Yes, that is a salad.

And vegetables.

And I ate them.

And then I didn’t get sick.

Small steps! I am starting to enjoy vegetables again, and (gasp) even cooking dinners. I cooked for my MIL last night and we had such a blast! I’ve been slow to post new recipes around here because the only ones I’ve been making are old standbys. Maybe things are changing and I’ll be RhodeyGirl again?

Only time will tell.

One thing is for certain though, I am definitely even crazier than PB thought I was when he married me. (Don’t click that unless you are crazy too…) Poor guy.

PS- Happy fake Friday to those of us that don’t have to work tomorrow! Like me!
PPS- You know your life has changed when you become really excited over a new showerhead instead of a pair of fancy shoes. And when you have a belly that bumps into things.
PPPS- I’m working on a nice budget post for those of you that noticed their absence over the last two weeks. I think I’ve been cured. At least temporarily.

My mother in law is coming over for dinner tomorrow! I knew right away what I would cook since it is the middle of the week and I will be in a rush to get dinner on the table. My MIL is a healthy eater, so the menu is fresh and light. This simple, healthy weeknight dinner can come together in about an hour and will leave your guests satisfied but not weighed down.

A Healthy Weeknight Dinner

First Course
Mixed greens with tomatoes, olives, and feta

Second Course
Baked lemony salmon
Steamed asparagus
Sauteed spinach with bella mushrooms
Couscous

Dessert
Strawberry shortcake with extra berries on the side
Tea

Plan:
Tonight- set table
Tomorrow during lunch- pick up salmon, strawberry shortcake, strawberries, lemons, tea
Tomorrow 5 PM- Preheat oven. Dress salmon and bake. Make asparagus and spinach. Wash and cut berries.
Tomorrow upon arrival- Make couscous. Enjoy!

She’s bringing me back Baby Basil, the plant she has been babysitting for the last month and fixing up for this black thumb. We got him at the Philadelphia Flower Show. I’ve missed him and can’t wait to have him on my windowsill.

For other menus visit my menu page. Week 17 pregnancy update to come tomorrow!

Leek and asparagus soup is by far the tastiest soup I have had in years. My auntie D told me how to make it last year but I had only made it once. After quite the indulgent weekend in RI I felt like eating something fresh, light, and packed with health, and this soup is it.

The taste is hard to explain. It is light and filling at the same time, and super flavorful despite only having a few ingredients. It is the type of soup that is hard to stop eating because it satisfies the belly and the soul. Try it and let me know what you think.

Happy Spring!

Leek & Asparagus Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil
3-4 leeks
2 bunches asparagus
32 oz chicken broth

Directions:
Clean and chop the leeks. Note: You only use the white part and a little of the light green of the leek. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a soup pot and add the leeks. Saute until slightly translucent, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile clean and chop the asparagus. Add the asparagus and broth to the leeks and turn the heat to high. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. When the mixture comes to a boil bring down to a simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to slightly cool. Working in batches blend the soup slightly, about 15 seconds each batch, so that the soup is thick and creamy but still has texture. Top with a bit of freshly cracked black pepper and Enjoy!

PhillyBoy makes the most interesting salads. Growing up we had iceberg salads every night dressed simply with lemon juice, olive oil and salt. I followed that tradition, adding the occasional baby spinach or tomato….

…until I met PB.

He would visit and take every vegetable out of my fridge to make a curiously fabulous salad. I learned to do the same, but he is still the master. He recently made a salad with watercress, radishes and fennel that was out of this world. Here is his recipe!

Watercress, radish, & fennel salad
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 bunch watercress
6 radishes
1 fennel bulb
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs olive oil
kosher salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash the watercress and cut off the stems. Wash the fennel and thinly slice. (video tutorial here). Wash the radishes and thinly slice. Place all of the vegetable in a salad bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil. Whisk in a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the vegetables and toss together. Enjoy!

Did you see my latest Babycenter post? I shared some of my favorite snacks.

