Fresh is Best Washington Produce

School got out at the beginning of June and the summer munchies set in. I don't thrive under a lack of structure, so I decided to hurry and prep my food just like I would during the school year! No packaged foods, everything as fresh as possible, and ready to eat so when the cravings hit, I was ready for battle!

Veggies to keep on hand:

Baby Carrots

Sugar Snap Peas

Celery

Chopped cucumbers

Fresh Spinach

Chopped bell peppers

Chopped lettuce

Extras:

Boiled eggs

Cottage cheese

Greek yogurt

Kalamata Olives

Pita pockets

Grilled red peppers

Grilled tofu, chicken

The more I have prepped, the better off I will be. I have found that the olives add great flavor to any dish as well as good fats! I like to have things prepped so when I get a moment away from my work, I know I have a safe and healthy option to dive into!

A great local option for produce is Washington Produce! Such an amazing option to purchasing fruits and veggies! I picked up my first order today, all of which arrived in the store today! You can order organic, pre-cut, and tons of local options! And I am about 99% sure I saved A LOT of money compared to the grocery store!

Another work break, another cooking binge

Well my iPhone doesn't take the most amazing photos, everything seems to look a little yellow or green, not that appetizing at all now that I think about it. But, the food has been delicious, and since I have more than 7 minutes to eat them, it's worth blogging about.

Sometimes, the best snack is some Go Lean Kashi cereal with almond milk, a banana, fresh blackberries, cinnamon, nutmeg and greek yogurt. Purrrfect!

A visit to Stell Coffee and Tea for a perfect soy/cinnamon/honey latte, and a PBnJ scone!

Pancakes!! I took 4 of these on my long Sunday ride as a snack and they were great!

1 cup each of the following: whole wheat flower; white flower; greek yogurt; almond milk; berries; along with: 1 banana; 2 eggs; 1 tsp baking soda; pinch of salt. Excellent! And so fast. Made these up on the giant griddle while I washed the dishes!

Avocado. Cilantro. Eggs. Cheese. These are some of my favorites. So why not put them all together? I toasted a whole wheat english muffin. I grew up on fried egg sandwiches, so I like to bring them back from time to time with a some cilantro, tomato slices, and sprinkling of cheese.

All quite simple, very basic, and quite delicious. For a little extra flare, I convinced Brian to go out to dinner, and our starter was one of the most excellent bruschetta. EVER. Goat cheese, fresh basil, and that super excellent balsamic vinegar!

Down Time equals awesome food prep!

With weekend plans getting shuffled and a new focus of rejuvenating and getting re-grounded, I decided it was time to cook. :)

I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen and I like to prep as much food as possible so my week days fly by. I decided to make stove-top steel cut oats Carson Miller style (added cinnamon, almond milk, molasses) along side a steaming pot of Quinoa for the weekend!

The oats were awesome! I have been doing them in the crockpot, but this was much better, not nearly and gooey. Plus they were ready in 40 minutes! Added fresh strawberries and some almond slices, dialed!

The Quinoa cooks up best with some vegetable or chicken stock and added spices, so i went for 30/70 stock to water and have tasty and fluffy quinoa ready for dinner!

I grabbed another awesome recipe from Stephanie - fellow foodie/cyclists/seeker of fun! I will keep the recipe explanation to her site, but this was so easy! I had a dish full of cooked potatoes, carrots, onion and broccolli and I didn't know what to do with it! It now has a home. I added a bit of feta too, because I am addicted to cheese. Yes, I know, I probably should cut back. :)

Enjoying the Holidays without paying for it!

I discussed this topic in my last Food post, and it seemed to suit me well over the holidays! I had a few items I was so excited to eat and savor with my family and friends, it really made the wait worthwhile.

What I have found over the past few years is that if I completely lock the cupboards and don't allow myself any sort of sweets or fats, I end up cracking in a huge way and going way over board. Making the damage much higher than if I had adopted the approach of moderation. There was a time I was so strict with my intake, that I would flip out and buy a baugette and block of cheese and mow it down on a park bench solo! Gone are those days with the slice of cheese here, spoonful of nutella there, just enough of a taste that it will hold me over.

I also have learned to LOVE many different fruits and vegetables. Pears and strawberries are some of the sweetest creations around, and nothing beats a ripe apple with some natural peanut butter on it. Great healthy snack can usually be found in the produce section of the market!

Here's one of my most favorite holiday treats: Brie en Croute!

There are thousands of recipes out there for savory or sweet baked brie. And they are super easy! It is a great cheese because a little goes a long ways! If you invite me to a holiday dinner in 2011, I just might bring one of these along. But until then, I will just research the best recipes for the occasion!