The weather today is icky. Cold and rainy that will chill you to the bone. I was planning a nice 5 mile run with my running buddy. Her toe is better and she can run now. I was excited to be going out and running by the river. We haven't been able to do this for weeks. When I checked the weather yesterday afternoon and the prediction was rain and snow I decided I'd have to run on the treadmill. I loath treadmill running. It is boring. The view is always of the same tree across the parking lot. On a rainy day the cloud formation is always the same, dark and heavy with varying degrees of dripping pouring forth. Today offered no different view.
While trying to distract myself from my constant speed and changeless view I let my mind wander. I thought about my trip to Nags Head this weekend. Of course the trip is on my mind because we are going for a race. Today I thought about all the trips to Hatteras Island with my parents when I was young. Every spring and fall we would go stay at the beach so my dad could go drum fishing. I have so many happy memories of those trips. There are a few not so happy ones, like the time I came down with chicken pox for example. Today though I was thinking about the drive from Central New York to the Outer Banks. I was thinking about how long the drive was and how my parents worked so hard to keep us happy while riding for 13 hours.
There was one trip that my brother (I only had one then) and I were curious about how long a mile was. Of course I was on the treadmill and watching the miles slowly add up. We must have asked Dad to tell us when we had been a mile over and over. It was magic how he knew when we had been a mile. We must have been guessing about how far it was and how he could tell. I think he even told us to count the phone poles and that would tell us when we had been a mile. Eventually he did reveal that he had a special thing on the dash, a speedometer, that kept track of how fast he was going and how far we had gone. I have to say that special speedometer is so much more accurate than phone pole counting. I was looking at how many poles I could see out the window while on the treadmill. There are at least 6 in view and that is not a half mile view.
For food today I purchased a turkey breast portion. Our local grocery sells fresh turkey and I often pick up a breast or a couple of thigh portions to cook in the afternoon. Today I'm cooking half a breast. I purchased a grinder with garlic and rosemary in it last weekend. Those spice combination grinders are a super fast way to get fresh tasting herbs and spices. All I did was rinse the meat, grind a healthy helping of the garlic and rosemary combination onto it, and pop it in the oven at 375 to cook for about an hour. Once it is done I'm all set, I will have fresh turkey breast to slice for afternoon snacking with my fresh broccoli!
Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Internet and Storms
As everyone knows, the East Coast of the United States suffered a terrible storm this week. Western North Carolina was not spared the high winds, and we also experienced a mix of snow, sleet, and rain instead of the heavy rains that the coastline experienced. While I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and the tremendous damage to property, I am also grateful that the storm spared my town the heavy snow and ice that was predicted. Based on past experiences, I was prepared to loose power and not be able to drive for days due to icy roads.
What did happen? Not much except my internet at home is glitching off and on. It works for a minute and then it stops. Ironically, there were AT&T technicians on my street Monday and Tuesday. Both days when they were there the internet service was fine. I thought they had fixed some issue in the lines on the street. No such luck. I have thought though it might be fun to call and ask AT&T if they would please send out a repair truck and just leave it parked in front of my house. That would be a much better solution than me spending 45 minutes on the phone with a repair-techy person.
So how did I keep myself busy for 2 days while I was offline and not writing? I finished that $5 in Paris sweater. I ripped back the collar. That silly task took me over an hour. Who knew it would be so hard to unknit a sweater collar? I'm pleased with the results! The body of the sweater is a beautiful collage of color and the ribbed bands hold it all together.
I did an hour of cardio indoors at the gym and saw clients afterward. I attempted an hour on the treadmill. Oh did I ever try! I made it 35 minutes before I finally caved in to the soreness in my joints and the boredom! Then I switched to our Elliptical Edge by StarTrac (he he). I did that for another 25 minutes of burning quads. I think I might be spoiled with outdoor running. I'm not sure how to handle that. We are rapidly approaching winter and after the OBX half marathon race in 10 days I'll be training for my first marathon, the premier Asheville Marathon on the Builtmore Estate here in Asheville, North Carolina. This winter, I might be forced to run 2 or 3 hours on the treadmill. Looks like I'll need to search out some inspirational running music for those long treadmill runs.
