Saturday, January 12, 2013

Already Thinking Spring

The holidays were great, I'm pumped to start a new year and ready for some warm, sunny weather!  Unfortunately, the summer wardrobe remains in deep hibernation for us Northeast Ohioans for quite some time.  We did have a successful thaw that melted the snow in order for me to see the 20 pounds of dog poo I have to pick up, but as usual, these unseasonable temperatures are just a major teaser.

My youngest brother and sister in law came home for the holidays from California.  They left Ohio for the first time ever a few years ago but have quickly been spoiled by the West Coast's gorgeous climate {jealous tone.}  They wore heavy, winter coats here in Ohio, continuously, for 10 days straight (pretty confident my SIL slept in hers!)  They seemed surprised by our tolerance for gloomy days.  Our single sunny day during their visit was not even sunny enough for them.  Really?

My prospective changed a bit during the holidays this year.  It was definitely more about spending time with friends and family than anything else.  The kids are getting older and are better able to handle the 'marathon' celebrations, the whole family took time off from work to be together (extremely grateful for that), and we simply slowed everything down. 


Pasta bird nests, cheese eggs and newborn zombie meatballs (definitely not my best work but was too funny not to post), with black beans for eyes and sliced carrot for open beaks, edamame and cucumbers

My parents gave me a juicer for Christmas (love how my family knows me)!  Now, I've juiced (legally {hee-hee}) in the past, before kids, and yes it was a short lived fad for mostly two reasons:  First, all juicers are a pain to clean, and second, they do take quite a bit of food to make an 8 ounce drink.  The taste and health benefits I love (I'm never going to find a tasty way to chew kale no matter how hard I try but I will drink it with lots of oranges and apples.)

Here are my new predictions of why this time, juicing will play a longer lasting role in my household:  I hate waste.  Tossing food out really bothers me but I also refuse to become a human garbage disposal for fear of turning into the size of a truck.  The kids might eat half of a piece of fruit while the other half goes back into the refrigerator to brown over the next couple of days.  I peeled a whole carrot to make those monster-baby bird beaks.  I try to use those leftovers for dinner but it doesn't always work out.  Have you ever bought one of those wooden boxes full of clementines only to be disappointed that they are past their prime even when they are in season?  Instead of going into the garbage, those go into my juicer.  They are still fine to eat but just aren't as yummy if they're not perfectly ripe.  Juiced, however, they are still delicious!  Therefore, money not wasted. 


Turkey meatball bagel thin with American Cheese, oven baked fries and steamed baby peas


Obviously it is important to eat and chew whole foods for the fiber.  I'm just saying, in moderation with everything else, I'm having a healthful drink with the leftover good stuff!  Now, I'm finding myself craving these fresh, raw drinks.  Some weight loss programs encourage people to not drink their calories and I do agree with that, especially when it comes to soft drinks and alcohol, but why not drink my breakfast on those days I wake up not that hungry and I know how important it is to not skip breakfast?  I've heard before it may take on average 30 days to change a habit.  I feel changed already--kinda like that California sun did to my brother : )

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