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

Have you entered the GIVEAWAY?

What a rad weekend! J and I rarely have the same days off.  Somehow, as luck would have it, we had yesterday and today off! SWEETNESS! His request; pizza night! I had the idea to trying a gluten free pizza crust.

Olive oil and 4 cloves of garlic made up the base!

about 1/4 cup of mozzarella, spinach, shitake mushrooms, and tomatoes

Complete with parmesean and red pepper flakes

Oh, it was soo good. I am not sure I am sold of the crust though.  Anyone else tried the gluten free crust?

This morning’s juice was 1 grapefuit, kale, apple and carrot.

You will have to excuse the compost bowl in the background…oops.

The day is beautiful and sunny Some lawn needs mowed, weeds need pulled and some seeds need planting.  Be back later

Sometimes when a recipe fails I think it only makes me try harder the next time.  The pumpkin muffins yesterday were just OK.  They weren’t great.  While, I still have some pumpkin left I thought I would make pumpkin pancakes this morning.  This morning it was a recipe SUCCESS!

Pumpkin-Buckwheat Pancakes

1/4 cup buckwheat flour, 1/4 cup pumpkin, 1/4 milk (any kind)

1/4 tsp. cinn., 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp. baking powder and 1 packet of stevia

Fold in 6 tbs. whipped egg whites

Yields 2 1/2 large pancakes

Topped with pumpkin butter, walnuts and maple syrup!

Ahh, yes, breakfast was a success! Somehow the recipe turned out perfect.  I think the 1/4 cup and tsp. measurements were just my way of not getting so many utensils dirty. HA! Turned out great!

I was up early this morning with Jason.  He left to drive to Reno.  He is getting a head start on our vacation back home.  I will be flying out this Wednesday night. Feels kinda weird to know that I am on my own for four days! Even though he would normally be at work right now, it somehow still feels different. Golly!

Started my day with some fresh juice! The sun is out and the day is beautiful! I walked around the yard with the cats and looked at some of the new plants growing.  The kitties love it if they are allowed to go outside and love it even more if you hang out with them.  Silly, I know, but I’m cool with it! Seemed like a great time to take photos. So I created two new tabs for two things I love very much.  Hope you enjoy

1 beet +3 beet greens, 1 carrot, 1 peeled lemon, 1/2 apple

That was my special glass from Kate! Thanks again Kate!

The day is beautiful and so I must go get out in it! Going for a walk with some friends at a nearby golf course and take my car to the car wash! Hope the day is beautiful where you are!

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.

So, last night was taco night. Tacos are one of the best dinners around if you ask me.  I made black beans that we made into refried beans.

This was simpler than I was expecting.  Can’t take all the credit though.  Karla knows her black beans.  I have seen them pop up on her site several times. Finally I had to make them for myself. Check out her recipe. If you checked her out, then you will know where I my going with my lunch:arrow:

This meal was so darn good, that I have declared that I will be having the same thing tomorrow! 1 egg and 1 egg white, DKB with Sunbutter, and black beans.  Yes, that toast is a bit burnt. Is it crazy that I love burnt toast?

Backtracking to last night’s dinner.  I was telling myself that I would just have a taco salad and not have a tortilla.  Well, schucks, I had two!

This ended up making me way to full.  This is no surprise.  I think I always have a full belly ache on taco night. It is the one dinner, I have a hard time stopping when I am full. I griped and complained, then finally told myself to just do better next time!

I woke up an knew just what I needed.

That is much better! I love how juice can make you feel so good.

Jason and I met with a photographer this morning.  It was a Christmas gift from my dear cousin. I was stunned when I saw some of her work that she did for her and a friend.  She is from Chicago, but was visiting family.  We lucked out! I am soooo excited to see the prints.  The best part of all was that it wasn’t raining when we met her.  I was pretty nervous that it would.  I woke up to rain and we drove to meet her downtown in the pouring rain.  It stopped raining within 5 minutes of our meeting up with her.  I kid you not!! I had a lot of fun.  I realized again, just how much I love Jason! He is my best friend and I adore him!

I passed on the tortillas and cheese tonight.  Taco salad it was.

I did not make the bed today, however, some folks did not mind.

What the crapadoo!! Does anyone else get “fire face” when they work out?? I have my whole life.  Sure, it wasn’t as bad when I was in better shape, but it would even then, still get way red!

This is a very modest shade of red.  I am not that comfortable yet to reveal my full-blown fire face.  This was due to 30 day shred 2!! Jillian can be so mean! and that is exactly why I heart her!

I ate clean today! Breakfast was juice and 2 hours later oats with cinnamon, stevia and almond butter.

Lunch was leftover stir-fry and green grapes for mid afternoon snack. Lots o water was consumed as well.  Actually, that is easy peasy for me.  I love, love, love water!

Tuna, broccoli and harvest grains were for dinner. oh yeah, and the sauce on the tuna is blended cilantro, garlic and lime juice.

The harvest grains are way too cool.  I put them on my Trader Joe’s list after I saw Sarah prepare them. I added artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice and zest after it cooked; done and done. This meal was quick! This is actually Jason’s plate.  I had half of my tuna (saved the rest for tomorrow) and less grains.

Gotta scoot.  Much to still do and it’s already after 9:00! It’s almost my bedtime

Ha! Ya right.  Gin is terrible.  I did make a post workout cocktail though.

twas a rather Merry Christmas juice this afternoon.

Today I decided to make leftover pulp crackers.  Normally this stuff goes into the compost.

I added: mustard, salt, ground flax, sesame seeds and chili powder.

Mixed in the Kitchen Aid on low.  It was a bid dry so I added a bit of the leftover juice.

The hardest part was actually pressing it in the cookie sheet.  I wanted it to be super thin and it was really sticky.  It was taking way to long.  Then I realized to use some plastic wrap on top and really just scrape and flatted with my palm.

(Sorry, I didn’t realize this was so blurry.)  I also scored them with a knife before I put them in the oven.  Cooked @ 230 degrees for about an hour and a half.  They probably should have gone a little longer but I was leaving so I left them in the oven while it was turned off for the rest of the evening.

They broke apart really easy and actually turned out thin enough.

Plus they were pretty tasty!  Phew! Sometimes good ideas don’t always turn out so good.

I think it is safe to say that I am 90% done with my Christmas shopping.  Yee-Yah! Jason and I went out to dinner, then to Cost Plus and Trader Joe’s.  It doesn’t get better than that.  I could be reckless in those two store, yikes!  Good thing he was with me.

I also wanted to share Jason’s cute dinner from last night.  Move over White Castle!

A few weeks ago we were at the store and he thought he wanted those White Castle burgers.  I convinced him he could do better at home. Those little cuties are on dinner rolls.  I also made him his favorite potato salad.

Going to catch up on a little Dexter.  Land of the Lost was terrible last night.  I must admit, we did not finish it.

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.