Ingredient Spotlight: CSA Box #12


This week's box from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative included:

1 Bag Red Beets - Farmdale Organics
1 Bag Mixed Tomatoes - Green Valley Organics
1 Bag Yukon Gold Potatoes - Hillside Organics
2 Lemon Cucumbers - Liberty Acres
2 Green Bell Peppers - Meadow Valley Organics
1 Pint Sungold Cherry Tomatoes - Scarecrow Hill Organics
1 Bunch Red Cippolini Onions - Liberty Branch Farm

The new-to-me vegetable this week is the lemon cucumber. I don't think I've even ever seen one before now! Apparently they taste the same as "normal" cucumbers do, they just have a lemony-color and shape. Given that last week's CSA box had tomatoes, we've been harvesting several from our container garden, and we've received several more this week, I think there's a good chance I'll be whipping up some salsa this week! Recipes I've got my eye on to try this week include:

SHARE:

What's For Dinner: Roasted Summer Vegetables over Quinoa


I had vowed last week that I wouldn't turn on the oven once given the crazy heat wave we were experiencing -- but due to the bounty of vegetables in our CSA box, I just knew roasting some of them was the way to go. To make my roasted vegetables, I cut up some cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red onion and tossed them with a vinaigrette made of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. I served the roasted veggies over quinoa, my favorite amino-acid rich superfood, and sprinkled a few crumbles of feta cheese on top as a garnish.

Roasted Summer Vegetables over Quinoa (printer-friendly version)
makes one serving

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small zucchini, diced
1/2 red onion, cut into quarters and chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Add the chopped and diced veggies to the bottom of a glass baking dish.
3. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies. Gently shake the dish to make sure all the veggies are evenly covered by the sauce. Flip any tomatoes so that they are cut-side up.
4. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently toss. Roast for an additional 10 minutes, then gently toss again. Let roast for an additional 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.
5. Serve the roasted vegetables over a bed of quinoa (or couscous, rice, etc.) and top with feta cheese crumbles.

SHARE:

What I'm Reading: Food Magazines

Ah, finally -- we've reached the end of the fascinating tour of all the magazines to which I subscribe. The last category is probably the one most relevant to my blog -- food magazines. I actually only subscribe to one food magazine -- Food & Wine. But I really ought to subscribe to Everyday Food as I typically pick it up every month as an impulse purchase at the checkout lane in the grocery store. And let's face it, one of the main reasons I opt to subscribe to so many magazines is that being a subscriber is significantly less expensive than buying the magazine at the store. Dare I add one more magazine to my mailbox's already hefty monthly load?


I began my subscription to Food & Wine in 2009. I'm not quite sure why I initially subscribed -- probably because (as is often the case) I received an offer in the mail that I just couldn't refuse. Food & Wine is now one of my favorite magazines because it is packed with tasty recipes and has interesting food- and wine-related articles (shocking, I know, given the magazine's title). Plus I enjoy keeping up with the latest food trends, cooking tools, and up-and-coming chefs and restaurants. It also probably doesn't hurt that I'm a big Top Chef fan, and Dana Cowin (editor in chief) and Gail Simmons (special projects liaison) have been judges on various iterations of the show. (And Gail is also host of the pastry-focused spin-off Just Desserts.)


I started to pick up issues of Everyday Food at the grocery store sometime early last year. I don't think I've ever been disappointed by an issue. This Martha Stewart imprint features fresh and easy recipes as well as short articles on cooking tips and techniques. The magazine is typically pocket-sized (well, large pocket, I suppose), but they also print normal-sized special issues on occasion (the most recent of which is pictured above). One of the reasons I began to pick up issues of this magazine was because I started watching the TV version of the magazine on PBS (though most recently I've seen episodes on the Hallmark channel, which is where all the other Martha-related shows air) -- I remember going to the show's website and bookmarking many of the recipes I saw on the show as something to later try myself. Lucinda Scala Quinn, one of the many hosts of the PBS show, now hosts her own show (Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn) on the Hallmark channel, which I frequently watch and which I've referenced several times on this blog.

