Daily Menu for July 31

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***

I used my new pressure cooker yesterday to prepare tasty heirloom dry beans from Phipps Country Store, and wow am I impressed! From unsoaked dry beans to tender and evenly cooked in under 30 minutes! And SO easy. The model I bought is electric and programmable, so I just put the food inside, lock the lid, set the pressure and timer, and it shuts itself off when it's done. It has several safety releases, so I won't have a ceiling full of beans from a clogged vent.

This is definitely going to make it easier to make dry beans more frequently, since I often forget to soak them in advance. I'm going to make split pea soup with ham in it tonight. The recipe says it will be ready again in 30 minutes, whereas my regular recipe takes almost 2 hours. Why does Rachael Ray, queen of 30 minute meals, not use a pressure cooker?

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
2 c. milk
about 3 c. cantaloupe - could have stopped at two but it was really good! - from Full Belly

Lunch
Jacob's Cattle beans and rice
apple from a neighbor's tree

Dinner
Split pea soup with ham from TLC Ranch
Polenta corn cakes - corn from Full Belly
String beans - from Full Belly

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 20 (I ate dark chocolate for 5 Points yesterday)
Activity points today: 0
Activity points this week: 3

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - polenta in tamale pie, brown rice, corn cakes
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes (beans, ham)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Daily Menu for July 30

My pants have been hanging from me with inches to spare for the past few weeks and fell off the other day (luckily I was at home!), so was time to buy new ones. I tried on several sizes and ended up with jeans two sizes smaller than the ones I'd been wearing! I can't look in the mirror and see the loss yet, but fitting into those smaller jeans showed me yet again that it's working.

***

I was pointed to the Meatless Monday website. From their site:

Our goal -- consistent with recommendations made by the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, the US Dept. of Agriculture, and the American Heart Association -- is to help Americans reduce consumption of saturated fat 15% by 2010. That works out to eliminating saturated fat one day a week.

The idea isn't to encourage vegetarianism (although that is a good choice for many people) but to encourage people to make more healthy choices, including eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy. While we already have meatless meals many times each week, and what meat we do eat is locally, organically grown on pastures and naturally lower in saturated fats, I thought it was a great idea.

In addition to the health benefits, there are environmental benefits of taking a break from meat once a week. Click here to find out how damaging industrial meat is to the environment, the workers, and your health. Even limiting your meat consumption one day a week can have a significant impact on your carbon footprint, in addition to helping to lower your cholesterol and exposure to antibiotics and hormones.



***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
Apple from a neighborhood tree
2 c. fat free milk (Clover)

Lunch
Lentil tamale pie (this really is the last of it!!)
Tomato-basil salad, with both tomatoes and basil from Full Belly

Dinner
Jacob's Cattle bean soup, with beans from Phipps Country Store
Brown rice
Asparagus from the Palo Alto Farmer's Market (I didn't get the vendor's name)

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 25 (I ate about 10 points of nachos last night)
Activity points today: 0
Activity points this week: 3

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - polenta in tamale pie, brown rice, corn cakes
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes (lentils, fish)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Snapper Veracruz recipe

This was SO good, and very easy. I'll definitely make it again.

Snapper Veracruz
Serves 4

4 snapper fillets
1 t. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, minced
1/2 red onion, cut into very thin slices
1/2 bell pepper, any color, cut into very thin slices
1/4 cup sliced green olives
2 T capers
1 cup diced tomatoes
4 T Sherry
1 cup tomato juice
4 T chopped cilantro
juice of one lime
salt and pepper

Broil the snapper until it is opaque and flakes with a fork, about 8-12 minutes depending on thickness.

Saute the garlic, jalapeno, onion, and bell pepper in the olive oil. When translucent, add olives, capers, tomatoes, sherry, and tomato juice. Bring to a boil, stir together well, and simmer until all the vegetables are soft and flavors combined, about 5 minutes. Add lime juice, fresh cilantro and salt and pepper.

I flaked the snapper in a bowl and poured the sauce over it, since the sauce is juicy and I didn't want to lose the juice. It is tangy and salty in just the right combination and the polenta-corn cakes soaked up the juice to make a really wonderful meal. It would be very good served over any whole grain, like brown rice or bulgur.

Edible Landscape Review and Daily Menu for July 29

Squash in boxes, an attempt to deter squirrels

Artichoke flower

Neighborhood composting program - what a great idea!

Espaliered pears - each branch is a different variety, so the tree bears bartletts, boscs, and more.

We took the Edible Landscaping Tour around gardens in Palo Alto yesterday, sponsored by Common Ground and Valley of Heart's Delight. These gardens were amazing and inspiring! Some were lush, extravagent, and tended by full time gardeners; others were hobby gardens with such fun additions as a duck pond, chickens, and bees. All of them provided such gorgeous organic fruits and vegetables and I appreciated the opportunity to see the variety. A big thanks to all of the gardeners who gave us a chance to be voyeurs in their yards.

