What's on my plate and Spring 2017 Semester stuff

This year's journey towards becoming a Registered Dietitian starts with my bullet journal and goal writing and lots of visits to advising.

Due to being a non-traditional student, I am not taking a full load.  Three classes in the spring, two in the summer, two in the fall.  My courses are as follows:

Spring 2017:

English 1023 Composition II
Math 1013 Financial and Quantitative Literacy
History 1013  Years 1492 - 1865

 Summer 2017:

NFS 1301, 1302 Food Preparation Principles
History 1023 Years 1865 - Present

Fall 2017:

BIOL 1111, 1113 Principles of Biology 98% scared 2% excited
GOV 2013 US Government


I chose to only take two classes in the fall because I want to focus on keeping my GPA up.  I hear that Biology is really hard and to be honest, I'm worried about it.  But it's only February and I don't have the energy to deal with that just yet.

English is a lot of work.  This is more reading and writing than I've had to do so far.  Writing isn't my strongest skill and I'm concerned I will not make an A.  Oh well, it is only February.

I like History.  I remember some of this from back in the day.  It's a fun class.  History is my jam!

This is a lighter load without a Statistics class using all my brain power!  Although I think I should have taken MATH 1013 before Stats.  Last semester might have been easier.

I work on assignments daily to keep up with the pace of the semester and so far that's working well. And like all previous semesters, I watch too much television and eat too much popcorn.

Shows I'm caught up on and now watching the current season:

Blue Bloods
Blacklist
How To Get Away With Murder
Grey's Anatomy
Scandal
Suits

mini rant.... seriously, House of Cards has been pushed back to May! I used to come out on Valentine's day! That's how hubby and I spent 02/14.  So romantic.

New network shows I like:

Designated Survivor
Timeless

Shows in the Que:

Mad Men
Goliath
The Mindy Project
Man In The High Castle


I'm open to suggestions on binge-worthy shows.   I really miss The Good Wife and haven't found another show close to it.


Only this week's schedule and menu.  We start the week with shouting out PLOT TWIST!  I have been puny since I returned from Mississippi.   Headache. Pressure.  Earache. Sore throat. Chills. Fatigue. No fever, just puny and tired.   Sunday afternoon I had to lay down and rest if the neighbor kid hadn't rung the doorbell I would have slept beyond three hours.  A three-hour nap wasn't enough.  I woke up with the same headache I laid down with.  Meh.

Went to bed early.  Slept eight hours only to awaken to an intensified headache.  Coffee, Water, Meds. Homework.

So, here's how the week should look.

Sunday:

Rest day
No Homework
No Exercise

Dinner:

Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Asparagus
Peas

Monday:

6 AM run  chose sleep
Homework/Study
Chores and Laundry

Dinner:

Skillet Chicken
Nope, not gonna happen
I made bone broth to sip on during the day and will use the remainder for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup from Damn Delicious!

Tuesday:

Math on Campus
Study
Gym - Arm Day

Dinner:

Taco Salad

Wednesday:

6 AM Run
Meetings
Lunch with Bub
Homework/Study
Chores/Laundry
Gym - Leg Day

Dinner:

Stuffed Peppers - Stouffers
Hot Crash Potatoes - Pioneer Woman
California Blend Vegetables

Thursday:

Math on campus
Study
Gym - Back and Abs

Dinner:

Salmon Patties.  Pan "fried" cornmeal and panko bread crumbs.
Asian Salad - Taylor Farms

Friday:

Walk in the park
Study, Read, Write papers
Chores

Dinner:

Pizza Night - Make your own pizza.  Occasionally I make the dough, but most of the time I purchase it premade in the freezer section at Central Market.  Cento makes my favorite red sauce and our toppings vary from all cheese to veggie lovers.


This is what the week holds, as well as lots of bone broth breaks and naps.   Follow along on Instagram and Twitter "Salsa Is A Vegetable" Pix and Running Updates.

What's On My Plate: Week of 01.09

I'm not a photographer.  I have an iPhone.  I have a nice camera that my high schooler primarily uses. I don't have an eye for lighting and or technique.  For now, I will not feature photos of my meals.

A menu and recipes, yes!  Maybe just evening meals or snack ideas.  I'm honestly not sure just yet. This feature will grow into something solid soon.  Bare with me.  :)

I like Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving food so much that I go through the joy of preparing said meal in part once or twice a month!   Sprouts stocks turkey breasts year round and jewel sweet potatoes and I can usually get brussel sprouts in the frozen food section.    Monday was Thanksgiving night.

I prepare the turkey the same way I do for Thanksgiving.  A good rub of herbs and garlic and olive oil.  Sear it on a hot cast iron skillet and bake it in the oven slow and low for several hours.

Next is the sweet potatoes.  They get a good rub down of olive oil, then are wrapped foil and baked along with the turkey.

I keep cranberries around for as long as they will stay fresh after the holidays specifically for a Thanksgiving brussel sprout dish.

