Author: denieksioglu

vegan chocolate sorbet

alegra found this vegan chocolate sorbet recipe and asked if we could make it…

at first i hesitated, worried that it would involve an intricate process of cooking, cooling and freezing. but with all this self-isolating taking a toll on our moods i decided to go ahead and say yes. thank goodness i did! the recipe is super simple, the freezing time is totally reasonable, and the end result was right down my alley- not too sweet and not at all too heavy!

ingredients-

  • one can organic coconut milk (be sure to include all the creamy parts too)
  • 3 tablespoons raw cocoa
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup- add more for sweeter sorbet
  • 1/2 package organic blueberries

instructions

  • blend coconut mill, cocoa and maple syrup in the blender until well combine
  • stir in blueberries carefully so as not to crush them
  • place in freezer proof container for a minimum of 4 hours
  • allow to thaw slightly before serving

any number of add-ons would be delicious with this recipe- shredded coconut for coconut lovers like me, chocolate chips might be good, different berries would work too!

ebru art with a twist…

a traditional and familiar art form here in turkey; no one is quite certain of exactly when and where the art of ebru first developed.  ebru art has been mentioned in texts found in turkmenistan and samarkand dating back to 13th century and in those from the iranian area of herat from the 14th century.  the oldest remaining actual example of the art though, is from 1447 and is currently housed in the topkapi palace museum. 

during the ottoman era, papers decorated with ebru art were often used for official purposes such as government documents, property deeds, or personal checks.  the intricate patterns made each paper noticeable and recognizable.  it is likely that this was a type of precursor to the complicated designs that are still used in modern day currencies as part of anti-fraud measures. 

traditional ebru work is done by first preparing an oil-based liquid in a large rectangular dish.  drops of ink are then dripped into the gooey liquid providing the color for the artwork.  the artist then uses various utensils that range from a needlelike tool to thick and thin brushes the spread the paint and create different shapes and patterns.  finally, a paper is laid on top of the solution and gently removed with the designs now transferred onto the paper.

the whole process is actually quite complicated; the base liquid takes two or three days to prepare, the paints are quite finicky, and creating proper designs takes patience and practice. 

over the past couple of weeks, we have been rediscovering our arts and crafts closet here at home and we were thrilled to find a fully stocked ebru kit that alegra received as a birthday gift last june! we immediately pulled it out and got to work- and we had so much fun!

everyone took a turn creating and it was great to see all the different possibilities of color combinations and some of the designs that we came up with were absolutely stunning! 

here are some of our ebru creations:

this ebru work also reminded us of another; super fun, way to do ebru- with SHAVING CREAM! i highly recommend doing this outside on a less valuable surface because, let’s be honest, it is a good way to make a big mess… but it is so much fun, and the results are actually really pretty.  shaving cream ebru is a fantastic way to introduce the art to smaller children.  this is also a perfect process art project for toddlers- they get to get messy with paints and explore colors and patterns galore!

there is really no right or wrong way to do this; gather your materials and just start creating… check out alegra’s video below for some inspiration 🙂

materials-

  • large sheets of white paper
  • liquid paints
  • shaving cream (make sure it is the foam kind, not the gel)
  • brushes of varying size and thickness

instructions-

  • squeeze and spread shaving cream all over your paper (use your hands!!)
  • add drips of paint as desired
  • use your fingers or brushes to create designs in the shaving cream
  • allow to dry fully before moving
  • shaving cream has a tendency to fall off the paper once it is dry so saving these projects can be a bit tricky- be sure to take a photo!

**for those of you that would like to try it, the ebru set we have at home is for sale here**

elmer the elephant…

happy saturday everyone!

here are some printable elmer the elephants to get you starting on your saturday activity!

and here is a picture of all elmer’s friends after they decorated themselves for”elmer day”!

remember to just use whatever materials you happen to have on hand and enjoy yourselves! there is no right or wrong way to decorate your elmer…

we’ll be sharing ours soon and we would LOVE to see yours too- so send us pictures when you are finished!

so, i have some questions…

last night i locked myself in the bathroom. seriously. just being in my own space wasn’t enough, i needed to close and fully lock the door. i can’t remember the last time i did that. maybe just after i gave birth to alegra 10 years ago?

