the best field goods bag, ever.

In this week’s bag:

• brussels sprouts: these will be roasted and then baked into a macaroni and cheese with soy chorizo.
• spaghetti squash: gobbled up this afternoon with leftovers! I got up at 6 am to bake the squash and then packed them into our lunchboxes with lentil meatballs and homemade sauce.
• yellow onions: will be used in the “cheese” sauce for the mac & cheese mentioned above and also the carrot soup below.
• salad mix: all that talk about pasta requires at least one salad for dinner, tonight.
• kale: while the squash was baking, I made a big pot of short grain brown rice. I picked up some shredded unsweetened coconut on lunch… you know what that means… all time favorite kale dish!
• cameo apples: Sliced and dipped in peanut butter, simple but the best morning snack at work.
• yellow carrots: all time favorite soup time!

I literally LOVE everything in this bag! And could repeat it for another three weeks before the frozen goods kick in.

And while we’re on the topic of veggies, this weekend the beau and I will be vending at the Albany VegFest 2013. Stop by and check it out! There will be demos, speakers and samples galore! Make sure to say hi if you do pass through! Stay happy and healthy my friends!

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field goods.

In this week’s bag:

• spinach
• head lettuce
• baby bok choy
• bunched rutabagas
• adirondack blue potatoes
• green tomatoes
• ida red apples

It’s horrible to admit but those veggies were sitting in the bag, on the couch, for two days until I had the time to snatch this photograph this morning before running off to work. Luckily, everything is still fresh and not wilted. The lettuce may need to be consumed tonight for dinner. ASAP.

We’re most likely going to make a spicy Russian or Ranch-like dressing for the salad/fried green tomatoes. Maybe throw in some tempeh bacon and nutritional yeast, sounds delish to me!

No prepping being done this weekend- tomorrow the beau and I will be disconnected from the electronic world and exploring a new town that I’ve never visited. We’ll be gone all day and I know cooking will be the last thing I’ll want to do when returning to the apartment. Regardless, we know the potatoes will be used in this delicious cabbage stew that the beau whipped up a couple of weeks ago. It’s hearty, filling, and all veggies! Now what to do with those rutabagas?

Hope you all enjoyed World Vegan Day yesterday! Just in case you forgot that holiday, you have all day tomorrow to show the animals, planet and your body a little love and consideration. Think you can do it? I KNOW you can!

 

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this week in meals.

I did absolutely nothing yesterday other than eat and cook and then eat some more, and I could really used to doing that each Sunday. I loved having the entire afternoon to prepare meals for the week, something I did a lot in the past when living alone. I woke up this morning knowing exactly what to pack for lunch and had a sense of “bring on the day!” attitude, which is rare lately. Working two jobs is tough, it always is, but coming home after seven each night and preparing a fresh meal is even more tough. We love to cook together but when in a rush to eat and both feeling a little h-angry, things get messy.

So, with my new-found time, I’m going to plan our dinners for our week on Sundays and prepare as much as possible to make dinner time a little more pleasant, and a little less scrambled.

Monday: Date night with the beau at The Palace Theater. We love getting take-out from our favorite Albany restaurant, Kinnaree. The Tom Yum soup is so spicy and delicious, and the vegan Pad Thai hits the spot. His go to choices are the Drunken Noodles and fried Spring Rolls.

Tuesday: Homemade FG carrot soup with a tahini sauce and crunchy chickpeas. I’ll only have to bake the chickpeas while the soup is reheating on the stove.

Wednesday: Homemade Chinese take-out! We have FG broccoli on hand and it takes the beau only but five minutes to make the most delicious garlic sauce. Basmati rice only takes about twenty minutes to cook up- add in some tofu to the mix and we’ve got a meal!

Thursday: Halloween! I picked up some chipotle pumpkin pappardelle from Flour City Pasta at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday. The recipe that came in the bag includes tossing it in butter, lemon juice and parmesan cheese; I have all the vegan alternatives on hand. While that’s boiling, I’ll toss some brussels sprouts, also from the Farmer’s Market, in some EVOO and lemon juice into the oven to serve on the side. Hopefully we’ll have our pumpkins carved by then, and we’ll be able to toss in a handful of baked pumpkin seeds for some crunch.

