Loaves Abound!

Early Retirement?

2012-02-24T06:14:00.000-08:00

In church the other day the pastor was talking about stages of life, and what people do everyday, their vocations. Ross and I fell into the "do nothing/retired people" category, since the pastor did not include unemployment. After feeling left out and some reflection, I decided it really is like retirement.... we slept in, napped, read the paper, played cribbage at 2 in the afternoon.

At any rate, I guess I'm pulling a Michael Jordon and coming out of retirement... had some interviews, working part-time at the Y, hopefully things will be looking up!

But hey, what do you know? A slow-cooker chili recipe? Yummy!

Slow Cooker Turkey and Bean Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup dry black beans (or a BPA free can)

1 cup dry pinto beans (or a BPA free can)

1 can diced tomatoes (BPA free)

1 4oz can green chilis

1-2 cups frozen corn

32 ounces stock (vegetable, chicken, turkey, homemade)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 Tablespoons chili powder

cheese to top (optional)

Directions:

The night before or early in the morning, rinse and then add the dried beans to the slow cooker with 6 cups of water. Cook on high for 3 hours, so that they are close to being done but still firm. Drain, store overnight or put back in the slow cooker. Omit this step if using canned.

First, brown the turkey along with the onions and peppers, then add everything together into the slow cooker. Leave on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

Serve up with cornbread and enjoy! We loved this meal and ate leftovers for days.

It's a....

2012-02-14T07:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

How We Told the Family

2012-02-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

With Coffee mugs. And Christmas ornaments. And pictures. We never actually said the words "We're pregnant!" but we left everyone to their own devices.

The first family member I told was my sister via a text picture of the pregnancy test, and I am still amazed she kept it a secret for 6 long weeks! But thank goodness I had her to talk to, get excited with, and save me with Preggie Pops.

So 6 long weeks later, my Mother-in-law Lynn and my Dad (with his girlfriend Heidi and her son, Coty) came out for my graduation and to help us pack up and move, and since we knew that a) me not enjoying a brewski would be suspicious and b) we were dying to tell them, we made a plan.

First, we ordered these mugs from Zazzle.com. We wanted them to look exactly like the one that says "World's Greatest Boss" on The Office.

source

Obviously, my mom knew before we did. Miss her everyday. This is the last picture we took together back in 2008. I ended up telling my grandma (mom's mom) sooner than I thought I would because I was supposed to gather as much information about her pregnancies as we could remember, but I'm glad I did.

Lynn flew in first on Thursday. We picked her up from the shuttle with lunch in tow from Avenue Bread and headed back to our place. We set the table, laid out the sandwiches, and Ross asked his mom if she would like anything to drink, intending on serving whatever it was she asked for in the World's Greatest Grandma mug while we had water out of regular glasses. Ross gave it to her, and we sat down to eat. And... SHE DIDN'T NOTICE. Ross and I just kept looking at each other and I started giggling like a school girl, and she noticed that. Kept asking what she was missing, what was going on.

Grandma-to-Be Lynn, Me and Ross after my Graduation

Ross finally said "I guess we should have just served her drink in a regular glass." Then, after what seemed like an eternity, it dawned on her. Her response: "What, what, how does that work?" Bahahahaha. Then she gave me a big hug and asked all the usual questions... when are you due, when did you find out, who else have you told. Definitely surprised but definitely excited.

source

Since my Step-dad Brad (Or as Ross calls him, my Step-Brad) wasn't able to fly out, we decided to call him Thursday night. We knew the next few days were going to be so hectic, so we took advantage of the lull and texted him a picture from the ultra-sound that said "Hi Papa!" He called back soon and said "What the hell!" in a teasing voice but I could tell he was really excited. Since my niece was born last year, he knew the drill and had already gone through the anticipation and shock phase and was just excited. We ended up calling Ross' sister Lauren that night to tell her as well. He reaction: "I knew it!" How? We don't know.

Papa-to-be-AGAIN Brad and Me just a couple month before my wedding

Then my Dad came up on Friday, but he didn't make it before Ross had to work, so we changed plans and had to take the mug to dinner. We ate at the Chukanut Brewery and while we were waiting to be seated I "went to the bathroom." I really did, but on the way I tracked down the hostess and had her give the mug to our server, telling them both that whatever my dad ordered to drink had to be served in this mug. They were SO thrilled to be in on part of the scheme, and all so exciting.

As it came time to order drinks I simply told the server that I wanted to sample everyone's beer first and then decide. My dad ordered a Kolsch, and a few minutes later our drinks came. The server gave it to him, saying that this mug had been especially selected for him. He got it pretty quickly, and was speechless. Then Coty (8 years old) looked at it and stated very loudly "I thought that was what happened after she had a baby." HA ha ha classic. His mom looked at him and said "Think about it Coty." He got it eventually. Such a fun dinner!

Me, Grandpa-to-Be Don

Since Rod (my Father-in-law) couldn't fly out either Lynn had to wait an entire 3 days back after arriving back home without saying a word. I have to give her a lot of credit, I don't know if I could have done it. The night we arrived in the moving van we served him up some wine the mug. He took one look at it and said "Are you trying to tell me something?" Hugs all around. Then he asked "When?" And since it was so vague I said "Ross' birthday." Ha ha I had to get that in at least once!

Lynn, Grandpa-to-be Rod, Ross, Me and Aunt-to-be Lauren

For Ross' side of the family, we decided to give the grandparents ornaments that looked something like this and have them open it as a gift in front of the extended family. Ross' maternal grandma (Lynn's Mom) just read it and said "How nice" while cousin Kjersten was about to pee her pants. Slowly it dawned on the other 20 people standing around but Kjersten had to whisper in Grandma's ear and explain to her what happened. It was pretty hilarious.

Ross' paternal grandma got it right away but kept really quiet, to which Aunt Julie shouted "Did you even read it?!?!" and was bursting at the seams!

source

We told other family members on my side while we were driving from WA to MN (the first time) so that they would know before Christmas, and it was a bummer to not get to do anything more fun but with traveling it just didn't work out. I've heard lots of fun stories about framing grandma/pa picture frames with ultrasound pictures and such, but I'm so happy with how we told out family. It was fun and simple, and as it turned out, came with some great stories!!!

And then, there's how I told you!

First Trimester Fun

2012-02-03T14:49:00.000-08:00

Or perhaps mostly not so fun... but here is a brief recap of the first 3 months of Baby Radtke's life in-utero.

1.When did you find out you were pregnant?
Right before Halloween. It was a combination of my BBT staying high and my period not showing up, so we figured I should take a test. Around 5:45am one morning I peed on a stick, and sure enough there were two pink lines. There was no way I couldn't tell Ross right away, so I capped it and crawled back into bed with him, hardly believing my eyes. His response: "Well, what did you expect?" Typical Ross. I just kept staring at it, and Ross reminded me that he was the one that got me pregnant, not that stick, and that I should pay more attention to him. Always a Joker. ;-)

2. What early symptoms did you have?
Physical symptoms included: a sore throat and feeling like I had a mild cold, bloating and mild gastro-intestinal symptoms, headaches, sore nipples, and some blood after intercourse, which was very unusual for me personally.

The non-physical signs included a random text from a dear friend who told me she had a dream I was pregnant. The text came the day I think we conceived! The other odd thing was that I definitely had a fish dream. In my dream we were walking around a town like Leavenworth with our families and in the center of the town there was a fountain. It was sunny and beautiful, and as I walked up to the fountain I looked down and there were many rainbow fish swimming around! Dreaming about swimming fish is thought to be a symbol of conception.

3. What was the best thing about the first trimester?
For a while it was just Ross and I who knew (and perhaps a few of my girlfriends), but it was so exciting and new and secret. Another thing I really appreciate was that I had my husband by my side to take care of me and help me when I needed it. I honestly don't know how I could have gotten through it without him, and I feel for those mommas without a partner to help out. Pregnancy really isn't meant to be a solo event.

Ross says the best part was not worrying about birth control anymore... although he also said that having sex now that I'm pregnant is overkill. Just kidding!

4. What was the worst?
The desire to share it with our family and the world yet so many fears. I was constantly worried at first: the fear of miscarriage was always looming in the back of my mind. My grandma had one, my mom didn't, and I'm pretty healthy, but you never know. It was such an incredible relief when we finally got to see the heart beating at a mere 6.5weeks!!!! It is so incredible how early the heart starts beating.

My other greatest fear was losing a job opportunity because I was pregnant, which ended up happening. While I must admit I am not over that completely, I know it isn't the worst thing in the world. I know God must have a plan for us even if we don't see it or understand it.

5. How bad was the morning sickness?
I was definitely nauseous and stayed in bed a lot. It wasn't fun, I'll be honest, but the most fundamental and vital stages of development happen in the first trimester. Morning sickness if our bodies' way of making sure no poisons or toxins can enter our body and harm the baby. It's a blessing really, as much as it sucks.

A lot of smells really bothered me, especially bacon - ugh! Ross made some one morning in the microwave and I didn't go into the kitchen for a week. I subsisted on macaroni and cheese, string cheese, chocolate, Mexican food and a bunch of junk (so unlike me!) Ross brought me many meals in bed while I chugged away at finishing my masters project, and he was such a dear. My sister also sent me Preggie Pops which were a God-send: I highly recommend them!!!

6. The belly?
Well, it doesn't really exist in the first trimester. I started out being really bloated, and my pants were definitely tight after week 8, and I decided to move into maternity pants around week 10 just to be more comfortable. The hair-tie trick works well, but I just didn't feel great walking around with my pants unzipped. I tried belly-bands too, and though some women love them I am not a fan and wouldn't recommend them. Thrift store maternity pants did the trick!

source

Just for kicks:

5 weeks

8 weeks

11 weeks

14 weeks

7. How did you tell people?

This needs a blog post all its own. Coming soon.

8. What are you most looking forward to in the second trimester?

Since I'm already a few weeks into it, I'll tell you what I've been loving: a return of appetite and energy, the desire to eat green things again especially, the beginning of my belly, and coming soon: finding out the gender!!!! There's no way we can wait. I mean, if we had to we would, but we don't!

9. When are you due? Sometime around the 4th of July! I can't wait to meet this little blessing, and we're hoping for firecrackers to celebrate!

10. Advice to other moms in their first trimester?

This too shall pass. Don't worry so much about your diet, exercising, and so on... as Ross has told me many times, "It is HARD WORK growing a person!" Rest, nap, and enjoy your little miracle!

The times, they are a Changin'

2012-01-26T11:23:00.000-08:00

Come gather 'round people

Wherever you roam

And admit that the waters

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You'll be drenched to the bone

If your time to you

Is worth savin'

Then you better start swimmin'

Or you'll sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin'.

-Bob Dylan

I've had this song stuck in my head a lot lately, for I am definitely at a point of transition in my life. It's been a humbling reminder that the only thing that will always be there in life is change.

Lately I've been thinking that I need to do a blog post, get back into it, but I'm never sure what about. I've been doing some baking and cooking, but nothing new. I think this has been tough because I don't like where we are in life right now... unemployed, pregnant, homeless... Holden just didn't work out. But hey, I have a masters degree! And I know we'll get it all figured out, God has a plan for us that we just don't see yet.

I know that I have much to be grateful for. I am blessed by this little one growing inside me. I am so thankful that my in-laws have graciously welcomed us home, cleaned out shelves and dressers and made room for us, but Ross and I are definitely pining for our own space, and pining to set up nursery for the little one who is growing way too fast already. I'm not going to be able to hide it at interviews much longer, but so far I've been able to find some good outfits.

I've got a few nibbles on job opportunities, but I'm having a tough time finding positions that directly use my degree and don't require me to be in the field all summer... not compatible with a 4th of July guess date and having a baby. I've decided I'm going to have to look for something to do for now, and celebrate the time in my life in which I get the beautiful chance to be pregnant and give birth. There is plenty of life left to find the perfect job.

So, I'm not sure what this blog is going to look like for now. I think I will start blogging more about my pregnancy so that I have my memories of it written down in a medium I know I will use, and as I explore and discover the food scene around the Twin Cities I will share that too. Tough in the middle of winter, but we'll see. If you're still with me, thanks for reading =)

Also, though I would share a few pictures from our trip from Washington to MN. We made it our "Babymoon" and had a wonderful time exploring some parks and places along the way.

Glacier National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Jr. Ranger Jenn... ha ha.

Devil's Tower

Mt Rushmore

Blogiversary

2012-01-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

A year ago yesterday was my first Blogiversary!

My New Year's Resolution for 2011 was to go a year without buying bread.

I made it... until September. Between recovering from surgery and morning sickness, in these past couple months I haven't the energy or desire to bake bread, let alone eat it. But I was happy with the alternatives we came up with - buying local, organic bread from an independent bakery.

Then I graduated (WAHOO!!! M.ED. Environmental Education), we packed up and moved, and I didn't have a kitchen or all my flours and tools with which to bake, though I did make some garlic knots for Christmas while we were in Minnesota.

However, it had been a fabulous year, and I have learned so much about bread, many types of breads, enjoyed the health benefits and had a lot of fun along the way. I've also grown in my faith and become connected to my food in ways I never imagined.

My favorites from the year:

Swirl Rye Sourdough, Eh?

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread

And my New Year's Resolution for this year? Find meaningful employment, a place to live, and keep myself as healthy as possible for our little one on the way, and prepare to bring the little one into the world in the best possible way. Lofty goals, right?

Happy New Year!

Merry "Baking" Christmas

2011-12-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

I apologize for being MIA lately, but between graduation, moving, and a sudden change of plans, Ross and I have been busy working on our most wonderful and challenging baking project yet. ;-)

A blessed Christmas to you all!

P.S. Yes, that's a bun in the oven.

Port Holiday Festival

2011-12-02T22:19:00.001-08:00

Today I had the pleasure of singing with Christ the Servant Lutheran Church's young adult choir - New Song - at Bellingham's Holiday Port Festival.

My dear friend Molly

And Matt! Both of whom we had the pleasure of working with at Lutherwood.

And Cindy, our wonderful director, who seemed to be looking at someone else's camera. Oh well =)

Singing was fun! We went through some Christmas songs, a few spirituals and our bests from the year. It was an early performance and therefore it was quiet, but we had a nice crowd. A woman came up to me after to thank us for singing about the true meaning of Christmas, it was sweet.

Then we got to check out the Gingerbread House Contest!!!!

Took pictures of some of my favorites, such as Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

That was for Ross - Angry Birds - I wish there was no such thing as an Angry Birds app. Or a tanks app. Or a chess app. Or any of the many things Ross gets sucked into... ha ha.

Santa's Ranch - LOVED the raw sugar detail on the Triscuit roof, really make it sparkle.

A Yuletide Yurt!

The Lorax

The Red Cross (where I volunteer instruct from time to time)

And my personal favorite - HOGWARTS CASTLE! There's the castle, the Quidditch pitch, the Whomping Willow and the Forbidden Forest!!!! I LOVE IT! I'm such a nerd, but I love that too.

I ended the day with a lovely sunset walk with Molly at Boulevard Park. The weather couldn't have been better, and someone was playing their fiddle on the rocks outside, it was simply magical. I will miss Bellingham so much!

In other news, I am done with my graduate project, just need to present it next week and then get a nice printed, bound copy made. Then graduation is a week from tomorrow!!!

So we're just packing, trying to figure out how on earth to pack for life at Holden, and waiting for our families to arrive in a week to celebrate and help us move. Thanks family!!!

Thankgiving

2011-11-24T15:43:00.001-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I hope you got to celebrate with something delicious looking like this (or perhaps nothing like this!) and with those that you love. We sure did miss our families but enjoyed a quiet day with just me, Ross, and Bryan - a friend of Ross' from school and camp.

Our special bird came from Cedarville Farm where he lived a good life until this past Tuesday when he came to us. We had decided that buying our turkey from Mike at the farm was very important to us because it aligned with our Christian eating ethic - like supporting a good local farmer who we had developed a relationship with, and the manner in which this turkey was raised had a positive impact of the people who cared for it and the environment, and was healthy for our bodies.

The turkey needed a brine, so we added 3 cups of salt to 3 gallons of water and soaked him overnight in a 5 gallon bucket. It took a complete rearranging of the refrigerator, but we made it work. The next morning after a quick rinse and dry he was ready to roast!

We sprinkled the bird with paprika and placed him in an oven bag, stuffed him and left him to roast for about 3 hours.

It couldn't have turned out better.

After a 30 minute cool I got to carving. While I was cutting into the breast I started hear this strange sound, it was a faint "gobble gobble." I started freaking out, but then it stopped. I kept carving and then heard it again! I thought I was losing it... then I realized the dishwasher was making some weird squeaking noises. Whew, close one!

The result was incredible. Delicious, moist meat with a nice, subtle salty flavor.

I used all the drippings to make a gravy: just put the drippings in a pot, brought them to a boil and added some organic corn starch to thicken. So simple, and the result was delicious!

Stuffing - with apples, carrots, celery, onions and cranberries.

Potatoes, also from Cedarville Farm.

Organic sweet potatoes with brown sugar, cinnamon and vegan marshmallows.

Green bean casserole - and the only thing that came in a can were the fried onion pieces for the top. I made a simple roux, sautéd mushrooms and onions with the fresh whole green beans, mixed it all up and baked it.

We have so much to be thankful for - a wonderful meal, each other, graduation is coming up, we get to travel and be home with family for the holidays, we have the opportunity to live and serve at Holden Village soon, and new adventures to come.

Thank God for good food, friends, family, farmers, cooks, and eaters alike.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Christian Eating Principles

2011-11-18T15:08:00.001-08:00

My graduate school project is getting closer and closer to completion, and while researching I was struck by this set of principles offered by John Barclay and I felt compelled to share them with you. Perhaps consider theses are you prepare for Thanksgiving next week.

Principles: “The first wasthat all food consumption must be done in orientation and thanksgiving to God;the second, that any food consumption must take into account the effects ofthat eating on others.”

What does this mean?

“1. Although the Christianfaith imposes no universal rule regarding which foods may or may not be eaten,food is not a non-issue for Christians, but is liable to raise a number ofacute and serious questions concerning Christian obedience.

2. A critical questionconcerning food is whether it can be eaten in thanksgiving to God, whether itsorientation is ‘to the Lord’. Good consumption is not a neutral issue forChristians, nor an ‘unspiritual’ matter beneath their moral radar, but as mucha part of their Christ-orientation as every other dimension of life.

3. It is central toChristian discipleship to consider the effects of one’s practices on others, tolook beyond one’s own legitimate rights and freedoms to see how others areaffected. Even food – what we eat and how and where we eat it – can haveserious knock-on effects on others, unintended, perhaps, and unexpected: but itis our responsibility to know those effects and to weigh them.

4. Food-taboos are not inprinciple un-Christian; abstention may be a necessary way of honoring the Lord.In particular, if food consumption causes harm to others, if it damages theweak or humiliates the poor, it is Christians’ responsibility to impose upon themselvesa contextually relevant food taboo.”

So what is our Christianresponsibility in the face of the impending and current environmental crisis?

Barclay, J. G. (2010). Food, Christian identity andglobal warming: a Pauline call for a Christian food taboo. ExpositoryTimes, 121(12), 585-593. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Famous Bowls

2011-11-10T17:23:00.001-08:00

Oh man - it's my last month in grad school - as in graduation is one month from today!!!! That means I am in full-on project writing mode. I've been busy, trying to take it easy when I can and writing furiously the other times.

This means that my darling husband Ross has been doing most of the cooking and cleaning around here lately, which I LOVE (thank you honey!!!), but I honestly haven't spent much time in the kitchen in the past week.

