Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Adventures in Seattle at IFBC Part 2


On Friday evening we went out in search of dinner, and we found our way to M.O.D Pizza. It's this awesome pizza place, near the convention center in Seattle, WA. I decided to get what they were calling their Seasonal Pizza Salad. It's crust with cheese, in theirs it was asiago, and the salad part was romaine, black olives, diced tomatoes, tossed in ranch dressing. It was so delicious that I just had to create my own version when I got home. 

Caesar Salad Pizza
Ingredients:
Krusteaz Flatbread Mix (Italian Herb)
1/2 Cup Aged Cheddar Cheese
1/8 Cup Chipotle Cheddar Cheese 
Hearts of Romain
8 oz of grilled Chicken, chopped
Black Olives, chopped
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
Favorite Caesar Dressing







Directions: 
1. I used Krusteaz Flatbread Mix (Italian herb), and followed the directions on the box. This was given to us at IFBC, and oh my goodness it's good. It's also super simple to make, took me maybe five minutes (+10 mins for the dough to rise). 
2.Before putting the flatbread in the oven I added cheese to the crust, we like a lot of cheese, but using however much to your hearts content is best. 
3. While the crust is baking, mix up all the salad ingredients, and toss with Caesar dressing. 
5. Grill chicken till cooked, I used a foreman grill, and then chopped the chicken into bit sized pieces. 
4. When the crust comes out, cut with a pizza cutter, then add the salad and chicken on top, and enjoy! 



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Thursday, September 24, 2015

Adventures In Seattle at IFBC Part 1


Last week we went up to Seattle and had a really wonderful time attending the International Food Bloggers Convention. They said there were around 310 participants and representing at least 27 different states as well as 7 different countries. Thats pretty impressive! 

Before the conference kicked off they offered pre conference excursions and we choose to go to the headquarters of Chef'n. If you don't know a whole lot about Chef'n, no worries, we didn't either. But we found out they are a really cool company and group of people. Based in Seattle, WA the company started in 1982, by  David Holcomb who is an inventor as well as the companies CEO he can be spotted in the bottom middle picture (above). For him it all started with a garlic press, and a trip to New York to pitch his revolutionary product. Since then he has gathered a crazy amount of pattens, 300+. 

We toured their industrial studio, test kitchen space, and the delightful penthouse. Their work space reminded me a lot of Wieden + Kennedy's offices in Portland, OR. They have the same vibe, really wanting to have inspiring workspaces and departing from the stagnant corporate america vibe. After meeting Mr. Halcomb I don't really see how anywhere he worked could be boring, or plain, or corporate. His energy is reminiscent of a that from the 80's and hanging out on a beach some place. Very relaxed, and energetic. I really loved seeing their industrial workshop, they had so many tools at their disposal. Above you can see an ice cream scoop being formed from PVC. They also have a 3D printer which was also working on its own project. I was really great to see how technology is playing a key role in their designers lives and how as technology is becoming more accessible they are able to make better use of such a resource. 

In the bottom right corner of the image above is one of their designers who created what they call Poptop. It's awesome, and I totally want one. What it does is essentially is air pops popcorn in the microwave. I love making my coconut oil popcorn by stove top, but if I could do it in the microwave that would be pretty awesome. Inside there is even a little place to put butter, or oil whatever you prefer for popping your popcorn in. 

We had a great time touring Chef'n and we want to thank them for opening their office and workspace up to us. They were truly amazing hosts, and we can't wait to see what they will create next! 








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Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Limited Supply Sale

We have a limited supply of 4 pound dried blueberries available. 


Normally $90, with a sale price of $65. If you wish to purchase these berries, or have questions, please call us at 541-752-0460 Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm Pacific Time, or come see us at our farm. We will not be listing this on our website, as the quality is so limited. 

You can also of course email us, using our contact page. 

All sales of these berries will be final. 


