Our New Garden

I'm happy to announce that my garden beds are in! It was a lot of work and we were all exhausted afterwards but it was well worth it. It looks so cute! We ended up doing two 4x4 beds and my dad came up with the idea to make a grid over the boxes out of narrow boards in order to keep all my different crops divided. Plus, I think it looks really cute.

My dad is amazing. No really. He did so much work and wouldn't even let me buy him lunch! He is so knowledgable, about literally everything, and I feel so lucky to have him living less than 10 minutes away. We're very close and I appreciate all he does for me...I'm very lucky when it comes to my amazing parents!

I have to give a huge pat on the back to Tommy for all the hard work he did. For someone who was really opposed to a garden, he worked his butt off to help. We had to dig out the grass because our yard has a slope near the back and it was a lot of hard labor that I am just not strong enough to do. I promised to cook lots of his favorite meals and scratch his back in return. Ah the compromises of marriage.

My dad was a rockstar when it came to the soil. Seriously. It's a loose, organic mixture of vermiculite, composted cow manure, mushroom compost, and peat moss

Here's my dad putting the mixture together

And Tommy doing lots of manual labor worthy of a good meal and a back scratching :)

Sweet little Ruby and Ozzy and my Mama supervised...

I didn't take a ton of photos of the building process since I was doing a lot of the work but here is the finished product! I think it looks so cute!!

And of course, my sweet little Keller came over to help the boys out and was working hard with Ozzy on his tricks. It was so sweet! Ozzy just loves him

My new favorite photo of our Ozzy-babe. I think he has Edward Cullen eyes in this photo!

Then I got some pics of Keller helping his Uncle Mimi and Pawpaw lay down straw over our freshly planted grass seed. It was so sweet how proud he was to help! I saw him yesterday and he asked how my grass and garden were growing...such a sweet boy

He was pushing the metal pins in the ground to hold the straw

And of course Ozzy thought it was all for him so he'd have somewhere to lay down. So spoiled...

So far, we've my cold weather plants: shallots, spinach and leaf lettuce. In about a week or so, we should have some fresh, organic produce right in our backyard!

Also, I used Random.org to find a winner for the Blog Giveaway I posted last week. And the winner is N.! Email me at lmholo[at]gmail[dot]com and I'll send your mixed tape (on a cd!) out in the mail to you! Also, thanks to all 5 of you for the comments!

Cheers,

Lynsey

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Garden Plans

To say I'm excited about my garden is a huge understatement. I cannot be more freaking excited!!! Tommy is not feeling so stellar about it but alas, he agreed in a weak moment, so it's happening. And I promise you the man will not complain when he's eating the fruits [and vegetables] of my labors. Literally.

I had a few questions asking about what I'm planting and for some inspiration pics. I literally love all fruits and vegetables and if I had it my way [and thought it was realistic for us to eat it all], I would be planting everything!

I found the majority of my information from the University of Illinois' Garden Guide here and about herbs here.

The goods:
  asparagus
  cucumbers
  spinach
  squash
  zucchini
  bell peppers
  tomatoes
  green beans
  cucumbers
  lettuce
  and possible onions and garlic - still undecided

I'll also be planting an assortment of herbs in pots and will keep them on our deck. I don't want to take up valuable space in my raised beds with herbs. I've grown basil and chives in the past and honestly, a little goes a long way. I've gotten rid of all our dried herbs and have been buying all fresh. Very excited to have fresh lavender and lemon verbena to freshen up the house!

Herbs:
  basil
  chives
  dill
  lavender
  mint
  parsley
  thyme
  rosemary
  lemon verbena

On a personal note, I am very thankful to have my dad's guidance as he had a garden several years ago and knows so much about it. He is also making all the raised beds for me and helping me to time out the planting process. He knows so much about planting and fertilizing that I know I couldn't do it without him and it's just another fun thing to do with my dad.  I really wish my Grandpa Joe was around to offer his guidance. I remember walking through his garden and eating tomatoes like apples with him! Every summer I would help pick the green beans we would make for dinner and the memories I have of the time spent in his garden with him will forever be invaluable. I remember having an assembly line in the basement and canning tomatoes and peppers. I am really hoping to do that this fall as well if my garden thrives like I'm praying it will! I think he would be so excited to see me carrying on his green thumb [hopefully!!] of planting an organic garden. I am so thankful to have those memories and I hope my children will have those memories with us and my dad someday too.

