Bloom.

It’s been a fun week for Bent Arrow Acres. We officially launched our new website and social media outlets and we are so thankful for the likes, shares and words of encouragement!

We had interest in CSAs (We still have plenty available so let us know if you are interested… And, try to win your own by liking and sharing Bent Arrow Acres on Facebook!) We also had interest in the very in-season garlic scapes from local restaurants.

To me, this is all so cool. When Adam and I began to talk about expanding the farm we really wanted to do it so that we could expose more people to our products and they could use them to make great meals. That is exactly what is happening!

But, in the last week, one question kept coming up: What is a garlic scape? And, what the heck do you do with it?

A garlic scape is a shoot the grows out of the center of hardneck garlic. The shoot has a bit of a curl and the plant’s closed flower bud. The flower will not bloom but, if not removed from the plant, it will put it’s energy into the scape versus the bulb. This will cause the bulb to be small.

So, it’s something that has to come off the plant anyway, but it also doesn’t hurt that it’s delicious!

Garlic scapes have a mild garlic flavor with a little spice. I read somewhere that in cooking terms they are considered a vegetable, aromatic and herb all rolled into one.

Their season is fleeting, only lasting a few weeks each June, so we capitalize on it mixing them into everything from egg dishes to aioli. My favorite use is to make pesto with a big bunch of them. It can be frozen just like basil pesto or used right away on pizza or pasta.

Making the pesto is so simple and uses pantry staples. You could use nuts like pine nuts or walnuts, but I was inspired by the green and used up some pistachios. So vibrant and fabulous on pasta!

It seemed gourmet… But, it was easy enough for a busy week night!

If you are interested in garlic scapes we are selling bunches for $2.00. Email me at bentarrowacres@gmail.com to arrange pick up at the farm. I will be in Indianapolis later this week if you can’t pick them up at the farm!

 

Confession time.

Until recently, I really didn’t like strawberries.

I know. I know.

And, yes. I am in fact an American and/or human and not insane.

But, growing up and as a young adult, I really didn’t like any berry. I sometimes thought it was a texture thing because I liked berry flavored drinks, desserts, candy, gum and more.

Then, a few years ago, I had a just picked strawberry. Just off the vine.  Still warm from the sun. It was spectacular. And, a total game changer.

I now realize that seasonality plays a huge role in the flavor of any berry, but especially strawberries. Out of season strawberries at a Midwestern grocery store just aren’t very good. They are bland and have a different texture. Not to mention they hold far less nutrients and, to top it all off, are bad for the planet in comparison to local, in season strawberries.

So, I, just like many others, capitalize on strawberry season canning jam, making treats and just popping berries whenever I get a chance this time of year.

Over the weekend Bon Appetit’s Instagram account asked followers what they thought was the best thing to make with strawberries. I was in the car and bored as Adam drove us home from the airport (Theo had his first flight!) so I decided to check out the responses in hopes of a little cooking inspiration for another week of maternity leave.

There were lots of different cocktails listed like margaritas, daiquiris and spiked stawberry lemonade.

Berries with cream was popular too.

Adam thought that strawberry shortcake would have the most votes… But, he thought wrong.

Over and over I kept seeing plugs for strawberries with balsamic vinegar.

“Really?,” I thought.

I had seen the two flavors combined only on occasion in cookbooks, but I had never tried it.  Because, let’s be real, why add vinegar to strawberries when you could add sugar, whipped cream, or chocolate?  (Or, all of the above.)

But, there was a little voice in me that kept saying, “Don’t knock it ’til you try it.”  So, I decided to give it a go and I am so glad I did.

Strawberries with balsamic vinegar is great for a couple reasons:

1.  The convenience: All the ingredients are pantry staples and it doesn’t require baking or hardly any hands on time.  The is a great recipe to have in your arsenal when hosting people for dinner as it’s a quick, yet unique and impressive dessert.
2. The taste:  Talk about a surprise!  It was great and the dark balsamic really brings out the color in the berries.  Also, add the pepper.  I know.  It’s gone even more strange with the thought of pepper.  Just do it.

 

 

While the new baby has, without a doubt, kept Adam and I quite busy, we also have spent much of this spring working on another project…

We are so excited to share the start of our farm, Bent Arrow Acres.

