I've Been Meaning To Tell You.

I have been wanting to let you know about a fun guest post I wrote for Vanilla Joy last week. Kelsey asked me to write about menu planning and how I gather ingredients. You know, the nitty-gritty behind what we eat. You can check it out here.  (You'll want to add Vanilla Joy to your reader, I assure you.  She is an amazing crafter and hosts awesome giveaways.)

Last year I announced I was becoming vegan.  (Not quite there yet.  It's a hard transition.  See previous post.)  My sweet friend, Amanda, sent me some vegan cookbooks to get me started.

Vegan Table is by far my favorite cookbook right now.  I love the no-nonsense approach to vegan cooking.  It's full of sensible, easy, delicious recipes that even non-vegans will enjoy.  Also, the book is full of great info and survival tips for people making the switch or know someone who is.  (People like my husband and children.)  The author is someone I'd like to be friends with.  I feel like I'm always learning when I read her books.  She's coming out with a new cookbook, Color Me Vegan, that I am totally excited to get.  (I noticed today on Facebook that you can enter to win a copy.  Just "like" Fair Winds Press and leave a cooking tip.  It's super easy.  I just did it.)

You can learn more about Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, her books, and her mission on her website, Compassionate Cooks and her blog, Vegetarian Food For Thought.

That's me on the far left drinking a Sprite, Alma Loveland is next to me, and Laurie Smithwick is next to Alma.  Picture from the Alt Summit Flickr group.

Last week I went to the Alt Design Summit.  Don't ask me why a food blogger would want to go to a design conference.  I read a few design blogs and I like pretty things.  But really, I was super excited about the panelists and any excuse to hang out with the Kirtsy gals.

I'll have to save my notes for another post, but the highlight was definitely hearing the panel about Blogging Personal Stories.  The three panelists were Karey Mackin, Stephanie Nielson, and Marta Dansie.  It was my very favorite panel.  Not that the other weren't good, they were great.  I just loved hearing these beautiful ladies talk about writing and their lives and families.  I came away feeling so inspired and ready sit down and write.  Sadly, I only made it to the Thursday session because my youngest was very sick.  I came home to snuggle her and clean up vomit every few hours.  (I think they had more fun at Alt.)

What are some things you've been dying to tell someone?  I wanna know too.

White Bean, Goat Cheese, and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

 

I allow myself a few cheats when it comes to the new eating regimen.  Goat cheese is one thing that I can't live without.  That's why I will never be a true vegan.  (I also still use the tiny sample tubes of Lansinoh I snagged from the hospital when I gave birth.  It makes my lips so soft and supple--not what you were thinking, right?)

I could not care less about giving up cow milk, but don't you dare take my goat cheese away.  It doesn't bother me the way cow's milk does.  No tummy ache=a very happy Lindsey.  And I like to think that the goats are treated more nicely than dairy cows.  That they are owned by people like me who would dote on them, give them names, and pat them on the head before milking.  And maybe sneak them a little goodie now and then.  (True story--my husband had a student whose father is a goat farmer.  The goat got into the strawberry patch and the milk tasted like strawberries.  I'm willing to try that out one day.)

In case I haven't convinced you that I love goat cheese, perhaps you could take a look at at the recipes I've made with goat cheese over the years.  (See the list at the bottom.)  I'm getting hungry just thinking about chevre.

Anywho, this is a salad I really like and sometimes make when I feel like I need a little something extra.  You know, when the beans just don't hit the spot and I miss the creamy, satisfying taste that only cheese offers.  To me, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes are the equivalent of two rights making a bigger right.  And with that, you can't go wrong.

Caramel Apple Gingerbread Upside Down Cake

As of yet, I have not enjoyed enough gingerbread in my life. When that day comes, I will let you know. I'm working on stocking my cupboards with ingredients so I can take the scary plunge into the unknown (to me) world of gluten-free baking.



Why, oh why, doesn't wheat like me? I've asked myself this question for months and months. It is so delicious. I can't imagine living my life without it. And yet, I also can't imagine continuing life with it. We just can't make it work.

