The best-est BLT's. Ever.

One of my favorite things about summer is the amazing produce and Farmer's Markets. Well, that's two things really... but at any rate, today Sweets and I were on a mission to make the best BLT's ever using only ingredients from the Farmer's Market. We almost succeeded. We found everything but lettuce, which we got at the supermarket on the way home.  We purchased the most beautiful ugly heirloom tomatoes (my first experience with these, which is surprising considering my life-long love affair with all things tomato), bacon straight from the farm,  a freshly baked loaf of cheddar cheese bread, and some sweet corn to eat with our sandwiches.

There is something about the Market that feels almost magical to me. I just absolutely adore it and this morning was no exception. I love the mouth-watering food smells, the gorgeous bouquets of flowers, the popping of kettle korn, and all the pretty colorful produce.

My favorite moment from this particular Saturday morning trip was something so insignificant, yet so entirely significant at the same time...

While Sweets was getting cash from the ATM, I found a little planter to sit on next to a young gentleman playing the guitar, along with a young lady playing the violin. As I sat there, I sipped on the most incredible iced soy chai latte, and I could hear Sweets singing along with the music while standing in line (which made me giggle) as I felt the heat of the sun on my face and shoulders... and despite the bustling activity around me, I felt as if I was encased in a bubble of stillness. Waves of peace and supreme contentment were washing over me, and it was in this moment that I experienced an ultimate knowing of

'this is it'.

This is what life is all about. These little moments and the enjoyment of the simple things in life. Although I have huge dreams that I actively work towards on a daily basis, it is not necessary to wait for them to come to fruition in order to be happy. Happiness is now. In these everyday moments. Happiness is in shopping for and making BLT's with someone you love. It really is as simple as that.

Hope this finds you having a great weekend enjoying the moments that make up your life. 

And, I highly recommend a Farmer's Market BLT. Ah-mazing.

Peace & Love, 

Chandra Nicole

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3 Ingredient Recipes!!......................................... Apricot Glazed Pork Chops and Pecan Rice

One reason (of many) that I started The Earthfood Experiment is that I love to be in the kitchen. I can lose hours in there just playing around with food stuffs (especially when I am preparing them for people I love) However, I do have other things that must get accomplished during the day, so spending hours in the kitchen on a daily basis is just not feasible...

Not to mention the fact that I'm inherently sporadic, flitting about from one sparkly thing to the next. Sometimes I can spend days in the kitchen then quite instantly, decide that I'm tired of cooking, moving onto another whim for the next week or two until the urge to return to the kitchen reemerges.

(This tendency of mine to weary abruptly of an activity reminds me very much of Forrest Gump. Remember when he, one day quite suddenly 'for no particular reason' without any forethought or warning, starts running and continues to do so for many years across many states and to many shores, in the process mystifying all who's paths he crosses, until one day he stops running abruptly only to say "I think I'm tired now" ??? First of all,  I'm just sayin'... there might be a similarity here. And secondly, how was that for a run-on sentence.)

Anyhoo, all of this mumbo jumbo is leading me to the cooking hiatus I have been on as of recently, and only just yesterday felt the need to return from.

Out of necessity created by my inconsistent nature, I have decided to start exploring SUPER easy, low fuss, healthy recipes to arm myself with for the next time something shiny should happen to catch my eye and I am distracted from the kitchen yet again... because I suppose my peeps might still like to eat in the meantime. Plus, I know you all are super busy and don't have the time or maybe even the desire to spend hours in the kitchen.

So, you will surely understand my excitement when I came across a collection of 3 ingredient recipes in one of my favorite magazines, Real Simple.  As I was perusing the pages of this glorious recipe section I had the  realization that a lot of the foods I make for my family already include relatively few ingredients. I don't usually write about these because in the back of my mind I think that maybe they are not special or exciting enough. However, judging by my own excitement over the recent 3 ingredient recipe collection discovery, I'm beginning to think that maybe these simple fares are the most special of all.

Here is a 3 ingredient recipe for Apricot Glazed Pork Chops that I found in this magazine of mine and consequently made for Sweets and Miss M as supper last night. I do not get hugely excited about meats of any sort (unless it is seafood... does that qualify as meat?) but they thought it was pretty darn good.

Here are the ingredients:

• Bone in Pork Chops
• Apricot Preserves - 1/2 Cup 
• Balsamic Vinegar - 1 Tablespoon

FYI - In this game of 3 ingredient meals, butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper do not count as ingredients since they are always readily available in your kitchen. At least they better be! (That was me scolding you for not having olive oil... so drive your ass to the store and get some so we can be friends again)

Now that you have your olive oil, heat a couple teaspoons of it in a skillet over med high. Generously salt and pepper your pork chops while you are waiting for it to heat up. Why not go ahead and mix together your balsamic and apricot preserves while you're at it.

Throw your meat into the skillet to cook.  Okay, maybe throwing pork into hot oil is a bad idea.
Gingerly lay your lovely chops into the bubbling bath of oil a la olives. Better?

Here they will remain for 6-8 minutes on each side after which you will dump your apricot sauce over the top and let cook for a few more minutes until nice and glazy. Done.

OH!! so easy.

I then served with a side of steamed broccoli that I flavored with the juice of one lemon and a palm full of crushed red pepper and some salt. (3 ingredients!)

And... Pecan Rice 

Another 3 ingredient recipe (also to be found in Real Simple) that you make like this:

Mix together 2 Cups cooked brown rice, 2 T unsalted butter, 1/2 Cup toasted pecans, 1 T dried Dillweed, and S&P to taste. This rice is so good drizzled with the apricot pan juice from the pork chops.

This whole 3 Ingredient thing is fun! Can't wait to make another tonight.

Peace & Love, 

Chandra Nicole

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