Back To The Table

What an exciting, rewarding day. For months, I've been the lead of a project to create a cookbook encompassing the recipes from my co-workers. At FamilyCare we make up a diverse population with rich heritage and culture. My passion being food and cooking brought to mind a cookbook sharing our family recipes. Last year, at our holiday party I shared the idea with the president of the company. He loved the idea and invited me to his office to further discuss my idea.

Fast forward >>> Today, after months of hard work from the cookbook committee and others the first edition FamilyCare Cookbook "Back To The Table" was in the hands of employees right in time for the holidays. Each employee received a FREE copy. **At this time cookbooks are not for sale to the public.

Grateful. Honored. Proud.

Outside of the Box: Cooking with kids

I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but I say it again -- I love what I do! Yesterday,  Colby, Trystan, and Cy showed up to my kids cooking class eager to cook and learn. Me and three young fellas a recipe for delicious fun!

On the menu: Hard cooked eggs, Brown Bag Popcorn with honey butter (reminiscent of Kettle corn), and Granola Berry Parfaits with made from scratch granola.

We started our time together discussing why we cook and eat OUTSIDE of the Box. My goal is to make the classes fun and provide information. The lessons in these classes go beyond food and beyond cooking. I show the kids how to use basic kitchen tools, basic math skills, and kitchen safety and cleaning tips -- they even washed the dishes -- I have proof (see photos).

In these classes the kids are exercising patience, they're sharing and taking turns, and bonding. A perfect example: Since Trystan was near me, I offered him a sneak sample of the granola we just pulled out of the oven. I looked over and he gestured to the others to share his sample with them. How cute is that?

On the food front:
- We discussed where the food we prepared came from
- Why it's best to eat seasonal, local food
- We talked about cage-free eggs, honey as sweetener instead of sugar
- And of course, we can make any and everything that comes from a package or a box from scratch.

As our time came to an end, I offered a little advice to the parents who attended the class: The lessons from your time in the kitchen with your kids is invaluable. It's a time of learning, sharing, bonding, and creating memories. Besides, how will your kids know how to make the family traditional meals if you don't show them how.  Read previous blog post, Tradition, love and recipes.

Doing what I love, loving what I do! Here's a look at our time together.

Recipe Wednesday: Greek Quinoa Bowl

Greek goodness in a bowl

Woo hoo! On August 27th my second cookbook will hit the shelves. I'd rather not celebrate alone, so for the month of August together let's celebrate the release of Shop, Cook, Eat: Outside of the Box. Every Wednesday this month I'll feature a recipe from the book. 

This week's recipe from the Make It Fast section, Greek Quinoa Bowl -- perfect for summertime. It's light, fresh, and bursting with Greek flavor.

Shop, Cook, Eat: Outside of the Box

60 simple, delicious, healthy recipes

Reconnect with your food and take control of your health in your very own kitchen using this collection of simple recipes focusing on whole, natural foods.

GREEK QUINOA BOWL

Greek goodness in a bowl.

PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES 

TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES 

SERVES 4

Ingredients

2 cups quinoa, cooked

1 red onion, diced

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup Kalamata olives, halved

½ cup artichoke hearts, chopped

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Lemon Vinaigrette 

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

 

In a large bowl, gently toss the quinoa together with the ingredients. Add

salt and pepper to taste.

For vinaigrette: In salad dressing shaker bottle add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Shake until ingredients are mixed. Or whisk ingredients together in bowl.

For bowls: Divide quinoa mixture evenly among individual bowls. Drizzle with lemon vinaigrette. Serve.

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More about Quinoa (from the Grains section of the cookbook):  Often referred to as the supergrain, quinoa (KEEN-wah) is high in fiber and is a plant-based source of protein. In fact, it contains more protein than any other grain while also packing in iron and potassium. One half cup of quinoa has 14 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. This superfood is classified as a whole grain and is naturally gluten-free. Quinoa is a tiny grain that cooks up like rice and has a mild, nutty flavor and a light, fluffy texture similar to couscous. You can find it next to other grains in the grocery store or market.

Tradition, love, and recipes

My mom found it, while spring cleaning. We have been talking about it for a while. Oh, how we’ve longed for a cool, dense wedge of lemon pound cake. My deceased uncle was thought to be the last person in the family to have the recipe in his possession. My mom and I both have tried to duplicate the recipe, but have never quite mastered it. All the recipes we have tried never compared. Too much lemon. Not enough lemon. But, at last we’ve got the original family Lemon Pound Cake recipe.

I’ve been thinking and talking a lot about food lately. It’s ironic to me a culture so obsessed with food is so disconnected from it.  The only real connection we have to food is the act of -- eating.  More often than not, unfortunately, we eat from boxes or restaurants. Gone are the days of cooking. Really cooking. Like you know from scratch?  Peel the potatoes. Zest the lemons. Cut the whole fryer. Oops, I’m off on a tangent.

