Last week my friend Kate gave birth to her second baby, a little girl! Now Kate and Erick have two little ladies to love and guide through life. I’m so happy for their happiness, truly. I decided to give little Alba Mae (love that name!) a baby blanket that I crocheted in gender neutral colors. I hope they like their homemade gift! The card I included was one I had on hand; I love it’s multi-purpose design.

PS: Remember, if you’d like a card sent your way, the offer still stands! Email me at offswitchmagazine@gmail.com with your name, mailing address, and a short introduction. And I will absolutely be sending out cards to all of you who have emailed me already. Thank you for your patience!

Click to see the entire 52 Cards series!

Oh, chickpeas. They are super delicious, don’t you think? After a couple years making my own hummus (sans tahini, because really, why?) with canned garbanzo beans, I finally took the plunge into dried beans. And oh my goodness, are these little guys amazing when soaked overnight and cooked on the stove with a simple blend of “aromatics.” Snack worthy all on their own, I say! And today, I’m going to give you the simplest “how-to” I could muster on cooking chickpeas. All of my knowledge comes from this wonderful cookbook: “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone” by Deborah Madison. The steps for taking your dried chickpeas to the stage you would find them at in a can are listed in my own words below. If you want the full scoop, with loads more information, I highly suggest you check out Deborah’s book.

SOAK: Did you know that beans absorb 3 to 4 times their volume in water AND swell to 2 or 3 times their size? It’s true! This means they need loads of water to absorb as well as space and time to do it. Fill your large pot with nearly 4 times the volume of your beans (I always use the entire package). Soak “overnight” for the beans to absorb as much water as they can. This can mean as little as four hours, or quite literally overnight, which is what I usually do for convenience sake.

DRAIN & PARBOIL: Now that your beans have soaked, replace the soaking water with enough fresh water to cover them. Bring the beans to a rolling boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Scum typically forms on the surface during parboiling which you can skim off with a spoon. No worries if you forget to de-scum, it’s not a vital step!

COOKING (STOVE): According to Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, “a perfectly cooked bean is soft and creamy inside, never hard, its skin intact, not broken.” While there are various ways to cook beans (pressure cooker, oven, slow cooker), as of now I only have experience cooking them on the stove.

I love to snack on chickpeas as is, but if you’re looking for a recipe to make them a bit more flavorful, check out the recipe in volume two of Off Switch Mag! And trust me, there IS a huge difference between canned and dried beans. I’m a convert and I hope you will be too!

“Give grace freely”

Bottom line: don’t be stingy with your grace. It seems like a simple concept, but it is one that I’ve learned isn’t easy, not even a little bit. It requires swallowing pride and reminding ourselves that no one is perfect– not even us. I’ve been learning just how important it is to remember that there are many factors that affect everyone’s lives, their relationships. Nobody makes decisions isolated to what’s in front of us. There is a back story to every encounter, every word, every action. It is important to remember this when dealing with ourselves as well. Give grace freely, and find beauty in the fact that there is always time to start again.

Mae Laubhan is a photographer and writer living in Grand Rapids, MI. When I was introduced to Mae and her husband Bryan via The Fresh Exchange last year, I reached out and extended an invitation to photograph for Off Switch. Since then Mae has contributed to Off Switch Magazine on three occasions — check out her work in volumes three, four, and five! Her writing literally makes me swoon…and I of course think she’s magic behind a camera. These photos were taken at Joshua Tree National Park at the same time as Jillian’s.

Rachel Bernard is the gal behind Figgy Bakery, a sweet treats business located in Long Beach, California. With a passion for keeping things healthy and natural, Rachel was the perfect person to sweeten up our spring volume’s Dreamland dinner party. Read on to learn a bit more about the owner of Figgy Bakery and her tips for baking and entertaining. Then enjoy the bonus photos (after the jump) from the dinner party shoot featured in the magazine!

Where did the name “Figgy” come from?

The name Figgy kind of came to me randomly one day. When I started dabbling with the idea of starting up my own small business, I began to do a lot of research to see what I was getting myself into. When I think of bakery, I think of the words “sweet” or “sugary.” Being that I wanted to go in a healthier direction with my baked goods, I wanted to make sure that whatever name I chose expressed what I was providing. I jotted down words that were my favorite, and what I wanted someone to think of when they saw or ate our goods. Organic. Clean. Rustic. Alluring. Delicious. Which made me think of a fig. There is something so captivating about a fig’s features, so raw and rustic, with a taste so original. That is what I wanted for my bakery, for it to be captivating, real, original. So, I went with Fig, and to keep it simple, but catchy, it became Figgy. And I am still so very pleased with it.

Share with us how you became interested in healthy eating and what inspired you to start a bakery.

