I adore farmers markets. There is something so special about being able to put your money into the hands of someone who had a part in creating the food you're buying. Back in May, Trey and I made our first trip to an amazing farmers market located a sweet three miles down the road from us in little Worthington Town Center. We've had crazy schedules and were out of town for so long that I didn't even make my second trip over there until this past Saturday. Trucks overflowing with fresh corn, tables filled with ripe fruit and the greenest greens, the smell of fresh baked bread and brewed coffee. It's an experience for all of the senses. Even when I don't need to buy much, it's the best way to start a morning.

Peach Army - When your fruit is ripening faster than you can eat it, freeze these little suckers for smoothies, dipping in melted chocolate, adding to yogurt, etc. Place cookie sheet in freezer for 2 hours then transfer fruit to freezer bag.

As of late, I'm on an especially tight budget so I've been making a strong effort to live a minimalist lifestyle, which sadly includes food. Actually food is my biggest expense so it's taking the biggest hit. HOWEVER, that does not mean nutrition is going down with it. Eating/grocery shopping on a budget simply means going back to basics. Try to mainly choose produce that you can split between multiple meals and dishes, there's endless room for creativity. There's no NEED to purchase all the fancy-named products just because we see them in the "organic" and "natural" aisles. Those buzz words also do not necessarily mean "healthy" so beware! More often than not I make a list before heading to the store or market to avoid the dangers of aesthetic persuasion; although sometimes it's good to switch it up and go in without specific recipes in mind, grab whichever veggies ignite a bit of inspiration and create from there. For those of you that are artists, I think this process resonates greatly. I am not an artist but I see food as my canvas. That's not to say the end result is always pretty - many, many kitchen failures - but sometimes that's not the point.

My best advice for shopping healthy on a budget: do not hit more than 3 aisles.

This might sound ridiculous to some people, but I spend about 75% in produce, 5% in dairy, and 20% in grains/other. "Other" includes hummus, pesto, legumes and other staples that round out a meal or snack. Most of the aisles are filled with crap which both eats away at your budget and is nutritionally useless, depleting your energy levels rather than sustaining them like real whole foods do. That being said...don't forget your dark chocolate!

Alter Eco is my absolute favorite brand. The Dark Blackout is INSANE. They typically use 100% organic and Fair Trade Certified ingredients, a label which is near and dear to my heart. Check out Fair Trade USA's site  to read about how the third party certifier is expanding across industries.












At this time next week I'll be getting ready for my maiden voyage to Chicago! Squeezing in a few days with good friends, Lollapalooza music festivities, and of course, checking out the food scene. Stay tuned for my discoveries!

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Reconnecting

Hi friends, it's been a while. I guess you could say I took a little unplanned hiatus, possibly from a lack of inspiration. Last I wrote we were just entering Spring and here we are in July! For me at least, the change of season has brought on a whole slew of life changes. I just recently re-read my very first post and couldn't help but laugh because my life can be currently characterized by the exact uncertainty I wrote about eight months ago. The transition to life in Columbus came much easier than expected, in part because I was welcomed into a great group of people to work and play with. I'm so glad I took a chance on myself, really, and moved to a new city. I guess I should say I'm also glad my boyfriend persuaded me in the first place. It's the best decision I've made/been coerced into in a very long time.

But now our lease is up and it's time to find a new apartment in a different part of the city. I also left the stability of an income - just barely enough to pay my bills, but an income nonetheless - in hopes of pushing myself to find a job more in line with my longer-term "career" goals. "Career" refers to the general non-profit world but will remain in quotations because I'm still on an unclear path. And that's OK. I saw a quote posted by a young world-traveler that read: "This is the time for big adventures and small paychecks". In a way, I completely agree. At the same time, my rent is due soon. Life is one funny dilemma in that sense.

Right now I am back home in Concord, MA enjoying the inconsistent weather, my bike, and catching up with old friends. When asked what I'm "up to", it's safe to say I don't know what I'll be doing tomorrow, let alone months from now. As I aim to (quickly) find an answer in these next weeks, I'm soaking in all the New England charm I can get, and then it's back to Ohio for a different chapter in this odd book of mine.
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Last week my mom and I ventured out to one of our family vacation spots,Westport Point, where we visited every summer when I was little. The tiny town located along Massachusett's southeastern shore has a harbor dock with what seems like more boats than people; what was once the general store fifteen years ago is now a quiet set of law offices that don't appear to conduct much business; the Inn right on the harbor point offers a total of nine rooms; a picturesque scene to say the least. Other main attractions: beach & local ice cream shop, the summer essentials. There's nothing like the smell of sunscreen and melting sugar to complete a summer day.

