Day 14 & Making It Happen

I can't believe how long it's been since I last wrote a post. Ten school days! Initially I thought I'd like to write a post every day, because the blogs I follow are written on a daily basis (usually by 8 in the morning - holey cow!). I've realized that daily is a stretch for me. I'm thinking weekly posts should be my new reachable goal.

It's not that I don't have anything to write about -- I have SO many ideas jotted down on post-it notes, notebooks, itty bitty slips of paper, the white board, etc. It's just that everything else I'm doing is taking so much of my time already and I'm still consistently getting to bed later than I plan each night. How did I ever spend so much time in front of the t.v.?! No wonder so many other areas of my life were neglected. Care takes time.

I feel amazing! I am feeling amazing. My clothes fit better, which is great, but I feel like getting away from the t.v. and getting more involved with my life has just opened me up. I love how much I'm cooking, prepping, blending smoothies, running the dishwasher even! I love this new life I'm living and all the new adventures I'm having (even if most of them have been in my own kitchen)!

Tonight I am roasting beets for the first time. Roasting beets! For real. These are amazing. They smell incredible. Earthy. When I brought them home from Whole Foods they were dirty and left little piles of sandy dirt wherever I set them down. I loved it. That dirt reminds me that God provides. And that He has already provided us with everything we need - in nature - for wellness and sustenance.

I just pulled them out of the oven and they are simply amazing. What an easy, delicious, and healthy thing to make! It's sad it took me so long to get on board. Look what I was missing out on all these years! But really, the great thing is that now, no matter what, I'm making it happen.

How to Roast Beets
borrowed from: http://www.oprah.com/food/Roasted-Beet-Salad
and
http://laquillen.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/arugula-salad-with-roasted-beets-and-figs/
(I seriously need to try roasting figs next week!)

Ingredients
Beets, scrubbed (Remove the greens but leave about a 1/2 inch of the stem end intact to preserve the nutrients, also leave root end intact. Save greens to steam -- they are exceptionally nutritious. Unfortunately, I learned that a bit late and had already tossed them into the compost. Next time.)
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°. Line a large piece of aluminum foil with parchment paper. Place beets in center of parchment. Drizzle with one tablespoon oil, and season with salt and pepper. Fold aluminum foil up to enclose beets. Place on a small baking sheet and roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour.

Remove from oven and let sit until no longer hot to the touch. Rub off skins and discard.

Yum.....at some point I'd love to try this Balsamic Vinegar method, too: http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2005/10/day-208-roasted-beets-with-balsamic.html

Day 5 (of the school year): I may need an Internet Intervention

I am wiped out! Believe it or not, today was my day off since neither the school called nor did my tours book. It was lovely. However, I think I may need to limit my internet use while I'm on this tv diet as well. The internet is a limitless source of information. And while that is awesome, it's also the problem! I have been researching recipes, raw foods, books, cookbooks, blogs and blogging advice, vacation possibilities, professional avenues -- everything imaginable -- ALL DAY.

I stopped long enough to:
- make a healthy breakfast of quinoa, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, almond meal, coconut flakes and coconut milk (I think I'll skip the coconut milk next time)
- finish reading one of the books assigned to the students for summer reading (I like to read what they're assigned in case it comes up)
- eat a healthy lunch (it didn't need any preparation because I had it ready to go last night in case I got called in)
- prepare and mail 4 important documents that I have been procrastinating on
- go to the library, open a libary card account, find 3 books to sign out (the limit for a new card holder)
- make a new batch of almond milk (this definitely came out better!) and turn it into a smoothie with frozen peaches and frozen mangoes.

Beyond that...I was online. It's hard to find a fair limit for the internet because I'm using it to support real living by identifying practices and opportunities. However, this much probably isn't good. I guess it's something to think about. But for today, I'm done thinking!

Day 4 (of the school year) and Exploring New Frontiers In Food

Kale. Homemade Almond Milk. Mmmmm......kinda.

