Summer is upon us and I couldn’t be happier! Today I finally put my garden seedlings in real soil and can’t wait to see those first veggies pop out! I am such a nut about growing things that I often take pictures of everything I pick and make Chris join me in the kitchen for a gander at said veggie before I cut into it. He’s not as thrilled…but he is sweet to oblige (at least for the first 2 or 3 times…after that, I’m on my own). :  

So, what is the next best thing to growing your own? Going to the Farmer’s Market!  I wanted to share with you the list of   local Farmer’s Markets in IL. If you aren’t in IL, simply search “Farmer’s Markets in____________” and put in your town’s name. Simple and fun! Your kids will really enjoy visiting the market, many offer baked goods and quite a few offer food stands that offer freshly made dishes. Yum! And, best of all, you are supporting local businesses…it doesn’t get better than that.

Here’s the link: http://www.fruitstands.com/states/illinois.htm. Please send us a note (we are on Facebook, as well) and let us know what experiences you are having over the summer.

I must say this phrase has 2 completely different meanings to me. As a child, it was a sweet nursery rhyme that I knew. As an adult, it runs through my head as I type about planting some seeds to grow veggies for my family. Interesting what time will do. I am going to post a Facebook question about whether or not you dabble in the dirt growing fruits and veggies for yourself and/or families.  I can’t wait to hear the responses. What a fun way to incorporate your kids in growing fruits and veggies—they learn what the produce looks like in it’s natural state, where food comes from, and how to collect & cook it. Vital skills they will need later on in life to make good food choices.

So, what did I plant? Well, this year it was really fun for me because I had some things leftover from last year’s Mother’s Day gift from my hubs and the kidlings…seeds. Yes, they spoiled me with the perfect gifts. I received a disposable Jiffy greenhouse that has 72 peat moss pellets for starting your seeds, pink gardening gloves, and organic seeds {my man knows what I like!}. So, this year I was able to use some leftover seeds again: organic corn, organic carrots, basil, rosemary, organic cucumber, organic broccoli and added to them the lavender, winter squash, and Sweet Baby watermelon seeds he bought this year {with another Jiffy greenhouse}. I had also purchased a thyme plant at the store that I repotted and some cilantro, basil, and rosemary that I planted in my rectangular terra cotta pot in front of the house. This year, Chris also purchased a Topsy Turvy tomato plant…that grows cherry and full-size tomatoes hanging from a pot. The cherry grow from the top and the full-size from the bottom…how fun will that be?! The advantage to growing tomatoes, in particular, in a hanging pot…you can do completely organic garden very easily because the bugs {tomato hornworms in particular} can’t reach the plants. You can also buy strawberries in this type of pot…we are planning on that. Here are some photos:

Here’s my lil’ greenhouse…planted about 15 minutes ago. It sits on my doorstep for easy access.

  My Topsy Turvy tomato seedlings…you can see the seeds on the tips of the plants

Here is the long, terra cotta planter {I like using natural, clay pots rather than plastic along with organic soil}

And…close-up {some baby plants are already popping up! Exciting!}

Doesn’t the thyme look cute on the doorstep?

I think it looks very inviting to have fresh herbs growing in pots on your doorstep. They are pretty to look at, away from our dog’s

                                    domain in the backyard, , and I have easy access to them for watering or gathering them for cooking. {Phoebe is my foreman}

I will keep you updated on the progress of my little seedlings. I have always had a nurturing spirit…whether it’s people, plants, or animals…I love caring for something living and watching it thrive and grow.

Here’s the pic they have on their website, and it is the colorful site that greets you as you step into the space that is August grocery.

It looks like it’s basically a house that has been converted into a grocery store. It’s not very large…but the offerings therein are not affected by the smaller space. I found a lot of specialty cooking items that I am eager to try. I have seen Ina Garten {the Barefoot Contessa} using tomato paste that is sold in a tube, similar to a toothpaste tube, and I found it here. The advantage to using tomato paste in this form is that a recipe often only calls for 1-2 Tbsp. of tomato paste…and while the cans it is sold in are small, you always have leftovers. I have frozen the leftover, but using the tube will solve that dilema. Once opened, it stores indefinitely in the fridge. I also found DeCecco pasta, another of Ina’s recommendations.

