A retrospective: Part Two

November 2011-December 2011

Hypatia’s commitment to cleaning each day was a goal that would be hard for some to understand why it would be so challenging.  In some ways, it has been the project she has remained the most consistent with since its inception and that demonstrates the largest shift in her daily behavior.  During the summer, cleaning is daily activity.  Generally this involves dishes and a straightening up of the kitchen.  But, on the rare occasion, when Hypatia has large blocks of free time during the school year, she will use it to ‘deep clean’ some part of the house.  This spring she bravely cleaned the ceiling fan in her bedroom.  Six years of a house that breathes dust left a blanket of Somustuzz (So much dust it’s fuzz) on each blade.  Had it really been white all along?  Another, rather selfish, motive for cleaning is that Hypatia discovered if the kitchen is clean when J comes home, he is more likely to cook her dinner.  Just as Hypatia has learned that coming home to a clean house helps her feel calm and sometimes even lifts her spirits, so it does for J to come home to a clean kitchen.  In the past few months however, Hypatia began to notice that clean, or even tidy, isn't a magic wand for making a home look nice and put together.  Hypatia has, slowly, begun the process of un-cluttering.  This involves lots of rummaging through old clothes, tchotchkes, and décor and then whisking it away to Goodwill. There is a new rule in the house too: If you bring something in, something else needs to leave.  While Hypatia secretly fantasizes about a sleek, modern, minimalist home-that will never happen.  However, saying no to free stuff and goodbye to old stuff is a step in the right direction.

While revisiting Hypatia’s month of giving, it was interesting to follow where the project began and where it ended up.  After five months of attempts at bettering one’s self, December ended leaving Hypatia in quite a funk.  It can be overwhelming, and emotionally heavy, to make and keep one’s self aware of all the need in a community.  Then layer with that the commitment to be proactive, it is easy to see why many people simply bury their heads and forget about it.  This is an issue that Hypatia continues to struggle with each and every day.  This is also an issue that comes up again in the Twenty and Nine Days project.  The silver lining is that Hypatia has made some life changes and choices that do give back, not only to a community, but the world.  And sometimes, giving isn’t about finding where the need is, but ascribing to the notion of paying it forward.  J is really good about this, particularly with tipping, and has helped Hypatia practice this with more regularity.  Little things like rounding up the tip or helping bag at the grocery store. Niceties that may help brighten someone’s day.  Finally, it is worth mentioning a dramatic growth for Hypatia given December’s Day Seventeen post.  She talks about struggling to have compassion for the strangers around her, even when they are at their most irritating.  About two months ago, Hypatia had an experience while driving that crystallized the notion of what you give, you get.  The details are fuzzy at this point, but the basic story is that she was driving in a parking lot when some other driver did something completely stupid, and probably dangerous, which resulted in an unfair and irrational name calling rant at that person in the safety of her own little blue car.  Annoyed, she drove out on the road and moments later proceeded to do something equally stupid, and possibly dangerous, causing another driver to wave hands and presumably spew some choice words. When this happens to Hypatia, when she clearly makes another driver upset, she will often cry.  So at this exact moment-a moment of mixed emotions: sadness, defensiveness, and shame-she vowed to never fall victim to road rage.  She concluded that if everyone gave everyone else the benefit of the doubt as drivers, such as ‘maybe their lost’ or ‘maybe they just got fired and their mind is somewhere else’ (as Hypatia’s usually is in these scenarios) that we would all drive around as happier people.  There is a lot of mental and emotional energy spent on hating strangers, even if just for a fleeting moment.  What is the point? J often touts cars as one of the great evils of our society because when we are safely confined to our little metal boxes, we don’t need to care or think about other people; thus we lose our humanity.   That experience really encapsulated J’s argument.  Since this change in her driving-mindset, Hypatia is a noticeably happier driver.  It is actually quite freeing to just not care if someone is driving like a jack ass and just move on with one’s day. 

A retrospective: Part One

A retrospective

The point of this project, above all else, was growth. Whether it be spiritual, physical, or mental, I wanted to push myself. The hope was that this exploration would lead to discovery.  Not necessarily the outrageously profound, life altering kind- but the sort that would lead to a deeper awareness of myself: my capabilities, my strengths, and where I still need to grow.  

