Spice Rack. Organized.

Very few things curl my toes the way extreme organization does. Everything in the same size container or colored-coordinated folder, labeled and alphabetized? Good gawd. Swoon.

Today, I tackled the spice rack in our kitchen a la an idea I saw in Real Simple this month. Small spice jars ($0.99 each) and silver wire racks ($9.99 each) from World Market.

Alex helped a bunch, bless his heart. When I get like this (Nesting, we call it.) he can either follow my lead or get out the house.

Made the the labels using a label maker one of my best friends gave me for Christmas a couple years ago. Does she know me, or what? Font size Small. White label with black ink.

Mounted the spice racks around the perimeter of one of the shelves in the pantry, freeing up all kinds of space for other pantry goodies (Like cookies!).

Entire project took about 2.5 hours. Time well spent.

Sigh. Happy.

Interval Ride :: Burn

2010 Week 3 (45 min)
65-92% HR

Four intervals each 4 minute 30 seconds pushing a standing climb + 30 seconds seated sprint on a hill. Nice, long 4 minute recovery in between. Really push the HR when working the interval and let HR drop to 65-70% in the recovery. Amount of resistance added for interval is up to individual; push a light (80 rpm) to heavy (60 rpm) hill. Do not touch resistance knob for seated sprint!

1. Seasun – Delorean (4:30)
(5:00) Warm up 65%

2. This Too Shall Pass – OK Go (3:08)
(3:00) Seated flat 70%, 90 rpm

3. Viva la Vida – Coldplay (4:01)
(2:00) Standing flat 75%, 80-90 rpm
(1:00) Seated flat 75%, 90 rpm
(1:00) Recovery

4. Bad Romance – Lady Gaga (4:55)
(4:30) Standing climb 85%, 60-80 rpm
(0:30) Sprints on a hill 92%, 80 rpm

5. TFO – Harlem Shakes (4:00)
(4:00) Recovery, Seated flat 65-70%

6. Gallows Pole – Led Zeppelin (4:58)
(4:30) Standing climb 85%, 60-80 rpm
(0:30) Sprints on a hill 92%, 80 rpm

7. Bruises – Chairlift (4:02)
(4:00) Recovery, Seated flat 65-70%

8. Home – Marc Broussard (5:05)
(4:30) Standing climb 85%, 60-80 rpm
(0:30) Sprints on a hill 92%, 80 rpm

9. Devil Inside - INXS (3:57)
(4:00) Recovery, Seated flat 65-70%

10. I Kar Barra (5:01)
(4:30) Standing climb 85%, 60-8o rpm
(0:30) Sprints on a hill 92%, 80 rpm

11. Orinoco Flow – Enya (4:29)
(3:00) Cool down
(1:30) Stretch on bike

12. Caribbean Blue – Enya (3:59) Stretch
13. Switched On – Islands (3:32) Stretch

Chicken Korma

This one comes from Alex's family in Charlotte, NC, via their Buddhist teacher in Columbia, SC.

Ingredients:
•1 6oz container fat free plain Greek yogurt
•1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
•2 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken thighs, rinsed and cut into 1-in. pieces
•About 1 tsp kosher salt
•3 tbs olive oil
•1 onion, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced
•1 15oz can diced tomatoes
•2 tbs minced garlic
•2 tbs finely grated fresh ginger
•1 tsp ground cardamom
•a dash of ground cinnamon
•1 1/2 tbs ground coriander
•2 tsp Garam Masala
•1 tsp cayenne, or more if preferred hotter
•3/4 cup chicken broth
•1/4 cup black or golden raisins
•8 oz (1 pint) whipping cream
•2 cups dried brown Bazmati rice (makes 4 cups steamed)

Directions:
1. In a food processor, chop cashews until finely ground. Stir into yogurt. Keep refrigerated.
2. Prepare chicken, removing any unwanted fat. Cut into 1-in pieces. Sprinkle with salt.
2. Pour olive oil into a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned all over, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.
3. Add onion to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add ingredients tomatoes through cayenne. Add chicken broth. Cook 2 minutes.
4. Return chicken to pan, along with raisins, and yogurt mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring often, until chicken is no longer pink in the center (cut to test) and sauce has thickened slightly (it will look separated), 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Uncover, add cream, and stir over medium heat until sauce is smooth and hot, 5 minutes. Add more salt to taste. Serve with steamed rice.

Turkey Sausage Ragu

I found this one in the November/December 2009 issue of Clean Eating. So much flavor.

Ingredients:
1 tbs olive oil
1 yellow onion
1 tbs fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
8 oz spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings discarded
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbs fresh oregano, torn or 1 tsp dried oregano
1 large bunch kale, cleaned stems discarded roughly chopped
2 tbs Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette or 1 tbs balsamic vinegar + 2 tbs olive oil
1 box Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Grain Fusilli pasta
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup fresh parsley, for garnish
Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions:
1. Add 1 tbs olive oil, onion and thyme to a medium pot over medium heat. Stir to coat, cover and cook until onion is soft and beginning to color, 5 minutes, stirring every minute. Uncover pot, add sausage, garlic, and red pepper. Continue to cook for 5 minutes.
2. Remove sausage from heat. Add red wine. Return to heat and reduce for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, kale, and oregano. Stir well, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Remove cover and continue cooking until sauce is thickened, 10 minutes.
4. Cook pasta al dente, according to package directions.
5. Stir into sauce Vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar + olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper.
6. Drain pasta and toss with sauce.
7. Serve topped with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Time to check-in and evaluate the progress I made in 2009.

My 2009 resolutions were:
1. Take a multivitamin.
Check. Possibly one of the easiest resolutions ever made. I’ll be keeping this great habit.

2. Mean it.
My life has become so much richer since I let go of the negative. It took some doing, but I’ve gotten much better and stopping to listen, making eye contact, and being present right now.

3. Slow down & focus.
Yes, I’ve made progress, but need to continue to work at this one. I stuck with yoga pretty regularly throughout the year, attending the Friday morning class at my office and other classes offered at a local studio (Yoga for You: 2629 West 23rd Street, Panama City, FL : YOGAFORYOUPC.COM). My core strength, overall flexibility, and mental awareness has increased tremendously. The thought processes and mind/body connection learned in yoga class are carrying over into my everyday life and allowing me deal more effectively with stress.

4. Lose those last stubborn 10 pounds.
Didn’t happen, but I did learn how to eat, live, and play better without obsessing over it. I created a profile at LIVESTRONG.COM and have learned how to effectively track my calories, activities and heart rate, water intake, and weight in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Over the year, I did lose about 5 pounds and toned up considerably.

5. 365 Days.
I completed my second 365 Days on December 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana, surrounded by the same friends that helped me through the first time. It was not a perfect year, however. Life happens and I missed 6 days total on the project. Taking what I've learned from everyday use of my camera, I plan to shoot on a more professional basis in 2010.

6. Blog.
Excluding May, I had at least one entry each month. I posted recipes, SPINNING profiles, notes from the field, and general tidbits that wandered from my brain to the page.

And now, it's 2010.

I love beginnings and starting something new. Sure, I’m going to stick with the multi-vitamin and blog, and yes, continue to make my life meaningful and use everyday the gems I’m learning from yoga. My camera will continue to go wherever I go. But, where do I go from here?

My 2010 resolutions are:
1. Roll With It.
Possibly the greatest personality flaw I have is getting totally bent out of shape when things don’t go as planned. I need to be more flexible. This is going to take quite a deal of un-learning. It will be a work in progress. Recognition is the first step.

2. Don’t over-train.
The final straw after a few months of headaches, lower back pain, feelings of malaise, and sleeplessness was when I sprained my ankle in ballet class at the end of July. I was not listening to my body, I was not allowing myself to rest, and I paid for it.

This year, I will be teaching the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 5:30 am SPINNING classes at my gym (Healthplex : 2935 Highway 77 Panama City, FL). I also plan to continue dancing at least one night a week. Throw in some yoga and weight training and it looks like I could be on my way to another injury. The main difference this year is that I’ve budgeted for two rest days per week and now know the signs and symptoms of over-training.

Right now, the workout schedule for the week looks like this:
Monday – SPINNING (Teach)
Tuesday – Ballet, Modern
Wednesday – SPINNING (Teach)
Thursday – Rest
Friday – SPINNING (Teach), Yoga
Saturday – Yoga or Weight Training
Sunday – Rest

3. Publish.
This is a professional resolution. I have had two manuscripts on my desk in the works for quite some time and need to get them to journal. This is the year. No excuses. One publication I plan to present at a symposium in July with the requirement that the manuscript be finished prior to presentation. The other has been invited to be published in a journal’s upcoming 60th anniversary edition and will need to be submitted no later than May 1. With those deadlines on the horizon, I will rise to the challenge.

Happy New Year! Here’s to a great 2010!