I’ve lost about 12 pounds since just before Thanksgiving. I feel better, I look better and I have more energy. Lately, I have conquered some serious vendetta goals. For instance, I’ve been running lately as part of my workout. Last week, I ran for a whole 11 minutes. It might not seem like much to most people, but to someone who has never been able to run due to breathing issues, it’s huge.

But here’s the thing: being a healthy mom and getting fit isn’t easy. Heck, it’s hard. There’s always temptations – the cupcake at a kid’s birthday party, the on-the-run lunch, the kid’s leftovers. And there is always reason to slip up: being too tired, feeling weak, being stressed out. So to be fit and healthy takes a good deal of constant effort. You have to be vigilant and make conscious choices to do the right thing.

You also have to recognize that sometimes you will slip up … like I did recently. My efforts to exercise have lagged, my calorie counting has waned. I’ve been stressed over money (who isn’t these days?) and I have been letting it impact how I treat my body.

Whenever you slip up, you have a choice: do you let it set you back and allow yourself to compound the problem or do you woman up and get back on track? I am getting back on track. I’ve made a commitment to be a healthy mom who is a healthy weight and who has healthy habits. It’s not just for me — it’s for Will and Paige too. They need to see how important it is to live an active, healthy lifestyle.

I just have to do this.

(Psst! The food will be back on Monday and I have some great interviews lined up for the next few weeks to feature on Fridays. You’re going to love it!)

Did you make a resolution to lose weight or be healthier this year? How is it going so far?

Now, it’s January 15. Whew. I guess I am off to a lateish start, eh?

Actually, I really am not. See, one of my resolutions (or goals, if you will) for this year is to focus. So, since the beginning of the year, I have been doing just that: focusing on the things that really matter. Resolutions? They fall pretty low on that list.

But, today I have a few minutes … so, away we go!

2010 Goals

1. Stay Focused on the Things That Matter – It’s so easy to get caught up on the little things. But, this year, I want to focus on the things that really matter: my family, my career, my friends, my life. Things that are less important just need to take a backseat.
2. Practice Fewer Better – This one is a little abstract. It’s about focusing on quality instead of quantity. Sure, it’s nice to have more things, but it’s way nicer to have really nice things. This applies to my whole life — from shopping to freelance jobs. Instead of accumulating more fill-in-the-blank (food, clothes, freelance clients), I am going to focus on gathering just better ones. After all, what good is it to have a ton of whatever, if it’s all not quite what you are looking for.
3. Get to a Healthy BMI/Weight – Last year, I vowed to lose 50 lbs and actually lost around 10 lbs. This year, I just want to get to a healthy weight … before I turn 30 in June. So far, so good.
4. Make Exercise a Habit – In 2009, I barely exercised (until the end of the year). In 2010, I want to make exercise a priority … and a habit. So, I plan to exercise nearly daily. All. Year. Long. It will surely help with #3.
5. Take a Cooking Class – Don’t ask me when or how I will make this one happen … but I will.
6. Preserve, Can, Freeze and Store Enough Food for the Majority of Winter – This one is a ways away, but I want to have a stockpile of sauces, salsas, veggies and more to keep us in local deliciousness for those dreary, dreary winter months next year. This year, I put up just enough to last through mid-February or so.
7. Have a Can-Do Attitude – I’ve always had a worst-case-scenario way about me. Maybe it’s overthinking or something, but I play out dozens of scenarios before anything can even happen. Not this year. I am officially shedding my worries and focusing on how I can just get ‘er done. (A little positivity goes a long way, right?)
8. Clear the Clutter – You wouldn’t believe my attic. I don’t believe my attic. And you know what? I don’t want it to be that way. So, it’s time to clear out the things we just don’t need. (This relates somewhat back to #2.) Time to gather up the excess and say farewell.
9. Publish a Cookbook – A few years back, I had a book deal. I finished the draft. Then the publisher ran into problems. A year later, I asked to be released from my contract and was. The cookbook I wrote back then was fine. It was the best first effort I could do. But it’s been a few years, and I can do better. So, some of those recipes are being repurposed into a small cookbook that I plan to self-publish this spring. It’s untitled right now, but will be a summer cookbook focused on cooking from the farmers’ market.
10. Bake Bread Often – I used to bake bread a few times a month. Then I stopped. This year, I plan to start anew, and bake our own bread as often as possible. Anyone know a good recipes for cinnamon raisin bread?
11. Try 10 New Foods – Whether it’s a type of veg I haven’t had or a whole new cuisine, I want to experience a lot of newness this year. Quinoa, here I come!
12. Cook with Will Every Week

What are your 2010 goals?

