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The Promised Pies

9 Sep

After living in England for a summer, I had a new found love for a particular portable food: the Cornish pasty. Whoever devised such a great way to use leftovers was certainly a savvy housewife. Tradition claims that the pasty was created as a way for tin miners to eat their lunch without having to return to the surface. A simple device, the pasty is nothing more than dough with a filling inside that’s then folded over, sealed, and baked. The traditional filling includes diced steak, onion, and potatoes, but today’s modern pasties are filled with a variety of sweet and savory options.

In an attempt to be a responsible WLS patient abroad, I limited my pasty eating to a bite here and there to try the various types. After watching a Good Eats episode titled “A Pie in Every Pocket,” and having a craving for a Pop-Tart the other night, I decided it was time to create a WLS-friendly pasty. I modified Alton Brown’s dough to get rid of the simple carbohydrates and add some much needed protein. Here’s what I came up with…

Apple Protein Pasties

Cast of Characters

3.5 oz. whole wheat pastry flour
1.25 oz. soy flour
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
1.25 oz. vegetable shortening
1/3 cup milk (I used skim)
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
1.2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the mixture has the consistency of cornmeal. Add the milk and mix until everything comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead 10-20 times. If it is too sticky to knead, add a small amount of pastry flour.

Roll the dough out to about ½ inch thickness and cut out rounds using a 2 inch biscuit cutter. The dough should yield about ten of them. Roll each round out to about 5-6 inches in diameter and stack them (with wax paper in between) in the refrigerator for at least an hour. I just used some that I made last night, so it does keep overnight as long as it’s covered and cool.

Now it’s time to contemplate filling. I was really hankering for apple-cinnamon so I used some apple pie filling that I canned last fall. I’d recommend using homemade or all-fruit preserves and fillings as often as possible simply because it helps control the sugar content better. You could even use unsweetened applesauce and add some spices for a similar flavor. The possibilities are endless. Replace the vanilla protein powdered with unflavored for savory pies. Try a spoonful of leftover chili or some pizza sauce, cheese and finely diced pepperoni.

Once the dough rounds have chilled, mix together one egg and 2 tsp. of water. This egg wash will help seal the pies and keep them from coming apart in the oven.

Place one heaping spoonful of filling on one half of the round. Do not overfill—it will make a mess in the oven. With your fingertip, paint egg wash around the edges of the same side. Fold over the other half of the dough, pressing gently to remove any excess air. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Using a paring knife or kitchen shears, pierce 3 small vent holes in the top of each pie.

Bake the pies in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them after about 20 because soy flour browns very quickly.


Yum! Each dough round is 125 calories, 5 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, and 7.5 grams of protein. The final product will depend on the filling you choose. With my apple pie filling, the total was about 150 calories. I had one at tea today and warmed it up for a minute in our toaster—it was heavenly. Wrapped in plastic wrap, fruit pies will keep for about a week. Meat pies should be refrigerated. For long-term storage, place the unbaked pies on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once they’re frozen, put them in Ziploc bags and store. They can go straight from the freezer to the oven, but will take slightly longer to cook, maybe about 30 minutes.

So there are the pies, as promised. I hope you have a chance to enjoy making them, because they make a great quick lunch or snack. As for me it’s back to reading for school, so ciao for now friends!

Save Room, (later tonight) There’s Pie!

8 Sep

Hello all! Sorry for the hiatus. Last week was the first real week of graduate classes. I’m still trying to master the balance between working during the day and taking some time in the evenings to check in on my class discussion boards. I’d prefer to make my schedule somewhat regimented, but I don’t want to over think it at the same time. At any rate, this semester is somewhat of an experiment, and hopefully I’ll learn what I can and can’t handle in terms of a workload.

This weekend was full of good things. Saturday night we went to Wolftrap to see Les Miserables with Joe’s parents. Fortunately, the remnants of hurricane Hanna dissipated in time for the performance (it was at an outdoor pavilion) and we ended up with perfect evening weather.