P.S. PB is currently trussing a chicken. I can’t wait for dinner!

Spring is in the air.

And blood oranges too.

San Francisco makes me happy.

The end.

The Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival a few weeks ago was amazing. There were loads of people and food, and live music around every corner.

Highlights:
1. The Vitamin Water photo booth. My cousin Raz and I took some fun photos and also got to sample the Vitamin Water Zero. Surprisingly, I actually really enjoyed the drink, especially in the heat.

2. Yogis doing yoga outside of the lululemon store. They had an amazing live DJ, the two people doing yoga outside the store, and a store window full of runners’ goals for the Broad Street Run. Click on the store window photo and see if you can see what I wrote!

3. Capogiro. Capogiro is just a classic favorite of mine. It was so hot that day, and the gelato was refreshing.

I’ll let the photos speak for themselves…..

Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 presents Battle Local Foods:

Even with the best of intentions, buying locally is not easy. Some local farmers’ markets carry out of season produce from Mexico, and the gourmet super market has bread from 300 miles away. Battle local foods highlights the difficulty of buying all local foods in Philadelphia but also shares  a local, seasonal, meal that is delicious and fun. Buying local foods just requires asking a few questions and learning where to go.

Two teams of friends create an appetizer, entrée, and dessert using only items that are either locally grown or locally produced. It was up to the diners to decide who would win the battle! Now let’s get local in RhodeyGirl’s kitchen, with special guests Heather of Hangry Pants and local food lovers Gina & Jake!

This fall I went to my local grocery store to get some apples, and I was appalled when I saw they were from Washington state. Pennylsvania has hundreds of apple orchards, yet our market was stocking apples from literally thousands of miles away. That experience made me become passionate about supporting local farms as well as local producers. Why go to Washington state for apples when less than an hour away we have Terhune Orchards? It doesn’t make sense.

While I still buy bananas & avocados (let’s face it- life would not be the same without peanut butter banana oatmeal and fresh guacamole), I try to buy as much local, seasonal produce as I can. When I learn about a small local company making chocolates or pretzels or whatever it is, I also try to support them.

Some items have been traded for thousands of years or are truly special, gourmet items that I don’t mind purchasing from all over the world. These include some brands of tuna packed in olive oil, Nutella straight from Italy (the U.S. version is just not the same), marcona almonds from Spain, olive oil from Greece, Italy, and Frog Hollow Farms in California, and every kitchen’s basic items like sugar, kosher salt, spices and flour.

I began the search for my items for our menu on Thursday of this week by stopping at a few super markets to see what local items they had to offer. For the first time I really paid attention to the recently mandated country of origin labels. I found shrimp from India, pine nuts from China, and lots of produce from Mexico and California. I was surprised that even the asparagus, which I know can be sourced locally, came from California.

On Saturday morning I continued my search by stopping at a few local markets. My favorite one was the Rittenhouse Square farmers’ market. Every vendor there carries locally grown or produced items.

I have been to markets before that actually buy their produce from places like Costco and then place them in small baskets to give that farm feel. I only know this because one day I asked, and the gentleman shared that knowledge with me. Luckily, Rittenhouse market has all local items, and I confirmed just to be sure. I also visited the Reading Terminal Market, The Pretzel Factory, Whole Foods, DiBruno’s and a grocery store.

The other team visited Suburban Square market, Lancaster County, and a grocery store. For a list of all Philadelphia’s Farmers’ Markets you can visit the farm to city website. Many of them will be opening in the next two weeks, including my local one, the Fairmount Farmers’ Market!

In this challenge we were allowed to use items that have been traded or imported for a long time such as spices, olive oil, salt, etc. Everything else, however, had to be locally grown or locally produced. Diners were given ballots to judge each dish based on taste, presentation, originality, and adherence to the challenge.

The two teams were both really excited to take on the challenge, as all four of us are passionate about local foods in some way. On one team we had Gina & Jake, a husband and wife couple that planned their strategy for over a week. Gina typically only buys organic meats and tries to buy organic produce when possible.

On the other team we had Heather of Hangry Pants and yours truly. I buy mostly organic dairy (with the exception of specialty cheeses for PB), organic meats, and try to support local farms when possible, as I mentioned above. You all probably know Heather by now, but if you don’t head on over to HangryPants.com to read more about her. Heather & Mark came to Philadelphia just for this fun battle. So exciting!

Here is the Battle Local Foods menu:

Appetizer
*Asparagus and fresh mozzarella bruschetta

(Photo courtesy of hangrypants.com)

*Simple salad: spring greens & baby spinach with roasted asparagus, a tomato & cucumber skewer, finished with a balsamic dressing and a hint of fresh mint

Entrée
*Baked breaded chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms, spinach and fresh mozzarella served over a bed of fresh spinach and mushrooms

(Photo courtesy of hangrypants.com)

*Whole wheat fettuccini in a fresh basil cream sauce with roasted grape tomatoes
(Photo courtesy of hangrypants.com)

Dessert
*Rhubarb crumb cake with fresh vanilla ice cream

*Philly soft pretzel chocolate bread pudding with vanilla ice cream

Note from the teams: While over 90% of each item on the menu was sourced locally, both teams used a few items against challenge rules. Gina & Jake used fresh lime, and Heather and I used a bit of parmigiano reggiano and some mustard. We also put out an assortment of cheeses & cracker trays (not part of the challenge- but containing a few local cheeses)  for everyone to enjoy.

The diners/voters really got into the battle and left interesting and funny notes about the foods.

Here are some of them:

Bruschetta:
-O.K. (sorry, not a fan of bruschetta)
-Needs salt
-needs salt, yummy!
-danger: toothpick. Bread needs more toasting. I like the oil. Cheese needs more bite: provolone maybe?
-I liked this a lot!! Very fresh & very delicious! A fun dish- good for parties. I would eat this at a wedding.
-not enough flavor

Salad:
-O.K.
-love the mint!
-a little too much balsamic
-danger: possibly has (unintelligible word); needs cheese like bruschetta. I don’t like vinegar.
-Just a lil’ more kick would have been good. I could have used some local cheese- but that would have given me gas.
-Like the mint! Actually, love the mint!

Chicken:
-Looks and tastes good. Not great, but good.
-needs salt + spinach needs more cooking and flavor
-chicken little dry. Broccoli rabe taste (writer’s note: it was spinach!). stuffing was confusing
-This was good, but I didn’t get the local flavor. Still, very delicious!
-would prefer seasoned bread crumbs. Needs more seasoning
-Nice taste!!

Pasta:
-Just very blah! Sorry.
-needs more salt + flavor. Too much basil
-not too cheesy, perfectly cooked pasta. Tomatoes surprisingly pleasant
-liked the tomatoes, would like more. Needs more seasoning.
-This was good. A little heavy for my liking. I think this might give me gas, but that is not your fault- it’s my problem.
-very nice! With what was faced with (local foods)

Rhubarb Crumb Cake:
-Sorry, really does not taste good. I can’t eat it, and that’s saying something.
-MMM!
-sad face. This dish confused me. But I do appreciate the originality of the use of the rhubarb.
-I like the cake better than the crumbs

Philly Pretzel Bread Pudding:
-Loved it!
-MMM!
-A pleasant surprise in my mouth- needs more chocolate sauce drizzled
-Awesome! I want this every night. If this is Sabrina, make this more. If this is Jake/Gina, please come over soon. YUM!
-Wish the pretzels were more moist/soft- more pudding like…

The final menu was such a hit we just had to share a few of the recipes!
Whole Wheat Fettuccini with basil cream sauce and roasted tomatoes
Philly Pretzel Bread Pudding
Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Which team made which dish? Who won full bragging rights until our next challenge? You’ll have to watch the video to find out!

*This video was taken by a FlipCam given to me by Meghann of graduatemeghann.com.

