County Fair Time!

I don't know about you, but I LOVE the fair!  I love everything about going to a county fair -- the games, the people, the food, the crafts!  What's crazy is it never ever dawned on me that I could enter something IN the fair.  Seriously...  not a clue! 

So, this crazy thought took seed a few weeks back when I shared a jar of our homemade preserves with a neighbor.  She asked if we had saved a jar for the fair.  I must have looked confused because she said that food preservation is a category anyone could enter.  I said, no way!  And off I went to research. 

Turns out we have a whole lot of fun things we can enter in the fair.  The kids had some awesome artwork come home from school this year, Holly had a few Girl Scout projects, and they did the canning of the jam and apple butter.  Go figure, we can and will enter the fair this year! 

Of course, it helps that the Thurston County Fair is being held the week right before Ronnie is due home.  Every little bit is helping to distract us...  Only two-ish more weeks.  *sigh!


UPDATE (7/27):  Here's a picture of our entries!!!  Artwork, Girl Scout badgework, and preserves.  Wish them luck.  We're going to check in on them the day after Ronnie gets home.

How Does Your Garden Grow (v.2)?

It's time, it's time!!!!   The sun is warm and bright.  And the garden is calling my name!

Planting got underway a few weeks earlier than last year. We've planted sugar snap peas, broccoli, bell peppers, and squash starts and tomatillo, cucumber, green beans, carrots, and lettuce seeds.  Of course, we also celebrated with a run through the sprinklers.  Em even joined in on the fun!!! 

 

All in all, we had a great weekend!  We helped a friend, saw Em, played outside, had fellowship with the women from church, and ate dinner on the patio.  Aaaaaahhh! Spring in the PNW -- more than makes up for the grey winter.

Wild Thorn Berries

Last year when we visited our next home, Ronnie commented that there seemed to be a lot of bramble bushes around.  I corrected him and told him they were wild blackberry bushes.  Needless to say, he's been "waiting patiently" for the berries to ripen this year.  Every day, I would get a report on how the bushes were busting with green berries, where the best patches were, etc.  After his run today, he announced that it was time to pick some berries. 

After dinner tonight, he and the girls headed down the street with buckets in hand, ready to harvest. 

 

They came back with a good bit of berries.  We sorted them, put some in the fridge for eating, Ronnie made some freezer jam, and put the rest up in the freezer for later.

Garden Update

Summer is in full swing around these parts.  And we are enjoying our backyard garden!   Here's what it looked like this morning... and our little harvest of cucumbers and carrots! 

The South's Gonna Do It Up Right, Now

Safe to say, but summer is HERE!  We have had nothing but beautiful weather the last month or so.  Every year, our neighborhood has an annual barbecue. 

Why they call it a barbecue up in these parts, I have no idea.  If you're only cooking hamburgers and hotdogs, it is NOT a barbecue.  Okay? Okay!  Getting off my soapbox now.

So word hit us that this was going to happen, and, of course, Ronnie JUMPED at the chance to dust off his smoker.  You see, it's been more than a month of Sundays since we had eaten decent barbecue.  We told the neighborhood that we would take care of the meat if they took care of the fixins. 

As usual, smoking starts in the wee hours of the morning.  By the time the girls and I rolled out of bed this morning, Ronnie had been up for several hours making sure the temp stayed right.  After church, I started up the beans and slaw and tea.  Finally, it was time! 

 

Oooooo, don't they look pretty?!?!

 Who doesn't have a trampoline in their garage?

 

Of course, doin' it up right also included breaking out the 'shine.  My dad had sent a full Mason jar of it home with Ronnie last time we visited Florida.  We made some cherry hooch and it was just right for breaking out with dessert.   

 



52-Week Challenge: Week 26

This week's challenge is another food/diet related topic:  Eat more seafood.  The specific change is to eat two servings per week of 3 to 3 1/2 ounces of seafood.  If you love seafood, like we do in our house, this will be a welcome challenge to indulge.  However, if you don't like seafood then it will reuire some work.  Besides being an excellent source of protein, fish is high in critical fatty accids and rich in vitamins and minerals.  The author also included this fun fact:

"Did you know that studies involoving hundreds of thousands of participants indicate that eating approximately one to two 3-ounce servings of fatty fish a week reduces the risk of death from heart disease by 36 percent?" 

