So, I finally have some time to myself! Seth is lucky and has *two* week-long breaks--according to Brandeis they are called Winter Break and Passover Break, but really, they are two Spring Breaks. Unfortunately these don't mesh with my *one* break this week, so I can't really go travel. I can, however, catch up on assignments like a good student, but also research some new vegan recipes. Some neat things we have tried are orange-roasted tofu and asparagus, different sorts of tofu puddings to replace yogurt (chocolate peanut butter, pumpkin pie, and strawberry banana puddings have all come out amazingly well), and strawberry jam made in the bread machine. Actually, this jam was my favorite find--it takes only strawberries (fresh or frozen) and lots and lots of sugar--and it comes out so incredibly fresh tasting. As much as I appreciate not having to rely on store-bought jam, it is even nicer that you don't have to stand over the stove stirring a pot of simmering, sticky, sauce for ages--the machine does all the dirty work ;o)
Also, since early January, I have decided to start mixing up my exercise routine and resume focusing on my posture. I feel like I have really dropped the ball since swapping power yoga in the studio for practicing solo at home the past year and a half. In order to start challenging myself again I went to youtube :o) I found this really wonderful pilates instructor who has a website called blogilates.com. I noticed an instant improvement to my posture after the first video and I have continued doing 40-60minutes of exercises 3-4 times a week for two months now. The instructor might seem really cutesy and girly (maybe a bit too girly??), but she gives a really intense workout! Other perks include being able to do it at home, when it fits my schedule, and it is FREE :P
I will have to enjoy all the pilates and recipe testing now, while I can. I won't have another break until after exams :o( FSU doesn't even have a three-day-weekend for Easter, boo!
The winter that wasn't
I am sure it is very obvious by now that this winter has been very wussy. Though we weren't in MA last year, I was told the winter of 2010-11 was brutal. In fact, it was listed as the third 'whitest winter' (ie. greatest snowfall) on record. After this past October's freak snow storm I was afraid we would be heading down that same direction, but that surprise snow shower was pretty much where winter stopped. According to the Blue Hill Observatory located south of Boston, this winter (Nov-Feb) had the warmest average temps on record and was the second least snowy on record. I am sure there is still time for a few snow showers to sneak in, but it is not looking too hopeful.
I hope I am not alone when I feel that these extremes in temperature and precipitation are not normal. I do, however, feel like the minority when people praise our 'great weather' these past few months. Though I must admit to liking the convenience of not having to scrape snow off the car every other day and being able to walk in the streets without slipping on ice, and of course the warmer temperatures take the edge off the bitterness of winter, these are things I enjoy even more when they occur at season-appropriate times, like in mid-late spring. These extremes are indicators that something in NOT RIGHT. And though we might be having fun in our 60 degree (and today 70 degree) temps in WINTER, I am already very concerned over how sweltering hot our summer will be. To those of you who 'don't mind hot summers', try living without air conditioning for a couple years (or try doing some physical activity outside) and take some accountability for the totally unnatural changes we are making to our planet.
Since we can't beat the inevitable heat, Seth and I have totally been considering moving to New Zealand for the northern hemisphere summer. Either that or I can pretend to be an ex-camp counselor and apply for that nutrition internship in Alaska :o)
I hope I am not alone when I feel that these extremes in temperature and precipitation are not normal. I do, however, feel like the minority when people praise our 'great weather' these past few months. Though I must admit to liking the convenience of not having to scrape snow off the car every other day and being able to walk in the streets without slipping on ice, and of course the warmer temperatures take the edge off the bitterness of winter, these are things I enjoy even more when they occur at season-appropriate times, like in mid-late spring. These extremes are indicators that something in NOT RIGHT. And though we might be having fun in our 60 degree (and today 70 degree) temps in WINTER, I am already very concerned over how sweltering hot our summer will be. To those of you who 'don't mind hot summers', try living without air conditioning for a couple years (or try doing some physical activity outside) and take some accountability for the totally unnatural changes we are making to our planet.
Since we can't beat the inevitable heat, Seth and I have totally been considering moving to New Zealand for the northern hemisphere summer. Either that or I can pretend to be an ex-camp counselor and apply for that nutrition internship in Alaska :o)
Old bread maker, meet new bread maker, Bread Man
We are going to have to say good-bye to a good friend of ours, bread maker. We bought him when we first moved to Waltham, and we met him at a community garage sale (a very affluent community) with the extravagant price-tag of $5. Since that very auspicious morning, he has made two or three loaves a week for us, with the exception of last year, of course, when we were in Florence. (We missed him dearly during that time, especially since our only choice for bread came unsalted, the "typical" Tuscan style.)
Bread maker's paddle crank has been starting to corrode, so we figure it is time to find a replacement since apparently that brand (Regal) is no longer in business. Meet Bread Man. He has some 90 different settings. His little operation light makes him look like a UFO in the dark. He is a real man. Don't know how many of his fancy features we will be using considering I only ever make one type of bread (the type where I dump in flours, oats, and water willy-nilly without measuring anything), but Bread Man made a loaf very nicely this morning so I think he will be able to fill big shoes. The real bonus will be that his dough setting has a delay start feature (which our very basic original maker didn't have), so it will be easier to make pizzas :o)
My first loaf using the easy no-exact-measuring-technique came out great. I think the horizontal bread pan helps the heavy ingredients to rise.
**If anyone is need of parts for a Regal Kitchen Pro (K6743) bread machine, let me know! The only thing wrong with this one is the seal and paddle. I want our beloved machine to keep on giving for as long as possible ;o)
Bread maker's paddle crank has been starting to corrode, so we figure it is time to find a replacement since apparently that brand (Regal) is no longer in business. Meet Bread Man. He has some 90 different settings. His little operation light makes him look like a UFO in the dark. He is a real man. Don't know how many of his fancy features we will be using considering I only ever make one type of bread (the type where I dump in flours, oats, and water willy-nilly without measuring anything), but Bread Man made a loaf very nicely this morning so I think he will be able to fill big shoes. The real bonus will be that his dough setting has a delay start feature (which our very basic original maker didn't have), so it will be easier to make pizzas :o)
Good-bye friend, and hello shiny chrome Breadman Ultimate Plus!
My first loaf using the easy no-exact-measuring-technique came out great. I think the horizontal bread pan helps the heavy ingredients to rise.
**If anyone is need of parts for a Regal Kitchen Pro (K6743) bread machine, let me know! The only thing wrong with this one is the seal and paddle. I want our beloved machine to keep on giving for as long as possible ;o)
Forty Day Food Challenge
So I have decided to actually give something up for Lent this year. I don't consider myself a very religious person so I am going to use Lent as an excuse to challenge myself. I have done something similar in the past--while living at Johns College in Canberra I did a 'reverse' Ramadan. While so many of our Muslim friends were fasting during the day, I decided to fast at night and gave up my beloved pre-bed snack for the month. This was actually really hard.
For the next forty days (starting after Fat Tuesday, of course!), I am going to follow a plant-based, minimally processed diet. This is kinda like being vegan--I will not be eating any animals or animal products--but I will also not eat processed foods. Seth and I already follow a mostly vegetarian diet, and we hardly eat processed foods anyway, but I guess this will make it more official. Here are some rules for myself:
1) Obviously, no meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, cheese, etc.
2) No packaged foods like crackers, chips, canned soups, frozen meals, etc. This won't be hard since I never buy these things anyways.
3) Baked goods are ok, so long as they do not contain milk, butter, or eggs, and they were made from scratch (Pillsbury cake mixes are not exactly 'minimally processed').
4) I can eat whatever is served at our Table of 8 group next month. I already told the host I don't have any dietary restrictions and I don't want to burden anyone.
5) Cereal is ok, even though it is packaged
6) No sugar substitutes like Splenda. I usually like to use these for my tea to reduce cavities ;o)
The more challenging points: NO cheese sprinkled on my salads and pastas, NO Laughing Cow cheese wedges, NO Marshmallow Fluff, NO milk or cream for my coffee and tea, and NO YOGURT!!! :o(
Let's see how the 'no yogurt' thing goes...
For the next forty days (starting after Fat Tuesday, of course!), I am going to follow a plant-based, minimally processed diet. This is kinda like being vegan--I will not be eating any animals or animal products--but I will also not eat processed foods. Seth and I already follow a mostly vegetarian diet, and we hardly eat processed foods anyway, but I guess this will make it more official. Here are some rules for myself:
1) Obviously, no meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, cheese, etc.
2) No packaged foods like crackers, chips, canned soups, frozen meals, etc. This won't be hard since I never buy these things anyways.
3) Baked goods are ok, so long as they do not contain milk, butter, or eggs, and they were made from scratch (Pillsbury cake mixes are not exactly 'minimally processed').
4) I can eat whatever is served at our Table of 8 group next month. I already told the host I don't have any dietary restrictions and I don't want to burden anyone.
5) Cereal is ok, even though it is packaged
6) No sugar substitutes like Splenda. I usually like to use these for my tea to reduce cavities ;o)
The more challenging points: NO cheese sprinkled on my salads and pastas, NO Laughing Cow cheese wedges, NO Marshmallow Fluff, NO milk or cream for my coffee and tea, and NO YOGURT!!! :o(
Let's see how the 'no yogurt' thing goes...
Bringing Up Bébé
Ok, so I'll be first to admit that I really am not all that great with kids and I have no clue what it is like to be a parent, but hearing about this new book on NPR (Pamela Druckerman’s Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting) and reading the related Times article Why American Kids are Brats really radiated with me. Basically, I realized I am always happy to attend to a well-mannered, pleasant kid; a bit of old-fashioned politeness goes a looong way with me. Adults shouldn't have to completely give up their own lives once they have children (or even when they mind someone else's), and to me it isn't worth the effort spending time with sour lemons, whether young or old.
Mixing things up
So, this morning I am doing what I imagine 90% of all other Americans do when they get out of bed: I took a shower, I am having breakfast, and will soon go off to school/work. What is different for me is that I am NOT exercising, which is a nice change in some ways but also bumming me out. This is the first time in nearly a year and a half (since August 10th, 2010, to be exact) that I have not gone running.
Why this change? I didn't get some sudden injury or illness, thank goodness, and the weather is good, though a bit cold. Well, I went in for my annual checkup two days ago and my doctor asked if I exercise and if so, how much. When I told her I run about 6.5-7.5 miles a day, every day (about 45 miles a week), she seemed fairly disgusted, especially when I told her my shins are sensitive to the touch... and have been for the past 5 years. In my own defense, my shins have not been getting any worse in the past year an a half, though they also are not getting any better. I figure I can't keep up my consistent track record forever (though in comparison Seth seems to have done well for himself), and if I am to miss a day or two, I should do it on my own terms and not wait until my shins start getting really bad again. So, I figure it couldn't hurt to have a day off from trotting through the dark woods once a week, though I still do plan to hit the FSU gym after my morning class :o)
Why this change? I didn't get some sudden injury or illness, thank goodness, and the weather is good, though a bit cold. Well, I went in for my annual checkup two days ago and my doctor asked if I exercise and if so, how much. When I told her I run about 6.5-7.5 miles a day, every day (about 45 miles a week), she seemed fairly disgusted, especially when I told her my shins are sensitive to the touch... and have been for the past 5 years. In my own defense, my shins have not been getting any worse in the past year an a half, though they also are not getting any better. I figure I can't keep up my consistent track record forever (though in comparison Seth seems to have done well for himself), and if I am to miss a day or two, I should do it on my own terms and not wait until my shins start getting really bad again. So, I figure it couldn't hurt to have a day off from trotting through the dark woods once a week, though I still do plan to hit the FSU gym after my morning class :o)
Long Holiday
Seth and I sure had a nice slow holiday--while I caught up on my reading of fun books and magazines, Seth pounded away at his course syllabi and worked his way back into the spotlight by playing guitar and singing at his favorite Chapel Hill haunt, The Cave.
Immediately after my finals, we drove to Geneva, NY, just in time to spend Christmas with Seth's family. A few days later we hit the road again to celebrate the new year Southern style in Raleigh. After a week and a half here we took off back up north to NY, with an overnight stop to visit Mark, Gina, Kate, and Adah at their new home in Fairfax, VA, not too far from their old home. We used to enjoy paying them a visit on our way between NC and NY, and it is nice to be able do that once again. Now that we are back in Waltham, it is time to start concentrating on the start of the semester...
On New Years Day I went with my family to Topsail Island for their annual Dolphin Dip. This started as a fundraiser a few years ago but now everyone in the community participates 'for fun'. Basically, it involves a mass of people jumping into the chilly ocean at the stroke of midday (ie. at noon there is a countdown and everyone rushes in, gets hit by a wave or two, then almost immediately rushes back out). After all the hype I was convinced the water would be deathly cold (my brother was dramatizing the urgency for medics to be on hand), but it was a warm day, about 70 degrees, and the water, though cold, was not 'bone-freezing cold'. In fact, there were a couple girls, about 7 or 8, splashing around in the waves even before the countdown began.
Dad, Andrew, and I did the Dip
Dinner at Stromboli's
Carter helping Mom pack away the Christmas decorations
Meeting up with Meghan in Chapel Hill before Seth's big gig. It was quite a plate of hummus, a nice change from eating meat twice a day for several weeks (I think I filled my yearly quota of Animal during the break).
Seth rocking out with John, old-school style, at the Cave.
Immediately after my finals, we drove to Geneva, NY, just in time to spend Christmas with Seth's family. A few days later we hit the road again to celebrate the new year Southern style in Raleigh. After a week and a half here we took off back up north to NY, with an overnight stop to visit Mark, Gina, Kate, and Adah at their new home in Fairfax, VA, not too far from their old home. We used to enjoy paying them a visit on our way between NC and NY, and it is nice to be able do that once again. Now that we are back in Waltham, it is time to start concentrating on the start of the semester...
On New Years Day I went with my family to Topsail Island for their annual Dolphin Dip. This started as a fundraiser a few years ago but now everyone in the community participates 'for fun'. Basically, it involves a mass of people jumping into the chilly ocean at the stroke of midday (ie. at noon there is a countdown and everyone rushes in, gets hit by a wave or two, then almost immediately rushes back out). After all the hype I was convinced the water would be deathly cold (my brother was dramatizing the urgency for medics to be on hand), but it was a warm day, about 70 degrees, and the water, though cold, was not 'bone-freezing cold'. In fact, there were a couple girls, about 7 or 8, splashing around in the waves even before the countdown began.
Dad, Andrew, and I did the Dip
Dinner at Stromboli's
Carter helping Mom pack away the Christmas decorations
Meeting up with Meghan in Chapel Hill before Seth's big gig. It was quite a plate of hummus, a nice change from eating meat twice a day for several weeks (I think I filled my yearly quota of Animal during the break).
Seth rocking out with John, old-school style, at the Cave.
