Sunday, November 17, 2013

Shrinking my body with Erin Stutland

I have a love hate relationship with exercise.

When I am in the zone I swear I will never stop exercising, but then I miss a day, then 2 days, then it could be months before I get my groove back.  Consistency has never been my strong point.  If I feel amazing while I do it, then why don't I continue?? I can't be the only one. Add some boredom and attention deficit disorder to the mix and it is a wonder that I ever move my bod.

Enter Erin Stutland's Shrink Sessions (aka The Stuart Smalley Exercise Routines)

What?? I have FINALLY found an exercise that I have yet to be bored of.   I have been doing Erin Stutland's Shrink Session at least 2x a week for 4 months and I haven't lost my zest and in fact, gained some. (plus muscle!)
 
I bought the program after a free 20 minute workout you can download on her site.  It is different than all of the videos I own (And believe me I could open my own exercise video store.  I own that many.) and it was tough!

What makes Shrink Sessions different from anything else I have tried?

I spend a lot of time in my head and I can be my own worst enemy.  Put that combo together and the broken record isn't of flowers and joy but often complaining about life, my body, etc.  I am a relatively happy person but once I started paying attention to what was REALLY going on in my head...well, something needed to change...in between my ears as well as the expanding waistline!

So now, not only am a stronger and firmer (did I mention these are challenging?) but I have a rosier outlook. I have started a new business and let go of some fear that prevented me from living a bigger life.  I find that the mantras stay in my head and I am reminded of them when I need it most.  My clothes fit better and I am wearing favorite items (you know, the ones in BACK of the closet) that I haven't worn in years. So what are you waiting for?  You can try a mini Shrink Session for free on Erin's site.  Be sure to tell me what you think!  My waist has shrunk, my thighs have shrunk, but most importantly negative thinking has shrunk which I cannot say has ever happened with any other workout series.  


http://bit.ly/12ooIJj

Movement in your body means MOVEMENT IN YOUR LIFE


Wednesday, May 1, 2013

New and Shiny Syndrome


courtesy of http://kaweahoaks.com
I may have been a magpie in my last life, or possibly a crow or a raven.  But most likely I was a pack rat (we can discuss my clutter issues in a later post).   I am sure that one of these animals had to be my previous incarnation.  What else can explain my fascination with new and shiny??

I don't read fashion magazines, watch TV (although Netflix is my lover), and allow myself 10
minutes a day of radio news as I drive into work.  I am not a typical spoon fed American.  Also my new and shiny comes in the forms of health items, exercise videos, business opportunities, classes, teleseminars, so I do not have a lot of fancy clothing or tons of shoes...but the obsession for the next great thing plagues me.  I flit about from one great thing to the next and as a moth to the flame my exuberance dies almost as fast as it was ignited. (moth to human translation- a year or less)

Maybe God opened the heavens and spoke gently into my ear, perhaps a brief moment of clarity overcame me, or maybe my new twice daily meditation sessions (new and shiny #14 of 2013) helped me see the core of my being...but it dawned on me right as I was about to sign up for the latest sparkly opportunity that I don't need anything new.  Whoa, who spiked my green smoothie??

Moment of clarity:
Focus on what I am currently doing and do it with all my heart.
Everything I want I already have.
Quit looking for things outside of myself.
Let go of what does not serve me.
Incubate before I jump in.

I will always have many interests and pursuits and if I ever win the lottery we can just delete this post as I will sign up for every sparkly course, class and business opportunity that speaks to my heart.  But now I am going to scrutinize a bit more and I realize that I do not have to say YES to everything especially at the expense of other things I have said yes to.

SOOO, the question is:  Is blogging my newest shiny object?  Set your moth clock and stay tuned and see if I am here in a year :)

Friday, April 26, 2013

Make Your Own Weight Loss Chocolate

Weight loss chocolate?  No, this is not some late night infomercial attempting to scam you.  If you are a certified chocoholic this could be the best blog you have ever read.  This recipe is healthful, takes no time at all to whip up and contains 2 superfoods that have been shown to raise metabolism (plus a whole host of other goodness), raw cacao and coconut oil.  The marriage of the two is beyond words.


