AdventureHere Honors an "Angel"

http://www.angelman.org/AdventureHere/

RUN 4 EMMETT!

I am in the process of creating a fundraiser for Emmett Harrington.  Emmet has Angelman Syndrome(AS) and is the son of my dear friends, Merewyn and Alan Harrington.

RUN 4 EMMETT will be a held on September 10th, 2011-- location TBD. We will spend the next few months raising money for the event.  All donation will go through the fundraising page I have created on the AS Foundation website, which is above. Please take a moment to check it out and learn more about AS.

I'll keep you posted as the details unfold.  I'll need as much help as possible to spread the word and make RUN 4 EMMETT the most memorable fundraiser yet!

Add Some Fiber to Your Tuna Salad!

Here's a great alternative to the basic tuna sandwich!

1 Whole Wheat Tortilla - high in fiber (5+ grams or more)
1/2 can of Garbanzo Beans - which are high in fiber
1 can of tuna - drained
1 TBS Low Fat Mayo - or Olive Oil if  you aren't a Mayo Fan
1 handful of chopped Cilantro
1 handful of chopped white onion
1 TBS of relish

Makes 2 servings. Mash together in a bowl.  Heat tortilla over medium heat for a few minutes, add half of mixture and it's "a wrap!!"

Chair Exercises for the Office

All you need is a chair...

1. Chair Squat: 

While sitting, lift up until your hips are just hovering over the chair, arms out for balance.  Hold for 5-10 seconds, stand all the way up and repeat for 15 reps. 

2. Dips: Make sure chair is stable and place hands next to hips. Move hips in front of chair and bend the elbows, lowering the body until the elbows are at 90 degrees. Push back up and repeat for 15 reps.

3. Elevated Plank:  Make sure the chair is stable and kneel in front of the chair. Place your forearms on the seat of the chair and lift your knees off the ground.  You are now supporting yourself with your feet.  Hold for 30 seconds and repeat two to three times.

Get your neighbors to join you! 

Spring Has Sprung...Get Outside!

Be Resourceful!

• Workout at your local park, build a routine around the equipment there. Warm-up with a 10 minute jog of power walk. Then do some push-ups by placing your hands on top of a picnic table. Sit on the bench with your back to the table. Place the palms of your hands on the bench and move your body forward so your arms are now supporting you. Dip down to make the top of your arms parallel with the ground. Then lift your body back up. Repeat these exercise 15 times. Take a break, then do them again.

Mix it Up!

• Working out doesn't have to consist of mundane exercise routines. Go for a hike or run up a hill. Get even more motivation to work out by finding someone to sweat with. Many communities offer soccer clubs, running clubs, and more. Check out the opportunities in your town, or check out the website "Meetup.com," which lists events and workouts in your area.

Have a Goal!

• Exercise daily with a goal in mind. Already reached your goal?  Exceed it!! Sign up for a local race to keep your plan in check. Many races also benefit local and national charities, so your workouts not only keep you healthy but also help others by funding organizations that find cures for diseases. Check with local parks to see if they are hosting any future races you can register for. 

Day Twenty-one and it's over!

Well we came, concurred and decided to make our 30 day challenge a 20 day challenge!  We spent the past weekend in Auburn with family and friends.  It was a whopping 98 degree there and we just had to have a beer--plus it's hard to stick with a different diet when you aren't at home.  I brought oatmeal, veggies and fruit and we did our best but we had to deviate slightly.  After all, we are human!

Regardless, we learned a lot over the past 3 weeks and I am definitely making some permanent changes for my family.  There they are:

1. No alcohol on weekdays -- unless it's a special occasion
2. I will try my best to soak all our our grains and beans prior to cooking
3. I will only buy organic, local beef, chicken, eggs, and produce when possible
4. We will have only raw milk, cheese and yogurt when possible
5. We will continue to have more animal fat in our diets

I have learned to cook some wonderful meals and would love to share them with anyone who is interested.  I make my own stock weekly and use it in place of water when cooking rice, beans and lentils.  I make weekly stews and soups that we have grown to love.  We are having more smoothies, fresh fruits and vegetables.

I am going to at least 2 weekly farmers markets and bringing my own bags.  I always have reusable cups, boxes and utensils in my car and stroller.  I am trying to make Travis homemade lunches to take with him to work.

And finally our big news is...we are proud owners of a herd of beautiful Jersey girl cows. We own a share of the herd.  One share provides us with 1 gallon of raw milk every week and kefir and yogurt if we chose. We will let you know how it goes.

Thank you for reading and stay healthy!!

Day Twelve

Trav here....

Wow...we haven't really been blogging!  We'll catch up...We have been doing pretty well...both dropping some pounds (though that's not really the goal).  I have been sneaking a latte every now and then but otherwise sticking to the plan.  We found some bread at Whole Foods that is made on site from 5 organic ingredients; unbleached flour, buttermilk, butter, cage free eggs, yeast and water.  Nice to have some bread, seriously.  Ang has been hitting the farmers markets around the area and getting some great fruit and veg.  Sam has been enjoying his diet....but it hasn't really changed much for him as that is how he normally eats.  We have been eating a bit more animal fats than usual but still dropping a little weight and feeling good.  I still have some stomach woes, but I think it is due to having more milk than normal and not always getting raw milk. I would like to open up the 4th as a semi-free day as it is un-American not to consume beer on such a holiday....I can't lie, I'm really looking forward to it.  We found a healthy cookie recipe that we'll be working on this weekend..yum.  Look for peanut clusters in the Nourishing Traditions cookbook.  Ang has been using this book a lot for this little experiment in traditional eating.

Day Seven...

Well, here we are a week in and I feel great! However, I do miss bread, beer and cocktails...and the simplicity of convenience food.  I am in the kitchen a lot more; soaking grains, making recipes, being creative and resourceful!  But I am enjoying every minute.  I recently made beet soup and lamb and beef stew.  Both recipes are below:

I am really proud of Travis.  He went camping and managed to stick to the program...minus a half a cookie that apparently jumped into his mouth. His parents forced him to eat it --so he says! He is back on track today and human!  I will let him off.

Beet Soup - serves 6

6 medium beets

2 TBS butter 

1 quart of filtered water

sea salt

2 TBS finely chopped chives

Raw cream to garnish

Peel beets, chop coarsely and saute in butter very gently for 30 minutes.  Add water and bring to a boil and skim the top where foam is present.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.  Puree soup with a hand held blender or other.  Season with salt to taste and garnish with cream.

Beef and Lamb Stew - serves 6

1 lb of stew lamb meat (local, organic and grass fed)

1lb of beef stew meat (local, organic and grass fed)

32 oz of homemade stock - (chicken, meat or veggie)

Additional water if needed

10 fingerling potatoes

3 celery stalks - chopped

3 carrots - chopped

4 garlic cloves - chopped

1 medium onion - chopped

fresh oregano - about 1 TBS

fresh rosemary - about 1 TBS

raw sea salt - to taste

Place meet in a stewing pot and brown, add all of the ingredients and boil.  Simmer for 30 minutes.