 | ||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
{Lack of} Progress Report
I published my last weight loss progress report back in March. Some time in early April I fell off track and stopped attending Weight Watchers meetings. Last Saturday I returned to the scales for a weigh in. Here's how it all went down.
"Go ahead and step on the scale," said the chipper Weight Watchers employee.
She didn't use words to tell me that I had gained a bunch of weight- her face said it all.
"When's the last time you were here?" she asked, trying unsuccessfully to regain her composure.
"I guess it's been a few months," I answered sheepishly.
A few months of glorious eating...
But maybe I shouldn't have entirely eschewed counting points!
Still reeling from my experience at the scale, I wasn't in the mood to pretend to care about power foods when I took my seat.
I did my best to silence that negativity quickly.
By the end of the meeting I had stopped feeling sorry for myself, and was clapping enthusiastically as members received "Bravo" stickers for sharing their accomplishments with the group.
I'm slowly getting back on track, and have made a conscious effort to count points over the last week. I'm hoping to receive a much more positive reaction at the scale one month from now.
"Go ahead and step on the scale," said the chipper Weight Watchers employee.
She didn't use words to tell me that I had gained a bunch of weight- her face said it all.
"When's the last time you were here?" she asked, trying unsuccessfully to regain her composure.
"I guess it's been a few months," I answered sheepishly.
A few months of glorious eating...
But maybe I shouldn't have entirely eschewed counting points!
I hurried into the meeting, already underway, needing to be inspired.
Our leader was discussing low points plus methods of incorporating power foods into our breakfast routines.
I did my best to silence that negativity quickly.
By the end of the meeting I had stopped feeling sorry for myself, and was clapping enthusiastically as members received "Bravo" stickers for sharing their accomplishments with the group.
I'm slowly getting back on track, and have made a conscious effort to count points over the last week. I'm hoping to receive a much more positive reaction at the scale one month from now.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
Two Proud
Today is a big day for LGBT communities and their allies in both my homeland of Bermuda and here in Providence. I'm calling it a double rainbow kind of day!
Bermudian parliamentarians debated an amendment to the Human Rights Act banning sexual orientation discrimination and banning certain instances of age discrimination. Thanks to the Bermemes website I was able to listen to much of the conversation via live stream while at work; it was enheartening to feel included in this historic moment. An added bonus: the Bermudian accents, I don't hear those often enough! After a full day of debates, the majority of MPs seem set to approve the amendment.
Here in Rhode Island, Providence PrideFest kicks off tonight, and we're in for a weekend full of events. Having recently passed a same-sex marriage bill, there's much to celebrate and to be proud of in the Ocean State this year!
This blog is about my passion for food and cities, and it is not my intention to politicize my little corner of the web. I'm merely grateful that there are so many people out there bravely fighting for love, equality and justice.
Now, back to my regularly scheduled programing: a delicious and healthy breakfast recipe. Overnight oats recipes are among my favorite go-to workday breakfasts, and this PB&J version is delicious!
(Adapted from Skinnytaste.com)
1/2 cup Unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp PB2 (powdered peanut butter)
1 tbsp Reduced sugar strawberry spread/jam
1 tsp Chia seeds
1 Handful of fruit (I had frozen, unsweetened blueberries on hand this week.)
Mix everything up, seal the container, and refrigerate overnight. Then simply grab and go in the morning.
Serving Suggestion:
I don't like my food super sweet, there's enough sugar in the fruit spread and blueberries for me. If you like your breakfast on the sweeter side, though, you could add a little of your favorite sweetener to the recipe.
*PointsPlus values calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers website
Bermudian parliamentarians debated an amendment to the Human Rights Act banning sexual orientation discrimination and banning certain instances of age discrimination. Thanks to the Bermemes website I was able to listen to much of the conversation via live stream while at work; it was enheartening to feel included in this historic moment. An added bonus: the Bermudian accents, I don't hear those often enough! After a full day of debates, the majority of MPs seem set to approve the amendment.