Herb Crusted Turkey
Sweet Potatoes with cinnamon and walnuts
Brussel Sprouts with cranberries and bacon

Tuesday and Thursday are class days for me.  I generally prepare something simple, if not leftovers.

Italian Chicken Toss is a simple recipe that is a "what's in the fridge" toss that in!   Chicken, bow tie pasta, a can of tomatoes and all the veggies in my fridge.  Onion, bell pepper, carrots, celery, green beans, peas, turnips, beets... literally whatever is on hand.   Grill the chicken, boil the pasta, chop the veggies, open a can of tomatoes, toss it in a skillet with some olive oil.  Dinner! :)

Wednesday The Adhesive (AKA our youngest teenager) heads off to a youth group event, where he is fed.   I prepare a meal that isn't his favorite for my husband and I.  This week is stuffed bell peppers, mashed potatoes, and green peas.    Hubs and I go to the gym, work out for an hour before we pick The Adhesive up.

Thursday.  Another simple meal.  This week it's Polish Sausage with cabbage and a side dish of quinoa.

Friday is typically Pizza night at my house.  A giant salad with a side of flour all over the kitchen.

We make the dough and top it with a variety of toppings from anchovies to spinach and basil to sausage.

I do my grocery shopping over the weekend.  We'll see what's on the menu next week when class begins!  Sophomore year, here I come!

So Another Fall Semester Begins

Why do I think that things will go normally? Or maybe this is how things go in high speed world of the interwebs.  My first class, an online class begins tomorrow and no information.  None.  No email or syllabus or anything.

I guess I thought that I'd have something before the class starts.  I'm a little frustrated.

It's hard to be a 40-something college student.  There are days I wonder if this is worth it.  The time and effort, the going to class, the studying, the lack of sleep.  Meh.  So I want the initials, the degree bad enough.  

Tomorrow I start basically my sophomore year, except that I don't have the correct amount of credits towards my degree.  The credits I have toward my degree still make me a freshman in my first semester.  (insert embarrassed emoji)

Fall 2016:

English Composition
Elementary Statistics
Philosophy

My goal for this blog is to document my journey.  Classes, classmates, professors and my progress.
Oh and the occasional salsa review, meal plan, recipes, what's working for me and what's not.

The One About Gluten And Salt and Sugar Oh My!

As it turns out the college has a library!!  When I pass by the library on the way to or from classes what I see is computer stations.  Rows and rows and rows of computers.  I've used study rooms in the library, still didn't see actual books.  

Last week I asked the attendant if they have books and if so where are they?  She directed me to a "back room" dimly lit.  Scary!! 

With a bit of trepidation I walked down the hall into the rows and rows of books.  Not seeing a card catalog or computer to look up a catalog, I roamed the aisles of books.  When it dawned on me, the card catalog is on my phone!!   

Without hesitation I look up "Nutrition" and nearly sprint to the row of books!! Ceiling to floor!! What?!?!  It must have looked like books were flying off the shelf!!!  Text books,  best sellers, books I've wanted to read, books with interesting titles.  I took a stack up to the desk and then asked how many I could check out and how long! 

Here are the titles: 

1. The Gluten Lie by Alan Levinovitz 

I read it in less than a week. Its a really good book about why we still cling to food myths and where they came from.  Very eye opening about science and how it has or hasn't shaped the Western Diet.  The Main Theme is to relax, stop letting headlines dictate your meals.  

A few quotes that stood out: 

For the true believer, the myth will always be more sacred than the evidence. 

Science Fiction is still Fiction.

Anxiety about what you eat can produce precisely the same symptoms linked to gluten sensitivity. 

People will worry that you have an eating disorder if you say 'I'm afraid I'm getting fat,' but they don't bat an eyelash if you say you're Paleo or gluten free. 

You can show the brain any reward - sugar, alcohol, sex, a movie - and it will light up.  That says noting about things being addictive. (regarding "sugar addiction"). 

'Every food is a potential demon...' Talking about food this way is harmful.  It creates neurotic eaters who see foods as pure or impure, natural or processed, good or evil.  

With every so-called superfood, it's always the same story; overhyped, under researched, superstitious nonsense, hidden under scientific rhetoric. 

2. Food Rules. An Eater's Manual by Michael Pollan

I didn't realize I picked this up, I actually intended to check out a different book.  This is a small book; less that 200 pages and is nicely illustrated.   I like this book.  It's simple and funny and talks about food in a sane way.   It's broken up into three sections.   What Should I Eat? (Eat Food)  What Kind Of Food Should I Eat? (Mostly Plants)  How Should I Eat?  (Not Too Much) 

A few quotes that I especially interest me as a dietetic student: 

People who get off the Western Diet see dramatic improvements in their health.  We have good research to suggest that the effects of the Western Diet can be rolled back and relatively quickly.  

Avoid food products that make health claims. 

Avoid foods pretending to be something they aren't.  I.E.  Margarine, non fat cream cheese, artificial sweeteners. 

Eat only foods that have been cooked by humans, rather than corporations. 

Drink Your Spinach Water. 

There is no such thing as a healthy soda. 

Don't eat cereals that change the color of the milk. 

Food is a costly antidepressant. 

 

I follow a few dietitian blogs: 

ImmaEatThat

Abby Langer

Both of these ladies philosophy is to enjoy food, eat well, and relax! Practice mindful eating.  Have a healthy relationship with food.  

3.  The Mindful Diet by Ruth Wolves, Ph.D., Beth Reardon, M.S., R.D., L.D.N. and Tania Hannan. 

Will be reading it this weekend!!  

4. The Industrial Diet.  The Degradation of Food and the Struggle for Healthy Easting.  By Anthony Winson 

5. Whole.  Rethinking the Science of Nutrition.  by T. Collin Campbell, PhD with Howard Jacobson, PhD 

I have two more weeks to read the books!  If I don't get through them, I can add 3 more weeks.  :) 

The One Where I Rub It In!

As promised my dry rub recipe for chicken.  In years past I've used a blend called Southwest Seasoning from Whole Foods.  However it hasn't been offered at my "local" store in several years, so I had to make my own!

I remembered a few of the ingredients and tweaked it until I had it just right, with my own twists of course!

1 Tablespoon Mortons Season All
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1.5 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1 Teaspoon Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper
1 Teaspoon Mrs. Dash Table Blend Garlic
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Dark Roast Coffee Grounds

The cumin and smoked paprika really set this rub off making the chicken have that grilled or liquid smoked flavor.   The surprise ingredients are of course cinnamon and coffee.   I was surprised myself when I read cinnamon on the Southwest Seasoning bottle however it gives it that but of a sweet finish.   The coffee adds to the richness.

I use it on chicken, ribs, pork chops and Chicken Lime Stew.  

Enjoy!

The One Where There Are New Beginnings

It's hard to say where this began really.  Was it when I started running or was it when I began reading labels? Was it when I realized that nutrition has a lot to do with how I feel? It's possible.

April 2009, I received news from my doctor that I needed to clean up my diet and get moving.  I did just that and have continued for nearly seven years.

I've researched how to become a registered dietitian off and on over the years.  I want to help people, inspire people, educate people on nutrition and how important it is to overall health.

After a series of life changing events in 2015 I took the leap.  I took a college entrance exam and enrolled!  EEEEEK!!

I'm on my way to the dream.  To completing a major goal.  To enter the health field as a dietitian.

Dietitian: An expert in prescribing therapeutic nutrition.

This blog will document my journey, challenges, nutrition, recipes and the hilarity of being a forty-something college student in the twenty-first century!

The One Where I Am The Driver

I met a friend at the bridge today, we had a great time, walking and talking. We talked more than we walked. It was a four mile walk, a four hour talk.

Having someone like minded gave me an opportunity to bounce alot of my thoughts off her and honestly I think we both have hours of blog material now! LOL And this is one of them....but I got to thinking about this particular part of our conversation and I hope it translates as well into blog as it did in person.

I hear the term or phrase: I fell off the wagon. I'm getting on the wagon. While I understand what the phrase means and that it applies to other aspects of life issues. 

To get there I want to sing a little song, some of you may know it and some of you may not. It's kind of a strange song to make the point but I hope it will make sense.

Time Warp - Rocky Horror Picture Show

It's just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
Put your hands on your hips
And bend your knees in time
But its the pelvic thrust, that really drives you insane
Let's do the Time Warp Again!

I equate the Time Warp to being "on or off the wagon". And if it's a wagon, and you're ON the wagon, who's driving it? You? And if not you then who? Are the horses out of control? Hmmmmm....that's a foder for an whole other blog....back to this one.

If getting on the wagon is a jump to the left
And getting off the wagon is a step to your right
And while your off the wagon you put your hands on your hips (or calories) and bend your knees (only exercise when I feeeeeeeeeel like it)
I think the pelvic thrust that drives you insane is binge eating and guilt.

Are you really moving? Isn't it just a series of "a jump to the left and a step to the right"? How are you moving forward with all the side stepping?

And again I ask you WHO is driving the wagon?

At some point in this Journey, you have to decide to take the reigns, you have to do the work, you have to stop trying to fill the hole, the void, the abyss, the loneliness, the "someday syndrome", the I'll be happy when thoughts, with food, with bad food or good for you food, alcohol, whatever, you fill in your own blank (destructive behavior).

Until you stop being content (and who are we kidding, you're not content) with riding in the wagon, getting off and getting on and getting off and getting on...

Until you become the DRIVER (taking control of your life) and not the PASSENGER (blame anything else for "perceived failure") you will not be successful. I said it. You're right! This won't work.

Until you take the reigns, Until you make the choices: water and fuel, Until you use the Spark Tools, Until you get off the couch and put on the shoes. You're not moving forward. You're not the driver of the wagon.

Are you ready to grab the reigns?

Don't just think you are.
KNOW you are.
Don't just TRY.
DO.