It brings gorgeous artichokes, the most delicious asparagus, and juicy red strawberries.

When I became interested in food and nutrition, I never realized there would be so many choices to make on a daily basis. Rather than just facing the choice between healthy or junk, I find myself having to choose between seasonal, local, organic, or none of the above. I pick one over the other depending on the food, the time of year, and the price, but I will freely admit that it is often a struggle for me. A membership to a CSA is not practical for us right now, so I have to make the choice each time I head to the grocery store or farmer’s market.

Hint: Before buying an item the next time you are at your local farmer’s market, ask if the items were grown locally and how they were grown. You would be surprised how many items are actually produced conventionally, far away, and are brought to sale at the farmer’s market.

This past fall I was walking around our local grocery store checking things off of my list when I came to apples, scribbled quickly up the side of the paper as an afterthought. I knew it was apple season and I hadn’t had an apple in quite a few months. I came across a beautiful display of apples of all colors and sizes, but when I read the description for each type, I was very disappointed. Every single apple came from Washington state. We live in Pennsylvania. That is a long, long way for an apple to travel. I know that there are literally hundreds of apple orchards all across the East Coast, yet we had none in our local market. It didn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense. A week or two later I headed out to the farmer’s market and found some fabulous small golden delicious apples from 25 miles away. I do not know if they were organic, and in fact they probably weren’t, but I met the farmer’s daughter myself and I know the apples came from nearby. I feel good about that.

I try to be conscious of buying seasonally and/or locally, but when faced with delicious imported goods from faraway lands, it is hard to resist. I will admit that I buy avocados year-round, and they rarely even come from the U.S. I also love kiwi, mangoes, bananas and pineapple, and buy them when they look good. They are obviously never local. I feel guilty over that, but my love for the taste and variety they offer wins.

Eating seasonally is different, however. It is… easier. Fruits and vegetables taste magnificent when they are in season. When they aren’t, it may look like a tomato, but it certainly doesn’t taste like one. I haven’t eaten a tomato since the end of last summer, unless it was in canned form.

Does anyone remember what it was like to walk through your grocery store in the dead of winter to find a serious lack of color? I do. I remember asking my mom if the supermarket was closing! She explained that in the winter we only had winter things available. Of course there was a small section of exotic fruits and vegetables, but they were bruised up and not too happy to be in the middle of the cold weather. I don’t remember when the transition happened. Who decided it was a good idea to force out of season produce in our bodies and money out of our pockets? I do not like the current trend we have, and I hope it changes.

Three Reasons Why I Love Seasonal Produce

3. Reminds me what season it is.
2. Cheaper.
1. Tastes incredible!

What are your thoughts? If you have to choose between seasonal, local, or organic, which do you select? Why?

The Philadelphia markets do not have NuVal, but I really wish they did! I have, on more than one occasion, texted my sister in law to ask her which fruit has more antioxidants, or which flour was better for my health. As you can see by my entire blog design, I really love berries, but I never know which one to buy! We can’t eat more than one pint at a time without some spoiling, so each week we need to make a choice… strawberries? blueberries? raspberries? blackberries?

I can only imagine the choices an uneducated person has to make.

At this point in my life I am comfortable making any changes to my lifestyle and diet that would make me a healthier, stronger woman. I could choke down wheatgrass shots every morning if I thought they would benefit me tremendously. Ok…. maybe not wheatgrass, but you get the point! I truly enjoyed my iced coffees with milk and sugar, but when I realized how harmful they were for me, I completely cut out the sugar over time. It was hard work, but now I enjoy plain iced coffee with a splash of skim milk even more than I used to enjoy the sugary stuff.

NuVal rates each food or food product on a scale from 0 to 100. The higher the score is, the better the nutrition (from NuVal.com). That means that in an instant I can compare two foods without having to read nutrition facts or ingredient lists. A NuVal rep recently gave me the score for my beloved berries.

Here they are:

Strawberries: 100
Blueberries: 100
Raspberries: 88
Blackberries: 91

All four berries I love have high scores, but with perfect 100s, I will definitely be picking strawberries and blueberries over their other friends.

The NuVal website shares lots of information about selecting the best food for you, so even if they have not hit your market yet, check them out! Now… if only they would add easy recipes to those unfamiliar vegetables…. Rutabaga, anyone?

