Short-term Exercise Program, Long-term Benefits

Gardening is a short-term exercise program that offers the promise of long-term edible benefits!

Admittedly, I got out of the hard work of gardening this year because of my broken leg. Chris really came through and tended the garden to keep the weeds out. The weather cooperated and voila!

Chris has recently been busy gathering the veggies. He brings them in and I wish I could say I take it from there, as usual, but Chris has also helped with food preservation. That is really quality time! Many of the beans and corn are already processed for later enjoyment. And others have been given away. Our potatoes, squashes and pumpkins soon need to be gathered and put in storage.

Now that I'm about to lose my walking cast, the work for me will get intensive. I'm gearing up for it with a daily workout program of Pilates and Yoga but I miss the aerobics of gardening and hiking!

Our family meals are largely Mediterranean-based and require plain tomato sauce, plain so that the sauce can be adapted for different purposes. Although we planted a wide variety of tomatoes, I'm especially pleased with the Romas this year. They're hanging in thick, heavy clusters that remind me of bananas. I'll start by first processing tomato sauce, then salsa and whole tomatoes. By the end of the season, close to frost,  the mix of stragglers will go into a blended tomato juice that can be added to other veggies for a little nutrition boost. Maybe making tomato juice will keep me from drinking the salsa!

I encourage all my readers at some point in your life to try making your own sauce and salsa. The fresh taste is amazing! And the health benefits are long-lasting! You don't need to pay money to join a health club!