The end of the year is always an interesting time. People turn introspective, looking back on the past year. Evaluating. Discussing. Hey, I do it myself and usually I write about it too. But this year, I wanted to take a different approach.

See, I could write a week or more of posts looking back. But I didn’t want to do that. Instead, I offer you several lists detailing my favs from the past year. And at the end, I recapped my resolutions — which amazingly I was pretty successful with.

Once you’ve read through my favorites, be sure to share a few of your own in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear about the things you loved in 2009.

Happy New Year!

9 Favorite Recipes of 2009 from Sarah’s Cucina Bella

1. Roasted Garlic and Artichoke Bread – This delicious bread is spread with roasted garlic and then topped with delicious roasted artichokes. Heaven.
2. Basil Vinaigrette – When I first made this vinaigrette, I declared it positively drinkable. It’s made with a ton of basil, a wonderful herb that just screams warm, sunny summer days. We ate this on salads all summer while the basil was at its freshest.
3. Garlic Soy Stir Fry -With chopped veggies, tender meat and a tasty sauce, this stir fry is a family favorite.
4. Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers – This is another dish that made a frequent appearance on our table over the summer. When you bite into one of these babies, you get tender, flavorful meat and some of the creamy, melted blue cheese (which admittedly sometimes also dribbles down your chin). Just amazing.
5. Artichoke and Herb Risotto – When friends came to visit early in the summer, I made this and I swear they would have licked the bowl if I let them. The fresh herbs and chopped artichokes come together beautifully in this creamy risotto.
6. Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Vinaigrette – Brussels sprouts are a favorite here. We even grew them this year. And this easy recipe is a hit every time — in fact, it’s been on the table for nearly every major holiday all year.
7. Grilled Beets with Feta – Tender, sweet beets go so well with tangy feta cheese. This was a big summer hit too.
8. Ultimate Chocolate Truffle Pie – This rich pie is decadent and creamy. It hit the table for several occasions over the past few weeks by request. It was just so good.
9. Raspberry White Chocolate Scones – If you’ve never had a homemade scone, you need to make some. These scones, best served warm, are tender and perfect. You can’t go wrong with white chocolate and raspberries.

9 Fantastic Food Blogs

Everyone has their own favorites, but these nine blogs are ones that I read all the time.

1. CT Bites – There are so many great Connecticut food blogs (and I will tell you more about them in 2010). What I love about CT Bites is that it’s a group blog with a lot of really well-thought out and interesting posts about eating around Fairfield County, Conn. If you are local, check it out.
2. In Good Taste – This is a great blog for 20-somethings that love to cook but don’t have a ton of time. Maris, who writes it, offers great tips and recipes in her posts. The fact that a lot of it is waist-friendly? It’s an added bonus.
3. Sweetnicks – Back when I started blogging, this was one of two blogs that I read regularly. I identify with Cate, who is also a mom of two who loves to cook, so her blog really appeals to me. It’s funny, interesting and filled with fantastic photos (of food and kids!).
4. The Perfect Pantry – I love learning new things about food, and this blog always delivers. Lydia focuses on one pantry item at a time telling you what it is, how to use it and giving a delicious recipe to go with it. Plus, it’s a great resource when you find some random ingredient in your cupboard and have no idea how to use it.
5. Kalyn’s Kitchen – This is the other of the two blogs that I read regularly when I started blogging. Kalyn blogs about recipes and food with a South Beach diet-focus. But don’t worry, you don’t need to be a South Beach dieter to enjoy her witty posts and delicious recipes.
6. Orangette – The writing of Orangette is amazing. It’s dimensional. It makes you crave for more. And while Molly doesn’t post as often as she used to, it’s still a must read. I feel the same way about her column in Bon Appetit, which has convinced me to make my own mayo — even though I don’t eat mayo usually.
7. The Recipe Girl – The sweets that this blog has been featuring lately are enough to make a girl drool all over her keyboard. But with the New Year, um, tonight, Lori’s Ten Weeks to Healthy in 2010 challenge is both timely and a great idea.
8. Cooking with Amy – The posts on this blog are to-the-point, but still intriguing. The recipes make you want to run to the kitchen. It’s a good read.
9. Smitten Kitchen – A blog that can offer a great recipe for cream biscuits one day and an alarmingly easy recipe for butterscotch another has to be good. Sometimes I wonder if I might gain weight just drooling over the food that Deb is writing about. That’s not possible, right?

