my inner bride

So in an attempt to feel like I actually care about planning my wedding, I signed up at The Knot. Then I did their "inner bride" to see what I may actually look like. Given the choices, this is what it came up with:




Meh.

one year ago today

We arrived at our flat in Nove Mesto, Praha, CZ. and embarked on a week long journey through the Czech Republic and into Germany.



It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

homemade granola bars

So I have been working my way through Ina Garten's Back to Basic's cookbook that DJ got me for Christmas this year. The recipe for homemade granola bars looked fantastic, and since I normally buy a box for DJ weekly I thought I'd give this recipe a try. We are on a mission to eat as many minimally processed foods as we can and this recipe gets rid of another out of box food we've relied on for many years.

This recipe is very versatile. You can substitute the nuts and fruits you like. I substituted flax seeds for the wheat germ called for, and they still turned out fantastic. It is another great recipe from Ina!

Ingredients

2 c whole rolled oats
1 c flaked coconut
1 c slivered almonds
1/2 wheat germ
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Butter an 8 x 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper. (I used a 9 x 13 pan.)
3. Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 300˚F.
5. Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
6. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture.
7. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan.
9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.


I added sunflower and pumpkin seeds. The fruit I used was an organic dried cranberry and apple mix from Whole Foods. They were tough to cut but they were delicious. And all natural!

coping with stress

Well I am happy to report that we are six weeks into the year 2009 and I am still sticking with yearly resolution to get healthy. It hasn't been easy and I've had some slip ups along the way, but I think what is different this time around is that I haven't given up. Everyday is a new start and an opportunity to put your mistakes behind you. So in 6 weeks I have lost 10 lbs and been exercising regularly. This past week I have incorporated strength training and I am really enjoying it.

One of the things that got me in this position of needing to lose weight in the first place is that I am an emotional eater. Whether things are bad or good, I have turned to food for many years to soothe or celebrate. Now, one of my goals is rid myself of that habit and to deal with emotions head on.

I think most emotional eaters have a "stress meal." Something in particular they turn to when they are upset or stressed. For some it is the drive through at McDonald's or the ice cream aisle at the grocery. For me, it has always been the same- pizza, chips and red wine. In a nutshell- carbohydrates. There is something so soothing to me about bread and the salty crunch of chips. They are definitely my food weaknesses. So it makes sense this is the combo that I turn to so often. I had my last stress meal on November 7, 2008- the evening of the Presidential Election.

This evening I was feeling stressed. Not about anything in particular- just the uncertainty of the future, of our economy, and my general anxiety over the next couple of months. I took a 20 min walk at 5pm when the sun was still out and bright. The weather was brisk but refreshing. And while I didn't necessarily think about the things that cause my anxiety or worry about the many what-if's running through my head...my mind did feel clearer by the end of the walk. The calories burned helped a little too. :)