Salads - they're not just for veggies any more

I have always been a sucker for a salad. Even as a child, I loved raw vegetables - in a salad, with a dip, by themselves. As I got older, one of my best friends and her fiance added a simple salad to almost all of our meals together. I was hooked! When my husband and I were dating he used to love my salads, mostly because of my obsessive nature combined with my mother's warning that nothing in a salad should ever be too large to put comfortably and completely inside your mouth which resulted in anally portioned bites.

Over time, however, I drifted into a green salad rut - lettuce, carrots, cucumber, peppers....you get the picture. This summer has been one of revival in my salad world. It all started with a desire to get more nuts into our diet. We all know that nuts are an important source of trace elements, potassium and good fats, but you can only eat so many strait. Nuts led to fruit, which lead to cheese, which lead to herbs - and I'm a new woman. A couple of my recent combos below are below. I hope they inspire you to create your own.

More fruit salad than salad salad
Baby greens
Diced granny smith apple
Fresh blueberries
Diced Swiss cheese (goat cheese would also be fantastic)
Chopped walnuts
Chopped basil
Chopped Italian marinaded & grilled chicken tenders

Feeling a little Mediterranean
Bibb and Romain lettuces
Carrots
Yellow bell pepper
Halved cherry tomatoes
Chopped basil
Slivered almonds
Sunflower seeds
Parmesan curls
Steamed garlic and herb shrimp (steamed and seasoned at the grocery store)

I love my salads with a homemade vinaigrette. My current favorite is made with Penzies spices French Country seasoning mix, red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Happy eating!

Jack Hanna's Midnight Snack

Last weekend, we went to visit the in-laws for Labor Day. While we were there, I noticed a pile of old Paula Dean magazines. Being a sucker for magazines, especially one with recipes, I dug right in. While I like Paula Dean, I don't exactly associate her with healthy eating, but I found a gem of a cookie recipe.

The recipe actually came from an article about Jack Hanna of wildlife fame. Apparently, Jack has a bit of a sweet tooth and likes to eat cookies after dinner every night (well, who doesn't?). Someone, who must love Jack a lot, developed this surprisingly healthy and tasty recipe.

Start by grabbing a cold beer and make sure there are a couple stashed nearby in the fridge. Okay, this has nothing to do with Jack's cookies, but cookies take a while and I was watching SEC football while I cooked. Now, seriously...on to the cookies.

Jungle Jack's Cookies
Adapted only slightly from the March/ April 2008 issue of Paula Dean's magazine

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used the pancake syrup I had in the pantry)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups organic all-purpose flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups oats (I used quick cooking, but regular will work)
1/2 cup 7-grain cereal (I used Kashi puffed)
1/2 cup flax seed
1/4 cup oat bran
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped almonds (I used slivered)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and maple syrup at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until combined.

In medium bowl, combine flours, baking soda and salt; sift once. Add flour mixture, alternately with oil, 1 cup at a time, beginning and ending with four mixture; beat at low speed until smooth after each addition. Fold in cereals, flax seed, oat bran, chopped nuts and chocolate chips.

Drop dough, by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet. Don't get them too large, they spread. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet before moving to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen crispy, crunchy chocolaty cookies, after you eat all you need to and then some. Enjoy!

What to do with left over vanilla

When I made the vanilla spiced peaches a few weeks ago, I was left with a lone vanilla pod. Now, vanilla isn't cheap, so I wanted make sure to use it before it began to loose it's flavor. I decided to stick with a classic - vanilla ice cream. It was wonderful. It's a custard based recipe, so be prepared for thick and rich that just doesn't come out of a Byers container. It also take a little time, so don't plan to whip it together after work.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
From: Ice Cream Recipes.com

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1/2 pint (250 ml) milk
1/2 pint (250 ml) heavy cream
4 oz (approximately 1/2 cup) sugar
1 vanilla pod sliced long-way down the middle

Pour milk into saucepan and bring the pan slowly to the boiling point. Place vanilla pod into the milk and turn the heat off. Leave it to infuse for 20 minutes.

In a bowl, beat together egg yolks and sugar until thick. Carefully remove the vanilla pod from the milk and scrape the seeds out with the back of your knife and add back into milk. Be careful not to use too much force or you will also get part of the woody hull, which you will then have to try and fish out of your mixture.

