How to Survive a National Holiday

Friday was Independence Day here in the United States. Traditionally this is not the healthiest food holiday. Hot dogs and hamburgers, chips and cupcakes are popular menu items. I think we can safely say I might now eat a hamburger on a green salad but the remainder are not on my list of consumable foods. With a large country family potluck in the plans for Friday Night Dinner I had to make some fast plans!

Breakfast was interesting. Turkey bacon for protein, roasted sweet potatoes for the veggie carb, fresh apple for the raw enzymes, and peanut butter for healthy fat. Covered all the bases but was a bit odd with the mixed tastes.

Lunch before we hit the road was fresh salad (baby kale), rotisserie chicken breast, grilled squash, and green olives. 

Then we hit the road for our close to 2 hour drive. I snapped a picture of the sock progress just before we left the driveway. 

We landed alongside a beautiful river. I sat and knit for hours. Here is a shot of the next sock. I finished the toe and started to surf left while riding. 

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My total progress on the new sock? Huge!

My afternoon snack was simple. Just an apple with a bit of goat cheese.

Dinner was classic picnic. If by classic picnic you mean chicken salad on baby kale, chickpea and roasted eggplant salad, dilled yellow and zucchini squash, cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. 

On the drive home we were a bit snackish. We had to stop for gas. Silly car was a bit hungry too. It is hard to find snacks on the road when you are eating a clean diet. Fortunately we live in the southeast. Roasted and salted peanuts are always available. I was sure to portion out a serving size and stick with it. How much is a serving size? About 3/4 of a cup.

Saturday was a bright new day! I woke with a great idea! I have some de-cluttering to get done. There is too much stuff in the house. It has been bothering me for quite some time. I woke with the idea that I could "shop" through the stuff and "buy" only what I wanted. Everything else needed to leave the house and go to one of three locations, a local thrift shop, a friend's home, or the garbage bin. What a fabulous idea! I started the day with a good breakfast (brunch really because I was super tired and slept late). Remember I'm not a huge fan of the classic eggs for breakfast. We had grilled steak, kale green salad, sauteed squash, and the healthy fat was a nice clean dressing for the salad. I was all fueled up and ready to tackle the day.

I spent three hours shopping in my crafting area. I packed up two boxes to mail out. I collected items for a third box. Kam and I sorted through the miscellaneous kitchen stuff that has been collecting on the back porch. We eliminated 2 boxes of kitchen items and two more boxes of clothing. We dropped it all off at one of the thrift stores and headed to the grocery store. When we returned we made ourselves lunch. Turkey burgers with melted pepper Gouda on top of baby spinach with fresh guacamole and slices of jicama. It was perfect! We had fresh blueberries with walnuts and cream for desert. 

Kam fixed dinner. It made me smile! She reheated the remaining steak and made a fresh caprese salad. She was very sweet and thought I would like sliced cabbage with gluten free blue cheese dressing on it. I think it is better with Italian dressing. I ate it anyway though. When you are making this many meals for yourself you will eat what someone makes for you and be happy with it. 

While I was shopping I came up with a plan. I found this amazing amount of fiber. The white is a fleece I washed and started carding myself. The dark blue is a braid I was given but was partially felted during the dyeing process and couldn't spin as it was so I had already carded it once. The light green is alpaca I purchased at the fiber festival a few years ago. It is not long staple but very pretty. The turquoise blue is coltswold I found that same year at the fiber festival. The green and yellow braid is one I purchased from a friend who no longer has an online store. That one is not wool but faux cashmere, nylon! My idea? To card up batts out of this for spinning.

The batts are beautiful. I have over a pound of fiber to spin up. I was fascinated by it as I spun!

The resulting yarn has a nice art quality to it. This is only the first skein. It is 100 yards. I am hoping for 4-500 yards for the total basket. 

Broccoli is too Breakfast Food!

In the interests of a low glycemic impact meal fresh veggies are of utmost importance. Every meal needs to have fiber and protein. Sometimes that means breakfast might include foods that are not considered "normal" breakfast foods. Broccoli is one of those. Yes, broccoli can be found in a quiche or in an omelet. It is rare to find steamed broccoli on a plate with eggs and bacon. Well, it is rare to find that in the average American kitchen. My kitchen is not average. I go for whatever green vegetable I have on hand when it comes to breakfast. I'm about over the eggs for breakfast kick. It doesn't last long for me. There will be changes coming soon!