The highlights for me were varieties I'd never seen growing. At Gary and Carmen Bacon's home, I saw asparagus out to seed for the first time, and the feathery plant bore so little resemblence to the asparagus I buy that I wouldn't have recognized it. Gary showed me his tomatillo plants as well. Tomatillos are ready when their shells fill out; before they're ready, they're like papery balloons awaiting fruit. The Bacons also had the largest sunflower I've ever seen!

Deborah Rose showed us her new espaliered apple tree, an heirloom variety called Ashmead's Kernal that was popular in England in the 1700s. She is also growing muskat grapes, a variety difficult to find for the table because they're so commonly used for wine. Bob Niederman's artichoke is pictured above. His is truly an edible landscape with just a small no-mow lawn tall fescue, I believe - it looks wavy and rather ocean-like, and was much softer than our prickly, mowing required lawn!

Christel Casjens and Susan Osofski have a forest-like yard, growing mushrooms on oak logs, under a big shady tree. They also offer the neighborhood composting program, pictured above. Daniel Steinberg's deep lot houses at least 20 trees, including citrus, apples, cherries, figs, peaches, pears, plums, pluots, and nectarines, and he produced the sweetest plum I've ever tasted, a variety called Howard Miracle.

The most manicured garden belongs to Marva and John Warnock, and it is amazing. The espaliered pear tree and scarecrow with squash boxes pictured above is from this garden. They had a variety of produce growing in raised beds around a gazebo, which must be a wonderful place to relax.

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
about a cup of plain, fat free Wallaby yogurt (made in Napa)
peach from Full Belly Farm
strawberries from Green Oaks Creek Farm and Retreat

Lunch
More lentil tamale - I think we'll finish the pan of it today!
Milk

Dinner
Snapper Veracruz, with fish from Pietro at the Farmer's Market and heirloom tomatoes from Full Belly Farm
Polenta corn cakes with corn from Full Belly Farm
Green beans

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 35
Activity points today: 0
Activity points this week: 3

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - polenta in tamale pie and corn cakes
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes (lentils, fish)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Edible Landscapes, new vegetables, and Daily Menu for July 28

This week's farmer's market haul.


Baby corn


I must reiterate my love of the farmer's market. This is the best time of year for fresh, local produce, and I splurged on a delightful variety of fruits and veggies, pork, and fish this week. Pietro had Pacific Snapper, and TLC farms was there a variety of pork products, including sausages and bacon. I bought a small ham. My CSA box from Full Belly included:

Basil
Blue Lake Green Beans (going into the freezer)
Peaches
Squash
Garlic
Gypsy peppers (yellow, but sweet)
Ambrosia melon
Heirloom Tomatoes
Bi-color corn.

The last asparagus of the season also made its way home with me, in addition to parsley, cilantro and green onion, and fresh baby corn from Heirloom Organics! I've never seen baby corn outside of a can in the Asian foods section and was delighted to learn that nearly the entire thing is edible - husk, strings and all - and it is sweet and crunchy. I love finding new vegetables to try! I plan on stir-frying some of them later in the week with tofu and green beans. Another stand had purple string beans, but having a new bag of green beans in my CSA box and another from last week still unused, I left those to try another time.

Bonnie at the Stanford radio station interviewed me at the market this morning, and I'll post when I hear about the interview airing. She was interviewing growers and buyers at the farmer's market, overheard me asking about the baby corn and talking about the joy of local eating, and asked if I wouldn't mind being interviewed. Of course, I'm always excited to share my local food love!

I spoke with Gilbert and Ginger Gibson from Gibson Farms in Hollister about the difference between sulfured and unsulfered dried fruits. They have apricots treated both ways, in addition to walnuts and almonds. (Dried fruits and nuts are not CORE.) The unsulfured apricots are darker, a tiny bit bitter (not at all unpleasant), and have a chewier texture, whereas the sulfured apricots had the vibrant color I am familiar with in dried fruit and a juicier texture. Both tasted excellent and had a great mouthfeel, and I bought a small package of diced sulfured apricots to add to my oatmeal, counting the POINTS of course.

This afternoon, we're taking the Edible Landscaping tour of Palo Alto, hosted by Common Ground. I'll report back about what we discover.

***

I weighed in this morning with an expected gain. I ate out last night, and earlier in the week as well, not paying as close attention as was needed to my satisfaction point. I'll be watching that more closely this week.

Also, I've injured my foot and my doctor has recommended that I not walk more than necessary for the next week, and as walking is my primary exercise, I'll be earning few if any activity points this coming week. (Of course, I am spending the day walking at the Edible Landscapes tour, and while the pace is leisurely, the Points still add up!)

