Tasty Tuesdays: Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

This is a new one we recently cooked up to use the last sweet potatoes from our garden. It reminded me of a chili and was great on these cooler days we are having now. It's from allrecipes.com. I ended up just putting frozen chicken and everything else into a slow cooker for 4 hours on high. I was able to shred up the chicken after the four hours. I did not think it was spicy (hot), so if you like it hot, adjust the spices to your liking. Definitely hit the spot for us.


Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew
Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound sweet potato, peeled and cubed 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cubed 1 pound cooked chicken breast, cubed 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes 2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons water   1 cup frozen corn 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in sweet potato, bell pepper, chicken, tomatoes, and 2 cups of water. Season with salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Dissolve flour in 2 tablespoons water, and stir in to boiling stew. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, 10 to 20 minutes. Stir the stew occasionally to keep it from sticking.

2.

Once the potatoes are done, stir in corn and kidney beans. Cook a few minutes until hot, then stir in cilantro before serving.

Tasty Tuesday: Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash

What says fall more than having squash for dinner? I grew up eating all the varieties of squash. However,  it was typically brown sugar, butter, and baked in the oven. I found this recipe a few years ago while trying to find more recipes to use squash. It was a winner with my husband and I. However, my kids are not quite fans of it yet. I am still working on them.

Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 2 medium acorn squash

• 1 pound bulk spicy pork sausage

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons milk

• 1 cup fresh baby spinach, finely chopped

• 1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Nutritional Facts

1 serving (1 each) equals 485 calories, 23 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 133 mg cholesterol, 843 mg sodium, 49 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 25 g protein.

Directions

1. Cut squash in half; remove and discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, crumble sausage into a large skillet; add onion. Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a large bowl, beat egg and milk; stir in the spinach, bread crumbs, cranberries and sausage mixture.
3. Turn squash cut side up. Stuff with sausage mixture. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Yield: 4 servings.

Tasty Tuesday: Oven Fried Chicken Recipe

My family loves fried chicken aka chicken on the bone. It is a go to for picnics for us, but when at home, I am not big on frying things. So when I had a craving for fried chicken,  I stumbled across oven fried chicken by Paula Dean. It has become a family favorite. It is a great recipe for the kids in the kitchen - mixing up the ingredients for you.

The first time I made it, my husband was trying to guess all the ingredients. He was surprised (as was I) that Dijon mustard was part of the coating mix and NO BUTTER! I am not a big mustard fan, but this hid the taste and more likely the smell for me that I thought it was pretty tasty. 

Ingredients

2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons freshly minced thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 -inch thickness

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack over pan and spray rack with nonstick cooking spray.

In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste. In a separate shallow dish, combine mustard, water, salt and pepper, to taste, and remaining olive oil. Coat each chicken breast with mustard mixture; dredge each in bread crumb mixture. Place on prepared rack in pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Tasty Tuesdays: Meatless Meals

My family's background is farming - specifically cattle.  As a result, I love meat! I usually plan my meals around the main course which typically involves meat. As a result, I do not eat enough fruit and vegetables. This is something I need to work on - work on planning meals around fruits and vegetables dishes with a side of meat. There's a movement known as Meatless Mondays which has helped me, but I still have a long ways to go. 


For this weeks tasty Tuesdays, I am sharing my 2 favorite meatless dishes for you to enjoy.  What are your favorite meatless dishes?

Grilled Vegetable Quesadilla

• 2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4"-thick slices
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/4"-thick slices
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into thick strips
• 2 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin hot-pepper sauce
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
• 8 corn tortillas (6" diameter) (or flour)

Directions

1. Coat a grill rack or broiler pan with nonstick spray. Preheat the grill or broiler. Grill or broil the vegetables 6" from the heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Remove and cut into bitesize pieces.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, parsley or cilantro, lime juice, and cumin. Season with a few drops of hotpepper sauce to taste. Add the vegetables and Cheddar. Stir to mix.
3. Place 4 tortillas on a work surface. Spread 1/3 cup filling over each tortilla. Cover with the remaining tortillas. Press lightly to adhere. Coat lightly with nonstick spray. Grill or broil 6" from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until the tortillas are golden and the filling is heated through. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. 

