Brocguac.

It feels weird to be blogging in the morning... I am working the late shift today so I took that opportunity to stay up late and watch a movie. Ok I was home by 10:30, but when you wake up everyday at 5 that is late. I went over to my brother's and we watched the first 'Lord of the Rings'. I hadn't see that movie in forever, I forgot how much I liked it... and also how ridiculous it sort of is! Speaking of movies that were made from books, a few are coming out soon. This weekend is 'Water for Elephants' and in a few weeks 'Something Borrowed' (read this a few years back but I like Emily Giffin's writing). I really liked both of these books, so my feelings are a bit mixed between being excited and hesitant. (Noticed how I linked back to my reviews of the books? Well my brilliant cousin Rebecca gave me the idea to have my book list do that instead of linking to Amazon. Such a great idea! And someday it will happen!)

I ran yesterday for almost 3 miles on the treadmill. It was after dinner so I felt very sluggish. But I felt good after my run. That is one thing I've learned, I never feel worse after a run (everything but my shins and calves that is!) It always energizes me. 

Everybody in my life is now getting used to me taking random photos. I have really excelled with my resolution to to take more photos! Maybe they aren't always of people, but the more photos I take the more I learn about photography!

Today I never once felt STARVING. I am starting to be more mindful of the snacks I'm choosing... I think sugar really affects me, even natural fruit sugar.

Blueberry blended oats with kamut on top!
I love this puffed cereal!
It is super cheap and you can add it to lots of stuff.
It has a really nutty flavor that is great by itself or with milk.
Find it in the cereal aisle next to the bagged cereal
It isn't sweetened at all so you might have to add some.

BROCGRUAC

You read that right! Broccoli guacamole my friends!
It is amazing and delicious and soooo yummy and super easy to make!

Into the food processor goes:
1 1/2 C Steamed and cooled broccoli flowerets
1/2 ripe avocado
1/4 C cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper
Dabs of hot sauce of your choice
Blend away until smooth!
Then add the rest of the avocado and pulse so there are some chunks
and the optional ingredients.
I like to add corn and sometimes some greek yogurt.
Red pepper flakes would add some heat (my brother said it was too mild for him).
Enjoy as a dip or on top of some tacos like I did!

Look at all those veggies!
The broccoli makes this a much lighter guac and makes it a bit healthier too!
Best if eaten the same day, the next day it isn't as fresh tasting.

Look at this spread!

All gluten free and vegan... minus the cheese of course but I could have done without cause that broc guac is amazing!)

Experimental Cook.

I had a great start on two of my four week-goals. 


I woke up 20 minutes early and did my yoga video! This one is called 'Natural Journey's Yoga Makeover-Flat Abs.' I like this more than the last video because it wasn't based on meditation, it was based on breathing and pose holding. I have to do this video in the morning because it recommends you have an empty stomach (there are a lot of abdominal twists) and that is the only time during the day where my stomach is actually empty! This was a great way to start the day, but I think running in the morning energizes me more. 


I also made sure to get 7.5 hours of sleep! I felt so much better today than I have been the last few days. I need to remember that those last few pages in the book are not worth feeling like crap for the entire next day!


After work I went to the Physical Therapist. The pain in my legs has been a little bit different lately, I have very little to no pain in the back of my calves, but pain along the tendon they have been working on. I'm also bruised all to hell from the treatment! Deep muscle bruises are the worst. I started my training up again today.... with a rest day! I'm jumping into week three with a 30 min run at a 10 mph pace, hope the weather holds up!


Have I ever mentioned that fact that I don't have a dishwasher?! Have you noticed that I cook a lot? All these dishes are killing me! It was quite the day for food...

Big ol' bowl of pumpkin oats!
I made a 1/2 C portion today and didn't get super hungry until lunch.

Protein packed open faced sandwich!
Baked tofu, and egg. I'm gonna miss eggs....

