As a blogging dietitian that works in tech, some days I feel like I live behind a screen. At my desk, on the sofa, or in the palm of my hand, there are always emails to send, blog posts to be written, tweets to reply to or food photos to be edited.
I’ll even admit, my phone, not my husband, is often the first thing I interact with in the morning and the last thing I look at before going to bed.
Technology is wonderful but at times it completely consumes me. Being constantly connected makes it nearly impossible to leave work at the office and all too easy to miss out on special moments with loved ones as well as the tranquility and beauty of everyday life. It’s only when I unplug that I remember how good it feels to focus my attention on other things like reading the pages of a good book, developing a new recipe for the blog or enjoying a meal at the dining room table with my husband.
The other day I looked up from my laptop and noticed the basket of fresh ollalaberries on the table that we picked up from the farmer’s market last weekend. Those berries inspired a technology break that led me to my favorite room in the house––the kitchen.
The kitchen is one of the few places I’m truly able, and actually forced to unplug. For some strange reason our internet doesn’t reach there. It has something to do with the materials in our 90 year old walls but I admit, I kind of cherish it. When I’m able to walk away from my laptop and put down my phone for a little while, I head to the kitchen. There it’s just me and my senses––the sight of colorful produce spread out on the counter, the sound of veggies sizzling in a skillet, the smell of cookies baking in the oven, and the flavor of a delicious dinner, or dessert, to enjoy with my husband.
Speaking of dessert…
Have a taste.
This three-berry crumble is summer on a spoon. Top with ice cream for an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert or, if you’re like me, enjoy over plain Greek yogurt with a cup of coffee before 10am.
For the filling For the crumble Directions Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9” pie pan and set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour, cinnamon and sugar. Add to berries and gently mix until evenly coated. Set aside while prepping the crumble topping. Combine butter, oats, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, work the mixture until crumbly. Transfer filling to pie dish and top with crumble. Bake for 25-30 minutes until topping is brown and juices are bubbling up through the top. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Top with ice cream or enjoy over Greek yogurt and a cup of coffee if it’s before 10am.
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Looking up from the screens that capture so much of our attention every day not only improves our productivity but enables us to be more present in our daily lives. This summer I’ve partnered with smartwater to spread the word about their #lookupsweepstakes––a challenge to technology-tied gals like ourselves to look up from our laptops and put away our phones and be inspired by something nearby.
Want to take the look up challenge too? Post an Instagram photo of something that inspired you to look up, follow and tag @smartwater and use the hashtag #lookupsweepstakes. There’s a trip to anywhere in the U.S. up for grabs!
This post was sponsored by smartwater through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about smartwater, all opinions are my own.
So this looks absolutely delicious! My mouth is watering just from glancing at the photos! Can’t wait to try the recipe.
http://www.sugardameblog.com
That looks delicious! and relatively healthy, considering the sugar content is on the lower side. The kitchen is where I unplug, too. The other day my sister came over and saw my 2 computers up and running (work and home), my ipad open and my 2 phones sitting there- it’s rather disturbing when you think about it!
Couldn’t agree more about the need to unplug, technology is a blessing and a curse! Love the simplicity and summer flavors of this recipe! We are in agreement that ice cream is acceptable after 10am :)
Yes, I absolutely relate to this! I love what I do, and I know that it wouldn’t even be possible without the crazy tech times we live in… but it can sure get pretty demanding. So important to strike the right balance!
(also gotta compliment how strikingly REAL your cobbler looks here; beautifully food-focused without all the overdone styling – my favorite kind of photos!)
I hadn’t even heard of olallieberries until I read this post. So fun! And your recipe looks delicious. I’m very envious of those that have skills in the kitchen.
Beautiful post! Very well said! I feel the same way sometimes as a blogger, that technology numbs my senses, and that’s probably why I enjoy being in the kitchen so much! Thanks for sharing! Erica
I haven’t had a berry crisp all summer!! That needs to change ASAP. This looks so gorg–love all the berries you stuffed in there!
I absolutely love berry crisps/cobblers in the summer. They are so easy to throw together and a delicious treat!
This looks so good! I’m thinking I’ll have to make it this weekend.
Looks delicious! What’s the difference between granola and cobbler? They look quite the same!
Cobblers/crumbles typically have butter, granola uses oil and often contains nuts, but I bet a granola topping would be delicious too!