So it’s the third week of the new year . . . how’re you doing on those resolutions?

One of my professional biggies for ’11 is to network more.  Since launching Semi-Sweet in August of ’09, I’ve read and admired so many fellow bloggers, many of them in Boston . . . but have I met any? Like, “in real life” (as L. would say)? Not until last night.

That’s right.  Mama hired herself a sitter, braved the chill, and made for Boston’s South End, where The Gallows welcomed a crowd for what can best be described as the hugely successful launch of the Boston Food Bloggers group.  The Gallows is a cool room – dimly lit, funkily decorated, great big bar . . . but bad for photogs.  So let me paint the picture for you – 150 or so enthusiastic, vibrant and literate folks crammed into a small space, clamoring for delicious vittles cheerfully supplied by The Gallows (poutine?! crazy bacon caramel Chex mix?!), Geoff & Drew’s Cookies, SoCo Creamery and more . . . and all so freakin’ friendly!

This old lady had to wear specs just to make out familiar faces gleaned from teeny Twitter avatars . . . so exciting to finally meet people in person – to hear the “out loud” voices of all these writers and personalities I’d been communicating with for the past 18 months.

And oh yeah, there was swag.  Each blogger went home with a big fat UrbanSpoon tote, full of goodies provided by Whole Foods Legacy Place (Um, hello? a jar of my favorite fig spread? Squee!), b.good, Aquitaine Dedham, the Yard House at Legacy Place, Wicked Pizza, National Amusements cinema de lux, Union Bar and Grille, Island Creek Oyster Bar, Treat Cupcake Bar, Chocolee Chocolates (another fav, discovered on the fabu South End Chocolate Tour last spring), Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps (suitably addicting), Biscotti Babies (betcha can’t eat just one!) and more . . . lots of new inspiration for snacking and dining here.

As I sit here and type this up, joyfully munching on my Geoff & Drew’s chocolate chip brownie cookie I’m excited I’m already on my way to fulfilling at least one new year’s resolution (the slimming down a bit resolution, not so much).  Thanks so much to Rachel Blumenthal (you can check out her fun blog here) and Christine Liu of UrbanSpoon (it’s no joke – she is “mighty in media”!) for putting this on.  This housewife enjoyed getting out of her kitchen and into the mix!

© 2011, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Happy Friday, everyone! Some of you saw this post from mid-day the other day, but for some reason, my feed burner didn’t pick it up to let all the feed subscribers in on the action.  Would you take two minutes today to fill out my little survey?  Let me know if you’d like to participate in a Semi-Sweet Supper Club.

We could try new restaurants, cuisines, explore a new neighborhood, etc.  I’ve drafted a very short survey to get a read on your interest and availability.  Click below to let me know what you think – even if you’re not interested, I want to hear that, too!

[polldaddy survey="408BEA53B396B205" link_text="Take my survey"]

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Happy Thursday, folks!  As most of you know, I bought into a great winter CSA this year – the Shared Harvest CSA.  I’ve also already bought a share in the Picadilly Farm CSA for this summer.  It’ll be my first year with them, but I’ve heard great things and the produce they contributed to the Shared Harvest haul was outstanding.  If you’re interested in joining a CSA for the upcoming season, now’s the time to sign up.  Shares are going fast. 

But what’s that you say?  You don’t know where to go?  I have two resources for you.  One’s for anyone, anywhere – LocalHarvestprovides a searchable database so you can locate a CSA that’s near you (most have weekly pickup, so location is essential . . . don’t wanna schlep too far for those veggies, do we?).  The second is geared toward folks in the Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge and Lexington, MA zone -  a CSA Share Fair that’s taking place next month in Arlington – organized by the intrepid Gretta Anderson, the brains and brawn behind the Shared Harvest CSA.  See details below, and here’s to dreamin’ ‘bout all those “above-ground” veggies coming our way in just a few months!

What:  A CSA Farm Share Fair in Arlington!  CSA farmers will be on hand to tell you how their CSA works, what they are growing this year and how you can get a share of their harvest.

When:  Thursday, February 25, 6:00 PM

Where:  50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington, MA at the Park Avenue Congregational Church in Arlington Heights, the Parish Hall.

Who:  Farms that distribute CSA shares in Arlington, N. Cambridge, Lexington, Belmont, and nearby towns have been invited to participate, as have several local community farms.

Why:  If you haven’t lined up your CSA share yet, the Farm Share Fair is a great place to learn about what’s available. You will be able to sign up for summer and winter CSA shares at the Fair. For those of you who have already purchased your 2010 CSA share, this is a great opportunity to say hello to your farmer. We are also inviting farmers to bring and sell their produce to the Fair, so you may want to bring your shopping bags!

