Sustainable Diet

Adapting a Recipe to Feed 3

2013-10-27T13:41:00.001-05:00

Nesting: making a batch of pumpkin granola big as my belly!

It's a funny thing to go from cooking for one to cooking for two (and then cooking for two humans and one four-legged companion), and then to cooking for a family of three. But that's where this year has taken us!

Just as we began our kitchen remodel, we learned we were pregnant with our first baby. And the same week, I started a new job—so it's been a year of growth and excitement in many ways. Sadly, it has left very little time for gardening, cooking and blogging.

The first trimester was devoted to grilled cheese and baked potatoes; starches and dairy were the only vegetarian-friendly things this mom-to-be could choke down. At some point near the end of those first twelve weeks, we stopped in a burger joint. I ordered the veggie cheeseburger with bacon, and then... things changed. Suddenly the vegetarian pregnancy thing was out the window and I must say, life got a little easier.

And now that anything goes food-wise (well, anything except that list of pregnant no-no's, which has made me acutely aware of my love of over-easy eggs), the goal in the kitchen has become efficiency. Instead of trying to innovate, I've been trying to change my way of doing things, knowing that as a mother who will be going back to work full-time, I'll need to be able to put a healthy, sustainable dinner on the table in much less time than I'm accustomed to.

I'm learning the value of casseroles (chicken pot pie with homemade biscuit crust is on the docket tonight) and crock pots. And much to my former self's chagrin, I'm happy to take a few shortcuts here and there. Picking up a rotisserie chicken or can of pre-made enchilada sauce never felt so good!

I have no doubt that we'll find a good rhythm once the baby is here (the countdown is 20 days!) and I am very much looking forward to making homemade baby food in a few months, too. But it's also very liberating to let myself off the hook just a little.

Do you have any good kitchen tips for a first-time mom?

Simple Mediterranean Pasta

2013-05-29T09:48:00.004-05:00

Tomatoes, basil, and zucchini from the garden make this a meal!

With the summer bearing down on us, it's time to turn to lighter evening meals punctuated with an array of fresh flavors. Since we seem to have a steady supply of Sun Gold cherry tomatoes in the garden already, I threw together a simple pasta dish that brought together some of our favorite Mediterranean tastes: briny capers and olives, aromatic basil, tangy feta, and sweet tomatoes.

This is a quick, easy dinner to whip up in just about 20 minutes; serve the pasta with a side salad or fresh steamed zucchini, straight from the garden. This is a perfectly light and easy summertime dinner. I'd even recommend enjoying it with a glass of wine!

This is also a great dish to take to a potluck; if you make it with penne pasta, it can be easily served chilled.

Simple Mediterranean Pasta

3 cups (about 3/4 pound) cherry tomatoes, cut in halves or quarters
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, drained and cut in half
1 tablespoon capers, drained
handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup shaved parmesan

salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces whole-wheat pasta (I used angel hair/cappellini)

Set a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove.

Meanwhile, get to slicing the tomatoes, olives and basil. Toss them in a bowl together with the capers, vinegar, olive oil, feta, and parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the noodles, then toss with just a little bit (1 tablespoon) of olive oil. Mix the tomato-olive salad in to the pasta. Stir well so that the noodles soak up the dressing. Serve with a green salad or side of steamed summer squash.

Garden Goings On

2013-05-23T12:25:00.000-05:00

Sun gold cherry tomatoes, purple islander bell peppers, and a sweet carmen.

The garden is back at it, which is always a nice way to encourage me to get in the kitchen and cook. Of course, there have been many other reasons to get in the kitchen and cook. Lately, I've been baking goodies for family and friends.

Despite the warming temperatures outside, I've been doing a lot by way of baking in the kitchen. From salted caramel brownies to lemon poppyseed cake, chocolate sheet cake to cherry cobbler, the sugar has been pouring. I have been inspired to turn to my cookbooks recently, namely the Joy of Cooking, for some old-fashioned inspiration. The fact that the cookbooks have a beautiful new home in our refreshed kitchen is, of course, icing on the cake!

When a friend comes over to help, bake him cherry cobbler.

A very special lemon-poppyseed bundt cake.

Another very special baked good: Texas sheet cake, made for my Dad.

As we wait for the cucumbers and beans to start producing (I saw one on the vine this morning) and the tomatoes to turn red, we've enjoyed at least one batch of fried green tomatoes with homemade less-mayo pimento cheese.

Fried green tomatoes.

The zucchini and squash are off to a strong start, and most of them have been very simply prepared. A quick sauté in butter with some onions is really all it takes to enjoy these summer staples.

The zucchini are starting out small and delicious.

As temperatures near 100 degrees, I'm anxious to pick up a few Texas-grown watermelons this weekend, and get started on the summer's popsicle recipes. What are you up to this summer?

Early Summer Garden Tour

2013-04-23T13:06:00.004-05:00

It is definitely spring, and the garden is loving the weather! Last weekend we were able to clean up the backyard, and my wonderful hubcap even fixed our garden shed (which was falling down). I love when "spring cleaning" finds its way outdoors. The grass is green, and the plants are all budding.

The summer garden is taking off!

I stuck to the plan for the most part, but we decided to add more okra rather than grow any eggplants. The okra and corn plants are tiny right now (it's still a little chilly for them), but everything else is off to a strong start.

Pictured, you'll see squash and zucchini blossoms (I tried to start these from seed, but the cold snap we got a few weeks ago wrecked that attempt). Next up, tiny figs on the tree — followed by little peaches. We're hoping to have a respectable crop of fruit on our trees this summer!

Keep scrolling, and you'll see the pepper plants, which are six different varieties from Johnson Backyard Garden. They range from hot to sweet, and I can't wait to taste the rainbow of peppers we'll have!

The strawberry patch is doing well, and tiny berries are beginning to redden on the vine. Sadly, though, the local fauna (cats and birds) have been getting to them before I can.

Tiny cherry tomatoes are already on the vine, nice and green for now. I'm looking forward to sumptuous salads comprised only of these sweet bite-sized morsels.

