Cherries! Strawberries! Peaches!

It's that time of year again! Fruits are sweet and plentiful, the farmer's market is crowded with so many wonderful, fresh foods, and Jax's chin is stained red from cherry juice dribbles. We bought peaches last week and they were gone in two days, so this week I bought even more fruit to hold us through - half a flat of strawberries, a pound of cherries, and more peaches - but I'm not sure it's going to last much longer than last week's delicious peaches. Jax and I had cherries for lunch and ate nearly the whole bag of them by ourselves. (I also had a glass of milk to round the meal out! haha!) Don't worry, though; we've got lots of vegetables to enjoy as well.

This week, our CSA box includes:
Carrots
Cabbage
Winter Savory
Fresh onions
Salad mix
Itty-bitty-teeny-tiny potatoes
Dino kale (I can only imagine that this will be a hit with dinosaur obsessed Jax!)
Strawberries

The newsletter that accompanies my veggies tells me that Winter Savory is used in beans, stuffings, soups, and with meats like chicken or turkey. Since turkey is planned in a few weeks for my big batch of freezer cooking, I'm going to hang the savory to dry and use it then.

I'm planning a big freezer cooking session, as I mentioned before, and have narrowed the attack to two main foods: meatballs and turkey. I have quite a bit of ground beef and 2 1/2 turkeys in the freezer that need to be eaten. I will make dozens and dozens of baked meatballs with grains in them (maybe oatmeal?) to be used in recipes like meatball chili, shepherd's pie with mushroom gravy, unstuffed cabbage with whole rye, moussaka, sweet and sour meatballs, curried meatballs with wheatberries, and quinoa picadillo. I'll use the turkeys for turkey posole, turkey cacciatore, turkey, apricot, and chickpea tagine, turkey and rice (a la arroz con pollo), turkey adobo, smothered turkey and barley, and turkey soup. Vegetarian menus will be doubled over the next few weeks and packaged for more meals. So far, I've got a tamale pie and Persian split pea and barley soup with spinach (yummy!) in the freezer from double batches.

Many of these meals are done in the pressure cooker, which as you may know from reading the blog is one of my favorite kitchen tools. My last big batch cooking day was so smooth because I relied on the cooker - I would prep a meal while one was in the cooker, and as soon as the meal in the cooker was finished the next was ready to go in. This back-to-back cooking was super fast and efficient, and I'm hopeful that using that method, plus my crockpot, stovetop, oven, and a friend to help will make the meals come together quickly and easily.

Weekly Menu with our CSA and Farmer's Market goodies!

This is the best time of year for the farmer's market. We're in the beginning of the summer vegetable season, tale end of spring, and get the best of both worlds: asparagus and basil, strawberries, peaches, cauliflower, fresh peas! Fantastic!

Our CSA box includes:

Asparagus (last week!)
Carrots
Shelling peas
Basil
Lettuce
Fresh onions
New potatoes

I also bought a pound of snapper, a block of feta cheese, 3 portabello mushrooms, 2 lb. peaches (hooray for tangy fresh peaches!!), cilantro and green onions. At tomorrow's market I'm hoping to see tomatoes and zucchini, but it still may be too early for them.

For our weekly menu, I'm planning:
Sunday - snapper with roasted new potatoes and asparagus
Monday - grilled mushrooms and Boca burgers, zucchini if they're at the market, green salad, jicama corn and bean salad, and grilled peaches (MMMM!!!)
Tuesday - meatloaf with fresh carrots and peas, new potatoes
Wednesday - something in the crockpot, maybe chicken
Thursday - whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes, feta and basil
Friday - Spicy Tofu Bento Box

I have never bought or used fresh onions before and am excited to try this variation of my staple! Most everything I cook starts with onions and these are clean and crisp looking, with bright green tops. I'll report back if the flavor is different being fresh. Fresh garlic has a milder, sweeter flavor - that was another one that I'd never tried fresh before.

Fish Tacos!

I picked up a lovely piece of snapper at this morning's farmer's market and will be making fish tacos with a chipotle cream (made with fat free plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream) and a jicama slaw with carrots, radishes, and Napa cabbage from our veggie box.

Today's CSA box included:
Artichokes
Asparagus
Napa Cabbage
Carrots
Sugar Snap Peas
Lettuce
New Potatoes

I also picked up snapper ($7.00) and two pints of strawberries ($5.00.)

The Farmer's Market is BACK!

