Thursday, May 31, 2012

FRESH is best!

With the start of summer in Minnesota...comes the fresh foods we love. Although, at the beginning of the season, there aren't many local fresh options, but that doesn't mean we can't still cook fresh! Since one of mine and my husbands favorite foods to make (and all variations of it) is tacos. We love beef tacos, chicken tacos, fish tacos, ground turkey tacos...you name it, we've had it as tacos. And one of our favorite ways to have our tacos is with fresh chunky salsa. Because it's something I absolutely love, I decided to share it with all of you so you can enjoy the fresh yumminess!!


All the ingredients used were bought at my local Cub Foods grocery store. If you live in a warmer climate area, some of these ingredients may be available locally, if so, definitely go for the local or organic when you're able to - they just taste that much better!



Gather all your ingredients, and get ready to chop!



Start with your tomatoes and chop them roughly (no need to worry about size)


Next you'll move on to your red onion. We use about half of a medium size red onion and chop it into smaller pieces.


Add the chopped onion to the bowl of tomatoes.


Next, the avacado's. Everyone seems to have a way to de-pit, peel and cut up avacado, but we usually cut it in half and then use a knife to twist the seed/pit right out.


After getting the pit out, we usually peel the outside off which allows us easily dice the avacado.


YUM!


Next we chop up the fresh cilantro. We like a bit more cilantro, but you can add more or use less depending on your preferences.


Next squeeze the juice from one lime and add to the rest of the ingredients.


Finally, add just a bit of salt and pepper to taste.
We prefer and use fresh cracked sea salt and peppercorns.


Now, mix and ENJOY!


Fresh Tomato, Avacado & Red Onion Salsa

4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
2 Avacados, chopped
1/2 Medium Red Onion, chopped
Juice from 1 Fresh Lime
1/8 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!









Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Tomato Klamata Olive Quinoa Salad

As many of you may know, to manage my fibro symptoms, I went gluten free a couple years ago. I've found many ways to alter my favorite "comfort" foods to gluten free, but every once in a while, I come across something new, tasty and refreshingly healthy. Today, I had my first experience making Quinoa. I made it and used it in a salad recipe I got from a "health fair" at work a while back. I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it is and, to top it off, my husband likes it too!


The ingredients are really pretty simple, you may even have these in your fridge and cubboard already.

1 cup Quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 cup Klamata Olives, roughly chopped
1/2 cup Green Onion, chopped
1/8 cup Fresh Mint, chopped
1/8 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1-2 Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/8 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring water to boil, add Quinoa, reduce to simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is soft, about 15-20 minutes.



Set aside and chill. Combine herbs, tomatoes and olives.



Toss with chilled Quinoa. Drizzle Olive Oil and Lemon Juice over the top. Mix well. Season with Salt and Pepper.



Approx. 6 servings

This can be refridgerated overnight or enjoyed immediately.

**This recipe was originally created by Chef Marshall O'Brien with Taste Success


Monday, May 28, 2012

Camping...Fibro Style

My husband and I welcomed in the Memorial Day weekend...and the start of summer camping season with a new pop-up camper. I can't even begin to tell you how much easier camping with fibro is when you aren't sleeping on the ground, have a fridge, stove and sink to make "real" food, and are able to regulate the temperature when you sleep! I was in heaven compared to past camping trips!

I (as I've mentioned before) have been gluten free for quite some time, and I've found that camping for a weekend in a tent makes sticking to my gluten free diet a bit more difficult...but this weekend was much more enjoyable. I was happy to be able to make the foods I need to eat and to have heat at night when it got too cool out for me to sleep well. I did find out though - since we just purchased the camper - that there are a handful of items that will make camping even more pleasant - like a thicker memory foam mattress, better pillows and more things to help with organization (life is always easier when things are organized!).

Don't get me wrong...the storms over the weekend and sleeping in a new bed still left me exhausted by the time I got home today, but not as exhausted as past camping trips in a tent...Has anyone else found ways to change fun outdoor activities to make them more managable and pleasant so you are still able to continue despite your fibro?