I fell off the bandwagon! Not because I got lazy, or it got too hard... but because the rest of my life sort of fell apart. But you know what? It's okay... This is real life and crap happens. I've found myself in a happier, healthier place and ready to start over! The good news is that even though I wasn't shopping only at farmer's markets, the healthy habits I had started during my challenge stuck and I've lost 30 pounds and 3 pants sizes! I still can't believe it! If that's not motivation to keep it up, I don't know what is!
So here goes nothing... starting all over with a new life and a new body... and I promise not to go AWOL again!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Did you know...
... there are tons of cool locavore apps for your cell phone? I just got one called (shockingly) Locavore that tells you whats in season in your area, shows you local farmers markets, and gives you seasonal recipes. So cool! I also found a ton of free Kindle books about gardening and old-fashioned seasonal cooking. Free! Just search under Popular Classics for Free.
Just thought I'd share the tip! As always, feel free to share yours too! I'm just started reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" which was a recommendation from you guys! Already loving it... Thanks a ton!
Just thought I'd share the tip! As always, feel free to share yours too! I'm just started reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" which was a recommendation from you guys! Already loving it... Thanks a ton!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Busy Busy Busy
Whew! If I'm not traveling, I'm hosting travelers in my own home! My best friends and 5 of their family members came to stay a couple days this weekend. They have been on board and in love with this farmers market idea since day one, but it was nice to feel their support face to face, while they were loving every bite of homemade wheat bread and fresh blackberries and peaches for breakfast this morning.
I was thinking it would be more difficult to cook for 10 people with our new shopping habits, but who needs to cook?! I threw the bread together in the bread machine last night, and this morning before anyone else even woke up, Eric was at the Gastonia Farmers Market getting super affordable, yet super large quantities of fresh fruit. And the best part is that everyone was happy! The only complaint was that they wanted to try the homemade blueberry syrup they've read about... Guess what's for breakfast in the morning!
I was thinking it would be more difficult to cook for 10 people with our new shopping habits, but who needs to cook?! I threw the bread together in the bread machine last night, and this morning before anyone else even woke up, Eric was at the Gastonia Farmers Market getting super affordable, yet super large quantities of fresh fruit. And the best part is that everyone was happy! The only complaint was that they wanted to try the homemade blueberry syrup they've read about... Guess what's for breakfast in the morning!
Monday, June 27, 2011
The Problem with Traveling...
Happy Summer! For us, that means traveling. I was officially done with school on June 14th and already I've been to New York City, Boston and Denver. Very cool, but super shady when it comes to our farmers market challenge! When you are away from home or staying with someone else, you just do what you can.
Does anyone have any ideas or tips about how they eat when they are away from home?
Does anyone have any ideas or tips about how they eat when they are away from home?
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Peaches and Blueberries!
Eric, Lucas and I went and picked our own peaches and blueberries at Bush N Vine Farm in York, SC last weekend. Lucas was a surprisingly good helper. We told him just to get the big blue berries and he actually did! At one point I turned around to tell him to stop throwing blueberries out of our bucket, but he was actually getting rid of some reddish ones Eric had picked too soon.
It was a fun way to spend the afternoon, and we took home a half gallon of blueberries and a half bushel of peaches for just $18! To put that into perspective, the blueberries were $7 a half gallon, while their pre-picked berries were $16 a half gallon. Big difference! I never liked blueberries because I thought the skin was too tough and tasted gross.... then I had one of these. What a difference it makes when they haven't been shipped and sitting in a grocery store!
Besides snacking on some and sharing some with friends and neighbors, we canned the peaches and made a quart of blueberry syrup. We gave away quite a few peaches, but we were still able to can 10 pints and 2 quarts. Both making the syrup and canning the peaches were surprisingly easy! I got my blueberry syrup recipe from SimpleBites.com. It turned out every bit as delicious as the article promises, and it keeps in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Do you have yummy recipes for canned peaches? Please share! Now that we have so much, I'm going to need the help!
It was a fun way to spend the afternoon, and we took home a half gallon of blueberries and a half bushel of peaches for just $18! To put that into perspective, the blueberries were $7 a half gallon, while their pre-picked berries were $16 a half gallon. Big difference! I never liked blueberries because I thought the skin was too tough and tasted gross.... then I had one of these. What a difference it makes when they haven't been shipped and sitting in a grocery store!
Besides snacking on some and sharing some with friends and neighbors, we canned the peaches and made a quart of blueberry syrup. We gave away quite a few peaches, but we were still able to can 10 pints and 2 quarts. Both making the syrup and canning the peaches were surprisingly easy! I got my blueberry syrup recipe from SimpleBites.com. It turned out every bit as delicious as the article promises, and it keeps in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Do you have yummy recipes for canned peaches? Please share! Now that we have so much, I'm going to need the help!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
{Snack Time!} Roasted Kale Chips
Snacks are one of the biggest adjustments we are making right now. I realize now how dependent upon processed snack foods we are/were... especially when it comes to Lucas. I'm not fooling myself... I'm going to have to continue to buy grocery store snacks for the kiddo. Even if I learned how to make homemade goldfish, cheese crackers, and ritz bits, there is no way I could keep up with his snacking without quitting my job and becoming a full-time baker. Not going to happen. But I have switched to organic crackers and snacks when I do have to buy them, and GASP! I expect Lucas to eat more fruits and veggies than he has been. The goal is to find homemade, do-able snack recipes that he (and Eric) will actually eat.
I think I found one today...
Roasted Kale Chips (from the blog, Family Fresh Cooking)
I think I found one today...
