Saturday, March 24, 2012

Running

I ran today. Not a good run, not at all. It has been over a week since I did any running and boy was this a tough one.

Nope, my legs did not hurt or feel super heavy....


No, it was not my lungs that felt like no air could get into my body...




Source


It was a sharp pain in my guts! Ouch. So painful that even when I walked I was feeling the pain. So my run was not my best.


Here are my stats:



Here is some MUCH needed Motivation!

Race Day - Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon May 6th, 2012 @8am
I really want to run a 5 km race. I know I can, so I have picked this race off my Map My Run program.
There are others that I will look into but for now I need something to work towards.

Pictures of Motivation:

source


source


Source

Well that should teach me to get going!

After my run I had the other half of my shake, 1 hard boiled egg, and cashew butter on a PC thin bagel. YUM I am stuffed.

~~ "Painfully" shaking my tail feathers~~

What do you wear in the Kitchen?

I have been spending more time in the kitchen so I thought that I would ask the question... What are your favorite things? What do you wear while cooking? Whats the one tool you cant cook without?

So with a little embarrassment here is what I cook in....



The story behind the apron. My husbands good friend Ty decided to send us a care package one day. We open it up and bam! Blue boobs .... right there!  I do believe that it is meant to be used as a artists smock, but in the kitchen I AM an artist! So this is what I am cooking in the kitchen each day...

My other item I must have in the kitchen are my snakeskin Birkenstock (Papillio brand).

source
Being on your feet in the kitchen all day requires a good amount of support under your feet, and if your flat as a duck like me, then invest in some great shoes like Birkenstock.

What are you wearing in the kitchen???

~~ Fashion Feathers~~

Vegan Cookies

Vegan Cookies?


YES PLEASE.


I found a delicious cookie recipe and had no idea that you could substute out eggs and oil - hello newbie!I made a batch (around 20 cookies) and my husband and I devoured them in 2.5 days!
We both loved them.


Here is the cookie journey!


Step ONE - Find your kitchen Buddy.   Check

<><>
W. the kitchen guru (aka floor cleaner)

Step TWO - Get your ingredients list.    Check

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cup sugar
1 cup vegan margarine
1 teaspoon + of vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce
pinch of cinnamon
12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips (buy organic if possible)

Cook @ 375 for 10-12 minutes



Step THREE - combine like so....




Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine your 2 cups of flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and set it aside.


In a new bowl add the following

not mixed yet
sugar, vegan margarine, and vanilla - mix together.

Mixed
add applesauce & Cinnamon & mix
Slowly add in the dry content, while mixing. Fold in your chocolate chips, dollop onto cookie sheet and bake in oven @ 375 degrees for 10 - 14 minutes depending on your preference.

uncooked in the oven...
After 10-12 minutes time to take them out and let sit on a cooling rack...and ENJOY



yum.
Enjoy these delicious cookies, I know we did, we ate them in 2.5 days! Makes about 20 cookies.
Reciepe found at vegweb (but their site seems to be hacked at the moment??)

~Finding Feathers~~

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

SUPER FOODS

First of all....WHY did I not know about this before now????
As I push myself to eat a more healthy animal free diet, I am perturbed that I did not know about all the amazing super healthy food options that taste great!




I grew up eating the Canadian staples in a bland food family (sorry mom).
The Regulars:
- Pasta night (spaghetti with ground beef)
- Meat loaf (which I never liked)
- Pot roast (usually overcooked), with potatoes, vegetables and salad
- Chicken & Fish (which I rarely ate)


FYI, my Mother and Father have come leaps and bounds from this meal plan 20 years ago, and their meals are much more delicious. (They are taking notes from my foodie Brother and Sister in law).


So on my health quest I have found some of the most amazing foods that do the most amazing transformations to my body! Here is my new list of great tasting healthy foods:

1. Kale.
Kale *source

Some of you may have seen my Green Shake recipe here .
    But Kale is one of the leafy plants that I am still fairly new to. You can read information about this super green plant, and its health benefits just about anywhere online and in food magazines. The Longo's nutritional magazine it featured Kale as one of its Nutritional Punch vegetables for fighting disease. I found further evidence that this food is super rich in the nutritional department on the site Worlds Healthiest Foods , here it states "...This research focus makes perfect sense. Kale's nutrient richness stands out in three particular areas: (1) antioxidant nutrients, (2) anti-inflammatory nutrients, and (3) anti-cancer nutrients in the form of glucosinolates." Try my shake recipe, add it to your stir fry, or try making Kale Chips! Yum.


