Aaron and Christina's Awesome Adventures... With Veggies

Part of developing a healthy lifestyle has involved incorporating more vegetables into my family's diet. Last night, we bravely went where we've never been before -- to turnip land. Yes, it's true -- last night's dinner came with a side of mashed turnips. I'm trying to cut down on the starches I cook, and I thought turnips might work well as an alternative to mashed potatoes. One cup of mashed turnips (before adding the butter and seasonings) has only about 50 calories and 12 grams of carbs (7 grams of net carbs when the fiber is factored in), plus two grams of protein. I don't know about the rest of you, but I definitely find that impressive. If you know me very well at all, you'll laugh at where I found the recipe.

Mashed Turnips -- from HillbillyHousewife.com*
2 large turnips
1 quart water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Smart Balance spread
1/8 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste

Cut off the tops of the turnips in a thin layer. Peel the turnips with a vegetable peeler. Don't bother cutting off the root end; instead, peel it clean with the vegetable peeler. Cut the turnips into medium sized chunks. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot on the stove. Add the salt and sugar. When the water boils, add the turnips. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until the turnips are tender. Drain well. Add the margarine and milk. Mash the turnips until smooth. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Makes 2-3 servings.

*I modified the recipe slightly.

-----

So, you're probably wondering how the turnips turned out. Well, the taste kind of reminded me of boiled cabbage; Aaron said the turnips tasted like cauliflower to him. We were both able to finish our servings, and Aaron was agreeable when I asked if I should cook this again. I don't think it will be part of our regular rotation, but it's a good option to have when veggie boredom strikes.

My next veggie experiment? Bok choy. I will keep you posted.

What other unique veggies do you like to eat, and how do you prepare them? Inquiring minds want to know!

Grey's Anatomy Gossip

On Saturday, when I visited Lisa at the Blue Door Salon for a trim, the topic of the day was Grey's Anatomy. Despite my crazy-busy schedule, I always make sure to carve out an hour for Grey's every Thursday night (well, and also the CBS Monday night lineup -- I'm particularly hooked on How I Met Your Mother!). Anyway, I have been particularly frustrated with recent story developments surrounding Izzie's love life. I mean, just as Alex is finally starting to get his act together, Denny reappears?! WHY? The current Grey's gossip at my salon is that Izzie's recent encounters with Denny are symptoms of a brain tumor and that this is the show's way of allowing Katherine Heigl to gracefully exit in order to pursue more acting in movies. I guess that makes sense, and I would much rather that be the case than to watch the show take a strange sci-fi turn. I am not sure the show would be able to retain its slot in my weekly schedule if ghosts and such become a regular plot element. Another girl at the salon shared her prediction that Meredith will discover, through reading her mother's stacks of diaries, that the Chief is actually her father. I think that theory is pretty far-fetched, but the Grey's writers do have a way of always keeping us guessing, don't they? What direction do you think the story will take next?

The Lincoln Log cabin dog house is finished!

The day of the Doggie Dash & Dawdle, Aaron finished Max's dog house. It looks awesome -- just like a Lincoln log cabin. Now Aaron's talking about adding bells and whistles to it, like a heater and little red chimney. I think he just likes having a project going. ;-)

We did it!

Max & I finished our very first 5K yesterday -- and we didn't place last! Woohoo. Our official time was 33:10; we placed 112th. Yes, it's a pretty slow time, but considering the chaos and the huge hill we had to climb at the beginning of the course, we're pretty proud. I'm just happy we finished, and injury-free at that!

What I learned for next time:

(1) Don't wear black if it's a sunny day. (I don't know what I was thinking!)

(2) Don't stop at the water stations -- it's too time-consuming (especially with a very social dog by your side).

(3) Race etiquette is unique. (For example: Apparently, you don't have to throw your water cup in the trash can; it's not rude to drop it on the ground and keep running. Who knew?!)

Special thanks to my mom & mom-in-law for helping us raise $70 for AHANM. You're the best!

The Integrity of Our Voting System

This was too funny not to share. In all seriousness, though, I will be at the polls tomorrow, hoping that my vote really counts this election. I hope you'll cast your ballot, too, if you haven't already.