9 Delicious Foods I Tried This Year

1. Kate’s Homemade Butter (Read my blog post about it here)
2. Chicken Souvlaki Salad from Newtown Pizza Palace
3. Frozen Raw Easy Peel Shrimp
4. Rib-eye steaks from Stuart Family Farm
5. Bear Pond Farm pestos
6. Smoked Cheddar Cheese from Mountain Products Smokehouse
7. Kielbasa from Ox Hollow Farm
8. Shallot dressing at Craftbar
9. Crab Stuffed Shrimp at Outback Steakhouse

2009 Resolutions Recap

• to see my friends more often – both with the kids and kid-free
  VERDICT – Yes, I did this. Though I haven’t seen them as much in the past few months as the holidays approached, I did make a much bigger effort through the year.
• to work on my organizational skills and budgeting my time
  VERDICT – I mastered this one and now take every weekend off, unless something unexpected comes up.
• to streamline my work
  VERDICT – Work smarter, not harder, was the anthem of 2009 and I expect it to continue into 2010. It’s a great mantra.
• to complete and submit my two book proposals within the next month
  VERDICT – Uh, no. I did submit one but it hasn’t found a home yet and I have back-burnered that.
• to get published in a glossy magazine
  VERDICT – While I didn’t actually get a story published in a glossy, I was quoted in Redbook and also wrote a guest blog for Glamour.com. Does that count?
• to take at least one day off each week
  VERDICT – As I mentioned above, I take two days off each week. You know, like a normal person.
• to lose 50 pounds
  VERDICT – While this was totally doable, it didn’t happen. However, I did lose about 10 pounds, which I am pretty proud of.
• to cook and eat healthier foods
  VERDICT – This is a definite yes for the past few months. I can’t say the same for the entire year. Turns out that bacon was a harder addiction to shake then I thought. And sweets, those will be my downfall.
• to workout at least three days per week
  VERDICT – For the majority of the year, no. But over the past 6-8 weeks, I have adopted a daily workout regime.
• to make a new friend who lives nearby
  VERDICT – Sort of.
• to develop personal style
  VERDICT – Yes. And that’s all I am going to say about that.
• to pet my dogs more
  VERDICT – Yes!
• to clean my house once a week
  VERDICT – We won’t talk about this item. Avert your eyes and pretend you didn’t see it.
• to quit using “hey” and “hi” to start emails and go old-school with “dear”
  VERDICT -Definitely yes.
• to complain less
  VERDICT – I think I have cut down a lot.
• to write here more regularly
  VERDICT – There have been a few hiccups, but overall, yes.

Phew. Done.

Happy New Year! What were your favs this year?

Every year, many publications put out lists of what they think the food trends for the following year will be. I’ve always thought it was an interesting thing … something just out of my reach. But this year, I had a few thoughts on where food is going next. So, why can’t I join in?

Without further ado, these are my very own food trend predictions for 2010. Enjoy!

Fewer Better

The restaurant industry has been hit hard by the recession. People just aren’t eating out as much, since they can’t afford it. That means restaurant closings, layoffs and more. I don’t foresee that stopping quite yet.

In 2010, I think we will see a landscape of fewer restaurants — but the ones that remain will be producing better food with better ingredients. Survival of the fittest and all that.

