Cooking Challenge: Week 4 Review & Week 5 Recipes

I try not to keep all of the recipes I've tried- there are so many recipes to try that I figure it's really only worth keeping very good recipes. When I'm determining if a recipe is worth keeping, I look at a couple of factors:
* is it really good? (ok doesn't make the cut)
* was it worth the time and effort of cooking it?
* is it healthy enough that I can serve it without feeling like I need to warn people about an imminent heart attack?
* were any of the ingredients cost prohibitive?

Recipe 1: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup, from FiveHeartHome
This was both delicious and easy. Other than chopping and setting the crockpot there wasn't any work to do. I've never had potatoes in my split pea soup before, and they were very tasty. I will definitely make this again, but may add some onions and celery because I love those in soup. I'd highly recommend this for an easy, healthy dinner.

Recipe 2: Asian Style Veggie Rolls, from Cooking Light August 2010
If  you've never made spring rolls before, this recipe gives a good outline of the process. That said, I found the rolls themselves not very filling, and the dipping sauce too acidic. The rolls were better with some peanuts thrown in (shrimp would have been good too), and that improved the sauce as well, but I'd try a different recipe over this one unless you're really into lime juice.

Recipe 3: Roasted Cauliflower Soup, from Cooking Light January 2013
This was an ok soup- it wasn't bad, but it wasn't worth the work of preparing it. Between roasting the cauliflower, then simmering it with other ingredients, and blending it all, it was just too much effort for a middle of the road cream soup. The flavors were not outstanding enough to justify the effort.

Week 4 Recipes:

Recipe 1: Beef & Guiness Stew, from Cooking Light March 2010
Recipe 2: Polenta Bown with Garlicky Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Poached Egg, from The Kitchn
Recipe 3: Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce, from Cooking Light March 2009 

Wednesday Favorites: Cold Weather and House

Between the cold weather, and finally having some luck with decorating, I've got a bit of a split focus this week.

A fantastic pair of gloves. I bought a pair of Lands' End cashmere lined leather gloves on sale last spring, and they are fantastic. Warm, comfortable, and professional looking. If you have to bundle up this early in the year, you might as well have warm clothing options that you like.

Sherwin Williams paint. We've been searching for the perfect gray-ish purple for our bedroom wall for what feels like forever. We stopped into a Sherwin Williams store on a whim on Saturday and not only found our color, but could choose our finish, get it right away, and they keep our color information in their system in case we ever need to come back. Fantastic service, and a (soon to be) beautiful room!

Creative furniture shopping. We've been using an Ikea JokkMokk kitchen table for the last 6 years- has been a great surface for us, and we're the third household to use this particular table, so if you're looking for a sturdy Ikea bet, this is a good one. That said, we've finally started to outgrow it- it's just a little too small for more than 4 adults to eat at. We've been planning on replacing it with a variation of this DIY table, but came across the table legs above this weekend while out at an architectural salvage shop. If you haven't browsed one of these before, you should just for fun- it's amazing what you can get at these places. We bought two of these table bases to make a larger rectangular table- now we just need to decide what to use as a top...

Spinning: A Newbie's Perspective

I mentioned in this post that I was thinking about taking spinning classes to stay in shape this winter. I just started last week, and I have a few general thoughts:

This is a fantastic high-intensity workout BUT it's adjustable. I hadn't been to a spin class since college, and you really do work! A towel and water bottle are absolutely necessary, and I've left each class feeling the awesome fully exhausted tired you can get after a good run. The best part about this is that no one knows what resistance you've set, so if you're exhausted you can dial it back for a little while and give your body time to adjust.

Music really helps. This was my big memory from college, and it's totally true today. The instructors set the whole workout to music and it can really help you find a little extra energy when you're getting tired. It's worth finding an instructor who selects music you like too!

Spin shoes would be useful. I didn't want to invest until I'd tried a few classes, but it'd be really nice to clip into the pedals and have a little more support than my sneakers provide. Anyone have a recommendation for a solid but not too expensive brand?

This is a really satisfying morning workout. Something about the music and the energy from the other riders really helped wake me up and set me off for a good day.

It's worth it to sign up and pay for classes in the winter. I don't like to feel like I've wasted money, and paying for a class that I don't attend definitely feels like wasted money. So, the gym fee gets me to keep going, and the classes change enough from session to session that I don't get bored. And if I do, the gym I'm attending also has barre, pilates, yoga, TRX and Crossfit classes.

What is your plan for winter fitness? Have you tried a spin class before?

Cooking Challenge: Week 3 Review & Week 4 Recipes

Going out of town caused me to fall a bit behind of my recipe testing. Better late than never, right?

I try not to keep all of the recipes I've tried- there are so many recipes to try that I figure it's really only worth keeping very good recipes. When I'm determining if a recipe is worth keeping, I look at a couple of factors:
* is it really good? (ok doesn't make the cut)
* was it worth the time and effort of cooking it?
* is it healthy enough that I can serve it without feeling like I need to warn people about an imminent heart attack?
* were any of the ingredients cost prohibitive?

