Sunday, June 29, 2008

Vegetarian?

Well, the one thng that detox did was make me really aware of how food makes me feel. I am so happy! I have no sugar cravings and do not want to eat meat. I thought going vegetarian would be hard, but it's easy and really satisfying. I found lots of great recipes and new ways of preparing old favorites without meat. Yea!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Earth Science almond aloe moisturizer

This smells really good and is light. It's $10 at Whole Foods.

Friday, June 20, 2008

ipod

my ipod has taken up too much of my time lately. I have been compiling play lists for my c lasses and I spent 4 hours on it today.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Good News

I have two good things to be really happy about but I don't want to jinx them>>>

Monday, June 16, 2008

Yea!! Day 21

I'm having a great day and am so happy to have some free time to catch up on my reading and kitchen experiments! I'm off the detox for the most part, but I still eat very little to no meat, no sugar and only 1 cup of coffee a day! I feel more relaxed and just better overall.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Ha! last day of school

We made it! My legs have been sore since Wednesday, we did lots of leg intensive poses during my 2 LTF classes. I can hardly sit! However, it feels really good to feel that muscle growth. The baby rabbits ate all of our sunflower sprouts! We had over 30 and they are all gone! I am really so appreciative of the blessings I have in my life. That's all for today. May life's blessings be more apparent and appreciated everyday!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Great idea

Begin a tradition, such as First Monday of the month clear out all old papers and magazines to the recycle bin.

Pledge to buy and eat a new item from the grocery store. I LOVE kefir and would have never known until I tried it.

Go to the library and check out a magazine that you have never seen (photography, fishing, crafts, etc) enjoy learning something new.

Become more attentive to your family and pets. Surprise them with a special treat,and make them feel pampered when they have a hard day.

Add a comment on another great idea, just click on comments at the bottom of this screen.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

SUN!

It was really here! It was so beautiful this afternoon, all the rain made me think of the 40 days of rain in the times of Noah. I am so excited about the summer and having more time to spend with friends and family. It's getting harder to not eat bread, I am so sick of what I have been eating, except for the fruit and veggies. I am enjoying them more now than before. I had an artichoke and turkey sandwich with black bean soup for lunch. I was feeling really tired and kind of spacey, I think I needed protein. It's hard for me to eat the same thing twice in a row, so I'm running out of options. I'm going to have to dig out my vegetarian cookbook tonight to plan a new set of dishes for tomorrow.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Detox day 14

No sugar cravings, I'm doing fine! I'm eating a lot of veggies, made the best hummus ever! Vic said it's better than La Shish used to make. I'm eating fruits and barley for breakfast, hummus veggies and rice crackers for lunch and more salads for dinner. I'm really taking advantage of the beautiful organic produce that's available. I got a new cookbook on Malaysian and Singaporian foods, it looks exotic and healthy. We almost bought a parakeet today. They looked so cute, but the girls said they bite, so I decided to pass.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Last week of school

I am not craving sugar but I did eat some chocolate today. Vic bought it for me for our anniversary and I've not had any since he gave it to me on the 4th. I'm a little stressed. It's the kid's last week of school and the summer work schedule needs planning. I'm working a lot, the kids have a lot of required summer work and I need to set our schedules.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Jicama salad recipe

Jicama is also called a Mexican potato. It is very mild, but has an amazing crisp, fresh flavor that goes well with anything. Jicama and avocado work well as the smoothness of the avocado contrasts the crispness of the jicama and the Balsamic vinegar.


*Select a firm, solid looking jicama, with no surface blemishes. about 12 ounces, if larger, slice it in half and cover with saran wrap. Don't refrigerate the jicama. Use the next day.

To serve 4 people,

Peel skin off and julienne jicama, about 4 or 5 cups is good

slice and dice 3 roma tomatoes , add to bowl

dress with 2T olive oil and 2T white balsamic vinegar (regular can be used but it darkens the jicama), sprinkle with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

peel and slice one huge avocado, add to bowl and gently toss to coat.

serve promptly, don't refrigerate this, it ruins it. ENJOY!

Jicama, avacado and tomato salad

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Rainy day

Enjoy a nice cup of tea, a warm blanket and a good book tonight.

My beautiful dinner at Andy and Peggy's

Detox day 8

I am sleepy! I ate too much and it makes me tired. I have to have 1 cup of coffee with soy or almond milk in the morning, but with NO SUGAR!!! This is a huge accomplishment for me , down from 3t of sugar per cup, and tons of cream (about 7 cups of coffee a day, down to 1)! I ate a banana for breakfast, 1/4 of a cookie for lunch and for dinner a glass of kefir, rice and veggies, cauliflower, a small bowl of tomato / roasted red pepper soup. I am so aware of how food makes me feel now! I gulped the kefir before dinner because I was so hungry, it is dairy but I don't care when I'm starving! Kefir is about the best dairy you could consume so I don't feel so bad. It is a probiotic "yogurt like" drink but I like it much better than any yogurt smoothie I've tried. It has 10 active probiotics and is great for your Gi tract. The point is BEING PREPARED! If I had known and packed a lunch I would have been fine. Overall I am doing much better than I imagined I could! I don't miss anything! I can see how this can re-adjust your bodies chemistry to work better (insulin receptors adjust to low levels of sugar in blood stream and cravings stop). This is exciting! Yes Sue, our bodies deserve this!
Namaste!~ Tricia

Picture of the monster cookie

Monster cookies

I made gigantic chocolate chip cookies yesterday. I had contractors working on the house and my boys love a great cookie after school with a big glass of milk, so I made them. I ate 1/4 of one for lunch today, and felt pretty bad because of the sugar but I had no lunch and was starving (Garrett's field trip included a lunch at the park and I wasn't informed, so I was unprepared!). They are so good it should be a crime! My friend Kelly was sitting with us noticed the cookie and asked for the recipe so here goes:

Feel free to share this recipe, just give me credit as I developed the recipe.

