i just got back from a 40 mile ride and… no pain, sores or blisters ! my feet don’t even feel like they ever made it out of bed this morning. the rest of my body ?? well… that’s a different story.
i don’t mean to sound like a shoe ad, but every cyclist should own a pair of these. and the best part (for those of you wondering) is that they ARE vegan !!
Jose and I like to get each other practical gifts. We’ve been discussing birthday presents as his birthday is this month and mine is in May. I’ve wanted (and needed) to replace my cycling shoes for a while. My feet were full of sores and blisters after last year’s MS ride and I did not want the same this year. Jose said he wanted to get me new cycling shoes for my birthday. The ride is the first week in May, however, and I need time to get used to new shoes. So he took me shopping this weekend and bought me a pair of Sidi Genius 5 Lorica shoes, which I’ve had my eye on for a while. I can’t wait to try them tomorrow !!
pretty ordinary week…
friday 04.07:
* rest day
saturday 04.08:
* 30 min run
sunday 04.09:
* 28 mile bike ride
monday 04.10:
* 1hr spin class
tuesday 04.11:
* 400 meter swim
* 30 min run
wednesday 04.12:
* 1hr spin class
thursday 04.13:
* 800 meter swim (ladder)
* 35 min run
something amazing happened to me at the gym today. i hadn’t been to my wednesday night spinning class in about a month. aside from everything else that’s been going on in my life, sometimes i just don’t make it out of work early enough to make the “list” which means i am not secured a seat in the class. today, i made sure i gave myself enough time to arrive early, get my name on the list, change, and have enough time to pick a decent bike. the teacher arrived 15 minutes before class as usual. she’s hardcore. i love her class because she’s just as much of a form freak as i am. despite all the respect i have for her, i’ve never created an opportunity to speak to her.
as i was setting up my bike, she came over and, in broken English, said she hadn’t seen me in a while and was wondering if something was wrong. i told her everything was fine and i just hadn’t been able to make the class. she then told me that she’d been thinking of me because she wanted to have someone else in front of the class (next to her) while she taught and she was wondering if i’d do it. she said i had good form and looked strong on the bike so it would be good motivation for others. i couldn’t believe what i was hearing. although i always put forth 200% effort in everything i do, i never think i am good enough at anything. my life is a constant struggle to better myself and a backbreaking attempt at reaching unrealistic goals. next week i will have to pedal in front of a class of 30+ amateur and experienced spinners who will be looking at me for guidance. it is a scary type of excitement.
tomorrow, i will make my legs run faster than they did on tuesday. i will make my arms work harder in the pool. but today… i will allow my body to feel good about its accomplishments.
Cos sometimes you feel like a nut and sometimes… Oh, who am I kidding ? I always feel like a nut. I don’t even know how I came up with this salad. I must have had something like this at a restaurant before I became vegan. Part of this recipe was inspired by a recipe in La Dolce Vegan (aka The Vegan Bible). Go out and get a copy. You won’t regret it !
generous amount of baby spinach leaves
3/4 ripe banana, sliced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp walnut oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 ripe banana
1 tsp agave nectar
dash salt (or to taste)
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
Crusted Feta Topping:
16 oz extra firm tofu, drained and crumbled
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried dill
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1. To prepare the Feta Topping, mix together all ingredients and marinate for at least an hour.
2. To make the dressing, place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.
3. When you are ready to make the salad, place baby spinach leaves on plates/bowls. Garnish with toasted walnuts and banana slices.
4. Spray a medium sized pan with cooking oil. Place on stove over medium-high heat. Add a generous amount of the feta mixture to the pan, keeping it together as much as possible. Once the bottom is a golden brown, transfer to salad by flipping the feta so that the crusted part is on top.
5. Pour dressing over salad and serve immediately.
I love this salad. If you have any left over feta, just save it for later or another day !
it was just another mechanical drive to work yesterday until i saw the sign. it was a tiny bumper sticker on the car in front of me that read: “Caution! I brake for Elves, Fairies, Gnomes, Leprechauns, Unicorns, Dragons & other invisible creatures that only I can see.”
i wanted to scream “Thank you !” to the woman driving. finally, an explanation for the way people drive in South Florida.
Dear friends,
Every hour someone is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease of the central nervous system affecting the brain and spinal cord. It can happen to you, me or someone we love. MS is a debilitating disease for which there is no known cure.
The MS Bike Tour is a 150-mile bike ride sponsored by the National MS Society, a foundation whose mission is to end the devastating effects of MS by supporting research, offering services for people with MS and providing professional education programs. The foundation relies on the generous donations of its supporters to make this happen.
Please join me in supporting the National MS Society’s mission to end the devastating effects of MS. My personal goal this year is to raise $300. You can support me by clicking here and making a secure online pledge. Remember, every bit helps !
Thanks for your support !
Liz
Jose and I moved over the weekend. Who knew carrying our few possessions downstairs would take such a toll on our bodies ? We were forced to eat out every night because 1) the new apartment was chaotic, and 2) we were too tired to do anything by the end of each day. I did manage to come up with a snack while Jose did boy things – mounting TV on wall, etc…
1/2 ripe tomato, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper (to taste)
Melba toast
vegan cream cheese
1. Place tomato in small bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, dried basil, salt and pepper. Mix well.
2. Spread vegan cream cheese on each piece of Melba toast and top with a spoonful of the tomato mixture.
Make as many as you want. 1/2 tomato was enough for 10 pieces. If you want more, just double the recipe. The vegan cream cheese is really optional, but it will taste good, trust me ! Also, use fresh basil (minced) if you can. Enjoy !
I haven’t cooked much since I got back from Europe. I tried to spend a lot of time with my grandmother while she was in the hospital. At the same time, Jose and I have been taking turns being sick. It’s my turn again ! The few times I’ve actually made something for dinner can barely be categorized as “cooking.” This recipe won’t win “recipe of the year” but I had to post something !
8 oz whole wheat linguine
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
16 oz extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into strips
generous amount dried basil (optional)
salt (to taste)
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Melt margarine in small saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add garlic. Cook for a 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to brown the garlic !!
4. Add lemon juice and lower heat.
5. Drain pasta. Pour margarine sauce in the pasta pan and add the tofu. Cook until tofu is a bit golden.
6. Mix in the pasta. Add basil, salt and pepper. Serve hot !
I am not a big fan of tomato sauce. I’d rather have pasta with olive oil and herbs so I liked this recipe a lot.
