Eating to Run

Easy and Delicious Chipotle Knock-Off

2012-01-12T18:49:00.002-05:00

It’s no secret that I love Chipotle. Considering that every Thursday at my parents’ house is Chipotle Day and the employees at their local restaurant shower them with coupons and extra chips and guac, I’d say it’s hereditary. I don’t even fight it. (Why would anyone?)

Unfortunately, my proximity to Chipotle is not as favorable as it is for my parents. And, as it is winter and I seem to gravitate to my couch and comfy pants when darkness falls, I’ve been much more apt to eat at home. Luckily, Chipotle knock-offs are pretty easy to pull off with staples most of us (responsible adults) already have in our cupboards.

I simply made some bulgur (taking the place of brown rice in this case), heated up some black beans with black pepper, cumin and chili powder and sliced up half an avocado and a ton of fresh veggies. My bowl went like this: mixed greens/baby spinach, bulgur mixed with a bit of lime juice, black beans, avocado, red bell pepper and sprouts.

Post picture, I added a crap-ton of nutritional yeast (appetizing, no?) and an equally disturbing amount of salsa. Yum. This was quite delicious, despite the lack of extra guac and coupons.

Maple Walnut Peasant Bread

2012-01-09T20:24:00.000-05:00

As mentioned when I so cutely referred to loafing around, I found a great bread recipe while surfing the internets last week. It was so simple and tasty sounding that I couldn’t wait to try it. Plus, anything that tastes great topped with goat cheese and jam is obviously a winner.
I did make a few very minor changes but have to say that the bread is most definitely delicious – and super easy to make. I have been enjoying it for breakfast this week with jam and goat cheese (oh so delicious), butter and eggs, and topped with a smear of pb. It’s delicious, really.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat white flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
¾ cup milk
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan with vegetable shortening and set aside.
2. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add egg, milk, maple syrup and butter and mix until thoroughly blended. Fold in walnuts. Dough will be wet and sticky. Pour into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove loaf from pan and let cool.

As is mentioned in the linked recipe above, the bread is not super sweet. It’s really biscuity, crumbly and delicious. I think it’d be a great addition to brunch. Yum.

Buckwheat, Tofu and Sweet Potato Bowl

2012-01-05T20:38:00.001-05:00

My pantry has come to be a source of pride for me. After 5 years of living on my own, I’d say it’s about time that I have amassed a good amount of pantry “filler.” I think there’s a certain sense of adult-hood that comes with opening the cupboard after a week and a half without a grocery store trip and being able to whip something together.

Well, buckwheat soba noodles had become one of my pantry “filler” items. The things that you inevitably reach by day after day and serve to provide you with a sense of self and wisdom while dancing around the kitchen to The Kooks like a crazy person. (Just me?) Last week I finally decided to put those noodles to use (or at least some of them).

Because it was a Monday off and I had decided to loaf around (I actually did make some bread so this verb is especially pertinent – recipe to come!), I had the time to think ahead for dinner and marinated some cubed super firm tofu in low sodium soy sauce and a bit red curry sauce for a few hours. When it came time to cook, I heated the oven to 425, peeled and chopped a large sweet tater that I tossed in with the tofu to soak up the extra juice, and then put everything on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes.

About 30 minutes into the baking time for the tofu and taters, I put some water on to boil for the noodles. Once it came to a boil, I just added my desired noodle amount. Because I am obsessed with them and they always reside in my equally established freezer (brushing shoulder off), I also added some peas to the water.

Once the taters and ‘fu were crispy and delicious and the noodles soft and steamy, I combined them in one of my favorite white bowls, sprinkled some more soy sauce on top and then added sriracha, of course. The end result was simple and delicious. And a more than worthy use of my filler noodles.

Yum.

Hello, 2012!

2012-01-03T21:07:00.001-05:00

Hey there! Happy 2012! I hope that you all had a wonderful end to the year. Mine was chock-full of the people I love and the things that I love to do (and eat). I love how the holidays are a reminder of just how lucky we are. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to hold on to that feeling beyond the holiday season. I think, really, that self-reflection and making sure to show thanks and appreciation for the great people and things in your life is key. Treating yourself with that same appreciation and kindness is pretty important too.

