Recipe Friday - Cornmeal Crust Pizza

My two year old daughter is a typical fussy eater. She really isn't into eating vegetables (now that's a shocker). There's only a few things that she'll eat with vegetables, like pesto, or veg chili, and I find myself making those meals every single week, in order to get those veggies in her. Another meal that she loves is Dr. Oetker Spinach Pizza. The other day she ate half of the pizza all by herself! That pizza is loaded with spinach and often goes on sale for $3. The other day I had a pack of chopped spinach in my freezer and I thought, I wonder if I can make my own version. I did some google-ing and found a recipe, and adapted it to work with the ingredients I had on hand. Alright, so here's a recipe I found on the Oprah website "10 Best Recipes from the Last 10 Years". Like I said, I changed a lot of the toppings to make it my way. I'm going to give you the recipe straight from the Oprah website, and in red, I'll explain how I changed it to make it healthier.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 package (1 1/4 ounces) active dry yeast (1 scant tablespoon)
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , plus more as needed I used whole wheat flour
  
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups stone-ground cornmeal , plus more for pan

Toppings:

• 1 bunch (12 ounces) Swiss chard - I used chopped spinach
  
• 4 strips bacon , cut into 3/4-inch squares - didn't use
  
• 4 cloves garlic , thinly sliced - used 6 cloves of garlic pressed through a garlic press
  
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper , to taste
• 1 cup ricotta cheese - used light feta cheese
  
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese - didn't use
  
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes - didn't use because I thought it would be too spicy for kids
• added 1/3 cup tomato sauce
  

Directions:

To make crust: In the bowl of an electric mixer (warmed with hot water and wiped dry), combine yeast with 1/2 cup warm water; stir with a wooden spoon until dissolved. Stir in 1 cup flour (mixture will become thick and stiff). Cover with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Add oil, milk, salt and 1 cup warm water. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with paddle attachment. With mixer on low, slowly add remaining flour and cornmeal. Mix into a soft dough. Change to a dough hook; knead 15 minutes, until sticky.

Form dough into a ball. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough, knead a few times and reshape into a ball. Return to bowl, cover and let sit until nearly doubled, about 40 minutes. Divide into 4 balls; reserve 2 for later use. - I used it all, just made a bigger pizza

To make toppings: Strip Swiss chard leaves from stems. Chop stems, tear leaves; set aside, separated. Place bacon in a cold sauté pan; set over medium heat. Cook until fat has rendered and bacon just begins to brown, 8–10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Pour off all but a little fat from the pan; add garlic. Cook until golden, 2–3 minutes. Add Swiss chard stems. Cook 8–10 minutes, until softened. Add leaves and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- I didn't pre-cook any of my ingredients. I just sprinkled them evenly over the rolled out dough.

Preheat oven to 450°. Using your hands, stretch a ball of dough into a disk; using a rolling pin, roll into a thin 10-inch circle. Transfer to a heavy baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Repeat with other ball of dough. Divide greens evenly between the 2 pizzas, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Crumble ricotta over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bacon. Bake until brown and bubbly, about 15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through cooking. Sprinkle with sea salt and red pepper flakes before serving.
- I sprinkled everything on a dough, and popped it in the oven for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

pH

To be honest, I never really knew anything about this subject until recently. I knew about acid/alkaline from school, and more recently from being a pool owner. I cared about the pH of the water in my pool, but the thought never occurred to me that eating acid forming foods could be dangerous to my health. One day, while reading an article from my local health food store, they explained the relationship between acid forming foods and inflammation. Striking the right balance of acid/alkaline foods in our diet is essential to good health.

Foods are classified as acid-forming or alkalizing depending on the effect they have on the body. An acid-forming food contributes hydrogen ions to the body, making it more acidic. An alkalizing food removes hydrogen ions from the body, making it more alkaline. It is important to note that this classification is based on the effect foods have on the body after digestion, not on their own intrinsic acidity or alkalinity (or how they taste to us). A common misconception is that if a food tastes acidic, it has an acid-forming effect on the body. This is not necessarily true. Very often, an acidic-tasting food is alkalizing. Citric fruits are a good example. People say that lemons, for example, are "too acidic"; however, they are actually alkalizing because the minerals they leave behind after digestion help remove hydrogen ions, decreasing the acidity of the body. (Many people use the term "residue" or "ash" to explain the effect of a food on the body. A food with an acid ash after digestion contributes hydrogen ions, making the body more acidic; a food with an alkaline ash after digestion removes hydrogen ions, making the body more alkaline.)