One meal we worked on together that was out of this world, however, was our very own version of those KFC Famous bowls! <--- Please click on that link for a hilarious video. But you know what I mean - those commercials that keep cropping up on Sundays during football games for KFC's Famous Bowls. Now I wouldn't say that they looked good, but the idea of them with my own local & organic twist, now that sounded amazing. And we tried the happy lamp to help with the lighting in the pictures... it totally overdid it. But I'm not skilled nor willing to spend time with photoshop right now, so here goes!

Famous Bowls

20 organic mini yellow potatoes

1/2 medium organic onion, chopped

1 cup organic corn, frozen or canned

2 slices Hempler's local bacon, chopped

2+ leaves organic, local kale

2 organic chicken breasts, cubed

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Salt, pepper, garlic, al gusto

Start with oven roasting mini yellow potatoes for 40 minutes at 400F. They were just coated in canola oil and sprinkled with garlic powder and pepper.

Cook up the bacon in one pan, then use the bacon grease to saute the kale in. In another skillet, saute the onions and chicken until cooked thoroughly.

As the potatoes roast and the bacon sizzles, you can chop up the kale, and nuke the corn in the microwave or heat in a saucepan on the stove.

Then let the fun begin! Start with a layer of sauted kale in the bottom.

Then add those cute mini potatoes!

Then the chicken and onions.

Layer on the corn.

Finally, top it with the bacon and the cheese!

They. were. AMAZING.

Ross added ranch dressing to his, while I layered on Frank's Red Hit Buffalo Sauce. We were both raving at our delicious creation!

Take that KFC!

Oh, and hopefully see you soon? I honestly don't know when... but I'll be back. Wish me luck on finishing everything up!

Jack-O-Pepper

2011-10-31T11:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

This year Ross and I decided not to carve a pumpkin. Instead, we carved peppers!

Those beautiful peppers I got from the Farmer's Market!

To make your very own Jack-O-Pepper you need these local and/or organic ingredients:

2 large orange bell peppers.

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup cooked black beans (canned are fine)

1 green or poblano pepper

1/2 medium onion

1/2 cup shredded cheese - cheddar or pepper-jack

1 Tbsp canola oil

Seasonings al gusto

Slice open the top and clean out the guts just like you would a pumpkin. Save the top.

Chop the green pepper and onions into small pieces and saute with the oil. You could also add mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. Be creative!

After the onions are translucent add the rice and beans, mix together and cook until hot. Add any seasonings you want here - garlic, cumin, chili powder, s&p.

While the stuffing is sauteing you get to carve your peppers!

Carve then anyway you like, keeping the openings reasonably small.

Then stuff them! Fill with alternating layers of stuffing and cheese.

Take care to place the black beans in the mouth and eyes for a dramatic effect.

So creepy!

Cap them and place them upright in an oven safe dish and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes...

or until its hot and the cheese is all melted. It kinda looks like his brains are falling out!

Then enjoy! We put some tortilla chips on the side, and I definitely added a lot of hot sauce to mine!

Happy Halloween! Be safe!

______________________________

I met nearly every one of the goals I set for myself in October! The only one I didn't really get into was meditation. I like meditation and prayer in conjunction with yoga, but not on its own.

Raclette Dinner

2011-10-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

Last night Ross and I were invited over to our friends Sarah & Stead's house for a wonderful Raclette dinner!

The Beautiful Sarah

And her wonderful husband Stead.

And Raclette! What is it? Good question. It is a "party grill" of sorts, similar in idea to fondou and oh so much fun! Each person gets this great shovel-type tray to place items such as bread, veggies, but most importantly CHEESE! You place it under the grill to broil.

While things are broiling down below you are grilling all sorts of things on the top with your personal mini spatula. It's super hot and cooks quickly, and tastes amazing!

Things that work well on the Raclette include asparagus, peppers, onions, sausage, chicken, and mushrooms. The possibilities are endless! Alongside this we had red potatoes, french bread and three types of cheese - cheddar, Swiss and Muenster - just in time for Halloween.

Once everything is cooked up you mash up the potato, add the veggies, and top with the broiled cheese! Or you could make a cheesy sandwich like Ross did... he makes a sandwich out of everything. It's a fact. I love how creative you can be mixing up the veggies, cheeses and meats - but the best part was getting to cook and enjoy time with each other. This is how a meal should be - time spent together!

Our Raclette evening gets two thumbs up! Great friends, great food, and a great time.

Thanks Sarah and Stead! And a special thanks for doing the dishes too... =)

Happy Weekend!

Green Holy Communion

2011-10-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

How to "Green" Your Church's Eucharist, or Holy Communion

Source the elements of Holy Communion locally if at all possible.

Is there a local and independently owned bakery to purchase loaves of bread?
Is there locally grown or milled flour to bake with?
Is there a local winery?
Do any members of the congregation farm or produce flour or wine?
Are there organic options available?

Establish a church garden in which to grow the necessary ingredients for communion.

Call upon congregation members with green thumbs to help out.
Obviously this will vary depending on local climate and seasons.

Use washable cups for individual portions of wine/grape juice, or practice intinction.

For those who do not wish to drink from the common cup, using small washable glasses reduces waste tremendously.
If this is not feasible, use recyclable cups instead.
Practicing intinction (the dipping of the bread into the cup) eliminates the need for either.

Dedicate a specific prayer for Creation during the Prayers of the Church.

Thank God for the bounty of Creation that provides us with bread and wine so that we can partake in this sacrament.

Encourage and include moments of silence to reflect upon our relationship to the earth and our relationship to food.

Reflection can help to foster care for the earth and all its inhabitants.

Practice open communion.

By inviting all to the table, Christian communities embrace the diversity of all people and all of God’s creation, including the earth.

From Galbraith, K. L.(2009). Broken Bodies of God: The Christian Eucharist as a Locus for EcologicalReflection. Worldviews: Environment Culture Religion, 13(3), 283-304.

Farmer's Market Saturday

2011-10-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

Fall is so colorful!

I suppose that is what makes the gray, rainy days tolerable in the fall. And I get to wear my awesome Bogs.

We headed to the Farmer's Market this morning to see what we would find! And we brought home 5 of these beautiful peppers!

And one of these gigantic sweet onions!

Ross thought it was too big and we wouldn't use it all. Please, I used onions nearly everyday!

And look at this vegetable! Romanesco broccoli - it's it the coolest looking vegetable ever!

We sampled some cheeses from Samish Bay Cheese - one of my favorite things to do at the market.

I loved seeing all the pumpkins around!

I wanted to bring some of these funky gourds home, but the warts give Ross the creeps, so we went with a couple mini-pumpkins instead.

Then we spent the day napping (me), watching college football (mostly Ross), getting lessons on offensive formations in football (me), and snacking (both). Tomorrow is back to the grind - after church I'll be working on my masters project all day again!

Hope you had a wonderful Saturday!

Pumpkin Birthday Cake

2011-10-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

We had fun celebrating Ross' 26th birthday on Monday. It was pretty low-key: I made homemade calzones for dinner and then we caught up on The Office. Like up-to-tonight current caught up. Too bad Grey's Anatomy is on at the same time.

The night before Ross' birthday I realized that hadn't thought about making him a cake! Thankfully, Mama Pea came to the rescue right before bed when she posted her Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake.

Now I'm not sure what defines a cake as a "coffee cake," but I sure wasn't going to tell Ross that "coffee" was the name of the recipea that I used for his birthday cake. He has a strong aversion to coffee, and despite the fact that no coffee beans were used in the production of this cake, he would have been suspicious. Ignorance is bliss.

The only thing I changed from Mama Pea's recipea was that I added an egg. I think it made the cake richer and helped it rise more. Or it could have been the fact that I used equal parts baking soda and baking powder. Whoops.

The streusel topping really stole the show!

Later on we added the cream cheese icing, though we dug into it before I could take pictures. And it was all gone by dinner last night. It was incredible, moist, not too sweet, and all around wonderful. Sans coffee - just add in some birthday.

Ross has been begging me to make more. We finished the last piece 16 hours ago! Well, now he has the recipea, maybe he'll make it for me while I am working on my graduate project!!! Hint hint.

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my husband!
I love him because...

He is so handsome!

And he's a great kisser.

And a really good dancer, though he'd never admit to it!

I can trust him with my life.

He's my hiking buddy!

He's a beer-brewing lumberjack.

He's sometimes a pirate.

He's a Joker and always makes me laugh.

He still looks good even in a mullet!

Sometimes he thinks he is Canadian.

He's a born and raised hockey nut. I mean Minnesotan.

He's a great singer... but only on Halloween in costume after a pitcher of beer.

He makes the best fires.

And I love him because...

He is my best friend!!!!

I LOVE YOU ROSS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

World Food Day

2011-10-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

Today, Sunday, October 16th, is World Food Day.

Today is a day that Millions are Marching against Monsanto to support our right to know whether or not our food are Genetically Engineered (GE).

Today is a day to consider ways to reduce poverty, hunger, and injustice.

Today is a day to get to Know Your Farmer, Know your Food.

Today is a day to celebrate food and agriculture.

Today is a day to pray that there will be bread for all.

O God, for daily bread, we give thanks. To those who have bread, give hunger for justice, and for those who hunger, give bread. Amen.

Breakfast Date & Exciting News!

2011-10-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

Alright - the exciting news first!

Ross and I just found out that we were accepted into a long term staffing position at Holden Village!

Ross will be a Utilities Assistant and I am going to be a Lead Cook! We start in early January and couldn't be more thrilled. Now I just need to make sure I graduate...

After hearing the news, however, I started thinking about all the places in Bellingham I would miss, and the Old Town Cafe was one that popped in my head right away!

Therefore, Ross and I decided on an impromptu breakfast date Friday morning.

So fun to wear my hair down as opposed to in a hair net!

Ross ordered his usual - the Farmer's Skillet Deluxe with bacon. It is their home fries with peppers, onions, mushrooms, celery and cheese, 2 eggs, 2 slices of toast, sour cream and salsa - always on the side (for me!)