Pour the milk mixture into the eggs and sugar while stirring. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat gently, stirring while the custard thickens. DO NOT BRING TO A BOIL or it will probably curdle. Do stir constantly (don't worry that the vanilla looks clumpy). When you can see a film on the back of your spoon remove the saucepan from the heat.

Leave it to cool. Once mine came near room temperature, I covered it and put it in the fridge until I was ready to finish the ice cream. When you are ready to make the ice cream, take the custard out of the fridge and stir in the cream. Put the mixture in your ice cream maker and process.

Totally worth the work (and the wait) :)! Happy Labor Day!

Roasted Okra

Do you remember that show on Nickelodeon when we were growing up where you had to do silly stunts and if you failed you got slimed? I think it was called Double Dare. Something about okra and the way people think of it has always reminded me of that show.

Now, I love a good gumbo. I, personally enjoy stewed okra and tomatoes, but I know many people, including my wonderful spouse, who really don't care for okra because of the slime factor. As with many prolific Alabama veggies, I've been (and continue to be) on the look out for family friendly okra recipes. Good news - I found one!

It's super simple. Heat your oven to 500 degrees. In a large bowl mix a tablespoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of water and your favorite spices into a paste. Toss with rinsed, dried okra, spread on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. The first version of this recipe I tried was from blog I follow - Cooking Books. It was really tasty, but a little spicy. I've also tried it with creole seasoning, which isn't bad. I'm still looking for the perfect spice mix. Let me know what you think and if you find something you like.

Egg-traordinary

I've been buying eggs from the local CSA and farmers markets for a while now. It took a little getting used to all the sizes and colors of fresh eggs, but that's not all. Periodically, when I crack one open I notice that the yolk is a deep orangey, yellow instead of the pale shade we've all grown accustomed to from the grocery store. Typically, I just throw it out. Eggs can carry bacteria and I'm not one to risk it.

Last weekend when I picked up my meat from Boutwell Farms, I added a dozen eggs to my order. On the top of the carton there was a sticker which explained that the more orange in the yolk the more grass the chicken has eaten, which translates into higher levels of beta carotene. Who knew? All those strange looking eggs I've been tossing out were actually better for me than the ones I left in the bowl.

Money Matters

When I started this blog, I was clear that this project not only involved locally grown and organic (free range) goals, but budgetary ones as well. In the spirit of sharing, I think I should take a minute and let everyone know where I am.

We all know that organic can be pricey. As I've mentioned in earlier entries, staying away from Whole Foods is good advice for your budget. Staying as close as possible to the farmer is also good advice. In fairness, I'm not tracking my personal gas consumption as part of this process.

My shopping habits have changed, significantly. I go to a farmers market almost every weekend and buy fruits, veggies, eggs, flour (grits, other grains), honey, etc. I also buy most of my meat from Boutwell Farms (at the Valleydale Farmers market) and/or Bates House of Turkey, etc. These are a bit more expensive, but I've also canned and frozen a lot, so it's hard to measure what that means at the end of the year.

Where I've cut my expenses - noticeably - is at the grocery store. I've always heard, and now believe, that most of your grocery budget is not actually spent on food - at least not real food, junk food is a different story. My strategy is simple. I clip coupons. I read sale papers (these are also online by store). I use coupons to buy sale items in quantity and I stock them. I regularly save 35% - 60% at the grocery store.

So far, I'm staying close the the mark. I have made a few splurges on canning jars, recipe books, etc. However, I am quickly coming to believe the best way to save money would be to grow your own produce (I don't have the stomach or space for livestock). The question is how to work a garden into my landscape and my schedule.

Just Peachy

My latest canning extravaganza is peaches! I actually canned two different types. The first was a fairly complicated (and expensive) recipe for pickled peaches with vanilla. It sounds a little weird...and it may be, but once I looked at the ingredients list I had to try it. The peaches are actually canned in champagne vinegar with whole vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and whole allspice. I made two big quarts, which I plan to save for the holidays (ham anyone?). I shoved the extra bits into a half quart, so I can preview in the next 6 weeks or so, after they've had time to pickle.

I also canned plain peaches and they were super easy. Instead of syrup, I used white grape juice. They don't require a pressure canner, just a water bath. I can't wait to eat them with a slice of angel food cake (or even right out of the jar) in a few months when there isn't a decent peach to be found.