I decided to try Dr. Junger's recipe for homemade almond milk. It was super easy to make and I was really proud of myself until I tasted it. Something was off. It occurred to me a little late that the clean dish towel I used to strain the almond pulp had been washed with regular laundry detergent and dried with a dryer sheet. Yuck! It totally tasted like chemicals. So...I dumped that batch out and am now on the hunt for some actual cheese cloth and a fine strainer like he recommends. I didn't have those on hand and have heard that a clean dish towel works just as well -- I'm sure it does, but only if it's been cleaned without using dryer sheets! Also, in the couple of sips I took, I found the milk to be a bit thin, so next time I'd like to try reducing the water to nut ratio (as I found elsewhere online) to make it a bit creamier.

Kale! Kale was a scary vegetable to me for some reason. I love vegetables, but for whatever reason, I found myself dreading trying kale. I've avoided it for years! But this past weekend we found our way to Whole Foods and I decided it was time to take the kale plunge.

As soon as we got home I called my sister to ask her how she prepared kale and she said the only way she's used it so far is for smoothies. Okay...that's one idea! So I cleaned the kale as I would clean Romaine lettuce leaves and I set it aside to dry. As I cleaned it, I was struck by how beautiful it was. The leaves are brilliantly dark green and they are very firm. It' just gorgeous.

I tore off a bite size piece and gave it a shot -- VERY BITTER -- not so sure it's gonna work in a smoothie! So I got right to work looking up recipes for kale. I figured, if I'm going to give this stuff a fair shot, I better find a delicious way to serve it! The very first recipe I found was the winner: Heidi Swanson's, of 101 Cookbooks, Raw Tuscan Kale Salad Recipe (inspired by Melissa Clark's cookbook, In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite).

Wow! Did this salad ever sound delicious!! But unfortunately, her recipe called for using bread crumbs and cheese, 2 items that are currently eliminated from my diet. Bummer.

I decided to use her recipe anyway, modified for my current needs now, and I've saved her version to use when I'm able to reintroduce those other foods. (Yum!)

I am so glad I came across her recipe -- it turns out that kale is awesome when paired with the right flavors. I made her *modified* salad and ate it with the leftover Roasted Cilantro Chicken piled on top. It was AMAZING. I made so much noise enjoying myself!

Since that first dish I've eaten kale salad every day, really only varying the dressings (always with vinegar or lemon and either olive oil or sesame oil).

I even got Eddie to eat kale! For real!!! Here's what I said on facebook, "I got Eddie to eat kale, broccolli, carrots, celery, and onions tonight! I kid you not. I think I saw a pig fly by the window! I made a stir fry, added some fresh garlic, soy sauce and chicken...put it all in a wrap. He ate it all and came back for seconds!! Progress folks, this is definitely progress!!!"

I am so proud of him. So proud of both of us! We're definitely moving in the right direction. :)

I've included the recipes I used below (and the original salad recipe as well). Enjoy!

Modified Raw Tuscan Kale Salad 9/4/11
I modified the recipe below (which sounds AMAZING) because right now I’m not eating bread or cheese. I also went heavy on the garlic b/c it’s so good for you (heard today it’s the best for preventing cancer). Here’s what I did (it was very good!):

1 bunch Lacinato Kale
1/3 of an English cucumber
2 medium size celery stalks
Several baby carrots
¼ red onion
3 or 4 cloves of garlic (depending on the size, more or less)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch (I just measured it in the palm of my hand)
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon
Cayenne pepper (approximately 1/8 tsp, just put how much looked good)
Black pepper to taste

Trim the bottom few inches off the kale stems and discard. Slice the kale into 3/4-inch ribbons. Place the kale in a large bowl. Chop cucumber, celery and carrots and add to the kale. Dice red onion and add to the veggie bowl.
Mince the garlic into a small bowl, add the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, used a spoon to smoosh it into a paste. Add 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the kale & other veggies and toss very well (the dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat the leaves). Let the salad sit for 15 minutes, then serve.

Raw Tuscan Kale Salad, 101 Cookbooks

I doubled up on the breadcrumbs here. Because who doesn't like a bit of extra crunch? That is reflected in the recipe below. And for those of you without access to pecorino, freshly grated Parmesan would be a reasonable substitute.

1 bunch Tuscan kale (for ex: black or lacinato)
2 thin slices country bread, or two handfuls good, homemade coarse breadcrumbs
1/2 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1/4 cup (or small handful) grated pecorino cheese, plus adiitional for garnish
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish
Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon (scant 1/4 cup or ~50ml)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Trim the bottom few inches off the kale stems and discard. Slice the kale into 3/4-inch ribbons. You should have 4 to 5 cups. Place the kale in a large bowl.

