August Garden Guide

How does your garden grow?? 

It's August and time to harvest those delicious fruits and vegetables you've been laboring over all summer. Learn more from expert gardener on the Fruits and Veggies Matters More website! This month features harvesting tips for tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, melons, corn, broccoli, and cauliflower. It also includes guides on watering, weeding, fertilizing, and soil moisture so you can keep your garden looking beautiful and tasting delicious! 


For more gardening tips go to the Fruits and Veggies Matters More website at:
http://conta.cc/MZDYIh


Happy Gardening!  

Tending to my garden :)

A Taste of Borough Market in London

My husband and I recently went to Europe in June on an amazing trip. The last week of our trip we stopped in London to visit my sister-in-law and her family, we had  a great time visiting and spending time in London. While we were there we went to Borough Market in Southwark, London. I've been dying to go ever since I saw it on the Food Network and needless to say it exceeded my expectations! For those of you who aren't familiar with Borough Market, it is considered one of the largest farmer's markets in the world and in my opinion one of the most unique. It opened in 1851 and is the best wholesale fruit and vegetable market that I'd ever laid my eyes on! The market has a vast array of produce, rare meats, fine cheeses and wines, gourmet food and beautifully crafted sweet treats! A place where you could spend all day wondering and tasting everything it has to offer. We went on a Saturday and shopped for a BBQ we were having later that evening and treated ourselves to a few different lunch options. Everything was so fresh and simply delicious! It's a must do if you go to London! 
Here are some of the pictures that I took while I was trying to soak it all up!

My brother-in-law and his daughter enjoying the market!

                                      Fruits and Vegetables...

 

Beer vs. Diet Coke

Check out my blog post on Style BluePrint! Which one would you choose, Beer or Diet Coke? Just go to the link below to find out more or go to www.styleblueprint.com then look under the Nashville section to find it.

 Style Blueprint - Beer vs. Diet Coke

Tomato Avocado Truffle Sandwich

I am back from my blogging sabbatical and I have a lot to share about summer cooking! Summer is my favorite time of year for eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Nothing taste better to me than local seasonal produce! There is so much to choose from like peaches, berries, corn, okra, tomatoes, bell peppers, squash, and zucchini just to name a few. Fresh local seasonal produce taste the best and has great nutritional value especially versus something more processed. It's also the time when it's the most affordable. And it's the perfect time to try different things and buy as many colors as possible to get all the nutrients you need from your fruit and vegetables. 

   
Tomatoes are the essence of summer! It's hard to beat the flavor of a juicy, ripe tomato! They are also full of lycopene, a powerful cancer-fighting antioxidant. 

Picture taken at Borough Market in London in June

Season: Tomatoes peek in June to September.The perfect pick: Look for tomatoes with intact skins and no bruises, firm but give a little when applying pressure, bright and deep colors (but only if you know what the variety should look like when ripe), and make sure to smell for a sweet and earthy fragrance. Heirloom tomatoes can be tricky because they can be odd shaped with cracks but just make sure that they aren't leaking.
Storage: Leave tomatoes at room temperature until you're ready to use them. Putting them in the refrigerator can make them loose their flavor and cause them to be mealy (temps under 50 degrees can do this too). 
Nutrition Facts: 1 large tomato (3" diameter) - 33 calories, 7 grams carbs, 2 grams protein. Good source of Vitamin A and C.



Tomato Avocado Truffle Sandwich

Almost everyday for lunch I have been making myself a tomato sandwich but I put a little twist on it :) Try it once and it will make you want to have it everyday too!






Ingredients:
2 slices of whole wheat bread (I like to use Sprouted Grain Ezekiel bread by Food for Life - yum!)
1/2 of fresh ripe tomato, thinly sliced
6-8 leaves of fresh basil (add more or less depending on your preference)
1 ounce 2% low fat cheese (I use Mozzarella)
1/4 of avocado, thinly sliced
truffle oil, few sprinkles
salt and pepper
Directions:
Toast cheese on the bread. In the meantime you can cut the tomato and avocado. Then, place the sliced avocado on the toasted bread followed by the basil and tomato. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and truffle oil to make it taste rich and delicious! (Hint: don't use too much truffle oil because it can easily overpower it).
Enjoy the fresh flavor of summer!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Shrimp

Lately, I've had a lot of friends ask me how to cook spaghetti squash and I thought this would be a great dish to enjoy during early Spring - something light and refreshing! This meal was not only delicious it was super easy and required very little effort. But, first you should know how to pick out the perfect spaghetti squash.

Spaghetti Squash 101  
Season: Spaghetti Squash is a winter squash and is harvested in early fall. In cool storage it can keep for months and is available throughout the winter and early spring. 
The perfect pick: Look for a creamy-yellow color with an oblong shape. Choose the one that is firm with no bruises or soft spots and feels heavy for its size. 
Storage: Spaghetti squash can be kept in a dry, cool place for up to a month. Just remember the longer it waits to be used, the more nutrients it loses.

Ingredients
For the Spaghetti Squash:
2 small spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds each) or 1 medium squash (about 3 pounds)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice

For the shrimp:

• 1/2 pound (12 to 15-count) shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails on
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil1 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Seafood Spice Blend
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Cut the top off the spaghetti squash and then half lengthwise.
3) Place squash cut side down in baking dish (9x13).
4) Pour water in baking dish.
5) Roast for about 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a knife.
6) Set aside to cool.
7) Place shrimp on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, garlic, The Delicious Dietitian Seafood Spice Blend. Then spread them in 1 layer. 

8) Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

9) While the shrimp is roasting, scoop out the seeds from the squash and discard. Then scrape out the flesh with a fork into a large bowl. 

10) Once shrimp is cooked, remove tails and add to spaghetti squash. Make sure to add all the juices to the squash as well. 

11) Add lemon juice and mix all ingredients together. (Optional: garnish with parsley, especially if you're serving to guest)

Enjoy this yummy light and refreshing meal perfect for early Spring! 

“Weight Watchers:” How NOT to Manage Your Child’s Weight by Just the Right Byte

“Weight Watchers:” How NOT to Manage Your Child’s Weight by Just the Right Byte

This is an article by Jill Castle, a great pediatric dietitian here in Nashville. She's been very successful and knows what she's talking about. I found this to be very true and refreshing to hear. Childhood obesity is definitely a problem but putting a child on a diet is not the solution. Read more about it in the article above.