Test Kitchen

First of all, last night I had a triumphant return to Bikram after several days away. Thanks to the holiday for some (not for me-boo), class wasn't as jammed as it usually is. I am glad that I will have more time to devote to class. I only have about a month until my beachy vacation, so I have to tone all I can! It's great motivation not to sink my weary self into the couch never to return. I've also licked my nasty cold! Triumph!

A week ago, with only a little time to spare I knew I had to get a grab-n-go lunch soup made for the week, and I needed to use up a beautiful butternut squash I had. I decided it was the perfect time to test out the Thanksgiving Contender of Ina Garten's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and Curry Condiments.

The Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Soup:
3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
3 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (I used Knorr Vegetable Boullion)
1/2 teaspoon good curry powder

For the Condiments:
Scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and sliced diagonally
Flaked sweetened coconut, lightly toasted
Roasted salted cashews, toasted and chopped
Diced banana

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the butternut squash, onions and apples in 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread it in a single layer. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until very tender. I tried peeling the squash to cube it per Ina's instructions, but I am pretty sure peeling hard squash is one of the most tedious, dangerous, and awful tasks ever, so I roasted it the standard way. Split down the middle, seeds scooped, face down. I also just used one sheet pan.

Meanwhile, heat the stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through a food mill fitted with the medium blade. (Alternatively, you can place the roasted vegetables in batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add some of the stock and coarsely puree.)

When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste for seasonings to be sure there's enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Reheat and serve hot with condiments either on the side or on top of each serving.

I couldn't wait until the next day to taste it! I made a baby bowl in one of my favorite sauce dishes and garnished with green onion and banana. I didn't have cashews or coconut, but I am certain they are delicious as well. (Seriously, I use these Crate & Barrel sauce dishes all the time for food prep, making flavored Earth Balance butters and to control portions with snacks.)

As with most recipes I try, I would have preferred some garlic, but overall, this soup was a sweet and savory delight. The next time I dished up a bowl, I added some cumin for extra spice and even more green onion. In true soup fashion this was even yummier the next day.

*Recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Final Stretch!

I am in the final stretch of getting my current show opened, and Saturday I will perform in a one night only show and bust out some Janis Joplin. All this of course is being done on top of a full time day job. I have to admit, I am starting to feel this current lifestyle wear on me more than ever before. Sometimes I wonder how much longer I can take it. It can't be good for me to work so much (as I noted when I did not recognize my dull face in the mirror this morning), but alas, one job pays the bills (which I am very grateful for), the other doesn't YET. I will get back my Sun-Wed evenings beginning October 11th. So, 2.5 weeks! (Although with a Sunday matinee-Sunday night doesn't really count.)

While I have been pretty good about getting in a Bikram class at least once a week during September, it's been tough. I have to force myself to go because the lure of my sweatpants and many backed up hours of fall television is so strong, but I do it. I know I owe it to myself and I owe it to my body that I've worked so hard on not to neglect it when the going gets tough and time gets crunched. I also know I feel 10 times better about everything after I go. It clears my mind and I sweat out my toxins and stress. My plan is to get to class as much as possible most likely three times per week (Saturday midday, Monday nights, and Wednesday nights). While I could smush in two more on Sunday morning and Tuesday night, I know that is a bit crazy and a recipe to get sick. I will use Sundays and Tuesdays as back up classes or for I-am-feeling-great-ambitious-week-rockstar classes. Three cheers for me for not going overboard. It's hard for me to reign myself in somtimes and not go crazy with diving back in to more agressive exercise. My immune system will thank me.

I have been craving food lately when I am not hungry-a definite sign of stress (and exhaustion as well).
Things I crave lately:

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Salsitas live in the vending machine at work and I rue the day I tasted of them!

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Diet Coke

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Chocolate Chips
(Nope, not all chocolate contains milk.)

MMMM Bleeding Heart Bakery Cake Balls!
Baked Goods

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Wild Berry Skittles

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Salt, Salt, and More Salt

I have kept myself relatively on track which is a miracle.
My weapons include:

• Lots of breathing
• Water (I make myself drink 32 ounces before I make a decision to have a DC-works well, and I usually get distracted during that time and forget about the DC....but I admit that sometimes I just gotta have one.)
• Hot Tea
• Not beating myself up when I indulge a bit (no sense in that!)

I will prevail!

What are your biggest cravings when you're stressed? What are your tips to fighting them?

Eye on the Prize!

'Twas a weekend filled with handsome husband time, haircuts, besties, friends old and new, grown-up wall art purchases for my apartment, vegan food delights, drainage, more sleep than I have gotten in a year, two amazing adorable and perfect babies, and my return to Bikram.

With rehearsals and my plague from last week, I couldn’t make it to yoga class. I was on the fence about going while sick when I was free on Thursday night and opted out. Boy I am glad I did. Sunday night went fine for the most part and the eight days away didn’t seem to affect my practice-I even progressed to the next level in one pose which was exciting (Proper form toe-stand for those who care. My awesome yoga place is very much into being in correct form and not fudging, which I love because I know a few years ago I was doing toe-stands at other places before I should have been). I digress. The class went fine as a whole, but I noticed I kept getting a little dizzy and my vision would go black after each pose (kind of like when you sit up too quickly). Then it hit me. Hello- Bikram is done while only breathing in and out the nose and I was still stuffy. Yes, BB30, blurry vision prevention begins with BEING ABLE TO BREATHE. So, I snuck in some tissue time here and there and I was in much better shape. It was tough though. I can’t imagine returning to class any sooner, so my instincts were right!

Toe Stand
(Only I'm not to the point of having my hands in prayer yet...YET)

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I am feeling more clogged and icky today than I have felt in a few days. What gives? I must be allergic to my day job. Haha….hrrmmm. My ears are so stuffed up I can barely hear! Everything sounds like I am underwater. I tried to sneak away for a little hand stand action (which typically does the trick), but it didn’t work. I think a decongestant is in order with a side of Emergen-C. I also ate a healing soup of tofu, zucchini, onions, herbs, and collard greens in a yellow miso and tomato broth with a little brown rice which was a delight, and I wish I had more! Broth is magical. Just is. Miso and vegetable broths are full of good minerals that help your immune system and digestion. All of my hippie books say so :)

This month will be very challenging schedule-wise with rehearsals, trying to get in as much Bikram as possible, squeezing in a few additional rehearsals for a fun late night performance I will be doing, and of course working a full time day job, so I have to be on top of my game with good food choices and lots of hydration. Once I hit the second week of October I will be able to be an exercise fiend, but until then I will just have to do what I can. I only have about two months before I will go on vacation and sport my scandalous bikini (amongst others), so I have to keep my eye on the prize!!

Scandal Courtesy of Express

This is my warm sandy beach! Dreamy, no?

On Fear: A Follow Up

Last weekend I was a fear conquerer.

Wednesday afternoon I bit the bullet and booked my return to Bikram. Friday came, and it went something like this:

• Nervous all day.
• Running behind due to lack of appropriate shorts and subconscious fear of going.
• Husband drives me since I am behind, but needlessly pushes me about being scared and upsets me.
• Arrive.
• I am greeted by two very nice and adorable yogis.
• I tell them of my last bad experience and that I fear people being mean to me if I dry heave.
• They assure me that they are not like the last place I went to.
• I go put my stuff down.
• I choose to celebrate how far I've come and do class in the standard sports bra and shorts.
• I enter the room.
• "Ok, this is a familiar smell (peace and sweat and carpet and tranquility)"
• "Ok, this is a familiar heat, is it even hotter now? No, this is the same...ok..good..good..."
• I find a place in the back (typical newbie courtesy)
• No one throws up by looking at me in a sports bra and shorts...of course they didn't.
• I lay on my back and "arrive" in the room and adjust to the heat.
• "I will not push myself too hard, I will just do the best I can."
• Class begins.
• Teacher says, "If this is your first time or first time in a while, just do the best you can. Your only job is to be in this room." Much better experience already.
• Standing serious (first half of class) going well...
• Backwads in Half Moon.."don't push it..you'll get dizzy..take it easy...and I'm good."
• Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose followed by Triangle Pose..."woah, little rush to the head....breathe..breathe...and I'm good."
• "Is it cooling down in here?"
• Floor series going well..
• "Here comes Camel, I've never been good at this one, I get so dizzy, I am sure to barf or faint.......and I'm good.
• We head into the final posture.
• Class ends.
• I am a warrior! A warrior who bent and stretched in front of others in just a sports bra and shorts!
• I bid the adorable yogis farewell.
• Mr. BB30 picks me up and apologizes for being mean to me and was only pushing because he belives in me.

I had obligations and much to do on Saturday (more on that below) and had the final day of shooting the indie film (10am-6pm youch) on Sunday, but I wet back on Monday. Still good. I was planning to go last night, but work got in the way (it always enrages me when my day job interferes with my life, especially my health), so I had to cancel, but I got a spot for a class tonight, in fact, I gotta go!

So far so good!

I also conquered another fear. The first official walk on a beach in my bikini. Holy Crap. It was a gorgeous afternoon. My friend's birthday bash home base was positioned away from the water. After a while Mr.BB30 and I walked down to the lake and I took "the walk." No one was blinded, no 12 year old boys barked mean whale taunts at me, no one even batted an eye lash. Mind you, the party goers were far away, so I haven't quite conquered the fear of being live and in person in front of my friends whilst sporting a bikini, but I am ok with baby steps. We got in a few commemerative pictures before my camera died.

I need a tan. Like the creepy pageant child said on Kathy Griffin, "If you can't tone it, tan it." Disturbingly hilarious!

Ramblings and Sweat

Here is what goes on inside my head:

"Get it together man, you need to update your blog, everyone is probably so annoyed by you. I know I need to update but I can't get the time to finish up some fact checks and write everything out and I want my posts to be meaningful and helpful and not just a post for the sake of posting. You are insane, you know how much you love reading other people blogs even if they aren't saying anything particularly meaningful. But I am so ashamed of my candy eating instances from last week and my lack of exercise, I am not being a good role model or practicing what I preach lately. You ate some Skittles on a few days when you were on your period, move on, THAT is practicing what you preach-you ate some candy last week and felt gross everytime and re-learned a lesson about how crack-like and addictive nasty sugar is. I guess so, but what's more furstrating is that I have some posts in my head but can't flesh them out because I don't make time/am lazy/am putting a lot of presure on myself. Just write something, that's what this place is for."

See, it's LOUD in there folks......and although I seemingly disappear I think about this blog everyday.

So, I have not been a good exerciser. I have been monitoring my weight for the past two months, and I am definitely holding steady (hooray for sure) but it's time to build up steam again and move forward.  I still have work to do (remember I am an actor and am trying to pick up the pace and book some more on-camera gigs), so I need to get on the work out horse again.

Enter Groupon. Sometimes I am weary of Groupon because I think it will make me buy things I wouldn't have bought anyway, but occasionally such a great deal comes along that I can't pass it up. Earlier this week Groupon featured a nearby Bikram Yoga Studio's package of 20 classes for $40. If you know the Bikram world, many places offer deals to people coming to their studio for the first time-usually something like $30 for 30 consecutive days or $20 for a week. This offer is good for three months beginning on the day of your first class. $2/class for three months, this is as good as it gets (because it's tough and making it six times a month is pretty darn good...so I bought it. I had been looking for a good deal on a traditional yoga class with no luck (yoga classes ain't cheap if they aren't part of a gym membership-which I don't have-I never joined the gym in my office building-too pricey) and this deal came at the right time.

If you don't know about Bikram Yoga, you may hear people reference it as "hot yoga." The room is heated to about 104 degrees to help you do the postures (aka make your muscles warm and happy) and it feels amazing!

From the Bikram Website:

Bikram Yoga is the 26 postures Sequence selected and developed by Bikram Choudhury from Hatha Yoga.
It has been proved and experienced by millions that these 26 postures systematically work every part of the body, to give all the internal organs, all the veins, all the ligaments, and all the muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function. Each component takes care of something different in the body, and yet they all work together synergistically, contributing to the success of every other one, and extending its benefits.

My history with Bikram:
A few years ago I got very into the Bikram. You get so strong and lean and sweat out all kinds of gross impurities (cause man oh man do you sweat! It's so awesome!). As I mentioned though, it is expensive!!!! After getting the first-timer deal at a studio, it can cost you $120 or more per month for an unlimited pass, which I've done some, but I'm protective of my monies and that's a big expense-even if it's awesome. My biggest issue though is that 2.5 years ago I had a heat stroke (NOT from doing Bikram). Since then heat and I are not as great of friends. I tried going back once a new place, but unlike other places I'd practiced, the teacher was more harsh and into embarrassing those of us not doing as well. Thus, I have been on hiatus, but secretly longing to try again (at a new place sans jerk face teacher) since it can be so great. I feel like I am stronger and MUCH healthier now and would like to give it a go again in my new body. So, I want to give myself some prep days of super hydration and stretching and I will start up again. Hopefully it will be just the kick in arse I need to jump start my fitness journey again.