CSA Week #2 and THE BEST FOODIE TERM EVER

This week is the second week of my CSA with Pinckney’s Produce. In this week’s bucket I got:

• collards
• spinach
• spring and sweet onions
• turnips
• turnip greens
• a lot of strawberries

For some reason my box didn’t include the scheduled broccoli, mustard greens, or leaf lettuce. There is a “swap box” where you can swap out items with other CSA members, so I exchanged the collards for turnips. I haven’t used my collards from last week and I have a newfound love for turnips.

Tonight I decided to use the spinach and onions to make another batch of Ham and Lentil Soup. This soup and Avgolemono are my absolute favorites.

Yesterday Jamie sent me a clip from the show Parks & Recreation. It reminded her of my post on Foodie Terms That Make Me Cringe. I cannot stop watching this.

.

I will forever use the term “food rakes.” :)

Check out http://tomhaverfoods.com/ for even more!

New Gym = New Meat.

As of last week, my membership with Eco Fitness came to an end. As much as I loved Eco, I had to decide whether to sign up for another year, or try East Shore Athletic Club. I made a list of the pros and cons for each gym.

ESAC

Pros:

• Multiple locations. 3 facilities just in Mt. Pleasant and 1 on Daniel Island where I work
• Lots of group fitness classes, including all the Les Mills Body training systems (Body Pump, Step, Attack, Jam, and Flow) that Erica teaches!
• Indoor track, racquetball courts, sauna, pool – Eco has none of these
• $15/month because my apartment complex partners with them
• Ashley can also go to ESAC with me through her school
• New gym = new meat

Cons:

• I will miss working out with Justin, Joey, Noah, Mike and Troy.
• No more Grimy Wednesday spin class

Eco

Pros:

• Lots of friends to work out with
• JULIUS!
• Brand new equipment

Cons:

• $49/month. This is more than 3x what I’d pay at ESAC
• I’m kind of bored there

The winner?

I will mostly be sad about leaving the friends that I have made, but making new friends will not be a problem. And new hotties? Yep yep.

Besides the Les Mills classes, here are some other classes I’m interested in:

BURN AND FIRM: Burn fat and lengthen muscles faster by fusing short bursts of cardio with strength training, stamina and balance moves that will get your entire body stronger, leaner and more defined.

B.Y.O.B. BRING YOUR OWN BODY is a unique sculpting class using the step, weights, and stability balls.

CARDIO CRAZE: Intervals of your favorite cardio moves that burn lots of calories, shape & tone your muscles and make your heart smile :o) Jump, step, kick, punch, lunge, squat & crunch your way to a new you. For beginners or aerobic superstars, this class has it all!

GUNS & BUNS: Challenge yourself with this heart-pumpin', muscle-blastin', core-crushin' workout. A healthy mixture of cardio resistance training that gives you the pump you need to finish out the week. Suited for all levels.

Guns and Buns!??! Really!? I MUST GO. It sounds intense and works my two favorite muscle groups.

Blog friends: Which is your favorite Les Mills Class?

Charleston friends: Do you go to ESAC? Which location/classes do you like? Will you be my new gym partner in crime, pretty please?

Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Peanut Butter Glaze

The last week that I was a pneumoniac, I skipped the gym and baked up a storm instead. Saturday morning I made a variation of Cooking Light’s Peanut Banana Bread with a Peanut Butter Glaze. This was unbelievably good. It was light, moist, and rich all at the same time. And then the glaze. Oh, the glaze. On a scale of 1 to Titanic, this bread is Titanic.

Ingredients

Bread:

• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (Fage! Fage! Fage!)
• 1/3 cup peanut butter (I used PB&Co. White Chocolate Dreams)
• 3 tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup ground flax meal
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Reese’s peanut butter baking chips (my special touch!)
• Cooking spray

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp. light vanilla soy milk
• 1 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in peanut butter chips. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

4. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

I dare you to make this bread and not want to eat the whole thing.

While the bread cooled, I convinced Justin to walk the Cooper River Bridge with me. He had never gone before and it was the perfect weather to be outside: 85* and sunny. We walked the entire bridge – roughly 5.4 miles. At the end I found some gymnastics equipment.

The next day, I gave half of the banana bread to my friend Luke. Apparently during exam time, law school students live in the library and don’t eat. This hurts my heart, so I gave some bread to the needy. Earlier this evening I got a picture message from the library.

True Life Charleston Law: Full throttle, ear plugs, my banana bread.

Who eats banana bread with Full throttle?!?!

“No skim milk in here :(“

G-R-O-S-S.

