Pizza Salad

I am really proud of this recipe. It came into fruition completely spontaneously. I was looking at the ingredients I had, and just started playing around...and I made something unbelievable.

The recipe began today at work. I was planting broccoli and pac choy in the fields with my co-worker Dan, and a few volunteers. As we were scurrying along the beds, occasionally we would pull out stubborn baby garlic plants. Although the fields had been completely plowed, a few garlic shoots came up predictably in the same places that it had been planted last year. I picked them and took a deep inhale, "Ahhhh, this smells so good!" It brought me back to last fall, when I spent hours upon hours dissecting garlic bulbs to be planted [see previous post for picture of the 2+ miles of garlic that is currently growing]. Dan said, "Ya know, you can eat the young garlic, before it gets a bulb." "Really? How so?" I asked inquisitively. He described how the white part between the bulb and green stem has a lot of flavor and is great in salads. Ever curious, I harvested some for my dinner recipe.
Now, I realize that you probably won't find young garlic in the grocery store. If you live in Utah and are curious about it, just contact me and I can hook you up, no big deal. Otherwise, you might have to plant your own or find a local farm to get your hands on this stuff. Of course, chives or green onions are decent substitutes, but it's not the same thing.

I'm holding the flavorful mild garlic shoots that I used; next to me are extra garlic plants

So I'm thinking about my dinner and what qualities I want it have...I'm thinking Italian tonight...I have some tomatoes in the dehydrator now that would be perfect...not too dry...I have arugula from the farm...but it's too spicy to eat alone...hmm, zucchini pasta sounds good...but I just worked out and need something with a little more calories...and I have these garlic things...that was my thought process...and here is the recipe that came about:

SALAD BASE:

Bed of arugula

2 big zucchinis spiralized into noodles

Chopped garlic shoots

cherry tomatoes

partially dehydrated tomatoes and mushroom [fresh is fine too, but the dried tomato really packs more flavor]

This is the salad before I put on the dressing. I tried to make it resemble a pizza

DRESSING:

flesh from 4 cheeks of tommy mangoes [I sucked on the pits instead of shaving them off :)]

4 medium ripe tomatoes

[basically, equal parts fresh mango/tomato]

1/4 C dried tomato

5-6 leaves of fresh basil

Blend and serve over salad

Usually my salad recipes are pretty flexible as far as what can go on it. This one I'm much more specific with the salad base needing to be what it is. Of course there is room for variation, but I'm telling you, if you make it just like so, it tastes like pizza!!

The garlic really gives it the BAM that it needs. Strictly speaking, garlic is not 80-10-10 because it is too strong [the argument being that you wouldn't eat garlic alone as a meal]. As far as straying away from 80-10-10 though, I personally don't think it's that big of a deal...especially with these garlic shoots which are much more mild [if there is such a thing as mild garlic]. 

You might be thinking that the mango was a weird choice too, but the sweetness gave it a new dimension that was perfectly balanced. I hope someone out there makes this and tells me how much they loved it, because I certainly did!

What it looked like with the dressing all mixed in

The Perks of Being a Farmgirl

I get the vibe from a lot of people when I tell them that, "I work on a farm" that they think I hate my life. I generally get a quizzical look and I can just read their minds. They're thinking [and sometimes tacky enough to say] "...that doesn't pay that good though, right?" or "You're just doing that for the free food?" or "Yeah but...it's just temporary...right?"
Just because I love my job SO much and don't regret my decision in the slightest to take it on full-time, I've decided to write a list of exactly why it's so awesome. In no particular order.

- I get bounties upon bounties of free or extremely cheap food...and not just any food, but fresh, ripe, whole, raw, organic fruits and vegetables...which is 100% of my diet [in case you hadn't caught onto that yet :)]

-I enjoy moving around, lifting heavy things, and just generally staying active all day, as opposed to a desk job, which leaves me feeling restless

-I get all of my vitamin D from the glorious sun, and maintain a steady tan for most of the year...albeit with random tan lines from different shirts, tank tops, and sports bras...but I digress

-I get to spend a huge chunk of my day alone with my own thoughts. I listen to audio books, music, or the ever present birdsong

-I get to meet people just like me, who are excited about working in the fields and/or excited about the food they get every week in their shares

-I get to play in the dirt every single day!

-I feel like I am making a difference. The work I do directly contributes to arguably the most essential human resource: food

-Oh...and just in case you were wondering...I get paid significantly better working on the farm compared to my previous desk job. Ironic, huh?

Over two miles of garlic

Peaking my head under one of the high-tunnels...I spy...salad mix!

Just Peachy

Peaches are said to be the mango of the North, and I couldn't agree more. They are super-sweet, creamy, and they go well with just about anything, just like mango. Every August, I go a little crazy during peak-peach season, buying boxes upon boxes of different varieties from every vendor I see. I get seconds from the farm, and freeze huge amounts of them for the winter [I still have a bag and a half left in the freezer right now]. But when I saw these at the store the other day, I just couldn't pass them up. No, they aren't the BEST peaches, but as the mango season is slowly waning, I can't help but get excited for what's next!!

Buy a case, save 10% at Whole Foods. This case was 18 lbs.

All of these peaches calls for a smoothie recipe This one is super-simple, only 2 ingredients: peaches and bananas. I drank this as my lunch/post-workout drink and it is completely satiating:

4 small peaches

5-6 bananas [I used mostly frozen]

2+ cups of water

Blend and serve!

