guest blog: naan

My sister, Jill, recently was visiting my brother and his family.  They decided to make zucchini hummus and naan (an Indian flatbread).  Jill took pictures as they made the bread so she could share!  Unfortunately, she also started to feel the side effects of the stomach flu midway through the breadmaking process... and getting "pretty" pictures was not as important as just freakin' finishing.  Regardless, she says the bread is amazingly delicious - the kind you cram in your mouth as soon as it's finished baking... and probably never have leftovers.  Enjoy!

Naan (from allrecipes.com)
1 (1T.) package active dry yeast
1c. warm water
1/4c. sugar
3T. milk
1 egg, beaten
2t. salt
4 1/2c. bread flour (if you don't have bread flour regular flour works as well)
2t. garlic, minced (optional)
1/4c. butter, melted
(any other seasonings you might want: rosemary, garlic salt, etc.)

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy.

Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough.  Knead for 6-8 minutes on a lightly floured surface or until smooth (or just use the dough hook in the KitchenAid mixer).

Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise (or just leave in KitchenAid bowl).  Let rise 1 hour, or until dough has doubled.

Punch down dough.  (Knead in garlic, if desired.)  Pinch off small handfuls of dough, about the size of a golf ball.  Roll into balls, and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Cover with a towel and allow to rise until double in size, about 30 minutes.

(The above dough balls were just there to raise - they should be spread out more on separate sheets to bake.)

Flatten the doughballs with the palms of your hands to desired thickness, about 1/4inch.  Bake at 400 degrees for 4 minutes.  Flip the bread, brush the tops with butter, and sprinkle with herbs, salt, etc.  Bake another 4 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy with hummus, chicken and rice, dahl, veggies and couscous, curry, or whatever!

If you're lucky, you just might have a princess to help you taste test.

(My niece, Lizzie.)

guest blog: garden tour

Remember my sister Kelly?  She once gave us some tips for yoga for runners and also a recipe for delicious zucchini hummus.  Today she's back to give us a tour of her amazing backyard garden!

Once upon a time, I was a growing manager on an 100+ acre organic vegetable farm, complete with tractors, a greenhouse, fowl, goats, horses...and 80 hour workweeks.  Since moving back to Pennsylvania, I've been slowly building a much more manageable "farm" in my backyard.  I'm drawn to farming and gardening for many reasons.  I enjoy the excitement of picking seeds out of a catalog in the most depressing months of the winter.  I love the work of turning the soil and planting seeds with a little prayer.  I appreciate how growing vegetables means I notice sunshine and rainstorms differently, since they're gradually contributing to some future scrumptious meals.  I revel in the ability to come home from work, walk to the garden with no dinner plans and return to the kitchen with armfuls of the freshest, most downright healthy and extremely cheap veggies and herbs that have inspired their own unique menu.  Last night the garden provided us with a tomato, basil, nasturtium salad to top our millet patties, with swiss chard with thyme and red onions on the side.  I love the way gardening tastes when it's on my plate and I know it's charging my body with only goodness. 

This year, we added chickens and ducks to the yard so my husband could have fresh eggs in the morning and eventually some chicken in the freezer.  The ducks contribute a lot of cuteness and constant peeping.  Next year, I think we'll add fruit bushes and trees, more drying beans, squashes, and Jerusalem artichokes.

Here's a few pictures from our garden!

Swiss chard (left) and collards (right).

Nasturtium (an edible flower) hiding behind some dill flowers (left) and nasturtiums, basil, and tomatoes (incidentally all starred in last nights amazing salad) (right).

Heirloom borlotti beans that I'll dry for use in winter pots of pasta fazool (left) and basil - one of 30 some plants (right)!

Yellow pear tomatoes (left) and sunflowers towering a good 9 feet above the basil and tomatoes (right). There may be nothing more beautiful than a bursting garden with sheets flapping in the sun in the background!

Our Plymouth Barred Rock hen who lays an egg a day (left) and the meat birds (right). They're close to crowing and therefore the end of their time in our backyard. Plenty of room for them in the freezer though.

The Peking ducks, Peep and Repeep (left) and the tiniest of the new Plymouth Barred Rock pullets we just got (right). We'll keep three of these ladies to replace the older hen (who will rejoin her sisters on a friend's farm--seriously, that's not a nice way of saying something horrible).