My mother in law took care of me all day yesterday (PB is away for work). Thank goodness because I could barely stand never mind do anything else.

I’m on a strict diet of flat coke, ice chips, and saltines.

Be back tomorrow.

Have I mentioned that we do long runs with two other couples every few weekends?

It has been a lot of fun and we have become very close after multiple long runs. When you are running for almost two hours together, you really get to know one another. We even have a team name! KGH6! We all ran the Philadelphia Half Marathon and are currently training for the Broad Street Run in May and a sprint triathlon in July. We are working on nicknames… but haven’t gotten there yet.

A few weeks ago we were finally able to go out on a proper group date. The plan was dinner in Center City and a sleepover at our place followed by a long run in the morning. The blizzard made those plans impossible, but we still had dinner.

And, oh, what a dinner it was!!!!!

Each couple took a part of the meal and selected a restaurant to visit to enjoy that meal. Here were our choices:


ONE
Tamar & Garo   First Course: R2L 


TWO
Sabrina & PhillyBoy Second Course: Le Castagne

THREE

Kristine & Jon Third Course: Max Brenner

The first couple emailed us our meeting location Friday morning, but still would not share the name of the restaurant. Of course, I tried using Google maps and Google Earth to determine our location (we were given only a cross street), but the only thing that came up was Rite Aid. Huh?

Turns out that restaurant was inside a building, which was why I had no clue what it was! The name? R2L.

R2L is a swanky restaurant with a hopping bar scene. I had never heard of it before, but PB and I are already planning to go back for a full dinner. When we arrived, although the dining area was still empty, we had to wait several minutes for our table. Once we got settled, however, the service was great! I ordered a Cosmopolitan as it is my favorite girly drink. It was really good, but very, very, strong. In fact, everyone’s drinks must have hit us all quickly because we were all laughing a little too loud…

We chose to order a bunch of appetizers and share them among the table. Our selections, from the menu available online:

AMERICAN SUSHI SAMPLER
 tuna and white asparagus
philly salmon, hamachi and spicy scallion
crab and basmati roll 
**We added a vegetarian option as a couple of people did not like fish

OLIVES | string cheese, marinated vegetables, za’atar flatbread, olive dip

GRILLED TRUFFLE FLATBREAD | arugula, parmesan

RABBIT NACHOS | jalapeno mousse, homemade tortilla chips

MACARONI AND CHEESE

The mac and cheese was so good the camera had it for lunch!

Everything was amazing, but I especially enjoyed the macaroni and cheese (which was the most interesting interpretation of the dish I had ever seen) and the flatbread, which had just the right amount of toppings.

Our time at R2L ended in hysterics as a neighboring diner tickled PB’s back while saying “spiders, spiders!!” It was SO weird and bizarre. Obviously he had had too much to drink. PB was a good sport about it and didn’t freak out though.

Next stop? Le Castagne.

I am going to be quite frank here- we failed our portion of the mission. I need to get to know Philadelphia restaurants better. My friend warned me it wouldn’t be busy in there, but I didn’t know it would be dead. The experience wasn’t right from the start. We walked in and my friend was asked to remove his stylish hat in the dining room. It was a fancy hat, and considering the storm was very appropriate. He removed it, but it was interesting to note that there were diners in there in sweatshirts and ratty jeans.

I asked the server for some wine recommendations, and he stated that they wouldn’t have anything on there that wasn’t good, so pick anything. Seriously? I was very unhappy with this reply. Turns out he was completely wrong, as both overpriced wines we ordered weren’t my taste. They were like the cheap $8 bottles of bad wine we would buy right when we turned 21.

The pasta was actually quite good, but the rest of the experience had ruined it for me already. We all ordered a sampler of three dishes:

Spaghetti alle castagne — Spaghetti sautéed in a chestnut cream sauce topped with cocoa powder

Gnocchi di patate alla sorrentina — Gnocchi served with tomato sauce, fresh basil, & mozzarella

Fusilli alla bolognese — Fusilli served with a ragù of tomato, ground beef, veal, & pork & topped with ricotta salata (We were not given fusilli)

The pasta itself was good, but the sorrentina sauce was not right. There was no fresh basil to be seen on our plates, and no mozzarella either. Honestly, I was very disappointed by this restaurant, especially after seeing some rave reviews online. I hope they were just having a bad night, and might give it another chance.

