Recipe Post: Edamame Pesto

We made this last night. It was delicious like regular pesto, but with less fat and more protein and fiber. This is from Robin Robertson's Quick-fix Vegetarian. The recipes in her book are dairy-free so there isn't any cheese in the recipe. I will admit I added a little grated Parmesan.

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen shelled edamame
1 pound linguine (use whole wheat for a healthier meal!)
1 large clove garlic (I used three)
1/2 teaspoon salt (was fine without any salt--especially since I added some Parmesan)
1 1/4 cups firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (I used the bottled stuff)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I cut this down to just over a 1/4 cup and used basil infused olive oil)

Put the pasta water on to boil in a large covered pot. Cook the edamame in a small saucepan of salted boiling water until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

When the pasta water comes to a boil, salt it (I did not), add the linguine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is al dente, about ten minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, make the pesto: In a food processor, process the garlic and salt until finely minced. Add the cilantro and puree to a paste. Add the cooked edamame and the lime juice and process until blended. With the machine running, add the oil and process until blended. Add up to 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water to make a smooth sauce. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and toss with the sauce.

Dog Fit!: Because Dogs are People Too!

The Fit Life, LLC is launching a new program today: Dog Fit!

Dog Fit! will offer your furry friend a one-mile dog walk or run, one to five days a week (Mon. - Fri.). It's personal training for your dog at a cost you can afford!

Sometimes we humans work a lot of hours, over-extend ourselves, or just don't feel like getting outside in the nasty weather. Perhaps your physical health doesn't allow it? And our dog friends miss out on some much needed daily exercise. Dog Fit! will offer your dog some midday exercise, because dogs need to live The Fit Life too!

Right now the program is open to Bellbrook residents only (if you're in Sugarcreek, but close, give me a call). If the program really takes off, we will look into expanding, and having fill-in dog walkers so you never miss a day. The goal is to get eight steady Dog Fit! clients (more or less--depending on whether or not they are two-dog households). So contact us now!

All the details and some FAQ's are one our new web page. Check it out and let me know if you have any questions!

www.thefitlife.us/dogfit.shtml

Recipe Post

I'd like to post more blogs, but sometimes my brain just doesn't have a topic in it! So I've decided that every time I find a recipe I really like (like because of taste, ease and health), I'm going to post it.

So look for my favorite recipe posts in addition to my other random blogs.

Today's recipe is healthy creamy tortilla soup.

I just made this very easy, healthy, delicious tortilla soup, so I thought I would share. Taste will totally depend on what salsa you choose to use. I used Trader Joe's Three Pepper salsa. It was delicious! This is from: quick-fix vegetarian by robin robertson.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing the tortillas

2 cloves garlic, chopped (I used a garlic press)

1 1/2 cups tomato salsa

4 cups vegetable broth (bought organic, low sodium veggie broth)

2 ripe Hass avacados

2 tablespoons of lime juice (or juice one fresh lime)

Salt and pepper to taste

3 to 4 corn tortillas

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup of the salsa and the broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Halve and pit one of the avocados and place it in a blender or food processor. Add the soup mixture and process until smooth. Transfer back to the pot, add the lime juice and parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper (we stay low sodium here...didn't add any salt for a healthy, low sodium soup). Simmer over low heat while you toast the tortillas.

Lightly brush the tortillas with oil and cut them into thin strips, about 1/4 inch wide by 2 inches long. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the tortilla strips and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes.

Just before serving, halve, pit and dice the remaining avocado and stir half of it into the soup. To serve, garnish the soup with the remaining diced avocado, remaining 1/2 cup salsa, and the tortilla chips.

Says it serves four. If it's your meal (and one of the people is Mark) I would say serves two. Only fat is good fat from the avocado.

Type A? Me? No way!

According to Wikipedia, Type A individuals can be described as impatient, time-conscious, controlling, concerned about their status, highly competitive, ambitious, business-like, aggressive, having difficulty relaxing; and are sometimes disliked by individuals with Type B personalities for the way that they're always rushing. Type B individuals, in contrast, are described as patient, relaxed, and easy-going, generally lacking an overriding sense of urgency.

For as long as I've heard the terms Type A and Type B, I've associated Type A people as uptight and no fun, and Type B people as easy-going and fun. Therefore, I have known all along I was a Type B kind of person.

However, several years back my friend Maria started teasing that I was a closet Type A personality (she also said I was a closet Republican--and that's just wrong). But she may have had a point about me being a closet Type A. I do have some Type A leanings, but they are swirled in with some very Type B traits. I think I have a dual personality!

For example, I love to camp. And I have no problems being disheveled and grimy for several days at a time if it means beautiful hikes and adventures. At the same time, I'm an obsessive planner, so it will drive me a little crazy if that camping trip isn't planned ahead of time and I don't know what we're eating each night of the trip so I can do the proper shopping for it.

Mark likes to make reservations at the last minute so we can get a deal. And I totally understand that logic. I try my hardest to go with the flow. But the closer the trip gets, the more stressed I feel without reservations. And it's not like I have every minute of every day of our vacations planned, but I'm afraid if we don't plan out at least some of our activities ahead of time, we'll end up sitting in a hotel room discussing what we want to do--wasting precious time.

I come from a family of planners. I can tell you the day, time and place my family will celebrate Christmas in 2017, and Thanksgiving in 2018. On the other hand, we usually aren't sure when my husband's family will celebrate until a few days before. I'm learning to work with that (really...I'm trying).

There are other examples:

Type B: I'm messy. There's dirty laundry all over the floor. The pantry has no organization to it whatsoever, and there are cat toys all over the living room floor.

Type A: I can't stand it when the stray bowls (the ones I can't get my husband to get rid of) get mingled in with the bowls that go with our dish sets (we actually have three different dish sets--that's drives me a little bonkers too). I like the glassware lined up very neatly and orderly. And it drives me crazy when the dishwasher isn't loaded in an organized manner.

Type B: If I send out invites for a party and nobody can make it--no problem. I'm fine with canceling or just having a small gathering.

Type A: It drives me crazy when they don't tell me whether they can make it or not. I wish I could remove the "maybe" button on the Facebook invites. Just tell me "yes" or "no" so I can PLAN!

Type B: I run slow. I don't like that I'm a slow runner, but I've learned that trying to run fast just isn't enjoyable for me. It takes the fun out of exercise--and if I don't enjoy it, I won't do it.

Type A: Even though I know I will never be a competitive runner, it really bogs me down when I don't beat my last time. I hate that my pace has slowed over the last several years, and I can't seem to get that old pace back again--no matter how hard I try.

Type B: I'm okay with other people running late unless it's to the point of total disrespect.

Type A: I cannot be late. Not even two or three minutes late. Tardiness in myself is unacceptable.

I could go on and on with examples of my mixed up personality. I guess most people are a blend of personality types. The older I get, the more I am coming to terms with my Type A personality traits. In fact, the older I get the more Type A traits I must assume in order to function (i.e. making lists, keeping a calendar).

So Maria, this is for you: My name is J.J. and I have a Type A (partly Type A) personality.
(It really bugs me that I can't get the graphic in this blog to line up neatly with the first line of text).