Here in Rhode Island, Providence PrideFest kicks off tonight, and we're in for a weekend full of events. Having recently passed a same-sex marriage bill, there's much to celebrate and to be proud of in the Ocean State this year!
This blog is about my passion for food and cities, and it is not my intention to politicize my little corner of the web. I'm merely grateful that there are so many people out there bravely fighting for love, equality and justice.
Now, back to my regularly scheduled programing: a delicious and healthy breakfast recipe. Overnight oats recipes are among my favorite go-to workday breakfasts, and this PB&J version is delicious!
PB&J Overnight Oats
Servings: 1 Serving Size: It's all yours! Points Plus*: 4 pts(Adapted from Skinnytaste.com)
Ingredients
1/4 cup Uncooked quick oats1/2 cup Unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp PB2 (powdered peanut butter)
1 tbsp Reduced sugar strawberry spread/jam
1 tsp Chia seeds
1 Handful of fruit (I had frozen, unsweetened blueberries on hand this week.)
Directions
Overnight oats are quick and easy to mix up right before bed. Toss all of your ingredients into one travel sized, sealable container. |
| I had a chia seeds spill! |
 |
| Only half the teaspoon of chia seeds made it into this batch IN the measuring spoon. |
Serving Suggestion:
I don't like my food super sweet, there's enough sugar in the fruit spread and blueberries for me. If you like your breakfast on the sweeter side, though, you could add a little of your favorite sweetener to the recipe.
*PointsPlus values calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers website
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Paper Plates and Pesto
That little bit of back pain that I mentioned last week ended up morphing into something much more debilitating, but with the help of some great friends I'm finally back on my feet. I'm still moving relatively slowly and gingerly, so I'm keeping things as simple as possible around the apartment and especially in the kitchen. We're talking paper plates, folks, so that I don't have to stand over the sink washing dishes.
In the interest of said simplicity, this post is going to be a short one- in part because the recipe I'd like to share is just so darned easy. During last month's heatwave, the last thing I wanted to do was spend much time cooking over a hot stove. What's perfectly delicious and requires little to no time at the stove? Pesto!
I didn't have any fresh basil on hand, but I had recently purchased a lovely bunch of garlic chive blossoms at the Providence Alternative Market. Garlic chives were a brand new ingredient for me, so I took to the interwebs for some advice. While the herb is typically used in Asian cuisine, I found a few garlic chive pesto recipes out there. I improvised a little to create something low(ish) in Points Plus values: I cut out the nuts, cut down on the oil, kept the cheese.
Have you used garlic chives at all this spring? What's your favorite way to use the herb?
1/3 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Basil paste
1 tsp Lemon juice (I only had concentrate on hand, fresh is always better!)
4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper, to taste (I've been cutting down on salt, but you should feel free to add a pinch or two to taste)
Combine the garlic chives, Parmesan cheese, basil paste, lemon juice, two tablespoons of olive oil, and black pepper in a food processor.
Blend the ingredients until finely chopped. Add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more olive oil and/or lemon juice; blending again to combine.
Serving Suggestion:
It's easy to turn this pesto into a full meal in under half an hour.
Before getting to work (and I use the term lightly!) on making the pesto, I set a pot full of water over high heat and preheated the oven to 425° for my PERDUE® SIMPLY SMART® Lightly Breaded Chicken Strips. When the water came to a boil, I added 4 oz of whole wheat linguine- that's approximately two servings- and put the chicken in the oven. At this point my pesto was already blended.
When the pasta was al dente, I strained it, reserving about 1/4 cup of the liquid. The chicken needed another few minutes in the oven, and in that time I returned the strained pasta to the pot, adding one tablespoon of the pesto and the reserved liquid. I also tossed in a half cup of roasted spaghetti squash that I had in the fridge. A quick stir, and "Presto!" Your pesto dinner is ready.