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
yogurt and peach
3 plums

Lunch
Green salad with carrot, tomato, 2 t. olive oil and vinegar
Salmon
Black beans
Broccoli with 1 T. Parmesan cheese (.5 Points)

Dinner
Lentil tamale pie
milk
apple

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: .5
WPA points available: 35
Activity points today: 3
Activity points this week: 3

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - polenta in tamale pie
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes (lentils, black beans, fish)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Pumpkins, pressure cooking, and a daily menu

On our evening walk around the neighborhood, one of our neighbors gave us two small pumpkins. He has an edible front yard - pumpkins, plums, apples, and rosemary are easily recognized, plus a variety of xeriscape-style plants rather than a lawn - and the pumpkins are starting to come in. Jax carried one of the pumpkins, the size of his head, back to our house and they're on my kitchen table awaiting dismantling. I am going to roast them and use the flesh for pumpkin chili, one of my favorite uses for pumpkin. It lends a subtle sweetness, a creamy textures, and added fiber and vitamins. What's not to love? I'll be sure to post a recipe once I make it.

Another fun kitchen find: a pressure cooker! I ordered a second-hand model and several cookbooks with birthday money and it was on my front porch when I got home yesterday. I squeeled like Christmas and tore into it, and I can't wait to cook with it. The books (Cooking Under Pressure, Complete Vegetarian Cookbook, and Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way), all by Lorna Sass, whole grain guru, are being devoured and I'm excited to try all the variations of whole grains and beans. Who knew that quick grains and beans would thrill me so?

I am currently drying peachs, plums, nectarines, and apricots for tasty oatmeal additions later in the year. I bought a food dehydrator last year and never even broke it out of the box; I bought a box of dented and bruised fruit at Sigona's Farmer's Market and figured this was the best use for it. In the cooler months, I make crockpot steel cut oats with dried fruit, and homemade dried fruit will be a welcome addition! (Dried fruit is not CORE; Points must be counted for them.)

I'll be at my mom and dad's house for dinner, so I can't post the menu yet - I don't know what we're having.

Daily Menu

Breakfast
yogurt, grapes

Lunch
Lentil tamale pie
apple

Dinner
Unknown!

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 20
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 12

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - polenta
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes (lentils)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Daily Menu for July 24

This was a very full (and fun!) weekend, and while I stayed on plan mostly, I didn't track at all. I also had some nachos, beer, and french fries, but even those in moderation - the nachos and french fries both upset my stomach, and I only had one beer.

I scheduled a physical for Friday, something I haven't done in probably 10 years, and I'm hopeful that it will give me more motivation to continue and give me more measurable ways of tracking my progress (cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.)

I bought a second-hand pressure cooker with birthday money and it should arrive early next week. I'm so excited about it! Pressure cookers will cook dried beans and grains in a fraction of the time, all but eliminating the need to soak beans overnight and making them an easier everyday dinner. Yay!

***

Rewards

A lot of people who are losing weight set up rewards for themselves once they hit a specific goal, say, a manicure for every 10 lb. or something. I have set aside $10 for every lost pound and when I hit my goal, I'll have enough money to buy a new wardrobe. As my clothes are starting to fit looser after 20 lb., I can see that I'll need some new clothes within the next few months just to have something that doesn't fall off my butt! So that's the reward I've set for myself. Still, even with my pants fitting loosely, I can't see the loss on my own body yet. I think it may be 50 or more pounds before I look in the mirror and think, okay, I am looking slimmer.

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
Oatmeal
2 c. milk from Clover
1 t. flaxseed oil
cantaloupe from Full Belly Farm - super cute tiny cantaloupe!

Lunch
Green flageolet salad with olive oil dressing
whole wheat couscous
tomato and basil

Dinner
Lentil taco salad
bulgur
green beans

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 20
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 8

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - oatmeal, whole wheat couscous, brown rice
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes (beans, lentils)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Beans, Beans, the musical fruit...

Yesterday, we drove out to the coast for lunch in Half Moon Bay (I had halibut and double veggies) and down to Pescadero for beans, of all things. I'd found Phipps Country Store online and was excited to check out their locally grown, heirloom varieties, and I was not disappointed. (I got a camera for my birthday, and what did I take pictures of? Beans, of course!)

The store itself is adorably quaint, with old appliances given a new life as display cases - a century old Maytag washer houses peanuts, for example. The dry bean section held more variety than I've seen in one place, and more varieties than I've seen, period! Many of them are grown on site. Orle, the friendly gentleman working in at the counter, suggested Gigantes, a huge white bean that is good for salads, and Green Flagiolets, a small, immature bean that doesn't need to soak. I also bought some gorgeous Jacob's Cattle Beans, Red Calypsos, and Buckskin Beans. I just stocked up on lentils or I would have bought more there - they had quite a variety, including whole lentils (as opposed to the more common split lentils you would see in the supermarket or bulk bins) and I was told they're grown in Lodi, so here's my local lentil source! Black garbanzo beans were another interesting find. I bought a jar of strawberry-rhubarb jam as well.