I vary my choices between their amazing huevos rancheros to scrambles to omelets - this time it was a 2-egg omelet with green chili, avocado, and cheese with home fries and their incredible black beans on the side.

I love that they use local and organic ingredients as much as possible, and that their food is so delicious!!! Best breakfast in Bellingham.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2011-10-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

The hearty, rich squashes of harvest season are here! I was super excited to make my own stuffed acorn squash after seeing this one.

Though when I got home last night and actually looked at the recipe, I realized that I just didn't have all the ingredients on hand. Therefore, not only did I make my own stuffed squash, I created my own recipe from ingredients that came in our CSA box this past Wednesday.

Stuff Acorn Squash for Two

1 large organic acorn squash

1 medium organic onion

2 portobello mushrooms

2 small organic tomato

1 organic red pepper

1 cup organic wheat berries (or brown rice)

Canola oil

Salt, pepper, garlic, and any spices you desire

Parmesan cheese to top

First, start cooking the wheat berries by rinsing them and putting them in a rice cooker with with 2 1/2 cups water. Let the rice cooker do it's thing for about 25-30 minutes - about the same time as it takes the squash to cook. Then pre-heat the oven to 425*.

Rinse your acorn squash and then chop it in half. I had Ross help me out with this part - I am considering sterilizing his coping saw for future squash and pumpkin cooking.

Then take a spoon and scrape out the seeds and pulp just as if you were carving a pumpkin.

Place the halves face up on a cookie sheet, brush or spray the flesh with oil, and season with salt, pepper, garlic, etc. Bake for 30 minutes or so, until you can easily poke the squash with a fork without resistance.

In the meantime, finely chop the onion, pepper, mushrooms and tomatoes, and saute until soft. I waited to add the tomatoes until right at the end because they can make it too soggy to get that nice charring effect that I love on peppers and onions. When the wheat berries are done, add them into the mix in the frying pan.

When the squash is ready, spoon your stuffing into the cavity of the quash.

Top with some cheese and broil for 2-3 minutes.

So delicious! This is a definite repeat recipe - we want to experiment with other ingredients as well, like chicken sausage, apples, and bread (more like a stuffing). This was a big squash and there was plenty leftover over - when we were full we scraped out the remaining flesh and mixed it with the remaining stuffing in a Pyrex bowl to save for lunch today!

Today is pretty low-key; we went to church and I sang with my choir, we stopped by Trader Joe's for some groceries, and now I'm working on some stuff for school and Ross is watching football in-between loads of laundry.

Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2011-10-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

It is Pumpkin season indeed, and it has definitely been feeling more like fall around here with drizzly, gray days and the sun setting much earlier. Pumpkins are popping up all over the place, and Ross even pulled out our fall table cloth the other day.

Pumpkin pancakes are a favorite of ours this time of year! Last year we used the box from Trader Joe's, which is good, but I though I would make them from scratch. I thought that using real pumpkin, although canned, would have a greater nutritional value. And it was relaxing to be making pancakes on a rainy, cozy morning.

I followed the pumpkin pancake recipe from allrecipes - and I loved it!

Pretty simple - mix the dry, then the wet.

Then all together.

Plopping the batter on the griddle was more challenging as the batter is not your typical pancake consistency - it is thick and sticks together. Resist the temptation to thin it out with more milk though, as they are delicious in their thick, fluffy form.

Perfectly golden brown, moist and the pumpkin flavor really came through! I topped mine with my homemade vanilla yogurt, though Ross opted for the traditional maple syrup. The kind that comes from trees mind you.

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I have been doing a good job of keeping to my goals this first week of October! I have done yoga nearly everyday - and LOVE yogaglo.com and would highly recommend it. I've been drinking lots of tea, had a wonderful massage (or two...), and even decided to visit a Chiropractor.

My jaw has been painful and tight, and I'm tired of restricting myself to a soft foods diet, and didn't think that muscle relaxants or steroid injections sounded very appealing (as my doc suggested), nor did it sound like those things would solve the problem, just cover it up. I can say that right now I really appreciated that Chiropractor listened intently to what my concerns were, and he was interested in caring for my whole body and whole health, not just treating a symptom. I'm optimistic!

Have you ever gone to a Chiropractor? What was your experience like?

Goals for October

2011-10-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have been extremely stressed and anxious lately, some things I can share - work, school, money - and others I can't. I usually carry a fair amount of stress, but lately it has gotten a little out of control. I've been obsessing over things, trying to plan for things I just can't control, and letting it get out of control. My body aches, my jaw is tight and painful, I am on the verge of tears too easily and I snap at Ross for no reason.

So I've been reflecting and made some goals for myself to try to bring myself back to a calm, centered state of being - body, mind and soul. I want to share them publicly for a few reasons: it will make me more accountable to my goals, I can reference this post, and I would love any support that you can offer.

1. Practicing yoga everyday. Or at least 5 times a week. I used to practice faithfully, but since my surgery I had to take a break and haven't quite gotten back into the swing of things.

2. Meditation. This isn't something I have ever tried, but why not? I decided to try a free trial at yogaglo.com - and they have lots of videos with meditations. I'm going to see if it does anything for me.

3. Walking. I love the brisk fall weather, the changing leaves, and I love going for evening walks to watch the sunset. It's also a good time for Ross and I to talk without distractions.

4. Massage. At least twice this month, if not once a week. I have a dear friend who offers me a student discount, and I appreciate having someone who I can trust with not only my body but my spirit as well.

5. Drinking more herbal teas. Like chamomile, peppermint and ginger.

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6. Saying no. I don't have to work extra hours or commit to extra things if it stresses me out. I'm going to find the power to say no, and to take time for me.

7. Bake. Baking and cooking bring me joy! I love working with my hands and watching a meal, or a loaf of bread come into being from start to finish. This is a meditative process for me as well.

8. Prayer and Scripture. It seems so obvious, but how easily one can forget this simple act of faith.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" -Matthew 6: 25-27

What do you do for stress relief?

Pictures from stockvault.net

CreativiTea

2011-09-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

I had a fun and relaxing evening recently with my friend Siri at CreativiTea - a "pottery painting studio and tea bar" located in Fairhaven right next to Skylark's Hidden Cafe.

First you peruse this massive wall of things to paint - mugs, plates, bowls, frames, vases, dog bowls, and even little things like penguins, gnomes, and they had quite a collection of skulls, pirates, spiders and pumpkins out as well for the upcoming holiday. Eventually you'll be able to pick one.

But then there is the wall of paint! How do you decide what color, what design, what style? Free hand, look to books for inspiration, or follow a pattern? Stencils? Feathers? Sparkle paint or regular?

Then you have to decide what tea to get! We decided to opt out of tea because our brains couldn't handle any more choices that night. Although when I went back with Ross to pick up our creations we decided to try the Rooibos Caramel Tea - IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Whether you are a tea drinker or not you will love this tea. It reminded me of Christmastime at Holden Village.

Eventually, we got down to business. Siri selected a lovely leopard print frame to get the part started.

And went with a frame!

A week later: beautiful! Sorry for the shadows, but they wouldn't let me take her frame home, just look at it. Pretty cool eh? She chose a color to paint, then placed bits of dried paint which formed those beautiful blobs during the firing.

I went with a plate because I want a pretty fall background to photograph for my blog. Is that lame?

Plus I love fall! I did some stencil pumpkins and leaves, some free-hand leaves, and had a lot of fun painting them! It was so relaxing and enjoyable, and Siri is such great company.

I like it, though I feel a but critical of myself (I wish I had painted that one leaf one cm more to the left! Why didn't I do a border?) But I like it. And soon it will be covered in delicious food! Keep you eye out for it. =)

And we may or may not have painted something else, but I can't tell you about it today. I will definitely share with you when I can though!

So here's to your CreativiTea!

Do you like to paint? If not, what is your artsy fix?

I love to knit/crochet and quilt, and as the weather is changing it is definitely getting to be knitting season!

Homemade Apple Pie

2011-09-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

I suppose it's a bit ridiculous to spend my days off making apple pies.. but I think a part of me really needed to prove that I could do it from beginning to end. And it wasn't exactly work... baking is my stress relief! And the result... simply beautiful.

I followed this recipe from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. The key is to keep a pie crust cold - if you plan ahead, it would be good to refrigerate the flour beforehand.

Sweet Pie Crust

All amounts double, separated - perfect for an 8- or 10-inch 2-crust pie.

1 cup unbleached white flour + 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour

1 stick butter (1 cup), cold and cubed

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp ice water

Filling

6-8 Large sweet-to-tart apples (Like Gravensteins)

1 cup Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp other spices (cardamom, nutmeg, cloves)

1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor.

Cube the butter, making sure it's cold.

Add the butter to the food processor and process for only about 10 -12 seconds - until the resulting mixture looks like cornmeal.

If you over-process it will warm up the dough, which you don't want.

Pour the dough into a bowl and add the ice water.

Mix with your hands gently until you can form it into a ball. If it's too wet add a little more flour, and if it's too dry add a little more ice water.

Wrap it in plastic and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. You can store it for a couple days in the fridge or a few weeks in the freezer, or longer.

Repeat to make the second crust.

While the dough is chilling you can work on the apples! These are BelleWood's Gravenstein apples which are excellent for baking due to their sweet-tart quality.

Slice and core the apples however you see fit really. Some of these were too big for my slicer/corer, so I did them by hand. It had me pining for the machines at work!

Then you want to make sure there is no core remaining on your apple slices - as the core will not cook and is not very palatable.

Slice off the skin as well.

After all the apples are sliced you can toss to coat with cinnamon, sugar, spices, and the apple cider vinegar.

Then take the dough balls out of the fridge and sprinkle a surface with a little flour.

Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is 1-2 inches wider than your pie dish.

Using the rolling pin, lift up the dough and gently lay it onto the pie dish.

Then press the dough into the dish.

You can cut off any excess easily with a knife.