Isn't her garden crazy?  And I'm totally in love with her little ducks and chickens!  Thanks, Kelly!

Are you keeping a garden?  What are you growing?  We haven't put in a garden at our house yet but we have plans to put in a large one next spring!

PS - Caramel ice cream won the reader recipe poll!  Thanks for voting!  Look for a recipe and review Friday morning!

color me pretty

Today's long run went short.  Around mile 10 I hit a major wall and all my energy ran out.  It wasn't just mentally tired or physically tired - I actually felt sleepy.  I checked in with myself before calling a stop, but decided that if I kept going I was probably going to be doing more walking than running, and since my day was already shaping up to be a busy one I should just head home and feel better about productivity if I couldn't feel better about running.  So I got in 11 miles.  I'll try to fit in the 17 elsewhere, or maybe just swap with next weekend.

I came home and made myself a green smoothie to re-energize... except I didn't have any spinach, so I used cabbage, a baby cucumber, a frozen banana, strawberries, and some yogurt I made (that for whatever reason this time didn't set up and stayed rather liquidy).

 It actually turned out pretty decent, although not quite as good as spinach.

Although about 2/3 of the way through it started getting a bizarre almost peppery taste?  My tongue was tingling.  I'll admit: I didn't finish it.

So while I was concocting sketchy drinks in the kitchen, Dave was up hanging out on the roof, cleaning gutters.

Do you like his hot blue gloves?  We picked those up at Lowe's.  But the gutters are clear now, except for the very top portion of the roof, which is too slanted to go out on.

And lastly we picked some paint colors for the house, with the help of Dave's sister, Julie.  She was so helpful in affirming our color ideas, helping us think through complementing paints, etc.  And now we have the colors we'll be working with!  (Not pictured: a silvery gray for Dave's office.)

I love the names of paint.  These are baja, chamois tan, sliced cucumber, mild mint, and crepe.  And really, none of the colors look that way in real life.  Thanks, camera!

I'm off to sweeper something... because I can!

Check out my first ever guest post over at Amanda's blog, Run To The Finish!

guest blog: scones!

I'm hoping to be up early for a long run in the morning, then hopping in the car to head to Ohio for a wedding weekend (yay Becca and Peter!!!)!  I might be posting again this weekend, but might not be back again til Sunday.  Happy weekend!!!

Here's a guest post from my good friend, Rachel, the connoisseur of scones!

I discovered scones a few years ago and have been hooked ever since. They can be sweet or savory, an afternoon treat or a solid breakfast.


Scones aren't exactly run-of-the-mill treats here in the States and I know some people aren't quite sure what the differences are between biscuits and scones. One of my favorite blogs, Ezra Pound Cake, explains it thus:

"So, what is the real difference? It’s in the ratios. Biscuits tend to have a ratio of 3:1:2 (3 parts flour, 1 part fat, 2 parts liquid), while scones usually have a ratio of 3:1:1. That seemingly slight difference is why biscuits are flaky and chewy, and scones are more spongy and crumbly. Since this recipe has a fluctuating amount of liquid (3/4 to 1 1/2 cups, depending on the weather), it could go either way. Use the minimum amount of liquid, and you’ll have scones. Use the max, and you’ll have biscuits."

So let's make some scones! I highly recommend joyofbaking.com's scone section. I've loved every recipe I've tried from her site. I used her Raspberry and Chocolate Scones recipe (but since raspberries are so sadly expensive right now, I actually just made Chocolate Chip Scones). And I'll admit that I completely stole her directions--but I did cut out parts that I didn't follow, like an egg wash. If you want the full recipe, you'll just have to visit her site!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour

1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (75 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

2 ounces dark chocolate chunks or chips (about 1/2 cup) (50 grams)

3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk plain yogurt

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.  Stir in the chocolate chunks (chips) and raspberries. In a small measuring cup whisk together the yogurt, vanilla extract, and egg. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix.

 

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently four or five times and then pat, or roll, the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick. Cut the dough into eight triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet.

Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 8 scones.

guest blog: zucchini hummus

Did you miss Kelly's first guest blog?  Check out her post on yoga!

Zucchini Hummus
1 zuc, roughly chopped or grated
1/3 c. sesame seeds or tahini
1/4 c. lemon juice
1-2 T. olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t. salt
1-2 t. cumin

Put everything in your blender or food processor and whir til smooth.

