Pomegranate Pear & Gouda Quesadillas

I feel like I've referenced this recipe about 14 times without actually sharing it.

(Ok, so 14 is an overstatement. But it was at least twice.)

This recipe is so enigmatic. It's simple (6 ingredients), but complicated at the same time (as you'll see below). It's fried food, yet it's healthy.

Grilled Cheese for Grown-ups

You know those days when you open the refrigerator and just stand there staring into it?

You're hungry. But you don't feel like taking the time to cook anything fancy.

You're not in the mood to throw together a salad. Or to snack on veggies & hummus. But that's all you see in the fridge.

This has (obviously) happened to me more than once. And I can almost guarantee you know what I'm talking about.

But inspiration hit me recently. I saw Ezekiel bread. I saw goat cheese.

And what more could a girl want, really? It's no secret that I love goat cheese. It tops the list of my all-time favorite foods (right up there alongside pineapple and lima beans).

And so I ended up with a Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich!

Restaurant Review: Baja Burrito

This is not your typical chain burrito joint. It's a local, independently owned burrito joint that features local meats and healthy options.

And whoa, is it good.

Beginner's Guide to Drying Herbs

You should know on the front end that drying herbs is super easy. If I can do it, so can you.

This is the first year I have actually had any kind of success growing herbs on my balcony. We don't get much sun on our side of the apartment complex, so last year's cilantro grew from seed to an impressive 1 1/2 inches tall before wilting and turning brown. It was a sad day.

That's why I call this post a Beginner's Guide. I am definitely a beginner myself.

This year though, Old Man Mike who lives around the corner gave us a big stash of full grown herb plants. We love Mike. He sits outside his house every day with his guitar and his tomato plants. He knows every single person that lives on his block. And he's been kind enough to give us plenty of invaluable advice about growing things.

I recently harvested some mint, spicy basil, and bee balm from my containers.

A Perfect Omelet

I just had to share a picture of this omelet.

Never before (and possibly never again) have I made an omelet this pretty.

No oozing, no lost vegetables, no misshapen egg blobs.....

Hopefully you're not expecting me to tell you how you can make a perfect omelet as well, because, like I said, it may not be possible to replicate this more than once every hundred years or so.

But I can tell you how I usually make my omelets, which are not only tasty, but economical.

Whole Foods is Tax Free on Tax Day

This, my friends, is good news.

Very good news.

This news from the Nashville Business Journal online really made a buzz on my bargain hunting radar.

Whole Foods Market is offering a 9.5% discount on everyone's total order on Thursday, April 15, 2010. This applies to both Nashville locations (in Cool Springs and Green Hills) as well as other stores in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina & South Carolina.

Granted, it's only 9.5%. But still. It's 9.5%.

On your whole order.

I consider it a pretty sweet deal. This means I can stock up on coconut milk (which is already the best deal I've found at any store on organic coconut milk at $1.29 a can).

Eating Out with a Conscience

Since I've joined the crusade for getting back to our roots and living naturally, I've been impressed with how "green" Nashville is/is becoming. The organic, natural, local, free-range, grass-fed, recycle-able, compost-able, sustainable stuff is really catching on here in Music City.

Granted, "going green" can sometimes just be the trendy thing to do.

But I've seriously been amazed at the number of restaurants in particular that base their entire business model on these concepts.

So my goal is to find and try each restaurant that fits the bill in Nashville and review them here for you! If you've eaten at a particular restaurant before (or your sister's uncle's mother-in-law has and she talked to you about it), let me know.

A Colorful Faux-Dinner

Just wanted to share a recent, rather colorful, dinner. This was a super quick and easy meal that ended up looking very nice once it was plated. So my dinner guests weren't allowed to eat until I photographed their plates!

I made turkey burger patties by mixing all kinds of yummy spices with the meat--sea salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, curry powder.....Then I sauteed some veggies--peppers, red onions, zucchini--in grapeseed oil and served it over a bed of organic greens.

Produce All Summer Long: The CSA Debate

I've been thinking about joining a CSA for a while now. CSA being Community Supported Agriculture. I love the concept of supporting local, organic farming and at the same time saving money on groceries (the bargain hunter in me will never die).

The idea is that farmers deliver fresh produce all summer long to the people who supported them financially up front--meaning they don't have to take out loans to run their farm (Dave Ramsey would be proud....)

I've found quite a few great options with pick-up locations in the Nashville area. Based on all the pros and cons, I think I may have made my decision, but I thought I would get your opinion, my dear readers.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all CSAs in Nashville, but just includes the ones I have considered for myself.

Cabbage Flower

Otherwise known as what happens when you leave a quarter head of red cabbage in the back of the refrigerator and proceed to forget that it exists.

Usually neglected foods turn a poopy shade of brown and go soggy (and smelly).

But instead of curling up my nose at finding this little jewel in the veggie drawer, I almost put it in a pot.

Who knew?

Not me. But I did know eating red cabbage is good for getting rid of dandruff.

Didja know that? ;)

Coming Home

First post. A rather daunting task.....I'm wanting to say something incredibly witty and clever to set the tone and make you come back and visit again. But i figure this post will eventually get lost in the archives anyway and we can move onto more important things...

...like living a thriving, vibrant life to 120 years old.

...like how to afford to eat organic.

...like why it's so cold in my apartment.

I tried. I really did. I put on another pair of socks, another blanket on the bed. But I just had to turn on the heat today! I complain (often) about being cold in the winter (ask my husband. or my co-workers. or anybody really), but when the weather makes one turn toward spring and the unit goes off, i like to keep it off. The thought of saving a zero or two on the utility bill inspires me to suck it up and just keep shivering.

But I know that in the end, being able to feel my fingers to type out this post is worth the few extra bucks. After all, I have big plans to spread the Truth about our health, our food, and all the other things that go along with that.

So I'd love it if you'd follow me on the journey. I'll even turn the heat on for you....