Fall is Upon Us

Last week was a balmy 75 degrees; this morning, I woke up to the aftermath of Jack Frost violating my car. This can only mean one thing: Fall is upon us.

I would be more bummed to say farewell to Summer if I wasn't completely in love with the Fall season; maybe because it contains the one holiday focused around food, but I love everything that Fall has to offer: hot cider, sweaters, colorful leaves and pumpkin flavored beers...it's perfection at nature's finest.

But there are 2 slight downfalls that the change of temperature brings:
(1) it's one step closer to 6 months in a snow globe; and
(2) my garden will soon be an ice rink.

What...No more backyard supermarket? No more harvesting? How will I live my life? This is devastating since we've been through so much; it's like being forced to say good- bye to a Summer fling. I mean, I suppose I could be a normal person and buy my veggies from the grocery store but where's the fun in that? Maybe I'll start shopping in the produce section of Price Chopper with a trowel and basket. Sigh. These are the times that I wish I had a greenhouse then I could harvest my lovely vegetables all year round.

Maybe I'll freeze some of the zucchini and squash, but I don't have a ton of experience with that. Any tips? I see a lot of acorn squash and pumpkin recipes in my future and that is A-OK with me, the future is bright and delicious!

TGIF! Bundle up and enjoy the weekend!
    

Not Your Typical College Kitchen

Tomorrow is my 22nd birthday; the last time my age was a palindrome (spelled the same way front and backwards, like MOM and WOW) was 11...next 33!..AH! Where does the time go. I swear, after this tomorrow my age will reverse with each coming birthday (like Benjamin Button). Woo, can't wait to be 21 again next year!

Anyways. It's always an adjustment when I go back to school. I like my summer routine and am always anxious to get back into one once I start classes. Since this is syllabus week, I have a lot of time on my hand = a lot of blog posts.

While at college, I try my best to maintain a well-rounded, healthy diet. Our landlord (god bless him) has a garden which we're welcome to; so though I've been torn away from my backyard supermarket (tear), I still have access to fresh veggies! Hooray! And I must say that his garden makes mine look minuscule; his garden means business and I'm so thankful to benefit from it. 

Below is our refrigerator. Being the beginning of the year, it's a tad sparse; but, I have to say it's a pretty healthy college fridge. All of the green beans, zucchini, and squash are from our land lord's garden. And I've recently have had an obsession with Greek yogurt (hence the overstock over Oikos in the fridge) and agave nectar. It's like dessert for breakfast and who doesn't want dessert.

  

My other obsession? Salad. Doesn't sound too exciting, but I've been adding garden tomatoes, zucchini and green beans (ah so fresh) and mixing those with my organic spinach. Then topping it off with some fat-free Italian, S&P, oregano, and basil.  Heaven.

A masterpiece good enough to eat, and I think I will.

The rest of my cooking will be simplified and more easy-peasy since my resources are limited being at school and all, but...they all shall be delicious. Pinky promise.

Monday Yumday: Marinated Veggies

In attempts to mimic our role models on Food Network, my roommate and I are starting to get crafty in the kitchen. We're attempting to plan our meals ahead of time in hopes to eat healthier when we come back from class ravenous. 

One easy food tip I learned in college: dressing makes a great and cheap marinade. I also learned that you can basically marinade anything. Hence, our craftiness. Italian dressing + Vegetables = Greatness

We marinated onions, squash, and a giant zucchini in Italian dressing overnight. Simple. I sauteed mine along with a few green beans and batta bing batta boom, dinner. It's not rocket science, but it's simple which makes its a quick and delicious meal. Pair it with chicken, whole wheat pasta or savory by itself. Yum. Gosh, I love vegetables. 

Our next planned meal is yellow squash spaghetti from scratch. Stay tuned, y'all.

  

My Top 5 Summer Achievements

It's that bittersweet time of the year: the end of summer. School is starting back up (sweet), but it'll probably snow in about a month (bitter). Regardless, my summer was filled with a ton of rewarding experiences; I couldn't of asked for a more fulfilling season-- personally and externally.

Like the midnight news, here's a recap of the Top 5 headline-worthy achievements of my summer (in no particular order):

1) Overcoming a fear: Running in my first 5k

I overcame my fear of running, and participated in something that would have sounded absurd two years ago. Like phonics, I'm hooked and hoping to participate in a half marathon in the near future!