Recipe 1: Simple Clam Chowder, from Cooking Light January 2008
This recipe was simple, but called for some ingredients I've never bought before (clams and clam juice). It resulted in a creamy, tasty soup that I would absolutely make again. It really helped to have some bread to dip, and I'd recommend halving the recipe- it makes a lot.

Recipe 2: Chicken Cacciatore, from Cooking Light October 2009
This recipe came together quickly, and was very filling with pasta and cheese. All the reviews at the table were good, but I honestly felt like it wasn't an especially notable meal. It might be worth repeating if you tweaked the herbs, but without doing that it felt a little flat.

Recipe 3: Roasted Butternut Squash and Shallot Soup, from Cooking Light November 2008
This was an easy recipe that I was able to pull together out of odds and ends in the fridge and freezer. For that alone, it might be worth keeping around. It was better topped with parmesan cheese, and would be good for dipping a nice crusty bread. But this is still my favorite butternut squash option.

Week 4 Recipes:

Recipe 1: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup, from FiveHeartHome
Recipe 2: Asian Style Veggie Rolls, from Cooking Light August 2010
Recipe 3: Roasted Cauliflower Soup, from Cooking Light January 2013

Las Vegas Highlights

Image from LasVegas.com

Like I mentioned in this post, we just got back from a weekend in Las Vegas for the Rock N' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon. It was a really fun weekend, and I thought I'd share some highlights from the trip:

MAJOR TIP: It is super dry in the desert (duh). Drink tons of water. I don't know how people manage to drink a ton of alcohol there- I was borderline hungover just from the lack of humidity.

Grand Canyon Tour: We took a South Rim tour with the Grand Canyon Tour Company. Both the company and the experience were fantastic. The view from the South Rim is unreal- it felt like we were looking into a painting it was so big. The bus was comfortable, our tour guide was knowledgeable and interesting, and the bus stopped often enough that we were never too hungry or in need of a restroom. This was a FULL day- we left our hotel at 6:15 am, and weren't back until 10 pm-ish. I would really highly recommend a trip to the Grand Canyon if you get a chance.

Bouchon Bakery: This was a really fun stop for us- we love to find little French bakeries when we travel, and this was a very good one. The highlights were definitely the croissants and the chocolate bouchon. This bakery is located behind some stairs in the Venetian- it was nice to take our goodies up to the shops and watch the gondolas.

 

Bellagio Fountain and Conservatory: Most people have heard of or seen video of the Bellagio fountain- it's gorgeous and jusitifiably well known. I was impressed with how long the show was, how well it fit the music, and how easy it was to get a good view. I had not heard of the Conservatory before I started my research but it was a really fun, free diversion: it's not large, but it's very lush, and I loved seeing an Ent in the middle of Las Vegas!

Race Review: Rock n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon

 Image from www.blondeponytail.com

I ran my first half marathon back in July, and it was hard but fun. I signed up for the Rock N' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon after a friend mentioned it. I thought it'd be good motivation to stay in shape through the fall, and I'd never been to Las Vegas. I just ran the race this past Sunday, and here's what I thought:

Price: They are offering discounted entry for the 2015 race right now, but when I paid it was $125, which seems a little steep for a half marathon.

Location: You can't beat running up and down the Las Vegas strip at night. The lights were gorgeous, and a great distraction. It was easy to get to all the events from our hotel (the Monte Carlo), and the expo was right on a public transportation line.

 

Expo: This was my first expo and I was impressed- people moved through the checkin process quickly, and there were a ton of vendors to see after. Moving Comfort and Brooks were offering deals on sports bras and running shoes, and we were able to get our gait analyzed at the Brooks booth. I was also able to pick up a Trigger Point Factor Massage Ball, which really helped to get out the soreness from walking around and the race.

Organization: The race was very well organized, corrals were clearly marked, water and Gatorade were available about every two miles, and announcements and signage were generally good. The mile markers were a little hard to see, but that isn't the biggest deal when almost everyone is carrying GPS. This race was FANTASTIC in terms of actually having anough Porta Potties for the crowd- I was really impressed with how many were available at the start, and along the course.

Image credit

Entertainment: When I first signed up, Snoop Dogg was the headliner for the before-race concert. I probably would have gone, but it wasn't a draw for me. However, the headliner changed, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performed before the race, and it was such a good show! They got everyone's energy up, played some fantastic music and helped set the tone for a fun night.

The race is billed as having live music on the course, and there was more live music that the other half I did (the bands were really good too- great tempos to help keep your pace up). However, they were placed fairly unevenly- much more likely to be around the neon on the strip, and less in the in more residential neighborhoods toward the middle of the course. It would have been nice to have more music there, when things got darker and less distracting.

Weather: The entire US is dealing with a cold snap, and Las Vegas was no exception. The highs the whole time we were there hovered around 70, EXCEPT on race day. I'd bet it never got over 55, and it was chilly. We definitely didn't pack warm enough running gear, and were really glad we bought gloves at the expo (and the ones we bought were great on the run). If you're considering this race, don't assume it'll be warm like I did.

