It's Been a Long Time

Um, two years long time...  How embarrassing.

But, in my defense, I moved into a townhouse during the early winter months of 2010 and haven't been able to garden any more *pout*.  I also happened to have moved in with my fiancé (then boyfriend) and didn't really get the hang of "me time" in the beginning.

Now, I'm trying to get back into some of my earlier habits:
- working out consistently (because after 1.5 years in, I had gained about 25 lbs, eek)
- cooking and eating clean (instead of eating out so often)
- getting back into my other hobbies like painting and yoga.

And, finally, I have to plan our wedding, which is super overwhelming (but fun).

More to come...  In a little less time *fingers crossed*.

Finally

A few warm days was all it took... Several of my plum tomatoes have started to turn red!

I'm so close to warm tomato sandwiches and bowls of different varieties tossed with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper... Just the thought makes my mouth water.

Meanwhile, I have been doing very small batches of pickles with the few cucumbers that I picked off the vines.

This evening, I saw small cantaloupes and watermelons hanging from the vines, several feet up the trellis. The corn is at least one or two feet taller than me. It's getting easy to imagine a kitchen full of fresh, organic, homegrown produce.

Maybe later this week, I'll do some sort of cold bean salad with the small number of wax beans that survived the deer.

The Coldest Summer Ever

Ok, it may not be the coldest ever... But, it is the end of July and barely reaching the 80's. Honestly, I don't mind the cool temps. I only wish that they were paired with a bit of sun occasionally.

My tomatoes will not ripen, even the ones that have been on the vine, full-sized for at least two weeks (or more).

The other plants are doing well. Lush. Green. Growing.

Tonight, I cut a bunch of stalks off the swiss chard plants. The stems and leaves were all incorporated into a pasta sauce with some other veggies (none from my own garden unfortunately) and chicken sausage. Delish.

Also this evening, I dug up some more of the garlic. The leaves had all but died and I was concerned that the bulbs would be exploding underground. Luckily, they were intact and beautiful. Each variety was braided into a bunch and hung in the garage to cure. Only two more rows to go and the garlic harvest will be complete. I can't wait to start trying each type and discovering which are my favorites. And, only a couple weeks before the bulbs for next year will need to be put into the ground.

It's funny to think that the work for this season is pretty much done. There are a couple last plants under the grow light: broccoli, cauliflower, kale. They will be the last things I harvest, probably later even than the assorted squash slowly working up the trellises. Not to mention the melons and cucumbers that are at all stages of growth.

If only I could get a ripe tomato.

Eek!

Last night, I was super excited when, while checking on the veggies, I saw the purple tops of some turnips poking up through the soil. I pulled up one, then another and another. I ended up with four reasonably sized turnips; one was almost the size of my fist, the rest a bit smaller. They were covered with soil but gorgeous. The bright green leaves so cheery and the purple and white skin smooth under the soil. Ah, dinner...

Then, I rinsed them and noticed some small marks around the root and stem areas...

Then, I cut off the end of the worst marked...

Then, I saw the bugs, the worms, whatever.

What!?!

So, after a good bit of research today, I have discovered that my turnips were infested with cabbage root maggots (at least that's my best guess). The solution? More nematodes. Of course, all this a couple days after I poured the remainder from the milk jug in the fridge onto a patch of lawn.

That leaves me with two options: buy more nematodes and apply them to all of my raised boxes or hope that the worst has passed since the flies should crawl from the ground soon enough (and attack the leaves of everything instead of the root veggies). Decisions.

Oh well for the first big harvest moment of the season... Hopefully I'll have better luck with whatever I pull from the ground next.

Another Year (part two)

I am now 30 years old! Although, that fact may not sink in until someone asks and I have to say it out loud. I did have a great birthday celebration, thanks to my friend, Angi... Definitely a night that I won't forget for a very long time.

And, now back to the regularly scheduled programming...

Today is a perfect June day, sunny, mid 70's, breezy, with the chance of thunderstorms later in the day (of course). It was another perfect morning for a walk though the Mt. Lebanon Farmer's Market. A new vendor appeared today: an Amish farmer selling some produce, meat products and cheese (I got the Goat Farmers cheese after sampling, amazing).