Yep - Excellent stat.  So let's talk about the types of seafood we should be eating and ones to avoid. 

First things first: What seafood is "safe" to eat?  Techically, this should say all.  However, we haven't been good stewards of our environment and there are some species of fish and shellfish that have absorbed high levels of mercury and PCBs.  And yes, that's a bad thing.  What can you do about this...  well, the EPA and FDA have advisories about fish in general as well as specific information for fish in your area.  I included a link below for you.

The next thing to consider is sustainability.  The sad thing is many species are being overfished and therefore are in danger. Luckily for us, Monterray Bay Aquarium has implemented a program called Seafood Watch.  Lots of information on sustainable seafood choices, current threats, and yummy recipes.  I've included a link about that as well.

So there you go, eat more fish/seafood and enjoy!  I know I will be enjoying this "twist" of my arm. 

Other Resources:
Mercury in seafood: http://www.epa.gov/hg/advisories.htm

Seafood Watch: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Cha"nges-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

The First Harvest (of sorts)

We have successfully grown a strawberry! 

Yep, that tiny little bugger was just itchin' to get picked by my resident strawberry eater. Unfortunately, the strawberry crop is going to be small this year.  But that's okay, we sure will enjoy what we get. 

52-Week Challenge - Week 24

Alright, week 24 already?  Where has this year gone?  Anyway, this week's focus is on portion control.  Have you noticed how large sizes are now?  Unfortunately for us, these larger sizes are now the normal serving size.  This has lead to the assumption that a Coke is 12 or 20 ounces, rather than 8 ounces like the nutrition panel suggests.  When was the last time you measured how much pasta you put on your plate? 

It's also lead to the expanding waistbands we see.  And it needs to stop.  Well, coupling the techniques we learned back in reading the nutrition panel, it's time to be sure we are eating the serving that is listed on that panel. 

Okay to do this, the author gives some visuals to help you get a realistic view on what the portion should be.  I included a link below for you.  I will also recommend that you break out your measuring cups and spoons when eating at home.  


Other Resources:

WebMD pocket portion control: http://www.webmd.com/diet/printable/wallet-portion-control-size-guide

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

52-Week Challenge - Week 22

How did going organic, or closer to the source, go for you?  I went ahead and took a pic of our basket we got on Saturday from Bountiful Baskets.

Here's what I got for my $15 contribution: a bunch of bananas, 9 peaches, 2 pints of blackberries (I traded my 6 tomatoes for another pint), a cantaloupe, 4 navel oranges, 18 apples, 5 carrots, a head of romaine, 2 yellow bell peppers, and 8 ears of corn.  The furthest anything had to travel was from central Mexico (bananas) - everything else is from California or closer. 

I also wanted to share these with you:

These are my strawberries and my garden plot in the backyard.  We have carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, watermelon, and green beans planted in the raised beds.  I also have green onions, pumpkins, and chamomile planted elsewhere in the yard.  Hopefully soon, we'll have a garden bounty! 

Again, it's just something to think about...   Buying local is a great way to support the economy in your neighborhood, reduce your carbon footprint, and best of all eat fresh.  So, what can you do to get closer to your fruit and vegetable source?

Building on that theme brings us to this week's challenge: Downshift Your Dairy.  The idea this week is to consume lower fat dairy, as you will reduce the amount of saturated fat you consume if you switch.  According to the Dairy Council of California, whole milk contains 146 calories per cup and 7.9 grams of fat. Two percent milk is a reduced-fat product containing 122 calories and 4.8 grams of fat per cup. Skim milk is also known as nonfat milk and provides 86 calories and less than 1 gram of fat in each one cup serving.  The same research can be done on cheese and yogurt.  

We already consume lower fat milk products in our home.  I drink 1% milk, the girls and Ronnie drink 2%, with the occasional splurge on raw milk for Ronnie.  We eat non-fat or 2% yogurt and reduced fat cheese.  Here's my twist on this week: how wholesome is your dairy?   Are you consuming cheese or processed-cheese products?  What is in that yogurt you're eating?  How local is your milk?   

