Stonginton Farmer's Market - An Independent Journey

I went to sleep Friday night excited at the prospect of being woken up by the pitter patter of highly energized feet early on Saturday morning but instead I found myself the sole stroller. I was thrilled at the idea of an uninterrupted shower....then was dressed....coiffed and still quiet. till sleeping at 8 a.m.? Wow, I guess I am on my own so off to the Stonington Farmer's Market I went. I love the entire process: grab your bags, cash, coffee mug, comfy shoes, barely brush your hair and try not to step in the doggy do-do that is all over the grounds. Please enjoy the photos and check out this site called Local Harvest where you can type in your town/state and it will list out all the local farms, farmer's markets and even restaurants & grocery stores that have organic/local products.

Love the goat's milk soap I bought from this loving couple at Beltane Farm

Now a little video from me: Yes, I know "what you are thinking Jen?" "Isn't it dangerous to be doing a video while driving?" Possibly. There was no one else on the road and I was using a tiny camera so my view was not obstructed so just enjoy the view and stop nagging me.

Apricot Glazed BBQ Chicken Legs

Finally, it happened: another series of days that appear to indicate it is spring time and what does that mean? Fire up the grill. It also means you want some BBQ food and my kids love bbq'd chicken, especially legs. Being that I rarely allow the fried variety, I thought I would allow them the treat of some crispy skin via a glaze and high heat on the grill. I removed the skin from mine so decide skin or not and slap the glaze all over.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
¼ teaspoon powdered garlic
8 Chicken legs (meaty ones), trimmed of skin if you wish
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, roughly chopped
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat grill on high heat

2. Combine all ingredients into a bowl, whisk well and coat chicken. Let them sit in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or so if you wish or go directly to the grill

3. Turn grill down to medium-high heat and turn the legs every 5 minutes so you have an evenly cooked leg/skin. This should result in 20 minutes of cooking and perfectly cooked chicken. If the legs are on the skimpy side, adjust time accordingly.

Going to Blogher & StoveTop

Hello everyone! Any one of you going to Blogher in July? driving? flying? have a room booked already? Want/Need a roomie? I do not smoke or snore but I do like to have fun, laugh and would love to meet you. If you do not want to comment your plans, please email me at savorthethyme@cox.net

Also, for all who have been so supportive and asking me what happened with the contest: I won first prize! Not the grand prize trip but a $500 grocery card. You all know that I will set that card a blazing the minute I receive it. Thank you again for all your support.

We Love Z-bars! Our First Vlog

It all began innocently last summer when I was babysitting. My daughter and sons' buddies were over and Mom sent them with some snacks. One of those snacks was the Z-bar. Her children kindly shared with my tykes and the love affair began. The 'Z-bar' has been in demand and in stock for cravings and lunchboxes. It was also one of the go-to's on our Disney trip and even this morning. You know those morning Moms? It seems like you only had 5 minutes to get everyone ready to get out the door and then you realized no one had breakfast? What do you do? grab donuts? not here, we grabbed two chocolate brownie Z-bars. Chocolate first thing in the morning? hey, choose the lesser of two evils: this bar or hungry kids. I do not feel guilty though, they are organic and contain so many healthy ingredients (whole oats, 12 vitamins & minerals and no junk) that a bit of chocolate is a small price to pay.

Speaking of paying, no I am not being paid. I am a product junkie and love to share. I am also going to share a little video I took of my son this morning. I hope it makes you smile.

Why buy locally?

We love fresh milk, produce, etc. in this family (ah...fresh milk...slurp) and incorporate them into our diets as often as we can. There are a few ways you can incorporate local products into your diets by shopping at farmer's markets and using local dairy farm products (we have Munroe Dairy and can even buy local dairy products at our Stop & Shop). We also have some small non-chain grocery stores that do their best to sell products from local sources. But why should you go through the effort? Read the convincing reasons below from Farm Aid.