A few surprises:
-I was shocked to learn that the pine nuts at our market come from China. Where can one find local nuts?
-Our guests did not like rhubarb! This was surprising because I found it to be absolutely delicious. I wonder if my taste buds have changed?
-Everyone was as excited about the battle as we were!

Preparing a meal from start to finish using only locally grown and locally produced foods was a challenge, but both teams did so successfully and we put together a great dinner. Head out to your local grocery store or farmers’ market, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about the source.

Buy local foods!

Thank you for this great opportunity Foodbuzz!

Sangria is a wonderfully refreshing summer drink. With juice, lots of ice, and fresh fruits, it makes a pretty presentation. We make a batch at almost every warm weather party, and everyone always enjoys it. This past weekend, at a bachelorette party, I made 8 batches!!!!! Yes, I swear it is that good! My friend Lauren gave me this recipe years ago, and I have never made a single substitution. It is perfect, just as it is.

Lauren’s Sangria

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peach schnapps
1/2 cups Triple Sec
2 cups red wine* (merlot)
2 cups Sprite Zero
2 1/2 cups orange juice
1 green apple, 1 red apple, 1 orange: all cut up in same size pieces

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients in a pitcher or punch bowl. Add ice and enjoy!

*Cheap red wine works best for the sangria. I buy, on Lauren’s suggestion, the Carlo Rossi Merlot jugs. It is about $15 for the huge bottle.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

[Editing provided by PhillyBoy- THANK YOU! Dorkiness provided by me]

How To Prepare Artichokes written post.

It is really easy to prep or clean artichokes once you learn how… and let me tell you, it is worth learning how! Steamed artichokes (or stuffed artichokes) are so yummy and make a fun vegetarian meal. This is a great vegetable to try now while they are in season. Watch this “how to prepare an artichoke” video, or view the instructions below.

[Stuffed Artichoke from Easter Lunch]

Here is the basic how to:
1. Remove all the outer hard leaves.
2. Cut off the bottom stem and peel it- set aside in a bowl of water with lemon juice.
3. Trim the bottom.
4. Cut the top 3rd off (the tops of the pointy leaves)
5. Pull open the artichoke.
5A. If you want to stuff them, this is the time to stuff. The best combination is a classic mixture of 1/3 minced garlic, 1/3 panko bread crumbs, 1/3 chopped flat leaf parsley.
6. Coat a pot with olive oil or olive oil spray
7. Add your artichokes and stems, some salt, and drizzle with olive oil.
8. Add some water, about 1-2 cups if using a regular pot, 1/2 cup if using a pressure cooker
9. Cover and cook for 45-60 minutes (15 min if using the pressure cooker) until the whole artichoke is soft.

Some Basic Tips:
-Choose artichokes with tight leaves.
-To stuff the artichoke, it is unnecessary to remove the choke. Just spread the leaves apart and add your stuffing.
-You can prepare the stuffing a day ahead. Minced garlic and chopped flat leaf parsley can be time consuming. Get those two parts ready ahead of time. Remember, the stuffing is one part panko bread crumbs to one part chopped flat leaf parsley to one part minced garlic.
-When you serve artichokes, place a discard bowl on the table as well. That way everyone will be able to put their discarded leaves somewhere other than on their dinner plate.
-If you want to make the artichokes ahead of time, you can. When reheating be sure to pour the juices over the top (the olive oil + the water you added before cooking) and keep the baking pan covered with foil. 20 minutes covered in the oven at 375 degrees should be just about right.

How to eat:
You don’t fully eat the leaves. You peel them off and scrape your teeth over the fleshy white part. You can dip the leaves into a sauce or eat them plain. For a sauce you can use plain melted butter, olive oil, or a yogurt based sauce with spices and lemon juice. The tastiest part of the artichoke is the bottom- you don’t eat the choke (those purply leaves and the furry stuff) but you remove that and the whole bottom is edible. It is absolutely delicious, as I said about 10 times in the video.