Again, tune in next week for what the Oliver clan does.... and I have an interesting anecdote to share with all y'all about cheese products.

Other Resources:

Read more about milk: http://www.livestrong.com/article/552990-what-are-the-advantages-of-milk-the-differences-in-whole-milk-vs-skim-milk-vs-2-percent-milk/#ixzz1wNHSnxIl

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

52-Week Challenge - Week 21

Happy healthy living everyone!  So, did you figure out your purpose in life last week?  I'm going to tell you - it's not something you can figure out in a day or a week.  Finding your purpose is a continuous process of evaluating and reevaluating your life and it can only be done if you really truly know yourself.   Here's what I know:  I have found that you will feel the most fulfilled when you are allowing yourself to serve God and others.  I have found that if you discover that one special gift that He gave you and use it to help your family, friends, and neighbors you will burn with desire to do it again and again and again.  And it is something that I am still working on. 

I am so very luck that I know what my passion is - I discovered it along the way and it wasn't a big AHA! moment for me.  One day after reading Good to Great I went, "Hmmmm, that is what makes my little light inside burn bright isn't it? Go figure!"  I am so thankful for being blessed with it because it brings so much joy in my life and the lives of others.  But there is a selfish part to me that wants to only keep it to myself and use it to further my life.  And that is not what He intended.  Again, I'm working on it but am getting better and better everyday.  My final thought is if you didn't get far with last week's challenge, keep working at it.  God has given you a special gift, but it is up to you to figure out what He gave you and then use it to glorify Him. 

This week's challenge is something near and dear to my heart - Go Organic. First let's clear things up: in order to be certified organic, a product must undergo a certification process that generally involves a set of production standards for growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping that include:

• no human sewage sludge fertilizer used in cultivation of plants or feed of animals
• avoidance of synthetic chemical inputs not on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, etc.), genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and the use of biosolids;
• use of farmland that has been free from prohibited synthetic chemicals for a number of years (often, three or more);
• keeping detailed written production and sales records (audit trail);
• maintaining strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products;
• undergoing periodic on-site inspections.

There is a lot of research out there on the pros/cons of organic foods and I'm sure that this isn't the first place you have read about the benefits of organic foods.  But there is a bigger reason why "organically" grown foods can be better for your health - they are grown closer to the way they should be. 

I don't eat organics all the time, and I won't practice this challenge the way the author indended.  However, what we will and already do in our family is eat seasonably grown vegetables available from a "close" source.  The way we do this is by participating in a CSA and frequent a local farmer stand. 

This week, I encourage you to think twice about that apple or corn you are picking up.  Think about how far it had to travel to get to you.  Is it from the other side of the country?  What is the carbon-footprint?  Is there a better locally-sourced alternative?  With the farmer's markets in full swing, it's worth thinking about...  And something we did a lot of thinking about when we were in Korea and drinking ultra-pasturized milk that had a half-life for shelf-life yet the yogurt might be spoiled and the Thanksgiving turkeys showed up in October.  *shudder*   Of course, you could also focus on adding more organics to your diet by focusing on the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15.  Either way, do some research on organic foods and local food sourcing.  I promise, it is some of the best thinking you can do all day. 

Other Resources:


Dirty Dozen:  http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/dirty-dozen-foods

Clean 15:  http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Save-on-Sustainable-Gallery-44032808

Bountiful Baskets (CSA):  http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/

CSA Finder: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Pick Your Own: http://www.pickyourown.org/

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I'm so excited to have raised beds in our backyard.  It's just one of the many, MANY reasons I love this house.  The girls and I have decided to plant carrots, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, and watermelon.  Now,  this is in addition to the strawberries we have in a container, the chamomile we started a few weeks ago, and all of the other berry bushes and fruit trees that were already in the yard. 

 And Ronnie was awesome - he went ahead and bought a tiller attachment for his Ryobi.  The girls were a big help in turning the garden over and amending the soil. So this is what we have so far:

Of course, we will have to see how this experiment holds up....  