Here are five more reasons why you, too, should go "loco" for local dairy:

Food quality – Local dairy is sold fresher (and tastier), with no need for preservatives or extensive processing for long-distance transport or to extend its life on the shelf.

Community food security – If the ongoing dairy crisis continues much longer, we risk having entire states devoid of a single dairy farm. A stable network of local dairy farms is essential for communities to provide residents with access to safe, healthful food.

Preservation of farmland and agricultural traditions – Local dairies dot the landscapes of many regions, and are a productive and beneficial way to preserve farmland, local modes of production and processing, and even unique locally adapted dairy breeds.

Local jobs and economies – Supporting local dairies benefits local businesses used for farm inputs and services as well as those involved in processing and distribution, keeping more money circulating around the community.

Dairy farmers rock! – If the dairy farmers in your area are anything like the dairy farmers here in New England, then they're some of the most good-hearted, hard-working, ingenious people you'll ever have the pleasure to meet. These folks give 110% every day to produce good food for our tables. When family farmers thrive, the very best of America thrives.

To help others locate fresh, family-farmed dairy in your area, leave a comment below about your favorite local dairy brands. The Eat Well Guide is also a great source for tracking down family-farmed options close to home.

Roasted Garlic & Thyme Sweet Potato Wedges

I have already shared 'Mommy Fries' with you and now it is time to share 'Mommy Wedges'. I switch it up now and then to be creative and try different flavors. Since we all love garlic and herbs, I knew this would be a winner. Do not worry about shape, just peel, rinse, and cut into 'wedge like shapes, toss and bake. Super simple and while they are baking, you can either bake another dish simultaneously or be busy preparing the rest of the meal. Also, make sure the oven is fully preheated or else you may end up with soggy wedges.

If you want to get your kids revved up, just keep telling them you are making wedges or fries and serve them with their favorite sauce. They may give you a look once you place these in front of them but your enthusiasm can help sell them and in our house 'you must try everything' and then decide if you do not like them. Be strong. Do you have this rule as well?

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt (or kosher/course salt)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

2-21/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place salt and garlic into mortar or bowl and mash together with pestle or fork until a paste like substance is formed. Add thyme, mix well and now add 2 tablespoons of the oil and combine. Set aside

2. Peel, rinse, dry and cut potatoes into wedge like shape, trying to be somewhat consistent in size for baking purposes. Place into a large bowl, add olive oil mixture and stir well so that all wedges are covered. If need be, add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of oil.

3. On a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, arrange wedges, in a single layer and roast until browned and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Eating Well Wednesday - Toasted Quinoa Salad with Scallops & Snow Peas

Why didn't I think of that? Seriously, you all know I am a lover and believer in Quinoa (a complete protein) yet I had never thought of toasting it. Luckily, the folks at Eating Well Magazine did and created a fabulous recipe titled 'Toasted Quinoa Salad with Scallops & Snow Peas'* that I made and devoured most of it. Do not let the word 'salad' in the title throw you off, this is a main course to me and the fact that scallops were involved, was a shoe-in that the hubby would love it. (I ate a bunch without any: great vegetarian dish). Actually, this would be fantastic with shrimp as well. You may also notice that this recipe also includs sesame oil which I just used in my fiddleheads recipe last week. I must say that I do enjoy the flavor of sesame oil but use just a touch to see how you feel about it as it has a strong flavor so a dash goes a long way.


Also, if you are on Twitter, you can find me @savorthethyme. If you are not using Twitter, why not?

Ingredients:
12 ounces dry sea scallops, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or dry bay scallops
4 teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce, divided
4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed well
2 teaspoons grated or minced garlic
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup trimmed and diagonally sliced snow peas (1/2 inch thick)
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/3 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:
1. Toss scallops with 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce) in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Place a large, high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover and cook over medium heat until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Do not stir.) Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in snow peas, cover and let stand for 5 minutes more.

3. Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons canola oil, the remaining 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce), vinegar and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the quinoa and snow peas, scallions and bell pepper; toss to combine.