Now onto my inspiration photos!

How adorable is that little gate??

And just a pretty pic of all the fruits and vegs I'm going to have!!

That's all about the garden for now. Hopefully next time I mention it on here, it will be real, live photos of MY garden! Yes!

Cheers,
Lynsey

Health and Exercise v1.0

Sit back and put your feet up. This is a long post, folks.


I'm obviously no pro when it comes to diet and exercise but I have maintained my weight throughout the years and learned so much about myself and my health. I love the responsibility of knowing I control what we eat in our home. Don't get me wrong, my husband helps me make dinner every night but ultimately, it's on me. And I love it. I would totally be a 1950's housewife...cook, clean and bear children? Yes, please.
I have never really had a weight issue. When I was younger, I was a bean pole. Seriously, zero curves. When I was in high school I was very active. I ate what I want and ran when I was stressed but never enjoyed working out. I would never run for fun. I was 5'7 and weighed about 115-118. My workouts consisted of dance team practice after school 3-5 times a week. Also something you should know about me is that I do not have an athletic bone in my body. Thanks Mom. I can barely catch keys or the remote when thrown to me. I hate watching any kind of sports unless I'm at a game (really only baseball) and have a cold, yellow, carbonated drink in my hand. But I digress.

Onto college. Again, I didn't play any sports but tried to remain active. I was terrified of gaining the freshman 15 so I made Tommy 'teach me' to like exercise. I walked to class everyday unless it was raining and we would run in the evenings. We both went to college at Lindenwood University in St. Charles and would do river runs. I hated him for this. We would run from campus to the St. Charles River and back. At night. In the cold or rain. I was always about a quarter mile behind him but I still did it. We ate terrible during college...lots of pizza, Rally's, McD's, Taco Bell, etc. Nothing good but I managed to only gain about 5-7 lbs throughout college. Not too bad considering my eating habits. This puts me up to about 125-ish.

My senior year of college, Tommy and I got engaged and started planning our wedding. About 2 months before we bought our first home, I moved back home with my parents. My parents are active, healthy people. My dad is always on the go and my mom exercises every morning. My mom is an amazing cook and always tried very hard to make sure we were experiencing all types of food...except fish because she can't stand the smell. She cooks smart and healthy and I think in the two months I lived back home, I was very influenced by her. Knowing we were closing on our house in a month, I wanted to learn all I could from her. Having an interest in cooking is half the battle...making the recipes is the easy part! So she taught me how to grocery shop to save money and buy healthy foods and how to cook them. My mom is 62 (sorry Ma) and she doesn't look a day over 40! I attribute this to three things: good genes, exercise and eaiting right.

When Tommy and I moved in our new house in December 2007, I cooked 4 times a week and kept our fridge stocked with fresh produce and lots of healthy snacks. I went to Soulard Farmer's Market every Saturday and took pride in our healthy lifestyle. My husband wasn't totally on board but I kept up with eating healthy but never exercised. When we got our dog Ozzy, I started walking him twice a day but I felt like I wanted to do more so I joined our local YMCA just 2 1/2 miles from our house. I joined solo because Tommy was busy and not really interested in working out at the time. Around the time we bought our house, I also started a job in public accounting as an external auditor. During my first busy season, I stopped grocery shopping, going to the Farmer's Market, exercising all together (after signing up for my first half marathon and having to back out of it) and eating healthy, less and less. Also, the firm I worked for had food out at all times. Very unhealthy, greasey, food and candy...and I ate it.