Finally, I went grocery shopping. I learned that if the weather is already bad and you go to the grocery store it is empty of people! I went to the busiest health food store in town just before 5 pm and there were plenty of parking spaces and very few other last minute dinner shoppers in the store. I wish I'd bought more food when I was there. Somehow I only bought for one day. Silly. I bought enough fresh chicken to enjoy a tasty high protein entree Spicy Baked Chicken Thighs. (Thighs have a higher concentration of the amino-acid L-cartintine in particular ~ essential for metabolizing fat and other fun things! They are a little more fatty, so enjoy them about once a week.)
Spicy Baked Chicken Thighs
1 pound boneless chicken thighs
1/2 onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
2 tsp garlic powder
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Put all in a 9x9 baking pan and toss together, coating the chicken. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Serve on a large green salad for a healthy lunch or with two hot veggie sides for dinner.
What did happen? Not much except my internet at home is glitching off and on. It works for a minute and then it stops. Ironically, there were AT&T technicians on my street Monday and Tuesday. Both days when they were there the internet service was fine. I thought they had fixed some issue in the lines on the street. No such luck. I have thought though it might be fun to call and ask AT&T if they would please send out a repair truck and just leave it parked in front of my house. That would be a much better solution than me spending 45 minutes on the phone with a repair-techy person.
So how did I keep myself busy for 2 days while I was offline and not writing? I finished that $5 in Paris sweater. I ripped back the collar. That silly task took me over an hour. Who knew it would be so hard to unknit a sweater collar? I'm pleased with the results! The body of the sweater is a beautiful collage of color and the ribbed bands hold it all together.
I did an hour of cardio indoors at the gym and saw clients afterward. I attempted an hour on the treadmill. Oh did I ever try! I made it 35 minutes before I finally caved in to the soreness in my joints and the boredom! Then I switched to our Elliptical Edge by StarTrac (he he). I did that for another 25 minutes of burning quads. I think I might be spoiled with outdoor running. I'm not sure how to handle that. We are rapidly approaching winter and after the OBX half marathon race in 10 days I'll be training for my first marathon, the premier Asheville Marathon on the Builtmore Estate here in Asheville, North Carolina. This winter, I might be forced to run 2 or 3 hours on the treadmill. Looks like I'll need to search out some inspirational running music for those long treadmill runs.
Finally, I went grocery shopping. I learned that if the weather is already bad and you go to the grocery store it is empty of people! I went to the busiest health food store in town just before 5 pm and there were plenty of parking spaces and very few other last minute dinner shoppers in the store. I wish I'd bought more food when I was there. Somehow I only bought for one day. Silly. I bought enough fresh chicken to enjoy a tasty high protein entree Spicy Baked Chicken Thighs. (Thighs have a higher concentration of the amino-acid L-cartintine in particular ~ essential for metabolizing fat and other fun things! They are a little more fatty, so enjoy them about once a week.)
Spicy Baked Chicken Thighs
1 pound boneless chicken thighs
1/2 onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
2 tsp garlic powder
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Put all in a 9x9 baking pan and toss together, coating the chicken. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Serve on a large green salad for a healthy lunch or with two hot veggie sides for dinner.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Accepting the Cold
I've been in denial. You know the drill, ignoring the cold hard facts put right in your face and looking the other way. What am I trying so hard not to face? The change of season. Oh, I've been enjoying the leaf color changes and crisp morning air made for perfect runs. What I've been ignoring is the harsh cold, brisk wind, and inevitable snow that will follow the more pleasant aspects of fall. Today that all changed. What finally opened my eyes is an approaching winter storm. Such a rude awakening before we have even left October! There is a chance of snow and ice or it could just be wind and very cold rain. Wind is a definite We already have 15-20 mile per hour winds. That makes for a chilly night.
