My famous Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

I love these cookies, my clients love these cookies, my friends love these cookies, you'll love these cookies. I don't have a sweet tooth but these hit the spot if you do, there soft and warm and make a great gift to say thanks to someone you care about. These can be made with chocolate chips or raisins, you decide. Enjoy

-Moist Oatmeal Cookies-

3/4 c. canola oil

2/3 c. agave nectar

1/4 c. soy milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. whole wheat pastry flour

4 T. flax meal

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3 c. oatmeal

1 c. large chocolate chips or raisins (if using raisins I toss them with cinnamon and nutmeg)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Cream together the canola oil, agave, soy milk, egg and vanilla with a whisk until mixed and fluffy.

3. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and add a little at a time to the creamed mixture whisking lightly to mix together.

4. Stir in oatmeal and flax meal until well blended and then fold in the chocolate chips or raisins.

5. I use a small ice cream scoop to scoop batter onto lined (parchment paper) cookie sheets.

6. Bake for 10 minutes and then let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack until completely cool. Store in airtight container, or wrap up as a gift. Enjoy

Happy Halloween- Apple Cider/Pumpkin Seeds

I know it is a little late for Halloween recipes but these are fun through the fall and into the winter. These two recipes are the request of my sweetie, we always have a Halloween party with our friends that have kids but since the kids were questionably sick we canceled last minute and partied with ourselves. But of course my sweet Bill has to have his 'treats'. I hope you enjoy these as much as he does.

-Apple Cider-

6 c. apple juice

1/4 c. maple syrup or agave nectar

2 cinnamon sticks

6-8 whole cloves

2 oranges, sliced in rounds

2 1/4 c. pineapple juice

1. I place all these ingredients in a large pot or a crock pot, turn on low and let simmer until warmed through.

2. Ladle into mugs and ENJOY!

-Pumpkin Seeds-

1 1/2 T. melted butter or olive oil

2 c. raw whole pumpkin seeds

2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. garlic salt

1/4 t. cumin

1/4 t. paprika, chili powder

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 275 F.

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly and place on a lined (parchment paper) cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Cool and place in a bowl to share. Enjoy

Keeping it REAL and Simple- Homemade Marinara Sauce

So the last time I checked in was weeks ago, and I mentioned that I was in a food funk. Nothing was inspiring me nor was I even wanting to eat, my taste buds were on hiatus. Part of this was due to the Farmer's Market coming to a close as well as the weather here in Salt Lake won't make up it's mind if it wants to be cold or warm. I'm certainly not complaining about the sunshine it's just that it is throwing my wants and cravings for a bit of a loop! So I took action and I completely cleaned the kitchen and fridge from top to bottom in hopes that cleaning out my creative space would make room for the energy to flow. Is it working? Who knows only time will tell, but there's always in the meantime. As for the meantime, I vowed to keep it simple, and get real about this present moment. All of us go through stagnic times, it's like riding a wave - it goes up and it goes down. No worries just go with the flow, do what you can, andthe rest will catch up.

Here's a simple Marinara Sauce I refer to often (Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis) it's sweet an delicious and very versatile.

- Marinara Sauce-

1/4 c. olive oil, or enough to cover the bottom of the pot

2 small onions or 1 large, chopped

2-4 cloves garlic, chopped

4-6 stalks celery, chopped (I like the leafy stalks)

2-4 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 jars (I use my canned tomatoes) or cans (32oz)

2 fresh bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add onions and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the carrots and celery and season with salt and pepper, saute until soft, another 10 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer until sauce thickens about an hour. Let cool and I like to puree mine in the blender, taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Elana's Pantry- Soothing Chai

The holistic nutrition school I'm attending (Bauman College) sends out newsletters to all there students on a regular basis, and this last on was filled with great tips and recipe for the up coming cold season. One of the mentions was the food blog Elana's Pantry which is a gluten free blog, I took some time to check our her blog and loved it, I'm not gluten intolerant but I have friends that are and I want to be equipped to help them on there healthy food journey's. So these next two recipes came from that blog and if you have time you should check it out for yourself.

-Soothing Chai

6 c. water
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
1 inch ginger, peeled
8 cardamon pods
6 blk peppercorns
1 peppermint tea bag

1. Combine all the ingredients in a pot and place on the stove over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Strain the tea mixture into 4 mugs, (or in our case 2 large mugs).
4. Serve hot with agave nectar, honey and almond or soy milk. To your taste.

This is warm and soothing, I made it last Sunday morning when it was cold and rainy. It totally hit the spot and made the house smell wonderful. I can't wait to make it again.

-Pumpkin Pie Muffins

1 1/2 blanched almond flour (I couldn't find any so I used soy flour which is gluten free, there are lots of gluten free flours on the market you just have to look)
1/4 t. celtic salt (it is a great salt with lots of occurring minerals, if you haven't tried this it's much healthier than that crappy table salt, get some! Sorry mom about the word crap!)
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground ginger
1 pinch cloves
2 T. grapeseed oil
1/2 c. agave nectar
2 lrg eggs
1 c. fresh baked pumpkin, or winter squash well packed (I used garnet yams)

Preheat oven to 350
1. In large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. (I like to sift my dry ingredients)
2. In a mixer puree oil, agave, eggs, and pumpkin until smooth.
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry mixture, (I do a little at a time, mix well and then add more until all is mixed together).
4. Place paper liners into muffin pans.
5. Scoop batter into liners, (I got 10 muffins).
6. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes
7. Cool for 2-3 hours and then serve.

These are awesome, and I shared them with friends. I topped mine with a cream cheese frosting, I just mixed organic cream cheese, vanilla extract, and organic powdered sugar just to taste. Who wouldn't love these this time of year. Make a batch, Enjoy!

Food Dillema- Mousse au Chocolat

Okay, Okay I know this will sound funny but I'm kind of sick of food. What? I know it sounds weird but really now that the farmers market is over I have to rethink our menus for the season to come. I've relied on the farmer's market to dictate what we eat all summer. Now what? And on top of it I'm sick of our usual standbys, our protein shake, my green drink, breakfast burritos, the yummy hot cereal (shh don't tell Billy, he loves making this for us on the weekend) what's a foodie/nutritionist to do? And on top of that I've have had a weird sweet tooth lately which on a normal basis only happens once a month, if you catch my drift. So I'll share the treats I've been working on for the last two weeks and I hope you find one you like, and hopefully I'll get back on track in the healthy food department.

This first recipe comes from that great cookbook Sweet Basil, Garlic, Tomatoes, and Chives (Shaw 1992). I found this cookbook on my awesome road trip with Billy in Manzanita, Oregon.

-Mousse au Chocolat

6 ounces chocolate, chopped into bits ( I used 3oz dark chocolate with deep forest mint, and 3oz smooth milk chocolate, yummy!)
1/4 c. brewed espresso or strong black coffee
4 eggs, seperated
1 T. unsalted butter
1/2 t. vanilla extract
3 T. sugar

1. Heat together the chocolate and coffee in a medium saucepan, (I used a vintage double boiler that my mom gave me just to insure I didn't burn the mixture). Stir until the mixture has melted. Simmer gently until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Stir to blend well. Beat in the butter and vanilla. Set aside until tepid.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites to form stiff peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar and whip another 30 seconds until the egg whites are glossy. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate. Pour into 4 individual ramekins or wineglasses. Chill for at least 4 hours. Makes 4 servings, Enjoy!

We loved this recipe, I would suggest sharing one with you sweetie, they are very rich.
P.S. use the best chocolate you can find the higher the cocoa content the better for you, REAL chocolate is high in antioxidants.

Goodbye Farmers Market :(, See you next year.

I have to say my last visit to Saturday's Farmer's Market is bitter sweet. It takes a lot of discipline on my part to get up early, get my farmers market bags packed and get down to the park by 8 or 8:30 to navigate my way through the crowds of people to find the freshest sweetest morsels I can find to feed us for the week to come. The other side of that coin is that all good things come to an end or maybe we can call it a hibernation of sorts, and I look forward to pulling the covers up over mine and my husbands heads and snuggle our Saturday mornings away. The only thing I can say for sure is that we are all so lucky that those farmers show up every Saturday to share the fruits of their labor. For anyone who has tried to grow there own, and I was one of those people this summer it truly is a labor of love. Going to the farmer's market really puts a face to your food. I will miss those friendly faces and the fruits of their HARD labor. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. See you next year, or if I'm lucky see you in the neighborhood.

Greek Salad

Well for those of you who don't know, I'm Italian, and there's this great line from a book called "Animal Vegetable Miracle" where the author is talking about her husband's Italian heritage and she says "It's my observation that when Italian genes are present, all others take cover." That would be my observation as well, unless ofcourse you meet a Greek. Now that my Mom dates a big Greek man, Mike, I joke that we have all become a little Greek. I'm sure all of you have someone like this in your life, and if not, you'd better get one because it's a whole lot of food and love. So this recipe comes from the newest member of our family, Mike. Thanks for all the food and love, you fit right in and then some. My poor quiet husband had know idea what he was in for when he married me, first the Italian crazyiness and food and now the Greek fun and fare, but he's loving every minute of it, and the food isn't too bad either.

-Greek Salad-

16 oz baby spinach
1 lb cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 large onion, thinly sliced (I use purple onion, Mike likes white onion)
1/4 lb good feta, cut into bite size pieces (I get mine at the farmer's market from Rockhill Creamery, it's called Desert Red and the flavor is salty and rich.)
pepper to taste
(I don't use salt because the feta is so salty, it doesn't really need more.)

1. I layer all of the ingredients in a huge bowl staring with the spinach, then the tomatoes, onion, and feta sprinkle some pepper and then layer one more time starting with the spinach and so on.
2. I like to dress each serving individually but you can certainly dress the whole salad when ready to serve.

-Dressing-

Here's the thing, the dressing is a mixture of balsamic vinegar and homemade ranch from Mike's restaurant, The International Pantry. We just mix the two according to taste, so if you can't get your hands on Mike's ranch use you favorite and mix with the balsamic for this truly original salad delight. ENJOY!

*Spinach historically was regarded as a plant with remarkable abilities to restore energy, increase vitality, and improve the quality of the blood. Spinach contains twice as much iron as most other greens. Spinach is also one of the most alkaline-producing foods making it useful in helping regulate body pH. It is also one of the richest dietary sources of lutein making it an especially important food for promoting healthy eyesight and preventing muscular degeneration and cataracts. Spinach, like other chlorophyll and carotene containing vegetables, is a strong protector against cancer. Researchers have identified at least thirteen different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anticancer agents.

Garlic Broth

This recipe came from the cook book I found in our second cabin in Manzanita. It's called 'Sweet Basil, Garlic, Tomatoes and Chive's' (Shaw 1992), I ordered it the second we got home because I made this soup twice while in Manzanita and once since we've been home. This one is sure to be a staple in our house when it gets cold and the benefits of garlic are a mile long, I'll share some of those benefits at the bottom of the recipe.



-Garlic Broth-

(I double this recipe when making it for two)



2 c. water (I use vegetable stock or broth)
6 cloves of garlic
2 fresh sage leaves, minced
2 t. good olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

*optional* I use fresh tomatoes pureed (equaling about a cup or more), and then add to the mixture.



1. Bring the water (or broth) to a boil along with the garlic, and simmer until the garlic is soft, about another 20 minutes. Add the sage and keep simmering about another 20 minutes.
2. Turn off heat, spoon out the garlic and smash on cutting board with the back of a knife, if you have a mortar and pestle that would work great. Mash the garlic with the olive oil, grinding it into a paste.
3. Stir the garlic paste back into the broth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

*Variations* For a richer soup grind 2 T. of grated Parmesan cheese into the mashed garlic along with the olive oil in step 2. And/or grind a raw egg yolk into the garlic along with the olive oil. And/or at step 3 add 2 ounces angel hair pasta (I used quinoa pasta in mine) with the garlic paste, and cook until done. ENJOY!

*GARLIC, has a long history of use as an infection fighter. In fact it has been referred to as the 'Russian Penicillin' to denote it's antibacterial properties. It's antimicrobial activity is due to allicin. Allicin has been shown to be affective not only against common infections, such as colds, flu, stomach viruses and Candida yeast, but also against powerful pathogenic microbes, including tuberculosis and botulism. The beneficial effects of garlic are clearly quite extensive. Its use as a food should be encouraged, despite its odor, especially by those with elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, Candida infections, asthma, infections (particularly respiratory infections), and gastrointestinal complaints. For best flavor and health benefits, buy fresh garlic.

Recipes PLEASE!- Roasted Vegetable Orzo w/Basil Parmesan Vinaigrette

I know, I know it's been forever since I've posted some new recipes and I apologize. I think I've probably mentioned a few thousand times how busy this summer has been for me, but lucky for me it's Sunday morning and I'm sitting in bed blogging while my sweet husband makes me breakfast in bed. This is his way of giving me some time to just watch my favorite cooking shows or catch up on the blogging. We are having our famous hot cereal with fresh orange/grapefruit/carrot juice, I can't wait!
On with the recipes: This first one is actually a dish I took to a local Public Pot Luck Picnic that was held in order to raise awareness for Congress to improve the Child Nutrition Act, which supports the need for better food in our schools. This dish is healthy, light, refreshing and very addictive if I do say so myself. It works great as a side dish for a get together and this time of year you can pick up most of the ingredients at the farmers market.

-Roasted Vegetable Orzo with a Basil Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette-

1 package orzo pasta ( I was lucky enough to find whole wheat orzo, yeah! ) cook according to directions, drain and let cool
6 medium size bell peppers ( I like to use yellow, red and orange peppers for the sweetness and color ) cut into bite size pieces
1 large or 2 medium purple onions, cut into bite size pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 large heirloom tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
*optional* 1 package baby portabello mushrooms, chopped

1. Cook pasta according to directions and set aside to cool, if your in a pinch you can rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to help the cooling time.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, on a large cookie or two if you need it toss together the peppers, onion, garlic and mushrooms if using with olive oil and salt and pepper.
3. Place the cookie sheets in the oven and roast for 30- 40 minutes, just until the edges are charred a little. I rotate the cookie sheets half way through the cooking time.
4. When the veggies are cooked to perfection take them out and let them cool a bit, when they have cooled toss the pasta and cooked vegetables all together in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. And when this is all tossed together I cut the heirloom tomatoes in wedges and top the orzo with these beauties.

-Lemon Basil Parmesan Vinaigrette-

2/3 c. olive oil
2/3 c. fresh lemon juice, also the zest of those lemons
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil
1/3 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, zest, salt, pepper, garlic and basil in a container with a lid. Place the lid on container and shake. Add the cheese just before tossing over the pasta and vegetables.

*Vinaigrette can be made ahead. Pasta and vegetables can be made a day ahead, toss all together at the last minute. Also add tomatoes very last. ENJOY!

Manzanita, Oregon Coast

I'm not even sure where to begin, we had a feeling that this leg of the trip would really affect us in a way that we didn't fully anticipate and I have to say we haven't been the same since. Manzanita, Oregon is one of the most incredible places that either one of us have ever been so fortunate enough to visit. It reminded us very much of the relaxed atmosphere of a little town called Hanalei on the island of Kauai. (Kauai is where my husband and I got married and is very special to our hearts) The amazing thing about Manzanita is that it has the easy going connected to nature attitude of Hanalei and the yet also has the rugged beauty of the mountains here in Utah, which really made us feel right at home.

The Coast Cabins is the name of the place where we stayed in Manzanita. Two weeks before we were getting ready to leave we still had no idea where we'd stay when we got to the coast. Our friends Nate and Alisa showed us a magazine clipping of this place, I checked it out online and is was perfect. Luckily they had those days available, woo hoo!
We ran into a one hour road delay on the way to the coast, which although was somewhat annoying was actually somewhat peaceful being in the middle of an amazing forested mountainside, but the suspense was getting to us and we couldn't wait to see this coastal hideaway. We finally arrived and when we walked into our little studio cabin, I just started crying. This totally took my husband by surprise, and myself too actually. I think I'm a bit of a tender heart I cry at silly things, but walking into this room with the sunlight and the foilage piercing through the windows of this incredibly adorable cabin it was just breath taking and I couldn't hold it in. It was just so warm and inviting, and after all the hours of driving to get here I just couldn't believe the reward of what I had just layed my eyes on. Not only the cabin itself but the stunning grounds of the development just felt like we had stepped into this amazing space that we never could have imagined. We stayed in the smallest cabin the first night and then we moved to the biggest cabin for the next couple nights this was the only way they could accommodate us at such a late date. We didn't mind having to pay more for the larger unit, after all it was my 30th birthday. The people who ran this place were like family, you got the sense from them and the cabins that this was your place, enjoy, relax and feel the love. Billy is convinced that nothing will be able to compare to this place and the way we felt there, although we did say the same thing about Kauai. The gentleman Gary (and I do mean gentleman, he had such a feeling about him) who is one of the owners, showed Billy and I one of the other cabins and told us a bit about the property, Billy loves finding out the history of the places we stay at and Gary gave us the full run down. Also Gary knew it was my birthday and when Billy and I went for a walk on the beach we came back and there was two bottles of wine and some chocolate and a little note that said Happy Birthday. One of the unique things about the Coast Cabins is they had a fire pit that they would get going every night. One night they had all the makings for smores out by the fire, shut up! Who are these sweet thoughtful host?! The funny thing is that the whole time we were there no one but us sat by that roaring fire. Can you believe that? Even when it was raining I kept that fire going, one night I sat out there with a towel and an umbrella.

For the most part while in Manzanita we ate in our cabin, however we did eat at this little bakery called The Bread and Ocean that's only open a few nights a week for dinner and we were lucky enough to catch them for dinner the first night we got into town. Gourmet, healthy, and made with locally produced food, it was a wonderful treat for my romantic birthday dinner. I think we ordered one of everything on the menu. (It was a small menu, I promise.) Also during the week we had breakfast there and took advantage of the fresh baked daily bread specials. Another little place we visited while in town was this tiny, yet charming little wine bar called Vino, where we enjoyed an tasty cheese and cracker app and some beautiful local wines (not to mention the $12 glass of port that my husband spilled all over me....he took a picture of it first though, so at least we had that). Like I said we mostly ate in our Cabin a handful of yummy meals that I made with the produce that I picked up at the Portland farmers market and other items from this awesome Natural Foods market called Mother's in Manzanita. I was able to get a few things there. It's fun when you have to be creative about dinner if your only able to use a few ingredients. In the second cabin (which amazingly enough blew away the first cabin that made me cry) had this wonderful cook book sitting on the coffee table called Sweet Basil, Garlic, Tomatoes, and Chives (Shaw, 1992) it inspired me to cook two yummy healthy dinners. I loved the cook book so much that I immediately ordered myself a copy when I got home.

Manzanita is the kind of small coastal town where all the little shops close down for business at around six o'clock every night, which made for a charming yet somewhat spooky feeling as you walked through town at night. We loved to walk down to the beach at night(especially if it was raining) and it was really peaceful and yet eerily quite at the same time walking down their quite little main street to go and see the sunset on the beech. It was though we had the town to ourselves and we loved it. Manzanita will have a little piece of our hearts and we can't wait to go back.

Thanx Manzanita, until we meet again.

Portland

Wow, who knew I would have such fun on our road trip and after enjoying Boise we were so excited to get to Portland. We had driven a long way that day along the Columbia River Gorge, Billy and I have never been to this part of the country and it was beautiful. It was rainy and windy but when we hit the gorge the sun came out and we couldn't have been happier to experience the water and all the windmills with a little sunshine along this truly scenic drive into Portland.



Well we've arrived in Portland and I am so happy to get out of the car. We stayed at Hotel Monaco which was located in the heart of downtown, which I thought was perfect because the best way to see a new city is by walking it. So we parked the Prius and headed out. It's Friday night and we are starving but first we wanted to walk around to get the lay of the land. There was this huge plaza where all these people were sitting in lawn chairs and eating picnic food they had brought with them. Come to find out this outdoor plaza was showing an outdoor movie on a big screen, which is apparently a weekly gig on Friday nights in the summer, pretty cool. What a great way to spent a evening down town there was so much energy.



Dinner: The staff at our hotel was so helpful and one of the places they recommended was Pazzo, Italian food, perfect. I have to say the whole meal was awesome but my starters were the best thing I think I ate in Portland. It was a plate of local heirloom tomatoes and garlic sauted spinach. The great thing about Portland is that all the restaurant's are doing the locally grown organic thing, awesome! Oh a slight mention to the homemade hazelnut carmel gelato we had for dessert. This and my starters were the highlight of this meal, so good we went back the next night for a repeat of those two dishes, even after we had already had dinner at another location.



The next morning we headed to the Farmers Market, I mean come on I have to check out other cities markets right? Prior to the market we went to breakfast at local favorite called Mother's, this place came highly recommended and it didn't disappoint, we split some warm wholesome oatmeal and a lox and bagel plate. My favorite part of this meal however was the mint tea, it came in a tea pot that had fresh mint leaves along with a peppermint tea bag, it was just so warm and comforting that I'm making it at home now all the time. (lucky for me I can get fresh mint at the farmer's market) Now, on to the Market. The Portland Farmer's Market on Saturday's is held on the Portland University campus. It was shaded by all the wonderful trees and the smells and sounds are familiar to any farmer's market, but it was fun to see how they do some things differently from ours here in Salt Lake. They only sell food, meaning they didn't have of the arts and jewelry booths like they do here at our market, and oh did I mention, they had one thing we don't have here, wine booths! Hello, AWESOME, I bought two bottles from an local area winery to take up to the coast with us. I also grabbed some tomatoes, artichokes, basil and green beans in order to stock up for the next leg of the trip. The other note worthy thing we did that day was we went to a charity jean sale. I know WHAT? There's an organization called Denim for Charity, and they sell designer jeans at the fraction of the cost for charity. Ofcourse I had to help and do my part, I got a great pair of jeans and was happy to get a great deal. Denim for Charity is actually based here in Utah.



The rest of the day we spent in the Pearl District, it's a fun and hip area of downtown with lots of great shops, awesome restaurants, design studios, etc. etc, all in a previosly industrial area that's been revitalized into a trendy upscale part of tow. There are a ton of really nicely done condo developments and great outdoor green spaces, including a natural wet lands park right off of the river front walk, just a really energized part of town that we loved spending the day in.
After walking and exploring all day we were starving so we ate at a place called Henry's Tavern, I had the best veggie burger of my life there. We sat, relaxed, had a few drinks and just soaked up the city night life, what a great town.

Thanx Portland you were awesome, see you next time.

Up next Manzanita.

Here we go!

The first order of business for me when we go on a trip is the food, ofcourse. Well I guess we have to find places to stay first and then find the best food in those areas. I'll do a trip breakdown and then highlight each of the places we visited.

Day 1- Drove to Boise and stayed the night

Day 2- Drove to Portland and stayed two nights.

Day 4- Drove to the Oregon Coast (Manzanita) and stayed for 4 nights.

Day 8- Drove back to Boise, spent the night and drove home the next morning.

BOISE: Who knew that we would find such a gem of a place in Boise. We kept hearing that Boise was pretty hip and we now have to say for ourselves that it defintely is a very cool little town.

Stayed at: The Modern Hotel, this place reminded me of an old fashioned motel I'm sure we have all stayed at a time or two when we were kids on a road trip with our parents. The difference is that this old roadside motel was updated with midcentury modern appeal.

This was a truly hip joint where all the locals hung out on a Friday night for a drink at their on-site bar/restaurant in the courtyard of the hotel. On our way back the night we stayed here again and on that night the Bike Coalition of Boise was having a fundraiser in the parking lot with live music and events, it was a great time.