They also have a pick-your-own berry farm, a small area with farm animals, and a great greenhouse-type room with plants and birds. We saw a friendly cockatoo (he and Jax said "hello" back and forth for quite a while!), lovebirds, parakeets, quail, pigeons, pheasants, and chickens, plus a bunny. The whole place was just great for someone like me, interested in local foods, but also a nice pit stop for fresh food if you're ever in the area and want a picnic.

I spent $19.83 on beans and jam, and I'll definitely be back the next time I need beans!


***

Today's weigh in was great, with a 4.8 lb. loss this week, bringing my total down to 23 lb. gone in 9 weeks. My goal of 30 lb. by September 23 is well underway. I think I'll meet that by mid-August at the current rate.

Today's meeting topic was exercise, and just another kick in the pants to stay on track exercising! That is the easier place for me to falter, and it can be easy to talk myself out of it even though I feel so good after. My plan is to exercise 4 days this week, earning 16 Activity Points.

***

The farmer's market is in full swing, with fruits and veggies in great abundance and variety! My CSA box includes:

Blue Lake Green Beans
Sweet white corn
Basil
Eggplant
Melon
Torpedo onion (a torpedo-shaped red onion)
Potatoes
Mixed heirloom tomatoes (so pretty!)

I also picked up a few zucchinis, grapes, strawberries, bell peppers, and more tofu from Hodo Soy, spending $15.00 on colorful, nutritious produce. I'll be making grilled eggplant stacks again tonight (see the July 15 entry for the recipe), since my produce box gave me eggplants and it was such a delicious way to use them!

***

Between the beans and produce, my total spending on food for the week is a whopping $34.83. We'll need more milk later in the week, and still have lots of leftovers from last week, so it will be a low-budget week. I seem to run every other week higher, and the whole salmon is coming in next week so that will bring my food bill up! :)

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
Non-fat latte
Strawberries

Lunch
Chili
1 oz. grated smoked sharp cheddar from Spring Hill Jersey Cheese (this stuff is AMAZING - such a deep, rich, smoky flavor that a little goes a long way! (3 PT)
Whole wheat couscous

Dinner
Grilled eggplant stacks (1/2 oz. goat cheese and sauce - 2 PT)
Corn on the cob
Tomato-basil salad

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 5
WPA points available: 34
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 4

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+ (it's a veggie-heavy day!)
2. Whole grains - couscous
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes (beef and beans in chili, milk and cheese)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Happy birthday to me!

Today is my birthday and after a quick trip to the chiropractor, Mr.M, Jax and I are going out for the day, and Mr.Muse and I are going to a concert this evening. A friend is coming in from out of town for tonight and tomorrow, so we're going to be busy having fun around here! So while I can't post a daily menu today, not knowing what we'll be eating out of the house, I'm planning on being on plan and I'll check back in later this weekend. :)

Daily Menu for July 17

Breakfast
Shredded wheat
milk
plum

Lunch
Quinoa
steamed artichokes with olive oil
yogurt with cucumbers

Dinner
Plum-chili chicken
Bulgur
Swiss chard
Tomato-basil salad

Change is gonna come... on the blog

You may notice some changes in the blog over the next few weeks. I moved the blog to its own domain name (www.locavoreoncore.com) and with it, I'm adding a few pages and changing up the format a bit. I'd love to hear from you about what you'd like to see, what's working and what's not. Comments are always welcome!

***

My nephew (3 years old) is visiting me for the day and we'll be out at the park for much of the morning.

Daily Menu

Breakfast
Shredded wheat
milk
cantaloupe

Lunch
2 waffles (5 Points)
fruit
tea

Dinner
Fresh Choice for dinner -
big salad with olive oil and balsamic
lentil soup
1/2 small baked potato
chocolate brownie (3 Points)

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 8
WPA points available: 23
Activity points today: 0
Activity points this week: 8

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - shredded wheat
3. Milk - 1
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Losing Inches

I've got the type of body that doesn't really show losses until they're pretty big numbers off the scale, and even having lost 18 lb., I can't really see it on my body. I have more than 125 left to lose. My clothes don't fit considerably differently, and I'm motivated despite knowing that it won't be any kind of instant results.

I took measurements last month just to give me another way of tracking that I am, in fact, on track. I'm down 23.5 inches over my body, including 3 inches off of each thigh, 3.5 inches off my hips, 2 inches off my chest and 4 inches off my waist! Wow!

One of these days I'll probably look in the mirror and think, wow, I do look slimmer, but in the meantime the numbers help!!

***

The grilled eggplant stacks from July's Cooking Light magazing were AMAZING last night! The balsamic-red wine reduction made a super flavorful, decadent-tasting sauce in under 10 minutes. I used Hare Hollow balsamic and red wine from one of Mr.M's client's vineyard, no label so I don't know what it was. I'll definitely make it again.

