30th Birthday Tribute

I know a tribute to myself sounds pretty narcissistic, but I can get away with it on my birthday perhaps?
This blogpost is in honor of my 30th Birthday, which happens to be today. The day that Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon - yay for America! The only thing I love more than fine food is traveling & outdoor adventures. So I thought I'd share some pictures of enjoyable adventures in my lifetime thus far. I know there are many, many more grand adventures awaiting me. I plan to find them, don't you worry!
They are in no particular order:

Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida - Spring 1997

(I was a sophomore in high school here!)

Merida Yucatan, Mexico - 2005

(unfortunately we did not ride this scooter; long story.)

Veracruz, Mexico -  2005

Snowshoeing the Continental Divide - Winter 2009

Bodhi in belly at Moab, Utah - Fall 2007

Hotel Del Coronado; San Diego, California 2007

(this was a Babymoon unbeknowst to us!)

2006 Christmas Eve boating adventure! St. Louis, Missouri

The day I felt like a Princess - Summer 2003

Shove Chapel @ Colorado College, Colorado Springs

Baby Bodhi at the Great Sand Dunes, Colorado - Spring 2008

Torrey Pines State Reserve; California - Summer 2010

La Jolla, California - Summer 2011

Backpacking the Wimenuche Wilderness - Fall 2009

NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida - Summer 2008

(this trip was in celebration of our 5th year of marriage!)

John Deere Pavilion; Moline, Illinois - Fall 2008

Pacific Coast Highway Route 1- breathtaking drive

Monterey, California  - Fall 2008

Las Vegas, Nevada - Fall 2008

Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska - Fall 2008

Montana Countryside 4th of July - 2009

Austin, Texas - Summer 2011

Kayaking in the British Virgin Islands - 2004

Grand Canyon - Spring 2009

Honey Coconut Granola Goodness

I wanted to title this blogpost: granola-SO-easy-I-can't-belive-I-haven't-made-it-from-scratch-before, but that's a bit long so I went with the description above for this delicious wholesome homemade granola. As soon as this granola was cool enough to touch, we were chowing down. We ate granola & yogurt for dinner last night, we just couldn't stop. The true foodie test for me is always in the next day. Does it still taste just as good or were we just super hungry? I am happy to report, that is was better than I remembered. I can easily see this healthy, golden goodness turning into an everyday kind of staple in our home.

There are a myriad of variations; you could easily subsitute other cooking oils, use a different sweetener, remove the dried coconut and add in some other kind of dried fruit (which you don't want to bake - stir it in after the final cooking process & before oats cool). All of the ingredients I used were enhanced by the roasting process, and I think it was the perfect combination.

What you need:
2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup dried, shredded coconut

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 Tablespoon Earth balance butter (or regular butter, I just prefer the taste of EB & they guarantee non-GMO ingredients. Hurray!)
3 Tablespoons honey


What you do:
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

In a 9X13 *well greased (*important!) pan, roast rolled oats with the cinnamon. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. The cinnamon will become very aromatic so you know the full flavor is developing.
Remove your roasted cinnamon oats. Add the rest of the ingredients directly to your pan. Stir after each addition to ensure even coating. If the honey or butter is slightly lumpy, it's alright, it will cook down as it bakes into the granola. Put the oats n' goodness back into your hot oven and bake for 30 minutes until the oats are golden in color. Stir often to allow for even cooking.

Let cool and break apart. Store in airtight container, up to 2 weeks. Seriously? I don't know why I am telling you this, it won't last that long.

Sidenote: most recipes say to cook granola on a cookie sheet, which would make it cook faster and be easier to break apart once cooled. But my granola is made directly in the baking pan, eliminating the need to dirty a bowl. How much more lazy, err, I mean efficient can I be than that?!? Also, it allows for larger clumps of granola goodness. We are clumpy kinda granola lovers around here.

Foodcation

Garrett and I's dream vacation is to tour Europe on a foodcation. What is a foodcation? It's a vacation where the main focal point is traveling around enjoying fine wine & gourmet food; organic food, local food, food that is art. Do you get what I am saying here?  We are food snobs. We love to eat, but have developed a palate for exquisite food.  While our dream Foodcation will require some saving and will take place in the future, we recently experienced a delightfully refreshing three course meal at an Italian restaurant on Coronado Island where we were vacationing. The restaurant, Il Fornaio, is mainly located throughout California, but there are restaurants located in Denver, Seattle, Las Vegas and Reston, Virginia as well. I was surprised to learn that it was a chain restaurant, because it didn't have a chain restaurant type of feeling. Many menu selections were made with free-frange chicken, natural meats, and organic & local produce. Our waiter was the epitome of the Italian culture; with his thick accent, boisterous laugh, rapid talking, and finger whipping. You know, the Italian culture gesture of finger whipping or snapping when something is thoroughly amusing or a hot topic. This is about the time when us 21st century Americans would say something along the lines of "Oh, snap" or "Hot diggity dog" (yes, I did just pull out a hot diggity dog). His name was Mossimo. It was perfect. We enjoyed a deep, robust Peppoli Chianti Classico and a glorious Spinach salad, several main courses which were passed around to share & taste, and 5 different desserts. Everything I ate was like a party in my mouth. Such a fun night with family. Sorry, there are no photos of the food. I was too busy eating and enjoying!

