Eat.Live.Be. Kick-Off {2013}

It’s not about exercise.

Or eating healthy foods.

Or fitness.

Or motivating you.

It’s about everything.

Everything that permeates your life.

But most of all?

It’s about being intentional.

And while I haven’t decided if intentional is my one small word for the year, it most definitely is a focus of mine.

Whether it’s my job, spending time with the kids, my freelancing, or working out.

Or a million and one other things.

I want to be intentional and present with each and every thing I do.

Because this moment. And this moment. And this moment. Are already gone. And I don’t want to have one single regret.

Should ofs.

Would haves.

Could haves.

But didn’t.

And so with a new year begins new resolve. New commitments. New rituals.

And I have that. In spades.

For a million and one things. But most certainly for me, my kids, and the little world around us.

Whether you’re looking to feed yourself better. Or be better about working out regularly. Or be more committed to your job. Or your partner. Or anything and everything in between. I hope you’ll join us as we begin Eat.Live.Be 2013. We’ll be posting on ELB topics on Wednesdays (you can check out Joanne’s right here, Patsy’s here, and Sarah’s here).

Sometimes we need a little fire lit underneath us. Or just to know that you have a giant support group via the interwebs. For whatever little and big goal you have. For yourself. For your year.

We’ve got you.

*And if you decide to post on this topic, please leave a comment so I can come support YOU. And when tweeting and Instagramming about it, use hashtag #eatlivebe.

Now while you’re in the right frame of mind, how about a healthy, full-flavor little snack recipe? I love me a good caponata, and this one is very simple, filling, and completely guilt-free.

Which is currently my love language.

I was trying to describe Caponata to a co-worker today, who had never heard of it. I went with “it’s like bruschetta, but different.” And so it is. A more technical definition would be that it’s a cooked Sicilian vegetable salad. It’s the perfect little thing to top your favorite cracker (hello Wheat Thins!) and a good little nosh in between meals. A little teensy bit of tang, but just overall a hearty bite to it … it’s a smart way to tide you over when you just need something small to keep you sane until the next meal.

And, of course, that’s not a Wheat Thin in the picture. Although I love them, this little bite happened to be with the organic blue corn tortilla chips from the folks at Garden of Eatin’. I cleaned out our kitchen pantry tonight and spied a few bags of these babies. The company had kindly sent them my way to try, and it was the perfect vehicle to get the Caponata into my mouth. It’s a seriously sturdy chip, which makes it perfect for dipping and Caponatas, has a little touch ‘o salt to it and is bursting with wholesome goodness.

And really, that’s enough, right?

Caponata
Recipe courtesy of Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

1 small eggplant, peeled and cubed
1-1/2 t coarse (kosher) salt
2 t olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup + 2 T + 1/3 cup water
1 celery stalk, diced
1 cup canned diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
2 T golden raisins
1 T chopped fresh mint (I skipped)
1 T capers, rinsed and drained (I didn’t rinse)
1 t chopped fresh thyme (I used dried and, therefore, less)

In a colander, toss the eggplant with the kosher salt; let stand in the sink about 1 hour. Rinse well under cold running water; drain and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the onion and garlic until just fragranmt, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the water and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and 2 T of the water; cook, covered, 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and the remaining 1/3 cup water; cook, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, raisins, mint, capers, and thyme; cook, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover and cook 4 minutes longer. Let cool to room temperature and serve. Or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

POINTS 1 per 1/4 cup serving

*The very top picture is from Babble via Pinterest.

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