I purchased two boneless turkey thighs on Friday. I was feeling creative so I rubbed them with 1 tsp of sea salt and 2 tsp of Kickin' Chicken spice. I put them into a deep casserole dish and covered them tightly with aluminum foil. Then I baked at 325 for two and a half hours. The result? Pulled turkey barbecue. If I was a bread eater I would have made a wonderful sandwich. I'm not a bread eater. I had two meals using this meat. The first was simple. Just over baby spinach.

The next was pretty simple as well but had more fat in it. Kam is on a wedge of iceberg lettuce kick. So we did a wedge salad (gluten free blue cheese dressing for me), fresh tomato with chopped parsley and fresh mozzarella with the turkey thigh. 

My mid-afternoon snack was an apple with peanut butter. Just a tablespoon of the healthy fat as is appropriate.

At the end of the day I was feeling the need for more food. I didn't want a full meal yet I was feeling hungry and needed something. I chose to make a healthy desert. I sliced fresh pear and put it under the broiler for 10 minutes until it just started to brown on the edges. Then ate it with 1/2 a cup of Greek Yogurt and some raw walnuts. It was quite tasty!

Sock progress? There was plenty! Oh yes. I managed to get to half the foot!

10 mile run on a weekday!

This morning's run was a 10 miler. It was splendid! We started out in a chilly 45 degree mist. The first mile climbed 600 feet. Not a running first mile for sure! We hiked and jogged our way to the top. The reward? Close to three miles of gentle downhill through the fall colors! At the bottom we ran single track trail up and downhill for another four miles before heading back to the car along gravel forest roads.

Because it was so chilly I was able to wear my first pair of hand knit gloves! I knit these gloves for myself last winter when I started running distances in the cold weather. My long runs then were 7 to 8 miles. They are merino wool and fit me perfectly. I loved wearing the hot pink with my purple thermal running top today. Color is so important to me. Bright colors make me happy, and wearing bright colors when I run makes me happier!

Between clients today I'm knitting on  my $5 in Paris. It is creeping along. I keep thinking I have to be close to the end of this ball of yarn. I have to be close to the ribbing for the waist. I have to be close! But I'm not, yet. Phew! It is a simple knit but I seem to be dragging, because, I must admit, I've not been able to do as much knitting this week as I'd like. It is hard to have length growing when you can't pick up the project and knit. Here is a progress shot for those of you who remember the project from an earlier post. The lighting in the gym is a bit odd today and makes the sweater look greener than it really is.

In between clients and knitting, I'm reminded of how hungry running makes me! Because strenuous exercise increases appetite and a desire for denser calories, sometimes it makes me crave foods that I know are not in my best interest.  For me, cheese is one of those foods, and it makes me check in to the amount of healthy fat in my diet. When I start craving cheese, I add more avocado. Avocado is a healthy source of mono-saturated fat and has a creamy texture much like some cheeses do. Usually, avocado sliced with a little salt and pepper or guacamole with fresh carrot slices leaves me quite satisfied.

Feeling satisfied and enjoying rich flavors is part of being able to maintain a healthy lean lifestyle. The TLS Weight Loss Solution we teach at my personal training studio, and online, includes a variety of healthy fats in its "Rapid Results" and "Sure and Steady" menus. I love the tastes of raw nuts and seeds as snacks and as flavorful additions to salads and steamed vegetables. Tree nuts, like almonds and walnuts, are best used raw, and a total of 1 oz is all for the day. Nuts are easy to overeat, so be sure you measure the amount. I don't recommend roasted tree nuts, because though they taste wonderful the fragile healthy oils are denatured by the roasting process. Raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds, coconut and the superfood chia seed are also helpful tasty additions (though chia doesn't have much taste!). In addition to 1 oz of nuts or seeds, 2 TBS of organic cold-pressed olive oil, or organic coconut oil are useful additions to cook with and create variety in your healthy eating lifestyle. Remember, when you use an oil to cook with getting it so hot it smokes changes the good fat to bad! So cook with steam, broth, or broil with a little oil. Use the raw unheated oil as a nutritious addition.

So, last but not least is PEANUT BUTTER! The best source of peanut butter in my opinion is the grinder in your grocery, especially if you have an organic choice. Fresh ground peanut butter is rich and "fluffy" and tastes completely different then a brand that has sat on the shelve for who knows how long. And the ingriedients are one: peanuts! Peanuts are actually more healthy roasted because they are a legume not a nut ~ however, they count as nuts and as I stated above, you can only have 1 ozs total of any type of nut. One other healthy fat is the yolk of a fresh free range egg. There are many nutrients in this type of yolk including vitamin D. There is some dispute on whether butter is healthy or not. In my opinion a little salt-free grass-fed butter on your veggies or  to fry a "power egg" isn't going to make or break your health goals. However, if you are a person that prefers a little bread with your butter or eats it spread on crackers, or straight out of the paper, avoid it!

After an hour or two of early morning cardio-knitting or a long run just after sunrise, there is nothing better than a hot healthy breakfast with the healthy fat that satisfies!

The Power Egg Breakfast

One whole egg
One egg white
2 strips of all natural or organic nitrate free Turkey Bacon (look at ingredients: do you recognize them?)
1/4 pound of fresh asparagus spears
salt and pepper (optional)
hot sauce (optional)

Rinse asparagus and remove tough ends (don't cut delicate pointed end) Set aside.
Prepare Turkey bacon in a hot pan adding just 1/2 to 1 tsp of olive oil to prevent sticking (or use a "safe" non-stick pan).
When Turkey Bacon is cooked to preference, set aside and use turkey bacon dripping as seasoning for asparagus: add two TBS of water to pan and lightly steam asparagus spears until tender. (In a hurry? Steam spears night before.)

At the same time, pre-heat a skillet with a little butter: Break one free range egg on the skillet followed immediately by just the white of the next egg. (Discard yolk or cook it up for your pooch!) This is a power egg: 2 whites, one yolk! (one yolk vs two keeps the saturated fat and cholesterol in this meal to a minimum, and your pooch will love you for the treat!) Flip it or cook it sunny side up.

On a plate, layer the asparagus with the bacon and  the hot power egg on top! Spice it up with a little sea salt and fresh ground pepper or hot sauce; grab your fork and a sharp knife and enjoy! Yum!

Need a bigger breakfast than this? Add a honeycrisp apple and 2 TBS of peanut butter or a fist-sized baked sweet potato seasoned with cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. Go ahead, eat up! High quality whole foods fire up your metabolism! And feeling satisfied creates a love for life!

Time Lapse

Looks like I missed a day. I woke this morning and realized that I had not written my post yesterday. Bummer. To make up for that I'm offering up a couple of recipes today.

Cardio? Why, yes! Yesterday I managed 1 3/4 hours on the spin bike. A bit of that was mellow cardio-knitting and a bit of it was classic spin bike sweaty strenuous hill climbing. I'm feeling the muscle building effects from the standing "hills". It felt good to push myself that hard. It also felt good to know I can ride for that long. The cardio-knitting was great. My $5 in Paris has gotten so long that I had to tuck it under my elbow to knit without it interfering with my leg movements.

While the sweater is long enough to worry about functional biking it is not long enough to be complete. The quantity of yarn left to knit is rapidly dwindling. I'm using a yarn that I dyed myself. It is not a 'spectacular hand painted high end lovely yarn' from one of my indie dyer friends. It is simply a Patons Classic Worsted wool in cream that I dyed with Wilton's Cake Dyes. I only had 2 balls of yarn. I thought I could stretch it and make it work. I'm growing ever doubtful. Rather than make myself crazy I chose to go purchase a matching yarn. My fix will be to do the ribbing with the new green yarn. I thought was very lucky to find a slightly heathered green that matches perfectly. I'll be switching to green for the ribbing at the waist and arm bands. Then I'll rip back the neck and re-knit using the green. With luck it will look intentional.

For cardio today we went for a trail run. We did 5 miles out at the Arboretum. The trees are so beautiful. The weather was perfect. By the time we were running the temperature was about 50 degrees and the sky was clear blue. Just perfect for a morning run. The trails run along a beautiful clear creek. On our summer runs I have thought about doing some creek walking. Today I just admired the beautiful clear water. 

About those promised recipes? I thought I'd share with you some slightly sweet snack ideas. One of my go to snack foods is soaked almonds. I love how soaking them increases the nutrient value and I love how they taste like fresh coconut. Sometimes I really miss cookies so I'm also sharing with you a cookie alternative. You will notice I have cinnamon in these recipes. Cinnamon is helpful in balancing blood sugar. The goal of the TLS diet is to balance the blood sugar. It is nice to get it in whenever we can. I know the temptation is there to increase the amount of honey called for. Please don't. You will be adding unnecessary sugar to your diet. Trust me when I say these items are plenty sweet as they are.

Soaked Almonds

2 cups raw almonds
filtered water to cover

Place the almonds in a large bowl and cover with plain filtered water. Allow to sit on the counter for 10-12 hours. Drain and rinse. Store in the refrigerator, drain and rinse them twice a day. The soaking process encourages the nut to begin growing. This changes the fat to protein ratio and increases the enzymes. How is that? The nut becomes a sprout. Sprouts are full of enzymes. Once the nut is sprouting it is using the fat for fuel to grow into a plant. I think it is genius! You can eat them as is fresh from the fridge at any point you like.  OR you can do this...