While I know that resolutions sometimes get a bad rep, I’m a morning person. (Scratching your head at the correlation? Hang in there…) Mornings are awesome because they are completely new. They have the power to unfold into the best (or worst) day ever. You get to open your eyes and basically decide where the day will go. A new year, to me, is just like a new day. But on a bigger scale. A time to look at where you are and figure out where you want to be – and that is definitely a powerful thing.

And so, with a new year and a completely open set of possibilities, these are the goals that I’d like to stay focused on:

Show appreciation for the wonderful people and luxuries in my life.
Extend the same kindnesses to myself that I do to others.

From there, everything else should just fall into place. Feeling more comfortable in my skin? Check. Spending more quality time with friends and family? Check. Reaching for and meeting that goal? You bet. Taking the time to volunteer? Uh huh.

In short, I’m going to do all that I can to make 2012 a good year. And, go!

Super Simple Soup

2011-12-13T19:29:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday. What’s the good word? Things are going pretty well here. I’m very close to being done with all of my Christmas shopping. I plan on heading out tomorrow to wrap it up (get it?). In the midst of the holiday craziness, I’ve been craving easy, warm and plentiful meals that can last into the week.

So, on Sunday night, I decided to make my first official soup. That’s right. I’d never made soup before! Stews? For sure. Chili? Of course. Soup? No way. Something about the broth and the need to let the flavors meld and yada yada yada really turned me off. Well, there was no need for any of that nonsense. I simply threw what I had on hand into a big pot and in no time, I had a delicious and hearty soup that I’ve been enjoying for lunch this week.

If you want to be like me, here’s the recipe. Even if you don’t want to be like me and want to make a delicious soup, this may give you the courage to throw caution to the wind and whatever your heart desires into a pot.

Ingredients

5 vegetable bouillon cubes
2 medium sized carrots
1 small onion
3/4 cup frozen spinach
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup quick cooking bulgur
1 can butter beans (they're huge and delicious)
1/2 tbsp whole black peppercorn
1/2 tbsp dried rosemary

Directions

Prepare bulgur in small pot according to directions. Peel and dice carrots and onion. Add to large pot with olive oil. Saute until transparent. Combine 5 bouillon cubes with 5 cups of boiling water. Add spinach and peas to carrots and onions and pour broth over top. Add beans and bulgur (when finished cooking). Sprinkle in black peppercorn and rosemary and let simmer for as long as you'd like (but can be consumed whenever!).

I topped mine with some parmesan and red pepper flake. Yum!!

Bulgur, Roasted Veggie & Almond Salad

2011-12-07T20:45:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! I have a new delicious recipe for you today. Over Thanksgiving, I was made aware (yet again) of my love of turnips. I decided my love was such that it deserved a more than once-a-year visit. Upon my arrival back home in Massachusetts, I picked up a lovely turnip and some sweet potatoes to get my roast on. To switch it up a bit, I served the roasted veggies with bulgur. The end product was a delicious salad that I’ve been loving for lunch. This isn’t your run of the mill rice and veggie dish!

Ingredients

1 large yellow turnip, peeled and cubed
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup fast cooking bulgur (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
¼ cup sliced toasted almonds
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Brown mustard
Honey
Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Toss cubed turnip and sweet potato in olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste
Place veggies on greased baking tray and into preheated oven
Allow to bake for 45-50 minutes – until vegetables are a little crispy
Prepare 1 cup of bulgur by combining with 2 cups water, bring to boil and simmer for 8-12 minutes
For dressing, combine 2 tablespoons mustard with 1 tablespoon each of honey and balsamic vinegar

Once vegetables and bulgur are done, combine and top with almonds and dressing.
Eat and bask in turnip bliss.

Buffalo Hummus (No Chicken Included!)

2011-12-02T15:38:00.001-05:00

Hey guys, Happy Friday! I hope that the week went well andyou’re looking forward to the weekend. I know I am! With the weekend in mind,especially during football season, I thought it a good time to talk about a newgrocery store find. You see, a couple of weeks ago I received some coupons fromthe wonderful people at Sabra (hands down my favorite store-bought hummus) andyou can imagine my delight when, generous coupon in hand, I noticed a newvariety. Buffalo Style Hummus.

