Some days when I’m thinking up dinner, I get bored.  I get bored because I eat the same things over and over and over and over.  Yogurt.  Check.  Berries.  Check.  PB&J.  Check.  It’s those nights, that I’m left with either a wonderfully creative dinner…

Or an inedible mess.

Fortunately for me, last night was one of the luckier times.

Collard-Quinoa Wrap-ups

Ingredients:*

• 8-10 large Collard Green leaves (or other harty/strong greens like cabbage)
• 2 cups Tomatoes (fresh or canned)
• 2 Zuchini
• 4-5 Spring Onions
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 cups Quinoa (cooked)
• Olive oil
• 3 Tsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 3 oz. Goat Cheese
• Salt and Pepper to taste

*Note: I used all local produce and cheese.  Now to find local quinoa.

1. Wash collards and trim hard center stalks.

2. Blanche the stalks in bowling hot water until they become a bright green.

3. Lay the collards on a paper towel and allow to dry.

4. Combine tomatoes, garlic, and red wine vinegar in a blender or food processor…

5. …and blend until they look like this.

6. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add chopped zucchini, cooking until zucchini begins to soften.

7. Add chopped spring onions to zucchini and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes.

8. Add half of the tomato mixture, cooking until tomato sauce is reduced to paste consistency.

9. In a large bowl, combine quinoa and zucchini mixture.

10. Spoon zucchini mixture on to collard leaves and wrap up, rolling them as you would egg rolls or a burrito.  Line wraps in an oven safe dish.

11. Top the wrap-ups with the remaining tomato mixture and goat cheese. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

12. Enjoy!

Now, I would be lying if I said I actually ate these for dinner last night.  Because I didn’t.  Instead, while they were cooking, I got hungry and filled up on potato chips and rainbow sherbet.  Yum.  And that, ladies and gents, is why I’m happy to be an adult.  Dinner. of. champions.

Alrighty…I’m now off to test drive some real slick fast beauties.  Details and pictures of my new ride tonight.

First off, the lovely Katie invited me to do a guest post while she was away in London.  I was so excited and flattered because I love her blog and she is also one of the most talented ladies out there (gardner/biologist/seamstress/cook…is there anything she doesn’t do?  I’m not sure yet.)  Anyway, my post is up today!  And you should all fly on over there and read about my lessons learned as a gardening novice.  And, if you haven’t checked Katie out before, go check her out!

Ok, so last weekend (like two weekends ago…not the one that just ended), I went out to Tybee Island for a fam reunion.  My daddy and I were the only ones from my immediate family to make it down, which was a bummer, but it also meant quality daddy-daughter time, which is pretty awesome.  He also came back to Augusta for a night to see the new yard and to see the grandpets.  And maybe to spend a little more time with me.  But I’m pretty sure it mostly to see the grandpets.

While he was out mowing my lawn (a task I still have never done in my entire life…yea, more on that later), I whipped us up some dinner.  And I cannot express to you how nice it was to have someone to cook for.  Seriously.  You would not think it is that hard to find someone who wants to eat delish food in exchange for doing dishes on a regular basis.  But it is.  Until then, I am perfecting my wifely skills.

Anyway, I made us a deelish Leek-Goat Cheese Tart. This time, unlike my tomato tart, I mixed an egg yoke in with the goat cheese mixture.  The mixture was goat cheese + cream cheese + soy milk + egg yolk + thyme.

I got to use the extra thawed out pastry dough from the last tart I made.  I love having the dough ready made by me…you get the homemade taste at the store bought convenience.

Pastry dough + goat cheese mixture + 3 leeks sliced, washed, tossed in evoo, sea salt, and pepper.

Then I got to move on to a bean dish.  See those pretty purple ones?  Yea, they came out of my garden.  The yellow beans came from the CSA.  Steamed ‘em just a bit.