Slimming Down

Dear Butter and Bacon, We still love you. But we need some time apart. Sorry, but our days of weaving bacon baskets and buttering our butter are over. But, we wish you the best.

In the past few years, there has been what seemed like a disregard for calories and nutrition when it came to good food. High in fat? So what, as long as it’s tasty, right? Not anymore. Documentaries in recent years like Food, Inc. and Super Size Me have bought to the forefront the problems of our food system and eating habits in the U.S. and I think people are finally listening.

In 2010, I think we will see a larger focus on producing not only healthier food (and recipes) but a mainstream push for it. It won’t be a fat-free revolution, but it will be a lightening up of recipes.

More Local

There’s been a brewing movement of local-eating and sustainable growing for quite awhile. The term CSA (that’s community supported agriculture) has entered the mainstream vocab. More people are interested in buying locally, supporting local food systems and even growing their own. Totally a good shift.

In 2010, I think we will see this trend really get a solid footing as a “norm” for more people. Furthermore, I think we will see a great increase in home growing.

More Cook with Kids Resources

People are still being deeply impacted by unemployment and the down economy. As a result, the things families do together have shifted. Less nights at restaurants, more eating at home. Less time spent spending at the local more, and more time on at-home activities … like cooking.

The book world and the internet are noticing. In 2010, I think we’ll see a great increase on resources to help parents get into the kitchen with their kids and spend some good ol’fashioned time cooking together. And really, it’s so fun. You should be doing it anyway. I do!

What do you think the big food trends will be in 2010? Share in the comments!

Dearest Mother Nature,

I am a big fan of your work–Brandywine tomatoes? Genius! Basil, rosemary and lavender? Amazing. Tulips, lilacs and forsythia? Lovely. So, it’s with the deepest appreciation that I write to you. Really, I think you are great at your job.

But recently, I’ve been really concerned. You’re erratic behavior lately has me downright worried. The late start to summer was so disappointing. And I don’t just mean because of the incessant rainy days. The impact was felt all through summer as tomatoes made scarcely any appearance here in Connecticut.

After that let down, I thought you would make it up to us with a drawn out conclusion to summer. I don’t know why, but I thought maybe we’d have some warm days into late October even … but no. No, instead you decided that October 15 was the perfect day for the season’s first snow.

Seriously, Mother Nature? We’re weeks from Halloween. This is when we should be wearing light layers and considering fleece while we pick apples and take hayrides to collect pumpkins. Instead, we are using gloves and winter coats while we shield ourselves from the biting wind. What gives?

Look, you are a smart, competent, lovely woman. You are strong and confident. But these past few months have been a blur of confusing and aggravating  behavior. It needs to stop. If you could find it in your heart to bring back the pleasant temperatures, that would just be awesome.

Best,

Sarah

When I heard the news this morning about Conde Nast’s decision about Gourmet magazine, I was heartbroken. Gourmet is the apex of quality food writing – having lived, breathed and exuded all things food since 1940. It treats food and food writing as an artform. The magazine shares international culture in a vivid and ever-fresh way (look at the back issue from years ago at right — Grilling Around the World in bold).

But the magazine is much more than just wonderfully linked words. The breathtaking photos take you into cultures and customs you might otherwise not know about — whether it’s a celebration in New Jersey or ceremony in another country. Editor Ruth Reichl has led the magazine with honesty, integrity and grace for the last decade. What will we do without her, and this amazing tome?

I feel like the world of food writing has been pillaged and robbed by this decision. We aren’t just losing a magazine, we are saying goodbye to an old, reliable friend … a best friend. We are losing our grasp on elegant food writing, and replacing it with accessible, easy, fast … how sad.

Don’t get me wrong: I love Bon Appetit and am glad it was spared. But it’s a bittersweet gladness at best. The sister publication, aimed at a younger crowd, is my book of choice for actually trying new things. The recipes offer a sense that anyone can make them whether it’s homemade mayonnaise or some layered dessert … Every month, I devour Bon Appetite, eagerly reading Molly Wizenberg’s column and excitedly thumbing through recipe after recipe.

