Saturday Escapades in Life and in Running

October 10, 2015October 10, 2015Leave a comment

While Sundays are my favorite day, I adore Saturdays.

I’m in a pretty set routine for Saturdays right now. I am mentoring two amazing ladies through a 10K training program. So every Saturday I’ve been getting up well before the sun to run with them. And it has been the most wonderful experience.

I’ve trained people for 5Ks before, but never a 10K. It’s completely different. I’ve found myself less focused on myself during long runs, and more focused on them working through any issues. Or just reminding them they have ran 45 minutes without stopping or complaining or death.

This morning after our four mile run they both looked at me and said they have finally experienced the feeling of losing themselves during the run. Being in the zone. Shutting their minds off. I have told them about this moment many times, but to be there when they experience, it is the most fulfilling feeling.

Because that’s why I run.

To shut off my thoughts. To experience what my body can do that day. To push myself. To feel truly alive.

It is hedonic.

And now they know.

I’ve finally mentored them to the place I try to take myself every time I go on a run. And that is truly something special. And it couldn’t have been a better morning to do so. Arkansas is a pure place to run and experience nature. An outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Miles and miles of paved and unpaved trails at your leisure. I’m lucky to call this my backyard.

After my Saturday morning run, I always make breakfast. But this morning I got a little overzealous. My eyes were a little bigger than my stomach.

Coffee and a huge egg scramble full of Black Forest ham, eggs, Parmesan cheese, yellow bell pepper, shallots and topped with more cheese, fresh tomatoes and ripe avocado. I also had a side of chocolate milk to aid in muscle recovery.

And now I sit at my favorite coffee shop with a The Head and The Heart playlist in my ears, a pot of green tea and my Series 7 study materials, and I feel utterly content.

The first day in the past month where I’ve felt completely at ease.

Present.

It’s a good feeling.

Portobellos with Balsamic Wilted Kale and Mash Sweet Potatoes

October 10, 2015October 10, 2015Leave a comment

My creativity has been seriously lacking. I’ve spent more time and money eating out than cooking at home.

Today was the first day I felt inspired to cook. And it all stemmed from a guy blocking my view at the meat counter in the grocery store. All I wanted to do was look to see what they had. See if something jumped out and caught my attention. But he just kept jabbering with the associate, and I’m not that patient when I’m hungry and tired.

So I ventured to the produce section feeling slightly bereft, but hope surged when I thought of mushrooms. Big mushrooms. Portobellos, to be exact. Then I saw the prettiest bunch of dinosaur kale, and I grabbed that.

And it turned out to be some of my best work yet.

What you need:

Two portobello mushrooms
A bunch of dinosaur kale
Sweet Potato
1 shallot
1 clove of garlic
Splash of Balsamic vinegar
Homemade ranch mix
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry your sweet potatoes. I always bake more than one sweet potato at a time, or I feel like it’s a waste of time. Bake them for 1 hour or longer until they are cooked through.

For the mushrooms:

Remove the stem and the gills. The stem is hard, and the gills will hold too much moisture when baking. Cut a shallow X in the tops of the mushrooms.

Prepare the homemade ranch: Mix up dried dill, dried parsley, a smidgen of dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. I use more dill and garlic than the others.

Drizzle both sides of the mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkle with the homemade ranch mixture. Bake for 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven, and flip them over to bake for 10 more minutes. That’s a total of 20 minutes.

For the kale:

Heat up a saute pan with olive oil. Slice up the shallot, and mince the garlic. Throw them in the pan. Remove the stem ends of the kale, and chop the kale up into pieces that seems a tad bit too big. The kale will wilt down when you cook it. Throw in a tablespoon or so of Balsamic vinegar. And let it do it’s thing. Don’t forget the salt and pepper. The kale will wilt down, but still be slightly crunchy. The Balsamic vinegar will give it a zingy sweetness.

I can already tell you this will be one of my go-to meals. It’s more steps than I’d usually like to have, especially on a week night when I’ve been out for a run. But for a weekend or a lazy evening in, it’s perfect. And it’s healthy without lacking flavor. Because believe it or not, you can have healthy food that tastes good.

Will Run for Carbs

October 2, 2015October 2, 2015Leave a comment

I’ve been running more lately. Training for a 10k to be exact.

And I can’t tell you the last time I made pasta. Or craved pasta.

But tonight, as I wandered the aisles of the grocery store, all I could think about was spaghetti. The saucy goodness of noodles topped with Parmesan cheese.

I had the idea to make the sauce of scratch, and it was one of my finer moments.

So I give you Spaghetti with blush mushroom ragu.

What you need:

One 28 oz. can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
Fresh mushrooms, half the container
1 large garlic clove
Fresh oregano
Dried basil and parsley
Half and half
Butter
Spaghetti noodles
Parmesan cheese

In a sauce pan, heat up the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Add in the oregano, parsley and basil to taste. Simmer while you cook your mushrooms and garlic in a saute pan with a little olive oil.

Puree your sauce with an immersion blender. Then add the mushrooms and garlic. Let it simmer while you cook the noodles.

Right before you’re ready to plate it up, add a dab of butter and a splash of half and half or heavy cream. This will give it a nice blush color. And it will cut through some of the acidity in the tomatoes. Trust me…you want to do this.

I combined the noodles with the sauce because I like it mixed together. And then I topped it with lots of cheese.

Hands down, one of the best post-run meals. And it was super easy. Only downfall is having more than one dish to wash. But I think I’ll live.

She Only Eats Eggs

October 1, 2015Leave a comment

I should have called this blog When I Grow Up I’ll Only Make Eggs.

Partly because it’s true.

I do make other stuff. I have the ability to create lots of pretty, delicious food. But I don’t want to eat the same thing for a solid week.

So when I’m feeling lazy and want something good to eat that will keep me full, I make eggs. Omelettes, scrambled eggs, fried eggs.

When I started writing this, I had every intention to create new and exciting recipes. But true to form, I’ve only posted pictures of eggs.

Let’s not change things up now.

An omelette with cherry tomatoes, orange bell pepper, shallots, power greens, lots of white cheddar cheese and salsa.

Breakfast for dinner. My favorite way to have breakfast, unless it’s Sunday brunch.

But after work today, I stopped by my favorite coffee shop, and I picked up one of their ridiculously delicious brownies.

I had that and a nap directly after work. And I consider that to be a golden opportunity. Brownies and naps. Perfection.

And don’t worry about the eggs. I will start making other stuff once it gets cold outside. Soups, chili, casseroles, chicken pot pies. But I’m sure there will be more breakfast treats in there, too.

The Art of Balance

September 28, 2015September 29, 2015Leave a comment

“Balance, that’s the secret. Moderate extremism. The best of both worlds.” – Edward Abbey

The idea of moderate extremism is very appealing, even though it’s difficult to find. The middle of the extremes. What does that even mean?

I’ve come up with my own explanation, and it’s called “what I ate for supper.”

What we have here is a frozen pizza and a fresh, green salad. The two extremes.

Green, crisp vegetables meets processed, ready-in-minutes pizza. And I love them both equally. Some days I crave a salad. Other days I crave pizza. And today I wanted them both. So I did just that.

I didn’t eat the whole pizza like I’ve been known to do. And I did make sure half my plate was vegetables. So that, to me, is the best attempt I could make with creating moderate extremism.

(Not pictured was the cup of coffee and six Oreos I had before this delightful meal.)

This is just a reminder that we are still human. And pizza, even the frozen variety, is still delicious. And vegetables don’t have to take over your whole plate every day for the rest of your life, unless you choose it.

Balance is an art. It’s an effort we must work for daily. In life, love and food. So don’t feel bad if you ate a few too many tacos, or if you didn’t get a run in one day. It all balances out in the end, if you make the effort.