June Lake Brewing

We are hurrying to experience the different parts of June Lake…mostly based off of recommendations by people we meet or those we trust that have been here before.

On that note…we HAD to go to June Lake Brewing Company so what’s-his-name could get a beer.

I’m not really into beer but I am into having a good attitude and also into seeing my Husband Unit happy!

We heard a rumor of a Hawaiian Food Truck parked outside of a brewery and we JUST HAPPENED to need to go into June Lake to pick up our mail.

Now June Lake is all of 8 blocks by 4 blocks and bumps right up to the lake. It’s sincerely a beautiful little town (they don’t have a filling station but they do have a tiny grocery store with 14 aisles of essentials INCLUDING an organic section!).

You can’t get LOST in June Lake unless you are completely focused on drinking a cold beer sitting by the lake instead of actually replicating the clear directions given to you by a trusted friend. So we got lost SOMEHOW in a 8 x 4 block area. Luckily it was daytime.

After making 5 or 6 right turns we hit the T and there it was: June Lake Brewing Company.

If there were soundtracks with life this vision would be accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra laying down Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue in an outdoor venue.

Sun blasted all around us.

The golden leaves on the trees surrounding the intersection glistened and waved in a very welcoming way.

I felt my Husband Unit breathe deeply in anticipation.

Time to park the big ass truck we have. Hmmmm….let’s see…there are plenty of options.

But tunnel vision took over again so we parked completely crooked in a beat up parking lot almost hitting two pedestrians and a brick wall. I kept my mouth shut and hesitated before getting out just to scan WHO SAW THIS ALL HAPPEN (how embarrassing!).

Once the coast was clear I joined Husband Unit at the Hawaiian Food Truck where he was staring and scanning at the incredible options available to us. The brewery was on the other side of the parking lot and there were plenty of happy beer-sipping people on the deck in the sunshine enjoying themselves.

We ordered (I got a vegetarian noodle thing with kale and a medley of other fine veggies…and a super hot pepper sweet sauce on the side and he got Poke Tacos with cold slaw). As he paid (which tax was included) he inquired about eating it with his beer over at the JLB. “Oh we’ll bring it on over to you, sir!” He glanced at me with complete excitement! “Wow that is freaking cool!” I told the young lady (everyone is young here, for the record).

Next stop: June Lake Brewing Company’s outdoor dining area “Sunshine Preferred”. It was a little chilly out (our nights have been in the 20’s and the afternoon has been in the 70’s).

We scooted into a table sharing it with a young (again, everyone is young here) “working out their personal problems over a brew or two”. Randy SPRINTED (practically) into the brew house as I yelled after him to just pick something out for me.

Cue Gershwin again as he returns to our perfect little table spot with two glasses of golden nectar AND within 2 minutes of sitting down our lunch was delivered. Timing!

My noodles were OK, I wasn’t actually hungry. The beer was “beer” with a ginger aftertaste…meh. But we aren’t here for me so I sipped politely and ate slowly.

Husband Unit, on the other hand, was in heaven. He wolfed down his first poke taco too quickly IMO. I’ve learned to stop trying to regulate the speed he eats (which is bionic).

In the old days, when I’d mention he might consider slowing down to give his taste buds a chance to TASTE the thing, he would reply, “my mom raised me to eat fast and we always ate fast…can’t have my food cold.” My retort was (I thought) common sense: “Honey, that was over 40 years ago. I think you could move on from that one.” To which he just smiles.

ANYWAY, one taco down and he began eyeing my noodles. I pushed my dish over and encouraged him to “give this a taste!” It was really flavorful, hot and filling. I pretended to sip my beer and looked around the deck giving him the opportunity to feel shovel huge Daddy-Size bites before pushing my dish back to my side of the table.

My appetite was satisfied and as he polished off his last taco I asked if he’d finish my noodles. Pointing at my paper bowl, “I’ll be getting THIS next time we come here.” He gulped down more cold beer visibly HAPPY and RELAXED.

“This place rocks!”

Yes it does.

Yes, it really does.

Cheers!

Lentil Potato Stew…with creamy coconut pizazz

Coconut Lentil Potato Stew

Servings: 10

Instant Pot: 25 minutes

Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Spices

1/2t salt

1/8t cayenne pepper

1/2t rosemary

1/2t thyme

1/2t oregano

EVOO (drizzle, about 1t)

1 yellow onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, smashed then chopped

1 medium sweet potato, diced

6 small red potatoes (about 2 cups worth) diced

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 giant carrot, cut like quarters

1C chopped kale (any type works)

1C Chana dal (yellow lentil)

1C coconut milk

3C water

Always prepare all ingredients and spices before you turn on the Instant Pot (IP).