Upon resting my eyes upon this beauty, I didn’t evencontemplate the roasted red pepper or pine nut varieties – my decision was made.You see, in the not-so-distant (but getting distant-er) past, I LOVED chickenwings. Or perhaps more accurately, I loved the combination of chicken wingsauce, blue cheese and carrot sticks. I remember emphatically that mix of tangfrom the blue cheese, heat from the wing sauce and cool, sweet crunchiness ofthe carrot.

And, praise the hummus gods, when I dipped my humble carrot stickinto this new, creamy spread, all I could think of was those glorious nights ofold. I even, in a moment of disbelief, went to check the package to make sure(prepare to be grossed out) that there wasn’t 1) chicken in the hummus 2) bluecheese in the hummus. (Thankfully, therewas neither.)

I’m not sure how Sabra did it, but this hummus is mostdefinitely my new favorite. It’s absolutely delicious – the tang of the tahinimixed with the spiciness of the buffalo sauce. Oh. Yum. This would be thePERFECT dip for a party – or to consume in your pjs on a Sunday afternoon whileyelling at your Bad News Bears football team (or do most people choose to rootfor winning teams?).

Thanks for the coupon, Sabra, and for the new treat!

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received coupons from Sabra.

The Thing about B12

2011-11-30T17:31:00.001-05:00

Well hello! I’m back! And I’m here to talk a bit about B12. You see, the thing about B12 is that it’s super important to our function as intelligent, charming, productive individuals. It is necessary for red blood cell formation, neurological function and DNA synthesis. The vitamin is water soluble and is bound to the protein found in animal food products like fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and milk products. There are several fortified breakfast cereals and nutritional yeast products that are vegetarian and contain B12.

A few weeks ago, I started feeling extremely lethargic and as if I had taken way too many decongestants. You know that feeling? Like your head is floating above your body like a balloon? I would arrive home from work and struggle to stay awake later than 9pm. And when my alarm went off at a quarter to seven the next morning, it was a struggle to get out of bed. This is not normal for me and despite my awful track record of (not) going to the doctors (I’m not a good role model), I made an appointment to have some blood work done, fearing that my iron levels were low or that I may have a problem with my thyroid.

Well, it was neither an iron deficiency, nor a thyroid problem (anyone else a huge fan of using “neither/nor”?). It was my B12 levels. To my surprise, they were low. I say “to my surprise” because I generally am good at making sure that I’m getting the nutrients that I need. But, when I looked back over the past few months, I realized that I hadn’t been using nutritional yeast and I had stopped drinking cow’s milk in favor of soy or almond or coconut milk. I’m not sure if those two elements were the direct cause, but my doctor suggested that I take a daily B12 supplement. I can’t say enough about how much it has helped me to feel better. After only a few days of taking the supplement, I started feeling better and more awake. I’m not struggling to stay awake at night anymore and getting up in the morning is so much easier.

So take heed, vegetarians. B12 rocks.

Edited to add – in some serendipitous turn of events, The New York Times posted an article about B12 deficiencies in the elderly today. Definitely worth a read!

On to the Holidays!

2011-11-28T18:42:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! I hope that the Americans among you had a great Thanksgiving (do I have international readers? Wait…do I have any readers since I’ve become such a slacker??). Anyways. My Thanksgiving was quite lovely, as usual.

I’m always showered with delicious meals when I go home – my mom is an amazing cook and makes you feel so cared for. Naturally, her Thanksgiving meal (as well as the book-ending goodies – think cranberry and pumpkin bread with orange cream cheese, hummus, and homemade apple and pumpkin pies) is always executed impeccably. My favorite has to be her vegetarian stuffing – complete with fausage (as she calls it). It’s so good. Thanks Mom and Dad for a great weekend!

As we all are probably feeling already – the holiday rush is upon us. I’m making an effort to stay calm and out of the malls as much as possible. I have quite a few holiday gift ideas and have been making a dent in the list already – mostly online, thank goodness! I’m going to start making my holiday cards this week and will be doing some holiday cooking both as for gifts and to generate some holiday spirit. With all of this in mind, I thought I would collect some links to recipes I’ve made in the past that are perfect for the holidays. I’d love to see some of your favorites, as well!