52-Week Challenge: Weeks 19 & 20

I hope you will forgive me for not posting last week.  I am finishing up this term and was working on my term paper.  Luckily, weeks 19 and 20 can be done in tandem. 

First, how was getting more exercise in your life?  Did anyone try anything new?   I thought this would be a good time to add that I absolutely LOVE my new running shoes.  I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago that I had switched to a pair of minimal shoes.  I haven't had a bit of problems running in them at all.  So much so that Ronnie questioned if my feet were hurting after my runs; when I told him no, he was surprised.  Then again, I'm not going very far or very fast (my run pace is about a 9:30 mile).  I also don't wear shoes unless I'm going somewhere, so I walk around barefoot most hours of the day.  I seriously love these shoes and am so glad I made the switch. 

On to the next two focuses.  First up: eat more fruit.  The challenge is to eat two to four servings of whole fruit per day.  There are so many good things fruit provides us and our bodies.  But the big thing is that fruit is a natural sugar craving killer.  I have been working to reduce my sugar consumption and fruit has played a large part in that for me. 

Finding fresh fruit right now isn't going to be a challenge because spring is upon us.  Have you seen all the strawberries in the markets?  It's also close to blueberry season!  Try adding strawberries to your cereal in the morning.  Pick up an apple on your way out the door to munch on while driving.  Blend up a fruit smoothie at night for dessert.  Replace that glass of juice with a piece of fruit instead.

While eating the fruit, you can ponder the next challenge... and the author has a doozy of one for us.  The focus is to ind your purpose in life and live it every day.  Oh my!  Now this is more than just a what do you want to be when you grow up exercise.  This is truly connecting with your calling.  Now, the author gives all sorts of advice on how to do this: start a journey of self discovery through reflection, writing a personal mission statement, and then putting that plan into action and living it everyday. 

I walked through an exercise similar to this a few years back.  There are some pretty fantastic business books out there that are as applicable to personal development as they are to professional development.  Good to Great, First, Break All the Rules and its follow up Now, Discover Your Strengths, and The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership are all fantastic business books that can be easily applied to your personal life.  For example in Good to Great, Jim Collins discusses finding the one thing that your company is good at and can do better than anyone else out there.  He argues that businesses become great when they figure out that one thing and then build everything around excelling in that one area.  What about FISH!, where even the fishmongers in Seattle have a fantastic time working in less than fantastic working conditions.  My point is you don't have to read a new-age book from the self-discovery aisle in B&N, as there may be a more applicable book for your life in the business aisle. 

So that's it for this week: eat more fruit and start to figure out what your passion in life is. Easy right?  I'll share my thoughts on passion and drive with you next week....  don't want to give you too many leading statements now.

Other resources:

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

52-Week Challenge - Week 17

How many got their giggles in last week?  I sure did.  Even though it was mid-terms (which were not fun by any stretch of the meaning), I made sure that I slowed down and enjoyed life with my girls.  And if you have ever seen the Oliver girls in action, you know exactly why I had some good laughs.  I had Holly tell me some jokes, which she is HORRIBLE at telling jokes, so it's even funnier.  I had a tickle fight with Sarah, who has one of the best giggles around.  I had a Bunco night with some new friends on Friday.  And we spent the entire day on Saturday at the fair.  Yep, I had a pretty good week last week just enjoying life (except for those midterms  *shudder*). 

Looking at week 17, our focus is back on food and the consumption of food.  First, let's look back at what the challenges have been surrounding food thus far:  remember we had a challenge where we needed to journal our food, get in lots of fruits and veggies, eat a balanced breakfast, and focus on whole grains.  This week's challenge will draw on what you learned from those challenges. 

The focus this week: Eat 5-6 squares per day.  The main idea here is that you should never allow your body to be ravenously hungry, as this will cause your metabolism to slow down, your blood sugar to plunge, and may lead to overeating.  We've all been there -- about to gnaw our left arm off because we didn't plan a snack or ate a "light lunch."  Try to push yourself to keeping to a schedule.   Breakfast in the morning, light snack mid-morning, lunch, light snack in the afternoon, then dinner.  Simple right?  No it's easier said than done if you already are not on this type of pattern. 

