Tag Archives: fall

Eating, Eating, Eating vegetables (And Deep Fried Kool Aid)

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I have far too many snapshots of food and future food.

I have far too many snapshots of food and future food.

So, ever since I set my goal to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, I haven’t really had to overhaul what I eat, but I’ve been more mindful to pick those when given the choice. I make sure to keep fruit around at work for a snack, and I’ve been making sure that my Monday-food is packed with vegetables. Since I was too poor to keep doing WW online, I’ve been using SparkPeople. Along with their nutrition, water and work out trackers, they also have this handy Fruit/Vegetable servings tracker.

Ta da!

Ta da!

This week I made extra vegetarian groundnut stew (aka my favorite food) for Sunday dinner, so I’m off the hook today to do other stuff like.. work, school, meetings, and er… blogging.

A few weeks ago, I asked twitter for some soup ideas, and Tina from Faith, Fitness and Fun replied with this recipe for Tortellini Soup. I made a few changes to make it vegetarian, but I have to say it was really good! I knew I was going to save this soup for later in the week, so I used kale in place of spinach since it is a heartier green. I replaced the chicken broth and sausage with vegetable broth, extra kale, carrots and herbs like rosemary and thyme.

Vegetarian Cheese Tortellini Soup

Vegetarian Cheese Tortellini Soup

Tortellini soup with vegetables and more vegetables.

Tortellini soup with vegetables and more vegetables.

For nutritional info for this version, visit my Spark Recipe page. This recipe is 5 WW+ points if you calculate with the vegetables.

I decided to expand my squash consumption to spaghetti squash for some variety. This one I baked until it was soft.

I decided to expand my squash consumption to spaghetti squash for some variety. This one I baked until it was soft.

I scooped out at the spaghetti-ish part of the squash and spread in in the baking pan. I tossed it with tomatoes, onions, garlic, bell pepper, Italian herbs and topped with cheese and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. I’m not sure how long I baked it, but I left it in until the cheesey-top was browning.

Ok, this is super ugly and I haven't even bothered to write a real recipe. But it tastes good, I promise. You can get your fix for Italian flavors without eating mountains of actual spaghetti.

Ok, this is super ugly and I haven't even bothered to write a real recipe. But it tastes good, I promise. You can get your fix for Italian flavors without eating mountains of actual spaghetti.

I really liked both of these make-ahead dishes more than I expected I would, and I will make them again.

And, because I am such a dedicated blogger, and because I walked around the S.C. State Fair telling my friends “I want to eat something WEIRD!” …  I present.. Deep Fried Kool-Aid.

My friend commented that they looked like peeps. Or dead birds. They kind of did, I'm not sure why they were shaped that way, or if they were supposed to look like something else.

My friend commented that they looked like peeps. Or dead birds. They kind of did, I'm not sure why they were shaped that way, or if they were supposed to look like something else.

The verdict: Deep Fried Kool-Aid tastes like strawberry pound cake, fried and covered in sugar/Kool Aid dust. I think they must have dipped some other dough into Kool Aid, or made it with Kool Aid.

The verdict: Deep Fried Kool-Aid tastes like strawberry pound cake, fried and covered in sugar/Kool Aid dust. I think they must have dipped some kind of dough into Kool Aid, or made it with Kool Aid.

You have to make crazy eyes when you are about to eat something like this.

You have to make crazy eyes when you are about to eat something like this.

I ate this so you don’t have to. We all split the order, and although it wasn’t terrible, none of us were hankering for more. The next time you’re at a fair, look for something else weird to eat.

This is a picture of BFFKatie and me on the ride that takes you over the fair. You can't see our faces, but we were having the "Hmm, what if this ride can't handle the weight of all these people eating deep fried Snickers bars?" and freaking ourselves out. Also, this lovely picture was taken by Tisha and stolen by me off Facebook. The SC State Fair never looked so sparkly.

This is a picture of BFFKatie and me on the ride that takes you over the fair. You can't see our faces, but we were having the "Hmm, what if this ride can't handle the weight of all these people eating deep fried Snickers bars?"conversation and freaking ourselves out. Also, this lovely picture was taken by Tisha and stolen by me off Facebook. The SC State Fair never looked so sparkly.