In North America, we consume A LOT of acid forming foods, such as sugar, animal protein, and processed junk food. When we throw off our bodies pH, our body then leaches alkalizing minerals from our bones to restore our blood's pH to it's proper range. Also, over-acidity in the body tissues, is one of the basic causes of diseases, especially the arthritic and rheumatic diseases. Common symptoms of an unbalanced pH include heartburn (a burning sensation in the stomach and acid-tasting burps), bloating, belching, and feeling full after eating small amounts of food. Other symptoms could include insomnia, water retention, migraines, constipation with diarrhea, fatigue, and a burning sensation on the tongue and in the mouth. The solution is to eat more alkaline foods, like Veggie Power Soup, instead of acid forming foods.

Here is a list of common alkaline and acid forming foods.

...ALKALINE FOODS...		...ACIDIC FOODS...
ALKALIZING VEGETABLES Alfalfa Barley Grass Beet Greens Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard Greens Chlorella Collard Greens Cucumber Dandelions Dulce Edible Flowers Eggplant Fermented Veggies Garlic Green Beans Green Peas Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard Greens Nightshade Veggies Onions Parsnips (high glycemic) Peas Peppers Pumpkin Radishes Rutabaga Sea Veggies Spinach, green Spirulina Sprouts Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Watercress Wheat Grass Wild Greens ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES Daikon Dandelion Root Kombu Maitake Nori Reishi Shitake Umeboshi Wakame ALKALIZING FRUITS Apple Apricot Avocado Banana (high glycemic) Berries Blackberries Cantaloupe Cherries, sour Coconut, fresh Currants Dates, dried Figs, dried Grapes Grapefruit Honeydew Melon Lemon Lime Muskmelons Nectarine Orange Peach Pear Pineapple Raisins Raspberries Rhubarb Strawberries Tangerine Tomato Tropical Fruits Umeboshi Plums Watermelon ALKALIZING PROTEIN Almonds Chestnuts Millet Tempeh (fermented) Tofu (fermented) Whey Protein Powder ALKALIZING SWEETENERS Stevia ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS Chili Pepper Cinnamon Curry Ginger Herbs (all) Miso Mustard Sea Salt Tamari ALKALIZING OTHER Alkaline Antioxidant Water Apple Cider Vinegar Bee Pollen Fresh Fruit Juice Green Juices Lecithin Granules Mineral Water Molasses, blackstrap Probiotic Cultures Soured Dairy Products Veggie Juices ALKALIZING MINERALS Calcium: pH 12 Cesium: pH 14 Magnesium: pH 9 Potassium: pH 14 Sodium: pH 14 Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid they contain actually has an alkalinizing effect in the system. Note that a food's acid or alkaline forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so, lemons are alkaline forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion, but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid forming.		ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES Corn Lentils Olives Winter Squash ACIDIFYING FRUITS Blueberries Canned or Glazed Fruits Cranberries Currants Plums** Prunes** ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS Amaranth Barley Bran, oat Bran, wheat Bread Corn Cornstarch Crackers, soda Flour, wheat Flour, white Hemp Seed Flour Kamut Macaroni Noodles Oatmeal Oats (rolled) Quinoa Rice (all) Rice Cakes Rye Spaghetti Spelt Wheat Germ Wheat ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES Almond Milk Black Beans Chick Peas Green Peas Kidney Beans Lentils Pinto Beans Red Beans Rice Milk Soy Beans Soy Milk White Beans ACIDIFYING DAIRY Butter Cheese Cheese, Processed Ice Cream Ice Milk ACIDIFYING NUTS & BUTTERS Cashews Legumes Peanut Butter Peanuts Pecans Tahini Walnuts ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN Bacon Beef Carp Clams Cod Corned Beef Fish Haddock Lamb Lobster Mussels Organ Meats Oyster Pike Pork Rabbit Salmon Sardines Sausage Scallops Shellfish Shrimp Tuna Turkey Veal Venison ACIDIFYING FATS & OILS Avacado Oil Butter Canola Oil Corn Oil Flax Oil Hemp Seed Oil Lard Olive Oil Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Sunflower Oil ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS Carob Corn Syrup Sugar ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL Beer Hard Liquor Spirits Wine ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS Catsup Cocoa Coffee Mustard Pepper Soft Drinks Vinegar ACIDIFYING DRUGS & CHEMICALS Aspirin Chemicals Drugs, Medicinal Drugs, Psychedelic Herbicides Pesticides Tobacco ACIDIFYING JUNK FOOD Beer: pH 2.5 Coca-Cola: pH 2 Coffee: pH 4 ** These foods leave an alkaline ash but have an acidifying effect on the body.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease; research is ongoing.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Recipe Friday - Guacamole

