Georgia Russell

Book arts! Paper-cutting! Bell jars! So much to love in the beautiful work of Georgia Russell.

Discovered via how to make a baby elephant float.

more favorites from They Draw and Cook

I've been trying to post a recipe a week, but I've been struggling with a minor head cold for over a week now and while I've been cooking a bit, don't have anything beautiful or interesting to share with you this week. So I figured now would be a great time for my to share more of my favorites from They Draw and Cook! (I know my  links in that post are dead, I'll fix them soon.)

Above is Ekaterina Muratova's Summer Vegetable Soup. I love the character of the little people assembling the soup, and their beautiful shadows. A really wonderful and wonderfully executed idea.

Chickpea Dip by Sali Swindell. Fantastic composition and linework, really satisfying!

I love the simplicity and innocence of this Little Star Soup by Stefanie Hess. Great use of negative space.

Wonderfully laid-out and delicious-looking, I can't wait to try making this Yaprak Sarma by Serkan Toros.

Fennel Saute, another beautiful recipe by Sali Swindell. More gorgeous layout, typographic, shapes, and lines.

I love the old-fashioned specimen-style in this Butternut Squash Soup by Heidi Aldin Monteleone. Very classic style.

Carrie Marrill

Wonderful paintings, gouache, and watercolor work from Carrie Marrill. I love all of her subject matter: animals, birds, strange scenes with cross-sections, plants, mushrooms, things on white backgrounds. She has such a lovely and diverse body of work, it was hard to choose what to post. Check out her website for sure.

I originally learned about Carrie Marrill via but does it float.

Trina Schart Hyman

Trina Schart Hyman has been one of my favorite illustrators since I was in the age group for her books. Her Rapunzel (above, some below) and Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins were my among my favorite books.

The images in this post were mostly found on plum leaves' flickr. The scans that aren't as good are scans I did myself.

Quinoa Tabouli

I love tabouli, but I can't usually afford the pre-made packaged stuff -- even more so because I could eat two of those things in one sitting. Since I've been taking lunches and snacks to work, I've been loving this recipe for quinoa tabouli. The protein-rich and nutrient-rich quinoa and green green parsley and mint make me feel brilliantly healthy as I guzzle tubs of this throughout my day. 

This recipe is adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health. It takes about half an hour to make (less, with a food processor or lots of practice). One batch of this usually only lasts me two, maybe three days, but if serving as a side salad, could probably serve 4. 

QUINOA TABOULI 

1 cup raw quinoa

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried mint or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

4 scallions

5 garlic cloves

2 or 3 bunches fresh parsley 

3 or 4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and ground black pepper

Rinse and drain the quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer to remove any residue of the grain’s bitter coating. In a covered saucepan on high heat, bring the quinoa, water, salt, and mint (if using dried) to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and place in a serving bowl.

While the quinoa cooks, mince the scallions and garlic, and finely chop the parsley and mint (if using fresh). Add them to the serving bowl with the cooked quinoa. Pour on the lemon juice and olive oil and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve chilled or at room temperature. 

watercolor ceramics

Love these watercolor ceramics from PALAiS XIII. Would love to feel like I'm part of watercolor world.

Via bloesem.

Emily Ferretti

Emily Ferretti's watercolors are work I have been turning to lately in my own work, ever since discovering it while browsing tumblr.

More of her work on the Saatchi Gallery website.

pasta, lentils, and artichoke hearts

I love making this pretty and simple pasta dish for dinner parties, or for just me and my roommate to have tons of leftovers. The recipe that follows makes 4 - 6 servings, and is adapted from Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites. I like to use French lentils, which hold their shape better than other varieties. Red lentils would also be pretty.

PASTA, LENTILS, AND ARTICHOKE HEARTS

1 cup dry red lentils (3 cups cooked)
3 cups water
1 tsp olive oil
2 onions, diced
5 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 tsps grond cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups canned diced tomatoes (18oz can), liquid reserved
1 1/2 cups quartered artichokes (9oz package frozen or 15oz can)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb farfalle, rotini, or spirali
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional) 

Bring the lentils and water to a boil in a saucepan. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 mintues, until the lentils are tender.

While the lentils cook, heat the olive oil in a separate pan (a saucepan, not a frying pan). Add the onions and saute on medium heat until golden. Add the garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook for a couple minute mires, stirring frequently. Add the lemon juice, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and crushed pepper and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. By now, the lentils should be done cooking. Drain them and add them to the tomato and artichoke heart mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes or so more.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a serving bowl. Top it with the lentil and artichoke heart sauce, add salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

Meta Wraber

I've been following the work of Meta Wraber since her wonderful work appeared on They Draw and Cook. I absolutely love her sketchy, folksy watercolors, bright colors, and idiosyncratic line work. Definitely check out her blog for more lovely drawings of animals, food, people, landscapes, and more. 

Luci Everett, design & illustration work

The loose, drippy work of Luci Everett. I found her illustration work on {frolic!} and Miss Moss. Her design work is fantastic as well: it's refreshing to see some stylistically messy and expressive in the design world, which so often seems to be all about perfectly-rendered computer-aided flat-as-a-pancake colors. Which I love too! But can be frustrating when I try to attain it. This fresh, loose work is inspiring to me both for the vibrant visuals and this wonderful reminder to stick with what I love doing and doing well.