I use all organic ingredients , or as much a possible, so I don't put "organic" in front of every item.

preheat oven to 375

In the bowl of a electric mixer, cream the following:
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 c brown sugar

Sweet dairy whey can be used to substitute part of the sugar, it's from Bob's Red mill
1 stick of unsalted butter
1T vanilla,
BUY the best you can afford...it is well worth it! Nielsen Massey is my favorite, although not organic, it is fabulous.

Stop mixer and scrape down sides then add:
2 eggs
1T almond extract
, the best is Simply Organic..it smells so good I could wear it as perfume!~
mix well then add:

Please sift these together first:
1c oats that are pulverized in the blender
1 c whole oats
1 c All Purpose flour
1 c golden flax seed meal
1/2 c c raw wheat germ
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt ( I use sea salt or ground kosher)
mix until blended but not too much

add: 6 oz milk chocolate chips and 6 oz semi -sweet (each 6 oz portion is 1/2 a bag)
1/4 c white chocolate chips
1c chopped walnuts
1/2 c sliced almonds


Mix well and using large scoop,place 4 on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes
They weigh 4 ounces (4 inches across and an inch high) each and are nice and soft in the middle.

CRUCIAL step: do not over bake!! They should be golden brown and just set on top. They will be dry if over baked.

Enjoy! Share one with a friend!

Monday, June 2, 2008

What I ate part 2

I've been eatinga lot of vegetables, fruit, barley with berries and almond milk, herbal tea, oatmeal, quinoa salad, apple slices with peanut butter, soy and almond milk, trail mix (Trader Joe's Simply The Best Trex Mix is good). I've also eaten eggs, rice crackers, more vegetables. Dried cherries and raisins have replaced my candy for sweet fixes. My biggest problem WAS sugar... WAS... I don't need it anymore. I'll ask my sister for the details of the detox book that she has and post it asap.

The key is to be prepared. Don't allow yourself to be caught with nothing good to eat.

Namaste~ Tricia

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Detox day 6

I've been completely free of sugar cravings and have really enjoyed the freedom from cravings in general. My complexion is really improving! My sister has the book that explains the effects of the foods on the body and why you avoid them during detox. Excessive sugar intake increases insulin which leads to excessive oil production. I've noticed my skin is brighter and clearer. The sad truth is that sugar is bad, organic, honey, maple syrup...it doesn't matter it's all bad:( The detox options are stevia powder or agave nectar (like honey in consistency) neither of these increase the flow of insulin which means they don't spike your blood sugar, This is a good thing!

2 Quinoa recipes

This is from wikipedia: Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and followed in third place by maize. In contemporary times this crop has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete food. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered as a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.[5]

You can buy quinoa in bulk at whole foods or in bags at health food stores. Measure the amount you need then put it in the pot and rinse it very well. I soak it for 2 minutes then rinse it 4 or 5 times to remove the saponins (form of soap)which make untasty to birds and bugs.

Amy B's recipe as follows:
Quinoa with peas and scallions

1 c. of quinoa (may sub brown rice)
1 c. of orange juice (I just use the sections of 3-4 oranges and squeeze the juice)
1 c. of chicken stock or water
2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. of sea salt
2 t. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 c. frozen peas thawed
3 scallions chopped
1/4 c. chopped basil
4 T. chopped cilantro
zest of 1 orange

Combine quinoa, oranges, stock, cumin and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer cover till all the liquid is absorbed. 15-18 minutes for quinoa and 45-50 minutes for rice. Heat oil in a saute pan and saute garlic, peas and scallions for about 2 minutes. Add pea mixture to prepared quinoa. Add in basil, cilantro and zest. Serve warm or cold.

I usually double this recipe. Enjoy.


I changed the recipe to accommodate what I had on hand:

Quinoa with peas and scallions

2 c. of quinoa (may sub brown rice)
3 oranges peeled and cut into small sections
2c. of vegetable stock
2 t. ground cumin
1t Garam Masala (spice section)
1 t. of sea salt
4 t. olive oil
1T butter
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 c. frozen peas thawed
6 scallions chopped

Combine quinoa, oranges, stock, cumin and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, covered until all the liquid is absorbed. Heat oil in a saute pan and saute garlic, peas and scallions for about 2 minutes. Add pea mixture to prepared quinoa. Serve warm or cold.

I had a big bowl of this after class today and felt surprisingly full! Some fresh strawberries and a little bit of spinach chapati too.

Namaste! Tricia