We Interupt this Banana for an Important Bulletin: Project Bittman

I did not come up with a new project last week, nor this week, but I swear I have a good excuse! I have undertaken a project rather larger in scale that has kind of been taking up my energy.

I read the book FOOD MATTERS by Mark Bittman and I was totally inspired. I've been really trying over the last six months or so to eat less processed food, and that's been reasonably successful. But Bittman takes it a step further with the idea that we should eat more vegetables, less meat, and be overall more conscious about where our food comes from. And of course, since I live for a project, I decided that I wanted to really make a change to the way we eat.

Over the last two weeks I've been trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and less meat and junk, sort of trying to ease into the whole thing. I realized that the only way this way of eating will be successful for D and I is if I really take the bull by the horns and get cooking (more than we already do). So this weekend I kicked it up a notch, and when we were at the market picked up some grains (farro and couscous), beans (red kidney and cranberry romano), and a bunch of vegetables.

I bought this amazing salad last week at one of those salad places where you can put virtually anything in a salad and I wanted to replicate it. I roasted red peppers and beets tonight, I'm going to slow roast some grape tomatoes, and I need to do something with zucchini. Now I can assemble salads or combine the veggies with couscous or beans for something totally delicious.

It's a small step, I think, to a way bigger change in attitude to eating and life but I'm excited to make it.

Project Bananas: Week Seven: Don't Be a Couch Potato

Project Bananas: Don't Be a Couch Potato has actually been surprisingly tough. On more than a couple occasions I've wanted to just collapse on the couch and watch something comforting but I've stuck with it. There were even a few times where I just turned the TV off and used my computer in silence because there wasn't anything on that I hadn't already seen. Considering that I like to have the TV on as a backdrop, this was a big step.

But talk about first world problems, what I'm really having a problem doing is catching up on my PVR. It could be a reflection of the fact that life is a bit stressful right now, but all I really have the energy for is 30 minute sitcoms. Anything longer than that and it feels like too much to commit to. In addition, those 60 minute shows are all dramas, and I think maybe that's because I just need something lighter in my life. Even tonight, I'm watching Say Yes to the Dress (episodes I haven't seen) instead of anything on my PVR.

This weekend is going to be pretty nutty, but I'm hoping to find a couple of opportunities to hack away at the PVR. I get a strange sense of accomplishment from clearing it up, and lord knows I can always use more of that feeling,

Project Bananas: Week Seven: Don't Be a Couch Potato

So, I kind of forgot to tell you about Project Bananas: Week Six. It was pretty unremarkable though, and I think I'm going to put it in reserve for another week when I need an easy but life affirming project (it's a good one! You'll like it!).

But, for week seven, I'm back on track with both Project Bananas AND blogging about it. Project Bananas: Week Seven is to not be a couch potato (I couldn't think of anything cleverer to call it). My definition of couch potato is a little different though. I'm allowing myself to watch TV, but only if it's something I haven't seen before. This means yes to catching up on my shows on my PVR (Bones, NCIS, and The Mentalist) but no to watching Friends on TV (or even worse, DVD). What I'm hoping is that this will allow me to waste less time watching shows that I've seen before and more time doing stuff that I actually want to do.

Here's the thing. Watching Friends is my happy place. I've seen the episodes so many times that I can just rest, relax, and let the gentle humour wash over me. Of late, I've been pretty stressed out and have been allowing myself to spend more time than is strictly appropriate watching reruns. I have a lot of things I'd like to accomplish. I want to read more, write more, practice violin more, play wii more, and exercise more. I'm not sure watching reruns is 100% physically preventing me from not beaching myself on the couch like a whale, but I do think taking a break from reruns might make for some space in my brain.

So here goes. Monica, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, and Joey, I'll miss you. Until next week.