Notes: Can be dairy free by subbing in dairy free cream cheese and cheddar cheese
From my friend Amanda who found it at: http://recipes.prevention.com/Recipe/GrilledVegetableQuesadillas.aspx

Artichoke and Goat Cheese Strata

To make ahead, prepare through step 2, cover, and chill. Before baking, let bread mixture stand at room temperature 10 minutes while the oven preheats. Then assemble and bake. The cook time will increase by about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Total: 1 hour, 39 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

 

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  finely chopped shallots (about 1 large)
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2  teaspoon  dried herbes de Provence
• 1 3/4  cups  1% low-fat milk
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 4  large eggs
• 1/3  cup  (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2  (1-pound) loaf country-style white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
• Cooking spray
• 3/4  cup  (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese, divided

Preparation
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in artichoke hearts and garlic; cook for 8 minutes or until artichoke hearts begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in herbes de Provence. Cool 10 minutes.
2. Combine milk, black pepper, salt, and eggs in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and bread; toss gently to combine. Stir in artichoke mixture, and let stand for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375°.
4. Spoon half of bread mixture into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half of goat cheese, and top with remaining bread mixture. Sprinkle remaining half of goat cheese over top. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Recipe is from Cooking Light Magazine. 

Tasty Tuesdays: Slow cooker Balsamic Roast

 The inventor of the slow cooker is one of my heros! I love being able to take 10 minutes in the morning to throw everything in the slow cooker and have a delicious meal after a chaotic day. I am also a huge fan of balsamic vinegar, so this recipe is definitely one of my favorites. My 2 youngest kids enjoy helping me in the kitchen and this is a great one for them to be my sous chefs. I often add carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker to make a full meal.

Slow Cooker Balsamic Roast

Author: Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 3-4 pound boneless roast beef (chuck or round roast)
• 1 cup beef broth
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

Instructions

1. Place roast beef into the insert of your slow cooker. In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix together all remaining ingredients. Pour over roast beef and set the timer for your slow cooker. (4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low)
2. Once roast beef has cooked, remove from slow cooker with tongs into a serving dish. Break apart lightly with two forks and then ladle about ¼ - ½ cup of gravy over roast beef.
3. Store remaining gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for another use.

Tasty Tuesday: Cucumbers

Cucumbers are easy to grow and healthy for you, so thought I would try for the first time this year in my garden. I am not a fan of just eating sliced cucumbers, but enjoy them in salads and pickles.

Cucumbers are a great source for vitamin C and K. You can read more about benefits of cucumbers on Care2 or World's Healthiest Foods. If you are like me and prefer not to eat them plain, it is definitely worth the time to experiment with recipes to find ways you can enjoy them.

Here are my 2 favorite (super quick and easy!) recipes using cucumbers -

Quick Pickle Recipe 
(This recipe is requested by several of my family and friends for me to bring to cook-outs.)
from Rachael Ray

Ingredients
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 rounded teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove cracked garlic
1 teaspoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves, chopped or snipped
1 bay leaf
4 kirby cucumbers, cut into 1-inch slices on an angle (I've used other kinds of cucumbers and it has worked just fine)

Directions
Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving.

Tomato, Cucumber, and Feta Salad

from Food Network

 

Ingredients
2 tomatoes, cored and sliced
1 1/2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions
In medium bowl combine tomatoes and cucumber. Season with salt and pepper. Add vinegar and olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle on feta and serve.

 

 

What are your favorite ways to eat a cucumber?

Tasty Tuesday: Taco Tuesday Nights!

I am a big believer that exercise and nutrition go hand and hand. I am hoping that my tasty Tuesday posts give a little help in the nutrition department to make more meals and snacks at home.

We are a family of 5. With 3 young kids, dinner can be hectic. Thanks to the Lego movie, my boys have requested taco Tuesdays as a weekly meal. We have been having taco Tuesdays weekly since June. They look forward to it every week. It makes meal planning a little easier knowing this meal is always on the menu. It is an easy and quick meal. The taco meat can be doubled or made ahead of time and frozen which makes dinner even easier! The combos of taco night are endless. We typically set-up a taco bar with all the fixings - tortilla chips, lettuce or spinach, cheese, salsa, sour cream, avocados (or guacamole), tomatoes, rice (thanks to our rice cooker!), black beans, and hard or soft taco shells. The kids love deciding on a hard taco or a nacho plate.

