Digging into Dinner (and Dialogue) on the Farm

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

As part of the Blogher Food 13 Conference this weekend, I had a chance to dig around for answers to my food-source issues and share dinner with some fine folks from across the country, each and every one represented the entrepreneurial spirit and sweat-of-the-brow work ethic that I believe is still the reality of farming and ranching today. I’m talking real people with real families and a real commitment to providing quality products – produce, dairy, meat and more. I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several “farm to fork” educational excursions and, as with those previous outings, this dinner definitely reinforced my confidence and trust in today’s agricultural industry. In fact, I’m honored to be putting my name and face in magazine ads to support an industry built with honest, salt-of-the-earth people like these.

Getting these commodities into our grocery stores and onto our plates may be a big business at an aggregated level, but the plain fact is that most farms and ranches across the US are surprisingly small, multi-generational family operations that work tirelessly to provide safe, nutritious and affordable options for America’s dinner tables. Despite our probing questions, I could tell from their readiness to dialogue on a both factual and personal level that these people weren’t just shoveling us bloggers a pile of manure! If you have your own questions about how today’s food is grown and raised, I suggest checking out FoodDialogues.com, an online resource operated by our host for the evening, the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance.

I have to give a quick shout out to a few people I really enjoyed chatting with including watermelon grower, dairy farmer (and new grandpa!), Russell Boening from Floresville, Texas and Jason and Marianna Peeler also from Floresville. Jason is involved with several sides of the cattle industry and his wife, Marianna, runs a cage-free poultry operation called Peeler Farms. I could really relate to Marianna as we shared so many of the same things – we’re the same age, have teenage children and have a passion for running, CrossFit and preparing healthy meals! I also met Sara Ross, a young mom and 6^th generation farmer-rancher from Iowa — check out her blog about farm life and how food gets to the table at Sara’s House HD. Morgan Kontz, another fun young mom, has a blog that chronicles her adventures after marrying into South Dakota farm life – Stories of a First Generation Farm Wife.

So, onto dinner and the sights! Springdale Farms, an almost four-acre urban oasis on the east side of Austin, was decorated like a quaint scene for some movie set. In reality, this venue is a real-live working farm providing organic, locally-sourced food options for the surrounding community. How have I not been here before? Huge oak trees shaded our party until night fell over the farm, at which point old fashioned glass bulbs strung from limb to limb illuminated the rustic picnic tables dressed with a hodgepodge of many a grandmother’s best china. Our facilitator of fun for the night was Danny Boome, intrepid gastronaut and television personality on numerous food shows.

The menu was divine and made with ingredients plucked right from the farm:

Gazpacho
Green Salad
Collard Greens
Sweet Potato and Egg Salad
Beef Tenderloin
Pork Tenderloin
Berry Cobbler with Cream
Iced Tea with Mint

Summer Loving | Green Chile & Pork Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

Blogging about healthy food has its perks; pretty tasty perks. I’m talking about the opportunity to eat at an endless buffet only limited by my imagination. But it also has a downside; really just little nuisances like cleaning up a mountain of dirty pots and pans and getting critiqued by my kids who can’t fathom wanting to substitute sugar or certain fats in a recipe for something more nutritious. But, today my blogging bothers were multiplied 100x due thanks to my basically skipping a decent lunch.

Although I had pre-prepared most of the night’s meal in the morning before I tackled a day filled with gym-going (training for my Under Armour #WhatsBeautiful Campaign Goal), errands and (gasp) other writing work, I could scarcely contain myself until it was my turn to eat. So, while everyone else was digging into this delicious recipe for Green Chile & Pork Stuffed Zucchini, I was out in the backyard beating the sunset so I could take all the requisite food shots. At one point, I really thought about ditching this post so I could just go ahead and eat.

Glad I didn’t though; the recipe turned out fantastic and offers a practical way to take advantage of a zucchini squash surplus this time of year. I’m also thinking it would be damn good with Calabacita squash, zucchini’s south-of-the-border cousin. If you are craving enchiladas and want to go a little healthier, this recipe ditches the tortillas and most of the cheese. It’s hard to believe, but one medium-sized squash only has 33 calories. I think you’d probably go into a calorie deficit just eating and digesting it. All you like-minded vitamin and mineral nerds will be glad to know that zucchini is also a great source of potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B-6 and magnesium.

Green Chile & Pork Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

4 to 5 zucchini squash (about 1.25 lbs)
1 cup chopped fire roasted green chiles – peeled,seeded and divided in half*
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup chopped red onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
¾ pound shredded pork roast, pre-cooked
1 15-ounce can green chile enchilada sauce
4 ounces Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
16 grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise

Chop stem end off of each zucchini, discard. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and pulp with a grapefruit knife; reserve for use later.

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Par-boil zucchini for 2 minutes or slightly tender. Drain and place, scooped side up, in a 13” x 9” glass baking dish.

Add olive oil to skillet; bring heat up to medium-high. Add cumin and garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add chopped red onion and sauté for 2 minutes, add reserved zucchini pulp, and ½ cup of green chilies and continue to sauté for 2 -3 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Stir shredded pork into vegetable mixture. Top zucchinis with even portion of mixture, leftover may be place around the sides of dish.

Add enchilada sauce and remaining ½ cup green chilies to blender; pulse on and off a few times to coarsely break up green chills. Pour over top of stuffed zucchinis. Top with shredded cheese and rows of grape tomatoes to indicate where each stuffed zucchini is buried.

Serves 4 – 5.

*By the way, I broke into my stash of fire-roasted Hatch green chiles for the making of this recipe! I have 75 pounds in the freezer, seriously! The recipe is best with fresh, fire-roasted (Hatch season is still a couple months away) — but substituting an 8-ounce can of green chiles will do in a pinch!

Sweet Rewards – Chocolate Date “Candy Bar” Bites (Recipe)

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

My major food weakness is that I have a sweet tooth, especially for anything chocolate. I can’t pass a bowl of M&Ms without stuffing my mouth (and pockets) and know through extensive experimentation that truly “there is no wrong way to eat a Reese’s.” When I thought it would be a sneaky idea to hide chocolate chips from myself in the freezer, I realized the next morning they taste better frozen! There is no keeping me from chocolate. Period.

While I am focused on eating healthy most of the time, I’m definitely not a food denier. What’s the point in living? However, since chocolate, in some form or fashion, will probably continue to be part of my (daily) life for the next 50 years, I decided to search around for some healthier options that I could indulge in every so often. I love me a batch of these Chocolate Date “Candy Bar” Bites; a recipe based on a friend’s treat and tweaked to my tastes. These fudgy bites are packed with no-guilt, wholesome ingredients and are raw, gluten-free, vegan and Paleo-friendly, if that matters to you. They also taste completely dreamy and make a great workout reward — and that matters to me!

Chocolate Date “Candy Bar” Bites Recipe

1 1/3 cups pitted medjool dates
¼ cup organic cocoa powder
2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon water
1 cup almond flour
6 ounces Enjoy Life® Semi-sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks, chopped (reserve 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on tops) *

Place pitted dates, cocoa, melted coconut oil, vanilla and water into work bowl of food processor; pulse until well combined. Add almond flour and chocolate chips; continue to pulse until mixture creates a cohesive ball.

Roll dough into three ropes approximately 12” long. Press remaining chopped chocolate chips into the top of rolls. Cut each roll into 8 pieces.

Serves 24

*Note you can use whatever brand of chocolate chip you like, but if you are trying to keep a vegan diet or a dairy, gluten, and/or soy-free diet, please read the manufacturer’s ingredient label.

A Day in the Life of my Running Skirt: YMX #LifeArtSport

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

When I wake up in the morning, I almost always get dressed for the day in my workout clothes. Not because I’m an early-bird exerciser; it most definitely takes me several hours to get into that zone. And, it’s not because I’m lazy or like stretchable waistbands (okay, well maybe a little). But, it’s because I am a busy mom to three boys enrolled in three different schools with a gazillion extra-curricular activities, I never know exactly when and how I’m going to fit my running and workouts in. I just know I WILL get it done, somehow, somewhere. And, that means being geared up appropriately to take advantage of “found” time for fitness, whether it is knocking off a hundred burpees while waiting for band practice to let out or working in a tempo run between the last carpool drop-off and dinner-making duty. Thank goodness, I set the dress code since I work for myself.

Unless it’s freezing outside (a rarity in Texas), my favorite “at-the-ready” look is a running skirt. I started wearing fitness skirts about four years ago when they were first starting to trend for runners. I remember thinking it was about time the convenience, cuteness and coverage of a sporty skirt branched out to some of us other athletes who lead hectic lives — not just the tennis girls. A good fitness or running skirt will take you from the trail to a teacher’s conference, speed workout to the supermarket, or a weight workout to a relaxing lunch with friends. The cut of most athletic skirts flatter the figure and cover all the jiggly bits. That means less worrying about (likely non-exercising) onlookers gawking at your skimpy shorts or skin-tight tights as you race through the checkout line with a bunch of bananas.

Even the weekends are busy; check out what my running skirt did this Saturday!

7 am: Drive a kid to catch a bus for a school trip.
9 am: Visit Fit and Fearless CrossFit for a WOD of sit-up/stand-ups, pull-ups, rowing, and kettle bells.
11 am: Cheer on a son’s flag-football game and listen to the post-game play-by-play.
Noon: Sneak in a smoothie and some blogging time.
1 pm: Shop for groceries and potted plants.
3 pm: More sports! Help son warm up for soccer game.
7 pm: Guess who’s making dinner?
9 pm: So done with the day!

So, this weekend I wore the Infinite Tribal Wrap Skort in green form YMX by Yellowman. It looks like a skirt, but with a hidden attached short lining. This means I am free to hang off the monkey bars or do cartwheels as I please! The super-soft, featherweight fabric has a UPF of 30+ and wicks away moisture, dries quickly, and is odor-resistant – so nice for us sweaty girls who probably won’t see a shower until the sun sets. Another thing I love is that this particular running skirt is in no way generic. It echoes the unique, artsy flavor of the entire line of YMX by Yellowman; their designs are beautiful and definitely not boring. A bit like myself, I must say (Okay, if you can’t love yourself, who will?) I will note that the skirt seems a little big for a size Small, but that’s definitely better that the alternative! Plus, the skirt falls mid-thigh, measuring 15.5 inches from waist to hem. The longer length is perfect for multi-purpose wear, but if you don’t like so much fabric on your legs when you run, check out their Infinite Tribal Racing Short – haven’t tried these yet, but they look awesome!

I also love this sweet tank, the silvery color and silky performance fabric definitely put some polish into my workout routine! Check out the Elemental Flower Scoop Neck Tank.

YMX by Yellowman provided me with products to wear and review at my discretion. I was in no other way compensated for my time and viewpoints. The opinions shared within this post 100-percent my own and not influenced in anyway YMX by Yellowman.

Movie Night Manna – Crunchy Caramel Almond Popcorn with Coconut Oil & Honey

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

Did you know that the average American scarfs down more than 50 quarts of popcorn per year? I know I eat my fair share. In theory, this whole grain sibling in the maize family is a healthy whole grain snack, low in calories (just 31 per cup, air-popped) and high in dietary fiber. But, more often than not, the “healthy treat” is a real fat and sodium bomb. A study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest revealed that a large tub of popcorn (from Regal Cinemas), holds 20 cups of popcorn with 1,200 calories, 60 grams of saturated fat and 980 mg of sodium. This doesn’t even include the mystery yellow oily substance the concession stand pours on top after asking, “do you want butter with that”?

Store-bought microwave popcorn is even worse. For extended shelf life, the kernels are sitting in artery-clogging trans-fatty oils and use the chemical diacetyl for fake butter flavoring. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, there are nearly four dozen other chemicals in a package of microwave popcorn including the aforementioned nasty diacetyl. Diacetyl vaporizes at high temperatures and seeps out when you open the bag and breathe in the buttery aroma. Repeated exposure to the toxic steam can actually give you “popcorn lung.” This sounds silly, but it is a serious respiratory disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans.

The good news is that you can make your own popcorn completely free of anything using a brown paper lunch sack. It’s as easy as making toast or boiling water. In celebration of “Caramel Popcorn Day” on Sunday, April 7^th, you can jazz up your plain popcorn with a healthier sweet coating. I hope you love my Crunchy Caramel Almond Popcorn with Coconut Oil & Honey recipe In fact, why don’t you pop in a movie tonight and make this salty-sweet snack can be the starring attraction!

Crunchy Caramel Almond Popcorn with Coconut Oil and Honey

¼ cup organic popcorn kernels
2 teaspoons coconut oil (I am fond of the Now Foods brand)
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoon Stevia (2 – 4 packets)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-ounce (about 24) roasted, salted almonds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Pour popcorn kernels into brown lunch-sized paper bag. Fold down top and place in center of microwave; cook on high for approximately 3 minutes or until kernels have slowed down to popping every three seconds. Set aside.

In 2-quart pot, melt coconut oil over medium-low heat. Add honey and Stevie, stir until well-combined, approximately 1 minute. Stir in vanilla.

Stir in baking soda; this will cause mixture to foam up. Remove from heat and toss in almonds and popped corn. Stir until popcorn is coated with caramel mixture.

It’s fine to eat as is, but if you like it crunchier, place on parchment-paper lined rimmed baking sheet and bake at 250 F degrees for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Makes four 1-cup servings.

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Category Archives: Uncategorized

Digging into Dinner (and Dialogue) on the Farm

Summer Loving | Green Chile & Pork Stuffed Zucchini Recipe

Sweet Rewards – Chocolate Date “Candy Bar” Bites (Recipe)

A Day in the Life of my Running Skirt: YMX #LifeArtSport

Movie Night Manna – Crunchy Caramel Almond Popcorn with Coconut Oil & Honey