spicy strawberry salsa & dinner for two.

The weekdays never go as planned, thank goodness, because they keep me on my toes and leave me with little unexpected moments to cherish. Tonight my evening of an early run (done by 6:30 at the latest, or else...) and getting most of my classwork done for the week ended up like this:

- Leave work late, home around 6:00.
- Start a video of "How God Really Feels About Bikinis" that lasts 8+ minutes.
- Head out for my run at 6:35 & immediately receive a call from the friend I was supposed to call by 6:00.
- Run a couple miles and then stop to walk, call said friend.
- Brother-in-law beeps in / switch lines / talk quickly / call friend back.
- Organize details for Labor Day Weekend in VA with said friend.
- Call back & talk to brother- & sister-in-law.
- Friend in San Francisco calls as I hang up with family, talk until Caleb arrives home.

... it's now 8:15.

Oh yeah, and what the heck are we having for dinner?

Folks, you can never go wrong with tacos. They have been my last minute saving grace on countless nights, and they never get old. In our household, we use chicken or fish, but you have complete flexibility in the meats & toppings that you choose. One of the best things about tacos is that you can utilize what you already have instead of purchasing what's needed for the meal.

Enter SALSA.

Before living in Southern California and before watching 500 episodes of "Chopped" on the Food Network, I had a very limited idea of salsa. I thought it was the stuff they bring out before a meal at your local Mexican restaurant or the stuff people brought in a jar for that Super Bowl party where no one felt like making a homemade dish. I was pleased to discover that salsa can take on many forms & flavors, involving an endless combination of veggies, spices, fruits, and herbs. And when you have a vegetable garden, this can be a great way to use what you have fresh before it goes bad.

Tonight I checked the fridge and noticed I had a few strawberries that were on the verge of spoiling, so I decided to use those for some sweetness. I added in a variety of tomatoes, jalapeños & parsley from the garden, along with freshly chopped garlic, sweet peppers, and onion that I had on hand. I included a touch of salt & cayenne pepper and a quick few drops of olive oil.

Paired with the fish that Caleb grilled and the tortillas we had, our healthy and delicious meal was ready to eat no more than 20 minutes after I got started. The weather was so nice that even though it was dark and despite the giant killer mosquitos that live under our enormous oak & pecan trees that span almost the entire backyard, I lit some citronella candles and pulled the table close to the light of the back deck so we could eat outside.

I even made this girly drink to go with my meal: Straw-Ber-Rita mixed with some prosecco & fresh strawberries.

I'm happy to say that the food and the drink and even the mosquitos seemed to fade in the background as I was finally able to pause and just be with my husband. We prayed over our food and for our loved ones, talked about our todays and our tomorrows and even our years to come. I'm behind on my schoolwork and we've got a full week ahead, but I'm thankful for that spicy strawberry salsa, the time it saved me in the kitchen, and the time it gave me with my man.

friendlier food.

I love when my favorite things collide. Food & community, be it family or friends, is one of my favorite combinations. Fun impromptu gatherings & dinners are commonplace for 20- & 30-somethings, and meal sharing, even with strangers, has become trendy {no really - check out this site that is doing just that in NYC/SF/DC & other cities: www.eatfeastly.com}.

Food has become a way to share our culture, our upbringing, our life experiences with one another. But how do we move past the cheap booze and store-bought cookies of our college years to contribute something that represents who we are?

I challenge you to get creative for your next gathering. Use that double date dinner night to introduce some fresh salad ideas to your friends, or bring an appetizer that doesn't fit the mold to your friends' to watch the game. Open up your home and try something unique, like making sushi together or a build-your-own pizza night. Brainstorm foods or wines that represent where you're from, where you've been, or where you'd like to go. Whether it's your grandmother's secret recipe or a dish you've been dying to try out, let people know you more through the food you prepare.

