health-full

The aromatic wonder of Coconut-almond Pancakes {Gluten-free}

2012-01-18T17:16:00.000-08:00

My hubby loves breakfast foods, especially pancakes. I remember when we first got married how we he was absolutely appalled that I would just eat an apple for breakfast or grab a quick muffin. His mama made him a hot breakfast every morning when he was a kid!

Since those early days we have come to a compromise. He makes smoothies for our family every morning and on the weekends I make a "big man" breakfast for him.

Our family has been exploring new ingredients to eat less grains and more protein-packed flours like coconut flour and almond flour. These pancakes are light and fluffy and give the same satisfaction of eating warm pancakes but are not made with typical white and wheat heavy flours.

Coconut has such an aromatic wonder. I love just making these pancakes because I get to be in the kitchen and smell that coconut oil on the griddle.

Coconut-almond Pancakes

Ingredients:
5 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil or raw butter + more for cooking pancakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 almond flour
1/4 coconut flour
1 tablespoon flaxseed

Directions:

1. Blend eggs in mixer until foamy.
2. Meanwhile, melt coconut oil/butter in a frying pan.
3. Add sea salt, cinnamon and baking powder to the eggs. Add flours and flaxseed.
4. Stir in melted coconut oil/butter. Do not overmix. If batter feels to thick, you can always thin out with almond milk or coconut milk.
5. Pour batter onto pan in silver dollar-sized pancakes. Flip when pancake is browned.
6. Serve with chopped nuts, applesauce or even maple syrup.

Makes 12 pancakes.

Our family loved this recipe so much I would definitely double it anytime I make it for the whole family because we were fighting over the last one.

We like to even make these Coconut pancakes for dinner and serve them with turkey bacon. It's a great quick meal - Breakfast for Dinner!

Christmas Favorite: Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread

2011-12-15T17:27:00.000-08:00

It's pear season! This recipe has become one of our favorites for winter and the Christmas season. We first made it a few years ago with our Cooking Club when we had a "Green Christmas" cooking theme. When I start seeing pears at the market, I start craving Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread. The fun part about this dessert is that it incorporates a classic gingerbread cake with a flavorful twist of pears drenched in butter. Top the slices with Cinnamon whipped cream and you have an elegant dessert for any holiday party!

Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread

1 1/2 cup unsalted organic butter, softened
1 1/2 cup organic brown sugar
4 large Bosc pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 large cage-free eggs
1/2 cup organic dark molasses
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (a pinch)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup boiling water

Cinnamon Whipped Cream
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 tablespoon organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a non-stick skillet, melt 1/2 cup of butter. Stir in 1/2 cup of brown sugar and stir until sugar melts. Add pear slices and cook, stirring occassionally until pears begin to slightly soften (about 5 minutes).
3. Arrange the pears (with all their juices and butter) in an even layer over the bottom of an 9x13 baking dish/cake pan.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat together remaining 1 cup butter with 1 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
5. Add the eggs and molasses and beat into mixture.
6. Add flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Beat until fully incorporated. Do not overmix. Turn on mixer and slowly pour in 2/3 cup hot water into the batter and blend until incorporated and batter is smooth.
7. Spoon the batter over the pears in the dish. Bake until springy to touch (approximated 35-40 minutes).
8. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on a rack.
9. While the cake is cooling, beat whipping cream. Add 1 tablespoon organic sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
10. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate (or invert individual slices with a spatula). Cut into squares and serve warm topped with cinnamon whipped cream.

Serves 10-12.

Recipe of the Week: Double Chocolate Almond Brownies

2011-05-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

I have a hankering for chocolate all the time, but especially when I'm pregnant. Now that I'm in my second trimester I've got some of my cooking mojo back. The fun part is all these ingredients were in my pantry. My friend just had a C-section the other day so I'm bringing these babies to the hospital for her. Move over hospital food. Try these brownies with a healthy twist!

Ingredients:
-1 cup organic butter
-4 cage-free eggs
-3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (could use squares of unsweetened chocolate and skip the oil)
-4 tablespoons olive oil
-1 cup organic sugar
-1 cup whole wheat flour
-1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
-2 teaspoons ground flaxseed

-1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
-1/2 cup sliced almonds (could use walnuts, pecans or even dried cranberries)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper or greasing with olive oil.
3. Melt butter and add to a large bowl.
4. Add cocoa powder, olive oil.
5. Whisk in eggs one at a time.
6. Add sugar, flour and baking powder.
7. Stir in flaxseed.
8. Pour into prepared pan. Smooth top of batter.
9. Sprinkle chocolate chips and almonds on top.
10. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until top of brownies is springy to the touch.

Recipe of the Week: Three-seed Whole Wheat Honey Bread {in the breadmaker}

2011-05-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

For my birthday, my mom gifted me a gently-used breadmaker that she scored at a silent auction. I love homemade bread - and even more the smell of it baking. That said, this pregnant mama of two doesn't have much energy these days for mixing, kneading, waiting for rising and monitoring bread in the oven. The breadmaker is an awesome time saver and great inspiration to make homemade bread every week. The following is a recipe for a whole wheat bread that can be used for sandwiches or just eaten with butter or jam for breakfast and snacks. My friend Anne shared her recipe with me and I modified it.

Do you have a breadmaker? What are some of your fave recipes to make in the breadmaker? Ideas welcome.

Three-seed Whole Wheat Honey Sandwich Bread

Ingredients:

-1 1/2 cups warm water (80 degrees)
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-1/3 cup honey
-2 teaspoons sea salt
-4 cups whole wheat flour (I like Bob's Red Mill or Trader Joe's brand)
-2 teaspoon yeast
-2 tablespoons flaxseed, ground
-2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
-2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. Add water, oil and honey to the bottom of your breadmaker.
2. Sift flour to make bread lighter and add salt on top.
3. Create a well in the center and add yeast. Be careful not to dig well as deep as the liquids
4. Set breadmaker for whole wheat setting. (I also select light for mine but every breadmader is different.)
5. Add seeds when the breadmaker beeps for add-ins. (I've also just added the seeds from the beginning if I knew I was going to be gone.)

Celebrating Holy Week: Easter Menu Ideas

2011-04-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

This week marks the most important holiday for Christians - Easter. We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Holidays in our family mean a time for fellowship around the table and lots of food traditions. I can remember as a little girl how we always filled our house with friends and family for the Easter season. My favorite foods included Grandma Sara's homemade Easter bread and our own chocolate-covered eggs made with delectable fillings like peanut butter or mint.

This year we will be celebrating Easter with a supper at my mother-in-law's house. She will prepare the lamb Armenian style for us and I'm sure we will enjoy her famous Armenian Rice Pilaf. Since I'm not working on the main menu, I thought I'd take this opportunity to review some of my fave recipes to help you plan yours. Maybe you will happen upon one that will appeal to your family this season.

Happy Easter! Christ is Risen!

Brunch ideas:
Breakfast Enchiladas - This is a fun recipe to make breakfast fancy with a Mexican kick. We even serve up these egg and bean enchiladas for dinner sometimes.
Farmer's Market Egg & Sausage Casserole - Spring has sprung at the local farmer's markets. Don't miss the chance to incoporate organic, in-season veggies in your family brunch.
Carrot Tea Party Muffins - If you're joining a family brunch and want something easy to pack into a festive basket, try out these fun muffins. They can easily be made a day ahead.
Cranberry-lemon Scones with Lemon Whipped Cream - My girls love to help me make these homemade scones. Make an Easter morning brunch into a fancy English tea party with a special touch like these scones.
Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese, Bosc Pears and Poppy Seed Vinaigrette - This salad is low maintenance but will wow guests and add something more hearty to your brunch menu.
Strawberry Dutch Baby - You can use any kind of fruit on this Dutch puffy pancake. Since strawberries are in season in our neck of the woods, we will be heading down to the local stand.

Appetizers:
Maple-Pecan Chicken Wonton Cups - This fun appetizer is bite-sized (well, maybe two) and eaters of all ages love the combination of savory chicken salad and wonton crunch. Great to bring to a party.
Zucchini Flat Breads - Simple ingredients transform into an elegant appetizer or a perfect accompaniment to soup or salad.
Warm Italiano Spread - Serve up this delectable spread on crackers or homemade bread.
Egg salad sandwiches three different ways - Wondering what in the world to do with all those hard-boiled eggs? Why not make them into appetizers for your family. Here are three unique recipes for egg salad. Cut them into tea sandwiches or use an Easter-shaped cookie cutter to make them more festive on the plate.

Spring mains:
Italian Chicken with Strawberry Salsa - I wait all year for the strawberries so I can make this strawberry salsa over chicken. It's also great over lamb or fish. Experiment!
Italian Wedding Soup - This soup is a great starter for an Easter feast or make it your main and serve it with hearty appetizers. Kids and adults love the meatballs.
Chicken Cacciatore - This is one of our favorite "company" mains. The colorful peppers and tender chicken will be a treat for your guests.
Maple-Apricot-Glazed Salmon - Ready to move the cooking outside. Fire up the grill and try out these easy salmon recipe. If you don't have the cedar planks, don't fret. It's still yummy without that more expensive touch.

Fancy Beverages:
Strawberry-mint Lemonade - I love to get out our fancy wine glasses and serve up this spring-inspired virgin beverage. It's colorful and speaks spring.

Easter desserts:
Carrot Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting - You can use this recipe in two round pans and create a bunny cake like we did above. The kids can have fun decorating with natural candies (check out Trader Joe's or Whole Foods) or even chocolate chips.
Chai Cheesecake - This is one of my fave cheesecakes because it combines warm spices with a light cheesecake. It's a fun twist on a traditional dessert. Move over, Cheesecake Factory!
Chocolate-Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches - If you want to make something fun the whole family can enjoy, try making these homemade ice cream sandwiches. You can make them Saturday afternoon and they will be frozen and ready for Easter Sunday Supper.

Recipe of the Week: Broccoli & Garlic White Pizza

2011-03-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

I often hear people say, "Oh, you guys are healthy you probably don't eat pizza." Wrong. We love pizza at our house! But we never order pizza and rarely eat it out because we love rolling our own dough and making up creative toppings.

I've found that pizza is one of the best meals to get kids involved in the cooking as well as the eating. If you haven't got the time to mix up your own dough, there are some great ready-made doughs available at Trader Joe's and Fresh & Easy in whole wheat varieties. If there's pizza, there's always a party at our house. I can hear my little girls scraping chairs across the kitchen floor and pulling up to the counter to help mama. Meilani loves rolling out the dough. Giada loves adding toppings - or rather, eating toppings - while we prepare our pies.

Pizza is also an opportunity to get kids involved in selecting and trying new veggies. If they get to "decorate" their own personal pizzas with colorful toppings, they just might try eating them. We discovered a new fave pizza by using what we had in the pantry: milk, garlic, broccoli and canned black olives. The result was this Broccoli & Garlic White Pizza.

My friend Amy also just made us a fun "Mexican Pizza" by cooking black beans until they were mushy, then spreading them on pizza dough and melting cheddar cheese on top. Then she chopped up lettuce and tomatoes and onions and threw them on top when the pizza came out of the oven. Yummilicious!

Honey-Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

-1 package yeast or 2 tablespoons yeast (Make sure your yeast is fresh.)

-1 cup warm water

-1 tablespoon organic sugar or honey

-1 tablespoon salt

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-3 cups whole wheat flour

-2 1/4 cups unbromated, unbleached white flour (I like Trader Joe's brand.)

-1 cup cold water (filtered is best)

1. Proof the yeast: Add yeast to 1 cup warm water. Be careful not to get the water too hot. (Temperature should be 110-115 degrees if you want to be precise.) Wait about five minutes until yeast begins to bubble up in water.
2. Use KitchenAid or other high-powered mixer with dough hook attachment. Add yeast/water mixture, honey, salt, olive oil, flours and cold water. Mix together on low speed.
3. Increase spead and knead dough in mixer for 8-10 minutes. Dough will pull away from the sides of the bowl and look smooth.
4. Divide into 3 balls of dough. Store in Ziplock bags in the refrigerator (for up to 1 week) or in freezer.

Simple Garlic White Sauce

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup butter

-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1/4 cup flour

-1 1/2 cups milk

-1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

1. Melt butter in small saucepan. Saute garlic.
2. Add flour and whisk together.
3. Allow to bubble and cook 3-4 minutes.
4. Add milk and whisk over medium heat until sauce thickens.
5. Stir in parmesan cheese and cook 3-4 more minutes.
6. Spoon over pizza.

Broccoli & Garlic White Pizza

Ingredients:

-1 recipe pizza dough (see above)
-1 recipe white sauce (see above)
-2 cups mozarella cheese, shredded
-1 head of broccoli, chopped
-1 can black olives, sliced
-whole garlic cloves (if desired)
-1 teaspoon fennel seed

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, put it in the oven to heat up.
2. Roll out pizza dough on to pizza pan or transfer to the pizza stone.
3. Top with white sauce.
4. Sprinkle with shredded mozarella cheese.
5. Top with broccoli and black olives. (You may add extra garlic cloves here if you really want that garlic flavor.)
6. Sprinkle with fennel seed.
7. Bake approximately 15 minutes until cheese bubbles and crust in golden brown.

Celebrate St. Patty's Day with a Twist: Shamrock shake gets a new whirl

2011-03-12T22:41:00.000-08:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day, friends! At the Gilmore house, a new holiday means a new challenge to find healthy ways to celebrate and have fun. With the help of my little shamrocks, I just created a Minty Shamrock Shake (Move over, McD's) and tried out Irish Soda Bread with healthy twists. Yummy! You could always go digging in your refrigerator or browsing at your farmer's market for green fruits and veggies. Try sliced kiwi, limes, green peppers, asparagus, cucumbers - even apples!

We know it may sound weird but spring is the time for sweet peas so why not utilize their natural color? They have a light flavor but do not dominate a smoothie so your kids probably won't even notice. And the good news is, you don't have to use those yucky dyes to make your food green. If you're gun shy, try a tablespoon first just to get a little color. Just be a sneaky chef and leave a comment so we can hear if your little leprachauns liked it.

Minty Shamrock Shake

-3 cups raw whole milk (or your fave type of milk)

-1 tray of ice cubes

-1/2 teaspoon organic peppermint extract (depends on how minty you like it!)

-3 tablespoons honey (or organic sugar, if you prefer)

-1/4 cup frozen organic sweet peas

1. Whirl these ingredients in your blender until smooth.

2. Serve with a straw.

I found several recipes for Irish Soda Bread and decided to create my own. A special thanks to Maura Marmo and Peggy O'Brien-Bremer from my elementary school on the South Side of Chicago, who inspired me with their bread recipes. I've never used caraway seeds before but they are a fun addition that give this bread a distinct flavor. I would serve this up for breakfast, lunch or a dinner appetizer.

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

-3 cups whole wheat flour

-2/3 cup organic evaporated cane juice (sugar)

-1 tablespoon baking powder

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-2 beaten eggs

-1 1/2 cups buttermilk

-2 tablespoons organic butter, melted

-1 cup raisins

-1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan or mini loaves.

2. Sift flour into bowl. Add sugar, baking powder and baking soda.

2. Beat eggs. Add milk and butter. Blend into dry ingredients until batter is incorporated and moist.

3. Add raisins.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until golden brown on top.

6. Cool, slice and serve with butter.

Here are more St. Patty's Day healthy recipes from one of my fave online sources, Eating Well Magazine.

*This post was pulled from the Health-full archives.

Recipe of the Week: Creamy Wild Rice Soup with Rosemary Focaccia Bread

2011-03-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago we went to visit our friends the VanderMeulens. In addition to taking us to a fabulous Gouda Cheese Farm, Jen also made us a memorable Sunday supper with this hearty wild rice soup. My hubby who is always spewing health and nutrition tidbits started rattling off some of the benefits of wild rice. If you've been reading our blog for any length of time we are crazy about celebrating food created by God that helps our bodies better than any medicine.

Did you know wild rice really isn't rice at all? Sounds weird but it's actually long-grain marsh grass seed. Wild rice is packed with nutrients and protein. It's especially high in zinc, which is vital for healthy skin, cell growth, sexual and reproductive function, a strong immune system, and blood sugar regulation.

Truth be told, I've been searching out ways to incorporate "wild rice." So far I've only been able to use it in a Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe by Bobby Flay that has become tradition at our house. I was grateful for Jen's recipe, which I tweaked a little bit to make it my own. The inspiring part about this soup is that it is thick, stick-to-your-insides hearty. It's perfect for those cold winter months but could be served up anytime of the year. I added sausage to my version because I happened to have a package of my favorite Trader Joe's Mango Chicken Sausage in the fridge. (Also, my dad, Mr. Carnivore himself, was coming to dinner so I thought this was an even better way to lure him to love wild rice.) You could choose to make it vegetarian or add the meat.

I am my Italian mother's daughter and I do believe every great meal needs to be accompanied by really amazing bread. I've been tweaking this focaccia bread recipe over the last several months - trying out different flours, playing with yeast and herbs. Let's be real: yeast is finicky and bread making can be tough. I've discovered that if my yeast/warm water/flour mixture doesn't literally bubble over the glass cup within 10 minutes than the yeast is not in good condition. It's worth throwing it out and starting over. Slowly but surely I'm starting to get the hang of it. There is something truly magical about watching the yeast bubble, adding the ingredients, kneading it (or putting my Kitchenaid to the hard work), letting it rise and bake. The rich smell of bread just permeates the house.

My hubby's secret dream is that we would buy a bread mill and grind our own flour and bake our sandwich bread every week. However, we don't have the moolah for a mill or a bread machine and I'm not quite there. I tell him to make a Trader Joe's run. In the meantime though, I will make an occasional loaf and this is my go-to recipe for company or family.

Creamy Wild Rice & Sausage Soup

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 yellow pepper, chopped
-1 red or orange pepper, chopped
-1 large onion, chopped
-1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
-1 cup celery (about 3 stalks), chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon dried thyme
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-2 teaspoons sea salt
-1 bay leaf
-8 cups chicken broth or water
-1 cup wild rice
-1/4 cup organic butter
-1/4 cup flour
-2 cups whole milk
-1 package Trader Joe's Mango Chicken Sausage (or other pre-cooked sausage of your choice)
-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional if you want to kick it up a notch)

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil. Chop vegetables.
2. Sweat peppers, onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the pot for about 10 minutes.
3. Add spices: thyme, chili powder, sea salt, bay leaf.
4. Add chicken broth or water and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add rice and simmer on low, covered for 45 minutes.
6. In a separate sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour. Whisk together 3-4 minutes until a paste forms. Add milk. Allow to bubble cooking until it thickens.
7. Add roux or flour mixture to large soup pot. Cook additional 10 minutes until soup is thick and creamy.
8. Cut up sausage into bite-sized chunks. Stir into soup.
9. Add red pepper flakes to taste.

Makes 10 servings.

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Ingredients:
-1 package or 2 tablespoons yeast
-4 cups flour, divided (I prefer all purpose, unbleached, unbromated like Bob's Red Mill or Trader Joe's brand; could use 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour if you want to do a mix)
-1/2 cup lukewarm water

-1 cup water
-3 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
-2 tablespoons organic sugar or honey
-1 tablespoon rosemary sprigs

-1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil + 2 tablespoons extra for brushing

1. Mix together yeast, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water in a bowl or glass measuring cup. Be careful not to get water to hot or it will kill the yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes until the mixture begins to bubble up.

2. Meanwhile, measure 3 1/2 cups flour, sea salt and sugar into a large bowl. (If using a Kitchenaid mixture, attach dough hook.)

3. Pour olive oil and yeast mixture into the flour mixture. Add additional cup of water. Stir together.

4. Knead for approximately 10 minutes or until dough is smooth. Add flour if it appears sticky.

5. Cover in an oiled bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

6. Position a rack on the bottom third of your oven and place a pizza stone on the rack. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

7. Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll out into a large circle about 1-inch thick. Place on top of pizza stone. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle rosemary on top along with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.

8. Bake on the stone until golden and crisp approximately 15-20 minutes.

Recipe of the Week: Cauliflower Potato Cheese Soup

2011-02-24T15:01:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we piled our girls in the car and headed north to visit three different families of friends. One of our excursions included the Oakdale Gouda Cheese Farm with the VanderMeulens. This place is the real deal with delectable cheeses handmade by Dutch immigrants. We came home with a 2-pound glorious wheel of basil gouda cheese.

My kids are cheese monsters. They would eat cheese all day long if I let them. I'm not sure if it's their Italian blood or if mama has modeled that one for them. That said, we are careful about too much cheese intake. We regard it as a special treat at our house for cost and health reasons.

I learned a good lesson during The New Year's Pantry Challenge that sometimes making the cheese a garnish is a great way to save money and show off the "special" ingredient. My Potato-Corn Chowder employs the same technique. I love easy soups when the weather is cold and you need something hearty to warm your insides.

This cauliflower soup was inspired by the beautiful heads of cauliflower at our local market, and, of course, the wheel of gouda cheese. Bon Appetit!

Cauliflower Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 small head of cauliflower, chopped
-6 small potatoes
-2 carrots, chopped
-4 cups water or chicken stock
-1 tablespoon dried or fresh parsley, chopped
-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-1/2 teaspoon celery seed
-1/8 teaspoon pepper flakes, optional
-2 tablespoons flour
-2 cups milk or cream
-1 cup gouda cheese, shredded (You might use another hard cheese like parmesan.)
-4-5 stalks green onions, chopped for garnish

1. Add oil to a large stock pot. When oil is heated add, garlic and stir until fragrant.
2. Saute or sweat the cauliflower, potatoes and carrots in the oil until they are slightly brown and tender.
3. Add the water or chicken stock.
4. Add spices: parsley, sea salt, black pepper, celery seed, red pepper flakes.
5. Allow to simmer about 20 minutes until vegetables are very soft. Meanwhile, mix flour and milk in a separate measuring cup or bowl.
6. Add milk and flour mixture to soup. Continue cooking for about 10 more minutes until soup begins to thicken.
7. Serve in bowls with cheese grated on top as garnish. Another colorful garnish would be chopped green onions.

Thoughts on Fitness: Time to up the intensity

2011-02-12T21:50:00.000-08:00

By Ericlee Gilmore

The longer I am in the fitness industry, the more I realize that we have been doing fitness all wrong. I was raised with an attitude to work hard always. For me that included fitness too. If my heart was not racing, and if everything in my body was not screaming "stop" then I knew I could work harder. CrossFit has helped me realize that true fitness is not just strength or endurance.

I have been doing CrossFit since 2009 and I have been coaching it for one year. True fitness is the ability to do more work over a broad domain in the shortest amount of time. True fitness is not debateable because there is always a winner. It could be just body weight exercises like push-ups, squats, and pull-ups. Or it could be lifting weights like cleans or a medicine ball. Or it could be combination of body weight exercises, lifting weights, and metabolic conditioning. That is when you put it all together. Those are the workouts that hurt the most.

I think the problem we have is that we are not intense when it comes to exercise. Working hard means intensity. We are intense in our jobs, in the education of our children, in our personal rights and freedoms, even in our driving, but when it comes to fitness and exercise we aim for the lowest standard. Walking is a great start if you have never exercised in your life. You must move on from there.

Running is great too but running for a long period of time is not intense. Try sprinting 100-meters ten times in a row with a two-minute rest between each one. The key word here is sprint. That is an all out effort. So make fitness an all out effort. Make it intense! It might be just 5 minutes and that is okay. Whatever you do work at it with all your heart and I guarantee you will see results.

One last thing. Please remember that fitness does not stand alone. In the kingdom of wellness there is a king which is fitness and a queen which is nutrition. If you forget either one then your "kingdom" will fall apart. I just heard from a well-known strength and conditioning specialist that the best advice to give someone in America is called the "table push-away." Eat less and exercise more. I will leave you with that.

Recipe of the Week: Carrot Tea Party Muffins

2011-01-27T10:34:00.000-08:00

My girls (and the little boy I babysit) are into the "tea party phase." Today I decided to make up a new mini-muffin recipe using what we had on hand. Meilani had her friend Mia over and all four of the little ones put on aprons. Don't get me wrong: flour was flyin' and grubby hands were reaching in the batter but the result was this yummy (and healthy) new muffin recipe. Don't forget the flaxseed to give them some good omega-3s! We made these in our mini-muffin tins and they were perfect tea party fare. You could even frost them with cream cheese and honey blended for an extra special flair.

Ingredients:
1 large egg
2 tablespoons organic butter, softened
1 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 cups oats, uncooked
1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons flaxseed, ground
1/2 cup honey (or organic raw sugar)
2 cups carrots, shredded (could substitute zucchini or apples)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend together egg, butter, milk and yogurt.
3. Add dry ingredients: oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and flaxseed.
4. Mix in honey/sugar, carrots, raisins and chocolate chips.
5. Grease muffin tins with olive oil spray. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop batter into tins. Bake 15-20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown on top and springy to the touch.

Makes 2 dozen mini-muffins or 1 dozen large muffins.

New Year's Pantry Challenge: A Conclusion or a New Beginning?

2011-01-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

I survived. Actually, I knew I would survive because I've done this before. It's kind of like attempting a 10k or a half marathon when I know I've completed them before. I continue to run those races because I know it's good for my body. I love the challenge and the discipline of training for a race. I treasure the comradery of running with friends or my husband. I feel inspired with a goal in mind. There was no doubt I would survive the pantry challenge this time around but I wanted to press myself toward thankfulness. I wanted to reject the temptation to get lazy about food, to complain about living off less. My spirit needed to be buoyed up by the bounty of community and creativity.

These few weeks have bonded me together with old friends and new friends. I'm blessed by so many who have shared meals with us. We have pooled our resources and learned from each other. I'm thankful for our Life Group that shares a meal every other week. Right now I'm taking the fococcia bread out of the oven and putting in the Butternut Squash Lasagna to serve to them tonight. I'm celebrating this bit of abundance. I'm grateful for times of sharing in community.

I've thought a lot about this guy Leo from our church who just moved into his first apartment after being homeless for 3 years. He's a veteran who has been on the streets. Our abundance, a meager bag of leftovers, graced his cupboards this week. My dad delivered it to Leo after our Pantry Party early in this challenge. I felt blessed that we could share with someone else in need. I like the idea of donating money or goods to a food pantry our soup kitchen but it doesn't get personal until you get involved with a real person. Really, couldn't we all do a little more? Some of our friends are raising money to feed babies in Ethiopia through Samaritan's Purse. That cause is personal to them since their son is adopted from Ethiopia. I know I need to get brave and actually invite Leo to dinner. What would happen if he joined hands around the table with my kids, my husband, my parents? What about you? Maybe you need to get brave and search out a cause, offer a meal to a friend who needs a break, serve up soup to a neighbor you've never met.

This week I've also been reminded why I love cooking. There's a quiet, creative space in cooking for me. As a busy mama of two and auntie for one or two more children who are frequently at my side, I seldom find solitude at my house. I choose quieting tasks like knitting or cooking to find space to breathe. I know that cooking brings me closer to praying. I was reading Ann Voskamp's "A Holy Experience" blog today and she pressed that part of my soul that needed reminding that "Housework is really being about the work of God — praying, serving, praising. And in these domestic chapels, God, The Very Person of Peace, offers Himself to the congregants." When I'm methodically peeling and chopping a butternut squash or adding spices to a sauce or kneading dough and watching it rise and bubble, I ponder the day. I pour out my failures, my worries, my struggles. A little elbow grease, a little flour on the hands, helps me wade through the dirtiness of a day to the other side where God whispers peace that passes understanding to my soul.

