CSA Report - Week 4

Here's what I got this week:

• 3 small heads of leaf lettuce (includes one head from the free choice table)
• 1.5 lbs sugar snap peas (includes additional full share)
• .75 lbs snow peas (includes additional full share)

It doesn't seem like much, but I made good use of it. There was a flavorful salad made from another grilled portobello and more of that chevre I've discovered. And I made some hummus to dip those sugar snap peas into for lunch a couple of days this week. I blanched and froze the snow peas to use in stir-fries later in the year. There was no way I could eat all those peas this week. Can't wait to see what next week's share brings!

OLS Week 4 - Chevre Steals My Heart

When I went to the farmer's market on Sunday and saw portobello caps on sale for a Father's Day special I had to have them. I tried a stuffed portobello recipe last summer that I absolutely loved. I was hoping to make them as my One Local Summer meal this week. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any local ricotta cheese for the filling.

After searching high and low (OK, just at the farmer's market and Whole Foods) I found some local goat cheese that I thought might work. I've never had chevre, so I wasn't sure what I was getting or what to do with it other than use it like I would feta--sprinkled over or tossed into a salad. It was the right consistency, though, so I thought I'd give it a try. After doing a quick internet search, I decided I wasn't going to stuff the caps and would do something different. Here's what I came up with, combining and modifying several recipes I came across.

Open-faced Portobello Stacks with Chevre Spread

Ingredients:

2 hard rolls (I used french rolls, but you could use any small to medium sized, hard crust rolls)
1/4 cup chevre
2 TBSP + 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, divided
2 tsp + 1 tsp olive oil, divided
1/4 sweet onion, sliced thinly
4 thick slices tomato
2 portobello caps, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion and cook until caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the meantime, heat the grill. Spray or brush cut sides of each portobello slices with 2 tsp olive oil. Then brush with each portobello slice with 1 TBSP olive oil. Place on the grill, sliced side down and grill about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill.

In a small bowl, mix chevre with 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and stir until smooth.

Slice your rolls and grill sliced side down just until grill marks appear. Remove from grill and spread each side of the rolls with 1 TBSP of the chevre. Top each with one slice tomato, 1/4 caramelized onions and 1/4 the portobello slices. Drizzle with remaining 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 open-faced stacks (two servings).



They were a little messy, but they were scrumptious and I'll definitely be making them again!

The Local Low-Down: All ingredients except salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil were local. I paired the sandwich with a glass of local wine for a perfect, light and satisfying dinner.

OLS Week 3 and a CSA Report

I didn't get a picture of this week's CSA share, but it was a good one. There wasn't a lot to it, but I'm making good use of it.

• 0.5 lb sugar snap peas
• 0.25 lb snow peas
• 1 head lettuce

As for this week's One Local Summer meal, I fell back on those fresh eggs again. I'm doing a bit of a "vegetarian experiment" and finding local protein sources other than eggs has been a bit of a challenge. I don't mind too much, though.

This week I made a frittata, which has become one of my favorite egg dishes since I discovered them last year. A few eggs, some sauteed garlic, scallions, asparagus, and green and yellow zucchini and I'm a happy, local-eating girl. I added a side of new potato homefries and I was satisfied.

OLS Week 2 - A Childhood Stand-by

I didn't plan well for this week's local meal, so my farmer's market trip this morning was focused on finding something quick and easy I could make for a local lunch today. When I saw the new potatoes, I immediately had an idea. One of may favorite meals as a child was one that my mother would make when there wasn't much in the refrigerator or she didn't have the time and energy for a more elaborate meal: a fried egg over fried sliced potatoes (usually from a can).

To mimic this meal with local ingredients, I thinly sliced a couple new potatoes and fried them in a bit of (non-local) olive oil with a chopped scallion and a chopped garlic scape. Then I fried a fresh egg and placed it over the bed of potatoes. When the yoke breaks, the potatoes soak it up. Easy and delicious.

And the Winner Is...

Thanks so much to all of you who voted for my next pair of glasses. I counted all mentions, since some of you chose more than one pair. The winner by a landslide vote was A:













F (a very similar pair) came in second with 5 mentions. C (the oval pair) and B (the bronze-y rectangles) trailed behind with 3 and 2 votes respectively.

