My favorite food (I'm still in Delaware... heading to Vermont, stop #2, in a little more than a week!)

Marshmallows... Ok, they might not count as real food to some people (if we're talking real food then broccoli wins) but marshmallows are really my favorite thing. I made them for the first time about a month ago and today I made my second batch ever. The first time I made them I coated them in toasted coconut. This time I made 2 styles. Plain vanilla and a s'mores style which is coated in graham cracker crumbs and drizzled with 64% dark chocolate. Both are tasty, I assure you :) I made them to take to dinner with friends tomorrow.

Generally I think it's good to learn to make things that you'd normally buy (even if it's more expensive to make it, at least I can say I did it... once!) Marshmallows are dangerously easy to make and one batch makes a whole lot! I like the Alton Brown recipe, found here at the Food Network. Add a little extra vanilla (or try a different flavor!). If I find myself with a surplus of maple syrup and maple sugar someday I really want to try making maple marshmallows... I'm also curious to see if I could make a savory marshmallow, for some reason a rosemary marshmallow sounds awesome.


I'm curious what I'll find to eat on the road. I want to eat as healthily as I can so that means veggies, more veggies and whole grains and beans! I'll be staying with friends and family a lot and on the road solo the rest of the time. My plan is to rely on farm stands, farmer's markets (need to find a map of farmer's markets yet), grocery stores and keeping a little pantry in my car with things like peanut butter and larabars. My mom offered me a cooler to make sure things don't overheat... I haven't decided yet I'll be starting the essentials packing on Monday and will see how much space there is in the car. I'd like to leave enough space to sleep in the car as well as space for at least one passenger too.

I will be in Delaware until next Thursday then plan to stop in York, PA to visit some friends who I met at Yestermorrow doing the natural building program 2 summers ago, then stopping in NYC to have lunch with my old roommate from college then on to Rupert, VT where I will be an assistant caretaker on a small hobby farm for 2 weeks. I'm so excited! But I also have a lot of work/projects to do before I get there so... back to work!

Cheers!


UPDATE:
My aunt sent me a link to the site I was trying to remember where you can find farmer's markets all over the US, it's called Local Harvest. I'm really looking forward to experiencing other farmer's markets, especially when I get to the southwest!

Project #1 = complete!

I took these pants I bought at the GAP factory outlet (like 2 years ago) and finally made them into shorts. I was my plan all along so they have been sitting with my sewing stuff unworn, untouched. And now they are shorts, Project # 1 is complete! Unfortunately I can't fit into them at the moment. The desk job was not kind to my waistline!
But that's ok, I'm working on it. I went for a jog this morning and I am thinking about riding my bike to the grocery store now so I can try out some awesome sounding vegan recipes. Like this one for Mac & "Cheese" and one for Cornbread as I have been wanting cornbread for like months now!

This morning I dreamed of Vermont and it was awesome, I'm excited to get there and for now I'm working on projects that I have wanted to do but haven't had the space. Yay for houses instead of apartments! Woot!

UPDATE:
I made the vegan mac and "cheese" and vegan cornbread... amazing!!

The beginning

*exhale*
A few cuts, some sweeping and lots of stairs later: I am in Delaware, at my mom's house. I have many things to do on my list of "how to get the most out of my "vision quest" but decided today would be about relaxing. I woke up, got my clothes from the dryer, rode my bike to the local Wal-Mart (3.5 miles along highways!) did a little shopping for a couple things I needed and came back home.

Excited to have access to a big, suburban kitchen I started having grand vision of things to cook! I didn't really feel like going to the grocery store, knowing how close it was now I didn't want to drive but I didn't feel like riding again. I decided to work with what I had and what I found in the kitchen... Polenta! And Black beans and salsa. It was delicious but could have used some guacamole (or cheese but I'm trying to be vegan in this vegan household).

I spent the rest of the day reading, lounging around outside, then watched a movie and made dinner for my mom and step-dad. Tomorrow I'm going to set up my sewing machine and start the creative juices flowing and the fingers sewing! It's been way too long and I've had way too little space and now, being here in Delaware, I have no excuses! Time to sew, time to cook! Huzzah!