Piggie Shoes

After going almost a month "coffee free" and "wheat free", 

a weekend in PEI 

visiting my daughter and son in law quickly

flushed all my accomplishments 

down the toilet.

 I was taught as a youngster that 

as a guest in someone's house,

 one was to politely eat what ever was offered, 

unless of course 

it was detrimental to one's health.

I would never think to impose my latest dietary "whim" 

on some one else

...and certainly no one had to twist my arm to get me

 to eat all that breaded seafood 

and yummy squares at the Chinese buffet,

...nor did anyone ride shotgun 

and force me to go up four times.

..and I would never turn up my nose at 
my daughter's Blondie Squares

 topped with Peanut Butter icecream.

...I'm way too polite for that. :) 

Now a week later, I am still eating wheat 

and I am back on the coffee,

although only one a day.

...but tomorrow is another day and 
a new start to going wheat free,

coffee free

and commit once again to exercising at least four times a week.

  I have found that running barefoot on the tread,
while not being very safe,
 is easier than running while wearing sneakers.
While it feels more natural going bare,
without a barrier,
callouses quickly become an issue as
 well as the increased
risk for stress fractures.
 I have been considering for a while purchasing a pair of
 barefoot running shoes
but chickened out
and settled for something more conservative
for my little piggies.



Women's-vibram-five-fingers-sprint


Reebok RealFlex
...super light and with purple and neon orange
...still pretty wild.

Yes Dear...There Is Such A Thing As A Healthy Cookie

The hubby likes his cookies...in fact, if you asked him he would say he "needs" his cookies

...a cup of coffee or tea without something sweet to go with it is 

akin to having his nails pulled off...at least you would think so
to hear him whine.
Place him in the cookie isle of a grocery store and he's like a kid in a candy store.
How many times when shopping together have I heard him lament,
"why can't they make a cookie that's good for you?"
Sorry, hubby, there's no such thing,
at least not in the grocery isle
... and some of the "healthy" home made ones I've tried in the past are good,
but not enough to bare repeating.

One cookie recipe that is loaded with wholesome goodness and fiber, although it does contain sugar and butter, that I do make occasionally was given to me by one of my daycare mom's. You can find the recipe for Field Cookies on my post at Getting Back To Basics.


I found this recipe for Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies on Pinterest and gave it a try. I would post the link but I can't seem to find it...I apologize. These have to be the healthiest cookies...and yet they taste wonderful and are so easy to make. Gluten free and made with quinoa and peanut butter, they pack a protein punch...and they are yummy enough to make again...and again.
  

Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies

2 cups cooked quinoa (Rinse quinoa before cooking)

1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut (I used sweetened because it's what I had)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine quinoa, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt, and oats in a large mixing bowl.

Tip: Allow the quinoa to cool before mixing it in.

3. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips.

4. Scoop and mold dough into round, tablespoon-sized cookies. (I dropped mine from a tablespoon but they would stay together better if you mold them)

5. Place cookies on parchment-paper-lined baking sheets and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until bottoms are nicely browned. Do not place directly onto the cookie sheet.

6. Allow to cool completely before storing. I found that I couldn’t remove them until they were cool...place the cookie sheet in fridge to hurry them along.

They are yummy but crumbly so serve on a plate.
 

 

  

These cookies were sweet enough that 

the hubby really enjoyed them.

:)

A Perfect Winter Meal

My first workout of the year

...why it took three weeks to get movin', I'm not sure,

but it felt great!

 

...across the  fields

and through the orchards

...mild with no wind...quiet and still

...just the sound of my snowshoes in the snow.

...perfect solitude...

...then home to cook the 

perfect winter meal...

Sauerkraut, pork and potatoes!

I've been craving a good mess of kraut all week.

Although sauerkraut is a German name it is not a national German dish, and is actually eaten mostly in Russia, United States, and France. It is believed to originate in Alsace, a traditionally German speaking region that today belongs to France. All I know is that I grew up eating this stuff and my family origins are German on both my Mom's side...Wile derived from the German name "Weil" and my Dad's...Hiltz derived from the German name "Huls" whose ancestors immigrated here from Germany in the mid 1700's.

Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage and we all know fermented food is good for you. I have certainly eaten my share of not only sauerkraut but turnipkraut, pickled beans and pickled heads (cabbage heads), all which are fermented in basically the same way under a salt water brine. Fermented foods load your gut with good healthy bacteria that helps prevent things like irritable bowel syndrome and also helps to boost a strong immune system. I attribute my robust immune system to a diet that includes fermented foods, like sauerkraut, and lots of home made yogurt...as well as the fact that we didn't have indoor plumbing until I was sixteen. When you come from a family of ten and have to share things like drinking water from a bucket using the same dipper, as well as sharing bath water and using outdoor toilet facilities, a "two seater," you share more than you think... but that's OK...early exposure to bad stuff just makes you stronger.

Although there are lots of ways to prepare sauerkraut, the basic meal of sauerkraut with pork couldn't be simplifier, just add it to a pot along with your choice of meat and simmer for about two hours.  

Start with your choice of pork. Some people like to use sweet pickled pork or ribs, but I prefer using either a fresh pork shoulder or pork chops.

Place meat in a large pot, dump in your favorite brand of sauerkraut, I used two large cartons because we love sauerkraut and leftovers are even better than the first time round. Add water to just barely cover the sauerkraut, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about two hours. I like to cook mine untl the meat is tender and falls apart.

 

Serve meat and sauerkraut along side mashed potatoes, or as I like it...a la mode...add a few generous grinds of pepper and your favorite pickles and you have a delicious hot "old world" meal.

Asian Miracle Dressing

It's been two weeks since I cleared out my exercise room and despite all my good intentions, I've yet to find my way there. While there's no excuse for the first week, I've been laid low this week with a bitch of a cold...but there's always another day. I did get my cross country skis and boots down and my snow shoes and poles are in easy reach...ready and waiting for me to get some ambition. Maybe with the fresh snow we are getting overnight I may just make it outside.

I have been doing a lot better diet wise now that all the Christmas goodies are gone...well pretty good...there's been a few slip ups.

My daughter gave me a bottle of Toasted Sesame Oil for Christmas along with her favorite salad dressing recipe, "Asian Miracle Dressing". I'm not sure where she got the recipe but she had served it to us once on a salad of mixed greens, baby Romaine, goat cheese, green onions and walnuts and it was delightful. I didn't have and greens so I put together a salad using some ingredients I had on hand and both the hubby and I loved it.

Breaded Chicken Breast

Garlic Fried Rice

Chickpea Salad with Asian Miracle Dressing

Chickpea Salad With Asian Miracle Dressing
1 can chickpeas rinsed
1/2 small onion finely chopped
1 small/medium tomato chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
1 avocado chopped
pepper to taste
Toss above ingredients with Asian Miracle Dressing

Asian Miracle Dressing
1/8 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 T. maple syrup (I used 1 T. honey)
a pinch of salt
a grind of pepper
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp.toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil.
Whisk until well blended

Garlic Fried Rice
3 c. cooked brown rice
1 c. carrot curls
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 T. oil

Saute onion, garlic and carrots in oil until tender, add rice and mix well. I like to increase the heat and fry the rice enough to brown it some.