I checked on the veggies this morning. The potato plants have started to flower, the lettuce has started to re-grow (it looks like my bunny fence is working so far) and there were a few deep red strawberries ready to be my morning snack.

There are still some things I need to do as far as building and prep work. I have two more trellises to build and at least one more box... I want to have some more space for extra batches of corn and beans and everything else. I just can't wait till I can start harvesting more things from the boxes. It's especially exciting because all of the plants are so green from the almost daily rain. To see how quickly everything pushes through the loose soil mixture and reaches up and out, it's amazing. The turnips are especially vigorous; I have been pulling off the occasional rouge leaves to leave room for the sun to hit the smaller beet, lettuce and swiss chard plants. Perhaps this week, I'll cook some of them and throw them over pasta with some cheese, instead of depositing them onto the top of the compost pile.

But, for today, I'm just hoping to get that last box built and moved up into the yard (before the rain starts, of course).

Another Year

The farmer's markets, the green, the thunderstorms... It is almost summer, but it still feels like spring. The rain continues, the cool temperatures at night, it's hard to believe that school is letting out and unbearable heat could be right around the corner.

It's been a year since I made the decision to live a less processed life. I've definitely seen some progress but I still have a long way to go.

The Progress:
- I've lost 24 lbs
- I've switched a lot of my household products to naturally based items
- My pantry is full of more organic, less processed foods
- I'm trying to grow more veggies at home, depending less on outside sources for food
- I've been getting more in touch with things that bring me peace: art and yoga

The Long Way Still Ahead:
- I still have about 20-some more pounds I'd like to lose
- I've found myself eating more processed items recently
- My fridge is almost empty, no veggies, nothing fresh, nothing to cook
- I need to find continuity in the things that make me happy, some of which I can't control

But, overall, as I peer out to next week, when I'll turn 30 (aggggghhh!!), I'm pretty content with what I've accomplished. I'm in much better shape, emotionally, physically, etc.

I'm looking forward to see what I can do with the next year.

A Lot of Rain

The rain continues... Days and days of rain, thankfully with small breaks of sunshine, have been and will be here in Pittsburgh. This is good in many ways - No need to water the many seeds (spinach, swiss chard, carrots, lettuce...), newly planted potatoes and already sprouted pea plants. Everything is ridiculously green (except for the dandelions, which are aggravatingly yellow).

The bad thing is that it is nearly impossible to get through any one task before the clouds let loose. I did manage to get one of my trellises built today: 1/2" EMT pipe, placed over 2' rebar and connected with elbow connectors. Nylon netting finishes it off. The amazing thing is that I actually fit the 10' pipes into my Camry (with the window open, but still).

Now, only a couple more boxes to install and several more trellises to build... More seeds to get started, etc.

Sadly, several of my seedlings did not make it through the transition of being planted in the boxes, too much sun. For the next set, I'll try to do a better job of hardening them off (which I always thought was an odd phrase).

So, my newest thoughts on the Square Foot Gardening method is that it is very time consuming to set up. Of course, I did plan about twice as many boxes as the book suggested for one person. But, with one box full of strawberries and so many vine plants to grow, it only made sense to have at least six boxes. So, I'm hoping that the harvest more than makes up for the effort and that next year things go a little faster.

The exciting thing is that the "last frost" date for Pittsburgh is only a couple weeks away. Soon, I should be able to really get going with the bulk of the veggies. I can't wait to see how the tomatoes take to growing up a trellis and how all the rest of the plants grow.

Surprises

Today was one of those days when the sunshine and warmth seem extra special, perhaps because there was snow on the ground yesterday morning. For whatever reason, it made me want to skip yoga and get my hands in the dirt... And, so I did.

I 'installed' my second garden box, except for the grid. I also moved some of my compost pile in an attempt to re-route the deer through my yard. They've already broken one of my grids; so, I'm trying to figure out a way to keep the rest safe.

I felt some extra urgency for getting the boxes up and filled because there was a box waiting on my doorstop tonight: 150 strawberry plants. Why in the world do I always do that to myself? LOL. I actually think it won't be so bad planting them in the boxes. The 'soil' doesn't even require a shovel to dig; I can just move it around with my fingers. Still, 150 plants is a lot and I'll probably end up giving away at least a few of them.