4. Remove the scallops from the marinade and pat dry. Heat a large skillet over medium-high until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water upon contact. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil and cook the scallops, turning once, until golden and just firm, about 2 minutes total. Gently stir the scallops into the quinoa salad. Serve garnished with cilantro, if desired.

* I halved the recipe and it worked perfectly.

Our First Raised Bed Garden - Organic Compost

So for a few years we have planned on planting a raised bed garden and never accomplished it so it became a goal our number one item to do as soon as we were home from Disney. We would have planted it sooner but my husband and I spent so much time debating were to place the raised bed (that he and the kids built) that we ran out of time. However, we did manage to begin some tomato seeds in little pots. For many years I have had visions of a number of beds but realized that maybe we first need to have success with just one and go from there. So, the weekend of the 15th while I was in bed all sickly, the rest of the family went to a garden market fair, choose the remaining items from our local farmers and planted them (I popped out every once in a while and observed from a window). Here is what we have growing:

Herbs: Cilantro, Parsley and Thyme (my staples)

Vegetables: Carrots, Cucumbers, Peppers (red and green) and Tomatoes (cheery, celebrity and beef steak).

Prior to planting, we mixed in a few bags of an organic egg shell compost that we picked up from our local mom-n-pop gardening store. I can not wait to enjoy our home grown food combined with some tasty items we will be picking up weekly from our farmer's market (opening tomorrow!)

Fizzical Education - A soda alternative

Innocently walking down the juice aisle with intentions to simply grab a bottle of organic apple juice, my eyes settle on the words 'fizz ed.'. Blink. I examine the 4 pack: Apple & Eve, fruit juice and sparkling water, no sugar added. hum....I am expecting to flip this sweet little 4 pack over and see fake sugars, fake colors and HFCS listed but nope. I see, concentrated fruit juice, water, filtered carbonated water and natural flavors. This looks promising.

Admit it, you crave a little bubbly sometimes, no, not champagne (one of my faves) but soda however, we all know they are 100% junk so we avoid....right? Yes, I sometimes want one when sitting at a BBQ. Well, this seems like a good alternative for you and your kids to have here and there. There are 4 flavors: red raspberry, orange mango, green apple, and pomegranate cherry.

I grabbed the green apple to try and I enjoy it. I am getting old (well to 20 years old I am) so the 21 g of sugar per can are a bit sweet for me but it is a refreshing and at least they are fruit sugars. I always disappointed to grab a can that states 'no sugar added' and see that that is because they are filled with a sugar substitute. Besides the taste, I am a sucker for packaging so these cute cans and the title 'fizz ed.' are right up my alley!

ALSO: ANYONE out there going to blogher? have room? CT/RI/MA?

Naughty Blogger

Hi all,
A temporary non-foodie announcement: blogger has been crashing like crazy and it ends up that the 'follower' widget is the issue so I have hidden it for a few days and then will put it back up.

Fiddleheads : An Asian Inspired Dish

A few days ago I posted about my first unsuccessful attempt with Fiddleheads and found out that most of you had not tried them or were put off by their appearance (I was too). But I forged ahead with a plan to try again when I saw that Natasha commented to me that she just purchased some, we decided to do a co-post. We wanted to come up with some type of theme to our recipes and after a bit of brainstorming, came up with Asian cuisine (and ended up with very similar recipes-great minds!). Below I present my version. Please give it a try as I found them quite enjoyable in this recipe and will look forward to their arrival each spring.

Now more about fiddleheads: They are the young coiled leaves of the ostrich fern and are only around for the few weeks of early spring. They are harvested when they are an inch or two above the ground. To clean and prepare them for eating, you need to carefully remove the papery brown scales and thoroughly wash them several times until the wash water appears clean. Then bring a small amount of lightly salted water to a boil, add washed fiddleheads, and cook them at a steady boil for 10 minutes or steam for 20 minutes. Since they are only available for a few weeks, some people freeze them after cleaning, blanch them for 2 minutes, drain and then pack them up for freezing. Then they are thawed and boiled for 10 minutes.