I woke up this morning with the same excitement that was once reserved for my birthday. The Palo Alto Farmer's Market is back! I picked up my Full Belly veggie box and then spent a lovely morning strolling down the aisles of familiar vendors and their fresh spring fruits and vegetables, enjoying the live music.

In this week's veggie box:
Artichokes
Broccoli
Dino Kale
Lettuce
Spinach
Cilantro
Green garlic
Strawberries

I also spent $38.85 at the market on:
3 blocks of Spring Hill cheese
a little over a pound of fresh snapper
3 zucchinis, green onions, 4 Portabello mushrooms, 1/2 pint of strawberries, and a big bag of oranges

Now I just have Weight Watchers meetings to miss until the baby is born in August.

I'm making steamed Asian-style snapper, spinach sauteed with green garlic, and brown rice for dinner.

Reasons to love the farmer's market, in addition to great produce

I'm reminded again this morning why I love the farmer's market. Not only is there a dazzling array of tasty, fresh, locally grown, seasonal produce, fish, tofu, sausage, nuts, oils and vinegars, cheeses, and breads, but today, vegan butternut squash tamales (yummy!), an accordian player, a small band, a man making animals out of rubber bands, and a Draft Gore stand with a petition to draft Al Gore to run for president. I discovered that cornmeal can be purchased from Full Belly Farm and ginger will be sold next year from the woman who grows all the yummy Asian produce. Yep, it's enough to make a gal like me weak in the knees. The Palo Alto farmer's market runs through early December, and then I'll have to find new Saturday morning entertainment.

This morning, I picked up a pound of snapper for tomorrow night's dinner, Snapper Veracruz; smoked cheddar cheese, dried cranberry beans, Glaum eggs (certified humane), a couple of yellow bell peppers, cilantro and green onions, and 10 pounds of "Sweet September" peaches to freeze for pancakes, smoothies, and oatmeal this winter. I also bought one heirloom Red Delicious apple, which was indeed delicious and resembled the glossy, mealy store-bought variety in name only. I spent about $45. So far this month, I think I'm up to about $90, including milk (Organic Valley from California) and soy milk purchased at Costco last week.

The CSA box this week includes:

Basil
Green beans
Red Russian Kale
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Acorn squash
Corn

Farmer's Market Finds

I was excited to be back at the farmer's market this morning after three weeks away for classes. I spent $20 today for peanuts from C. Farm in Sanger, fresh cranberry beans from Full Belly Farm (aren't those gorgeous?), Brussels sprouts on a stalk from Green Oaks Creek Farm, Red Flame Grapes, and corn on the cob. We're going to eat well this week!

I'll probably spend an extra $15 on milk and eggs, but this will be a low-spend grocery week overall. My budget for September is up to $347.24, well under my budget of $520 (based on the USDA Thrifty Food Plan in August.) I've been including my mother in law in my monthly budget, but she is not eating here as frequently as expected and I'm bringing my budget back down to include just me, Mr.M, and 2 year old Jax, $421.85 per month. I expect October to be well under this amount.

Today's CSA box includes:

Basil
Eggplant
Red Russian Kale
Onions
Gypsy or Flamingo Peppers
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Surprise Melon

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast at the Farmer's Market

20 oz. Watermelon juice (6 Points - OUCH!)

Corn tortilla (1 Point)

2 T. queso fresco (3 Points)

beans, cabbage, salsa

Lunch

2 c. milk

orange

Dinner

Quinoa picadillo in acorn squash boats

Corn on the cob, 1 t. olive oil

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 10

WPA points available: 29

Activity points today: 4 (Walk Away the Pounds 3 miles video)

Activity points this week: 4

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines

1. Fruits and veggies - 5+

2. Whole grains - quinoa

3. Milk - yes

4. Healthy oil - 2

5. Protein - yes

6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes

7. Water - 8+

8. Multivitamin - yes

Hear me on Stanford Radio!

Last month, I was interviewed by Bonnie Swift of Stanford Radio for a piece she was writing on farmer's markets, and here it is! You can hear me a few times throughout the interview, but I'll let you try to figure out which is me.

http://www.stanford.edu/~bswift/farmers%20market.mp3

For the Freezer: In Progress!