We ate at: The night we got there I had found a local pizza hangout, and trust me when I say I don't have to twist my husbands arm to have great pizza! The name of the joint was called The Front Door, the veggie pizza was awesome, not to mention the excellent draft beer selection and our server was super friendly and gave us great recommendations for breakfast the next morning.

The next morning we went to Goldy's, everyone suggested this place even one of my clients from Salt Lake. Well it was a hit, even if we had to stand in the rain for a half hour to get in. The staff was so friendly and the food was great. I had a veggie scramble and one egg on the side and Billy had a breakfast burrito that was so big we had to take half of it to go. When you eat at the local places you get a unique experience and usually the best food in town..

On our way back through town at the end of our trip we wanted something different for breakfast, so I did search on my phone and found a place that was within walking distance of the Modern Hotel, a little joint called Big City Coffee.

This place was awesome, I ordered steamed eggs that came with avocado and salsa, steamed eggs? Yummy! And Billy ordered 'the usual' which was a bagel with cream cheese and tomatoes and the secret seasoning (delish!) with some fruit on the side. Also they have this huge desert case with mountains of scones, rice crispy treats, brownies and the like. Usually I have no problem resisting these kinds of temptations, but it was the end of our trip and I wanted to soak up every last bit, so I ordered a peanut butter bar and this scrumptious butterfinger brownie... there are no words that could accurately describe just how good that brownie was, absolutely amazing. We had seen that they were recently in Sunset Magazine which after having eaten there I can see that it was a well deserved mention.

Up next Portland.

Well 30 here I am!

That's right I'm 30, 30. When my husband asked me how I felt about turning 30, I said" well I earned everyone of my twenties so bring on the 30's." Since my husbands birthday is two weeks before mine and my mother and father in laws is a week before that were usually partied out by the time it gets to my birthday. Well not this year we wanted to do something fun to welcome age 30 in right, so we took a road trip to the Oregon Coast. I have to say I'm not much of a road tripper but this has to be one of the best trips I've been on. I know Billy felt the same way. So sit back relax and take a little drive to the coast, food, charities, free hugs and all! Don't forget the rain!

Letter to the Editor @ Sunset Magazine ( I had to write this for school)

Dear Katie Tamony:

I want to start off by saying how much I love my Sunset magazine, it was given to me as a gift a few years ago and I have kept my subscription renewed ever since. Countless travel, food, and gardening ideas have been inspired by your magazine. Thank you and I look forward to each issue.

In the September issue I enjoyed reading the article “Broccoli By the Sea,” about Darryl Wong’s business “Freewheeling Farms,” a farm that delivers their food by bicycle and also operates a CSA group. The thing that prompted me to write in was to respond to Darrly’s question “how can we get this food into Schools? Into Hospitals?”

I am currently enrolled in a Hollistic Nutrition School and the issue of getting healthy, fresh, food onto the plates of children and hospital patients is very important to me as well. A couple of ideas came to mind as potential avenues to look into.

First, a friend of mine here in Salt Lake City, Utah is hosting a public pot luck picnic in association with “Slow Food Utah” to raise awareness for congress to pass a better child nutrition act that brings real food to schools. For more information go to schools.slowfoodusa.org/timeforlunch. I think this is something we can all get behind and support, children need to have proper nutrition in order to allow their bodies and brains to develop and give them the energy that they need to get through the school day.

Second, I recently read an article in the August issue of Vegetarian News, which referenced a group in the San Francisco area called “Physicians for Social Responsibility” who work with local hospitals to put forward menus that promote “healthy, environmentally conscious diets with less meat and more fresh veggies.”

I am excited to see that organizations like these are getting behind the need for real food in our schools and hospitals. Hopefully Darryl could find similar organizations in his area that could help him promote the message and help him push the envelope of his farm.

Brooke

Salt Lake City, Utah

Where has the time gone? Check these out!

Did I miss August? No, I've just been so busy I had a slight breakdown last week! I have a lot to catch up on but first I want to share a few things that you might want to check out.

FIRST: On Monday Sept. 7 a friend of mine is hosting a public pot luck in association with Slow Food Utah at the International Peace Gardens (1060 so. 900 w.) to raise awareness for congress to pass a better Child Nutrition Act to get real food in schools. Everyone is encouraged to bring a dish to share. Billy and I are going, hope to see you there! http://www.slowfoodusa.org/timeforlunch

SECOND: Another friend sent me a link for a trailer on You Tube called "Tapped", it's about the bottled water problem we are facing. It's effect on us and our health and the health of the planet.

Blog Disclaimer

It's Sunday afternoon and I'm sitting in bed blogging. I should tell you I'm sitting in bed so I can enjoy our new bedroom that my husband and I spent all last weekend working on. New paint, flooring and furniture. We are still waiting on the bed frame so our bed is on the floor right now which I don't mind, surprisingly! (remember I'm a control freak about many things my space being one of them!). Acceptance is the first step right?! Anyways on to the disclaimer, this month has had new challenges for me, a new location for my job and starting holistic nutrition school. So when my life gets too overwhelming I try to simplify, I need balance or I'm not my best. My blog is one thing that falls off the list of 'to do's'. Sad for you and more sad for me, I deal with guilt issues when I'm not able to do it all. I'm sure at times we all feel this way but just know that my blog means a lot to me and it means a lot that you are interested and making the recipes I share. This blog is about food and life and how the two can intersect in a healthy chic way that is responsible to those around us and most importantly ourselves. All I can really say is that I'm still making amazing things and sharing culinary delights with those around me, but in order to have order in my head I haven't had extra time to blog. I'll share a list of what's been happening in my kitchen and I'll make a good effort to follow up with the recipes. If not we'll move on and let go of the 'to do's!

P.S. I have some new pictures of the market, ENJOY!

-What's been Happening-
1. Grilled Pizza: We did a pizza on the grill for my mom's birthday, it was awesome the sweet roasted veggies and the crispy smokey crust were a huge hit. If you have not tried a pizza on the grill, HURRY summers almost over!

