Cookies for breakfast? (Subtitle: From Farm to Table)

Day 10 - This is a choice every single day.  Every morning when I wake up there are still those voices telling me how tired I am, how sore my muscles are and how much nicer it would be to just go back to sleep.  And every morning, I have to choose to pull on my workout clothes and push myself toward my workout.  I just want to make sure I don't give the false impression that this is easy.  But it is worth it!  I am always so glad and proud that I did.  Even when, like today, I decided to walk outside in the beautiful 76 degree sunshine instead of working out in my gym.

Who could resist those skies?  After the kids' bus came I just couldn't bring myself to waste this beautiful morning inside.  Two laps around the lovely park is a mile and a half.  This was just what I needed today for a more gentler workout, after my two very hard workout mornings this week so far and the boot camp one I have planned for tomorrow.

Yesterday, I made "no toll cookies" from my Vegetarian Times cookbook.  I was craving something sweet and cookies are my absolute weakness.  These cookies are really tasty too.  And very healthy.  They are made with only simple, wholesome ingredients: whole wheat flour, baking soda, applesauce, honey, semi-sweet chocolate chips and sunflower seeds.  Ok, maybe the chocolate chips aren't wholesome, but a few in each cookie isn't going to hurt me especially when there is no sugar or butter or oil.  They turned out great and my kids (who usually turn their noses up at all my healthy cooking) tore them up.

After my walk, I wanted something different for breakfast.  Something simple because I have to go grocery shopping and I remembered those cookies (ok, they weren't exactly far from my mind) and  decided, what the heck?  I can make a healthy breakfast around two cookies.  And I did.

Greek yogurt with cut up banana, two yummy cookies, a handful of walnuts and my 4 oz of sunshine in a glass.  Not too bad.  It felt like a big cheat and yet, it really wasn't.  This is about a lifestyle change.  Making healthy choices, but not depriving myself.  Making it fit into my life in ways that are flexible and pleasant.  Will I eat cookies for breakfast every day?  No, of course not!  But why would I when there are so many other wonderful foods to choose from?

Speaking of which, last night I attended a "From Farm to Table" cooking demonstration at a local Wellness Center.  I am not a member (though I did used to work there) and saw their flyer a couple weeks ago on a dr's office memo board.  It was free to members and only $5 for non-members.  It was fantastic!  I invited a friend to join me and we didn't really know what to expect.

A charming and delightful chef from a local restaurant (Bella Sera bistro) demonstrated cooking several recipes while their on staff nutritionist, Jacquelyne Ely, gave us nutrition information and was a well-spring of knowledge.  Their easy back and forth banter and the open question-style format was really fun.  The flyer says the chef's name is Jason Capps, but he only introduced himself as Joseppi, so I'm not sure if it was the same person.

He prepared two of their restaurant's recipes:  Fava Bean and Carrot Salad with Ricotta & Farmer's Market Vegetables with Beef and Farro.  You can imagine my surprise and delight when they brought us a small plate of each to taste, after the cooking presentation for that recipe.  I was not expecting that.  It was after my dinner when I try not to eat anymore for the day, but this was educational.  How could I not dive in with vigor?

I really enjoyed the first recipe, though I only ended up with one fava bean and I'm not going to lie, it wasn't quite my favorite taste.  To me it was similar in texture to a lima bean (which I do not love), but the rest of the salad (carrots and their tender green tops, olive oil, kosher salt, black ground pepper, lemon juice and shallot) dipped in the ricotta cheese mixture with a small slice of hearty grain toast was wonderful.  It was fresh and vibrant.  The tastes all coming together and some new to me - such as shallot and carrot greens - was a nice taste experience.  

For the second recipe, I did not eat the beef, because I try not to eat red meat, but the salad he made to accompany it was delicious.  I never tried farro before (it is a grain, similar but not completely to rice).  Mixed with the other ingredients (garbanzo beans, tomatoes, yellow squash and asparagus) and dressed in the same marinade mixture they used for the steak (olive oil, lemon juice, fresh garlic, honey, fresh thyme, salt and pepper) had every bite bursting in my mouth.

They ended with one last recipe (this one from Jacquelyn) - Strawberry Oatmeal Bars.  You can be sure I will be making this one in the near future and will share with you.  Insanely good! 

The chef actually spoke about the Mediterranean diet.  He is from, I believe he said, Sicily. He specifically spoke about the quality of food in those regions, the fresh ingredients, the use of lots of citrus in their cooking and also including that active lifestyle, walking everywhere.  I would have loved to trap him a corner and ask him all kinds of questions about growing up there, but that would have been inappropriate so I restrained myself.

Taking the lead from him, Jacquelyn explained why it was so important for us to use local produce, fresh ingredients in season.  She gave us information on the local Farmer's Market and other websites to visit for more information and she mentioned a book she read, which I am interested in getting.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life is a non-fiction book by Barbara Kingsolver detailing her family's attempt to eat only locally grown food for an entire year.

I have so much to learn.  It is overwhelming to be truthful.  The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.  I guess that is the way of anything new.  And what keeps life interesting.

Until next time....  Be well!
~Tracy