{"id":1308,"date":"2014-05-05T09:40:52","date_gmt":"2014-05-05T13:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/?p=1308"},"modified":"2015-05-04T13:16:18","modified_gmt":"2015-05-04T17:16:18","slug":"serendipity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/serendipity\/","title":{"rendered":"Serendipity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/splitpea-and-quinua-cakes.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-1309\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/splitpea-and-quinua-cakes.jpg?resize=1000%2C666&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"splitpea and quinua cakes\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/splitpea-and-quinua-cakes.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/splitpea-and-quinua-cakes.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/splitpea-and-quinua-cakes.jpg?w=2000&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/splitpea-and-quinua-cakes.jpg?w=3000&amp;ssl=1 3000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes life doesn&#8217;t go your way, and sometimes, when you think life isn&#8217;t going your way, you find out you were wrong.\u00a0 Like this week: I had planned to make red lentils, and because I bought a huge bag of quinoa from Costco, and I need to find more ways to eat it, I decide that I&#8217;m going to throw some of those into my lentils.\u00a0 Quick trip to the pantry and find that I have no red lentils.\u00a0 The bag I thought was red lentils is in fact yellow split peas. I shrug and start cooking those instead.<\/p>\n<p>Half an hour passes and I check on my peas, only to have it hit me&#8230; Yellow peas take much longer to cook than lentils.\u00a0 I leave those cooking and hurriedly put on something else for my children who are expiring from hunger.<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re just wrapping up dinner when I realize I never took the peas off of the stove.\u00a0 I leap up from the table and run to the kitchen to find&#8230; thankfully, that the peas have not burned.\u00a0 All the water has cooked off and there will be some choice words when I go to clean the bottom of the pot, but that is still ahead of me.\u00a0 Right now I have a yellow, spotted mush, that they would have called a pulse in medieval times, but in modern times&#8230; my children won&#8217;t touch anything that mushy.\u00a0 I put the mush into the fridge, figuring I&#8217;ll do something with it tomorrow, when I&#8217;m not so tired.<\/p>\n<p>Next evening rolls around and I have had an inspiration.\u00a0 I will fry up the mush in little fritters.\u00a0 Some eggs, cheese, and spices later&#8230; and we have golden little cakes that send the carb-lover in me into back flips of joy, but pack a substantial protein punch as well (10g per serving).\u00a0 The quinoa gives it a nuttiness that is nice and a contrasting texture.\u00a0 Served with spinach greens and a balsamic mayonnaise dip&#8230; Yum.\u00a0 I think the cheese could probably have been left out of the recipe, and it wouldn&#8217;t have suffered much.<\/p>\n<p>Ingredients<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 cup yellow split peas<\/li>\n<li>1\/2 cup quinoa<\/li>\n<li>2 tsp ranch powder or other spices<\/li>\n<li>1 tsp garlic salt<\/li>\n<li>1\/2 cup flour<\/li>\n<li>2 eggs<\/li>\n<li>olive oil for frying<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Soak the yellow peas according to the directions on the package.\u00a0 Cook the peas and quinoa until the peas turn to mush ~40 min.\u00a0 Cool the pulse until it will not cook the eggs.\u00a0 Add the flour, eggs and spices.\u00a0 Form into little patties by dropping spoonfuls into a thin layer of hot oil over medium heat.\u00a0 They can be cooked in a dry cast iron skillet, but the texture and flavor are improved by a little oil.\u00a0 Flip over when golden and repeat for the other side.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes life doesn&#8217;t go your way, and sometimes, when you think life isn&#8217;t going your way, you find out you were wrong.\u00a0 Like this week: I had planned to make red lentils, and because I bought a huge bag of quinoa from Costco, and I need to find more ways to eat it, I decide [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":1309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cooking"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/splitpea-and-quinua-cakes.jpg?fit=3686%2C2458&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"Julie Stubbs","author_link":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/author\/exhalia\/"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/splitpea-and-quinua-cakes.jpg?fit=3686%2C2458&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2gp05-l6","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1372,"url":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/i-must-be-doing-it-wrong\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":0},"title":"I must be doing it wrong","author":"Julie Stubbs","date":"July 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Ok, I admit it:\u00a0 I'm a one pot cook.\u00a0 Oh, I can do 12 dish feasts for many people, but when I'm at home, I don't.\u00a0 There are so many excellent dishes out there that give you a relatively complete meal in one pot or one pan, and for your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cooking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cooking","link":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/category\/cooking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/UmJadra1.jpg?fit=840%2C941&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/UmJadra1.jpg?fit=840%2C941&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/UmJadra1.jpg?fit=840%2C941&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/UmJadra1.jpg?fit=840%2C941&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1451,"url":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/cream-of-fill-in-the-vegetable-soup-strikes-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":1},"title":"Cream of &#8220;fill in the vegetable&#8221; Soup Strikes Again!","author":"Julie Stubbs","date":"July 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I love soup.