Recipe Post: Spaghetti Squash "Chicken" Enchiladas--Veganized!

This recipe was definitely a winner in our little household--even the ferret was checking it out (she didn't get any). But first, let me give credit to the two sites that inspired the dish (check out some of the other spaghetti squash ideas): http://greatist.com/eat/spaghetti-squash-recipes and http://www.closetcooking.com/2013/12/chicken-enchilada-stuffed-spaghetti.html?m=1.

I tend to get into a spaghetti squash rut. I bake it, throw some marinara on it, and call it a meal. I've gone creative a few times, but I needed some new ideas. There are some great ones on the above sites! I took the chicken enchilada one and customized it for us (mainly making it vegan). We don't use the fake meats a lot, but I just had to try this recipe--and it turned out really well!

1 large organic spaghetti squash
1 can of organic black beans
package of meatless chicken of your choice
big handful of organic spinach
1 jar of enchilada sauce (I used Trader Joe's. The closet cooking site above has a homemade recipe. The jar was just a time-saver for me).
Daiya's Havarti with jalapenos

Other than the cooking time for the spaghetti sauce, this is quick and easy.

Slice the spaghetti sauce horizontally so you have to nice squash boats (once you remove the seeds). Bake the squash for an hour at 350 degrees.

Thaw the "chicken" strips. Drain and rinse the black beans. Cut up the big handful of spinach (removing the big stems). I also chopped up the "chicken" strips so they were a bit smaller. Put them in a mixing bowl. Pour in the enchilada sauce, and mix it all up.

Once the squash has finished cooking, fill the boats with the enchilada mixture.
(At this point, I had to head out for about 45 minutes. So, I turned the oven off, but left the stuffed squash in the oven while I was gone so that the mixture would get warm. Otherwise, I would simply stuff the squash, and put them back in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the mixture is heated).

Turn the oven to broil, and sprinkle pieces of Daiya cheese on the top. Broil until the cheese is nice and melted.

Enjoy! I have plenty left-over for another meal (Mark does not).

Recipe Post: Vegan Faux Fredo with Kale/Walnut Pesto

You know I typically stick to simple, but delicious recipes because I don't like taking a lot of time to cook. But sometimes, when I have some extra time, I really enjoy tackling a higher maintenance recipe. Tonight was one of those nights. This is decadent, but still healthy! You will need a food processor and a high speed blender (or at least one of these--washing it out between uses). It is vegan and gluten-free.

I stole the original recipe from Healthy Recipe Ecstasy. So give that blog a read when you have some time. I'm posting the original recipe below, along with the changes I made (in red) to please our diets/palettes. It's always fun to add your own twist to recipes!

INGREDIENTS

• KALE PESTO:
• 3 cups kale (fresh with tough stems removed or frozen)
• ¼ cup raw walnuts (I could not find raw walnuts, so I used regular walnuts from the bakery section)
• 2 cloves of garlic
  
  
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (I had some infused olive oils on hand so I did 2 parts regular olive oil and one part hot red pepper infused olive oil to give it a little kick).
• 1/4 cup of Nutritional Yeast
• Coarse salt & black pepper to taste
• PASTA ALFREDO:
• ¼ cup vegan margarine (I used 1/4 cup unrefined, organic coconut oil). 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups canned white beans, rinsed and drained (Three cans of organic White Northern Beans)
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened soy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound whole wheat penne pasta (I used my Mung Bean Pasta "go to" for this. See picture below). 
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving (I skipped using any extra oil).

INSTRUCTIONS

KALE PESTO:

1. Transfer the kale, walnuts and garlic to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream and process to a coarse purée.

