Mmmmm. Salad.

Spring Greens.

Cucumber sliced.

Carrots sliced.

Strawberries sliced.

Sliced Almonds.

Dressing. Udo's and Seasoned Vinegar. Cracked pepper.

I was feeling blue this morning and this really perked me up. Enjoy!

Fennel.

I've always wondered about these funny looking veggies and today I took the plunge. Here is the recipe I made for dinner, enjoy!

2 Hot Italian sausages taken out of casings
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 medium Fennel bulb (put fronds to side)
1 medium red pepper cut into thin strips
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 can of organic crushed tomatoes
fresh Basil or dried Basil
Pepper

Cook sausage over medium heat until browned. Break into pieces and drain once cooked. Set to side. In pan, cook onion, fennel, garlic and bell pepper for 3 mins. Veggies will be tender crisp. Add tomatoes and cooked sausage. I actually rinsed the sausage with water to get most of the oil out. (!) Sprinkle with spices and simmer for ten mins. at reduced heat. Serve over whole wheat pasta.

I made a salad of Spring Greens, sliced fennel, cucumber, red onion and strawberries which was nice and cooling after the hot, spicy sausages.

Dressing

2 Tbsp. of Udo's Oil
2 Tsbp. of Nakano Seasoned Rice Vinegar Roasted Garlic
Ground Pepper
Whisk together and drizzle over salad



OneSmartCookie

Incredibly sick.

This started on Friday and has been hanging on. I haven't been eating properly of following my plan and I know that has been what has kept me healthy.

Yesterday, I gave in and went to the doctor. Well, the local medi center. After three hours (!) of waiting I got a grouchy woman in a coat who told me that I needed antibiotics and two inhalers. Folks, I wasn't happy. I haven't had to use inhalers in YEARS and I hate the thought of going back on. It is my goal right now to get well and not have to use the inhalers. Being sick is expensive, $80 later and that was with some coverage!

My head and sinuses are hurting. My chest is incredibly wheezy and congested. I'm tired. I feel like crap but I'm not going to let this set me back. I'm going to eat well and get back on program starting with the Cali tea and Suncare as I type this.

OSC

The Beachcomber.

If you just look at all that already exists in your life, all that you already have: unlimited air to breathe, ample lighting to see, music to hear, books to read, stars to dream by, trees to gaze at, floors to dance on, friends to cavort with, enemies to befriend, strangers to meet, woods to walk through, beaches to comb, rocks to scale, rains to cleanse you, rivers to float you, animals to comfort you, you do have to admit, Christina, there's more of it than you could ever, ever, ever spend.
But try anyway.

Isn't it funny how we travel to enjoy our holidays or to do things that we wouldn't normally do? For me, it was walking along paths with the auntumn leaves and beachcoming along the ocean. Why do I not take the time to walk the paths in my own back yard or listen to the calls of the birds nearby? I thought about this while we were staying at a B and B on Stephenson Point in Nanaimo BC. It is located next the to oceanside Ecological Station in Nanaimo and is rich in wildlife and marinelife. I could choose to walk to the gazebo to watch the waves crash and seals cavort in the sea or I could walk along that pathways to watch the Kokanee Salmon or walk along the seaside to watch the sandpipers scurry across the pebbles. If I was simply lazy I could walk out the front door and watch the deer eat the grass or nibble on nearby trees. I remember the owner saying, "I'm sure you think they are cute but they are eating my plants". I was disappointed to hear him say this because he truely didn't realize the beauty he had in his own yard. Each morning we were greeted by a spectacular view of Departure Bay which on any day would include ferries, tugboats, floatplanes or at night we could hear the loons calling.

Had I taken the time to see what was in my own backyard before I ventured out to another city? No. Simply no. Why? I'm like everyone. We are quick to make excuses or proclain, I don't have the time! There is no time like the present to take part in life.

OSC

What do I know now that I didn't know then?

