Diabetes Walk and Badii Palace Ruins

Saturday... how I miss you terribly.  Saturday was a lovely day.  Claire and I woke up around 730a.  I was able to get in my first workout of the day in before we headed out the door to go to the tailor with Anu.  Anu and I grabbed a taxi and headed to the tailor to get a few items hemmed, repaired, and taken-in.  This is my second trip to the tailor and I definately plan to have him sew me some masterpieces, but for now, he has helped me take my wardrobe that didn't fit into my wardrobe that I LOVE.  Watch out world, all of my pins are going to be created! Anu and I then walked down to La Pain de Quotiden and got a few cookies and pasteries.  I asked Claire if she wanted a cookie and she said "No.  I want a Macarooooooooon."  Well, I should have known my little monkey would want one of those;)  We then grabbed a taxi back home by about 1030a.  We walked to Acima to buy groceries for the week.  At about 12p, we had complete my normal weekend routine items.  Wow... that was oddly fast this week.  I attribute it to the taxi rides.  We do not taxi often in Marrakech so a trip to the tailor usually takes a good half day.  

At Acima, I bought her a mini pool.  When I say mini, well it is big enough for her bum and to sit criss-cross.  I caught her standing in a bowl earlier in the day, so I figured that a 20dh pool would be a more suitable choice for the balcony.  I filled the pool up with a couple of bowls of water and she brought gobs of toys out to play.  Soon, the door bell rang and Maia joined in on the fun.  

At 1p, Danielle came over for a haircut.  We scheduled a lady to come color and trim our hair.  Sue, is from England and makes 'house calls' and charges only about 150-200dhs.  It was convenient and she did a wonderful job.  I ended up having her cut Claire's hair too.  Joe took her the last time she got a hair cut which was a long while back.  It was time.  She looks cute in her little bob (in the hat pictures below:))  After our haircuts, we walked around Gueliz, I bought some aviators for 40dhs and called it a day.  It was just a relaxing day filled with accomplishment, fun and friends.

On Sunday, Danielle invited me to the American International Women's Association Diabetes Awareness Walk.  Claire and I decided to go.  We arrived in the Plaza at about 1015a and a small group gathered together.  We walked from the Gueliz Plaza to Badii Palace in the Medina.   

Claire and I ready to walk!

Anna and Amelie

Maria and Safia pushing Claire to the Medina

Danielle, Maia and Nick bringing up the rear

The Medina is always exciting.  So many things to see.  We walked through the Jemma el Fna gate through the monkeys, snake charmers, and into the souks where we passed shoes, baking shops, riads and this Dar Essalam Restaurant.  This restaurant is on my list to take my family to next week when they arrive... I have heard it is amazing and will give us a fun show as we eat traditional Moroccan meals too!

Happy must have been a hot and tired kid.  She slept from before we arrived at the Medina to the Badii Palace (well into our visit).

The Badii Palace Ruins was hosting part of the Marrakech Biennale 5 which is an art exhibition around the city of Marrakech.  

Danielle, Maria, Maia, Nick, Anna, Amelie, Lex, Claire and Safia

Art Exhibition

Garbage Bag and Plastic Wrap Statue

Kotubia Mosque

Danielle and I decided since we have never been to prison, why not go visit when we are not actually inmates!  We entered the Cavdet Erek courtyard then down some stairs to the Badii Palace Prison.  They had sounding dots playing inside the prison making the are seem a bit more intense.

Danielle inside a cell- ghosts and all:)

Allowing light into the prison

Pigeon holed

I absolutely love this picture.  Claire kept running off and standing in front of the statue- staring.  She found him interesting, maybe he is strong like daddy:)

After we left, we decided to grab some lunch in the Medina at Cafe France and then stop for ice cream at Dino's.  Claire normally passes on the ice cream and gets hot chocolate, however, this time, they had ice cream bars.  She ate her ice cream bar until it melted a part and she proceeded to get a bit sad about it.  She wanted me to put it back together.  We had a life lesson on the states of matter.

We were both tired that night.  As I was laying her in bed and she was listening to her Daddy Goodnight Song, she stroked my hair back and said "Your beautiful. You are kind.  Your are smart.  You have a big heart."  It made my heart melt because I know that Mr. F and my words are resonating with her.  She knows how much she is loved.  We have had many talks about daddy, Chaddy, Nonnie, Papa and how we miss them.  She will look at me as say "You miss Chaddy.  I miss Chaddy.  I miss daddy. You miss daddy."  Her heart is filled with so much love and I have all of you at home and all of you in Marrakech to thank for continuing to show our children undying love.  Chad, upon recieving his cards from the ASM family and classmates told my mother "Wow.  They must really like me."  I wish he only understood the depth of love that I know exists for him here in Marrakech.  He would be utterly shocked and probably a little shy:)  Our family, our 'Stina, our Mike, Daddy Nick, and Mommy Anna... all of you have loved our little ones and in turn you each have a huge place in our hearts as family.  No matter if we live in Morocco or The States, our international family means the world to all of us in the Comfort-Fonseca Clan.