I watered mine down quite a bit to make it more hydrating after working out. It's a winner, every time. 

Sweet Secret: Make sure your bananas are spotty and ripe, so they taste super-sweet and creamy instead of green and starchy. Yuck. These ones are boarder line too ripe, just how I like 'em!

Let's Go Ride A Bike

**Gold Star goes to the first person to tell me which Disney Movie the title of this post is referring to. Hint: it's a real-life person movie, not a cartoon. Go!**

Today is glorious. Firstly, it's Saturday. Secondly, it's gorgeous outside, clear blue skies, 75 degrees of warmth and sunshine. Thirdly, I feel great about my last post, like a weight has been lifted [no pun intended]. Fourthly, Michael has decided to come HOME. Fifthly, it's been a perfectly productive day. I feel like I'm getting somewhere with that massive to-do list, which is starting to actually shrink.
Let's start with Michael. He's been in Illinois for the last 2 and a half weeks selling security systems. Well, by selling I mean making an honest attempt, knocking door to door in ghetto neighborhoods where everyone flunks their credit checks, in what has been miserable weather. He's learned a lot and I am proud of him. I stand by his decision to come home, even if he is fulfilling a stereotype of summer salesmen as being quitters...I know Michael and I know he's not a quitter. He just misses his wife :)
It gave me new resolve to clean clean clean all morning, knowing that he's on his way home, hence me being ultra-productive. Around 1PM I was ready to get out, so I took my bike down to the gym.

I learned today that I hate riding on the sidewalk. The ups, downs, and bumps are not very gentle on the groin area, plus you cross paths with more douchey drivers that are exiting shopping plazas etc. Riding in the bike lane is blissful; you are seen by more drivers and are therefore slightly more safe, plus it's smooth sailing, and you only have to stop at red lights. The scariest part about it is thinking about people like Michael who have violent thoughts of wanting to run over bikers. [Sorry honey, but you know it's the truth.] For that reason, I try as often as possible to take bike paths, the best of both worlds: smooth riding and car-less paths. The ride to the gym is about 10% back roads, 40% bike paths, and 50% bike lanes/sidewalks.
I love to ride my bike. I really love riding my bike. It reminds me so much of being a kid. I used to spend hours outside, biking everywhere: to school, to the friends houses with pools...okay that was pretty much it. Still, I was out everyday. And on days like today, it brought me back.

What I Was Really Doing Last Weekend

Alright, I feel like I'm in a confessional thingy in a Catholic church or something...no pressure. I know that no one out there is telling me to "come clean" about this except myself, and at this point in my life I feel like saying screw you to all the haters. So, if for whatever weird reason you think that what I'm about to say makes me a different person, or makes me self-obsessed, or whatever you think, then I invite you out of my life. However, I'm hoping to get a much more positive response. When it comes down to it: Those who mind don't matter and those who matter won't mind. It's up to you to say what camp you're in.

A few weeks ago I wrote about Attracting What You Want. I was at the gym and met someone, someone who is fast becoming a good friend and a shining example and mentor to me of personal and physical beauty and discipline. I met Veronica Malloy, local NGA Pro Figure Competitor.

The beautiful Brazilian babe, doing what she does best: Winning

I was doing lat pull-downs, and she was right next to me doing flys. I couldn't help but glance over at her and notice She looks cut, like whoa! She then approached me and asked if I could take a picture of her for her sponsors. Ok. Yeah. She's legit. This is no amateur. I immediately took the opportunity to ask her what she does, how long she's been doing it, how she got into it, basically wanting in on her life. Crap. She probably thinks I'm some kind of body building groupie. Some wannabe...is what I thought next. But she surprised me by being genuinely interested in me and more than willing to answer my questions. We ended up exchanging phone numbers and facebooks, with the promise of seeing each other again at the gym.

I shared with Veronica that day, a goal of mine that has been long off the radar, but still nagging at me: For the last year I've wanted to compete in a bikini competition. [Believe it or not, I came to this goal ALL on my own, completely unbeknownst to my super hot, gym enthusiast husband.] It's been more of a wish than a goal, since I never gave it a deadline. I have a lot of reasons for wanting to do it, but mainly just to prove to myself that I have the discipline, the dedication, and the commitment inside of me to follow through with something so lofty. I also want to do it while following a completely low-fat raw vegan lifestyle...to be able to flex at people and say, "Where do you think I get my protein, dummy??" haha, welcome to my fantasy world...
Well, it's not just a fantasy. Erin Moubray has made it a reality. She is a Canadian 80-10-10 bikini Pro [yeah, no more excuses of not getting enough fruit. She lives in CANADA.] who I've also been in touch with through email. She inspires me to not only follow through with this dream of mine, but to do it while also eating as many carbs from fruit as I desire.

Erin Moubray competing after having a baby and adopting a raw vegan lifestyle

Something about meeting Veronica that day made it seem like the entire community of natural body building just became wide open to me. I made a connection to someone, in person, who does what I want to do. It also helped me realize that people who do this are personable and relate-able. You may take one look at these photos and think, "Conceited. Self centered. Proud." You would be right about one of those things. Anyone who works hard enough to earn a body like that is certainly proud...Proud of what they've done. Proud of the commitment. Proud that it shows. Confident in everything they do. That's what I want, and that's how I want to show it.

