WLC Recipe: Fennel and Artichoke Gratin with Three-Herb White Bean Pesto

Sunday, September 9, 2012



This recipe is courtesy of the awesome book Carb-Conscious Vegetarian, by Robin Robertson.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 package (9 oz) frozen artichoke hearts, cooked and sliced
3/4 cup cooked white beans
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon or savory
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 tomato, cut into thin slices
1/4 cup finely chopped pine nuts
Grated soy Parmesan Cheese (optional)*

Preheat the oven to 375 F

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the leek, bell pepper, garlic, fennel, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Lightly oil a 2-quart gratin dish or coat it with cooking spray.  Spread half of the fennel mixture in the bottom of the prepared dish.  Top with half of the artichoke slices and season with salt and pepper.  Top with the remaining fennel mixture, the remaining artichoke slices, and salt and pepper to taste.

In a blender or food processor, blend the beans, basil, parsley, and tarragon or savory until finely chopped.  Add the stock and blend until smooth.  Pour over the gratin.  Arrange the tomato slices around the outer edge of the gratin.  Sprinkle the gratin with the pine nuts and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake until the vegetables are tender, the top is golden brown, and the liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour.  Serve directly from the gratin dish, sprinkled with Parmesan.*

Serves 4
Per serving:  136 calories, 4g fat, 6g protein, 23g carbs, 9g fiber, 0mg cholestoral, 290 mg sodium.

* Leave out the Parmesan for the WLC.

Whole Life Challenge

John and I signed up to participate in the Whole Life Challenge at Crossfit Blacksburg.  We've been doing Crossfit for several months now and love it.  The challenge is to do 2 months of clean eating, exercise and stretching, and compare performance and other stats beginning and end.

As a pescetarian (I don't eat meat other than seafood), I've been wondering how this is going to go, and looking for creative recipes.  I have a ton of great cookbooks to help me out, and I'll be listing recipes here as I find them so that I can link to them and easily refer back to them as needed.

I also have a board on Pinterest for recipes (note that most have 1 or 2 ingredients that you'll need to alter to be strictly WFC compliant).

The challenge starts on September 15th; I'm pretty psyched to get started, but I also know that you have to plan for your "what-if" situations, so that you have the right foods on hand to deal with them.  What if I don't get home from work until 8pm (which happens quite a bit)?  What happens if I'm starving and I want to grab something to eat quickly?  What happens if John and I are too tired to cook?  What happens if I get a sudden sweet food craving?

I'm trying to think through all of these in advance; that's how you can best set yourself up for success.  Wish us luck!

Gardening sources

Thursday, September 6, 2012

As I was perusing my catalog from Wood Prairie Farm like a girl looking at a Christmas catalog, I realized that I should share my favorite places with everyone.  I'll tell you mine if you'll tell me yours!

So, without further ado, here is a list of my favorite places to buy non-GMO no-Monsanto gardening goodies:

Wood Prairie Farm - I tried their King Harry potatoes and loved them.  A lot.  They sell all kinds of potatoes and a mix of other seeds.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - almost all of my seeds come from here.  With their seeds I've grown lettuce, chard, carrots, beans, tomatoes, oh my... The list is neverending.  And I can't even look at their site without being tempted to buy more.  And I do. not. need. any. more. seeds.  (squeezes eyes shut while copy/pasting the link)

Green Mountain Garlic - So, I ordered three or four varieties last year.  Each variety came with 3-5 bulbs that you then split into cloves, and plant individually.  I now have more home grown, delightful, amazing, bountiful, garlic than I will be able to consume in the next five or so years.  And I love garlic.

So, those are my "top 3" for now, I'll add more as I may think of them.  Enjoy!

Opening my heart

Thursday, August 30, 2012

'It is the mind that closes the heart. The love, all of it is in the heart, all along. It is up to me to notice whenever the mind starts closing the door of the heart. The same mind that closed the door can also open it. It is up to me to intervene and keep the door open, giving myself the sweetness of fully open heart. '

Great post.

It seems pretty simple to me.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

1.  What energy sources are expected to run out within a timeline that is conceivable to man?
     a. Solar
     b. Coal
     c. Fossil Fuel
     d. Wind

2.  What energy sources are dangerous to harvest?
     a. Solar
     b. Coal
     c. Fossil Fuel
     d. Wind

3.  What energy sources change the gas content ratios of the Earth's atmosphere when they are consumed?
     a. Solar
     b. Coal
     c. Fossil Fuel
     d. Wind

4.  What energy sources cannot quickly be replenished by nature?
     a. Solar
     b. Coal
     c. Fossil Fuel
     d. Wind

 5.  What energy sources produce carcinogens when they are used as fuel?
     a. Solar
     b. Coal
     c. Fossil Fuel
     d. Wind

I'm curious... Are there deniers out there for these as well?  I mean... "do the math"!

Why I am voting for Tim Kaine for Senate

Monday, August 27, 2012

I received an email today from the League of Conservation Voters, which referenced THIS email, from candidate for Virginia Senator George Allen.


Friend,
Have you met Tim Kaine's friends?
Allow me to introduce you to the League of Conservation Voters.
They've come running to Tim Kaine's aid with an attack ad against George Allen. And here's why.
Tim Kaine and LCV have bonded over a radical agenda against affordable, reliable sources of American energy.
When the EPA announced proposed regulations to ban new coal-fired plants, LCV cheered the "nail in the coffin for new conventional coal plants." Tim Kaine has said "My advice is, don't try to weaken regulations."
Tim Kaine and the LCV stood shoulder to shoulder against the Keystone pipeline that would create thousands of jobs with energy from our ally Canada.
To lock up even more energy resources, the LCV wants to ban all offshore energy production. Tim Kaine has been on both side of that issue.
Even worse, Tim Kaine and LCV champion the Cap and Trade energy tax scheme that would result in skyrocketing electricity, fuel and food costs for hard-working, struggling families.
Virginians can't afford these Tim Kaine and LCV policies that will harm families and will cause massive job losses.
Will you give $25, $15 or $5 today to elect George Allen and stop Tim Kaine's radical environmentalist agenda?
LCV is pouring money into Tim Kaine's coffers - will spend millions on TV and have brought in over $100,000 to his campaign.
George Allen needs your help to get out his positive message of unleashing our American energy resources from our coalfields to off our coast.
He stands for clean coal, natural gas, offshore oil and gas, and more because he knows that these resources power our economy and create the jobs we need.
American energy means more affordable electricity bills. Less money spent at the filling station. And more freedom to invest and grow with our own resources.
Will you join George Allen today in standing with the hard-working men and women whose jobs are under attack from Tim Kaine and LCV's radical environmentalist agenda?
Please give $25, $15 or $5 today to make sure your voice - the voice of energy freedom - is heard in Washington.
Thank you for your continued support.
Mike Thomas
Campaign Manager
George Allen for U.S. Senate

I didn't want to make any brash decisions based on an email, to support a candidate I knew little about (Tim Kaine).  I mean, if he is asking to regulate coal-fired plants, position himself against the Keystone pipeline, ban offshore energy production and champion the Cap and Trade tax (in the words of his OPPONENT), I think I want to vote for the guy, but just to be sure I did a bit more research.

He has a great record of fiscal responsibility based on his personal track record during the time that he was Governor of Virginia.  Awesome.

He wants to expand markets for American goods and services.  Cool.

He stood with Planned Parenthood at the Women are Watching tour to support women's rights.  Great.

I know every politician is exactly that, and skews data in their own favor.  That being said, the arguments made FOR him by his OPPONENT speak the loudest to me and ring with the loudest possibility of truth.  Those are things I support.


I've donated to, I will volunteer for, and I will vote for TIM KAINE for Senate for Virginia.

I am a Climate Leader

Toward the end of the Climate Reality Project training with Vice President Al Gore, one of the participants approached a microphone and asked what we should call ourselves.  What title is assigned to the thousand new volunteers who have stepped into the breach to try, along with the 3,500 previously trained participants, to deliver a message of rapid and necessary change?

At one point during the 2.5 days we spent together, Vice President Gore had referred to us as the "calvary;" but that wouldn't provide the required level of specificity to those newly introduced to us.  We were told that we are "Climate Leaders."  I am a Climate Leader.  Now I guess I had better ramp up my game to act like one.

Throughout this process I have been thinking of our comforts - the reasons that we turn a blind eye to the drastic and horrifying changes that surround us.  Why is it that we cling to the cold comfort of denial?

I have a secret...  I, too, like this dirty power that we use.  I like my computer, my television, my car.  Until we are at the point that these things simply aren't available, I don't think we will be able to find a winning answer that includes asking us to step away, to step back, from any of the things we have today, whether they be cars, computers, or ubiquitous hot water.

The bigger issue is that there are no readily available alternatives. And why is that?  Why can't I get renewable (solar, wind, wave) power from my power company today?

Because the few that are at the top of this power struggle, the people who have amassed power and wealth (lobbyists for coal and oil interests) have skewed things in their favor.  This should not be news... but maybe it is.

Think about it. Throughout history this pattern has repeated itself - Whatever is scarce and highly in demand is "sold" as the most desirable and as a status symbol.  It is then tightly managed by a few powerful, wealthy people until something happens to either commoditize the item or make it irrelevant.  Salt, sugar, and spices have all been down this path.  In dangerous times, religions have been the item at hand.

We must first see the noose that binds us, and then speak out demanding change.  I firmly believe that if we, as a people, demand better options, they will magically appear - it is simply a matter of getting the demand to critical mass.

I have been taking very small personal steps, and feeling hopeless and helpless toward the bigger picture.  That has to change.  Personal action matters, but I am a Climate Leader, and personal action is a very indirect form of leadership.

The presentation that I am going to be sharing with anyone and everyone that I can has three requests.  Speak up.  Deepen your commitment.  Don't give up.

I am going to speak up.  Consistently, and loudly.
I have deepened my commitment.
I will not give up.


  

A l l   l i v i n g   b e i n g s   a r e   i n   j e o p a r d y.
  
...won't you join me?


 

 
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