Thank you.  We love and miss you all at home.

xo

Lex

What Am I Putting in My Face?

Moving to Morocco posed a lot of challenges to my culinary senses.  I remember Chad walking through Acima with me looking (disgusted) at the meat, disappointed in the veggies, the bags in an unfamiliar language, and I was left baffled at what to make.  I honestly can't really tell you what we ate upon arriving.  Maybe we just ate out a lot, maybe we just ate rice.  I do not remember.  However, as time has progressed I have navigated the grocery stores, the bakery, the veggie market and the butcher all to help us put together healthy meals. Usually one morning is dedicated to attending the veggie market to buy the weeks fruit and vegetables, buying groceries at Acima, and purchasing meat the the butcher.  There are a lot on inconveniences about this method but a lot of adventures too!

We do not own a car here, so everything is completed with a two year old, a stroller and heaps of reusable bags.  We walk about a half mile to the vegetable market from our apartment and stop at Acima on the way home.  About every other week we walk to the butcher opposite direction from the vegetable market and buy about 2 kilos of chicken.  On the way home, sometimes we stop at Paul, the bakery but this errand is less frequent as we LOVE bread, so we limit our bread purchasing:)

On Sundays, I make the meals for the week.  This includes all lunches and most dinners.  I have been asked by multiple single people 'How do you survive the week?'  This is how.  Prepare the unnecessary just to make life easier in the long run.  Because I spend little time cooking during the week, I spend time exercising, playing with Claire and living life.

So, I have decided to share my 'culinary adventures' in Morocco with you.  Share how we have kept our healthy eating and my sanity alive.

Each week, I make a soup... ALWAYS a soup packed full of vegetables.  It is an easy way to ensure I am taking in my veggies in an easy and delicious way.  Here is my minestrone soup.  It consists of 1 kilo green beans, 5 tomatoes, 1 leek, 2 carrots, 2 zucchinis, 12oz chickpeas, 12oz red beans.  The beans are an easy protein.  I take soup for my lunch everyday.

Hehe:)  My Earl Grey Tea.  When I have had enough with water, I drink Earl Grey Tea.  My tea consists of three things only- tea, water, splash of milk.  I recently switched away from sugar in my tea.

I steamed an entire head of cauliflower as well as 1 kilo pumpkin.  When it was soft, I mashed it to the consistency of mashed potatoes (or baby food:/).  I added nutmeg and cinnamon- no salt, no sugar, no butter.

Claire eats Weetabix all by itself for snack and breakfast at times.  I tend to like it with yogurt or plain.  You can also drench in milk I hear.  Healthy way for a quick start breakfast.

Claire gets a yogurt in every lunch.  These are her yogurts.  She alternates between banana, mango and strawberry.

My yogurts.  I eat one yogurt either for snack or dessert, depending on my mood.  I LOVE the orange chocolate.  They are 'fromage frais" or thick cheese.

This week, I made Claire Quiche for some of her lunches.  Her quiche includes eggs, flour, milk, chicken, zucchini and leek.  She DEVOURS these.  I place the batter in tart dishes so they end up perfect individual sizes for lunch!

This week I also made Claire mini pizzas.  She has had a hard time eating veggies even though I try my darndest... so I have become creative in  my methods.  These pizzas contain a sauce made from tomato sauce cooked with pumpkin and small bits of zucchini in my tagine.  I then mash it all together so it looks like tomato sauce.  Then, I decided to add a bit of my cauliflower and pumpkin mash from above.  I topped with whole milk mozzarella and chicken.  Done!  Little does she know that it has so many veggies:)

I baked 1 kilo of my chicken.  I cooked all of it so I can dice it for quinoa, have it with the pumpkin cauliflower mash, on top of Claire's pizzas and in the quinoa.  I put all the 'unused' chicken in the refrigerator for use for dinners this week.

1 Kilo of strawberries.  These become desserts and sides in lunches!  They are delicious- nearly red throughout the entire strawberry, plus only cost me $2.00.

Claire's refrigerated lunch (only part).  

 I made us cookies this week to.  I tried a new recipe without flour or sugar.  Use them as a quick snack or pre-workout energy bite.  These cookies have two ingredients only- one egg, one cup peanut butter.

We have other things we snack on and have readily available for our tummies if needed.  In our cupboards, we have almonds, cheerios, pizza dough (on back up plan), pretzels, apples, and apple sauce.  However, outside of chicken, fruit and veggies, our diet consists of little more.  We have managed to continue to eat well, exercise and play!

We miss and love you all at home.

xo

Lex