Vegan Fudgy Brownies

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! For all my American friends, I hope that you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Mine was quite nice and I used the time for my most favorite things: friends, family, exercise, lots of relaxing and delicious food.

On Sunday, I had the undying urge to bake (yes, despite super hot and humid weather). So, I searched for a vegan brownie recipe and found one on All Recipes that seemed to fit the bill. Because I had a can of pumpkin to use up (you know you’re a blogger when…), I made a few adjustments to the recipe and I was so happy with the results…

Here are the ingredients that I used:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup special dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4-1 cup water (depending upon consistency)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Here is the method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir in water, vegetable oil, pumpkin and vanilla; mix until well blended. Spread evenly in a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is no longer shiny. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

The result is amazingly delicious, chocolaty, not-to-sweet, gooey brownies that are incredibly dangerous to have sitting around. I was so happy with them and I definitely think they’d be a hit at any party or gathering.

Last night, I kicked the already delicious brownies up a notch by adding a scoop of rich greek yogurt and defrosted cherries. Yum.

Here Comes the Sun

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! How are you? It was another beautiful day here and I was able to bike into work this morning. Yay for that! I’m so looking forward to sleeping with the windows open tonight. :)

I was super hungry all day and couldn’t wait to make a tasty dinner when I got home. I thinly sliced up a sweet tater and tossed it in a 425 degree oven (after sprinkling with olive oil, salt, pepper, chili and garlic powder) and hopped in the shower.

Post shower, the taters were nearly done and I assembled an easy salad of mixed greens, green bell pepper, carrot, sundried tomato, pickle, a california veggie burger and the best cheddar cheese ever – Trader Joe’s Organic New Zealand Cheddar Cheese. So creamy. Mmm.

I topped the sweet taters with a bit of mustard and ketchup and the salad with some Newman’s Own Light Roasted Garlic Dressing. This hit the spot! Yum.

 

Now, I have a relaxing evening ahead. I just got The King’s Speech from Netflix and can’t wait to watch. Have a great night, guys!

Em

“Meaty” Veggie Fajitas

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday. What’s the good word? We saw sun here today! It was pretty much amazing. :) Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

I made a pretty delicious dinner tonight and I’m excited to share it with you. My mom used to make the best chicken fajitas when I was growing up and I had a hankering for them in the worst way today. So, naturally, I picked up some trusty, “meaty” tempeh, green bell pepper, onion, whole wheat tortillas and some black beans.

By sauteeing the onions and pepper in some olive oil slowly on medium heat they got so nice and caramelized and sweet (yum yum). I then added thinly sliced tempeh and seasoned everything with salt and pepper. While that all was going on, I was heating the black beans with cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.

Once the tempeh was heated and a little crispy, I was good to serve.

 

So tasty – especially with some Trader Joe’s roasted tomatillo salsa on top. The tempeh is definitely a good vegetarian stand-in for chicken. Mmm…

What I’ve Learned from my Masters

Hey guys! Happy Monday. How are you? Things are going pretty well over here, for a rainy (what else is new?) Monday. Thank you, as always, for your amazing support regarding my commencement over the weekend. You guys are the best. I’m quite a lucky lady.

I mentioned briefly on Saturday that I wanted to put together a recap of what I deem the most important lessons I received during my time as a graduate student. I think this is important to me from a reflection and journal-keeping standpoint. I hope also that you can find some inspiration in it. I feel like while I’m discussing education, really, this is more about setting a goal and reaching it. About striving and struggling to be a better and happier you. I feel like we can never reflect on such matters too much. Hopefully you do too. J

1. Nike was on to something. When I was contemplating going back to school to earn my MBA, I was nervous, not sure if it was worth it, not sure if I could swing it while working full-time, not sure if I wanted to take on more debt… During one of many conversations with my Dad, he very astutely commented that, in two years, I could just be Emily OR I could be Emily with an MBA. Put that way, I realized that time was going to pass anyhow. Why not fill that time in pursuit of something that would fulfill me? I am officially Emily with an MBA and I’m so glad for it. When in doubt, just do it.

