I went to a lovely little Italian restaurant tonight with the group of us that traveled together...I can't tell you what the name of the restaurant is, because I was too exhausted when I got there...but it was very good, and the company was nice, too :)
Most days, I am emotionally drained after work, then I go home and start what I call my second job--being a wife, mom, home-school teacher, housekeeper, etc., etc....Eventually, once I'm done with all of that stuff, I normally wind down by reading or watching TV, or just taking some time to talk with my husband and kids--this explains why I go to sleep so late.
At the restaurant, as we were telling stories and laughing together, I realized that I never actually wind down after work with my colleagues--ever. Tonight, it was good to eat, laugh, and enjoy the moment with the people that I work with. It was...positive...fun...not work-related (well, mostly, not work-related). I think I finally understand why people do happy hour.
I'm not a happy hour kind of gal--most days, I miss my family so much, all I can think about is getting home to them when I'm done at work. Don't get me wrong...I'm a hard worker, and I take pride in my work. But, sometimes I'd rather work from home to finish things instead of staying late at work. Tonight, though, I realized how important it is to spend time with the people I work with in a different environment.
OK, back to the restaurant. I didn't really look at the menu--the words were swimming on the page--so I let the waitress guide me. She recommended a small personal pizza with fresh spinach and mushrooms. The spinach was great, but I wish that the mushrooms would have been bigger.
I have one healthy thing that I have done for these travel days: I have slept. I haven't stayed up watching TV or movies. I didn't bring a book, so I haven't stayed up reading. I've gotten in bed, turned everything off and SLEPT.
Last night, I slept 7 hours. I haven't slept that long in forever. Tonight, I'm going for EIGHT.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
When I Grow Up...
I'm traveling for work for the next three days, and I'm not so sure how I'm going to deal with my food situation. I'm basicaly going to be eating out for every meal.
I'm trying to stay flexible and not have an all-or-nothing mentality, which is what have done in the past. Instead of just throwing out the next few days and eating whatever, whenever, I want to make the best choices I can for the next few days.
If I can stay focused on the long term goal, which is real change, it's not that difficult to make good choices. However, when I focus on the food in front of me without thinking about the future, I find myself throwing all caution to the wind and stuffing my face.
I wish that I could love myself more than that. I wish I didn't have to think--rationalize--so much. I wish it came naturally. This is what I'm instilling in my children, because I don't want them to go through the struggles I go through when it comes to food.
Sometimes, I overhear them saying wonderful things. The other day, my oldest asked the others if they wanted a treat, and I heard the little one say, "No thanks, I already ate and I'm not really hungry right now." This sounds like such a normal response, but it's not my normal response. When I was a kid I NEVER said "no" to sweets, even if I was full.
I love that they make these choices so naturally. I tell myself that these decisions "come naturally" to them, because I have worked hard at allowing them to listening to their body signals instead of forcing them to "clean your plate" the way my dad did to me. I've also tried to expose them to as many healthy and delicious food as possible so that the word "vegetable" isn't a bad word in my house.
I remind myself that we are all born with the ability to listen to our bodies, with the hope that one day I will relearn how to do this and be able to make these decisions naturally, just like them.
When I grow up, I want to be just like my kids :)
I'm trying to stay flexible and not have an all-or-nothing mentality, which is what have done in the past. Instead of just throwing out the next few days and eating whatever, whenever, I want to make the best choices I can for the next few days.
If I can stay focused on the long term goal, which is real change, it's not that difficult to make good choices. However, when I focus on the food in front of me without thinking about the future, I find myself throwing all caution to the wind and stuffing my face.
I wish that I could love myself more than that. I wish I didn't have to think--rationalize--so much. I wish it came naturally. This is what I'm instilling in my children, because I don't want them to go through the struggles I go through when it comes to food.
Sometimes, I overhear them saying wonderful things. The other day, my oldest asked the others if they wanted a treat, and I heard the little one say, "No thanks, I already ate and I'm not really hungry right now." This sounds like such a normal response, but it's not my normal response. When I was a kid I NEVER said "no" to sweets, even if I was full.