That doesn’t change the fact that I love and revere Gourmet. I am as much likely to cook from Bon Appetit as I am to read every single word – every caption, story and note – in Gourmet. It’s fresh. It has a world-as-local view that I love. And the photos give you so much more than just a look at food.

I think Conde Nast made a huge error in shuttering this amazing food magazine. And we can only hope that enough voices rise up and scream NO! and give them reason to change their minds. Conde Nast: I am screaming NO!

Gourmet is dead. Long live Gourmet.

What is your reaction to the news?

UPDATE – 3:17 pm, 10/6/09: Gourmet Tastemasters, a reader’s panel for the magazine, sent this email around this afternoon:

Dear Gourmet Tastemaker,

It is with great sadness that we announce the closing of Gourmet and Gourmet Tastemakers, effective immediately.

As a member of our reader panel, you have been an invaluable asset to our editors, our promotional team and our marketing partners. We very much appreciate your insights and your time over these years.

Thank you.

Your friends at Gourmet

So, what was it? Starbucks has just launched Via, an instant coffee. Yea, I know. You are probably smacking your lips in disgust and shaking your head. I have some wonderful memories of traveling in Europe that are dotted with drinking way too much horrific NesCafe instant coffee … blech. It had this burnt, dirty taste that still makes me cringe.

The strange thing was that when I tried the Via, I actually liked it. It won’t replace the brewed coffee that my husband makes me every morning (thanks, honey!) and it won’t stop me from occasionally feeding my nonfat Caramel Macchiato habit. But it’s good and I wouldn’t hesitate to make it when Shawn forgets to brew me coffee once in a while.

Back to the event. It was held at Craftbar – one of Tom Colicchio’s New York spots. Sadly, I didn’t see Tom, but believe me, I looked. I have a huge chef-crush on that man. Seriously. That smile …

I digress.

The food, which came straight from the Craftbar menu, was out of this world. The mixed greens salad might have looked simple, but the shallot vinaigrette was extraordinary. I want that recipe (Tom, dear, would you send it over? If only it were that simple). I don’t even know that I can adequately describe the flavor — it was slightly sweet, full and salty, in a very good way. I could have stopped eating there and been a very happy woman … but I am glad I didn’t.

For my entree, I had Fried Organic Chicken, Collard Greens, Watermelon and Picholine Olive. If you read New York Magazine with any bit of regularity, you probably know that fried chicken is the “it” food of the moment in New York. Well, I can tell you that this chicken was to die for … Every crunch just screamed with flavor. If I was at home, I would have happily picked up the bones and sucked every bit of breading off. It was just so good.

And dessert … oh, dessert. Olive Oil Cake, Black Mission Fig, Rosemary Ice Cream, Pine Nuts … Swoon. First off, I have never had figs before. Heck, I have avoided them. When I think fig, I think Newton’s and they aren’t my fav. So, I just don’t do it … except today. When it arrived, I nervously took a bite. Then another. Then another. Turns out I happen to love figs. Who knew? As if that’s not enough, the rosemary ice cream tasted of fresh rosemary just plucked from the home garden — and I love that flavor. And the pine nuts? Salted and lovely. The cake was lovely too.

I figured being that the year is about 1/3 over, now would be a good time for an update.

I also shared my New Years’ Resolutions, which are still in progress . . . I think I am close to checking at least one off that list. Yay!

100 Things
(I want to do)

1. Walk down the red carpet at a movie premiere
2. Be a best selling author
3. Publish an adult novel
4. Publish a children’s novel
5. Publish non-fiction
6. Write a recurring column
7. Appear on the Today Show
8. Be recognized
9. Visit Mayan pyramids
10. See Italy’s countryside
11. Eat sushi in Japan
12. Buy a home in Manhattan
13. Live in London, England
14. See Africa
15. Get my PhD
16. Get an MFA in Creative Writing
17. Go to J-school at Columbia
18. Teach a writing class
19. Be a professor
20. Give a commencement address
21. Sit on a Board of Trustees
22. Buy a bigger house
23. Pay for my children’s college education
24. Be a millionaire
25. Invest in real estate
26. Take a road trip with friends
27. Have lunch with Anna Quindlin
28. Have a clean house
29. Learn how to keep a clean house
30. Be in a movie
31. Make a difference
32. Be known
33. Write a cookbook – Accomplished 2007
34. Be published in a consumer magazine
35. Help others
36. Move back to New York
37. Have my own cooking show
38. Sit on the other side of the interviewing table (as in get interviewed myself) – Accomplished March 2008
39. Be an editor – Accomplished Sept. 2006
40. Have a successful freelance career
41. Learn to enjoy wine
42. …………………..to be continued