Image credit

Size: Someone told me that the half marathon brought in 20,000 runners, and the full marathon added another 5,000. I don't know if that's accurate, but we were in corral 36 of 42, and didn't get started until almost an hour after the offical start. Things were very well timed, so it wasn't too crowded, but the racers never spread out to the point where you had a ton of space.

End Zone: The end zone was long and everything was nicely spaced out so that runners didn't bunch up. There wasn't quite the variety of snacks that I've seen at other races, but everything they did give out was a nice size (e.g., full sized Gatorade, multiple Powerbars, etc.). Bag check was easy to access, and there were lots of medical tents for anyone who needed them. Plus it let off right outside the Bellagio and Paris hotels, both of which had public transit to help get you away from the crowds.

Overall: I am really happy with my choice to run this race- I feel like it was a good value, fun event, and I was well supported during the race itself. It is definitely a full weekend event- the expo took up a lot of time, and the race/pre-race concert took up basically the whole afternoon and evening on Sunday. If you're looking to explore Las Vegas, I'd recommend giving yourself a day or two on one end.

WSJ Wine Club Review

Earlier this year I bought a present from Barnes & Nobles online, and had it shipped to my house. When it arrived, it came with coupons, including one for the WSJ Wine Club. The intro offer available online is $69.99 + $19.99 shipping for the intro 12 bottle case, plus a bottle opening kit. The intro offer I got through B&N was $69.99 + $19.99 shipping for the intro 12 bottle case, plus 3 bottles of Chianti.

I figured that even if I didn't love the wine, that averaged out to less than $6/bottle, so why not try? We're not wine snobs, although we do have opinions, and our normal wine is somewhere in the $6-10 range. By joining the club you're signed up for future cases at about 40% more cost than the intro ($149.99, plus shipping), but we figure that we can always cancel. Plus, our wine rack was running low, and it meant we wouldn't have to go to the liquor store.

What did we think?

Packaging & Shipping: The wine came earlier than the quoted time frame, and was very well packed. No bottles broke, and there was plenty of information about the program and each of the wines in the box.

Variety: We opted for the mixed starter case, which had a nice split of red & white, and a decent spread of locations around the world.

2 bottles Collexione di Paolo Chianti 2013, 1 bottle Stonewall Sauvignon Blanc 2013, 2 bottles J Opi Malbec 2013, 1 bottle J-P Moueix Bordeaux 2010, 2 bottles Sonoma Vineyards Chardonnay 2012, 1 bottle the Inaugural R Collection by Raymond Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, 2 bottles Las Barracas Gran Riserva Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, 1 bottle Principe Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2012, 2 bottles Ca Vescovo Pinto Grigio 2013, 1 bottle Morin Pere et Fils Chardonnay 2012

I was a little disappointed to get 3 bottles of Chardonnay, as it's not generally my thing, but that's not a dealbreaker for me.

Quality: So far we've tried 4 bottles, and had somewhat split opinions.

Sonoma Vineyards Chardonnay 2012: I did not expect to like this wine. I generally don't like Chardonnays (too oaky) or Californian wines (too minerally). I thought that this one was surprisingly mild and unobjectionable. It did not seem to be oaked, and did not have a strong mineral flavor. In terms of a basic white wine to eat with fish, I'd drink it without objection. My husband, on the other hand, called it "repulsive" but finished his glass. Not quite sure how to interpret that.

Stonewall Sauvignon Blanc 2013: I usually like sauvignon blanc- it's light, refreshing, and citrusy. This bottle was no exception. It was easy to drink and got good reviews from everyone who tried it.

Las Barracas Gran Riserva Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon 2006: I usually love Tempranillo- they're spicy, dry, and have a fair bit of depth for a (generally) cheaper red option. This one fell flat. It was spicy and dry, but lacked character. I wouldn't turn down a glass, but I don't think I'd buy it again. Everyone who tried it agreed- not bad, but not repeatable.

Collexione di Paolo Chianti 2013: I generally like Chianti- it's usually a safe bet when looking for something spicy, bold, and somewhat dry. Again, this one fell flat. It was actually less notable than the Tempranillo. It wasn't actually bad, but I wouldn't buy it again.

Verdict: We will be cancelling our order. It might be worth doing if you stick to the whites- of what we've tried so far, those are the better ones. But for less than the discounted $6 price, I could get a bottle of LaGranja tempranilo/garnacha blend from Trader Joes, and know that I'm getting a tasty red.

Cooking Challenge: Week 2 Review & Week 3 Recipes

As a reminder, I look at a couple of factors when deterimining whether or not to keep a recipe:
* is it really good? (ok doesn't make the cut)
* was it worth the time and effort of cooking it?
* is it healthy enough that I can serve it without feeling like I need to warn people about an imminent heart attack?
* were any of the ingredients cost prohibitive?
You may have noticed that most of the recipes I've stockpiled over the years are from Cooking Light- I find that they generally do a good job of balancing these concerns and producing tasty meals.

