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July 1, 2007
July Challange, Beet Vinegar, and the Importance of Wearing Purple
When I was small, a huge treat was to go to the big salad bar at the local Southern steakhouse (Golden Corrall, to be exact) for a gargantuan salad. My mom and I would dress up and go to meet her best friend at the only place in our small Southern town where you could get a decent salad. I was so excited to be included in big girl activities: to me, eating a huge salad was a marker of being a woman. It cemented my lifelong love of salad bars.
My mother taught me most of the things a woman needs to know: how to deflect the attentions of a man you're not interested in... what to order as an appropriate drink at a bar... how to fend for myself, work hard and make my own money and never expect a man to take care of me... and how to navigate the perils of a salad bar.
Today, one of my mother's lessons comes back to me. BEETS STAIN.
Permanently. Those beautiful purple beets on the salad bar will make giant purple spots on your lovely white Southern summer dress, little one. So be careful. Learn how to eat your beets so they don't end up on your dress.
My mom gave MR some fresh beets from the Lancaster Farmers' Market. Currently, I am marinating chopped raw beets in tarragon white wine vinegar. Once I'm done (about two hours of marinating) I'm going to drain off the vinegar and keep it: beet vinegar!!! I may even take it to Scranton where I'll be spending most of the week. Luke, my co-worker who will also be working in Scranton, is a vinegar junkie just l like I am, and I think he'd enjoy the beet vinegar. Anyhow...
I think I'll saute the beets in dry chardonnay. Same chardonnay as last night's culinary adventure (btw, Mizzi, it was a sweet pepper but not a bell pepper, hence the confusion of naming.) Then I'll serve them over some other vegetable, maybe squash, with nonfat ricotta in little puffs on top and something or other else. Will keep you posted.
I happen to be wearing the perfect outfit in which to chop beets. A deep purple t-shirt and black yoga pants. I just came from the gym. I've been working out every day, doing at least twenty minutes but more like forty most days on the treadmill, followed by 20 minutes of Pilates at home or in my hotel room or wherever. It's so tempting to let everything go to hell during the last week of a major campaign, but I just can't let that happen again. There will never be a time when I'm not busy, so I have to take care of myself today, tomorrow, and indefinitely. I don't feel at my peak work performance when I'm not at my peak health, and I don't want to sacrifice my stress reducing exercise. So this weekend I'm working and exercising and working some more. And cooking!
Which brings me to my July challenge.
I will work out every day in July, except for July 19, which is our actual election day during which I will have not even five minutes of a break from 4 am until 10 pm.
I will do at least 20 minutes of cardio. I will do at least 10 minutes of Pilates. I will aim for 40 minutes treadmill and 20 minutes Pilates. I will take Pilates class whenever I am in town.
I got this idea from Jake, of course. The thirty day challenge is a great way to break your previous limits and adopt a new, healthier habit. I have to make this exercise thing a priority, and I need some public accountability to do that. So there you have it. I'll check in...
Posted by april at July 1, 2007 10:44 PM
Comments
Your entry about NAPA then this beet entry had me snooping about the Internet for a picture of Napa cabbage. I found this description of Napa slaw that combines your beloved cabbage AND beets! (and vinegar!)
Napa Slaw:
grated Napa cabbage, onion, beets, dill, chives and black pepper. Dressing: sour cream, wine vinegar and brown sugar.
Posted by: Serena at July 2, 2007 11:59 AM
Beets: Do you want some beet greens? I have some in my fridge and can bring them to MR tomorrow night. Mom
Posted by: Marti at July 2, 2007 2:40 PM
Ooooh!! Beet greens are SO delicious! I just steam them, then put on a little lemon juice & Half Salt and they're quite divine. :-)
Posted by: Judith at July 2, 2007 4:40 PM
Thanks for your hair-tips! But what IS this mysterious brewer's yeast? Is it something that comes in flakes and is sold in a health food shop? Google didn't help me this time.. And yes, proteins work indeed, especially in the morning; I'm really grateful for this recommendation (I was so surprised by its positive effects that I even tried raw kale. Still don't believe it, but I like it).
Hopefully I'll become a hair monster, too. Even if it means I have to use hammer and nail to hold true to my word.
Marianne
Posted by: Marianne at July 3, 2007 5:02 PM