2) Started a new hobby: Cycling

I finally gave in and bought a Trek road bike (aka Colbalt aka Colbie) which became the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

We starred as the dynamic duo in my first big LiveStrong 45 mile bike race which led to...

....kinda-sorta meeting Lance Armstrong! That alone experience could have defined my summer.

3) New family addition: Sophie

Sophie's spunky and loving personality became a perfect family fit, and she finally grew on Heidi after she stopped trying to nurse from her. Though my dad refers to her as the "Hellien", we are all completely in love.

4) Improved a skill: Cooking

Having a garden has encouraged me to try new recipes and practice my cooking. Plus, I'm the epitome of a food-a-holic so anything that has to with food is motivation enough. My mom always said that cooking just takes practice, and I have to say she was right. A couple years ago, I thought I was doomed to a lifestyle of cereal and frozen meals...but there's hope for me yet. I love to cook, especially when I am able cook for others. What's that famous biblical manta?...Give a woman a fish, and she can eat for a day; but, teach a woman to cook and she can eat for a lifetime? Something like that ;)

5) Received "Bucket List Worthy" Recognition: Stonyfield 

This was unexpected, but nevertheless made me jump with joy. I didn't know when I wrote my post about Stonyfield that it would actually be read by the company. I was just expressing my love affair with the company's products, and was thrilled to know that they thought I was "moo-rific" in return.

School has started aka time to set a few more goals to make the Fall just a rewarding and successful as the Summer. Half-marathon, possibly? Hey, why not shoot for the stars.

  

Don't Fear the Tofu

A year ago if you'd say tofu, I'd say no thanks. It's white, jiggly, and kinda mysterious (I mean how do they make that stuff anyways?). Well, I decided to get over my judgmental attitude and give it a try. Tofu is a great low-fat meatless alternative. It's made from soybeans, so it's packed with protein, iron, calcium and other health benefits. Yay for tofu!

I don't have any fancy tofu recipes, so I thought I'd keep it simple and saute it with some fresh vegetables. Below is the brand of tofu I used; I like that it's a lighter version so it cuts some calories while still keeping all the flavor (well, as much flavor as tofu can have). I'm going to jack-up the tofu with spices to revamp its plain reputation. 

I picked a zucchini, some tomatoes and onions from my garden and sauteed them in a separate pan. Note: Instead of slicing the zucchini, I used a potato cutter to make zucchini ribbons; I cut until I reached the seeded and then threw the core away. It give the zucchini a linguine/noodle look. Its a fun way to change up textures especially at the end of the summer when I have sliced up more zucchinis than I can count. I cut the tofu in cubes and sprinkled it with oregano, basil, and black pepper. I cooked the tofu on high so it would acquire a nice crisp.

I kept flipping the tofu until it turned a nice brown and sauteed the veggies until cooked. My dad said the kitchen smelled pretty darn good,...especially since it was, gasp, tofu (he isn't ready yet to trade in his juicy steak for jiggly tofu but, he did try it!...there's still time to convert him).

Once cooked, plate and eat! So simple and, yet, so good. Congrats tofu, you've overcome your plain stereotype and proved yourself a tasty, meat substitute. I say don't judge a book by its cover, or in this case...a tofu by its tofu-ness. Give it a try and it may surprise you. Team Tofu!

  

Easy Peasy Gazpacho Soup

So, I was in my kitchen this morning...making myself some coffee...minding my own business when I get the sudden feeling that I'm being watched. I feel dozens of burning eyes staring right at me. I turn around to face the culprits...they were red, round, and feeling a little neglected: the tomatoes I picked from my garden on Sunday. They have been sitting in their bowl for a couple days now barely touched. I feel so ashamed. But what is one to do with a ton of tomatoes? One word: gazpacho (and a fun word, too, gazzzz-pacho).

Gazpacho is a cold tomato and veggie soup; perfect for a bumper crop of tomatoes and garden veggies. You can add as many or few veggies that you'd like and it'll always taste fantastic. It's almost completely fool proof (I say almost in hopes not to jinx anyone). Plus it's really simple to make which means I'm game.

What you'll need

 Tomato Juice (at least 2-3 cups depending on the batch size)

 Several Tomatoes

 Bell Peppers (I used a red and yellow)

 A Large Cucumber

 Several Small Onions

    - and any other preferred veggies (avocado works really well!)

 3 teaspoons of White Vinegar

 Herbs (I used fresh basil and oregano); and a

 A Blender 

The veggie line-up

I used a low-sodium V8...heavenly

Pour the tomato juice, white vinegar, tomatoes, and herbs into the blender; blend until coarsely pureed.

Pour the yummy contents into a large bowl. Finely chop the rest of the veggies (cucumbers, peppers, and onions) and pour into the soup. Add cooked brown rice if you're craving a heartier soup! 

The baby eggplant was a last minute addition.
He was the lone ranger in my garden so I threw him in, too!
I say, the more the merrier!

Pretty like a rainbow

Mix together and add a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Cover the soup and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour to let the flavors blend together. 

Serve chilled and taste the rainbow! Enjoy!

  

Healthy Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant Recipe

I have never stuffed an eggplant or really anything besides a stocking or my stomach; but the opportunity arose this weekend at my local farmer's market. I was magnetically drawn to this beautiful, plump eggplant that was begging stuff meee and eat meeee; so, of course, I must honor its last wishes.

I found this awesome stuffed eggplant recipe from my BFF, Betty Crocker (she's always clutch in these situations).  The recipe calls for ground meat, but I'm going to negate this ingredient to make a delicious vegetarian dish a la moi; plus I can find most of the ingredients in my garden! Eureka. My parents are pumped that I'm making dinner tonight, so in the famous words of Paula Dean: here we go y'all.

What you'll need:

1 large eggplant

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 onion, diced small (about 1 cup)

1 red bell pepper, diced small (about 1 cup)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1 1/4 cups grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup panko crispy bread crumbs

1 whole egg

2 small tomatoes, chopped
1  medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash


Firstly, heat the oven to 350.

Freshly picked veggies from the garden with our main star (far right)

Next, slice open and scoop out your lovely eggplant. I felt like I was preparing my pumpkin for carving, and in a way it's the same idea except you don't carve your eggplant (but I mean, I guess you could...if you do, send me pictures). Leave enough of the eggplant meat intact, so the halves keep their shape. Put the eggplant "guts" in a separate bowl.

I don't know if there is a way around the seeds, but I kept 'em. I think it gives the dish a little more panache, don't you think? Next, take the eggplant "guts" and warm over the stove with water until soft.

While that cooks nicely, chop up your veggies. I added a zucchini and yellow squash in lieu of the meat, but you can add any veggies you want, be creative...this is your time to shine, y'all!

Cook the veggies until sauteed and the eggplant is soft. How pretty. Next, mix the above with the picture below (1 egg, 1/4 bread crumbs, 1/2 cheese and herbs).

+

Mix everything together in a gigantic bowl and you're almost there. I think this was the most involved recipe I have ever taken on from the picking to the chopping to the mixing to the packing; but my dad just walked in and asked "what smells so good", so I know I'm on the right track.

Lastly, scoop the mixture into your hallowed eggplant halves. Stuff as much as you can; you're really going to have to put your snowball packing skills to use.

=

Pretty!

YUM. Sprinkle the rest of the bread crumbs and cheese on top along with some chopped up tomatoes. Stick those suckers in the oven for about 50 minutes and watch carefully. The 50 minutes gave me enough time to clean (ew) and write this post (yay).

She's beautiful!; I feel like a proud mother. It's so funny how a meal can take over an hour to prepare but only minutes to eat; this was definitely worth the preparation though. It was really fresh, organically flavorful and super dooper healthy. Even my dad, whose a "meat & potatoes-kinda-guy," liked it...now that's saying something.

Bon Appetit, y'all.

Grounds for Grounds: Starbucks' Sustainability Initiative

While sipping on my sophisticated venti, italian roast, ice coffee with soy milk through a green straw, I was surprised at what I found at the Starbucks' entrance. At the base of the door was a tree accompanied with a basket of what looked like very large coffee bags. Initially I thought Starbucks was getting a tad carried away with its product line and loyal customers were slowly becoming borderline candidates for caffeine rehab. I was wrong, look how cool this is:

Here's a closer look:

:

My initial reactions were: (1) free, I love free!, (2) is it really free? Oh wait, it says "free", (3) I didn't know you could use coffee grounds as a fertilizer, (4) I'm definitely taking one, and (5) yay Starbucks!