I bought my peaches at the farmers market from a Clanton farm who brought their produce in baskets on an open air truck (not in commercial boxes). However, I still noticed something odd. To help in getting the skin off, it's recommended to put the peaches in boiling water for 3 minutes. Once this was done, I emptied the used water....and it stunk! It was a strong chemical smell which reminded me of the last time I applied flea dip to a dog - yuck.

I'm comforting myself with the knowledge that my peaches have been boiled and skinned, so I shouldn't be ingesting all those chemicals, but it makes you stop and think about how many chemicals are used, even at our local farms and how many chemicals we eat and don't even know it - my peaches didn't stink until they were boiled....uugghhh.

Japanese Perspective

A few weeks ago, hubbie and I were perusing our front yard and discussing improvements that need to be made (ah, the joys of home ownership). As I stared at the front of the house, I suddenly noticed the leaf shape of the bushes beneath the windows. More specifically, I noticed how closely they resimbled the shape from the blueberry bushes my mother grew in our backyard while we were growing up.

In that moment, I remembered an observation shared by one of the chaperones on my 11 year old's choir trip to Tokyo - the Japanese yard (what little space they have) is regularly planted in edibles. What an interesting thought.... I've spent all summer going to the farmers market to purchase fruits and veggies. Frequently, wishing I had a little farm with space for a small garden.

The truth of the matter is, that I have almost a full acre lot. Granted, I have two large (one digging) dogs. We don't get an extreme amount of sunlight, especially in the backyard. However, we do spend time on a regular basis cutting grass, trimming shrubs and tending ornamental plants. Surely, there's a way to take this time and engery and convert it into someting edible.

Carrots Are Roots???

Funny little story....

One Saturday morning I came home from the farmers market with the usual bounty. Among the items in my bag were beautiful, fresh carrots. These carrots still had their tops. As I unloaded the bags on to the counter, my step-son watched inquisitively. At the ripe old age of 11, he has a tremendous amount of intellectual curiosity and is very well versed in just about any National Geographic topic. All of this is probably why I laughed out loud when, after staring at the produce for a few minutes, he announced, "carrots are roots!"

These are the moments when you really see how far we are from our food - and then there are the moments when you realize how much further your kids are from what they eat :).

Where's the Beef?

Months ago I wrote an entry about range fed beef. I had read about it's glories. I had made a trip to Whole Foods to take a peek. I had been scared to death when I saw the price tag - yikes! So, like any determined woman I started to scheme.

I know beef comes from cows and cows come from farms. I know I live in Alabama, which is covered with farms, many of which have cattle. It seemed as though there had to be a way to get closer to the farm without getting quite so far from my budget.

Through the power of Google - wa la! There is! The secret is Boutwell Farms. The first of their products I tried was a traditional roast. I did exactly what I do with all of the other roasts in our lives - stick it in the crock pot. It came out beautifully tender, literally falling apart. It actually came on the bone, which startled my children who gathered round to stare. One of them said, "it has a bone", to which I responded, "it came from a cow. Cows have bones." Bone or no bone everyone ate it - including my two year old, who's not big on meat.

I've since tried several cuts of steak and have some beautiful flank steak in a marinade for tonight. Their pricies are reasonsable. They come to the Valleydale Farmers Market every other week and make regular deliveries all over the state. Check out their website and let me know if you would be interested in shareing a quarter cow!

Bates House of Turkey

When my husband and I made our first beach trip together, we stopped at Bates House of Turkey - just south of Montgomery on I-65. I had never been there before, but turkey is one of his favorite foods, so it didn't surprise me that he had. In the years since we've stopped here many times.

It wasn't until this year that I realized what a treasure really is. Opened in 1923, Bates House of Turkey has been raising and serving free-range birds to hungry Alabamians for over 85 years. This year instead of just the ritualistic sliced turkey sandwich, I also picked up several pounds of ground turkey, two smoked turkey breasts and turkey sausage.

Being fairly new to this free-range, local meat idea, I am always aware that it's more expensive (although if you buy it from the farm and not from Whole Foods, it's not that bad). What never ceases to amaze me is how good it is.