Summer is around the corner and with it comes BBQ season. My husband and I get invited to BBQ parties all the time and they always ask us if we can bring something. I always notice that someone else will bring a potato salad and a regular green salad, so I like to bring a dip of some sort, like hummus or guacamole. My guacamole is always a huge hit at parties, either that or I get "what's guacamole?" (it depends on the age of the crowd.) Avocado is full of vitamin K, dietary fiber, potassium, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and copper. It's also a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids including oleic acid. Trust me, homemade guacamole totally surpasses the store bought kind. I actually have a friend who told me he hated guacamole, UNTIL he tried my recipe.

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados, peeled, seed removed and mashed
1 large clove of garlic, pressed through a garlic press or very finely minced
juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 tablespoon fajita spice mix
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, crushed
1 tomato, diced

Mix all ingredients, except tomato in a bowl until creamy. Add diced tomatoes and stir. Serve with multi-grain Tostitos or whole wheat pita chips.

Enjoy!

THINspiration !!!!

This might be old news for some of you, but this is news to me. I don't keep up with celebrity gossip, because I find it a waste of time HOWEVER... I just opened an email from the Oprah Show and read the article about Nadya Suleman (Octomom). She's that single mother of 6, who, less than a year and a half ago, gave birth to octuplets!! That's right EIGHT children at once, AND she already had 6 at home!! Ok so, if that's not shocking enough, wait until you see her weight loss WITHOUT surgery or a personal trainer!!Like seriously?! THAT IS AMAZING!! I've only had two kids and I'm not even close to looking this good. She did this photo shoot one year after her 8 babies were born. She's 5 feet 7 inches (same height as me) and now weighs 125 pounds. She went from 270 to 125! Joseph will be 1 year old in less than a month and a half, so I have to get cracking! Ok so now, I have no excuses, if she can do it, I can do it!

Me Ka Aloha

- Elisabeth

Greener Cleaner

I'm sure by now you've noticed the newest trend in cleaning products. It's all about biodegradable, toxin-free, "green", products. I'm so glad the cleaning companies and the public are finally concerned about chemicals and the damage they can do to our health. Not to mention they are dangerous around children. Did you know that over a million poisonings in Canada each year are due to household cleaner indigestion. Some are even fatal. Also, thousands of children AND adults are permanently disfigured or injured through contact with chemicals in the home (scary right?)

So, I totally understand the need for some chemicals in certain circumstances, like when disinfecting surgical equipment, or when trying to prevent the spread of an virus, or when cleaning a particularly disgusting toilet... you know all those kind of things. Most of the time however, like for every day cleaning, all those chemicals just aren't necessary.

You can buy toxin-free cleaners at most local stores and they work just as well as the chemicals. I really like Method All Purpose Cleaner, found at Shopper's Drug Mart and Canadian Tire. However, I've discovered a recipe to make my own for a fraction of the price.

Here's how to make it:

Mix in a 1L BPA free spray bottle
2 cups of water
2 cups of pure white vinegar - cuts grease, scum, stains, deodorizes, and disinfects.
15-20 drops pure lavender essential oil or tea tree oil - masks the smell of the vinegar and helps kill bacteria

I use it to clean my counters, bathroom sinks, bathtubs, etc. It works great and smells great too and the BEST part, it won't harm me or my kiddies!! In the next few weeks I'll be posting natural and environmentally friendly ways to freshen the air and get rid of nasty odors because conventional air fresheners, well... ugh, don't get me started.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Recipe Friday - Black Bean Brownies