Friday: Sauteed FG braising mix with farro. Can’t prep this meal really, but it’s quick and I won’t be at a loss for what to make.

Are you one to plan your meals? Do you shop all at once or receive a CSA delivery like we do? 

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diary of Vito: cozy edition.

“hi friends! vito here!

it’s that time of year again! you know, the time when the air is crisp and the zombies seem to roam the streets of downtown troy at night. it seems as though the kitty kitty cocoa puff and i have an annual tradition of hanging out during this weekend (whether he likes my company or not). i tried extra hard this visit to show him my appreciation; i brought him his drug of choice disguised as a banana: catnip. let me tell you, he is not a happy user. he was giddy for about ten minutes then decided to sit up by the back porch and stare at me. no joke. i thought a zombie got to him; i’ve never seen him sit up so straight.

while he was coming down, i helped out in the kitchen. i had missed dinner but knew by the smell of things, that veggies were near. i helped put their most recent delivery away.

in the bag:

• orange, yellow and white carrots
• broccoli
• mesclun lettuce
• mutsu apples
• braising mix
• hidabeni turnips

once i heard them talking about their cooking plans, i knew it was going to be a cozy weekend. carrot soup with crunchy chickpeas are my favorite! broccoli with garlic sauce is my favorite! the unstuffed squirrel that i throw around and off the couch is also my favorite!

anticipation of good food kept me up thursday night and i couldn’t sit still… i had to build up an appetite! i did this by running as many laps as possible around the bachelor pad. i finally crashed around three a.m. when coaxed under the covers… but not by kitty. he scrambled into the other room, geeze.

other than snuggling in and getting plenty of belly rubs, i’ve been exploring the streets. early morning walks before the sun comes up are my favorite but good grief! those crows! they stir in the sky; i’m thankful that i’ve got speed on my side. don’t believe me? i’ve been sprinting every other block to build up endurance… or to tucker myself out so that i sleep more soundly.

on today’s list: more belly rubs, a possible trip to our favorite farm (sweater on of course), carving a couple of pumpkins while drinking hot cider and vodka water not from the toilet and listening to the halloween party radio on pandora. i forgot to bring my costume so i’ll be staying in to continue the festivities with kitty, but am looking forward to the possibility of french fries in the morning.”

to read previous diary entries from vito, read here and here.

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field goods. like woah.

Woah! Woah! Woah! Slow the clock down a minute, can we? This past week has FLOWN by! Once again it’s Friday and I’m realizing that I never shared my veggie delivery from last week; we are still gobbling them up despite my lack of time to share.

In this week’s bag:

• macoun apples
• kale
• lettuce
• red cabbage
• red, yellow and yummy orange peppers
• spinach
• chardonnay grapes

Unfortunately, by the time we got the grapes home, they had mold growing on them. And I had to toss them out after I took this photograph. But on the plus side, the customer service at Fields Goods is so good that they’ve already credited my account. I’m not one to normally complain about the quality, I don’t mind small dents or even dirt (they are coming from the ground after all) but mold I am super sensitive to. I’m bummed we didn’t get to add them to our smoothies, but we still have some of the pears from last week left.

No big plans for the other veggies, other than my go-to kale and coconut dish; I seriously will never get sick of that combo. The beau and I have some shopping to do tomorrow night, so I’ll most likely stop at Trader Joe’s for a container of cookie butter to dip the apples in as the perfect autumn snack. Maybe I can convince the beau to whip up a big serving of slaw with that red cabbage. I personally like to saute it up finely with fresh lemon juice and great northern white beans and white sesame seeds. So good!