Also, I know that I have some potatoes on the way. Not quite so many of them, but they still need to get into the ground relatively fast.

And, with all the veggies on my mind, it was exciting to read an article today about a weed that grows in my garden (and usually annoys the heck out of me), which is considered a vegetable in other countries. Purslane. I'm actually looking forward to it sprouting up and growing into something I can cook with.

But, beyond the joy of something new to try and taste, it seems really bizarre that we have so much here, that we consider something full of Omega 3's, that other peoples through the world grow and harvest, that is supposed to be rather tasty, to be a weed.

A New Season

Officially, spring is here (and has been for a couple days). The last few weeks have been filled with building new garden bed boxes and grids, buying soil mixture ingredients and trying to figure out the best way to start vegetable seeds indoors.

First, the boxes. I'm experimenting with a new method of gardening this year: Square Foot Gardening. It's one of several intensive gardening techniques I found books about and looks like it may yield enough produce to make up for my lack of investing in a CSA this year. So far, I have one raised box, filled with the soil mixture suggested in the book, topped with a grid and ready for peas to be planted (probably later today).

I have high hopes for this experiment. I keep dreaming of a summer full of meals cooked with items picked right from the ground/vine/etc. It has taken a lot more money and work than I was expecting... But, as someone without a ton of woodworking experience, that may just be part of the learning curve. After realizing how long it took to 'install' that first box, I've changed my plan to build them as needed and give myself a little more time to figure out the best methods for everything.

Besides the peas, I do have several vegetables already started: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, onions and leeks. Unfortunately, I had to get rid of the first batch of the cruciferous plants; they became so tall that they toppled over or became yellow and shriveled. It took me awhile to research the cause of leggy seedlings; I thought it was a over/under watering issue. It was caused by a lack of good light.

So, yesterday, I installed a light fixture, outfitted with a full spectrum fluorescent bulb, under a shelf and propped up my tray of seedlings. Now, I'm hoping for the best. I have another list of seeds to start next week and need to get the process down quick enough so that I have actual plants to put in the ground come the last frost.

Otherwise, my garlic plants are looking strong and healthy, about six inches tall already. I've been thinking about what to do with all the scapes in a couple months. I also ordered some potatoes for planting this year, which will be a first, and a ton of strawberry plants.

I feel like there is so much to be done over the next few weeks... Like yesterday, while pulling up grass where my box was going, I noticed an abundance of grubs. Not good! So, today, I'm hoping to find some good nematodes or something else organic that will lessen their numbers this year.

Luckily, the days are getting long, which makes it easier to do things at night. Still, somehow, I'm worried there might not be enough hours in the days between now and planting.

Summer is Over

I don't know how it happens, but the summer months always seem to fly by. Today, I saw pumpkins at the grocery store and felt a chill as I walked outside. I recently realized that most of my goals for the season haven't been fully accomplished... I have a limited number of weeks to get the garden prepped for winter (WINTER?!?).

Yesterday, I received a box of garlic bulbs for planting. This will be my first attempt growing garlic, so I'm not sure how it will go. Now, I just have to wait for the first frost before I can plop them into the ground and wait. That will be the same time I'm pulling up all the remaining tomato plants... The plants I started from seed, re-potted several times, staked, watched grow and then... watched the fruits disappear overnight as the deer traversed through my yard (or, maybe the wild turkey... I'll never know).

Tonight, I got another box, this one full of spices ordered from Seattle. I was inspired to cook something new with one of the ingredients: Black Lemon. Definitely an interesting find.

Tilapia w/ Potatoes

- wash and chop some potatoes, stick in a pot of water, boil till just about done
- bake tilapia (or other white fish) w/ a bit of EVOO
- in a pan, heat up some EVOO, throw in some diced onions, add some salt & pepper, once transparent, add some minced garlic, after another minute, sprinkle in some cumin and ground black lemon, after another minute, stir in a few diced plum tomatoes
- drain the potatoes and finish cooking with the onion/tomato mix, add some water if the mixture looks too dry
- put some of the potato mix on a plate and set a piece of the tilapia on top.