The store also has homemade pastries and cookies for purchase as well as house-made sausage & fresh fish, just to mention a few items. Today, when my hubby prepared the sausages for lunch, I watched as he was visually transported to sausage heaven as he sampled the wares. They smelled very tasty…but, being a veggie-tarian…wasn’t intrigued enough to try a bite.

We are looking forward to going back to do a video interview with them so we can further help promote their business. Just walking around the shop gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling—stop in if you are in the neighborhood.

One last thing to mention…you can take cooking classes at August. Go onto their website and check out the particulars http://augustgrocerystore.com/.

I must admit…I need my coffee in the morning before anything makes much sense. I have also {in the words of some wonderful friends of mine} become a bit of a coffee snob. When I hear the words “gas station coffee”…I shudder a bit. So, I thought I would do a review on some delicious Trader Joe’s Fair Trade Organic Bolivian blend medium dark roast coffee. That’s quite a mouthful to say, isn’t it?

This is how Wikipedia defines “fair trade”:  “Fair Trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate and flowers.”

Good ole’ Wikipedia also provides some interesting info on organic coffee.

“Organic agriculture stimulates the environment’s natural development of disease and pest control. Because much organic coffee is shade grown, large amounts of forest may be preserved. This preservation has many additional benefits: minimizing soil erosion, preserving habitat, especially for birds; further, the leaves from the trees and bird droppings naturally fertilize the soil. Birds also control pests by eating insects that eat the leaves of coffee plants.”

Nice to know that cup o’ Joe you are enjoying can help a community sustain itself, and aid in forest and animal life preservation.   A website called www.coffeehabitat.com provides this info:

“Even though many chemicals that have been found to be harmful to the environment have been banned or are strictly regulated in the U.S. or Europe, they remain legal to use in less-developed countries, including many countries that grow coffee.  This is troubling on many levels, beyond the fact that dangerous chemicals are being applied to crops.”

Good stuff to know! I have seen and read that coffee is one of the least regulated food items we buy. And, since most coffee is grown in less-developed countries, it really is worth it to buy organic. Organic is not always Fair Trade..so I try to find a brand that is both.

The flavor of this coffee is just fantastic. It is very smooth, not bitter at all, and I can drink it with just milk. I love flavored creams, and some coffees require these to be palatable, but not this Bolivian blend. I sort of reminds me of the smooth, unique taste of Kona coffee…which, if you’ve ever tried it, will ruin you for drinking almost anything else. This coffee is sold in a colorful can in the whole bean form. If you aren’t used to grinding your own beans, give it a try. It really is a much fresher product and is much more flavorful. When you grind coffee, you are also releasing the oils in the coffee…and the longer it sits, the less flavorful it becomes. You can freeze it, and I’ve heard differing views on this preservation method, but I prefer grinding my own. Trader Joe’s does provide a grinder in the coffee isle to assist you if you don’t have a grinder at home…but it really is worth it to buy one. Since I get up before everyone else, I don’t want to wake anyone up grinding beans {it is a bit loud}…so I’ll grind enough beans for 2-3 days at a time and store it in a glass jar {I find that storing grounds in a plastic container makes the coffee taste like plastic}.

SO, happy brewing! Check out the large variety of coffee at Trader Joe’s and enjoy the adventure!

Upon entering TJ’s, you may think to yourself “How much could this small store possibly offer?” But, once you’ve gotten the hang of shopping there, you find your car making it’s way to their parking lot more and more often. You will also find that there are not many brands that you recognize. This is because most of the brands are a version of Trader Joe’s {Trader Gemato’s shredded parmesan, for example} and many of the other brands I’ve never heard of…don’t let this be a deterrent…there are very few items that I’ve purchased that I’ve been disappointed with.

When you look in the frozen section you will find many international items, frozen organic sweet peas {$1.99 for a small bag that will feed a family of 6},  frozen sweet treats ranging from various flavored sorbets to chocolate cake concoctions that have my mouth watering as I type. Many offerings of individually wrapped frozen fish are awesome {and reasonably priced} as well. Frozen, Pacific-caught sockeye salmon fillets were $8.07 {one package which is a little over a pound fed my 4 kids very well}. If you buy this fish in the butcher’s case, you will find it costs about $12/lb and up {and in this area, is often “previously frozen” if you read the small print on the signs and/or ask the employee}. Another favorite of the carnivores in the family…frozen Korean short style ribs for $7.99. One package serves 3 people, so I bought 2 to serve my 4 + baby. For vegetarians {like me}, their TJ brand veg. chicken nuggets are delicious and very moist {sometimes lacking in pre-packaged veg items & a bargain at $3.29 a pkg}, Masala burgers {Indian-spiced veg patties, delish!, for $2.49×4 patties}.

