2009: A return to blogging!

Hello friends,

It's been six months since I've become a mom and so much change has happened in my life. I feel so incredibly fortunate to be Ryan's mom. Happiness & peace have been the baseline of my life since his arrival. These feelings have affected every part of my life. Including how I view my own health and vitality.

Full disclosure now: the first three months of adjustment were not easy. I pretty much gave up on cooking and exercise due to throwing my entire energy into caring for our newborn son. This lack of caring for my own self caused me to drag from lack of energy. As happy as I was to finally be a mom, I wasn't enjoying it fully because I felt...well, crappy. So after the inevitable weight gain, my husband and I made a plan. We would put "me" back on the map and schedule in time for him to take care of Ryan and for me to focus on healthy cooking and moderate exercise. Also I took charge of my own destiny on November 4 and started a food diary which took the form of a wipe off board on my fridge. I'm still cooking with whole grains, lean meats, veggies and fruits, but I'm careful to eat the appropriate portion for my 5'3 stature. All these changes did not happen overnight, but they've been easy to maintain because I didn't go overboard. My mantra is slow and steady wins the race.

The last three months have been infinitely better. First, I lost 20 lbs (Yay!!!) but more importantly, I'm relishing every single moment of being a mom because I have a skip in my step again. It's not over yet, though. You'll start to see some changes in this blog due to my efforts. I'll start to share more about portion control, exercise and finding balance in life. I'm working on learning habits that are realistic and sustainable...I'm definitely not trying to be a perfect person when it comes to food. Just to be more accountable to myself.

I've missed this blog and all of my friends online. I'm looking forward to sharing with you again the adventures of Test Drive Kitchen.

All the best,

Karen

Stress

I've done a massive amount of cooking (and baking!) over the last few days and have neglected to share it here. I promise that I'll put up the recipes today or tomorrow and share the pictures of this week's CSA box, too. But before I do that, I wanted to share my thoughts with you about a health issue that we all struggle with from time to time: stress.

Stress can be acute for many of us, while for others something that results slowly over the years. I've struggled with how much personal information I've wanted to share here and sometimes when I go silent for a few days it's because I'm not sure if it's even relevant to the blog. But the truth is, no matter how dedicated we are to living a healthy lifestyle, the unexpected can happen and we wind up sidelined.

I've been dealing with some acute stress brought on by the complexity and uncertainty of the adoption process and unfortunately it's manifested into some physical symptoms. Mainly, loss of appetite and energy. Hubby and I have had a very tough few weeks on our road to parenthood. But I'm pleased to say that we've managed far better than I ever expected. Mentally and emotionally, we've tapped our individual and joint strength. I'm so proud of the marriage we've created and our ability to deal with the emotional roller coaster we're on.

With all that said, I've been pretty surprised at my own body's reaction. In fact, I was pretty darn frustrated that my head felt fine, but my body refused to get back in the game. My workouts have been for crap and I've had no desire to eat the wonderful, healing foods I've been making. I thought I could just "will" myself to feel better. But the truth is, stress can be a shock to one's body and no amount of pushing or yelling or encouragement will make healing go any faster. It just takes time and patience and the knowledge that it's just a temporary situation.

Recently, someone offered me a great metaphor for how stress affects our bodies. Imagine a swimming pool full of clear, blue, calm waters. Then, someone spills a bottle of ink in it. You can't just get a ladle and scoop the ink out. It's everywhere and the filters just need time to clean in out.

I'm learning to treat myself more gently and let my body's filters do their job. I'll eat better when my body is ready. I'll have more energy for the treadmill soon. But pushing myself-or judging myself harshly- is like adding another bottle of ink to the pool. It will only make things worse.

So, if you're dealing with stress now, please think about what I said. Whether your stress is the result of work, a sick loved one, buying or selling your house...please be gentle and kind to yourself. Putting high expectations on yourself might only aggravate your health further.

Packing lunch, among other things...

In my preparation for motherhood, I've been thinking a lot about how kids eat today. If you're a parent or not, you can't ignore the convenience products in bright & fun packaging on grocery store shelves and promoted rather effectively on television. Yogurt in tubes, purple colored ketchup, and cookies in "fun" shapes. Everything possible to entice kids to eat. Except it's so hopped up on preservatives, salt and sugar, that kids today never really know how tasty real food in it's pure form can be. I have some pretty strong feelings about this, so I'm trying to be careful and not go on a rant. I can only tell you that over the last 1.5 years that hubby and I have transitioned from processed foods to whole foods, I've discovered that my palate has suddenly come alive. There's so many flavors that I didn't even know existed. It's enhanced our lives in numerous ways and I doubt we'll ever go back to our old ways.