I have to admit I was giddy this weekend, knowing that I had a trip to the farmer's market and grocery store ahead of me. I started making my list in my head and scratching meal plans on paper. I believe there is a kind of worship in feeding my family healthy and delicious foods. Don't hear what I'm not saying. I didn't say I worship food. I worship God by honoring this temple he gave me. I fill up the temple with whole, healing foods.

When we got to the farmer's market in Ontario near my brother's house, my girls and I gravitated toward the berries. These morsels were pricey in the dead of winter but spending money on berries is worth it to me. I'd rather spend my weight in organic berries than fork out cash on medicine. We build berries into our budget especially during these winter cold and flu months. We lovingly call berries the superheroes of the food world. They are ripe with antioxidants for fighting off the bad guys. There's nothing that pleases a foodie mama's soul more than to see my two little girls with berry-stained lips and fingers.

I feel grateful that I have the choice to fill up my pantry. These next few weeks I still have a limited budget but I know I am choosing to line the cupboards and refrigerator shelves with good food. I am thankful for my husband's hours coaching at the gym this month. I am thankful for this season of waiting as our family prepares to move to Haiti and reach out to many there who are hungry.

I want this New Year's Pantry Challenge to truly be a new beginning as we learn more about what it means to live simply, to eat whole foods and to share our abundance. When I'm tempted to whine, I will whisper prayers on behalf of the hungry here in Fresno and in Haiti and around the world.

"For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." - Psalm 107:9

What did you learn these last two weeks?

New Year's Pantry Challenge, Small Bites offer Big Flavor, Day 12

2011-01-15T13:37:00.000-08:00

Today's Menu:

Breakfast:
Meyer Lemon & Cranberry Scones with Lemon whipped cream
Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:
Leftover Chicken Curry Masala
Leftover Wheat Berry Salad
Kids: Grilled cheese sandwiches
Hard-boiled eggs
Sliced apples

Snacks:
Tangerines
Raisins
Spiced Popcorn

Dinner:
Red Lentil & Squash Soup
Sourdough Toast with Salmon Salad

Today I surveyed my cupboards and refrigerator hunting for something unique. Now that we're nearing the end of the second week without grocery shopping for wants or cravings I find myself digging deep for that spirit of creativity and challenge. Why do a Pantry Challenge if I'm not willing to press in when the shelves look bare?

Ok, I should clarify, nothing around here looks bare. Who am I kidding? Isn't that the lesson of this kind of "grocery shopping fast." We in America live in complete abundance every day. And even when I deprive myself a little. Even when I discipline myself not to give in to convenience and excess I'm still really sitting right here in the middle of it. I've got grocery stores and restaurants and fast food havens practically in my backyard. The farmer's markets in California's Central Valley are pregnant with ripe fruits and vegetables and it's January for crying out loud. We truly live in the land of plenty.

My lesson for today's Pantry Challenge is remembering the beauty of small bites. The Spanish have it down; they serve up delectable small bites aka "tapas" all the time. I *love* tapas. I love the idea of a small, artful plate before me. I adore the idea of eating slowly, contemplating each bite. When I was a swinging single girl I had room for small bites. I could afford the time. Now I'm a busy mama constantly fighting the clock, the incessant requests, the turned-up noses, the thrown-down food, the dietary needs of others. I seldom get a chance to breathe between bites. Today I'm reminded that if we stop to savor, we can find beauty in quality over quantity.

I found this Lemon-Cranberry Scone recipe and tweaked it with my kids in mind. I found a bag of cranberries from Thanksgiving. (Seriously, they were still good!) I dug out some lemons shared from a neighbor's tree. Meilani and I got out a small flower cookie cutter and had fun making something simple look sweet and fancy. The babies devoured them. (Ok, they licked the lemon whipped cream off and asked for more.) We all were surprised at the beauty in simple ingredients - butter, organic sugar, whole wheat flour, meyer lemons.

Cranberry-Lemon Scones with Lemon Whipped Cream

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (from about 3 lemons; preferably Meyer)
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
-1/3 cup organic raw sugar plus 3 tablespoons additional if using fresh cranberries
-1 tablespoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
-1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
-1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped coarse
-1 large egg
-1 large egg yolk
-1 cup organic heavy cream

Lemon Whipped Cream:
-1 tablespoon lemon juice
-1 cup organic heavy cream
-1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup or organic sugar

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Chop cranberries and zest lemons. Reserve zested lemon for juice later.
3. In a large bowl add flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add eggs and lemon juice.
5. Cut butter into cubes and add to mixture. Stir in cranberres and lemon zest.
6. Use a pastry blender or fork to mix until dough comes together. Gather in a ball.
7. Dust a cutting board with flour. Press the ball into a 9" round. Use a small cookie cutter or glass to cut out mini scones.
8. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
9. Bake approximately 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
10. Meanwhile, beat cream, adding agave syrup and lemon juice. When soft peaks form, stop beating.
11. Remove scones from oven. Cool on a plate and serve with a small bowl of the lemon cream for dipping.

New Year's Pantry Challenge, A Spicy Adventure, Day 10

2011-01-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Today's Menu:

Breakfast:
Smoothie
Free Chik-Fil-A Egg & Cheese Biscuit

Lunch:
Potato-corn Chowder
Sliced apples & kiwis
Hard-boiled eggs

Snack:
Tangerine
Raisins

Dinner:
Curry Chicken Masala with Cauliflower
Basmati Rice
Yogurt-covered raisins

As I've been digging through my "pantry" this week, I discovered I have a mountain of spices. Since it's a challenge to use what's in my pantry, I had to reach back into my memory and cookbooks to try some recipes from long ago. More than five years ago, my friend Anjali was visiting. She took me to a local Indian grocery store and introduced me to the world of Indian spices. Anjali also showed me that buying these spices in bulk from these little markets is much cheaper than hunting them down at the traditional grocery store. They also have "spice mixes" for traditional dishes like Tandoori Chicken or Curry Masala. This saves time in mixing a bunch of spices and their mix often tastes more authentic.

My all-time fave Indian dish is Chicken Masala, which has a creamy tomato sauce and tastes divine served over basmati rice. I wanted to try to find a way to simplify this dish, make it child-friendly (not too spicy) and use what I found in my pantry. We also wanted to use up some fresh cauliflower we scored at the farmer's market. I recognize you all might not have these specific spices in your pantry but the lesson for today was rediscovering spices and recipes from my past. My 2-year-old was signing and saying, "More, more" for this chicken. I had to keep filling up her plate.

Easy Curry Chicken Masala with Cauliflower

Ingredients:
-1 cup plain yogurt
-1 tablespoons curry masala spice mix (*available and many Indian grocery stores)

-3 boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

-1 large yellow onion, chopped
-2 tablespoons butter
-1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into large florets
-1 teaspoon turmeric
-1 small 6-oz. can of organic tomato paste
-1 pint whipping cream

1. Stir together yogurt and spice mix in a bowl. Add chicken pieces and lemon juice. Set in refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Saute onions in butter in a large skillet.
3. Add chicken and marinade to skillet.
4. Add cauliflower and saute additional 10 minutes.
5. When chicken and cauliflower are cooked, stir in turmeric, tomato paste and whipping cream. Bring to boil.
6. Reduce heat to simmer. Stir occasionally until sauce thickens.

Serve over basmati rice or with Indian naan (flatbread).

*This mix includes coriander, cumin, chilies, turmeric, black pepper, salt, dry ginger, fenugreek, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, caraway, garlic powder, onion powder. (I have a lot - so come borrow mine if you want to try this out!)

Serves 6.

New Year's Pantry Challenge, Beef Strogonoff Made Simple: Fancy doesn't have to be extravagant, Day 9

2011-01-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

Today's Menu:

Breakfast:
Smoothie
Granola and milk
Tangerine
Trader Joe's Peanut Butter and Crackers

Lunch:
Potato-Corn Chowder
Cornbread Muffins
Kiwi slices
Cupcakes (made by Amy)

Snack:
Raisins
Hard-boiled eggs

Dinner:
Butter Lettuce Salad with raisins, pumpkin seeds and feta cheese
Beef Strogonoff
Brown Rice
Chocolate Truffle Peppermint Cookies

People have the misconception that a "fancy" meal has to be expensive to make. I would like to argue today that a special meal doesn't have to cost the big bucks. I learned this from my friend Brandy who makes Beef Strogonoff with ground beef. According to my "Children's World Cookbook," Beef Strogonoff originates in Russia. This delicious recipe was created in the 1700s for Count Alexander Strogonoff. The recipe uses expensive steak like fillet or rump steak. But it doesn't have to be expensive.

A good meal doesn't have to take all day to make either. Don't get me wrong; I love intense cooking. I savor our Christmas Day tradition of rolling homemade raviolis or the occasional inspiration I get to make homemade Wonton Soup. These meals are fancy and time intensive. We all know that just isn't a reality every day of the week. I like to look for meals with an ethnic flair that are different, healthy and take a reasonable amount of time to make on a busy weeknight. Beef Strogonoff can be one of those quick meals. This Russian inspiration great for a quick comfort food for your family or decadent enough for company. I used what I had in the pantry for this version.

Beef Strogonoff

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 pound grass-fed organic ground beef
2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons sherry (or some other sweet wine)
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt

1. Saute onions in butter until translucent. Add the mushrooms to the pan.
2. Stir in dijon mustard.
3. Add ground beef and cook until brown.
4. Sprinkle flour on top of beef. Do not stir but let cook for 2-3 minutes.Then stir in with beef-onion mixture.
5. Add milk and sherry to skillet and gently stir. Lower heat when sauce begins to bubble and thicken.
6. Add black pepper, paprika and salt. (I didn't have it but you can add 1/2 cup sour cream at this point to make the sauce more creamy. You can also add milk or cream back into the sauce to adjust if it seems to thick.)

Serve over rice or egg noodle pasta.

New Year's Pantry Challenge, The name of the game is flexibility, Day 8

2011-01-11T20:11:00.000-08:00

Today's Menu:

Breakfast:
Fruit Smoothie (Persimmon, Orange Juice, Raw Milk, Kiwi, Flaxseed)
Leftover french toast
Scrambled eggs

Lunch:
Wheat Berry Salad
Sliced Apple
Sourdough Toast
Hard-boiled Eggs

Snacks:
Raisins

Dinner:
Sweet Potato Fries
Sourdough Toast with Marinara & Ricotta Cheese
Sliced Oranges
Chocolate Truffle Peppermint Cookies

It's kind of funny that I wrote about my Meal Plan yesterday because today I already rearranged my plan. I guess that's why it's important to have wiggle room; life happens. Tonight I had my Writer's Group, which meets once a month. Our family was invited to a Monday Night Football party as well. I sent Ericlee and the girls to the football fiesta with Sweet Potato Fries (since they were to bring finger foods to share). Meanwhile, I ditched my plan to make Potato-Cheese Soup and opted for a simple sandwich with leftover marinara sauce and ricotta cheese I had in the fridge. This afforded me some extra time to work on my writing and bake some cookies for the ladies in my group. (Yeah, I know Christmas is over but my tree is still up and I needed one last hurrah.)

I decided to work on the Potato-Cheese Soup tonight before bed so it would be ready for lunch tomorrow when our friends the Toslands are coming over. The winter months are a perfect time for experimenting with soups and chilis; they also make great leftover for lunches throughout the week. I scored a bag of potatoes at Fresh & Easy a few weeks ago for 33 cents. Yep, you read that right. I'm all about the deal.

I have a fabulous recipe for Potato Cheese Soup that my friend gave me years ago. It's something like what they serve at Marie Callender's restaurant. As I looked over the recipe, I realized I didn't have the chicken broth it called for, and I didn't want to use the 16 oz. of cheese it required. (My girls are little mice and I have to ration out my cheese this week.) I decided it was time to make my own Potato Soup Recipe with the ingredients in the pantry. A creamy, chowder-like soup sounded like the perfect comfort food for a cold winter's afternoon.

If you're the type who likes to follow a recipe line by line, here you go. Otherwise, you can review the basic idea and use what's in your pantry or winter garden. I can imagine leeks or chopped kale or even sweet potatoes adding something interesting to this recipe. Unfortunately, I didn't have any of those. I chose to make the cheese my soup's garnish so I didn't have to use up expensive cheese but still got that comfort-food-melty-goodness on top. (My girls were fooled.) Enjoy the journey.

Potato-Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 large yellow onion, sliced
-6 cups or about 3 lbs. russet potatoes, cubed
-1 purple carrot, chopped
-1 orange carrot, chopped
-1 teaspoon paprika
-2 teaspoons salt
-1 teaspoon black pepper
-1 teaspoon celery seed
-2 tablespoons dried parsley
-3 cups water
-4 cups milk
-4 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
-1 15-oz. can corn or 2 cups fresh or frozen corn

Garnish:
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

1. Saute onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil.
2. Add potatoes and carrots. Sweat in pot about 15 minutes.
3. When vegetables are tender, add water and spices (paprika, salt, pepper, celery seed, parsley).
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Meanwhile, stir together flour and milk. Add to soup pot and boil 5 minutes.
6. Lower heat and simmer until liquid thickens. Add corn.
7. Serve with garnishes sprinkled on top.

New Year's Pantry Challenge, Meal Planning for the new week, Day 7

2011-01-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

This week's dinner plans:

Sunday
Pad Thai Noodles with Broccoli, Carrot and Green peppers
Sliced oranges

Monday
Wheat Berry Salad
Potato-Cheese Soup
Cornbread Muffins
Persimmon Cookies

Tuesday
Salad
Beef Strogonoff
Brown Rice

Wednesday
Indian-spiced Chicken with Apricot Chutney
Cauliflower
Basmati Rice

Thursday
Veggie Pizza
Salad
Popcorn

Friday
Salmon Salad
Rosemary Biscuits
Lemon Bars

Meal Planning is an important part of my week. My philosophy is if you plan ahead then you are less likely to get in a pinch or get lazy and opt for takeout food. I'm flexible. I know things come up throughout our week. That's why I make dinner plans with wiggle room if I need to change my mind partway through the week.

I try to plan on the weekends for the week to come so I can go to our Saturday farmer's market, which always promises fresh food and great deals. Since we're doing the New Year's Pantry Challenge, I'm going to forego my usual trip the grocery store on Sunday evening. My hubby and I decided we wanted to save by eating out of the pantry but we were not going to sacrifice on our organic fruits and veggies or our weekly supply of raw milk. We know these are critical to good health and fighting off all the winter cold and flu germs. If it were summer time, I might be braver to live out of the garden but my garden has zilch right now so we headed for the market. (Sadly, I didn't get any lettuce or other winter veggies planted this year since we are selling our house.)

I started this week's meal plan by checking out the fridge, freezer and pantry. Then I got out my go-to recipe binder and a few cookbooks that have special sections for winter vegetable entrees. I also starting perusing this blog and others like Eatingwell.com and the Epicurious iPhone app for winter-inspired meals. AllRecipes.com is also a great resource for figuring out how to use random ingredients. You can use their search tool to add ingredients or put in ingredients you don't have/like.

After I had compiled the grocery list, we prepared for the market. My hubby and oldest daughter volunteered to go on the treasure hunt this week. First stop: Organic Farmer's Market on Barstow and First in Fresno in front of Kristina's Market grocery store. Second stop: Vineyard Farmer's Market on Shaw and Blackstone Avenues at the NW corner.

Here's what they got:
-2 half gallons raw whole milk
-1 bunch purple and orange carrots
-1 head cabbage
-1 head butter lettuce
-1 large bunch green onions
-10 apples
-broccoli
-cauliflower
-1 quart fresh-squeezed raw orange juice

They ended up spending $35 total and that will be our "food spending" for this week. Total score! I will add that we have a $20 certificate (LivingSocial coupon that we paid $10 for last month) in our arsenal for more fresh fruits, veggies and eggs. Technically, we're spending $45 this week until Friday. We'll see how it goes!

What are your tricks for getting fresh fruits and veggies into your diet during winter months? We would love to hear your ideas.

New Year's Pantry Challenge: Make leftovers an Event, Day 5

2011-01-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

Today's Menu:
Breakfast:
Waffles with Strawberry Jelly & Honey

Lunch:
Pizzadillas
Leftover Fried Rice
Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Snacks:
Pretzels
Cherries

Dinner:
Falafel sandwiches on Naan bread (which I found in the freezer yesterday)
Garlic-yogurt sauce
Hummus
Popcorn

Friday is Fun Day in the Gilmore house. That means I try to put on my creative mama hat and think up fun outings and ways to spend quality time with my girls. Today I also learned a very important lesson about leftovers: They taste so much better when you make them an event.

This morning the sun was hiding in our neck of the woods but there was plenty of fun inside. We set the table like a tea party - complete with Giada's new Magic Tea Party Set from Christmas - and had a par-tay! I toasted yesterday's leftover waffles, got out the honey and surveyed the condiments. Strawberry jam sounded very tea partyish so we got that out too. I poured some milk as our English-style "tea" and we had fun dipping our "tea cakes" and licking honey off our fingers. Mama even licked the honey jar - much to my girls squealing delight. (Take that, Pooh Bear!) This meal would even be fun for lunch or dinner, which may even add to the novelty of it all.

Tonight's meal was Falafel sandwiches, which is another one of my "Budget Bites" or cheap meals to make on the fly. They are little patties made out of chickpeas that are wonderful with hummus and a garlic-yogurt sauce. I think the traditional way to make them is to deep fry them, which creates a crispy outer shell. I prefer to saute in olive oil. My friend Leslie like to bake them and she says they turn out very good. Ericlee will always request these if I let him choose dinner. Get the kids involved and make it an event.

New Year's Pantry Challenge, Sharing Abundance, Day 4

2011-01-06T19:02:00.000-08:00

Today's Menu:
Breakfast:
Fruit Smoothie
Waffles with honey

Lunch:
Pizzadillas
Apple slices

Snack:
Tangerines
Cherries

Dinner:
Taco Soup (Made by Forest)
Honey Cornbread Muffins with Butter
Oranges
Chocolate-dipped Peanut Butter Cookies (Made by Cori)

Today's highlight was the opportunity to share our abundance with others and live in community. For those of you who have been following along, you know that Monday we had a Pantry Party. Four friends showed up with extras from their own pantries and we all traded items and brainstormed new recipes. We also put together a bag of "abundance" to share with someone in need. The original plan was to donate this to our church pantry. I actually found out about a more tangible need through my dad. My dad volunteers with a program at our church called Celebrate Recovery. He told me about one of the veterans he works with who has been homeless for a while and is just getting his first apartment. My dad happily delivered the extra food to his friend. Other people from our church have been collecting furniture and kitchen items for this man.

Tonight we had dinner with our Life Group. Four of us couples from church have been meeting for dinner every other week for almost seven years now. Not only is it a great chance to encourage each other in our faith journeys, as parents and in our marriages, but it's also an opportunity to share in community. For this meal, our friends the Benedicts hosted and made a crockpot full of Taco Soup. I brought corn bread muffins. My friend Cori brought oranges fresh from her tree and made peanut butter cookies dipped in chocolate. I didn't have all the ingredients for those different parts of the meal but when we pooled our resources we had quite a feast!

New Year's Pantry Challenge: Cleaning out the Freezer, Day 3

2011-01-05T18:04:00.000-08:00

Today's Menu:
Breakfast:
Granola
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Leftover Fried Rice
Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:
Pita sandwiches with Ground Beef-Cabbage-Onion mixture (aka leftover wonton filling from last night but don't tell my kids)
Almond Butter & Strawberry Jelly Sandwich (Ericlee made this to take to work.)
Oranges

Snack:
Apple slices
Banana-Oatmeal Power Cookies

Dinner:
Sole with Sherry Sauce
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Collard Greens
Brussel Sprouts with Lemon Butter

Today's dinner was created out of what I dug out of the freezer and what we had on hand. We actually don't have too large of a freezer but it is easy to lose things way in the back after a while. Every so often I need to take inventory on what is in there and force myself to use it.

I made it a treasure hunt and I discovered I have a lot of different types of beans (that's where I store my beans), a bag of amaranth (suggestions welcome!), wheat berries, some frozen bags of basil from our garden, all the fixings for our homemade Peanut Butter Coconut Granola, frozen cranberries that we can use for smoothies. And then I happened upon the Sole fish. I had two packages that I got on sale a few weeks ago at Fresh & Easy. I like to buy off their sale shelves once in a while. What I can't use right away I freeze. We only buy "Wild Caught" fish because it's healthier than "farm-raised." I frequently use Salmon or Mahi Mahi sold at Trader Joe's. Mind you I don't have any "regular" recipes for Sole so I decided I needed to experiment.

I also had a bag of collard greens and a bag of brussel sprouts passed on from another friend's pantry. These are two veggies I also do not have much experience. Time to dive in. I read through several fish recipes and perused several recipes on my favorite http://www.eatingwell.com/ for brussel sprouts. There had to be a way to make those things edible and appealing!

I decided to saute the Sole in butter because as Julia Child says, "With enough butter, anything is good." I also created a sauce by deglazing the pan with Sherry, which was also randomly in our pantry. The result was yummy and both my kids were fighting over the last pieces. The same sauce went over the sauteed brussel sprouts with a squeeze of fresh lemon. If I had walnuts, I would have made this recipe, but I didn't so I had to wing it.

My dad, who claims to hate brussel sprouts, asked for a second helping of the "delicious little cabbages." My hubby scarfed the collard greens, which were similarly sauteed in olive oil and chopped fresh garlic.

What are your favorite ways to cook fish? What about collard greens? Brussel sprouts? I'm always open to suggestions, especially when that's what's in the pantry.

New Year's Pantry Challenge: Getting creative with condiments, Day 2

2011-01-04T17:37:00.000-08:00

Today's Menu:

Breakfast -
Fruit and Veggie Smoothie
Peanut Butter Coconut Granola cereal and raw milk

Lunch -
Pita bread with Hummus Egg Salad
Sliced apples

Snacks -
Oranges & Trader Os

Dinner -
Wonton Soup
Chicken Fried Rice (with brown rice, eggs, green beans, carrots, onions
Chocolate Banana Coconut Power Cookies and Candy Cane Joe Joe's Ice Cream

Today I had to be creative and resourceful with the new items in my pantry and the leftovers in my fridge. That, I suppose, is what the New Year's Pantry Challenge is really all about: creativity. And I'm sure as the days go on I'm going to be required to be more and more creative. I do know from experience that this is how new recipes are born.

One area I had to be creative was in making our egg salad for lunch. We are all out of our favorite Trader Joe's mayonnaise. I've taken the pledge not to set foot in a grocery store until next Friday so I had to make do. I suppose I could have made mayonnaise (any good recipes out there?) but I didn't have time today. I was watching two other boys besides my two girls and feeding my raging-metabolism hubby. I had to think fast. I decided to substitute hummus (which I made from scratch the other night) for mayo and *voila* a new lunch creation was born. The hummus was a bit thicker than traditional mayonnaise but it did the trick. My hubby was the most excited about this one.

What's hummus?

It's a spread often used in Mediterranean food made out of garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas). Hummus uses garlic and tahini (sesame butter) and tastes great on pita bread or chips. I love hummus because it's cheap to make - you can buy a few cups of dried garbanzo beans in bulk for less than a dollar. I also love hummus because it's full of protein and it helps serve my need to dip. Are you a dipper? I'm a dipper. Love to dip chips, sandwiches, pretzels, you name it. And I've passed on the need to dip to my kids. Now I know it's a condiment and a dip all rolled into one. Give it a whirl!

Tonight we had our friends, the Fords, over for dinner. I promised Matt I would make wonton soup - his all-time fave. Unfortunately or fortunately we got a call to show our house (which is for sale) just hours before dinner. That meant I had to clean the place instead of prepping dinner. The Fords still wanted to come and happily decided to help us make dinner. I was reminded that the process of cooking with friends is even more fun that setting out a perfectly-plated meal.

Matt and Bev and their kiddos, Bethany and Josiah, showed up with some veggies to add to our meal. We made a fried rice dish to go with the soup using their fresh carrots and green beans mixed with chopped cabbage, egg and onions I had in the fridge. Bev helped me roll wontons. I didn't have all the usual ingredients to stuff wontons but we improvised. I used collard greens, cabbage and onions with ground beef I had leftover from last night's Manicotti. Surprisingly, we had extra wonton filling left in the end. That is sure to be a creative challenge for one of tomorrow's meals...

For dessert, we each savored a small scoop of Candy Cane Joe Joe's Ice cream and homemade Chocolate Banana Power cookies. This was a little hit of sweet at the end of the meal with a healthy twist. And the picky kiddos had no clue I was sneaking flaxseed, coconut and fruit into their dessert.

Hummus

-2 cups dried garbanzo beans, soaked in water overnight and boiled for approximately 30 minutes until soft
-2 garlic cloves
-2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed butter often found near the peanut butter)
-1/4 cup lemon juice
-1/2 teaspoon paprika
-1 teaspoon sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
-7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Throw all the ingredients into your blender or food processor except olive oil. Blend. Add water if necessary.
2. Stir in olive oil.
3. Taste and season according to your desire.

Hummus Egg Salad

-6 hardboiled eggs, chopped
-1 cup hummus
-1 teaspoon oregano
-1 teaspoon sea salt

1. Mix ingredients.
2. Spread on bread for a sandwich.

New Year's Pantry Challenge: Hosting a Pantry Party, Day 1

2011-01-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Today's Menu:

Breakfast -
Smoothie (persimmon, banana, cranberries, pineapple juice, raw milk)
Veggie Egg Scramble (with collard greens and onions)

Lunch -
Leftover Southwestern Bean & Barley Soup
Whole Wheat Quesadillas
Tangerines/Cuties

Snacks:
Apple slices
Zookies

Dinner -
Salad with
Stuffed Manicotti
Garlic Bread
Zookies

Today was the first official day of cooking through our New Year's Pantry Challenge. The first day is always a fun day in my mind. I'm flush with the thrill of the challenge, surveying my goods and feeling like it's all manageable. Today was especially ripe with inspiration because I hosted the Pantry Party with some of my friends. I invited people to survey their own pantries, make a list of items they would like to use creatively, and pack a few things to share with others at the party. I wasn't sure how the whole thing would go over.

Susan (who joined me for the last Pantry Challenge), Mary, Carrie and Forest showed up. We were all surprised by the abundance of food there was to share. My 4-year-old Meilani right away started lining up all the goods on a table and we had our own "Trading Grocery Store." We had fun perusing each other's pantry leftovers. Would you like Chai Tea? Would you use Pad Thai Noodles? How about some Organic White Wine Vinegar? Do you need more oats or lemons?

Mary really cleaned out her pantry - even donating Ziplock bags and toiletries - because she is having her hubby build her a new organizer for her pantry space. That benefitted all of us. We even had an extra bag of groceries that we plan to share with our church's food pantry. These items will be given out to people in the community who are in need.

I got out my favorite recipe binder and my binder of Cooking Club faves to share with our friends. We all dove into my cookbook collection and even searched out some new options online. Susan brought her planned month of meals to inspire us. Forest had a great cookbook to share as well. As a group we brainstormed how to use certain items like lentils, sweet potatoes and apricots that different people had in abundance. Can't wait to taste Carrie's Apricot Chutney using frozen apricots she got from a friend's tree.

In the end, I think we all solidified a week of planned dinners, gathered some new recipes and went home with a bag full of "new groceries." I was pretty stoked about pita bread, Trader Joe's barbecue sauce and a bowl full of lemons and tangerines. Talk about living in community! Today I was struck anew by the abundance we all have in our pantries. I know our finances are limited this month but we truly do have so many resources, especially if we share with other families.

For today's meals, I was able to use ingredients I had bought earlier to bless two other families. Our friends, Troy and Allison, just had a baby and my mom just had surgery. I made one of my favorite "Meals for Company," which is Stuffed Manicotti. I generally make this meal with a Tomato-Meat Sauce but this time I made it a Marinara Sauce. This saves a little money on extra meat and it's really not necessary since there's already meat and cheese in the filling along with spinach. Both of these sauces are great for making in batches and freezing. I was able to give an extra container of sauce to my friends for their fridge and freeze one of my own. I can use Marinara for pizzas at lunch or over pasta for a dinner on a different day.

What's in your pantry? What ingredients do you have that you need to use up? How were you inspired to use what you have or trade with others? Please share your stories.

January Resolve: Great Pantry Challenge, Part 2

2011-01-02T20:10:00.000-08:00

The beginning of a new year is the natural time for resolutions. The time for creating goals. The time for assessing and reviewing and reorganizing. Our family likes to use this time of year to reflect on the past and make new plans for the future.

We started our healthy living journey and this blog in January 2008. How far we have traveled in these past three years in terms of what we eat and how we live a "health-full" life! It's been all about baby steps for us but those baby steps add up over months and years. (That's exciting to think about!) We've been able to save money and spend less time sick and going to the doctor's office.

This year we're taking on some new baby steps to continue the journey. Our big goal is to try and eat 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day and continue exercising regularly (3 or more times a week). We also desire to experiment more with gardening and eating more raw fruits and vegetables.

To start off, we're pressing the reset button so to speak on our pantry. Some of you might remember we did the Great Pantry Challenge in October 2009. This was a fun way to embrace the very real challenge ahead of us - to live off the abundance we already had instead of buying excess. The best part was - we survived and we learned some amazing lessons in the process. We also came away with some new favorite recipes. We're hoping for the same this time around.

For the last week, many in Fresno have been consumed by Walmart's "Fighting Hunger Together" contest. I thought it was a cool contest. I clicked "Like" several dozen times on my Facebook account in an effort to help Fresno win the $1 million. That contest also got me thinking: what if we all put our heads together and creatively worked as a team to feed the hungry in Fresno? What if we each gave a few extra dollars to a local homeless shelter each month? What if once a year or once a quarter or once a month we each surveyed the excess in our own pantries and donated it to a local food bank? What if we just ate what we have in our pantries for an extra week and the money we saved was available to bless someone else? What if?

Looking ahead, we know for our family that January is going to be a tight month financially. We also have in mind the goal on the horizon, which is to move to Haiti to serve among the people there for a year. We want to continue to challenge ourselves to live simply, but allowing good food and community to be our medicine.

Our goals:
1. To save money in the month of January, while still maintaining a healthy diet.
2. To think about ways to use, recycle and share food and recipes with our community of friends.
3. To challenge our family and others to brainstorm creative ways to feed the hungry in Fresno.

The following is what our family is taking on for the next few weeks. We invite you to join us. You feel free to make your own plans, your own rules. Maybe you want to take on one of these plans. Maybe you want to tweak it to fit your needs, your lifestyle. The challenge is all yours. We're not here to be the pantry police; we just love to share with friends.

Our plans:
1. To avoid grocery shopping starting today and continuing through Jan. 14 (approximately 2 weeks). The exception for our family will be to buy our regular 1 gallon of raw milk, 1 flat of eggs, fruits and vegetables at our local farmer's market. We still believe these items need to be fresh and local.
2. To host a Pantry Party at our house where friends can swap pantry items, extra produce and brainstorm meal plans together. (Monday, January 3 - let us know if you're interested.)
3. To donate unused pantry items to a local food bank.
4. To share at least one meal with a homeless person in Fresno or volunteer at one of Fresno's shelters.

Check back in. We plan to share our recipes, our meal plans and our lessons learned. We invite you to share yours.

Thanksgiving Menu 2010: Grateful for the bounty

2010-11-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2010 Menu

Fall Butternut Squash Soup

Nana's Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls

Nama's Armenian Pilaf

Green Bean Casserole

Southwestern Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Mary's Free-Range Herb Roasted Turkey

Wild Rice & Goat Cheese Stuffing

Pomegranate-Pear Cranberry Sauce

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Nana's Blueberry Pie

Vanilla Ice Cream

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it's a chance to celebrate two things I love: family and food. At the Gilmore Home, preparing the Thanksgiving feast is just as much fun as eating it because we all get together to prep and cook together. This year our table will be filled with our family, my parents, Ericlee's parents, my brother and sister-in-law and niece, a cousin and her baby and any of my hubby's students who are brave enough to join the party.

Our healthy journey over the last several years has meant seeking out and creating new healthy versions of Thankgiving faves. We've tackled our menu little by little, one dish at a time. Last year we ditched the traditional sweet potatoes with marshmallow sugar overload and added a Sweet Potatoes dish with Pomegranate & Mint. This year I'm serving up a new spin on sweet potatoes that I learned from my friend Sam Jessup at our church's "Taste of Friendship" event a few weeks ago. His Southwestern Roasted Sweet Potato Salad has a memorable Chipotle pepper kick. It's also a great addition because it can be made a few days ahead and still maintains that pop of flavor and healthy ingredients.

The biggest change or step we took this year was ordering a turkey through Whole Foods. Ericlee did a little research and found out that these cage-free birds are from a local Sanger family. Mary's Free Range Turkeys eat a vegetarian diet. They never have antibiotics or hormones. No preservatives are added to them. The little brochure explains, "Mary's Free Range Turkeys are raised the old fashioned way: with plenty of space. In the sunny San Joaquin Valley of California, the turkeys are humanely raised by allowing them to roam in a stress-free environment. With cleaner living quarters, a healthier and happier turkey is grown resulting in a wonderful taste." Sounded impressive to us. The cost was only $1.99/pound - We thought it would be much more.

Maybe you're like me and you're already skipping ahead to all the creative ideas you can employ with turkey after Thanksgiving. Here are some of my fave Thankgiving Leftovers options. This year I'm going to try out Turkey Mole - a recipe from my chef friend Willie Bezemer. I can hardly wait for the meal after Thanksgiving!

Leave us a comment. What's new or traditional on your menu this year? How are you using local ingredients to celebrate?

Budget Bites: Haitian Squash & Sauce Beans with Rice

2010-11-18T14:18:00.000-08:00

This week's "budget bites" feature comes compliments of our Haitian friend, Peter Constantin. Peter is staying with us for a week and he wanted to cook us some Haitian regulars. The Haitians live on rice and beans and prepare it many different ways, depending on what's available. Rice and beans are amazing together because they are a "complete protein," which means they contain all 20 amino acids that are bodies need.

Another of our favorite side dishes is this squash dish using chayote. Squash is is full of beta carotene (great antioxidant) and Vitamin C. Those are two germ-fighters we want in our diet, especially during cold season.

Both of these dishes are packed with nutrients and inexpensive to eat. We like to eat Haitian food and remember to pray for our friends in Haiti. Find more Haitian recipes here.

Pwatann Militon (Squash cut in sauce)

2 chayote, peeled

6 cups of water (approximate)
2 garlic cloves
1 green onion stalk
2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1. Boil water.

2. Meanwhile, peel to chayote and cut into match sticks.

3. Add chayote to water. Boil until tender. Strain leaving about 1 cup of water/liquid.

4. Smash green onions and garlic in mortar & pestel (or blender). Add to chayote mix.
5. Add thyme and tomato paste.
6. Simmer approximately 5 minutes in sauce.

Haitian Sauce Beans with Rice

FOR BEAN SAUCE:

Ingredients:

2 cups pinto beans

4 cups water

4 whole cloves

2 stalks fresh thyme

3 stalks fresh parsley

1/4 green pepper

1. Boil 2 cups beans in 4 cups water.

2. Add 4 cloves and 2 teaspoons salt to boiling water for flavor.

3. Boil until tender (you can press together with your fingers).

4. Set aside to cool.

5. Take 1/2 beans from the water and add to a blender. Blend until smooth.

6. Add back to the beans in water.

7. Quarter green pepper and add one quarter piece to sauce. Add thyme and parsley.

8. Boil an additional 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

FOR RICE:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 stalk green onion

5 cups water

2 1/2 cups jasmine rice

2 teaspoons salt

1. Add olive oil to large pan. Break onion in half and saute in oil until fragrant.

2. Add 5 cups of water to pan. Bring to boil.

3. Meanwhile, rinse rice in a strainer under water. Add rice to boiling water.

4. Add salt.

5. Allow to boil until most of the water has evaporated. Then cover and lower temperature to simmer for approximately 20 minutes rice is fluffy.

Functional Fitness: Local moms' group tries new workout

2010-11-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night, my hubby and I got another chance to share our passion for fitness and wellness with a group of local mamas. Our church hosts a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group twice a month and they invited us to speak and lead a workout for the 50-some moms who attend. We had the chance to speak at a different MOPS group last year and it was a lot of fun so we jumped on the opportunity.

As I shared with the moms on Thursday, my goal is always to be an encouragement to other women on the journey. It's so easy to get caught up in the world of comparing our bodies. Sometimes we set the bar so high that all we can ever achieve is failure. I know for myself that I need baby steps on this road to overall health and wellness. I also know that I want to honor God with my body. He created me; I want to embrace that. A good workout (even a short one) is a great stress relief for me. A workout helps me feel better about myself, and ensures I will be strong for the future for my kids and grandkids.

As a mom who has been through two pregnancies and births, I have experienced lots of changes in sizes and the shape of my body. During my first pregnancy, I gained more than 40 pounds and I had a rude awakening after the birth and those pounds didn't just melt away. I had the desire to exercise and get back in shape but my body had two months of recovery after a difficult birthing process so I couldn't exactly jump out there and start running or going to kickboxing classes again. I would stand in front of my closet and cry, knowing my pre-pregancy clothes were not going to fit for a long time - if ever. I went through a kind of depression that a lot of first-time mothers experience in that post partem period.

When my second daughter Giada was born almost 21 months ago, I knew I wanted to be a little more intentional about many things. I knew I wanted to eat healthier, drink more water and get more exercise during the pregnancy. After I had Giada, I begged my personal trainer hubby to help me come up with some workouts I could do at home in a short amount of time. Now with two kids (and providing childcare for two more) I knew I had to forego long cardio workouts. That's how we came up with the idea of the "Go, Mama Workout." At the time, my husband was really getting into CrossFit and the theory behind doing workouts that work on both strength and cardio at the same time. Ericlee used his knowledge of CrossFit and functional movements and wrote up a workout plan for me. I've been doing these workouts for almost two years now.

The basic idea is to make my workout "functional." In other words, I don't waste time trying to do exercises that aren't going to really benefit me as a mom. Why in the world would I sit on a machine at the gym and do a butterfly with my arms when that is something I will never do in real life. I'd rather do a squat, which is something I do every day when I pick up a baby. I want to learn how to do that properly and be strong so I don't injure myself.

On Thursday, Ericlee led the group of mamas in a basic 10-minute workout using some of the concepts of CrossFit. The great part of this workout is that no expensive equipment or gym membership is required. It's something you can do right at home. We had a lot of fun laughing together and spurring each other on to finish.

We did:
-5 pushups
-5 situps
-5 squats

We had to do it for 10 minutes straight without stopping but you could go at your own pace, depending on your level. Ericlee also offered some modifications for doing these basic movements. For example, pushups could be done against the wall, on your knees or traditional-style. Also, several pregnant mamas opted to do "dips" on a chair instead of pushups to avoid bumping their bellies on the floor.

Ten minutes doesn't sound to bad, eh? Try it. If you talk to any of my mama friends who worked it Thursday night you will hear testimony after testimony that this is a very intense workout. And that's my favorite part - it's short and intense. The reality is: I'm a busy mama. I don't have time for the 60-90 minute classes I used to take at the gym. (That doesn't include all the time it takes to pack up the kids and get them over there to the childcare and the money you pay each month.)

Wondering where to begin? Here are some tips Ericlee wrote up to keep in mind. You can create your own workouts or use some of ours for free. You might also want to read my initial blog on the Go, Mama Workout and check out the first workouts. If you like to take classes, Ericlee also coaches at Fresno's Speed Sports Performance/CrossFit Combat Fitness gym on Shaw and Cedar. (His Boot Camp class at 5:30 a.m. on Mondays costs $3 and you don't need a gym membership to participate.)

“Go Mama” Workout Tips:

• Keep the workout short and speedy so it combines cardio and strength training.

• Constantly change it up because your body adapts to a stimulus.

• Focus on the gymnastic exercises (body weight) first and then move to weight lifting exercises.

• All exercises can be done anywhere – you do not need expensive equipment.

• Plan to do the workout two days a week to start and work up to five days a week.

• Repetitions and rounds should always be different.

• Compete against yourself for motivation. (How long does it take or how many rounds can you finish?)

• Consider putting 2-3 gymnastics together and that could be your workout or add one from each of the following categories.

• Remember it is about intensity and duration. If you want it easier, then lower intensity and duration. If not, then raise it.

Mix and match the following exercises: You can pick two, three, or even four exercises. You can pick all exercises from one category or one from each category (gymnastics, weights, cardio). You can pick 3-5 rounds or how many rounds in 10-20 minutes. Be creative everyday.

Gymnastics:

-Push-ups

-Sit-ups

-Air squats

-Dips

-Lunges

-Pull-ups

Weight lifting:

-Shoulder press

-Chest press

-Bicep Curl

-Tricep Extension

-Squats

-Medicine ball

Cardio:

-Jumping Jacks

-Burpees

-Box jumps

-Jump Rope

-Running

-Cycling

-Swimming

For Example:

1. How many rounds in 10 minutes

(G) Pushups x 5

(G) Situps x 10

(G) Squats x 15

2. Time 5 rounds

(G) Air Squats x 30

(W)Shoulder Press x 10

3. Time 3 rounds

(G) Dips x 20

(G) Situps x 30

Any questions? Leave a comment. We'd love to share more. If you're in Fresno, we might just start a "Go, Mama Workout" meet-up if there's enough interest. Kids would be welcome!

Chai Cheesecake wins 2nd place at the Big Fresno Fair

2010-10-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

I always love entering the cooking contests at our Big Fresno Fair. It's a fun challenge to make something unique with the designated food product - not to mention a little extra dough if you win. This year I entered the Malt-O-Meal Creations contest. I thought it would be using something porridge-like Malt-o-Meal hot cereal we all grew up on. But the company is out to promote their cold cereals so I had to come up with a unique recipe using on of their cold cereals.

After visitng three local grocery stores, I finally checked the web site and found the cereals were sold at our local Walmart. I came home with a huge back of Honey Nut Scooters, which are similar to Honey Nut Cheerios or Honey Trader O's, which I prefer. Then I had to dream up something to make.The contest is judged on Creativity, Taste and Ease of Recipe.

I have to admit I let weeks go by. I was stumped. Then one day my friend Bev showed up at my house with a slice of cheesecake. We marveled at how inexpensive cheesecake is to make and how glorious and rich the result. I decided to rev up a cheesecake using the cereal in the crust. I knew this couldn't be just any cheesecake. It had to be different. I decided to employ one of my fave flavors - Chai Tea.

I'm a Chai lover. If you haven't had Chai, it's a tea using Indian-inspired spices. The word chai literally means tea. This tea feels very fall to me - full of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. Everyone mixes their chai a little differently. I've noticed Chai is becoming all the rage in local cafes and even Jamba Juice serves a Chai-licious smoothie that's inspiring.

I made a couple cheesecakes to perfect the crust and Chai filling mixture. Of course, I cut the sugar used in most cheesecake recipes in half. The following recipe was the result. My family and I had fun heading down to the Big Fresno Fair and watching the judging. Surprise, surprise - 100 percent of the entries were desserts. The judges did deliberate.

They announced the winners and my "Chai Cheesecake with Honey Nut Crust" was awarded 2nd place and $50. I was very excited to stand next to Pearl, the first place winner. She was the sweetest old lady who was blind and had entered 20 other desserts in the fair as well. Her Raspberry Crunch Pie deserved first!

Chai Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups cereal, crushed (I like Trader O's, Honey Nut Scooters or good old fashioned graham crackers will work too.)

½ cup butter, melted

4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup organic sugar

4 cage-free large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ pint whipping cream

1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Crush cereal in a ziplock bag with a mallet or in a food processor. They should look like coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in melted butter to coat cereal.

3. Press into the bottom of a greased (round) spring form or other cake pan and bake for 5 minutes to set. Remove from oven and cool.

4. Blend cream cheese and sugar with hand mixer. Add eggs one at a time and blend until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla, ginger, cardamom, allspice, cinnamon. Pour over crust.

5. Bake for one hour. Remove and cool. Chill at least one hour before slicing.

6. Whip cream and add honey. Spoon a dollop on top of cheesecake slices with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Budget Bites: Love 'em Lentil Burgers

2010-10-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

It's crunch time. We're in the process of selling our house and preparing for a year of serving in Haiti. My hubby is only working part-time for these few months. That means our budget is tight, tight, tight these days. I'm tempted to whine about it but I'll try the high road and make it into a food challenge. I'm starting a new occasional series on this blog called "Budget Bites," which features healthy, scrumptious foods that is cheap to make. I did something similar last fall when I took on the Great Pantry Challenge. I discovered lots of fun recipes just by scavenging through my own pantry. Only this time it will be individual recipes and the inspiration to possibly try out some new ingredients - not just your familiar staples.

A few months ago my hubby's cousins from Spain came to visit. I have a foodie friend in Maribel and she introduced me to some of her family's favorite eats including homemade Spanish Paella and Tapas (Spanish appetizers). On the simpler side, we also served up a lunch of lentil burgers together. I was shocked to watch her three kids and my two girls gobble these babies down.

What struck me later was how cheap these are to make and you still can have the "burger experience." Sign me up. If a "veggie burger" or anything "lentil" sounds blah to you, don't be a hater until you've tried these out. My carnivore soul was surprised. (Our family tries to eat vegetarian two to three times a week to save moolah and for health reasons but my Italian-Filipino upbringing still has me savoring my meat.) If you really want it to taste like a burger, skip the yogurt sauce and add your favorite condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayo or salsa.

We welcome all positive (and even negative!) feedback from our eaters!

Lentil Burgers

Ingredients:
-2 cups dried lentils
-1 onion, chopped
-1 green pepper, chopped (You could substitute zucchini.)
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-2 red cherry peppers, finely diced (My mom had these in her garden and my hubby likes the extra kick that's not too overpowering for my kids. You could try out a jalapeno for more heat or red bell pepper for a sweeter taste.)
-2 teaspoons sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon paprika
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-3 cups panko breadcrumbs (Japanese-style breadcrumb sold in most stores that add an extra crunch when you're breading something or other whole wheat breadcrumbs will work)
-1/2 cup olive oil

-1 cucumber, thinly sliced
-1 tomato, sliced
-8 whole wheat pita bread pockets or whole wheat buns
-1 cup plain yogurt mixed with a few drops of lemon juice
-mint or basil leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. Put lentils into a large mixing bowl. Cover with water & let soak for an hour or overnight. (They will grow in the bowl so make sure yours is big enough.)
2. Chop onion, green pepper, garlic and hot pepper.
3. When lentils are soft, mix with immersion hand blender or food processor. You want the mixture to be a very coarse paste, not runny like hummus.
4. Heat skillet and add 1/4-inch of olive oil.
5. Stir chopped vegetables and spices into the lentils.
6. Pour half of the breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl or dish. Spread out along the bottom of the bowl.
7. Form a "hamburger pattie" in your hands with the lentil mixture. Immediately press into the breadcrumbs. Use a spatula to flip in breadcrumbs and help you transfer the pattie into the sizzling olive oil. Saute until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining lentil mixture.
8. Serve on a whole wheat pita bread or bun with slices of tomatoes and cucumber. Garnish with whole leaves of mint or basil and yogurt sauce.

Makes 12 burgers; Serves 6-8

Living out of the Garden: The Wonder of Eggplant

2010-09-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

I planted late so our garden is ripe for the picking later than most in Fresno. My summer season veggies are officially ready now. Since we were traveling most of July and August I'm not complaining. In fact, I am marveling at the wonder of growing my own veggies. My first garden (as in my very own with no help from mama) started last winter with a few easy greens, some bok choy and some herbs. That's nothing compared to summer's bounty. Now we have cucumbers coming out of our ears, two varieties of eggplants, green peppers and several heirloom tomatoes that are not quite ripe but tantalizing me.

This week I'm on a hunt for new creative ways to eat eggplants.

Never had an eggplant? Suprisingly, they come in a lot of varieties. The classic eggplant are plump and a shiny deep purple color. Eggplant is a member of the potato family.

According to EatingWell.com, eggplant helps lower blood cholesterol levels. The deep purple skin contains anthocyanins and proanthocyanins, antioxidants that may play a role in heart health and improve brain function.

My all-time fave use of eggplant is a classic Italian recipe: Eggplant Parmigiana. Think thinly-sliced eggplant slathered in marinara sauce and topped with melty cheese. I grew up filling my belly with my grandma Sara's version of it. Three words: to die for. Unfortunately, my Grandma Sara can't cook anymore and she lives in Michigan so I'm on my own with an abundance of eggplants.

My go-to eggplant dish is to saute it with some onions and zucchini and incorporate it into an omelette. Top that baby with some fresh salsa and you are good to go.

Our cousin who lives in Spain roasts a whole eggplant along with other vegetables like red peppers and onions and then cuts them into strips for a Spanish tapa or appetizer. Just mix in some fresh garlic and drizzle with Spanish olive and voila!

For my Cooking Club one time we made this Eggplant Caprese Salad, which is easy to assemble and a lot of fun to make. The colorful stacks of thinly-sliced eggplant, tomatoes, basil and fresh mozarella oozing over the side make for impressive presentation. This is also primo on a sandwich. We grilled up some eggplant the other day, sliced some orange heirloom tomatoes from our garden and stacked on the cheese and basil. The result was an easy and elegant lunch.

Last night we made a vegetarian version of Moussaka. It's a Greek dish that showcases eggplant. It's a little involved to make because it includes a red sauce (with fresh tomatoes and cinnamon) and a cheesy white sauce on top of layers of eggplant. The aroma in the kitchen was divine. Definitely worth the extra time. And now I have new appreciation for the moussaka I've had in Chicago's Greektown. My Greek friend Mark used to take me to the Parthenon and we would order moussaka and other Greek delights. Opa!

Eggplant Parmesan inspired by Grandma Sara

Ingredients:
-2 large eggplants
-1/2 teaspoon sea salt + more for sprinkling
-1/2 teaspoon oregano
-1/2 teaspoon basil
-2 cups whole wheat breadcrumbs (I love panko because they are crispy and light.)
-4 eggs, lightly beaten
-3/4 cup olive oil
-3 cups mozarella cheese, shredded
-1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
-4 cups marinara sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and slice eggplant 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 15 minutes. This helps take some of the initial bitterness out of the eggplant.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the breadcrumbs by mixing in a shallow bowl with salt, garlic powder, oregano and basil.
4. Spray olive (or wipe with paper towel) onto 9x12 pan or casserole dish.
5. At this point, heat up or make the marinara sauce in a skillet.
6. In a separate skillet, heat up about 1/4 cup of olive oil.
7. Rinse salt off eggplant under cool water. Pat dry with paper towels.
8. Beat eggs in separate bowl and add parmesan cheese. Dip eggplant in egg mixture, then breadcrumb mixture and saute in olive oil until golden brown on both sides.
9. Spread one cup marinara sauce to the bottom of the pan. Layer eggplant on top. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozarella cheese and repeat. (This will feel like you are making a lasagna.)
10. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling slighlty in the bottom of the pan. Serve over pasta or with rice or bread.

Makes 8-10 servings.
A few other great recipes:
Garlic grilled eggplant & zucchini

What do you do with eggplant? Please share.

Berrylicious: Pick-your-own Berry Adventure

2010-06-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

I'm a little giddy over berries these days. I guess it's because I've had the opportunity to pick my own berries twice in the last week and just getting out there in the field makes me appreciate these delectable treats all the more. On Thursday we went to Rancho Notso Grande Farms in Hanford with a group of six other families. The drive was just 30 minutes from our home in Fresno. Meilani and I enjoyed the view out the window as we passed so many Valley farms and ranches. We tried to guess the kinds of plants and trees along the route.

When we arrived Farmer Jon gave a us a quick tour of his myriad of berries, including blueberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, tay berries, blackberries, raspberries and many special varieties within those categories. He explained they use organic practices for farming, which was great to hear since berries have one of the highest amounts of pesticides of any fruit. After we did a taste test on all of them, he handed out paper baskets and the kids and mamas and daddies went to work. We started out in the blueberries mostly because these had the least amount of stickers and thorns. The bushes are low so they were perfect for my 1-year-old Giada to pick and pack them in herself. Picture this: one ripe berry, one handful of sandy dirt. Two ripe berries, one handful of sandy dirt. Yeah, that kept her busy for a while.

Admittedly, blueberries are a bit of a pain to pick because you have to search out the ripe ones one by one. Blueberries are pretty small so plucking them off the branch of the bush one by one can take a while. I tried to find my own technique of running my fingers down the branch to get several at a time. Meilani, my 4-year-old, had more fun eating what was in my basket. But I'm glad it took a long time to pick these babies. What I learned was a new appreciation for the men and women who pick berries in our Valley. Sitting out there in the hot sun, trying to find the ripe berries and fill baskets is hard work. Next time I buy berries at the market or at the grocery store I will understand the value of this "natural candy" so much better.

For Father's Day Weeekend we drove over to the Central Coast with our good friends, the Schultzes. We discovered a hidden gem: Rutiz Family Farms. It turned out to be a little organic U-pick place just around the corner from the beach house where we were staying Arroyo Grande. They also are a CSA (if you live in that area) with great boxes of food for pick-up.

We had four adults and six girls in tow and we started out Saturday morning combing the rows for ripe strawberries. These organic berries were unbelievably sweet. You've got to understand: I grew up in Chicago eating not always ripe berries that needed sugar added on top. (Gasp!) Apparently the cool Coastal air and sandy soil is just perfect for a berry crop. We picked for about and hour and then brought our loads of baskets in for the weighing. Much to our surprise we had picked a lot! The good news was: the price turned out to be about $1.25 per basket of organic berries. Now that's an amazing deal!

I've been swooning over a sea of berry recipes. We made berry pancakes for Father's Day morning along with a berry smoothie for the daddies after their run. We also baked up a Berry Crisp with crunchy oatmeal topping. We adore Blueberry Muffins and Blueberry-Lemon Tarts for something a little more fancy. One of my most elegant and easy berry desserts is Puff pastry cut into squares and topped with whipped cream and fresh berries. Yum-o! (Picture below on the May Menus.)

Tonight I'm trying out a recipe for Strawberry Tiramisu. This is a summer version of my all-time fave Italian dessert - Tiramisu. Fresh fruit is the main event for this dessert instead of the usual splash of coffee flavor. Should be berrylicious!

What's your favorite way to eat a berry? Please share.

