If any of you reading this would like to ask me a question or five, fire away. :-) I could use a little distraction right now.

Current Mood: pensive

I finally broke 10,000 steps and all it took was parking at the very back of the parking lot, walking during my morning break, going out for lunch, walking during my afternoon break, and walking one more time after dinner. Whew.

Methinks I will have to integrate some higher impact exercises. I don't have enough time to walk this much every day!

Current Mood: happy

that I would not keep up with the regular fitness posting. But, here's the abbreviated version: I'm averaging between 5000 and 6000 steps daily, with a high of 9,400. I've hit around that high twice now, so I think I could get 10,000/day if I really applied myself. (In other words, if the weather were fairly nice and I got outside and walked for my two breaks.)

Traded on Swaptree for a copy of "The Step Diet Book". There's not a lot of diet to it. The book recommends trying to eat 3/4 of what one normally eats, and  then adding 500 steps a week until you meet the step goal. After doing some calculations, here is what the book says will help me to my goal of losing 20 lbs in 12 weeks.

Just resting, my body burns calories equivalent to a bit over 34,250 steps in a day.
With walking and other exercise activities, I average around 6,550 steps in a day.
This adds up to around 40,800.
My physical activity only makes up 16% of my total when it should be around 25% (or more, I guess). In order to hit 25%, I need to get 10,200 steps from walking or other exercise.

I've been getting exercise DVDs instead of going for the pricier gym membership. Swaptree has been a good source, and with some judicious couponing, I got a couple cheaply at the bookstore. I've also been tuning in to, and working out with, Shimmy on a somewhat regular basis. Unfortunately, it seems to only be on in the evenings on Tuesday now. It is "traditional" bellydance, though I probably don't really know enough to make that judgment. I'm fascinated by some of the tribal and fusion bellydancers, though, especially Anasma.

Current Mood: enthralled

I'm having way too much drama in my life right now. Most of it is a lot more important than this, but this is easier to bitch about. I removed the other party's name because I'm not quite that pissed off. Yet.

8/1/09   10:03 AM   Swaptree Update User printed shipping label.  

8/3/09   7:48 AM Other trader: Hi I wrote to the wrong person on saturday,I no longer have this dvd ,i don't know why swaptree listed it 2 times I found out that I had traded it a month ago .I did not realize it when I printed out the shipping label ,I actually forgot about it because I do so many trades .I don't know what to do now I am so sorry is there anything else on my have list you would like to trade ,again I am really sorry Please contact me  

Current Mood: annoyed

Two ideas have been bouncing around in my head for a few months now, and I haven't taken the time to write them down anywhere.

1) I'm really annoyed at the scientists who have connected the dots between diet and global warming, but have concluded their thought process with "not that I'm saying people need to go vegetarian".

2) I need to exercise more and lose weight. Working at nearly completely sedentary desk jobs has led a weight gain of about 20 pounds. This will not do.

What is prompting me to post about these tonight? I just got an email from the Union of Concerned Scientists about a new book called "Cool Cuisine: Taking a Bite out of Global Warming". I flipped through the pdf promo and I have to say I'm a bit...let down. Firstly, the plan is divided into at least 3 stages. At the third stage, the authors encourage a person to eat 3 vegan meals a week (they don't use the word, but instead refer to not using any animal products). Combine that with the 5 meatless (vegetarian) meals of the previous stage and you get either 8 or 5 vegetarian meals a week.

I'll be generous and think people will commit to 8. Out of 21 meals in a week. That's about 40%. Heck, if you eat vegetarian breakfasts for four days, vegan breakfasts for 3, and one vegetarian lunch, you're there. You can have meat for lunch six days out of the week, and meat for dinner every night. This doesn't seem to amount to much change at all. To be somewhat fair, the authors also promote eating fresh, organic whole foods, local foods, eating lots of vegetables, and drinking filtered, not bottled, water. They roll out the grassfed beef argument, too.