I have much to share with you all about the hiking trip I took last weekend; I summited all five peaks that I had anticipated reaching. And let me tell you, they were doozies! If you’re keeping track of this bucket list item with me (sorry, the tab isn’t up to date) via Instagram or Facebook, you know that I have ONE MORE MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB! And I’m attempting this final ascent tomorrow morning! Tonight I’ll pack my bag, wash my hiking clothes and eat a healthy meal. I’ll also ask Mother Nature before falling asleep for decent weather. I’m pumped to accomplish this long term goal!

In preparation, I’ve designed a tee/tank for Paula and I to sport on the summit for photographs; a perk of dating the beau. I traced a sketch of Sawteeth Mountain from 1875 in Photoshop and then added one of our favorite quotes by John Muir. He (the beau) finished the design and printed it out for exposure. Tonight he’s going to teach me how to print with a cool fade effect. You’ll just have to come back to see the final design and our summit photographs!

Have an amazing, jump-in-the-air-to-click-your-heels kind of weekend! Remember to try one thing a day that scares you and tell those who support you “thanks.” And best of luck to my partner in crime on Sunday– you’ll rock this race!

 

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productivity.

It’s been a while since I’ve been this productive on a weekend. I work for at least six hours on Saturday at the store during the Farmer’s Market and either have plans for the evening or pass out early because Sundays are typically spent hiking. But with the rain this weekend, I was stuck in Troy… in a very messy apartment.

I slept in, we had a wonderful brunch at our usual Sunday spot after yoga (the beau’s class- I stayed in bed) and then he had to go into work to get a head start on this week’s work. I was bound and determined to make our apartment sparkle! When we both come home at the end of a long day, neither of us wants to clean; so we don’t. And with commitments on the weekends, cleaning takes the back seat then too.

So for almost five hours this afternoon I swept, mopped, scrubbed, washed dishes for what seemed like an eternity, dusted and organized. I think I only saw three mosquitos, possibly only two, and killed one in my closet. I added a little pour of my natural bug spray (made up of essential oils) to the mop bucket and sprays; I wanted to repel those pesky insects! I poured bleach down drains and made sure to check all indoor plants of stagnant water- we are in the clear! I think we just have to wait for the few remaining mosquitos to die! (insert evil cackle)

For the remainder of the afternoon I cooked up two meals: one for dinner tonight and the other for tomorrow. I still have a list of organizational stuff that I’d like to accomplish this week and having a clean apartment helps me focus. Having a meal pre-prepared really gives me a boost because then I don’t have to spend time in the kitchen cooking/cleaning up. Both meals came out delicious so I figured I’d share. You’re welcome.

Hearty Mushroom Farro Serves two very hungry adults

• 16 oz of your favorite mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 cup uncooked farro
• 1 1/2 cup water or vegetable stock
• balsamic vinegar
• 1-3 garlic cloves, diced
• salt & pepper, onion powder, no-chicken bouillon cube to taste
• fresh thyme
• EVOO
• crispy onions, optional

Boil water and cook farro according to package directions. Drain and set aside until mushrooms are done. (We love Trader’s Joe’s fast-cooking farro; it’s done within 10-12 minutes!)

In a pot, add EVOO and the mushrooms and garlic. Cook over medium heat until tender and reduced significantly in size. Add a dash (tablespoon or so) of balsamic vinegar, the fresh thyme and the rest of your seasonings and stir until coated. You can add in the no-chicken bouillon at this point too if you aren’t using stock for more flavor. Add in the liquid and bring to a boil. Cook for about ten minutes. I used our hand blended to slightly chop up the mushrooms at this point, but didn’t liquify it. Stir in the farro and top each bowlful with some crunchy onions. Enjoy!

I also baked up the chioggia beets from this week’s share by simply tossing them in EVOO, a little dash of balsamic vinegar, S&P and topped them with raw walnuts and fresh thyme.

Tomato Lentil Soup Serves 2-3 adults

• 3/4 cup dry lentils, rinsed
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced
• 4 cups water or vegetable stock
• shallot, diced
• 2 big parsnips, diced
• EVOO
• paprika, salt & pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, bay leaves
• ketchup or tomato paste

In a pot, add the EVOO, shallot and parsnips and cook over medium heat until the parsnips are tender. You could also use carrots- I just had parsnips on hand from last week’s delivery.

