Wait, What's a CSA? (Awesome Fresh Food!) And Do I Need One? (Um, yes)

Growing up, my family ALWAYS had a garden full of veggies - beans, corn, lettuce, onions, potatoes, and random seeds they let Little Amanda choose. We ate fresh all summer and were busy canning, too. As I've gotten older, those gardens have become too cumbersome or we just haven't made time; and our canning is more infrequent. But we still love our fresh veggies. 

In the warmer months, the Hubs, the Baby and I head to our area Farmer's Market which takes over a downtown parking lot on Saturday mornings (and now Wednesday evenings, too!). Usually we wander around, linger at a couple of booths but only buy a few things; and generally only in peak produce time. Not out of lack of interest or particularly unreasonable prices, but we just can't decide. 

So this year, we're trying something new: a CSA. 

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, which is one of the tastiest and economical win-win situations you can find! With a CSA you're buying "stock" in a farm. Your purchase gets you regular packages throughout the growing season and provides the farmer security that product will be sold. There are a variety of types of CSAs, most frequently of the fruit and veggie variety; but some include meats; and I've been particularly interested in a local grower's flower program. 

Let's talk about the finer points of why a CSA might be great for you and your family. 

1. Fresh, locally sourced items.

^^ Anxiety-free lettuce!
Courtesy of Deal Farms

Obviously, this is a win. Recently, the news has been awash with stories of food production workers who didn't wash and have spread infectious food-borne illnesses across the country. There was whatever the heck happened with Chipotle, a scary egg recall, and most recently an E. coli epidemic related to romaine lettuce. During LettuceGate, CDC officials recommended that people avoid commercial romaine, at restaurants and purchased in stores, and only consume lettuce when you knew EXACTLY where it was grown and who harvested/packaged it. I haven't worried about lettuce, because once a week, I drive down to the next town over and pick up a box containing veggies still covered in dirt and fuzz from the frost blankets. Oftentimes, the actual employee who picked it is there while I collect my goodies. 


2. Value - Price, Time and Experience 

I would say that you can't put a price on freshness and flavor. But...you totally can. And sometimes convenience and low-low cost means sacrificing quality. However, with a CSA the prices are generally lower than you'd find at their farm stand or at the market but with great quality. I recently saw a CSA offering Farmer's Market credit instead of pre-packaged weekly boxes and for a $300 season enrollment, you received over $350 in credit; so you're certainly saving. 

I mentioned before how I aimlessly wander through the Farmer's Market. I stop and stare at the pretty carrots that still have their tops, the vibrant radishes or the bushels of peaches (actually, no, I can't pass up peaches); yet I can rarely decide what I want. Many CSAs do the work for you; they're the original subscription box. Most groups offer you a limited variety of items from which you can pick (up to a weekly cost limit, or have it deducted from your total estimated value) but it's really Mother Nature's roulette - you're going to get what's in season and ready to pick. This saves me so much time and effort instead of pacing the market on Saturday mornings (but we still go to the farmer's market because...peaches and fresh bread and homemade soap). 

And like a new Blue Apron box, it's exciting. We're already getting items that I'm not sure what to do with, so we have to research, explore and try new things. This week, we got the biggest (but most beautiful) green onions and some Swiss chard (along with lettuce and strawberries). Both of which required some googling to find appropriate recipes (I think we're going to try a Swiss chard and green apple fritatta and some cheesy green onion breads) and we're excited to try new vegetables! 



3. Meaningful support of area agriculture 

Farming is hard and it's risky. And if you want proof of that, look only at the landscape of American farms - small, family farms are struggling to be as productive as commercial agriculture. 

My Papaw was a cabbage and cattle farmer and I loved being in the cabbage patch with our family setting the little plants and watching them turn in to heavy, leafy masses. But as beautiful as that was, I know my grandparents were nervous wrecks every year. You spend so much money up front for a product that may or may not turn out, and sometimes through no fault of your own. Too much or too little rain, sun, heat, wind etc. etc. can ruin a crop. And one bad year can set you back so much you can't buy the supplies the following year to literally dig out of debt. 

Hands down the best, juiciest berries I've had in ages.
#NoFilterNeeded

A CSA subscription lightens that farmer's load a little; it provides a pinch of security they wouldn't normally get. By purchasing a share you are guaranteeing that farm a sale. They don't have to open a stand or weather the market to sell their product; they know x amount will be moving. And the money can be an investment in making the best crops they can, which in turn, encourages you and others to buy additional items or be loyal subscribers. 

For example, we've had wild weather this year in our area and it stayed cold later than normal, so some planting was staggered. This meant that the only thing available in early- to mid-May was strawberries. Fortunately, we are a berry-loving household to begin with, and we were excited to try making freezer jam and Surry County sonker. Imagine if you were trying to sustain your farm on strawberries alone. It'd be terrifying. But having a known quantity of support (and people to take strawberries off your hands before they go to waste) could be crucial. 

