Little Bee by Chris Cleave

This was another make title at the store but it looked interesting so I picked it up. Just like "Reliable Wife", I read this one in a matter of days. It's a story about two women from very different parts of the globe. One is a young girl escaping death in Nigeria and seeking sanctuary in England. It's a gripping tale, and I encourage anyone who wants to laugh and cry while reading the same book to definitely check this one out. It makes you think about what the price of a human life is and how some people can forget that we are all invaluable.

I saw "Inglourious Basterds" the other night and LOVED it. Tarentino has been one of my favorite directors and this one has to be my favorite, surpassing both Kill Bill films. The ending was amazing, and Brad Pitt's character offered the perfect comic relief in such a horrible time. Justice is served in so many ways and I literally clapped my hands and cheered at the way things played out. Excellent!

I'm still on the prowl for summer running clothes, although I found a bright colored tank for cheap at Walmart! I'm thinking about getting a running skirt, too. Hey, I may sweat like a pig, but I'm still a lady! :)

Roasted Veggies and Couscous!

Sorry for two posts in one day, but I made a really great dinner tonight. I got the idea from Bobby Flay and got the recipe online at FoodNetwork.com. Here it is!

Toasted Israeli Couscous with Vegetables and Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 4

1/2 pound Israeli couscous
salt
12 spears asparagus, grilled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 zucchini, halved, grilled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 yellow squash " "
2 large red peppers, grilled, peeled and diced into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
2 tbspn chopped fresh basil
freshly ground black pepper
Lemon-vinaigrette: recipe follows

Heat large saute pan on grates of the grill over medium heat. Add couscous and toast until lightly golden brown.

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil over high heat, add 1 tablespoon salt and toasted couscous and cook until al dente. Drain well and place in a large bowl. Add grilled vegetables, olives, basil, and vinaigrette and toss until combined; season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving or cover and refrigerate.

Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk shallot, juice, zest, vinegars, and salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until emulsified.

[I just used Newman's Own Lime Vinaigrette instead of making my own, and I added roma tomatoes and a yellow pepper]

YUM!

Milestones and "The Lost City of Z"

I ran my first 10k last weekend! The amazing this is, I ran the entire thing at a pretty steady pace without completely tiring out. We had a pit stop so Nick could propose to Liz before we rounded the corner to the finish line. It was so sweet! My official chip time (which includes the proposal) was 1:13. I consider that a huge achievement and I'm excited to run another race! I found a great website that lists area races and I'm trying to get Corey to run a 5k with me in San Marcos in a few weeks.

On another running note, I need to train my body to run in warm/hot weather. It's finally warming up here in Texas and I realize that I haven't run in the heat. Of course it was hot in Arizona, but I always waited until the sun went down to run. Running with the sun beating down is not my cup of tea, but I just need to train my body to get used to it and invest in some summer weather running clothes to keep me cool.

I finished reading "The Lost City of Z" last night. It was one of our make titles at the store so I bought it. It was really interesting, and even though it's a non-fiction account of history, it's written like a novel. In 1925, Colonel Percy Fawcett disappeared in the Brazilian jungle with his oldest son and his friend in search of evidence of a large civilization deep in the jungle. It is estimated that over one hundred people have ventured into the jungle in search of his remains and his city. I recommend this book to anyone looking to read about adventure. This is as real as it gets! You have to check it out, just look at this awesome picture! He was literally one of the last explorers to hack through the thick jungle with just a machete while others brought along radios, hydroplanes, expeditions with nearly a hundred men. I'm not going to tell you if they found the city, that's part of the adventure!

My only goal today is to go grocery shopping and clean the bathroom. I feel like doing nothing but popping in a movie because of the gloomy clouds. But I will get it done- I work tomorrow!

"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker

I have no idea what took me so long to read this novel. It's amazing. I don't even know what else to say. I've read short stories by Alice Walker and loved them, but this novel is by far the best I've read in a long time.

Walker tells the story of two sisters through their eyes, individually. There lives unfold through letters to God and to each other as one sister goes on a missionary trip to Africa. The lives of Celie in the southern United States and Nettie in Africa intertwine as both girls realize that there are cultural differences within the African people that separate them from African-Americans.