Want to help? Gretta’s looking for volunteers who want to help make this Fair a success. Contact her directly if you’d like to help in any way:  GrettaAnderson@earthlink.net, or 781.507.6602.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Happy Friday morning, all!  We had a great time at Healthy Habits Kitchen last night – thanks to Sue for hosting us (and for providing tasty treats!) and to Liz Ward for giving us all great advice on how to make nutrition a family affair.  I think we all came away with some great ideas for how to feed our families (and ourselves) a little bit better. 

Liz’s advice was balanced and practical – and comes from a place of inclusion rather than exclusion of specific foods.  This anti-deprivation message works well for us and for our kids:  Instead of thinking of all the foods you “can’t” have (i.e., chips, cookies, Goldfish, Cheetos, etc.), think of all the nutrient rich-foods you can have (whole fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, low-fat milk, lean sources of beef, fish, chicken, nuts, etc. etc.).  These whole foods add value to your diet.  At our house, we call them “grow foods,”  as distinguished from “treats,” which taste great and are fun to eat, but which we eat occasionally, not regularly.  We let L. pick, choose, and eat as many “grow foods” as she likes, while we seek to limit (and have her self-limit) her intake of treats.

My #1 revelatory idea from the night was that it’s not a great idea to try to introduce new foods to your child when s/he is tired, overstimulated, etc.  This was a lightbulb moment for me because I realized that we most often try to get L. to try new things at dinnertime – a time of, well, bonkers behavior most nights.  So I’m going to try more during a weekend lunch, the afternoons or mornings on weekends, etc.

Another important take-away for parents is to try to manage your own anxiety about your child’s eating habits . . . let your desire for them to eat a balanced diet come from a place of love and interest, rather than a place of fear . . . because as Liz said, when fear takes over, all you-know-what can break loose.  Or, as I say, kids can smell fear – and boy, do they capitalize on it!

I hope you all have a great, healthy weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday!

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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It’s well known that when it comes to eating, parents lead by example:  If you eat healthy food, your kids will too. But we also know that managing a family’s busy schedule while making good nutrition a priority is a challenge. We want to make it easier!

Healthy Habits Kitchen and Semi-Sweet welcome nutritionist Elizabeth M. Ward M.S., R.D. into the kitchen to help improve your entire family’s eating habits in 2010, without making the kitchen table a battle ground.  Liz utilizes her expertise as a mother and her wealth of knowledge as a dietitian to help cut through the health-hype to offer practical tips for feeding even the most challenging kids.  You’ll walk away from the evening armed with tools to make healthy eating a real “family affair”:  meal planning tips; suggestions for fostering healthy food choices for kids; and food swaps and additions savvy parents can make to squeeze more nutrition into every meal.

This workshop will be held at Healthy Habits Kitchen in Wellesley, the Boston area’s only source for pre-assembled meal kits featuring healthful, whole ingredients.  These meal kits provide all you need to easily prepare a healthy meal. On the night of the workshop, Healthy Habits Kitchen will offer a meal deal to workshop attendees:  $2 off any 2 meals, $5 off any 3 meals and $10 off any 6 meals.

Details:

When: January 21^st, 7-8:30 p.m.
Where: Healthy Habits Kitchen, 36 Washington Street, Suite 2, Wellesley (note: this is an office building)
How much: Free
How to register: Call 781.235.6325 or register online at http://www.healthyhabitskitchen.com/fp_menu/current_events.php
Register today! Space is limited.

About Liz:  Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D., is a freelance writer and nutrition consultant. She is the author of several books, including The American Dietetic Association’s Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy, The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to the New Food Pyramids, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Feeding Your Baby and Toddler. Ward writes on a regular basis for USAToday.com, Men’s Fitness magazine, and WebMD.com. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association, and lives in Reading, MA with her husband and three children.  Visit her website: www.expectthebestpregnancy.com

About Semi-Sweet: The Semi-Sweet blog is indeed “A Practical Guide To Healthy Living.”  This entertaining and informative site offers cutting-edge news on local food, healthful living and food trends.  Semi-Sweet also offers quick, delicious, from-scratch recipes featuring seasonal produce and whole foods.  Each one is tested by Sarah Isenberg, a recovering lawyer, avid home cook, cancer survivor, nutrition/fitness/food enthusiast, wife and mother.  Visit Sarah at www.semisweetonline.com

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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