Fill the crust with the filling.

The roll out your second crust.

Place it over the filling.

Trim off the edges leaving about an inch hanging over the side.

Tuck the dough under and press to seal to the bottom crust.

Then you can use your thumb to press in a pretty pattern around the edge of the crust.

Be creative!!!

Place a few slits in a circle using a sharp knife to allow to pie to steam.

Then place the pie on a cookie sheet (the helps to cook the bottom crust and the catch any juice from the filling that may drip over the pie). Bake at 400F for 50-60 minutes, using a pie crust shield or a ring of foil to prevent the top crust from cooking too quickly (take this off in the last 20 minutes of baking). You know the pie is done when you stick a butter knife through on of the slits and meet no resistance.

Let it cool for at least 2 hours - that way you serve slices of pie and not apple slosh. You can always reheat the slices in the microwave.

I sprinkled it with a bit of raw sugar to give the pie a little sparkle.

I am so excited!

Then it can serve it up with a bit of vanilla ice cream and apple cider for a game night.

Stress relieved for sure! Though I'm probably not going to do this again until Thanksgiving. Or if I get really stressed about finishing my masters degree... so I'm sure it'll be sooner than later. =)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

What's your stress relief?

Packages!

2011-09-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

We got three packages this week! Always exciting. The first was our order from Lush - some natural solid shampoos and a conditioner since I realized I wasn't happy with the ingredients in my current shampoo.

I chose to try the Jumping Juniper shampoo because it is supposed to target oily hair, and, well, it was purple. I was surprised at how much lather I got out of it this morning! So far so good!

This is the Dr. Peppermint shampoo for Ross - I picked it out because in the description it said it was "for those who have noticed a certain upward advancement in the forehead department." I think he was slightly offended. =(

Then we are sharing the Jungle solid conditioner - which I really didn't like when I was trying to use it. I felt like I couldn't really get it into my hair - but after some lathering, slathering in my hair, and rinsing, I was surprised at how soft my hair feels! So, I think I like it. Ross doesn't - but I think he is just not as into this as me as well.

The is the Coalface Cleanser which is meant to target oily skin - and I have seen a slight decrease in oil over the 2 days I've been using it, it hasn't been anything miraculous, yet. It had good reviews, so I'm going to keep using it for a while and see how it goes. I'm optimistic!

The second package was this book - Poisoned - that Food Safety News sent me (FOR FREE!!!) when I subscribed to their blog! Can't wait to start reading it. In my spare time. Hah.

What's cool is that a fellow CLU alum is writing for them now - Rock on Alli!

And the third and final package from from my friend Michelle (another awesome CLU alum) in DC - a bazillion mini LaraBars and a sweet get-well card! SO AWESOME! LaraBars are Gluten, soy and dairy-free, vegan, non-gmo, from Denver and delicious! Thank you Michelle!

I got the Lemon bar, Peanut Butter Cookie, and Cashew Cookies. The two nutty ones were my favorite!

I love mail. Do you still write and send letters?

My roommate from college - Megs - is my most faithful pen-pal.

Paquinalaya

2011-09-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get to that point where you've run out of fresh ingredients, you have a few random leftovers in the fridge and some enormous bags of various items from Costco in your freezer? Like a 5 pound bag of sweet potato fries? Yeah, we're there. We had 3 onions, no fresh produce, some frozen shrimp and a single remaining chicken sausage. And a few pantry staples - like quinoa. While I had no intention of putting this meal on my blog, it was so simple and delicious I decided I have to! It's like a Paella, or a Jumbalaya, so we're calling it:

Paquinalaya

Ingredients:
2 sweet onions, sliced
12 shrimp, thawed and rinsed (raw or fully-cooked)
1 or 2 chicken sausages (your choice, we used sweet Italian from TJ's)
1 cup quinoa (cook it in broth for better flavor)
Corn Salsa (also from TJ's)

Directions:
1. Prepare the quinoa according to directions on the package.
2. Slice the onions and cook in a non-stick pan until caramelized ~ about 25 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning, and you can add a little oil along the way.
3. Add the shrimp and the sausage to the onions and cook thoroughly - until the shrimp are pink all the way through. If they are fully cooked, wait and add them right at the end and cook them only until they are hot.
4. Serve by filling a plate first with quinoa, then the onion mixture, and finally top with the corn salsa.

Ross said this smelled and tasted like something he would eat in a restaurant. I took that as a compliment. The caramelized onions and corn salsa provide such flavor that you really don't even need salt or pepper. There were no leftovers - so good! This is now going to become an intentional meal, not just a thrown together meal.

Fortunately it was a CSA Box day - so now we have a plethora of fresh ingredients, including corn, kale, tomatoes and much more! More on that later.

Have a great night!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread

2011-09-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin has entered the kitchen - its recent pervasiveness in the blogging world is simply contagious. I can't wait to actually get a few ripe pumpkins in my hands! For now a can will do, and this bread is something I intend to make again. And again. And to go with our leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread

From Artisan Bread in Five

Makes 3 loaves

1 cup canned or fresh pureed pumpkin

2 cups warm water

1 1/2 Tbsp yeast (2 packets)

1 Tbsp salt

5 Tbsp melted unsalted butter

1/3 cup local honey

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 3/4 cups unbleached white flour

3/4 cup rye flour

Optional:

1 tsp cinnamon, ginger and 1/2 tsp nutmeg (I did add this!)

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds or cranberries

Measure out the salt, yeast, honey, melted butter and mix it with the water in a large bowl.

Then add the pumpkin -

the oatmeal -

-the flour

and mix with a wooden spoon. There is no need to knead the bread. Store in a warm place to rise for 2 hours. You can then either store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 9 days, or bake it immediately.

Use greased 9x5x3 in loaf pans, or you can bake these free-form on a pizza stone. Dust a surface with flour and then divide the dough into 3 equal parts. (we saved the third part of the dough to bake later.) Using the flour for the dough into a loaf and then place in the pan or on a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal. Let them rise for another 30 minutes.

Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown. (When using the pizza stone, I heated the oven at 500 to warm up the stone and then lowered the temperature for baking.)

Let it cool, and enjoy! It is delicious! We ate both loaves the same day they were baked... though I did take one to work. And my co-workers ate it all.

Then you can use up the rest of your can of pumpkin in Pumpkin Oatmeal!

I prepared the oats on the stove-top as per usual, and then added pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Topped with chocolate chips and almonds - yummy!

I also tried a Teeccino Vanilla Nut Herbal Coffee and really enjoyed it! It is made with roasted organic carob, organic barley, organic chicory, dates, almonds, organic dates, natural vanilla extract, natural nut flavor, and figs. I love this - it's a great substitute for coffee and is naturally caffeine free. I also don't mind decaf coffee either. I gave up caffeine a couple months ago - I was tired of the caffeine headaches, however, this drizzly weather might have me going back sooner or later. We'll see!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Natural Beauty

2011-09-15T23:21:00.000-07:00

Recently I've had a couple friends asking me about what natural beauty products I use - so I was thinking I could do a post and share what brands/products I've decided to use and why.

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Firstly, I'll tell you why I've decided to use natural beauty products - and it is for pretty much the same reason that I have decided to eat more naturally as well: for my health and the health of the environment.

I decided a while back that I wanted to know exactly what the things were that I was putting into my body, the things I was ingesting - and so I follow some pretty simple rules (re: Food Rules by Michael Pollan). Then it hit me like a ton of bricks! I should care just as much about what I'm putting on my body as in my body! Your skin is, after all, your largest organ, and should be high on your priority list of things to take care of! Whatever you put on your skin your body absorbs, so it matters a great deal.

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Some of the more sketchy ingredients in cosmetics to watch out for are parabens (a preservative), pthalates (a plastic - PVC), lead and a whole numbers of others - this video on the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics does a really great job of explaining the impacts of toxins in our beauty products - impacts such as chronic toxicity, cancer, nervous system damage, gene mutations, birth defects and reproductive problems (this one is especially important - whatever your put on your skin can potentially cross the placental barrier and affect a fetus, and the fetus is very vulnerable to toxins, especially in the first three months of pregnancy. Here's a list of things to specifically avoid during pregnancy.)

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In fact, in the course of writing this blog post I found that even I didn't look closely enough at all my products!!! I am still learning so much. Thanks to my friend Janean - even though she considers me a beauty product guru, she has helped me to really evaluate the products I'm using! It's tough, it is hard work to research and know what ingredients are toxic, especially since many go by many different names, and to spend the time reading ingredients labels on every. single. product. Take it a little at a time, it's overwhelming but soon it will be second nature.

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So there are three ways in which you can address toxic or unsafe beauty products:

1. Continue usings any product. (Many contain petroluem, pthalates, parabens, and other harmful synthetic chemicals. Consequences are at your own risk.)
2. Use natural or organic products. (Generally safer and a great option, though be wary of false advertising - like me!)
3. Discontinue use. (The safest alternative!)

Therefore, I first decided to simply stop using some products for good. These include hairspray, hair dyes, perfume, nail polish, lipstick, cream hair removers, and so on. These are not essential, so they were all out. The last time I had my nails painted was for my wedding - and I feel liberated by it!

Obviously there are some products that are necessary, such as shampoo & conditioner, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, facial cleanser, lotion, lip balm, make-up, tampons and *eh-hem* condoms and lube. For these products I have chosen natural or organic alternatives. This is just my current list, it is always changing as I learn more about companies and ingredients and as I try new products, and the list of safe cosmetics brands here is a great resource to further investigate and explore options.

Shampoo & Conditioner: I used to use Trader Joe's Nourish Shampoo - but when I looked at it tonight for doing this blog I found that it contain parabens. Guess I'm on the hunt again! ARG! See how you can't even trust a company that makes it seem like they are all natural and doing the right thing? It's all marketing sometimes. Boo Trader Joe's, Boo. My friend Hayley recommends using a shampoo bar from Lush - and it since it is a solid you can take as much as you want through security! I'm ordering it tonight and going to give it a try.

