Show Thy Body Some Love

Orange and Yellow Beet Salad with Kalamata Olives and Oregano

Ummmm… expecting chocolate? Yes, Valentine’s Day is this week. And, I delivered a salad with oranges and yellow beets. Ha… the ingredients aren’t aphrodisiacal, too. Well, I have other thoughts on my mind. Such as establishing a workout regime in my schedule. I shamefully stopping working out sometime in 2012, and I had the audacity to indulge in any and all pastries without guilt (ohhh… chocolate cake, where are you now?). Last year was an extremely good year, and we celebrated hard. The down side to the happy time, is a first-time in my life struggle with extra weight gain. And, it’s not a happy sight to see… or feel. Damn be anyone who tells me to love my body the way it is. I refuse to accept it, if I’m not working out.

Here’s my excuse: I had two separate foot injuries, dealt with a difficult cough the first few months of 2012, started a new job and running bored me. This week, I finally joined a gym. Instead of being mad at myself for stopping my workout routine, I ended my first day of class by saying, “I’m proud of you.”  Read more

Yellow Beet and Parsnip Wheat Pizza

Yellow Beet and Parsnip Wheat Pizza

My boyfriend and I have similar diets, but there’s plenty of compromise. We eat at his favorite family-style restaurants using factory-farmed meat. He eats less greasy breakfast sausage and bacon sandwiches from the corner bodegas. With his viewpoints about animal cruelty, he only buys lobster dinner for special occasions. We may never share the same level of passion for locally grown, organic and other sustainable food trends, but he’s more conscious about it. Read more