Easter 2011 Recap

Hello!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! I spent the day with my family at my aunt Kelly’s house. Each year we have a bunny ear photo shoot. Yes, even at 26 years old, I’m not ashamed to dress up with my little cousins.

We took one normal one:

One kissy one:

And we were lucky enough to get in a very sweet one…

…before somebody, ahem, Zachary, couldn’t take it anymore.

For dinner we feasted on ham,

mashed potatoes,

Paula Deen’s sweet potato casserole,

and my favorite spinach soufflé by Martha Stewart.

We had a few other sides but I drank too much wine and forgot to take pictures. I am definitely the lush of the family. And I’m okay with that.

After dinner, I nabbed a some dark chocolate Dove promises my cousins’ baskets. I love the messages inside.

I also really love this fantastic plastic holiday plate I found in Kelly’s kitchen. I have no idea where this came from but it should be thrown out immediately. She agrees, I’m sure.

Of course I wore those ears all day. Why wouldn’t I?

Have a great week!

Happy Easter!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter! I am spending this beautiful day with family and eating lots and lots of candy! Enjoy some awkward family photos from Easters past:









Look who used to not like Peeps!
Love,
X

20 Question Survey and Currently…

I swiped this from Kari. Thanks, lady!

1. Name 3 things you are looking forward to.

• Being well so I can dance at Trio.
• Boat weather!
• Spending time with my family on Easter.

2. If you could have a dream come true, what would it be?

Meet Bethenny Frankel!

3. You have $200. You have to spend it on yourself, you can't donate it, and it can't be something you actually need. What will it be?

A macro lens for my camera.

4. What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?

Friends. My auntie Kelly and Grammy. Chick-fil-A diet lemonade. A hula hoop.

5. What is your bedtime routine?

Golden Girls!

6. If you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your significant other?

That's funny.

7. What kind of books do you read?

Cookbooks.

 

8. How do you see yourself in 10 years?

In a mirror. I dislike this question.

9. What’s your fear?

Raw onions.

10. Would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to see outer space?

NO WAY. Seriously!?!? Unless there are alien hotties, I’m not quitting sugar.

11. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

Grab my Camelbak and drink water. I sleep with it. I got a new purple one!

12. If you could change one thing about your significant other, what would it be?

He would exist? Ha.

13. If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?

Christiana.

14. If you had to choose between six months of sun or six months of rain, what would you choose?

SUN SUN SUN SUN SUN

15. If you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?

If weight gain/muscle loss weren't an issue, then chocolate chip cookies!

16. What is the thing you enjoy about blogging the most?

• the people!
• the feedback
• the recognition

17. Do you prefer salty or sweet foods?

I like them both equally and sometimes together.

18. What items are in your purse right now?

This is going to be bad.

• Bodum travel mug (for tea)
• Wallet
• Makeup bag
• Lilly planner
• Gum
• A banana
• A cookies & cream Luna bar
• Cereal
• Hershey's kisses
• Applesauce
• Tissues
• 2 Menchie's spoons (wtc?)
• Ipod
• Sunglasses

Omg. I have enough food for an entire day.

19. If you had to choose between vacationing at the beach or in the mountains where would you go?

Beach! Hands down.

20. What do you watch on television that you know you shouldn’t?

DON’T JUDGE ME!!

Walking Pneumonia Won’t Stop This Girl.

Yes, I’ve had some sickly symptoms.

1. I’ve been drinking a lot of fluids and have felt really warm for the past couple of weeks. I just thought Blackbaud kept the temperature too high, but really I’ve been a beverage diva. (Thank you for that term, Jessica.)

2. I’ve had an obnoxious cough for almost 3 weeks. It’s been so bad that my work sidekick, Kristin, posted this on my wall:

3. I’ve produced more snot than I knew was possible. I ran into Rob & three of his friends playing foosball in the cafeteria. When he asked me how I was, I responded, “Oh, just sick. I’m a snot factory.” All four boys suddenly stopped playing and just stared at me. Did I say too much?

Kristin convinced me to go to the doctor, so I paid a visit to my old boss who works with Nancy’s mom. They listened to my chest and then let me hear it. Oh my god. My lungs sounded like a hump-back whale in migration!!! (See here.) Peggy gave me this sweet mask to wear.

And then they diagnosed me with walking pneumonia. As horror movie as that sounds, it’s really not that bad. I just have to pop a few azithromycin pills and I’ll be brand new! In the mean time, I’ve been avoiding the gym and eating as many fruits & vegetables as possible.

Later when I was making dinner, Justin told me he was stopping by. I surprised him with my mask. He told me I was ugly.