My converted microwave:  Smoothie and Chocolate Making Warehouse

The Recipe:
(Thank you Ingrid Arna for introducing me to this daily indulgence)
Ingredients
4 heaping tablespoons of raw cacao
Sweetener to taste.  I use around 1/8 teaspoon of stevia.
1/2 cup of unrefined coconut oil


Melt the coconut oil. Place jar of oil under a warm tap, use a double boiler or create one.  I use my pyrex cup and place it in a saucepan 1/4 full of water and heat on medium.  Once the coconut oil is melted, add the cacao and sweetener and mix well.
Pour melted chocolate into a shallow pan.  You want a thin layer.  I use an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet.  After you have poured your mixture, see below for additions.  Put and keep in the refrigerator. You don't want it to melt.  Break into pieces once cooled and consume responsibly.

Now it's your turn to put a creative spin on it.  Add shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds, almond slivers, gogi berries, certified therapeutic grade essential oils (I have tried peppermint, wild orange, and lavender) and spices.  Spice really adds a kick to the flavor.  To date my favorite creations include:  

gogi berries, coconut flakes and pumpkin seeds
curry powder, sesame seeds and coconut 
orange peel, currants and wild orange essential oil
cayenne pepper, almond slivers, and chopped dates

Easy peasy.  May the wind rise at your back and may you always have a pan of this delectable homemade goodness in your fridge.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Mother Nature, A Love Note


My secret camping spot
Third through fifth grade, my family rented a farm house on 27 acres.  It was the first great thing to happen to me, an 8 year old girl trapped in an emotionally and physically abusive existence.  FREEDOM.  There was a barn, a hayloft, kittens, multiple ponds, tadpoles, crawdads, horse hair snakes and two horses owned by our landlord.  I have since forgiven my mother for not knowing how to love me.  How can I fault her for as a girl for she never received very much love or acceptance either.  Those 27 acres took me in and soon became my adoptive mother.  I explored every square inch of this personal paradise. My biological mom had to buy a high powered whistle to call me in for dinner and then again for bedtime.  To this day I believe this was the strongest influence in the making of who I am today.

We moved.

I was almost 12. A big yard but not a refuge. The solution: my bio mom would drive me 3.5 miles to a park with the most phenomenal creek bed that meandered what seemed like forever.  We would synchronize our watches and she would pick me up at a designated time usually 2-3 hours.  Just me, the creek, salamanders, newts, and trees...pure nature.  I was home.  A lone 11.5 year old girl in the urban wilderness.  So thankful those were the days before the internet, cell phones, and parental hyper awareness to safety and predators.  A 12 year old girl these days does not have the same freedom. I am sad for her.

Fast forward 18 years, my mother love stronger than ever and in my longing for her I moved to Montana (and not wanting to turn 30 west of the continental divide).  Found a job selling ads for a weekly newspaper.  Every day after work I hiked the same 4 miles in the same wilderness area.  Was I stuck in a rut?  Not even close.  It is meditative to connect to the same patch of land.  I distinctly remember missing a few days from my jaunt du jour.  It seemed as if whole forest had changed!  New flowers were in bloom whereas some had withered, not noticeable unless you were truly connected.  I have a different job now and those days were long ago but I still feel happiest and most loved when I am amongst the trees, kayaking on a mountain lake, in my garden or on a trail.

Through the pain and misunderstanding of one mother I learned the importance of forgiveness and of unconditional love. Through the generosity of her bounty and absence of judgment I was able to embrace the other.  She got me through the tough times and helped me feel as if I belonged.  I am of a certain age now and am grateful to see the big picture.  I am especially lucky.  I have two moms.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Dandelion: Suburban Lawn Enemy #1 OR Superfood for the Masses?



No, I don't really want the world to end but is it wrong that I was hoping for a little more shake rattle and roll on December 21, 2012?  Perhaps a few days of darkness, maybe the grid going down for a week or so...anything to wake people up!  Instead we awoke to things appearing normal.  Things ARE shaking behind the scenes unaware to those who are too busy watching Survivor than to actually know how to survive but to the untrained eye things seem status quo.  Many are still in the dark about Obama signing the "Monsanto can do Whatever they Flippin Please Act" recently.  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller?  Is anyone awake?


Spring has finally landed in Montana and more people are spending time in their yards and gardens.  I look in my yard and get excited at seeing those zig zaggedy leaves and know that wild food is on its way to me.  A gift from the universe.  I am one of  THOSE neighbors.  You know, the one without the perfectly manicured lawn. The kind that displays little tiny flags with bragging rights saying, "Look at how pretty I am. Don't let your dogs walk on me. I am toxic, but aren't I so pretty??"  Nope, I am the one with copious dandelions. 

