Goooooood afternoon!
Great discussion going on in the ‘Is Your Desk Job Harming Your Health?’ post! It was interesting to read everyone’s experiences. I was asked about what kinds of stretches to do at a desk and I came across this awesome visual guide that you can print and put in front of you! Click to enlarge.
[Source]
I am a very visual person, so I think this will be a great reminder for me!
I’m a personal fan of #10, although it always creeps me out when my back cracks!
I am going to start taking stretching breaks every hour or so when I am doing desk work- or even doing physical work in the bakery. My back/shoulders are so tight it’s a bit ridiculous. I have a timer on my desk, so I think I will start setting it to remind me. Goodness knows I need reminders!
Onto today’s lunch, which was fabulous…
First I should mention that my Green Monster this morning with Purslane gave me so much energy! I honestly felt amazing this morning. It held me over for about 3 hours before having a mid-morning snack of apple + cashew butter. Who knew a tiny weed could pack so much punch? This weekend, I shall be buying out the dear farmer’s stock of Purslane and Nettles.
I am loving cooking with this Cold-pressed organic sunflower oil. It seems to adapt to everything I make it with, including the amazing Cherry, Banana, and Coconut Butter Bread. By the way, I did manage to freeze half of it, and that is the only reason why it is still in my house. I dream about taking it out of the freezer about 6 times a day. I think I might take it out over the Canada Day long weekend for a treat!
I’m not sure if we are going to see more garlic scapes this season. I guess we will find out tonight! One reader told me that she went to buy them this week and the farmer said they are already out of season. That one musta hurt!
Prepare for the entire kitchen to smell amazing when you make this…
Zucchini, Tomato, and Garlic Scape Stir-fry
Ingredients:
- 1 large zucchini
- 1/2 large tomato
- 3-4 garlic scapes
- 1/2 tbsp cold-pressed sunflower oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- Kosher sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground Black pepper, to taste
- Parsley flakes, for garnish
Directions: Pour about 1/2 a tbsp of Sunflower oil (or oil of your choice) into a skillet and heat at low-medium. Chop veggies and throw into skillet along with seasonings. Cook for about 10 minutes or until veggies are tender. Sprinkle with dried or freshly chopped parsley.
I served it along with two seedy Cracker Glo Doughs and 1/4 cup of roasted red pepper hummus! Mmmmmmm!
I loved eating it on a bed of hummus, but I couldn’t resist making a hummus hat…
Hummus makes my world go round.
I also cracked open a brand new spice that I bought in bulk the other day…PAPRIKA!
I am so happy to have Paprika back in stock. I ran out of it last year and never got around to buying any. I love Paprika because it is a spice that you can use quite liberally and it doesn’t overwhelm the dish.
Benefits of Paprika include:
- High in Vitamin C
- Antibacterial
- Can help normalize blood pressure and improve circulation
- Can increase the production stomach acids to aid digestion (always good for peeps with stomachs like me!)
The stir-fry was also excellent! So much flavour. The garlic scapes were fabulous in a stir-fry too.
My afternoon powersnack was better than my wildest dreams…
I made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream using 1 frozen Glo Dough chopped up and banana soft serve. It tasted just like choc. chip cookie dough ice cream.
Have you ever used smoked paprika?! It is my absolute favorite spice!
YES. seconded! i got a cute lil tin of it at marshall’s. it really is to die for. and very, very surprisingly good with brown sugar on mango slices 8)
I am in total agreement – smoked paprika is amazing!
NO i havent…how have I not!??!
Thanks for sharing the stretches. I sit at a desk all day and have been starting to notice a lot more stiffness and back/neck pain. Can’t wait to start doing some stretching!
Love all the veggies in this post! Makes my AB + banana on hemp bread while I was running through the kitchen and back to work seem measley! Veggies for dinner. Veggies for dinner
I’m actually quite the opposite and look forward to working out the day after a rest day!
Oh my gosh – you are my inspiration! Cookie dough banana soft serve?!? HEAVEN! :-P
Just made strawberry banana soft serve for the first time yesterday morning, and I’m pretty sure I’m already addicted.
Those desk stretches are great! I need to remind myself to do them– I’ve been sitting WAY too much today!
And, I think I need to make some cookie dough banana soft serve NOW. Like, right now!!
I have a huge pad of those stretches at the spa – I give them to many patients and clients. :)
insider knowledge of the software industry… there are places where your computer goes to sleep at set times of day – to make you take a break, get up and stretch. I told Jason he needs to write software to have THESE STRETCHES come up on your screen at those breaks! :)
…I think it had already been done!
Hummus DOES make the world go round.
Hahhaa I can totally relate to you about the “snakes”! I always feel so silly when I get creeped out by vegetables.
I remember once, we forgot a few potatoes in their bag under the counter..and when I opened them the spuds had grown…legs? I actually freaked out! All I could think of was spider/insects legs. Just typing this is giving me goose bumps..i’m such a dork. :P
hahah sprouting potatoes scare me too!
I always want to go through a series of stretches midday because sitting in this one position in front of the computer kills me, but I’m in a big room with others. I’d feel a little silly.
I gotta get me some of those doughs- they look awesome!
Those desk stretches are great Ange. I’m going to email my hubb’s a link to this post bc sometimes he sits down at his desk at 7:30am and doesn’t get up until dinner time… NOT GOOD! Maybe I should print out a copy..?
Your stir fry looks really yummy too!
A veggie hat. Hahaha!
Those stretches look great but I may get a few od looks if I started doing them in my office!
I should try those desk stretches.
That chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream looks so good. :)
Speaking of snakes . . . We’re at the cottage right now and my bf is in the back hunting for snakes for some photo ops
I always experience a little bit of a motivation lack the day after a rest day. To combat it, I change into my favorite workout clothes and say to myself “I’ve regretted doing a workout before”. Which is true, very rarely have I ever worked out and said “Oh, I wish I hadn’t done that”. Its more like “I’m sooo glad I did it”.
Your afternoon snack sounds amazing. I love things that are healthy yet so tasty.
What a wonderful lunch! You should try and make goulash with the paprika (veggie-version of course!!)
I don’t think I have ever made goulash!
That hummus hat is the cutest thing ever! I love your meals :)
thanks so much for the sweet comment! good idea with the printed stretches–i sit a lot of the day and find that i am much more awake when i take a few minutes to get more blood flowing to my muscles!
i’m going to print out those stretches right now!!! thanks so much!