We started this homesteading adventure in 2013 and have gradually begun to sell produce, eggs and meat that we raise to friends and family. Because of their excitement, as well as our own, about our products we want to share the food we produce and love with even more people. To do so, we have added animals like pork and turkeys to the homestead and brought on friend and neighbor, John Adams, to help us care for the animals.

Since the start of Bloom and our backyard garden the goal has been to produce and share the best food possible because, with my culinary background, I know that the best ingredients make the best meals. This means using local, seasonal produce and seeking out meat and eggs from animals raised with the best care.

Bent Arrow Acres was founded on this belief.

Our products include pork and poultry raised on pasture that was once conventionally farmed but is now back to a more sustainable, polyculture state. As well as flavorful garlic grown with organic practices that does not have to be flown across the planet.

But, more than just great food, Bent Arrow Acres, like Bloom., is a lifestyle.

It is for those who choose to go against the straight and narrow… or in this case, the “straightened arrow.”

I grew up in an area with no connection to agriculture. And, when my parents, teachers, friends and even myself had visions for my future it had absolutely nothing to do with growing food. But, here I am… a farmer!

It’s all about breaking free from the expected.

The ordinary.

Breaking free from the conventional grocery store or drive thru to seek out local farmers and cook with great ingredients.

Breaking free from what someone else thinks is the right path for you and shooting your arrow in a new direction.

Be sure to check out Bent Arrow Acres’ website! It includes all the details about ordering products and getting in touch. Facebook and Instagram will also have fun updates so be sure to follow along!

Know that Bloom will stay the same. I will continue to share backyard garden tips, seasonal recipes and local food from travels near and far… with a bit of the farm sprinkled in!

To join in the excitement about the launch of Bent Arrow Acres, we are giving away one Chicken CSA Membership. This includes two whole chickens and a dozen eggs each month starting July 2016 until November 2016. Just “like” and share Bent Arrow Acres’ Facebook page!

Normally, the Chicken CSA will be picked up at the farm the first week of each month, but we will deliver the winner’s CSA so long as they are within 90 minutes of Kokomo, Indiana. Giveaway runs through midnight on June 30, 2016.

Note: We had a great time working with Stephanie from Whim and Proper in the branding and web development. She is based out of Indianapolis and seriously nailed it when it came to our vision. We cannot say enough good things about our experience.

For those of you who don’t follow along on Instagram, we finally welcomed Baby Trost four weeks ago!

And… we had a BOY!

Theodore “Theo” Sullivan Trost was born on April 21st.  He was 7 pounds 2 ounces and 20 inches long.

We have been adoring his cute face, bright blue eyes and tiny cuddles since day one; but, I want to be totally honest too when talking about baby snuggles and newborn scent… These last few weeks have also been maybe the most filling, yet draining, weeks I have ever experienced.

Yes, of course, there has been of plenty of love, joy and baby bliss.  And, I also know I wasn’t naive; I knew there would be less sleep, faster showers (… If I even got one) and plenty of tears. So, those things are not surprising.  But, there still is so much more that I didn’t expect about these first weeks.

There’s the physical- and emotional- recovery from birth that no one seemed to mention in Lamaze class or in the tons of reading and YouTube-ing I did on child birth. (Yes, I YouTube birth.  Often.  I am a investigator.  What can I say?!)

All I kept hearing was that the pain of birth would disappear after seeing your baby. And, yes, seeing your baby is wonderful, but that’s not exactly true.  There’s pain (and plenty of other gross things) that lingers… for weeks.

On top of it all, I had a sudden, surprise induction followed by a sudden, surprise! c-section after 50 hours of labor… followed by an extra week in the hospital due to complications from it all.

Forget the incisions in my abs, the second guesses and the question “why?” has been deeper and more painful.

The “Baby Blues” are real and I had no idea what I was in for.  Fortunately they don’t last too long- at least they shouldn’t. But, there will be tears. Sometimes for no good reason. Everyday. For a week or two.

Because of the recovery time needed for my body, mind and heart, I have kind of have become a homebody. This is pretty out of character for me and not how I imagined Theo’s first weeks.