Here are our favorite taco night recipes:
Taco Seasoning Mix
2t instant minced onion (I often omit because I add onion to the meat)
1t salt
1t chili powder
1/2t cornstarch
1/2t crushed dried red pepper
1/2t minced garlic
1/4t oregano
1/2t cumin

Mix all the ingredients. Use within 6 months.
This is 1 package of taco mix or about 2T.

Taco Meat
1 - 1.5lbs ground beef or ground turkey
1 taco seasoning mix
1/2 water

Brown the meat. Drain the grease. Add water and the taco season mix. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. (I typically add more seasoning such as the red pepper and oregano as needed. I also dice up some onion to add to the meat instead of using the onion powder. Double the recipe and freeze half to make another night's easy dinner. )

These taco seasoning mix and taco meat recipes are from Make-A-Mix cookbook.

Salsa

2 large cans of whole tomatoes, drained (Dei Fratelli is our favorite brand)

1/2 large sweet onion

1 jalapeno pepper (remove seeds for less heat)

1t salt

3/4 cilantro bunch

lime juice from 2 limes (microwave the limes for 10secs to get more juice)
4-5 fresh garlic cloves
(Feel free to add other green chilies or other peppers - bananas, green etc)

Pile all the ingredients in a food processor. Run the processor until well blended.
Yields about 7-8cups.


Check out the Guacamole recipe on my Tasty Tuesday: Avocados post. 

Chicken Fajitas (when you need a break from the tacos this is a great substitution)

2 green peppers, sliced in strips
1 red pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts; thinly sliced
4T soy sauce
3-4T lime juice
1T chili powder
1/2t ginger
1-2t crushed red peppers

1) Combine chicken and everything below in a ziploc bag to marinate overnight or at least 2 hours.
2) Saute peppers and onions with evoo and salt. Set aside in foil to keep warm.
3) Chicken and marinate to the pan and cook until done
Salsa and Chicken fajita recipes are from my friend Colleen W.

What are your favorites ways to eat a taco?

Tasty Tuesday: Paleo Spaghetti Squash Casserole

My friend, Erika, introduced me to this great dish from Slim Sanity! My husband and I love it, but my kids are not on board yet. I think it is a texture thing and too many vegetables, but I keep letting them try it. For this recipe, it is easy to use whatever meats and vegetables you have on hand. We have used sausage, chicken, turkey, and beef. For the vegetables, we use what we have out of the garden - zucchini or peppers or what is on sale at the store, but always use the tomatoes and spinach. We sometimes add feta on top as well. It is a great base recipe to play with the ingredients and has been tasty every time. Happy eating!

Author: Alysia

Recipe type: Casserole

Cuisine: Paleo

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 pound 93/7 lean ground beef
• 1 handfuls spinach, finely diced
• 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 whole egg
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ tablespoon EVOO

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes.
2. While squash is baking, brown ground beef over medium high heat. Drain, and set aside.
3. While your squash and beef are cooking, prepare vegetables. In a large sauce pan, begin to saute red onion, tomatoes, and garlic with EVOO. Add seasonings. Once onions begin to turn translucent, add spinach and cook down.
4. Once squash is done, remove from oven and shred the meat of the squash with a fork. Add to pan with sauteed veggies. Add meat, and egg. Mix together thoroughly.
5. Pour mixture inside a 9 x 9 baking dish, and cook at 400 for 15 minutes.

Tasty Tuesday - Granola Bars Take 3

I. love. homemade. granola bars!

If you couldn't tell from my previous  posts, my family loves them too. You can fill them up with lots of healthy treats they may not otherwise want to eat. My son, Rooster, and daughter enjoy making them with me so it is a win-win for me! They are easy to put in our snack bags when we are on the go.

