"If You Can Feel It, You Can Heal It"

This morning I did yoga at home, using a super cheesy yoga DVD from Ravi Singh and Ana Brett. The DVD is filled with sayings that make me laugh while I am doing the workout, such as: "part of you says no, but the more enduring part of you says: go!". Even though this DVD is pretty silly, doing the workout makes me feel great, and this morning, I was especially moved by a segment called "Meditation to Transform Emotions".  In this meditation, you actively try to feel emotions that are often thought of as negative (sadness, anger, fear) while thinking about a situation that brings these feelings up in you. The idea is that you will have more success changing emotions that are keeping you stuck if you take the time to allow yourself to feel them. While you try to feel each emotions, you also focus on deep breathing. As you let the feelings pass through you and are ready to move on, you finish with a short chant. I think it would also work well with humming or singing as a closing step.  Each time I do this exercise, I am surprised to find how much allowing myself to feel "negative" emotions in relation to events that have triggered them is helpful.

First Paddle Of the Season!

Yesterday I went out for my first paddle of 2013! I went with my friend Eric, who first introduced me to paddling. He gives lessons through his business Poseidon's Finishing School For Stand Up Paddlers. Eric is a great instructor and will help you feel comfortable and confident on a board. If you've ever been curious about getting out on the water and experiencing the most fun workout you've ever had, I highly recommend it!
 I was a little nervous to get back on my board after having been off it for five months, but it was just as fun as I remembered it being, and I don't think I've lost any skills (although I will admit that my neck and back were a little sore today). We paddled from Swantown Marina to Priest Point Park, and since it was a reasonably calm and warm spring afternoon, it was a nice, mellow reintroduction to paddling. The sky was so beautiful, and the view of the mountains was incredible. Being out on the water is such an awesome blend of relaxation and invigoration. That is why I made my goal to go to the gym twice a week during the "rainy season"only- because this summer I think the water and my paddleboard are going to be the only gym I'll want to visit. Yeah!!

Springtime Nettle Soup

Yesterday I made a terrific pot of Nettle Soup. For me, this is a quintessential Spring dish, as I only make it during that short time when the nettles first begin to come up and are tender and fresh. For those of you who have never encountered nettles before, beware! They are covered in prickly little hairs that will sting the heck out of you if you if you don't handle them carefully. Still, they are worth the danger-nettles are very tasty, and they are rich in Vitamins A&C, iron, potassium, managanese, and calcium.
There are lots of places in and around Olympia to harvest nettles, but for those of you that are too lazy or too cowardly, you can buy bags of organic nettles (like the ones pictured here) from Calliope Farm at the Co-op.  If you do harvest your own nettles, be sure to gather them in an area that is free of herbicides or other soil contaminants.
This Nettle Soup is a reworking of this recipe. It is fairly easy to make, and yields a soup that is very flavorful and unique. It looks a little spooky when it's finished- kind of shimmery and bright green, a little like a potion...you'll have to make it yourself to enjoy the creepy (and delicious) end product!

Springtime Nettle Soup

1 pound stinging nettles

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup uncooked brown basmati rice

8 cups salted broth

2 cups hot water (if needed)

juice of one lemon

pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the stinging nettles, and cook 3 minutes until they soften. This will remove the sting. (This works best if you have tongs or a large wooden spoon to push the nettles down into the boiling water. I just dumped the bags of nettles into the pot and poked at them with tongs, but if you are going to be harvesting/handling them at all, be sure to wear gloves). When they have finished their trip into the pot of boiling water, drain in a colander, and rinse with cold water. Trim off any tough stems, then chop coarsely.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat, and stir in the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion and garlic until they have softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, broth, and chopped nettles. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. If the soup gets too thick before the rice is fully cooked, you can add more hot water as needed, up to two cups. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender, and season to taste with lemon juice and pepper. 

Lovely Spring Hike

This afternoon, Zach and I went for a short hike at Watershed Park. Watershed has a loop trail that is just over 1.5 miles. Although it has a couple of  steep sections, overall it is an easy, gentle hike that winds through a beautiful and lush forest. Much of the "trail" is a boardwalk, and it was recently covered with a non-slip material that makes it especially easy and safe to hike on in damp spring conditions. Speaking of spring, spring really is the time to visit Watershed Park! The skunk cabbages and salmonberries are in full bloom right now, there are green buds coming up and unfurling everywhere, the trees are glowing with moss, and the park looks completely magical.
A few years ago I visited the park with my niece and she kept remarking on the the bad smell of the skunk cabbages. When I told her I liked the smell, she started anticipating it, and each time we'd reach a particularly fragrant patch she'd exclaim "Tia, it's your favorite smell!" excitedly. Now, every spring when I visit Watershed I think of being there with her and it makes me smile. Zach took the picture above; from the trail it looked like a dance party of skunk cabbages.
Watershed can easily be hiked in under 45 minutes, which makes it a great choice for a quick and refreshing hike when you want to be outside but don't have a lot of time. Parts of the trail can get a little muddy at times, so be sure to wear shoes that you don't mind getting dirty.

