CSA Challenge!

My goal this week is to use all of the vegetables we received in our Driftless Organics CSA box. For those not familiar with CSAs, it stands for "community supported agriculture" and every other week we get a box filled with fresh, organic, locally produced vegetables. We pay up front and receive 10 boxes over the course of the summer. Our insurance reimburses us for 2/3 of the cost, along with a note that thanks us for eating healthy! 

Click here to read all about this week's bounty.

So many delicious vegetables! It's a mighty goal and I'm up to the challenge. Tonight's dinner used two items from this week's box and two items from a previous box. I stole this idea from my MIL who made this for us the week we came home from the hospital with our little dude: salad Nicoise. 

Salad Nicoise (sans tuna)

The cucumber and grape tomatoes are from this week's box. The potatoes and green beans are from a previous box. The eggs are from the lovely ladies (chickens) next door and the olives, lettuce and artichoke hearts are from the Willy Street Co-op. 

Paired with crusty bread

I paired the salad with locally made crusty bread. My mister had a hankering for meat, so he paired his elegant salad with a hotdog. I'm not kidding.

Topped with homemade honey mustard vinaigrette 

I had an almost-empty bottle of mustard in the refrigerator, so I made the vinaigrette right in the bottle. I added honey, olive oil, brown rice vinegar, fresh chopped garlic, salt and various spices. It was easy to shake in a tightly sealed bottle and even easier to squirt on the salad. So good!

With a Lake Louie Coon Rock Cream Ale

I rounded out the meal with a tasty handcrafted brew. It was a great meal and I look forward to the others I will make this week!

Tomorrow morning: mellon!

Babies and Mash

Hello out there! It's been far too long, I know.

See, I had a seriously cute baby and that's taken up some time.

Mister Dude

For a while I blogged over here: http://inmytummy2011.blogspot.com/ ... but that is really a pregnancy blog, so I decided to return to my original Pear Flavored Bean to start back up!

Today was a busy day, I took Mister Dude into work for a retirement party, we swung by the Co-op for some quick grocery shopping and then we went for a walk with Red, who is expecting her own little bundle of joy in January!

For dinner I made a dish I'd been dreaming about for days. I'm not sure if it's the excessive amount of British mysteries (Foyle's War, Inspector Lewis, Midsommer Murders, etc...) that I've been watching during my maternity leave or the Olympics, but I've had a serious hankering for bangers and mash. And tonight was the night to make that dream come true.

I started with the following: chicken apple sausage, potatoes, apples, onion, chicken stock, mustard, red wine, worcestershire sauce, olive oil, earth balance buttery spread and flour.

I browned the sausages in a skillet, in about 1 T of olive oil.

Then I added the sliced apples and another tablespoon of olive oil.

Then I added some chopped onion and a tablespoon of mustard.

This is where I forgot to take photos. I added about 3 Ts of flour and whisked in about a cup of chicken stock, a few splashes of worcestershire sauce and a about a quarter cup of wine. Then I simmered for a half an hour, while the potatoes boiled. I mashed the potatoes with earth balance because I'm staying away from dairy while I nurse.

I have a good little helper in the kitchen!

I paired the delicious meal with a locally brewed porter. It was so enjoyable!

Cheers!

Art

Mr. Z and I took an impromptu trip to Dubuque this weekend and had a really great time! It was a weekend filled with two of my favorite things, good food and fun art. In fact we found art everywhere we looked!

Our first stop was in Dickeyville to see The Grotto, a beautiful shrine erected by a Catholic priest in the 1930s.


It's made up of colorful rocks, shells and glass and it's quite a site to see.


Next stop, Dubuque. A river town filled with tug boats, and barges and locks... oh my!


Dubuque also features an "elevator" or little street car that makes its way up a very steep hill in the middle of downtown. After a tasty lunch at The Bank (a restaurant that used to be a bank and still features old, original vaults) we took a spin up the elevator. It was a little scary, but lots of fun.


After our trip up and down the hill, we walked over to the river walk, which features some beautiful art.

These two horses are amazing.


The attention to detail is unreal.


Another stop along the river walk was this old phone booth converted into a prayer station. We weren't sure if this was another piece of art or not. Either way, it looks like it's being used (knee pad is worn) and it's pretty cool.

After our walk about town, we stopped back at the hotel for a cocktail and then decided on a place called Pepper Sprout for dinner.


I had the bison tenderloin with balsamic onion jam and horseradish cream sauce over garlic mashed potatoes. Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds. I think (I've never tried) it's hard to get bison right, because it's so low in fat it dries out quickly. But this was seriously delicious stuff.

And we even found art at the restaurant.


Don't be fooled. I ate my entire meal, these are Mr. Z's leftovers.

Most of today was taken up at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.

When Mr. Z and I go to museums, we have a plan. We pick a time and place to to meet up and then I cruise the museum stopping at all the audio/visual displays and anything else that's pretty or sparkles and he reads every single sign and description posted. So you see, every time I go to a museum with my mister, I can plan on substantial "me time" built in at the end and Mr. Z gets to take his time pouring over the artifacts.

Today, I spent some of my extra time snapping photos (do you see Mr. Z way back by the propellers?).


Of course we couldn't leave the museum without saying hello to our favorite river friend Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain.


All in all we had a wonderful weekend. If you haven't spent time in Dubuque I highly recommend it!

The incredible, edible egg.

One of the things I like best about weekends is making breakfast. Especially when our neighbors are supplying us with fresh eggs from their backyard chickens.

This morning I whipped up two different egg dishes to suit our individual tastes...


Mr. Z enjoyed a two egg scramble with chorizo, red onion, bell pepper and cheese along with two pieces of peanut butter toast.


I fixed myself two open faced sandwiches on wholegrain toast with cream cheese, sauteed red pepper and spinach and an egg on top.

Both plates filled with protein and nutrients to start the weekend off on the right foot!

Spring (or summer?) is here!

Yesterday was so beautiful. Mr. Z and I took advantage of the weather by cleaning the house. I know... not exactly fun. But it's great when you can do spring cleaning with every single window in the house open!

We finished off the day with pineapple shakes.


Very simple recipe: fresh pineapple and vanilla frozen yogurt in a blender. Blend and serve.


Days like yesterday are so good for the soul. After a long, stressful Madison winter, it was heartwarming to see families on bike rides, kids playing in the yard and tulips poking their head out for sun. These are the ingredients of a good life.

Whatever happens....

WE SHOULD BE SO PROUD!

Dinner is served!

Mr. Z returned home last night after a week on the road. We had plans to drive to Milwaukee for a post-Christmas party, so I hadn't planned something for dinner. However eight hours on the road was enough for him in one day, so we decided to stay home.

Gasp! What's a wife to do when her husband is hungry, tired and been eating at restaurants all week? Tear apart the kitchen, that's what!

I had some kale sitting in the bottom of the fridge for almost a week. This was the perfect night to turn it into something delicious. I sauteed onions and garlic, threw in some balsamic vinegar and red wine and reduced it until it was a thick sauce. Then I threw in the chopped kale.


Then I used the spinach I had been saving for green monsters as the base for a salad. We had some sad carrots begging to be used, along with a stalk of celery. Presto! A healthy salad.


And for the main course, you ask? Stouffer's! This lasagna magically appeared a few weeks ago in our freezer. It didn't look like something Mr. Z would have purchased on his own, especially since I do most of the shopping. As you can see it is "large size," which means it's more than enough for two hungry nibblers. But still... where did it come from?


It turns out that this was a gift from Mr. Z's lovely mother. She a no-cottage-cheese-in-the-lasagna kind of girl. Which is perfect, because I LOVE cottage cheese in the lasagna! And this unexpected treat completed the dinner perfectly!


Thank heavens for microwavable main courses, mothers in law and safe returns home!

For my birthday, Mr Z got me a new camera. I love it! Although my iPhone takes great pictures, my new camera is fantastic. Note the difference below in a series I call "Two P's in a Pod."

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

iPhone

Who is the fairest of them all?

Canon PowerShot

The pretty princess in the stall?

iPhone

The one against the bathroom wall?

Canon PowerShot

I guess the stud will have to say.

iPhone

But wait. Which one? For beer or hay?

Canon PowerShot

Ahhh....my prince charming!

1. Last night I made some new friends. It was Red's birthday and we went out for drinks and pizza after work. She has some really neat new friends from work and it was nice chatting with and getting to know them!

2. Today I learned that something really can be to sweet for my palate. I made Bob's Red Mill 8 grain hot cereal for breakfast and added two dried dates and 1/2 T Skippy peanut butter. WAY too sweet! We have Skippy left over from Christmas baking and since I'm used to spreading the all natural (only peanuts) peanut butter on my bread, eating Skippy straight up was kind of a shock.

3. And even though it's 6:30 in the morning and I'd much rather be in my cozy bed, I'm grateful for today. A good job waiting for me, Bikram yoga after work and a dinner with family to top it off. I'm a lucky lady!

1. Today I made a friend laugh so hard that his drink went down the wrong pipe. I can't even remember exactly what I said (or I can, and it's not fit for grandma's eyes) but to me laughter is such an important part of life and it's nice to know that I share it with others.

2. Tonight I learned a new yoga practice: Yin Yoga. I'm going to start taking yoga again and I thought I'd pair a weekly Bikram class with a new class at the studio called Yin Yoga. Tonight was the first Yin class and I really liked it. It was a lot of long, deep stretches. Very soothing.


3. And I'm thankful that my brother-in-law is flying in tonight to celebrate Christmas with us this weekend. He and his lovely wife weren't able to spend any time with us in December, but he's flying in as I type and will be spending a week with us! As I mentioned yesterday, I love family time. And I love it when Mr. Z and I get to spend time with his family making memories that will be shared for years to come!

