It is been a very, very long time since I have written a What I’m In To post, so I thought today would be as good a time as any to just dive right in.  So, on this Tuesday following Labor Day, I’m in to…

…tomatoes.  I am literally surrounded by these ruby orbs of goodness.  They are currently covering every horizontal surface of my kitchen, and this is after I spent all of Sunday (and Sunday evening) roasting and canning over 10 quarts worth.  I always get a bit overwhelmed by our tomatoes at this time of year, but I just keep trying to keep perspective.  And I know I do love the taste of summer during those snowy February days.  So for now, I am trying my best to keep my head above the proverbial tomato-filled water.

…ordering a great deal of this coconut oil.  About 5 months back I experimented with creating a vegan cold-pressed soap recipe, and it actually turned out amazing.  In about a week we plan to whip up some more of this soap in preparation for the Christmas gift-giving season.  I cannot wait to share this recipe with you!

…All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  Do you know how there are those rare books that hold you in their grasp from the moment your eyes hit the first page?  This is that kind of book.  Unbelievable.

…lemon verbena and lemon balm.  These two herbs are new to our garden this year and they have completely taken off.  They are fragrant and delicious, but also very beneficial for our health.  After listening to Rosemary Gladstar speak two years ago at The Mother Earth News Fair, I wanted to grow these two herbs.  So this past winter I bought her book Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, found so many wonderful recipes for these two herbs within its contents, and now have the scent of lemon wafting in our nostrils every time we set foot in our herb garden.

…my husband’s new Vitamix.  Actually, this statement is false.  I am not only into my husband’s new Vitamix, but I am in love with it.  In.  Love.  My girls and I have created a new smoothie that we make every morning, using this new kitchen gadget.  We call it the “Hulk Smoothie” because it is bright (I mean bright) green.  For this smoothie we use a splash of pineapple juice, 2 oranges, a large handful of kale, one avocado, a few spoonfuls of hempseed hearts, a large handful of cilantro, lime juice, stevia and ice.  Amazing.  (Oh, and I also love, love, love my stainless steel straws that go perfectly with our Hulk Smoothie, or all smoothies for that matter.)

…being back in this blogging space each week.  Thank you so much to each of you for reading today, and everyday.