On a nutritional note, fiddleheads are per ounce: 10 calories, 1 g of protein, contains miscellaneous minerals, 20%DV Vitamin A and 12%DV Vitamin C.

Ingredients
1/3 box of whole wheat spaghetti (can always try soba noodles if you want)
½ lb. Fiddleheads
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 cup red peppers, chopped
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
¾ cup scallions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ Kosher salt

Sauce:
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar (or white vinegar or even lemon juice)
3 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)

Directions:

1. Bring two pots of water to a boil (one for fiddleheads and one for spaghetti). Clean the fiddleheads by rinsing very well, and gently removing brown paper skin. Trim off any brown ends. Place into boiling water for 20 minutes and then place into a bowl of ice cold water for a few minutes and drain. Cook half the box of spaghetti according to package directions, then rinse in cold water to keep from sticking and set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan/wok. Add minced garlic, red peppers, mushrooms and sauté for 4 minutes, then add the fiddleheads, scallions, ginger and red pepper flakes and sauce and sauté for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Prepare sauce by whisking all ingredients until well blended.

4.Add spaghetti to pan/wok and toss gently. Top with shredded carrots.

In conclusion, I did enjoy this dish and think it can be further enhanced with some tofu or shrimp. Also, this would be great as a cold, room temperature or hot dish. Now you have my permission to head over to 5-Star Foodie.

EatingWell Wednesday - Curried Carrot and Apple Soup

While residing in my bed all weekend I found myself without much of an appetite except for soup so I found this fabulous recipe and asked my hubby to make it for me. I was a taken aback by the strength of the curry so depending on your love of curry, you may wish to add less. Hey, my nose cleared up so it was a great. I really enjoyed the apple (we used a granny sweet) as the sweetness was refreshing with the curry. Also, great soup to freeze!

By the way, you can follow me on Twitter @savorthethyme


Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
5 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (3 cups)
2 large McIntosh or other apples, peeled and coarsely chopped (3 cups)
1 bay leaf
4 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt (I would taste prior to adding)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt for garnish (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, dill or basil for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or medium soup pot over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook until the onion is softened and translucent, 8 to 12 minutes; do not brown.

2. Stir in curry powder, then add carrots, apples and bay leaf. Stir well over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add broth and salt. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer until the carrots and apples are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Remove the bay leaf. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the soup solids to a food processor, adding about 1/2 cup of the broth; process to a smooth puree. Pour the puree back into the soup. Reheat and season with pepper. Serve piping hot, garnishing each serving, if you like, with a dab of yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.

Lunchbox Special: Orzo Salad

Spring. Spring leads to Summer which leads to picnics, work lunches outdoors, beaches, etc. which makes me think about portable salads, snacks, sandwiches etc. This leads to me sharing my orzo salad recipe with you. In my version, I use baby spinach instead of the more traditional basil as a way to add more nutrients and a more subtle flavor. I have also added some chick peas and a light vinaigrette to round things out. This would also be a great dish for entertaining: shower, brunch, cookout, potluck etc. Now grab your favorite outdoor blanket and get outside.

Ingredients:

Salad:

3 cups whole wheat orzo, already cooked per box instructions
1 cup english cucumber, diced
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1.5 cups baby spinach roughly chopped/torn
1.5 cups red pepper, chopped
1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans, well rinsed
4 oz of reduced fat feta (1/2 standard 8 oz pkg)

Vinaigrette

3 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh if you have it.
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup EVOO

Directions:

1. Cook the orzo per instructions and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, make vinaigrette by placing lemon juice, vinegar, and pepper into a food processor and slowly add oil.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl, add 3 cups of orzo once cooled and combine well.

Finally, I wish to send out a sincere thank you to each one of my guest bloggers:
Judy at Food and Health
Janina of A place to learn and develop yourself
Kath of Kath Eats Real Food
and a big hug and thank you to my friend and foodie, Natasha of 5-Star Foodie Culinary Adventures for being my 'blog manager' while we were away.