Here's my shameless (unpaid, unsolicited) plug for our CSA provider: Deal Farms.  Millennial that I am, I learned about their CSA program via Facebook, but had purchased canning tomatoes (at a steal) from them last year. We opted to get a quarter share, which is supposed to be an allotment for a family of two every week for around five months. So far, it's been a fair amount of food, but we are still buying other produce. Now this may change as we get into peak harvest time but if we stay at this quantity the whole season we'll probably opt for a half-share next year. We have had three helpings of strawberries (at least two gallons worth!) plus the goodies pictured above, and everything has been DELICIOUS. Those strawberries are the best berries I've had in ages. Seriously, y'all, it's amazing the difference in flavor you have from berries that were picked early and shipped for hours or hundreds of miles (btw strawberries don't continue to ripen after picking). I can't do their fruit enough justice! If you're ever in Macon County, take a minute to pop by their stand! 

We're only a couple weeks into this adventure but we're already feeling like this was a good investment for our family. I encourage you to consider this as an option for yours. Visit your local farmer's market or seek out an area agricultural group; in WNC, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) keeps lists of area CSAs and can refer you. 

A couple critical questions to ask when talking to providers: 

1. What is your estimated season?
2. How much food should we expect per box? 
3. What foods could we anticipate? 
4. Are the boxes standard or do we get to choose/"shop"? 
5. Is all payment required up front? 
6. How does pickup day work? Hours? Deliveries? 

Spring Forward with Fresh Eats!

Spring is upon us already in Western North Carolina. Despite a recent dip back into cool temperatures, the trees are budding, daffodils are blooming, and my baby boy is knee-deep in puddles at the park. 

I'm much more fond of the moderate seasons - Spring and Fall - and they both energize me. Fall pushes me to do all the #basic activities like apple picking, pumpkin carving (pumpkin everything, really), baking all the cinnamon-y things, and breaking out my infinity scarves and duck boots. However, Spring makes me want sweeping changes in my life. 

Saturday was a gorgeous, warm day and I took baby for a stroll downtown. As we walked, I daydreamed of all the Spring Cleaning - literal and metaphorical - that I want to do. Update the curb appeal of our house with plants, patio furniture and string lights; buy a whole new classy/cute mom wardrobe; schedule more (any?) dinner parties; commit to buying a bouquet of cut flowers every week...the list goes on and on, just like the bill. 

CSA = Community Supported Agriculture
You buy "stock" in a farm & get regular shares
 of produce throughout the growing season.
You support local farms & get the freshest produce,
often at much cheaper than supermarkets.
Area farming organizations, like ASAP,
can help you find a CSA in your area. 

Spring also changes the way I want to eat. Maybe Lenten scarcity (man, I miss deep-fried food!) is part of it; but I think the upcoming abundance of fresh produce makes me most eager to lighten things up. I want to eat brighter, more vibrant flavors, with less of an emphasis on warm, gooey comfort foods and more on flavors, textures, and ingredients that invigorate me. 

J has already jumped into this Spring eating, using Lent as an opportunity to do a Whole 30 (40+), which is already veggie-heavy, but is a smorgasbord of freshness in spring and summer. And we're signing up for our first CSA, too! 

To celebrate spring this weekend, we made one of my go-to warm weather recipes: a surf and turf salad. I know what you're thinking, "Salad. How original. Yippee for roughage." But really, this is a delicious, filling, and easy meal. And despite its fancy appearance - perfect to wow a crowd or a date - it's surprisingly affordable. 

I shared a link to this Food Network Magazine (FNM) recipe in 2016 when I was just beginning to cook with a newborn baby on my hip/screaming in my ear/precariously lolling his (giant) head around. The point of the post was sharing tips on how to manage the steep learning curve of parenthood: how on Earth do you cook healthy, quality meals AND keep the small humans alive? This salad was a lifesaver during that transition. 

The body of the salad rests on a bed of assorted greens. FNM recommends mixing baby spinach, watercress, torn frisee, and fresh chives. But you could use practically any greens you prefer (except iceberg because I refuse to consider that a real vegetable) and I swap in green onions, too. That quick swap to bagged spring mix and scallions saves several bucks and minutes. 

Next, you prepare a homemade vinaigrette. The mustard (we used whole grain/brown for Whole 30 compliance) make the dressing burst with bright flavor and pairs so beautifully with the meat. 

#TruthHurts

Now, before you snarl your nose, let me tell you to get over yourselves about the anchovies. Yes, they're bizarre little bony canned fish. And they are the butt of any pizza commentary (second only to you pineapple pizza people). But they impart SO MUCH unctuous, briny flavor. You should always have a can in your pantry to use in pastas, sauces, and dressings; just don't share your secret with your guests. 