I'm taking a break from cooking and cooking to tell you how it's going! So far, I have completed and packaged the sweet and sour lentils, un-stuffed cabbage, chicken cacciatore, and beef picadillo with quinoa. Meatball chili with pumpkin is in the crock pot right now. This evening, I'll finish the mushroom-barley soup, and will prep the stuff to go in the pot roast and chickpeas, which I'll cook in the morning. The shephard's pie will be the pot roast and gravy with extra veggies and a mashed potato topping, and I can make the mashed potatoes while the pot roast is finishing up in the crockpot tomorrow evening.

Right now, there are 8 meals packaged in the fridge. When I finish, there will be between 16-20 meals ready for me to defrost and enjoy when I don't feel like cooking. There will be no excuses for eating junk!

We went to Costco, Country Sun, and the California Street (Palo Alto) farmer's market this morning to get everything I need to cook more than a dozen dinners. I spent just under $80 and got eggs, milk, bread, spices, a jar of smoked ketchup made in Calistoga, and lots and lots of yummy local, organic veggies. I also spent about $40 last week for milk, eggs, salad fixings, and crackers. My total for the month is up to $272.24.

Eat Local Challenge, weigh in, and daily menu for September 1

I will spend September participating in the Eat Local Challenge. As part of this challenge, I will continue to buy, prepare, photograph, and eat locally, sustainably grown foods, and will blog all about it. I'm commiting to posting my daily menu every day for the month of September. I'll also try my hand at canning, freezing, and dehydrating the local produce available now so that I have it in the winter.

The exceptions: I will eat spices and condiments like soy sauce that are already in my pantry, grains already in my pantry, and will buy the ingredients for my son's birthday cake that aren't locally produced. All are organic and fair trade (chocolate for the cake) and were (or will be) purchased at a locally owned store.

I'll do it on the USDA's Thrifty Plan budget (currently $132.30 a week for my family), not part of the Eat Local Challenge but an ongoing challenge for myself. I hope to lose an additional 8 lb. this month.

***

Budget Update

As I anticipated, August was an outliar in the budget. I prepaid for 6 months of grains and a full year of produce through CSAs, bringing the total to a whopping $1056.78. Not including the CSA renewals, my total was a much more reasonable $321.53, well under the $519.13 a month that I am alloted on the Thrifty Budget.

The plus side of this outlay of cash is that my food bill for the rest of the year be significantly lower, with both fresh produce and grains paid for in advance.

***

For my first act in the Eat Local Challenge, today I am disassembling 7 local, pastured chickens from Soul Food Farm, packaging and freezing them, and making a big pot of stock, also to be frozen for future use. The chickens cost me $97.00, the first expenditure for this month's budget. I also bought a dozen pastured eggs for $5.

***
Today's Full Belly Farm CSA box includes:

Eggplant
Grapes
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Peaches
Summer squash
Peppers
Melon

At the farmer's market, I spent $32 and bought garlic chevre (goat cheese), cilantro, green onion, fresh peanuts (I haven't ever seen local peanuts!), olive oil, and LOTS of red peppers to roast and freeze.

Including the chickens, I'm up to $135 for September's food.

***

Another Saturday morning, another weigh in! This week, the scale showed a lost of 2.8 lb., for a total of 29.2 gone. I'm well on my way to the goal of 30 lb. by September 23.

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
Melon from Full Belly Farm
2 c. milk from Clover Stornetta Farms

Lunch
2 eggs
1/4 oz. cheese (.5 Points)
apple

Dinner
Grilled eggplant stacks with goat cheese and balsamic reduction (2 Points) including eggplant from Full Belly Farm, red peppers from Happy Quail, vinegar from Hare Hollow, wine from Frog's Leap, and garlic chevre (goat cheese) from Spring Hill Cheese
Bulgur (locally purchased but not produced) with homemade chicken stock, lemon juice and lemon zest from the tree across the street, and lemon olive oil from St. Helena Olive Oil Company and a bit of fresh thyme
Grilled corn on the cob
A glass of wine from Frog's Leap

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 4.5
WPA points available: 33.5
Activity points today: 3 (30 minute Walk Away the Pounds video)
Activity points this week: 3

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

Sick and whiny: why I missed Weight Watchers and flew threw the farmer's market

I started sniffling yesterday afternoon and by the evening, full blown cold had set in. I woke up this morning with a sinus headache, sniffles, aches, sneezes, and a sore throat, and decided to stay in bed for as much extra rest as I could manage while Mr.M took Jax to swim class. Still sniffly, I made my way out to grocery shop so we have the food to make a week of menus and aren't tempted to eat out instead. I have to stop that habit in its tracks if I want to continue along losing weight! On my home scale (which is routinely the same as the Weight Watcher's scale), I'm up 1.4 lb. this week. Hopefully next week will drop that and more. Perhaps a sore throat will come in handy after all, haha.