Make these, please: Pumpkin Walnut Muffins

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I don't typically gush over things I've made, but these were pretty much the best.

I don't typically gush over things I've made, but these were pretty much the best.

I don’t know how seriously anyone takes what I say here most of the time. Which is good, because most of the time you shouldn’t. But, I’m serious when I say that you need to make these muffins. After one too many baking fails when I tried to make up recipes, I vowed to start following recipes, at least when I expect other people to eat my food.

This weekend I had out of town guests, and I thought it would be nice to make something they could have as a snack or quick breakfast. Instead of trying to make something up, I found this recipe from Cooking Light for Pumpkin-Cranberry Muffins. I made a shopping list and everything. Except… well, when I got home I didn’t have the cranberries I thought I did.. and I kind of thought nuts would be good.. and.. so yeah, I ended up making a few substitutions on their base pumpkin recipe. I just can’t help myself, and apparently I cannot follow directions.

  • I substituted Splenda for the granulated sugar in the recipe because I figured with the 1/2 cup of brown sugar, it would still be sweet enough. If you use regular sugar, I’d recommend cutting back to 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup, depending on how sweet you want your muffins.
  • I used some walnuts I had on hand in place of the cranberries. This was the best decision. You could use any nuts, or omit, but I think they made the texture perfect.
  • I topped the final muffins with a tiny bit of cinnamon/sugar/walnut/butter mixture that I had left over from a test run of cinnamon rolls I didn’t end up making. This is totally optional, but it is pretty. And delicious.
These pumpkin muffins are soft, sweet and filling. You will not regret adding this recipe to your collection!

These pumpkin muffins are soft, sweet and filling. You will not regret adding this recipe to your collection!

Put a vegetable on it!* Butternut Squash Cupcakes

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Maple Butternut Squash Cupcakes

Maple Butternut Squash Cupcakes

I use social events as an excuse to try new recipes, with varying degrees of success. Friday, the weather turned fall-like, and despite the fact that it was 90* the day before, I decided to run with that when choosing a dish to take to my friend Karla’s going away party. So, since I love putting vegetables in unexpected places*, and since I think pumpkin is the Marcia Brady of fall squash, I decided to take the pumpkin cupcake recipe from SmittenKitchen and tweak it using what I already had. I think using the pureed squash rather than the canned pumpkin made the cupcakes lighter, fluffier and more cake-like.

I grated nutmeg over the top to try to be fancy like the original recipe, but I'm not sure it worked. If you want fancy LOOKING cupcakes, someone needs to give me a cupcake school scholarship.

I grated nutmeg over the top to be fancy like the original recipe, but I'm not sure it worked. If you want fancy LOOKING cupcakes, someone needs to give me a scholarship to cupcake college.

Maple Butternut Squash Cupcakes

Serves a ton (the original recipe says 17 to 18 cupcakes, but I made minis and regular sizes, so I’m not exactly sure. But.. a lot of cupcakes.)

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour (original recipe called for cake flour, but I just used plain baking flour. And no, I can’t figure out the difference in 30 seconds of googling, so I’m just letting you know what I used.)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 Tbs vanilla
About 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed (I used more and just measured out 1 1/4 cups after it was pureed.)

Frosting
Two (8-ounce) packages neufchatel cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup

Making cupcakes.

Making cupcakes.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Prepare squash for pureeing by peeling, slicing and boiling for about 10 minutes. Drain and then blend using wand mixer, food processor or blender. Mine was fluffy and about the consistency of baby food.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until creamy consistency.

3. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour, spices, salt, pepper) and in a small container mix buttermilk, vanilla and butternut squash.

4. Slowly alternate pouring dry mix and buttermilk  into sugar and butter while mixing. The batter should be pretty smooth with not many lumps.

5. Pour batter into greased or lined cupcake tins. Bake time will depend on the size, but take them out of the oven when a toothpick can be removed cleanly from the center. My mini cupcakes took about 7-10 minutes, and the larger ones took about 17-20 minutes.

6. While they are cooking, cream together ingredients for frosting and chill in refrigerator until ready. I let the cupcakes and the frosting cool for about 30 minutes before icing.

7. Impress friends and vegetable haters with this sweet, mild fall treat.

I think the cupcakes were a hit at the party. Karla and her husband Cosmin are leaving for Romania soon, so I was glad I got to see them and learn some Romanian/Indian/American dance moves with them before they left.

Bon Voyage, Karla and Cosmin!

Bon Voyage, Karla and Cosmin!

My newest food obsessions

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Butternut squash and ricotta pizza

Butternut squash and ricotta pizza

I made this butternut squash and ricotta pizza at the urging of Rachel, and I was not disappointed. I used the recipe from Real Simple.  I’ve never actually used pre-made pizza dough from the grocery before, but it may be my new favorite semi-homemade thing. It would be safe to say that I’m smitten with it at the moment. I’m dreaming up all the healthyish pizzas I can make, and then reminding myself that every day can’t be “Pizza Day!!” (Yes, PizzaDay!! is capitalized with !!)

I am addicted to balsamic vinegar.

I am addicted to balsamic vinegar. Yes, that is a book about cats in the background but it isn't mine. I'm just holding it for a friend.

Also, in my lamest food obsession to date, I have developed a craving for vinegar, particularly balsamic vinegar. After years of chasing the perfect salad dressing, and being disappointed by the ingredients list or the taste of most on the market, I have finally found something that I really love. The salad in the picture features my chickpea salad on some mixed greens with balsamic. I’ve eaten some version of this all week.

Anyway, lately I’ve been thinking that if I had to pick one food season that I love the most, it would probably be fall. Maybe if you ask me next spring when fresh summer vegetables are popping up I will have a different answer, but for now, I am really excited about autumn and Thanksgiving-season foods.

I love squash, sweet potatoes, apples, pecans, spinach, soups, stews, breads, cinnamon-spiced things, etc. Ok, I know all those aren’t just for fall, but that is when I’m most excited for eating them.

So, I promise that once my internet is fixed and reliable I will have entries that aren’t just about things I’m eating or halloween costumes past and present. I don’t know what difference that will make, but I feel like it is the truth. :)

This is what the end of October in S.C. looks like. All the fall colored leaves are hiding on the ground.

This is what the end of October in S.C. looks like. All the fall colored leaves are hiding on the ground.

What is your favorite food season? What is your least favorite? I can’t think of anything I love from the spring except Easter candy.

A ZenLizzie first… A giveaway! Win a $50 gift certificate

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You may have seen some similar giveaways around the blogosphere, but this one is special because it is my very first ever, and I think you’re going to like it. Whether you`re looking for dining room sets, new work out DVDs, cookware or even fancy things for your pet, you can find it in one of CSN’s 200+ stores.  The nice folks at CSN want one of my lucky readers to have a $50 gift certificate to spend at any of their stores. Is there a more deserving readership out there? No way.

My co-host in this giveaway is Miss Moneen, who is disqualified, but wishes that she could have one of these porcelain cat bowls with her picture in them.

Excuse her while she sulks about this.

Excuse her while she sulks about this.

Rules/How to enter:

1. You must be in the U.S. or Canada.

2. You must leave me a comment telling me what you’re most looking forward to in the fall. I am fall-crazy right now, and I want you guys to join me.

3. You can also tweet this post with something like, “@Zenlizzie is having her first ever giveaway!” with a link to this post. Or, you can make up whatever you want, as long as it links back here (http://wp.me/pxcbr-sO). If you tweet it, leave another comment letting me know.

4. This giveaway will end Thursday, August 26 at 7 p.m., so be sure to get your answers/tweets in before then. I will pick a random answer and e-mail the winner. *******This giveaway has ended!*******

If you need some inspiration, here’s what I’m most looking forward to.. weather less than 95*, winter squash and football season.


Hello from Georgia!, update from Jubilee Part 1

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The partners, volunteers and refugees before a family leaves for Atlanta. Minus me, taking the picture.

The partners, volunteers and refugees before a family leaves for Atlanta. Minus me, taking the picture.

I’m writing this on my laptop during a mostly silent, spiritual retreat at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Ga. It isn’t that there isn’t time for me to blog at Jubilee, there is, and I feel nagging guilt every time I do something else besides blog.. read, sew, hang out, etc. But, I know my “readers” aren’t really expecting me to write much, and so maybe my guilt is just coming from myself. I think a month and a half of not writing has probably been the longest I’ve gone since I was in middle school, at least.

Anyway, so maybe getting the blog ball rolling again will help me to update more. There are lots of interesting things going on here. A brief outline that might help me fill in the blanks later:

These are two of my first students, Mu Cris and Neh Reh, and two of their children, Pray Meh and Nga Meh.

These are two of my first students, Mu Cris and Neh Reh, and two of their children, Pray Meh and Nga Meh.

Since I came to Jubilee Partners at the end of August, I’ve started teaching English to Karenni refugees and learned more about Burma, the struggle of refugees and other displaced people, understood better the dilemmas that come along with refugee resettlement in America, realized how much harder it is to learn a language if you can’t read it (so, I really feel as though I have no excuse not to learn Spanish now, and feel very humbled by my students who learn so quickly compared with me, who has only learned about four Karenni words).

Leslie and Amber, two other volunteers, with kids in childcare.

Leslie and Amber, two other volunteers, with kids in childcare.

I’ve also had the joy of learning about other social issues while here, such as the moral questions surrounding the death penalty during discussions here and a death penalty forum at the Open Door Community in Atlanta, Ga. The worship aspect of Jubilee is structured in some ways, but is very open and non-traditional in others. We have time for devotions almost every day before lunch, but that can mean time for reflection, time to talk to your “partner pair,” a half-hour of singing different songs by request, traditional services and also time to discuss issues as they are related to Christianity.

I think the last one, along with other sessions that we have each week, is probably my favorite because it gives me time and space to think about things that I think I’ve always cared about, but never spent much time thinking about, issues like social justice, what peace really means, how to be nonviolent, immigration issues and Latin America, development in other countries, etc. It has also confirmed my feelings of what the teachings of Jesus mean for us today. (Hint: It’s about love, love, love and more love. The answer is almost always love.)

This is the K-House where some of the volunteers live, and everyone has common meals and devotions.

This is the K-House where some of the volunteers live, and everyone has common meals and devotions.

Not only have my students shown me a different culture, but also the partners (permanent Jubilee residents) and other volunteers have opened my eyes to different ways to live. The group ranges in age from 20 to almost 90, and from all over the country and world. Each week, someone tells basically the story of their life to the group. I was one of the first to go, and I’m not sure how interesting or exciting my story was, but I have really enjoyed hearing everyone else’s. It kind of makes you want some kind of version from everyone you meet, because these have shown me that you really can’t know where most people are coming from unless they tell you.

Giant sweet potato attacks baby sweet potatoes.

Giant sweet potato attacks baby sweet potatoes.

While here I’ve also… worked some in the garden, which I thought I would be much better at, but after a few fire ant encounters, I’ve realized it was more of a idealized view of gardening I had in mind than one based in reality. Like, in my perfect garden.. there are no fire ants and no spiders waiting on tomatoes to jump out and scare me.

I still like the idea of the garden, and have a deep respect for the people who work in it, especially those who love working in it. The farming here is based on sustainable methods and using the plants/animals to make the system work. (I’ve been reading the Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and Pollan talks at length about agriculture, good and bad. The farming at Jubilee falls into the “good” category.) The community works in the garden together once a week, so I do it. I’m just not very good at it.

Ina stirs a pot of veggie chili to take to the Welcome Center.

Ina stirs a pot of veggie chili to take to the Welcome Center.

For all those who thought I would be going away to eat rice and beans each meal (including myself), you are mistaken. There is so much food here, and it is good tasting and mostly healthy. I’ve been warned as winter approaches that sweet potatoes will become a prominent feature of every meal, but I like sweet potatoes and I probably should be eating less anyway. I guess I didn’t do a very good job of describing the community here before I came, but living at Jubilee isn’t about living in poverty by any means. Living here means opting out of the “Shiny-New” culture, but when you learn about real poverty, you realize this doesn’t come close.

