Twofer

Yesterday


Leanne (next door work neighbor): I'm sorry.

Me: What? Did you go to Sweet Art? Oh no...Where's the veggie burger?

Leanne: I forgot. At least I thought about you.



Today

Leanne: I'm at Local Harvest. Do you want a veggie burger?

Me: Yes.

Leanne: It's cold.

Me: I don't care; it can be warmed up.


After work, I go to the refrigerator and I see a container with veggie burger on it.


Ingredients

Pinto Beans

Carrots

Bell Peppers

Oats

Tomato Paste

Yeast

Wheat Gluten

Bread Crumbs

Sage

Cumin

Mustard

Onion

Garlic

Red Pepper Flakes

Salt

Pepper

The container was much heavier than I expected. I open the lid and discover four veggie burgers for the price of $6.99 -- that's how much you pay for one veggie burger at the Local Harvest restaurant.

I've been to the Local Harvest store but never spotted the burgers. I am thrilled with Leanne's find and, you know, thrilled that she thought about me.

Yummy

Alex Jamieson, Morgan Spurlock's partner, was not pleased when Spurlock decided to do his 30 day McDonald's diet but finally gave her blessing once Spurlock agreed to turn himself over to her for detoxing post-experiment.

This book was not on my radar until Farty Girl mentioned a veggie burger recipe in it.

I've so enjoyed this book. Even the cover moves me.

I tried the veggie burger recipe first. I don't think that I've found the ultimate veggie burger but I liked it -- especially since it had a level of moistness that two other recipes did not.

I had fun making recipes in this book. I tend to have a knack for finding recipes that require a lot of preparation but I was able to get in and out of the kitchen in no time with these concoctions.












Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili



Loved the Cilantro

Mini Pizzas


Yummy

Can't wait to make falafel and walnut burger patties. I'm so in the zone that I might even try my hand at almond milk.

Stop The Presses

Instead of cooking, I've relied on Steamfresh veggies, Trader Joe's frozen foods etc. and I've been diggin' Local Harvest and Sweet Art's veggie burgers which are, by the way, completely different burgers but equally good.

Local Harvest's veggie burger is beans-based served with a cucumber concoction and hummus whereas Sweet Art's has lentils, carrots and is served with a secret sauce on one wheat bun and ketchup on the other. I looked at veggie burger recipe after recipe until I found one that sounded doable. I didn't use artichokes, black olives, celery salt, parsley or sage and I decided to double the recipe which called for four ounces of this bean and four ounces of that bean. I thought that I would never finish assembling burgers.

Since I use organic beans with modest sodium, my veggie burgers were initially on the bland side. To remedy the blandness, I topped them with Trader Joe's pineapple salsa. They did taste better the next day but I'm sure they would have packed way more flavor had I included the black olives et al.

I recently got the July/August issue of Natural Health and guess what it had in there? Veggie burger recipes. Hopefully, I'll be in the mood to cook again before fall.

The Box and The Buddha

Patti alerts me about the time of the St. Patrick's Day Run and Parade. I leave the house early but I still get stuck in logjam after logjam. The rock climbing gym has a nice parking lot but I cannot get to it because street after street is blocked off.

I come very close to turning around and going home but I finally park in a spot that I'm not entirely sure is legal and I make my way through the crowd and hike to Upper Limits. Well, I wanted to walk after rock climbing but the order got reversed.

I'm thirty minutes late but I see Jessica go into the door right before me. I'm annoyed and Jessica wants to know what my anger alert level is. Orange and red are running neck and neck.

The good part: there are not a lot of climbers in the gym.

I climb Jack and the Bean Stalk and the part that has always given me trouble, doesn't. I climb The End of 2010 and I make it further up than last time -- before I need to ask for a take.

Jessica: Where to?

Me: I can't believe that I'm saying this but Pandora's Box.

Jessica: You're saying that because you know what kind of climbing day you're having.

I have my left foot on the Notorious B-O-X -- the crux of the route that has been stumping me big time.

One hand on the box and one hand on the hold that we refer to as The Buddha


Stepping on The Buddha hold as I make my way to the top
After climbing, we go to Sweet Art. As we get to the counter, the guy says I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the kitchen is closed and I feel myself turning sour again; there is nothing on the bulletin board, door or website about when the kitchen closes. I thought you had new, extended hours. We do but the kitchen closes at 3:30, he says. I look up at the clock which says 3. Finally, this lady says that she will hook us up with Sweet Burgers (i.e. veggie burgers).

We get our Sweet Burgers in no time. They are warm and delicious.

Patti: You need to climb angry more often.

Me: Will you make me angry next time we climb?

Patti: No problem...

St. Patrick's Parade Route Tally:

Rumpelstiltskin, 5.6

Jurassic 5, 5.7

Let Me Smang It Girl, 5.8

The Letter Eye, 5.8

Jack and the Bean Stalk, 5.9

Pandora's Box, 5.9

The End of 2010, 5.9

Rodeo Clowns, 5.9

On the alert scale, hope that you're having a green day.

Hearsay

I'm on an exercise streak. Today marks my 38th day of exercise. I know that I should rest but, if an exercise opportunity presents itself, count me in.

I have at least one regular exercise (rock climbing) partner with whom I have a semi-set schedule and I try to keep that commitment. Otherwise, my sole commitment is to myself. I'm not really trying to prove anything. Or, am I?

I went to this step class that I can't go to often. I really like the teacher and, to my surprise, she was out with a hip injury and when I went rock climbing a few days ago, this youngin' was bouldering and fell awkwardly -- two of his buddies had to lend a shoulder. So, I know that I need to be careful but... Also, I do feel extremely fortunate that my body has had phenomenal staying power.

It was nice when I recently got feedback from three people:

My friend that I hadn't seen in a month told me that I had definitely lost weight.

My friend's friend's husband told me that each time he sees me I am thinner and thinner.

Mike, one of my belay partners, that I haven't seen in about three weeks told me I looked more toned.

I am pleased to report that the scale says I've dropped three pounds. I knew it was going to move because I was walking, at least, four miles a day in Las Vegas. Plus, I swam a couple of mornings as well. It's the same thing that happened in New York when I got it in my noggin to start this journey. Apparently, the key to losing weight is to go on vacation, not get a rental car and walk until your feet smart...


I went rock climbing today and I was able to ascend four 5.9 routes. I'm so happy with that accomplishment. Patti climbed two 5.10 routes and Mike feels as if he's turned a corner with his climbing. So, we are all improving.

I went and got another massage after rock climbing since I've been going at it so hard. In between working out, I've also made stretching a priority.

I went to a different massage therapist and, when it was over, she told me that I have an inflamed left spinal something or other. I told her about the small remnant of the injury that's left and she wanted to know why I didn't mention it. I did put it on the info sheet but I don't think anyone really looks over those thoroughly. I didn't verbalize it because the injury seems so minuscule and because, hey, I can do the backstroke again. Can't do the table pose but considering how the shoulder was bothering me before, I feel so grateful that it doesn't feel yucky now.


I ate out again. Seems like I have another streak going. I promised this volunteer at work that I would go to Sweet Art with her before she leaves.

I decided to try the Sweet Burger which has a note underneath it on the menu that says it's the best veggie burger in town. There's also a chalk board that says they don't have high fructose corn syrup, chemicals that you can't pronounce or anything else that's bad for you in their food.





(Inside the Veggie Burger)

The Sweet Burger is, indeed, the best veggie burger that I've had in this town.

I heard that the cupcakes are good too but that's just hearsay since I didn't indulge.





Route Tally for August 7th:

The Seven, 5.7
Grab The Jug, 5.8
Where's My Mind?, 5.8
"Light," 5.9
Girl Power, 5.9
Hermano?, 5.9
Pacman Revival, 5.9
Stratch and Sniff, 5.9 (aborted midway)

Strategy overheard at the gym: Climb smart at the bottom and quick at the top.