Marinate the steak in half of the dressing for at least an hour; I find this recipe makes too much dressing for us, so I only make half. FNM calls for flank steak. Now let me be honest with you dear readers: I know diddly squat about cuts of beef. J, who just became a certified Kansas City Barbecue Society judge this weekend, knows a fair amount about pork cuts; but we're both fairly clueless about beef, especially steak. We pick out steaks by appearance and yes, price, at the deli counter. With that said, I think you can "upgrade" or simplify this recipe to fit any budget. Steaks go through a well-defined sale cycle at supermarkets (think: Valentine's Day and "grilling holidays" like 4th of July or Memorial Day) so keep an eye out for sales on fancy cuts (and freeze) or grab whatever you prefer. This week, we bought small steaks and they set us back about $4. They were thin, but not papery like breakfast steaks, so it was harder to get that medium temp because they cooked so quickly; but they brought plenty of flavor. 

Refer to this; I have a serious beef-cut-knowledge deficit. 

Then, parboil some small potatoes. We've used fingerlings, new potatoes, and red potatoes. Again, choose to fit your budget and your presentation. Fingerlings - or even mini colored potatoes - look a bit fancier, but they all have a very similar taste in this preparation. 

Finally, finish off with a quick grill session. I've found putting the shrimp and potatoes directly on the grill to be a total pain because they're just small enough to slip through the grate, so I highly recommend using foil packs (you won't get the pretty char), kabob-ing (which is time-consuming), or using a grilling basket. 

This makes for a delicious spread - tender steak, fresh shrimp, soft potatoes - it really is everything you'd hope for in a surf 'n' turf platter, plus vibrant greens and tangy dressing. Pair this with a slice of grilled crusty bread and a good beer or cider and you're set for Spring or Summer! 

And it's visually stunning. Spread out on a big platter or arranged in individual shallow bowls, it looks like an elevated dish, even though it only cost a few bucks and less than 30 minutes of cook time. This is what I would will serve at the Spring dinner parties I'm imagining planning. I also think it will have a place at our Easter table where I crave clean, Spring freshness fit for our Sunday best (plus peanut butter cake). 

Mmmmm... Moussaka

Last week we made a clean-eating eggplant recipe and had eggplant left over, which I've been debating how to use all week.

There are only two recipes with eggplant that I've ever enjoyed. The clean eating recipe we ate last week was a carry-over from our detox - it's best described as a roasted hash of cauliflower, eggplant and chickpeas with a tangy yogurt sauce.

The other, is the most superb dish from one of our favorite restaurants, Asheville's Curate, a family-owned Spanish tapas hots pot featuring a James Beard award nominated chef. It's thinly sliced, lightly breaded and fried slices of eggplant with rosemary and drizzled with local honey. The flavors are superb - every time I eat it, I'm actually at a loss for words. The complexity of the dish - from the flavors to the textures - are phenomenal. If you're ever in Asheville, stop there for that dish alone (all the other dishes are great, too, but the eggplant is out-of-this-world).

But other than these two dishes, I'm indifferent to eggplant. It has all the flavor and awkward texture of a styrofoam cup and just feels so worthless. Despite being a negative-calorie food, that burns more calories to eat than it contains, I struggled to find tasty recipes to use. But, no more!

By an act of serendipity or pinterest-happenstance, I decided to try a recipe my cousin pinned for the Greek classic, moussaka. Moussaka is a Mediterranean-flavored, rich version of shepherd's pie. You layer lightly fried (or grilled or roasted) eggplant slices with a meat sauce, Parmesan cheese and bechamel (French classic: mastered!).

It is so flavorful with soft gooey layers. The eggplant softens greatly, and can be cut with a fork and is the perfect vessel for the spice-filled sauces. The Italian spices brought in familiar flavors to the meat sauce, but they were enhanced with the surprising addition of cinnamon and nutmeg. Nutmeg is common in bechamel, but adding it to the meat sauce was a great addition, especially since we used chicken instead of traditional beef. I prefer ground chicken to turkey; it has a more "pure" flavor and absorbs anything you add to it. And despite using only half a pound of ground meat, this dish feels substantial and hearty. The eggplant actually takes on a meaty, steak-like quality.

And it makes quite a portion. We divided the recipe in half to make four servings, instead of eight; and let's be honest, their "eight servings" would take up two 9"x13" casseroles and would feed your octet to excess.

I will say that this dish does take some planning and good mise en place -we didn't read ahead as well as we should've and were scrambling a bit - but if you plan ahead and take your time, this would be the perfect meal for a big potluck, church fellowship or fancy dinner party.

Also, be sure to have some soft, warm bread on hand; this leaves a great sauce on the plate that's just begging to be sopped up by a breadstick!

Moussaka (4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 eggplants, sliced into 1/2" slices (we did discs, but you can do lengthwise slices; also you can leave the peel on or use a veggie peeler to remove it - we left it on)
2 T olive oil

Meat Sauce:
1 1/2 t butter
1/2 lb. ground meat (beef or chicken)
salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t dried Italian seasoning
1/2 c tomato sauce (we used leftover Hunt's garlic spaghetti sauce)
4 T red wine
1 egg, beaten

Bechamel:
1 c milk
4 T butter
3 T all-purpose flour

1/2 c and 2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 350.

Lay the eggplant slices on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out moisture.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add ground meat, salt/pepper, onions and garlic. After meat is browned, sprinkle in cinnamon, half of nutmeg and seasonings. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine and mix well. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. If all liquid evaporates, add more tomato sauce 2-3 T at a time. Cool and stir in beaten egg.

In a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil a few teaspoons at a time. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned, set aside on paper towels to drain. You may need to add more oil, the eggplant is very absorbent. (Note: you could also roast or grill the eggplant instead of pan frying; you just want it to be more tender.) Set aside on paper towel to drain. Then layer 1/2 of slices in a greased 9"x13" casserole dish.

Layer all of the meat sauce over the eggplant layer. Sprinkle with 1/4 c of the Parmesan. Layer again with eggplant and 1/4 c of Parmesan.

To make the bechamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk. The easiest way to do so is to put your milk in a microwave safe bowl with a wooden chopstick or other microwave utensil. Microwave just until boiling (3-4 minutes). The utensil breaks the surface of the milk and keeps it from superheating which is very dangerous. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat and gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. It's thick enough when it coats the back of a spoon without dripping off. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the bechamel over the eggplant/Parmesan layer. Sprinkle with remaining nutmeg and Parmesan.

Bake for 1 hour.

Allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Itsy Bitsy Stuffed Peppers

Let me start by saying that I am awful at naming dishes, much to J's disgust. My mom makes a delicious tomato-Velveeta pasta dish that I've called "barf' since I was old enough to be so openly sassy; and for as long as I can remember, I've always called stuffed peppers "monkey brains." And that was totally normal in our house.

However, since the first time I pulled a vacuum-sealed bag out of the freezer and told J we were having "monkey brains," I haven't heard the end of it. Yeah, yeah, I know, it sounds awful and since it's visually quite similar, that makes it even more unsettling and disgusting. But, I won him over with the delicious bell peppers stuffed to the brim with a mixture of ground beef, rice, tomatoes, onions and spices. We even made our own last week using leftover golubtsi filling!

And after last week's recipe book re-do (more on that another time) we decided to try a recipe for itsy bitsy monkey brains.. er, um... stuffed baby bell peppers.

This recipe was pretty simple, although somewhat time consuming, and generally good for you. Unlike most stuffed pepper recipes, this one didn't call for any carb-y fillers like bread crumbs, rice or oats - it was clean eating at it's finest, just meat, vegetables, and spices with limited amount of cheese. We did use a pre-seasoned sausage (Johnsonville hot Italian links, casings removed), so that is more processed than if you went to a butcher shop and had sausage ground up for you. But we trust and enjoy this brand (and had it on hand) so we decided to use it. If you aren't using a pre-flavored sausage you will want to add more dried spices and fresh peppers (see note below) to get fully robust flavor.

I grabbed the first pack of sausage I found in our freezer and it turned out to be hot, which paired with the chipotle chile powder made for a very spicy bite. But it wasn't overly spicy and paired really well with a dollop of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt. The spiciness is well-rounded, not just a burn-your-mouth heat, but a smoky flavor that compliments the innate heat and sweetness of the peppers. The muenster melts beautifully and adds a buttery consistency and flavor to the heat. And the final squeeze of lime juice adds a tartness that cuts through the heat and brightens the flavor of the pepper. I loved that each component of this recipe - the filling and the blistered peppers - tasted great on their own and paired together. To make successful dishes, you have to use individual delicious components.

This recipe makes quite a portion - around 24 peppers - which we served for dinner with grilled corn and will use the leftovers in an eggy hash tomorrow morning. But I can see this making for the most beautiful cocktail appetizer. They are quickly eaten in two bites without utensils and would be a vibrant canape for any party! I will suggest that if you choose to serve them in that way, you should blot the pepper skins after their quick "fry" and drain the sausage after sauteing. The peppers are naturally juicy and with the added oils, they can be somewhat slippery and leave a bit of a trail of juice, which works if you're eating off of a plate but not so much on a cocktail napkin.

Also, like most stuffed pepper recipes, this has make-ahead and freezer-friendly potential. You can pre-blister and stuff the peppers up to 4 hours in advance and then bake off when you're ready. And you can also pre-stuff and then freeze them to bake later. This would be particularly economical since you only need 1/2 lb. of sausage, which usually comes in 1 lb. packages. If you're freezing to bake later, I'd suggest not blotting the grease, just to make sure they don't get overly dry. I'd put them in the fridge the night before you plan to serve them and bake until heated through. They won't be as pretty; the pepper skins will probably be a bit softer, but they will still taste delicious.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb assorted baby bell peppers (approx. 24)

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. ground oregano

1 t. chipotle chile powder

kosher salt

1/2 lb. hot ground sausage*

3 oz. muenster cheese, diced (about 3/4 c.)

lime wedges, for serving

*If using plain ground pork or plain pork sausage, add 1 poblano chile, seeded and diced; 1/2 t. ancho chile powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 425. 