The interesting thing was that my favorites and yours were not the same. I liked A and F, but wasn't quite comfortable with how dark they were against my light skin. B, which only got 2 votes, was my favorite pair. In fact, I went frame shopping with those exact frames (Bebe's "Drama Queen" if anyone is interested) in mind. My sister-in-law wears them and I tried them on when I was visiting my family recently and loved how they looked on me. At least a couple of you found them appealing.

I actually didn't like C at all, but included them because, as I mentioned, I'm not very good at this. When some of you picked them I was a bit surprised. The good news is, if I remember correctly, your first choice was the cheapest pair of frames in the batch.

Looking at these pictures pretty regularly over the last few days has helped me get used to seeing myself in glasses, and I'm starting to like what I see. I'm also coming to agree with the majority of voters that the darker frames do look good on me. Since the first and second choices were so similar, I'll go back and try them both on and make a final decision then. I'm also considering getting a second pair (B) so that I can change things up when I'm feeling a little less trendy and dramatic. Of course, buying that second pair will depend on price and how much my insurance covers.

As for the winner of a small thank-you gift, Mel at Box of Chocolates will be getting a package in the near future just for voicing her opinion. Her comment (#9) was selected by the random number generator at random.org.

Mayday! Style Advice Requested

For as long as I've needed to wear corrective lenses all the time, I've been wearing contact lenses. I have glasses, but I don't wear them often, mostly because I'm not very good at picking out frames. I usually think I like the ones I pick out, but within a few weeks, I hate how they look on me. So my glasses (which I spend significant amounts of money on) end up hanging out on my nightstand and get worn in the evenings and on the weekends when I'm hanging around the house. When absolutely necessary, I will wear them to work or the mall, but that's rare.

A month or so ago, I met someone whose glasses were stylish and fit her face perfectly. This has prompted an all-out search for the perfect frames. It turns out her face is a very similar shape as mine, so I took what I saw and went straight to the nearest vision store to try on some frames. Unfortunately, as soon as I started trying on glasses, I started to get the old wishy-washy, I-hate-how-I-look-in-glasses feeling. I want to find a pair of frames that I'd be happy to wear in public on any day of the week. A pair of frames that make me feel confident and trendy.

I spent an hour trying on frames and snapping shots of myself and I've narrowed the frames down to these six pair. This is where you come in. Please vote for a pair of frames by leaving a comment telling me which ones you like and why you like them. For the most part, the frames are very similar, but that's because the rectangular shape seemed to look best on me. For comparison, I've also included a picture of me in the glasses I currently wear.

Now:














Choice A:














Choice B:













Choice C:














Choice D:














Choice E:














Choice F:














I hope you'll help me move out of my contact lens-wearing rut and into the world of trendy eye wear. Vote away, readers--and just for taking time to share your opinion, I'll be choosing a random commenter to send a special thank-you gift.

CSA Report - Vegetables Make Me Happy

My first CSA report for the season covers weeks one and two since: 1) I was too busy last week to get a post up; and 2) the shares have been pretty small so far. I decided to purchase a half-share again for this year, and I'm so excited for another great harvest.

The season got off to a late start, which I'm assuming is because of all the rain we've been getting lately. The first pick-up was strawberries-only, but I wasn't around for that one. Last week's share included:

• herbs
• garlic scapes
• 1 pint strawberries

This week's share was:

• 2 heads of leaf lettuce (including an additional half-share)
• a couple handfuls of loose lettuce
• garlic scapes
• 1 bunch of scallions
• a handful of snow peas
• a few sprigs of mint
  

Looking forward to what next week brings!

OLS 2009: Week 1 - Getting Things Started

It's that time again. Come on, you know what time...One Local Summer time! For my first week, I did as all busy, uncreative local eaters will do. I pulled out the eggs and made an omelet. In fact, if you're a regular reader here, you may recognize this recipe because I posted about a very similar meal during last year's OLS Challenge.

I started with fresh ingredients from the farmers' market: eggs, asparagus, spring onions, and garlic.







I chopped everything up and sauteed the asparagus, garlic and onions (reserving most of the greens).







While that was cooking I whipped the eggs with a dollop of milk, a handful of the onion greens and a little salt and pepper. Then I poured it into a small heated skillet and cooked until firm.





I served the omelet "stuffed" with the asparagus saute and sprinkled with a bit more chopped onion greens.

I hope you're all enjoying the harvests of your local farms, too!

