Go With the Flow

flow /flō/ n. the mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.  Have you ever known someone to say "I was so busy today, that I forgot to have lunch." ? I always wanted to punch those people and tell them they were full of shit. I mean jeez! I am thinking about lunch perhaps while I am having breakfast. Then one day it happened to me. Once I learned about "flow", I understood.

As stated above, flow is achieved when you are soooo involved at what you are doing, that time and everything else for that matter, become irrelevant. I learned this recently when I was spending a weekend cleaning out the garage. I started at around 10AM and was doing a DEEP cleaning and purge to make room for a car. This was a foreign concept in our house for years. A car in the garage?   Foolishness! Around 4PM I realized that I hadn't had lunch. I wasn't hungry. Honestly I don't know what hunger feels like. My fat stores could feed an island nation for more than a week. It was then I understood flow. I was so into what I was doing that I wasn't thinking of food. The flow silenced the devil on my shoulder.

I have come to realize increasing those moments of flow is essential to staying on track and silencing the devil. So find what gets your proverbial juices flowing. Find what you can get immersed in and do it. It is not only what will make you happier, but what will keep you from being "hungry".   I guess idle hands are the devils' work. Especially that one whispering in your ear "french fries", "Snickers bar".

What I ate today:

Breakfast ~ Kashi Island Vanilla cereal w/Vanilla Almond Silk and 1 banana

Lunch ~ Un-turkey salad sandwich (I love these things) and a bowl of home made Brussels sprout soup

Dinner ~ A big bowl (actual picture above) of hearty minestrone soup w/whole wheat fusilli. Recipe below

Dessert ~ A mug of decaf w/2Tbs 1/2 & 1/2

The wife just brought me some carrots with hummus, while writing this and watching the Grammys.

I cannot wait until weigh in tomorrow. I have seldom been so true to and excited about something as I am in this project.

Cya tomorrow with the weigh-in results,

M

Hearty Minestrone:  (Inspired by Cooking Vegetarian by Melina/Forest)

4 cups vegetable stock

1 Tbs EVOO

1 cup 1/2 inch diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

1/2 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 14.5oz can of crushed tomatoes

2 cups diced fresh tomatoes (sub canned if you like)

1 cup water

3 Tbs tomato paste

1 tsp dried basil

1.5 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 cup zucchini sliced 1/4 inch bite sized pieces

1 cup kale sliced into roughly 1/4 inch ribbons

1 cup green cabbage sliced roughly 1/4 inch ribbons

1/2 14.5oz can of canellini beans, rinsed

1/2 14.5oz can of chick peas, rinsed

3-4 large leaves basil, sliced in thin ribbons

Optional are 1 cup potato cut into 1/4 inch dice or a whole wheat pasta upon serving.

Over medium-high heat in a large stock pot, heat oil and add carrots, celery, garlic and onions. Cooked for 5 minutes stirring often so they do not brown. Add tomato paste, dried basil, oregano, celery seed, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 more minutes stirring often. The mixture should be very aromatic and tomatoey. Add stock, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, water, and potatoes if included. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 18 minutes. Add kale and cabbage. Simmer for 2-3 minutes then add zucchini,beans and chick peas (You can use any legumes you like).  Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes longer, adjust seasoning to taste and enjoy . I like mine with more fresh basil and some grated parmigiana cheese on top.