Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts

Friday, August 17, 2012

Summer Bounty

Baby's first Farmers Market! Gotta start her out right. 


This summer we got to participate in the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program. "The FMNP was established by Congress in 1992, to provide fresh, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables to WIC participants, and to expand the awareness, use of, and sales at farmers’ markets." As if we really needed any more motivation to get to the market, but how great is it that one of our nation's public health programs are supporting local and organic foods?!?!


Our loot from the Saint Paul Farmers' Market
Green bell peppers
Zucchinis
Onions
Tomatoes
Yukon gold potatoes
Early Season Apples! 

All for under $20! I love August for thus very reason. 


My summer favorite, a Caprese salad.

That's the only one I managed to take pictures of... most of the time I'm just lucky if I get to eat in one sitting. But here's some links to meals we've made recently using the bounty of the summer: 




Though we used different ingredients this time: onions, zucchini, bell peppers, bacon and mozzarella! This meal is a great "garbage" dish because you can toss in whatever veggies you have leftover or whatever you have on hand. Mix up the cheeses, go sans meat, whatever you desire. 






Next week Jenna is going to teach us how to can tomatoes!!! Linnea and I can't wait! 



Sunday, June 24, 2012

Tie-Dye & Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs

When my sister passed along a TON of plain white onsies, I knew instantly that they wouldn't stay white for long. Not because of stains from baby vomit or other bodily fluids... but from tie-dye!!! Therefore, Ross and I decided to throw a little tie-dye party to help us make them all. 




So I made some summer treats.


Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs 

Ingredients: 
1 pound organic strawberries 
1 large Angel Food Cake
1 bag marshmallows (we used vegan Dandies) 
Almond Bark or other melt-able chocolate 
Bamboo skewers 

Directions: 
Slice the green blossom off the strawberries and cut into bite size pieces if needed, the rinse thoroughly. 
Cut the angel food cake into bite size pieces. 
Assemble your kabobs - skewer the strawberries, cake and marshmallows in the pattern of your choice. 
Then melt the chocolate according to the directions on the package and drizzle on top of the kabobs. 
Let cool and enjoy! It's really that simple, and the result is delicious! 


Invited over some friends and family.


Some friends came all the way from Alaska - so happy to see Michelle from The Runner's Plate and her sister Kristy! 


And we dyed some onsies!!! It's really quite simple - pick up a pack of dye from your local craft store (like this one) and follow the directions. The great thing about it is that you really can't mess it up - just tie the shirts with the rubber bands and dye away! 


The results were beautiful! 






I can't wait to dress our little one in these! 


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Shrimp Kabobs

Shrimp Kabobs


One of our favorite easy summer meals are making kabobs. It's also a great meal full of nutritious whole foods! Simply gather some good ingredients - we used bell peppers, red onions, fully cooked shrimp, and red potatoes (I roasted them ahead of time). You could also marinate some chicken,  or add pineapple or apples to the skewers for some sweetness. 


Chop the veggies into large bite-size pieces and place them on the grill! We used the George Foreman because we didn't want to go find our camping grill in the basement, but any grill will do! 


Delicious! Ahhh the glory of summer. =)



Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Summer Bummer

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:


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! 

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Catchin' Up & Playin' Ball

I've gotten a little behind in my posts... I'm still very much recovering from my experience on White Chuck Mountain, so I thought it might help to blog about some fun things we've been doing lately!


Like hangin' out in our hammock and reading in the sun. 


Or making a mango salsa! So refreshing - I love the color and the sweet and spicy together on a salty tortilla chip!  


Or enjoying Lauren & Chris' homemade guac on the 4th of July! 


We played a game called Loaded Questions on the 4th of July - it was a blast. A great party game - I would highly recommend it! 


And a baseball game! We went to see the Bellingham Bells play last week (it was so close we biked!) and enjoyed a sunny summer evening with friends. Tuesdays are $2 Tuesdays - which means buy one seat get one for $2 AND $2 draft beers from Boundary Bay!!!! Can't beat that! 


Katie and Ian.


They went for the classic ball game snack - peanuts! Yum! 


Chris and Lauren with a pretzel. 


Us! Ross is wearing his "Miner League Baseball" t-shirt... I wish I had a better picture. It is the MLB logo but the player has a pick and a headlamp as opposed to a bat and a batting helmet. Ha ha ha...


Along with our $2 drafts we got the classic ballpark hot dog from Hempler's in Ferndale on a bun made by Avenue Bread. I thing it is so great that the Bells support local foods and businesses! 

What have you been doing for summer fun?

Sunday, June 5, 2011

What Says Summer like...


A sunny day at Lake Padden. 


Ducks swimming in the water. 


Fudgesicles. 


Watermelon. 


BBQ-ing. 


Hot dogs. 


Sunbathing with friends. 


Girly magazines.


... and unfortunately, some sunburned shoulders!!! 

Bellingham finally had a sunny day break 70 - and boy did we enjoy it! Hooray for summer!!!!!