During the adoption process, hubby and I have been asked to reflect and write down our parenting philosophies. This is such an abstract question and it's really hard to know where to begin. One of the hopes I have when we are parents is that we'll be able to share our joy of nutritious healthful food with our kids. I've been thinking a lot about how to bring up "thoughtful eaters." And I've come to a few conclusions.

1) Plant a vegetable garden. It's incredibly empowering to order seeds, plant them, nurture their life, and eventually harvest them and add them to your meals. I think it instills a sense of wonder to watch it happen before you eyes.

2) Visit an organic farm. Talk about seasonal eating with your kids and let them discover for themselves the difference between a strawberry in January and one picked in the summer.

3) From a very early age, have your child eat exactly what you eat. I've been inspired by some of my friends who are parents who placed steamed broccoli and fresh pineapple on their 2 year old's plates. And when talking about food with your kids, nothing should fall in the "good" or "bad" categories. Just practice moderation. And don't use food as a reward or a punishment. Developing healthy relationships with food at a young age will be the best gift we can give.

4) Even though your young child can't run heavy machinery in the kitchen yet, there's no reason they can't be your sous chef by tearing pieces of chicken apart or separating orange slices for a salad. Involving your child in meal planning and cooking may encourage them try new food you introduce.

5) Pack lunch for your child - even if you do it the night before. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but it will definitely be healthier than those shrink wrapped plastic trays of "food" sold for your convenience.

Now, I know I'm taking a big risk by sharing my theories of parenting a child with you. I don't have a child yet and I'm kind of afraid you'll think I'm making unrealistic suggestions. But I do know that there's nothing more important than our health and well being. I really believe this is a life long gift we can give our kids.

So, I'm getting my practice in now and I've started to pack lunch for my hubby. He's been working very long hours recently and has been eating late. I decide to purchase a modern day "bento box" from Laptop Lunches. You can find their products at www.laptoplunches.com.

Today's lunch consisted of aromatic lime-peanut whole wheat linguine with sugar snap peas, sliced fuji apple, spring mix (from the CSA!) with goat cheese & cranberries and a mix of pistachios, walnuts, pecans and cashews. The little blue box off to the side contains some homemade dressing. Each laptop lunch comes with a case with a place to insert an ice pack inside.

I'm curious to hear what you're doing to encourage your kids to eat well and have a positive relationship with food. Please share in the comments section!

April 27, 2005 - A Passover Memory

As John Lennon beautifully sang, "Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans." I learned that lesson very well three years ago today.

Back in April 2005, I was working as a fundraiser and an event planner for a wonderful nonprofit that mentored teens from disadvantaged areas of the city. I was in charge of a major reception to honor this program which was set to occur inside the U.S. Capitol building on April 27. Needless to say, I was juggling quite a bit to make it a success. Typing emails at 2 am, sitting at a desk all day answering phones and faxing letters, barely eating, sleeping or exercising took a toll on me and I didn't acknowledge the fact that I wasn't feeling well for days. My body was sending me a lot of signals that I ignored - shortness of breath, pain in my leg and a burning sensation in my chest. What did I do? I tried to pretend it wasn't happening because I had the biggest event of my career to plan. I even made sure the catering services prepared kosher for Passover appetizers to serve the guests!

On the day of the event, I decided I couldn't ignore it any longer because I was in bad shape. I took a cab to the hospital (yes I went into work that day!) to just make sure everything was okay before I went to the Capitol. I was still answering my cell phone and giving parking information to guests when the nurses called me in. I was admitted immediately due to blood clots in my lungs that began as a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in my leg.

It's April 27, 2005. I am 30 years old and about to married in less than two weeks.

Obviously, I came through okay. More than just okay, actually. I spent a week in the hospital getting better. They found the cause of the clot was my use of the birth control pill. I had absolutely nothing else wrong with me. I walked out of that hospital and never looked back. What a crazy fluke. I'm one of the 1% that gets a clot on the pill! With those odds, I should have bought a lottery ticket, maybe?

What does all this have to do with my blog, you ask? Well, from that day forward I've been learning some very important lessons that I would like to share. Listen to your body and treat yourself really, really well. Be pro-active about your health & be your own advocate. Get eight hours of restorative sleep every night. Take a brisk walk everyday. Eat gorgeous vegetables with most meals. Enjoy dessert in moderation. Love yourself and act like you mean it. And don't believe that the world will come to a screeching halt if you do any of the above. You deserve to live happily and healthily.

To end this public service announcement, I'd like you to do me a favor. I feel I have a responsibility to share with you the causes and the symptoms of a DVT. Will you please go to http://www.preventdvt.org/, read about it, commit it to memory and then go on with your day? It's extremely treatable when caught - but you have to know when to act.

In Judaism, we have a toast. L'chaim. It means, "To Life."

Thanks again for reading today's memory and this week's Passover recipes. I hope you continue coming to my blog to learn about what's cooking in Test Drive Kitchen. Now raise your glass and join me in a toast.

L'Chaim.

A milestone and an award

I started this blog in December as a way to remember all of the hits and misfires (and real fires) that occur in my kitchen. I mentioned it to a few friends, who mentioned it to their friends and I occasionally started to post messages on other people's blogs and get involved with some foodie discussion groups. I never in a million years expected to see 5,000 visits this year. I admit it...I was watching the site meter yesterday as the number rolled over.

It's an old habit. When my dad's cars' odometers showed a number like 99,987, the whole family would pile in the car and drive around the neighborhood to witness it turn to 100,000 miles together. And yes, more than one car of his reached this milestone.


I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for visiting me here. I really love to cook dishes that are good and good for you. And I like to make people laugh. Hopefully you've gotten a recipe or two or at least a chuckle since you've gotten to know me.


And I'm totally humbled by the amazing kitchen feats and adventures my fellow foodie bloggers have achieved. I've seen some incredible dishes out there and I've been inspired more than a few times.

Thank you to one such blogger, Patsyk at Family, Friends and Food- http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/ -for sharing her "Blogging with a Purpose" award with me.

It's the first blogger award I've received. Now that she's passed it on to me, I will pay it forward to five new recipients. I'll do that on Monday after Passover ends and I've had enough carbs in my system to make a coherent decision.

I'll check in with you tomorrow! G'night.

1) crumb: noun, a small fragment especially of something baked (as bread)

Wow, it's been a very busy weekend here. Hubby and I are hosting my cousin, his wife and their three wonderful and totally adorable boys (one 8 year old and a set of 6 year old twins!) while they tour Washington, DC for the first time. They've been here since Friday night and I've been cooking up some of my favorite dishes for them to try. Feeding seven people for five days is a great way to use up my remaining bread products - which is one of my goals as Passover steadily approaches. After they leave tomorrow, I will do a major clean up of my pantry (I'm talking industrial strength elbow grease) and make sure I wipe up every last non-Passover friendly crumb. It will be a Herculean task, I'm afraid, because I haven't been keeping it very tidy lately.


Speaking of crumbs, I've baked for my guests and sadly I don't have a picture of my efforts to show you.However, Eating Well magazine's Zucchini Bread and Cooking Light's Oatmeal, Pecan & Chocolate Chip Cookies were so tasty, that my hubby rated them high enough to share.

(Funny story: last week I made a salmon asparagus risotto that my hubby deemed good, but not "blog worthy." Yes, he enjoys the good life, doesn't he?)

Zucchini Bread from Eating Well magazine

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup pecan halves
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup apple butter
1/3 cup canola oil
3 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans cooking spray. Spread oats and pecans on separate parts of a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, 5 to 10 minutes; let cool. Chop the pecans. Stir together all but 2 tablespoons of the toasted oats, the pecans, white and whole-wheat flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk together brown sugar, eggs, egg whites, apple butter and oil in another bowl; stir in zucchini. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans, smoothing the tops. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the reserved oats on top of each loaf. Bake until the tops feel firm when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 5 minutes; turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

• This is the first time I've seen apple butter as a substitute for oil. Usually, recipes call for applesauce in it's place. I just happened to have three jars of apple butter handy (dropped off on my doorstep by ambitious realtors!)
• Hubby and I enjoyed one loaf early last week and froze the second loaf for our visitors. I just double wrapped it in foil and put it into a large freezer bag. When I needed it, I warmed it up in the microwave for 1 minute. It was as tasty as the first loaf.
• When I reached for the brown sugar, I found it to be brick-like. I recently heard of a novel way to soften it. Apparently, putting a slice of bread in the bag with the sugar does the trick. Has anyone else tried this successfully?

Oatmeal, Pecan & Chocolate Chip Cookies, by Cooking Light

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 1/2 ounces)

1 cup regular oats

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk; set aside. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and minichips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

• To quote my younger self (straight from Jersey): Oh. My. God. These cookies are totally awesome.
• The dough can easily be rolled into a log, wrapped in plastic, and saved for a later date. I'm stealing a page from the Small Batch baking playbook by only making a small amount of cookies at one time.