Cold nights make me want warm drinks. In years past I would have a sweetened hot drink. Perhaps a hot cocoa or hot spiced apple cider, I might even go so far as to have a special decaf coffee drink to warm myself up. Now I stick to the sugar free non-dairy indulgences. Tonight I'm making hot cocoa with almond milk, cocoa powder, and stevia for sweetener.
Almond Milk Hot Cocoa
16 ounces almond milk
3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
stevia to taste
Heat the almond milk in a sauce pan. Stirring with a wire whisk add the cocoa powder when the milk has reached room temperature. Continue stirring and heating until the cocoa is mixed in and the milk has reached your desired drinking temperature. At this point you can add stevia to suit your sweet tooth desire.
Cold nights make me want warm drinks. In years past I would have a sweetened hot drink. Perhaps a hot cocoa or hot spiced apple cider, I might even go so far as to have a special decaf coffee drink to warm myself up. Now I stick to the sugar free non-dairy indulgences. Tonight I'm making hot cocoa with almond milk, cocoa powder, and stevia for sweetener.
Almond Milk Hot Cocoa
16 ounces almond milk
3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
stevia to taste
Heat the almond milk in a sauce pan. Stirring with a wire whisk add the cocoa powder when the milk has reached room temperature. Continue stirring and heating until the cocoa is mixed in and the milk has reached your desired drinking temperature. At this point you can add stevia to suit your sweet tooth desire.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
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!
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!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
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.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
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!
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!
Thursday, October 18, 2012
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!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Another Soup
Though we woke to overcast skies and a chill in the air but the day turned sunny by mid-afternoon. The intense winds that blew away the clouds lingered. Leaves rustled across the lawn and trees swayed. It inspired me to make soup. I had two kinds of kale and a white sweet potato from my CSA box (Community Supported Agriculture). The big orange squash, yellow onion, garlic, and canned beans were lurking waiting to become something delish.
While I've been lazy lately about peeling squash and sweet potatoes I decided this soup needed the extra attention. I diced up the onion and sauteed it in 2 tsp olive oil until it was clear. I added 4 cloves of minced garlic to it and cooked them a bit longer. I then added a gallon of water and started peeling and chopping. All the veggies were tossed into the pot along with 2 tsp sea salt. After an hour and a half of simmering I had a lovely stew like soup!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
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.
Friday, October 12, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Are you dehydrated?
One of the first questions I ask a new client is how much water are they drinking. I'm amazed at how many people are drinking less than four 8 oz. glasses of water a day. The average sedentary person, this means no activity at all, requires eight 8 oz glasses of water to maintain metabolic health! Then I explain they will need to drink that minimum 1/2 gallon of water and up to an additional 1/2 gallon daily depending on what level of exercise I will have them doing. After that I start coaching them on their new water habit.
The first step is determining how are they going to track it. There are many ways to track water. It is rare to find people have fun tallying it up on paper. I suggest a water bottle or a favorite water cup or glass. My water bottle holds 24 oz. I know that I need to empty this bottle 3-4 times in a day. I have tracked that by putting 4 rubber bands on the bottle and moving them to the top as I empty the bottle. I've met people who use their wrists to hold the rubber bands. In the morning they put them on the right arm and move them to the left as they drink their water. Some people find having 3 water bottles is helpful. They know they must empty all of them in one day. Still others find that having a gallon jug that is refilled daily is the easiest solution. There are many options. Find one that works for you and stick with it.
Then comes the taste obstacle. I understand that water is plain. If that bothers you there are some calorie and chemical free ways to add taste to your water. Slices of cucumber make water refreshing for some. A squeeze of lemon or lime is enough for others. I have fresh mint in my garden and enjoy bruised mint leaves in iced water. Lemon slices and thyme leaves are another wonderful water additive. The point is to increase your water intake without increasing your intake of other types beverages. While it may be relaxing or enjoyable to sip herbal tea all day long the body needs to have water for metabolic functions. One of those functions is the removal of unwanted fat from the system.
