Where's the Beach?

Sunday, we decided to walk over to one of the local farmers' markets a few blocks over from our house. We actually have several farmers' markets around town. I'll admit that we don't frequent them as often as we used to though. But this past Sunday, the Bernice Gardens Farmers' Market was having a tomato festival, so we decided to stop by and check it out. It's not a large space. Most definitely local vendors, but a unique little variety none the less. We quickly spotted some Purple Cherokee Heirloom Tomatoes that we snagged up. I should back up and admit that I'm not really a tomato fan. What? Why go to a tomato festival you ask? While I don't just love and crave tomatoes, I have found that I can enjoy a really goooood tomato. I like the smaller tomatoes, almost always cooked, but that's progress (trust me). Last year, I randomly bought some Purple Cherokee Heirloom Tomato plants and discovered that, while larger, I still really enjoyed the f...

Jason and I used to make pasta salads all the time during the summer. I decided to do a healthier twist on a pasta salad by using quinoa. I had some fresh grape tomatoes on hand and a garden full of basil and oregano, hence the " Italian Style ." I'm fairly certain basil and tomatoes were made for each other. I wanted the dressing to be bright and fresh to compliment the fresh herbs and tomatoes, so I used lemon zest and juice to bring out the flavors of the herbs. I also decided to add in re-hydrated sundried tomatoes for an extra tang. This is really easy to put together and would be fantastic to take to a summer picnic or family gathering. You could also serve it as a side dish to a grilled meat or non-meat protein of choice. Italian Style Quinoa Salad Ingredients: 1 cup red quinoa 2 cups water 1 container grape or cherry tomatoes, 1 can cannelini beans Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1/2 tbsp minced garlic 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (or to desired consistency...

Sunday was rainy and cold for most of the day (cold all day, rainy half the day). I decided to take advantage of being holed up in the house and prepped my lunch for Monday and Tuesday. I also made some homemade ciabatta bread to have with soups for dinner. I love zucchini, and I love using them in lieu of pasta sheets. I thought I'd try something new, so I came up with a Zucchini, Tomato Tofu Bake . I just used half a block of tofu, so this made two portions. I probably should have just used the whole block for four lunches, but wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. Saving the other half for later. Zucchini, Tomato, Tofu Bake Ingredients: 1 large zucchini, cut in half then thin slices lengthwise 4-5 garlic cloves, minced Approximately 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, thin sliced 2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes 3-4 artichoke hearts, small dice (not in oil) To taste: parsley, salt 1/2 block tofu (thin sliced for 4 slices), pressed then pan seared Directions: Prehea...

Ditching Speed This morning the alarm went off just after 5 am and I soooo wanted to just say to heck with the run and go back to sleep. But considering that it was already 84 degrees and humid, it's not like I could put the run off until lunch or after work. So, I reluctantly rolled out of bed and got myself ready while Jason did the same. The first mile kind of sucked. Mile 1 put us at the intersection of a busy road - usually empty at 5:30 am - where this one loan mini-van couldn't decide what they were doing. In turn, we had to stand and wait....and wait. It felt like 10 minutes. All Jason said was, "It's hot." Those were is first words of the morning. We made a pit stop at the house at 2 miles into the run then off again. The brief stop actually helped me a great deal. I honestly thought I might have to take my inhaler or stop the run. I just couldn't breathe. Mile 3 was starting to get a little better. I finally hit some sort of rhythm by mile 4. ...