Friday! Let’s all do the Friday dance, shall we?
I went out for a pre-breakfast ride this morning with temps in the low 60s. It was nice, but humid! Came back for breakfast and had a major fail. I went to make peanut flour waffles and started assembling. However, our cottage cheese was bad (pewwww!) and I had to improvise. Not a good idea. I use yogurt, but the batter was too runny, so I just put in more peanut flour in the hopes of saving it. They come out like foam rubber. Yuck! So, 1-minute muffle to the rescue:
This was topped with a sauteed banana and some coconut butter. I *love* this topping combo.
I had such a hard time concentrating on work today. I was ready for Friday! Soon enough, it was time for lunch:
What is that thing that looks like an ice cream sundae you ask?
This was frozen Wyman’s blueberries topped with 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese, drizzled with honey and a bit of cinnamon. I am glad I took this picture before I mixed it all up, because it was just a big purple blob after that. This was a good lunch and a nice change up from yogurt! I am now a big fan of ricotta. I get the part-skim kind.
Time for some blooms!
Annual dianthus. Not sure why these are so stubby, but at least they are blooming.
Yellow snaps. Tip – if you cut back your snapdragons after they finish blooming, they will bloom again. I cut mine back 3 or 4 times in a season and they will bloom until fall frost kills them.
Liriope (leh-rye-oh-pee)
Up close and personal:
The lirope are real work horses. the foliage looks nice and neat all summer and then these flowers come in late summer. They do well in all kinds of light from sun to shade (mine are in mostly shade).
Annual asters:
These are accidental. I had asters last year, and they left a bunch of seeds that sprouted. I sprinkled them throughout the garden. Somebunnybody ate the lower leaves off of a lot of the plants, though.
One lone clematis bloom:
And the other 4 o’clock. These are so hard to get pictures of because they are only open for part of the day (when I forget to take pics)
And lastly, more buds on the Scentimental.
This rose is having a banner bloom year. 
I am going to make a slideshow in the early winter once the garden is put to bed showcasing all my favorite blooms pictures from tulips to mums.
Alas, I had to get back to work until the next snack break!
Note sleeping lump of Pixie in the background. Who wouldn’t want her life?
Made up a quick dinner tonight. Am I not always saying I made a quick dinner? I need to get more creative. I had baked up some coconut biscuits during lunch time and had one with my pork burger:
The biscuits came out a little more flat and I know it was because of the eggs I used. It really seems to make a difference for my recipes if I switch them up.
Relaxing tonight and a little football with some snacks. Gotta love the preseason and the plethora of games on any given day. Plus, another grain-free day in the books.
Another nice weather day on Saturday and I think a ride to the lake is in order.
Question: Do you ever use ricotta cheese for anything other than lasagna?
Does anything Italian count, like calzones? I did buy some, though, to try your recipe for the ricotta puffs. I did however use cottage cheese in place of ricotta once when I was away at school (Clinton, NY) because the tiny grocery store didn’t carry ricotta. It worked ok. I served it to my now husband and my girlfriend, both of whom aren’t Italian. I’m not sure it would pass an Italian’s inspection, though!
I feel in love with your blueberry ricotta sundae on the spot. I bet that tastes a little like blueberry cheesecake.
🙂 Marion
One of my favorite snacks last summer was a fresh peach, split in half, topped with ricotta, a drizzle of honey and almonds! Soooo good!
We have lirope edging the path to our front door – they have been in for the 11 years we’ve had this house, but I think the drought and heat, even though we’re watering, is beating them down. 🙁 I like how the plant surprises you with the purple flowers!
I detest ricotta cheese. It’s the texture – blech. I won’t even put it in lasagne (I use cottage cheese instead). Here’s something disgusting – my MIL makes a ricotta pie, with chocolate chips and maraschino cherries. I almost called off the engagement when I saw how much Jeff liked that pie! 😉
Have a great weekend!
Funny, because I don’t like the texture of cottage cheese! I am fine if it is blended into something, but I don’t like it on its own.
Good tip about the snaps! I’ll have to try it with mine, although the whole plants are looking awful…we’ve had a cold, damp summer.
I went to a restaurant where they had bruchetta with ricotta, date slices, and a dusting of pistachio nut crumbs– yum! I should think the combo would work nicely even without the toast.
I actually never use Ricotta in much else. It’s quite a creamy flavor that would probably integrate into other things quite nicely!
I like ricotta mixed with cocoa powder, sweetener, dried coconut and hazelnuts. Tasty treat!
Love all the blooms!
I don’t use ricotta very often, I find it a bit tasteless. Never use it in lasagna, use bechamel sauce for that.
Your flowers are beautiful as always.
Have a great weekend Lori.
🙂 I just whizzed some cottage cheese in my bullet and topped with fruit. It’s the only way I’ll eat it!
I was going to do the happy friday dance and then realized it was saturday already 🙂
I LOVE Pixie’s life!!!! My friend that loves the pics I send to her of Pixie is on vacation from her 80 hours a week job & I sent this to her & said I hope you are living the Pixie life this week! 😉
I love your blooms & a slideshow would be cool!!!
I am drinking coconut flavored coffee this morn – YUM!
That texture conversation between you and Shelley was funny. she said almost exactly what I was going to say. But before I said it I was also thinking that ricotta seems like superfine cottage cheese? Off to check the nutritional stats! I did like your lunchtime idea!
The Aster is gorgeous!