365 Fresh Starts

A Blog About Life

We've been conditioned to expect things to be all or nothing. We make dramatic resolutions on December 31st that we break by January 2, and then feel terrible about ourselves. We think that we can't change at all because our annual, dramatic attempts at change just don't work.

We get 365 fresh starts each year.

CookingCooking

FitnessFitness

HealthHealth

What Would Betty Do Logo Couscous with Curried Apples

Written on April 29, 2011 by Alisa.

This one sounds a bit strange, and I’ll admit that I had my own doubts before embarking on it, but the finished product turned out surprisingly well. The fruits add a nice sweetness to the couscous and a controlled amount of curry adds more depth than outright flavor. My husband, who stared at me strangely […] Read More

What Would Betty Do Logo The Importance of Sunglasses

Written on April 27, 2011 by Alisa.

Most people would assume that sunglasses would be an issue of fashion, not health. Yet ultraviolet (UV) eye protection is just as important as the use of sunscreen on your skin. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light can cause vision damage, ultimately resulting in cataracts and macular degeneration. Betty — a woman who was raised on […] Read More

What Would Betty Do Logo Try Something New: Sunchokes

Written on April 25, 2011 by Alisa.

When I started this “Try Something New” effort, many people suggested foods for me to try. Sunchokes — also known as Jerusalem artichokes — were recommended by Jim of Muddy Dog Coffee. I had to admit that I was skeptical. These are weird looking little things, looking like the love child of a ginger root […] Read More

What Would Betty Do Logo Training: Walking the Strip

Written on April 24, 2011 by Alisa.

If the results on my mother-in-law’s pedometer are correct, I walked more in Las Vegas than I did in Walt Disney World. That’s impressive. The Plan Monday: Gym Tuesday: Off Wednesday: Vegas walking Thursday: Morning run, Vegas walking Friday: Vegas walking Saturday: Vegas walking Sunday: Off My one Vegas workout featured an early morning run, […] Read More

What Would Betty Do Logo Easy “Cuban” Chicken

Written on April 22, 2011 by Alisa.

Bistec de Pollo I am a huge fan of Cuban cuisine. I’ve been making recipes from Three Guys From Miami since their cookbook was nothing more than a random collection of recipes online; I highly recommend investing in both Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban and Three Guys From Miami Celebrate Cuban. For those who haven’t eaten Cuban […] Read More

What Would Betty Do Logo Cleaning With… Oil?

Written on April 20, 2011 by Alisa.

Many years ago, an aesthetician told me mid-facial that I needed to ditch my abrasive cleansers and clean my skin with oil. Oil. Riiight. Wasn’t that what I was trying to clean out of my pores? Needless to say, I ignored her completely. Fast forward a few years, and suddenly I found myself plagued with bad […] Read More

What Would Betty Do Logo Try Something New: The Freezer Project

Written on April 18, 2011 by Alisa.

I first wrote about The Freezer Project at the end of March. Since then, I’ve made a conscientious effort to really think about what goes into the freezer, and how it can help me make meals down the line. The first effort was with chicken stock. After roasting two chickens for dinner, I made chicken […] Read More

What Would Betty Do Logo Training: Hiking the Stress Away

Written on April 17, 2011 by Alisa.

On a scale ranging from Placid to Criminally Insane, what’s the stage right past Utterly Overwhelmed? Whatever it is, I’m there. This is what happens when I realize that I’m traveling 17 out of 30 days in April, all in the midst of a floor of work and deadlines. (It all seemed so manageable when […] Read More

What Would Betty Do Logo Homemade Matzo

Written on April 15, 2011 by Alisa.

I’m not Jewish and I don’t celebrate Passover, yet I love matzo, clearly just an extension of my ongoing bread and carbohydrate addiction. Last year, I made homemade matzo for the first time. It’s ridiculously easy. While it doesn’t result in the flat, crispy cracker that you expect from Manischewitz, it does result in a […] Read More

What Would Betty Do Logo Easing Heartburn

Written on April 13, 2011 by Alisa.

You’ve stretched out in bed, gotten comfortable, and then it begins: that awful, burning sensation in your chest. More than 10% of Americans suffer from heartburn symptoms at least once a week, the word used to describe that feeling caused by acid reflux. Severe, chronic acid reflux is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. […] Read More