As we made our way to the third stop the snow was really coming down! It was so beautiful…

…until it hurt when it hit our faces!

The last stop of our progressive dinner was Max Brenner.

Let me say that again…

Max. Brenner.

I was in chocolate heaven, as we all were. We arrived shortly before closing, but they had no problem serving us, even with the storm. We ordered several desserts and could not finish any of them. Everything was rich, decadent, and delicious. You can tell they use good quality chocolate in all their dishes by the intense chocolate flavor. YUM! Here is our spread:

I am happy we ordered as many as we did. We were able to really experience Max Brenner, and now I can’t wait to go back! When you decide to go, please be sure to remember to bring a big appetite! Oh, and definitely get a sundae. It was the best sundae I have ever had in the U.S.!

Group dates are really fun, but this one was even better as it had a purpose. We had a lot of laughs and were able to experience three new restaurants in one evening! I can’t wait for our next dining adventure!!!!!

I have never been much of a coffee drinker myself, aside from the fun iced coffees I drink in the summer. I love hot tea, but I would switch it with its lighter cousin, hot water, any day. PhillyBoy and my cousin Raz, however, have serious addictions to coffee. When my cousin and I lived together, she stocked the house with fresh coffee beans. She did not leave the house any day without a coffee in hand, and often left our office to pick up one or two more throughout the day. And PB? Ever since I met him he has loved coffee. He has a big mugful in the morning and would often have 2,3,4 cups later in the day. When we would be out doing errands, he would often ask to stop for “just a bit of coffee.” Recently, that ended for both PB and Raz. They coincidentally both gave up coffee on the same day for different reasons. Here are their thoughts on their coffee addictions and how they feel being coffee-free.
(source)

PhillyBoy:
I have had a long complicated love/hate relationship with coffee. I don’t remember coffee being much of a factor in my life during college – a cup here or there. But in law school, for some reason, the relationship intensified. I don’t recall if I actually dove right into drinking coffee or if it was something that gradually caught on. But I do know that the “need” evolved from a lack of sleep due to (let’s be honest) procrastination on work. Plus I had a full time job during my entire time in law school – so that didn’t help. Sure once in a while I would try and substitute Mountain Dew for coffee – but the caffeine jolt just was never quite the same (ugh, just thinking back to the crap I would shovel down between work and classes makes me angry at myself!)…ok so back to coffee….

(source)

It was bad during law school. I had a job where coffee was readily available for free from a machine in the office. So instead of moderation, I would just give in to the urge every time I wanted a jolt. Some days, I wouldn’t be surprised if I had as much as 10 cups in one day (including the nighttime). Of course, I needed some energy for my nighttime run…this was my mentality – and if I could rewind time I would do things so differently. In about 2005 I started working full time at the firm and I probably cut down to about 4-5 cups/day. Yes, cut down to 4-5 cups/day.

To make a long story short and to avoid going on and on, during the last few years, I have evened out at anywhere from 2-3 cups/day. Most dinners out, I have finished with a cup of coffee. I often prefaced nights out with a cup of coffee and of course, began each morning with a hot cup of coffee. I saw myself generally tense overall and no matter how many hours of sleep I got, I woke up feeling unrefreshed and craving coffee. I became overly stressed over minor things and I didn’t feel right. As healthy as my diet had become and as much exercise as I had fit into a week, still things often felt a little off in terms of energy…

So last week, something snapped. I have always encouraged family/friends who smoke to quit and have generally been against the idea of being overly dependent on anything. I tend to think of these things as a choice so ignoring the horror stories of coffee withdrawal, headaches, moodiness – I quit. I decided enough was enough, and it was time to allow my body to just naturally have energy…so rather than getting energy from caffeine, I would go back to basics after all of these years – energy from adequate rest, a healthy diet, and exercise. The first few days were a little tough but surprisingly I didn’t have too many headaches. If anything, a few days I crashed very early and sleep for 10-12 hours with no problem. The first few days, I used tea to ease the transition. Today I drank water all day and forgot that I had not had any tea or coffee…

It’s now been 10 days and I feel GREAT. I immediately lost a few pounds of water weight for some reason. I feel energized naturally and clear headed. I can focus much more easily on tasks at work and overall my mental state is much calmer and more consistent. I’m sleeping well and am waking up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day.

