30 Day Workout Challenge

So, January went by really fast. New Year's feels like last week. And this is usually the point where keeping those promises you made to yourself at the beginning of year start to slip. So, I decided to do a workout challenge.

Keeping an exercise regimen has always been a tough thing for me to do. Without fail, my plans always seem to fall apart at day 3. I don't know what it is about day 3, but that is what happens. It wasn't always like this. I used to keep a decent workout schedule. And it would happen when I was motivated and/or had an exercise partner that was motivated as well.

So, why am I doing this 30 day workout challenge? I feel that something like this would be a good kickstart for getting back into the groove of having (and keeping) a workout schedule. Plus, committing to something for 30 days feels less daunting and intimidating. Why am I making this public? Why not keep this to myself? Two words: Support and accountability. When I had a exercise partner, I was more likely to go to gym, because I knew that she would be waiting for me. I knew that I couldn't slack off if she wasn't slacking off. Seeing her putting in the time and effort made me put in the time and effort as well. This is me making the virtual equivalent of that relationship. Putting myself out there, so that I have someone who is waiting for me to clock in.

What if you want to join me on this journey? Well, first off, you are awesome. Thanks for considering it. The rules are simple. (I like simple). The goal is to work out 4-5 days/week for 30-45 minutes. The start date is Sunday, Feb 1st. I am going to do a lot of tweeting for the next month while this is happening. If you wish to follow me, my Twitter handle is @desnarose

I'm a bit excited about this next month. Yes, I know it is going to be challenging. And some days are probably going to down right suck. But, I'm ready. Let's do this.

Kitchen Adventures! - Spicy Rice and Eggplant casserole

More Kitchen Adventures! This time with eggplant. I can honestly say that eggplant is not a vegetable I'm familiar with when it comes to cooking. My mother attempted an eggplant parmesan once. It didn't really go over that well. After that, we never saw another eggplant on our dinner plates ever again.

Preparing the eggplant for frying

Recently, I decided to try eggplant again. Most of the recipes I came across involved breading, cheese and pasta, but that was not the kind of recipe I was after. After some more searching, I came across a rice and eggplant dish that caught my attention. The casserole was made of fried eggplant slices with a mixture of rice, tomato, onions, green peppers and a white sauce layered between. It sounded simple enough. Sounded being the operative word in that sentence. I was not prepared for what I was about to get myself into.

Chop! Chop! Chop!

Most of the meals that I make are quick and easy. And while this recipe was not complex, it took much more time than I had anticipated it would. I had to make a Bechemal sauce, for heaven's sake. I didn't even know what that was until I made this dish. I don't think there was one part that was more time consuming than the other. It was just the number of things that had to come together to make this dish.

Bon Apetit!

In the end, the dish was absolutely delicious! My parents (who aren't big eggplant enthusiasts) went back for seconds and thirds. That made me very very happy to see. My only complaint is that there was absolutely nothing spicy about this recipe whatsoever. Would I make this dish again? Yes, but I would have very motivated and well rested. It is a tasty vegetarian dish. It's a tasty eggplant dish. The recipe is definitely a keep.

If you would like to make this yourself the recipe is HERE.

New Year's : The Goal

The obligatory New Year's post. It's an exercise that many are going to participate in. We are going to sit and survey the past 365 days of our lives and take inventory. Once that is done, we plot out a trajectory for the next 365 days in whatever direction we see fit.

I started skipping out on this entire ritual, giving a handful of reasons why I wasn't participating. Reasons I am pretty sure that you all have heard before. But this year, I'm reconsidering. I'm reconsidering because, sometimes, our minds hold onto the wrong memories that happened during the past year. And we do not give even weight to the good and the positive. So I am going to make myself remember the good, release the painful, and make plans to move forward down the path that I choose.

My year started with one of the greatest things happening to me, right after the ground had fallen from underneath my feet. And while I was pushing through some of the most challenging days I had ever experienced, I was forging bonds with some of the best and closest friends that I will ever have.

I found myself in a place and around people that I never thought could exist. I was in a bubble outside of the world, with like minded people who had similar stories to mine. We learned together. We studied together. We dreamed out loud and talked about how our worlds had fallen away from underneath our feet. But more than that, we were all slowly putting our dreams back together, with help and not judgement. 

 As cliche as it sounds, diamonds are made under pressure and gold is purified through fire. I am a different person than I was 365 days ago. Different way of thinking, different way of viewing people, different way of viewing the world and myself in it. And all for the better. This is my take from the inventory of the past year.

So what about plans for the future? I plan to simply keep heading down this path. To continue the journey that I started. It's a simple goal, but sometimes "keep moving forward" is what takes all the energy and focus you have. And that is what I want my focus to be on this year. Forward.

I have started working on projects that I have been planning and putting off. I have ended  things that no longer have any place in my life. I have found people who make me laugh and smile, challenge my way of thinking and pushed me to limits I didn't know I could reach. 

I have left people who could only show negativity. Left people who only knew how to take and never give. I became more accepting of myself and shirked the need to conform to any standard in order to be accepted. 

These are small steps along a path that stretches for a lifetime. I have no numbered list.  No sheet of paper with check boxes ready to be ticked. I have only one goal. To keep moving forward down this path of my choosing.