Thursday, August 5, 2010

Operation Beautiful (Thursday post)

Last night as I was browsing the blogging world I stumbled on this website: www.operationbeautiful.com. You should totally check it out. Funny timing, because the author of the site was actually on the Today Show this morning! She just published her first book...Operation Beautiful...and is in NYC to promote it. I am very smitten with the Operation Beautiful Movement because it aligns so close with the mission and vision of Girls on the Run! It also moved in my heart because of my own struggles with disordered eating and negative self-image. OB basically encourages men and women to leave uplifting, positive messages around the world for others to see. Written most of the time on a post-it, these messages can change a person's day! Caitlin, the author, uses OB to combat "fat-talk" the negative self-talk that women use each day. Fat-talk ruins our self-esteem, our positive body image, our confidence and diminishes the glow we should all emit from with-in. I am very impressed with this movement. So much, that I just couldn't wait to put my own OB message out there. (my photo will not upload from the gym this morning...oh well, check out her website for ideas!)

Last night, Mr. Kummerow and I cooked up a treat! I found this recipe at FatFreeVegan.com. And adapted it to utilize what we had in the house.

Grilled Tofu with Blackberry-Peach Salsa

Grilled Tofu

14 ounces extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (or other mild chili powder)

Wrap tofu in a lint-free kitchen towel and place a light weight (about 1 pound) on top while you prepare the marinade. Something flat like a book with a can of beans on it works well to remove some of the water from the tofu.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large ziplock bag or bowl.

Cut the tofu into 8 slices about 1/2-inch thick. Place them in the marinade, turning so that both sides of slices are coated with the mixture. Refrigerate for at least an hour, turning halfway through.

Heat a barbecue grill, electric grill, or non-stick skillet; spray lightly with non-stick spray if necessary. Cook on each side until light brown. Serve with Blueberry-Peach Salsa on the side.

Blackberry-Peach Salsa

1 1/4 cups fresh blackberries
1 peach
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 chopped jalapeño peppers (we left the seeds in which made for a very spicy but yummy dish)
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Put blackberries in food processor. Pulse 4-5 times until berries are coarsely chopped. (Some berries will remain whole; do not over-chop.) Cut peach into 1/2-inch cubes. Combine berries and peach in a medium-sized bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

I served this dish with baked sweet potatoes and corn on the cob (of course). Sometimes I just do sweet potatoes in the microwave, but yesterday I planned ahead and started baking early...they are just so much better out of the oven! I loved my sweet potato! I probably could have eaten 3 of them!

After dinner last night we went outside to do some yard work in the intense heat. Mr. K was mowing, and I was determined to rid my beds of weeds. Well...since early spring, I hadn't weeded at all! So my idea of weeding was quite insane, as I really need to take a shovel to the beds and re-do them all. I am very disappointed in myself for not quite keeping up with the yard work this summer. I suppose we have been too busy having fun! I think this weekend we will attempt to redeem what is left of a yard...


This is the front bed that we re-did this spring...it is so overgrown...I'm so disappointed

























Another angle of the bed in front of the house :(












My poor garden...Mr. Kummerow asked me if he should mow over it! I guess it's probably about time to give up on it!











Today has been productive in a non-work productive sense. AKA- I haven't worked a single hour today! Thursdays are a long work out day for me. Beginning with the run group at the Y. This morning's tempo run was especially brutal given the humidity and hot sun. Eight 1/4 mile sprints with one minute rests. Prefaced with a 1/2 mile warm up and finished with a 1/2 mile cool down. I am lucky I made it alive! Afterward, I put on a swimsuit and jumped in the cool pool for 1000 yard freestyle swim. Ninety minutes of working out took the wind out of my sails and I was not ready to do any work this afternoon.


Instead I enjoyed a late morning visit with my friend Brandy and a lunch date (my favorite: Jason's Deli) with my running partner Angie- followed by a shoe shopping stop at Fleet Feet and a trip to the eye doctor to help her choose her new frames.


Home at 4pm, right before Mr. Kummerow got off work and the terrible thunderstorm hit. (Insert down internet here...that is why you are getting this on Friday instead of Thursday) And now we are just waiting out the storm to swing over to a BBQ. Hmmm...interesting BBQ this should be.


As I probably won't be able to photograph dinner: I might as well give you that now...

We switched our meal schedule to accomodate this BBQ, so tonight we will be eating grilled portabellas with the leftover blackberry-peach salsa and (of course) corn on the cob! Yummy.

Don't forget to check out Operation Beautiful and leave your own messages around!

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