I know this was a little long winded and slightly dramatic. But everyone has their vice….for some it’s food, alcohol or cigarettes. For me, I’ve been drinking entirely too much coffee for way too long. It’s nice to have stopped and not feel any desire to go back. I’m not saying everyone needs to stop drinking coffee – but I know I had gotten to a point where I was depending on coffee for my energy and that was not a good place to be. I’m feeling great now and hopefully the improvements will only continue.

Raz:

Caffeine has been a part of my life since college.  I remember pulling a number of all nighters studying and coffee was always there keeping me company.  In fact, I hated the way I felt without my morning cup.  I have realized over the years that coffee may be contributing to headaches and sleeplessness but it had become a welcomed habit that I did not want to quit.  To give you window into my addiction, for the last few years I have been buying coffee beans whole, grinding them myself, and using a French press.

Recently, I caught a cold; one that kept me in bed for a few days resting to recuperate.   It wasn’t a conscious decision but I had realized that I had been without coffee for 5 days! That is the longest I have been without coffee that I could remember.  I then realized that I made it through the worst of the withdrawal period if I were to quit. So figured I would give it a shot to test if the headaches and sleeplessness I have been experiencing will be affected.   

I can tell you I have been foggy and felt a bit unfocused the first few days back to work and yes still having headaches.  But the overall benefits have been amazing.  I have been sleeping better and dreaming a lot more.  I also noticed my skin has been looking better and I have more energy.

One thing that concerned me was that I have been craving something sweet in the afternoons.  This was around the time that I would usually have my second cup.  To avoid substituting one bad habit for another, I have been keeping water, gum and healthy snacks available in case of such cravings.

I have been doing great up to today, day 10. Today I did have a cup of coffee with a friend.  Sure enough I felt sluggish in the afternoon followed by a headache.  I can’t deny the effects caffeine has on me.  So I am going to continue on caffeine free.

*************

If PB and Raz could do it, you can too! If you have a vice and have quit, share how you did it in the comments. If you have a vice and want to share just how bad it is, do that in the comments too! I will be posting all of your success stories and vices in a post later today.

P.S. My husband lost his pet as a kid and was devastated. He wrote about it in his diary in the cutest but also saddest entry ever. I bet many of you can relate to this entry- you can see it here.

The random 3 winners are:

SarahG

March 2, 2010 at 9:41 am (Edit)

Definitely the onyx (size 10). Let’s see, I think I could use a pair of these because I’m 5′10 and whenever I where heels my feel kill because I don’t do it very often. I do have to where heels in the office though and I think these would be just perfect to slip on when I’m at my desk/walking to the copy machine and am not in a meeting. I also think they will make big feet look cute, which I can always use help with

Carly

February 27, 2010 at 12:39 pm (Edit)

Tweeted @livelaughgrow

Tori

February 27, 2010 at 1:56 pm (Edit)

Starlight silver! They look so comfy and cute!

Please email me at rhodeygirltests at gmail dot com with your shoe size, preferred color, and mailing address! Thank you for this great opportunity, delicate soles!

Need something to do this weekend? Go here!!

Oh, and if you want to follow my workout schedule, click on the red dumbbell under workouts in the first sidebar!

One activity I couldn’t wait for is the Philadelphia International Flower Show. Last year, this exact weekend, my dad went with my (at the time future) father in law to the Flower Show while I was at a surprise bridal shower held for me by my mother in law and sister in law. My dad was there to surprise me for dinner, and my father in law took him to the show to pass the time until then. Later on, when the surprise was revealed (and tears flowed for the third time that day of course) my dad had the most gorgeous flowers in his hand. He also had a slew of photos on his phone of the most beautiful design of flowers made into a stiletto. Ever since seeing those photos I have been waiting in anticipation for this year’s show.

