We all need to learn how to R.E.S.T. especially in the world we are living : Relaxing Effortlessly & Stop Trying. Aren't we always trying something? I know I am , I am a dweller. And when dwelling it is all about how to do things better, for the quest of perfection. I dwell on what was, what is and what could be. But when you dwell there is no room for R.E.S.T. We pride ourselves on being a multi-tasking gurus. Have you ever caught yourself arguing with someone about how much you did today (this is a typical spouse discussion) or how little sleep you've gotten? Isn't that a weird fight? And you catch yourself halfway but you are so determined to win and what does the winner win? The right to be grouchier? This blog was going to be titled Working Hard to Relax. My family is planning a beach vacation. We spent all day Saturday buying our list of "needed supplies", traipsing from store to store in hopes of purchasing that single item that will add extra bliss to our get-a-way. Vacation snacks are my guiltiest pleasure. Not that I limit my food choices all that much but vacation goodies are to be that extra splurge that doesn't usually enter the house for daily consumption. Half won't be eaten on the trip, I know this, my hubby teases me, and yet I throw them in the cart and while adding this treat I have added six chores: shopping, unloading item in house, to pack in car, to unpack car to hotel, and then most likely re-pack and unpack at home. I do this with a lot of items. No wonder I am so exhausted by the time vacation arrives. I am tripling my workload to hope for that "bliss of perfect" vacation. And don't beach vacations sound a little bit more luxurious. And really if you think about it. You are grabbing your skimpiest outfit that you will parade in public, to carry half of your belongings for those "extra comforts" to sit on a pile of dirt and then rinse yourself in dirty salty water with creatures living in it, and most likely ending up with a sunburn. So much fun! And yet, I can't wait. I anticipate the moment our son discovers sand and how the water sounds lapping the beach. I look forward to my husband's smile as he carries our little boy through the water as our son giggles at the cool liquid touching his legs and most likely splish splashing both of us to his heart's content. But that is the point of this little blog entry. That all sounds great but I need to enjoy the "now" and stop trying for then. Maybe put back an item or two or three from the snacks I most likely won't eat on the trip (so won't really miss) instead of chowing down on them when I am bored around the house (and have lugged from the store, to home, to the hotel, back home - so deserve a good home in my tummy, no!) and enjoy the shopping of our son choosing a second swimsuit with sharks and then sharing his pirate face or how when he checked out he was seconds from his first shoplifting (let's hope this is the closest he will ever come) as we learn our son has great pincher skills. We didn't see the batteries at the checkout stand but the shine caught our li'l one's eye. There are moments in every day for us to truly R.E.S.T. if we let go of all the trying and multi-tasking and be present effortlessly. So as we plan our soon vacation, the get-a-way will be a nice change of scenery but the R.E.S.T. starts now.
May your HealthFULL Journey include REST. 'Til we meet again. . .
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Preparing for a journey
Sometimes I sit down with a story to share, a life quip, or a message heavy on my thoughts and in my heart. Tonight I had planned to share my day's experience and then my heart started pouring words unto the screen. For those of you struggling remember tomorrow will be different. For those of you shining and basking in the moment, pocket the memory. For those of you confused, look around so many of us are sitting beside you. Life is a journey. There was a beginning few remember and an ending at a destination no one can predict. So don't forget to look around and appreciate the journey.
Journey
Hesitating at the beginning
Out of fear of the ending.
So many steps in between
One can only hope that the beginning and the end will meet.
We weave our way through the maze
Scared of roadblocks.
Terrified of aimless wandering.
Everything must have a purpose
Or what’s the point?
We listen for encouraging words.
We quiet our restless urges.
We anticipate others’ reactions.
We demand results for ourselves.
We scream, we whisper,
We beg, we pray;
Whatever it takes
To reach the end.
To move from what was
Through what is
In expectation of what will be. . .
Oh how I wish I could share my findings,
But we must let others travel their trails.
Our words are mere distractions.
Our kindnesses rebuked.
Our experiences our own.
Others must stumble
Must choose their way
For their beginning was not yours
And their ending must be their own.
So friend if we meet along the path:
I will bid you many blessings,
Share what I have,
Invite you along my journey.
However, know I will take no offense
If you cannot stay;
for your own journey beckons.
We may hesitate because of our fear,
But know this my friend;
Only in travel may we gain acceptance of who we are
And who we’re meant to be.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Repeat. Encore. Second Helping
Oh the first time trying anything can be magical because you are always on your toes. The first kiss. The first day of school/work. The first taste of a new recipe. The first time riding an airplane. The first anything gets a special place in your heart. Because that moment is anticipated and regardless of what happens after the "first" the long awaited question has an answer. Usually we try to repeat amazing moments to be slightly disappointed. (Stop the sequels Hollywood!) But sometimes which is why we continue to ask for encores and second helpings; they are even better than the first time. Because you're ready for that warm tingly feeling that captures your heart. Ever hit rewind on your dvr to capture that perfect moment, grab the camera to "keep" the picture forever, nod your head as you hit repeat on your ipod because yes you will be replaying that song. Every once in awhile we get to re-do a moment that with a little knowledge is even better than the first time.
We had a second family time swim. My little guy had a busy day but hung in there for some swim time. I eagerly told everyone I saw today that we were hitting the pool after errands (it's amazing when you tell at least one person out loud your plans, your likelihood increases 90% that you will follow through). My son, my hubby, and I set a pool date. We synched our goals, when to meet, and gathered the supplies (with a baby nothing happens without grabbing supplies - from toys to diapers to car seat to meals). Because of the fun of our first time still lingering the excitement dripped off of our suits and goofy smiles. We knew what we needed, learned how to open the gate (stupid fob!), and was lathered in sunscreen (super careful with our son but there was a jamaican mistake of using only a SPF 4: I WANTED A TAN! but I digress and that mistake will never rehappen - lesson learned!). Oh we were so close to that awesome factor of having the pool to only our family - like we were just chilling in our backyard. There was a family of two youngsters just leaving as we pulled up. YAY! We figured out that I jump in the pool and then my hubby can hand me the baby. As I am grabbing our son for our private pool party another car pulls up. Oh fiddlesticks! But they politely grabbed the other end of the pool so we still could half pretend :) How much more relaxed we were this second time around. We giggled and had fun the first time around. But this time we acted like it was our family outing on a daily basis that we grab the suits and hit the pool. There was a relaxation amongst our parents that echo in our son's bouts of laughter as he splished and splashed soaking both his dad and me. As a family we paddled, splashed, floated, kicked, and giggled for quite awhile. And though as parents we were gathering energy in spending time as a family and having fun with our son. The sun, the activity, the water, and the big day of events for our nine-month old was quickly losing steam as he began to get drowsy in his pool chair; rubbing his eyes and slowly nodding his head. Splash time over, tired baby on board. With ease we gathered our pool items, secured the little one in the car, and back home.
This moment was a wonderful second helping. Not all repeats deserve the standing ovation, oh but those that do are truly masterpieces of our lives. Never demand a second helping without a second thought, but don't ever let fear make you miss the encore that brings down the house.
May your HealthFULL Journey repeat those extraordinary moments that replenish your soul. 'Til we meet again. . .
We had a second family time swim. My little guy had a busy day but hung in there for some swim time. I eagerly told everyone I saw today that we were hitting the pool after errands (it's amazing when you tell at least one person out loud your plans, your likelihood increases 90% that you will follow through). My son, my hubby, and I set a pool date. We synched our goals, when to meet, and gathered the supplies (with a baby nothing happens without grabbing supplies - from toys to diapers to car seat to meals). Because of the fun of our first time still lingering the excitement dripped off of our suits and goofy smiles. We knew what we needed, learned how to open the gate (stupid fob!), and was lathered in sunscreen (super careful with our son but there was a jamaican mistake of using only a SPF 4: I WANTED A TAN! but I digress and that mistake will never rehappen - lesson learned!). Oh we were so close to that awesome factor of having the pool to only our family - like we were just chilling in our backyard. There was a family of two youngsters just leaving as we pulled up. YAY! We figured out that I jump in the pool and then my hubby can hand me the baby. As I am grabbing our son for our private pool party another car pulls up. Oh fiddlesticks! But they politely grabbed the other end of the pool so we still could half pretend :) How much more relaxed we were this second time around. We giggled and had fun the first time around. But this time we acted like it was our family outing on a daily basis that we grab the suits and hit the pool. There was a relaxation amongst our parents that echo in our son's bouts of laughter as he splished and splashed soaking both his dad and me. As a family we paddled, splashed, floated, kicked, and giggled for quite awhile. And though as parents we were gathering energy in spending time as a family and having fun with our son. The sun, the activity, the water, and the big day of events for our nine-month old was quickly losing steam as he began to get drowsy in his pool chair; rubbing his eyes and slowly nodding his head. Splash time over, tired baby on board. With ease we gathered our pool items, secured the little one in the car, and back home.
This moment was a wonderful second helping. Not all repeats deserve the standing ovation, oh but those that do are truly masterpieces of our lives. Never demand a second helping without a second thought, but don't ever let fear make you miss the encore that brings down the house.
May your HealthFULL Journey repeat those extraordinary moments that replenish your soul. 'Til we meet again. . .
Moments that catch you offguard
You know that moment. When you hear a song in the elevator and you whisked back to high school. When you bump into a stranger and for the briefest second reminds you of a dear old friend. You hear a voice in a crowded restaurant and you know you have heard it before. And the trails to the past come linked together. If you allow one memory they easily latch together and can overwhelm you. I have felt so overwhelmed lately. Lack of sleep, lack of control, lack of that "something". I am reminiscing because I had a "moment" recently, one of those moments that you know in that second is a life lesson. Maybe you can't pin it down but you know something significant has changed.