Cinnamon Honey Toasted Almonds

Soaked almonds (above)
1 tsp honey
1tsp cinnamon
dash cayenne pepper (optional)

Toss drained and lightly dried soaked almonds with the honey and cinnamon. Dehydrate in a food dehydrator if you have one. Or spread on a baking sheet and dry in oven set at 100 degrees for about 8 hours. Toss occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.

Banana "Cookies"

2 green tipped bananas
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (more if necessary)

Cut the banana into 1/2 inch segments. Mix the walnuts and cinnamon together. Coat the bananas with the nut mix. Spread on a baking sheet that has been lightly oiled so they don't stick. The oil may not be necessary if the baking sheet is non-stick. Bake in 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes or until the bananas are slightly crisp. They dry a bit and that is OK. Remember this is 2-3 servings. So share with a friend!

Afternoon Run

Three weeks from today I'm running my fourth half marathon of the year. Weekends are for long runs. Usually I run in the morning. This weekend we had company. Yesterday was about hiking and this morning was about cooking a healthy brunch and saying goodbye to family. Then we went out for errands.

Running gels were top on the list. I'm wanting something new. New flavors, new styles, new something. Anything that will add interest to fueling while running. We went over to REI where they have just about every flavor and style of running fuel you can imagine. I chose chocolate raspberry, mint chocolate, and plain chocolate gel packs. I also picked up some chews. The chews are like gummy bears only they are running fuel. Though I like the new textures of the chews, I'm not sure on the flavors yet. They feel an awful lot like eating candy.

Since we were busy for most of the morning and into the afternoon, I was tired, and wanted to skip out on my run. I wanted to just hang out, knit, and relax. That is not what I did! Despite my lethargic feelings, my partner and I talked ourselves into a 7 mile run. It was amazing! We ran on the sidewalk next to a busy four-lane road, then on two-lane road without any sidewalk, and then we picked up the Mountains to Sea trail for a couple of miles near the Asheville Folk Art Center. We finished up on neighborhood roads for a total of 7 miles of flat, hills, and mildly technical trail running.

I feel content. I feel like I did the most important things I could have done all weekend long. I spent some lovely time with family and friends. I ran with my partner on one of the last warm afternoons that we could possibly have together this fall. I laughed and enjoyed life. I packed 4 days worth of adventure into 2 days of weekend time.

Running gives me creative space. My mind wanders and I think of all my creative projects. Today was no different. I day dreamed of my knitting projects as always, and of course I thought about food. What food I would cook and share today. The glorious fall foliage inspired me. I decided on spicy sweet potato wedges!

Spicy Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

2-3 med-large sweet potatoes, peeled
1 TBS olive oil
1-2 tsp hot pepper seasoning mix

Cut the sweet potatoes into steak fry wedges and put into a large mixing bowl. Pour oil over and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Stir to coat. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 475 for 30-45 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the edges are crispy.

Reviewing the past

We went for a hike today. It was a simple hike. Not too far. It was one of the first hikes we took the kids on when we moved to Asheville. WOW! That was so long ago. We would pack up and go to Craggy Gardens to get away from the heat in the city and cool off for a summer afternoon. We took them up there to see the Fall leaves for their first experience of the Fall season after living in the tropics for their entire lives.

Today when we hiked to the pinnacle and looked at the 360 degree view it was like I was there with my young teen boys 12 years ago. I loved being up there sharing a wonderful day with my nephew and his girlfriend who are visiting from Virginia Beach. The leaves were just past peak. Last weekend we were close to peak, this weekend we were just past. The mountains never stop giving me breath taking moments and unforgettable memories.

Tonight we are reviewing yet another of our past favorites...peanut butter sauce. We used to use this peanut butter sauce for dinner every other week. It is from the Moosewood Cookbook but slightly altered. I go for a bit more vinegar and cilantro. I also use more water so it is more of a fluid sauce.

Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup fresh ground peanut butter
3/4-1 cup boiling water
2 TBS soy sauce OR 1 TBS wheat free tamari
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
cayenne, to taste

Put all ingredients except the water into a small bowl. Gently stir the water in to make a smooth sauce. Serve over stir fried veggies, roasted veggies, or a nice fresh salad. I have used this sauce with a rice noodle stir fry and been more than satisfied. I think I could eat this sauce by the spoonful and be happy!

Progress

Progress can be measured in large chunks or small bits. Sometimes our biggest goals, those ones we would like to take chunks out of, come to us in small bits. When those successes seem to slow and come at a snail's pace it is important to take a moment and look at the bigger picture. How long have you been working toward the goal? No really. How long?

