Yesterday was another late Tuesday and with nothing in the crock pot. Fortunately my Farm Fresh To You box arrived in the morning and in it the recipe and ingredients for a delicious dish. It didn’t take seconds to make but I had a late lunch and it was well worth the wait. I was missing an ingredient from the original recipe which I know would have made it perfect but it was good all the same.

I’m not sure who this recipe came from. Each week Farm Fresh includes a few recipes from their patrons. Actually, you get $5 off your next delivery if your recipe is picked. I haven’t gotten around to submitting one yet. My kitchen creativity has been below par these days. Thank you, wherever you are! Your submission is much appreciated.

Eggplant Casserole

• 1 eggplant – pared and diced
• 3-4 tomatoes
• 1 onion
• fresh basil – to taste
• olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions and eggplant and cook on low until eggplant is tender. Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and simmer for a few more minutes. Transfer to a casserole dish and bake at 325° for 40 minutes.

That’s it! You can certainly serve this over rice or pasta, or add meat and other veggies but we ate it alone, as is, and it was perfect, especially since it was late at night and there was no need for a heavy meal. The original recipe called for bell peppers of which I had none but I will definitely add them next time. For a little punch, we added some hot sauce!  The All-Star went back for thirds.

Happy Cooking!

p.s. Sorry for the terrible pictures. I no longer have a camera and life has taken precedence over my photography skills.

No one can knock the bean. Vegetarians swear by them as a source of protein. They’re high in soluble fiber which helps lower cholesterol and promote good heart health. Full of cancer fighting antioxidants… Low glycemic index… Loaded with nutrients. And the best part about beans…They’re cheap!

The downside of beans… They can be a pain to prepare. First you gotta soak em, then you gotta cook em, and any leftover don’t last long in the fridge. That’s where the can comes in handy, for sure. Just open the can and you’re ready to go. But with the can comes high levels of sodium. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans “sodium from cooked dry beans increases from 3 milligrams to 618 milligrams per cup when replaced by canned beans!”

Can you imagine? That’s just under half the recommended maximum of sodium per day…in one cup of beans!!!

Cooking with dried beans is the optimum choice for good health. My suggestion would be to cook a big batch and freeze the extra for future meals. A little extra work can do  a whole lot of good for your body! Another benefit of going dry over canned is the cost. One pound of dried beans (which costs about a dollar) is approximately 12-14 servings of cooked beans, or about 4 cans worth!

The most convenient way to cook dried beans is in the slow cooker. Then you don’t have to sit around for hours just because the stove is on. You should still soak the beans overnight as this is said to make them more easy to digest.

• Take one pound of dried beans, rinse and pick over well to make sure there are no little rocks.
• Soak beans in enough water to cover plus an inch or two for 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain the beans and place in a slow cooker with 6-8 cups of water (enough to cover them). Cover the pot and cook on high for 8 – 12 hours.
• Optional additions could be onions, garlic or herbs. Don’t add salt or anything acidic while the beans are cooking as this will compromise the creaminess of the beans. These ingredients can be added once the beans are ready for whatever dish you’re going to prepare.

So that’s that for the bean and sodium and the negatives of the can. If you absolutely must use canned beans, make sure you choose brands that are low in sodium, rinse them thoroughly. and discard the juice.

I lay in bed last night, alone for a moment, in the dark, flat on my back, staring at the ceiling, and I took a deep breath, realizing that this was the first moment in my long day that I was alone. The idea troubled me. Of course there had to be at least one other time that I was all by myself. I was alone on my commute…no there were hundreds of other drivers around me. I was alone in the bathroom…no I took my phone with me and used the private moment to check my facebook. I did my yoga alone…close, but I used MyYogaOnline. See, the idea of being alone for me isn’t just being in a room by myself, but being completely free of outside influence and opinion. Television, the internet, books, movies, we can enjoy these things by ourselves but we’re still filtering in the points of view of others. Even in my bed at that moment I was feeling the weight of the sheets and my clothes in a bed all made by others. I pondered the idea that, energetically, it would seem, we are never, EVER, alone.

Finally after looking back I found that my shower was the closest thing to alone time I had in that whole 24 hours. Jeez, no wonder I take long showers. Then I realized how much deep thought takes place in there. I’ve often told people that the shower in my thinking place. How many times have you heard or said, “While I was thinking in the shower…” And it’s no wonder that we hear this so often, it’s the only place you can really get some real peace and quiet. A place where you can think for yourself and be who you really are, in all of your humanity. Just you and the water.