Luckily, I am...  I typically eat breakfast by 8:30 am.  Normally I am at the gym 3 days a week (about to be 5), so I plan a small snack for right after my workout (string cheese, almonds, a banana).  I eat lunch around 12:30.  Have another small snack around 3:30-4 pm (typically fruit or cut veggies).  Then we eat dinner at 6 pm.  Of course, I also have a little something sweet around 8:30/9 pm, unless I had a beer or glass of wine.     I find that if I stick with this type of schedule, my calorie intake per day is lower and I am less likely to be picking at dinner while I'm cooking. 

Now, this type of eating doesn't work for everyone and how their metabolism works.  Ronnie cannot do it - he's a 3-squares kind of guy.  But, he sees how not having the snacks in between turns the kids in to cranky monsters (yes, just the kids, not me).   So my idea for all of you this week is to listen to your body...  try out the snack and see if it works for you.  Maybe it's you hold on to the apple you packed to eat with lunch for a little later in the afternoon (or pack another one).   But if you can't snack (like Ronnie can't), then don't - keeping a 5-6 eating pattern can lead to overeating and increased calorie intake. 

Other resources:

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

52-Week Challenge: Week 15

Did you take a step or two to go greener in your homes/lives?  I bought myself some new microfiber cleaning cloths (found them at the commissary for $5) and made sure all my wool dryer balls were in the dryer.  Really cut down on the drying time for my heavy blankets I washed last week.  My friend Jenn had a really good pointer on her blog (you are reading her stuff too, right?).  She suggested to start looking for the certified eco-friendly labels from EcoLogo or Green Seal.  Too smart - and such an easy trick to remember for while you are out shopping.

This week's focus is on eating more whole grains and aiming for three or more servings per day.  So much of our modern foods have the nutrition processed right out of them, in the form of using non-whole grains.  Refined grains only have one part of the grain in them, whereas a whole grain also includes the bran and the germ which is where the anti-oxidants, fiber, and vitamins are found.

Again, this is where reading the label and the box will come in handy.  There is a handy dandy little seal that you will find on products that have 8 g or more of whole grains in them:

How neat is that?    There are tons of ideas out on the internet on how to integrate whole grains into your diet - actually, this month's Cooking Light "12 Healthy Habits" challenge is all about whole grains. 

Other resources:

Cooking Light "12 Healthy Habits": http://www.cookinglight.com/healthy-living/healthy-habits/what-are-whole-grains-00412000070590/

Mayo Clinic - Whole Grains: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-grains/NU00204

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

52-Week Challenge: Week 13

A quarter of the way through the year.  Can you believe it?  I can't believe it'll be April on Sunday.  Wow! 

This week's challenge is "Eat Your Wheaties."  I promise the whole thing about eating a healthy breakfast in the morning is not underwritten by the egg producers.  There is actual science that backs up the importance of eating breakfast in the morning.   Studies show that people who eat breakfast have more energy, better cognitive function and memory, and a lower BMI than those who skip breakfast.  Eating breakfast increases your metabolic speed.  Further, eating a well-balanced breakfast is instrumental in stabilizing blood sugar and combating fatigue.  More importantly, individuals who regularly skip breakfast have 4.5 times greater risk of becoming obese.  *shudder*.

Confession time.  I think everyone realizes that I am NOT a morning person.  I go straight for the coffee and don't think about eating breakfast until the fog lifts, which is normally around 9:30 or later.   I have an early morning exercise class twice a week and I do eat on those days before I leave the house.  But other days, like this morning, it didn't occur to me to eat until 10:15.  I have been trying to do better, so this challenge couldn't come at a better time. 

The key to a good breakfast is that it is well rounded; I don't have any problems there.  Ideally, you would like a lean protein coupled with high-fiber carbs.  My exercise morning breakfast is a piece of whole wheat toast topped with 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter and banana slices, then I eat the rest of the banana on the side.  My non-exercise days, I normally go for Greek yogurt and a piece of fruit.  I also stock eggs, grits, oatmeal, and lots of fresh fruit.

