Still Cooking . . .

17 years ago

Hello fabulous cooks!

I log on to the CF once in a while for menu ideas but life got super busy for a while with parents' health issues and children's activities. (Plus, I did a stint with Weight Watchers, ha ha ha)

This past year, I took a sushi making class and two Thai cooking classes that were great inspiration. The recipe that stuck with me the most was for spring rolls. They can be easily whipped up for lunch or as an appetizer.

Last week, DH came home with 8 large green bell peppers for stuffing. Yum Yum.

I got my friend's farm share when she was out of town for two weeks - made pickled beets, fennel soup, dill dip, toubbeleh - with the more unusual ingredients.

My girls are eating fresh tomato sandwiches for breakfast and lots of roasted potatoes and sauteed zucchini from our stops to the farmers's market.

In the summer, I flip flop between super quick meals and meals from super fresh ingredients that require more time -- but then I have to plan around the girls going to the pool or bike riding or play dates.

I've become a biking enthusiast! Maybe that will enable me to eat without continuous weight gain. One can hope!

Karigraphy

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Comments (6)

claire_de_luna
17 years ago
Hi Karigraphy! Long time, no see, but it's good to see you're posting again, in spite of parents, children and WW activities.

Please, don't be a stranger...
User
17 years ago
Hey you! Good to hear from you! Things sound like they are going well for you and the girls.

Don't be a stranger, we miss you!

Sharon
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I love summer rolls! For me, they are really labor intensive, as I'm kinda klutzy with the rice paper rounds. I make the sauce for dipping rather than putting in the roll. I've also made them without noodles inside. I used lettuce, shredded carrot, green onion, cilantro, avocado and shrimp or crab. Now I think I need to make some!
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annie1992
17 years ago
Kari, welcome back, I'm glad to see you too. You do sound like you've been busy.

Annie
lpinkmountain
17 years ago
Hi Kari thanks for posting/checking in. I'm a lot like you, my ability to cook depends a lot on my schedule and right now it is about impossible. I have a huge bag of garden fresh produce languishing in my fridge right now, and no way is it going to get any attention until the weekend, if then. I also struggle to keep my weight down when stressed. It's not that I get hungry when I'm stressed, it's just that my ability to cook healthy food goes out the window and so does my appetite for it. I don't eat a lot when I'm stressed, but what I eat tends to be high calorie and unhealthy. I also get motivated to exercise mostly by thinking about all the food I can eat beause of it. I work out while watching Rachel Ray on the FN at the college gym, which has mini tvs on all the treadmills and eliptical machines.

I also know about the parent issues. Ah the joys of middle age! So nice that you took time out from all of this to drop in and say hello.
Lpink
stacy3
17 years ago
Hi Kari! I was wondering about you. thanks for checking in. How are things in PA? I haven't been to Pittsburgh in ages...
Karigraphy
Original Author
17 years ago
Hello again! Thanks for the hellos . . .

I just got back from a bike ride. Pittsburgh has developed many bike trails and the one that works for us right now is right along the Allegheny River and goes all the way downtown, well across the river from downtown on the north side where PNC park and Heinz field are located (Pirates and Steelers, respectively).

We ride up to the Carnegie Science Center and eat at the picnic benches then play in a fountain that is made out of rock steps. There are boats along the river and kayaks to rent and Segway tours so its a happening place.

The G20 summit will be here in September, one reason is because we has a major recession in the 1980s when the steel mills closed and we had to change our economy. One area we've done well in is going GREEN. New businesses built up in eco-friendly ways.

Things like the bike trails allow people to bike all over Pittsburgh. It's rails-to-trails because they converted a lot of old railroad tracks.

Cooking - I'm going to sign up for a Raw Food class in October with a local raw food chef. I don't think I'll ever go 100% raw but I'm incorporating a little raw food in my diet every day from salads to veggies in pitas.

I did a "ha ha ha" on Weight Watchers because after I lost some weight AND added a year to my life, they reduced my points to 18 per day. That was ridiculous! I was starving and miserable. Now, I just eat healthy for breakfast, lunch, and snacks and splurge on dinner here and there and let myself enjoy eating out when we go which is about twice a month.

See you here - Karen

Still Cooking . . .

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claire_de_luna

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claire_de_luna

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