Thing is, some recent research has suggested that just switching from grainfed to grassfed beef will actually increase methane production, which is one of the big reasons cattle production contributes so much to global warming. Because the cattle are eating high-lignan grasses and forage, they will actually produce more methane. There are many reasons grassfed beef is superior, but preventing global warming doesn't seem to be one of them. For a more complete discussion of the issue you can read this essay, but in summation, the world is not likely to continue to support it's population of over a billion cattle for long.

This book follows behind several others, starting with The Ominvore's Dilemma, that promote organic, fresh, local, buzzword, buzzword, buzzword...and so on. Yeah, I'm a big supporter of local and organic food. I have 4 organic vegetable beds in my back yard. But this book doesn't seem to add to much to a puzzle aside from adding a section on the effect of kitchen appliances on global warming. However, I doubt people are going to get rid of their fridges after reading this book.

This is all based on a very cursory online preview of the book, but until someone publishes a mass market book that bites the bullet and promotes vegetarianism (and veganism!) as real contributors to reducing global warming, I'm not going to get too excited.

For more info, check out "Another Inconvenient Truth"...

Oh, and about my plan to lose weight? I've been wearing a pedometer for a few months now, and it has encouraged me to get out and walk more. I also got a few exercise DVDs, and I'm looking into taking Zumba classes at a local gym. In the meantime, I'm going to start a food diary. If anyone has an interest, I may post steps taken, meals eaten, and ocassional weigh-ins.

Tips on exercise are MORE than welcome. :-)

Anyone Zumba-ed? What was your experience? Conventional exercise is very hard for me because it's well....boring. I'm think that if I can trick myself into thinking "I'm just dancing," I might stick with it.

Current Mood: curious

Planted so far this year:

Arugula
Kale
Rapini
Red leaf lettuce
Mixed greens (mustard, beet, etc)
Cilantro
Chives
French lentils
Hulless oats (aka Naked(!) oats)
Red clover
Alfalfa
Phacelia
Flax
Wheat (various)
Kamut
Cherokee Trail of Tears beans
Pineapple ground cherry
Various peppers
Brandywine tomato
Cherokee purple tomato
Various eggplants
Various basil
Green onions
Strawberries
Dills (lots and lots!)
Valerian
Stinging nettle
Motherwort
Lemon balm


The rapini has been very nice surprise; something like a cross between broccoli and kale. A late cold spell set some of the plants back, but they seem to have recovered by now. This is our first year growing grains, and aside from some mole damage, they seem quite healthy and happy. I'd love to convert more of the backyard to food production, but we're also trying to stick to a garden budget.


One more bed to go...this one will be mostly for flowers.

Current Mood: hopeful

The summer garden is starting to wind down. This year I grew some new varieties of tomatoes and a couple of old favorites. The Brandywine and the Cherokee Purple were delicious, as always. I also grew Riesentraube Cherry, which is a rather large cherry tomato with a good flavor. The Red Figs were ok, I thought, though a friend at work liked them better than the Reisentraubes. As far as the San Marzano Roma, it is easy to see why this is the most popular paste tomato. Good flavor, very meaty flesh. I saved several seeds from all of these.

I also had a couple of volunteers come out of the compost bins. One appears to be a black cherry tomato and the other some kind of red grape. I don't recall growing either of these previously, so they must've come from tomatoes I bought earlier in the summer at Whole Foods.

My Mom grew some different varieties including Arkansas Traveller, which as promised, does not crack but imo, has a somewhat generic flavor. She also grew a Pineapple tomato which produced enormous fruits with a slightly sweet edge.

At the farmer's market, I tried what was marked as "tiny yellow tomato". Very intense tomato flavor in a fruit the size of a small marble. I am guessing that it is a yellow currant tomato.

I saved seed from all of the above, and also from the Edmonson cucumbers, Yukon Gold potatoes, and Cherokee Trail of Tears beans. I've never grown potatoes from seeds before, only from tuber pieces, so that could turn out interestingly. Now that the weather is getting a bit cooler, I started some lettuce, mixed greens, and dandelions. (no, really) Planning on also planting kale and carrots as soon as some space clears out in the tomato beds.

