Happy Birthday, babe!

To the one who makes me laugh, always inspires and encourages. You are my favorite!

with Noah at church

tearing it up at Danielle's wedding with Aunt Diana

Mawmaw Beam

in the ATL

so much love...with Mawmaw Nita Ann

night out with the Phillips

my sweet family

PS - As a birthday present to Stacy, join us in signing this petition! Let's make a lasting difference in the health of our nation's children! More to come soon...

Feelin' It

I knew this would happen.

After many weeks of fervent effort to try new foods, cooking methods, kitchen tricks - I have lost my steam.

It may have started with the hard freeze that delayed our CSA box for a month (I don't think I realized how much I relied on that thing!), then a couple of birthday parties/double dates, some trips to see friends and weddings, and now I'm feeling just blah.

If you know me at all, you know I am the preacher of moderation. I don't go for diets where you are "on the wagon/off the wagon." How can that be healthy?

But to be honest, I'm feeling "off the wagon."

Was it the hot, gooey orange roll slathered in (fake) butter? The local breakfast sausage fried by Stacy's mom the last three mornings in a row? The cheese grits served up by one of Huntsville's finest restaurants? Yes, yes, and yes.

However, right now I resolve to not let the past few weeks of less veggies and more sweets feel like a failure. I will be thankful for it!

Why? It has helped me to realize I am more in tune now with my body than I ever have been - good thing. I am learning the foods that make me feel good, and those that make me feel like taking a nap - good thing. And I am coming to understand that the foods that make me feel good are my reward. They lead to a better attitude, more energy, higher confidence- good thing!

So, as I make the hour-long drive to pick up our vegetables this afternoon (only to be home for three days to enjoy them this week), I will remember that I am doing it as a gift to myself, my family, and those around us. I deserve to make the effort to feel at my best, so I have the best to give.

(the following pictures have nothing to do with this post,

other than they document the fun times we've been having over the past several weeks)

Valentine's Day with the Phillips

Visit to East Tennessee to see the Smeltzers

Harry Connick Concert at the Ryman

Beam/Kinzer Wedding in Huntsville

Cousins

Our new baby cousin, Micah. Love him!

My Valentine

I'm the lucky one.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Get Your Greens On!

Courtesy

It is almost inherently known from the time we are kids that dark, green, leafy things are good for us. For years I have tried to make a priority of eating something green every day for sure, and on a good day twice or three times - that can be hard! But today while studying a lesson for my health counselor training I was reminded of what a critical role these vegetables play in our diet.

Dark, leafy greens are good sources of: Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin K, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

These vitamins and minerals help your body with critical functions such as:

-Vision (especially night vision)

-Tissue and bone repair

-Reproduction and fetal development

-Immune system function

-Turning our food into energy

-Regulating appetite

-Skin formation

-Fetal development

-Clotting blood

-Muscle contraction

-Carrying oxygen to our cells

-Metabolic function

-Strong bones and teeth

-Water and electrolyte balance

-And LOTS more

OK, I get it. I need to eat this stuff (yes, I would like for my skin to stay "formed" and to be able to see to drive home after a long night with friends till I'm at least 90, oh, and for my heart to keep beating - thank you very much). But honestly, there's only so much sauteed spinach I can take. So came my hunt for ways to get it good!

Here are some great recipes/ideas we've tried in order to easily incorporate more greens into our diet. These are all really yummy - let me know what you think!

Courtesy of The Kitchen Dispensary

1. Smoothies - I know it sounds gross, but really. Add a big handful of greens to your smoothie with frozen berries, an overripe banana, a big spoonful of full fat Greek yogurt, and organic juice and tell me it's not yummy. It doesn't even turn this green. We've been making one for breakfast or lunch almost everyday lately and I'm loving it. Also, how great does it feel to know you've begun your day with a painless serving of KALE?!