\u00a0 It's one of those things you can make as a vegetarian and no one feels like they're missing out.\u00a0 It's also now closely associated with warm the companionship of friends.\u00a0 My husband's family, growing up, was a military family, which frequently meant being away from family at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cooking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cooking","link":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/category\/cooking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Cream-of-Summer-Vegetable-Soup.jpg?fit=840%2C573&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Cream-of-Summer-Vegetable-Soup.jpg?fit=840%2C573&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Cream-of-Summer-Vegetable-Soup.jpg?fit=840%2C573&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Cream-of-Summer-Vegetable-Soup.jpg?fit=840%2C573&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1363,"url":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/some-food-is-just-not-photogenic\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":2},"title":"Some Food is Just NOT Photogenic","author":"Julie Stubbs","date":"July 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"So, I've begun work on another project. (Like I needed another one, right?) Several years ago, my mother put together a collection of her favorite recipes.\u00a0 She called it Legacy, and had copies printed up for my brother and myself. The first thing that you need to understand is that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cooking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cooking","link":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/category\/cooking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/corncasserole1.jpg?fit=840%2C941&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/corncasserole1.jpg?fit=840%2C941&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/corncasserole1.jpg?fit=840%2C941&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/corncasserole1.jpg?fit=840%2C941&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":98,"url":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/pickled-tomatos\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":3},"title":"Pickled Tomatos","author":"admin","date":"October 3, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"An embarrassment of riches this summer in the form of my very first attempt at growing tomatoes, caused me to have to search out new and creative uses for grape tomatoes.\u00a0Fresh off of pickling the few measly cucumbers that I got off of the vines before they withered prematurely,\u00a0(Still haven\u2019t\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cooking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cooking","link":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/category\/cooking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/tomatoes.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/tomatoes.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/tomatoes.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":278,"url":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/isnt-borage-an-annual-and-other-lessons-from-a-first-year-garden\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":4},"title":"&#8220;Isn&#8217;t borage an annual?&#8221; and other lessons from a first year garden","author":"admin","date":"December 23, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"It's two days before Christmas, and I have officially brought in my last handful of tomatoes from my garden.\u00a0 I've been waiting to post that for almost two months, but mild weather and a crop of strong producers has kept me in tomatoes.\u00a0 Many of the ones I brought in\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 6 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 6 comments","link":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/isnt-borage-an-annual-and-other-lessons-from-a-first-year-garden\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/borage.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/borage.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/borage.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":328,"url":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/no-one-trick-ponies-in-my-kitchen\/","url_meta":{"origin":1308,"position":5},"title":"No One Trick Ponies in My Kitchen","author":"admin","date":"February 11, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I love Alton Brown.\u00a0 He is my favorite food celebrity.\u00a0 His mix of science and food is irresistible to me, and his quirky humor makes it fun to watch.\u00a0 He also has some very good advice, which my husband usually insists that I follow.\u00a0 No one trick ponies in the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cooking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cooking","link":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/category\/cooking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/krumkake4.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/krumkake4.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/krumkake4.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/krumkake4.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1308"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1311,"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1308\/revisions\/1311"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exhaliastudios.com\/squirrel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}