Growing up I had always wanted to be a nutritionist. I distinctively remember telling my mom one day, around the time of middle school, that I was going to be a nutritionist and have my office in my house so that when my clients/patients came to visit for appointments they felt just as at home as I did. Ha! Healthy eating was something I always took interest in, but it wasn’t up until about four or five years ago that I really started indulging in what “healthy eating” really entailed. Truthfully, to me, there is nothing more fulfilling than having a great relationship with your body—understanding what it needs and doesn’t need, what makes it feel good and what makes it feel bad, what it needs to thrive. I think it’s one of the most important relationships you can have!

I have always been a huge fan of dessert, always thought they were so intricate and beautiful, but I ALWAYS passed it up. One bite, and I had felt like I ate a whole cake. “Too much sugar.”  I felt like I wasn’t the only one in this world passing up dessert for this reason, and I—we—wanted to start eating dessert again! Dessert is a delight, to be comforting, a reward, and can exude all of those without all of the extra additives and sugar! So I decided to start sharing that with people!

Tell us what’s new at Figgy these days. Where would you love to see your business in the next couple years? We’d love to know of any plans you have in the works! 

You know, I’d like to think Figgy is taking some big steps forward in the right direction! I recently took a little break after starting it up just over a year ago, because it seemed that in the time of my life, I wasn’t able to give it my 100%. This project is my baby, and I didn’t want to give it only half effort because it deserves it all. So, I took a break and decided that when my heart was ready to give it it’s all, that would be the time to jump back in. My heart caved about two months ago, and it couldn’t have happened at a better time!

Recently we started up an instagram account, @Figgybakery, as our little sanctuary of food photos! We have some great events coming up, including one with Casa De Perrin. We are also going to be revamping the website a little bit: new photos, adding things to the menu, making it easier to order, and sharing more photos from the events we have! Honestly, at this time, I couldn’t be happier with Figgy. The amount of feedback and compliments expressed to us recently have been surprising, and overwhelmingly appreciated! It is quite incredible how great of a community we have of people running small businesses and supporting other small businesses around them. It’s inspiring, and I thank you all for that! We are thriving and continuing to grow, meeting and partnering with incredible people in the process and that is all I could really ask for!

Hopefully we can make our way into our own store front one day! :)

I think it’s awesome that you  will adjust a recipe’s ingredients for a specific allergy or intolerance. Can you tell us a bit about that and the sorts of events you like to do?

Thank you! Like I said, I just think everyone deserves to not have to pass on dessert. I think that now, with allergies being so common and their awareness growing, more people are cutting certain things from their diet, that I think, especially when running a business within a certain dynamic, it is fair to include everyone! We keep those options open with any event we do, whether it be weddings, parties, showers, dinners, or simply orders! I bake because I like seeing people happy, because seeing someone enjoy something you could provide for them that maybe they couldn’t is one of the best feelings in the world. I couldn’t ask for more!

Right now Figgy is a catering/order online small business. We do events anywhere from weddings, to showers, to parties of all sorts, to dinners, and so on! Being that we are a business based on something that is of personal needs, we like to keep open and easily adjustable to our clients needs. If you see something you like, but want to customize it to reach more of your needs, we will do it!

What is your signature baked good at Figgy? The one that people talk about days afterward…

Oh my! I am going to have to say my pies. Which came as a huge surprise to me that they would be Figgy’s signature dish, because honestly, it was only a year ago that I made my very first pie. Growing up, I was not a fan of them! I was the kid that snarled and would pass on dessert during the holidays if there were only pies. Pass on dessert!? I know, crazy! But now, there is something about the rich beauty and homeyness a pie evokes that draws me in. Not to mention, they are quite delicious. Gratefully, I think I have learned to posses all of those qualities in my pies, and is what brings everyone back for more.

Share your best tip for throwing a dinner party. What was the key ingredient that made this party so special?

My best tip for throwing a dinner party… hmm. Well, first and foremost my tip would be to have fun! Throwing parties can get stressful sometimes. You want everything to look fantastic, the food to be delicious and your guests to be pleased! That is a lot to take on. Just like when making a dessert, you can tell how much warmth and enjoyment went into something. It shows! Ideas and creativity flows a lot easier when you are enjoying it and not stressing out!

Some other tips would be to plan ahead. Little do some people know, some desserts can be prepared days before an event, and taste even better a day later! If you are having something on a larger scale or are taking on way more than you can handle on the day of, plan desserts or dishes that can be made a day or two before! You can pop them in the oven the day of for a quick warm up, and they will taste just as fresh! Believe me, it makes things much easier the day of the event!

The key ingredient to making any and every party special are the people. Especially with this Off Switch dinner, when you have a good group of people surrounding you, lending their creativity and helping hands, and just their company, makes for an exceptional party. Oh, and a pie to top it off, of course!