So I still haven't answered the question of what I was really doing last weekend...if you are still reading then I assume I haven't scared you off with my girl-power :)

When I met Veronica that day and shared with her my goal, she looked at me, sizing me up, and said, "You can do it. You have what it takes. Come to this show on April 20th at Layton High. It will be a good experience for you to see what it's really like to compete, and then you can decide if it's something you want to do." Uh, enough said!

So I'm sitting, front and center, waiting for the show to start. I'm people watching all around me and notice a familiar face sitting a few rows diagonally behind me. His name is Kevin and him and his wife Annie were RA's along with Michael and I at the Branbury Apartments over a year ago. They had always been my favorite couple to work with; they were the most down to earth, and both of them were into fitness just like Michael and I. I didn't see Annie, but I figured she must be in the bathroom. Mental note to say hi to them after the show.

So the show starts. It's all dramatic with the announcer telling us who is coming up on stage next, music that pumps you up starts to play, and the bronze statuesque like creature(s) struts into the light and holds specific rehearsed poses. The audience receives the person(s) with clapping, and a corner of the audience acknowledges them with extra loud whooping and cheering, obviously family and friends. I was impressed with what I was seeing, every moment feeling more motivated to be up there myself someday. The bikini competitors were starting to file on stage one by one, and I was kind of in a daze watching them all with their big smiles and perfect yet slightly different bodies. I was trying to pick out who the judges would declare the "winner" by trying to see the tiny little differences between each girl...the way they carried themselves, how they flexed, how cut their bodies looked, how their suit looked on them...when the announcer said, "And next, please welcome Annie Kundis!" My jaw dropped. She competing?! Shes competing!!! She looked dang good, like a new person from the last time I had seen her. I couldn't stop staring in disbelief. She had done it. She was up there. She was owning it. She looked so happy and SO pleased with herself. I looked back at Kevin who was positively beaming. She had earned that moment in the spotlight and no one could take it away from her. When it was time to announce the winners for that class, it was no surprise to me that she took first place. 

Annie on the far left, looking incredible

I came home that night feeling positively giddy about what I had seen. I forever bottled up that inspiration and will keep it in my back pocket for those days when I feel lazy. Right then and there, any self-doubt instantly evaporated. It's not so much that I have the attitude of "if she can do it, I can do it" because I wanted it before I saw her up there. It's more like, "It's about time I start acting on this. And it's about time I come out of hiding and tell the world my news." I'm so proud of my friend and colleague, and am filled with new found aspiration to follow through.

**Please realize that these competition photos are showing these women at a slightly lower body fat % than what they would usually maintain. For the sake of the competition, they reach this targeted look. They are radiating examples of  natural strength, health, and character...and none of these women are on steroids. 

Gardening Phobia

Who out there is afraid to start a garden?
I definitely was. For years I've been procrastinating starting my own garden, purely because of the fear of failure. It's a legitimate fear, but as with anything, you just have to do and things will always have a way of working out. At the very worst, it would be a great learning experience.

3+ years ago I told myself that there was no way I could do it. I lived in an apartment with no yard, had roommates, and was insanely busy with work, school, and dating Michael.
2 years ago we were living in an apartment without a yard. I attempted to grow a tomato plant [that died] on our deck. I experimented with sprouting in my kitchen with success, but that took all the green thumb I could muster at the time.
1 year ago we moved into our house. Finally, a yard! No excuses, right? Ha, think again. I rationalized, "I'll do it when we put in our yard next year...it's too expensive [really?? lame.]...I'm getting Utah-grown food from the CSA so that's good enough...I'll learn more about it from working on the farm and then do it next year..." I was irresponsible with a basil plant on our back porch, which died much too soon, and only discouraged me further.

For the last month when I was in limbo about where I would be living, I wanted desperately to start some seeds, but there were a lot of factors. Would I be in an apartment without a yard? Would I have the time? Would I have the resources? I've been starting hundreds of seeds for Bell Organics and seen them sprout week after week, which has only proven to me that I can do this! Now I am living somewhere which could in no way be more perfect for my first garden...my "office" is literally 5 acres of fertile soil, I have full access to a greenhouse in my driveway, as well as an established herb garden at my full disposal. My landlady has already designated a bed specifically for me to experiment with. No More Excuses. 

All it takes is a little responsibility to drop a few seeds in the ground, water them, and make sure they get sun. It can be nerve racking to read the back of seed packets..."moderate sun, full sun, moderate water, 1/4 inch depth, 1 inch depth, 3/4 inch depth"... You can't help but think, "crap, I put that seed in too deep. Is that  'enough' water? Did I just drown my plant? " Use some common sense and don't over think this stuff. Remember that plants reproduce all on their own in nature, without anyone "tucking them in" and taking care of them, so there is no need to stress. Remember how easy it was, and how scared you used to be about taking those first steps when you bite into that juicy tomato that matured because of your TLC.

I started tomatoes [a little late], cukes, zukes, cantaloupe, watermelon, and heron melon seeds today!