I know I've set some goals recently that are inching their way along. If I take an honest look at them and assess where they originated I've been working on them for years not months. In my early to mid 30's I was what I consider my ideal weight but not my ideal body fat percentage. As a fitness professional I am quite aware of the difference here and how it plays out on a person's (me in this case) health. Unfortunately for me my health took an interesting turn in my early 40's. I broke my leg in 3 places and required 8 screws and a plate to repair it. When I was finally able to walk easily again, I found myself with an even higher body fat percentage and a scale weight that made me sad.

It has taken me diligent work but my fitness has improved and my numbers are turning around. One factor has been my dedication to my TLS low glycemic impact eating. Once I saw how easy it is to put on lean muscle and take off unwanted fat by eating healthy whole foods I chose to be a coach. Now my eating plan fuels my goals.

Another factor is my dedication to exercise. Running has completely changed my life. Today's run was 5.5 miles. I ran on flat ground. I stopped when I felt pain and ran when the pain eased off. I knew my body could sustain the run. I knew my muscles could continue. I knew my lungs and heart were strong enough to take the extended cardiovascular exercise. I was happy about that.

When I take a look back at where I was 4 years ago I am amazed. I am awed at where I was and where I am now. I could never have run 5.5 miles 4 years ago. I doubt I could have run 1 mile. I had to learn I wanted to run. I had to find that bottom place, even as a trainer, to get to the place where I wanted to excel. Once I reached that place I had to start the training. Most people don't wake up runners. Most people have to start walking. Then they have to progress to walking with a few jogging or running bursts in there. Eventually they switch out to running. Few people enjoy running more than 3-5 miles. Some people enjoy endurance running. I never thought I was one of those people.

Six weeks ago I wanted to make my 5 mile easy run be an 8 mile run. I wanted to have that easy recovery at the longer distance. Yesterday's run was not 8 miles but it was darn close. This morning I woke without any soreness in my body. I feel I've achieved that goal. That is one step on the road to my grander goal. My goal of running a full marathon in less than 5 hours in March. My scale weight is approaching my desires as is my body fat percentage. It seems the running and the fat burning goals are inching their way to achievement at about the same rate as my running goals.

I have a simple exercise for anyone who is struggling with their grand goals right now. Look at that goal. Look at all the steps to achieving that goal. Look at where you had to come from to even state you wanted to reach that goal. Take pride in yourself. Take pride in the path you have been on. Take great pride in what it took to get to where you are today. Think about what your next step is. Are you working on burning fat but not getting the results you desire? Get yourself doing another 30 minutes of cardio. Are you doing plenty of cardio but not eating enough or the right foods? Set a meal plan and follow it to the letter. If you are having issues remembering to eat on time set a timer and eat when the timer goes off. Getting the right foods into the body does not happen by accident. You have to plan it. Getting your cardio done requires planning. Getting your strength training done requires planning. You are just as important as all the people and events that are filling your days. Take the time to put yourself first. I can guarantee you will have more energy and be more productive in the time you offer to others.

How about ranch today?? How about we go for a comfort food? Wouldn't it be nice to have a ranch dressing that you could use without feeling guilty?

Ranch Style Dressing

1/2 cup kefir OR 4 TBS Greek  yogurt mixed with milk to make 1/2 cup
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and allow flavors to meld. Use sparingly on salad. I have used this dressing as a dip for roasted chicken. Yup. I'm just that weird. It does taste yummy though!

Participation

There are days that I feel we should get points for participation simply by getting out of bed. This morning I was not in a participation mood. Fall is in full swing here in the mountains. Mornings are chilly. We were at 40 degrees when I was getting out of bed. Not much incentive for putting on the running clothes and getting out there.

I did it though. I got up and put on my cold weather running tights, tank top, and cold weather running long sleeve shirt. My first half mile was so chilly I had to tuck my hands into the sleeves of my shirt. The next mile I was pushing my sleeves up my arms. By the end of mile 2 I was peeling off the long sleeve and offering a prayer of gratitude to the angel who insisted I wear the tank top under the long sleeve. I was aiming for 8 miles. At mile 7 my ankle chose not to participate any longer. It was cranky and achy. I opted for the half mile steep uphill walk instead of the mile plus a bit of gradual uphill followed by a flat finish to my front door. The ankle is fine now.