A few weeks after returning home I de-thawed a turkey breast and we couldn't believe how moist and flavorful it was. There is no sliced Publix deli meat that can come close to this - even after being frozen for weeks. This week I de-thawed the turkey sausage. We started just warming it and serving it with eggs and biscuts for dinner. We used the rest to season pinto beans.

I always worry that turkey (be it ground, sausage or otherwise) will be bland. This was anything but bland. It was just spicy enough to get your attention, but not so much that those family members who don't like too much spice were turned off by it.

If you pass Bates, you should stop and stock up. If you don't, you can order from this online. If you like turkey, you should check it out -www.batesturkey.com.

Pickling

This summer I've been remembering some of the great canned and homemade foods over my adult life and looking for ways to recreate and enjoy them again.

A couple of years ago a friend of mine at work (hi, Becci) brought in some pickled okra. Now, I am a big pickle fan. I like most things pickled and I loved these. Not only were they fabulous by themselves, they are a wonderful complement to one of my favorite cocktails - the bloody mary.

Another great thing about pickles is at they capture all the great produce flavor and crunch at the peak of freshness and they don't require a pressure canner (I have to admit, I'm a little afraid of pressure cookers).

I asked Becci about the recipe, which she gladly shared. It came from Cotton Country Cooking, published by the Decatur (Georgia) Junior League in 1972. There are loads of these recipies in old cookbooks, which has started a facination with old cookbooks, but that's another entry.

I made the pickles on Father's Day. They have red pepers and whole garlic in them, so they can be a bit spicy. They have to sit for 6 weeks before eating. I can't wait!

Farmer's Market Alter-Ego

The farmers market is in full swing and it's amazing how much the selection has changed in just a few weeks. The spring peas have all but vanished. Strawberries are becoming few and far between. In their place there are sweet, early carrots and big, glossy blackberries. Each week I venture out to watch the seasons change and fill our fridge for the week ahead. However, I have also been reminded of the not so glamorous alter-ego to the farmers market - produce prep.

Most farmers kindly bag your purchases, usually in plastic. The truth of the matter is that if you don't get them out of that plastic fairly quickly you'll have mold city. I typically spend an hour or more once I get home washing and prepping my treasures. Using the produce can be equally as challenging. The first few days you have so many fabulous choices dinner is a very exciting time, but after a few nights you find what you have left is a random pile of odds and ends.

At this point there are several options. There are some great websites like All Recipes that have engines where you enter what you have and they make a recommendation. This is great, unless you don't have the other ingredients called for, nor the time to run out to the store and still get baths and bedtime in before you collapse.

Let me remind you of another great alternative - the frittata. I can't make a decent omelet to save my life, but if you can make scrambled eggs and have a skillet that can also go into the oven you're set. Basic instructions are here. I made one with onions, spring peas, mushrooms and diced new potatoes. My husband said it needed some ham (he was right, but I was trying for vegetarian, so I just gave him a dirty look). We were fed. Dinner was good, fast and cheap. It doesn't get any better than that.

Coming Soon

I have been doing some research on summer movies for a project at work and I came across a movie I haven't heard of (I think I heard something about a Julia Child biography, but nothing specific). Regardless, I saw this trailer and put it on my must see list. Just wanted to share - Julie and Julia.

Popsicles

Popsicles are a seasonal favorite at our house. My little one feels no warm spring or summer day is complete without an afternoon sickle traditionally eaten on the front stoop. While I too love a good Popsicle, I am overly aware of how much sugar and how little nutritional value is in this treat. My step-son loves to make his own popsicles. Typically, he uses Kool-Aid or Gatorade. As I looked at all the fruit flavored names and thought about my favorite pops – Dole Fruit pops – it occurred to me that there is no reason you can’t have great fruit pops with all the nutrition of real fruit and less sugar. What surprised me what how much less sugar.

I bought some fun shaped Popsicle molds off of Amazon and looked up a basic recipe. So basic, it is 4 cups of fruit and 2 tablespoons of sugar – puree and freeze. As I mentioned in the entry on preserves, my family has serious texture issues, so I used the food processor. With strawberries, it was super easy; just wash berries add to food processor with sugar, puree, pour into molds and freeze. I also made peach. These took a little more time, as the fruit had to be de-seeded and peeled.

