Yoga*Aerial*Music Calendar, 7/10/2012

 

YOGA

8 Limbs Yoga Centers, Seattle, WA

7/12: 5:45pm, All Levels, Capitol Hill location, Community Class, $5

7/14: 10:30am, All Levels - assisting, Yoga in the Park, SAM’s Olympic Sculpture Park, Free

7/19: 5:45pm, Level II Flow, Phinney Ridge location

8/18: 10:30am, All Levels - assisting, Yoga in the Park, SAM’s Olympic Sculpture Park, Free

8/25: 10:30am, All Levels - assisting, Yoga in the Park, SAM’s Olympic Sculpture Park, Free

 

Three Trees Yoga and Healing Arts Center, Federal Way , WA

Every Sunday!  Join me for Yoga Church, 10:30am, Power Vinyasa/Level II Flow

Starting August 12th, 6-week Prenatal series

 

Retreats:

November 3rd – 5th, Harmony Hill Yoga Retreat, WA, class+live music and evening concert

 

Private Classes:

Ongoing.  Email me for more information: melibeeloveyoga@gmail.com

 

AERIAL

8/16: 2012 Seattle Summer Slam, Vertical World, 5pm till close

 

MUSIC

8/3 – 8/5: Northwest Yoga Festival, Sandpoint, Idaho, Amber Tande of Sutra Yoga and Wellness Center teaches while Rob Lundsgaard and I provide live music and mantra throughout class. 

8/13: 6pm – 8:15pm, Beach Yoga with Three Trees Yoga, Outdoor Yoga Class + Concert +Picnic, Browns Point Lighthouse Park, WA

Chanting and Mantra Class, Ongoing, every other Sunday at Sutra Yoga and Wellness Center, starts back up 8/19

9/6: 9pm, Conor Byrne Pub

 

Questions??  Please feel free to contact me: melibeeloveyoga@gmail.com

 

Cha-Cha-Changes

Going gluten-free was a huge life change for me.  To deal with the transition, I blogged and immersed my forever student self into the world of food.  Not to mention I was living in the land of plenty - Southern California.  Farmer's markets provided a year round bounty of fresh local goodness that inspired me to share my findings.  My taste for local food has not subsided, but the need to process it through writing has eased.  My blog was born through a love of learning and this theme will remain. The subject matter, however, will evolve as the path I follow meanders, guided by childlike curiosity and the joy of life.

This is where I am now:

Registered Yoga Teacher, 200hr RYT

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Professional Aerialist

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And singing sweet tunes with my husband, Rob Lundsgaard.  

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For now, Melibeelove at Posterous will be where I post updates to my teaching and performing calendars while I get a website up and running.  

Hooray!  And cheers to the wonders of life.

~Melissa

 

 

 

 

The Snack

Snacking has the potential to seriously mess up our healthy eating streak in a day. Let's face it, a snack is a last ditch effort to ease the hunger pains. Meaning, we're probably "starving" and feel the need to pop something into our mouths immediately so that we don't pass out. Or, this is just me. Or, was me when I hit my crazy blood sugar highs and lows. Since cutting gluten, I haven't had the "must eat or I will die" feeling, which is nice. Regardless, a little snack is a nice addition to our day if it's a choice made mindfully. SO, to help me out, I have a little list taped inside my cupboard (where most of the snacky things lie) that offers me healthy snack ideas. And I have to admit, this little piece of paper stops me in my tracks and helps to steer me in a guilt free direction.  

Yesterday, I read a blog post (I actually read quite a few, so I don’t remember where these sage words came from, I apologize) about how we use the excuse of time to procrastinate on truly simple and quick tasks, when actually executed take no real time at all. Or a surprising amount of miniscule time, when we probably wasted about half that time thinking about how much time it would take us to complete the task. In my case, I would then do something totally pointless, just to avoid the task. Yet, there it is, still looming over me to be completed. I can currently vouch for this theory as I've been thinking the bathrooms have needed to be cleaned for a few days now. I know, that if I just do them, it only takes me a total of 30 minutes tops, which always surprises me, especially as I'm goovin' to sweet tunes helping my spirits and time to fly. And, I so LOVE the feeling of a clean bathroom! So why delay? I am a classic procrastinator. But hey, I'm working on it. I'll do the bathrooms after I write this...

