Mirror Lake

Tanner and I rarely have the day off together, and since I love hiking, that's generally what I do when I have the day to myself. Normally this means I'm hiking alone (though not really.... nice days bring out throngs of people to trailheads) but this time I met up with a nice couple who started the hike to Mirror Lake at the same time I did, and we ended up hiking four hours together. It amazing how much you can learn about a person in that much time, especially if your common interest is the outdoors. There's always something to rave about.

This particular hike, and the view from the top of Tom, Dick and Harry mountains is what kept us talking.

Roasted Green Beans

I was super excited to get green beans in my CSA drop this week because I have a delicious recipe for them. It's very simple and the result is a healthy snack that tastes just like french fries... especially if you dip them in ketchup. Yum!

{roasted green beans}

Toss green beans in a drizzle of olive oil until they are coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and lay them out on a baking sheet.

Bake green beans at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The crispier they are, the more they taste like french fries, but be careful not to burn them!

I tested these out on Tanner who decided that they "taste nothing like french fries", but then again, he's bias against anything green and bean-like. Try them for yourself and see what you think. Personally, I think they're delish!

Spider Meadows

I've got a good way to wrap up the week... with a Darkroom entry! I know you've all been craving photos, so here's a small sampling of some of my favorites. It was a wonderful weekend of good outdoorsy time, and I've taken such a hiatus from backpacking lately that I've forgotten how much I enjoy it. The best views are always the ones you have to work the hardest to see.

We drove into Washington to find the perfect trail. After seven hours in the car (albeit, it was a beautiful drive) and some rather rough roads (to put it mildly. I felt like I should have been in a 4-wheeler commercial) we arrived at the trailhead and began our six hour hike into the heart of the Wenatchee Forest. After a few hours in dense tree cover, we emerged to find a beautiful meadow surrounded by towering mountains and waterfalls fed by snow runoff. It could have been the heart of the French Alps, and I might not have known the difference. The Appalachians I have known almost all my life, but these mountains were something else -- so magnificent that I was quite small in comparison. I felt like Thoreau in awe of Walden.

A few more hours beneath heavy packs led us over several river crossings (some more treacherous than others -- especially with the late-day snow melt swamping them) and straight into a snow basin -- where we spent the night. We were surrounded on all sides by mountains, feeling protected in the bowl of snow and rock that cradled us. Marmots whistled from the granite and the wind raged all night long, but we were so exhausted that we were sleeping by sunset.

The next morning we left our tents and gear in the basin and went on a day hike up the trail. The "short day hike" turned into a lengthy excursion, but was not lacking in beauty. The higher we climbed, the steeper the trail became, and the expanses were sweeping. But the trail was rough, littered with loose gravel, and we had to choose our footsteps carefully. Two of our companions turned back halfway, exhausted by the trying trail. My own heart rate monitor claimed I was at my peak, but I wanted to push onward. There were still sights to see.

At the top of the knob we paused to take in the view, catching our breath and struck silent in awe. Then, with wily grins, we plotted our next course of action. The only way on was up, and the only way up was through snow and ice. We strapped on our crampons, dug the tines into the white abyss, and climbed steadily higher. It took us almost two hours to reach the top, and a mere fifteen minutes to reach the bottom again. After taking in the absolutely stunning views -- I believe I started gasping, "is this real? Am I looking at a postcard?" -- we took the quickest route back to the start: on our butts. The quick, exhilarating glissade was more art than science, and when we returned back to camp we had frozen bums and flushed cheeks and stories to tell.

We earned our rest for the night and when morning came, we bundled up camp, once more strapped on our packs, and regretfully left our wonderland behind. Back to the real world again, leaving behind our journey into this beautiful fantasy. If only such escapes could be longer lived!

Stir Fry Baby Bok Choy

CSA day is quickly becoming my favorite day of the week! I love seeing that brown box on my doorstep when I get home from work, knowing the bright, colorful deliciousness inside. I could cheat and look at the contents online, but it feels so much more like Christmas when I'm surprised each week. I squeal with delight every time I pull something new out of the box.

I also love that this costs me $27 every two weeks and all I have to go to the grocery store for is cereal and milk. (And bread when I'm too lazy to bake any!) One of these days I'd love to add milk and eggs to my CSA, but currently my schedule is so odd that I'm afraid of it sitting too long on my doorstep if I work late that night. For now, this box is perfect.

This week's squeal-worthy item? Fresh blueberries!

I'm really missing the spring onion from the last drop (my mouth is watering just thinking about the sweet flavor) but this week's bin leaves no room for regrets. Here's the stash:

1 pt Blueberries
2 Peaches (!!)
1 pkg Padron Chile Peppers
2 Oranges
2 bunches Broccoli
1 lb Zucchini
1 Mediterranean Cucumber
1 head of Lettuce
1/2 lb Green Beans
1 lb Baby Bok Choy
1 lb Potatoes
1/2 lb Tomatoes
2 ears of Corn

P.S. - I would also like to add that I had such an overabundance of food from last drop (even though I only get them every two weeks...) that I had to downgrade to a smaller bin so food wouldn't go to waste. Can you believe that this is the small bin?? It's still so much food! I'm pretty stoked about it, though. I can see yummy salads and sandwiches in my near future. Even Tanner is excited about the blueberries, potatoes and corn!

And, once again, I have to find some new recipes to add to my cache. How to cook Bok Choy, for instance? I gave it a go last night, after watching this {awesome video}, just to be sure I had the technique correct and didn't accidentally poison myself.

Here's the recipe:
{stir fried baby bok choy}

4 bunches of baby bok choy
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp ground ginger
Salt to taste

Actually, these amounts are approximate. I just added as much garlic, ginger, and salt as I thought appropriate, and it seemed to work out. Good luck with that.

To prepare bok choy: wash thoroughly. Chop off the ends of the stalks and remove any leaves that are brown or wilting.

Peel the pieces apart and chop the stalks into pieces, separating them from the leaves.

In a fry pan or wok, add the olive oil, garlic, ginger and bok choy stalks. Turn the stove top to medium high heat and flash fry the pieces for a minute or two. Add the leaves and toss in the olive oil mixture. Cook for another three to four minutes, or until the stalks turn transparent and the leaves wilt. Add salt to taste.

Conclusion? Bok choy is my new favorite food. Sooooo yummy. It tastes like really good Chinese food, especially with a healthy dose of salt and garlic to give it that flavorful punch. Now that I've devoured my stash, I'm kind of sad I don't have any more for tomorrow.

To compliment the bok choy, I made a simple sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes from my bin, plus cheese and a dash of basil. Delightful.

See you for my next food adventure!