Taking a look at 2012, time to move ahead

Time certainly doesn’t stop for anyone. Has it really been almost three months since my last blog post?

This is pure craziness to me!

The year is coming to a close, what does that mean to you?

Or
Instead, do you look at it as a new year is about to begin?

Are you a half empty or half full kind of person?

We are all different, that’s what makes each of us so unique.

This year has seen many things for me. Ups, downs and certainly lots of the in between as well.

Ø  I fought a battle and lost…ok, so actually I fought many battles, won some, lost some and some are still pending.

Ø  I talked, I talked alot.

Ø  I watched my kids graduate – my daughter from Kindergarten, my step son from grade 8.

Ø  I met some new friends, many new friends.

Ø  I tried something new, hell; I tried many new things and some I enjoyed more than others and many I will do again and again, happily.

Ø  I graduated and received my diploma.

Ø  I visited with a few old friends.

Ø  I rekindled a few friendships that had been lacking some much needed attention.

Ø  I left my comfort zone, on many occasions.

Ø  I checked my ego at the door a few times and dove in, uneasy with nerves rattled and still managed to come out smiling.

Ø  I took a trip.

Ø  I spent time on the water.

Ø  I sang karaoke, badly!

Ø  I took in many live music venues.

Ø  I laughed, often

Ø  I spent time with my family and friends, remembering some great times and creating some new ones.

Ø  I smiled, sometimes thru tears, but I still smiled, simply because I could.

Ø  I stood before a crowd of people, twice, and delivered a speech of my own words, my own thoughts, my own memories, my own feelings. Once for my sister’s wedding and once for my grandfather’s passing. Both were very important, memorable events, both held completely different emotions, however both were full of great walks down memory lane which left me with smiles on my soul and tears on my heart.

Ø  I made tough decisions and stood behind each one.

Ø  I took chances.

Ø  I spoke from not just my mind but from my heart.

Ø  I had doubts; I had fears, yet pushed forward anyway.

Ø  I was proud, I was carefree, I was happy, and I was sad; I was every emotion in between.

Ø  I listened.

Ø  I wiped tears.

Ø  I held hands in times of need and in times of love.

Ø  I received the greatest hugs.

Ø  I gave out lots of hugs.

Ø  I helped to pick up a few lost souls, dust them off and helped them to find themselves again.

Ø  I sat by and was a friend thru times of great loss, great sadness, great achievements, great accomplishments, fantastic life events.

Ø  I was at times the loudest cheerleader.

Ø  I lent a shoulder, I lent an ear.

Ø  I needed a shoulder, I needed an ear.

Ø  I made excuses.

Ø  I learned some lessons and taught a few as well.

Ø  I pushed the boundaries.

Ø  I took a leap of faith, a few times.

Ø  I got angry.

Ø  I broke the rules.

Ø  I apologized.

Ø  I played hard.

Ø  I had fun.

Ø  I fell, but I got up.

Ø  I lost myself, but I found myself again.

Ø  I have no regrets, because at one time it was exactly how I wanted it to be.

 

And next year, I’m going to do it all again.
 

What about you? I’m sure you can relate to most of my list. I’m sure it’s sparked a few memorable moments from 2012. Think about it.

 

Make some goals, even if you don’t want to voice them. It’s hard to get somewhere new without a bit of direction, which is exactly what a goal will provide.

 

Wishing each and every one of you a passing year full of great memories full of smiles, love, and laughter and much fun and happiness for the upcoming New Year.

Checking the ego at the door!

 

Well, the second week of my women only power skating/ice hockey skills clinic has come and gone and I tell you, talk about having to check my ego at the door. I signed up for Ice Hockey this year and thankfully found a clinic to take at the same time and took the plunge and dove right into both, with a gut full of fear, my head questioning my mental stability and my heart smiling the whole way.

 

Seriously, I never thought of myself as being overly competitive nor did I think that I had an overly high ego, however this clinic is proving to me one thing…..whatever competitive streak I may have, and wherever the hell my ego may sit I may as well leave it all in the dressing room because when I step on that ice it’s a completely different world. One that is certainly foreign to me. Skating is not easy, and I don’t care what anyone says I don’t think it comes naturally. Now don’t get me wrong, I can only go up from here and up I will go and hope to go quite quickly but man oh man will I take a beating while I climb.

