Diet & Health musings

Matthew and I had a lovely private vacation for our 4-year wedding anniversary. However, seeing myself in a bikini for the first time in a year, was fairly disturbing. I have definitely put on some weight. And I want to LOSE some before my cruise at the end of the May!
but how?
Yes the lo-carb method does seem to work for me.
Going Gluten free is great for my digestion, but I still get too many carbs from the rice-noodles etc.
And going lo-carb, gluten-free, and dairy free (helps alleviate congestion), is REALLY too strict for me. I'm not living in a bubble people!!! I am social, and I do need to eat once in a while. sheesh!
so
my thoughts are turning to other methods/lifestyle choices.
I already work-out 3-5 times week. I eat healthy foods (most of the time), and so Matt and I decided to reduce our alcohol intake (whenever possible). So, unless it's wine club night, or a weekend out with friends, we are sticking to water and herbal teas (of course I get my one cup of coffee each AM).
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Also in regards to how wonderfully the lemon water helped stave off the cold I was getting last month, I did some more research on alkaline/acidic foods. These links are very helpful (although not entirely in context, they are written to help people who have had a colonic treatment, and how to elongate the healthy effects, etc). Considering I get major issues down-there after having too much gluten, I felt this was appropriate. NOTE - it's not telling you that you cannot ever eat meat or cheese, but just advising that it is better to eat more of the Alkalizing foods than the Acidic foods. Most of us (unless we are strict vegans) will not be able to stick to an only alkaline diet. Anyway, I was happy to see this online as I had often wondered about the differences in certain foods and how they affected me - this is a good list to have around.
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Links
What to do/eat after a colonic
Alkalizing versus Acidic food lists
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The Dogwood Festival was just wonderful. We walked around quite a bit (my workout for the day), and then lay out in the grass in the sunshine listening to the live music. (exhaling happily). It was just a beautiful weekend.
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Chinese Grand Prix was entertaining also.
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In other news... MAY MAYHEM of activities on the radar...
**Zane Lamprey is coming to Atlanta on May 22nd - show is at Center Stage.
**ISAW Foundation Drink Well Do Good Tour ATLANTA is also that night.
lucky me I'm going to both - why oh why do they put these things on the same weekend? lol.
**Alive Expo is coming to Atlanta May 15-16th weekend. Natural Products and Green Living Event. although I'll be most likely visiting my Grandfather that weekend, so I will miss it. Enjoy and let me know how it is, if you go?
**33rd Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival is May 29th & 30th
and I'm spent!

Flavio "Piquet" a tattletale driver?

HOT DAMN!
Nelson Piquet's Statement.

BUT WAIT:

"It's believed that Symonds and Briatore aren't disputing the fact that they had a discussion about a deliberate accident to assist Alonso, but are adamant that it was Piquet Junior's own idea and they didn't ask him to do it.

Piquet's claim is understood to be that Symonds and Briatore asked him to crash to bring out the Safety Car. So there seems to be little dispute at all that it was a pre-arranged accident, the only area of contention is - did he jump or was he pushed"

EVASIVE?
Pat Symonds (Renault technical director) looks like he doesn't want to answer specific questions. Not looking good.....

Hatch Green Chile and Revolutionary Road

Photo Credit
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Soon after we discovered that Trader Joe's carries canned Hatch Green Chile, we started buying it and making all sorts of yummy foods. Target Super Center also carries Hatch Fire Roasted Ranchero Sauce and Green Chile Enchilada Sauce. We are in heaven! We started off Saturday with Huevos Rancheros. Then Saturday night I made my version of Matt's favorite recipe of Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas. It's similar to lasagna,baklava, or Trifle in that it is a layered dish. WARNING: This is not a meal for the calorie-shy.
Ingredients
1 bag of 4 inch round soft Corn Tortillas
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 16 oz bags of Shredded Mexican Cheeses
1.5 cans Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
2 cans of chunk chicken breast meat
Cumin (to taste)
1 small can of V8
Olive Oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In Medium sauce pan, mix cream of chicken soup, and Enchilada Sauce. Heat on med-low, stirring occasionally. Don't want to leave unattended, basically you are letting the flavors meld, and keeping it warm. I used only 1 can of sauce but I underestimated the cream of chicken muting the spicy flavor, so I would recommend using at least 1.5 cans of the enchilada sauce, or more (if you like it more spicy).
Meanwhile, In Skillet, pour in olive oil (enough for at least an 1/8 inch level in the skillet), heat to medium with lid partway on (cracked a little so it heats slowly). Once oil is hot enough, reduce heat to med-low. Using Tongs, soften the corn tortillas in oil. I just layed them in the pan, one at a time, turning once, letting it crackle a little and coating the tortillas, but not letting them get crispy. After done softening the tortillas, I put them in a bowl temporarily to cool off a bit. You may not actually get through the entire package of tortillas. I only used about 3/4's of the bag for my recipe - until the olive oil was mostly gone.
In the same skillet (the olive oil is mostly gone, so it's okay to keep the leftovers in there) reduce heat to low, pour in 1/2 can of V8, and add the canned chicken, sprinkle with ground cumin. Gently sautee the Chicken, letting the flavors meld. Seperate chunks into smaller pieces with spoon. Let simmer on low heat while you get to the next step.
Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Coat the bottom of the pan with a bit of the enchilada sauce mixture. Tear the softened tortillas into strips, and add layer of tortillas to the baking pan. Scatter a layer of chicken pieces over the tortillas. Sprinkle shredded cheese layer over the chicken. Pour thin layer of enchilada sauce over the cheese. Repeat layers again - Tortillas, Chicken, Cheese, Sauce, and so on, until you are out of sauce. The top layer should be tortillas (to seal in the layers), and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the top tortilla layer.
Put pan in the oven - at 350 - for 25-30 minutes. Mixture should be bubbly and edges on the top layer of tortillas & cheese should be getting crisp. Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Serve in squares, garnish with sour cream and Ranchero or enchilada sauce (if desired). I did not realize how MUCH food this was going to be. There's at least 10 servings in one pan (it's now day 4 and we still haven't eaten it all!!!)
Recommended side dish would be Refried beans. I used large can of Kroger brand refried beans, but I heated it while adding salt and half n half cream - for better flavor.
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We watched Revolutionary Road this weekend. It reminds me a LOT of Mad Men, except perhaps that they fight a lot more. In Mad Men everybody disagrees, but they argue more with glares, glances, and their eyes. Revolutionary Road is a bit more verbose in its arguing. Phenomenal performances by both Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. What a year for Kate! She was in The Reader AND this movie. It takes a special kind of person to pull off that emotional drama in one year without going slightly bonkers. Good for her! I know I couldn't have pulled it off.
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Sunday we watched Formula 1 Valencia, and next weekend is Formula 1 SPA! Belgium!
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Well this week is off to a good start. It's beginning to get cooler in the mornings and evenings, but the daytime hours are still blazing hot. I am looking forward to fall.

I know, I know. I've been BAD. I've been slacking on updating my blog.
Sorry, life has been super hectic lately. Hectic in a good way, but still insanely busy!
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So, May 15th weekend, my Aunt Julie came to visit me. We did the town right! We hit the King Tut exhibit at the Atlanta Civic Center, toured Ikea's Store (quick run through), dined at Six Feet Under with a breathtaking view of the city, and then dashed off to a friend's Birthday party.
Saturday, I woke up slightly hungover (thanks to the late night party) but Aunt Julie (who has a liver of steel thanks to her gin and tonic nightly regimen) gave me a quick hangover cure, and off we went to the MA Home Tour. WOW! Although I was a modern home virgin last year (which makes your first year the best ever and none can top it), this year was still amazing! We saw 2 homes designed by my favorite architects - TaC Studios. If I ever get some serious money going on, I'm going to hire THEM to design a new one (or fix my existing house)! On their website click East, Ashley, or Kendall. The Kendall one is their own home, and it's lovely (was featured in Metropolitan Home Magazine this year also!) The reason I love TaC Studios SO much, is that they design AMAZING homes, but they are "realistic" and "livable" not the fluffy millionaire stuff that is so completely out of reach for the middle-income family. Sure I love walking around someone's 5000 sq foot, fine-art decorated, plush, home, but would I ever really enjoy LIVING there? Seriously. Who cleans it? I would go nuts. I like the smaller sized, realistic homes for myself. But for eye-candy, yes yes yes - go on the MA Tour!
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Other architects were Dencity Designs, BLDGS, Tamara Bickley Design (her own white house was on the tour, and hot damn that was a lovely pad. I would never leave it - there's no need, everything is there!), Lightroom Studios, Carlson & Mosley, and Inman Green Condos.
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Saturday Night we stayed home, and grilled some steaks and fish - chillin' on the porch. Sunday I had to drive Auntie Julie to the airport, and then Matt and I checked out the last 2 homes on the tour that we missed the day before. Amazing. I could just look at those homes all day long.
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Then it was back to the grindstone at work. My boss came in for a visit and he kept us very busy. Although, it was stressful too (As we were making a lot of cut-throat decisions and dealing with some idiotic issues), so I coped with 3 happy hours last week. Sheesh. I'm getting a steel liver now ...
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BTW was happy to see my fave Tequila was featured in the June 2009 issue of Metropolitan Home Magazine: Gran Centenario Rosangel Tequila (Reposado) infused with Hibiscus. I sip this during Happy Hour, it's lovely.
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Matt of Zazen Photo, was at "Get Coffee" on Saturday afternoon, for a "Meet the Artist" during the live musical performance of "Ruff Sacks" - a local band. Very fun.
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Sunday we watched the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, and sipped some celebratory Champagne. Then it was off to the mountains to visit the folks. We had a nice dinner with our folks and some of their new neighbors. It was lovely.
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Monday we finally got to take Sport out to the side stream by the lake. He doesn't "swim" in the deep water, but he will run along the rapids, and rocks as long as he has a place to tough the bottom. It was hilarious watching him run around after a ball in the little rapids (rapids to him, but just a current to us). so funny! We wore him out, let me tell you!
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This morning, after catching up on some sleep, I finally bathed that dirty dog. Poor Sport. He wakes up and it's oops - into the tub. At least now he has all day to sleep and relax while we are at work.
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That's all for now, talk to you all later!