This soda bread is SO simple to make and so flour-y fun! Each loaf seems to look different and rustic. Since no yeast is required, soda breads are great for beginners. Not to mention, the dill goat cheese butter has so much flavor in its simplicity, you will absolutely adore the joy it offers your ready palette.

You know it’s been a satisfying summer at the beach when you grab your backpack a week later to head into the coffee shop and arrive with lingering sand coating your shoulders.

One thing we did not grow was the warming spice, ginger, however with Spring around the corner, it’s a great spice to incorporate into your meals. The inner Winter ice is now melting, which is why many experience spring colds, and others, allergies.

My gift back to the bounty of the Earth was indeed a gift back to myself. Orange grove bound, I chose to bake some Orange Blossom Cupcakes with a cardamom coconut frosting. I especially enjoyed harvesting the oranges from the trees… a backyard supermarket.

The pungent spice Garam Masala gives me that feeling of fullness, comfort, and complete acuity of cellular reception. Garam means “hot” and Masala means “mixture”, in Hindi. गरम मसाला. The composition of the blend of these ground spices vary across differing regions of India.

Figs are full of fiber, high in calcium, potassium, and antioxidants. The leaves are also edible and perhaps even more nutritious than the fruit! Said to be Cleopatra’s favorite food, figs and almonds both are thought to contain aphrodisiac components and be symbols of fertility.

Before we left, I baked some goodies for the plane and any other times we may be in need of a clean treat. What I love about these scones is the harder crust with the soft center.

The autumn enjoyments of warmth and spices near never get old for me. Cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and nutmeg waft through the kitchen, naturally clearing the air of any cobwebs leftover from summer. Almond flour grounds our bodies, providing comfort in its sustenance.

A friend said recently, “How do you bake all these cookies etc and not gain weight?” For me, it’s not separate from the rest of my diet. It’s not either ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’.

When our proverbial winter snows melt inside our bodies just like the spring water that now runs down the side of the mountains, we tend to get congested with the common symptoms of a runny nose, a sore throat, and cold like symptoms.

The time is here for all things fall, and I relish the days in San Diego where there is a slight crispness and coolness in the air. Pumpkin no longer feels pre-mature and neither does apple cider.