The production itself was very good. Les Mis is one of my favorite shows, so there were lots of particular scenes/songs that I was looking forward to. The cast did not disappoint. The gentlemen playing Valjean and Javert had near-perfect antagonistic chemistry. Vocal-wise, I felt the strongest players were the actors portraying Valjean, Javert, Enjolras, and (surprisingly) Marius. I’m not usually a fan of Marius’ character as the love-struck student. If an actor isn’t careful, the role can come off as fickle (in my opinion), but that wasn’t the case. In fact, the song in which he eulogizes his friends, “Empty Chairs At Empty Tables” was my favorite solo vocal performance of the evening. As for ensemble numbers, they were all well done, but “Do You Hear the People Sing?” and “One Day More” were outstanding. They’re both those kind of big ensemble numbers that get your adrenaline going.

Going to the theatre is somewhat bittersweet for me at times, and Saturday night was no different. There is still a part of me that wishes I’d stuck it out as a theatre major and tried to make my name in New York City. I miss performing a lot, and hearing the songs that I used to sing in voice class makes me nostalgic for it. Saturday night particularly made me remember performing “At the End of the Day” (another Les Mis ensemble number) with my group voice class when I was about 13 years old. I couldn’t help but smile when I thought about that group of people. It still makes me chuckle remembering that we only had one boy in the class, so he and I always ended up singing tenor in the group numbers to balance out the sopranos.

Thinking about that in conjunction with what I’ve been learning in my Information and Society class really helped me to get a better grasp on the concept of how things link together through a common thread. As humans, we categorize and organize facets of our lives in order to create better wayfinding methods. By wayfinding, I mean the things we use, know, and do in order to get from one place to another. For instance, the Folger’s main webpage has many links to the various current exhibits, publications, and visitor information. Each of those subpages has links to more specific subpages and a link back to the main page. In navigating those links (like watching road signs) we essentially follow a path that leads to the information we seek.

Now, what does this have to do with thinking about my past theatre experience? Well, haven’t you ever gotten lost in your thoughts, or had a conversation go off on a tangent only to step back and think, “Wait, how did I/we get here?” In my case, thinking about that group performance made me realize how much the Pittsburgh CLO became the “main page” that “linked” me to many of my future theatre endeavors. It was someone in that group of people that told me about CLO’s choir, which I joined and performed with for a while. Then, someone in the choir told me about auditions for Bye Bye Birdie, which I went to and ended up performing in the following summer. That experience led me to finally taking private voice lessons…and so on and so forth. It wasn’t until after I’d followed the path to the end of high school that I realized I was doing a sort of historical wayfinding to understand how I’d ended up where I was.

And to be honest, it made me feel better. It made me remember why I’d made the decision to pursue English as a major in college and why I’d decided that the performance life wasn’t for me. I still felt the happy nostalgia, but the lingering pang of regret was gone. Finding the information I sought brought resolution, as does any fruitful research (hopefully).

Once again, I find myself thrilled to have this blog. Now writing here is even keeping me thinking about the concepts I’m learning in school. Since I haven’t updated in so long, I decided that I’d make something extra special and tasty to share. Unfortunately, the pictures are at home, so you’ll have to wait just a little longer. Like the title says, “Save Room, (later tonight) There’s Pie!” and tonight I promise to post a recipe for Apple Pocket Pies that I promise is delicious and full of whole grains and protein.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and that your Monday isn’t too terrifying. Ciao for now!

A Bowl of Goodness and a Great Team

29 Aug

Howdy folks! It’s been a very busy week here with school starting, but I’ve still had some time to play in the test kitchen as well as draft another great (in my humble opinion) fantasy football team.

If you liked my Chicken, Greens, and Beans Soup, you’ll probably really like this one too. I really needed to clean out my fridge, so I just used what was hanging around. To be honest, that’s one of the best ways to make a great soup. Leftovers can become something awesome. Without further ado, here’s Shrimp Veggie Bean Soup for your enjoyment.