Recipe 1: Szechuan Pork, from Cooking Light June 2008
This was tasty, and filling. It was a little finicky with cooking the pasta separately, but not horribly so. I would definitely recommend cutting the pork thinly if you do this- I ended up having to cooking things quite a bit longer than it called for, although it was still ready in less than an hour (including prep time).

Recipe 2: Grilled Zucchini with Sea Salt, from Cooking Light September 2011
This was a very simple, very tasty recipe. Honestly, you don't really need a recipe for this- slice your zucchini, cook it in a hot pan with some oil, and put salt & pepper on. I will absolutely be making this again, but I doubt I'll refer to the recipe to do it.

Recipe 3: Cheesy Meatloaf Minis, from Cooking Light November 2012
This was my first foray into meatloaf, and I was pretty impressed. It did involve pre-cooking some onion and garlic, and there were a decent number of mix-ins, but nothing too unusual (we had everything except the cheese and ground beef in our cupboards already). I would recommend using a milder cheddar- we used a sharp one and it got a little strong in the bites with cheese. But this is absolutely a keeper.

Week 3 Recipes:

Recipe 1: Simple Clam Chowder, from Cooking Light January 2008
Recipe 2: Chicken Cacciatore, from Cooking Light October 2009
Recipe 3: Roasted Butternut Squash and Shallot Soup, from Cooking Light November 2008

Winter Workouts

I've really enjoyed running this year, but am having a harder time getting outside now that it's getting cold and dark by the time I get home. I switched to biking for the past few weeks, but anything below 40 degrees and I can't handle the wind.

This has all gotten me thinking about what I'm going to do to stay in shape over the winter. I've tried just going to the gym, but I get bored without something to distract me (tv and reading materials aren't enough). I also work harder if I have an instructor to push me on what to do next (I'm very good at sitting out the hard part of exercise DVDs).

In the past, I've gone rollerblading at an indoor rink, which was fantastic exercise and a lot of fun when they played good music. Unfortunately, it depends on finding a good spot, and our local stadium where it happens was torn down to build a new one. BUT, as of today, the new stadium should be open for skating in 725 days!

image from Star Tribune

Last winter I took barre classes, which were also great exercise, but more expensive. It's a workout based on ballet classes, but with more focus on the exercise aspect than the dance one. I really liked these for toning, but didn't feel like I got as much of a cardio workout as I'd like, and I'd rather integrate both into one bout of exercise. I'd love to find a studio that offers them in combination with other classes, but haven't seen one in my area.

image from Bloomberg News

 

I haven't been to spinning class since college, but am considering signing up for a gym membership where they offer some. Back in college I loved what a great cardio workout it was, and how the instructors targeted all sorts of muscles while keeping it fun with up-tempo music.

image from Visit Cook County

My husband and I have also talked about trying cross-country skiing, but I'm not sure I'm willing to commit to the cost of supplies and time outside. Same goes for ice skating- it's a fun way to get outside, but I dislike cold enough that it's not ideal for a regular activity.

What do you do to stay fit during the winter?

Book Review: The Terrible And Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances

 

Title: The Terrible And Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances (links to order here, or through your local bookseller or library)
Author: Matthew Inman

Short Review: Spot on and funny.

Long(er) Review: I've read The Oatmeal on and off for a while now- two summers ago I found the incredibly funny comic the terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances. At the time, my husband was training for to run his first marathon, and I had just gotten into running more than 3 miles at a time. We both thought the comic was hilarious and very apt. After my husband ran the Twin Cities Marathon, we thought it even more so, from the descriptions of runners on the course to the mental gymnastics people go through while running.

We were both pretty excited when this book came out- I bought a copy of it as a surprise, and it went over really well. Some of the content is repeated from the website, but there are additional parts sprinkled in throughout, and the overall book is really nicely put together. Jokes from this book have worked their way into our daily conversation, and I'm still trying to decide where to use the stickers. Maybe on a jersey to run in a Beat the Blerch event?

If you know anyone who runs, or who lives with someone who runs, this would make a fantastic holiday present (and if you're wondering how I reconcile this with my desire not to give clutter, this is your warning that while I clean my bookshelves regularly, I don't consider books clutter at all).

*All opinions in this review are my own. I was not compensated for providing my opinions or provided with this book to review. *

Wednesday Favorites: Jewelry & Accessories

I'm on a jewelry and accessories (especially scarves) kick, and thought I'd share some of my recent favorites with you in case you are on the lookout. I am certainly not in need of more jewelry or scarves, but I tend to feel like variety here helps me keep a simpler wardrobe, so I indulge myself and browse somewhat regularly.

I love the whimsy that comes from my elephant ring. I think the same could be said about this fox ring.

Or this snake ring. I love the idea of another whimsical ring to wear with gold-tone jewelry.

I love a nice delicate earring, and always gravitate toward simple flower designs.

I also love the details in these gold-tone earrings, but would probably leave the fragrance part out- it's just not my thing.



I've really enjoyed my infinity scarves, and still really like this one that I found on Etsy. I'm a huge sucker for navy right now though, so it's not surprising.

