Good morning!
Surprisingly, I am not sore after the Earthquake run ‘n shake 5 point oh no last night! It must have been all the Polly’s Yoga for runners that I did afterwards. :tongue:
Eric and I also watched The Recruit last night, after deciding that a laid back movie night was much in order!
Bum + couch = bliss. ‘nough said.
Eric is home today and tomorrow and he doesn’t have to be anywhere near the G20 Summit. I am very happy that I don’t have to worry about him being there!
We also picked up our CSA box last night…
We both agreed we have never seen green onions this big before!!
IT’S ALIVE!!!
I am officially stock piling Garlic Scapes now! LOL
Last week, I didn’t have time to make my Easy Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto but this weekend I vow I will make a huge colossal batch and freeze a bunch of pesto. A reader suggested this to me, and I think it is a wonderful idea. I also heard that the garlic scapes can be used as ‘green beans’ in a stir-fry. Just chop them up and throw them in!
Scapes, spinach, mixed lettuce, asparagus…
Asparagus is almost out of season now. *sniff.
Fluffy lettuce.
Zucchini…
Apples with character :biggrin:
Mmmmmm, the star of the show!
When life gives you strawberries, make JAM!
Last night I whipped up a homemade strawberry jam to use in this morning’s Vegan Overnight Oats.
Easy Homemade Strawberry Jam
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of strawberries, stems removed and chopped in half
- Sweetener, to taste (agave, maple syrup, sugar, etc)
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds or a bit less (absorbs water)
Directions: In a bowl mash strawberries with a fork until a jam-like consistency forms. Add a little sweetener to make the strawberries pop. Now stir in 1/2 tbsp or a bit less of chia seeds into the jam and place in fridge overnight or for 1-2 hours until it thickens.
The strawberry jam was very watery after mashing the strawberries, so I added the chia seeds to absorb the water and to thicken it up. It worked like a charm!!! I am convinced that chia seeds are a pantry essential. They are just so versatile.
The result was fresh, homemade strawberry jam with an antioxidant kick.
My vegan overnight oats this morning were the carob powder variety with a mashed banana mixed in to marinate overnight. I layered with the strawberry jam. I also put a layer of frozen banana (1/4 of a banana broken up into chunks), 1/4 of a Chi Glo Bar, 1/2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tsp shredded coconut, and a cherry strawberry on top!
Perfecto.
Keep It Simple Stress Relieving Tips
This morning, I read an article called Tips to eliminate stress in your day on the Huffington Post.
Some of the tips offered by Gretchen Rubin include:
- Never let your car’s gas level fall into the "empty" zone.
- Put your keys away in the same place every day.
- Turn out the light as soon as you’re sleepy.
- Walk around the block.
- Take 10 minutes before bed to tidy up.
- If you have to pack a lunch for anyone, get it ready the night before.
- Make your bed.
I liked this article because it showed very easy and simple ways that we can reduce stress in our lives without feeling like we have to tackle some huge obstacle in front of us. I am especially guilty for letting my car go into the empty gas zone! I also rarely make the bed in the morning. I do however put my keys in the same spot everyday. I would also like to try implementing this 10 minute tidy up trick before bed. I think that would make a big difference in the morning!
Do you do any things on this list? Are you guilty of not doing any of the above like I am? Do you have any SIMPLE ways to reduce stress on a daily basis?
I’ve been in love with scapes from the first time you mentioned them. Went out the very next weekend to the farmer’s market and loaded up. So much fun….these veggies have some serious personality! A recipe that I found that I am IN LOVE with….think that maybe you’d like it, so I’m sharing quickly. I don’t remember where I found it, but there are many variations on the web.
White bean/scape dip:
4 scapes, chopped
1 can any type white bean, drained and rinsed (I use great northern)
Juice from 1/2 lemon (or lime…interesting twist)
1-2 T. EVOO (I’ve used both, and both times w/ great results)
1-2 T. water (for consistency)
Salt and pepper if desired
Hot pepper flakes if you want kick (haven’t tried this yet)
Process scapes & lemon until well blended. Add beans, EVOO, salt, pepper and process again. Add water until desired consistency.
I can’t get enough of this. So easy…so yummy. To me, it falls somewhere between a guacamole & hummus taste. I LOVE to dump a layer on a tortilla, add tons of lettuce, tomato, etc. & sunflower seeds, and chow down. Or as a dip for crackers, cukes…..
Love your blog, Ange. It’s the only one that I follow faithfully…and I thoroughly enjoy every ounce of wisdom and adventure that you share. Thank-you!
I so agree with those stress tips. I love the strawberry jam, I need to make my own non loaded with sugar homemade jam.
Thanks for these little de-stress tips! It’s funny how such little things can lead to so much stress if left unchecked. By being a little more diligent, you can live so much more peacefully.
Another thing I try to do to keep stress away is “compartmentalize.” Annoying and unfortunate things happen all the time, but if you chalk it up to the “cost of operating as a human” it makes things easier. For example: car expenses are a huge pain for me, and I always feel so frustrated spending hard earned $ on fixing things I didn’t even knew existed (eg; certain car parts). But if you “compartmentalize” that the car expenses are just part of being alive, I find that it isn’t as upsetting!
Nice job on the jam. I’ll definitely be giving that a try :)
I take 20 minutes each day to do something cleaning-wise. Whether it’s vacuuming, scrubbing the shower, dusting, laundry, etc… it helps to keep things clean on a constant basis so I’m not spending 4 hours on my Saturday morning CLEANING! I also have disposable wipes I keep underneath my bathroom sink that I use to wipe down the counter every other day. And I keep my make up in a basket that I can easily put in the drawer after I use it in the morning. Keeps things from being cluttered in the bathroom! :) Woah, after reading this I realized I’m a little obsessive about being clean!
I need to follow the advice on the car keys… I think I lose my keys at least three times a week.
That definitely looks better than any jam I’ve seen on shevles!
I also belong to a CSA. I have for a couple years now and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
I’m so guilty of letting my gas tank get waaaay to low. It drives my husband crazy. I do make my bed everyday. My mom always taught us to do that and she always said it makes the whole room feel cozier…which is so true! I love when I take the time to tidy up before bedtime. It starts my morning off so much better when I walk down the stairs in the morning and I see that everything is put away.
chia does deserve to be a staple in everyone’s house! wish it was more widely available and cheaper for most people.
love your pictures.
That strawberry jam is GORGEOUS!
My stress-relieving tips are focused more so on the mind aspect of stress but I’ll share them anyway because I don’t think they are too “out there” :P
– let go of the urgency to know what the future holds. Accept uncertainty and limited control
– practice mindfulness and relaxation through breathing deeply and focusing your mind on the present moment
– make sure to completely relax (both body and mind) before you go to sleep. If you fall asleep stressed out or angry, you will wake up feeling the same way
I love stress busting tips and I love Gretchen!
* I don’t have a car, it really helps my stress levels!
* My keys live in a dish on the sideboard. I know where they are all the time.
* Sometimes I fall asleep before I turn the light off
* Always walking and cycling.
* Always clear up before bed. It’s nice to wake up to a tidy house
* Always pack my lunch the night before
* Himself always makes the bed
your 5k post from last night was hilarious btw. Loved the ribbon you made yourself! ANd that strawberry jam idea is GENIUS! Any chance glo bar shipping will come down in price? I wanted to order some last night, but realized that to ship to OR it would cost $25. Yikes.
I love these tips!
I follow almost all of them anyways…I am very “like that” same thing before bed. Always put the mail, keys, cellphone in the same place. Make breakfast at the exact same time!
Lol, sometimes maybe I just need to leave my keys in another room to keep me on my toes ;)
Great looking jam!
xxoo
Great tips, and love the looks of that fresh jam, yum!
I don’t do ANY of those tips… but I think I should! Esp keeping my keys in the same place and tidying before bed!
I always settle down with a warm mug of tea to get ready for bed. It’s great at the end of a stressful day!
xo
Kris
What lovely jam!!!
oooh and I made basil pesto last night – so delish!
I’ve actually been doing a lot of those things lately (I’ve been working with someone to reduce my stress level). It’s so the little things that can alleviate tension/make you feel better. Your layered glass looks wonderful,too!
I do almost everything on that list. I’m still over-stressed, though. lol :D
Jenn
oooo – crisp, clean, tight sheets are one of my favorite things!! Love a made bed…it’s such a grandma rule but it really does make a difference!
I emailed my fiance a picture of your latest VOO creation as a teaser for tomorrow morning :)
i just made homemade jam 2 days ago with my strawberries that were getting a bit too overripe but next time I’ll use chia seeds–
My tidy up trick: Never leave a room empty handed. There’s always something that needs to be put away.
I stumbled across your blog from Averie’s (Loves Veggies and Yoga). Thanks for sharing those stress-relieving tips. I am a HUGE proponent of getting everything for the next day ready the night before (especially lunches!). It took my husband a while to get comfortable with this system, but after seeing how easy it made mornings, he’s now converted. :-)
I picked up my house for 10 min’s before I went to bed last night. It is amazing how much you can get done. I walked down stairs this morning…and it felt wonderful!