 First off, thankfully I know the game, I understand the positions, off side, icing, where and when a play is stopped and started (usually) etc. Three years of ball hockey has certainly afforded me that info…thankfully! Don’t get me wrong, a few rules differ and I am no expert, but the general concept and rules I do at least understand.

 Now, putting on equipment is thankfully straightforward and although I miss my step dad tightening up my skates, I can manage just fine without his assistance, I am a big girl, but honestly he does a much better job than I ever will!

Some of the women in my clinic are friggin rock stars, I will admit I am completely jealous of how they so gracefully swish across the ice, doing beautiful crossovers, stopping on a dime and speeding so quickly across the ice with the puck I may add. They make it look so easy.

I certainly don’t feel graceful and I’m sure I certainly don’t look it either. I did feel more confident today and figure each week it will get easier and I will get better, but graceful I am not!

It’s a little embarrassing, ok so really it’s a lot embarrassing and I can’t believe I’m even admitting this but I am. The drills are fantastic and really how else am I going to learn? You sign up for these adult rec leagues (ball hockey, ice hockey) and there is no practice time, there is no instruction, you show up for your first game and you get pointers and you figure it out as you go and you do improve, or at least I hope everyone improves, all with time.

 Now, taking on ball hockey was one thing and I love every moment of it, however ice hockey is a totally different thing. I miss my runners. I am not an all-star runner but I have two feet, I have two legs, they both work and I give it all I’ve got. Take away the runners and put on some ice skates and look out, I mean seriously look out as I am still having a very hard time stopping!

Until I get my stopping skills down pat this is going to be very difficult. Now, this week was much better, during my drills I actually stopped (for the most part) when I was supposed to, last week I would do a quick turn and proceed. It’s amazing just how good you can get at tight turns when you cannot stop and don’t want to fall down. That’s one skill that I seemed to have managed quite rapidly.

Now, skating backwards is a completely different scenario. I watched our defence players last week with complete aw as they raced backwards down the ice to protect our net. I immediately looked at one of the other girls on the bench and declared right there that there wasn’t a hope in hell of me playing defence. I may not be fast, and I’m working on my accuracy so I may not be the goal scorer, however I certainly wouldn’t be putting any money on me being able to get my ass back to my goalie to offer assistance, so winger I am.

In the clinic we have to skate backwards, and each week I cringe when they yell out this drill. As all of the other girls manage to go from one end of the rink to the other I am lucky if I make it to the blue line, seriously it’s that bad. How hard is it, I’ve got junk in the truck, you gotta hang it out there and make great big C’s with your skates, problem is I make a big C and can’t seem to close the gap and end up in one heck of a mess and although I’m sure to some they find it entertaining I find it terribly embarrassing and frustrating!

Somehow throughout all of these drills I have to also throw a puck in there and believe me, it’s different than the bright orange ball that I’m used to (although I seem to be passing and receiving a pass way better with a puck than I ever have with the ball….go figure). So although I tend to multitask at all times, multitasking for this clinic is simply overwhelming!

Head up, two hands on the stick, stick on the ice, keep the puck moving and whatever drill we happen to be doing. When I’m already concentrating on my balance, trying not to fall down or better yet run into someone, this all quickly becomes almost too much.

So, although I am probably my biggest critic (and no one is allowed to come to watch as I think I just may die of embarrassment), I still manage to do all of this with a smile on my face and the knowledge in my heart that this too will get easier.

Even though this is the most embarrassing hour and a half of my week I can also say that it certainly also provides a complete escape from every other aspect of life. While out on the ice, multitasking and trying not to look like a complete fool there is not a chance that any other thought can run through my mind. It’s kinda like meditation; I focus on me, the ice, the puck and keeping my skates blade down on the ice.

So, I have another eight weeks of checking my ego at the door and as much as I am not a religious person I think I just may have to start each session with a small prayer to survive yet another painfully embarrassing week on the ice.

Thankfully all of the ladies at both the skating clinic and at my ice hockey league are fantastic. They are all just out to have a great time. They pass to you no matter how many times you miss it as they want you to learn, they want you to have fun, they want everyone to participate and have a good time. Its rec, it’s just for fun, it’s just for sport and I absolutely love every single moment of it all, embarrassing or not.

If I have learned anything as I tackle yet another sport, it’s this:

Keep smiling and never be afraid to tackle something new, no matter how embarrassed you are, no matter how “new” you are, no matter how young or how old you are. Face your fears, in time you’ll overcome them and be a better person for it. Share your story and encourage someone else to tackle something new themselves, you never know what door you may be kicking open for someone else.

Fat pants...you know you've got them!

I love fall,

I love the crisp mornings

 And

The cool nights

And

The warmth of the sunshine during the day

I love fresh apples,

Going to the pumpkin patch,

Hay rides,

Warm sweaters,

Sweatpants,

Hot tea

And

Fuzzy socks

However, fall also brings along the realization that although the summer was enjoyed, there were far too many summer indulgences, and not nearly enough activities.  I have not been very good to my body, I have ignored my inner voice and pretty much fallen off the wagon for lack of a better term. Even though I have watched the numbers on the scale quickly rise for the past 6 weeks or so (sometimes to the point of avoiding the scale for days on end, ok so maybe even for more than a week at a time). It wasn’t until I went to put on dress pants this morning that it finally hit me in the face that this is a problem that I can no longer ignore.

 

Now, yes, I could go out and buy new pants! However, really, what good would that do? I have pants…they just don’t fit right now; even my fat pants are tight.

And don’t even think about saying “fat pants, you have fat pants?”.

WE ALL HAVE THEM!

So, hitting this wall of OMG what have I done is certainly not how I wanted to start my day. When stress levels are high and then you have a weight issue to deal with on top of it, it is a shitshow situation. Albeit, a shitshow situation that I have created myself, no use in pointing fingers as they all come back to me anyway.

That’s the hardest “pill to swallow”, the fact that I knew it was happening, the warning signs were there (although ignored, put off, tomorrow, later, it’ll be ok). Now, let’s be honest here, I can’t say that my eating habits have gone for a complete spiral, my current state of excess weight gain is from a multitude of factors that are far beyond just what I may or may not be eating and drinking:

Stress

Overindulging

Social feasting

Alcohol

Stress

Lack of exercise

Ignorance

Lack of scheduling

Stress

Apparently it’s time to get some control.

 
It’s sad that we force ourselves to tackle the same battles over and over and over again. You’d think we’d all learn, however we are all human, we are not perfect, we all slip, we all fall and most of us get back up.

Determination, strength, willpower are all currently being called upon.

Give me wings and I shall fly......

 

Why is it that we are all so programmed to be grounded, firmly planted, self-conscious, take no risks, stuck in the box, to just love where we are and keep our heads out of the clouds?

Seriously, roots are one thing. We all need to know who we are and where we came from but where we are going is forever a mystery waiting to unfold ahead of us which we can change at any given time by any given choice. It’s that simple, really it is.

Why is it weird, flighty, irresponsible, childish, selfish, disrespectful or silly to dream a dream, to be open to possibilities, to accept an opportunity when it arises (even if the timing is not perfect…really whenever is it?)

They often say “grow some balls” to the boys…..so I think it should be “grow some wings” to the girls. Why not? Same thing, isn’t it? Really? Think about it.

 

Every once in a while you need to remind yourself that you have those wings. You can fly, you can soar above all else and you can dare to pursue those dreams and make them reality. Have some fun, open up your soul and take flight to the endless possibilities that await you.

 Dare to be you, not someone else’s version of you.

YOU

Just you, the one that has her own ideas, beliefs, dreams and freedom.

So, what’s holding you back? Is it time or money or fear?

Is it someone or something?

Figure it out.

Don’t let the world clip your wings but if it does, choose to never allow it to clip your soul.

 Find your wings and you too shall fly

Dear Fabulous Girl - a little motivation and inspiration

...found this and had to share:
Dear Fabulous Girl,

YOU know what you are about....you know who you are and what drives you....

Stand up for it.
Give what you have for it.
Believe in it.
Help it along.
Be part of it.
Protect it fiercely.
Love it with your whole soul.

WHATEVER IT IS...

BE BRAVE FOR IT.

If you won't do it...who will? The world needs more women, just like you...who are willing to stand up for what they believe in...what they are about.....it is time to be who you are!!! There are such important, beautiful things that will never happen if you do not do them.

You are absolutely mind-blowingly courageous....thank you for that.

Written by Brave Girls' Club.

— with Normauli Matanari Sihotang.

Borrowed from Exceptional Living's Facebook page...who borrowed it from the Brave Girls' Club Facebook page.

The Invitation - by Oriah (I read this and simply had to share)

It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me
what planets are
squaring your moon...
I want to know
if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know
if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know
if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations
of being human.

It doesn’t interest me
if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear
the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know
if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me
where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know
what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know
if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like
the company you keep
in the empty moments.

By Oriah © Mountain Dreaming,
from the book The Invitation
published by HarperONE, San Francisco,
1999 All rights reserved

The invitation is a challenge to yourself to be open, to feel and to simply be your true honest self in your entirety.

Take the invitation and dare to be.

Sunflower Seed Pesto

Vegan Sunflower Seed Pesto!

Recipe
 - 1/2 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
 - 1-2 gloves of garlic
 - juice of 1 lemon
 - sea salt (just a pinch)
 - 2 cups of fresh basil
 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. In a food processor combine the sunflower seeds and garlic, process into a rough texture
2. Add the lemon juice, sea salt and basil and process
3. While the machine is running slowly stream in the EVOO and continue to process until combined

Viola, complete

Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Spread it, Stuff it, Dip it or try one of the below options:

• Serve over pasta or brown rice
• Add to your favorite sandwich
• Pesto covered chicken
• Use as a dip for vegetables, whole grain crackers or tortilla chips
• Spread it on homemade pizza instead of the typical tomato sauce
• Flavour a cold grain or legume salad (quinoa, rice, beans, legumes)
• As a vinaigrette (thin it out and use as a dressing)
• Toss with some steamed veggies

Most basil recipes incude 1/4 to 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese as well which is certainly an option if you wish, just add it with the basil when processing.

Sunflower seeds are a much more economical choice over the traditional pine nuts. This could easily be made with walnuts as well for a different flavour.

A few nutritional tidbits:
Basil - possesses antibacterial properties which are effective in treating intestinal ailments. Also possesses anticancer properties.

Sunflower seeds - excellent source of protein, vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, folic acid, fibre, vit b1, b5 and b6 and monounsaturated fat

Resources: The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods - Michael Murray, N.D.

Just for Fun! Kip Moore - Somethin' 'Bout A Truck

Totally off topic, not the norm and completely just for fun......My music tastes range from one extreme to the next and not everyone loves a good country tune, however this girl still does! Enjoy!

The Benefits Of Coconut Oil Infographic

Here is a great infographic from Natural News outlining the benefits and usefulness of Coconut Oil, all the more reason to stock up on this wonderful product and incorporate it into your daily regime.

http://www.naturalnews.com/Infographic-Benefits-of-Coconut-Oil.html

Rainy Days and Rainy Nights and Rainy Weekends too!

Here's a bit of feel good music to help you weather your next storm.

I love the rain, I love the renewal of everything after the rain, the cleansing properties of it, the feelings of wanting to cozy up with that favorite new book, a great chick flick, a warm cup of something or a nice glass of wine....maybe even a cozy partner and a warm and comforting blanket.

So many people get so bummed out when the weather turns to be wet and cool and well for some it seems to be downright depressing. The rainy days are certainly the ones that you choose to be more reflective on your sorrows and saddness but they are also a great time to pause and reflect and gather your thoughts.

Some of my favorite memories are in the rain, aren't your's too?

Did you ever play in the puddles as a child?

Have you ever sat under a covered porch watching a lightening storm every so often inching your way back closer to the door as the winds shift and you attempt to stay dry?

Have you danced in the rain, have you jumped in those puddles without a single thought of "I can't get wet"?

You should, why haven't you, don't you dry?

What are you waiting for?



There's nothing like sitting, quietly with your thoughts and listening to nothing but the patter of the rain as it hits the roof or the porch or the car roof or the sidewalk or your window, whereever you are and letting your mind wander to that happy place that we so often ignore.

Often times we are all so busy with life that pausing for that moment just doesn't seem to happen, except for when we crawl into bed and decide to call it the end of the day but if you're anything like me that's quickly followed by immediate sleep...there is no time for getting lost in thought, my head hits the pillow and I completely shut down. Or, maybe you're not like me and instead you lay there, thinking about the day and all that you didn't get done or compiling your list for tomorrow, again, not necessarily reflecting and just being but working yourself up for a long night of no sleep!

My point is, take this rain as a blessing, we need the water, we need the renewal, we need the cleansing effects but also do yourself a favor and

stop, listen and just be.

Let the cleansing effects of it wash over your soul and slip yourself into that happy place if only for a moment, your soul will certainly thank you for it.

Get out the pen, start writing that happy ending!

I have a mug, it's been my "tea mug" for year's (which has recently been promoted to my "coffee mug" as well - yes I still thoroughly enjoy both!). It's a special mug, one that I received as a gift and one that I will cherish forever. It has a quotation on it, like many others, however this one just always seems so fitting. I'm not sure if my sister Glenda ever realized just the impact such a gift would have on me but it has, not even sure if she remembers giving it to me, but she did.

The quotation is simple, to the point and really nothing earth shattering, however I love the simplicity of it, the honesty and the downright blatent truth of it:

"Each day is a new beginning....an opportunity to write your own happy ending."

What happened yesterday will always be, you cannot change the past, but today you have the chance to make a change, start over, seize an opportunity, act differently, move forward, think differently, see differently, reach out for help, provide assistance, speak your mind or hold your tongue; whatever it takes to create YOUR own happy ending, whatever it may be.

So, are you ignoring the opportunities that present themselves to you each day? Are you stuck where you are, overwhelmed by life and feeling like things will never change, unhappy with the cards you've been dealt out of the deck? Or, are you seizing those moments for what they are, making the most out of life, looking for the next opportunity and creating your happy ending?

Really, each moment is an opportunity to create that new beginning, shift your attitude, have a change of heart, change your direction, try something new, be daring, adventurous, grab life by the horns and shake the shit out of it if that is what it takes!

Awaken your soul, do something fun and be happy and whatever you do just remember tomorrow you get the chance to do it all over again. So, what are you waiting for?

Grab a pen and start writing, it's your happy ending that you are creating and no one else can write it for you so get at it and own it!

Get your summertime feet ready!

Well, it's that time of year and we have all broken out the sandals and started worrying about our pretty little feet...or for some, NOT SO PRETTY!

One of women's biggest complaints this time of year is their dry cracked heals. I for one have been like many of you and tried dozens of different products over the years to get soft heals and some work (somewhat) and others not so much at all.

Finally I have found something super simple, inexpensive, healthy and available

100% PURE CASTOR OIL (here's a pic of the brand I picked up at the health store)

Now don't go running thinking that I'm going to tell you to drink spoonfuls of this stuff. We are not talking constipation, well, not today anyway.

Castor Oil has many benefits and can be used internally and topically for a host of symptoms, today we are talking about the topical use for softening skin.

Simply massage a small amount into your feet at night time. If you wish you can put socks on your feet after to keep from getting any oil on your sheets, however totally up to you, your feet will simply absorb it (as well as your hands). It's fantastic for rough, dry calloused hands and feet.

Do your feet and your wallet a favor and give this simple product a try, you're feet will thank you for it!

FYI, there are many other uses for this wonderful product, the soft skin doesn't stop with the feet, its fantastic for dry chapped lips, hands, elbows, you name it. Castor oil packs are another use, however we'll save that for another day and a whole other host of issues that it can help with!

Go get sandal ready peeps, the weather's looking awesome and so should your feet!!!!

Quote of the day

“Do the things you used to talk about doing but never did. Know when to let go and when to hold on tight. Stop rushing. Don't be intimidated to say it like it is. Stop apologizing all the time. Learn to say no, so your yes has some oomph. Spend time with the friends who lift you up, and cut loose the ones who bring you down. Stop giving your power away. Be more concerned with being interested than being interesting. Be old enough to appreciate your freedom, and young enough to enjoy it. Finally know who you are.”

- Kristin Armstrong

Fermentation....Shaking Up The Typical Bean Salad!

Sauerkraut Bean Salad

In a large bowl mix the following:

Dressing:
2-3 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1-2 minced cloves of garlic
3/4 cup sauerkraut (or more if desired)
black pepper

Add to the dressing:
1 can of mixed beans - well rinsed (dried, soaked and precooked are a better option however if pressed for time canned will do)
1/2 green pepper chopped
1/4 red onion chopped

Voila - done

Simple as that!

So, before you go running scared, yes I said sauerkraut but honestly try it. Now, ensure your sauerkraut is the basic cabbage and salt combo, not soaked in vinegar.

Sauerkraut (cabbage and salt) is a fermented food that has excellent beneficial bacteria for your guts.

You can read all about the benefits of fermented foods over here at Daniel Vitalis' post and check out his video on how to make your own if you are so inclined to do so.

http://www.danielvitalis.com/tag/sauerkraut/

Quinoa Lentil Salad

It seems like it's been forever since I sat down and posted anything. I do apologize for the absence but can say that it was much needed time that I truly needed to devote to other aspects of my life. I hope to get back to the swing of things and update this blog more regularily, however life seems to be flying in many directions lately and frankly I just can't keep up with everything.

This salad is bursting with flavor, just in time for spring.

Quinoa Lentil Salad (cold)

Ingredients - toss the following together in a large bowl
2-3 cups cooked quinoa (cooked amount - not dry measurement!)
1 can lentils - rinsed and drained (if using dried lentils you need to pre-cook)
1 medium sweet potato - grated
3 stalks of celery - chopped
3 green onions - chopped

Dressing - mix all together and then pour over the salad ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 cloves of smashed garlic
2 tbsp chopped ginger
1 rounded teaspoon tumeric
juice of 1/2 lime

This can be served right away, however if you let it sit overnight (or at least an hour) it will help the flavors to mingle.

High in protein and fibre and the ginger gives it a nice flavor awakening for your taste buds.

Quinoa Carrot Muffins

I first stumbled upon this recipe here:

http://www.joyoushealth.ca/2011/09/20/quinoa-carrot-spice-muffins-gluten-free/

So far I've only made it once and only slightly changed it but am certainly putting this one aside as a keeper, you know when the kid devours one and asks for another that it was a hit!

Quinoa Carrot Muffins
1 1/3 cup quinoa flour (now, I screwed up and dumped in Kamut flour - next time will use the Quinoa since I love the stuff, but the Kamut was equally pleasing!)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup soaked raisins (to plump them back up - soak for 10-20 minutes and then pour off the water before using)
(at this point I also added a few things of my own: 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/3 cup sesame seeds)
Mix all of the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl mix:
2 eggs (or 2 tsp chia with 6 tbsp water - let sit for 5 minutes to gel)
2/3 cup coconut sugar (next time I may slightly decrease this amount)
2/3 c plain yogurt or 1/2 cup of almond milk (I used 1/2 cup rice milk since it was open)
2 1/4 cup grated carrot

Mix the dry and the liquid ingredients together and pour into greased muffin tins (makes 12-15 muffins)
Bake at 350 for approximately 20-24 minutes

Enjoy!

Being kid approved means I just scored one more item that I can put into her lunchbox and know that she will eat it.

Hungry For Change

Attached is the free link for the worldwide premiere of Hungry For Change - Great video exposing secrets of the diet, weightloss and food industry, everyone out there needs to be informed.

http://www.hungryforchange.tv/online-premiere

Every single person out there needs to watch this video. It is only available for free until March 31, 2012. It's 1 hour and 29 minutes that you seriously need to take out of your day. We all put food in our mouths, therefore we all will benefit from watching this informative video.

Do yourself a favor and click the link and share it with your friends, I just did!

It's National Nutrition Month!

It's already the middle of March and I can't believe it's taken me this long to announce:

It's National Nutrition Month

So, what are you doing to enchance your nutrition choices?

Have you kicked things up a notch?

Here's a few nutritional thoughts to keep in mind:

1 - Lifestyle- quit the yo-yo effect and leave the "diet" at the door, if you want to make some changes, then do them, what are you waiting for? Keep focused on the betterment of your health and make healthier choices everyday.

2 - Leave the processed goods at the grocery store - there are times when it seems easier and convenient to grab the pre-packaged easy food. Make sure your everyday choices involve whole food choices and if you're going to go with the pre-packaged stuff, do so on rare occasion only and know what you are feeding your body

3 - Keep  things simple, real live whole foods are that, simple. White sugar and white processed flour,  are all processed, refined, chemically altered and not dealt with well by our bodies. There are better choices out there, choose whole foods, whole grains and natural sugars on occasion.

4 - Do not deprive yourself - moderation is always the key - why deprive and over indulge later and then feel guilty and then totally abandon all healthy changes you've made? Reallly, its a vicious cycle, so moderation is key.

5 - Keep active - burn off some calories and have fun doing so. Go out and enjoy this bonus warm sunny weather we are having. Break out the runners, the bikes, the soccer balls and soak up that Vitamin D as well. I've been breaking out the spring wear and sandals and loving the sunshine.

6 - Set an example for others, be a healthy role model and seek advice, encouragement and support when needed. No one is perfect but be sure you remain accountable for your actions - if you can't be true to yourself then be accountable to someone else to help keep on track.

Please keep in mind, eating "sugar free", "fat free", "low fat" and filling up on processed cardboard boxed food, wrapped in colorful boxes, toting the above descriptions does not mean its nutrititious. Don't be "healthwashed" by marketing ploys and fall for their deceptive ways. Know what you are putting in your mouth.

Remember, not all fat is created equal, not all sugars are created equal, not all grains are created equal, really not all foods are created equal. Staying health conscious and making informed choices goes a long long way to the betterment of your health for today and your health for future years to come.

A few tidbits to keep in mind and to give you to ponder on this beautiful first day of spring.

Mulligatawny Detox Soup

So, another weekend has come and gone and what better way to end it then to have a fresh pot of soup in the fridge for the busy week ahead! Lunch is made for the next few days, perfect way to start the week!

I have often seen many references to Mulligatawny Soup and thought it sounded yummy and healthy and chock full of all kinds of detoxifying goodness, but for whatever reason (maybe the fact that I don't like to follow recipes) I had yet to try it, let alone make it.

So, after reading in a friend's recent face book post that they had made a pot of this soup it prompted me to find a recipe and make it.

I followed this recipe here:
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.ca/2007/03/vegetarian-mulligatawny.html

I omitted the avocado oil as I simply thru everything in the crock pot so didn't figure it was needed.
I did not add the apples, simply because I did not have any granny smith's in the house.
I omitted the brown rice syrup as I didn't think it needed any sweetener and I totally forgot to add lime juice and still thought it was really good without it.

So, head on over and check out Gluten Free Goddess' Blogspot and have a look at her vegetarian mulligatawny soup.

It's completely full of whole, natural, healthy ingredients and well worth the try.

A few notes on Tumeric, just goes to show its worth adding some spice to your life:
Turmeric (otherwise known as Indian Saffron) - the yellowing pigment of turmeric comes from curcumin which has great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Curcumin also helps the body to destroy mutated cancer cells, prevented them from spreading through your body. Curcumin also promotes the livers detoxification process and enhances the bodies production of glutathione. Tumeric may also help in the prevention of heart disease and helps to prevent the brain from degeneration.


Happy cooking!

Vegetarian Thoughts

With my HLC (Holistic Lifestyle Coach) background from CHEK and with my husband who has an extenstive CHEK and Poliquin background who loves to lift heavy and co-owns his own Personal Training Studio working as a Personal Trainer/Strength Coach, vegetarian is not a word that goes too far in my house.


There are many days where you would look at my diet and see a very vegetarian approach, however I still eat meat, daily and this I seem to fight with both sides of the coin on.


I see all of the right reasons for why I should eat meat and I see all the right reasons why I should take my diet on a further vegetarianism path.....which one's fully right? Well, as most things I see moderation being the key when it comes to this subject or any subject really. 

Do I get all of my protein from strictly animal proteins, NO.

Do I get all of my protein from nuts and seeds and alternate protein sources, NO.

I pretty much combine the two and am happy with what I get.

Should my elimination diet that I'm currenlty on not provide the results that I am looking for and need then yes, I may take a Vegan approach for a while just to throw another curve ball at it. Really, you never know until you try and right now I'm pretty much up to trying anything.

Thinking this post may be of hot topic at home and at the gym (www.realbodiesfitness.com), as I know the feelings on vegetarianism (as I am still a strong advocate of eating meat myself), however, this may be a route that I explore, even though I would plan on it only being temporary!

I am open minded though and know that sometimes even the greatest plans have faults and that sometimes plans change and results vary.

Will keep you posted if I happen to start moving on a path down this direction, still a few weeks out before I plan on doing many changes at all.

It's something to ponder anyway and I'm sure will have great debate.

Pumpkin Lasagna courtesy of Meg!

Pumpkin Lasagna, whoever would have thought? Well, since I am still avoiding tomatoes I thought I would try my friend Meagan's recipe that I ran into a few weeks ago on her blog.

Meg is awesome, her blog is fantastic. I met Meagan years ago with the Fly Gurlz, she was part of the Durham Chapter same as I and she is loaded with awesome energy, passion and fun loving awesomeness!

Be sure to check her out as she pursues all things good and has a great ability to megify the average recipe into something much healthier while maintaining super yummy flavor!

http://www.megified.wordpress.com/

Here is her recipe and photo from her blog, with my substitutions as I of course used what I had on hand:

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 pkg frozen spinach or 2 cups fresh - this I omitted as Bill has reminded me on many occasion that spinach does not belong in Lasagna, I don't agree, however changed this to a pkg of crimini mushrooms (next time will use a minimum of 2 pkgs of mushrooms)1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp dried sage (I used fresh thyme, because I had some)1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 cups pureed pumpkin (I used canned) (used 1 can, 796ml)1/2 brick cream cheese-softened

2 tbsp egg white (used 1 whole egg)1/4 cup parmasean cheese

3/4 cup coconut milk (used 1 can 400ml)1/2 cup skim milk (omitted)1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese (I used 1/2 cup)aprox. 1/2 pkg oven ready lasagna noodles (I used a box of gluten free noodles - it was small, could have used more noodles)

Method:

In frying pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until translucent (aprox 3-4 min)
Defrost spinach and squeeze out excess water and add to pan. (did mushrooms here)Add 1/2 tsp salt, sage, black pepper, and nutmeg.

Stir and remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 400F
In stand mixer add softened cream cheese, parmasean, and egg whites (whole egg). Mix well.
Add pumpkin, 1/2 tsp salt, sage, black pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until smooth. ( I added 1/2 - 3/4 approx can of coconut milk to the pumpkin mixture)In a 9×13 glass baking dish add milk (used approx 1/4 can of coconut milk here) to bottom of pan and top with lasagna noodles.

Spread 1/3 of pumpkin mixture evenly over noodles.
Spread 1/2 of the spinach mixture over the pumpkin, and add another layer of noodles.
Repeat with another layer of pumpkin, spinach, and noodles.
Top with remaining pumpkin, and sprinkle with mozzarella.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 min.
Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and golden.

http://megified.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/pumpkin-lasagna/#comment-44

Now, as I wasn't sure if my family would be so willing to try a pumpkin lasagna I also made a quick beef and mozza regular lasagna as well. Happily, my hubby actually liked the pumpkin lasagna, totally surpised by this and of course happy with how well it turned out. I will certainly be comtemplating this for the next pot luck I have to go to or gathering of sorts.

Next to try (maybe next weekend) will be pumpkin chili, post sure to follow.

Technical difficulties, I copied and posted and apparently blogger does not like wordpress. Feel free to click on Meg's link and grab the recipe there instead.

Happy cooking!

Happy thoughts, what's your pixie dust?

Do you ever have days or even weeks when you seem flooded with reminders of something from days gone by? I’m not talking bad memories here either, I mean the good ones, the ones that were deemed important enough to be stored in that ever important memory bank, locked somewhere in that brain of yours. I ran across a song the other day and it reminded me of a very important phase in my life and quickly uploaded the utube video to my facebook page and tagged a girlfriend of mine so she too could share in that memory bank experience.

Funny how that works, all I had to do was give her the song and not say anything more and it totally opened up her memory bank as well and flooded her with those good times. A simple song, a simple picture, a name, a place, all reminders of happy thoughts (no pixie dust required). Now don’t get me wrong, we all have those bad memories that we’d like to forget but I’m not talking about those so leave those locked up and reserve them for reminders when you need to find strength or courage or when you need to simply look back and see just how far you’ve come since that time.

So, what’s stored in your memory bank? Friends, destinations, songs, thoughts, feelings? You know you’ve got’em all, now find yourself some time to give yourself a chance to open that flood gate and take in some of those feel good feelings, we all need them and deserve that break.

I just finished a course on Body Mind Nutrition, the course reviewed a lot of information about stopping the aging of the brain and how you can boost your brain power and how your nutrition affects your brain. Maybe this is what has prompted the recent flood gate opening, I’m not sure. The statistics are real and the chance of it happening to you and me is high. It just goes to give a friendly reminder that what you do today will certainly reflect upon you in the future, don’t forget that.

The thought of losing those memories scares me. If you lose those memories then how do you get to your happy place, your mooring post, your grounded two feet on the ground with the head in the clouds spot that just puts you at ease and makes life all good?

Think about it.

Now, the next time something prompts a good times memory and the flood gates open be sure you don’t quickly snap them shut because you think you’re too busy to travel down that path. It stares you in the face for a reason people, so take note and don’t ignore it. You have every right to let yourself go there and take in a moment or two to let that smile hit your face and let that sunny memory warm your heart.

I started out saying no pixie dust required, but really, maybe whatever it is that sparks the memory bank to open is your own version of pixie dust (the thought, the feeling, whatever the reminder is).

Find your pixie dust and open up the gate