Then sauteed with butter and mint. I know butter has more saturated fat than evoo, but honestly, since I “rediscovered” butter, I can’t help but cook with it on (probably too frequent) occasion.  Its just such good shit.  Sometimes, you just need to cook something with butter.  And for a veggie girl like me, with fab cholesterol levels, then it can’t kill me every once and a while…right?  I’m just rationalizing here. Because I love me some butter.

Plus fruit salad and rosemary roasted local fingerling taters.

YUM!  And, the best part, nearly all of the ingredes are local.  More on that tomorrow.  I’ve gotten almost completely locally sufficient…yay!  A loco locavore.

Alrighty, again, go and take a peak at Katie’s blog!

And honestly, what are your thoughts on butter?  I only like melted butter…cold butter on bread creeps me out.  But, cooking with butter?  Salty buttery goodness.

I’m currently pretty overwhelmed at work. Way too much drama. Way too much to do. Way too draining.

So I came home last night all grumptastic and ready to do what I do best: nap. Napping is my nonproductive way of dealing with things. I’m an avoider. Always have been. I’m REALLY good at pretending that unpleasant things don’t exist. And when I can’t do that, I nap. I could sleep away entire days to avoid unpleasant feelings. Which typically for me means, most any feelings. I don’t like feelings.

But, being the burgeoning self-aware adult that I am, I decided to forego the nap for something a little more productive and equally (if not more) efficient at taming my anger and anxiety.

And that is cooking.  With dough that has to be kneaded.  Or…in my case…pounded.

I also had 5 CSA hydroponically grown tomatoes in my fridge and wasn’t sure what to do with them.  For the last couple weeks, they’ve been all dressed up with nowhere to go.

So, I decided that tomatoes + kneaded dough of some sort = tomato tart.

The best dough always starts with butter. Lots and lots of butta.

Enough dough for two more dishes…just freeze and thaw!

Roasted tomatoes with fresh picked basil and oregano

Goat cheese mixed with a splash of milk, minced shallots, sea salt and pepper.

Was I successful in quelling my urge to punch a wall when I got into work today?  Yes.  Was my belly full and my mouth delighted?  Yes.  Did I use up all the tomatoes? Yes. Win. Win. Win. Win.

Emotional Cooking > Emotional Eating…don’t you agree?

Alrighty folks, time to go water my SOD!  Yay!  I finally got grass!  It only took me 13mos. in my new house to accomplish that.

And then, schluffy time.

Today was, yet another, calendar call.  I have a particularly interesting/annoying/drawn-out case on the calendar.  So the judge called me and the prosecutor back into chambers discuss possible resolutions to the case.  And as I was in the midst of explaining some mitigating circumstances, this exchange happened:

Me: blah blah blah blah Defendant’s Ex-Baby Mama blah blah blah.

Judge: *Snickering*

Me: Um, yes, your Honor?

Judge: Oh Ms. D—–s (no, my name doesn’t end in an s…but this Judge thinks my name is plural.  At this point, I go with it) I remember when you first started this job.  You would have to explain something similar, and you would stumble over the words really trying to comprehend what you were saying.  Now, “ex-baby-mama” just flows out naturally, without you missing a beat.

Me: I think I’m both proud and horrified…at the same time.

Judge: Perhaps you need a break from your clients.

When terms like “ex baby mama” and friend-girl and “old lady” become easy parts of my vocab, perhaps the judge is right.  I may need a break.

Ok…on to tonights incredibly fattening…yet flippin delish dins.  This week’s CSA included butternut squash and carrots.  I’ve been getting tired of butternut squash (which happens with some produce at the tail end of a season), so I wanted something new.  Something new and something filling.  The answer came in the form of a Carrot and Butternut Squash Risotto.

Risottos require lots and lots of stirring…which is perfect if you have a long backlog of NPR podcasts to listen too.  Peter Sagal + Stirring yummy food = <3

Cheeeeeeeeeeese.

Perfect dinner for the first long evening of the year.  Seriously, y’all…how much happier are you now that you have SOOOO much more daylight after work?!  I managed to bake, walk the pupperooski, and cook dinner all before it got dark.  I’m a whole new person.

And, I’m a pretty sure the puppers is ecstatic too.  With these longer, warmer, happier (marathon taper) days, he’s getting super long walks (and I’m getting more NPR podcasting).

What are y’all doing with your LONGER WARMER BEAUTIFULLER DAYS?

Um…check back in about twenty minutes for my first installment of Saturday (this week Monday) Sweets.

“I cannot make my days longer so I strive to make them better.”- Henry David Thoreau

I’ve been lamenting the lack of time in my days.  But, fortunately, as the weather turns nice, I start to be more productive.  There is a bounce in my step that helps me accomplish a little bit more.  Part of that, today, was also that I was home at lunch.

If you remember, last week, I had a gutter debacle.  And, I’m a REALLY good procrastinator.  But, today, I realized that it’s supposed to rain for the next few days.  So, I really needed to get the gutter fixed before it comes crashing down two stories during the next monsoon.  When I figured this all out, I managed to find a gutterman to come clean out and fix my gutter at lunch.  It was great.  Except when the gutterman came and I could almost swear that he had been a client of mine before.  Probably not.  But, you never know.

Anyway, I cleaned some at lunch, I read some, I chopped some of my veggies for my dinner recipe; but, for the most part, I soothed my big burly boyfriend who was flippin out about the close proximity of another man.  A man outside my house is too close for the boy’s liking.  So, we snuggled.  And when we snuggled, he would shut his yappy snarly mouth.

It was nice to check “clean gutters” off my to do list.

To save some more time in my day, I made a low prep frittata tonight using deliciously fresh eggs from a friend’s chickens.

I started off by sauteeing shrooms with some garlic.

Added a thinly sliced red onion and two diced zucchinis.

And cook for about 10-15 minutes, until veggies are soft-ish (yes, oh so precise terminology).

Allow the veggies to cool.  Wisk 4 or 5 eggs (depending on the size) with a splash of milk-product (I used soy, but cow milk is perfectly acceptable).  Add cheese of choice (mine, as a good Greek girl, was feta).  And then stir in cooled veggies.

This is where I got creative.  I don’t have a skillet that I can stick in the oven, so, the typical range top cooking transferred to a broiler for a frittata was out of the question.  So, I improvised.  I poured the mixture into a pie pan and baked in the oven, before broiling the top.

And cooked until done (yes, my precise-itudes are so helpful)

I also roasted some CSA veggies with balsamic vinegar and red wine.

It was not my most attractive dinner, but it sure was delish.

The first slice of a pie never comes out pretty.

Ok.  Folks.  Not only has William challenged me in my swimming, I’ve been challenged by a friend here to see who can get to the pool three times for swimming first.  I start tomorrow.  I WILL get up for swim practice.  And, I will give you a recap in the morning.  I will also tell you about my depressing bike ride today (basically, I have some work to do to get back to where I was last September…).

Also ps. In defense of B, the shoe he ate was years and years old…and in fact the last time I wore them to court, someone told me that I was really starting to look like a PD because they were so ratty.  Maybe he did me a favor.  Not really…bad dog.

Hello lovelies!

I went out and hit the trails this morning…it was amazingly beautiful out and I was excited for another unplugged run.  I did take my garmin this time, so, I guess it was just “less-plugged.”  I did my “long” run (the quotations are because it was just 12 miles, which in the grand scheme of my life isn’t that long…) late yesterday, so my legs were beat.  But, when people pick which trail to go on, I go.  I like being with people.  So, I go.  But.  Oh heavens.

We hit the HARDEST trail out in the area where we were.  Seriously.  3 miles of climbs that vary between 400 to 500ft of ascent. 3 miles with 200-400 ft of ascent. I was DEAD.  When I finished, I felt like I had run 20 miles hard.  But, it was just 6 miles.  Up and down and up and down and up and down and up and up and up a mountain.  And up a mountain again. It was good though.  Great to be with friends.  Great to get outside.  And great to work out some of my trials while out in the trails.

Which is good.  Because we start a two week jury trial session tomorrow.  And…I have about 15 cases still in jury trial status on the calendar.  Which meant an extended afternoon in the jail chatting with clients.  I’m generally against jail visits on the weekends…especially when it is beautiful outside.  But, sometimes it’s got to be done.

Given the long afternoon/evening at the jail, I didn’t manage to get everything on my to do list done this weekend, but I did get a lot done.  I weighed the benefits of finishing the to do list at the expense of my (quickly impending) bedtime and a nice homecooked Sunday dins.

And Sunday dins are important.  It’s all about family.  Even if you are eating by yourself. Right?  Right.  More importantly I have Leftovers (with a capital L) for lunches throughout the week.  Lots and lots of leftovers.

Starting off with Stuffed Green Peppers.  With Eggplant.

And onion and garlic, cooked with 1/2 cup water until soft.

Add stewed tomatoes and corn (I was a little hesitant about the corn in the recipe, but it turned out yummers).

Added quinoa (substituted for the recipe’s rice).

Then stuffed pepper halves (and was left with about 9/10 of the stuffing…lunch?)

Baked on 350* for 45 minutes, then topped with cheddar cheese and bake 5 more minutes.  While the peppers were baking, though, I got started on a Spicy Okra Stew.

Onion, okra, and garlic sauteed in evoo.

Coriander, Cayenne Pepper, and Cumin are added with three tomatoes and a cup of water.  Boiled until sauce thickens.

Oh no!  Tomato Down! Tomato Down!

Um, my knife is dirty.  Ick.  Don’t pay attention to that.

Alrighty folks, it’s time for us to hit the hay.  B says good night.

OY!  I’m soooo behind on my google reader that I almost didn’t post today.  For some reason, I SWEAR my days are getting shorter and shorter and shorter (and actually, maybe they really are).  But there is truly not enough time in the day lately…and I’m not even taking any naps!?!!

So, I’m behind on reading the blogs that I love.  I’m behind spending as much time with B as I want.  I’m behind doing any kind of core work or stretching.  I’m behind at cleaning up my kitchen (oh seriously…PILES of dishes from tonight’s epic dinner prep).  I’m behind blogging…I even apparently can’t finish sentences in my blog entries (yea, not sure about the hanging sentence fragment in Tuesday’s post)…

WHERE DO I GET MORE TIME?????

Part of the problem yesterday really was that my dinner took FOREVER to make.  It was worth it.  But, still, took forever.

I made Sweet Potato Patties.  But it took me a whole half and hour just to do this:

Then added a bit of flour, feta cheese, fresh mint, one egg (should have done two….) and butta.

Then took the mixture, made patties and browned them in a bit of evoo.

And baked on a cookie sheet with parchment paper for about 20 minutes.

AND then…I got started on some balsamic braised (CSA) red cabbage.  Sauteeeing onion in evoo.

Then add green apple, red wine, balsamic vinegar, and a bit of water.

Also, don’t forget to take a few swigs of red wine for yourself.  It’s acceptable to drink straight out of the bottle if you are cooking with the wine. (Right?)

Add the cored and sliced cabbage.

And cover, cooking until the liquids start to reduce. Mmm McSteamy!

Put it all together (with a couple dollops of sour cream and some orange zest)

Today starts the EARLY SPRING CSA session.  Yum!  I wonder what we’ll get today!  I was pretty good about getting this week’s produce into my belly…and today after I use the green pepper and tomatoes, it will be fully used with nothing to waste. (Score).

Ok, but seriously, HOW DO I GET MORE TIME IN THE DAY?!  I’m not watching tv anymore.  I’m not napping.  I don’t waste (too much) time…WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?!  Anyway, thoughts on where my time is going and/or how to get it back would be sooo appreciated. (Can you tell how frustrated I am by the use of all caps?! )

Tonight: An update of having already succeeded in one of my March mini goals…:)

ps. Crappy run last night…le sigh.  My legs felt like crap.  I neeeed to start stretching.  Or, what is the problem?

pps. I’m going to be balancing catching up on blogs and prepping for trials this weekend…I promise.  Ick, trials.

Um, I’m amazed by all the wonderful comments on my stress-relief pizza.  I’m still a little shocked everytime someone comments.  Like, omg, someone besides my mommy reads my blog? Ok, now that I’ve shared that, you’ll inevitably realize that you shouldn’t be reading my blog because it’s nonsense…and will stop. Maybe I should go delete those last few sentences…except.  It’s real.  Actually, expect a post on insecurities tomorrow or Friday, or whenever I get 2-buck-chuck induced courage to hit publish.

But, moving on.  That pizza was deeeeelish (and more importantly cathartic)!  And I’ve eaten it for lunch (and brekky) yesterday and today.  Back when I was so restrictive with food, I found no joy in cooking or tasting wonderful flavors.  Now that I allow myself to eat what I want, when I want (in moderation), cooking is one of my favorite past times.  Something about the tactile concentration necessary to follow a recipe or create a dish from scratch is almost like meditation for me.  I finish cooking a meal and am left invigorated yet calm.

Anyway, tonight I got to cook an equally delish dins.  Pour little puppy just sat at the kitchen doorway looking all sad because I was spending so much time cooking and not enough time paying attention to him.

It seems that every Wednesday night, I look in the fridge to start cooking dinner and realize “frick! I have way too much CSA produce left.”  And, since I get a new shipment every Thursday, I feel the need to clear out the old produce so as not to waste or all to spoil any good food.  Tonight I was faced with 4 tomatoes, 4 peppers, parsley, and carrots.

I ended up making two veggie dishes (and some tofu for protein).  The first was pan-sauteed carrots with orange and rosemary.  This recipe came from the Foster’s Cookbook, a cookbook from one of my fav little lunch and brunch places in Durham.  I spent many a sunny afternoons out at their picnic tables reading legal blusogdho and drinking delish coffee.

Anyway, a super easy recipe.  Olive oil, tbsp of butter, saute carrots for 8ish minutes.  Add .5c water and juice of one orange plus fresh rosemary and salt and pepper.  Cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquids have reduced to a tasty tasty sauce.

The other dish was Roasted Peppers and Tomatoes baked with herbs and capers.  I started off by roasting some peppers, and briefly boiling the tomatoes so they could be peeled.  They were chopped up and put in a dish.  Then I made the sauce.  Parsley (local!), garlic and marjoram.  Chopped up.

Those herbs were added to a mixture of kalamata olives, olive oil, and capers.

Then the peppers and tomatoes were tossed in the sauce and baked for twenty minutes.

It was a very olive-oily dinner.  But oh so delish.

(I may have licked that sauce off the plate when I was done.  Buttery, olive-oily-rosemary-y goodness.

Wonderfully flavorful dinner, and I made sure no fresh local produce spoiled in my fridge.  Success all around.

Anyone else have tips/ideas for making sure produce doesn’t accidentally go to waste in the fridge?

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And while I haven’t really been posting my runs, etc. lately, I have been running…yesterday evening, I did I 7 miler, with 6 at marathon pace…it did not feel good.  Partly because my tummy just was not cooperating, partly because I’m battling some shin splints (frick.).  I’ve had problems shin splints since I started running forever ago…but made it through all of chicago mary training without them–primarily because I was tri-training most of the time and only running 3 (maybe 4) days per week.  I think this is why I need to be primarily a triathlete.  With the cross training forcibly imposed by tri-training, I stay un-injured.  Though, I’m not injured yet, I can tell it’s potentially just around the corner.  Fortunately, tri season is just around the corner too.  More time on the bike = happy shins.

• Distance: 7.01 mi
• Total Time: 54:48
• Tempo/MP: 6mi in 46:12 @ 7:41/mi
• Splits: 8:36/7:59/7:55/7:40/7:44/7:28/7:22
• Avg HR: 172

(And, in case you are wondering, except for yesterday, I’ve steadily woken up at 6am for the past week!!!!!!!  It’s amazing and totally getting easier.