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the baby bell peppers in a single layer and cook, turning, until the skin blisters and they begin to brown. About 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 

Add the onion, garlic cumin, oregano, chile powder(s), optional poblano and 1 t. salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring until the onions are softened. 

Increase heat to medium high and add sausage; breaking up with a wooden spoon and cooking until pork is no longer pink. Remove from heat and cool. After cooling briefly (or until room temp. -- depend on how much time you have), crumble sausage into fine pieces and stir in cheese. 

Make a slit in each pepper with a paring knife, cutting from stem to tip.Stuff 2-3 tsp. of meat mixture into each pepper. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake until peppers are hot and cheese has melted, around 10 minutes. 

Season with salt and serve with lime wedges.

Clean Eating Challenge: Completed!

For those of you "just joining us," the hubs and I have just recently completed a  two-week clean eating challenge!! For the daily posts, click here or use the "Clean Eats" label to the far right.

Each day of the challenge we receive breakfast, lunch, a daytime snack, dinner and a nighttime snack.We did it hoping to feel better and by the end we did; we both also lost weight and have become committed to incorporating clean eating into our lifestyle. 

Here's our big picture synopsis of the experience:

Take Away Lessons

• Eating less processed food does in no way mean it's less flavorful. These salads with just 2 T of all-natural vinaigrette are more flavorful than the most processed foods ever will be. 
• We, as Americans,really overdo it with meat. Vegetables can be incredibly flavorful, vitamin-rich foods that actually fill you up! Four ounces (or six for men) of meat is more than enough and paired with hearty vegetables like cauliflower, or the ONLY whole protein plant, quinoa, you'll get full and stay full. 
• We, as a couple, really overdo it with snacks. At night, we are really bad to graze - a handful of nuts, a bowl of potato chips, a few pieces of Easter candy, some hummus before bed. And that adds up, and more times than not, it's totally unnecessary. We were able to get full on two dates and two almonds; crazy right? 
• This is do-able. It takes planning, it does take effort and when you do this challenge it is expensive. But as you find your way with recipes/ingredients you enjoy, become more comfortable with the techniques and adapt it to fit your lifestyle, it is within reach. 

Advice

• If you choose to do the "challenge," take the time to read through the recipes and add up your ingredient quantities yourself; there are a lot of errors. Also, check the online version (in addition to the printed PDF) for additional instructions; there are a lot of errors there too. 
• Try new things and be open, but be honest about your palate. If you notice there's too much basil in something, but the next recipe calls for the same amount, customize it to your preferences. Given the amount of typos and loose ends in the recipes, they are not tried and true, perfected recipes like you'd find on America's Test Kitchen or within the pages of Taste of Home - so don't feel like your hands are tied. 
• With that being said, be honest when you don't like something but don't cheat! Accidents don't happen on a diet, you don't trip and land face first in a pizza. When you're making a commitment like this (not a lifestyle by the way), don't plan to have certain bad dishes just because, or reward yourself with a treat - you're not a dog. If you don't like the fennel, make a clean swap in your salad, use cabbage. Keep it clean -- you can do this!
• They do feature an equipment list, and they aren't lying about some of them. You WILL need: a lot of plastic storage bags, airtight containers (we like Lock and Lock or mason jars), good knives (some of the best are the commercial use sets from Sam's Club - you don't need a snazzy, celebrity-endorsed product, these are good enough for restaurants, they're good enough for your home kitchen) and cutting boards, a good blender (we love our Ninja), lots of measuring cups/spoons, and a kitchen scale. Check out our day-to-day must have kitchen tools list for other helpful items. 

Top Five Best (and Worst) Recipes 

The Standouts - Rated 1 (worst) to 10 (best) (Jordan, Amanda)

Scallion omelet (9, 9) - this is so good we've made it several times since!

Pear and almond butter snack (9, 10) - actually almond butter with any fruit was great. 

Black bean chili with paprika yogurt and zucchini ribbons (10, 9) - I can't wait to eat this again, especially on cold winter days. 

Cauliflower steaks with lentils (10, 9) - It's what's for dinner tomorrow!

Tamari shrimp in lettuce cups (9, 10) - My mom is already begging for us to make this for her.

Honorable mention: I must admit, dark chocolate did get 10s from both of us, but it isn't really a "dish" all we did was weigh it and then savor it slowly.

The Dregs - Rated 1 (worst) to 10 (best) (Jordan, Amanda)

First, it goes without saying that the three fennel heavy dishes sucked (incl. kale, chickpea and fennel salad; chickpea, fennel and blueberry salad; and roasted chicken with roasted fennel and spinach). Ick. 

Snap pea salad with feta, radishes and hard boiled eggs (0, 3) - J got pretty hangry from this dish. It also lead us to reinvent the lunch that was supposed to be made from leftovers. 

Red pepper strips with hummus (n/a, 1) - Just ick. Didn't even bother to take my own picture. 