No your computer isn't on the fritz, today's recipe is indeed a brownie recipe made with BLACK BEANS. The first time I ever saw a recipe like this was over six years ago at my aunts house. She had a cook book all about beans. I expected to see the usual, bean salad, enchiladas... but when I flipped it open I noticed a dessert section. Really? An entire chapter dedicated to desserts made with beans? My aunt assured me that the brownie recipe was actually really good. Fast-forward to two summers ago when I visited my cousin in Ottawa. I went to her house for dinner and guess what was for dessert? Bean Brownies! Then (now here's a crazy coincidence) we went to Dave's cousin's house (yes, we both have cousins in Ottawa) and baking in the oven was... BEAN BROWNIES. Alright so, these are surprising good, like I mean they're not going to taste quite as good those huge frosted fudge brownies from Starbucks, but we're trying to be healthy right? Where else are you going to find a brownie with about 4 g of fibre per serving and 3 g of protein? Come on, be brave, give these a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 bananas
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup instant oats


Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients, except oats and chocolate chips, in a food processor and blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips and pour batter into a greased 8 x 8 inch pan. Bake approx 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing. These brownies will be more dense and fudge-like. If you find these brownies are too soft or too fudgey, add another 1/4 cup oats.

Me Ka Aloha

- Elisabeth

The Best Running Socks

Did you ever think that I would write an entire blog post about socks? Like really, it's just a sock right? Is there really any difference between the cotton sports socks from the value pack from Wal-Mart and the expensive kind that cost $15 a pair? Oh yes, YES there is!

Before I started having kids, I worked at a running store. The owners of the store were big on having the BEST selection in the area, and they totally did. They had an entire wall dedicated to running socks. There must have been at least 20 different styles and makes to choose from. They had $8 socks made out of thin, moisture wicking polyester (I hated those), $25 socks made from a special combo of nylon and moisture wicking polyester, specially engineered to support all the muscles in the feet (those weren't worth the money AND they make everyone's feet stink really bad), and everything in between. I had tried at least 10 different kinds of socks, but didn't really love them that much. One day I noticed a pair of grayish-lilac colored, ankle socks in the top corner of the "sock wall". I thought they were cute and I liked that they were low cut so I grabbed a pair. I turned the packaging around and saw the price tag $13! WHAT?! $13 for a single pair of socks??? And what's this Smartwool brand any way? I thought "forget it! I've never heard of Smartwool before, they're too expensive, and who really wants to put wool on their feet anyway?"

A few weeks later the owner was in the store and I asked "what's with those WOOL socks? I thought runners only wore 'coolmax' or polyester wicking socks?" He said "Hmmm those look like a neat little pair. Here take them. Tell me what you think." So there I was, with a $13 pair of wool running socks, and they were very cute looking. I jumped on the internet and googled Smartwool because I was curious to see what they had to say. I went to their website and was very impressed with what I discovered. They used Smart technology to make wool soft (no itching), durable, it won't shrink in the washer or dryer, AND it's environmentally friendly (from a renewable resource). Just look at the comparison chart.

Wicks moisture
Absorbs moisture
Moisture evaporates so inside of shoe stays dry
Insulates so feet stay cool in simmer, warm in winter
Maintains cushioning
Blister resistant
Fungus resistant
Stink resistant
Machine washable and dryable
No fabric softners required
Environmentally friendly
No shrink

I put on the socks and was impressed with how comfortable they were. I went for a run, in the HEAT of summer, and I was expecting my feet to be sweaty and stinky when I pulled those socks off. To my amazement, my feet were BONE DRY and didn't smell at all, AND no blisters! Smartwool socks kept my feet dryer than any of the other running socks I'd ever tried. Wow! How come nobody told me about these socks before and how come nobody is buying them? Maybe they don't know all the benefits either.

I started recommending Smartwool to all the runners and they would come back a few days later telling me how much they loved them and bought a second pair. Suddenly Smartwool socks were flying off the shelves! People loved how they didn't smell at all after wearing them for a long run, and they loved how well they wicked the sweat off their feet. People started also buying Smartwool running clothing, in winter AND summer because Smartwool regulates the body's temperature better than synthetics.

Honestly, I could go on and on about the amazing technology of Smartwool, but I just HIGHLY recommend that you try a pair for yourself and let me know what you think!

Smartwool Lover for Life
- Elisabeth

To learn more about the amazingness of Smartwool and to see their newest styles, visit https://www.smartwool.com

Recipe Friday - Havarti Chicken Wraps

Here's another family favorite that's quick and easy. Havarti, a mild semisoft cheese from Denmark, makes this chicken-filled wrap super creamy and super yummy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons EVOO
2 boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips
1 bell pepper (I like to use red), sliced into strips
1 red onion, chopped
1 small package of sliced mushrooms
1/2 a head of lettuce, washed and broken into pieces
1 chopped tomato
6 slices of Havarti cheese (or however much you want)
6 tablespoons baba ganoush OR creamy garlic salad dressing
6 whole wheat tortilla shells

1. Heat EVOO in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until juices run clear and is no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes.

2. In a separate non-stick pan, heat EVOO for 1 minute, then add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.

3. Place whole wheat tortilla on a plate with a slice of Havarti cheese. Layer tortilla with warm chicken, vegetable mixture, piece of lettuce, chopped tomato, and 1 tablespoon baba ganoush or dressing (or both!). The warmth of the chicken and vegetables should melt the cheese slightly.

Fold in sides by about 1 inch, then roll up tightly from the bottom.

ENJOY!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Have You Had Your 8 Glasses Today? - Health Benefits of Water

We've all heard it a million times before "drink 8 glasses of water a day". You know, and I know, that water is important for proper health, BUT how many of us actually drink that much? If you've forgotten why H2O is so important, let me give you a little "refresher".

1. Our body is made up of 75% water (roughly 42L for the average adult human). With a loss as little as 2.7L, a person can suffer from dehydration, displaying symptoms of irritability, fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, weakness, headaches. Next time you feel your energy dropping, DRINK A GLASS OF WATER!

2. The human brain is made up of 95% water. Deprive it of water, and you're going to have troubles focusing, reading etc.

3. Water is essential in helping move food through our systems and prevent constipation.

4. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79%, and bladder cancer by 50%.

5. Water aids in eliminating toxins from our bodies.

6. Water also helps with the movement of joints, and helps protect tissues and organs in the body. In between joints in the body there is a lining of cartilage that exists. The lining of cartilage between the joints uses water as a cushion between the bones so that the joints can move easily. If there is not enough water being consumed, dehydration can occur in these joints, which may cause arthritis.

7. It is important in helping with digestion; the absorption of food, the regulation of body temperature and blood circulation, the carrying of nutrients and oxygen to the cells in the body.

8. It is also good to drink water for metabolic and weight loss purposes. Drinking water metabolizes stored fats. It is the liver's job to metabolize fat, and in order to do so it needs water. If not enough water is consumed, the liver takes over the job of the kidneys. When the liver takes over the job of the kidneys however, it is no longer able to metabolize fat in the body. Therefore the more water consumed, the more the body will metabolize fat.

9. It helps maintain proper muscle tone. It can also suppress you appetite. Next time you're craving something "forbidden" reach for your water bottle.

10. Drinking water on a regular basis can boost your health and keep your body feeling great.

So, how do you know if you're drinking enough? Check the color of your urine. It should be a very pale yellow (unless you're on medication that could potentially change the color). Don't forget that you need extra water if you've been exercising.

Now, how do you get your KIDS to drink enough water? Yes, that's a tough one because most kids would rather drink chocolate milk or other sugary drinks.

1. Let them pick out their own re-usable water bottle. I recommend something the is BPA free. Sometimes pretty packaging is all that is needed to motivate them. Say "do you want to drink from your (Dora, Spider Man, Cinderella... whatever) water bottle?"

2. Dilute their juice as much as possible. My daughter doesn't really like drinking straight water, but she'll drink juice that's been diluted 1 part juice, 10 parts water. She just wants that hint of flavor.

3. Make a fruit smoothie that's full of crushed ice cubes. We make a smoothie that is 1 cup frozen fruit, 1/2 cup juice, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 cup crushed ice. It comes out pretty solid, like fruit sorbet, and we feed it to my daughter with a spoon. She thinks she eating fruity ice cream.

4. Give them a straw. Kids think drinking from a straw is fun and they'll usually drink whatever if there's a straw involved.

Have I made you thirsty yet? Go ahead, pick out a new (pretty) water bottle and STAY HYDRATED!