2. Peanut Putter Chocolate Cake: This was also for my mom's birthday, as if the pizza wasn't enough we finished the meal with a huge piece of this cake and loved every minute of it. (I found this recipe in Sunset Magazine)

3. Gazpacho: Surprising to me some people have never heard or tasted this wonderful cold summer vegetable soup. WHAT? Easy, delicious, healthy, light and refreshing, this has been our lunch for the past two weeks.

4. Wild Mushroom Ravioli: This is like summer in your mouth! Buy your favorite homemade ravioli, cook according to directions and set aside. Mix up 3 T. balsamic vinegar, 2 T. olive oil in a bowl add fresh lemon, sweet or regular basil, cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, toss with the ravioli and serve. Amazing flavor it's light and can be made in bigger portions for friends and family gatherings. (don't forget to add salt and pepper to taste) My husband thinks this dish tastes gourmet. Thanx sweetie!

5. Fresh Garden Saute: I took tomatoes, baby yellow squash, and tri colored green beans and whipped then into a saute with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Topped it with local beehive aggiano cheese. How lucky to have such fresh, flavorful food right out my back door.

IT"S HOT! And Farmers Market Is COOL!

It starting to really heat up in the city of salt and it's got me thinking about what we're all eating. In yoga this week my teacher (Scott) is having us do a practice that is cooling to our bodies instead of the crazy sweaty routine we usually do, (which I'm kind of thank full for, but don't tell him!). The point of this is to not over heat on the inside when it scorching on the outside. There's a reason we crave soup in the winter and salads in the summer. Our bodies are telling us what they need temperature wise. I know for me I crave spicy food all the time, I love spicy food but in the summer it makes me feel sick because I've raised the internal temp too much do to the temp outside. Why do you think cold watermelon tastes so fresh, and COOLING in the summer?, Well for one thing it's high in water so it does cool us down as well as refresh us. If we can all start to think about food in the way of what our bodies need do to what season we are in, it will save us some money in the pocket book as well as feeding our bodies what it needs at that time. In addition when we eat what is in season we are getting the most out of those fruits and veggies on a nutritional level. So what's great about the Farmer's Market is that the guess work of knowing what is in season is done for you. I will kind of have an idea of what I want to make for the week before I go to the market, but there are plenty of times I will make something based off what I find that week. For the money saving part when you buy fruits and veggies out off season you are paying for the travel it took to get to you, also food shipped into the country from another country has to go through it's own type of food quarantine. So the longer it takes to get to you that is precious time to produce, as soon as it is cut from it's source it starts to loose it's vital nutrients. So again the farmers market offerings are as fresh, local and delicious as you can get! On a little side note it forces me to try new things our bodies want and NEED a variety of fresh organic colorful food, so I encourage you to try something you've never tried who knows you might find something awesome.  This happened to me this week, I was buying some mushrooms and the guy selling them had some 'sea greens' I had seen them the week before and was to shy to ask about them (I know me shy?, there's an oxymoron!) so this week I asked he let me try and I bought some and used them in the veggie stir fry I made for lunches this week. There crunchy and slightly salty like the sea!  So go on eat something COOL and buy it from a HOT farmer. :)

* Sea Vegetables: Offer the the broadest range of minerals of ANY food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean- the same minerals that are found in human blood. They are a n excellent source of calcium, iodine and sodium, a very good source of folic acid and magnesium, iron, potassium, riboflavin. In addition sea veggies contain plant compounds with cancer protective properties which can help the body's inflammatory response.

Sunday, Sunday- 10 Grain Hot Cereal

I don't know about you but I'm a very routine person, to my own default at times. I'm aware of it enough to know when it is time to shake things up. But Sunday's is one of those days that our routine makes us feel complete. Food plays a big part of this, at our house we go through food phases that turn into routines for awhile. Recently we used to do fajitas night every Thursday and even my clients would ask ' you guys having fajitas tonight, it's Thursday?' So for the past couple month's our Sunday breakfast is a steaming sweet bowl of 10 grain hot cereal, fresh squeezed orange/grapefruit/carrot juice, and of course a luscious chai soy latte. I think the reason our weekend breakfasts are so vital is because we don't see each other during the week for that meal, so we really look forward to that time together. When we were dating we would pack up a breakfast picnic and go to the park, but now that we have our own house we enjoy our comfy couch or the deck in our back yard. I hope this recipe feels with you warmth and and love. Enjoy.

*Whole grains in your diet may reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases. Certain cancers especially gastrointestinal cancer. Heart disease: antioxidant's contained in whole grains may work with fiber and other compounds to reduce your overall risk.

-Hot Cereal-

I buy Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Hot Cereal

1. We follow the directions on the back, but we split it in half. They suggest using water but we use soy milk or soy delicious coconut milk.

2. When it is done cooking we scoop into two bowls and top with sliced almonds, walnuts and a drizzle of agave syrup.* Agave syrup if you don't know about it is like honey but it is a low glycemic  sweetener. That means it won't raise your blood sugar it is natural and is 25% sweeter than sugar. It can also be used in place of sugar when baking, for every 1 cup of sugar in a recipe you only need 1/3 cup of agave. AWESOME, give it a try.

-Orange/Grapefruit/Carrot Juice-

This makes a fair amount of juice for two but I bet you could get 4 small servings.

8 oranges, peeled

4 grapefruit, peeled

6 carrots

1. We have a juicer so we juice all of these together and divide between glasses. If you have a good blender you could try it that way. You would probably want to strain it first and then divide between glasses.

