Archive
week of February 22nd
friday – 30 min run
saturday – 50 min spin class
sunday – 1 hr, 40 min bike ride
monday – 1.5 hour beach bootcamp class
tuesday – rest
wednesday – 55 min spin class
thursday – 45 min spin class
Carrot Ginger Soup
My favorite restaurant, Sublime, is open again. They’ve had carrot ginger soup a few of the times I have been there. It’s much better than the Whole Foods version, lighter and definitely tastier. I tried to make something like it since Geoff and I both love soup and bread for dinner.
2 lbs carrots, peeled and trimmed
4 cups water
1 tbsp non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp ginger, grated
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
juice of one orange
dash ground nutmeg (optional)
vegan sour cream (optional)
1. Cut carrots into 1-inch chunks. Place in a medium saucepan with the water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.
2. In a medium pan, melt the margarine over medium heat. Saute onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger salt and spices. Lower heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the orange juice.
3. Puree everything together in a blender. You may have to do this in several batches. Transfer the puree to another pot. Stir in nutmeg and keep over low heat until ready to serve.
4. Serve each bowl with a teaspoon of sour cream in the center and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.
Sometimes, Sublime adds a drizzle of chili oil on top. So, if you’d like an extra kick, try that !
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Last year, I read a book called Half Empty, Half Full: Understanding the Psychological Roots of Optimism by psychologist Susan Vaughan. It’s not your typical “self help” book which I tend to steer away from. Instead, like the name suggests, it discusses the psychology behind optimistic and negative behaviors. The book is not “vegan-friendly” per se, as there are many references to experiments conducted on animals. That said, there was a section of the book that truly inspired me. It is the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby.
Bauby was the well-known editor of French magazine Elle. He suffered a massive stroke in 1995 which left him almost completely paralyzed and speechless, a condition called Locked-In Syndrome. He was only able to blink his left eye and grunt by moving his mouth a little. You would imagine this might destroy an individual, but not Bauby. He managed to remain positive and actually authored the book Le Scaphandre et le papillon, an account of what ordinary events are like for someone in his condition. He authored the book letter by letter. Someone recited a frequency-ordered alphabet repeatedly and he blinked each time he heard the next letter he wanted to use. He would then blink twice at the end of each word. It is estimated that each word in the book took about two minutes to “write.” What an amazing display of will power and optimistic behavior !
The book was eventually made into a movie. I saw it last night. It’s not a movie for the faint of heart. It would be quite impossible, I think, to turn the life of a man who cannot move and ultimately dies into a movie that wouldn’t be the least bit depressing. But at the same time, as cliche as it sounds, it is a beautiful movie about the power of the human spirit that will inspire you to do the craziest, most impossible thing you can imagine.
My favorite line in the movie captures just how inspirational Bauby was to those around him: “Jean-Do, there is no place I have ever been, that is more beautiful than your thoughts. And if sometimes I am at the bottom of the sea with you, you are also my butterfly.”
week of February 15th
friday – 58 min run
saturday – strength training: upper body, abs
sunday – rest
monday – 1.5 hour beach bootcamp class
tuesday – 54 min run
wednesday – 55 min spin class, strength training: abs
thursday – rest
week of February 8th
friday – rest
saturday – 38 min run, strength training: upper body, abs
sunday – rest
monday – 1.5 hour beach bootcamp class
tuesday – rest
wednesday – rest
thursday – rest
week of February 1st
friday – rest
saturday – 50 min spin class
sunday – rest
monday – 30 min run, 1.5 hour beach bootcamp class
tuesday – rest
wednesday – 32 min run
thursday – rest
2008 MS Bike Tour
Hello World,
It’s that time of year again; time for long training rides, funky tan lines and fundraising ! I will be training for a 150 mile bike ride which helps raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. MS is a debilitating disease for which there is no cure. That is why I continue to do this ride and why I’m asking you to support my fund raising efforts with a tax-deductible donation.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to ending the devastating effects of MS but they can’t do it without our help. It’s faster and easier than ever to support this cause that’s so important to me. Simply click here. Any amount, great or small, helps to make a difference in the lives of people with MS. I appreciate your support and look forward to letting you know how I do.
If you prefer to mail a check, please make it out to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and put my name in the memo section. Email me for the mailing address.
As always, thank you very much for your help and support. Much love,
Liz
week of January 25th
friday – rest
saturday – rest
sunday – rest
monday – 55 min spin class
tuesday – rest
wednesday – 52 min spin class
thursday – rest