I truly believe that we can combat shallow relationships and mundane get-togethers with friendlier food. Let's start using food as a way to serve & love others and show them more of ourselves.

the day I decided that less is MORE.

Let’s be honest… I’ve always wanted to be this girl. The girl who is absolutely content and thriving with little. The girl who desires adventure and community above possessions. The girl who defines wealth & investment in different terms than the world tells her she should. The girl whose outfit doesn’t define her day. And today I’m asking myself: why can’t I be that girl NOW?

In some ways, I’ve mastered the skills of being a minimalist. I wear little make-up and drive a 6 year old Subaru with some dents from all the deer Caleb has hit with it. As a couple, we’ve put off buying a house for some quality adventures together. We’ve moved across country twice, taken our time on the drive to & fro, and been on some fun stateside & international trips. We’ve pursued the career of Caleb’s calling, despite the extensive time & money it has required us to invest, even when it meant moving to Los Angeles on a prayer, $4,000 in savings, and a $30,000 combined salary. And come on, I’m willing to camp in a tent at a site with no bathrooms. Aren’t I every outdoorsman/adventurer’s dream-come-true?

NO. I’m not.

And no one can attest to this more than my very own outdoorsman/adventurer. I, like most of my gender in the States, have bought the lie that MORE is MORE. I have believed that my value comes from how many compliments I receive on how cute my shoes are. I have placed going out for dinner & drinks at a trendy local restaurant above being thrifty & making a wholesome meal at home for my husband & I to share. I have defined beauty in an unhealthy way, and have made idols of hair products, the HGTV Dream Home, and brand name yoga pants, among millions of other things.

So TODAY is the day that I decide less is MORE, and I challenge you to do the same. I’m certain that will look different for me than it will for you. I’m even more certain that I will struggle with this decision every day and that I will trade things of precious and true worth for things that can never satisfy over and over again, and that each time it will leave me feeling empty. Yet even with the knowledge that it won’t be perfect, I’m feeling a special & unique freedom in deciding that less is MORE and making some real-life changes to see this through… today.

mighty mitochondria & garden greens.

In the summer of 2012, I was desperate. I'd started having digestive issues in college, and my stomach was aching all the time. On top of not feeling well, I was sluggish, slow, and not at the fitness level I desired. My husband was well-read in fitness and eating well, so ready for a change, I committed six weeks to the regimen of his choice.

In about a month, I was leaner, faster and stronger. The best part was, I felt good. My energy level was up, I got excited about working out, and I craved fresh & healthy foods. After a few weeks, I adopted Caleb's ideas as my lifestyle.

The main changes I made were:
- Eating more fresh vegetables, particularly greens
- Interval exercise: combining strength & cardio in one short, explosive workout
- Mixing in yoga with my interval exercise (this was my idea, not Caleb's)
- Greatly cutting back on starches (pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.), sweets, and limiting dairy more than before
- Eating white meat almost exclusively (chicken, fish, turkey)**

**I found that this worked for me & my digestive system. This doesn't necessarily apply to everyone. I still love red meat, I just found it doesn't work well for me.

Almost two years after this lifestyle change, my husband shared with me a video titled "Minding Your Mitochondria" with Dr. Terry Wahls. It took me a few months to watch it, because it was 17 minutes long. If you're anything like me, finding 17 minutes to watch a YouTube video is tough enough, not to mention one with a title that boring. But here I am, encouraging you to check it out: "Minding Your Mitochondria" (or check out her book on Amazon.com). If you don't watch it, I want you to know this: what you eat affects the way your mitochondria functions, and your mitochondria affects your energy & overall health.

So how do we eat for our mitochondria? Dr. Wahls' top recommendation is leafy greens. If you're from the Southeastern U.S. like me, your idea of greens might consist of iceburg lettuce or stewed collards. These veggies are great, but I want to highlight two greens I adore that pack a bigger punch: KALE & SPINACH.

