ode to summer days

Here's to the best of summer days: afternoon light tempered by shade, bare feet tickled by grass, and familiar conversation that makes the hours melt by.

Warm, easy and slow.

Spending time with this one is always such a joy. Here's a short video of a recent excursion to a local public garden, where we celebrated the end of her school year and meandered through the grounds. Summer never felt better. Thanks to the best friend/model ever for being so patient and lovely.

picnic for two (+ beet veggie burgers)

It's a constant theme of growing older: coming to terms with a lack of constancy that slowly nudges you toward self-sufficiency. Sometimes you go from seeing people every day - people you grew up with - to not seeing them for ever-widening gaps of time. It becomes normal, expected. When I see old faces, I always worry beforehand that conversation will dissolve into recollection, that the time apart is insurmountable and we no longer stand on common ground. So often, I find those worries unfounded.

The thing about food is that it brings people together; if nothing else you can talk about the meal or savor bites in easy silence. I made lunch plans with an old friend the other day, and we decided on a picnic - the quintessential summer meal. We tried taking it to a public garden, but were thwarted by the no food rule (and our very obvious picnic baskets) so instead claimed a spot at a nearby park. A lot can happen in two years, and it was so good catching up. I'm learning that although time apart in friendships is becoming all too common, it no longer seems like such a big deal. What's a few months, a year? We're young, we're only just beginning to understand just how young we are. There's time to talk, there's time to grow, there's time to enjoy summer picnics in the grass.

We munched on bread and butter, kale salad (kale, berries, candied walnuts, feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette), fresh fruit, brussel sprouts (halved, steamed, then sautéed in a pan with butter, onion, salt and pepper), and wholesome beet-based veggie patties that I'll include a recipe for below. 

veggie burgers with beet & corn

recipe

for 8 patties

ingredients

1 cup cooked beets

1/4 cup millet flour

1/4 cup quinoa flour

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

2 hefty pinches brown sugar

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 egg

1 cup cooked corn

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp thyme

olive oil, for cooking

to serve

hummus

sliced fresh avocado

to make

Mash beets in a large bowl, set aside. 

Mince onion and garlic. Sautee in a pan with 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat until soft and translucent, then stir in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Place cooked onion and garlic in bowl with mashed beets, then add the flours, cooked quinoa, flaxseed, seasonings, egg and corn. Gently stir mixture until all ingredients are well incorporated. 

Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat, then plop double spoonfuls of mixture onto pan in circles about the size of the palm of your hand. Flatten gently with the back of a spoon, then cook until the bottom is browned and the entire patty feels firm and sturdy, about 5 minutes. Flip, repeat. Watch the stove temperature carefully; if it's too hot it will burn without cooking through, and it it's too cool the bottom won't get the right color or texture. 

Cool on a wire rack before packing in containers to picnic. When you've taken them out to eat, serve with sliced avocado and cucumber - it's an absolutely heavenly combination. To make this a one-dish meal, serve stacked with roasted or grilled fresh veggies: bell pepper, mushroom; fresh pickles and tomato, in addition to aforementioned accompaniments.  

It was a perfect afternoon, cooler than the scorching summer heat I've become accustomed to in my time home. It was a lazy meal, eaten steadily and enjoyed in good company. Food never tastes better than when eaten outside and shared, and this was no exception. Here's to the best of summer days.

chicago | bear with me

With family:

The small moments - savoring the small hints of mirth, betrayed by a twitching of the lips; sitting and waiting for things to happen; preparing food and taking care of one another.

One pivotal moment - graduation.

In these moments, I'm beginning to understand how vast are the depths of thankfulness; I'm only just learning how much room my love has to grow.

---

Even in an entirely different state, actions are familiar: the way my father starts joking and making faces when he catches the eye of the camera, the way my mother fusses in taking care of us all, the way my brother pushes me over and over but finally, fiiiiinally lets me hug him. :-)

Capturing it is easy in the way pictures and videos are easy - just a click of a button. What's so much more difficult for me is the articulation, finding the exact way of grasping with words the things I value, and why. Especially the most important things.

When we flew out to Chicago for my brother's college graduation, I was standing on the balcony at his apartment when it struck me how long it had been since the last time I stood there: three years ago, the summer we helped him move in. Before that, the year we said goodbye in a hotel room and watched the door close behind him, almost in slow motion, then sat in silence wondering how the time had passed so quickly. So much is changing. Sometimes the differences seem imperceptible, and sometimes it hits me all at once. Sometimes it's little things, like flipping through old pictures and realizing the girl who shares my face is now a stranger. Sometimes it's comprehending that I just flew out to see my brother graduate college - a place I was still processing that he left for in the first place.

A lot of things have shifted, including us. The family of my childhood is inarguably different and marked by time. We are a group of people with whom time together is scarce, and all the more precious to me because of it. Family is really such an inextricable part of who you are - who you were, who you'll be, because of the good and the bad. It took me a long time to realize that instead of trying to escape it, but despite my reluctancy, immaturity and inability to express it, I'm thankful. 

Thanks for bearing with me. Now, here is an illustration of my family in bear form. 

A note: This blog started off as an extension of a pre-existing Instagram hashtag (explained in the link) dedicated to food. However, I quickly realized this focus was narrow and limiting in its capacity to express everything I wanted to express. For a while, I've been debating whether I should change the name of my blog or start a new one altogether to house a broader scope of interests. However, I've decided to keep my name - I've grown quite attached to it - and group like-minded posts with labels. Hopefully that will suffice, but there is still a "to eat" tab to get your #thekaikitchen fix all in one place.

That's all for now. Adieu, Blogland. 

(the best) blueberry coconut pancakes

For the blissfully slow mornings, when eating breakfast food while wearing pajamas doesn't quite mean that it's still an appropriate time for breakfast. For the lazy summer days when working from home means working from bed, or the weekend mornings that welcome you with steady light and open schedules. 

For me, nothing says "brunch" more than pancakes. They're fluffy, versatile, delicious with minimal effort and paired with my favorite fruits and spreads; they can act simply and play foil to more extravagant breakfast dishes or light up a meal of their own accord. There's really nothing better. 

I woke up to my morning home alone in a while, without an agenda and with lots of time. Naturally, I cooked. These are the fruits of my (incredibly simple) labors: Moist, light, and flavorful blueberry coconut pancakes. These are everything pancakes strive to be, but also everything most breakfast carbs can only dream of becoming. These stacks of brunchy perfection are whole wheat, low in fat, and accompanied with plenty of healthy fruits. This is a recipe for a comforting meal you can indulge in without feeling guilty about, so dig in!

recipe

makes 10 medium-sized pancakes or 6 large pancakes

ingredients

to make:

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1/4 cup quinoa flour

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup soymilk

2 eggs

1 banana

dash cinnamon

3/4 cup blueberries

coconut oil, for frying

to serve:

fresh berries or fruit

shaved coconut

100% pure maple syrup

directions

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl, set aside. In smaller bowl, mash banana and add eggs; whisk together. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until incorporated, then fold in blueberries.

Melt coconut oil in a pan over medium heat, gently rotating pan to evenly distribute oil. Spoon a large dollop of batter onto pan and cook pancake until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes each side. Repeat with remaining batter, adding coconut oil in between batches as needed. 

Stack pancakes, drizzle with syrup, top with berries or fruit, sprinkle with coconut. Slice, eat, close eyes and chew slowly to enjoy; there's no need to rush this breakfast, and that's all there is to it. Enjoy!