I like to buy uncured meats when I can and they have a wonderful selection of uncured meats. These are more pricey wherever you buy them but I like the prices here very much. My kids like the Applegate Farms turkey & ham {$3.69 for a pkg. of 8 slices}, uncured TJ bacon {$3.99, a very good price}, and Applegate uncured roast beef lunchmeat {$3.99 for 8 slices}.

The produce section is on the small side, but again, what is offered is excellent. I’ve never seen produce that I wouldn’t buy because it is wilted or not at it’s peak of freshness. They offer many more variations of organic produce than many other supermarket chains and at great prices, such as a 2 lb bag of organic Fuji apples is $2.49. and, while not produce, a 19 oz jar of organic grape preserves sells for an unheard of $2.99.

I also have yet to find one item with corn syrup in it. I believe that Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods can boast that no item in their store contains corn syrup, I may be incorrect but I am thinking that is what an employee told me. If you try organic ketchup {which contains no corn syrup} or the all natural sodas made with good ole’ cane sugar…you will be amazed at how delicious they are. I find with typical soda…I have a slightly ill feeling in my stomach after I drink it {I know, I know…soda isn’t the best for you, but I like it once in a while}. When I drink the natural, cane sugar version, however, I don’t have that feeling. Try it for yourself.

A trademark of TJ’s that some haven’t heard about…they have an excellent wine department. They have a brand called Charles Shaw that sells for $2.97 a bottle {last time I checked} and it’s often called “2 Buck Chuck”. It’s very nice and I often cook with it, as well {remember: don’t cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink}. Castle Rock Pinot Noir is also very good. Feel free to ask for recommendations from the staff and they are happy to help…as well as hosting wine tastings on occasion.

And, lastly, the dairy department. We buy a lot of milk with 4 kids in the house, so I was always looking for the store with the cheapest price. I paid $2.29 a gallon at Meijer and the milk at TJ’s was $2.99 a gallon. Not a big difference. But, you ask , why is TJ’s milk more? This was the regular, non-organic milk. Trader Joe’s {and Whole Foods, for that matter} visits the dairy farms and farms that they buy their meat from  and ensure that humane animal practices are followed while raising the animals and that humane processing {butchering} practices are followed. Also, the large tub of  TJ brand low-fat strawberry yogurt is DIVINE! It is very creamy, fruity, and…no corn syrup. Good stuff!

As for dairy, you may ask “What could they do there that you would be opposed to?” Well, watch the documentary “Food Inc.”…and you will see. Dairy cows that become “downer cows”, cows that are sick or unable to walk due to injury or illness, are often pushed with a bucket front loader into a grave—and buried alive! {Tragically, there is video footage and court testimonies to support this}. We watched this video..hence the major overhaul and research that has gone into my grocery shopping.

So, give Trader Joe’s a visit and you will  get a quality shopping experience from the friendly staff {literally everyone there seems thrilled to be working there and more than happy to answer each and every question you have} to the great prices to the healthier fare. You can feel confident every time you walk in the door that the food you buy is humane, healthy, AND delicious. Happy shopping!

Despite the fact that this is Italian television, you can tell by the host’s facial expressions exactly what is being shared and here desire to distance herself from the conversation.

And I agree with him: while I wouldn’t put Feline Fricassee on my culinary Bucket List, I find it hard to fault others who have.  Sure we have domesticated cats, but as a society we’ve done the same to rabbits. So who are we to judge other individuals or countries?

Happy Tuesday!

As the years have progressed, I have become more adventurous on what I will try and have been quite pleased for the most part. Here are a few products that I like both for taste and nutritional content.