Cast of Characters

16 oz. peeled, deveined raw shrimp

3 cups baby spinach

8 oz. diced mushrooms

3 slices pre-cooked bacon

1 head of broccoli, chopped

3 green onions, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

4 cups of vegetable broth

16 oz. canned diced tomatoes

16 oz. can of navy beans

16 oz. can of great northern beans

Begin by heating 1-2tbsp. olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat and sautéing the mushrooms and garlic. When the mushrooms have given up some juices, add the green onion, bacon, and broccoli. Sautee everything over medium-high heat until the vegetables are just tender.

Add the vegetable broth, beans, and diced tomatoes and allow the soup to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add the spinach one cup at a time, allowing each addition to wilt slightly before adding the next. Allow the soup to simmer for 2-3 minutes and then finally add the shrimp. Once the shrimp turn opaque (2-3 minutes) the soup is done! Serve alongside warm bread or parmesan crackers (for you carb watchers).

The recipe makes nine 1 cup serving with each one containing 133 calories, 2 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, and 17 grams of protein. Mangia, mangia!

It’s been a very soup-y week. Between the chicken soup, shrimp soup, and a batch of turkey chili, I’ve been eating comfort food for nearly every meal (not that I’m complaining). It’s really helped to have those dishes frozen and ready to go anytime.

It’s going to sound weird, but I really like to have the chicken soup for breakfast. I really can’t pass up a day-starting meal with so much protein. It energizes me and allows me to work more effectively and efficiently. Sometimes, I stop at a café near my work for a bottle of water in the morning and it can be really hard to ignore all of their delicious looking pastries. It’s less hard when I know I have something that’s tastier to look forward to enjoying.

So other than being a soup-making machine this week, I’ve spent most of my time getting a feel for my classes. Monday night however, we finally got to have our fantasy football draft and I think it went really well. Judge for yourself:

Starters

QB: Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia

WR: Marques Colston, New Orleans

WR: Calvin Johnson, Detroit

WR: Hines Ward, Pittsburgh (I know, a total homer pick.)

RB: Steven Jackson, St. Louis

RB: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville

TE: Chris Cooley, Washington

K: Nate Kaeding, San Diego

D: Chicago

On the bench:

QB: Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay

WR: Patrick Crayton, Dallas

RB: Selvin Young, Denver

TE: Alge Crumpler, Tennessee

K: Phil Dawson, Cleveland (EW. Cleveland.)

D: Tennessee

I was much more vigilant about watching bye weeks this time around. I won’t have such a huge hole in this league’s team during one week. It looks like it’s going to be a really competitive one this year—everyone seemed really pumped up during the draft. The season opens next Thursday, so it’s about time to get excited!

Alright, well I’m off to watch some preseason football and maybe catch a bit of Sen. Obama’s speech at the DNC later (if our antennae can pick up the local station carrying it). I took tomorrow off, so I’m getting my holiday started early. I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend! I look forward to sharing any delicious creations or fun stories that come out of mine.

Ciao for now, friends!

Classes, Banapples, and Football (oh my!)

21 Aug

Yesterday was a very productive day. I finished the assignments for my first graduate course. Granted, it was a one-credit class to prepare for online learning, but it still brings me one credit closer to being a librarian. I also had an online orientation via the Elluminate platform last night. It just amazes me how far technology has come. Elluminate is as close to being in a real-live classroom as it gets. We had discussions via chat and microphone, and learned how to use all of the application’s functions. Any action you might have in a live classroom (raising your hand, writing on the board, taking a poll, splitting into groups…etc.) is available via on-screen buttons. Applications and presentations can be shared, and moderators can provide “web tours” if they want to explore a website with the class. Some professors also use it to host virtual office hours. Finally, there’s a “drop-in center” where students can chat with one another and practice using the various techniques. I imagine it will really come in handy for meetings when working on group projects. I’m very excited for the coming semester.