My dinner was full of the onions, broccoli, and cauliflower from my CSA box, plus carrots, garlic, and shrimp. Lots of vitamins to make me well again!

And then came an even better surprise: Santo with Menchie’s frozen yogurt!! He stopped by with a huge bowl of angel food cake froyo topped with peanut butter, blackberries, pineapple, Reese’s pb cups, cinnamon toast crunch, and Cap’n crunch. What a combo! He also made sure to bring extra spoons. :)

Thank you friends!!

First Day with Pinckney’s Produce CSA

Thank for all your sweet comments regarding this stupid sickness! I really didn't want to go to the doctor so I called Nancy's mom who is an RN. She told me I sounded horrible and insisted making an appointment. Later on, she messaged me on facebook:

Subject: Sicko!
Message: Did u go to dr? Are you drinking OJ? Hot Tea? U can add honey. Is it upper respiratory? Do u think it's in your chest? Seriously, hot tea w/lemon and honey (even a little whiskey) might help. Take Ibuprofen.

WHISKEY? Is she freaking kidding me? I’d be dead!

Anyway…
After contemplating joining a CSA for the past year, I decided to take the plunge and join Pinckney's Produce. For those of you who don't know, a CSA (community supported agriculture) is a program where members purchase a subscription to a farm's harvest and receive a weekly delivery of fresh, local produce. I chose the small share size for a total of $260 ($234 + $26 delivery fee). The spring subscription lasts 13 weeks, so it averages out to be $20/week. I'm not sure that I usually spend $20 a week on produce, but I figured that it will help me add more veggies to my diet and inspire me to cook new recipes. Plus, it helps the community!

After work I picked up my first box from Whole Foods.

Week 1’s box contains the following:

• broccoli
• cauliflower
• collards
• spinach
• spring onions
• strawberries
• turnips
  

Holy overload of greens. My Vitamin C and beta carotene levels are going to skyrocket. This is just what I need while I’m sick. I ate most of the strawberries in the car on the way home and they were so good. I didn’t even care that they were unwashed.

For dinner, I was in the mood for something light, so I grabbed the easiest vegetable to work with: spring onions. I chopped up the bulb and sautéed it in olive oil until it was soft. In a small pan, I set an egg white omelet, then added the onions, the sliced greens, goat cheese and salt & pepper.

Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, but this was so good for such a simple dish. I could really tell a difference in the freshness of the produce. I can’t wait to use the rest of the goodies.

And here’s where I need your help. Any recipe suggestions using broccoli, cauliflower, collards, mustard greens, or turnips would be greatly appreciated! I think I can handle the spinach on my own.

Have you ever joined a CSA? Did your farm’s website contain any helpful recipes? Feel free to pass those along too!

Do you fancy a fancy dinner?

I feel absolutely miserable. So miserable I can't even say the whole word, so for now I am MIS. Three syllables is just too much, right?  I have had this silly cough for over 2 weeks and now I'm suffering from Spring allergies. Is Mother Nature out to get me? I recycle and use a Camelbak. I thought we were friends?

When I'm sick I become an extreme introvert and want to hide under a blanket. Weird. Despite this temporary state of introversion, I couldn't resist Lucy's invitation to eat dinner with her family. Those Brits are fun. I may not understand half of Lucy's dad's jokes nor am I able to pull off the card trick he taught me, but I have enjoyed spending time with them while they are here on "holiday."

For an appetizer, we had toasted French bread topped with a lovely mixture of tomatoes, red onion, garlic, virgin olive oil, fresh basil, and salt & pepper.

I ATE RED ONIONS AND I LIKED IT. Or maybe I’ve lost my sense of taste?

We also had an arugula salad with pear, pine nuts, and flaked parmesan tossed in a honey balsamic vinaigrette. Lucy’s uncle took one bite of the salad and said, “This cheese is sock cheese!” Funky?

All five of my senses were revived once Lucy’s mom started making our main dish. Believe your eyes – this is beet risotto.

She boiled the beets in water with a couple tablespoons of each balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. She reserved the beet juice and, along with white wine and thyme, added it to the Arborio rice. Many stirs later and topped with a dollop of goat cheese, we had our risotto!

After dinner, Lucy and I took some stale pita chips out back for the ducks. It was so pretty out tonight.

I'm so glad I didn't stay home under a blanket. Lucy's dad made me laugh so much I forgot I was sick. He really likes getting his photo taken. Here he is showing off a poster from the race he and Lucy's uncle sailed in.

Here he is posing with the vanilla granola he picked up from Whole Foods. This doesn't even have anything to do with dinner?!?

And later he made a really special face as he brought Lucy's and my dessert outside.

Love,

The American.