A few days after our weekday excursion it was time for a lobster boil. Classic but smelly meal. I elected to bury myself in the pastry portion instead. I've made this dessert twice now and it's just so perfect. It's essentially a topless pie but for some reason it has a more eloquent name.

Peach and Blueberry Crostatas

I've only ever used peaches and blueberries for the filling although I'm sure most other fruits would be equally delectable. I've found that I like this dessert so much because it's the perfect amount of sweetness. There's roughly 1/3 cup of sugar in each of the two crostatas this recipe makes. The best part of the process is making the dough - something so magical about shoving your hands into a big hunk of flour and butter. You try and you'll see. You do need a food processor to make the dough and part of the filling.

Recipe from Plum Pie

Happy baking!
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No Such Thing as Too Much Granola

So it's officially Spring, people! I found a park in downtown Columbus two weeks ago in the most adorable section of the city called German Village. Dragged Trey out there to run around with me, encountered so many dogs I wanted to kidnap. Then I drove there again last Sunday straight after work when the sun was out and we were almost reaching 60 degrees, and went for the happiest run of the year. Exploring a city on foot (or bike) is the way to go. Discovered a couple cute coffee shops that almost lured me in with their newly-open patios, but most importantly, actually saw PEOPLE. It's funny how less populated an area feels during the winter months. Then all of a sudden March and April hit and you're bumping into a human everywhere you turn. But most of these humans come with a dog attached so that's pretty great.

I've begun cracking our windows open and finally welcoming fresh air into our apartment...for the first time since we've moved in. I suppose all this clean oxygen has been inspiring, so I took a trip to the Oakland Nursery last weekend and discovered another happiness outlet. So many succulents!! Do you have succulents yet? I've seen them around for a while now, but haven't felt the push to buy any. Which is funny, given that they naturally help to clean the air in, say, an apartment that's been on lockdown for six months. Go out and buy one or five, I promise their presence does magical things.

Now, on to snacks.

I've made granola a few times. The first, I was less than impressed. But I've grown! I think this is the best batch yet. Perfectly sweet and crunchy, wholesome and satiating. This round has a new coconutty flavor profile that is addicting. I have a jar of coconut butter in my pantry leftover from making Christmas chocolate bark from scratch, and I've never really known what else to do with it. I don't think people normally have coconut butter on their shopping list, it's a bit expensive and maybe intimidating. But I stumbled across a granola recipe using coconut butter and was so excited. So I took that idea and consulted with one of my favorite vegan blogger sites, and created my own little mashup. IT'S GOOD. The coconut butter adds a decadent element that haven't quite encountered in previous recipes so it's always fun to switch things up a bit!

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (or Gluten-Free Oats)
• 1 Cup Walnuts
• 1 Cup Pecans
• 1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
• 3 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed
• 1/2 tsp Salt

• 1/4 Cup Coconut Butter
• 3 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
• 1/4 Raw Honey

• 1/2 Cup Dates, chopped

Directions

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Combine all wet ingredients in a saucepan over low heat until melted
3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
4. Stir the wet mixture and pour over the dry ingredients, using a spatula to thoroughly combine 
5. Carefully spread the granola across a large baking sheet, in one even layer
6. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and gently stir mixture
7. Bake for another 10 minutes, remove from oven and gently stir
8. Again, bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and gently stir.
9. Increase the oven temp to 340 degrees, then put the baking sheet back in for 5-10 minutes, stirring every two minutes until you've reached a deep golden color.
10. Allow to cool on baking sheet, untouched, for 1 hour in order to achieve crunchiness!
11. Once the hour has passed, add the chopped dates and stir the granola again.

I keep mine in an airtight container in my cabinet, usually for 2 weeks if it hasn't all been consumed by then.

Enjoy the last weekend before April!

