©istockphoto/Olga Lyubkina

Today’s prescription is based on the old joke of the two aging pensioners who can barely communicate with each other as each is a bit deaf. That’s the punchline, above, in the title of this post.

But it’s not what you think.

I find that one of my greatest joys is the anticipation that comes from planning for the weekend, or a date with the always game Mrs. E., or the journey to come. Getting there is half the fun. Well, maybe not with workday travel of any kind, but hear me out. Today, we are going to start tomorrow out right.

On your way home tonight, stop by a local farmer’s market or your grocer and buy two large oranges, a banana, some ground flaxseed, several Keylimes (or regular limes if you can’t find the small, tart Keylime), a tub of strawberries, some organic vanilla yoghurt, and a small jug of protein powder (vanilla, again.) Make sure that the protein powder has the most protein grams per serving of the choices on the shelf. Mine (Muscle Milk Light) has 50 grams per two scoops.

When you get home, juice the citrus, remove any seeds (I pour through a strainer or a coffee filter if I have to) and put your glass of juice in the fridge.

Get a good night’s sleep. At least eight hours. Take an improving book to bed at 9 PM, if you can. (Oh, you may want to confirm Saturday night’s plans before hand.)

Here’s the part that may seem crazy. Your schedule permitting, get up a little early on Friday and do some light exercise. Yoga, pilates, or a jog and some calisthenics all qualify. Before children had me up at oh-dark-thirty every morning, this was my favourite way to start the day. Up a little before six o’clock, I would run two miles, return to my front porch, do sets of pushups and situps until I reached 100 of each, a few dips and squats and stretch out as the sun came up over the rooftops across the street.

Then it was inside to blend the citrus juices with the rest of the ingredients to make a delicious and satisfying smoothie. Shower, shave and dress. My energy levels for the day would be through the roof. Yes, I was that annoyingly chipper guy who walked into the office with a smile on my face, whistling a happy tune. “It’s Friday, I’m in Love”, perhaps.

A bonus to this plan is that repeated a few times a week, you will not only feel better, but you will look great, too. These days, it’s catch as catch can, especially during the summer when I have the kids at home more often. But it’s still the best way to start my day and earn a second, smaller breakfast around ten a.m. .

The Easy and Elegant Life Smoothie Morning Ritual
(makes two servings)

In a blender combine:
1 banana
2 large oranges, juiced
2 keylimes, juiced (or other limes, but they are essential for the taste)
3-4 tablespoons or 1 single serve container organic yoghurt (any flavour, I like vanilla)
6 strawberries, hulled (you can add or substitute any berry you like)
2 teaspoons of ground flaxseed
2 scoops protein powder (or substitute 1 tablespoon of peanut or almond butter. Protein keeps hunger at bay and feeds your muscles so that you burn fat.)
6 ice cubes

Liquify. Pour into tall glass and drink. Save or share the remainder for later.

You can find free yoga and pilates workouts via iTunes in the video podcast section of the iTunes Store.

Oh, I had you buy several keylimes… Tomorrow night make Hemingway’s Daiquri: the Papa Doble (from La Florida recipe book of 1939 according to the Wikitender) He was said to be able to down a dozen of these. Must be because he had them leave out the sugar….

2 oz white rum
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon Maraschino liqueur

Shake with ice. Serve over crushed ice in a rocks glass. After all, you exercised today!

Here’s a quick post while my 19 month old is working on his second course at breakfast.

It’s early in the morning and I’ve just put on the coffee to brew. Today the kids stay here and my in-laws come in to help me out. So I brew a pot of coffee instead of my typical double espresso. I drink coffee black. But nobody else in my family does. Well, not strictly true. My father-in-law drinks good coffee with just a little sugar. And I’ll drink café crème if I know that there is no breakfast on the way.

What’s that? You take milk and sugar in your coffee, but you don’t know café crème? It’s just a French version of a cup of joe — only prepared in a more elegant way… call it a cup of Joseph.

OK, you know how the coffee at Starbucks uses that steamed milk, but you haven’t got a Ronco pocket steamer or a cappuccino maker. There is another way….

The secret to the creamy, sweet taste of the café crème lies in scalding the milk. And I bet you have a microwave….

Mrs. E’s Morning Cup of Joseph

1 large mug

Fill half way with cold milk (skim, whole, cream, evaporated, your choice.)

Microwave for 2 minutes until the milk boils. (If you don’t have a microwave, you may boil the milk on top of the stove, stirring frequently.)

Add desired amount of sweetener or sugar.

Top off with strong black coffee or espresso. The French will pour both scalded milk and coffee into the cup at the same time and often from a great height.

Stir.