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I have been doing a lot of running lately. More than usual because I am training for a St. Patrick's Day half marathon. My long run days are now 8-10 mile runs and, for that distance, I sometimes need a little energy boost in the middle. I have used gel packets (like this) in the past but I get burned out on those really quickly and I'm ready for something new. For the past few long runs I have
Making popcorn that doesn't come from the microwave is not supposed to be hard. The other day I put a little coconut oil in my stovetop popper and started to make popcorn like I always do. The oil, instead of just getting hot and popping the corn, started smoking like crazy and burned the corn kernels to a crisp. I do not know why. Maybe my coconut oil (a brand I don't normally buy) had more cocon
I posted a picture of this miso soup on Instagram today and drove all of my friends and family crazy because I didn't share the recipe along with it. So, before I get any hate mail, here it is! The miso and shiitake mushrooms are good for fighting off the sniffles that seem to be everywhere right now. Enjoy! Miso Soup With Soba Noodles (Lightly adapted from Whole Living Magazine, Feb 20
I read an article a little while back that claimed that there are two kinds of people: those that thrive on variety and crave novelty, and those that prefer the predictability and comfort of the same routine day after day. While I tend to get bored very easily, I do stick to routines for the more practical parts of life. Like grocery shopping, for example! I know which stores have the items on my
I know I promised you guys this recipe awhile ago and I know that fancy holiday meals have passed, however, this is a keeper! One of my very favorite restaurants recently went out of business. I was so sad to hear that I would no longer be able to go there but I was happy to know that, in the midst of things closing due to financial woes, this was because the owners had decided to retire. This
My house is really quiet right now and there is a light rain falling outside. I'll be honest, it doesn't suck! Over the past few months life seems to have gotten busier. Not overtly but more in a things-are-leaking-in-from-all-sides sort of way. The little blocks of time I have for myself seem to have shrunken or, rather, are filled with things that feel more consuming than enriching. Bouncing
Yesterday morning, just before the sun came up, we had a mini storm. It was just a little rain. Just a little thunder and lightening. Just enough to make everything smell fresh for just a little while. I knew it wouldn't last and I knew that it would still be 90+ degrees later on, but I was still tempted to put on a fuzzy sweater. For now, the forecast remains steady at 90-something degrees for
Summer will still be with us for another few weeks but fall seems to arrive in spirit a little earlier than in date. My kids are back in school and I'm doing my best to stay organized and remember who needs to be where and when. It is still 95 degrees outside but I can see that the leaves are already turning yellow. When I run early in the morning, I can hear that the morning breeze sounds d
We had a great time tent camping in Big Sur, California at the end of June. Here are a few images from our trip! Getting ready... All set up at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park: Fireside: Attack of the marshmallows! Hiking the Big Sur River: and Pfeiffer Falls: A windy beach day at Andrew Molara State Park: Our last stop
Hello! I have officially survived the first full week of summer vacation and I feel like things are going well. I am even discovering new things about my kids- like that they both love bowling! Who knew?! One concern that I had this season was about how I was going to manage finding enough time alone to get my workouts in. After considering my options- either take the kids to the gym
I am in the process of getting organized for summer and, as a part of this giant undertaking, I have been trying to make meal planning a little bit easier for myself. I am not really all that control-freaky about it now, but I would like to be a bit more organized with my sources of inspiration (cookbooks, websites, emails from friends' recipe exchanges...) Today I sorted through an old e
Wow, it has been awhile since I have written a blog post! There isn't an unusual reason for my disappearance. I've simply been swallowed up in the routine of my life at the moment. I have very little time alone to focus on anything creative (or to do any one of about 500 items on a list of things that require any amount of concentration or aloneness...including writing this post, which took three
Last week was spring break for us and we were on a week-long RV trip along the coast of Northern California and inland in Southern Oregon. Despite cold temperatures and a couple of rainy days, we managed to see several beautiful places and even take a couple of small hikes in the majestic redwoods near Jedediah Smith State Park. Headed west through greener-than-green rolling hills: Fort
I have not always been able to cook well. When I first moved out on my own I was completely lost in the kitchen. I would frequently wrap white rice and cheese in a tortilla and microwave it for dinner. Sometimes my roommate and I would make tater tots. Sometimes we would make a weird noodle and lettuce combo that we called "pasta salad". Eek. A few years later, my mom sent me a gift subscriptio
February was a bit of a rough month at our house. My kids were both sick with a cold and a cough and then I came down with bronchitis, a sinus infection, and an ear infection. I didn't even know that grown-ups could get ear infections! Just when I thought we were all getting back to normal, our family started falling on-by-one to the stomach flu. Somehow I escaped that part. It could have been
I wanted to let you guys know that Jodi passed away on Saturday morning. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers and remember to be kind, be generous, and be wonderful. Love to you sweet Jodi! xoxo
I graduated from college in 1996. As my fellow graduates and I moved on and out into the world and our new lives, I think that we all wondered at least a little bit about how it would go for our peers. Where would they find work? Where would they settle? What doesn't cross your mind in your invincible 20s is the possibility that your life may be impacted by things so much bigger than job
A couple of weeks ago I promised to post a recipe for a veggie rice bowl. This recipe comes together fairly quickly and tastes great- the fresh ginger is a highlight. Enjoy! Quick and Easy Veggie Rice Bowl Makes 2-3 generous servings Olive oil 1/2 package (8 ounces) firm tofu (not silken), cubed Teriyaki sauce (I like Trader Joe's "Island Soyaki") 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (about 1
I am a regular contributor to Yogamint.com and have a couple of new recipes on the site to share with you. These are both delicious and comforting winter foods - enjoy! Creamy Cauliflower Gratin This creamy (and surprisingly vegan!) gratin is great as a main course or can be served as a side dish. Tangerine Breakfast Cake Despite being low in fat and sugar this cake is so yummy that ki
We have been doing a lot of celebrating at our house. From the holidays straight into some family festivities, including an anniversary and a birthday. Much cake has been consumed. Like a lot of cake. I cannot resist cake. Can. Not. At times like this I start to get a little antsy in the back of my mind. I start making lists titled "Back on Track" and "Goals for Next Week" just to gain some sem
My six year old loves to do art projects. He uses markers and scissors and glue to create custom "surprises" for family and friends. He would rather do this than just about anything else. The other day he asked me, "Mommy, what do you like?" I told him that I like lots of things like hiking and flowers and the beach. A little while later he brought me a tiny package, about the size of a kidn
Here are two recent sightings of Get Natured out in the wild! Freeplay is a new local magazine for female endurance athletes in my city. I wrote the article entitled "Healthy Snacking 101" on page 10. You can read it here (flip to page 10 by using the right arrow)! Also, my article "Running lessons" was featured on the Top 9 for the dailybuzz healthy LIVING site, here. Woohoo!
My sinuses are irritated and my throat is scratchy. I'm not full-blown sick, just a little off of normal and feeling tired. I did get my run in this morning, though, and that takes care of half of the problem. The half that turns me inside out and upside down when the mornings are dark and the grass is frosted over. When I run, I get into my groove by the middle of the first song on my playlist an
In the crazy sneaky way that it does, the new year has arrived. The holiday rush is over and we are getting reorganized and settling back into a routine that requires alarm clocks and rushed breakfasts. I am optimistic about 2012, though. I can't resist the feeling of a fresh start and the temptation to plan. I used to wonder if there was a point to all of my planning but now I know that I get a l
Congratulations to Dyanne! She won five coupons to try Nasoya products for FREE and a Nasoya t-shirt! Dyanne- Please send your contact info (email and mailing address) to me at getnatured@gmail.com. Thank you to everyone who commented and happy holidays to all!
This spicy soup is exactly what I crave in between the fall and winter holidays. The heat is just enough to fight off the cold of a winter night and the noodles make for a nourishing and healthy comfort food. Love! The soup began as this green curry broth recipe from 101 Cookbooks. I made a few small changes to the recipe: added shiitake mushrooms, omitted the corn, and used Nasoya J
So here's the thing about December- sometimes it makes us a little squishy (and I don't mean from eating too many cookies, although that is certainly a possibility too). It is cold outside and it gets dark before dinner. Our friends are sharing their holiday joy on Facebook and all the images painted in our minds by Christmas songs and movies can make us feel like we're doing it all wrong. We
I realize that I'm a bit behind with my Thanksgiving recap here, but my week was about so much more than food and I want to share the highlights from all the deep down good stuff! My husband and kids were off of work and school all last week. Since we were hosting Thanksgiving at our house with family due to arrive on Wednesday, we decided to spend the first part of the week having a little fam