Jax came shopping with me after swim class, and he seemed to enjoy the market. Usually he's home with Dad, and I wish I'd brought him on a morning when I didn't feel so awful! I picked up the CSA box from Full Belly, visited briefly with Ariel from Green Oaks Creek, and shared a basket of strawberries on the lawn, listening to music for a few minutes before heading off to Country Sun for staple grains and dairy. I spent $67.96 at Country Sun on several pounds of each:

Lentils
Whole wheat pasta
Soba (buckwheat) noodles
Bulgur
Wheat Berries
Whole wheat Couscous
Short grain brown rice

And:
Cumin seeds
String cheese for Jax
2 gallons of milk from Clover
a quart of yogurt from Wallaby
2 mineral waters (from Calistoga so still local)
and a fruit leather for Jax to eat in the cart

So while there are no kabobs tonight, as I neglected to stop by the meat booth, we can still have couscous, tzatziki, and grilled vegetables.

I ate past the "sigh" and loved every bite!

Mr.M and I returned from our three-day Napa/Sonoma getaway last night refreshed, just how one wants to return from a few days away from work, home, and child in one of the most gorgeous, serene destinations in the country. We ate well, drank well, and spent an entire afternoon napping; it was lovely.

Wednesday:
We had a very loose itinerary. After dropping off Jax at my parents' house, we had lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. In the rush to get everything done, we hadn't had breakfast and I was quite hungry. I ordered a shrimp salad with whole beans and cheese on the side. I used salsa as the dressing, added beans and just a sprinkle of cheese, avoided the shell and chips, and it was a satisfying lunch. I would order that again, even without shrimp as the beans gave it enough protein and plenty of fiber for keeping me full for a while.

St. Helena Olive Oil Company was the first stop in wine country. We tasted a variety of olive oils, vinegars, mustards, and dips, all delicious and many made on site. I particularly liked the lemon olive oil, with a crisp lemon bite and fruity olive flavor, and brought a bottle home for salads.

Our next stop was at one of the two wineries on our itinerary, Frog's Leap. (We never made it to the second!) We were too late for a tour but spent half an hour chatting with Megan, a friendly administrator who gets to work in the sales room one day a week. She told us about the organic, sustainable practices that the winery employs and gave us samples of the Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. We're not big wine drinkers, but we really enjoyed it and bought half a dozen bottles. The tours were booked for the next few days, but Megan took our number to let us know if there was a cancellation, and sure enough she was able to get squeeze us into a tour the next morning.

We drove up to Calistoga where we stayed at the Calistoga Inn. It's a quaint, European style hotel (shared bathrooms) over a restaurant and pub. We walked down picturesque Lincoln Ave. (like walking in a 1950's postcard!) and stopped for dinner at All Seasons Bistro. We sharing two delicious, locally sourced meals: roasted pork loin medallions with stone fruit chutney (melt-in-your-mouth tender) and a glass of chardonnay, and Sonoma duck duo - seared breast and leg confit - with pan juices and Provencal vegetables (and bacon! yum!) and a glass of petit syrah. For dessert, s'mores with homemade graham cracker, homemade marshmallow, and a decadent espresso-chocolate ice cream. We "mmmm"-ed all through dinner! The waiter recommended the wines to us (as I said, we're not big wine drinkers and wouldn't have known where to start) and they complimented the meals quite nicely.

We spent the evening in the pub at the Calistoga Inn listening to a local band and drinking excellent beer, brewed on site. We tried the Kolsch, Porter, and a guest India Pale Ale from a microbrewery in Eureka. I also enjoyed a few mojitos. The bar staff was friendly and atmosphere was great for sharing company with a few locals and a pair of Swedish college boys on a whirlwind US tour.

Thursday:



We were back at Frog's Leap for the tour first thing Thursday morning, which in Napa means 10:30 am. (Nothing is open in the valley before 10 am!) Rachel led the tour, and she had so much energy and enthusiasm that it was hard not to be excited with her about the winery. The organic, sustainable winery utilizes dry farming methods (no irrigation, no fertilizers, and no pesticides), solar panels to cover all of its electricity, and is home to 5 acres of organic orchards and vegetable gardens which adds natural biodiversity and encourages beneficial insects throughout the property. Their 200 acres of vineyards boast grapevines with 22 feet deep root systems; industry standard is a mere 2 feet. Having such deep roots help the grapes retain water in the soil and withstand root pests, which only live in the top two feet of soil. They plant cover crops off season as nitrogen fixers and to add nutrients to the soil. (Who knew I was so interested in soil?!)