Mediterranean Cooking Class: Healthy eats with fresh taste

2010-06-17T18:05:00.000-07:00

For my birthday my hubby treated me to a Mediterranean Cooking Class hosted at our local Whole Foods. I have never taken an "official" cooking class so I was thrilled. My friend Yasmin (Right) signed up with me and we chose a Healthy Mediterranean class taught by Wafa Aranki (Left).

The menu included:
Lentil Soup
Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini
Fatoush Salad
Chicken Kabob

When we arrived at the class, which had about 15 other cooks in training, we got right to work. Wafa assigned me to the job of toasting the pita bread. Meanwhile, I spied on all the other jobs and took pictures so I could remember the steps of the recipes.

We started out with a Lentil Soup made distinct with the juice of a lemon and a whole lot of garlic.

CREAMY LENTIL SOUP

Ingredients:

-2 cups red lentils

-1 large onion, diced

-4 cloves garlic, minced

-lemon, juiced

-1 1/2 teaspoons salt

-1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1. Put the lentils in a large pot and cover with water. Boil.

2. Add onions.

3. Continue to boil approximately 45 minutes until lentils are soft. You may need to add more water to the pot if it evaporates quickly.

4. Add garlic, salt, cumin.

5. Use immersion blender or regular blender to mix soup to a creamy texture. Boil 5 more minutes.

6. Juice lemon and add to soup before serving.

Another group of cooks in training made this yogurt marinade for our chicken. Then they set it to grilling on a panini maker. Of course, a regular grill or George Foreman work just fine as well. I personally prefer the regular outdoor grill because the chicken maintains its juiciness.

Chicken Kabob

Marinade Ingredients:

-1 pound boneless chicken breast

-5 cloves of garlic, crushed

-1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped

-1 teaspoon sea slat

-1 cup of plain yogurt

1. Combine marinade ingredients.

2. Trim fat from chicken and mix in marinade. Refrigerate 15 minutes or more.

3. Grill chicken 5-6 minutes.

Our menu also included grilled eggplant and zucchini with a marinade similar to the chicken. These are easy to prepare ahead and then just throw on the grill when you get home from a busy day.

Grilled Eggplant & Zucchini

Ingredients:

-1 large eggplant

-2 large zucchini

-2 tablespoons lemon juice

-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

-1/2 teaspoon fresh basil

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-1 teaspoon sumac

-1 cup plain yogurt

1. Peel eggplant and slice 1/2-inch thick.

2. Cut zucchini in 1/2-inch thick slices.

3. Create marinade with salt, basil, garlic, sumac and plain yogurt.

4. Add vegetables to the marinade. Refrigerate 15 minutes or more.

5. Grill until tender.

Probably my favorite dish we learned to make was a Fatoush Salad - very popular in the Middle East. The blend of flavors in this salad is truly amazing. I also love the pita chips on top that provide a yummy crunch with each bite.

Fatoush Salad

Ingredients:

-3 medium tomatoes, sliced

-1 medium onion, sliced

-1 bundle green onions, diced (approximately 1 cup)

-1/2 head of romaine lettuce (chopped)

-1 head of butter lettuce (chopped)

-5-6 radishes, sliced

-3 cucumbers, sliced

-1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped (approximately 1 cup)

-1 cup mint, chopped

-1 jalapeno, diced (Optional)

Dressing:

-10 cloves garlic, minced

-2 tablespoons vinegar

-1/4 cup olive oil

-2 lemons, juiced

-1 tablespoon lemon zest

-1 1/2 teaspoons sea slat

-1 teaspoon sumac

-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

-2 pita breads, toasted and crumbled

1. Chop all vegetables and add to salad bowl

2. Combine ingredients for dressing.

3. Dress salad.

4. Sprinkle pita chips on top.

Recipe of the Week: Thai Beef Curry & Coconut Rice

2010-05-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

This recipe was inspired by my friend Evelyn deGallery. At a recent talk I did for my Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group, I asked the audience to bring one recipe to share with the other mamas. Evelyn says this recipe is her kids' favorite dinner. I tweaked the recipe a little bit to simplify it. This dish is great for employing some of those fresh summer vegetables like peppers, fresh basil and onions.

If you don't have time for homemade curry sauce, you might try the Trader Joe's brand of red curry or yellow curry sauce. Both are mouth-wateringly good. If you are not using brown rice, use only two cups of liquid to cook every one cup of rice.

Thai Beef Curry

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 onion, sliced
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
-2 steaks, thinly sliced
-2 organic red or yellow peppers, cut into 1-inch strips
-8-10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Sauce:
-2 large cloves garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
-2 tablespoons fish sauce (available at Whole Foods or in the Asian section of grocery stores or R-N Asian market)
-1-2 teaspoon red curry paste (available at Whole Foods or in the Asian section of grocery stores or R-N Asian market)
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-1 tablespoon honey
-1 cups organic coconut milk

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a skillet. Add onions, ginger and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add sliced steak and brown. Meanwhile, mix ingredients for sauce in a bowl.
3. When steaks are browned, add cut red peppers and torn basil leaves. Saute peppers with meat for 2-3 minutes.
4. Pour sauce mixture on top of beef and vegetables. Allow to simmer until sauce thickens slightly about 5-7 minutes.

Coconut Rice

Ingredients:
-2 cups brown jasmine rice
-2 1/4 cups water
-2 cups coconut milk (usually 1 can)
-5 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
*rice cooker

1. Combine rice, water and coconut milk in rice cooker.
2. Cook in rice cooker (or on stovetop) as you normally would. Takes approximately 15 minutes.

May Menu Planner

2010-05-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

The late Spring produce has hit the market, which means berries are in full force along with snap peas, asparagus, herbs like basil and oregano, and even some small zucchini. For Mother's Day we have a tradition of serving up a special lunch after church for the grandmas. This Sunday our feast will showcase some fresh strawberries and cherries from the farmer's market - not as dessert, but heaped on top of our main dish - Strawberry-Balsamic Chicken - and our salad. The Strawberry Salsa can be made ahead so firing up the grill on the chicken is all we have to do for that dish. Our advice: skip the long lines to take Mom out to eat and make a special meal at home. It saves money and everyone can help out!

Sunday - Mother's Day Lunch
Sparkling Pomegranate Juice
Mini Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tarts
Baby Greens Salad with Pecans and Cherries
Strawberry-Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Wheat Berry Salad
Chocolate Chip Cannoli

Monday
Mahi Mahi Green Enchiladas
Baby Greens, Black Olives, Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Tuesday
Grilled Portabella Sandwiches
Tomato-Basil Bisque

Wednesday
Thai Curry Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas
Coconut Jasmine Rice

Thursday
More-Please Meatloaf
Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Avocado Sauce

Friday
Luscious Leftovers
Whole Wheat Blueberry Bars

Saturday - Paul's 30th Birthday Bash
Fondue Party
Dessert: Chocolate Dipped Strawberries & Cream Puffs

P.S. If any of these recipes look tempting to you, click on the link or leave us a comment and we can send them to you.

Recipe of the Week: Asparagus Lasagna

2010-04-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

There's a short window of time each year when Asparagus takes center stage in the garden, at the farmer's market, and even in grocery stores. During this Asparagus time (usually March and April), I buy it weekly and try to incorporate it in as many meals as possible. These tender green stalks suddenly become the centerpiece.This year I'm buying my asparagus from Farmer & The Dale.

I recently started reading a book called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. In the chapter, "Waiting for Asparagus," I learned that "the asparagus plant's life history sets it apart, giving it a special edge as the year's first major edible." It's actually a perennial and comes back year after year. I also learned asparagus is considered an aphrodisiac.

Pass the asparagus. Enough said on that.

I recently created this recipe for an Asparagus Lasagna. We were having my husband's workout buddy over for dinner. Andrew is pretty serious about Crossfit workouts and he helped train my hubby for his recent competition. Andrew is also trying out a vegetarian diet to see how effective it is for athletes. For me as the chef that meant trying to find something hearty and yummy. Of course, I threw in some other veggies too but asparagus hogged the real stage for our meal. Four servings later I realized asparagus could be the "hearty" I was after.

What are your favorite ways to serve Asparagus? Do you snap off the ends and saute it in olive oil? Arrange it in quiche or frittatas? Maybe you mix it in with pastas or couscous? We'd love to hear your suggestions. Leave us a comment.

Asparagus Lasagna

Ingredients:

Marinara Sauce:
-2 15-oz. cans organic diced tomatoes (I buy this in bulk from Costco when tomatoes are not in season.)
-1 6-oz. can organic tomato paste
-1 small onion, diced
-2 large garlic cloves, minced
-1 teaspoon dried basil
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-1 teaspoon sea salt
-1 tablespoon honey

-1 package lasagna noodles
-1 16-oz. container ricotta cheese
-1 12-oz. package shredded mozarella cheese
-1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
-3 cups of other chopped organic vegetables (ideas: zucchini, summer squash, corn, butternut squash, spinach, carrots, etc.)

Directions:
1. Make the marinara sauce first. Saute onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil until translucent and tender.
2. Saute garlic with onions until fragrant.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and spices.
4. Simmer approximately 10 minutes and begin chopping vegetables.
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Spoon about half a cup of sauce into the bottom of a 13x9x2 glass pan or rectangle cake pan. Place the first layer of noodles over that sauce. (You do not need to boil the noodles ahead of time.)
7. Spread 1/3 of remaining sauce over noodles.
8. Add about 1/3 of the ricotta cheese over the noodles in small spoonfuls.
9. Add 1/3 of asparagus and other vegetables over the noodles and cheese.
10. Sprinkle 1/3 of mozarella cheese on top.
11. Repeat steps 6-10 with two more layers. Top with extra mozarella cheese.
12. Cover with foil. Bake in oven for 1 hour. (I like to remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to let the cheese turn a golden brown color.

April Menu Plans

2010-04-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

I love spring! From a culinary point of view, spring has gorgeous colors to add to your cooking and great options for healthy eating. Our family is crazy about spring asparagus and eagerly anticipates the first taste of sweet spring strawberries. We have come to love spring sweet peas and use fresh basil year round.

I'm sharing with you two weeks worth of Spring Menus to encourage you to plan ahead on your menus and shopping. Explore some new flavors this month! If you're interested in any of the recipes, please let us know. Please share if you have a fave meal that uses spring produce. We're always looking for new ideas.

Sunday
Roast Beef with Spicy Tomato Parsley Sauce
Roasted Asparagus
Rice Pilaf
Lemon Cream Puffs

Monday - Creative Crockpots
Taco Soup
Tortilla Chips & Salsa
Green salad with corn and tomatoes

Tuesday - Vegetarian
Crunchy Peanut Pasta
with Sugar Snap Peas, Red Peppers & Carrots

Wednesday
South African Bobotie
Jasmine Rice

Thursday
Asian Beef Short Ribs
Broccoli
Quinoa

Friday
Thai Chicken Pizza
Salad

Saturday
Luscious Leftovers

Sunday
Beef Strogonoff
served over Whole Wheat Rotini

Monday - Vegetarian
Caesar Salad
Asparagus Lasagna

Tuesday
Indian Butter Chicken
Basmati Rice
Garlic Naan

Wednesday
Small Group: Side Dish
Marsala Carrots

Thursday
Pesto Penne with Chicken Sausage
Butter Beans
Honey-Whole Wheat Bread

Friday
Luscious Leftovers

Saturday
Kale & Chicken Sausage Soup
Lemon-rosemary Biscuits
Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

A Crossfit Journey culminates: Ericlee competes in the sectionals

2010-04-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

Ericlee lifts his max on the Clean & Jerk competition - 205 pounds.

The following is the final journal entry written by Ericlee Gilmore about his experience competing in the Northern California Crossfit Sectionals.
Mon., March 29

Now I am on the other side of this incredible journey that I started many years ago but specifically 12 weeks ago. Where do I begin? There was an athletic buzz as all the athletes signed in and then listened to Jason Khalipa give us the instructions of the day. It was a perfect day to perform in the sport of fitness. I watched the first heat go at 9am and then left to go and pick up my fan support (Dorina and the kids). We sat with Jon and Roxanna in the stands in this great Track and Field facility at Archbishop Mitty high school. I had a great warmup and was ready to go for my heat at 12:00. I saw other guests sitting on the infield to get a better picture of the athletes when they do the OH squats located on the apron of the infield. I motioned Dorina to come down and that was the best thing I could of done. It made the whole workout so much better.

Workout Of the Day (WOD) A - 6 minutes to run 800m and then perform as many reps as possible of 115lb overhead squats. I wore my new red FCA shirt that said “Warrior for Christ” and I was ready to do my very best for His glory. I had two judges who were great. I felt the love from them. On the run I could hear Meilani screaming for me the whole time. I finished in 2:56 and I lifted the bar at 3:15. I was a little behind in my plan. I wanted to be lifting the bar at 3:00. I did 20 reps in the first set like I wanted to. I rested the bar on my shoulder and went for 5 more. At that point it fell to the ground so I had to lift it back up and go again. I performed 5 more and it fell again. I had around 40-50 seconds left. I was at 30 and I wanted 10 more. So I decided to go for it without resting. I ended up dropping the bar with 5 seconds left on rep 37. So I finished with 36. I placed 3rd in my heat of 20 guys and was happy with my performance even though I really wanted an even 40. I had greatly improved from the two times I had practiced this workout. My place after all the heats was 59th out of 256. We then left to go eat lunch at Whole Foods and to get the kids out of the heat. The sun was quite hot. After taking a small nap at Dorina’s cousin’s house, we went back to the High school for the second workout of the day schedule for 4pm.

WOD B – 10 minutes to perform as many rounds as possible of 7 Thrusters (115lbs), 12 Kettlebell Swings (53lbs), 7 Chest-to-bar Pullups. I knew it was going to be tough. I was mentally prepared. What I did not know or prepare for was the standard of the kettlbe swings. The KB had to be completely bottoms up on the top of the swing. So I would guess that I had to do about 15-20 extra swings because I was not meeting the standard. Unlike my last judge, I felt no love from this female judge. I was hurting at that point and just had to fight through it. The worst part about it was that my fan support could not be next to me to cheer me on. The Pullup bars were in this secluded sand pit area that made it impossible for fans to watch. So instead of getting hung up on the pullups, I was super slow on the KBS. I had a plan of doing 5 or at least 4 plus some change but this day I could only manage 3 rounds plus 7 thrusters and 2 KBS. My total reps were 87. That placed me 227th out of 256. This workout by far made everyone in the competition look pathetic. My right hand had a nasty blister from the pull-ups. Afterwards I was discouraged and mad that I did not do better or at least have a chance to do better. If I was going to complain I would say that by having a different judge it would have been a different outcome. Andrew was watching and he felt like many of my kettlebell swings were good. Nothing you can do about it when you have volunteer judges and each one sees the movement differently. Some are very specific and picky while others are not. Maybe in the future they will be paid like a real official and they will have experience in doing each movement and what to look for in that movement. So now I was worried about even making it to Sunday for the last two workouts. My goal was to definitely make it to Sunday and be close to the top 20. I know knew that was out. This time I waited for Jon to go so I could cheer him on. I knew he would need it because it is such a hard workout. I challenged him to beat me. He came close but was five reps short. After having a wonderful home cooked pasta and meatball dinner, we went to bed. I did not find out about making it to Sunday until 11pm that night. They took the top 186 and I was 133rd. That was ridiculous. Many athletes were upset about not finding out sooner. I was just grateful that I made the cutoff. Jon, on the other hand did not make it. The next morning I had an oatmeal and fruit breakfast and I was ready for day 2. I reviewed the workout the night before and I was excited about it. I felt like I could excel in it. Plus it was on the field, which made it easier for Dorina and the girls to watch me. My goal for the day was to move up in the rankings to top 100.

Ericlee rows to the finish with his strict judge looking on.

WOD C – In 6 minutes perform max lift in the clean and jerk. Then immediately following, do the Chipper = 25 burpees, 100yd of lunges, 5 rounds of 15 reps of 40lb dumbbell push press and 100yds of farmers walk with dumbbells, 25 burpees, 500m row, run 450m around the track. I felt great in my warmup. I practiced 175lbs in the clean and jerk and was ready for more. On this day I wore my grey FCA shirt that says “Honor God with your Body”. Dorina and the kids and Jon too were right in front of me to cheer me on. I started with 165lb and then moved to 185lbs. I rested and then did 205lbs. I had about 2 minutes left so I then went up to 215lbs. I had it in the squat position but fell out of it. I tried it again and I had to bail out of it. Now looking back on it, I wish I went up only 5lbs in weight rather than 10lbs. But I was really happy with 205 because my goal was 200. My previous best was about 180lbs. I placed 137th out of 174. I flew through the burpees and my lunges were great. I was in the top ten out of 25 in the heat. I was the 25th athlete in the heat so I knew if I could beat a lot of them I could definitely move up in the rankings. Everything came to a screetching halt with the 15 reps of push press. For some reason they were very difficult for me. On top of that I had the exact same judge from the day before. She was picky on the presses and some did not count. I tried to do sets of 5 but it still took a long time. I ran the farmerswalk to save some time but still I was being left in the dust. I wish I had remembered to do a split jerk every time. That would have made a huge difference. I think I could have done all 15 in a row that way. My burpees were little slower this time around. I then got on the rower and Dorina and the kids were right there in front of me to cheer me on. I actually did it in 1:50 which is really good for being so tired. I wanted to catch one person on the run but he sped up at the same time I did. My final time was 23:53. I gave it my best. I think I beat about 5 athletes in that heat. I enjoyed the workout and I realized that I need more strength in my shoulders. I placed 147th out of 174. IT was a great way to end the competition. I loved how my family cheered me on the whole time. I know I made a difference for the Lord because three crossfitters commented on my shirt and how Crossfit definitely needs Jesus. Praise the Lord. Here are the final standings. I placed 151st out of 256. I did not move up in the standings but I did make it to day two, I did do my very best for his glory, and I did have some personal records in the process. If I ever do this competition again, I know that I must work on my upper body strength. If I could have done really well on one other event that would have placed me in the top 125 or even top 100. Overall it was a great experience. I am excited to put a book together with all the pictures and my journal.

A Crossfit Journey continues: Ericlee's quest for all around fitness

2010-04-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

The following is Part Two of Ericlee's journal about his Crossfit journey. The original post explains more about the competition and Ericlee's initial thoughts about training for this highly-competitive event.

Tues., Feb 23

Last week finished with a bang. After doing something a little different, flipping a 650 lb tire, I went for a PR (personal record) in my squat. I could not flip it by myself but every time Andrew would put his hand under it, I could do it. It is amazing how flipping a huge tire can incorporate so many muscle groups – gluts, hamstrings, quads, lower back, shoulders, chest, biceps, and forearms. I still have that sticking point. I was able to squat 275 which is a 33lb improvement. The interval training on the rowing machine was a great changeup from our normal WODs. 20 minutes of 60sec on the rower and 60sec rest. The goal was 3500 but I only managed 3125 and Andrew accomplished 3250. To average only 12m less a minute than Andrew is great to see. I have come a long way on the rower. Since we did not make the 3500 mark we had to do 1 burpee for every 10m. Since I rested on Wed I decided to do a quick workout on Friday. After a quick warmup I did 100 burpees for time. Last time I did it in 7:52 and this time I did it in 6:25. On Saturday I finished my max with two more PR in the clean and deadlift. I increased my clean by 22lbs to 187 but I could not improve on the Jerk. In the dead I improved by 44lbs to 308. I was very excited. The WOD was Fran. 21-15-9 of Thrusters 95lbs and pullups. Last time my time was 8:39 and this time it was 5:42. A couple changes here and there and I know I can get it under 5 minutes. To say the least I was very happy. Andrew beat me by a minute.

This new week I ran 3.3 miles on Monday. I always run out of time because I need to warmup more. My time was 23:42 but I still need to train in the 22 range bracket.

Wed., Feb 24

I am learning that the more intense the workouts are the more rest I need. So after yesterday I did not wake up early today to run sprint intervals. I know I need that a lot. After doing Kelly yesterday, I need to get better running 400s. I felt like I had a break through yesterday with pullups and doing chest to bar. I changed my grip to pronation and it really helped me get up there to the bar. I also did the handwalks in 5 tries which is huge from the beginning when I was doing it in 12 tries. I still cannot practice dips or muscle ups because of my left shoulder rotator cuff. Now that Andrew can do a muscle up and excited to put into practice what new knowledge I have learned. My strength was a Snatch complex of power snatch to a heave snatch squat. I did 3x5 but really tweaked my left shoulder more. To step it up a little, I did double Unders between each set. We started with 30 – 40 – 60 Every time we messed up we had to do a burpee. I got on a roll and did 53 straight.

The WOD was Kelly and both Andrew and I were very tired from the strength workout. Kelly – 400m run, 30 box jumps (24in) 30 wall balls (20lbs) 5 rounds for time. Last time I did this WOD was 3-4 months ago and I did it in 29:09. This time we actually tied in 22:30. He would extend the lead with the run and I would catch him on the box jumps. I was very pleased.

Mon., Mar 1

On Thursday of last week I tried to do some cleans and Bench but my shoulder was still bothering me from the week before. So I just did some heavy front Squat and improved my max to 231. It has been fun to see how fast my max lifts have gone up. I know that it will be much harder to get that big of improvement but we will see. So I will max again in three weeks which is the week before the competition. The WOD on Thursday was Diane – 21,15,9 reps of 225# Deadlift and Handstand pushups. I did the pushups with the pad because I cannot go all the way down to the ground. I hope that gets better. My time was 10:16. I was shooting for under 10. It was cool to see how easy 225 DL I never let go of the bar for the reps of 21. Afterwards I did 100 Doubleunders to see if I could break my time from last time. I destroyed it by doing it in 1:36. My goal is to do it in under 60 seconds. Andrew did it in 1:10.

I rested on Friday and then on Saturday with my shoulder still bothering me, I lifted squats and deads. I did 225 squats 3x every 30 seconds for 10 rounds. Afterwards I played with Meilani and then hit the Deads. I was going for the 5 reps at every minute for 10 minutes. I started to high at 286. I did that for two rounds and then changed it to 275. I did another three rounds and then realized I was not going to finish in time so I cut it short. My WOD was easier because I could not do anything relating to my shoulder which includes pullups too. I did 5 rounds of 10x box jump burpees and lunges. On each round the lunges had to go a farther distance – 60ft, 120ft, 180ft, 240, 300ft was the last round.

Now we are starting the 9th week. I only have four weeks left. I hope to hit it hard these three weeks and then shut it down. I pray my shoulder is better. I wanted to run intervals on the track on Saturday but it was raining so I did it this morning instead. I did 2 sets of 3 laps. The first set I did it in 1:44, 1:43, 1:44. The rest was only 75 seconds. I rested about 3 minutes between the sets and then hit it hard again. I ran 1:43, 1:40, 1:39. I was satisfied with my performance. My calves are feeling it today. I still want to accomplish the following workouts before we go to the games. Grace – Helen – Filthy Fifty – Fight Gone Bad – Linda – DT – 400m – 5k – Max Pullups and pushups – Max all my lifts. I have about 11-13 workout days left. Since we are going to do some double workouts next week this should not be a problem to finish all of these workouts.

Wed., March 3

I had a great day in my strength area but in my WOD I fell short of my goal. After having so many successes, this is my first failure. So let me tell you about my strength gains. I did 5x5 of clean and jerk of 50k, 60k, 70k, 75k, 77.5k. It was tough but it gave me so much confidence when I do my max again. Every day I lift I gain more confidence. I superset that with bench which I did 6, 5, 6, 4, 3 of 60k, 70k, 75k, 80k, 80k. I know I will be ready to go when I can do my body weight 10x. Then I can finally perform the WOD “Linda." Since Andrew was not there I then attempted Helen again which is 400, 21xKB swings, 12 pullups for 3 rounds. I wanted to beat my time of 10:23 and even go under 10mintues. Well I thought I was making great progress but the last set slowed me down and I got 10:26. Once again my grip was shot because of the KB swings. No running this morning even thought I really wanted to but I slept instead.

Fri., March 5

Andrew returned and we had one butt-kicking workout. After practing the muscle-up, my confidence is growing to do one in the next two weeks. I do have to celebrate because yesterday was the first day that I did an official handstand pushup all by myself. That means my head touched the ground and I came back up. For my strength, I did front squats I did sets of 5, 5, 3, 3, 3 of 70k, 90k, 100k, and 105k the last two sets. Andrew had to help me but I got them done. I superset that with weighted pullusp. I should have been doing these all along. Oh well. I lifted about 15lbs 5 sets of 3. I know I will greatly improve in my pullups if I keep that up. Only three weeks to go. For the WOD we did the hero workout called “DT”. It is 155lb of three lifts. The reps were 12x deadlifts, 9x hang cleans, 6x jerk and 5 rounds total. I was doing good up until the 4th round. I finished my deadlift for my 5th round and all I had left was 9 hang cleans and 6 jerks. My time at that point was about 18:45 which is the time that Andrew finished. It took me about 10 minutes to do the rest. My grip was gone and my strength was done. I was hurting. I had about 5 reps total that I had to redo because I failed in the middle of the lift. Praise the Lord that I finished the workout in 28:54. I am very sore today. As soon as you increase the weight the intensity goes through the roof. That was the case today. By far the hardest was the 9 hang cleans. Since my max is only 190, lifting 155 that many times was just so hard for me. I then had to do it more than 9 so I could be ready for the Jerks. Every day I am getting better. Training for these crossfit games is by far the best challenge I have had. Training for triathlons was one thing but this is so much bigger because it includes so many other areas of fitness. I love it!!! The next two weeks will be my hardest weeks ever. Then I will taper off and rest during the last week so I can be super fresh.

Wed., March 10

This will be a long entry since I have done so many workouts this week. This will be my hardest week. I am half way through it. I wanted to know what double days feels like since that is what the competition will be like. First let me describe what we did to start the week on Sunday. Since I had a track meet on Saturday, I could not workout so instead we did the WOD on Sunday morning. 10 rounds of 400 run, 15 pushups, and 10 pullups. The goal was 30 minutes or less and I finished with 31:40. Andrew on the other hand did it in 26:30. Once again the 400s killed me since I was averageing about 1:55 a lap. Push hard and learn to overcome. I rested on Monday and then Tuesday came. We did Filthy Fifty again and it was a lot easier. Th goal was 20 minutes but I did it in 24:55 which was a 2 minute improvement and I beat Andrew by 2 minutes. So what is the Filthy Fifty. It is 50 reps of 10 exercises – Box Jumps (24”), Jumping pullups, Kettelbell Swings (16k) Lunges, Knees to Elbow while hanging on the bar, Push Press (45), GHM back extensions, Wall Ball (20), Burpees, and Double Unders. I can remember doing this workout for the first time last April and getting 34 minutes. I thought it was the hardest thing ever and I was soar for three days. Now I can do it 10 minutes faster and do another WOD an hour later. This WOD was taken from another Crossfit sectional back East. It was three rounds of 500m Row, 10x Clean Squat Press (135), 10 pullups. I did in 16+ minutes and Andrew did it in 14+ minutes. I was dead on the rowing. Once again I must push through that discomfort. Today was the second day of double workouts. I designed the first WOD and Andrew designed the second WOD. WOD 1 - 5 rounds of pulling a 20k sled 30yds followed by right arm snatches 45lbs and then pull sled back followed by left arm snatch 45lbs and then 400m run. First round is 5 times of up and back sled pulls with 10x snatches on each side followed by a 400. Next pull the sled 4x with 8x snatches. Then 3 times with 6x snatches. Then 2 times with 4x snaches. Finally 1 time with 2x snatches. After the first round, it went much faster. The first round took almost half of the total time. Once again I need to push my self to exhaustion. I need to be completely spent. My total time was 34:11 and Andrew beat me by 54 seconds. Afterwards I was not that tired. That is why I say I could go harder. I wonder if that is the difference between the last ten years. During the days of doing triathlons I could really push myself. I hope that comes back during the competition. After hour and 20 minutes we started the second WOD. The second WOD was 10 rounds of 1x Front Squat 190, 2x handstand pushups, 3x Deadlift 285, 4x Ring Dips, 5x strict pullups, run 100m. I wish we only did 5 rounds because it took too long. As it was I only did 8 rounds because it took 21+ minutes. Andrew destroyed me in this. He did 10 rounds in 20+ minutes. The only thing that was easy was the ring dips. My back was losing form in the front squats and deadlifts. I know I will feel that tomorrow.