This meal was extremely easy and fast to make. I love the light lemon flavor mixed with the smoky cumin. As a note, I had a very hard time trying to grate the black lemon, I ended up grinding it with a mortar & pestle instead.

Homemade Pickles

Last night, I made my first batch of homemade dill pickles. It was so much easier than I thought it would be: thinly sliced some cucumbers, threw them in a zippie bag, covered with 6 T white vinegar w/ 4 t kosher salt (fully dissolved in the vinegar) and 1/2 c chopped fresh dill. Then, squished everything around to make sure the cukes were all covered. Easy peasy! (And, yummy!)

My squash plants are starting to create: spaghetti squash are definitely in the lead, but all the others have blossoms showing their potential is not far behind.

My tomatoes are almost ready to start picking from, and there is little better than a warm tomato picked right off the vine.

The only bad thing is that I managed to kill off two of my three tomatillo plants. The last survivor is planted in a 30 gallon storage container with twine holding it up and patching up the area where two branches snapped off. Next year, I will have to remember how big and heavy the plants get and plan a bit better. But, I'm still hoping for a few fruits before the season ends.

Later today, I'll be making some parsley potatoes... Later this week, red cabbage and fennel cooked with different flavors. Not sure how that will go, but time will tell. And, of course, zucchini cooked in all sorts of different ways.

Now, it's time for breakfast: honey wheat bread w/ honey peanut butter and homemade dill pickles (yes, a peanut butter and pickle sammie).

Preserving Summer

As the summer continues forward, I'm quickly realizing that there is no way I can eat everything that arrives in my crate week after week. Meal after meal filled with fresh produce still doesn't seem to use up everything. I've only been eating out once or twice a week... Still, leftover veggies taunt me come week end.

So, I'm trying to find ways to preserve everything in a way that I can enjoy later in the year. Last night, I blanched some green beans and froze them in a vacuum sealed bag. I've made batch after batch of pasta sauce, with all sorts of greens. I still have a lot of research to do in order to figure out the rest.

Earlier this week, I did make some great "throw everything from the fridge in there" kind of things. Both turned out pretty good:

Curried Veggie Soup
Heat a couple T of olive oil in a stock pot. Cook some diced onion, till translucent. Throw in some shallots or garlic if you have them on hand. Add a cup of lentils and toss to cover in the oil/onion mix. Stir in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add a 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes. Bring back to a boil. Add some diced potatoes. Add water if everything isn't covered. When the lentils and potatoes are tender, add some spinach, swiss chard or whatever greens you have. Season with a couple t curry powder (to reach whatever spiciness level you like), salt and pepper.

Veggie & Quinoa Salad
Cook 1 c of quinoa in 2 c water. Bring to room temperature. Mix 1/4 c fresh lemon juice, 1/4 c olive oil and a bit of salt. Add some sliced fennel bulb, chopped swiss chard stalks, diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, chopped parsley, mint, whatever else you think will taste good. Mix the dressing and veggies with the quinoa and cool in the fridge.

Tonight, I grilled a piece of salmon and some zucchini. It was the first time I tried out my new mesh grille pan. It was definitely easier than trying to keep the zucchini spears I usually cut from falling down between the slats on the grill. (It's from Williams-Sonoma, in case you want to check it out.) Tossed with a bit of olive oil and some Adobo seasoning, they were great.

Eating Out

I am constantly amazed at how much people eat out these days. It is easy to notice the trend of young professionals eating the majority of their meals at restaurants or from take out places as many companies have added more 'everyday' value options to their menus. Friday's and Applebee's both have new campaigns emphasizing these items, ones that people can order every night of the week without guilt, financially or health-wise (maybe).

I often wonder why people live this way. Does it take that much more time to make breakfast, lunch, dinner? Is the convenience worth the loss of knowing what is going into our bodies? Is the lack of effort worth the additional financial cost?

Mind you, I love a great meal at a restaurant. A new taste or combination of flavors is something I treasure. It's something I've learned from; I've incorporated many ideas into my own cooking and tried to expand my own horizons by adding new spices and foods into my kitchen. Restaurants are a great way to eat with friends, celebrate an occasion or just take a break. But, I can NOT imagine eating out for every meal, the way many people I know tend to.

