For the past year Marta and I have been working countless hours with many amazing people to develop a dream of ours. Well the time has come, and the dream is now a reality! We are very proud to announce the launch of our new web-based business: Fit for Two TV!
www.FitForTwo.TV

Especially make sure you tune in on Fridays where we will air "Monkeys on the Couch”. This episode includes Marta’s cookie recipes, a new tea to drink, and you get to meet our dogs (who behave like monkeys) who hang out with us on the couch. This also provides us an opportunity to read your questions or comments on the show.

Most importantly, this show is about YOU, the viewer. We want feedback from you with comments, questions, suggestions, and criticism. You are able to leave comments underneath the episodes, or simply email your thoughts to: Info@fitfortwo.tv

Dedicated to Health,

Brock Picken and Marta K

- 1 cup mung beans
- 1 cup red lentils
- 4 stalks chopped celery
- 4 cloves crushed garlic
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp ginger
- 1 Tbsp dried dill
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp black pepper

Cook overnight on low. In the morning boil 2 cups water and add 1 cup Bulgur. Cook 10 minutes on medium heat. Add to the crock pot.

Enjoy!

Superbowl Chili

Combine the following ingredients in a crock-pot:

- 1 large can diced tomatoes
- 1 equal-sized can of water
- 1 red-onion, chopped
- 3 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 can of your favourite beer (optional)
- sea salt
- black pepper
- chili powder
- cayenne powder
- oregano

On low heat the night before or on high first thing in the morning works. Personally I enjoy ground beef in my chili, but you can keep this vegetarian, and then cook beef or chicken separately to add to the chili depending on your guest’s preferences. Topping with cheese also adds a nice touch.

Enjoy the game!

Indulgent and extremely healthy!

Rinse the bean mixture and put into a crock pot. Add the following:
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 Tbsp Ginger powder
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Pour in 1 bottle (330 ml) of Corona Beer.
Fill the rest of the crock pot with water, just shy of 1 inch from the top.

Cook on high overnight, for a tasty soup that’s ready to go with you first thing in the morning. The majority of the alcohol should have “burned off” by morning, but it definitely enhances the flavour!

I recommend enjoying this soup with Garlic Bread!

But while I’m busy with things I HAVE to do, I like to make sure I make time for things that make me happy. And I like to try to do those things as often as possible. Eventually my mission in life is to only ever spend time doing things I enjoy. To me, happiness equates to quality of life. I could bust my butt working at a job I don't enjoy and never talk to my family and make a ton of money, but how happy would I really be?

- Spending time with my fiancé Marta
- Playing with my dogs Buf and Henry
- Family dinners and BBQ’s
- Cooking anything
- Buying and cooking foods new to me
- Eating
- Writing
- Running
- Sharing recipes with people
- Sharing advice on exercise/being active
- Playing Chess
- Cycling downhill really fast
- Exploring new places by bike
- Baseball (watching and playing)
- Setting and accomplishing a challenging GOAL
- Good COFFEE
- Good Tea
- Good Wine
- Guinness
- Motivational/Public Speaking
- Discovering new passions/talents (cutting and laying tile in our kitchen)
- Challenging myself physically and mentally
- Watering our Plants (I find it therapeutic)
- Running on the beach/in the snow (I like a challenge)
- Sourcing local and organic produce
- Golfing with my brother Kyle (not against him)
- Dreaming Big

After compiling a list of things you enjoy, look it over and see which ones you do regularly, and which ones you haven’t done in a while. Does it seem like something in your life is missing? It might be as simple as re-visiting hidden passions or re-connecting with friends and family.

So go do something for you!

Find a reason to get out of bed. Find a reason to get excited. If your life sucks and you have nothing that brings you joy, it’s time to find something. It’s time to replace negatives with positives. Life is way too short to be miserable.

