I saw the sign 4

Alright….

Stop collaborate and listen 

 

Over the Thanksgiving holiday there was also: STOP “and give thanks”

I love you stop sign communicator, you brighten my day.

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Back in the saddle

Photo via the internet (my pies are not that pretty)

I’ve basically spent the past week eating and sleeping, there were no gym visits, there wasn’t much of anything going on except the aforementioned eating, oh and cooking of course.  I did eat a lot of veggies but they were usually swimming in butter, oil, and/or cheese……mmmmmm, cheese.  I also had pie, with a side of pie and whipped creams and ice creams and cookies and oh my.  Not surprisingly I looked at my husband last night and said, “I feel so sorry for myself”!

It’s true eating this way not only causes a mess with my digestive system it also totally screws with me emotionally.  My typical M.O. is to be super hard on myself and forget all the fun and community that I had in the last week and just wince at each “bad choice” I made and groan about the difficulty of getting back “on track”.  But you know what – LIFE IS TOO SHORT.  And as Kris Carr told me recently, “LIFE LOVES ME”!  What kind of recipient of life’s love would I be if I start my whole woe-is-me routine?  So this morning, I woke-up, hit the gym, went to the g-store, made my smoothie and sat down to talk to you fine folks, cause you know what?  LIFE LOVES US ALL!

This is my “Back in the Saddle” concoction:

1 cup almond milk

1 banana

1 scoop Vanilla Chai Vega

1 scoop Amazing Greens berry powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cacao

1/4 tsp espresso

2 ice cubes

Giddy up ‘lil doggies, I can already feel my little light starting to shine once again.


I saw the sign 3

It just keeps getting better.

Stop I Pity the Fool

And my favorite so far….

Stop Hammertime / Stop in the name of Love

That “Hammertime” is askew and barely hanging on makes me laugh even harder, but the winner has to be “in the name of love”.  Gotta love the postivity on the stop sign everybody loves to hate!


I saw the sign 2

You guys might remember when I wrote about the new stop sign that came into my life a few weeks ago.  When I was out and about the other day I had to stop and snap this picture:

This, of course, is THE stop sign, the one I’m trying to be all zen about but really it’s quite pointless.  But here’s the NEW thing this sign has shown me, I live in a neighborhood with some sass!  I’ve seen these little tokens of outspoken honesty, humor or angst in places that have some interesting-ness, like Austin for example.  I never, never, ever thought I would see something like this in Dallas, or perhaps it’s hard to see the growth and change of a place when you live there?  Either way, I’m happy I live in a city where people feel free to write random thoughts on cardboard signs, I hope this is the first of many!

In case you live in this city or are planning a visit, here are a few other new things in Dallas that I think are worthy of your time.

Klyde Warren Park – a park in the middle of the city, certainly not a new concept but I’m glad Dallas can be counted as a city that has one.

The Office of Angela Scott – in a city filled to the brim with almost every mass retailer known to man, it’s nice there’s also a home grown shoe shop doing everything by hand, oh the artistry!

Perot Museum of Nature and Science – Opens Dec. 1st but looks VERY promising


You ate WHAT?

Recently I was on the zen habits site and I clicked over to his food journal found in this post.  To be perfectly honest, I was a little surprised after reading through his list.  In my mind he subsists on broth, veggies and the occasional fruit, this makes no sense of course since I read his blog regularly and know he likes his red wine and gelato.  However, my mind has a tricky way of putting people, like Leo, on little pedestals of perfection, which is silliness – we are all just doing the best we can right?!

That said, I feel bad about my judge-y ways, to be fair I documented my own eating habits for a week.  It’s the first time I’ve done a food journal, it’s pretty enlightening, especially the week below.  With my husband out of town looks like I still revert back to my old college stand-by of cereal for dinner, ah the ease of it.  And my PMS causes more sweet cravings than I realized.  Oh look at me trying to justify – It’s far from healthy sometimes, but it’s the real deal – greasy spoon diner, green smoothies and all!

*I drink water all day long and unless noted otherwise and with every meal.