I realize that I am not like many people my age, I adore cooking. I think that chopping and mixing and tasting are calming. I love the experience of producing something delicious from basic ingredients. Many people don't bother to learn how to cook these days. I wonder if they see cooking as something intimidating that is complex and scary. I wonder 'if people realized how basic foods can taste so wonderful with so little effort, would they put more energy into feeding themselves and depend less on outside sources for their sustenance?'

I suppose there are some people who will never want to learn about cooking, but that doesn't keep me from sharing my passion for food with almost anyone I meet or talk to.

And, in that spirit, I'd like to share my modified recipe for Zucchini Bread. It's nearly fat free and wonderfully moist and yummy. Also, gluten-free all-purpose flour mixes can be substituted directly into the mix.

Nearly Fat-Free Zucchini Bread

Liberally oil a loaf pan.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together:
- 3 c flour
- 2 c sugar
- 1 t salt
- 1 1/2 t baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 3 t cinnamon
- 2 egg whites
- 1 c applesauce
- 1 mushed banana
- 2 c shredded zucchini
- 1 t vanilla
- 1 peeled, chopped apple (optional) I like Granny Smith the best

Pour into the loaf pan.
Bake for about 1 hour or till a knife/fork/toothpick comes out clean.


Also, a great tip for zucchini, especially when you have tons of it in the summer: shred the zucchini and measure out in amounts needed for your recipes. Then, freeze it. Thaw as needed and throw into your bread recipe. Fresh tasting zucchini bread all year round!

Today, I learned that I like beets... I never thought that I did. But, I boiled some fresh beets last night and put them on my lunch salad this afternoon. Not that I'd put them on my favorite veggie list, but I won't pick them off my salads in restaurants anymore.

I also made some pasta sauce with swiss chard and the tops from the beets. I saved the stalks from the chard for egg salad, since they are supposed to be a good replacement for celery. I've been trying to get as much out of my produce deliveries as I can, especially with groceries being so expensive these days.

I'm planning on making some zucchini bread later in this week. Plus, some more pesto for freezing... and, lots of salads, of course.

The amount of vegetables has been amazing this year, perhaps because of all the rain we've been getting here. I don't remember getting so much the last time I bought a share and it can be a bit overwhelming at times. Luckily, since everything is picked within a day of me getting it, the time it remains fresh is so much longer than the stuff from the grocery.

New Tastes

The challenge of receiving a crate of produce every week, and having no control over what's in there, is coming up with enough ways to use everything. It forces me to research ingredients (pea shoots are really edible?!?) and find new recipes. Often, the results don't resemble anything I've ever made before (or eaten for that matter).

Friday resulted in fridge-filling crate:
spinach
mixed salad greens
romaine lettuce
broccoli
parsley
kale
pea shoots
radishes
strawberries
two samples of the cheeses which will be available for purchase once a month

So, in addition to the never ending plates of salad, I've done some cooking this weekend. Last night, I made another batch of kale and sausage soup, this time for freezing. I used a spicy andouille this time; brought a new kick to the soup. I know it will be great whenever I thaw out the packages, maybe when the weather is cooler, and enjoy the fresh taste of summer veggies.

Today, I'm trying a totally new thing: pea shoot dumplings. I blanched the shoots, chopped them and added an egg, some pork, chicken broth, soy sauce and grated ginger. Stuffed some wonton wrappers with the filling and have them freezing on a tray. I did sample one; it was amazing. The flavor of peas is subtle and mixes with the saltiness and pork in a great way. Another hit. Now, I just have to wrap up the second half of the dumplings.

Next challenge: how to make some gluten-free versions of wonton wrappers so that I can share my cooking with my mom. I do have a couple recipes for gluten-free pasta, but I have yet to try any of them out. Hopefully soon.

All of the changes to my eating patterns have started to make a difference. I feel more energetic through the whole day. I haven't noticed the afternoon slump that usually hits a bit after lunch. And, when I did eat highly processed flour and sugar this week (in form of birthday cake and a fancy latté treat), I felt miserable. I thought I would fall asleep about 1/2 hour after eating and the feeling stuck with me for most of the day.

