia Bread Ever!!  I found this recipe and decided to give it a try because I just couldn't live another day without focaccia bread.  The only thing I did different  is that I didn't use the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses on top.  Instead, I put fresh rosemary on top and used my fingers to make deep indentations and mix the rosemary with the dough.  I also let it rise until doubled.

This is a super easy and delicious bread that I used for sandwiches when I had guests for lunch.  The sandwich was amazing too and got lots of ooh's and ahh's. Imagine brie cheese, fresh tomatoes, arugula with a dijon/mayo spread (served with a homemade roasted tomato and garlic soup).  Completely divine!  Next time I'll take pictures, and yes, there will be a next time. But for now, here's a photo of freshly baked focaccia bread.  Can't you just smell that rosemary?  

Do you have a favorite focaccia bread recipe?  Do you feel like sharing?

Simple Living

One thing I noticed right away about living here in Chile is that life is a little more simple.  People walk a little slower, enjoy more time with their families and take time to just sit in the park and relax.  I always joke that I'm the fastest walking person in the country and I'm just going to the grocery store.  

I have learned to slow down and it's been an intentional process.  Since moving here almost 2 years ago I have been researching Minimalist blogs and websites to learn more about living simply.  One of my favorites is Becoming Minimalist.  The mission statement of his site is to "inspire you to pursue your greatest passions in life by owning fewer possessions". I feel like I've always had a bit of minimalism in me as I always rented rooms from people rather than buying a home or condominium.   I valued my time and freedom to use my money to travel and start my own business instead.  I never wanted to feel tied down to some place or some city.  Now, living in Chile I'm able to take minimalism to a new level. Spaces are much smaller here than in the United States so I'm forced to own less, keep things organized, and get rid of things I really don't use or need on a regular basis.  Guess what?  I LOVE IT!

I've learned a few things about living life more fully with less stuff and I would like to share some of those concepts with you in future posts.  I feel it's a real blessing to be able to live in a culture like this that allows my family and I to focus on the things that are really important to us. 

Have you thought about cutting back on the "stuff" in your life, living more simply?  I would love to hear about your experiences in the process....leave a note in the comments below!!!

Mediterranean Climate in Chile

While Chile is not one of the 21 Mediterranean Countries, it does boast a Mild Mediterranean Climate. Under the Koppen climate classification Köppen Climate Classification, "dry-summer subtropical" climates (classified as Csa and Csb) are often referred to as "Mediterranean".  The map above show what parts of the world have this type of climate.  The area of Santiago, Chile and surrounding coast fall into this category.

So, what are the benefits of living in a Mediterranean climate?  The eatwineblog.com does a great job listing 10 Reasons Why I Love Living In a Mediterranean Climate.  One thing not on the list that I absolutely LOVE is the wine, wine, wine.  This climate is perfect for producing fantastic wines and I plan to introduce you to some of my favorites.  My husband and I just found another really good bottle of wine last night for around $12 USD.  All I can say is yummmmmm!

Have you visited or do you live in a Mediterranean Climate?  What are some of your favorite things about it?  Leave me a message in the comments below!

Nice....Nice, France

Here are a couple of my pictures from a trip to Nice, France. Now can you understand why I'm so in love?  I've been able to visit this area of the world twice already and want to keep going back.  Maybe it's the way the sun hits the water as it's setting.  Maybe it's the way people walk down the streets, so relaxed.  Maybe it's the way the houses  line the hills or the colorful flowers that line the streets.  I'm not exactly sure what it is, but there's something that strongly pulls me to these types of areas in the world.  

I'm surprised by how much certain areas in Chile remind me of the French and Italian Riviera areas.  I hope to post more photos soon, to show you the striking similarities.  For now, I'm going to take a walk down memory lane and take a peek through some of my old travel albums.

What cities or areas in the world host your favorite Mediterranean views?  Leave a comment below!!!