A great Day that Ended in Darkness

Yesterday was such a nice day. It was not the weather, though it did finally warm up a bit. It was a day spent with my husband and dogs doing simple things. After running several errands, John and I went swimming at the Gable Hall swimming pool at NIU. John's favorite thing is not swimming, but he knows how much I love it, and he went with me to give me a chance to see if the pool chemicals bother my senses too much.

Earlier in the day, John found a recipe for a Paleo Pizza. We stopped at the store and gathered up the ingredients that we needed and after my 1/2 mile of swimming, I made our first,and certainly not our last, Paleo Pizza.

Paleo Pizza Crust

The crust is the key:
1 3/4 C. Almond Meal
1/4 C. whole ground fax seed
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 eggs
1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
Mix together and spread on greased (olive oil) pizza pan (I use a stone)
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

I used the crust recipe from the Everyday Paleo blog with a slight variation of seasonings.

Take out of oven and put on toppings. We used Muir Glen marinara sauce, sliced grape tomatoes, Jones Turkey Sausage  sliced up and browned, some garlic, and Daiya Mozzarella Cheese. (It is non-dairy, but not totally Paleo as is has canola and safflower oils, and pea protein in it.)

The pizza going in the oven

Slide it back in the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Out of the oven, ready to eat.

It was really good! I was amazed at how tasty the crust was. It was better than any gluten-free crust I have ever tasted. We had a spinach salad to go with our pizza. (Spinach from the garden which John went out and picked, then washed and dried and turned into salad.)

After dinner, in the middle of watching a movie, it was time for Earth Hour 2012. We shut down the TV, all computers, the lights, and lit some candles and played scrabble by candlelight.

Photo taken at 9:45 after the end of Earth Hour

It was a very close game and if not for the triple letter score z that I got, John would have creamed me. He is more clever with his words and a  much better strategizer than I am. We played by candlelight for just under 2 hours. Then we blew out the candles, turned on the lights to find our way to bed, and shut off the lights again for the night.

Going Paleo

It has been a month since I went on a Paleo Diet. I hate calling it a diet because it is now the way I eat. Meat (beef, chicken, fish, pork, and eggs) proteins, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats. I have given up all grains, legumes, most sugar, and dairy.

While it has been a stressful month (the stress was not from the change in diet), but from work and some family health issues, I have lost 1.25 inches around my bust, waist and hips, lost 8 pounds, and my chronic cough is almost completely gone. The amazing thing about the cough is that spring and pollen used to exacerbate the cough and even after working in the garden for several hours, I did not have a horrible reaction.

I expect that if I can get in some more exercise and get better sleep that I would see changes in my body even more quickly.

I discovered a great recipe for a Strawberry Pie that is easy tasty and healthy. Here is the link for the wonderful pie.

Made for Pi Day Pie Contest (won 3rd place)

I also started making a new recipe I call Rainbow Chicken Salad. Here is the recipe:
Cook a chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces. (I usually boil it in water, with seasonings). You could grill it first. Add to bowl.
Cut up carrots, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, chives and 1/2 of an Avocado, some dried or fresh blueberries, (orange, red, green, blueindigoviolet)
Add some pistachios, walnuts or pecans
Add some of your favorite herbs (I use an Italian mixture, some turmeric, and garlic powder), drizzle Walnut oil over the mixture, squeeze a 1/4 of a lemon (yellow), and gently mix together. Let sit in refrigerator of several hours before eating. Very tasty and filling. Great to take for lunch.

Rainbow Chicken Salad

I start my day with a Green Smoothie. Doesn't look very good, but it is healthy and I find it very tasty, filling, and creamy even thought there is no milk in it.
My Smoothie
In a really good blender:
Large handful of spinach
grape tomatoes, cauliflower, cucumber, cabbage, carrots (whatever I have on hand and am in the mood for)
1/4 tsp. turmeric and 1/4 tsp ginger
1-1/2 scoops of Egg White Protein Powder (I get plain unflavored powder at Fruitful Yield)
A few walnuts
About 1 cup total frozen raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
12 ounces of water
Blend until smooth. The add 1/2 avocado and blend again.

Makes two smoothies. One for today and one for tomorrow.

To go with my smoothie, I have either some turkey bacon or some turkey sausage. (Sometime I have real nitrate free bacon.)

Since I went strictly Paleo, John and I are eating more fish than ever before. Swordfish, Mahi Mahi, crab, all wild caught, you name it. We eat tons of fruits and vegetables and have some type of protein with every meal.

Each day, I have a choice of how I will eat for the day. I choose between wanting to feel good or not feel good. All I have to do to stick to this way of eating is remind myself about the chronic cough, the achy body and the extra pounds.

December 26: Inspire Peace

John called me on Friday and suggested that we make our extra bedroom into a healing room. John's mom was coming for Christmas. She is currently being treated for cancer. Friday evening we hung photographs and arranged flowers so that the room would be inviting and calming.

The next morning, the sun was shining and we went into to check on the room.

For Christmas, we gave John's mom a couple of hats to keep her head warm. We hope they will also inspire laughter.

White is the color of purity. Simple white roses and tulips were my favorite bouquet.

December 7: Inspire Peace

So much going on. Meetings, training new staff, getting ready for the board meeting. Downstairs, a group for kids and teens were making gingerbread houses. A break. An excuse to get away from the computer. And this is what we saw. . .

Concentration

Creativity

Happy Smiling Faces

And incredible Gingerbread Houses.

The room was think with the sweet smells of the candy and frosty. It was rich with concentration and creativity. The room was so full of life and wonder.

What a fun and creative time. And a wonderful break to inspire me.

December 6: Inspire Peace

For a long time, I have wanted to grow my hair out and then cut off the length and donate for a real hair wig. Well, my hair has been getting longer and longer. Recently, all I could think about was cutting it off. I didn't want to do what I have done so many times. Just cut it off to get it off my neck. I wanted my hair to be used for something good.

Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program only requires 8" of hair. They make and donate wigs for women with cancer. Right now there are two very special people in my life who have cancer.

Toni and Marilyn, this is for you.

At 1:30 today, I took my lunch break at the hair salon.

Kim pulled into pony tail sections so that we would get as much hair as possible.

It took a little while, but . . .

And what goes into the mail tomorrow . . .

Sometimes you feel completely helpless when those you love are suffering. There is very little that we can do to make that person feel better. This won't fix anything, but I hope that my hair will be a part of a wig, that will give a woman back a sense of herself as she goes through treatment and finds healing.

I am thankful that I am able to give in this way. I thinks it's going to be a while before I can do it again.

If you would like more information about Pantene Beautiful Lengths, click away.

December 5: Inspire Peace

WORDS

Words are so very powerful.

Words have vibrations and impact; positive or negative.

The first words of "A Christmas Carol"

Our words have the ability to inspire peace and kindness if we choose.

"Life is in speech, death is in speech." ~ Mary Kawena Pukui

December 4: Inspire Peace

Imagine
by John Lennon

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above is only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And religion, too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Enjoy the song and video of Imagine

This is a crystal formed from this song.