Yes, Greek yogurt - it's all kinds of yumminess.  I prefer the Chobani brand and my favorite flavors are mango, pineapple, pomegranate, and lemon (try the lemon with some graham crackers - YUM MO!)  I also have the plain fat-free Greek yogurt in my fridge and I just found out that you can add one of those on-the-go flavorings for water to 3/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt (or plain regular) and you have insta-flavor!   

Obviously my problem isn't having something to eat, it's the remembering to eat it.  This week, I will focus on eating my breakfast at the same time that I eat on my workout days (around 8am).  It's going to be tough, but I'm putting a sticky note by the coffee cups to remind me ;)

So, eat your breakfast - get a great start to the day!

Other resources:

Healthy breakfast ideas: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/healthy-meals/breakfast-to-go-10000001047596/index.html

And another: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/quick-breakfast-recipes-00412000070253/

Make-ahead frozen breakfast recipes: http://busycooks.about.com/od/breakfastmenus/a/Make-Ahead-Frozen-Breakfast-Recipes.htm
The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

52-Week Challenge: Week 11

Week ten has come and gone...  Are you feeling more flexible?  I rather enjoyed last week's challenge and had fun doing a good stretch on my "off" gym days.  Especially because I increased my weight during my Body Pump class.  Streching has so many benefits not just physically but mentally.  I mean really, who doesn't feel good after they've had a good cat-like stretch? 

I'm looking forward to week 11 because it's another "hey, I already do that" challenge.  The focus of week 11 is reading the nutrition panel. The nutrition panel is mandated by the Food and Drug Administration and is there to help us "know" what is in our foods.

Back to the book, the author really breaks down what is on the panel and walks the reader through how to read it.  Being that I have been paying very close attention to nutrition panels for some time now, I got this in the bag.  I'll save my soapbox lecture for next week....  

So, challenge, read the panel...  pay attention to serving sizes, fat % per serving, and added sugars.  Read the ingredient list, it's listed by weight and tells you EXACTLY what is in the food you are about to eat.  I've included some links below to help you determine where your daily intakes should be and how to read a panel if you are new to this. 

So grab a box out of your pantry and read up...  it's pretty interesting what you'll find when you do.


Other resources:

Interactive Guide to Nutrition Facts: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-facts/NU00293

If you really, really want to get into the weeds, here are the current Dietary Guidelines.  See Appendix 5 and 6 for the breakdown by age and gender: http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2010/DietaryGuidelines2010.pdf


The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

52-Week Challenge: Week Eight

Can you believe we're in week eight already? I certainly can't.

So how did getting your shoes off in the house go? Again, we're already really good at it. We were in Florida for the challenge and out of our normal routine, yet I noticed we all took our shoes off at the door. Amazing what a habit it has become.

We're heading back to WA tomorrow, so on my clean list this week is to get in the mud room and organize it a bit. I need to go through the girls' shoes and get the worn out/grown out ones out to the donation/trash bin. I also need to have the carpets cleaned in the next few weeks. I normally do it April and October to keep things looking fresh in the house.

On to week eight: Eat your veggies!

The challenge it to ensure you are eating 4-6 servings of veg per day. And not just any vegetables will do, fibrous vegetables are what we're looking for here. Although starchy vegetables are still vegetables, most of them lack the powerhouse punch that the fibrous vegetables have. Starchy veggies tend to be higher in calories and are digested more quickly than their fibrous cousins.

We already eat a lot of fruits and vegetables in our house, but looking back over my food journal (remember that challenge), I'm really not focusing on eating the vegetables I need to be eating. That will start to change when we get back to our home. Here's my game plan for the week:

1. Experiment: Try a new vegetable every week. This one will be a bit hard for me because I've pretty much tried everything available I can think of. Sounds like the perfect excuse for a farmer's market trip to me.

2. Snacks: Have pre-cut veggies on hand. I'm really good about stocking the fruit bowl with apples, oranges, and bananas, but haven't done so good keeping the fridge stocked with grab and go veggies. Good veggies for snacks are those that hold their crispness and include cherry tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, carrots, and celery.