Soap: From the Farmer's Market, Goat's Milk Soaps, or One With Nature Dead Sea Mud Soap
Buy local and handmade if you can! We like to cut our own at the Coop - they have this Cedar Soap that I love to smell on Ross. Drives me wild. This is above one I've tried that I have liked a lot that is available in many stores. I use soap for shaving as well - keeping it simple.

Toothpaste: Tom's of Maine Wicked Fresh Peppermint
Love it, but as Tom's was acquired by Crest I am thinking of searching for a new brand. I've also heard that most brands of toothpaste have plastic particles in them - which is how they scrub your teeth. GROSS. Any suggestions on brands to try?

Deodorant: Nature's Gate Spring Fresh - made with Witch Hazel and Oak. I used to use Tom's of Maine but they have recently changed their formula and something in it gave me an awful itchy rash - very unpleasant under the arms. This one not only works better (I can hike and get sweaty and it still works!) but it is gentle on the skin. This was the first product I ever changed to natural when I learned there might be a link between aluminum in deodorant and breast cancer.

Facial: Yes to Carrots Exfoliating Cleanser, Witch Hazel Toner, and Avalon Organic's Vitamin C Serum.

Lotion: Jason's 84% Aloe Vera - great everyday moisturizer and gentle on sunburns.

Lip Balm: Burt's Bees, Yes to Carrots, or something from the Farmer's Market

Make-Up: I honestly haven't been too stoked on anything for the cost/value, but Physician's Formula does a pretty good job and I like their Mineral Wear Talc-Free Correcting Powder. I'm not too much of a make-up person, I keep it really simple and use only powder unless it's a special occasion. I don't even own mascara. If anyone has recommendations of make-up brands I would love to hear them.

Tampons: NatraCare
Cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed agricultural products - and considering this is one you put on the inside - I definitely have decided to go with organic cotton. Plus you can opt out of the applicator and cut down on plastic use! They have pads and liners as well.

Condoms: Umbra did such a wonderful job on this that I am going to refer you this article on green condoms. I really do appreciate that Sir Richard's donates a condom to someone in need for every condom purchased, and that they offer an extra large size, but I have yet to see them in stores, which is disappointing and makes it a little more inconvenient.

Lube: Aloe all the way. I love this AloeLife Personal Gel Lubricant for all my intimate needs. And just because it is interesting - it says that it is safe to ingest! I definitely stay away from any lubes that are "tingling" or "warming" because that usually means they contain menthol. Ouch.

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On that note - if you are still with me after my essay - then I want to address just a few more things that might be on your mind:

It's more expensive - I'm on a budget! It really does mean that you have to spend a few extra dollars for natural and organic products, it takes more time to research and find them, and I am definitely in the grad-school-broke-as-ever stage. However, my health and my family's health is not something I am willing to sacrifice, and the thousands of dollars I could save on medical bills in the future or preventing cancer or birth defects in my children is worth whatever debt I incur now. Even if you might think that I've gone totally overboard and am overreacting that's fine, but I am a firm believer in the Precautionary Principle: essentially, better safe than sorry.

I'm overwhelmed! Holy cow this is a lot to think about, I don't want to throw out all my stuff and start over tomorrow, I'm busy, and then what about my cleaning products? Medications? Clothes? Yoga mat? ACK! Ok, those last few categories are perhaps better addressed in a future post, but honestly you can take it one step at a time. Educate yourself. Change one product at a time, try things out, see what you like. Ross and I have "grandfathered" things in. That way the financial burdened is lessened, you're not wasting the products you already have, and you can take it slowly and learn more.

In the end, here's to a safer, healthier, and naturally beautiful you!

Zucchini Bread Muffins

2011-09-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

I love summer veggies! I decided I had to do something other than Zucchini Pancakes this time around, and since my grandma sent me her recipe I had to try it out!

The recipe is pretty basic, produces a delicious result, and is a great way to use your local, organic zucchini!

Zucchini Bread Muffins

Yield: 2 loaves or 2 dozen muffins

2 cups grated organic zucchini

4 local free-range eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup olive oil (or any oil/butter)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups sugar (I did only 1 cup)

3 1/2 cups flour

Optional: walnuts, chocolate chips, or whatever you want!

First grate the zucchini.

Mix the wet.

Mix the dry.

Mix it all together and then pour it into your muffin tin or a greased load pan.

Bake at 350F - 25 minutes for muffins, 55-60 minutes for loaves.

Our favorite way to eat them is slathered in chocolate peanut butter, or Nutella.

Fresh out of the oven is delicious too!!!

Celebrating Our Anniversary

2011-09-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

Even though our Anniversary was last week we decided to celebrate a little late when I was feeling better from my surgery.

We had originally planned on a hike, but I wasn't quite feeling up to it, so we decided on a leisurely day hanging out at Silver Lake. Silver Lake is a small recreational lake off the Mt Baker Highway that has camping, cabins, and day use facilities. We had never been and couldn't pass up the beautiful weather and time to check it out!

Ha ha - this picnic table is a bit too close to the water's edge.

We went wading in the warm, clear water (I can't swim quite yet, Dr.'s orders.)

Found some cool rocks to climb on.

Loved how clear and beautiful the water was!

Then Ross found this sign and was morally offended. "Thin Ice" - Ross doesn't believe it.

Then we set out a blanket and had a mini-picnic with cookies and apple chips from BelleWood Acres.

Played cards... Ross whooped me at Golf.

Read books, and I definitely dozed off.

Took fun photos of our rings.

Then we headed to Milano's Restaurant for dinner! It's fine Italian dining in the tiny town of Glacier, WA along the Mt Baker Highway. Everything on the menu was mouth-watering!

We started with a Caprese Salad (I'm obsessed) with the special addition of grilled eggplant! Ahhh, taking in the last wonderful tastes of summer.

We were also served bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegarette.

I ordered the Chicken Parmagiana - it was incredible. Moist, cheesy, and full of flavor! And an enormous portion = leftovers!

Ross had the Chicken Sarda - a chicken breast with sauted mushrooms, artichokes, pepperoncinis (which I ate, too spicy for Ross) in a vodka sauce and served with pesto pasta. Ross definitely enjoyed himself.

And we finished with a delectable piece of raspberry cheesecake!

It was a fun, relaxing and enjoyable way to celebrate one year together, and here's to many more!

Baking at BelleWood

2011-09-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

I have officially started working at BelleWood Acres in their bakery, it has been fun though very slow going for me as I am still learning, recovering and need to take it easy still.

Today was a very special day because it was the Whatcom County Farm Tour - which included 13 local farms (plus the Farmers Market) that were offering tours and interactive educational displays of their farm and products. This included vegetables, wine, cheese, fruit, bison, alpacas and APPLES!

If you ever stop by (which you are welcome to Sept 1 - Dec 31st every day!) make sure to say hello to Dorie - a first generation farmer! Then like BelleWood on Facebook!

I only got to make one farm stop today as I was working, but it was a fantastic stop to make! This is a picture of the orchards early in the morning when I arrived - and right away we got to baking!!!

8 dozen cookies - both chocolate chip and regular honey roasted peanut butter cookies!

Pocket Pies - mini apple pies that are pretty much the cutest thing ever!

Caramel Apples, obviously.

With or without nuts.

And apple turnovers!!!

Apparently the goal is to make then look like sharks... I was fairly successful I would say! Da na.... Da na.... da na na na na na na dananananananananana!

Eh-hem... Quality control.

And the first batch of Apple Cider of the season!!!!

The "Cider Man" was kind enough to share a sample - oh boy did it taste like fall! Delicious.

We spent the afternoon bagging apples chips (just sliced, dehydrated and sealed!) Dana and Martha are awesome people to work with!

You can pick them up at the Farm Store, Haggen, and I believe the Co-op as well.

And this isn't part of the Bakery but a very sweet treat that cannot go without mention - apple cider donuts!!!!

Uh-mazing. Ross is going to be upset that I didn't bring any home... next weekend honey, don't worry.

One of the best parts of the day was that right when I got off my friends Sarah and Stead showed up! I decided to hop on the train and take an orchard tour with them, which was fun with the incredible view of Mt Baker and the sprinklers running to cool us off! It was HOT - Bellingham has had warmer weather in this first week of September than it has all "summer"!!!!!

Then I drove home and took a 3 hour nap. Whew! I was exhausted, but it is amazing what sleep and a little ice for the nose can do for a girl. Ross and I are taking it easy with a movie tonight!

Is really is getting to be fall, isn't it?!?!?

A Different Smile

2011-09-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

We went out for our first anniversary on Monday.

It was a really low key day as I am still recovering from surgery, but we still went out to dinner that night - though it might be considered untraditional to go with two members of your wedding party and another really awesome friend... but Justin had flown in from TN and we had to see him!

Justin and Hayley (they were both in our wedding party and hooked up on our special day, and they are still together. One of my favorite wedding stories!) So we all decided it was their one year make-out-aversary.

And this is Siri (who grew up with Hayley and is now our friend too!)

We went to Skylark's Hidden Cafe in Fairhaven - and I was swept into wedding day reminiscing with my friends and failed to take any photos. Blame it on the drugs. But if you ever get to Skylark's you must, I repeat, you MUST order the Butternut Squash Lasagna. INCREDIBLE. It was unlike anything I'd tasted before, yet so familiar, creamy and cheesy and wonderful.

The next day (Tuesday) I got the splints out and boy did that feel weird! My nose is still very tender but I can take deep breaths and was finally let everything drain out of my nose. (TMI? Sorry... it just feels so liberating!)

Then on Wednesday we got our next CSA box from Cedarville Farm - it just keeps getting better! Tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, beans, artichoke, lettuce, swiss chard, and potatoes! I am excited for potatoes.

I decided to take a twist on the old Caprese salad and made a Caprese Egg Breakfast!

I fried two eggs, and after I flipped them I topped them with two thick slices of tomato, two slices of cheese, and then topped it with basil once it was ready for eating. It was delicious - a definite repeat recipe!

Also - something I've noticed today when I uploaded these pictures - I think my smile is different now!!!

I know these pictures aren't super close up, but the top one is from July and this is my only post-surgery photo as of now. My smile used to show gums on top, and now it doesn't! It totally weirds me out. (Plus Ross is wearing the same shirt in both photos, so that's funny.) Maybe there is still some swelling, or maybe it will always be like this?!?!? Who knows. Hayley said my nose did look straighter though, so perhaps? Am I crazy?

Whew, this was a random blog... ah well. It's what is on my mind. =)

Hope you are all doing well!

The Honeymoon

2011-09-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica

I studied abroad in Costa Rica as my last semester of college and started dating Ross right before I left for the semester, so essentially the first four months that we dated were long distance, and he never made it out to visit me (darn passports!). I knew that Ross needed to see Costa Rica to truly understand that part of me and my life, so we decided to honeymoon there so that he could experience what he had been hearing about over Skype - and to skype we owe that fact that we are still together!

Our honeymoon started on the beautiful pacific cost in Playa Hermosa. It was a peaceful, small and calm little cove in the province of Guanacaste.

The sunsets were incredible - you just can't make this stuff up.

My grandma arranged for us to use her timeshare for a condo at Villas Sol. The room was incredible - had a great view, though we didn't quite understand why there were rocks sprinkled all over our bed...

And a view down to one of the pools.

We spent time lying on the beach and swimming - the water was so warm!

You can definitely tell why they called this place Playa Hermosa - Beautiful Beach.

I decided to play maracas with the evening entertainment

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(the all inclusive drinks might have had something to do with it!)

We also did some surfing, yet still haven't taken the underwater camera to get developed... one of these days we will.

The second half of our honeymoon was spent in what might be my most favorite place on earth - Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal.

We stayed at the Volcan Arenal Observatory Lodge - the only place in the national park you can stay and the closet you can get to this very active volcano! We slept a mere 1.7km away from the volcano!

Our room was simple but set up so that you could lay in bed all night and watch the volcano erupt.

And erupt it did! (TWSS) As we would attempt to sleep we would be woken up by the gurgling and popping of the volcano, and we would watch the red glow of the lava flowing down the side of the volcano.

I think seeing an active volcano is something everyone should do in their lives - it is incredible.

We also participated in a Costa Rica classic tourist adventure - zip lining through the rain forest canopy!

You know why they call these canopy tours? Because once you put on the harness you can-not-pee!

(It's funnier with a Tico accent, trust me!)

They also had a Tarzan swing - so much fun! Although we realized that we were essentially doing exactly what we did for work as camp counselors on our honeymoon... high ropes course, zip lines...

We also decided to go on a tour with Pure Trek - Canyoning! (We also did a rafting tour with them as well, though I cannot find the pictures, it was hilarious that we ended up in a raft with a father/som from Lynden, WA and a couple from Kirkland, WA! Small world!)

Translation: rappelling down waterfalls!

That's we rappelled down. It was a blast - if you are ever in the area I highly recommend it!

And what would an active volcanic area be without hot springs?!?!

We went to los Eco Termales Hot Springs which is a small and peaceful hot springs (as opposed to Baldi which is a party and the pools are lit up and surrounded by obnoxious techno music.)

We LOVED Eco Termales, it was fun to swim in the pools, sit under the hot waterfalls, and listen to the distant rumble of the volcano amongst the cicadas. Admission included a traditional dinner which was served in simple earthenware pots and came with house wine. It was lovely.

We also went hiking around the national park - check out the size of these leaves!

We crossed a hanging bridge on a birding hike guided by some of the Lodge employees. We saw wild turkey vultures, parakeets, and a scarlet macaw!

And hiked down to see the waterfall - I swear we are not photo-shopped into this shot!

It was a great trip. We stopped by the town I lived in - Heredia - for a short afternoon before we flew out and visited some friends. Ah, I love Costa Rica, and I would go back in a heartbeat. It's such a wonderful place, beautiful, relaxed, and as they say down there -

¡Pura Vida!

One Year Together

2011-09-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

Today is our First Wedding Anniversary!

I can't believe it! Since I wasn't blogging a year ago - I'm going to tell you all about our big day.

We got married at Snow Mountain Ranch near Winter Park, CO. Incredible venue, great lodging, fantastic staff. I would highly recommend it!

If anything defined the day it was the Spirit - because it was WINDY! My veil even blew off at the end of the ceremony.

The Rocky Mountains were a breathtaking backdrop.

We got our flowers from Whole Foods - and they were lovely. My bouquet had a single purple rose - that was my mom's favorite color, and the rose represented the part of her I carried with me that day and everyday.

Walking down the aisle with my Daddy.

Forward explorers! Pr. Lydia's message was meaningful and got us laughing.

The only decoration we had was the beauty of God's creation.

The Kiss

We're married! So of course there were cap guns...

And a few moments of peace after the ceremony.

Then on to the reception!

Rose, Craig, Marissa, Justin, Hayley, Ross, Me, Ben, Krystal, Jasper, Lauren, Blake.

They were all amazing.

The Wedding Party wasted no time in getting the party started. (It is in their job description after all - the Wedding PARTY)

We lit our unity candle inside rather than at the ceremony because of fire regulations.

LOVED our centerpieces: pine coins from a tree from my Dad's property, simple unscented orange votive candles, pine cone garland, and blue spruce seedlings as wedding favors!

And the cake was INCREDIBLE! My Stepdad's friend and co-worker April did it for us for just the cost of ingredients. The first two layers were a mountain scene with a lake, hiking trails, and a tent, one was chocolate and one was vanilla. The top two layers - a winter wonderland and our cake topper - were pumpkin with cream cheese frosting. I've never had such a perfect cake in all my life!

Our caterers' only saving grace was that the food was organic and delicious, and that they took care of (mostly) everything. They brought the linens, plates, glasses, and everything for the meal, but they showed up with a slight variation on the menu, no iced tea, no ice for the beer nor a corkscrew, and one of the staff was quite sleazy and hit on our singer/guitar player. Thank goodness our friends and family were there to save the day with a corkscrew and such!

This sums up the best man's speech pretty well. ;-)

Right before our first dance my bustle decided to come undone... but Hayley came to the rescue!

We danced to Lost in This Moment by Keith Anderson.

The bouquet toss - my bouquet split in three in air so there were three lucky girls!

Throwing the garter.

Beautiful sunset.

And the party went on.

I LOVE this picture. Ha ha ha ha ha.

Yep - I had two dresses! A short dancing dress for the reception just like Carrie Underwood. It was a bridesmaids dress that I loved - but in Ivory. Perfect, affordable, fun. Not to mention orange shoes!

And we were off to our cozy cabin for the wedding night.

I love you Ross!

And many thanks to our family and friends who have supported us throughout our first year together!

Couch Potato

2011-09-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

The weather was so beautiful today that I just couldn't stand to be inside anymore! I know that this is a time in my life in which I'm supposed to be a couch potato, resting and recovering from my sinus surgery, but I get really antsy. I asked Ross to go on a walk with me to a park just a couple block away, and it felt wonderful to be out in the sun and moving.

I even decided to go down the slide, which I somewhat regret, but we made a new friend! This is Stella and she is 4, she likes pink and enjoys, and showed me up on my sliding skills.

Ross was hard to work sorting the colors to the shapes.

And then we had a race - Ross had the blue car and I had the yellow car. I totally won, but it was a close race.

Ross and I have been watching Arrested Development, which is fun, and while he's been at work I've watched the three Narnia movies. During Prince Caspian my friend Sarah joined me brought me a flourless chocolate cake! It was delicious!

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I'm starting to feel a lot better, and I've been decreasing the amount of painkillers I've been taking from every 4 hours to every 6. Still getting some bleeding, especially on the left side of my nose, but the swelling seems to be gone! I look normal again! Something that's really annoying is that the pressure from my glasses really starts to bother me after a while, but I get a headache from not wearing them... so then I just nap a lot. That seems to solve most problems. Although while I was napping today Ross was watching football, and apparently I started talking about a centaur when they were talking about a center (Too much Narnia?)

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I talked to my doctor on Thursday and he said that the pathology came back clear on my cysts (I thought it was a nasal polyp - but I think they're pretty much the same thing?) At any rate that means there wasn't anything cancerous in there, which is a relief, although I didn't really know they were checking for that. I think I am glad I didn't, it would have made me so much more anxious beforehand.

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And then to keep them from coming back, and to promote healthier sinuses in general, I'm using the NielMed Sinus Rinse. I have this off and on since high school, but only when I was sick and felt that I needed it. In reality I needed to use it everyday (and have been this year); it's a personal hygiene tool like brushing your teeth to prevent cavities, but it prevents sinus infections/allergies/asthma.

T-minus 3 days until the splints come out! I can't wait!

Hope you are all enjoying a fun Labor Day Weekend!!

Las Vegas

2011-09-01T14:13:00.000-07:00

What did the fish say when he hit a wall?

Lynn, Rod, Ross, Me, and Lauren

Catchin' up on our Las Vegas trip from last week: We has a fun, short trip with the in-laws in the HOT HOT desert sun.

We couldn't check into our condo until 4pm the day we flew in, so we drove out to see the Hoover Dam. .

Don't remember what this was supposed to be... but there was something lucky about touching its toes?

This is the new bypass bridge they built so that you don't have to slow down and watch for all the tourists to cross the Nevada-Arizona state line.

Looking down over the dam. Scary.

As we walked across the dam the wind would hit the wall and blow straight up - kinda felt like I was flying! Rod snapped this shot - it's fun having a professional photographer as a father-in-law, and he does great work. If you are in need of a photographer in the twin cities area - check out his website!

Looking behind the dam at Lake Mead.

The fish said "Dam!"

