Last Week – This Week. Busy Bee.

It’s been about a week since my last post; lots of things going on around here. Well, let me rephrase that a little. Lots of school related things going on over here. Midterm season is upon me – and will be coming to a close tomorrow. So last week I spent a good portion of down time researching for my two midterm project/papers, and this past weekend I pretty much was inside for the duration working on said activities. But the midterm poster project was completed and submitted last night, and my midterm paper for tomorrow night’s class was started last night, finished this afternoon, and submitted early this evening. There is always a rush of relief when something is finally completed and sent off. Especially when on Monday evening, I was having a mental meltdown about the feasibility of my hypothetical health intervention project for my poster. And the saying is true – everything has a way of working out.  Sometimes you just have to put your nose to the grindstone, stay off of Facebook and Pinterest, not check your phone every five minutes, and just do work.  It sounds so simple, and yet is always ends up being a trial of willpower. Luckily, this time I won. It did make me think back to my early college years, though, when I was pretty much unable to muster any willpower to un-distract myself. At least I have improved upon that!

So this week is busy. Working Monday-Wednesday, class Monday and Wednesday nights, Mom is having ankle surgery on Thursday, and hopefully will return home by Friday. And then Saturday will be a very early morning, as Greyhound departs from Philadelphia at 8AM for Washington, D.C., where I will participate in a Healthy Advocacy summit Saturday through Monday. Monday before returning home, we will be engaging with members of Congress (or their aides if they aren’t available) and Senate members to discuss various current health issues. It should be very informative and interesting, and though I am slightly nervous because I have never gone to something like this before, and it is definitely outside my comfort zone, I am super excited to be able to take part. God knows, these days, we need all the advocates for public health initiatives we can get!

Hope everyone enjoys a nice start to the week!

A nice little Saturday. Had to pick up my mom in the city at 11PM last night, so I slept in ….until 7:30. I used to live to sleep when I was younger (and I don’t just mean a teenager – I loved to sleep even as a kid). Now it seems that time has passed. I still love to sleep (who doesn’t?!) but my body knows what time it is, even without my alarm clock. I set my alarm for 7:45 and woke up instead at 7:30 sharp. It’s still more than two hours later than my normal workweek wake up time.  I got up and exercised. I also realize that my running ability just plain sucks in the morning. I haven’t figured it out yet. I get winded much more easily, and I get side cramps. So I decided instead of pushing it, I would just walk for 25 minutes, and then do my weights/push ups/ sit ups, etc.. So it was still a work out. In a couple of hours, I will go down and do the running portion (and some more weights). I was introduced to the name of a diet plan called The Paleo Diet. I haven’t ordered the book, but it seems to be based off of how people used to eat. The whole hunter-gatherer mentality without actually hunting or gathering. I can safely hunt my meat and gather my veggies in their specific departments at the grocery store.  I think I may try it. Cut out sugar and pasta and bread. We’ll see how easy this turns out to be…

I also caught about 5 minutes of Whitney Houston’s ‘coming home’ celebration. I believe they said it was to start at 11Am and last 3 hours. When I turned it on, it was 3:45, and still going strong. Hope that incorrect timing doesn’t throw off all the later programming…. (really, that was sarcasm, as a) I don’t really watch TV enough to care, and b) obviously, a funeral of such a celebrity trumps and Saturday night movie showing)

Onto school work/midterm prepping, then some Som Sak for dinner with the sister. We’re overdue for a dinner date.

Vegan and Delicious. Can Those Two Words Go Together?

Last night’s dinner was delish. And vegan. A recipe from Food and Wine for vegan enchiladas and quinoa and lentil salad. The recipes are posted below. I am not a huge vegetable fan, and it was all veggies and grains. And it was good.

Vegan Enchiladas

Crema

1. 1 cup raw cashews (4 ounces)
2. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3. 1 teaspoon white vinegar
4. 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauce

1. 2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husked and quartered
2. 1 medium white onion, coarsely chopped
3. 2 garlic cloves, chopped
4. 1 jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped
5. 2 cups vegetable stock
6. 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
7. Salt and freshly ground pepper

Enchiladas

1. 2 cups butternut squash, diced ( 1/2-inch)
2. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
5. 2 shallots, minced
6. 2 cups thinly sliced shiitake caps
7. 2 cups frozen corn kernels
8. 2 cups finely chopped Tuscan kale
9. 1 cup canola oil
10. 12 corn tortillas
11. Sliced avocado and red onion, cilantro leaves and toasted pumpkin seeds, for serving