Think a minute about one of your favorite family dishes. Ever wonder who started making the dish? Does the dish have cultural significance? There's often stories tied to dishes and how they came about. Some recipes may have been by accident. Some creations very deliberate. Either way there's usually a story. A story from your mother's, mother. A story from your great aunt. It's more than food, it's tradition. It's love. If we stop preparing family recipes how will they live on?

I’m afraid at the rate we’re going: Eating from boxes and restaurants. We are in jeopardy of losing family dishes and recipes. Sure, I can go to the internet and find another recipe for Hot Water Cornbread, but it won’t be my great, great grandmother’s Hot Water Cornbread.  There’s a lot more than our health at stake by not preparing, cooking, and eating meals at home.

We are in jeopardy of losing generations of tradition. Pulling through a fast food restaurant and handing your child a bagged meal is quite different than cooking and enjoying a sit down meal at home. What will your children remember from your kitchen? What recipes will you pass down?

Cooking and eating is more than just a mindless past time. There is tradition and love in food and in recipes.

Now, that we've found the family Lemon Pound Cake recipe. I’ve made several copies of the original and retyped it for safe keeping. I gave my mom a copy, my daughter a copy, and our family Lemon Pound Cake recipe will live on. Good save, mom. Good save.

Bonus: On the other side of the page was a Zucchini Bread recipe.

Healthy Cooking 101: Pepper Steak served with Quinoa

I'm super-excited to share my passion for good, wholesome food with others. It's awesome to see the response over the last few weeks at my cooking classes. Seems to me people are really interesting in bringing cooking back home.  I've got the feeling folks are hungry for more. There were six repeat participants in yesterday's class.

I love gazing out at a room full of food enthusiasts. Eager. Asking questions. Taking notes. Excited about rushing home to prepare the recipes themselves.

Yesterday's class brought together another spectacular group.

• A mother brought her elementary aged daughter and her little girlfriend.
• Mother and adult daughter. Spending the afternoon together.
• Friends who hadn't seen each other in a while, catching up.
• Friends just hanging out with one another.
• Lovers. Sharing the afternoon.
• And, then there were those who came by themselves, but made a friend or two while there.

I so love what I do!  I'm bringing "Cooking Back." 

Eating Healthy Never Tasted So Good

Pleased as Punch!

I’m feeling mighty good. Let me count the ways…

1. The blog has a small but steady readership – thanks!
2. Farewell Fatso’s Facebook page is just shy of 100 “likes”

3. To date, I’ve lost 141 lbs. and counting…

4. I can officially fit into a department store sized large shirt

5. My BIG wardrobe is gone forever

6. My outreach continues to work. Last week another friend decided to join the gym – citing my diligent FB posts as one of her reasons. I’ve recruited at least four people that I know of.                      

7. And, last but not least my success story now graces the walls of 24-Hour Fitness.

Yep, I’m kinda like a rock star. Seriously, what a great honor to have my story featured on 24-Hour’s Member Success Story wall. It feels good to know that my hard work is noticed and finally I didn’t even have to self-promote (smile).

I’m so thrilled to have you all to share my story with, it cleanses and motivates me. I hope I continue to inspire, and inform you all. Just a heads up, I’ll be taking about a week off from blogging to revamp the blog. I plan to add more childhood obesity related materials, recipes, and information about the highly controversial school lunch programs. Y’all ready to start a movement? Until then check out Farewell Fatso’s FB page for updates.

Cause for Celebration!

One month ago today, I launched Farewell Fatso! As I reflect on the last month I feel pretty darned pleased with the dialogue that’s been exchanged and information given. I hope you all feel the same.

My goal is to continue adding information to help parents with overweight children. Sometimes I feel by sharing my story I loose my way a little with updating about issues surrounding childhood obesity. Please, make no mistake about it though my greatest desire is to do my part to help combat childhood obesity. So, please bear with me while I work out the kinks. We’ll get there – we’re going to start a movement!

Coming soon: Per your requests, I’ll add recipes to the site and a section about Food/Nutrition.

More exciting news…Today is the debut of my cooking class, Healthy Cooking 101. I created this class after hearing feedback from many of you struggling with recipes, especially healthy ones. Initially, I was going to add recipes to the blog (which I will still do), but part of what I was hearing was a lot of you also struggle with cooking techniques and that’s when I thought about offering classes. Look for photos and possibly even a short video clip tomorrow (Friday) from the debut of Healthy Cooking 101 class.

Thank you all for supporting me. Please keep following the blog, and for you local folks come join me for a cooking class/demonstration.

For once and for all, Farewell Fatso!