Confessions, Recipes & Results

Confession # 1: I detest exercise. I don't like going to the gym. I don't run, I barely walk, and I can't stand to be sweaty & smelly. I realize this is not good. Exercise is healthy. It promotes a healthy heart, and good circulation. Nevertheless, I place it on the priority list somewhere below picking up dog poop. Yesterday, however, exercise was thrust upon me when I realized that I really needed to go chop up the ice on my driveway (which is approximately 40 yards in length). Needless to say, my arms and shoulders are now killing me.

To boot, my neighbors think I am losing my marbles. Until now, I would have thought the same of anyone I discovered shoveling the snow out of their back yard. There is so much snow already piled up on either side of my driveway, and in the street, and in the front yard, that there was nowhere to dump all the ice I broke up. So I shoveled out a big space in the back yard and used a wheelbarrow to move it back there. Funny Farm, here I come.

Confession # 2: I have never cooked with quinoa. I've been hearing about it for years. I see it on the shelves and in the bins at the organic markets. I know what it is, and I always act like it's something I am familiar with when people talk about it. I don't want to be the only health wacko on the planet who's never cooked with quinoa - so tonight I remedied that particular void in my culinary repertoire.

Mediterranean Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth or stock
1 tablespoon tomato puree
3 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped
Italian seasoning

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and red, green and yellow peppers; cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for about 2 more minutes.
2. Rinse and drain the quinoa. Put it in a pan and dry toast it until a few grains pop. Add the toasted quinoa, vegetable stock, and tomato puree to the vegetables.
3. Return to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, or until quinoa grains are soft. Stir in the diced tomatoes and season with Italian seasoning. Cook until heated through, then serve.

Last night, I prepped, and today I finished baking Cinnamon Raisin Bread courtesy of a recipe from one of my favorite bloggers "My Years Without".

Recipe Results: The bread was amazing. I followed the recipe to a 'T', and it rocked.
The Mediterranean Quinoa was good. Different than what I'm used to. Good texture, but not as flavorful as I usually make my dishes. I believe I shall try find some way to make it spicier next time.

Other Results: I have lost 10 lbs since I began this experiment. Let me elaborate - I HAVE LOST 10 LBS IN 7 WEEKS WITH VERY LITTLE EXERCISE, AND I EAT ALL THE TIME.

Eat that, sugar pushers.

Be Brave, Be Weird,
Shovel the Snow out of your yard,
Avoid Sugar.

JamiK