so much so much so much

I have so much to fill you in on.  Right now, however, I can't...but I will, promise.  But a friend through my CSA posted this and I felt the urge to share.

We had a proposition on our CA ballots this year.  Prop 37, it was to label GMO foods.  Sadly, it didn't pass...but there's a movement behind it so it's only a matter of time. I found this article/list interesting. ... food for thought, esp. those who opposed it.

Organic Brands/Companies That Have Financially Supported the California Initiative to Require Labeling of GMO Foods  

• Alex Bogusky — Fearless Revolution ($100,000)
• Amy’s ($100,000)
• Annie’s ($52,000)
• Baby’s Only ($2,500)
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds ($4,000)
• Burroughs Family Farm ($5,000)
• Clif Bar ($100,000)
• Cups Organic cupcakery ($25,000)
• Dr. Bronner’s ($290,000)
• Eden Foods ($10,000)
• Earth Balance ($34,000)
• Earthbound Farm ($10,000)
• Frey Vineyard ($35,000)
• Glutino ($33,000)
• Good Earth Natural Foods ($25,000)
• Health Force ($10,000)
• Late July Organic ($12,500)
• Lundberg Family Farm ($200,000)
• Mercola.com – Dr. Joseph Mercola ($1,100,000)
• Michael Funk - CEO of United Natural Foods ($50,000)
• Mintwood Media Collective ($1,250)
• Mom’s Organic Market ($10,000)
• Mother’s Market and Kitchen ($20,000)
• Nature’s Path ($600,000)
• New Chapter Organics ($10,000)
• Nutiva ($50,000)
• Organic Consumers Association ($40,000 Association/ $730,000 fund)
• Organic Valley ($50,000)
• OrganicVille ($7,500)
• Pacific ($10,000)
• Presence Marketing ($20,000)
• Sambazon ($10,000)
• Stonyfield Organic ($500,000)
• Straus Organic ($2,500)
• Sunfood Super Foods ($3,000)
• Tofurky ($5,000)
• Traditional Medicinals ($5,000)
• Udi's Gluten Free Foods ($33,000)
• Uncle Matt’s ($2,500)
• Whole Foods, Hain Celestial and Chipotle (endorsement only, no financial backing

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/gmo-foods/zw0z1209zkin.aspx#ixzz2CbUAGsZX

Organic Brands/Companies That Have Financially Supported the California Initiative to Require Labeling of GMO Foods  

• Alex Bogusky — Fearless Revolution ($100,000)
• Amy’s ($100,000)
• Annie’s ($52,000)
• Baby’s Only ($2,500)
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds ($4,000)
• Burroughs Family Farm ($5,000)
• Clif Bar ($100,000)
• Cups Organic cupcakery ($25,000)
• Dr. Bronner’s ($290,000)
• Eden Foods ($10,000)
• Earth Balance ($34,000)
• Earthbound Farm ($10,000)
• Frey Vineyard ($35,000)
• Glutino ($33,000)
• Good Earth Natural Foods ($25,000)
• Health Force ($10,000)
• Late July Organic ($12,500)
• Lundberg Family Farm ($200,000)
• Mercola.com – Dr. Joseph Mercola ($1,100,000)
• Michael Funk - CEO of United Natural Foods ($50,000)
• Mintwood Media Collective ($1,250)
• Mom’s Organic Market ($10,000)
• Mother’s Market and Kitchen ($20,000)
• Nature’s Path ($600,000)
• New Chapter Organics ($10,000)
• Nutiva ($50,000)
• Organic Consumers Association ($40,000 Association/ $730,000 fund)
• Organic Valley ($50,000)
• OrganicVille ($7,500)
• Pacific ($10,000)
• Presence Marketing ($20,000)
• Sambazon ($10,000)
• Stonyfield Organic ($500,000)
• Straus Organic ($2,500)
• Sunfood Super Foods ($3,000)
• Tofurky ($5,000)
• Traditional Medicinals ($5,000)
• Udi's Gluten Free Foods ($33,000)
• Uncle Matt’s ($2,500)
• Whole Foods, Hain Celestial and Chipotle (endorsement only, no financial backing)