Pork Loin with Mandarin Orange Salsa, Roasted Eggplant over Penne & Chicken with Poultry Seasoning

Sick. Sick. Sick. My entire chest was sick. Luckily, two thing came to my rescue: my husband and the packets that Amazing Taste sent. It all began Friday as I began to feel bad and steadily got worse and the meals went from some energy to no energy. I had already taken out the pork loin to thaw and so it was waiting for TLC. I went to work quickly before things got worse. But before I give you my recipes, I first want to thank Amazing Taste for their generous samples and for making a nice product to enhance foods with. My favorite so far is the poultry. For the chicken, I used it as a marinade as suggested on the packet. I can tell that the fajita (used on the eggplant!) has lots of cumin (which I love) and the spices in the pork seasoning are nicely balanced although some of the salt could be removed and I think it would be perfect. Give some a try yourself and let me know what you think. There are also some great recipes featured on their site. Please note that I only express my honest opinions on product reviews.

Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Mandarin Orange Salsa

1 lb. pork tenderloin

2 Tablespoons Amazing Taste Poultry Seasoning

Marinade:

1/4 cup pear juice from the can of mandarin oranges

2 Tablespoons lime juice

1 clove garlic, chopped

Salsa:

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Mandarin oranges from 11 oz. can, drained, juice reserved

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1 Tablespoon pear juice

Directions:

1. Whisk marinade ingredients until well combined. Place marinade and seasoned pork into a plastic bag and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prepare the salsa.

3. Cook pork until temperature reaches 160 degrees (took us 40 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes. Slice and serve with salsa.

Roasted Eggplant

1/2 lb. Eggplant

1 Tablespoon Amazing Taste Fajita Seasoning*

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 jar (25 oz) organic marinara sauce

1/4 teaspoon fajita seasoning

Box whole wheat organic penne

First of all, this idea was on my mind to try due to a post that Rebecca of Chow and Chatter did last week. So, thank you Rebecca!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Chop up eggplant into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces and mix them in a bowl with the seasoning and olive oil. Place onto baking pan and bake for approx. 20 minutes or until tender.

3. Boil penne per box instructions. Place sauce in a pan, add seasoning, mix and heat thoroughly.

4. Place some penne, eggplant and sauce in a bowl, mix and enjoy.

*Are you wondering why I would use a fajita seasoning mix on eggplant and in the sauce? I wanted to add some flavor as the sauce was quite bland and since I am a cumin lover, I went for it and was glad I experimented.

Chicken with Poultry Seasoning

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 Tablespoons Amazing Taste Poultry Seasoning

1/4 cup water

1 Tablespoon

Directions:

1. Combine seasoning, water and oil and mix well. Place marinade and chicken into a plastic bag and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Bake chicken for approx. 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Monday night: Still in bed and have no idea what the hubby made for the kids. I ate carrots with hummus and some of my favorite organic cereal.

Fiddleheads - A New Experiment

"Fiddleheads are fantastic", she exclaimed. "Just steam them and then put some salt, pepper and vinegar on them, you will love them." they said. I believed, I bought, I steamed, I ate one.....not impressed. Maybe it was the preparation? Please assist. Please send me your favorite recipes/preparations and I will try them and post about your recipe. I want to like these curious looking fellows.

Fast & Frugal Friday: Year Round Thankgiving Dinner

Raise your hands if you love having all your favorite components of Thanksgiving dinner on more than one day a year? Now, raise your hands if you love all the time, money and energy to make all of it more than one day a year? I hear crickets.....I have a solution. As many of you know from yesterday's post, I entered a StoveTop challenge however you do not know the criteria and how I came up with the recipe so I thought I would fill you in. Here were the criteria:
a.) Cost-saving
b.) One-dish using STOVE TOP
c.) Feed 4 under $10
d.) Provide an essay (in 100 words or less) that explains why you and your family enjoy the recipe.

