It’s official – I’ll be running the 2012 NYC marathon this November… a mere three weeks after the Chicago marathon!
Unfortunately my husband and I both applied for the lottery, but only I got in. This will be the first race I’ll be running without him. Even though we don’t usually run together, it’ll be weird to have him on the sidelines the entire time, instead of just waiting for me at the finish. The first thing my dad said to me after finding out was “Well you can’t run Chicago then!” … of course I can, silly. I’m just going to soak in NYC and really enjoy it – I mean, it’s in my birthplace and I know the majority of my family will be able to come out and see me at some point on the course (they have no excuse – I’ll be running near their neighborhoods)!
Official training starts at the end of May, but I’m going to use between now and then to maintain the mileage I worked on for last week’s half marathon. I can’t believe that I ran my first marathon in November 2011, and by November 2012 I’ll have four under my belt!
For those of you that follow me on Pinterest, you know I pin a lot of recipes. So many, in fact, that the majority of the meals I’ve been making over the past few weeks have come from what I’ve found on the site.
My husband’s birthday was last Sunday, so I had to make some sweet treats for the little get together we had. First up was a batch of peanut butter and chocolate protein cookies from The Frugal Girls that were filling and good for you! I found the recipe Saturday morning, and just knew I wanted to make them.
So easy. So delicious.
Next up was a batch of brownie batter dip. Oh yes. I’ve seen plenty of recipes for cookie dough dip, but this was one of the first brownie batter dips I’ve seen, and I’m so glad I made it. It’s from Crumbs and Chaos and is super easy to make, and you can’t go wrong when it’s paired with some animal crackers. Everyone was impressed with the treat, and I had enough leftover to take a little spoonful here and there throughout the week.
You need to make this NOW.
Aside from desserts (which are the majority of pins I see), I’ve made some really delicious dinners as well. Since it was so hot the past few weeks, I wasn’t feeling anything too heavy or that required serious oven time, so I made this chipotle chopped salad from Nutmeg Notebook one night, which was SO good. I subbed the sour cream for plain Chobani, and served it alongside some “chicken” fingers to bulk it up a bit. I would absolutely eat this salad again, for either lunch or dinner.
Just like a Chipotle salad!
We also had some buffalo chicken chili since it got cooler as last week progressed, and I subbed out the shredded chicken for tempeh. It was really good, and I could definitely see it as a crowd pleaser during football season. You should really check out Closet Cooking’s blog – I want to make pretty much every single recipe.
After spending some time perusing Pinterest, I think I have some inspiration and ideas for some of my own recipes that I’d like to try. Hopefully I can make at least one a week, and share them with you!
I ran my first half marathon two years ago at the RU Unite Half Marathon. Up to that point, I had run three 5k’s and a 4 mile race – that was it. Considering my newbie status, I finished with a respectable (for me) time of 2:02:15. From that point on, I went through a vicious cycle of injuries, keeping me from really “racing,” and touching that PR. I ran the Disney half in 2011 with shin splints in 2:03, had the second RU Unite get cut short to 9.55 miles due to flooding, and my only other half marathon up to this point was this past year’s Disney half which I ran as part of the Goofy Challenge.
So, when I signed up for my third attempt at the RU Unite Half this year, I wanted to PR. With the training cycle I had, I knew it was possible. Most of my runs had been just around the 8 minute/mile pace, and I figured that unless I broke a bone, I was likely able to get in under 2:02 – I mean, that was my FIRST half marathon time!
The race started just as they all do; me whining as I choked down half a peanut butter sandwich and worrying I didn’t spend enough time in the bathroom. Our timing was perfect this year, as we were able to get to the start, check our bag, take a trip to the port-o-potties, and wait only about 5 minutes in the corral before starting. I lined myself up just behind the 8 minute/mile pacers, and waved my husband off who planned to run closer to the 7 minute/mile pacers. The race was rather uneventful – I kept myself between 7:50 and 8:20 paces, varying depending on when I looked at my watch. The temperature was perfect, and the rain was able to hold off despite a menacing forecast.
When we hit the mile 10 marker, I realized that all I needed to do was keep a 10 minute/mile pace, and I’d finish at about 1:50, a solid 12 minute PR. Obviously I didn’t have any intention on slowing down, but a nice side cramp, similar to the one I experienced during the St. Paddys’ 10 miler decided to come out and play, forcing me to walk for a bit. This time, I listened to my body, walked for about 10-15 seconds to make sure I was comfortable, and then started running again. Thankfully the cramp didn’t return, and I was able to slowly pick up my pace over the course of the last 5k.
I crossed the finish with an official time of 1:47:43 – nearly 15 minutes faster than my previous standing PR, from the very first half marathon I ever ran. To say I was overjoyed would be an understatement. I finally feel like I’m at a good place with running, and am no longer in the constant push and pull struggle that I’ve experienced over the last year and a half.
Me & the Hubs!
Per tradition, the hubs and I met up with my parents at Red Robin for lunch, and gorged ourselves on a (veggie) burger and fries – a perfect Sunday if you ask me!
I know my blogging has been a little lackluster this month, but it’s my last week of student teaching, so I’ll be back to regular scheduled programing this week!
Whenever I run, I’m in competition with myself. Whether I’m out for a jog, doing a tempo workout, or running a race, I’m constantly comparing myself to… myself. I’m the kind of person that internalizes all of my competition, and in moments where I perceive potential failure, I break down. A great example of this would be last Sunday’s St. Paddy’s 10 miler that was hosted by the Freehold Running Club.
One of my dad’s coworkers is a board member of the club, so knowing that both myself and my husband run, she suggested we come run the race free of charge. I couldn’t help but jump at the offer, with all the expensive races we seem to always be signing up for. Plus, both myself and my husband had a 10 mile run on the schedule as our long run, so it worked out perfectly. Since my husband’s knee has been bothering him, he decided to run with me which always makes me happy. Once again, it’s a good thing he did, because I nearly gave up around mile 8.5.
The race conditions were far from perfect – it was chilly and raining on and off. Despite that, we were able to keep around a 7:50-8 pace for the first 8 miles or so. Then it happened. I got one of those side cramps that’s deep within your organs, where the only way it doesn’t hurt is to apply massive amounts of pressure to the area. While I was doing that, it was difficult to run, and apparently I was pressing really hard – I totally have a bruised stomach now. While in pain, I started to doubt myself. I watched people I had strategically picked off earlier in the race run past me, as I was forced to a crawl. Whining about how I couldn’t do it, the husband told me to stop trying to run, walk for a few seconds, and to try again. After trying that 3-4 times for about a mile, I was able to ignore the pain enough to run the last half mile.
Me & the hubs!
Since I slowed down so much the last mile and a half, our sub 8 minute pace crept up to an average of about 8:18, having us finish in 1:23:09. Crossing the finish line I was extremely frustrated, knowing that I could have full well finished under 1:20 if I hadn’t gotten that cramp. By then, the cramp had gone and I felt far from tired – I wanted to go back and re-do that last portion of the race. Since neither myself or my husband ever place high enough in races, we didn’t stick around for the awards ceremony – I grabbed some water, the husband grabbed some chicken noodle soup, and we headed to a nearby dinner for brunch with my parents.
When we were leaving, I remember saying “I wonder how I placed. I think I came in the top 10 probably in my age group,” to which my husband replied “Eh, I don’t know about that.” I didn’t think much about it, but after getting home I decided to check out the results. Even though I wound up finishing at around 100, I came in 3rd in my age group! After seeing the first and second finisher’s times (1:20), I realized if I hadn’t cramped I would have easily came in first, but that’s neither here nor there – I can’t believe I actually placed! Since we left before the award ceremony, my dad’s coworker was kind enough to take the award for me and bring it to work.
Aside from the cramp, I think this race is a good indication that I can easily go under 2 hours at next month’s half marathon. Fingers crossed!
Another month, another box of delicious goodies! This time, I received my box of treats from Ashley over at Simple Food Healthy Life.