Asian Invasion

In another life I think I would've been Asian, just for the food. My taste buds are drawn to the exotic flavors of Eastern cultures, no matter the diet I follow. It is only a matter of time before I can perfectly replicate my old favorite sushi rolls, but for now, my thing is oodles of noodles. I wasn't even planning on making this dish Asian-y; if anything I was planning on making a marinara sauce...but what can I say? The mangoes were ripe, the chives freshly cut, and the curry and cumin were just calling my name. So here we go:

Salad:

Butter lettuce [if you haven't tried this yet, I want you to stop what you're doing, get in your car, go to your local grocer, and buy as much butter lettuce as you can afford. It will make your salad better than the best.]
4-5 zuchinis peeled/spirilized into noodles
Sugar snap peas
Chives
Shredded cabbage [I had an awkward amount left in the fridge, so I just used my peeler and shredded it really thin. Carrots and/or red pepper would work wonderfully too.]

What my salad looked like pre-dressing

Dressing:

As much mango as you can handle. I used about 5 champagnes and 1 tommy, which made a large serving. Go with champagne mango for a sweeter, creamier flavor [yellow mini mangoes that are in the store now. Make sure they are ripe, golden yellow, easily gives into a squeeze.]
Handful of fresh chive
Squeeze of 1/2 lemon
as much cumin and curry as you like

Want some salad with that dressing?? 

Happy 100th Post! + smoothie recipe

I can't believe it, the last 99 posts have flown by! I guess that's what happens when you commit to writing regularly. Like, duh.

All things considered, I've been having an incredible weekend. I was bummed when the weather was sub-par yesterday, as it has been all week [cold, overcast, rainy, even snowy] because I was looking forward to being outside. Instead I stayed in and cleaned hardcore. The farmhouse I live in now hasn't been lived in for nearly 5 years, and although my landlady did clean it, there was still much to be done to get rid of the dusty smell. Thanks to some trusty doTERRA oils and lots of vacuuming, it is now dust and cobweb free. I then spontaneously decided to check out a nearby animal shelter.
I've been trying to convince my landlady to let me foster/adopt a dog, half for security and half for companionship. Yesterday [I suspect after seeing the house looking spotless] she gave in and said that we could negotiate a refundable deposit for a pet. Nothing is for certain, but I wanted to check out the dogs regardless. It was the saddest thing ever to walk past rows and rows of barking caged dogs. I know, I'm vegan, I already have a soft spot for animals, but anyone could clearly see the desperation, sadness, and even forfeited looks in these dogs' eyes. I fell in love with a 12-year-old pit bull mix named Roxy. She was so gentle, kind of slow, and had evidently given up on life. Her cage was in the far back corner and you could tell she doesn't get much attention...more reason to get her out of that stenchy building and get her some fresh air and green grass! When I took for her a walk, the workers exclaimed, "Roxy! She's so sweet. She's been here way too long." *sound of my heart breaking*

Roxy looking stoic, and sad. All she wanted to do was relax on the grass outside.

I brought her back in and was fully planning on leaving it at that, but I couldn't walk out of there without taking another dog out...another pit bull mix named Zoey. This dog is only 1 year old, full of energy, and extremely playful. Whenever I got down to her level she would jump on me and cover me with kisses.

I have a soft spot for spotted dogs, probably because my name is Dot? I don't know.

 Okay. That's IT. I need to get out of here before I buy the whole place. Wait, just one more. Yet another pit bull/mix [don't ask me why I felt drawn to pit bulls]  named Poe. His eyes pined for love and attention, and I couldn't ignore it.

If you cannot see the sadness in those eyes, then you officially don't have a heart. Just kidding. Not really.

 If it doesn't work out that I can't take one of these animals home, I would love to volunteer at the shelter just to make their lives a little better.

I then went somewhere that is going to come as a surprise to most everyone in my life...and it's going to merit an entire entry unto itself, so come back soon for that :)
The-thing-that-I-did-last-night-that-you-don't-know-about-yet kept me up very late so I was grateful to sleep in this morning. I woke up to a marvelous sunny and 65 degree day which called for a bike ride! I rode the 10 miles there and back to the gym and discovered a new bike trail, woohoo! The rest of today calls for some food prep, gardening, and reads, oh and season 6 of Dexter.

Is that not the most gorgeous view ever? I get full use of the herb garden that you see in the front, the field in the back is where I work, and on the side I have my own space for gardening. Next weekend: riding my bike east towards those mountains until I find a trailhead.

Now, I get a lot of questions about my fruit stash, how much I eat, what I eat, how I control the ripeness etc.  I consider myself more than fully stocked right now, so I decided to take a picture. The trick is to shop frequently to constantly have fruit ready to go, fruit on deck, and fruit that will be ready in a week or so.

One redeeming quality of the house [to compensate for not having a garbage disposal] is it's storage capacity! I love watching my food stash ripen. Honorable mentions not in this picture: a case of oranges, a case of asian pears, a case of local apples, just under 100 lbs of medjool dates, and a refrigerator filled to the brim with leafy greens [spinach, arugula, romaine, butter lettuce, and garden mix]. Yes, I will eat all of this.