2. Pizza - add frozen (thawed) chopped spinach to your favorite homemade pizza recipe (my friend uses spelt tortillas for a quick crust for her kids). One of my favorite pizzas I've ever had was topped with kale and yogurt cheese (ooh, I can taste it now!). Similar to this.

Courtesy of When Harry Met Salad

3. This recipe for one of my favorite Indian dishes, Chicken Saagwala, includes two boxes or two bags of spinach! I make this at least once, and sometimes twice a month (of course I've tweaked it a bit, but this is a good start and hard to mess up!). It's one of Stacy's favorites served with brown Basmati rice and a dollop of whole milk Greek yogurt on top.

4. Kale Chips - Kids love them! I got my recipe from my inspirational cousin Holly (you should definatley read her blog!). This one looks good and super easy.

What's your favorite way to "get your greens on"? Let's share the blood-clotting, heart-pumping, bone-building love!

A Great Guilt-Free Cookie

I'm really not into the applesauce-for-oil, Splenda-for-sugar, black beans-for-flour kind of baking.

My general philosophy is: Make it yourself, the right way, with real food. Don't eat too much.

However, I am trying to branch out and realizing that just because almond flour (or millet or dates) isn't a staple in American baking doesn't mean it's not real food, and that it can sometimes even make what I'm cooking taste better. Really!

So when I came across this cookie yesterday on Sprouted Kitchen I had to give it a try. I modified it a bit to accommodate what I had on hand, but let me tell you, DELISH! A little sweet, a little salty, and definitely makes for a good chocolate fix. All this with NO SUGAR. The magic is in the mashed banana base - it satisfies my all-time favorite fruit/chocolate combination and doesn't leave you with that "I just had a fake dessert so I have to eat more to make up for the fact that I'm not eating real sugar/butter" feeling.

I really want to hoard these, but I'm going to surrender my selfish ambition and test them out on some friends' kids this afternoon during Stacy's piano lessons. I'm pretty positive they'll be a hit for kids and their parents. Here ya go...

Oat'Nana Pucks

from Sprouted Kitchen

My changes in green. Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

If you have gluten allergies, omit the wheat bran and use almond meal.

3 Well Ripened Bananas
2 tbsp. Good Vanilla Extract
¼ Cup Coconut Oil (olive oil works fine)
2 Cups Rolled Oats
1/3 Cup Wheat Bran (fresh ground wheat flour)
2/3 Cup Finely Chopped Almonds (food processor works great for this)
1/2 Cup Unsweetened, Shredded Coconut (we could only find sweetened at the tiny grocery behind our house, so I only used 1/4 cup. you could omit this.)
1 tbsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
¾ Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips or Carob Chips

Oven to 350’
1. Mush the ripe bananas with a fork. Mix the wet ingredients together: bananas, vanilla, and oil. In another bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and gently mix. Fold in the chocolate or carob chips. The dough will be loose. Here, my favorite line in her recipe, ‘don’t worry about it’. Ha.
2. On a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat, make mini balls, then give them a gentle smush to flatten them. They don’t really change shape while baking, so spacing 1’’ between is fine.
3. Bake for about 14 minutes until puck or nugget is firm. Do not undercook or they will crumble.

I'm sure this base could have endless nut/add-in variations. Let me know what you think!

My Food in a Box

For days I think about it, plan my days around it, study it, check my inbox for updates on it, and anxiously await its arrival. I've done this for years, but each time it's special. Like a little dose of Christmas every week or two. Probably only a nerd like me could love it like I do, but I do. It's my food in a box.

The experts would say that healthy food doesn't come in a box, but I beg to differ. My some of my favorite foods come in a box. And straight from my favorite little farm right outside of town. This is my weekly (or bi-weekly in the Winter) CSA box from Rocky Glade Farm.

(one from this Summer, don't you want a big bite of one of those tomatoes right now?!)

Here is a brief description of a CSA:

"Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season."

courtesy of Local Harvest

Buying "shares" of our produce straight from the farm has made a huge difference in our lives over the last three years.

