Great Book and Great Recipe

I just read "Food Matters" by Mark Bittman. It was great! It motivates you to eat the way we are told to in the Word of Wisdom. In "Food Matters" Bittman discusses the impact of the meat industry on the environment. Did you know that raising cows the way we do pollutes the air worse than our cars? He challenges everyone to be a "vegan until 6"- dinnertime. Lots of veggies, beans, whole grains, fruit, nuts. And at dinner, eat less meat- and better meat. I like that. We just had a scrumptious lunch of flatbread smeared with mashed beans (flavored with taco seasoning), topped with lettuce and steamed veggies. Yummmmmmmmmmmm. I was surprised at how filling, too! I am going to learn how to make flatbread. I tried it last night but it was a bomb. I burned it. I thought next time I'd try making it like pancakes. Did you know there is only whole wheat flour, salt and water in them?

Anyway, he does talk a lot about the politics involved, but it's also got a bunch of yummy looking recipes and good dietary advice. He had a killer article in a recent Runner's World, too.

The following is a fantastic recipe from Alton Brown's new DVD set. We couldn't stop eating it. :)

Oven Roasted Broccoli

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007

• Cook time: 10 min
  

• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or sharp Cheddar

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets into bite size pieces. Cut the stalk into 1/8-inch thick, round slices. Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.

Spread the panko into a 13 by 9-inch metal cake pan and place into the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove the panko from the oven and add to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine. Return the mixture to the cake pan, place in the oven and roast just until the broccoli is tender, 8 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven, toss in the cheese and serve immediately.

Intervals!

At least I think that's what they're called. I organized my exercise efforts a bit more.

Day 1- Speed day- Intervals! Like Body for Life- increase your speed every minute until you hit an effort level of 10, then go back to level 5 and work up again. My ultimate goal is to lose enough weight to be able to run again and this is easing me into running again.

Day 2- Weights

Day 3- Easy day. I just have to hit my mileage.

Day 4- Weights

Day 5- Long distance.

I'm still contemplating my nutrition goals for the month. Perhaps I'll add a legume requirement. And a whole grain requirement. Any ideas?

Fitness Challenge

I read an article in Runners World where 16 siblings all ran the same marathon. They kept up with each others' training and cheered each other on by posting on Facebook. I liked that idea. In Dave's family we have each set an individual fitness goal for the month (and plan to add to our goals each month). This has kept me going because I don't want to have to confess that I messed up. What do you all say to doing something like that for our family? My idea is to declare our goal for the month and record our progress weekly or so. If we need motivation, hopefully we can help each other out. Any other ideas, improvements, suggestions?

My personal goal for this month is to exercise 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time, to eat no sugar this month, and to eat three veggies and two fruits a day.

So far so good. I haven't eaten sugar in two weeks. :) At the beginning of the month I was doing a little over a mile in half an hour. I've worked up to 2 miles in a little over half an hour. I ran out and got new running shoes today because my old ones were shot. And I've been especially enjoying carrots.

Tell me your thoughts! Love you guys!

Laurie