So outside of E2, E2X, my blog and my work… I have a life

Though…my husband may argue that point

I love boxing, traveling and gardening.

We have a glorious urban garden, where we grow a variety of vegetables.  Heirloom tomatoes are our favorite thing to grow.  I love the feeling of freshly turned earth in my hands.  The joy of watching and waiting for the first tomato of the season.  Going out to the garden to pick dinner.  It’s all such a thrill to me. It was a moment in my garden that led me down this path of work.

I was tending to my tomatoes in my front yard vegetable garden, my black cherry tomatoes were coming on full and plentiful – by the way…Linda Sapp at Tomato Growers Supply…has the best varieties of tomatoes any where. It’s true.  Any way, as I was pulling tomatoes off the vine, two boys from my neighborhood about 10 or 11 years old stopped to ask a question.  “What are those?” one of the boys asked, pointing at the tomatoes.  I explained what they were and the boys were a little perplexed as to my strange growing of vegetables, in my front yard of all places, in the inner city.  I’m not sure the boys had ever seen a tomato growing before.  I invited them up to the garden to pick some.  They seemed really surprised at this.  I told them as long as I was out in the garden, they were welcome to come pick some tomatoes.  The boys each picked a handful of tomatoes, smiling and laughing at the idea of the treasure they were collecting in the well of their drawn up shirts.  We chatted for a bit as the boys ate the tomatoes and saved a few to take home.

It was then that I knew I wanted to help people learn about vegetables, urban gardens, plant-based nutrition.  I wanted to find a way to be able to volunteer my time helping others. Especially kids, especially about good food. I am lucky to be able to volunteer my time on a variety of fronts. I volunteer some of my time helping people with plant-based nutrition online.  I also volunteer my time locally with a few athletes in the golden gloves boxing program.  Helping them learn about plant-based nutrition, grocery shopping, cooking etc. Being able to spend time volunteering has been so fulfilling for me.  I love working with people to help them reach their goals.  From helping others figure out how to have their own urban garden, developing community gardens, to helping people achieve better health through plants.

I highly recommend seeking out a way to volunteer if you are able.  Find a way to lend your area of expertise to those in need. Or find a way to just help out where help is needed.  Volunteer opportunities exist everywhere.  Got no time? Donate to a program that is doing good things in your community.

http://www.communitygarden.org/

http://www.volunteermatch.org/

https://foodcorps.org/

Each time I stroll through the produce department, a new meal idea is somewhere there, just waiting to be discovered.  Could it be the fresh fennel waiting to grace a salad with it’s unique flavor?  Paired with some farro maybe? Or is it the whole pineapple that is on sale waiting to be grilled with some sweet peppers and tossed with some buttery tasting kamut?

So many flavors are out there waiting to be discovered.  Pungent spices sit on the shelf waiting for their opportunity to dance in your plant-strong dishes.  How many spices do you see that you’ve never tried before?  Nervous? Look them up online, read about the flavors that they impart.  Often you will find suggestions for parings with foods listed among the details.

Even if you don’t have a very adventurous set of kitchen skills, you can still create incredible dishes that are really flavor packed.  Find recipes that look interesting to you.  There are so many fantastic resources out there, lack of recipes shouldn’t ever be an issue.  From Happy Herbivore to Cathy Fisher, Jeff Novick, Dreena Burton and Susan Voisin, there is something out there for everyone.

Some effort is required to make delicious plant-strong meals happen.  A little planning and a bit of time to make it happen paired with the mindset that you are creating fuel for your body that can be as interesting as you make it – is all you need.  We all made time to eat before going plant-based.  Whether it was making time for a 4 course meal or putting a frozen pizza in the oven.  Quick meals can be made in a little time, all you have to do is seek out the recipes to make them happen.  If you cooked dinner on a regular basis, all you need is a little inspiration.

If you find things taste bland, try adding a little more spice.  I often find that some cold salads are better the second day after the flavors have had a chance to marinate.  There are all kinds of flavors out there to be explored.  Getting bored with what you are currently eating?  Just swapping out one spice for another can make an interesting twist on an old favorite.  Maybe try using an exotic blend of Moroccan spices instead of the typical Mexcian blend.  Or toss in a new vegetable, like some finely diced mustard greens make a really nice addition to a potato salad.

The beauty of vegetables for me is in their ability to be forgiving.  Most vegetables pair together relatively well.  Potatoes are super versatile also, as is most rice varieties and other whole grains.  The possibilities are really endless as to what dishes you can create.  Don’t be afraid to try new things.  Make new combinations or toss together veggie bowls with a vegetable, a grain/starch and a spice – Jeff Novick Style.  There are no rules when it comes to pairings.  Tonight we had a great combo of brown rice, kidney beans, butternut squash, corn, kale, cilantro and salsa – I added some cumin and Mrs. Dash’s Extra Spicy seasoning.  It was colorful and flavorful.

If what you are eating isn’t exciting you, try another avenue.  With so many options out there, you should never be stuck with a boring meal. Enjoy what you are eating.  Each meal is an opportunity to find a new favorite.  Find a few that work for you and add them in to the mix of favorites you are already making.

What is your new favorite plant-strong meal?

I am blogging from the road this week.  I am home in Minnesota for my husband’s company party and to spend time with our daughter who is preparing for a term of service with Americorps.  We’ve been in Kansas on a work project of my husband’s for the past year.  Together we lost the bulk of our weight as a couple while in the Kansas City Metro area.  Our home has closets and drawers full of clothes that don’t fit us any longer.  Including a dress with the tags still on, that I bought one hopeful day in January of 2010 that was a size too small back then. It was a great deal on sale and I thought, someday I can fit into this! I remembered I had it, and thought maybe this time…the dress would fit and I could wear it to the party.

No such luck.This time the dress was too big.

It’s been an amazing year for us.  We’ve had a lot of realizations over the past year.  For me, I realized that I could run, that I could be fit, that I could give up coffee, that I could help others.  For my husband Bill, he now understands that his body isn’t as broken as it once was, that he could become a boxer and a coach and just yesterday, he realized just how big he was before we started Engine 2.  He has a closet full off clothes from his office days when he was wearing suits and ties.  Now that he is out on a job site, he wears more casual clothes.  He has had no need to slip on a dress shirt in the past year, so there they hang, collecting dust.  When I mention that he should think about getting rid of them, he argues that he can still wear some of them.

“No, you can’t, they are ALL too big.  Not by a little, but by a lot.”  – I tell him.

In an effort to appease me, he tries on a dress shirt, that last year was tight on his midsection.  The look on his face said it all.  In that moment, he realized just how far he has come in the past year.  He had never envisioned himself as big as he once was.  He knew he was heavy, knew he needed to do something about it.  But he still has a hard time grasping just how vast the difference is between the Bill before Engine 2 and the Bill now after a year on Engine 2.  Sometimes it takes our mental image of ourselves awhile to catch up with the physical changes that are manifesting.

Also on the subject of realizations, I’d like to give a big shout out to my friend Jenny.  My first conversation with her at a Farms 2 Forks Immersion Weekend, was about  running, and how she had a really tough time with it.  I expressed that I too had a hard time with it before finding Engine 2.  Jenny completed her first half marathon this past weekend!  I am so proud of her and excited for her continued journey on Engine 2.  She realized she CAN do anything!

I’d also like to give a mention to the amazing team at the Whole Foods Market in West Des Moines, Iowa!  My husband and I stopped at the store on our drive to Minnesota for a quick lunch.  We were blown away by the vast choices of Engine 2 compliant selections we found on the food bars at the store.  I had a wonderful conversation with Kristina – from the Prepared Foods Department and expressed how much folks who follow The Engine 2 Diet appreciate finding prepared foods that meet our guidelines.  Keep up the great work West Des Moines! – we found our go to meal in the half way point of our drive.

Speaking of Whole Foods Market and Engine 2 – I am proud to announce that the Whole Foods Market in Overland Park, KS will be starting a 28 Day Engine 2 Challenge on Tuesday January, 29th at 6pm at the 91st St & Metcalf store! I will be co-hosting along with Lisa Markley, the Healthy Eating Specialist. Come meet me and learn how you can get started on Engine 2!  There will be a different class each Tuesday night at 6pm for 4 weeks, plus a celebration dinner to recognize your accomplishments.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to come learn about Engine 2 with me at Whole Foods Market in Overland Park, KS!

SPACE IS LIMITED SO SIGN UP TODAY!

Overland Park, KS Whole Foods Market 91st & Metcalf Store

28-Day Engine 2 Challenge Meetup –
FREE Orientation & Preparing for the Challenge
Tuesday, January 29th from 6-7:30pm. Light Refreshments will be served.
Special Guest: Ami Mackey of Engine 2 Extra & Plant Based Adventures.

http://www.acteva.com//booking.cfm?bevaid=234891