Original Buzzfeed photo

Overnight oats with blueberries and chia seeds (1, 2) - The strawberry version of this is wonderful. I love it. But with blueberries, it was too bitter to be enjoyable. 

Blackberry yogurt parfait (2, 2) - Again, tart berries and tangy yogurt.

Blackberries with yogurt (3, 1) - Are you seeing a theme here with the yogurt? 

Original Buzzfeed photo

Moral of the story being, Greek yogurt will ruin your life. 

Clean Eating Detox: FINAL DAY! (14)

We  have successfully completed our two-week clean eating challenge!! For info on days 0-13, click here or use the "Clean Eats" label to the far right.

Each day of the challenge we receive breakfast, lunch, a daytime snack, dinner and a nighttime snack.The last day of the plan included:

Scallion and feta omelet. This was a winner when we first ate it and was just as good today. I think we will regularly incorporate this into our breakfast repertoire. I have realized though, that I think eggs and I aren't BFFs - they are far too filling and just wear me out. After this is over, I'll probably only eat egg-y breakfasts once or twice a week, certainly not this 15 eggs per week nonsense.

Portobello mushroom caps with feta, shallots and tomato (we nixed the mint). J was very skeptical of this dish. We enjoy mushrooms and he has some great portobello recipes - including a yummy sandwich with goat cheese - but this felt a little odd to him. However, it was delicious. The recipe calls for minimal cooking of the caps, but we sauteed them a little longer because that raw mushroom texture is awful! And having the tomatoes warmed in the pan and layered with the salty feta made for a great combination. I will say though, that eating the components separately was a little off, but when you make those "perfect bites" with a little bit of everything they were impeccable. Portobellos are incredibly meaty and are surprisingly filling. We were actually supposed to have three apiece but thanks to the error-riddled shopping list, I only bought 4 (which left us short for dinner too. Thanks, Buzzfeed; you will be getting comments on that); but three would have been entirely too much food. 

Apple with almond butter. We are converted almond butter/ natural "nut butter" lovers now. On today's shopping trip we scoured the peanut butter aisle and are trying a new type. We haven't opened the jar yet, but I will give a shout out that Trader Joe's natural almond butter was delicious, comparatively priced and only had one ingredient: almonds. That's clean eating at its finest. 

Chicken, mushroom and snap pea stir fry. This was pretty simple and delicious. We made our own marinade for the chicken early this morning and it soaked up the great flavors of lime juice, tamari, honey and olive oil beautifully. Too often when we make "Chinese food" at home, we soak everything in sauce and you just don't need it. We used less than 3 T of sauce and it was still full of flavor. My only complaint was that there was too much red pepper for my taste but I could work around that. This is also a quick dish and would be really easy to prep ahead of time and throw together after work. 

One ounce of dark chocolate. Ending on a sweet note! 

Day 14 synopsis (a complete overview is coming tomorrow): I am so proud of us. We have challenged ourselves in other ways before and only put forth a half-assed effort. But we finished! We didn't cheat, we didn't quit mid-way, we finished it! That may be because we spent an arm and a leg up front on groceries, but I think it's because we knew we could do it, and more importantly, that we should do it. 

We thought this was just going to make us feel good (see our inspirational GIF below), but it's done that and more. Both of us have felt satisfied, have felt more natural energy (coffee-free), relaxed better at night and lost weight! J has lost around 15 pounds and I've lost around 6 - men, sigh. 

This challenge has changed the way we look at food, cooking and eating (more descriptive lessons tomorrow). And we enjoyed these changes; so much so that today's grocery shopping trip and menu planning was based on clean eating principles. We have picked some challenge recipes we want to eat again, some new ones we'd like to try and are re-inventing some of our favorite dishes into clean reincarnations. While shopping we looked for ingredients that had 6 or less ingredients, all of which we could pronounce and knew what they were. We've also decided that it's unrealistic to think we can clean eat 24/7, especially right away; so we're doing a 2-day cheat plan that will allow us to go out with friends, try new recipes (for Fat Kid Friday?) and not feel deprived of our favorite things. 

Thanks for sticking with us! 

And yes, we're doing this dance through the house tonight, but won't subject you to that video. 

Clean Eating Detox: Day 13

We are one day away from completing our two-week clean eating challenge! For info on days 0-12, click here or use the "Clean Eats" label to the far right.

Each day of the challenge we receive breakfast, lunch, a daytime snack, dinner and a nighttime snack.Our final Friday menu included:

Overnight oats with strawberries and chia seeds. Now remember, dear readers, we tried this overnight oats recipe on Day 2 and as we would come to find out with most of our Greek yogurt dishes, it was bitter. We liked the texture, how filling it was and the concept, but the flavor was just a little too tart and while the blueberries were a burst of flavor, they too, were bitter. This go-round with strawberries was wonderful! Admittedly, I added around an extra tsp. of honey to each of our jars, but the results were amazing. This is a great breakfast that kept me full well into the day even with high activity and it's so easy to throw together at night and then eat on the go or take in my lunchbox to work. I've found a webpage with 19 overnight oat recipes that look pretty darn good - I'll keep you updated. P.S. sorry for the less-than-artful photo; I remembered to take a picture after I'd already started chowing down and had settled in on the porch with Love in the Time of Cholera. 