Candied Pecans

Vegan, Gingery Graham Crackers

Delicious Cranberry Sauce

Brown Bread

Making "Real" Meals

2011-11-09T20:23:00.001-05:00

Well hello, friends! It’s been a while. I probably don’tneed to tell you that I’ve been in a blogging funk lately. While I miss thewriting and hearing from you, I haven’t regretted taking a step away for a bit.Work has been pretty busy and somewhat stressful. And, as usual, I’ve beenrunning around like the mad woman I am in my free time. I’ve been focusing alot on trying to relax when I’m home (lots of computer-free reading and yogagoing on). And in the name of keeping things simple, I’ve been eating prettysimply. Lots of salads, sandwiches, omelets, quick stir fries and veggieburgers. All healthy and satisfying.Just not special.

What I’ve realized, fairly recently, is that making specialand delicious meals that are to be crafted and enjoyed slowly is extremelyrelaxing and fulfilling for me. It is a part of being calm and balanced. So, I’mgoing to work on creating at least one pseudo involved (dare I say, “fancy”?)meal each week whether it’s just for me or for some lucky guests (holler at meif you want in!).

This past week, I had a block of tempeh to use up. I happento really like the taste and texture of tempeh but wanted to do somethingdifferent with it than the normal stir fry. I decided to make tempeh nuggetsusing bbq sauce and panko breadcrumbs. They were really easy and reallydelicious.

½ block tempeh cut into 6-7 strips

¼ cup bbq sauce, with extra for dippin’ (I used Bulls Eye which is freeof corn syrup and contains natural ingredients)

¼ cup panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dip tempeh slices into bbqsauce until evenly coated. Roll in panko breadcrumbs until all sides aregloriously covered. Place onto greased pan and place into oven for 25-30minutes or until crispy. I flipped the tempeh nuggets halfway through which Irecommend doing. The breadcrumbs get all nice and toasty.

With my nuggets, I had roasted asparagus (just drizzled witholive oil and salt and pepper) and half an avocado with salt and pepper. It wasa delicious and satisfying meal that I savored slowly. As most meals should(but never are!).

Do you guys take the time to make nice meals for yourselfthroughout the week? How do you make sure to slow down?

Also: I've changed the site a bit - the background image is cooler (still stock) and I've added an about me page. Check it out if you're in reader. :)

Fall Foods & Greedy Glasses

2011-10-16T19:00:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Sunday. I hope that you’ve enjoyed the weekend. Mine was pretty great, actually. The weather was of the perfect fall variety – sunny, crisp, and cool but not cold. I got to do some apple picking today with my good friend Sarah and you better believe we enjoyed some apple cider donuts (which were good, despite the lack of cinnamon sugar coating that we are both used to).

It being fall and all, it is the time to be roasting. Squash, sweet potatoes, apples, you name it. The oven is working overtime. Tonight, I marinated some tofu and chick peas in light soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper and crushed red pepper and then baked them, along with some sweet potato rounds and broccoli for an easy, no fuss dinner. Everything came out great and was delicious topped with a bit of ketchup and mustard.

Please note the somewhat non-descript glass in the background. Well, this glass is my new favorite. It was sent to me by foodbuzz and I can’t seem to put it down. It is made by tervis and is supposed to be indestructible (good since I seem to frequently drop my dishes!). It has a double-wall to prevent sweating and keep drinks hot or cold. In other words, if you come over, you will not be using this tumbler. It is all mine. Sorry in advance. :) Thanks foobuzz and tervis.

Are you guys enjoying fall? Any favorite, “greedy” glasses or mugs in your cupboards? I have a coffee mug that is just the same – for my use only. I have several others that are just as nice and to be used for guests, though, I promise.

Cooking with Leeks

2011-10-04T19:15:00.001-04:00

My good friend Nan has a farm share and lucky for me, is apt to share her bounty with me. This past week, I was given a bag overflowing with fresh purple onions (mmm) and leeks. Having never cooked with leeks before, I wasn’t sure what to do with them. After some googling, though, I felt confident in both the cleaning process and in their preparation.

First, the cleaning. Its important to clean leeks thoroughly because the many complex, tasty and crisp layers (I’m very much like a leek, actually) tend to trap a bunch of dirt.

To make the veggie easier to work with, its necessary to do a bit of trimming. The green ends can be a bit tough and you can chop them fairly close to the root, making sure to leave the tender few inches of green shoots. On the bulb-end of the leek, trim off the roots. Then, cut down the middle of the stem all the way through.

