running scared

Well, I called off my meet-up/review with Bobcat. That dish just wasn't what I'd imagined *and* the fact that I included the one ingredient she'd told me in advance she didn't like just seemed like an all-around bad idea. Ah, well. I was scared, okay? Hurd accused me of just wanting a good review. I replied, "Yeah. Duh."
But, all that said, it actually was fairly tasty. I had it for dinner last night, and will have it for lunch again today. That's just how I roll.

I just finished Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, and it's so-so-so good! It's got quite a hold list at the library, so request your copy today! And, have I ever mentioned the book The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan that you should also read: tout suite? Oh, I have? Then what're you waiting for?

[That reminds me of Alex which reminds me to ask: anyone know any good cookie recipes that would withstand about a week of travel (to Poland)? Or, any good packaging tricks?]

Okay, in other news, Kramer and I had our Week 2 Weigh-In! I'm down another pound (3 in total, so far), and she went down two (2 in total, so far)! We're on the right track! I still haven't been super-strict with my diet like I was back in the early part of the year, but it's been better, and the walking is definitely helping, and making me feel good, and an exciting wildlife adventure every day!

We've now established our two favorite deer in the herd, Mangy and Scruffy. When we came around the corner today where "our" herd usually hangs out at that time of the morning, Mangy actually galloped up to us, looking for her daily apple snack. I tried passing off carrots again today, and no one was interested. It's gotta be all apples, all the time (luckily Kramer had a stash). But, I left some carrots here and there for any other interested parties (do groundhogs like carrots?), and in one small pile so I can check it tomorrow and see if anyone discovered it (and was like, PAYDIRT!).

And, we finally got to pet Nellie. She's this beautiful white cat with blue eyes that we came across last week (on a grave for a woman named Nellie). Until today she'd always run from us, but she started meowing when she saw us, and today we had cat food! So, she showed us over to an area where we discovered three or four other bowls that had obviously been used for her meals. And, she let us pet her (she liked me best. Just sayin'). And, then we realized that's why she looks chunky, not skinny. But, I'm sure she could use a home for when it starts getting cold, though. Don't you (yes, you!) need an adorable, sweet, beautiful cat named Nellie?

And, we fed the ducks. They just showed up again (for the season) yesterday, and are taking a rest from their migratory journey in the little pond. They heretofore wanted nothing to do with us, but bust out some bread, and they're all ours. A couple of them did this really adorable move with their feet, too, that made them irresistible. And, great blue herons! Did I mention them? Two showed up last week, and have been hanging out by the pond, but they really want nothing to do with us, bread or not. They are really beautiful, though, and their wingspan is just truly amazing.

I'm really glad we're walking because it just feels good, but the animals are what make it worth getting up at the cracka dawn every day. In fact, I want to start going early so we have more time to spend with them. It's just amazing that you get to see them all smack-dab in the middle of the city. In fact, we actually saw five deer (two mamas and three babies) on Kramer's street this morning! That's actually not good, 'cause it's kinda trafficky close to there, but they still looked adorable. Kramer postulated that they'd heard about the apples and were coming to find us. I love the herd! (and, don't worry, I love the Hurd, too).

I will get another two discs (8 episodes) of QAF tonight! I can't wait! I'm meeting a pet-sitting client right after work, then...oh, then!...I have a date with Brian. And, I also need to make another batch of the slow-roasted tomato sauce for freezing. Good times!

fitness by force

Yeah, that's how I roll. Not like forcing peeps into fitness, but requiring force for myself. Why can't you get healthy by hanging out eating crullers and smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee and getting your sporting in with a hotly contested game of Scrabble? Whyyyyyy?

Okay. I did this before. I was on a roll. Maybe even On Fire. I can do it again. Right? Right!

Kramer has bullied me into starting up morning walks again. We used to do them last winter/spring every weekday morning through Allegheny Cemetery. We started again this morning, but it was a short one--largely because I forgot to set my alarm an hour earlier. But, it wasn't horrible. I mean, I was sorta cursing her name while we did it, but then it was fine. We just did a mile this morning, but I think we used to do three. She read on the internets that we should walk for an hour five days a week. And, she made me plan a biking outing for next weekend, too. (don't point out to her that she's just helping me Kick Her Ass at the weight-off off).

But, as much as I want to raise my tiny fists to heaven and bellow out: I HATE YOU, JEN KRAMER!, I realize that this is the kick in the pants that I really needed. It's tough stuff. So, thanks, Kramer. How have you all dealt with set-backs and forcing yourselves back on track?

In other news, I attended the Classic Book Club meeting last night, and a good time was had by all! Have I mentioned how much I love book clubs? They are the apex of hanging, reading, talking, snacking, drinking and nerding out that I aspire to every day. We'd read a rather silly, much-too-young-for-us book, and so there wasn't a whole lot of discussion about it, but I think that the next book sounds pretty interesting: The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine, M.D. Judging by the impassioned and lengthy comment reviews by amazon customers I imagine it's going to be great fodder for discussion. Right on.

Apart from the reading, we got down to some eating. I made a salad with the white beans I cooked yesterday and a bunch of veggies from this week's CSA. It was pretty. See?

But, I over-mixed it, aesthetically speaking. I kept thinking to myself, "If Heidi made this, she would've mixed in the dressing with the beans first, and then just gently folded in everything else so it was beautiful and lightly flecked with purple, orange and green. But, I sir, am no Heidi Swanson. WWHSD? Ah well. Next time I'll try to keep the pretty in mind. I mean, it was still pretty 'cause of the colors, but still.

Here's what I did:

CSA Salad

white beans, cooked, rinsed and drained
green beans
tomatoes (I used red, yellow, red cherry and green zebra), cut into chunks
purple cabbage (I grated half of a small head)
carrot (I grated one large-ish carrot)
green onion (the ones I got were HUGE, so I just used one, but probably could have used another), thinly sliced--white and greens
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
some grated and/or shaved parmesan for topping (I used both)
several basil leaves torn into small pieces or julienned for topping

pesto:
big bunch of basil
pine nuts (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
garlic (used 1 clove)
olive oil (about 1/2 c)
parmesan (grated, about 1/4 cup)
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

I didn't really measure anything. Just kinda tossed it together until it looked like enough of each thing.

I soaked the white beans overnight, and then cooked them for about 40-ish minutes with a piece of kombu (helps make the beans more digestible). While the beans were cooking, I cleaned the green beans and steamed them in a mesh colander in the pot where the white beans were cooking (one less dirty dish!) for a couple minutes, then shocked them in some ice water so they'd retain their bright green loveliness.
Made up the pesto in my handy dandy chef's chopper (mini food processor), and left it kinda chunky.
Then just mixed everything together (see my note about WWHSD? above). Don't go crazy with too much pesto. It's better to let the vegetables' flavors come through. Freshness personified. Dig it. It was super-easy, and it was fun to just reach into my bag o' CSA goodness, pull something out, and use it right then and there.

Oh. You know what else I'm reading right now? (Well, some of you do since you're now my goodreads friends. Holla!) Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver (written with her husband and daughters). I just started it, but it's good. Like, good-good. I just read this utterly fascinating passage about asparagus. Check it out, folks.

And, I've said it before, and (I'm sure) I'll say it again: if you haven't yet read The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, what're you waiting for? It's fan-effing-tastic, is right up your alley (I think; if you're reading this blog), and completely blow-you-away fascinatingly amazing. Classic book club read it month before last, and we talked a little again about it last night. The part about the mushrooms? Woah. (what? you don't know the part about the mushrooms? yeah? well, read it! it's even out in paperback now! do it! it feels good!)