On a completely different note, if you happen to live in the DC area and don't mind laughing until milk comes shooting out your nose, then stop by the DC Improv (www.dcimprov.com) tomorrow night - Tuesday April 15 at 8:30pm. I'm performing in the monthly DC Improv Comedy School cast show. It's the 5th anniversary show- well over 200 cast members have graced the stage. Tomorrow, I'll be one of 15 cast members. We had an all day rehearsal yesterday, and I'm honored to be part of this incredibly talented cast. Hope to see you!

Veggies at Work

Look at what Jessie at Cakespy (http://www.cakespy.com/) created for me!!! I'm a huge fan of both her blog and artwork. Her paintings of Lil' Cuppie - a very adventurous cupcake- make me giggle on a daily basis. My favorite thing about her work is the attention to details. Just look at the expression on the veggies' faces.

Thank you, Jessie, for beautifully capturing the inner workings of Test Drive Kitchen.

Hope Springs Eternal

For me, Spring is bringing hope, although I'm not sure yet if it will be eternal. I have so much to look forward to right now that I'm having a hard time sitting still (yes the ankle is much better!)

In three weeks, hubby and I are visiting Calvert Farm to plant a row of lettuce. Back in January we joined a CSA and became shareholders. Recently, we contacted the farmers and asked if we could visit and bring a group of kids from a housing project in the city. Hubby has been volunteering with these kids for over five years, taking them on nature hikes and camping trips. Basically getting them in touch with nature, because they barely ever leave their immediate environment. We thought they would like to see where their food comes from, how organic farming works and learn about the life cycle of each vegetable that the farm produces.

That evening when we return home, another spring ritual begins for us. Passover, an eight day Jewish holiday, begins that evening with a dinner (called a seder) where we tell the story of the Israelites fleeing Egypt when they were slaves under the Pharoah. It also begins an eight day period of observing new dietary rules. Because the Israelites left Egypt in a hurry, there was no time for their bread to rise. So we observe the holiday by not eating anything leavened for the whole week. I can not wait to take on the challenge of cooking healthy meals that are kosher (okay) for Passover. For those of you that observe Passover, I hope by sharing and reviewing recipes that your experience will be enhanced. Growing up, there was ALOT of processed and super sugary foods - deemed kosher for Passover- eaten during the holiday. Needless to say, hubby and I will not be going that route. The holiday starts on April 19th, so I'll make a point to post every day during that week.

Another exciting Spring event will be the arrival of our weekly box of produce from Calvert Farm starting on May 20th. Test Drive Kitchen will shift gears at that point and focus primarily on how to integrate these vegetables in every meal without wasting any of them. Also, there will be veggies I've never tried before like radishes and kohlrabi. I can't tell you how excited I am about this upcoming challenge.

Lastly, on a much more personal note, Spring is bringing a revived feeling of optimism to my life. Right now I'm staring outside in my backyard at two beautiful trees slowing coming back to life. A pink & white dogwood and a bright yellow forsythia bush. I can't help but think of the two dreams that are blooming in my own mind. The daughter we're waiting for from China and the infant we're hoping to one day meet through a domestic adoption. Yes, we decided about six months ago to pursue what's called a "concurrent adoption." We've been waiting for over a year for China and it looks like it will be another three years. So recently we decided to diversify our efforts to become parents by updating our paperwork and begin the rollar coaster ride that is domestic adoption. Just this week, we completed a very long application process and a new wait period begins.

And maybe, just maybe, hope will spring eternal and nourish me throughout this journey.

Riding the Bench

I hate watching the game from the bench, but that's where I am. For at least two weeks. I'm nursing a grade 3 ankle sprain. It's been a unusual experience handing my hubby the grocery list and giving him cooking directions from the couch. Thankfully, he's totally on board with keeping up our eating habits and hasn't suggested take-out food. The thing is, once you start eating real food made from ingredients one can pronounce, it's nearly impossible to go back to crap. So, hubby is taking on double duty as breadwinner and breadmaker! Oh, and guess what...he made a statement that made me leap with joy from the sofa (almost.) He pronounced Whole Foods produce far superior and will no longer express frustration at our grocery bills.

We're keeping the menu light and easy this week. So far, it's been spinach and mesclun salads with cannellinni and black beans, shaved parmesan and dried cherries, baked fish, roasted cauliflower and raisin salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. He gets home between 7:30-8pm, so it's been imperative to make dishes with a shorter prep time. Honestly, I'm ravished by the time he gets home. Maybe that's because I'm sitting here reading cooking websites and Mark Bittman books all day!!