I love that they make these choices so naturally. I tell myself that these decisions "come naturally" to them, because I have worked hard at allowing them to listening to their body signals instead of forcing them to "clean your plate" the way my dad did to me. I've also tried to expose them to as many healthy and delicious food as possible so that the word "vegetable" isn't a bad word in my house.
I remind myself that we are all born with the ability to listen to our bodies, with the hope that one day I will relearn how to do this and be able to make these decisions naturally, just like them.
When I grow up, I want to be just like my kids :)
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Reboot T2 Day 9
I think I found a health coach. He is a nutritarian, and I went for a consult today. I was surprised to find out that he is also a practicing psychologist...which means that he doesn't just do the practical application stuff, like teaching you what to eat, but he also goes into all of the reasons for one's struggle with food.
I talked about my childhood and cried...I know that sounds SO stereotypical, but it's true. It caught me completely off guard when he started asking me questions, and for a moment I had that fight-or-flight response, LOL. I almost said, "I don't want to do this," but as I was getting myself ready to say it and walk out of his office, something in me switched and I took the plunge and started talking.
I kept trying to get out of talking about the personal stuff by talking about what I would like to get out of this experience. Specifically, I told him that I have always been good about following a plan or program, but that I get so goal oriented that the moment I reach my goal weight, I just STOP...everything. Then, I gain it all right back. I told him that I want to learn how to MAINTAIN. But, he just kept coming back to asking me to think about the emotional reasons for my difficulties. He was very polite about it, but definitely RELENTLESS, which I respect. I'm used to doing the same polite redirecting in my classroom when kids try to side track a lesson, but I've never had someone do that to me as a grown up, lol. It was skillful guidance, and he didn't let me get away with ignoring the issues.
Now I have to save up the money for the program...It's $1995 for 6 months, which is a little over $300 a month. If I pay all at once, he knocks it down to $1795, though...which is better, but still kind of pricey. It's about the same amount that all of the other people that I've called have quoted, so I didn't go into shock when he said it.
As far as juice is concerned for today. I didn't have much left in the fridge or the pantry this morning before doing groceries, but the juice I made was tasty.
half a bunch of kale
4 small oranges
about 2 cups of red seedless grapes
2 large carrots
2 small apples
1 golden zucchini
1 beet
1/2 inch nub of ginger
1 lemon
I'd like to include a note on the order of my ingredients. I always try list them in the order in which I put them through the juicer. It's better to put your ingredients through the juicer from softest to hardest, because the hard vegetables help the soft ones go through. You get more of the soft ones that way. Sometimes, I mix them together, though. For example, I'll wrap a leaf of kale around a carrot or beet. I stays in contact with the blade longer instead of just whisking it away into the pulp container. I didn't know that this was important when I first started juicing, so I thought I'd mention it.
I finally did groceries today, so I am fully stocked. Woohoo! Making juice tomorrow morning won't be difficult, and I'll have more greens.
Thanks for reading :)
I talked about my childhood and cried...I know that sounds SO stereotypical, but it's true. It caught me completely off guard when he started asking me questions, and for a moment I had that fight-or-flight response, LOL. I almost said, "I don't want to do this," but as I was getting myself ready to say it and walk out of his office, something in me switched and I took the plunge and started talking.
I kept trying to get out of talking about the personal stuff by talking about what I would like to get out of this experience. Specifically, I told him that I have always been good about following a plan or program, but that I get so goal oriented that the moment I reach my goal weight, I just STOP...everything. Then, I gain it all right back. I told him that I want to learn how to MAINTAIN. But, he just kept coming back to asking me to think about the emotional reasons for my difficulties. He was very polite about it, but definitely RELENTLESS, which I respect. I'm used to doing the same polite redirecting in my classroom when kids try to side track a lesson, but I've never had someone do that to me as a grown up, lol. It was skillful guidance, and he didn't let me get away with ignoring the issues.
Now I have to save up the money for the program...It's $1995 for 6 months, which is a little over $300 a month. If I pay all at once, he knocks it down to $1795, though...which is better, but still kind of pricey. It's about the same amount that all of the other people that I've called have quoted, so I didn't go into shock when he said it.
As far as juice is concerned for today. I didn't have much left in the fridge or the pantry this morning before doing groceries, but the juice I made was tasty.
half a bunch of kale
4 small oranges
about 2 cups of red seedless grapes
2 large carrots
2 small apples
1 golden zucchini
1 beet
1/2 inch nub of ginger
1 lemon
I'd like to include a note on the order of my ingredients. I always try list them in the order in which I put them through the juicer. It's better to put your ingredients through the juicer from softest to hardest, because the hard vegetables help the soft ones go through. You get more of the soft ones that way. Sometimes, I mix them together, though. For example, I'll wrap a leaf of kale around a carrot or beet. I stays in contact with the blade longer instead of just whisking it away into the pulp container. I didn't know that this was important when I first started juicing, so I thought I'd mention it.
I finally did groceries today, so I am fully stocked. Woohoo! Making juice tomorrow morning won't be difficult, and I'll have more greens.
Thanks for reading :)
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Reboot T2 Day 7-Snoozing
Today has been my worst day since I started juicing again. I am so tired I just feel like going to sleep. I got home by 5pm, and I've been keeping myself busy doing things in order to stay awake because I don't want to fall asleep and then wake up at 3 in the morning.
In all fairness, I didn't actually juice today. Coincidence? hmm...
I woke up late...one too many times hitting the snooze button can completely mess up my mornings...so instead of making a juice, I had a smoothie. It was also too late to make my lunch, so I packed the only two small apples that I had left. I planned on getting a salad somewhere.
I snacked on the apples, and I felt fine. But, of course, when it was lunch time, I realized I only had $5 in my purse, and since it's the day before payday, I couldn't use my bank card because there's no money in there anyway--so no salad for me! With some imaginative decision making, I was able to have a veggie sub on wheat bread from the Publix deli. The bread is NOT reboot friendly, but life happens...
When I got home I realized that I don't have enough produce left to make a juice for today, so I had another smoothie and an orange later on.
Today was not a healthy day...lesson learned...I need to plan my week better so that I can make it to the end of the week with enough produce...or I need to go to the grocery store mid week to stock up again.
Who knows, maybe I did notice, one of these days, that I needed more and then just got lazy about going to the store.
Who am I kidding...I can't stay awake any longer...I'm going to bed
In all fairness, I didn't actually juice today. Coincidence? hmm...
I woke up late...one too many times hitting the snooze button can completely mess up my mornings...so instead of making a juice, I had a smoothie. It was also too late to make my lunch, so I packed the only two small apples that I had left. I planned on getting a salad somewhere.
I snacked on the apples, and I felt fine. But, of course, when it was lunch time, I realized I only had $5 in my purse, and since it's the day before payday, I couldn't use my bank card because there's no money in there anyway--so no salad for me! With some imaginative decision making, I was able to have a veggie sub on wheat bread from the Publix deli. The bread is NOT reboot friendly, but life happens...
When I got home I realized that I don't have enough produce left to make a juice for today, so I had another smoothie and an orange later on.
Today was not a healthy day...lesson learned...I need to plan my week better so that I can make it to the end of the week with enough produce...or I need to go to the grocery store mid week to stock up again.
Who knows, maybe I did notice, one of these days, that I needed more and then just got lazy about going to the store.
Who am I kidding...I can't stay awake any longer...I'm going to bed
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Reboot T2 Day 6 & My Top 5 Juicing Mistakes
This morning I was in the mood for fruit juice, and I started out with every intention of making fresh orange juice without anything else in it...but once I was into it, I felt guilty so I added in some veggies, too :) It was really good!