Also, I've managed to lose 3.2% of my body weight already. I can tell my body is working better with the new inputs.

So far, so good. Definitely no plans to go back to eating all the other stuff anytime soon.

New Soup Recipe

I made soup tonight; it was very yummy. It doesn't take too long to make (probably about 30 minutes with all of the following steps).

Kale and Sausage Soup

-Dump 8 c of chicken broth into a large pot; put heat on medium/high
- Open, rinse and drain 2 cans of white beans; add to pot
- Add a pinch of saffron (optional) and bring to a boil
- Meanwhile, put a sauté pan over medium heat with a bit of olive oil
- Chop a package (12 oz) of sausage and brown in the oil (if not pre-cooked, make sure to cook thoroughly); I used roasted garlic chicken sausage, but think almost any kind would be good
- When done, move the sausage into the broth pot, leaving the oil in the pan
- Lower the heat under the broth and keep at a simmer
- Dump a diced, medium sized onion into the sauté pan
- Add some minced garlic once the onion is tender and then add a diced red bell pepper
- Move the onion/pepper mixture to the broth pot once they are all tender
- Add a small bunch of kale (stems removed and chopped) to the broth pot
- Cook for about 5 more minutes, add salt and pepper to taste
- Serve with some grated pecorino romano (if desired... and when is cheese not desired)

So colorful and tasty. Enjoy!

Lots of Green

It was the first week for CSA produce deliveries. I was amazed at how much was in my crate on Friday: two bags of mixed salad greens, a bag of spinach, a head of lettuce, a bunch of kale, a bunch of basil, a loaf of seven grain bread and samples of two cheeses made by local farms. Everything was so fresh and green and the basil smelled amazing as soon as I picked it up.

Last night, I sautéed some garlic and spinach, cracked an egg over it all and scrambled it together. Then, plopped it onto some bread and topped it with mozzarella. Mmmm...

Tonight, I made some pesto with the basil and froze it. I can just imagine how good it will taste on some of the fresh pasta from the farmer's market.

Tomorrow, I'm hopping to make some kale and sausage soup.

So much cooking. So many flavors. So many different things to experiment with and enjoy.

I finally got some of my own veggie plants in the ground (one of which has already been eaten by something). I also bought a pitchfork so that I can move my compost without being in striking distance of Sunny. I didn't get as much as I hoped to done this weekend because I was so busy and it was SO HOT. But it was fun.

Saturday was the Southside House Tour. I was stationed at the City Theater, my favorite place to see shows in Pittsburgh. Afterwards, I went through a couple of the tour houses and then met up with a friend to get some lunch and go shopping. I got an amazing deal on a drawing pad because the cover was on backwards... So funny how things like that can lead to amazing discounts.

Today, I spent some time looking up recipe ideas for the kale and reminding myself how to make pesto. Shopping was so much fun, I only had to buy a few things to add to my ingredients. I have salad greens for the whole week and all sorts of other fun stuff to try.

Tonight, I'm drinking a glass of wine, trying to relax and gear up for the week. My birthday week! My last year as a twenty-something... It's crazy to think about it that way. But, I'm sure that this year, like the last few, will be a bit of an adventure. So, only a couple more days till I'm 29; I can't wait!

Day Four

Ah, real food... That's what my entire day led up to, and it was so worth it.

I was feeling rather fed up with my food options today, much of which I blame on poor planning on my own part. I didn't have much prepared to take with me to work; so, I ate some cherries and sunflower seeds and almonds. Nothing very exciting.

After work, I headed to the Southside to meet a couple friends for dinner and cocktails before seeing Sex and the City. We went to Tusca. I've been there before, but only for drinks. Wow! The food was amazing. We had mussels, polenta with mushrooms and a cheese tray. The mussels were perfectly steamed with butter and wine; the polenta was cheesy and creamy and perfection; and the cheese, oh the cheese! There was a fantastic blue cheese (and honey to drizzle over it), a great smoky cheddar, a gouda and a wonderful brie. All of that and several cosmos definitely put me in the mood for the movie... The only things marring the evening were the dreadful service at the restaurant (they were not prepared for the crowd of women before the movie) and my friend's comment that giving up bread, etc. was crazy. This sentiment comes up over and over as I tell people how I'm hoping to change my shopping and eating patterns over the next few months.