Grilled Eggplant Stack

1 (1 pound) eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
3/4 t salt, divided
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/2 c dry red wine
1 T brown sugar
1 small zucchini (about 4 ounces)
1 small yellow squash (about 4 ounces)
1 large red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise and seeded
1 t olive oil
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 c (2 ounces) goat cheese
1 T chopped fresh basil
1 t chopped fresh oregano

1. Place eggplant slices in a colander. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 t salt; toss well. Let stand 10 minutes. Rinces slices thrououghly; dry with towels.
2. Combine vinegar, wine, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 1/4 c (about 8 minutes).
3. Prepare grill.
4. Trim ends from the zucchini and yellow squash; slice each lengthwise into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices. Flatten pepper pieces with hand. Brush eggplant, zucchini, squash and pepper pieces with oil; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 t salt and black pepper. Place pepper pieces skin side down, eggplant, zucchini and quash on a grill rack; grill 8 minues or until tender, turning once.
5. Combine cheese, basil, and oregano.
6. To assemble each stack, place one eggplant slice on a plate; top with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Lay one strip of yellow squash and one of zucchini zide by side. Drizzle with 1 1/2 t balsamic mixture. Top with pepper slice and another eggplant slice and drizzle with another 1 1/2 t balsamic mixture. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4, one stack each, 2 Points each
Calories 117; Fat 4.6g (sat 2.3g, mono 1.5g, poly .4g); Protein 5.4g; Carb 15.5g; Fiber 5.3g; Chol 7mg; Iron 1.2g; Sodium 211mg; Calc 49mg

***



*

I haven't been very hungry today, so it ended up being a lighter menu than planned.

Daily Menu

Breakfast:
2 eggs
cantaloupe
milk

Lunch:
Whole wheat pita, goat cheese (5 PTS)
cucumbers and bell peppers
1 t. olive oil

Dinner:
Garden burger
More cucumbers (yummy cucumbers from my CSA box!)
milk

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 5
WPA points available: 31
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 8

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - whole wheat pita
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

The Bounty in the Neighbor's Yard

It's an abundant time of year for fresh fruits and vegetables, and our neighborhood has its own unused bounty sadly falling onto the sidewalks. On my walk with Jax this week, we discovered a plum tree whose fruit is littering the yard and sidewalk, lemons, oranges, and apples (not yet ripe), and a big rosemary bush. The lemons have been offered to us by their kind owners (and our occasional babysitter) and today I asked to pick some of the ripe, juicy plums, coming home with a nice sized bag that are already half eaten. This week, I'll ask about the oranges and rosemary, and I'll go back for more plums! I'd love to find a bay tree in the neighborhood; I'll have to keep an eye out on future walks!

One of our neighbors has chickens and a lovely garden, supplying some of her neighbors with occasional eggs. Another neighbor grows zucchini by the bushel and it is a regular late-summer gift to all of his neighbors. At the end of the street, a small garden is growing between the street and sidewalk, with staked tomatoes, strawberries, and squash. Our suburban street is flush with fresh, flavorful, foods!

My garden plans have been sadly neglected, but I'm more inspired to start with late season seeds and join the grow-my-own club. There is an event scheduled at Common Ground in Palo Alto called the Edible Landscaping tour, described as a self-guided tour to

Learn what motivates your neighbors to grow their own food! Discover how folks weave edible plants into both garden beds and the landscape! Meet the gardeners and get inspired by the special features of their gardens!

I'll be joining just to see what else is growing in our neighborhood that I don't even know is edible!

***

Today's weigh in showed a drop of 1.6 lb., for a total of 18.2 lost. Next week should bring me to the 20 lb. mark. At the meeting today, our leader Jennifer started a travelling food journal. A different member takes the journal each week and tracks what they eat that week, passing it along at the end of their week for someone new. I thought it was a really neat idea, and a good way to get new ideas. I took it for the first week, and hopefully I can take a look at the end of the book to see what other people have been eating. I'm a food voyeur! :)

I did my shopping after Weight Watchers and made up for my very inexpensive shopping week last week! I didn't end up buying any more milk last week, so my total was only $17.45. This week, I needed more lentils, beans, oatmeal, milk, yogurt, a few spices, and of course produce, plus a few incidentals. I asked the buyer at Country Sun where the lentils and black beans come from, but she couldn't say specifically, only "back east". Many of the bulk bins are local, including Lundberg Farms rice, locally grown nuts and such.

I spent $51.50 at Country Sun, $25 at the farmer's market (including Spring Hill smoked sharp cheddar and a piece of snapper), and another $42 at the Grocery Outlet, where I bought 12-grain bread by Vital Vittles, whole wheat pitas by Soli's Bakery, corn tortillas by another local company, and a case of canned vegetable stock (not local), case of canned organic tomatoes (not local), two blocks of organic cheese from Petaluma (and only $2.99 a lb!) and a jar of pickles for Mr.M. He likes Clausen pickles and only Clausen pickles, but I rarely buy them.

