Today I am cooking two dishes consisting of 90% locally grown food for a locavore potluck at the UUCP. (Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse) The first dish is a split pea soup with peas from Genesee, Idaho, onions, carrots and leeks from Affinity Farms (less than a mile away) and some vegetable broth I bought at the Moscow Food Coop. The second dish is a lentil chili with Lentils also from the Genesee Coop of farmers. This particular bag of lentil was a gift from one of the farmers belonging to the coop: Joe and Gayle Anderson. My husband and I were delighted to be guests at their Dinner on the Farm event. Along with the lentils, I am using local onions, again from Affinity Farms, garlic from my husband's friend's backyard garden, beef from Alderspings Ranch in May, Idaho, tomatoes from the Moscow Food Coop, which are local but I cannot remember which farm....sooooo sorry! The spices, unfortunately, are not from here, what can you do? Along with these two dishes I am bringing Red Pepper Corn Muffins. See you there ;)

Well, well ,well, it's about time!

This post has been a long time coming. I set this blog up last February and my intent was to blog everyday. However, life does get in the way sometimes. At the time the blog was set up, my family and I decided to leave San Diego and relocate to a small town in Idaho, not far from where I went to college. There were many reasons for leaving San Diego, and suffice to say we feel it was a much needed move. We are currently living in Moscow, Idaho and beginning to recreate our lives and business.

Professionally, I am beginning to write. I have volunteered to write articles for a local charter school to be published in a local food coop newspaper. I'm happy to start my writing career contributing to the beginning of what will ultimately be a fantastic addition to Moscow school choices. In addition, I am currently marketing my nutritional counseling business, as well as, continuing to do massage as needed. I am studying community health and applying for positions in the local health and medical institutions.

Personally, my family and I are settling into new and healthier routines. We have been able to spend quality time together for most of the summer and are looking forward to the coming Fall. My husband and I are researching seasonal and local foods to use as ingredients in our menu planning. In future blogs I will be posting those findings. I will also be concentrating on posting nutritional advice and information and focusing on the original intent of this blog.

On that note, tomorrow is fast approaching and I will be pondering my next post.

Chin, chin (good health to you)