ANYway, my point is that where I haven't been slacking is the kitchen and more specifically, my snacks. Or, if you want to dig even deeper into the meaning of it all, my health. I know this has been my downfall in the past. A quick handful of chocolate, cookies, salty bits...etc. Mostly packaged or processed. Since Rob and I barely purchase anything packaged or processed any more (helpful tip #1), I don't have quick hunger fixes at my finger tips and it's really helped me realize how a healthy, guilt free, delightful snack is seriously moments away from my taste buds and growling tummy.  

Case in point, yesterday afternoon's "you've got to be kidding me these are amazing" discovery: Kale Chips.

I had a bunch of Kale that was going bad. I usually throw a few leaves into a daily smoothie, but I wasn't getting through the bunch fast enough. When my afternoon snack attack occurred I opened my cupboard and lo and behold there was a quick recipe for Kale Chips. Now, I've actually attempted these before, but I burned them or over seasoned them and was never that impressed. Yesterday, I paid attention to the 15 minutes it took me to make these, with a few of my own choice improvisations-boy oh boy was I taken aback. These little salty treats could replace any other chip I once knew. I was going to serve half of them and put the rest away, but Rob and I gobbled them up before I could set the bowl down. Hence, no photo. Hopefully, this little blog entry is enticing enough without a photo, but I promise, next time I make these, I will snap a shot and post it.  For now, here's a photo of the product in the raw.

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Kale Chips:
1 bunch of Kale (really you can't go wrong with making A LOT, put some away for tomorrow's snack attack)
olive oil
salt
curry powder (my favorite addition, but not necessary)
 
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees
2. Rinse the kale, pat dry. Cut out the stems and chop into your favorite chip size pieces. Go for consistency here so they bake evenly.
3. Toss kale bits into a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil, splash with salt, add a pinch of curry powder. Go slow on seasoning; a little goes a long way. Massage kale with your hands until all pieces are covered.
4. Spread kale bits onto a baking sheet and put into oven for 10-12 minutes. My oven is wacky so I check often and toss around once halfway through. They'll be crispy and melt in your mouth when ready. 
 

Enjoy and be proud of yourself, you’ve just done a body good.

(For a lovely photo, an alternative recipe and the bonus health benefits of Kale, check out: The Fresh Fork).

Bread Worth Baking

The temperature in our house reads: 90 degrees, and I’m baking bread.  WHAT!?  Well, I recently purchased a new cookbook, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef and I couldn't resist the temptation to bring good bread back into the house - regardless of the sweltering heat.  Crazy?  Perhaps.  But getting my hands on decent bread that doesn't crumble through my fingers sometimes calls for a case of the crazies.  I’ve been super motivated to try out Shauna James Ahern and Daniel Ahern’s recipes since the moment I brought the book in the door.  Probably, even earlier as the promotions for the book launch started circulating months ago with promises of yummy crusty bread. Shauna's blog, www.glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com, seems to be the mother of all gluten-free food blogs, for me at least. I started following her within days of finding out that I was gluten intolerant.  She’s a great storyteller and through her blog I've discovered she's also a dedicated mother, wife, friend and gluten-free cook.  The book itself is amazing.  Not only are there gluten-free dream dishes beautifully photographed and detailed out, but it’s a romance novel as well.  What I love most and having lived in Seattle for nearly 10 years, is that they met and courted in Seattle.  Now that I’m not “home” their story is a bit of a nostalgic pull on the ole’ heart strings.  I can’t wait to return to the crisp Pacific Northwest and actually eat at Danny’s restaurant on Vashon Island, that is, you betcha, totally gluten-free!  Hallelujah! 

Ding!  The bread is out.  Rob and I had to take a sliver off the end of the loaf immediately, even though the book says to wait 30 minutes.  Yeah right.  A 30-minute pause for (hopefully) excellent artisan bread, the first in our home since March, we couldn’t wait.  Chomp. Eyes wide. Eyes roll back into head. Sigh. A-Mazing! 

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Dinner tonight?  Grilled sunflower seed burgers on our fancy gluten-free crusty bread and grilled broccoli doused in walnut oil.  (No more cooking in the house tonight!)  Heaven.  Thank you Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef!  The “flour” bouquet in my pantry is well worth the baked goods I’m bringing to the table!