1. MAKE THE CREMA In a medium heatproof bowl, cover the cashews with hot water and let stand for 2 hours. Drain and transfer the cashews to a food processor. Add the lime juice, vinegar, paprika, salt and 1/4 cup of water and puree until smooth and creamy.
2. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE SAUCE In a large saucepan, combine the tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeño and stock and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderate heat until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the cilantro and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
3. MAKE THE ENCHILADAS Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small baking pan, toss the squash pieces with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, until tender. Remove the squash from the oven and lower the temperature to 375°.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened, 5 minutes. Add the shiitake and cook until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the corn and kale and cook until the kale is wilted, 5 minutes. Add the squash and season with salt and pepper.
5. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the canola oil. Dip 1 tortilla into the hot oil and cook just until pliable, turning once, about 10 seconds. Drain the tortilla on paper towels and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
6. Spoon 1 cup of the tomatillo sauce into a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange all of the tortillas on a work surface and divide the filling between them. Roll up the enchiladas and arrange them in the baking dish, seam sides down. Spoon 2 cups of the sauce on top. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 25 minutes, until the enchiladas are heated through. Spoon the crema on top and serve with avocado, red onion, cilantro and pumpkin seeds.

Make AheadThe enchiladas can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours. The cashew crema can be refrigerated overnight. Serve at room temperature.

Red Quinoa and Lentil Pilaf

Ingredients

1. 1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
2. 1 bay leaf
3. 1 thyme sprig
4. 1 garlic clove
5. 1/4 onion
6. 2 tablespoons coconut oil
7. 1 shallot, minced
8. 1 celery rib, minced
9. 1 carrot, minced
10. 1/2 cup red quinoa, rinsed
11. 1 cup vegetable stock
12. Salt
13. Freshly ground pepper
14. 1 pound cauliflower, coarsely grated
15. 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
16. 1/3 cup coarsely chopped Marcona almonds

1. Put the lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the bay leaf, thyme sprig, garlic and onion and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the lentils are tender, about 18 minutes. Drain and discard the bay leaf, thyme, garlic and onion. Wipe out the pot.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil to the saucepan. Add the shallot, celery and carrot and cook over low heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the grains are tender and plump and the liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the cauliflower and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, toss the lentils with the quinoa, cauliflower, parsley and almonds. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot or at room temperature.

Helped get everything prepped and ready for the meal, and while the enchiladas were in the oven, I took the bake time and ran. Another 9-minute mile. Was really pushing myself because this cold was wreaking havoc on me yesterday.

This morning I decided instead of trying to kill myself on the treadmill, I would bring it down a notch and just speed walk. Works just as well. Along with about 70 sit-ups and about  20 push ups and some weight lifting, it was still a good workout. And I will  run tonight.

After various errands this morning, I am finally settling in to work on one of my midterms for class – the topic being childhood obesity in the homeless population. It’s actually a very interesting niche to look at in regards to the obesity epidemic. So with that…I am off.

Running away the cold….

Currently Listening To: Make You Feel My Love  – Adele (original version written and sung by Bob Dylan – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH3HMBhzSag)

It’s slowly becoming a slightly crappy day weather-wise here in Jersey. But a good day to get some indoor stuff done. Like working on two mid-terms I don’t really feel like working on. This cold also persists, despite my best efforts to run it out of my system. Last night I ran a mile on the treadmill in 8:30. This morning I ran, but wasn’t feeling as up to snuff, so I didn’t push myself. I have also been doing some weights, and its nice to (slowly) start to see some definition in my arms. I am about 135 again, but I think it is more due to gaining some muscle rather than weight itself. I really don’t enjoy running, but I enjoy the feeling at the end. And I enjoy the burn in my stomach when I force myself to do more sit-ups than I think I can. I am by no means an exercise fanatic, but I understand how people can get addicted to it. I used to love working out in high school when I rowed on the crew team. To the point that I would go to morning practice, go to school, go to afternoon practice, and then still come home and work out again. I am hoping to get back to the shape I was in then. I think I may be getting close. And it feels damn good.

In other news, I am planning to go to Washington D.C. the first weekend in March for a public health advocacy summit. There are about 5 other girls in my classes that are going as well, so it should be a fun, informative and educational weekend. Just trying to figure out the hotel and transportation details are getting a bit complicated…

I have inadvertently cut out 99% of the TV watching that I was doing previously. I have a TV in my room, but am too lazy to hook it up  to a cable box. So once in a while, I will watch a previously aired episode online, but I really quite enjoy not sitting down in front of the TV the way I used to. Plus…books are always better, in my view.