This morning my little one had a homemade strawberry pop with her breakfast. It was raining outside, so we were in the den. I had one too. They’re good. The texture is understandably a little thicker, but not unpleasant. Not only did we get all the flavor, but we got the real fruit fiber and vitamins too. The best part was saying yes to such a decadent request on a rainy day and not even feeling guilty.

Pepper Place Opens

My favorite farmer’s market opens this weekend – Pepper Place! Yes, it’s a little bit yuppieish, but I love it. Fresh fruits and veggies direct from the farmers with music and baked goods. It also opens at 7:00, which is great if you have a toddler that has you up by 6:30 regardless of which day of the week it is and you think your head might explode if you see one more minute of Playhouse Disney. The website is pretty basic, but you can find it here http://pepperplacemarket.com/. Mark your calendars!

Mother's Day

I’d like to begin this entry with an apology for the delay in posts. My step-daughter took a nasty tumble from a horse and, among other things, broke her hand into a dozen or so extra pieces. She’s doing fine and back at school – lots of PT in her future.

Secondly, I’d like to give a warm and respectful Mother’s Day regards to all my friends trying to raise children….in any capacity. It’s not for the faint of heart (or stomach). The image with today’s post is a copy of the Mother’s Day card our equestrian gave me yesterday, which I love. It shows exactly how well she knows me.

If anyone’s wondering, we do not have an “eat everything on your plate” philosophy in our house. For the most part, you have to take (and eat) at least a couple of everything and you have to “eat a good dinner” if you plan to have anything else before breakfast. We started this when my step kids we younger…along with bribing them. We found that with a warm pan of brownies waiting they could hold their breath and shovel down most things.

We are trying a little bit of a different approach (although I’m sure we will use the brownie technique with her too) with our two year old. The pediatrician told us to feed her whatever we are having. Some days she loves broccoli. Some days she hates it. However, it was a neat party trick the night we filled up on black pepper and olive oil Triscuts. To all those moms, dads, aunts, uncles, etc. out there – keep up the good fight and remember – when they get to be teenagers (especially boys) they get so hungry they might just try anything. Good luck!

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Yesterday, my copy of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver finally arrived in the mail! If you are interested in food, family, health and eating locally, this is a must read. It will change the way you look at picking produce, making meals and living your life, but in a (somewhat) realistic way.

The book is about the year that the Kingsolver family spent eating only what they could grow themselves or buy locally. While they do live on a small farm, they make recommendations for us city dwellers as well. The book also talks about the social, cultural and even political (not in a partisan way) facts that brought them to their experiment. As well as the effects on their two children and their exceptions to the rules (coffee and spices anyone?). The book also contains some great recipes, which are also available on their website www.animalvegetablemiracle.com. If you live close, I’ll loan you my copy (as soon as a get Sweet Hubby to read it) and they are readily available at the local library.

Meaty Matters

While I have tried to buy organic milk and free range eggs for a number of years, I have not been so vigilant when it comes to meat. The reason is simply economic and while I would be happy to reduce my in take of meat and invest in higher quality products, I’m afraid my family would revolt.

However, the nutritional differences can’t be ignored. Firstly, range fed beef has far fewer calories. Cows that spend their days wandering the pasture and foraging for sustenance are not as fatty as those kept in pens and feed all the corn they can consume. I read that simply substituting grass fed for corn fed beef could save 17,733 calories per year (http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm).

Furthermore, grass fed beef has 2 to 4 times the amount of omega 3 fatty acids than their grain fed counterparts - music to my salmon hating husband’s ears. Grass fed beef is also the best known source of another good fat conjugated linoleic acid or CLA, which has been shown to slow tumor growth and provide cancer defenses.

All of this aside, grass fed beef is expensive. I went to Whole Foods yesterday to check it out. Ground chuck was almost $4.00/lb and it went up – sharply – from there. I did buy a pound of the ground chuck and, yes, I think it was probably tastier than the norm. I’m thinking about splurging on some steaks to see if Sweet Hubbie can taste the difference. If that works out, I’m going to start looking for somewhere to buy in bulk, hopefully that will be cheaper.

Asparagus

If you start looking, reading and talking about early spring fruits and vegetables, it doesn’t take long for someone to bring up asparagus. A few weeks ago, I noticed it was on sale in my local grocery store and looked fresher and better than ever.

