Venturing Out In Winter

Jim rides his bike to get around now - he took these photos for me a couple weeks ago:

My mom sent us this special granola we love and thanks to my Aunt Leslie we have containers for it!

I gave my friend a set of these yellow plates for her home in Italy and
she had me keep this one for my kitchen.  I put it by a picture of me
and Jim and the dishcloths my great gran makes.

Aunt Jeanne brought over ingredients for dinner last week

 

I took this photo when the temp was in the teens - I was dreaming of a warm beach about then!

My friend Anna and I had to stop in and look at dance stuff when we were meeting for tea the other day.

Hard to beat Chanel's pink ballet flats.  

Working with other actors for a directing class.  I was playing an excited fan
and we were taking pictures in a blocking exercise.  Jim's in the background as a person in a restaurant.

Love this skirt - the tutu's are out and about in the city!

Yogurt Sauce For Salmon

•      1 small container no fat greek yogurt 
•      2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
•      2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill (or to taste), (optional: sprigs for serving )
•      Fresh ground salt and pepper
•      1 1/2 tsp of olive oil
•      1 Lemon – zest and juice one half, and cut the other half into wedges for serving
  

In a medium bowl combine the yogurt, dijon mustard, dill, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Mix well and set aside.

Adapted from a couple of Martha Stewart recipes -- pictures from Martha Stewart's website as well. 

Health In Mind and Body

In the month of January we see a refocusing of energy towards a healthy way of living.  May we be encouraged to keep it going throughout the other months and the rest of the year.  Studies show the most effective way of doing this is having a mindset change.  For example when you start going to the gym it can be hard.  You are rearranging your schedule to fit in a work out.  It may be an unwelcome change at first and then your body is sore after your workout.  But if you keep at it your mindset changes and then you begin to crave your time exercising your body.  And if you can combine exercises that incorporate mind, body, and being present in that moment even better.  Pilates is a good one for this as well as dance.  There is a recent study of dance classes reducing the risk of Alzheimer as well as having other benefits.  

May we not forget the diet component of healthy living.....right.  I like thinking of diet in terms of the essences of what it truly is: what we put in our body.  And then focus on making wise choices about what I'm eating all the while keeping in mind 'everything in moderation even moderation, eh.'  Making it a positive transition rather than a negative list of things I can't have.   I like how Alicia Silverstone says in her book "The Kind Diet" flirt with ideas such as a vegetarian diet.  This gets me inspired to go ahead and try something new.  Vegetarian recipes and concepts are delicious.  I've loved flirting with adding raw recipes to my life.  Check out Matthew Kenney's books and maybe try beet ravioli.  With it being Super Bowl Sunday here is a good recipe for football type snack that is a vegan organic option to add to your festivities.  Here are a couple of sites that share list for the healthiest veggies and cancer fighting ones. 

Beet Ravioli

Positivity goes such a long way in affecting every area of our lives and overall health.  "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine."  Oprah loves the life coach Martha Beck who offers humor and advice to tackling life.

A best selling book that keeps coming up in my life in various ways is "The Four Agreements" which are:

1. Be Impeccable with your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the Word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your Word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don’t Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

Gwyneth Paltrow's site GOOP has recipes, workout tips, fashion tips, book tips, and more.  And if you happen to be in the market of a new hair dryer as I find myself check out this list my sister sent me - Harper's Bazaar Best Hairdryers Fall 2012 List. I think I may go for cheap but effective this go round....