Realistically, I wear so much navy that a navy scarf wouldn't provide much contrast. I also really like this BeckSöndergaard scarf from Fab. I just bought two scarves from our local art museum by this company and they're beautiful, really soft, and have a nice amount of volume.

Any any of you in the market for new accessories? What are you gravitating toward lately?

Decluttering: Holiday Shopping

With Halloween behind us, it's time to start thinking about the holidays (especially for families that exchange gifts with extended groups over Thanksgiving). I don't know about you, but once I started to work toward a more minimal lifestyle, I realized that I didn't want to contribute to clutter for anyone else. And as a person who LOVES to give presents, that's been a challenge for me. Here are a couple of strategies I've found to reduce the likelihood of giving someone something that will just end up taking up space:

Time: Give yourself time to plan what each person gets so that it can be really tailored to their interests. I like to make a list of everyone we're giving gifts to, and put my ideas down next to them to make sure I've thought it all through. If they're young, ask a parent what they'd really love (or what the parent would love them to get). If they're middle-aged or older, consider offering to give them actual time to help with whatever project they want around the house. We've given gardening help and painting help, and both have been very well recieved.

Be strategic with presents: Give the gift of experiences or consumables! Neither will end up as clutter, and studies show that people get more joy out of experiences than they do out of things. Feel like it's less exciting without a "thing" to unwrap? Package the tickets with a small, consumable article that references the gift (chocolate is always a good bet). Need ideas? All of the following take up minimal physical space but can be fantastic gifts:

    Classes. Music, cooking, dance, art. Check out your local cooking stores or community education postings for creative ideas.
    Memberships. Zoo, science museum, art museum, history museum, children’s museum, etc.
    Subscriptions. It's fun to get things in the mail- just make sure it's something they're interested in, so that you're not creating more clutter.
    Events. Tickets to a movie, art exhibit, play, concert or sports event.
    Activities. Mini golf, apple picking, bowling, wine tasting, skating rink, etc.
    Gift Cards. The ultimate in consumable, choose a store that they love and can access easily (or has a strong web-presence).
    E-reader. Are they a voracious reader? Get them the e-reader they've been requesting and help them set up an account with their local library.
    Snacks or Food. Something special that they wouldn't buy for themselves. We've done specialty cheeses, fancy spice sets (Penzey's spice sets are fantastic) and lots of interesting chocolates.

Wrapping Supplies: Most of us have a stockpile of lightly used gift bags. Put them to use! Don't worry about running out, or if the bag is pretty enough. If it's not good enough to use now, it should get tossed.

If you've managed to sort your way through the assortment, buy neutral colored wrapping paper or bags, and colorful ribbon. You can use the same white, silver or kraft colored paper or bags for weddings, baby showers, birthdays and holidays- just change out your accent ribbon and they're appropriate. No need to keep an assortment of papers and bags around- a box of ribbons will take up much less space!

Cooking Challenge: Week 1 Review & Week 2 Recipes

I try not to keep all of the recipes I've tried- there are so many recipes to try that I figure it's really only worth keeping very good recipes. When I'm determining if a recipe is worth keeping, I look at a couple of factors:
     * is it really good? (ok doesn't make the cut)
     * was it worth the time and effort of cooking it?
     * is it healthy enough that I can serve it without feeling like I need to warn people about an imminent heart attack?
     * were any of the ingredients cost prohibitive?

Recipe 1: Chicken Larb, from Cooking Light January 2011
This was a very easy recipe, with dinner on the table in less than half an hour. We substituted lettuce leaves for cabbage, because the cabbages at the store were bigger than we'd use up, and used pre-ground chicken (because we don't have a food processor), but otherwise followed the recipe. I though it was tasty, but compared to Thai food from a restaurant I felt like it was missing a strong savory flavor. I'd cook this again, but probably would add some fish sauce or more salt to the chicken, to see if I could up the flavor.

Recipe 2: Southwest Shrimp & Corn Chowder, from Cooking Light April 2009
We couldn't find canned corn that had peppers in it, so we used plain canned corn. I also substituted fresh red potatoes for the hash brown ones because I didn't think we'd use the rest of the bag. The change made this take a little longer to cook, but it was still fairly easy and tasty. It definitely has a southwest flavor to it, which was a nice way to update chowder. I would cook this again, but would do it on a day when I have a bit more time to spend in the kitchen- it took about an hour with the additional chopping a cooking time for the potatoes.

Recipe 3: Mediterranean-Style Poached Eggs, from Cooking Light April 2004
This is a version of shakshuka, which is an easy dish where eggs are poached in a tomato sauce mixture. I generally like it, but I wasn't impressed with this one- it just felt like there were too many different things going on (artichokes! cumin! olives!). I don't think I'd make this version again- I'll stick with my favorite version.

Bonus Recipes:

Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup:
This was probably my favorite recipe of the week- it's delicious and super easy (other than cutting up the butternut squash). Rather than wait 4 hours for the crockpot, we cooked this on the stove. Absolutely going to make this again, and I expect the portions in our freezer to disappear pretty quickly.

Pumpkin bread recipe from the Kathleen's Bake Shop Cookbook:
Delicious and gingerbread-y. Exactly what you'd expect from a pumpkin bread. This continues the string of fantastic recipes from this cookbook. Definitely not a health food though, so bake it for a crowd or you'll eat too much!

Chili (adapted from Cooking Light's Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili)
2 lbs ground beef
2 red bell peppers 
1 chopped onion 
4 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

8  garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

2 cups organic vegetable broth (decrease this amount if you like a thicker chili) 

1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash 

1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added tomatoes, undrained and chopped 

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained  

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove and discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place pepper halves in a paper bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and chop peppers.
3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add beef to pan, cook until brown. Transfer to crock pot, leaving residual juice and fat in dutch oven. Add onion to pan; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cumin and next 4 ingredients (through garlic); cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add bell peppers, broth, squash, and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Transfer to crock pot.
4. Add beans to crock pot; cook on low for 8 hours.
5. Sprinkle with green onions or cheese, serve.

Verdict: This chili was a little labor intensive, but was very tasty and is full of healthy veggies and protein. It's probably not the platonic ideal of chili, but it's the best I've found so far for the amount of work and calories involved.

Week 2 Recipes:

Recipe 1: Szechuan Pork, from Cooking Light June 2008
Recipe 2: Grilled Zucchini with Sea Salt, from Cooking Light September 2011
Recipe 3: Cheesy Meatloaf Minis, from Cooking Light November 2012

Fall Boots

You know in this post, where I said I was looking for a pair of black riding boots to help stretch skirts and dresses farther into cold weather? Well, I got some, and I've had them about two weeks. They're AMAZING.

It took a while for me to find ones I like. I bought the Clarks Plaza Beagle Riding Boots in black from DSW, but prior to that I tried on boots at Saks Off 5th, and Macys. My problem in both stores was that leather boots in my price point had incredibly uncomfortable insoles. I wanted these boots as commuting shoes, so it was important to me that they be comfortable from the start.

I chose the Clarks boots based largely on the fact that they were leather boots from a brand I'd heard was comfortable, and the website listed them as having padded soles. I wanted leather boots because I tend to find synthetics don't breath well or last as long as leather. I figured it wouldn't be too hard to return them if they didn't work.

They shipped in less than a week, and I was really impressed once they arrived- the leather feels sturdy, the soles have a fair bit of grip while still looking work appropriate, and there are nice elastic gussets to help with fit. So far I've worn them to work twice (including a 30 minute walk after work) without fit problems, and they've made a HUGE difference in comfort as the temperature has dropped. They look good with dresses and leggings, and as soon as I find a pair of skinnier jeans I'm sure I'll be wearing them on the weekend as well. I'm finding it hard to believe I'd waited this long before getting a pair.

What type of wardrobe staple have you delayed purchasing and then really loved?

I Am Not Gluten Free

Or wheat-free or diary-free or soy-free. We all have friends who have stated their preference for a certain type of restricted diet. Not the diagnosed celiac or person with a nut allergy, but those who feel that their body functions more smoothly without a certain irritant. It's the reason behind the increased prevalence of "x-free" items on restaurant menus, and the specialty baking sections at the grocery store. And, beyond making it slightly more difficult to cook for a crowd, I really don't have a problem with anyone doing what they feel helps their body (although I do feel that it's helpful to read stories like this New Yorker article, that address the science behind the reactions and try to cut through the fad-isms).

 

I think, without any sort of official diagnosis, that I am lactose intolerant. I can eat cheese and yogurt, but milk and ice cream give me stomach aches (trust me, I've tested extensively, and it's just not worth it to me to eat those two). Having looked into the food science a little, this aligns well with a mild lactose intolerance: the culturing processes for cheese and yogurt decrease the amount of milk sugar (lactose) in the end product. The processes for milk and ice cream don't. Therefore, it's not surprising that a mild intolerance would still allow for cultured dairy products.

 

Other than those two types of dairy, I really don't limit what I'll try. I tend to think that it's healthier for the average person to eat a variety of foods (real, unprocessed or minimally processed foods), than to cut out a type of food entirely. After a decent bit of research (I love a good food book), the best advice I've found is from Michael Pollan:

 

Did that stop me from trying Whole30, where you spend a month eating meat, fish, vegetables, nuts and fruit? No. It was a short enough period of time that I didn't think it'd do any harm, and I was curious to see if I had a negative reaction to reintroducing any of the potential irritants it has you remove from your diet. But my takeaway from that process was that I am not soy or wheat intolerant, and that the increased energy and fitness I felt could probably be best attributed to the increase in home-cooking and vegetable intake. And from avoiding baked goods.

But that's all basic knowledge: we should all eat more vegetables, cook at home, and avoid massive amounts of desserts. The general goal in our house is that things come without wrappers or with minimal, easily pronounced ingredients. I also try to make sure that my meals are at least 50% plant matter, with an emphasis on vegetables over fruit. That seems to work pretty well for us, without limiting our ability to eat food other people have cooked, or requiring "replacement" ingredients that are more processed than the originals. What's your food philosophy?

Why We Are a One-Car Family

When you're looking to decrease your ecological footprint and reduce your monthly expenditures, reducing car usage can be incredibly helpful: it reduces greenhouse emissions, reduces your costs, and encourages greener transportation methods like walking, biking, and taking public transit.

One way to reduce your car usage is to reduce the number of cars you own. Our household of two started with two cars: we both drove to work and school, and our schedules overlapped enough that it didn't make sense to try to use just one car. But over the years, we've realized that a lot of the distances that we usually drove were walkable or bikable, and that we appreciated the excuse to get outside and move around.

Over time we've realized that we rarely used two cars at once, and even then, we could probably work around the issue. Now, this is partially possible because we live in an urban location with easy access to public transit and very local options for groceries and restaurants. We both have a walking commute, and only take cars to work in really inclement weather or when we need to run an errand during the day. But decreasing our car use has also been possible because we realized that we were happier using the time we might use to go to the gym running errands by walking or biking. Both my husband and I would rather get the fresh air and changing view, even if it makes the errands take slightly longer.

This past year or so, our city introduced a car-sharing program called Car2Go, which is available in major metro areas across the U.S. and Europe (there are also other options like ZipCar, and HourCar, but we like Car2Go because of its saturation in our market). There may be a small startup fee, but we managed to find coupon codes to waive it, so we only pay for the time we're actually driving the cars. For the few trips we take when we need separate cars, we can use Car2Go for an easy, cheap car anywhere in our city. The Smart Cars that they use for the program are not our favorite to drive and I was not hugely impressed with their help-desk, but for the rare instance when we need a second car they're certainly sufficient and we've never had more than a 5 minute walk to find one. A nice bonus: we can use our Car2Go membership in any of the other cities that have the program, which is an easy way to find transportation while traveling.

Since car-sharing is now a reasonable and viable alternative to a second car, we just sold our extra vehicle. Not only are we saving the cost of running and maintaining the car, we're saving parking costs, and insurance costs. And we've created an incentive to try to find non-auto transportation when we're doing things individually, so that we don't tie up the car. So far, we're satisfied that as long as we live in a place with car-sharing available we won't be put in a real crunch by only having one car for two people.

Is being a one-car family realistic for everyone? Probably not. If we had kids, or jobs that required longer commutes, we'd probably find a second car provided enough convenience that it was worth the additional cost and increased impact on the environment. But until then, we've been surprised at how easy and pleasant going down to one car has been. Are we likely to get rid of the car we have? No- it still provides a lot of convenience for us, and getting rid of it would cause more hassle than the cost and eco-savings are worth to us. But we take care to get the best mileage we can out of the vehicle we have, and efficiency was definitely one of the factors we considered when we were car shopping.

How do you decrease your car use? Have you found good alternatives to traditional automotive transportation?

Recipe: Easy Pasta Al'Amatriciana

Back in 2012, my husband and I went on a much needed vacation in Sicily. We loved the detailed architecture, copious gelato, active volcano, and delicious wine. One thing I really took away from the trip was how delicious simple pasta dishes could be. I ate bucatini al'amatriciana most nights for dinner, and it was never disappointing. It's a slightly spicy, bacon-y, tomato-based pasta dish. This is my take on the dish, using ingredients I've found easily available in the U.S:

1/2 package bacon (sugar and nitrate/nitrite free if you can find it, because it tastes WAY better)
garlic (to taste)
crushed red pepper (to taste)
1 onion, chopped
4-6 tomatoes, chopped (home-grown taste best)
1 lb. dry pasta (bucatini if you can find it, but I usually use rotini)

Put water on to cook your pasta according to package directions.

Chop the bacon into bite sized pieces. Place in a cold dutch oven, and bring the heat up slowly to medium. Cook until a fair bit of fat has rendered, and the bacon is cooked but not super crisp.

Add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring regularly about 30 seconds.

Add the onion, and saute until transluscent. Add tomatoes, stir well. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Mix cooked pasta in, and serve with a green salad.

Cooking Challenge: Week 1 Recipes

Even those of us who love cooking can end up in a food rut. I managed to shake the "lets just order in" urge, and have been cooking at home more regularly for the last month, but I feel like I'm repeating the easy options too often. In the past I've set a challenge of cooking 3 recipes from every cookbook I own (great way to thin out the collection), and tried Whole30 (great way to get in the habit of eating more vegetables, but I got tired of eating so much protein) to break out of this habit, but I'm wanting to try something slightly different.

I decided last week that I'd set myself a new challenge: I am going to cook my way through my recipes folder. You know, the one where you store all the delicious looking recipes from magazines? Mine has been accumulating options for 10+ years, and I haven't been very good about working through them. So, I'm setting myself the challenge of 3 recipes from the folder per week, until they're finished. Then I may give up, or I may work my way over to the cookbooks.

Up this week:

Recipe 1: Chicken Larb, from Cooking Light January 2011
Recipe 2: Southwest Shrimp & Corn Chowder, from Cooking Light April 2009
Recipe 3: Mediterranean-Style Poached Eggs, from Cooking Light April 2004

AND, because this happens to be a week where I'm meeting a friend to cook a bunch of recipes for the freezer, I will also be trying Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup and the pumpkin bread recipe from the Kathleen's Bake Shop Cookbook (which is a fabulous cookbook if you're looking for good baking recipes).