I recently saw Merrell Outside posted Nutrition Kitchen's homemade chewy peanut butter energy bar, so we had to try it!
With my sous chefs ready, we got all the ingredients out except for the coconut flakes since I did not have any nor do I care for them. I also did not have almond butter so I just put a handful of almonds in my food processor until it turned into almond butter.

This recipe was not as quick to make as the no bake Larabars, but everyone did enjoy them.  I liked how this recipe was a bit different from my other recipes using coconut oil and Chia seeds. We will be keeping this recipe in the rotation too.

Ingredients for Chewy Peanut Energy Bars:

• 2 cups Oats (Gluten free if needed)
• 1 cup plain peanuts roughly chopped (not salted or roasted)
• 1 cup Seeds (pumpkin & sunflower)
• 1/2 cup Coconut flakes
• 2 Tbsp Chia seeds
• 1/2 cup water
• 10 medjool dates (chopped)
• 1/4 cup Coconut oil
• 1/3 cup Maple syrup or (rice syrup/ honey)
• 2 Tbsp Almond Butter
• 2 Ripe bananas

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2) Spread oats, seeds and coconut on a baking tray
3) Place in oven for 15 minutes to lightly brown, stirring regularly. Be careful not to let the coconut burn. When ready, place in large bowl and add chopped peanuts.
4) Meanwhile put the Chia seeds and 1/4 cup water in a bowl and set aside.
5) Place the chopped dates, coconut oil, 1/4 cup water and the maple syrup in a saucepan.
6) Gently heat until the oil is melted and the dates have softened. Then, add to the bowl with the chia seeds.
7) Place the bananas and almond butter in blender until smooth, feel free to add a little of the date liquid if you need to.
8) When smooth, add the banana mixture to the chia seed and date bowl and mix together with 1/2 tsp sea salt.
9) Add the bowl of wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
10) Pour the mixture into a lined baking tin and spread with the back of a spoon until it is evenly dispersed and compacted.

Tasty Tuesday: Avocados

Nutrition and exercise go hand and hand. So this week, let's focus on avocados!



Runner's World lists avocados as one of the superfoods for runners. They have valuable fat, good source of fiber, and contains vitamins B, K, and E. Google has plenty of sites to read up on all the goodness of avocados.

Lots of easy ways to incorporate avocados into your meals such as toppings for salads or tacos.


Here are my 2 favorite recipes using avocados:

Guacamole
3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt with a fork. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

From Allrecipes.com

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado & Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Servings: 6-8

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob - yes it is worth the effort!
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced shallots, from one medium shallot
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
2 tablespoons sugar
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,
1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them)
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 Hass avocados, chopped

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a more chopped cilantro if desired.

We often eat this with tortilla chips.

From: Once Upon a Chef

What are your favorite ways to eat avocados?

Tasty Thursdays: Kale

 I would not be surprised if you think KALE as not a tasty food!  Growing up, I was a very picky eater and would agree with you.  Slowly, I have grown out of this picky stage by wanting to make new foods in the kitchen and knowing leafy greens are there to help and not harm you, right?

 Kale has been one of those foods, I have grown to like to eat because what it packs into its bitter green leaves. It was an acquired taste for me for sure, but reading that kale is a superfood for runners I was game to keep on trying. Minneapolis Running details the benefits of kale:

• Kale is “packed with nutrient rich photochemicals and health promoting benefits. It is rich in calcium, lutein, vitamin C, A, E and K, and tons of beta-carotene. Loaded with fiber, kale is a superior vegetable by any standards.” (Source)
• One cup of kale “includes over 1000% of your daily recommended vitamin K, an antioxidant that promotes bone growth and regulates blood clotting. In fact, kale’s vitamin K content surpasses that of broccoli, spinach and collard greens.” (Source)
• Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef . . . Kale [also] contains more calcium per calorie than milk (90 grams per serving) and is better absorbed by the body than dairy.” (Source)

Here are 3 of my favorite recipes using kale - Thanks to my friend (and running friend) from RealFoodWithout for introducing me to recipes that make kale tasty! 

Kale Chips 

Ingredients
1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food.

Warm Kale Salad -  (use the dates for Larabars later!)

