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Anytime I find an interesting dip/spread recipe, I flag it. I just so happened to find an interesting spread recipe of Artichoke and White Bean for the February Secret Recipe Club on a blog about Sustainable Cooking for One, http://groundcherry.wordpress.com. She blogs about cooking a mostly gluten free diet for one. A great concept because sometimes you really only need a meal for one. This spread is flavorful, filing and so good on flax crackers or veggies!

 

Artichoke White Bean Spread

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: None!

Serves: 6-8, or 1 with leftovers for the week

 

Ingredients (including my changes)

1 15.5 ounce can artichokes
1 15.5 oz can cannelini beans
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme

 

Directions

Drain beans and rinse.

Drain artichokes, reserving a few tablespoons of the liquid.

Place beans and artichokes in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add the olive oil, thyme, and pulse until combined. Add in 1-3 tablespoons of reserved artichoke liquid until you have the desired consistency.

Serve with veggies, crackers, or spread on some good quality bread.

 

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Good Earth- Roseville

February 5, 2012

Good Earth is one of those Twin Cities restaurants that has been open for 20+ years, serves really great organic food and is always packed. Friday night we went to dinner with a Scott’s family, some family friends and my good friend Stacey. I think we had a party of 10 and we were a tiny bit loud Winking smile We all chatted jobs, trips, wedding, dentistry (Stacey is a dentist and at least once a night she gets a question or two) and food. Thank goodness everyone in Scott’s family loves food too.

A winter focused menu, Stacey had a pear and winter vegetable risotto, Scott had a ginormous bean and vegetable burrito and I had a pomegranate chicken with red quinoa and kale.

 

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All of the food was so delicious! I just had the few leftover bites of my chicken and I am off to nap. This past week was insanely busy with job searching activities and I know this week will be just as crazy. Fingers crossed that an offer comes in later this week or early next. I have had 5 in person interviews, 10 phone interviews and at least 2 more in person next week. Some of my references were called late on Friday and I am staying hopeful that is a good sign… this girl needs to get back to work. I think know I am starting to drive Scott a bit crazy Winking smile

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Jump Around

February 4, 2012

The people who own the big trampoline gyms are really hoping that all those adults want to channel their inner child. Scott and I did a date night to Sky Zone, basically a big warehouse that is filled with huge trampolines.

 

Since this was my first foray into jumping on a trampoline that wasn’t in someone’s back yard I figured it might be wise just to go during an open jump time to try it out. I wasn’t quite ready to sign up for a fitness class yet or playing dodgeball either. But jumping around for an hour was something I thought I could handle.

 

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I was wrong. Really wrong. Jumping around on big trampolines for an hour is really hard work. I was exhausted after 30 minutes and really sore the next day. Who knew Winking smile  I think sometimes you forget how hard you really used to play as a kid. Even though I quickly realized how hard it was I think I want to try the fitness class. I am guessing it would be a really good workout!

{ 6 comments }

I have been lifting weights for almost 10 years. I started at the Rec Center gym at the University of Minnesota, after I graduated I joined Bally’s, and eventually Lifetime Fitness. When I first started lifting weights I looked to magazines like Self, Shape and Fitness for tips but as I progressed I started looking at websites and buying books and experimenting more with my lifting routines. Now that I have almost hit the 10 year mark, I pretty much write my own programs with a little inspiration from websites, books, magazines or blogs by certified trainers. Weight lifting isn’t a fad for me, it is a lifelong program, and I don’t do it for a certain event. I do it for me! I want to live to be strong and healthy.

 

With my routine and schedule solidly figured out I have a list of my weight lifting must haves:

 

  • Gloves, it might be kind of girly but I am using mostly free weights and my hands are really sensitive. I didn’t use gloves initially but after some tore up hands with blisters I quickly went out and bought a pair.

 

Nike Women's Multi Purpose Training Gloves - Dick's Sporting Goods

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  • A small notebook. I write down my program with the exercise and reps to ensure I know what I am doing each day. I have had the same one for almost 3 years! A 5×7 notebook with a plastic cover has worked really well for me.

 

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  • My iPod Nano. I will not work out with out it. I need the distraction and it keeps me motivated.

 

Front view

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  • Books for ideas. A few of my favorites are New Rules of Lifting, New Rules of Lifting for Women, and the Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises.

 

  • Websites like Oxygen, and Bodybuilding.com

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Tortellini and Chicken Sausage Soup

February 2, 2012

40 degrees in January does not really mean cold in Minnesota but it still feels like the kind of weather where you want to curl up with a blanket, watch a movie and eat a steaming bowl of soup. Especially one that takes less than half an hour to make.   Using quick cook ingredients [...]

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Wine Wednesday: Domaine Marion Pral Beaujolais

February 1, 2012

All the excitement from Thanksgiving until January in the wine industry is about Beaujolais. Some of the excitement is good and well, some of it is from those snobs who think it is just too cheap. But that excitement in November is about Beaujolais Nouveau. This is just Beaujolais.   When I was at Swirl [...]

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Foodie Pen Pals

January 31, 2012

January was my first month participating in Foodie Pen Pals and it was so much fun! What’s not to love about getting a fun package of food in the mail from a blog friend? I received my package in mid January and it was the perfect timing. Filled with fun snacks like Cliff Bars, Luna [...]

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Foodie Pen Pals

January 31, 2012

I love getting food related packages in the mail, a chance to try someone’s favorite local item or their snack of choice. Yes please! Lindsey from The Lean Green Bean runs Foodie Penpals. Each month you are matched up with a person to send a $15 box full of goodies to as well as receiving [...]

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Pineapple Salsa Chicken

January 30, 2012

Plain boring chicken? No thanks. Give me something with a little flavor and that is easy to prepare on a weeknight. Enter pineapple salsa chicken, very easy! 3 steps. That’s it. 3 steps, 3 ingredients and you have one dish to clean.       Pineapple Salsa Chicken by A Fit and Spicy Life Prep [...]

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Snowcat

January 29, 2012

I am a Midwestern girl, from growing up in Wisconsin to moving to the land of 10,000 lakes for college; the Midwest is so much of who I am. One of the things that most Minnesotans and Wisconsinites do is snowmobile. Somehow I have managed to go 30+ years without sitting my behind on one. [...]

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