Fridge

What's in your FriDge?

HOmeMade PIzza:

Mozzarella Cheese

Spinach

Mushrooms (portabella and regular)

Sweet Bell Peppers (mini)

Basil/Black Pepper

Sliced Tomato

Canned Tomato Sauce

Already made crust (way better with homemade but messy)

Side: Spinach Salad with all the veggies listed above but cold and uncooked :)

About an hour, tomato and spinach made pizza a little runny (next time we need to do a better job gutting the tomato, ), and use fresh basil... no leftovers we had a guest!

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Listen to the kid... yo!

IF an 11 year old gets it... Can you?  hehe

"11-year-old Birke Baehr presents his take on a major source of our food -- far-away and less-than-picturesque industrial farms. Keeping farms out of sight promotes a rosy, unreal picture of big-box agriculture, he argues, as he outlines the case to green and localize food production."- TED TALK

Birke Baehr: What's wrong with our food system? - click on link to watch 

I think he is right on. 

Enjoy... I hope to rub off on you soon :)

The BiG Question?!?

What is NEXT?
I'm a PlaNneR.. BIG TiMe. 

In 8th grade, Angelique and I went to CA with my family for vacation and we made a BFF book!  One page required that we predict our future...

 This was easy for me:

1. Middle School Math Teacher
2. Not in Janesville (my hometown)
3. Married
4. 2 kids by 30
5. Dogs

Now, I'M LIVING IT... minus the 2 kids.

BUT, now I don't have the answers!!! What?  REally?  Laura withOUT a plan or answers?!? This is so out of the normal...

We want to buy a house, have kids, love our jobs, live by family, have lots of friends, not commute to work, afford to go out to eat, enjoy a big city, travel, and own iPhone's!

Buy a House: Where? 
Minneapolis- live there now and love it
St Paul- Eric's #3 choice....more room for yards, family, closer to work and I think more safe
Chicago- our #1 choice... its closer to my family, more friends (minus KT who you have already realized I spend lots of time with but PLUS Elliot our food partner in crime), inner city job I crave having back, BIG city, family job for Eric. NEGATIVE- the traffic!!

Have Kids? When?
If we stay here- NOW!  I'm ready but would we want to buy first?
If we move to Chicago- in a few years so we can enjoy the city.

Love our Jobs...
I like my job but I lost my first teaching job in the inner city and I hope to go back.  Crazy, right? but I figure while I'm young and motivated those are the kids that need me most!  At the same time, starting over again seems almost as crazy.  This is my third year where I'm at and in my classroom I have more confidence and ability to extend on my curriculum, I'm making friends, but still feel something is missing.  I can assure you of one thing: It is MY attitude that makes the biggest difference!

Live by FAMily? How?
All our parents live in small towns that, at this point in our lives, we would NOT live in.  If we move to Chicago we would be leaving Eric's mom and moving closer to my dad BUT mainly moving closer to my uncle and his family.  Also, its much closer to my hometown and all those friends.  Living by mom my, although I would love this most, is out of the question right now.  She is in CO in an extremely small town living on a ranch (amazing!). 

Just thought I'd share some thoughts!  No answers, but promise to keep you posted... After the holidays we will be trying to make some decisions.  Who knows, we could end up doing none of the above thoughts.  Man this baffles me to not have all the answers! 

Dinner:
Veggie Pasta- made by me and Eric did all the dishes :)
Ingredients
Egg Noodles (or whatever you want)
Onion/Garlic- saute first
Asparagus/Cauliflower- or any veggies you have in the fridge and enjoy
Cream of Mushroom Soup- YES! its an easy sauce with flavor
Spices- basil, green chili powder, a little rosemary, salt, pepper
Spinach- add at the end and put a lid over it to simmer

 Less than 20 minutes, EASY, and filling!

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The Strip Club...

Love this restaurant... The Strip Club Meat & Fish!!! (this is a link)

                      All grass fed, local products, great service, AMAZING FOOD.

We took a friend out for his birthday on Saturday night and ate A LOT.  There were four of us and no food left on any plate. 

We consumed:

• Meat on a Stick
• Crispy fried veggies
• Beans & Toast
• Beat soup with meatballs (my Favorite) and some spice!
• Scallops
• Grilled Tri Tip Steak bleu movie
• Grilled New York Strip with farmer bob and fries
• Duck Breast

Other meals eaten since my last post.... almost ALL eating out!  Yikes-


Thursday: Sushi and more at Fujiya with Katie

Friday: Chinese food with Eric

Sunday: Pho for lunch!  Our traditional meal on Sundays... it's a hangover cure too!  This is a Vietnamese soup with noodles and meat.  I get the veggie soup now with the same broth but lots of veggies not meat.

Six Bean Soup Mix and Golden Cornbread Mix from Women's Bean Project (www.womensbeanproject.com) with Eric's mom at our place.

This is a nonprofit business that offers women jobs to help support their family's.  I believe it is based out of Chicago.  Both ideas came prepackaged and we just need to add a couple things.  Overall, good but time consuming for bean soup. 

Engaged, GYM, Wedding, Couch...

