don't. be. lazy.

And another two weeks pass in a blink of an eye! It’s excitingly scary how fast time flies! With traveling to Maryland, then Connecticut, dig sitting (which is more time consuming than I was led to believe), birthdays and preparing for our trip in two days to Michigan… it just seems like we are getting pulled under with the riptide.

I made spaghetti and meatballs upon our return from the North – which was delicious! Threw in just enough Tobasco to take off a few hairs, which was just perfect! We were exhausted from that trip, so after spaghetti and meatballs came meatball subs! Then it was out to dinner with friends, deli meat, popcorn (yes, I know it’s not a meal), sushi and finally a salad! Man, even making that list was tricky… it’s sad how food is only a necessity at times… we are in a place where food and the preparation of food is supposed to be enjoyable! What happened?!

I was talking to my mom the other day about falling off the wagon and how hard it is to get back on it. And here is where my head starts screaming at me – what a whiney baby I sound like! What a pathetic crying waste am I! All I am doing is making excuses “Oh, I’m going out of town in a few days, I don’t have to go to the store” or “I shouldn’t run, I might be sore for the wedding” … bull. and. shit. I just need to get off it (it = my large over fed pampered butt) and just do the damn thing.

But honestly, how many things in life are exactly like this!? “I should really dust that shelf but, eh, I don’t feel like it” or “the dog doesn’t need to walk today, tomorrow it is” or “we could go to a yoga class, but then we’ll be sweaty.. let’s grab drinks instead” It’s such a lazy, complacent attitude and it makes me sick to think about it! I think about how lucky we are to even have the option – and how sick it is that we take advantage of it the way we do!

Remember when your parents said “Finish your dinner! There are starving people in Country XYZ!” …well its damn true! don’t. be. lazy.

Go to the market and cook your own damn meal! There are people who don’t have the luxury of purchasing healthy, fresh food; be it because of monetary restrictions, location restrictions or simply because it just isn’t an option. Take advantage of all of the wonderful care and hard work that our farmers have put in! Think about where that strawberry has come from to get to your table… I think it’s absolutely incredible.

Oh but I don’t have time! Really? Really? 24 whole hours and you can’t find the time? Perhaps we need to streamline the process… oh wait. It already is! Wake up 10 minutes earlier, watch 10 less minutes of TV, only put on one outfit in the morning (that’s more than 10 minutes saved for sure) …weird. All of a sudden 30 minutes appeared out of the air! If you want it, go get it J

Drink your 100-some-odd mL of water every day. How many commercials do we have to see about the lack of fresh water out there in the world?! Take advantage of this beautiful, serendipitous, available and abundant life!

Now I understand I’m being a bit preachy (a bit “heady” my mom would say) but it’s really more for me than anyone else… I need to make my grocery lists. I need to wake up earlier. I need to drink more water. I need to go on a damn run! You’re be the boss of what you need to do…

…But all after our trip to Michigan J
and the wheel keeps turning…

I’ll be back on the cooking train in a week! I swear!

Excuses Excuses... go away! come again another day!

Music: Ray LaMontagne

So, it’s almost been two weeks since my last post, and I do realize how pathetic that must look! Its silly really, I’ve been cooking the easiest things on earth for dinner: oatmeal, cereal, leftovers, popcorn (yes, popcorn!) – I made chicken fajitas once, and that was pretty good! Buuuuuuut we’ve also unfortunately eaten out a few more times than we should have… but not the “I’ll just get the organic salad with dressing on the side” kind of eating out… the “can I have extra queso with that? And please do bring another basket of rolls” kind…

Now, people always say “everything is fine in moderation” …which could be true, if we were trying to moderate! We are trying to get into a habit here, a habit of voluntarily choosing the right thing. But being the queen of justifications, I’ve execu-speaked myself into one or two less than stellar decisions... I mean what kind of dinner is Totinos Pizza Rolls anyway? You need a dang magnifying glass to read the ingredients list!

The goal of shedding those few last pounds keeps getting pushed out. Runs get harder when you don’t fuel your body with the right ingredients! Day by day, week by week, we lose precious days and give up the healthy momentum to those in the moment decisions… Will power is one of the biggest struggles I think I have. But lucky for me, I can fix that!

My mother is currently a bit of an inspiration to me (yeah mom!) She’s doing so great eating healthy, and even on her birthday she was conscious of what she celebrated with! Bravo! And with a few trips coming up, I could use the added boost to my will power struggle!

So tonight, I will cook Cuban Marinated Steak with Chimichuri Sauce It’s simple as pie to make. And, to boot, it’s much healthier, more delicious and generally WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY BETTER than freezer food!  

Here’s to keeping the will power intact.

Here’s to pushing through those weaker moments.

Here’s to continuing to cook, even after a long day.

and

Here’s to a scrum-diddly-ump-cious dinner J

chili powder makes even hot days better: Mushroom Tacos

It was a hot hot hot May evening. Steve and Lindsay had slacked the day prior and skipped out on their run in favor of window shopping and Cobb Salads. They had to vindicate the wrong they had done. So, after a brief hello and a kiss, a short play date with the pup, they were suited up and off to run 3 miles.

It was painful! “I feel like I am running through cold molasses” said Lindsay. “I feel sluggish” replied Steve. All in all, this was a much harder 3 miles than they conquered the week prior… But they finished. Drenched in sweat, trail dirt coating their ankles, pebbles lodged in their favorite running tread, they finished. THEN… They ate Tacos!

The most delightful, meaty, tender, juicy, HEALTHY tacos that ever existed! These are not just any tacos, but clean eating mushroom tacos. It’s honestly shocking that these don’t have meat in them, just because they are so filling… but that’s the wonder of mushrooms! PLUS there is cauliflower hidden in there.. Is there no food chili (the seasoning :P) can't assist?? I mean GENIUS!! To boot, Steve was brilliant (always, forever and again) and did all the prep work before the run so when we came back it was as easy as 1-2-3!