I really don't think that trying to limit the amount of processed foods in my diet is that strange. I know that there will be times when a piece of bread is put on the table and I will eat it. I know that my birthday is next week, and, if a cake appears at some point in the day, I won't feel bad about having a piece. But, I don't want to continue going forward, eating haphazardly, not enjoying the good things in life and filling my body with unnatural substances. So, I will try to ignore comments that I'm being odd and do what I think is best for me.

I don’t have any set in stone rules for what to eat this summer. I’m going to avoid buying anything with ingredients that I don’t recognize. I’m also going to limit processed flours and sugar to the best of my ability. I’ll buy organic and local when I can. And, the rest? I’ll make up as I go.

Day Two

GO PENS!

Ok, with that out of the way, I'm hoping to be able to write/edit/post this entry before the third period of the game starts. The game is tied now and I don't know how I'm going to sit here through 20 more minutes of anxiety... I guess the fact that they are showing this game on a channel I actually have (finally) is a double-edged sword in that way.

This morning, I got up, went to the health food store and then the grocery store. I bought raw sunflower seeds and almonds along with some juices and frozen organic berries at my first stop; cherries and the makings for a salsa verde (recipe below) at my second.

Today was much better overall. I didn't feel any more hungry than normal, the result of having some fat in my food I believe. I did have a cup of decaf green tea this afternoon when I felt like I was getting a headache. The 2 mg. of caffeine seemed to do the trick because I felt fine after that. I snacked on watermelon and all the other fruits and veggies from yesterday along with some salsa and a smoothie made with a banana, half a bag of the frozen mixed berries and a splash of juice. It was delish.

I worked in my garden for a bit but found that I got tired pretty easily. Also, the discovery of a snake in my compost pile made me ready to stop almost immediately. After some research, I’m pretty sure he’s (I've named him Sunny, since he’s kind of yellowish) not poisonous. I’m thinking he’s a worm snake but won’t be attempting to get much closer of a look. Definitely makes me realize that it’s time to put my compost into the tumbler and get rid of snake habitats in my yard (outside of the huge patches of ivy, which I’m happy to share).

Tomorrow, I'll be getting ready to start the work week. Monday night is dinner out with the girls and a viewing of Sex and the City. So, I'm pretty sure I'll be eating some cooked stuff then; but I'm going to try to stick with veggies and no processed anything (read: no bread, pasta or desserts made with sugar... hmmm). Guess every change comes with some challenges/adjustments in the beginning.


Salsa Verde
1 lime
1 avocado
1 large shallot or a small onion
6-8 tomatillos
2-3 hot peppers
Cilantro (optional)
Salt

Cut and juice the lime into a large bowl.
Cut the avocado and toss with the lime juice.
Mince the shallot or onion.
Peel and chop the tomatillos.
De-seed and dice the peppers.
Roughly chop the cilantro.
Throw everything into the bowl, toss, and add salt to taste.
Enjoy with extra crispy tortilla chips.

Day One

I'm tired... and a bit hungry. But, I guess that is to be expected.

Today was full of strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, bananas, carrots. It was nice eating all that fresh produce but I did have an empty feeling in my stomach for most of the day.

Tomorrow, I definitely need to go buy a few more things at the grocery store. I want to find some raw almonds or other nuts and some avocados. I need some fat and protein to make me feel a bit fuller after I eat. I'm also planning on cutting into the watermelon I bought last night: my first of the season.

Depending on the amount of energy I have, I'm hoping to get some of my vegetable plants into the ground. It shouldn't take too long; I just want to make sure to put down some garden fabric first so I don't have to spend so much time fighting the weeds, etc.

Not much more to say tonight; maybe tomorrow will be more eventful (I'm thinking caffeine withdrawal symptoms will kick in full force by afternoon). I did see yet another reason why I should be doing this all, trying to take more care with what goes into my body: the scale. I've been avoiding it for a couple weeks and this morning I weighed: yeah right, like I'm going to say that here. I will say that this morning's weight will be considered 100% and I'm going to keep track of how that changes as I cut out all the junk in my diet.

Here's hoping for the best as the summer continues.