Got Built?

Pavlova. The word evokes the image of a sylph-like creature, lighter than air… someone who clearly never ate this dessert on a regular basis!

I have probably tried every Pavlova recipe under the sun. Okay, ALMOST ever Pavlova recipe. I finally found The One that appears to have actually been written in the land where the toilets flush backward.

I offer you my take on this sugary abomination - which I serve with lemon curd, whipped cream, and a side of insulin.
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Well, it happened. I finally got my seventy seven year old mom to work out. First time in her life, two weeks ago. She goes to the physio and has him train her - she trusts him not to hurt her. And if he does, well, he can fix her!

Let me back up a bit though. I got mom dieting in November and she’s lost 15 pounds. I’m keeping it REALLY simple with her - basically Atkins without the induction. Meat, fats, green veggies and a few berries are all fine. Nuts, natural peanut butter, coffee and tea, also fine. The only restriction: nothing starchy, nothing sweet. Initially, no fruit. We’re easing into a few berries, or an apple over the course of a day.

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I asked my friend Lisa (Dane) to set up my PSMF for me, because, um, I’m lazy and besides she’s done it before, so she’s a pro.

Here’s what she came up with. (more…)

You KNOW it’s an old-fashioned cookie recipe when the recipe calls for sour milk and no eggs. My great aunt Lucille used to make these as currant cookies - and as she grew old, and then very old, it fell upon my mother to bake these for her at Christmastime. This year, it was my pleasure to bake The Sacred Currant Cookies. Mom mailed them off with the note “MariAnne made these for you this year”. My mom’s so sweet. I wouldn’t have minded if she took credit, but to her, it made her proud that her daughter would do this for her.

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Lisa’s gradual, post-baby melt has gone really well. Having lost over twenty pounds since July, she’s doing REALLY well - but with Christmas approaching, Lisa would really like to ditch a few extra pounds so she can relax her diet and enjoy the holidays without being set too far back.

Fast, short term crash diets like this can only be done safely with a PSMF - protein sparing modified fast. This is what she has set for herself, brave soul. We all wish her well.

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Remembrance Day here in Canada. My husband and I went to the downtown Vancouver ceremony at Victory Square. It rained; somehow it just isn’t right if it doesn’t rain for Remembrance Day celebrations. In a way, the cold grey splatter of rain is a comfort for those of us who cry in the open without shame.

I always have such mixed feelings on Remembrance Day. Today is no different. War itself seems such a terrible waste of resources, energy, money, and life. And still, we must hate the war but love the warriors. Their country called and they stood up for all of us. (more…)

Pumpkin pie is a funny thing - for one, pumpkin isn’t a naturally delicious food, and it certainly isn’t particularly sweet. Neither is it easy to prepare.

I used to make my own pumpkin pie - from an actual pumpkin - and it was truly a pain in the ass to make (more…)

<blows dust off gym blog>

Well, let’s see. Bit of an update.

I’m training up at the Simon Fraser University gym ’cause it’s 59 bucks a YEAR if you sleep with a staff member (hubby works there). Killer facility, I sort of have access to a glute ham raise, there’s a proper official sprinting track, BRAND freaking new with a granular rubber surface, so springy it’s just to DIE for… treadmills that go to - get this - SIXTEEN MPH, and I’m kinda trying to nudge my way into the Masters sprinting group that meets on Saturdays. (more…)

Biscotti are funny little things - you’d think they wouldn’t be all that appealing - no butter, kinda hard, not particularly sweet - and yet, strangely addictive. I usually make these at Christmastime, but they’re wonderful for any occasion. Packed with apricots and almonds, they’re more nourishing than an ordinary cookie. Toss a few dozen in your backpack along with shaker cups full of your least unfavourite protein powder and you have instant food that actually tastes good. And because they really don’t break or go stale, they travel really well. (more…)

It’s funny how these things come and go. Back in the day, many of us performed circuit-training in our collective and never-ending quest to drop bodyfat. Circuit training promised us the world: stronger muscles and a leaner body, all at once. The problem, of course, was that circuits were inappropriately used as a substitute for heavy, low-rep strength training. Because of this, over time, this practice fell out of favour among those of us who consider ourselves the lifting bourgeoisie: 

“WE don’t DO circuits!” <Sniff!> (more…)