She's Off And Running

I started walking every day a year ago. Prior to that, walking to the end of my drive was quite painful. My lymphedema was so bad, my legs resembled tree trunks. Finding shoes to fit my swollen feet was near impossible.

Because of the extra weight I carried, I became easily winded. Imagine walking around with a 50-pound pack strapped to your back, 10-pound weights around each ankle, and carrying a 5-pound jug of water in each arm — and that's only 80 extra pounds...I was carrying much more!

Anyways, I've talked before about how I walk 5k every morning and evening with my walking partner, Maya, the Siberian husky. Seriously, wanna get off your duff and start moving on a daily basis? Visit your local animal shelter and adopt a four-legged walking companion. They'll get you up and out of bed each morning, trust me.

Maya and I like to explore and hike in the woods too, so we're out there 3-4 times a week as well, schedule permitting — her's being much more flexible than mine. *wink*

It seems as if we've bypassed autumn completely around our neck of the woods. Temps have gone from 80 degrees to 50, virtually overnight. Of course, Maya's ecstatic over this. Me, not so much.

And this morning, it was downright C - O - L - D out there. So, I started running. Actually, I began doing this thing awhile back, where I'd say to myself, "Okay, let's see if you can run from here to that tree." And I'd run, maybe 100 feet. Then, after a week or so, I'd increase the distance to 200 feet. Then gradually, 500 feet, and so on. Until, before I knew it, I could go for quite a little distance without having to stop and walk again.

Well, hello, this morning, I didn't stop running. Yup, just kept right on going. Before I knew, I had run a 5K. How 'bout that! And here I had been psyching myself up by thinking maybe in the spring, I'd enter a 5K race and see if I could do it.

Wow, it feels good. It really does.

Now I've gotta find some new footwear. I have a pair of walking shoes and hiking boots that I love. But I'd like to find a good pair of running shoes — something I can wear on the trail, preferably waterproof, because as much as I hate to think about it, I know it won't be long till that white stuff makes its annual appearance.

As luck would have it, I just discovered this issue of fitness magazine has an article on The Best Walking, Running, and Hiking Shoes. But, hey, if you have a pair of shoes you'd recommend, I sure would appreciate you leaving me a comment.

By the way, runner or not, vegan triathlete Brendan Brazier had a great article on CSL this week that's definitely worth a read: Packing on Lean Muscle with Plant-Based Nutrition.

Alrighty, I'm off and running. See you on the trail!

Saddle Up, Move 'Em Out!

This cowgirl's hangin' with the Crazy Sexy crowd today, where I'm sharing what motivated me to make such a BIG lifestyle change in the first place. Never heard the story of how this whole journey into Raw Food Land began? Well, saddle up and c'mon over to Crazy Sexy Life. Who knows, you might just find some inspiration to make a much-needed change in your own life.

Fall Is In The Air & So Are Concord Grapes

The leaves are beginning to change...days and nights are getting cooler. I know autumn is fast approaching because my Siberian husky Maya, who I haven't seen up on the bed since early May, joined me last night. This is also the time of year when those big, dark blue, highly aromatic grapes make an appearance.

Over the river and through the woods, a foraging we go

I really wasn't on the lookout for them, but there they were, just ripe for the picking — grape vines loaded with Concords. So I zipped back home, dropped off my hiking partner (aforementioned bed mate) and grabbed a large basket.

Hello, 25 pounds of juicy grapes. Score! I love foraging for wild edibles. Last month, I went wild for blackberries. And I've been loading up my blender with purslane all summer — delicious in green smoothies and fresh juices. Folks, if you aren't already foraging, start. There's more places under the sun to grocery shop than Whole Foods!

So, I'm overflowing in grapes. What to do with such bounty? Juice, juice, juice! Check this: a study was done where healthy human breast cells were exposed in a test tube to an environmental carcinogen that has been linked to breast cancer. But when Concord grape juice compounds were introduced, they blocked the connection of the carcinogen to the DNA of the healthy cells. Wild, huh? Drink that grape juice, ladies.

I also made some to-die-for grape chutney. I know. Chutney, right? Who eats chutney? Well, I do, thanks to some inspiration from my boyfriend master chef Matthew Kenney, à la Entertaining in the Raw.

Okay, so Earth Mother's twist on chutney:

Concord Grape Chutney

1 lb Concord grapes
3-4 McIntosh apples, cored and diced
1/4 C raw honey (or agave nectar)
1 lime, juiced
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice

Crush half of the grapes through a mesh strainer, reserving the juice. In a food processor: combine the juice with the rest of the grapes and other ingredients. Pulse for just a few seconds. You want the mixture to resemble a thick applesauce-like consistency, but not fully pureed. Dehydrate in a shallow pan for two hours and let cool. You can store this in the fridge in a glass jar for a week or so.

So, now what? Chutney is usually served alongside roasted meats or traditional Indian foods, but hey, not much of either happening in my kitchen. Enter Kristen Suzanne's ULTIMATE Raw Vegan Chocolate Recipes. Oh yeah, you know where this is going. Is there anything that doesn't taste better with chocolate? Seriously.

Chocolate Chia Crackers with a big dollop of Concord Grape Chutney — tangy, sweet, early-autumn goodness made me so happy. Fall is in the air...and in my mouth!

Take A Bite Out Of Life

I haven't been hanging out too much in the blogosphere. I'm happiest outdoors in nature and that's where I've been every spare moment, enjoying the heck out of summer.

This earth mother likes to get her hands dirty, working the soil in the garden and lovingly tending to all the plants. I've spent weekends camping in the woods, falling asleep with the twinkling stars above while feeling the heartbeat of sweet Mama Earth beneath me. I've clocked countless hours down by the river, playing my flute as the hawks perform their aerial ballet overhead.

Too many summers past have been spent indoors in air conditioning, trying to escape the heat. I don't know if it's the plant-based diet, high in raw living foods, or the fact that I've lightened my load a good 120 pounds since last June, perhaps both, but the heat and humidity don't seem to bother me nearly as much as they once did.

I've been much more physically active — walking, hiking, roller blading, yard work, yoga, dancing, swimming — and I've even gotten back in the saddle, after being absent far too long. Not that I thought my 1,500-pound pals couldn't support me, but I could no longer hoist my 300-pound butt up onto their backs.

All this is to say that, while missing from cyberspace, I've been actively engaging in and relishing life. And that was the point of this whole journey into Raw Food Land — to stop dieting and start living, to regain my health and vitality.

I'm not certain if and when I'll update this site again. The internet is chock-full of raw food blogs these days. I don't know if there's anything new I can bring to the mix. If you have any thoughts or ideas about that, you can leave a comment below or contact me by clicking on the link at the top of the page.

And hey, next time you find yourself mindlessly reaching for the food when you're not physically hungry, stop.

Breathe.

Good.

Now go take a bite out of life instead.

Live a little. It's the weekend.