It’s truly the simple things that bring me joy. Marta and I have the most adorable dogs in the world (yes, I’m slightly biased). Often they drive me crazy, after all they are still puppies. But it’s the innocence that gets me. I walk into the room at their tails wag with excitement. Every moment for them is an adventure. They are happy all the time. Remember when you were a kid? Remember those good times when nothing mattered? You could spend the entire day outdoors and not worry about what time it was. Not worry about being late for a meeting. I know, life changes and we grow up. We get responsibilities. But why does that have to equate to being unhappy?

We have to focus on what we have control over, and forget about what we do not. Is it worth bursting a few blood vessels in your forehead because of something your boss did to tick you off? Probably not. Would it feel good to lay into them? Sure but at what cost? Now trust me on this, I’m risking sounding like a hypocrite here. There’s a reason I work for myself. I don’t have a single employee-of-the-year award on my wall. That’s a butt-kiss award as far as I’m concerned anyway (my apologies to any employees of the year I just offended)…and those “elite employee” awards that I have lots of really just mean I made the company a lot of money that year.

So what do we have control over? There are two things that will matter more than anything else: Your attitude, and your health.

Choose your Attitude.

If I spend every day deciding to be miserable, I will push away the ones who matter most to me. I will draw in negative energy, and even worse, negative people. In my opinion, negative people are like the plague: avoid them at all costs. I want to spend time with people who enrich my life. I want encouragement from my friends when the shadow of doubt creeps in, not a full body-check into dooms-ville. And I want to empower myself to be a better person so people like being around me!

Choose to improve your Health.

Would you rather live a life of vibrancy or illness? Sounds like a dumb question, right? Death is inevitable for us all at some point, so why not do what we can to improve the quality of our time here while we can. We have no way of knowing when our time is up. And frankly I wouldn’t want to know. But what I do know is that through making healthy choices every day, I’m making an investment in my future. I want a long and healthy marriage. I want to be around to see my great-grandkids get married. I’m going to be the healthiest older guy you’ve ever seen.

So what are you going to do to invest in your future?

But I’m not going to get into politics today. That was my weak attempt at a segue into the real topic: Motivation. Do you like how I did that?

So what motivates you to be active? Or if you’re not currently active, what will motivate you to start? And please give me some feedback, I’m always curious about what makes people tick.

For myself, I think I’m at the point where being physically active is an addiction. That doesn’t mean that there are days I don’t feel like doing anything. But I do know that being active every day is really important for my mood above anything else. Three days in a row of being inactive and sitting all day makes me grumpy and my joints ache. It’s that simple. I’m motivated to be active so I can feel good.

During activity is another story. If you are currently active, what drives you through that activity? Again, feedback please!

I know that on days I’m really stressed out, a good hard workout helps me deal with that stress. And I’ll be honest, we’re currently building a new business and planning our wedding, so my stress levels are higher than normal.

Going for a good long run also allows me the ability to clear my head, and sort out problems. I often come back from a run, ready to tackle issues that have been lagging.

Marta is different than me (in many ways), which is a good thing. We compliment each other. We also don’t always see eye-to-eye, but through compromise we strengthen our relationship. When Marta is active, she needs music to drive her through a tough routine, bike ride, or run. The music helps her avoid distractions. Myself personally, I find the music distracting. I like getting in my own head, and talking myself through something challenging.

What do I think about?

So my muscles are burning, heart rate racing, sweat dripping into my eyes, and I want to give up. I tell myself I can do it. I tell myself I made a goal, and this is a step towards accomplishing it. I picture my heart growing bigger. I picture my muscles getting stronger. I picture fat being used as fuel and leaving my body. I keep the promises I make to myself, because I am the only one who suffers when I give up.

Calamus Estate Winery
(www.calamuswines.com)

Calamus Winery has a rustic barn restored from the 19th century which makes for a nice relaxed atmosphere. The service was friendly, and the tasting table had a nice view over-looking the vineyard. The first pairing was a Vidal Icewine with (local) pate (duck wrapped in bacon) served on a cracker. This was our favourite! Delish!
The second pairing was Riesling Icewine and Brie cheese (local), and the third pairing was Cab Franc and chocolate. All three pairings were nicely matched (the food was complimentary to the wine). Overall it was a great experience.

Ratings:
Wine – 8.5/10
Pairing – 8.5/10
Wow-Factor – 8/10
Service – 8.5/10

Flat Rock Cellars
(www.flatrockcellars.com)

This building is situated on a hill and overlooks a beautiful landscape of rows of vines. The building appears to be built on stilts (which oddly reminded us of a peculiar building in P.E.I.). The pairing was their “Sweet Revenge” Vidal Icewine with an Icewine glazed pulled-pork slider. The gentleman who made the pulled-pork was obviously proud of his hard work, stating he had spent all night preparing it. There was no doubt, the pork was delicious. It was disappointing however, that is was served on a crummy cheap white-bread bun. Food of that quality should have been served on a nice grainy bun from a local bakery. I might just be picky, but I think there needed to be more attention to detail. The Icewine was nice, but was probably over-shadowed by the pork.

Ratings:
Wine – 7/10
Pairing – 7.5/10
Wow-Factor – 7/10
Service – 8/10

Niagara College Teaching Winery
(www.nctwinery.ca)

Here’s a place we would have liked to spend more time at. It’s refreshing to talk to students who are still learning and passionate about wine like we are. The building is bright and open with a nice set-up. The pairing was a Cabernet Franc Icewine and French Quarter Duck and Pistachio Terrine topped with Creole Jelly. To sum it up, wow to both. The icewine had nice aromas of strawberry-rhubarb, and was a match made in heaven with the duck.

Ratings:
Wine – 9/10
Pairing – 9/10
Wow-Factor – 8/10
Service – 8.5/10

Pillitteri Estates
(www.pillitteri.com)

A nice dining area upstairs was used for the tasting. With big open windows a panoramic view of the vineyard was available. The food served was a poached pear with white chocolate and blue cheese (my favourite). This was served with a flight of 3 different Rieslings. Not being sweet-wine drinkers, there was only one Riesling that appealed to us, but all 3 wines were elegant. I think from an educational viewpoint it would be interesting for people to recognize how the food matched certain wines better.

Ratings:
Wine – 8/10
Pairing – 8/10
Wow-factor – 7.5/10
Service – 8/10

Konzelmann Estate Winery
(www.konzelmann.ca)

This is another winery I’d like to go back to. The service was great, with two young men working a bar and obviously enjoying what they do. The pairings were:
A Belgian Chocolate Cup filled with their “Rare Winter” Cab Sauv Icewine, and a Drink served in a martini glass that had icewine, cranberry juice, and sparkling wine.
The Belgian chocolate cups were delicious, as was the martini-drink (which I think would make for an awesome summer patio drink). The presentation was exquisite. The staff were very friendly. Here’s my only beef: I don’t know what the Icewine tastes like on its own. Icewine is to chocolate as food is to bacon. Mix the two together, and regardless of the first component, the result is delicious. I know I’m sounding really picky, but I’m allowed to be.
Ratings:
Wine – 8/10 (guessing)
Pairing – 9/10
Wow-factor – 9.5/10
Service – 8.5/10

Riverview Cellars Estate Winery
(www.riverviewcellars.com)

Well I hate to end this on a sour note, but we were the least impressed with our experience here. The pairing was Vidal Icewine with “fresh fruit and homemade biscotti in a fountain of Belgian chocolate”. To me, the whole thing seemed like an after-thought. You were handed a sample of wine (which was too sweet for my palate) and a plate with the following:
- a strawberry on a skewer
- a banana chunk on a skewer
- 2 marshmallow skewers
- 1 biscotti
You then went to the chocolate fountain in the corner of the room, and just like we all have at many a wedding, proceed to make a mess and hover like hungry vultures around a dessert-spewing machine. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I hate chocolate fountains (although a really nice dress-shirt fell victim to the chocolate handprints of a drunken fountain-goer a few years ago). I just wish more effort had gone into their participation in the festival. Wineries with restaurants had delicious appetizers, and ones without brought in local businesses or at least local food. Marshmallows and strawberries from the local Zehrs don’t cut it in my book.

Ratings:
Wine – 7/10 (still tasty, just not my favourite)
Pairing – 7/10
Wow-Factor – 5/10
Service – 6/10

So there we go. Some ratings and rantings from a non-critic. Marta and I now have some fresh ideas for appetizers and wine pairings. We’ll just find some healthy alternatives and put our own spin on them.

The following morning, drain and rinse the beans in a strainer. Combine them in a crock pot (slow cooker) with the following:

- 2 large carrots chopped into 1-inch pieces (or smaller)
- 2 large celery stalks chopped into 1-inch pieces (or smaller)
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- ½ chopped red onion
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp ginger powder

Fill the remainder of the crock pot with water, stopping just shy of the top.

Turn on High, and it should be ready for dinner!

Blend well and drink immediately.

Enjoy!

People who have donated their bodies to science undergo a 5-step process called “plastination”, created by von Hagens in 1977. These steps are:

1. Embalming and Dissection – by pumping formalin into the arteries
2. Removal of Fat and Water – by placing the body in an acetone bath
3. Forced Impregnation – a polymer such as silicone rubber is used to penetrate every cell in the specimen, replacing the acetone. This is done in a vacuum chamber.
4. Positioning – the body is positioned into an artistic pose
5. Curing – the specimen is hardened using gas, light, or heat.

This entire process for one body requires around 1500 working hours and takes about 1 year to complete.

While some may consider the exhibit to be somewhat controversial (depending on your religious and moral beliefs surrounding death), there is not doubt that Gunther von Hagens’ vision is both remarkable and original. From an educational viewpoint, the exhibit is unmatchable.

Body Worlds is an exhibit that I think everyone can appreciate at some level. The comparison of a healthy pair of lungs, to the lungs of a smoker give you an impactful visual you won’t forget. Being able to hold a REAL human heart is not something everyone can say they have done (unless they are a surgeon or Indiana Jones).

As I stood behind a body that was positioned like a ski jumper, and split open directly down the centre, I marveled at how intricate the inner workings of our bodies really are. Standing in front of the body, a 5-year-old commented to his father “Daddy who broke this one?” This is a learning experience that child will likely never forget.

For more information on Body Worlds, check out:

http://bit.ly/gSwJ

Being Organized

I have always been a creative person for as long as I can remember. I sometimes amaze myself with the ideas that pop into my head. But it is this creativity than can get me into trouble. By knowing what I’m doing on Friday when it’s only Monday, I have a sense of urgency to complete tasks and prioritize more efficiently. I’m not telling you how to organize your life, I’m just telling you what works for me. The same thing goes for activity and nutrition. Don’t get me wrong, it’s Wednesday today and I don’t know what I’m eating on Friday. But I have a pretty good idea of what’s for breakfast. With nutrition a routine really helps, especially when Marta and I lead busy lives, often on opposite schedules. Preparing lunch and even dinner the night before a busy work day relieves the stress of worrying about how to find a healthy restaurant to eat at. It also saves me more than a few pennies.

Being Active

As I’ve mentioned in an earlier blog post, I’ve really learned to enjoy running. If I feel too stressed out, I know I’ll always feel better after a run. I’m also often able to sort out problems in my head during the run. Don’t worry if running isn’t your thing. A simple 20-minute resistance-training circuit can be enough to relieve some stress by releasing positive endorphins into your blood stream.

Endorphins

Lets quickly look at one chemical produced in the body: phenylethylamine (PEA). It’s major role in the body is to act as a neurotransmitter. It’s also been found to boost moods and relieve depression. It can be taken as a drug, however, as with all drugs there are always side-effects. But when examined in the body in response to intense exercise (around 70% intensity), PEA has been shown to increase in production by as much as 75%! Ever hear of a “runner’s high”? Yes, this is likely where it comes from. And it didn’t come in pill-form with a price tag attached. We have the ability to produce chemicals in our own bodies. For free!

If part of your New Year’s Resolution is to do more things for yourself this year, try doing something active every day. You might get more than you bargained for!

I can think back to being very young. I was strong and fast, but had no endurance. As a result, I hated running because it was hard and I gave up quickly. It wasn't until my first year of University that I started rowing, and vastly improved my endurance. During the off-season I took up running to keep my endurance up, and learned to like it because I enjoyed the challenge. I was able to push past that pain threshold, and the longer I kept with it, the better I became.

From hard work comes reward.

Over the last 10 years, I have developed a love-hate relationship with running. By learning from experience what it truly means to "over-train", a knee injury left me unable to continue running, forcing me to find a new challenge in cycling.
But here I am again, now running smarter, stretching more, and keeping well hydrated. I'm loving running again. So much that I'm getting into winter running. Once again a new goal with new challenges.

So what is the point I'm trying to make? Well let me say one more thing.

When I was a kid there were only two foods I didn't like to eat: squash and brussel sprouts. These are now two of my FAVOURITE foods. Marta used to hate ginger. It's now one of our favourite spices to cook with. It's amazing how things have changed.

Let 2010 be your year of challenge and change. Under your terms. You choose the challenge, and you make the changes. Goals are best achieved when written down and constantly worked towards. Just because you used to dislike something as a youth doesn't mean you will as an adult.

After all, we all change as we grow, and change is good.

Regardless, it's important to recognize the importance of the people in your life and make every moment with them count. Sunday is a day Marta and I will use to re-evaluate the past week and set new goals for the upcoming week. But it's also a day we will use to spend time together. Quality time. Even if it's an hour to play a game of chess, that's some quality down-time that is deserved and NEEDED. Sunday we cook amazingly elaborate breakfasts, we play with the dogs, and we take time to slow the pace down. Card games are a great way to take a few minutes for some fun and laughs. Even a short walk or afternoon hike are great ways to be active on a low-key day.

Our friends Jason and Evan of http://www.iwearyourshirt.com usually play Pictionary on Sunday on their web site. If you've got time check them out. Sometimes they even give away prizes!

I mentioned I'd tell you about some of our goals. This month Marta and I are going to do something active every week-day for the month of January. December can be so hectic, and completely disrupt a routine. Getting back into healthy habits is something we need and are looking forward to!
What are your goals for January?

Yours in Strength & Wellness,

Brock Picken

But seriously, lean in and smell your computer. You might catch a whiff of garlic coming from this blog :)

Dough:

Combine in a mixing bowl or food processor:
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups brown rice flour
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano

I never seem to have enough forethought to make this dough in advance. It sometimes seems to end up a sticky mess, which results in a crumbly pizza crust. Regardless, it's still delicious. You may need to adjust the amount of flour for a desired consistency.

Sauce:

Combine in a food processor:
- 1 can organic crushed tomatoes
- sea salt
- black pepper
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 6 cloves Roasted Garlic (I told you it's a stinky recipe!)

Toppings:

Drain the liquid from the jar of garlic pork into a mixing bowl to use later.
In a VERY hot pan, sear the pork, frying with the garlic and spices. As the pan begins to get sticky, pour in a little of the liquid. This should steam a lot. Make sure all pieces of pork get flipped over so the big chunks get well seared. Remove from heat after a couple minutes. (the pork doesn't need to be completely cooked as it will continue to cook in the oven).
Finely chop a half of a red pepper, and half of a red onion or shallot.
Slice into 1/4 inch thick pieces some Gruyere cheese (this type of cheese holds up well in baking).

Procedure:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
Spread the dough on an oiled pizza tray.
Spread the sauce on the dough.
Cut the pork into thin slices and spread onto pizza
Spread the red pepper, onion, and cheese over top.

Bake for 50 minutes and serve immediately.

Apparently it is also Guyanese tradition at Christmas to have a shot of Gin before eating the garlic pork. Maybe it's to cut down the sharpness of the Garlic? I love my garlic, so we went sans gin for this recipe ;)

Enjoy!