What I'll Be Doing Next Week

I'm taking a week-long vacation to spend some time with my family and friends. It has only been a few months since my trip to Arizona, and yet I feel a deep need to step way from my life here in Baltimore and enjoy some simpler things. I've mentally tallied a list of things I'm hoping to do while I'm away. It's not a to-do list so much as an if-I-feel-like-it list. I want to unwind, relax, revel in the presence of some of my favorite people—which means I want to be open to opportunities, events and experiences that might not be on this list. I also want to make time for the things I truly enjoy and don't spend enough time doing during my normally hectic and over-scheduled days.

If time and the Universe allow, I'd like to:

• Eat a dinner alone with my mother, catching up and really BEING with one another.
• Spend time sorting through at least one room with my father, who is preparing to sell his house.
• Practice yoga by the lake at sunrise.
• Write. Write. Write. Whatever strikes my fancy.
• Read.
  
• Visit my favorite parts of my hometown and journal about my experiences there.
• Have dinner at Niagara Falls with family.
• Take pictures of everything.
• Notice the beauty around me.
• Take quiet walks by myself.
• Breathe in the clean, fresh air.
• Work one day on The Book Proposal.
• Be present wherever I am and whatever I am doing.
• Watch the parade and enjoy a barbecue.
• Run into old friends and talk like we never skipped a beat.
• Eat mindfully and consciously.
• Take my nephew to a movie.

As you can see, I have high hopes for my time away. No matter what is on that list, my real goal is to refresh my spirit. It's been a long winter and a hectic spring. This vacation is meant to be a cleanse of sorts, a time to reconnect to my body, mind and spirit in a way that has seemed impossible over the last several months. I think some sun, fun and family is just what my heart ordered.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. While you're enjoying parades and picnics and backyard barbecues, as I will be, please take some time to remember and recognize the sacrifices of our service men and women and their families. And take some time to reconnect with and rejuvenate yourself, as well. You deserve it.

Another Local Summer

This week I saw the blog post I'd been waiting for: One Local Summer is back! After a really successful OLS last year, Farm to Philly is hosting this event again and I'm all signed up. I really enjoyed the challenge of trying to build at least one completely local meal a week all summer long.

In fact, while the challenge hasn't even started, I spent the morning walking around the farmer's market looking for local meal inspiration. There's not a whole lot to be had this early in the season, but there were plenty of herbs, greens, lettuces and two of my favorites: rhubarb and asparagus.

Unfortunately, I didn't go with much money, so I ended up spending what I had on seedlings for my containers--three different varieties of basil, some dill and a lettuce garden. I'll be doing some planting this week to get my container garden going. I need some soil and a couple more containers to make room for my lettuce varieties. I'll also be cleaning out my refrigerator and freezer of any perishables to make room for what I bring home next week. I won't be caught short on cash again!

Part of my excitement about the CSA, farmer's market and my own little garden comes from the fact that I haven't felt very good about my diet lately. For several months now I've been eating crap, moving very little and paying the price. My mood has been "blah", my energy has been low, and my body...well, my body isn't happy. With the return of spring and the promise of fresh fruits and vegetables, I'm getting motivated to be more creative in the kitchen and start enjoying my food again.

Here's to a long growing season and healthy, local food! If you're interested in joining in, the One Local Summer Challenge starts on June 1st, so go sign up now.

Things to Come

Hello, my blog friends. I miss you.

Fear not, I'm still around. I'm just a little overwhelmed by life lately. I'm mentally exhausted by my "real" job these days. Not to complain, because I'm extremely grateful to HAVE a "real" job right now. That said, things are a bit crazy at the office and long days with serious stress and without time for exercise leave little energy for anything other than passive experiences like watching movies, listening to NPR, cuddling with My Love and the cat, and typing the occasional tweet.

When I do have the mental energy to think, I've been sprucing things up and finding more focus for my writing blog, making sure I meet my commitments to the other places I write and brainstorming ideas for getting paid for my words.

The spring sunshine is starting to energize me, though. I'm getting excited for fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmers' market and CSA shares again. I hope you're ready for another few months of posts focused on what I'm eating (and maybe even growing -- I'm planning another container garden). I can't wait for fresh greens, asparagus, tomatoes, strawberries, watermelon, corn...

What are you up to these days?

Sunday Scribblings: Scary Times

It's been quite a while since I participated in Sunday Scribblings, but this week's prompt seemed to so perfectly describe my life these days that I decided to jump back in.

