Plant Strong Day 6

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For Day 6 of my Plant Strong challenge, I put my trip to the Green City Market to use.  I thought it was ambitious for a Monday night meal but it ended up being super easy and super delicious.

On the menu?  Roasted blue potatoes and asparagus with a grilled portobello on whole grain sourdough bread.

I layered the blue potatoes and asparagus in a pan with whole cloves of garlic and drizzled just a little bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sea salt- bake for 13 minutes.

Then I grilled the portobello mushroom cap in a pan with sun-dried tomatoes and balsamic for about 7 minutes.  One piece of whole wheat sourdough bread and some organic butter lettuce later and I had a nice little open-faced sammie.

The thing I am learning in this challenge is that the smallest bit of planning goes a long way.  Instead of just coming home and popping the first thing I see in the microwave, I’m pausing and really thinking about if what I’m putting in my body is aligned with my Plant Strong goals.  And since my fridge is stocked with tons of fresh veggies and whole foods, it’s pretty easy!

As always, please send any recipes you love my way!  justachitowngirl@gmail.com

First Green City Market Visit of the Season

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Excuse the less-than-stellar quality pictures but this morning was my first Green City Market experience of the season!

My friend Bridget sent me a text last night with the offer of yoga followed by a trip to our local, sustainable farmer’s market.  That, by definition, is my version of a perfect Saturday morning so cold weather be damned- I grabbed my yoga mat and reusable shopper and headed up to Lincoln Park.

Not much is in season yet but I did score some blue potatoes, a yellow tomato, asparagus, and a big portobello mushroom cap.

Did you even know BLUE potatoes existed?  I sure didn’t but I’m thinking roasting them with a little olive oil and rosemary is just the ticket.

Also, one farmer had the loveliest assortment of cream, blue and GREEN eggs!

Yoga and the Green City Market– I smell a Saturday morning ritual coming on…

Movie Night: Thor

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So, I saw Thor tonight.

Truth be told, our plans for going for a walk and eating somewhere outside were blown when the temp dropped from 75 degrees to 55 in the span of an hour.  Only in Chicago…

Going to the movies was Plan B.  Something Borrowed (my pick) was sold out so that makes seeing Thor Plan C.

Let’s also call a spade, a spade- I know absolutely nothing about comic books (Thor is based on a comic book…and Nordic mythology).

But ya know, it was fine.  The 3D did not make me nauseous, it was action packed (obvs), and Chris Hemsworth had a lovely set (sets?) of abs.

Thor was not my first pick and I was ready to sulk (in lame, “I never get what I want” fashion) but then I realized that a Friday night spent holding hands (lord knows I love me some hand holding) with my man for a full 2 hours was a Friday night that was just fine by me.  More than fine- pretty great, in fact.

The End.

Home Sweet Chicago Home

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I left town for a few days to soak in some sun and some 80 degree temps…and what do ya know, the second I left, Chicago came strong with some summer-like weather of its own!  Well done!

For as much as I enjoyed getting away for a few days, Dorothy was right when she said that there’s no place like home.

Home Sweet Chicago Home.

Plant Strong for 28 Days

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Whole Foods Market has reached out to some local bloggers to take part in a 28 Day Plant Strong Challenge and yours truly is now officially on board.  Starting tomorrow, I will aiding in Whole Food’s goal of encouraging a healthier lifestyle through healthy eating education and support by blogging about what I’m eating, new recipes I’ve found and loved (or hated) as well as any results of changes in my health I am seeing.

In simple terms?  I am going to be loving on a ton of veggies.

The challenge is based on Rip Esselstyn‘s Engine2 diet and focused on 4 main pillars: whole foods, healthy fats, plant strong eating and nutrient density.  I was actually a vegetarian for a number of years so I know the drill but I am really looking forward to going through this challenge with the support of meetups, recipe exchanges and a legit tool to use.  Healthy eating amped up a bit, I figure.

Despite teaming with Whole Foods, all opinions expressed will be 100% mine.

Stay tuned!

Thanks, Ma

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Thank you, dear Mama ‘o mine.  For being a cheerleader, for being an unfailing optimist, and for being the most thoughtful person I know.  Thank you for being someone I really, really like (in addition to love!)- it’s so authentic to call you my friend.

Thanks for the late night (and early morning) talks about the important, non-important and everything in between.

Thanks for showing me what strength and priorities are, all through the incredible example you have always set.  You are the most incredible mother a girl could ask for.

Cheers to you today…and tomorrow and always!

*(This picture of Venice felt appropriate- Venice was one of the best trips my Mom and I took together.  Not a day goes by that I don’t crave that seafood masterpiece we devoured after getting lost among the canals…)

Sunshine State of Mind

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One 8am flight out of O’Hare and a ride with a very chatty driver named Tim and I’m in Florida with my grandmother.

We had Mother’s Day dinner at the beach tonight and a beautiful sun set marked the occasion.  My intention for this trip was to get out of dodge for a few days and really slow down so I can see where I’m going so fast again.  Spending time with my grandma is works well with that- for as amazing as she is doing, her 94 years on this planet has finally affected her pace.

It’s only 4 days but my mission (and I choose to accept it):  palm trees, long talks with my grandma, vitamin D courtesy of a hot sun and being a little more still than usual.

Bad Seats in the House (via Chiblogo – partially obstructed views)

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After looking all over StubHub.com for Cubs tickets over Memorial Day weekend, I started worrying if we were going to end up behind a pole. I came across this post and found it to be super useful.

Bad Seats in the House     This article has been revised and republished at: WrigleyGuide.com –> About –> Wrigley For over 93 seasons the Chicago Cubs have been playing baseball at Wrigley Field.  And for over 93 seasons the Cubbie faithful have been filling the seats.  That's 41,118 seats to be exact.  Now the diehard f … Read More

via Chiblogo – partially obstructed views

Nine Things Successful People Do Differently

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  1. Get specific. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there.
  2. Seize the moment to act on your goals. We routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them.
  3. Know exactly how far you have left to go. Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress — if not by others, then by you yourself.
  4. Be a realistic optimist. But whatever you do, don’t underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort, and persistence.
  5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good. Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability.
  6. Have grit. Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty.
  7. Build your willpower muscle. To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you’d honestly rather not do.
  8. Don’t tempt fate. No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it’s important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it you will temporarily run out of steam.
  9. Focus on what you will do, not what you won’t do.
Good things to note.