... Farmers Market, Hawaiian Style

Morning of day #1 and what do we do? We immediately ferret out a local farmers market. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this! The place was packed out with all types of people, a large variety of inviting fragrances, and colorful & exotic fruits & plants.



Acting like kids in a candy store, we scooped up as many fresh goods as our little arms could hold. Creamy Avocado, Juicy Tomato, Hot Bread, Sweet Papaya...

One of our more adventurous eats was some coconut juice. When you cut open a coconut, there is a watery fluid in there (it's not the milk -- that's made by scraping and pressing the pulp). It was interesting, not coconut-y or sweet, just a fruity flavored water. We went back afterward to have it cracked open and scraped so we could eat the meats. What a versatile nut.

Ahhh.... a well stocked farmers market, the perfect way to start our vacation in paradise!

... A Taste of India

This weekend I got away for a little taste of India. I didn't have to travel very far but was still able to see the Bollywood Dancing as well as stuff myself with a whole slew of yummy Indian Dishes such as Tikki Chhole, Makhni Chicken & Naan, and of course Mango Lassi.

Jeff was very patient as I basked in the culture, energized by the dancing and flavors. For some reason I have this thing for Asian Indian culture. Maybe it's the fact that their men will dress like this and dance with no shame. And dang could they dance.

... Rachel Ray's Vodka Pasta

Back before Libby made the trek out west, she, Dave, Jason, and I used to have regular dinner parties. We'd alternate houses and come up with themes. We had lots of fun.

One of these nights, Libby served a fabulous Vodka Pasta crediting Rachel Ray as the creator of this particular fine meal. Apparently, this Vodka Pasta had some sort of magical love potion causing it to earn the name You-Won't-Be-Single-For-Long-Vodka-Pasta.

A whole slew of women had written to Rachel Ray claiming that soon after serving this meal, friends would become boyfriends or boyfriends would become fiances.

We had a laugh at this antidote and enjoyed our meal and evening.

A few months later, I had company in town and needed a yum and simple meal to make. Remembering the Vodka Pasta, I whipped it up & served it to my guest. And wouldn't you know it, that particular guest shortly after turned into my boyfriend, and later down the road, my husband.

Now, I'm not one to believe in the magic of food. But I do find it humorous that after serving this meal, I never was single again.

I just thought I'd mention it.

{Photo Credit Belongs to Ree Drummond}

... Molasses Goodness

For Jennifer, Amy, and anyone else who's ever enjoyed the Molasses Chew cookies at Trader Joes....

I kindly give you The Pioneer Womans Spicy Molasses Cookie. Y-U-M, I tell ya!

... Thanksgiving at the Ric*a*ds

You never quite know what you're going to encounter when you head over there. For example, this is Bekas interpretation of dressing the turkey.

Thanks to Jessica, Reaghan, and the rest of the fam for a great day!

... An Eater's Manifesto

Last year, The Omnivores Dilemma was a hands down favorite read. This year, I find Michael Pollan's follow-up book, In Defense of Food, an absolute must read.

If you are, or have ever been, confused by the whirlwind of scientific studies and nutrition -- read this. If you desire to eat well -- read this. If you don't care about food -- read this. If you consume any food at all -- read this.

Once in a while I find a book so compelling that I'm overwhelmed at the thought of trying to express it to you. I usually end up quoting large chunks when this happens. Well, it wouldn't work with this book because I'd be quoting the entire book. Apparently Nora Ephron of The New York Times felt similarly:

"I have tried on countless occasions to convey to my friends how incredible this book is. I have gone on endlessly... Well the point is, I have tried and failed to explain it, so I just end up giving them a copy, and sooner or later they call to say, 'You were right, it's fantastic.'"

I'm so excited about this book and feel so strongly that everyone should read it that I'm going to give away a copy of it.

To enter to win the book, just leave a comment and I'll draw a winner on Friday May 9th using a random number generator .

If you happen not to win, it's highly worth getting on the waiting list at your local library. If you can't wait, just order it through Amazon. It's a short, but compelling read, I promise.

If you've already read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

... Chocolate Wrappers

Today was one of those days where it was completely legit to consume an entire box of chocolate whilst laying in bed with a hurting friend.

I love my friend and hope she's feeling better soon.

... Gluten-Free Girl

A few weeks ago I completed a new favorite in the line up of food books. With a flair for describing food akin to Ruth Reichl combined with a desire to eat as whole, complete, & healthy foods as Heidi Swanson, Shauna, aka Gluten-Free Girl, has become my new friend.

Thank you Wendy for the recommendation.