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/gmo-foods/zw0z1209zkin.aspx#ixzz2CbTzt5p1

Organic Brands/Companies That Have Financially Supported the California Initiative to Require Labeling of GMO Foods  

• Alex Bogusky — Fearless Revolution ($100,000)
• Amy’s ($100,000)
• Annie’s ($52,000)
• Baby’s Only ($2,500)
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds ($4,000)
• Burroughs Family Farm ($5,000)
• Clif Bar ($100,000)
• Cups Organic cupcakery ($25,000)
• Dr. Bronner’s ($290,000)
• Eden Foods ($10,000)
• Earth Balance ($34,000)
• Earthbound Farm ($10,000)
• Frey Vineyard ($35,000)
• Glutino ($33,000)
• Good Earth Natural Foods ($25,000)
• Health Force ($10,000)
• Late July Organic ($12,500)
• Lundberg Family Farm ($200,000)
• Mercola.com – Dr. Joseph Mercola ($1,100,000)
• Michael Funk - CEO of United Natural Foods ($50,000)
• Mintwood Media Collective ($1,250)
• Mom’s Organic Market ($10,000)
• Mother’s Market and Kitchen ($20,000)
• Nature’s Path ($600,000)
• New Chapter Organics ($10,000)
• Nutiva ($50,000)
• Organic Consumers Association ($40,000 Association/ $730,000 fund)
• Organic Valley ($50,000)
• OrganicVille ($7,500)
• Pacific ($10,000)
• Presence Marketing ($20,000)
• Sambazon ($10,000)
• Stonyfield Organic ($500,000)
• Straus Organic ($2,500)
• Sunfood Super Foods ($3,000)
• Tofurky ($5,000)
• Traditional Medicinals ($5,000)
• Udi's Gluten Free Foods ($33,000)
• Uncle Matt’s ($2,500)
• Whole Foods, Hain Celestial and Chipotle (endorsement only, no financial backing)

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/gmo-foods/zw0z1209zkin.aspx#ixzz2CbTzt5p1

Organic Brands/Companies That Have Financially Supported the California Initiative to Require Labeling of GMO Foods  

• Alex Bogusky — Fearless Revolution ($100,000)
• Amy’s ($100,000)
• Annie’s ($52,000)
• Baby’s Only ($2,500)
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds ($4,000)
• Burroughs Family Farm ($5,000)
• Clif Bar ($100,000)
• Cups Organic cupcakery ($25,000)
• Dr. Bronner’s ($290,000)
• Eden Foods ($10,000)
• Earth Balance ($34,000)
• Earthbound Farm ($10,000)
• Frey Vineyard ($35,000)
• Glutino ($33,000)
• Good Earth Natural Foods ($25,000)
• Health Force ($10,000)
• Late July Organic ($12,500)
• Lundberg Family Farm ($200,000)
• Mercola.com – Dr. Joseph Mercola ($1,100,000)
• Michael Funk - CEO of United Natural Foods ($50,000)
• Mintwood Media Collective ($1,250)
• Mom’s Organic Market ($10,000)
• Mother’s Market and Kitchen ($20,000)
• Nature’s Path ($600,000)
• New Chapter Organics ($10,000)
• Nutiva ($50,000)
• Organic Consumers Association ($40,000 Association/ $730,000 fund)
• Organic Valley ($50,000)
• OrganicVille ($7,500)
• Pacific ($10,000)
• Presence Marketing ($20,000)
• Sambazon ($10,000)
• Stonyfield Organic ($500,000)
• Straus Organic ($2,500)
• Sunfood Super Foods ($3,000)
• Tofurky ($5,000)
• Traditional Medicinals ($5,000)
• Udi's Gluten Free Foods ($33,000)
• Uncle Matt’s ($2,500)
• Whole Foods, Hain Celestial and Chipotle (endorsement only, no financial backing)