For lunch we were supposed to have a snap pea and radish salad with quinoa and arugula. Considering how unsuccessful the first incarnation of this dish was on Wednesday, J decided to create his own salad at work and I tried to rebuild it from the ground up (nix the arugula in choice of kale, nix the balsamic and just use olive oil), but it sucked. If you like the dinner on Wednesday, you'll enjoy this. If you didn't, try something else clean.

Original Buzzfeed photo (of what we should have eaten)

Carrots and hummus - again, yum! 

Spicy tamari shrimp lettuce cups. PF Changs makes a phenomenal chicken (or tofu) lettuce wrap dish that is phenomenal. This recipe leaves those pitiful wraps in the dust. I was thinking on the way home from work that Chinese food would be so good tonight, and this fulfilled my craving in a healthy way! It was amazing and full of flavor! The tamari sauce created this deep, earthy, umami flavor that resonated through the dish. The textures were fabulous and unlike some of our other non-bread wraps, the lettuce cups were the perfect vessel. They added a bright, freshness and crunch. I loved it! I told J that I'd be hesitant to make some of these dishes when we had company over - who knows how someone will react to a cauliflower steak - but I would make these for any dinner party!

An apple drizzled with 1 tsp. honey. I worried this would be cloyingly sweet and sticky but this pairing actually worked. We used granny smith apples which contributed tart crunch and were so juicy that the honey dissolved a little and made more of a sauce than a sticky drizzle. I bet this dish would taste so different using different varieties of apples and honey. If you haven't done a honey taste test before, give it a shot. Honeys from different areas and made from different plants have such varied flavors; check out a local farmers market to find some great honey options.

Original Buzzfeed photo - gmail crashed!

Day 13 synopsis: We talked tonight about things that we're surprised we haven't missed since we started clean eating. We were both surprised to realize that we haven't eaten bread or pasta in over two weeks and hardly even noticed it; which is quite wild for us given that I could eat pasts 3 times a day and J works at a deli. It goes to show you that your body has amazing skills for adaptation. If you're planning on making a change in your life, give it two weeks. It may not be enough to completely cure or change you, but you'd be surprised at how quickly you adapt to not eating bread, enjoying "natural" sweets not artificial ones, smaller portions and more. Gradual "ten percent" changes over time will result in you completely turning around your habits!

Clean Eating Detox: Day 12

We are nearing the end of our two-week clean eating challenge! For info on days 0-11, click here or use the "Clean Eats" label to the far right.

Each day of the challenge we receive breakfast, lunch, a daytime snack, dinner and a nighttime snack. Thursday's menu included: (p.s. we got lazy with pictures today, most dishes were repeats, anyway)

Blackberry yogurt parfait breakfast...again. Ughh...I think this is the last heaping serving of Greek yogurt, though.

Black bean chili with carrots. This chili is left over from from Friday's dinner, and again, was delicious. This will become a common meal in our household. 

Original Buzzfeed Photo

A pear with 2 T raw, unsalted peanuts at lunch. I have been eating peanuts my entire life - all types, in all sorts of dishes (and drinks!) and by the handful; I even went to the ER when I was two because I'd stuck a peanut up my nose. But, I've never really eaten plain, unsalted ones. And they weren't half bad. I don't think I could eat these with the same compulsive inability to stop shoveling them into my mouth the way I can with salted, dry or honey roasted nuts; but maybe that's a good thing. I ate my pear and peanuts separately in two mini-snacks, but J ate them together and said they paired together really well. I will say though, that something was up with my pear - the skin made my teeth almost feel furry, it was really bitter and had a crazy texture. 

Original Buzzfeed photo

Asian-style cod in parchment with bok choy. This meal was interesting, and probably flawed. First, it is supposed to contain six (!!) baby bok choy in each parchment packet. But we couldn't find baby bok choy at any local grocery store, so we tried using regular bok choy. That may have contributed to the weirdness in texture and that it wasn't incredibly filling. The flavor from the "spicy tamari dipping sauce" were great and worked really well with the chopped peanuts. However, even with the very flavorful sauce and peanuts, the fish didn't really absorb much flavor. We don't cook fish often, so this may just be a "cod thing" we aren't aware or or a taste preference we haven't developed, but the fish tasted more like fish than any seasonings; almost bland. It was juicy and tender and cooked with perfect technique, but the flavor was off. With some tweaking, this could be a really good dish. 

"Hot cocoa" was listed as our evening snack. But, as we learned on Day 3, this doesn't make for the dreamiest hot cocoa. So instead, we drank our milk and savored our chocolate separately. Since I don't normally eat dark chocolate and my tastebuds are aching for sugar, I can't be a real expert on this, but I must say that the chocolate bars we bought are delicious. I don't know if they are any better or different than your standard 70% cocoa bar, but I have thoroughly enjoyed our choice. We got them at Harris Teeter and they are a fair trade product called Divine, 70% Dark Chocolate Intensely Rich. At Harris Teeter, a favorite grocer from college, they were on sale for less than $2.50 apiece and worth every penny. I highly suggest looking them up if you're seeking a clean choco fix. 

Original Buzzfeed photo

Day 12 synopsis: Now, I don't know what this says about me, or J for that matter, but on Day 1 he started to feel the urges and cravings for cookie cake and coffee, but for the most part, I've been pretty satisfied. Other than my Sunday musings about how good a family dinner would be, I've willingly done without our "old food." Maybe it's because yesterday's meals weren't filling, we had to eat more shitty yogurt and I watched my mother eat from Taco Bell in front of me (Cinnabon puffs... *drools*), but I wanted to junk food. We are two days away from completion and this part of me was screaming "FORGET IT! BUY DORITOS!!" I don't know if that means that I have a really strong will and I've been able to hold out for so long, if junk food isn't incredibly dear to me or if that I'm just PMS'ing, but man, I can't wait until Sunday. Actually, J thinks that the challenge ends when we eat our last snack Saturday and the page says "Congratulations!," ergo, we can immediately go to the casino and drink and eat donuts. I'm not so sure; but Sunday will be a junk food fest. 

Quoteth Buzzfeed: "Two More Days! TWO MORE DAYS!"

Clean Eating Detox: Day 11

We are nearing the end of our two-week clean eating challenge! For info on days 0-10, click here or use the "Clean Eats" label to the far right.

Each day of the challenge we receive breakfast, lunch, a daytime snack, dinner and a nighttime snack. Today we ate:

A kale and banana smoothie. In the Buzzfeed article this has a vibrant green color and what looks to be the consistency of juice. I tried to blend this for a super long time and make it more like their product... it didn't work. But luckily, we're both quite happy with the way this turns out every time.

Tuna salad in romaine cups. This was delicious! The big draw of this tuna salad is that there isn't any mayo in it. Instead you add just celery, boiled eggs and a dash of olive oil; and honestly you don't miss the mayo. I will say though, that despite this tasting great, it wasn't very filling. I thoroughly enjoyed the flavors but I was hungry within a few hours (which is part of clean eating - you should eat every 2-3 hours) but then we followed it up with a not-so-filling snack and a useless dinner. I'd make this again but pair it with more filling meals later in the day.

Banana avocado pudding. Again, Buzzfeed takes some creative license here with calling this a "pudding." Have you ever watched cooking shows like "Chopped" where some panicked contestant introduces their dish with some fancy name and the judges just shoot them down? "This isn't a pomegranate gastrique! It's just juice!" Yeah, this is nowhere near a pudding. The only similarities between this and a pudding is that you could eat both with a spoon. But honestly this has the consistency of a smoothie, so I drank mine through a straw; while I was hoping for a fluffy, creamy mousse. Despite my aggravation with their word choice (ahem false advertising ahem), the flavor was great. I think of bananas as fairly mild - seeing how you can swap them in recipes in place of eggs and 1. never realize the eggs are missing and 2. never taste the banana; but, mixing them in all of these breakfast dishes, I'm seeing just how flavorful bananas are. They really hold their own and contribute a wonderful flavor to everything they're paired with.

Pea salad with feta, radishes and boiled eggs. So, let's be real about this salad. It's not awful and as a lunch salad, in a smaller portion I could probably enjoy it. However, this really left dinner lacking and here it is 2 hours later and I'm starving. The pairings of ingredients in this salad were weird, like most salads thus far, but they didn't quite work here. You had peppery, spicy arugula with a bunch - no not "whoa that's a bunch of cookies" but the literal grouping they grow in, meaning 5+ radishes - of spicy, peppery radishes. And then you add tangy dressing with tangy feta. Everything was over-the-top which made the first few bites (to me, not J) okay but it got old fast. And lucky us, we get leftovers of this for lunch Friday. Woot.

1 ounce of dark chocolate was on the menu - but because we're famished we are pseudo cheating. We had an oz. of chocolate and also 1 T raw pistachios and 1 T raw almonds. We are only cheating in that we are eating "more" (technically not since 50+% of our salads went to waste) than prescribed, but we're not cheating because everything we added in, is clean.

Day 11 synopsis: I'm hungry. This is the first day I've been even slightly annoyed about being hungry. And if that's the worst of it, so be it. I think we've done really well so far and I've been impressed with the recipes and the detox. In our hangry fits tonight I've had to remind myself that we are only three days away from completion and have a very successful run! This minor bump in the road (or rumbling in my belly) won't deter me from continuing to eat clean.

Rest assured, this Buzzfeed is highly inaccurate. I'm not feeling that funky and/or awkward.