Spring Pizza

Aaaaaaand.... It's Spring!

I think we're a month behind schedule though... do May showers bring June flowers?

Anyway, we're finally getting a few greens growing up here in New York, so I decided to make the most of them with a spring pizza, since I already had a shell hanging out in the fridge, ready to be topped.

I got the bunch of fresh spinach at Gade Farm here in Guilderland.  The tomatoes I found at Hannaford, by a company called Backyard Farms.  They're a regional company, so the produce is coming from nearby, and their website claims to use environmentally-friendly greenhouse technology.  I have to say, they actually tasted really good.  Like middle-of-the-summer good.

I loooove the contrast of the goat cheese to the sweet tomatoes.  And, even better, this pizza was so easy to throw together for a quick, light, veggie-licious dinner.  Just a little chop-chop, and you're ready to go.

Spring pizza

a pizza shell
a few garlic cloves, minced or crushed (to taste)
olive oil
1/4 red onion, sliced
3 or 4 small tomatoes, diced
a bunch of spinach, chopped, stems removed
goat cheese

1. Prepare your pizza crust by slathering on some olive oil, and sprinkling your garlic.  A little salt and pepa never hurts, either.
2. Scatter your tomato pieces as evenly as you can.  This will act as your "sauce" so be generous!  Then add on your spinach, onions, and finally, the goat cheese.  Feel free to spring on a little parmesan if you'd like, too.
3. Bake at about 400 for about 10 minutes, just to crisp everything up.   Yum!

This pizza is at its best right out of the oven.  You should be able to get a lunch out of it, too.  But more than a couple of days will make it soggy, so eat up!

Chicken on a Stick, Etc.

This weekend, I had chicken on a stick, and it was delicious.

Please excuse the terrible photography...

I had this because it was my birthday, we were in Boston, we had just witnessed the Bruins sweep (and I learned what that meant), and somebody literally brought it out of the restaurant and into the street for me.  Someone I had never even met!

Chicken on a stick with Joe.

The Bruins are sweeping!

I love birthdays.

While still in Boston, we got yummy donuts and breakfast sandwiches at this little place.

I can't say the service was great, but the donuts were.  AND we were entertained while we waited..

AJ is enjoying his breakfast sandwich.

I also got some thoughtful gifts from friends and family that know me so well...

Awesome shampoo, conditioner, and soap by Aveda.  Besides just being lovely, Aveda uses "green" ingredients and packaging.  Does Adrienne know me or what?

A Nook!! Book recommendations pleeeeaaaaassse!!

Additionally, this weekend was Mother's Day, and I picked up some pampering products for my mom, who is also a nature-dork like me.

The lovely-smelling soap came from the Schenectady GreenMarket, which is now outside!  There's nothing like walking around the market on a sunny Spring morning.  The body oil and loofah are from The Body Shop, another green company, and the maple candies are from a local maple producer (I bought them from a fundraiser at school).



So the morals of this story are:

Always eat your way through cities as you visit them (and take pictures).

Take the time to pick out personal gifts for the people you love, and it will be appreciated.  When you can, support local businesses and companies that make the effort to be healthier. Your gifts will be that much more considerate, and often more original.



I'll be back soon with some food... there's finally a few veggies coming up in Upstate New York.  I made a yummy Spring Pizza tonight (recipe to come!) aaaand maybe some asparagus by Thursday?

Gade Farm Store, Guilderland, NY

Back!

Sorry, it's been a while.  It's been a busy couple of weeks.

Last week was spring break, and I spent it in 3 different states!  The biggest chunk being in the Windy City.

Unfortunately, Chicago was cold, windy, and rainy.  I guess it gets it's rep for good reason.

I also can't say I did all that much that was green, and the most local I got was a deep dish pizza.

However, I did get my first experience in a Trader Joe's!  Flat Stanley and I were very excited.

From here we stocked our hotel room with some healthy, reasonably-priced snacks and... umm... refreshments...

Who doesn't chill wine in a garbage can?

We also ate some amaaaaazing food...I think because the weather is so crappy, and Chicagoans have nothing better to than eat out, they put great pride in their restaurants and bars.

