Toronto

Today was fun.  I was supposed to go to Toronto with someone, but it didn't work out that way, and I was more than happy to take the weekend away alone.  I was due for a solo get-a-way (I do this every 6 months or so).  In fact, I love to travel alone.  Down the road, to Toronto, overseas, I love it.   I do also LOVE travelling with The Shepherd.  It's so much fun with him.  We've backpacked for months on end and navigated  the world like a true team.  When we watch the Amazing Race, we agree (and know..haha) we could do it.

Breakfast was ok.  I'm not sure if I'm into the new cereal.  Yog Active, almond milk, blue and strawberries.

The drive was pretty slow.  This is my town as I was pasing through on Saturday morning.

In the morning I went to the St Lawrence Market.  I love the meat, fish, cheese, pasta, etc.  It's as good as a big mall to me.  I took a couple photos while I was there...purchases to come in next post.  I always bring my cooler and fill it with ice for this trip.

I then went to Whole Foods.  Not as good as the US store, but still really nice and interesting.  Next was the World Biggest Bookstore in search of cookbooks.  I didn't find the books I was looking for, but I did find other ones.  On to the Eatons Centre for cloths.  I did pretty good ;).

I ate at an Asian restaurant that I quite like for lunch. I had Vietnamese pho and an order of fried wontons. I did eat most of the soup, but took most of the wontons to go.

I snacked a lot.  So much that I didn't have dinner.  I ate the rest of the wontons in the hotel, cookies, an apple, some chocolate, a tasty cinamon pastry from a bakery I walked by, pigged out really.  I always treat hotels as an excuse.  I don't know if that's a bad thing, but I do it.  Went out to The Little House on the Prairie musical at the Canon Theatre at night, mostly because Melissa Gilbert was playing Ma.  It was a fabulous show.  So glad I went.

Tomorrow it's off to another grocery store and home. 

Jess

Happy Friday

Being stranded really threw off my day.  I was anxious all morning waiting for the snowblower to arrive, lunch was ate in 2 parts and my usual lunch break errands had to be run after work...so I skipped the gym, meaning I only went twice this week.  I feel guilty...but I'll be shopping till I drop tomorrow - that HAS to be some form of workout, and Sunday I'll take a good hike, so all in all, no gym needed.  Here is a shot of my stranded car, taken from the veranda.  Funny how it looks like it can go backwards at least, but that baby wasn't going anywhere!

Breakfast was relaxing at home today.  I bought this YOG Active cereal at Costco and topped it with a lot of strawberries and skim milk.  It was good.  It has dried strawberries and raspberries in it, which tasted a little funny, but once they absorbed the milk they were much better.  The flakes stayed crunchy to the end of the bowl, so that's a bonus point.  It also has these little yogurt chunks, which are ok, but I might pick out next time. It's a big box, so I'll be eating it for a while, but luckily, packaged in 2 bags.  I have a bit of a problem with TMJ that's been acting up lately, so it's best I don't chew on chewy chewy raisins for a few days anyway.  I think that's part of the reason it's been bugging me.

Midmorning I snacked on more fruit salad. Strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, orange and grapefruit.

Then popped one of Kaite's Baby's on the way out the door to work.

Question:  How does this work?  Do I need to link Katie's page every time I have a Baby?  I've been eating them a lot, and plan on continuing, and am totally cool with linking her every time if that's what I should do...but if I don't have to, I won't, but if it's expected, even if I don't have to, I gladly will.  Guidance please.

Once at work, I assembled this sandwich that was meant for yesterday.  PC ww thin with 2 laughing cow light cheese wedges, spinach and cucumber. 

I wanted to eat more, but didn't think it would be appropriate to heat up my soup when I first walked in the door having been at home all morning.  I also had a camera shy apple.

Later in the afternoon I had some chicken noodle soup leftover from the other night and some veggies and hummus.

Dinner was out with The Shepherd and his parents.  I had chicken parm. with a baked potato and garden salad. Really good.  Tons of cheese, tons of sauce...that's why I get the potato instead of pasta, balance.  Stuffed after dinner there was no cookie stealing tonight!

Jess

Jessica's Garden

I'm FREE!!!  The snowplow showed up around 11:15, and I made it work just in time for lunch, which was waiting in the fridge for me as I didn't eat it yesterday.  As you'll see below.  Soooo...on to yesterdays post.


It took me a while to actually think of what I wanted this blog to be titled.  So, today I have changed it, and I think it is a much better representation of who I am and what I do.  Our new name is Jessica's Garden, but our address will stay the same, because really, a lot of this blog is, just because I feel like it.  It makes sense, (to me) even though there is no garden to speak of right now.  There will be in a few months, and then the pieces will all fit.


Breakfast was almost a repeat of yesterday.  1/2 of a juicy pink grapefruit, Dorset cereal, but with skim milk that will be expiring any day.

I had a meeting at 10am today, and really didn't know how long it would go.  At about 9:45 I ate most of this Luna Bar.  I wasn't hungry, but didn't want the stomach growling to start at 10:30 and have no relief until noon. 

This is the first time I've had this flavour.  It was good.  I wasn't really expecting chocolate, but still kind of was expecting it....if that makes sense.  I don't know that I'd buy this again, only because it didn't satisfy any cravings that I would have, however, it would be really tasty on a hot summer day, rather than being drug down by chocolate.   I'm on the fence.

It's really rare that I treat myself to takeout for lunch more than once a week.  I used to do it a lot more.  Today, I was feeling bored at work, needed a pick me up, so I stopped in at the Veitnamese restaurant down the road to pick up lunch for a myself and a coworker.  I had broiled chicken with lemongrass on vermicelli noodles, and a salad.  I also got an order of rice paper rolls with shrimp and vegetables, but only ate one.  The Shepherd will be happy to eat the other one tonight.  She had a similar dish, but pork, and a real spring roll instead of the rice paper rolls.

 I love this lunch, and haven't had it in months and months.  I have a feeling today is going to be a big food day.

For the longest time I've said that I'm not going to be a Costco shopper...but a big part of me has been wanting to shop at Costco SO BADLY!  Soo...today I gave in.  I have no willpower today.  I went to Costco, paid my $55 and loved every minute of it.  Look at all the great stuff I bought!  I didn't buy any produce, as the fridge is full and I'm away for part of the weekend.  At Costco I sampled...spring rolls, perogies...a little bear paw...granola bar...I think that's it.

Mahi Mahi is one of my favorite fish and you just can't get it here.  But I found it at Costco!  So, dinner was blackened Mahi Mahi and greek salad.  To make the Cajun seasoning, I mix 1tsp salt, 1tbsp oregano, 1tbsp paprika, 1tbsp cayenne pepper and 1tbsp black pepper.  Dinner was mouth watering, literally, I drooled a bit on the first bite of fish.

I then found this half cookie in The Shepherds cookie box...and then I ate another whole one.  All of my 'healthy' treats are good, but nothing beats a real, sugary treat.  Oatmeal chocolate chip.  Yum.

Jess

STRANDED!

My car is stuck in the driveway!  We can`t get our tractors up the lane until the snow plow comes to plow it - we have a loooonng laneway.  My camera cord is at work and I`m stuck at home.  I wish for days like this, and now that it`s here, I`m a bit annoyed!  haha...anyway, it`ll get out and I`ll make it to work sometime today.

Jess

Wednesday

It has been a pretty average day.  My salt puffiness is gone, thankfully.  It didn't last all day like before, but was still uncomfortable.  

Breakfast was good.  Really good.  It always is.  I think I may be slowly getting back on the grapefruit train - they are sooo good right now.   Maybe because they have the same season as oranges,???? which are sooo good right now.
Dorset cereal, almond milk, 1/2 grapefruit.

Mid morning, as I have the last few days, I had some fruit salad.  This is it, so I think I'll need to make more for tomorrow, or bring grapefruits to work.  There wasn't any grapefruit in this salad because I picked it all out yesterday!

I also had a Kashi Pumpkin Pie granola bar before lunch.  Tummy was growling!

It was sushi day.  A beautiful and tasty sashimi lunch was enjoyed.  Oh sashimi, why can't I have you every day??

The afternoon totally dragged on.  LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG.  Off to the gym at 4pm.  Had a tough 45min interval run, I was dragging today.  Did some upper body weights and Core Control.

I had 0 energy for cooking dinner tonight so we had Campbells Chicken and Egg Noodle soup.  Comforting.  I also had a ww PC thin grilled with cheese and spinach.  It was a perfect dinner.  Easy, yummy and warm.

After dinner I had 2 of Katie's Baby's.

Hoping for more energy and less snow tomorrow.  I haven't seen the puppies in a couple of days as I haven't been out to the barns.  Tomorrow I'll go say hi!

Jess

Salt and Seeds

I don't think I used to be affected by salt the way I am now. Possibly because I used to eat a lot more salt than I currently do and was more adjusted to it? There have been three instances in the past few months when I woke up with puffy face, eyes, full feeling, gross. And it didn't totally go away until I woke the next day.  Well, still unsure about the third time.

Instance #1 - Overindulging of salt at home. Homemade sushi rolls doused in soy sauce, miso soup, and gyoza's, doused in dumpling sauce. The next day I could hardly squint, though I was so puffy, I was almost squinting anyway.


Instance #2 - Red Lobster. I looked up my meal the next day online to see the sodium content, it was well over 2000mg. Disgusting.


Instance #3 - Last night - feta cheese. I ate a lot - maybe 2.5 servings with my eggs, and more while I was chopping it up and cooking.  The puffinss is not as severe as the first 2 times, but one of my gf's commented on it this morning - before I even realized.  I couldn't figure out why my face felt so tired and stiff.


Does anyone else have problems like this?  It's all so new to me.  Very frustrating - puffy from feta?  Is that even possible?


On to the eats:  Breakfast. Back to basics. :) Dorset cereal, blueberries and almond milk.  I wish I could thrill you all with the breakfasts I see other blogger eating  - beautiful fruity oats, oat breakfast cookies, mixed hot grain cereals...

The fruit salad has been tasting pretty good lately, so I made another batch last night.  Grapefruit, oranges, blueberries and kiwi.  I also dove into the other half of yesterdays Cliff bar.

Lunch is the exact same as yesterday - quinoa, red peppers, mushrooms, spinach, dressing (sesame oil, rice vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce) and also some celery and hummus.

Mid afternoon I was not hungry, but bored, so I had an apple.

Did some grocery shopping after work and went home.  Ate a bunch of raisins.

Then made a batch of Katie's Baby's.

Today I used dates, cashews, macadamia nut butter, few teaspoons of cocoa powder and forgot the vanilla, but didn't notice a difference, except maybe they were a bit crumbly.  The coconut I really like to add at the end.  I ate a bunch of them.  Tasty!  And better than any Larabar I've had.

Dinner was pasta.  I had about 40g ww noodles and the tiniest bit of white noodles you see peeking out.  I love white noodles, and last night had to have just a bit of what I made for the Shepherd.  The sauce is from a jar, and added is a can of tuna and a bunch of green olives.  I know it sounds crazy.  One visit to a friend in Europe her family made this, the Shepherd and I thought it was going to be a horrible dinner, turned out amazing.  It really is a good good combo!

Then topped with a big load of sauteed veggies and some parmesan cheese.

A great surprise came in the mail today!  My first 2 orders of seeds, a couple more to go.  The first package I opened was from Terra Edibles.  I love this company.  Small, heirloom veggies, rare seeds.  I met one of the owners at a Seeds of Diversity event last year, and told her how pleased I was that the Yellow Striped Roman tomato was on the cover of her catalogue.  I think she was pleased I knew what it was.  It IS one of my favorite looking tomatoes.  I don't order a lot of seeds from them, they are expensive, but a few that I can't find anywhere else are a MUST!  The second package was from OSC seeds, and upon opening it, I realized I ordered far too few seeds.  I'll be ordering more today.  Most of these seed packages are more than triple size what you would buy in a store, they just don't look like it here.  The brown envelopes contain a regular amount of seeds.  I buy my seeds mostly by weight.

A few weeks and it's time to seed.  Can't wait for market season, for summer and to get my hands dirty.  Bring it on!

Jess

THANK YOU KRISTA!

This blog has been inspired by many people.  Mostly the ladies on my reading list.  I've been reading your blogs for months, and have got so much enjoyment out of them!

I must tell you about the wonderful blogger who put the idea in my head.  I met her at a wedding last summer, she told me all about her blog.  We chatted about food, working out and being healthy, and since then I've been on board to become part of this fun world. 


So let's give it up, to KRISTA, from Krista's Kravings for giving me the idea, being a great inspiration, and a superb blogger!  THANK YOU KRISTA!

 Breakfast cereal was the same today, Dorset cereal and skim milk, but I omitted the blueberries and had 1/2 a pink grapefruit!  So fresh!  I had a grapefruit in my fruit salad the last few days, I forgot how good they were.

Mid morning snack was fruit salad, including grapefruit.

I also had about half of this Cliff bar.

Lunch was great.  I had some quinoa left from last week, so I made 2 lunches with it.  I sauteed some red pepper, mushroom and spinach, then added it to 2 cups quinoa.  I mixed some rice vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice and sesame oil and added it to the dish.  Pretty tasty.  3 separate people at lunch told me my food smelled like french fries...???  Must have been the sesame oil???

I have no idea why this pic keeps coming up sideways.  I've rotated it, re-save, etc....hmmm...

I also had some celery and hummus.

Went to the gym after work and felt really good.  Had a nice 3 mile run, did some upper body weights and a core control class.  I love it.  After the gym I was starving, and my usual 15min drive took 30 due to the weather - SNOW!  So, I ate the Dempters Healthy Way bar on the way home.

The Shepherd was still having leftover lamb roast last night but I was feeling done with it, so I had a 2 egg omelet with red pepper, spinach, feta, lots of salsa (not shown) on the side and 2 pieces of cranberry pumpkin bread with butter.

And after dinner I ate a bunch of raisins.  Way more than this.

Ciao for now.

Jezzabelle

Glorious Sunday

First I have to tell you about a great giveaway on Change of Pace for a fabulous Newman's Own Orgainics Giveaway!!  It's a big box full of loot!

Sunday was a great day!  Sunny, maybe about +4, my kitty was super cuddly and the puppies were too.  I can tell 2 of the apart from the rest.  "Spot" and "The Little One".

My day began as usual with Dorset cereal, blueberries and skim milk.  I think I'll break out the almond milk again this week sometime.

I did some easy housework, chatted with the Shepherd and then had some fruit salad.

Did more housework, then had lunch.  I had a ww PC thin with cheddar and spinach, grilled in a pan.  With it I had some bean salad.

Then I went for a walk.  It was GLORIOUS outside.  It was kind of cold too, but more glorious than cold.  Here are some shots around the back of the farm.

And this is a creek at the very back.  Not our property, but pretty.

I went out to the barns and helped out for a while, snuggled with puppies and admired how great the Shepherd is.  I do love how hard he works for us.

I came in and had a handful of chocolate chips.  Loving chocolate.

Last night's dinner left us with a lot of leftovers, so there was no reason to cook a new meal today.  Leftover lamb roast, veggies, gravy, and great pumpkin cranberry bread from our local bakery.  I also had 2 pieces of this bread before dinner.

Then, I ate a ton of chocolate chips after dinner.  They're almost gone, I'll be glad so I can't eat them anymore!  Chocolate chocolate chocolate......

Jezzabelle