With a little research I discovered that asparagus is not a fussy plant. It grows in most of the U.S. – including zone 7 were we are. It produces a fern like plant and grows wild in many areas. One source even recommended foraging for it. The closest I come to foraging to stopping by the local consignment store, so I smiled, nodded and moved on.

I started calling various local food sources. I started with the local farm cooperative and moved on the local farmers and larger managed farm projects. I even went so far as to call the county extension agent. While everyone seemed to think it was a reasonable question, no one had or knew anyone who has fresh asparagus. I think that’s very odd.

In fairness, it does take two to three years for an asparagus patch to begin production and several farms have it in their plans, but no one expects to have any this year. So, what’s girl to do? This girl grabbed a seed catalog and ordered 25 roots (1 year old) plants – shipping now. Where am I going to put them….hmmmm details, details….I’ll let you know when they get here – wish me luck!

Strawberry Preserves

By Sunday, my lovely strawberry harvest had been re-invented as a stack of mason jars filled with ruby red goodness. Making strawberry preserves is not difficult, although it ‘s a process not everyone is familiar with. When considering a good place to start when learning to preserve produce, strawberry jam is a great option. Its high acidity level means no pressure canner and, so long as you follow the directions, the worst that will happen is that it won’t gel properly and you’ll still have a great ice cream topping (I know, it’s happened to me).

The recipe I used can be found in the Sure Jell package. This is an ingredient easily available in your local grocery store – typically near the Jello. However, I also found it online (so I would know what I needed on my trip to the store) at http://www.recipezaar.com/Strawberry-Jam-58523.

A few side notes, the recipe calls for “crushed” berries. I started this process with a large bowl and a potato masher, but my family had texture issues, so I finished the job with my food processor. Also, you need to use heated jars. I cleaned my in the dishwasher and just filled them warm out of the dishwasher. Always use new lids for safety and don’t worry when they don’t gel right away. It happens while they are cooling – good luck!

Preserving the Harvest

Lately we’re hearing a lot about eating with the seasons. In theory, I think this is truly the way Mother Nature intended it. I definitely think there are certain products that shouldn’t be eaten too out of season. Tomatoes are one of my favorites, but if you’ve ever picked up a tomato at the grocery store in January, you know what I’m talking about. Produce eaten out of season is comparatively tasteless, expensive and lower in nutritional content.

Recently, I joined a farmers’ cooperative which delivered fresh, local produce every week. Let me tell you long before February ends I had come up with every way I could think of to eat sweet potatoes and cabbage. While I like cabbage fine, I don’t really care for sweet potatoes and the lack of variety was maddening. So, what’s the solution? Well, obviously you have to find a way to preserve the harvest. Our grandparents did it and those old recipes are not only still out there, but safer and easier than ever.

This is a wonderful time of the year. The really exciting produce is just coming into season with promises of so much more to come. My goal over the coming months will be to capture the wonders of the harvest in ways that we can eat locally, seasonally – and well – over the coming months. I have no misconceptions that I will be storing all, or even most, of what we will eat through the winter, but you have to start somewhere. Moreover, I refuse to blow my food budget out of its normal parameters, so it will take a little trial and error. Wish me luck!

Picking Strawberries

Yesterday, Dad and I took Aubrey to pick strawberries. We called ahead and were told that they had just pulled back the frost prevention coverings and were surprised with the first of the season. The weather was a bit damp, but Aubrey had a great time taking berries I picked and dropping them in her grandfather’s basket.

We picked a gallon of berries, which cost $9. These are beautiful berries that smell as sweet as they taste. Better yet, I picked them from a field of newly budding produce and gave my $9 directly to the farmer who planted and cared for them. Odds are good my $9 will go directly back into our local community and not to California. Moreover, when is the last time you took a child anywhere you felt good about, where $9 bought at least 2 hours of good, clean fun. You can’t even go to a movie for that.

The farmer told me he will have heirloom tomatoes, onions, garlic and watermelons all available later in the summer and gave me a list of the farmer’s markets where he sells his wares. There are farmers markets on that list I’ve never heard of. I’m am looking forward to seeing more of him - soon.

Fresh Butter

I have a friend at work (hi David!) who sends me great tid-bits on various food related topics. This latest one comes from a former co-worker (hi Kathy!). It’s a beautifully illustrated guide to making your own butter.

