What's On My Mind

1. I cannot wait for fall. Literally Can. Not. Wait. I'm looking forward to pulling out my long sleeves and long pants, puffy vests, boots, and other fall-weather fashion. While my trip to Florida was grand, I am not much of a hot-weather kind of girl. Give me temps in the upper 50s, and I'm happy as a clam.

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2. I think I won't start getting into cooking mode again until the weekend. Just before my trip, I bought the donut baking pan I was lusting over after seeing some great-looking baked donuts on a few other blogs, and I have a feeling the pan is going to get a workout in the upcoming weeks. I think my first batches may include a round or two of pumpkin donuts and apple cider donuts. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

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3. Tonight is the last Center City Sips event for the summer. D and I have enjoyed hitting up various bars and restaurants around Center City to take advantage of their Wednesday night drink and appetizer specials. Among my favorites were the sangria and hummus at Marathon Grill and the sangria and wine specials at Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro. 

What I'm Enjoying: The HLS Swag Bag

One of the bonuses of attending a conference is the vaunted Swag Bag. The Healthy Living Summit swag bag did not disappoint, and I managed to pack several of the goodies in my bag for my trip to the beach. Among the treats I've enjoyed thus far include a bag of trail mix from Oh! Nuts, several Clif Bars, a vegan chocolate chocolate chip NuGo Dark bar, and an Odwalla dark chocolate chip walnut bar. Clearly, I haven't made much of a dent in the large haul of (mostly) healthy treats, but I am definitely enjoying working my way through them all. (And it's been fun trying new products that were previously not on my radar.)

Where I'm At: Still on Vacation

 

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My Florida vacation has been extended an extra two days courtesy of Hurricane Irene. After two of my friend's flights were canceled on Friday (one was flying into D.C., the other into Baltimore), I knew the bell would soon toll for me and my flight into Philadelphia. I finally got notified that the Atlanta to Philly portion of my itinerary was canceled Saturday morning at 1:23a via email. Though I initially thought I might still be able to take the Pensacola to Atlanta flight and spend a few days with my brother before continuing on to Philadelphia, apparently breaking up itineraries in such a way is a no-go. And the earliest flight I could get out of Pensacola to Philly was Tuesday morning, flying via Memphis. Sunday was spent saying goodbye to my friends who were lucky enough to live in landlocked Midwestern locations, whose flights went off without a hitch. One of my D.C.-bound friends actually cut her trip short since she had to be back in D.C. for a big meeting this morning; I'm pretty sure she was on the last flight that got into D.C. before all flights were grounded. So that left two of us, and yesterday, after picking up a rental car and then ferrying another friend to the airport, we headed to Pensacola proper, where we hit up the local Barnes & Noble and then the movie theatre for a showing of "Our Idiot Brother,"  before returning one last time to Pensacola Beach and the hotel we had booked for the night.

This morning, after I hit up the hotel's fitness room for a much-needed workout (why, oh why did I consume so many brownies and chips during our vacation? Um, yeah, because they tasted sooo good), we packed up and headed to one of the ubiquitous Pensacola Starbucks for breakfast. Soon after, I dropped my friend off at the airport, and that just left me stuck at the beach. First stop? A local nail salon for a much-needed mani/pedi. Second stop? The Cordova Mall, which has a World Market. I really miss World Market; if I weren't planning to carry my bag onto the plane, I would totally have bought a ton of foodstuffs and some bottles of wine. They had Skinnygirl Sangria, which I've kind of been dying to try. But seeing as it would probably be a bad idea to drink a whole $14 bottle by myself, I resisted the urge to buy a bottle. (Although, I suppose that would have made for an interesting way to spend the evening!)

After getting my shop on, I hit up lunch at Panera (another restaurant that Philly lacks), and now I'm in my third hotel of the trip -- this time one near the airport. I think I may put some jeans on (even though it's 95+ degrees out) and head on over to catch a matinee at the movie theater. Though this vacation extension was unplanned, it's been kind of nice to completely unwind before heading back home and back into the "office," though I definitely miss hanging out with D and Leroy. Wednesday is going to be a rude awakening, for sure. Thank goodness for the upcoming three-day weekend!

Ingredient Spotlight: CSA Box #16

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

1 Head Red Romaine Lettuce - Healthy Harvest Organics

2 Eggplant - Soaring Eagle Acres

2 Delicata Squash - Green Valley Organics

2 Red Bell Peppers - Eagle View Acres

1 Bunch Spearmint - Noble Herbs

1 Bag Portobello Mushroom Caps - Mother Earth Organics

1 Bag Red Onions - White Swan Acres

1 Head Bok Choy - Scarecrow Hill Organics

1 Bag Roma, Red Slicing, or Strawberry Tomatoes - Millwood Springs Organics

D was kind enough to both pick up our box of veggies and photograph the contents while I'm out of town. Speaking of which, the beach is fabulous -- I've been enjoying sitting on the beach in the shade, catching up on all my reading and chatting with my friends. Nothing beats much-need girltime. Hope all is well with those facing the onslaught of Hurricane Irene -- it looks like there's a good chance I'll be extending my vacation for a few days in Atlanta, given that flights into Philadelphia Sunday night will likely be canceled. But, until then, all I can do is enjoy time with my friends and our never-ending cocktail hour. My kind of vacation!

Where I'm Going: On Vacation!

I'm typing this post from the airport in Philadelphia where I'm awaiting the boarding of my flight. I'm headed to Florida to meet up with some of my favorite girls and plan to spend the rest of the week gossiping, relaxing, sunning on the beach (well, more like beiging as I will be sporting at least SPF 45), and getting in some much-needed girl time. Posting will likely be light through the end of the week; I'm hoping I will return refreshed, relaxed, and ready to breathe new life into this blog upon my return.

What's For Dinner: Ratatouille Toasts

Since I had a big ol' eggplant sitting forlornly in the crisper just waiting to be used up, I decided to try my hand at making ratatouille. I think I should actually call this "ratatouille," as I'm pretty sure there's a particular technique you follow to make an authentic ratatouille, and my version is also missing zucchini, which would otherwise be a key ingredient. Regardless, this savory tomato-flavored melange of summer vegetables served as a hearty topping for fresh baguette slices, and made for a pretty easy meal for a weekday night.

Ratatouille Toasts (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 toasts (or alternately four hearty bowlfuls)

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 organic white onion, chopped
1 organic green pepper, chopped
1 organic eggplant, chopped
1 cup organic veggie broth
1 small can organic tomato paste
2 organic Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup organic cherry tomatoes, halved
fresh organic curly-leafed parsley
1 fresh baguette, sliced into small rounds

1. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and green pepper to the skillet. Cook until softened, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Add in the chopped eggplant.
4. Stir in the veggie broth.
5. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the cover and stir in the tomato paste. Add in the chopped and halved tomatoes.
7. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Top each bread round with a generous spoonful of ratatouille. Garnish with fresh parsley.
9. Alternately, spoon the ratatouille into a large bowl and serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Weekend Shenanigans: Healthy Living Summit

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On Saturday, I finally broke my 28-day streak of working out at Sweat Fitness (and using up my 30-day membership Groupon). But it was for a good cause -- I had the Healthy Living Summit (HLS) to attend. Lucky for me, this year's conference was held right here in Philly (making my decision to attend a no-brainer). The conference brought together more than 200 bloggers, all interested in the same thing -- achieving a balanced lifestyle.

The event began Friday night with a cocktail hour at one of my favorite places in the city, Reading Terminal Market. A wide-array of passed and plated hors d'oeuvres were served, along with several different libations, including a vodka-based drink made from Drink Chia!, one of the event sponsors. Though I was a bit apprehensive of attending the party given that I didn't know a soul there, luckily my fears were unfounded and I chatted with several great bloggers.

The meat (is there a veggie-friendly metaphor?) of the event came on Saturday, which started bright and early at 8 a.m. I got up a bit earlier in order to take Leroy for a walk and get him fed and re-crated before I had to peace out for the bulk of the day. Following a breakfast sponsored by Attune Foods, which featured a variety of cereals and fresh fruits, the first of several morning sessions began. All of the sessions I attended were worthwhile, and hopefully you will notice some positive changes for the better on my blog in the days, weeks, and months to come!

Following our lunch hour, which featured breads and vegetarian (yea!) sandwiches from Great Harvest Bread Company of Wayne and Ardmore, PA, it was time for the keynote presentation. The event's keynote speaker was Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietician based in Chicago, and author of The Flexitarian Diet. She gave an excellent presentation on R.A.W. Blogging (Realistic & Achievable Wellness), although I actually enjoyed her morning presentation on "action mantras" even better (more info on that later this week). The keynote presentation was followed by another round of sessions, and the day's events drew to a close around 5p. Though many bloggers made evening plans to head out for dinner and drinks, I instead headed home to free Leroy from his crate and let him get out some of his pent-up energy on a long walk. I felt too guilty to put him back into his crate, so I opted to stay in for the rest of the evening.

Sunday was another early start -- after feeding Leroy, he went back into his crate, and I headed out to meet up with my fellow bloggers for a 5k run/walk sponsored by Together Counts. I opted to run to the Marriott (where the conference was being held), and arrived a sweaty mess, given the morning's high humidity. Since we were such a large group, the run turned into more of a walk, and we walked to several famous Philly spots, including Love Park and the Rocky steps at the Art Museum (which, even after living in the city for eight months, I have to admit this is the first time I completed a Rocky-style run up the steps!).

While half of the group opted to run back to the hotel, since I had plans to workout after breakfast anyway, and I was in the midst of a good conversation, I opted to walk back. Upon our return to the hotel we headed straight to brunch, sponsored by Quaker Oats, which featured fresh fruit, Oikos Greek yogurt, Quaker Oat Squares, and Quaker Oatmeal. After eating our fill of breakfast, we said our goodbyes, with promises of keeping in touch with one another. I definitely have a long list of new blogs to check out and and Twitter feeds to follow!

All in all, I think the weekend was a success. Not knowing anyone was daunting at first, but given that we all had a common interest in health and wellness, it was pretty easy to start up conversations with fellow attendees. It was also interesting being in the same room with several blogging superstars from the healthy living community -- some attendees were definitely starstruck; but everyone was just as friendly and outgoing as their blog personalities suggest.

I'm definitely looking forward to attending the conference again next year; apparently there's already a group campaigning for Washington, D.C. as the next location. Seeing as D.C. is just a MegaBus ride away, I definitely could get behind that choice! 

Ingredient Spotlight: CSA Box #15

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

1 Head Red Romaine Lettuce - Healthy Harvest Organics
6 Ears Sweet Corn - Farmdale Organics
2 Heads Garlic - Sunny Crest Organics
1 White Eggplant - Maple Valley Organics
1 Bag Roma Tomatoes - Millwood Springs Organics
1 Bunch Curly Parsley - Noble Herbs
1 Bag Red Beets - Farmdale Organics

It looks like I may have to take another stab at making tomato sauce this week! And, given I still have last week's eggplant, I may have to try to make some ratatouille as well.

I've got big plans this weekend -- I'm attending the Healthy Living Summit, which is conveniently being held in Philadelphia this year. I'm looking forward to meeting local (and not-so-local) bloggers and gleaning information from some of the healthy living blogging superstars!

What's For Dinner: Personal Margherita Pizza

Last night, following a spinning workout at Body Cycle Studio (my last ride with my LivingSocial deal, sigh!), I was absolutely starving. I made a detour to the grocery store on the way home, and since I had no time/interest in waiting for dough to rise, I went ahead and purchased a pre-made pizza crust with a reasonable ingredient list. Once home, I set my oven to 450 degrees, brushed the crust with olive oil, and topped the crust with homemade tomato-basil sauce, sliced roma tomatoes, and slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. After the pizza baked for around 8 minutes, I took it out of the oven to cool, and topped it with some freshly chopped basil from our garden. The resulting pizza was just what I need to satiate my post-workout hunger.

What's For Breakfast: Post-Workout Indulgence

This morning, after another TRX/Vibe workout (and subsequent sweatfest) at Versa Fit Studio, I headed down Walnut a couple of blocks to Le Pain Quotidien to pick up a blueberry muffin for my breakfast. I'm a big fan of muffins, although since they tend to be calorie bombs, getting one is a bit of a treat, and not an everyday occurrence. Seeing as I had just lost enough sweat for two people, I felt the indulgence was worth it. While walking back home, I also popped in to Starbucks to pick up my standard grande nonfat chai latte. Perhaps not the most nutritionally-balanced breakfast, but a tasty one nonetheless.

What I'm Lusting Over: Kitchen Gear

Though I have a fairly well-stocked kitchen, every so often I start to lust over kitchen gadgets and gear that would just make my life easier (or my blog photos prettier). Here's what's on my current lust list:

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I have a growing stockpile of Yukon gold potatoes in our cupboard from our CSA, and I really want to try to make gnocchi from scratch. However, apparently in order to make gnocchi with the perfect texture, I need to invest in a ricer. I may have to make this purchase sooner rather than later.

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Though I have a juicer kind of like this one, and I'd really love to have one of these, I think in the meantime I'd like a juicer similar to the one pictured above. For some reason it seems like it would be more efficient and easier to clean than the one I currently own. Plus, it's such a cheery shade of yellow!

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Though I really love my glass Pyrex baking dishes, I'm kind of lusting over a "pretty" baking dish, such as the Le Creuset one pictured above. My glass dish just doesn't photograph that well (particularly since it seems to have developed some crusties over time that just don't want to wash away), and I've seen so many lovely images of colorful ceramic dishes on other blogger's sites. (One of the hazards of blogging about food is the need to have interesting dishes and baking/cooking gear to make the photos pop!)

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I definitely don't drink as much water as I should. But I do really love sparkling water (um, particularly as an ingredient in cocktails, but whatever...). All I need is one of these SodaStream machines, and I could have an endless supply of carbonated water (plus the ability to make my own sodas, if I so desired). Just think how hydrated I would be! D already complains about the amount of kitchen gadgets we own and our lack of storage space, so this purchase may have to wait for awhile. But one of these days, it shall be mine!  

What's For Dessert: Peach-Raspberry Crumble

On my way home from the gym on Saturday morning, I walked through the Rittenhouse Square farmers market, and just couldn't leave empty handed. In addition to a gorgeous bouquet of zinnias I purchased from the friendly Amish concessionaires at Triple Tree Farms, I also picked up a quart of yellow peaches and "the freshest raspberries you'll ever purchase!" from Frecon Farms. I knew instantly what I would do with these two ingredients -- bake a peach-raspberry crumble. I really need to remember to buy more stone fruits when they are in season -- the peaches were delicious! And made even more delectable when baked up with raspberries in a yummy ice cream topped crumble.

Peach-Raspberry Crumble (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

5 medium-sized ripe peaches
1 C fresh raspberries
1/2 C organic whole-wheat flour
1/4 C granulated sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C old fashioned oats
1/4 C unsweetened organic coconut flakes
1/4 C sliced almonds
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground allspice
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
3. Slice the peaches and add to the bottom of a 8x8 square baking dish. Gently stir in the raspberries. Set aside.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, use a fork to stir together the whole-wheat flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oats, coconut flakes, sliced almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
5. Add in the cubed butter and use a knife, pastry blender, or your hands to incorporate the butter into the topping mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbles.
6. Toss a handful of the topping mixture into the fruit mixture. Gently stir to combine.
7. Use a spoon to evenly top the fruit with the crumbles.
8. Put the baking dish on the prepped baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
9. Once out of the oven, let it cool for a few minutes.
10. Serve warm with ice cream.
11. Any leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the fridge; reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.

(adapted from this Joy the Baker recipe)

Exercise: Feel the Burn

One of the benefits of my rampant fitness-related GroupOn/LivingSocial purchases earlier this year is that I am getting the chance to try out workouts that I would otherwise never have experienced. Case in point, this week's TRX/Vibe class at Versa Fit Studio. A what kind of class? Yeah, exactly. Here's the official description:

TRX/Vibe A fun, intense workout combines two of the newest fitness crazes. You will use the force of gravity combined with your own body weight to devolop strength, flexibility, balance and joint stability. You will also decrease cellulite by increasing circulation and improve your range of motion in this half hour workout.

The class description intrigued me, and I really had no idea what I was in for. Let's just say that now, at two days after the 45-minute class, I am still feeling the burn. For the first part of the class, we warmed up using the TRX gear.  

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TRX training was developed by a U.S. Navy Seal, and can be used to create a very intense workout. Basically, the system consists of webbing straps with handles that are firmly anchored to the ceiling (though with home systems you could use a door frame or similar to anchor the straps). Using the straps and your own body weight, the TRX system is used to perform a variety of exercises, including bicep curls, shoulder raises, legwork, core work, and a variety of other exercises. (We ended the workout with our feet in the straps as in the image in the upper right-hand corner to do some core work. Yowzas!)

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Next up, the Power Plate. Now this is one interesting contraption. The Power Plate machine consists of a base that can vibrate at a variety of frequencies. According to the Power Plate folks, "Power Plate machines use the principles of Acceleration Training™ to stimulate the body’s natural response to vibration. These vibrations transmit waves of energy throughout the body, activating muscle contractions between 25 and 50 times per second, enhancing overall performance in sessions as short as 15 minutes a day, 3 times a week."

We performed a variety of exercises on the Power Plate, including lunges, squats, planks, pushups, and dips. The vibration totally adds an extra level of difficulty to each of the exercises -- and I could definitely feel my muscles working, particularly when we did some static holds (with free weights, no less!).

I've already signed up to take this class again, and I'm actually looking forward to the challenge of another class. I think if I kept at it, I would have legs and arms of steel in no time! 

Ingredient Spotlight: CSA Box #14

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

3 Jalapeno Peppers - Farmdale Organics

1 Head Red Romaine Lettuce - Healthy Harvest Organics

1 Small Head Red Butterhead Lettuce - Riverview Organics

1 Eggplant - Soaring Eagle Acres

1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes - White Swan Acres

1 Bunch Basil - Noble Herbs

1 Bag Yukon Gold Potatoes - Echo Valley Organics

2 Red Onions - Echo Valley Organics

Green Bell Peppers - Maple Arch Farm

Our default Thursday night meal has become ravioli and pasta sauce. After picking up our CSA veggies and a loaf of bread from Metropolitan Bakery, I head one block down to Rittenhouse Market (which for the most part is quite overpriced) and pick up a package of ravioli. Along with our pasta dinner I serve a side of bruschetta. Tonight's version (pictured above) featured chunks of mozzarella, fresh basil, halved cherry tomatoes, and a mixture of Garlic Gold and balsamic vinegar. Delish!

What's For Lunch: Fiesta del Sol Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

Last week's CSA box included six ears of corn. Now, I love fresh corn on the cob just as much as the next person, but this time I wanted to do something different to use up this delicious ingredient. So, the other day I tried my hand at making a fresh corn and black bean salad. The following recipe makes a ton, which would make it the perfect addition to a summertime picnic or potluck.

Fiesta del Sol Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad (printer-friendly version)

makes about 8 servings

3 ears organic corn

1 organic red pepper, chopped

1 organic red onion, chopped

1 18 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup organic grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or whole

juice from one lime

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1 avocado, cut into small chunks [optional]

1. To prep the corn, shuck the corn and cut each cob in half.

2. Place the ears in a large pot of boiling water, and boil for 3-5 minutes, or until the corn is tender.

3. Remove the corn from the water and let cool. (I let the ears cool in the fridge overnight.)

4. After the corn has cooled, use a sharp knife to carefully cut the kernels from each cob.

5. Place the kernels into a large serving bowl.

6. Stir in the chopped red pepper, red onion, and black beans.

7. Add in the tomatoes and stir to combine.

8. Stir in the lime juice and white wine vinegar.

9. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

10. Place in the fridge and let chill for at least half an hour. Give it a stir before serving.

11. If you want to take it up one more notch, top with chunks of avocado just before serving.

12. Serve the corn and black bean salad by itself or over a bed of quinoa.

On The Side: Crostini

One of the benefits of my weekly CSA box pick-up is that it is located at Metropolitan Bakery -- nearly every week I've come home with a French baguette or sourdough boule in addition to my big bagful of organic veggies.

Sometimes I find it hard to finish the entire baguette before it gets rock hard. Recently I tried this technique to refresh the loaf of bread, and I'm pleased to report that it totally works! After softening the baguette, I sliced it into small rounds, and topped each slice with a generous smear of goat cheese and some halved cherry tomatoes. Super simple and completely delicious.

As a bonus, here's another delicious option -- mash up some avocado, and spread it over slices of bread (this also works with plain old toast) -- eat plain or top with goat cheese. Super tasty, especially if you love avocado as much as I do.

Made From Scratch: Tomato-Basil Sauce

Since we were being overrun by tomatoes, I opted to make up a batch of tomato sauce over the weekend. Initially, the plan was to can a jar, but when all was said and done, I only had about half a quart of sauce. Since we didn't have any pint jars, I just jarred it up to store in the fridge, and skipped the canning process all together. This ended up not being a bad thing, as it meant I could try out the sauce sooner rather than later. Quirky fun fact? If it's up to me, I prefer to serve my spaghetti sauce cold over the hot pasta. Weird, I know.

Tomato-Basil Sauce (printer-friendly version)

makes about 2 cups

6-7 organic tomatoes (I used a combination of roma and beefsteak tomatoes)

1/2 T olive oil

1 organic yellow onion, chopped

1/2 organic red pepper, chopped

4 cloves organic garlic, minced

juice from one lemon

1/4 C red wine (I used zinfandel)

2 T fresh organic basil, chopped fine

1/4 t black pepper

1 t dried oregano

salt to taste

1. Add the olive oil to a medium-sized saucepot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and red pepper and saute until softened, about 5-10 minutes.

2. Make an ice water bath in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the tomatoes, 2-3 at a time. Allow to boil for about 45-60 seconds, then remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and plunge immediately into the ice water bath.

4. Peel the skins off the tomatoes and squeeze each of the tomatoes to remove excess moisture and remove the seeds. Place the prepped tomatoes into the bottom of a large stockpot.

5. Heat the stockpot over medium heat.

6. Add the cooked onions and red peppers to the tomato base and stir to combine.

7. Stir in the minced garlic, red wine, lemon juice, chopped basil, oregano, and black pepper.

8. Lower the heat to allow the sauce to simmer.

9. Continue to cook the sauce until it has thickened. I allowed it to simmer for about an hour and a half; if you like a thinner sauce, you needn't cook it for such a long time. I prefer a chunky sauce, so I just used a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes; if you like it less chunky, use an immersion blender to bring the sauce to the thickness you desire.

10. Use immediately, or store in the fridge in a closed container for up to a week.

Friday Five

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1. I cannot get enough of Turkey Hill Vanilla Bean "Philadelphia-Style" ice cream. (Which is probably not the best thing, given my desire to get "bikini-ready" for my trip to the beach in a few weeks, but I digress.) This ice cream is delicious -- and perhaps one of the best vanilla bean ice creams I've ever tasted? And the ingredient list reads like my other favorite, Häagen-Dazs five: cream, nonfat milk, sugar, vanilla, and vanilla bean. But, the best thing (aside from the flavor, obvs) is that it only costs $3.99 for 1.5 quarts at the local SuperFresh; while it costs more than that for a pint of Häagen-Dazs. You've gotta love that. I initially bought this brand because it was so cheap compared to all the others. Admittedly, I wasn't that convinced it would taste that great, given that the only other Turkey Hill product I'd ever heard of was its jug o' iced tea that typically seems to be on sale at gas stations. I was happy that my lack of confidence was unwarranted, and since an initial purchase, I've bought the brand (always vanilla bean) a couple times since.

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2. I've been on a major workout groove for two weeks now. I started a 30-day membership to Sweat Fitness on July 24 and have gone there every day since. (Gotta make the most of my GroupOn!) I don't think I've ever gone to the gym so consistently in my life. Thus far I've taken one spinning class, but I've also got my eye on a Power Pump class . . . and dare I try Zumba? I fear I may be a bit too uncoordinated, but I might just have to give it a whirl regardless. As to my other group deals that all expire soon, I took my second intro mat class at Urbanfront Pilates this week and have scheduled my first XTend Barre class for next week. I took a Versa Shape class at Versa Fit Studio yesterday and have scheduled my first spinning class at Body Cycle Studio for Sunday morning. If this schedule doesn't get me into shape, I don't know what will! Though it would obviously have been a better idea to spread out all these workouts, rather than cramming them all in at the last minute as the deals reach their expiration dates, I am really loving all the variety. Often I get into a rut with my workouts, either sticking to the same Cathe Friedrich videos are going on the same run, so it's nice to change things up.

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3. I picked up a copy of The Hunger Games at the library the other day. I figured I might as well read it, given how much hype the series has received (and it's being made into a movie; ooh!). However, given how much people raved about the Twilight series, and how much I absolutely hated it (really, sparkly vampires and some chick that pretty much only likes a dude because he's really hot?!, uh, no thanks.) But, I suppose I shall reserve my judgment until after I actually read the book and/or series. On the plus side, I've heard it's a quick read, so at least it's got that going for it.

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4. I am so ready for summer to be over. Heat and humidity? No thanks. I'm ready for sweaters, boots, layers, and lots of long sleeves. I decided to start the season about a month-and-a-half early by cracking into my jar of Kaufman's Pumpkin Butter, which I bought at Reading Terminal Market earlier this summer. Pumpkin butter on toast? Feels like Autumn to me!

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5. I think we'll be doing a bit of canning this weekend. On the menu: tomato sauce and pickles. We've got tomatoes coming out of our ears at this point, and we received some pickling cucumbers in our CSA box, which added to the ones D grew out back in our container garden, I think we now have enough for at least one jar. The only thing I've ever truly canned before was some strawberry jam; hopefully tomato sauce will be just as easy! Now, I just need to find the perfect tomato sauce recipe!

Ingredient Spotlight: CSA Box #13

It's a slow food day for me (as in, nothing exciting to report), so I thought I'd mix it up and show you what is in this week's CSA box one day early. (I know you've all been bursting with curiosity!)

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

6 Ears Bi-Color Sweet Corn - Organic Willow Acres

1 Bag Red Tomatoes - Green Valley Organics

1 Bag Cured Sweet Onions - Sweetaire Farm

1 Bag Green Okra - Orchard View Organics

1 Bag Red Potatoes - Green Valley Organics

1 Pint Red Grape Tomatoes - Millwood Springs Organics

1 Bag Pickling Cucumbers - Outback Farm

1 Bunch Fennel Leaf - Noble Herbs

Argh! More tomatoes! I think this weekend I am definitely going to go into tomato-sauce making (and potentially canning) mode. What with the small bounty from our container garden and the weekly onslaught of tomatoes in our CSA boxes, we've got tomatoes out the ying-yang! Time to use them up before the fruit flies really start taking over our apartment.