Well, the show is here! Last night my mother in law and I went over to the Philadelphia Convention Center for the show, and it was even better than I imagined! This year’s theme is Passport to the World, and upon entering the show there is a very large hot air balloon that is actually the design of a globe. All the continents are made out of roses.

I will let the photos speak for themselves. The highlights:

By far my absolute favorite:

Singapore:

Brazil:

Other highlights:

(I want to live in this design)

And a few of us, just for fun:

Can we say, SPRING IS HERE?

If you are in the Philadelphia this area, check out the Philadelphia International Flower Show. You will not be disappointed.

Show information, from the website:

Place:  Pennsylvania Convention Center
12th & Arch Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19107-2299

Hours:
Friday :10 am to 9:30 PM
Saturday: 8 am to 9:30 PM
Sunday March 7: 8 am to 6 pm

Ticket Pricing:
Friday, March 5 Adults $24 • Students (17-24) $18 • Children (2-16) $13
Saturday and Sunday, March 6 & 7 Adults $26 • Students (17-24) $18 • Children (2-16) $13   

A long time ago I wrote the story of how my parents met, but that post was lost before I could save it in my drafts backup folder. To give you the quickie version…. My auntie D and her boyfriend were dating and wanted to meet up in Florence for a few days. My aunt was living in Trieste at the time, and her boyfriend was in the States but would be in Italy for business. My grandparents did not want my aunt to go, but finally agreed when auntie said she would take her sister as a chaperone. When my aunt told her boyfriend that, he said he would find out if one of his brothers could make it too to keep my aunt’s sister company.

My mom and auntie, many many years ago (my auntie is standing in the back and my mom is sitting down):

My mom, with my dad in the background (sometime in the late 70s):

Fast forward to Florence.. My dad (my aunt’s boyfriend’s brother) is sitting in the barber shop in the hotel and sees a beautiful woman in the mirror pass by, with long blond hair and a beautiful outfit. He says to himself “if that is the woman I am supposed to accompany all weekend, I am going to marry her.” I am sure he did not think that was actually the woman he was supposed to accompany! But it was! My dad and mom were formally introduced, and it was love at first sight. Though they did not speak the same native languages, they both spoke some English and my dad spoke a bit of Italian so they were able to communicate. By the end of that first evening, my dad and mom knew they wanted to be married. The four of them ended up having a magical trip in Florence that I heard about many times growing up, and when my mom went back to Trieste, she had a promise ring on her finger.

The rest is history, as they say. My mom got married to my dad, studied for her high school final exams, and got her driver’s license all in the same year. And yes, my aunt and her boyfriend got married too!

My uncle (in the middle), with my dad (left) and a friend (also late 70s):

And one random, because I can’t help it! Another one of my dad’s brothers, with one of their sisters! (again, late 70s):

The love doesn’t end there. By 1985 we were all living in Rhode Island. My parents had a boy born in 1979 and a girl in 1983, and my aunt and uncle had a boy in 1979 and a girl in 1983! The girl, my cousin who I grew up with as almost a sister, was my maid of honor! The story is quite a bit longer and a bit more romantic than that, but it would take hours to fully share. I have asked my aunt to share it many, many times in the last few years! It is one of my favorite stories. Feel free to ask any questions about this love story if you have them!

I remind myself of my parents’ beautiful story all the time. My father is an incredible man, and although PhillyBoy did not meet my father until he met me, he is much like my father. Both do everything they can for those they love, and I am lucky to have them in my life!

While I do most of the cooking in the house, PhillyBoy is no bad cook. In fact, he is the master of making a delicious meal out of practically nothing. On this day in particular, he roasted a chicken to perfection with just a few Google searches and a recipe from his imagination. It was delicious, and will be delicious when he makes it again (hint hint!). Some might even say this is engagement-worthy chicken…. It is that good! See for yourself….

PhillyBoy’s Roasted Chicken
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 3-4 lb chicken
1 orange, in segments
1 onion, in segments (very roughly chopped)
3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 lemons, quartered
2 tbs olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
assorted spices
1 cup white wine

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Stuff the chicken with the orange, onion, celery, and lemon pieces. It is ok if not everything fits inside the chicken, but do your best. Truss the chicken with kitchen twine.
2. Rub the outside of the chicken with salt, pepper, and any spices you like. Pour the olive oil over the whole chicken and rub it all over.
3. Place the chicken breast side down in a roasting pan. Fill the pan with the wine + enough water to have 1 inch of liquid in the pan. Place the pan in the oven for 20 minutes.
4. Flip the chicken breast side up and place back in oven. Baste every 15 minutes until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees Farenheit, about 85 minutes total. Enjoy!