Before I said farewell to wheat (again), I gave it a proper send off. I cloaked it in butter, sugar, molasses and spices. Then I poured it into a buttered and caramel-apple-ed glass pan, put it the oven and let the magic happen.

I cleared my fridge of heavy cream after the holidays, so now whipped cream for the top of this cake.  The only remaining choice was sour cream, heavy cream's tart and sassy sister. I sweetened it up a bit with vanilla sugar and whipped it to the best of my ability. (Sour cream doesn't actually whip, I had high hopes. After all, not all dairy can be creme fraiche or mascarpone, but whatevs.  It went perfectly with the spices and caramel apples.)

My daughter could not contain her excitement.  She had to have some of those apples.  And not now, ten minutes ago.  When is it going to be ready???

No one in the house could have been more excited.  She and I dug in while it was still too hot to eat. The caramel burning our tongues.  We didn't care.  It was all in the name of gingerbread.  I had deprived our holiday gluttony from enjoying the dark, spicy cake far too long.

You know what else would be good?  Pears instead of apples.  I'm just thinking about that now as I'm typing this.  That would be incredible.  Someone try it and then come back and tell us.  Or bring me some to taste.  (I'll make a wee exception.)

Caramel Apple Gingerbread Upside Down Cake

Apples:

4-5 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4" slices

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Gingerbread Cake:

8 oz. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup molasses (light or dark is fine)
1 cup very hot water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground ginger or 1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

For serving:
1 cup full fat sour cream
2 Tbsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the apples by melting 2 Tbsp. butter in a large (3 quart) pan.  Add the apples, sugar, water, and vanilla.  Cook until apples have softened and the juices have become a syrupy.  Set aside until ready to use.  (If your pan is tall instead of shallow, you may need to remove the apples from the pot, leaving the syrup and juices behind, and let the syrup cook until it is reduced and syrupy.)

Grease a 9 by 13" baking dish.  Beat butter and sugar until creamy and well blended.  Add the egg.  Beat until well combined.  Add the molasses and beat to combine.  Add the dry ingredients a little at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Slowly add 1 cup hot water with the mixer running on low speed.  (You don't want it to splash everywhere.)

Place cooled apples and syrup in the greased pan.  Pour the batter over the top and spread it to the edges with a spatula.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Loosen the side with a thin spatula and invert onto a large serving platter.  (You can let it cool a bit before inverting, but if you wait too long the cake won't come out of the pan.)  Let cool for a few minutes before serving.  The cake is best served warm or at room temp with a dollop of whipped heavy cream or sweetened sour cream.



What's your poison?  Do you love gingerbread or do you prefer good old fashioned chocolate cake?

New Year's Feast.

Oh, I know it's been over two weeks since we all ushered in the New Year.  It's taken me that long to go through the dozens and dozens of pictures of our January 1st Feast.  Our dear friends couldn't make it to our early dinner party, so we packaged up part of the meal, my husband dropped it off and we partied alone.  But it wasn't a sad thing.  Our kids loved it.  We got out our inexpensive IKEA goblets and Sparkling Black Currant juice and rang in 2011.

Our menu:

Slow Roasted Almond-Crusted Pork Loin with Spiced Raspberry-Plum Jam
Roasted Root Veggies (Beets, Parsnips, Carrots)
Mashed Potatoes and Potato Salad
Rolls
Caramel Pumpkin Pie

S.M.A.R.T. Goals.

Last Sunday, a friend of ours gave an awesome talk in church on setting goals.  As soon as he started, I knew it was going to be good so I pulled out a paper and pen to take notes.

At his work, they use an acronym when they set goals--S.M.A.R.T.  (You can read more about this method on Wikipedia and I found this from Utah State University that I'm going to look into.  I guess this is a popular method that I've never heard of before.)

Beginning last January, I got a new notebook and made a list of general goals for the entire year.  Then I started a separate page for each month with goals that were more specific and would help me reach the larger goal.  It helped me stay more organized and it was easier to check back in and see how I was doing.

First thing Monday morning, I got up early and pulled out my notes from the talk.  I flipped my notebook open to my 2011 Goals and got to work converting them to the S.M.A.R.T. plan.

A few things I've read over the last few weeks have helped me to modify my health goals a bit.  Applying the S.M.A.R.T. method has made them seem reachable.

This is from USU.

Right now my biggest goal is to once and for all become free of my weight and eating problems.  I could go into more detail, and may at a later date.  Suffice it to say, this is my Everest.

Losing weight has been on my list as long as I can remember.  Each time I start back at the gym, I swear this is really going to be IT.  I'm going to do it THIS TIME.  And then life happens and I become less motivated or completely unmotivated.  Despite everything I read about loving my body the way it is, the fact remains:  I am overweight and need to get the weight off.  I just do.  But thinking about my ideal weight versus what I'm at now is very scary.  Hey, I'd be happy with 20 lbs.  And that seems reachable right now.  (Also, in the back of my head I am telling myself that number on the scale doesn't matter.  I really just want to fit into a certain pair of pants again, and that is about  20 lbs. away from where I am today.)

Let me apply SMART to this goal:

S:  By my birthday (03/20) I want lose 20 lbs.  I will do this by exercising 3-5 days a week and eating healthy.

M:  To keep on track, I'm going weigh myself each Monday and write the number down on the calendar.  I will also check off  each day I go to the gym.

A:  Two pounds a week is an attainable goal.  I've already lost 2 lbs. since last week.

R:  Each week I will sit down and review what I've been doing and revise as needed.  I will reward myself with something non-food, like more time by myself doing something I enjoy--writing or photography, or time with a friend on the phone or in person.  Also, I will report back to my support system on my progress.

T:  I'm giving myself 9.5 weeks to accomplish this goal.
__________________________________________________________

I'm a newbie, so I hope I've been able to chart this correctly.  My other goals seem pretty manageable now that I've charted them.  One step at a time.  It seems so much easier and more attainable.  Real change seems possible.

What works for you?  Have you found a method that has helped you be successful?

Chard with Potatoes and Tomatoes

Leafy greens.  We hear so much about them these days.  The world, including me, has woken up to the fact that we need to eat these super greens daily for optimal health.  Now, if you are like me, you might be a little scared to try them.  Believe me, I was.  I mean they're totally scary--big and green and they're vegetables.  Run for cover!



My friend, Laura, told me a few years ago that she would like to prepare broccoli for me and then we'd see if I really hated it or not.  As it turned out, I just didn't like the overcooked, limp broccoli like I remembered from the school cafeteria and buffet restaurants.  It turned out, I just needed someone to prepare it in a delicious way.

Leafy greens are the same.  If you think you don't like them, perhaps you've never had them prepared correctly.  (I forgive you if you hate them because of a texture thing.  I have that problem with mushrooms.)



Look how pretty this Rainbow Chard is!  Do you feel your body screaming for you to saute it in a little olive oil with some garlic and onions and consume it as quickly as possible?  Man, it's good.  You can sneak greens into quite a few recipes and it's a great way to work up to eating the suggested daily amount, about 2 1/2 to 3 cups per day for the average person.

If you think you don't like leafy greens, start with mild greens like spinach and chard.  Then work up to trying other kinds.  (This is a great list of leafy greens.)  Eating them raw counts too, so don't forget to factor a salad or two in your weekly menu plans.

One day I was going through old issues of Cooks' Illustrated found a recipe for some kind of chicken with chard on the side.  I honestly can't remember anything about the chicken.  All I remember is the chard with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.  I started to salivate.

We make green beans with potatoes and tomatoes as often as we can during the summer.  So, thought I, why not sub chard for the green beans?  I did and it was a party on my plate.  I ate mine over quinoa to make it a more hearty meal.  You could do the same or you could serve it as is on the side of chicken or beef.  Or just eat it plain.  You'll love it.  Cross my heart.



Want a closer look?




Chard with Potatoes and Tomatoes
double this for a crowd

1 large bunch organic chard (red, rainbow, or Swiss), 5-6 leaves
1 Tbsp. or more olive oil (you can use canola or another oil, or butter)
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups canned or fresh tomatoes (a small can of diced would be great)
4-5 Yukon gold or all-purpose potatoes (peeled or unpeeled), cut into 1/2" dice
salt and pepper
splash of balsamic vinegar
cooked quinoa, for serving

Wash and dry the leaves.  Cut down the center of each leaf to remove the rib.  Save the rib, if desired, and slice thinly.  (You can cook this up along with the onions.)  Place the leaves on top of each other and chop into 1/8-1/4" pieces.  Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil and add the potatoes.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Cook until they are nicely browned and almost cooked through.  Place the cooked potatoes in a bowl and set aside.  Add a little more oil to the pan and add the onion and garlic.  Cook for a few minutes until tender.  Add the chard and quickly saute until it starts to wilt.  Put the potatoes and the tomatoes into the skillet with the chard. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.  Let it continue to cook for a few minutes to let the flavors meld a bit.  Then remove from heat and add a little balsamic vinegar.  Serve as is or over cooked quinoa or rice.

Makes enough for 4 people with hearty appetites.

Now, are you going to be brave and add some more greens into your diet?

Peanut Butter Brownies with Milk Chocolate Ganache

It must be said, my kids would not eat these.  I know, right?  Chocolate and peanut butter.  They wouldn't eat them?  Are they crazy?  I'm blaming it on the post-holiday sweet overload.  My husband and I greatly enjoyed this yummy little bars.   (This is pre-detox, of course.)

I cut them into bars and put them between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container in the fridge.  I thought it would help me forget all about them.  The next morning I woke up and the first thought that came to mind was one of these with its thick milk chocolate ganache and how good it would taste after I drank my green juice.  'Cause I'm healthy like that.

Remember those chocolate peanut butter bars from school lunch?  These are better.  They are more substantial and the chocolate ganache on top could take that thin, runny stuff the cafeteria ladies called frosting around to the back of the school and give it what-for.

I love making cookies until I remember how much time it can take to bake them. And because I have three small children and a husband with a voracious love of cookie dough, I usually spend far less time baking the cookies than I think.  But still, sometimes I just don't want to be tied to the oven rotating and alternating.  You know the drill.

I get a little impatient. Lately I've turned to baking the whole batch in one go. Maybe you've heard
of those things called blondies?  They were starting to be the new cupcake for awhile there with all sort of variations.

For lack of a better name, I'm calling these Peanut Butter Brownies because I want to and I can. They are good as is, sans chocolate ganche. But if you do, be prepared to reach for another and another.

Peanut Butter Brownies
slightly adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking:  From My Home to Yours

8 oz. butter (2 sticks or 1 cup) butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter, preferably not natural
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 large whole eggs
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (you can do all white or half-and-half w.w. and a.p. flour)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 bag (12 oz.) good quality milk chocolate chips (I used Guittard)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. butter

Butter a 9 by 13" baking dish.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat butter and peanut butter together until creamy.  Add the sugars.  Beat until well combined and add the eggs.  Continue beating until light and fluffy.  Add the dry ingredients all at once and beat together on low speed until combined.

Press the dough into the prepared baking dish.  Bake for about 30 minutes, checking after 20, until top is golden brown and edges are a bit darker.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Prepare ganache.  In a large, microwave safe bowl, place chocolate chips and heavy cream.  Microwave on 50% power at 30 second intervals until chocolate has melted.  Whisk until smooth and add the butter.  Pour the ganache over the top of the peanut butter brownies and spread to the edges.  Let cool at room temperature for several hours before cutting, or in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen good-sized bars.

(You're welcome.)

The Thermador Web Experience

(Last summer, I had the incredible opportunity to represent Design Mom at a blogger event hosted by Thermador at their Scottsdale, Arizona showroom.  Wow.  I was totally impressed with the Thermador brand.  When my bag of money comes in (ha!) I will be putting Thermador in my house.  I'm not just saying that either.  You can read about my experience here.  It's a truly great brand.)

Today Thermador has unveiled a revolutionary new cooking website that is so cool.  It's a Virtual Dinner Party, and get this--it's interactive so you can have the chance to see what it's like to cook on Thermador appliances. This is the first website of its kind in the industry.  You will definitely want to check this out.

Head over.  I had a blast playing around with it.  (Yes, I got a sneak peek.)  Now if only that darn bag of money would arrive, I could stop being so jealous of Maria and her fabulous new kitchen...

A.B.C. Salad

Around some circles, I have the reputation for throwing together a tasty salad.  Oh, yes.  I do make good salad.  I even wrote a post about it awhile back.

Listen, if you are trying to switch to a healthier diet replete with veggies and fruit, salad is an easy way to do it.  You don't even need bacon, cheese or heavy dressings for salad to be delicious.  There is more to life than Ranch dressing.  I promise you.  But if you must, you must.  (I'm only sort of kidding.  I love a good Ranch dressing.)

I'm calling this A.B.C. Salad because it has Avocado, Almond, Apricots (dried), Buckwheat groats, Baby Greens, and Chickpeas.  The dressing can really be whatever you like.  Today I was in the mood for a fresh  lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette, which is about as simple as you can get.

Raw almonds and organic avocado add good fats to the salad.

This makes a big salad.  It could be for you when you're really hungry for lunch or dinner.  Or it could be to share between you and a friend along with a bowl of soup or something.  Or you could just keep it all to yourself like I do.

But you can share the dried apricots with cute toddlers who beg you to take their picture.

 

A.B.C. Salad

from my random and sometimes genius brain

Salad:

5 oz. baby greens (half a small bag or plastic tub)

1/2 cup or so cooked chickpeas 

1/2 avocado, sliced lengthwise

3-4 dried apricots, diced

2 Tbsp. chopped almonds

2 Tbsp. toasted buckwheat groats (also called kasha)

Lemon Vinaigrette:

1-2 tsp. fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar

2-3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil (you could use any oil you want here)

salt and pepper, to taste

Toss everything together on a big plate.  Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over the top.  Season with extra salt and pepper, to taste.

Now, if you don't like or don't have certain ingredients on the list, by all means substitute with what you have. Frankly, this salad was not thought out too far in advance. I was dreaming about salad on my drive home from the gym and it came together once I got home and started rummaging through my cupboards.

Buckwheat groats, untoasted (left) and toasted (right)

Some of you may not be familiar with buckwheat groats, so please give me the pleasure of telling you what they are. You may have heard of kasha, which are buckwheat groats that have been toasted. Buckwheat is not related to wheat. It is a pseudocereal, not a grain.  And it actually the fruit of a plant that is related to rhubarb.  Buckwheat is gluten-free and a great alternative to other grains.

Flour ground from buckwheat is used in all sorts of applications, particularly crepes and pancakes. The cooked groats make a lovely pilaf or breakfast cereal, as is traditionally eaten in Eastern Europe. Another popular dish is Kasha Varnishkes, which is cooked buckwheat and bowtie pasta.  And if you are lucky enough to live somewhere where you can find knish, then you might just find it in filling.  (You New Yorkers be sure to stop by a street cart and enjoy a knish for me alright?)  And if you interested in health benefits, you can read all about it here.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to finish my salad...because I don't have to lick the screen.  I get the real thing.  (I know you're jealous.)

Quinoa For Breakfast.

Quinoa, how I love thee.

One night when I was perusing and feverishly printing off recipes to try from 101 Cookbooks, I saw Heidi's recipe for Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa.  Quinoa for breakfast?  Interesting...I thought to myself.  I tried it the next morning and was completely converted.  But then I eat quinoa almost every day anyway.

Last summer my daily breakfast became a big bowl of quinoa and fresh fruit, particularly raspberries I picked with Jen and local peaches.  I simply couldn't imagine a day without it.  When I went to the Thermador blogger event last July, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the chef had prepared a quinoa fruit salad for the breakfast buffet.  And since then I've seen other blogs with quinoa breakfast recipes.  It's a good thing, quinoa for breakfast.  Healthy too.

Here's what I do when I make quinoa for breakfast:

Measure the desired amount of quinoa into a colander.  Rinse well.  Place in a saucepan with correct amount of water and a pinch of salt.  Cook until tender, about 20 minutes.  (A general rule of thumb is 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water.  You can use other liquids in place of the water, if you choose, like milk, non-dairy milks, juices, and stock/broth.)

In the bowl clockwise from left to right:  ground chia seeds, ground cinnamon, chopped almonds, ground flaxseed.

I scoop a bit of quinoa into a bowl, maybe 1/2 cup or so, top it with 1 tsp. ground flax seed, 1/2 tsp. ground chia seeds, 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, a sliced banana, berries (or another fruit), some chopped almonds, and a splash of Silk Almond Milk.  

(Silk is my preferred brand though Blue Diamond makes a good almond milk too.) If I want it a little sweeter, then I add a drizzle of agave or a sprinkle of sucanat (a natural sugar).

It gives me energy all morning long.  Quinoa is one of the healthiest foods on Earth.  It's full of nine amino acids, meaning it is a complete protein.  It's also full of other vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  (Read more about the health benefits here.)  Add some antioxidant-rich wild blueberries, almonds, almond milk, ground flax and chia seeds with healthy omega-3 fatty acids.  It's a power breakfast if there ever was one.

Maybe you want something more savory for breakfast?  Okay.  Quinoa is perfect for that too.  I will sometimes mix quinoa with some salsa and black beans.  I eat it with homemade corn tortillas or with a spoon.  Sometimes I add avocado or corn.  It's great for breakfast or lunch.

I've had my eye on these quinoa recipes to try:

Almond Quinoa Muffins from Meet Me in the Kitchen

Breakfast Quinoa from Martha Stewart

Quinoa Breakfast Bars with Blueberries from Gluten Free Goddess
Quinoa Skillet Bread from 101 Cookbooks

What about you?  Do you like quinoa?  What are you eating for breakfast to get your day going?

M+T: French Hot Chocolate

Join me over at Make and Takes.  I'm trying to persuade you away from packaged hot chocolate.  (And it's not vegan!  But it gets me thinking...)  French Hot Chocolate.  It will keep you warm and cozy until Spring.

Day One.

Taken in Gettysburg, PA in October 2006

How was your weekend?

Our weekend was pretty great.  I made a huge feast for us on Saturday to usher in the New Year.  (Recipes and pics to come later this week.)  On Sunday I just couldn't help but be happy.  I love the beginning of a new year.  And a new decade.  It makes me feel full of hope and resolve for the next 12 months.

I began a detox today.  Why?  Well.  Here's the thing--I don't want to confess too much, but I did put more than a few pounds during the Holidays.  I actually giggled when I got onto the scale at the gym.  No way did I put on that much, I said to myself.  But alas, I did.  As I said in my previous post, I'm ready to get healthy again.  I can do anything for two weeks...like lay off sugar.

I've been feeling like I need to get back in touch with my body's needs.  I want to really listen to it and feed it when it's hungry, stop when it's not, sleep when it's weary, and give it a fair bit of exercise.  It's amazing how much abuse I put my body through.  I want to give it a break and give it a chance to recover.

So, if you want to do the same, I recommend this plan, from Plate+Simple because it's not as drastic as others and you can still eat.  (I will not do the lemon, maple syrup, red pepper one.)  If you have heard of one or tried one that you like, please share it in the comments.  I'm sure other readers would appreciate it, as would I.

Last night I treated myself to a pre-midnight bedtime.  I can't remember the last time I was in bed by 10:00 PM.  It felt so luxurious to sleep so much.  Today I drank plenty of water and ate good, nourishing food.  I hit the gym for awhile this morning.  And I meditated and prayed a bit.  Your mind needs as much exercise as your body.  I resisted the leftover Christmas goodies.  Oh, I resisted.  Instead I sat down and read for a bit.  Then I sat down and played with my girls.  Their grandparents gave them Kit and Bitty Baby dolls, clothes and accessories as for their birthdays and Christmas.  (I think I had the most fun of all.  Those dolls are so dang adorable.)

Day One down.  Days 2-13 to go.  I'm ready.