Summer days and Strawberry kabobs



My handsome hubby

 This past Sunday was spent riding "beach crusiers" on the boardwalk in Mission Beach with my in-laws. (Doesn't the word in-law sound negative and burdensome? I suggest a new description for my in-laws and am open to ideas!)

There is something special about spending the first hot, summer day on a bike, feeling the breeze in your face, and taking life a little less seriously. I couldn't resist the urge to jump off my bike and hop on a swing as we passed a small playground. I pumped my feet and tried to touch the clouds with my toes like I remember doing in grade school. Even as a 30-something adult, it made me feel like a girl again. It was a perfect summer day of fun!
Now for the grilled strawberry kabobs, this is so simple and tastes like summer fun on a stick!

• Cut up a pound cake or angel food cake into rather large squares.
• Wash and take the tops off a bunch of fresh strawberries.
• Alternate a strawberry and cake chunk on prepared skewers (if wood, soak first)
• Grill on a medium low heat, turning when the cake is golden brown.
• Serve with whip cream, or other favorite toppings and blueberries for a festive Fourth of July theme.

Delicious and nutritious! Thanks to Cooking Light for the recipe!

Breakfast of Champions

A perfect Thursday morning: an early morning run with my hubby along Del Mar's coastline, a caffeine treat from Starbucks and a breakfast of champions, quinoa.

Are you familiar with quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah")?
It is a quirky and delicious seed that is a complete protein, giving you all 9 essential amino acids. They didn't name it the "gold of the Incas" for nothing.

Besides the health aspects, I enjoy quinoa for its chewy texture and versatility. I create cold salads with quinoa and avocado, feta cheese, craisins, almonds and balsamic. Or warmed with almond milk, raisins or bananas, walnuts, cinnamon and ground flax seed (another favorite magic food I'll talk about later). Quinoa can replace rice as a side dish or stand alone as a main course and cooks in only 15 minutes!

If you are unfamiliar with quinoa, try one of the many varieties today.

If you have a favorite quinoa recipe, please share!

Today I'm loving sunshine

How lucky am I to live in sunny San Diego! Well, now that June Gloom has Recently vacated our beautiful landscape anyway! People think it is always sunny and perfectly gorgeous here but we do get our dumpy dreary days as well. Not that I'm complaining, not really anyway. But today is the kind of day you'd like to look at your boss and say, "I'm sorry but sun-thing came up. I have to go!" And then head to the nearest beach without passing GO. It is the kind of sunny day that just makes you smile inside and out. What sunny thing is making you smile today?

the Fabulous Farmer's Market

This morning I started my day with one of my favorite weekend activities - a visit to the Farmer's Market in Hillcrest, CA.  I love all the produce stands with heirloom tomatoes and carrots that appear as if they have been hand-painted, the buckets of vibrant fresh cut flowers, the juicy ruby red strawberries and blueberries as big as your thumb.

Today I purchased swiss chard for the first time, along with some kale, to prepare for this week's green drinks (a relatively new addition to my nutrition regime which my husband loves - wink wink!). The swiss chard was a rainbow of leafy goodness with orange, magenta and red stems. Who knew a leafy green vegetable could be so beautiful?

And, almonds, I stopped by my favorite almond grower's stand to replenish my raw almond stock at home. Today I was lucky enough to sample their newest flavor, garlic sundried tomato. YUM! I made my purchase and was on my way. Don't worry, even if you live outside the San Diego area you can by them too, check out their website: www.hopkinsag.com. Don't miss the Lime and Sea Salt, one of my favorites!

For the love of almonds

I have to share one of my new found loves, raw almonds. The real deal, California, just picked and cracked fresh from the shell almonds. They taste nothing like the almonds that you find in that giant, 10 lb. bag of trail mix at Costco, they are sweet and mild. They actually taste like an almond, sounds stupid I know. But, honestly, they remind me of the flavor of almond paste or almond extract. They are also full of protein and you can even make low calorie milk from them (no sugar added variety of course). And don't forget almond butter! Delicious little devils! Next time you visit a farmer's market and see the guy with the fresh, raw almonds get out your dollars, you'll be glad you did!

Maiden Posting - Calming a Craving

Last night I calmed a craving, no not a food craving (although a cup of Yogurtland Pistachio with bananas and cheesecake bites would calm a craving right now) but a craving to create... to draw.

It has been YEARS since I've been to a life drawing class and I was fortunate enough last night to attend a class through the San Diego Continuing Education program. We drew for 3.5 hours, while our model moved from pose to pose under a spot light and our charcoal and pencils feverishly kept up with her silhouette. The beginning was a bit "sketchy" for me as the cob webs were worked out of my fingers, but I got my groove back as my right-brain and hands and fingers limbered up. And it felt so good! I often feel that itch to draw and it was so gratifying. Who cares if my sketches don't end up in frames, the creative release was delicious! Better than that Yogurtland Pistachio frozen treat.

Anyone else recently rediscover a passion you've left behind?