2. Public speaking and presentation skills are essential. I distinctly remember sitting in my very first class and going over the syllabus which contained at least four required presentations. Wide-eyed, I thought to myself…We’re going to have to present!? Well yes, presentation skills are a key requirement of MBA students, duh. While I was extremely nervous and unprepared at first, practice really does make perfect and I’m so grateful to have learned the keys to a good presentation: Preparation and Expertise. You need to practice, and you need to feel confident that you are the expert in your presentation material. You need (only) to be one step ahead of your presentees. Being persuasive and able to convey information clearly is an amazing skill.

3. The power of relationships. Both within my classes and beyond, I made some amazing relationships with my classmates and instructors. In group work, we learned how to delegate, command, compromise and effectively get work done. Outside of class, we kicked back and made some of the most intimate relationships I’ve experienced. From the diversity in my class, I gained so many perspectives and so much appreciation for others. Professionally, the power of the network I have formed cannot be beat. It is so important to nurture relationships that are important and beneficial to us.

4. The power of ambition. At one of our celebratory events over the past month, one of my classmates asked us what one takeaway we found most important. She explained that she learned to not be afraid of stepping outside of her comfort zone and pushing herself. We all reflected (with amazement) on how we managed to juggle full work schedules, family, friends, and social lives with school. We all powered through and showed ourselves and each other that with ambition, anything is possible. Just like training for a race, making professional aspirations, setting life goals, etc. we are in control of the outcome. We have the power to make these goals and dreams come true.

I feel like I can go on, but in the fear of diluting the message, I’ll cut myself off here. J What experiences have you guys had that have left you feeling bettered and proud? What is something that you have learned recently that excites you? I’d love to hear about it. I think it’s so important to celebrate learning and self-improvement.

Thankful

This has been an amazing weekend and I’m so thankful to all of my friends, family, classmates (aka friends) and instructors. You have all been such an awesome source of support and encouragement. I don’t know where I would be without you. :)

 

 

I’m thinking about doing some recap-style posts of what I’ve learned over the past two years of grad school so stay tuned. Oh, and, enjoy the rest of the weekend!!

Love you guys.

Em

Speedy Sweet Tater Stir-Fry

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday. What is the good word? I’m getting more and more excited for the coming weekend – I’m so pumped to have my parents here and receive my degree. Woot! Do you guys have any weekend plans that you are looking forward to?

In preparation for my house guests, I had a bunch of cleaning and errands to run after work today. Alas, an easy and fast dinner was a must. Enter – speedy sweet tater stir fry. This dinner is really easy, super tasty and even provides a single-diner with leftovers.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 medium sized sweet potato
½ an onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 can of drained and rinsed chick peas
1-2 cups of broccoli (fresh or thawed frozen)
Brown rice or grain of choice

Optional:

Peanut sauce
Soy sauce
Red pepper flake

Here’s what you do:

Prepare rice or grain according to directions
Peel and chop the sweet potato into 1-inch (ish) cubes
Place on microwave safe plate and nuke for 3-4 minutes or until soft
Chop onion and garlic
Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly browned
Add sweet potatoes, broccoli and chick peas to pan

I wanted a bit of a kick to this, so I then added some peanut sauce, a dash of lower sodium tamari and some red pepper flake. Served over my brown rice – this was pretty awesome. :) Did I mention the leftovers for lunch tomorrow?

I hope you guys have a great night!

Em

Mes Petits Chous

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday. How are you? Thanks for your great comments, as usual, regarding the half marathon walk. You guys are amazing, truly. Sometimes I fear that I leave you hanging too often. I feel such a connection with you guys but have a hard time responding specifically to your comments unless I have your email – silly blogger. Feel free to email me at eatingtorun@gmail.com if I never get to a question you asked or if you’d like to ask one outside of the restrictions of blogger.