I woke up this morning wanting orange juice, but as I took out my citrus juicer, I realized that it would not be fun to clean it...since my new house doesn't have a garbage disposal. Yeah, it's old. [It doesn't have a dishwasher either, but that's not as big of a deal.]
That wasn't going to stop me from making something with oranges, so instead I made this recipe in my Vitamix blender. I'm calling it "Go-Go Juice" because I'm using the whole fruit, fiber intact, and threw in some celery [extra fiber]. It will be super-effective at getting you to go-go, get it? I thought it was funny :)

Ingredients:
3 whole oranges, peeled
1/2 heart of celery
small handful of frozen pineapple [added mostly for chill factor. Ice would be fine as well, though not as sweet, obviously]

Blend and serve 

No picture here, I guzzled it too fast. If you start your day with this, I guarantee it will gently help you flush your system better, and more effectively than any diuretic. Celery works miracles; trust me, I know. Bam.

Voices In My Head

I'm probably going out on a limb here, but I hope someone out there can relate: I like to talk to myself. I actually enjoy the sound of my own voice [imagine that?], especially when I am by myself for extended periods of time. I've always known this, but have only recently started doing it again. In elementary/middle/even high school I was constantly talking to myself...in the shower, before bed, outside in the yard, in the car...basically any moment I was alone. But apparently it goes back even further, as in I've done this since I was first able to put words together.
Story time! In order to fully appreciate this story, here is a picture of 2-year-old Dot:

Actually, I have no idea how old I was here, but I'll take a wild guess that I was at about the appropriate age. I was still sleeping in a crib. I had already been put down for the night and should have been asleep when my mom came to check on me. She cracked open the door and saw me talking to myself in the shadows. I heard her, stood up, and [I imagine embarrassed, if a 2-year-old can feel such emotions] shouted, "OUT! OUT!" This story cracks me up. There have been a handful of times since then when someone has walked in on me talking to myself and it sucks. You feel so stupid, like who does that?? Well, I do and I'm proud of it, kind of. 

I told Michael this story and he thought it was so creepy. He's all, "If we have kids and I catch them talking to themselves in the dark, I will probably have to kill them. They are probably an alien plotting against us." 

Or something like that.

Back To Reality

The last of my family [that's not local] is leaving today, which means my normal schedule is back in place. The only thing is, I am still trying to create what is my "new normal" since Mike left and we moved. I've managed to cross quite a bit off of that to-do list, and now the reality of Hey-Dot-You-Live-Alone-Whatcha-Gonna-Do-Now? is starting to set in. After 3 years of living with roommates and 2 more years of being married, living alone is kind of...ominous. I need to have noise of some kind: a book on CD, talk radio, TV show, music, talking to myself, whatever.

 Just for kicks, I've created a list of the top 5 things that suck doing by yourself, in no particular order:
- Bringing groceries in from the car and having to make a million trips
- Putting clean sheets on a king size bed
- Watching a funny TV show, laughing, and turning to laugh with the person next to you only to realize no one is there.
- Not having someone to warm up the bed before you get in it
- Taking out the trash/Doing the dishes [I have been blissfully unaware of these two chores as Mike always took it upon himself to do them.]

Now here are the top 5 things that are awesome about living solo:
- I am SO productive. I'd like to think that I could be this productive regardless of my living situation, but the truth is, without Mike here I don't have reason to procrastinate anything.
- I don't have to share my mangoes!
...that's all I got.

It's not very good lighting, but the bedroom was originally this tacky pink that I couldn't stand to look at.

I painted it a light yellow that is cheery and happy! I love it.

Arietta

One of grandma's favorite pieces of music was "Arietta" by Leroy Anderson. My mom and aunt played this by her bedside before she died.
The reunited orchestral group of the Stephenson Strings performed this piece, among others, at the funeral today.

This recording doesn't totally do it justice. My mom is the violinist popping her head back and forth in the back.

Family Time and Maybe Some Chaos

Quite surprisingly, the chaotic element from the last few days for me has not been the explosive nature of family gatherings, but rather stress wholly in my own head.
Friday was the day of our big move. With all of the furniture out of our house, we still had a few trips to make on Saturday, so we decided to sleep the night on the floor of our old house. [Ironically, that is how we spent our first night there over a year ago.] I only added to my own stress by not keeping as organized as I would have liked when packing. That's what I get for procrastinating.
My Grandma Joyce passed early on Saturday morning. It was imminent and expected, and still very sad. I am learning more about who she was every day and have been very impressed with her talents. She was an avid crocheter, poet, and had a bright intellect. She kept an organized household which made it possible for all of her 9 children to pick up a string instrument. My grandfather is a retired music teacher and gave private string lessons to all of his children, most of whom still play in some capacity...all the way from the occasional church service to being a professional musician. Growing up in Philadelphia, they organized a musical group called the "Stephenson Strings" and made old-school records of their classical music. My mother, as well as my aunts and uncles have all passed on musical talent to all of their kids in some fashion, and to commemorate her, music will be a main part of the funeral program tomorrow.

4 out of 9 of the original "Stephenson Strings" back in action, rehearsing! 

LEFT to RIGHT: cousin Angela on viola, cousin Ed on cello, uncle Olan on violin, my mom Sharon on violin, aunt Linda on violin, uncle Dee on cello [he plays for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C.]. They make beautiful music! 

With so much family in town, so many people to visit and things to cross off on my to-do list with the move, combined with the stress of not knowing where anything I packed is, Saturday was quite stressful. But Sunday was worse. I got up before Michael and started unpacking. I secretly hoped that he would sleep in as long as possible. Even though I wasn't hanging out with him in that moment, I was relishing the fact that he was only a wall away from me. I knew that as soon as he got up he was only a breakfast smoothie away from leaving for the drive to Illinois. The time eventually came to say our goodbyes and it was incredibly sad. I threw myself back into unpacking the house when I got inside to stop myself from crying, but the mix CD that he made me brought out a few more tears. My parents came by to visit briefly and as they left they said they would be back with Kate and her kids in an hour. I ran off to Whole Foods to grab some groceries and made it back for their visit. I cut everyone's hair and remained as calm as I could, despite my mental to-do list piling sky high. I took the UTA Trax into Salt Lake City [I love living so much closer to the hub of the city] to meet more extended family for an intimate dinner. I wasn't nearly as productive as I would've liked, but it felt good to be around so much family, especially right after Michael left. I caught a ride home with my brother and triple checked the locks on all my doors. Sleeping alone sucks.

Jane and I reading on the couch. 

My brother Joe and our nephew, Lukas

Today, Monday,  I crossed a few things off my list: took a trip back to the old house to grab the food and the last of the boxes, paid rent, got a P.O. Box, submitted payroll hours, unpacked more, bought some paint supplies, and filled the dehydrator all before noon. Whew! My dad picked me up to go to the mortuary so that I could prepare my grandma's hair. Last week I saw her when she was in a coma-like state, but could still hear everyone around her. I sat on her bed and, without thinking told her, "I promise to make sure your hair looks good at the funeral!" Whoops. All of my aunts were in the room and heard me say it, and of course I couldn't go back on my word. I was nervous just about being around a deceased person, let alone touching them, especially someone I care about. Today was the day to suck it up and do it though, and surprisingly it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. My mom brought a picture to go off of, and I did my best to give her the best hairstyle I could. At the wake I felt proud to know that I contributed in some way, small as it was.
It's weird how life works out sometimes. I never thought all of these life changes would be happening in the same weekend, but they did and it has all been for the best.

Tragedy and Irony

The last few days have been a bit stressful and the move has only added pressure to the cooker. I learned about a week ago that my Grandma [mom's mom] would be put into hospice care very soon. My mom was already planning a trip to Utah [both of my parents are school teachers and have Spring Break next week...weird how that worked out] and so she changed her flight to come a few days earlier, and my dad is flying in tonight.
 The tragedy is, of course, that my grandma's health is dwindling and she doesn't have much longer to live. At age 89, she has lived a rich life filled with a career in nursing, raising 9 kids, and devout religious beliefs. The saddest part about the last few days has been seeing my Grandpa so devastated. I hate seeing people I care about in pain. For the past decade they both continually brought up death and dying and were all too open about the fact that "they don't have that much longer on this Earth." They kept chuggin' on though, so it seems unreal that this is actually happening.
The irony is that with a funeral service being imminent, family from every corner of the country is starting to gather, making it a sweet reunion of sorts. The Stephenson's don't really get together that often, mostly because there are just so many of us - I have something like over 50 first cousins?? - and we really do span the whole country. My sister Kate drove her whole family here from Houston and people that I haven't seen in over 9 years are gathering together. Much family means many happy hands to help us move! I was so so grateful to my brother, mom, and brother-in-law who volunteered half of their day to get all of our big furniture moved the 20 miles or so to Salt Lake Valley. It takes a huge load off my mind knowing that I don't have to do that alone [Michael leaves on Sunday] and that now we have the rest of the weekend to spend time with family.
Feeling very grateful.

I Love Cilantro

Cilantro seems to be one of those herbs that people either love or hate, no in between. I've heard it described [by the haters] as tasting like "dish soap." As a lover of cilantro, I prefer to describe it as blissful freshness. I probably have my mom to thank for passing on the cilantro-love-gene. I remember watching her take some deep inhales of the stuff while in the grocery store, exclaiming how amazing it smelt. She always made vegetable salad with tons of cilantro and it was always a winner at dinner. Generally, if you're a fan of Mexican food, you probably like cilantro, but I've met people who don't fit that profile...so just try the stuff next time you are at the store and decide for yourself!

I made this salad last night and it was a winner! On a bed of mixed greens I shaved noodles of cucumber, zucchini, carrot, and cabbage, added cherry tomatoes for bursts of flavor, a few dried mushrooms, and this INCREDIBLE sweet dressing that you can find in Megan Elizabeth's book, "Easy To Be Raw."
I was about to dive into my dinner when I thought, "Wait! It's missing something! What do I have in the fridge...Cilantro!!" I chopped up a bunch, whisked it all in, and voila!

Perfect Fresh Spring Salad

Ch Ch Ch Chives!

And...if you're not a fan of cilantro, you can never go wrong with chive! There is a border of chive plants all around the garden at the Bell's house. I harvested a bunch today. Nothing. NOTHING smells better than freshly cut chives.

Ski jumps in Park City, UT

Every Wednesday I drive up to Park City to do a few deliveries for the CSA. It's feels like another world up there...touristy, liberal, snowy, secular...it was 65 and sunny today in the valley, but a fresh blanket of snow had just covered the ski resorts. It's always a little exhilarating to think about the Olympics being held here. So cool. 

Similar to cilantro, Park City is somewhere that locals either love or hate. You love it if you ski, you hate it if you're everyone else [generally]. My husband is from the neighboring town and PC High was his rival in school growing up...So I pretend to hate Park City, but I secretly kind of like it :)

One of these winters I'll take advantage of the skiing/snowboarding...

I Got The House!!

Yay!! I am overjoyed to say that I am moving to Sandy, UT...into a farmhouse that I adore that is on one of the farm properties that I work on!! This means half of the time I will literally walk outside and be at work, and the other half have a bike-ride commute to the other fields [save majorly on gas/driving time]. I will be closer to the canyons, closer to the trail heads, closer to my grocery stores, closer to Salt Lake City, everything. The house was built in the 60's and is full of personality, from the kitchen booth, plethora of kitchen cabinets and storage, fireplace, and ice box room for food storage in the basement...it is full of quirks and old school features that I love. Plus it is more square footage than I ever thought our budget could afford...and did I mention the commute to work is nothing?! I can literally walk outside and pick my heads of lettuce fresh everyday. I will have personal access to over 5 acres of the BEST vegetables I could possibly ask for!! I am overjoyed and feel extremely lucky to have had everything fall into place at the perfect time.

It is sad to be leaving our first house that my husband and I designed ourselves in Saratoga Springs. I will miss the view, the quiet neighborhood, and just the "newness" about it. I will not miss the mortgage. We thought we had built our dream house, but looking back now we have a huge list of little design features we would have done differently. Next time we build we will really know what we are doing. No regrets though, we still managed to turn a profit in the short year that we lived there.

**Special thanks to all of you who gave me an excellent recommendation. You know who you are :)

Summer Plans

Michael leaves in less than a week for Illinois and lonely-ol' Dot is trying her best to make plans to stay busy. I'll be working a lot, perusing my CLC material and testing out of Level 1, catching up on old seasons of "Dexter" and "How I Met Your Mother", reading a few good books, launching my website and doing lots and lots of hiking! Three years ago Michael and I got really into hiking, traveling all over the state to get our scenic kick. That was also when the bitterness of living in Utah started wearing off and I started to truly enjoy my surroundings...coincidence? I think not.

 The way I see it, I can choose to feel sad and abandoned, working myself to death all summer OR I could enjoy the endless opportunities for adventure within biking distance from me. I live on the edge of the Wasatch Front, a gorgeous mountain range that attracts outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world; why not take advantage of the natural beauty these mountains have to offer me?? Hence I have resolved to hike at least 15 major hikes through numerous canyons this summer. I have roughly 20 weekends to fill, and hiking seems like the perfect thing to occupy me. My list of peak destinations range in distances, elevation, and steepness. Some are bucket list hikes, like Mount Nebo [the highest peak in the state] and others are quick 3-5 mile adventures running parallel to the ski resorts in various canyons.

3 years ago at the top of Timp. Well, technically we still had a few hundred feet to go to reach the "peak" but the elevation was getting to my head, and the last stretch looked daunting...no excuses this time!

I am also essentially "in training" for the July Wren Family Reunion hike up Mount Haggin' in Montana and for my first time exploring Yellowstone. I see lots of challenging adventures in my future...and much to blog about!  

Why Trucks Suck

This is a completely random topic that I wish to address today. Judging by the content of my blog, you are probably expecting me to talk about how much I hate trucks because of their carbon emissions, terrible gas mileage, and general unnecessary contributions to global warming. Although all of these reasons are true [and valid], that is not the reason I hate trucks the most. I dislike rolling next to semi's on the highway as much as the next driver, but that is also not the type of truck I am venting about today. I'm talking about the obnoxious personalities behind the wheels of jacked up pick-up trucks all across the great state of Utah...

...nearly 5 years ago, I moved from a liberal, humid, green, New England town in western Massachusetts to the religious-infused, conservative, dry, brown, rocky mountain desert of northern Utah. There were [and are still] many cultural, social, seasonal, and geographical differences that surprise me, but nothing continues to shock me more than the outright ignorant and rude drivers...especially behind the wheels of trucks. Trucks in Mass. are more of a rarity and I can only guess why: 1) People don't need/can't afford them 2) If they have them they don't take them on as many "joy rides" 3) People are more conscious of making a green impact with their vehicles, hence the popularity of the Prius. If you do see a truck in Mass., chances are it is "normal" looking, not all jacked up like a real-life Hot Wheels.
Trucks in Utah are all too common, and 8 out of 10 are jacked in some way, as if the driver is intentionally trying to say, "Look at me! I'm a real man!" It drools testosterone and it makes me sick.

[I don't meant offend; I have friends and family that drive said trucks and I am not referring specifically to them, but rather to the type of person generally seen driving in these trucks.]

Perhaps I am more sensitive to rude truck drivers kickin' me in the dust [literally] because I drive a tiny 4-cylinder Hyundai Accent. Just the other day I was stopped, about to turn right when a truck nearly rear-ended me in anticipation of revving up. Multiple times I've been in a parking lot and had trucks start backing up without looking to see if anyone/thing was behind them. Everyday on the highway I see trucks zipping and weaving between traffic going well over 80mph. It's like, "HELLO! You can't just tramp all over these roads!!" What really gets me is just the blatant disregard for human safety. So you don't care about the environment. So you don't care about spending your pay checks on gas. So you obviously own multiple rifles, hunt wild game every weekend, and like to parade your pride for your country, that's all just fine! [Well...I actually do not support hunting in any fashion, but I especially abhor it as "sport"...different subject...]

I just want to make it to where I'm going safe and sound...and I do not feel safe with all you big personality trucks taking over my fat 8-lane Utah roads. There is plenty of room for both of us.
It feels good to get that out. Now for a funny clip to illustrate my point:

Attract What You Want

When I was in Costa Rica, Jennelle would remind me on an almost daily basis that, "You attract what you want!! Think good thoughts, be positive, and you will find a way to accomplish anything!" Just a short month earlier she had no plane ticket or plan on how to get to Costa Rica, she only knew that she had to go. She had some serious medical conditions that she knew would be alleviated through fasting [which they were]. She had one major problem: lack of funds. Instead of moping around, talking about how much she wanted it, but wasn't going to get there, she took action. She started an online fundraiser and told everyone she knew about it. She received enough support in 1 month to get a plane ticket and a spot in the retreat. I remember talking with her before she knew 100% that she was going to go, and she was always so positive. Not going was not an option.

It's not surprising that who you hang out with, the environment you put yourself in, and the things you make time for soon start to define "you." You might have intentions of working out everyday of the week, but if you are only a weekend warrior, you won't be getting the results you want, and for good reason. You might have intentions of expanding your social life and making friends, but if you spend every weekend watching movies at home, it's no wonder you don't have new friends. You cultivate what you attract..."attract" being an ACTION word. I used to think that this whole notion was nothing but fluff, but yesterday I had a hands on experience where it proved to be SO true.

I have some pretty lofty aspirations of where I want to be and what I want to be doing/training for. Up until yesterday, "goal" wasn't the word I would have used; they were more like wishes without a timeline. Then, as I was in the right environment to attract attention [gym], I met someone who has what I want, and wants to help me get there too.
Partly for anticipation value, and also in hopes not to attract Debbie-downers, that's all I will say about what happened. Suffice it to say that I am still in awe of my new friend and that now I have plans with deadlines.

What are your goals for the next 3 weeks? 6 months? Year? What is stopping you from taking action? What do you need to do to make things happen? I promise, consistency breeds results. Just make sure they are the results you are wanting.

Counting Down to the Move

Today was perfect. I worked in the fields all day and it smelled glorious after an unusually rainy weekend. The soil was rich, the perfect consistency and deep brown, the perfect color. This was no accident; fertile soil in the dessert requires hard work paired with constant care and compost. Jill and Dave have been plowing this particular plot of land for well over 15 years, making it any farmer's envy. Even the earthworms seemed happy on this moist, overcast-turned-sunny day.

Planting rows of chard, collards, butter lettuce, romaine, pac choy, and asian broccoli. A month from now they will be ready for the pickin'. 

After thinking about it for more than a few days, we decided that it wouldn't be best for me to live with my in-laws, the main reason being the commute. I would have to drive at least an hour each way to and from work. That's a lot of wasted time driving. So within the last few days, I've been doing some serious apartment hunting. There are a few good options, none of which seem to be panning out as fast as I'd like. Michael is leaving in a week and a half and we'd both like me moved before then, especially since there is lots of heavy lifting involved. Looking around at my house right now, absolutely nothing looks packed and ready to go anywhere. Moving pains and stresses are not anything to envy, so if you are relaxed and enjoying your current living situation, please send good thoughts my way.

My breathtaking wake-up calls over Timpanogos are numbered...but not to worry! I'll be watching the sunrise from the Twin/Lone Peaks soon.

Michael went out with the boys tonight one last time before he goes out of state for the summer. I took the time to make an extra special mango-curry dish out of Kat Green's recipe book. Scrumptious. No picture, because it's all in my tummy now!

Italian Night

I am always amazed at how many tastes around the world can be recreated with simple combinations of raw fruits and vegetables. Sure, I may not drizzle on the olive oil and vinegar, glaze on the salty sauces, marinate in butter and garlic, or otherwise change the chemical structure of my food by cooking, but that certainly does not mean I am deprived. I think I get the best of both worlds: I get to enjoy brilliant health combined with a sense of security that I know I'm doing my body right, while also thoroughly enjoying my food creations [every step of the way, from purchase/planting the seed, to food prep, to eating] AND as an added bonus, I am challenged to recreate 80-10-10 versions of my "old" favorite cooked foods.

This evening's two-course meal came thanks to my good friend Jennelle in Massachusetts. Remember there is no "right" way to make food, and when it comes to 80-10-10, there is even more flexibility with ingredients. If you are crazy about basil, add a few more leaves. If you are really wanting sweet, then add an extra date or two. If you are trying to eat less fat, substitute 1/2 zucchini into the sauce to stretch it. If you like more of a kick, add more lemon. Customize away!

Tomato Soup
grape tomatoes [fill your blender most of the way full]
leaves of fresh sage, sage, and basil
scallions
fresh squeezed lemon juice
medjool dates

Blend in Vitamix til slightly warm and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh basil and mushroom.

Mushrooms used to weird me out, now it is one of my favorite flavors!

Cheesy Pasta Sauce
1 small avocado
1 red pepper
juice from 1 lemon
4-5 leaves of fresh basil

Blend in Vitamix til desired consistency. Pour over zucchini or cucumber noodles.

I loooved this creamy dressing with ribbon zucchini noodles! Definitely a repeat.