In the interest of said simplicity, this post is going to be a short one- in part because the recipe I'd like to share is just so darned easy. During last month's heatwave, the last thing I wanted to do was spend much time cooking over a hot stove. What's perfectly delicious and requires little to no time at the stove? Pesto!
I didn't have any fresh basil on hand, but I had recently purchased a lovely bunch of garlic chive blossoms at the Providence Alternative Market. Garlic chives were a brand new ingredient for me, so I took to the interwebs for some advice. While the herb is typically used in Asian cuisine, I found a few garlic chive pesto recipes out there. I improvised a little to create something low(ish) in Points Plus values: I cut out the nuts, cut down on the oil, kept the cheese.
Have you used garlic chives at all this spring? What's your favorite way to use the herb?
Garlic Chive Pesto
Servings: ~6 Serving Size: ~1/2 tbsp Points Plus*: 3 pts
Ingredients
1 bunch Garlic chives, chopped (I ended up with roughly one heaping cup)1/3 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Basil paste
1 tsp Lemon juice (I only had concentrate on hand, fresh is always better!)
4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper, to taste (I've been cutting down on salt, but you should feel free to add a pinch or two to taste)
Directions
Chop the garlic chives into 1/2 inch pieces.
Combine the garlic chives, Parmesan cheese, basil paste, lemon juice, two tablespoons of olive oil, and black pepper in a food processor.
Blend the ingredients until finely chopped. Add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more olive oil and/or lemon juice; blending again to combine.
Serving Suggestion:
It's easy to turn this pesto into a full meal in under half an hour.
Before getting to work (and I use the term lightly!) on making the pesto, I set a pot full of water over high heat and preheated the oven to 425° for my PERDUE® SIMPLY SMART® Lightly Breaded Chicken Strips. When the water came to a boil, I added 4 oz of whole wheat linguine- that's approximately two servings- and put the chicken in the oven. At this point my pesto was already blended.
When the pasta was al dente, I strained it, reserving about 1/4 cup of the liquid. The chicken needed another few minutes in the oven, and in that time I returned the strained pasta to the pot, adding one tablespoon of the pesto and the reserved liquid. I also tossed in a half cup of roasted spaghetti squash that I had in the fridge. A quick stir, and "Presto!" Your pesto dinner is ready.
*PointsPlus values calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers website
Monday, June 3, 2013
Everybody, Flea!
Two years ago I enjoyed a wondrous afternoon in Brooklyn with my friend Cathie. We spent a few hours getting lost amidst the splendor of crafts, clothes, jewels, vintage eyewear and antique furniture at Brooklyn Flea's Fort Greene location. When we were all shopped out we sat on the stairs overlooking the market, drinking in the sights and sounds while savoring fresh fruit ice pops. Almost as soon as we walked out of the gates I wanted to go back and experience it all again. Unfortunately, I haven't been back to Brooklyn since that sunshiney day in August.
Imagine my delight when, earlier this year, I found out that Providence would be getting its very own upscale flea market! Providence Flea kicked off yesterday, and I was not at all disappointed. This rain or shine event will take place on Sundays from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm through August 25th. Although this market is Brooklyn Flea inspired, it is wonderfully and uniquely Providence: from its location along the city's riverfront at South Water Street, to the dedication to including local charities and under-represented Rhode Island artists amongst the high quality vintage and antique vendors.
I parked on South Main Street and cut down to South Water Street via the stairs at Mile and a Quarter restaurant. I was thrilled to spot Jodega at the front of the line of food trucks, and decided to start my Flea experience by grabbing an iced coffee. I meandered in and out of the assortment of tents, sipped on my cold cup of joe, and enjoyed the sunshine in a sea of happy Rhode Islanders.
I also did a fair amount of shopping, of course. Archetype Vintage was set up across the green from Jodega, and was, therefore, one of the first vendors I visited. I don't typically have much luck with vintage clothing finds, but I could not pass up the chance to own a vintage homemade flamingo wrap skirt. The fit isn't perfect yet, but it gives me something to work towards as I contemplate a return to the gym!
I'm not quite sure which vendor had this gem for sale, but if I find it at the next Providence Flea I will have to snap it up.
Olive Spoon Studio sells simply gorgeous re-purposed vintage flatware. While I loved their bracelets, rings and necklaces, I walked away with two of their very reasonably priced, hand stamped spoons. One of the spoons is going to be a gift, so I can't show you a picture of my specific purchases.
I spotted this fun and funky, yellow, polka dot purse pretty early in the afternoon, but did not purchase it right away.
I walked around some more, took some photos, sipped coffee in the sun. When I passed the RetroStitch tent again as I was leaving the Flea, I saw that my purse was still there. That's right, "my" purse. RetroStitch fashions eyeglass cases, a variety of handbags, and coin purses out of thrifted fabrics. Brandie Leach is the talented designer behind RetroStitch, and she was kind enough to switch out the original purse strap with one of the chunkier chains that she had with her.
With three purchases under my belt, it was time for me to flee the Providence Flea. Before heading to my car I stopped to take some photos of my new purse. I guess I bent over in a strange way because I managed to tweak my back in the process. Luckily my RetroStitch purchase came with a lavender sachet/heating pad; I'm bedridden at the moment, and this heating pad is providing some welcomed relief.
I can't wait to return to Providence Flea again and again this summer. A big thanks goes out to the event's organizers and vendors for making this flea market a reality.
Imagine my delight when, earlier this year, I found out that Providence would be getting its very own upscale flea market! Providence Flea kicked off yesterday, and I was not at all disappointed. This rain or shine event will take place on Sundays from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm through August 25th. Although this market is Brooklyn Flea inspired, it is wonderfully and uniquely Providence: from its location along the city's riverfront at South Water Street, to the dedication to including local charities and under-represented Rhode Island artists amongst the high quality vintage and antique vendors.
I parked on South Main Street and cut down to South Water Street via the stairs at Mile and a Quarter restaurant. I was thrilled to spot Jodega at the front of the line of food trucks, and decided to start my Flea experience by grabbing an iced coffee. I meandered in and out of the assortment of tents, sipped on my cold cup of joe, and enjoyed the sunshine in a sea of happy Rhode Islanders.
I also did a fair amount of shopping, of course. Archetype Vintage was set up across the green from Jodega, and was, therefore, one of the first vendors I visited. I don't typically have much luck with vintage clothing finds, but I could not pass up the chance to own a vintage homemade flamingo wrap skirt. The fit isn't perfect yet, but it gives me something to work towards as I contemplate a return to the gym!
I'm not quite sure which vendor had this gem for sale, but if I find it at the next Providence Flea I will have to snap it up.
Olive Spoon Studio sells simply gorgeous re-purposed vintage flatware. While I loved their bracelets, rings and necklaces, I walked away with two of their very reasonably priced, hand stamped spoons. One of the spoons is going to be a gift, so I can't show you a picture of my specific purchases.
I spotted this fun and funky, yellow, polka dot purse pretty early in the afternoon, but did not purchase it right away.
I walked around some more, took some photos, sipped coffee in the sun. When I passed the RetroStitch tent again as I was leaving the Flea, I saw that my purse was still there. That's right, "my" purse. RetroStitch fashions eyeglass cases, a variety of handbags, and coin purses out of thrifted fabrics. Brandie Leach is the talented designer behind RetroStitch, and she was kind enough to switch out the original purse strap with one of the chunkier chains that she had with her.
With three purchases under my belt, it was time for me to flee the Providence Flea. Before heading to my car I stopped to take some photos of my new purse. I guess I bent over in a strange way because I managed to tweak my back in the process. Luckily my RetroStitch purchase came with a lavender sachet/heating pad; I'm bedridden at the moment, and this heating pad is providing some welcomed relief.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)