Ah, Thanksgiving! My favorite time of year.
I did all my meal planning and shopping this evening and thought I’d share a few of this year’s holiday recipes:
Sweet Potato, Apple & Spinach Salad
- 1/4 cup Catalina Dressing
- 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes (about 2), peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 apples, chopped
- 1 pear, chopped
- 1 pkg. (10 oz.) baby spinach leaves
Heat dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add potatoes and onions; cook 10 min. or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add fruit; cook 3 min., stirring frequently. Toss with spinach in large bowl. Serve immediately.
Mashed Rutabaga-Potato Supreme
- Approx. 1lb rutabaga, peeled & chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup milk (I like to use 8th continent light soymilk)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- a pinch of salt & pepper
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add a few pinches of salt & then drop in the rutabaga; cook 10 minutes. Add potato & carrot; cook until everything is tender, 15-20 more minutes. Drain. Heat the milk in a small saucepan, but do not boil. Mash the rutabaga & potato with the butter until smooth, adding a little of the warm milk at a time until the mixture reaches the consistency you like. Stir in the salt, nutmeg & pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Butternut Squash Pie
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 cups crushed ginger snaps
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1.25 cup greek yogurt
- 5 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Toss ginger snaps with melted butter in bowl. Spread into bottom and up sides of pie plate. Refrigerate for 15 mins. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cool. Turn oven up to 400 degrees. Microwave squash for 5-6 minutes. Puree with remaining ingredients. Pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower oven temp to 350 and bake another 40-50 minutes till set.
Other than the delicious menu, I have planned I’m really excited about spending the holiday with my friends and family. I have so very much to be thankful for.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
On November 2, 2008, I started the C25K program and today, November 18, 2009… I’m starting it again.
It has been exactly two weeks since my surgery and following doctors’ orders, I’ve taken it easy and tried to work myself (slowly) back into the swing of things. My “battle wounds” have mostly healed and I can function in my daily routine with little to no pain. (Woohoo!) The only lingering discomfort comes with sleeping on my side or sitting in one position for too long.
I realized last night how much I missed activity. I’ve noticed a change in my mood, stress level and energy and knew that today was the day to get back in the swing of things. I downloaded the C25K iPhone app, which I REALLY like so far. I only wish it had the capability to play Pandora or Slacker radio in the background instead of an mp3 playlist. (I have music ADD.)
I felt pretty good about the workout. 320 calories burned in 31 mins, 42 secs, approximately 2.16 miles. During the second half (I did an out and back route in my neighborhood), I got a terrible side stitch on the side of my incisions. I’m thinking it had less to do with the surgery, however, and more to do with my lack of food/water intake this morning. (Bad Amanda!) Nevertheless, that’s something I want to pay attention to.
All in all, I felt really good about getting Week 1 Day 1 under my belt. On to Day 2!
I’m alive! I’m just a bad blogger. 
Truth be told, since the surgery last Wednesday I haven’t done a whole lot… which actually means I’m following Doctors Orders.
My mom came up to visit me last Tuesday and stayed through Saturday. I’m not sure how I would’ve gotten through this time without her. She was there every second making sure I had everything I needed. …And my friends! Check out all my get-well goodies (don’t mind the one of me looking very zombie-esque):
On top of all this, four other friends made sure I had delicious (and wholesome!) meals for the week and two others brought me a teddy bear with a hospital gown (which I haven’t yet captured on film). I have spent the last week feeling loved and totally blessed. 
By Saturday, I was able to get out and about for a bit with my mom. We had brunch at Fido where I had hot alpine berry tea with scrambled egg whites, a few potatoes, some wheat toast with strawberry jam and some veggie sausage.
We even shopped a bit afterward at the neighboring Pangaea and I felt fine driving home from dropping her off at the airport after that. Overall, I’d say I’m on the up and up… and definitely ready to get back in the swing of things!
So, now what? Well, I’m glad you asked. I have GOALS!
My plan is to get back to diligently counting calories (and trying to ween myself off of sweets!) this coming Wednesday. The following Wednesday, I plan to start the C25K training over again a) to get used to activity again b) get back into a workout routine and c) to rebuild my endurance. I’m actually really looking forward to it!
Exactly one year ago today, I was tying up the laces to my brand new tennis shoes, zipping up my brand new jogging suit, and stepping outside to take in the beautiful fall colors and breathe in the fresh air of a brand new life.
A lot has happened in the past 365 days and I have loved every minute of it. I’ve loved the energy an active lifestyle has given me, the events my newfound confidence has let me enjoy, and the people I’ve met through it all. 2009 has been a great year. Quite possibly, the best year yet.
In honor of my one-year anniversary, I went back to the very beginning – my profile page on SparkPeople and found my first blog entry:
November 2, 2008 –
Today was day one in my C25K training. The weather was gorgeous! (And a lot of the trees in my neighborhood have turned a bright red… I love fall!) I got a good night’s sleep last night so it was easy to get up and go this morning, although I didn’t anticipate any problems since I’ve been psyching myself up for this. Starting has never been my problem. It’s the follow-through I have trouble with.
I was listening to this interview the other day with this fitness expert who said (believe it or not) she has trouble motivating herself to exercise. So, she made a rule she strictly enforces… she has to get up and move for at least 10 minutes. Once she’s done that then if she still wants to quit, she does. But it’s that initial getting yourself into it that’s the hard part. Once you’re in it for 10 minutes, it’s a lot easier to stick it out for at least 10-20 more!
Here’s to tomorrow!
–
Yes, here’s to tomorrow… and the 364 days to follow!
With celebration,
Why my sweet tooth decided to kick in right around the time that candy sales are at their peak is beyond me. I tried to pacify my cravings for sugar with Skinny Cows, Slim-a-Bears, and Sensible Sweets… but sometimes a girl just needs some chocolate. Preferably Reeses.
Aside from my scandalous love of chocolate and peanut butter, I had an excellent Halloween with some dear friends. I had registered for the Halloween 5K back in July and despite my lack of running workouts lately, I still showed up and gave it my all. They didn’t give out chips this race and I somehow missed the large timer at the finish line, so I have no idea how I did time-wise… but honestly, that doesn’t really bother me. The fact that I got out there, felt good the entire 3.1 miles, and finished strong was all that mattered to me for this race.
Unfortunately, my lack of vigorous workouts also kept me from meeting my goal of wearing my cheerleading uniform for Halloween. Eh, it fit… but not comfortably. Next year! Instead, I rocked my backup costume of myself… twenty years ago. The funny thing (to me) was that this “costume” consisted of clothing and accessories I already had in my closet. The only thing I bought were the fishnet tights and gloves for $5 at Wal-Mart… ha!
After the 5K, my friends and I went to the Vanderbilt University movie theatre on campus to see a showing of the German silent film “Nosferatu.” It’s the original vampire movie made in the 1920s. The best part of it, in my opinion, was the musicians that accompanied it. The Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra consist of about 6 different people (around my age, I’d say) that play a plethora of instruments. They love silent films and write their own musical scores to accompany them… partly for their own enjoyment, but also to get younger, more contemporary audiences to love these historical films as much as they do. It was an extremely cool thing to witness.
I can hardly believe it’s already my favorite month: November!! So much fun is in store over the next few weeks! But first, the surgery. Man, I can’t wait to have that out of the way. Enough of that for now, tho. Time to curl up with a cup of hot tea and bid November 1st good day.
No doubt you’ve noticed the semi-hiatus at Amanda Lives Well. There are a few reasons why I’ve been mostly quiet over the past few weeks and in the spirit of honest blogging, I’ll tell you why.
The first is that I haven’t been too active and my lack of exercise doesn’t really bode well for a blog promoting wellness. Part of me has been a bit discouraged from the wall I’ve hit with weight loss, but the other part of me wasn’t worrying about that because I was worrying about something bigger.
Without going into much detail, I’ll say that over the past three weeks I’ve undergone several tests and x-rays which ultimately ended in scheduling a surgery for next week. Much to my chagrin, it’s not one of those “cool” hospital visits… like breaking a leg from skydiving or getting stitches after falling off a motorcycle. No, I’m just getting my gallbladder removed. Lame, right?
Fortunately, it’s not terribly serious and if everything goes as planned I will be able to return home the same day. According to my doctors, I don’t need to alter my diet in any way and can continue living my philosophy of moderation – not deprivation! Unfortunately, it will take me about two weeks post-op to get back to an active lifestyle.
I wrestled with sharing this as it’s borderline TMI, but it’s worth documenting for my own progress.
After the consultation with the surgeon, they sent me home with a booklet that explained the procedure and told me what to expect afterward. In it, I read something that piqued my interest: “The gallbladder’s job is to store and release a fluid made by the liver. This fluid helps break down fats in the food you eat.” So, naturally I wonder, if it’s not doing its job and the fats aren’t breaking down… does this explain the proverbial wall I’ve hit? Even though that’s not the original reason I’m having the procedure, I’ll be interested to see if it makes any difference.
After two weeks of recuperation (as advised by the surgeon), I plan to restart the C25K program to rebuild my endurance and to get me back in a running regimen. My next goal is to come full circle at the 2010 Resolution Run (which will mark my 1 year anniversary as a race-runner!) and I hope to be able to meet or beat my best time to date (36 mins).
Onward and upward!
Another great week of veggie awesomeness:
- Chinese Cabbage
- Salad Turnips
- Daikon Radish
- Sweet Potatoes
- Butternut Squash
- Onion
- Garlic
- Collards
- and Carrots (including a bonus super-carrot… ha!)
Recipe of the week, courtesy of Bugtussle Farm: “The Bugtussle Fare for Three Months of the Year”
- A load of sweet potatoes
- Plenty of butter (per sweet potato)
Fistful of sunflower seeds- An over-easy egg
- Salt, to taste
Throw your sweet potatoes in the oven for an hour at 375 degrees. Toast your sunflower seeds till they’re golden brown. Fry the egg in a generous amount of butter. Split open your tater, mash it up good, lather with salt and butter, sprinkle on sunflower seeds and top with a fried egg.
Of course, for the more health-conscious, you could scale down the butter and use an egg substitute for the “fried egg.”
As for other adventurous recipes, I just downloaded the Epicurious app for my iPhone so expect a lot more entries of my culinary trials and errors soon!
I’m just now starting to notice the change in the Tennessee trees. Fall is my absolute favorite time of year, though I’m afraid that with the colder-than-normal weather planned for the coming months we’re going to skip right over it and have an extra long winter. Hopefully, I can snap a few great shots of the red and yellow leaves before they prematurely drop.
I picked up my second CSA share on Saturday and got another great bunch of veggies:
- Bok Choy
- Kale
- Butternut Squash
- Garlic
- Onion
- 6 baby potatoes
- 3 sweet potatoes
I plan to make last week’s butternut squash soup again and am pretty excited to tackle bok choy. Bugtussle Farms included this recipe:
Bugtussle Farm’s Bok Choy with Gingery Butter
- One large choy, sliced crosswise into 1″ strips
- 6 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add the choy and cook until tender but still crisp, 2-3 mins. Drain the choy in a colander and immediately run under cold water. Drain well. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the soy sauce, ginger, garlic and choy. Cook, stirring constantly until the choy is well coated and heated through. Remove the skillet from heat, stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
I might try subbing some fresh parsley for cilantro since I don’t particularly enjoy the taste. And I might try cutting back on a little of the butter to cut out some of the cals. Again, trial and error.
Speaking of error… I had my first failed experimental recipe! Knowing that I was going to pick up this week’s CSA on Saturday, I decided to try and use up the remaining veggies from last week on Friday night. I had (and still have) quite a few greens, a beet, a few carrots, a daikon radish and a turnip. I cooked some chicken and rice and sliced the root veggies into matchstick cuts and made a stir-fry.
Sounds simple… and I will say it was at least edible. We finished our plates, but I threw out a lot of the veggies in the process. I think it was the beet that did me in from the start. The radish, turnip and chicken were all white, so once I threw the beet in… it turned everything pink! I joked that I should’ve waited till Valentine’s Day to make this.
I continued cooking till the texture was where I wanted it… tender, but not too tender. I kept tasting it and trying to season it appropriately but I just kept tasting the same thing… earth. Because they were all root vegetables (and even tho they were very well-cleaned), it just had a very “root-y” taste. Afterward, I vowed not to make it again. Or if I did, I’d toss the beet. I’m going to have to look up some beet recipes for the future. Do any of you ever cook with beets? If so, what do you make with them?
Despite all the running I haven’t been doing lately, I still managed to get up really early Saturday morning, don my tennis shoes and cross the start (and finish!) line of the Nashville 5K Bier Run. My realistic goal was 40 minutes since I knew I’d be stopping a lot to walk, but we actually finished in 38:25. Either way, I was proud of myself for getting out there and running in the first place.
The race toured through Germantown, one of my favorite up-and-coming Nashville districts, and kicked off the annual Germantown Oktoberfest Street Festival. Part of the race went THROUGH the Farmer’s Market — like straight down the middle and into the food court. I thought this part was pretty cruel as vendors were just starting to cook for 
lunch and you could smell delicious Chinese food as you passed (this was one of the parts I ran, for the record).
After it was over, I was greeted at the finish line by a souvenir mug, a free glass of beer and a bagel. Ha! Breakfast of German champions? I finished the bagel, but not the beer. It was only 9am, for the love!
Even with all the great freebies (I got a shirt, too… but instead of a hideous tuxedo shirt, it’s a hideous lederhosen shirt. ) and the accomplishment of finishing strong, my favorite part of this race was running it with two of my great friends.
So far I’m 2 for 2! It’s only Monday and I’ve already attempted both the recipes I posted…
Of the two, the soup was definitely my favorite. Talk about filling! I pulled out crackers to accompany my dinner but couldn’t bring myself to open them. This dish was HEARTY.
For the veggies, I used butternut squash, carrots, potatoes, onion, one sweet pepper and kale, of course. The soup itself had a little bit of a sweet taste (probably from the squash) but was actually quite delicious! I’m thinking a small, savory pot roast might complement the sweetness of this soup. Next time!
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