Ingredients
4 oranges
1 ruby red grapefruit
1 green pair
1/2 bunch of kale
1 zucchini
1 lemon
If you are juicing oranges for the first time, you should know that you absolutely HAVE to peel the oranges...the same goes for lemons or limes. The first time I juiced oranges, I didn't know any better and I put those suckers in whole, LOL. I remember that I made almost a gallon of orange juice because I wanted my kids to have real OJ for the first time. When I tasted it, I almost cried, it was so bitter. What's even funnier is that I didn't want to waste it, so I forced myself to drink it for the next few days. I couldn't stand more than a few sips at a time. On the third or fourth day I gave up and dumped the rest of it into the sink. It seemed to become even more bitter with each passing day.
Now that I'm on a crazy juicing mistakes tangent, I might as well tell you about a few other mistakes to avoid...
Here's my Top 5 Worst Juicing Mistakes
5. ORANGES
I already told you how that went...
4. GARLIC
Once I tried to make a gaspacho type juice, so I put a clove of garlic through the juicer with the tomatoes and onions and other veggies. I don't know what was worse the garlic or the onion...no wait, I do know...the GARLIC. I love, love, love garlic, but I had never experienced juiced garlic, lol. It was SO strong that my throat closed up, and I thought I was going to suffocate. I drank water all day and the taste of garlic in my mouth still wouldn't go away. Plus, it kept coming up. I remember waking up the next morning, and I still had garlic breath!
3. CAULIFLOWER
In one of my previous posts, I already shared my cauliflower juice story--that was a good/bad one, too.
2. BANANAS
Bananas and juicers are NOT friends. It comes through the juicer looking like a goopy brownish mess. The bananas are too mushy and should be blended in smoothies. As with all of my juicing mistakes, I learned this one the hard way, with my first juicer. It was a cheap Hamilton Beach juicer, and the machine got so overworked trying to juice that banana that it started to smell like an electrical fire, lol.
1. POTATOES
And, last but not least, my absolute worst juicing crime....drum roll please...I once tried to juice a potato. I remember that my original plan was to juice the potato and then make a soup out of it. It was my culinary ignorant way of trying to get away with making potato soup without cream...go ahead and laugh...I AM. Of course, it was a ridiculous thing to do. Oh, it juiced the potato alright...but the moment I started heating up the juice in a pot, the starch went crazy and I ended up making GLUE instead of soup. I could have put up a brick wall with that stuff! Lesson learned--the easiest way to do things is usually the simplest. What I should have done was to just boil the potatoes and then mash them up with some other liquid...DUH....
Thanks for reading :)
Ingredients
4 oranges
1 ruby red grapefruit
1 green pair
1/2 bunch of kale
1 zucchini
1 lemon
If you are juicing oranges for the first time, you should know that you absolutely HAVE to peel the oranges...the same goes for lemons or limes. The first time I juiced oranges, I didn't know any better and I put those suckers in whole, LOL. I remember that I made almost a gallon of orange juice because I wanted my kids to have real OJ for the first time. When I tasted it, I almost cried, it was so bitter. What's even funnier is that I didn't want to waste it, so I forced myself to drink it for the next few days. I couldn't stand more than a few sips at a time. On the third or fourth day I gave up and dumped the rest of it into the sink. It seemed to become even more bitter with each passing day.
Now that I'm on a crazy juicing mistakes tangent, I might as well tell you about a few other mistakes to avoid...
Here's my Top 5 Worst Juicing Mistakes
5. ORANGES
I already told you how that went...
4. GARLIC
Once I tried to make a gaspacho type juice, so I put a clove of garlic through the juicer with the tomatoes and onions and other veggies. I don't know what was worse the garlic or the onion...no wait, I do know...the GARLIC. I love, love, love garlic, but I had never experienced juiced garlic, lol. It was SO strong that my throat closed up, and I thought I was going to suffocate. I drank water all day and the taste of garlic in my mouth still wouldn't go away. Plus, it kept coming up. I remember waking up the next morning, and I still had garlic breath!
3. CAULIFLOWER
In one of my previous posts, I already shared my cauliflower juice story--that was a good/bad one, too.
2. BANANAS
Bananas and juicers are NOT friends. It comes through the juicer looking like a goopy brownish mess. The bananas are too mushy and should be blended in smoothies. As with all of my juicing mistakes, I learned this one the hard way, with my first juicer. It was a cheap Hamilton Beach juicer, and the machine got so overworked trying to juice that banana that it started to smell like an electrical fire, lol.
1. POTATOES
And, last but not least, my absolute worst juicing crime....drum roll please...I once tried to juice a potato. I remember that my original plan was to juice the potato and then make a soup out of it. It was my culinary ignorant way of trying to get away with making potato soup without cream...go ahead and laugh...I AM. Of course, it was a ridiculous thing to do. Oh, it juiced the potato alright...but the moment I started heating up the juice in a pot, the starch went crazy and I ended up making GLUE instead of soup. I could have put up a brick wall with that stuff! Lesson learned--the easiest way to do things is usually the simplest. What I should have done was to just boil the potatoes and then mash them up with some other liquid...DUH....
Thanks for reading :)
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Reboot T2 Day 5 - Zucchini Soup
This weekend at the farmers market they had a bunch of different types of squash, most of which I'd never seen or tasted. So, I bought several different varieties to check them out.
For those of you who are in my same state of ignorance, here's what they look like. I had to look them up online to find out their names ;)
Golden zucchini
Green zucchini = courgette = Italian marrow squash (the only kind I knew about!)
globe squash = Ronde de Nice
Mediterranean Squash
Tonight, I decided that I'd do some experimenting...bua-ha-haaa
I peeled the globe squash and felt it up a bit, lol...I smelled it, too..., and I figured that it might do well sauteed. So, I diced it up (1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces), sprinkled it with salt and pepper, and sauteed it in some olive oil. I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it. It had a mild, nutty flavor, and it didn't get mushy or slimy. I added it to my children's spaghetti sauce. After I put the squash in the sauce, I used the same pan to saute some grape tomatoes. I didn't add any more oil. I added them to the spaghetti sauce and then poured the sauce over rotini pasta. I served it in bowls and sprinkled it with shredded mozzarella (very little--about 1 T.), and my kids ate it up! Yay for squash in the pasta!
I didn't have any of the pasta because the sauce had ground beef in it. But, just when I was feeling left out of the squash party, I decided to do some more experimenting to create a zucchini/squash juice soup. After all, today was a warm-cup-of-soup kind of day for me. I didn't sleep well last night, and I just wanted to stay in bed this morning...but, I decided to be a responsible grown up and go to work, anyway. Sooooo, here's my invention. It's going to sound weird, I'll admit, but I enjoyed it.
I juiced 2 golden zucchini, 2 Mediterranean squash, 3 stalks of celery, and one small granny smith apple. In a small pot, I used water to "saute" some minced garlic, green onions, a few thin slices of poblano pepper, and some ginger. I added the juice to the pot once it started smelling good and let it heat through. I also added a tiny bit of rosemary, some sea salt and freshly ground pepper. When I poured it in a bowl, it looked like Kermit had bled out LOL...it was GREEN...like I-live-too-close-to-a-nuclear-power-plant-so-the-lake-behind-my-house-glows-in-the-dark GREEN!
Well, a little green...or a lot of green...never scared me off, so I wasn't going to back down from this soup. But, once I tasted it, something was missing. I had really wanted more heat in the dish, but it was kind of late to add more poblano pepper. So, I looked in the fridge and I saw a jar of salsa...That's right...salsa. You know, the kind you serve at a party with chips, LOL.
I think I've watched one too many Chopped episodes because I swear it was like working with a mystery ingredient! I was nervous and excited. I mixed in about two tablespoons, and I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I actually liked the combination of flavors...enough to do it again some other day.
Again, I don't have a picture of my creation :( but I am going to get this camera problem resolved as soon as possible.
OH! One last thing. I want to point out that the fact that I didn't know about these vegetables is one of reasons why I want to find a nutritionist or coach to help me. I want to be the kind of person that knows about these things...that knows when some veggies/fruits are in season...that knows how to cook foods that are in season.
I spoke to two health coaches today. They aren't nutritionists, but they both work with people who want to have a plant-based diet. They both charge about the same rate **sigh** and it's HIGH, but doable, I guess...and worth it, too, I think. I'm going for my free consults this week to choose one or the other...or to decide if I'm going to keep looking. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Thanks again for following my blog :)
For those of you who are in my same state of ignorance, here's what they look like. I had to look them up online to find out their names ;)
Golden zucchini
Green zucchini = courgette = Italian marrow squash (the only kind I knew about!)
globe squash = Ronde de Nice
Mediterranean Squash
Tonight, I decided that I'd do some experimenting...bua-ha-haaa
I peeled the globe squash and felt it up a bit, lol...I smelled it, too..., and I figured that it might do well sauteed. So, I diced it up (1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces), sprinkled it with salt and pepper, and sauteed it in some olive oil. I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it. It had a mild, nutty flavor, and it didn't get mushy or slimy. I added it to my children's spaghetti sauce. After I put the squash in the sauce, I used the same pan to saute some grape tomatoes. I didn't add any more oil. I added them to the spaghetti sauce and then poured the sauce over rotini pasta. I served it in bowls and sprinkled it with shredded mozzarella (very little--about 1 T.), and my kids ate it up! Yay for squash in the pasta!
I didn't have any of the pasta because the sauce had ground beef in it. But, just when I was feeling left out of the squash party, I decided to do some more experimenting to create a zucchini/squash juice soup. After all, today was a warm-cup-of-soup kind of day for me. I didn't sleep well last night, and I just wanted to stay in bed this morning...but, I decided to be a responsible grown up and go to work, anyway. Sooooo, here's my invention. It's going to sound weird, I'll admit, but I enjoyed it.
I juiced 2 golden zucchini, 2 Mediterranean squash, 3 stalks of celery, and one small granny smith apple. In a small pot, I used water to "saute" some minced garlic, green onions, a few thin slices of poblano pepper, and some ginger. I added the juice to the pot once it started smelling good and let it heat through. I also added a tiny bit of rosemary, some sea salt and freshly ground pepper. When I poured it in a bowl, it looked like Kermit had bled out LOL...it was GREEN...like I-live-too-close-to-a-nuclear-power-plant-so-the-lake-behind-my-house-glows-in-the-dark GREEN!
Well, a little green...or a lot of green...never scared me off, so I wasn't going to back down from this soup. But, once I tasted it, something was missing. I had really wanted more heat in the dish, but it was kind of late to add more poblano pepper. So, I looked in the fridge and I saw a jar of salsa...That's right...salsa. You know, the kind you serve at a party with chips, LOL.
I think I've watched one too many Chopped episodes because I swear it was like working with a mystery ingredient! I was nervous and excited. I mixed in about two tablespoons, and I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I actually liked the combination of flavors...enough to do it again some other day.
Again, I don't have a picture of my creation :( but I am going to get this camera problem resolved as soon as possible.
OH! One last thing. I want to point out that the fact that I didn't know about these vegetables is one of reasons why I want to find a nutritionist or coach to help me. I want to be the kind of person that knows about these things...that knows when some veggies/fruits are in season...that knows how to cook foods that are in season.
I spoke to two health coaches today. They aren't nutritionists, but they both work with people who want to have a plant-based diet. They both charge about the same rate **sigh** and it's HIGH, but doable, I guess...and worth it, too, I think. I'm going for my free consults this week to choose one or the other...or to decide if I'm going to keep looking. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Thanks again for following my blog :)
Monday, November 26, 2012
Reboot T2 Day 4 & Roasted Cauliflower
Today, was a hard day at work. After about 3 hours, I was ready to go home! Long holiday breaks make it difficult to work a full day. But, of course, 3 hour days are impossible...