Today I went back to my personal trainer for the first time since our wedding AND... it kicked my ass!  I love working out for the results and how much energy it gives me BUT its so much work to do it right.  hehe.  My husband works out a lot and is huge!  I was working out 4 times a week before the wedding and then found every excuse in the book to skip the gym... allergies, strep throat, a friend is coming over, i need to walk the dogs, i'm out of gas, no time, you name it and I have used it.

Sound familiar? 

OMG!  too funny...

How do we get a routine that is hard and affective but easy to follow????  If only that question was easy to answer, we would all be in shape, right?

I have no desire to be skinny (maybe a little but I'm realistic), i just want to be fit.  I want my jeans to fit, I want to enjoy being in cloths because they are flattering and I want to be physically attractive for my spouse. 

Eric said something to me once that made me realize how critical most women are of themselves and how simple men are: "You have looked the same to me since the first time I saw you."  He really meant that!! I think i have gone through many phases of fit, but to him my body looks the same.  Now you may be thinking, wow that is so sweet!  But, NO its actually easier to skip the gym when I think of that.  I will say that before our wedding he did notice that I was more toned, but I asked him to look and I have maintained a 15 pound weight range since high school.

I think people try to find other ways to stay fit other than working out but do any of them really work?  Research shows that physical activity is the MAIN way to stay healthy and I LOVE food so changing my meal plan (counting calories) is not an option.  Also, i've been spending a lot of time with my grandparents and getting old is not easy.  I hope that my body is strong and lasts as long as my brain.


PS: I'm mainly writing all this down to hold myself accountable.  I need to get back on my workout plan... OH and all the Holloween candy too!  Yikes.

Dinner:

Tuesday- Leftovers
Today- Open-faced burger (black bean bocca) with hard boiled egg, mayo, cucumber, and spinach. 

Sometimes when I eat alone... I add whatever looks good in the fridge to my plate!  Yum :)

Food Inc.

This is the movie that changed my life...

I was sitting on my couch (alone) and had ordered this via Netflix with no background knowledge.  I started watching and had to turn it off twice to make a trip to the bathroom because I was about to up-chuck!  I was also bawling over 50% of the time.  Now, some of you are thinking I must be an emotional basket-case, but I beg to differ.  This shit is crazy real and if you have not watched it yet stop being naive and DO IT!  It is on instant Netflix... not hard.

What happened to me from that day forward... I gave up TM (tortured meat).  It was really hard for the first couple of months, especially when traveling or with friends (and with Eric for a while because he eats like a garbage disposal), but after I learned where to buy from it worked itself out easy and delicious.  ALSO, i lost 15 pounds in less than 2 months and nothing else changed in my diet!!!



What I think you can do:

• Buy CAGE FREE eggs!!
• Organic Milk (I know it is crazy expensive, but research a little and you may find it necessary)
• Know where your meat comes from too!
• EAT VEGGI more. 

PS: its been 2 years since that day and I have no desire to go back to my old eating habits! 

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Dinner Tonight: made with KT again while Eric goes for a run and then bags all the leaves I raked after work (good man)!

Tortilla Soup Mix (Shore Lunch)

We added: one can diced tomatoes, mushrooms, canned corn and brown rice (made in rice cooker... I think every home should have one).

Less than 20 minutes, very yummy and warm! 



Food-iE...

I've decided my blog will have a lot to do with fOOd.  If you read between the lines maybe you can get some ideas for your own home.

• It is my favorite part of the day
• We love cooking!!
• I only eat organic meat (I call it torture free meat but that is not PC)... AKA I have to know where my meat came from before consumption.
• I grew up without scheduled meals and/or much home cookin.  fyi: Both my mom and I now cook a ton
• I think food is a very important indicator to an individuals domineer:
• Health- nutrients and stuff
• Animal Rights
• Human Rights- if you want to get into how the farmers are treated!
• Love and Respect for each ingredient
• Money (i hate: "I can afford to eat like that"... in the end its not that much more)
• I plan to make my own BABY FOOD (can't wait to read blogs about this)
• It brings my husband and I together each night for some social time doing what we love with a delicious result. 

EnJoY!!!??!???!?!?!?!?

Saturday Dinner: 
Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff- made with love by Katie and I from allrecipes.com

Ingredients
butter
onion
mushrooms (we did not have portobello so we used sliced regular? prepackaged)
vegetable broth
sour cream
flour (I use wheat flour)
fresh parsley (we only had dried)
egg noodles (i used spiral on accident)

I added: garlic and dried habanero pepper from New Mexico

Less than 30 minutes to prepare, SUPER GOOD!  Leftovers for lunch monday :)

Sunday Dinner:
Marrakesh Vegetable Curry- Made by Eric (as I am typing so results unknow)- allrecipes.com...

Ingredients

Go to the recipe linked above... too many to list BUT we didn't have most of it. I asked Eric to make something with turmeric (I really enjoy this spice) and we are making dinner based off this recipe.

We have no:
OJ: subbing a little lemon juice and veggie stalk?
Sweet Potato: Yukon gold instead
No almonds or eggplant or raisins
Adding: cauliflower and brown RICE!

About 30 minutes to prepare... New Idea!!... good ingredients too.