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Classic Organic Farm and Market

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The day we visited Classic Organic Farm and Market the weather was chilly and a touch misty. Yet, the low, slow moving clouds seemed to add to the intimate ambiance of the farm, the beauty in it’s simplicity and our low-key, unassuming guide, Helmut Klauer.  The area is stunning.  It lies between the coast and the Santa Inez (wine) Valley. As Helmut graciously took us through his farm I couldn’t help but notice, JJ, his exuberant farm dog companion.  I suppose pure joy is what I would assume from a farm dog; the world is their oyster: acres to run through, rodents to chase, good things to sniff, tasty treats to munch on, dirt to roll in – heaven for a dog, right? I know Helmut had interesting things to teach us about his years of organic farming going as far back as 1971, I believe. But, I was completely captivated by JJ. He was fascinating to me.  That, and the fact that Helmut paid no attention to his antics.  He didn’t seem to care one bit what JJ was up to or what crops he was trampling. I guess as a farmer you win some you lose some.  In all the seeds you plant, you know your not going to get all of them whether it’s a crazy heat spell, your dog or a field mouse.  I loved the complete joy and reckless abandon with which JJ was living. For this reason, I have a lot of photos of him.  Also, I think I could learn a few things from that rascally dog.  Note to self, more reckless abandon.

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I also enjoyed our visit to the chicken coup.  It was more like a little house with trap doors to grab up the days egg bounty.  The hens were laying eggs like crazy at night, but free to come, go, eat, drink and be merry, as they desired.  They mostly wandered through an area completely covered in fallen walnuts.  As we were stepping, the hens ran after the newly freed morsels.  And, embarrassingly to say, the hens weren’t the only ones scavenging for the prize nuts.  ;-)

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Finally, we visited the farm’s on-site market, which was on the honor system.  Can I just say again, I LOVE the honor system?  Makes me want to shop like crazy.  The honesty is invigorating!  The other opportunity Helmut’s farm presents, is a U-pick section.  Do you know, I have never U-picked!?  Well, I grabbed my basket and proudly picked the juiciest batch of strawberries possible.  Sweeter still because I picked them myself! I was so proud.

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There is something to be said for the heightened sense of delectable pleasure in devouring fruits and vegetables picked just ­minutes before the first bite.

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Peace!

Red Quinoa and Garbanzo Bean Salad

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I decided to squeeze the last bits of summer out into my "go-to" salad this evening.  "Go-to" salad, meaning, my contribution to many potlucks, used to be made with an orzo pasta base before the gluten free days.  I modified once I discovered orzo was out and I had a new love affair with quinoa.  But not just any quinoa, RED quinoa.  Yum.  This ancient Incan grain is packed with protein, essential amino acids, iron, fiber, vitamins, minerals and much, much more! Sold yet?  It's nutty, fluffy and I like it not only in variations of this salad, but warm with milk, brown sugar, walnuts and strawberries for breakfast!  I often think of it as the perfect food, especially for a gluten-free meat-reducer such as myself. 

Although I'm posting a summery salad, I envision yam bits and other winter veggie and herb goodness as substitutions here in the near future.  Have fun!  AND, of course, I'd love to hear of must try quinoa recipes.

1 cup uncooked red quinoa  
2 cups water

1-2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1-2 ears sweet corn, slice off the raw kernels
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup cilantro
handful finely chopped spinach or kale
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 cloves crushed garlic

The quinoa.  Thoroughly rinse the quinoa in warm water and drain.  It has a bitter coating that repels birds and insects and can upset the stomach if not washed properly.  Add the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water to a medium pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover for 15-20 minutes until the grain has absorbed all of the water and the cute little antennas have popped out.  Fluff lightly to cool.

The salad.  Add all ingredients from the beans through the seeds into a large bowl, finally add in the room temp quinoa, mix gently.  

The dressing.  Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt and garlic.  Pour over the salad and again, mix gently.  I like to add about half, mix lightly and see where I'm at.  Sometimes, I'm just not in to the complete lemon juice experience.  Balsamic vinaigrette is great here as well.