The barn is one of 5 original red barns in the county, restored with 80% of its original boards and 20% reclaimed wood. The main house was also built with reclaimed wood, geothermal heating and cooling, and a variety of green building methods. We were encouraged to pick fruit and vegetables from their garden, and living local enough to use it, we brought home two full bags of apples, peaches, and peppers. I'll be freezing peaches, drying apples, and roasting peppers this weekend!



And, of course, the wine was fantastic. We found the tour fascinating and would highly recommend it if you are ever in the area. The tour is free, and we tasted five wonderful wines. As wine novices, we also learned quite a bit about what to look for in different types of wines and how they are produced.

We ate a packed lunch of black-bean and wheat berry salad with fresh veggies and apples picked at Frog's Leap, and then went back to our room for a short nap that turned into a long nap. The second winery that we planned to visit was snoozed through.

For dinner, we visited The Girl and The Fig. This was another amazing meal. We started with a cheese and fruit sampler (left to right): cow's milk Three Sisters Serena, goat's milk Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog, and sheep's milk Bellwether Farm's Pepato. All three are California cheeses, and they were delicious! We especially liked the sheep's milk cheese, studded with peppercorns. They were served with apples, nuts, fig chutney, and fig cakes.



We both had heirloom tomato soup with basil and saffron, and for our entrees, Mr.M tried the grass fed flatiron steak with pommes frites and I had the daily special, herb-crusted halibut with saffron Israeli couscous and spinach, sauteed baby squash, and a red-pepper sauce. It was beautiful, colorful, and tasted spectacular. The fish was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside; the couscous had that warm, rich saffron flavor, and the sauce complimented both. Mr.M's steak was equally delicious and very tender. For dessert, I enjoyed a small scoop of chocolate orange sorbet, fig and port ice cream, and hazelnut gelato. I had the "wine flight" with my meal - three tastes of wine, one with the soup, one with the entree, and a port with the dessert. I didn't write down what they were, unfortunately, but they were tasty!




Friday:
Friday morning we headed down to Napa to visit Copia, the American Center for Wine, Food, and The Arts. They offer cooking demonstrations (we attended one featuring tomatoes), wine tastings, and regular classes in addition to their ongoing exhibits, Forks in the Road about the American food experience and Hungry Planet, a fascinating photo series documenting what families eat for an entire week in countries around the world, based on the book of the same name by Peter Menzel. It is a beautiful building and the grounds house several acres of edible gardens. We ate lunch at Julia's Kitchen inside the Copia, which offered a number of the garden's fruits and vegetables on their menu.

For lunch, I had the portobello mushroom wellington with eggplant puree, asparagus, and tomatoes. It was almost too pretty to eat, and tasted as good as it looked! The pastry was flaky and the sauce had a creamy texture but tangy, savory flavor that was just delightful.



After the Copia, we picked up Jax and came home. It was so nice to just spend time with Mr.M alone, no work, no baby, no worries for a few days, and we had fun just being together.

***

I was sure that I gained weight as I indulged in all of these amazing meals, eating the bread, desserts, and delectable sauces but when I went to Weight Watchers this morning, I was pleasantly surprised to have lost .4 lb.! Sweet!

***

At the farmer's market after Weight Watchers, I renewed my CSA box a year in advance. Add $686 to my monthly total and my budget is blown out of the water, but broken down it's just $58 a month for fresh, local, organic produce delivered to me. You really can't beat that. By paying a year in advance, I save a dollar a week. Since summer is the busy season for our family business, and the time of year when I have a little extra cushion in the budget, it was worth it to pay upfront and not have to worry about coming up with it in the winter, when the budget is tighter by necessity.

Today's box includes:
corn
cucumbers
eggplant
cantaloupe
honeyloupe
peppers
potatoes
tomatoes

This will be a tasty week! I also spent $24 on Pacific snapper for dinner tonight, cheese and butter from Spring Hill, onions, and Glaum eggs. I still need milk, rice, and yogurt, which will bring the total closer to $44 for this week's groceries, plus the CSA payment.