Though I don't have celiac disease, Shuana's food theories and lifestyle match mine. I admit, she's living them more fully than me, but I get just as excited about good food as she does and plan to try out a plethora of her seemingly stunning meals. She's even got me wanting to move to Seattle so I can frequent the food markets she speaks of.

Thisis definitely a book worth reading.

... Wine

I don't know about you, but when I go to the wine store to pick up a bottle, it's purely a shot in the dark. I've no idea which brand, location, grapes, or years are better than others. I'll admit I've even chosen bottles based on how attractive their labels are. Sometimes I'm lucky, others not so much.

I do happen to have one favorite that I'll share with you: Rosemount Shiraz. I tasted this one Christmas at Heathers house. Mmm. Worth the $9 (I know, big spender huh.)

What I'd really like from all of you (this means you) is a wine recommendation. Brand, year (if that really even matters), type and why.

Thanks!

... Agave Nectar

Agave Nectar, as previously mentioned, is a favorite new find of mine. This sweet sticky juice comes from the leaves of a plant found in Mexico and is almost wholly fructose. Because it's fructose in its natural form, it doesn't contain processing chemicals. (Bonus #1).

Agave Nectar is a great substitute for table sugar. Actually, it's slightly more sweet so you can use less of it -- about 25% less when making the adjustment in recipes. (Bonus #2).

But what originally drew me to try this syrup out is its low glycemic index. Because I'm hypoglycemic, I have sever reactions to most all sweeteners. You can blindfold me in a grocery store and I'll be able to tell you when we are near the cookie aisle simply because my head will start to pound from the smell of sugar. The low glycemic index means my blood sugar levels are less likely to spike after consuming it. (Bonus #3).

The nectar reminds me of honey in that it has a golden appearance and a light flavor. The consistency is slightly thinner than honey (making it easier to pour). And unlike honey it doesn't crust up or crystallize and wipes up easily if you spill a drop on the counter.

Because Agave Nectar is thin and melts easily, I'm thinking it would be the ideal way to make sweet iced-tea in the summer. I'm not going to call that Bonus #4 though, because I'm from the north where we like our iced-tea unsweetened, strong, and bitter.

I recently heard about a new cookout called Baking with Agave Nectar. I haven't seen it in person, but if you check it out, let me know!

Oh, and by the way, it's pronounced ah-GAH-veh.

... a Little Slice of Heaven

Earlier in the week I happened across a cookie recipe that caught my eye:

Lime Meltaways.

It sounded worth a try... oh boy, am I glad I did.

It was one of those recipes that require you to refrigerate the dough for a while then slice it and bake it up. So this morning, my dough sufficiently refrigerated, I sliced four little cookies to bake.

Perfection.
Heaven.
Trouble.

These made my tongue so happy that I'm afraid I may eat all 10 dozen cookies by myself. Today. Within in the next hour.

Tossed in confectioners sugar, your mouth receives a bit of sweet before you've bitten into buttery goodness and it's crumbling, nay, melting onto your tongue. Next, bang! It's an explosion of tart lime flavor. And sadly, before you know what hit you, it is gone and you are reaching for another. And another. And another.

Ah, even the sound of chewing was music to my ears.

It's an experience people.
A little slice of heaven, I'm certain of it.

(Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living)

Update: When I first made these cookies I was using Trader Joe's brand organic powdered sugar. Today I ran out and picked up a generic bag at The Market. While still tasty, the cookies made with the generic brand were sadly lacking. The high quality Trader Joe's powdered sugar offered a few extra levels of flavor causing your taste buds to sing. In my opinion, it's wise to track down some Trader Joe's Powdered Sugar, but just a thought.

... Oatmeal

I get lots of requests for recipes and cooking advice and I find myself repeating that the key to a good meal is good ingredients. The recipe can be super simple but taste super wonderful if each ingredient is chosen with care.

If the picture you get in your head is dollar signs, thinking organic is too expensive, you'll be happy to know that oftentimes that is not the case (and, oftentimes I don't even use organic). I'm finding from personal experience that it doesn't require extra money, or even extra time, rather, just a little bit of planning.

So to those of you who have copied a recipe of mine and followed it to the letter only to call me complaining it didn't taste as good as mine, no, I did not leave an ingredient out of your recipe. I chose to go about how I made it differently.

Want my secrets? OK, I'll share. Today I think I'll talk about....

Oatmeal.

Sounds plan and mushy and un-inventive, huh? Oh but it's not. I've discovered Steel Cut Oats. Also knows as Irish Oats or Pinhead Oats, Steel Cut Oats are milled from high protein whole grain oats and cut into neat little pieces on a steel buhr mill.

What probably came to mind when I said oats are the old fashioned rolled oats or instant oatmeal paper packets filled with dried apple squares. While still a good source of fiber, these are the kind that tend to be a tad bland and mushy -- having been steamed & rolled thin.