At the school where I work, we don’t give grades.  Therefore, I spend a fair amount of time thinking about people, usually the kids, and narrating their actions and behaviors in my head.  At the end of each semester, I write a narrative about each student which outlines their capabilities, strengths, and areas of growth.  It seemed fitting to culminate the experiences of the last eleven months with a similar report. One that is honest, not really objective, but at least sincere.  Here it goes:

August 2011 - October 2011

Hypatia’s first endeavor was daily handstands. She was so excited about this project.  In yoga, the personal growth demonstrated by handstands was of particular importance to Hypatia, so she was eager to have this as a spring board for her new idea.  The therapeutic nature she hoped would come from the experience however did not meet her expectations. This is when it dawned on her that maintaining a daily project was a task in of itself, but to infuse that with some introspective, soul building time was much more challenging. It was the first time that it also became clear that developing habits, some habits anyway, are not so straight forward.  The Saturday yoga class Hypatia attends is a habit in that it is a part of a routine that is expected and anticipated for mental and spiritual growth.  Habitually handstanding when life seems wavering is not a habit for Hypatia.  Unfortunately, she often doesn’t even think of it as a possibility for releasing some tension until the tension has long passed.  Fortunately, an ever growing yoga practice still give Hypatia plenty of opportunity to experience the release and joy of going upside down, however, it would be wonderful if one of her default thoughts in moments of frustration was “Take a minute to invert,”  to use it as a form of processing. This may actually produce a more productive work and social mental space than, “Go for a run”(not always an option), “Just quit this job”, or “Fuck people.”

The dog walks. With that fabulous hindsight vision, this month was a gift. It pushed Hypatia to devote a lot of time to something other than herself…and her thoughts.  She never questioned her own love for her dogs, but this project allowed her to appreciate them on a whole new level.  She caught a glimpse of what it must be like to have children.  Hypatia loves those dogs with fierceness, but they are trying at times and take a lot of work. The sweetness of watching them experience the world however is something without compare.  They are eager and energetic. They are inquisitive and curious.  Yes, she knows they’re dogs, but that kind of bliss derived from pets must be small beans to children, right? Despite the profound joy she found from this experience, Hypatia’s performance in this area has been inconsistent since September.  Unfortunately, the guilt associated with this is not enough to rouse Hypatia into more frequent walks. This is certainly an area of growth.  It should be noted however, that the responsibility of dog-care should not lie solely on the shoulders of Hypatia. She isn’t a single dog-parent, so some support from home in this area is greatly encouraged.

Hypatia’s mission to find five positive moments of each day was an amusing and eye-opening journey.  While revisiting her thoughts each day, it is hard not to laugh. It is also not uncommon to shed a reminiscent tear.  She has so many things to be happy about and is actually much more capable of focusing her energy on these things than she gives herself credit for.  In the moment - or rather the month - this was an incredibly challenging task for Hypatia, but when revisiting her ‘work’ she was consistent and honest.  That is a good place to be in when examining one’s days.  It takes practice and dedication to maintain a positive outlook on life, at least for people like Hypatia. However, she did come to understand the value of accepting that some days aren’t great and that is okay.  Some days, the good things are small and relatively meaningless compared to the magnificently wonderful parts of other days.  Maybe, that actually makes them even more powerful. More ‘good’.  This was a significant growth area for Hypatia. She allows herself bad days and is more cognizant to appreciate the small stuff.  She often thinks back to month on a particularly hard day and thinks, “Thank God I don’t have to find a good thing about today…” but then quickly wonders, “but what would I pick from today?” Those are fine words to live by:  What were the best parts of today?

To be continued. 

Day Twenty-nine

Friends,

I started this yesterday but just got to finishing it today. I will send it off to T-Joe's this afternoon.
This was my last Twenty and nine days.  Tomorrow is the last day of the month. I will write one last post tomorrow in closing to this project.

Until then...



Dear Trader Joe's,


I have been a loyal Trader Joe's customer for over 10 years. I adore my local store in Eagle Rock, California. We live down the street and seem to make it there 3-5 times a week.  There is a sense of community in our Trader Joe's, created by the wonderful staff and diverse neighborhood, that I have come to rely on and profoundly love.  I can't imagine moving, simply because I would miss 'my' Trader's so much.


In recent months I have made the personal decision to make more conscious decisions about the food I buy. For me this means buying locally when possible (luckily, California is very big state!), preferably organic, and most importantly, from privately owned companies.  This is all in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint, consume healthier foods, and support the little guy rather than corporate conglomerates.  It is my three-pronged approach at being a conscious consumer and a responsible citizen. This came as quite a challenge at first, for this trifecta is not easily met. I was stunned and saddened by the number of seemingly small brand, socially and environmentally aware products that have been purchased by large corporations, such as Burt's Bees and Tom's of Maine.


This endeavor prompted me to revamp my shopping list.  I took greater care in researching where my food was coming from and, in some cases, stopped buying certain items. This quickly led to me discover how little is publicly known about where Trader Joe's products come from.  What little I did find seemed promising, but was mostly speculation from curious shoppers and so was not entirely reliable. The result was that I stopped shopping at Trader Joe's for almost a month. I found myself missing my local crew members and what they contribute to the familiarity of my little corner store.  I also found myself in a position that is all to familiar to the progressively minded: I had to choose cause or convenience.  As much as I treasure what our T-Joe's has to offer, I had to choose the latter. This is not a decision that I enjoyed making, which brings me the purpose of this letter. Trader Joe's I implore you to become a more transparent company so that your customers know where their food is coming from. Making available information, such as which dairies produce your milk products or which farms supply your poultry would allow socially conscious consumers to shop guilt-free.  We would know we are truly getting the best at a price that is fair and reasonable.  For a company that I trust has little to hide, I sincerely hope that this would not be an overwhelming task. 


As I mentioned before, I love my Trader Joe's. There are products that you offer that I cannot find anywhere else and it is heartbreaking to think that I will never have them again. So, please, as a long-time customer who desperately wants to remain a loyal customer for 10, 20, 30 more years...please begin the effort of providing the public with information about the origins of your food products.  


Warmly, 


Hypatia Luna

Day Twenty-three

I have been to Whole Foods numerous times this week. As in, almost every other day. This was not unusual when I was going to T-Joes; it is down the street after all. However, this week was is in part due to a stint of house guests, and therefore more frequent needs to 'pick something up at the market.'  All this shopping, both the legitimate grocery kind and the quick snacks for the beach kind, have made me realize two things.

First, I began to appreciate my relationship with TJ's even more. I have moved beyond the people and familiar products to the actual physical space of the store. I don't need a list at Trader Joe's, I just need that predictable layout. Meandering through the store, I can quickly buy a weeks worth of groceries. I know what I want and need from each section. Like an ant on my daily route, there is an invisible path I follow each and every time, that weaves through the aisles in the precise order of importance: fruit and veggies first, maybe some cheese, rice cakes, coffee and canned goods, bread, booze, frozen foods and desserts. It is so easy. And when they (my employee friends) rearrange the store - for what I can only assume is for the benefit of creating new synaptic associations in my brain, therefor promising a long and healthy brain life - I am comfortable approaching a crew member for some direction.

When I walk into a Whole Foods, I am in Oz. I don't know where to begin. What's worse, is I have two to choose from. Each has its pros and cons, so my mood and proximity tend to decide where I go. Consequently, there are items that are easy for me to locate in one store and not the other. Even the produce section is daunting because there is so much. Not my last visit (yesterday, Friday) but the visit before (Saturday) I went in for staple grocery items. I left without two of those items. What it boils down to is I need a list, which I usually forget in the car or on the table.  So I guess, what it really boils down to, is I need to develop a better system. 


My second observation isn't so bleak. Apart from this week of frequent snack shopping, I tend to use all the groceries we have in the house before returning to WF. This is precisely because it isn't particularly convenient.  Consequently, there is less wasted food in this house. It was not uncommon to discover a three half-empty cans of corn or a bag of mushy spinach. This is the down side of my blind shopping I suppose, I buy the same things every time and end up with too much.  Now, if I want dinner, I need to make it with what I have and can't run to TJ's for something that sounds better.  This has been a particularly satisfying result of this project. I harbored a lot of guilt about how much food we wasted for a long time.  Such a subtle action has lifted little burdens off these shoulders, which is incredibly freeing. It feels good to feel good about what I take and what I offer.

Day Eleven

I hope I'm not coming across as preachy.

I needed new laundry detergent, and I wasn't sure how to proceed.
The first time I heard of Method, I thought it was a Target brand.  When I realized I was going to need cleaning supplies and household items, I started perusing the shelves of Whole Foodies.  Again, I was faced with the Masked Corporation dilemma. The only product that was from California was Method, so I added that company to my list of companies to look into.

I was so pleasantly surprised. Check this out.  


After my run today with M., we went into Trader Joe's to cool down and wait for our ride home. I realized that I hadn't been in a TJ's since I began this slightly self-righteous mission. I missed it, the familiarity. I can walk into any Traders and grocery shop for a week in 15 minutes and spend under $100.  I went to WF the other day for some supplies and spent over an hour and $80. When I was driving home a few days ago I saw one of 'my' TJ friends. It dawned on me then too that I missed the people as well.  I've known them all for 10 years...and I've been MIA for almost two weeks. 


Maybe I need to stock up on wine, beer, and rice cakes: some of the few items I'll be able to still purchase.

Day Seven

After my mini-meltdown earlier this week, I have since composed myself.  I was very, very upset. I was spreading the Bad Word all day, to any one who would listen. This includes my boss. It got to a point where I began to wonder if my sweeping emotion may have been about something a little deeper. Or, maybe to be more fair, the frustration around trying to do right by the world, and feeling continually thwarted by big business, was toying with a nerve that was reverberating in other areas of my life.  What this all boils down to is that are so many levels at which we (you, me; earth conscious folk) want to make change.  Unfortunately, the nature of corporate takeover and politics is money driven and ultimately, we (consumers, voters; idealists) are forced to choose our agenda. I had to ask myself what my motives were. Was it to support small business? Minimize my carbon footprint? Do what is best for my body? Well, frankly, it was all three and I naively assumed it would be more straightforward than it is. After some lengthy conversations with various people who happened to cross my path in the last few days, I resolved to do the best that I can to achieve all three of my goals with the understanding that there will be sacrifices of one cause in order to further another. I am more calm now, and ready to be proactive rather than reactive. 
My co-worker, friend, and first person I encountered after my troubling news,  pointed me towards some information that helped me make sense of all that is out there. Here is the website for the following images: http://www.edenfoods.com/articles/view.php?articles_id=109


So this one made me cry. 

And at least with this one, I was cheering at my computer a few times. 

I went back to Whole Foodies today. I bought some Lundberg Farm rice cakes and joyfully ate them in the car on the way home. I also bought some produce from Mexico. Now, this is something to consider. Parts of Mexico are closer to me than parts of California. I'm not sure how I should proceed in this regard, but I wanted a lime. I have a growing list of products to look into.  Note to self: add limes to list. 

And, if you are interested, I also found this to be incredibly helpful. It is all so much to absorb, but there are still so many wonderful companies out there along with many wonderful producers and growers who are committed to a cause, if not multiple. That alone is truly inspiring. 

Day three: part two

I've got good news and bad news.

The good first. I think I'm in the clear with Lundberg Farms rice cakes.

Now the bad. I feel like crying.

Read this:
http://www.alternet.org/story/131910/?page=entire

Now, go change the world.

Day Three

Sad news. I can't find rice cakes from California.* I'm feeling a little lost without my favorite snack, and it's only been two days. In other sad news. I ate the last of my spicy nut-butter today. Since it is made from a Trader Joe's nut mix, I don't think I will be purchasing it for a while. This is a blessing in disguise, says my gut, but I literally said goodbye to the jar as I licked my finger clean. (tear)

We went grocery shopping yesterday at Whole Foodies. We bought a few staples, such as fruit and things to make myself lunches. We also got a lot of veggies for dinner. I felt so accomplished...$150.00 later.

For some items, I had peruse the shelves for a while before I found something from CA. Almond milk for example. I was actually looking for hemp milk. In this medical marijuana loving state we live in, I didn't anticipate this being a challenging product to locate.  All the hemp milk ended up being from Colorado, and many of the non-dairy alternatives were from around the country. However, Blue Diamond is a San Diego company, so I conceded with almond milk. This got me thinking though. Blue Diamond is a huge company. In fact they tout:  Today the California almond industry produces over 80 percent of the world supply and leads the state as the largest food export!
And thus, I encountered a new dilemma. Big business vs small growers and companies. Is it better to stray from California in order to keep it organic and supportive of local business? Then again, companies, like Blue Diamond, started as cooperative of almond growers and over the last 100 years, evolved into what it is today.

What this boils down to, which frankly I anticipated when I decided to embark on this project, is greater research in quality companies. I will not blindly support a business simply because it is California based, particularly when they are exporting their product all around the globe, thereby essentially negating the purpose of this endeavor. *This is what my note is about as well. I have not given this further research yet, but the only California based company that I have encountered so far that makes rice cakes is Lundberg Farms. Unfortunately, I was recently informed that they are owned by Clorox, or some such horrible planet poisoning big business. I need to my own research on this, but until then, I'm sans rice cakes.

Good thing it is summer and I have lots of time.

Day One

July. My birthday month. The final month of this twenty and nine days.

There were a number of ideas for projects swimming around my brain over the course of the last 11 months that I never got to.  With some, the timing never seemed right. For example, training to run barefoot. This is still something I want - and intend - to do, however training for a marathon at the same time seems like too much. Some of my ideas I channeled into my January project.  Some of those resolutions would be overkill for 29 days and so monthly reminders are more appropriate.

With that, this month's project evolved after a few months of more conscious food consumption, in terms of animals and documentation of what I eat. I fear I'm coming off a little food-centric, but more and more I am realizing the importance of what we put in our bodies. Like many things, this is one of those 'yeah, yeah I know' ideas that for whatever reason is really solidifying as a concept for me lately.

A number of factors have contributed to this. Embarking on the vegetarian track was certainly a starting point. Originally, I made that decision out of respect for animals. My thinking is that if I know that I would not be able to kill (and therefore watch die), skin/pluck, gut, chop up, and whatever else goes into transforming (?) a chicken into a toss-in option on my salad...then I should not be eating it. (This is actually a point I could prattle about for a while, so I am going to stop there, but if you are interested in learning more about my specific 'philosophy', check this out. I found it incredibly touching and inspiring.) I figured there was also the benefit of the environmental and political repercussions as well, though I am not well versed in those so much.

As my running progresses, I am also intrigued by the number of ultra-marathoners (100 miles!) who are vegan. Many well-knowns in the running world stick to truly plant based diet.  This not only fuels their running, but enhances it as well.  That is incredible to me. This fed the idea flitting around my head about harnessing the the power of plants to help your body to achieve the impossible.

Slowly, over the last couple of weeks, an idea started to form. In regards to food, I am taking steps to honor life, and I am taking steps to honor my body. What I have not been as careful about is honoring the planet. Okay, okay, so yes this is the little hippie in me, but there is so much I do in my daily routines that disregards my carbon footprint.  I drive to Trader Joe's which is literally two blocks away. Two neighborhood blocks! I don't compost (a long story) and I take showers that are so long that my water usage is the equivalent of 3-4 normal person showers. This list could go on. It is true, that compared to most Americans, I probably have a significantly light footprint, but that is not a justification to consume and waste without regard for my actions. And I know better, which makes it worse...at least in some cosmic karmic sense. There is also the concern about bringing a child into the world. I'm starting to start to be ready to think about doing this. Actually, not adding to the world population is one of the best things you can do for this planet, which for a long time I assumed would be my path. Either I would not have children, or I would adopt. These are both still options, however, they seem less and less like what I will actually want. So, if I selfishly add to the 'problem', that being crazy consuming humans, I should, at the very least, be particularly mindful of my choices. What can I do to make this planet better for my children, and yours?

So for this last twenty and nine days I will lighten my print. I am going to primarily do this through food. This is a surprisingly daunting task. I tried it the other day and found it troubling how many items on my list I could not find from a local manufacturer or grower. My goal is to only buy foods grown/made in California. This has the added benefit of supporting our local economy. Now, sadly, I will most likely stop shopping at Trader Joe's and begin at Whole Foodies, Sprouts, and ideally, farmer's markets. I am looking forward to this challenge though. I am excited about how much I will learn about where my food comes from. There is very little that I eat that I can honestly say that about.

Thank goodness California has lots of wonderful wine.

Here's to our temples, our bodies and our earth.

P.S.

My portrait for July 1st. I think I'm going to start take self portraits after my runs.

and this one too. Thanks to Adobe Lightroom, because I looked atrocious in the original. 

Days Twenty-four through Twenty-nine

Complete! Here are photos of much of what I ate on our camping trip. What is not shown is the less interesting food, such as rice cakes, apples, cheeze-its, and more rice cakes. Thank goodness I didn't bring my spicy nut-butter. So, here it goes: 

Day Twenty four: Half Moon Bay

A large part of this trip was centered on a specific destinations, the first (and possibly most important to Jesse) was Happy Taco in Half Moon Bay. We both have been vegetarians - or pescatarian rather - for a few months, but Jesse's mouth salivates at the thought of HT's carne asada burrito. It just might be his favorite thing on the planet. So we had to stop, twice - once on the way up and once on the way down - to satisfy this craving. I remained steadfast in my non-flesh eating and ordered the only thing on the menu that was vegetarian. How Mexican food establishments do vegetarian is beginning to be a litmus test for how interested I am in returning to this place. If you just throw rice, beans, and iceberg lettuce on a tortilla and douse it in sour cream...you really aren't trying. Oh well. 

Lunch: vegetarian tacos

Jesse loves bringing his cooking toys on camping trips. I think he enjoys the juxtaposition of being in nature, immersing himself in the wilderness, absorbing the outdoors with eating and sleeping with the same luxuries we find at home. Hence the wonderful meals we had each night. 

Dinner: cornmeal crust pizza

Day twenty-five: Half Moon Bay to MacKerricher State Park

I woke up and went on a fantastic run. It coursed along the bluffs overlooking the ocean and wound between sand dunes.

Breakfast: pear

and coffee.

Now, lunch left something to be desired. I was routinely disappointed with vegetarian options up north. Granted, we grabbing quick car food, but still.

Lunch: the shittiest salad ever

Oh but dinner....

Dinner: spicy red curry with veggies and prawns and a side of cornmeal cheese bread

Day Twenty-six: MacKerricher State Park and the Avenue of the Giants in Redwood National Forest

Lunch was a mildly better salad than the day before. The half of beer afterwards certainly helped. 

Lunch: garden salad

Then look at this delicious spread:

Dinner: cornbread, salmon, and skewered vegetables

Day Twenty-seven: MacKerricher State Park to New Brighton Beach in Santa Cruz

Now this salad was delicious. It was from the deli at New Leaf Market in Half Moon Bay while Jesse was on his second burrito.  I have since tried to replicate it at home.

Lunch: Kale salad with various nuts and amino acids

P.S. These amino acids are my new favorite thing.

Last Supper:

Dinner: Salmon steaks and skewered vegetables

Each night there was also plenty of S'more action, just in case you were worried. 

Day Twenty-eight: Homeward bound!*

I was craving a veggie sandwich the whole time we were gone. Everywhere we went just didn't have what I had in mind. Then we found a natural foods market in a tiny town near Pismo Beach. I had to wait until 4:00pm to eat lunch, but it was the best damn sandwich. 

Lunch: vegetarian sandwich
with cheese, sprouts, tomato, pepperoncinis and onion

I don't think I ate dinner that night.

Finally, Day twenty-nine.

What do you think the first thing I ate was when I got home?

Breakfast: love that nut-butter

Lunch: an attempt to replicate the above salad.
Kale, sunflower seeds and amino acids

and some grapes!

And of course, true to form, I forgot to take a picture of dinner. It was my usual at the Mexican restaurant. 

So. 

What have I learned? What have I noticed? I don't stray much. It's funny, because I have always known myself to go through phases of liking certain foods; that is certainly evidenced in the last twenty and nine days.  Some of my patterns seem ridiculous, at least when they are made glaringly obvious. I am surprised by some of the staples in my diet though. Kale for one, or really, the sheer number of salads. I really had no idea.  I am amused by my consumption of rice cakes and then the variety of 'toppings' I use to jazz them up. I think part of this comes from not having much in the way of culinary instinct, so it is easier to stick with basics. I branch out from time to time, and try to make a dish, but then I tend to just make that one thing - or variations of it - over and over. 

Well, one of my goals this summer is to master a few dishes and make some sense of flavors and spices   that I can add to simple meals to make them more interesting.  Maybe in the next two months, my repertoire will will expand, but until then my grocery will probably look the same. 

See you in July. 

*If you are interested in actual photos from our camping trip, you can visit my Flickr page:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/ladyhypatia/

Days Twenty-two and Twenty-three

Day twenty-two:

I was eating light all day so that I could gorge on dinner. Then, I completely forgot to take a picture of dinner, because I was a shot of tequila and a beer in before we even got our food.

Anyway...

Pre-workout snack (or breakfast): Pluot

This is a plum-apricot hybrid. It is not only delicious, but the color is spectacular.

Snack: this.not great.certainly not worth the calories. 

Lunch: beet salad

Lunch: broccoli slaw with tofu

As a I mentioned, I totally spaced on dinner. It was calabacitas and corn tortillas and lots of chips! 

Day Twenty-three:

 Running fuel, at 5:30am...

Breakfast: vanilla yogurt and apples.

I couldn't even eat it all because who the hell is hungry at 5:30am? especially after eating Mexican food and drinking beer the night before? Not me, that's who.

Lunch: Spring green salad from Four Cafe

Snack: cinnamon raisin bread with spicy nut-butter

(Go to hell City of Pasadena)

Dinner: Savory tofu and flax seed tortilla

For some reason, this savory tofu from TJ's was exactly what I wanted today. I think it was the salt. I snacked on a little too earlier and it just hit the spot. 

We are leaving for our camping trip tomorrow. I will do my best to document our meals as we go, however I will not be able to post anything until we get back. 

Happy summer!

Day Twenty-one

Strangest breakfast ever: left over California rolls.

Technically, it was more of a 'brunch' meal. I ate breakfast around 10. 

Lunch: sesame-ginger salad 

Lunch was at Graneville Cafe again....and then there was this:

veggie korma leftovers

it looked like dog shit, so I tried to jazz up the picture. I still looks a little revolting.

Dinner: damn edamame nuggets. 

Not shown: rice cakes, mozzarella, and a little spicy nut-butter. 

I have been feeling a little logie lately. Thinking, and looking, back on what I've been eating-I guess it makes sense.  I have to stop the nugget nonsense. 

Day Twenty

Today. 

Breakfast was not very photogenic. Can you find the bread?

Breakfast: apple

and cinnamon raisin bread

Lunch: spicy tuna rolls

with soy sauce...

I was so stupidly hungry for dinner that I ate it all, then proceeded to snack, before I even realized that I hadn't taken a picture.  So this is a series of things I finished off. Luckily I didn't finish the bottle of wine...

dinner: steelhead trout

quinoa

and lots, and lots, of spicy nut-butter

Oh wait, I did finish a bottle of wine. That is only because there was a teensy bit left. I meant I didn't open the bottle I opened...

Day Nineteen

So I am noticing some patterns in my eating. I will start the day with one or two items, and just continue to incorporate those into each meal-in some form. I wonder if this is more representative of what is currently in my kitchen or of what I may be craving, therefore what my body wants/needs.

Anyway. I went for a run this morning and I knew that homemade spicy nut-butter was exactly what I wanted. It is an incredible weakness of mine. It's up there is with tortilla chips and french fries. So I made some and had it for breakfast.

Breakfast: cinnamon raisin bread with spicy nut-butter

Lunch: Guacamole, spinach, and tofu wrap

I think I also had some of my signature rice cakes and cheese nonsense. 

I attempted dinner. It wasn't great and I didn't eat all of it. (I ate more spicy nut-butter though!)

Dinner: Spinach sauteed in garlic with white kidney beans

After dinner snack: popcorn

Day Seventeen and Eighteen

Day Seventeen:

I woke up late for my run. I needed sugar/carbs/protein + caffeine fast. For some unknown, non-time-saving reason, I decided to slice up my apple. It's a nicety that we only get from moms and grandmas; yet when we bestow it upon ourselves, it is almost just as lovely. 

Breakfast: apples, coffee, plain yogurt sweetened with agave nectar

One of my favorite meals of late: a veggie sandwich. This one is from Sprouts.

Lunch: vegetarian sandwich from Sprouts

And dinner. We celebrated our friend's birthday with the gift of Indian food.  This was his special request, so we went all out. It was phenonemal. My stomach hurt so much by the time I went to bed and I had the most bizarre dreams, fueled by food, spice, and white wine.  Good even when it's bad.

Vegetable 'nine jewel' korma

Aloo Gobi

I made the Aloo Gobi!

Samosas

We bought these, didn't make them!

the spread: korma, aloo gobi,
palak paneer, basmati rice
& samosa

Day Eighteen:

Copycat breakfast:

Leftovers for lunch: 

Snack time!

plums.

Dinner: cabbage and tofu salad

I also ate more tofu nuggets. They are sort of gross to eat as a meal and look particularly so in photographs. And almonds.