I was shopping with my little one. Getting impatient because it was for those tedious items we use everyday but no one likes buying. TP and toiletries, essential kitchen stapes yadda yadda yadda. In search of our toiletries we were on a mission to replace the pouf (think fancy sponge). I found a fancy girly pouf and threw it in the cart, although I really just wanted the standard cheaper version. I've noticed they both need replacing about the same. Ahha! Found it. I chucked my fancy pouf in the box with the standards and plucked a cheaper from the pile into my cart. Seven steps I flip flopped my way forward in haste to finish our chore. But one glance down into those pretty blues and half tooth smile, I quickly retreated backwards seven steps without even a mere glance. Claimed my fancy pouf and loofah brush (not mine) and headed back to the fancy pouf aisle. Because in that one glance down I realized my mistake for two reasons. One I used to complain when I had to return items of lazy shoppers that couldn't put their item away (or at least bring to the cashier so that it can be returned to the proper place). I just know my misplaced pouf would cause a duel. And I grabbed the loofah brush because we should go the second mile for others. And really the brushes hang two inches to the left of the fancy poufs. But the real motivator is the little guy. He isn't quite ten months old. Will he remember this life lesson? No. But I will and I know someday he will be watching and he will understand. And copying what he sees. I'm not perfect, but that shouldn't stop me from making corrections when I can. We shared a moment that reminded me not to give in to the immediate gratification of moving on. Remembering that my careless act would cause others extra work, extra hassle, and extra cost. It was one small gesture, but the lesson resonated. We usually only learn a moment's significance in hindsight. But what a precious gift to realize the importance during the moment. Having a son has changed me, my heart, my thoughts, and my priorities. I list time, health, faith, and love pretty high these days. All so precious, and all so fleeting.
May your HealthFULL Journey magnify those precious life learning moments so that you can truly enjoy them in the moment. 'Til we meet again. . .
I was shopping with my little one. Getting impatient because it was for those tedious items we use everyday but no one likes buying. TP and toiletries, essential kitchen stapes yadda yadda yadda. In search of our toiletries we were on a mission to replace the pouf (think fancy sponge). I found a fancy girly pouf and threw it in the cart, although I really just wanted the standard cheaper version. I've noticed they both need replacing about the same. Ahha! Found it. I chucked my fancy pouf in the box with the standards and plucked a cheaper from the pile into my cart. Seven steps I flip flopped my way forward in haste to finish our chore. But one glance down into those pretty blues and half tooth smile, I quickly retreated backwards seven steps without even a mere glance. Claimed my fancy pouf and loofah brush (not mine) and headed back to the fancy pouf aisle. Because in that one glance down I realized my mistake for two reasons. One I used to complain when I had to return items of lazy shoppers that couldn't put their item away (or at least bring to the cashier so that it can be returned to the proper place). I just know my misplaced pouf would cause a duel. And I grabbed the loofah brush because we should go the second mile for others. And really the brushes hang two inches to the left of the fancy poufs. But the real motivator is the little guy. He isn't quite ten months old. Will he remember this life lesson? No. But I will and I know someday he will be watching and he will understand. And copying what he sees. I'm not perfect, but that shouldn't stop me from making corrections when I can. We shared a moment that reminded me not to give in to the immediate gratification of moving on. Remembering that my careless act would cause others extra work, extra hassle, and extra cost. It was one small gesture, but the lesson resonated. We usually only learn a moment's significance in hindsight. But what a precious gift to realize the importance during the moment. Having a son has changed me, my heart, my thoughts, and my priorities. I list time, health, faith, and love pretty high these days. All so precious, and all so fleeting.
May your HealthFULL Journey magnify those precious life learning moments so that you can truly enjoy them in the moment. 'Til we meet again. . .
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Splish Splash
Howdy ya'll it has been awhile. Our computer is on the fritz which means it is two steps from being pitched into whatever respectable protocol will do. It is ancient by computer standards at eight years of age and many crashes. But I have a chance to blog tonight. Today was a special excercise day (that I did anything is sort of amazing.) But we had our first family swim. Our little guy has swam twice in the pool. Or floated in his huge pool seat more accurate. However, his daddy hasn't been able to join us. But today we made time and the weather cooperated. This moment was almost missed. I was planning for that perfect moment. I was hoping to get off work early so that we could enjoy the pool when it isn't so busy as school is back in session. Instead I worked a tish later. Which made me feel that the perfect pool moment had been passed. Once again with a little encouragement of my hubby and the smiles of a sweet baby boy. We motivated our tushies into suits and the car. There was only one other family enjoying the Friday evening air. With delight our son splashed his parents and laughed in delight. The scene reminded me that excercise does not have to be a chore. Movement should be fun and playful. Not every moment has to be dedicated to the best burn rate but seeking out opportunities to test our abilities and the chance to squeal in delight achieves results. Consistency is key and consistency happens when motivation is easily attained. As a parent we believe it is our duty to teach our little ones about the world. But are usually humbled when our child teaches us. My little boy inspires to me to be my best version. I do feel like I fail nine times out of ten, but am motivated to keep trying. Sadly we have access to a beautiful pool in our neighborhood and I believe I have used it a total of three times (in four years). It is easy to blame our resources, responsibilities, abilities, others, obstacles, anything for why we don't squeeze in work-outs. But the truth is when we really want something, place it high on our priority list we can make it happen. No one can do everything, there is only 24 hours in a day. But we can use our twenty-four hours any way we choose. I have to be more conscious of my choices so that I can be my best version; for my son's sake, and my own. I need to not get lost in the quest of perfection. And to remember there is always time to splish splash with those we love.
May your HealthFULL Journey be not a quest for perfection but a journey blessed with love, laughter, and lasting memories. 'Til we meet again. . .
May your HealthFULL Journey be not a quest for perfection but a journey blessed with love, laughter, and lasting memories. 'Til we meet again. . .
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Shop 'Til I Drop
What a great family day today. It is a rare gem when my hubby has off on a Saturday. YAY!!! I told him two days ago that I wanted to have a family fun day on Saturday and get out of the house. Because we both want to have fun and would love to leave the house. But we have learned this whole family of three moves at a way different pace then a couple. As a couple you can lounge and munch on snacks and semi discuss what would be fun to do. Perhaps browse the web and giggle about events that don't pique our interest but delight that someone has to enjoy it for it to happen. As a family of three, it is about getting chores done so the house functions (laundry, dishes, and basic clutter patrol), it is about making sure all people in the house are well-rested, that feedings are scheduled and will happen when needed, which means location is key. It means double-checking the diaper bag, double-checking everyone's outfits (because who knows what surprise may lurk), and then by some miracle vacate the premises. So yes we have to discuss our spontaneous ventures at least two days in advance or it just isn't going to happen.
We have a beautiful downtown area that has a Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. We thought this might be a long shot. To get us as a couple out the front door by 11 am on a Saturday was a challenge, but a family of three almost a lost cause. Oh notice I said almost. Because yes we did it. The three of us were dressed for a public outing and prepared to see the world with the baby even squeezing in a morning nap. All we had to do was walk around our giant dumpster blocking our garage and taking up our entire driveway. Remember the boundaries blog. Well life has gotten crazier. I thought my boundaries were pushed that day. Oh no, whole new level! We needed our roof replaced as we had a mysterious drip drip sound within our walls when it rained. And then we had spots appearing halfway along our wall. Awesome! This project was to take one day. Ha ha! They awoke me Thursday morning (when I didn't have to work until 12:30 pm) at 7:35 am (which means they also awoke the baby). I have a dog barking her loudest, a baby wailing, and me trying to get ahead of the schedule. Yes roofers come in to my life and shake it up because I have no stress. One day I can do this. Hmmm....by the time I arrived home I saw no one on the roof at four pm but five male adults lying in the shade strewed across my front yard (really interesting sight I have to say). Do you think they were done? No no no. Granted it is crazy hot here, and I can't imagine how hot it is on the actual roof. But by four pm and the roof isn't even half done, crazy guess this job will take longer than one day. Surprise surprise, I win the prize. Nope the roofers will be back Friday but done by lunchtime (for future reference when does your lunch start?). We started this message that they would be back at 8 am (great that is when our son wakes up. Awesome!) Oh wait haggling is happening between the roofers, the time is quickly moving to earlier times. Wait wait do I get a say? Oh good 6:30 am, can't wait! Our dog did not sleep through their arrival but our son did as they stapled right above his room. Hmmm I guess that is a bonus? And they did finish by 8:30 pm. (Isn't that late for lunch, just curious?) And the dumpster was to be gone by four today. I guess the dumpster did not get the message at it still sits proudly in our yard. Our roof looks great, our front yard looks like the pits, and I apologize to all the neighbors and postman as we continue to take up the street spots with our vehicles. Also as we had roofers in our yard, on our roof, we also had the drywall contractor in our house. Yay for boundaries, I am doing so good with them. Sorry for the rant. But it has been just nuts in this place. Back to the Farmer's Market.
How much fun to leisurely walk down a quiet street (as all traffic is blocked so that the vendors can set up their wonderful treats and wares.) There is something so comforting to see people selling their goods with such passion and pride. The occasional sample is nice and the stories are so endearing. We only picked up two finds (pear jam and garlic dip) Both just spoke to our lil' trio. Well maybe not the baby (though he does love pears :) but garlic has not quite crossed his palette. And that stroller comes is very handy to stash our goodies. Good work baby boy helping mommy and daddy out every way you can :) We then ventured to run some errands to replenish the house of what we consider "essential" and a few "treats" along the way. It just was so nice to spend time together in the fresh air, with lots of sunlight and then retreat into some delightful air conditioning where we could meander through the aisles: sharing opinions, critiques, and wants as we pass different items. One of the buys is for next weeks new produce of the week. You'll just have to keep your eyes peeled that blog to figure out the purchase;) We then went home after a quick stop to pick out a special outfit for our li'l one as we have a special event to attend. We were all a little tuckered. There was still shopping to be done but had to pick up a couple of items to mail. And all of us could use a little quiet nap time.