Organic Brands/Companies That Have Financially Supported the California Initiative to Require Labeling of GMO Foods  

• Alex Bogusky — Fearless Revolution ($100,000)
• Amy’s ($100,000)
• Annie’s ($52,000)
• Baby’s Only ($2,500)
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds ($4,000)
• Burroughs Family Farm ($5,000)
• Clif Bar ($100,000)
• Cups Organic cupcakery ($25,000)
• Dr. Bronner’s ($290,000)
• Eden Foods ($10,000)
• Earth Balance ($34,000)
• Earthbound Farm ($10,000)
• Frey Vineyard ($35,000)
• Glutino ($33,000)
• Good Earth Natural Foods ($25,000)
• Health Force ($10,000)
• Late July Organic ($12,500)
• Lundberg Family Farm ($200,000)
• Mercola.com – Dr. Joseph Mercola ($1,100,000)
• Michael Funk - CEO of United Natural Foods ($50,000)
• Mintwood Media Collective ($1,250)
• Mom’s Organic Market ($10,000)
• Mother’s Market and Kitchen ($20,000)
• Nature’s Path ($600,000)
• New Chapter Organics ($10,000)
• Nutiva ($50,000)
• Organic Consumers Association ($40,000 Association/ $730,000 fund)
• Organic Valley ($50,000)
• OrganicVille ($7,500)
• Pacific ($10,000)
• Presence Marketing ($20,000)
• Sambazon ($10,000)
• Stonyfield Organic ($500,000)
• Straus Organic ($2,500)
• Sunfood Super Foods ($3,000)
• Tofurky ($5,000)
• Traditional Medicinals ($5,000)
• Udi's Gluten Free Foods ($33,000)
• Uncle Matt’s ($2,500)
• Whole Foods, Hain Celestial and Chipotle (endorsement only, no financial backing)

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/gmo-foods/zw0z1209zkin.aspx#ixzz2CbUAGsZX

Organic Brands/Companies That Have Financially Supported the California Initiative to Require Labeling of GMO Foods  

• Alex Bogusky — Fearless Revolution ($100,000)
• Amy’s ($100,000)
• Annie’s ($52,000)
• Baby’s Only ($2,500)
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds ($4,000)
• Burroughs Family Farm ($5,000)
• Clif Bar ($100,000)
• Cups Organic cupcakery ($25,000)
• Dr. Bronner’s ($290,000)
• Eden Foods ($10,000)
• Earth Balance ($34,000)
• Earthbound Farm ($10,000)
• Frey Vineyard ($35,000)
• Glutino ($33,000)
• Good Earth Natural Foods ($25,000)
• Health Force ($10,000)
• Late July Organic ($12,500)
• Lundberg Family Farm ($200,000)
• Mercola.com – Dr. Joseph Mercola ($1,100,000)
• Michael Funk - CEO of United Natural Foods ($50,000)
• Mintwood Media Collective ($1,250)
• Mom’s Organic Market ($10,000)
• Mother’s Market and Kitchen ($20,000)
• Nature’s Path ($600,000)
• New Chapter Organics ($10,000)
• Nutiva ($50,000)
• Organic Consumers Association ($40,000 Association/ $730,000 fund)
• Organic Valley ($50,000)
• OrganicVille ($7,500)
• Pacific ($10,000)
• Presence Marketing ($20,000)
• Sambazon ($10,000)
• Stonyfield Organic ($500,000)
• Straus Organic ($2,500)
• Sunfood Super Foods ($3,000)
• Tofurky ($5,000)
• Traditional Medicinals ($5,000)
• Udi's Gluten Free Foods ($33,000)
• Uncle Matt’s ($2,500)
• Whole Foods, Hain Celestial and Chipotle (endorsement only, no financial backing)

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/gmo-foods/zw0z1209zkin.aspx#ixzz2CbUAGsZ

Organic Brands Not Financially Supporting the Effort to Label GMO Foods (Hain Celestial) or Their Parent Company is Actively Contributing Funds Against the Initiative (*).

