I’m Such a Klutz

Hi everyone, hope you had a great Wednesday.  Only two more days of work then the long weekend is here.  Does anyone have plans?  No plans in this neck of the woods, as always hubby is working all weekend so I’m on my own.  I was thinking about heading to Halifax to use up a gift certificate I have for Spirit Day Spa but couldn’t make up my mind what I wanted to have done.  Does anyone have any recommendations?
I was feeling pretty good after the Hot Yoga class yesterday, and much to my surprise as the day wore on my muscles started to get sore.  You know the kind of sore you get from a good workout.  I guess the class did more for me than I thought.  
I wiped out when I got home today.  Slipped on a wet spot by the dogs water dish and down I went.  Twisted my knee and landed smack dab on my bad hip.  Oh and we have tile floor so let me tell you it was not pretty.  So in light of this incident I was going to wimp out on the yoga tonight, but then I thought about it and it came to me that maybe yoga would decrease the negative effects of being a clutz….. Let me tell you I am a major clutz.  I’m one of those people that can fall up stairs.  I popped the DVD in and got my 35 mins of yoga done.  YAY ME!!!
It’s been a pretty uneventful day and supper was a big fail so no pics or recipes to share.  I've been in a bit of a cooking slump lately.  I can’t decide what to make, but have tons of food in the house.  I kind of got out of my groove when I didn’t want to cook with all the hot humid weather we had. 
So I’ll leave you with a picture of one of my fur babies.
                
I’m not sure how this is comfortable but she seems to like it.
Enjoy your night
~~ Jackie

Feeling HOT HOT HOT

I broke out of my comfort zone today and tried something new…  Hot Yoga.  All the stars aligned , Lynn’s yoga challenge, the new hot yoga studio in Dartmouth opening its doors this week and the fact that they are offering all of their classes for free this week so I took that as I sign I should give it a try.
            
I convinced a friend of mine to go along with me, and it took a lot of convincing.  We arrived about 30 minutes early, signed in and had a chat with the instructor (Melissa).   She took one look at us and said “you look scared, don’t be. Relax and have fun it’s only yoga after all.”  I told her about my joint issues and she had some helpful suggestions to modify some of the poses so I was happy and impressed with that.  After changing, we headed into the studio, and it was HOT!!!  It felt like a sauna.  I relaxed and did some stretching then the class began.  Melissa was very good at describing the poses and encouraging those of us that were unable to complete the full pose to do modifications.  Throughout the class she walked around making sure everyone was doing everything properly and if not showed them the proper way to do it so you received the most benefit and didn’t injure yourself.  The first portion of the class was standing poses, the next sitting poses, and the final portion was flow.  (Hopefully my terminology is correct). 
When I went in I assumed I wouldn’t be able to do the whole 60 minutes without taking a breather but I made it through and was impressed that I did.   I think I will definitely go back.
If your looking for something new try hot yoga, as the instructor said don’t be scared, it’s only yoga. As a newbie, I would suggest doing the 60 minute class.  I don’t think I would have made it through the 75 or 90 minute classes. 
Some things to remember
1. Be prepared to sweat
2. Make sure to hydrate
3.  Bring a towel.
If you’re in the local area (HRM) the classes at Moksha are free for this week and they are offering a special as well
One  full MONTH of unlimited classes for $40 OR one week for $20
Going to watch some TV then off to bed.
Night all
~~Jackie

