Spring Equinox.

Equinox means "equal nights" in Latin. I had no idea. The days and nights are now equal. I have been reading this article, Vernal Equinox Marks First Day of Spring Today , from the Space.com web site. Quite interesting. I wished I would have taken Astronomy at River Falls so I would know a bit more of what is all out there. However, life is all about learning. I am constantly learning and I love it. Perhaps even more because the learning is done on my own and not required for any class. To me, this is more exciting and allows me to pursue any topic or subject I would like.

Today I picked up a trip at work for a flight to Chicago - Midway and back. My crew was quite surprised I picked up a trip worth so few hours, but everything adds up, especially when I have picked up three extra day trips this month. All of which goes above my guarantee pay! Plus, living so close to the airport allows me to only drive about 30 miles round trip, which is one gallon of gas in my little Dodge, not too bad of a trade-off for my day of work. I saw downtown Chicago from the sky, floated above the puffy clouds for quite some time enjoying the view from my jump seat, and the sunshine was bright not only above the clouds but on the ground as well, today was definitely a happy spring day.

More reasons why today was a happy spring day:
Three little birdies pecked away at open ground in the backyard as I watched them through my basement window, my shoes picked up slush along our walkway creating mini sand puddles in the foyer, my sunglasses were needed driving to and from work, I got all green lights driving home and to the grocery store tonight, my new shorter hair cut was complimented on right away at work, I breathed in cool, crisp air walking back to my car leaving me with a refreshed feeling, and to end it - I ate so many fruits and veggies today I lost count. 

Happy Spring. 01 02 18

Part Three: Fruits & Veggies.

Saturday mornings are a time I enjoy being home. Well, to be more specific, I enjoy being around a TV. Why? Because the KARE 11 Grow with KARE segment is always on with Belinda and her dad. I love those two. Last Saturday, I learned that our gardening season here in Minnesota is 110 days - I have always estimated May through October, which is not correct. There was also advice on reading seed packets, but this year I am not buying any seed packets! So happy about this! I have saved seeds from all the fruits and veggies last year that I grew and will be growing those downstairs soon. Hmm, wait a second, I take that back, I will be buying a few seed packets! I don't have any zucchini seeds or sunflower seeds. Alright, I'll be a buying a couple. So now I'll mention the advice that was given: to look at the maturity date.

The maturity date is the key piece of information on a seed packet. With such a short growing season here in Minnesota, growing anything that takes longer or close to our growing season just makes no sense. Even the cantaloupes were tough last year as frost got the best of them come September and October. I feel confident with my choices this year, including a couple new ones to try (supposedly eggplant is harder to grow - but I shall conquer this!)

Continuing this Part Three from my garden series (yes, I called my blog posts a series - see Part One and Part Two for more garden pictures) the focus is on the fruits and veggies from last year. Pictures below.

Part Three: Fruits & Veggies. 

The Garden. Summer 2012.

Cantaloupe growing! These guys spread like no other, be prepared.  

A little friend I found while planting the gladiolas. He's currently hiding under the chive plant.

What a cutie.

This side of the garden included (from L-R):
Radishes, Lettuce, Green Peppers, Beets, Cantaloupe, Squash, and Pumpkins

  

Tomatoes! I grew three varieties:

Big Boys, Yellow Pear, and Sweet Cherries

So proud. All from the garden.

There's a taste of garden-grown veggies you can't get at the stores.

The pumpkin starting! So fun to watch these guys grow.

And leaf lettuce! A bit too much dirt to wash off for my liking, this year I plan on growing cabbage instead!

I had about six good cobs of corn before the critters got the rest. Corn takes a lot of care and a lot of water I learned. The dried stalks were great for Autumn/Halloween - worth the work:

I tied the dried stalks to our pillars out front and here is my brother and I with the pumpkins from the garden. (the little pie pumpkins that is!)

This sunflower was picked clean by the birds.
Luckily, I had five others to choose from to gather seeds and roast them.
Even threw them in a pot I made in ceramics class from school!

The little pie pumpkin that grew! And squash on the right.

Loved seeing this little guy in the yard.

And there you have it! The majority of the garden. What you didn't see were cucumbers (which are on the side of the house), garlic and onions in the ground, and the beans. I am already looking forward to the sweaty weed pulling this summer. Let this growing season begin!

01 02 18

Part Two: Garden Blooms.

While fruits and veggies are ideal since they are edible, I adore flowers. Like I said in Part One: Tilling the Garden I grew up in an apartment. Yet, being on first floor I did dig up the area outside my window (at the time we knew the management real well) and planted gladiolas each year. One of my favorite flowers right next to carnations. These easy bulbs to plant come up no matter what the condition is you plant them in, I swear. Whether the soil gets bone dry or watered too much, these bulbs still come up. Hardy. And beginner-proof. (Note that future first gardeners!). And gorgeous I might add.

I have also planted tulips around a small crab apple tree at the apartment many years ago, but they never came up come spring. I was disappointed and discouraged to try again. Well, my mom planted tulips two years ago here at our home and last spring we had tulips! I cannot take credit, because I still have not had success, but I am hopeful for the future. This past fall I planted lots of tulips in the back yard (I think...) and the front yard. Fingers crossed they will be coming up with the next couple of months. I will be giddy with joy if they come up. Me and bulbs have our moments. Gladiolas I can do - tulips, a bit tricky for me. I also tried forcing tulip bulbs this winter inside, I have one sprouting right now, but the other two, completely dormant. They must really like sleeping.

On another blooming topic: I love perennials. A lot. Who wouldn't like plants and flowers that come up every year still looking just as great the first year if not better? Exactly my point.

Part Two: Garden Blooms.

Alright. The lilacs I collected from a walk to the river (no, I did not 'steal' them from someones' yard) but we do have two lilac bushes that hopefully will bloom this Spring or next. Bleeding hearts + a single tulip. #springtimebouquet

Gladiola time! Plus lilies that line our driveway.

My mom's favorite: hydrangeas.
Plus hosta blooms in this vase. 

This year, I will work on making the soil more acidic so the
hydrangeas are back to the deep rich blue my mom prefers.

Scrunched up sunflower + when she finally opened up. These guys grew over 6 feet tall and made the garden feel like a jungle. Truly amazing. All from one single seed. To which I roasted the seeds at the end of the season (See Part Three).

LOVE this picture. Country Bumpkin right here.
The golden color of the sunflower + blue sky gets me.

And this is why I love gardening, people.

Bleeding Hearts. One of my favorite perennials. Each year these grow larger and larger. The first time I remember seeing these was in elementary school when I was a school patrol. When I walked my one kindergarten home in the afternoon I would see these line the sidewalks of some houses.

Ever since, I love them. I still don't know if I enjoy the white or pink ones more!

More gladiolas. So gorgeous. Sturdy stems. Vibrant colors.

#summertime

I started this post by saying fruits and veggies are ideal because they are edible. Well, I know many flowers are, too. In fact, I would love to make my own candied flowers someday. In addition, to homemade tea. Here is a link to an About.com article on edible flowers for those curious.

01 02 18

Part One: Tilling the Garden.

I have always dreamt about having a huge garden. An area that provides for myself and my family. Bountiful enough to allow extras to be canned to last the entire winter and spring. Yes, I did read Little House on the Prairie books when I was younger, and loved them. When you grow things yourself, or heck, even do anything yourself, there is a HUGE sense of accomplishment. This garden has been just that. I grew up living in an apartment. I have never had a yard to call my own until we moved to our current house a little under three years ago. I never knew what mowing the grass was like, I never ran a snow blower before, and I definitely wasn't able to dig up the yard. This all changed. I craved a huge garden, why start small? Go big or go home. With plenty of space in our backyard, my dad and I tilled up the yard (yes, even I took a turn at tilling) and last summer was, dare I say, a perfect first gardening experience.

The garden has been everything I had hoped. I swear the green thumb runs in my family. I am so thankful for that. Passed down from my grandpa and his huge garden up north. I always was envious of the garden my grandparents had. Surrounded with high fencing and an old door as an entrance - deer and raccoons stayed out. Providing a huge mecca of food inside. Apple trees still adorn the outside of the garden. Asparagus still grows wildly each year. I remember seeing screens of nuts drying in the screen house from the hazelnut bushes in the yard. Huge tiger lilies and lily of the valley lined the corner of the house. Eating canned bread and butter pickles was commonplace. In fact, my mom told me Grandpa just opened a canned bread and butter pickle with the date of 1999 from their cellar. Whoa.

There is something about pulling weeds on a hot day, sweat dripping profusely that is really satisfying. I can't quite put my finger on it. Gardening is a great workout and creates an outcome of produce and a pretty presentation. Gardening is an art form. So many ways to plan a garden. Placement of certain veggies that will get along such as aperimeter of onions to keep certain pests away. It's an art and a science. I love it. I crave it. And I can't wait to decide what to plant this year. For all that I planted last year, see this post.

Part One: Tilling the Garden.

Before. Grassed mowed extra short.

We decided to dig inside the fence to keep big critters out.

The rabbits and squirrels still came in, but no deer!

Ready with the rake!

This was quite the process. From renting the biggest tiller they had,

loading it on the truck and off and digging up thick grass. Worth it.

Thanks, Dad. Killer black dirt underneath revealed! Full of worms!

March 2012 - I had these tomato plants starting inside already!

01 02 18

Lentil Soup.

Guess what I wear as a hat? A lentil.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, watch this video on YouTube: Marcel the Shell.

Hopefully Marcel will brighten your day a tad.

Lentil Soup

2 celery stalks chopped

2 large carrots chopped

1 large onion chopped

1 whole green pepper chopped

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 tbsp salt

2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Saute the above ingredients for 5-7 minutes (until the crunch is gone)

Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and let cook for another 2 minutes.

Add:
2 cups dry lentils (rinse these first)

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp black pepper

 6 cups vegetable broth
(look for low sodium broth if from the store and not homemade)

4 cups water (yes, this is a HUGE recipe)

Bring to a boil and skim off the top when needed.

Simmer for 15-20 minutes - until lentils are cooked!

That's it! Store in a covered container in the fridge.
Mine lasted a good two weeks and still tasted just fine.

Or freeze in glassware for future servings.

Optional additions:

1 chopped tomato

1/2 tsp thyme

A one cup serving is approximately 157 calories.
And you know exactly what you are eating.

01 02 18

Foodie February.

I realized I did quite a bit of cooking this month when I was going through my photos today. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I decided to upload this months munchies. Recipes follow each photo (or will link up!). I love having time to cook, and bake, and cook and bake some more.

That's what winter is for, right?

Smoothie. Seems simple. And it is.

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1 tbsp honey

1 cup almond milk

(this was before I had my chia seeds. I would definitely add a tbsp of seeds to this now!)

Dark Chocolate Cocoa Muffins:

So good. Not overly sweet. If you want sweet. Don't make these. If you want dark chocolate-healthy-for-you, then make these. 

1 3/4 cup oats

3 egg whites

3/4 cup dark cocoa powder unsweetened 

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp real vanilla

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup hot water

1 cup sugar (I used sweetener...aka Splenda)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips!

Preheat the oven to 350. Blend all ingredients (minus chocolate chips) in the blender. Blend until smooth - I love this part of the recipe. SO easy for pouring. Mix 1/2 of the chips in the batter and pour into a greased/lined muffin tin. I like giant muffins and use six large ones - this would also make 12 regular size muffins. Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of chips on top of muffins. Bake for another 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean! 215 calories per muffin. Makes 6 muffins.

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl.

 (I love pronouncing this. KEEN-WAH. So great.)

1/2 cup cooked quinoa (sprinkle 1 tsp cinnamon while cooking)

1 small tart granny smith apple chopped

1/8 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup almond milk

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and pour over with almond milk. This will keep you full until at least lunch!

Lentil Soup.

This recipe is a bit long. The link can be found here.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust - Addicting.

2 eggs

2 cups mozzarella cheese

2 cups riced cauliflower (I hand grated this, uffda, try this method instead)

2 garlic cloves chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil chopped (or dried will do)

Mix ingredients in a bowl and form any shape you'd like on a greased parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press down until about 1/4 inch thick. Bake at 450 for about 15 minutes. 3 'fries' = 250 calories. 10 fries per batch.

Cinnamon Honey Baked Chickpeas.

1 can rinsed and drained chickpeas

2 tsp coconut oil (I only have olive oil on hand at the time!)

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp honey (optional)

Dry chickpeas and toss in oil/sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place onto a baking sheet for 45 minutes at 375 shaking pan every 15 minutes. The longer they bake the crunchier (and better!) they will taste. Roll in honey after baked (optional) - store in an open container so chickpeas don't become soggy right away (lesson learned). Makes three servings, 157 calories per serving.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes.

Find the recipe here from a previous post.

Broccoli Cheese Quiche + Brown Rice Crust

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 1/4 cup shredded cheese (any variety you prefer)

5 eggs

1 cup milk

2 cups cooked broccoli

a pinch of nutmeg

Mix the rice, 1/4 of the cheese and 1 egg together. Press into a sprayed pie crust pan. Bake for 5 minutes at 450. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour into baked pie crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375, until the eggs are spongy (but doesn't jiggle when moved!) and slightly golden. 350 calories per slice - 6 slices per pie.

Chocolate Oatmeal Bites.

2 mashed bananas (very ripe)

1 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips chopped

1/4 cup shredded coconut

That's it! Mix all ingredients together and spoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Makes one dozen bites, 57 calories per bite!

And there you have it: Foodie February. Any healthy recipes you love? Post so I can try them!

01 02 18

Five Day Food Challenge.

Five days of no added sugar, no processed gunk, and hardly any flour.
After way too many sweets at a recent Sorority Retreat weekend I needed to do some sort of cleanse to get back on track. And with a wedding to attend tomorrow I know I will be having cake. YUM. I cannot wait. But this grand finale ending tomorrow meant a personal challenge - five days without added shtuff.

I love my sweets. View my Pinterest boards and every other pin is typically a dessert. There is something so satisfying about chocolate, sweetness, and the warm ooey-gooeyness of a cookie. I know there are people who don't care for desserts, that is not me. And I don't know how you do it. But anywho. I survived this week. And honestly, it wasn't too hard.

My latest obsession? Chia Seeds. I am not sure when these hit the shelves, perhaps they have been around my whole life and I just now discovered them. Well, I am glad I did. I have been adding one serving (a tablespoon) to pancakes and smoothies. And when I say pancakes, I'm not talking about the white flour boxed mix - I mean cottage cheese pancakes and banana protein pancakes.
Here are the recipes, super easy, super good:

Cottage Cheese Pancakes(sounds odd, I know, but so delicious - trust me)

3 egg whites (I use one egg white + one whole egg)

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cottage cheese

1 tsp sugar (I use Splenda)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (use the real stuff)

1 tbsp chia seeds

Blend. Makes four small pancakes. 397 calories.

Banana Protein Pancakes

1 mashed really ripe banana

2 whole eggs

1 tbsp chia seeds

Mash banana with fork, add eggs, and whip together.
Makes two large thin flapjacks. 233 calories.

I have made the cottage cheese ones for both breakfast and dinner, but actually prefer them for dinner. Something light and delicious is a great way to end my night. The banana protein pancakes are a breakfast food for me, a banana-eggy-omelet combination. Try them both and bask in the glory of clean eating.

Food list for the week
(Download the Lose It App for anyone interested. I'm obsessed.)

Whole Wheat Mission Tortilla Wraps
Tuna Packets  + Mayo with Olive Oil + dried basil + celery seed + black pepper

Homemade Vegetarian Lentil Soup (Recipe to be posted soon)
Romaine Lettuce Salads + Zesty Italian Dressing

Baked Sweet Potatoes Fries with Olive Oil
(seasoned with Paprika, garlic powder, & black pepper)

Planters Nut-Rition Health Mix

Trader Joe's Everything Pretzel Slims

Trader Joe's Garlic Hummus

Lite String Cheese

Creamy PB + Celery Sticks
Trader Joe's Everything Whole Wheat Thin Bagels + Jarlsberg Lite Cheese

(toasted in the toaster oven = dinner!)

Grapefruit

Apples

Bananas

Oranges

Fresh Strawberries + Life Cereal + Almond Milk

Wild Cod Fish

Brussel Sprouts

Avocados

Triscuit Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Crackers

Beverage List

Water

Tomato Juice

Organic Ginger Tea

Organic Hibiscus Tea

Organic Fair Trade Green Tea

Organica Chamomile & Spearmint Tea

And there you have it. My week. My cravings for sweets have been few and far between. And my philosophy of you can eat anything, as long as it's in moderation still holds true. I will be adding sweets back into my food list - but 'healthy ones' such as pumpkin bread made with Greek yogurt and dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa). Happy eating. Happy clean eating. And always remember, you are what you eat. And expect more postings of being crazy healthy, I'm not perfect, but I'm on a path I am so happy to be on. #fitnessfever #lifeisgood

01 02 18