I find Steel Cut Oats to be crunchy & flavorful, famously heart-healthy, and a great base for a variety of toppings such as:

• toasted walnuts
• natural cane sugar
• unsweetened toasted coconut
• raw honey
• half and half
• blueberries
• extra-chunky homemade applesauce
• agave nectar

Now, here comes the planning part. These take 30-40 minutes to cook well. You can cook them in 10, but they are better if they cook slower. Follow the directions on the package but boil them at a much slower rate.

This doesn't mean you're at the stove for this long, just that the Steel Cut Oats are slowing spreading their warm and toasty aroma throughout your home for this long. You are running around getting other things accomplished. It's very hands off. As an added bonus, it re-heats splendidly so you can make a large batch on Sunday night and eat it all week long.

... Hunger

"That was a fine meal."

"Yes, where should we go now?"

"Let's go have lunch."

"What a fine idea!"

~ A Muppet Christmas Carol

Lately, more than ever, this has been me. I eat a big meal and within minutes of washing up the dishes, I'm hungry again. It's 9am and I'm already on second-breakfast. Will my ravenous appetite ever cease?!

... Lemon Meringue Pie

Mmmm... just like my Grandma makes. Well, almost.

Up next week: Bananna-Blueberry Pudding from scratch. Ams, you comin' over?

... A Blogging Year in Review

Not my idea, but I'm taking the first sentence of a post from each month throughout the year.

January
There is a little bakery cafe in Soho I like to visit.

February
Today while I was working, I had one of my favorite Jane Austin movies on and playing in the background-- Mansfield Park.

March
Just around the corner from my home stands a charming little independent book store named Broad Street Books.

April
I've been thinking a lot lately about the lies I tell myself.

May
If you are ever in a rut or in need of a little pick me up, I highly suggest throwing a party for a group of preteens.

June
Today Rebekah and I spent four hours hiking part of the Appalachian Trail.

July
This week I finished reading a very propelling book called Good News About Injustice: A Witness of Courage in A Hurting World by Gary Haugen.

August
Lately I've been making a concerted effort to buy my food locally and to buy grass fed meats vs. grain fed meats.

September
Yesterday, my friend Madonna succumbed to a 6 year battle with cancer and went home to be with the Lord.

October
I love being outdoors year round, but it just seems extra special in the fall -- especially listening to the wind blow through the dry, crunchy leaves.

November
For me, November 6th will begin at 5:15am when I raise my right hand and repeat an oath swearing me in.

December
One of the stranger things about being in Arizona was being in a desert.

Here's to another year in blogging... Happy New Year!

... Eating Well

Since so many of you expressed an interest in the Super Natural Cooking book, I thought I'd share about a food magazine that I've found wonderfully helpful and delicious this past year:


This too was a gift -- this time from Mike and Jennifer. They know I enjoy eating good, flavorful, healthy food.

There are quite a number of food magazines out there so I'll just share a list explaining why this one stands out to me as a cut above the rest.

:: It comes out every other month. This means I actually have time to read the articles and try the recipes before the next issues comes out.

:: There are colorful photographs for each recipe. Pretty much a must in my opinion. I'm much more likely to make a dish if I can see a picture of it beforehand.

:: It's simple. Not overstuffed with cards & advertisements and articles you'll never read.

:: Teach + Try. They have interesting articles on a highlighted food, followed up by a variety of recipes and ways to try it out.

:: They highlight seasonal foods. By sticking with what you'll find in the grocery store or farmers market that month, you won't be enticed to make a dish only to find that the main ingredient is at the end of its season and in poor shape.

:: They have this super duper, handy dandy, recipe index in the front. I love this thing. It lists every recipe in the magazine sorted by type (appetizers, side dishes, poultry, etc). They have the page #, the nutritional information, and then a symbol to denote if it is a "Healthy Weight", "Low Carb", "High Fiber", or a "Quick Preparation" recipe.

So, if you're strumming your fingers trying to come up with enough items on your holiday wish list, or if you've been thinking to yourself 'What would she like...'. You may just have found your answer. I certainly enjoyed it!

... Super Natural Cooking

A few days before we left on vacation, Rebekah presented me with yet another spectacular birthday gift: Super Natural Cooking: Five Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Ingredients into Your Cooking by Heidi Swanson. I could barely wait for the moment when I could slowly and methodically pour through this book full of stunningly beautiful photographs, stylized layouts, and, of course, super natural cooking ideas. I wasn't disappointed.