Yesterday, I bought eggs (local and organic) and Garden burgers for the boy-o (not local) at Costco for $12.98. My food expenses for the week thus add up to $131.48. Tomorrow, I'm buying more produce to can and freeze, and I ordered another whole salmon, coming in next week; I'm also sending in a check for the grain CSA, so it will be another pricy week but the food will be eaten for several months with what is being spent for the next few weeks.


This week's produce box included
Basil
Blue lake green beans
Nantes carrots
White sweet corn
Two small melons (a watermelon and a cantaloupe)
White Lady peaches (YUMMY!!)
Heirloom tomatoes



***
Daily Menu
Breakfast:
nonfat latte
peach

Lunch:
Split pea soup
1 c. milk
3 plums

Dinner:
Grilled Eggplant Stacks with goat cheese (3 Points)
Small piece of grilled snapper
Corn on the cob
2 t. olive oil
bulgur

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 3
WPA points available: 35
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 4

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - bulgur
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Lentils and beans and whole wheat, oh my

I love lentils. They're quick-cooking, high in protein, fiber, and iron, listed by Health Magazine as one of the five healthiest foods, and are a go-to staple in my kitchen. There are a number of lentil varieties, and I usually have two or three on hand. Green, red, and brown lentils all have their place in my pantry, and in the past two days, I've made two lentil dishes with two varieties of the hearty legumes. Last night, we had dhal, an Indian curried brown lentil, with summer squash and rice. For lunch today, I made a quick Greek-style red lentil soup with mint and oregano with fat free plain yogurt stirred in at the end. Delicious, and ready in 30 minutes.

***
Greek-style Red Lentil Soup
serves 8
1 T. olive oil
1 diced onion
1 diced carrot
1 diced celery stalk
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 lb. red lentils, rinsed
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 1/2 t. dried mint
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1 t. paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the veggies and garlic in 1 T olive oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot. Add the lentils to the pot and stir for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Remove the bay leaf and puree with a stick blender. Serve with a dollop of fat free plain yogurt.

I've had no luck finding local sources for the lentil, and if anyone knows of California lentil growers, please let me know! I'm currently purchasing organic lentils in the bulk bins at Country Sun, but they're not grown locally. Beans, legumes, and grains have been the hardest part of my diet to find locally grown, but I'm making headway.

Phipps Country Store in Pescadero grows some of their own heirloom beans (and has a U-Pick berry farm) and a field trip to the coast is in the works, both for beans and berries, which I intend to can and freeze.

Rancho Gordo in Napa also grows heirloom dry beans, as well as corn, masa, and chilis. They're available at the Ferry Plaza farmer's market in San Francisco and a storefront in Napa, and are served at a number of really wonderful restaurants all over the Bay Area and beyond.

Wheat and wheatberries are available from Full Belly Farm, where I get my CSA box of wonderful produce each week. Lundberg Family Farms sustainably grows brown rice (I buy it in bulk at Country Sun.)

I'm still looking for locally, organically grown:
bulgur
oatmeal, especially steel cut oats
quinoa (I don't think I'll find this locally, but a girl can dream!)
whole wheat pasta and couscous
cornmeal

The photo comes from the Wikipedia entry for lentils.)

More CSA goodness, YIPPEE!

Good News:
I found a grain CSA! I stumbled upon a review of Windborne Farms (no website) a few months ago and forgot about it; in my attempt to locate locally grown oatmeal, I found the review again and contacted Jennifer Greene, the farmer who is, with her family and draft horse Thor, growing organic grains and beans. Here's what she wrote to me:

We are a 30 acre diverse organic/biodynamic farm, located in Scott Valley Ca. We grow over 30 different varieties of grains and beans including, barley, wheat, rye ,Teff, Amaranth, oats, whole corn, Kamut and so on. Many of the varieties are hierloom varieties. The row crops are cultivated with our draft horse Thor. Sharholders pay 300.00 a year for 10 deliveries of grains and beans. A typical delivery would include 3# hard red flour, 2 # pastry flour either barley oat or soft wheat, 2 # of a whole grain such as barley or millet, 2 # pancke mix, 2# hot cereal mix 1-2 # dry beans.Deliveries are about once every 5-6 weeks and all of the flours are milled here on the farm with our stone mill. All of the share is grown here on our farm.

I'm signing up at the end of the month. Of course, flour and pancake mix are not CORE, and I'll have to count the Points on products made with them. But fresh, stone ground flour made into home-made bread is worth the Points.

I also found a Bay Area Meat CSA in the Bay Area Buy Fresh, Buy Local guide that I mentioned the other day. They have pick ups in San Francisco and the East Bay. I looked for something like this before buying the quarter of a cow but couldn't find anything in the area; I'm so pleased that this exists, even though I won't be participating as I already have a freezer full of beef and plans for an equal portion of pork and lamb in the near future!

Bad News: (the whining shall commence)
I'm woefully off track the past few days. I start out well, sticking to my plan, then vear off toward the chips and cheese, the last hold outs of 4th of July leftovers. Add to the unnecessary nacho munching and too many hours of sedentary computer time and general lack of activity, and I'm finding it hard to even see the track right now.