Voila!  Make sure you taste test, a lot.  ;-)

(4 to 6 servings)

California Coast Mini-Holiday

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Rob and I took a mini-holiday, to celebrate his birthday, by driving up the California Coast. We did a lot of driving, saw many sights and decided to call it our reconnaissance mission to discover what areas were worth a more leisurely return trip. My personal mission was to make it to Mendocino, CA and we had four days to get there and back. For some reason, I had decided that Mendocino would be a beautiful spot, where ocean meets the Redwoods, although I had never been or even seen photos. The land was different than I expected, more dry meadow than super lush and foresty, yet the area was absolutely picturesque and we were not disappointed. The town itself sat close to one of the breathtaking ocean ledges, practically every building had it's own view. Mendocino also happens to be the town featured in the TV show, Murder She Wrote, in case that rings a bell. And, as I imagined, only a few minutes inland and we were enveloped by a gorgeous Redwood forest. The end destination was, however, a much, much longer journey than I expected as we were determined to drive up Hwy 1 and it was s-l-o-w drivin' in quite a few areas; lots of tight turns and dramatic drop-offs into the ocean. Sometimes, the view ahead of us, with the sensational cliffs and endless ocean, made me feel likeit was the edge of the earth. The movie, Gods Must Be Crazy, kept popping into my mind. I kept thinking, "I found it! The edge of the world!" If you haven't seen this movie, it is a must, add it to your queue!

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One of the main highlights was our sunset approach into Carmel. I had no idea there was the most idyllic white sand beach at the end of the road through the unbelievably cute and quaint, fairytale town sweetly named, Carmel-by-the Sea. Luckily, it's not too far from us, with Big Sur, beautiful camp spots and gorgeous looking hikes in-between, we'll be back!
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I also need to mention this road trip had a couple more challenges beyond the distant Mendocino destination, including a gluten-intolerant little lady, two foodies and a Pug. Admittedly, we set ourselves up for all of this, but we have strong preferences and we did our best to be prepared. We packed a large cooler in case we didn't come across an abundance of healthy, gluten-free food options along the way. Shaw...as if. SOOooo glad we thought ahead. We had lots of lovely picnics resulting in yummy food and views we couldn't easily have found in a restaurant. Most of the time, it worked out for us.  
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Our night in San Francisco was less than ideal, being that we hadn't planned ahead, got in late and needed affordable pet-friendly accommodations. We managed to find a nondescript room for the night and were able to get up early the next morning to make it up to ourselves with breakfast at the cute, pet-welcoming Duboce Park Cafe, across from a dog park in the middle of the city. It felt a little like Cheers for dogs, everyone seemed to know each other and their dogs. We then proceeded on a morning driving tour through the Castro, Buena Vista Park (Nice!) and Haight-Ashbury neighborhoods before we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge for a viewpoint photo op. 
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As we meandered along the coast and deeper into the fields behind Point Reyes National Seashore, we stopped at the town, Point Reyes Station. So quaint, adorable, friendly and the home of Yoga Toes Studio a popular yoga studio often featured in Yoga Journal and also the home of MC Yogi, who's music we've been diggin' as of late. We had a moment of yoga celeb awe. Sadly, it was closed and no sign or sounds of MC Yogi himself. Very cool locale with an outdoor enthusiast vibe, worth a return visit.

After more long and windy road, we made it to Mendocino and discovered heaven on earth for a gluten-free, preferably vegetarian couple and their little dog. We found The Stanford Inn, where the river meets the ocean.
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Not only does this place cater to vegan/vegetarian outdoor enthusiasts who like a little cush, but they absolutely love dogs. Humphrey was welcomed into the on-site restaurant called Ravens' Restaurant, where we thoroughly enjoyed a gluten-free, vegan gourmet meal and Humphrey got to meet a little puglet named Gilda. We felt as though we'd finally found another Sutra (our favorite dinner spot in Seattle)! The property also boasts it's own organic farm, llamas, horses, a pool, hot tub, massage and canoe facilities, mountain bikes and an organic gourmet breakfast included! Whew! I wish I could put this place in my pocket and carry it around with me anytime I need a place to stay!  Not only were our meals mouthwatering, we also shared the friendly dining room with two Pugs, a Golden Retriever, Springer Spaniel, Chow, Maltese and an Irish Wolfhound!  Key dishes to mention, the grilled peach salad, eggplant cannelloni stuffed with herb ricotta cheese topped with a roasted tomato sauce, orange infused cheesecake and for breakfast I had the citrus polenta covered with braised greens and topped with a cashew cream sauce. WOW! I also must mention my disbelief when I realized the items on the menu were starred if the dish CONTAINED gluten. Which, were few and far between. A-Mazing. I forgot to take pictures of the finely plated gems as I was kind of in a happy-food-daze. We returned to our room with a view to a prepared fire, chocolates, wine and a sweet potato doggie treat. All of us slept on a cloud of happiness and vowed to return someday soon.  
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After a beautiful drive through the Redwoods we found the cutest organic apple stand, Philo Apple Farm. We picked up a snack, a cup of fresh apple cider and a bottle of the hard stuff for our hosts of the evening - all on the honor system. I love the honor system - to me it promotes a sense of peace, love and trust. Ahhh.... We were able to meander through their garden and had to tiptoe past a class of some-sort sitting around a table shaded from the warm afternoon sun under a pergola of vines, the table filled with dishes and wine glasses...perfection. Turns out the farm offers cooking classes and overnight stays...we had no idea. What a find! 
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We then stopped in Ukiah. Where? Yeah, Ukiah, in what felt like the middle of nowhere. However, not only did the town have a Norgard St., which we had to take a photo of, but it also happens to offer one of the most ideal brew pubs we've ever entered, Ukiah Brewing Company.  And, folks, we've entered our fair share of these fine establishments. Not only was the beer good, so Rob says, but it is the first brewpub and second restaurant in the States, that is entirely certified organic. All the way down to the peanuts. The menu was a dream and even offered raw food options! We were overjoyed! Again, another stash for the pocket.

We stayed with our dear friends Asha and Jim in Sacramento that night. Thoughtfully, they took us to a fabulous new vegan restaurant called Sugar Plum.  Asha and I both had a fantastic BLT made with the yummiest bacon-like tempeh on gluten-free millet bread. I immediately went to the store when I got home and picked myself up a loaf. It felt like the first real sandwich, where the bread didn't fall apart on me, that I had had in months!  And the tempeh bacon - yum!  Thanks you two!

We tried to find a camp ground in the Carmel Valley for our last night, but that adventure only took us deep into what felt like uninhabited back country and I'm sure it's friendly, beautiful country, but it was getting dark and lonely and we needed a place to stay...we needed civilization.  Thankfully, we made it to quaint Paso Robles and found a local Italian restaurant, Lombardi's Pasta Familia, that offered gluten-free pasta and sadly, at one time, pizza.  Shoot, really wanted that pizza.  Turns out the owner is gluten-intolerant herself.  She's still working on the gluten-free pizza. We left her with encouraging words as Pizza Guru in Santa Barbara seems to be managing quite well. And, honestly, the more the merrier!
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What a fantastic whirlwind! Our mini-holiday was a challenging yet empowering way to start learning how to travel gluten-free.  I'm recognizing that my health is more important than being concerned with someone else's "perceived" feelings. It was probably the first time I actually walked out of a restaurant after having sat down and scoured the menu and not felt the least bit guilty. I could have sat there and placed my bet that I would find something on the menu (a plate of steamed veggies anyone?) that wouldn't make me sick or unhappy or trust that this place cared enough about cross-contamination to keep me safe. OR, as we proceeded to do many times, set up a picnic in a casual, happy and relaxing environment. Each other's company, health and happiness were way more important than saving face in a restaurant. Strangely odd to even have to note, but this would have kept me sitting miserably through a meal in the past. So, although not always super convenient, the end result was much appreciated. Mostly and thankfully though, we weren't driving frantically in search of the next rest stop, rather we were casually pulling over at as many viewpoints as we wanted to take in our beautiful surroundings.   

Stuffed Poblanos

I'm relatively new to peppers. Rather, any peppers outside of the red, green, orange common lot - chile peppers to be more specific. I always thought they were H-O-T, as in super spicy. I am slowly but surely learning to appreciate spicy dishes where whole new realms of recipes await me. Steve and Olivia, our hosts from our last farm visit to The Farmer and the Cook, were "hot" on all of their new peppers, which we got to taste in the field. I was taken aback. These peppers were not spicy, rather gloriously sweet!

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Coincidentally, our cook/guide Gerri, suggested we pick up a copy of the Summer 2010, Edible Santa Barbara magazine. We picked up a free copy at our farmer's market visit the next morning and what lay before us, but a beautiful recipe for Poblanos Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Shrimp, with an additional recipe for a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.  Oh Yum.  I had to try it.  We loaded up on peppers for dinner.

As the recipe is in Edible Santa Barbara, which they pulled from Edible Phoenix and after a little research, I've come to realize that it's in the new Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods cookbook, I thought I'd just link you to some other kind soul that has typed it all up. Thank you, The Daily Green (recipe here).

We made a few adjustments (left out the shrimp) as my taste buds are still getting used to food from the sea.  Progress is being made however. Rob and I went to sushi the other night and we were actually able to split real sushi orders!  This is very new for me, and Rob was giddy with joy! "Why sushi?" you may ask to a non-seafood eating person such as myself. Well, I absolutely love the ambiance of a fast paced sushi restaurant. And, I happen to love veggie sushi rolls and apparently now, a little Albacore. We prefer to sit at the bar and watch the chef's fast hands at work. I had a momentary conversation with our sushi chef, all the while he prepared two beautiful plates of a variety of nigiri sushi that were taken away the instant he placed them up on top of the glass case. Speed food artistry at work right in front of us.

Back to peppers. We didn't have a few things on hand for the pepper recipe so we made substitutions and I don't think we missed a thing, personally. Please add the shrimp or meat or anything you'd like to throw in for taste or texture. I think it's a great base idea of a recipe to adjust to your liking. Once you start stuffing, it's hard to stop! Rob and I happen to love the Soy Chorizo from Trader Joes. We use it to make "meat" sauces for pizzas, pastas, we us it in tacos and even put it in our stuffed peppers. Easy enough to saute a bit up before adding it to the "stuff" mixture for a quick bake. We used feta and cheddar instead of the called for goat cheese and Panela or Monterey Jack. I just don't think you can go wrong with cheese here.
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We also roasted up our first parsnip of the season with some carrots and baby potatoes that we had on hand. I've personally never had a parsnip in my home - that I can remember. What a nice surprise. The dish was a lovely trio of flavors. I decided that I liked the parsnip's sweet flavor and potato like texture the best out of the three.  
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Anyone else have a favorite "stuffed" recipe!? I have one coming up for acorn squash, I can't wait for winter squash season!  

 

Farmer and the Cook

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Rob and I absolutely LOVED our experience at the Farmer and the Cook in Ojai, CA.  It was quite idyllic in our book.  A farm and market/cafe working together to provide fresh, organic food to the local community.  The market happens to carry loads of gluten-free goodies.  They actually had g-free brownies and cookies in the baked goods case!  The first I've seen in the area.  On the weekends, the market opens up for dinner with outside seating and live music.  After our farm tour, Rob and I stayed for an incredibly scrumptious meal. Organic wine and beer, meals put together based on the farm's bounty and beautiful music on a warm evening, surrounded by twinkling lights and happy customers...I didn't want it to end.  I had my first veggie burger since going gluten-free and they provided it on a corn tortilla, A-mazing.  Rob ended up having the same thing, on "real" bread.  It was a test, however.  Although touted as "gluten-free" they use spelt flour.  Spelt is still a question mark in the g-free circles.  I gave it a go.  Nothing terrible ensued and it certainly didn't ruin my experience, but I think I'd love to try making it at home with a different flour.  Just to be safe. 

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think what I loved most about visiting Gozo Farm (Gozo means "joy" in Spanish) was that we were able to forage as we walked.  Yum!  They had the most amazing tomatoes and peppers, sweet deliciousness right off the vine and the most peppery arugula I've ever tasted.  I felt quite bold trying every edible that was handed to me, no questions asked.  What an enlightening taste bud experience.  And again, we were entertained by a fabulously generous farm host, Steve Sprinkel, passionate about his soil, his diversified crop and his contributions to the community.  I am particularly fond of his partnership with the restaurant.  The "cook" happens to be his wife, Olivia Chase.  Olivia was equally as enthusiastic and I particularly enjoyed hearing about her seed "experiments" out on the farm.  I believe we got to try one of these experiments in the form of a tomato - delicious.  (Next time I'll take notes as the peppers had particularly cute people names).  
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After we had finished dinner and were sitting around taking in the sweet ambiance, our farm host appeared, joining his wife, and started to work the crowd.  A long days work...albeit, my impression was that it wasn't really work at all, just pure "gozo."

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