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Nanner Nanner

Just to keep the pattern up, I'm sharing a banana bread recipe that is to. die. for. It is gluten-free and there is absolutely no added sweetener, not even honey or maple syrup. Purely sweetened by the overripe nanners and coconut flour. This stuff literally melts in your mouth. And I didn't have to alter the original recipe one bit. I've found a lot of gluten-free baking requires really expensive nut flours and so forth, but coconut flour is a game-changer. Trader Joe's sells 1 lb. bags of organic coconut flour for $2.99!! Not only is the price amazing, but all coconut flour recipes call for much smaller measurements than traditional wheat flour recipes, so that bag will last you. The trade-off is that the recipes require about double the amount of eggs, used as a binding agent. Coconut flour is delicious, highly nutritious, and this bread is both light AND filling.

Coconut Flour Banana Bread

Recipe from Civilized Caveman Cooking

Ingredients

• 4 Ripe Bananas, mashed
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Almond Butter (also found cheapest at Trader Joe's, $6.99) 
• 4 Tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
• 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend bananas, eggs, almond butter, and coconut oil together. I used a regular blender.
3. Transfer to a large bowl and add in all remaining ingredients. Stir well. 
4. Lightly grease a loaf pan and pour in batter.
5. Bake in oven for 50 minutes.

Super easy! I love that this snack requires minimal effort. So often I find myself hungry in the middle of work or running errands and need something to hold me over when I know I won't be have a full meal for a couple of hours. That is exactly why I'm loving baking lately. It's so important and useful to have these powerful snacks on hand to sustain us throughout the day, wherever it takes you. I, for one, don't think clearly when my stomach is growling and my brain power is depleting. 

I'll probably be making other variations of this recipe, maybe in muffin form, with my favorite add-ins like walnuts and dates, or maybe in loaf form again, but turned into decadent french toast! Have some fun in your kitchen. And wear a cool apron. 

Cheers to baking! 

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Mornings Glorified!

The verdict is in: the muffins are share-worthy! Perfectly moist and satiating, chock full of the good stuff. Apple, carrot, coconut, dates. Morning Glory muffins have been my favorite since the first time I tried one, not too long ago. They bring me right back to the Mill Mountain coffee house in Virginia where I did some of my best research and writing in school. It became somewhat of a routine. So much so that they'd give me coffee and a muffin at no charge. It's funny how food can take you back.

I altered the recipe slightly, omitting the brown sugar that I feel is unnecessary for something with such naturally delicious ingredients. These are a damn good snack to power you through the mid-morning or afternoon lull.

Morning Glory Muffins

Adapted from Elly Says Opa!

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 cups Carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 Apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Honey, I used Trade Joe's Raw Wild Collected
• 1/3 Cup Coconut Oil, melted
• 2/3 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice, I put an orange segment in my hand press
• 3/4 Cup Dates, chopped  

Directions

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

2. Use a spatula to stir in the carrots, apple, coconut, and walnuts.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, honey, coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and orange juice.

5. Gently stir the wet mixture into the dry until just mixed.

6. Lastly, fold in the chopped dates.

7. If your muffin tray is not nonstick, lightly grease each muffin tin or fill with liners. 

8. I filled each tin with batter just slightly more than full, yielding 12 medium muffins with enough leftover batter for an extra two (I simply baked the extra in one side of a bread pan because I was impatient)

9. Bake for 20 minutes and your whole house will smell AMAZING.

I highly recommend smearing some almond butter between two halves for an extra boost. Enjoy! And try to stop at just one, I dare you. 

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Countdown

The winter blues are real. I am finding it more and more challenging to get up from our blanket-laden Lazyboy when I don't really have to. It's becoming a problem. Although I fight myself most days, I still make it to TRX and yoga and am reminded of how critical regular exercise is for your mental health. Forget the physical for a minute - it's the mind that I think faces the most difficulty during this time of year. I see pictures of Florida and Costa Rica from friends that are lucky enough to get a heavy dose of Vitamin D and salt water in bleak January and February, and as much as I wish I could pick up and fly out to the islands, simply looking at warm beaches actually eases my mind. 