Here's how:

1. We started buying this CSA for convenience. I wanted a one-stop bi-weekly shop for good Wintertime greens. However, after meeting the Vaughn family and getting to know their heart it quickly became much more. Taking care of God's earth and providing food in a responsible, sustainable way using organic farming practices is a calling for them, and a ministry to those they serve. These are the people I want growing my food. People who share my faith and values, and provide an outstanding product.

courtesy of Even Fall Restaurant

2. It has opened up new and exciting foods to us. Hello, kohlrabi? God created thousands of beautiful and tasty veggies for us to eat, and we limit ourselves to the year-round bagged baby spinach and Mexican asparagus at the supermarket? Boring. I have learned that eating can be an excellent adventure, you've just gotta dive in!

3. It helps me plan. A couple of days before my pick-up I receive an email letting me know what's going to be in my box for the week. I usually look it over, then start thumbing through my favorite cookbooks and bookmarked blog recipes to (loosely) plan my meals for the week. On my way to the farm, I can swing by the grocery to grab any needed items and know that when dinner time comes it can be healthy and stress-free!

courtesy of Rocky Glade Farm

4. It made me conscious. When you get to look at your lettuce and squash in the dirt every week, it makes you think more about everything else you put in your body. This is a HUGE topic for another day, but if your interested in finding out more about what exactly goes into food production in this country some great resources (and fun reads) are: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

5. It gives me a voice. We vote with our money and I am casting my vote for local, sustainably grown food from farmers who care about what they grow. Whether it's vegetables, meat, dairy, whatever - spending your money consciously makes a difference. Instead of being divvied up around the country (and the world) between the supplier, advertiser, pesticide company, seed engineer, petroleum conglomerate, packager, distributer, and finally, farmer (but there likely is no "farmer" at all). My money stays right here, where I live and goes to people I believe in. That makes me feel great!

If you aren't already buying locally or participating in a CSA, I encourage you to investigate a bit. Start small by a trip to the farmer's market (or the farm!) and getting to know some local farmers. They are a wealth of knowledge! Buy a vegetable or fruit that's new to you and find a fun recipe. Who knows, a whole new "food world" could await you!

Here is a great farm guide for Middle Tennessee: Local Table

And one for the rest of the country: Local Harvest

Do you have any good relationships/experiences with local food/farmers? Leave a comment! I would love to share resources! :)

Cleaning Out

A couple of days ago Stacy and I had a lightening round with the stomach flu. Thankfully, the worst part only lasted 12 hours, but as you know, it takes DAYS to feel anything close to normal. For the past 2 days I've been surviving on bread and butter, organic apple juice, and coconut water. Exciting.

So, tonight I was ready to ease back in to the realm of normalness and real food. After being inspired by some new foodie blogs (and Michael Pollan, my fave, today on Oprah!) I started pulling veggies out of my fridge and ended up with this lovely bowl of goodness. This is the perfect base for using up what you have, so substitute any stir-fry worthy vegetables you please!

Simple, quick, healthy, easy. Plus, a one-skillet meal makes for easy cleanup. The perfect medicine for my still ailing tummy. It was adapted from this recipe on Kitchenist.

Leftover Quinoa Bowl

(serves 3-4)

1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)

2 carrots, chopped

8 kohlrabi, chopped (from our CSA box, could sub parsnips, broccoli, or more greens)

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1/2 head savoy cabbage, chopped

large handful spinach, chopped

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp bragg's liquid aminos (or tamari, or soy sauce)

1 green onion, finely chopped

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, kohlrabi and onion. Cook for about 3 minutes, until soft and beginning to brown.

2. Add the garlic, ginger, and liquid aminos. Cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.

3. Add the quinoa to the skillet and toast for 5 minutes or so (until the skillet starts to brown) then add the chicken broth and stir.

4. Add cabbage and spinach to the top of the quinoa mix, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer/steam for 20 minutes.

5. Remove from heat, stir and serve immediately. Garnish with green onions. (Sesame oil would be good too, but we were out!)