The beans and cucumbers are beginning to start their journeys up the trellises. I planted French climbing beans and two varieties of cucumber this year, Diva (which I had great success with last year) and the National Pickling variety. Both promise wonderful yields, so I'm hoping for the best.

What's growing in your garden?

Cooking Again!

2013-04-11T16:57:00.000-05:00

A sneak peek at the finished kitchen!

It only took three weeks (and then a plumbing hiccup), and we're back in our kitchen! I don't want to spoil it just yet; I will have some lovely photos to show soon for a full "reveal." We are still putting the final touches on it, too—I may or may not have splurged on some hand-crafted shelves to go on our empty wall. Oops!

Meanwhile, I'm getting back into the groove of cooking. It's amazing what a bigger countertop means for meal prep. It is so exciting to envision what all we'll be doing in this kitchen soon. I'm thinking cinnamon rolls, pizzas, and dog treats; I have to make the most of my enormous countertop so I plan on doing lots of rolling.

Easy Vegetarian Pad Thai

At the moment, though, as I continue to transition my routines with my new job and our updated kitchen, cooking just means simple stuff, like this Easy Pad Thai recipe.

Currently Kitchenless

2013-03-27T15:27:00.001-05:00

What a month it's been! Here is the last thing I cooked in our kitchen, about two weeks ago, which corresponded nicely with the very last of the winter garden harvest:

Sauteed kale, black beans, and peppers on multigrain tortillas, topped with cheese, Greek yogurt, and Cholula.

Kale and black bean tacos. Though they were nothing fancy, they were delicious and filling and healthy and wonderful. Oh, how I miss my kitchen. And the winter garden.

But fear not.

The spring garden is almost planted—though a hard freeze the other night meant that we lost a couple of tomatoes and one pepper plant. My tent city in the backyard (Hubcap approved, mind you) meant that most of the tender vegetation emerged from the late freeze unscathed.

The trellises came in handy to shield peppers and okra from the cold.

As for the kitchen, we've spent the last few weeks preparing for this to happen:

Phase one: remove upper cabinets, remove countertop. Make a mess, basically.

Remember when it looked like this? I am so excited to share the official "after" photos once it's all said and done, and hopefully that won't be too long from now. We are getting new quartz countertops, and they've already taken out one set of cabinets and demolished the bar.

Oh, and there was one minor problem: a vital pipe extended above the countertop level—meaning we'll have to raise the countertops an inch and a half. For two tall cooks, there could have been no better problem to have! (Hubcap and I are excited that we'll have more prep room—meaning more opportunity to cook together.)

Patched ceiling, and the leveled countertop. Now we'll have a peninsula to work on, and floating shelves...

Oh, and in the midst of all of this I've started a new job AND went on a self-imposed social media diet, hence the radio silence from yours truly. Once we get back into a good groove (hopefully that means fewer frozen waffles for breakfast), I can't wait to bring you some fresh new meals from our kitchen and show you how the spring garden is progressing.

Stay tuned!

Kale and Sweet Potato Pizza

2013-03-08T10:42:00.002-06:00

Somehow, I wound up home from work early. The kitchen beckoned, and without a real plan in place, I grabbed the food processor and my handy How to Cook Everything kitchen Bible. A few minutes later, a recipe of pizza dough (I jazz it up by using 2 cups of spelt flour) was rising on the counter.

The farmer's market trip I'd taken earlier in the week yielded a small bag of organic sweet potatoes (some of them may have been garnet yams). I had kale in the garden, and enough parsley to do something with. Oh, and the broccoli is still producing a little bit at a time.

The idea of pizza with all of these goodies on it became more and more appealing as the hour grew later. The result? A tasty, healthy pizza that wowed even the toughest critic: my husband. His glowing review? "Wow. I did not expect it to be this good."

That's right, the bar is that high.

I loosely based this on a couple of recipes I'd Pinned recently, including this one for sweet potato kale pesto pizza. Here's my spin on it. And really, this is a delightful dinner pizza; I like to use spelt flour to add a slightly sweet, nutty flavor to the crust... And that plays very well with the tangy kale pesto and deep flavors of the roasted vegetables. I'd venture to say this is small-dinner-party worthy, accompanied by a salad topped with a balsamic dressing and a nice wine.

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Pizza with Kale Pesto

If you're making your own crust, be sure to prepare it at least one hour ahead of time. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, then set to making the pesto.

For the pesto:
2 cups kale, tough stems removed
1 cup fresh parsley, stems removed
juice from 1/2 lemon
4 cloves garlic
extra virgin olive oil (to create your desired consistency; less than 1/2 cup)

In a food processor, combine kale, parsley, lemon juice, and garlic. Process for a minute or two. While the machine is running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Start with 1/4 cup; stop the machine and check the consistency of the pesto. Add more olive oil, a tablespoon at a time, until it is spreadable but not too thin. Set pesto aside.

For the pizza:
1 recipe pizza dough or 1 store-bought crust
1 large or 3 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into very thin slices
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh sage
2 tablespoons olive oil
shredded Parmesan cheese

On a baking sheet, toss the vegetables and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs. Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables have caramelized slightly. Remove from the oven and set aside. If you're looking to use fewer dishes, set the veggies on a plate and clean the baking sheet for the pizza.

Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees. Sprinkle cornmeal on the baking sheet, and stretch the dough out until it's about 1/4 inch thick (or thinner, depending on how you like your pizza crust!). Prick it all over with a fork. Spread the pesto on the dough, and top with the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan over the top (liberally or not), and bake 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden.

Quiche for Dinner

2013-02-26T21:38:00.002-06:00

Here's dinner: quiche with caramelized onions and fresh broccoli.

Until recently, we weren't "quiche for dinner" people. I don't know why; I love breakfast in pretty much any format, and quiche is one of the tastier ways to enjoy eggs. So how come I never cook it for a meal?

Because quiche seemed like such a venture. The pie crust, the vegetables, the eggs. The recipes. The never being able to decide what's better: leeks? Spinach? How many eggs? So much cheese!

A few weeks ago, all of that changed. Life as I know it came to a screeching... wait, no, that's not what happened. I simply made a good quiche and it made me think, "Oh, that was easy. Let's do it again." Ryan agreed; it was a success and we should have quiche more often.

Sometimes these things are SO EASY.

It started with an easy-to-follow, hard-to-screw-up pie crust recipe from my favorite cookbook author Mark Bittman. I love a straightforward recipe that's been tested and adapted, and his book (How to Cook Everything) has nothing but. Do yourself a favor and get a copy. It will be oft-referenced, complete with dog-eared pages and tomato sauce stains. Mine even has cornmeal sprinkled between a few pages.

Quiche is such an adaptable dish. I have made two lately that start with caramelized onions (again, following Bittman's instructions) and mushrooms and fresh garden broccoli. I love that quiche is a catchall; whatever is sitting in the fridge or on the counter can make an appearance. (Except garlic: I am not a fan of garlic with eggs. Why is that? Am I weird?)

Lately, I've been picking up fresh eggs at the farmers' market. They are unbelievably tasty, and it's how I'll buy eggs until we have our own backyard hens. (Who's dropping hints? Certainly not me.)

Really, there is no recipe here. I blind-bake a pie crust (instead of AP flour I like to use spelt, and I've subbed half of the butter for vegan margarine), saute some vegetables, and mix together about 5 eggs with a cup of 1% milk. There's usually some cheese involved, and a little salt and pepper.

These are the kinds of recipes I love—those that can be adapted endlessly. Having a technique down allows me more room for creativity and spontaneity. I'm gradually expanding the techniques I keep in my back pocket, from stir fry to tacos and now to quiche. It's liberating to shoot from the hip, to be freed from a recipe. It's like improv, or performance art. Except you can eat it.

What are your favorite kitchen improvs?

Weekend in Review

2013-02-11T15:36:00.003-06:00

Over the weekend, we welcomed a couple of days of rain, which meant that (other than sneaking in a little yard work Saturday morning) I spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

But first, I picked these garden treasures. The broccoli is still putting off tender shoots, much to my delight. I finally harvested all the cabbages, which had been picked over pretty badly by cabbage-eating bugs. The winter garden is taking a cue and winding down, just in time for spring.

We stopped by one of our local nurseries and picked up a few six-packs... of strawberries. They found a happy home in one of our small 4-by-4 beds; planting instructions be damned! They are in rows on the diagonal, which is so very appealing to the part of my brain that wants to be a designer.

After much reassuring that pursuing a fermented recipe would not make our house stink, I set about making a simple recipe for kimchi. I sort of combined elements of this recipe and a couple of tips from this one for an easy version, which to me seems like an easy refrigerator pickle. Not wanting to dirty up the processor, I mashed garlic, ginger, and red chiles together with a mortar and pestle.

I used our garden cabbage, local carrots and green onions from Johnson's Backyard Garden, and a few other organic ingredients. If it turns out tasty, I'll post the recipe. If not, we'll just call this a happy little weekend experiment.

After an afternoon nap and a cup of tea, I found myself gathering ingredients for these unbelievably decadent salted caramel brownies from Smitten Kitchen. Shockingly, the recipe (which calls for you to make your own caramel candies and then make brownies from scratch) was very simple and I used only two dishes. It could not have been a more straightforward recipe. Which is all the more reason to go forth and make them.

And when they came out of the oven, well... These were, without a doubt, the most delicious thing I have ever baked in my life. Perfect. Fudgy and toothsome, with an impressive caramel flavor, a hint of salt, the bitterness of dark chocolate, and a rounded sweetness — these brownies are too good for ice cream but perfect with coffee.

Homemade Energy Bars

2013-02-07T15:05:00.001-06:00

Dates, chia seeds, oats, coconut, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Yum.

Homemade energy bars (let's be honest, we're talking about Larabars here) combine a number of healthy ingredients to create an awesome feel-good treat. Some people shape theirs into spherical nutritionally-packed bites, but I prefer the classically shaped bar. Everyone's made these, and it's no wonder: they are unbelievably simple (if you have a food processor), infinitely changeable, and delightfully tasty in any iteration.

Why are they so good for you? Dried medjool dates are little superfruits, packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Of course, they have a higher sugar content when dried, but that's the only sweetener in this recipe. The other ingredients come with their own lengthy healthy resume: oats are high in dietary fiber and are a source of heart-healthy whole grains; unsweetened coconut offers a healthy fat; chia seeds are well-known for their super concentration of omega-3s and calcium; cocoa powder is an antioxidant; and even cinnamon has long been revered in Ayurvedic practice.

There are hundreds upon hundreds of recipes for these all over the internet. I loved this version, but feel free to experiment with your favorite ingredients. Add pecans or almonds, sunflower seeds, raisins or dried cranberries, skip the cocoa powder, forget the coconut. All you need to keep an eye on is the texture. Too dry, and they won't come together; too wet, and they'll be difficult to eat.

Go forth and make these little energy bites, bars, balls, or what have you. They'll do the trick to tide you over, and they're so much better for you than a candy bar! And please share your favorite rendition in the comments.

Homemade Energy Bars
1 cup organic rolled oats (I used old-fashioned, but quick-cook oats would work too)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups dried medjool dates
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/8 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Put all the dry ingredients in a food processor. Pulse to combine until the mixture is uniform in size (think sand-like consistency). With the food processor running, slowly pour in the water. The dough will start to pull away from the sides of the food processor.

Check the consistency at this point: open up the food processor and touch the dough. It should stick to itself without crumbling, and not stick to your finger. Add more water as needed. If you've added too much water, throw in another tablespoon or so of oats and process until it's just right.

Line an 8x8 dish with parchment or wax paper, and press the dough into the pan. The bars should be about 1/4 inch thick. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, slice into bars and keep chilled. Alternately, shape into bite-sized truffles and refrigerate.

This recipe makes about 8 four-inch bars.

Spring Garden Planning

2013-02-06T15:14:00.002-06:00

The Spring Plan, as of today.

I can't believe it's time to start thinking about our spring garden! We still have broccoli and cabbage growing in the beds, but for the most part the winter garden is kaput. Our one hard freeze for the year wreaked havoc and blew in with a vengeance, taking the carefully staked trellises down.

Happily, we're going to incorporate a lot of what we learned last spring and summer into this year's plans. We are also talking about making some more visual changes to the garden. Of course it needs to be cleaned up, but what if we added a paving stone border around the entire thing? And hardy-har-har, our grass is not that green. But a gal can dream, right?

Here's the spring garden breakdown:

Gone from the plan above? Tomatillos. We love them, but they only gave us one big crop—which meant I made a huge batch of salsa, and that's it. It's better for us to grow plants that repopulate as they grows, instead of the dreaded one-and-dones.

New this year, we'll try eggplant (the purple dots), okra, corn, and strawberries. Cucumbers and pole beans happen to be complimentary plants—one needing nitrogen from the soil, the other adding it back in. They should do well when trellised together.

And this year, instead of planting a wide variety of tomatoes, I'm planning on purchasing two reliable varieties from Johnson Backyard Gardens: the Celebrity, which grows large fruit, and the Sun Gold Cherry tomato. He likes big tomatoes, I like the small. And I didn't like finding that some of our plants were so unreliable last year.

What about zucchini and squash? The thinking is, after last year's battle with the Squash Vine Borer, we'll plant squash and zukes across the yard in our smaller bed. That bed can easily be fitted with a PVC-pipe system to add a row cover. And if the SVBs attack, they will likely stay in that small area of the yard—rather than migrating over to the less-sucseptible, smaller-vined cucumber plants.

That's what we're thinking. Any advice, thoughts, suggestions, or questions?

Oh, and by the by—the Sustainable Diet garden was recently featured over on the Farm-City, State Blog. Check it out!

Simple Stir Fry: The Technique

2013-01-09T16:54:00.000-06:00

Random veggie bits and pieces for stir fry.

One of my resolutions was to waste less. Nine days in, I'm feeling pretty great about this goal. The last two weekends I've picked up most of our veggies from the farmer's market; the others hail from our dwindling backyard garden.

Having these beautiful, organic, locally grown vegetables on hand makes me feel like they're more special than average grocery store produce which encourages me to avoid wasting any bite. Since I know they're organic, too (and enjoy reading Johnson's Backyard Garden blog about this local produce), I tend to use more of the plant. Funny how that works, isn't it? Regard something as precious and you treat it better and use it more wisely. To me, this means, "Don't waste it!"

Kind of by accident, I happened upon a new tactic in the kitchen this week: I turned my stir fry into tacos. Which meant that with one basic prep night, I made two completely different meals (and enough for lunch leftovers, too). Beginning on Sunday night, I chopped a slew of seasonal veggies for a simple stir fry. Shredded cabbage, carrots, green onion, broccoli, and leftover minced purple cauliflower made it into the stir fry. At its best, stir fry is out-of-this-world unbelievable; I'll save that for the chefs. Because everyday stir fry can be so very simple to whip up on a weeknight; I learned my basics from Mark Bittman, and have found that this is more of an approach than a recipe.

Simple Stir Fry Technique

4 to 5 cups vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choi, snap peas, carrots, and celery work well)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
2 to 3 cups cooked long-grain brown rice or other grain of your choice

If you're cooking rice, prepare it first. You can make the entire stir fry (including veggie chopping) while the rice takes 30-40 minutes to cook. If you're using a quick-cook grain like quinoa, go ahead and prepare it and set it aside.

Get out your chopping board and set to work, chopping your vegetables into similar sizes. If I'm adding peas, I cut everything down to size; about half-inch pieces are the largest you want to go here. Keep in mind that carrots and broccoli take a little longer to cook. Generally, my mix includes carrots, celery, and broccoli as a base. But almost anything goes (maybe not potatoes or tomatoes) .

Put a heavy pan (I like to use my 10-inch skillet with tall sides) over medium heat and warm it up for about 30 seconds. Add the oil, and immediately throw in the onions and garlic. Saute these until they become almost translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the veggies that will take longest to cook: carrots, broccoli, etc., and cook about 10 minutes, stirring and adding water as necessary to prevent browning.

When the tougher vegetables are almost done, add the tender veggies (peas, greens, etc.). I like mine to steam a bit, so I add about 1/4 cup of water and cover the entire thing for about 5 minutes. Cook until everything is fork-tender or wilted.

Keep an eye on it so that nothing browns too much in the pan; you'll want all the liquid to cook out, but nothing to be crispy. At this point, you can add any sauce you like, but I leave it blank.*

Put a serving of rice in a bowl and top with a heaping serving of vegetables. We dress our stir-fry/steamed veggies and rice at the table with hot mustard, chile garlic paste, and tamari. Store leftover rice and vegetables separately, and you have more variety with your leftovers.

*There are ~~two~~ three reasons I don't make any kind of sauce for stir-fry night:
1. The two of us generally disagree on our favorite sauces (I like the peanut variety, he likes garlicky). 2. Having a huge batch of vegetables cooked without any spices or sauces means the leftover vegetables can be turned into something entirely different the next day—like quiche, omelet, enchiladas, tacos, or even lasagna. 3. Oh, and it means less to prepare/clean up.

Leftovers transforming into a new meal.

The next night... I threw the vegetable leftovers, a can of black beans, and some spinach into a saute pan until everything was heated through. I added a dash of cumin, a little season salt, and voila! Taco filling.

Multi-grain tortillas topped with the veg and bean mix, with a bit of avocado, Greek yogurt (I like 2%), and a good splash of Cholula for kick: dinner is served. I had plenty for a healthy, satisfying lunch the next day.

I marveled at how easy it was to make these two meals—and how cheap.

How do you do stir fry in your house?

Establishing a Sustainable Diet

2013-01-04T17:51:00.004-06:00

Years ago when I started this blog, my food journey was in its infancy. I was just starting to understand the power of food — its impact on the health of our bodies, our communities, and our environment.

Gradually, I began to shape my food choices based on my understanding of healthy. It started small, by enrolling in a CSA and learning what it meant to eat seasonally.

Since I grew up on a farm, I already knew where real food came from—but there was a period of time (let's call them the 'Lost Years') when I leaned on frozen dinners, bought the cheapest chicken, and scoffed at the prices of organics. Way back when, I considered a bag of Doritos and a 20-ounce Dr Pepper to be lunch. Ouch.

When Sustainable Diet was just a little blog to see how I'd handle our weekly CSA deliveries, I had no idea what a profound impact food would have in my life. It's become much more than just a blog idea for me; it's a way of life.

And I'm thinking that many of you out there are looking for simple ways to tap into this sustainable way of eating. So I thought I'd start an easy-to-follow Eat Clean in 2013 conversation to help you make strides toward a more sustainable diet. Be sure to follow me on Twitter and look for #EatClean2013. Take part in the conversation — add your own ideas, ask questions, and connect with people around you.

Together we'll #EatClean2013 !

New Year, New List

2013-01-03T12:30:00.004-06:00

Farmers market haul: purple cauliflower, Rio Valley citrus, cabbage, and more. And a yoga mat.

A list-maker by nature, you can imagine how many different resolutions I write at the beginning of each new year, each in a different journal or notepad. This one's just for me, I think. This one's for the house. I'll make one in InDesign so it'll be pretty. And while each of my lists has its own verbiage, they're all fairly similar. Here I'll make yet another list: my food-related resolutions.

Eat clean in 2013.
This means fresh foods (no processed junk!), whole grains, a vegetarian diet, and cutting back on the sugar. Basically anything that has more than five ingredients is out of my shopping cart. I feel like I'm starting this year out great; a few years ago, I never would have imagined my eating habits as they are now. This is the year that I fully embrace the Sustainable Diet.

Shop at the farmers market.
A new market has opened near our neighborhood on Sunday mornings, which means I can head to a yoga class, then stop by the market and run to the grocery store all before noon. Then I can use the afternoon to bake bread and settle in. My first try at this routine was a grand success.

Bake bread once a week.
This started a few weeks ago, and happily it's continued. We have been enjoying our toast and my recipe is remarkably fool-proof. Well, that and I'm learning when to add flour.

Use all my specialty ingredients before purchasing any more.
I'd say I waste more money than the average grocery shopper on specialty ingredients, mostly from the bulk bins. A pantry cleanse over the break convinced me that I had no need for any more flours, sugars, grains, or seeds until everything I have on hand is gone. Which is why we had buckwheat pancakes on New Year's Day.

Use all of the plant/Waste less.
Lately I have noticed that it's easy to chop off a little more than is necessary, thinking, "It's compost, that's ok." But there is more to cooking and eating than that—so I want to waste less. And that means I'll be eating more leftovers.

Overhaul the kitchen.
This is a big one. Ryan and I have been planning our little kitchen remodel since the day we bought our house, and we think this is the year it might happen. While this is no serious remodel—we toyed with the idea of doing it ourselves, but it's slightly too complex—it thrills me to no end, and it means I need to get serious about my budgeting (hence the crack-down on specialty ingredients!).

Replant the garden. Again.
This year's goal with the garden is to keep it going strong. The winter has been hard on our plants; I've been sad to see many of them go, but a lot of the loss is my fault. I got lazy. So it's time to rethink that and try again.

Cook from my cookbooks.
I have so many lovely cookbooks that sit unopened on my shelves, and I received two more this Christmas! The goal is to try a new cookbook recipe once a week, at least.

I think that about does it! What are your food-related resolutions for 2013?

On Turning In

2012-12-21T12:57:00.000-06:00

I have been trying to find words to say, any words; and while I don't think these are perfect, it is what my heart has settled on.

In the past week, there has been plenty of time for reflection. Grief, too, though I personally do not have a connection to the tragedy in Newtown. Each morning I have awoken with the twenty young children on my heart, and the six adults too, and I know I am not alone in this.

Last Tuesday, one of my insightful yoga teachers talked about this being the season to turn inward; the natural energy is subdued and introspective, even while the festive holiday season rings out. Nature itself turns in, shielding itself against the harsh winter. Thankfully, as humans, we can turn to one another for warmth and comfort in a difficult time. This is what we can do for one another.

The holidays are a joyful time, and I am so very grateful for all of the blessings that shine so brightly this season. My hope is that you, too, are able to find light and joy in the days ahead, and that we can all share this peace with those who need it most.

And for all of you, May your days be merry and bright.

A Birthday Meal

2012-12-03T13:08:00.000-06:00

Here's a belated happy birthday shout-out to my main squeeze! Ryan celebrated another trip around the sun just after Thanksgiving, and we did this one right. Instead of a night out at a fancy restaurant, he requested a homemade meal. And I knew exactly what to make.

All I had to do was create our own version of this meal from Fast Boy on Vimeo. Homemade gnocchi, a perfect ribeye, and greens. The boiler maker beverages were recommended but not required. A lofty goal, but I was prepared.

Preparation is paramount.

Like any big meal, this one began with me cleaning the kitchen from top to bottom. Starting with a super-clean kitchen and having all the dishes put away meant that I could prep the kitchen properly. I set up stations and planned out the meal carefully, beginning very early in the day. I also had a loaf of bread in the oven, thanks to my new routine.

Homemade multigrain bread. Wine in background.

Exhibit A: Homebrew Taste Test.

Weeks ago, we set out making our first batch of beer together. An Amber Ale recipe, we knew it'd be done right around his b-day.

The first sip left us somewhat unimpressed; thankfully, we were looking for inspiration from the video and a splash of bourbon turned this ho-hum-homebrew into a tasty, smooth cocktail.

The jury's still out on just what went wrong, so our homebrew journey continues. We have another batch of grains waiting in the fridge; they're a stout recipe, perfect for Christmas, so we had better get on that double-time.

Exhibit B: The Perfect Steak.

No small feat for this vegetarian to tackle, I set out to make my meat-eating man a perfectly cooked ribeye. I asked the butcher for a "special-occasion cut, for one" and he looked at me sideways. "Are you going to split it?" he inquired. "No," I answered non-chalantly, "I'm a vegetarian."

In any case, I brought home .85 pounds of pasture-fed, hormone-free, humanely butchered beef and read this guide for fool-proof steak in the oven about thirty times.

The recipe worked wonderfully and also left my cast iron skillet perfectly seasoned. The verdict: "This is the best steak I have ever had in my life."

Exhibit C: Garden Fresh.

The garden played a role in the meal, too. I used rosemary and garlic to flavor the olive oil for the gnocchi; I added some purple sage at the last minute for an extra herbal kick.

Ryan found a few figs on our tree (poor tree is confused about the seasons, much like the volunteer tomatoes that have sprung up in the garden), and I sliced them very thinly to toss atop a salad of garden lettuce.

I made a quick balsamic-dijon vinaigrette and crumbled on some very fancy bleu cheese to round out all the flavors.

Exhibit D: Potato Smashin!

Earlier in the day, I stopped in three different stores to find a potato ricer, which one woman described as, "a pretty high-end kitchen item" and I could probably "find it at Sur la Table." I giggled inside, thinking that gnocchi have been an Italian kitchen dish since the 16th century and it's not as if I were looking for some sort of device that would turn my potatoes into foam. I found a no-frills ricer, for about $8, at a big-box store next door.

The recipe for the gnocchi came from the man behind the Fast Boy gnocchi video. His name is Ezra, and he builds beautiful bicycles and cooks these amazing dinners. And he is battling cancer. And he writes this very real, gritty blog that makes me feel for him and wish him the best, even though the closest we'll ever get is me cooking a few of his recipes and being on the receiving side of all this inspiration.

So there's that.

The birthday dinner!

The finished product looked like this. I love this photo despite the fact that my husband's head has gone missing. In the dark, on the left, there are steamed artichokes (too much effort to eat, not enough payoff). Then we have salads of home-grown lettuce and figs, with bleu cheese. Ryan's plate has roughly a pound of perfectly-cooked ribeye on it. Fin stands on high alert close by. Note my vegetarian entree: nothing. There's a glass of wine, a tiny Christmas tree, and the gnocchi. Which was a little too pillowy; I should've added just a touch more flour because while the flavor was incredible, the little gnocchi fell apart quite easily and kind of turned out more like mashed potatoes with butter and sage.

The rest of the birthday weekend looked like this.

In true birthday spirit, we spent the better part of our Thanksgiving break putting up Christmas decorations. A special six-pack of St. Arnold's Celebration began the traditional outside light extravaganza; we start early, say cheers, and then teeter up on the ladder to put up our famously bright lights to herald in the season. Then we go to bed each night with a lingering fear of having attracted an airplane to land on our street.

Ryan on the roof putting up lights; Pearlsnap the Bike; Fin modeling her Cone of Shame after a minor surgery.

As part of Ryan's birthday gift, I did a mini-makeover in our guest bedroom. I got some vintage maps, made some original art (thank you gold spray paint), and framed a couple of things that had meaning to us. The room was really taking shape, but one thing was missing. So over the weekend, I built a headboard for our guest room, using bead board from Ryan's grandparents' house that's probably around 100 years old. The bead board was salvaged from the house and divvied up among us family members. We all love the aqua and orange colors, and I decided they'd play a central part in our little guest room makeover.

I built the headboard for less than $6; the pieces for the frame (you can see three of them in the background) I found on the side of the road in a neighbor's bulk pick up pile. It's amazing what you'll do for free building materials; I picked up the five-foot pieces and carried them down the street in broad daylight, waving at the neighbors out walking their dogs. It was worth it.

And that's a wrap.

Turkey Day Prep: 5 Things to do This Weekend

2012-11-16T12:25:00.000-06:00

The colors of the harvest season.

Spoiler alert: I LOVE Thanksgiving.

It's a good thing, too, since my family winds up doing three Thanksgiving meals (husband's side, dad's side, mom's side). And then there's the potluck at work. So all told, in the next eight days, I will be participating in four major meals.

It's been this way for many years, and happily I've learned a thing or two; mainly that the weekend before T-Day is very important for preparing. Here are my top five tips for getting ahead this Turkey Day.

5. Recipe plan. Gather all the recipes you need, and really study them. Assess your pantry situation, then—and only then—go to the grocery store.

4. Make an oven schedule. This is totally nerdy, but by golly—it is a real help, especially if you're expecting company at your place. Take time to figure out how long (and at what temperature) everything needs to cook, and plot it all out carefully on a schedule. Take into consideration what can be served once it's cooled a little, like stuffing, and what is better-tasting when it's fresh out the oven.

3. Bake cornbread for stuffing. Making stuffing from scratch is not much more work than the store-bought stuff, especially if you think ahead and make cornbread this weekend.

2. Make pie crusts from scratch. Since pie dough is easiest to work with when it's chilled, make a few crusts ahead of time and throw 'em in the freezer. Move them to the fridge the night before you plan to bake. Thanks, Cooks Illustrated, for clueing me in to that idea.

1. Think of others. It's easy to get swept up in the fun of the season, but all this talk of the wonderful food we're about to enjoy makes me think of the people right here in our community who go without. Do you have time to volunteer at a meal kitchen, or can you donate to a local food bank? Keep the hungry in mind while you're grocery shopping. Many stores offer the option to donate right at the register—super easy!

How do you prepare for Thanksgiving?

On Bread Making and Routines

2012-11-13T16:57:00.000-06:00

Homemade multi-grain bread, fresh out of the oven on a Sunday afternoon.

Ah, the routine: a simple way of saying that while the world spins in craziness all around, there are certain things that stay the same. Even so, the beauty of a routine lies in its ability to evolve. I love a good routine.

In the kitchen, there are many routines that are part of daily life. Breakfast and coffee are made the same way every morning. We enjoy meals together as a family every day, the two of us and our sweet dog (who routinely rests her head on the table while we humans dine). There is a semblance of a routine as we cook, then clean, then start the process over again, though it's never quite perfect or finished.

Lately, Sundays have evolved into bread making day. It is a refreshing routine that at one time seemed so scary and daunting. But each time I've made a loaf of bread, I learn a little bit more. What used to feel like eons waiting for the dough to rise now feels like a sweet reprieve, a chance to do something else around the house for an hour or so. And when I come back to the dough, I'm pleased as pie to see that it's doubled—or more!—in size.

The reliable nature of this well-tested recipe sets me at ease. Each time I bring out the ingredients, I feel more familiarity with them. I have learned, just by looking, whether I need to add more flour or more water. I know exactly which dishes will be dirty, and when the yeast is done working. I know when the bread is done, and I know it needs to rest and cool before we enjoy it.

I have learned this routine.

This particular routine grounds me. It nourishes our family. It is simple, tried, and true. Sometimes I think I could live on bread alone, after all.

The Good Morning Garden

2012-11-06T06:33:00.003-06:00

A snap pea tendril reaches out to touch the full moon in the early morning hour—my favorite time in the garden.

Early morning in the garden takes me by surprise each and every day: fresh, bright, fragrant. Dew underfoot splashes as my bare feet make their way across the yard, and even as the sun rises a full moon hangs in sight.

Bright green parsley: I treat myself to a bite each time I walk by.

Drops of dew—or maybe it rained last night?—sit on every leaf, catching what little light cuts through the crisp air. I look for signs of visitors, my peaceful face chagrined only when I see the telltale of a cat nesting (or worse!) in my garden.

Cabbage and cauliflower grow in one bed, and peas climb trellises in the back.

I make my way from one corner to the next, leaning down to say good morning to all the plants. My fingers pluck at leaves, turning some over to assess any damage. Some plants appeal more to certain antennaed creatures, and they have feasted on the greenery. I notice small, perfectly round craters in some of the beds. I look up and see the answer; squirrels have been either foraging for or storing their treasures beneath the straw.

Lettuces begin to sprout.

It is fall: let the harvest begin!

Quinoa: A Love Story

2012-11-05T12:52:00.000-06:00

Quinoa, lettuce, arugula, avocado, and two snap peas. Tossed in dijon vinaigrette.

I know, I'm totally late to the party. But I love quinoa!

Quinoa is a grain that is extremely easy to make and will become a favorite of yours in the kitchen in no time. The flavor is slightly nutty, and the texture is fluffy and just a tad chewy; think tiny grains of soft rice, but better. It's rich in all sorts of minerals (manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, and phosphorous)—not to mention it's a super protein that boasts all the essential amino acids.

Shop in the bulk bins: a pound of organic quinoa will run you around $4, and that'll go a long way.

So if you're not already a fan, jump aboard the quinoa train. Oh, and since I struggled with this: it's pronounced keen-WAH. I called it kee-NOAH for quite a while before standing (gently) corrected.

One of my favorite ways to eat quinoa is with kale, goat cheese, and roasted sweet potatoes. But last night I served it alongside herbed salmon and a garden salad, a spot that normally would be reserved for brown rice.

Today's lunch was surprisingly delicious. Our lettuce in the garden is beginning to flourish and I tossed it with arugula, parsley, avocado, and the leftover quinoa from last night, in a homemade dijon vinaigrette. The textures and flavors came together beautifully, and my lunch was packed with superfoods: healthy fats from the avocado, good proteins from the quinoa, and vitamins from the leafy greens. Simply delicious and deliciously simple.

If you're ready to try quinoa, I highly recommend this how-to from The Kitchn. It works every time!

This glowing endorsement of quinoa was not paid for by any kind of super pac.

Freshworthy Friday: VOTE!

2012-11-02T15:46:00.000-05:00

My fellow Americans: Please remember to exercise your right to vote! Today is the last day of early voting in Texas, and the big election... in case you haven't heard... is on Tuesday, November 6.

This is the beautiful thing about living in a democracy, one in which our forefathers decreed that we have certain unalienable rights. I especially appreciate that pursuit of happiness bit. And we also have the right to think freely and explore our own ideas in myriad platforms. Including this little food blog.

I do encourage you to get out and vote—make your own voice heard! Educate yourself on the issues and make the choice that's best for you.

Just vote!

Good Times and Butternut Squash Gnocchi

2012-11-01T20:49:00.002-05:00

(Due to technical difficulties, I'm only able to upload one photo for this post. I'll post more pics soon!)

Last week I invited my husband into the kitchen for dinner preparation. I needed an extra set of hands and he was totally on board. Also, I agreed beforehand to be on good behavior.

Until he turned it into a competition.

After feeling especially inspired by this recipe over at love.life.eat., I went home intent on making a completely new and different dish for dinner. There is something about gnocchi that is especially appealing to both of us. It all started with this video. Ryan was entranced by the drinks the cook keeps pouring for himself; I fell hard for the potato ricer and the wilted greens that come into play at the end.

Let's not mention the fact that between the two of us, only one of us had read a recipe for gnocchi.

Too much flour gnocchi on the bottom.

In any case, we set out to make butternut squash gnocchi with brown butter sage sauce. An unexpected garden meal with surprisingly few (and very basic) ingredients, the butternut squash gave the gnocchi a lovely hue and a lightly sweet flavor. And what could be simpler than an aromatic brown butter sage sauce?

We learned one important thing about making gnocchi, and that is this: less is more. As in, flour. You want the dough to be workable but as light and fluffy as you can get it. And don't overwork it, either, or you'll wind up with tough, toothsome gnocchi when what you'll really want are fluffy little pillows of gnocchi.

I followed the recipe for direction, but changed a couple of ingredients: instead of pumpkin, I used about one pound of butternut squash from our garden. And since we didn't have any other type of cheese in the fridge... we went with parmesan. The salty touch worked just right.

And as for crafting a recipe together, this went well enough that we'll do it again. Next time, though, Ryan says we'll use potatoes instead of butternut, and there will be steaks involved. I said that'll be just fine, darling.

Freshworthy Friday: A New Food Label?

2012-10-26T12:18:00.000-05:00

A snapshot from the full graphic at New York Times.

My Dream Food Label
Mark Bittman, New York Times

Move over, confusing nutritional information label. Mark Bittman has a solution for you. (Oh Bitty, thank you for being in my life... from your cookbooks to your adventures on TV with Claudia and Gwen to your columns in the Times, I am such a fan!)

When I read Bittman's argument for a more well-rounded food label I found myself nodding along in agreement. Before I finished reading the entire infographic, I realized I was standing on top of my desk with my hands held high exclaiming, "THIS GUY GETS IT. THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

His suggestion gives the consumer a nutritional gauge as well as a "foodness" gauge (how "real" or natural is the food?) and a welfare gauge for humans, animals, and planet that would together give consumers the opportunity to purchase products that passed their personal level of food satisfaction.

I can't tell you how much I love this idea. I also believe that food is not just about counting calories and milligrams of sugar; I want to know how my food choices are impacting the community, how sustainable and ethical they are, and how good for me it is. At the grocery store, this type of visual guide for consumers would help everyone make the best choices for their desired diet.

The whole idea behind Sustainable Diet, in fact, is not one of losing weight or eating only kale and quinoa. It is about having a well-rounded grasp on the food that sustains us. An approach to eating by which we are able to enjoy our food and ensure that our food appropriates resources wisely. It is a way to nourish body, soul, mind, earth, community. It's food for all.

Too dramatic?

I stand by my conviction that food binds us all—rich or poor, young or old, happy or sad, animal or human or plant, in the office or on the farm—and we can all benefit from a more ethically, sustainably, heathfully curated food environment.

Supporting local farmers, growing your own food, and making more informed choices at the grocery store are three easy ways to eat healthier in a broad sense. Add more seasonal fruits and vegetables to your family's diet, and reduce meat consumption (even slightly) in favor of a few more whole grains on your plate. And remember, too, that food is meant to be enjoyed!

I have been challenged many times by people who question my way of eating. But it comes down to this: at the end of the day, I want to be able to say that I made healthy decisions that had a positive impact on my body, but also a positive impact on my planet. It's simple. It's just food. Real food. Good food.

Barley Bites

2012-10-25T13:47:00.002-05:00

Barley Bites

Our love for our dog Fin knows no bounds. On our European vacation—the trip of a lifetime—we laid in bed each night muttering to one another about how much we missed our dog. Yes, of course we missed our family and of course we were happy to be on vacation. But boy oh boy, did Finley's name get dropped more often even than the phrase, "I could go for gelato right now."And who came to the airport to pick us up? My sister... but she brought Fin along and videoed our mutually high-pitched, furious tail-wagging reactions.

So it should come as no surprise to you that when Ryan and I made a trip to Austin Homebrew Supply for a little foray into brewing (a story for another day), we were wondering how Fin would be a part of our homebrew experience.

Giant bag o' grains after steeping for about 2 hours...

Turns out, you make beer with grains. Not news to you?

Grains smell amazing, and brought me back to hanging out in the barn as a kid while my grandfather grained the cows. Happy memories.

At this point in the beer brewing process, there are no hops or alcohol involved. And it turns out the spent grains you use to flavor the beer in the first stage of brewing can be used in myriad recipes. We found recipes for breads, cookies, and—best of all—dog treats.

An awesome local brewery called Hops and Grain makes dog treats called Brew Bites. How cute is that? Really cute. Oh, and their beer is amazing too, so it's fun for the whole family.

In our house, I kept calling our homemade dog treats "barley bites," and Fin and her buddy Axel seemed to enjoy them quite a lot. I tried one and... while they needed a little bit of cinnamon perhaps, pretty tasty nonetheless.

Fin and Axel are pretty excited to try their first Barley Bite. Gotta love eager taste-testers!

Barley Bites
Ingredients:
4 cups spent grains from beer brewing (NO hops—hops can be toxic to some dogs!)
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1-2 cups flour

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: approx. 4 hours

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until they hold together well (it will be very crumbly). If it's too dry, add a little water or some of the liquid that has drained out of the grains after you're done steeping them.

Dump the mixture onto the baking sheet lined with parchment, and press it firmly into a layer that's about 3/4 inch thick.

Score the baking sheet with a knife to make square or rectangular treats* and bake for about 45 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and break apart the treats. Lower the temperature to 225 degrees and bake the treats until they have dried out, about 3 hours**. Can be stored in an airtight container for about two weeks. If you make a huge batch, throw some in the freezer!

*If you're feeling ambitious, try cutting out shapes—but be warned, this dough is very thick and the shapes may not work out very well. You'll notice my final product looks pretty crumbly. Cutting into squares saves a little time and will leave you with more full-sized treats.

**The treats need to be completely dried so they will be crunchy and not get moldy.

The First Harvest: Lettuce Be Glad

2012-10-24T16:27:00.003-05:00

Even a tiny harvest such as this is still food enough to eat.

Lately I've been enjoying one of my favorite evening rituals: I grab my pair of red kitchen shears and my favorite colander, tell Finley it's time to "check the gardens," and the two of us head outside, swatting at mosquitoes, foraging for part of our dinner.

A simple dinner of salad, bread, and pesto.

Our lettuces are only a few inches tall, but combined with our fledgling arugula, I trimmed enough to make a small salad with Texas grapefruit, avocado, and olive oil. A bounty of basil meant a batch of fresh pesto, which I served atop toasted homemade bread—and voila! Dinner from the garden, despite the tiny harvest.

It's so simple and rewarding to add a few garden leaves to every meal. And today, a new development: one of the volunteer tomatoes has fruit on the vine! What a lovely thing, to have fresh tomatoes this time of year... let's hope the volunteers keep up the great work.

What's going on in your garden?