This will leave you with a clear view of the aforementioned layers that you can then dismantle and wash thoroughly with cold water.

While leeks are most often used in soups to lend a slightly less intense onion flavor, I decided that I wanted to sautee them until slightly crispy to use them in a stir fry of sorts. I was so happy with my decision. With just a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, the smell and taste of the sauteed leeks was just amazing. They became a bit browned and crispy and oh so good.

To make it a meal, I added some tempeh and quinoa and added a bit of bbq sauce for more flava. It was delicious and simple and earthy. Yum.

Verdict? Leeks are delicious. Thanks for introducing them to me, Nan!

What I Wish I Ate Wednesday

2011-09-21T18:03:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday! How’s the week going? It is flying by for me, actually. I have a fun girls’ long weekend in Vermont coming up and its really keeping me going. :)

Anywho, you have to know about the What I Ate Wednesday movement. And, because I particularly enjoy reading all about what you guys ate on Wednesday, I thought I would play my part. Except… I want to show you what I wish I ate Wednesday.

You see, today was definitely a good food day (most days are for me, hehe), but it wasn’t an exceptional food day. Here’s what I wish I ate Wednesday:

Vanilla french toast topped with real maple syrup, coconut, bananas, cinnamon and chia seeds. So delicious and so satisfying.

Tempeh fajitas with black beans and salsa for lunch.

Homemade pizza for dinner.

And vegan fudgy brownies with some greek yogurt and cherries on top. Mmmmm….

What do you guys wish you ate Wednesday??

Zucchini Cakes

2011-09-19T20:39:00.001-04:00

Hi friends. While the summer is most definitely waning (has it waned already? yikes), there may still be some end of the harvest zucchini kicking around. I first made these zucchini cakes when the season was in full swing – oodles and oodles of them to be had at the farmer’s market. Its delicious and easy and just plain yum. I think they’d be great along with fresh corn on the cob and roasted potatoes, or served as I did, with a simple vegetable ratatouille with fresh juicy tomatoes, carrots, peas, bell pepper and broccoli.

Zucchini Cakes (recipe adapted from the Apron Archives)

The Goods:
2 medium-sized zucchini shredded
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
1-2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
juice of 1/2 lemon

The Work:
Once the zucchini is shredded (careful with the grater!!), allow excess water to drain by placing it in a colander. AA recommended sprinkling with salt which really helped the water-removal process. Once the zucchini is sufficiently water-less (about 30 minutes), combine with breadcrumbs. Beat egg and combine with tahini, mustard and spices; mix with breadcrumb and zucchini.

Heat a skillet over medium heat with a bit of olive oil. Form uniformed patties with your zucchini mixture and place into pan, allowing them to brown and become a bit crispy before flipping.

Enjoy!!

*******************

This was a super simple and tasty recipe and a great use for summer’s zucchini bounty – thanks to Aimee from the Apron Archives for the inspiration.

What’s been happenin’?

2011-09-18T19:09:00.001-04:00

Hi friends! Happy Sunday. How are things? I know its been a long time since I’ve last posted and I promise I have good reason. Life has been filled with a lot of good things. Friends, riding my new bike, yoga, trips, family, yummy food… I am quite a lucky lady. While I’m so glad that I’ve taken the time to really enjoy life and the last few days of summer, I miss this blog and the community that comes with it, so, I’m going to make an effort to post here more often. I have a few recipes I’d like to share as well as just my general shenanigans. :)

My most recent adventures include a weekend trip to Vermont and Montreal, during which I tried my first tastes of croissant and crème brulee (crazy that it took me so long, I’m aware!), got to see an exciting bicycle race with competitors like Christian VandeVelde and Levi Leipheimer, spoke French, enjoyed tasty mixed drinks, took my first real ride on road bike, got kisses from a French bulldog, and absolutely fell in love with the town of Burlington, Vermont.

And this weekend, I was able to spend some quality time with my brother with a great hike. We decided to climb Monadnock and it was such a perfect fall-like day. We worked our butts off on the way up, enjoyed the views at the top for about an hour, and carefully made our way down. So fun. I hope to get out a couple of more times before the winter comes!

So, what’s going on with you guys? How are you? Can you tell that I’ve missed you? :)

The Yoga Challenge: It All Evens Out

2011-08-27T19:22:00.001-04:00

Jenna’s 21 Day Yoga Challenge ended on Tuesday. I’ve spent a good amount of time since thinking about what it meant to me. What 21 days of straight yoga taught me.

I kept focusing on how not one day of my practice was the same. My intent, emotions, energy, and strength ebbed and flowed. I mixed hard days with extremely easy days. And yet, after the end of each practice I somehow felt more myself; stronger and whole. I realized that the emotions, the energy, the strength, the type of practice, the length of practice will always change but they will always even out. And that, the fact that everything evens out, is what I’ve realized this challenge has taught me.

I blogged one day about how emotional and raw and almost angry my practice was. I took it out on my mat (and my muscles!). I focused the pain.

There was one day that I really dreaded my practice. It was a day that was extremely long and emotionally draining. I ended up wallowing around on the mat for about ten minutes in child’s pose. And I cried; hard. You know how sometimes you feel like you’re keeping everything together and have it all under control UNTIL someone goes to hug you? That’s what it felt like. I stepped on the mat and just let go.

Most days, mind you, my yoga practice involved my usual giggly and goofy and motivated self. The self that stumbles in and out of poses. The self that swears at Rodney for yet another chatarunga. The one that focuses very hard on alignment and engagement in order to improve and move forward.

This challenge, and yoga in general, has taught me (and continues to) that life is not about absolutes. It is about dealing with right now, the present, in a way that makes you stronger and gives you direction. It is about finding comfort in just being yourself, as you are, with no pretense or fear. It taught me that I always have the time to do something for myself – even if that means crawling into child’s pose and crying.

It all evens out.

I am so thankful for the time I spent practicing yoga during the last 21 Days. I celebrated my completion of it by treating myself to a wonderful one-on-one vinyasa class on Wednesday. I think I’m hooked. :)

Adventures in Vegan Pizza

2011-08-19T19:12:00.001-04:00

You guys already know about my love of homemade pizza. The love stems from memories of fun Friday meals at home with my family (including one last week!) and the pure deliciousness of tangy sauce, fresh dough, rich and salty cheese and garlic, lots of garlic. Despite my love of it, I tend to play it safe and stick to my mom’s favorite versions – plain cheese with garlicky tomato sauce and white pizza with garlic, cheese, broccoli and red pepper flake.

Well, I got the idea from a new friend to make a vegan pizza using bbq sauce and avocado. Never one to shy from a challenge (or bbq sauce and avocado – yum!) I set out to make my own version. Unfortunately, the dough was a little disappointing (I froze and thawed it without much success) and I think I was a bit too heavy handed with the bbq sauce, but it was still tasty. If nothing else, I found a delicious new way to roast chick peas…

Here’s what you need:

Fresh pizza dough from the market (I went with white but prefer wheat, most times)
BBQ Sauce – I went with the only one without scary ingredients: Bulls Eye
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ a sweet onion
1 avocado
Lime juice
Chili powder
Salt
Pepper

Here’s what you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the chickpeas with 1.5 tablespoons of lime juice, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Place on a greased cookie sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until crispy but not burnt.

Dice the onion and caramelize in a bit of olive oil over low heat. Low and slow is the way to go here! Slice avocado into bite sized chunks and toss with lime juice.

Spread the pizza dough out on a pizza pan or cookie sheet depending on the breadth of your kitchen supplies. ( I usually make free form pizzas on my large cookie sheet.) Place in oven and pre-cook dough for about 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness.

Spread pizza with bbq sauce (not too much, though – the flavor is strong!) and top with chickpeas, onions and avocado chunks. Place back in oven for 10-15 more minutes until crust is golden and toppings are heated through.

Smiles Mandatory

2011-08-18T17:52:00.001-04:00

Hi Guys, Happy Emilyday. I so appreciate the comments and emails you have sent my way since my last post. I was in a really sad place and it meant so much to be reminded of how much I have to be thankful for. Because I want to protect my privacy, I don’t feel comfortable going fully into what happened. What I can say that this whole traumatic experience has brought my colleagues and I closer than ever. It’s amazing to see how people can come together to comfort and support each other; yet another thing to be thankful for, that is for sure.