What do you do to shake yourself out of a cooking rut? What's your favorite recipe you wished you'd tried sooner? Anyone want to help me eat the embarrassing amount of chocolate desserts I've stockpiled recipes for?

Capsule Wardrobe: The Extras

I know you're thinking, surely that can't be all that you have in your closet. You're right. I have lots of other things that I prefer not to live without.

clockwise from top left: Naturalizer Bohemia / Carina heels (not available online) / Clarks Plaza Beagle Riding Boot / Pikolinos sandals (similar)

Shoes. I have too many shoes. I wear the same ones repeatedly, but have a hard time getting rid of any of the others, largely because they're well-made, expensive and fit well. BUT I don't wear them. I wear the ones I really love, and replace those when they wear out. I've set a goal for myself of not buying any new heels until I've started to work down the size of my collection. My flats are at a reasonable level, and I'm ok with replacing those as needed.

clockwise from top left: Martin & Osa blazer (no longer for sale) / Nike Element Shield Full-Zip jacket / Talbots Refined Melton Coat / Talbots Trench (similar from Boden)

Jackets. I live in a seriously varied climate, so I have seriously varied jacket options. I absolutely adore my wool blazer and trench coat- it took me a long time to invest in either of them, but I wear them constantly. My trench is waterproof, which makes it an ideal early spring and late fall jacket. I'm actually in the market for a new winter coat, and the Talbots Refined Melton Coat is appealing because of the high collar and bright color. I only wish it had a Thinsulate lining or a higher wool content to the fabric.

 

Etsy scarf

Scarves. Again with the varied climate, so I have a variety. I wear the lighter options most often, but the heavier (especially the wool and cashmere) get serious use mid-winter. I've just recently purchased my first infinity scarf, which I'm loving for work. They just seem super polished.

Unmentionables. Are unmentionable, but I do have a rotation (it's better for them and for you). As mentioned before, I highly recommend Bare Necessities for purchasing these- they have a fantastic selection and very broad range of sizes.

Pajamas. Again, I have a rotation. I usually buy a pair of cotton pajama pants from Target, and use a t-shirt from an event or group that I have a connection to.

from top: Talbots purse (similar) / Banana Republic purse (similar)

Purses. I went through my purses and really sorted them about six months ago. I prefer leather for its durability, but do not like to carry it during the summer. I keep 2 dressy options, 1 casual winter bag, 1 casual summer bag, 1 winter work bag, and 1 summer work bag. I could probably get rid of the second dressy option and the casual bags (I tend to use the work bags for pretty much everything), but I enjoy the variety and they fit easily in the space allotted.

 

Etsy ring / Etsy earrings 

Jewelry. I need to work though my jewelry and get rid of what I don't wear. I used to wear necklaces regularly but really haven't for the last few years. I do enjoy them for a visual change for some of the outfits I wear more often though. The ring and earrings pictured above are absolute staples of my wardrobe. I love the little touches of whimsy and color that they add. I highly recommend Etsy for jewelry purchases- everything I've found has been interesting, unique and well-made.

Capsule Wardrobe: Summer

 

clockwise from top left: Banana Republic Lighweight Wool Sheath / Boden (similar) / Anthropologie (no longer for sale) / White House Black Market dress (similar) 

My workwear summer basics are dresses, with a cardigan or blazer once I get to work. Pretty much the same as spring, so no surprises there.

 

clockwise from top left: Martin & Osa dresses (no longer for sale) / Curator Classic Dress / Curator dress (similar)

My casual summer basics are a sundress or exercise clothing. If you haven't tried a sundress for summer, I cannot recommend it more highly- they're super cool, comfortable, and almost always appropriate to the situation. Who doesn't like looking put together when they're just dealing with the heat?

Capsule Wardrobe: Spring

This is the post where it starts to become really obvious one of the ways that I've found to manage the size of my wardrobe: I really try to stick to a specific color palette. For casual clothes, most of my clothing is navy blue or gray. For work clothing, most of my clothing is gray, black or black and white patterned (with a little navy thrown in for variety). I do keep accent pieces around (usually coral, turquoise, or purple), but for the most part I try to keep to these colors because (1) I like them, (2) they work well together, and (3) it makes it easier to buy things that will mix well with the rest of my wardrobe.

 

clockwise from top left: Curator dress (similar) / Boden Long Sleeve Breton / Boden Super Skinny Jeans / Boden Cropped Cashmere Cardigan

My spring casual basics are a dress or jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. I often throw a cardigan or scarf on top if it's cooler.

 

clockwise from top left: Banana Republic Lighweight Wool Sheath / Boden (similar) / Anthropologie (no longer for sale) /  White House Black Market dress (similar)

My spring work basics are a pencil skirt and blousy top, or a dress. I may throw in a pair of pants if it's not muddy, but I tend to go to bare legs fairly quickly.