Summer dreams and spring harvest {How my garden grows}

They say good things come in small packages.

Well, I'm hoping for great things from these small plants.

This weekend, thanks to the extra day off and getting in my long run on Saturday, I was able to get my garden ready for summer. We added another raised bed (3x8 feet) and cleaned out the others with the hopes of a bounty of vegetables. I planted 13 tomato plants, mostly heirloom varieties that we buy at a friend's plant sale; two pepper plants; and a variety of squash, as well as cucumbers.

But with all the planting, there was a bit of harvesting as well. I had planted some greens in early April - spinach, kale, arugula and leaf lettuce. They were doing well - better than I had hoped - but taking up some prime garden real estate. I pulled it all up, washed it several times and put it in plastic bags with a paper towel (to absorb moisture).

I am not quite sure what to do with all of it to be honest because, in case you were wondering, there might be such a thing as too much kale.

However, I'm doing my best. Kale and spinach have been blanched and frozen. I've made some delicious salads, including a popular Blue Cheese-Pecan Salad for a Memorial Day barbecue.

And then there was this. Chicken Breast Stuffed with Mozzarella and Arugula Pesto. Served with roasted broccoli, red sauce and penne (for the wheat consumers in the family), it was one of the best weeknight dinners that I've made in months. MONTHS, I tell you.

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Mozzarella and Arugula Pesto

For the pesto:
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups packed arugula leaves
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

For the chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 slices mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

For the pesto: In a skillet over medium heat, toast the nuts just until you can smell them; about 2 minutes. Put the nuts, arugula, garlic and sea salt into the bowl of a food processor. With the processor going, drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture reaches a pasty consistency. Stir in the parmesan cheese.

For the chicken: Using a kitchen mallet, slightly pound out the chicken breasts. Butterfly the chicken and open up. On one side of the chicken, place slice of cheese and drop 2 tablespoons of pesto on the cheese being mindful not to let the spoon touch the raw meat. Spread out pesto and fold plain of chicken over the toppings. Repeat for second breast.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken on each side until golden but not too brown; about 4-5 minutes. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Chop it down to size: Parallels in life and health

Just past 4 p.m. on Easter, I sat on the back step of our patio and stared in amazement. "After three years," I said, turning to Mark, "I can't believe it's done. They are finally gone."

Enjoying a strawberry basil cooler that first summer with the bushes in the background. Note that I'm about 9 months pregnant in this picture.

Since the first summer in our house three years ago, I have had a volatile relationship with two honeysuckle bushes.They were overgrown, invasive and taking up highly prized garden space. The branches grew through the chain link fence, hanging over our neighbor's driveway, and the daffodil bulbs planted underneath didn't get enough sunlight to bloom.

I let the frustration simmer for a year or two before trying to take on the problem. We cut it down with the help of my father-in-law (and his chain saw). We took advantage of wet springs and tried to dig them out in a single effort. No matter how much we thought we did, the bushes won.

In the fall, I had had enough. I didn't think I could make another feeble attempt, many of which had made the area a sore sight in the yard. I called a tree removal company and got an estimate. As they always do, the estimate was more than we hoped and the worker's sheet included notes of other spots in the lawn that also required attention. There was a dead tulip tree in the front and a near death pine in the back. It would be good for another bush to go, and the company made other suggestions for improvement. The total bill was not looking pretty.

Overwhelmed, I tucked the estimate in a drawer and tried to forget about it.

But I couldn't. Even through the tough winter, the two bushes stood there as if they were taunting me. They seemed alive despite the hacking and frigid temperatures, and I knew they would once again take over. With a renewed drive (and plans to grow my garden space), I decided to do something.

For the past several weeks, I have tackled the blight - a step at a time. I borrowed my father-in-law's chain saw and cut the bushes to 2 feet in height. Using a pair of pruning clippers (sharpened by Mark), I further cut the branches. With the chain saw, again, I cut exposed roots. I dug some more. Cut more. Going a little deeper each time.

We (Mark and I) were going to give it a break on Easter. The morning had been busy and stressful at times, and we needed to relax. But I couldn't. The branches were staring at me and being so close to the finish line, I knew that I needed to do it then or it never would happen.

In my Easter dress (an $8 find at Old Navy), I grabbed the axe from the garage and started work. I cut the root ball into pieces, dug around it to expose more roots and then hacked them. Mark came out and, together, we pulled piece by piece out. Sweat dripped and the muscles in my back burned but each piece of wood that got tossed in the burn pile made it worthwhile.

An hour in, Miles toddled out from his nap. He blew some bubbles and played as we kept at it. He was tired but with the promise of a trip to the park, he let us finish.

After our trip, I took a moment to soak it in. It seemed so strange that after all that angst, everything was finished. I didn't need people to do it for me and I didn't need fancy equipment or to pay someone for a drastic procedure. I just needed to muscle up, dig, cut away the layers and pull out the bad parts.

The holes were filled with ash and dirt, and the area will soon be tilled to make room for more garden space. In the spot where bad things grew, new life (squash, eggplant and tomatoes) will grow.

Maybe I'm being overly introspective (thanks, therapy!) but there seemed to be so many parallels between life, health, fitness and weight loss in those bushes. We want something, we say we want to do it but when it comes down to it, more often than not we want someone to do it for us. If we give up that ideal and give ourselves a chance, we are far more capable than we gave ourselves credit.

Note: Mark was helping A LOT with this process but I felt a lot of ownership with the project as my hate for the bushes ran deep.

Longest yard: Lessons in gardening

Sunday was a new day. It was a day without running, a day with no agenda.

It was a day to finally tackle the tasks that have been staring at me in the face but were easily brushed off because there workouts to be done and miles to be run.

Albeit brisk, it was the perfect chance to tackle the yard and my dead and ignored garden.

We (read: mostly Mark) spent the better part of the morning raking leaves, and I pulled out the dead tomato plants from the raised beds. Unripened fruits were thrown in the compost pile, cages put in the garage and leaves raked over the beds for natural mulch.

I think there are some metaphors to running in there - spending a season trying to grow something, letting the work ripen and hoping to make a good sauce - but I tried to think about anything but the day before. Rather, I chatted up Mark about what I learned and what we could do next year.

• Making raised beds isn't all that difficult but they do require far more soil than you'd think. I am hoping to add another bed to the yard next year, and I will check into having soil delivered to the house.
• Raised garden beds, at least here in Indiana, produce a much better crop than gardens in the clay soil. My tomato plants in the raised bed were much more prolific than the others in my original garden. The lessons: I need to start amending the soil in the original garden and give more space to the plants in the raised beds.
• Beans were not the best plant for me. I felt like I needed more plants than I had to make it worthwhile to care for.
• My squash plants didn't do well this year, and I missed having fresh zucchini. Lesson: Find better ways to keep Denali out so he doesn't sit on the plants. 
• Canning is not as hard as I thought it would be. It's a bit time consuming getting the process down but once you have it, you have it. I definitely want to plant more based on what I can can. I'm thinking cucumbers (Denali sat on the plants, as well) and maybe peppers, like homemade roasted red peppers.
• Last but not least, I need to not give up on the garden at the end. I had plans to put in kale and radish seeds but never got to it. Some roasted kale chips would be nice right about now.

Did you grow a garden? What lessons did you learn?

Tomatoes overfloweth

This recipe is one of those slow cooker recipes that I hate. I'm serious. If I saw it posted on the interwebs, saw that I'd have to do work before putting things in the slow cooker, I'd roll my eyes, click to Google and continue searching.

So I won't blame you if you do that. Go on, go visit somewhere else.

If you stay, I promise you'll be rewarded with a savory soup that's full of flavor and a good use to the abundance of tomatoes you might be experiencing if you garden or if you got a little heavy handed at the store.

And it's a good excuse to eat a grilled cheese sandwich ... as if that's even necessary.

Slow Cooker Roasted Tomato Soup

3 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 onion, sliced
Olive oil
Salt
1 head garlic
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
4-6 wedges Laughing Cow blue cheese* (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line baking sheets with foil. Divide tomatoes and onion between two sheets, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, tossing to combine and make sure everything is evenly coated. Cut square of foil and place a drizzle of olive oil and garlic head on top. Wrap up garlic and place on baking sheet. Roast vegetables for 25 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

In the crock of a slow cooker, add vegetable broth, basil and dried rosemary. Dump tomatoes and, scraping any charred bits (aka flavor!) off the foil. Remove the garlic from the foil and squeeze roasted bulbs into soup. Cook on low for 8 hours

In batches, puree soup in a blender, adding Laughing Cow to the first go around. Mix to combine in slow cooker. Add half-and-half or broth to reach to reach desired consistency. Taste and add salt as necessary. Serve with fresh basil (if desired and available) and blue cheese crumbles.

*In place of Laughing Cow, substitute 1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half and 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles.

Three Things Thursday: Al Fresco

Weird.

It's the only way I can describe the weather we've had lately. It's been brisk, nearly chilly in the morning, and I even wore a long-sleeve shirt on my run this morning. The office has been freezing, forcing me to drink coffee like it's my job, and dress in layers. I've been sending Miles to daycare in his Thomas sweat shirt and throwing on my Oiselle at night.

Not that I'm complaining. The highs in the mid-70s means that it's the perfect opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors.

1. I was in such a tizzy when I came in the door that I didn't realize what Mark had said but somehow I agreed to eating dinner outside. I wanted to take it back but he had already set up the patio table and I couldn't argue that the cooler weather made it the perfect night to dine al fresco. We had burgers - beef for Mark, and I came up with an Italian white bean patty for myself. I combined a few recipes with my own ingenuity, and I was very impressed with my first foray into veggie burgers (making them, not eating them).

In the mix: 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained; 1/2 cup bread crumbs; 2 cloves garlic; 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; 1/2 teaspoon each oregano, basil and salt; 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar; 1.5 tablespoons olive oil; and 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes. Put everything but tomatoes and 1/4 cup beans in the food processor, pulsing till almost smooth. Add tomatoes and remaining beans, pulse a couple more times but not so much that the beans and tomatoes are mush. Form into patties and refrigerate if time allows before cooking them in the skillet.

I had my patty open-faced with some spinach and mayonnaise, along with homegrown sliced tomatoes and squash. It was delicious.

2. Of course, I feel a bit pompous touting the homegrown veggies as if store-bought - or even farmer's market bought - are inferior. It's not like I am an incredibly talented or diligent gardener - or even an organic one. I'm more like a "let's throw the plants in the ground and hope for the best" kind of gardener, which requires little weeding and a whole lot of praying. So when I get a beautiful squash or my tomatoes finally turn red, I am so exuberant that I can't help but brag.

3. When I thought of this blog post last night, I totally had a No. 3. And it was funny. I believe it involved the phrase, "What, bitch?" but I don't remember now. It might have been about Denali, who is going to earn himself a spot on a tie-out if he doesn't stop finding the few ripe tomatoes and eating them, but I can't be sure.

So I give you this.

My son. Playing in the dirt. I asked him to smile, and this is what I got. After he threw dirt in my hair.

By the way, take not of the sweat shirt. It wasn't one of his demands to uphold his fashion sensibility but rather a requirement of the cool evening.

How's the weather where you're at?

Do the (tomato) vine

Today, it was all about the garden.

My tomato plants, though they have yet to produce a ripe fruit, have grown out of control. They are heavy with potential sauce and BLTs, causing the tomato cages to collapse under the weight. They were growing horizontally, vertically, diagonally. They were over the bed, onto the neighbor's fence, into each other.

I was fairly certain that I couldn't remedy the situation 100 percent but I figured that it would at least be helpful to contain the plants to the raised bed so that Mark wouldn't have to lift them each time he cut the grass. I got a section of trellis, 2 feet-by-8 feet, and cut it before screwing it onto the sides. I'm deeply bothered that it's not even but that's what you get with a hand saw and a toddler bouncing balls off your head.

My other beds aren't as lush but have produced a handful of golden pear tomatoes, and I discovered two giant squash.

A find that made for quite an excellent dinner - vegetable enchiladas.

While I'd love it if you believe that I planned the meal all along, it was more a last-minute decision brought on by necessity. I was making chicken enchiladas, and I had hoped to make two pans - one for dinner, one to freeze ahead of my HTC trip. The chicken didn't go quite far enough so I made a few veggie enchiladas with zucchini, summer squash and white beans - all seasoned with salt, pepper and cumin. I was quite the fan but I think next time I'll shred the veggies in the food processor to better mimic the texture of the kitchen and make the roll-up process easier.

But the highlight of the evening, I have to admit, was that under all those fragrant, green tomato leaves are a couple fruits getting ready to turn.

Tomato sauce for everyone!

How's the summer garden going? Did you plant one?

Wordless Wednesday: Oh, how the garden grows

For the love of mothers

"Run," I told Mark when he first asked me what I wanted to do for Mother's Day. When he asked me a second time, I told him the same thing but adding the condition that it be by myself.

I had dreams of a delicious long run through the park, where the lilac bushes are in full bloom, adding brilliant color and a sweet scent that follows along the trail. Petals squish underfoot and rays of gorgeous sun peak through the leafy trees. The pace would be easy, effortless but brisk even so as I basked in the solitude.

But life had other plans -- more specifically, my legs had other plans. Recovery, or lack there of, from the Wisconsin half didn't go as planned. My legs were stiff and uncooperative, and the three runs (a total of 11 miles) that I completed felt arduous. BODYPUMP on Tuesday left me feeling unusually sore, and I had to fight the fatigue as I rehearsed Piloxing in anticipation of teaching my first two classes - Thursday and Saturday. Of course, Saturday's class being preceded by my regular BODYPUMP session. Oh, and I worked out with the Fort Wayne ballet in case you were worried I didn't do enough.

And so, on Saturday night, I told Mark just the opposite of what I had insisted in the previous two weeks: rather than let me run, I wanted him to keep me from the trail. What I needed most was to not run.

It was an odd feeling waking up on Sunday, albeit Mother's Day, without lacing up my shoes. Part of me missed it -- the preparation, the feet on the pavement, the sweat collecting on my brow -- but nonetheless I slipped on my TOMS for the start of what was a brilliant day.

Breakfast with my boys at my favorite spot.

Upon walking in, Miles immediately declared, "I hungry," and the kind server brought out a plate of banana and cantaloupe, chopped in small, bite-size pieces. It was a kind gesture that Miles "paid forward" by feeding the fruit to me. (Really, he was saving room for carbs.)

As for me, I opted for the Olympic skillet, with feta, green peppers, onions and tzatziki. I get it every time though I continue to be tempted by the Angel Food French toast.

Once satiated, we headed to the home improvement store for dirt. I am adding a raised bed this year and have a bevy of heirloom tomato plants ready for planting. All I needed was the dirt ... and lots of it. I think we purchased 20 bags, a mixture of top soil, compost and peat moss, for the 8-foot-by-4-foot bed. It took some muscle loading and unloading but it was rewarding to see it all come together. Miles even got in on the fun, helping me rake and find worms to add. We didn't put in any of the plants as there was a frost warning but we're good to go for this week.

During nap, Mark treated me to a much needed pedicure. My feet and legs achy, I opted to do a tropical treatment, which included an orange scrub and hot stone massage. It was my first time at this particular spot, and I will be going back. The tech spent extra time removing the calluses on the tops of my toes and even went back several times to make sure the bottoms of my feet were soft.

Once Miles woke up, we headed to the library to spend some time as a family. We had the children's room to ourselves, and Miles had a good time coloring, pushing around the shopping cart and driving the firetruck - complete with hat.

It was a great way to cap off the day and an even greater reminder of just why I like being this kid's mom so much.

Food Friday: Squash that

It's true I was drinking.

I was tired, Miles was cranky and we were out in the yard for  "witching hour" play time. I was relaxing with a small glass of red, watching Miles watch the dog, when I decided to check on the garden.

The garden has been less than prolific this year (thanks, drought) but I've consistently had zucchini - two or three a week - and I knew I had three doing their thing. I didn't think any would be ready to pick but I like to  keep an eye on them.

Lo and behold, one of three seemingly doubled in size overnight. Not only was it ready to pick, it was ready to share. I'm pretty sure that one squash could feed the eight kids next door.

Or serve as a play thing for Miles. Whatev.

I'll admit that I'm a bit daunted by the giant squash but I will make use of it. Mel's Kitchen Cafe posted a recipe for Cheesy Zucchini Rice this week, and I had it bookmarked before the discovery. Served with a simple grilled chicken, it should make for an easy weeknight meal and a new way to eat one of my favorite vegetables.

It's a good vegetable to have as a favorite. Zucchini contains fiber; vitamins A, B, C and K; minerals maganese, magnesium, potassium, copper, phosphorus, zinc and calcium; protein; and omega-3 fatty acids. (Source). It's also low in calories and carbohydrates - 20 calories and 4.2 grams carbs for 1 cup.

Zucchini is great grilled or sauteed with onions and mushrooms but there are so many ways to prepare it. Here's how we've been enjoying our harvest (if you can call it that):

Skinny Taste's Zucchini Tots. These were a great way to get Miles to eat a vegetable that's not green beans or broccoli. And hey, I liked them, too.

Faux fried zucchini. The fried cheese booth at the big festival the other week had another offering: fried vegetables. While I'm not about to pass up my annual treat, I did decide to make the breaded bites myself.

Hummus plate. One of my favorite restaurants has an antipasto-like hummus plate with fresh vegetables, including raw zucchini. A plate with zucchini - raw or blanched - as well as carrots, red pepper strips, olives, hummus and feta is great to have out while you're making dinner or entertaining friends.

Zucchini bread. There's nothing new here. You can find a million and one recipes for zucchini bread and its muffin counterparts. But I ask you this: Have you ever made French toast with zucchini bread? If you haven't, I dare you to do it. I made this dish with a lower sugar, low fat zucchini bread and a batter made with egg whites, cinnamon and almond milk. Delish.

Need more ideas? I found this article on Health.com. Grilled zucchini with herbs and cheese? Yes. Please.

Dinner tonight: Dude, it's ranch

Before I tell you this, I will admit that I am probably the last person on the planet besides my grandma who was ignorant to its wonders.

My friends, I have discovered Instagram. OK, not so much as discovered Instagram as much as now have the capability to use Instagram.

Up until last week, I had a Sony Ericson Xperia. It was a decent enough phone, and I liked that I didn't have to pay any money for it (with a new contract). However, it always felt like I had got it only because I didn't want to spend money on an iPhone. It didn't have some of the functionality that I had seen with Mark's iPhone, and the photos were definitely lacking. It took forever to load emails or any data for that matter, and I used it basically to call, text and play Angry Birds.

I had to replace my laptop last week so Mark and I figured that we should bite the proverbial bullet and empty a sizable chunk of my paycheck at Best Buy. Asus computer and an iPhone it would be for me. The computer is lovely but the phone is beautiful. It is my friend and I shall name her Penny.

Penny has made my life so much easier. OK, not really, but it has encouraged me to take more photos including some in the kitchen - like the Southwest Ranch Chicken Stuffed Potatoes I made for dinner tonight. They might not have made it on the blog before (find camera, take photos, upload photos, blog) but with the wonders of Instagram and its filters making lighting less of an issue, I had to snap a photo when I was prepping them.

This dinner is wonderful in that you can prep every thing in the morning, time permitting, and merely bake the potatoes when you get home from work. I served the dish with boiled then grilled local corn that I got in my Green B.E.A.N. delivery and zucchini from my garden.

I had gone out merely to check on things only to discover that I had one giant zucchini and a very cute baby one. I was so excited! So much so that I almost forgot about the potatoes in the oven.

Mark and I really enjoyed this dish. The flavors were subtle but identifiable, and it was a nice change from the regular grilled chicken + potato/starch + vegetable.

Southwest Ranch Chicken Stuffed Potatoes

Four potatoes
3 wedges Laughing Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle
2 teaspoons dry ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup milk
1 to 1.5 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I grilled mine with additional ranch dressing mix as seasoning)
1/2 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese
2 scallions, sliced
Toppings, as desired: Sour cream, Greek yogurt, salsa, chopped bacon

Scrub potatoes and slit to vent. Bake in a 400-degree oven for an hour or until cooked. Allow to cool to the touch.


Once potatoes are cool, cut in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides, leaving a quarter- to half-inch border around the skin. Put the scooped potato in a bowl. Add Laughing Cow wedges and ranch mix, mashing with a fork. Pour milk over potatoes, starting with 1/4 cup, adding more as necessary. Be mindful not to overwork as potatoes can become gummy. Fold in the chicken. Divide mashed mixture evenly among the potato shells. At this point, you can place potatoes on cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap, refrigerating until ready to bake.


Lower oven to 350 degrees. Top potatoes with cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are slightly golden. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve.

Down and dirty

I didn't have high hopes.

We got a late start. Indiana soil is practically all clay. I have never planted from seed. And then there's the weather - hot, dry and stupid.

However, I am happy to say that things in Garden du Moi are looking good. Quite good, if you ask me.

My zucchini plant - well, one of them - is enormous and I see little buds ready to open.

My yellow squash plant is getting there. The leaves seemed to grow exponentially after last weekend's crazy storm. Their next-door neighbors, some cucumber plants, are doing alright though not as impressive in size.

And my tomatoes? Well, I couldn't be happier.

I have a couple plants with young fruit and a couple more with flowers.

I have a few varieties, though I'm not sure which as a co-worker gave me a mixed "bag" of plants that she had started from seed.

While I had luck with my tomatoes for the first part of last summer, I am doing things a bit differently this year. I finally "invested" in cages (77 cents at Menards this week!) and I'm only watering every other day or every three days, opting for a good soak when I do.

I also planted (not that bush - it was just pretty) some small-sized carrots and bibb lettuce. I see some carrot tops poking through and there's baby lettuce leaves. However, with everything going on, I have to say that the lettuce is the most intimidating. I am not sure when to harvest it and whether it will grow back when I do.

How does your garden grow? Any tips on the lettuce?

Digging deep

I have something upsetting to tell you: Running isn't a real workout. And neither is BODYPUMP ... or cycling ... or CrossFit ... or swimming.

Oh, no. Those are not workouts. Those are recreation.

Want a real workout? I have one for you but be warned. It involves a four-letter word.

Dirt. And lots of it.

After months of being frustrated with the state of our yard and my garden, I woke up bright and early to take care of it. OK, I woke up bright and early to take care of Miles but I was at the door of Do It Best when it opened at 7:30.

I spent $25 to rent a tiller for four hours. And in that four hours, I doubled the size of my garden (the new side is on the right) and cleared out the jungle along the back fence.

The area behind the screened in porch was taken care of, too, as was the remainders of the foundation job done before we moved in.

 Our compost corner

I spent hours tilling, raking, bagging and sweating in the vain effort of having a respectable yard. When I was finished, every square centimeter of clothing was soaked and I couldn't muster the energy to help Mark lift the tiller into the car to return it to Do It Best.

Want an ego check? Well, I had one when we had to call my father in law to help lift it. My 60-year-old father-in-law whose only exercise is a couple rounds of golf a week had to help me, who is training to teach BODYPUMP and can do pushups on her toes.

I'm a little curious to see if I'll be sore and just how badly. I have a feeling that a lot of it's going to be in the core and shoulders but only a night's sleep will tell.