We're only on week #2 of produce delivery and I'm loving it. Its like Christmas morning every Wednesday; we never know what's going to be in there. This week:
3 apples, 1 grapefruit, 2 oranges, 2 avocados, 1 pint of strawberries, 2 BIG ears of white corn, 1 bunch of broccoli, 1 bunch white baby turnips, 1 bundle of spinach, 1 head of green leaf lettuce and....more rhubarb! Haha oh no....good thing they send recipes with your box. I'll make some rhubarb turnovers and give them away. :-) All of this - local, organic and delivered to my door for $31.50 a week?! Yes please.
Last week's box had 2 lbs of rhubarb in the haul...what does one do with that?!
My first thought was Strawberry Rhubarb pie - something my Mom used to make often when I was a child. I'm actually not a big pie person anymore - more of a pie *filling* person. ;-) I browsed some recipes and decided on a crumble-looking thing from Betty Crocker (read: NOT healthy, but sometimes necessary).
Ingredients:
Crust & Topping
-1 c butter or margargine, softened
-1 c packed brown sugar
-1 t vanilla
-2 c whole wheat flour
-1.5 c quick cook oats
-2/3 c chopped nuts (optional)
-1/2 t baking soda
-1/4 t salt
Filling
-2 cups turbinado sugar
-2/3 c whole wheat flour
-2 t milk of choice
-4 eggs (or egg replacer equivalent)
-4 cups sliced strawberries
-4 cups sliced rhubarb
1. Heat oven to 375.
2. In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in 2 cups of the flour, oats, nuts, baking soda and salt until crumbly. .
3. Reserve 2 cups of this mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture into an ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan. (I didn't have this size so mine was just extra thick.)
4. In a large bowl, mix turbinado sugar, 2/3 c flour, milk and eggs with a spoon until smooth. Fold in the strawberries and rhubarb.
5. Spoon the filling onto the crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping.
6. Bake 40-50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the middle is set. Cool slightly - about 30 minutes.
7. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or plain - it was delish by itself. Store covered in the refrigerator.
I actually had a little bit of an epiphany yesterday, which in turn took away my guilt about said unhealthy dessert. I feel like my relationship with food and looking a certain way was a little unhealthy before I got pregnant. Often times, we ladies have a skewed body image and the reflection we see in the mirror isn't what everyone else sees when they look at us. Case in point: I saw a picture of myself from Feb 2011 yesterday and it kind of shocked me. I never realized I was that small. It wasn't unhealthy small (close), but I love my body so much more right now than I ever have...maybe minus the swollen ankles.
I haven't even gone through the most amazing part of this pregnancy yet, but I am already so amazed at what my body has been capable of - housing, feeding and protecting our sweet baby until s/he is ready to come out and greet the world. I will be forever grateful to my body and am okay with however it looks after this is all said and done - within reason of course. My focus is on being healthy and active so that I can take the best care of our family possible.
37 weeks - full term today!! :-)
(Its so nice to not have to take my own picture every week now. Its the little things haha.)Have a lovely Wednesday everyone! xo Shaina