Me Ka Aloha (with love)
- Elisabeth

5.4 Km Non-Stop...

About a week ago I proudly announced that my friend Adam and I ran 5.4 Km non-stop. The last time I ran even remotely close to that, was before I became pregnant with Rosie. I've never really been a "runner" which is ironic since I was the manager of a running store for over a year. I know everything about the "right" running shoes, moisture wicking clothing, $20 socks, and the most popular marathons in the area, yet I hardly ran while I worked there. Ya, that's right, just call me the Milli Vanilli of running.

So here I am, 3 years later, with a double "mummy tummy" to loose, a drawer full of running gear from my manager days, and a few pairs of $200 running shoes (another perk of working at the store). I decided it was time to start running to loose the muffin top. I can just picture my old boss reading this, thinking "NOW she decides to run? Like why didn't she attempt it when she worked for us?"

The first night Adam and I went out running, we only ran for one minute, walked for one minute, totaling 2.5 Km. We were exhausted when we got back to my house and I felt so pathetic LOL. Sheesh, I've seen 60 year olds run further than that. Am I really THAT out of shape?! Any way 2 days later we went running again. We did run 1 minute, walk one minute, and we went for the whole 5 km this time. However, when we got to the end of our run we decided to run all the way back. It took us 3 minutes and 40 seconds to run down the street and I felt like I was going to die! I said "what? that was only 3 minutes and 40 seconds of straight running? How am I EVER going to do the whole 5 km without puking?! Perhaps my goal of running 5 km by June was a little too ambitious?" The next time we went running I said "let's run for 1 km without stopping, walk for a little while, then run another Km and continue in that pattern." We did that, and again, I felt like I was going to die, but we did that until we were done the 5 km. The next time we went out we ran as far as we could and it was 2 km (MUCH better than our pathetic 3 minutes and 40 seconds from a few nights ago). We then walked an ran until the 5 km was done.

Then the magical night happened! I said "Let's cut the crap and let's just run for as long as we can. Let's just try to make it a little further than last time." WELL... we ran 5.4 km non-stop and I could have gone further if I wanted to. When we were a few feet away from our finish I said "holy heck, I can't believe we're actually doing this!!" I can't believe how quickly the body adapts. My friend who I was running with was also amazed at how quickly we went from nothing to 5.4 km. He said he took one of those (wait, make that THREE) learn to run clinics at the Running Room for 3 months each time, and at the end, he was struggling to do "run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute" thing. He liked our method of running better. I think it's harder to stop and go because your body goes into rest mode when you walk and then you suddenly have to fire it up again. He joked that we should start our own learn to run clinic. Really, maybe I SHOULD. After all, I know everything about purchasing the right shoes and all that jazz.... hmmmm..... maybe I should.

It looks like running that 5 km race is possible for me after all!!! I might even try to run the Moon in June race on June 5th and have my Mom tag along (hear that Mom? People are reading this, no backing out now haa haa!)

For all of you who are reading this and thinking "there's no way I could run that far" let me assure you that you CAN. If I could go from workout videos, to 5.4 km in a week and a half, and Adam could go from nothing to 5.4 km in a week and a half, than so can you! Just go for it and you'll be surprised. Don't be discouraged if you can hardly run around the block the first time because you'll get better and better. It's perfect weather outside, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Let me know how you're doing with your workouts/running!
- Elisabeth

Recipe Friday - Banana Pancakes

Happy Good Friday!! Every Good Friday, my church has a pancake breakfast and family hike. There's always a HUGE turnout, kids running around (high on Chocolate Easter Eggs), people lined up for a second or third helping of sausages, the smell of maple syrup, friends and families crowded around tables, toddlers dressed up like bunnies, families hiking with strollers and baby carriers... Ah I love Easter Weekend! I've been looking forward to this church activity for a few weeks now and it's reminded me of one of my daughters favorite breakfast...

BANANA PANCAKES!
1 cup whole wheat flour
8 drops of liquid Stevia or 1 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1 cup plain soy milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 ripe bananas mashed

Directions
Combine whole wheat flour, Stevia (or sugar), baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, soy milk, canola oil and bananas.

Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be slightly lumpy. If the batter is too smooth, the pancakes will be tough.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over med-low heat. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle. When bubbles rise and break surface, turn over. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides. Serve with sliced bananas and strawberries.

ENJOY!

- Elisabeth