I have a wish for my manicured community.  My dandelion wish for people is that they would wake up and see the nutrition, get in their yard with their kids, pick them, make wine and salads from them, see them for the bright bold yellow flower that they are and the whimsical seed pod that they become.

The word dandelion comes from the French word, dents de lion, meaning the teeth of the lion.  This most likely refers to the jagged leaves.  A lesser known French name for dendelion is pis-en-lit, meaning wet the bed.  Dandelion is a duiretic, not meant as a bed time snack. 

Dandelion leaves and roots are super nutritious and even the yellow flowers are edible. Historically the roots and leaves were used for digestive issues, breast health, fever, skin diseases, liver support and joint pain.  I was surprised to open up today's paper to find dandelion featured in the weekly food section.   I have long made fritters out of the flowers and use the leaves for salads but have never made dandelion leaf pesto.  I love recipes, but when it comes to pesto I never measure.  Here are the amounts according to The Missoulian.

1-2 cloves of garlic (or more!)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 TBS pine nuts
1/2 bunch (12 ounces) dandelion greens trimmed and chopped
2 TBS finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 TBS finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
2-4 TBS fruity olive oil
Lemon juice if desired to taste

Blend or food process.  Add ingredients as needed to taste.

Old habits die hard.  I understand.  Before you call the weed man or god forbid get out your Monsanto Round Up, shake thing up.  Pick a few leaves, dig up some root, throw some flowers in a salad and try dandelion for yourself. 


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Interspecies Gay Marriage

I don't care if you have three legs and are purple, if you have found a love so dear that you want to express it with marriage,  I applaud you.

Gay marriage is a hot topic these days and the other night over dinner a few friends and I were discussing it.  I said off the cuff, "Yeah, once gay marriage is OK with the government I am going to see if it acceptable to marry my dog."  "That is what they are saying," they chimed in.  "What?"  "Yeah, people are saying if they allow gay marriage then soon people will want to marry their pets."   "Really?  Are you flipping kidding me?"  Honestly?  People can be idiots.

For years I have talked about marrying my dog.  Mormons have sister wives, why can't I have a dog wife??  There are so many reasons why we are such a good match.  Some human couples aren't this SIMPATICO. 
Others are jealous of our love because:
  1. We understand each other completely.
  2. We are 100% loyal to one another.
  3. We are super protective of each other.
  4. We have so much in common. We love to swim in lakes, hike, nap, camp, watch Netflix and backpack.
  5. We accept each other exactly as we are. 
As no relationship is perfect, cons to this union:
  1. I pay for everything.  I get home from work and the house isn't clean and my dinner is not made.  She doesn't have a job.  She is somewhat of a deadbeat.
  2. Intimacy is an issue.  She doesn't even like it when I hold her paw when we are watching movies.
  3. She doesn't know how to use the toilet.
  4. She is a bit of a bed hog.  
All kidding aside, I think we should shout from the rooftop any time two people are in a commited loving relationship and want to seal the deal in the eyes of god.  Never in my life has anyone else's marriage interfered with my day to day life.  NEVER. 

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Healthy Haikus and Cherry Blossoms

Difficult pondering cherry blossoms in full bloom when I awoke to yet another dusting of snow mid April in Western Montana.  My tulips on the verge of bursting into color may have a life tragically cut short as tomorrow night it will dip way below freezing, so for now I will conjure up cherry blossoms in my mind.  Our beloved Flathead cherries bloom much later in the summer, so sooner or later I will get a piece of the action.  You can bet your sweet bippy fingers will be stained, pickling and pies will occur, and inevitable frequent trips to the bathroom having overindulged in these bite sized versions of heaven.


Courtesy of montanacherries.com


In 1912, 3000 cherry trees were a gift to the city of Washington, DC by Tokyo's mayor Yukio Ozaki.  The annual Cherry Blossom Festival is a symbol of American and Japanese friendship.

America has been swept up by haiku during this celebration so I thought I would try my hand at writing some healthy haikus.  A bit more difficult than originally anticipated but still an unintimidating entry into the mysterious workings of poetry.

Here is what I came up with.

Water, air, and sleep
exercise, whole food eating
a beautiful life

Planting a garden
is like money in the bank
Good Food Currency

Chia, maca, kale
superfoods of the Gods, and
of wholesome people

Feeling sick and sad
GMOs, law of the land
when will people see?

