Project 333
October 1st and the first day of minimalist fashion project 333 is only 15 days away. Check out the Project 333 Facebook page for ideas and to connect with others interested in wearing less, consuming less and creatively designing 3 months of their wardrobe with 33 items. (including clothing, shoes and accessories). These 33 items will have to survive winter weather conditions, special events and the holiday season! Even sunglasses count. P.S. Men and women are welcome to join!
The Chia Chronicles
Back in July, I pledged to blend and bake my way through Matt and Christine Frazier’s
Fuel Your Run the Tarahumara Way and the Chia Chronicles were born. As I mentioned, unlike the Julie and Julia Project, my cooking adventures do not have any time restrictions. I want to do this for fun and not on a deadline. This weekend, I tried out another two recipes and was not disappointed.
Pinole Porridge
Now that mornings are getting crisp and cool, a hot bowl of cereal is in order. Pinole Porridge is warms the belly and the heart. I used a coarse cornmeal that wasn’t very exciting for my husband, but I quite enjoyed the texture. Honey and cinnamon sweetened the pot and while the recipe doesn’t call for Chia Seeds, I suggest adding a tablespoon, and sprinkling with almonds.
Pinole-Chia Crackers
Instead of traditional cornmeal, I used Masa Harina for this recipe. It has more of a floury texture and Matt recommends it for baked goods in Fuel Your Run the Tarahumara Way. Make sure you bake these crackers long enough to crisp up. I love the rosemary-garlic flavor of these little energy crackers. While these taste good right out of the oven, they are much better the next day.
In my earlier interview with Matt Frazier, The No Meat Athlete, I asked him :
How did switching to a vegetarian diet affect your running? Have you considered a vegan diet? I decided to try becoming vegetarian when I was unable to run due to injury. In my first long run back from that injury, I managed to average about a minute faster per mile than I previously had been able to, when I had expected I’d be slower because of the injury. At that point I realized there was something to this, and the year or so since then has been the best year of my running life. I qualified for Boston, ran two 50K’s, and a 50-miler in the span of about nine months, and I have another 50-miler planned for September.
I think a lot of the increased speed was due to weight loss, which perhaps one could get just as well from a non-vegetarian diet. But somehow it feels like I have more energy than I ever did when I used to eat meat, and I think that’s a big part of it. That’s also a big motivating factor for trying a vegan diet. I’m not there yet, but I’m definitely curious. I have tremendous respect for those who make it work. I don’t eat much dairy, and I don’t even like eggs, so I think it’s something I could do. I guess I just don’t yet feel the urgency to eliminate those very rare indulgences in cheese.
(Update:Matt is currently on a vegan diet and will be running the Vermont 50 Ultra Run on Sept. 26! Go Matt!)