Getting Things in Order aka Stream of Conciousness

Nice ominous title, right? I’m not dying although I sure feel like I am! Ugh. I sound like a 60-year-old lung patient. Hackhackhackcough! Warning: this post will seem aimless & wandering. Enjoy!

These days, I cannot talk to a person for more than five minutes without mentioning the Impending Weeks Of Insanity. The last couple of months I mentally put “to do” items on my list of things I needed to do before February 6th rolled around. Of course, although the little things seem well, little when I push them to the back of my mind in November, they inevitably have grown into a to-do list the size of my ass Jupiter something big & witty.

When I think about blogging here all I can think of is lists. Lists and lists and lists. I find fascinating how recurrent the theme of perfection is here. The items I have collected on the massive to-do list are what I’d get done in a perfect world. Right now I am sick at home, typing in my shexy sweats, curled up with my comforter.

Note: I imagine you may think of me looking like this:

Source: iwastesomuchtime.com via Ruby on Pinterest

Productivity: I don’t haz it. Still, I looked back at my January goals and I actually feel like I can still get most of those things done. Even today! Anything that doesn’t involve going outside or moving: it’s attainable!

I’ve had some quality family time: the hubs, the toddler & myself went to the woods. We’ve been to an aquarium. We’ve had awesome PJ-days. Yesterday we celebrated Christmas with my sister.

Note: giving her the same sweater I have an wearing it was such an awesome mind-f*ck. It was really weird! Note 2: I just realized after uploading all my awesome photos that SOMEONE who shall remain nameless has been shmearing her greasy little fingers across the camera lens, adding a certain Days of Our Lives filter to the shots. Nice.

I also had dinner with my Dad, and the weekend before he got some quality time with Amber. So yay! Family time: goal accomplished.

Still, I came here to write out my To Do List before february 6th. It needs to be attainable & essential, so I shall weed & adjust whilst I type. Ohh, I tell you what, I shall type the list and then add stars (1-5) to indicate how important the item is. I love sparkly stars! Yay, a shiny! Wait, what?

• Write goals for February. This will also involve reviewing January goals & my NYR ***
• Organize/file paperwork Done!
• Clean out attic Done!
• Write basic weekly shopping list  Done!
• Write shopping lists for all 7 weeks of meal plans Done!
• Finish meal plans for the seven weeks Done!
• Finish workout/family outings/date night/dinner plan for Feb & March Done!
• Buy large sheets of paper & write out the weekly plans for us all to see Decided to print out the spredsheet w/ all the info
• Finish thesis proposal *** (I REALLY want to get this done before Feb 6th, but there’s no real deadline…)
• Quit coffee  (Update: tried it for 48 hours and then had a mochaccino with my hubby. Short on sleep & feeling under the weather, combined with the caffeine withdrawal made me feel extremely down. Still, I’m going to cut back and stick to one cup of coffee a day, and kick the diet coke out completely. I still call that a win!).
• Get finances sorted Done!
• Set up the unlimited  movie rental deal Done!
• Book flights to London for the Spring  Done!
• Exercise Done!
• Blog! Ha! I almost posted this without adding that, but then I would have spent the last hour not doing anything on my list! Check!

Okay, I need to go walk the dog & then get started on some more sedentary activities from my list.

What’s on your to-do list?

Perfection vs Attainability

I have had a realization.

Just because I know how to eat, exercise, and generally do anything perfectly in theory, doesn’t mean I can attain perfection in all these areas.

Sounds… logical, right? Here’s how this is a big deal for me to realize it.

I’m sure some of you recognize this in yourselves: I research everything to death. I am a pretty intelligent person and I am rather good at doing my research, finding the actual facts behind the headlines, and applying the “best practices” to any part of my life.*

The thing is, when I was starting to realize that, yes, I do sometimes have limitations I need to consider when trying to better myself, I started thinking about other areas that I perhaps may be frustrated about not being perfect in. I set the standard high for myself – that’s how I accomplish things I’d otherwise give up on when the going gets tough. However, if I set the standard too high, it leaves me frustrated and perpetually disappointed in myself. And I’d just decided not to get so down on myself like that.

Source: jenniferjohner.typepad.com via Ruby on Pinterest

So what are the areas in which I may have been setting the bar too high for myself?