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
apple
2 slices Alvarado Street Bakery toast and 1 t. Spring Hill scallion-lemon butter (3 Points)

Lunch
red lentil soup with tomatoes and potatoes
1 oz. cheese (3 Points)
peach

Dinner
more red lentil soup (yummy!)

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 6
WPA points available: 35
Activity points today: 8 (The Firm video)
Activity points this week: 8

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

12 week progress report

I've now been on program for 12 weeks. I've tried Weight Watchers a dozen or more times, lost 15-20 lb., and then quit and gained that back plus more. This is the longest I've ever stuck to the program and also the most weight I've ever lost, and I'm continuing to feel motivated and on track. This time is different: cutting out the junk food, the processed, chemical, fake stuff, and caring for the first time about where the food comes from has made such a difference not only in my weight loss but in how I am looking at food altogether.

In the past twelve weeks, I've lost:
26 pounds
32.5 inches
30 points on my cholesterol
two pant sizes (from 28 to 24) and two shirt sizes (from 26 to 22)

In its place, I've gained:
endurance!
the ability to climb a flight of stairs without getting winded, walk a mile without taking a break, and finish the 55 minute FIRM exercise DVD (whew, that last one was tough)
a passion for dried beans and whole grains

I'm feeling so motivated to continue, and am thrilled with my progress so far. This is just the beginning!

***

I went to the farmer's market this morning and picked up my CSA box from Full Belly Farm. In it this week:

Basil
Bi Color Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Canary Melon
Cantaloupe Melon
Onion
Heirloom tomato

At the market, I also bought the longest celery I've ever seen, a head of cauliflower, green onions, silken tofu, a variety of colorful peppers and a jar of local smoked paprika, and a small ham. I spent $35 today toward this week's food. Yesterday I went to the grocery outlet and spent $18, mostly stocking up on local (Sebastapol), organic applesauce on sale for $1.50 a jar. I also hit Costco for Gardenburgers (not local, but they're easy for Jax and he loves them,) local, organic carrots, local mushrooms, and olive oil (not local, but organic.) I spent under $35. This week's food expense is up to $88.00. I'll need more milk and eggs later in the week, and will probably pick up some picnic fixings on our trip to Napa, so it will probably hit the weekly budgetted amount at that point.

***

Daily Menu

Breakfast
Baked oatmeal
2 c. milk

Lunch
Melon Chicken Salad (2 Points for the dressing, no walnuts)

Dinner
Grilled pork with balsamic reduction (from TLC Ranch)
Roasted eggplant and cauliflower with 1 t. oil (from Full Belly Farm and Green Oaks Creek Farm and Retreat
Tomatoes with salt and pepper (from Full Belly Farm)
Wheatberries with 1 t. olive oil and lemon (from Full Belly Farm)

Dessert
4 oatmeal cookies (12 Points)
milk

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 14
WPA points available: 30
Activity points today: 9 (5 for walking at a leisurely pace for 70 minutes; 4 for 1/2 of The Firm Aerobic Body Shaping - and I'm still sore from Thursday!)
Activity points this week: 13

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - oatmeal, brown rice
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes (chicken, pork)
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

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

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

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

CORE on a budget

Inspired by the Washington Post article, "How Far can your Dollar Stretch" by Sally Squires I'm challenging myself to feed my family this week on the USDA's Thrifty Plan for Food at Home. The USDA has four budgets for food at home, and the Thrifty Plan is the lowest of these budgets; it is also the amount that food stamps are based on. My family'd budget is $91.95 a week (based on two adults and one toddler for the chart from May, most recent available.) I'm still committed to locally grown, organic foods and I'm doing it with a dollar figure in mind. I've been averaging $100 a week since starting Weight Watchers, so this dollar figure isn't such a stretch. My goal here is to show that eating well doesn't have to cost a fortune. Most of us can eat a variety of delicious, filling, organic whole foods and not break the bank.

My family is very fortunate, let me say right up front. We are not on food stamps, and our income adequately covers our expenses (although with a self-employed dad and stay-at-home-mom, some months are tighter than others!) We have access to local, organic foods at a reasonable price, reasonably close to our home. For many, this is a luxury that simply isn't available.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet while receiving food stamps or living on a minimal food budget is understandably difficult. None of my vendors accept food stamps - not the Farmer's Market (although some Farmer's Markets are now accepting food stamps, a wonderful step in the right direction), not the rancher from whom I bought our split quarter of pastured beef, not my local natural foods store, etc.

