Give us this day...

I am someone who is always searching for new recipes that sound different and healthful. Interestingly, this is both a blessing and a curse, as many times my attempts don't turn out quite as I would like. But I persist. And the stellar victories make up for the misses. There's always my surefire pumpkin bread recipe (from the Joy of Cooking book) which has evolved over the years into what it has become today, moist, soft, pumpkin-y, with hints of decadent belgian chocolate, and a crispy, sugar-encrusted top. Everyone needs their stalwart favorites. That has become mine. I even had my mom ship me cans of pumpkin on my mission in Brazil because I couldn't live without it. I hear taste buds change over the years, but I still love this loaf as much as ever. Maybe because it was one of the first things I made on my own at school, and it has stayed with me like a trusty friend. What I really wanted to write about was the loaf of whole wheat rye bread I made last Sunday, aptly called "black bread" by its creator Heidi Swanson. Heidi's blog is my go-to for healthy, flavorful recipes. Ever since I inherited my kitchen aid mixer, I have finally felt like I could venture into the land of yeast breads. I found this recipe (http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/black-bread-recipe.html) on 101 Cookbooks, Heidi's blog, and I couldn't resist trying it. Sunday was the selected day, and it worked out perfectly. I perched the bowl in the sun streaming through my window, and it rose like magic. I have never had bread with grated carrot inside, but it's quite delicious. Look at how lovely it came out!

Looking and tasting like an artisan loaf. This was one of those victories that makes trying new recipes and the broad endeavor of cooking worthwhile. I ate the fresh bread with my favorite vegan cream of mushroom soup, made using my new immersion blender.