Salt & Humor

During my cleanse I am realizing some things that I will be changing.  While I can’t see myself completely giving up coffee, sugar and bread (gluten).  I will most certainly be reducing my intake of these food.  While I am giving it my best effort to stick to these dietary exclusions during my cleanse I realize just how darn hard that is.  I made veggie sushi one night and only afterwards did I think to check some labels! Wheat in the soy sauce and sugar in the Sriratcha!!

SERIOUSLY!

Some meals I think I pulled off pretty good.  I wasn’t too into taking photos because salads get a little boring after a while.  I made lentil, bean and sunflower sprouts.  They were great in salads and wraps. 

Salad with avocado, lentil sprouts and tahini dressing with

brown rice wrap of hummus, sweet potato and marinated tempeh

Each day I had 1-2 servings of green juice. Mine usually consisted of cucumber, celery, romaine, kale/collards or dandelion greens, green apple and ginger.

Also, daily exercise, about 8 hours of sleep, meditating, dry brushing and journaling have been daily tasks.  While this has been what I have been up to, I realized how little time left I have had to read, draw, paint, sew, talk on the phone, clean, play or BLOG.  I have been getting up at 5:30 to have ensure enough time to meditate, dry brush, make lunch and juice before work.  It has been quite the project and adventure.  I realized that it isn’t all that bad to get up at that time and if I can make it a habbit I want to start exercising at that time rather than after work.  The chances of getting it done after work are about 50/50.  This is a stretch but I would LOVE if I would make it happen.  So this is my goal.  I also realized that my heart just isn’t into blogging like it used to be.  I have so many other things that I need to be focussing on right now.  So as I am not sure what this might mean for Salt & Humor, I do think it is time for a BREAK.

I wanted to leave you with a happy accident recipe for a salad I made last night and the recommendation of Kris Carr’s book; Crazy Sexy Diet. I am really glad that I came upon this book.

WILD SALAD

sliced red cabbage

sliced fennel bulb

chopped celery

chopped green onion

very lightly steamed broccoli, chopped

sliced almonds

raisins

chopped cilantro

toasted sesame seeds

poppy seeds

Dressing: tahini, apple cider vinegar, salt, garlic, and stevia

As you know, when it comes to providing recipes I am a bit vague.  Those are the ingredients I used, as for the measurements, uh, I just go with it.  I can say this though, please try this salad! It was fabulous!!

XOXO

I am just not going to allow myself to get sick!  It seems that the cold/flu bug are going around and I swear I am going to dodge it! I have to be careful in my own home, as Jason is super sick with what they call an upper-respiratory tract infection.  Some say it is all in the way we think.  If you think you will get sick, then you will.  If you think that you will not, then you won’t.  Well, I have tried that and I am trying to eat mostly fruits and veggies and preferably raw.

I started the morning with fresh juice; 1 lemon, 1 lime, 1 orange and 1 grapefruit with grated ginger.  Jason actually requests this juice all the time, although without the ginger.  Yesterday, I convinced him that he needed it to help him feel better For lunch I made a wrap.  It was a crazy recipe I construed while on a long walk and very hungry.  I swear that is when I think of the best recipes.  I shredded brussel sprouts in the food processor, added some chopped purple cabbage and jalapeno.  Then I blended edamame beans, lemon juice, avocado, olive oil, salt and cumin to make a dressing (sort of).  So I guess I would call it a brussel sprout slaw.

Then I packed some into a turnip leaf to roll like a wrap.

Sriratcha was a must!

It was pretty tasty, especially with the chili sauce.  It was definitely one of the meals you have to chew, chew, chew and then chew some more.  Maybe next time I would steam the sprouts for just a minute or so.  Besides, steaming them brings the flavor out better.

I have known for quite some time, about the amazing benefits of ginger but have just not had much of a liking for the taste.  I tell myself I should just retry it every now and then to see if I like it.  Well, I am liking it more now.  It has to be fresh though.  I still don’t like pickled or candied ginger.  So, I slipped it in my juice, then I made a healthier version of ginger ale.  I simply added shredded ginger and vanilla stevia to sparkling water.  It wasn’t so bad.  I am even drinking more ginger ale today.

So there, I am not getting sick.  I am telling myself it isn’t going to happen, trying to eat good, exercising and going to bed early.

How do you avoid getting sick?

I actually woke up early enough to make juice before work on Thursday.

One of my favorite juices would be 1 lemon, 1 lime, 1 orange and 1 grapefruit.  I was lucky enough to find some meyer lemons at the store the other day.  This was my first time having one.  Loved them!

This morning’s juice was a “clean out the veggie drawer” juice.  I want to go to the Grower’s Outlet for a bunch of produce today, so I must make room first.  I am so lucky that there is a little store right around the corner that features local growers.  They have other groceries and imports too.

1 carrot, 1/2 apple, 1/2 cucumber, last 3 scrawny stalks of celery

Now, for some fun news! I was gifted with a very special package from MyBlogSpark. I received a coupon from Fiber One to sample their new yogurt and a $50 gift card from Safeway. Needless to say, a fun grocery shopping event happened yesterday!

Goodies, Goodies, Goodies!

Very curios to try this!

There was strawberry, peach and vanilla to choose from.  Influenced by Jason, we picked strawberry.

There was lot of flavor packed into this tiny, cute cup. I like that you get 5 grams of fiber per serving. I was thinking about mixing it with some plain yogurt because they were a little too sweet for my taste. On the other hand, Jason loved them!

Who would love to win a $50 gift card for a Safeway (Dominick´s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, Genuardi´s) shopping spree of their own????

To Enter:

1.) leave a comment telling me what Fiber One yogurt flavor you would pick and link this giveaway back to your blog if you have one. (Either, pingback or let me know you linked).

2.) *BONUS POINT* if you add me to your blogroll.

You have until Friday, the 12th to enter.  I will announce the winner on Saturday.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday!

Skipped the coffee this morning and replaced it with some juice.  I swear, it gives you the same feeling, only better.

That is really a monster carrot! They are Italian carrots-cool huh.

I made oats before my workout so they would be ready after. I have really been enjoying making overnight oats (no-cook), this was similar, only 2 hour oats.

1/4 cup dry oats, 1 scoop of Amazing Grass-Superfood, 1 scoop of Chocolate Biochem protein (thanks April!), 2 tbsp. of ground flax, dried fruit/nuts, unsweetened coconut and cinnamon mixed with half a smashed banana and almond milk. Today, I added the juice from the bottom of the pitcher.  It is usually foamy…ehhh. Depending on my mood, I may or may not drink that part. So in the oats it went!

After my workout and a shower the oats hit the spot, with some almond butter, that is.

It was a beautiful, sunny (for the most part) today.  I am not the only one that loves the sunshine…

This little handsome devil does not like his photo taken! He usually runs off.  So this was discretely taken from inside without his permission.

I picked up a mysterious winter squash at the store a while ago.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with this one, so I sliced and baked.

It was just ok.  The sweet dumpling was way better! The other part of my dinner was better though.

Massaged kale with lime and salt, tahini/yogurt dressing, grilled tofu, yellow pepper and grape tomatoes.

Have a happy Saturday night!

I had intentions of getting so much done yesterday.  That was crushed when I was stuck with a headache! Pain reliever let me down so I juiced.  This may or may not have been what finally made my dreadful headache go away, but for now, I like thinking it did.

The best photo spot right now is by the kitchen sink.  The lighting and natural light of the window usually mean I don’t have to use the flash.  Well, that light burned out and I still need to replace it and it was soo gray out that I had to improvise.

Swamp juice on window sill it is!
Did you know, that Starbucks straws make the best smoothie and juice straws!… Just thought you should know

I heard the kitties “chirping” at the birdies. Yes, even cats chirp, it is a fact. I was quick to grab my camera.

Did I mention that is was a gray day? Plus, I took this from inside.  It was fun to watch, sorry the photos are weak.

I made bean burgers for dinner. Jason seemed confused but I think he liked them.

burgers: pinto beans, quinoa, garlic/onion, cilantro, salt/pepper, salsa and cornmeal.

I also made a Waldorf salad: apple, celery, cranberries, walnuts and fat-free yogurt. Dinner=perfect.

I did not get a workout in tonight. This afternoon I got another headache This one still didn’t go away with pain reliever.  My back was also killing me and I am pretty sore from some working out over the weekend.  I think I will do some yoga for the back after I finish this.

Tonight’s dinner:
leftover burger on salad with yellow bell pepper and Annie’ Goddess dressing.

I accidentally overslept this morning. I hate that. It always feels so much better when I wake up naturally, preferably before 7:00. Oh well, it is my day off, so I should just be glad for that. I peeled a grapefruit and made some juice. Juice this morning was: beet and greens, 1/3 cucumber, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk and one apple. It was a little too sweet for my taste today.



I am getting around to a workout. Just a lazy day here. I get that way on cloudy days. Just wanted to make sure I let you know about a fun giveaway that I stumbled upon this morning. Check out Living Fit . She is giving away the new cook book by Alicia Silverstone. Good luck! Looks like a super book.

I was so lucky to get sick on my visit to Reno.  I managed to hobble through the week with H1N1 the worst cold/flu I think I’ve had yet.  I actually slept 12 hours last night.  When I woke up I knew it was time to reunite with my juicer.

Yumm-mooo! It’s good to have my juice again!

The pain about juicing is …. the clean-up.  OH YA!  I think I remember why it’s been a while now.  I just need to get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning and have my vegetables prepped before bed.  Dedication, right.  That’s what it’s all about.

I kinda had breakfast for lunch (brunch) Chores kept me busier than I thought.  Have no fear though, lunch was sweet as could be.!

Behold,,, pumpkin oats

1/2 cup oats cooked with water and a pinch o salt

1/4 cup pumpkin

1+ tbsp raisins

2 tbsp pecans

jay robb chocolate rice protein powder

cinnamon and pump. pie seasoning

topped: unsweetened coconut, almond butter

One of the bonuses about lazy days like today is all the cat therapy I get.  I love to give them kisses, even if they protest.  The kitties enjoy when one of us is here.  That’s right, it’s like they really care… HA! These are cats we are talking about.  They only care about themselves.  When I am here, they have someone to let them IN and OUT, oh let’s see maybe 20-30 times.  Ya, I think that sounds about right.

Choopey

Time for a nap to get bizzy with some laundry.