During my two years in the corporate world, my weight got up to between 135-140. I stopped weighing myself but I felt terrible about it. That is my highest weight to date (and I can't believe I'm admitting it on the internet). I didn't look bad...but I didn't look like myself. And no, I'm not saying that anyone that weighs in that bracket is fat, I just wasn't comfortable at this weight. Bad food is unfortunately more convenient than healthy food. It sucks but it's completely true. I was busy working very long days and didn't have time to workout or eat right...or so that was my excuse.

When I quit my full time job, I was transitioning into a part time position and a full time photography career. I made it a point to start fresh and with my husband on board this time, we were determined to live a healthier lifestyle! Exercise would have to become part of my routine, like brushing my teeth and showering.

And here is where we're at now...

with food:
Tommy and I eat dinner at home 5 nights a week (usually eating out Friday and Saturday nights...sometimes just Saturday). We are doing this to save money and for our health. As I mentioned in my previous post, I am going on week three of a non meat diet and I feel great. It's amazing how much lighter and healthier I feel. I am full of energy and have lost about 10 lbs since May of last year. I am down to about 128 which is a great place for me right now.

with exercise:
I never loved running and I couldn't figure out why. I realized that I truly dispise running indoors on a treadmill. I do so much better when I'm outside because I have a very short attention span. When I'm outside, there are always cars and people to run by and it passes the time. We are very fortunate to have an entrance to a bike trail in our subdividsion that runs through our town and the surrounding towns. Tommy and I try to exercise 4-5 times a week. He does more than I do because he plays a lot of raquetball, baseball, tennis and basketball (I swear if our kids end up with my sports genes he's going to be devistated because the man loves all sports) but I make it a point to do something. Whether it's a workout dvd, running, abs or yoga, I do something. During the winter we don't walk Ozzy outside because he doesn't have much meat on his bones and he freezes (not to mention he pretty much refuses to walk) but come March, we'll resume our twice daily walks with him in addition to what we're doing. It's hard because I often have meetings, photo sessions and editing to do in the evenings, but I make time for it. I am a happier person when I exercise. There is nothing like the feeling of pushing your body to its limits and feeling the results of a long run. Right now I am working on building muscle and toning my body. Yoga, running and Tracy Anderson dvds are helping me a lot right now. I feel like I'm in a good routine and like where my body is heading.

I plan to write more installments of Health and Exercise including specifics on how I workout, clothes I wear because let's face it, everyone can run a little faster and a little longer when you look cute, and recipes I make that are healthy and tasty! Feel free to ask any questions...again, I am no expert but I have learned how to love running and the rewards of cooking healthy for my family. I can only speak from experience but I will do my best to answer any questions or post some things that may benefit you all.

Cheers,
Lynsey

Well since Oprah said so and I always listen to Oprah...

I am trying something new this month. If you remember my 101 in 1001, one of my items to do was to go vegetarian for one month. On January 30th, I stopped eating meat.


I was home working on a snow day and watching Oprah, per my usual routine, and the focus of the show was how the Harpo crew was challenged to go vegan for one week. The other main focus of the show was about knowing where your food comes from. The episode was really interesting because you have a Cargill employee, a vegan, and a journalist featured in the movie Food, Inc. There was a very wide array of opinions but everyone was respectful of each other’s beliefs and opinions and they all shared the same message: know where your food is coming from.

Some disgusting interesting facts about the food Americans are consuming:

(facts came from Michael Pollan’s interview on Oprah.com)

  - Americans take 3 million pounds of antibiotics every year

  - Goat is the most consumed meat around the world

  - Children now drink twice as much soda as milk (disgusting!)

- Apples have the most pesticides of any fruit when purchases non-organic. Onions have the least.

  - The general rule of thumb is the further fresh produce has to travel, the more nutritional value it loses (this is why it’s important to buy local)

  - Compared to 50 years ago, chickens are now raised and slaughtered in half the time and grow twice as big.

  - There are now 99 percent fat-free yogurts that have more calories than full-fat yogurt because of sugar



About half way through the show, Lisa Ling took a tour through Cargill, the biggest producer of ground beef in the world. Lisa saw where the cows are fed to fatten them up [ nearly three pounds a day!] and then through the process of slaughtering the cows. I lost it! I couldn’t help but cry for these animals. I felt sick to my stomach and knew that it is really possible to make vegetarianism a reality in my life. The Kathy Freston, the veganist, said something that really resonated with me. She said, how could she put her hunger above another living being’s life and the pain they endure to feed her momentary hunger or craving for meat?

I have always been very sensitive when it comes to animals…ie crying when I go by a mall pet store, always stopping for dogs running loose, financial contributions to local pet shelters, etc. so this lifestyle change was a long time coming. Besides my emotional feelings towards animals, the vast majority of my diet is carbs and vegetables anyway. I will still be cooking meat products for my husband because the man is a carnivore and I can’t deny him of that. I will just cook boca burgers for myself and regular burgers for him. The type of meat and produce I will be buying will be organic, free range or grass fed though.

Also, in the future, I am not 100% opposed to eating free-range, organic chicken and grass fed beef. I just feel like right now, for my body and my mind, my decision is to stick with being vegetarian. To me, it is about knowing where my food comes from and being okay with the decisions I’m making when putting food on the table for my family.

So, I am one week into my vegetarian diet, and I am proud to say that I’ve stuck to it 100%. I feel different too…I think meat has a way of making me feel bloated to uncomfortably full after meals. I have felt great and had lots of energy, despite the lack of iron I’m consuming. I am going to the store today to add iron to my arsenal of daily vitamins. I just feel different. I wouldn’t say I am eating healthier because I’ve always been a healthy eater, but I am definitely eating smarter.

So what am I eating? There are so many types of vegetarians and I am a Lacto-ovo vegetarian. This means that my diet excludes meat, and poultry, but allows eggs and dairy products. Lots of beans and legumes which I goes without mentioning has improved my already spectacular digestive system. I feel like my body is running more efficiently and I can tell a difference in the way I look and feel.
Also, I got some great questions in my 'ask me anything' post. I have quite a few posts in the works related to a lot of the questions I received in the comments and via email. It’s not too late if anyone would like to ask anything else! (comment on the post or email me at lmholo[at]gmail[dot]com.

In the near future I will be posting tips on the way I cook (hiding vegetables into my meals using purees), recipes, my diet growing up...basically what my Mama taught me, exercise, and of course, addressing more questions on my new diet lifestyle.


Cheers,
LT

The great garden debacle of 2011

I want a garden. T does not. Thus, the great garden debacle of 2011.

Great. Glad you are all caught up now. Not saying I'm a total brat, but I'm kind of a brat. I'm the baby of the family and pretty much always got and still get what I wanted. When I married T, I expected the same treatment. Out of no where he started saying words like "No, Lyns" and "I don't think that's a good idea" "We'll see" (which everyone knows means no, I just don't want to piss you off right now) and "Not gonna happen." For some reason that doesn't sit well with me. Not. At. All. I am a pretty stubborn person and tend not to let up until I get exactly what I want. Great for my business, bad for my personality.

Mission 1: Complete
I begged T for 2 years for a dog. Every time, I heard "we'll see" until one day, I said you'll see. I sent him mapquest directions on where to meet me and at what time. He showed up to the foster home of our first born child, Ozzy. Got my way. Bam.

Mission 2: In Process
The other thing I want madly is a garden. My dad is super handy and has offered to make these awesome garden beds, basically looking like the following:

Adorableness right? Not at all "hoosier" as the coined phrase T likes to use to describe my deliciously beautiful garden. Well folks, I solved the great garden debacle of 2011!! I am acting in true Lynsey form and just doing it. I hate to break the news to him via the Internet (that is if that man even reads my blog), however, he really left me no choice. My dad isn't so keen on the idea of just doing it, thus I will lie and tell him T is on board. Problem solved. And when he comes home to a garden and is pissed, like bald Britney Spears takes on an SUV with an umbrella pissed, I will make him a delicious home cooked meal with the fruits of my labor from our magnificent garden.

Amen.

And to all the married folks, your welcome for the lesson in getting what you want. Plus I know he really does want a garden, he just doesn't know it yet.

Cheers,

LT

Spicy Summer Shrimp Stir-Fry | Recipe.

I took this Pioneer Woman recipe and made it my own. It’s SO yummy!

SPICY SUMMER SHRIMP STIR-FRY

Ingredients

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
White onion – as much as you want
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 lb Shrimp; peeled, deveined, tails off
2 Zucchini, Sliced thinly and cut into halves
2 Squash
1 can corn kernels
2 handfuls of shredded carrots
Chili paste
Cayenne pepper…if you’re into that sort of thing
Low-sodium Teriyaki sauce
Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
2 lbs minute rice


Preparation Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced onion and garlic. When oil is hot, add zucchini, squash, carrots and corn and cook until transparent. I buy cooked, frozen shrimp in a bag from Trader Joe’s. While I’m sautéing the veggies in the skillet, I put the shrimp in a strainer in the sink and run room temperature water over them to defrost. Then pull the tails off and add to the skillet.

I like to brown the veggies in my stainless steel skillet before adding the sauce because I think it brings out more flavors. After everything is heated and Add 2 tablespoons full of chili paste and a few swigs (I’ve mentioned my irrationally cooking style before. Don’t judge.) of teriyaki sauce, salt, pepper and cayenne if you’re willing to experience some spice. Heat well and let sit on low for 10-12 minutes so all the flavors mesh, serve over rice and wal-la! Spicy Summer Shrimp Stir-Fry!

(photo courtesy of Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond)

Hope you enjoy!

Cheers,

LT

Pumpkin Turkey Chili.

My husband suggested I blog about this delicious Turkey Pumpkin Chili I've made a few times since Jennifer blogged her recipe a few months ago. Here is my version with a few different twists. I cook by taste so if my directions appear haphazard, it's because they are. I assure you this chili isn't too pumpkin-y. I even made it once with sweet potato puree once and my husband didn't even notice the difference :)

Enjoy!

First you will need one or two assistants. One will do fine. I just prefer two.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

INGREDIENTS:
olive oil

chopped onion (as much as you like)

2 chopped bell peppers (I buy whatever looks good, this time I used red and yellow)

1 clove garlic

1 pound ground turkey
2 cans of white beans (or your bean of choice)

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 large can pumpkin puree

chili powder, paprika, salt and black pepper to taste

TOP WITH

shredded Cheddar cheese

sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Saute the onion, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil until tender. Stir in the turkey and cook until evenly brown (Vegetarians can skip this step and add extra beans). Mix in tomatoes and pumpkin. Season with chili powder, paprika, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes. Serve topped with Cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Cheers,

LT

Organic Food.

I love a good article on heathy grocery shopping. I came across this article about which Foods to Buy Organic and thought I would share.

Personally, when I make my weekly grocery list and plan our meals for the week, I intend to buy the majority of our groceries (especially produce, poultry and dairy) organic. However, if there's a good sale on a particular item, I'm not saying I won't go for the cheaper of the two. This is a good rule of thumb article.

Enjoy!

Cheers,

LT

Auntie Momo's Apple, Pear & Craisin Pie.Yum.

That's me...Auntie Momo (to Keller at least) and I make a pretty fabulous apple, pie and craisin pie! And since my blog is 33.333% about food, I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes. So try it out and cuddle up by the fire with a warm piece of pie, vanilla bean ice cream and a cold glass of milk. Enjoy!

Step One. Pick some apples and pears from Soulard Farmer's Market. I use granny smith because I love the tartness mixed with the sweet brown sugar.

Peel, core and cut the apples and pears into small, bite size pieces.

Squeeze a whole lemon ontop of the apples and pears to keep them from turning brown (it also gives a tangy taste!)

Add sugar and cinnamon and toss.

Combine the following ingredients until a crumbly, soft mixture forms

2 tablespoons of butter

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of flour

a handful of quick cook oats

splash of nutmeg

splash of cinnamon

I use Pillsbury premade crust and roll it out into a pie plate. Fill with the apples, pears and craisins.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes and Voila! Happy eating!

Cheers,

L