Another Week

I can't believe what a slacker I am! I have the best intentions of keeping my blog updated, but you know life happens. I have been cooking up healthy comforting fresh food just no time to write about it. So last weekend was the 4 of July holiday and we started our day at the farmers market (of coarse) and it was really mellow this weekend which I enjoyed, I'm not big on crowds. I think a lot of people were out of town. This week I went with a list because I get side tracked easily and I wanted to make sure I got what I was after. I got some beautiful baby shitake mushrooms, some balsamic vinegar, goat cheese, green beans, fresh garlic, Oh an this cashew cream from the Sunbridge growers. Holy crap I could eat that stuff with a spoon, it's made from cashews (obviously)! and who knows what else, it was great over berries and they also have homemade sprouted crackers that made a great spoon for shoveling that yummy goodness in my mouth! Even though I sometimes dislike getting up early to beat the crowds when I come home with all those goodies it's well worth it. Also I was asked to clarify something, in a previous blog I said ' if your anything like my husband you'll run to you local farmers market'. My sweet husband actually runs from our house to the market which is about 10 miles, and every week Little Polly (my grandma) things he's crazy and should get his head examined. So here's some new pictures of this week finds. Enjoy

Lunch for the week... Tabbouleh

I am so glad I found some time to catch you up with this wonderful light and refreshing dish. Every week I crave something different and it seems to me that this weeks recipes are about simple fresh flavors. Also I was wanting meals that make us feel refreshed like my 'green drink'. I had a crazy month and my husband just got back from a boys weekend in Vegas! That's right Vegas need I say more?! This has made a great lunch for us, you could make it for a side dish with chicken or fish or take to to a party with some pita.
I got this recipe from one of my favorite cooking show ladies, The Barefoot Contessa. She makes this all in a big bowl, refrigerates it and then stuffs pitas with the mixture and adds a slice of feta. I on the other hand layer the ingredients in our lunch containers starting with the feta, then the tabbouleh, I add brocco sprouts (not in the recipe), then the cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. It a fresh party in your mouth, Enjoy!

-Tabbouleh-

1 c. bulgar wheat (I get it the bulk section)
1 1/4 c. boiling water
1/4 c. lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 c. olive oil
kosher salt
1/2- 1 c. scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch), I used the ones in my garden!
1/2 c. chopped mint (fresh)
1/2 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped (fresh)
1 cucumber, seeded and medium diced, I use 6 little ones for our lunches.
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 t. freshly ground pepper
3/4 lb. feta cheese (I got mine from the farmers market)
pita (if making sandwiches)

1. Place the bulgar in a large bowl, pour in the the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil and 1/2 t. salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature about an hour.
2. Add scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 t. salt and the pepper, mix well. Season to taste and serve, or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve went the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.
3. If making lunches refer to above blog, if making for side dish add feta and serve. If making sandwiches stuff the tabbouleh and feta into the pita breads. Enjoy

Monday Again! I think I missed last Monday?! :)- The Green Drink

Well I've been trying to think of a good excuse for missing a week of blogging and I don't have one. So instead of talking about last week let's just look at the week to come. For the last year I've been starting each morning with what I like to call ' the green drink '. Now let's get something straight I know this may sound like a lot of work but the way I feel every morning after drinking this mixture is well worth it. I feel like no matter what I had the day before I'm starting my day off right. Juicing is a great way to get extra fruits and vegetables in our bodies without having to wreck our jaws gnawing on loads of veggies! Before I had a juicer I would put everything (minus the wheat grass) in the blender with a splash of water and blend away. Next I would strain it through a strainer into a bowl. Drink to a new day.

-The Green Drink-

3 to 4 stalks of celery
1/2 cucumber
1 apple cored
1 inch ginger peeled
1 lemon peeled
1 lime peeled
half a bunch parsley
handful of spinach or swiss chard
wheat grass ( if you have a juicer)

Juice all together, if using blender refer to blog above.

* Juicing is thought to to provide even better mineral absorption compared to intact fruit or vegetable because juicing liberates the minerals into a highly bio available medium and separates the minerals some of the fiber constituents, which can interfere with absorption. The green leafy vegetables are the best source of many of the minerals, especially calcium, and this source is made more available by juicing.

Farmer's Market

I LOVE FARMER'S MARKET! Did I mention that I love farmers market. It's the best reason to get up early on a Saturday morning, I've always loved getting up early but now that I'm married I really like staying in bed and snuggling with my sweetie. But fresh veggies are winning the battle between snuggling and rubbing elbows with our community. We're sure to run into our friends and neighbors and even maybe my 81 yr. old grandma, Little Polly. This is of course when she feels like dealing with all the people and her favorite, the dogs! No one messes with Polly and when my friend the Soap Lady sees her coming, gives her a free slice of her homemade soap. The smell of fresh flowers and savory barbecue are in the air and anything you can imagine your sure to find. I'm sure it's not any different than any other market, but it's ours. I have alot of the same vendors that I like to visit every week but I'm branching out. My husband says I look for the 'most scraggly' farmers I can find this somehow ensures they really are the ones doing the farming. Our market also lets the prison come and sell the crops from their garden, kind of cool. The mornings are fresh and the air is crisp and I couldn't imagine spending those EARLY Saturday mornings anywhere else. We bought everything from tee shirts, earrings, a bird house for my father in law, homemade pesto, artisan cheeses and lots of veggies. I hope you grab some coffee and if your like my husband you'll run to your local farmer's market.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Happy Dad Day, I thought I would dedicate this blog to my father in law Mr. Bill. I also call him Big Bill due to the fact that I'm married to Little Bill. My father in law is a tall man with big features, big hands, big feet and a big heart. The first time I saw my husband and my father in law hug ,it was one of the sweetest exchanges between two men that I had ever seen. He's the kind of dad that let's us borrow his truck anytime, he's the kind of dad that helped us pull thousands of staples out of the floor in our new house. He's the kind of dad who talks about his children as though they are still 4 and 6 when they lived in Europe for a year. He tells this story about how the Italians just loved my husband and my sister in law because of their blonde hair and rosy cheeks, and they would say "bellisimo"! He's the kind of of dad who got choked up during the speech he gave at our wedding reception, and most of all he's the kind of dad who has been married to my husband's mother for 40YEARS. He is a very sweet man and I am so glad that Little Bill had him for a dad. Thank you for your love, thank you for your knowledge and thank you for you. We had a wonderful day up at Snowbird and you looked very daper, did I mention that Mr. Bill smokes a pipe and wears an Indiana Jones like hat. AWESOME!

