Pasta Fagioli

After a cold day on the farm, this does the trick!

  (photo by Christine)

Ingredients

• 1 cup ditalini, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
• ½ small box of frozen spinach, thawed (or fresh spinach)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper                                
• 4 cups water                                                                                               
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
3. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until tender (approx 15 minutes), stirring occasionally.
4. Add garlic and cook for one minute (be careful not to burn the garlic).
5. Add beans, tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and water and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
7. Stir in drained pasta, cheese, and parsley, and heat through.

Beautifully Said

What a wonderful quote from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.  I added it to my butterfly picture.  It was drying its wings having just emerged from the cocoon last spring.  Click on the pic to see a bigger version.

Winning, This Way and That

First of all, should we be hearing Spring Peepers at the end of February?  We heard the first "chorus" last night before the next round of storms moved in!

I'm on track to begin week 3 in my running program today and so far it is going very well.  I'm also busy hand prepping fleece to spin up more yarn.  I really should take it all to be made into roving.  I'd get a lot more accomplished.   Roving is fleece that has been carded (brushed) on machines into long, continuous strips or bundles.  A spinner will use this to spin yarn.  I do this by hand with carders and make rolags.   Hand carders are like paddles with wire bristles all over them.  The Joy of Handspinning website has lots of info about it.  Here are my rolags ready to spin.  They look like little cinnamon buns! :)

Mataeus' Fleece and Hand Carded Rolags

It is time to announce the winner of the book "Running Made Easy" and an item from my Etsy shop!  I numbered each entry and used a random number generator to determine the winner.  Congratulations Diane Whitcomb! I'll be contacting you to get your address and find out what you pick from the shop!  It was fun to offer my first giveaway and make new  acquaintances,  and I really appreciate each comment and entry.  Thank you.

It is time to welcome March, Spring, flowers, Lent and Easter, and even the little Peepers.  I guess they are ready whether we are or not.

Book and Alpaca Gift Giveaway

An update on "The Next Step".   A friend recommended Running Made Easy by Susie Whalley and Lisa Jackson as a place to start.  It is a ten week plan to transition from absolutely zero to walking/jogging for 40 minutes.  I am now in week two!  Little Man is my trainer.  He is 10 and doesn't remember me when I was hiking and snowshoeing, or during my time on the radio or on stage.  So he is thrilled.  He keeps hugging on me and smiling a lot.

Quite a few people are inspired to join me in a return to health, so I'm giving away a copy of this book, along with an item from my Etsy shop!  The winner gets to pick which item they'd like!  Here is what is currently in the shop:

The winner will get to pick from whatever is in the shop on Monday.  Just leave a comment here and you'll be included in the random drawing on Sunday.  The winner will be announced Monday, February 28th. 

Now, I will tell you this book is written for people in the UK, so weight is converted from kg or stones to lbs.  I have no idea how many "stones" I am, but I have not found this to be a problem for this program.  I love the book!  It has lots of tips, stories, and inspiration...weekly plans, charts, and celebrating.  It has been very well thought out to help people like me who are coming back from physical challenges, weight problems, or are just plain 'ol couch potatoes.  Spinning and knitting does keep us sitting a lot!

Today I started week two.  I run (haha which is more of a shuffle) for 60 seconds and walk for 2 minutes, then repeat 5 times on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  My basset, Lucy, has joined in.  Guess what I learned?  When female dogs get older, they have to stop and pee pee every few minutes, too!  :D

The Benefits of Green Tea (and Alpacas)

It is very common for people to say how peaceful they feel being around alpacas.  Combine that with a cup of tea and you might have a recipe for bliss!

Dr. Weil lists great reasons to drink green tea in this article on his blog today.

5 Reasons to Drink Green Tea

He says besides the anti-oxidants and boosting immunity, green tea can:

1. Lower cholesterol levels and rates of heart disease
2. Help protect against bacterial infections
3. Promote joint health and stronger bones
4. Reduce inflammation
5. Enhance the effects of antibiotics, even against drug-resistant bacteria and “superbugs”

Some of this you may know, but reducing inflammation is new info for me.  Inflammation is a big cause of the pain you might feel from many diseases, as well as injuries.

I'm trying to add green tea into my routine these days.  With the weather being nicer, it is a great little daily escape to have a cup of tea with the alpacas before calling it a night.

If you aren't already reaping the benefits of green tea, you might give it some thought.  I think it is therapeutic just putting the kettle on! 

I've added the ability to "follow" this blog.  Look for the link in the right column.  I'd love for you to follow or subscribe!  We don't have all the answers, but I do ask lots of questions.  You can learn about alpaca farming, using the fleece, and fiber crafts right along side of me.  :)