The 59th Street Bridge Song by Simon and Garfunkel could be the anthem for my life. I’m always on — from 5 a.m. when Paige wakes to nurse until 12:30 a.m. when I finish the last of my freelance work, I am going. I can’t say I am constantly giving 110 percent as I would like to, but I do my best. Between work, freelancing, raising two kids, trying hard not to neglect my usually patient husband, cooking, blogging, and working out, I don’t have time to get sick and often say as much.

This past week? I got sick. Really sick. Like praying to the porcelain gods sick . . . yuck. (If this wasn’t a food blog, I would share my beloved poem about love that I wrote my senior year of high school now. It has similar figurative language. My professor thought it was genius.)

I was tempted to keep going at full throttle for about, oh, a minute. But I was dizzy, sick and staring at the computer screen just made me sicker. Finally, I conceded defeat and took time off to get better. I needed it.

One thing I learned from taking that time off was that everyone needs to slow down sometimes. (Hello, captain obvious!) A student at a local university interviewed me recently and asked if all that I do on a daily basis was heading me down a road to burnout. I’d love to say ‘No, never!’ but truthfully, I don’t know. Perhaps. But not if I can remind myself to slow down on a semi-regular basis.

I plan on trying to have unplugged days on a pretty regular basis – no email, no cell phone, no blogging, no surfing. Mark Bittman wrote about this in the New York Times fashion section. He called it a virtual break and said that it was quite challenging to do once a week during his test period, but he did eventually remember how to – say – just sit quietly and read a book. Sounds like a nice thing to remember how to do, if you ask me.

Tomorrow? I’m taking that virtual break. Today? I have a lot of work to do, so that I am comfortable with my virtual break.

Food’s coming later, folks. Check back. I’ve got a killer recipe for you.

Do you make resolutions? I do. Every year. I don’t necessarily keep them every year though. Wish I could say that I did, but honestly like most people I fall away from the resolutions after a few weeks or months.

But this year is different. My resolutions are grounded in things that I really want and need to do to lead a healthier, happier life. That’s really important for both me and for my family. So, here they are in no particular order:

• Lose 50 lbs.: I know, it sounds like a lot but really it’s about 50% baby weight (which should melt away with just a bit of effort). The second 25 lbs will be the real challenge.
• See that darned cookbook published (and the wonderful sales that will follow).: I don’t have a whole lot of control over this one. My draft is done and it’s a waiting game until the publisher/editor returns it to me for corrections and whatnot. But, once it’s returned, it’s up to me to turn it around and approve the changes (and make my own).
• Successfully pitch a second cookbook.: I already have the idea, though it needs to be fleshed out a bit. Then it’s just a matter of pulling together the proposal.
• Buy a new, larger home.: Who doesn’t want this? But seriously, it’s a need more than a want for us. Our expanding family is quickly outgrowing the small house that my husband and I purchased when we got married. We definitely need some more room (and some more bedrooms so that the kids don’t have to cram into one).
• Buy a new, larger, safer, four-wheel drive vehicle.: A few months after graduating from college, I bought a new car that I could afford on my slim salary – a Honda Civic. Definitely not the best choice for New England where many snowstorms dot the winter. Nonetheless, I am still driving that car today after . . . several years. So, I think it’s time to bite the bullet and invest in a car that is safer for the kids and has enough room to meet our needs (have you ever tried to transport a family in a Civic? Not fun.).
• Potty train Will.: Again, self explanatory. But this is a need more than a want as well. Will is supposed to start preschool in the fall but can’t unless he is a potty-using big boy . . . heaven help us.

**BREATHE** It’s not that much, right? Totally obtainable. Really.