Since I'm determined to keep posting frequently, I'll write some more cookbook reviews and website discoveries (and try not to critique hubby's culinary attempts too much!)

For now, here's something completely different for your amusement. A friend from my comedy class added a video of us performing a few weeks ago on Youtube. The picture quality is not great, but I'm in the one in green pretending to speak in Lithuanian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR8ueIbhzwE

Enjoy!!

The Great Shed of 2008

Dear Karen,


I know that we've been dancing around the subject for the last two weeks, so I thought I would just address it. You've quietly swept and swiffered fruitlessly as I leave new gifts for you. You've used special tools, like the Furminator, to lessen the pile up only to create more mess. Even Dyson's special vacuum - the Animal- has failed to meet your expectations.


Big E for effort, though. You're a trooper.


But seriously, I didn't ask to blow my coat. It's just that the Great Shed stops for no one. Not even the furry inhabitants of Test Drive Kitchen.



Keep your chin up. It's almost over. Oh, and can you pass me your slipper? I wasn't done nibbling on it. Thanks.



I feel better now that we've had this talk.


Love,
Sami

A Fresh Coat of Paint

Do you like my new look?

As my Grandmother Sara (who was always very fashionable and was never without a beautiful silk scarf, sparkly earrings and pint of hairspray) might say, "You look stunning! Wear it in the best of health."

Many, many thanks to the very talented Becky from Lady in Waiting Blog Designs (www.ladyinwaitingblogdesign.blogspot.com.) She did a fantastic job giving me more than just a fresh coat of paint, but brought her creative spirit to the job. I'm really blown away. I recommend her services highly!

I have a new list of recipes to try, including something quick and delicious with zucchini this afternoon.

Stay tuned...

Tag. I'm it!

Last night, after a rousing game of Monopoly with my hubby and his sister that went late into the night (the three of us are so competitive!), I checked my blog and found that I'm part of a new game. This is my first game of "virtual" tag, basically a getting to know you game between like-minded bloggers. I haven't share much here except my passion for healthy cooking, so this is a good opportunity to highlight some others happening outside of Test Drive Kitchen.

Thank you to Josie from 1 Kitchen, 2 Dogs and a Girl (http://2dogsandagirl.blogspot.com/) for tagging me and getting me involved!

Here are my instructions via Josie:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names, linking to them.
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Here we go.....

• I grew up in the Southern region of New Jersey, close to the city of Philadelphia. At age 22, I moved to Washington, DC and I'm still trying to lose my accent. I grew up on diner food, spent summers at the Jersey shore, listened to Jon Bon Jovi, and teased my bangs to new heights. I'm a Jersey girl at heart even though I left over a decade ago.
• There are certain movie scenes that no matter how many times I've seen them, I cry. Same spot in the movie, every time. Field of Dreams: "Dad, wanna have a catch?" and Rudy getting into Notre Dame on his last attempt to transfer schools and play football are just two examples.
• I've been taking classes in improvisational comedy for almost a year. Last weekend, I performed at the DC Improv with my classmates in front of our family and friends. It was a total rush!
• I never knew that I would love a dog as much as I do our 1 1/2 year old golden retriever. I didn't grow up around animals, but always wanted a pet. I didn't realize how much of a family member she would become. I can't believe how much fur I kiss a day. If you don't kiss fur, you don't know what you're missing.
• And for something very personal (I discussed with my hubby before posting), we are in the process of building our family through adoption. We're under a heap of paperwork right now, so that's why I'm blogging less frequently right now. We can't wait to be parents and I'm excited to one day make healthy meals for my children.

I've tagged the following people:

1. Vicci at The Days are Just Packed (http://victoriasdays.blogspot.com/). She's always posting great comments on my blog and I love the way she writes about her life!
2. Ricki at Diet, Dessert and Dogs (http://dietdessertndogs.wordpress.com/). We share the same cooking philosphy.
3. Kathy at Panini Happy (http://www.paninihappy.blogspot.com/). She's the beautiful wife (and new mother!) of my husband's best buddy. She's cooking up a storm and creating fantastic panini recipes.
4. Ana at Kitchen Space (http://kitchenspace.blogspot.com/), she's exploring the world of Ellie Krieger. We're both Ellie's superfans. I'm so envious that Ana just met her in person!
5. Finally, Jessie at Cakespy (http://www.cakespy.com/) Her blog is so amazing. GREAT artwork and just a really fun blog to read. It makes me smile everytime I check it out.

Okay, who's turn is it? Pass me the dice.