a sweet, sweet potato

Just in case you didn’t think dinner was going to be on the table in 45 minutes or less tonight…

Just in case you didn’t think it was possible to turn your humble sweet potato into a meal…

Just in case you wanted a comforting, non-fussy sort of meal…

You know. Just in case.

This recipe is for you.

Broccoli-Feta Stuffed Sweet Potatoes—as seen in Moosewood Cookbook and on this website

Serves 4

Salty feta cheese and sweet, sweet potatoes; what an irresistible combination.  This luxurious (but simple!) dinner carries with it a faint reminder of my mom’s famous broccoli pie that she serves every Christmas.

Serve this creamy dish with a fresh, crunchy side salad.  Save any leftovers for a quick and easy lunch the next day.  Enjoy! 😀

• 4 medium-large sweet potatoes, with skins
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 cups finely chopped broccoli
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Pierce sweet potatoes and rub with olive oil. Bake at 450 degrees until soft-about 45 minutes. Or microwave.
2. In a large skillet on high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until most of the water has evaporated and the broccoli is tender, 8-10 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and set aside until the sweet potatoes are baked.
3. When the sweet potatoes have baked, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp, leaving a shell at least 1/4 inch thick. Set the shells aside. Mash the pulp a bit and stir it into the broccoli mixture along with the feta cheese. If the stuffing has cooled, turn on the heat under the skillet and rewarm. Add water, if too crumbly.
4. Fill the shells with the stuffing. Serve each half separately or push back together with stuffing showing between the two shells.  ENJOY!

QUESTION: How long does it usually take you to get dinner on the table on a week night? 30-45  minutes is average for me.  Unless I’m feeling lazy and decide to go the omelette route (i.e., 10 minutes. 😉 )

a taste of home

Oops.

(source)

My motto this week has (very fittingly) been “don’t cry over spilled milk.”  From poster mishaps to broken glass to flat tires.  I’ve convinced myself that none of these things really matter.

What matters is Pepere coming to the rescue, and having him tell me to call him anytime in such “emergencies.”  What matters is sitting down to a bowl of split pea soup at the end of a long day, with the family and the muffled sounds of country music playing over the radio.  Yes.  What matters is family.  What matters is laughing and being silly and embracing each moment as it comes, day by day.  Moment by moment.

What matters is having fun in the kitchen, cooking for the people I love the most.  That is what matters.

And so, tonight I decided to make a big batch of split pea soup.

Split pea soup has long been a favorite of mine.  It all started on a chilly winter’s night over my sister’s house.  Nicole had just moved into her new place and called me over for dinner, dessert and a movie.

She whisked around the kitchen—talking with her usual enthusiasm and spice—serving her husband and I big round bowls of the soup with hunks of warm foccaccia bread.  “Wait!”  I stammered, my mouth still full with soup.  Nicole paused mid-sentence before asking, “is it okay?”  “Oh my word,” I stammered.  “This is amazing!”  She smiled.  She popped dessert in the oven.  And then we kept on chattering, as we always do when there’s dinner, dessert and shopping involved.

Ever since, I have had quite the little love affair with split pea soup.  I don’t admit this to many people.  Split pea soup, as you know, has horrible connotations.

“This weather is as thick as pea soup!”

“The color looks like pea soup!” <—and this is really not a good thing, in case you were ever wondering

And yet, when I want to taste “home,” I want to taste split pea soup.  I find the texture to be absolutely irresistible, and I find the flavors to be so simple but grand all at the same time.  It’s not at all a show off like some of those other soups out there.  It carries a level of quiet confidence.

Split pea soup is humble and mellow and really quite simple.  I like that about split pea soup.

Split Pea Soup—as seen in Moosewood Cookbook and on this website

There are all kinds of split pea soups out there.  Many call for ham.  Some call for bacon.  I’ve even seen some include such ingredients as sweet potatoes, raisins, and parsnips.  But when it comes right down to it, I like to keep things pure and simple.

There’s nothing fancy about this recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook, but that’s what makes it so special.  You can cook a batch any time you please.  It freezes well, makes an ideal sandwich companion at lunch, and is super healthy to boot.  What’s not to love?

• 3 cups dry split peas
• 7 cups water or veggie stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 to 1 tsp dry mustard
• 2 cups minced onion
• 4-5 medium cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 stalks celery, sliced thin
• 2 medium carrots, sliced or diced
• 1 small potato, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly
• 1 tsp salt
• lots of fresh-ground black pepper
• 3-4 Tbls red wine vinegar

1. Place split peas, water or stock, bay leaf and dry mustard in a large soup kettle.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to lowest setting, and simmer for about 20 minutes, partially covered.
2. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and potato. Partially cover and simmer for an additional 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add pepper, vinegar, and salt if desired. Serve topped with fresh tomato and/or minced parsley.  Enjoy!

QUESTION: What is your favorite kind of soup?

 

 

a childhood flashback

It all started when I posted this picture over the weekend.

Childhood artwork, circa 1990’s

Normally, I can’t stand the thought of mushy spaghetti and meatballs being stored in a shelf stable can.  Really now, who had the imagination to come up with the idea of storing spaghetti in a can??  A can! Not to mention the mystery meat.

But this silly little drawing left me smiling.  It also left me in the mood for tomato smothered noodles.  And soup too.  I’m not sure if Chef Boyardee has come up with this sort of thing yet (spaghetti & meatball soup?) but this recipe from Moosewood Restaurant’s Cookbook brought me instantly back to my childhood.

You know.  In a totally delicious, non-canned, sort of way.

I like to think this is the grown up, healthified, adult version of an old childhood favorite.

Only there’s more vegetables.  No mystery meat.  Much less salt.  And a lot more flavor.

I think you’ll enjoy it. 😀

Moosewood’s Eastern European Minestrone—as seen on this website.

Minestrone soups will always leave you with countless options, and you can change the ingredients to fit your own personal taste preferences.  Broccoli would make a nice addition, as would water chestnuts, asparagus tips, and/or beets.  Use whatever your kitchen happens to have on hand, and you really can’t go wrong.

I highly recommend doubling this recipe, as it freezes well and can be used for lunches throughout the week.  Serve with a warm, crusty hunk of bread and enjoy! 😀

• 1-1/2 cups chopped onions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2-1/2 Tbsp. sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground caraway seeds
• 1 cup diced  carrots
• 3/4 cup green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup diced peeled turnips
• 3/4 cup diced red pepper
• 1 15-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 quart (4 cups) water
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, broken into 1-inch long pieces
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

1. In a large soup pot on medium heat, cook the onions, garlic, and celery in the olive oil for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the paprika and caraway, and stir for a minute.
2. Add the carrots, green beans, turnips and bell peppers, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the white beans, tomatoes, water, lemon juice, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
3. Stir in the pasta pieces, cover and simmer on medium heat until the pasta is al dente, 10 to 15 minutes.  Stir in the dill.  ENJOY! 😀

Question: What were some of your favorite school lunches when you were small?  Do you still enjoy them or have your tastebuds changed over the years?

that perfect afternoon

The weathermen aren’t always right, you know.

The expected 12-24 inches went off to other towns.  Other areas.  Namely, Boston, which I heard received about a foot and a half of fluffy white.

Here, we still received about 8-12 inches.  And I’m totally happy with that.  😀

Just enough snow to make everything look delicious and fresh. 

Not too much snow to keep me trapped indoors and off the roads.

That perfect amount.

Speaking of “that perfect amount,” walking in the snow provides a whole new level of working out. 

Mom and I threw on our hiking boots, donned our scarves and warmest jackets, and trekked our way across mounds of snow.  Four miles worth of taking two steps forward, one slippery step back.   It was such an old school way of going to the post office, just to mail a package.  But it was fun and productive, and it felt absolutely wonderful on the legs! 😀

By the time I came back, everything felt exhausted.  The windy gusts had knocked me around like a rag doll.  And my face was slowly—slowly—dethawing.

My appetite was ferocious.

And nothing but soup made sense.

Carrot soup is one of my most favorite of vegetable soups.

Maybe it’s because there’s not much to be expected from the humble carrot, and I like to prove a world of tastebuds wrong.  Most people think of raw, boring carrot sticks taking up space on the side of a plate.  Or carrot cake, which certainly does earn a high reputation, but that’s besides the point.

Carrot soup is where it’s at.  Warm, inviting.  Bright and savory.  Both nutritious and delicious.

It pairs as a lovely side to any salad or sandwich.  And since my appetite was throught the roof after a walk in the cold and snow, I took the sandwich route; my teeth felt like they needed to bite into something.

I toasted a simple lemon & dill hummus sandwich on some grainy Ezekiel bread slices.  A warm, satisfying meal.

That perfect amount of snow.

That perfect meal to warm up with after a chilly walk.

That perfect afternoon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Herbed Carrot Soup—as seen in Moosewood Cookbook and on this website.

This is one of my most treasured, favorite recipes.  It’s simple to make and goes wonderfully with grilled cheese sandwiches or just as is with a couple of croutons and a scoop of greek yogurt.  I’ve seen some people eat it over a bowl of rice, transforming the “soup” into a “sauce.”  Whichever way you eat it, this warming recipe is simply delicious.

• 2 pounds peeled, chopped carrots
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1-2 small cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp basil
• 2 T. lemon juice

1. Place carrots, liquid, and potato into a medium sized soup pot and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer it for 12-15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Saute the onion and salt in the oil for about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and herbs until onions are tender (about 5 more minutes.)  Stir in lemon juice.
3. Puree everything together in a blender until smooth.  Place back in pot and keep on low heat until ready to serve.  ENJOY!

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Lemon Dill Hummus

A container of fresh dill was sitting in my fridge, with absolutely no purpose other than to look pretty.  And that is how this simple, savory spread was born. 

Lemon and dill are two flavors that always go well together, and hummus is no exception for this lively pair.  Enjoy this bright spread on crackers, sandwiches or salads.

• 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 T. olive oil
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1-2 T. fresh dill
• dash of cayenne
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a food processor, mix all of the ingredients together.  Taste and adjust seasonings as preferred.
2. ENJOY! 😀

Question: Are you making any New Years Resolutions?  How far ahead do you start to plan them out?  What are some ways you make sure they’re successful (are they successful?) 

summed up in five words

A big thanks for all the comments regarding my newly organized recipe section.  It feels good to have everything all laid out, both for my own easy access and hopefully for yours too. 😀 

I spent the last several hours at a Verizon store, trying to find the most affordable phone possible.  I’ll be honest.  There were some fancy schmancy ones that immediately caught my attention.  I kind of liked the idea of being able to blog anywhere, anytime, anyplace.  My head began to swoon just a little, until the sales clerk came over and snarkly commented that there were 4 phones to choose from that did not require the $30 internet payment.  I looked at one poor little phone all by itself and fell in love.  Just like that.  I hope it’s okay to get all sentimental and attached over such a thing as a phone.  Please tell me this is normal. 

Anyways, without further ado, let’s get to the nitty gritty of food.  All summed up in five words because I’m completely out of words after talking phones, service, and monthly payments. 😉 

“Un”overnight Oats In A Jar.

Globs Of Peanut Butter = Amazing.

Cheddar Cheese Meets An Apple.

You Will Love This Recipe

Recommendations: Delicious With Sweet Potatoes. 😀

Sharp Cheddar Cheese Meets Cauliflower.

Nothing To Say But ‘YUM.’

Juicy, Cold, Fresh, Sweet, Dessert!

Yogurt, Flax, Granola, Almond Butter.

Star Of Dinner = Fresh Corn.

Sweet Summer Corn On Cob.

Star Of Dinner #2 = Basil Hummus.

Y.  U.  M.  M.  Y.

Filled With Greens And Happiness. 😀

Gone To The Dark Side.

Tomorrow —> Food Service Rotation Begins!

Time To Read And Relax. 😀

Family Favorite

Why, hello there, Oats In A Jar.  It sure has been a while.

• 1/4 c. oatbran
• 1/4 c. wheat bran
• 1 c. milk + 3/4 c. water
• 1/2 banana
• 2 T. raisins
• cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove

I cooked the oats to perfection and then poured the hot mixture into an almost empty pb jar.  The Galaxy Granola was added a little bit here and a little bit there as I ate my way through.  This breakfast will never—never, never—grow old.

But enough with breakfast.  I have an announcement to make.  Ladies and Gents, I have found a yogurt that deserves to be called my most favorite yogurt of all: Voskos Honey Vanilla Bean.

It’s true.

I can’t decide if it was the silky texture, the homemade blueberry banana muffin that was crumbled on top, or the pure, sweet creaminess of it all.

I think the fact that real, honest-to-goodness vanilla bean is used instead of vanilla extracts or flavorings has something to do with it too.  Just look at these little vanilla specks sprinkled throughout!  This is the real deal.  My mom stated it was the best yogurt she’s ever had, and I couldn’t have agreed more.  All I can say is that it’s a good thing my local grocery store doesn’t carry this, or I’d go in debt over yogurt. 

Now that I’m on a role with personal favorites, deep obsessions and other such matters, I think it’s time I introduce you to a new favorite salad combination of mine…

• 1 broccoli crown, cut into bite sized peices
• 1/2 c. canned black bleans
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Combine the above ingredients and bake on a cookie sheet at 425 for about 20 minutes (remember to flip halfway through cooking time and adjust salt and pepper to taste.)

Once the veggies are browned to your liking, mix in:

• 1/4 avocado (very ripe), smashed
• garlic powder (don’t be skimpy!)
• 1/2 tomato

If you think this sounds odd and strange, you are not alone.  It does sound peculiar.  Which is why you simply must try it. I promise that if you love guacamole, garlic, and roasted vegetables, you will love this simple meal.

On the side, I had 1-1/2 slices of Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Sourdough bread, toasted, with a pat of butter.

Afternoon Snack: Homemade Dates & Coconut Granola Bar

If you’re a regular reader of Running To Slow Things Down, you have probably seen this Gypsy Soup more than one too many times.  But that’s simply because it’s one of my absolute favorites.  This is one of those recipes that has wiggled its way into becoming a family favorite.   It’s that “go-to” soup recipe.  It’s a soup filled with memories.  In fact—if it wasn’t too dangerous to say—I might even put it up there with chicken noodle soup as being a comfort food.  But that’s dangerous territory, so I’ll have to save it for another day. 😉

Needless to say, the recipe for Gypsy Soup will forever be dog-eared in my Moosewood Cookbook, and it will permanently be stained with turmeric and tomato juice.  And, yes, you will see it many more times in the future of this blog.  It’s just that kind of recipe.

Gypsy Soup—courtesy of Moosewood Cookbook with some minor tweakings

• 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 c. chopped onion
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 2 c. peeled, diced sweet potato
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. mild paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp basil
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of cayenne (I use about 1/8 tsp to make it spicy)
• 3 c. water
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced
• 1 15 oz. can of chick peas (drained and rinsed)

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot.  Add onion, garlic, celery, and swee potato.  Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add salt, and saute 5 more minutes.  Add seasonings and water, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
2. Add tomato, bell pepper, and chick peas.  Cover and simmer for 10 + minutes or until all vegetables are as tender as you like them.  Taste to adjust seasonings and serve.

This bread is also a tried-and-true family favorite.  I love that it’s made with all whole wheat flour while still remaining moist and soft.  Yesterday I confessed to having a fear of tasteless, rubbery, overcooked red meat.  But I also have a fear of dried out, stale, tasteless bread.  100% whole wheat breads have a reputation for being dense and dry—cardboard, they call it (and oftentimes, rightly so!)  This bread, however, is the furthest thing from being dry.  On first bite, you’ll note how soft and moist it is.  You’ll taste the subtle sweetness of molasses.  And you’ll forever be convinced that whole wheat bread does not have to taste like cardboard. 😀

King Arthur’s Whole Wheat Bread

• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/3 cups (10 1/2 ounces) water
• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup (3 ounces) honey, molasses, or maple syrup
• 3 1/2 cups (14 ounces) King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) nonfat dried milk
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Mixing: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for “dough” or “manual.”) Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Shaping: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour, or until it’s crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Baking: Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for about 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or measuring its interior temperature with an instant-read thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf). Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature. Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices.

Nutrition per serving (1 slice, 51g): 150 cal, 3.5g fat, 5g protein, 24g total carbohydrate, 5g sugar, 3g dietary fiber, 0mg cholesterol, 200mg sodium.

Off to chillax with My Homemade Life.  What a great book!!! 

Question: Do you have a Family Favorite Recipe that is made over and over again?

Comfort in the Kitchen

Cooking is such a comforting activity for me.  It doesn’t matter if I’m whisking an egg or chopping a crisp green bell pepper.  Once the apron is on, I slowly meld into a feeling of complete bliss.  Comfort. 

And there’s something even more special about making a big batch of soup.  Along with baking muffins, it’s one of my very favorite things to prepare (and eat! )

Brazilian Black Bean Soup—courtesy of Moosewood Cookbook

• 2 c. dry black beans, soaked
• 4 c. water
• 1 T. olive oil
• 3 c. chopped onions
• 10 medium cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced
• 1-1/2 c. orange juice
• black pepper, to taste
• cayenne, to taste
• 1-14 oz. can diced tomatoes (original recipe calls for 2 plum tomatoes)

1. Place the soaked beans in a kettle or Dutch oven with 4 c. water.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until tender (about 1-1/4 hrs.)
2. Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet.  Add onion, half the garlic, cumin, salt, and carrot.  Saute over medium heat until the carrot is just tender.  Add remaining garlic and the bell pepper.  Saute until everything is very tender (another 10-15 minutes.)  Add the sauteed mixture to the beans, scraping in every last morsel.
3. Stir in orange juice, black pepper, cayenne, and optional tomatoes.  Puree all or some of the soup in a blender or food processor, and return to the kettle.  Simmer over very low heat 10 to 15 minutes more.  Serve topped with an artful arrangement of sour cream, cilantro, and salsa.

Basic Corn Bread—courtesy of Moosewood Cookbook with some tweaking 😉

• 1 c. cornmeal (I use stoneground, 100% cornmeal)
• 1 c. flour (I used whole wheat)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c. buttermilk (or 1 c. milk with 1 T. lemon juice)
• 1 egg
• 3 T. sugar or honey
• 3 T. olive oil (original recipe used melted butter)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine dry ingredients.  Combine wet ingredients separately (including sugar or honey.)  Stir wet mixture with dry, mixing just until thoroughly combined.  Spread into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the center is firm to the touch.  Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

This soup is a bit on the time-consuming side, but it’s mostly hands-off work.  Besides, today I wanted a meal that took a bit of extra time to prepare.  I was in no rush—no rush at all—and it felt good to simmer, spice, and saute.  And when the meal was complete, I plopped myself down onto a chair on the deck, and enjoyed the cool, breezy spring night while eating dinner.  Comfort. 

Question: What is one of your most favorite ways to “unwind”?  For me, it’s baking muffins, making soups or being active outdoors.  It really does the body and soul a world of good.

Green Monsters and Kale

Another beautiful, sunny day!  I knew immediately after waking up that I just had to go for at least a short morning run.  Mom had asked me to go grocery shopping with her, and despite having already gone yesterday, I decided I would tag along.  I just never turn down shopping, whether its for groceries or for clothes. 😀  Plus it makes for nice chatting time with mom, too…

Anyways, the plan was to leave at 10 to go shopping, so I decided I’d make time to get up, make a nice hearty breakfast, head out for a 2-mile run, shower, and be ready to go by 10.  I also knew I’d need about an hour between breakfast and running to avoid any stomach cramps.

**Can you guys exercise right after eating, or do you require a little time in between too?? 

Breakfast was a spin-off from yesterday’s.  I wanted to finish off the sweet potatoes, so it just seemd like the right thing to do. 🙂

Berry Sweet Potato Oat Cakes

This was the same as yesterday only I added in some nutmeg and about a cup’s worth of blueberries.  I loved, loved, loved the addition of fruit, but a cup was a bit excessive.  It added more moisture to the mix and made the final product much more doughy then yesterday’s.  I kind of liked it that way. 😀  But if you want more of a pancake type of consistency, cut back on the milk or the blueberries, or add in a bit more flour.

And instead of walnuts, I subbed in a scoopful of pb. 

I savored this home brewed iced coffee to-go.  I felt very economical, making it myself. 😀  haha…We’re all out of soy, so I instead used 1/2 c. of regular low-fat milk with a tsp. of sugar for a bit of sweetness.

Breakfast held me over surprisingly well.  I didn’t get the slightest hunger pang until well past noon.  And even then I wasn’t overly hungry.  I mostly wanted to eat lunch with the family before everyone had to leave for work, or appointments, etc. 

So I made us all salads.

My mix consisted of:

• mesclun greens + a little spinach + a little green leef lettuce
• carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers
• red onions
• 3 green olives
• my regular dressing (1 tsp each of EVOO, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, and a little bit of garlic powder and mustard powder)
• 2 natures promise chicken slices
• 1/2 c. black beans
• a bit of fresh mozzarella
• a small handful of raisins
• and fresh blueberries!

…+ kashis too of course! 😀

The star of the meal was the blueberries.  So good!

Dessert…I do realize that I’m extremely repetitive in my dessert choices.  I can’t help myself.  This pair wins every time. 😀

Check out this humungous head of kale that I bought at whole foods the other day!!  It was only $1.99 so I of course had to pick up two!  I figured for that price, may as well try it in place of spinach for my green monsters.

Ta-Daaa!!  I think I may need a larger cup though? 😉

This mix was made up of:

• 4 c. kale
• 1/2 c. soymilk
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 mango
• lots of ice cubes

I really enjoyed the mix.  But Jenna on Eat, Live, Run was totally right when she said it was more green tasting.  I could smell it before even taking a sip and knew it was going to be leaning towards tasting more like vegetables.  Spinach doesn’t let you know it exists in the drink other then for its bold color…kale just wants to stand out and get some attention!  😀  My dad tried it and said it wasn’t as good as the others I had made with spinach…I liked it because I felt so healthy after drinking it and I loved the sweetness from the mango and soymilk. 

Supper was wonderful.

This is the herbed carrot soup from moosewood cookbook and is an absolute must-try!  It’s so herby and fresh, and the added lemon juice gives it the most subtle little tang.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe!!

The rosemary foccaccia scones are equally delicious and also from moosewood cookbook (can you tell I’m a huge fan? 😀 )  I modified it a little, and once I figure out if it’s okay to post a modified recipe, I will.  Does anyone know what rules there are to copyrighting and all that other fun stuff?

My night snack was a bowl of honey nut cheerios with soy.  Sweet ‘n’ crunchy. 😀 

I think my summer class is going to be a little time consuming, but I hope it will be informational and fun as well.  I need to find a hospital or other food service area to volunteer some time in as part of the ‘lab compartment’ of the class.  My goal is to find one by the middle of next week.  I’ll be gone all weekend, so all of the calling and searching will have to wait until Monday, after my volunteer orientation at the local hospital.  Phew…I think I’m going to be a busy girl this summer! 😀

I’m a day early, but…HAPPY FRIDAY!  Hope everyone has some fun plans (even if it’s just some good ol’ relaxation!) for this weekend! 😀

Exercise: My morning 2-mile run felt wonderful, and I could have gone much further if not for the fact I needed to rush back home to get ready for grocery shopping.  Just another reminder that getting up a lil’ earlier in the morning might be a good idea. 😉  I’m keeping tomorrow morning free for a longer run if the mood strikes.

Mom and I also went for a 4-mile walk after lunch today.  And then later tonight I went for a 2-mile walk after dinner.  Both walks were slow and enjoyable.

Oh…and can’t forget my stretching routine too.  I find that a good 10 minutes of stretching after exercising keeps me feeling nice and loose.  I always feel great afterwards. 😀