In Laura's kitchen

It was a productive and healthy weekend here in Issaquah. Thanks to the wellness challenge, I worked out three days in a row and am now exhausted.
My kitchen was busy this weekend. On Friday, I baked up some grain free chocolate chip bars: http://tasty-yummies.com/2013/01/22/grain-free-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars-gluten-free-dairy-free/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grain-free-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars-gluten-free-dairy-free. Yummy! Saturday morning was nitrate free bacon and GF French toast (thanks to Julie's GF bakery in Puyallup for the bread). Tonight, it was lasagna I can eat with brown rice noodles and creamed cashews instead of cheese. Thanks Kate for the recipe! For the most part I followed this recipe http://www.dancewhileyoucook.com/2011/12/kick-ass-lasagna-gluten-free-and-dairy.html?m=1 but used noodles that did not need pre cooking and a different but similar red sauce.
What a great weekend! Now time for bed. :)

An urban hike

The SU fitness and wellness challenge occurs each year from mid January through early March.  Kate, Tonja, Kathleen and I at work formed a team with the clever name of Advisors Survivors and amidst our busy schedules, have managed to do a wonderful job.  We are currently in fourth place!  This is our last week, but I hope that some of the healthy habits that I strive for during the challenge will stick: daily flossing, more physical activity, stair climbing, spiritual/emotional/intellectual wellness, etc. 

Tyler is a good sport and has ventured out on many walks with me during this challenge and in years past.  Today's walk took us along and under Interstate 90, through the Mercer Slough trails, and back.  Thanks once again to Instagram for livening up my photos.

A peak of downtown Bellevue from the trail...

Happy Trails!

Another wonderful silent retreat

My first silent retreat was in 2008 and as the veterans say, they become addicting.  I went again in 2009, missed it in 2010 but went back again this year for some much needed silence and time for reflection.  I am so grateful for SU's mission and ministry office for coordinating and offering this to faculty and staff.  Read more about it and see my quote in the SU Spectator!

This year, at one of the talks I attended, I was particularly moved by this:

Patient Trust
by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J. (1881-1955)

Above all, trust in the slow work of God

We are quite naturall impatient in everything

to reach the end without delay.

We should like to skip the intermediate stages.

We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.

And yet it is the law of all progress

that it is made by passing through some stages of instability --

and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you.

Your ideas mature gradually -- let them grow,

let them shape themselves, without undue haste.

Don't try to foce them on,

as though you could be today what time

(that is to say, grace and circumstances

acting on your own good will)

will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit

gradually forming within you will be.

Give Our Lord the benefit of believing

that his hand is leading you,

and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself

in suspense and incomplete.

A lovely reflection.
It's been a challenging year, to say the least.  But thank God for a retreat like this and the many blessings in life.  Of course, I took some pictures!  Enjoy:

This is my favorite indoor spot: the library.

I took many walks, shuffling through the leaves in my rainboots.

My usual path to the beach (down the 180 stairs) was closed due to a landslide, but there was another route which turned out to be ok.

I love this barn!

I enjoyed walking the new labyrinth:

I even took some time for artwork.  Wow, I am quite the artist, haha :)  This is of the view from my room, except I made up the blue skies...that certainly wasn't reality.

Mmmm, what a wonderful weekend.  Can't wait for next year.

Produce

I was excited to receive my first Full Circle Farms organic produce order delivered to my doorstep today!  A fresh custom-chosen assortment of fruits and veggies = delicious! 

All packed in this lovely box...

The content list...mostly WA & CA grown...

YUM!!!

I can't wait to start cooking, which is on the agenda for tomorrow evening.  Karlie and Jordan gave me a fabulous collard greens "recipe".  Steam collard greens then saute in garlic and olive oil.  Add roasted red pepper flakes and drizzle with lemon.  Seriously de-lish.  And for those of you who can eat cheese, I bet it would be good with some parmesan.

a big topic

Those of you who see me regularly know this already but for those who are reading from afar, its about time I "come out of the closet" about my health-related journey.  I could blog for hours on this topic, but will try to keep it simple.  Last year, I started to have random joint pains and inflammation which my family dr. and rheumatologist swore were no big deal.  Every other indication (physical exam, bloodwork, etc) pointed toward "health", but after putting up with the pains for too long, it was time to try something new.  Since October, I've been seeing a naturopathic doctor who is helping me to find balance and feel healthy again.  Thankfully, it's working :-)  The most interesting part about this experience has been the anti-inflammatory gluten-free diet that she has me on.  This is indeed a drastic change: no gluten, no dairy, no sugar, no caffeine, no alcohol, no peanuts, no potatoes, corn or tomatoes.  Pretty much, back to a simple, raw diet.  It can include meat but should be organic (no hormones added) and grass fed beef if I eat beef.  Phew!  Rest assured, though, I am eating plenty, feeling great and energetic, looking better and just plain happier.  For the first few months, it was really hard to tell a difference and know whether it was the diet or something else that was the cause of the pain and inflammation.  In recent days/weeks, it is much more evident that the diet is working which is so refreshing.  It will be interesting to see where this journey takes me, but for now, I'm of course grateful to be here today with a smile on my face. 

One of my new favorite foods is hummus.  Not the junk-loaded hummus from the store, homemade hummus adapted from my mom's work recipe.  I have to share it with you, that's how good it is! 

Hummus:

2 cans garbanzo beans
3 Tbsp. tahini
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. lemon juice
3-4 cloves garlic
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. water
red pepper flakes, to taste
blend REALLY well for an extra creamy consistency

Inspired by some new blogs I follow, I thought I would share some cooking photos.  By the way, here are the new blogs in case you're interested:

Gluten Free Girl
Tasty Yummies
Ginger Lemon Girl
Gluten Free Goddess
Love Veggies and Yoga
The Spunky Coconut

When making hummus, it helps to have a nice man who will juice the lemons for you :)

Serve for dipping veggies, or all rolled up in a brown rice tortilla with spring mix and olives.

Meals always taste better with Susie's pickled beets.  And, my new addiction: kale chips. 

De-lish!

Cheers to good health!