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The rest of the trip was pretty low-key, fun, and not at all what I would say a "typical" Vegas experience might be like. We played Bingo (I even won!) at our super-nice resort: Westgate Flamingo Bay. We swam in the pool, BBQed, mini-golfed and played countless card games. My MIL is a card playing fiend!

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One night we took a free shuttle down to the strip to see the sights - such as the Bellagio Fountain and the Sirens of Treasure Island.

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And we even got to see my friend Kim for one night! But like I said... I totally failed on taking more pictures.

Thanks so much Rod and Lynn for a great trip! Wish it hadn't been so short.

Punched in the Face

2011-08-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

This pretty much sums up how I feel.

The pain comes with a consistent bloody nose, but this sinus surgery was hardly nothing compared to wisdom teeth coming out! All went well and I have good company in Ross. This will be so worth it next week!

Random thoughts:

I've been craving string cheese like no other.

Ross has been wonderful and is taking really good care me and brings me all the string cheese I want.

The surgical team were all very kind, and I felt very well taken care of. After the surgery they had an all natural real fruit popsicle for me, and one of the nurses even called me this morning to check in and see how I was doing. Way to go Bellingham ENT!

I am glad that I can be on the computer and blog and read. It makes me feel for productive.

And finally - I am so grateful for the love, prayers and support from family and friends! It's so comforting to know that there are people out there praying for me despite this being a simple and relatively routine surgery. Thank you!

Summer Bummer

2011-08-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

What?!?!? What is that - a bird, a plane, no - a bus!

WTF! End of Summer Guide! Already?

It feels like summer finally came to Bellingham just at the beginning of this month, and now everyone is talking about the end of summer, the beginning of school, fall, pumpkins (which I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited about pumpkins), and I am so not ready for it!

I've finally been able to enjoy summer favorites - like a Caprese salad.

Fresh tomatoes and basil from our CSA box, slices of fresh Mozzarella, a little pepper and some balsamic vinaigrette. Such an incredible combination of flavors that just sing in my mouth! I love it.

We also had a re-run of the Spiral Garden Pesto Pasta - incredible. Every time.

And my own tomatoes are starting to ripen!

I'm so happy =) I ate one yesterday - so sweet, so good. Sun kissed.

My early girls are getting a little color too! I suppose that's the bummer about the end of summer - all the wonderful things that we've been waiting to come out of the garden are finally here, and even though I am enjoying them to the fullest it is bittersweet. Harvest means that summer is nearly over, preparations for the winter must begin. I would totally be at the Farmers Market buying up mounds of tomatoes and such to can, but since we're moving in December after I graduate (we're not sure where yet exactly, but stay tuned!) I don't want to bother canning. It just doesn't seem worth the effort if we won't use it all.

_______________________________________________

Another bummer: Today (Tuesday the 30th) I am having surgery. I might have mentioned once, or twice, or quite often about how I was sick all spring with a chronic sinus infection. It was terrible - I never had any energy, I couldn't breathe, and I even gained some weight from not being able to be as active as I like to be. I've lost some of it over the summer, but not all of it. And this also means that I will probably not be feeling like doing much of anything for our first wedding anniversary on Labor Day. =(

Nasal Polyps - Source

In the spring I was referred to a specialist and we decided that a good option for me would be to have a simple sinus surgery to remove the nasal polyps that have formed since they are blocking a significant portion of the airflow to my nasal passages, and also to correct my deviated septum. (The other option would be steroid nasal sprays and a lifetime of medication management - and I am not the biggest fan of taking medicine for the long term, or steroids, so I decided fixing it now would hopefully prevent problems in the future.) This picture is a little creepy, and totally creeps Ross out (more reason to post it!) but this is what it looks like:

source

Unfortunately nasal polyps may happen again, but my doctor is going to try to do as much as possible to open up my sinuses to help me breathe and make it so that when I do get colds in the future there will be room for swelling and for the infection to drain out as opposed to getting stuck in there for months on end. I'm nervous, but I've heard from many people that it is so worth it to be able to breathe and to get over colds easier. And Ross will be there with me the whole time, and that is very comforting. Let's just say I'm excited for two weeks from now. And maybe I'll learn to love winter and spring if I'm not sick throughout the season!

Zucchini Pancakes

2011-08-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

Even though I really do enjoy French Toast, I am much more of a savory breakfast person. I have been loving the zucchinis from our CSA box because then I get to make one of my most favorite things - zucchini pancakes!!!

And I love anything I can douse with Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Sauce, so it's a win-win.

Zucchini Pancakes

3-5 Zucchinni and/or yellow squash

1/4 onion grated or finely chopped

2-3 eggs

1-2 tsp minced garlic

Salt & Pepper

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

This recipe is not strict - I probably change it a bit everytime I make them. I just use what I have and adjust the seasonings/garlic/cheese accordingly. Also consider what things you would like to top with - hot sauce, sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, per your preference. Ross really likes them with sour cream.

Grate the zucchinis and place them in a bowl. I think some people drain/strain some excess liquid off at this point, but I don't. It's a hassle and a mess, so I just go for it.

Gross Packers colors.

Add in the eggs.

And the rest of the ingredients.

Then scoop the mixture onto your hot, lightly oiled griddle. I usually have the griddle set to 350F and cook them on each side for 3-4 minutes.

They will sizzle like bacon, and fill the kitchen with a great smell.

Lovely and lightly browned on both sides.

The cheese is really the key I think - it makes them all gooey inside.

What's your favorite way to eat a zucchini?

Hittin' the Road

2011-08-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

This morning (and last night, since Ross had to work the early shift this morning) we had to say goodbye to two of our very good friends - Lauren and Chris.

We are going to miss our rock climbing buddies so so much!

Lauren is moving back to DC with her family and Chris is hitting the road to go on a band tour with Tom Evanchuck and the Old Money. Who knows - maybe they will make it big?!?!?

A huge congratulations to Lauren who successfully defended her thesis on Friday and is now officially a Master! She'll formally graduate with her Masters in Geography with me in December, but from a distance.

We went to the Copper Hog to celebrate!

LOVE Brown Ales.

And the next night we continued to celebrate with a Big Mama Margarita from Jalapenos. Holy Mole these things knock you on your ass! They are so strong - 32oz for $6.50 and that's ~~more than~~ all you need for the night. =)

And now Lauren and Chris have hit the road and are on a cross-country adventure. They are planning stops at Glacier, Yellowstone, Mt Rushmore, Chicago, Cleveland and then to DC. But their first stop was my house for breakfast!!!!

I decided to slice up the brioche and get my French Toast on!

So simple - a beaten egg, some cinnamon, and homemade bread! LOVE our griddle.

Because of the braid these were more like french toast sticks in a way - and they were a treat!

So delicious slathered in REAL maple syrup. I don't mess around.

Farewell to Chris and Lauren - safe travels. We will hopefully catch up with them in November when the band is going to be playing in Seattle!

Brioche

2011-08-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

Knowing that I am soon going to be working as a baker got me all excited - so I whipped open my favorite bread book and found a recipe that I hadn't tried before.

Brioche, pronounced bree -osh, is a sweet bread made with eggs and butter. And it's heavenly.

Traditionally it is baked in fluted pans, but as I didn't have any I went with a fancy way of forming bread that I thought would turn out well - braids. And it was a success!

Brioche

From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Makes 2 loaves - you can easily halve or double this recipe.

3/4 cups warm water

3/4 Tbsp yeast (1 packet)

3/4 Tbsp salt

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup honey

3/4 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

3 3/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

Egg wash (1 beaten egg + 1 Tbsp water)

Mix together the water, yeast, salt, eggs, honey and melted butter in a bowl. Then mix in the flour without kneading (or use a stand mixer with a dough hook). Cover and leave to rise for 2 hours in a warm place. Then chill the dough in the refrigerator for anywhere between 3 hour to 5 days. (Beyond 5 days you can freeze the dough to use later).

When you are ready to bake dust a surface generously with flour, and then divide this dough into six even apple-sized pieces.

Flour your hands and roll the dough into long cylinders.

If they don't cooperate set the dough down and let it rest for 5 minutes, and try again.

Once you have three strands of dough, you can braid!

Here's a trick I learned - start in the middle and braid toward the ends.

Then flip the dough over - and continue braiding to the other end.

Then you have a beautifully braided dough loaf waiting to become bread. Repeat.

Place them on a cookie sheet or pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal and leave to rest for an hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Right before baking brush the dough with an egg wash or - if you are like me and ran out of eggs - a little rice milk will do.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, and soon your kitchen will be filled with glory.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Eat as soon as its cool enough - alone, with coffee or tea, with honey drizzled on top - it's incredible!

Bounty of the Season

2011-08-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

Ross and I just got back from a few days in Las Vegas with his family - it was a great time! I'll have to share some pictures once I get them from my Father-in-law (he's a professional photographer, so I slacked while he was around...) Did I mention that I got to eat at In-N-Out!!!! I was so happy.

The first thing we had to do when we got back was run up and grab our produce box from Cedarville Farm - and you sure can tell that we are getting to the height of the season!

Look at all those colors! Tomatoes, basil, zucchini, a bell pepper, artichoke, lettuce, green and yellow romano beans, an onion (and a big one at that!), carrots, basil, and golden beets. Ah the blessings of summer.

Ross and I tried preparing an artichoke once before... and it failed miserable. I'm excited to try again!

Then perhaps we'll make a Caprese salad and some zucchini pancakes...

I'm thinking about some sauted romano beans...

But since we were starving when we got home and in no mood to wait - we went for a salad. Chopped lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and bell pepper sprinkled with feta cheese and vegetarian bacon bits. It was fresh, local, organic, and delicious!

Now I've got to finish unpacking, do some laundry, and get my food worker's card FOR MY NEW JOB!!!!!! I am going to be a seasonal baker this fall at BelleWood Acres! Back in the winter I toured their farm with my Agroecology class from Western and talked with Dorie about working there during harvest season, and here we are. I'm really excited, and it will be perfect for the fall while I am finishing my project for grad school.