Serves 2
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, cut into thin rings
3 slices bacon
1 bunch kale (about 8 cups,) removed from ribs then torn into bite-sized pieces
5 pitted Medjool dates, chopped
1/4 cup Marcona almonds (or sliced almonds)
1 recipe Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons shaved Parmesan cheese
Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots then fry until golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain then sprinkle with salt and set aside.
2. Turn heat down to medium then add bacon to skillet and cook until browned and crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain then set aside. Remove all but 2 teaspoons bacon grease from the skillet.
3. Add kale, dates, and almonds then saute for 30 seconds. Add vinaigrette and then toss until just coated. Divide kale between two plates then top with reserved bacon, crispy shallots, and parmesan cheese.

 Portuguese Chourico and Kale Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium white waxy potatoes, like yukon golds, peeled and diced
2 medium onions, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 pound kale, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzos ( chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pound diced chourico, casing removed
1 quart chicken broth
Warm, crusty bread

Directions

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, chourico, and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Serve soup with hunks of crusty bread and butter.

What are you other favorite kale recipes? I am always on the look out for some new ones!

Gardening 101

 Isn't that the truth? I struggle with nutrition. I get by, but know I have so much to improve.

One way to eat healthy is to have your own garden. Nothing like eating some fresh vegetables and fruits.There is a garden design for just about any budget and space!

Here are a few I have tried:
Container Gardening - I did this when I lived in an apartment with herbs, tomatoes, and peppers.I had the containers on my patio. I did have to fight squirrels off.

Square-foot Gardening - Buying a home and having kids, I wanted something a little more permanent so my husband built 2 raised beds for us. I read and used Mel Bartholomew's book, Square Foot Gardening as guide when planting. 

Strawbale Gardening - We moved from the home that had the raised beds, but I still wanted a garden. My brother introduced me to strawbale gardening. He tried it for the first time last year and was successful, so I am trying it this year. I bought Joel Karsten's book so I would know what to do.  So far it has been pretty easy. My kids have enjoyed helping. The strawbale garden needs more water than the square foot garden, but there should be less weeding. We planted a variety of vegetables and fruits (tomatoes, peppers, squashes, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, herbs, arugula, carrots, strawberries) to see what works best. You can even plant in the side of the bale!

There are community gardens in the area too if you prefer not having it on your property. Blackacre also has space to rent for your garden. 

If you decide gardening is not for you, there are plenty of farmer's markets in the area for fresh produce to keep your nutrition in check throughout the week!

Progress of our garden so far:

10 bales for the garden

Bales layout with tarp to keep weeds out

Rooster planting with me. The soaker hose in place for easy water

All planted. Now the waiting begins.

Getting Fit With Nutrition

Nutrition is one of my weakest link when it comes to getting fit. What you put into your body is just as important as how you exercise. The two go hand and hand.  I have slowly learned the hardway of staying hydrated and fueled during my races as I have met a few paramedics at the end of races because of my poor fueling during the race. Making healthy nutritional choices is important everyday - just not for race day. I am fortunate, though, I found a running buddy that is all into nutrition. She keeps me up-to-date on healthy eating and I help her with her running - which is new for her.

Like I mentioned above, I have lots to learn still about nutrition, but fortunately, there is lots of information out there for everyone to read and trained nutritionist who are eager to help.  Here are a few of my favorite cookbooks,websites, and nutrition books to get you started:

• Cooking more at home. A new favorite cookbook - America's Test Kitchen Family Healthy Cookbook gives ideas on how to make healthy meals and a good one for beginning cooks - not necessary fast meals though.
• Freezer Cooking - Make double batches of freezable food such as taco meat or lasagnas. Freeze the other half to eat at another time - then you are not cooking all the time. I like Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer Cookbook.
• Check out the 100 Days of Real Food for suggestions on slowly changing the way you eat into more whole foods instead of processed foods.
• I am slowly working my way through Nancy Clarks' Sports Nutrition Guidebook. Amazon describes this book "will help you make the right food choices in grocery stores, restaurants, drive-throughs, and your own kitchen."

Also check out this FREE nutrition class offered at Ujima Neighborhood Place Conference Room beginning this Thursday, Jan. 16.