Brown Rice ‘n’ Beans Jumble-aya

Happy Monday folks!!!  Hope your week has started off on the right foot.  Only 4 days till the weekend.  Can’t wait.
Today marked day 2 of Lynn's yoga challenge.  I broke out one of the other three Yoga for the Rest of Us  DVD’s and did 45 mins of it.  I really did feel good afterwards.  The tension that I was holding in my neck and shoulders relaxed and my headache disappeared.  There may just be something to this Yoga stuff.
I was late getting home and had no idea what I was going to make for supper.  So I stood staring blankly into the fridge and freezer to no avail.  then I remembered I bought Eat Drink and be Vegan a couple of weeks ago and have tried a couple of the dessert recipes which were very tasty so I thought I would try a main dish.  My version wasn’t technically vegan though.
BROWN RICE ‘N’ BEANS JUMBLE-AYA
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups onion, diced
1 cup each celery and peppers, diced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp paprika
3/4 – 1 tsp sea salt
2 – 3 pinches cayenne pepper, black pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire  sauce
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes ( I used 1 14 oz can)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup vegetable stock ( I used chicken stock)
1 cup long or short grain brown rice
2 bay leaves
1 14 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Top with green onions and fresh parsley (optional)
          
In a large pot combine olive oil, onions, celery, peppers, garlic, thyme, oregano, paprika, salt, and black pepper.  Cover and cook for 5 -  7 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer 40-45 mins or until rice is cooked.  Add more liquid if after that time your rice isn’t done.  Mine wasn’t so I added maybe 1/2  - 3/4 cup more broth and simmered some more.  Once all the liquid is gone turn off heat and let sit for 5 mins.
I topped mine with some grated light old cheddar and since the boy was eating this I cooked up some boneless skinless chicken breasts to go with his. 
               
The battery in my cameral died as I was taking my pics so this is all there is to show.
It was a tasty dish.  One that I would compare to a chili.  Hubby liked it too.  As always that’s a bonus.
Well time for bed.  I’m planning on taking my first hot yoga class tomorrow.  Hopefully I wont chicken out and hopefully it won’t be full that I can’t get in.
Have  you ever tried hot yoga?  What are your thoughts on it, love it or hate it?
Night all
~~Jackie

Yoga Challenge

Today was not a productive day but it was relaxing.  I’ve spent the day surfing the net, reading blogs, chatting on the phone and watching the tube.  The perfect way to spend a rainy Sunday.
To say I have been slacking in the exercise department would be an understatement.  Exercise has been pretty much non-existent in my life for the past month, with the exception of the occasional leisurely stroll in the evening.
I was working out regularly and according to my HR monitor burning lots of calories.  Unfortunately because my thyroid was out of whack yet again and I couldn’t get my Doc to change my prescription it didn’t result in any weight loss.  Actually I gained.  Talk about frustrating. 
 Lynn over at The Next Chapter blogged about having a weekly challenge and suggested 7 days of yoga as the first challenge.  Since the Doc said no P90X, Zumba or anything more than walking for awhile, I thought 7 days of yoga was perfect so I signed up, along with quite a few other blogger.
I went to a couple of yoga classes at the gym when I was a member and have to say it was not something I enjoyed.  I am far from flexible and knew nothing about yoga at the time.  I thought since it was a beginner class that the teacher would show you modifications and ensure you were doing things right.  This wasn’t the case.  
After awhile I thought I would give it a try again so I downloaded some classes off the net.  Again not for me.  I could barely get into the poses let alone hold them for as long as they were.  I became discouraged and just figured yoga wasn’t for me, even though I know it would probably be one of the best things for me.
A couple of months ago I came across a show on PBS about yoga.  Yoga for the Rest of Us.  The instructor was teaching yoga to people with arthritis and showing modifications for each pose.  Being the infomercial junkie that I am, I was convinced this was the program for me so I ordered the DVD’s. 
                         
I affectionately refer to it as “Old Fogies Yoga”  but hey it works for me at the moment and this one in particular is proving to be quite helpful since my back has been killing me lately, and my sciatic issues have resurfaced yet again.
So to start the 7 day yoga challenge yesterday I unrolled my yoga mat, put the “Old Fogies Yoga” dvd in, stretched and relaxed my back.  It was great!   
Six days to go.  With any luck by the end of the challenge I will be addicted to yoga. 
Enjoy your Monday.
~~Jackie

Saturday Fun

Good day bloggies!!  Hope you’re having a great weekend.  I was shocked and happy that hubby decided to take Saturday off.  This is a record for him, 3 days off since May, and pretty much the only 3 days I’ve seen him for more than an hour or two since January.  He’s a little bit of a workaholic. 

