Faith's Kitchen: Damage Control: Rain, Recovery and Reviving back into Reality

Happy Monday!

So you've got yourself on a roll, so to speak, on track and feeling good! Everything in moderation, seeing results and feeling inspired to continue ... and then it happens (dun dun dun) a crazy, sporadic, unplanned weekend of loves, laughs and living! Oh gasp, what to do??

Here's a thought: Enjoy it!

Obviously life isn't all about indulgence or the party, if it were we wouldn't have jobs, or gyms or therapists - wait a minute that sounds fantastic! On the other hand, it isn't all about getting ahead, aquiring assets or moving up the social ladder, if it were we wouldn't have bars, impulse shopping websites or stock options - hey that sounds pretty great too! All joking aside, life is about give and take and when all you do is give, you end up with nothing left. That said, when all you do is take, that which you take from will eventually wither up leaving you with nothing. This is true in all things, including love, learning and most of all living.

I am recovering from a weekend of goodness, its Monday and I woke up late and a little tired. The rain didn't really help, a rainy Monday is quite possibly one of the worst ways to set a tone for the week in my opinion. I can't complain too much, as I spent Sunday planting flowers, bulbs and seeds in the garden so that rain was actually a much appreciated gift, well it was appreicated once I was up and had my first cup of coffee.

I took pleasure in a weekend of laughter and loved ones, Friday night with a girlfriend and a bottle (or two) of good red wine. A little more than moderation would call for, I also got to spend time with my two amazing cousins and ever so hilarious brother around a fire on the patio. Note to self: Don't skip dinner and drink the better part of not one but 2 bottles of red, unless you want to be carried upstairs or leave your guests wondering where you wandered off to powder your nose. This led to Saturday without my scheduled run. As I am training for a race in May, I was a little bit tempted to wallow in guilt for letting myself be out of sorts, but decided it was all in good fun and good measure. I decided to work on a gorgeous day outdoors in the garden and get some things done around the house also. Cleaning up the mayhem of our resident squirrel population proved to be a formidable task of raking, collecting sticks and managing to fill up several trash bags in the wind with leaves and debris. I received a text from some lovely Faith's Kitchen attendees about a girls night out later and decided to go for broke. A few avocados and a few more margarita's later and the lovely day turned into an even lovlier night under the glow of the Super Moon. I was actually in a little earlier and a lot more ready to take on Sunday. I was super excited to start planting my flower beds and get working on my newest addition for this year: an organic veggie garden!

Sunday was just as wonderful outside, plenty of sun, and mild weather just warm enough to be out enjoying it, but cool enough to still need a sweatshirt. I started a multitude of seeds and bulbs inside this year to plant, and had purchased some instant color Saturday in the form of Pansies, Snapdragons and my favorite and fragrant Stock. Earlier in the week I sent out a casual invite to my friends and family to stop over and enjoy some outdoors on the patio with my ever growing group of nieces and nephews. I spent the day enjoying the breeze, sun and dirt as everyone started arriving mid afternoon. Before I knew it, I had a house of Medori's filling my house and yard. Alyssa, my brother's oldest proved to be quite the messy gardener at 3 years old and is also proving to be a real 'know it all' like her Aunt Faify. Tyler, my brother's youngest, and Lydia my sister's first child got aquainted on the sofa with the help of all the parents and cameras we had available since they are still both under 6 months and need some help sitting up. My dad arrived and I realized that when everyone comes over, they are almost always assuming something delicious and nutritious is ready to serve in Faith's Kitchen. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case, I decided not to outdo myself and enjoy the day. My Dad ordered pizza all around, and in my ravenous hunger from yardwork all day I think I may have accumulated 4 pieces of pizza as my diet for the day on Sunday. We had a truly wonderful time, and everyone settled down inside throughout all corners of the house. I hardly even noticed just how spent I really was from the non-stop action. I thoroughly enjoyed my descent to dreamland, and awoke rudely to reality ... that is Monday.

With the rain, poor nutritional choices, lack of hydration and exposure to small children just overcoming colds of their own, I decided today was recovery from the weekend day. Water first, fruit then fiber this was my plan. I also noticed a little tickle in the back of my throat, so I went straight for the green tea when I got to the office. After a weekend of cheese-stuffed poblano peppers, pizza and very few green vegetables I also opted for a cup of my Dr Natura Kleritea which includes an herbal blend of Senna Leaf, Chamomile Flower, Fennel Seed, Peppermint Leaf, Rose Hip Fruit, Cinnamon Bark, Buckthorn Bark, Ginger Root, Milk Thistle Seed, Passion Fruit, Uva Ursi Leaf, Lemon. I decided against running, and leaned towards rest.

I whipped up a simple and cleansing meal and enjoyed a movie that speaks to my heart. I'm feeling exponentially better than this morning and I have more than myself to thank for that due to a friend that really understands give and take who I am forever thankful to have always had in this crazy life!

So for those times when you 'take off' and really enjoy yourself, but leave yourself little left for the return to reality, here is a quick and tasty meal to help bring your body back on track!

Faith's Fightin' Fiber (Steamed Broccoli and Almonds)