Experimental cookie

2/3 C Almond Coconut butter

2/3 C Quick Oats

1 tsp Brown Rice syrup

2 Tbs Apple Sauce

1/4 tsp almond extract

handful of whole almonds

Mix everything in the food processor. Spoon out balls, squish with fork and freeze. 

Dinner.... with Sauteed Broccoli Rabe on the side, I like the texture more than regular broccoli.

Potato-Spinach Casserole

1 small onion chopped

2 garlic cloves chopped

Salt/Pepper to taste

Pinch smoked paprika

3 medium sized red potatoes sliced

2 leeks chopped

Spinach

1/4 C shredded cheese

2/3 C Vegetable Broth

Preheat oven 375

Line 8x8 baking pan with non stick

Spray skillet with non stick spray, heat onion, leeks and garlic add salt, pepper, paprika until soft. 

Slice potatoes extremely thing (I used a mandolin)line baking pan with a layer of potatoes, then half the onion mix, then a layer of spinach (I used fresh but you could use frozen if you defrosted and dried) then the cheese then the rest of the onion mix followed by a layer of potatoes. Squish down with a spatula. Pour vegetable broth over top.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes. Finish baking for 5-10 minutes uncovered to brown potatoes.

Experimental Banana Peanut Butter Bread

2 Supremely ripe bananas

1/3 C Peanut butter

2 tsp flax seed

2 eggs

1/3 C agave syrup

1 1/2 C flour

1/3 C apple sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

I added everything into the food processor and blended away. Pour into a well oiled/floured pan. I was really nervous about this one! Mostly because it was a mishmash of ingredients and I just threw everything together. The taste was really mild not very sweet, but pretty good. 

It froze last night. It is so cold for April! Give me sunshine and heat stat! My Garden needs it too! I set out my pots today so that I can start making my plan for the garden at my house! There will be some veggies, but a lot of flowers. This was my front porch last year:

I tend to overfill my pots, I like the wild cottage garden feel! 

Gnomey! :)

Elisa and the Bean Stock.

The last few days I've felt a little off about my days. You know how you can just feel what day of the week it is? Each day of the week has a certain feel to it, maybe I'm the only one who feels this way. The last few days I've been way off. Friday felt like Saturday, Saturday like Friday, and Sunday like Monday... I don't really like the pattern.

What I think I've figured out from looking back on the billions of food photos I've taken in the past month is that that I don't have a problem eating healthy. I like healthy. The problem I have is that I like large portions of healthy. So here are my goals for this week:
1. Portion control
2. Sleep a minimum of 7.5 hrs a night (this is going to a toughie).
3. Do my library rented yoga twice.
4. Get over my fear and go swim laps at the pool.

Starting next Monday Carly and I are going Vegan, me for a month and her for at least a week, maybe two (but when she feels really good probably longer!).  This week I need to eat or bake with all my dairy products. I imagine that after the month is up I'll probably incorporate fish back into my diet. For a while eat a lot less dairy, but unless I feel like a completely new person I'll probably still eat greek yogurt and cheese occasionally.... I like it too much.

Blender Oats! Raspberry/Blueberry today!
I love this. Such a great consistency.
Today I blended a little less and I liked it more!
Next time I add a smidge less milk and blend even less.

I didn't add any protein to my breakfast so I was hungry earlier!
These bars are amazing! Find them in the refrigerated section.
The base is peanut butter. Hello Heaven!
The regular version has a ton of fat so I go for the lite version.

The next time I buy almond butter I'm going for this brand.

Lunch was a repeat from the other day!
Not as good though, the little oven we use to bake cookies has nothin' on my toaster oven.

One of my biggest portion control issues!
Mix and match trail mix!
All of it is salt and added sugar free, but there is too such a thing as too much of a good thing!

Kale chips on the left and an attempt to make collard green chips on the right.
Sprinkled nutritional yeast on the kale!
The collard greens ended up with the consistency of paper... yuk. Not a favorite.
This was me experimenting with nutritional yeast... It is sort of cheesy tasting,  but without any milk.
More recipes to come there!

A favorite mug of mint green tea with a Carly made muffin!

 This morning was so gorgeous but as per usual as soon as the clock struck "get off work time," the clouds came. It turned out to be a pretty decent afternoon though... good enough for some gardening!

Prepare yourself for a lot of pictures of our garden and our process!

After we snacked on the kale chips we headed out to the garden to play in the dirt!

Bean starts all ready to go!

My shirt says, "This Global, Act Local."
I'm pretty hippy-ed out in my toms and curly hair standing next to our organic garden :)

Garden food! From a local Wormery! 

We used clipped branches as out bean supports!

Bet you couldn't tell from the millions of photos that I love the look of these babies?!
I hope we don't get too much wind anytime soon....

Oh No! Slug Trail!
We sprinkled coffee grounds around our perimeter but are looking into other ideas too.
Pests are going to be a problem!

More beans! Carly got this awesome sculpture at a local gallery downtown! It is going to be one of our bean supports!
Indistudios is a super cute shop!
That is also where we got the garden mosaic sign!

Look at those roots on our peas!

We decided against rows for the peas and went with a random pattern!

Making progress! Joe needs to get the lawn mower out there! :)

I love our garden!

Speaking of peas.... I'm going to recommend another blog: Peas and Thank You
Amazing healthy recipes and she is funny as well! Her post from tonight talks about Michael Pollan, the author of the last book I read, "Food Rules." Smart guy with a lot of great ideas on food.

Blended oats.

I was dragging pretty much all day. The kind of tired that makes it hard to concentrate. Luckily I had a short day at work. I'm starting to connect when I eat really big meals like big family dinners that end in cake or apple pie (I love birthdays!) with being more sluggish and grumpy the next day. I'm so glad today was Saturday... That means farmers market day! Carly, Callen, Mom, and I explored. It was so cold though that I couldn't inspire myself to buy any more starts, even though I need to pick out my herbs and possibly a tomato plant. I figure I can pick them up next week when we go to pick up our new potting tables! These things are seriously cool!

You can't really tell from my secret agent photo, but the table is the wood stained one on the right. The legs fold up into the table and you can use that handle to carry it! So neat!

You know what I love about a small town? That in the course of the day I:

1: Walked past my cousins and aunt getting their nails done at a local salon.

2: Saw a different aunt and uncle and their two kids at the Farmer's market.

3: Saw my best friend and her mom downtown. 

4: Then had my cousin and aunt join us spontaneously for lunch!

I got a good portion of my book read while on the stationary bike! I love that multitasking! I never feel like I get an incredible work out, but feel better than sitting on the couch reading! Then I did a mini run. Felt some pain today so I'm still taking it easy. But Monday I have big plans to start up my training again! Did I mention Mondays are rest days?! :)

Breakfast was AMAZING!
You know how much I love overnight oats?
Well this is overnight oats on crack.
Put everything in the blender the night before...

Blender Oats:
1/3 C oats
1/3 C milk
2 T Kefir
1 tsp Chia
half banana
Strawberries

In the morning add another 1/3 C milk and blend into a smoothie heaven!
The oats make it so thick and delicious!
Like dough!
I topped it with a handful of puffed kamut and PB
Yummers!

Callen's 1st high five.

This kid is hilarious.

He even cracks himself up!

Lunch was spectacular and amazing!
No way it was good for me!
I can't remember what they call this, but it was under the panini section.
That isn't a tortilla... no sir, that is pizza dough!
Are you imagining the heaven I was in now?!
The inside was roasted veggies and pesto garlic bliss.
I literally couldn't stop eating it.
I tried to stop at half, but it was too amazing.
Too bad the service at Sogno De Vino is so terrible!

Sometimes you just have to have cereal for dinner!

All natural and amazing!
Possibly a new obsession.

I'm off to go get lost in a book... and maybe get more than 6 hrs of sleep tonight!