Who is the mistress of the bitchin kitchen? Well, I'm actually pretty average. I live in Ontario, Cda with my husband, cat and 2 birds. I work a normal job in an office, like to watch copious amounts of Law & Order, and take my trash out to the curb like everyone else. Correction, I make my husband do that task, he's the best. I'm vegetarian, but more on that in a minute. I started this blog for a few reasons. First, I love food. I eat when I'm stressed, sad, happy, bored, tired...you name it. Food is an amazing source of comfort, joy and satisfaction. So why not share recipes for the foods I love? Second, it's possible to eat healthy food and still love it, you just need to know what you're doing in the kitchen, namely, the bitchin kitchen. And third, like most people, I have a story. I used to be very overweight, borderline obese, actually. Through healthy eating and getting fit again, I managed to lose a lot of that weight. And I'm still going, so I hope this blog and the food I feature here will inspire others to explore veg cooking, to get creative in the kitchen, and to have fun while being aware of things than can make a difference in your health and in the world at large.
Oh yeah, the whole veg thing. Why go veg? Well, I was lucky. I met my husband who was already veg, and over the course of that year started cooking more and more for him. Not only did I start to explore the ethical side of making veg a lifestyle, but I noticed I felt better and better, I had less digestive issues and I felt more energetic. And then there was the ecological impact; making even a slight reduction in the amount of meat you eat has a greater and swifter impact than almost all other environmental activities. The vast amount of resources used to raise livestock far outweighs that used to grow grains, legumes, veggies and fruit. The switch for me was a natural thing, and I don't see going back. There, I just broke my own rule about explaining myself. But I think it's worth it. This blog isn't about converting anyone, unless of course you find the recipes tasty and start incorporating them into your every day, but it's about celebrating vegetarian cooking and the amazing things you can do with veg food...
So, about that story. As a youngster, I swam competitively with a local club. My specialty was distance – free and buttefly. I was in great shape, I swam and worked out sometimes twice daily to stay on top of my game. But, as high school started I realized there was a whole other life out there, and I stopped cold turkey (wait, I guess as a veghead I should be saying to-furky?). Anyhow, over the course of the following 20 years, I didn’t swim a lap. Sure, I played around in the lake at my parents’ cottage, but I turned my back on the sport and never looked back. It was tough, swimming is a highly competitive sport, and the thrill of racing is not something one easily forgets. But I moved on, and my weight slowly moved up - from a meager 126lbs all the way up to almost 200lbs.
Then I hit my rock bottom, and hard. I had gained so much weight that everything left me feeling drained – walking, housecleaning, even cooking a meal. And forget exercising! I had every excuse in the book; my knees hurt, my back is sore, I’m too busy, the gym is too expensive. It was a difficult time, but in the darkest moments I came to realize that the only person responsible for how I became this way and what needed to change was me. Me, and me alone. Everything else was outside – stress, pressure, work, family, relationships, life…only I could control my reaction to these things, and eating food is not the right strategy! Sure, it might feel good to sink your teeth into that lemony danish, but guess what – the sink will still be full of dishes, people will still drive you crazy, and work is still nuts. Over the course of the following 6 months, I lost a total of 36lbs through healthy, controlled eating and the rediscovery of physical fitness. Now, let's be frank, I've gained a little back because my diet has slipped. But with the help of this blog, I hope to get back on track with healthy veg food and to promote what (mostly) clean living can do! Hey, let's face it, you do need the sweet satisfaction of biting into a lemony danish every once in awhile ...
So here's a little of what I do...
Exercise!
So here's a little of what I do...
Exercise!
I may be once again be a little plump and round, but show me a large body of water and I will take you down – or die trying, at least. I’m still ‘fit’ in that I workout extensively; swim club practice 3-5 hours a week, weight training 3 times a week, cardio 3 times a week, Kettlebell, Pilates and other classes where I can. I also practice Ki-Hara, a form of resistance stretching that I learned about through reading up on Olympic swimmer Dara Torres.
Swimming: non-impact sport, great cardio workout with little risk of injury. If you’re serious, try joining a local club, you’ll find all speeds and abilities. At the moment, I swim with a club organized through the city and held at a city recreational facility, essentially a Master’s equivalent but without the formality. The workouts are decent, and the feedback helps ensure I am correcting my bad habits. Other options include triathalon clubs, a little more costly but the swim schedule usually has far more pool-time and the mindset is geared towards competitiveness, and members are encouraged to participate at provincial and national competitions. If I can do it after 20 years, anyone can…
Resistance training: weight lifting has many benefits, building lean muscle helps burn fat. Contrary to popular belief, you will not ‘bulk up’ because you start lifting – you’d have to dedicate years of serious training and nutrition planning to even come close. Do be sure you know what you’re doing, take an introductory class through you local city facility, hire a trainer for a few sessions or read a good book or magazine written by professionals. Effective lifting means swapping out those pink barbie-sized weights for heavier ones, if you’re not hurting the next day you aren’t doing much to build muscle. To avoid injury you must pay attention to proper form at all times. I recommend Oxygen magazine, but don't be put off by the super-muscle-bound chicks in the protein ads - this magazine has the most solid nutrition and fitness exercise you'll find on the market, is targetted to women of all abilities, and is canadian-published. A good source of inspiration...
Supplementation & Nutrient Timing
Daily supplementation
I started taking supplements again after doing reading and research on weight training and living an active lifestyle, but changed things up when I picked up a copy of Olympic swimmer Dara Torres’ book Gold Medal Fitness. At the age of 40, just 15 months after giving birth to her first child, Torres broke her own America
Here’s my daily routine (well, almost daily), it's a struggle to keep up when things get hectic but the impact has been significant on my overall performance and recovery in the gym and in the pool:
1 x multivitamin
keeps things consistent when my well-intentioned daily food plan falters
1 x B12
benefits nerve cells, breaks down fats, carbs, and proteins in the body - a common supplement amongst athletes because it improves circulation of oxygen in the body which in turn improves energy and stamina
1 x 300mg iron pill
I’ve always been on the low end of normal, even as a meat-eater, so I was advised by my doctor to top up with over-the-counter iron supplements.
branched chain amino acids
increases energy and endurance, burns fat and builds lean muscle, and aid recovery time - just started using a scoop in my smoothies, jury's out but will post after time passes
plenty of ground flax for Omega-3 fatty acids
Nutrient Timing
(under construction...coming soon!)