The book itself is a unique blend of a cookbook, reading book, and food glossary or reference book. Heidi spends a lot of time teaching you about alternative food choices -- the what, wheres, whys, and hows of each and every food. Then she follows the suggestions up with shopping tips, preparation tips, and recipes. This book is one to keep on a nearby shelf because you'll be accessing it often.

This being said, I do have one caveat -- it is true to it's title. It's Natural Cooking. If your idea of healthy eating is Coke Zero, I Can't Believe it's Not Butter, and Dannon Yogurt, then this may not be the next step in your quest for healthy eating. But, if you're ready to toss out such staples as All-Purpose Flour and Granulated White Sugar and adventure out to try more difficult to find ingredients that are well worth the palatable and nutritious effort, then you'll want to grab this book. But wait, don't run out too quickly, at least one of you will be getting this book as a Christmas Gift from me ;-)

Thank you Reb and Paul!

... Wine

"Wine is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

~Benjamin Franklin


Tonight I am supping at The Winehouse with some good friends in celebration of my Birthday. Yipee Skipee.

... Thanksgiving

When the children at the homeless shelter I volunteer with were asked what they wanted to cook us for dinner, they came up with a menu that included oreo salad and mac & cheese topped with chocolate syrup. I suppose that's how they would want to be thanked if they were in our shoes.

I spend a few hours a day, a few days a week, tutoring children at a homeless shelter. PG Wodehouse once said "As we grow older and realize more clearly the limitations of human happiness, we come to see that they only real and abiding pleasure in life is to give pleasure to other people." It certainly proves true in my life. I receive much pleasure from these children. In spite of the rough lives they live, they are full of kindness and joy. They are appreciative and grateful. I am blessed by the perspective they give me. Blessed to be able to spend time with them.

Yet tonight, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, instead of us providing a meal for them, they provided a meal for a number of the volunteers. During our meal, one of the 8 year-olds presented me with a special award -- a copy of a painting she did for the annual art auction. It's titled "Pom Poms Gone Wild" and when she was asked about it she responded "That's what happens when you let them loose!"

I wish I could share some of my experiences with you in more detail, maybe show you a picture or two of some of the cuties, however, because some of them are under court-ordered protection, I can't. But if you are local and at all interested in spending some time with them, let me know. There are many ways to help out at the shelter and many blessings to be had because of it.

... the Shenandoah

The car was packed, the directions printed, and I was ready to pick Jeff up from work in a few hours. It was Friday and we were headed to the Shenandoah to camp along Skyline Drive and the Appalachian Trail. The plan was to hike in to our site and cook our food on the fire but Gov. Kaine, only hours before, had declared outdoor fires illegal due to the drought. I placed few calls to Loft Mountain to see if they were going to enforce it, and a formed backup plan to head down the Blue Ridge Parkway to North Carolina just in case. In the end we decided to head to the Shenandoah in faith. Four and a half hours later as we were turning into the park, a ranger returned my call -- fires were going to be acceptable.

Our site was amazing. As if getting one of the last three tent sites wasn't enough, I think we got one of the best sites. We had to hike down quite a way so it was a good bit off the road. A few yards more and we were at the AT, a few yards beyond that was a cliff with a lovely view. As soon as we got our illicit fire started Friday, it began to rain pretty hard, but that didn't dampen our moods.


Breakfast began early the next morning and involved frying up some bacon and then frying up some eggs in the reserved grease. Y-U-M. Sop it up with some ember toast and we were good to go. Down the Doyle River Trail that is. We were eager to see the two waterfalls that were a few miles downhill. Picking up the AT at our site and taking it to the Doyle River Trail head, we were off -- we even spotted a few occurrences of bear poo along the way.

Photo courtesy of Jeff

One of the most surprising parts of the trip was when we ran into Scott & Katina and family on the trail. They were staying in the very same campground and pulled in only minutes after us. How bizarre! Katina earned my respect as she looked like she was doing pretty well on the upward half of the hike at 5-ish months pregnant. I, however, didn't do so well going up. In my pride, and in the face of Jeff's playful taunting, I tried to keep with Jeff's pace. He ended up carrying my pack and getting the car for me at the trail head because I'd gotten sick. How humbling.

Another highlight - Dinner. We made shish-ka-bobs with cubed steak, button mushrooms, red onion, green bell pepper, and summer squash topped with a dash of garlic salt, wrapped in heavy duty foil and tossed into the fire for a few minutes. Heaven. Mmm. We ate so well.

Sunday we packed up and drove to the Graves Mountain Apple Festival. We both remembered the festival from years earlier when we went with the SGC singles. We walked the festival, visited the animals, and picked apples to make apple sauce (I'll be using Joy's recipe) then went on our way.

The drive home was dotted with fun stops including an antique store and a few vineyards where we partook in some tastings. It was a perfect fall weekend.