***************

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I really enjoy running before work. I do! I like running on an empty stomach while half awake, and it puts me in a great mood for the day. I don’t have any good excuse why I haven’t been getting up, besides that winter makes me lazy. I am so lazy I haven’t even been running outside! The most energy I am willing to muster up is t throw on a pair of pants and a tank and head downstairs to run on the treadmill.

Today, however…. Today was new day. A special day! I did run after work, but something beautiful happened. I headed over to Kelly Drive for my run, and when I got there… I saw the ground. The ground has been covered by snow for months, but it is back. With that came a gorgeous sunset, a packed path, a spring drizzle, and no gloves. For the first time since November, I felt the air against the skin on my hands directly. I did not have my shirt zipped up to my chin, and I felt the breeze of spring around the corner.

My run was slow, the slowest I ever remember in fact. I had my afternoon snack around 4:30, way too late for me for a 5:30 PM run. I felt it sitting in my stomach, and I swore to never sleep through my morning run again. We will see if that happens! It didn’t matter though. The feeling of the fresh, crisp air on my face and the sun setting behind Center City Philadelphia brought back my passion for running. I haven’t enjoyed a run like this in several months, and it feels good to be back.

Warning: The following recipe contains a seriously spicy ingredient! Do not continue reading if you do not have a glass of water or calming avocado nearby!

Saturday afternoon, while at the new Whole Foods in Plymouth Meeting, PhillyBoy and I decided we wanted to stay in that night and cook at home. I had recently received a jar of Chile Crunch to review and I knew I wanted to base dinner around it. The ingredient list forming in my head included shrimp, brown rice, and avocado. I wanted to make a dish that balanced all sorts of flavors and textures, and this dish did exactly that.

Chile Crunch is sold over on Foodzie, which according to the website, is “an online marketplace where you can discover and buy food directly from small passionate food producers and growers.” I was first introduced to Foodzie at the Foodbuzz Festival in 2009, and I have supported it ever since. If you look to the right of this post you will see all of my favorite Foodzie products, which are available for sale on their website. I love the idea of helping small producers reach a larger audience through this site. Chile Crunch is not a product I would ever think to buy, and I am glad I had the opportunity to review it. It is extremely spicy and crunchy and made the perfect marinade for the shrimp in this dish!

Spicy Shrimp Dinner
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 lb 26-30 count shrimp
1 onion, chopped any way you prefer
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbs Chile Crunch, with oil
1 cup brown rice
kosher salt + pepper to taste
1 avocado
2 large vine tomatoes
juice from 1 lemon
4 wraps, if desired  

Directions:

1. Make brown rice according to directions (for me, this means bringing 2.5 cups of water to a boil, adding 1 cup brown rice + dash of salt and cooking, covered, for 35 minutes. Let it stand for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork and serve).

2. Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium in a wide, shallow skillet. Add the chopped onion and sweat for 10 minutes until soft and translucent. While the onion is sweating, mix the juice from one lemon with 3 tbs of Chile Crunch with oil in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss well to coat all pieces.

3. When the onion is done, remove it from the skillet and turn the heat to medium high. Add 1/2 the shrimp in a single layer. Do not move the shrimp once you place them in the skillet. When the underside is pink (about 2-3 minutes) flip each shrimp. I use tongs for this. When the shrimp are cooked through (about another 3 minutes) remove and repeat with the second half.

4. When all the shrimp are cooked add them and the onion to the skillet for a minute or two to heat up.

5. Cut the avocado and tomato in uniform cubes and mix together. You are now ready to assemble the meal.*

*I prefer to serve the dinner in pieces and let each diner prepare it the way he likes. This is what that meant for us…

My plate:

PB’s plate:

This is a dish I can’t wait to make again. While it used a couple of pots, it was worth the end result. Please try it and let me know what you think!

***Don’t forget to enter my delicate soles giveaway!!