Current Mood: productive

Vegetarian 100 from "feeding maybelle"

From anw 

I wasn't always a vegetarian, so I can tick off some of these things from my younger days...of course, now, any meats would fall under "would never consider eating again".

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea - I was just thinking how I needed to get some nettle seeds so I can grow my own patch next year
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding

One thing that sustained me through the past week of feeling run down and icky was the fact that I made a big batch of Chickpea quinoa pilaf last weekend. Quinoa is a great grain high in protein as well as calcium, magnesium, iron and fiber. The dish is filling and full of nutrition while also being easy to digest and adaptable to different spices. Thanks to Isa and Terry, authors of the Veganomicon!

Chickpea Quinoa Pilaf

2 tbs olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced (or use more to taste. I didn't find this amount particularly garlicy)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbs coriander seeds, crushed
several pinches ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs tomato paste
1 cup quinoa ( I used red quinoa which made the dish rather vibrant)
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 c vegetable broth

In medium stockpot, saute the onion in the olive oil for about 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute additional 2 minutes. Add tomato paste (I added the paste with the stock because I no read directions!!), spices, and salt. Saute about 1 minute.
Add quinoa and saute for 2 minutes. (I skipped this step and it didn't seem to make a huge difference.)
Add chickpeas and broth; cover and bring to a boil. Once mixture is boiling, turn heat to low, cover, and cook 18 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all the water. (This took a bit longer than 18 minutes for me. The next time I make it I might use a bit less water. Quinoa should only take about 15 minutes to cook.)
Fluff with fork and serve.


Sorry about the lack of pictures, our digital camera is broken. :-(

Feel free to use this recipe to meet the David Suzuki challenge of making at least one day a week a meat-free day!

This is mostly for Reynardine, but perhaps others will find it of interest: Atelier Kanawa is an Etsy craftperson who makes Japanese accessories, specifically for wearing with kimono.
I've been spending more time on Etsy lately and may even be starting a team for Kentucky crafters, which would be funny as I don't have an Etsy shop of my own.



Whininess you may not want to read:
This is a minor bitch but it is really annoying that I had the flu 3 weeks ago, then a recurrence of pain from a shoulder injury last week, and now bronchitis. Honestly, Universe, if you are trying to tell me something, be a little more concrete. I'm ready to listen!! Perhaps the narcotic cough suppressants the doctor gave me will help. :-/

Current Mood: sick

This is going to be a bit rambly so apologies in advance. I was listening to the Geologic Podcast today and George shared a funny story about workers at a Sewage Treatment plant in East Sussex who claimed their plant was inhabited by a zombie. Buried in the middle of the story was a line about how electromagnetic fields (in this case created by the machinery at the plant) could induce feelings of paranoia and hallucinations in people. This got me to thinking about LOST.
The hatch Desmond lived in contained a large electromagnet, strong enough to attract even small metal objects at a distance. If Desmond was exposed to this for years, it is highly likely to have produced an altered state of awareness. I decided to do a little research on magnetic fields and brain activity, and discovered this snippet in "Altering Human Brain Activity with Pulsed Magnetic Fields":

"Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) operates on the principal of magnetic induction discovered by Michael Faraday in 1831."

Dude.

So the electromagnetic present within the hatch was capable of bring down airplanes if improperly discharged. Such a strong EMF could  create hallucinations possibly in people scattered over the island, though it would be most powerful at shorter distances.

As an aside, some researchers also think fluctuations in magnetic fields, even those created by earthquakes, could explain sightings of UFOs and other paranormal phenomena. The use of TMS to treat depression and even schizophrenia is currently being studied in the US. Some researchers even think that it could be used to treat Parkinsons, and there is evidence it can stimulate savant abilities in normal people. Other researchers even claim that the use of special magnetic fields can create spiritual feelings and the sense of a godlike presence. Hmm......hey, Locke....about that vision you had...

The injera turned out pretty well, though I think next time I will be making it with all purpose flour. The wheat flour was a bit bitter. Maybe I can use teff and be authentic. I tried cooking them in a regular skillet which was a mess, but they did beautifully in my little cast iron pan. I really need to be getting a bigger one of those. I'm also coveting an enameled cast iron dutch oven, if for no other reason that the try the "Amazing No Knead Bread" I've been hearing about. Yes, it hit the blogosphere a year ago and I'm just now catching up.

I've been experimenting a bit with the pizza recipe and I think I've come up with a pretty good combination of flours. Here is a rough recipe based one on from Recipezaar which was originally created by Mr. Ed Wood.

Sourdough Pizza
2 cups proofed sourdough starter
1 tsp salt
1/2 c water
2 tbs olive oil
1 and 1/2 cups bread flour
1 c all purpose flour
1/2 c semolina flour
cornmeal

1. Put all ingredients except cornmeal in bread machine pan in the order recommended by manufacturer.
2. Select dough cycle and start.
3. When dough cycle is complete, remove from pan, place in lightly oiled bowl and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Allow to come to room temperature before proceeding. (This step creates a stronger sourdough flavor. It's optional if you don't have the time or inclination.)
4. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and form into balls.
5. With a rolling pin or your hands, flatten the balls into 10 inch rounds or a size of your liking.
   
6. Transfer to a thin baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
7. Proof, covered, for about 45 minutes at 85 degrees F. (I did not proof for this long or at this temp..use your best judgment)
   
8. Place a baking stone (If you have one. I don't) in a cold oven and preheat for at least 15 minutes at 450 to 500 degrees F. ( I went for 525 this time)
   
9. Add your toppings to the rounds of dough.
10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is brown. (At 525, this took more like 10-15 minutes. The crust was more of a tan color, but I'm not big on crispy pizza)
    

Current Mood: satisfied

No, this post is not about the legalization of absinthe. I've been listening to and enjoying a podcast called Wormwood. Here is a description from the show's website:

"Wormwood is a weekly, serialized mystery delivered as an MP3 podcast on our website and via the many podcatchers on the web, including iTunes. Each week, Wormwood strives to deliver a quirky ensemble drama with elements of supernatural horror and mystery. With its odd, small town setting and tragic lead character, Wormwood is designed to appeal to fans of Twin Peaks, The X-files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellboy, Supernatural, Hellblazer, and The Sandman, as well as the works of writers like Stephen King, Clive Barker, Edgar Allan Poe, and HP Lovecraft."

People have also compared it to House, mostly due to the main character's curmudgeonly nature. I can definitely see the Twin Peaks and Hellblazer influences, so if you like any of the above, you might wanna check it out. I'm only up to episode 9 though I'd like to listen to the rest of the series in a go, I'm saving it for downtime at work.

Current Mood: relaxed

Managed to use my three day weekend somewhat productively as I did a lot of baking. I've been maintaining two separate sourdough cultures; one is white flour, the other is wheat. The white flour has been for the purpose of perfecting sourdough bread and also pizza. I know sourdough pizza sounds a bit weird, but a little research on the internet indicated it is part of the secret to "authentic New York pizza". Having never eaten NY pizza, I have no idea if that is true or not.

The last time I used sourdough to make pizza, I was a little underwhelmed. It was ok, but not anything special.This time I used semolina flour for part of the flour component and let the dough rise slowly in the fridge for about 24 hours. I also baked the pizzas at 500 degrees. Apparently pizzeria ovens go much higher, but not much I can do about that. The crusts turned out pretty well. Not quite the interior structure I was expecting, but a subtle sourdough taste and a good chewy texture overall. I think I'm on the right track.

I also tried out a new biscuit recipe since I couldn't remember which one I usually use. It's been a while since I've made biscuits, apparently. I grew up a house where biscuits came from a tube, so I can't say I have any handed-down-through-the-family techniques which all Southern women are supposed to have. *shrug* So, I turned to the King Arthur Baker's Companion which usually does not disappoint. However, I think they must be using "biscuit" in the British sense. Never before had I seen a biscuit recipe that called for sugar. Kay's reaction to trying one consisted of two parts: "Tastes like shortbread" followed by "This could be your new specialty!" I was not as pleased since I was aiming for more of a buttermilk biscuit than a cookie or scone.

I also made some yummy chocolate coconut cookies that are a little like Samoas. Mmmmm. Ingredients were pretty simple, though making them required the use of a food processor to chop up the dates.

Finally, I used the wheat sourdough to start a batter to make injera probably.... Wednesday. We'll see how quickly it ripens in our somewhat cool house.

Tomorrow we're having leftovers!

Just found a link to this page this morning, so I haven't seen the movie yet, but it looks very important. One quote about it: "Picks up where Al Gore left off".

What A Way To Go
Life At The End Of Empire

A middle class white guy comes to grips with Peak Oil, Climate
Change, Mass Extinction, Population Overshoot and the demise of the
American Lifestyle.

It also interviews and makes reference to some authors whose works I have read and found thought-provoking such as Daniel Quinn, James Lovelock, Derrick Jensen, Thom Hartman, and James Kunstler.

This is not my own recipe, but one from a magazine. They are very good and if you didn't tell people, I'm willing to bet they would not guess these are vegan.

Vegan Lemon Bars
crust
1 c white flour
1/2 c vegan margarine (I recommend Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
1/4 c powdered sugar

Combine all and mix until it forms a Play-doh like mass. Press into a 9 by 9 pan, making a 1/2 inch rim of crust. Bake 20 minutes at 350 F, until set but not brown.

topping
1 c granulated white sugar*
grated zest of one lemon
3 tbs lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Stir together sugar, lemon, zest, and salt. Combine applesauce and baking powder in a separate bowl, whisking well. It will foam. Don't freak out. :)  Combine mixtures and pour over hot crust.
Bake 50 minutes or until center is set. (It may still look a little liquid in the very center. Shouldn't be a problem.) Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

*I used sucanat the second time I made this and the molasses flavor of the sucanat overwhelmed the lemon. Use Florida Crystals or some other vegan white sugar.

Current Mood: relaxed

Damn, this has been a very long week. Work has been dragging a bit due to having to hunt down missing applications. Since we are supposed to be keeping files in digital format, the paper applications we get are scanned into our computer database system and then we don't keep hardcopies. Supposedly. Seems the lady who was doing the scanning was fired so that's going to make things really pleasant in the short term. Its tricky to meet deadlines when you're waiting a few weeks just for a document to make it through the scanning department.

Had tornadoes in the area tonight, though none really near us. Tornado watches continue throughout the night, and the local stations are getting complaints from viewers because they preempted Earl and The Office. The stations are defending themselves by saying they are obligated to provide severe weather info as a safety issue. Well, yeah, but does it really *have* to be continuous coverage? With all the high tech graphics they have at their disposal, why not a nice crawl at the bottom and maybe an inset map?

Remembering that I promised to share some recipes, what would people prefer: interesting ways to prepare vegetable sides, or veg*n main dishes? ( I am assuming those of you reading this would not have much interest in vegan desserts.) I just placed an order for Veganomicon, so I might share some photos of recipes from it also.

Micro Eco-farming is that idea that a person can create a productive, sustainable farming venture in their backyard or small acreage. The types of ventures are up to the individual's interest and can range from greenhouse tomatoes to cut flower gardens to miniature sheep. Here is some food for thought from the Micro Eco-farming website:

"MEFs collectively help communities, regions and their own countries reach food independence. Historically, the Incans fed 15 million with a three to seven-year surplus. The Chinese once fed one billion on less than 10% of their land base. Russia lifted itself out of ecomonic disaster in 1997 by having its citizens 'farm' 0.6 acre plots attached to the houses in Russian villages. 18 million of these plots totaled 15.3 million acres, and they became the most productive 'farms' in the country. In France, "potagers," or tiny home gardens or gardens allotted to villages, are everywhere. The French government estimates about a quarter of all fruits and vegetables eaten in France are home-grown. In America, today, LocalHarvest.org keeps statistics on successful eco-farm members, 45% of its member farms are less than 15 acres."