Sunscreen Dangers

Are you, or more specifically your children, at risk of toxic exposure from the contents of your suncreen? (Sorry, I know I sound like an infomercial) I happened across a sunscreen research site a month ago, and it's such an informative, easy-to-use experience that I had to post it on my blog. The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit whose tagline is "the Power of Information". Their objective is to inform the general population of their research findings pertaining to everday household products & chemicals. The site is chalk full of excellent research findings, and I could easily spend hours reading about toxic exposure in our air, water, food and homes. It is so insightful, it's a sight well worth bookmarking.

Anyhow, the point at hand: the EWG specifically tested over 2,000 sunscreen brands and ranked them on a scale of 1-9 (1 being best, 9 being hazardous to your health). As a general blanket statement, it appeared that most Baby sunscreens were better options. However; there were some brands that even the Baby sunscreen was tested and found to be in the red danger zone. Take a minute to click the link and check out the sunscreen you plan to slather on your kiddos this summer. If you are not into this, and want to take my word on a sunscreen to purchase; all of these sunscreen listed below ranked a (1) one. However; it is very specific. You must purchase the exact sunscreen listed because there were large variances between the same brand. So, just because a brand is listed below, doesn't mean the whole line of sun care from that brand is safe.

Badger Baby & Unscented Sunscreen SPF30+
Goddess Garden Baby All Natural Suncreen SPF30+
California Baby, No Fragrance Sunscreen Lotion SPF30+
Aubrey Organics Green Tea Sunscreen SPF30+
Aubrey Organics Unscented, Sensitive Skin & Children's Sunscreen SPF30+
Aveeno Baby Natural Protection Mineral Block Face Stick  SPF50+

Also, it's worth mentioning that Dr.Mercola sells an all natural sunscreen.  I am a firm believer in Dr. Mercola and his research findings and recommendations. Dr. Mercola's sunscreen is water-proof.

The best option is smart sun exposure. Once your skin is light pink, it's time to get out of the sun. At that point, your skin has made all of the vitamin D it's going to make and you will just be damaging your skin. If you can't get out of the sun, put clothes on and get in shade.


Sidenote: Unfortunately for Bodhi, we found out the hard way that many organic/all natural sun screens are NOT water proof. Read the label. Apply them immediately after exiting the water, and perhaps a "swim break" is in order if there fun is lasting more than a half hour. Of course, the best option is to wear a swim shirt or t-shirt.

Motherly Inspiration

Each year, I seem to fully reflect on motherhood about the time that Father's Day rolls around and is celebrated. Father's Day makes me want to be a better mother, and I will tell you why: my husband. I watch Garrett with our children, and he captivates them (and me). He is such a natural father, he makes everything come alive. He is an excellent teacher, most patient and innovative. I pray our children have his out-of-the-box ingenuity. It makes life so full of joy, so much more of an adventure. It makes me feel alive. And that's what we are supposed to be after all, ALIVE. Usually, I blog about food that makes me feel alive, but today it's about my family. They are my best kind of soul food. Below is a bit of motherly inspiration from a random poem that my Grams clipped out of her local newspaper for me last year. I keep it on my dresser and read it often. I hope it inspires you, too.

 An adrenaline junkie already, she LOVES to fly

 Painting a masterpiece with Papa

My Grams; see that look on her face? That's one very proud great-grandmother. 

If I had my child to raise over again - author unknown

If I had my child to raise all over again, I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.


I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.


I would do less correcting and more connecting.


I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.


I would care to know less and know to care more.


I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.


I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.


I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.


I'd do more hugging and less tugging.


I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.


I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.


I'd model less about the lover of power, and more about the power of love. 

Summer Rhubarb

This is how Garrett and I like to eat our summer ice cream. 

Warm rhubarb sauce over vanilla ice cream.

This is how Bodhi likes to eat his :-) 

The contrasting flavors of the tangy n' tart rhubarb paired with the sweet n' creamy ice cream are a perfect summer dessert match. If you'd like to taste for yourself, it's simple.

What you need:
4 stalks rhubarb; washed and chopped into 1" thick chunks
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water

What you do:
On stovetop in small saucepan, over medium-heat' combine all ingredients, stir often, and cook until the rhubarb is completely broken down and has become a nice sauce. Serve warm over vanilla ice cream.

If you tire of eating the rhubarb over vanilla ice cream, bake the rest into muffins & throw in some sliced strawberries. Yum.

date energy bars

These bars are an excellent source of raw energy. They are super easy to make and so very delicious, seriously. Try them, this week. You will want them again and again and again!

Ingredients:
15 dates; pitted & chopped
1/3 cup Dutch cocoa or Cacao powder
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup raw walnuts
dash of vanilla
3-5 tablespoons of water; add 1 tablespoon @ a time, as needed

Put all ingredients into a food processor, magic bullet, vita-mix or the like. Blend on medium-low, starting/stopping as needed to add one tablespoon of water at a time, until the mixture has reached a nice pliable consistency.

Using slightly wet hands, take the raw, wholesome lov'n and do one of the following: gently pat it into a 8X8 pan for squares OR gently roll it into individual balls for bite-sized on-the-go snacks.

Fun Idea: roll the balls in additional cocoa for a little extra cocoa flavor. Notso convenient for on-the-go, but adds a nice touch for presentation if you are serving them to guests.

They keep well for about 3 days, after that they start to get a bit dry. Don't worry, they won't last that long anyway.

p.s. If you come across this recipe and you'd like to try it but are allergic to walnuts, then substitute pecans - yum. Slightly more expensive, but the result will be divine.

p.p.s If you are allergic to all nuts in general, simply omit nuts and increase the oats to 1/2 cup.