Fri., March 12

Thursday was a sore day. I woke up with my lower back very tight. I knew that a good warmup was necessary. I happy to know that Andrew was sore too. After a great 35minute warmup with a 22lb vest on we could start our heavy lifting day. Back squats reps of 8, 8, 6, 6, 2, 2 with weight of 100k, 100k, 105k, 105k, 110k, 110k. I would have to say the hardest was the sets of 8. That was about 80% of max and it was tough. By the end I was toast. I did a superset with bench press. Same reps as the Squats. The weight was 60k, 60k, 70k, 75k, 80k, 80k. Somewhere in between the sets I did 3x8 of feet to bar. I need to do that more next week. Now that my legs are completely done, I perform the WOD which is Grace – 30 reps of Clean and Jerk 135lbs. My goal was under 5 minutes and maybe even closer to four minutes but not after that leg workout and definitely not after the double workout days. At about half way my muscles stopped working and I could not get the bar over my head. I had to rest and let that ATP come back to my muscles that needed it the most. At about 28 it happened again and I had to do the lift over again because I failed in that attempt. It will be great to do these WODs when I am fresh. I am going to rest today and Saturday and then Andrew and I will run a 5k hard at Woodward park. It is now just 15 days away.

Tues., March 16

The 5k run at Woodward park was super. It was a crisp cold morning with a beautiful sunrise. We ran a two mile warmup to show Andrew the course. I gave Andrew the watch because I knew he would be faster than me. I did not have a goal but I knew I wanted to be close to Andrew. At every marker, I could not hear Andrew yell out the time. After the race was over, I found out that the first mile was about 6:50. I think I ran really well considering that I did not have a watch, it was not a real race, and there were no encouraging fans. My time was 21:11 which is faster than the Turkey Trot back on Thanskgiving. Andrew ran a 20:28. I know in a real race I could make it hurt a lot more and run a minute faster. Next Sunday we will run 8x400 with 90 second rest. That will be the true test of my stamina.

Monday morning I did my max pushup test and I only did 43. I goal was 50. Afterwards I ran 2.2 miles just to get more running in for the day. I wish I had done this in my first week of training so I could see my improvement. Oh well.

Wed., March 17

Yesterday was another breakthrough day. Andrew and I visited Jon’s new Crossfit gym. Great place with roll up doors that really change the atmosphere of a gym. This week is max week. So I did the Crossfit Total which is back squat, shoulder press, and deadlift. I had a huge PR in each one. In the squat I did 305 which is a 30lb increase. In the shoulder press I did 125 which is an improvement because I do not know what I had before. Finally the deadlift. My goal in the deadlift was 350 and after lifting 315 without my full effort I was excited to go for it. With Andrew, Jon, and Roxanne watching, I lifted 350! I was pumped. So my total was 780. I have nothing to compare that to so that is a good start now. So if I do qualify then my goal will be 850. We then got everything ready to the WOD called “Fight Gone Bad”. There are five exercises – Wall Ball (20lbs); Sumo High Pulls (75lbs); Box Jumps (20in); Push Press (75lbs); Row (calories); that you perform as many reps as possible every 60 seconds. At the end of each round you can rest 60 seconds. Keep working for a total of three rounds. I started with the box jumps and went crazy. I did 44 in 60 seconds. There is no time to move to the next exercise. The clock continues to tick. Here is a chart that shows my results better.

Box Jump Press Row Wall Ball High Pull Total

Round 1 44 36 18 23 23 144

Round 2 36 30 14 20 18 118

Round 3 32 25 12 16 17 102

Total 112 91 44 59 58 364

Goal 40/120 30/100 14/45 20/60 20/60 385

The last two times I have done this WOD my scores have been 310 and 297. So I smashed my score by over 50 reps. Wow!!! My biggest flaw was that I tired out on the last round. I was ahead of Andrew by 10 reps going into the last round and he came back and beat me by three reps. That is why I must go hard on every exercise. That would have really made my day sweet. This morning I did a WOD at my house. 15 Thursters 40lb dumbells and run 500m which is around the block. My previous time was 12:51 and I wanted to break 12:00. I was on pace and then the last lap hit me. My final time was 12:05. BREAKING NEWS THE WODS HAVE BEEN POSTED FOR THE CROSSFIT SECTIONALS. WORKOUT A: RUN 800 AND MAX REP OVERHEAD SQUATS 115LBS – 6 MINUTES TOTAL. WORKOUT B: HOW MANY ROUNDS CAN YOU DO IN 10 MINUTES OF 7 THRUSTERS 115LBS, 12 KETTLEBELL SWINGS 53LBS, 7 PULLUPS. I COMPETE AGAINS 270 GUYS AT 12 NOON AND THEN 4PM. I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE WODS. I THINK THEY ARE REALLY GOOD FOR MY STRENGTHS. THERE ARE NO BOX JUMPS SO THEY ARE NOT PERFECT BUT I STILL LIKE THEM. I NEED TO BEAT 250 GUYS TO MAKE IT TO REGIONALS. WOW!

Fri., March 19

Yesterday we did Workout B from the sectionals. It was much harder than we had thought. We were disappointed that they were not more creative but it will still decide who is the most fit. I did 5 rounds + 2 kettelbell swings. Andrew did 6 rounds + 4 thrusters. My new strategy is to go hard the first set and then the second set split up the thursters into two sets. Rest 10 seconds and go again. Immediately hit the KB swings and then rest another 10 seconds before the pullups. I must do all 7 pullups every time. I do not want to break that up. I need a little more control so I do not die so much at the end. All these workouts are like a 400. You want to go out hard but if you go too fast then you will hit the wall in the race is over. But if you go out too slow then you have energy left over that was not used. I am relying on my Savior to show me the correct accuracy in that. We are going to do Workout A on Sunday morning. Once again it will give us a better strategy for the real games. Before doing the workout I tested in two more max – snatch and bench. Since I had not practiced snatches for over a month it remained the same at 132. But my bench went up again by 11lbs to 187. I was happy about that.

Mon., March 22 – 12 week

Can you believe it. It is the start of the 12th week. My long road of training is almost over. Well I guess it could continue if I am in the top 20. So my goal is to get that. I know that will mean five more weeks of training because the Regional games are not until May 8-9. After having a two day break of Friday and Saturday, I met up with Jon and Andrew on Sunday morning to do the WOD A that will be at the Sectional games. We have a six minute time limit to run 800m and then perform as many as possible of overhead squats at 115lbs. My strategy was to run the 800 in three minutes and then have three minutes to perform 40 OH squats. Well I did not get that many. I ran the 800 in about 3:05 but by the time got the bar in the right position to start squatting I am sure it was 3:15. I gradually did 15 to start. Then I rested on my back for about 10 seconds and went for another 5. On the fifth one my shoulder gave out so the bar actually slammed into my head and then fell to the ground. I picked it up again and did a few more before the timer was beeping. I had only completed 26. I was disappointed until I heard what Jon and Andrew got – 9 and 20. It is the first time that I have beaten Andrew in a lifting WOD. I am very excited. I am so glad we did this because now I have a better strategy. Eventhough Andrew ran faster than me, I still beat him on the reps. I was not tired so maybe I need to run faster to have more time for lifting. So I think I want to run in 2:45 so I can have the bar in position at 3 minutes and then have a full three minutes to get the job done. I want to squat as fast as I can too. I think I can get 20-25 in right away without resting. Then after that rest for 10 seconds after every 5 reps. So my goal is still 40-50 reps.

Today I did the 8x400 with 90sec rest around my block at home. I cut some of the block off so it was more like a 400. My times were 1:28, 1:28, 1:26, 1:25, 1:25, 1:25, 1:23, 1:20. I averaged 1:25 and my total time was 21:50. I did better than I thought which is always encouraging. My goal was to break 23minutes.

Thurs., March 25

On Tuesday Andrew and I did the WOD “B” again with chest to bar pullups instead. The rumor has been going around that instead of just pullups it will be chest to bar. So that definitely made it tougher. I was able to get 4 rounds in and 1 C2B pullup. Last time I did 5 rounds with 2 KB swings. So my goal for the Sectional games will be 5 rounds. I know that chest to bar will be difficult for everyone. I will trust the Lord that I will stay mentally in it the full 10 minutes. I will tell my coach to fix the bar when I drop it and to fix the KB when I drop it. I need reminders of time at 5 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minutes and 20 seconds. One extra rep will make the difference. For WOD “A” my goal is to get to the bar by 2:45 and then start squatting at 3 minutes. I practiced that last night. I snatched it up and did 20 the first round but I did not stay on my goal of 5 and rest. I had to drop the bar two times which takes up a lot of time. If I do drop it, I am going to clean it up and start again. I did 35 last night but I did not know when my time was up so I could of done more. At the same time, I felt like I did not go down low enough on every rep. My goal is still 40. I want my coach to tell my time at 2 minutes remaining, 1 minute remaining and 20 seconds remaining.

Today I am only going to warmup and work out some soreness in my hamstrings. I hope I can feel pain free come Saturday. May God be the glory in all I do this weekend. It has been an incredible journey.

Ericlee competes at the NorCal Crossfit Sectionals

2010-04-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Ericlee trained for 12 weeks for this Crossfit tournament in Northern California. They had the most competitors of any Crossfit event across the globe.

Where's the (Grass-fed) Beef?

2010-03-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

For several months our family has been researching a place to buy a grass-fed cow. Seems like a weird quest, you think. Actually, it was all part of the penny-pinchin', healthy-living journey we are on. We have drastically reduced the amount of meat - particularly beef - our family eats. It was one of our baby steps (or New Year's resolutions) from a few years ago. Don't get me wrong; I love my beef. I was raised an Italian-Filipino carnivore and although I love a lot of vegetarian fare I can't say bye-bye to all meat.

After reading a particularly poignant book, WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HEALTHY LIVING by Dr. Rex Russell, we were convinced not to eat pork. (That's a story for another day.) We also just watched Michael Pollan's recent movie, Food, Inc., which made a good case for why cows should not be eating corn in the first place. Their bodies were not designed to digest corn. Sure, we can kill them off and make them into fat steaks before they die themselves because of major digestive issues but is that really the kind of food you want to put on your table? Our family is working to basically eat organic beef, chicken, turkey and vegetarian meals about twice a week.

There are loads of health benefits to eating grass-fed beef over the corn-fed meat featured in most restaurants and on grocery shelves. Grass-fed meat is leaner, which means less "bad fat" but more omega-3s, which are vital to brain development and help with immunity to sickness.

What's a steak-loving gal or guy to do when corn-fed, fat cows dominate the market? Buy your own cow. We actually decided to buy half a cow. (According to my friend Gail the other half is running around on her street.) We bought our grass-fed happy half a cow from a guy named Chuck (No joke!) who goes to our church, The Bridge. Chuck likes to raise grass-fed cattle for a hobby and he gave us a screaming deal. We're talking $2/pound for everything. Compare that to Costco or Trader Joe's where I normally would buy ground beef for $6/pound and much more for the finer cuts. Chuck's price included tri-trip, ground beef, beef ribs, steaks, soup bones - you name it.

We didn't even know a lot of the different cuts of beef so Chuck sent us to this great web site called Ask The Butcher. Chuck isn't certified "organic" but my hubby asked him lots of questions about the pastures where his cows graze and the way he cares for them. We were satisfied with his careful practices. You might not have a "Chuck" in your circle of friends but you might investigate another option for grass-fed beef in your area. For example, Fresno is home to Organic Pastures, which sells raw dairy products as well as grass-fed, organic beef. We split our meat with several families and that enabled us all to share in the benefits.

The bottom line is: we are saving on doctor bills in the future by feeding our family quality beef today. Plus, we're saving a bunch of moolah in process.

Now that we have all this great beef in our freezer we are on a quest to find some tasty recipes. Any suggestions? What's your fave way to prepare steaks, roast, burgers?

Recipe of the Week: Breakfast Enchiladas

2010-03-21T22:02:00.000-07:00

My hubby loves big breakfasts and I love weekend brunches. I recently served up these Breakfast Enchiladas at a Girls' Getaway at the Coast. We enjoyed the leftovers later for dinner.

You might consider using other fresh veggies from your spring garden or the farmer's market. We like to slip some spinach or other greens in with the filling or even chop some fresh asparagus to throw in with the eggs. Leave a comment and let us know what you try.

Spring often brings birthday brunches, baby and wedding showers, and even Easter or Mother's Day celebrations. Next time you're hosting try out these breakfast enchiladas to give your brunch a fun and festive flair!

Dorina's Breakfast Enchiladas

Ingredients:

-1 dozen organic flour tortillas

Sauce:
-1 bottle Trader Joe's Enchilada Sauce (or other favorite brand)
-1 15-oz. can organic tomato sauce
-1/2 cup organic sour cream (or plain yogurt)

Filling:
-olive oil
-8 eggs, cooked/scrambled
-2 cups pinto beans, cooked (use 1 can or 1 cup dried, soaked and cooked until soft on the stovetop)
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1/2 teaspoon salt

Toppings:
-1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
-1 small can black olives, sliced
-3 green onion stalks, chopped
-1 avocado, sliced
-1 cup sour cream

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together ingredients for sauce in a small pan. Heat through.
3. Meanwhile, mix eggs with cumin and salt. Scramble in frying pan in olive oil. When eggs are cooked, add canned or precooked beans and mix together with eggs.
4. Spray bottom of 13x9x2 dish with olive oil. Lay out tortillas. Add a few tablespoons of cooked egg mixture to the center of each tortilla and roll. Place face down in the pan so the opening is at the bottom. Repeat with all tortillas until dish is full. (You may need more than one dish, depending on how full you like your enchiladas or how many tortillas you want to use.)
5. Pour sauce over the top of the enchiladas and top with shredded cheese.
6. Sprinkle olives and green onions on top of cheese.
7. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes until cheese is melted and tortillas are warm.
8. Garnish with sliced avocado and serve with sour cream on the side.

Farmer and the Dale: Supporting a Local CSA

2010-03-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday and that means we just received a special delivery to our front porch. We recently joined a CSA called Farmer and the Dale and they deliver fresh produce to our door every other Thursday. Yes, you read that correctly. They *deliver* a box of fresh fruits and vegetables to us. No need to pile my kiddos in the car. No need to have the proper change. With just a few clicks of the mouse I can place my order, pay through Paypal, and my bank account or credit card are charged. They even deliver in these snazzy recyclable bags or crates.

Isn't this stuff gorgeous? The cost is $30 per box. We signed up to get it every other week so we're talking $15 a week right now. Totally affordable, especially for organic eats.

You might be wondering what a CSA is or how to find one in your area if you don't live in the Central Valley. A CSA is Community Supported Agriculture. These have become popular in the last 20 years as a way for people to buy local, save money and support smaller farmers. A farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public, which in most cases means a regular box of produce. Another popular CSA in California's Central Valley is T.D. Willey Farms in Madera. We've tried them too. They have great products but we are choosing Farmer and the Dale because they allow us to choose what comes in our box. This allows us to cook and eat the items we desire. Here are some listings of CSAs across the country.

Ericlee's fave: apples. He eats an apple a day so we selected two orders of these. The only problem is my girlies are fighting over these sweet apples now. We'll be lucky if there are any left for Daddy.

Even though it's not tomato season we just decided to try some out. These are grown in a greenhouse. They don't compare to summer tomatoes but they're nice to add to sandwiches. If you order from Farmer and the Dale, please tell them we sent you so we can get our "referral bonus." But don't just trust us, try out a box yourself and make a decision. They have amazing customer service!

Go Green this St. Patty's Day

2010-03-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

We know it may sound weird but spring is the time for sweet peas so why not utilize their natural color? They have a light flavor but do not dominate a smoothie so your kids probably won't even notice. And the good news is, you don't have to use those yucky dyes to make your food green. If you're gun shy, try a tablespoon first just to get a little color. Just be a sneaky chef and leave a comment so we can hear if your little leprachauns liked it.

Minty Shamrock Shake

-3 cups raw whole milk (or your fave type of milk)
-1 tray of ice cubes
-1/2 teaspoon organic peppermint extract (depends on how minty you like it!)
-3 tablespoons honey (or organic sugar, if you prefer)
-1/4 cup frozen organic sweet peas

1. Whirl these ingredients in your blender until smooth.
2. Serve with a straw.

I found several recipes for Irish Soda Bread and decided to create my own. A special thanks to Maura Marmo and Peggy O'Brien-Bremer from my elementary school on the South Side of Chicago, who inspired me with their bread recipes. I've never used caraway seeds before but they are a fun addition that give this bread a distinct flavor. I would serve this up for breakfast, lunch or a dinner appetizer.

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:
-3 cups whole wheat flour
-2/3 cup organic evaporated cane juice (sugar)
-1 tablespoon baking powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-2 beaten eggs
-1 1/2 cups buttermilk
-2 tablespoons organic butter, melted
-1 cup raisins
-1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan or mini loaves.
2. Sift flour into bowl. Add sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
2. Beat eggs. Add milk and butter. Blend into dry ingredients until batter is incorporated and moist.
3. Add raisins.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until golden brown on top.
6. Cool, slice and serve with butter.

Here are more St. Patty's Day healthy recipes from one of my fave online sources, Eating Well Magazine.

Luscious Lunches Cooking Club: Great lunch ideas served up for dinner

2010-03-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

This month's Cooking Club was a smorgasbord of lunch recipes. In case you're just tuning in for the first time, we have a monthly Cooking Club at our house with 10 families. (No, they don't usually all come at the same time. However, we are starting to be outnumbered by the kids!) Each family brings pre-assigned ingredients. All the mamas cook while the daddies watch the kiddos. Everybody eats and then the daddies clean up while the mamas sit on the couch and chat. Good times.

Each month we choose a theme and this time around it was Luscious Lunches - inspired by a cookbook my mom gave me for Christmas. It's always fun to mix it up a little and serve something different for lunch. Who wants the same old boring sandwich day after day - especially when you are packing your hubby's lunch or your serving it up for multiple kiddos.

At Cooking Club, we always try out a new "adventurous recipe," which was this Asparagus Soup from Alfred Portale's 12 Seasons Cookbook. Our healthy option was the colorful Vegetarian Lavash Sandwiches created by our friend Cori. Everyone gobbled them up. We even made some peanut butter and jelly ones for the less adventurous types. We also look for recipes that use famer's market finds. Since spring has sprung in California that means strawberries and rhubarb are popping up in stores and on corners. We employed those babies in our fab dessert.

The Menu:

Dorina's Maple Pecan Chicken Wonton Cups
Cori's Lavash Sandwiches
Asparagus Soup
Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Avocado Dip
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
Chocolate-Banana-Oatmeal Power Cookies

Here are the recipes that aren't linked elsewhere:

Cori's Lavash Sandwiches

Ingredients:
-hummus
-mayonnaise
-red pepper
-sprouts
-cucumber
-basil leaves
-tomato
-kalamata olives
-salt
-lemon pepper
-paprika
-1 package of lavash bread (find it near the tortillas at Trader Joe's or other local grocery stores)

1. Thinly slice all the vegetables.
2. Spread the lavash with a thin layer of 1/3 mayonnaise and 2/3 hummus.
3. Arrange the veggies on top.
4. Sprinkle with salt, lemon pepper, paprika.
5. Roll up and cut into halves or thirds. Serve.

Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Avocado Dip

Ingredients:
-15 sweet potatoes, peeled
-1 tablespoon whole wheat pastry flour
-2 tablespoons of olive oil
-2 cups mayonnaise
-2 avocadoes
-1 jalapeno, finely chopped (approx. 1 tablespoon)
-1 tablespoon lemon juice
-1 teaspoon paprika
-1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Wash, peel and cut potatoes in large wedges. Toss with whole wheat pastry flour.
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Spray two cookie sheets with olive oil. Place wedges onto the cookie sheets.
4. Bake in oven for approximately 45 minutes until cooked through. If they seem mushy, turn on broil and "crisp" for 5 minutes watching closely so they don't burn.
5. While the potato fries are cooking, assemble the sauce. Mash avocadoes in a bowl.
6. Mix in mayonnaise, lemon juice, jalapeno, paprika and salt. Blend well and put in small bowls to serve with fries.

Menu Plans for Week of February March 1-7

2010-02-26T15:32:00.000-08:00

I decided to post next week's menu plans a little earlier in case some of you wanted to join us on this culinary adventure week. First stop: Fresno Vineyard Farmer's Market on Saturday morning. We are just on the brink of seeing some of the spring produce at our market. I'm curious to see what vendors show up this week. In the meantime, I've incorporated some of the winter veggies like broccoli and picked out some of our fave ethnic foods. My friend Yasmin just returned from India with some authentic spices for me so I'm eager to cook with those. I'm also trying out Evelyn's Thai Chicken Curry dish. I'm jazzed about the beginning of a new month for my food budget and a new season of eating! Let us know if you would like any of the following recipes or you have questions about what's for dinner.

MONDAY
Broccoli Cheese Chowder
Artichoke Turkey Paninis

TUESDAY
Garlic Naan
Chicken Masala with Basmati Rice & Plain Yogurt
Mango Chickpeas with Tamarind Sauce

WEDNESDAY
Small Group:
Thai Chicken Curry
Coconut Rice

THURSDAY
Green Salad with Feta, Red Pepper, Black olives
Beef Strogonoff with Mushrooms
Whole Wheat Penne

FRIDAY
Luscious Leftovers

SATURDAY
Cooking Club: Luscious Lunches (for Dinner)
Lavosh Sandwich Bar
Maple-Pecan Chicken Wontons
Asparagus Soup
Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Sauce
Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart

SUNDAY
Italian Chicken Sausage & Kale Soup
Honey Cornbread

A Crossfit Journey: Coach/athlete goes for the goal

2010-02-26T15:17:00.000-08:00

By Ericlee Gilmore

On January 1, 2010, I started a journey. My goal was to train for 12 Weeks to prepare myself for The Crossfit Games in San Jose. But I wanted to do more than just train. I wanted to record my progress, my diet, my thoughts on taking on this physical challenge. Below are some journal notes about this process now that I have reached the halfway point.

Sat, Jan 2

I weighed myself first thing in the morning on my bodyfat scale and I have 18.9% Body Fat and weigh 178lbs. My goal is to lose 5% BF and still be about 175 pounds.

I am excited and pumped for this cool opportunity to push my body to the outer limits and be able to compete. All my life I have loved fitness or the idea of being in great shape in all aspects. I played three sports in high school, learned how to do 10 events in College, and even after college I trained in a way that worked my entire body – cardio, upper and lower strength, and core. When I found out about Crossfit in February of 2009 and read the philosophy behind it all, I was impressed to say the least. After teaching Crossfit philosophy to my Analysis of Fitness College class, I respect the program even more.

So what is Crossfit? It is a strength and conditioning system or program that uses varied and random functional movements executed at high intensity. There is a part of me that says I can be in the top 20 and qualify to the Regional competition. Yet the more Workout Of Days (WOD) I do, the more weaknesses I see that shows me that I will not even be close to the top 20.

My plan is to workout with Andrew 3x a week. I will then do another workout at home either by myself or with my wife. The last workout will be some kind of running intervals with Steve or by myself.

Sun, Jan 3

Since Nutrition is at the bottom of the pyramid for an ideal athlete, I am going to watch what I eat more closely and improve my teeter totter – glucose and insulin balance.

Breakfast – whole wheat blueberry pancakes with almond butter and real maple syrup; raw milk and fruit and greens smoothie

Lunch – Leftover salmon with rice pilaf and salad

Dinner – Ground Turkey whole wheat pitas with feta cheese and lots of greens from out garden

Mon, Jan 4

I saw this WOD last month and wanted to try it at home since I do not need any equipment. 400m lunges for time and count steps. So I did it around my block. I estimate it to be about 450m long give or take some. Not very hard but I did rest about half a dozen times. My time was 12:31 and I had 415 steps. So my goal next time would be under 12min and under 410 steps.

Tues, Jan 5

First day back since the break to the Combat Fitness, Crossfit Affilate in Fresno, where I work and train. My training partner was still out of town so I decided to do a girl benchmark workout called Angie – 100 pullups, 100 pushups, 100 situps, 100 airsquats. I was already hurting from lunges the day before. But my goal was the same. I wanted to beat 30 minutes. Pullups are my weakness so that took the longest. I must admit I have improved greatly since staring Crossfit. Just over 13 minutes. Then came pushups where were harder than I thought. I guess you can say my arms were tired. That took about 7 minutes. Then the situps and squats were the easiest. My final time was 29:35. I made my goal. As I look online I notice to be better than average I must complete it in under 20 minutes. So maybe 10min for pullups, 5min for pushups, 3min for situps, and 2 min for squats. We will see.

Wed, Jan 6

I had a horrible night last night. I was so sore. I had to take Tylenol in the middle of the night to relieve the pain. Every time I moved my muscles hurt. Where? My legs some but the majority of the pain is in the upper body. My biceps and back are killing me. I cannot extend my arms all the way out. So I look a little deformed. I cannot reach up for anything because of my back muscles. It was so hard to put my shirt on this morning. I had trouble reaching the top shelf of the cubbard. To say the least, I only did a very easy run with my wife this morning. That loosened up my legs a little bit but my upper body is still very bad.

Thurs, Jan 7

I have recovered a little but I am still in much pain in my arms and back. I had trouble carrying my 11mon old daughter. I decided just to warmup only. Andrew, my training partner and coach, motivated me to do at least that much. After the warmup, my muscles did feel better and I could stretch them a little farther. The problem is now I have a two day set back. I have a rest day tomorrow and then we will see how I feel on Saturday. I will do some kind of WOD in the neighborhood of our friends house in the Bay area. Once again these are the times I wish I could call up Barry Sears and ask him this question, “How does a 35 year old recover quickly from an intense workout?”

Sat, Jan 9

Slept in because I felt a headache coming on. So no workout today. I am actally feeling better today. I have spring in my step again and my arms can extend straight. Look forward to Mondays workout. I am reminded again of fish oil and how it can help recovery. I need that more than ever after what happened this week. Maybe I can by the expensive fish oil for the last 6 weeks of training.

Mon, Jan 11

Week 2. Short but good. Sprinted about 100yds and then rested 30 seconds and then sprinted back. Performed 12 reps of shoulder press with resistant band. I did five reps of that or 10 sprints. I should of done 10 reps but that was good. I have a long way to go. Maybe two weeks from now I wil do that. I am also fasting today for spiritual and physical reasons. I need Jesus more than ever as I start my second semester of teaching at a University and as I get more serious about training. Fasting is always a sacrifice which reminds me of the sacrifice that Jesus had when he died on the cross. To train for these sectional games is also a sacrifice. I know that my GI tract needed a rest. Look forward to this week of training.

Fri, Jan 15

Just like that, we are almost done with week 2. Since school started this week I was a little busy preparing to teach my classes. I wanted to write down the workouts I did this week. Today I am resting and I am very glad. On Tuesday we did some technique and skill of the snatch. Then we worked on power 3x5. We finished with the WOD of Row 500 and 30 Wall balls for 20 minutes. My goal was 5 and that is what I did. I have about 30 seconds left to get 10 more wall balls and I did it with three seconds to spare. The more I do these workouts, the more I realize how similar they are to a interval. Work hard, rest, work hard, rest. The problem is that you are doing something else and not really resting. I am resting from rowing but I have to rest while performing 30 wall balls. I am resting from the wall balls while I have to row 500 meters. I need to have a shift in my thinking. I need to go hard because I know I will be able to rest during the next exercise.

On Wed, I ran with my friend about 4 miles. It was a good day to get the lactic acid out of my legs. Next time we are going to do more intervals to get my mind and body use to that mentality. On Thursday we flipped the day. After warming up we did the WOD which was Elizabeth and not Fran because my body is still not ready for pullups. 45 cleans at 135# is a lot of work. But little by little, I got the job done. The ring dips is something I must improve on. I could not do more than 4 in a row. My partner was already done with Fran (6 min) but I was not even half way. I finally finished in 14:35. After a 10 minute recovery we did 4 sets of handstand holds from 30 second to 60 seconds and finished with 3x5 of front push press. My last set was 132lbs. So what is my goal for the Olympic lifts. Snatch – 150, Cleans – 175, Deads – 300, Push Press – 150.

Mon, Jan 18

It is crazy how fast the days go by and I have not written anything. Saturday was a great day because my family came to the Crossfit gym. It was already closed so it was just my training partner and another friend. My 3 year old daughter was so excited to see the place. She was very disappointed when Velocity closed back in November so she was looking forward to coming to the new gym. The WOD was called Bionic. It was 7 rounds of seven of the following exercises – Thursters 95, Pullups (chest to bar), ring dips, and burpees. Since I was still weak from my 100 pullups last week I had to do jumping pullups instead. I did double the amount and still the whole WOD took 21 minutes. The best thing about the whole day was that I was able to take my wife through a WOD. I gave her 5 rounds of Row 250 and 10 wall ball with 10lbs ball. She was very tired but really liked it. My daughter loved the rowing machine as well as the rings. My youngest daughter (1 year) love to crawl around and watch us workout. It was a great day.

Today I met up with Andrew to do the Lumberjack 20 but it started to rain and so we had to go inside and change it up. So we decided to do three different excises but go full tilt on each one with 3-5 minute rest between the exercises. The first was Thrusters. We did 21 at 99lbs to practice Fran. It took us 50 seconds. After the rest we did 1000 row. I was shooting for under 4 minutes and I made 3:39. Finally we did 100 double unders. This was my weakest one. My partner did it in 2:10 and it took me 4:28. I am finding so many weaknesses. I wanted to know my Deadlift max so we found that out too. 264. That is horrible. We finished with some grip strength exercises and practiced handstand pushups. Someday I will be able to go all the way down.

Only 10 weeks left.

Thurs, Jan 21

On Tuesday, we tested my max for the power clean. I am so rusty on all my Olympic lifts. Practice is the only way to get better. I also realized that I need more protein since I have kicked up my workouts to four sometimes five a week. So I did 75k or 165lbs. I also did max rep for the snatch too – 55k (121lbs). After being discouraged about that we did the WOD. We added walking lunges with plate (25k) over head to Annie - 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 of Lunges, Double-unders, and situps. So it took me 21:11 and for Andrew 17+. So far I have only beaten him on two WODs. Hopefully today will be three. Too bad he is not competing because I know he would do very well. I did not run on Wed due to physical fatigue and spiritual issues.

Fri, Jan 22

So I finally have my max for everything except back squat. Bench – 165; Front Squat - 209; Snatch - 121; Cleans – 165; Deadlift – 264; Push Press ?. So now I have something to improve on. Here are my new goals. Bench – 187 (85k); Front Squat – 264 (120k); Snatch – 143; Cleans – 187; Deadlift – 308; Push Press – 198

Once again we confirmed that the WOD must always be last. After warmup we have to do technique, stength/power, and finally the WOD. We did 135 Clean and Jerk 10x and 30 GHM situps 3 rounds – 13:18. I was aiming for 12 minutes. I know I lost focus the last set. We then lifted Front Squat and bench 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 going up in weight each time. Finally we learned the first progression of Muscle Ups and that was easier than I thought. So how many excises do I need to be proficient?

DoubleUnders Ring Dips Clean Thrusters OH Squats Knees to Elbow

Wall Ball Pullups Snatch Box Jumps HS Pushup Feet to Bar

Rowing Muscleups Dead Sumo HP Rope Climb 400 run

GHM Situp pushups Press Burpees 1 arm Snatch 5k run

GHM Extension Situps Bench Single leg squats Kettlebell swings Uphill run with weight

Mon, Jan 25

Saturday was a great workout by myself. I had lots of things on my mind because it was a very difficult week emotionally but I pushed through. I took a barbell with weight to the track to do the workout. 10 rounds for time of Overhead Squat 110lbs x 10 and 400m run. I wanted to average 3 min for each round and keep the 400 under 2 minutes. Here are the splits: 38, 1:46/ 48, 1:58/ 49, 2:04/ 48, 2:06/

54, 2:13/ 57, 2:16/ 59, 2:28/ 47, 2:14/ 45, 2:19/ 43, 1:53 = 29:26

At halfway, my time was 14:06 but I knew the second half would be tough. I am glad I did this workout because of the length of it. I feel I have this sticking problem around 15-20. I need to train longer than that so my endurance can improve. After drinking some water my last three rounds were much easier. This morning I ran with another friend and we did 4x800 total miles was 4. Our splits were 2:58, 3:18, 3:18, 3:06 all around 3 minute rest which was not exact. I think I am going to meet with him every Monday leading up to the qualifier. That will greatly increase my cardiovascular confidence.

Fri, Jan 29

I cannot believe that the week went by and I did not write anything. I apologize. Here is the routine of our workouts. We have a rountine now since we are finishing on month. We warm-up for 30min using a variety of drills that we mix and match. Then we move on to skill which most of the time is gymnastic in nature. Next is the strength component. Sometimes this is a skill too because I am learning how to be more efficient in lifting a bar. The strength is anywhere from 75% to 100% of our max. We finally end the day with a WOD that kicks our buddy. Total time is 2 hours. On Tuesday our skill was handstand holds with no wall, muscleups with the help of my legs and then jumping pullups from a 4 inch platform which I was able to achieve two of them. For Strength we did 3x3 of deadlifts 100, 110, 120k. The WOD was from the internet site. Thrusters x7 at 135 and row 500 – 5 rounds 19:59. I only lost to Andrew by 30 seconds. Sweet.

On Wednesday I debated if I should run or not. I was so tired from going to bed late and waking up early. My goal of 7 hours of sleep each night is not working. So I convinced myself to do something fast. I ran three laps around my block but got faster each time. I rested about 70 seconds each time – 1:55, 1:45, 1:41. I now have a standard and I know what to shoot for.

Thursday was a great day because we decided to practice a lot of the skill gymnastic exercises during the warmup. We did handwalks for 20 yards. I am actually getting better. We also did some kipping pullups and some chest to bar pullups which I had to jump from a platform. If we have to do chest to bar for the competition, I am toast. Today we did two strength routines. First we did a power clean complex 3x3 of 60k, 65k, 70k. This complex is five different progressions to make one rep. It also helped with form and grip strength. This was tough. I think I slightly hurt my knee because of my bad form. The second strength routine was deadlifts. 5 x DL every minute for 10 minutes. The load was 80% which was 100k. It was easier than I thought. Finally we did the WOD which Andrew made up to work on some weaknesses – 5x ring dips, 5x pullups, and 30x Double Unders. How many rounds in 20 minutes. I could only manage 9 rounds and Andrew lost count but he did at least 15. I was smooth on the pullups but the ring dips were difficult. I could only do two at a time. But the hardest was the DU. It was definitely a metabolic conditioning exercise. I am proud to say that I had 30 seconds to do 30 DU so I could complete 9 rounds and I did it.

Mon, Feb 1

I am done with four weeks. I feel great and excited about the next 8 weeks. I just purchased some fish oil pills to help with the recovery and stamina. It is not the top of the line but I know it will help a little bit. The workout on Saturday ripped up my hands but at least I was able to do it. The wod was Joshie but I did not do the “L” pullups but just kipping pullups. 21 right arm snatch 40lbs, 21 pullups, 21 left arm snatch, 21 pullups – 3 rounds. So really I did 126 pullups. My time was 21:49. I will not be able to do pullups for about a week because of my blisters. Since I was not competing against Andrew, I think I was resting too much. Today I did not meet with Steve to run so instead I did my traditional 3.3 loop and ran 23:57. My goal is still under 22. I have done that but it was not early in the morning. Just found out that there are 300+ athletes signed up for the NorCal sectionals. I do not know how many are men but that is not as big as what I thought it would be considering all the Crossfit gyms in the bay area.

Wed, Feb 3

Can I just say that I really appreciate Andrew, my workout partner/coach, who designs the workouts each day. That really takes the stress off of me to figure out what to do for each day. Yesterday I have three breakthroughs. I first did a muscleup from the ground rather than a raised platform. Eventually I will have to do it where my feet are not touching the group. Next I did my first Handstand pushup where my head touched the pad. The secret is in the wider hand placement. The last breakthrough was with the deadlift. After doing Jerk 5x3 starting at 60k and working my way up to 80k we moved to squats. This was the first time that my max was about the same as Andrew. Next we did a super set of handstand pushups and squats - 2x5, 2x4, 1x3. I started at 70k and worked up to 110k. My max for jerk is 176 and for squats it is 242. I needed help from Andrew on my last set of squats. The WOD was 5xDL and 10xburpees for 5 rounds. The weight of the DL was 275. My max is only 265. I did a practice one. I did the first round but no more. I have to take off 10k to finish the rest of the rounds. It was extremely hard. My back is feeling it today. My time was only 8:33. I am making progress. I am excited. On Wednesday I did the 2k row to see my time. 7:42! It is all about feeling the pain and having correct form. I know and I must get under 7 minutes. That is 1:45 every 500m. That is fast. But maybe not in relation to others. We will see.

Fri, Feb 5

Thursday was a bad day. All the lack of sleep caught up to me and I was hurting. I had one of my migrain headaches and my muscles were just physically tired. So after the warmup which was done barefoot to work on some strength in the lower leg and foot we decided to cut out some of the workout. By the way, my handwalks have dramatically improved. It only took me ten tries to go the distance. Next time I am going for five. We did OH squats and bench and took out thrusters. On the OH squats I did 3x5 of 40k, 50k, 60k. I think I could of done more. On the Bench we did 5, 5, 4, 4, 3 of 110, 132, 154, 154, 176 but Andrew helped me on it. I was so tired after that, I wanted to call it quits but Andrew convinced me to do a short WOD because I cannot be training for the games and not do a WOD. So instead of the long one he had planned we did Karen again which was 150 Wall Ball Shots. We wanted to rest our hands so they could heal completely from the blisters. We destroyed it with a time of 6:47. Last time I did 8:35. Big improvement. I need to start doing all the benchmark workouts again so I can see the improvements. The day started bad but ended on a high note. God is good. I look forward to the rest day today.

Tues, Feb 9

On Saturday I had to be in the class that my partner was teaching. So I missed out on the strength work and some skill work. The WOD was 10min of Handstand pushups, 5min of squats, 2min of pullups, 1min of pushups. My totals were 63, 206, 22, and 29 = 320. I actually did better than Andrew. The intensity was not there but it was still a good workout. On Monday I actually did two workouts. I ran 3x400 and got faster each time. My rest was about 70-90sec. I ran 1:44, 1:42, 1:38. My goal next time is to keep all of them under 1:40. After jogging a lap I did the 400m lunge. I beat my time by 20s – 12:10 and I took only 402 steps compared to 415. I look forward to the workout today because we will have to go long.

There are 14 specific workouts that I want to do or redo to get a better time before the sectionals. Cindy, Diane, Fran, Grace, Helen, Jackie, Linda, Kelly, Mary, DT, Filthy, FGB, Max pushups, and Max pullups.

Thurs, Feb 11

I did the Crossfit challenge workout on Tuesday. It was killer again. Row in calories, Burpees, Sumo High pull (88lbs), Kettlebell Swing (24k), Wall Ball Shot (20lbs), and Thrusters (88lbs). The reps were 21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6. Back in October it took me 44min and this time it took 38:20. I am making improvement. I had to do it by myself because Andrew’s back was shot. Before the WOD I did 4x3 of snatch 50k, 55k, 60k. Next was the complex of power cleans to Front squats to Jerk 3x3 of 60k, 70k, 75k. I really liked that. Finally I ended it with Bench – 5,4,3,3 of 60k, 70k, 75k for the rest. This is still a weakness.

On Wednesday I went on a run with the team I am coaching. Easy mile there and easy mile back. Today we started to work on all the workouts I still want to improve or do. Today was Cindy. After working on Dip Snatch Balance, Snatch Balance, and Hang Squat Cleans (60k, 70k, 80k), I finished with hang clean pulls. My goal was 20 for Cindy (5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats). How many rounds in 20 minutes? My previous best was 16 but that was at home on a difficult pullup bar because my knees are bent. Today I almost had 19. I was 12 squats short. Andrew did 21 rounds. Pushups definitely slowed me down. I can see now why having a big max for the bench will help with pushups. My chest was so fatigued that I could not go any faster. One down 13 more to go.

Half way on my Journey. Six weeks to go.

Tues, Feb 16

On Saturday I trained in the afternoon so I could sleep in and it was superb. I performed Jackie and the time I was going for was 8:00 or at least 8:05 which was Jon’s time. In my mind I thought I could be around 8 minutes. After doing my 10 minute workout of 5 x Dead Lift at 242lbs every minute and then moved on to back squats. I ran out of time so I just did 3x5 of 220. I had to hurry because one of my clients was coming in. 1000m row, 50 thrusters 45lbs and 30 pullups. I was at 6 minutes when I started the pullups. My final time was 8:02. I was excited because I beat Jon’s time but still realizing that pullups will always be a weakness. On Monday Andrew and I went to the track for Helen - 400, 21 x KBS 24k, 12 pullups – three rounds. After a good warmup, we proceded in the fog. I thought I was going to do better. The 400 really hurt me. I knew 8-9minutes was out when the first round took 3 minutes. My final time was 10:23 which was about 40sec slower than Andrew’s time. I wonder if I hold back when Andrew is there. I sure hope not. There is a part of me that wants to do that again two weeks from now so I can beat 9 minutes. We will see.

Wed, Feb17

Another great day. I am retesting all max in all the lifts to see the progress. I improved by 11lbs in the snatch – 132 and I improved by 12lbs in the bench – 176.

We then did the Chipper WOD from the 2009 games. We did not perform the Muscleups correctly but we still accomplished the WOD. The winning time that day at the games was 19:46. I did it in 32:06. Even with the modified muscleups that took me 6-7 minutes. Andrew beat my by 5 minutes. I need to learn to rest less and push more. Here is the WOD. 30x 155 squat cleans; 30x Toes to Bar; 30x Box jumps; 15x Muscleups; 30x 40 dumbell Push Press; 30x Double Unders; 15x 135 Thrusters; 30x Pullups; 30x Burpees; 300ft walking lunges with 45lb plate held over head. I am learning with these longer workouts how to press harder. I am making progress. One area that I did not make progress in is my weight. I weight on Sunday because it was the half way point and I had gained 4-5 pounds and 1 percent in body fat. I was very confused. So I think I will go back to what I was doing which is no food after dinner or no food after 8 p.m.

Menu Plans for Week of February 22-28

2010-02-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

This week we are revving up some old family faves and some new recipes as well. The Peanut Pasta is inspired by a "Barefoot Contessa" show I saw on Food Network with a few of our own twists. This is the second time I've tried this dish and it's already a hit with my kiddos. Also, if you're looking for a way to stretch the budget but not compromise on great flavors, try this easy Italian Egg Drop Soup.

SUNDAY
Baby Greens Salad
Pepperoni & Black Olive Pizza

MONDAY
Ethiopian Spicy Lentils
Gomen (Potatoes, Carrots, Cabbage Dish)

TUESDAY
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Rice & Beans

WEDNESDAY
Asian Cabbage Salad with Toasted Sesame Seeds
Peanut Pasta with Carrots, Red Pepper and Bok Choy (We use Ina's recipe for the pasta but I substitute my own veggies from the Farmer's market and use Sunflower oil instead of Vegetable oil in the sauce.)

THURSDAY
Teriyaki Mahi Mahi
Quinoa
Sauteed Broccoli & Garlic

FRIDAY
Stracciatella (Italian Egg Drop) Soup
Rosemary Lemon Biscuits

SATURDAY
Luscious Leftovers

Fitness for Busy Mamas

2010-02-02T17:18:00.000-08:00

Are you feeling droopy? Wondering why you have so little strength in your arms or back? Is your energy level crawling slower than your baby? We have just the thing (and we're not trying to sell you anything). We call it the "Go, Mama Workout" and it only takes 10-15 minutes to get the real job done. The fun part is you can follow our workout plans like "The Bertha" or create your own and modify the exercises to fit your own abilities.

We recently gave a tag team talk on "Fitness for Busy Mamas" at North Side Church's MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. The ladies showed up in sweats and tennies and jumped in. Here are some ideas we shared with them. We welcome your feedback, questions and even success/failure stories.

By Ericlee Gilmore

“Go Mama” Workout Tips:

• Keep the workout short and speedy so it combines cardio and strength training.

• Constantly change it up because your body adapts to a stimulus.

• Focus on the gymnastic exercises (body weight) first and then move to weight lifting exercises.

• All exercises can be done anywhere – you do not need expensive equipment.

• Plan to go two days a week to start and work up to five days a week.

• Reps and rounds should always be different.

• Compete against yourself for motivation. (How long does it take or how many rounds can you finish?)

• Consider putting 2-3 gymnastics together and that could be your workout or add one from each of the following categories.

• Remember it is about intensity and duration. If you want it easier, then lower intensity and duration. If not, then raise it.

Mix and match the following exercises:

Gymnastics

-Push-ups

-Sit-ups

-Air squats

-Dips

-Lunges

-Pull-ups

Weight lifting

-Shoulder press

-Chest press

-Bicep Curl

-Tricep Extension

-Squats

Cardio

-Jumping Jacks

-Burpees

-Jump Rope

-Running – 30 seconds

-Running – 2-3 minutes

The first few times may seem hard but push through and see how much just a short workout can do for you, your stress level and even your family.

Meal Planning for Busy Mamas

2010-01-28T16:24:00.000-08:00

Recently I had the opportunity to share with a group of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) ladies some of my thoughts on Meal Planning. The following is an outline of what I shared. My small disclaimer is that I can only share about my journey and then encourage you all on yours. You don't have to plan meals the way I do. My hope is that you can take away from this something small - a new goal, a new recipe, a new way of thinking about food, grocery shopping, even cooking.

Where I Begin:
On Thursday and Friday I start thinking about what I'm in the mood to eat. It starts with you. If you're not interested in eating what you cook, why would your family be? I peruse food magazines, cookbooks from the library or from my personal collection and even recipe web sites on a regular basis to get my taste buds working. I love EatingWell.com and FoodNetwork.com. I always check out what Giada de Laurentis and Ellie Krieger from Food Network are making. My friend Allison swears by AllRecipes.com because they have a spot where you can enter ingredients you have or even ones you want to avoid and tons of recipes pop up.

The Plan:
I write out my Meal Plans each week in a calendar I can carry around. If you're more of a computer person, check out PlanToEat.com or other similar sites that allow you to make and store grocery lists and a calendar of meal plans. I love being able to flip through my personal calendar (even when the internet is down!) and remind myself of what we ate last month.

As I plan I am always very aware of our schedule. As the mama of two, caretaker of two more and a coach's wife to boot it's really important that I take into account the busy evenings when I won't have lots of cooking time. I teach a college course on Monday nights so I can't even serve the meal then. That said, we do make dinner a priority on other nights and try our best to eat as a family.

I think in these categories of meals:

Creative Crockpots - These are fast meals that I can dump in the crockpot in the morning when I know we are headed to a meeting or track event. I love Pomegranate Beef or Taco Soup and I'm discovering more off blogs.

Super Soups & Chilis - These are one-pot meals that I serve up at least once a week when the weather is cooler. In summer months, this category changes to One-dish Pastas. These might include our Pumpkin Party Soup in fall when the pumpkins are ripe and in season or Italian Wedding Soup when greens are growing everywhere in our winter garden. Sometimes I'll even make a soup or chili and freeze half or double the batch so I can have it for lunches too.

Dinner for Company - We love to entertain. We host a Cooking Club at our house once a month and we meet with a Life group of three other families every other week where we share dinner. We also host my parents for a meal three times a week (and they pitch in some for groceries.) These meals are ones I might spend a little more time preparing. I like to try ethnic foods like Indian Butter Chicken or Ethiopian Lentil Sauce.

Vegetarian - This is a newer category for us. In 2010, our goal is to eat 2-3 vegetarian meals a week. We aren't entirely against meat. (I grew up a total carnivore!) However, we do think our body needs a good veggie cleanse on a regular basis so I'm trying out some new vegetarian dishes this year with that end in mind.

Batch Cooking - This category includes meals that I make (usually on the weekends) in big batches. For example, I make a batch of my mom's Italian Meat Sauce with Manicotti and it will last for several meals. I might make two Rainbow Vegetarian Lasagnas at a time and freeze one or I make Whole Wheat Pizza dough and freeze 3/4 of it for lunches or Friday nights. This saves me gobs of time. I can just thaw something from the freezer and heat it up on the busier nights or nights when this mama is just plain tired.

Don't shop 'til you Drop:
As I write down my meal plans, I start a grocery list at the same time. Throughout the week, I keep a running list of pantry items we're out of like salad dressings, whole wheat tortillas or juice. Then I add in what we'll need for dinners. Just making a list is a step toward saving money. If you just browse the grocery aisles, you will end up with a bunch of stuff in your cart that you don't need or can't afford. Don't get me wrong, I sometimes take "field trip" grocery outings and allow myself time to check things out. But more often than not I'm speeding down the aisles with two kids in tow trying to find what I need.

Where I spend my loot:
My grocery shopping always starts with our local farmer's market. I am blessed to have a market just a few miles from my house that is open every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning year round. Unless we are out of town, it's a family ritual to go to the market on Saturdays and buy our organic produce and raw milk. I also weekly go to Trader Joe's. No, they did not pay me to say this but it is the best store in Fresno. I've done my homework and TJ's has the best deals on fresh, organic or local, minimally-processed foods. If I can't get it at the market, I usually get it at Trader Joe's. My goal between the market and TJ's is to spend $100 a week for our family of four. I also spend $100-125 more at Costco and Winco. I shop at Costco for organic snacks for my kids and big box items like tomato sauce. I shopt at Winco for their bulk section. That's where I buy our month's supply of dried beans, rice, nuts and even fresh-pressed peanut butter for the granola I make. My husband will eat this for every breakfast if I can keep the container full. I also sometimes check out Whole Foods for specialty items or a new store in our area called Fresh & Easy.

I generally do the market on Saturday and then head to TJ's on Sunday or Monday, depending on our schedule. Some regularity to grocery shopping also helps the budget. If you plan a week or two at a time then you won't be running out at the last minute for that one item.

Cooking:
For those of you who know me you know I love to cook. Cooking is my stress relief. I recognize that cooking stresses some people out. Cooking does stress me out when I'm tired, have three kids hanging on my clothes and I'm rushing to a meeting. Meal Planning does relieve some of that stress so you aren't deciding on a meal in the midst of the craziness. I also suggest maximizing weekend time or evening time when you are not stressed to plan ahead for other meals. My daughter and I often mix up batches of muffins and granola on a Sunday night to prepare for the week. We enjoy this time together.

The bottom line is: have fun. Share resources with friends. Check out new meal options. Ask questions. Leave us a comment. We love to chat on this topic. Happy Meal Planning!

Menu Plans for Week of Jan. 24 & Jan. 31

2010-01-26T20:50:00.000-08:00

As we all consider ways to save money in 2010 and make more healthy choices, it's important to plan ahead. Sure, there's always room for inspirations in the kitchen or an occasional meal out but the Gilmores are committed to eating together as a family and putting healthy, organic foods at the forefront of our diet. I always love to share resources. Here's what we're eating this week and next. Let us know if you are interested in recipes or have questions.

Sunday
Tortellini & Meatballs and Mom & Dad's place

Monday
Crockpot Taco Soup
Tortilla Chips

Tuesday
Lemon Piccata Chicken
Israeli Couscous
Sugar Snap Peas

Wednesday
Swiss Chard & Feta Pie
Whole Wheat Baguette Bread
Baby Greens Salad with Carrots & Raisins

Thursday
Filipino Pancit
Adobo Chicken Legs

Friday
Salad
Calzones
Chocolate Lava Cakes

Saturday
Cooking Club: Gnocchi-Making Gathering
Caesar Salad
Homemade Potato Gnocchif with Marinara Sauce
Spinach Gnocchi with Alfredo Sauce
Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi with Basil-Cream Sauce

Sunday
Luscious Leftovers

Monday
Grass-fed Beef Tacos with Tomatoes, Olives & Sour Cream
Salad with Avocadoes, Oranges & Cilantro Dressing

Tuesday
Chicken Marsala
Butternut Squash Risotto

Wednesday
Lime-Crusted Salmon
Asian Peanut Pasta

Thursday
Italian Wedding Soup
Rosemary Biscuits

Friday
Red Lentil Dal
Mango-Chickpea Curry
Garlic Naan

Saturday
Missions Dinner

Menu Plans for Week of Jan. 17

2010-01-19T16:59:00.000-08:00

Wondering what we're eating for dinner? Leave us a comment if you're interested in recipes or have questions. Bon appetit!

Here are the menu plans:

Sunday
Rotisserie Chicken Burritos
Brown Rice

Monday
Creative Crockpots: New World Chili
Honey Cornbread

Tuesday
Sauteed Greens & Garlic
Roasted Mahi Mahi with Orange-Pepper-Chayote salsa
Whole Wheat Couscous

Wednesday
Small Group Potluck: Haitian Rice & Beans

Thursday
Dinner for Company:
Green Salad with tomatoes, cheese
Chicken Parmesan over Whole Wheat Penne
Roasted Cauliflower
Tiramisu

Friday
Baby Greens Salad with Cranberries & Maple Walnuts
Roasted Garlic & Black Olive Pizza

Saturday
Luscious Leftovers

Recipe of the Week: Dorina's New & Improved Tortilla Soup

2010-01-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

There's something about pureed soups that warms my soul. Tortilla soup is a recipe that comes in many versions and deserves to be passed around. This is a more updated version of my Tortilla soup posted in 2008. The original was created about 8 years ago and our family has changed up our diet pretty significantly since then. I've reduced the salt and substituted for some more healthy ingredients. Feel free to make your own modifications according to your family's needs. We've passed on the recipe to many other families and it seems to be a universal fave. I always make a double batch and freeze some for lunches or to share with friends. This tortilla soup is a thicker pureed version compared to the broth-based version a lot of restaurants serve. If you have problems with dairy, skip the sour cream and you have a hearty, dairy-free meal.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 organic boneless chicken breasts,
1/2 jalapeno, minced (1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)
6 organic corn tortillas (7”)
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fresh sweet corn (or 2 - 16 oz. cans of organic white corn or 1 bag frozen organic sweet corn)
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped (or 1 - 28 oz. can chopped organic tomatoes)
1/3 cup organic tomato paste
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups water
1 quart organic chicken stock

Garnishes:
Sour cream
5 corn tortillas cut in strips (or substitute organic tortilla chips crumbled into pieces)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large Dutch oven-type pot. Cut chicken breasts into small bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with minced jalapeno or crushed red pepper. Sauté in pot.