• Applegate Farms
• Newsman’s Own
• Trader Joes
• Alba Botanica (Hain Celestial)
• Alexia (Conagra)*
• Almond Dream (Hain Celestial)
• Arrowhead Mills (Hain Celestial)
• Avalon Organics (Hain Celestial)
• Bear Naked (Kellogg)*
• Casbah (Hain Celestial)
• Cascadian Farm Organic (General Mills)*
• Celestial Seasonings (Hain Celestial)
• Daily Bread (Hain Celestial)
• Danival (Hain Celestial)
• DeBoles (Hain Celestial)
• Earth’s Best (Hain Celestial)
• Ethnic Gourmet (Hain Celestial)
• French Meadow Bakery (Rich Products)*
• Gardenburger (Kellogg)*
• Garden of Eatin’ (Hain Celestial)
• Greek Gods (Hain Celestial)
• Hain (Hain Celestial)
• Health Valley (Hain Celestial)
• Honest Tea (Coca-Cola)*
• Horizon Organic (Dean Foods)*
• Imagine (Hain Celestial)
• Izze (PepsiCo)*
• Jason (Hain Celestial)
• Kashi (Kellogg)*
• Larabar (General Mills)*
• Linda McCartney (Hain Celestial)
• MaraNatha (Hain Celestial)
• Morning Star (Kellogg)*
• Muir Glen (General Mills)*
• Naked Juice (PepsiCo)*
• Odwalla (Coca-Cola)*
• Rice Dream (Hain Celestial)
• Rosetto (Hain Celestial)
• R.W. Knudsen (Smucker)*
• Santa Cruz Organic (Smucker)*
• Sensible Portions (Hain Celestial)
• Silk (Dean Foods)*
• Spectrum (Hain Celestial)
• Sunspire (Hain Celestial)
• Terra Chips (Hain Celestial)
• Westbrae Natural (Hain Celestial)
• Westsoy (Hain Celestial)

Companies Financially Opposing the Initiative to Label GMO Foods.  

• Abbott Nutrition ($3,918)
• Bayer Cropscience ($1.5 million)
• Biotechnology Industry Organization ($250,000)
• Campbell Soup Co ($179,545)
• Coca-Cola ($1.2 million)
• ConAgra Foods ($1 million)
• Counsel for Biotechnology Information ($375,000)
• Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN)
• Dean Foods ($253,000)
• Dog Agrosciences ($815,200)
• DuPont ($4 million)
• General Mills ($520,000)
• Godiva Chocolatier ($30,666)
• Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) ($375,000)
• H.J. Heinz ($10,445)
• Hershey ($283,753)
• Kellogg ($632,500)
• Kraft Foods ($34,405)
• Land O’Lakes ($59,322)
• Mars, Incorporated ($100,243)
• Monsanto ($7.1 million)
• Morton Salt ($14,879)
• Natural Products Association (NPA)
• Nestle ($1 million)
• Ocean Spray Cranberries, INC. ($60,546)
• Pepsico ($1.7 million)
• Rich Products ($225,000)
• Sara Lee Corporation ($246,766)
• Smuckers ($387,000)
• Sunny Delight Beverages Co ($93,795)
• Syngenta Corporation ($178,700)
• WM. Wrigley Jr. ($116,866)

Sometimes it's not worth a picture

So, tonight I cooked.  I was in the mood for pasta but had an acorn squash to use...with a little help from the Kitchn I discovered this: Penne with Acorn Squash and Pancetta. (here) Not having everything, I did my typical I substituted, which as we know is typically fine.  But tonight, something happened....the meal I got excited for failed me.  It wasn't bad it just wasn't awesome and, you know I expect awesome 9 times out of 10.  I think my squash was over cooked, I used too much bacon, my spices didn't have enough of a punch...something.