I have the advantage of time: time to research food choices, make meal plans, and cook from scratch so very, very little of our food is prepared/processed. I am gaining an education in healthy food choices, which has changed how I shop. My family doesn't grumble too much at the many inexpensive vegetarian meals that are served. I also have a vehicle so I am able to shop at a variety of sources. Lacking any of these can make a significant difference for someone struggling to get by. It can be done, but with obstacles.

This week's menu includes:
Muesli and Shredded wheat with fruit for breakfasts
Egg salad and leftovers for lunches
Lentil tacos with Mexican coleslaw
Huevos Rancheros on brown rice with green beans
Salmon cakes with couscous and beets
Tofu stirfry with wheatberries
Crockpot chili and baked potato
Chana masala (Indian curried garbanzo beans) with bulgur and zucchini
Chicken and rice with carrots

Today I did most of the shopping for the week, everything but the CSA box, a few extra veggies, and eggs from the farmer's market on Saturday. Everything is organic and bought at a local natural foods store that isn't known for being inexpensive, but carries many local brands. If I really needed to stretch a dollar, I would have to shop elsewhere. Here's what I bought:

2 qts. fat free plain yogurt - $6.99 (not local - the Strauss yogurt I normally buy was out of stock, so I bought a different variety this week)
1 pt. whole plain yogurt - $2.79 (for Jax; local)
1 gallon fat free milk - $5.99 (local)
1 gallon whole milk - $5.99 (for Jax; local)
1 lb. tofu - $2.19 (local)
Canola oil - $8.99 (not local)
Jar of ginger - $2.19 (not local)
24 oz. Applesauce - $2.99 (local)
1/4 lb. oat bran - $.38 (not local)
Shredded Wheat - $5.39 (M's request; local producer)
$43.89

From Webb Ranch Farm Produce Stand:
2 peaches, 3 HUGE beets, a half-pint of raspberries, and 1 lb. cherries - $8.35

My CSA box costs $14.50 per week, paid in advance, and includes:
apricots (again!)
green beans
cabbage
carrots
white corn
potatoes
squash

I still need eggs ($2.50), bell peppers, jalapenos, and oranges (about $8) from the farmer's market. If I include the cost of foods I have on hand in the pantry or freezer and plan to use this week, I'm right about at budget - 1 lb. ground beef $5, 1/3 a chicken $3, and 6 oz. salmon $3.75, corn tortillas $.99, plus a bunch of beans and grains, probably under $4. I'm not including the spices and condiments on hand.

That puts my total for a week of groceries at $93.98, including meats and grains on hand, or $77.24 spent on food this week.

Daily Menu for June 17

Today was a busy day and I didn't get a chance to check in with my menu until now, but I was on track all day, counting Points for the non-CORE foods and enjoying every bite.

I hit the Mountain View Farmer's Market first thing this morning since I didn't have much time at the Palo Alto market before our beef expedition yesterday. How fortunate that there are so many wonderful outdoor venues for fresh, local vegetables in our area! I picked up raspberries, peaches, oranges, and the first tomatoes of the season (lunch tomorrow!). I also hit up the booth with Indian food by Sukhi's for a tasty brunch for the family. Last week I bought Tomato Chutney, which was a tasty treat at 0 Points per serving. This week, a curry will be made for dinner with one of their spice mixes and fat free yogurt.

The Mountain View market is right next to the Caltrain station and as we pulled up, a train went by, spurring Jax to call out "Choo Choo!" for the duration of our visit. He's also a fan of the samples - everywhere you turn, sweet, juicy fruit is sliced up and handed out, and he was thrilled to be a taste tester for peaches, cherries, raspberries, and nectarines.

What I forgot to buy: eggs, which we've been eating more and more of lately. Between the egg curry that we've eaten once a week for the past two weeks, hard boiled eggs that Jax enjoys as snacks, and the occasional scrambled egg breakfast, we're going though a dozen early in the week, and I probably could buy more and still use them up quickly. Usually bought at the Palo Alto or Menlo Park markets, I didn't see any at Mountain View and it was too late to get to Menlo Park before they closed. I'll have to pick some up at Country Sun when I get over there for more yogurt, which I'm also going through like crazy these days in my Summer Muesli (yogurt, oatmeal, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon, and fruit), a hearty breakfast that keeps me satisfied all morning.


