Conferences, schmoferences

Boy, oh boy, oh boy. I have been conferencing it up this summer. So far there has been BlogHer Food in Austin, WordCamp in Chicago and BlogHer 13 in Chicago and in just a couple of weeks I am going to Weapons of Mass Creation in Cleveland. I was able to eat safely at two of the three I have attended so far (can you believe that WordCamp had gluten-free cupcakes? From a bakery celiac friends trust? I was so excited I nearly cried – but don’t tell the nerds that…). WMCFest doesn’t provide food, so I am going to go armed with an arsenal of snacks. Maybe some of the new grown up items from Happy Family…

But let’s talk.

Can I just tell you that you are an amazing community? You all helped fund Erica from Celiac and the Beast‘s kickstarter campaign for her new book. Y’all are super cool like that. And the words of support when April, Erica and I were all handed death on a plate at a conference last weekend was nothing less than swell. I’m glad you all want me to live and the intestines of my gals to stay in tact.

But, you had to know there was going to be a but, can I ask that we all get a little less militant about food? There is a lot of vitriol surrounding the new Pilsbury products and the possibility of a GF Twinkie. Well, I know these things aren’t healthy. And neither are the cookies that I make. Sometimes you just need to be normal and eat refrigerated cookie dough from a tub after drama with some boy who said he’d call and then never did. I think these items might just be the key to moving on just a smidge faster.

Delicious eats.

I love food. And in the summer, when fresh fruit and vegetables are everywhere, food is even better. Here are a few of my favorites from this month.

It is no secret that I don’t like beets. But everyone I know does, and frankly, they are so dang beautiful. So, try these Sauteed Beet Greens and Spring Onions (01) from Farm Fresh Eats. Some days I feel like moving to the country and eating a lot of peaches…(pardon the terrible music joke). These Moscato Honey Vanilla Poached Peaches (02)from Busy in Brooklyn look like they are made to inspire cheesy pop music (and I mean that in a good way). I continue my love affair with the food from The Tomato Tart’s kitchen with this delightful Gluten-Free Grilled Cheese with Spicy Berry Chutney (03). One day I am going to just show up at her house and demand dinner (I’ll do the dishes!). And last, but not least, these Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes with Fontina and Thyme (04) from Healthy Green Kitchen look like all my summer fantasies.

Little Treats

This month there are no shoes or fun new lip glosses, but there are some pretty nifty other things. Like books. Lots of books.

I loved this book before BlogHer, but after meeting Sheryl Sandberg and hearing her speak, I think everyone with a vagina should read her book, Lean In (01). And so should everyone who knows someone with one. I am currently working my way through Stephen King’s On Writing (02), and I think that if you write, you should probably read it too. I also just started The Ocean at the End of the Lane (03) and I am hooked. Lastly, I just read a piece on the New York Times about the Jerusalem (04) cookbook from Yotam Ottolenghi (author of Plenty), and realized that not only had I not cooked from it, but that I didn’t have it. Don’t worry, I am remedying that situation ASAP.

Coming up

Next month has more travel, a lot of birthday baking and lots more blog posts! But, while you’re here, take a moment to check out my new blog/design project and maybe (just maybe) like it on Facebook? It is a series of inspirational quotes designed to look pretty nifty (since I am a designer in my other life…) Like the one below: