RIP Hula Hoop, but not exercise !

I think I can safely say , after a month of trying, I cannot do the hula hoop. Perhaps it is genetic, perhaps it is something else. A month is long enough to see if a physical action is a match, and I can safely say, this is not it. So I will either find some creative use for the toy or donate it to the Goodwill. Shame on the Wii Fit for making me believe I could at long last work it !

Breakfast was a scrambled egg with baby spinach and mushrooms , sauteed in water and seasoned with dill, garlic and mustard. Scrambling eggs in water makes for something that is a cross between a scrambled and poached egg- different but tasty. A grapefruit accompanied- I found several at our market that were about the same size of a navel orange. Grapefuits have become sweet over the years ! When I was a kid you could only eat them by slicing and sprinkling with sugar. Nowadays they are almost as sweet as oranges, and you can simply peel and eat them. I don't buy them often as I am the only one here who really loves them.

We spent a lot of the morning finding out information on yesterdays earthquake for part of school. Turns out it was 3.8 on the Richter Scale and the epicenter was 11 miles from our home. That's close ! Also it seems that this one was not on a known fault line, so we were investigating the why and how of that. Gotta love impromptu lessons inspired by life !

Lunch was homemade butternut squash soup- carrots, zucchini, celery, onions and squash cooked in almond milk . vegetable stock. nutmeg and cloves for a half hour. Then puree with an immersion blender and add quartered mushrooms and simmer another 30 minutes. Yum Yum !!!! We had a bowl of this with a plate of red pepper hummus and veggies
The soup would have been enough but Dr Furhman makes a big deal about beginning lunch and dinner with a salad so you are satiated and nourished, we have a surplus of these veggies and so ....

After a very enjoyable school day in which math actually made sense ( hooray !!) we got in a session of Wii Sports rowing, and I decided that it might not be a safety hazard getting Nick in an actual rowboat or canoe this summer. He is really getting the hang of steering a boat. Obstacles are actually meant to be avoided- not crashed into and then laugh about !

Dinner began with a salad made from a mix of romaine, baby spinach, mixed baby greens and watercress topped with dried cranberries and sunflower seeds and raspberry vinaigrette. I had forgotten how much I love an assortment of greens for a salad !

Main course was a chicken breast with he skin and bone on, seasoned with a mix of citrus peel, dill, garlic, rosemary and oregano served with roast veggies( broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and onions seasoned with Italian seasoning blend)and served over whole wheat pasta. Once again very yummy ! I love playing with herbs in cooking. I have a very well stocked culinary herb shelf( and another well stocked with medicinal herbs) , and I really love to play with them. Herbs can be a HUGE help in creating dishes that are low in fat, low in salt but high in taste and satisfaction. Many of them on your kitchen shelf have strong antioxidant properties, can help to lower blood pressure, speed healing when you catch a cold, relive rheumatic swellings and even stop a minor tooth ache instantly.They can soften your skin, improve the look of your hair, calm an upset stomach, improve yo0ur memory and more. We should all include them in our cooking !