Post Yardwork Lunch

I spent much of the day working in my yard. It's cool (and a little overwhelming) to start the process of getting everything cleaned up after the winter, and to start preparing for the growing season. I'll post more about that later. For now, I just wanted to make a quick post about the delicious homemade whole-wheat croutons I had on my salad when I took a break from weeding and planting. When I was at my mom's recently, she showed me how to make croutons from stale bread, and today I tried it with the leftover heels I had in the refrigerator. Croutons are a rare treat for me, since they are typically made with processed flour and have a lot of oil in them. If you make them yourself, however, they don't have to be unhealthy at all, and they really do make a delicious topping on a salad.

Easy Whole-Wheat Croutons
Makes enough croutons for 4 large salads
Turn oven to 250F

4 slices whole-wheat bread, cubed (stale is fine, heels are fine)
1 Tbs Olive Oil
a generous pinch of paprika
1 small pinch of salt
cooking spray for pan

Pour oil into a plastic ziplock bag (or large bowl). Add paprika and salt and mix well. Shake bag/squish bread around until it is well coated with the oil and spices. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray (or wipe with olive oil) and pour the bread cubes on. Bake in the oven until the cubes are crunchy. Mine took about 1/2 hour.

Cooking Classes

This past Sunday I taught a cooking class through the Co-op's classes program. This one was an introduction to cooking with greens. The class was well attended, and it was a lively group with lots of questions and information sharing. I had a great time teaching and I felt really proud of myself. Speaking in public has always been challenging for me, but when it involves teaching people about something I really believe in-healthy eating- it is totally worth the discomfort. This time I felt less nervous than usual, and for once I was more excited than afraid to stand in front of a group of people for two hours. I made four greens-based dishes as well as two flavors of kale chips. The food was awesome and I felt like a total badass for helping people get excited about eating greens! Teaching classes is so good for me. It pushes me to confront my fears, it increases my self-esteem, and it is a great way for me to make a positive contribution to the health of my community. So this week I make Goal #13: to teach at least four cooking classes a year.

Kale Chips

Today after work, I made some kale chips. While I love eating steamed kale, and I use kale all the time in the dishes I cook, I've never been that big a fan of kale chips. But tomorrow I'm teaching a class on cooking with greens, and since so many people (even people who otherwise hate kale) love kale chips I thought I'd include them.
The ones pictured here are tamari-sesame. The were pretty good, but a little too salty for my taste. Still, kale chips are a great healthful alternative to other salty snacks, and they are cheap and easy to make.
I found many sites with tips for making kale chips. This site has simple instructions for making kale chips and some interesting recipes too. The bulk of their post is below. I am especially curious to try the "Roasted Chicken" flavor, using "No Chicken" vegetarian bouillon cubes of course!

DIY Kale Chips! Plus, A Whopping 10 Flavor Options 

By Kelsey Miller 

Base Ingredients:
1 bunch kale, washed and dried (crucial step!)
1 tbsp olive oil

Flavor Variations:
Soy & Sesame: 2 tbsp soy sauce + 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
Salt & Vinegar: 1 quarter cup sherry vinegar + 2 tsp fine salt
Lime & Chili: Juice of 1 lime + 1 tsp lime zest + 2 tsp chili powder
Seasoned Lemon: 2 tbsp Annie's Naturals Lemon Chive Salad Dressing + juice of 1 lemon + 1 tsp black pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette: 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar + 1 tbsp Dijon mustard + 2 tsp Herbes de Provence
Roasted Garlic: 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped + 3 tsp garlic salt
Creamy Dill: 1 tbsp sour cream mixed with base olive oil + 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
Roasted Chicken (don't hate, ask the UK!): 1 chicken bullion cube dissolved into 1/4 cup water
Extra Cheese: 2 tbsp Parmesan or Asiago cheese. Half mixed in the bag, half sprinkled on before baking.
French Onion: 1 packet (or two tbsp) french onion dip or soup mix, combine with olive oil.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 300. Pour olive oil into a large Ziplock bag.

Step 2: Pour flavor ingredients in, and shake/smoosh until they're relatively combined.

Step 3: Remove kale stems, and chop into large-bite-sized pieces (they'll shrink a bit while baking). Put the kale in the bag — don't press the air out

Step 4: Shake, shake, shake then turn it upside down and shake some more.

Step 5: Once the chips are evenly coated, open the bag a bit and press air out. Re-seal, and now massage the kale through the bag. This will help the tough leaves take the flavor.

Step 6: Lay kale on a lined baking sheet (or one that's sprayed lightly with cooking spray). Pop 'em in the oven for 30 minutes or until crisp!

Taking Care of Business

This week I took care of some way overdue business- I finally got a referral to see a massage therapist I've been wanting to see for at least a year. Yesterday morning I saw her and got a fantastic massage and also learned some stretches for parts of my body that have been giving me discomfort. Afterwards, I felt like that kitten there on the left. Why did I wait so long? Oh well, happily, goal #12 is now accomplished!

Easy Frittata #1

I can't believe this is my first post about frittatas! Frittatas are a ridiculously easy way to throw together a meal with what you have on hand, are relatively foolproof, taste great, and are nutritious and filling.  I found a great post here about the basics of frittata making. The writer of the post gives a great summary of what ingredients work well, what order to cook them in, etc, and it's definitely worth a look.
 Today for lunch I made the frittata below. It was tasty, but I think it would have been even better with feta rather than the sharp cheddar I used:

Erin's Easy Frittata #1
olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow potato, chopped into small dice
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 bunch of green curly kale, chopped into ribbons
1/2 tsp salt
1tsp cumin powder
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 cup grated or crumbled cheese
8 eggs, whisked

Heat oven to 400F. Saute onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil in a cast iron skillet (or other pan that is stove top and oven safe). When they have softened, add potatoes, spices, and salt. Stir well and cook until potatoes are almost soft, stirring occasionally. You will probably need to add a little water periodically to help the potatoes get soft and to keep them from sticking. Once the potatoes are nearly soft, add the red peppers. Stir and continue cooking, Once the red peppers are soft, add the kale. Stir and continue cooking until kale is wilted and soft. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the vegetable saute. Pour the whisked eggs over the top, and tilt the skillet as needed to make sure everything is covered. Allow to cook on the stovetop for a few minutes. Place frittata in heated oven and cook for 8-12 minutes. Remember that a cast iron pan gets really hot, so the frittata will continue cooking a little even after you remove it from the oven. You want the top of the frittata to be set but not over-cooked.  (If you want to brown the top a little, you can turn your broiler on for the last minute or two. This always sets off my smoke alarm, so I rarely do it). When the frittata is done, remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10minutes. Cut into slices and serve with salad. This particular frittata was really good accompanied by sliced tomatoes and avocados with pepper on top.

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Lemon, and Parmesan

In the spirit of trying new recipes, I decided to look for a recipe that uses broccoli. Broccoli is one of those foods that I want to love, but almost never find myself looking forward to eating. The recipe below is adapted from this recipe, which one reviewer described as "the best" broccoli he had ever eaten. It truly is a delicious recipe, with fresh, simple flavors that meld together perfectly. I rarely have pine nuts on hand, which the original recipe calls for. When I made this, I omitted the nuts altogether, but when I make it again I will  use toasted walnuts or hazelnuts. The original also includes fresh basil, which I think that would be a great addition, but if you don't have it, it's still delicious. Lastly, I reduced the amount of salt, oil, and cheese to make this slightly healthier version:

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Lemon, and Parmesan
serves 4

4 to 5 pounds broccoli

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

Good olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons nuts, toasted

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, sliced (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discard the rest of the stalks, or save for a different recipe. Cut the larger florets through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 4 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned. The garlic may also look a little burned, but don't worry, it will taste great.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

Workout Secret

Sometimes when friends workout with me at the gym, they are surprised by how much energy I have.  Something I have found that really does give me a little boost is having a bit of coffee before a workout. My favorite drink to have is a macchiato- espresso with just a tiny bit of milk. Coffee is one of the things I love that has questionable health benefits. Some studies have shown that drinking coffee is good for you while others have shown just the opposite. NPR has a short write-up about this, along with some interesting links. From personal experience, I know that drinking a little coffee makes me feel energetic and clear-headed, while drinking too much leads to anxiety, insomnia, and high blood pressure in my own body. I think the key is to enjoy coffee- in all its lovely forms- in moderation; preferably with a good workout buddy and followed by an intense and energetic workout at the gym!

Brown Rice, Protein, and Vegetable Salad

This is a new recipe I tried out recently. It is adapted from this recipe, courtesy of Cooking Light , another great resource for quick, easy, healthy meals. The original recipe called for chicken and a few ingredients I didn't have on hand, so I adapted it below. I like this dish, because it is the type of recipe that would be easy to modify to use things you have around. For example, you could throw in any kind of cooked protein in place of the beans I used, and whatever combination of vegetables sounds good to you and works with what you have available. Next time I might try adding snap peas and some ribbons of arugula.

Brown Rice, Protein, and Vegetable Salad

1 cup long-grain brown rice
1 bouillon cube

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (or about 2 cups of any type of protein you like)

1/2 medium onion, chopped (or use 4 green onions thinly sliced)

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup red peppers, chopped

1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (or other toasted nuts)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

t4 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

Boil 2 cups water, add bouillon cube and stir until dissolved. Add rice, stir, reduce heat, cover and cook until water is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Transfer rice to a large bowl; fluff with a fork. Add beans, carrot, peppers, onions, pumpkin seeds, and cilantro; toss to combine.

Combine juice and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle oil mixture over rice mixture; toss to combine.  Can be served warm or cold.

Chehalis-Western Trail

Yesterday I went for a beautiful walk with my mom on the Chehalis-Western Trail. If you haven't been on this trail before, you are in for a treat. It's a flat, paved trail that is great for walking, running,biking, or skating. Spanning twenty-two miles, the trail runs north-south through Thurston County, and then hooks up with Yelm-Tenino trail. We heard many birds on our walk yesterday, and I have also seen families of raccoons and opossums on the trail. One of my favorite things about the Chehalis-Western trail is that some of the trailheads are right off of busy urban streets like Martin Way. You walk for a bit, and then suddenly you feel like you are far away from all the noise and bustle. The plants along the trail are waking up- many of the trees and bushes have little blooms starting to appear, but as you can see on the Thurston County Parks and Recreation site (linked to above), the trail is also a lot of fun in the winter. I can't wait for it to get warm; I think this summer I'm going to ride to Tenino, something I've wanted to do for years but just haven't gotten around to. Spending time walking with my mom out in the sun yesterday was awesome. I felt so relaxed, comfortable, and happy!

Trying New Recipes

It's time to make a new goal! This week, I've decided to add the goal of trying out one new recipe each week. I love to cook, but I can sometimes get into a rut (especially with breakfast) and just make the same things over and over. Generally, the stuff I cook on a regular basis is healthy and tasty, and while I think it's awesome to have some reliable standards, I also find that over time, I get bored with my own cooking. This makes it harder to stick to a plan of healthy eating, so I'm hoping to keep myself motivated and inspired by trying at least one new recipe a week.
 In addition to all of the awesome recipe sites online (a few of which I've mentioned in previous posts), I also have this lovely collection of cookbooks (many of which were gifts from dear friends) to look through for ideas. If any of you have online recipe sites that you really love, please feel free to share them here as comments, and I'll post any new ones that I find as well. Hooray for healthy, inspired cooking!

Sometimes Good Things Come From Bad Places

I have a confession to make: I love to read trashy magazines.  The kind of trashy magazine I love to read the most is the type that purports to be about health, but is really just a vehicle for advertising cosmetics, vitamins, and fitness gadgets. I recently found the bonanza of trashy magazines when we stopped at the Hoodsport library on our way back from Pt. Townsend. The Hoodsport library has an awesome free magazine shelf. The last time I was there I got a bunch of old issues of Vegetarian Times (obviously, much less trashy on the scale of trashy magazines, but still fun to read). This time, I got a bunch of  issues of a magazine called "Health". This is probably the trashiest of trashy magazines- actually so repulsive that I might not even be able to read more than one or two (90% of the magazine seems to be concerned with weight loss or being your "skinniest self yet!", ugh). In the first issue I looked at, however, I found an intriguing breakfast recipe that I decided to try out. I've been looking for a few new breakfast ideas, and this one was tasty, inexpensive, filling, easy to make, and it's pretty nutritious too.

Weird Breakfast Toast
2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread
1/2 cup cottage cheese
handful of walnuts, chopped
1-2 tsp jam
cinnamon

Toast bread. Mix cottage cheese, walnuts, and jam. Spread on toast and top with cinnamon.