If using the bread, toast it until golden brown on both sides and dry throughout. Tear into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until the mixture forms coarse crumbs, or crumbs to your liking.
Using a mortar and pestle or a knife, pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss very well (the dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat the leaves).. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with the bread crumbs, additional cheese, and a drizzle of oil.

Adapted from the Raw Tuscan Kale Salad with Chiles and Pecorino recipe in Melissa Clark's In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite.
Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 5 min
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/raw-tuscan-kale-salad-recipe.html

Basic Nut Milk (makes 4 cups)
1 cup of nuts, soaked for 3 hours in purified water
1 tsp vanilla powder or extract
1 to 2 tsp agave syrup or brown rice syrup
3 cups purified water

1. Drain the nuts, discarding the water.
2. Place in blender with vanilla powder extract, sweetener, and 3 cups purified water.
3. Blend for about 3 minutes.
4. Strain through fine strainer or cheesecloth.
5. Store in refrigerator; lasts for 2 days.
*Agave syrup, also called agave nectar, is made from cactus. It is still a sugar (fructose), so use it sparingly.

Day 3 (of the school year) and Labor Day

Happy Labor Day! :) Eddie talked me into using 45 minutes of my 5 hours to spend some time with him watching Morgan Spurlock's new show, "50 Documentaries to See Before You Die". It was great! And it's inspired me to start my own list of "Best Movies Ever That I Could Recommend To Another Human". Look for that list, coming soon to a blog near you!

Now that I’m not watching so much tv, I’ve really been able to spend more time cooking and planning meals. There’s so much that goes into really living well. And living well is awesome -- I’m thoroughly enjoying myself! It makes me wonder why we ever spend so much time zoning out in front of the television.

We’ve tried a few new recipes lately, with some hits and some misses. The first new dish I made came from the book, Clean by Dr. Alejandro Junger. I purchased this book recently when I decided to really clean up my diet and get my weight under control. Since Borders is going out of business they’ve had incredible sales on all their stock, so of course that was the place to go! I was looking for a particular cookbook on clean eating, but couldn’t find what I wanted. Instead, I found Dr. Junger’s book and I figured that it might be dry and boring, but would probably give me the information I needed.

Boy, was I wrong! This book was great!! I’ve already read through the entire thing once entirely and I’m itching to start reading it again (but I’ve got to give Eddie a chance to read it first!). There’s no mistaking my copy of the book now – the pages are dog eared, it’s been attacked by my multicolored pen, there’s lots of things underlined, notes written in the sides, lists on the back cover -- this book is the real deal. It was tremendously helpful; it’s written in a way that makes it easy to understand and apply to your life. I love his “do what you can” attitude toward reducing toxins and making dietary changes within your budget. It makes you feel like even though there are so many big scary toxins out there in the world that we could never completely avoid, any little thing you can do to reduce your exposure is a good thing -- and no change is too small.

I loved this book so much that I went back to Borders and bought a second copy to give my friend Dennis, who’s moved home and opened an osteopathic practice nearby! I’m telling you -- MIND BLOWING!!

So as I was saying earlier, thanks to my tv diet and our new friend Dr. Junger, we have eaten well these past few days. Very well!

I roasted chicken for the first time ever and found it was super easy to do and SO delicious. The recipe for the chicken is accompanied by a relish. His relish recipe calls for one ingredient I don’t really enjoy, so I left it out and now call this dish: “Roasted Cilantro Chicken Breast with Avocado, Mango and Ginger Relish”. To be honest, the chicken was incredible (I ate it for 3 more days eagerly), but the relish was a little out of my comfort zone with regard to texture and taste combos.
After my success with this recipe, I decided to try my hand at homemade almond milk and exploring the world of kale. But this post is long enough -- I’ll save those stories for tomorrow!

Just a quick tally on my 5 hours/week tv allowance:
After using 2 hours for the cocaine documentary with Harold, Eddie and I enjoyed Food Inc. on Friday night (enjoyed might not entirely be the right word, but it was incredible and life changing), and on Saturday night we watched an hour of Bridesmaids (HIL-AR-IOUS!!!) with Jenny, Joe, and Melissa after Kevin's graduation party.
2 + 2 + 1 = 5 hours. And boy, they went by fast!