2. Chop onion. Add to pot and sauté until onions are translucent.

3. Meanwhile, add three tablespoons oil to a large frying pan. Cut tortillas into one-inch strips. Add half the tortilla strips to the soup pot with the chicken. (This gives the soup a thicker base when it's pureed.) Brown the other half of the tortilla strips in the frying pan for garnish. (Fry until crispy and dry on paper towels.)
4. Add garlic and jalapenos/red pepper (depending on how spicy you like it) to soup pot. Add two cups corn and tomatoes to pot. Mix.

5. Add spices: cumin, salt, black pepper and chili pepper. Add tomato paste.

6. Finally, add 3 cups water and 1 quart chicken stock. Stir ingredients together well.

7. Bring soup to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender (or transferring to regular blender) and puree the soup. (You can skip this step if you prefer a chunky soup.)

8. Allow soup to continue cooking at a low heat for 10 minutes. Continue to puree until large chunks of chicken and tomatoes are blended into the soup.

9. At this point, you can decide about the consistency. If you like a thicker soup, leave as is and allow to cook longer. If you want to thin out the soup add 1/2 cup water until you are satisfied with the consistency.

10. Add two remaining cups of corn to pot, stir and serve.

11. Put garnishes in separate bowls. Allow your guest or family to add garnishes their soup themselves for fun or you can do it and wow them with the presentation.

Recipe of the Week: Mint Holiday Trifle Dessert

2009-12-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

One of my fave show-stopper desserts is a Cookies & Cream Trifle. I make it for parties, showers (like my friend Stacie's baby shower above) and for holiday desserts. At this time of year, our local Trader Joe's sells "Mint Joe-Joe's," which are chocolate sandwich cookies with a mint cream filling. Think chocolate meets candy cane in a delectable cookie. They help transform the Cookies & Cream Trifle into a Mint Holiday Trifle.

Warning: This recipe includes many specialty items that are already prepared. If you don't live near a Trader Joe's store, you might need to check on other alternatives. I'm happy to help with ideas. Leave a comment.

Ingredients:
-1 pint organic whipping cream
-1 tablespoon raw organic sugar or honey
-2 packages instant chocolate pudding mix (Trader Joe's brand skips all the preservatives and other junk. I have also made my own chocolate pudding, which is very simple to make if you have time.)
-4 cups raw milk, divided
-1 package cream cheese (or Neufchatel)
-2 boxes ladyfingers cookies (Trader Joe's sells a soft version but you can get these at other Italian specialty stores as well.)
-1 box Mint Joe-Joe's cookies (or other chocolate sandwich cookies like Oreos)

1. Pour whipping cream into mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Blend in sugar/honey while the cream is beating. Set aside.
2. Place the 2 packages of chocolate pudding and 3 cups of milk in the mixing bowl and blend until pudding thickens. Add cream cheese and blend in. Set aside.
3. Place chocolate cookies in a large ziplock bag and use a mallet to crush. (You could also use a food processor but you want to make sure the cookies stay coarse, not emulsified.) Set aside.
4. Begin assembly of trifle. In the bottom of your trifle bowl, arrange a layer of ladyfinger cookies. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of remaining milk. Spread about 1/4 of the pudding mixture on top of the ladyfingers. Spread about 1/4 of the whipped cream over the pudding. Top with 1/4 of the crushed chocolate cookies.
5. Repeat these layers three more times and finish with the crushed chocolate cookies. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

**Sometimes I garnish with chocolate shavings or a chocolate-dipped strawberry to really add pizzazz. I also have made a kids' version with gummy worms between layers for a garden dessert.

Serve about 15.

Cooking Club: I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

2009-12-16T14:16:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we hosted our 6th Annual Cooking Club Christmas Party. This year the theme was a "Green" Christmas and we tried for a menu full of local and organic specialties. All the guests also brought new or used cookbooks wrapped in something recycled. As is our tradition, the ladies cooked and the guys cleaned up.

The menu included:

Sleigh Driver Punch

Organic Spicy Greens with Butter Lettuce, Feta cheese and sliced Fuyu persimmons

Sweet potato & Onion Galette

(except we used local Gouda cheese from Bravo Farms & ground almonds instead of walnuts)

Oven-Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic & Parsley

Pomegranate Beef served over Quinoa

with Pomegranate Salsa

Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread with Cinnamon whipped cream

Many of the recipes were from Eating Well magazine. We also used a few other new recipes. The Pomegranate Beef was the Main Course and it featured an easy crockpot recipe using grass-fed beef from a local rancher in Tulare. The roast turned out beautifully tender and flavorful. We topped it with a Pomegranate relish or salsa (recipe below). My friend Cori helped me can (or jar) the salsa and we also sent our guests home with a jar as a gift.

Pomegranate Beef

-3-lb. grass-fed beef roast
-1 cup pomegranate juice
-1 (15-ounce) can organic fire-roasted tomatoes (We found them at Trader Joe's).
-1 cup golden raisins
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon marjoram
-1 teaspoon thyme
-1 teaspoon oregano
-1 teaspoon rosemary
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-2 teaspoons sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients except for roast.
2. Pour mixture over roast in a crockpot.
3. Cook on low setting 5-6 hours until roast is fork tender and easy to shred.
4. Serve over rice or quinoa. Top with Pomegranate relish/salsa

Pomegranate Relish/Salsa

Ingredients:
-Seeds from 2 medium pomegranates, about 1-1/2 cups

-1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
-1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped, green jalapeño pepper
-1 tablespoon lemon juice
-1 tablespoon organic sugar
-1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Gently fold together pomegranate seeds and remaining ingredients.

Makes 1-1/2 cups.

And the star of the evening was the old-style Christmas gingerbread with a fun twist - pears. This recipe was adapted from William-Sonoma's "Seasonal Favorites" cookbook. This dessert surprised us all and we were actually scrambling for seconds.

Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread

1 1/2 cup unsalted organic butter, softened
1 1/2 cup organic brown sugar
4 large Bosc pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 large cage-free eggs
1/2 cup organic dark molasses
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (a pinch)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup boiling water

Cinnamon Whipped Cream
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 tablespoon organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a non-stick skillet, melt 1/2 cup of butter. Stir in 1/2 cup of brown sugar and stir until sugar melts. Add pear slices and cook, stirring occassionally until pears begin to slightly soften (about 5 minutes).
3. Arrange the pears (with all their juices and butter) in an even layer over the bottom of an 9x13 baking dish/cake pan.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat together remaining 1 cup butter with 1 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
5. Add the eggs and molasses and beat into mixture.
6. Add flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Beat until fully incorporated. Do not overmix. Turn on mixer and slowly pour in 2/3 cup hot water into the batter and blend until incorporated and batter is smooth.
7. Spoon the batter over the pears in the dish. Bake until springy to touch (approximated 35-40 minutes).
8. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on a rack.
9. While the cake is cooling, beat whipping cream. Add 1 tablespoon organic sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
10. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate (or invert individual slices with a spatula). Cut into squares and serve warm topped with cinnamon whipped cream.

Serves 10-12.

Recipe of the Week: White Chocolate Persimmon Cookies

2009-12-14T11:26:00.000-08:00

Before I moved to California, I had never even heard of a persimmon before. Now that I live in California's Central San Joaquin Valley I find the robust orange fruit everywhere in the winter. Inevitably, someone graces our family with a bag of persimmons during the Christmas season. There are two types: The "fuyu" persimmon is like an orange, squatty tomato and firm when ripe. These are great in place of apples or pears in your fave dishes. The "hachiya" persimmon is the acorn-shaped variety that becomes mushy to the touch when ripe and can be squeezed out to use in smoothies or for baked goods like cookies and breads.

Below is our newest recipe for Persimmon Cookies with a new twist. The white chocolate chunks and dried cranberries give these cookies added depth. We picked up the white chocolate chunks at Whole Foods. Of course, you can put chocolate chips of any kind in this recipe. They are wonderful served with a cup of hot cocoa or tea. Check out these other persimmon recipes, or feel free to share your own uses for the persimmon. We have an abundance this week!

White Chocolate Persimmon Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, organic softened

3/4 cup honey or 2/3 cup organic brown sugar

1 egg

2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or other flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup persimmon pulp (2-3 soft & peeled)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup white chocolate chunks

Directions:
1. Cream together butter & honey/brown sugar.

2. Beat in egg.

3. Sift dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.

4. Stir in nuts, cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

5. Lightly grease cookie sheet and drop tablespoons full onto sheet.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

Recipe of the Week: Winter Spiced Quinoa

2009-12-08T22:54:00.000-08:00

Can I get some Quin-what? Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) was discovered by the Inca Indians high in the Peruvian mountains. The name itself literally means "mother grain." The Q-stuff has the highest protein content out of all the grains. Quinoa is considered a "complete protein," which means it has all nine amino acids that the body must get from food. But that's not all - Quinoa also contains iron which increases the oxygen in the blood. Numerous studies have shown that lack of iron in the blood causes fatigue. In other words, this is a great grain to kickstart your day.

A few weeks ago we did The Great Pantry Challenge. One of the items we had in our pantry was a bulk bag of quinoa from a friend. That inspired us to think of a lot of creative ways we could employ this wonder grain. We normally use quinoa much like we would rice or pasta for dinner. Recently, I've been seeing some breakfast quinoa recipes like this one. The Food Network's Ellie Krieger also has a breakfast quinoa in her new So Easy cookbook. Here's a new twist on breakfast. Think oatmeal minus the mushy. Bon appetit!

Winter Spiced Quinoa

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 small pear, cut into small cubes (or apple)
1/4 dried cranberries (or blueberries or other dried fruit)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup raw milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:
1. Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Reduce heat to simmer and cover, cooking for 15 additional minutes until water is evaporated.
2. Meanwhile toast pecans in the toaster oven or on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. (Feel free to skip this step if it's a busy morning!)
3. Add pears, dried cranberries and pecans. Stir into quinoa.
4. Add milk and cinnamon and stir.
5. Serve in bowls and drizzle with maple syrup.

Serves 3-4.

Recipe of the Week: Split Pea & Chicken Sausage Soup

2009-12-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

I'm the kid who hated peas when I was little. The mushy texture and green color just turned me off. But just because I hated them as a kid doesn't mean I have to hate them now. Our taste buds change multiple times throughout our lives so it's good to keep trying foods.

My friend Stacie made a batch of Split Pea Soup a few weeks ago for our Playgroup. She did it in the crockpot and it turned out fabulous. She threw in diced potatoes and some other fresh produce she had on hand. I couldn't stop eating that stuff! Yes, that's right, the pea-hating me was hogging all the Pea Soup. I decided it was time to do some experiementing on my own. The following recipe was the result. My daughter and hubby were fighting me for the last bowl.

I made this version on the stove top but you could try it in the crockpot if that's easier for you. I just needed mine done in a hurry. Do you have a spin on Split Pea Soup? Please share in the comment section.

Split Pea & Chicken Sausage Soup

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
32 oz. cage-free, organic chicken broth
2 cups dried green split peas
32 oz. water
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 12-oz. package chicken sausage, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I chose a Spicy Andouille Sausage from Trader Joe's but you can decide what variety suits your taste.)

Serves: 4-6

Directions:
1. Add olive oil to small pot/saucepan and turn to medium-high heat.
2. Saute onion, celery, garlic and ginger in olive oil until onions turn translucent and celery is softened.
3. Add chicken broth, split peas, cumin, basil, salt and water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
4. Lower heat to simmer soup for 30 minutes until most of the liquid is gone. Meanwhile, saute chopped chicken sausage in a separate frying pan.
5. When soup is desired consistency (add water if too thick), stir in sausage. Serve.

Pumpkin-Pecan Whole Grain Waffles

2009-11-28T16:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my hubby woke up and asked if we could have Pumpkin Waffles. I thought that was a funny request since I've never made Pumpkin Waffles before. We do pumpkin pancakes quite often. Of course, I'm always up for the culinary challenge so I made a face at him and set to work.

In case you haven't noticed, this time of year we throw pumpkin into everything so I figured, why not? If you're looking for something a little different to grace your breakfast table, try these. We made a double batch and froze some for another breakfast. You could always skip the pecans if you're not a fan or even substitute with walnuts or almonds. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber and it's full of carotenoids, which are antioxidants. Since it's cold and flu season, we're always looking for ways to incorporate antioxidants into our meals.

Did you know that an ounce (9 grams) of pumpkin seeds has the same amount of protein as an ounce of meat? (Check out The Doctors Book of Food Rememdies). You could even throw some toasted pumpkin seeds on top of the waffles.

Pumpkin-Pecan Whole Grain Waffles

½ cup butter, melted

1 cup pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 ½ cups raw milk

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup wheat germ

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup chopped pecans

Maple syrup

Directions:

1. Using a mixer, beat eggs and raw milk. Add pumpkin and butter.

2. Add flour, wheat germ and baking powder. Mix.

3. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and sea salt. Mix.

4. Add chopped pecans.

5. Follow instructions on waffle maker. Serve drizzled with real maple syrup.

Our 2009 Thanksgiving Menu

2009-11-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

We'll be dining at 4:30 p.m. today with my parents, Ericlee's parents, and of course, our cutie little girls. Meilani is so excited to have "that bird" she named Sally!

Here's our menu:

Baked Brie with Cranberries & Pecans with Trader Joe's Everything Crackers

Butternut Squash Soup

Nana's Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls

Herbed Roasted Turkey

Whole Wheat Stuffing

Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Nama's Armenian Pilaf

Pumpkin Pie & Blueberry Pie with Whole Wheat Orange Crust

Nana's Pizzelle cookies

Spiced Apple Cider

Thanksgiving Makeover: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate & Mint

2009-11-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

Our family loves all the Thanksgiving traditions. We love food, football and family. We love a chance to contemplate our country's beginnings and an opportunity to share our abundance with others. However, we have discovered through the years that we don't really like the comatose state that follows the Big Turkey Meal. The last couple of years we have been on a journey to find more locally-focused, healthy-inspired versions of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. One stipulation is we were not willing to compromise on taste. We believe that feasting once in a while is not only good it's Biblical. Celebration with family and community is important to us. We just want our food choices to reflect our lifestyle.

Tomorrow morning we will be running the Annual Turkey Trot in Fresno. This is a family tradition we've continued for many years to start out our big Turkey Day with exercise and celebrating community. This year I will be running the 5k with my dad and Ericlee and the girls will be cheering us on with Nana Maria. After our meal we also take a family walk through the neighborhood and say hello to friends. We indulge in the color show presented by the fall leaves.

When it comes to holiday foods, it's all about baby steps. The first year we tried this we added a homemade Green Bean Casserole to our Thanksgiving and tried out our Banana Pumpkin Muffin recipe, which can be used for a bread or a dessert at the meal. Last year we wrote all about that experience.

This year we are sharing the cooking duties with my mom and mother-in-law. For dinner, our family is contributing our traditional Butternut Squash Soup, Green Bean Casserole and a shazam appetizer we made in our Cooking Club a few years back - Baked Brie with Dried Cranberries and Pecans with Whole Grain Crackers. We even convinced Ericlee's mom to make the stuffing with whole wheat bread - major milestone!

Our poll at the right suggests some of you are interested in a "makeover" version of sweet potatoes. We're actually ditching sweet potatoes this year as we minimized the number of dishes are serving for 6 adults and 2 kids. However, this is a dish I make throughout the winter months when sweet potatoes are ripe in the garden or at the market. You won't find marshmallows and brown sugar in this one but you will find some other secret ingredients to wow your guests. Buon Appetito!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate & Mint

Ingredients:
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (arils)
Chopped fresh mint, for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, olive oil and salt.
3. Put cut potatoes into a 3-quart baking dish or 9x13 dish. Pour maple syrup mixture over the potatoes. Toss to coat.
4. Cover with tin foil and bake for about 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
5. Uncover potatoes and stir. Bake an additional 30 minutes.
6. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top with chopped mint. Serve.

Turkey Leftovers: So Many Options, So Many Choices

2009-11-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

The big Turkey Day is coming and it's time to rev up those menus. I've been perusing food magazines and recipe files for weeks for new healthy spins on the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. But to be honest my fave part of this holiday is not the Thanksgiving meal at all; it's what I get to create with all the lovely leftovers. Since some of you will probably be shopping and making your menus in the next few days, consider a few extra ingredients for these "Luscious Leftover" dishes.

Last year, we turned our leftover turkey and veggies into Turkey-Lime Tortilla Soup. Don't throw that turkey carcass away. I know, I know, some of you are flinching because I just said the word carcass. Making turkey stock isn't as hard as you think. It's basically throwing all the bones from the turkey carving into a pot and adding a few spices. This is a great money-saving tip as well. If the turkey-lime flavors are not your style, you can use the turkey stock for any of your favorite soups.

This year I want to try out a Turkey Pot Pie and a White Bean Turkey Chili. Both of these are great opportunities to use leftover turkey and fresh vegetables with a healthy twist. I've been working up this pot pie recipe for a few weeks now. I love homemade crust. This whole wheat crust is great during winter when oranges are in season. If you want to save time, pick up some ready-made pie crusts from the freezer section at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. The key to this pie is using the vegetables and ingredients that are in season. For winter, broccoli, potatoes and carrots are a great choice. In summer, try corn or zuchinni. In spring, break out the fresh peas or asparagus.

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients:

Crust: (Best if made ahead; should be enough for two pie crusts or the top & bottom of an 8x8 Pyrex dish for pot pie)
-2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 cup + 1/2 tablespoon organic butter
-2 teaspoons grated orange peel
-1/4 cup cold orange juice
-1 tablespoon cold water

Filling:
-1/3 cup organic butter
-1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
-1/2 teaspoon paprika
-1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (or chili powder or red pepper flakes, depending on how much spice you desire)
-1 teaspoon parsley
-1 3/4 cups organic cage-free chicken broth
-2/3 cup raw milk
-1/2 cup onions, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-2 cups turkey or chicken, shredded and cooked
-1 cup carrots (or diced potatoes or corn), chopped
-1 cup broccoli, chopped (or peas)
-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Prepare pie crusts. If making the homemade crust, measure out flour and salt. Cut butter into dry mixture and use pastry blender or large fork to blend until forms pea-sized balls.
2. Add orange peel, water and orange juice and mix together until dough can be formed into two large discs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
3. Chop and prepare all vegetables.
4. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
5. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in paprika, chipotle pepper and parsley. Cook until mixture bubbles (approximately 2-3 minutes).
6. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling and stir continuously for one minute.
7. Stir in turkey, cheese and vegetables. Remove from heat.
8. Roll out pie crusts into shape of your pot pie dish. (I like to use an 8x8 pyrex but you can use a round, deep pie dish or double the recipe and use a 9x13 for a larger family or leftovers.)
9. Ease pastry into dish and line edges. Pour in filling.
10. Top with second pie crust and turn edges of pastry under or flute. (Hint: Even if your pie crust is crumbly or doesn't lay perfectly on top you can still use it. Just dump all the crust & crumbs on top of your pie.)
11. Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Recipe of the Week: Maple-Pecan Chicken Wonton Cups

2009-11-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

Many of you have been asking me for this recipe so I thought this would be a good week to share my fave appetizer. This is a great show-stopper and, outside of "wonton wrappers," it doesn't require tons of special ingredients. You can follow the recipe or make your own version of chicken salad to fill the cups. A variation of this recipe recently won first prize in the Hidden V*lley R*nch recipe contest at the Big Fresno Fair.

The judges write their comments on the entries for the contest.

Maple-Pecan Chicken Wonton Cups

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (12 ounces)
1 cup water
24 wonton skins
Olive oil spray
3 tablespoons maple syrup
24 whole pecans
2 carrots or 1 red pepper (1 cup), finely chopped
1 small zucchini (1 cup), finely chopped
¼ cup green onions, chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise (Trader Joe's)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped

Directions:
1. Add water and chicken breasts to a small pot. Cover and boil on medium-high heat approximately 20 minutes. Set aside chicken to cool.
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with olive oil. Place wonton skin in each muffin hole. Using fingers, gently push skin down into muffin hole shape. Spray each skin with olive oil spray.
3. Bake in oven for 8 minutes until wontons are hard and golden brown. (Do not overcook.) Remove and set on a platter.
4. In a small frying pan, add maple syrup and pecans. Heat on medium-low. Stir pecans to coat until maple syrup begins to bubble. Cool.
5. Assemble chicken salad. Dice chicken into small pieces. Mix with carrots (or red pepper), zucchini, green onions and dried cranberries. Add ranch dressing, mayonnaise, salt and fresh basil.
6. Use a tablespoon to add heaping spoonful of chicken salad to each wonton cup. Top with a whole maple-pecan. Serve.

Servings: 12 (2 cups each)

Cooking Club enjoys ethnic food lesson from Ethiopian friends

2009-11-05T16:55:00.000-08:00

Our Cooking Club celebrated the arrival of our friend Stacie's adopted son from Ethiopia with an Ethiopian Cooking lesson. Stacie's friends, Emebet and Desta, who are from Ethiopia, came over to teach us some traditional dishes. In the photo, Desta (far left) with daughter (in red) pose next to Stacie, Nathanael, me, Cori, Mary (holding Samuel) and Emebet is front and center showing off our "raw materials" before the cooking began.

Emebet and Desta first showed us how to make a garlic-ginger mixture that is used in the majority of Ethiopian dishes. They make this in large quantities so it is fresh and ready for cooking.

**To make ginger-garlic spice mixture: Cut tops off two heads of garlic. Separate cloves and peel. Chop cloves finely. Peel ginger, slice and chop finely. Add garlic and ginger together with 2 tablespoons sea salt. Use rolling pin to smash garlic and ginger together. (Used as a fresh spice for all types of Ethiopian cooking.)

Next we got to work on chopping all the vegetables and making our various dishes. This spiced red lentil dish quickly heated up the kitchen with its rich aroma. The Ethiopians use a spice mix called "berbere," which gives this lentil dish its complex flavor and spicy kick.

Split Red Lentils (Key Wot)

Ingredients:
2 red onions
5 tablespoons berbere (Ethiopian chili powder)
2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
1 can tomato paste
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic mixture**
2 1/2 cups red lentils
2 fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cardamom

1. Finely chop red onions.

2. Put large pot over high heat with 1 1/2 cup olive oil to coat red onions. Sauté until very tender.

3. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt over red onions. Stir onions as they cook to soften.

4. Stir frequently but keep pot covered in between.

5. Reduce heat to medium.

6. Add berbere spice to pot.

7. Add 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic spice mixture (prepared ahead of time) to pot. Stir in. You want it to be emulsified.

8. Cook approximately 5 minutes.

9. Add one can tomato paste to pot and stir vigorously to blend in. This will look like a tomato-onion paste.

10. Add ¾ cup water to pot with lentils. Cook 5 minutes until water simmers off.

11. Add 3-4 cups water to pot with lentils.

12. Add additional ½ cup of water at a time to see how the consistency looks & lentils are soft. Lentils will continue to absorb water. (You want watery split pea soup.)

13. Add additional heaping tablespoon of ginger-garlic mixture to pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon ground cardamom.

**See recipe above. Used as a fresh spice for all types of Ethiopian cooking.

This yellow split pea dish is inexpensive to make and very flavorful. Turmeric is added to the peas to give it a spiced flavor and deepen the color. Turmeric is supposed to be good for combatting Alzheimer's Disease and has many other healing qualities.

Alicha (Ater Keke)

Ingredients:

1 white onion

4 teaspoons sea salt

2 cups yellow split peas

1 teaspoon turmeric

Directions:

1. Boil 2 cups yellow split peas with 6 cups water until water is fully absorbed. Set aside.

2. Heat 6 cups of water in a kettle or pot.

3. Meanwhile, peel and slice 1 large white onion.

4. Put large pot on medium-high heat with ½ cup olive oil to coat white onions.

5. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt over onions.

6. Cover pot and continue to stir frequently.

7. Reduce heat to medium.

8. Add 1 ¼ teaspoon turmeric to the pot.

9. Add cooked yellow split peas to the pot.

10. Add 5 cups hot water from kettle.

11. Add 1 heaping tablespoon garlic-ginger spice mixture* to pot & blend in. Add additional two teaspoons of salt to dish (to taste).

12. Add additional teaspoon of garlic-ginger to mixture (to taste). **(Recipe above.)

This yummy vegetable dish called Gomen is made a variety of ways. Emebet explained that she likes hers plain without a lot of other spices but some Ethiopians add turmeric, which gives it a bright yellow color.

Gomen (Cabbage)

Ingredients:

1 large head green cabbage

1 large white onion

2 red potatoes

8 carrots

4 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon garlic-ginger

*1 whole jalapeno (don’t open, put in whole pepper for flavor and remove after cooking) or ¾ green pepper, coarsely chopped (remove after cooking)

1. Chop onions and saute in large pot with 2 tabespoons olive oil. Sprinkle 1-2 teaspoon salt over onions.

2. Meanwhile, peel off outer layers of cabbage. Wash leaves. Coarsely chop whole cabbage head.

3. Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.

4. Peel carrots, quarter them lengthwise then cut into 2-inch wedges.
5. Add chopped cabbage to pot with one cup water and cover.

6. Add potatoes when cabbage is wilted and stir together. Cover pot.

7. Stirring frequently, cover pot, then turn down to medium heat.

8. Add carrots to pot. Cook 10 minutes.

9. Add heaping tablespoon of garlic-ginger mixture** (Recipe above.) to pot.

10. Reduce heat to low and keep covered. Cook additional 10 minutes.

After our meal was cooked, we served it up on Ethiopian bread called "injera," which is like a giant pancake/crepe. These were made homemade by a woman in Fresno. It's a 3-day process to make the bread so we bought it from her. Ethiopian food is then eaten with the hands and scooped up with the injera bread. We added a fresh fruit salad to cool some of the flavors.

We were all stuffed by the end of this fabulous vegetarian feast!

Saturday Pantry Challenge: Grand Finale Harvest Pumpkin Chili

2009-10-31T22:19:00.000-07:00

What's for Breakfast:
Pumpkin Pancakes

Snacks:
Pretzels
Almonds
Dried Fruit
Zookies

What's for Lunch:
Leftover Italian Wedding Soup
Spiced Egg Salad Sandwiches
Organic Applesauce

What's for Dinner:
Harvest Pumpkin Chili (Recipe below)
Whole Wheat Toast
Toasted pumpkin seeds

Today was Day 6, our grand finale to this crazy Great Pantry Challenge. We are pretty excited to have made it through this week. The goal was to save money and reflect on what it is like to use what we have (not what we buy or import) like so many others in the world are forced to do on a regular basis. The result was eating pretty creatively and learning some great lessons in the process.