During a workout I will give my clients 2-3 water breaks. For about every 15 minutes of vigorous exercise you need to drink 6-8 oz of water. That means if you are doing cardiovascular exercise you need to be prepared with a water bottle for the entire time. When I run I use a Camelbak backpack that holds 1.5 liters of water. On a 5 mile run I'll drink about half of that. On a 10+ mile run I will empty it.
Now the question is...Are you getting enough water to keep your body hydrated and metabolize fat?
This knitted water cup cozy is one way I have added fun to drinking water. I'm always looking for new ideas if you have one to share please do!
The first step is determining how are they going to track it. There are many ways to track water. It is rare to find people have fun tallying it up on paper. I suggest a water bottle or a favorite water cup or glass. My water bottle holds 24 oz. I know that I need to empty this bottle 3-4 times in a day. I have tracked that by putting 4 rubber bands on the bottle and moving them to the top as I empty the bottle. I've met people who use their wrists to hold the rubber bands. In the morning they put them on the right arm and move them to the left as they drink their water. Some people find having 3 water bottles is helpful. They know they must empty all of them in one day. Still others find that having a gallon jug that is refilled daily is the easiest solution. There are many options. Find one that works for you and stick with it.
Then comes the taste obstacle. I understand that water is plain. If that bothers you there are some calorie and chemical free ways to add taste to your water. Slices of cucumber make water refreshing for some. A squeeze of lemon or lime is enough for others. I have fresh mint in my garden and enjoy bruised mint leaves in iced water. Lemon slices and thyme leaves are another wonderful water additive. The point is to increase your water intake without increasing your intake of other types beverages. While it may be relaxing or enjoyable to sip herbal tea all day long the body needs to have water for metabolic functions. One of those functions is the removal of unwanted fat from the system.
During a workout I will give my clients 2-3 water breaks. For about every 15 minutes of vigorous exercise you need to drink 6-8 oz of water. That means if you are doing cardiovascular exercise you need to be prepared with a water bottle for the entire time. When I run I use a Camelbak backpack that holds 1.5 liters of water. On a 5 mile run I'll drink about half of that. On a 10+ mile run I will empty it.
Now the question is...Are you getting enough water to keep your body hydrated and metabolize fat?
This knitted water cup cozy is one way I have added fun to drinking water. I'm always looking for new ideas if you have one to share please do!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Patience
I completed the cuff and began the cabled design that would be the hat. After 4 rounds of the design I thought it would never work. The yarn was too busy. The pattern didn't show. I was convinced I'd have to rip out and pick a new yarn. Fortunately for me I chose to put it down for the night and wait until morning. Giving it a fair chance I picked it up again today. I decided I'd put so much effort into it already I might as well give it another couple of rounds. Six rounds later I'm pleased with the hat again. I'm happy with the yarn choice. I like the way the pattern is forming. I love the way the designer has written up the pattern. She was smart enough to write a pattern that someone on a detox can understand.
There are so many times in our lives that we give up too soon. I see people giving up on themselves and their goals just before they are about to reach them. It saddens me to watch this happen. Like my hat, these people were just a few steps from seeing their progress. Just a few short steps from reaching a milestone that would fuel them on in their journey.
Body transformation is a slow and steady process. The body requires good fuel and proper exercise just as much as it requires sleep and an environment that encourages peace and calm. As a personal trainer and a TLS coach I can provide wonderful fun workouts and education on proper food choices. I can assist many of my clients in accumulating moments of peace and joy in their lives. I can even make them so tired they sleep well. I cannot walk the path for them. I can and do walk beside them.
Today I've learned that I may need to provide guidance in patience. I may need to point out more of the milestones as they are achieved. I also learned that I may need to have more faith in my own milestones and achievements.