Monday

7:00 am Handful of raw walnuts and warm water with lemon

9:45 am Smoothie – Rice milk, 1/4 avocado, frozen blueberries, 1/2 scoop vega, scoop of almond butter, 1 tbs cacao, ice cubes

1:20 Discarded crusts of 2 peanut butter sandwiches on sprouted whole grain bread

1:45 Black Sesame rice crackers with tabouleh and a couple small carrots

3:00 Bite of my son’s discarded Smores Cliff bar (nasty – note to self, never by again)

5:15 About 5 sesame rice crackers smeared with 1/4 avocado, sea salt, pepper, lime juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes

6:00 Big green salad with vingear/oil dressing, left over spaghetti and meat sauce (about 3/4 cup), greek yogurt/granola/choc. chips (I’m stuffed)

Tuesday

6:45 am Warm water with lemon

8:45 am Smoothie – Almond milk, spinach, orange (peeled), dates(2), Nuttzo, greens powder, vanilla flavor

12:30 Veggie hummus wrap (carrots, kale, purple cabbage, mixed greens, sherry vinegar, pepper, wrapped in whole grain lavash), hummus chips and Engine 2 salsa

5:35 pm Medium Salad – romaine and cucumber oil/vinegar, Potato Leek soup, 3 “cookie dough bites

Wednesday

6:15 am Warm water with lemon

7:15 A couple bites of kids left over baked oatmeal

9:10 am Smoothie – rasberries, 1/4 avocado, greens powder, vega, pumpkin spice blend, almond milk, ice, agave

11:00 pm Decaf soy latte, handful Hail Merry Granola

12:15  pm PB & J crusts, handful granola, couple carrots

2:00  pm Honey Greek yogurt with Granola

2:30 1/4 apple, handful hummus chips, carrot sticks and hummus (4)

7:00 pm (Dinner out with friend) Tortilla chips and salsa, green salad with rice and black beans, Chocolate pudding cake (2/3) (Ate till I was STUFFED)

Thursday

6:45 am Water with lemon, 2 pieces Ezekiel Bread Cinnamon Raisin toasted

9:30 am Finish kids left over baked oatmeal

12:30 pm Spinach, mushroom, grilled onion, black bean, sprinkle of cheese whole wheat taco, Hot apple cider

2:15 2 “cookie dough” bites and 1 Hail Merry Choc. macaroon

5:05 pm Cereal for early dinner – combo Udi’s gluten free cranberry granola, Hail Merry GRAWnola, Rip’s berry big bowl with Almond milk

Friday

6:30 am Pina Colada Smoothie

10:30 Kids left over baked oatmeal and honey greek yogurt

(on road to visit my parents)

1:00 1/2 Veggie hummus wrap (cabbage, romaine, carrots), 1/2 peanut butter wrap (kids), 1/2 apple

3:00 2 frozen “cookie dough” bites

6:00 At my parents – Cooked spinach, sweet potato cooked in coconut oil, 2 oatmeal raisin cookies

Saturday

6:30 am Chai tea

7:00 am  1 Trader Joe’s frozen gluten free pancake

7:45 am granola, greek yogurt drizzled with maple syrup

9:00-10:30 nibbled on granola and drank Chai tea

12:30 Lunch at local diner – hamburger, french fries and coke

7:00 Dinner at home – cereal combo Udi’s gluten free cranberry granola, Hail Merry GRAWnola, Rip’s berry big bowl with Almond milk and a scoop of greek yogurt

Sunday

6:30 Hot water with lemon

7:30 2 pieces Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Bread

9:30 Hot apple cider, pumpkin chocolate chip muffin

1:50 pm Smoothie – Almond milk, vega, green powder, spinach, walnuts, frozen cherries, cacao, stevia

7:00 pm Turkey Chili salad, pie with whipped cream, red wine (1/2 glass), tea


Better than.

A small list of just a few things I believe are truly better than their less healthy versions.

1.  Cookie dough bites by weelicious for goop.  I’ve made these 4 times since GP posted this treat in October, a new family sweet treat favorite, sooooo easy and dairy free, gluten free, soy free!

2.  The breakfast taco – Sautéed spinach, mushroom and grilled onion breakfast taco.  The old egg, cheese, bacon stand-by is just boring in comparison.  Even better my Whole Foods opened a taco bar and I can get this tasty delight made to order….every Whole Foods has a suggestion box – take advantage!

3.  Chocolate milkshake from My New Roots – the dairy, sugar laden competition honestly does not do it for me any more.  My own spin – instead of her 1/4 cup hemp seeds, I use 2 TBS almond butter and 1/2 avocado instead of a whole, using a whole avocado makes it too thick IMO.