At the end of a very rich and filling meal I decided I don't like cured meats and winter squashes - I like them each with other things, just not each other.  I almost feel a cardinal sin happening when I say that but it's true!  Such is the kitchen sometimes.

On another exciting note - last week two things happened that felt like I was finally finding my footing again, like Jordan was stepping back into her skin.  I had an audition for a theater company called the Vagrancy.  A handful of young New Yorkers (not all of them are NYCers) transplanted to LA for various reasons who all found each other.   They have all decided to work towards the company's mission:  

The Vagrancy creates visceral work that seeks to touch the human spirit. We embrace fear, vulnerability, and embarrassment - inviting the audience to experience a communion. We hope to spark a dialogue of questions and compassion, exposing a shared universal truth. We forge new, lesser-known, and classical works with that ineffable something. Duende.

When I was done with my audition, I felt good.  I felt like I stepped back into the room with my head up and ready to play.  It was a great feeling, regardless of what the outcome was going to be.  Fast forward to Thursday and I got asked to join the company!  So, I'm excited to announce that I am a new company member of the Vagrancy and can't wait to start playing again.

Also on Thursday, I went to a yoga studio.  It's been ages, AGES since I've been in a studio.  Yoga is my jam.  It's my balance.  It's my peace and it's been out of my life for a very long time.  Here I was committed to walking back into the classroom.  And what a class I walked in to!  I got my ass handed to me.  I don't think I've ever sweat that much from a non-hot class.  I don't know if it was my ego getting in the way or what but it was a very, very hard class and I left in pain.  I learned that my body has tightened up with lack of stretching and too much tense driving and computer sitting.  My body was yelling to move and move it tried.  I went again today and loved it.

What I guess I'm trying to acknowledge is being back to a familiar.  Or at least beginning to explore the familier in a new way and new place.  It's always a new lesson so we'll see how I learn it this time.  I'm coming up on my 2 year mark and there's no time like the present to move and explore things.

Hope you're voting tomorrow.  I don't care who you vote for (I mean, I do but I won't pressure you) I just want you to vote. 

Hope your weeks gotten off to the right foot!

some winter warming food!

As you may know, I'm engaged, have been for almost a year and a half.  I've loved every minute of being engaged. LOVED it.  My fiance is my best friend.  He's someone whom I trust with my whole person, he's the person I turn to when I need to advice or guidance, he's who I laugh with the most and he's the person who makes me a work to be a better person.  We just went wedding venue shopping and I can't wait to plan this celebration with my best friend, to make the most amazing dinner party where someone I know will be wearing white (ivory, are we kidding? white? no, thanks) and our friends will be dressed up and having a blast.  I can't wait to share.

On my food note, I've been cooking a lot.  We've got a lot of veggies from our CSA.  Tonight I wanted to use my butternut squash.  I was just going to roast it but while watching the debates I went over to Smitten Kitchen (if you go right now, that Mosaic apple tart looks freaking amazing) and found a tasty looking dish. (My belly is so warm right now, it's so satisfying!)  As I am want to do, I used what I had, made some exceptions didn't use some things.  Below is what I used and here is the link to the original!

Butternut Squash & Chickpea Moroccan Stew, of sorts
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients
1 pound butternut squash, cubed
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
6 long beans, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 can drained chickpeas
1/2 28oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 small to medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin (ish)
1 teaspoon paprika
just shy of 1 tablespoon of cinnamon (original calls for a cinnamon stick...)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups water (could be veggie or chicken stock0
juice and zest of 1 lemon
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat a 6-8 qt pot with a lid with olive oil and butter until they are shiny, add the onion, garlic, cinnamon, red pepper, cumin, salt and better.  Let cook until onions are translucent.
2. Add the squash, carrots and long beans.  Add more salt and pepper and the paprika, cook until a little tender.
3. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, water and maybe after you taste it add some salt and pepper to taste (taste ! taste ! taste!)
4. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and cover for about 10/15 minutes until tender.  Add the zest and lemon juice, simmer some more.
5. Serve over cous cous, trader joe's harvest blend, barley, pasta, brown rice...whatever.  Put a dollop of plain yogurt with some slivered almonds and enjoy.

This was so filling for a girl who typically wants seconds, I didn't need more than a bowl.  Add whatever veggies you want, just remember to add the ones that take the longest in the beginning and so on.  Serve with chicken or beef or lamb maybe...It'll all be good.

I have an audition tomorrow for a theater company out here in LA...wish me luck!
xox

share with me

I'm all about that video.  It was so much fun to make, thanks for letting me share it with you. I truly appreciate it!  I can't wait to embark on another one, see what we come up with and how. 

In the time being, R and I have taken to not drinking for a month.  Ease up on consumption and see if it makes us feel better.  I've also been doing research on Chron's, not that I think I have it or R for that matter, I'm just curious as to how food affects the body.  And I've been reading up on what it means to be gluten free.  I think I am going to try it out, see what happens.  See if I feel less bloated, less lethargic, see if my canker sores recede.  I always attribute those to my "lady-tine" or the stress I bestow upon myself.  With this research I've been doing I'm finding people that say "nuts give them canker sores" ! NUTS! I love nuts, but is this a problem?  There seems to really only be one way to figure it out, experiment with my diet.  It's hard as time is pressed with all the things we (I) have to do in a day but...like my tattoo...I have to be strong in body, mind and intention.  I think I've got that mind and maybe intention down...let's see what I can do with my body.

It'll be a process.  You know how much I love baking.  There will be mistakes.  It's going to take me time to sort out all I have to do to even do the experiment...but...I want to try it.  I'm sure you know her, but I'm going to use the Gluten-Free Girl & Chef as my inspiration.  I just read (for the first time, I have to admit) Shauna's "About Me" section.  It brought me to tears.  She's so real and honest.  The blogs I am attracted to are those of women who are strong and sure and emotionally connected with their food.  They all love touching their food, eating their food, and making food for others.  This is also where I find much joy...I'm happy to virtually surround myself with them.

Do you know anyone who's gone gluten-free?  Are you?  What's it like?  Any tips?

xo

new things

Fact 1: rory got a new lens on his camera (our camera) and he recently purchased final cut pro

Fact 2: i love to cook.  you, obviously, know this already

Fact 3: i'm an actress (maybe you didn't know this.)

Fact 4: I've wanted to make a cooking thing/video/project ... something

If we mix all these facts together we come up with a video of me that rory made!  it was fun to do.  being our first one, i think there's places we could improve for next time.  i'm hoping there will be a next time. also - i hope you enjoy the video and seeing me in my kitchen. :)  really, it all comes down to making food for people you love.  that love comes through and you can taste it.

Here's the original recipe I was using for the pasta.  The ingredients in GREEN i didn't use, if I used a replacement it's in bold inside of ( ) next to what was supposed to be in the dish.

Greek Spinach-Salad Pasta with Feta, Olives, Artichokes, Tomatoes and Pepperoncini

Recipe adapted from "The Fresh & Green Table" by Susie Middleton (Chronicle Books)

Makes 4 to 6 servings, ~45 minutes

ingredients
¼ cup mild extra-virginolive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon black olive tapenade

1 teaspoon honey (raw honey)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and quartered lengthwise

8 ounces small grape tomatoes, halved (about 1¾ cups) (2 medium tomatoes, chopped)

½ cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano, divided (dried oregano)

½ pound dried gemelli or other curly pasta

5 loosely packed cups baby spinach (a big bunch of arugula)

⅓ cup chopped toasted walnuts
12 small whole pepperoncini, drained

 

directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar, garlic, lemon zest, honey, ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Add the onion, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, feta and 1 tablespoon of the oregano and toss well. Let sit for 20 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well in a colander but do not rinse.
3. Transfer the warm pasta to the mixing bowl and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Add the spinach, the remaining tablespoon oregano, walnuts and pepperoncini and toss well. (The feta will loosen up and coat the pasta.) Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

For the fish, you can see i just gave it an egg bath, dipped it in bread crumbs and pan fried it w. a little salt and pepper.