3. Find Alternatives When Necessary: fresh is best, but frozen is good when it's not in season. Man I'm in trouble on this one. I am queen of the canned veggies because they are just sooooo easy to fix. Over the next few weeks, we'll be eating down our pantry and I will be replacing the canned with self-prepared frozen veggies. I've already started on this when I found green beans, spinach, and yellow squash on sale and in season. I'll continue this as good veggies become available through our co-op, farmer's market, and even our own garden.


Okay, so that's it... 4 - 6 1/2 cup servings of veggies per day (up that to a full cup if it's a leafy vegetable).    Try a CSA, visit a farmer's market, or just take stock of what you have at your local grocery store.  You'll be glad you did!

Other resources:

Adding more vegetables: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet2AddMoreVegetables.pdf

More Matters!: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/

The book we're following: http://www.amazon.com/52-Small-Changes-Healthier-ebook/dp/B0056J4ER0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325722556&sr=1-1

Jenn's blog: http://thewoogies.blogspot.com/search/label/52%20Small%20Changes

Sweet Or range Mar mal ade!!!!

That one is for you, Kim G.  :)

About a week or so ago, I bought a box of oranges from our Bountiful Baskets CSA.  Ronnie brought them home and then proceeded to needle me about my plans for the 35+ pounds of oranges we now had in the fridge.   I looked at him and said I was going to make some orange marmalade.  But first I needed to learn how to can. 

A few days ago I made some apple butter and tried out my hand at canning.  I did all the research I could about how to can. What I found is if you can boil water, you can preserve food.   The apple butter I made was really yummy.  Then I went one step further and put them in the water bath, just like my Southern Living cookbook and Ball handbook told me too.  To my surprise, all four half-pints sealed up nicely. Score one for the novice. 

With my confidence built, I set about looking for the right orange marmalade recipe.  There are so many out there but they are all just a little different.  Some use pectin, some don't; some want you to use a candy thermometer, others just want you to look and watch; some are all orange recipes, others mix citrus.  I settled on the recipe from the Southern Living cookbook using a technique I found on the internet.  Then it was just on to finding time. 

Well, we're in Snowmageddon, Ronnie is home from work, and cooking oranges makes the house smell divine so is there a better time than now?  We peeled, sliced, diced, cooked, strained, and boiled our way to success so far as we can tell.  We can't declare victory just yet because it takes a while for marmalade to set up, a minimum of two weeks so far as I can tell from my research.  But it sure was tasty - tangy and a bit sweet.  Just like we like it!  

Bubbling away (left), cooling after processing (right - my apple butter is there too)

 
Next was to fill and process the jars.  We had enough for four half-pints plus a bit for the fridge.  We put them in the canner and all but one sealed up.  No big deal, we just stuck it in the fridge. 

Making marmalade does require using some of the peels, but not all.  So, we made orange peel candy out of the rest of the peels.  The girls helped chop up the peels and in no time we had a tasty treat for our pantry as well as some orange-infused simple syrup. 

 

Tasty byproducts 

All in all it was a successful morning!  And we have some spreadable sunshine waiting for us in our pantry.  I just have to be patient enough to let it gel. 


More info on making your own:

Orange/Citrus Marmalade recipe:  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-citrus-marmalade-50400000109479/  

Orange Peel Candy:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/candied-orange-recipe/index.html

USDA site for canning:  http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html

Overflowing Baskets

A few months ago, my friend Nicole posted about Bountiful Baskets, a wonderful food co-op she had been participating in down in AZ.  Curiosity set me on the path to find out if something similar was available in WA... and to my great excitement it was. 

Fresh produce was a luxury in Korea... if you bought from the commissary, then the odds of it not wilting or rotting within a day were slim to none. We opted to purchase from the 4-9 market, but you can't get everything you want or need from there.  So what's a girl to do?  Unfortunately it was on to frozen and canned foods for almost two years and day of trips to the commissary to ensure the produce wouldn't go to waste.  Once we moved to WA, Ronnie and I vowed to buy the freshest produce by taking advantage of the farmer's markets, food co-ops/CSAs, and even planing our own salad garden in the spring. 