Gathered ingredients:

Yours might look different since I make my own tahini with sesame seeds, I substituted a garlic scape for the garlic cloves, and I used whole cumin seeds rather than ground cumin.

If you have a food processor it's really easy to grate the zucchini using the grating attachment, then switch to the standard blade to whir everything together.

Hummus on sourdough bread.  It disappeared quickly!

guest blog: yoga!

Today's blog comes from my sister, Kelly!  Kel is an avid runner and also well-practiced at yoga, so she put together a couple yoga stretches that are particularly good for runners (but really will be nice for everyone!).  Kel provided pictures of the poses... and to provide some humor, I've attempted the poses as well (please don't judge the messy closet space).  I'm probably more the "what not to look like when doing these poses."

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Running and yoga have long been my favorite forms of exercise.  In the past couple years though, I’ve started to really appreciate how they overlap and, in particular, how yoga improves my running.  After stress fractures and multiple sprained ankles, I wasn’t ready to quit running, but knew I needed to improve my form to prevent injuries.  Yoga helps with that as well as with stretching out muscles that are tight from the repetitive motions of running.  Here are a couple poses that will appeal to runners but can be practiced by everyone for some sweet stretching.  Note:  I borrowed some of these from a Yoga Journal article on yoga for athletes several years ago.

Anjanevasana (low lunge)

This exaggeration of the running stride makes the knee joint more stable and addresses tight hips.  Start on your hands and knees with your toes tucked under and bring the right foot between the hands, lining up your fingertips and toes (oops…mine aren’t perfect).  Keep your right shin perpendicular to the ground (knee above the ankle) and your right knee directly in line with your right hip.  Your left leg should extend behind you and be in line with your left hip.  Square your hips so they’re parallel to the front of your mat.  If your hips are tight, you may start with a 90-degree angle between your front and back thighs.  As they loosen, you can lower your hips so the angle increases to about 180-degrees.

Ardaha Chandrasana (half moon pose), variation

with modifications (and "quick take the picture before I fall" face)

This pose is great for improving balance, strengthening your legs and core (in ways running doesn’t target), opening the chest and shoulders and hips, and giving you a better awareness of the position of your body in space.  Use a block (if you don't have a block try a stack of books) about a foot in front and slightly to the right of your right toes.  Rest your right hand here for balance.  Lift your left leg parallel to the floor and extend through the ball of your foot.  Extend up through your left arm keeping your hands, arms, and shoulders all in one stacked line.  Externally rotate both legs to open the hips.  If you need some more stability, you can rest your raised foot against the wall or a door frame.  I like to really spread my toes in this pose to give them some stretching after being crammed in running shoes.  (Ideally, your right toes should be pointing straight toward the front of your mat, while your lifted left toes should be pointing in the opposite direction…my toes on the floor aren’t pointed forward enough since I was rushing to beat my camera’s timer.)

Janu Sirsana (head-of-the-knee-pose)

Sit with your legs extended and your sitting bones rooted into the mat.  Bend your right knee, bringing the sole of your right foot to the inner left thigh.  Reroot your sitting bones.  Rotate your torso slightly to the left, aligning your navel with the middle of the left thigh.  Hinge forward from the hips keeping your back and neck long.  Stretch through the ball of your foot and spread your toes.  The twisting of this pose stretches the quadratus lumborum, a muscle that runs from the top of the pelvis to the lower back and helps maintain a neutral pelvis as you run.

Vrksasana (tree pose)

Start by standing and shifting your weight slightly onto the left foot.  Bend your right knee and use your right hand to guide the sole of your right foot to the inner left thigh, toes pointing toward the floor.  Center your pelvis over your left foot and keep it level and parallel to the floor.  Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor, pull your navel back toward your spine, and lengthen up through your spine and neck.  Press your palms together overhead and stretch up while your shoulder blades melt down your back.  I rank this as my number one favorite pose for improving my running form.  It requires me to build strength and balance in my ankles, pay attention to a level but open pelvis, keep my core engaged, lengthen my spine and release tension in my shoulders and chest.

Namaste and run, run, run!

guest blogger!

