Nomday: Mijana, Next Coffee, and Max Tacos!

Because we had a very burgers and tacos party weekend, gigs at a Lebanese restaurant, and a coffee house, there are a ton of left over foods around and no need for the usual crock pot goodness this week. I am a huge fan of mix and match leftovers! So, how about a very special Nomday post about all the crazy foods from the weekend?

Mijana

Friday night, Roza and Shaharazad Dance Company invited bint Hazine for a show at Mijana, out at the Tempe end of Scottsdale Road. The décor is fantastic, and the food is amazing, unfortunately, the service leaves a lot to be desired. Do not go here if you are in a hurry. Jess and I ordered the hummus and bread, it took more than twenty minutes to arrive at the table. Granted they did have a show going on, but it wasn’t that crazy. The hummus was perfect though, and I loved that the pita breads were all puffed up and warm!

Next Coffee

I love performing at Next Coffee (59^th Ave & Utopia) because this place is so chill and friendly. The service is amazing no matter how hopping it gets and, most important, they are home to the Chailua! It is just what it sounds like, a hot chai tea with a shot of Kalua, a-maz-ing!

Tacos by Max

For those who love homemade tacos, but still use the standard taco seasoning, try this variation and I can promise you will think before ever returning to the boxed powders.

¼ cup ground Cumin

3 cloves crushed garlic

Salt & pepper to taste

1 ½ - 2 cups water

Combine spices in water. Brown meat (ground turkey or beef works great) in skillet. Add spices to meat and finish cooking.

Now, I am taking this recipe from what I observed over Max’s shoulder so it may not be perfect measurement, but I promise. The right balance and it is amazing!

I promise next week we will be back on crock pot schedule, but it is nice to have a little change of pace now and again. Now, I am off to see how I can best combine the remaining cacciatore sauce, taco meat, and hummus to make something really interesting.

Okay, maybe not.

Food & Fitness: Trainer Bio

I met Frank Levreau in 2011 with no idea that he would be my fitness partner in 2012. Frank has aspirations to be a full time personal trainer and nutritionist and I really feel his story is inspirational. It is also a testament to Frank’s dedication!

In December of 2009, Frank was diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes. His blood sugar was at 850 and his kidneys were dangerously close to failure; a frightening diagnosis at twenty-eight years old. The culprit; 8000 calories per day of primarily fast food, long stretches of seated video game play, and bouts of depression.

After the shocking news from his doctor and a trip to the emergency room, Frank made the choice to save himself. Gone were the burger and greasy fries, he switched his calorie intake to 1200 per day in multiple small meals. In five months time, Frank dropped 125 pounds! In a week, Frank was off the insulin. He dropped his kidney medication in a month and his sugar production leveled out after only two weeks. He kept his exercise regimen fairly simple, just going with what he had learned when in school and later joined a gym.

Frank’s scare factor made his efforts work for him in just five months, but with his clients he foresees the program working in a year to a year and a half. The basic plan is similar to what Frank used with changes to each client’s needs.

Drawing from his studies on history and antiquity as well as a little something more geek related (I will touch on that later) Frank hopes to create a fitness and nutrition system a bit more interesting than average. There is not a whole lot of grain in the dietary portion of the plan, but there is room for it if need be. For fitness, Frank recommends adding a hobby, or play time to normal day to day activities.

An example of a meal comes from Nomadic Germany; roasted deer meat with baked potatoes. Dessert consists of blueberries and walnuts.

And of course, from the Spartans, the lords of fitness; some compound exercises like basic weapons training drills and the always classic push-up.

I promised something really different at the beginning of this blog. Frank is still a hardcore gamer and geek. He is proud of this and I think that is awesome, because I loves the gamers. But, what does gaming have to do with health and fitness?

How about some squats like Zack in Final Fantasy Seven? Shadow boxing like Zell in Final Fantasy Eight works too. My personal favorites come from Link in Legend of Zelda; like the overhead pig press, or a nice cardio chicken chase!

Most important Frank says to stay motivated create game related goals. Finish a quest and reward yourself with a walk or a run up and down the stairs. Every twenty minutes, try jumping jacks or those classic Spartan push-ups.

Instead of chips and soda and energy drinks, try snacking on those treats your adventurous characters might have handy; nuts and berries, maybe jerky, with water or herb tea. Frank also recommends taking a page from a World of Warcraft cookbook! I had no idea this existed!

Overall, Frank seems pretty sure that my belly dancing, sword fighting, and acting out character roles might work well enough for me and for anyone else out there with a geek slant, maybe it is time to choose the role of Luke or an Assassin instead of Jaba.

Winter Garden Week Three

The gardening blogs are going to be rather uneventful for the next couple weeks I think. Nothing is sprouting just yet. There is not any real work to be done until something greeny starts popping out. Does anyone have any advice how to alleviate the tedium of waiting?

I was gifted with a few more seed pockets this week though. Thank you so much, Max! So, now I am pleased to announce, the victory garden will have spinach, oregano, chives, eggplant, and African daisies! This is all so very exciting and it makes me even less patient!

I did find out that while it is very convenient to water the garden from the kitchen sink spray nozzle, I will have to do some major soaking every now and again with the outdoor hose or the reserve water in the shed.

Maybe next week there will be some action to report. Until then I will continue to take my umbrella out in the moonlight and dance around the garden fence with my invisible garden gnomes!

Nomday: Chicken Cacciatore

This was the most expensive meal so far. I think it had to do with the added cost of the wine, but at least I will have some creativity lubrication and Max has something to help him sleep when he gets home from work late at night.

Max drew the art for this page because he kept saying cacciatore reminded him of Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Chicken Cacciatore

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 7 hours

Approximate Cost: $18.50

2-3 lbs. chicken thighs (we used boneless/ skinless)

14 oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning

6 oz. can tomato paste

14 oz. chicken broth

1 large white onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, pressed

2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 carton sliced baby bella mushrooms

1 cup dry red wine (I used one small bottle of the Sutter Home Merlot)

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning (Mix my own combination)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.

Digging Personal History instead of the Garden

01.10.2012

I am not going to promise to do this every day, but I am sick and that makes my brain sort of melted. I needed some inspiration so I went back on this date in my personal history to see what happened. Things have changed, which is good, but some things have become more relevant. These are not all of the posts, but it is a fun start and an interesting spectrum.

01/10/2006

A full day today! I walked Jonathan to school. I got several pages of work done with respect to pulling penny books. I cleaned more of the closet out. I caught up on my e-mail and journal. I practiced for a half hour. Less than what I aimed for, but I got once through all of the songs. The house looks a bit lived in but clean. There are only a few dishes in the sink. Now, I am writing and I will put my mind to rest with a book. Add to all the accomplishment a nice visit with Bethany and Jonathan wanting to read at bedtime. Life is good today. Hell's Belles are pricking at my brain.

Jonathan prefers to go by JD today. He walks himself to and from school every morning. Most mornings I am not even awake, and if I am I am likely not at home. He reads to himself at night or we watch a movie together on Netflix. Maybe I will suggest reading time. We could read news articles or non-fiction, or our own work instead.

Bethany and most of the other girls are busy with their own lives now. I am proud of all of them. Bethany is an accomplished horse rider/ trainer with aspirations to become an equine doctor. I know she will make it too!

I no longer work for The Kat’s Meow, but the business still exists. If you are ever looking for used books please check them out on Amazon.com.

I am still working on Hell’s Belles, it will eventually come to fruition. One of the biggest hang-ups is the search for an artist.

01-10-2007

Question 429 asks: What would happen if there were no cars, buses, trains, boats, or planes? How would this change your life?

I would likely be in far better shape physically. Getting to work would take a lot longer. Hell, I may not have a job. Kathy's (The Kat’s Meow) business relies on transportation in a big way. Cost of living would shift. No one paying thirty dollars or more to fuel their vehicles. Also, no way to transport goods rapidly.

How would my life change? Forget that. How would the world change? We would become a tribal society again. Growing food locally would be a must. Small farms, local medical assistance, fire and policing would have to be erected. Living close to a grocery store is meaningless when there is no food in it. The city would die, or go mad, in days. This is what we have to look forward to if we do run out of oil. I do not know that I want to stay here, in a city, with those thoughts in mind.

What can be done here? There must be some small things. I could not eat my cats, but could I defend them from those that would? Could they be taught to hunt? We are, the lot of us, far too domesticated. We are spoilt. Could I grow enough food on the balcony to support us? In a desert climate, how reasonable is that to ask? Maybe I should try? Small things. Survival things. I need to do small things that Shaun will not notice. He thinks I am crazy. I may well be crazy. I may well always have been, or I was pushed by recent events. Does it matter? Who could I count on in a crisis? Very few here. Power is first to go. Do we have batteries, and back-up batteries enough for those that cannot be charged? I have candles. Do we have water? Do we have a way to cook? So many small things. Things not considered day to day. Food, water, shelter. The basics. We do have those things, but we have so many other things as well. I must pare down more non-essentials and stock up on more essentials. What good will knowledge of cars and computers do when we need food? I need to be able to take care of myself, of Shaun, Jonathan and the cats. They are most important. I know this. Can we hole up here though? In some ways, yes, and more so, in other ways, not so well. Time to clean house again. I feel another shift on the way. I need to commit more of my old writing to my pen drive. If all goes haywire I will still have it all. Pictures, writings, drawings. Our family history. Even Jonathan's school work. Nonsense. Excess, but not worthless. Priceless. I will know it is there. I need to gather my most important jewelry and mementos too. Scan our identification too. I should begin to trade my cash in for fine jewelry, not meant for everyday wear now, that is less obvious now. It will be easier to carry too. Precious stones and metals will always have some value. Yes. It is not normal to think this way. It is good though. I will to survive, and to assist others to do the same. That has to be more noble than begging to be cared for. It must be. It is. I have to live by my own wits or die. I must start now. With the money from this paycheck. Budget. Squirrel away. Plan. Save. Think. Why do I feel it is too late? As if there is so little time left? There is time. I must use it to its fullest however. This question put my mind on so many tracks. All to the same end thought. The feeling that the end, and new beginnings are about to meet. I find I am thinking of those lost to me, cut off for good reason. People I never really got along with, but that taught me the traits that needed to be set aside. Should I thank them for that much? Sure, why not. Is there anyone out here that is really useful in a pinch? I have to be honest.

In 2007, I was still very much recovering from a mental breakdown. Over thinking is probably a fair cause and effect of that breakdown. Do I still feel I need to do some of the things listed in this post? Yes.

I think it is always important to prepare for disaster. Disaster does not have to be a full tilt Zombie Apocalypse, but any sort of power outage, flood, draught, strike of any sort. Did I step away from people who I knew would drag down society if we had to all share limited goods? Yes. The reason was more personal though. People who I could honestly say served little purpose in an emergency situation also were the people who were dragging emotionally and in day to day life. I have grown so much since letting them go.

So, was I crazy in 2007 or was I just clearing the dross in my own special way?

01.10.2008

Saturday, 6PM - 9PM
Over Coffee, 303 Greenway
Free as always! See you there!

The Over Coffee no longer exists, it closed due to the poor economy, and poor location. The free Way Out West Bellydance Shows continue, at a new location. Next Coffee Company (59^th Ave. & Utopia, Peoria) hosts dancers of all levels every third Saturday, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.