So, my goal for this past week was to increase my families' water intake. It is a s...l...o...w process, as we have all gotten into bad habits. But, both my son and my daughter love my new Brita pitcher (they think it is super special because it comes in that neat container!) so we are going to keep pushing it. It is just a matter of changing some of the "not so good" habits that I have let form over time. We will keep up the good fight!
This week, I have a confession to make...remember that "honey nut squash" I got at the Farmers' Market last week that I was going to try? I ended up throwing it out this morning. THIS is my big challenge. I have all the best intentions when I buy new foods for myself and my family, and then I procrastinate until it goes bad in my fridge and I feel incredibly guilty. I have a bad habit of not knowing what to DO with a food, so I just leave it on a shelf and ignore it. So that is my huge challenge to myself this week--don't let ANY fresh fruits or veggies go bad this week. Not sure what I will get yet, but I promise to get another unknown food to add to our table. I actually think I might try this recipe this week--sounds very yummy! http://kidscooking.about.com/od/dinnerrecipes/r/kale_pesto.htm
On another note, I had my first book signing today!! It was so adorable-the children loved the book and I had so much fun reading to them and watching their reactions. Hopefully this is the first of many, many more! If you haven't gotten your copy yet, check it out here: www.tinyurl.com/wilburdragon. Hope you all have a good week!!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Adventures at the Farmers' Market!
So, I went to an indoor farmers' market on Saturday. This place was SO much fun!! It was the Wayland Winter Farmers' Market at Russell's Garden Center. http://www.russellsgardencenter.com/wayland_winter_mkt.html I found a ton of cool things to try and can't wait to go back! There were homemade marshmallows in all different flavors (I tried an orange flavored one on my hot chocolate--delicious!!) There is a place that makes and bottles their own root beer, another one that imports olive oil from Italy, and booths selling locally-raised meat, bread and pastries, cheese and also vegetables. It is definitely popular, so it may be a little crowded with kids, but as long as you know that going into it, they will have fun too.
What vegetable did I procure from this market, you ask? Kohlrabi. What??? Yes, Kohlrabi. It is a type of turnip (German Turnip). It grows above ground, but is similar in texture to root vegetables. The farmer told me it can take on the flavors of anything it is cooked with, so it is good cooked with things like pot roast and roasted chicken. It can be eaten raw, steamed or roasted. I was not so adventurous to try it raw, so I decided to roast it with garlic and olive oil. I peeled the outside of it, and cut it into "fries", looked kind of like french fries when I was done. Then, big moment came and I tried it when we sat down to dinner. It...really...wasn't that bad!!! It tasted similar to broccoli stalks, but a little milder. My husband said he thought it seemed like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. Both kids tried it, my son wasn't crazy about it, but my daughter liked it! I will definitely try to work it into our dinners again sometime soon. I looked up the health benefits online, and found Kohlrabi is a good source of fiber, B-vitamins and numerous phytochemicals. Give it a try--you might find something new to add to dinners!
One last thing I wanted to mention about the market--the vendors there were all super-nice! I asked a lot of questions, and everyone was happy to take the time to answer each one. One farmer even gave me a free vegetable to try (Honey Nut Squash--ever heard of it? Neither have I!) I walked in very intimidated, but I was impressed how friendly and informative everyone was. So, I challenge all of YOU to try this as well. You may be surprised at what you learn or how much fun you have!
My goal this week for my family is a simple one, but one that often gets lost in the daily shuffle. I (along with the rest of my family) am going to increase our water intake. I'll let you know how it goes. Have a great week!
What vegetable did I procure from this market, you ask? Kohlrabi. What??? Yes, Kohlrabi. It is a type of turnip (German Turnip). It grows above ground, but is similar in texture to root vegetables. The farmer told me it can take on the flavors of anything it is cooked with, so it is good cooked with things like pot roast and roasted chicken. It can be eaten raw, steamed or roasted. I was not so adventurous to try it raw, so I decided to roast it with garlic and olive oil. I peeled the outside of it, and cut it into "fries", looked kind of like french fries when I was done. Then, big moment came and I tried it when we sat down to dinner. It...really...wasn't that bad!!! It tasted similar to broccoli stalks, but a little milder. My husband said he thought it seemed like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. Both kids tried it, my son wasn't crazy about it, but my daughter liked it! I will definitely try to work it into our dinners again sometime soon. I looked up the health benefits online, and found Kohlrabi is a good source of fiber, B-vitamins and numerous phytochemicals. Give it a try--you might find something new to add to dinners!
One last thing I wanted to mention about the market--the vendors there were all super-nice! I asked a lot of questions, and everyone was happy to take the time to answer each one. One farmer even gave me a free vegetable to try (Honey Nut Squash--ever heard of it? Neither have I!) I walked in very intimidated, but I was impressed how friendly and informative everyone was. So, I challenge all of YOU to try this as well. You may be surprised at what you learn or how much fun you have!
My goal this week for my family is a simple one, but one that often gets lost in the daily shuffle. I (along with the rest of my family) am going to increase our water intake. I'll let you know how it goes. Have a great week!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Farmers' Markets
I will definitely explore this further in another post, but here is a link to indoor Farmers' Markets in the Massachusetts area! I found them on "Edible Boston", and here is the link http://www.ediblecommunities.com/boston/winter-2012/a-winters-eden.htm
Welcome Everyone! New Year, New Attitude!
Welcome to "Wilbur's Blog". Wilbur is a character from my book "Wilbur the Zucchini-Eating Dragon" (www.tinyurl.com/wilburdragon). He is a dragon who LOVES to shop locally at his favorite farmers' market, but only eats one thing. What happens when his trusted farmer is out of his familiar food? Will he try new things? Will he even know how to?
I am creating this blog with a purpose in mind. I want parents and kids to start eating healthier. BUT-it does not need to happen all at once. I am a busy mom of two, and as much as I know the benefits of eating healthy for myself and my family, sometimes life gets in the way and I choose easy-to-eat, familiar, "junk food". So, my goal for myself and everyone reading this is to take baby steps to a healthier, more local life. Every week I will post one goal for my family, and at the end of the week I will post how well we did. Feel free to join me in this venture, and we can do it together!
This week my goal is to visit an INDOOR farmers' market (I am in the Northeast, and while it has been unseasonably warm, there are no outdoor markets right now) and buy one NEW food for my family to try. Check back next week to see what I chose, why, and how I incorporated it into our meals!!
I am creating this blog with a purpose in mind. I want parents and kids to start eating healthier. BUT-it does not need to happen all at once. I am a busy mom of two, and as much as I know the benefits of eating healthy for myself and my family, sometimes life gets in the way and I choose easy-to-eat, familiar, "junk food". So, my goal for myself and everyone reading this is to take baby steps to a healthier, more local life. Every week I will post one goal for my family, and at the end of the week I will post how well we did. Feel free to join me in this venture, and we can do it together!
This week my goal is to visit an INDOOR farmers' market (I am in the Northeast, and while it has been unseasonably warm, there are no outdoor markets right now) and buy one NEW food for my family to try. Check back next week to see what I chose, why, and how I incorporated it into our meals!!
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