We started participating in Bountiful Baskets a few weeks ago.  They are an all volunteer group that pools the money received to buy fresh fruits and veggies in bulk.  You are guaranteed to receive 50% fruit and 50% veggies for your donation of $15 per week.  I wanted to share what all we are getting for our $15 and, more importantly, what we are doing with it.  Here is our basket for this past weekend:

The picture on the left is what Ronnie brought home from the pickup; on the right is it all organized.  We received grapes, blackberries, bananas, apples, persimmons, oroblancos, and kiwi for fruit.  We got celery squash, onion, sweet potatoes, and baking potatoes for our veggies.  And yes, all this for $15...  and having to get out of bed at 6:45 am on a Saturday. 

Now with all this wonderful food filling our pantry, we turn around and meal plan for the week.  That way, we all have a plan and I don't have anything spoil from my box.  What I do is put the weekly menu on little slips of paper and place them in a "draw" bag that the kids draw from in the morning. 

1. Chicken Parmesan with salad - I had leftover salad fixings from last week's basket.


2. Corned beef and cabbage with boiled potatoes - again, leftover cabbage from last week's basket and using some of the potatoes from this week's basket.

3. Cheesy chicken casserole and green beans - a kid favorite.  Here's the recipe if you are so inclined: http://www.food.com/recipe/weight-watchers-chicken-and-cheese-casserole-158634

It's a WW one ;) I normally use a can of cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom vs both being mushroom. Then again, I've also used a can of cheddar cheese soup too. It's really good and simple. Oh, and it freezes AWESOME!

4. Sweet potatoes and chili beans - This is a fantastic recipe from The Sprouted Kitchen.  http://sproutedkitchen.com/?p=3451  I add a pound of ground beef to the chili beans for Ronnie.

5. Roast chicken, squash casserole, and mashed potatoes - From this week's basket. 

6. LEFTOVER NIGHT!!!!!

7. Pizza night if the kids earned it. If not, there will be a second leftover night.

We use the fruits for snacks and desserts.  We made a wonderful pear and blackberry cobbler for dessert one night and an apple crisp another night. 

So far, this has really been working for us.  We hardly have any wasted food, are eating very healthy and fresh food, and the kids LOVE the draw bag.

Apples and Oranges

It's been 5 days since Ash Wednesday.  I'm getting the hang of reading every.single.nutrition.label.  I'm sure ya'll know this, but do you know how many items HFCS is in?  And not just the sweet stuff either; I've found it in salad dressing, ketchup, and granola bars.

While doing my Saturday morning clean out the fridge routine, I found some soft apples in the bottom of our veggie drawer.  Yeah, I don't know about you, but I like really crisp apples when I eat them.  Then I remembered the Mott's that was in the picture.  Lightbulb - I made some fresh applesauce.   A few years ago I made homemade apple butter so making this was a few less steps. 

The Pick Your Own Cooperative is a wonderful group dedicated to bringing farms and people closer together.  And they have some pretty fantastic recipes.  Here is the one I loosely followed (more for pointers than anything else):  http://www.pickyourown.org/applesaucewomill.htm

And, no I do not have a food mill, I used my rusty trusty immersion blender. 

First step, wash, peel, core and chop the apples. 

Throw them in a pot with about an inch of water.  Bring to boil and simmer until your apples are soft. 

Once they are cooked down, you can follow the food mill suggestions on the site, or you can use your food processer, immersion blender, or even a potato masher to make your applesauce.  Yep, that's it... 

My three medium sized apples made 2 1/2 cups of applesauce!  I've decided to divide it and freeze some for a rainy day.

Now, to turn the applesauce to apple butter, put the pureed apples back into the pot and sprinkle in some cinnamon (I also like to put a sprinkle of nutmeg and cloves in mine).  Cook the pureed apples for about 30 more minutes.  Then put it back into the food processor and puree until smooth.  Or you could follow the directions here...  I just love they have pictures step by step : (http://www.pickyourown.org/applebutter.htm)

Enjoy!