Normally, when I get bored at work, I reach for junk. I know that sounds horrible, but unless you are a teacher or work at a school, you have absolutely no idea how much junk food is in a school.
Every teacher has candy or chocolate...kids bring cookies and cupcakes...the vending machines and I are on a first name basis...and, we have several fast food restaurants surrounding us--Subway, McDonalds, Little Ceasuers, Quiznos, Pollo Tropical, Wendys, Publix (I know it's a Supermarket, but the deli counts!), Panda Express, Burger King, Casavana, which by the way delivers! (in fact, they can be at our school in less than 15 minutes depending on what you order--that's including the time it takes to order the food and pay for it!)
There are countless others, so the food possibilities are endless at a school...and I haven't even talked about the food that the administrators get for teachers on special occasions, the potlucks, the PTSO sponsored meals, etc., etc... We even had a Thanksgiving meal potluck on Tuesday before Thanksgiving...and leftovers for the next day, of course. I remember overhearing some of the teachers saying that they wouldn't have room for their own family Thanksgiving meals!
It's all done with the best intentions. Teachers are people pleasers...or maybe we need that food high to get through the tougher parts of the day LOL. But, it's been my crutch way too long.
Sooo...today when I felt like caving in to the AP's request for Casavana orders, I simply said, "No, thank you," drank some water and walked away. When I got back to my office, I packed up to go to another school. Once I was in my car, I pulled out my thermos and drank my juice like it was the best thing ever, and I purposely reminded myself of how many times in the past I have ordered fast food and been sick afterward.
As I drove away from the school parking lot, I felt...accomplished. Silly how a simple choice can make one feel so empowered.
When I got home later on, I had a protein smoothie and my new favorite vegetable: CAULIFLOWER
Growing up, I never ever even tasted cauliflower. As a teenager, I tasted it at a Wendy's salad bar--yes, I'm dating myself--and I thought it was absolutely disgusting. So, I did what any teenager would do...I avoided it from then on.
Last year, when I started the reboot for the first time, I read about how great of a vegetable it is, so I actually tried to juice a cauliflower, LOL...boy was that a total bust! It sent tiny white crumbs all over the kitchen before I could push down on it, and the smell that came out of the juicer made me want to hurl. And, after all that mess and craziness, it didn't produce even one drop of juice.
This time, I decided to give it another go...but the motivating influence was an episode of the TV show Chopped, which I am completely addicted to. I saw an episode in which one of the chefs roasted the cauliflower, and the judges LOVED it. So, the next time I saw it at the farmers market, I decided that it would be worth the $2 to try it one more time.
It...was...the BEST THING EVER! And, it was sooooo easy!
Here's what I did:
Ingredients
1 cauliflower
5 cloves garlic
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cut the cauliflower into 2 inch pieces (keep all of the itty bitty pieces in a small bowl)
3. Spread on a cookie sheet
4. Mince the garlic and sprinkle over the cauliflower
5. Season with salt and pepper
6. Drizzle 1 T. olive oil over the cauliflower
7. Cook the cauliflower for 15-20 minutes until it starts caramelizing
8. Remember the bowl of itty bitties...season those with salt and pepper and drizzle with a bit more olive oil. Then, add them to the cookie sheet and mix them in with the bigger pieces. I got this idea from the internet, but I haven't been able to find the website again. It keeps the smaller pieces from burning.
9. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cauliflower looks a bit translucent but not completely wilted or burnt.
The cauliflower takes on this very nutty taste, and I would eat the entire head of it by myself if my kids weren't making me share it because they love it too!
You should definitely try it. I saw many recipes online that added lemon and parmesan cheese, but I just cooked them the same way that I would roast potatoes in the oven, since I knew I liked those flavors.
Let me know if you try the recipe and provide me with any feedback. Thanks!
BTW, I wanted to post a picture of the cauliflower, but I had to take the picture with my phone since my camera battery is dead. Now the picture is not cooperating with me--it's upside down and tiny, so I won't be able to post it for you :(
Normally, when I get bored at work, I reach for junk. I know that sounds horrible, but unless you are a teacher or work at a school, you have absolutely no idea how much junk food is in a school.
