As usual, I haven't stuck to a plan...which is to post recipes on my blog. I really don't have time to cook like I used to so lately it's been really quick, simple meals. But, here are two new favorites I have recently made:
"Di Fara" Pizza
(This is my super fast and cheap version of a great pizza we had in Brooklyn from Di Fara)
1 can Pillsbury Thin Crust pizza dough (oddly enough, they don't have it on their website)
1/2 cup olive oil (I didn't measure this...so probably not that much...just grab the bottle)
1 1/2 cup pizza sauce (my favorite is Prego Traditional)
1 cup Italian cheese (I get the cheapest bag of shredded at the store)
1 small bunch of fresh basil
Other toppings of your choice but use sparingly! I personally just eat it with cheese only.
Scissors
Large cookie sheet
Preheat the oven to 400. Spread out the dough in the cookie sheet. Pour pizza sauce and spread out. Top with cheese and other toppings. Tip: I use a litte more sauce than cheese, but not a lot of either. Drizzle entire pizza with olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes. When pizza is hot out of the oven, snip fresh basil over the top to your taste. I use quite a bit. Drizzle with more olive oil over the entire pizza. Enjoy!
Now here are the obvious major differences. Mr. DeMarco only uses fresh ingredients from Italy. All of them. He uses fresh mozzerella and does add a couple of handfuls of shredded fresh mozzerella on top when it comes out of the oven. But, I'm not a huge cheese lover so I skip that part.
Here's the second recipe from my best friend. Her oldest son's father is Lebanese and while he doesn't see that side of the family any more, he does still ask for some of the traditional food that his grandma made. This is my take on what she told me...a lot different.
Lebanese Rice (I don't know what it's called)
1 1/2 cups wild rice
3 1/2 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 1/2 T. Chinese 5 spice (she uses the traditional Arabic 7 spice, but I was at Target shopping)
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
1 bag of fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms
1 lemon
Olive oil to taste
Bring the water to a boil and let the bouillon cube dissolve. Add 5 spice, garlic cloves and rice to water. Turn heat down and simmer for 45 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice isn't crunchy (it's really hard to cook wild/brown rice!). Add in mushrooms. Add in 3/4 of the bag of fresh baby spinach and stir to wilt (easier to add some spinach, let it wilt, add more and so on). When all the liquid is absorbed, plate however much you would like. Squeeze a little lemon juice and top with a drizzle of olive oil.
This would be a great side dish, but I ate it as a full on meal! It was lacking something that I'm sure the Arabic 7 spice has in it. But, I can't place my finger on it. I think it needed a little heat. Enjoy!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Running Sucks.
Ok, first, go to my Facebook to see pics of New York. I give up trying to post them here as it's already been how many weeks and I haven't yet.
Second, I REALLY hate running! I started an 8 week program that is supposed to take me from nothing at all to being able to run for 30 minutes straight. For week 1, the running days of that week were all the same. Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes, repeat 10 times. The first day I was dying and wanted to quit by minute 9 or 10. But I pushed through. Until week 7, there are only 4 running days. On day 2, it was a little better and by day 4 I thought it was so easy I couldn't wait to move up!
Then week 2 comes along. And oh how it is kicking my ass! All of a sudden, we go from running only 1 mere minute with a 2 minute walking break...to running 2 whole minutes with only a 1 minute walking break. WTF? I didn't think it was going to be hard on Monday...but then I had to stop after 23 minutes. Which isn't too bad, I guess. I still made it 23 minutes and then took Babs for a walk after to cool down. Jonathan thought I was running too fast (really?) so on Wednesday I slowed it down to basically being a power walk pace. But I was "running" it.
I don't know what it was...the slow pace or the increase to 3 minutes running with 1 minute walk breaks...but I died at minute 20. Literally. I am a ghost writing this right now. My breathing wasn't what was bothering me. I was supposed to repeat that pattern 7 times. On the 5th repitition my body just stopped. My hips hurt. My stupid right foot that likes to supinate hurt along the outside. My calves were burning like no other. More than anything, I think it was the pace. It was just too slow to run at.
Today, I am supposed to go up to running 4 minutes and walking 1 minute. How will I ever accomplish this? I went back to the article where I found this plan and started reading the comments. A lot of people had to change it to fit their needs and some even took longer than the 8 weeks. Which is what I think I will need to do. It's really a test of my patience...something I have a very little of. When I have a goal in mind, I like to accomplish it as quickly as possible. This is something that just has to be done slowly if I want to be able to do it at all!
But here's the thing...in virtually every article that is on Runner's World, not one person is able to run without struggle. Even the really good, God-like runners that seem to be able to go on for hours without any struggle. They hurt, too! They run out of breath, too! They feel like stopping, too! But they don't. They push through and that's what keeps them in shape and being able to do more. It may take a while for me to be able to call myself a true runner (i.e., someone who actually likes to do it), but I will get there someday.
Oh, and big duh moment on my part...my dad used to be a cross-country coach! Why don't I ask him for advice? Hello!
Second, I REALLY hate running! I started an 8 week program that is supposed to take me from nothing at all to being able to run for 30 minutes straight. For week 1, the running days of that week were all the same. Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes, repeat 10 times. The first day I was dying and wanted to quit by minute 9 or 10. But I pushed through. Until week 7, there are only 4 running days. On day 2, it was a little better and by day 4 I thought it was so easy I couldn't wait to move up!
Then week 2 comes along. And oh how it is kicking my ass! All of a sudden, we go from running only 1 mere minute with a 2 minute walking break...to running 2 whole minutes with only a 1 minute walking break. WTF? I didn't think it was going to be hard on Monday...but then I had to stop after 23 minutes. Which isn't too bad, I guess. I still made it 23 minutes and then took Babs for a walk after to cool down. Jonathan thought I was running too fast (really?) so on Wednesday I slowed it down to basically being a power walk pace. But I was "running" it.
I don't know what it was...the slow pace or the increase to 3 minutes running with 1 minute walk breaks...but I died at minute 20. Literally. I am a ghost writing this right now. My breathing wasn't what was bothering me. I was supposed to repeat that pattern 7 times. On the 5th repitition my body just stopped. My hips hurt. My stupid right foot that likes to supinate hurt along the outside. My calves were burning like no other. More than anything, I think it was the pace. It was just too slow to run at.
Today, I am supposed to go up to running 4 minutes and walking 1 minute. How will I ever accomplish this? I went back to the article where I found this plan and started reading the comments. A lot of people had to change it to fit their needs and some even took longer than the 8 weeks. Which is what I think I will need to do. It's really a test of my patience...something I have a very little of. When I have a goal in mind, I like to accomplish it as quickly as possible. This is something that just has to be done slowly if I want to be able to do it at all!
But here's the thing...in virtually every article that is on Runner's World, not one person is able to run without struggle. Even the really good, God-like runners that seem to be able to go on for hours without any struggle. They hurt, too! They run out of breath, too! They feel like stopping, too! But they don't. They push through and that's what keeps them in shape and being able to do more. It may take a while for me to be able to call myself a true runner (i.e., someone who actually likes to do it), but I will get there someday.
Oh, and big duh moment on my part...my dad used to be a cross-country coach! Why don't I ask him for advice? Hello!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Pictures of NYC
Yeah, yeah. No pictures posted yet. I was busy this weekend and pretty much gone all day on Saturday. I am starting my running training today so maybe after that, I will get time. I also have a paper to write this week by Wednesday. AHHHH!
OK, so I will post pictures by Friday. That's my goal. So far, Monday = no pictures. :) Sorry y'all!
OK, so I will post pictures by Friday. That's my goal. So far, Monday = no pictures. :) Sorry y'all!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Changes
I've decided that part of my foul mood lately isn't just work, it's the fact that I am not being a healthy person. So, in light of that fact, I've decided to make some changes in my daily routine.
First change, exercise. It's so hit or miss with me. Reading back through this blog, you can see that I either go whole hog or no hog. Lately, it's been no hog citing school as the reason. Well, that's a stupid reason! I can get back on board with working out on my lunch breaks and my mom graciously donated her treadmill to my cause (well, the cause wasn't around then, but whatever...go with it). Since there's a treadmill now sitting in my living room, literally right in front of the TV, I really can't whine and moan about having to go to the gym after I have already come home and started to relax. I also don't have to worry about finding workout clothes based on if I am having a fat day or whether or not I have shaved. Jonthan can just deal with that ugliness! The general public, however, cannot. I was raised in Dallas, you know. With this treadmill, I am going to make an honest effort to become a runner. I used to run. In high school. I was also extremely fit and weighed about 100 pounds. So, I need to get a little closer to that than what I have been doing lately...which is nothing. I found an 8 week plan that is designed for people to go from doing absolutely nothing (actually, for people who have never run at all) to being able to run 30 minutes straight in 8 weeks. That starts Monday and until then, I am walking on the treadmill at least 30 minutes every day. No excuses. Last night went really well and before I knew it, I was done! I could watch what I wanted and I wasn't distracted by people possibly looking at me. So, maybe...just maybe...I can actually do this running thing after all. It's all about taking it slow. Something I am not good at but it's probably what has caused me to stop trying after a few times in the past. Patience, my friends. Patience.
Another change is overall eating habits. I need to stop it with the fast food and only eat things that I buy and then have to prepare myself. I love to cook, I just don't seem to have the time or energy anymore (which I'm sure all the fast food and no exercise has nothing to do with the lack of energy!). Even if it is only a Smart Dog, at least I prepared it myself! Also, smaller meals and more snacks. I always have a tendency to wait until I am starving, eat a giant meal, get way too full and bloated and then not eat the rest of the day only to become hungry again as I am falling asleep. Not a good cycle to be in.
Before we left for New York (I will post pics soon...promise!), I ran out of my Diet Dr Peppers. When we got back, I didn't bother to buy anymore. My dentist keeps getting onto me about drinking them and when I was flossing the other night, I swear it looked like my teeth were jacked up at the gum line. I know it's from my receeding gums that I need to have surgery on (again), but this little voice inside my head said it was from those dang soft drinks and the acid was eating away at my teeth. So, I haven't had a Diet DP since New York...Sunday, I think, was my last. The only time I really miss it is in the morning. I usually have one on my drive in and without it, I feel like I am screwing up my routine completely!
Because of this new goal of not drinking any Cokes (even the free and oh so tempting ones at work), I went to Teavana today so that I can get back into tea again. The last time I dropped a bunch of weight quickly, I was drinking a ton of green tea every day. No Cokes, no coffee, just tea and water. So, I got this tea maker and mug for work along with white, mate and rooibos teas. I used to drink the mate tea all the time before I got too lazy to continue to make it. It was great! Much better at energizing me than coffee. But, coffee was easier and free at work. Which is why I got the the tea maker. I figure I will probably drink at least 4 cups of tea per day. To prepare and clean, it's maybe 5 or 6 minutes out of my day total. If our receptionist can take two 15 minute smoke breaks in addition to her lunch break, then I can take a few minutes for a tea break. I tried the rooibos this afternoon and it was amazingly good! I probably won't try the white until tomorrow, but it smells fantastic.
I am really trying to follow through on this one. I tend to say I am going to do something, plan it death and then get tired of it before I really give it a chance. I feel that these are vital changes that need to be made to help me be in a better mood and therefore be a better employee, student, friend and family member.
First change, exercise. It's so hit or miss with me. Reading back through this blog, you can see that I either go whole hog or no hog. Lately, it's been no hog citing school as the reason. Well, that's a stupid reason! I can get back on board with working out on my lunch breaks and my mom graciously donated her treadmill to my cause (well, the cause wasn't around then, but whatever...go with it). Since there's a treadmill now sitting in my living room, literally right in front of the TV, I really can't whine and moan about having to go to the gym after I have already come home and started to relax. I also don't have to worry about finding workout clothes based on if I am having a fat day or whether or not I have shaved. Jonthan can just deal with that ugliness! The general public, however, cannot. I was raised in Dallas, you know. With this treadmill, I am going to make an honest effort to become a runner. I used to run. In high school. I was also extremely fit and weighed about 100 pounds. So, I need to get a little closer to that than what I have been doing lately...which is nothing. I found an 8 week plan that is designed for people to go from doing absolutely nothing (actually, for people who have never run at all) to being able to run 30 minutes straight in 8 weeks. That starts Monday and until then, I am walking on the treadmill at least 30 minutes every day. No excuses. Last night went really well and before I knew it, I was done! I could watch what I wanted and I wasn't distracted by people possibly looking at me. So, maybe...just maybe...I can actually do this running thing after all. It's all about taking it slow. Something I am not good at but it's probably what has caused me to stop trying after a few times in the past. Patience, my friends. Patience.
Another change is overall eating habits. I need to stop it with the fast food and only eat things that I buy and then have to prepare myself. I love to cook, I just don't seem to have the time or energy anymore (which I'm sure all the fast food and no exercise has nothing to do with the lack of energy!). Even if it is only a Smart Dog, at least I prepared it myself! Also, smaller meals and more snacks. I always have a tendency to wait until I am starving, eat a giant meal, get way too full and bloated and then not eat the rest of the day only to become hungry again as I am falling asleep. Not a good cycle to be in.
Before we left for New York (I will post pics soon...promise!), I ran out of my Diet Dr Peppers. When we got back, I didn't bother to buy anymore. My dentist keeps getting onto me about drinking them and when I was flossing the other night, I swear it looked like my teeth were jacked up at the gum line. I know it's from my receeding gums that I need to have surgery on (again), but this little voice inside my head said it was from those dang soft drinks and the acid was eating away at my teeth. So, I haven't had a Diet DP since New York...Sunday, I think, was my last. The only time I really miss it is in the morning. I usually have one on my drive in and without it, I feel like I am screwing up my routine completely!
Because of this new goal of not drinking any Cokes (even the free and oh so tempting ones at work), I went to Teavana today so that I can get back into tea again. The last time I dropped a bunch of weight quickly, I was drinking a ton of green tea every day. No Cokes, no coffee, just tea and water. So, I got this tea maker and mug for work along with white, mate and rooibos teas. I used to drink the mate tea all the time before I got too lazy to continue to make it. It was great! Much better at energizing me than coffee. But, coffee was easier and free at work. Which is why I got the the tea maker. I figure I will probably drink at least 4 cups of tea per day. To prepare and clean, it's maybe 5 or 6 minutes out of my day total. If our receptionist can take two 15 minute smoke breaks in addition to her lunch break, then I can take a few minutes for a tea break. I tried the rooibos this afternoon and it was amazingly good! I probably won't try the white until tomorrow, but it smells fantastic.
I am really trying to follow through on this one. I tend to say I am going to do something, plan it death and then get tired of it before I really give it a chance. I feel that these are vital changes that need to be made to help me be in a better mood and therefore be a better employee, student, friend and family member.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
New York Here We Come!!!
We leave bright and early in the morning! Woo hoo! Actually, not so bright since our flight leaves before the sun rises, but whatever. Hopefully I won't be too wiped out, but I plan on posting lots of pics on Monday. Have a great 4th of July weekend!
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