As for food, today is day 6 on my detox. I'm feeling great. I'm super happy today. I'm appreciating the beautiful Fall day and kale is the veggie in abundance. I'm majoring in greens this week. Greens are nutrient dense and fill the body with fiber. There are only so many steamed greens a person can eat though. As I'm tiring of them I decided to make some crispy kale. Ironically crispy kale is a lesson in kitchen patience.
Crispy Kale
1 bunch kale cut in small pieces woody stems removed
Bragg's Liquid Aminos or soy sauce to taste
Garlic powder
Preheat the oven to 375. Lay the kale on a baking sheet in a single layer. Spray with aminos or soy sauce. Sprinkle garlic powder over. Bake for 10-15 minutes watching so the kale just gets crispy but does not burn. Before and after baking:
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Happiness. Do you have it?
In this chat we thought perhaps people need to practice being happy. There are so many life experiences we practice for and feel quite normal in doing so. All musicians practice before a performance and throughout their career to get better. Athletes practice before an event. Even a simple workout is a practice. Students are practicing by studying before an exam. Why not practice being happy?
I feel happy most of my day. There are mornings that I wake up grumpy, sick, tired, or not wanting to face the world. Everyone, even the happiest person has those moments. In pondering this general happiness I dug deeper. I wanted to realize what effects my daily happy in a positive way and how that could be translated into a happiness practice. I start my morning with puppy snuggles. My dogs make me smile first thing in the morning. One of them wants to be pet and played with the other wants to curl up and be cozy with me. I like this. Not everyone would and that is OK. I enjoy checking in with my friends while I drink my morning hot beverage, tea right now but sometimes coffee. I check email and I check with my friends on Ravelry and on Facebook. I might post about my day or not it all depends on the morning.
Most mornings I spend an hour or two with my online coaching. This brings me great joy. I love assisting others in their process. I love being there to help someone make a change that can turn their day or life around. Nutritional coaching is one aspect of my job. Fitness coaching is another. I coach both of these at a distance. The growth and changes these clients and friends experience is tremendously rewarding. The clients I see in person bring me great joy too. I love watching a client reach new heights in their awareness of themselves. It is a beautiful process.
Another source of joy for me is to cook. I love making meals that taste good and are good for the body. It makes me so happy to cook for my family and have them enjoy the meal. I often think about how they will like the different tastes in the food. I try to know and remember everyone's favorite foods and bring something to the table that satisfies those desires. Today I made a stuffed squash. I had quite a variety of tastes in this squash. My goal was to have all these flavors blend yet hold their own distinction. It was a challenge. I'm proud of the result.
Stuffed "Acorn-ish" Squash
3 acorn (or similar size) squash (I used dumpling squash. They have flat bottoms.)
1 small onion, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound asparagus
1 package baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil OR 2 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Top and seed the squash. This is quite a lot like making a jack-o-lantern in miniature. Cook upside down in 1/2-3/4 inch of water for 35-45 minutes or until soft.
Seam saute the onion and garlic. This is done by heating a fry pan and adding a few tablespoons of water with the onion and garlic. When the onion is soft add the asparagus. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the asparagus is just beginning to soften. Add the spinach and steam to wilt. Add in the basil and cranberries and remove from heat. Fill each squash and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes.
I hope that everyone finds a way to practice happiness in their day. Pick something simple if you are feeling low or down. Find a small activity to be happy about. Look out your window. Is there a tree that might have a bird to watch? Is there a city street below that might have a mother or father laughing with a child? Can you say hello to someone you don't know while grocery shopping? What do you enjoy doing and how can you raise the happiness bar just a little?
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Bull Mountain
Today was run day. I have grown to love my Wednesday runs. My running buddy and I are in training again. Mostly for the Asheville Marathon which will be held at the Builtmore Estate in March and partly for another half marathon. I'm running a half in November. She is thinking about another half this year but is not sure yet. We are both running the Asheville Marathon as our first full marathon. It is exciting and scary at the same time.
Today was to be an "easy 5 miles" on trails. We changed our mind. Things just didn't feel right out there for a trail run today. So we decided to run through a neighborhood and up Bull Mountain. The neighborhood run was a gradual uphill for about 2 miles and then we turned off to go up the mountain. It is a 400 foot climb to the top along a 3/4 mile switchback abandoned road. The trees are starting to turn. The sun shone through the trees casting a beautiful light over the moss covered asphalt chunk and gravel path. I admit we didn't run the whole way. It was a 16 minute mile to the top. Not running but not slow walking either. The downhill run was a blast! We had a 2 mile long downhill run back to the gym! WOW! It was fun. I have to say I never thought of myself as a person who would be so happy and proud of a 5 mile run. Times change.
The big question here is what do you eat when you are running that long and on detox week? I had an apple about an hour before the run and one just after it. Then after my shower I ate a huge plate of seamed veggies. As I chopped them and put them into the steamer I was dubious. I'm used to a big meal with a large serving of protein after a run. How could this pot of green stuff fill me? Would it be enough to satisfy the post run hunger? Would it be enough to keep me going? I took my time. I ate it all. I not only felt full and satisfied I felt fabulous! My body feels full of nutrients and oxygen. My spirit feels full of nature. I'm quite content with my Wednesday Run!
Today's steamed veggies? Asparagus, baby green beans, and baby kale mix with chopped fresh basil. Not really a recipe, more of an idea of what you can do and how you can sustain yourself while eating just veggies.
Today was to be an "easy 5 miles" on trails. We changed our mind. Things just didn't feel right out there for a trail run today. So we decided to run through a neighborhood and up Bull Mountain. The neighborhood run was a gradual uphill for about 2 miles and then we turned off to go up the mountain. It is a 400 foot climb to the top along a 3/4 mile switchback abandoned road. The trees are starting to turn. The sun shone through the trees casting a beautiful light over the moss covered asphalt chunk and gravel path. I admit we didn't run the whole way. It was a 16 minute mile to the top. Not running but not slow walking either. The downhill run was a blast! We had a 2 mile long downhill run back to the gym! WOW! It was fun. I have to say I never thought of myself as a person who would be so happy and proud of a 5 mile run. Times change.
The big question here is what do you eat when you are running that long and on detox week? I had an apple about an hour before the run and one just after it. Then after my shower I ate a huge plate of seamed veggies. As I chopped them and put them into the steamer I was dubious. I'm used to a big meal with a large serving of protein after a run. How could this pot of green stuff fill me? Would it be enough to satisfy the post run hunger? Would it be enough to keep me going? I took my time. I ate it all. I not only felt full and satisfied I felt fabulous! My body feels full of nutrients and oxygen. My spirit feels full of nature. I'm quite content with my Wednesday Run!
Today's steamed veggies? Asparagus, baby green beans, and baby kale mix with chopped fresh basil. Not really a recipe, more of an idea of what you can do and how you can sustain yourself while eating just veggies.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
But I don't want to!!!
Really. Today I'm feeling the "I don't want to" of the detox. I'm feeling the "I don't want to" of exercise. I'm even feeling the "I don't want to" of writing.
Therefore I stayed on track with my detox eating. I was super strict with myself. I may have lacked a few calories. I may have needed to add a meal to get myself into a happier frame of mind. I did however stick to the plan. For that I'm proud of myself.
Exercise? Well, I did lead others through exercise. Today was a lower energy day for me. Day two of detox can be that way. Tomorrow I'll be back at it. Tomorrow I'll go for a run. I know it will all work out fine. I know there are more days filled with awesome weight training ahead for me.
Writing! Yup. I'm here. I'm sticking with it. I set a goal of 90 days and I'm going for it. Today's dish is vegan and super easy.
Curry Roasted Acorn Squash
1-2 acorn squash, seeded and sliced
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ginger powder
Monday, October 1, 2012
Beginnings
Welcome to October! Here in WNC we woke to a chilly damp day. I've been cold. I didn't realize how cold until I went out to the mailbox and gathered up today's mail. In the mail was a pair of socks knit for me. They were the socks that knocked me out of the game of play with Sock Sniper. It was a fun game. I'm proud to have assisted in raising funds for Doctors without Borders. It feels good to go into October fresh and new. I'm full of beginnings because I was so good with completions in September!
Today I began new projects. The first of the month is always a good time to start something new. I started a shawl. I've been wanting to knit this shawl for a good long while. I'm using an alpaca/silk/cashmere lace weight dyed by Alina Shea Creations. Her yarns are my favorite. The colors are deep and rich. They hold fast for years. Best of all the yarn bases she uses are of superior quality so even socks don't show wear quickly. The yarn for this shawl is gradient dyed. It starts with a light blue/purple/dark blue blend and moves out to a completely dark blue section. The shawl is circular knit so I'll have a pale blue center and a dark blue outer circle. I'm in love. The yarn is soft and shiny. I've already completed the first 4 sections of the shawl. There are 7 sections. They get progressively larger as the knitting progresses. I am under no illusion that completing 4 is half. It is close to 1/8 of the project.
I also began a food project. For me this project will last 7-10 days. I have started on the Detox portion of the TLS Weight Loss System. I normally have my clients begin their 12 week process with this detox. I chose to wait a few weeks because I had just run a half marathon. An athletic event like that requires food for the body to recover. This week I am cutting back on many activities. I'll continue to run. I'll be running shorter distances and supporting my training by riding a bike indoors. I will likely modify the detox a bit to include more foods necessary for my training. I'm currently training for my next half marathon in 5 weeks time.
While on this detox I will eat. I will eat lots of veggies. I like to call it veggie week or food detox. I think it seems less frightening that way. Anyone can eat fruit and veggies for a week. The basis of my lunch meal today is salad. Salad can be a boring thing. It can also be a wonderful exotic beautiful thing. On this dreary day when the sun is not shining my plan is to enjoy fresh greens that have been infused with the sun's rays while growing.
My salad base is baby kale, baby spinach, and finely chopped artisan lettuce. My crunchy veggie are baby green beans, asparagus, broccoli florets, and carrot. I chopped them all into small pieces so they can be eaten easier. Isn't it pretty?
While this salad is beautiful and tasty I'm sure you are more interested in what I put on it. Salad dressings are full of fat and sugar. I don't use sugar ever. Fat I use sparingly when not on detox week. This salad dressing is fat free and fresh.
Citrus Detox Dressing
1 lemon
1 lime
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp coriander
ground black pepper to taste
I juiced both the lemon and the lime and put into a glass measuring cup. I finely chopped the garlic and added it and the other spices. I added 1/2 cup filtered water and mixed gently.
For a light dressing while not on detox you could use this as is or you could add 1/3 cup olive oil.
Today I began new projects. The first of the month is always a good time to start something new. I started a shawl. I've been wanting to knit this shawl for a good long while. I'm using an alpaca/silk/cashmere lace weight dyed by Alina Shea Creations. Her yarns are my favorite. The colors are deep and rich. They hold fast for years. Best of all the yarn bases she uses are of superior quality so even socks don't show wear quickly. The yarn for this shawl is gradient dyed. It starts with a light blue/purple/dark blue blend and moves out to a completely dark blue section. The shawl is circular knit so I'll have a pale blue center and a dark blue outer circle. I'm in love. The yarn is soft and shiny. I've already completed the first 4 sections of the shawl. There are 7 sections. They get progressively larger as the knitting progresses. I am under no illusion that completing 4 is half. It is close to 1/8 of the project.
I also began a food project. For me this project will last 7-10 days. I have started on the Detox portion of the TLS Weight Loss System. I normally have my clients begin their 12 week process with this detox. I chose to wait a few weeks because I had just run a half marathon. An athletic event like that requires food for the body to recover. This week I am cutting back on many activities. I'll continue to run. I'll be running shorter distances and supporting my training by riding a bike indoors. I will likely modify the detox a bit to include more foods necessary for my training. I'm currently training for my next half marathon in 5 weeks time.
While on this detox I will eat. I will eat lots of veggies. I like to call it veggie week or food detox. I think it seems less frightening that way. Anyone can eat fruit and veggies for a week. The basis of my lunch meal today is salad. Salad can be a boring thing. It can also be a wonderful exotic beautiful thing. On this dreary day when the sun is not shining my plan is to enjoy fresh greens that have been infused with the sun's rays while growing.
My salad base is baby kale, baby spinach, and finely chopped artisan lettuce. My crunchy veggie are baby green beans, asparagus, broccoli florets, and carrot. I chopped them all into small pieces so they can be eaten easier. Isn't it pretty?
While this salad is beautiful and tasty I'm sure you are more interested in what I put on it. Salad dressings are full of fat and sugar. I don't use sugar ever. Fat I use sparingly when not on detox week. This salad dressing is fat free and fresh.
Citrus Detox Dressing
1 lemon
1 lime
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp coriander
ground black pepper to taste
I juiced both the lemon and the lime and put into a glass measuring cup. I finely chopped the garlic and added it and the other spices. I added 1/2 cup filtered water and mixed gently.
For a light dressing while not on detox you could use this as is or you could add 1/3 cup olive oil.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Early Fall
What a beautiful run it was this morning! The fog was still hanging low at 9. We chose to run through the trails of The North Carolina Arboretum and Bent Creek Experimental Forest. The run included 9.5 miles of single track trail and gravel paved forest roads. More than half of the run was along water, Bent Creek itself and Lake Powhatan which is in the above photo. By the time we were done the fog was gone, the skies were blue, our bellies were hungry, and our bodies were tired. I must say it was the most perfect last day of September ever!
In honor of the coming Fall season I decided to spend the afternoon knitting on a sweater and making butternut squash soup. The sweater is almost complete. One sleeve is lacking 4 inches. I'd love to complete it tonight. I might have to bail. I might just have to go to bed. That run has me tuckered out and the warm soup has me feeling satisfied for the night.
Butternut squash is one of the more common hard winter squashes. I've chosen it today because it is so easy to find. This soup can be made completely vegan, vegetarian, or with chicken. I chose the vegan version but will tell how to make each.
Butternut Squash Soup
1 large butternut squash
1 large sweet yellow onion
1/2 heart of celery
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp powdered ginger
1 can coconut milk (for the vegan version)
1 cup milk (for the vegetarian version)
4 quarts chicken stock (for the meat eaters)
1 pound diced cooked chicken breast (also for the meat eaters)
Peel and dice the squash. I cut it into rounds and then cut off the edges of the rounds before dicing up. It seems easier for me to peel it that way. Clean and chop the celery. You don't need to cut the celery too small.. Slicing at about every 1/4-1/8 inch along the stock is fine. I used the leaves too. As long as they look good they are fine to eat. Peel and coarsely chop the onion.
All the cut veggies go into a very large pot and are covered with water. Unless you are planning to do the chicken version and then you are adding the chicken stock instead of water. The salt and spices are also added at this point. Then it is a nice long slow simmer until the veggies are soft through. This is where the knitting comes in handy. Knit a few rows and then stir the pot.
Once everything was cooked through my pot looked like this. If you are making the chicken version here is where you add the diced chicken breast.
It can be served up as is or blended with coconut milk or milk to make a creamed soup. Here is what the chunky soup looks like.
I added a can of coconut milk and blended it with a hand blender. This task could also be completed using a food processor and processing in small batches. Once blended I served it garnished with roasted pumpkin seeds.
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