1. Diet perfection. I realized that I see the perfect diet as a hybrid between the approaches of Michael Pollan, veganism, eating clean, and eating whole foods. Added to that, all animals products need to be organic, as do most of the fruits and vegetables. There are to be no store-bought cookies or treats, soda, soy and white grains are out as well. Produce should be as local as possible, and try to eat as seasonably as possible.

Diet reality. I cannot afford this level of perfection. Not time-wise, and not money-wise. Yes, I have heard the tips & tricks on how to keep costs low and where to find money to “invest in my health”. But the fact of the matter is that we are on a tight budget, as well as on a tight schedule. If and when I start to earn more money, I will most definitely add in more of these elements to our diet. When I finish my degree, and when Amber is a little bigger, there will be more room in my schedule and in my brain for better menu-planning and shopping lists.

Until then? I shall do the best I can. If the organic meat is on offer, I’ll get it. If I feel we’re eating to much processed crap – my body usually tells me that – I’ll bring some focus back to whole foods. Most importantly, I will acknowledge the level of what we already accomplish, compared to the majority of the population. Weekly menu plans, fresh fruit & veggies every day, 99% of meals and snacks are home-prepared, and our diet is pretty varied.

2. Fitness perfection. My vision of a perfect fitness routine is one where I weight train three times a week. I work all muscles, using full body moves and dumbbells or perhaps kettlebells (no machines). I train all muscles to fatigue and recover sufficiently. Every six weeks I change the routine, or I keep doing different exercises for every sessions. Perfect fitness for me also means running three times a week, two 5Ks and a long run (10K). Add to that regular yoga sessions, and there you have it: perfection!

Fitness reality. Like with diet, I cannot afford this, either in time or in money. Mostly in time, but money also because there’s no way I’d keep this up without a personal trainer or classes. It also sounds like too much work. On the other hand, the Perfect Diet and Perfect Fitness appeal to me, because their elements make me feel good. I love hardcore strength/circuit training. There is a reason I cannot commit to “just 10 minutes a day” or similar baby steps. I do not like baby steps. I like giant steps. They give me the biggest bang for my buck, a sense of achievement. Yet at this point in my life – and most likely at any time in my life – I cannot maintain such a routine. At least not for long stretches of time.

Realizing this has made me more accepting towards these baby steps. If I don’t get a run in during the week, or don’t do a long run for a couple of weeks, it does not make me a lesser person. I still run. It doesn’t mean I’ve quit. I’m doing the best I can. “The best I can do” is also no longer an excuse, it is a promise I make to myself.

So my alternative to Perfect Fitness revolves around this promise. I need a frame of reference to work with my weekly schedule: I still need goals to work towards, even if some weeks go more swimmingly than others. I will still aim for three weekly runs. I am also going to try doing mini-weight training sessions daily. I was thinking something along the lines of alternating 20 push-ups, 50 crunches (different types), and squats & lunges throughout the week. I also ordered a couple of new workout DVDs to add to my library, and whenever I do find a slot, you can bet your behind I will be using them. I also plan to switch it up every now and then by attending a new class: yoga, maybe CrossFit, or a Kettlebell training. I’d also love to take a surf-class this summer.

So tell me the difference between your vision of perfection, and what reality is like for you. In which areas have you set the bar too high? Describe your Perfect Diet & Perfect Fitness.

* This is one of the reasons I find parenting to be so tough. It is an area where there is no definitive research. Ethics kind of get in the way of any hardcore research on kids and what will make them healthiest/happiest/etc It’s also why becoming a parent has made me even smarter – I now have and trust my intuition! – as well as more informed about how little I in fact know.

Evolution of Resolutions & January Goals

After I posted my New Year’s Resolutions, I started thinking about the goals. I consciously looked at my daily life with the goals I had posted in mind, and tried to realistically evaluate them. I took a step back from the mindset of GOAL-SETTING OMG I MUST DO THIS partly due to a query I heard on Zen Parenting: why is December the only month we feel so giving and connected? Why can’t we take the holiday spirit year round? The hosts talked about how we often start the new year off in January with restriction & things we must do, instead of carrying the holiday spirit with us throughout the year. The spirit of giving, forgiveness, kindness, and generosity.

I absolutely stand behind the general thought that went into my list of goals, however a number of them I feel I need to readjust, due to the way my life is at the moment. I’d also like to encourage you to do the same!