Kale, glorious kale
my body sings in delight
Hallelujah! Greens! 

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Garlic...Enough Said

I dated a wonderful young man in college.  I lived in an apartment while (for the first couple of years) he still lived at home.  In hindsight I can see why his mother wasn't fond of me, being the potential woman to take him away...and oh I did Carol, all the way to Montana from Ohio.  When our 6 year relationship ended, she got him back.  She wasn't outwardly mean yet she would often get her jabs in.  "Ever since you started dating Andrea, you reek of garlic." she said one day loud enough for me to hear.  A smile came over me.  To this day that is one of the greatest compliments I have ever received.

Growing up in a home that hardly contained real live vegetables, garlic as a kid always came in the form of garlic powder. This was normally added to jarred spaghetti sauce or to a big glutteny loaf of white bread.  Fast forward to college years where I often cooked instead of studying.  If it cast a spell on me in powdered form you can imagine what it was like when I got my hands on my very first bulb.  Now I grow it, store it, and eat it almost every day.  Last year I grew 62 bulbs, this year I hope to harvest 100.  I am quite generous sharing my garden bounty but even my own boyfriend got a mere 4 or 5 bulbs.


I feel like Miss America.

Home grown garlic is more potent than store bought and tastes divine.  You can plant it in the spring or fall.  I prefer spring as I can harvest it mid summer and then plant some greens in its place.  There are two kinds of garlic, hard neck and soft neck.  Soft neck stores longer but hard neck, my preference, produces garlic scapes.  Those swirly tips make some crazy strong pesto.  This is not for the faint hearted.  This is one of my most favorite summer treats and if willpower prevails I freeze some for the winter.  For year long access I store it in my basement closet which is dark and chilly but I also pickle it.

Garlic rocks medicinally.  Entire volumes could be written on the medicinal properties of garlic. Here are my two favorite tried and true recipes: garlic ear oil and garlic honey.

For both you mince tons of garlic or several cloves, depending on how much you want.  Then you put the garlic in a jar, cover it entirely with raw honey or extra virgin olive oil, cover the jar with a paper towel or cheese cloth so moisture can escape (you don't want the garlic to mold) and then you patiently wait for 4-6 weeks while it is doing its thing in a cool dark storage spot.  Then you strain
into a smaller jar or bottle.  I like the tiny blue glass bottles with a dropper for my ear oil.  And voila! 
You have just made some powerful medicine.


6 weeks is a long time.  Plan ahead.

Normally I make less garlic ear oil as it lasts a long time and you only need a little.  Garlic honey, on the other hand, I make in vats to last me through the winter.  Both work wonders for the immune system and keep you healthy during cold and flu season.  Take garlic honey as needed for colds, coughs, sore throats, and as a preventative.  Garlic ear oil needs to be warmed (submerging in a bowl of warm water does the trick) and a couple drops applied in the ear at bedtime keeps your immune system in tip top shape.  I put three drops in one ear while lying down, wait for 5 minutes, wipe out the excess with a paper towel, turn over on a wash cloth to keep my sheets from getting oily, and then repeat with the other side.  Be forewarned, if you sleep with your dog you may wake to him licking your ear which of course is hilarious AND disgusting.


Friday, April 12, 2013

Just a Good Dog Story with Horses


My intuition tells me that Bruce Baby killed a cat.  I believe that is why he ended up in a shelter. When I adopted him at almost 7 years of age, there were a lot of other assumptions.  This boy, who came with his name, must have been tied to a rope via harness most of his life.  Not only did he have a bald spot and scabs where a harness would be but he lunges at everything that moves.  Bikes, hikers, other dogs, walkers, cars, runners, you name it, he comes unglued.

My other two dogs get to hike with me on the trails around town but when I take Bruce, we need to go to the middle of nowhere.

It was a beautiful spring day, spring break no less, and I loaded him into my truck and off we went.  40 minutes later we are on an old abandoned forest service road, he is off leash and I am feeling a welling up in my heart as this is what true happiness feels like.  Wondering how to bottle this feeling and take regular doses during work days.  We are about 1/2 a mile in when I see a horse.  I call Bruce over, leash him and am aware as anyone with a bad dog would be.  I even stop to take a picture of this lone horse offset by a snowy mountain.  Then we see more horses, and then some more.  At this point there are 7 horses and we quietly turn back as there is no point in getting closer, he is just going to freak out.