Roasted Cilantro Chicken Breast with Avocado, Mango and Ginger Relish

Salsa Ingredients
½ mango diced into small cubes
½ avocado cut into ½ inch chunks
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (Juice from ½ fresh lime)
1 tsp sesame oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cayenne
Chicken Ingredients
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (Juice from ½ fresh lime)
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
½ tsp sea salt
Pinch of cayenne
2 chicken breast halves with bone and skin

1. In a bowl combine olive oil, lime juice, cilantro and cayenne. Coat chicken, being sure to lift the skin and get some marinade under there too) and marinate it for one hour.
2. Mix all salsa ingredients and let sit for at least one hour in the refrigerator.
3. Turn oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken with marinade on shelf towards the top and bake uncovered for approximately 45-50 minutes. Turn occasionally until ready.
4. Serve chicken and place salsa on the side. (Remove the skin before eating.)
5. The chicken is really good as leftovers over a salad.

Day Two

It's 7:22 pm and I'm sitting down for the first time since getting out of work. Aaahhh...it's a good feeling. Being productive, that is! It feels good -- real good!

I subbed today, so when Eddie and I got out of work we went straight to the grocery store and filled our cart to the top with fruits and veggies. One of my goals in this project is to reallocate our "tv time" towards making a dramatic impact on our health by learning more about nutrition, developing healthier eating habits, cooking more, and making better food choices. (Eddie managed to sneek in some sugary cereal and a big loaf of French bread, but I'm just glad that he's willing to make some changes to his diet, if not a complete 180).

Tomorrow we have a graduation party to attend and we're responsible for the fruit salad, so we've got that in the works. I've transitioned to a Clean diet recently (almost a raw diet), so now our house is very well stocked with things I can eat.

Dinner is marinating, going into the oven in 20 minutes (a new recipe for us from the Clean book), and the washing machine is running so I'll have clean clothes for work tomorrow (zip on!). Eddie helped me out and emptied and loaded the dishwasher so the sink area is all cleaned up, and the table is clear for yet another dinner together not in front of the tv! This tv diet is really working out for us!!

Yesterday was Harold's birthday, so we spent some time downstairs and watched tv for 2 hours: a documentary on the history channel called "Cocaine - History Between the Lines". I definitely feel good that we chose something interesting and culturally relevant, but I would've felt okay about the choice to watch tv then anyway, because it was a way to spend time with Harold on his special day.

So that leaves me 3 more hours this week if I want to use them. There is a movie I've been wanting to see: "Food Inc.". I know it's available on demand, but I don't know if I want to watch it just yet. I mean, I give myself 5 hours in case I want them, but I really do want to experience some big benefits and changes through all this so it may be best to hold back for now. On the other hand, cuddling with Eddie in front of a good movie is always awesome on a Friday or Saturday night!

I guess I have some deciding to do...

Day One

It's time to stop whining and start creating the life I want!

I've been whining to Eddie that we watch too much tv, that we should get more exercise, that we should hike more. But I haven't done my part to make that happen. Until now, that is!

It's time to turn off the tv and live the life we're meant to be living. No, really it's time: TODAY'S THE DAY!

Today is the first day of my personal challenge to limit myself to 5 hours or less television viewing each week for the entire length of this school year. Although school was scheduled to start Monday, thanks to Hurricane Irene we didn't actually start school until today! This challenge is very important for me, though, so although I was thrilled to have Eddie home with me for a few extra days, I still limited my tv intake in preparation for the new life I'm planning to live.

The goal of this project is to enrich my life and strengthen my relationships. Here are my preliminary guidelines:
1. A week will run Sunday through Saturday
2. My tv consumption will be limited to 5 hours or less each week.
3. Viewing movies will count towards this limit.
4. Because one of the goals of this project is to strengthen relationships, if I visit someone and their way of spending time together is watching television, I will allow myself that time regardless of the diet. However, I will not visit someone for the purpose of viewing television if I have already maxed out my 5 hours.
5. I will chart my progress here, including tv viewing (what, when, how much) and what else I'm doing towards new and better living.

I anticipate the list of guidelines will grow as I live through this experience, but for now that seems like a good start!

Onward!