I thought it would be a big celebration of life full of visits and drinking champagne with friends and family.  I even had a wedding and a couple showers on the calendar that I thought I could easily get to. Instead, I have found myself craving the quiet and relaxing atmosphere of my bedroom. (Not to mention, a glass of wine has been totally uninteresting.)

But now, at about four weeks postpartum, I can feel myself getting back to myself; but, there still are times that all I want to do is savor Theo, get to know our family of three and take care of me.

One perk of being a homebody is that you don’t have to wear a bra.

Convenient, because I am nursing Theo basically all day, everyday… or, so it seems. Nursing is wonderful, but demanding.  I had no idea how much time I would spend on my couch with my boobs out.

I have also impressed myself with all that can be done with just one arm… However, everything just takes me a lot more time.  Chores that used to be effortless like laundry, dishes or even just shopping online now take forever.

I had visions of my maternity leave where I snuggled with baby, cooked every night, kept the house spotless, gardened, worked out and managed to blog everyday.

HA.

Just emptying the dishwasher before lunch is now a huge accomplishment.

So is a trip to the grocery store.

A huge accomplishment.

So, despite the fact that majority of my garden is still in starter containers on my patio, I am so glad to have an established garden in the backyard.  There are plenty of perennial plants, like asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb, and herbs, in the garden that I can expect to be ready to eat every spring year after year.

Perennial plants are plants that thrive for many growing seasons.  A portion of the plant dies in the winter and regrows each spring from the same root system.  Whereas annual plants are planted every growing season.

Of all of these spring perennials, asparagus is so special to me.

(Coincidently, asparagus is great for nursing. Another thing I recently learned.)

Honestly, I don’t eat it any other time of year because the flavor and texture just can’t hold a candle to our super-fresh, local, spring asparagus.

Asparagus takes a few years to get established, but once it is the plants can produce spears for upwards of twenty to thirty years.  The most seasoned gardeners say that home renovations versus moving is worth it when you have an asparagus bed.

And, while I am glad we can expect asparagus every spring, I am especially happy we could count on it this year as it has been very welcome at our sometimes “You eat while I hold him” dinners.

Below are a few of our favorite and quick asparagus recipes:

Roasted Asparagus

Baked Eggs and Asparagus

Lemon Orzo and Asparagus

 

And, if you don’t have an established asparagus bed, don’t worry.  You can and should still capitalize on the season and look for asparagus at your local farmer’s market.  My mom scored five pounds for three dollars last weekend… a steal!

This past weekend started with catch up text session with my good friends Laura.

Laura and I have been great friends since we were ten and we talk often, so we were really just catching up about the last couple work days and plans for the weekend.

In the conversation, she mentioned that she had received Chrissy Teigen’s new cookbook, Cravings, for her birthday.  It’s been on my radar because I have seen this book everywhere for the last month or so.  Bon Appetit did a fun write up on it and it’s been splashed all over celebrity Instagram’s.

Laura’s Birthday was in mid-March but the book had just arrived and she was clearly flipping thru it as we texted.

She wrote about Cravings, “I’m in love.  It’s funny and everything looks yummy.”

Then she sent a screen shot for Christy’s intro to her “Il Buco-Style Kale Salad.”

I so badly want to hate kale, but that endeavor is impossible once you try these Caesar(ish) leafy bastards….It is, indeed, possible to love kale.  Sure, it’s covered in giant garlic croutons and heaps of parmesan, but bitch, don’t kill my vibe.

I totally get it.

Kale is… kind of a cliche.

It’s been super-trendy.  Buzz-word worthy.  Maybe even over done…? (See also: Kale in desserts.  Just. No.)

Plus… it’s kale.  Touted for it’s nutritional benefits and superiority.

But, here’s the deal.  

I have loved kale for a long time.  It’s so easy to grow and even easier to cook with.  I have even told Adam we should name a kid, “Kale.”

Kidding.

… not really.

However, I would be lying if I didn’t say that it’s overwhelming popularity has made me (and Chrissy, evidently) roll my eyes a bit and want to hate it.

But, try as I may, I just can’t.

In fact, just last week, kale totally made my day.

I ran by Greener Side Garden’s, a local greenhouse, and the owner Alan had bagged up a bunch of spinach for me.

 

As we checked out what was popping up in the greenhouse, he also snipped a bunch of kale leaves and handed them over to me like a bouquet of flowers.

I couldn’t help but laugh as I walked back to my car.

I looked like a hipster bridesmaid.

Things got even more comical when I got back home a realized that I didn’t have enough time to wash the kale and bag it up before my spin class.

So, the quick solution?

A mason jar with a little water.

I admired the kale bouquet and even set it in the center of my kitchen table.  I even contemplated keeping it there for a hot minute after I got back from the gym because it really was pretty.

But, then I got hungry.

Bitch.  Don’t kill my vibe.

… I am 500 weeks pregnant.

And, my pretty kale bouquet became the following great meals.

Easy One-Pot Shrimp Orzo

Goat Cheese Lemon Pasta with Kale

Ginger Beef, Mushroom and Kale Stir Fry

All were perfect for week nights.  And, no matter how hard you try, all make it impossible to hate kale.

 

Now that it’s April and less than two weeks until my expected due date I feel like I am asked, “How are you feeling?” multiple times a day.

No more phone calls starting with “What are you up to?” or friends diving into their own story that they can’t wait to share. Instead I feel their giddiness and hopes for something noteworthy as they ask, “Sooo, how are you feeling?”

Gone is the small talk about the weather, sports or current projects as I wait for my peers to call in on the work conference line. Instead, it’s “Are you getting ready? Are you feeling good?”

Family barely let’s me get in the door without big hugs and excited “How are you doing? Everything okay?”

In elevators, restaurants, and waiting rooms strangers glance down at the bump, look up with a big smile and say, “How are you feeling?”

Even Adam’s “Hey, Babe” shout as he walks in the door has changed to “How ya feeling’, Babe?”

This probably doesn’t make me unique.  In fact, I think this is pretty typical at this point in a pregnancy. And I know it all comes with good intentions and genuine interest.

But, I can’t help but wonder if my answer is disappointing because it’s pretty boring.

I am good.

Really good.

Sure, there’s the normal “Um, Hello.  I am 38 weeks pregnant” stuff.  My feet are a bit bigger and I am up a couple times every night to pee or to get more comfortable.  And, I do look pretty ridiculous trying to get out of a deep couch…

But, I mean, all due considering, life is good.

In fact, I have found that I really enjoy being pregnant.  I love my bump.  The baby’s movements are the best and I smile every time it gets the hiccups.  It’s all so special.

Now before you go and write me off as a complete freak, just wait… I like being pregnant so much that I am actually in no hurry to get this baby out of me.  It can bake as long as he or she see’s fit.

Yep.  And, now I am sure the freak talk has begun.

And if it has, I am going to guess that you are also thinking, “Live it up… because just you wait.  The hard part starts when the baby gets here.”

I totally get it.  It will be a game changer that’s for sure.

That’s why I am enjoying these quiet moments and certainly not wishing them away.

But, I am also using them to be productive.

In the last week, I have used up lots of last summer’s frozen produce by creating freezer meals.  I am fortunate to have this baby right as the garden starts producing lettuces, asparagus and strawberries– all some of my favorite garden produce.  But, I also know that there will be plenty of evenings that we are exhausted and cooking will be the last thing we will want to do.  

And, it may not just be in the  evenings that having meals ready to go will be handy.  Breakfast will be super important to Adam as he heads into work with less sleep than ever before.  I hope to breastfeed so I will also be needing a good, fast start to the day.

The hens are loving the arrival of spring and have been producing great eggs ’round the clock.

To capitalize on this and a decent amount of pork sausage in the deep freeze from the half a pig we purchased last fall, I decided that breakfast burritos would be perfect to stock the freezer.

These burritos are perfect for busy families because they are individually wrapped and can easily be thrown in the microwave during rushed mornings.  They can also be packed with whatever you have in the fridge to add a little more flavor.  I had some left over onion and a green pepper for this batch.  Even sliced tomatoes or green onions could work.

When I make freezer meals I am always sure to label things well.  What it is, dates and cooking instructions are important and prevent some “mystery package” to be found at the bottom of the freezer when I am pregnant with the next one… because I am going to miss it.

 

Wow.

It’s been well over a month without a blog post.  I apologize.  That has never happened.

But, here’s the thing… It sure doesn’t feel like it’s been that long.

The last six weeks have flown by.

It’s likely because the weeks have been jam packed of life combined with lots and lots of baby prep.

There has been fun things like getting the nursery complete, showers as well as Lamaze, baby basics and CPR classes.  And, there has been a bit of not so fun things like reevaluating life insurance plans with our financial advisor and getting Will’s determined with lawyers.

Projects around the house and researching the best bottles/gliders/sleep habits/etc. have consumed my free time.   Not to mention, I did my best to cram as much work travel into the last month as I possibly could knowing that I need to be close to home for the last month.

And, here we are.  37 weeks.

Less than three weeks until baby.  (Give or take, I suppose…)

And, yes.  While the past month was busy, it was also really productive and much of the “To Do Before Baby” List is checked off.  Which is perfect because I am really looking forward to the next few weeks.

I hope to have time to relax, enjoy the quiet moments as I put away tiny clothes, maybe do a little crafting, hang with Adam, get a pedicure, and maybe even read a book that doesn’t have to do with childbirth or infant care.

I am the kind of girl who is always reading something be it motivational books, career focused books, biographies, cookbooks and more.

But, strangely, as creative as I am, I am not a huge fiction fan.  I would so much rather read stories from real people.  So, more often than not, if I am looking for a book to be more of an escape versus a lesson, I find myself drawn to memoirs.

I also tend to lean towards books that focus on food (shocking…)… even in memoirs!

Below are a few of great memoirs that I might pull off my bookshelf as I try to get through the next few weeks with some good stories and great food.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

Barbara Kingsolver

I reference this book often.  But, it’s honestly so great and I find myself drawn to it this time of year- baby or no baby.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle follows Barbara and her family as they take on a year of eating food that either they grew or was produced locally.  It starts in the spring and progresses into the height and gardener’s glee of summer and fall.

It is also a good balance of facts about the food system from Barbra’s knowledgeable husband and a younger perspective as Barbara’s daughter also contributes a bit to the story.  Her daughter is studying to be a dietician and shares great seasonal recipes based on their seasonal bounty throughout the book.

Dying to Try: Asparagus and Morel Bread Pudding

 

Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes

Shauna Neiquist

Too many times when reading this I thought, “Oh my god.  She’s me.”

Shauna and I have many parallels in our lives from our Chicago backgrounds to her summer’s on the west coast of Michigan in a town a whopping 20 minutes away from my parent’s home where I “summer’ed” as a kid and now.  Heck.  She even writes about totally unglamorous things like weight struggles and leftovers and all that would run through my head was, “Me too!”  

But, the way she writes about food is exactly how I feel about it too.   Shauna writes that the table is her alter.  I am not terribly religious, but I do have faith in something larger than me and believe in God’s presence because I feel that same fullness that some people get at church at my dining room table.

And, man, did her book fill me up too.  It is full of real, sweet, short stories that coincide with her favorite, most memorable recipes.  Shauna’s cooking style is also very similar to mine.  Simple, a tad healthy, yet still very midwestern and delicious.

Dying to Try: Sweet Potato Fries with Sriracha Dipping Sauce

 

Comfort Me With Apples: More Adventures at the Table

Ruth Reichl

I have always joked that I was born in the wrong generation.

I think I could have fit in wonderfully in northern California in the 1970’s.

Which is right where Comfort Me With Apples finds us when Ruth lands a job as a restaurant critic.  She travels the Golden State and beyond meeting the major chefs like Alice Waters and Wolfgang Puck and celebrates the super-fresh style of food that I love about California.

But, between the fabulous meals she shares her life with just as much authenticity as the food.  There’s the unraveling of her marriage as her career soars, the death of a parent and second chances all served along side a little humor and warmth.

Dying to Try: Danny’s Lemon Pasta (Made with fresh egg Fettuccini)

 

Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes

Elizabeth Bard

I have never been the girl that dreams about France.  But, this book had me not just dreaming, but scheming about how to get there… soon.

Elizabeth has such a friendly, relatable way of writing about love, leaps of faith and food.  The memoir begins as she is expecting her first child and I so appreciated the honesty in which she wrote about maintaining her sense of self as she embarked on motherhood.

I was also completely enamored by her ability to bring Provence to life in my mind.  It was like I could smell the lavender and feel the coziness of the old home she makes her own.  She also convinced me to add a saffron harvest to my bucket list and to dive head first into a new business with my own husband as she shared her experience of opening an artisanal ice cream shop.

… But, more on that later.

Dying to Try: Lavender Honey and Thyme Ice Cream

 

 

I was gifted this great little serving plate that says, “Happy Everything!”

I love it, not just because it’s colorful and cheery, but because I intemperate it as “Everything is worth celebrating!” And, I couldn’t agree more.

There are friends of mine that joke that I should have been an elementary school teacher because I love all holiday’s.  Even the little, sort of fake ones.

Like Groundhog’s Day.  Isn’t it kind of fun that the day can’t pass without finding out if a little rodent in Pennsylvania saw his shadow or not?!

Half Birthday’s are totally worth noting.  And, the real deal should be celebrated for a week… minimum.

Every year, I have to pick up a bottle of champs for the Oscar’s, make Juleps for the Derby, and marg’s for Cinco De Mayo.

Every St. Patrick’s Day I am decked out in green and I love serving something romantic for Valentine’s Day dinner even if it’s a busy work night and just a decadent scoop of fancy ice cream.

Looking ahead, I can’t wait to fill my kids shoes with treats on St. Nick’s Day, serve them King’s Cake for breakfast on Mardi Gras and assist with some fun surprise for Adam every Father’s Day.

But, of all the “little” Holiday’s, I might be the biggest fan of Super Bowl Sunday.

I have always enjoyed football.

My dad went to Notre Dame, so visiting South Bend for games was part of growing up. “Football Friday Night” was one of my favorite parts of my high school experience.  Then, I went onto a Big Ten school for college where campus would literally begin to “buzz” on Thursday afternoons in the fall before a home game.

After graduation, I ended up in Indianapolis at the height of Peyton Manning and his time with the Colts.  They were pretty easy to root for even as the city newbie… with a Chicago background.

I still root for the Colts, Peyton, Drew Brees and even the Bears every Sunday.  I also try to make every game day fun with some sort of food ritual.  Chili is pretty common at our house on a Sunday and so totally perfect for football.  Bloody Mary’s and something with Buffalo chicken are also the norm around here on game day.

But, on Super Bowl Sunday?

It’s time to pull out the big guns when it comes to food.

Food is half the fun of Super Bowl Sunday.  

Even when we aren’t at a big party or hosting friends for the game, I still make a bit of a spread.  Dips, bites, drinks, apps, and gobs of cheesy goodness just have to be there. (PS- The irony of Super Bowl Sunday placed about 30 days after New Years is not lost on me a bit…)

Since starting the garden and preserving much of our summer harvests, I also find myself trying to get through the food in the freezer this time of year.  No matter what we do, every year, we always have a ton of frozen sweet corn. I try my best to make corn soup and to throw a handful of kernels in chili throughout the winter, but it just seems to multiply behind the closed freezer door.

Inspired by the sweet corn and hoping to get rid of a bit of it, I decided to go Mexican for today’s Super Bowl. (Part of this inspiration also was because, until yesterday, I thought the game was in Arizona…? Nope. San Francisco. Whatever. Still works.)

Tonight, we are having a few friends over and tacos are on the menu.   The appetizers are in line with the theme as well. We have chips and salsa from the summer and, in true Super Bowl food spirit (See Also: Something made with hot, melted cheese…), Mexican Corn Dip.

This dip helps me make a good dent in the summer’s frozen sweet corn and, at a party, is known to disappear quickly.

The heat from the the peppers and spices are well balanced with plenty of cheese and the corn’s natural sweetness that is preserved when blanched and frozen in the summer.

It is also great for a group because it is easy to assemble the day before the party and it can be baked or just placed in the slow cooker making it majorly hands off for the hostess.

That is, until it’s cooked.

Then, everyone can’t keep their hands off it.