So that's my excuse! I definitely lack a tan, but I ate and shopped myself silly, and had a wonderful spring break (minus the cold and rain and allergy attack).  Chicago really is a nice city, I just need to return someday in the summer.

And now that spring seems to have finally arrived in Upstate New York, I'll be back soon with something good.  Til then!

Jake Moon Cafe

It's Spring!

Thatcher Park Overlook

OK, the sun isn't exactly out, but it's been warm enough to leave your coat at home, and that's about as much as we can ask for in April.

This weekend was a beautiful one, so on Sunday (which actually started out sunny) I took a road trip out to Clarksville with Capitol to Capital for a brunch at Jake Moon Restaurant and Cafe followed by some outdoor time in Thatcher Park.

Jake Moon is a cutie little diner in the country.  The outside doesn't really reflect the inside or the food, because driving up, it didn't look like much.  Even the inside is simple, but it's decorated in that hippie eclectic way that hints that you should expect something a little different.

And the food.  The food was SO GOOD.

That's mine.  I got the Bennett Hill Scramble, which is three eggs scrambled with wild mushrooms, herbs, and gouda.  I will never eat another mushroom that isn't wild.

My friends got the S.O.S. and the Red Flannel Hash (check out the menu on their website).  All were very good.  The bread is baked right here, and they also have house apple butter and orange marmalade.

I've never had orange marmalade like this before.  Look at those orange slices.  I brought home my own jar, and A took home some apple butter.  If we had known it was only $4.50 I would have bought one of each myself.


Besides making their own bread and condiments, what's even cooler (and why I'm telling you about this place) is that this little cafe makes the attempt to include some local products on their menu, such as apple cider and milk from local farms.

Definitely take the trip out to Jake Moon yourself on the next nice day, and don't forget to stop at one of the many state parks while you're out there.  I forget that I'm so close to so much nature.  Hopefully by my next trip everything will be a little greener and a little more thawed.

EW

See that beetle-shaped black smudge in my empty bowl?

It's a beetle.

It fell from my last bite of sauteed pre-washed spinach from a local supermarket.  Meaning, I probably ate the rest of the family without even knowing it.


Lessons:

Always re-wash your pre-washed.  (Mom, feel free to say, "I told you so.")

This is the extreme scenario proving why I like to make food from scratch myself.  It drives my point home: you can't trust or rely on processing in general.  Know your food, each step of the way. At least when I buy my spinach from the farmers market, there's no illusion: I know I have to wash it, so this doesn't happen.  When it says pre-washed, I want to believe them.  At least it was a beetle and not salmonella.


And I thought I didn't have anything to write about this week.
Maybe this extra protein will get me through yoga tonight...?

Waiting...

Caught red-handed!

Apparently, Charlie likes spicy micro-greens.  Or he's just getting really desperate.  But I know the feeling. It feels like spring will never hit Upstate New York this year.  I've packed and unpacked my winter boots three times now.

In the meantime, I'll think happy thoughts of the season to come...

For now, all we can do is wait.  Hang in there!

 

How are you making the best of it??

A Maple-y March

Aaaaaand.... we're back to winter.  March is such a back-stabber. But, as much as I am TOTALLY ready for Spring, if I'm going to get "stuck" eating more comfort foods to warm up these winter-weary bones, they might as well be sweet and delicious.

If you didn't already know (and you're a bad guesser) it's maple season!

And Albany is a prime-location to be in during maple season, because most maple syrup is produced in New England, and our neighbor, Vermont, is the top producer.  This means we are pretty much surrounded.

Not such a bad thing, since maple syrup is a natural, versatile, delicious, and healthy sweetener.
In fact, it's loaded with vitamins and minerals, including calcium, and contains less calories per tablespoon than cornsyrup [fact].

And if you're feeling adventurous, check out one of the area maple syrup producers for a tour and to buy local products.  There are plenty of them out there, but my favorite, of course, is Sweet Water Maple Syrup by the Hay family out in Cobleskill.  Matt's been super busy tapping and boiling the last couple weeks, and they're having a tour this Saturday for anyone interested in viewing the process (or just stocking up on delicious syrup and candy).

Be creative with your syrup... and enjoy our own local sweets :)

Thanks, Hays!