What's For Dinner - Linguini with Toasted Almonds and Lemon

This looks good for dinner tonight...

Linguini with Toasted Almonds and Lemon – Whole Living

Recipes I Can Handle

Week Three of the Whole Living Action Plan allows you to start adding in additional healthy foods.  Finally, these are some recipes that my sensitive system can handle.

Toasted Coconut Muesli

Steamed Salmon with Fresh Herbs and Lemon



Meditation of the Week

Pick three new foods to try this week. Finding foods that make you feel as great as they taste helps you conquer cravings for good.

Week 3 Shopping List & Recipes

Best Laid Plans Meet a Wall of Resistance

Just as I announced to everyone that I was going on the 2012 Whole Living Action Plan for 28 days my family stepped up and refused to go on it with me.  Healthy eating - fine, Exercise - fine, Contemplation - fine, but no fast and they're weren't even thinking of themselves.  They saw how much I suffered last time and didn't want me to go through it again.  Stubbornly I refused and announced I was doing this by myself then.  Well after one week I've conceded.  Cleanses just don't work for me and leave me in such grief that it's just not worth it.  For this entire week I've felt nauseas, tired and irritable.  BUT, I'm going to continue with the exercise program at any rate. 

Cinnamon Poaches Applies with Walnuts

This is one recipe that I tried this week that the family all agreed they could live with.  There are few others that were good too, but they left me in discomfort so I'm not posting them.

There might be other factors involved as well since I've been pushing myself since the beginning of November when my mom died.  I've been going non-stop as we ramped up for Christmas, I started a new job and dad was diagnosed with ALS.  We've sold the home they lived in for 34 years and began sorting through everything and packing up to move my dad into a new apartment on his own.  Doctor's have advised us to keep stress to a minimum for dad so you can imagine what this move has been like. 

The timing just isn't going to work for me.  Maybe I'll tired again next year.

Meditation of the Week

Think before you eat. Take three deep, slow breaths before every meal and give each bite your full attention.

For those who still want to follow along:

Week 2 Shopping List
Week 2 Recipes
Wake up with weights

2012 Whole Living Action Plan

Well I'm back at it again.  It's a New Year and a new action plan.  I learned a lot from the last one so I'm going to give this one a try but stick to the 28 days keeping in mind my doctor's instructions from last time.  So here goes. 

2012 Whole Living Action Plan

If you're interested in following along as well, here are the links for Week One:



Shopping List for Week One

Recipes for Week One

Detox Yoga Moves

Meditation of the Week:  Think about your relationship with food.  Separating physical nourishment from emotional comfort helps you eat better.

I know this is true.  Given the large amounts of stress we've been dealing with lately, I've found myself turning to comfort food and fast food that I can grab quick on the run.  How soon we forget.  At any rate, food is my comfort weakness.  You can always tell how my life is going by my weight.  Oprah and I have a lot in common.

Whole Life Challenge - Day 141 - I'm Done

I’m done the program now and feel much better.  Time to move onto another goal...

Image from Whole Living Challenge

Well I stuck with it as best as I could.  I didn't lose as much weight as I'd like, but I definitely cheated as anyone following this blog can attest.  I can't say I enjoyed all of it, but I really like the reflection parts which forced me to look at myself and my life periodically.  I think everyone can benefit from it.  The dog certainly enjoyed the walks and jogging. I feel physically better but I will give a word of caution.  At the beginning while in the detox portion I really suffered.  So much so that I visited my doctor to find out why I was having so many problems when I was eating so healthy.  Many tests later and a uncomfortable colonoscopy and I discovered that I have irritable bowel syndrome - and not the one that is benefited by more fibre.  Hence my suffering.  She suggested that I continue the program but tweak it to fit my current health situation.  That made things a lot easier and I began to enjoy it again as I customized it to my needs.  So I'm going to continue incorporating the items I enjoyed and continue tweaking until I find my best fit.  I recommend everyone should do the same.

Thank you Whole Living Challenge for putting together a well balanced and well thought out program.  Next time I won't be so slow or drag it out so long.

Whole Life Challenge - Day 135

Create your own cookbook...

Actually I’ve already done this.  I’m constantly adding to it and whenever I post a recipe to this blog, I print them off for the book.  I’ve found this more personal and basically stopped buying cookbooks altogether, although I do have a few that I can’t part with.  However, this seems like an even better idea and it might be a really good Christmas gift idea for my family who have been commenting on my sudden improved cooking skills.

Image - TasteBook.com

Whole Life Challenge - Day 134

Rest today...

Today I’ve decided to skip yoga, running, walking and everything else and just go to bed early.  I’m tired out with everything that I’ve been trying to do lately.

Image Source Unknown

Whole Life Challenge - Day 130

Time to take it up a notch...

It’s apparently time to start working muscles within different planes, side to side, forward and back, rotationally.  Today it’s upper body moves with some cardio moves thrown in.  Then it’s a five minute walk and an all out run for 5 minutes, walk for 5 minutes, all out run for 5 minutes and walk for another 5 minutes. 

