I feel healthier just looking at it

This picture does not accurately depict the bounty and color of this wonderfully fresh food.

We have a lovely organic produce store in my town. They even deliver! I am looking forward to my first delivery next week. I have purchased from them before and I have never been disappointed. I don't know if it is the store or the fact that the produce is organic, but it seems like it stays fresher longer. I also get the added satisfaction of helping to support a locally owned business.
Thanks to my two-year-old, the fruit is almost gone and I am looking forward to roasting the beets and sweet potatoes and sauteing the green beans for my in-laws this week.

Breakfast, anyone?

I tried this recipe. It was as easy, if not easier than the author says it's going to be. I did not have cinnamon chips so I used chocolate chips, the only problem was that they did not spread out like the cinnamon chips would have. I also substituted whole wheat pastry flour for the all purpose flour because that's how I roll. My only issue was that the frosting recipe made too much frosting and I ate most of the leftover with a spoon:-/ I am certainly going to try it again but next time I am going to use turkey and cheese and omit the frosting. I will also try to remember to take pictures.

Daily Craving

I am pregnant (again). My cravings are not as strong this time and they are generally more healthy. This is a good thing because I am determined that I am going to gain a lot less weight than I did the first time around. I also have more tools to help me loose weight after the baby. One of these tools is "The O2 Diet" by Keri Glassman. I bought this book after I read about it in a magazine (Women's Health, I think). One of my favorite recipes in the book was a salad recipe and I recent started having a craving for it, so here it is:

Quick Cobb Salad
ORAC Value: 3,200
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
1⁄4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill
2 cups chopped red leaf or romaine lettuce
1⁄2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1⁄4 cup thinly sliced cucumber, quartered
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped avocado
1 tablespoon shelled raw or roasted sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
2 slices (2 ounces) roasted prepackaged or deli-sliced turkey
2 slices (2 ounces) uncured prepackaged or deli-sliced ham
Directions
Combine the lemon juice, oil, and dill in a small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.
Toss the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, avocado, sunflower seeds, and cheese with the reserved dressing in a medium bowl.
Lay 1 slice of the turkey flat on the work surface. Layer the ham slice flat on top, then the remaining turkey and ham slices, and tightly roll up. Slice the meat roll crosswise into thin pinwheels and scatter them on top of the salad.

I mixed the onion with the olive oil and lemon juice so it would become part of the dressing. I also could not find my sunflower seeds so I used some pine nuts I found in the freezer. I am not a fan of dill and I dislike raw onions but for some reason I really, really like them in this salad. http://www.nutritiouslife.com/recipes/?cat=4&paged=2

Family Dinner

I really enjoy cooking. Fortunately, I married a man who also enjoys cooking. I am lucky enough to live near my mother and sisters so we like to get together frequently for dinner. On Sunday my husband and I made shrimp and grits, steak with chimichurri sauce, and pureed cauliflower. My mom made incredible green chili, chicken enchiladas.

The weather has been beautiful the past couple of weeks and it has brought the spring flowers into bloom. My sister made this wonderful arrangement out of the flowers in my backyard.

That evening, it was warm enough for us to eat our dinner outside.

I like food.

Chimichurri Sauce

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons chopped mint

2 teaspoons chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

salt and pepper to taste

The instructions say to chop everything finely and mix well, but I am lazy,( or industrious, however you want to look at it) so I put everything in the food processor.

I found the recipe in The O2 Diet

I will post the recipe for the shrimp and grits some other time.