Things are going pretty well around here. The weather has been absolutely terrible. I usually try not to complain or let it get me down, but it feels like so long since we have since the sun here in New England. It’s also unseasonably cold – I actually saw my breath yesterday! What.is.the.deal? Needless to say, I’ve been a wimp about biking into work. Hopefully I’ll have a lot more time over the summer to ride in.

Regardless of the weather, it’s been a pretty exciting time. While I officially finished my classroom requirements for my masters degree in December, the graduation ceremonies and celebrations have been going on this month. We had our fancy gala a couple weekends ago, a recognition ceremony last week, and commencement is on Saturday. My parents will be coming to town to attend and I’m so excited for them to finally meet my beloved classmates.

In terms of exercise, I haven’t run since my 10K a couple weeks ago. Right now, I’m totally ok with that. I am really enjoying being able to exercise when and how I please. I bought a few Jillian Michaels dvds (30 Day Shred, No More Trouble Zones and Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism). So far, I’ve only used 30 Day Shred but I love the idea that I can get a high intensity workout in in about 20 minutes at home and then can be on my way. I’ve been doing a good job with my yoga goal, but I have skipped a few days – mostly if I’m super sore from Jillian/strength training or can’t find the time.

My eats have been fairly standard lately. I haven’t been doing much in the way of innovative cooking, I think because of my packed schedule. Today was a pretty standard day of eats, of which I took pictures of!, so I’ll share:

Breakfast was simple – just my favorite 9 grain bread toasted and topped with pb, chia seeds, dried unsweetened coconut, banana and cinnamon. Yum.

For lunch, I packed a delicious and colorful salad – organic spring mix, carrots, red bell pepper, sundried tomatoes, edamame, avocado and roasted garlic dressing. I had some organic wheat crackers on the side as well. They taste just like Wheat Thins but don’t have the scary ingredients.

A bit later, I had some unpictured cashews…but the star of my afternoon was this Kashi dark chocolate oatmeal cookie. So good.

Because I didn’t have much time after the gym and before French class, I heated a super tasty Amy’s frozen meal – Cheese Tamales Verde beefed up with broccoli and salsa.

Yum.

And now I’m off to speak the language of love. But, before I go – just a fun fact. In French, the term “petit chou” – little cabbage – is a term of endearment. I learned this in high school and for some reason just love it.

Bon soir, mes petits chous. :)

Twin Lights Half Marathon Recap

Imagine this – its 6:30 AM on Sunday. It’s raining and cold. You pull yourself out of bed to the sound of a beeping alarm clock in order to eat breakfast and get some coffee (aka magic potion). You contemplate walking 13.1 miles outside for close to four hours in the rain. You officially decide that you won’t be participating, despite weeks of planning.

You start reading blogs and planning a leisurely trip to the gym…and then you change your mind, last minute.

You see, I didn’t want to bail out. I had been looking forward to making the trek and following the beautiful Twin Lights course for weeks and I knew that if I didn’t go, I would regret it.

I packed up my backpack (putting my electronics and wallet in a water-tight bag) and made my way to the start. It was so weird being there without the normal nerves that accompany running a race. Normally, I’m in my own little world and full of nervous energy – including butterflies and occasional runner’s belly.

When I went to line up, void of my runner’s nerves, it was strange to identify the rest of the walkers as potential friends – buddies for the upcoming long and difficult trek. While I’m not outwardly competitive, when I’m running a race, the other runners are all potential competitors, not friends. It was nice to have the camaraderie; that is for sure.

The first four or five miles seemed to go really fast. The rain subsided and left just a grey, misty, damp day. There were quite a few hills which definitely helped to warm me up and I quickly shed my third water-proof layer. I contemplated pulling out my Ipod but didn’t and I’m a bit glad I abstained.

At around mile six, I definitely started getting tired. The course was an out and back and I think the anticipation of turning around made the last mile out harder. It was around this time that the runners started passing which was neat and also a bit disheartening. It was hard to keep walking with all of the excitement!