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Saturday, September 5, 2015

Autumn is for Apples; Baked Apples - A Healthy Treat -


Autumn is for Apples 

I love walking down to our orchard and picking all the apples from our trees. For those who don't know we have what we like to call an orchard. It's not really. It's seven apple trees, a pear tree, an a couple of plum trees. But it's tucked away next to one of our younger fields of blueberries, on the lower side of our farm. We also used this space as a make shift nursery when we had extra plants from last year and the year before when we were replanting our fields. 

One of my favorite things is to have baked apples in the fall, and this is one of my favorite recipes. 

Baked Apples 
Prep Time: 20 Minutes           Total Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes         Servings: 4
Ingredients:
4 medium sized, crisp apples (such as Gala or Honey Crisp)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup apple juice
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Hallow out the centers of the apples, I use a paring knife but a melon baller also works. You'll want to remove the stem and core leaving a good sized hole, around 3/4" wide. Around the top of the apple you'll also want to remove all that skin of the apple. You can do this with a veggie peeler or paring knife. 
3. Next combine the sugar, butter, ground cinnamon, lemon zest, nutmeg, and graham cracker crumbs in a medium sized bowl. I like using a rubber spatula, but a fork works just as well. 
4. With mixed filling, pack into apple holes until  level with the opening. Place the apples into an 8X8" dish.
5. Combine lemon juice, apple juice, and honey into a microwaveable cup. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir to blend and pour around the apples in dish. 
6. Cover apples with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes. 
7. After 45 minutes, uncover the pan and baste the apples with the juice from the pan. Continue baking apples for 10-20 minutes more, or until apples are very tender. Serve warm or cold with pan juices. 

Nutritional Info (per serving): 300 calories, 1 g protein, 65 g carb, 5 g fiber, 6.5 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 41 mg sodium. 





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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

September's Theme Back To School



September is here again, and that means kids and young adults are off to school Weather it's elementary, middle, high school, or college everyone is going back.  With back to school comes the supply shopping. Supplies also include the food they eat. For children its their lunch time meals, and college students it would be all their food. This month we are going to inspire all ages with some healthy, fall recipes that are perfect for back to school! 

We found a great article it's called Beating The Freshmen 15

Everyone's heard warnings about the "freshman 15." But is it true that many college students pack on 15 pounds during their first year at school?
Recent studies find that some first-year students are indeed likely to gain weight — but it might not be the full freshman 15 and it may not all happen during freshman year. That might sound like good news, but it's not. Doctors are concerned that students who gradually put on pounds are establishing a pattern of weight gain that could spell trouble if it continues.
Studies show that students on average gain 3 to 10 pounds during their first 2 years of college. Most of this weight gain occurs during the first semester of freshman year.
College offers many temptations. You're on your own and free to eat what you want, when you want it. You can pile on the portions in the dining hall, eat dinners of french fries and ice cream, and indulge in sugary and salty snacks to fuel late-night study sessions. In addition, you may not get as much exercise as you did in high school.
College is also a time of change, and the stress of acclimating to school can trigger overeating. People sometimes eat in response to anxiety, homesickness, sadness, or stress, and all of these can be part of adapting to being away at school.
Some weight gain is normal as an adolescent body grows and metabolism shifts. But pronounced or rapid weight gain may become a problem.
Weight gain that pushes you above the body's normal range carries health risks. People who are overweight are more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, breathlessness, and joint problems. People who are overweight when they're younger have a greater likelihood of being overweight as adults. Poor diet and exercise habits in college can start you on a path that later could lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or obesity, and may increase your risk for developing certain cancers.
Even without weight gain, unhealthy food choices also won't give you the balance of nutrients you need to keep up with the demands of college. You may notice that your energy lags and your concentration and memory suffer. Studies have found that most students get fewer than the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
If you do gain weight, don't freak out. Take a look at your eating and exercise habits and make adjustments. In a study in which freshmen gained 4 pounds in 12 weeks, the students were only eating an average of 174 extra calories each day. So cutting out one can of soda or a midnight snack every day and being more active will help you get back on track.
It may be tempting to go for the easy fix, like skipping meals or trying the latest fad diet. But these approaches don't work to keep weight off in the long run. It's best to make small adjustments to your diet that you know you can stick with.
For even more ideas and recipes check out our Pinterest! 

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