Beautiful Yarn!

Oh the day that was Wednesday. Breakfast was creative. I had that black bean and corn salad still. I wanted hot food. I hadn't put any dressing on it so I decided to saute it up and have turkey bacon with it. Protein and veggies or sort of veggies anyway.

Lunch was roasted zucchini and pulled turkey. The apple was more a desert thing since I ate it after the meal.

Dinner was almost gone by the time I remembered I needed a picture! I sauteed the rest of the corn and black bean salad with a yellow squash. and added sliced chicken breast to it. I had it over a bed of arugula and topped it with pumpkin seeds.

Thursday morning I had a Bengi workout. I ate an apple and had a coffee. I took a meal into the gym to eat after the workout. I remembered the picture an hour later! What did I eat? I diced a sweet potato and sliced up a chicken andouille sausage. I put these on a lightly oiled pan and put it under the broiler for 15 minutes to cook the sweet potato. It was quite tasty. 

Lunch? A skillet meal of course! First I sauteed half an onion and half a pound of ground turkey in olive oil. Then I added one small diced sweet potato, one ear of fresh corn cut from the cob, one can of black beans drained and rinsed well. I have a spicy Mexican meat rub that I've been using for flavor lately. It is some obscure thing I found. I will do my best to start using seasonings that are replaceable. The base however is chili powder and cumin. I believe it has coffee in it. It sure smells like it. 

Dinner was spectacular! Sauteed pattypan squash! YUM!! I also had fresh tuna brought from the coast. I sear that. I coat with sea salt and cracked pepper before searing on a hot griddle for a few minutes each side. The salad? I have a kale salad I like to make. It goes through many incarnations based on the availability of ingredients. This one was dinosaur kale chopped fine, 2 tbs finely chopped scallion, 1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley, 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, and an ounce of grated Romano cheese. The salad dressing was 1/4 cup of olive oil and 2 tbs white balsamic vinegar. It really is one of my favorite foods! The sliced pear was intended as garnish but added fabulous flavor!

Crafting? Oh yes! There has been spinning progress! I have been walking and knitting. First the sock. I'm not walking very far. Only enough to do a couple of rounds. I have thought I should start walking the long way and adding in 1/2 a mile. I would also have to leave earlier for work and it is rather warm in the afternoon. Maybe I'll just start plopping myself down on the bike more often and getting in some serious cardio knitting. 

Spinning though. I have completed 17 ounces of wool! I had an issue last night. My flyer (this is one of the vital parts of the spinning wheel) malfunctioned. That is to say it separated and spins where it should be still. I recently watched the Lego Movie. I know that Everything is Awesome in the world. This was not awesome. I thought that if Kragle worked so well on the Legos it might work on my flyer. Here it is being held down by two of my cast iron pans. It stayed this way overnight in hopes that setting the glue would work.

It did work. It worked long enough to finish the last ounce of spinning and the plying of the final yarn. Then it started spinning where it should be still again. The wheel is 44 years old. I'm feeling like it might be indicating this is its last yarn. I'll share the yarn a day early. You deserve it after that horror story. I now have 540 yards of yarn. I'm not sure what pattern I'll be using but I know I'll be knitting up a vest for Kam. It is her request. I like it when she requests my hand knit items!

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.

Saturday = FUN!

I went to SAFF today! What is SAFF? Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair. Amazing fun, beautiful colors, incredible textures, soft wool, curly mohair, yarn, roving, fleeces, dyes, knitting needles, spindles, wheels, carders, you name it if it has to do with the preparation of fiber or use of fiber it was all there! Even the animals were there. Adorable alpacas, cute little Shetland sheep, curly angora goats, and this crazy fun ram! I think he was there last year, or perhaps it was his brother I'm not quite sure. I was so tempted to buy an animal today. If I didn't live in the city limits I would have for sure. I guess I'm lucky I haven't moved out into the country yet!

So what did I buy? Well I kept it minimal this year. I already have bins of yarn to knit, and boxes of roving and fleeces to spin. I only added one skein of sock yarn. I'll be knitting that up come November 1. The yarn is hand painted. It looks like tie dye when it is knit up into socks. I'm thrilled! After yesterday's adventure into the world of dyeing and my stroll down memory lane with tie dye I couldn't resist! I also picked up some Suri Alpaca locks and Angelina to add to an art batt I'm thinking of carding this week. (That is a whole new adventure. The Drum Carder Adventure shall commence in November as well.) Finally I purchased a small amount of silk hankies for spinning. I've seen them around and have been interested in spinning them. These are white. Tomorrow, if I have any energy after my long Sunday run, I'm going to play with my food coloring dyes again. I though it would be fun to drip dye these hankies and then spin them up. I must say the Muse was quite content to go to SAFF this weekend!

After my busy morning filled with fiber adventures I went off to the health food store for food inspiration. I was convinced the Muse would be equally as vocal given the opportunity to pick and choose from organic healthy foods as she was to pick and choose from all the wonders at SAFF. She didn't disappoint! I walked around gathering some staples, cold pressed olive oil, GF sriracha sauce, canned beans, canned diced fire roasted tomatoes, and fresh greens for salad. I don't usually use hot sauce on my foods but the others that live in my house love it so I felt it was important to purchase a fresh bottle so we don't run out.

When I returned home, I wanted to make a simple one pot meal so I could spend my afternoon spinning. After looking at all those beautiful hand spun yarns and new wheels I couldn't neglect my wheel and current spinning project! I finished my yarn and made a simple three bean chili.

Simple Three Bean Chili

3 cans (15-16 oz) beans of choice, rinsed and drained
1 can (28 oz) fire roasted tomatoes
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS chili powder

In a large pot saute the onion and peppers in the olive oil, just before the onion is clear add the garlic and continue to saute until the onion is clear. Add all the other ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. Serve with sliced scallions on top and a green salad on the side.

Convenience Foods?

Let's face it there are days, even weeks, that are so busy you don't have time to cook everything from scratch. What are you going to do? How are you going to continue to eat whole foods and have food quickly?

One of my go-to quick meals is rotisserie chicken. I love that it is already cooked and a whole food. I'm fortunate enough to have two major health food stores in easy driving distance. Both of these stores sell rotisserie chicken. Both of them use free range, hormone free chicken. I can feel good about purchasing this. I am also thrilled they are about the same price, and often less than, purchasing a raw chicken that I must cook up. Many of the local grocery stores have them too.

What can you do with one of these chickens? There is the obvious. Cut it up and eat it with veggies. What if you don't want to cook veggies? Salad bar! Fresh veggies only though; don't go for any of the prepared salads whose ingredients may be questionable. Those salads will add hidden sugars and fats you likely don't want. Stick with the fresh raw veggies and a small amount of dressing on the side. I've been known to purchase frozen veggies to go with the chicken. They heat up fast. They are not fresh but they are better than nothing on a day when you are really not interested in the kitchen.

For a two-adult household  a whole chicken provides at least three meals. The breasts are one meal, and then the leg/thigh portions another. Then pull the remaining meat off the bones and make a chicken salad. It might only be enough for one depending on the size of the appetite. I see the chicken salad as a "bonus meal". Now, don't throw the bones away. Freeze them in a zipper plastic bag! When I have collected 2 or 3 of these I'll make a rich flavorful broth.The way I prepare this delicious chicken broth pulls the nutrients out of the chicken bones and puts them into the broth, and it makes my home smell like love is cookin' in the kitchen. My "Bone Soup" is a healthy tonic, and I can use it for a variety of recipes. Sometimes I have a cup of this basic stock to warm my belly; sometimes I just freeze it into small containers for future use. Other times I use it as the base for a hearty veggie soup. I love knowing I'm adding in extra nutrition, and I also love that I'm able to be so thrifty with all these meals from one affordable purchase!

Bone Soup 

bones left from 2-3 chickens
1 bunch parsley
1 onion coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed

Put all ingredients in a large soup stock pot and cover with water. Simmer for 10-12 hours. As the bones soften, they release their calcium. Strain the broth (keeping any bits of meat is optional, after 10 to 12 hours the small amount of meat is flavorless). Use this rich broth as you would any other stock.

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.

Spinning

I felt a bit like I was spinning through my day today. My client schedule was different than normal and filled with short breaks. I usually have clients grouped together and large chunks of time either before or after them. I tried to get cooking, cleaning, and crafting done in those breaks. I think I was fairly successful in completing these tasks.

Knitting time today was in limited quantity. I could have chosen to spend my entire evening knitting. What I chose to do instead is spin. Spinning is relaxing. Once a rhythm is established the yarn seems to spin itself. That rhythm is dependent on a few factors. One is how freely your hands let the wool flow and another is how evenly you treadle the wheel. Treadling is when you push the foot peddles to make the wheel go. Tonight my treadling wasn't perfectly smooth. I thought I was not sore or tired from running the last two days in a row. Fifteen minutes of spinning told me otherwise. Who knew? The wool I'm using is beautiful. It is a super soft Targhee dyed by Younger Yarns. I love the wool. Rather than push tired shins and risk having an unevenly spun yarn I decided to wait until my body has had a chance to recover.

What did I have fun creating in the kitchen today? Blue cheese vinaigrette! Blue cheese is quite a unique flavor. I've liked it for as long as I can remember. Since I'm trying to avoid using many of the bottled commercial dressings I thought I'd try making a vinaigrette that is filled with the rich blue cheese flavor.

Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

1 clove garlic, chopped small or pulverized with a mortar and pestle
1 green onion chopped fine
1.5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and let sit until flavors meld and enjoy on a big green salad.

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.

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!

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. 

Craving Pizza

There are days I have weird food. Weird combinations of food and weird food substitutions. I've been eating an alternative diet for about 15 years. At first I cut out wheat and dairy. I had to cut out mushrooms because they became a migraine trigger. Then I cut out gluten completely. I was eventually forced to cut out soy. So what is left? Veggies, protein, and a few other grains.

I don't feel deprived, often. There are some foods I wish were still in my diet. Just because they taste good and are common social foods. Pizza is one of those foods. I can make a gluten free crust and have a goat cheese pizza. It is tasty. It is not brick oven pizza. This week I'm not eating any grains. No gluten free crust for me. So how am I going to satisfy that pizza craving? By making one of my weird food meals!

Eggplant Pizza Like Dinner

1 Large eggplant, sliced in thin rounds
1 small package baby spinach
1 green pepper, sliced in thin rounds
1 or 2 tomatoes sliced thin

I spread the eggplant out in a single layer on a broiler proof pan and broiled for 5 minutes on each side. Then I layered the spinach on top:

I put pepper rings and tomato slices over the spinach. Then I sprinkled with powdered garlic and put it back under the broiler until the spinach wilted and the tomatoes had started to cook.

It may not be pizza but it satisfied the craving and kept me within the limitations of my meal plan! My blood sugar remained balanced and my taste buds are happy.

Patience

Yesterday I started a new hat. I've been saving a yarn that I spun for a year now. The yarn was spun from Blue Faced Leicester wool. It has a slight shine to it and feels springy as it flows through my hands. This hat has been a lesson in patience for me. I started the cast on the designer recommended. I was not pleased with how it looked as a beginning. I ripped it out. I tried the alternative cast on. It took me a bit to get the hang of what she was telling me to do and even then I was not certain it would be right. I knit one round. I found my stitch count was off. I ripped it out and started over. This last cast on worked. I had the right number of stitches. I was ready to begin a ribbed cuff. I thought that was it. Good to go. No more worries. Just knit it up. Time for joy and celebration. Yes, only 8 rounds into the hat and feeling like the celebration of a completed hat was due.

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:

Dedicated? You bet!

I woke this morning thinking about dedication. I'm dedicated to my goal. I thought I was dedicated to my goal for a long time now. Perhaps I have been. Perhaps the goal has shifted. I started running in July of 2011. my goal for 2012 was to run 4 half marathon races. Through the year I've also had a goal of dropping 10-15 percent of my body fat. While I've run 3 half marathons, one 13.5 mile trail run, and am training for my final half marathon race of the year I'm no where close (I have 10% left to go) to reaching any fat burning goals.

I don't feel I've been neglecting the fat burning goal. I feel more that I've been expecting that goal to just tag along and somehow be a side effect of the running goals. Running has gotten my cardiovascular health up. My heart is beating quite strong and carries me through long runs up hill. I'm not nearly as winded from exertion as I was 6 weeks ago let alone last Fall. Running has made my legs stronger. I'm able to climb hills without burning quads. I can do squats and lunges that before would have had my knees screaming. Best of all I'm able to run on a leg that has 8 screws and a plate in the ankle and just above without excruciating pain.

But all this running has not created a fat deficit. It has not forced my body to burn the fat down to the percentage I want. I looked at that in detail just before I challenged myself to writing this blog for 90 days straight. I had a little talk with myself. I talked to myself about my goal body fat percentage goal. I wanted to be clear with myself as to why I wanted to reach this goal. Do I really feel this is attainable and what is the purpose? Then I looked at what would be required for me to reach that goal. What would have to change in my attitude? What would I have to change in my diet? What dedication would I have to place in my own journey? Do I really have time for that? Is it all worth it?

The changes I've made in my dedication to my diet are huge for me. Every change that an individual makes is huge for them. I'm 16 years past the giving up soda and sugary drinks change. I've learned over the last 12 years that I'm not just intolerant to wheat but I can no longer eat any gluten. I know of all my other food allergies and sensitivities. For most people these are the toughest challenges. These are the changes that cause cravings and bumps on the road to success.

What changes could be left? Dairy. I love half and half in coffee. It tastes great and I feel something is missing from my coffee if it is black or has a non-dairy substitute milk in it. I'm also a meal skipper. Skipping meals throws off the blood sugar. I know that high and low blood sugar both put the body into a fat storing not a fat burning zone. Somehow this knowledge was not enough to fuel a dedication to eating on time. I also know that when I eat processed grains (for me they are gluten free) my body does not feel good, puts on weight, and puts the brakes on the fat burning.

I have a renewed dedication. I have my goal in sight. I know that burning up that body fat will make running easier and if it is easier it is more fun. I have my why. I have my goal in my heart and on the radar of my daily routine. I know there will be many temptations along the way. I'll deal with them. I'm sure I will write about them in the future. For today I'm going to keep my sights on the goal and the steps necessary to reach that goal. I am dedicated to me reaching my goals.

My detox lunch today? Roasted chickpeas on a grilled spinach salad. Really? Grilled salad? Yes. YUM.

Roasted Chickpeas

1 can chickpeas rinsed and well drained
1 tsp olive oil (unless on detox and then OIL FREE)
sea salt and herbs of choice

Pour the olive oil onto a jelly roll pan or a broiler pan. Add the drained chickpeas and roll to coat. Sprinkle with herbs and salt. I like sea salt and garlic powder best. I have used Cajun spices, Old Bay Seasoning (omit the salt here), Italian herbs, basically what ever suits my fancy at the moment. They go into a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Stir them about a few times to keep them from sticking or burning on one side. If you don't eat them all in one sitting they can be kept in the fridge. I like them as a snack, as part of the meal, and as a topping for salad instead of croutons.

Grilled Spinach Salad

2-3 cups of spinach
Halved cherry tomatoes

Arrange the spinach and tomatoes on a broiler proof dish. Place under the broiler. I didn't use the highest setting in my oven. I put the rack down one level and kept an eye on it really good. I let the spinach wilt and the tomatoes get hot then pulled it from the oven. You don't want to let it cook too long or your spinach will be soggy. After adding chickpeas to the salad I had a wonderful lunch. If I'd not been on detox I might have dressed this salad with some vinaigrette dressing. Or I might have just gone ahead and eaten it as is.

Happiness. Do you have it?

I was chatting with Kam this morning about happiness. Not anything in particular just being happy in life. It is remarkable how many people are not happy in life. Yes, the world has many tragic events. Yes, we have diseases that are killing people daily. We were not talking of the catastrophic events. We were talking of general daily happiness. That happiness that is not dependent on other people or events. So many people are waiting for something to happen to make them happy. I'll be happy if...I win the lottery...drop 50 pounds...meet the love of my life...move to another city/state/country.

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?

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

Combine the spices in a dish. Place the squash slices in a large bowl and sprinkle with spices. Toss to coat all sides. Lay on a baking sheet or roasting pan. Bake at 425 for 35 minutes or until the squash is soft. Simple and tasty!

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.

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.