Hi guys!
I am blown away by your enthusiasm over the Raw Wednesday Challenge….I’m already planning Wednesday’s meal—what about you?!
Today seemed like my first “normal” day since the accident. Ryan and I played house and picked out our new oven and microwave; we are going to buy it hopefully tomorrow and I can get back to cooking next week! We also went to Target and spent a ridiculous amount of money on stupid stuff like cleaning supplies and cat food.
I drank a coconut water while running errands and then snacked on a banana with raw almond butter when we got home—
Around 4:00, I headed over to Margaret’s house to have a glass of white wine and help her make dinner for my parents. I sipped on chardonnay while she created a Thai culinary masterpiece. Everything centered on this GORGEOUS bok choy she found at Fresh Market a few days ago—
I cooked the bok choy and rice noodles as she quickly went about making a spicy coconut curry with chicken. Oh goodness, was it ever amazing!!!
The sauce was spur of the moment and fabulous….a mixture of thai red curry paste, 1 can coconut milk, hoisin sauce, 1 glob peanut butter, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. The chicken was sauteed in olive oil, garlic and sea salt and then we just combined the chicken with the sauce, some minced garlic and ginger, a dried hot pepper and 1 chopped red pepper. I threw in the bok choy and cooked rice noodles at the end and it was fabulous.
My parents loved it too, of course! I don’t know if my mom will (or will have to!) ever cook again. The community outreach to my family at this time has been nothing short of mind-blowing.
Ryan and I are about to watch the movie Fireproof together and I had two of these puppies for dessert:
Gah! Obsession alert!! These raw chocolate chip cookies are from One Lucky Duck in the New York City and I can’t get enough. I can’t decide if I like these or the macaroons more….both are so amazing! These raw cookies are incredibly chewy are tasty. I actually had one after lunch today but it missed the camera’s eye….I love ’em!
Ryan is signaling to me that its movie time so I have to jet. See you all in the morning….goodnight, friends.
Amanda
May 3, 2009 at 6:17 pmThat dinner looks so yummy! And congrats on moving in together! That’s so exciting 🙂
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini)
May 3, 2009 at 6:17 pmOh Fireproof is a great movie for couples to watch together. So I hear =)
What a delicious dinner! It’s so sweet that there is so much support for you guys in the community. And you always have it from me =)
Love ya girl and enjoy your night!
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini)
May 3, 2009 at 6:18 pmOh, and your nails look BEAUTIFUL!
Jenna
May 3, 2009 at 6:19 pmYour dinner looks amazing! So do those cookies!!! So do your NAILS!!! 😉 I hope you have a lovely evening girl!
Jen
May 3, 2009 at 6:30 pmAwww, good for you, Jenna. A normal day spent at Target sounds like a lot of normal ol’ fun. 🙂 The cookies look delish, as does the curried rice noodles & chicken. Yummm!
I need to start gathering ideas for this raw challenge, oh my.
Mara @ What's For Dinner?
May 3, 2009 at 6:31 pmOh Thai Curry… YUM!
runeatrepeat
May 3, 2009 at 6:34 pmHey Jenna,
My mom got Fireproof for Ben and I when we got engaged and we finally watched it last week!
Brittney
May 3, 2009 at 6:34 pmI heart Target. I go there way more than I should 🙂 Have fun watching your movie.
Jasmine (Sweet and Fit)
May 3, 2009 at 6:35 pmthe coconut curry looks amazing! thats my all-time favorite thai dish!
Jocelyn
May 3, 2009 at 6:35 pmLooks so yummy!
and Fireproof! Better get some tissues! I go through alot when I watch that!!
Colleen
May 3, 2009 at 6:35 pmI keep forgetting to tell you that your nails look beautiful!
Oh She Glows
May 3, 2009 at 6:37 pmI’m happy to hear that today was a good day 🙂 You are such a positive spirit- good for you Jenna.
I noticed your nails too- super cute!
Maggie
May 3, 2009 at 6:37 pmI am glad to hear that today was a normal day. I really admire how positive you are.
The dinner looks amazing!!!
Rebeca
May 3, 2009 at 6:41 pmI’m glad you had a normal-ish day!
