Digging Deep

Loving the harvest pictures! Thank you Caryn and Heidi! More and more, people have been posting their harvests on Facebook. I hope that means that more and more people are either taking part in a CSA, growing their own vegetables/fruits or both. I had a tiny harvest the other day from my tiny containers. Two kinds of tomatoes and a spicy pepper.

My favorite harvest was when we came back from Italy a couple of years ago. We arrived home and didn't have much food at all since we had been gone for 2 weeks. I went into the garden and was able to make a really nice, big salad from our vegetables. I loved that moment.

Today is Tuesday, September 16, 2014. Sosie is home sick from school and Chappy is outside doing what it is dogs do when they are outside. I am in my writing spot with my thermos of water (with lemon and mint) and pondering how I feel today. Funny, my husband just texted me to say that it will be sunny tomorrow. I think that helps answer my mood for today. The last couple of days have been a bit rainy. The sun will be a welcome addition to my day. I really am so affected by weather sometimes! I am also feeling a bit scattered, not as focused. I am sure my post will reflect that by its many different topics.

(Thanks, Gayle!)

Last September 18 was my last day of work before moving to GA. It seems absolutely insane that I have been away from an office for an entire year. Many people said I wouldn't last 6 months but here I am coming on a year. I must say that I appreciate (and needed) the sabbatical and the time I have had with my family. Their whole lives they have been to day care, before school care, afterschool care. Being able to capture the moments after school have been incredible. The happiness, the frustrations, the tears, the laughter and the pride. I do have a little itch for the intellectual stimulation, of providing a resource for the company and its employees and helping others where I can. That said, I am needed at home right now and I am incredibly fortunate to have the option to be here while we live in GA.

This week I am trying to drink at least half my body weight in ounces in water every day. It will help me feel healthier. I don't necessarily gravitate to water like I do unsweetened tea with lemon but I am trying to drink it more often. I feel like I have been eating so many sweets lately. I love dessert. Too much! I am also working on portion control. Hopefully this will help me clean my system just a little bit and make my pants feel a little less tight too!

So I tried my first self-led home yoga practice this past week. I loved it. I used music from Jordan's soundcloud account and I just started. I put aside my nervousness that I wouldn't know what to do, the feeling that I needed to be led instead of leading myself in this type of practice. I did it. I faced it. I led myself. I felt strong and ended up doing poses that I like least as well as the ones I like the most. I was able to breathe through them but need to hold them a bit longer than I did. My "class" lasted 45 minutes but I finished excited for my next home session.

I think about writing a blog and what I have learned from the process fairly often. I think about how I write from the heart. It may not be writing in a literary sense but it is from the heart. I am listening to Sosie watching So You Think You Can Dance and dancers make it when they really start digging deep and dancing with the emotions from inside. I am learning with each post how to write with more emotion and heart. Thank you for being on this journey with me. Some days are better than others. Some days it is easier to dig a little deeper than others. Thank you for being patient!

(Thanks, Abby!)

Put on Hey, Hey from Dispatch and get cooking!

The other night we made a dinner that we haven't made in a long time. I really liked it. My sister in law gave me the recipe what seems like years ago but I am not sure where it is from. I made a greek salad and a farro orzo pasta dish that was a mix of Karen's recipe and one I saw on the internet.

Chicken Skewers with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette and Feta
Vinaigrette (I made more of this)
3T chopped mint
2T chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1T red wine vinegar (I tend to do 1-1 ratio of vinegar to oil)
2T olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the mint, parsley, garlic and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until thoroughly incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Skewers
1 1/4 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 lb yellow squash (I use zucchini and squash typically)
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
2T olive oil
2T red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 ounce feta cheese

In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine chicken, squash, onion, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Marinate for a few hours. Tightly thread chicken pieces and veggies in an alternating pattern. Grill over medium hot fire, turning frequently, until the chicken is just cooked through and the veggies are lightly charred and barely tender - about 12 minutes.

Holding the end of the skewer with a potholder, carefully slide the chicken and veggies onto dinner plates. Spoon some of the herb vinaigrette on top, sprinkle all over with the feta cheese and serve.  Pass the remaining vinaigrette separately.

Lemon Orzo
Box orzo of choice
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
1-2T olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
S&P
Pinch of sweet paprika
1T fresh parsley (can do more or less if you want on all herbs)
1T fresh basil
1T fresh mint

Cook the orzo and add all ingredients above to bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.

And I can't forget my Greek Salad made with tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, onion, parsley, mint, lemon, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, olive oil, S&P, feta cheese. I would've added kalamata olives if I had them.

Enjoy and have a happy day, everyone!