Happy donkeys protect the happy goats in the field.

Happy donkeys protect the happy goats in the field.

And actually, I feel so blessed to be able to stay here. It is really beautiful, and there is space and time and people to listen and good food to eat and new things to learn. I miss lots of people, and I’m always excited for visitors (My mom visited a few weeks ago, and I think she really liked it.), but I don’t miss many other things. Life is very full here. I would encourage anyone interested in farming, processing food, social justice issues, refugees, Christianity, living in community, peace keeping or service work to come visit.

Babies!!

Babies!!

Ok, that is long enough for my first foray back into the blogging world. I’ve had lots of people asking how they can help, and so here is a list of the things Jubilee asks for new donations of: One-subject spiral bound notebooks, simple ball point pens, pencils, umbrellas, flashlights with batteries, socks, underwear, winter hats and gloves and walking shoes . Here are things that are OK gently used:  pillows, wallets, dish towels, dish cloths, backpacks, bicycles and bicyle parts.

Links/Resources:

More pictures at my facebook.

Jubilee Partners

With Our Own Eyes, by Don Mosely, a book about the founding of Jubilee 30 years ago

Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals

Deadline, a dvd examining the death penalty in one state, but good for brining up a lot of different issues.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michal Pollan, a book about the real cost of cheap food

The Burmese Come to Houston, an article from the Houston Press about the lives of refugees much like the ones who come to Atlanta from Burma

Ok, and now that I’ve started, I’d like to keep updating so that I don’t feel too overwhelmed once I leave and forget things. So, if you have any questions or suggestions that you want answered and addressed, you can leave me a comment here or facebook or wherever.

So.. what exactly am I doing? A FAQ.

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Before I begin, I would like to share a few of my favorite pictures from my birthday week..

Moneen is wearing the latest in couture cat fashion, the vacuum sponge-thing.

Moneen is wearing the latest in plus-sized, couture cat fashion, the vacuum sponge-thing.

For anyone wondering, Moneen is now back to living with her “Dad” Carlton. I miss her everyday when i get off work and don’t have a little fur ball waddling to the door to greet me, but I know she will help keep him sane during his last semester at ECU.

This was what the Other (my old roommate's) Cat had stashed under the couch when we moved it to clean. Moneen wasn't very interested, but she did like guarding it.

This was what the Other (my old roommate's) Cat had stashed under the couch when we moved it to clean. Moneen wasn't very interested, but she did like guarding it.

Carlton came to spend the week with me before his school started and I left for GA.

Carlton came to spend the week with me before his school started and I left for GA.

Some of the fun people who came out for my birthday dinner in Charlotte.

Some of the fun people who came out for my birthday dinner in Charlotte.

We stayed at Katie’s uptown in Charlotte and had fruit tart for birthday cake and gourmet burgers for dinner. It was really fun, and it was awesome to see everyone before I leave. We also visited my grandma for her birthday and my Aunt Frannie from Missouri and Barry were in town, so we got to see all lots of fun people in a very short time frame. Carlton is a saint for letting me drag him up and down the interstate on the Tour Du Lizzie.

And now! For what I started writing this blog about..

This is probably the most simply I’ve lived in… well, ever. I’m sitting on the floor of my empty apartment with a tv, a few small boxes, my lap top and a laundry basket. I wished for a simple life, and I inadvertently got it sooner than I realized.

At first, after taking the last big truckload back to my Dad’s house in Fort Mill on Sunday, I was a little bit lost. But, I got over that pretty quickly. Looking at all that “stuff” and thinking about having to pack it and transport it two hours away was making me stressed. Plus, having a tv and my laptop helps tremendously as far as my need for constant stimulation. But, these are things I won’t have come Sunday.

I keep remembering that I haven’t officially written in my blog about where I am going or what I’m going to do. I kept putting it off until I was in the middle of birthday/packing/etc.