In the South, Celie deals with life as it comes to her, from her arranged marriage to an ungrateful man, to the arrival of love with Shug Avery, and the discovery that her children are still alive and well with Nettie in Africa. Celie knows no labels other than colored and white, and her view of God is touching, and probably right.

If you haven't read this novel, you better get to it! It's amazing and you won't want to go through life without it.

Eat, Pray, Run!

I just finished reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. I must say, I have mixed reviews about it, but mostly I'm just jealous that she was able to travel the world for an entire year and write about it. And made millions of dollars off of it. I would love to go to South Africa, and recently I've been thinking about how cool it would be to run my first full marathon in Capetown. I have no idea how I'm going to get there, though... The book was a good read, and I do recommend it for any woman (and men!) that need spiritual uplifting and confidence to get to know themselves on a deeper level when life gets tough.

As you know, I've been running a lot lately. I recently got my distance up to 6 miles and I am very happy with this. The RodeoRun 10K is on the 27th, so I'm happy to be ready for it so early. Being a runner (I now officially call myself "a runner") makes me more conscious about what I eat, especially before and after a long run. It's made me think of food in a different way. I think about it as fuel, as natural energy to keep my body going through the work day and through a long run. Theresa and I went to a book sale at the local library and she got a South Beach Diet cookbook. I'm not into fad diets, but we tried the Mexican Chicken Soup recipe and fell in love. I'm posting it here for your enjoyment, as well!

"South Beach Diet" Mexican Chicken Soup

1 tbspn canola oil
1 small onion
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tspn ground cumin
5 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch strips
2 cups mild refrigderated fresh salsa (we used the pico-like stuff at HEB near the organic section)
salt and freshly ground black

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cumin; cook 30 seconds more.
Add broth, increase heat to high, and bring to a rapid simmer. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in salsa, bring back to a simmer, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot. (We added sliced avocado, and fat-free shredded cheese).

Makes 4 (2 1/4 cup) servings.
Per serving: 320 calories, 8g fat, 1.5 sat fat, 46g protein, 14g carb, 2g dietary fiber, 680mg sodium.

From: Agaston, Arthur. "The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less." Rodale, Inc., 2005.

On the food note, I recently saw "Julie and Juila" for the first time and loved it! I will definitely by the book and maybe try to make one of Julia Child's recipes myself. Very inspiring and cute film.

Bon appetite!

J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter"

Yes, I am reading the "Harry Potter" series! Surprising, I know, but when my good friends keep on insisting that the writing is worth it, I had to check it out. I am on on the last book already and I liked all of the previous ones, except for the fifth in the series: "The Order of the Phoenix". That one made me really mad for a few reasons that I cannot say without spoiling the plot if you haven't read. My favorites as of now are the first one: "The Sorcerer's Stone" ("The Philosopher's Stone" if you're British), and the third one: "The Prisoner of Azkaban". Those books stand out to me because of the genius plot twists, and nothing matches the novelty of the first book. I've only seen a few of the movies, but I already know that they do no justice to the books. Harry Potter's story is intriguing and I'm glad I'm reading the books, but I don't see the huge obsession. J. K. Rowling is really creative and she had to have had all of these books planned out down to most details. Kudos to her.

I haven't updated lately because I've been moving back to Texas, working on a teacher certification program, working at Borders bookstore, running 4+ miles a few times a week, and reading Harry Potter. Life is good. :)

My first taste of Jane Austen

Ironically, I did not want to read any Jane Austen for fear of being bored out of my mind with English drawing-room gossip. However, I was surprised to find that I actually liked "Pride and Prejudice", especially the straight-forward character of Elizabeth. I liked her from the moment she walked three miles through muddy fields to see her sick sister. Although I enjoyed this book, there is something about a tall, dashing, and rich man that makes women swoon. Even better is in the case of Mr. Darcy, who is perceived as a jerk and changes into a better man. I blame books like these for women's romantic dreams of finding a man they can change like Mr. Darcy, because ladies: MEN DON'T CHANGE in real life. But maybe that's why we read; to escape our realities. Even as I realize this point, I will probably be reading more of Jane Austen in the future.