We eventually turned around and started making our way back towards the finish (also the start). Overall, I was feeling ok – I got a bit hungry and ate a mini balance bar that they were handing out during packet pick-up. I could also feel blisters forming on my heels and my shoulders started aching for some reason.

Despite wanting to stop several times, I kept on walking – with the help of my new walking buddies. We were all feeling the hours on our feet but kept good spirits. :)

We finally finished in three hours and forty minutes. I was desperate for a good lunch and shower and so headed out quickly after. It was a hard walk! I’ve never walked that far and man, it is difficult. I’m really sore today – almost sorer than after running the New Bedford Half. I think the amount of time spent moving is the culprit!

Ultimately, I’m happy that I did the walk and accepted the challenge. It was tough but there were so many beautiful points along the course and it was neat to see a different side of racing.

Delicious Sustenance

Hey guys! Happy weekend! I just wanted to check in and say that I hope you have a great one. Today, I had a little rugby watching adventure in Newport Rhode Island. It was pretty neat because I haven’t spent much time in Rhode Island at all and I got to explore quite a bit. Such a cool and beautiful city.

Anywho, because I was out and about quite early and in the fresh air all day, I’m having a low key night in, including some appropriate and delicious sustenance…

…and Netflix watching (just finished watching Wet Hot American Summer for the first time – so good!).

Tomorrow, I’ll be walking the Twin Lights Half Marathon so I plan on getting a good night’s sleep! Melissa and I were planning on doing it together but unfortunately, poor Melissa has been fighting with her achilles. I’ll miss ya Melissa! I plan on taking lots of pictures to share with you guys. :)

Have a great night!

Em

Adventures in Biking

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday. What’s the good word? I hope that the week is going well for you! For me, this week marks the start of a very exciting adventure – biking to work. As I wrote about before, my goal is to try and bike to work two times a week; and, on Monday, I made my very first trek.

Much to my delight, the trip to work and back was actually really great and definitely not as involved as I thought it would be. A few simple preparations really helped to make the commute easier, and I thought I would share them with you guys.

1. On Saturday last weekend, I tested out the route to work. I wanted to have a better idea of how long it would take me, how I would feel riding, and whether or not I needed to be aware/prepared for any strange or dangerous intersections. Turns out, it only takes about 25 minutes from home to work (and vice versa). Also, I learned that instead of taking the main road the whole way, I need to cut out one of the major intersections to avoid crazy drivers (and just ridiculous Massachusetts road infrastructure in general!).
2. I prepared my bag the night before. For the first trip, my bag had to include my towel and shower supplies. In order to optimize space, I rolled everything (it also cuts down on wrinkles. Also, I brought extra plastic bags just in case it started raining or I was sweating a lot so that my change of clothes, cell phone, and wallet wouldn’t get wet.
3. I laid out my biking clothes the night before. This was mostly to prevent me from lollygagging or changing my mind. I was able to hop out of bed and into my clothes without a thought. Definitely helped.
4. The right gear is essential. A good helmet that fits properly, a bike lock and bike shorts (preferably padded – I have to get a pair!) are entirely necessary and make a huge difference.

I’m sure I’ll have more tips for you guys and I get more and more acclimated to the commute. I am proud to note, also, that I did bring my lunch and snacks with me that day. (My backpack was huge, but I made it!) Going forward, it will be easier since my towel and shower supplies are already at work. Woot!

I'm off to go pack my stuff and lay out my clothes - I'm planning on making tomorrow my second biking day. :)

Have a great night, guys!

Easy Peas-y Salad

Hey guys! How goes it? Thank you so much for your support regarding my job changes and borrowing courage. It means a lot to me to know that you are all in my corner and that we have all been in similar situations before. You guys are awesome. Thanks. Things are slowly getting easier and we're all becoming a bit more comfortable. Time (and some courage) heals all. :)

In an effort to further simplify my life and make sure that I'm eating as healthfully as possible, I came up with this super easy, super delicious salad. I made it on Sunday night and have enough for the whole week (let's hope I don't get sick of it before then), which means that lunch is one less thing I have to worry about.

For this salad, I used:

1 can of drained and rinsed chick peas
3/4 cup of green peas (defrosted)
1 medium orange bell pepper
fresh basil leaves (about five)
fresh chives (to taste)
2 cups of brown rice

Once the rice was cooked and cool, I mixed everything together (I finely diced the bell pepper and chives and tore the basil leaves). I left out the dressing to avoid sogginess, but today, I added some Newman's Own roasted garlic dressing as well as some cashews for extra protein (and deliciousness).



This is such a fresh and easy recipe. I'm sure it would be delicious with feta or goat cheese (or any cheese, really), sunflower seeds, olives, sundried tomatoes... the options are pretty much endless.

Do you guys have any go-to salads? Do you ever make a big batch of food for the week? I don't do it as much as I should but I sense that I'll be coming up with additional cold salads to munch. :)

Borrowing Courage

Hey guys! How are ya? I hope that you're doing well and that you had an awesome weekend. To all the mothers out there, including my own very special mom, I hope that you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. :)

Today, I'm going to do a bunch of talking (writing?). I've been thinking a lot about the "fake it 'till you make it" approach and how it applies to me in my current situation.

Work has always been my rock. I knew what to expect, what was expected of me, how my day would go, who I would see, my schedule while there...really, it was a steady and predictable spot for me. I was good at what I did. It was comfortable.

Until a few weeks ago. I was informed of a reorganization within the company that impacted my group. While none of us are in danger of losing our jobs, the shock of how quickly my comfort zone was pulled away from me was (and is) most certainly anxiety producing. The job and work environment that I knew has now completely shifted - as has where my desk is located, and the people I work with.

While I try and pride myself on being someone who thrives with change and always strives to be adaptable and continuously growing, this situation has caused me a lot of stress. I've been thinking a lot about it, worrying, and wondering if I will be able to meet the new expectations and demands that have been placed upon me.

And this is where the idea of "faking it 'till you make it" comes in. In this situation, though, I prefer to think of it as "borrowing courage." Until I find the internal courage to face this, I'm going to be borrowing some courage from external sources.

I don't think you'll be surprised of what the couple of courage sources I've found have been: food and yoga.

On this past Friday, my group was relocated to our new spot. After years of being in the same building and in a very nice spot, I had to go to work, pack up my belongings, wall decorations, and memories and move. Knowing that this would be difficult, I got up early enough to make myself a breakfast full of courage (also known as french toast, ha). It wasn't the food itself, but the act of making myself something that I knew would give me comfort and energy that gave me courage. It set the day off on the right foot.



I'm working on making sure that I have healthy, comforting foods that keep me going and fuel me properly.

Perhaps less crazy, yoga has again become one of my rocks. I find that when practicing yoga, I feel stronger than ever. I am entirely present and learn that I am capable of so much more than I am aware of. For Christmas this past year, I was given a subscription to Yoga Journal. Imagine my surprise when I was reading through the June issue and found an article featuring an at home practice that is meant to facilitate clarity and confidence.

The practice is a series of ten moves that really can be done anywhere. At the end of the ten moves, I feel strong and invigorated. I feel courage. My plan is to work these ten moves in to each day. I know that it will be good for me and help me to face these changes.

Ultimately, I know that I can do this and I will get through it. For now, I'm biding my time and borrowing some courage. :)

Do you guys ever feel like you're "borrowing courage"? What makes you feel strong or prepared?

About Me

Hello readers! I’m Emily, otherwise known as Em. I live in New England (officially, north shore Massachusetts), where I work as an editor at a publishing company. I recently earned my MBA and am thrilled to be out of school (for the time being, that is!). I have a huge interest in living a balanced and healthful life.

For me, this means balancing exercising with rest, much needed alone time with time spent with family and friends and experiencing delicious foods that make me happy while eating healthfully.

I have been a vegetarian for five years, although, I don’t feel as if it defines me and most of the time it doesn’t even cross my mind; I suppose it just came naturally. I love being outside walking, hiking, biking, skiing, running, swimming…and probably a whole bunch of other “ings.”

While this blog originally started out as a way to track my runs and related meals, it has blossomed into much more than that – a place where I can share recipes, shenanigans, thoughts, goals and inspiration. It has become such a source of happiness in my life. I truly cherish the friendships and connections I have made and am so thankful.

Please feel free to email me anytime at eatingtorun@gmail.com should you have any questions (or if you just want to say ‘hi!’).

Cinco de Mayo Reminiscing

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday. How are you? Are you having a good week?

My week has been pretty crazy. Work has been more stressful than usual and I’ve just been in the mood to exercise and then relax after work. I haven’t been doing much cooking, either. I suppose all of this is to explain my absence. I want to post more frequently (because I love you guys, naturally) and so I’m going to make an effort!

Anywho, today, as you all know, is Cinco de Mayo. While the official celebration for me was last night (we ordered delicious Mexican takeout that was enjoyed while watching the Bruins game), I started today off with a very appropriate breakfast featuring the leftovers:

What you have there is black beans, sautéed veggies, a corn tortilla, an egg and a whole bunch of fresh salsa. While this was technically a Mexican meal and today is technically a Mexican holiday, this breakfast totally reminded me of my trip to Costa Rica in March of 2009.

The food in Costa Rica was so fresh and simple. I think my favorite breakfast during my time there was very similar to the one I had today. Scrambled eggs, beans, corn tortillas and amazing salsa. Ahh…I wish I could go back today. :)

Well, I think I’ve probably reminisced enough. Hehe. Do you guys have any fun vacation plans? What about a favorite vacation of yours?

James Joyce Ramble 10K

Hey guys! Happy Monday! How are you? Did you have a good weekend? I had quite a good weekend. Yesterday was the James Joyce 10K that I had been training for. I woke up to a beautiful day and knew it was going to be a good one. :)

After some coffee and a pre-race breakfast of a peanut butter sandwich with dates and chia seeds, we made our way to Dedham. I was surprised to see just how much was going on there. The race started at the Endicott Estate where runners could pick up their numbers and peruse a number of awesome vendor/sponsor booths.

The race started at 11 and I was off before I knew it!

Despite having to walk for quite a ways once the gun went off, I had a fast first mile – clocking in around 8:30. I was a bit worried that I might have been going out a bit too fast but I felt good, the sun was shining, and hey, 6.2 miles is a heck of a lot shorter than the 13.1 miles of my last race.

The second mile went by even faster than the first and I continued to maintain a great but comfortable pace until about mile three when the hills started to get to be brutal! I wasn’t sure what to expect of the course and it definitely proved challenging. A lot of up- and down-hills that were no walk in the park. I managed to stay positive and truck on through; all the while remembering that I was like the little engine that could on the uphills and not to get too ambitious on the downhills. :)

There were a ton of inspiring and supportive spectators lining the beautiful course that weaved through neighborhoods and school campuses, in addition to volunteers reading excerpts from James Joyce’s literature (how neat is that?). All of that, and an awesome post-race lunch meetup with the lovelies Melissa and Steph definitely kept me going.

Before I knew it, there was only a half mile left! While I’d like to say I sailed through it, the last half mile was super challenging for me. It felt so long and I was beat! I made it and finished strong, though.

Post race, I did lots of smiling, sunning, recapping, people watching and stretching on the lawn of the estate while my companion enjoyed the free Harpoon beer (!). It was such a perfect day for a race.

While I’m really proud of my official time (51:29), I think it was just the day, the race, and the surrounding festivities that made it so great. I’m definitely going to make the James Joyce Ramble a regular. :)