And, in case you too have a fruit fly problem, here's a great way to catch the little buggers. Add about an inch of cider vinegar to the bottom of a jar. Roll up a piece of paper into a funnel shape (make sure it has a narrow opening at the bottom end), use a piece of tape to hold the funnel shape in place, and insert the funnel into the jar. Once the flies are caught, kill 'em, or release 'em far, far away. (I'm hoping that they won't find their way back inside after being released in the backyard . . . I'm not holding my breath.)

What's For Lunch: Bagel Sandwich Piled High with CSA Veggies

It has been a while since I've had a good bagel sandwich. I was really excited when I heard Spread Bagelry was opening up nearby. Unfortunately, a fire just days after their opening in May led them to close down for quite some time. However, rumor has it that they are finally going to open back up later this week. Until then, I decided I ought to take the matter into my own hands and throw together a bagel sandwich of my own.

This morning at Whole Foods I picked up a veggie bagel made locally at South Street Philly Bagels, Inc. I toasted it, added a schmear of whipped cream cheese, and filled it with several slices of green/red peppers, tomatoes, and red onion, all from our CSA box. Fun fact: did you know that some green peppers are really just immature red peppers? I know that now after watching the green peppers I got in last week's CSA box turn into red peppers on my kitchen countertop!

The end result? A delicious and filling bagel sandwich -- just what I was going for.

What's On The Side: Homemade Pico de Gallo

We have a ton of tomatoes on hand at the moment -- and we need to eat them before they head over to the Dark Side. Since we decided that Mexican food would be on the menu for Monday night, I decided I'd try my hand at making some pico de gallo from scratch. I think the end result turned out well, though I completely forgot to pick up some fresh cilantro at the grocery store, and I think the fresh herb would've added a little something extra that the version pictured above lacked. Otherwise, not too shabby for my first try! Now, what to make with the rest of the tomatoes currently crowding the kitchen countertop?

Homemade Pico de Gallo (printer-friendly version)

makes about 2 cups

2 organic tomatoes, chopped

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 green/red pepper, chopped

1 serrano* pepper, seeds and ribs removed, and diced

1 clove garlic, diced

juice from one lime

1/4 - 1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine the prepared vegetables in a medium-sized bowl.

2. Add the freshly-squeezed lime juice and stir to combine.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve with chips or as a condiment with tacos, tortillas, or burritos.

*Note: I bought serrano peppers thinking they were less hot than jalapeños; apparently they are actually significantly hotter. So, if you'd like less heat, use a jalapeño or other milder pepper.

What I'm Drinking: Post-Workout Smoothie

In less than a month I'm meeting up with a group of girlfriends for a little beach vacay in Florida -- which means I've been amping up the workouts a little bit to get into "bikini-ready" shape. As luck would have it, back in January and February I became a bit of a GroupOn/LivingSocial junkie and bought several exercise-related deals. All of which seem to now be nearing their expiration dates -- so what better time to use them up? Thus far I've taken in a few yoga classes at Philly Power Yoga, an intro mat class at UrbanFront Pilates, and I've started a 30-day membership to Sweat Fitness. I still have to start my five-class pass at Body Cycle Studio (a spinning studio) and my ten-class pass at VersaFit Studio. Long story short, I don't think I'll get bored with my workout routine any time soon. And if going to all these different classes helps to tighten everything up, well, that's quite the bonus, too.

Meanwhile, in my book, nothing beats following up a hard workout with an ice-cold protein-rich smoothie. The inspiration for the following smoothie recipe is a "protein buster" smoothie I had on several occasions at Fuel -- but seeing as a smoothie is $4 a pop, I figured it'd probably be more economical to make my own version at home.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie (printer-friendly version)

makes one serving

3/4 C organic skim milk

1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder

1 banana, cut into slices

1/2 T organic peanut butter

8-10 ice cubes

1. Add the milk, protein powder, sliced banana, and peanut butter to a blender. Blend!

2. Drop in the ice cubes a couple at a time and blend after each addition. Continue adding ice cubes until the smoothie as at the desired thickness.

3. Pour into a cup and enjoy!