⭐ | Monday- Monday | & what to do with all of that yellow squash!~

| Monday |

Good Morning.

Time to do some Monday chores:

* laundry

*dishes

*office work

*dog pen cleaning

I adore simple chores, the kind that keep you moving and in the moment.

These design projects have taught me a bunch about my work style.

I have learned that I am not a stand around and kvetch person...talking & talking about the same things until I get dizzy....

I like to make a decision and instantly implement it.

Like right then.

"We need an antique piece for furniture for the kitchen island....okay, let's go right now and grab a bite to eat on the way to the shop up the street"

THEN

we can visit the slab stone guys and grab a piece of granite.

BAM.

done.

That is how I ~~would~~ do it.

But there is this long decision dance that unnerves me.

*sigh*

It was, as usual a very busy ~~working~~ weekend.

It shall be this way for the forseeable future.

This is the new normal.

First things first, the mechanicals.

* tiny rant* ~ If you are or know a professional who when introduced to a man & a woman on a project and defers almost entirely to the man even though the woman posed the question, if you talk over her, steamroll her ideas and leave her frustrated beyond belief....

you will not get hired.

{ sadly this still occurs more than you would want to believe }

Waiting to implement my designs is killing me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All I can do is gather a few meaningful moments with people I care for between the chaos.

That said:

What a beautiful weekend.

Perfect summer weather.

I had friends drop by the country house project to give me a HUGE bag of produce from their gardens.

I could not thank them enough!

What to do with all that yellow squash??

Today I try this:

A SUMMER SQUASH + BANANA-OAT LOAF W/ ALMOND STREUSEL (GLUTEN +DAIRY FREE)

adapted from Smitten with Squash

if you don't have to be gluten free you can substitute the flours below for you flour/s of choice save for the 1/2 cup of rolled oats.

| makes 1 loaf |

3/4 brown rice flour
1/2 cup (GF) old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
4 tablespoons almond oil (or another light oil)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup grated squash, grated using the course holes on a box grater
1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas (about 2-3 bananas depending on size)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (i used a combo of almonds + pecans)

STREUSEL

3 tablespoons (GF) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon brown rice flour (or flour of choice)
3 tablespoons finely chopped almonds
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
pinch of fine grain sea salt

instructions

preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan. cut a piece of parchment to line the pan with an overhang on each side
prepare streusel first. in a small bowl, combine streusel ingredients and set aside
in a large bow, whisk flours, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. set aside. in another large bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar until incorporated. whisk in oil and vanilla; then stir in squash and banana. gradually add dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until just combined and no lumps remain
evenly distribute batter throughout the loaf pan and sprinkle streusel on top
bake in the center of your oven for 45-50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes. using the parchment overhangs, remove loaf from pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack. let the loaf cool completely before slicing (the loaf can be stored at room temp. covered with a piece of parchment for 3-4 days)

enjoy!