Kale & spinach are two of the most nutrient-rich plants per calorie. And what's even better is that they are hardy, cheap, and versatile in the kitchen. With the ability to thrive in cold-weather climates, kale and spinach can be planted in early spring for a summer harvest and again in early fall for a winter harvest. Both grow well in small spaces & yield pretty greenery, making them easy to mix in with your landscape.

Charlotte friends: I've found the Red Russian variety of kale grows great in the clay-heavy soil of the Piedmont region. I've also learned that spinach has a tendency to bolt more quickly in the hot summer temps of North Carolina, so plant it as early as possible (after the last frost) in the spring to reap some early summer harvests.

Some ideas for kale & spinach in the kitchen:

• Salads (photo below is tonight's dinner: kale, fresh basil, fresh peaches, cucumber, walnuts & feta with a balsamic vinaigrette)
• Smoothies (mix kale in with your favorite fruit(s) for a morning breakfast that will boost your metabolism)
• Kale chips
• Pizza or sandwich topper
• Pasta or soup add-in
• Chopped and added to an omelette or wrap

For more information, check out this site:
http://urbanclinic.net/nutrition/eating-for-your-mitochondria/

On another note, I've been accepted into NC State's Horticulture undergrad certificate program. It's a completely online extension program with classes starting next month!

garden gab.

GROWTH, COLOR, TASTE, BEAUTY… gardens make my heart beat a little bit faster. If the 16 year old me were to meet the Anna of today, I think she’d be surprised at the diligence & patience I have for plants. In all her youthful splendor, she wouldn't quite understand why I would look forward to a weekend of pulling weeds and hands that smell like organic fertilizer even after a few washes. Sometimes, I even surprise the present-day me with my love for nurturing these little beauties that go by names like squash, jalapeño, kale, tomato & more. But if you were to visit our little bungalow today, you’d find an unkempt house & a tidy, thriving garden.

{our 2013 summer garden, first ever in the clay-dominant soil of Charlotte. despite the heavy rains, we got a ton of produce.}

Gardens are great for many reasons & can take many shapes & forms. I’m passionate about bringing life into even the smallest of spaces, particularly in the city, because I really believe that it is life-giving to give life. From a little seed to a plant that provides health & enjoyment, the act of growing things is not only therapeutic, but a sweet reminder of the life that God gives.

Here are just a few benefits of gardening that you may or may not have considered before…

GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS. Working the earth & growing your own food allows you to appreciate where things come from & all that’s required for the food to land on your plate. Plus, the fulfillment of cooking something that started out as a little seed in the palm of your hand never gets old.

HARD WORK & DISCIPLINE. If you have a garden, you actually have to be diligent in taking care of something consistently. Turning compost builds character.

{my grandpa used this tiller up until a couple months before he died last July. this year, my husband used it to till the soil before we mixed in the compost. this is my kind of family heirloom.}

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. It’s physically & financially healthy to grow your own veggies. An abundance of produce from seeds that cost pennies won’t swell the belly or break the bank.

{kale chips: rinse kale leaves thoroughly, remove stems. toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, & favorite spices. bake at low temp (300 degrees or so) for 5-10 min. depending on volume. sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.}

COMMUNITY. This one is probably my favorite. Extra veggies give you a reason to knock on your neighbor’s door & share some love, or bring in a little treat for your co-worker who loves fresh herbs. Not to mention getting to mix & match with other gardeners to enjoy the wide variety of produce that your local soil & climate have to offer.

{parsley & rosemary are hearty & resilient herbs that are easy to grow. spruce up your pasta with some parsley & your roasted potatoes with rosemary for added flavor.}

COMPOSTING. Feel a little more at ease when your waste feeds your future spoils. Used coffee grounds, egg shells, banana peels & other organic refuse are great nutrients to put into your soil and cut down on how much trash you collect.

IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU. You can’t make it grow. You can provide the best habitat possible to enable growth, but it is God who brings it life. Are you smarter than a first grader? If so, you can garden. If not, you can garden. I love that even a child can plant a seed, care for it, and watch it grow; while simultaneously brilliant scientists can spend years in the lab studying plants & their behaviors.

{our backyard, a couple weeks ago. now the plants are enormous! the pole beans are producing like wildfire. don't have room for a fenced-in garden like this? try window boxes with herbs or spinach/kale.}

This blend simplicity & complexity is a beautiful picture of Christ. By trusting in Jesus’ work on the Cross that brings forgiveness & grace, even the faith of a child is enough for life eternal. Yet as we grow older & wiser & closer to the Lord, we discover that his complexity & glory are beyond anything we can fathom. May your gardens prosper, and may every bite of delicious produce remind you of His love!

catching up.

Since we got back to the States from Europe, I feel like all I've been doing is trying to catch up. Catching up on sleep, catching up on work, catching up with friends & telling them all about our trip.

Today I decided to take a day-cation to Greenville, SC to see three of my closest friends. Since college, we've been scattered across the Carolinas, California, Washington state, & even South America. I am thrilled to be spending the day catching up with them, and in between my time with them, I'm taking a moment to catch up on my blog.

Our trifecta of a trip to Europe was unforgettable. The landscape of Ireland was gorgeous: miles of green dotted with sheep that came to a sudden halt & drop right at the ocean's edge, mountains and beaches intermingled with pastures. It was the most beautiful place I've ever seen.

London was a blast. Caleb & I spent our days roaming the city, hopping on & off the Tube, eating Indian for lunch, sightseeing & people watching. Our evenings were spent with the Sattaripour family, who opened their lovely home in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea to us. We enjoyed great ethnic food & evening swims in their underground pool. It was like a dream.

And the dream only continued as we arrived in Normandy, France where we spent time soaking up the history and beauty of the beaches and all that they meant and still mean to France, the Allied forces, and the world.

And now, back to the reality of the daily grind, I'm struggling to feel like I have a grasp of life. Our house is a mess, there's always someone we love to go see or something we love to go do, and my body is exhausted. Do things ever slow down? The older I get, the more I realize that the answer to this question is a resounding no. Life doesn't slow down or wait for us to catch up, but it's important that we don't get too caught up in the "catching up."

As I sit here in Greenville on my friend's couch, the couch that was the centerpiece of our college living room, I realize that it took getting out of Charlotte for me to slow down and realize just how quickly time can pass. It's important to soak up the moments that make up the years, and to give up on the catching up every once in awhile so we can enjoy where we are now.

trifecta.

Tomorrow my better half & I depart on a trifecta of an adventure. After almost 4 years of marriage, we have traveled to/through about 25 of the 50 United States. We've seen some beautiful sights together: the Grand Canyon, Old Faithful, seals in San Diego, the Golden Gate Bridge, Sonoma wine country, the monuments of DC, and the beaches of the Outer Banks, to name only a few. And now, we venture outside of our beautiful homeland's borders to Europe.

3 countries / 4 friends / 12 days
IRELAND / ENGLAND / FRANCE

Our time in these countries will be spent mostly in the following 3 places...

DINGLE, ireland

Known for its breathtaking countryside & friendly folks, this fishing town nestled in Ireland's southwestern Dingle Peninsula & just a short drive from the famous Ring of Kerry will be our first stop.


LONDON, united kingdom

Next we'll hit up the gorgeous city of London. Here we'll stay with an Iranian family (family friends of the couple joining us on our trip) in their home near center city.


NORMANDY, france

The Chunnel will connect us to France where we'll hop off in Calais & drive to the Normandy region. We'll be staying in the coastal town of Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, but the highlight (especially for the hubs) is going to be checking out the Normandy landing beaches. Pictured above <top> is a photo taken from D-Day on June 6, 1944 and <bottom> the American cemetery.

I look forward to sharing about our adventures with photos of my own upon our return.

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring