10k Grunion Run + A RAW Refresca :)

Greetings from the Garden of

Veg888 Love & Kindness!

Hello Longevity Seekers!

As promised here I am with another race tale, a RAW food Recipe & a REVIEW

THE RACE

The 10k Grunion Run adventure began Saturday March 12 with a drive that would last  1 1/2 hrs! The drive on Saturday was nice and easy.  A bit slow.  My taste tester and I left about 10 am and arrived in Dana Point at about 11:20-ish.  I had NO IDEA it would take us that long to get there, but we needed to register and pick up our bibs for Sunday.

Since the drive took about an hour and a half on Saturday and the race was at 7am Sunday – I knew we had to be out of the house no later than 5:15 am.

We left and began our drive.  Sunday, as you all know, was the first day of the time change! Whew!  We woke up at 4:20 am and did our usual ritual before a race.  Took the Yoga mat out and stretched, had our kick start elixr in the a.m. and played our “Spirit of the Marathon” DVD.

My taste tester is usually the one who pops in the DVD before the races and usually has a small area set up for me to WAKE UP!  Thank Goodness for the love and understanding a 10 yr relationship can bring you! Whew!

It was still quite dark when we left. As we drove to the race, my taste tester had to use the bathroom.  As we pulled into a parking lot we saw a small bunny go prancing by.  He was so cute with his little cotton tail and brown coat.  I thought to myself, maybe this is a sign we would do this race quickly…

This was the second 10k challenge!  The 10k Pepperdine race had taught me that I needed hydration during a longer run.  I also didn’t like holding the bottle throughout the race.  Again, the benefits of a 10 yr relationship - by mile 4 to the FINISH LINE my taste tester held my bottle for me!  Yeah!

Since I wasn’t totally convinced he would stick with me this race, I wanted a hydration belt.  So what does someone do when they need reviews and info about any one subject?  Go online and research the hydration belts that are out there!

A REVIEW

I found a hydration belt that seemed to suit what I wanted by a company called AMPHIPOD.

I was introduced to this company by my sister and her new husband around X-mas time, when they gifted me a this really cool pouch I could carry my keys, ID and phone in while I run.  It clipped right onto my waist band. The really cool part about the product was that it didn’t bounce around AT ALL!  I figured since it was a good product and all of the reviews stated their belt was the best.  So I thought  I would try their hydration belt.

The belt itself was quite cool.  Initially it was difficult to put the bottle back into the clip and I struggled a bit while I ran, but mid race I moved the bottle to the front and it was ALL smooth sailing after that.  The next 10k race I run, I think I will try one of those bottles that has a grip on it.

What about you readers???  Do you have any thoughts or insights about this???

I filled the bottles with 10 pH water and was sooo happy I did!  Whew! I got thirsty.  I ended up leaving one of the bottles in the car and took one for the run.

Each bottle holds 10 oz of liquid.

The day before I drank a 1/2 gallon of the 10 pH water, had a spirulina shake, a really delicious Chia Drink and ate VERY LIGHTLY.  Veggies mostly.

Here is the Chia Drink

Mamma Chia

A close up…

Arriving at the Race…

We arrived at the beach about 6:00 am.  It was still dark and there was a very calm vibration in the air.  Most of the people running the 10k were in their 30 years plus.  VERY COOL!

Walking toward the Start Line!

THE COURSE

This was a fast – mostly FLAT course.  I really enjoyed this run and would like to do it next year. The course was clearly marked.

Miles 1-4 were nice and easy.  I didn’t really hit my “warm up level” until about mile 5.  I did however enjoy the fact that we ended up running more than a 10k!  We ran a total of 6.56 miles.  I felt as though I could have run another 3 miles!  As to if I really could have – well I will have to try that at another time! (15k here I come!)

Mile 5

The ocean was so CALM.  This was the first time in a little while that I stopped and took a picture during the race.  At this point I saw I was a bit over an hour.

Sorry for the blurry picture…

I wanted to finish the 10k at 1hr 15min or no more than my last 10k -

I ended up finishing the 10k in the same amount of time, however once I looked down at my Garmin it read 6.56 miles instead of 6.2 miles.  That brought my pace to a 12 min 11 sec mile.  Faster than the Pepperdine which was a 13 min 54 sec mile.  I’ll keep working and working and working!

RAW FOOD

After the race I had a wonderful Date and RAW Cocoa shake! YUM!

For the next 4 hours I wanted nothing but ALKALINE foods in my system! I figured it was a FABULOUS recovery method!

I made a Mineral Rich Crust Pizza with Avocado and Jalepeno Hummus! Served it with salad and little tomatoes!

Mineral Rich Crusts…

Topped with Avocado and Hummus…

And finally…

We drank a lot of water and went to bed pretty early!!!

TODAY

I made my first CHIA drink to enjoy.  This miracle seed is said to help with staying hydrated AND endurance.  How could I not drink this wonderful SUPERFOOD???

CHIA REFRESCA

CHIA STRAWBERRY DRINK

1 cup Chia Gel(*)

7-12 Strawberries

Directions:  Place strawberries in blender and blend.  Pour into a mason jar and/or container with a lid.  Shake and Pour!

(*) To make Chia Gel – 2 TBS + 1 CUP WATER = Allow to soak overnight.

*PLEASE NOTE:  You can add agave, date sugar, stevia or any other natural sweetner if you wish.  I liked it au natural*

Thanks for reading!

Love & Light!

Namaste!

Raisins, Cinnamon & Christmas Eve 2010

Hello Longevity Seekers!

I wish you the best possible Holiday you could have!

Rejuvelac Part II

Here are the wheat berry sprouts I placed in the fridge.  They smelled quite fresh when I opened the container.  Very Clean…

The plan was to make RAW BAGELS…so that didn’t happen!  I placed the wheat berries into the Food Processor.  All of the recipes I found said to add olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Process the wheat until it makes a dough type of ball…

Here is the wheat in the Food Processor…

A pinch of Salt… (If you have been here a while, then you know I have a small store.  One of the most rewarding experiences has been the people I have met through the years.  I am quickly coming up on my 10 year anniversary of owning this store and luckily I still have many of the same customers.  One of them, always has really cool adventures, vibrations, and overall beauty about them.  He is a father, a musician and a great friend to me and my “taste tester”!

One of the things I respect about him is his regard for his son, the earth and his culture.  From time to time he reads my blog and he brought me this wonderful salt.  The salt was brought from a salt mine in the mountains of Mexico.  It is said the only way to get this salt is ONLY IF SOMEONE GIVES YOU SOME!  They don’t sell ANY of the salt from their mine and it only is used in that small town! Thank you L!)

Okay, so back to the wheat berry adventure…

I put the wheat berries in the Food Processor and it looked like oatmeal!  NOT DOUGH!  So I added Raisins, Cinnamon, and a bit of agave.

Here is the mix! Don’t you think it looks like oatmeal?

I mixed in a bit more Cinnamon and then put them on a Teflex sheet. The Dehydrator was set at 115 and they are going to be in there for 12 hrs. The beauty of the Rejuvelac is how the food product keeps going on and on!

Christmas Eve Run in SUNNY Southern California!

This is the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains while I was running!  At this point I had been running for about 15 minutes!

I took this picture on my way back.  It was the 2 mile mark!  The sun felt GREAT!  At first I thought I was going to be cold in what I had on.  Long Sleeve Fleece Jacket, T Shirt and pants.  Just then I saw two kids running around in shorts and tank tops!  Whew!

And about 5 minutes until I was back home I saw this miraculous creature!  He was jamming on some carob that had fallen into the street!

I got back home and noticed I had finished my run in 37 minutes! YES! Best time yet! Thanks to E3 LIVE and Rejuvelac!

Have a great Holiday!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

~ Yellow ~

Yellow is gracious – warm and vivacious ever expansively yellow.

There’s daisies, canaries, bumble bees, ivory, curry, autumn leaves, yellow jackets, yellow gold, paper when it’s very old lemons, fires, sunnyside ups, baby chickens, butter cups, blackeyed susans, apple sauce, sparks, moons, yellow squash.

And as a name Yellow seems as fine as Mrs. Brown or Green.

Hello & Good day! I hope you are all well!  I send you all healing energy, love and light!

I thought I would start with a poem today. 

Yellow, Yellow! Happy Yellow!!!

My day started early!  I had an appointment for a facial today.  It was nice and relaxing!

I really needed the treatment!  Running in 43-45 degree weather is causing havoc in the skin department! Ouch!  My face was quite dry and I noticed my cheeks and forehead were especially dry.  I received a hydrating treatment and it felt soooo good!

As I drove to the spa the sun was YELLOW and bright!  So beautiful! All of the trees were various hues of red, gold and green and the air was crisp! An absolutely beautiful morning in Southern California!

Speaking of the color YELLOW…I used tumeric as the central part of my dinner last night.  My run on Monday resulted in a bit of an achy hip.    Bummed me out!  I thought it was wise to stay off of it last night and just take it easy.  I will run tonight and see how it feels.  I don’t want to have an injusry during the 5k race on the 11th…Definitly don’t want that!!!

Why Tumeric?

The health benefits of turmeric lie in the active ingredient called curcumin. This powerful compound gives turmeric its therapeutic benefits, its yellow color, and its pungent flavor. More specifically, curcumin harbors antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, stomach-soothing, and liver-and heart-protecting effects.

Turmeric is thought to reduce inflammation by lowering histamine levels and it may also stimulate the adrenal glands to increase production of a hormone that reduces inflammation. It is often used to ease joint pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. However, it is also used to reduce joint pain and in inflammation in other disorders as well.

Turmeric (curcumin) also harbors rich stores of antioxidants. Antioxidants are disease-fighting substances that mop up the continuous onslaught of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that damage cells as they travel through the body and are responsible for premature aging and diseases such as cancer if left unchecked. In fact, Naturopaths often recommend turmeric for situations in which high concentrations of antioxidants are required.

Studies with animals show that turmeric benefits liver health. Several animal studies suggest that turmeric protects the liver from the damaging effects of certain toxins, including alcohol. These findings certainly lend credence to the herb’s history of use in liver aliments.

Among the many health benefits of turmeric, is that it harbors antiplatelet activity. The herb reduces the ability of the blood to form clots and, as such, this action may improve circulation as well as offer some protection against heart attacks and strokes.

If you suffer from digestive problems this may be the herb for you. Turmeric helps digest fats by stimulating the flow of bile. No wander it was used traditionally as a digestive aid.

Laboratory studies indicate that curcumin has anti-cancer activity. More specifically, it destroys some types of cancer cells. For example, in the laboratory, curcumin kills cultures of human leukemia cells. This action may be due to turmeric’s antioxidant properties or some other anti-cancer activity. Needless to say, more research is needed to determine turmeric benefits as a potential cancer agent.

Since I knew that Tumeric had anti-inflammatory benefits, and my hip has been feeling a bit “strained”….I thought “This is the the perfect time for me to make eggs!”.   Eggs?  Yes, eggs.  TOFU EGGS!! A wonderful vegan delight I have made for years.  I usually use tofu instead of eggs unless I am making a RAW vegan dish.  The RAW vegan dish is made with nuts.  (Another posting waiting to happen…)

Tofu Eggs

Ingredients

1 block Organic Extra Firm Tofu

1 Cup Organic Green Bell Pepper, chopped and cubed

1 Cup Organic Tomatoes, chopped/sliced

2 Cloves Organic Garlic, sliced/minced

1/4 Cup White or Brown Onion

1 Serrano Chili – Minced (Optional)

Fresh Minced Cilantro

Olive Oil

1 T – 2 T Tumeric (Try 1 T first – I use a bit more than this for medicinal properties – but try a little and keep tasting since the “earthy” flavor can bother some.)

Black Pepper

Salt (Optional)

Preparation: Heat pan with olive oil.  Add onion and stir until translucent.  Once the onions are translucent – Add the garlic cloves.  Once you smell the garlic, add the Green Bell pepper, and tomatoes.  Stir.  Maintain a low heat and add the tofu.  Crumble the tofu into tha pan and stir.  Add the Tumeric, Black Pepper, and Salt (Optional).  I garnish with minced serrano chili or jalepeno and Cilantro.  (Of course that is only if you like SPICY food!) 

Serving Suggestions:  I usually make burritos, Tofu Egg Muffins, or just a plate of tofu eggs with slices of fresh avocado. 

I also have begun sprouting some buckwheat.  It’s time for me to add more RAW foods to my mornings, not just my evenings.  Especially since I am hungary in the a.m. after I excercise.  Maybe some cereal with bananas and nut milk??? Any ideas out there?? Anyone want me to try a RAW FOOD RECIPE???

Well, I hope you have a wonderful day!

Namaste!