Sprouted Lentil Tabbouleh- SuperPower Fuel

I love the taste of Tabbouleh / Tabouli / ??? and have tried it many ways and with varied recipes but wanted to crank up the nutritional impact by replacing the grain with less empty calories. A delicious legume would do that perfectly. Lentils are a delicious bean that fits the basic size/bite for tabbouleh and is a nutritional powerhouse especially when sprouted. After sprouting the lentils will provide 6-10 g protein, 20+% daily Vitamin C and 12-15% iron. The beans will also provide good fat and other nutritional basics. Lentils are of similar size and bite to most bulgur and couscous and much tastier. Adding the parsley, onion, garlic, tomato, mint , lemon juice and sea salt will make this tabbouleh a truly health food. Ingredients : 2 cups sprouted red lentils 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped(1 loose cup chopped) 2 medium red onions- diced(or 6 green onions or mix) 4 tomatoes, finely diced 1/2 to ¾ cup chopped mint sea salt- to taste Fresh ground black pepper 3 tbsp olive oil (optional) 2 lemons, juiced 1/2 tsp cinnamon 4-6 cloves garlic- chopped fine 1. SPROUTING LENTILS- soak 1-2 cups red lentils in clean water for 8-12 hours. Drain and let sprouts grow for 2-3 days(rinsing 2x day) When ¼ tails are out- put sprouts in the fridge until ready to use. 2. Combine Onions. Garlic, tomatoes, parsley, mint, cinnamon, Salt / pepper and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss and let sit for 10 minutes 3. Add lentils and toss and place in Fridge for 30 minutes or more until eating to allow flavors to blend. SERVING SUGGESTIONS: A] Serve as a salad or side dish B] Scoop into lettuce, cabbage or other “green” wrap to make a fun handheld food C] Scoop up with a toasted pita or other chip

Sore throat and Cough tonic

Tonic for sore throat and cough 1 lb Organic Raw honey 2 small lemons – cleaned/sliced 3 Tbs crystallized or fresh ginger slices *** *** 1)wash and slice lemons 2) slice ginger into small pieces 3) Place in jar of honey 4) seal with wax paper and lid 5) store in fridge and turn jar over every weeks for 4 weeks 6) use by spoonful in mouth , in tea or in warm water Useful for sore throat, cough. Combine with good healthy tea, soup or broth and feel better soon.

A jar aging in the fridge.

Keeping the Knees Supple

All of the pain and trouble I have had with my knees has helped me learn a bunch of stuff about myself, my body and athletes in general. The FIRST is that I have to go out and work my body to keep it functioning- resting the damaged joints is often bad for them. Now I don't go crazy but I go regularly. I also rest and ice them when they are BAD. I am talking about TOO MUCH rest. SECOND is the value of diet. I mean this 2 ways- keeping bodyweight is good zone and the fuel that I put into my body. If I eat crap ( salty, sugary, bad fatty or processed,....) I feel it even if just a little in the midst of a good eating day. I eat raw fruits and veggies as well as many vegetarian meals. Being Vegan I have the opportunity to eat bad Veg or Good Veg or Great Veg.... I need to live in the great Veg zone more. The real value of shoes and treating my feet. if I take care of my feet and wear the best I will feel it and know it all the way up my legs. The biggest concern for shoes is not the type- nearly 100% of the shoe companies are full of baloney in what they sell and talk about- Number one concern is proper fit and flexibility. I now am prepping for the Charlottesville Fall Classic Half Marathon 9 www.badtothebone.biz) Not as a runner but as a Director; such a race is a 20-24 hour endeavor for us, but it is a lot of fun. .

Emergency Planning

Hopefully you / we never have to deal directly with a disaster but in all likelihood we will have periods without power-water or other basics. It is best to be ready for some or all potential disaster situations. What will you eat? How will you prepare it? How will you stay warm /dry? How can you stay hydrated? This is the real lifesaver if all else falls short. Where will/can you go? There are many considerations and many places to get info for planning purposes. The best- but very basic- site is ready.gov SUMMARIZED- have at least a gallon of clean water per day per person. Now this can change if you are in a hot climate or have any health issues. We can survive a few days without food but not without water. We lose water every minute and need to replace it all day long. Where do you live? What emergencies / disasters threaten you and your “neighborhood” ? This will guide your decisions on what and how to prepare. No body and no places are immune but some are more likely to be impacted by wind/rain, storms, tornado , snow and earthquakes. How about Safety and First Aid? You can not forget some Basics for boo-boos- bandages, cleaner, antibiotic ointment, support bandages and a few other necessities. Safety will also include blankets or sleeping bags or warm clothing if cold weather emergencies as well as covering needs. And of course flashlights with spare batteries and/or lanterns with the same power. A battery or hand cranked radio is also helpful and useful. What have you done to be ready?

Todays training -Not just a workout

3.5-3.8 miles easy on a variety of flats and hills- Getting up and doing a workout can be , IS, fun but doing it as part of a plan for performance TRAINING PROGRAM makes it more enjoyable, exciting and motivating. It is also helpful as an impetus to get going on those SLOW days. But the big key is putting it together with ALL factors involved. I am building a base of solid mileage as my leg heals and will transfer to a marathon training plan. What kind of training program should I follow? The vast majority or programs published in magazines are For and By Olympic caliber runners but less then 2% of us can or should train that way. We aren't built properly for it, we don't have the time to train like that AND recover/rest properly . Now I train easily 5-7 days a week but only 1 day in 14 do I go harder or longer. It allows for better recovery and rest and is sufficient to complete the race and distance. I trained professionally as a football player and basketball player but now I am a Big Guy running....

Smoothies- Great for Summer Workouts and Recovery

I harvested a collection of tasty greens and made a great Green Smoothie to fuel up after a Hot, sweaty summer workout. Love the feeling of all that great vegetable energy entering my body and filling me up. 2 quarts of Dark green drink contain a couple hundred calories But are loaded with protein, Omega oils, vitamins and minerals. Unlike tablets or capsules the vitamins are all complete and loaded with the micronutrients /phytonutrients so popular in the health press. The greens are a collection or beet, collards,kale ,mustard and radish.

Where have I been ????

I just realized I have not written in several weeks- not a good way to keep the blog alive and current. I have been doing a lot of reading about writing and blogging- now I get off the pot and write something. The leg is recovering and getting stronger- may start full time running soon. Will add some more short (100-300 yards) intervals as it continues to gain strength. The garden is coming together- been harvesting and enjoying some greens and cabbage goodies ( spinach and bok choi gone recently) Some garden updates: Milk thistle- The milk thistle was looking good a few weeks ago but looks great a it is reaching 3-4 feet tall and the great flowers are out. Blackberries are filling the plants and getting ready to ripen- now to keep the birds away- And some melons growing vigorously in a pile that is mostly (85-90%) used coffee grounds - not sure how the fruit will be but the plants looks great. Now to keep up with this and publish more tomorrow.