Day Three DONE

In addition to taking on a Whole 30 this month, I'm making every effort to walk every day. Yesterday truly was an effort, as it rained nearly all day.

I started out during a lull in the precipitation action, but before I'd gone even half a mile it started back up again. And it rained off and on for the entire five miles. I wore a waterproof hooded jacket, but was still pretty soaked by the time I got back home.

HOWEVER – I've already logged 15 miles for the month. In three days. [Patting myself on the back here.] It would be way cool to get 150 miles for April, but I doubt if that happens.

Anyway … walking in the rain is, in my opinion, more tiring and takes more energy than walking in good weather. I had tuna salad (this one made more traditionally with mayonnaise, rather than yesterday's version with avocado) when I got home and rested for a bit.

Paleo plan followers are supposed to eat enough at each meal to not need between-meal snacks. And generally that holds true for me. I eat a lot of protein and fat, both of which fill you up. But I guess the combination of a long and somewhat difficult walk combined with a light lunch resulted in X-treme hunger. At about 2 p.m. I was stomach-growling hungry.

I don't eat enough vegetables. I really don't. When I went to the grocery earlier this week, I bought a wide variety of them, more than would fit in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. So – pushing the
season more than a little bit – I pulled out this, that, and the other and made gazpacho. Two quarts of it. Enough so that when I get stomach-growling hungry again, There Will Be Food.

This was super-simple to make. I roughly chopped three large tomatoes, a red pepper, a peeled cucumber, an unpeeled zucchini, a seeded jalapeño, and an onion. Working in batches, and adding a peeled garlic clove, the juice of half a lime, and about a cup of V-8 juice to each batch, I pulsed the mixture in the food processor until it was, um, slushy-looking. Not smooth, not chunky.

It turned out great – took care of the hunger in a most tasty way. The jalapeño added just enough fire to make it interesting without being overwhelming.

While I was in a chopping-vegetables mood, I made a chicken stir-fry for dinner. I do believe yesterday's vegetable quota was achieved.

Today we're having my absolute favorite entrée for dinner: chicken strips wrapped in bacon, dusted with chili and garlic powders and baked in the oven. Along with a combination of roasted cauliflower, broccoli and carrots, I think I'm on my way to a well-done Day Four.