Fitness and MyPlate

So I have been very good for the entire month of April as far as fitness goes. I have been running at least 5 days a week, lifting two days a week, and when tennis ended I have been playing soccer. I'm pretty sure my body will make me pay for this as soon as I give it enough time to rest. The weather has been just so perfect for some of my workouts that I cannot pass up running when it's sunny outside. I have been doing rather well of watching what I am eating also. I have been trying to make sure I eat nutrient dense foods so my body will be able to keep working at its maximum potential. The only downside is that I have officially stopped using myplate to track my progress. I have found a number of things that make the source difficult to use and things that make it more time consuming than it has to be. I did track my food and exercise for over thirty days straight which I am proud of.

Ratatouille...French for Delicious Veggies

Okay, so ratatouille is not really French for delicious veggies, but when prepared this way I suggest this be the translation. It's so good, and so easy, and so easily manipulated that anyone can find a way to adjust this recipe to her taste. Here's what I started with, but have found more garlic, more black pepper and less salt to be to my liking. If you prepare it this way, know that you are treating yourself to two full servings of vegetables with only one 1 cup serving of ratatouille...that's if you can stop eating at 1 cup :).

1 medium eggplant (I prefer it peeled, but that's up to you), cut into 1 inch cubes
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 medium green bell pepper (again, I peel it. I know that sounds weird but it changes the texture completely), chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped (here's where a food processor is handy)
2 medium tomatoes, cut into fourths
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (sounds like a lot, right?)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (sounds like not enough, right?)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (definitely not enough, I use at least 3)

Cook all ingredients in 12-inch skillet over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until zucchini is tender.

Bon Apetit!

Such an active week!

This week has been super! I've been SOOOOO active!

Monday: I played tennis with my boyfriend for about 2 hours. Now, since he doesn't actually know how to play tennis and lifts weights on the regular, he thought it was a home run derby contest. Needless to say, it was a lot of ball chasing, which still counts as exercise, right? Regardless, we both got something out of it...but the end of the two hours, we could at least volley the ball back and forth. He learned some tennis skills, aka, how NOT to hit it OFF the court, and I burned some calories.

Tuesday: I ran for just under 5 miles through Robinhood. It was a good run--I felt accomplished. I was tired and sore after, and let me tell you--I felt the burn on Wednesday.

Wednesday: In the spirit of Academic Day of Excellence, I did no physical exercise that day. Wait, that's NOT the spirit of ADE? Oh well, I was sore. Bottom line: my butt slept in, with my legs and lungs.

Thursday (aka Today): I swam TWICE today! I got back to my competitive swimming days. I sway just over 6,000 yards today...and I'm positive I'll pay tomorrow. I got out of the pool around 5pm, and slept a solid 3 hours...that's how tired I was.

Overall, I think it's been a good week of productiveness, well, physically. Let's NOT discuss the loads of work I've put off all week.

Veggies...from a Southern cookbook

I remember growing up in the South...and eating every vegetable known to man. I have picked three of the most "typical" Southern veggies to share!

The first being... FRIED GREEN TOMATOES.

You will need to cut 4 green tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices. You will need the following ingredients: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, salt & pepper to your tasting (a.k.a. a "good amount" in the South), 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 egg (You must beat "real good".), 1/2 cup milk, and some Canola oil. Mix together your cornmeal, flour, salt & pepper. Add the milk to your beaten egg, and soak the sliced green tomatoes in this mixture. Then, coat the tomatoes with the cornmeal/flour mixture. You will need to heat the Canola oil in the frying pan--about an inch deep is good. You will drop the tomatoes in and cook until golden brown.

My second choice is...COLLARD GREENS.

Wash and remove the stems of about 5 pounds of collard greens, or collards, or, simply, greens. Place about 1 pound of ham hock(s) in 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Reduce your heat, and cover. Allow the meat to cook until meat is tender, which normally takes about an hour. Then, cut your greens in half and place into your boiler. Add a whole chopped onion, roughly 2 tablespoons of sugar, and salt & pepper to your liking. Unfortunately, for us non-pork eaters, my mother has yet to find a tasty-SOUTHERN vegetarian option to this. But, for now, you can just leave out the ham, and replace the water with vegetable stock. (You'll want to add more salt & pepper, and possibly a clove of garlic.)

My last choice is my favorite...FRIED OKRA.

Go out to the garden, or you local farm, or your CSA basket, and pick some okra. Clean, de-steam, and slice. Beat 2 cups of milk with 2 eggs, "real good" now. Place the okra in this mixture, and let sit for about 15 minutes. Following this, you will drain the okra, small portions at a time. DO NOT DRAIN ALL AT ONCE. Then, in a large freezer bag, or mixing bowl, mix 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup yellow corn meal, and salt & pepper (somewhere between a 1/2-1 teaspoon ). Add the drained okra and shake until the okra is well coated. Heat 2 cups Canola oil in a skillet, cast iron is best...especially when it has years of fried okra seasoning inside! Place okra into the hot oil. Again, do this in small portions. Only turn once with spatula, cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels in order to soak excess oil out. Repeat until all okra is fried. While fried okra takes some time, it's totally worth the time...and calories.

Hope you all enjoy a taste of the South. Beware: Contains CALORIES...and lots of them. But don't all things that taste sinfully delicious?

A "Blast" to the Past: Chernobyl 25 Years Later

"The 30-km radius around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is known officially as the "zone of alienation."--Caught my attention...how about yours?


The photo above was taken in May 1986. It shows the damaged Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
As we discussed in class, this had devastating effects on its' victims, residents, and liquidators. Those effects are still seen today. My media article discussing Chernobyl today, with a flashback to the events of the past.

Even now, the effort to contain the Chernobyl accident is far from over: workers in white suits and respirator masks show up for work every day, constructing a new concrete shield to replace a massive sarcophagus built in 1986 that contains the still-radioactive core. The sarcophagus is starting to crumble and could collapse, which could release another radioactive cloud into the air. It's easy for those unaffected to leave the shambles of Chernobyl in a pile at the site of the former nuclear plant...but it's not that simple for 'victims' of Chernobyl. For, the live with that memory EVERY DAY.



"Neither Ukraine nor the world community has the right to turn its back" on Chernobyl, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said at the end of the conference. "The accident left a deep wound that we will have to cope with for many years."

Read here! http://www.time.com/time/health/article0,8599,2067562,00.html#ixzz1KsVJzFNn

National Bike and Pedestrian Documentation Project

Here are the assignments for the last weekly homework of the semester.  It is really important that everyone sticks to sampling between 4-6pm on your day, PLEASE arrive on time. Click on the map below to view it larger!  I have made some changes... and anywhere my name is a student could easily fill in.

Locations

1. Stratford Road between Georgia Avenue and Buena Vista Road - Lane & Heather (Tues)
2. Liberty Street between 4th Street and 5th Street - Erika, & Shannon (Tues)
3. Main Street between 3rd Street and 4th Street -Kristen & Nick (Thurs)
4. Main Street between Waughtown Street and Salem Avenue - Cassie & Amy (Tues)
5. Acadia Avenue between Broad Street and Hollyrood Street - Brittany & Tia (Tues)
6. Salem Creek Trail - Kiva & Sarah (Tues)
7. Salem Lake Trail - Nicole & Louise (Wednesday)
8. Muddy Creek Trail - Louise (Thursday)
9. Reynolda Road (at the Krankies trailer) - Louise (Tuesday)

We still need a student or two for the Muddy Creek Greenway.  I still need Desiree', Teshenia, Olivia, and Alannah to sign up for a day/location.

WS Journal Article on Moore's Springs Trails

http://www2.journalnow.com/entertainment/2011/apr/28/wsrel23-stokes-county-bike-trails-are-close-to-ope-ar-984406/

Earth Day 2011

In honor of Earth Day, my media article was a about getting people involved in helping the planet by doing small acts that could lead to big change. In an effort dubbed "A Billion Acts of Green," organizers are encouraging people to observe Earth Day, which just had it's 41st Anniversary, by pledging online at http://act.earthday.org/ to do something small but sustainable in their own lives to improve the planet's health. From switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs to reducing the use of pesticides and other toxic chemicals, it makes makes a difference!! And even though Earth Day holiday is passed, we all should still try to make small changes to help the environment everyday :)
Heather
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42710813/ns/world_news-world_environment/

Food That Travels Well

I just read an interesting article entitled "Food That Travels Well" from The New York Times, in reference to food and how far it travels. Environmental groups are pushing for labels to show how far food has traveled. The article points out that that eating locally would significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption. A typical carrot from Iowa has traveled 1,600 miles before we purchase it from our grocery stores. Potatoes, 1,200 miles and a chuck roast 600 miles. Seventy-five percent of apples, in New York, travel from the West Coast. "In this respect eating local joins recycling, biking to work and driving a hybrid as a realistic way that we can, as individuals, shrink our carbon footprint and be good stewards of the environment." Who does this sound like Dr. Allen? There is a flip side to this article that states, "... wouldn't it make more sense to stop obsessing over food miles and strengthen comparative geographical advantages." Maybe, but we have to be realistic that some crops are seasonal and the environment is not always prepared to grow local foods. Diets are different in different areas. Food, at some level, will always travel.

Cabbage Soup from Recipes For The Soul

Being from the south, I was very surprised that I had not heard of or tasted Cabbage Soup. This sounds good for a cold, wet, rainy day.

3 cups broth (chicken or beef)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups diced green cabbage
diced tomatoes
celery
raw carrots
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. oregano

Add broth to pan, then carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, celery and green beans. Season to taste, after carrots are done, add zucchini and cook until tender.

This recipe does not call for any bread, however; I am all about some Texas toast!

From the pages of Simply in Season...favorite cookbook

My favorite cookbook from my cupboard is hands down Simply in Season. I love the simplicity of the recipes, but most of all I absolutely love the layout. This cookbook is laid out by seasons. Each season encompasses only recipes of fruits and vegetables that are typically available during that season. It has helped to expand the types of foods we try in our household and we haven't found one we did not enjoy yet. Throughout the cookbook, below some of the recipes, are quotes from people who are consciously thinking of the issues faced by our world in regards to food, its availability etc. The thoughts are beautifully expressed.

Since we are starting to enter the growing season and my family took a little jaunt to a strawberry farm in South Carolina today, I decided to honor the strawberry. In the doldrums of the last weeks of winter, I find myself thinking of these recipes and how wonderful they will be when I finally get to enjoy them again. I deliberately try to avoid buying fruits and vegetables that are not in season from the grocery store or the stalls of the farmers at the farmers market who supplement their offerings with fruits and vegetables with those that are popular with customers but may not be in season. The pantry is raided until the growing season begins again. So I find, that I experience this delayed sense of gratification and when I am able to enjoy what I had not been able to partake of, oh it is indescribable really. Without further ado...in honor of the strawberry

Chilled Strawberry Soup

1 cup apple juice

3/4 cup water

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Combine in saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. (Or microwave in glass bowl until boiling.) Remove from heat; cool.

3 cups strawberries

1/4 cup water

Puree until smooth in blender. Pour into a large bowl.

2 cups plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Add to pureed strawberries with apply juice mixture. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Garnish with additional strawberry halves (optional). The soup freezes well and is especially good with small ice crystals left in.

There will be strawberry soup in my future (this week) as I start working on the 6 gallons of strawberries I purchased today.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

*I've never added any of the toppings and just use a basic vinaigrette or a strawberry vinaigrette (if you would like the recipes for the dressings listed with the recipe, let me know). The fresh taste of the strawberries and spinach is just wonderful to me. I've also tried a spinach and grape salad which is really good in the summer. Enjoy!

4 cups spinach or other mixed greens (stems removed and torn)

1 cup fresh strawberries, peaches, blueberries kiwi fruit or a combination (sliced)

Combine with selected toppings. Pour half of selected dressing over salad just before serving, then more as needed. Refrigerate leftover dressing.

Topping options

2 green onions (chopped)

1 small red onion (cut into thin rings)

1 clove garlic (minced)

1/2 cup asparagus (cut into 1 inch pieces, blanched and chilled)

2 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1/2 cup bacon pieces (cooked and crumbled)

1/2 cup walnuts or slivered almonds (toasted)

1/2 cup salted peanuts

1/2 cup cheese (shredded)

1 teaspoon lemon or orange peel

1 cup cooked turkey (chopped)

More hiking

The spring weather has brought out my hiking group. We're fair weather hikers, I guess :). A group of ladies decided last year to start hiking together on trails in our neighbourhood. All last spring, summer and fall we hiked 3-4 times every week. Over the winter the group slowly went into hibernation as the cold and snow increased. Now that the sun is shining so gloriously, the weather is warmer, the trees are blooming and the hills are starting to look green with the unfurling of new leaves, the huffing heifers or holy cows, as one member wanted to name our group, are back on the trail. Just for the record, the rest of us vetoed the aforementioned names. It would have been entirely impossible to look someone in the eye and ask, 'Would you like to hike with us? We call ourselves the huffing heifers." As of today's date, we have no name. The beauty of the hiking group is the camaraderie, the community, the female solidarity in nature and the health benefits. At least two members of our group are cancer survivors and every time we hike, I think of our steps as being steps towards the goal of maintaining health. The past two weeks have brought a total of 30 miles on the trail. I love hiking!!

GARDEN!

Everyone, please be so excited about , not only, my mom's garden, but mine!! I planted tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and tommy toe tomatoes. It is really not all about me, even though I seem to focus on my world! LOL! You have to understand that this is tradition in my family (biggest tomato wins!). This is my first time trying! My dad passed away (he always won) and we are now, this year, in major competetion with the tomatoes. I am sore, sunburned and on a MISSION! I did find an article pertaining to the anger of people from Mexico, living here in the US and the neighbors objecting to them growing food in thier yards. I only read it briefly, however; I will focus on the article's content and relay more details. I am having the best time with this class! Bike ON!

Eggplant Recipe

Baked Eggplant

One of my favorite things is baked eggplant. This is my grandmas recipe and there are no actual measurements it is all done by taste so its easy to adjust for everyone. For this you will need an eggplant (or a few eggplants depending on how many you are serving or how hungry you are), a pie pan (or something to put the eggplant on when baking), some oil (whichever you have in the house would be fine), a tomato or two, some salt and pepper, and of course and oven (or microwave if you do not have an oven). To start you will need to preheat the oven to about 300 or 350 degrees. You need to poke holes in the eggplant(s). Then put them in the pie pan and bake until you can touch the eggplant and it is really soft. After that you should skin the eggplant and mash it up. You should also chop your tomato(es). It tastes really good with some oil, salt, pepper and chopped tomato in it. Enjoy!

YOU ARE TRAFFIC

 

Originally posted on urbancyclist.tumblr.com

Minty Clementine-Infused Vodka :)

This is a recipe for the girl who doesn't know how to use organic stuff haha. Whoever could that be?

So, I found a nifty website that has quite a few recipes. http://www.organicauthority.com/

I really like the website because it has photos,videos

and comments from website users. Look at this cool picture of organic carrots! -------->

I found this one and chose it to share because we all need something to drink with dinner and because I love Clementines!

Minty Clementine-Infused Vodka
Ingredients:
750 ml vodka (organic, if you please!)
4 clementines, peel on, quartered
1 small handful fresh mint, roughly chopped

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a jar; seal well. Place in a cool place until flavors develop, about 3 to 4 days, shaking gently every day. Strain and store in a well-sealed container. Will keep for months.
Serving suggestions:
• Makeover the screwdriver: add infused vodka to fresh citrus juice and ice.
• Make a wintry spritzer: shake infused vodka with ice; top it off with spritzer of choice.
• Make a seasonal sparkler: mix infused vodka with champagne and a splash of juice for the high life

Have a great week!

Sarah

Tomato Pie

My favorite thing to eat in the summer are fresh tomatoes, so I thought I would give share one of my favorite recipes. While this recipe is not very health, it is extremely delicious. This recipe serves 6.

Tomato Pie

Ingredients

• 4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated cheddar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.

Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

To serve, cut into slices and serve warm.