For example. I tend to think I could do a little yoga or core work in the evenings. I also had the goal of reading every night, instead of watching TV or hanging out online. However, there is a very specific reason that this just doesn’t work right now, in my life: Amber is a very light sleeper! She also sometimes needs a little fussing to fall asleep. This means that I daren’t move an inch in the first 45 minutes after she goes to bed. The sound of the electric kettle has woken her up before! Add to that the fact that she very often wakes up before 5 am, and I need to be in bed by 8 pm for my own sanity. Do you see the problem here? I have a vision of what I would like to do in the evenings, a vision of how my life would look like. But for now, it’s pretty difficult to make that happen.

Another aspect I hadn’t taken into account, is that I forget what it’s like to be in the middle of midterms/end of term papers/busy-busy-busy life. What happens is that I just cannot fathom making a lovely green salad, or going for a run. I can make myself do it, but it takes huge amounts of motivation. Living healthily in these times just does not come naturally. I’m not giving myself permission to just let it all go – I’m heading towards an insane time in my life (Feb-March), but that insane time will still take 7-8 weeks. Not exercising & eating really crummily for that long is also not an option. Neither is expecting myself to stick to the 3 runs, 3 strength workouts, 2 yoga workouts, daily meditation, etc. the whole time.

I do want to remember to celebrate life! Despite the insanity, my family deserves a happy & relatively sane me, as do I! This:

… this is me. Intensely happy, giddily proud, completely at home in my own body & mind (crossing the finish line at my 15K race in November).

And this:

… this is us. Happily imperfect (trying to get a family Christmas picture… this is the best one ) & goofy as hell.

Goals for the rest of January

1. Actually set up the envelopes for envelope budget system. Get envelopes, write purpose on them, find a safe place for them.
2. Write shopping lists for the 8-weeks-of-insanity. Give Rowan the instructions to order the groceries online, discuss how we want to set it up.
3. Archive all the mail lying around, and get rid of study stuff I don’t need.
4. Mop the floor. I call this my bi-annual chore. Hehe.
5. Set up our movie night: look up movies we want to see, get the unlimited rental deal, find the popcorn maker.
6. Run four times.
7. Do two Jillian Michaels DVD workouts.
8. No eating after dinner, except on movie night
9. Plan quality family time (pyjama mornings, family outings) & get outside at least three times.
10. Blog about how things went!

Life & Writing

Getting back into the social media & blogging world has been inspiring. I read inspiring posts from amazing people. Miracles happen, people reach out, and things make me laugh hysterically as well as extremely relieved. I am allowing all these sensations to sink in, and bring me writing inspiration. I have all these wonderful ideas for posts & writing & recipes & blogging & oh my! But then doubt & cynicism kicks in and I get stuck. So I am taking the advice below by ignoring the inner critic and just writing. It’s all about practice. It’s all about finding my voice.

Source: thepipersson.tumblr.com via Ruby on Pinterest

 

In the two weeks before Christmas, as well as the week after, I had a tough time. Things – people – I had always been certain of to be able to count on them, suddenly got up-ended. It felt like the rug was pulled from under my feet. It left me gasping for breath. Every day brought new developments, and almost every night had me crawling into bed with puffy eyes & red cheeks from crying.

It sucked  BIG TIME.

One of the theories I learned about reality & identity is that we, as human beings, will try to maintain our vision of who we are and the world around us for as long as possible, even in the face of clear evidence to the opposite. This is because we cannot function properly if our identity or our grounded beliefs were to constantly change. Just like we most likely would not be able to function if we really, really knew of all the dangers & risks that were out there.

So when this all went down I felt like I had been beaten to a pulp. I was unsteady on my feet, unsteady in my mind. I felt a rift between who I thought I was and who other people think I am. I knew that I had to choose between the two sides, the two personalities. Each choice had it’s perks & drawbacks. Big drawbacks.

I chose me. I knew it was the right choice. Once I had decided to do so, the world shifted again. My vision cleared up. I could hear what other people were telling me about myself. Compliments. Admiration. Inspiration. Good things. I suddenly understood how important I am. To others, and especially to my little family. I had been rejecting all these good things in an off-hand manner. It’s not such a big deal. Anyone could do this. I’m nothing special. 

With the relief of acknowledging myself as someone special, someone worth knowing, someone worth fighting for, also came sadness. Sadness that I had not been able to see this in myself. Sadness for the withholding of love I would often punish myself with. Sadness that I could not sooner choose me.

Out of the sadness also came hope. And love. And freedom. Love, in the shape of warm, earnest concern & acceptance & support from others around me. Support I had not been able to ask for, either through lack of words or lack of faith. Freedom in knowing that a person’s story is never finished. We are never done. You can reinvent yourself as often as you like. You can change, or stay the same.

All choices have consequences, but that is no reason not to choose at all.

New Year’s Resolutions 2012 edition

Hi!

I know I promised I wouldn’t post for a year… but New Year’s Resolutions are no fun & so much less effective if not shared with the blogging world! Also, a lot has happened in the past weeks and it has made me realize that if I want to to work on staying true to myself, I need to practice, practice, PRACTICE. Blogging here will be a good place to start: can I write without letting the inner critic getting the best of me? Can I post whenever I feel like it and not because I feel like I should?

Source: a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net via Ruby on Pinterest

So here, for my own accountability and for your inspiration: my healthy living goals for 2012. I might point out that some are more focus points than actual, spelled out goals. But you catch my drift, right? Let me know what your goals & ideas are and if you’ve got any suggestions!

New Year’s Goals – Plan to Thrive

1. Run.

• 20-30 minutes three times a week.
• Long run once a week if possible (instead of one short run)
• 500 miles in 2012!

Source: google.com via Ruby on Pinterest

2. Yoga.

• Sun Salutations in the mornings.
• Short Evening Yoga wind down video (youtube)
• One “real” yoga class per week (I found a school nearby). Haha I tried this and it was AWFUL. However, it made me realize I would prefer to practice at home anyway. So I’m replacing this goal with another one: “seriously” practice one yoga DVD/online video a week.

3. Strength.

• Do a workout DVD once a week that focus on strength
• Do core workout at least once a week (it should be more, but I just know I cannot keep up. One is better than none, right?)

4. Meditation & Mindfulness & Balance.

• Daily meditation through podcast
• Use breathing techniques.
• Watch posture.
• Let go.
• Use lunch break purely to walk & meditate & take photos (no shopping!) – this is such a tough one! I should make it more realistic by setting the goal to “once a week”!
• Have a notebook for all thoughts & to do’s
• Reduce screen time: read a book in the evenings to relax. Anyone got some good suggestions?
• Light candles

Source: flickr.com via Ruby on Pinterest

6. Nutrition.

• Max 1 coffee per day
• Yoghurt once a day, with fruit I tried this and it is just too much lactose. I get completely bloated. Sad! I love me some Greek yoghurt…
• Snack on nuts, dried fruit, lean protein, fruit, veggies, hummus, cheese, chickpeas
• Drink herbal tea & water & black tea with soy milk (I need a little caffeine…)
• Reduce processed meats
• Reduce fried foods
• Take vitamins daily
• Drink three green monsters a week
• Take omega 3 supplement
• Reduce white flour & white sugar
• Eggs
• Citrus fruits
• Organic dark chocolate
• Green Salads
• Avocados

Source: loveadinfinitum.tumblr.com via Ruby on Pinterest

7. Family Balance.

• Get outside & enjoy nature together at least once a week (woods, beach, dunes, etc.)
• Enjoy a lazy morning once a week: PJ’s, cooked breakfast, playing on the floor, building forts or train tracks or chasing each other around.
• Enjoy a movie once a week with the hubs: home date night. Unplug, light candles, and snuggle up.
• Move into a relaxed but structured schedule: sit down for all meals & snacks, TV at certain times of the day, a little chore time every day to prevent things piling up.
• Add new activities every month to do with Amber: creative stuff, play set ups, go to a playground, go for coffee & a snack for her.
• Keep the whole family “crap-free”. Keep treats & sweets to a minimum.

8. Personal Development.

• Practice who I want to be: a calm, fun-loving, spontaneous, relaxed, honest, thoughtful, thankful, energetic, perceptive, hard-working, open-minded, trying to stay balanced, upbeat, positive person. Let go of what other people may or may not think, stay true to myself and stop comparing or judging other people. Even the little things! I don’t want the judging rubbing off on Amber.
• Focus on family.
• Healthy money: Budget using envelope system. Work on reducing debt extra fast.
• Unplug more often. Like with TV, set times for Internet use for recreational purposes. Also at work!
• Attain my Masters degree.

Source: idea-obscura.tumblr.com via Ruby on Pinterest

You can see my New Year’s Resolution Vision Board on Pinterest here.

I think I’d like to do a monthly goal thing as well, with more specifics & little goals to try out.

Have a great 2012!

Bringing the focus back to myself

The past couple of weeks I’ve been thinking about blogging, social media, and the way I use the internet.

Long story short: I’m taking a long break. Long, as in at least a year. Why? See the title of this post. After a long period of needing to express myself to others, I am now feeling the need to express myself, to me.

The words are no longer flowing. They are being hindered, filled with static, from influences from the outside. I cannot even write what I mean, right now. The thoughts are bubbling over, yet I am lost for words.

This is good. This is new. I am finally no longer afraid to face my inner self. I am curious. I would like to get to know this Ruby-person. I would like to venture into my mind, my history, my life, my thoughts and explore all these aspects. Good and bad.

I will be writing. But I will not be writing for others. I hope to journal, to find my new, unencumbered voice.

I want to make this journey about me. Writing those words makes me cringe – and that is why I won’t be blogging. The cringing is due to the static. I want to be able to do away with the cringing at percieved ego-centrism, so I can get into the deep stuff.

Thank you for reading. I will keep up the Amber blog, for sharing family stuff & little things.

If you want to keep in touch, I’d love that. Really. You can email me, or comment and I’ll reply from my email.

I will be reading. I still love the new information I get from blogs. I want to feel free to comment, whenever the mood strikes me, and not because I want a reply back, or because I feel like I need to return a favour.

Finally, a summary of what else I will be up to in the next year:
1. Finishing my master’s degree
2. Running a 15K race on November 15th
3. Running a half marathon on January 8th.
4. Enjoying family time.
5. Planning a trip to Chicago.
6. Doing plenty of home renovation projects.

I will keep the blog up & readable. I will most likely share the race photos.

Thank you…

xxx
Ruby

Pumpkin

Guess what I found?

Frozen pumpkin pieces!

For sale!

In the Netherlands!

I have been craving everything pumpkin, thanks to Pinterest, food bloggers, and all my American friends. Pumpkin is not widely available here. But now…

I shall have my pumpkin smoothie and eat it toooooooo!

PS: time to blog is sporadic. But, if you wish to keep up to date with my half marathon training, I do keep updating my Half Marathon Training Page.

Everyone Should Vacation in the Cotswolds!

I’ve been going on holiday to the Cotswolds since I was 5 years old, as that’s where my beloved grandmother lived. My aunt and now my dad have bought houses there, so we get to keep going. It’s quite an expensive area in England, especially when it comes to holiday cottages or B&B’s, so I’m stoked we still get to stay for free!

The whole region is protected, so the gorgeous green hills, country walks & pretty Cotswold stone houses are here to stay. I’m so happy Amber gets to experience these holidays as well!

Being in such an astoundingly beautiful area makes it almost impossible to not be inspired. It was just what our family needed: a break from the everyday drudgery, and a break from the everyday to-do lists. It brought the focus back on what is important to us, as a family (as it always does). It helped remind me to stop more often and enjoy the moment, the things we have and the people we are with. Material things become less important. With all these top layers being on a break, it makes it easier to find my inner self and remember the values that I find most important.

An important epiphany I had this time was that I am in love with the concept of life long learning. As I have been studying one thing or another since I was 19 (and been going to school since I was 4), the idea of ‘I just have finish this…to get my degree I only have to take another year’s classes…one more semester and I’ll be done‘. Somehow, that idea got stuck in my head when it came to life in general as well.

Whilst on holiday, I realized the pressure I sometimes felt to do everything perfectly, to understand and read every word there has been written about fitness/diet/parenting/blogging/running/time management/etcetera, had to do with the notion of getting there. Getting my degree – so to speak – in all these life lessons. I’ve no idea what sort of time frame I had in mind, but there was a deadline. Of that I was subconsciously sure.

Once I realized this, I let go. I found a new exuberance in the concept of life long learning. The fact that I’ll never be done is absolutely freeing: there’s no end goal, just endless opportunities to learn new things, to make mistakes, to try new avenues and to have fun doing so. I’m not someone to slack (I assume you know that about me by now), so I’m not worried that by having no deadline I will stop practicing or studying. I love that this means I can also take the time to really take the time. I don’t have to cram for life’s exams.

The 30-before-30 list actually started the train of thought. I think my ‘internal deadline’ tended to be a maximum of three months from now. No wonder I felt stressed about any DIY chores, changes to be made to our lifestyle, etc. If I had to accomplish everything within a maximum of three months, there indeed would be no time for relaxation. That leads me into another point: because I was so fixated on getting things done, whenever I had a bit of free time, all I could do was either watch TV or mindlessly browse different social media. I didn’t want to have to think about attempting the best way to spend my free time. Other ways to relax just sounded like too much work.

Meditation? Do you have any idea how much I’d have to read to perfect it! Blogging? I’d have to think out every word to be perfect! Running? I’d have to check the plan, plan a route, get my music & outfit, do a warm-up and a coldown and maybe also some core work afterwards… No wonder it sounded like too much work!

September Goals

My brain still works best with to-do lists. This epiphany hasn’t changed that, but that’s okay. What has changed is the timescale and the ability to realize that 1) it’s okay to not meet your goals, it’s all part of life’s lessons, and 2) have a larger timescale to do list (say, 12 months) means my monthly and thus weekly/daily to do list will actually be part of the larger plan – giving me more motivation to stick to it.

So, without further ado, here are my September goals:

1. Complete 4 weeks of a 15K running plan (starting in week 3, longest run: 9 km. Try short runs without music!)
2. Do 4 Jillian Michaels DVD workouts
3. Switch our general cleaning product (allesreiniger) to a natural alternative
4. Deep clean the upstairs bathroom (with said alternative!)
5. Read eight articles for my Master’s thesis
6.  Buy cocktail dress done!
7. Have a first real night out with the hubz (planned for September 16th – wedding party!)
8. Get started on my resume story (I plan to write what I want it & cover letters to represent about me, then shorten it to the usual format)

All that’s left is to choose a catchy theme for the month: how about Sweet & Sweaty September?

Have a great weekend & let me know what your goals or plans are for the month!

 

 

30 Before 30 Bucket List

A couple of weeks ago I realized I have a bit more than 18 months before I turn 30. I found this utterly fascinating: I didn’t feel fear, or worry or anything negative. I did feel excitement about reaching such an awesome milestone. The past year has been about my not-so-much-a-baby-anymore’s milestones, so it was fun to realize I still have a couple to go, as well.

One of the things that immediately sprung to mind was the ’30 before 30′ bucket list I could make. I like the idea of setting up this list now, as opposed to much nearer the time or much further away (like, when I was 21). 18 months can bring loads of change, but it’s not like I’ll be tempted too much to post really ‘out there’ goals (e.g. own a sports car, have 6 kids, earn a PhD, etc.) that would be disappointing to come across.

I’ve also been contemplating the things I’d like to change in my life for the better. Small things, but significant. Through trial and error I have learned that if you want to change certain habits or ways of living permanently, you have to give yourself ample time, permission to fall & get back up again, and a plan that consists of what other may see as baby steps.

Finally, what I have heard over and over again is that 30, 40, 50 – all these milestone ages bring more peace. More acceptance of who you are, more ease in letting go of what others may think of you… of course this isn’t true for everyone, but I definitely feel that’s the direction I’m heading. And it’s neat!

So, here’s my list so far:

1. Earn my Master’s degree in Sociology
2. Run a Half Marathon
3. Take a First Aid class
4. Build a basic, smart & stylish wardrobe
5. Take a photography class
6. Acquire a dSLR camera & learn how to use it
7. Take a (creative) writing class
8. Revamp my resume
9. Save 2000 euros
10. Complete a sporting event for charity (a run, a walk, whatever)
11. Set up a recycling system
12. Switch to natural cleaning products
13. Research & set up a family grocery plan (to save money, eat fresher, healthy, tasty and fast)
14. Continue to have fun with my little girl & my husband
15. Get into a regular exercise groove/regime (sounds so harsh!)

It is harder to come up with 30 things than I thought! Oh well, 15 is pretty good – halfway there. It leaves some space for new goals that will inevitably pop up.

What are somethings that are on your bucket list? Your longer term to-do list?

Sweet ‘n’ Sour Chicken, a Running Update & Two More New Meals

So far August is turning out pretty awesome! A lot of it has to do with a change in my mentality. I wanted to get out of the self-pitying rut and get back into a more fabulous state of mind.

First up, a new recipe – one I mentioned in my previous post, but I didn’t give the full instructions.

Sweet ‘n’ Sour Chicken

Toddler proof: yes
Adult proof: yes, but you may want to add some spice at the last minute to your serving(s), like tabasco, sweet chili sauce or chili powder.
Serves: 2 adults + 1 toddler generously. You could probably get away with serving it to 3-4 people, if you added a salad and maybe bulked out the rice with a serving of peas.

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil for cooking
1 onion, sliced into half rings
1 large organic chicken breast, no skin (around 350 grams), sliced into long & thin pieces
3 bell peppers (red & yellow go best with it) – sliced into long & thin pieces
0.5 can of pineapple pieces (or rings, chopped up) + juice/syrup – I used a can with ‘light’ syrup & served the other half for dessert.
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp + 1 tbsp soy sauce 
1 tbsp vinegar (white wine or apple cider)
Sugar

(Please excuse the recycled pic – taking step-by-step photos of meal prep is not something I can currently do without a toddler getting into trouble behind my back!)

1. I recommend prepping everything beforehand, so you can make dinner super quick. Once you’ve chopped the chicken, put it in a bowl or ziploc bag with a tbsp of (Tamari) soy sauce. Put it in the fridge to marinate.

2.  Pour the oil into the pan & turn on heat. Saute the onions until translucent.

3. Add the chicken + marinade. Cook until just done.

4. Add the peppers & cook for about 4 minutes, getting them to soften a little.

5. Add the pineapple pieces, half the juice/syrup, tomato paste, soy sauce & vinegar. Warm through and taste the sweetness – this will depend on the type of juice you used. Adjust to taste with extra sugar. Add salt & pepper if desired.

6. When everything’s heated through, serve over a bed of warm rice. Enjoy!

Running Update

Running is going well! I am taking it easy and not sticking to the marathon training plan yet. I have the time, and I am determined to make sure I don’t get injured, nor that I give up from getting overzealous and burning out. Jeff put out a very thoughtful post on his journey to allowing himself to run slower. I run slow anyway, but the post resonated with me as I am also trying to embrace the whole process of running. Or maybe, the process of becoming a runner again.

For example, I used to set out a plan (starting on Monday, always) and if the planned activity for Monday didn’t go through – everything was shot to hell. Now I am much more patient with myself: I realize I am getting back into a groove, a new rhythm. One which is complicated by another little person and her needs, as well as my husband’s and my own. I am learning to find new patterns and work out moments. So even though the past weeks I’ve ‘just’ stuck to three 30 minute runs per week, I have already gained so much insight from these days that I am in general, feeling pretty awesome.

Random things I’ve learned:

• Running 75 minutes after a hefty meal = a bad idea. Next time my run in the morning doesn’t happen, I’ll go for a walk after dinner and move the run to the next day.
• Running in the morning works best for me, but the whole process takes longer than the 30 minute run itself. I can make these happen as long as Rowan has an evening shift.
• Strength training planned on a work day, after dinner, will not happen. By the time I get Amber into bed, cleared up the mess from dinner, and sat down on the couch, I am D O N E. I’m still thinking about a solution to this one!
• Running with a friend is awesome.
• The amount of calories I burn by running give me extra incentive to try new & healthy – if caloric – recipes…

Two New(ish) Recipes

Today I burned around 1000 calories from a 60 minute bike ride + 40 minute run/walk. Obviously, this was a perfect time to try out Angela’s Cheeze Sauce, over pasta!

Oh my. This was good! Although I messed it up, a little. Things that went wrong:

1. I tried to combine the different cheez recipes and figure out the best one for a regular pasta sauce. I ended up with a rather lemony version.

2. I made the mistake of trying to heat the sauce on its own, whilst chasing Amber around the room. After 2 minutes I came back and it had burned into the pan. Luckily I made plenty, so I could salvage the top layer and slowly heat it up with a bit of butter.

I definitely want to tweak this gorgeous recipe a little: I’m thinking of adding mushroom bouillon (as opposed to veggie broth), using less lemon juice and then using the sauce to smother a load of sauteed mushrooms and some fresh spinach, which I’ll then pour over pasta. Are you salivating yet? Cause I am!

Almond Butter Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I made these once before, but with a different variety of sweet potato (the orange kid). These were the white kind. Still just as tasty. Still just as easy. All you to is mix 1 tbsp almond butter with 1 tbsp canola oil, per sweet potato. Slice potato into fries, pour over the almond butter mix. Toss the fries to coat them, then roast them for 20 – 30 minutes in the oven. Mmmmm!

Amber & I enjoyed these with some broad beans & a veggie burger. The little lady stuffed herself to the brim!

It’s almost the weekend – will you be trying ay new foods or recipes?