So the exercise today was shopping + tons of walking. How crazy time flies when a) you are with people you adore/love/like, b)getting stuff accomplished without too much effort - check, check, check of the to do list and c) get a work-out in without feeling like time was stolen. Super big major plus of the day. It was a delightful day.
May your HealthFULL Journey lead you to delightful get-a-ways that aren't too far from home that bless your soul, mind, and body. 'Til we meet again. . .
We have a beautiful downtown area that has a Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. We thought this might be a long shot. To get us as a couple out the front door by 11 am on a Saturday was a challenge, but a family of three almost a lost cause. Oh notice I said almost. Because yes we did it. The three of us were dressed for a public outing and prepared to see the world with the baby even squeezing in a morning nap. All we had to do was walk around our giant dumpster blocking our garage and taking up our entire driveway. Remember the boundaries blog. Well life has gotten crazier. I thought my boundaries were pushed that day. Oh no, whole new level! We needed our roof replaced as we had a mysterious drip drip sound within our walls when it rained. And then we had spots appearing halfway along our wall. Awesome! This project was to take one day. Ha ha! They awoke me Thursday morning (when I didn't have to work until 12:30 pm) at 7:35 am (which means they also awoke the baby). I have a dog barking her loudest, a baby wailing, and me trying to get ahead of the schedule. Yes roofers come in to my life and shake it up because I have no stress. One day I can do this. Hmmm....by the time I arrived home I saw no one on the roof at four pm but five male adults lying in the shade strewed across my front yard (really interesting sight I have to say). Do you think they were done? No no no. Granted it is crazy hot here, and I can't imagine how hot it is on the actual roof. But by four pm and the roof isn't even half done, crazy guess this job will take longer than one day. Surprise surprise, I win the prize. Nope the roofers will be back Friday but done by lunchtime (for future reference when does your lunch start?). We started this message that they would be back at 8 am (great that is when our son wakes up. Awesome!) Oh wait haggling is happening between the roofers, the time is quickly moving to earlier times. Wait wait do I get a say? Oh good 6:30 am, can't wait! Our dog did not sleep through their arrival but our son did as they stapled right above his room. Hmmm I guess that is a bonus? And they did finish by 8:30 pm. (Isn't that late for lunch, just curious?) And the dumpster was to be gone by four today. I guess the dumpster did not get the message at it still sits proudly in our yard. Our roof looks great, our front yard looks like the pits, and I apologize to all the neighbors and postman as we continue to take up the street spots with our vehicles. Also as we had roofers in our yard, on our roof, we also had the drywall contractor in our house. Yay for boundaries, I am doing so good with them. Sorry for the rant. But it has been just nuts in this place. Back to the Farmer's Market.
How much fun to leisurely walk down a quiet street (as all traffic is blocked so that the vendors can set up their wonderful treats and wares.) There is something so comforting to see people selling their goods with such passion and pride. The occasional sample is nice and the stories are so endearing. We only picked up two finds (pear jam and garlic dip) Both just spoke to our lil' trio. Well maybe not the baby (though he does love pears :) but garlic has not quite crossed his palette. And that stroller comes is very handy to stash our goodies. Good work baby boy helping mommy and daddy out every way you can :) We then ventured to run some errands to replenish the house of what we consider "essential" and a few "treats" along the way. It just was so nice to spend time together in the fresh air, with lots of sunlight and then retreat into some delightful air conditioning where we could meander through the aisles: sharing opinions, critiques, and wants as we pass different items. One of the buys is for next weeks new produce of the week. You'll just have to keep your eyes peeled that blog to figure out the purchase;) We then went home after a quick stop to pick out a special outfit for our li'l one as we have a special event to attend. We were all a little tuckered. There was still shopping to be done but had to pick up a couple of items to mail. And all of us could use a little quiet nap time.
So the exercise today was shopping + tons of walking. How crazy time flies when a) you are with people you adore/love/like, b)getting stuff accomplished without too much effort - check, check, check of the to do list and c) get a work-out in without feeling like time was stolen. Super big major plus of the day. It was a delightful day.
May your HealthFULL Journey lead you to delightful get-a-ways that aren't too far from home that bless your soul, mind, and body. 'Til we meet again. . .
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Boundaries
Do you have well established boundaries? Mine are all over the place. Again the extremist emerges. Some days, some hours, some minutes, sometimes even seconds my boundaries change. I tell myself I love chaos and I love organization. That is hard to love and be both those things. So I tell myself I like chaotic organization or organized chaos. Which makes me an oxymoron, but really most days it just makes me feel like a moron. There are times my boundaries are so set in stone. I have duties, I don't let people cross my path, and I do my thing. But then other days I insist the dog and the cat need to sleep with us so that they don't feel unloved or punished. That it is okay to help out a friend and have them live with us for undetermined amount of time. To give and to give my time, money, items, attention, focus, (I know I sound like I am up for sainthood, but then wait for it. . .) I SNAP! I scream, I cry, I gasp for breath, I see red and rage, and literally freak out. How could I be such a doormat? How could everyone and the world (because I am not rational at this point) be against me? How can I do anything when I am so crowded? Everyone is to blame (except me of course - because it is the world out to get me!) But really?
It's all me. I don't people or myself know when is enough? Before I over-extend myself and push way past my limits. I am human. And most days I don't cut myself slack, but then on the flipside I really don't cut others slack which means I am overcritical of EVERYTHING and so when one of my boundaries is pushed when I am overextended it is like a rubber band being stretched until it breaks! There are twenty-four hours in a day, no more, no less. Many problems can't be fixed in a day, because they didn't reach their present state in a day (for example: my weight). I have to focus on one task. Even writing this blog my head has gone everywhere. I am trying to pick at my health which some days isn't helping. But to organize my life I do need to take the big clutter out. And once the item is removed to establish boundaries to not reach that state again. Do you ever do that? Do you ever set a goal with a distinctive purpose; perhaps you clear out a space in your home, make time in your schedule, save a little extra money, or lose a couple of pounds and then never fulfill the purpose? You take your hard work and in one swoop throw it away. Its easy if we let the boundaries drop and let them fade away. It isn't hard to take on an extra project at work when you made room in your schedule with the intent to spend more time with the family (whats a couple extra hours to put yourself in line for promotion?) Perhaps you were saving up for a rainy day account or a family vacation and decided to treat yourself to new outfit or mani/pedi or repair the broken tv. Maybe you lost the weight for swimsuit season but then an old college buddy visited. You didn't have time for work-outs and didn't want to cramp your buddy's vacation so as the gracious host you joined them in tasting all the delicious junk you hadn't touched in months. I am not judging any of these scenarios because we all tend to fall short on our goals now and then. At least I know I have, when you work hard you place strain on yourself (anyone seen a bodybuilder at the gym - you can' build muscle without placing your strain on your body). Strain weakens your effort because you have pushed yourself until you hit fatigue and temptation loves to piggyback fatigue. Don't we all like the easy win? Of course temptation is going to knock when you feel lost, tired, miserable, down and out. That's why boundaries are necessary. They are in your power at all times. But if you don't maintain them, establish them, or continue to build them you lose control easily. So easily that you can't help but feel robbed and that someone or something else is to blame.
Life needs flexibility. Boundaries don't have to be rigid (and are easier to break if not movable). But boundaries should be established. We all need goals, we all need space to grow, and we need to know we have a say in our own life.
May your HealthFULL Journey teach you to be your own boss that allows you to be the version of yourself; willing and able to serve those you love and respect. 'Til we meet again. . .
It's all me. I don't people or myself know when is enough? Before I over-extend myself and push way past my limits. I am human. And most days I don't cut myself slack, but then on the flipside I really don't cut others slack which means I am overcritical of EVERYTHING and so when one of my boundaries is pushed when I am overextended it is like a rubber band being stretched until it breaks! There are twenty-four hours in a day, no more, no less. Many problems can't be fixed in a day, because they didn't reach their present state in a day (for example: my weight). I have to focus on one task. Even writing this blog my head has gone everywhere. I am trying to pick at my health which some days isn't helping. But to organize my life I do need to take the big clutter out. And once the item is removed to establish boundaries to not reach that state again. Do you ever do that? Do you ever set a goal with a distinctive purpose; perhaps you clear out a space in your home, make time in your schedule, save a little extra money, or lose a couple of pounds and then never fulfill the purpose? You take your hard work and in one swoop throw it away. Its easy if we let the boundaries drop and let them fade away. It isn't hard to take on an extra project at work when you made room in your schedule with the intent to spend more time with the family (whats a couple extra hours to put yourself in line for promotion?) Perhaps you were saving up for a rainy day account or a family vacation and decided to treat yourself to new outfit or mani/pedi or repair the broken tv. Maybe you lost the weight for swimsuit season but then an old college buddy visited. You didn't have time for work-outs and didn't want to cramp your buddy's vacation so as the gracious host you joined them in tasting all the delicious junk you hadn't touched in months. I am not judging any of these scenarios because we all tend to fall short on our goals now and then. At least I know I have, when you work hard you place strain on yourself (anyone seen a bodybuilder at the gym - you can' build muscle without placing your strain on your body). Strain weakens your effort because you have pushed yourself until you hit fatigue and temptation loves to piggyback fatigue. Don't we all like the easy win? Of course temptation is going to knock when you feel lost, tired, miserable, down and out. That's why boundaries are necessary. They are in your power at all times. But if you don't maintain them, establish them, or continue to build them you lose control easily. So easily that you can't help but feel robbed and that someone or something else is to blame.
Life needs flexibility. Boundaries don't have to be rigid (and are easier to break if not movable). But boundaries should be established. We all need goals, we all need space to grow, and we need to know we have a say in our own life.
