MarkWhittaker.com

After four-month lapse, it’s time for me to get back to some healthier eating habits. The other night I made a batch of “spicy roasted nuts,” a savory combination of almonds, pecans and walnuts that makes a great afternoon snack along with an apple, pear or other fruit. It’s a recipe that I found in Men’s Health magazine two years ago, and I submit it here for your approval:

2 cups unsalted almonds
2 cups unsalted pecan halves
1 cup unsalted walnut halves
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp paprika (smoked or regular)
2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

How to make:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add the oil a tablespoon at a time, tossing well after each addition. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

2. Set the mix aside to cool before storing in a plastic container or zip-top bag. Makes 20 servings.

Nutritional info per serving (1/4 cup): 240 calories; 6 g protein; 6 g carbohydrates; 24 g fat (2 g saurated); 4 g fiber; 59 mg sodium.

Here are some other fitness foods from the same article.

Last week I attended a volunteer orientation at the Sen. John Heinz History Center, which is the primary museum about Western Pennsylvania history. I’ve learned that volunteering at the center, which is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, is serious business.

I’ve been thinking for a while about involving myself in a local museum. I love visiting museums when I travel, and working in a museum seems like a great activity once I’ve got time and enough money to retire. I’ve had an interest in history, well, since I started reading.

I’m by no means an expert, but with a strong interest to get me started, I figure I can learn.

Anyway, I spent about four hours at the museum last Thursday, first learning a bit about the volunteer program, the various opportunities available and the requirements for staying in good stead as a volunteer. Depending on what volunteers want to do, there are training programs that must be completed and a fair amount of time to devote to the work.

I’m particularly interested in helping out with the research and maybe even using my writing and editing skills for articles or presentations. Part of my orientation was in the museum’s archives. I was fascinated by the amount of work that goes into receiving, cataloging and transcribing material that is contributed to the museum. I think it would be fun helping there, or even using the archives for research.

I’ve already started an assignment to research the relationship between Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick. It was a rocky one, at best.

Today I visited Petroglyph National Monument and hiked two different trails.

First, I hiked into Rinconada Canyon. The canyon walls are covered with volcanic basalt rocks. A variety of peoples have carved pictures into the basalt, making the cayon an outdoor art gallery.

The trail, a 2.5-mile loop, stays close to the northern wall of the canyon so walkers can observe the carvings. It’s an easy walk, and I made frequent stops to look at carvings and take pictures. The carvings include some modern grafiti, unfortunately, as well as marks made European explorers and cowboys.

You have to look carefully for the artwork. I’m sure I missed some of it. It was useful to stop and look back to catch some pictures.

The second leg of my hike took me to three dormant volcano domes. I had to hop in the car and drive about eight miles to get to the trailhead. I walked another 2.5 miles around two of the three domes, known as the Three Sisters. A stiff wind was whipping across the plain around the domes, so I cut my walk a little short.

The view of Albuquerque from the volcanoes is spectacular. No wonder Native Americans consider it a sacred place.