Every teacher has candy or chocolate...kids bring cookies and cupcakes...the vending machines and I are on a first name basis...and, we have several fast food restaurants surrounding us--Subway, McDonalds, Little Ceasuers, Quiznos, Pollo Tropical, Wendys, Publix (I know it's a Supermarket, but the deli counts!), Panda Express, Burger King, Casavana, which by the way delivers! (in fact, they can be at our school in less than 15 minutes depending on what you order--that's including the time it takes to order the food and pay for it!)
There are countless others, so the food possibilities are endless at a school...and I haven't even talked about the food that the administrators get for teachers on special occasions, the potlucks, the PTSO sponsored meals, etc., etc... We even had a Thanksgiving meal potluck on Tuesday before Thanksgiving...and leftovers for the next day, of course. I remember overhearing some of the teachers saying that they wouldn't have room for their own family Thanksgiving meals!
It's all done with the best intentions. Teachers are people pleasers...or maybe we need that food high to get through the tougher parts of the day LOL. But, it's been my crutch way too long.
Sooo...today when I felt like caving in to the AP's request for Casavana orders, I simply said, "No, thank you," drank some water and walked away. When I got back to my office, I packed up to go to another school. Once I was in my car, I pulled out my thermos and drank my juice like it was the best thing ever, and I purposely reminded myself of how many times in the past I have ordered fast food and been sick afterward.
As I drove away from the school parking lot, I felt...accomplished. Silly how a simple choice can make one feel so empowered.
When I got home later on, I had a protein smoothie and my new favorite vegetable: CAULIFLOWER
Growing up, I never ever even tasted cauliflower. As a teenager, I tasted it at a Wendy's salad bar--yes, I'm dating myself--and I thought it was absolutely disgusting. So, I did what any teenager would do...I avoided it from then on.
Last year, when I started the reboot for the first time, I read about how great of a vegetable it is, so I actually tried to juice a cauliflower, LOL...boy was that a total bust! It sent tiny white crumbs all over the kitchen before I could push down on it, and the smell that came out of the juicer made me want to hurl. And, after all that mess and craziness, it didn't produce even one drop of juice.
This time, I decided to give it another go...but the motivating influence was an episode of the TV show Chopped, which I am completely addicted to. I saw an episode in which one of the chefs roasted the cauliflower, and the judges LOVED it. So, the next time I saw it at the farmers market, I decided that it would be worth the $2 to try it one more time.
It...was...the BEST THING EVER! And, it was sooooo easy!
Here's what I did:
Ingredients
1 cauliflower
5 cloves garlic
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cut the cauliflower into 2 inch pieces (keep all of the itty bitty pieces in a small bowl)
3. Spread on a cookie sheet
4. Mince the garlic and sprinkle over the cauliflower
5. Season with salt and pepper
6. Drizzle 1 T. olive oil over the cauliflower
7. Cook the cauliflower for 15-20 minutes until it starts caramelizing
8. Remember the bowl of itty bitties...season those with salt and pepper and drizzle with a bit more olive oil. Then, add them to the cookie sheet and mix them in with the bigger pieces. I got this idea from the internet, but I haven't been able to find the website again. It keeps the smaller pieces from burning.
9. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cauliflower looks a bit translucent but not completely wilted or burnt.
The cauliflower takes on this very nutty taste, and I would eat the entire head of it by myself if my kids weren't making me share it because they love it too!
You should definitely try it. I saw many recipes online that added lemon and parmesan cheese, but I just cooked them the same way that I would roast potatoes in the oven, since I knew I liked those flavors.
Let me know if you try the recipe and provide me with any feedback. Thanks!
BTW, I wanted to post a picture of the cauliflower, but I had to take the picture with my phone since my camera battery is dead. Now the picture is not cooperating with me--it's upside down and tiny, so I won't be able to post it for you :(
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