So, officially.. as of Sunday, I will be living and working at Jubilee Partners in Comer, Ga. From my understanding, the bulk of my time working will be spent teaching English to the groups and families of refugees who come to stay at the community for about two months when they get to America. According to their Web site, Jubilee Partners has hosted more than 3,000 refugees from 30 countries since they began 30 years ago.  In addition to my time spent teaching, I will also be part of the community and help with “in cooking, cleaning, child care, maintenance, office work, gardening, etc.”

One of the things I’m most excited about it is the large garden where much of the food for the community is grown. When I lived at home, I wasn’t very interested in gardening, but since I’ve lived in apartments for six years I’ve become very jealous of people who grow their own food. (And everyone knows my composting-envy that I have.)

I’ve read some other accounts of people’s time spent at Jubilee Partners, as well as the monthly newsletters form the community, and everything seems so … joyous. Even in hard work people seem to be filled with something that I’m not sure I’ve ever really experienced.

And so for some FAQ.. (because I’ve gotten a lot)

So, what will you be doing?

I will be teaching English and working to help out around the community. For more information about the volunteer program, click here.

How long will you be gone?

I will be there from Sunday until Dec. 23. I’ll be back home for Christmas.

How did you find this place?

I had been looking for a long term volunteer project, both at home and abroad. Many of the programs require a lot of money, which I didn’t and don’t have. While I would still love to work abroad, I think that will have to wait until I have someone who wants to brave Africa and South America with me and when I have more money. My mom suggested that I look at projects the Presbyterian church offered, and I found Jubilee Partners listed on their site. Jubilee Partners is a Christian community, but not a Presbyterian one.

Will you have internet access?

I will have very limited access. I won’t be taking my laptop, and while I’m slightly terrified of breaking my blogging and email addiction, I think it will be good for me. One of the reasons I am trying to shrink my online presence is so that people don’t think I’m ignoring them. If anyone needs me, it will be best to call, text or email if it isn’t really urgent. I should be able to check it sometimes. Also, my eye doctor said I had the eyes of a 30 year old from staring at a computer all day, so hopefully I’ll give my eyes a chance to rest too.

Where do the refugees come from?

I’m not really sure who will be there during my stay. From the newsletters, it seems like there have been a lot of Karen refugees from Burma in the past few months. But, like i said before, there have been people from literally all over the world there.

What are you going to do when you get back?

That is the million dollar question! I’m not really sure, and I know that isn’t the greatest answer. The up side is that I am free to choose from a lot of different options. I would really love to go to grad school for Public Health, and right now that seems like the most likely plan for my future.

But.. wait, won’t you miss everything?

Yes, I will. But the people in my life understand why I’m going away. And all the tv shows, blogs and movies I’m going to miss will be there when I get back. And, even though there isn’t any air conditioning, eventually it will cool off.

No air conditioning?

Yes. You read that correctly.

Are you nervous?

The short answer version is No, for once in my life I’m not nervous. I’m very excited!!

And, the long answer is ..As a person who is extremely high strung and full of nerves almost always… I can honestly say that no, I’m not really nervous. Since I began the application process, I’ve felt extremely confident that this is what I am supposed to be doing at this moment in my life. Honestly, I don’t think anyone who has known me for very long should be terribly surprised.

For one, I always do things other people probably wouldn’t do because I want to give them a chance, and I’m blessed in my life to be able to take chances. And second, I’ve always wanted to do something to help people, but I’ve just been slow on figuring out what I have to give.

So much of what Jubilee Partners stands for lines up very closely to what I also believe, in regards to love, respect for the earth, simplicity and joy. Most of my issues with religion are based in the fact that so many people want to tell you what is right and wrong, but so few people actually want to live their lives with love and faith as their guide. I was never raised to believe that religion was meant to tell you who to hate or what to destroy, but just the opposite. I hope that one day, the most vocal religious leaders won’t be the ones who are the loudest and most hateful. And, Jubilee Partners has helped me restore my faith that there are people who want to live Christian lives to improve the world, rather than just to critique it. Just like in good journalism, show, don’t tell.

“I thought about one of my favorite Sufi poems, which says that God long ago drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. I was never not coming here. This was never not going to happen.”

— Elizabeth Gilbert