Peace, Fitness and Zeppole!

Good day and happy Friday to all.  Happy 34th birthday to my beautiful (in all ways) friend/faux daughter-sister-niece/client Jane.  This woman gives her all to working out and never says NO, I can’t do that.  One look at her body and you know how hard she works.  You go girl!  Happy everything!  I love you.

For the people who think vegans eat nothing but lettuce, they should have been here for surprise dessert last night.  While Mitch, Derek and Peter finished their “breakfast for dinner,” meal, I quietly went back into the kitchen where I heated up a lot of oil and pulled an already made pizza dough apart into little pieces and deep fried each piece till slightly brown all around (they actually rise to the top when they are done).  Then I threw them in a paper bag filled with confectioners sugar and brought out a plate full of zeppole.  Now of course I know how fattening and unhealthy deep fried dough, covered with sugar is, but it was vegan Thursday and the dinner needed a little something special.  At Christmas time, these easy to make treats are a great way to enjoy decadence on a plant-based diet. These really need to be served right away, though, so keep that in mind if making.  Pizza dough in Publix is less than $3.oo and goes a long way.  The hardest part is how much oil you have to use and then discard.  After Peter’s visit to NY, he will let me know how these compared to those he’ll taste in little Italy.

Good news today for breast cancer survivors and weight training.  JUST DO IT!  Often after surgery, survivors avoid strength training for fear it could increase their chances of lymphedema (blockage of the lypmphatic system).  A year long study of 154 female survivors, who had a least 2 lymph nodes removed and were put on weight lifting programs, showed no increase in the risk of lymphedema and of course they all got stronger and had a lower percentage of body fat than those that didn’t exercise.  Good news for A LOT of women.

As an FYI on yesterday’s Sublime coupons.  What a great deal!  If you purchased the coupon, go check out their menu on line.  Mitch and I will be going for a celebration dinner later this month.  I cannot decide what I am going to try there.  They do crazy and wonderful things with Gardein products, and I HAVE to try their mac-n-cheese.  Though the menu is COMPLETELY vegan, I hear that ANYONE who eats there raves about the food.  They also have lots of specials through the month of December.  Currently, they have a deal on 2 dinners with an appetizer for under $50.00.  Later in the month they are offering half off bottles of wine…and that sounds good 🙂  As an FYI, they are ONLY open for dinner–no lunch.  Derek has been telling me about this place for YEARS.  It’s about time I get there.   I CAN’ T WAIT!  As an FYI on the groupon.com coupons–Mitch has been filling me in on the guy who started this business.  He just turned down a ridiculous offer ( 6 billion dollars) from google as he continues to make groupon.com THE biggest money saving business on the net.  If you aren’t a member, get on it!  There is often a link somewhere on this site…and the CEO happens to be on the Today Show, as I type.

Time to get up and out to start the work (workout) day!  Get yours in, too!  Hope you have a fabulous Friday.  TGIF!  I need to thank you all for your words, links, suggestions, holiday gifts, friendship, support and so much more.  You spoil me with your kindness and generosity, but I need you to know that I appreciate it ALL!  Much love…