While I’m happy to have the shower, I’m not satisfied. After all, we can’t just stand in the shower all day long. What we can do is go out in search of another place, a place all our own, a place to think, and be, and forget all the rest. Imagine for one moment that it was just you… What would you do in that place? Prayer, meditate, draw, curse? You can do anything you want, it’s your special place.  It doesn’t have to be far away or difficult to reach. It can be in the corner of your kitchen, or in the middle of your yard. Lay down in the back seat of your car in your driveway. Climb a tree if you still can!  Where ever it is that you go, use the opportunity to explore the magnificence of your own thoughts and mind, to fall in-love with yourself and the brilliance that is you. We spend so much time looking up to others and basking in their wonderful ideas and spectacular innovations. We call on others to assist us and teach us and lead us and to follow. But what about the wonders of you and yourself and your place in this world. Our opinions and those of others are so often shared but do why do we have them in the first place? Is an opinion only had so that it can be shared, or is a thought born so that we can ponder it and learn and grow and go out and use what we’ve acquired.

My mother went on a silent retreat and she told me of all the wonderful things she began to experience when no longer allowed to speak. Her senses were heightened and she enjoyed everything around her a little differently. I imagined that her mind began to think without the intention of speech. Without the need to communicate, what would your mind create? Would we no longer hear our thoughts, but instead feel them, be them?

This morning as I took my shower, I smiled, and enjoyed the moment I had to myself. Hopefully I’ll find another opportunity during my day to close my eyes and be in the quiet of my own existence, if even for just a moment. I trust that finding this time will help me to grow closer to the one I know I’ll always be with, myself.

Everyone has a bad day. The weight of the world, no matter how light, can feel like a mountain, and that added stress can get the best of us. Even if you do everything in your power to live a happy, healthy life, moments of “low” are inevitable. It’s how you deal with those moments that counts.

When days like this pop up, it can take a bit more than a few deep breaths to pull you back to calm. The important thing to remember that you’ve got all the tools you need to turn a tough moment into a forgotten memory. Even if there is still a task at hand, the unnecessary worry it brings can be a thing of the past.

Next time you’re feeling the crunch, try out some of these stress management tools…

• Eat something healthy! I know it seems simple but how many times have you reached for something unhealthy to deal with your stress?  Many people are “emotional eaters” and grabbing a clementine instead of a doughnut when emotions run high will not only “feed the feelings” but will give you important phytonutrients to help fight the diseases often caused by stress. Crappy carbs also mess with our cortisol levels which can make you feel even worse. Remember this line when you’re looking for something to munch…Crappy leads to crabby.

• Stretch out your stress or walk out your worries! Twenty minutes of yoga or a quick walk around the block can really make a difference when the weight of the world is weighing you down. It doesn’t need to be a heavy workout session, just a little bit of movement and a whole lot of deep breathing can bring you back to a place of calm. If you’re at work, get up from your desk and get a few minutes of fresh air. “Go make a copy” or take a water break. When you return to your desk, you’ll feel lighter and refocused.

• Talk it out! What is it about stress that makes us want to be not so nice bitchy to the ones we love. Remember that friends and family want you to be happy and often are happy to help you through your tough time. So, be nice to your loved ones. A warm embrace is more comforting than a cold shoulder! Regardless of whether or not they give advice, talking about your problems can make them seem a whole lot more manageable. If you don’t feel like talking, just hang with someone. You’ll remember that you’re not in this alone!

• Take a break! There’s nothing wrong with leaving your troubles for another day. And if a problem needs immediate attention, letting go of the woes will give you the strength you need to get through it.  Stop, take a minute, and remember that everything is going to be okay. For real!

Buy fresh, buy local! Yeah we get it, but what if we’re too busy to find and peruse our local farmer’s market. “Tell me what to look for in my local super market for heaven’s sake.” Check out this short list from Foodnetwork.com of perfect produce choices for spring. Yes, it’s true my thawing East coast friends. Spring is on the move!

Artichokes – a food favorite for this Italian girl. Don’t be deterred by its rugged exterior. Inside is a heart of deliciousness.

Asparagus – low in calories and high in folate, (important for cell growth and repair), asparagus can make any meal tasty and nutritious. Try it in your next omelet, salad or as a side dish.

Blueberries – yum! This berry isn’t as likely to burden your blood sugar with an unwanted spike. With a lower glycemic index than other berries. Blueberries are a good choice to acommpany your morning oats or as a snack.

Carrots – What can I say about carrots? One of the three amigos in most of my soups.

Peas – look for bright green, plump pods.  Perfect for stir fries.

Rhubarb – known as the “pie plant,” these brightly colored stems are often mixed with fruits to make pies and jams. Simmer stalks for 45 minutes over medium-heat to make rhubardsauce. A tart-sweet sauce similar to sweet and sour.

Strawberries – Can’t leave out this spring-time favorite. Try mixing strawberries with rhubarb to make a yummy pie.

And don’t forget your when in doubt organic list.

Well it’s raining again.  We have had more rain in the past two weeks then I’ve seen in the whole 2 1/2 years I’ve lived in California. I’m definitely not complaining. I’m actually quite jealous of all you lucky East-coasters and your two feet of snow.  I’m serious, I love the snow.  I don’t mind the rain either and we certainly need it. Although, now everyone is worried about mudslides.  Always something to worry about.  Anyway, since we aren’t snowed in and only just a little damp, The All-Star and I were able to take a casual drive up to LA yesterday for a visit to The Annenberg Space for Photography where they are having a pretty awesome exhibit on sports photography.

On the drive up I figured we were just going to look a few photos of game winning touchdowns and record breaking home runs, but it was so much more than that.  Hundreds of photos of some of our countries greatest athletes, taken by two of our countries greatest sports photographers, Walter Iooss and Neil Leifer, where displayed in both print and digital galleries. I don’t think I understood the magnitude of talent our athletes possess until I saw this exhibit.  A collection of single moments, of the momentum and determination of the spirit, and the agility and power of the flesh. I immediately became in awe of these modern day gladiators, and of the men who took their pictures. It was pretty friggin cool!

The rest of the day was lazy. As rainy days should be.

Today I worked in the morning, then went on a quest to find a mortar and pestle set.  I have wanted one for quite some time and decided today was the day I was getting one. I quest was successful and I returned home joyful. Watch out boys. I am now armed for nut crushing!

I was also excited to find the books I ordered from Amazon waiting for me.  Without TV I now have lots of free time to read.

Tonight will prove to be another lazy night. The Art-Student (a.k.a. The All-Star) has a lot of work to do, so we won’t be bringing down the house or anything.  I’ll probably continue with the book I’m already reading, The Spectrum by Dr. Dean Ornish.  I don’t know much about it, but so far it’s informative and not too radical for the average reader. I’ll let you know what I think and keep you posted on any other good reads I find.  (p.s. While I tend not to be swayed by the opinions of others, if you know anything about this guy besides what he’s written about himself in the book, drop me a line.  I’m curious to hear what the masses are saying).

Bye for now.

Did you think I skipped day 10?  Nooo.  I skipped the run, and the blog, but I did do about an hour of pretty intense yoga last night.  Looooong stretching.  Negative: I got a headache during shavasana.  I think its because I did a headstand.  Bad yogi, that should not have happened.  Besides the one time I did yoga with The Kahuna on Day 4, my sessions during this challenge have been all self-led.  Though I have confidence in my yoga knowledge, I still think it would be better to follow an instructor.  Any DVD suggestions?  Anyway, I slept well.  I’ve been sleeping well every night actually.  Yesterday morning I woke up feeling like I had just slept a week.  A good feeling, let me tell you.

Other positives:

• My friends and family think I’m super cool
• I feel great
• I’m accomplishing things I didn’t think I could
• I always have something to do when there’s nothing to do (nothing to do, by the way, is a figment of our imagination, or lack there of)

Speaking of accomplishments, I added another .20 my run!  Total for today, 3.31.  Woohoo!  It wasn’t easy.  And I didn’t do it first thing in the morning which I think made it harder.  I woke up, did a few things, had some breakfast, did a few more things, and then took my run.  Once again, I got a right side cramp and was so much more out of breath than on my other runs.  I’m convinced the cramp is because I was still digesting solid food.  Not sure about the lung capacity.  Maybe the afternoon air quality is different, I don’t know.  But I did it, despite all the setbacks, and I feel good now that I’m resting.

I was going to take this down-time to complain about something that keeps happening to me this week.  I had this whole rant planned and I was gonna ask why and make accusations and all this other unnecessary diatribe.  But I’m not gonna do it and I’ll tell you why.  A patient of The Healing Sanctuary, who is always sharing with me the most fascinating information, made me some flashcards of the principles made in How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.  I’m taking on one each week in hopes that I will be one day be the most popular person in the world.  Not really, but I’m definitely hoping to improve my social skills.  This week’s flashcard…Never condemn, criticize or complain.  So…no rant.  We’ll all better off.  I’ll leave you with that as today’s meditation.  I’m off to make sense of the boxes we STILL haven’t unpacked.  We are terrible movers.  Happy Friday!

A new year and a new decade, for the calender as well as for myself.  Today it’s official…I am30 years old!  I can hardly believe it.  I don’t feel any different, though the number itself is quite daunting.  At the moment what I really feel is exhausted, as I have been up since 4:45 and am now sitting in McCannan Airport in Las Vegas, waiting for our connecting flight to Long Beach, California.  It was a long but enjoyable holiday vacation in New York for The All-Star and I.  We enjoyed the company of family and friends, took a day trip to Manhattan to visit the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree and saw a great off-Broadway show entitled Sessions.  Saturday was the start of my birthday celebration with family during the day and friends at night and last night we shivered in the below zero wind-chill to watch the Jets clobber the Bengals and win their spot in the play-offs.

At present I’m blogging to you from my new Asus net-book which I’m very excited about.  The Eee PC is the perfect size for lounging and writing and I no longer have to fight for computer time with my more savvy counterpart.  The mini lap-top was a Christmas gift from my dad.  Other fabulous gifts received:  a new 4-piece Protocol luggage set with swiveling wheels!, two round trip tickets to Catalina Island!, and a Mark Sanchez Jets jersey! (women’s fit, of course).  We were also fortunate enough to have some snow which always tops the cake for me.  It was sad to leave all my loved ones, but it won’t be long before we’re back in New York and I can’t say I’m going to miss sleeping on a couch every night.  I may just have to spend the rest of my birthday in bed this year, just because it’s such a comfy place to be and I definitely have a few z’s to catch up on.

Thank you to everyone who made the trip so memorable.  Much love and hugs to all.

Tomorrow marks the start of my Turning 30, 30 day fitness challenge.  It’s a late-start work day which means no 6am alarm, thank goodness.  I bought myself a new pair of sneakers with some of the Christmas money from Grandmas and think I’ll kick off the challenge with some good stretches and a jog to the beach.  I rapped a little about the challenge with my good friend Julia, who happens to be a certified health and nutrition counselor and the founder of Long Island Holistic Health.  We decided a handful of nuts and fruit will be suitable pre-run fuel.  Tonight I’ll work on a food and activity layout for the challenge and welcome any suggestions from all you talented professionals out there.

If you’re interested, pictures of the holiday will be posted when I have a better Wi-fi connection.  Sorry for the “just-words” post.  Until California.  Old-lady Laura signing out.

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.  ~Hal Borland

The cliche of the New Year is upon us.  December came and went being exactly what it always has been and January followed obediantly, bringing with it promises of a great year and resolution successes.  I for one have never much bought into the hype of a new number at the end of the date meaning it’s time to change my flaws and become the best I can be. But, for the sake of conformity, I did give thought to a pattern or two I may be able to change.  So here’s a little list of New Year’s resolutions I hope to pay a little mind.

Laura’s New Year’s Resolutions

1. Text less, call more

2. Blog daily

3. Exercise regularly…starting with my “Turning 30, 30 Day Fitness Challenge” to begin on January 5th

Nothing too complicating.  Just a few things that I believe will strengthen my ability to “cultivate my wellness.”

What are you promising yourself for the New Year?!

Well, I did it!  Six whole nights by myself in the new apartment.  Okay, so one night I slept at a friend’s and two nights I kept the dvd player running, but all the same, I made it!  And I didn’t even hide under the blankets!  Though, I have to admin that the idea of being alone for so long was torturing me.  It’s not that I really thinking I’m going to get eaten by monsters or attacked by an intruder, but there’s something that happens when I’m by myself..my mind wanders.  Apparently I have a pretty vivid imagination.  If only I could use this talent for good and not the total destruction of my bedtime wind-down. I know don’t why it is I’m so afraid to be alone at night.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve slept with the covers over my head, one eye slightly open, scanning the room for an apparitions and boogie men. I always thought as I grew older these fears would vanish.  I remember going into my parents room at night, seeing my them sleeping, unshielded by the  protective blankets.  I believed that one day I too would feel no reason to be scared of what goes bump in the night.  Of all the things I couldn’t grow out of! 

As part of the New Year and turning 30 and being a grown-up professional and all that blah-blah-blah, I’m making the concious effort to face my fears, just as I did this week.  When I look back, it wasn’t that scary being alone and last night I did say, enough with the dvd night-light, I’m gonna get some peace and quiet sleep.  It was refreshing and I grew a little.  Next time, maybe I’ll welcome that bed-all-to-myself feeling. (haha, though I doubt it.)  But it does get me thinking about other fears that may be holding me back, fears that maybe I’m not even aware of.  There’s certainly plenty of times I react a certain way to things and look back saying, “what the heck was I doing just there.”  I’m gonna bet half of that is caused by the girl inside of me thinking, “don’t leave me, I’m hungry, please like me, etc.)  We’re a complex puzzle, we humans, and that primal instinct of fear can be pretty powerful.  Where the off switch to that mechanism is? Not sure, but I’m gonna start with looking it straight in the face, and saying “back off  phobio, I’m in charge now!”  I’ll keep you posted on my progress.  

Happy Bravery!