How to Play with Cats

A Guide For Humans

By David Mierau

There are a few key things every cat owner should know when it comes to playing with their furry feline. Allow me to list the essentials:

1. Cats want to hunt, not be hunted

I suppose that could be said for all of us (at least the latter part), but it is especially true for cats. Cats instinctively want to stalk and chase their "prey", be it a string, a toy, or some hapless baby chipmunk in the backyard. One of the classic mistakes cat owners make when playing with their pets is consistently moving the play object towards the cat rather than away from it. If a cat feels threatened or intimidated in any way, it will check out rather than engage. While it is understandable how an owner might want to move the play object toward the cat (come on lil guy, play!), this will typically only serve to reverse the cat's natural instincts of wanting to be on the offense rather than the defense. So, before beginning playtime, remember that it's your job to emulate the prey and your cat's job to be the hunter.

2. Engage your cat's senses

While the standard string is good, a string with something sparkly attached to the end of it and something that makes it create noise is even better. The more you can engage your cat's senses during playtime, the more active your cat will be.

3. Make the cat feel like the play toy is always on the verge of getting away

Dropping the string down in the middle of the floor in plain site of your cat may be novel at first, but your cat will quickly tire of having it's prey so easily available. In general, try not to show the whole object at once. Rather, give your cat fleeting glimpses of it's prey as it slowly moves out of sight. For example, with a string, your cat is generally going to be more intrigued by the last 10 % of the string that's slowly escaping behind the chair than the 90 % it's already seen.

4. Most of the time, the play toy SHOULD get away

You may need to practice this one in order to get good at it, especially if your cat happens to be an expert hunter. But in general, try not to let your cat "win" all the time. Like a truly competitive athlete, cats would rather lose giving it their best than win having an opponent go easy on them. The less your cat can get the play toy, the more your cat will want the play toy.

5. Leverage your cat's curiosity

Cats are instinctively curious. "No duh," you're thinking (yes, I threw out a 90's catchphrase). However, very few cat owners seem to leverage this knowledge productively during playtime. Rather than always letting your cat see the particular object it's hunting, regularly hide it behind something while simultaneously making it create noise. If your cat is like most cats, it will not be able to resist and will soon come pouncing into whichever particular hiding place you've chosen. Mix it up - your cat will thank you and you'll have more fun too.

6. Emulate captured prey

If you've ever seen a cat that's captured real prey, you know that the cat isn't usually interested in killing it off right away. Rather, it wants to toy with it for awhile. And usually, the captured prey will "play" right along by pretending to be dead and then making a break for it once the cat lets go (although I suppose it's not really "playing" when you've got cat fangs sunk into your flesh leading to a slow and miserable death). Your job is to be like that poor little mouse. Play dead, make a break for it, let the cat catch it (if it can), repeat.

7. Eliminate distractions

If there are a lot of new people in the house or loud sounds in the background, your cat will likely be too distracted or skittish to hunt at it's optimal level. Create a safe environment for your cat to play in and it will more likely be fully engaged.

8. Introduce new play toys regularly

Even the best play toys can get boring to your cat after awhile. If you can, mix it up everyone once in awhile. You don't have to spend a ton of time or money to create great play toys for your cat. Just be creative. Here's a recent example of how I did this with a string.

1. Normal string. Cat loved it at first...gradually became less intrigued by it.

2. Normal string with cellophane taped around the end of it. This created the element of sound in the chase and suddenly the cat could not only see the prey but hear it as well. Instant attention. But again, over time it became less intriguing.

3. Normal string with cellophane and a wild feather attached to the end of it. This introduced three new elements: the feather, the smell of the feather (new sense engaged), and the flight of the feather. Suddenly the string that used to be earthbound was now soaring through the air. Our cat couldn't resist...for awhile.

4. Normal string with a round, bunched up Walmart bag taped to the end of it. Oh boy. Watch out. This is the new "hot" toy for our cat. She will regularly start panting after just five minutes of play because she is going after it nonstop. Adding something on the end that she can sink her teeth into has been the killer add-on. Who's knows what the next evolution will be...

In Conclusion

So, there you have it. Some basic tips on how to play with your cat. As you can see, most of it involves playing on your cat's terms rather than your own. Your cat is a cat after all, not a dog, and perhaps that's one of the most important things to keep in mind during playtime. Happy playing!

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**Note from Kim** Hope you've enjoyed my first guest blogger (I'm kind of partial to him!). And for proof of Dave's prowess in our house at entertaining Mosie: