This recipe is courtesy of my mother, who got it from a vegetable vendor (no doubt organic) at the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market.

As you know, Kale has numerous health benefits.  It’s very high in antioxidants, considered to be anti inflammatory and have anti cancer properties.

I admit, I was skeptical but genuinely pleased by the end result. It definitely tastes “healthier” than your standard basil pesto, but it is. La Jolla Girl ate it with no problem. That’s about all I care about. I might suggest that you add the garlic gradually, because it might be too strong for kids or people that are sensitive to it.

Kale Pesto

Ingredients:
2 cups packed kale, blanched for 2 minutes in boiling salted water (we cooked for slightly less than this)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
good pinch of salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Combined the blanched kale, cheese, garlic and salt in the bowl of a blender or food processor.  Puree until fairly smooth.  While motor is running, drizzle in the olive oil until a smooth, loose paste forms (you can add more olive oil if you like but 1/4 gives the consistency the creator of this recipe prefers).  Add more salt and pepper if needed.

So, if you’re trying to add more green vegetables into your diet, try this recipe. You can see in the photo that we didn’t pulverize the kale until it was liquid like, but it’s all a matter of personal preference.

How to select kale:  Look for kale with unblemished, deeply colored, small leaves. Larger leaf kales have a stronger taste. The stems should be sturdy and moist.

When is kale available:  Year round, though more abundant in winter – early spring.

How to store:  Do not wash prior to storing in the refrigerator as this will cause the leaves to wilt faster. Wrap the kale in a  paper towel and then place it in a plastic bag.  Keep refrigerated as warm temperatures will cause it to wilt as well.

Year round, the Whole Planet Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by Whole Foods Market raises money for micro-lending in developing countries where Whole Foods Market sources products.

Through March 31st, Whole Foods Market is encouraging customers to donate to this worthy cause. A majority of the funds have gone to women in Mexico, Haiti, Peru, Argentina, Kenya, Turkey, Ethiopia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia.

100% of shoppers’ donations will be used to start home-based businesses, from tailoring and producing artisan goods to tortilla making and small-scale farming. If Whole Foods raises $1.5 million by March 31st, the Whole Planet Foundation will have enough money to provide 40,000 people in developing world communities with the chance to change their own lives.

You may donate $1 at any Whole Foods Market register or donate online here.  Please spread the word.

This is one of the many reasons why La Jolla Mom is a Whole Foods shopper. There is a Whole Foods Market in La Jolla and another in Hillcrest.

www.wholeplanetfoundation.org

I wish I would have been able to post this during the last Wine Wednesday, however, La Jolla Mom has had a fabulously busy week. I do want to get this exciting information out there quickly. There’s also a very cool Mirassou giveaway in this post (see photo) so keep reading!  Mirassou is the official wine of the LPGA tour.

The LPGA KIA Classic Presented by J Golf will be held March 22-28 at La Costa Resort and Spa, continuing a long history of women’s professional golf in San Diego. If you’ve not been to La Costa Resort and Spa, you’re in for a treat. The tournament is a 144-player event that will bring the biggest names in women’s golf to North San Diego County for the LPGA’s first event in the United States, and third tournament overall, in 2010. Here’s a short 30 second commercial to get you excited about the event.

Tickets for the LPGA KIA Classic Presented by J Golf are available at the event’s official Web site, www.lpgalacosta.com, or by calling 1-888-SEE-LPGA.

Mirassou has been a sponsor of individual LPGA events for several years, as the winery believes there is a natural pairing between playing a round of golf with friends and a glass of good wine. I had my first glass of Mirassou wine about 6 years ago at a restaurant in La Jolla.  We like Mirassou Pinot Noir and you certainly can’t beat the price.

Also, check out Mirassou’s  “Perfect Pairings” online cookbook. It features recipes and Mirassou wine pairings from LPGA Tour members.

GIVEAWAY:

As a thank you for learning a little bit more about the tournament, Mirassou wine would like to give one lucky La Jolla Mom reader this fabulous golf pack that includes:

· Set of Mirassou golf balls and tees

· A Mirassou golf hat or visor

· A high-quality humidor, complete with six Mirassou golf balls and cigar cutter

Here’s what you need to do to enter (bonus entries to follow):

***Visit the Mirassou website and leave a comment here telling me which LPGA Player recipe/Mirassou wine paring you like the best.  Click here.***

Once you make your initial entry, you qualify for bonus entries. Leave a separate comment for each bonus entry:

1. Follow me on Twitter: @lajollamom
2. Follow the LPGA on Twitter: @lpga
3. Subscribe to La Jolla Mom via RSS or Google Friend Connect
4. Tweet about this giveaway. You can use the green Tweet Meme button at the bottom of the post or cut and paste this – Mirassou is the official wine of the LPGA La Costa Tournament, 3/22-3/28. Win a golf pack here http://bit.ly/ch7A8o @lajollamom
5. Vote La Jolla Mom San Diego Best in Lifestyle Blog here. Click up arrow until it turns green. VERY much appreciated.

The winner will be chosen by Random.org after 8pm PST on Monday, March 22.   This is day one of the tournament! The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning. Thanks to Mirassou and LPGA for making this giveaway possible!

A family member of a fellow San Diego mom blogger, Rhea of Mommy to Three Monkeys, needs your help.  Rhea’s cousin, Penny, is 11 months old and has stage 4 Neuroblastoma cancer. Her prognosis is undecided. She was born at Scripps La Jolla and is now at Children’s Hospital.

Penny had bumped her head, like most kids often do.  A few days later her eyes turned black, so her parents took her to the Dr.  After a battery of tests, a scan revealed “something” which the Dr. immediately thought might be Neuroblastoma.  It was.  Imagine taking your little girl to the Dr. and then several hours later being hit with that kind of news.  According to Rhea, the “good news” is that Penny’s Neuroblastoma presented itself in the eyes which is very, very rare.  Imagine, if it hadn’t.

There is not enough money to cover Penny’s treatment.  Penny’s father Aaron was recently laid off, so he took out a private insurance policy with Blue Shield for Penny that covers only 60% of costs.  As you can imagine, there are thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of bills coming. Some of her treatments aren’t even covered by insurance.

Rhea is organizing an online fundraiser to be held on March 19. If you are able to donate items, please contact Rhea. Cash donations are also appreciated.  100% of proceeds go toward Penny’s treatments.

Today, fellow Twitters, bloggers and others in the social media space are staging an online blitz to get the word out about Penny.  If you have the ability, please participate.  It’s free and it would be so, so helpful.

Please stop by www.pennies4penny.org to read more about Penny and Neuroblastoma.  It’s beautifully written by Penny’s father, Aaron, and sometimes Rhea.  Penny is just a baby, let’s try spread the message about Neuroblastoma and ease the burden on this poor family.  Please participate today.

By:  Aviva Goldfarb, author and founder of The Six O’Clock Scramble®,

It’s a new season, so it’s time to take a closer look at your family dinner routine for the Spring months ahead. (If you said, “What routine?” this article is for you!)

Disorganization, conflicting schedules and last-minute work obligations can make sitting down together virtually impossible. But with a bit of preparation, you can reclaim the family dinner hour — not to mention shave dollars off your weekly grocery bill. For me, this preparation often begins in the freezer.

A well-stocked freezer is my secret trick to getting through a week of homemade meals without making extra trips to the grocery store.  It can be my safety net for those nights when I’ve run out of planned meals but don’t have time to get back to the store, or my kids have shown up with hungry guests, or (true confessions) my latest kitchen creation is completely inedible.  I also keep extra veggies or side dishes in my freezer to quickly round out or expand what I have already planned on preparing.

We used to have an extra freezer in the basement, but it was used so irregularly, I found I was wasting precious energy dollars, so we unplugged it.  With one small freezer, I have to plan carefully what goes into and comes out of it.  Therefore, I stock it purposefully and make sure to use the food before it gets too old and needs to be tossed.

I find many people conceal hundreds of dollars of food in their frozen vault.  Without a plan to use what’s in there or knowledge of what lurks behind the peas and ice cream, all that valuable food can go to waste!  So, make sure and “shop” in your freezer on a weekly basis to save money on your grocery bills.

Here are some of the foods that I like to keep stocked in my freezer:

• Frozen vegetables for sides and main courses – our favorites are broccoli, edamame, peas, and corn, but we like to branch out occasionally.
• Easy and healthy side dishes like Asian dumplings, pierogies, potato or broccoli pancakes (we like Dr. Praeger’s) and even fresh bakery bread.
• A prepared meal or two. We love Amy’s frozen pizza, Boca Burgers and Gorton’s grilled shrimp entrees.
• Frozen lunches for those days we don’t have leftovers to pack for lunch — we enjoy Trader Joe’s or Kashi single-serving entrees.
• Frozen fruit for smoothies, such as strawberries, mangos and blueberries
• Low fat ice cream, of course! (We favor Edy’s Slow-Churned and Skinny Cow frozen cones).

Reclaiming the family dinner hour begins with reclaiming the family freezer. So I encourage you to take a good look at your freezer and see what changes you can make to save your family time and money.  Or if you have other favorite frozen foods to keep on hand or additional storage and organizational tips to make the most of your freezer space, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

About Aviva: Aviva Goldfarb is author and founder of The Six O’Clock Scramble®, a seasonal online weekly menu planner and cookbook (St. Martin’s Press, 2006).

This post was sponsored by Gorton’s Seafood. I thought it was appropriate seeing that I just unnecessarily tossed a bunch of food out of my own freezer (not pictured above). 

I stopped by the SIP Certified table at the Paso Robles Grand Tasting Tour a few weeks ago. I hadn’t heard of it before,  but knew it was something I’d be interested in learning more about. SIP Certified was developed by the Central Coast Vineyard Team, which is a network of farmers located in the Central Coast region of California, that have been dedicated to sustainable farming for the past 15 years.

The SIP Certified program provides a way for wineries to adhere to certain environmental and employee welfare standards. It’s a commitment to protecting natural and human resources.  In order for wineries to qualify for SIP Certified, they must have their practices verified by an independent accredited inspector. The short video below does a fantastic job of explaining what SIP Certified is and why it’s important. Please take a few minutes to watch it.

Here is a list of SIP Certified vineyards.  I bet you’ve had some of their wines.

Ampelos Cellars – www.ampeloscellars.com
Ancient Peaks Winery – www.ancientpeaks.com
Baileyana-Tangent – www.baileyana.com
Castoro Cellars – www.castorocellars.com
Catherine’s Vineyard – Templeton, CA
Chula Viña – Chualar, CA
D’Anbino Vineyards & Cellars – www.danbino.com
Edna Valley Vineyard – www.ednavalleyvineyard.com
Hahn Estates – www.hahnestates.com
Halter Ranch – www.halterranch.com
Hilliard Bruce Vineyards – www.hilliardbruce.com
Hope Family Wines – www.treana.com
Jackson Family Wine Estates – www.kj.com
Laetitia Vineyard & Winery – www.laetitiawine.com
Luft Vineyard – www.luftvineyard.com
McIntyre Vineyards – www.mcintyrevineyards.com
Paraiso Vineyards – www.paraisovineyards.com
Paris Valley Ranch – San Lucas, CA
Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery – www.pomarjunction.com
Red Hills Vineyard – Templeton, CA
Robert Hall Winery – www.roberthallwinery.com
Saucelito Canyon Vineyards & Winery – www.saucelitocanyon.com
Tolosa Winery – www.tolosawinery.com
Wolff Vineyards – www.wolffvineyards.com

I’ll be looking for the SIP Certified label when buying Central Coast wines now, definitely!  It’s a program that’s good for everyone.

www.sipthegoodlife.com

I had the pleasure of visiting Armonia Skin Care a few weeks ago and my skin is still noticeably improved. Armonia was recommended to me by Noel at Birdrock Fabrications who is also fan. I dare say, I do know my spas. I have been lucky in that department.

First off, I love how Armonia Skin Care is decorated – zen, classy, comfortable, with a little flair. Having renovated my own house (with professional design help), this isn’t an easy objective to achieve. So, before I had a treatment I was already kind of sold. I just like the way I feel when I walk in the door.

My therapist was Danielle, who also happens to be the owner of Armonia Skin Care. She has an extensive background, working for some of the most well known plastic surgeons in town.  She saw a need for a comfortable environment where medically proven treatments and a spa like setting could be combined. She left me to change into my robe and hop into the extremely comfortable, heated spa bed. I wish I had taken a photo of the lovely treatment room, complete with chandelier that added a perfect finishing touch.

Since I knew I was going to be writing about my experience at Armonia for La Jolla Mom and another project (stay tuned) I didn’t specify which facial I wanted. I just asked for “whatever is popular”. It turns out that their menu of facials is short, relative to some other spas I’ve been to, because your Armonia therapist will assess your skin and perform a facial customized just for you. Prior to my treatment, we talked about my overall health, diet, lifestyle and of course, my skin.

My facial was fabulous. I have very sensitive skin and at one point my dermatologist banned me (!!!) from facials all together. Danielle took the time to explain almost everything she was doing. My favorite part of facials is the extractions, because I need them and feel mentally cleansed afterward. She paid very serious attention to detail during this time, unlike a lot of therapists I’ve had. Nothing stung, nothing hurt, even though I couldn’t see what was happening to my skin at the time, it felt great.

Everything Danielle did was diligently written down in my file for reference later.  The idea is that they can see how my skin reacts to certain products or therapies and they can adjust during further treatments.  I like that. Danielle also put together a small packet of skin care samples for me to try based on my skin type.  I loved all of them. Here’s some other good news:

New Armonia Skin Care clients will receive 15% off their first facial.

I was able to sample two gadgets that I’m seriously considering purchasing and will write about in a separate post.  The first is NuFace microcurrent technology. It is like a mini instant face lift and the only hand held device approved by the FDA for facial toning and stimulation.  It’s $325, which is pretty inexpensive damage control that you can self administer at home. The second gadget is the Clarisonic Opal Sonic Infusion System. This little gadget gently dabs eye serum under your eye and stimulates the skin while doing so. I complain of dark circles and baggy eyes and this might do the trick.

Both of these items are available at Armonia Skin Care at competitive if not lower prices than found online. However, please support local businesses! If you’re interested in either of these two items, stop into Armonia Skin Care to buy or try them out. Also, make sure to subscribe to Armonia Skin Care’s newsletter so that you can receive  their monthly specials.  Trust me you won’t want to miss these – see below!

I received my facial complimentary as well as a fabulous pedicure (more on that in a separate post), but I’m hooked and am looking forward to be a returning customer on my own dime.   Book an appointment, you won’t be disappointed.

Armonia Skin Care
5636 La Jolla Blvd
La Jolla, CA 92037

(858) 459-9011
www.armoniaskincare.com

You may have noticed the new “My Blog is Carbon Neutral” button in the La Jolla Mom sidebar. This program was recently brought to my attention and I think it’s a brilliant idea. The “My Blog is Carbon Neutral” program was started by the Make it Green Programme in Germany. In the US, they work with the Arbor Day Foundation, a non-profit conservation and education organization. The Arbor Day Foundation’s goal is to reforest 5,500 acres, destroyed by fires, of the Plumas National Forest in Northern California with 792,000 trees.

You can help this initiative by making your blog carbon neutral. A Harvard physicist determined that a blog with 15,000 monthly visitors generates about 8lbs of carbon dioxide emissions per year. This is from sources such as computer usage, servers and cooling systems. It’s difficult to say how much carbon dioxide one tree absorbs due to species, age of tree, latitude, soil conditions and more. However, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) assumes a yearly absorption of one tree at approximately 22lbs (10kg) of carbon dioxide emissions. To be conservative, the Make It Green Programme assumes 11lbs (5kg) for the “Make Your Blog Carbon Neutral” initiative.

This means that ONE TREE neutralizes the carbon dioxide emissions of your blog, assuming you receive about 15,000 visitors or less per month.

If you receive more than 15,000 visitors, not to worry, just email CO2-neutral@kaufda.de and they’ll neutralize your blog too.

Here’s how you get a tree planted in the Plumas National Forest:

1. Write a blog post about the program including the “My Blog is Carbon Neutral” button.
2. Email the link to CO2-neutral@kaufda.de
3. A tree will be planted for you

This is a no brainer, so please go do it. You could obviously plant another tree in your yard, but the Plumas National Forest could use your help too. It’s good for all of us.

La Jolla Family loves us some TMZ. La Jolla Dad even used to (he reads it online now) toss the National Enquirer in the shopping cart. The looks from other people in line and the checker were always of total confusion. I’d awkwardly nod my head as if to say “Yes, he’s (very) gainfully employed…”

I knew we’d love Celebrity Beehive when it launched. It’s a new site “buzzed” up by two stay at home moms who love all things Hollywood and online gaming. How is it that these things go together? I wondered the same thing. First, I should mention that Celebrity Beehive is NOT a gambling site.  The games are for entertainment only.

After exploring the site, I gravitate toward the quick games for some quick, mindless entertainment.  There’s a Vampire Memory game (for the Twilight fans, like myself), Celebrity Picture Jumble, one where Elin is hitting golf balls at Tiger and more. These are definitely good for a laugh.  In Fantasy Games, there’s the Super Celeb Showdown where you can form a team, join a team and draft celebrities. Points are earned by how much publicity your celebs get and weekly trivia questions. First prize is $1,000. I can see some of my friends liking this.

If you would like to spice up your Oscar party this weekend, consider playing their Red Carpet Showdown.  There’s money to be won here too.  The first place is $500, second is $250 and there’s more.  This is perfect for the host or guest who loves Oscar trivia and celebrating the evening in general.  You must enter to play by March 6.

If gaming isn’t your thing, Celebrity Beehive still will be.  It’s not your average celebrity gossip site.  The home page alone has pretty much everything you want to know on it, in one glance.  Some of the article titles are laugh out loud funny too.  These two stay at home moms clearly have a sense of humor.

I fan Celebrity Beehive on Facebook and they are really on top of breaking celebrity news.  They posted the Simon Cowell engagement rumors within seconds of other major news sites.  That’s important data in my world as I’m an Idol fan!  It’s worth following Celebrity Beehive for the latest and greatest celebrity news.  You might think it’s not important, but c’mon we all love it.

Overall, Celebrity Beehive is a very well designed site that must have taken loads of work. If I had a desk job, I would no doubt be spending tons of time on this site.

You may follow Celebrity Beehive on Twitter @CelebrityBeehiv or fan them on Facebook here.

www.celebritybeehive.com

Stacey’z Salon in La Jolla is celebrating the arrival of Spring by hosting a Spring Soiree Party at the Salon on  March 19th.  It’s going to be a very fun event with $30 spray tans by Heather’s Mobile Tanning, massages, trunk show, champagne and heavily discounted hair products.  Stacey’z Salon is where I received my first Brazilian Keratin hair straightening treatment.

Nicole at Stacey’z Salon is giving one La Jolla Mom reader a chance to have a Brazilian Keratin treatment prior to the Soiree!!! The winner will be able to show off their newly straightened hair at the event. The only requirement is that you have the straightening done some time on 3/19 and be available for the Soiree (I’ll be there too).

Here’s what you need to do to enter (leave a comment at the bottom of this post as your entry):

**Follow @StaceyzSalon and @NicoleatStaceyz on Twitter**

-or-

If you’re not on Twitter, just leave a comment mentioning why you’d like straight hair.  Trust me, it’s fabulous.

As a bonus entry, you may tweet about the Soiree once a day until the end of the giveaway. You can cut and paste this – I’ve entered to win a Brazilian Keratin Treatment to model at @StaceyzSalon’s Spring Soiree on 3/19 from 6-8pm http://bit.ly/9mx4OD

Or use the TweetMeme Button below. Come back and enter a comment each time you tweet. Please just remember to include a link to this post in your tweet and some Soiree details.

The winner will be chosen by Random.org after 12 pm on March 12th so the more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning!

Everyone is invited to the Spring Soiree.  I put together a Tweetvite below.  If you’d like to join us, please RSVP!  It’s going to be fun and some of us will grab a bite to eat and/or drinks afterward in La Jolla.

THE WINNER IS JO!  Lucky Gal.