Photo from Whole Living

Whole Life Challenge - Day 118

It’s almost as if they knew.  Tonight I’m supposed to take a 20 minute bath filled with essential oils – or I can go for a walk while listening to music that lifts my mood. 

Guess which one I'm going for.  See you later.

Whole Life Challenge - Day 117

I need some new tunes...

I’m getting a friend from work to download some new tunes from her ipod for me.  I need some new soothing sounds to listen to while lounging on the beach.  Thanks M.

Image source unknown -  Ahhhhhh

Whole Living Challenge - Day 64

It’s time to ramp up my exercise program anyway, so I’m being introduced to some new yoga moves for core strengthening and I’m supposed to hold my yoga poses a little longer each day for greater stability and strength.  But more importantly I’m introducing jogging.  Time for toned calves.  Walk for 10 minutes and jog for 5 minutes.  I think I can handle that.

My goal

Whole Living Challenge - Day 62

Reward time.  Today I’m booking a detox massage.  I rarely treat myself like this, but having achieved a major life goal, I think I deserve it. 

Whole Living Challenge - Day 46

Shhhhh – Quiet time...

Home is where I need to relax and recharge.  So I’m going around the house and trying to find ways to keep the noise level down.  Including my son’s online gaming voice.  For white noise to drown him out I’m using an old computer with some of my favourite soothing downloaded tunes and an oscillating fan.  Seriously.  You need a sound proof room for teenagers sometimes.

Whole Living Challenge - Day 34

Antioxidant smoothies...

My family enjoy these smoothies for breakfast now.  But Pomegranate juice is so expensive.

Recipe - Whole Living

Whole Living Challenge - Day 20

Banish bad vibes...

Photo from Whole Living

This is great advice worth repeating here. 

If there's a co-worker you can't stand, don't let your temper get the best of you. Rather than lashing out whenever your colleague's behaviour interrupts or otherwise upsets your day, try taking a deep breath and repeating a simple mantra, such as "Everybody's doing the best they can."

Believe me it works – although I recommend saying it three times and taking a deep cleansing breath each time.

So I'm now off and running on this program.  Well, walking is more like it.  I'm walking every evening and doing my stretching yoga exercise before bedtime.  I'm having hot water with lemon in the morning and trying really hard to drink as much water as I can during the day.  I've cheated quite a bit but now it's time for the cleansing part so I'm going to be more focused on sticking to the diet portion.

Whole Living Challenge - Day 16

Sleep...

This is something I can really get into.  I’m tired all the time so this gives me the excuse I need to shutdown early, and take midday naps on weekends without guilt.  I’m ready to really begin.

Saying this every night before I go to bed might inspire me more to get out of bed in the morning.

Tomorrow’s the first day of the rest of your life!

What's For Dinner? Walnut Crusted Chicken Breasts

I’m cheating a bit already...

I know I’m supposed to be in the detox phase still, but my family saw this recipe and requested it so I agreed.   We all really enjoyed it.

Prep: 20 minutes Total: 35 minutes Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, walnuts add richness to this light breading; the coating keeps the chicken moist. For longer shelf life, store nuts in the freezer. Ingredients Serves 4 . 2 slices whole-wheat bread, dried 1/3 cup walnuts 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 large egg white 4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless (6 to 8 ounces each) 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil Lemon slices, for serving Seasonal green salad

Directions 1.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, combine bread, walnuts, and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Process until fine breadcrumbs form. Transfer to a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, beat egg white until frothy. 2.     Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each breast into egg white, letting excess drip off, and then into crumb mixture, pressing to adhere. 3.     In a large nonstick ovenproof skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn chicken over and put skillet in oven. Bake until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. 4.     Serve chicken with lemon slices and green salad.

Recipe and photo  – Whole Living

Whole Living Challenge - Day 15

I'm so dull... Today I'm cleaning out the refrigerator and my goal is for something like this...

I've been buying clear containers with the intention of organizing my fridge more, but it never seems to look as good or organized as this.

Whole Living Challenge - Day 14

My family is actually starting to enjoy the salads – who knew?...

Pecan Apple Salad – photo Whole Living

Ingredients (serves 4)
2-3 apples
100 g pecans
salad mix (such as radicchio, arugula and frisee)

And for the dressing...

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 orange, zest and juice
coarse salt & pepper

Slice the apples. Toast pecan quickly on a pan over medium heat until fragrant for a few minutes. Wash and dry the salad mix of your choice. Zest and juice washed orange. Mix dressing ingredients. Toss and dress the salad.

Here are the recipes I’ll be following – well as best as someone who can stick to these things can.

Whole Living Challenge - Day 10

Cupboards and fridge are stocked and I'm ready for the next thing...

Get the right gear:

Image source unknown

 Apparently I’m going to need fitness clothing for the new strength training and cardiovascular exercise.  Might as well look the part.  I’m going to need items for those rainy weather days too.  My dog will love this, but I’m a fair weather kind of girl.

3 to 5 lb. Weights - check - already have those.

So I'm off to buy some new workout gear.