2. Quinoa.

Cooked *photo by F.F.
Raw *Photo by F.F
Pronounced Keen-Wah.
    I cooked it for the first time today, and yes it can be bland, however add it to a stir fry or put a favorite sauce on it and its delicious!



Healthy power house facts:
- A complete protein
- Gluten-free
- Contains all eight essential amino acids
- Rich in vitamins E, B2 and B6, folic acid, biotin, calcium, potassium, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese and chloride
- Free of cholesterol and trans fat
- Contains high levels of natural antioxidants, mainly
vitamin E
This list was taken from the site Canada.com Story by Laura Brehaut and has a ton of great information on this neat little grain-fruit. (See my recipe soon to follow in the next few days).

3. Nutritional Yeast.

Nutritional Yeast *photo by F.F.
It actually tastes amazing sprinkled on popcorn!
"It is a great source of 18 amino acids, protein, folic acid, biotin and other vitamins. It is also rich in 15 minerals including iron, magnesium, phorphorus, zinc, and chromium, and selenium." Justgoodenergy.com

I have started to add it to many dishes and the more I read about this great yeast (not to be confused with cooking yeast) the more ways I am able to use it. Add it to your favorite dishes to reap the benefits! I buy mine from the Bulk Food Store, however I have read that it should be kept out of light.

I hope this short list of super foods has given you some ideas on how to incorporate healthy eating choices into your home. I will be posting some new recipes soon.

Stay tuned!

~~ Finding Feathers~~

Getting Faster - RUN RUN RUN

Yes, the sun is out and I even ran right when I got up! (well I didn't wake up until 9am!). I know lazy me. Here is what it looked like outside!

I WISH....


No, I did not see that, if I did I would have thought I died in my sleep! But I did see this....




THE SUN

AND BLUE SKY (from my window)



Not everyone was able to get out of bed (other than me) early. W. loves to stay in our bed as long as possible in the mornings.

W. still in bed.....



So here are my stats for today... I started out a little too fast, but quickly slowed myself and only walked  3 times to catch my breath.



My recovery? Yummy Cashew Butter (as I acquired an allergy to Peanuts in the past 5 years, and this is the best substitute BY FAR.) on PC brand Thins. I love these little bagels! Just enough bread to spread some goodness on.... and water - of course.  






I also have my new insoles....after a few times of running and getting some little blisters I knew it was time. I still need to get orthotics, but for now I have nothing stopping me from a great run.



One last thing...

Here are a few items I never run without...its weird but useful.


1. Blistex - for my dry lips! I put this stuff on and I don't get wind burned lips!
2. Bandaid Blister Cushion - I may be able to give these up as I have new insoles now, but they are the best for running with blisters, I am already healed! (no pun intended).
3. Polysporin & Qtips - nope not for my blisters. But for the inside of my nose! I know I can't believe I am admitting  it either. But there is a reason for it. The polysporin, when you apply a thin layer to the inside of your nose, catches all of the dirt, dust, and pollen in the air avoiding allergy suffering later.
Go ahead, call me crazy, but someone told me to do this when traveling on an airplane to avoid getting colds and airborne sickness.....hey if it works then why not?

Keep on running!

~~ Finding Feathers~~





Monday, March 12, 2012

Keep on Running...

Out the front door, and down the road again.
Well after being on the treadmill and elliptical machine, I went back outside today!
So here are today's stats...





How are you doing? Are you pushing yourself out the door for a run? Or just talking and thinking about it? Keep me posted either on the blog OR find me on twitter @TumbleandTweet.
I have been told I should run in the morning, but I seem to have a hard time running before eating. I am always starving when I wake up. Then of course I need to wait an hour before going for my run.
So I am more of a mid-day or afternoon runner (for now).


Thank you for everyone who is helping me on this road to health. It has just begun and at times is difficult but I am determined to stick with it!
One foot in front of the other.....

~~ Finding Feathers ~~

Thursday, March 8, 2012

30 Day Challenge - RUN

Running.

Source: pintrest

I hate it.


And because I hate it I want to do it more. I know I hate things I am not good at, or that are difficult. So with a little motivation I have decided to try again. The weather is warming up here in the GTA (that is the outskirts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.) even though it is still only March. My first run was March 6th, 2012 on my 30 year old treadmill.
I ran at a good pace for 25 minutes.
Yesterday (March 7th 2012) with the weather above 10 degrees (whoot whoot), I went outside. I over did my run, lesson learned. Here are my stats for yesterday:




A big Thank you to the iphone app Map My Run. I really like this app, for two reasons, it gives me all the info I need, plus a handy GPS for when I am not in an area I know. Secondly, its a free app!
Here is the webpage: http://www.mapmyrun.com/ , Or go to your app store on your phone and download it.

Here is what I have found are necessary components to running (newbie style):

1. SHOES.  I need new shoes, or better yet, new insoles. I know that I pronate (thanks to the fine people at  Walk N Comfort, Vaughan Ontario for my education on my feet and shoes), and good shoes are absolutely necessary!




 These are my Asics...a good running shoe for people that pronate.


 2. Hydrate. Drink water all day, before and after a run, (not right before a run, but prior to the run). This will help in ways that I don't fully understand, but it is totally necessary for proper function of the body and oxygen will need to get to your muscles. I love my Brita water, it tastes SO good!


3. A schedule. As a newbie runner, I have done some looking around for a good program. A good one, that is free, is Couch to 5 K. C25K this link gets you to their web page and has a fantastic start up guide, and even a Pooch to 5 K, yes your dog will love you for this one! This is a safe and proven way to reach your running goals.





4. Fuel. It is very important to fuel your working body. Running is about fitness, not about skinny through exercise and starvation. Be sure to eat to fuel your body in the healthiest way possible! Contact your doctor before starting any type of diet or exercise program to ensure safety.


source



5. Motivation. Friend, family member, health, or challenge. See our motivation section on the blog for inspiring quotes and pictures about fitness and running. Here are a few I like:


source






source




source




source




source




source




And for some final funny / silly running video from YouTube:
Running Like This??!!

Remember, ALWAYS see your doctor before making any changes to your diet or exercise program. Message me and share your ideas and inspirations!

Best of Luck
~~ Shaking our Tail Feathers ~~

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Food - Homemade Soup

Its not too late to want that warm bowl of soup, even though the weather has turned super warm in the GTA....in March?!
Going for that health kick of mine that I have talked about is becoming enjoyable the more I cook.
  



My mother and father are part of a Soup Group. At first I thought that this was a strange group of people, getting together for soup? But then I started to see the plus side....leftovers! Yum!

So I thought I would try my own version of the homemade soup, sans group. (Unless you count Wendel - my kitchen helper....)

Wendel - Super Pug.  (Not his best Shot)

I wanted to make a vegetarian soup, as I am still eliminating animal products (slowly) from my diet. So I opted for a  Simple Squash Apple Soup.

(I cut up the squash before getting a picture....Sorry)
Now most recipes call for a Granny Smith Apple, well I used what I had, two small royal gala apples that were on the turn.
Here is my recipe for the soup.

Simple Squash Apple Soup

Prep Time: 15 Minutes (depending on your skills to peel and chop...I am apparently slow)
Cook Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped
1 - 3 ribs of Celery, chopped
1-2 Carrots, peeled & chopped
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeds & hair removed, and chopped into small cubes
1-2 Apples (suggested Granny Smith, but I used Royal Gala)
*note the ratio is 3:1 for squash to apple
3 Cups of vegetable broth
1 Cup water
*Spices to taste: Cinnamon, nutmeg, Cayenne, salt, pepper
(I only added a pinch of cinnamon, the broth carries enough salt so no need to add more)

Steps to Soup:
In a 3 inch deep x 9-10 inch circumference frying pan, (anything that can hold all the ingredients and liquid without spilling over at a boil) add the butter & onion, carrot, and celery. Saute on low-med heat, without browning for 5 minutes.
This is a good time to start peeling your squash and apples and chop them up. I used a peeler as I found it much easier/safer than a knife for my inexperience with peeling "difficult" fruits and vegetables.
Next, add the chopped up Squash, apple, broth and water to the pan with the other ingredients.
Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 30 minutes.

Add spices, or salt if using and put into blender and Puree.  This machine came with our house purchase... an oldie but a goodie. Works great!

Let cool in containers, taste test......


Settle down for a whole bowl....


Enjoy!

~~  Finding Feathers ~~