Now, I know what they say about eating real butter and I typically use Smart Balance or some other type of “buttery spread”, but there’s something so natural and just plain tasty about real butter that no spread can match. I haven’t made this yet, but I hope to soon. I think it would be a great project to get the kids involved with – maybe in conjunction with some homemade bread.

Check it out at - http://www.omnomicon.com/how-to-make-butter.

Winter May Not be Really Over

So, it’s happened. This morning we awoke to a light sprinkling of snow on the back deck. The spring frost that always seems to come just late enough to kill all of the beautiful plants, flowers and early veggies is here again. Tonight is scheduled for more of the same.

I brought my plants inside, although I’m not sure the garage is enough warmth to overcome sub-freezing temperatures. I have been planning to take Aubrey to a you-pick-it farm this Friday (daycare is closed for Good Friday) and pick berries to make jam, but I’m not sure there will be any berries on Friday. Keep your fingers crossed.

Green Tea

Let’s talk tea – green tea. Years ago when nutritional information about green tea started to come out, I tried to like it. Then I just tried to drink it regardless of whether I liked it. It didn’t work. I have since found that while I still don’t love the strait stuff, there are alternatives that I’ve used to wean myself on to it.

The first was Arizona Green Tea and Honey in those massive glass bottles at the convenience store. That stuff is great! But, one day I made the mistake of turning the bottle over and reading the contents. I don’t remember all the sordid details, but the sugar content was outrageous. I then moved to Celestial Seasons bags in the grocery store. With enough honey, these are good too – especially the mint and they come in caffeinated and decaffeinated.

My big break, however, came on a trip is fall to the Korean restaurant on Green Spring Avenue. It is a hole in the wall, mostly an Asian grocery with a few tables and a kitchen in the back. It was there they served a green tea I actually liked – first sip, no sweetener. It’s actually a green tea, brown rice blend. I happen to like brown rice and there was just enough flavor and familiarity to make it work.

I haven’t completely cut out my coffee, but I am down to a cup a day. I recently read a CNN article written by a Japaneese dietician who went to college in the states and experienced the college weight gain. Upon return to her homeland she quickly shed it and has never had that problem again. She pointed out that if American substituted (plain) green tea for soda this alone would make a major difference in their health – weight wise and otherwise.

Now, for those of you who know me personally, you know calories aren’t my major quest, but let’s take a minute to review some of the other benefits (taken from Wikipedia).

- The main antioxidant polyphenol of green tea extract, EGCG , when fed to mice induced with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, helped to protect brain cells from dying, as well as 'rescuing' already damaged neurons in the brain. My Grandfather died of Alzheimer’s I want all the protection I can get.

- In a recent case-control study of the eating habits of 2,018 woman, consumption of mushrooms and green tea was linked to a 90% lower occurrence of breast cancer.

That’s enough evidence for me. Try it again. It’s not that bad it just takes some getting used to, but don’t give up.

First Peanuts and Now Pistachios

Last fall when the peanut salmonella scare broke, I cleaned out my pantry. I had a large box of the peanut butter crackers that we plastered all over the news and more than one person in my family had experienced stomach flu type symptoms. I also banned the use of my generic peanut butter – even though the claimed jarred peanut butter was never at risk. I finally bought expensive Smart Balance peanut butter in both crunchy and smooth, much to my husband and step son’s relief, but I still won’t buy Nutty Buddy bars because I’m just not 100% convinced.

Today, the story is pistachio http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_12064352. Be sure to read the fine print – Kraft found this contamination in September, but the manufacturer didn’t recall the products until another contamination was found in March. What happened to all of those other pistachios they sold in between?

When did it get so risky to buy food off the grocery store shelf? Did this type of thing not happen years ago or did we just not have a way to report it?

Seedless?

This week I took my baby, Aubrey, to the doctor for her 2 year old check up. For those of you who haven’t ever taken a toddler for a regular check up, I want to be clear – this isn’t fun for you or the toddler. We were there for over an hour, in which time they drew blood, gave her a shot and poked, prodded and peaked in just about every orifice.

My personal philosophy on doctor’s visits is that everyone disserves a treat when they are over. As we were too late for her to eat with her class at school, I decided to take her to lunch. Normally, this would be an under $7 trip through the McDonalds drive-through, but how I would justify this kind of mass scale misdemeanor I have no idea, so I needed a better plan.

