Day 80: Building Trust in your own Body

Trust is a funny thing. It can take years to truly build it up. Just a moment to destroy it.

For years I didn't trust my body. I didn't believe it could do the things that it's actually capable of doing. My health was so poor that I just didn't trust myself to get over-exerted. I think some of this fear can be related to people, who like me, who have suffered panic attacks before. If you've ever been through that, you don't want to do ANYTHING that makes you feel that way again. An experience that exerts your body so forcefully, so angrily, without your permission. It's a horrible feeling.

When I look back at the few months I spent working out in a gym a few years ago I now realize that one of the reasons it didn't "work" for me, was because I didn't trust my body. My trainer tried to force me to trust my body, but that just doesn't work. She knew my body could do more than I was allowing myself too, but no one can just make you have that trust. You have to learn to trust your body.

It's been 80 days since I started walking back in August. I started by walking every day of the week, but as the weather has changed and my 8-5 has become more challenging, I now average about 4 days a week. I generally walk between 2-3 miles just depending on how I feel. Some days I try to power walk and do it as quickly as I can, to help me train for upcoming 5K's. Other days however,  I just want to enjoy the walk, feel the air against my face, and watch the changing of the seasons.

What I didn't realize was slowly happening over these past 80 days was that I was building endurance and learning to trust my body. I am a creature of habit and change does not come easy for me. "Change" for me (for the most part) works best in small, manageable stages. Trust, apparently, can happen the same way. Little by little, step by step.

It wasn't until Michael and I participated in the media day at Cherry Point that I realized just how much stronger my body had become. The day was very physical from just being in a hurry going from one place to the next, to climbing up into a very small, tight helicopter space, to practically running up and down many, many flights of steps on the USS Kearsarge.

When the day was over and Michael and I were finally getting a bite to eat for dinner, it dawned on me how much I did that day. How I completely trusted my body to perform without even thinking about it. That would not have happened 3 months ago. And truly, I would not have been able to do it well. I was not in the mental or physical shape to do those activities without a second thought.

But when we signed up to do this event, it never even dawned on me how physically challenging the day would be, and that very fact... that I didn't even THINK about it... was a huge accomplishment in itself.

When you don't trust your body, you think about every single activity beforehand... from just heading to the grocery store, to driving your car, to your route from the parking lot to your office, to planning vacations around simple, easy activities with no steps, etc... You think about every physical activity your body can handle. Everything. Sometimes not even consciously, you just automatically find an easier way to work around a situation. And hear me out on this... This is NOT necessarily a bad thing, we have to be able to know what we can and cannot do physically and emotionally... but when you don't trust your body, you aren't often willing to test the limits of what your body can actually do. There's a fine line between real ability and challenging yourself to gain strength and endurance.

In the past I've been a big fan of shows like "The Biggest Loser" and "Extreme Makeover," but what those shows don't tell you is weight loss and regaining health is about so much more than just losing weight and having an exercise routine.

It's about slowly taking the time to trust your body, it's about slowly, SLOWLY changing your mindset towards food, (and much more importantly) towards how you deal with difficult situations, and how you handle life each and every day. This kind of change just doesn't happen overnight.

To change your weight permanently, means changing your entire frame-of-reference in terms of how you comfort yourself, how you handle stress, and how you face challenges. It means truly changing how you think, how to handle your feelings, and how you live every day.

• Which is why diets in general don't work.

• Which is why extreme makeovers rarely last. 

• And why shows like "The Biggest Loser" often do not result in lifelong change. 

Real change takes a lot of time... not just weeks or even months...it can take years. This means it takes a lot of patience as well. True patience in your whole-self, not just your physical body. Real change means learning how to safely build trust in your body and eventually being able to accept new physical and mental challenges.

In a nutshell, it means other people can't force us to change or to trust our bodies. (At least in my personal experience!) Learning to trust your body enough to test it's limits and build endurance takes TIME. It also takes practice and the willingness to keep going... little by little... step by step!

An October Food & Exercise Update & Kittehs

October has been a busy month! We participated in another 5K, this was focused on Autism Awareness in Greenville, NC. We participated with a BUNCH of kids who were part of a running club (I had no idea such a thing existed for kids!) and it was so inspiring to see these kids take part of a 5K (and completely kick our butts along the way! lol)... It was a really fun event! Michael and I both finished around 49 minutes which was a record for us! I had burning lungs, but it felt really good to shave 6 minutes off my time from the September 5K! 

This month was also a milestone for us as Michael and I celebrated 10 years of marriage! It's gone by so fast, and it's fun to look back on the blog, because we had only been married 3 years when I started writing Ginger Lemon Girl... so we've grown along with this blog! 

It also marked a month of a huge change in our way of eating. I decided to start following a "whole-foods-plant-based-low-oil" eating plan. Basically the "McDougall Plan" if you're familiar with vegetarian/vegan doctor programs. Of course I follow the plan the best way I can with a gluten intolerance and a soy allergy, so I'm definitely not 100% McDougall, but very close. I decided with my Dad's medical history of heart problems and other health issues that it was time to make a permanent change. And somehow, it's been relatively easy. Much easier than I thought it would be. 

I also had a recent check up at my doctor's office and I had lost 11 pounds since my visit in late August and my blood pressure was the lowest it's ever tested in the past 10 years. My doctor said that I may even be able to go off one of my blood pressure medications very soon! So I feel very good about this dietary decision. I feel like I'm headed in the right direction to regain my overall health and I feel like I'm truly feeding my body well. I'm also incredibly thankful my husband is so supportive and willing to eat most of the "new" foods in our menu rotation! :-) 

I thought I'd share a sample of some of the things from our kitchen the past few weeks. Most don't have a specific recipe... just things I threw together to make a quick meal. I have not used any animal products in over a month and for my spiritual and religious beliefs...along with my health, it's just been a really great decision. 

 Rice chex with almond milk, sliced almonds, and blueberries... loaded cereal is always a favorite breakfast or snack! 

One of my favorite snacks right now is just plain 'ol drained & rinsed canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans). I could make them from scratch, but the canned variety from Harris Teeter is so easy! This snack is what seriously pulled me through the first week of being vegan. I think I probably ate at least 3 cans!

 In some ways after I had spend so much time and energy writing cookbooks the past few years I was "over" cooking and prep work. I just didn't want to do it anymore, it was major burnout... but changing my way of eating has given me a new energy in the kitchen and helped me to enjoy cooking again! This is the prep for kale & potato hash, one of my favorite breakfasts! Chopped potatoes, mushrooms, kale, green pepper, onions, and there's garlic in there somewhere!

The finished hash! I served it with salsa and half an avocado per serving. One of the keys to following a "McDougall" type plan is to eat as many whole-food, plant-foods as possible with no added oils. McDougall recommends that the fats in your diet come from whole food sources such as avocado, seeds, or nuts. I limit these foods because I'm trying to lose weight, but include one or two servings a week. 

A rare treat! I doubt these muffins were actually vegan or oil-free, but they WERE GLUTEN-FREE and this was from a meal out at Sweet Tomatoes in Raleigh, NC! Recently they have started offering a limited selection of gluten-free baked goods occasionally and these were gluten-free maple nut muffins. They were absolutely delicious and I was so impressed with Sweet Tomatoes offering a gluten-free baked good for those with celiac or gluten sensitivity.

My salad from our meal out at Sweet Tomatoes. It's amazing to me that I can enjoy a salad without eggs or cheese on it. I honestly never thought that was something I could do long term. But I feel SO GOOD with this way of eating, that I really don't miss the animal proteins at all. They even had gluten-free chilled brown rice pasta on the salad bar! This salad was early in my journey, so the dressing was not dairy-free (at least I don't think it was)... now I'm usually dressing salads with red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar, or a homemade tahini lemon dressing... and freshly ground salt & pepper.

 This was a "no-meat" loaf... in which Michael was seriously heavy-handed on the ketchup! haha! This recipe was from the Happy Herbivore cookbook, it was called "The Hippie Loaf" created for a friend who had celiac disease. We honestly were not big fans of this version of a no-meat loaf. I prefer this version that I tried several years ago... however, the mashed potatoes were made from yukon gold potatoes and simply mashed with Harris Teeter vegetable broth, a little nutritional yeast, and lots of added garlic and onion seasoning... we ate the entire pot. I love not feeling guilty about eating mashed potatoes!

For breakfast and sometimes lunch I often have veggie sandwiches loaded with hummus, sliced red peppers, sliced mushrooms, alfalfa sprouts, sliced tomatoes, sliced cooked potatoes, spinach, kale, etc... all put between two slices of gluten-free bread for me... it's filling, healthy, and is a perfect vegan "fast food" meal. McDougall recommends making your own hummus without any added oils and limited tahini (or no tahini)... because I live in the real world and I'm just trying to get through my 9-5 everyday, I use Food Lion's Taste of Inspirations types of hummus. They don't have a lot of added oil (and are definitely not swimming in it like some brands) and I use gluten-free bread from the store that does have egg whites. It's important to me to share this because while it doesn't follow the McDougall plan completely, it's close and it's still a very healthy way to eat and it works for my personal time limitations. I truly believe you have to make a plan work for you the best way you can. Otherwise, how will you stick with it? For these sandwiches, I try to slice & prep any ingredients and have them ready in the fridge for a quick meal anytime during the week. Hummus has become my mayonnaise and I LOVE slathering it on these sandwiches!

This was a meal I made a few nights ago and it would be a really great idea for the holidays. I had bought two medium-sized acorn squashes and I wanted to fill them with something other than rice (I've eaten a lot of rice! lol)... so I decided to make a stuffing with some of the gluten-free bread we had, chopped spinach, chopped & roasted chestnuts, celery, onions, sunflower seeds, and poultry seasoning. I used vegetable broth as the "binder" for the stuffing and this meal was THE BOMB! It would definitely be a great meal for the holidays, it tasted a lot like my favorite Thanksgiving stuffing, without feeling guilty about carb overload!

This was a comfort food night. I wanted something soupy with potatoes, so we made an easy succotash stew. Just peeled & boiled red potatoes and added a can of corn, tomatoes, and lima beans to the potatoes and cooking broth. I actually made this at my mother-in-law's house and everyone seemed to enjoy it for a late dinner that night.

Dinner out for our anniversary! I can't give up sushi, so I made the decision to have veggie sushi that night and it was delicious! I had two orders of avocado sushi, and one order of a veggie roll which included avocado, cucumbers, and two types of Japanese pickles. I was a very happy camper. This was a cornerstone meal to me because I really wanted to "cheat" and order my favorite Philly roll with smoked salmon and cream cheese... but I stuck to my plan and it worked and I felt great after our dinner. 

Along with the food changes, walking has become my favorite form of both meditation and exercise. I walk 4-5 days out of each week and it's easier on some days than others. But it's slowly becoming a habit I love and something I look forward too. At first I walked most mornings around 4:30am because my work schedule had changed and that forced me to get up earlier. However... as it's gotten colder in the mornings, I've gotten lazy and become a wimp... and now generally walk at the duck pond at work around 10am. Either way... it's happening and I'm glad! I love getting that daily dose of fresh air, stretching my legs, and having that time to be thankful and meditative for the day ahead.

And last but not least... PIZZA! And that's a vegan pizza no less! This is definitely a treat because it has Daiya vegan (and gluten-free and soy-free) cheese on it, and the crust has added oil, but I can't give up pizza out occasionally and I'm just thrilled I can still get it and enjoy it and not feel guilty about it. My favorite place to get pizza is Zpizza, but Mellow Mushroom now has a vegan, gluten-free crust available as well. To be MORE McDougall compliant, I can easily leave off the Daiya and just have a tomato sauce & veggie pizza. It dawned on me about 2 months ago that over the past year I had not ordered a pizza with meat. There have been many small changes in my eating along the way that have enabled this change to come at the right time. And apparently over the past year, I've preferred a veggie pizza every time! This must be why! :-) 

*********

And because I've been suck a slacker in my posting schedule, I thought I'd share some kitteh pictures with  you! Enjoy! 

Mollie in her favorite place lately, snuggled next to Michael in his chair.  

Max & Maya, lifelong snuggle buddies

 Max is not so much of a lapcat, but he will sit in the cat tree and stare at you intently for hours! It can be kind of creepy some days... lol!

 This is my mother-in-law's cat Tobie. He loves to sit in the fabric between her foot rest and chair when she's dozing in the living room! 

Charlie & Whiskey... these boys are bestest buddies and it's a rare day to find one not next to or on top of the other! 

Have a wonderful week! 

ENELL AMBASSADOR: Blue Ridge Veteran's 5K - Sept. 14, 2014

Well, as you can see, I'm a wee bit behind in getting this post shared! Life has gotten busy for me with my awesome 8-5 career in the medical library so I haven't had as much time to focus on writing posts and creating new recipes... However, I have been able to incorporate a lot more movement into my everyday.... and that all started a little over a month ago because I wanted to celebrate 1 year of my Dad's new heart! 

Today (probably 10 days after starting this post!) is day 22 33 of getting up super early to start a daily practice of walking each morning. That doesn't mean I've taken a walk, every single morning... but it means I'm keeping track and it means I'm making a positive, enthusiastic effort... and that's a big change!

It's funny how life works. About this time a few months ago I was talking to my wellness coach, Cheryl, saying that I would put exercise on hold for the month. After several months of not meeting my exercise goals (AT ALL) I was frustrated and just didn't feel worrying about it. It was time to put it on the back burner and focus on other things.... 

And then magically it just sort of happened anyway. I received the email from ENELL saying I had been chosen as one of their blog ambassadors and I knew if I wanted to be honest about my use of the wonderful products that ENELL makes, I had to start walking again. 

To encourage and support myself to start walking again, I signed up for a 5K. I had not participated in a 5K in several years. 

This 5K was special to me, not only to signify getting back on my journey to health & wellness, but to celebrate the one-year birthday of my Dad's new heart... one year of amazing lifegiving heart-beats. I'm so thankful for that heart transplant, I'm so thankful that my Dad has been given more time. 

Dad's had a rough go at it. It hasn't been an easy year. With a very suppressed immune system, he's spent more time in the hospital than at home... but amazingly he keeps going. He keeps on, keepin' on. And that is a lot harder than you might think. When life becomes more about getting your medications right, losing physical strength and slowly regaining it back only to be side-lined by a broken ankle... life has not been easy for my Dad this year. 

If Dad's taught me anything this year, it's to NEVER give up. Life will not go according to our plans... but we have to keep going. People need us, we need to learn resilience and persistence, and we have to learn why life is worth it. Life is so worth it. 

To celebrate my Dad's new heart, I wanted to do this walk. I wanted to get my own health back on track with physical activity and to celebrate the beginning of this journey with the Blue Ridge Veteran's 5K Celebration. And what's a better cause than to celebrate with this country's great veterans? 

I proudly wore my ENELL gear and walked the 5K with my stepmom Betty in 51 minutes and 43 seconds! We were very proud! (And Betty is definitely in better shape than I am! :-) 

There were about 60 participants in this 5K and it included many US Veterans in the Roanoke area of Virginia. I was so honored to walk beside them and support their foundation, support my dad, and share my love of ENELL and their . It was such a great day, despite the cloudy weather! 

Afterwards we all went back to the rehab center to spend a few more hours with my Dad before we returned home to eastern NC. Dad was very proud of excited for us... and it just so happens after 3 months of being in and out of hospitals and rehabs... he's going home tomorrow! 

We love you so much Dad! And we're supporting you and SO glad you're going home!

GLG Disclosure: 

This post is part of a new series sponsored by ENELL. The ENELL Ambassador program provides fitness apparel and pays for fitness event registration fees in exchange for blog posts shared about the blogger's  fitness experience. The opinions in this post are completely my own. I , and other bloggers in the Enell Ambassador Program are not monetarily compensated for any blog posts written for/or about ENELL products. 

"Perky" News: I am an Enell Blog Ambassador... YIKES!

So what's this all about?

Well, Enell is a company that makes sports bras and apparel for (shall we say) busty gals... And I am a very busty gal. Always have been. I can thank my grandmother and many aunts for these beauties. And I haven't always been happy about them. Large breasts, big boobs, honkers, basketballs (Boinga, boinga!)... Yep, I've heard it all. And if you've been doubly blessed as well, you've probably heard most of it too.

It meant getting noticeable breasts at a very young age, it meant having to ask for a bra before any of my friends had one (I was 8 or 9, I think?)... it wasn't always the most pleasant gift to have.

As I got older, bustier, and gained weight...I really started to hate underwires. I mean HATE underwires. I still HATE underwires! I would buy super fancy, super expensive bras to hold these ladies up... and the first thing I'd do is cut out the underwires... So those expensive bras never lasted very long... and I always hated my shape in them.

I discovered Enell apparel a little over 10 years ago (I think??). It was right before I was married and when I was working at a popular "for ladies only" fitness gym. (Yep... I used to work as a fitness "expert"... sort of blows my mind since I'm anything but....) I remember a lady who worked out there regularly and she told me one day about the sports bra she was wearing. She said it held her in like nothing else ever had before. Even 10 years ago the bras were a bit out of my price range, but I remembered the name "Enell" and several years later I researched them and bought one! And I LOVED it. NO WIRES, and yet this bra was super form fitting and had everything in the right place. That lady wasn't kidding... these Enell sports bras held those big suckers in! Held them in TIGHT! and I could exercise without feeling like I was bouncing all over the place. (Stop giggling, this is seriously an annoying issue for big-busted gals! :-) Okay fine, giggle... but it's annoying! lol) 

Several years after I bought my initial Enell sports bra, the company started producing the Enell Lite version of the bra which was comfortable enough for everyday wear also WITHOUT wires! The Lite version, doesn't hold you in as tight as the sports bra, but is shapely, very comfortable, and is extremely supportive. And while this is probably WAY more information than you'll ever need to know... the Enell Lite bras have become everyday wear. Actually they are now the only type of bras I ever buy. You're welcome, you can live a little easier now! :-P

So several months ago I read that the Enell company was looking for bloggers to act as Ambassadors for the company. As an Enell Ambassador you would be required to participate in 2-4 fitness events a year (such as a 5K) and blog about your experience. Enell would pay the cost of your registration fees for the event and provide a t-shirt and of course a great sports bra! Even though I've never really shared publically my love for Enell, I thought why not? And I hoped this would give me the incentive I needed to REALLY get back into an exercise routine. I NEED an exercise routine. I'll share more about that in another blog post... but that's basically why I thought this might be a good fit.

So I filled out the application and sent it in. Now, if you've been a fan of my blog for any length of time you should know that exercise is not really my thing. I will fight tooth and nail before before going to the gym or God-forbid taking a Zumba class. I've DONE it... but I have never loved it. And while I'm not really sure that will CHANGE, what I do want to change is a willingness to be active. I love walking. I'm not a runner and I doubt that will change in the future, but I want be willing to be active at least in an activity I enjoy. And I truly enjoy walking, especially when the weather is cooler. 

Well, a few months went by and honestly I completely forgot about the Enell Ambassador program. Apparently they had hundreds of applicants for 17 spots and I really didn't think I would fit the qualifications. 

Except... about 2 weeks ago I received an email telling me Congratulations, you've been chosen as an ENELL AMBASSADOR! 

taking a walk with my friend Amy and her daughter Amelia, May 2014

And the first thing I did was absolutely PANIC! 

HOLY MOLY... so this means I am going to HAVE to exercise if I want free bras lolol... and maybe gain some physical health in the process... holy cow... what did I get myself into? 

So I thought about it for a few days. I wasn't sure I was ready for a commitment like this. But after talking with my nutritionist and pondering a few more days... I decided that this was a really good opportunity. I'm not big on promoting products in the first place, but having the opportunity to not only earn free apparel, but to promote a company that I truly love is a good motivation to get movin'! 

As I learn more about the program and choose the events I will participate in, I'll share more about Enell and my own health journey! I hope you'll join me! (I'll need all the support I can get... AND not just from the bra!! Would you people stop giggling... geez! :-P)

Please check out these recent posts from other ENELL Ambassadors:

• Aliah of Get Fit Diva's "Friday Five"
• Jennifer of Perfect In Our Imperfection's "Great News I'm an ENELL Ambassador!" 
• Sarah of Sparkly Runner's "I am an ENELL Ambassador" 
• Damie of damieroberts.blogspot.com's "ENELL Ambassador: YIPPIEEE!" 
• Julie of RunWalkRepeat's "I'm an ENELL Ambassador." 

GLG Disclosure: 

This post is part of a new series sponsored by ENELL. The ENELL Ambassador program provides fitness apparel and pays for fitness event registration fees in exchange for blog posts shared about the blogger's  fitness experience. The opinions in this post are completely my own. I , and other bloggers in the Enell Ambassador Program are not monetarily compensated for any blog posts written for/or about ENELL products. 

Thankful Thursdays: Walking the Duckpond

This is Fred & Ned. I've just named them. Cheryl says that Fred looks like he needs some moisturizer on that shell!  I see them nearly every time I walk at the duck pond at work.  They love to get sun on this spot every day. There's a small bridge above it and it's fun to stop and look down at them enjoying the warm weather.

Depending on the time of year you can see all sorts of wildlife at the pond. From turtles to ducks to squirrels, etc... it's a fun place to go when you need a walk or to take a break from the work day.

It's a relaxing place in the midst of a busy medical campus. I've been trying to walk here several times a week when I'm work. It breaks up the day, it lets me enjoy the sunshine, and along the way see these furry and feathered critters every week, which definitely makes my days better.

photo from ECU Division of Health Sciences

I'm really thankful to have a beautiful place like this to retreat too during my work day! The pond is about 1/3 mile around so 3 times around (or 3 laps) makes 1 mile. I keep track of my laps by using this string of beads that I made when I visited my friend Amy a few weeks ago.

It can be the most simple things that bring us great joy every day! I'm thankful for the pond, my string of beads made with good friends, and all these wonderful critters I see on each walk!

What are you thankful for today?

A Perfect Cup of Tea: How to Brew Loose Tea Leaves and Blends

When I was a kid I hated coffee and tea. Couldn't stand it. I didn't even like the smell! Over the past few years though, I've become a fan. I would say I'm a "seasonal" tea drinker! I tend to veer towards coffee in the in the fall and winter and tea in the spring and summer.

Last week I received a wonderful gift in the mail from my friend Jodi who lives in Vero Beach, FL. She sent me 4 samples of tea from her favorite local tea shop: Tea and Chi. Several years ago I found a little black, cast iron Chinese tea pot (similar to this one) and it's been my favorite vessel for brewing loose tea leaves. However, I don't have any local tea shops close by to purchase fresh, whole tea leaves and blends. So Jodi's package was a very welcome surprise!

And Jodi just so happened to find a blend she thought I'd absolutely love...

Well she was right! (Along with being a lemon & ginger tea blend...:-) Rooibos is a red tea that is naturally decaffeinated so it's perfect for a cup of hot tea in the evening. The same night Jodi's package came, I dug through the kitchen cabinets to find my Chinese tea pot and and I made a pot of tea.

I love the packaging that Tea and Chi places on their bags of whole tea leaves and blends. They tell you the type of tea you have, how much dry tea to use per cup, how long to brew it, what ideal temperature to brew it at, and then if it contains caffeine or not.  Brilliant, my friends. Just brilliant!

Now I'll be perfectly honest, I didn't take the temperature of my boiling water. However, I did only let my water just come to a rolling boil before pouring it over the tea leaves.

My particular pot came with a mesh metal strainer. You simply place 1-3 teaspoon of dried whole tea leaves and pour the hot water over it. Allow it to brew for several minutes as directed on your package. For the Lemon Ginger Rooibos, allow it to brew for 4-6 minutes.

I measured out 2 cups of hot water after it boiled to make sure I had the correct ratio of water to tea leaves. Then I poured it over the tea. Easy as that.

And voila... 4-6 minutes later, lovely warm fresh brewed hot rooibos tea. I prefer tea with plain ol' sugar. Sometimes honey, but honestly I just like sugar in my tea. Sometimes with green tea, I prefer it with no sugar at all. I generally use about 2-3 teaspoons of sugar in a large mug of tea (about 16 ounces). I don't want it syrupy sweet, just sweet enough to taste.

Jodi also spent the past few months creating this gorgeous throw for me! I LOVE a long throw, a cup of hot tea and a good book! Thank you so much Jodi! 

So far, from the batch that Jodi sent, I have tried the Lemon Ginger Rooibos, the Magnolia Oolong, and the Florida Sunshine Rooibos. The Florida Sunshine smells amazing when you brew it! It has just a hint of citrus, and the scent when you open the tea package is refreshing!  I've used the Magnolia Oolong for an iced tea, and while I'm generally not a fan of things that taste very floral, this tea is so delicately floral and fresh that I've really enjoyed it! I've brewed the tea fresh, added a little sugar, stirred it until it melted into the tea and then poured it over ice. Really delicious!

Another great thing about freshly brewed, whole tea leaves like this is that you can often reuse them at least 2-3 times. The green tea leaves below are Magnolia Oolong. I've used this batch of tea twice so far, and I'll probably use it at least one more time before adding the leaves to our compost pile in the back yard.

You can keep wet tea leaves in the fridge for up to 2 days, or you can just allow them to air dry on a paper towel on the counter and use them 2-3 times (allowing them to dry between uses.)

There's just something relaxing and therapeutic about making fresh tea from real, whole tea leaves! Thank you so much for such a thoughtful gift Jodi! I plan on trying the Five Peak Green Jade tomorrow.

Do you like to use fresh dried tea leaves? 

Do you have a favorite tea shop that you go too? 

Review: Gluten-Free Mimi's Whole Grain Muffin Mix

I met Melissa Friend (AKA Gluten-Free Mimi) several years ago at a gluten-free expo in Raleigh, NC. She had just started selling her gluten-free baked goods to local coffee shops and through direct order. She came by my booth, introduced herself and I was immediately drawn to her. Melissa had such a kind and thoughtful demeanor. We talked about our local gluten-free support groups and our favorite gluten-free things we enjoyed baking.

Several years later Melissa decided to change her business model when her husband was told he needed to eat a lower glycemic diet to stay healthy. She went back to the kitchen and re-worked her favorite muffin recipe to make it both gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, whole grain, AND gum-free (no xanthan gum or guar gum! Do you know how hard that is to find in a baking mix??). She also began experimenting with paleo recipes and creating a paleo "bun" mix, again free of gluten, dairy, and soy.

After many trials Melissa finally created two mixes that she felt could be game-changers. A gluten-free, whole-grain muffin mix, and an easy paleo bun mix.

I had been following Melissa for quite a while on facebook and when her business page hit 200 "likes" I won a bag of her gluten-free, whole grain baking mix. I couldn't wait to try it!

I seem to go through "muffin" spells... I won't bake them for months and then out of nowhere I'll make them for weeks on end and not get tired of them! I love muffins because they are easy, in perfect portions, and and I've always been someone who preferred the cake to the frosting, so muffins are sort of healthy cake in disguise right?

Well with this gluten-free baking mix, they definitely are!

The instructions are super simple! Simply add: 2 eggs, 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup applesauce, and 1 cup pumpkin puree to the dry ingredients. Scoop the batter into a paper-lined muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. This mix makes 12 good-size muffins (and could easily make 24 mini-muffins, if you would prefer!)

I knew immediately that the mix would be versatile. Since there are no added flavorings or spices, you can customize these muffins with the ingredients you have on hand!

• Want banana nut muffins? Use 1 cup of mashed bananas instead of pumpkin puree and add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. 
• Want chocolate chip muffins? Stir in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract to the batter. 
• Want lemon blueberry muffins? Stir in 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest into the batter. 
• Want zucchini spice muffins? (Great way to use up too many zucchini!) Substitute 1 cup freshly shredded zucchini in place of the pumpkin puree. Add 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 2 tablespoons water to the batter. 

When I decided to make the muffins I had two super ripe bananas that needed to be used. So I used the bananas in place of the pumpkin puree and then added about 1/4 cup sliced almonds and 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips to the batter. Then I baked as directed. Easy peasy!

Michael loved the banana chocolate chip muffins and we love the crunch that sliced almonds add to baked goods.

I would highly recommend using this easy gluten-free baking mix from Gluten-Free Mimi. It's very hard to find gluten-free mixes that are not primarily made from high glycemic starches such as white rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch. I love that this mix contains buckwheat flour, millet flour, and even teff flour! These wonderful dense grains almost give these muffins a delicious "bran" flavor! Yet they are "light" enough to even please picky palates (such as my husbands!) I also just LOVE that Melissa does not include "gums" in this mix. For those who are sensitive to guar gum or xanthan gum, this mix is just for you! (Melissa uses flax seeds to help give these lovlies their wonderful texture, instead of the gums!) 

Gluten-Free Mimi is also working on a low glycemic coconut flour mix, so there will be many more options from her store in the future! Right now you can purchase mixes directly from her site: http://www.glutenfreemimi.com/ (check here for the shopping page: http://www.glutenfreemimi.com/products-and-recipes/ -> scroll to the bottom to add to your shopping cart and order!)

I hope to try the paleo baking mix in the next few weeks. When I do, I'll let you know how they turn out! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome mix with me Melissa!