I think everyone is catching on, because I’ve received a bar of chocolate from almost every foodie pen pal I’ve had. Certainly keep it coming – I love chocolate! In addition to the chocolate, Ashley sent me some treats from a local whole foods store in Connecticut, Mrs. Greens, which I loved! There were some dried veggies, strawberry yogurt covered pretzels, wasabi peas, and cheddar sesame sticks. Unfortunately, one of the containers had a little accident while en route, and exploded everywhere in the box.
Whoops!
I would be lying if I told you I just quickly discarded the box… I totally tried to salvage some and sampled each of the dried veggies. Totally gross, I know, but I just couldn’t bear throwing it out without at least taking a sample! Thankfully everything else made it in one piece, and I’ve been enjoying everything throughout the month.
If I had to pick a favorite (aside from the chocolate bar, of course), I’d have to go with the cheddar sesame sticks. It may be a bit of a stretch, but they reminded me a lot of crunchy Cheetos. I’ve also been enjoying the strawberry yogurt covered pretzels when I’m looking for something salty and sweet, and the wasabi peas are a nice kick every once in awhile. I just recently finished the chocolate bar, which I was somehow able to restrain myself with, and I was sad to see it go. But, there’s always next month’s box!
I’m so thankful for all the goodies Ashley sent me, and if you’re interested in finding out what I sent this month, head over to Diana’s blog Veggie Next Door to check it out!
If you’d like to join in on the fun, here are the details: -On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions. -You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! -The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination! -You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!) -Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month. -Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. So, I’m going to keep two separate lists and match US w/ US and Canada w/ Canada!
If you’re interested in participating for April, please send an email to Lindsay at theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information: -Your full name -Your email address -Your blog name/address -Your twitter handle (if applicable) -Whether you are a US or Canadian resident (Super important to make sure you’re on the right list!)
You must submit your information by April 4th as pairings will be emailed on April 5th!
Cross training is something that I actually enjoy. I think it keeps me from going insane when it comes to running, and I like seeing other body parts getting stronger. It’s also helpful for days when I really just dont’ want to go outside because it’s either too hot, too cold, or I’m just being lazy. This week has been HOT by March standards in New Jersey, so I’ve been able to do some cross-training outside. The heat has meant extra sweating, which is always sexy. Case and point:
After my sweat-filled workout on Tuesday, I had a great idea for a perfect protein packed sandwich.
Every time I say it, my husband shudders in disbelief. I’m not a big breakfast foods fan. That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy an omelette, some pancakes, waffles, or other typical breakfast foods here and there, but I rarely crave them. My husband, on the other hand, could eat breakfast for every meal, and is excited to find breakfast foods on “non-breakfast” menus.
So, after picking up some coconut curry simmer sauce from Target a few weeks ago for dinner, I had half the jar sitting in the fridge just staring at me, begging to be used. With the sauce sitting mere inches from a carton of eggs, I had an idea. Coconut curry egg salad! Yes, it sounds weird but I promise it doesn’t taste weird. I actually loathe egg salad, mostly because I can’t handle mayo. So, I figured this would be a flavorful alternative to mix together the smashed eggs. Thankfully, the taste experiment didn’t backfire.
This sandwich comes together in a matter of 20 minutes (if you include the time it takes to hard-boil the eggs), and is absolutely delicious. I had mine on some toast with spinach, but the possibilities for a sandwich are endless. It’s super creamy and isn’t overly eggy, but the egg is there. I could even see this working really well with tofu if you aren’t an egg fan.
Directions: 1. To hard-boil an egg: Fill a large pot with cold water, enough to cover the eggs by about 2 inches. Cover the pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Once it’s boiling, take it off the heat and allow to sit, covered, for 15 minutes. Drain the water and let it sit at room temperature, or pop it in the fridge for a few minutes before peeling. 2. Mash the hardboiled eggs with a fork. 3. Add the simmer sauce and mash/mix to combine. *I had mine on two pieces of toast as a sandwich with some spinach, but you can enjoy it any way you’d like!
Not that I’ve been thinking about it, but I’d just like to throw it out there that going vegan is something I simply wouldn’t be able to do for one very selfish reason – I love cheese way too much! We buy shredded cheese at the grocery store almost every week, and I get antsy when our stash is low. If we happen to buy a block of cheese for something, you can usually find me sneaking a slice (aka a huge hunk of it) here and there. Hi my name is Danielle and I’m a cheese-aholic.
Anyway, after thinking about a grilled stuffed burrito from Taco Bell and seeing a yummy recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up on Pinterest, I decided it would probably be in the best interest of my waistline to try and make it at home instead. Now, my version is by no means “healthy,” but at least it’s vegetarian and I know exactly what’s in it. This recipe makes A LOT, so depending on how much you fill your burrito with, you may have leftovers that would make a great dip with some tortilla chips, or even over pasta (if you leave out the rice in the recipe).
So as you can guess, this recipe has a serious cheese factor. I’ve used cream cheese in a few Mexican/Southwestern inspired dishes in the past, and every time I’m amazed at how creamy and cheesey it makes things, and my next thought is usually, “duh.” Before that I always associated cream cheese with either dessert, or breakfast – but not anymore!
Cheesey Grilled Burritos Inspired by Jamie Cooks It Up – Serves 6-8 –
Ingredients: 1 cup vegetable broth 1 14oz. can sliced stewed tomatoes 1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 15oz. can corn, drained and rinsed 1 4oz. can of diced green chiles 1 8oz. package of cream cheese 1/2 cup shredded cheese blend (I use a cheddar/jack mix) 1 Tbsp chipotle chili in adobo 1/4 tsp paprika 1 cup uncooked brown rice* 2-3 Tbsp masa flour to thicken the mixture (*depends on the consistency of your mixture – see #4) burrito sized tortillas Cooking Spray
Directions: 1. In a medium sized skillet, add the broth, rice, and tomatoes. Heat over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. 2. Stir in the beans, corn, and spices, and let it cook for an additional 5 minutes until everything is well mixed. 3. Add in the cream cheese and be sure to stir it slowly to help it melt (I broke the 8oz block in half to help). This will take about 10 minutes for it to fully dissolve into creamy goodness. Stir in the shredded cheese as well. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. 4. The mixture should be creamy but not too liquid-y because you’re going to need to put it in a burrito. So, if it needs to be thickened, add the masa flour one teaspoon at a time. 5. Heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat, that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. 6. Add 2 generous spoon-fulls to a tortilla, roll it, and add it to the skillet cooking for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
*NOTE: The rice retains a little crunch if you cook it this way. If you’d prefer it to be softer, I’d suggest cooking it either half way or fully first, before adding it in to the mix.
I’ve always been someone that thinks a strong body is beautiful. As a swimmer in high school and college, I made sure to get myself to the gym in addition to spending time in the pool in order to work on my upper body strength. For whatever reason, I always neglected my legs. They were pretty strong on their own, but I always felt the burn while chugging along during kick sets at the back of the lane. Since I’ve started running, though, I’ve realized more and more just how weak my legs are.
Knowing full well that in order to be a well rounded athlete and to excel at any form of exercise you need to incorporate more than just your typical routine into the mix, I decided to do just that. So, since I’m primarily a runner these days, this means body weight exercises, yoga, and anything else I can think of. I know that doing this can help me in addition to logging countless miles, and it can help keep me from boredom. And maybe most importantly, I’ll be working different muscles and making sure I stay injury free!
So, I’ve been doing the same leg workout for a week or so and I can definitely feel my legs getting stronger. This is a perfect workout not only for runners, but also to get ready for shorts season!
I’ve been trying to figure out the “perfect” upper body workout for me, and am working through a few different variations. Once I have that down pat, I’ll share it as well! And don’t worry, I’m still devouring deliciousness and will be sharing it with you, but I wanted to start branching out to my second love – fitness. So, you’ll likely be seeing a few more running/fitness related posts from me here and there in addition to all the foodie related goodies.
Getting a slow-cooker has proved to be a successful meal maker on most Sundays. I love the idea of throwing a whole bunch of stuff into a big pot and letting it just cook for hours, without needing any attention from me. After trying slow-cooker lasagna for the first time a few months ago, I knew I wanted more of it, but I wanted to switch things up. So, I tried a buffalo chicken lasagna a few weeks ago that was amazing (I need to find that recipe so I can share it with you!), and then I made a Southwestern lasagna.
Even though this is the first year I haven’t filled out a March Madness bracket in awhile, I’m still interested in the games. So, throwing this in the slow-cooker and plopping myself on the couch was just what the doctor (aka myself) ordered on Sunday. It also made enough that the hubs and I will be able to enjoy it mid-week as well. I’m a big fan of making something that has leftovers, especially when the meal is a winner. When I was trying to figure out what I wanted in the lasagna, I realized there are so many different variations you could make. Ours was on the spicier side, but you can of course dial down the spices to your liking, or swap them out for something else!
Of course it wouldn’t be complete without some guacamole, so thanks to the wonderful Hormel, I picked up some Spicy Wholly Guacamole. It was the perfect addition to the meal, and they aren’t messing around with the spice! I would definitely try their pico de gallo and guacamole dip they have, too.
Southwestern Lasagna – Serves 4 –
Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef, ground turkey, or soy crumbles (I used Jennie-O ground turkey) 1 green pepper, diced 1 yellow onion, diced 1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 10oz. can Rotel tomatoes & green chiles 1 10oz. can enchilada sauce 3 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp Adobo 1/4 tsp paprika 8oz. shredded cheese blend 6 burrito sized flour tortillas (I use Chi-Chi’s brand)
guacamole, sour cream, and salsa for garnish
Directions: 1. Brown meat until cooked through, and drain any excess fat (if there is any). Mix in spices (chili powder, cumin, Adobo, and paprika) until combined. 2. Combine ground beef, diced onions, diced green pepper, black beans, and tomato and chilies mixture in a medium sized bowl. 3. Layer 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of your slow-cooker. Follow with a tortilla, 1 1/2 cups of the meat/veggie mixture, and a 1/4 cup of cheese. 4. Continue layering, ending with a tortilla at the top. Finish it off with another 1/4 cup of cheese, and pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top. 5. Cook on low heat for at least 2 hours. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Hormel Foods sent me a $50 gift card as a member of their Extended Family Food Blogger program in order to create a meal using products from the Hormel family, and to blog about it. The opinions in this post are my own.
Every year, I celebrate the one thing about math I don’t completely loathe – piE. I remember growing up and struggling with math, crying to my mom and dad about how I just didn’t get it, while I’d fly through my language arts homework. My mom would try to make it “fun” by teaching percents in terms of shopping, and thinking about food when it came to fractions. But at the end of the day, I just didn’t (and still don’t) get math. But that’s okay, because I at least know that pi is 3.14… and all you need to do is add an “E” and you’ve got yourself dessert!
Since blogging I’ve made some type of pie every year, but this year we had pie for dinner AND dessert! Thanks to the wonderful world of Pinterest, I found both recipes. The first, spaghetti pie from A Kitchen Muse, caught my eye because it seemed impossible that it would all stick together in a pie dish. But, all you need to do is throw in an egg, and you’ve got yourself spaghetti that holds up enough to cut it and actually eat in pie shape. The recipe called for cottage cheese, which made me nervous since I’m not a CC fan. In the mix with the pasta sauce and cheese, though, it tasted great! The recipe was super easy, and provided enough food for my husband and I for two days.
The dessert pie, also found on Pinterest, is a play on the infamous pie from The Help. I should mention there is one very important ingredient missing from my pie that was in Minny’s pie, and I wouldn’t suggest adding it in – if you know what I mean. This pie is so incredibly easy to make – you probably have everything you need right in your pantry already! It’s from Food & Wine, and is actually the recipe that was used for the pies in the movie. It was great with some whipped cream, and came together quickly. I’ll definitely be making this pie again.
While I didn’t come up with my very own Pi Day recipes, I have been playing around in the kitchen making some other things that I’ll hopefully be posting soon! But, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I enjoy finding and recreating recipes that are already created – sometimes at the end of the day I just don’t have enough energy to create something new in the kitchen. That’s why I’m thankful for cookbooks, blogs, and the wonders of Google searching. My meals would probably be very boring without those resources!
So, how did you celebrate Pi Day? Do you celebrate the E, or nerd out?
Foodosaurus Rex 