I started the Couch to 5k a few weeks ago and got one run in, but have had no luck getting out of the house sans toddler to do it again. Mr.M is busy and the 30 minutes that I'm feeling energetic are after he's left for the day;I can't take Jax along, as he'll want to be held the whole time and jogging is hard enough without a 26 pound squirmy weight (he will not ride in a stroller anymore.) I know I need to just DO it, get off the computer, get out of the kitchen, get out of the house, and I'll feel better. I'm sabatoging my own success and I hate it, but continue to do it. Blah.

***

Review of the Eye of Round recipe linked yesterday: it was a little overcooked by the time I hit 8 hours, and could have been perfect probably at 6 hours. I shredded the beef and made a gravy with the juice, defatted, and a little flour-water combo. It was flavorful but a little tough from the overcooking. Leftovers were made into barbecue beef with barbecue sauce and shredded beef, and those were better but still tough. I have to keep a closer eye on meat as it cooks and not rely on the recipe as directly.

Mr.M, Jax and I went to the new Palo Alto farmer's market on California St. after church yesterday. It's a cute little market with a lot more baked goods and prepared foods (including relishes, pickles, oils and vinegars, etc.) and fewer produce stands than the Mountain View or downtown Palo Alto markets. They also had meat from a pastured ranch in Paso Robles, outside of our local range but still wonderful to see.

There was also the 1st edition food guide being handed out from the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, listing various food growers and distributers throughout the Bay Area. It is fantastic! I ate it up (harhar) and was thrilled to find local producers of dry beans, a staple I've up til now been unable to find locally, and chickens, goats, lamb, sheep, and pork. My copy is already dog-eared and written all over, and I may have to pick up another one since this one is sure to be well loved.

I bought organic pastured eggs ($4.25), strawberries ($5), and milk at Country Sun ($5.99) bringing my weekly food expenses up to $17.49. I'll need more milk later in the week, but otherwise we're going through the stuff in the fridge and pantry this week. My total should be under $25.00.

Next week and again in August, I'm planning on preserving some of the wonderful summer fruits and veggies. I bought a vacuum food sealer to freeze produce and will also do some canning. In addition to freezing a variety of blanched veggies and fruits, I'm going to do some pickling and preserving for the first time. I found a recipe for fig and caramelized onion preserves that looks very tasty, but I don't think we've hit fig season (or figs just aren't that popular around here) since I'm not seeing them in abundance quite yet.

Next month will be a tomato canning adventure and hopefully I'll be able to can enough to keep us through the winter without having to resort to the mealy storebought "fresh" tomatoes or commercially processed canned. I'd also like to try to make my own ketchup and tomato chutney, both recipes I remember my mom making when I was a kid. Fresh ketchup has such a different texture than the storebought variety and has such great tomato flavor that I'm excited to try it again and introduce it to my family.

***

On the Weight Watchers front, I used all my weekly points (plus some, probably) on nachos and beer last night. It was not my brightest move, but it's done and I have the rest of the week to eat on track and make up for the garlic cheese, tortilla chip, and Sam Adams indiscretion.

***
I am making this recipe for dinner. I found the it at US Wellness Meats, a grassfed beef online store. I'll report back how the recipe worked for me.

Eye of Round Crock Pot Roast

Ingredients
2 pound eye of round
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 whole clove (optional)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Rub roast with salt and pepper. Make small slits in roast and insert slices of garlic. Put 1 sliced onion in bottom of crock-pot. Place roast on top of onion and add other ingredients. Cover and cook on low for about 10 hours.

To make a thicker gravy remove roast from pot. Blend 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to form a smooth paste. Set on high and pour in paste. Stir well and let come to a boil (about 15 minutes) until thickened.

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
Potato pancakes (mashed plain potatoes, egg, grated squash, grated carrot, salt, pepper, and seasonings, pan cooked in 1 t. olive oil.)

Lunch
Egg salad
Strawberries
Carrot sticks
2 c. milk

Dinner
Pot roast
Carrots & Celery
bulgur (I had potatoes for breakfast, and they're a once-a-day food)


WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 0
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 4

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - bulgur
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

As predicted, I gained a pound this week with all the celebration foods. Back on track with fewer distractions, this week will hopefully make up for last week!

My food budget last week hovered at $170 including party foods, so more than I anticipated spending but still not horrible. The budget this week is quite small, though, to make up for the overspending last week. This week, so far I've spent a whopping $2.25 (a bunch of kale and 3 artichokes) plus my pre-paid produce box. I'll need milk and eggs, but am mostly set with leftovers from last week and the freezer stock.