Add the lentils, bay leaves and liquid and cover until the lentils are almost cooked to perfection. At this point you could add a no-chicken bouillon for more flavor, I did not. Once almost done, add in the tomatoes (canned could work too if you don’t have fresh) and ketchup or tomato paste. I added about two tablespoons of ketchup. Mix in your other seasonings to taste (I like it with a little kick!) and cover to simmer for about another ten minutes. I used a hand blender on this dish as well (the beau doesn’t like chunky tomatoes) and serve hot, maybe with a chunk of bread and simple salad.

*I personally like thick soups- simply add more liquid if you like it a little thinner. The picture really doesn’t give it justice- the flavors are fresh and fantastic!

It feels great to have a clean apartment and to have clean meals prepared or lined up for the coming week. Do you practice better habits if your home is neat and tidy?

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field goods.

In this week’s bag:

• savoy cabbage
• broccoli rabe
• chiogga beets
• mesclun
• roma tomatoes
• parsnips
• honey crisp apples
• ground cherries

Here’s the post where I confess I am craving a lot of non-vegan food! For example, last night I *almost* had the beau drive me all the way to Hudson for Mexican (Mexican Radio). The plus side of that place however is that they have many vegan options… but I wanted cheese, so we didn’t go. Instead the beau whipped up our favorite “cheese” sauce made of cashews and veggies and we had loaded nachos! Refried beans, salsa and avocado were the toppings of choice.

But my cravings don’t end there, nope. Pre-vegan I HATED candy corn. This year, I think because I can’t have it, I want to grab a handful each time I pass the candy bowl at work. Or just one kernel would do. I know I would HATE it just as much as last year, so I’ve been bringing a sweet option for me to snack on at work in the afternoon (fresh fruit).

I must also note that my office is right next door to the break room with the microwave. So when someone heats up chicken cacciatore at ten o’clock in the morning, I want it. ASAP. I don’t know what it is lately, but I think it’s a sign that I need to spend more time in my kitchen and less eating out. Which is exactly my goal for the month of October: no eating out during the entire month. Not only is it going to save me some cash, but it’ll also save my waistline. Four days down, twenty-seven to go!

On to this week’s delivery: the ground cherries are already almost completely gone; they were a delicious afternoon snack today. As was an apple this morning. These beets are my favorite (because of the pink and white swirl when you slice them) and will most likely boil them and toss ’em in vinegar. The only other real plans I have are for the parsnips- because they have such a strong flavor, I’m going to toss them in a little EVOO and balsamic vinegar and bake them. The beau makes a killer tomato sauce, so that might be what happens to this week’s delivery of  tomatoes.

We are both extremely busy this weekend between work, traveling and hiking. As of right now, Sunday is off for hiking because of the rain forecast but only time will tell. I honestly am looking for a day off to clean– I must have hit my head along the way, right? Hope you all have a productive weekend and reach all the goals you set for yourself!

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field goods.

In this week’s bag:

• green acorn squash
• arugula
• yellow, green and dragon tongue string beans
• broccoli
• red bell pepper and red sweet aruba cubanelle mux
• tuscan kale
• bartlett pears
• chardonnay grapes
• gala apples

What a great week of produce! As soon as I got the bag, I messaged the beau and proclaimed my excitement for dinner! At the time I didn’t know what we were having, I was just excited by the options. The result: a creamy acorn squash alfredo sauce!

 

Leave it to Pinterest, I found this recipe and tweaked it a tiny bit because we didn’t have everything on hand at the apartment. Going into meal prep, I knew we only had half a box of pasta and would have more than enough “alfredo” sauce. So, I sauteed some other veggies up too to add to the pasta and make it a little more filling. We had some leftover mushrooms from earlier in the week and then used half of the kale and a pepper. It turned out great! The beau and I each had two servings and didn’t have any leftovers.