Here's my kale salad...obviously be a little more careful then I was on the slicing of the cheese...i used to massage this salad by hand and get reeeaaal messy, then my friend kirstin suggested doing it in a ziploc bag - GENIUS!

Kale Salad

ingredients
1/2 bag chopped kale
a few glugs of extra virgin olive oil
juice of one lemon
salt & pepper
a few slices of parmesan (you can use crumbled feta or goat cheese if you'd like)


directions
1. put the kale in a ziploc bag. add the olive oil, salt, pepper and juice of the lemon.
2. seal the bag - get all the air out of there.  massage the crap out of that kale - for like 10 minutes.
3. let the kale sit until you're ready to eat, once you're ready to eat slice some parmesan over the whole salad and serve.

all about it.

i am on a roll, huh?  i'm getting inspired.  i'm also sitting in front of a computer on the reg M-Th...maybe that helps ;)

anyway, i'm sure i've mentioned her before but tracy of shutterbean is great.  she has a great blog and she and joy the baker teach and do podcasts together, which is awesome.  if you don't already know, check them out, you'll fall in love.  tracy shutterbean does an "i love lists" friday, which is a great idea, and on one of those lists she posted a NYTimes article about making friends after 30. oddly enough, with this new job at Silver Lake Farms, i've found myself forging new friendships.  when i sent the intial email asking a fellow gardener if she wanted to hang out, i felt like i was asking her out on a date! i even told my mom that's what i felt and she was like - just do it, jordan.  the two of us have joked about it and are even sillily approaching our communication as if we are in those awkward "first date" scenarios.  i find it amusing and i think she does too, but what's even better is that we're both aware that it is hard to make friends and when you like someone and think you can be friends you just  have to make the move.

 

this is adam - he's a fellow gardener at Silver Lake Farms
and CSA shareholder. we were eating the melons
at CSA the other day. YUM!

 

Breakfast!

here's a thing with me.  i moved around a lot when i was little.  we're talking (totals here) 11 different states, and 26 different homes ... that's the most up-to-date number and i'm 31, by any measure it's alot. and when i was in 6th grade, we moved.  then through my freshman year it was 4 different states and 5 different homes. that's crazy. and i hated every minute of it but the thing is, i wouldn't change anything. 

the pros:  it's made me very adaptable.  i can live pretty much anywhere and make the most of it.  i didn't visit any of my colleges, i just knew i would be fine and, i was. :)

the cons: i assume friendship too fast.  i assume when i have a great conversation or two with someone, we're insta-friends... insta-friends don't really exist.  acquaintances do and you don't pour your heart out to acquaintances.

as i've gotten older i've realized this but it's been a really hard realization. and a very self/soul searching realization.  i used to have a joke with a good friend in DC that we wore our hearts on our selves. i do. i can't help it and i don't apologize for it.  it's me.  i am an emotional, sensitive person who gets really passionate about things and takes what you say seriously and i allow it to effect me.  done and done. i think i'm a good friend and listener and i think life is full of potential. (ha, this is like my online dating profile).  SIDE NOTE: also, in the time of the internet, we can feel intimately close with someone whose blog we read.  they share themselves with us, we relate and then we feel like we know that person, even though we will probably never see this person in a physical reality. it's such a weird state of being.

just be you.  faults and all.  we're all only human!  i'm glad i got to read this article.
xo

surmonter

to overcome, en francais.  my new daily mantra. just sharing. :)

xo