Hummus

I took a little break to make a batch of tortilla soup, it's raining so I want to to advantage of soup weather while I can! My husband is off playing poker so it's just you and me. This hummus recipe came from my mother in law and we make it all the time, I'm actually snacking on it right now. I have served this with some colorful veggies for Friday cocktail night with friends or I make it for Billy to snack on with carrots and jicama after work before I get home, if not he'll eat everything in the cabinets. NOT GOOD ! Or I'll pack it up for our weekly lunches. It's creamy, a little spicy and super easy. ENJOY.

-Hummus-

1 can (15oz) chickpeas
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 c. tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 c. chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped lightly
2 T. - 1/2 c. olive oil
2 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. - 1 tsp. salt and or garlic salt (according to taste)

1. Drain chickpeas, reserving 1/4 - 1/2 c. of the liquid.
2. Combine chickpeas, zest and lemon juice, tahini, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper in a food processor. Turn on and start to puree.
3. Stream in the reserved chickpea liquid and olive oil. Make sure to scrape down side and puree all together.
4. Refrigerate for at least and hour before serving. ( the longer the better)

Trying Again!- Quinoa Salad

It's a rainy Saturday afternoon and I am just getting time to re-update from Monday Housewife Day. I didn't sleep at all that night thinking about the fact that I wouldn't be able to get back to this until now. Life was happening this week I'm moving locations of my job and finishing my enrollment and loan process for school, all of which I am very excited about. So thanks for being patient with me, I love that I have taken this step to share my food and local endeavors. So let's get on with it. Monday Housewife Day used to frustrate me, I would get so worried that I was spending all this time in the kitchen and neglecting the rest of the house. I had to let it go and tell myself how lucky I was to be able get this time to devout to our health and well being, along with piece of mind that this part of our life is simple the rest of the week. Well enjoy these recipes and tomorrow's blog will be all about Farmers Market. See you then.

-Quinoa Salad- Makes 6 1/2 c. servings

1 1/2 c. quinoa
2 1/4 c. water
2 T. liguid aminos or light soy sauce
zest and juice of one lemon
handful of scallions (green and white parts)

1. Place all of this in a medium sauce pan and turn oven on high. When this mixture begins to boil turn heat down to low and cover with a lid, cook for 10 to 15 minutes until liquid absorbs. When done take lid off and let cool.

In the mean time prepare all the other ingredients.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 to 1 c. edamame, cook according to directions, drain and cool
1 and 1/2 cucumbers, diced
1 package brocco sprouts or any other sprouts

2. When the quinoa is cooled get ready to layer. In six containers start with 1/2 c. of quinoa in each container. Next add the sprouts and then layer the rest of the vegetables. Put on lids and and place in the fridge.

* If you haven't tried quinoa give it a try it has a fun texture like couscous. It's a super grain that the Inca's have been eating for centuries, and it's a complete protein and gluten free!

-Dressing- I divide this into 6 little containers ( just so the salad doesn't get nasty by the end of the week)

2/3 c. lemon and or lime juice
2 T. liquid aminos or light soy sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. chili oil
pepper

Monday Housewife Day

Tortilla Soup...YUMMY!

Okay kids here's a good one for you, this soup is a staple in our house during the cold month's. Lucky for me and my family it was soup weather this weekend! ENJOY.

Soup:

3 lrg carrots, chopped into bite size pieces

3 stalks of celery, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

-Start by sauting these ingredients in a medium size soup pot with some olive oil over medium heat.

1 package baby bella mushrooms, sliced or chopped

2 c. rainbow swiss chard or spinach

16 oz to 32 oz canned tomato's ( I can my own and they really make the soup awesome)

32 oz/4 c/1 quart vegetable broth

2 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped ( can be found in any supermarket), ( put the left overs in a zip lock bag and store in the freezer)

2 tsp. adobo sauce

salt and pepper ( My store had this smoked salt and I use it in place of regular salt, delish!)

-When the other ingredients have started to soften make sure to stir and season with salt and pepper. Then add the mushrooms, let them saute a minute or two before you season or the salt will draw all the moisture out, and we want them to brown a bit first. Next add tomato's, chipotles, adobo sauce, and vegetable broth. Let it come to a boil and turn to medium low and simmer 10 min. When those ten minutes are up turn heat to low or simmer and add the chard or spinach.

* optional indredients

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 c. fresh corn, or canned

-So when the chard/spinach has wilted at this point you could add the optional ingredients. This is the first time I've pureed this soup and it was great. So if your going to puree it do that first, and then add beans and or corn.

-We like to top our soup with local beehive sharp cheese and tofutti sour cream (vegan). We also use hot sauce and diced avocado, oh yes and my homemade tortilla strips.

Tortilla Strips:

1 package corn tortillas ( you might only use half the package)

olive oil

spices: ( your choice) 1/8 tsp. - 1/4 tsp. salt, pepper, cumin, garlic salt or garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper.

- Take two tortillas at a time, cut in half stack the two half moon shaped pieces on to of each other and then cut into strips. Do this to at least six tortillas, then toss in a bowl with olive oil and spices of choice. Line a baking sheet with foil, heat the oven to 375 . Place strips onto baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 min. 

First ever BLOG!

Well here I go into the information highway, I can't believe it. It's Sunday afternoon, me, the hubby and our fat spoiled cats are hanging in our green room. It's the space in the house where we come to read, meditate, or if your the cats leave you cat hair all over the furniture. We just got through having veggie bagel sandwiches and yerba latte's for lunch...yum! Yesterday was the opening of our local farmers market, I almost cried when we walked in because I was sooo excited. I was focused on getting fresh ingredients for my famous vegetarian tortilla soup that I had to make for a family get together, it was a hit. I can't wait to go again next weekend. I got fresh garlic, spinach, swiss chard, onion's, and carrots all of which went into the soup. Oh, we picked up some gorgeous flowers, and a clock made of bicycle parts that my friend Lizzy's husband made for her jewelry booth. She's the one who gave me the kick in the butt I needed to get this blog going, thanx Lizzy (Elizabeth Terry Jewelry) she'll kill me for the shout out! Oh and one other thing I picked up the cutest vintage tee shirt from these fun girls, White Elephant is there company and I'll keep you posted on them they had some great stuff . Tomorrow is Monday housewife day, we'll get into that later.