I have so much to share with you all about life, work, changes, and growth over the past week. So much. For now I’ll save my personal stories, and share with you all something that has been in the works for the better part of 6 months. Yes, you read correctly! But no matter how long it has taken to arrive, arrive it has. Today I am so very excited to announce the launch of the fifth volume of Off Switch Magazine (my baby, for those of you new around here)! If you’ve followed Off Switch’s journey over the previous four volumes, I really think you’ll be delighted by what you see when you click right here. That’s right, we’re back to launching full volumes for free online! Don’t worry all you print lovers, paper copies will be available in the next couple weeks!

I’m actually out of town for the week in sunny California, a welcome change of pace from the chilly weather we’ve been having in the Chicago area. While I’m away I’ve planned a whole bunch of fun posts for you to enjoy, a few of which tie in directly with the new volume. So what are you waiting for? Head on over, check out all 80 pages, and get ready to CELEBRATE!

PS: While I’m out I’ll be snapping loads of iPhone photos and sharing them on my Instagram account! Just click on that nifty button in the right sidebar called “instagram” and you can see all the photos, no matter if you own a smart phone or a rotary phone. Yay!

Who doesn’t love a good indie band living by the beat of their own drum? I know I do! And with so many new musical artists popping up on the internet these days, it’s often hard to find a favorite amidst the sea of sweet tunes and guitar chords. Ever since our second volume we have loved featuring new bands, each of which have had inspiring messages and thoughts on living without an off switch. Because these guys really are, and their persistence and talent and kindness blow me away. Three cheers to hard work and doing what you love!

Our first band interview! This one was an interesting find as I actually discovered Lower Lights Burning‘s photo set by the talented Pacific Northwest photographer Ben Blood before ever listening to their music. Once I did I realized that they were a wonderful group with a unique and addictive sound! I seriously recommend having a listen to their entire 7 track album, Coming Back when you’re working at your computer the next time. I asked a friend of a friend to interview them, and in the process she too became a fan of Amanda, Graydon, and Michael. Check out Caroline’s interview with the trio in volume 2 of Off Switch Mag right here!

In the spring of last year, I sent an email to the always delightful Kelly Ann Mount asking her what indie bands she was loving at the moment. I was searching for a band to interview for the next volume, and knew my own limitations when it came to keeping up with new musical talent. I told Kelly Ann that if one of the bands I contacted from her list agreed to a Q & A, she would have the opportunity to do the interview. Whelp, that summer we were lucky to get an interview with Watford, England sister trio, The Staves. These ladies harmonize so beautifully, a true breath of fresh air. They have several EPs as well as a full length album called Dead and Born and Grown, all available on their iTunes page. Check out Kelly Ann’s interview with the girls in volume 3 of Off Switch Mag right here!

Late last summer I asked the lovely Meg Fee who she thought would make for a great Off Switch band interview. I remember telling her something like, think big! And thing big she most certainly did. Off Switch Mag was beyond lucky to interview Seth Avett of The Avett Brothers. I know Meg is a big fan of this group and to be able to give her the opportunity to speak with one of it’s members—on the phone, no less—gave me such joy. The interview was perfectly timed, too, as their new album The Carpenter came out right as our issue did last fall. Check all their albums out on their iTunes page, and please take a few moments to read the thoughtful interview in volume 4 of Off Switch Mag right here!

By now it looks as if we have a thing for trios here at Off Switch! I promise you we’re not biased, just the product of coincidence. Kindlewood is our most recent musical group feature for Off Switch Magazine, and their interview is in our spring 2013 volume! I think you will all fall in love with these guys. After introducing me to this good-hearted group, Kelly Ann returned to interview Kelci, Galen, and Jamison for our latest issue. Kindlewood even let us use their beautiful song “This House” in our Kickstarter video a few months back—so nice of them! With their newest song “Give and Take” debuting recently on Paste Magazine’s website, I know these three are destined to achieve greatness. And just think, now you too can follow in their journey! (Volume 5 will be released on May 13, 2013.)

Illustrations — Julia Manchik

I was scrolling through Instagram the other day and saw that Jade wasn’t feeling too hot. Sending a card was on my to-do list, so I pulled one out and started writing. I’m never as eloquent in my cards as I hope to be, which probably has something to do with the fact that I refuse to write out my message on scratch paper first. I guess I like the spontaneity of writing directly on the card as the thoughts come. So bring it on awkward transitions and misspellings, nothing new here!

Oh! And I followed a blog reader’s advice and included one of my favorite teas as a little treat. Such a great idea. Thanks Jennifer!

PS: Remember, if you’d like a card sent your way, the offer still stands! Email me at offswitchmagazine@gmail.com with your name, mailing address, and a short introduction. And I will absolutely be sending out cards to all of you who have emailed me already. Thank you for your patience!

Click to see the entire 52 Cards series!

I got off work Friday afternoon and drove straight to my favorite park. It was the first day here in the Chicago suburbs that truly felt like spring, and I really wanted to acknowledge it in some way. It had been far too long since my last fling with a swing set, so after a good twenty minutes pumping my legs as hard as I could I finally remembered what I love about it: everything.