May your HealthFULL Journey teach you to be your own boss that allows you to be the version of yourself; willing and able to serve those you love and respect. 'Til we meet again. . .
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
You're such a peach
Are you a fan of the peach? Have you ever been complimented as being a peach? Peaches are such an interesting and distinctive fruit. We communicate using different expressions about them, (bruises like a peach, peach-fuzz, or "Will you be a peach and do me a favor?") And I must warn you I am now a days settled in Peach Country. If I drive about a half hour I can see the infamous peach watertower (though honestly it looks a lot more like someone's fanny). My brother and sister-in-law have peach trees so I can honestly say I have had a super fresh peach cobbler. (Delicious!!! by the way). Most people either love peaches or will not go within fifty feet of them. What is super intriguing to me; is that it rarely is the flavor of peaches that turns people off, its that pesky fuzzy layer. Because a peach has that flavor not easily mimicked, its sweet (drippingly so, which is why people rarely peel a peach to eat them), but then most peaches also have a deep sourness to them. The sourness feels like the peach is taking a bite back at you. Well this introduction is to discuss the fruit of the week. I bet you believe I am going to tell you what variety of peaches we sampled, but you would be wrong. We tried a fruit that tastes like a peach but without that pesky fuzz. Did you guess nectarine? Close, Mango Nectarines.
I saw this in the grocery store and knew I had to sample one. Mangoes are delicious and so are nectarines. I am going out a limb but believe that the mango part of the fruit is to describe the color. Otherwise this fruit was all nectarine (which really means it is all peach - because a nectarine is just a peach in a plum's coat). The taste = peach, the smell = peach, the pit = peach, the peel = plum, and the color = sort of mango. It was pretty easy without any knowledge of the fruit to anticipate the ripeness of the fruit by just visual. It starts off as almost a lime green fades into a yellow like a golden apple or almost a super ripe pear. But here's the thing if you go to touch the fruit which has been squeezed, poked, pinched, prodded by thousands of other people you can understand the expression "you bruise like a peach". Because as I tried to pick the best of the best of this fruit I too grabbed and poked at these delicate fruits and then was appalled by how many were literally manhandled. I found several that met my rigorous produce test and was worth my moolah. I will be the first to admit when it comes to produce I am that annoying person who will pick up each fruit and inspect it twice, wipe of false blemishes. Just super OCD about picking out the "right" produce (and half the time I don't really know what qualifies the perfect item, I just go with my gut after squeezing, rattling, sniffing, and eagle-eying the specimen).
We went super easy on the preparation for this fruit. We washed them and then ate them like a snack out of hand. No slicing, no sauteing, no grilling, and no mixing with other ingredients. Simply ate it out of hand and it was good, if you like peaches. My initial couple of bites were very sweet with a lot of juice but then I had two almost bitter bites as I got close to the pit. But if you are looking to try something new or stump your friends this is definitely a good item to pick up. Its summer, what's better than enjoying a simple bite of a juicy fruit.
May your HealthFULL Journey remind you that sometimes enjoying a different perspective reminds us of old loves and simple pleasures. "Til we meet again. . .
I saw this in the grocery store and knew I had to sample one. Mangoes are delicious and so are nectarines. I am going out a limb but believe that the mango part of the fruit is to describe the color. Otherwise this fruit was all nectarine (which really means it is all peach - because a nectarine is just a peach in a plum's coat). The taste = peach, the smell = peach, the pit = peach, the peel = plum, and the color = sort of mango. It was pretty easy without any knowledge of the fruit to anticipate the ripeness of the fruit by just visual. It starts off as almost a lime green fades into a yellow like a golden apple or almost a super ripe pear. But here's the thing if you go to touch the fruit which has been squeezed, poked, pinched, prodded by thousands of other people you can understand the expression "you bruise like a peach". Because as I tried to pick the best of the best of this fruit I too grabbed and poked at these delicate fruits and then was appalled by how many were literally manhandled. I found several that met my rigorous produce test and was worth my moolah. I will be the first to admit when it comes to produce I am that annoying person who will pick up each fruit and inspect it twice, wipe of false blemishes. Just super OCD about picking out the "right" produce (and half the time I don't really know what qualifies the perfect item, I just go with my gut after squeezing, rattling, sniffing, and eagle-eying the specimen).
We went super easy on the preparation for this fruit. We washed them and then ate them like a snack out of hand. No slicing, no sauteing, no grilling, and no mixing with other ingredients. Simply ate it out of hand and it was good, if you like peaches. My initial couple of bites were very sweet with a lot of juice but then I had two almost bitter bites as I got close to the pit. But if you are looking to try something new or stump your friends this is definitely a good item to pick up. Its summer, what's better than enjoying a simple bite of a juicy fruit.
May your HealthFULL Journey remind you that sometimes enjoying a different perspective reminds us of old loves and simple pleasures. "Til we meet again. . .
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Where is my oomph?
Exercise is getting harder and harder to complete. Where is my oomph? Tired? Hot? Overwhelmed? These are all common excuses. But that's when it is important to muddle through. We are teething in our southern home. I think that sentence sums up where my patience, energy, and sanity have all gone. And when I say "we" this is definitely a family activity. My sweet little boy that slept and smiled has been taken over by a baby that cries, whines, can't sleep for longer than twenty minutes but then is a drooling giggler. I feel like I am living with Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde when he was eight months old. I know these are the times I need to gather my energy to get my endorphins pumping and work out the tension from my muscles. But ahhh! I am losing my mind! If you have read another of my blogs "mutiny in the household" mentioned how the world is against my sleep. And I feel the pattern is back. I was ready to doze at 1:30 last night and I was about to drag myself to bed I heard the stirrings of the li'l one. I hesitated and said the silent prayers I believe many parents have uttered. Please Please fall back asleep. And a couple of minutes pass and the growls of sleepiness begin to subside until the five alarm scream announces. Baby needs attention before the house is ready to slumber. I attempt to address his needs one by one and finally at three o clock we both hit our weariness level and drift to sleep. He hasn't had anything to eat in the middle of the night in awhile so I figured we might actually have a sleep in kind of morning. I blissfully shut my eyes for the sweet dreams that come with that thought. Until my alarm goes off at 6:15 am. What?!?!?! My hubby sets my alarm when he works so that I can try to get my morning started before our son. But for two hours later. Oops. I crawl/leap back into bed for two more hours of shut eye. Except a half hour passes and the screams of someone alert the house. You have got to be kidding! So once again I believe mutiny was declared and no one informed me. So you may understand why I really believe the household is teething. (I hate that he has to cut teeth and wish I could take the pain. Not only does he hurt but he doesn't really understand what is happening.)
Where is my oomph? On my pillow I imagine. I have played with the idea of a nap. But sometimes when I nap I turn into a grizzly bear and also experience what movies make a hangover look like. My thoughts are fuzzy, I can't decipher what time it is, my reactions seem hesitant, and I am just moody because I feel like I lost my day. Grrrr! So really it is better to muddle through the day but than I can barely function. Decisions, decisions.
But I promised myself that I needed to get back on the movement track and made a deal with my hubby. If you take baby duty for the next thirty minutes I am going to go exercise. So I drag out the Wii Fit. And promise myself twenty minutes is acceptable but I am going to get moving. I am feeling a bit scattered and started skipping through the whole list of exercises (I lost 1.8 lbs in the last two days but gained 9 years. Kind of sums up my skills). I did something I don't think I have ever done in a Wii Fit routine. I used all five categories : Training Plus, Yoga, Strengthening, Aerobics, and Balance games. Five Alive. I rarely do the strengthening movements as I use Yoga as my warm up usually. I really liked the Strengthening exercises and one even stated I was a Bodybuilder. Which I proudly yelled down to my boys. I know it is a silly pick me up but it did the trick I flew through the full thirty minute work out. It is amazing how a little encouragement, a little effort, and a little drive actually can help one find their oomph. It is hard to find anything when sitting down in one place but with a little movement your opportunity increases immensely.
May your HealthFULL Journey bring oomph to all aspects of your life. 'Til we meet again. . .
Where is my oomph? On my pillow I imagine. I have played with the idea of a nap. But sometimes when I nap I turn into a grizzly bear and also experience what movies make a hangover look like. My thoughts are fuzzy, I can't decipher what time it is, my reactions seem hesitant, and I am just moody because I feel like I lost my day. Grrrr! So really it is better to muddle through the day but than I can barely function. Decisions, decisions.
But I promised myself that I needed to get back on the movement track and made a deal with my hubby. If you take baby duty for the next thirty minutes I am going to go exercise. So I drag out the Wii Fit. And promise myself twenty minutes is acceptable but I am going to get moving. I am feeling a bit scattered and started skipping through the whole list of exercises (I lost 1.8 lbs in the last two days but gained 9 years. Kind of sums up my skills). I did something I don't think I have ever done in a Wii Fit routine. I used all five categories : Training Plus, Yoga, Strengthening, Aerobics, and Balance games. Five Alive. I rarely do the strengthening movements as I use Yoga as my warm up usually. I really liked the Strengthening exercises and one even stated I was a Bodybuilder. Which I proudly yelled down to my boys. I know it is a silly pick me up but it did the trick I flew through the full thirty minute work out. It is amazing how a little encouragement, a little effort, and a little drive actually can help one find their oomph. It is hard to find anything when sitting down in one place but with a little movement your opportunity increases immensely.
May your HealthFULL Journey bring oomph to all aspects of your life. 'Til we meet again. . .
Friday, July 22, 2011
Seeing Red
'Tis the season to grill. My hubby and I had a steak dinner planned as a special welcome weekend supper (and chuck eye was on sale recently). Yesterday I realized it was Thursday and we had not chosen our new produce for the week. So I drove to Whole Foods (like I ever need a reason to go here). Again I have to say summer is my favorite time for produce. There easily was ten different items for my hubby and I to sample without even searching for the perfect hidden gem. Melons galore, but as the Golden Honeydew melon was last week I decided to branch out. Then I saw an item I have semi-tried but never in its whole food state, RED CORN (I have tried the patriotic corn chips of blue, red, and white strips. So technically I have tried this product but not officially prepared by my hands)! Many of us have seen this decoration in numerous homes around the autumn season as it is gorgeous when dried. But ladies and gentleman this produce is not just for decoration anymore. It is tasty, healthy, and eye-catching. First lets start with the eye catching red. To prove to us shoppers Whole Foods had peeled the husk slightly so we could see the beautifully hued kernels. I would describe the color as more of rosy pink then brilliant red. But I believe, there is a chance the color had started to soak back into the cob. Healthy because we review the common rule of thumb that with most produce; the deeper the color the healthier the product. Again true in this case as the red reflects the antioxidant qualities that one may find in pomegranates.
Now unto how do we prepare this beautiful produce that is in its peak season of (June - October)? How do you like your corn prepared. I bet this would be delicious in a salsa or a very pretty soup. We prepared it on the grill. YUM! Have you ever had grilled corn on the cob? So easy. You can husk it completely and throw the ear on to get a bit of char on the kernels, but watch it. Because burnt corn is as tasty as burnt popcorn. Blech! I have heard of others preparing the corn and wrapping it back into its husk. We used tin foil after we spread a dab of butter and a few spices like garlic powder, pepper, salt, cayenne, and a tish of paprika. So good! Now we probably should have left one of the ears plain so we could have tried the red corn flavor straight forward. Very similar to typical corn (yellow, white, and bi-color). The color after this prep turned into a faded brick red, slightly brownish. Other preps I believe would draw out the brilliant reds more,(for instance salsa I think would be quite eye-catching). The taste for me was altered due to the spices, but I found that they pretty much on par with yellow corn. Although I did read two different blogs and one stated that red was sweeter and the other blog said it was earthier. I am suspicious that the flavor may have to do with when the corn was harvested. The texture however was noticeably different in my opinion. I found the red kernels were a bit crispier with more of a satisfying pop than the yellow kernels when chewing the corn off the cob. Great addition to your summer meal. Also how fun for kids (the younger and the older versions) to try in a simple bowl of corn kernels mixed with other colored varieties.
May your HealthFULL Journey have you satisfying all your senses (vision - red, hearing - pop!, smell - grilled produce, touch - bumpy texture, and taste - yum!) while building a healthier you. 'Til we meet again. . .
Now unto how do we prepare this beautiful produce that is in its peak season of (June - October)? How do you like your corn prepared. I bet this would be delicious in a salsa or a very pretty soup. We prepared it on the grill. YUM! Have you ever had grilled corn on the cob? So easy. You can husk it completely and throw the ear on to get a bit of char on the kernels, but watch it. Because burnt corn is as tasty as burnt popcorn. Blech! I have heard of others preparing the corn and wrapping it back into its husk. We used tin foil after we spread a dab of butter and a few spices like garlic powder, pepper, salt, cayenne, and a tish of paprika. So good! Now we probably should have left one of the ears plain so we could have tried the red corn flavor straight forward. Very similar to typical corn (yellow, white, and bi-color). The color after this prep turned into a faded brick red, slightly brownish. Other preps I believe would draw out the brilliant reds more,(for instance salsa I think would be quite eye-catching). The taste for me was altered due to the spices, but I found that they pretty much on par with yellow corn. Although I did read two different blogs and one stated that red was sweeter and the other blog said it was earthier. I am suspicious that the flavor may have to do with when the corn was harvested. The texture however was noticeably different in my opinion. I found the red kernels were a bit crispier with more of a satisfying pop than the yellow kernels when chewing the corn off the cob. Great addition to your summer meal. Also how fun for kids (the younger and the older versions) to try in a simple bowl of corn kernels mixed with other colored varieties.
May your HealthFULL Journey have you satisfying all your senses (vision - red, hearing - pop!, smell - grilled produce, touch - bumpy texture, and taste - yum!) while building a healthier you. 'Til we meet again. . .
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Art of the Salad
Ahhh! Salad can be the tastiest meal and fairly easy to make. Now if you are thinking of plain old lettuce as salad, no that's lettuce. A salad is a wonderful conglomerate of whatever you want to combine. If I was to title the salads my husband and I make it would have to be along the lines "The Kitchen Sink - Fridge - Pantry Salad". Start grabbing supplies and mix it all together. And what is great about individual salads. Do you like raspberries? No, leave them off and I'll add extra because I do like them. I would say to fix a truly satisfying meal salad our household follows an adaptable formula. Greens + veggie + fruit + filler/protein + crunchy and then topped with dressing. Sounds like a lot doesn't it? Its your whole meal make it tasty and filling. It does no good to eat a plate of lettuce without dressing and call it supper but before going to bed you are starving and down a triple scoop ice cream sundae with extra hot fudge. You would have saved a lot of calories and a ton of empty calories if you had a more filling supper.
Let's start with the greens, I am going to be completely honest. We usually start with a bagged salad. They are so easy to pour, split in half and build a great foundation. Some packages come with a mix of greens, some assorted veggies, or beautiful rinsed baby spinach. Now some of these packages you should re-rinse your greens and I know a lot of people say you should always wash your lettuce/greens yourself. Again I confess sometimes/most times, the salad mix comes straight out of the bag and on to the plate. Great start. If iceberg is the only lettuce you will eat because it has little flavor , so be it. But I so strongly encourage a deeper green especially as you are going to top it with so many goodies. Baby spinach is a great foundation and packed with tons of vitamins (folate powerhouse for those who are upping your folic acid intake and iron). Be like pop-eye :) Also there are tons of other great choices and if the change is too scary. Half of a darker green with the comfort and safety of your iceberg. You might realize how your light lettuce carries no extra flavor and is boring like ice. (No wonder you don't like salads.) But moving on. The theory of nutrition, the darker the color the more vitamins and minerals it holds. (Iceberg borderline white, light green compared to the deep green of spinach.)
Next up what kind of veggies. So many choices. Big favorites in our house: our colored bell peppers (we included an orange one tonight). I just slice them or dice them, slices give you a little more crunch, the diced makes the salad look festive with confetti. Sliced mushrooms give you that meaty texture you might crave. Tomatoes tend to be a favorite. I prefer cherry or grape for convenience and flavor. Grape tomatoes I just wash them and throw them on the plate. And cherry I tend to wash and slice into halves. Carrots shredded and cucumber slices (I know cucumber is a fruit but then so is a tomato, they just fit better into this section) and a mellow flavor with great texture. If you like sweeter tastes add beet slices; they do stain whatever they touch so make sure you cut them into bite size pieces before adding them to the salad masterpiece.
Let's discuss fruit. Ohhhhhhh have I mentioned how much I love summer produce? Melons, berries galore, thank you!!! I love every kind of berry. And all berries mix well into a salad. We added strawberries to ours tonight and some cherries. Usually we have blueberries on hand and I finished our raspberries last night for my bedtime snack or they would have been on my plate tonight. Pomegranate seeds can be fun on a salad crunchy while still a tad juicy, tart, and sweet. This was how I tried kumquats on a spinach salad. Orange sections can be quite good in a simple salad. I am very picky with my citrus mixes as I tend to not like that sour bite that's almost bitter. So very few flavors do I mix with oranges. Grapes especially seedless and half add a good juicy bite to your salad. And apples can add a bit of sweet crunch. But hands down we tend to use berries the most.
Filler/Protein - Choices, lots and lots of choices. My hubby and I really like hard-boiled egg in our salad. We also like chickpeas/ garbanzo beans (we used canned after we rinse them thoroughly and then just plop a handful on your salad - so good!) which is filling and gives a unique bite; not quite a crunchy texture but that makes you bite down. We also have tried grilled chicken and grilled shrimp. Grilling the meat gives it that perfect flavor for a salad. It's simple but retains its moistness. We had grilled chicken tonight. And then numerous cheese choices depending on what other ingredients you have. I went shopping at my favorite store today and picked through the Bit O' Cheese basket. My own little special pick-me-up. And the winner was Manchego gently grated over the chicken. *humming* Yes quite tasty.
Crunchy - Absolutely the key component in our household. What little ingredient will make our salad sing? We use a variety of nuts for this component. Obviously if you have a nut allergy steer clear but if not, options upon options. Also wasabi peas are a good bet. They add sweetness with a kick. Just don't ever add them early on and then let your salad sit and then take a bite. They become mushy and no longer that crunch one craves in a salad. Always a crowd pleaser = croutons. Some other items that may be hanging out in your cabinets that would work, seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax), pretzels (if you really like that saltiness),and sesame sticks.
Then top with your favorite dressing. We usually stick with ranch, creamy with a bit of spice. I also tend to mix it up with a variety of different vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar and olive oil the most popular as we tend to have big bottles of both on hand at all times.) Now again the beauty of a salad is it can totally echo your favorites. Perhaps I gave you a helpful suggestion but by all means you are the one biting down. Make it what you like. Let your ingredients play off each other, let the colors splatter the plate, for this is your chance to create art. Forget mom's scolding and play with your fruits and veggies. Because after a couple of choices you have a tasty and somewhat healthy (depending on those choices) satisfying meal full of beautiful colors. Bravo on your masterpiece.
May your HealthFULL Journey guide you to your preferences and inspire you to choose in a way that both delights you and creates a healthier you. 'Til we meet again. . .