PASTA ALFREDO:

1. Cook pasta according to package. Drain and keep warm, retaining one tablespoon pasta water.(I didn't bother with the tablespoon of water).
2. In a large sauté pan over low heat, melt the margarine. Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Transfer the margarine mixture to a blender or food processor, and add the white beans, vegetable broth, soy milk and pasta water. Blend until completely smooth.
4. Pour the sauce back into the pan over low heat, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the sauce is warm.
5. Add the sauce to the pasta, and mix until all the noodles are covered in sauce. Divide pasta among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with 2-3 tablespoons kale pesto and some olive oil.
6. NOTE: At first, it may seem like you have too much sauce for the pasta, but the noodles quickly soak up all that sauce. To reheat leftovers, I like to slowly warm the pasta on the stove and add ¼ cup broth to help loosen up the sauce.

Look how creamy the white bean sauce is. It looks like we splurged on heavy cream, but this recipe gets rid of all of that unhealthy dairy.

Here's my pasta "go to" these days. It's packed with protein and fiber--and it's gluten/wheat free!

Recipe Post: Cauliflower and Cashew Fritters

I think this is my new favorite recipe! Healthy and delicious--and not too difficult. You do need a decent blender and a food processor.

This recipe came from Vegetarian Times. I will tell you the spots where I tweaked it to my liking.

Cauliflower-Cashew Fritters with Red Pepper Cashew Cream Sauce

Serves 6

30 minutes or fewer

Ground cashews help hold together these oven-baked cauliflower fritters.

Fritters

• 2 cups 1-inch cauliflower florets
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup roasted and salted cashews (I used low-salt cashews from Trader Joe's)
• ½ cup Italian parsley leaves
• ¼ cup diced red bell pepper (I've done it with both red and green peppers--either work)
• 2 Tbs. corn flour (I didn't have corn flour, so I used garbanzo/fava bean flour)
• 1 Tbs. capers (I did not put capers in it, and they still tasted great)
• 1½ tsp. seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay

Sauce

• 1½ cups Cashew Cream. (I tend to just wing it on my cashew cream sauce. I soak my raw cashews (Trader Joe's) for at least a few hours. Drain them. Rinse them. Then I just toss them in the Vitamix with some unsweetened almond milk until I like the thickness). 
• ½ cup jarred roasted red pepper, rinsed, drained, and diced ( I used more--close to a full jar)
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. capers, rinsed and drained (Again, I didn't use capers)

I also added some red pepper flakes to the sauce because I like it to have a little kick. The first time I made it I also added a garlic clove. This time I did not. I liked it both ways). 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.

2. To make Fritters: Combine all ingredients in food processor, and pulse until ingredients are well-combined and no large chunks remain.

3. Use 1-oz. scoop or 2-Tbs. coffee measurer to portion Fritters onto prepared baking sheet. Lightly press down on each Fritter to flatten. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, flip with spatula, and bake 3 to 5 minutes more, or until browned on both sides.

4. To make Sauce: blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

If you just can't get into the fritters, you must at least try the sauce! It's so delicious! I used some leftover sauce over Mung Bean pasta. It was fantastic!

Well..I'm a Pescavegalactotarian...

It seems like more and more often, I have conversations that go something like this:

Them: So, you're a vegetarian?
Me: Well no...mostly. We eat fish.
Them: But you and your husband don't eat dairy?
Me: That's correct. Well, I just gave up cheese. I decided I could have a little dairy on special occasions.
Them: So, you are not vegan...why don't you drink milk?
Me: Well no, we eat fish and eggs. But we drink almond milk, and I use coconut milk in my coffee. I just think dairy is really bad for us. Milk is good for baby calves--not humans--especially since we can't purchase raw milk here.
Them: Why don't you eat wheat? Do you have Celiac disease?
Me: I don't, but I think I'm wheat sensitive. I just feel--and look---better when I don't eat wheat. And even though I'm very active, carbs seem to cause weight gain. Of course, now and then--on special occasions I falter. I had cake and ice cream on my birthday.
Them: So what are you then?
Me: I don't know....human?

I wholeheartedly believe in healthy, clean eating. I do my best to eat the healthiest foods I can. But I sometimes I stress myself over labels. Am I a bad person or a bad role model because I can't commit to being a full-fledged vegan? Of course, some vegans I know have terrible diets--ingesting all the processed fake meats and pre-prepared vegan entrees. If I were going to go vegan all the way, it would have to be straight fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains.

And then there are those who believe (and I'm related to many of them) that a vegan diet can't possibly be healthy. "You need meat for protein!" "Milk! It does the body good!"

 Do I have to have a dietary label? Is it really necessary? Must I be vegetarian? Vegan? Paleo?

I try to eat healthy, whole (unprocessed) foods 98% of the time. But I'm not perfect. And I get cravings--and sometimes I eat things I regret afterward. Sometimes when I falter, it's worth feeling cruddy for a few hours.

At the grocery, we shop the perimeters and buy organic whenever possible. I haven't eaten beef in years. And I've never been a fan of pork (and I really don't think we should eat pigs. They are far too intelligent), but a few times (usually after a few drinks--also not healthy) I've snarfed down a piece of pepperoni pizza (whoops).  Did I feel bad? Yes. I felt incredibly guilty. Was it delicious? Yes. Was it worth it? I don't know.

In a way, I understand the label. If you are vegan, you are making a statement--you believe it is morally wrong to eat any animal product. You have a passion for animals. And I get that. In fact, I'm often jealous of it. I believe that someday, I will probably be a full-fledged vegan. But I'm just not there yet. The eggs I eat are from a small, local farm--where the chickens live a pretty nice life.   And fish...I just don't feel as much guilt or compassion for fish. Maybe I should. Who's to say their life is less valuable than a pig or cow's? We do stick to wild caught fish because they are better for you--and they are not farmed strictly for human consumption.

I have a friend who eats low-fat, raw vegan. And she passionately follows this diet. I am often in awe of her passion for it--and I start to think, "Why can't I be like that?" But you know what? I do pretty well. And I enjoy a warm meal. So I don't think that lifestyle is for me. But it does encourage me to add more raw fruits and vegetables to my diet.

Picking and choosing what foods we want to nourish our bodies with is a continuously evolving process. A process that is complicated by all the contradictory information we receive (i.e. eggs are good for you...eggs are bad for you).

Mark and I have settled into a pretty pure way of eating, that we feel nourishes our bodies and prepares us for the activities we enjoy (running, biking, hiking, adventure races, etc.). But we do not happen to fall within any of the dietary labels (as far as I know). We pick and choose what makes us feel good about our bodies and minds.

What do you think?

Do what to my what??

Dry skin brushing. I know it sounds weird (and according to my husband, it looks a bit weird too), but it does a body good!

I had never heard of it before either, but then I started reading about it in one of my holistic health classes, and it intrigued me.

The body has four detoxification systems that help keep you healthy: the kidneys, liver, intestines and skin. The ways the kidneys, liver and intestines get rid of toxins are fairly obvious (we won't get into that right now), but how about the skin? Well, we sweat. That's one way our skin gets rid of toxin in our bodies (and for that reason, I encourage people to exercise without deodorant whenever possible. I realize you don't want all the other gym members to go screaming out of the gym, but if you're running by yourself through the woods, let the sweat flow)!

So, what are the benefits of dry brushing? Dry brushing stimulates the skins which improves circulation and cleanses the lymphatic system. It removes dead skin cells, activates oil glands in the skin (relieving dryness) and (this is what sold me) it's suppose to break-up cellulite and improve muscle tone.

So how does one brush their skin? First you need the right brush. You want one with natural bristles. Nylon bristles will damage your skin. I went to the drug store and picked up one of those bath brushes with the long wooden handles. Then, starting with the bottoms of your feet you gently brush your skin. Work your way up with nice, long strokes toward your heart. Where you have cellulite, spend some extra time and brush in circular motions. After you've gone up the legs, torso and back (ladies, skip the breast area--the skin there is too sensitive), go down the arms (including your hands) and back. Skip the face because if its sensitive skin. The whole process takes less than five minutes and really feels kind of nice! The best times to dry skin brush are before a shower (then follow with moisturizer if you'd like. I recommend an all natural oil) or before exercise (so you can sweat out more of those toxins). I've been doing it two or three times a day (keep in mind I'm a fitness instructor and tend to sweat and shower several times a day).

I'm new to this. I just started dry skin brushing a week ago. I will tell you the immediate benefits I've seen. First, my skin hasn't been nearly as dry. In the winter my skin gets so dry that it itches, and I just want to claw at it. Within two days, my skin was not itchy anymore. My skin has also become very soft. In fact, when I went to get my allergy shot the other day, the nurse told me I had the softest skin she had ever felt (like a baby's butt were her exact words).

I would love to tell you that the cellulite on my thighs has magically disappeared in a week, but I'm afraid I can't do that. But I am hopeful there will be some improvement in that area!

So treat yourself to some dry skin brushing. You deserve to pamper yourself a bit. And this is a quick, inexpensive (my brush cost less than $5) way to treat your body right!

Recipe Post: Jamaican Stew

When I mentioned I made this for dinner, many folks seemed interested. So I decided to use it as a recipe post. Not to sound like a broken record, but this recipe also came from Robin Robinson's Quick-Fix Vegetarian. If you enjoy making vegetarian meals (even if you're not a vegetarian), I highly recommend her cookbooks. I have the one mentioned above and 1,000 Vegan Recipes (even though we're not vegan), and I have yet to try a bad recipe. Her use of spices is just amazing. Everything we've made out of either book has been simply fantastic!

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced baby carrots (or nice, fresh organic carrots)
3 scallions, chopped
1 sweet potato, diced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (We like spice, so I put about a tsp in)
1/4 tsp ground allspice
Salt and pepper to taste (we just peppered--especially if your diced tomatoes have salt)
2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I don't care for kidney beans...have a texture issue with them. So I used black beans. I'd use whatever beans you like)!
1 can unsweetened light coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth (we buy they low sodium, organic broth. Robinson's cookbook has a recipe for homemade)

Pour the oil into a 4-quart slow-cooker and set the cooker on high. Add the garlic and put the lid on the cooker while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

To the cooker, add the carrots, scallions, sweet potato, and tomatoes. Stir in the curry powder, thyme, red pepper flakes, allspice, and salt and pepper. Add the beans, coconut milk, and broth. Reduce heat, cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Delicious!

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).

Are you living your fantasy?

When you think about your life, how close is your reality to your fantasy? Most likely there are aspects of your life that mirror your fantasy, but there are other aspects of your fantasy life that just seem too outlandish to achieve.

My life is fantastic. I have a wonderful husband who supports my dreams (and delves into my fantasies with me). He knows I'm weird and likes me that way. My passion is my work--and it's slowly (very slowly) coming to fruition. So my life is pretty close to a fantasy. But it's not my real fantasy...you know the Utopia you picture in your head of the perfect life. And that's partly because most fantasies would be impossible to actually live.

What's your fantasy life? And what can you do today to make your current life more like your Utopia?

I'm going to delve into the recesses of my imagination and share mine:



My Utopia would be a quaint mountain town with a green, liberal mindset (Asheville, NC comes to mind). Mark and I (and our many furry children) would have a beautiful piece of land. Part of it would be wooded, but there would be a big, sunny spot where I would have a magnificent organic garden. Most of our meals would come from that garden and I would have plenty of time to create delicious meals. Anything that didn't come from the garden would come from local streams (fish) or a neighbor's dairy (raw milk). And in my complete Utopia a stream (big enough to cool off in) would run right through it all.

I would have a small studio where I work with people on wellness. The studio would be a place of total peace. The look, the smell, the aura would be one of total peace and relaxation. In the studio I would help people with their well-being by designing exercise and nutrition programs for them. I would be able to do this on my own schedule, leaving plenty of time for exploring all the wonders of the surrounding mountains with my husband.

We would have several, adventurous, like-minded friends who were always gung-ho for adventure (camping, caving, hiking, climbing).

And while we would still work for a living, money wouldn't be an issue because we are living fairly self-sustaining lives. We would be comfortable financially without the stress of an 8-5 job.
I would feel free--free to look and dress as I please without worrying about others' opinion of me. I could have short hair, or long dreadlocks. I could wear long flowing skirts, shorts or exercise clothes--depending on my mood.

That is my Utopia. It's not completely unattainable. In fact, in retirement it's something I strive for (luckily, Mark's Utopia is very similar). Thoughts of my Utopia keep me going through the parts of reality that aren't so nice.

What is your Utopia and what steps are you taking to make it more of a reality?

Reflections at 40

I decided that a blog was in order today because it's my 40th birthday. And, certainly I have some profound thoughts on turning 40. Hmmmm...profound thoughts...profound thoughts....

Well, there's this: One year ago today (my 39th birthday) I was at my desk job and the heaviest and most out of shape I've been. (Relatively speaking, neither my weight nor my fitness level were atrocious, but for me, they weren't where I wanted them to be). I vowed that in one year I would be 40, fit and fabulous. I had 365 days to accomplish my goal--and I didn't do too bad. I'm fit for 40--and I'm trying to be okay with that. It's different than being fit at 25. 40-year-old women aren't suppose to be built like 25 year-old women. We're not girls anymore, we're women.

Fitness at 40 definitely isn't as easy as it was at 30! But I think you appreciate the small changes in your body more at 40 because you have to work so much harder to achieve them! Plus, you just don't sweat the small stuff so much. Remember back in high school when you'd be mortified because a big pimple popped out on your cheek? Now you just laugh at the fact that you're still getting pimples, along with gray hairs and wrinkles!

I made my passion my career (again). It will take a year or so for business to get where I want it to be, but luckily I have a wonderful, supportive husband who is willing to support my dream.

I have many, many cool friends (old and new) on Facebook, and a core group of really good friends that are my anchor in every day life. I think as a person ages, their core group becomes smaller--but that's okay. It's not like college when you had a list of friends you could call when you wanted to go out, but that core group is there for you through thick and thin. And I love and trust them dearly.

The older I get the drier I like my wine and the darker I like my coffee! And the more I realize I need to drink both in moderation--both for my health and because I don't like the cheap stuff anymore! Which leads right into: The older I get the more I care about what I put in my body. Ramen noodles and other boxed delights just don't cut it anymore. I try to eat as pure as possible.

As I get older I get more and more comfortable with who I am as a person. I don't worry so much about gaining approval from others. I am who I am! And I'm excited to see what comes next.

At 40 I still love adventure. I celebrated my 40th by taking a tree climbing class. And next weekend I'm participating in a 100-mile charity bike ride.

The older I get the more I love my pets. The love of a pet is pure and unconditional. There's just not an evil bone in their little bodies. I will never understand how someone could wish harm upon an animal. Losing my kitty, Bricklee, about a month ago was one of the biggest heartbreaks of my life. He was my friend and confidant for 18 years, and he will not be forgotten.

Turning 40 isn't so bad. Okay, so we bought an air mattress for our tent because over the years the ground has become so hard! And roller-coasters seem to jostle parts they never jostled before. That's okay because we still camp in our tent and we still hit the occasional amusement park. Age is just a number. Living life to its fullest is what counts.

Father's Day

For the last fifteen years or so, Father's Day has been filled with mixed emotions for me. I'm thankful and happy that I still have my father in my life (I have many friends who do not), but I'm sad because each year I watch M.S. take away more and more of the Dad I remember from childhood. On Father's Day I can't help but think back to childhood when Dad would take us to the Springfield Reservoir to swim. He always had us for a week in the summer (I'm a product of divorce) and we'd often head for the beach or somewhere different like Cumberland Falls, KY.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system. The body’s own defense system attacks myelin, the fatty substance that surrounds and protects the nerve fibers in the central nervous system. The nerve fibers themselves can also be damaged. The damaged myelin forms scar tissue (sclerosis), which gives the disease its name. When any part of the myelin sheath or nerve fiber is damaged or destroyed, nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain and spinal cord are distorted or interrupted, producing the variety of symptoms that can occur. (http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/what-is-ms/index.aspx, June 20, 2010).

My father started showing signs of M.S. when I was about eight years old; however, back in the 1970's they didn't have the tools they have today to diagnose it. He was officially diagnosed with Primary-Progressive Multiple Sclerosis when I was in college. Each year I watch the disease rob him of more and more of his independence. Today, there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, and with diagnosis occurring most frequently between the ages of 20 and 50, many individuals face a lifetime filled with unpredictability. And each Father's Day and each Christmas I wonder if it will be his last.

So why am I writing about all of this depressive stuff on Father's Day?

I do have a point.

You never know what lies ahead. So embrace life and live it to the fullest! Sometimes my friends think I'm kind of crazy. My husband, Mark, and I enjoy our adventures. In our few years together we've gone rafting, caving, kayaking, skiing, hiking, rappelling, ziplining, and more. This summer we are doing a 100 mile bike ride to benefit M.S.

We have healthy, capable bodies now. And we're going to use them to experience as much life as we can, while we can.

My father always likes to ask us what we've been up to. He knows the answer will be something out of the ordinary. When we sat with him over dinner this evening he asked us what we did over the weekend. We told him that yesterday we took a tree climbing class and today we biked 50 miles. He just shook his head and said, "You two are crazy!" But in his eyes I can see that he yearns for an adventure. And, I really think he enjoys vicariously experiencing them through us.

My Dad's body was taken away from him far too early. At my age, he was already starting to feel the devastating effects of the disease. And so often that seems so unfair. But it has also taught me a life lesson.

Live now. Make your life an adventure. It's the only one you have.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

Follow Your Passion - The Fit Life is Born

It's been awhile since I posted a blog. I've been holding out for this one. It's taken some prep work! And then there were some unavoidable delays (i.e. trip to the emergency room, followed by some time off work). But now I'm ready.

This blog is to announce another new chapter of my life--The Fit Life. I have officially "given birth" (figuratively--it doesn't hurt so much that way) to a new fitness company called The Fit Life, LLC. And, I have once again given up my steady, 40-hour a week desk job to pursue my passion--fitness, health and nutrition.

This life is not new to me. I've done this before (only the first time I gave up a really high-paying federal government career and tried to make it in Washington D.C.--and later California--with a start-up company). But this time I'm entering into this new path with my own life being a bit more stable. I'm no longer living in one of the most expensive states in the country. I'm married to a wonderful husband who is very supportive of my new venture (and has good health insurance), and I'm a little older and a little wiser this time around.

This is not a decision I took lightly. I really had to examine my life and what brings me pleasure. I've come to realize that I am just not meant to sit at a desk. It's not the way I was made. I am happy when I'm active all day. I'm happy when I'm up early in the morning exercising as the sun comes up.

I studied for and passed my personal trainer certification test--which I had let lapse a few years back. I filled out the paperwork to establish The Fit Life as a limited liability company. I enrolled in a holistic nutrition program through the American College of Health Sciences so I can offer one-on-one counseling on holistic nutrition (I will add that service to my company in about a year). I designed my logo and got started on my website. I discussed my plan in detail with my husband. And finally, I officially resigned from my job at children services as of July 30th.



But there's still so much to do! I need to do more work on my website (www.thefitlife.us), keep blogging (The Fit Life, LLC blog will now focus much more on fitness. I'd also like to start a Fitness Q &A blog), market myself like crazy, get more equipment. The list goes on and on--as does the excitement.

I've secured my first official "gig" which is teaching fitness boot camps through the Bellbrook Sugarcreek Park District. Yeah! So exciting!

I've officially deemed August as "Marketing Month!" I will market my rear off! So to all my creative friends out there, I welcome any marketing ideas you have (the more creative, but inexpensive the better). To all my media friends out there, I am so not above asking for a favor! ;o)

How does the saying go? If you love your job, you'll never have to work a day in your life. So here's to putting your passion to work for you! Cheers! There's more to come!

Day 3 - Next to the last day of the detox phase

Weigh-in: 135.6
+2 lbs from yesterday

Oh the horror!!! Up two pounds this morning. And I behaved! I even resisted cake that was just a few feet away--certainly you get extra points for that? Oh well, I'm still 3.3 down from the original weigh-in. I ate very carefully today. No restaurant food...everything completely by the book (of course, I feel like I did that yesterday too). We'll see what happens.

Headaches are gone. I still get an afternoon sugar craving--just not sure that will go away anytime soon. I just have to ignore it. Ironically, I got a $50 Starbuck's gift card in the mail today. I will be using it for decaf lattes once dairy gets added back in next week! Mornings without coffee are getting much easier. I still want it, but I don't feel like I can't function without. I'm sure I'll still make decaf because I really enjoy the taste.

Tomorrow will be my last day for daily blogs, then I'll just do a quick, weekly check-in. It's time to blog about things other than food!

The Harcombe Diet - Day 2 of Phase I: Detoxing

Day one weigh in: 138.9
Day two weigh in: 133.8
What I feel is my healthy weight: 110 - 115

Day two! Wow...all I can say is I must have been retaining a ton of water--a 5.1 pound weight loss in 24 hours!!. While that's extremely encouraging, I don't expect to see results like all five days.

Day two went much better than day one. I didn't even bother with the decaf coffee. Instead I took advantage of the extra time and slept in 20 extra minutes! I felt pretty alert all day. I made sure I brought more food to work so I wouldn't get hungry. I had a luncheon to attend today, so that was a challenge. I had to surpass a lot of cheese and brownies--and settle for just a simple salad with a tiny spoon of dressing (I know it had sugar in it, and I didn't want to ruin my whole detox).

I did start to get a mild headache around 3pm--which is typically the time of day I go in search of chocolate or an afternoon cup of coffee. I'm drinking a lot of herbal tea. I just like having warm liquid to carry around in my mug!

I did manage a workout this evening (unlike last night when I vegged on the couch all evening with a headache). Mark and I did the fitness trail at a local park. It's a mile trail with about 12 strength training stations. I got through it but felt tired without any caffeine in my system. I'm certainly hoping that improves as I get use to being free of caffeine. I'm running a 5k on Saturday, so maybe that will go a little better. At least I got out there and burned some calories--worked some muscles.

I'm still looking forward to adding dairy back in on Saturday. A decaf latte (sugarless, of course) sure sounds good.

My Humorous Quest to be Pure (when it comes to gardening)

Last year around this time, I was ready to plant my garden. It was my first Spring in the house Mark and I now share. And, it was my first time as a homeowner instead of a renter. I was going to have the purest, healthiest garden around. No chemicals, unnatural fertilizers, no genetically modified seeds. My garden was going to be the most organic garden in Greene County!

I had to settle for a container garden because we have walnut trees all over the yard--and of course, walnuts kills most of your veggies. Plus, although I had talked Mark out of putting chemicals on the lawn that year, he had used them in years past. So I couldn't very well start my pure garden in a chemical-laden yard. It would be a small garden in containers, but that just made it easier to go organic.

My quest to be organic had started in the winter. I needed something to compost in. I wanted nice, healthy composted soil for my container garden--and I was running out of time! Here's where the trouble began. I should probably start by telling you I have a tendency to get obsessed with things. When I decided I wanted a totally chemical free, organic garden, I meant it. Second, I should probably quit reading books and articles about going organic because they seriously wig me out, and it makes it hard for me to eat anything without feeling bad about it.

So I needed a container for my compost, but I didn't want to spend a few hundred dollars on an actual composter (one of those big ones that you spin as things start to break down). I just wanted a container to hold my soil and natural waste. A garbage can seemed the logical choice. Should I go plastic or metal? Couldn't metal have some dangerous chemicals in it that break down while my compost is breaking down? Tin? Mercury? Something evil I'm sure. But we all know plastic is made of terrible stuff. Would it break down and get into my beautiful healthy soil? Maybe a big clay pot is the way to go? Wait, isn't there a chance the clay pot would have lead in it? I know this sounds silly, but standing in the store thinking about all of this almost brought me to tears. I ended up with the plastic trash can. I figured I wasn't going to microwave my compost in it, just store it. And we all know that plastic doesn't break down in our landfills.

The next order of business was soil. I just wanted plain, clean soil. Dirt. Do you know it's next to impossible to find plain dirt? You need soil in your compost container to help break down the waste. Long story short, I ended up with Miracle-Gro organic soil. It said organic, so I thought it would be okay.

I brought the soil home and dumped it in my plastic trashcan. But something was gnawing at me. I didn't feel right about the Miracle Gro. I went back outside and pulled the bag the soil came in out of the garbage and read the ingredients. Basically the "fertilizer" in organic Miracle Gro is cow manure and chicken poop. Well I've read all about chicken poop and chicken farms. I've read how they keep way too many chickens in a pen, stacked up cage upon cage--with the poor chickens pooping all over each other (read Skinny Bitch or Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle). Farmers give the chickens antibiotics to keep them from getting infections from being exposed to poop all the time. And I'm guessing that a company as big as Scott's (makers of Miracle Gro) don't go to little organic chicken farms to get their poop.

So already in my quest to go organic, I've blown it. I have soil with infected chicken poop in it! Rather than dump it out (it wasn't cheap), I decide to use it and just be careful that everything else I do is pure!

Seeds were the next order of business. Did you know that most seeds are genetically modified (GMO) so they'll grow bigger, be more colorful, survive droughts and have a longer shelf life? Okay, I see why scientists and farmers think this is a good idea. And, it has probably helped some countries tremendously. But again, I'm going for pure. I don't want seeds that have been spliced and modified. I want good old fashion seeds from good old fashion vegetables! So I ordered my seeds from Bountiful Gardens--a non-profit company dedicated to ending world hunger by teaching sustainable agriculture. Now I'm feeling better. Certainly my seeds make up for my Miracle Gro "organic" soil.

When my seeds arrive I start them inside by the window. I lovingly care for them--checking them each day for growth. After a month of tender loving care it became apparent I did not have a green thumb. I had one sprout--a pea plant. So here it was time to put plants outside and I had one sprout. I don't blame this on Bountiful Gardens. I blame it solely on my lack of growing skills--or perhaps bad karma for using the Miracle Gro soil.

So I did what any frustrated organic gardener would do, I found an organic nursery (Marvin's Organic Garden) and off I went to buy some vegetable plants. They didn't have a huge selection, but it was a start. They also had some soil that truly was organic. I passed another nursery on the way home (we drove 45 minutes to find the organic one). Just out of curiosity, we stopped to see what they had. The selection was so much better--I just couldn't help myself--I bought more plants without a clue on how they were grown.

With my plants planted in their containers all that was left was to watch them grow.

My tomatoes and peppers did really well. Some were from the organic place, some were not. I have no idea which was which. We grew two eggplants and enough green beans to cook one potful. My herbs lasted well into Fall. My broccoli, cauliflower, and artichokes failed miserably.

So my organic garden wasn't perfect--it wasn't pure. But I did my best to help the Earth and our health. This year we actually dug out a place for a small in ground garden. I think it's far enough away from the walnut trees. Our yard had been chemical-free for over two years now, so I call it my transitional garden--it's on it's way to being organic. I used my composted soil along with topsoil from Marvin's Organic Garden. I'm not sure what I'm doing about plants/seeds yet. I guess I better decide. I'll have to accept that fact that I'm doing my best to be pure. And that growing your own vegetables of any kind is far better than buying them at the grocery store. And what we're lacking this year we will get at the local farmer's market. Obsessing about it, just isn't worth the stress!