Put IP on sauté, add EVOO and heat.

Add garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Add onion and continue sauté stirring for another minute or two.

Next add all remaining vegetables and continue to stir. This gets HOT so don’t leave it alone.

Add coconut milk and turn IP to “Manual” setting HIGH and 25 minutes.

Add water and continue stirring to blend.

Add spices and slowly blend.

Add dal/lentil and give it a few stirs to make sure everything is submerged.

Be sure you have your SAVORY RING in the IP lid, place on top and check that the steam release is CLOSED. Hit CANCEL button then MANUAL button again and set for 25 minutes on HIGH.

I like to let the Instant Pot release pressure slowly (which can take 20 minutes). You can release it sooner. Once the pressure pin drops then it is safe to remove the lid.

Bouncing Off The Treadmill

Yesterday I was a little scatter-brained when we went to the gym.

It was another 8 hour work day and most of it spent in the kiosk helping people check in and answering questions over and over and over and over. I’m not complaining, I’m reporting.

Right after lunch there was a line of automobiles, RV’s, Travel Trailers and trucks about 10 deep. I got a little rattled starting right at that moment in time. I think we all know when things are out of our control (even a tiny bit). I think a little bit of “fight-or-flight” adrenaline leaks into the nervous system.

Being a Libra on the cusp of Scorpio, you will rarely find me backing down to fly.

Currently the computer I have to work on is from, I’m gonna guess, 1989. It is a Compaq and paint dries faster than clicking a mouse to close a screen. Prior to having my own business I spent 20+ years in the world of VAX/VMS then Windows. Today I alerted my boss to the many warning messages that pop-up when booting up in the morning. This poor workhorse is on it’s final days and so are we with this 2017 Season.

I am a snap-and-pop worker. I fill find wasted time and motion and remove it from any job I’m supposed to get done. When people talk about being paid “by the hour” or “by the project” I am will always choose the latter. This is something I am proud of – and Randy is the same way. We get shit DONE and do it well the first time (for the most part). We don’t complain. We WORK.

So, moving in slo-mo makes me anxious. Having a line of 10 people waiting to get help looks like I’m slacking off! “Flight” crosses my mind.

One lady, in a Mercedes Camper, felt she should not have to wait her turn. She sashayed up to the kiosk window and interrupted me IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE WITH A NICE COUPLE WAITING PATIENTLY TO COMPLETE THEIR REGISTRATION.

She PISSED ME OFF immediately. I really think it is one of the most awful things to interrupt someone and especially MID SENTENCE.

I have to keep my manners in though, so I let her know I’d be able to help her when it was her turn.

She didn’t give up. She remained there with her fancy sunglasses, hot red lipstick and perfectly coiffed hair. She asked me the same question and I dramatically set my hands down holding the paperwork for the couple and looked right at her and repeated SLOWLY but MOST DEFINITELY that I’d help her when it was her turn. I was not condescending or snooty (for the record).

She tried AGAIN! I realized this woman (who might be in her 50’s or 60’s) did not wait much for anything. This was extremely difficult for her to have to tolerate what was happening. I had zero compassion (which is very unusual for me).

I threepeated: “Ma’am, I’ll be able to help you when it is your turn. I cannot answer your questions until I finish each person in front of you.”

She looked exasperated as she said (with pursed lips), “Should I just go back to my car!?!?”

The couple, having witnessed this entire interruption but kept cool waiting, nodded YES silently.

I confirmed that she got it right, and it would be her turn soon.

She tried AGAIN, which would be a quattuorpeat, to have me answer her questions.

My jaw dropped, the couple in the car stared in disbelief as their jaw dropped and then there was just silence between all of us. The roar and rattle of the diesel truck engine humming seemed to fill the air more.

“I’m just going to go back to my car and let my husband know what’s happening.”

“That sounds good. I’ll see you soon.”

Thankfully (THANKFULLY!) my co-worker Loretta appeared in the kiosk to help me. Ahhhhhh….help has arrived!

Loretta is a BADASS ADMINISTRATOR. She knows everything there is to know about this campground and she is zen-like in all of the training she has given me. I didn’t get to tell her about Mercedes Lady being so pushy.

The couple got checked in and Diesel Truck Guy rolled up to the window.

SIDE NOTE: It is an unspoken rule to TURN THE TRUCK OFF when you need to engage in a conversation of importance. This is an important rule. If you have a Diesel engine, please remember it.

Diesel Truck Guy (DTG) turned off his truck (thank you!) and asked if “we had any spots available?”

Yes. We do.

“For three nights?”

Enter screeching tire sound.

It’s Thursday. Probably the SECOND worst day to try to find a campsite. Friday is even WORSE for people without reservations. Very risky. VERY RISKY because it’s almost the weekend plus all of the campsites in June Lake are SOLD OUT! The Tioga Pass was closed due to ice and snow…people are turning back.

I want to help this nice guy and his family.

“Actually I need to get two sites and need them to be next to each other. I also need space for an extra car.”

My stomach drops.

His wife leans over to add, “can we have a place with trees for shade too?”

I hope so. I WANT to give them their wish.

But here’s the thing: I have to use my slo-mo computer to run a search then write down the sites that are available (forget any detailed parameters like trees, extra space for a car and side-by-side).

I enter in the algorithm and press SEARCH.

Waiting….waiting…waiting…

Glancing out the window to see how bad the pile-up of waiting guests is I notice 3 more added and now I’m pretty sure we are backed up into the Pine Cliff RV Resort now. CRAP!!!

Yes! Results. I tell them I have three options and they can drive around then choose which works and come back up to pay. The man, BLESS HIS SOUL, ignores his wife and says BOOK ME IN THE ONE YOU THINK WORKS THE BEST. Ahhhhh…. thank you thank you thank you!! Sites 90 and 91.

Done and done.

He rolls off and I’m ready to punch-out for the day mentally. This is how Thursday Kiosk Work seems to be. I have done it enough times now to see the pattern.

My mind is on getting OUT of the kiosk and onto the golf cart to do some rounds cleaning restrooms. Yes, I would rather clean restrooms than stand in a little box for another two hours. Loretta takes over and I’m out of there like a long arm through a short sleeve.

Randy put the pedal to the metal and off we putted toward Squirrel Loop. The wind in my face and the sun on my arms felt GOOD!

TIME TO GO TO THE GYM…AGAIN

We have been hitting the gym every day and now I’m getting to crave it…sort of. I knew we had to go today for sure just to move that Mercedes Lady out of my mind.

After sparkling the 6 restrooms we changed into our gym clothes, put a couple of potatoes in the oven and set off to the spa/resort/gym.

Things were hurried because of the potatoes in the oven!

I got my locker all situated and rushed up to the treadmill with my ear buds (yes Eric…I am using earbuds).

A young lady, maybe 19-20, was running on the treadmill Randy normally uses which is on my left. He chose the one on my right and had it on an incline. The entire thing was shaking and slamming on the ground with every step. It was like Shrek on a treadmill. He was bothered by this and I guess I have to admit I sort of ignored him.

Normally I look at him and say, “I”m putting earbuds in…is there anything you need to tell me beforehand?” Since I know he gets super bothered with people wearing earbuds (they ignore you when you talk directly to them).

I didn’t do that. BIG mistake.

I plugged into the TV monitor thing and hit AUTO START. Began moving.

After about 2 minutes Randy turned to me and started talking – but I couldn’t hear him.

So I reached up to pull the earbud out of my head when it popped off and hit my treadmill bouncing onto the girl’s treadmill next to me.

This is where things began to SLOW DOWN.

Randy is yammering on behind me, I’m watching my ear bud bounce away into vapor nothingness and disappear so I THOUGHT I’d hit the STOP button while turning to step off to grab the bud before it bounced completely out of sight.

That’s when I did it.

I joined that club of “Funniest Videos: Treadmill Face Plants”.

I knew, a split second TOO LATE, I’d made a huge huge mistake.

My right foot went down on the left side facing backwards. It just flipped me all the way UP and into the air and then I landed HALFWAY on my treadmill (which was STILL ON AND ROLLING) and that 19-year old girl next to me (who had headphones on and was ignoring me the entire time).

That girl didn’t miss a beat in her steps.

Randy, on the other hand, smashed my STOP BUTTON and yelled out, “Oh no HONEY!?”

I guess it must have sounded like a steer falling sideways and landing HARD to the people below.

I put my hand down to break the fall and the belt was still rolling so THAT was dumb.

My face, shoulder and arm slipped out from that idea and down I went…again.

How could this happen so fast and TWICE?

I prioritized instantly.

FIND. EAR. BUD.

Spider-like I began roaming the carpet looking for my bud.

Randy joined the search.

The girl STEPPED OVER ME to leave. She wasn’t phased and also couldn’t care less.

Bud was GONE.

Got my phone out and used the flashlight to scope beneath her treadmill.

Not there.

Continued looking and BY CHANCE saw it had somehow landed near the stairs leading down to the gym.

GOOD NEWS

Despite falling and being shot off the back of the treadmill…twice…

1) I didn’t hurt myself

2) I found my bud

3) The girl left which gave me more space

4) I finished my workout

5) Falling asleep was easy…laughing about what happened was easier.

Camp Hosting is still fun and I look forward to tomorrow.

June Lake Pecan Banana Bread

June Lake Pecan Banana Bread

10-10-17, Elevation 7700’

This makes one loaf of delicious bread. Pardon the photo: my husband helped himself to a giant piece before I could snag a pic! This bread is crunchy on the outside and perfect in the middle. Please note my elevation comment below and adjust if you are not living on a mountain. You will burn your bread otherwise.

“Dry Ingredients”

1C Oat Flour

3/4c gluten free baking flour

2T double-acting baking powder

1/2t salt

“Wet ingredients”

2 chia-eggs (1:3 ratio seed and water)

3/4c melted vegan butter

2/3c sugar

1/2t vanilla

1/2t cinnamon

1 banana, brown and spotty smashed well

3/4c chopped raw unsalted pecans

1/2c dried cranberries

Parchment paper.

“Topping”

10 whole unsalted pecans (these are for the top of the bread).

NOTE: I am at 7500’ elevation which means I need to bake at a little higher temperature and for a little longer than someone at a lower elevation. If you live in higher elevations you know this…SO…reduce the temp to 350 and the time to bake to 50 minutes lower than 4,000 elevation. I am also working in a travel trailer oven that has one line of flames down the center (burning everything above it!!). So I bake in smaller containers and move them around to try to evenly bake.

Preheat oven to 375.

Blend Chia-egg and set aside to firm up.

You need two mixing bowls. One for dry and one for wet ingredients.

Blend Oat Flour, baking flour and baking powder and salt in one bowl. Set aside.

Blend the wet ingredients in a separate bowl (in the order above). The banana will turn into a lumpy purée. Once fully blended begin adding dry ingredients in thirds.

Line baking tin with parchment paper. This is optional of course – I love parchment paper because it reduces the amount of oils.

Transfer mixture from bowl to the baking dish. It is sticky, not runny. I scoop with a spoon and spatula.

Cover the top with the 10 pecans pressing down slightly so they are embedded.

Bake 30 minutes on one side of the oven and then 25 on the other. Or, if you have a normal oven just bake 50 minutes in the center rack. Check with a fork to make sure it is done (your fork will insert and remove without any batter).

Remove from oven and let it cool on a rack.

You can cut and freeze individual slices to warm up later or even better: eat it right away (like Randy!)

163 Lbs of WOMAN!

Ahhh…I had to join a GYM.

What a hypocrite. I should NEVER have said I would “NEVER join a gym.”

I did it and today was Day 1 and I LOVED it.

I’m on a 30-Day Challenge with a good friend who doesn’t belong to a fitness group (and doesn’t want to). She used to be one of our clients when we opened 805 Boot Camp and revealed to me how little she has worked out since we closed our doors.

We built our business over the years and here is one person I’d call a dear friend for the rest of my life, practically a sister. When she couldn’t come to camp, we hiked and talked for hours about what was happening in our lives. I guess this is what you could call a bitch-session. We gave each other ideas, comfort and understanding.

Right now we need each other to get through this challenge.

STRUCTURE AND DISCIPLINE (OH AND FRIENDS)

I thought I was alone being lazy about working out. I would jump on social media and see all of my past customers and my friends working out every day. Having a structured plan or program is worth GOLD. Filling it with people you love to see everyday is worth even more (what’s better than gold?).

We’ve had friends visiting every single weekend filling us in on how things are going.

There are random texts, emails and letters packed with all of the exercising everyone I know is doing!

So, I figured I was alone on the Island Of Lazy.

Everyday I justified how much work we were physically doing as a “workout”. Sure, we are going for 6 hours every day minimum doing yard work or cleaning bathrooms and buildings.

Recently, when it was 18 degrees out, I had to put layers of underwear on just to stay warm while working outside. As I sucked in my stomach to fasten my belt I realized I must have gained a lot of weight and I got pissed. At myself.

There are also eating habits I should admit aren’t helping on top of my age (I’ll be 50 in a few weeks!).

The bottom line is that I am NOT running, hiking, biking and/or working out on a regular basis and when I do I feel SO GOOD!

WILL YOU BE MY WORKOUT PARTNER?

So, at the risk of being judged, I sent a text to my friend with my fingers crossed that she would join me in this 30-Day Workout Challenge.

She said, “YES!”

That little text reply kept me on that awful treadmill for the 30 minutes I’d said I would run, albeit SLOWLY, for.

It kept me trying harder to get through the plank rows despite my left wrist nagging me.

I am excited to have a workout partner – even though she is so far far away – to commiserate with and encourage each other when things are tough – and we know they will get tough.

MORE ABOUT THAT TREADMILL EXPERIENCE

I last ran on a treadmill over 12 years ago. My how technology has changed…and my vision too.

The photo above is basically how things looked while I ran. I did not have music. I did not play the TV. I just watched the blurred numbers and squinted to see what I was doing. My goal was 30 minutes walk/running. I also haven’t RUN any sort of distance in a month when we ran at Lake George to Horseshoe Lake at 9,000 elevation (totally different experience than 7,500′).

After my bike crash I was pretty limited. Boo-hoo (excuses Randy couldn’t argue with!)

My mind began to wander and I realized that’s exactly how people face-plant on these machines. Gotta keep my mind and focus on the machine and my feet. I finished my 30 minutes without falling off.

DOUBLE EAGLE RESORT AND SPA

My membership here rocks.

They have EVERYTHING you might need to workout and it is very good condition. The place is spotless clean and the BONUS is I have a steam room to relax in after then hot showers and a Powder Room too. I feel like I visited a Burke Williams Mountain Retreat!

The weather and work schedule is forcing us to come up with a solution and I’m super happy that this place has a monthly membership option. From now on I will be looking for Spa/Resorts along our route and hope they will be this nice.

MY GOAL

Right now my goal is just to show up and work hard EVERY day of my membership NO EXCUSES. I’m tinkering with making nutritional changes (as I sip my glass of wine!!) but I’m not there yet.

I’m 163 lbs of jiggly, wiggly and cottage cheesy woman gasping for air after ¾ of a mile RUN at 11-Minute pace. Let’s see where this goes.

Join me!!!

Cheers to all of you men and women that are not part of a group and trying to keep exercise in their lives despite the so many challenges that come up.

TODAY’S WORKOUT, DAY 1

30 Minutes

Run/Walk Briskly

10 Minute Circuit

Plank Row with 8lb weights 5x

Flutter Kicks 5x

Squat/Press Up with 8lb weights 5x

(Repeat until 10 minutes is up)

10 Minute Yoga stretching

5 Minute Deep Breathing

I think I started off on a low enough gradient so I won’t give up but will feel the work.

PHOTOS:

This poster was on the wall at the gym I was part of: Total Woman in Glendale California. This is where I met my running coach Gudrun Armanski…who taught me how to NOT HATE running and began personal training life. I studied this poster because I love this sort of stuff to begin with. Look at all of the ideas it gives PLUS the machines or equipment is right here!

Conflicting Information

Traffic came to a standstill today when a gang of deer needed to cross our path to nibble on the brush this morning.

We waited patiently as they pranced past cautiously. There are 30 deer wandering and we have spotted the older and wiser as well as the brand new fawns. The antlers range from 1 point to 3 on each and BOY do they look sharp. They mostly travel in 5 or 8 and I’m beginning to recognize them.

Today I had a lightbulb moment connecting up some dots.

Even before becoming vegan I loved animals. A lot. I remember how my heart broke seeing them in cages in the zoos wondering how anyone (or any living creature) could possibly WANT to live in a box, cell or behind windows. We put people that are bad in jail to serve time in a cage removed from life as they knew it. To protect us from their bad behavior (and sometimes protect them from themselves).

I don’t know very many humans that call themselves a HUNTER. Most people I know live in cities with plenty of grocery stores to provide the many dietary needs they require. In other words: a Hunter hunts for the exciting feeling they get killing another living creature. That, in my opinion, is unacceptable.

There was this hunter who tried to convince me that the deer population needed to be “handled”. The deer were overwhelming a town eating the gardens meant for the human to consume (in hindsight this must have been vegetables). According to this person the deer were taking over the entire town! Humans were starving to death. It was a very grave situation. Hunting was helping when the population exploded and that is why “Hunting Season” was so “important”. I call bullshit.

This reply is just a way to make murdering innocent animals look gallant and stretching it…American.

I heard two stories (yes, only two…but still… read on and you be the judge) of hunters paying over $5,000 to a guide to take them out into the wilderness to kill deer. They were PISSED when they returned empty handed after a WEEK of attempting, suffering in the cold, waiting…and paying so much. If there are so many deer, why couldn’t even ONE be located and murdered? The other person had a similar fish boating story.

Oh, and when I found out the lakes are stocked with farmed fish I almost spit out my drink. To hear people going ga-ga over the size of the fish that they caught was ridiculous. Go to the next carnival or State Fair and throw your dime on a dish, pick up a duck with a number on it or try to get the ping pong ball to land on the lilly pad. Your prize will be a giant stuffed animal that you can leave on your couch for everyone to oooh and ahhh over when they visit.

When was the last time you heard about a “deer invasion” happening?

I did a quick search of the internet and TWO DAYS AGO in Washington there was a deer invasion! Guess why? BECAUSE THE HUMANS WERE LEAVING FOOD OUT FOR THEM. OMG humans. Here’s the story: http://komonews.com/news/local/oh-deer-bellingham-considers-ban-on-feeding-deer-after-animals-invade-neighborhood

The only other deer invasion I could locate had to do with a 2009 blog post (pretty entertaining and excellent writing) asking the citizens of Bountiful Utah if they would allow a sharp shooter onto their property to help contain the mule-deer problem. IN 2009.

This is a manufactured bullshit problem and I’m not sure who is profiting by it.

I just know it pisses me off that there are actual people, with access to plenty of food (and probably they consume way more than they should for their own health) who get excited at the thought of killing something.

There are so many places that energy could be used to help a friend, neighbor, homeless person…the list goes on.

RANT OVER – BACK TO MY OWN WAY OF LIFE

I’m vegan which may be why these issues affect me deeper than someone that is not.

I will never kill another living creature on purpose.

My choice to be vegan started when I was battling a virus that was invading my mouth, ear, nose and throat.

Pic: My mouth FILLED with blisters on every surface. This was a 6 out of 10 (I kept a record of every day of my life with these blisters gauging their severity in pain). I could not eat or drink anything at all when I was battling. This problem began in 2005 after I had gone a full month eating spinach salads with salmon or tuna on top (canned). No Western Medical Doctor I visited (and I went to ALL that were available to me) could figure out what was wrong. I went to an Eastern Medicine Doctor one of our boot campers recommended and he had treated three people with the same problem! I was in shock. He told me he would be getting rid of the blisters, not covering them up. He also let me know how bad my insides were doing. My liver was working overtime, my kidneys were going to give up and my immune system in general was just destroyed having spent from 2005-2012 battling this problem with ‘modern medicine’.

My doctor told me the next place for it to destroy were my eyes (my vision!). That scared the shit out of me enough to listen to what he said (he did not tell me to be vegan for the record). My immune system was shot and getting worse. I was spending $1,000 a MONTH at the Costco pharmacy (cheapest in town) pumping my body with pills, salves and liquids that weren’t working.

Along with following my doctor’s advice and consuming a gawd-awful herbal tea that our dog Kona (who eats poop off the trails) wouldn’t touch I switched out conventionally grown produce with organic THEN in 2012 thanks to Lisa Eidman’s advice to listen to a nutritionist named Julianna Hever. She was a “Plant Based Dietician” and I’d never heard of that before.

That was the beginning of huge and lasting improvements to my health.

– Sleep soundly

– Dandruff GONE

– Blisters GONE

– Energy UP

The biggest bummer is that I will eat EVERYTHING I can and love food even more now because I CAN EAT IT! I went for years eating barely anything and lost a lot of weight as a result.

I’m currently back to 163lbs which isn’t my highest but creeping in the wrong direction.

I got myself an InstantPot to make lots of dishes in but beyond that I love trying new things out.

Eating without meat is super easy for me now and clearly I’m not starving, that’s for sure.

placeholder://