After the farmer's market and lunch, we headed up to my parents' house for Father's Day with my dad, M and Jax, my brother and his son, and much ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the barbecue - male bonding over beef appreciation. My parents bought some of the beef as well and we had our first taste of the steaks. My dad and M each had a Porterhouse, and the rest of us had Sirloin. We learned that the grassfed meat, without the marbling that usually accompanies its cornfed cousin, is very lean, without the usual drippy-fat flare ups, needed more time to cook and had less juice left on the platter. The end result was worth it, though; we all agreed that the meat was very flavorful.

The two little boys played in the kiddie pool for much of the afternoon, enjoying the sunshine and a family of admiring onlookers as they splashed and slid around in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and Bob the Builder underpants. (Swimsuits were left at home; we made do with what was on hand!) They then wore themselves out running the loop around the hallway and dining room, chasing each other and laughing for well over an hour of loopy fun. Fun with cousins!

Overall, it has been a busy, productive, happy weekend, and I'm ready to hit the sack, hopeful that Jax will sleep in after his own long, busy, happy day!

Daily Menu

Brunch
From the Mountain View Farmer's Market:
2 papadums heated over the flame of the gas grill - these are like very thin lentil-based tortillas with cumin seeds in them, and they get bubbly and crispy over the flame - yummy! (0 Points)
Channa Masala (all CORE ingredients)
Fire roasted eggplant spread (all CORE ingredients)
leftover quinoa salad
raspberries

Dinner
Grilled Sirloin steak from Chileno Valley Ranch - very tasty!
Corn on the cob from my mom's farmer's market
Green beans and mushrooms, also from my mom's farmer's market, picked out by my 3 year old nephew who planted one in the backyard to see if it grows into a magic beanstalk like the one in the story (how cute is that?)
1/2 whole wheat roll with 1/2 t. butter (1.5 Points)
Salad with tomato, cucumber, and 1 T. regular dressing (2)
Watermelon
Mom-made Lemon Bar (3)

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 6.5
WPA points available: 26
Activity points today: 0
Activity points this week: 4

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5
2. Whole grains - quinoa
3. Milk - Not today
4. Healthy oil - one
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

Buying the cow, Weigh in and Daily Menu for June 16

This morning's weigh in reflected another successful week: I was down another 3.2 lb. for a total of 11 lb. in four weeks. Now I just have to stick with it even when I'm not feeling as I am right now!

After Weight Watchers, I made a mad dash to the farmer's market to pick up my CSA box and some tofu, then scrambled home so we (me and M) could hit the road and pick up the beef! We made good time to the butcher in Cotati, despite traffic through San Francisco, and loaded up the truck with organic, grassfed beef. A cow and a half, wrapped up in tidy, frozen bundles wrapped in butcher paper, takes up the entire bed of a full sized pick up truck!

We met up with the dozen or so people in the coop who collected their portions of the huge order, had lunch at the Marin Brewing Company listening to live music in the courtyard, and drove back home to put our beef in the freezer - our quarter, with all its roasts, steaks, stew meat, stock bones, and hamburger, takes about half of our 5 cubic foot freezer, leaving plenty of room for pork, chickens, and lamb, and even vegetables later in the season.

I'm a little sunburned, quite tired from moving hundreds of pounds of meat, and glad that the order is done and there is meat in the freezer whenever I want it. We're having a barbecue tomorrow to try out our grassfed sirloin steaks.

Today's CSA box includes:
Apricots
Green Beans
Carrots
Lettuce
Onion
Potatoes
Summer Squash

If you know of any good apricot recipes, please pass them on to me! I have a LOT of apricots. :) Next week we start getting peaches, yum!

Daily Menu

Breakfast
1/2 c. plain fat free yogurt from Strauss Creamery
1/8 c. oatmeal (not local, but organic and purchased locally)
1/2 banana (not local, but fair trade organic)


Lunch
at Marin Brewing Company
Spinach salad with kalamata olives, hard boiled egg, and goat cheese, dressing on the side (omitted bacon) - 3 Points for the goat cheese, 3 Points for the dressing
1/3 slice of bread - .5 Points (I just didn't need the rest of it!)

Dinner
Quinoa salad with green beans and carrots (produce from Full Belly Farms)
Beets with olive oil and balsamic (beets from Full Belly, vinegar from Hare Hollow)
milk from Clover

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 6.5
WPA points available: 32.5
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 4

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