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Sickness and Valentine’s. Or, a Sick Valentine.

Currently Listening To: Lullaby  – Leonard Cohen (Old Ideas)

I refuse to let this cold beat me. I decided to run tonight, perhaps against better judgement. I figure I will just exercise it out of my system. I pushed myself and ran a 9-minute mile. I am rather proud of myself, considering a couple of weeks ago I was about a 13-minute mile. Oh, what one can accomplish when she sets her mind to it! Anyway, now I am sitting in bed (going to do some reading for tomorrow’s class shortly) and the cold is back full force. I was feeling great, pounding away on the treadmill (I secretly am afraid I will overstep and fall….and but either my face or my ass. Either way, it won’t be pretty), feeling like I couldn’t breath (first red flag – probably because I, uh…have a cold?), and pushing myself to go faster. I was a terrible mess at the end of that run. But I felt good.  Now I think my body hates me even more   Oh well. Can’t let the sniffles stop me.

In other news – it’s Valentine’s Day. I really should just leave it at that, because I have a history of ranting about the stupidity of this day. And it just sounds cynical and unhappy. But really, I am very happy, and not at all cynical (well, maybe just a little). I just don’t understand why there has to be one single day devoted to telling people you care about them. What about the other 364 days? And it is obviously an absurdly commercialized “holiday,” if you will, that is more about making money than the sentiment – at least I think.  So. No rant = rant anyway My apologies.

Currently Listening To: Make You Feel My Love- Adele

So I officially have my first cold of the season. I was hoping to avoid getting one at all. Or at least running it away on the treadmill. No such luck, it appears. I suppose I will have to suffer through the sneezing, stuffiness and runny nose just like everyone else.

On a different note, today was a supremely productive day. I love when it happens that way. I consider myself productive 95% of the time anyway, and try to always make the most of whatever time I have by multitasking whenever possible. Especially since my work hours are cut by about 7 hours a week now with having to leave early for class. So I got an awesome amount of stuff done, didn’t feel stressed leaving work, and had an interesting class tonight as well. Our guest speakers were a) an MD/MPA (Pediatrics) who works with the Nemours Hospital that is coordinated with Jefferson. She spent about an hour and a half talking about immunizations – the challenges that public health and doctors alike face (as in, the lingering effects of the Wakefield-Autism falsified research fiasco, along with people being misinformed or not educated about the topic period), as well as the history of immunizations. Then we had the an MA/MPH (Gerontology) come speak to us about healthcare and the aging population of the US and the world. Very informative – and interesting.

 

So…with that, it’s off to bed. Another early morning tomorrow, and I had enough trouble  this morning getting up, and I feel worse now than I did then.  I would wish you all a happy Valentine’s Day….but I still (after all these years) think it’s a stupid holiday.  So – goodnight!

Fitness Overload….

Currently Listening To: Superman’s Dead – Our Lady Peace

I think I may have overdone the workout tonight. As much as I don’t have time for it, I feel myself getting a cold. My solution – tea and running. Lots of tea. And I ran hard tonight. Pushed myself as much as I could. Until I literally thought my throat was starting to close up. I doubt it was. But I’m sure you know the feeling.

  And then the weights. Lifted heavier than I have yet, and it the burn felt good. But now I am achey, and it’s only been a little over an hour since. I think its because my body is starting a cycle of hating me haha. I really don’t have time to be sick, but it is somewhat difficult to avoid at this time of year. Perhaps I should bring it down a notch with the workout. Though tomorrow is the day off because I don’t get home from class until late. So, hopefully by Tuesday all will be well again.

A Celebrity Fallen and Middle East Tensions

In an attempt to not contribute too much to the media frenzy that is surrounding the untimely death of Whitney Houston, I will keep this short. There are already conspiracy theories regarding how she died. That someone killed her, like someone ‘killed’ Michael Jackson. My personal feeling is that it is an unfortunate and deadly side effect of the business of Hollywood and stardom. If you went through the last 30 years alone, how many stars would you count who died very early because of drugs, alcohol (or a mix) or any type of accident related to those two? Some people have demons that they can’t shake. And that business of being yes’d to death does not help someone who is already vulnerable. Instead of standing up and saying no, most agents and friends do the opposite. That is not to say that nobody tried to help Whitney. I’m sure some did. But across the board, I would venture to say it is a fairly reasonable generalization. As always, the good die young. Before their time (or maybe it was their time?), and with so much left to offer to the world. We, as a public, cannot change the fact that she and many others before her have died too soon. But perhaps some shift can happen in the industry to hold everyone accountable for actions and behaviors that ultimately lead to such tragedy.

In other news….it seems somewhat imminent (to me at least) that our new focus will be going to war with Iran. Or invading Syria. Two equally plausible, possibilities, however scary. I understand the delicate politics of dealing with both countries. But I wonder, too, when will come the day that we take care of our own? Not that we should turn a blind eye to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, or ignore the fact that Iran’s president is nuts and completely willing to blow us all the smithereens if he ever has the chance. But I hope we don’t send a boatload of troops into another place to start another war. Although if we go to Iran, at least the clear cut motive is nukes and oil. That much we know.

Well…those two topics certainly mesh well together, don’t they?  Ha. And now I am  off to listen to all the Mumford and Sons I can stand on Spotify, do some research for my midterm project, and eat some vegan-ish red lentil/coconut milk/curry soup. Delish.

Beach in Winter and Kitchen Demolition

Currently Listening to: 90s Smash Hits on Spotify  – Torn by Natalie Imbruglia

Friday began an adventure to the beach house. In February. It was nice out though - actually about 50 degree on the beach – and sunny. It was warmer outside than it was in the house. We went down because the kitchen is going to get an update, and instead of paying a carpenter to take down all the upper cabinets – I did it! And also removed the mirror backsplash. Other than a couple minor cuts from the glass, it all went well. Quite a work out though, I will say. We stayed overnight – went out to dinner at O’Donnells Pour House – which I think was the only restaurant open in those parts. Food was phenom….cheese pocket pasta in a cream sauce with lump crab meat, artichokes, and spinach. Talk about rich!!

This morning we had breakfast at the only joint open that serves it, and headed home. Saw a horrible accident at the AC Expressway/42 Interchange where it looked like a car took the curve too fast and was completely flipped on its roof. It had just happened moments before because the ambulance and police were still driving up the opposite side of traffic to get to the scene. A little reality check of gratitude.   Hope the driver and any passengers are okay.

Anyway…on to some reading for class and hanging out with a fun little 3-year-old (granddaughter of my parent’s friends) who has been hanging out with us this weekend

Health Reform and Disconnecting From the Electro-haze

This evening’s class covered the topic of the Affordable Care Act. However much we all may love or hate policy-making and the general politics of the healthcare reform situation (myself included), our guest speaker (Dr. Sartafy) really enlightened our group (or at least me) on some of the details involved in the legislation. However, due to time, I was not able to ask about the 100 questions I was thinking about. One such question is this: if Medicaid coverage is projected to increase from 12% to 18% by 2019, just because more people are covered, doesn’t mean that they will still have access (better, worse, or the same). How does this bill plan to address the fact that Medicaid simply does not reimburse providers enough to financially make it worthwhile (or feasible) to accept?

Also – The whole concept of making everyone be covered by insurance. I am all for everyone having equal access (and this plan actually would put the individual and small business in the same exchange that members of Congress would be part of – to level the playing field and bring down costs). However, just because everyone is insured (if this mandate of required coverage is accepted as Constitutional) does not mean everyone has the same care. Nobody ever discusses the idea of being under-insured.

So. There’s some food for thought I suppose.

Other such thoughts this evening were in reference to how freaking connected everyone is (myself included, though I pride myself on being slightly less so) to their phones and computers and iPods. I think we need a week that is mandatory to just shut down. No phone. No TV. No Computer. not iPod generated musical entertainment. How about some real life interaction.

I like to people-watch and the train can be an interesting, if not entertaining 20 minute ride to do so. Most of the time, I realize that I am the only one NOT on their phone or listening to music. Even people who probably can’t afford a smart phone seem to have one. I suppose I am somewhat of a hypocrite, because I too have an IPhone…but I also love to disconnect sometimes. I actually prefer to not talk on the phone, and my text messaging is ridiculously limited compared to many people. I think some of my favorite memories have actually been a) prior to the advent of the cellular phone and b) when I was somewhere that phones were not accessible – i.e. Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras….though maybe it just means I need to travel out of the country to satisfy the desire to shut off sometimes haha. I think in the time of crazy amounts of information flying at us in all directions and the overstimulation from all sorts of electronic devices, we forget about before. Or if we were not privileged to know the before era, then we forget about what its like to step back and take a break. and reflect – on things other than who the Kardashian’s are marrying or what celebrity ended up in rehab this week…or any of the trivial crap that seems to be put on a much much much higher pedestal in regards to actual meaningful information than it ever should be allowed.

So. I have now gone on a rant and I refuse to re-read it, because I believe sometimes the ranty-writing is better left un-edited.