Choco chip are my fave… yummy!
weight and meditate
May 3, 2009 at 6:41 pmThe curry looks awesome and it’s nice you guys got to play house today.
katie s
May 3, 2009 at 6:44 pmI’ve been thinking of renting that one, let us know how it is!! Dinner looks fantastic and has me craving Thai! It sounds like it was so easy to make! Your optimism and honesty is so inspiring, Jenna. Enjoy your night with Ryan!
Marissa
May 3, 2009 at 6:47 pmI’ve heard that is a great movie!!
Brooke
May 3, 2009 at 6:49 pmYay! That is great you are moving in together and I think it is perfect timing because right now I am sure the extra support will be really helpful.
Lindsey (Mrs. LC)
May 3, 2009 at 6:50 pmThat dinner looks amazing! And isn’t it ridiculous how much cleaning supplies cost?
I’m so glad your life is starting to have moments of “normalcy” to it again. “Normalcy” will come and go for awhile, so please don’t beat yourself up when you have off days. We all love you and are hear for you no matter what’s going on in your life!
Julie
May 3, 2009 at 6:54 pmI’m glad you had a good day, Jenna 🙂
*Andrea*
May 3, 2009 at 6:54 pmyour title post reminded me of “just keep swimming, swimming swimming” from Finding Nemo (i loved elen degeneres’ character lol). you’re amazing Jenna!! your nails look fab by the way… i love eating raw desserts like those cookies, at least its not crap in your body its delicious and nutricious 😉
Stacey
May 3, 2009 at 6:54 pmThat looks like a de-li-cious dinner! My boyfriend would probably love that! I was wondering, where in the world can I find coconut water? Are there any special benefits of it? Thanks!
Meredith (Pursuing Balance)
May 3, 2009 at 6:55 pmI love playing house! Can’t wait till my boy and I live in the same city 🙂
Emily
May 3, 2009 at 7:06 pmThose cookies look awesome! I LOVE Fireproof! Such an awesome movie!
Steph
May 3, 2009 at 7:10 pmHey Jenna,
My husband and I are planning on watching Fireproof tonight too! We bought it during a recent marriage conference we attended. It’s put on by Family Life, and it’s called “A Weekend to Remember”. I would encourage anyone engaged or married to attend…it’s a great weekend!
kim
May 3, 2009 at 7:10 pmPure Food and Wine is a very expensive vegan restaurant in NYC. Never tried it though.
Adi (oatonomy.com - repaired!)
May 3, 2009 at 7:12 pmI’m glad today felt more “normal”. You deserve normalcy, among a million other things. Yup, gotta keep truckin, and I think you’re doing a fantastic job at keeping your hands on the wheel…
Lauren
May 3, 2009 at 7:21 pmYummy cookies! What are their ingredients, if you don’t mind me asking?
Congrats on the move. I know you’re going through a tough time right now, but sometimes these tough times can motivate us to make some positive changes in our life, like your move and new job.
Still thinking of you and your family xoxo
erin
May 3, 2009 at 7:23 pmhi jenna
i think life will probably never be the same “normal” as it was when john was alive, but rather your life will become a new normal. It’s probably refreshing for you all these new changes you are going through, to help encourage you into the “new normal”. I encourage you to continue to be with your emotions. If you need to cry, be happy, angry, joyful- just experience it, that’s what life is made of- and you shouldn’t have any guilt. I’m glad you had some sense of “normalcy” about your day today
Joy
May 3, 2009 at 7:24 pmwow those cookies look great!
sooo… how nice is it to not have to go to bed before 8 on a sunday night??? 😉
Donna
May 3, 2009 at 7:31 pmMmmm… I want your dinner! Hope you enjoy “Fireproof” – my husband and I watched it a few months ago… We thought the acting was ridiculously cheesy, but that overall the message was good.
Congratulations on moving in with Ryan!
Still Life in South America
May 3, 2009 at 7:35 pmI like the banana snack idea. You have inspired me to add almond butter to so many things. Now if I could only get my hands on some…
Hope you have a good week. Can’t wait to see your next steps towards a different profession.
Sarah (lovINmytummy)
May 3, 2009 at 7:38 pmI’m so happy you enjoyed your evening!
AshMastandrea
May 3, 2009 at 7:49 pmHi Jenna,
I’m so glad to read that you’re doing so well. You’ve been in my thoughts…even though we don’t know each other! I just moved in with my boyfriend of about 4 years, and though not everyone is thrilled about it, we know it was the natural and right thing for us to do.
I love your blog. It inspires me. I hope to update mine more frequently. Check it out if you have some time!
– Ashley
PS Your nails look GREAT! 🙂
Meg
May 3, 2009 at 8:16 pmEnjoy the movie! That dinner looks so good. I love anything with Bok Choy.
Anais
May 3, 2009 at 8:24 pmSo glad you were able to have a normal day! There will be more:)
Rhonda
May 3, 2009 at 8:26 pmI came across your blog the day you posted about your brothers accident, I am so sorry for your families loss.
I am now hooked on your blog , for the way you write and teach people like me how to eat in a healthy way. The photo’s are awesome! I have about 115 pounds or more to lose and have struggled with diet, and you have been showing me what it is like to eat healthy as away of life, and I thank you for that.
I look forward to learning more and I will be trying out the recipe you had today!
Rhonda
May 3, 2009 at 8:32 pmOh and BTW ! I saw that Manitoba product you showed and was surprised! I live in Manitoba, Canada!
Sara
May 3, 2009 at 9:07 pmI’m glad you had a nice day today. And your nails look great!
Beth
May 3, 2009 at 9:24 pmFireproof delivers a great message… and who doesn’t love Kirk Cameron?! 😉
Allie Katie
May 3, 2009 at 9:43 pmHey Jenna–I am glad you had a nice/”normal” day. Hopefully in the future they won’t be so far and few between. Have a great night, and guess what? You don’t have to be at work at 3am!!!
xoox, AK
Caroline
May 3, 2009 at 10:14 pmYum, I love bok choy–it’s one of my most recent discoveries. It’s so versatile and delicious, plus it’s only $1.69/bunch at Whole Foods!
Everything looks great.
Katie
May 3, 2009 at 10:14 pmJenna,
I read your blog every day but I never comment. I just wanted to tell you that I ran a marathon today. It was cold, rained the whole time, and very, very tough physically and mentally. I felt like giving up many times… but I found my thoughts drifting towards your brother, and it reminded me that I am so lucky to be able to run at all. Then I thought about you and how strong you have been throughout everything you are going through. It gave me the strength I needed to finish strong. Thank you and your brother for being such an inspiration and a reminder to never take ANYTHING for granted. You are both amazing people- you should be proud of how many lives you touch and influence with your blog and your positive outlook on life 🙂
-Katie
Tabby
May 3, 2009 at 11:15 pmYou will have to let us know how Fireproof is. I’ve heard its really good- when it first came out in theaters my church bought up all the tickets to one of the showings and gave them away to everyone in the church. I wasn’t able to make it but I heard it was really good.
mary
May 3, 2009 at 11:39 pmThose cookies look delicious!
I was wonder, what size dehydrator did excalibur send you? I have been looking into getting one but am not sure what size would be appropriate. Also, just to let you know, when I tried clicking on your link for dehydrator it took me to some sort of hotel website…something tells me that that is not the excalibur you were referring to 🙂
I can’t wait to see more awesome raw eats!
sonia
May 4, 2009 at 3:51 amthe bok choy looks amazing! not to mention your dinner as well :] haha the cookies look yummy too!
glad to see you’re feeling better! :]
Lara (Thinspired)
May 4, 2009 at 3:57 amOh I love bok choy 🙂
Those cookies sound wonderful! I don’t know much about eating raw but those cookies make it look tasty 😉
Beadie
May 4, 2009 at 5:07 amI am glad you had a good day!
That thai looks fabulous. Thai is something I can never seem to duplicate at home.
Carole
May 4, 2009 at 7:26 amIs it too late to join the raw challenge? I am just catching up on my favorite bolgs from the weekend (yours included, obvioulsy :-)) and I would love to be a part of it!!
really
May 4, 2009 at 5:22 pmdo you know how many cals are in those cookies??? A LOT. YOURE SO FICKLE AND DUMB
jenna
May 4, 2009 at 6:05 pmThank you, Really, for really making a girl feel good right after her little brother was shot in the head. You’re right on!!!! Thanks again.
Tatiana
May 5, 2009 at 10:27 amSorry for your loss!! I love that you came out with wed raw challenge, I would love to eat more raw but I am taking baby steps. Love the movie Fireproof it was awesome!! Last your dinner look delious!!
Krysten
October 27, 2009 at 11:33 pmzico is my favorite!!!! mhmmmm.
best coconut water ever.