Here's what my CSA box included this week (we ate the corn last night)
Corn
Cucumbers
Edamame
Potatoes
Summer Squash
Peaches

This week's menu:
Sunday - Veggie burgers, whole wheat couscous, edamame-green bean salad, grilled peaches
Monday - Crockpot Pot roast with carrots and potatoes,
Tuesday - Bean and barley soup, steamed artichokes
Wednesday - Whole wheat pasta with white beans and zucchini
Thursday - Dhal (lentils), brown rice, Swiss Chard, cucumber salad
Friday - Tofu stirfry

Daily Menu
Breakfast
Shredded wheat
milk
peach

Lunch
Lentil soup
Carrots
milk

Dinner
Veggie burger
whole wheat couscous
edamame-green bean salad
grilled peaches (YUM!)

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 35
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 4

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - shredded wheat, couscous
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Eat Local: Lower your Carbon Foodprint

A quick read of The Ethicurean is always worth my while, as it reminds me over and over again why it is important to know where my food comes from and support local agriculture. They collect articles and commentary on food issues in one place, making it easy to get an overview of current issues in mindful food choices. Reading it tonight, I came upon this video that I wanted to share with you.



This video from The Nation traces how food travels to get to your plate. The average meal in the US travels 1500 miles from farm to fork and comes from 5 countries outside of the US. (The term "Carbon Foodprint" comes from Zoe Bradley at Edible Portland.)

(Go ahead, click through to The Ethicurean. It's worth the read. I'll be here when you get back.)

Getting back on track; Daily Menu for July 6

I didn't do very well on the 4th of July (although I had a lot of fun celebrating with friends) and today piggy-backed on that less-than-successful day of eating. I didn't plan ahead and ate too much, not paying attention to my satisfaction levels and scarfing down far too many tortilla chips, not meeting any of the 8 healthy guidelines. I didn't write down what I ate and didn't keep track, so I wouldn't be surprised if I see a gain at this week's weigh in. I'm getting back on track with tomorrow's menu plan, posted below. Planning really is the key for me; failing to plan really is planning to fail, and I know that I can't just wing it and stay on program. Even for celebrations and holidays, I have to plan ahead if I expect to see results.

Daily Menu for July 6

Breakfast
Shredded wheat and milk
Banana (organic, not local)

Lunch
Lentils and bulgur
Mexican Coleslaw
Orange
Milk

Dinner
Roasted eggplant and whole wheat pasta with 2 t. olive oil
Green beens

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 0
Activity points today:
Activity points this week:

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - shredded wheat, bulgur, whole wheat pasta
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Daily Menu for June 2 and 3

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, so I'll post both days' menus.

Yesterday:

Breakfast
Shredded wheat, milk, and a peach

Lunch
Lentil taco filling and bulgur, Mexican cole slaw

Dinner
Egg curry, whole wheat couscous, yogurt-cucumber salad

Evening mini meal (I was extra hungry yesterday!)
Kamut puffs, milk, peach

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 27
Activity points today: 3
Activity points this week: 10

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - shredded wheat, kamut, couscous, bulgur
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes



Today:
Breakfast
Kamut puffs, milk, plum

Lunch
Lentil taco filling and bulgur, Mexican cole slaw

Dinner
Tofu stirfry with brown rice, soy-sesame green beans

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 27
Activity points today: 3
Activity points this week: 10

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - bulgur, kamut, brown rice
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Daily Menu for July 1

Welcome to July! This is the best time of year for fresh, local fruits and veggies, and if you haven't already, head over to your farmer's market and pick up some gorgeous peaches or plums or berries. This week will have quite a few tasty meals with wonderfully fresh local produce. We're also hosting a barbecue on Wednesday, and I'm going in with a plan so I continue to stay on program.

Here's my plan for the week. This is a week of favorite menus, so not much new, but all well received and tasty! Posting it here was convenient for me last week.

Sunday - at barbecue
Monday – Pasta with fresh pesto, white beans, and red peppers
Tuesday – Tofu stirfry, soy-sesame green beans (We have this every week)
Wednesday – Steak, corn on the cob, Mexican coleslaw, watermelon
Thursday – Lentil tacos, leftover corn, coleslaw, watermelon (so good last week that I'm repeating it!)
Friday – Arroz con pollo (I didn't end up making it last week)

***
Daily Menu

Breakfast
Peach

Lunch
about 1/4 of a Smoothie - 1/2 c. yogurt, 1/2 c. milk, 1/2 c. silken tofu from Hodo Soy, 1 1/2 c. frozen fruit (I have blackberries and blueberries in the freezer, frozen in plastic baggies from a few weeks ago), 1 t. flaxseed oil, Stevia sweetener

I didn't end up eating on CORE at the barbecue, but I didn't go way overboard either. I didn't have any cake or beer, so that helped keep the points in check.
Dinner
2 vegetable cheese tamales (8 Points)
about 15 chips with salsa (4 Points)
BIG plate of salad with 1 t. olive oil
corn on the cob, dry
ceviche
strawberries

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 8
WPA points available: 27
Activity points today: 4 (Walk Away the Pounds video)
Activity points this week: 7

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - bulgur
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes