Rain, Rain, Go Away

I am super exhausted. Today I woke up and made breakfast for Cassi and myself. She had French Toast, I had a couple of eggs and we both had coffee.

I went to work and came home around 2:30 and changed and rode my bike over to Ballard to meet my parents. I rode back home and it rained on me pretty good. It has been nice a few days and now it's rainy again. I am ready for the spring and ready for some sun! I was actually pretty exhausted so I laid low, made myself dinner and now, I am ready for bed.

For Dinner: Sauteed Cabbage, apple and crimini mushroom salad with green onion and a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive oil.

That's all for today, night, night.

Work Week.

It's been so long since I have blogged that I guess I should fill you in. I am working at Serious Pie Westlake, a shmancy pizza joint, one of Tom Douglas' restaurants. It is awesome; the money is great, the food is fantastic and the people are even better. There is also room for opportunity, which I will explain in another post. I work all day Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings and Wednesday night. That's it! I have 5 shifts which makes me full time, but I have three days off in a row which is going to make it so great for me to train and have fun during the summer.

This summer will be the first summer in two years that I will have both legs!!! Let's re-cap:

Summer of 2009

There I am, front and center!

Summer of 2010

This is a couple hours after I got home from the hospital, I think I am a little out of it.

I am ready to have a real summer, big time!

KNOCK ON WOOD

KNOCK ON WOOD

KNOCK ON WOOD

KNOCK ON WOOD

KNOCK ON WOOD

My weekend is all over and I have to go get ready for work, I really have to do my hair before it air dries all flippy like a little Dutch boy. Talk soon, promise.

Why, Hello Again!

Wow, it has been a super long time. I am excited to get back on my blog and motivate myself again to kick my butt into shape and really feel the burn. Last weekend Cassi and I went to visit Ally, my sister, and her husband Shay in San Francisco. It was a great trip! We drove which to most people sounds absolutely absurd but it was actually really nice. It's a 12-13 hour drive and we timed it right so we wouldn't hit any traffic in the cities we were passing through. When we got there we had a fantastic time; we shopped, we ate, we drank, we danced, we laughed . . . it was great.

When we got back to Seattle both Cassi and I really felt like it was time to start fresh. So we went grocery shopping and tidied up the apartment and decided to get back on track. It's Spring folks! Wahoo!

I have started jogging again and am already feeling great. Yesterday Cassi and I did the 6 1/2 mile loop around Lake Union, non-stop. It felt really good and I was really surprised I could do it.

After the run we went down the the market and walked around. It was so nice yesterday. I love the market, It's really touristy but still the colors, smells, and people watching is great!

San Francisco Pictures!!

Cool painted van at the side of the road.

The heart at Union Square

Love this picture of Cassi 

 This picture is blurry but its the only one with everyone in it. 80's night

 We went all out and danced our hearts out at an 80's themed night at a local bar.

Wing Span of the Golden Gate this one.

Just for the record I AM kneeling, I am not THAT short.

Wine Cave, look at all that wine!

Benziger Winery, love this pic.

Steppin' Out

Last night Cassi and I had the night off together. We ran some errands and then decided to do something different for dinner. We ended up going to an Afghan Cuisine restaurant that was truly amazing. I would never pick this kind of cuisine usually but I realized while reading the reviews of this place online, that I really had never tried anything like it. The place is called Kabul and is right in Wallingford. Oh my goodness it was so good.

For Dinner: We started with cardamon hot tea which was their specialty drink as the server explained to us. Then we ordered to appetizers and one entree for us to split. All of it was great.

Bolani -Turnovers filled with scallions, cilantro and potato, served with yogurt-garlic dip.

Shornakhod -A salad composed of chickpeas and kidney beans with a crushed cilantro, lemon and vinegar dressing. 

Badenjan Borani -Eggplant sauteed and simmered in a lightly spiced tomato-based sauce, served on a bed of yogurt garlic sauce, sprinkled with dried mint.

The flavors were so fresh and the atmosphere was great too.

Cassi and I just got back from the gym it is about 1:30 and soon we will both have to get ready for work. We jogged to and from the gym which round trip is 3.22 miles, we tracked it. When we got to the gym we focused on strength building exercises, since we already had the cardio taken care of.

For Lunch: I just made a smoothie for us. frozen berries, flaxseeds, protein powder a touch of cranberry juice concentrate.

Work, working out, my knee, my health, I feel like everything is going pretty well!

Keep Running!

I worked last night and then went to the gym. I jogged two and a half miles and then walked a mile and a half. It felt really good and makes progress for my weight and my knee seem promising. I got home and ate some dinner.

For Dinner: Tuna fish with artichokes capers lemon juice and a touch of olive oil. I also had an apple.

I worked all day today and it was okay. I got a break in the middle of the day and I came home and made myself some lunch and relaxed for a bit.

For Lunch: Broccoli and the same tuna fish with artichokes and capers.

Cassi bought me some Market spice tea yesterday and I haven't been able to get enough! I love it.  I went back to work and just got home. I work all day tomorrow so i am just laying low tonight, I am super tired!

I really want to get back to the gym and keep running!

Sleepy Head

For Breakfast: One piece of dry toast and coffee.

I slept in sooooo late today. almost 11, I really must have needed it because I never sleep that late. A couple hours later, after Cassi got home from volunteering, I made lunch.

For Lunch: Steamed shrimp and broccoli with just a little garlic, salt and pepper.

In a little bit I will have to go to work, fun fun fun!

Night, Night.

I worked at my new job today for the second time. I only worked for a couple hours and then went to the gym. I ran on the treadmill today. I did over a mile and my knee felt great! I also did the stationary bike. I am excited to go back and get into a routine again and with my new work schedule I should be able to get to the gym at least 4-5 times a week, I just have to do it!

Cassi got home from work nice and early tonight, I made dinner for the two of us.

For Dinner: Organic baby greens with red onion, toasted pecans, honey crisp apple. and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. With chicken breast cooked in a cast iron skillet and roasted brussel sprouts with pecans and garlic. So good, so full.

I am so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open, so I am going to go shut them, night night.

Not Too Shabby!

I woke up Wednesday and spent some good quality time with my kitchen. I roasted some garlic, to make pesto, I made pesto from the ridiculous amount of Basil I bought, and I even roasted a chicken, and I took pictures of everything!

First I roasted garlic:
I just use foil and put peeled garlic in the oven with a bit olive oil and salt. Super simple.

That's it! I put it in the oven at about 375-400 for an hour.

Then I made pesto. I make my pesto vegan. I use raw almonds, salt, pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and fresh basil, with roasted garlic.

First I get my food processor out and chop up my almonds. I buy slivered almonds because I use them for lots of other things.

 

I set the almonds aside and clean my basil. After I food process my basil I add the almonds back and salt and pepper and then slowly add my oil. I don't measure how much I use, everything to taste and consistency.

Quite simple really.

The next thing I did was roast a chicken so I can use it through the work week in sandwiches and for salads. First I prep the bird. Ever since a couple months ago when I halved the bird before I cooked it and had such great results I have done the same thing. So I rinse and dry the bird and then chop it in half removing only the spine. Then I get my pan ready. I slice some carrots and onion and use it as a riser to elevate the bird from the pan. I season the chicken only with my Gullah seasoning and that's it. and then into the oven for 1 1/2 hours at 425 degrees.

See the carrots and onions?

The rub on the chicken

Half way through the cooking I add some chicken stock that has been simmering with the chicken giblets. 

The stock this makes is awesome!

All that cooking and I actually didn't have any of that. I made Cassi and I the tofu cucumber salad that I had for dinner the other night.

Not Too Shabby!

Tuesday, my day off.

I woke up pretty late this morning which felt fantastic because I was tired and it was my day off today.

For Breakfast: Coffee. Two eggs , over hard.

I paid bills, cleaned the apartment and organized the kitchen during the morning and then set out to runs lots of errands.

For Lunch: I just grabbed a handful of raw almonds.

I went to target and then to Trader Joe's and to Cash 'n' Carry. I bought just a few things, enough to fill in the gaps at home. I stopped by the Biosonics office and said hi to Mom and Dad and then came home and made myself dinner.

For Dinner: I have a julienne peeler so I took it to some English cucumber and some carrot and tossed it with lemon zest a touch of lemon juice, ground ginger, sesame seeds, sesame oil, white rice vinegar, a little salt and pepper. I sliced some firm tofu and browned it in my cast iron skillet. I laid down a bed of organic mixed greens and topped it with my tofu and cucumber sesame salad. It was awesome!!!!

I just packed a goodie bag and I am about to go meet Jules for a movie. I packed some dried cranberries, raw almonds and walnuts.