I ate a huge breakfast. Now an hour later I'm hungry again. Looks like my metabolism is participating today. Even though I'd love a huge meal heavy with carbohydrate laden pasta I'm going for a nice salad with protein. It is about goals. I'm choosing meals that will get me to my goals. I love salads. Even in the cooler weather salads still hold appeal. I think one reason is I give every effort to make my own salad dressings. They are not hard to prepare. Simple ingredients put together in a variety of ways. For the next 4 days I'll be posting a different salad dressing. I promise there will be a healthy alternative to the classic ranch and a blue cheese option as well. Today?

White Balsamic Pesto-ish Dressing

2 cloves garlic, coarsly chopped
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/4 cup fresh basil OR 1 TBS dried basil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar

Mash the garlic and sea salt together with a mortar and pestle until the garlic is thoroughly pulverized.

Add the basil and repeat until the basil has turned the mixture green and the leaves are no longer recognizable.

Add the olive oil and slowly combine. Combine the oil mixture and the vinegar. Add to your salad sparingly.

Spice

Spice is important in life. In my creative life I add spice by knitting lace. It is soothing like adding cinnamon to chocolate. It is invigorating like adding crushed red pepper to meats. It brings me joy like adding fresh herbs to salad.

Over the weekend I knit on my lace sweater. I spent 2 hours on the spin bike knitting. I am fortunate enough to have a spin bike in my living room. I was able to spend my Sunday morning knitting, biking, and listening to a book. I have added some more length to the sweater since that biking session. This afternoon I had a fun photo opportunity. The sun was coming through the big windows at the gym and casting a shadow of the bike on the floor. I couldn't resist. When I'm biking I put each ball of yarn in a separate knitting bag and hang them on the handle bars of the bike. It is very much like the way they are laid out in the shadow. This lace sweater is spicy in that crushed red pepper kind of way. It adds zing to my day. It takes me a while to digest and leaves me feeling happy and warm!

My knitting spice today was knitting on my lace shawl. The pattern is Shipwreck. I'm just starting on the final patterned round before the massive net begins. It is wonderful. It is soft. It is comforting and reassuring. It is spicy in a cinnamon kind of way. It has me captivated. The yarn is like butter in my hands. I love working on it!

For today's meal I added spice. I bought a turkey breast portion to cook in the crock pot. I love the crock pot for cook while I'm at work meals. Cooking turkey breast this way makes the meat juicy and tender.

Pulled Turkey

1 split turkey breast
1 TBS spicy barbecue seasoning mix
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup water

Put the turkey into the crock pot. Cover with the seasoning mix and the garlic powder. Add water to the pot. Cover and cook on high for 4 and a half hours or until the meat is tender and coming off the bone easily. I would have it on the plate with salad and steamed greens for a well rounded meal.

Endurance

Today was a cardio-knitting day. Instead of the planned 10-12 mile run I had planned I spent 2 hours on the bike with my sweater. I listened to a book and knit. I peddled and I knit. I wasn't speed knitting. I wasn't speed peddling. I was out for the endurance of the activity. My intention was cardio for an extended period of time. I feel pretty successful. I reached my goal for endurance cardio. I added close to 1.5 inches on my sweater.

On Sunday, in many American homes, football is the center of attention. The common foods being consumed are not low glycemic nor are they healthy for the body. Most of them are full of empty calories and unhealthy fats. A common sports watching snack is hot wings. I thought I'd share a way to have the hot wings taste and keep the meal on the low glycemic impact plan.

Healthier Hot "Wings"

1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 package spring mix salad greens
2 TBS blue cheese crumbles
2 TBS sugar free hot wing sauce

Broil the chicken 5-10 minutes on each side or until cooked through. In a bowl toss the chicken with the wing sauce. Divide the spring mix onto 3 separate plates and top with the chicken. Garnish with blue cheese crumbles.

Feeding the Soul

There are days that are meant for feeding the soul. Today was one of those days. I went out for a 5.7 mile hike with 3 other women today. What a moving experience it was! We started mid-morning when the chill had not yet left the forest. The first 1/2 mile was straight up hill and before we reached the top, well the place where it leveled off into a more gentle switchback climb, I had shed one of my layers. We walked through shade and sun. We felt pockets of heat coming up from the valley below and chilly winds that whipped over the mountain top. It was 4 hours of change. It was 4 hours of physical challenge. It was 4 hours of wonder and joy.

Hiking in these mountains is always amazing. The ecosystems change as you ascend. At one point I looked out over a cove of trees with moss covered boulders at their bases. On the next turn there were lush ferns covering the ground. Much of the hike was technical and strenuous. Technical in that we had rocks in the path and roots to avoid tripping on. Strenuous in that we were climbing up about 80% of the time. It was so worth the climb. We reached a few pinnacles where the view was unobstructed. On this clear day I felt like I was seeing the end of the Blue Ridge Mountains off in the distance.

As we hiked we talked. We enjoyed each other's company. The dogs that accompanied us ran and played. At the 3/4 mark as if there was some unspoken agreement we walked in silence. It was peaceful. We were on a ridge with views and drop offs to either side of the single track path. My thoughts fell into place. My heart filled with joy and love. My creative spirit yearned to express itself. My soul filled and was fed by the beauty of the undisturbed wilderness around us. It was a glorious day in the woods!

As we say goodbye to the deep greens of summer I thought I'd honor that change with a French Lentil Salad. Each of the greens in this salad have a distinctly different flavor. I hope you enjoy it!

French Lentil Salad

1 pound dry lentils, cooked and drained
1/2 cup finely sliced scallions
1/2-1 cup chopped Italian parsley
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup olive oil

Boil the lentils over medium to low heat for 30-45 minutes or until soft. Drain and rinse them. While the lentils are cooking chop the other ingredients and combine in a bowl. Add the lentils and mix through. This can be eaten right away or served once the flavors have had time to mingle deeply.

The Three Rs

Review, renew, revisit! Today is one of those kind of days for me. This morning I renewed my passport. It is a simple task but for some reason I drug my feet getting it accomplished. Now that it's done I feel freer and a bit silly for waiting so long. I'm ready to complete some other tasks that fall under the heading of  The Three Rs today.

First up is a sweater. I participate in a Ravelry group called Harry Potter Knit and Crochet House Cup. It is a game of sorts. The goal is to craft items you will use, give as gifts, or donate to charity and have them fit into "class prompts". The structure is fun and supportive of growth in the crafter. Since I started with the group two and a half years ago I have taken my knitting and spinning to new heights. One of my favorite opportunities for growth is with the OWL (Ordinary Wizarding Level). The goal here is to choose a project that will require steady work over the course of approximately 3 months.

This Fall I chose to knit a lace cardigan. It is beautiful! The yarn is exquisite! I know I'll love the completed project. However, as I began the project I quickly learned that I disliked the way the pattern was set up. The lace portions did not flow properly in my mind, and that prevented me from making any progress on it. I quietly set it aside and knit many other items. I realized last weekend, while reviewing my Fall knitting plans, that if I were to continue on the project some changes must be made. Since I'm participating in a challenge of sorts I had to ask for approval to make any changes. I waited for a few days and was approved. The changes require me to rip out all I'd knitted so far and start over. I'm happy to be doing this. To the non-knitter it may seem like more work since I have already knit 5 inches of the sweater body and will need to reknit it using my pattern alterations. I don't think it will feel like more work in the long run because I have chosen to make the lace flow in a way that makes sense to me. The project is ripped back and ready for speed knitting this weekend!

Next up is my cardio. Since I've already had a busy morning of appointments and have a full schedule of clients this afternoon I'm planning to hold off on my cardio until after work. It is Friday. I'll be finished seeing clients at 6:30 pm today. Plenty of time for evening cardio! The plan is to come home and do an hour of cardio-knitting. I'm feeling quite content with this. I might even go so far as to watch a movie instead of listening to a book while I ride and knit. Things could get wild!

Finally, in the kitchen today I'm choosing to revisit the Spaghetti Squash. I've cooked with it before. It is a simple squash to make. I've not been tremendously pleased with the results. It tastes like squash to me and not pasta. I have tossed it with sauteed onion, garlic, and chicken breast and then served it with a salad. That seemed OK. I'm going for the spaghetti pasta experiment today. I had a client ask me this week if I ever use it. I had another client raving about how enjoyable spaghetti squash is. Neither of these people know each other. I took it as a sign. I'm revisiting it. I'm giving it another chance. I'm going to make a simple sauce with ground turkey, fire roasted tomatoes, fresh garlic, and what is left of the basil in my garden. We'll see how starting fresh works here.

To cook spaghetti squash you cut it long wise and scoop the seeds out just like all other hard squash. Bake it cut side down in 3/4 of an inch of water at 375 degrees for an hour or until the meat is soft. To serve it you scrape it out long wise with a fork, often will come out in pasta-like strands. Serve it on a plate and top with sauce or butter.

Simple Tomato Sauce

1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, diced

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tsp olive oil

2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 pound ground turkey (optional)

Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are clear. Add the basil and tomatoes and heat through. In a separate pan brown the turkey and drain off any fat. Add the cooked turkey to the tomato sauce and serve over the baked squash. I added a side of steamed Swiss Chard for a low glycemic impact meal. 

Mario Brothers, Turban Squash, and Running?

Have you noticed how much fun the Turban Squash is? I picked one up this morning. I've cooked them before. This one just tickled me. Stores usually have them displayed with their knobby parts up. Something made me put the knobby part down. It made me think of the original Mario Brothers game. I know, silly. Mario Brothers was a big deal when my children were young. When I see Mario anything it makes me think of my oldest son, Bengi, when he was 10. Very happy memories!

Bengi works for me in the gym, and I am fortunate to see him everyday. I'm even more fortunate that he is a runner. He began running before I did; now races are family events! On November 11th we are running the Outer Banks Marathon. He will be running his first full marathon, 26.2 miles, and I'm running my fourth half marathon of the year, 13.1 miles. I'm excited we are down to 31 days until race day. At the same event my partner is planning to qualify for the Boston Marathon, by running the distance in under 4 hours. WOW! Big goals for one short weekend!

In preparation for that event today's cardio was running. I did an easy 5 mile run in a flat park area. It was a crisp morning here in the mountains, 45 degrees, when I left home for the run. I broke out my winter running pants and hoodie. After the first mile I had to shed the hoodie. I was grateful I'd chosen to wear a tank top under it. I find the extended cardio sessions exhilarating.

I haven't always enjoyed exercise. I've actually had a good stretch of time that I was anti-exercise. I just wanted to go through life not moving. I'm so grateful that I'm no longer in that phase of my life and I have compassion for those who are. I don't feel they should stay there. Movement, no matter how gentle, helps the body and the spirit to heal in many ways. Are you just getting started? Think about setting a "marathon" goal like walking one mile for 26 days. Are you already walking and feel the need to push harder? Try to double your walk distance in 26 days. Are you running? Do you want to run? Check out the Couch to 5K program. There are many couch to 5K apps for smart phones you might try one of those too.

So how do you cook that turban squash anyway? It is much like all the other hard winter squashes. Cut it in half, scoop the seeds out, place it cut side down in a shallow baking pan with 3/4 of an inch of water and bake at 375 for 45-75 minutes. The length of time is dependent on how thick the squash is. It needs to cook until soft. At that point the options are pretty open. You can mash it with a small amount of butter. This is one has a nuttier flavor than other squash. You might not want to go with cinnamon or nutmeg. You may be happier with a savory flavor. The squash has a large cavity when the seeds are removed. After baking you could fill it with a multitude of other veggies. Try steamed broccoli, sauteed onion and garlic, and chopped nuts or seeds tossed together. This is also one of those squashes that has a super hard outer shell. Imagine scooping out all the baked squash and using the shell to serve soup or stew. Wouldn't that be fun?  Just look how open the squash cavity is!

About that cardio...

I've increased my interest in cardio once more. I did a full hour of cardio-knitting yesterday. One hour on the stationary bike knitting on $5 in Paris. I know I'll have to switch it to lap knitting once the length grows a bit. For now it is a fun round and round knit while the pedals go round and round. The knitting made me happy. The biking made me happy. The book I'm listening to while doing all this made me happy too. Today I went for a 5 mile run in an hour. Big happy here too! I ran from home. I ran hills and only had to walk about 1/4 of a mile. I'm so proud of myself.

Happy is good. Cardio brings about a happy feeling. Maybe that happy is not until you are done. Maybe that happy is not even noticed until you miss your cardio for a few days. It does bring happy. Cardio actually encourages the body to release more serotonin.Serotonin is that wonderful hormone and neurotransmitter that helps us all fight depression. It has many other functions too but today the focus is on happy.

If your only goal was to increase your happiness rating than cardio 3-5 times a week is your best bet. If you are also interested in burning off some excess fat you will want to combine your cardio with healthy eating. My goal with my eating is to have my meals be low glycemic impact. That means lots of fiber, a healthy dose of protein, and good fats at every meal.

After today's run I was famished. Running 5 miles works up an appetite. As a child my mom would cook frozen Brussel Sprouts for my father. They were mushy. They usually had butter on them. Dad loved them. I'm not sure I loved them. Fresh Brussels are a whole different world! My favorite way to eat them is roasted. One of my go to fast foods is canned chickpeas. I know you can soak and boil them. I've never had success and they take forever. In the interest of speed and ease I purchase canned beans. (Still trying to keep the happy here!) A few months ago I got adventurous, or perhaps lazy in the kitchen, and combined the two of them on one roasting pan.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Chickpeas

1 pound brussel sprouts, halved or quartered
1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
2 tsp olive oil
salt and garlic powder to taste

Spread the olive oil on a broiler pan or jellyroll pan. Add the veggies and roll around to coat. Season to taste. Roast at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly crisp.