Prompt #158: Scary

Have you ever wished you could see what the future would hold for you?

I've always been one of those people who would say, "Yes! Of course!", if asked this question. The irony here is that I'm at a place in my life where I can be pretty certain of exactly where things are headed and what my future holds - my near future at least - and I'm not sure I like having this certainty. It rarely occurred to me that I might not like what I would see in the crystal ball. Or that even if I did like what I saw, I might not like knowing it.

In fact, I'm finding it a bit scary that my life seems to be laid out before me. What should be comforting - the knowledge that I'm getting exactly what I hoped for, that things are falling into place just where I wanted them to - is making me anxious and antsy.

I'm grateful for every step that brings me closer to my writing dreams. I'm excited for the growth of my relationship with My Love and for a future that includes marriage and children. And yet I'm scared and shaky. The realization that walking through each of these open doors closes hundreds of others makes me fearful. Sure, I wouldn't have chosen to walk through most of those doors that closed anyway. But just knowing that my choices are becoming more limited at every fork in the road makes my stomach sink.

I like options. I like freedom. I like opportunities. Call me selfish, call me confused, call me crazy, but I want to have both. Can't I? Can't I have what I want and still be free to chose something else later?

I'm grateful for all the blessings in my life. Really. I am. I love My Love. I love being able to write for a living. And I love knowing that my writing career is headed in the right direction. I suppose if I focus on these things, remembering that I chose them and worked for them, I might be able to see past the suffocating feeling I get when I realize the choices available in my own "Choose Your Own Adventure" story are slowly being whittled away.

Or maybe I just need therapy.

What I Really Want

While I was away last weekend enjoying a couple of days in Atlantic City with My Love, I received an email from a someone interested in hiring me for some technical writing work. Extremely excited that this person found me through my website and wanted to speak with me about some potential work, I contacted him and we set up a phone meeting. It seemed to be perfect timing, since I've been trying to build up my freelance business so that when I'm finally ready to let go of the full-time job I'll have some steady work to pay the bills.

Unfortunately, the new project wasn't meant to be. It turns out the company needs someone for this particular project who is available during business hours. When the contact told me this, I actually considered quitting my job and throwing my hat in the freelance ring immediately. The thought was fleeting, but I think it was pretty revealing. I think it gave me a real glimpse into what I really want for my life.

I desire so much to take on this "freelance thing" full-time. I know it will be a challenge, and maybe I'm naive to think that I'll be able to make enough money to live off of, but I want to give it a try. Sadly, that fear of not making it, of having to go crawling back to my full-time job--or worse to find another one--keeps me firmly planted in my chair at The Job with one foot over the freelance line.

Thankfully, this new contact is interested in using my services for future projects and asked me to keep in touch, which I'll gladly do. Maybe the right work will come along at just the right time and I'll be ready to take the step over that freelance line. In any event, I've made a new professional connection and that makes me excited for whatever might be around the corner.

What Does it Mean?

As a writer and reader, I spend a lot of time with words. Lately I've been thinking about those words and how we use them--to get across a meaning, describe an object, express a feeling. We use words in so many ways, but are we really saying what we think we're saying?

Words are tools, but they're not like hammers. They're much more flexible than that. A hammer is a hammer, no matter who is holding it. But words, they often take new shape depending on who hears (or reads) them. Words are constructs we've created to help us express ourselves more concretely. They're limited, however, by the understanding that the hearer or reader brings to them.

Take the word "pencil" for instance. When I write pencil, I have a specific idea of what that word represents (yellow, wooden stick with graphite in the center). You may have another (mechanical plastic stick with refillable lead compartment). "Couch" is another good example. When I hear the word couch, I attach the characteristics "soft", "plush", and "over-sized" to it. Someone else might picture a stiff, firm Victorian-style seat.

Realizing that such seemingly simple words can be misinterpreted or misunderstood, I'm beginning to wonder how we've managed to communicate anything over the centuries and eons that our language has developed. Each of us carries our own experiences, fears, knowledge and understanding to every word we hear, read or speak. How can we ever agree on abstract concepts like "God" or "peace" or "time," when "couch" and "pencil" aren't as concrete as we may think?

It's National Reading Day

March 2nd is National Reading Day, otherwise known as Read Across America. It's also Dr. Seuss's birthday. This is not a coincidence, either. Turns out the National Education Association planned it that way.

The goal of Read Across America is to motivate children to read and to help them improve their reading skills.

Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school.

As you all know, I'm a book-lover through and through. And I love sharing books with the kids in my life. I'm the Aunt/Sister/Daughter who always gives books as gifts. I want everyone to love reading as much as I do. As much as I can, I especially try to share my love of books with my nephews and nieces. Unfortunately, they're all too far to read with on a regular basis. Today I might just have to call a few of them and read together over the phone.

Who will you read with today?

What I'm Writing at Blissfully Domestic

A few months ago I mentioned that I'd be writing for the Healthy Bliss channel at Blissfully Domestic, an online magazine for women. I realized today that I haven't really mentioned it in a while and thought you might want to know what I've been writing about.

You can view all my articles, or check out a few of my favorites:

• Before the holidays I wrote about holiday stress and exercise, holiday travel and healthy holiday cooking--all topics that can be applied year round.
• You can read about why I joined a CSA and how you can, too. (Now's the perfect time, by the way.)
• Today's article is on living in the now and how being mindful can benefit every area of your life.
• Finally, there's my ongoing cleanse series, where I describe my experience participating in a "whole body and mind cleanse" with holistic health counselor Amanda Moxley. These posts will be going up regularly for a couple more weeks, so check them out. And if you're interested in joining in on a cleanse group, Amanda's next program starts on March 4th. You can learn more at her website.

If you have any comments or questions, I'd love to discuss any of these articles with you. I hope you enjoy them.

Making Lemonade

I opened my mailbox today to find a comment from Over Coffee letting me know that she'd given me the Lemonade Award. Thanks, Over Coffee!

This award really couldn't have come at a better time. I've been feeling a bit out of sorts lately but this weekend was relaxing and productive, and even brought with it the possibility of a new freelance client. I also spent some time thinking about my freelancing future and tossing some ideas around in my head. Finding notice of that Lemonade Award in my inbox was like a message from the Universe that things are going to be OK. No, better than OK. Things will work out exactly as they're supposed to if I just get out of the way and relax a little.

As recipient of this award, this is what I have to do:

1. Thank the person who was so thoughtful for giving you this award by linking their blog to this post.
2. Put the logo on your blog or post.
3. Nominate 10 blogs which show great attitude/gratitude.
4. Link your nominee to your post.
5. Comment them to tell them about the award they've won.

Now, to pass this little award on to a few of my favorite blogging people. People with attitude and/or gratitude who inspire me and encourage me regularly with their words.

1. Biped Sideways
2. Cranky Fitness
3. Gumbo Writer
4. Jen Lemen
5. Katy
6. Mocha Momma
7. Calling Dr. Bombay
8. Magical Thinking
9. Kathryn Magendie
10. Louise
    

Thanks to all of YOU for being exactly what I need, just when I need it.

All Over the Place

For proof, go here.

And the Winner Is...

Jessica!

Jessica gets her very own copy of Perfect on Paper. Congratulations Jessica! I've sent an email to you requesting your shipping information. If I don't hear from you in 48 hours, the book will go to the person with the next highest vote count.

Thanks for playing everyone!

Have You Ever Seen the Grand Canyon?

Have you? I'm not talking about in pictures or on television or even from the air as you fly from one coast to the other. Have you stood on the edge of the huge Canyon and felt the wind swoop down and then back up again blasting you in the face with dust from thousands of feet below? Have you looked out across miles of rock that have been carved away by centuries? Have you?

There's something heart-stopping and, dare I say, spiritual about experiencing a sight like the Grand Canyon. It's awe-inspiring and humbling to walk to the ledge and look over the side of history into the depths of our world. From where you stand at the heights of Canyon, the rushing Colorado River looks like a tiny trickling stream and the clouds look like they're napping on the flat tops of the rock formations. Ravens play on the wind, swooping into protective nooks and crannies and then swooping back out to dance and swirl around.

The Canyon is so big, so vast, that it's hard not to recognize how small we really are. And yet, before We were even on this planet, time and water and wind were shaping and forming this land by doing nothing more than what they were created to do. And I wonder: can I have an impact like that, too? One of adjusted proportions, of course. But if I do those things that I was created to do, if I am me and nothing else, can I create beauty like that?

I believe I can.

I hope I am right.