Confession: Crabby is a Secret Swinger

Confession: Crabby is a Secret Swinger

Alzheimer's Diet Giveaway Winners

Here are the first three winners of The Alzheimer’s Diet: A Step-by-Step Nutritional Approach for Memory Loss Prevention and Treatment.

Alzheimer's Diet Giveaway Winners

Reebok & The Yoga Rebel

Late last year, I have been truly grateful that I was able to get in-touch with the Yoga Rebel, Tara Stiles. It was a random twitter message which turned out to be an exciting and

lengthy conversation about yoga, breathing and apparel.  I have been following her videos online, logging 7 minutes minimum every night and never had I missed a day without at least 7 minutes.

I’ve already lost 7 lbs to date. In a month. Thank you, yoga!

Along the way,  Tara disclosed that she will be introducing an apparel which will make all Yoga enthusiast excited. I knew she has been a Reebok woman (same as how I have been supported by Reebok on Running) but towards the end, I was privileged to know that she, together with Reebok, will be launching her “Who Made The Rules” comfortable yoga apparel which she designed herself.

I blushed and gleefully thanked her for sharing the exciting news. I couldn’t disclose it out to friends not until she get to announce it but I sure was already hyped up which made me even more excited about the practice.

By March 1, which is today, She will have the first line out in the market. Globally. Isn’t that amazing? There will be more exciting things which will happen throughout the campaign of the line but one thing’s for sure .. It feels damn right good to be a Reebok Woman and it hasn’t failed me nor any of my activities.

These clothes are breathable cottons, baby booty soft, and really playful colors and so much fun, you’re not going to want to take them off! I pretty much only take the sweatpants and leggings off to shower, and I wear the Get Downward tank top everywhere. The sports bras and tank tops are great fitting and have delicate details in feminine straps and a cute triangle cut out at the base of the neck.

- Tara Stiles

I’ll share more, soon. For now, I’m editing and composing my questions for Tara and I to share.  Is there anything you would want to ask Tara? comment below or you may also message me on twitter @kassypajarillo

Reebok & The Yoga Rebel

You Want to be Yourself, But Do You Know Who You Are? Find Out, Starting Today

You want to be yourself.

You want to stop pretending to be who you’re not.

You want to be honest with everyone you meet. You want to be … you.

But there’s one big problem – Do You Honestly Know Who You Are?

Blog readers are at an advantage. When I visit a new blog, one of the first things I do is read the “About Me” page. This is where the blogger tells you all about himself, so you know who you’re connecting with. You discover his qualifications, his skills, his hopes and aims for his blog. You learn about his family perhaps, his successes and failures, all there on your screen. All out in the open. Warts and all.

But it’s not like that for you, is it! You don’t have an “About” page. When people meet you, they can only form an opinion about you from the outside, the first impression, and as we all know, first impressions can be so wrong. They only show the ‘shell’ of the person, not what’s going on inside.
Here’s How To Discover The Real You, Starting Today
1. Look in the mirror.

What do you see?
What can you tell about you, from the expression on your face?
Do you like what you see? If not, why not?
What do you want to change about who you see? Is that possible or are you simply being unrealistic?

What you see in that mirror is what everyone else sees. But is that the real you?
2. Answer these 10 questions, honestly.
Don’t pause to think too hard, just say whatever you feel is right for you. I suggest you write down your responses as you go along.

What do you love?
What do you hate?
What do you wish for? Take a look at Steve’s ‘Make A Wish’ page and add yours, before you forget.
What would you do with 24 hours if this was your last day ever?
What is your burning ambition?
What is your dread?
What are you hiding?
What are you afraid of?
What are you most proud of?
What would ‘make your day’ today?

Now you’re starting to get to know ‘you’!
3. Come out from your hiding pace.
We all hide from ‘stuff ‘ about ourselves that we don’t want to admit to. We’re in denial.

Are you hiding from -

your feelings
your emotions
your disappointments
your anger
your hopes
your dissatisfaction
your happiness/sadness
your unfulfilled dreams
your failures

It’s time to come out from hiding. It’s time to start to accept who you truly are and enjoy it without embarrassment.
Your real ‘you’ must -

Start to say ‘yes’ when you want to, even when it’s a bit scary.
Start to say ‘no’ when you want to, if you feel taken for granted.
Choose how you spend some of your time, even if it’s only 10 minutes to yourself.
Choose to be ‘unavailable’ if you’re doing something you enjoy. Let the message go to voice mail. If it’s urgent, they’ll call again. You could even, (shock horror), leave your phone at home… sometimes…
Let out that ‘imprisoned child’ within. Giggle more, go skating/sledging/exploring with a child or even with an adult friend! Enjoy ‘doing childlike’ things. Who says you have to ‘grow up’!
Stop hiding your anger. I don’t mean have a raging row, but start to show how you truly feel. Tell people when you disagree, when you’re not happy with their behavior.
Don’t agree in order to be popular. You end up feeling resentful, knowing you’re not being true to the real you. You’ll earn respect that way and perhaps people won’t try to take advantage of you so often.
Stop ‘putting up’ with unacceptable behavior. Learn to be assertive rather than simply going with the flow.
Understand that’s it’s OK to be selfish. You need to meet your own needs before you can meet the needs of others. There’s no need to run round in ever decreasing circles, at everyone’s beck and call. Your needs are equally valid. True!

There’s a lot more to being you than you realized, right? Believe me when I say that you’ll feel freer, lighter, smilier and more relaxed once you stop hiding and start being ‘you’.

How about you?

Do you feel as if you’re hiding away in your shell, like a snail?
What do you stop doing simply because you want to please people?
Which aspect of the ‘real you’ will you work on first?

You Want to be Yourself, But Do You Know Who You Are? Find Out, Starting Today

Crisp and Crunchy Brussels Sprout Salad

After the recent roasted fall salad I made was a hit with both my husband and daughter, I decided to make another variation this past week. Again, I began with roasted Brussels sprouts from the CSA as my base, and used one of my favorite flavor combinations to compliment them, apples, blue cheese and walnuts. I made a simple maple-dijon dressing, and used it as a marinade for some pan seared tempeh strips. This salad was equally delicious, but had a lot more crunch and a fresher flavor due to the raw apples. We ate it warm/room temperature, but I’m sure cold leftovers would taste great. I just saw I’ve got another stalk of Brussels in this week’s share, so I’m sure in another week, you’ll see another Brussels sprout salad!

Crisp and Crunchy Brussels Sprout SaladVeggie by Season original
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed1 tbsp. olive oilKosher salt and black pepper1 apple, any variety, cored and diced1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese1/4 c. toasted walnut pieces1 8oz. package of tempeh
dressing/marinade:2 tbsp. maple syrup2 tbsp. dijon mustard2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar2 tbsp. olive oilKosher salt and black pepper1/4 c. sliced scallions
Preheat oven to 400*Add toss Brussels sprouts in olive oil, salt and pepper on a cookie sheet, roast for 25-35 minutes, tossing occasionally, until browned.Whisk together all dressing ingredients, add half to a bowl and toss with sliced tempeh.Preheat a nonstick skillet to medium heat, add tempeh slices and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes.Add Brussels sprouts to a serving bowl, toss in apples and nuts, top with tempeh strips, blue cheese, and drizzle with remaining dressing.Serve warm or refrigerate and serve chilled later.

Crisp and Crunchy Brussels Sprout Salad

Smoky Lentil-Tomato Soup

There are very few ‘soup’ days living here in Florida. Something about 80* and sweat doesn’t make me want to dip into a warm bowl of beans and vegetables, so I have to wait for the few days it dips into the 70′s! This winter was very mild, I can only think of a few nights where we had a freeze! Just last weekend it was over 80* so I went and bought Violet a new summer wardrobe, but this morning I woke up to a freeze! I have been craving lentils lately, so when I stumbled across this soup it sounded like a winner.

The base to make it smoky is bacon, which is obviously out for me. Instead, I used smoked paprika rather than regular, and added a whole can of fire-roasted tomatoes instead of the original 1/4

Smoky Lentil-Tomato Soup

Healthy Foods: the History of Quinoa

Although it is experiencing a growth in popularity among health aficionados, quinoa is still relatively unfamiliar to many people. But this nutrient-rich grain is anything but new. In fact, archaeological evidence suggests that the consumption of quinoa by South American natives dates back many thousands of years. Ancient South American civilizations so highly revered this staple crop that they referred to it as the “mother of all grains.”

The Origins of Quinoa

There is no doubt that quinoa originated in the mountainous regions of South America. The grain was first cultivated about 5000 years ago in populations residing in the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. These ancient cultures prized quinoa not only for its nutritional value, but for its hardiness in the extreme environments of the Andes Mountains. Despite the high altitudes, arid environment, sandy soil, and freezing temperatures, the quinoa plant thrived. The principle crops of quinoa and maize sustained these ancient populations of people for hundreds of generations until the arrival of the Conquistadores in the 16th century.

The End of the Quinoa Age

As Spanish colonization took place in the area, local customs and traditions were slowly erased. Since quinoa was so highly revered by the natives who often used the plants in religious ceremonies, the Spaniards came to detest the plant. They considered it a threat to their own religious faith. The foreign settlers insisted on planting barley, potatoes, and corn – crops which did not tolerate extreme conditions well. The consequence was widespread famine and starvation. Out of desperation, many natives went against the foreign regime and grew quinoa illicitly in higher elevations.

Quinoa Revival

In the 1970’s, a Bolivian spiritual leader named Oscar Ichazo revived mass cultivation of quinoa because he thought that the grain helped his followers reach higher spiritual planes. From this movement, the Quinoa Corporation was eventually founded. The company’s mission was to restore quinoa as a primary food source across the globe.

Worldwide, the popularity of quinoa has slowly grown since the 1970’s as a nutritive staple. It can be used in place of rice, oats, or other grains. Preparation of quinoa is much the same as rice. Boiling one part quinoa seeds together with two parts water results in a tender, nutty-flavored grain that can be combined with vegetables, used as a side dish or salad topping, or it can even be a base in desserts.

Although quinoa is grain-like, it does not belong to the same plant family as wheat, oats, barley, or rye. As such, it is a gluten-free food and does not usually cause allergic reactions. Quinoa is also the great source of fiber, protein, vitamin E, folate, and manganese.

Healthy Foods: the History of Quinoa