I decided to take her to Zoes Kitchen. Zoes started locally here in Birmingham, although I’ve heard that it’s been sold to a big California company and is destined for national franchise. Zoes specializes in chicken – salad or grilled, not fried. It’s conveniently located between the doctor’s office and the daycare. It has outdoor seating under big, striped umbrellas and it was a beautiful day. The choice was made.

I ordered the chicken salad with fruit. Aubrey had the kid’s grilled cheese. We both ordered water - $12. When the food came to the table, I quickly tried to hide the chips (unsuccessfully) and loaded her plate, currently containing toasted white bread with melted processed cheese product, with fruit. She did happily eat all the red, seedless grapes and much of her processed cheese product sandwich, but as I looked at our plates I began to wonder exactly how far that produce had traveled. I’ve just seen the first bit of broccoli. I don’t think the cherry tomato was from “around here”, if you know what I mean.

What really occupied my thoughts were the grapes. My thoughts began with, “I wonder if you can grow red, seedless grapes in Alabama?” Shortly thereafter I thought, “how does a seedless grape reproduce?” Something tells me there’s more than water, sun and soil at work.

A bit of broccoli

In mid-February we were blessed with a lovely spring day. The kind which makes you forget that some of Alabama’s worst cold snaps have been well into March or even April.

That Saturday morning, I dropped my step-daughter at the barn for her riding lesson. Now, for anyone pre-disposed to a case of spring fever, the barn is the last place to seek a remedy. There is nothing like the smell of hay and the sweet, quite whinny of a horse to make you want to chunk it all, drag out your shorts and flip-flops and dance around in the breeze. I decided to make a stop on the way home at the plant nursery.

I left with herbs (mint, thyme, rosemary, lavender, chives and Italian parsley) lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet peas and an array of terra cotta pots – and I wondered why the sales people looked at me like I was crazy when I asked about basil. I spent the rest of the morning digging in bags of organic soil and potting away.

Of course, the weather has gone from 28 degrees to almost 80 degrees and back again, several times since my planting expedition. My sweet husband and I have carried the herbs back and forth off of the front steps. The vegetable pots have been lugged back and forth in and out of the garage in my daughter’s little red wagon more times than I want to count. Note to self – February is a little early to start planting.

However, we must doing something right. This weekend I looked down to see the tiniest head of broccoli I’ve ever seen. It was really no more than a bite, but I was thrilled. I carefully cut it and showed it to my little girl, explaining that it was just like the broccoli we had out of the steam bag the other night (which she ate quite well, if I do say so). As I offered it to her, she took the littlest nibble and quickly spit it out (all over me).

That’s okay…I think I saw a little speck of white between the cauliflower leaves.

It begins

I grew up two miles down a dirty road. My parents chose our 22 acre piece of the planet for its location nestled in the Alabama foothills against the base of a long ridge. My father’s dream was to build an underground house and he found the perfect location. The lack of bankers with imagination and a growing family came between dad and the dream, but the land sprouted other dreams. I have vivid memories of gardens, rabbits, geese and a few unlucky ducks. I remember friends coming to tend the garden and help us can, freeze or cook its bounty.

As I entered my teen years, the country became seriously un-cool. All I wanted was to live in town close to friends and my all-important social life. I was so excited when we sold our land and moved into town.

While my early teen years were blissfully urban, as I matured the seeds of my early childhood began to emerge. On long car trips through Alabama and neighboring states I would gaze out the window at the fields. College photography classes found me in search of barns, rural fairs and farmers markets.

My adult life brought me the excitement of the advertising world with its fast pace and ever changing trends. I became a working mother (half the time) when I married my husband and his two children. This is the time when the seeds of my childhood began to grow. I fussed and fretted over their nutrition. My step-son once announce to his mother that, “Keelie curses us with weg-e-ta-bles.” He was right. It’s only gotten worse after the birth of my daughter two years ago.

I began to read more and more. The more I read, the more the plant of curiosity grows and I long for a food system that makes sense to me. I am drawn back to the wholesome food from our simple garden. But, I now have a full time job, 3 kids, an average American home with average American dogs tearing up my back yard and a gas guzzling SUV. How did I get here? How do I get back? How far do I want to go? How far can I go before my family plans a full scale revolt? We’ll see…..