Holidays brought a great deal of awareness to me. Most importantly, I felt I was held back by my body. What does this mean? I couldn't walk or climb or move as much as I physically should have been able to because of my weight and lack of ability. In my mind, I saw myself doing so and I pushed myself to do so. What bothered me or should I say, scared me was that I was short of breath, had pains in my chest and broke sweat when it shouldn't have happened. Yep, I had to push myself.

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Then, I saw this sculpture and it was exactly how I saw myself. Large curves, shapely but to the point where the figures were shapeless. Some might call them Rubenesque but I saw them as fat, round and strange. It was how I have been feeling so I laid down on the sand beside them at felt comfort. A comfort in knowing that the artist saw bodies like this or envisioned bodies like this on the beach. The discomfortant came from my being tired, exhausted and uncomfortable in my own body.

************************************************************************************

I look at the pictures of our trip now and I smile at the memories that will stay with me but I feel sad that when it came to walking down mountains and hills along a oceanside area on Vancouver Island that I was too tired to walk up that next mountain. I will always think that I missed out on what was on the other side...As I do with my life.

***********************************************************************************

As I unpack the clothing, the bottles of wine and the fresh fruit from our trip I then decide to step on the scale. I have gained five pounds in the last two weeks. Any other person would laugh and say that you were on holidays and everyone gains weight. Me, I know how hard it is to take off five pounds but so easily to put it on as the scale tells me today! Did I drink my water? No. Did I eat breakfast? Not always. Did I make healthy eating choices. No.

***********************************************************************************

Healthy choices I must choose. I will choose. Clean eating. I will choose. Feel better. I will!

OSC

Kelowna Bound.

Yesterday we packed the car and I carried the map I printed off the Internet to get to Kelowna. Unfortunately, Map quest wasn't working and the system, unbeknown to be spewed out a longer trek. I packed along my Calli tea and ate a smoothie before I left to hold me. Sandwiches sustained us but by 4:30 when we hit Blue (?) River I could have ate Mike's right arm! We stopped at the roadside diner place and looked at the menu. Ugh, three things. Steaks, burgers and salads. I wondered about the salad but also wondered how old the ingredients would be since it is in the middle of no where. So, I ordered the burger and fries. I felt ill afterwards and sat in the car feeling mad at myself for gorging on a huge hunk of meat and deep fried potatoes.

Storm hit hard in Kamloops and it felt as though we were travelling into the heart. Skies very ominous, dark and freaky when you don't know the area. The rain pummeled the windshield and I was sure we missed our exit route to Kelowna. Then, I see nothing but darkness and highway markers. When I saw the sign for Merritt I was a bit confused and thought we had missed Kelowna. Eventually we pulled into Westbank... 13.5 hours. Mike was wiped and I was tired.

I have to admit that the Calli kept me awake and I sipped on it all day. Normally I would be sleeping through most of the trip but I was awake to see a bear cub, big horn sheep, deer and many different types of birds. I had hoped to see Salmon but apparently it wasn't in the right spot. My niece has told me she'll take us to see the Kokanee Salmon while we are here.

We chatted with my sister and oldest niece, Sabrina. I drank some water and chewed on a few almonds. I brushed my teeth and we were off to sleep in the bed like hammock. The mattress, sags... It was weird, I kept dreaming of a man with breathing problems and an oxygen tank asking me for help. I think it could hear Mike's snoring!

It's 10:06 Am and we're picking the kids up from school. I have to make dinner so asked them what they would like. Wrong, wrong. Don't ask kids what they want to eat. :-) It was suggested to me that I make chicken strips and fries. Or, I could make ham sandwiches! Heh. I'm going to go buy some veggies and fruit today. I had a pear, kiwi, rice milk, Nuplus, Fortune Delight, Udo's, etc for breakfast so I'm ready to roll. Allergies are great. Have not taken ONE antihistamine! Yet... I'm going to eat really well and use my Sunrider to do that as well as make healthy choices. What should I have for dinner? I see they have cucumbers, cheese sticks, sliced ham in a humongous package, frozen fries and loads of processed.. I'll call it stuff.

OSC

Speed Bumps.