regardless, last night i found myself locked in my small bathroom; simultaneously listening to npr on my phone and alegra reading aloud to me from the other side of the door while dozens of questions swirled around in my mind.

i don’t presume to think that my questions are too radically different than most peoples’. and, to be fair, my questions are, mercifully, not of the day to day existential variety.

i KNOW that i will still have a roof over my head tomorrow, and i will have more than enough to eat. my children will be able to continue their studies over the internet; comfortably, warm in their own rooms- content with their 3+ meals a day.  even if our economics do eventually change due to the global pandemic, i will still be blessed with plenty. and in the case of a health emergency- covid-19 related or not- i am privileged enough to be certain of sufficient health care.

but even armed with this knowledge- i am still human.  and an over functioning, type a human at that. and so, despite all this certainty- and all these guarantees- i can’t help but worry. almost obsessively.

And so, i have some questions…

on a grand scale… when will this all end? what would it be like to get the coronavirus? is my (are our) immune systems strong enough? what will happen to the girls if erim and i both end up in the hospital at the same time? what is going to be the economic impact of all this- not just in my household, but nationally; globally?

on a knowledge and medical scale…what the hell is an antibody and how important/effective will they be in the case of covid-19? even if the virus seems to disappear over the summer will it just reappear in the fall; or in the winter? is it better to just get infected and move forward from there? or is that worse? what are the long terms repercussions of getting sick going to be? if (and hopefully when) a vaccine is developed will i feel comfortable being vaccinated; having my children vaccinated?

on a smaller, more personal scale… what is going to happen to schools? seriously, what is the deal with the SAT? will colleges open in the fall? how will admissions work going forward? how much impact is this time in self-isolation going to have on my children?

and once life gets going again… (it is going to, right? eventually?) where will we feel comfortable going? will i be ok with the girls going back to school, to activities, to riding? when will we feel comfortable travelling again? what about going to the US again? what will the short- and long-term global reverberations really be? how much future planning makes sense and how many of my plans will end up being little more than daydreams?

what is frustrating and also, from a social science perspective, fascinating; is that really no one, no scientist, no politician, no researcher, no educator, no one has the answers to these questions.

a virologist may have some preliminary notion of how immunity to covid 19 will likely work in the future. i also feel certain many virologists and researchers are working hard to discover, perfect and produce a viable vaccine. 

politicians and civil servants are working; each in their own way, to serve their publics. i would argue many are still working to serve themselves; we’ll see how long that is sustainable.

meanwhile, educators around the world probably have many valid and reasonable ideas concerning how education will and should shift in the coming years.

parents, children, families and friends also all have valid and reasonable ways in which they envision organizing their lives- at least for the foreseeable future.  and business owners, big and small, around the globe, are more than likely holding zoom meeting after zoom meeting as they attempt to reorganize, reorder, and eventually, reopen their businesses.

but for now, regrettably there is no real end in sight; and no magic answers to my never-ending questions.

so, i am going to do what i can. i will start each day as it is; a new day…i will get up earlier than everyone else in my household to have a quiet cup of tea, write in my journal and do some yoga; i will oversee e-learning and help with brainstorming and editing; i will make sure we all have lots of healthy- fulfilling meals; i will get fresh air as much as possible; i will give back when and where i can; and most importantly-  i will try to remember to take deep breaths.

easiest fish feast ever…

here in istanbul we are so fortunate to have fresh fish available almost all year round.

and going out to a fish restaurant for a nice glass of raki (sort of like greek ouzo); some delicious small meze dishes and a main course of fresh fish is a sunday tradition many families and friends enjoy tremendously.  i have to admit it is one of my favorite things to do too. especially as spring brings warmer and longer days; having a long leisurely lunch- or even early dinner- raising a glass with friends and enjoying some good conversation is a pretty perfect way to spend a sunday afternoon!

as with many things, the coronavirus pandemic has caused us to need to shift our reality.  meeting up with friends, going to restaurants, sharing a good meal- all of these have been put on hold for the time being.  and not only are we not going out at all to eat, but our kitchen is working at full capacity three times a day!

about 10 days into our social distancing efforts i realized we all needed a bit of a break; from cooking and from eating too! and so, a new tradition was born 🙂 once a week, on sunday afternoons, we share a larger meal for a late lunch and then the kitchen is closed.  fresh fruit, cereal, and sandwich fixing are always available for those who need a little something more but there is no more “cooking” that day.

this week we made an amazing steamed fish dish that everyone adored… it is too good and too easy not to share; as simple as it is to cook, it is equally tasty and fancy. it made for a special day even without having left the house!

ingredients-

  • 6 fillets of fresh fish (this week we had a white grouper that is native to the aegean area)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic-minced
  • a large handful of shallots- cut in half
  • 3 green peppers- chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes- chopped
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 bay leaves
  • ample parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste

instructions-

  • rinse fillets and set aside
  • in a large saucepan (with a lid) melt butter
  • add garlic, shallots and peppers and saute until softened
  • mix in tomatoes
  • add water and bring mixture to a light boil
  • place fish fillets in pan and reduce heat
  • season with salt, pepper, bay leaves and parsley
  • simmer with lid closed for 20 minutes, or until fish is cooked through- this may change according to the thickness of the fillets
  • serve immediately

we served our fish with some oven-baked new potatoes and a fresh green salad…

making perfect playdoh at home…

ever since i learned how, i have been making playdoh at home.

the process and the product are BOTH entertaining and somehow, i find it to be more fun to create with playdoh that i have made myself…

this recipe makes enough for two children; simply double the amounts if you happen to have a full house!

adding glitter and food coloring is always a great option too. if you don’t have food coloring; a couple drops of paint will also do the trick…

materials-

  • 1.5 cups flour
  • ½ cup salt
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • embellishments

instructions-

  • mix all the ingredients together and knead well
  • add more water or flour as necessary
  • embellishments are up to you- glitter, food coloring, child-friendly paints
    • all work great and are safe for children of all ages (especially for younger children who sometimes want to see how their playdoh tastes!!)

sharafat abla’s every day cookies…

we have been baking up a storm over here these days… and with the terrible rainy day we had this week we really needed a bit of a pick me up!

rain or shine, these delicious cookies ALWAYS do the trick. they are perfect in the afternoon for tea, and equally wonderful as a breakfast treat with a lovely cup of coffee.

as far as i know, their origin comes from the turkish seaside town of izmir; a close friend taught us how to make them nearly twenty years ago; and we have been experimenting with them ever since! the original recipe calls for regular flour and white sugar- but we have adapted them in various stages; first swapping brown sugar for white, and then opting to use gluten free flour.  our latest iteration is the most delicious as of yet- and i have to admit they taste pretty good on sunny days too!

ingredients-

  • 1 pound lor cheese (this is a soft uncured goat cheese that is similar to strained cottage cheese)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • 3 cups flour
    • we used 1.5 cup buckwheat flour and 1.5 cup gluten free flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder

instructions-

  • preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius
  • mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately
  • combine and knead until mixture is moist and “doughy”
  • adjust flour as necessary; add a small amount of milk if dough is too crumbly
  • (roll cookies in sugar for an extra treat if desired)
  • form into small ball shaped mounds and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet
  • bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

camp mode…

we are now smack dap in the middle of our fifth full week at home and something fascinating has happened… the girls have switched into what i can only describe as “camp mode”.

the first week was hard, for the girls there was a lot of uncertainty; what was e-learning going to entail, how will i see and talk to my friends, which activities will i be able to continue, how will i pass ALL this time at home?

for me it meant a lot of preparing; who knew what markets would remain open, would fresh meat and fish be readily available, what about medicines, how would i manage to keep the girls busy as the days went by?

the second and third weeks were really a process of settling in. the teachers and school “figured out” e-learning, and so did we; we stocked up on really important supplies- both foodwise and funwise; and we got ourselves organized into some sort of routine (this seems to be ever shifting, but for now it works).

through the blur of all this change and adjustment though an extraordinary thing occurred. 

one day, as we sat around the dinner table, i realized that all three girls had arrived at the table with their water bottles- just like at camp!

asya’s was from her summer session at georgetown, alara’s was a coveted glow in the dark rockbrook water bottle, and alegra had a mason jar from earth fare filled to the brim and ready to go.

from a practical standpoint i wasn’t surprised, the water bottles are just so easy, and require us to do less dishes. 

but what did surprise me is what the appearance of these bottles meant; i had been so worried about how the girls would handle this new reality of staying at home. how would they manage when their lives suddenly slowed down; especially after being so busy all year. 

but i shouldn’t have worried. 

thanks to summers spent at camp, they already knew how!

summer camp may not be the best fit for all children; i was frequently homesick as a child and probably would not have enjoyed sleepaway camp.  but my girls love it. and i believe that they have learned a range of skills that they would not have been able to develop with their parents around all the time.

specifically, camp has taught my children to be more independent; more resilient; to make decisions based on what they need, even in the face of peer pressure; how to fill unstructured time in a way that makes them happy; and also how to deal with strong emotions- something we have plenty of right now.

ever since i noticed that we had entered “camp mode” more things have started to catch my attention…

asya and alara are reading through books at a breakneck pace- i can barely keep them in books- and alegra has read more in the past three weeks than she has since school started. 

we have done countless art projects; daily yoga classes have become a key part of our routine; alegra has played tons of games- and learned some new ones-like hopscotch; and for the first time in a long time, there is SO MUCH conversation going on. (we aren’t singing at the dinner table yet but give us a couple more weeks at home- i’ll keep you posted!)

obviously, the lazy, lovely days of summer camp cannot compare to the somewhat stressful, uncertain times of the coronavirus pandemic. but there isn’t a single person with whom I’ve spoken who hasn’t said that they aren’t so sad to be slowing down. 

harder for some to do, and easier for others; but “camp mode” seems to be working for us right now.

painting and printing on a rainy day…

after a whole week of beautiful sunny spring weather, we are actually kind of enjoying a slightly cooler rainy day today. 

we knew the weather was going to change so we saved a whole bunch of indoor activities for today… we’re planning on baking, doing some fun and easy art activities, and working on our concert pieces for piano.

here is a super easy art activity that uses household objects… all you need is a big sheet of paper and some different colored paints. there is no right or wrong way to do this; so just gather your materials and have some fun!

materials-

  • large sheet of white paper
  • one paintbrush
  • different colored guache or tempera paints
  • any objects you would like to use for printing
  • paint dishes (paper plates work well)

instructions-

  • choose one color and paint the whole sheet of white paper in that color
  • allow the paint to dry slightly
  • using different objects and different colors, print shapes all over the paper
  • trying to stick to a pattern is fun; or you can just go wild with printing!
  • allow all the paint to dry completely
  • you can use your printed paper to write postcards or as wrapping paper

send us pictures of your printing-

email deniztogar@gmail.com OR @strongrootswildwings on instagram

we’d love to see it and repost on instagram!

grilled artichokes…

spring is finally here!

yesterday we celebrated easter sunday with an afternoon egg hunt and leisurely family lunch of delicious springtime foods- lamb chops, asparagus, fresh corn and artichokes- one of my favorite vegetables!

grilling artichokes is actually very easy; we hadn’t tried it before, so we were pleasantly surprised to discover how simple it was.  i have a feeling we will be making this dish quite often in the upcoming weeks…

ingredients-

  • fresh artichokes complete with leaves
  • 1/2 cup olice oil (plus a little more for grilling)
  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • crush red pepper, if desired

instructions-

  • prepare grill to medium heat
    • we used a charcoal grill yesterday, but you can also use a grill pan
  • in a large pot, heat water until boiling
  • add artichokes and cook until slightly softened- about 15 minutes
  • slice artichokes in half and brush olive oil on both sides
  • place artichokes face down on center of grill
  • cook for approximately 5-6 minutes
    • you will notice that the artichokes seem to shrink- or wilt- once they are cooked; this means it is time to turn them
  • cook leaf side of artichokes for 4-5 minutes more
  • serve warm with dipping sauce

dipping sauce-

  • mix together olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper using a strong blender (or whisk by hand if preferred)

ps: we also had a lot of questions about the delicious lemon meringue pie that alara made. it was our first attempt at lemon meringue so we used martha stewart’s recipe- it was delicious and i highly recommend it!

you can find the recipes here: