Back in the Groove....

Happy Jewish New Year!!

After a much-needed hiatus, academics are back in full swing. However, this time things are little different as I have been separated from my beloved cohort mates. We are all at a point where some of us have been placed in different courses and yours truly is with a new group now. Let the adventure begin--but let it be known there are some people I will definitely miss.

Now that the weather has cooled off a bit, I have been living on my bike. Whether it be mountain biking or just riding around the city, cycling has to be one of the most therapeutic activities I have ever encountered.

As well, lots of cycling means lots of eating (another favorite activity of mine). I have discovered a new rich, healthy and delicious snack which is both vegan and gluten free--crazy---I know!! Here's hoping you enjoy the Double-Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies and if you don't have the Almond Flour, you can always use whole wheat pastry flour but that will knock out the gluten-free factor.

B'Teavon!!

2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup canola oil
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup dark chocolate chips 60% cacao should do the trick
½ cup sliced almonds

1. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda
2. In a medium bowl combine canola oil, agave and vanilla
3. Stir wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined
4. Fold in chocolate chips and almond slices
5. Spoon dough 1 heaping tablespoon at a time onto a parchment lined baking sheet, pressing down with palm of your hand to flatten
6. Bake at 350 for 7 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden
7. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 20 minutes, then serve

Hola from Panama!

As I find myself tucked away at a guest house located in the Panamanian jungle with my travel partner snoozing away due to being pumped full of Vicodin and Imodium, I thought I would take advantage of this new-age jungle technology and write a blog article about Panama. Surprisingly, I'm not pumped full of drugs also. But I now believe because my intestines have been exposed to so many parasites, they are now made of steel--hence my continuous street-food indulgence on this trip. Look out Anthony Bourdain--I'm nipping at your heels!

There have been a few highlights to the trip including the above photo of me ziplining about 250 feet above a jungle mountain abyss at the Panama/Costa Rica border. Six runs of pure adrenaline and I can't wait to do it again.

Anyway-----Before coming here, I had read some articles about Panamanian cuisine---all reviews pointing to "could use improvement." I thought there is no possible way a country with so many edible resources, plus amazing culinary influence from countries to the north and south, could produce such bland food. To sum up Panama's culinary gift to the world, it would consist of two items: the deep fryer and the plantain. (that's plantain sans any seasoning or sauces fried to the point of being unrecognizable). Anyway, after digging and hitting some relatively rural areas, I have found a few tasty delights, one in particular is the Official Soup of Panama, Sancocho (a great dish for rainy weather!). So here's the recipe.

•4 Chicken thighs,
•½ pound yucca root, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (one potato can substitute)
•1 large non-ripe (green) plantain peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
•1 bunch green onions coarsly chopped (white part only)
•1 large carrot scrubbed and cut into bite size pieces
•2 ears corn cut into 2 inch pieces
•1/3 cup Cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
•1 garlic clove, chopped
•2.5 cups chicken broth
•½ cup light coconut milk (optional)
•salt and pepper and Tobasco or hot sauce to taste
Bring yucca, carrot and corn to a boil in chicken broth, then simmer. Add chicken, onion, plantain, cilantro, garlic, coconut milk and salt/pepper/tobasco until chicken is cooked (about 20-30 min). Serve with rice or by itself.

Summer is Officially Here

I'm still trying to come to the realization that I have actually passed this summer session. 11 grueling weeks of memorizing more information than I could have ever possibly imagined combined with endless hospital hours. There is no way I would have been able to do this without the help of my incredible cohort, which has also come to be my second family. And of course the great support I received from mom and dad. Because of your financial generosity to further my education, I promise you will now be able to retire at the Ritz Carlton Senior Living Resort in West Palm Beach. Dad, I hear they have a NASCAR track for Senior driving enthusiasts, so you'll be just fine.

Now I have three full weeks until Fall Term resumes. In a few short days, I'll be back en route to Latin America to conquer a few volcanoes and (inevitably) battle a few parasites due to bad food choices.

Anyway, throughout this summer I have found my thoughts drifting from academics to what I will do after I'm finished with this program and back in the working field. Not about where I will work but when I can afford "ideal vacations" again. #1) Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. And then.. #2) Climb Everest. Plans are already brewing for these excursions which I intend to do both as charity projects. The current question is "which" charity to support during these excursions. Any suggestions are welcome......

Now let's talk food! My first day off from academics, I decided to make my Tejano Potato Salad. It's low fat and full of goodies. However, this is only a 4 person serving, so keep that in mind.....

6 Medium size red potatoes (chopped and boiled)
1/2 cup black beans (cooked)
1/2 cup corn nibblets
2 scallions finely chopped
1/2 handful of chopped cilantro
1/2 cup plain Greek low fat yogurt
1/2 pack of dried ranch dressing mix

Garnish: Chopped Green Olives, Chopped Tomatoes, Diced Avocado

Mix the yogurt with the dressing mix.
In large bowl combine potatoes, black beans, corn, and scallions. Add dressing mix and stir, chill for at least 30 minutes. When ready to serve, garnish with the goodies.

Garden Overflow!!

Guess who left all their homework at the hospital? Genius at work.

So I thought I would put up a blog entry for those of you (like my padres) who are having a massive overflow of Zucchinis coming out of your garden. Here's my super healthy Zucchini Bread recipe with a little bit of optional naughtiness thrown in.....

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (sift if you can)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
2/3 cup sugar (raw cane sugar if you can)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup grated zucchini
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
(Naughty Option) 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray an 8-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, oil, applesauce, yogurt, sugar and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until well combined. Fold in zucchini and walnuts (and choc chips, if you dare) then pour in pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Cool in pan on rack for 30 minutes then remove bread from pan and continue cooling on rack.

Eureka!

Last year, I met a lady on a plane. Like most flights, I was having a few libations and the lady next to me started talking about this and that. Eventually we got a little more in depth with our backgrounds and she said to me, "You should read this book [Insert forgotten title of book here], it sounds very similar to your life story." Well, after sobering up during landing, we said our goodbyes, not exchanging any contact info, and went on our merry way. Later that evening, I tried and tried to remember the name of the book. No luck.

Fast forward to last night, I was watching a repeat episode of 30 Rock on Hulu and all of a sudden, I saw a preview for a very interesting movie and then I saw the title: Eat, Pray, Love. That's it! That was the name of the book! Unfortunately I have no time to read the book until Panama but if any of you see the film, please let me know if it's worth watching!

In Celebration of Dad, let’s have a Woodford Walnut Pie…..

Well, I’m trudging along this very non-fairy tale life and zero hour #1 (of 2) occurs next Monday. Here’s hoping my noodle is full of everything it needs to know!

I feel terrible that I am diligently studying for three exams and missing out on Father’s Day. A while back, I was handed a lot of lemons and thanks to the extremely generous support of my dad (and mum!), I am able to (hopefully) make lemonade. If all goes well, we can all have a sip by this time next year (perhaps with a shot of gin in it too!).

Although gin is the Jolly family liquor of choice, Mr. Jolly certainly loves a potable bourbon too. Thus, one of his favorite desserts is Bourbon Pecan Pie. And since I would not be able to see him on Father’s Day, I decided to make and ship a delectable twist on one of his favorites = The Woodford Reserve Walnut Pie. For those of you bourbon experts, I apologize for belittling your knowledge, but Woodford Reserve is a “preferred” bourbon and a bottle will always reside in my bar---usually catering to a certain Webb.

And just in case any of you have a dad, grand-dad, brother, uncle, etc. who enjoys bourbon also……I thought I would share my recipe……

Woodford Reserve Walnut Pie
I made this with a Whole Wheat Honey Cinnamon Crust which consists of any ol’ whole wheat crust recipe with 2 tsp of honey and 1 tsp of cinnamon added to the mix. But after you prepare the crust, here’s what you do to create the yummy guts:
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup light butter (I used Smart Balance Light Butter)
2 tablespoons Woodford Reserve Bourbon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Walnuts, chopped
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, corn syrups, butter, bourbon and salt. Place the walnuts in the bottom of the pie plate. Pour the filling over the walnuts.
Bake at 375°F until set, about 35-40 minutes.

Summer Thaim.....

Oh how I have longed for these days of sweltering Ohio Valley heat. Thank you Mother Nature and please keep up the good work.

Had a fabulous time in NYC and I ate my weight in meat and alcohol. Have still been on the mend with that indulgence...however, it's back to the academic/medical grindstone. No time to indulge until the end of summer---then it's looking like Panama will be on the travel calendar before Fall term, pending any of those Latin American Political Coups or my personal favorite--Hurricane. Thanks again, Rita!

As most of you know, Thai cuisine is in my Top 3 and because it is super warm outside, I thought I would try my hand at a Cold (yet slightly spicy) Thai Noodle Salad. (note the photo above) It's full of good things (but you can make it a bit naughty, if you choose) and I've given both a vegan or a meaty version. So here's the low-down for

TJ's Cold Thai Noodle Salad--you will love it Long Thaim!

8 oz Uncooked Whole Wheat Thin Spaghetti
(Go ahead and cook it separately and drain)

Dressing:
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter (I prefer chunky b/c I am a "texture" gal)
1/3 Cup Lite Coconut Milk
1/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon of Schiraca Vietnamese Hot Sauce (or a bit more if you prefer spicier)
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Powdered Ginger (I prefer 2)
2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro or 2 Teaspoons dried Cilantro
*Whisk together the wet ingredients then whisk in the dry ingredients.
*Toss about 1/4 cup of dressing with pasta, in a large bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.

Salad Ingredients:
1 Bell Pepper Diced
1 Cucumber, sliced down the middle, de-seed and slice julienne
1/2 bag of Broccoli slaw mix (or shred 1/2 head of cabbage and 1 large carrot)
1/2 bag snow peas
(Optional) 8 oz diced grilled chicken or 8 oz grilled shrimp or 8 oz diced grilled pork (or just do shrimp and pork to seriously offend your Kosher friends!)
*Add these ingredients to your Noodles and toss with the dressing.
*Chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Garnish:
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Peanuts
2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
1 Handful of Chopped Cilantro
*Add garnish right before serving

Flash those pearly whites....

Okay, so this weather is ridiculous! It's May and it is freezing and raining non-stop. Could we please have some sunshine and mild temperatures?!?!

I have had quite an interesting two week break. I had to swallow a big dose of reality while battling some miserable allergies but on the upside I have caught up on all the sleep I have missed over the past five months (adios to the dark circles under my eyes!). I've also been able to put in about 100 miles of running throughout the break but I fully intend to counteract that with my trip to NYC tomorrow. So many cocktails/culinary delights and so little time.....

By the way, I thought I would share a very quirky tidbit...due to my super curly hair, I have recently been accused of having a weave! (thanks Mary!) So I did some research and it turns out that the curly hair gene is called "trichohyalin." Any coincidence that one can spell "tricia" with that? I guess my parents knew all along.....

One other thing I have tried to do this break is to let go of my worst vice (except for black tar heroin) which is Diet Coke. I am grateful to also have the pearly white tooth enamel gene but unlike curly hair, enamel can be destroyed through consumption of certain foods and beverages--especially Diet Coke! So I thought I might share with you some guilty culprits of enamel erosion and how to help prevent it.

Acid is the number one villain of tooth enamel. Food with low pH and high acidity can create irreversible tooth enamel erosion. These include things such as ALL sodas (yup, that even includes tonic and soda water!), fruit juices (especially orange and pineapple), sports beverages (gatorade), and kool-aid or fruit juice cocktails. The two worst sodas are regular coke and regular pepsi and surprisingly root beer is the least damaging.

As well, it's true that sweets also make a significant dent but did you know all vinegar-based foods are even worse than sweets! (that hurts, that really hurts).

However, take heed because there are ways to offset the acidic damage. The best possible thing one can do to help prevent acid-based-tooth enamel erosion is to chew sugar-free gum. Also, drinking lots of water and using mouthwash after meals will help.

So remember, you don't need to stop drinking soda or eating mustard all together, just remember to cut back a bit (if you can) and chew that Extra or Trident and SMILE!

Hey Mango!!

Wow! I am still in shock that I passed this semester. It has been a very long and hard road and I'm so happy that one leg of the journey is complete. Couldn't have done it without the love and support of family, friends and my cohort. Muchisimas gracias to all of you!!

Now, enough of the sappy crap, let's talk about MANGOS!! Mother nature has bestowed upon us another bountiful mango season. In my top 10 favorite foods of all time, mangos and avocados take a rank. Therefore, I wanted to share my very simple Mango and Avocado salsa recipe. It's wicked awesome on its own or with other foods like fish tacos and tortilla chips. It's also high in antioxidants because Mangos are full of Vitamin A, C, and Fiber while Avocados have heart-healthy fats and loads of Potassium. Another added bonus is the fat from the avocado helps your body to absorb the Vit A from the Mangos. Dig it!

TJ's Mango & Avocado Salsa
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
1 lime, juiced
1 mango - peeled and diced
1 small red OR yellow Spanish onion, chopped (depends on which you prefer)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste

After mixing it all together, let it sit about 15 minutes so all the flavors can mate.

Tortilla Espanola.

My apologies for being on unintentional hiatus. I thought while I was overseas I would have had some extra time to blog to my heart's content. So much for those aspirations......sometimes Rioja and Serrano get in the way of things. Or as you can see in my photo, the big pan of paella also played a role. Those mussels disappeared immediately after the photo was taken----I hope no one noticed!

We are currently putting our heads down and riding at full speed in the land of academia. We have four weeks remaining for this session which means I have four weeks to diligently work to maintain my honors status. Turns out nerdy girl isn't so nerdy these days.

However, the excess of academia isn't going to keep me out of the kitchen. My good Spaniard friends, Toni and Yoli showed me a secret cafe in Madrid which makes an amazing Tortilla Espanola. Although I cannot completely recreate the recipe, I thought I would give it a stab. The secret to that cafe's Tortilla is "carmelized onions." So here's my version combined with theirs. Sorry I can't provide a vegan version......

Ingredients

3-5 tablespoons olive oil
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (yukon gold has the most fiber!)
1 large white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 eggs
1 cup raw spinach, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
Optional for you meat-eaters: 1/2 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed and crumbled (optional)
Optional seasoning: Paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Fry onion in oil for about 15 minutes or until carmelized. Add spinach, garlic and bell pepper, and sautee them until tender. Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and stir in potatoes until well-sauteed. If you have chorizo, stir it in and cook for five more minutes. Season with salt, paprika and pepper to taste.
2. Beat eggs together in a large bowl. Pour potato and onion mixture into eggs, and mix together.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Carefully spread mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cook without stirring for about 10 minutes. Then place a large plate over the pan, flip the pan to transfer the eggs onto the plate. Cooked side should be golden brown. Carefully slide tortilla back into pan, and cook the other side for 5 to 10 minutes.

Buen Provecho!

Goin Ghanian

Kudos to Spin Guru Sarah for making sure my quads are still sore two days post-class! Because I’m a big wimp to the cold weather, I’m still exercising indoors but the YMCA Spin classes are keeping me pedaling until Mother Nature decides to heat up this Midwestern territory.

However, it is rumored this weekend that it will be warming up a bit and if so, I look very forward to hitting the trails at Cherokee Park! Then afterwards, a long stroll down Bardstown Road, hitting each Vintage clothing store along the way--- in search for the perfect pair of Levis.

Speaking of cycling gurus, it has recently been brought to my attention that an old friend’s mom is going above and beyond for injured soldiers of the Mother country. Her name is Mary Gibson and she is going to be cycling over 300 miles as a fundraising project for the UK based charity,
Help for Heroes( http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ ). This organization helps returning wounded soldiers with recuperation, both physically and mentally. Anyway, if you would like to help Ms. Gibson raise funds for this organization, you can go to her website and donate to the cause:
https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/marygibson
Check out the commercial too, it’s great!

On a culinary note, I recently made my “Tercia-Version” of “Ghanian Ground Nut Soup.” Although West Africa is not highly acclaimed for its culinary delights, there are still a few lovely gems which come from that area of the world. The original version calls for peanuts, tomatoes, chicken, a few spices and broth. However, I make my own special version—because I can. (I learned in Africa you can’t always make it the way you want to, hence the above mentioned minimal ingredients). This the Vegan version recipe. It’s easy to make and like a good curry or marinara, it gets better each day—for up to about five days. By the way, the photo is not from Ghana, it is from Senegal but I thought it was cute.

Ghanian Ground Nut Soup (Vegan for 3-4 people)
1 Small Yellow Onion (chopped)
1 (or 2) Garlic Cloves (chopped)
2 Tbsp Smart Balance Light Butter (low in calories and no sat. fat)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Chunky Natural Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Soy Milk
1 Cup of Water or Veggie Stock
1 16-oz Can of Diced Tomatoes (OR 4 tomatoes diced)
1 Sweet Potato (cubed)
1 Heaping Cup of Chopped Broccoli (2 cups if you’re feeling crazy!)
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp dried parsely
2 tsp dried coriander (or a small handful of fresh chopped cilantro)
Salt and Pepper to taste
For a Non-Vegan/African Version,
add the meat of Two West African Bicycle Chickens
Chopped Peanuts and Parsely for Garnish

(Best Prepared to Buena Vista Social Club)
In a big pot, heat oil and butter; Sautee onion and garlic until translucent; Add veggie stock and soy milk and stir well; Stir in Tomatoes; Stir in Peanut Butter; Stir in all spices; Add Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli and bring to low boil; turn down temperature and let the soup simmer until the sweet potatoes are soft. Serve and garnish with chopped peanuts and parsely or cilantro.

Viva la Siesta!

What a week! A new round of clinicals/lecture/lab and an entire new frontier to conquer! I’ve been describing the overwhelmingness as “drowning” but it has now been downgraded to waterboarding (thus making it NOT qualify as torture).
As well, in the midst of all the academic chaos, several days ago, a very evil person stole my camera while I was at the gym. For those of you who know me, you know I always keep my camera on hand. I feel a bit lost without it and I am not having fun searching for a new one. I prefer not to choose one, instead I prefer for it to choose me. However, since yours truly is going “across the pond” in a few weeks, I need to start taking the camera search process a little more seriously……….

On a healthier note...One of my favorite websites to peruse is always the msn health and fitness site. Recently there was an article on it about the benefits of an afternoon nap, which made me very happy. It just goes to show all the more reason to move to Spain, because Spaniards are Vikings at afternoon siestas!
The article mentions that afternoon naps focus more on the brain rejuvenation than the body. The human body’s capability to learn will sometimes decline by 10 percent between noon and 6pm and a full cycle of REM sleep will help alleviate that. However, a full REM cycle of sleep can last between 90-110 minutes, which isn’t always time appropriate during the work day.
Through my laundry list of psychology classes and from personal experience, I have learned that a full sleep cycle in the middle of the day can leave you extremely groggy for an extended period of time, so I would just go with a cat nap of about 25-45 minutes. It’s enough to make you feel refreshed or “rebooted” for all you bloggers out there!
I also found this photo the other day of my favorite quadrupedal napper , my (not so) little Zuni and me. He was quite the cuddler!

Snack Product Review

I am happy to report that yours truly will be moving on in the program, along with the rest of my fellow classmates! Great job everyone! I look forward to our seemingly never-ending academic endeavors.

This cold weather and gray sky MUST turn around soon. Perhaps it's the winter blahs combined with academic stress but I need to shake this blue funk. Anyone up for a trip to Cuba? That should turn my spirits around. Some sunshine, some beaches, some mountains, some "socialism"........ how could anything go wrong? (cough cough)

Anyway, let's talk about snacks.....

Not sure about the rest of you but I am an official "snackaholic" and I am on a constant quest to find tasty, high nutrient, low calorie, and crunchy snacks. If I had a dollar for every minute I have spent reading snack food product nutrition labels, I wouldn't be writing this blog and we would all be relaxing at my luxury compound in the Galapagos.

When it comes to snacking, there are some snacks which are better than others. Years of research have been put into some of these little treasures and as always, you want to make sure you pay attention to the serving size. One of the things I like about the following snacks is that they actually have decent portion sizes compared to " 7 Doritos = 1 serving." Who on earth eats seven Doritos and feels satisfied?!?! Here are my crunchy faves:

Soy Crisps Although I could eat an entire bag (guilty), these little dudes give you a reasonable serving size, are high in soy protein, high in fiber and low in calories as well as low in fat.

Raw Almonds Although a serving of almonds is good for your health on several levels, you should be careful not to eat too many because they are still high in fat and calories. Granted, they predominantly contain good fat, a small amount can still really add up.

Low Fat Triscuits Very filling serving size, full of fiber and low in fat.

Orville Reddenbockers Light Microwave Popcorn 100 calorie bags A little high on the sodium side but very filling/crunchy, low in fat and a decent amount of dietary fiber.

Low Sodium Dry Roasted Peanuts Same vibe as almonds

Barbara's Snackimal Crackers For the sweet tooth, these have no refined sugars, gluten free, decent serving size, low fat and a little bit of dietary fiber.

Kashi Granola Bars--Dark Chocolate Walnut/Coconut Kashi is a gift from the Nutrition Dios. This particular bar is lowest in calories of their granola bar line and full of fiber, high in protein, and no refined sugars.

Cereals: Kashi Heart to Heart and Cascadian Farms Clifford Crunch Of all cereals on the market, these are two of the best in terms of largest serving with lowest calories, high protein, high fiber, lowest sugar (and no refined sugars). I love to put a serving in a bag and snack on it throughout the day.

Beefy Goodness

I would like to take this time to thank the beautiful 7-Story Downtown Louisville YMCA for being my saving grace of fitness this season. The Spin class and Cardio Lifting class are absolute Aces!

We all need to vary our lifting routines in order to avoid muscle-plateaus and I must say the Y’s lifting class is the perfect recipe. Not as great as British-Guatemalan military drills at the Iron Pit Gym but the Y’s class always guarantees at least one sore body part the following day.

Speaking of great places in Louisville, I took my first Brunch trip to Lynn’s Paradise Café today and had an amazing burger. Although I was extremely tempted by their Belgian Waffle, I decided to treat myself to a Grass-Fed Kentucky Beef Burger topped with Bleu Cheese Pimento Spread. OMG, it was heaven. (sadly, there was no room for dessert with the waffle)

Which brings me to my point of this blog entry and the “skinny” on grass-fed beef. For your information, a 3.5-ounce ( 100g) serving of grass-fed beef has only 2.4 grams of fat, compared with 16.3 grams for conventionally raised beef (if it doesn’t say “grass-fed” on the package, that means the cows have been stuffed full of hormones and artificial filler-foods).

Here’s the impressive info: Grass-fed beef contains more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to reduce abdominal fat while building lean muscle. It also has more omega-3s and less omega-6s than corn-fed beef. It’s the same with chickens. According to a recent study in the journal, Poultry Science, free-range chickens have significantly more omega-3s than grain-fed chickens do, and less saturated fat and fewer calories than tiny-cage grain-fed varieties.

However, although I would much prefer you eat a veggie burger, if you are going to have a burger, go with the grass-fed beef, your tummy and your corazon will thank you for it! Buen Provecho!

Good Vegetarians Gone Bad!

Okay Okay, so I'm not a vegetarian but if I were, PETA would revoke my status after seeing this photo. 12 Ribs plus 1 Tricia = Bliss. Although they were good, I must admit the two best places in the world to get ribs are at a little restaurant outside La Coruna, Spain and Chef Webb's ribs at Guilford Bistro in Indy.

School is trudging on and I'm spending 3-8 hours daily in lecture which could easily lead to a little extra "junk in my trunk." Therefore, I have decided to cut back on my typical 3000 calories per day.

In my preparation for eating like a normal human instead of a canteen full of Marines, I have done some research on natural appetite suppressants. Since I can't get my hands on Peruvian coca leaves, I have decided to try cinnamon. Surprisingly it works but not in the long-term. I put about a teaspoon on my cereal in the morning and that actually keeps my stomach from growling until around 10am. I've also been cooking a little bit more savory cinnamon dinner dishes which keeps me from late night snacking too! Here's one of my favorite Moroccan-style Vegan dishes.

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves minced or pressed garlic
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes in their juice
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 zucchini, chopped
1 (19 oz.) can cooked chickpeas
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion to pan and stir. Sauté for several minutes, then add garlic.
Add diced tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, and chickpeas to the pan. Add spices.
Simmer the stew about 20 minutes, covered. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on a bed of couscous.

Don't be SAD!

For those of you 30 Rock watchers,this week you might have seen the intro dialogue between Jack and Liz about SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder. To be blunt, SAD sucks. For those of us in cold climates with gray sky and minimal daylight, our minds can go into a mild depression resulting in fowl moods and lack of energy and making us innocent victims of SAD.

Therefore, I thought I might share with you a few tips on how to stay "Jolly" the natural way and, err, the "fake-n-bake" way:

1) If you're reading this blog then you already know the advantages of high-antioxidant food and this is a reason to stock up on more! I promise it will help your mood. Thank you Mother Nature for allowing winter to be our Citrus fruit season. Oranges, tangerines, and grapefruits are all high-antioxidant, super-energizing natural sources of Vitamin C.
2) Exercise 4-5x per week (spin class, brisk outdoor walks or xc-skiing to your local watering hole)
3) Kundalini Yoga 2-3x per week, this is an “energizing” yoga and very stimulating on both an emotional and physical level.
4) Guided Relaxation Meditation
5) This might sound a little kooky but it’s the most important thing: 2-3x per week during the evening, go into a tanning bed for a 15-20 minute session. Make sure to wear AT LEAST SPF 30 all over your body!!! Extra UV light in the winter time does wonders for our emotional morale.
6) Get outside during the day as much as possible.
7) My personal favorite: Take a Southern Hemisphere Summer Vacation like a Patagonia hiking trip to Chile/Argentina OR a Down Under Beach vacation to the white sands of Cable Beach in Broome, Aus.

Hope this info helps!

By the way, Lori, I know you're a fan of the Jolly blog and I wanted to add that I hope you feel better and have a speedy recovery.

Snow Daze

This cold weather is absurd. Oh how I long for the ridiculously hot days of Africa or my first summer in H-town. I have certainly learned that in cold climates, the electric blanket is my greatest ally.

The photos include yours truly (slightly tipsy) en route to to a Duck Confit sandwich avec a bottle of Cote du Rhone. The other is the view from my 14th floor flat overlooking the south side of Louisville (notice the snow covered pool on the bottom right). My XC skis are doing me no good sitting in storage back in B-town.

My semester begins Monday but have already been given three assignments due on the first day of lab and lecture. The next 16 months better be worth my time. Hopefully so I can leave this cold weather and return to some sort of miserably hot climate!

However, For all of you Louisvillians out there (or soon to visit) who want to stay warm, I can highly recommend the spicy Fajita nachos at Aztecas on 4th/MAB. It's not on the menu but they are more than happy to make them for you. As a Nacho Oficianada, I can honestly say they are some of the best I have ever eaten.

Another addition to help you stay warm (in a healthy way), would be my own little recipe for hot cocoa. I will also add my adult version too!

Per person:

*1 cup Skim Milk
*1 heaping Tbsp Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder (full of antioxidants)
*1 heaping tsp Agave Nectar (this stuff is the best because it's a natural sweetener with a low glycemic index and tastes like honey)
*A few shakes of cinnamon
* (Optional) One shot of Torres Brandy or Bourbon or any Cordial of your choice.

Combine milk, cocoa powder, and agave nectar and heat over stove or microwave; heat/stir until blended together, shake in some cinnamon and a little Brandy and Viola!

Fun with Kale

I hope everyone has had a fun holiday season. My highlight was that I bbq'd a duck, which was a hoot and it certainly won't be the last time I do it because it was Deeee-lish!

Would love to hear about some of y'all's resolutions this year. I have one which will be announced at a later date but for now, just spreading more good vibes and getting straight A's will do.

However, if being more environmentally conscious and eating more vegan dishes is on your resolution list, then this blog entry is for you!

As most of you know, one of my pet peeves is being "preachy." So I apologize if I'm sounding a little too leftist, but whether you believe or don't believe in global warming, for those of us able-bodied individuals, we should always try to make some sort of conscious effort to help preserve our planet. It was brought to my attention today about a new way to help the environment and rid your mailbox of junk mail! It's called Zumbox. It's a way to have your postal mail delivered to your email address. Granted, I would set up an email account only for your post office mail because there is a possibility to receive infinite amounts of junk email. However, by using this service, you can cut down on paper production and possible fuel costs for mail-delivery.
www.zumbox.com

And now for some time with Kale! Tis the season for this leafy green gift from the Phytonutrient gods. I miss the days of WFM ginger-kale salad so I couldn't resist buying a big bunch last week. Kale is most prominent in the winter/spring and it is chocked full of Vitamins A,K,C, Manganese, Fiber and lots of other goodies. So get in as much as you can!

As most of you know, you can take the girl out of Texas--but you can't take Texas out of the girl, so here's a little Mexi-Kale recipe I conjured up. I'll give you the vegan version with a non-vegan option:

Mexi-Kale!

1 small yellow onion-diced
1 clove garlic-pressed
Olive oil for sautee-ing
1/4 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup salsa verde (or tomatillo salsa)
1 tsp cumin (or more--depending on heat level)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Jalapeno Tabasco (for the spicy people)
1 can Pinto beans, drained
1 Big Ol' Head of Kale, finely chopped
1 Handful Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
Low Fat Cheddar Cheese (optional non-vegan version)

Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are clear; put on lower heat and add marinara/salsa verde and seasonings; add pinto beans; add kale and cilantro to the mix until kale is tender (this may take a while). Serve it hot and/or with cheese on top.