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.

TJ's Tex-Mex Chex Mix!

Wow! It seems surreal that I have no academic commitments for an entire week! Not quite sure what to do with myself. Perhaps I'll get to know my doorman better or take up knitting. Actually I think it's a safe bet that neither of those things will be accomplished.

Like most squirrels, I'm a big fan of nuts. I feel sorry for those of you who are allergic---because you are truly missing out on one of mother nature's finest gifts. Anyway, wanted to bring up my love for almonds and share a little story....Most of us grew up with parents who had the big bowl of shelled mixed nuts during the holidays, hence the whole nutcracker vibe. However, some of us had "nut-stingy" parents who would wait until their daughter went to bed and then get to crackin'. But, almost every time their daughter would be woken up by the cracking sound and sidle up to the "cracker" with anticipation for one of the almonds. Now their daughter is old enough to buy her own almonds but because she doesn't buy them in the shell, sadly, some poor migrant worker has probably done the primary labor for her.

Anyway.......Almonds are a super-heart-friendly nut chocked full of vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, iron, protein and fiber. They are a perfect food for all you vegans out there. As well, consumption of ten raw almonds a day, every day, for a month can also help significantly lower your cholesterol by about 10 percent!

In the spirit of the holidays, I thought I might share my own personal favorite healthy/spicy chex mix recipe which contains plenty of almonds. Viva Tejas!!

3 Tablespoons Smart Balance Olive Oil butter
2 Teaspoons Worstershire
2 Teaspoons Jalapeno Tabasco sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cilantro Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder (OPTIONAL--not for the the spicy-intolerant)
2 Cups Whole Wheat Chex
2 Cups Corn Chex
1/2 Cup Almonds
1/2 Cup Peanuts
1 Cup Whole Grain Goldfish Crackers (I prefer the cheddar flavor)
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Annie's Bunny Crackers (I love the fish/rabbit diversity in my chex mix)

Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, and crackers; set aside. In ungreased 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Addressing our Wildlife Obesity Issue....

Well, I think it's time to call the WWF. What on earth are our wild critters getting into that they end up looking like this little guy?? Or is it because he's a Hoosier squirrel? He needs to add more tree bark to his diet!

I have a tendency to think these winter months can be relatively boring when it comes to working out. Most of us succumb to the indoors and if you're not doing a torturous spinning class or power yoga, then one can grow bored very easily. But I have an overall-beneficial solution to curing the winter workout blues......First, it's super-duper crucial for us to do both cardio and weight-training because we automatically lose about 15% of our lean body mass between our mid-20's to our mid 70's. This amount can increase more if we routinely sit on our bums! As well, lean body mass loss can also lead to significant arthritic problems and chronic disease. Weight training is a fantastic way to retain lean muscle mass and cardio is a great compliment to keep the vibe going (and prevent love handles). Even more cool is that interval-cardio burns body fat (or in my case, burns off my dark chocolate habit).

As previously mentioned, indoor workouts can be less-than-entertaining but I wanted to pass along my solution. Because we are all at a different fitness level, feel free to adjust your cardio time (from 5 minute intervals to 20 minute intervals). This workout will take from an hour to two hours depending on cardio time and I highly recommend it 3x a week (then mixing spin class, lower-body weight lifting, and yoga on the other days--wink wink) I also find that having your favorite cooking, news, sports or fitness magazine as your cardio machine-friend really helps too! Or blaring Shakira on your iPod--you choose!

* 10 Minute Warm-up on cardio machine of your choice, rotating 1 minute normal pace & 1 minute medium pace

* 2 15-repetition sets of biceps, 2 15-rep sets of triceps, 1 set of abs

* 10 minute cardio machine of your choice, rotating 1 minute medium pace & minute fast pace

* 2 15-rep sets of back/lat, 2 15-rep sets chest, 2 15-rep sets of shoulders, 1 set of abs

* 10 minute cardio machine of your choice, rotating 1 minute medium pace & minute fast pace

* 2 15-repetition sets of biceps, 2 15-rep sets of triceps, 1 set of abs

* 10 minute cardio machine of your choice, rotating 1 minute medium pace & minute fast pace

* 2 15-rep sets of back/lat, 2 15-rep sets chest, 2 15-rep sets of shoulders, 1 set of abs

* 10 Minute Cool-down on cardio machine of your choice, rotating 1 minute normal pace & 1 minute medium pace

Liver Lovin' Holidays

Hope everyone had a grandiose Turkey Day and was able to stick to their diets (Ha!). Many thanks to Susan because she prepared a brilliant feast. Was thinking back to last Thanksgiving in Africa (see photo) and how it was certainly my most unique holiday experience. We all went up on a big hill which overlooked the Senegal/Mali border (at the Senegal river) and had a massive bonfire to cook steaks, potatoes, onions and apples. Instead of Pinot Noir, we had South African 40-ouncers and watched the various brush burnings from the hilltop. I recommend everyone do this at least once in their lifetime.

Anyway, for those of you who indulged last week (just like me), I have some “de-tox” recommendations for you. Other than significant exercise and a de-toxing week-long vegan diet, there are some other solutions out there.......

Green Tea! If you love alcohol like I do, your liver needs some lovin. Try getting in at least three “green tea shots” per day. True green tea (not the lipton sweetened/pre-made junk) is full of EGCG antioxidant properties and your liver’s detoxing enzymes are stimulated by this. The purest/most economical green tea on the market is Stash Green Tea ($2-$3). You can find it at almost any supermarket. It taste somewhat like ass but here’s my solution. Take one tea bag and 2 oz. hot water, let tea steep for at least 3 minutes, then let it cool down a bit and do it like a shot of tequila (sans salt/lime). Works like a charm! If you want a good detox-sippin’ tea, stick with South African Rooibos.

I also must recommend finding your “ inner bunny rabbit” this holiday season. Make up for your naughty eating by having whole-food dinners or lunches. My personal favorite is a half head of steamed broccoli (chopped up), topped with salsa (preferably fresh) and non-fat plain yogurt (it taste just like sour cream), accompanied by whole wheat toast and spinach scrambled eggs (4 whites, two yolks) topped with more salsa (you can take the girl out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the girl!) or the Thai hot sauce, Sriracha. Buen Provecho!

Cold Weather Stiffness

I don't know about y'all but after spending 10 years of having 10-month summers, this chilly southern Indiana weather has my joints aching as if I were about 20 years older than I really am.
I know I'm not the only one out there with stiff joints (as I do have several lovely "seasoned" readers). Therefore, I have been doing some research on foods which might help out during these stiff/cold winter months and wouldn't you know it--Omega 3's take the cake! While high saturated fat foods (mostly meats and butters) increase joint inflammation, Polyunsaturated omega-3s actually work to decrease inflammation by suppressing the production of cytokines and enzymes that erode cartilage.
Here is a list of some the better Omega-3 source foods on which to concentrate this holiday season:

Walnuts
Seaweed (seaweed salad!)
Ground Flaxseed
Soybeans (Kroger now makes microwavable edamame snack-packs)
Salmon (preferably wild and not farm-raised)
Omega-3 Fortified Eggs
Herring
Sardines/Anchioves
Oysters
Rainbow Trout

Also, Ginger, Cinnamon & Tumeric are great anti-inflammatory spices (Hello Curry and Moroccan delights!!)

And Antioxidants such as:
Vitamin C (especially for the smokers!!)
Selenium (Brazil Nuts);
Vitamin-A in Beta-Carotene form (pumpkin, kale, butternut squash, sweet potatoes)
Anthocyanidins (Blueberries, Blackberries, black currants, cherries, red grapes)
Vitamin D

Bon Appetit!

Rants and Facts

Thought I might put up this photo with a view from my old flat in Houston. Photo courtesy of Groovehouse......I miss Houston and the southern heat (and Groovehouse too!!).

I have decided the next time I read an article or see an interview with an actress who says "Yeah, I'm just a naturally skinny person. I eat whatever I want, although I do workout 3 days a week for 20 minutes each time, with a trainer." I am going to give her a "knuckle sandwich." I despise these women. They set such poor health examples for everyone. I wish a popular magazine would write about how they actually eat only a milligram of food per day and exercise 5 hours a day, 6 days a week. The 7th day, they are probably in the hospital receiving IV fluids so they can muster up enough energy to tell the world how they are "naturally" thin.

anyway.......

In the numerous articles I have read this semester for my nutrition classes, I have found out some very interesting random facts and wanted to share this food for thought with you:

1) 80% of Overweight/Obese Children will become Overweight/Obese adults. This really scares me, because depending on how long you have known me, you probably know I was a very chubby tween. (hello double-dose of boot camp today!!)
2) Because of our overweight/obesity epidemic, Today's generation of children will be the first generation to have a shorter life span than their parents.
3) Over 30% of children in the U.S. do not consume a fruit/veg on a daily basis.
4) Vegetarian children, the primary youth "consumers" of fruit/veg, have slower growth rates than the typical child.

Nobody wins. I will say this though; for those of you who know any kids whom may need a little guidance in the nutrition department, send them my way.

By the way, speaking of healthy eating, this past weekend, I had the world's greatest bbq ribs from the amazing chef at the Guilford Bistro in Broadripple. I highly recommend them!!

La Vida de la clinica......

As most of you know, I am here in Indy with a latino health clinic. A great place which provides spanish-speaking health services over a cinco-state area. However, Saturday we saw over 50 patients within the first four hours and only one patient admitted to exercising at least once a week! I often wonder if the rest of these patients exercised at least once a week if they would still be visiting the clinic??? Although I would choose Western Medicine practice over Eastern any day--there's still something to be said about Eastern medicine and pro-active healthcare as opposed to just "fixing the condition." One day I will find a way to make it easy for everyone to "prevent the condition." (in a perfect world and I'm off my soap box now.....)

NYC was great! The Myklusch's are still one of the Top Ten World's Most Beautiful Families. I also ate my weight in gourmet goodness and give high recommendations to Balthazar, Cafe Bossa and The Shake Shack (best burger of all time--thanks again Mr. Myklusch!). They are all in the lower east side of Manhattan, which is where I will hopefully one day have a cute little part-time dojo.

Thanks to my hosts, I do have the double secret recipe for the Shake Shack Burger. I will not post it on here but if you want it, I will be happy to send it your direction.

INDY FARMERS MARKET: For those of you in Indy looking for some great local goods, there is a new Farmers Market Downtown. Can I please recommend the Vermont Bars from the pastry lady to the right of the entrance. Joder!!!
http://indywinterfarmersmarket.org

Anyway, The other night I made Baked Falafel and I wanted to share this healthy yet flavorful recipe with y'all!

1 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans.
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped (or if you like parsley, go for 5!)
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1.5 teaspoons cumin
Smidge of crushed red pepper or my personal fave, Sriracha Hot Sauce!
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons wheat flour
Salt
Pepper
Heat Oven at 375, spray down baking sheet.
Mash chickpeas, spices, tahini, and juice in medium bowl. Mash it real good! Stir in onions/garlic/parsley. Stir in flour
Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball (no Bangkok jokes please!). Slightly flatten. Put on tray, bake 12 minutes and serv'em up on a pita with lettuce, tomato, tahini and tzatziki sauce!

Le Pâté Moderne

What a week! Lots of academia and very little time to fit it all in.

Am looking forward to NYC in just one more week. Can't wait to see Carrie and get in some NYC pizza!

Tomorrow night--for those of you in Indy, the Indiana Ice are hopefully going to get in a few more goals against the Waterloo Blackhawks of Iowa. Actually, I really don't care who wins as long as they serve nachos at the game. Really makes me miss the BBQ pork nachos at the Houston Aeros games (sigh.....).

Sooo, look out Frenchies (you too Camille!), my pâté worked like a charm! I have successfully come up with a low-fat (well, lower fat) and wicked-tasty Foie gras pâté recipe. Something I have also realized in my culinary pâté endeavors is that the pâté consistency completely coincides with the type of butter you use. Firm butter = firm pâté Soft butter = soft pâté. (duh) Remember, Pâté is like a good marinara or curry dish, although it can be eaten straight-away, it is always better on the second (or third) day.

One can use any herb combo, I went with the ol' standbys of garlic, parsley and oregano......


TJ's Pâté

Cooking spray
1/2 small spanish onion chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1/4 cup mushrooms chopped
3/4 cup light butter (I used Fabio's fave: "I can't believe it's not Butter")
1 cup cooked goose or duck or chicken liver
4 tablespoons brandy. I prefer Torres b/c it's Spanish and tastes best (viva Espana!)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
A few shakes of salt
Several rounds of crushed black pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)

Saute onion & garlic until soft, then add mushrooms for a minute. Set aside. Saute liver in 1/4 cup light butter and 3 tbsp brandy until well cooked. Drain liquid and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes. Mash liver in bowl and then add 1 tbsp brandy, mash in sauteed onion/garlic/mushrooms, then add spices, then mix in butter (with a spoon, not a mixer--I'm old fashioned like that). Make sure all ingredients have mixed-in well and put in air-tight container, add a little parsley, coarse salt and pepper on top to decorate and store in the refrigerator. It will easily keep for a week. Bon Appetit!

Irie Feast

I just found a Jamaican Recipe Website. It seems VERY authentic. Here it is: http://www.jamaicatravelandculture.com/food_and_drink.htm Gonna put a few recipes to the test this weekend!

By the way, here's one of me (drunk) making Guatemalan Pork Butt Stew. Although, that evening, I insisted on calling it Sopa de 'culo de puerco' guatemalteca! You gotta email me for the recipe, it's wayyyyy too long to post.

Stars & Sprouts

So much for the Orionid Meteor Shower the other morning. I did catch about four good streaks before I realized my bed would be a much comfier (and warmer) place. It was brought to my attention that in Florida, it was too cloudy to see the sky but the warm weather and waves crashing on the ocean made up for it (thanks TS!) Although I'm still hoping for some unseasonable Texas or West African weather here in the Hoosier state, I really can't complain right now. Over the past few days, I was able to get in both a massive hike at the Deam in the Hoosier National Forest ( http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier/recreation/ccdw.htm ) and a long bike ride on the Monon Trail in Indy ( http://www.indianatrails.org/Monon_Indy.htm ) I highly recommend both during this "leafy" season. Am including a great photo from my Deam hike.

Am looking forward to much of the same this weekend in addition to trying my first attempt at foie gras pate. Hope it works out!!

It seems one of my favorite veggies is now in-season and that is the loved/hated Brussel Sprout. I love them but have met many people in my time whom would rather eat roadkill than some brussels. However, for all you haters, please know that the Brussel has officially beaten out Broccoli as the healthiest veggie of all time!

Thought I might share my usual recipe (vegan) but accompany it with my naughtier version (not-so-vegan):

2 Cups Brussels de-stemmed and cut into quarters
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
2 Cloves Garlic-chopped
Non-stick cooking spray (or several tablespoons olive oil for a more decadent version)
1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans
Soy Sauce
Cracked Black Pepper
Naughty Additions:
Although I prefer Serrano ham, it's not always easy to find, instead you can use several slices of lean smoked ham, chopped into pieces
I prefer Stilton Crumbles but any blue cheese will do.

Sautee Onion & Garlic on medium heat for several minutes in spray or olive oil. Add Brussel Srouts and sautee for a several minutes. DO NOT let them get too soft, only let them turn a slightly darker shade of green, so they stay crunchy and still retain a majority of their nutrients. Add pecans for a minute or two (you be the judge). If you decide to do the naughty version, add the ham bits for a minute or two. Remove from heat, add soy sauce/black pepper. If making the naughty version, let it all cool for a minute or two and then add the blue cheese.