We had another gorgeous summer day yesterday so we invited a few friends over for a day on the lake.  This meant spending the morning cleaning and a trip to the grocery store to pick up some BBQ supplies.  It was kind of last minute  and for the most part  everyone already had plans and since moving out of the city we have a hard time getting our friends to make the 15-20 min drive to visit.  As a result we only had one guest, which was fine with me.

I had a couple of adult beverages before heading out in the boat for our first cruise of the summer.

             

Sad that we’ve had such gorgeous weather so far this summer and it was almost the end of July before we got out in the boat. 

We live on beautiful Porters Lake.  It’s over 20kms in length and if your daring enough to take your boat through Rocky Run you can venture out into the ocean.  We aren’t that brave, so we just hang out on the lake.  A typical day on the lake usually includes stopping to tie up with some of the other boaters and socialize.  I wish I had a picture to show you, but I don’t like to take the camera out on the boat.  Anyway one boat ties off to a buoy, and the rest tie off to each other so you can travel from boat to boat without getting in the water.  Most of the boats have their own sleeping and bathroom facilities (ours doesn’t it’s the baby of the group), so it’s not as inconvenient as it might sound.  For our first day on the lake this year we were out for 3 or  hours so all in all it was a good first cruise.  Here are a couple of pics from previous outings.

This is an annual event for charity, the Sea-doo, poker run.  We were ahead of all the boats taking a pic of them coming towards us.  We don’t have a “Sea-do” boat so can’t officially participate.

This is a father and daughter.  I have no idea how she manages to stay on the back of that thing. 

This picture doesn’t do justice to the fountain. It is really pretty at night when it is lit up.  Yes this is a private residence there are some very, very large houses on the lake.

One of our neighbors was turning 50 so we had to get home and get ready for the party.  Unfortunately for us we were starving when we got back so we ate before going over.  I had a large salad and a PC Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon.  The filet was really good which surprised me.   Had I known what the menu at the party was going to be I probably would have waited.  They had Chef Aldo prepare all of the food. There was a hip of beef, a table full of salads, cake, and brownies.  I never made it to the kitchen so I didn’t see everything that was in there.  It looked amazing and everyone was raving about it.  We were just too full to try it.    Again no pictures.  I really must learn to take my camera and actually use it.   After the eats they had a DJ playing some music so a good time was had by all.  Oh, I almost forgot to show you what he bought his wife for her birthday….

                

Yes that’s right a BMW convertible…. and I thought I was living large when I got my KA Food Processor a couple of weeks ago.

Bye for now.

~~Jackie

Girls Have Power Tools Too

Before I get to that a couple of  other things to share.
Today was a pretty basic Tuesday up until I left work that is.  I ran into an old friend whom I haven’t seen in 10 years.  I knew he was in town but didn’t think we would get a chance to catch up since he would be spending most of his time with family and showing his GF our beautiful province.  Anyway I stopped in Shoppers after work and he was walking out as I was going in. We had a great chat and hopefully they will have time to visit before they head back home to Florida.
After that it was off to the Dr.  I have been finding my GP to be a little wishy washy lately.  One visit she says one thing and the next something else.  Then sometimes it’s like she has forgotten my history altogether (I’ve been seeing her since I was 14).  Anyway, at my last appointment I told her I needed my thyroid medication adjusted, she looked at my blood work and said no,  that my levels were fine and she didn’t think it was necessary to do so.  She figured my issues were to do with my Sarcoidosis and sent me back to the specialist.  I knew better, so I took matters into my own hands and adjusted the dosage myself until I could get back in to see her.  Today, I told her I wanted the dosage adjusted and told her what I had done.  She looked back at the same blood test results as last time and said, “I don’t have a problem with that.  You’re levels can go down to  0.3 and I”m ok with that” (My levels are currently at 3.0)  So why is it ok to change and before when I asked she was very adamant that my levels shouldn’t do any lower.  It could have saved me a whole lot of grief, months of feeling like crap and not to mention I wouldn’t have an extra 10-15 lbs on my body.  Sooooo frustrating.  Now I have officially switched over to the new dose and hopefully I will be feeling better soon.  Unfortunately even with the new dose I will still have to fight to get this extra weight off. 
Now on to the fun stuff, my version of power tools.  A couple of weeks ago I flipped on The Shopping Channel and this baby was on sale.  Something you don’t know about me is I am a sucker for an infomercial.  It was just a matter of time before I got out the credit card and ordered.
                        Isn’t she pretty!!
The feed shoot is extra large which really comes in handy. It also came with five extra blades, a juicer (I’m sure that will never get used) and a dough blade.  The one I was really excited about was the French Fry blade.  I make sweet potato fries all the time but hate cutting them up. It worked great, I think it took 2 seconds to do one potato.
    
                     
The first thing I made was the much loved and favorite in the blog world,  Banana Soft Serve.
                
I love this stuff.  It is so quick and easy to make and the combinations are pretty much endless.  Since I can’t have milk I get to enjoy ice cream again!!! 
The kitties got a new toy too … 
         
My honey is home early tonight so I’m going to spend some QT with him
~~Jackie

Boredom is a Dangerous Thing

Well hello everyone.  As always the weekend has sped by and it’s back to work tomorrow.  I envy those of you out there that have jobs you enjoy enjoy, sadly I’m not one of them, and dread the thought of starting yet another week. 

Anyway on to something more interesting.  Saturday started off grey and dreary but early in the day the sun came out and it was HOT.  I had to go drop of a book at the library and since I was bored to tears thought I would do some shopping while I was out.  Well, I should know that shopping when bored is dangerous.  For me it’s kind of like going to the grocery store hungry.  It seemed everywhere I went there were SALES.  My arm is actually sore today from carrying the bags.  Who knew shopping could be a workout, and not only for your credit  card.  I picked up 5 dresses, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 skirts, 2 tops, pj’s.  Some birthday presents, books, some cute plates and of course shoes.

                       

Aren’t they cute.  LOL..  These actually came with the case of beer we bought.  I’m not sure who they are supposed to fit but they are like flippers on me.  They go good with the green nail polish I bought though.

                      

Here are the shoes that I picked up. Too  cute and they are Aeorsoles, so they’re comfy.  Best of all they were on SALE!!

               

A friend came out for a visit.  Since it was so hot in the house we thought we would take a drive to Martinique Beach but by the time we got there the fog had rolled in.  It was so thick you could hardly see the water from the beach.  We turned around and headed home.  We did make a pit stop at a little fish and chip place in our area Harbour Fish and Fries.  This place never disappoints.  The fish is always fresh and very tasty.  Hubby to home late as usual so nothing to exciting Saturday night. 

Today was another scorcher.  I took a trip down to the local Farmers Market to look for some fresh veggies, but there wasn’t much to there today.  It’s a small market so not always a large selection.  I did pick up a couple of things though.

                   

There may or may not have been an apple Danish that got eaten on the way home.   

So my eats this weekend were not stellar but it was too hot to cook and it was one of those times when I really didn’t know what I wanted to eat so I just had whatever was quick and easy.

Time for bed I guess.

~~Jackie

Fruit Loops and Fiber

Well it’s late and didn’t think I was going to get a chance to post but since I was on a roll this week I had to.
I’ve been seeing this commercial the last few days for Fruit Loops.  The point the commercial is trying to get across is that Fruit Loops is good for you because it contains fiber.  Are you kidding me Fruit Loops a “health food”.  I checked out the web site just to see for myself. 
                             
Yes they do contain fiber 3 grams in a 1 cup serving, however, if you look at the ingredient list the first ingredient is sugar.  There’s also some yummy red #40, blue #2 and yellow #6.  Doesn’t that sound good.  I know you’ll be searching the health food stores looking for those ingredients.
I’m sure parents are feeding this to their kids and thinking they are doing a good thing because it has fiber.  They are probably thinking it must be healthy they wouldn’t be able to advertise this if it wasn’t. .. Right??
I used to be one of those people.  You might remember the “Fat Free” craze a few years back.  Fat Free cookies, mayo, cereal, crackers etc. etc.  Everything was fat free.  I remember buying box after box of Snackwell cookies thinking I could eat them and not worry about it.  All the experts were telling me to eat fat free, the manufacturers were advertising their products as healthy because they were fat free.  Little did I know “Fat Free” meant tons of sugar and other fillers were added to take the place of the fat.
There are so many misleading statements in food advertising.  There really should be stricter rules and regulations in this area. 
What products have you seen advertised lately as healthy foods?
Time for bed.  Night all.
~~  Jackie

Energy Drinks and Frozen Dinners

It’s me again… are shocked??? I bet you didn’t think I’d be back for a 4th day in a row.
My eats were pretty standard so no pics today.  Green smoothie to start the day, overnight oats for mid morning snack.  Lunch was a bucket of salad and a left over chicken breast.  For supper I had some ground chicken in the fridge so I mixed up some chicken burgers.  I have never been overly fond of chicken/turkey burgers but every now and then I try another combination hoping something might WOW me.  Sadly this combo didn’t do it.  Ground chicken, Montreal steak spice, chopped up cheddar, sautéed red onion, and sweet chili sauce.  They smelled great while they were cooking but sadly the taste was just ok.
Do  you have a favorite chicken burger combo?
I did however take pictures of one of my co-workers lunches.  You guess it, a frozen dinner. 
             
Then I flipped it over to look at the nutritional information.  Let’s just say it was SCARY
             
That is 780 calories, 29 g fat, 1920 mg sodium, 72 g sugar, and 5 g fiber.
Oh, and the ingredients list was even scarier.  Hydrolyzed this and diglycerides that. 
         
Not to mention the length of the list.  At least the corn only contained corn.
This food should be outlawed.  We wonder why there are so many health issues today.  Our bodies were just not made to deal with all this artificial crap.
This same person drinks these every day.  Actually most of the men in the office drink these all day.
             
I probably sound like a nagging wife when I go on about how horrible these things are and I know what I say is going in one ear and out the other but I can’t help myself.   I read an article last week that said one of these contains the sugar equivalent to 6 or 7 Krispy Cream glazed donuts. The caffeine content is another thing 160 mg in a 16 oz can.   According to Wikipedia that isn’t as much as a cup of coffee (8 oz cup = 115 to 175 mg), but still.   Adults drinking these things like they are water is one thing, but the kids that are now addicted to them is just sad. 
What do you think of these drinks?  Have you ever used them to give you a little pick me up?
Well time to get my overnight oats together.  Night all
~~Jackie

Scallopy Goodness

I’m on a roll, posting 3 nights in a row
While surfing blogland a week or so ago I came across this recipe on Carrots 'N' Cake.  I have to admit it sounded like a bit of an odd combination to me, but I thought I would give it a try.  I am not a huge seafood fan, (yes I know it’s almost unthinkable for a Maritimer to not be a seafood fan), so I am always looking for recipes that will make seafood more appealing to me.   So Seared Scallops with White Beans it was.
             
I have to say I was very please with this combo.  The scallops were buttery, flavorful and not “fishy” tasting.  All of the flavors combined perfectly and it was filling. 
I was pretty sure the boy would not like this mostly because of the spinach and the fact that it isn’t your typical meat and potatoes kinda meal.  I warned him before he came home that we were having something different.  I was shocked…. he loved it!!  This meal will definitely be making another appearance soon.
I have discovered so many great recipe ideas, food combinations etc. since I started reading blogs.  There are so many great ideas,  out there, I just wish I had all the time in the world to try them all.  Hmmm would that be a good enough excuse to quit  my job and stay home, probably not.  I have tried so many new things I never would have tried if I hadn’t read everyone’s opinions / suggestions first.
One super popular item is Pom Wonderful.  I have tried this a few times but find the flavor too strong for me.  So I mixed it with water and that was ok but not what I was looking for.  I thought it would be good mixed with some Sprite but I don’t like pop.  So while cruising the aisles of the Superstore I found Presidents Choice Lemon Flavored Carbonated Water.  This was the perfect combination and with a little Vodka would make a great cocktail.  Now if only POM would go on sale more  often I’d be all set.
                           
Have you tried things you never thought you would try after reading about them on other blogs? 
That’s all I have for you tonight
~~Jackie

Another Typical Monday

Hi all!!  Hope your week is off to a good start.  Monday’s are not the best day for me and this one was more of the same.  By shortly after 9:00 I was ready for the day/week to be DONE!!  I fear this will be a very LONG week. 

Breakie was pretty standard.  The boy wanted a smoothie so no fresh juice today.   In the blender today was 1 banana, handful of blueberries, 1 scoop of Chocolate Amazing Grass, UVAB,  spinach, and ground flax.  Always a good combo.

                   

For my mid morning snack overnight oats.  A favorite of mine, and very popular breakfast choice in the blog world.  Today's mixture – 1/2 c oats, UVAB,  chia seeds,  ground flax, a few Goji berries, a splash of pure maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Sorry no measurements, I very rarely measure unless I’m baking.

Lunch was another standard for me.  Huge salad, but I won’t bore you with those ingredients. 

Next up supper.  A recipe from the Weight Watchers web site, Chicken Cordon Bleu.  It’s tasty but I hate trying to roll the chicken up.  I am so not skilled in that area.

                 

For sides there was some grilled asparagus for me.  

I asparagus.  Growing up I couldn’t stand it because mom only used to buy it canned.  Blech… talk about disgusting.  For hubby canned peas.  He will only eat them canned.

For the carbs I thought rice would be a good choice. 

I love this rice.    I cook it with some chicken broth and it gets a nice creamy consistency like risotto.

                 

Well that’s it for the food today.  Look at me posting 2 days in a row.  I think that might be a record.

Night all

~~Jackie 

AN OLD FRIEND

Hello bloggies, hopefully someone is still reading.  I seem to be having some issues with posting on a consistent basis.  As with most everything else in my life lately I can’t seem to focus on any one thing for any length of time.
I am still reading and commenting though.  I don’t know how some of you bloggers out there find the time to post so often, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day, and each post is just as interesting as the last.  My posts are what… something like 1 every few months.. NOT GOOD!!
Moving on. 
I decided to break out an old friend.  My Jack Lalanne juicer. 
                          
My first attempts at juicing involved a cheap juicer that I bought at Zellers or Sears.  I think I used it twice.  It was loud, you had to chop everything in tiny pieces, and it didn’t extract much juice at all.  Then I bought my first Jack Lalanne  juicer and it was love at first sight.  No chopping, it’s quiet and gives you a lot of juice.  If you want to try your hand at juicing I would say don’t waste your money on the typical department store juicers.
I’ve been drinking my green smoothies… and miracle of miracles I even got the boy drinking them.  I”m bound and determined to get the good stuff into him one way or another.  Anyway, I wanted a change and there is nothing like fresh juice.  My favorite combo at the moment is
                                                        1 large beet

1 red apple

1 green apple

1 inch piece of fresh ginger

                           

After juicing I pour it into the blender and throw in some spinach for some added veggie goodness, and of course some crushed ice.         

Another favorite is

1 carrot, 1 green apple, 1 red apple, 1 lemon, 1 inch piece of ginger, and 1 stalk of celery.

Some of the juice combos don’t sound like they would be very good, but they are tasty and refreshing.  

Do you juice your fruits and veggies?   If so what’s your favorite combo?

As always the weekend has flown by and it’s back to work tomorrow. 

~~Jackie