Additional challenges for myself: Quick, Unique, Use items that anyone can get year round and a Complete meal. How did I do?

Also, I only found this contest the day before the deadline and spent the first day emailing questions to BlogHer/StoveTop and coming up with different ideas and pricing them out. I figured most people would go for chicken and beef so I thought fish and turkey. I then thought about some of our favorite meals during holidays and bam, Thanksgiving popped into my mind. Here is an excerpt from my essay:

"This recipe encompasses all of our favorite Thanksgiving foods: Turkey, Stuffing, Green Beans, Cranberries and Gravy and can be made under 30 minutes. A benefit of using Stove Top Stuffing is that all the seasonings we need are already in the mix. We also consider this recipe quite family friendly as kids love fun looking food so we made this meal into a roll-up. "

TIPS:
a.) If you have the time and money, round out this T-day meal, with a salad and some mashed potatoes.

b.) To save even more money, buy split turkey breasts and have the butcher debone it. With the money you save, you can buy fresh beans, potatoes and salad fixings.

Can you believe that I made this meal for 4 for $6.25!!!

For the recipe and to vote for Recipe #5, please follow this link. You can vote until 11:59 tonight!

StoveTop BlogHer Contest: Please vote!

Hi all! We are back from Disney and I have lots of reports coming however, I need to ask you a let you know about this first: I entered a contest to try to win a trip to a the BlogHer conference that I really want to go to and my recipe was chosen as a finalist!! If my "RECIPE #5: Year-Round Fast & Frugal Thanksgiving Dinner" sounds like a great recipe to you and you wish to, please vote both TODAY AND TOMORROW. Thank you!!!

http://www.blogher.com/vote-best-recipe-stove-top-dinner-challenge

Do you know what 100 calories looks like?

A few weeks back I typed 'food and health blog' into google and guess what I found: Food and Health.com and I knew immediately that I wanted Judy to be a guest blogger. Judy is is the president of Food and Health Communications, a private publishing company dedicated to "making nutrition science edible." She has a passion for creating healthful dishes that are delicious and easy to prepare and for competing in half-ironman triathlons! To learn more about Judy, please visit her bio.

Food and Health is wealth of information and recipes. There are even newsletters and handouts that you can download for free so head on over and learn more. Judy was gracious enough to send me some great links to share and told me to let her know which post I would like to feature so without further ado: 100 Calorie Snacks - in Pictures

"Take a look at our new poster - 100 Calorie Snack Packs. We were so surprised at the difference in size between the portions of calorie-dense “snacks” like cookies, bagels, donuts and chips, and all of the fruits and nonfat light yogurt. For 100 calories of carrots, apples, grapes, oranges, celery, berries and a banana you get to eat a larger portion than with cookies.
And here is one pic we took for fun - 100 calories of lettuce! Imagine if most people chose that more often than chips! They would not even be able to finish 100 calories of lettuce in most cases.
And that is precisely our point with this poster - which item would make you feel more full? It is not easy to eat just 100 calories of chips - but it is more likely that you will feel full after just one apple which is only 70-80 calories!"

Thank you Judy for guest blogging and educating us about what we should be eating.

Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad: An introduction to grains

My name is Janina and I am thankful for a fun and energetic friend like Jen who has let me guest-post. I have found my passion which is being a life coach! While furthering my life coaching skills, I have experienced personal growth and learned better how to serve others. I hope you enjoy my guest-blog.

What are Wheat Berries?
“Do you have a busy schedule? If you are like most people I know, there is always something going on. I work full time and don't have a lot of time to cook a nice meal when I get home. So my husband and I try to eat as well as possible but that has resulted in things that cook quickly and get wrapped up. Something we have been eating often are those faux chicken nuggets from Morning Star in a wheat wrap with some salsa, lettuce, shredded cheese and anything else are in the mood to throw in them. Or it might be soup made with a couple cans of beans, can of diced tomatoes, low sodium vegetable broth and chicken sausage. Sometimes, we make grilled tuna melts on wheat english muffins. Simple and not too bad but it's getting pretty boring. I recently hired myself a health coach named Laura Ely. I have a couple of goals: create a new attitude towards exercise so that I am active most of the time and learn about new foods (or get reacquainted with old foods) and want to choose healthier foods more often.

This month, I was introduced to grains. The list had some things I have never heard of! Buckwheat, amaranth, bulgur, kamut, millet and wheat berries were a few things on the list of grains. Brown rice was on the list but guess what? The brown rice in the microwave bag that is ready in 90 seconds doesn't count! Yes, it's better than the flavored ones which are loaded with sodium but it's not as good as real rice that has to be soaked and cooked. The thing with making recipes with grains is going for the ingredients that are close to the source. I started with wheat berries. First, I had to learn what wheat berries were!

The term wheatberry or wheat berry refers to the entire wheat kernel (except for the hull), comprising the bran, germ, and endosperm. Wheatberries have a tan to reddish brown color and are available as either a hard or soft processed grain. They are often added to salads or baked into bread to add a crunchy texture; as a whole grain, they also provide nutritional benefits since they are an excellent source of dietary fiber.

I am glad my coach showed me the wheat berries before and after cooking. It took some planning but is something I think I can do from time to time. I soaked them overnight. Then the next morning I cooked them on the stove for 50 minutes. This is a far cry from the way we prepared foods before! After they cooled off, later in the afternoon, I made a very nice and easy wheat berry waldorf salad!


Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad
2 cups wheat berries
7 cups water
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 medium apples, unpeeled, cored and chopped
1 cup raisins
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple juice
1 TB salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup lemon juice

Soak the wheat berries at least 6 to 8 hours or overnight in water to cover by a couple inches. Drain the water, and set aside.

In a saucepan, bring 7 cups water to a boil. Add the soaked wheat berries and turn down to a simmer, uncovered, for about 50 minutes or until they are totally cooked through. Wheat berries retain a firm, chewy texture when cooked. Drain the water and set aside to cool.

When cool, transfer the wheatberries to a large mixing bowl and add the walnuts, apples, raisins, parsley, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, olive oil and lemon juice. Mix everything together thoroughly. Add more salt if necessary and serve.With so many choices (of grains), I got overwhelmed. So I get very specific with an ingredient like I did with the wheatberries and one or two recipes and give it a try over a couple of weeks. I don't have to do everything all at once. I know my new habits will last longer if I am introduced to them slowly and have time to incorporate them.

My life coaching web site: http://www.janina-goldberg.vpweb.com/
My blog: http://janina-goldberg.blogspot.com/

Guest Blogger: Kath of 'I Eat Real Food'

Hello Savor The Thyme readers! I am Kath, and I Eat Real Food. While I am not a mom yet, I hope to have a real food approach with my kids one day too. Expert articles written on healthy eating for kids recommend getting them involved in shopping and cooking food so they have a connection between vegetable to table.

One of my goals as a mom will be to be as enthusiastic about vegetables as I am about desserts. So many parents are overhead saying "Now Johnny, you better eat your green beans before you can have dessert." But do you ever hear parents say, "Johnny, you must finish your ice cream before you get to have some spinach." I do think there is a evolutionary connection between kids' aversion to vegetables, appeal of sugar and taste buds, but I also think the more vegetables are praised, the easier it is for kids to at least try them.

But then again, I'm not a mom yet, so I'm sure my kids will be the worst eaters of the century! But you can be sure I will try :)

And parents must also remember that nutrient deficiency do not happen overnight. If you kid had some veggies at lunch but isn't interested at dinner, it's OK.

Here are a few recipes I've done on KERF that I think would be kid friendly and fun :)

Hot Dogs and Mango Fries

Pancake Tacos

PB&J Fries

Snail Oatmeal

Thanks for guest blogging Kath and inspiring all of us to eat healthy and have fun with our food! Also, I am so excited to find a great food blogging foodie close by (Boston).

What to eat at Disney & 'Hands off my Rice Chips'

Lookie what we/he got his hands on. My little monkey grabbed these bags so I decided that he needed to pose for the photo before he was rewarded with a tasting. Since we have been thinking about snacks that we are bringing to Disney for many days now, I have spent quite a bit of time in the natural foods sections. My little guy noticed these and declared 'chips!' and my eyes opened wide when I saw them. I am also always on the lookout for new foods that address those with dietary restrictions such as vegans and celiac disease and these chips by 'Rice Works' fit that bill. These folks just launched these brown rice chips and although they are not baked, they are: wheat and gluten free, contain no trans fat or no preservatives or artificial flavors. Therefore, I guess if you want to give in to your chip craving, these are a good option. Now, the tastings: the 'Sea Salt' are my favorite of the two. Not too salty, fresh tasting, full of sesame flavor. Yummy. My son agreed. Upon opening the 'Sweet Chili' offering, I was immediately confronted with the sweet chili smell and my taste buds were ready. I found them to be very seasoned, maybe a bit too much and they could remove a good 30 mg of sodium from each serving and be the perfect sweet & savory combination in my opinion. My sons review 'ummm but they get spicy on my tongue'. I will definitely be adding these to my list of chip indulgences and look forward to trying some of the other flavors. Thumbs up!

Back to Disney: I am so used to cooking for the family that the idea of eating out 3 times a day is too much for me AND I want to make sure that we always have quick breakfast and snack options on hand so here is what we have packed:

organic petite carrots

grapes

deli meats (I know nitrates are not great but all is moderation folks)

reduced fat cheese sticks

my favorite cascadian farm vanilla chip bars

Z bars that the kids love

Fiber one bars

bananas

oatmeal

organic cereals

powdered milk

sesame seeds

roasted whole almonds

dried cranberries

organic chocolate milk in travel sizes from horizon

crackers

popcorn

pineapple jerky (post to follow upon my return)

I will fill you in on our restaurant/food adventures when we return.

Sauces made Simple

Friends often ask me 'what do you do to change up the basics?' or 'what else can I do, quickly, to my chicken/fish/steak?' Often my responses are spices and sauces. I find myself most often playing with pan sauces but had set a goal for myself this year to branch out a bit and so when I found this great article titled 'Sauce made simple' in the April edition of Cooking Light magazine, I knew this was a hint to get going on the sauces. Please do not let some of the fancy names such as bechamel or aioli throw you off--all of you singletons and moms can do this!

I know, some of you might say 'Aren't most sauces unhealthy?' As cooking light points out "Even rich, buttery sauces, such as bearnaise or beurre blanc, have a place in a healthy diet. Just think strategically about the foods with which you pair them. Choose steamed vegetables, fish, shellfish or other lean meats to keep total saturated fat within reasonable limits."

Cooking Light has many great sauce recipes online but I will share two in this post: red wine reduction bechamel. Since so many of my lovely friends also enjoy wines, I will start of with this Red Wine Reduction Sauce which would be great with beef, veal, venison or duck. Grab a pre-made jar of beef demi-glace to have on hand make this an even quicker option.

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Ingredients
1 cup full-bodied red wine (such as cabernet sauvignon)
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons Beef Demi-Glace
3 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 10 minutes). Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Add butter, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper.

Bechamel Sauce (great for chicken, beef, casseroles and vegetables)

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Yield
1 1/3 cups (serving size: about 2 1/2 tablespoons)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground white pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Preparation
1. Place butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; cook until butter melts, stirring occasionally. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender (do not brown), stirring occasionally. Sprinkle flour over onion; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Gradually add milk to flour mixture, stirring with a whisk until smooth; bring to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Strain mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids.

3. Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg, if desired. Serve immediately.

More sauce can be found here, just scroll down the page for the sauce category.