Then I hear it.  The earth starts to rumble...ok, maybe I am exaggerating, but it was loud.  A stampede.  There was a barbed wire fence on the other side of the old road and trying to get me, my back pack and a bad dog on a leash under a barbed wire fence in time is no easy task.  We made it in time not to be trampled by horses that in reality stopped short of us.  Now I count 28, no wait, 41, really, more?  By the time I am done counting I count 62 horses on the other side of the fence on the hill looking down at us.  The problem is is that Bruce Baby is flipping out and we are caught in brambles.  We have to navigate through them which is far from fun.

What is worse is that these horses are following us, every flipping last one!  We were being attacked by friendly horses.  So Bruce lunges through the barbed wire, comes back all bloody.  I am not sure what he cut as blood is everywhere.  A bloody possessed dog, horses that won't go away, and brambles that are tearing me apart, I thought we weren't ever going to get out of there! Tipi Hedren, you have nothing on us...sure, birds can fly but these are big ass horses that won't let us be.

And after 20 minutes of terror (even from the other side of the fence, that many in your face horses are unnerving), they stampeded back to where they came from and we were free.  We crawled back under the fence both of us looking quite haggard and made it to the truck. Bruce had a gash on his nose and a cut on his ear but not nearly as bad as it looked during "the panic".  It was the longest mile of my life yet looking back on it I chuckle.  Curious horses, probably looking for a treat.  Nothing like hindsight to put things in perspective but at the time I had no idea what I was going to do.  

That is the great thing about the wilderness, you always come out with a great story.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Calendula, the Bright Orange Giver


Every now and then I will have some unexplainable affinity with something.  It doesn't make sense but certain things really resonate with me.  I'm especially drawn to fireweed.  For years I would go into the mountains and dig up little shoots but it never took root in my garden.  Much to my surprise I found some seed packets of Fireweed when I was in Alaska 6 years ago.  I brought them back, planted them, watered them with love, and even talked to them looking about first to make sure all of my neighbors were inside.  I was so excited to have my very own fireweed.  As they grew and grew something didn't look right.  Not sure if the seed manufacturer messed up or if the people of Alaska were saying, "Ha Ha, Fireweed is ours!". What grew instead was Calendula.  Turned out to be a new love affair.

Calendula is pretty (some even say happy), grows in any soil, and is anti bacterial, anti fungal, has anti inflammatory and antiseptic properties.  It can be used medicinally, in culinary, in cosmetics, and aromatically.  Calendula is from the Latin calendulae which means little calendar or little clock.  This   nicely ties in with its habit of closing its petals when there is no sun.  Propogate from seed sown autumn or spring and it will self seed profusely.  Also regular dead heading ensures you will get the most flowers.

If choosing to grow a medicinal garden, you can't go wrong with calendula.  Calendula salve is so easy to make and has become a staple in my medicine cabinet.  I use it for chapped lips, minor wounds, burns and bruises.  It is also excellent for babies.  Here is a site that gives you a fast and a long version (time wise).  I always use the longer version.  Make sure you have dried your petals completely as any dampness in the oil causes mold.  I dry mine on an old window screen on a sunny wind free day.  If you are going to use lavender oil make sure it is therapeutic grade.  You don't want to make a beautiful salve and spoil it with synthetics.

http://adelightfulhome.com/how-to-make-calendula-salve-and-why-you-should/

You can also cook with calendula.  It was once known as the poor man's saffron.  Fresh or dried petals can be added to rice, salads, and sprinkled over sweet dishes or baked in breads.  Zucchini bread is especially lovely with these bright orange and yellow petals sprinkled throughout.   Throw in some lavender buds and your friends will wonder why you are spoiling them so.

Now is the time to make room in your garden for this wonderful giving flower. Make sure your seed packets say Calendula Officinalis.  There are other related species that do not have the same medicinal value.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Ahhhh, bacon!


I eat bacon like a BOSS.  Bacon is something I make so that I can eat it while I am cooking something else.  And yes, a package of bacon is ONE serving.  A pound of bacon has 200 grams of fat but you normally get 12 ounces per package, so you do the math.  And if you have switched to happy bacon like I have you will get a mere 8-10 oz, which to me is a pretty good appetizer per fat ratio.  I mean I do drink green smoothies for breakfast and almost always have a salad for lunch and I can rationalize anything.  Bacon is so delicious I have never felt guilty eating it, until recently.  UNTIL I learned about factory farming.  I threw in a viewing of Babe for good measure and now I can hardly stomach going down the bacon aisle.

I guess I have known this all along (but chose to put it out of my pretty little head as the taste of swine is divine) but the clincher for me was watching This American Life, the video series.  One
episode was dedicated to documenting pigs and genetic science.  Before entering "the barn" the film
crew had to pretty much ensure that their whole being was sterile.  They wore masks, sterile outfits (with matching shoes), and had to sterilize their cameras.  If even one pig gets an outside germ it could kill them ALL because they are so pumped with antibiotics and steroids they no longer have immune systems.  These sweet creatures have never seen the sun or felt grass on their feet.  They aren't even able to turn around in their pen if that is what you want to call it.  Convicted 
murderers have better quarters.  I could share more but it ain't a pretty picture.  Watch the episode and tell me you haven't changed.

Bacon, up until this point, has been deemed my lover and now I have found out the truth.  Like many past lovers, once you know the truth, there is no going back.  (There has to be a way we can work it out!)  I don't want to completely lose my long time companion even if our relationship is no longer
what it used to be.

Swine Wisdom: If you are going to indulge, know where your bacon came from.  You have brought home the bacon and it doesn't come from Hoggett's pastoral farm setting.  (Imagine Babe singing
now.)  The bacon my grandmother ate and the bacon I eat are not the same by a long shot.

My bacon lover and I don't see as much of each other as we used to but when we do get together, it is beautiful. It is free from hormones, antibiotics and I am hoping, was once happy.  I admit my consumption has decreased significantly.  I have been caught sneaking around with some other smokey goodness: eggplant bacon.  Yes, you heard me right.  You can make a pretty good veggie version of bacon.  No, it is not the same, but still pretty darn tasty.

Matthew Kenney's recipe is the best I have tried.  The only problem is that if you are like me, when you want your bacon you want it NOW.  You need to think ahead for this as it requires a day or two of dehydrating.  This brings the loop full circle as I have eaten real bacon while I was making my eggplant bacon. You can always slice the bacon long ways to make it look more swine like.  
 Bon Appetit!


Sunday, April 7, 2013

When in Rome... My March Madness Fried Beer "Problem"

I do not watch or participate in sports for the most part.  Although one season I was on a curling team (Go Natural Born Curlers!) and had a super fun time.  It was my glimpse of being on a team and I do see the appeal.  But watching sports takes up so much time.  Time that could be spent doing something more interesting.  Even the most dreamiest of potential mates become instantly grotesque when I find out their sports watching habits.  If you watch basketball AND football, that is a deal breaker.  Poor women of NASCAR watching boyfriends and husbands.  You must really love watching people drive fast and turn left.  That sport never ends, a perpetual hell.

Having said that, I become a completely different person during March Madness.  I change from "I can't be bothered by sports" to a raving sports fanatic.  It is the most exciting three weeks of the year and for many reasons besides the adrenaline pumping great game of basketball!  As a teacher I design a lesson around it so we can watch it in class, I get to bond with some boys that I may not have bonded with otherwise, and it is a milestone of the school year meaning that summer is right around the corner.

I LOVE March Madness but this year my gut has told me that in the future we need to celebrate a bit differently.  Yet after every game I feel like the person who is non stop banging their head on the wall and wondering why they have a headache.  My intentions are pure but I get to the bar and inevitably order beer and some cheesy or fried thing.

I am not doing this to be in the "in" crowd.  I am honestly having a hard time flexing my health muscle.  I TRULY want a beer and nachos (or other delectable bar food) and don't come to my senses until I get home and FEEL what poor choices I have made.  I am in a quandary.  I am having the time of my life watching this great sport but also beating myself up for making yet another bad food choice.

I am having a food hangover this morning after having watched Wichita State and Syracuse lose last night and in my agony have decided to be a bit kinder to myself.  Instead of hating myself, maybe I should see this as the growing pains of change.  The first step is realizing there is a problem.   My stomach can't handle much more of this.

Will I listen to my gut on Monday night while I watch the championship game or will I take the attitude of when in Rome?  Either way, I have decided to love myself and am happy knowing it is the final game.  Maybe by next year my health muscle will be bigger and I will acknowledge my gut instinct.

Who will win?  I don't really care.  I just want it to be a good game and am hoping for some overtime.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Things I am Loving Right Now

I follow Jessica Ainscough's blog religiously.  This amazing Aussie cured herself of cancer using Gerson Therapy.  She is beautiful, passionate, and smart (and an inspiration to boot!).  I love when she posts things she is loving right now.  Maybe she borrowed it from Oprah's "my favorite things" and now I am borrowing it from her.  These are the things I am LOVING right now.


Tera Warner's WISH Summit (Women's International Summit for Health)

For 40 days and 40 nights, Tera gets down and dirty about health, wellness, women's issues, inspiration, business, nutrition and exercise.  You name it, Tera covers it.  Tera is a warm and witty firecracker and tells it like it is.  Tera interviews the Real Deals of the world.  I have laughed and cried and have had my eyes opened to things completely off my radar.  It is a bit more than 1/2 way through so you can still register.
www.wishsummit.com

My Tri Blade Vegetable Slicer

I am taking a raw food nutrition certification course and I am in love with zucchini pasta.  So nutritious and delicious.  My die hard meat eating boyfriend is sold and can't believe how filling vegetable pasta can be.  I use this baby at least twice a week.
http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Tri-Blade-Spiral-Vegetable-Slicer/dp/B006THC75E/ref=rec_dp_0

Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils

I recently became a doTERRA distributor (shameless self promotion) and am blown away daily by
the multiple uses for essential oils.  I have used peppermint and lavender on my plantar fasciitis,
lemongrass and frankencense on a bulging disc (aging is great but brings all sorts of random maladies), digestzen on my dog's rumbly tummy, as well as wild orange to to start my day and lift my spirits.  I am not a fan of over the counter medicines and love that these oils are 100% natural, cost effective and have no side effects.
http://www.doterra.myvoffice.com/healthygirlglow

Edgar's Mission

Edgar's Mission is a non profit farm sanctuary in Australia. Cows, pigs, sheep, roosters, horses, goats
and every other farm animal you can think of that has needed rescue will live out their life happy and free.  For $45 a year you can sponsor an animal.  A great idea for classrooms, birthday and wedding presents.  I am in love with Ruby, the dog almost killed by her owner because although she is a herding dog, had no interest in herding.  In 2012, 2452 animals were given another chance at life.
http://www.edgarsmission.org.au

Kale in my garden

How my kale survived the Montana winter is beyond me, but now it is spring and bragging in my barren garden plot is lovely, wonderful kale.  Yes, I drank the kool aid and am happily on the kale bandwagon.  So good for you and delicious.  If kale is still a mystery to you, maybe you haven't taken the time to massage it.  A wee bit of sea salt and olive oil and a loving touch will break down some of the fibers.  Kale chips are a must, but here is my absolute favorite kale recipe (it really is the recipe I love, but Dale Pinnock's Irish accent is icing on the gluten free cake...meeeoww)
http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=E6F1F7874FB8F01B29B17FF66DC53C41

Please share what you are loving at this moment.  I can't wait to hear about it.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Fall in Love with Fermentation, Veggie Style

Have you ever experienced the happy love feeling in your gut from eating homemade raw fermented veggies?  Believe me, once you have you will turn up your nose smuggly every time you pass the dead jars of kraut in your grocery store aisle.  Here are 10 reasons why making your own fermented veggies at home is a NO BRAINER.

1.  It is super easy.
2.  It is insanely inexpensive.
3.  It is chock full of nutrients and probiotics.
4.  It is LIVING food.
5.  It takes no special skills or equipment.
6.  It is better for your gut than probiotic pills.
7.  It is a great conversation starter when you bring it for lunch.
8.  It aids in digestion like no body's business.
9.  It is a cancer preventative.
10. It tastes so good your whole body sings in delight.

Unfortunately, I felt the need for perfection before I started.  I read and read recipes, techniques, and agonized over what could go wrong.  Yes, paralysis and theory before a smidgen of action (story of my life).  Thank god I received a swanky fermentation crock for Christmas.  The kraut gods were looking out for me.

After my first delectable batch, I realized what an idiot I had been.  Yes, even an idiot can make delicious fermented veggies.  Pretty sure there is an idiot's guide out there.

Don't wait for the crock!  All you need are veggies, salt, a sterilized jar, a plate to weigh down the 
contents and something else heavy to weigh that down and TIME.

Sandor Katz, author of Wild Fermentation, has a great basic sauerkraut recipe.  His book is wildly entertaining, informative and filled with historical facts.  It is my go to book on ferments.

.http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sauerkraut-2/


Enjoy!  If you love making fermented foods 1/2 as much as I do, you will be one happy kraut lover.