Full Steam Ahead

I made up for my lazy day yesterday.  I got up early to do a run.  It was 60 degrees and perfect running weather.  I'm happy to report that my run was a lot better than it has been of late.  I felt good and was able to run without feeling the need to take walk breaks nearly as much.  I probably could have run the entire four miles without any breaks, but I knew what was coming, so I took it a bit easy. My pace was the fastest it's been in recent months.  I got home and just had time to catch a shower and dress before I went to my Praise Moves class.

I really liked the class.  I went to a yoga class last Saturday and enjoyed that class too, but it felt just a little strange assuming meditative poses without a clear focus for meditation.  I am a Christian and I like the fact that in the Praise Moves class the focus is very clearly on core beliefs that I hold dear.  Leslie mentioned in a comment to my last post that her teenage daughter  was practicing yoga at a Christian camp and was criticized and upset by a camp leader who told her that yoga was an "agent of the Devil" and non-Christian.  I'm so sorry that happened.  I think the person who said that was wrong to criticize and also wrong in her statement. To me yoga is a wonderful exercise, good for posture, balance, mental clarity and muscle tone as well as an ancient expression of faith and belief.  Our yoga leader last Saturday (who was an Indian American) sang to us as we did the final relaxation pose at the end.  She had a lovely voice and it was a beautiful song in Hindi and, as she explained to me later, it told the story of an early Hindu saint.  If I didn't have Praise Moves available, I would not hesitate to take the yoga class--not for any religious reason, but for its other benefits.  In the end, though, I loved the Praise Moves class, the leader was very good and the class was well paced.  I enjoyed spending time with some friends I seldom get to see.  The class is a drop-in class, offered three times a week.  I can't do three times a week, but will try to do at least one of the classes each week.

I got home just in time to receive J&E.   After I gave them lunch we walked over to the nearby elementary school.  They are both ga-ga over school buses!  We played on the front lawn while school let out and they got to see a lot of school buses.  We counted them.  Several times.  They loved seeing all the children and it was fun to see all the parents greeting their children.

Tomorrow is my DIL's birthday and they are coming to dinner.  I'm making lasagna roll ups (individual lasagnas made by rolling up a noodle with the filling, cinnamon roll style.  Because of different likes and allergies, I'm making both a standard (WW) lasagna and a seafood (scallop & shrimp) lasagna.  I have a detailed shopping list and am headed to the store early, before J&E get here.  I promised E that she could help me make the birthday cake.   She wanted to be sure that I have her apron ready.  (It's FUN being a grandmother!  I never wear aprons, but all of my grandchildren have them and wear them.)  It's the day before my WI, so I'm hoping that I can eat the way I should eat tomorrow without face planting in the cake or overindulging in the lasagna.  I'll send the leftovers home with the birthday girl.

Oh!  I'm delighted to report that when I did my kettle bell routine last night I was able to do TWO of the dreaded Turkish Get Ups!  The funny thing is that I could only do them from one side.  I couldn't wrap my head around reversing the moves.  I was most satisfied with my two though, and decided to rest on my laurels.  I also have graduated to doing most of the "real" moves rather than the abbreviated moves for beginners.  Yay me. Only six more sessions until my guaranteed results!!

Lazy Sunday

Today was a really relaxed day for me.  I slept late, but we got to church in time for choir practice.  When we got home after church, I read the paper, made my usual cottage cheese & fruit lunch and messed around on my computer.  Our Internet connection was out for part of the afternoon and you'd think I'd have gotten something accomplished, but no, I "whiled away the hours."  [name that tune!]

I made another old favorite for dinner tonight.  Osso Buco in the crock pot.  I think having dinner cooking all day so that it's ready at meal time sounds like such a good idea, but honestly, I don't like most meats cooked in the crock pot.  Except for this recipe.  It's a winner.  I first had Osso Buco when we lived in Italy.  It's basically a fall-off-the-bone beef stew.

Osso Buco

I also made a big green salad with my own vinaigrette dressing.

Big Green Salad with Avocados, Tomatoes, Pine nuts and Vinaigrette Dressing

I'm thinking about trying a new exercise class tomorrow.  It's sponsored through our church and is, essentially a Christian yoga.  I talked to the teacher today and think that I may go tomorrow just to see how things go.  I'll have to get up an hour earlier than normal to get my Monday run in.  Even if the class is great,  I need to see if the timing works out with my schedule.  It seems like it will be sort of tight, getting back to be here when J&E are dropped off.  We'll see. I don't want to over-extend myself, but I like the idea of the class and a couple of friends are planning to be there.

Our local guys are playing the Big Bad Cowboys as I type this.  It seems we're ahead--so far, but our team has been remarkably consistent in losing in the last play or two over the past couple of years.  GO Redskins! It would make DH really happy.  But I think there are a few of you who are for the Bad Guys.  No?  :)

Well, I still need to exercise today and, I think I can safely leave the rooting for the home team in DH's capable hands.  I'm off for a date with my Kettle Bells.  [do you still call it Kettle BellS if there's only one weight??]

I could while away the hours conferrin' with the flowers consultin' with the rain . And my head I'd be scratchin' While my thoughts were busy hatchin' if I only had a brain.  
Sung by the Scarecrow, from the Wizard of Oz

Be good!  

This recipe is from the WW cookbook "In Good Time--123 Slow Cooker Recipes to Come Home To."

You could put this together in a large pot with top and let it simmer (on low) for several hours if you don't have a crock pot.  

I put the things together in the  crock pot the night before and put it in the fridge, to be popped in the next morning. It filled the house with a heavenly aroma and everyone loved it, it's a winner! I served it with a  baked potato or whole wheat wide  noodles for a filling, wonderful 10 point dinner.

OSSO BUCO

2 tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 tsp pepper
4 (10 oz) veal shanks (1.5 inches thick) [you can substitute beef shanks]
1 TBSP olive oil
1 c chopped carrot (dice size cubes)
1 c chopped celery
1 c chopped onion

1 c sliced mushrooms [not in the original recipe, but a good addition IMHO]
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 c dry white wine [I use red or white, whichever I happen to have]
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 TBST chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
Rosemary sprigs (optional)

1. Combine flour and pepper in a pie plate or shallow dish; stir well. Dredge veal ini flour mixture; set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add veal; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Place veal in a 4 quart electric slow cooker; set aside.

3. Add carrot and next 3 ingredients to skillet; saute over medium heat 5 minutes. Add wine, swcraping bottom of skillet to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 minute. Pour vegetable mixture over veal iin slow cooker. Add tomatoes, rosemary, salt, and bay leaf. Cover with lid; cook on high heat setting 1 hour. Reduce to low heat setting, and cook 6 to 7 hours or until veal is tender. Discard bay leaf. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 veal shank and 1.25 cups sauce).

Points 7; diabetic exchanges 3 veg, 6 L Meat

Per serving:; Cal 328, Pro 48.3g, Fat 7.6 g (sat 1.8 g), CARB 14.6, Fiber 3.0, Chol 180mg, Iron 2.9mg, Sod 638, CALC 103mg.

Something Old, Something New

You might have read here recently that we eat at home a lot more than we used to. We both like it that way. I love to cook. I have time to cook now. And it's a lot easier to plan healthy meals when we eat at home. The only problem is, despite my cookbook addiction, I tend to make the same things over and over. So I started leafing through my recipes and I found an "oldie but goodie." World's Fair Chicken.  It's a baked chicken dish with an orange curry sauce flavored with chutney and cinnamon.  There are also almonds and raisins in the sauce. My mother used to make this and it was one of the first meals I made for DH when we were married.  I used to make it all the time, but I haven't made it in a couple of years.  Why? Because it's not on my plan. Or is it??

This is one of those recipes that I know pretty much by heart. But when I actually looked at the recipe I noticed something strange.  Over the years (37 of them to be exact) the proportions that I use have changed.  DH (and I) love raisins, so instead of the 1/2 cup called for in the recipe, I usually put in a full cup.  The almonds are so good that I doubled that amount, too. And sometimes I'd make double the sauce (double sauce with double double raisins and almonds)--it's so good with rice.  Oh, and it was only within the past several months that I finally realized that I didn't need to serve myself TWO pieces of chicken (is that double double sauce with double double double double raisins and almonds???).

I just put the ingredients through the online WW points calculator. The sauce adds only 2.5 points to a naked piece of chicken. My eating plan (WW CORE or Simply Filling) can and does allow for a few extra points each day. DH just got home from refereeing a soccer game and immediately noticed the wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen. Some nice sugar snap peas, some brown rice and we're going to have a great dinner. I'll try to get a picture before it disappears! Time out for dinner . . . .

World's Fair Chicken on Brown Rice

I'm not an ace photographer, but believe me, this is great. Oh yes. World's Fair Chicken (the original recipe) is going to take its rightful place in our dinner lineup again.

Something new today was yoga. I went to my first-ever yoga class today. I liked it. There were only five of us there and the teacher was very good about giving us individual attention.  The others had all had some yoga lessons, but this was a beginner class so we got perhaps more demonstration and explanation between poses than is usual. The class will be once a week on Saturdays--pretty easy to fit into my schedule.

I did go for a run today, but not a long one as I'd planned. I ran a little over three miles. It felt good and I felt like stopping.  So I did.

Hoping you're making discoveries, both old and new.

Here's the recipe for my new-found favorite chicken dish:

World’s Fair Chicken

8 chicken thighs, skinless 

2 T butter [I omit this, if you use it add 1/2 WW point per serving]

Salt & Pepper to taste

1.5 C Orange Juice

.5 C Raisins or Currants

.25 C Chopped Chutney

.5 C Slivered Almonds [or chopped whole almonds]

.5 tsp cinnamon

.5 tsp curry powder

Dash of Thyme

Dot butter on Chicken Parts--(if using butter)

Bake at 425* for 15 min.

Simmer other ingredients – pour over chicken

Reduce heat and bake at 350* for 45+ minutes until  done, turning chicken pieces twice while cooking

Serves 8 [I piece of chicken plus sauce]  

Sauce is 2.5 WW points per serving  [3 if you use the butter]

This one was one of my mother's standards.  It makes a beautiful presentation, is fairly fail-proof, and always delicious.

Joie de Vivre

E=Joie de Vivre

Little E will begin a two-day-a week preschool next week. I think she's a tiny bit anxious, but mostly she's very happy and excited about it. I took this picture yesterday when I had the children outside.  The weather was beautiful.  E was pulling a mostly deflated, red Trader Joe's balloon on a long red ribbon round and round the big garden bed.  J, who took his first steps only weeks ago was toddling as fast as he could after her, trying to get the balloon. They were both laughing and giggling. I aspire to E's joie de vivre.  Joyful is good.

I had a great ride this morning. I rode from home to Mount Vernon along the Mount Vernon Bike Trail.  The last mile or so has a few serious hills, but I was able to ride all the way.  I have a membership card to Mt Vernon and, after locking my bike, I took a nice walk through the grounds. I've been in the house recently, so this time, taking advantage of the great weather, I spent my time in the gardens.  I started back and was amused to see that going the other direction bicyclists are advised to dismount because of the steep downhill.  No.Way!  I earned that downhill part. :D  I turned off the trail to make my way home through a park and some pretty neighborhoods.  I went 17+ miles overall.  It felt great.  Oh, and I wore my snazzy bike shoes with no problems.


Tomorrow I want to get in a long-ish run in the morning. Then, at 11, I'm going to try out a yoga for beginners class. I have done some yoga with my Wii, but think I could benefit from a real live teacher.  The class is free with our gym membership. DH was going to come too, but he's doing pro-bono legal work through a DC  church.

I've started logging my daily weight on physics diet. You may know that I weigh myself every morning and record the weight in my journal.  Minor ups and downs are normal, but I'd read about averaging the weights to get a moving average that shows you more accurately how you're doing. Here's my graph for the past 10 days or so.  You can see clearly the red parts that represent our days on our Bike Holiday.  Red is not good. Those are days when my weight is above the projected loss trend.  The green parts are days when I'm at or below the trend for weight loss. Green is good. I look forward to accumulating lots of green chart territory ahead. Interestingly, your individual weight doesn't have to be lower than the previous day's weight to be in the green territory. 


Hope your weekend is filled with joy!