“Raw Chocolate Milkshake Miracle
Ingredients:
• ¼ cup hemp seeds (or use soaked almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds etc.)
• 2 heaping Tbsp. raw cacao powder
• 1 Avocado
• 1 very large frozen banana (or 2 small) 
• 2 Tbsp. raw honey, agave, or maple syrup
• dash sea salt 
• ¾ – 1 cup water
• 4 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Blend all the ingredients together; add water to thin if desired. It’s a thick one, folks! 
And although the urge to chug may take over, don’t forget to “chew” your milkshake for better digestion! Very important.”

4.  Cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread, someone recently offered me the Sarah Lee version……nasty.  Slather on some almond butter and it’s one delightful treat.

5.  Hummus Chips – Simply 7 Sea Salt is my preferred brand, kind of like a Funnion but not as scary and super fun to crunch.  We add them to chili, salads, anything that benefits from some crunch. Boulder Canyon makes a good version too.

Happy (healthier) snacking and Happy Friday.


Is there a nutritionist in the house?

Photo via Internet

As I was flipping through my fancy new cookbook this weekend, I came upon a known fact that I ALWAYS forget.  It has to do with spinach, spinach is an amazing little leaf, it has calcium and iron and loads of other great things, it also has oxalate.  Oxalate hinders the absorption of calcium and iron in the bloodstream basically reducing your raw spinach intake to some good fiber.

What the hell, right?

After some clicking around on the internet, since my fancy new cookbook did not reiterate how to unlock the full potential of your spinach, here’s what I re-learned:

Two easiest and most common ways to get your Popeye on.

1.  Light cooking – this can breakdown some of the oxalate encouraging more nutrient (calcium and iron) absorption.  The trouble here is over cook and you’ve killed the nutrients anyway.

2.  Add vitamin C –  Vitamin C blocks the oxalate from binding to the calcium and iron so they can be absorbed.  Something I’m not totally clear on are the acceptable methods for spinach and vitamin C pairing, for example there is VItamin C in my Vega and Amazing Grass powders.  I do suspect that in this instance, this combo works best with whole food, here’s a list of some foods highest in Vitamin C:

  1. Red and Green Hot Chili Peppers
  2. Guavas
  3. Bell Peppers
  4. Fresh Herbs (Thyme and Parsley)
  5. Dark Leafy Greens (Kale, Mustard Greens, Garden Cress)
  6. Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts
  7. Kiwis
  8. Papaya
  9. Oranges and Clementines
  10. Strawberries

 


2010 and beyond

It seems I’m stuck……in 2010.  First I saw the above from NYLON magazine (which I have on a “cool” pedestal) knocking my affinity for vampires on television.  Netflix only of course since actual TV is like soooooo 2007*.

Next, I became a little obsessed with these No. 6 boots below on Julianne Moore:

Know when the picture was taken?  2010.

This last one is a bit of a stretch but three things always illustrate a point better than two….. sooooo THIRDLY, Florence + the Machine, currently one of my favorite listening pleasures, well, Florence + the Machine** became “mainstream” in 2010 (album launched in 2009 but You Tube videos came in 2010 – I know I’m reaching).

I can’t help thinking about a Gilmore Girls episode where Rory’s friends throw a 2002 themed party (the actual year this episode aired was 2006) – they all wore Ugg’s and listened to music from that long ago (4 years) time.

I’m not sure if it’s my age or just the state of the world but it’s all blurring together.  Look at fashion, you see 80’s revival, grunge (90’s), boho mania (70’s), mod mama’s (60’s) and Ugg’s.  I’m going shopping with my sister this weekend and I’m dying to see her in a skirt a la June Cleaver (50’s).

I’m suspecting the “Internet” is to blame for this lack of definition concerning the decades and years.  Every thing from every time is available with a few clicks.  It takes too much effort to come up with something new when you can hit a few buttons and scroll through millions of images and just choose one for yourself.  I’m really hoping there’s some kind of micro culture happening in a younger generation that’s anti-everything and then maybe we’ll see something worthy of a new catch-phrase in 2020.

*2007 being the year we disconnected our cable and went with out “tv”……of course there’s been a steady stream of Netflix since then and THANK GOD for apple TV.

** Yeah I know Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos called and they want their music back.