the challenge that i set for my 5-a-day friends was to eat a fruit or vegetable that we had NEVER eaten before. the little fruit market by my parents' house is quaint, cheap, and loaded with vegetables, so, wearin my purple dress, i picked up every vegetable with a purple hue, including rutabagas, parsnips, turnips, and chinese eggplants. 
i fretted about how, exactly, to prepare a rutabaga (which, by the way, is so southern-fun to say, and, to say often).
so, here's how it all went from bland, like a raw russett potato, to earthy-tasty:
cube 1 parsnip, 1 rutabaga, 1 turnip, and 1 brown russett potato. i peeled some of the skin on some of the vegetables but couldn't continue the stripping process because of the loss of lovely color and nutrients. slice 1/2 white onion. mix all vegetables together with olive oil, red wine vinegar, 1/3 c. sugar, rosemary, salt, pepper, and any other italian seasoning. bake/roast uncovered in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. about 8 minutes before removing from the oven, add another 1/2 sliced onion on top of the lot. yummy and different.
the challenge that i set for my 5-a-day friends was to eat a fruit or vegetable that we had NEVER eaten before. the little fruit market by my parents' house is quaint, cheap, and loaded with vegetables, so, wearin my purple dress, i picked up every vegetable with a purple hue, including rutabagas, parsnips, turnips, and chinese eggplants. 
my class picked our first peas this past week. sweet. crunchy. snappy. how cool is it to think, "i'm hungry. i think i'll walk outside and grab a snack." i'm gettin my 5-a-day in. thanks, dad, for helping us cultivate the greenest, happiest, and most delicious garden!
it's no secret that someday, i dream of opening a "healthy" donut shop. i'm not ready yet, as i only have one incredible recipe perfected which includes flax, agave nectar, and olive oil. in the meantime, i will eat donuts and frequent many pastry shops. 
which brings me to...the Quartzsite Bakery and Pastry Parlor, located on Main St. in Quartzsite, AZ (ask anyone for directions for Quartzsite is THAT small). the shop is owned by Dee and her husband. it's warm, it's got some sassafras, it's local, it's tasty, it's low-key, and it has a presence. 
while i don't want my future shop to emulate the Quartzsite Bakery in every way, i want it to feel similar, however that feeling comes about. my first experience at the shop was quite a welcoming entry into the little town of Quarzsite which booms in the winter thanks to the annual Rock and Gem show and its accompanying tents, vendors, and "Quartzsite Characters" (of which, i become one while in town). the spot on the map with a mountain marked by a "Q" with two dots inside for eyes is an RVer's paradise; a people watcher's theater; a bargain hunter's jackpot; and a misfit's home.
that first time, i filled my pink box with goodies and was invited by Dee to a bbq being had in the yard just after sunset. on subsequent visits over the years, i feel that i am remembered. the homemade stitcheries make me smile EVERY time. isn't this place great?!
and so, i know of a place not too far away, where the donuts, pineapple upside-down cake, and macaroons are heavenly sweet. a place where i feel just right. 
