October Farmers Market Haul

[youtube=http://youtu.be/nBqifPiSTug] What did you get at the farmers market this week? Share in the comments below!

Restaurant Rundown: Foode

Hi all! I thought I would do an extra post this week since last week was a little lacking. Today I wanted to share a fun local restaurant with you. Jasen and I don't go out to eat often because 1) It's expensive and 2) I can/like to cook.  So, when we do go out, we try to go to some place that's exceptional. It is usually a restaurant with something I can't make (authentic Indian food) or something local and delicious. This past Saturday, to celebrate my new RD status, we had lunch at a restaurant in downtown Fredericksburg called Foode.

This gem prides itself on local and organic offerings with a no-fuss atmosphere. Sounds like my kind of place, huh? I've been here once before, about a year ago, for dinner with my mom. Let me just say that this is way too long between visits and, now that I'm living back in the area, I will definitely be visiting them more frequently.

We arrived around 12:30 to see a crowd outside the door. We grabbed a menu, got our name on the list, and claimed our spot for the 20-30 minute wait. The one bad thing about this place is their food is so good, there are lots of people trying to get their hands on it. Needless to say, the masses are willing to wait it out on the street in the summer heat. Yes, it really is worth it.

We were happy to wait. Me rocking a top knot and my stunna shades...

and Jasen repping our local CrossFit affiliate.

The restaurant doesn't use a traditional service style. Here's how it works. You grab a menu and make your selection(s). Then you order and pay at the register before being seated. They start you off with your drinks and then you take it upon yourself to get your refills. They bring your food out when it's ready and check back periodically to make sure everything is to your liking. It's kind of like one step above "fast-casual" (think Chipotle or Panera) in service with gourmet food. This also means there is no need to tip.

Our wait didn't seem that long at all since we spent the whole time scouring the menu again and again and AGAIN. Everything looked so yummy, it was hard for us to make a decision. We both ended up choosing the Fredericksburger.

I got mine without the cheese, Jasen got his with. I'm just not a cheese person. Sorry. :( The thought of it actually made me gag as a child.

Once we heard them call "Jasen!" we turned in our menus and headed in to order. I always give the last name when reserving a table, Jasen always gives the first. I'm not sure which is more common.

We placed our order, payed, and got started on our tea while we waited.

We actually ended up sitting in the same place my mom and I did when we ate there together. Here's Jasen, looking cute as usual.

And me enjoying my tea. Why do my fingers look all jacked up?

When the food came we were super hungry. I couldn't even get a picture of Jasen's burger before he started diving in!

Here's mine. The bun skewered vertically on top was a nice touch.

And here's a close-up. Check out those fries and all their crispy goodness!

We both cleaned our plates and weren't hungry for another 8 hours. Anyone who knows me will understand that this is an incredible feat. I'm always hungry and, if I don't eat, I get grumpy. Mom says I'm worse now than I was as a baby.

If you live in the area, definitely plan to check out Foode. The food is great and you can feel good about eating it.

Do you have a favorite local restaurant where you live? Let me know in the comments below!

What I'm Reading: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Nothing better than when something good comes out of a bad situation. A couple months ago I hurt my back (working out I think) and was out of commission for a few weeks. I pretty much just lied around all day and answered cooking questions from the couch as Jasen made the dinners I had planned. Once I was finally pain-free enough to be useful, I decided to make walking my workout of choice until I was sure things had healed up (still not there by the way). I decided these walks would be a good time to get into some audio books I purchased a while back. My first pick was Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbra Kingsolver. Simply put, it has become one of my favorite books ever.

The basic premise of the book is this: Barbara and her family move from Arizona to a farm property in south western Virginia. Here, they challenge themselves to live for an entire year eating only foods that they grow themselves or obtain from local sources. Barbara's writing ability (she's an author in real life)  makes a huge difference as she takes you through a year of this way of living. Not only does she provide great information, but she weaves it all into a great story. Being able to learn from their experience and go through each season with the family shows the reader how a life like this can still work in today's world. There are also small sections written by her husband on food system issues and her daughter provides recipe and menu planning ideas along the way. This is an excellent starting place for anyone interested in producing their own food, whether you're just starting out or are looking to expand your gardening efforts. For me, it also brought back memories of helping my grandma plant her garden, being sure to place the seeds however deep and far apart she instructed, and sitting at her dining room table shelling peas.

Do you plan to read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? What book should I read next? Let me know in the comments below!

[youtube=http://youtu.be/JqiCBMVybBw]

Recipe: Roasted Eggplant and Chickpea Stew (and an update!)

Today's recipe celebrates some of the best veggies of summer that won't be around much longer. I figured it's time to give them a nice farewell as we start to move closer to fall. But, first things first, I wanted to give a little update about what I've been up to. Over the past few weeks I've been in the process of preparing, moving, and getting settled for my dietetic internship. Yippee! I'm super excited for what the year has in store and know that I'm going to learn so much during that time. I just can't wait to get started! Also, I somehow misplaced my camera in the move, so, until I find it, we're going to be working with cell phone pictures. Not the best, but do-able. Now, back to the recipe. First, I have a confession: I messed up when I made this. You see, I am a severe onion-crier. I've read that cold onions don't make your eyes tear up as much, so I usually put however many onions I need in the freezer when I start cooking and save them to chop last. Well, this time around, I totally forgot the onions in the freezer, so I had two frozen onions and no onions in the oven. Oops. However, the end product still tasted incredible and I'm sure it tastes even better if the onions are included! This veggie packed, vegan dish uses flavor packed basil and cilantro to season some summer super stars, including eggplant and tomatoes. They all bake together to create a delicious dish that has definitely made itself a place on my list of favorite recipes.

Roasted Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

serves 4-6

Ingredients

1.5 pounds of waxy potatoes sliced 1/2-inch thick

2 large red or yellow bell peppers

Olive oil

1 cup packed basil leaves

1 cup packed cilantro leaves

3 large cloves garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 large onions, peeled and cut into eighths

1 pound eggplant cut into 3-inch x 1-inch wedges

2 or 3 large meaty red tomatoes, seeded and diced

1.5 cups cooked chickpeas

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler. Prepare a steamer basket by bringing water in lower-pot to a boil. Steam potatoes until fork-tender.

2. Halve the peppers lengthwise, press to flatten them, then brush with olive oil. Broil, cut side down, on a baking sheet until blistered but not charred. Stack them on top of one another and set aside to steam. When cool, remove the skins and cut the pieces in half, Set the oven temperature to 350°F.

3. Coarsely chop the basil, cilantro, and garlic, then puree in a small food processor with the olive oil, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

4. Toss all the vegetables with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, and herb mixture. Using your hands, rub the herb mixture into the vegetables, especially the eggplant, then add the chickpeas and toss once more. Transfer everything to a large casserole dish. Rinse out the herb container with 1/2 cup water and pour it over all. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1.5 hours. Remove the foil, brush the exposed vegetables with the juices, and bake for 20 minutes more. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve alone or over brown rice, whole wheat couscous, or quinoa.