Pasta

I love pesto. Homemade pesto. My only problem with it is that fresh basil is harder to come by in the winter. You can still get it, but they don't sell it at the farm in huge bunches, like they do in the summer. You also can't really grow it yourself when it's only 5 C outside. At the grocery store, it comes in little plastic containers that contain a few measly basil leaves.
So, I was very excited to see a recipe for pesto that called for only a handful of basil and used lots of arugula and avocado instead. The recipe is found here:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/linguine-with-avocado-and-arugula-pesto-recipe/index.html
I changed a few things (no almonds for me) and cut the amount of salt and lime juice, and added some cherry tomatoes on top. It was delicious!! It was like having a bit of summer in the middle of a cold and dreary winter. Finding/trying a new recipe that works; awesome!
(I need to warn you that you need to love the taste of lime in order to enjoy this recipe)

This week's inspiration

I am really sick. It started with Matias more than a week ago and then it hit me. I feel awful, but there have been some small joys this week regardless. Like eating plums. Being happy for my sister. Coffee in bed on Valentine's. But most of all, watching Matias read. He was home all week, so he had to find things to keep himself busy, since I wouldn't let him watch tv all day (his first choice). He had gone to the bookshelf and chosen a (chapter) book to read all on his own. He had chosen George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl. A few times I caught him laughing as he was reading; I love that!! He wanted to tell me some of the funny parts. How awesome to watch your child "discovering" on his own one of your personal favourite childhood authors!