Roasted Kale Chips (from the blog, Family Fresh Cooking)
(Photos from FamilyFreshCooking.com)
I made two batches... one seasoned with Garlic Powder and one with Bacon Salt. This is my absolute first experience with kale, and after one taste test I realized that I could totally eat these chips with nothing on them. After just five minutes in the oven, I was shocked at how amazing it smelled in my kitchen. It was overwhelmingly delicious.
My only note for this recipes is that it took longer than the 10-15 minutes indicated. Just keep an eye on them and cook until crunchy. If they don't cook all the way, they just end up kinda chewy. Delicious... but chewy.
This make a salty snack you don't have to feel bad about. Can't wait to serve them with cheeseburgers!
Happy Snacking!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Buy Organic Without Going Broke!
It can be done. I wasn't totally convinced until I discovered Earth Fare, a health food grocery store chain similar to Fresh Market or Whole Foods. What's so different about them? Coupons, coupons, coupons... and crazy good ones!
Before I continue, I need to say that this Earth Fare trip was made two weeks ago... before our official June 1st start date.... so our rules didn't totally apply at the time. However, even though some of what I bought wasn't a "basic" or something I couldn't get at a farmers market, it WAS organic and I got it for $0 dollars. In my book, free doesn't count! Hopefully, you agree!
Ok, so here's what I got for a grand total of $27 and some change and how I got it. You can do it too!
1 whole chicken, 1 lb ground chuck, 2 boxes organic Mac n Cheese, 2 boxes Organic graham cracker sticks, 1 package prosciutto and ricotta tortellini, 1 box chicken tenders, 1 deli-made rustic mashed potatoes, 1 lb organic baby carrots, 1 bag organic baby spinach, 1 bag tortilla chips, 1 bag spinach artichoke tortilla chips, 2 bottles of herbal tea and 1 bottle of flavored vitamin water. All for $27 bucks!
I scoured the internet for coupons for organic products... most of them were from the links on this website. Most the one coupons I actually used, however, were right from the shelves at Earth Fare. Unlike most health food chains, they have TONS of coupons throughout their aisles in addition to their regular sales. Check out their Monthly Flyer for sale items, and look through their coupons which you can print at home or just pick up in the aisles of their store.
Here's where it really gets good... You can sign up to receive weekly freebies via email. Here's our first one:
And it gets even better! When you sign up with Earth Fare, you get a welcome coupon for a free meal! It includes a free chicken (or veggie burgers), mashed potatoes and carrots.
We got all this for FREE!! And it's actually good for you!
You have to use each of the Earth Fare deals in separate orders, so Eric went through with a $15 purchase and the beef, and I went through another $12 purchase and the free meal. You just have to make sure that your purchase is over $10 AFTER your other coupons. We could have done even better if Lucas hadn't demanded those dang chicken tenders ($7!).
If you can do better than $27 for all that, let me in on your secrets. I doubt it can be done for cheaper, even with non organic products!
Earth Fare has many other cool incentives to try them out, including their Boot Challenge where you check out the ingredients of two similar products. You choose which one to "give the boot" and if you chose to keep the healthier product, you get a coupon that allows you to trade in a less healthy product for the Earth Fare brand. This week, it's chocolate chip cookies. You can trade in any cookie with high fructose corn syrup in them and try out the Earth Fare cookies instead! Deal!
Even if you can't make it to an Earth Fare, or another health food store, it's important for you to know that you can make healthier choices even in a WalMart! And when you buy organic or non-GMO products at stores like WalMart, Food Lion, etc, you are sending those stores a message about what products you want them to support.
Happy Shopping!
Before I continue, I need to say that this Earth Fare trip was made two weeks ago... before our official June 1st start date.... so our rules didn't totally apply at the time. However, even though some of what I bought wasn't a "basic" or something I couldn't get at a farmers market, it WAS organic and I got it for $0 dollars. In my book, free doesn't count! Hopefully, you agree!
Ok, so here's what I got for a grand total of $27 and some change and how I got it. You can do it too!
I scoured the internet for coupons for organic products... most of them were from the links on this website. Most the one coupons I actually used, however, were right from the shelves at Earth Fare. Unlike most health food chains, they have TONS of coupons throughout their aisles in addition to their regular sales. Check out their Monthly Flyer for sale items, and look through their coupons which you can print at home or just pick up in the aisles of their store.
Here's where it really gets good... You can sign up to receive weekly freebies via email. Here's our first one:
And it gets even better! When you sign up with Earth Fare, you get a welcome coupon for a free meal! It includes a free chicken (or veggie burgers), mashed potatoes and carrots.
We got all this for FREE!! And it's actually good for you!
You have to use each of the Earth Fare deals in separate orders, so Eric went through with a $15 purchase and the beef, and I went through another $12 purchase and the free meal. You just have to make sure that your purchase is over $10 AFTER your other coupons. We could have done even better if Lucas hadn't demanded those dang chicken tenders ($7!).
If you can do better than $27 for all that, let me in on your secrets. I doubt it can be done for cheaper, even with non organic products!
Earth Fare has many other cool incentives to try them out, including their Boot Challenge where you check out the ingredients of two similar products. You choose which one to "give the boot" and if you chose to keep the healthier product, you get a coupon that allows you to trade in a less healthy product for the Earth Fare brand. This week, it's chocolate chip cookies. You can trade in any cookie with high fructose corn syrup in them and try out the Earth Fare cookies instead! Deal!
Even if you can't make it to an Earth Fare, or another health food store, it's important for you to know that you can make healthier choices even in a WalMart! And when you buy organic or non-GMO products at stores like WalMart, Food Lion, etc, you are sending those stores a message about what products you want them to support.
Happy Shopping!
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