I keep reminding myself that without a change of season, we wouldn't appreciate sun and warmth nearly as much. There is beauty in each season, even on bleak five-degree days. And it's safe to say we can begin the countdown to Spring! The first official day of Spring is in exactly one month from tomorrow. Of course that doesn't mean we are in the clear from snow and cold weather, but hey, it's a big step in the right direction. In highschool and even college, I thought one of the main perks of summer was getting a tan. My outlook has completely changed since. 

Warmer days, whether the sun is out or not, creates endless possibilities. I've already put a list together of "Things to do in Columbus" come April/May, including FARMER'S MARKETS, the most important of them all, pick-your-own farms, free yoga in the park, free outdoor concerts, and outdoor movies. Yes, most of these options are available indoors during the winter seasons, but there is a difference between the confines of a four-walled room and the open outdoors. 

I also found a bike path that can take me all the way downtown, roughly 12 miles and maybe an hour-long ride. I've already begun daydreaming about my Mondays reinvented. I don't start work until noon, allowing a perfect amount of time to relax with a good breakfast, stuff a backpack with slightly more presentable clothing, and hop on my new commuter route. Should probably leave a bit of extra time for the sweating to subside upon my arrival. Sweating is good.  

Last summer, I took advantage of many Saturdays and Sundays off from the restaurant and biked the 1 1/2 or 2-hour route from suburban Concord to the outskirts of Boston. For the most part I rode solo, and it was one of the most freeing ways to get out of the everyday routine, both physically and mentally. I had no one to answer to, no rules to follow. Sometimes I wasn't even quite sure how I would get back home. I usually spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the city at a food fair, or meeting my friend Julia for a smoothie and inconveniently to everyone else walking my bike down the busy sidewalks. If I planned well enough and brought an extra snack, I would bike the whole route back before sunset. That was a long day. A long, good day taken full advantage of. I've realized that my bike is in Massachusetts while I am here in Columbus, however. A tragic love story of separation. I'll have to face that issue later...

In the meantime, I'll be making pancakes a lot. And baking. I've had an urge to bake this week. Cupcakes, cookies, muffins. I have a Morning Glory Muffin recipe to put to the test this afternoon, so hopefully it will be share-worthy. Anyone thinking that muffins don't pair well with February is wrong. 

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Intentions

I'm sitting in Starbucks reading through "The Juice Generation" by Eric Helms, founder of the first juicery in the US back in 1999 before any of us really starting thinking about juice that extended beyond Tropicana. It seemed fitting that a little boy started sobbing in front of me upon finishing his juice. I feel your pain, little man. Sometimes those satisfying flavors are too darn hard to part with. I've been witnessing an immense support of this so-called juice generation in the storefront where I work and am amazed at how passionately so many locals feel toward the products. When there is a surge of popularity for anything in the health and fitness world, I'm inclined to immediately take a step back before jumping through the floodgates. Sometimes the health benefits may be available, but intentions are not correctly aligned. The owners have established more than a business here, however, by promoting a balanced lifestyle and self-care perspective. Juice bars are popping up all over the place, and though many may approach the business honestly, some are simply taking advantage of a trend. The production may be half-hearted, produce may not be 100% organic in an effort to cut costs and boost profits, and juices may be watered down, reducing the nutritional punch in each bottle. I'm not exactly business-minded, as I find the heart and soul behind a name to be the most crucial element of a company, rather than profit margins.

And it's all about the mentality in my book. I rolled out my mat in a hot yoga class on Monday, and began the class not with an immediate sweat session, but with a moment of stillness. The instructor made a point to have us take a minute to set our intentions for the practice that morning. Sure, it's just one hour of the day, but the power of a short period of time when approached humbly can significantly alter your attitude toward the day, toward others, and toward yourself. Intentions can be focused physically, emotionally, or mentally, whichever you feel needs the most love and care. We dedicated a few minutes to headstands. I have never been able to find my way into one, but I slowed the process, followed the introductory steps, and used core strength I didn't even know I had to lift my feet off the ground, eventually holding the full pose. I was SO excited. It was both a physical and mental accomplishment. We really are our own worst enemies. I felt such an overwhelming wave of pride, not because I thought I could show off to the class (there were 4 other people), but because I beat myself. Yoga is another one of those "trends", but when practiced with pure intentions, you fully understand its draw and grasp the benefits.

So let's work on setting our intentions, whether big or small.

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