Aside from getting a head start on classes and orientation, it was also a successful day of trying new foods and baking. I tried roasted-salted edamame for the first time today. They’re just roasted soybeans, but have a nutty, almost peanut-like flavor. A ¼ cup is 130 calories and 14 grams of protein. They taste like they’d be a fantastic salad topper or trail mix ingredient. I may add some to the leftover steamed shrimp and broccoli I had for dinner and eat it cold for lunch tomorrow

While at the market, I also picked up some apple chips to make a fruity protein bar which I’ve dubbed “the banapple-nut bar.” They came out great and had a texture similar to my apple-cake bars. Here’s the recipe and method for those interested:

Banapple Nut Protein Bars

¼ cup soy flour
¼ cup almond flour (just grind blanched almonds to a cornmeal consistency)
1 packet kashi honey-cinnamon 7 grain hot cereal
2 scoops of vanilla protein powder (or about 60g)
½ tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
2 ½ tbsp. SF cinnamon syrup (hazelnut or caramel would be fine too)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg white
2 tbsp. cashew-macadamia butter
2 tbsp. chopped pecans
¼ cup banana chips, chopped
¼ cup apple chips, chopped
1 tbsp. apple butter (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, soy flour, ½ of the packed of kashi, ½ of the protein powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the cinnamon syrup and mix well until everything is slightly wet. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white and nut butter until smooth. Add that mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Finally, add the other ½ of the kashi packet, protein powder, pecans, banana chips, and apple chips. Mix well until a sticky batter forms.

Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper or greased aluminum foil. Grease or lightly wet your hands and pat the batter into the pan evenly. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. As soon as the pan comes out of the oven, drizzle on the apple butter and spread it evenly. It will melt slightly and create a thin glaze. When cool, remove the bars from the pan and cut into 6 equal pieces.

Nutrition facts: 172 calories, 11 grams of fat, 14 grams of carbohydrates, and 10 grams of protein.

If you’re concerned about fat, you can replace the nut butter with some applesauce or mashed banana and/or nix the chopped pecans. If you still want a nutty flavor without adding too much fat, try using PB2 in place of the nut butter. Keep in mind, however, that the fats in nuts are monounsaturated and have been shown to lower levels of bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease when eaten in moderate amounts (reference: Mayo Clinic website). Walnuts and flaxseeds in particular contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which are even better for heart health.

If Little Red Riding Hood’s granny had me for a grandchild, I can assure you that she would have chased that wolf out of her house lickety-split. That’s because I would have brought this:

This is my goody basket. It’s where I keep my protein and vitamin rich snacks so that I can grab one or two and get out the door quickly in the morning. As much as I love making my own protein bars, there are some flavors that I simply haven’t mastered yet. I usually have Kashi Chocolate-Peanut and Cinnamon Coffee Cake Protein-Fiber bars on hand, as well as some of the South Beach Peanut Butter or Cinnamon Raisin Protein Cereal bars. South Beach does make “meal bars,” but they’re high in sugar alcohols which I tend not to tolerate. Also packed in my basket are a batch of my chocolate vita-cupcakes and a batch of my new banapple nut bars. Granny would have been power-packed and ready to lay the beat-down on any nasty wolf that came her way.

Keeping healthy foods in high supply is crucial to balanced eating. Without that basket, I’d be scrambling around the kitchen in the morning trying to find things to throw together that are high protein, high iron, and just all around good for me. Take the time to prepare things for yourself in advance and it’ll make eating well significantly easier. Most soups freeze very well, so I try to make a large pot, let it cool slightly, and then put it in single-serving containers in the freezer. I take one out in the morning, toss it in my bag, and by lunch it’s thawed enough to get nice and toasty after about a minute and a half in the microwave. I’m currently eating my way through a batch of cauliflower-cheese-chicken chowder.

The reason I’m focusing on this so much now is that I know once classes get into full swing, I’ll have a lot of other things on my mind. With a good meal plan in place, there’s one less thing to worry about.

In other news, I have my first fantasy football draft of the season today. Joe and I joined a league with a bunch of people from a forum that we frequent. I’ve got some lists made, but I want to narrow a few more things down and check injury reports one more time. I’ll post my roster here tonight or tomorrow for anyone who’s interested.

That’s all for now. It’s almost the weekend, so “Just keep swimming,” as Dory said so many times in Finding Nemo. Think positive and have a wonderful Thursday everyone. Ciao!

The Happiest Cupcake

20 Aug

This is a very happy cupcake:

I tried some Deep Chocolate Vitamuffins over the weekend and really liked them. The chocolate flavor was neither fakey or overly sweet. I even took them to a get together at a friend’s house and they got rave reviews. Last night I had an epiphany and realized that not only was there a possibility of making them taste even better, I could even improve their nutrition in the process.

Here’s a warm batch of my Vita-Protein Cupcakes with the necessary ingredients in the background.

Cast of Characters:

1 box Deep Chocolate Vitamuffin Mix
2 scoops whey chocolate protein powder (I usedLean Dessert Chocolate Fudge)
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Not pictured: 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 1/4 cups of water as called for in Vitamuffin mix recipe. ***NOTE: To reduce the sugar content of this recipe, use sugar-free chocolate chips or skip them altogether. The cakes still taste great!***

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit

Begin by mixing the egg whites and water together in a large bowl. Add the protein powder, muffin mix, chocolate chips, and baking powder. Mix everything until thoroughly combined. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cups and coat them with non-stick spray. Spoon the batter equally into the cups. It will take about 3.5 tablespoons per muffin. Bake for 23-27 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly poked with a finger. Don’t overcook them or they’ll dry out.

They’ll look like this when they come out:

They’re absolutely wonderful as-is, but if you want frosting (who doesn’t?) here’s an easy recipe for a good frosting that keeps well stored in the fridge.

Combine 1 oz. light cream cheese, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. cocoa powder, and 1/2 of a small package of sugar-free chocolate pudding powder in a food processor. While processing, slowly add milk until the frosting reaches the consistency you like. I used about 1/4 cup of skim milk in mine. If you want a fluffier frosting, fold in a few spoonfuls of cool-whip free. Personally, I like my frosting thick and creamy. Tonight, I also added a pinch of unsweetened coconut to the top of one.

Generally, I leave the frosting in the fridge in a small plastic container and only frost a cake just before eating it (or packing it for a post-lunch dessert!). That way, I can have different flavors if I’m not in the mood for all chocolate. For instance, you could try butterscotch or cheesecake pudding mix instead of the chocolate. Or, nix the pudding mix all together and replace it with some all-fruit preserves. I bet a strawberry-cream cheese frosting would be great!

The final (and very delicious) verdict: Each cupcake is 122 calories (about 130 with frosting), contains 2 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein. They also provide 50% of the recommended allowances for vitamins A, C, D, E, B-6, B-12 and 50% of recommended allowances for iron and zinc.

Now you have an excuse to eat a cupcake for breakfast (or any other time for that matter). How awesome is that? It’s certainly the happiest and healthiest cupcake that’s ever been in MY kitchen. Anyway, I hope you get a chance to try them and that you enjoy them as much as I do.

That’s all for now, friends. Mangia bene!

Iron (wo)Man!

15 Aug

No, I’m not talking about the Black Sabbath song or the awesome movie with Robert Downey Jr. I’m talking about the joys of pumping one’s body so full of iron that it has no choice but to absorb at least some of it!

 

 

First of all, let me explain why iron is so important. Low iron levels result in decreased incorporation of hemoglobin into the red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to various important parts of the body, thus an iron deficiency results in a lack of oxygen in the blood (oh no!). That deficiency can result in concentration problems, brittle fingernails, pallid skin, cold intolerance, headaches, and tiredness.

 

 

So now you’re wondering, “Oh God, how do I know if I’m deficient??” Well it’s simple. Have a doctor take some blood and look at your hematocrit, ferritin, iron, and transferrin saturation.

 

 

Hematocrit- The percentage of red blood cells which make up your blood. (Normal is 45-62% in men and 37-48% in women)

 

 

Ferritin- The protein that carries iron around in the blood. (Normal is 12-300ng/mL in men and 12-150ng/mL in women)

 

 

Iron- A mineral needed to incorporate hemoglobin into red blood cells. (Normal is 75-175 in men and 65-165 in women)

 

 

Transferrin is the glycoprotein that iron is bound to in the bloodstream. The saturation is the percentage of transferring binding sites which are filled. (Normal is 20-45%)

 

 

My levels at my last blood test (which I mentioned in an earlier post) were…*drumroll*

 

Hematocrit: 25%, Ferritin: 1, Iron: 9, and Transferrin saturation: 2%.

 

 

Problematic, eh? So, aside from starting a low-dose iron supplement, it’s very important to get more absorbable iron in my diet. Well, I already love red meat with every beat of my heart, and I love spinach and broccoli. But that would get really boring after awhile, so I did some research.

Blackstrap molasses are wonderful in cookies, gingerbread, and bran muffins. They also contain a whopping 13% of your daily iron in a mere 2tsp.

One package of these delicious baby clams contains 90% of your daily iron. What do you do with a packet of clams? Personally, I just like to eat them, but white-wine clam sauce can go over just about any vegetable or pasta, and alternatively you could bread and fry them in a bit of oil. If you’re a New Englander, I know you appreciate the joy of a delicious clam roll. Clams also make a great dip mixed with some low fat cream cheese and herbs.

If you like cereal, grabbing a serving of any variety of Total provides 100% of your daily iron. There are a bunch of different varieties now, but I really like the cinnamon-crunch. It reminds me of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, only slightly less sweet. If you think whole-wheat cereal is gross (I like it!), crush up some Total flakes and use them in a batch of muffins. It adds a ton of iron and whole grains.

If you read my blog regularly, you’ll know that I love red lentils as a replacement for meat in a meat loaf. Lentils are not only loaded with protein and fiber, but 1/4 cup uncooked accounts for 15% of your daily iron requirement.

 

 

Those are just some of my favorite iron-rich foods. Other good ones are shrimp, dark meat poultry, mussels, liver, beans, pumpkin seeds, and potatoes with skin.

 

 

These foods help your body absorb iron: Oranges and other citrus, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, potatoes, green/red peppers, and white wine. Unfortunately, red wine will block iron absorption because of the tannins, as will caffeine and sweet potatoes.

 

Once again, it’s all about being creative with what you eat and managing calories wisely. I cannot recommend journaling your food enough. Not only will it help weight-loss, programs like Fitday also allow you to run reports to find out what vitamins/nutrients you need to get into your diet. Give it a shot sometime.

 

 

Oh, and I forgot—not that this has much to do with iron, but here’s brilliant creation of the day: Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

 

 

One 24oz. container of vanilla yogurt (I was making this for Joe, so I didn’t use low-sugar, but it would work just as well)

 

½ of a small package of sugar-free fat-free vanilla pudding mix

 

1-2 tbsp. fructose (you could use splenda or even a sugar free syrup)

 

1.5 tsp. vanilla extract

 

 

Mix it all together and toss it in an ice cream maker. Thirty minutes later you’ll have some very delicious, sweet/tangy, and fairly healthy vanilla frozen yogurt.

 

 

In other news, I’ve had a Wii Fit injury! Who even thought that it was possible to hurt yourself with a video game?? Here’s what I posted on OH today:

 

“I love yoga. But I’ve never been very brave about it. Sure I’ll do the poses on one foot or something, but things that require going upside down I always just thought I could never do. Too fat, too inflexible, right Neen?

Well, last night I finally got the courage to try a shoulder stand, which is this…

Much to my surprise, I was able to do it and hold it for about 30-40 seconds. I kept telling myself to engage my abdominals and support my lower back. I concentrated on pushing the energy up through my feet and it was just amazing. There was no one there to see it, but I wanted to call everyone I knew. I almost called down my boyfriend to take a picture…lol

I had another “wow” moment this morning.

When I went to CVS and bought a lower back brace in a small-medium because I continued to do yoga after being very tired out from that pose and left my lower back screaming in pain.

Moral of the story: I am awesomely stubborn, and don’t do yoga when you’re overtired.”

Thankfully, my physician only laughed at me for a moment before giving me something for the pain. How very kind of her.

 

 

That’s all for today. I hope everyone has a marvelous weekend. It’s Restaurant Week here in D.C. and Joe and I will be dining at Dino’s tomorrow night. I will most certainly post a trip report. Other than that, it’s another weekend of pre-season football and Olympics! Yay!

 

 

Ciao for now!

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