Let's start with the greens, I am going to be completely honest. We usually start with a bagged salad. They are so easy to pour, split in half and build a great foundation. Some packages come with a mix of greens, some assorted veggies, or beautiful rinsed baby spinach. Now some of these packages you should re-rinse your greens and I know a lot of people say you should always wash your lettuce/greens yourself. Again I confess sometimes/most times, the salad mix comes straight out of the bag and on to the plate. Great start. If iceberg is the only lettuce you will eat because it has little flavor , so be it. But I so strongly encourage a deeper green especially as you are going to top it with so many goodies. Baby spinach is a great foundation and packed with tons of vitamins (folate powerhouse for those who are upping your folic acid intake and iron). Be like pop-eye :) Also there are tons of other great choices and if the change is too scary. Half of a darker green with the comfort and safety of your iceberg. You might realize how your light lettuce carries no extra flavor and is boring like ice. (No wonder you don't like salads.) But moving on. The theory of nutrition, the darker the color the more vitamins and minerals it holds. (Iceberg borderline white, light green compared to the deep green of spinach.)
Next up what kind of veggies. So many choices. Big favorites in our house: our colored bell peppers (we included an orange one tonight). I just slice them or dice them, slices give you a little more crunch, the diced makes the salad look festive with confetti. Sliced mushrooms give you that meaty texture you might crave. Tomatoes tend to be a favorite. I prefer cherry or grape for convenience and flavor. Grape tomatoes I just wash them and throw them on the plate. And cherry I tend to wash and slice into halves. Carrots shredded and cucumber slices (I know cucumber is a fruit but then so is a tomato, they just fit better into this section) and a mellow flavor with great texture. If you like sweeter tastes add beet slices; they do stain whatever they touch so make sure you cut them into bite size pieces before adding them to the salad masterpiece.
Let's discuss fruit. Ohhhhhhh have I mentioned how much I love summer produce? Melons, berries galore, thank you!!! I love every kind of berry. And all berries mix well into a salad. We added strawberries to ours tonight and some cherries. Usually we have blueberries on hand and I finished our raspberries last night for my bedtime snack or they would have been on my plate tonight. Pomegranate seeds can be fun on a salad crunchy while still a tad juicy, tart, and sweet. This was how I tried kumquats on a spinach salad. Orange sections can be quite good in a simple salad. I am very picky with my citrus mixes as I tend to not like that sour bite that's almost bitter. So very few flavors do I mix with oranges. Grapes especially seedless and half add a good juicy bite to your salad. And apples can add a bit of sweet crunch. But hands down we tend to use berries the most.
Filler/Protein - Choices, lots and lots of choices. My hubby and I really like hard-boiled egg in our salad. We also like chickpeas/ garbanzo beans (we used canned after we rinse them thoroughly and then just plop a handful on your salad - so good!) which is filling and gives a unique bite; not quite a crunchy texture but that makes you bite down. We also have tried grilled chicken and grilled shrimp. Grilling the meat gives it that perfect flavor for a salad. It's simple but retains its moistness. We had grilled chicken tonight. And then numerous cheese choices depending on what other ingredients you have. I went shopping at my favorite store today and picked through the Bit O' Cheese basket. My own little special pick-me-up. And the winner was Manchego gently grated over the chicken. *humming* Yes quite tasty.
Crunchy - Absolutely the key component in our household. What little ingredient will make our salad sing? We use a variety of nuts for this component. Obviously if you have a nut allergy steer clear but if not, options upon options. Also wasabi peas are a good bet. They add sweetness with a kick. Just don't ever add them early on and then let your salad sit and then take a bite. They become mushy and no longer that crunch one craves in a salad. Always a crowd pleaser = croutons. Some other items that may be hanging out in your cabinets that would work, seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax), pretzels (if you really like that saltiness),and sesame sticks.
Then top with your favorite dressing. We usually stick with ranch, creamy with a bit of spice. I also tend to mix it up with a variety of different vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar and olive oil the most popular as we tend to have big bottles of both on hand at all times.) Now again the beauty of a salad is it can totally echo your favorites. Perhaps I gave you a helpful suggestion but by all means you are the one biting down. Make it what you like. Let your ingredients play off each other, let the colors splatter the plate, for this is your chance to create art. Forget mom's scolding and play with your fruits and veggies. Because after a couple of choices you have a tasty and somewhat healthy (depending on those choices) satisfying meal full of beautiful colors. Bravo on your masterpiece.
May your HealthFULL Journey guide you to your preferences and inspire you to choose in a way that both delights you and creates a healthier you. 'Til we meet again. . .
The Problem with Roots
The problem with roots is that you never know where they will end. For my exercise today (which has not been daily as I am getting sporadic in this mission). I told myself you are going to exercise young lady, you don't have to like it, love it, but you do have to attempt it. If you quit after five minutes but so be it you are getting yourself moving. So I approached my hubby with a fabulous idea. It's been hundred degrees, humid, rainy, hot, icky weather and I mentioned to him it was cool outside early this evening. His reply "Compared to what?" Sweetly I smiled that wifely smile, "than today *insert giggle*". "Hmmm" I mused out load. "We should work on the yard. Our li'l one is down for a solid nap and looky here we both are available to work in the yard". He harumphed but agreed to my suggestion. As we got ready he looked at my bare feet and asked "Aren't you going to wear shoes?" "Of course", I responded. He then looked at my feet, again! And then looked at my face with that manly furrowed eyebrow questioning look and asked "Which shoes?" And then I countered with a question, "Which shoes should I wear?" He smiled and mentioned " I wouldn't wear flip flops." "Oh? Really? But we're just going to be in the yard." So for my work out I actually put on socks and tennis shoes. Crazy idea! We then get to the front door as I have now met the dress code. I notice his hands are empty. "Ummmm? Aren't we going to need garbage bags? (Yup as a reply.) Okay, and aren't we going to need tools. (Sure he says). Do we have tools? I inquired. (Nope). Sure we do, we must. (No we really don't). Do we have work gloves? (Shakes head). Then why did you agree to work in the yard. (He shrugged and replied I figured you could show me what you wanted and expected. We could pull the easy weeds).
Can you tell from this exchange, neither of us are really green thumbs? And we have become the house on the block that can grow weed trees like nobody's business. What motivated this yard work is that I was throwing away some of our garbage and noticed the biggest mushroom I have ever seen. It literally was the size of my cat's head (and he has a pretty big head!). We bagged that mushroom and its nearby friend as our first official yard duty job. Then we took a look at the back yard. Oh sweet yard how I apologize for my ignorance and neglect. You are so in need of TLC yard. And I don't really know how to do that. But I tried for a solid forty-five minutes, with a tired hubby (who has worked 21+ hours in the last two days), a medium size shovel, and a melted rake. Good times! We semi-cleared a path by picking up a huge branch and knocking down some four foot hollow stalks. We then came across a beginner tree. Oh but looks are deceiving. This pole had some strength and thriving trunk. No bigger than an inch and half circumference of a trunk. Oh but this bad boy had some roots.
My hubby attacked with the shovel and began digging. I then wrestled the beast to the ground. Snapping the twig close to the ground. Oh this has become war sapling as you try to trip me and then would not snap. I pulled, I stomped, I kicked (remember we have limited tools), I twisted and you showed wear but did not break. I then begged my hubby for the shovel and I dig, and hack and spear this shovel into your stupid trunk. You weren't breaking. We then attempted to uncover the roots. Again we hack, we pull, we lift, and used whatever leverage we could imagine. This became my soul mission outside. I felt if we just uncovered the roots and could pull this tree free there was a life lesson worth knowing. My husband was such an amazing sport but "Seriously, we need a game plan. We are not going to stay out here all night with no tools with this tree and waste hours and accomplish nothing." Oh on the contrary my love this tree is going down! There is a reason and we are going to tough this out together. Like in the movies we were going to pull this tree out of the ground proving nothing is impossible, together we can do anything, and that we feel this pride and accomplishment. Cue the hero music now! But wait, "Snap" Ahhhhh it's the tree. No, its the shovel not meant to unearth trees with 3 feet of roots showing. We have no idea what else is underground. But three feet of thick, gnarly roots are unearthed for this four foot bean pole of a sapling. My husband declares the game over, the tree wins, and now not only do we have to buy all the outside tools we need to add a shovel to the list. My bad! Oh I am so bitter at that tree. It stands out there mocking me (bruised and laying on the ground as I did injure its branchy trunk). But it still lives. I stick my tongue out at you stupid tree with the big roots!
How often appearances are deceiving! I saw that tree and figured between myself, my hubby, and our shovel; we could clear a second path into the back yard of forgotten plant life. But no, this tree had to have crazy strong roots that are three four times the size of the sapling's trunk. I have attempted getting to know me again as I travel this HealthFULL Journey, so that I can Fully Understand Life by Living. I am trying to recall memories and events to figure out what paths I should have swerved differently. I am milling through emotions, proud accomplishment, and past hurts trying to reveal how I got here. Sometimes I will declare uncovering certain memories a victory like a forgotten gem. But I forget that under some of the dust isn't a polished stone but only a ball of mud. Time does erase certain events and paint in rosy hues. Recalling certain emotions is like pulling that tree. The roots are so deeply embedded that they can't be uncovered all at once. Its too much. It needs time to stretch and breathe and release what is has been holding all these years. So when you start digging and hit those roots. Take a moment to soak in the moment, to let the root breathe so that it doesn't suffocate you with its tangled tendrils.
May your HealthFULL Journey expose the old rotten roots so that you can plant new ones that are even stronger. "Til we meet again. . .
Can you tell from this exchange, neither of us are really green thumbs? And we have become the house on the block that can grow weed trees like nobody's business. What motivated this yard work is that I was throwing away some of our garbage and noticed the biggest mushroom I have ever seen. It literally was the size of my cat's head (and he has a pretty big head!). We bagged that mushroom and its nearby friend as our first official yard duty job. Then we took a look at the back yard. Oh sweet yard how I apologize for my ignorance and neglect. You are so in need of TLC yard. And I don't really know how to do that. But I tried for a solid forty-five minutes, with a tired hubby (who has worked 21+ hours in the last two days), a medium size shovel, and a melted rake. Good times! We semi-cleared a path by picking up a huge branch and knocking down some four foot hollow stalks. We then came across a beginner tree. Oh but looks are deceiving. This pole had some strength and thriving trunk. No bigger than an inch and half circumference of a trunk. Oh but this bad boy had some roots.
My hubby attacked with the shovel and began digging. I then wrestled the beast to the ground. Snapping the twig close to the ground. Oh this has become war sapling as you try to trip me and then would not snap. I pulled, I stomped, I kicked (remember we have limited tools), I twisted and you showed wear but did not break. I then begged my hubby for the shovel and I dig, and hack and spear this shovel into your stupid trunk. You weren't breaking. We then attempted to uncover the roots. Again we hack, we pull, we lift, and used whatever leverage we could imagine. This became my soul mission outside. I felt if we just uncovered the roots and could pull this tree free there was a life lesson worth knowing. My husband was such an amazing sport but "Seriously, we need a game plan. We are not going to stay out here all night with no tools with this tree and waste hours and accomplish nothing." Oh on the contrary my love this tree is going down! There is a reason and we are going to tough this out together. Like in the movies we were going to pull this tree out of the ground proving nothing is impossible, together we can do anything, and that we feel this pride and accomplishment. Cue the hero music now! But wait, "Snap" Ahhhhh it's the tree. No, its the shovel not meant to unearth trees with 3 feet of roots showing. We have no idea what else is underground. But three feet of thick, gnarly roots are unearthed for this four foot bean pole of a sapling. My husband declares the game over, the tree wins, and now not only do we have to buy all the outside tools we need to add a shovel to the list. My bad! Oh I am so bitter at that tree. It stands out there mocking me (bruised and laying on the ground as I did injure its branchy trunk). But it still lives. I stick my tongue out at you stupid tree with the big roots!
How often appearances are deceiving! I saw that tree and figured between myself, my hubby, and our shovel; we could clear a second path into the back yard of forgotten plant life. But no, this tree had to have crazy strong roots that are three four times the size of the sapling's trunk. I have attempted getting to know me again as I travel this HealthFULL Journey, so that I can Fully Understand Life by Living. I am trying to recall memories and events to figure out what paths I should have swerved differently. I am milling through emotions, proud accomplishment, and past hurts trying to reveal how I got here. Sometimes I will declare uncovering certain memories a victory like a forgotten gem. But I forget that under some of the dust isn't a polished stone but only a ball of mud. Time does erase certain events and paint in rosy hues. Recalling certain emotions is like pulling that tree. The roots are so deeply embedded that they can't be uncovered all at once. Its too much. It needs time to stretch and breathe and release what is has been holding all these years. So when you start digging and hit those roots. Take a moment to soak in the moment, to let the root breathe so that it doesn't suffocate you with its tangled tendrils.
May your HealthFULL Journey expose the old rotten roots so that you can plant new ones that are even stronger. "Til we meet again. . .
Monday, July 18, 2011
The Pits
I pack my lunch when I go to work. There is a pretty standard menu that I follow that takes the stress and thought process out of preparing lunch. I tend to eat a lot of left overs or re-mix them into a different dish. But this also helps clean out our fridge and save the budget. If I don't bring in the left overs they tend to find their own spot in the fridge until they grow their own fur coats. I know that's disgusting, but has happened (frequently). Biggest culprit we throw out is produce. When I buy it I have all these menu plans and ideas and excitement to cook. We'll say shopping day is Saturday and the next time I think about the fruit is Monday nine days later. Most of the good stuff is no longer good. So I have to monitor what I buy and constantly remind myself. Remember how you bought the berries for snacks. Eat them!!! I think my four pound strawberry buy from Costco is brilliant until I eat three of them. It helps to pack fruit for snacking at the office. It doesn't take that much time to prepare but I tell myself it does. For instance blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are delicious. And they just need a rinse and go. Summer is absolutely my favorite season for fruit ( I am so a berry girl!) So constantly we have to monitor our produce drawers. Currently we are seeing a lot of red in our fridge, raspberries, strawberries, and cherries. Ohhh I love a good cherry. They are so pretty, that deep ruby shade that slowly swirls among the berries fading lighter or darker.
Today I was preparing for tomorrow's lunch golden honeydew melon mixed with some cherries. If I am at home I love to pluck the cherries and spit out the pits. Which is a solitary activity or for those who truly know and love you. It doesn't sound like a pleasing work atmosphere activity. Which means I need to pit my cherries. I pluck my stems, pluck, pluck, pluck. And as I grow more accustomed to working with fruit. I give myself a thumbs up for wearing a red shirt as the cherries are staining my fingers that beautiful ruby shade. And nearby I have a handy bowl to collect my stems and my pits. Now I have the fruit container on the stove and the cherry garbage over by the sink as I have just rinsed the cherries. It takes me three individual cherries pitted. Cut the cherry in half, twist, and push/thumb out pit. I then turn around and walk the three steps to the fruit container I am bringing to work. I drop off the cherry halves and walk the three steps back to the sink. I repeat this cycle two more times. Then it dawns me. Bring the container to the sink. If I was doing this for exercise so be it. I wasn't, at least not intentionally. But this visual struck me. How often do I repeat the pattern? It's working, its getting the job done; but it isn't enhancing my life nor had I explored different ways to tackle the problem. I was so focused on removing the pits that the means got lost. Too often I do this. Focus on the problem and forget that there could be more than one solution. Some ways are better than others, and which path depends on the goal. It is important to remove the pit/obstacle but keep thinking of solutions. You never know which path will lead you to be your best.
May your HealthFULL Journey never focus on the pits but the numerous solutions. "Til we meet again. . .
Today I was preparing for tomorrow's lunch golden honeydew melon mixed with some cherries. If I am at home I love to pluck the cherries and spit out the pits. Which is a solitary activity or for those who truly know and love you. It doesn't sound like a pleasing work atmosphere activity. Which means I need to pit my cherries. I pluck my stems, pluck, pluck, pluck. And as I grow more accustomed to working with fruit. I give myself a thumbs up for wearing a red shirt as the cherries are staining my fingers that beautiful ruby shade. And nearby I have a handy bowl to collect my stems and my pits. Now I have the fruit container on the stove and the cherry garbage over by the sink as I have just rinsed the cherries. It takes me three individual cherries pitted. Cut the cherry in half, twist, and push/thumb out pit. I then turn around and walk the three steps to the fruit container I am bringing to work. I drop off the cherry halves and walk the three steps back to the sink. I repeat this cycle two more times. Then it dawns me. Bring the container to the sink. If I was doing this for exercise so be it. I wasn't, at least not intentionally. But this visual struck me. How often do I repeat the pattern? It's working, its getting the job done; but it isn't enhancing my life nor had I explored different ways to tackle the problem. I was so focused on removing the pits that the means got lost. Too often I do this. Focus on the problem and forget that there could be more than one solution. Some ways are better than others, and which path depends on the goal. It is important to remove the pit/obstacle but keep thinking of solutions. You never know which path will lead you to be your best.
May your HealthFULL Journey never focus on the pits but the numerous solutions. "Til we meet again. . .
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Getting Sloppy
This HealthFULL Journey is about changes. Trying a variety of patterns and seeing what works, what sticks, and what can be forgotten. Tofu has became a staple in our house. I usually have a package or two in the freezer of Extra Firm. Now I know for many of you TOFU is a four letter word. Which is true but it doesn't have to sound like a curse upon your house. Do you eat hamburger out of the pack uncooked, unseasoned? Or chicken? No, so treat Tofu as the base. Yes you can eat Tofu straight out of the pack, but I wouldn't recommend it. Let's start with what is Tofu. It is a great source of protein without using any animal product. Because Tofu is pressed soybean curd. You have several different textures which play into the savory or sweet side of meals. Usually the silken tofu is used for dessert and the firm/extra firm sponge blocks are used for savory dishes. It is relatively cheap and fills you up if prepared with a little extra TLC. My hubby is a man who likes meat but has willingly tried and appreciated most of the dishes we have tried. I have mentioned our tofu challenge in the past and might have even mentioned one of our favorites. Which is what we ate for dinner tonight, Sloppy Tofu (think sloppy joes). Delicious. It is filling, it has lots of flavor, and a great introduction for those who haven't "really" tried tofu. If you freeze the extra firm all you have to do is take the block out at the beginning of the day (great if you work) and drop it in your sink. Again not animal byproduct so there isn't the contamination fear. After eight hours it is thawed and you can begin to rinse and squeeze. It holds quite a bit of liquid, it really does resemble a sponge. So remove it from the package and run some tepid/cool water and begin to rinse the liquid it has been soaking up in the package. From what I understand if you leave it in the fridge versus the freezer it gives a different texture. I really like the freezer approach. As we always have a block or two on hand and aren't tripping over it. Then choose any method how to prepare the tofu. Our household three favorites are spinach rolls (if you love Italian and stuffed shells - this is the way to go!), sloppy tofu (yum) and the all-time favorite tofu tacos (so easy, prepare exactly like you would your beef, pork, chicken, fish tacos but substitute tofu). Once you are done squeezing out the moisture. Place a paper towel around the tofu block and then place it between two plates and a heavy object to push down the tofu for about forty five minutes to an hour. (great time to veg in front of the tv, homework time, take a walk). And then you are ready to cook. This is when you can cut slabs, or crumble, or marinade a little. Your call. But for the tacos and the sloppy tofu you crumble. *Great kid activity*. They can crush until their hearts content with their hands. Because the sponge like texture will pick up all necessary flavor when cooking. I borrowed our sloppy tofu recipe from the site http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/tofu-sloppy-joes.php . So good and fairly easy.
So that is my soapbox speech how good tofu can be and is so simple to add to the menu rotation. Cheap, easy to prepare, and lots of nutritional benefits. Also tofu recipes tend to mean I'm cooking. Now hubby is a great sport but this is a win win for us. He'll try it if I cook it! Which is fair. So today my exercise and food victory was me slaving in the kitchen, I did rounds and rounds of dishes and I prepared lunch, dinner, and extras (snacks, lunches) for the week ahead. I don't know about you but delivery, fast food, and restaurants get more of our business than necessary. It just sounds so tempting to let someone prep, cook, serve, AND DO THE DISHES for our family. We tell ourselves it is okay the extra cost because it saves us time, energy/sanity, and tastes good. But is it really worth the cost. It takes us at least twenty minutes to decide on dinner, then usually 15 - 20 minutes to drive to dinner and another fifteen - 20 back. Then it takes 10 minutes for fast food or roughly an hour for dinner at a restaurant. So we are looking at least an hour to two hours. And delivery is usually an hour (between decision, order, and delivery). Our last five deliveries of dinner have either been disappointing in flavor, ridiculous time, or forgotten an item. Our last several restaurant experiences have been costly, bad service, or just okay food. Notice the trend? Either my cooking is getting better or quality is going down (at least at the establishments we have visited). Plus you don't know what it is in that food. At home with a little planning you pay easily less than 25% of what you pay at a food establishment. And most meals take under thirty minutes of active participation (when one can grab some uninterrupted time). We say it is great to eat around the supper table as a family but maybe it is just as important to put the family to work in the kitchen. With a little ingenuity everyone can have kitchen duty at the same time. Or spend a big day of prep for easy put togethers during the week. That's what I did. Made some egg salad for quick sandwiches, caramel corn for lunch treats or a dessert snack, prep /dice veggies for easy flavor fillers (pepper, onions, jalapeno) and steam some rice. Yes we still have a menu to cook the night of, but at least with a menu and some prep work done we are much more likely to raid our pantry then pick up the car keys.
May your HealthFULL Journey include some focus, preparation (as opportunity is 90 % preparation), and ingenuity. Not only will you be ready for surprises but hope for them. 'Til we meet again. . .
So that is my soapbox speech how good tofu can be and is so simple to add to the menu rotation. Cheap, easy to prepare, and lots of nutritional benefits. Also tofu recipes tend to mean I'm cooking. Now hubby is a great sport but this is a win win for us. He'll try it if I cook it! Which is fair. So today my exercise and food victory was me slaving in the kitchen, I did rounds and rounds of dishes and I prepared lunch, dinner, and extras (snacks, lunches) for the week ahead. I don't know about you but delivery, fast food, and restaurants get more of our business than necessary. It just sounds so tempting to let someone prep, cook, serve, AND DO THE DISHES for our family. We tell ourselves it is okay the extra cost because it saves us time, energy/sanity, and tastes good. But is it really worth the cost. It takes us at least twenty minutes to decide on dinner, then usually 15 - 20 minutes to drive to dinner and another fifteen - 20 back. Then it takes 10 minutes for fast food or roughly an hour for dinner at a restaurant. So we are looking at least an hour to two hours. And delivery is usually an hour (between decision, order, and delivery). Our last five deliveries of dinner have either been disappointing in flavor, ridiculous time, or forgotten an item. Our last several restaurant experiences have been costly, bad service, or just okay food. Notice the trend? Either my cooking is getting better or quality is going down (at least at the establishments we have visited). Plus you don't know what it is in that food. At home with a little planning you pay easily less than 25% of what you pay at a food establishment. And most meals take under thirty minutes of active participation (when one can grab some uninterrupted time). We say it is great to eat around the supper table as a family but maybe it is just as important to put the family to work in the kitchen. With a little ingenuity everyone can have kitchen duty at the same time. Or spend a big day of prep for easy put togethers during the week. That's what I did. Made some egg salad for quick sandwiches, caramel corn for lunch treats or a dessert snack, prep /dice veggies for easy flavor fillers (pepper, onions, jalapeno) and steam some rice. Yes we still have a menu to cook the night of, but at least with a menu and some prep work done we are much more likely to raid our pantry then pick up the car keys.
May your HealthFULL Journey include some focus, preparation (as opportunity is 90 % preparation), and ingenuity. Not only will you be ready for surprises but hope for them. 'Til we meet again. . .
Golden Opportunity
Have you ever tried honeydew melon? Really tried it. I know many of us may associate the honeydew melon with that dreadful frozen fruit cup that many restaurants offer as their standard fruit cup: one or two red grapes, cantaloupe, and honeydew. All three fruits lose their delicious sweetness as the ice overwhelms their subtle flavors. Now honeydew is actually an attractive and usually a mellow companion to most fruits. Most of us know that pale green color but there are two other colors Honeydew can wear. There is the orange flesh which I believe would resemble cantaloupe and might be hard to decipher the two. And then there is the Golden Honeydew which is the fruit of the week for my own honey and myself :) We made it into dessert after we had a delicious dinner. My hubby is not a fan of the honeydew melon. So I did warn him before he tried it to see if he was game and agreed.
I cut up the melon and either I hit the perfect ripeness or the golden honeydew is way juicier than its relatives. The seeds scooped out very easily and I poured the pool of juice into the bowl where I was preparing the fruit salad. Very simple prep but delicious results. I added just under half of the melon into the bowl and the other half cubed for snacking as it is sweet and light on its own. For the dessert I added a dozen strawberries quartered and a dozen cherries ( I love summer fruits!!!) halved. I then added a small amount of coconut rum and a sprinkle of sugar to pull out all three fruits' sweetness. I also toasted a 1/4 cup of hazelnuts and then drizzled honey just enough to get the nuts sticky into little mini-clumps with a dash of cayenne for that little kick of heat at the end. And just to boost that toasted nut flavor I added a drips of sesame oil. YUM! I left the nuts to cool on the cupboard and let the fruit soak in the fridge for thirty minutes. Combined and ate. Great summer dessert with lots of flavor and aroma. I thought a dollop of whip cream would be nice but we didn't have any in the house. After tasting the finished product I didn't see the need for the cream at all. My hubby said that the fruit didn't even need the rum. But I actually liked the coconut aroma, I bet coconut milk/juice might add the same appeal.
Not bad. It was a fun little find that screams summer. And melons need very little prep which I love. Also again this might have been the ripeness or the actual fruit but the rind isn't that thick. It was extremely easy to half the melon which on some produce is a nightmare. One simple chop and the knife slid through the fruit. Love that, then easy scoop, quick cut to remove the rind, and cube chop. Maybe a ten minute prep (and I am the slowest in the kitchen) to prepare a yummy snack with tons of servings (roughly ten is what nutritional data suggests).
It was fun to chop, toast, and macerate in the kitchen. I felt very chef-like as I grabbed ingredients through suggestions I found on the web and chose myself. My hubby and I chatted while I "cooked" as the only item truly cooked was toasted hazelnuts and he stayed out of the kitchen which is complete role reversal. But that is why I like this new produce for the week challenge. It is not only allowing me a new taste of the product but encourages me to learn and have more confidence in the kitchen. Fear holds us back a lot. What if I don't like the flavor? What if I mess up the recipe? What if I. . . and the list continues. Fear is usually about the unknown. But the more we equip ourselves with knowledge, experience, and permission to error; we gain back in tenfold.
May your HealthFULL Journey discourage fear and encourage opportunities. We only fail when we don't try. 'Til we meet again. . .
I cut up the melon and either I hit the perfect ripeness or the golden honeydew is way juicier than its relatives. The seeds scooped out very easily and I poured the pool of juice into the bowl where I was preparing the fruit salad. Very simple prep but delicious results. I added just under half of the melon into the bowl and the other half cubed for snacking as it is sweet and light on its own. For the dessert I added a dozen strawberries quartered and a dozen cherries ( I love summer fruits!!!) halved. I then added a small amount of coconut rum and a sprinkle of sugar to pull out all three fruits' sweetness. I also toasted a 1/4 cup of hazelnuts and then drizzled honey just enough to get the nuts sticky into little mini-clumps with a dash of cayenne for that little kick of heat at the end. And just to boost that toasted nut flavor I added a drips of sesame oil. YUM! I left the nuts to cool on the cupboard and let the fruit soak in the fridge for thirty minutes. Combined and ate. Great summer dessert with lots of flavor and aroma. I thought a dollop of whip cream would be nice but we didn't have any in the house. After tasting the finished product I didn't see the need for the cream at all. My hubby said that the fruit didn't even need the rum. But I actually liked the coconut aroma, I bet coconut milk/juice might add the same appeal.
Not bad. It was a fun little find that screams summer. And melons need very little prep which I love. Also again this might have been the ripeness or the actual fruit but the rind isn't that thick. It was extremely easy to half the melon which on some produce is a nightmare. One simple chop and the knife slid through the fruit. Love that, then easy scoop, quick cut to remove the rind, and cube chop. Maybe a ten minute prep (and I am the slowest in the kitchen) to prepare a yummy snack with tons of servings (roughly ten is what nutritional data suggests).
It was fun to chop, toast, and macerate in the kitchen. I felt very chef-like as I grabbed ingredients through suggestions I found on the web and chose myself. My hubby and I chatted while I "cooked" as the only item truly cooked was toasted hazelnuts and he stayed out of the kitchen which is complete role reversal. But that is why I like this new produce for the week challenge. It is not only allowing me a new taste of the product but encourages me to learn and have more confidence in the kitchen. Fear holds us back a lot. What if I don't like the flavor? What if I mess up the recipe? What if I. . . and the list continues. Fear is usually about the unknown. But the more we equip ourselves with knowledge, experience, and permission to error; we gain back in tenfold.
May your HealthFULL Journey discourage fear and encourage opportunities. We only fail when we don't try. 'Til we meet again. . .
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