This is such an innovative concept (and marketing campaign)! I love Starbucks in general, but was even more in love with this idea. Who would have put coffee grounds and gardens in the same category? Not moi, so I'm glad they did and I'm excited to try it out. Here's a blurb from the Starbucks Web site about its composting goals with Grounds for Your Garden:

"We introduced Grounds for Your Garden in 1995, which offers customers 
complimentary five-pound (2.27-kilogram) bags of used coffee grounds to enrich garden soil.  And where commercial composting is available, many stores are able to divert other food waste and  coffee grounds from the landfill as well."

I love the Go Green-ness of this idea! I reused my O'soy yogurt cup as the perfect fertilizer scooper. My garden now smells like a coffee bar and I feel more like a barista than a gardener; but what a great way to recycle and help the planet in perfect unison! Maybe if I'm lucky, the  Starbucks coffee grounds will help my produce grow venti-sized and make them as addictive as its' coffee!


*Update* Every since using the grounds, my plants have increased in size! I kid you not, I really think the coffee grounds gave my garden an espresso turbo boost! Go to Starbucks pronto and try it out! If you do, let me know about your experience :) Bravo Starbucks, bravo!

Homemade Sweet Pickle Recipe

I love pickles. When my mom and I went grocery shopping at the beginning of the summer, I rushed to the pickle aisle. Upon discovering me, she almost endured a small heart attack before asking "you're not pregnant, are you!?". No Mother, who says I have to be preggo to enjoy a pickle?--what an awful and misunderstood stigma that a Claussen pickle has to be associated with. Pickles are everyone friendly, knocked up or not.

Since I'm becoming quite the farmer and living off the land, why not make my own pickles. Plus, my cucumbers are latching onto everything in sight (my tomato plants, trees, small children) and I need a good reason to harvest 'em. So, I've acquired a nifty, little, sweet pickle recipe from a friend. All you have to do is shove 'em in the fridge for two weeks and they're ready to munch.

I have never pickled anything. The only thing I think that should be pickled is, well, pickles (hence the name).  The pickled beets, pigs feet, eye balls, etc. in the grocery aisles just seem to float in their jars like something from a Potions class at Hogwarts, aka they skeeve me out. I never saw myself as one to pickle anything, but I suppose there's a first for everything. I'm going to document my pickling experience with pictures from my high-tech Blackberry, 3.2 MP, camera (note the sarcasm if you missed it). Here we go.

Ingredients:

Cucumbers

Kosher salt

Onions

Sugar

White vinegar

Celery seeds

Whole cloves and;

A jar

...pretty simple, I like.

 I didn't have a jar so I'm recycling! The onions are from my garden, I used red and white ones. I cut up the cucumbers and, luckily, left enough after kidnapping a few for a snack...so good!

The recipe called for 2 tablespoons of salt mixed with 12 sliced cucumbers. Well,  my garden isn't industrial sized (yet) and I didn't have 12, I had 5; and unfortunately, I read that little detail after I added my salt; so my pickles will either be salty troopers or salt blocks, oh well. If using less cucumbers, guesstimate the amount of salt but I would say about 1 tablespoon. Then mix in about a cup of chopped onions. After all is mixed, let it stand for 1.5 - 2 hours while you twiddle your thumbs.

While waiting, mix 3 1/2 cups of sugar (remember!, this is only when using 12 cucumbers! I only used 1 cup for 5 cucumbers), 2 cups of vinegar (I scaled down to a cup), 1 tsp. of celery seeds and ground cloves in a separate bowl.

My co-chef

2 hours later...

Drain the cucumbers and then place them in the jar...and finally(!) pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and screw on the lid. Give it a shake, and place that puppy (jar, not my dog) in the refrigerator.

Viola!--my perfect pack of pickled pickles. See ya in two weeks! 

*Update!* Just tried my pickles and they're delicious! Pickle perfection :)