Happiness is not a fish you can catch.

First and foremost, you guys are amazing. Your comments on the post about my foot injury cheered me up more than words can properly express.

I did a lot of thinking and I have decided that getting a second opinion about my injury wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. I am going to try to see a sports medicine doctor/physical therapist who can help me strengthen the weak muscles around my ankles and calves. Hopefully with some help and TLC, I'll feel stronger and healthier. (And be able to train for more races like I want, only pain-free!)

I'm not going to stop working out but I am going to change the way I look at exercise. I will not exercise to lose weight anymore. I will exercise to keep my body healthy, to boost energy levels and to reduce my stress. I've been too hard on myself with this weight loss thing and it's not healthy. It's more important to me to be healthy and happy. If I obsess over calories in and calories out, I will be unhappy.

Your support is more than I could ever ask for. Thanks for being here for me. It will be a process. I don't expect to change my thinking overnight but I do hope to be a positive example to my four younger siblings and my future children. I want to be proud of what my body can do and not what it CAN'T do.



Let's move on. The other night I made some bruschetta with organic tomatoes, a balsamic glaze, a spritz of olive oil, buffalo mozzarella and some delicious crusty bread. I missed the fresh basil but we didn't have any on hand.



I toasted the bread in the oven at 400. I simply cut the bread into slices, sprayed with olive oil using my misto and topped half of the bread with cheese. I couldn't decide if I preferred the cheese melted or not.



The melted cheese won.

For the tomatoes, I diced them and tossed them in salt & pepper before throwing them on top of the bread slices.

The balsamic glaze was easier than I thought it would be. I boiled 1/2 of a cup of balsamic vinegar, reduced to low until it thickened. I got about 1/4 cup of glaze. I used a turkey baster to glaze the bread.

YUM! Makes me miss lazy days in Italy.

Next, I might try bruschette with chopped tomatoes, balsamic glaze, chopped avocado and asiago. What other combinations would be good?