Lessons we Learned this Week:
1. Monday: Cooking extra servings or batches makes an easy meal for another night.
2. Tuesday: The key to good eats is living in community.
3. Wednesday: Be creative with what you have.
4. Thursday: You save more if you stay out of the store.
5. Friday: Fresh fruits and veggies are a must.
6. Saturday: The more you save, the more you have to give away.

The best part of this challenge was doing it with friends. I know several friends including Brandy, AnnMarie, Jen, Katie, Sandra and Susan were joining us. I gained a lot from walking the journey with them, reading their blogs and hearing their comments and encouragement along the way.

Our family has decided to start a new challenge as a result of what we've learned this week. Our friends inspired us to do this one. We plan to eat rice and beans every Monday night from now until Christmas. In a small way, this will force us to eat simply like many of our friends in Haiti and across the globe. Sure, we will save money in the process. Beyond that, we also hope this meal will serve as a time for meditation and prayer for those who have less than we do.

Today is Halloween, which we don't really celebrate, but we do feel the effects of lots of candy and treats being around. We struck a deal with our daughter Meilani that if she trades in all the candy people give her(the yucky stuff full of high fructose corn syrup and harmful dyes) than she can pick out a toy or other treat. Last year she picked a coloring book and trip to Jamba Juice. When I asked Meilani today what she wanted, she asked if I could buy her this T-shirt. Our friends are adopting two kids from Ethiopia and the proceeds go to the Phillips family adoption and an orphanage in Ethiopia. I did not prompt her to ask for this. She saw me admiring the T-shirts online the other day and remembered. Sure, $15 is a little more than I planned to spend on this trade but how could I pass up such a cause - especially when we just saved a load of money on our Pantry Challenge.

I challenge you to think about ways you and your family can share your abundance with others. Maybe it's inviting a neighbor to a meal. Maybe it's sponsoring a child in an orphanage. Maybe it's having your kids pick out a Christmas gift from the World Vision catalog or Compassion International that they can give to someone across the globe this year. Maybe it's packing sack lunches for the homeless and dropping them off throughout the season when you run into someone hungry on the street. These are just a few ideas of things our family has done in the past. We would love to hear your ideas for other ways to share.

Sometimes this little voice inside me asks, why did I just work so hard to save money on something like a Pantry Challenge when I'm going to give it all away. Seems a little backwards. In reality, it's forwards. Some call it a "Pay It Forward" principle. Others call it "The Treasure Principle." In our family, we have learned that the more generous we are with the food and resources we have, the more blessing we experience in our own home. Pass it on.

Today's meals included Pumpkin Pancakes, a regular on our meal list at this time of year. My hubby loves big breakfasts and we can always use an excuse to throw pumpkin and cinnamon in something. (Ericlee tells me that speaks love to him.) Lunch was a smorgasboard of leftovers - egg salad and Italian Wedding Soup from earlier in the week. Then we assembled our Grand Finale Dinner: Harvest Pumpkin Chili. I keep hearing people talk about "pumpkin chili." I've never had it before. I read a bunch of recipes and took a look at what was left in the pantry. Voila! This new recipe was created. We made it mostly vegetarian because of our lack of meat by the end of the week but next time I might saute up some ground turkey or beef to add to the pot.

A Note from our Nutrition Guy (aka my hubby Ericlee):
Pretty colors on your plate are not only a feast for your eyes but also for your heart. The pigments that give fruits and vegetables their bright hues are called carotenoids. The most carotenoid rich foods are the yellow, orange, and red vegetables like pumkins. These carotenoids are similar to an antioxidant. They neutralize free radicals (oxygen molecules that cause havoc in the cells) by offering up their own electrons. Thus it helps to prevent your cells from being damaged. If you want to stay away from cancer, then enjoy this Fall season by eating pumkins in all varieties. There is actually a higher concentration of carotenoids in canned pumkins than in a raw whole pumkin.

Harvest Pumpkin Chili

*As is, this is a vegetarian chili because that's what we had in the pantry. I would add 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef or ground turkey for a meat-eater's version.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups butternut squash, 1/2-inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz. can organic tomato sauce
1 6-oz. can organic tomato paste
2 cups pumpkin puree (We halved and cooked a small sugar pumpkin for one hour at 250 degrees & then scooped out the flesh for our puree. You could use canned puree as well.)
2 cups organic chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chives, dried or freshly chopped
2 cups black beans (canned or soaked & cooked until tender)
2 cups frozen or fresh corn
*Garnish: Fry up 3 slices turkey bacon and crumble on top or finely chop a small bunch of green onions and put on top chili with sour cream.

1. Heat butter or olive oil a large stock pot. Add chopped onion, carrots, green pepper and garlic and sweat until soft.
2. Add chili powder, chipotle, cinnamon, salt and chives. Stir in and let simmer 15 minutes so flavors meld.
3. Stir in cooked beans and corn. Cook additional 10 minutes.
4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped cooked turkey bacon or green onions.

Friday Pantry Challenge: Egg Salad Three Different Ways

2009-10-31T14:20:00.000-07:00

What's for Breakfast:
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Trader O's
Banana
Juice

What's for Lunch:
Egg salad sandwiches
Grapes
Dried fruit

What's for Dinner:
Black Olive, Green Pepper & Basil Pizza
Baked Sweet Potato Fries & Spiced Aioli Sauce
Zookies

Admittedly, Day 5 has been the hardest because we were used to the challenge but the refrigerator was looking more and more depressing. My eldest daughter also came down with a runny nose. Usually I would work to cure that with a tall smoothie and a bowl of berries or other antioxidants. My choices were slim since we have no more fruit and no freezer stash either. I poured a cup of raw milk, found an Airborne tablet in the cabinet and added that to a glass of water and hoped for the best. In many ways, we could probably go a few more weeks on this challenge but in the fresh fruit department we would be compromising our health if I don't head to the farmer's market this weekend! Lesson learned.
I was still determined to be creative and have a good attitude today about eating what we have. After all, people in the Developing World have maybe one or two - if any - choices a day. My whining would be embarassing.

My creativity today included my own "Pumpkin Oatmeal" by adding 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree along with 1 tablespoon organic raisins to a bowl of oatmeal. I sprinkled the top with cinnamon and the result was a yummy different flavor. (If you want to sweeten it, try a drizzle of a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup and throw in some nuts for good omega-3s.) My hubby is the type who could eat the same granola for breakfast and the identical sandwich for lunch day after day. Not me. I need variety and so does my daughter.

This afternoon I realized that are usual stash of fruit, veggies and whole grain bars that we use for snacks was seriously depleted so Meilani and I used the last zucchini to make Zookies. This is a recipe we got from a friend and it incorporates healthy plus yummy (chocolate!) all into one great little cookie. Our friend's daughter calls them "Vegetable Cookies" because you can see the shredded zucchini inside but that didn't deter us. They taste like a chocolate-chip macaroon with the extra zest of zucchini flavor.

For lunch, I decided to be creative with Egg Salad. Now I know most people hear "egg salad" and think boring, blah and maybe even barf. But when I'm looking at a nearly-empy refrigerator with more than a dozen eggs left I'm thinking Egg Salad = Extra Special. My first version of Egg Salad earlier this week was a twist on my Curried Chicken Salad, a regular on our lunch menu. My classic version of Egg Salad is an Italian Egg Salad. Must be my roots but I tend to gravitate toward oregano, basil and bay leaves when it comes to the spice department. Our Classic Egg Salad includes those things. The new "snazzy" egg salad we made today used the rest of yesterday's "spiced aioli sauce" from our Baked Sweet Potato Fries. The result was a new salad with incredible nuances of flavor. Meilani and I gobbled ours down. (Recipes below.)

Our dinner tonight was a mainstay for Friday nights - pizza! There's something about Friday that just makes me crave pizza. It's also a great chance to use some of the extras from the week for creative ingredients. Since we've been doing The Great Pantry Challenge this week there wasn't much left in our produce drawers in the fridge. We did find green peppers and basil. We also opened our last can of sliced black olives to top off our Veggie Pizza. And, thank you, God, we had just enough cheese. Tomorrow is our grand finale day - we will see what it holds.

A Note from our Nutrition Guy (aka my Hubby)

A lot of people have misconceptions about the healthiness of eggs. Several years back Americans got all up in arms about eggs causing high cholesterol. The truth of it is that God created eggs as a perfect protein. Usually people who have cholesterol issues do not have it because of their consumption of eggs. Not only have studies shown that eggs do not significantly affect cholesterol levels, but the latest research suggests that eating whole eggs (both whites and yolks) may actually result in improvement in a person's blood lipids (cholesterol) profile.
When we buy eggs, we want the freshest eggs possible. The A Choice would be to buy from a local farm. In Fresno, we get our eggs from Simonian Farms in the Valley. There's also a new egg vendor at the Vineyard Farmer's Market on Shaw & Blackstone. These are fresh eggs laid by cage-free chickens who have been fed organic food. The B Choice would be to buy cage-free organic eggs from a grocery store like Trader Joe's or Costco. The difference is these eggs are from a bigger operation where the stress on the chickens could be more. Stressed out chickens do not lay healthy eggs.

Curried Egg Salad

6 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder (I use the Frontier Indian Curry powder from Whole Foods, which is a salt-free, all-natural blend)
1 small zucchini, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
3 tablespoons dried cranberries or raisins
1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup mayonnaise

1. Boil eggs. Meanwhile, chop zucchini and combine with salt, pepper, curry, parsley, cranberries and pecans.
2. Chop eggs.
3. Blend eggs with mayonnaise and add spice-vegetable mixture. Serve on your favorite bread.

Italian Egg Salad

6 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil (dried or fresh)
1 teaspoon chopped bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1. Boil eggs. Meanwhile, chop celery and combine with salt, pepper, oregano, basil, bay leaf and parsley.

2. Chop eggs.
3. Blend eggs with mayonnaise and add spice-celery mixture. Serve on your favorite bread.

Spiced Egg Salad

6 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon cilantro or fresh basil, finely chopped
1 cup mayonnaise

1. Boil eggs. Meanwhile, chop celery and combine with salt, pepper, cumin, coriander and cilantro.

2. Chop eggs.
3. Blend eggs with mayonnaise and add spice mixture. Serve on your favorite bread.

Thursday Pantry Challenge: Sweet Potato Fries

2009-10-29T23:37:00.000-07:00

What's for Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs with green peppers and feta cheese
Cranberry-walnut bread
Fruit Smoothie

What's for Lunch:
Butternut Squash Soup (from Trader Joe's by Stacie)
Sweet Potato Fries with Spiced Aioli Sauce (recipe below)
Plantain Chips (from Trader Joe's by Cori)
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Made by Mary)
Popcorn

What's for Dinner:
Italian Wedding Soup
Honey-Whole Wheat Bread
Baby Greens Salad with Goat cheese, sunflower seeds and raisins
Sauteed Cinnamon Apples

Is it really Thursday? It's hard to believe how quickly the week is flying by. I'm over the "hump" of the week and the halfway mark of this challenge. I'm already starting to think about next week - and not just because I have permission to go to the grocery store. I've actually been contemplating what lessons I've learned from The Great Pantry Challenge and how I can apply them to my future eating, spending, saving and giving habits.

One of the biggest "money-saving tips" I've learned - or at least been reminded of this week - is that you save more if you stay out of the store. In other words, less time shopping equals less time spending. Seems obvious but more so since I've been practicing. I have not walked into a store - any store - since October 19 when I left Trader Joe's with my normal groceries. At the time, I didn't realize I would be doing this crazy challenge. Somehow this moratorium on grocery shopping has extended beyond the grocery store. I haven't had the desire to shop for anything else. I secretly challenged myself to use the toiletries we have (one roll of toilet paper left and counting!) as well as be content with the clothes I'm wearing, the craft supplies I have in my closet, and even go without other entertainment spending.

The revelation: my life is not boring. Each day has been ripe and full of good food, priceless people and a long list of reasons to be grateful for what I have.

In the process of this challenge, I've found some great resources and blogs that have really inspired me. I started this whole challenge because of a post I read by Money Saving Mom. MoneySavingMom.com is an encouraging blog dedicated to helping you find great deals, stretch your hard-earned dollars, and live on less than you make so you can save more and give more. Another mama blogs about her Menu Planning every Monday and shares tips and recipes, not to mention a host of great ideas on how to organize your home, your pantry and your life. I definitely need that.

My friend Susan turned me on to the blog of another woman who takes a "No Spend Month Challenge" every July. She and her family of three live off $250 for all their groceries, gas, toiletries and extras. Her ideas and reflections were very inspiring. I'd like to figure out how to do that one. One family committed to eat rice and beans for a month not only to save money on their grocery bill but then to "pay it forward" by helping another family with their adoption fund. So humbling.

I'm a big fan of A Place Called Simplicity, a blog that has challenged me to appreciate my family and to think of creative ways I can share our abundance with those in need, especially the world's orphans.

I've also been inspired by some of my personal friends. Brandy explains her Menu Planning philosophy for her family of seven and how she keeps sane by visiting the grocery store every two weeks. Then there's AnnMarie who is bent on "shopping and saving NOT spending" and sharing how she does it. Let me tell ya, she's the coupon queen bee.

What resources have you found? What has inspired you? Leave us a comment.

***

Today's meals included a little more "on the edge" creativity. For example, we are used to making smoothies every morning for breakfast. We've skipped that several days this week simply because we did not have the fresh fruit available. (In the future, I will be stockpiling on cheap fruit when it's in season and filling up my freezer.) This morning I begged my hubby to make me a smoothie. We used a measured quantity of our juice (Hibiscus-Cranberry from Trader Joe's), raw milk, some applesauce, sweet potato, zucchini, banana and honey. It actually tasted great and we started our day with some good antioxidants for this flu and cold season.

I sent my hubby off to work with a large leftover helping of Fall Flavors Veggie Lasagna and Chicken Cacciatore from early in the week. My girls and I made up a batch of Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Spiced Aoili (recipe below) and headed to Playgroup at our friend Stacie's house. I love sweet potato fries but I've never made them from scratch before. I usually buy the flash frozen fries from Trader Joe's or order them at a favorite restaurant. Sure, it takes some time to wash, peel and cut these babies but I can afford the extra time if it's saving me money.

For Playgroup, the other mamas raided their pantries and we feasted on Butternut Squash Soup, our fries, plantain chips, popcorn and homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with organic ingredients. Yum-o! Not to mention Organic Puffs for the babies...

Dinner tonight was a classic Italian meatball soup called Italian Wedding Soup with a few changes. I swapped out the spinach and swapped in three bunches of chopped bok choy from our garden. (I know, I know. I am really a black thumb but something is actually growing in those planter boxes out back. Amazing.) I also didn't have the beloved cannelini (white) beans so I used some leftover whole wheat pasta from our dinner on Monday to make this meal a little more hearty. This is feel-good food on a budget. Tonight's Italian Wedding Soup was full of mini meatballs. This will be our only beef for the week and it's all about quality, not quantity.

A Note from our Nutrition Guy (aka my hubby Ericlee)

We buy organic, grass-fed beef from Trader Joe's or our local farmer's market. Why spend 5-6 smackers per pound when you could be catching a sale for $2-$3/pound on ground beef? The answer is quality counts. Most American cows are fed corn - not just any corn but genetically-modified corn. What did God design for cows to eat? Grass. When cows eat corn, their tummies become quickly acidic and they die sooner than they should. To combat this, many ranchers pump their cows with hormones and antibiotics. They also keep them confined so they can put on weight faster and then be moved down the line to the butcher. The poopy part for those who eat this beef is that now they are consuming four times as much saturated fat, not to mention hormones, antibiotics and genetically-modified junk that wreaks havoc on the human digestive system.

We've decided to spend the same amount of money on our meat, but to buy a smaller quantity. For example, Italian Wedding Soup serves 6-8 people with one pound of organic, grass-fed ground beef fashioned into mini meatballs. You don't have to become vegetarian to be healthy, just eat quality meat in moderation.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Spiced Aoili

Ingredients:
-4-5 sweet potatoes
-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-2 tablespoons rice flour
-1 teaspoon sea salt

Spiced Aoili Sauce:
-1 cup mayonnaise (Trader Joe's brand)
-1 teaspoon paprika
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
-2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
-1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Serves 5

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil.
2. Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Cut into 1 by 5-inch wedges.
3. In a small bowl, drizzle olive oil over fries. Toss with rice flour.
4. Spread fries out on baking sheet and bake 30 minutes until soft. Using tongs, separate and turn.
5. Meanwhil, stir together ingredients for aioli sauce.
6. Turn on broiler. Stay close by and broil fries for 3-4 minutes until crisp on top. Be careful not to burn.
7. Cool and serve with aoili sauce.

Wednesday Pantry Challenge: Dessert = Chocolate-Pumpkin Ravioli

2009-10-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

What's for Breakfast:
Cranberry-walnut toast with Butter (Dorina)
Trader O's (Meilani)
Ellie Krieger's Maple Granola (Ericlee)
Banana (Ericlee)
Hibiscus-Cranberry Juice (from Trader Joe's)

What's for Lunch:
Curried Egg Salad sandwiches
Leftover Fall Flavors Vegetarian Lasagna (dinner last night)
Grapes

What's for Dinner:
Taco Bar with tortillas, ground beef, cabbage, cheese, salsa, tomatoes, sour cream, avocadoes & rice (by Troy & Allison Vasquez)
Green Salad with Almonds and Avocadoes & Ranch Dressing (by Stacie & Forest Benedict)
Dessert: Chocolate-Pumpkin Ravioli (recipe below)

Day Three of The Great Pantry Challenge solidifies more of my theory from yesterday: Living out of our pantry has been no real sacrifice because we live in community. Tonight we enjoyed a fabulous dinner with our Small Group friends. We get together with three other couples and their kids every other week for a shared meal and a chance to support each other in this season of life. We each bring an assigned part of the meal - Salad, Side Dish, Entree or Dessert. We rotate houses so the family hosting doesn't feel the burden of the Entree (and the dishes) too often. For the last five years we have celebrated community through food, conversation around the table, prayer and encouraging our kids to play together.

Tonight it was our turn to bring the dessert. Since it's fall, I had to bust out my favorite fall flavors - pumpkin & chocolate. (Yes, that's what was in the pantry!) At first, I thought about some kind of chocolate tart but I didn't really have time to mix up a crust, chill it and roll it out. After scrounging through the refrigerator and cupboards, I also found some wonton wrappers from the cooking contest I entered at The Big Fresno Fair two weeks ago. I thought about a dessert I saw an Italian chef once make - Chocolate Ravioli. What about Chocolate-Pumpkin Ravioli? That's a Harvest party in your mouth as far as I'm concerned. (Find recipe below.) The warm chocolate melded with the spiced pumpkin inside a crispy wonton is so flavorful we all wished there were more.

My favorite part of this challenge is that it forces me to be creative with what I have. Who says we can't eat healthy and delicious food? Who says eating out of the pantry has to be boring? Not me. That's why I tackled dessert tonight with the enthusiasm of a die-hard football fan at a home game. This is how new recipes are created. I encourage you to try something new this week. Grab a few ingredients you always have on hand and see what happens when you marry them together. It might just be a family hit!

A Note from our Nutrition Guy (aka my hubby Ericlee):
Chocolate is not only a yummy treat, it also happens to be a great choice for dessert if you do it right. Some chocolate choices are high in sugar, high fructose corn syrup and other harmful chemicals for your body. Chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa is better for you. Choose chocolates that are labeled "semi-sweet" or "dark chocolate" and avoid milk chocolate or chocolate with other additives.

You've probably heard that chocolate is full of antioxidants. What are antioxidants? They are compounds that protect our cells from damage. Call them the policemen of your body. Policemen keep our city safe and fight off the offenders. Antioxidants do the same. They keep our body healthy and fight off cancer cells.

With Halloween right around the corner, you might choose a chocolate bar over a piece of hard candy filled with poisonous dyes. Trader Joe's as well as other stores are selling small-sized chocolate bars (with no additives) just for the occasion. That is, if you're looking for an alternative to the mainstream Halloween treats. We trade our daughter for non-food items or Jamba Juice cards.

Chocolate-Pumpkin Ravioli

Ingredients:
1 cup organic pumpkin puree (canned or from a baked sugar pumpkin)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate bar, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon cream cheese or mascarpone cheese, softened
1 egg
30 wonton wrappers
olive oil spray or 2 tablespoons olive oil (& pastry brush)
3 tablespoons organic butter

Garnish:
mini chocolate chips
mint leaf
whipped cream

1. Mix together filling ingredients: pumpkin, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, chocolate and cream cheese in a small bowl.
2. Cover two cookie sheets with parchment or waxed paper.
3. Beat egg in small bowl and set at work station with pastry brush.
4. Brush the edges of a wonton wrapper with egg. Add teaspoon of filling to corner of wonton wrapper. Fold wrapper at a diagonal, forming a triangle shape. Press edges together . Lay out on cookie sheet. Continue filling wontons, (I like to do two at a time) until they are all filled.
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray wontons with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
6. Remove from oven and serve 3-4 at a time on a dessert plate. For garnish, sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, a mint leaf or add a spoonful of whipping cream.

*This is a dessert you will want to do the final steps right before serving so the chocolate is warm and melty.

Tuesday Pantry Challenge: Zucchini Flat Breads

2009-10-27T23:35:00.000-07:00

What's for Breakfast:
Trader O's
Cranberry-Walnut Toast with butter/cream cheese
Banana-Pumpkin Muffins
Banana

What's for Lunch:
Grapes & Pomegranate Seeds
Zucchini Flat Breads (recipe below)
Leftover Butternut Squash soup
Banana-Pumpkin Muffins

What's for Dinner:
Fall Flavors Vegetarian Lasagna
Whole Wheat Honey Bread (made by Maria Lazo)

Thanks for joining us on our healthy living journey. Today marks Day Two of The Great Pantry Challenge. To be honest, this whole eating out of the pantry thing has not been hard at all so far. I was expecting to be mopey and have major withdrawals for my weekly Trader Joe's run. Sure, it's only day two, but already I'm discovering I have so much more food than I thought I had when I originally made my careful menu plans last Thursday. (It's amazing what joy a small bag of dried black beans discovered in my freezer can bring!)

One of the main reasons we are in plenty instead of want is because we have family and friends who continue to share with us. My mother-in-law had extra grapes and almonds from a Valley farmer who goes to her office. My mom decided to get creative in her baking and then shared a bread made in her bread maker. For lunch, we invited our friends the Freelands over. They are also doing this Pantry Challenge. They shared extra pizza ingredients for a second flatbread. Sure, they have five kids but our food supply wasn't really depleted when we considered what they shared and the great feeling one gets when sharing fellowship around the table. This evening another couple shared with us a bag of organic raisins from the farmer's market because they couldn't make it through their abundance.

Unbelievable. Mind you, I never solicited food from friends or family members; they just happened to have extras to share. Most of them don't even know we are doing this challenge. Imagine what would happen if people decided to share the abundance we have in the city of Fresno with the homeless. What about sharing the abundance we have in the United States with other countries that are experiencing food crises? Could be revolutionary. I have this feeling this week is going to teach me a lot more than just how I can save a few pennies eating out of my pantry.

Ok, on to dinner. One of the items I discovered when menu planning was a box of whole wheat lasagna noodles. I decided to dig out a recipe I created last winter and try it again with what I had on hand. First, I had to consider the sauce. I didn't have any tomatoes (fresh or canned) so I had to use two cans of organic tomato sauce instead. That was easy enough. I also substituted sliced zucchini from lunch for the mushrooms and chopped swiss chard instead of the purple kale. We didn't have ricotta cheese or anything really close so we tried the lasagna without it. The result was a really yummy entree. The most amazing part of the meal is that my parents joined us and my carnivore of a father actually gobbled up two slices of my mom's homemade wheat bread and two servings of lasagna and then said, "I'm full!" He didn't even realize he had just eaten a mean VEGETARIAN lasagna. Mangia! Mangia!

Don't worry meat-eaters: we have no intentions of going totally vegetarian. Over the last two years we have taken "baby steps" to eating more healthy. We have seriously amped up our daily intake of vegetables and fruits and taken our carnivore tendencies down a notch but we still eat meat. We are just attempting a vegetarian meal once or twice a week to save money, clean out our systems and fight the bad guys (sickness and disease). I like to think of it as a part of prevention rather than paying the big bucks in doctor bills and meds later.

A Note from our Nutrition Guy (aka my Hubby):

What a lot of people don't realize is that our bodies need foods that are filled with nutrients, not just calories. For example, a bowl of raspberries and a bowl of Oreo cookies may have the same amount of calories but the amount of nutrients they contain are drastically different. Nutrients provide more than just energy; they also fight the diseases and chemicals we encounter daily in our environment.

Raw leafy greens have the highest nutrient density of any food. Our family tries to incorporate a serving of raw leafy greens in our menu each day. They are kind of like the superheroes of food. Examples include Swiss chard, kale, spinach, collards, parsley, romaine and more. In this day an age, you don't need to do it Popeye-style and force down a can of spinach. Instead think of creative ways you can incorporate leafy greens in your regular meals. We sneak a handful of greens in our morning smoothies, chop and add them to soups and layer them in lasagnas. Then, of course, there's always the classic salad option.

*Today's featured recipe was created in the kitchen using what we had on hand. I've seen lots of chefs do a kind of zucchini appetizer or pizza like this but I wanted to try for a new crust. After reading several recipes, I put together this one which incorporates spelt flour for added nutrition. The dough was surprisingly tender and easy to make. And the whole ordeal is quite cheap but elegant enough for a fancy holiday party.

Zucchini-Garlic Flat Breads
Makes 2 flat breads, 9-inch diameter
Ingredients:

Crust:
-3 cups unbleached flour (Trader Joe's chemical-free brand)
-1/2 cup spelt flour (bought in bulk from Winco)
-1/2 teaspoon quick-rising active dry yeast
-1 teaspoon honey
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-2 teaspoons sea salt
-1 cup warm water

Toppings:
-Zucchini, thinly sliced
-5-6 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Combine all crust ingredients in a heavy duty mixer (like Kitchenaid). Using dough hook, mix together on low speed until dough comes together and away from the sides of the bowl (approximately 2 minutes).
2. Remove hook and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest for 20 minutes.
3. Reattach dough hook and beat dough for 5 minutes. Cover bowl with a towel and let rise for 1 hour until dough puffs.
4. Divide dough in half. Refrigerate for later or roll out on a floured pizza pan or stone.
5. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, add toppings to flatbread dough.
6. Bake approximately 10-15 minutes or until dough is golden brown and cheese is melted.
7. Serve plain, cut into wedges or drizzle with a favorite sauce like honey mustard or Goddess dressing.

Pantry Challenge: Breakfast & Lunch Ideas

2009-10-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

I promised I would share some ideas for what to eat for breakfasts and lunches during our Great Pantry Challenge this week. The following is based solely on what is available in our pantry. Feel free to share your own creative breakfast and lunch ideas based on your pantry's abundance. Interested in recipes? Let us know.

Breakfast Ideas:
Trader O's cereal
Banana-Pumpkin Muffins
Zucchini Muffins
Banana Bread with a Healthy Twist
Steel Cut Oats
Cinnamon-walnut Oatmeal
Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal
Maple Granola
Cranberry-walnut toast with Cream Cheese
Veggie & Egg Frittata
Quiche
Pumpkin Pancakes

Lunch Ideas:
Zucchini Flat Bread
Pita Sandwiches
Curried Egg or Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Italian Egg salad with Basil Sandwiches
Grilled cheese on Whole Wheat Sourdough
Butternut squash soup
Alphabet noodle soup
Leftovers