some things that inspire me (links)

I'mma see about this link-love-blogging thing.

I like it when bloggers *I* like tell me what *they're* liking lately. And lord knows I bookmark enough interesting articles to keep me reading for a solid weekend.

Without further ado, just a very few of the stories/recipes/photos that caught my eye this week.

link lovin'

Shutterbean's "Fully Loaded Granola Bar"
I'm still experimenting with that recipe I stumbled upon in our ATK cookbook, but I need some outside inspiration for messing with the sugar/honey ratio and flavors. When I saw these, I knew I'd wanna use them for just that ... {Photo from Shutterbean}

Oh She Glows' "Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese: Two Ways"
Patrick just made us a delicious butternut squash soup. The flavor was perfect, and I can imagine it works exceptionally with a pasta dish. Not to mention it's a way to get a m&c fix without the dairy (I always find myself better for limiting it in my diet). {Photo from Oh She Glows}

Working Out & Eating In's "Food Diary 2"
1: I like a photo food diary. 2: Overnight oats! I haven't tried them yet, but they sound chewy and filling and delicious. And do you see that kale pizza with sweet potato crust? The more I eat healthfully, the more enticing these healthy versions of favorites sound ... {Photo from Working Out & Eating In}

Sifting Through's "Pretty Tea Cups"
This is my very best friend Melizza, who moved across the ocean with her husband for an adventurous several years in London. We were roommates in the way back. I don't know that if you'd told me she'd one day collect tea cups, I'd have quite believed it. Except that it's perfectly Melizza. Because she has always been a hostess, and always given the utmost care to those she hosts. Tea cups are her. She is tea cups. {Photo from Sifting Through}

A Wolf's Garden's "Hardscaping Turns Soft"
That's my brother, who's got one of those minds that absorbs absolutely everything it's exposed to (I'll write soon about the great information he shared with me regarding heart rates). Here he documents the work he's put into the flora all around his house. One of my favorite writeups so far is this one detailing the landscaping he built, and how it changed over time. {Photo from A Wolf's Garden}

still here! ... & list blog: things i wanna do with this blog

To anyone who has been anxiously awaiting the blog entry wherein I explain how I use spreadsheets these days (the anticipation just *killing* you, right?), I'm still here, and I still plan to write about it!

where the hell have i been?

I've been doin' all kinds of things: heading to the gym, making ice cream, making lists (in muh brain), making spreadsheets, making charts based on those spreadsheets, eating tasty & healthy foods, experimenting with granola bars.

I've also been having all kinds of ideas about what to write for this here food & do blog. To be honest, maybe too many ideas. Or maybe not that ... maybe it's that I've had an inappropriate and overwhelming urge to Do Them All Now, which has killed the basic urge to actually *start* a blog entry.

So how do I fix that? Baby steps.

First baby step, my ideas! (list score!)

some ideas for food & do

» recipes. Duh. *food* & do. I need recipes. And I want to post them. And I already have several I want to share (our spent-grain bread, granola bars, my crazy-ugly-healthy dinner bowls ...). Just gotta do it. Which means photos (more on that later), note-taking, boiling-downing, appetizing!

» photos: take better ones. My photo skills are about like this: take a photo; it looks like the thing; share it with the world. I would my skills to be more like: set up the photo; adjust the light; muss camera settings; play with perspective; take a photo; edit photos; pick the best; share with the world! This is gonna take some self-educating and lots of practice. Time will tell ...

» progress photos. lots of them. I've brainstormed a photo styling for the photos (making some decisions -- like using a black-and-white format -- that will help accentuate any little changes in my shape), and I have an idea of how to pull it off. The question remains: will my husband be ready to take the same photo of me nearly EVERY DAY until I say "when"?

» photos of meals throughout the week. Not a photo of every single meal I eat every single day, but maybe one photo of one thing/meal I eat each day (skipping days that are just *blah*). I think it'd: be good practice for my photo-making; inspire me to bring new (photogenic) foods into my life; fill the world with more-and-more food photos (which it needs, always).

» adventures! I am increasingly keen on bringing physically challenging things into my life: boxing, dance classes, long-ass hikes, serious bike rides (races?!), running?? Of course I would want to document my adventures. There are just *so many* ... where do I begin?

» science of food & exercise. The more I move, the higher regard I have for healthy food. The more I move, the more I wonder how the hell it all works (how does the food turn into energy? How does my body feed off that energy? How does fat convert into muscle? WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING INSIDE MY BODY?!). I want to start reading about all this science stuff, and then I want to write about it. Not, like, a pro or anything. Just as one kind eater/exerciser/healthy-wannabe to another.

I think that sums it up. I think? There's more. I think. I can't remember it though. (See why my blog's been so quiet?? This is what happens to my brain when I fill it with ideas ... it stops working.)

OK. Off to figure out how to make all this stuff happen ...

excited about this weekend

So many things to look forward to on a Saturday morning!

» Firstly, I'm excited that I'm excited on a Saturday morning. I can't tell you how many weekends I've started totally down in the dumps, despite the fact that the preceding weeks were productive, successful, happy-making. The culprit? I'm guessing the end-of-week sugar indulgences and Saturday-morning pancake-breakfasty habits. Score one for making a healthy decision (the week in review & its lessons) and sticking with it!

» Yoga! Actually, Body Flow at the Y, which is apparently a mix of pilates, yoga and tai chi. I'm looking forward to the stretching and core workout I expect I'll get out of this class. Also, it's this morning (I'll finish this blog entry and head out the door!), and I have a feeling it'll be a great start to the weekend.

» Making more spent-grain bread, which I think Patrick and I should do our darndest to document so we can share it with you all in detail (and pretty pictures). This stuff is so good, I think we'll make a double batch and freeze the finished loaves that will be in excess. Also? I'll make some malt syrup from his leftover, unboiled wort! It's earthy and sweet and I plan to use it in an upcoming batch of buttercream frosting for god-knows-what.



» A "real" bike ride. Patrick's gonna lead me through my first "real" training bike ride. Meaning it'll be long (I've asked him not to tell me how long until we're done), and that I should attempt to pedal continuously (Patrick observed in a previous, casual ride that I coast a lot, which is a no-no for group road rides and if I plan to ever compete, which maybe I do ...). I'm so looking forward to the challenge, and to spending quality time with Stinger.

» My first "follower" through blogger that I don't know in real life! Liz Loses! I can't tell you the little thrill I got at seeing that someone was following my blog who lives in Ohio (where I have never been), and who's doing the kinds of things with her food and exercise that I aim to do. Thanks, Ms. Liz Loses, for making my day!

list blog: treating myself!

I think people who know me *very* well know that I'm not very good at treating myself to gifts, or even necessaries. I might even have some kind of a ... thing ... about it. I usually find an excuse why I don't need / shouldn't have / can live without something.

But you know what? That has *got* to change. I don't know why exactly, I just know there's something about it that's wrong. Maybe it's as simple as holding myself in high enough regard to say I deserve something, even if it is mildly frivolous (though I'm not one for frivolity in general).

And here we come to a new list. A list of things I've thought in passing that I'd love to have. I'm gonna keep this on hand and refer to it on occasion, perhaps especially on occasions that I think I've accomplished something important, big or small.

things i want!

clothes

I realized at some point I needed to make "clothes" its own category. I've never been a clothes horse, but I have always appreciated fashion. Most especially I've coveted good shoes (when I was a little girl in church, I loved getting the seat right next to the outside aisle, where all those returning from communion passed by and where I could subtly inspect their footwear as they did).

» new boots (Frye, please? Though I don't know that they make them quite big enough to fit over my calves.)
» flats! Most of my shoes are cheapy Target buys that are totally adorable but that do no stand up to my whole shoe-wearing strategy, which is where them the hell out. I think something like these Frye ballets (I swear I'm not a Fryehound, I just think they present a nice example of classic styles).
» TOMs. I bought a pair and liked them two years ago, but I ran them into the ground ... not to mention that I'd bought them in the height of my baking days. Before they became so raggedy I had to toss them, they'd gotten caked in flour and sugar. I'll likely opt for the burlap, which I'd always wanted anyway, and which look slightly more durable.
» A pair of Raleigh Denim denims. The jeans are expensive, but they're handmade in Raleigh, N.C., in a store run by a young couple who was running the (very small) retail floor when Patrick and I visited in early winter last year. Mr. Raleigh Denim was very helpful when Patrick was trying to figure out which pair to buy. And the care with which he wrapped the jeans was notable. He also said anytime we were in town, Patrick (or anyone who buys jeans from them) could stop by to have the jeans (which are sold in one length) hemmed to his liking. This'll be the kind of purchase I made when I've reached my goal weight, and which will be one of the most satisfying rewards I can imagine.
» tights (oy, the runs in the ones I have now!)
» new gym attire ... this should probably float at the top of my list. I really, really want nice gym clothes. And to look extra cute in it.

house & home
» nice, matching towels for our bathroom Done! Patrick brought home a pair each of bath towels, hand towels and wash clothes from Target. Yay for matchy matchy!
» frames for some of our lingering Knoxville art
» bento boxes! I'm doing a good job of taking healthy lunches to work. I'd like to make them cuter and more organized with these magic little systems. (these vivo bentos are my favorite so far!)

pure pampering
» a manicure & pedicure (just once!)
» aveda skin care (especially eye cream. I'm getting old, y'all)

ummmiscellaneous?
» Nice headphones. I have weird ear holes. Those little earbuds that come free with every listening device you buy do NOT fit me. They fall out. They hurt if I shove them in (and then they fall out). I need good old-fashioned headphones. What I have now is, I think, some freebies we picked up on a plane ride? Something like that? And I have no idea what makes for quality. I just know what I got ain't it. It'll be a treat to find nice, comfy headphones that are meant to survive the sweaty lifestyle of a gym mouse like myself (phrase "gym mouse" totally stolen from Bailie at Adventures in Foodland, and I love it!)

I'll add to this list as I think of more things, which I tend to do throughout any given day. Kinda can't wait for my first big (or small) accomplishment!

since last we met ...

... I've done some good things!

(list!)
> I cleared out my digital spaces. Gmail: empty. Google docs: streamlined & organized. Facebook friends: edited. Google Reader subscriptions: improved! All these pieces of data float, they're weightless. But they tax my mind so much when they're not meaningful, organized, utilized.

E-mail, for instance: I was using it to hold on to information (passwords, recipes, etc.). But I never actually searched my e-mail archives for those things regularly. And in any case, is that really what e-mail should be for? I mean, would I keep a big bucket in my house to store every piece of mail I got, just in case I'd need to refer to it? No, I'd level some importance on each piece of mail, and then *do* something with it. So that's that. My e-mail *must* remain a weigh station until I figure out the usefulness of any given piece of correspondence, and then *act* on that usefulness.

> I signed up for the gym! I had my choice of a free gym membership in the town where I work (through my husband's employer, who's based in Blacksburg even though he works from Roanoke ... where we live), or I could get a reduced membership at a gym where I live (though *my* employer, who's based in Roanoke even though I work in the Blacksburg area. Ha!).

I love to save a buck, but the Blacksburg gym would have meant me adding to my commute (which is already 3 hours total every day), and carefully coordinating my (sometimes unpredictable) work schedule to make sure I get to that gym before it closes. Too many obstacles. And I'm honest enough with myself to know that I'll use things like long commutes to excuse skipping my workout.

So it's a membership at my Roanoke gym instead. And in fact, it's a gym I attended when we lived here four years ago. Home sweet home.

> I went to the gym! It only took me about two weeks longer than it should have to actually sign up for the gym, so I was kind of proud of myself for waking up this morning and taking advantage of my membership immediately. 5 a.m. alarm. To the gym by 5:30. Thirty minutes on an ellipticalmadoohicky. Back home. It was short and sweet, and ultimately I want to *get* to the gym by 5 a.m., but I told myself I'd ease into it. Better I start slow and gain traction than start with a high bar and feel like I'm falling short.

> I tracked my Weight Watchers points all week. It took a little bit of effort, especially on the weekend when we took a great day trip to Charlottesville, Va., and I had to remember all my food choices. But I did it. And I was honest. And I was only 2 points over for the week. When I get on the right track with food, I know I'm in for a string of even *more* healthy decisions. So yay!

> I pre-tracked my breakfast and lunch for today. I've always found this helpful, and almost necessary to set up good food habits throughout the week. Not to mention that I can usually find a time to pre-track, but by the end of a day of looking *back* on food I ate and trying to record it, I find myself full of excuses for not doing it. Which tends to lead to more days of not tracking, which eventually leads to days of not actually making the smart food choices that tracking helps me focus on.

So, a pretty great start to the week. ...

... *ahem* after this confession
My husband planned a pretty amazing weekend for us. I even drafted a sweet blog entry about how wonderful he is and what a productive Saturday and Sunday we had ahead of us ...

And then I got in a crabby, crabby mood on Saturday. And it carried over into Sunday. This happened last weekend, too. And either I *hate* the weekends (???), or there's something else going on. And I think I may have identified it: Saturday morning breakfast.

It should be a treat, right? First day of repose, lazy morning ... "good" breakfast! Of ... donuts! (It's good because it's delicious. Uhuh.)

But yeah, sugar in the morning ... hell no more. Hell. No. More. Because I think it's crashing my spirits right into the ground. Poor husband! He really did have a great weekend planned, and we ended up doing most of the things we intended to: drive to Charlottesville, with a stop at a brew-pub on the way (here's his review of Blue Mountain Brewery); and then good coffee & walkin' our sweet dog through C'ville. And there I was, pouting. Boooooo.

In any case, it's a lesson for my future breakfast: if anything, I'll make it bacon. Hold the sugar.

list post: grains i want to try

Whole grains are good for you, but I have to admit to being ignorant of most of them beyond the common: quinoa, corn meal, oats.

So I'm gonna start this here list and add to it as I discover more grains to try. Hopefully you'll help me with that! In fact, I already *do* have some things to put on the list thanks to some friends on Facebook. ...

the eatin' grains list
(alphabetical order, of course!)

barley
buckwheat
corn meal (polenta!)
couscous (added 1/26)
farro (added 1/26)
oats
quinoa
quinoa, red
rice, brown
rice, forbidden
wheatberry (added 1/26) 

things I've learned 
"groat" It's a fun word! It means "hulled grain broken into fragments larger than grits." Thank you, Megan, for using this word!

quinoa can go sweet. I know very little about quinoa (at least as of now, as I set out to make this list). But I definitely only ever thought of it as a savory ingredient. Not so! According to my friend, Jennifer: "...delicious, hot breakfasts can include this! quinoa cooked with some water AND OJ, add raisins or craisins, cinnamon, YUMMY! I like some apple chunks in there too sometimes..." This opens up a new world!

good things i love: a list

In my effort to get healthy, I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about the things I love that I should limit. Couldn't I spend at least as much time concentrating on the *good* things in life that I love?

I present to you, a list (including but not limited to, & mostly food):

> celery, tomatoes, red peppers (and all kinds of snappy vegetables that are tasty on their own)
> riding my road bike
> fresh-made bread (can't wait to brave whole-wheats ...)
> scratchmade hummus
> the simple fact that we *do* scratchmake (salsa, sweets, jam, chili, rice, beans, fries, pancakes & biscuits, granola)
> fresh apricots, peaches, plums, clementines (and other little hand fruits that are simple, sweet & flavorful)
> mango (with salt & skin!)
> sauteed mushrooms & onions in everything and anything
>  the satiating, energizing experience of eating a well-prepared, big salad.
> eggs. for breakfast, in a sammich, draped over pasta & greens with the yolk burst and dripping sauce
> modest amounts of extra dark chocolate (because when it's this good, you don't need too much)
> hiking & any variation on the long, observant walk
> coffee-as-treat
> beer
> water, when I finally get around to drinking enough of it ... and the good feeling of being hydrated

This list could go on for ... how long? I don't know! Add to it for me? I'd love to have more healthy things to look forward to every day.

links from all over, wherein we read about microwaves, aprons, bread!

Living Without a Microwave (Re-nest). In the world of simplifying, this is in the back of my mind somewhere. I'd say Patrick and I use the microwave most to reheat dishes. What did the author do about that? Just reheat on the stove. I actually prefer that ... our microwave sucks, and there's something about heat directly coming in contact with food that makes it tastier. Imagination? In any case, this is at the bottom of our "simplify" list, but it's good to see someone else having success at it.

Harvest (Kath Eats Real Food). OK, I just discovered Kath, and basically I'm in love. The photography is gorgeous, the food even more beautiful. I especially love her harvest oatmeal buffet, though. The indulgence of a buffet, the whole-grain goodness of oats. Bonus: feels just like fall.

Great whole grain cereal loaf! (The Fresh Loaf). One day — when I'm a grown-up bread-baker — this is the bread I'm going to make sure we always have fresh-made in the house.

Sew Amazing (Sifting Through). My friend Melizza made that apron! And then, I happen to know, pizza dough. It's her direction on bread-making that's gonna get me in the kitchen, kneading. This week. Today? And then I'll have to see about sewing myself an apron ...

My First 10K (Loser for Life). When I read about accomplishments like Marisa's I'm so inspired to keep pushing and setting higher goals for myself. I actually asked Patrick the other day what the best first bike race would be for me to enter, being a newbie. (He said cyclocross, by the way, which would keep me safe from the masses of riders you get in road races [not ready!], and give me time to hone my skills before I tackle the narrow, knobby trails of a mountain bike race.)

Happy reading!