Finito!

Italian for, “stop, I’m done”! 

I have my best energy early in the morning.  For a trainer, this is a good thing. 

But some afternoons I feel downright pooped!  I have to stop whatever I am doing and crawl into my bed with something light to read.  I call this time:  finito.   (I’m beginning to sound like the ‘Buona Sera’ wine commercial.)

Yesterday afternoon I said, “finito”.  I grabbed a book of short stories, pulled back the covers on my bed and got in it.  I felt free to be non-productive.  I wasn’t a trainer, mom, businesswoman, wife, pet owner, taxpayer, friend, daughter, sister, aunt or volunteer.  I was a woman resting in her bed with a book.

Falling asleep in the afternoon is easy for me, as is waking up.  I usually only rest for a half an hour.  That’s all I need to wake with a new perspective and eventually, more energy.  I used to be in fear of missing potential opportunities or offending someone if I declared, “finito”.  But, being older and wiser, I take these respites joyfully and regularly.

Of course, not everyone has the ability to crawl into bed at two in the afternoon and declare, “finito”.  Instead, you might sleep in late one morning and stay in your PJ’s for the better half of the day.  Or say “finito” when you walk in the door from a long day at work instead of immediately rummaging through the kitchen to start dinner, or checking your voicemail.  Resting your body and your mind results in better productivity,  creativity and more energy.  Instead of “running on fumes” and getting nothing accomplished, why not take a half an hour to “fuel the soul”?

So, when you are feeling pooped and you need a break from the “grind”, do what I do and declare, “finito”, and wake with more spark and fire!

Slow Summer Cooking
(I really don't have a name for this as it is a mish-mash of food I hadn't used and needed to.)

I wanted to make something easy for dinner last night and didn't want to leave my left over 

Bodeci Negative Calorie Meatloaf

all alone in the fridge another night.  I got inspired from something 

Adrienne of The Rich Life on a Budget www.therichlifeonabudget.blogspot.com

shared with me the other day.  She told me how she made spaghetti sauce with her left over 

Negative Calorie Meatloaf.
I will not give exact amounts because this is what I call cooking on the fly.
Here is what I did:

In my crock pot I added:
left over meatloaf (pictured and doesn't look too good because
I made the recipe different.  It was a really good meatloaf, though!)
1 regular can of black beans with liquid
1 small can of sliced olives with liquid
about 2 zucchini, 7 baby onions from my garden
and some baby carrots
(all coarsely chopped)
a used package of Burrito seasoning mix
(my boys bought to make burrito's, but only used half of it)
about 1/2 cup of Trader Joe's Enchilada sauce
Oh yeah, a chunk of Parmesan cheese rind

I threw everything in the crock pot then set it on high temp. I stirred everything to blend, put the lid on and...Andiamo!
I dashed out to teach my class while it cooked.
On my way home, I stopped by Adrienne's to pick up
2 savory cheese scones made by her step-daughter, T.

I tossed the cheese rind before dishing up the delicious "stew".
I topped it with sliced onion greens and a scoop of avocado.
Heated the scone and my husband thought I'd slaved over a hot crock pot all day!

Use your food and get creative!