The full tour:

SHARE:

What's For Dessert: Homemade Chocolate Pudding


I was craving a chocolately treat the other night, but couldn't quite bring myself to make use of the packets of Jello instant pudding we have in the cupboard. Luckily, the Internet came to my rescue and I found several recipes for making chocolate pudding from scratch. I adapted one of the recipes I found by changing some of the ingredients and replacing some of the milk with coconut milk, as I had a bit left from the chilled coconut-avocado soup I made at the end of last week. The coconut milk added a subtle sweet flavor to the pudding. The worst part of this recipe was waiting the hour to make sure the pudding was good and chilled. The resulting chocolate pudding was just what I was looking for -- smooth, chocolatey, and completely satisfying.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cacao powder, sifted
1/8 cup cornstarch
1 cup skim milk
1 cup light coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Add the sugar, sifted cacao powder, and cornstarch to a medium-sized saucepot. Pour in the skim milk, coconut milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk the ingredients together.
2. Heat the mixture over medium heat. Continue whisking as you bring the mixture to a boil.
3. After the mixture has begun to boil, continue cooking for another two minutes, or until the pudding has thickened.
4. Pour equal servings into four small bowls.
5. Place the bowls of pudding in the fridge and let chill for at least an hour.
SHARE:

What's For Dinner: Chilled Coconut-Avocado Soup


This past Thursday, thanks to four-and-a-half years of orthodontia during my younger years, I was lucky enough to have a little periodontal work done (after putting it off for over a decade) -- the result being that for a few days soft foods were on the menu and crunchy stuff was out. Given that it was about a million degrees outside (slight exaggeration), I also had no desire to turn the oven on when it came time to make dinner. Luckily, a recipe for a chilled soup had caught my eye a few weeks ago, so I decided that now was the right time to give it a whirl. Making the soup is easy as all you do is toss the ingredients in the blender, hit puree, then chill the resulting mixture until nice and cool. Super-simple for a hot summer's day, regardless of whether you've just had your gums worked on!

Chilled Coconut-Avocado Soup (printer-friendly version)
makes two servings

1 avocado, pit removed and peeled (I just used a spoon to scoop out the good stuff)
1 1/4 cups organic low-sodium vegetable stock
1 cup organic light coconut milk
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender
2. Hit puree!
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour into two bowls and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
5. Eat up!

 (adapted from this recipe)

SHARE:

Ingredient Spotlight: CSA Box #11


This week's box from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative included:

3 Ears Sweet Corn - Pine Hill Organics
1 Slicing Cucumber - Elm Tree Organics
1 Bunch Fresh Red Onions - Railroad Organics
2 Fancy Green Zucchini - White Swan Acres
2 Red Tomatoes - White Swan Acres
1 package Cherry Tomatoes - White Swan Acres
1 Head Red Cabbage - Maple Lawn Organics
1 Bag Yukon Gold Potatoes - Hillside Organics

Given it's so flippin' hot outside, I'm aiming to make a lot of meals that don't involve turning on the oven. Here are a few recipes I've got my eye on to try this week:

SHARE:

What I'm Reading: Special Interest Magazines, Part Two

Back to the march through my magazine subscriptions. I think after this installment there is just one more category go to -- food magazines. But first, the last of my "special interest" magazines -- Philadelphia Magazine and The New Yorker. I think both of these titles could be considered regional magazines, though The New Yorker has a wider appeal than Philadelphia Magazine given the majority of its content is less local in nature.


I signed us up for a subscription to Philadelphia Magazine shortly after we moved here in January. I had heard good things about this magazine from friends who live here and figured it would be a great way to acquaint ourselves with the city's people, places, and events. As someone interested in food and fitness, the stories that have most piqued my interest so far this year include The 50 Best Places to Eat Right Now (January), Welcome to Fitadelphia (February), The Di Brunos' Growing Empire (April), and this month's The Great Philadelphia Pizza Quest.


I ended up with a subscription to The New Yorker when a friend of mine offered up a free gift subscription on Facebook. I've enjoyed reading this magazine for a long time; back in the day it was the "smart" magazine I'd pick up at the airport bookshop along with a less-erudite title. What The New Yorker excels at is informative, in-depth articles and interesting fiction pieces. And of course, you can't mention The New Yorker without giving a nod to the cartoons! I am still way behind in reading all of The New Yorkers that have piled up on our side table (though I often actually do flip through and check out all the cartoons); this magazine is definitely not one to just flip through, you've really got to find the time to sit down and read it.

SHARE:

What's For Lunch: Roasted Beet, Arugula, and Goat Cheese Salad


Beets have been a staple in our CSA boxes for the past few weeks. Though I've never really given much thought to beets before, I've definitely become a fan, particularly when they are roasted. For this easy lunch, I added roasted beets to a simple salad made of arugula leaves (from our garden!), chopped pecans, crumbled goat cheese, and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Roasted Beets (printer-friendly version)

2-3 fresh beets

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut the greens off the beets, leaving about 1-2 inches of stem per beet. (If you wish, reserve the beet leaves and use for another meal.)
3. Scrub the beets clean and towel dry.
4. Add about an inch of water to the bottom of a lidded oven-safe baking dish.
5. Place the beets in the baking dish. Add the lid and place the covered dish in the oven.
6. Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until beets are softened and a knife inserted into each beet comes out easily.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool.
8. Once cooled, cut both ends off the beets and remove the skin.
9. Slice, chop, or prepare roasted beets as you wish.
SHARE:

What's On the Side: Garden Bruschetta


Tonight I had a few slices of bruschetta alongside a simple pasta dish for dinner. The best part about this bruschetta? The veggies came straight from our container garden! The roma tomato plant is growing like gangbusters and several tomatoes have ripened and many more are on their way to being ripe. In addition to roma tomato slices, I also topped each french baguette slice with a drizzle of olive oil, basil chiffonade, fresh mozzarella, a drop of balsamic vinegar, and a dash of freshly ground black pepper. Fresh, simple, and easy.
SHARE:

Tastemaker: Ore-Ida Sweet Potato Fries


As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I was recently sent a coupon in the mail to try out a bag of Ore-Ida Sweet Potato Fries for free. On Sunday we had burgers on the menu for dinner, so it seemed as good a time as any to give the fries a try.

{via}

A quick look at the ingredients list makes me shudder a bit, as it is definitely not "less processed" friendly. Obviously, in an ideal world I would make sweet potato fries from scratch -- it's really not that difficult; last year I made a batch of pretty tasty sweet potato chips.

Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes, canola oil, modified food starch, rice flour, tapioca dextrin, sea salt, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate), xanthan gum, annatto (color), disodium sodium acid pyrophosphate
Though higher in fat than Ore-Ida's golden fries (8g total fat vs. 3.5g), the sweet potato fries do edge out the regular fries with a higher vitamin content, particularly in terms of vitamin A, calcium, and iron.

Nutrition facts:
{via}
SHARE:

Weekend Shenanigans: Northeast Road Trip

This past weekend D, Leroy, and I hit the open road. The ultimate goal of the trip was to visit four different forests, the farthest located in Maine, so that D could take tree cores and other plant samples for his research. The other goal was to explore the northeast, somewhere D has never had the chance to travel. Road trips were a common occurrence during my childhood, and many summer trips involved loading up the car to explore a new portion of the United States. I am quite sure these travels during my formative years are a definite explanation for my constant feelings of wanderlust!

The route -- all 1600+ miles of it

Our route took us from Philadelphia to New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and back. We passed by New York City and I could hear the skyline calling. I was quite tempted to have D take us through Katonah to visit Martha Stewart's estate as we passed by Bedford; but we had a schedule to keep.

Our first stop of the day was at Great Mountain Forest in Norfolk, Connecticut. While D went off to retrieve his samples, I stayed in the car and made use of my mobile broadband service and continued working. Working from the car wasn't that bad -- it's kind of cool that with just an a/c adapter to power my laptop and a USB mobile broadband connection, I can pretty much work wherever there's a cell phone signal. Gotta love technology!

Stop No. 1: Great Mountain Forest, Norfolk, Connecticut

Fern detail

The second (and last) stop of the day was at Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts. Research has been conducted at this forest since 1907, making it "one of the oldest and most intensively studied forests in North America."

Stop No. 2: Harvard Forest, Petersham, Massachusetts

The grounds of Harvard Forest include a museum that features 23 rather-detailed (and "internationally acclaimed"!) dioramas that provide information about how the forest has changed over the years.


On the first night we stayed at the dog-friendly Best Western White Mountain Resort in Franconia, New Hampshire. For his first road trip, Leroy did very well. I was a bit nervous as before this trip the farthest we'd gone with him was a day trip to the Poconos. Aside from a lone bark here and there, Leroy was a perfect gentleman at each of our accommodations. And though prior to this trip he'd only #1'd in our small backyard (and didn't go once during our trip to the Poconos), he quickly figured out that if he didn't go, he'd never go.

Following a good night's sleep, we headed back out on the road toward Bartlett, New Hampshire. We made a quick stop at the Mountain Bean in Twin Mountain to grab some treats -- coffee for D, a chai latte and (awesome) coffeecake muffin for me.

White Mountains scenic view

We made it to Barlett Experimental Forest, where D went off to collect samples, and I spent the time at work on my laptop. Quite fortuitously, everywhere we stopped, I had adequate mobile broadband service. Yea!

Stop No. 3: Bartlett Experimental Forest, Bartlett, New Hampshire

After collecting data, we headed back on the road toward Maine. On the way, we stopped off for lunch at Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery in North Conway, NH for lunch. Tasty food and quick service -- perfect for us.

Our final stop of the day (and last collection point for D) was at the Howland Research Forest, in Howland, Maine -- which also qualified as the most northern point on our route. Since my day of work was complete, I acted as field assistant by labeling bags and vials. (Tough stuff!)

Stop No. 4: Howland Research Forest, Howland, Maine

D hard at work procuring a tree core

Once D's collections were complete, we were back on the road and headed back south to Bath, Maine, our destination for the evening. On the way we drove through Orono, where we checked out the University of Maine campus and stopped for dinner at the Bear Brew Pub.

That evening we stayed at the pet-friendly Bath Holiday Inn. Interestingly, I stayed at this same hotel during a family vacation to the northeast in 1994. I have to say it didn't look all that familiar. After getting in a jog on one of the hotel's treadmills in the morning, we headed out for breakfast at Mae's Cafe and Bakery, a breakfast and lunch joint. The baked goods looked amazing, but somehow I managed to resist the temptation -- gotta have an excuse to go back, right?

After stuffing ourselves silly, we got back into the car and headed out to Brunswick to check out the campus of Bowdoin College. From there we drove down to Freeport, as a trip to Maine wouldn't be complete with stopping at the L.L. Bean flagship store.

Freeport, Maine -- Home of L.L. Bean

Sadly, no purchases to report. I couldn't even find anything at the outlet store. What a bummer! From Freeport, we headed to our next destination -- the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury, Vermont.

Waterbury, Maine -- Home of Ben & Jerry's

Tickets to the tour -- a childhood dream fulfilled : )

My first visit to the factory was during our family vacation in '94 -- unfortunately we only got as close as the gift shop, as my Dad didn't want to stay for the next tour (which I think may have involved an hour or so wait). Instead, we ended up taking a tour of the Rock of Ages granite quarry in Barre, Vermont. Which, okay, was kind of interesting -- but definitely lacked free ice cream samples at the tour's end.

Flavor graveyard

Jersey cows

After enjoying our free samples of Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream, D and I each got a scoop of ice cream, which we enjoyed while wandering over the grounds with Leroy. From Waterbury, we headed to Burlington, where we stopped for a quick bite at Church Street Tavern, before heading back on the road to Lake Placid, New York. If we had planned a bit better, we could have shaved some time off our trip by taking a ferry across Lake Champlain, but unfortunately by the time we were ready to leave town all ferry service had ended for the day. We actually did end up taking a ferry at one point, though, as the bridge we were meant to cross was under construction. After taking many curvy turns through the hills, we finally arrived at our destination for the evening around 12:30 a.m.

Our cute little cabin at Cobble Mountain Lodge in Lake Placid, New York

We stayed at a pet-friendly cabin at the Cobble Mountain Lodge, a quaint and (relatively) inexpensive accommodation in Lake Placid. After our late night, we gladly slept in, if only to delay our return to the Big City that much longer.

Delicious breakfast at Chair 6 Restaurant in Lake Placid

Once up and at 'em, we stopped for breakfast at Chair 6, a restaurant dedicated to using high quality organic ingredients. I think my extra-fluffy blueberry pancake may have been the best I've ever eaten -- perhaps particularly since it was served with Adirondack maple syrup. Yum. It appeared that several of the diners in the restaurant were in town prepping for next weekend's Ironman race, as many conversations seemed to be peppered with training talk.
Quick stretch break in Tupper Lake, New York

From Lake Placid we began our meandering drive down to Sharon Springs, the "major" destination of the day. I've discussed my love for the Beekman Boys before, and given our relatively close proximity while driving through upstate New York, D was nice enough to add a stop in Sharon Springs to our itinerary. On the way we checked out the Adirondacks scenery, opting to take the more scenic route.

D and Leroy check out the water

Once in Sharon Springs, I popped into the mercantile to check out their wares. I really wanted to purchase a small round of their Blaak Goat Cheese, but I didn't think the unrefrigerated four-hour ride back to Philly would be a very good idea.

A stop at the Beekman 1802 Mercantile in Sharon Springs, New York

Purchases made -- including a signed copy of Josh Kilmer-Purcell's Bucolic Plague
(albeit pre-signed; no actual Beekman Boys were present at the store)

The American Hotel in Sharon Springs

Drinks (prosecco) on the back porch of The American Hotel

Bag in hand, D and I stopped for a drink at The American Hotel. As it was a dog-friendly establishment, Leroy joined as we drank a glass of prosecco out on the back porch. (Leroy enjoyed a fresh bowl of cold water.) On the way out of town we drove past the Beekman Mansion, which I was surprised to discover was right by the roadside. On their show, it seems to be set back much further from the road. Regardless, it's still a lovely house.

The rest of the trip was rather uneventful. We attempted to eat dinner in Scranton, PA, but unfortunately no one seemed to be open on a Sunday evening. We ended up grabbing snacks at one of the rest stops on the Turnpike -- a definite signal that our mini-vacation was over.

All in all, a very fun trip, albeit way too short. I marked down several small towns I'd love to visit again. D and I are already thinking about planning a trip for the fall or early winter back up to the Adirondacks area. The whole area is quite beautiful and has a number of small towns that are just begging to be explored further.
SHARE:

[Ingredient Spotlight: CSA Box #10]


Clearly, I never got around to writing another post last night -- sorry about that! I decided it'd probably be a better idea to use my mobile broadband allotment for work purposes and not for blogging. : ) Hopefully I can make up for it with an extended post on Monday. Since we headed out of town early yesterday morning, we missed our pick-up for this week's Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative CSA half-share veggie box, and wow, did it look like a good one. Luckily, whatever boxes aren't picked up by the cut-off time are donated, so at least someone is enjoying the bounty of the harvest!

Here's what we missed this week:

1 Bag Green Beans - Healthy Harvest Organics
1 Bunch Bulls Blood Beets - Echo Valley Organics
1 Bag Red Gold Potatoes - Millwood Springs Organics
1 Bunch Fresh Yellow Onions - Crystal Springs Organics
3 Ears Sweet Corn - White Swan Acres
1 Bunch Orange Carrots OR 1 Eggplant - Windy Hollow Organics or King's Produce
1 Head Green Cabbage - Echo Valley Organics

SHARE:

On the Road

{via}

I'm workin' from the road today (yea, mobile broadband!) -- I'll be back later with a more substantial post.
SHARE:

What I'm Reading: Special Interest Magazines, Part One

It's currently 80+ degrees in our apartment, and having learned my lesson on Monday night, last night I let the oven be and we headed out for dinner. Thus, no new recipes to report today. So let's instead continue our exploration of the many magazines that are stuffed into my mailbox on a monthly basis. Since the majority of the magazines I read fit into the "special-interest" category, I'll split them into two posts.


First up, in the women's magazine category, Glamour. I first started subscribing to this magazine a couple of years ago when they had a ridiculous $1.50-for-a-year subscription special. I of course couldn't resist, and even though the subscription price has risen back to its normal price since then, I am still a subscriber. Interestingly, even though I would consider this to be a "teen" magazine, the median reader age is 35. Guess that means I've got a couple more years as a reader before I really need to start feeling embarrassed about this magazine's presence in my mailbox. This magazine covers the standard women's fare -- fashion, women's health, beauty, celebrity interviews, plus at least one more serious article per issue.


From Glamour to National Geographic -- yeah, that's a bit of a 180! Though this yellow-bordered magazine was a common sight on our coffee table during my childhood, I didn't start subscribing to this magazine until my friends bought me a year's subscription when I was in grad school. Nowadays the magazine arrives in my mailbox courtesy of my parents. I've always enjoyed this magazine for its thorough articles and breathtaking photographs -- growing up, I thought it would be cool to someday be a photographer for the magazine. Though I don't think that's quite in the cards, I still find the photographers' lives intriguing, and have attended several lectures given by current National Geographic photographers as part of the National Geographic Live lecture series.


Technically, this is D's magazine, as I gave him a subscription to Urban Farm for his birthday, but I like to page through it as well. As residents of Wyoming, we received Hobby Farms magazine, but now that we live in the Big City, that title just didn't seem quite so practical (not that we were by any means farmers while living in WY). Urban Farm covers topics such as raising and caring for urban livestock (we'd love to have a flock of laying hens some day), sustainable living, and gardening (so far we've harvested string beans, several Roma tomatoes, and one pickling cucumber from our backyard container garden).
SHARE:

What's For Dinner: Portobello Burgers


Our air conditioner has been broken since last Thursday, and after the repair guy came over to check it out on Saturday, it was determined to be officially kaput. (Just in time for a delightful heat wave here in Philly!) Today we heard it won't get replaced until Thursday. Despite the heat in the house, I still opted to cook dinner using the oven -- let's just say I think we'll be eating out for the rest of the week! However, even though it made the house ridiculously hot, the resulting delicious burgers made all the sweating worthwhile.

Portobello Burgers (printer-friendly version)
makes 2 burgers

2 Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed and wiped lightly with a paper towel
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
1/4 t garlic pepper
1/2 t dried rosemary
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

1 Roma tomato, sliced
4-5 leaves of fresh basil, cut into thin strips
4 thin slices of mozzarella cheese, cut into 1" pieces

1. Move an oven rack to the top position in your oven.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic pepper, and dried rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Place the portobello mushrooms in a shallow baking dish.
4. Pour the balsamic mixture over the mushrooms. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes. Flip the mushrooms a few times while they marinate to make sure they are evenly coated.
5. Turn the oven on to broil.
6. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
7. Place the mushroom caps on the foil, cap-side up.
8. Brush with additional marinade.
9. Broil for 10 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and place the mozzarella evenly atop each mushroom cap.
11. Broil for an additional 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
12. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Serve alone or on a bun. Additionally, I dressed our burgers with fresh basil and tomato.
SHARE:

What I'm Reading: Lifestyle/Travel Magazines

Last Thursday I showed you the fitness magazines that I subscribe to, so today, as promised, I'll tell you about the lifestyle/travel magazines that I read. This category is an amalgam of genres -- I think I've taken a little bit of a liberty with the term "lifestyle" -- but I think for the most part the tag fits.


First up, Real Simple. I think my subscription to this magazine started while I was in grad school during the early 2000s. Aside from a brief hiatus a few years ago, I'm back to receiving it every month, courtesy of a gift from my mom (thanks, Mom!). The magazine is a bit more expensive than other magazines I subscribe to ($24/year as opposed to $10-$12/year for most of my other subscriptions), but I think the content is worth the money. At its heart, the magazine is about organization and making life easier, but without sacrificing quality or style. Apparently, the magazine is geared toward a reader like me -- 60% of their readers are in the 18-49 age category, the majority of their readers are college-educated (88%), married (68%), and work full-time (57%). The articles tend to be about home organization, timeless style, and easy meal ideas. Though some of the articles are definitely geared to those with children (though only 41% of readers report having kids), I've found the majority of the content to be useful, and I've definitely cut out a number of recipes from the magazine's pages and added them to my binder.


I can thank my Mom for my subscription to Sunset magazine as well. I love, love, love this magazine. In part, I think it's a bit of nostalgia for my childhood, as even though I grew up as a landlocked Midwesterner, this magazine arrived in our mailbox every month. I think what intrigued me most about this magazine as a kid were all the ads in the back of the book for schools and camps for "troubled children." Apparently time spent in the woods in nowheresville Idaho is all that's needed to cure your child of their teenage resentment and angst!

Sunset publishes five region-specific editions, including versions for the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain, Southwest, Northern California, and Southern California regions. While living in Wyoming, I received the Rocky Mountain edition, which provides specific information (such as monthly growing conditions and local weekend getaway ideas) for Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. The magazine also features content on outdoor living spaces, seasonal eating and recipes, and travel. I really wish there was an East Coast version of this magazine! But I think a lot about what I love about this magazine has to do with its "Living in the West" identify and ethos. I would love to write for this magazine someday.


Finally, because I don't really have anywhere else to categorize this last magazine, I've decided to tack it on to the lifestyle category. Because really, choosing to make travel a priority is really a lifestyle decision when you really think about it -- should I buy this pair of shoes or go out to eat at that restaurant, or should I save the money and add it to our travel account? I love to travel -- but let's face it, our income doesn't really afford us the luxury of jetting off to this or that destination on a whim. Hence a subscription to Budget Travel, which offers money-saving ideas on where to go, where to stay and eat, and what to do while there, all without going into debt. This is definitely another magazine I'd love to write for some day. Hmm -- which reminds me, I really need to write an account of our trip to Nepal last December!

So, that's it for the lifestyle/travel magazines to which I subscribe. Later this week, I'll do a round-up of the special interest magazines that I read.
SHARE:

Ingredient Spotlight: CSA Box #9


This week's box from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative included:

1 Bulb Fennel - Autumn Blend Organics
1 Bunch Fresh White Onions - Crystal Springs Organics
1 Bag Haricot Verts (French Green Beans) - Liberty Acres
2 Green Zucchini - Railroad Organics
1 Bunch Green Chard - Maple Lawn Organics
1 Package Portobello Mushroom Caps - Mother Earth Organics
1 Head Broccoli - Farmdale Organics
1 Bunch Chioggia (Candy Stripe) Beets - Millwood Springs Organics

The new-to-me ingredient this week is fennel bulb. I hear its licorice-like flavor is something you either like or don't like -- sort of similar to how most people either love or hate cilantro. (I'm firmly in the "love" camp with that one.) Here are a few fennel recipes I've got my eye on to try out this week:

SHARE:

What I'm Reading: Magazines, and Lots of 'Em

Given that I'm an editor, it should come as no surprise that I'm a big fan of the printed word. In addition to making good use of my Philadelphia Free Library card, I also am an avid subscriber to several magazines. In fact, given the number of magazines to which I currently subscribe, I think there's a good chance that I'm solely responsible for keeping the magazine industry afloat.

Though I am kind of tempted to purchase an iPad as a means to read my magazines without singlehandedly downing forests left and right, there's something about the tactile pleasure of flipping through the print magazine, tearing out pages, and folding page corners, that you just don't get from an electronic device. I suppose that's also why I haven't gotten into Kindles, Nooks, or other e-readers. (Although I can see how useful these devices would be for travel--sometimes it's hard to choose just one beach read or find room for that 500-page novel in my luggage!)

As a break from posting recipes, I thought I'd share with you some of the magazines that currently grace my mailbox on a monthly basis (and clutter up the house, according to D--which is a fact I suppose I can't deny!).

First up -- fitness magazines.


I first became a subscriber to Runner's World in 2005 after training for and running a half-marathon and starting a training program for the Chicago Marathon. I found the magazine's running tips, Q and As, gear recommendations, and general interest stories useful, engaging, and often times inspirational. I let my subscription lapse sometime in 2008 after taking a "sabbatical" from running following my less-than-stellar performance at the hot, humid, (and eventually cancelled) 2007 Chicago Marathon. As I've picked up running again this year since our move back to sea level, I've found myself craving more information about running, including technique and nutrition advice. The magazine had a special subscription rate for Twitter followers a month or so ago, so I re-upped. So far, I'm glad I re-subscribed. Several new columnists have been added since I last read the magazine, including one by Peter Sagal of NPR's Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me fame.



I don't remember exactly why I started to subscribe to Women's Health. I must have received a subscription deal that I just couldn't refuse. Things I like most about this magazine are the fitness tips, workout ideas, and healthy recipes. Some of the content is a bit Cosmo-esque, including the requisite sex tips and "5 Ways to Do This" or "10 Tips to Do That" type articles, but the more hard-hitting articles definitely make up for the lighter material.



Self is definitely the "fluffiest" of the fitness magazines to which I subscribe. It's a bit more celebrity/fashion-centric than Runner's World or Women's Health. Each issue of Self often has tear-out fitness and recipe cards. I've found that the fitness cards are quite handy to use as inspiration for workouts while traveling or as something different to do at home when I don't feel like going for a run or heading to the gym.

Three magazines down, only six more to go! Coming up next week: lifestyle/travel magazines.
SHARE:

What's On The Side: Dad's Famous Potato Salad



Growing up, my favorite dinners during the summertime involved burgers cooked on the grill, lightly buttered corn on the cob, fresh fruit salad, and a big ol' serving of my Dad's potato salad. For our Fourth of July "picnic" dinner, I knew one thing we would have to have was that potato salad. Luckily, it's one of the recipes in the cookbook full of recipes from friends and family my Mom put together as a wedding gift for D and me. I adapted the recipe slightly by throwing caution to the wind and leaving the potatoes unpeeled, but the result was just as a I remembered it. There's just something about food from your childhood that just makes it taste even that much better.


Dad's Famous Potato Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes about 8-10 servings

1-2 lbs red potatoes, washed
2 farmers' market eggs, hardboiled
1/4 cup sweet pickles, chopped
1/2 cup (vegan) lowfat mayonnaise (I used Trader Joe's brand)
1 tablespoon organic yellow mustard
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Add the red potatoes to a large pot and fill the pot with cold water.
2. Heat the pot over medium-high heat until the water begins to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Remove the potatoes from the water and let cool. Chill the cooked potatoes in the fridge until cold to the touch.
4. Once cooled, chop the potatoes into cubes.
5. Place the chopped potatoes in a large bowl. Chop the hardboiled eggs and add them to the bowl as well.
6. Stir in the chopped pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper.
7. Once the ingredients are completely mixed together, cover the bowl and place in the fridge. Chill for at least a half hour before serving.



SHARE:
© A Less Processed Life. All rights reserved.
BLOGGER TEMPLATE MADE BY pipdig