Re-Run

        So here's a thing- I'm running again- I know insert eye roll and cue the whining! But in all seriousness I am actually running and finally beginning to like it! I know I have been down this path before- I've bought the runners, bought the great work out gear and then proceeded to sit on the couch. So what makes this time so very different than before?

     I think for me working a full time job has really put a priority on me finding some balance in my life. It's one thing to be spiritually balanced- have the work/ family thing down but somewhere in the middle something suffers. And quite frankly since moving into my new job that "something" happens to be my jean size.

    A big part of this has to do with my sister- she is my inspiration. My sister runs- a lot- she's so athletic and always has been. Now no offence to my sister but we both have the same genetic predisposition to laziness- we like to nap a lot. So I thought to myself if she can do it so can I- again no offence but it's true!

    It's so funny to me that two people can come from the exact same place- the same home- yet have two totally different life truths. My sister has always been "The Athletic One" and I have always been "The Creative One"- also known as "The Reader". These labels have been what has always stopped me short of carrying through with any sort of fitness goals. I have always been afraid that I would fail and prove everyone right- that in fact I am not "The Athletic One". The same goes for my sister- she doesn't like making things and she is "not a reader".

    So in my year of KINDNESS I am allowing myself the chance to try- I might fail again- but at least I am going to try. I literally have nothing to lose except for this large bottom. These days I have no time- like zero time- for labels and bullshit- these days all I am seeing is the pavement under my sneakers as I run past the bakery and the tacos. Running still sucks- but each day it sucks a little worse!


   

Spelt Muffins

      With the arrival of warm weather I am also feeling the return to health for our entire family- while we haven't been too badly ill the persistent runny noses and coughing have left us all feeling a tad drained. I have finally returned to my regular yoga practice and have started running again- I'm feeling strong. With this feeling of good health it is only natural that I want to fill our tummies with good fuel- not too much sugar- but still something that passes as a treat- enter in this yummy Spelt muffin recipe that is our new go- to snack.

The Goods:

2 cups Spelt flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
A pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 cup Maple Syrup
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Vanilla

Alternatively add in

- 1 cup of diced apple
- 1 cup blue berries
-1 cup chocolate chips


The Deal:

-Set oven at 350 for baking- line muffin tins with paper cups or set up silicon baking cups
-Combine dry ingredients in one bowl
-Combine wet ingredients in another bowl- once well mixed add into dry mixture
-Once muffin mixture is well combined add in your choice of extras- blueberries are my favourite at this time of year!
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top

Simple Family Friday

On Self Preservation

       It was exactly a year ago last night that my life as I knew it changed forever- dramatic- perhaps- but it's my story and I tend to be a bit dramatic. Halloween 2012 I was sitting at my cousin's table happily- if a little tiredly- eating pizza and drinking a glass of wine- my neck started swelling- yes swelling- to about the size of a tennis ball. My tongue was numb and my neck hurt- so much- I thought I was having a stroke. So fast forward to the ER- turns out my neck was no big deal- I had a clogged saliva duct- the swelling was an excess build up of saliva- the life shattering moment came when two doctors and a nurse each expressed concern about my blood pressure.

    My blood pressure was high- like well above average for a 36 year old woman. I was not too concerned- high blood pressure- at least I was not having a stroke. It wasn't until I got home and started researching high blood pressure in women that I became concerned- more than half of all adults have hypertension and half of those are women- high blood pressure is not just a men's health issue. My emotions are complex surrounding this time- they fluctuated between freaking out and depression. This was something I wanted to nip in the bud- but how?

     Working closely with my family doctor we worked out a plan- lots of blood testing, and ultra sounds to ensure my kidney's were functioning properly- finally we settled on a plan of medications and diet- and exercise. My family doctor is fantastic- he is a straight shooter and tells it like it is- he laid it out for me- if I wanted to get well I had to loose weight.

      As a Mum it is not unusual that everyone else comes before me- I worked so we could have vacations, I cooked healthy- homemade meals but ate mine standing by the sink, I always had other priorities that came before exercising. Pretty common right? I knew things had to change- I need my health- to be physically strong and well for my family- this is how I  can best serve them- by being strong and well. So what does this have to do with  Simple Family Friday you might be asking? My tip for today for Mums everywhere is to be kind to yourself- practice self preservation- take care of yourself FIRST!

      I am a year out on my journey to health- it hasn't been easy- I love food and hate exercising- but I returned to my yoga practice which I have grown to love even more than before- I walk a lot and occasionally run- which turns out I also really like. I learned how carbohydrates work and what the best food for my body is- I can tell when I am not eating optimally for my body. I have lost 37 pounds and am still consciously making good choices- it is a struggle- every- single- day.

     As a busy Mum I acknowledge it is tricky to carve out space in my day that is just for me- but it is so necessary for my peace of mind. Mediation and yoga play a big roll in quieting my mind from worry and centering me for the day- meditation is shown to lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation- not to mention induce calmness which helps reduce stress. Taking time to do what you enjoy is so important to leading a happy life- reading, drawing, knitting, painting- whatever it is just go and do it! Another important factor- I cleaned closet with what was not working for me in my life- saying no to negativity and only allowing the positive things I chose to let in has been a game changer!

     So Mommas- ignore the laundry piling up, forget the dishes, order take out and relax- do something for you! A healthy Momma is the backbone of a healthy family. One trick I like to do is when I am laying in bed after a busy day- just relaxing and drifting off to sleep- I like to check in with my body and mind- see how everything is feeling- if something isn't working for me I make sure to change it the next day. For me this past year has been a real wake up call- I think it was the first time I have not felt immortal- goodbye youth and hello reality! 

     It is Friday today! Yay the weekend! I encourage you all to go down to a pharmacy and get your blood pressure tested- heart disease is a silent killer for women- get tested regularly, tune into your body and be kind to yourself! Much love Mommas- Happy Friday!

Simple Family Friday

         It's Friday! And it's a Professional Development day here in our school catchment- which means both Littles are home with me this morning- so fun but it also means I am running behind this morning. When I know I am going to need to have an extra boost of energy or I'm feeling under the weather- yes still- fingers crossed I don't completely lose my voice until after tomorrow evening- I turn to one of favourite beverages- Kombucha.

       You might be wondering what is Kombucha? Kombucha is a pro biotic, naturally effervescent beverage made from black tea- it is made by fermenting the tea using a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria- also known as a Scoby. Kombucha is a living, enzyme-rich beverage- packed full of pro biotics, amino acids and vitamins making this an excellent beverage for boosting your immune system. It also aids in digestion and is just generally all around good stuff.

       Although Kombucha is an ancient beverage- thought to first have originated in China and brought to the counter culture of America in the 1970's- Kombucha has become extremely popular over the past few years with the advent of many packaged and store bought options becoming available. While the convenience is nice the cost is not- therefor I thought I would share just how easy it is to ferment your own Kombucha at home.

      You will need to get yourself a Scoby- I got mine from a friend- the Scoby can be easily split and shared. I have also heard rumours that you can buy a plain jar of Kombucha and start a Scoby from that- I haven't tried this myself but another friend of mine swears by it- as long as it is plain and unflavoured. Once you have your Scoby you need to add it to the black tea- the tea must be cooled to the touch- the heat will kill the Scoby. Black tea seems to work best green tea works as well. Add in a few table spoons of sugar as well- the Scoby feeds off the sugar and causes the fermentation. Cover jar with a piece of fabric and an elastic as the fermenting will draw fruit flies!

     Leave your brewing Kombucha for 3-7 days - give it a taste every few days till you like what you are tasting- the longer you leave it the more sour it will be. A second fermenting can be done by pouring off the tea- always leave a small bit in the bottom of your jar to keep the Scoby alive- so pour off the tea into another jar and add in flavours- today I am trying a healthful lemon, ginger and cayenne blend to help me kick this cold. Allow the new jar of Kombucha to ferment again for another 3 days. With the second ferment you can add in any flavour you want- fruit juices work well- berries, ginger, lemon, orange- start experimenting and see what you can come up with!

      A few last notes on home brewing Kombucha- always leave a bit of tea at the bottom of your jar with the Scoby to keep it going. Leave the tea brewing out on the counter- do not refrigerate the Scoby. The most important tip is to never use metal when brewing your Kombucha- use a wooden spoon or plastic to separate the Scoby.

      Friends as mentioned it is Friday- this has been a super long, hard week for me- it is never easy when Momma is sick! I am stubborn though so today I am heading out to Abbotsford for the Urban Market at Highstreet- I would not miss this event for anything! If you are looking for something to do tomorrow come on out to the valley and support some local businesses! Happy Friday Friends!

P.S- I have some amazing crunchy friends- a big thank you at Ally from Oolawoola for my Scoby and most of the instructions listed here- thank you to Deadra for all her encouragement and input on starting. And thank you to Karrina in Oregon for her healing health combo that I am trying today!
   

In My Kitchen

Who: 4 Hour Recipes blog

What: Green Curry Chicken and Vege

When: last night

Where: our kitchen table

Why: once again I am seeking to reduce our intake of refined white flour and sugars- so we have cut our most grains from our diet- the question there for is what do we replace it with? Not even necessarily a dietary concern- we don't need to replace rice for a full plate- but texturally and taste wise we have come to expect something to eat with curry!

How:

1 package baby corn
1 can bamboo shoots
a handful of chopped coriander leaves
2 cloves garlic- minced
1 bell pepper- julienned
2-4 tablespoons green curry paste (depending on taste)
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice from 1 lime
riceaflower (stay tuned to find out what this is-life changing!)
2 chicken breasts diced into 1" cubes

1. heat olive oil and cook chicken and remove chicken from pan

2.  add veggies to the same pan and cook veggies until tender

3. add chicken back into the pan with veggies, add curry paste

4. stir in coconut milk and heat through, letting the coconut milk and curry paste blend thoroughly

5. mix in lime juice and coriander leaves

6. serve over riceaflower

   Now at this point you are probably wondering what on earth is riceaflower? All riceaflower is is cooked cauliflower coarsely mashed to the consistency of rice- rocket science this is not! We do not have a microwave so all we do is steam a head of cauliflower and then with a potatoes masher mash the steamed cauliflower to desired constancy. This is an excellent replacement for rice and one my taste buds really love!

Whats in Your Beauty Bag?

     Recently I broke up with a long time friend- this friend and I had been through thick and thin, many boys and every fashion trend imaginable. This friend had been my one constant, my go-to- until recently when I learned this friend was actually not so friendly. That little innocuous yellow tube with a bee on it that was always in my pocket- ready to be pulled out at any chance I might need soft kissable lips- so minty- so environmentally friendly- so recently bought out by a multi national corporation. Yes I broke it off with my chap stick.

    It's sad day but one I know I can not continue to ignore- I know it's time to have a show down with my beauty bag- Mano a Mano. I have been phasing out conventional beauty products* over the last few months - as I use something up it is being replaced with something more sustainable and locally made- I am greening my beauty bag. Recently I received a copy of the Winter 2012 issue of Eco Parent and within those pages I came across an article on conventional beauty products that would make any one's hair stand on end- or fall out- depending. Furthering my resolve to rid my beauty regime of all  the seemingly green Plant- based Chemicals as well as the obvious Petrochemicals- I don't use any of this stuff on my kids so why do I feel the need to eliminate wrinkles with petroleum?

    What is a girl to do? I reached back into the recesses of my brain trying to dig out some old recipes I used to use when I was broke in high school- you know before I was wealthy enough to slather myself in chemicals. I used to wash my hair with Apple Cider Vinegar- or once with Mayo- this did not work FYI. My favourite beauty recipe was by far an oatmeal based scrub that could also double as a bath soak- great for winter and cheap as chips!
   

The Goods:

1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup lavender or green tea leaves

The Deal:

combine everything together in a food processor and give it a few whizzes until you get a fine powder- store in a jar- you are done- how easy was that?

To Use: simple shake a small portion out onto your hand and drizzle some water in- mix until you have a paste and use as you would any scrub on your face. The lavender is antibacterial so can help clear up blemishes, the green tea leaves are soothing for inflammation. To use in a bath place a few teaspoons inside a muslin bag and toss into your bath and relax - just like tea.  The oatmeal will help sooth itchy winter skin. Probably it is not a good idea to let this stuff go down the drain- but you can empty the contents into the compost- rise bag out to use again another day.

    I will admit that while I am willing to wash my face with oatmeal I am not ready to tackle making my own shampoo- I was so happy to come across this yummy little bar at our local Whole Foods- I was even more elated when I discovered it is made in my own hometown or Peachland! I can't wait to try it on my hair tonight. Of course I am still using my old favourite hand cream as well as their body bar now- from the folks at Sweet Earth Soapworks- the Uncle Willy's Old Style Lavender Hand Balm- absolutely my favourite beauty discovery this year- better than any conventional hand cream I have ever used!

    You might be wondering about my old friend the lip balm- who did I replace it with? Well I have tried several "natural" and even home made chap sticks but have finally found bliss in an all natural version from Jane's Honey- made by the same bees who make our honey! Local beeswax from local bees- how much closer to the natural can I get?

  *my use of the term conventional beauty products refers to any product manufactured for a corporation- any popular brand sold in stores- although in the past I have tried to use "natural" or products with "organic" components- these terms often mean little when combined with Petrochemicals

In My Kitchen

   
       Lately I have been going through some health stuff and have felt the need to take back control of my eating- pre babies I was not the healthiest but I ate elaborate salads every day for lunch at work- and I had a lunch hour where I sat and relaxed and mindfully ate my food. Then the babies arrived and I stayed home- I feel like my story is the story of many mothers- grabbing random slices of toast while standing by the sink. So four years into being a Momma and I am now facing doctor's orders to lower my sodium and loose the weight-  and this Momma wants to stick around for awhile!

   Enter in the salad as a meal- I do love my greens and am welcoming them back into my life as a key player on my road to good health. Last weekend in Portland I ordered a salad that I feel is going to change my life- it was delicious, filling and satisfying- Kale, beet and quinoa with candied hazelnuts and goats cheese. Yah it hit all the right notes- sweet and savory- just the way I like it! So today I tried to reproduce this wonder salad as best I could- and I gotta say I am one happy gal!

The Goods:
 Kale- washed and taken off the hard stock
beets- roasted, skinned and cubed
quinoa- about 1 cup cooked
goat cheese- I just used a bit
cranberries ( oh yes!)
candied nuts- I used walnuts

The Deal a.k.a. The Dressing
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary- finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
2 sprigs parsley- finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt( I omit this)

- put everything in a mason jar and shake, shake, shake senora, shake it all the time....


      Now I suppose you want the candied nut recipe! I will give you fair warning- they are completely addictive- I made them for a bake sale once and was yelled at when I sold out! They make a great Holiday or hostess gift when packed inside a pretty and useful jar- and are fantastic on top of ice cream or in trail mix as a little somethin' somethin'.

The Goods:
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cup of nuts- pecans, walnuts, hazel nuts are all great
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt (again I omit this for myself)

The Deal:
in a pan ( I use cast iron) over medium heat add nuts, butter and sugar- let butter melt and then mix evenly to coat nuts in butter & sugar mixture. Stirring constantly until nuts are toasted and sugar is golden- and syrupy looking- about 15 minutes. Removed pan from heat and add vanilla- immediately spread out  evenly onto aluminum foil, sprinkle with salt and let cool.

Word: have everything set up before you start this- have your aluminum foil spread out onto a cookie sheet right beside you- have the vanilla with in arms reach- this is not a recipe to walk away from at any time!

    Thanks to my mom for sharing this recipe with me years ago- you helped me look gourmet and fancy even in university!

    Friends it is Friday again- already- that is what happens when you have a long weekend at the start of your week! I think we are just going to snuggle in this weekend- get caught up on some boring home repairs, start some Christmas sewing and have dinner with my Mr.'s Aunt and Uncle- they are always a hoot. Hope your weekend is creative and warm- see you Monday!