SD, I Am Ready
25 Wed, 2010 § 3 Comments
We leave for San Diego tomorrow, & I could not be more excited! I have been resisting the urge to pack for weeks! FINALLY, this week has been all about preparing for our trip.
To keep fueled & feeling my best for SD, I have been pushing especially hard while working out & making meals that keep me feeling light & energized.
I have been trying to stick to only fruit in the mornings for a couple weeks now. Terry Walter’s Fruit Soup has been great for a nice pre-workout boost of energy. Its combination of carrot juice, cantaloupe, mango & peaches is chock full of nutrients, & ground clove enhances the refreshing flavor. I also had ginger added to the fresh carrot juice. I am really enjoying this end-of-summer-bounty-in-a-bowl, garnished with champagne grapes; the hint of spices offers just a touch of warmth — perfect for these mornings that are becoming cooler.
I have also been devouring variations of fresh salads [piled high with sprouts Dave surprised me with] as well as Green Monsters. I finally found a real juice bar in SLC! The Blue Star. Yesterday, as a post-climbing treat, I was delighted with a juice combination of romaine, bok choy, celery & watermelon. Yum!
I will definitely make a Green Monster as pre flight fuel tomorrow & squeeze in interval training [our flight is not until 8:45am] before leaving. Exercising makes travel much more comfortable; stimulating my muscles & blood flow should make the flight more tolerable.
Even though it is only a short flight, because I eat a small meal or snack every couple hours, packing a few goods for the plane is a must: peaches, tea for an upset tummy & homemade Quinoa Granola will fill my carry-on [the only bag I am taking – yay].
My variation of Ashley’s original, amazingly creative, Granola.
- Preheat oven to 375*F
~ Bring to boil & simmer about 15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed:
- 1 C Quinoa, rinsed well [I used a combination of red & white]
- 1 Can light Coconut Milk
- 5 Cinnamon sticks [1 tsp]
- 2 tsp Vanilla
~ While quinoa simmers, combine:
- ½ C Almonds, chopped
- ½ C Cashews, chopped
- 2 T Chia Seeds
- ¼ C ground Flaxseeds
- 1 T Sesame Seeds
- Sea Salt
~ In a mixing bowl, add nut/seed mixture to cooked Quinoa.
~ Stir together:
- 2 T Brown Rice Syrup
- 1 T Maple Syrup
- 1 T Coconut Oil
~ Pour over Quinoa Mixture & mix well.
~ Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
~ Bake until golden brown & almost completely dried out, ~1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
~ About halfway through baking, I sprinkled & pressed 1/2 C dried Cherries into the granola.
~ I also reduced the temperature to 325* because it was browning too quickly.
~ Allow the granola to cool completely, before storing in an airtight container, to prevent it from going mushy.
~ I dusted a substantial amount of cinnamon over the granola before storing [I keep it in the fridge but do not think this is necessary].
In an old Yoga Journal issue, I found an amazing post flight sequence to help “get us grounded & enjoy our destination”. It will be perfect while waiting for Dave’s sister, Christine. I am anxious to enhance my practice, exploring new yoga classes & instructors, while in SD.
Did I mention we are going to a Padres’ game?! Baseball is my favorite sport to watch. Really.
Also, we will be bouldering on the beach. Aw.
We may never come back! 🙂
~
Any tips or tricks for traveling & flying?
Dave & I will also be having a Friday date night, just the two of us, if anyone has suggestions. [We have never been to SD.]
I need to give that granola another try. Glad you put your own spin on it and liked it!! Good luck in SD!
We have been having such a great time, & I can’t believe we still have a couple days left!
The dried fruit is key for me. I think we have similar tastes–I often find things too sweet–so I liked keeping the sweeteners to a minimum, but adding the cherries gave it just a little pop of additional sweetness & happiness. I didn’t change much of the granola–basically just threw in some of your suggestions. Right on as always 😉
I hope moving is going well.
Or, I should have said…have fun in SD..hehe…good luck w/your yoga practice 😉