Lightlife Products are sold in your grocer’s produce section, as opposed to the freezer section where most pre-made veggie items are found. There are 2 products that I really like: Gimme Lean Sausage and Smart BBQ. The Gimme Lean Sausage is sold in a roll-shaped package, much like the pork-based sausage. The awesome thing…no fat! Absolutely 0 grams of fat…hard to believe, right?! Here’s the nutrition info (retrieved from the Lightlife.com website) for the Gimme Lean Sausage:

This is in a box rather than a tube, but the product is the same, the ground “sausage”.

Calories: 60/2 oz serving

Fat: 0 grams   Sodium: 380 mg  Potassium: 460 mg  Carbs: 6 grams  Protein: 7 grams  Soy protein: 7 grams

Can’t beat that with a stick! The texture of the uncooked product is a bit different…on the sticky side, actually. After you form it into patties, you do need to put a bit of oil in a frying pan and then simply brown them on both sides and enjoy!

The Smart BBQ is sold in a “Heat n’ Eat” packet…simply tear off the top and microwave for 1:30. I ate mine on a hamburger bun. It tasted just like a BBQ pulled pork sandwich, the sauce

was very tangy and nice. Here’s the nutrition info:

Calories: 70/ 1/4 cup serving

Fat: 0 grams  Sodium: 380 mg  Potassium: 80 mg  Carbs: 13 grams  Protein: 6 grams

Wow! Now you don’t have to subsist on a salad and whatever sides are offered at a conventional BBQ—simply take a package of Smart BBQ with you, nuke if for a little over a minute, and have your own delish feast! And, forget toast for breakfast…now you can have scrambled eggs and sausage…or a “sausage” egg and cheese biscuit for breakfast and take it on the go if you need to.

Hope these 2 tips add some variety and convenience to your wonderful, animal-friendly, lifestyle. And, if you are vegan, they will fit in nicely with your food choices as well.

So, being the 21st century gal that I am…I went online to see how to get rid of the little suckers since noone I knew had any luck at evicting them. Guess what? It was pretty simple. Here’s whatchya do.

Get a bowl, doesn’t matter what size, and fill it with balsamic vinegar (or fruit juice) just until the bottom of the bowl is covered. Then, place plastic wrap over the bowl and form a TIGHT seal…ensuring no wrinkles are on the surface or edges of the plastic wrap…needs to be tight as a drum! Then, take a toothpick and poke lots of tiny holes in the plastic wrap. Wah lah! A fruit fly trap. The fruit flies crawl into the holes to go after the sweet stuff inside, but can’t get back out (make sure your holes aren’t too big, but also not microscopic). I also found that, if you see some flies sitting on top of the plastic wrap “contemplating” going in, you can spray them with window cleaner, which renders them flightless, then I could wipe the plastic wrap with a paper towel and the flies come off on the paper towel.

To prevent a re-infestation, make sure all fruit and food on the counter is covered with plastic wrap or put away in the fridge. Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink that have sweet things on them.

I hope this helps you rid your house of these unwelcome guests. Who would think that such tiny creatures can be SO annoying?

The bonus…you can use this on self-cleaning ovens (explanation beginning…). I was not aware that not all oven cleaners should be used in self-cleaning ovens. Why use a spray if you have a self-cleaning oven, you ask? Have you ever USED that function? As the cycle progressed (and it takes about FOUR hours), I could hardly breathe as the toxic vapors of incinerated grease filled my home. So, the spray was an option I was willing to try.

I do have a few tips for all you DIY’ers out there:
1. Allow about 2 hours for said endeavor

2. Wear OLD clothes (yeah, it’s messy)
3. Wear disposable latex or vinyl gloves (….yeah, it’s MESSY)

4. Be willing to sacrifice some sponges and old cleaning cloths

So, what does it look like? Behold…my unrecognizably clean oven!!!

Yes…this really IS my oven that is nearly 3 years old…and had only been cleaned once before {hanging my head in shame}. Notice how SHINY and SEE-THROUGH the glass door is. I had become used to having to open the door to actually see inside (yes, I’m pathetic).

  Another view of my awesome, beautiful oven and the superhero-in-a-can. {sigh}

So, broil and bake your hearts out…and Easy Off will come to your rescue every time with little elbow grease required. Simply spray on, shut the door (turn on exhaust fan, still a little bit of a smell, but I am sensitive to fumes), wait 2 hours, and wipe clean with wet sponges and a final passover with wet cleaning cloths. Done!