Yikes. The last three days has been stressfull. I drank my Calli Tea but didn't even get to the Fortune Delight. Otherwise, did well. My meals weren't great either because I didn't plan them. This morning, I got up early and made a smoothie. I will throw the tea into a thermos and drink it today. As for my meal planning, I have to put something together. Isn't it funny how quickly things can go amiss. Focus!

Edamame Beans.

Until recently, the only beans I knew of were Heinz Brown Beans in a can or Friendly Green Giant green bins in a tin~ Welcome to the world of the Edamame Bean. Soy Bean. I made this reciepe off the package and was impressed by the succulent taste of these green morsels! The most readily available version of this is in the frozen food section and are ready to go. No pods, no peeling, ready to go in a salad or spiced as an appetizer. The link to the recipe

http://www.seapointfarms.com/page.asp?page=Edamame%20Summer%20Salad

Kohlrabhi

This veggie is a cross between a turnip and cabbage. I've eaten it raw but I had no idea what else to do with it besides that so..

I grated it and also grated a green apple. I made a slaw of sorts and made sure to put lemon to stop the apples from going brown. I added sliced almonds and diced figs because I didn't have any raisins or cranberries. Salt, pepper, parsley and a dolop of the every continuing cucumber dip!

Garam Masala

Suddenly I am taking pleasure in cooking again! New foods, spices, techniques ! I'm learning about my body and what makes it work better. Eating well doesn't have to involve rice cakes and prunes!

OK, this started out as a dip but it made so much that I improvised and did this! I made the dip two days ago and it has been thickening in the fridge.

Creamy Cucumber Dip

by New Century Nutrition

Serve this cool, creamy dip with pita chips or wedges of fresh pita bread.

2 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and grated

1 lb. firm tofu

3 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. coriander

1/4 tsp. cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/4 cup finely sliced red onion

Let the grated cucumber stand for 10 minutes.•

In a blender, mix the tofu, lemon juice, garlic, salt, coriander, cumin, and cayenne pepper until completely smooth. • Squeeze the cucumbers to remove excess moisture and combine with the red onion. Stir in the tofu mixture. • Chill 2 to 3 hours before serving. Serve with crispy pita chips.

Makes 6 servings

This could be used to dip veggies, as a spread....I had so many fresh cucumbers and I didn't want them to become pickles. This makes quite a bit and there is only two of us so that's why the second recipe happened!

*******************************************************************************************Onesmartcookie's Garam Masala Chicken by Onesmartcookie

My craving for Indian food made me think of this. Its an alternate to heavy grease laden and fatty foods that we used to love from one of our favourite places.

Take away is now at home! This can be done vegetarian but I did it with chicken.

*2 Chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces

*one large Onion chopped into large pieces

*2 garlic cloves chopped

*2 tomatoes chopped

*Peas

*1 Tablespoon of oil

*1 tsp of garam malala (cardamon, coriander, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg).

I browned the chicken in the oil , added the onion and garlic until it started to turn a light brown. I then threw in the peas from the freezer until they defrosted and added moisture. Then, I added the peppers. I like mine a bit on the crispy side. I then added the chopped tomatoes with 1 Tsp. of garam masala. I wish I had mushrooms for this! I love my shrooms! Turn down heat, stir and cover for five mins. Then, slowly fold in 1/2 cup of cucumber dip and heat through. This is your thickening agent because of the tofu. Serve over brown rice. You can make it as spicy as you want. Very aromatic! Yum~!

A new leaf.

Do you ever have an a-ha moment. You know, the time when the lightbulb goes on. Each day, I recieve an insightful message from the Universe. Today, this is what it read:

Hey, that's OK, Christina, I serve you all the time. What's important, though, is knowing the truth about why you felt the need, because it often points to insecurities that could be dealt with in more effective ways.

Thoughts become things... choose the good ones! ® © http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=lmc59dcab.0.xppao9n6.etmmrsn6.236532&ts=S0273&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tut.com ®
Now, Christina, how shall I serve you today?

Day Two

Breakfast.

1 Pot of Cali Tea and a packet of Fortune Delight.

1 Packet of Nuplus with water and eaten as porridge

Lunch

Leftover Soy and Spaghetti

Litre of water drank throughout day

Almonds

Small yogurt

2 Pieces of Organic Multigrain Bread with veggie spread

Snack

Soy Cheese

Crackers

Dinner

Roasted potatoes

Tuna

Multigrain Bread with Tuna and cucumbers

Today wasn't a clean day. I didn't eat very much for veggies and ate a lot of starches. I will work on eating more veggies that over the next two days. More greens and I'm getting some more veggies from Dad's garden.

How do I feel? Energy level was good all day and felt calmer then usual. Pants felt comfortable and no bloating. This evening, Candida has crept in. Uncomfortable in that way. Otherwise, feel great...

Day One.

Day One -- Sunrider

For breakfast, I had a smoothie with Soy Milk, Banana and Soy Powder.

10 Almonds.1 Pot of Cinnamon Calli Tea sweetened with Suncare

For lunch, 2 Vegetarian Hot dogs with whole wheat bread and sliced zuchinni with a splash of flavoured vinegar

Throughout the day, 2 (Lemon and Peach) Shaker bottles full of Fortune Delight sweetened with Suncare

Afternoon snack, Soy Cheese with Ryvita Crackers

Throughout the day, 3 Quinary

1 Slice of Fruit and Nut Manna Bread with Almond Butter

1 Nuplus Pina Banana with Water for porridge

Dinner, tomato sauce with herbs and veggies served over whole wheat spaghetti noodles. One piece of lentil loaf crumbled. 1 Plain Nuplus sprinkled into spag. sauce.

Mid afternoon, felt very tired. Sleepy. During the rest of the day I felt fine but we didn't end up having dinner until about 8:00 PM so it was quite late to eat dinner then. I wouldn't recommend it. It's now 9 PM and I'm full. I'm not used to drinking this much water and have spend a lot of time running to the bathroom. Great cleansing for the kidneys!

OSC

Holding myself accountable.

• I will not eat white sugar


• I will not eat pre packaged foods


• I will choose healthier alternatives to traditional fast food


• I will lose weight


• I will prepare meals that I can take to work with me


• I will not let stress control my eating


• I will make healthier eating choices


• I will have one cheat meal each week


• I will reduce my consumption of red meat


• I will incorporate as many fruits and vegetables as I need to each day


• I will eat breakfast before I start my day


• I will use Udo's oil everyday


• I will not eat white rice


• I will not eat white bread


• I will chew each bite 30 times


• I will not rush through my meal


• I will drink 6 glasses of water each day


• I will listen to my body


• I will exercise three days a week for 30 minutes


• I will limit the amount of tv I watch


• I will limit the amount of time I spend on the computer each day


• I will go to bed at 10 PM each night


• I will not eat after 9 PM at night

The Nuturer In Me.

I thought that a woman had to be a mother to nuture and promote growth in another person and today I realized that I was wrong. I had two very serious events happen around me and I had to gather strength for others who were shattered by shocking events around them. Internally, I felt myself becoming unhinged but somehow I was able to pull inner strengh. A strength I haven't tapped into before and that was a surprize to me. I could feel their pain and it made me feel in touch with the deepest pangs of humanity.

Crap Input Equals Crap Output.

This week, I've eaten crap. I had Chinese food with the family on Sunday and I wanted Indian Food (vegetarian) on Thursday but the place I love has closed down! So, nearby was Chinese. We opted for the easiest thing. Two nights ago, I binged on chocolate and last night was a Homer sized Hamburger. So, what is happening?

Stress. The ugly headed monster reared its head and consumed me. I wound myself up and after I ate the 'junk' I literally felt like crap. I've noticed that since I've been eating healthier I am able to handle stressful situations better and my energy, not where I want it to be isn't as quick to run out as it did. Imagine if I had stuck to my plan and how much more I could have accomplished.

Yesterday, I commited to part two of my journey. On Tuesday I begin my journey with Sunrider. I'm excited but concerned as how I will incorporate it into my day. However, as with everything, I have to realize that I cannot rebuild quickly what took 40 years to breakdown.

OSC