Candied ginger, or, how to use two pounds of sugar in one recipe

Guys.  I have exciting news.  You can peel ginger with a spoon!

How I learned this is not an exciting story, but I'm going to tell you about it as if it is.

One of my favorite things about our local Co-op is the at-the-end-of-its-shelf-life-use-it-soon-99¢/lb-produce-bin.  It's often filled with wonderful stuff that is usually much pricier, like apples or sweet potatoes.

So the other day I was at the Co-op (we call it the coop) and there was an especially exciting treat in the discount bin: giant bags of ginger!  I love ginger and I use it all the time, so I snatched one up.  Then I got home and realized that even I might not be able to use that much ginger before it goes bad (or gets freezer burn).  So I decided to make candied ginger.

I found tons of recipes for candied ginger online.  They were all more or less the same, but I ended up mostly using this one from David Lebovitz and consulting this one from Alton Brown.  It was David who taught me the brilliant spoon trick.  Instead of painstakingly cutting the peel off ginger with a knife, trying to get around the curves without slicing off too much of the actual flesh (never works), you can just use a spoon and scrape the skin off.  This worked really well!
 
The candied ginger turned out great!  It's spicy and sugary and delicious.  I like to eat candied ginger plain, but it's also great in cookies or chopped up as a topping over ice cream, or even oatmeal.  This particular batch is destined to be holiday gifts.  I also ended up with about two cups of thick ginger syrup, that I'm sure would be great in cocktails or, again, over ice cream (let's be honest--I'm probably going to it with ice cream).

I'm not going to post the full recipe here because the ones I followed are really good.  But here's an overview:

1. Peel and thinly slice ginger.

2. Simmer in water until tender.  David has you simmer a drain a few times.  Alton only once.  I did it twice.


3. Add a ton of sugar and simmer until there is a thick syrup.  I simmered about 40 minutes--longer than either David or Alton said to.


4. Drain slices of ginger and toss in more sugar.  Let dry for a few hours or overnight.  Enjoy!
 

Thank you

Hello everyone!  I'm working on a recipe post for tomorrow, but I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all the support I got after my last post.  I was so nervous about posting it and I probably edited and re-edited about ten times before pressing the publish button.  But I'm so glad I did.  I was surprised and touched by how many people reached out to me in some way and shared similar stories of their own.  Also, that post got more than 3x as many views in just 24 hours than any other post I've written!

So thank you for your support and for reading.  I appreciate you all.

Laying my cards on the table

Whoa guys.  It's been five months since I posted on this blog.  In my drafts folder I have half-written posts on amazing kale soup, a care package from Portugal, my favorite sources for recipes, a cheap guide to NYC, new shelves, and killing my garden.  (You're probably sighing in relief that I didn't actually post some of those.  Shelves?)  I plan to finish some of those posts.  But not today.  Today I'm going to talk about something pretty personal.  Shit’s about to get real.  And long.  You have been warned.

I've been having a tough time lately.  Everyone gets into ruts, I know.  And everyone feels depressed from time to time.  For me, this knowledge can be comforting, but it can also trigger terrible guilt.  Lots of people have problems (bigger problems than mine!) and still do the things they need and want to do.  So why can’t I?

I struggle with a few mental health conditions that sometimes make it difficult for me to stay organized, complete basic day-to-day tasks, meet deadlines, and, some days, leave the house or even get out of bed.  I need a lot of external structure to keep myself going, and that is just not something you get when you’re employed part-time and/or a student.  I am basically always behind in school, frantically trying to pay bills on time, and frustrated about my messy house.  I get overwhelmed very easily and quickly dive into complete avoidance mode, which usually means watching hours of Netflix and ignoring phone calls.  This is not a good way to live, my friends.

But I also don’t think it’s terribly uncommon.  People just don't like to admit that sometimes it's hard to do things everyone "should" be able to do.  I think people with mental health disorders are often seen as lazy or selfish, and it's easy to internalize these beliefs and slip into a terrible cycle of stress-getting behind-depression-getting more behind-stress-depression.  We also get constant messages that if you want or need to do something, you should just do it.  Want a clean house?  Just clean it.  Want to be a chef?  Just become one.  Want to feel less stressed?  Just stop stressing!  I find myself thinking that if I could just do x, y, and z, everything would be better.  And that’s probably true.  If I could just do x, y, and z, things would be better.  But I can’t.  People with ADHD, depression, or whatever else truly can’t just do it.  This is difficult for a lot of folks to understand, but it’s the truth.

I recently read an interview with someone who struggles with chronic depression, and she said that what sets people with mental illness* apart from others is not necessarily the problems they’re struggling with.  The difference is that people with mental illness have weaker (or non-existent) coping mechanisms.  That really stuck with me.  I’m not lazy or unmotivated or incompetent.  I just have a brain that shuts down when under stress instead of finding productive ways to cope.  And while I can learn (and have learned) ways to better manage this reaction, I’m not sure that initial response will ever change.  And I really want to be okay with that.  It's how I'm built.  Like having broad shoulders--I can wear clothes that flatter, but I can't change the size of my bones.

So there you go.  I know this is pretty personal for the blog, but that’s where I’m at.  Like I said, when I’m feeling behind and guilty, I avoid—even things as seemingly trivial as blogging.  And I have found that the best way to break out of avoidance mode is to be completely honest and lay all my cards on the table.  So that’s what I’m doing.  And now we can go from here.

*"Mental illness" is the term she used.  I'm a little uneasy with that word, and I'm not sure certain conditions, like ADHD, should be considered "illnesses."  But since she used it, I'll use it here.

Curried Cauliflower

You know how sometimes you think you're totally prepared for something?  And then you get started and realize you don't actually have anything you need to complete the task?

No, I'm not talking about studying for my exams.  Although I could be.  I'm talking about cooking.

As I've mentioned before, I don't use recipes very often.  But when I came by a ridiculously humongous head of cauliflower recently, I paged through my cookbooks and found a promising-looking recipe for Curried Cauliflower from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks At Home (yes, I own cookbooks not written by Mark Bittman).  It had lots of things I loved--mustard, apple juice, and best of all, coriander (my new favorite spice!).

So I went to work making Curried Cauliflower.  I chopped up all the cauliflower, made some apple juice from frozen concentrate (not gourmet, but at least it was 100% juice!), and then realized that I should have actually checked my spice drawer before deciding this was the perfect recipe.  I did not have 4 out of the 11 ingredients.  If you're keeping score, that's more than a third of the ingredients missing.  Whoops.

Regardless, I ended up with a pretty tasty dish.  It was kind of tangy and a little spicy.  It probably would have been better with mustard seeds (see the ingredients and my changes below).  I served it mixed up with bulgur and chopped toasted almonds.  It was all basically the same color, so maybe next time I'll serve it with something green.  You know, like a salad.  But on this late finals-week night, simple cauliflower mixed up in a bowl was perfect.

Curried Cauliflower

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets of nearly equal size

2 Tbs vegetable oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp grated fresh ginger root

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/8 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

dash of salt

As I said, I deviated quite a bit from the recipe--I didn't have mustard seeds, turmeric, cardamom, or lemon.  So I used a combination of coriander and curry powder, ground mustard, and lemon juice from one of those gross squeezy plastic lemons you get in the produce aisle.  I also doubled the ginger, because I like ginger, and added some thinly sliced onions, because I like onions.

So really, I can barely said I made this recipe.  But I made cauliflower inspired by this recipe!

I'll use pretty generic language for the steps so you can follow using either the original ingredients or some other combination, like I did:

1. Heat oil in large pan.  If using onion, add onion and saute for a few minutes, until it starts to soften.

2. If using mustard seeds, add seeds and cook until they begin to pop.

3. Add spices and cauliflower and toss together.

4. Pour in apple and lemon juices.  Sprinkle with salt, cover, and simmer until cauliflower is tender (about 5 minutes).

Moosewood says that variations include tossing Curried Cauliflower with a cup of plain yogurt or chilling and serving with yogurt and currants.  They also suggest blending leftovers with cooked potatoes, sauteed onions, and plain yogurt or apple juice for a quick soup.

Fire!

When Linn and I first moved into our building, we got some sideways looks from friends who couldn't believe we were moving to a spot that isn't exactly known for wholesome activities.  But in the year we've lived here, it's turned out to be a pretty quiet building.  Well, maybe "quiet" isn't exactly the right word.  The guy below us blasts music at odd hours, our bedroom window looks out on a fairly busy parking lot, and we're next door to a church that is quite lively on Saturdays and some weekday evenings.  But there hasn't been much activity that crossed the line from makes-me-feel-annoyed-because-I-was-sleeping to makes-me-feel-unsafe.

Well, the other night we had major excitement outside.  Linn and I were in the living room and we were both working on our computers with headphones on.  At one point I heard a loud, sustained beep, but we hear honking and car alarms all the time, so I didn't give it much thought.  A little while later I got up and went into the bedroom, which overlooks the parking lot, and couldn't believe my eyes.

Out back was a fire truck with all its lights on and six firemen hosing down a van.  The van was parked right outside our window and was on fire!  Like, actual flames!  I called for Linn to come look.  He, of course, wanted to go downstairs and get the scoop on what was happening.  I, of course, wanted to stay upstairs in my PJs.

The view from our bedroom window--very close!

I watched from the window as the firefighters put out the flames.  The van looked completely gutted.  The roof was totally gone and I could see the glass from the windows shattered on the pavement.  All that was left of the seats were the metal frames.

That blinding light on the right is the fire truck

Well, this story is a little anticlimactic because it turns out we missed most of the excitement.  I did see some flames, but apparently at one point they were 20 feet high!  The loud beeping we had heard was the van's horn short-circuiting.  Linn talked to the fire inspector and she said that no one seemed to know who the van belonged to or how the fire started.  There's going to be an investigation and an official repot.

Oh yeah, Linn asked her about the report because guess whose car was parked next to the burning van?  That's right.  Ours.  Luckily it fared pretty well.  The windshield is cracked and there are melty spots along the front bumper, headlight, and right side mirror.  So it needs some repairs, but it's completely drivable.  Now I just get to have the always enjoyable experience of dealing with the insurance company.  Woohoo!

There's the van and our car to the right.  You can see shattered glass on the pavement.  And that's my bike in the bottom left corner.  The real tragedy would have been if something had happened to my bike!

An hour later, the van was gone.  It would be poetic to say that it was as if nothing had ever happened.  Sadly, there is still glass and bits of roof all over the parking lot and it still smells pretty toxic.

To me, the craziest part of this story isn't the fire.  It's that Linn and I managed to not notice anything was going on until it was almost over.  Next time there's an exciting incident in the parking lot, I'll be sure to figure it out sooner so I can report back on all the details!  For now, though, things are back to not-too-quiet normal.

Salmon roasted in butter with herbs

I have always loved sea food. Growing up in the mid-Atlantic meant lots of blue crabs, and summers at the beach with a father who loves to fish meant lots of fresh fillets.  I love clams, shrimp, scallops, and even squid.

But I always hated salmon. Yes, salmon, the fish that fish-haters love. And yet I, a fish-lover, hated it. To me it tasted too fishy and the color weirded me out and I just thought is was...icky.

Unfortunately, salmon is kind of a difficult thing to hate. I've been invited to dinner at friends' houses (or worse--friends' parents' houses) many times only to sit down to a fancy salmon entree. Hard to not eat it when someone's prepared it for you. And of course, there are all the health benefits that I read about every time I open a cooking or health magazine.

So about a year ago I decided that I was going to start liking salmon. I started small: I talked a lot about liking salmon. Yes, I needed to take that baby step to get mentally prepared. Then I ate a few bites from a buffet at a work event. Then I tried my aunt's famous whipped salmon mousse at Christmas. When my uncle seared some salmon and I actually really liked it, I decided it was time to try cooking it myself.

So I bought some salmon. Then, as I always do in times of uncertainty, I turned to Mark Bittman.  And Mark, as he always does, led me to an amazing recipe. It's simple--just salmon roasted in butter with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs sprinkled on top. I added slices of lemon because I love lemon with fish and also because the yellow lemon, green herbs, and pink salmon were pretty. I served it with brown rice and kale sauteed with garlic. It was delicious--and now I can truthfully say that I like salmon!

I could eat kale every day!

Salmon Roasted in Butter

Adapted from How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Some butter (Mark calls for 4 Tbs, I think I used 2)

One 2-3 lb salmon filet (I used a few smaller fillets)

Salt and pepper

Chopped fresh herbs (I used fresh parsley and some dried basil.  Mark says you could use tarragon, chervil, basil, dill, thyme, or a combination.)

Lemon, sliced into rounds

1. Heat oven to 475. Melt butter, either in a saucepan, in the oven as it heats, or (my favorite) the microwave. Pour butter into baking pan.

2. Place salmon in baking pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped herbs. Lay lemon slices on top.

3. Mark says to roast about five minutes, flip, and roast for three to six minutes longer until fish flakes easily. I didn't flip mine, and it cooked a little faster since I used small fillets. Enjoy!

I used code!

You've probably noticed that the blog has a new look!  I've completely changed the color scheme, there's a new banner, and I switched from a two-column to a three-column layout.  There's also a new "About Me" page.  What do you think?  I'm much much happier with it!

This is the first time I've changed the look of the blog significantly from the template.  I did some coding!  I'm even using html code in the posts to make the photos the same width as the text.  That's right. Coding in the posts. Are you impressed?

Code!

There are, of course, bits I still want to change.  If you looked at the blog in the last week, you may have noticed that the header image was cut off.  I seem to have fixed that, but please let me know if it looks wonky on your computer.  The biggest thing that's bugging me right now is that the email, Facebook, and Twitter buttons on the right sidebar are spaced so far apart.  Anyone know how to change that?  I also want to make the date at the top of each post smaller.

There are other things, too.  I'm not going to go back and change the formatting on all the old posts, so if you look back the photos are going to be too big and stick out into the sidebar.  But I can live with that.  Overall, I'm pretty proud of getting a look I like on my own.

Did I mention that I used code?

Announcing Free(ish)!

I'm excited to announce the launch of the internet's newest hotspot!  Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but it should be the internet's newest hotspot because it's very cool.

It all started when we lived in New York and were fairly broke.  To find things to do, we relied heavily on a blog called The Skint, which lists free events going on all over the city.  Then we moved to Minneapolis and were fairly broke, but nothing like The Skint seemed to exist.  We had a really hard time finding free things to do and Minneapolis started to feel pretty boring.

Well, it turns out there are fun, free things to do in the Twin Cities, they're just hard to find.  So Linn, seeing an opportunity, spent the last month working into the wee hours of the night creating Free(ish)!

Free(ish)--also on Facebook--compiles and publishes daily lists of free and mostly-free things to do around the Twin Cities.  The types of events really run the gamut.  They might include happy hours, live music, lectures at the U, free museum hours, neighborhood events, or anything else that's free and open to the public.  On May 1 it even listed protests and demonstrations going on for International Workers Day!



This isn't just a plain-old list, either. It's actually pretty funny to read. For example, here's part of the description for the 331 Club: "A fantastic, friendly, intimate space for music, but never a seat in the house on popular nights. But when the musical saw takes a solo and people start really bopping around, you wouldn’t want to be sitting anyway."

The website also has lists of recurring events organized by day and then by category (my favorite being "Libations and Vittles").  There is also a great list called Any Day, Everyday, or Every Now and Again. This has recurring events as well as tips on how to do not-free things for free. For example, if you volunteer at the well-known and somewhat pricey Cedar Cultural Center, you get to see half the show the night you volunteer and you get a free ticket to any show after you volunteer for eight hours. Good deal!

Linn has been working really hard on this website (by which I mean, he's barely slept in weeks).  I had no idea he knew how to build a website, but apparently he does.  Right now he's compiling the lists on his own and could really use a little help, so if you live in the Twin Cities, please contact him if you know about free(ish) things going on.  You can also like Free(ish) on Facebbok, even if you don't live in the Cities.  I'm so proud of him for getting this off the ground, so check it out and make all his sleepless nights feel worth it!

Peep hunt

Hello everyone!  The end of the semester (which doesn't actually end for two more weeks) is a stressful, sad, sleep-deprived time.  That is all I will say about my absence.

So how long ago was Easter?  Three weeks you say?  Well, I'm still having sugar withdrawal, so I will consider it Not Too Late to Post Easter Photos.

Being a lapsed Catholic and a more recently lapsed Unitarian, I don't usually do much to celebrate Easter.  But when our friend Christian invited Linn and me to his mother's house for dinner and the Annual Ricci Family Peep Hunt, we couldn't say no!

The Peep Hunt goes as so: 1. Divide into teams.  2. First team goes outside to hide the peeps all around the yard. 3. Other teams race to find as many peeps as possible.  4. Next team hides the peeps all over, and so on.

Linn and I got to hide first and, I have to say, I think I prefer hiding to finding!  It was very satisfying to watch our hunt-mates run around looking for peeps.

Not really a good hiding place, but I couldn't resist!

It's hidden in the porch light in the top left corner!

We also had a lovely dinner...

...and ended the evening with the most rollicking, laughter-filled board-game-playing experience I've ever had!

I hope you all are having lovely springs!  I'll be back soon with some photos from my first roll of 120mm film shot with my new Diana F+ camera.  Plastic lens=messy pictures and lots of fun!  Also, the farmers market (aka canning season) is about to start!!!

Follow Chopping Vegetables!

Would you be this excited to follow Chopping Vegetables?  You should be!

Maybe you've noticed some changes to how the blog is looking.  What do you think?  I'm trying to make it look snazzier and I'm learning (slowly) how to do it.  I'm not totally happy yet, though, so expect to see some more changes!

One of the things I've done is added ways you can follow me and the blog.  Following the blog is a great thing to do because:
A) it helps you stay up-to-date
B) it helps me get exposure and new readers

So if you like Chopping Vegetables, here are some ways you can follow:

Email
I send an email out to those who want it when I update the blog.  Let me know if you'd like to be on the list.


Google Friend Connect
Click "Follow this blog" on the side bar and you'll be able to see when I have a new post.

Bloglovin
This is my favorite way to keep up with blogs.  Bloglovin shows updates for all the blogs you follow in one place.

Facebook
There's a new Chopping Vegetables Facebook page!  See blog updates and give me ideas for posts!

Twitter
Read blog updates and other thoughts in 140 characters or less.

Pinterest
I have quite a few boards on Pinterest.  Follow them for fun ideas, and share your own!

THANKS FOR READING CHOPPING VEGETABLES!

Chicken and Lentils--or, how I discovered coriander

Remember when I gave you updates on my not new years resolutions and said that I had made a new recipe, but hadn't posted about it?  Well, here it is!

It's not beautiful, but it's delicious

This post is an ode to Mark Bittman.

I could write many odes to Mark Bittman, but today's ode to Mark Bittman (we call him Marky-Mark) is to thank him for introducing me to the delightful sensory experience that is coriander.

One evening I was flipping through Marky-Mark's How to Cook Everything looking for ways to feed my obsession with my (sort of) new Dutch oven.  I ran across a simple-sounding recipe called Chicken with Lentils.  I had all the ingredients on hand--except for coriander.

I had never cooked with coriander before--I've always just substituted curry powder, figuring it was mostly the same.  But I had just listened to an episode of The Splendid Table in which Lynn discussed a dish made with coriander, and it had caught my interest.  So I made a quick run to the store and got some.

Well, let me tell you, folks, coriander might be my new favorite spice.  Oh my, it is amazing.  It's rich and a little sweet and fills the house with a cozy, slightly cinnamon-y smell (yes, I think a smell can be cozy).  And it's not the same as curry powder.

And aside from the coriander, this dish was amazing!  It's super hearty since it has chicken and lentils, and the parsley adds a really fresh flavor.

Chicken and Lentils

Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

1 tbs chopped garlic

1 tbs chopped or graded fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger

1 cup chopped tomato (canned is fine)

1 tsp ground coriander

3-4 lbs chicken (I used breasts because I had them in my freezer)

1 large bunch fresh parsley sprigs, tied together

2 3-inch cinnamon sticks

1 cup dried lentils

salt and pepper

In a Dutch oven (or any large skillet with a lid), saute the onions, garlic, ginger, tomato, coriander, and some salt in the oil for just a few minutes.

Add 4 cups of water, the parsley bundle, cinnamon sticks, and lentils.  Cover the Dutch oven and let simmer for about 30 minutes until the lentils are almost done.

Take out the parsley and add the chicken.  Cook covered until the chicken is cooked through (155-165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh), about 15-25 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Weekend snapshots [3-19]

Not new year's resolutions updates

I can't believe we're two weeks into March.  That means I'm half-way through the semester (yay!), spring is coming (yay!), and I've been at my job almost a year (longest job I've ever had...).  Also, my birthday is in two months--which sounds great, but my 26th birthday is also the day I get kicked off my parents' awesome health plan and I'm all on my own in the scary world of health insurance.

But that's a different post.

The point of today's post is a progress update on my not new year's resolutions.  Back in February I made a list of 10 goals for February, March, and April, and I thought this would be a good time to revisit that list and see what I've accomplished, what's in progress, and what I've completely forgotten about.

10 goals for February, March, and April

1. Make two new recipes a month out of cookbooks I already own

Well, in February I made one new recipe out of Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.  I even have photos and the beginning of a blog post about it.  So, mini-goal for March is to do two more recipes and to actually post about the February recipe.

2. Start an embroidery project

Started!  And neglected for a few weeks, but started!  This is another thing I meant to post about....

3. Go to class and do my homework

Success!  I've missed a few classes (who hasn't?), and studying for midterms was a bit overwhelming.  But my papers are in and I think the exams went well, so yay me!

4. Do something active 3x/week (gym or something else!)

For motivation, I signed up for a 5k!  And since I signed up three weeks ago I've actually gone to the gym (almost) every other day.  Feeling good!

5. Follow my new chore chart (a post on this coming up)

So far complete fail, but we're working on it.  Starting this week, I swear!

6. Write and mail three letters

I've written one.  And then it turned into a care package.  That I haven't finished yet.  So it hasn't been sent.  This is a good reminder.

7. Bake a loaf of bread

Okay, this one should be checked off.  I tried--twice.  It turns out that my apartment is too cold at the moment for bread to rise, so this goal is going on hold for a few months.  I was going to post photographic evidence, but Linn cleaned out the bowl, so you'll just have to take my word for it.  I'm going to give myself an honorary check mark.

8. Hang art on walls (I have the art, it needs to go on the walls)

Well, we've figured out where we're hanging the art, it's just not quite up yet.

9. Create an "official" budget with Linn

Linn wanted to take the first step on creating this, and he has started to put some numbers together.  Next step is to have a real chat about it.  Any budgeting advice is appreciated!

10. Plan a vacation!

So far there's only been dreaming....  I think I need to complete #9 first.

http://mcmanuslab.ucsf.edu/SF

http://www.costaricatrees.com/

http://montrealads.net/why-montreal-is-a-great-place-to-visit/

I think I'm doing pretty well!  Almost everything has been started, or at least contemplated.  I'll check-in a few weeks from now with an update.

Have you been following your (not) new year's resolutions?

Kindergarten crafts: pine cone bird feeders

I want to start by saying that the most exciting part of this post to me is the photos.  My uncle is an amazing photographer, and he let me use his fancy fancy camera.  Thanks Uncle Rick!

Nothing is more fun than doing crafts like you used to do back in kindergarten.  So when my aunt invited me over to have a sleepover, drink tea, watch movies, and make pine cone bird feeders, I of course said, bring it on!

Full disclosure: this happened in December.  I am blogging about it now.  Time management is not one of my strengths.

So anyway, I helped my aunt gather pine cones in the yard (look for the more open ones so you can really get the peanut butter in there!), and then my cousin and I were dispatched to buy the cheapest jar of peanut butter we could find.  When we returned, my uncle built a fire in the fireplace and we set up our project on the coffee table.

We tied string onto the pine cones, then smeared on peanut butter.  Tip: tie the string before you smear the peanut butter.  Unless you're looking for mess.  In which chase, by all means start with peanut butter.

We rolled the pine cones around in bird seed and voila!  Pine cone bird feeders just like in elementary school.

We made about 20 bird feeders and hung them all over the backyard.  They actually looked quite elegant hanging from the trees!

This photo was taken with an iPhone.  Not bad!

What is your favorite kindergarten craft?

Happy leap year!

I wasn't planning on posting today, but I couldn't resist saying HAPPY LEAP YEAR!

Or, I suppose, leap day.

Love Google's homepage today!  Opera-singing frogs celebrate leap day and Rossini's birthday!

Don't you think leap day should be a holiday?  Let's pretend it is and enjoy the extra day!

Some updates and a sneak peek

Hi everyone!  This post isn't as awesome as my usual posts.  It doesn't have a delicious recipe or a good story.  But bear with me because Thursday's post is great, I promise!

Here's a sneak peek:



Okay, now that you've gotten a pretty photo, here are my updates:

First, if you're wondering where the "About Me" and "Favorite Photos" pages went, I'm working on editing different parts of the blog.  They'll be back soon!  I know you were really concerned.

Second, I've been hearing from a few people that they can't comment on my posts.  This is terrible--I love reading comments!  I've changed a setting in the comments, so please try to leave a comment on this post!  If it doesn't work, shoot me an email at choppingvegetables@gmail.com and I'll try something else.

Any advice on this comment thing would be appreciated.

Thanks everyone, and see you Thursday!

The Color Run

Image from thecolorrun.com

I just registered for my first 5k!  I've been wanting to take up running (well, jogging) for a long time, but nothing really lit a fire under my you-know-what and made me stick with it.  Then I ran across (pun intended) a post on the really fun blog The Color Issue about The Color Run.  I was pretty much sold just from the title, but then I checked it out, and the Color Run looks like so much fun!

Every kilometer has a different color, and as you run in that kilometer people spritz you with color powder, so by the end you look like a rainbow!  Or a Jackson Pollock painting.  It's supposed to be fun and laid-back--they don't record times, and the website says that you can do cartwheels the whole way if you want.

It seemed like very best 5k I could possibly do for my first.  So I asked some friends here in the Cities and six of us are now on a team together: Rainbow Chard and the Transplants.  Yes, that is our team name.

Now I just have to get in shape to run a 5k...  Expect some updates on my progress!