1. Today I made a delicious dinner of whole wheat pasta, chicken sausage, red peppers, onions and red sauce. Yummmm!


2. I learned that the iPhone carries an awesome Weight Watchers app that even includes the particulars for the new Points Plus program. And I used this new tool to learn that you can enjoy (or waste) two points on 18 milk chocolate M&Ms.


3. And not just today, but everyday I am so thankful for my family. Around this time of year I get to see them A LOT! We've spent almost every weekend together since Thanksgiving, which is such a blessing. I'm grateful to have parents that set an example with 34 years of marriage, brothers who are as smart and funny as they are kind, a sister (in-law) who is as close and wonderful as any sister I could have imagined and a husband who I love beyond words.

Today was a pretty lazy day for me. In the past ten days, I've worked one. Between the holidays and furloughs, I've been spoiled (well, except for that whole leave without pay thing....).

I spent the day lazing about and watching movies. I also cleaned the kitchen, which was a chore. Anyway, here are my daily three:

1. Today, I made a family budget and debt payment schedule. I recently took a new position that came with a raise (yay!) so we're sorting out how we are going to pay off certain debt quicker.

2. I learned about autism, squeeze machines and slaughter houses. I watched Temple Grandin, the HBO feature film and it was really good. My favorite part of the whole movie is when she is describing why it's important to implement systems that will keep the cattle calm up until the very last second before slaughter. She says (referring to the animals), "Nature is cruel but we don't have to be. We owe them some respect." As an omnivore, I completely agree.

If you haven't already seen the movie you should check it out: Temple Grandin (the movie)

Plus, I just learned that Temple was inducted to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame! Lucky lady! Temple Grandin's Official Autism Website


3. And I give thanks to credit. Although it can be a nasty curse, I've used credit to finance my college education, purchase a safe vehicle and put a roof over my head. I am thankful that I have the resources and education to use the financial opportunities presented to me in a responsible way.

I hope you all have a restful Sunday!

Three Things a Day

I've been inspired by a new blog: Eleven in 2011

For me, eleven things a day is a lot, but I LOVE the idea. So I'm going to scale it back to three things. Every day I'd like to:

1. Make something
2. Learn something
3. Give thanks

And I'll keep track on the Bean Blog!


Today I made two more re-usable Christmas bags out of festive fabric that can be used instead of wrapping paper (see above photo).

I learned that Rose Bowl Parade floats must be made of all organic material (flowers, plants, food, etc.) and that Al Roker loves him some Bucky Badger!

And I am so thankful for our warm, cozy house that keeps us comfortable in this frigid weather.

Feel free to play along in the comments!

Footprints

I was anxious to get to the barn this morning. The sun was out, the air was crisp and I hadn't been out since last Sunday!


I started a new job this past week and last night we hosted our annual tree decorating party with friends. It was a busy week filled with lots of "to-dos." Now, don't get me wrong... I'm so very thankful to have a list filled with tasks and reminders that point to an awesome job, a group of super friends and the best family a girl could ask for. But sometimes, the brain needs some quiet.


Pixie and I took a walk around the back of the farm. It's a beautiful area and as we crunched our way through the fresh snow I felt completely at peace. This beautiful black mare never fails to bring me the peace I seek.


One more thing to be grateful for! Life is good.

Time to bundle up!

I remember being 15 years old and doing whatever I had to do to get out of the house on a freezing cold Wisconsin morning... without a hat on. Seriously. It went something like this:

Dad: "Bell, put on a hat. It's below zero out there."

Me: "Do I have to wear a hat?! It's going to mess up my hair. What if so-and-so (insert crush of the week) sees me? I'll die! I'm only going to be outside for 10 minutes total. I'm not wearing a hat."

I relived that conversation (in my imagination) this weekend when I brought out the winter coat for Miss Pixie. She was SO not into it.


Yes. It's pink. BRIGHT pink. Like highlighter pink. I love it. Not so sure about her. Mr. Z says she's probably embarrassed in front of her buddies.


Is that the look of a teen-aged girl or what?


"Come on mom, leave me alone, I'm hanging with my friends." (All of whom are wearing their own spiffy jackets!)


I snapped away, taking many pictures, even though it was freezing outside. No need to worry. I was wearing my hat!

French Toast Sandwich

I've got the "post Turkey-day time to eat healthy and work out" motivation coursing through my veins today. How about you?

So I started the day with 20 minutes on the elliptical, followed by 10 minutes of yoga and this tasty delight for breakfast:


It's a french toast sandwich made with flax and sesame seed rustic sourdough bread, eggs from the ladies next door, peanut butter, banana and a teaspoon of maple syrup.


So tasty!

I'm starting a new job on Monday, so I'm trying to get my life in order this weekend. Clean the house, clean out my closet, organize everything. If you know me well, you realize this is no small task.

I better get going while I still have some of that pumpkin pie motivation pulsing through my body!