My plan for the rest of the produce: eat it all up as soon as possible because I won’t be home for the next three days to enjoy it! The apples will be coming along with me on my trip as fuel and the pears will continue to be perfect snacks. I’d love to make a bean casserole next week; the beans always hold up good for a couple of days in the fridge. Now those grapes are sweet but have multiple seeds… so they will most likely be enjoyed in a shake. Tonight to prepare for my trip, I’m going to make a big hearty serving of my favorite coconut kale with brown rice. This is my version of carb- loading.

I’m looking forward to many more weeks of squash and root veggies. Do you have any favorites this season? 

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field goods.

In this week’s bag:

• peaches
• baby bok choy
• concord grapes
• spaghetti squash
• edamame
• cauliflower
• salad mix

The other night while I was working at the store, there was a print party going on with a bunch of gals celebrating a friend’s birthday. They brought beer, wine, chips and salsa, a bean dip, fresh fruit and a DUN DUN DUN buffalo chicken dip. It was seriously difficult to avoid the snack table. Ever since that night, I’ve had a hankering for something buffalo… and when I saw what was in this week’s bag, I knew I’d make buffalo cauliflower! Paired with a big green salad, so good!

I still have the concord grapes from last week, so tonight I’m going to make grape juice as I clean the apartment. If I’m remembering correctly, they do need to simmer for a long time = the apartment is going to smell sweet. The peaches are great pre-running fuel and afternoon snacks- they surely won’t go to waste. The edamame will be boiled and seasoned to perfection. I personally like this “island” seasoning mix my mom brought back from the Caribbean a couple of years ago; it’s sweet, salty and a little bit smokey.

This weekend I’m going to be heading downstate to check out my little sister’s new house! She and her boyfriend bought a condo last month and I finally have a free weekend to go see the place and the city that she now calls home. My mom and I are leaving super early tomorrow and I’m bringing the spaghetti squash with me so that I can teach her how to cook it. I know that she doesn’t like squash, but I think this will be an exception. I love to bake it, then scrape it out and fry it up with fresh garlic and black pepper. Oh, how I love autumn root vegetables!

The three of us are going to head to the beach (the same one we visited last year) AND we are going to IKEA! Wahoo! My mom has never been and I have a bookshelf to pick up for the apartment. Super excited to get a home for the boxes of records filling up the living room and to have the record player up off the floor.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Stay active, stay happy and give someone a hug!

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field goods and meals that prepare me to race.

In this week’s bag:

• concord grapes
• braising mix
• broccoli
• roma tomatoes
• yummy snacking peppers
• sweet corn
• seckel pears

The beau and I were both super excited to see/smell the concord grapes in the bag because last year when we got them, I ended up making a big batch of fresh grape juice. It was delicious and lasted us a week or so; we diluted it a ton because neither of us is use to drinking juice on a daily basis. I may throw some into my morning shakes for an extra pop of flavor!

The sweet corn will be tasty in some sort of stir fry, possibly with the onions and peppers I plan on cooking up tonight with tempeh for “fajitas”.  The broccoli I’d love to steam up and enjoy with the eggplant parmesan I plan on making this weekend, layered with fresh tomatoes and basil. The beau tasted one of the peppers this morning and said it was good; paired with some homemade hummus and sriracha, they will become a perfect snack. Lastly, those pears. We were advised to let them ripen a few more days- after that, I’m poppin’ them in the oven for a sweet treat with cinnamon. Nature’s dessert.

This morning I ran my last run, five miles, before the race this Sunday. I ran alone and only spoke once to myself as I was nearing the top of Congress Street; no I’m not going to quit! My meals over the next 48 hours are going to be “strict”- as clean as possible with tons of vegetables, complex carbs (my favorite, short grain brown rice) and plenty of water. I am a no meat athlete and truly thrive on clean food!

I can’t wait to spend time with my sister and see her cross that finish line; this will be a tricky course for both of us (the hills!). Hope you all have a wonderful and rewarding weekend; send positive vibes!

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