Anyways, each day that passes is a day closer to feeling like my normal self. I’ve been getting lots of exercise. I have always felt that endorphins are the best way for me to de-stress, think, and find some peace of mind. In addition to yoga, I’ve been running, biking, and Jillian Michaels-ing. It helps. As does dark chocolate and frozen yogurt. :)

I just wanted to check in and thank you guys. I’m so lucky to have such an intelligent and wide-reaching group of friends that are willing and ready to support me with laughs, kind notes and hugs (virtual and real). And now, I’ll leave you with something my brother wrote to me (it may because he’s forever my younger brother, but he always amazes me with his insight and kindness)… “Things will get better, but it will take some time for everyone to recover. I always look at these times as reminders of how quickly things can change, and to not take anything for granted.”

True. That.

How about we spread the gratefulness – let me know what’s making you happy today. Smiles mandatory. :)

Lots of love,

A Hard Practice

2011-08-13T11:39:00.001-04:00

The yoga challenge has been amazing. Most days, I have come to the mat filled with anticipation of the calm and balance that it brings. Of washing away the day’s stress by breathing, sweating, and being no where else but in the moment. There have been some days when getting to the mat is purely for the sake of the challenge. Even on these days, though, I leave entirely grateful for the time I set aside to practice.

Today, I came to the mat heavy with sadness. Yesterday a tragedy occurred at what was supposed to be a very happy event. One that my coworkers and I look forward to each and every year. When we can be together and have fun. No one was expecting it and it is truly awful. I know that work will be a very different place for a long time.

Today, I came to the mat knowing that by simply choosing to practice, I was going to be confronted with my internal sadness; with the sharpness and realness of the pain. Yoga, on good days and bad, forces you to look inside and feel exactly what it is you are feeling. There is no hiding.

My choice of class mirrored my thoughts; it was extremely difficult. There were times when I wanted to cry. Times when I wanted to yell. To scream at the unfairness. I breathed and thought and worked through it. An hour class will not cure me and my colleagues but breath and thought and time spent working through this will.

Pledge of Health and Happiness

2011-08-09T18:50:00.001-04:00

Hi friends! Happy Tuesday. How goes it? Today went super fast. I started the day out just like yesterday – with some glorious yoga. Today’s practice was a bit more rigorous – Yoga Sculpt from ExerciseTV. It definitely left my arms feeling like noodles! Today is only the seventh day of the challenge and I’m already getting sad for it to end. Hehe.

Moving on, though, as you guys know, I’m a huge fan of fruit and vegetables.

They are a delicious way to make sure you are getting all of your required nutrients and vitamins.

They add flavor and color to meals and generally make you feel like the god or goddess that you are.

Well, I was contacted a few weeks ago by the folks at Edible Arrangements about their Pledge of Health and Happiness which is taking place this week. Basically, Edible Arrangements is hoping to encourage Americans to meet the daily goal of making fruits and vegetables half of our daily food intake. (Seems like a lofty but attainable goal!)

Being such a fruits and veggies fan, as well as an Edible Arrangements fan (note: chocolate covered fruit counts!), I definitely decided to join the pledge and spread the word. You can join too (and get a free Pineapple Pop!) by visiting the Edible Arrangements Facebook page: here.

If you excuse me, I have some veggies to eat. :)

Quel jour est-il?

2011-08-08T19:58:00.001-04:00

Hi friends! Happy Monday. I just wanted to write Tuesday and yet woke up this morning thinking it was Sunday. He he. I think I’m having a day of the week crisis. :)

Regardless of what one it is, I started this day off right with a 25 minute yoga session with my favorite – Rodney Yee. I did his Power Yoga for strength practice and it was awesome. I love how it makes me feel so strong yet relaxed.

Breakfast followed soon after – plain Greek yogurt mixed with Kashi GoLean cereal, strawberries and a nanner. There was also some cinnamon, chia seeds and coconut involved.

And lunch was a new obsession – a high fiber, high protein whole wheat La Tortilla Factory wrap filled with hummus, sundried tomatoes, shredded parmesan and mozzarella cheese, sriracha and mixed greens. I also had some carrots on the side.

Snack was my new favorite treat – the chocolate dipped coconut Luna Bar. Yum.

After work, I made my way to the gym and did a quick and dirty stairclimber workout that looked like this:

0-1 minute: level 6
1-2 minutes: level 8
2-3 minutes: level 10
3-4 minutes: level 12
4-5 minutes: level 8
5-6 minutes: level 10
6-7 minutes: level 12
7-8 minutes: level 14
8-9 minutes: level 8
9-10 minutes: level 10
10-11 minutes: level 12
11-12 minutes: level 14
12-13 minutes: level 8
13-14 minutes: level 10
14-15 minutes: level 12
15-16 minutes: level 14
16-17 minutes: level 8
17-18 minutes: level 10
18-19 minutes: level 12
19-20 minutes: level 14
cool down!

Its short but tough! I was dripping with sweat. I dunno if it was the exertion or that this challenge is really renewing my love affair with yoga, but I really wanted an easy, stretchy yoga session when I got home. I did 20 easy, glorious minutes of an online class and loved it. I’m so happy that my love of yoga is growing from this. I was worried I may get sick of it. No worries necessary. :)

Post-yoga dinner was easy peasy – a sliced and baked sweet tater topped with a veggie egg scramble loaded with broccoli, bell pepper and onion and topped with sriracha, of course.

Now, I’m about to take a shower and relax. I see an easy warm apple dessert in my future…

Have a great night, friends!

Words, words, words

2011-08-07T16:57:00.001-04:00

Hi friends. Happy weekend. How has it been? My parents were here for a brief stop-over on their way to their vacation in Maine and it was pretty awesome. We got a great dinner at Jalapenos in Gloucester followed by ice cream at none other than White Farms on Saturday night.

This morning was pretty low key. I made an easy “bed in breakfast” style breakfast featuring toasted and buttered homemade zucchini bread, scrambled eggs and organic strawberries. I also had my favorite coffee on hand – chocolate cappuccino from New England Coffee. It was quite tasty and I’d like to think it sent my parents off on their adventure on the right foot [just accidentally typed “food” hehe].

I’ve been very diligent and actually really loving the yoga challenge so far. Today marks the sixth day and I’m still feeling strong and motivated, perhaps even more so than the first day. Saturday morning was perhaps the highlight of the challenge so far. I got up and rode my bike to a local 9 o'clock class. It was so nice to practice with a room full of yogis since I normally do my yoga at home. It was also really nice to get their by my own power – just me, my bike, and my mat.

Overall, I’m feeling strong and relaxed. I feel like the rush, rush, rush feelings I have been battling are definitely calming down and I surely correlate that with making the time to practice yoga – to slow down and to be present.

Tell me how things are going for you! Did you do anything fun this weekend? How do you slow down when things seem too hectic?

Success!

2011-08-02T19:54:00.001-04:00

Hi guys! Happy Tuesday. How goes it? Things are going pretty well here. I had a busy but productive day at work. Its been quiet this week because most of the upper management is at a huge meeting. Its kind of nice.

I started my day off on the right foot by biking in to work. I plan on introducing you guys officially in an upcoming post, but I got a new bike! Its a hybrid which means that its quite a bit lighter and faster than my mountain bike. I have shaved quite a few minutes off of my commute. Plus! Its very pretty and baby blue! :)

Anywho, after showering and getting my coffee, I ate some breakfast. Overnight oatmeal made with 1/3 cup oats, 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, cinnamon and vanilla. I topped it off with a bunch of fresh blueberries from the stand. Yum.

Mid-morning, I got a bit hungry and broke into my snack stash – a boiled egg. For some reason, I love them.

Lunch was pizza leftovers. I inhaled my two pieces before remembering to take a picture and so you’re left with this “stock” photo. Hehe. It was very similar – whole wheat crust, one slice red and one slice white – but mine today had thinly sliced zucchini on top. Yum.

Afternoon snack before biking home was a cinnamon roll Larabar. I had this in my cabinet forever and for some reason didn’t have the urge to eat it – it was delicious!

Once I biked home, I got out my mat. I was pretty pumped to do some yoga today and kick off the 21 Day Yoga Challenge. My hamstrings have been feeling quite tight lately. I did an easy 20 minute flow that is one of my favorites – Cosmic Dance. Success for day one of the challenge!

I was interrupted in savasana by a grumbling belly and grabbed a handful of cashews to tide me over while I showered.

For dinner, it was an easy veggie fried rice topped with sriracha (naturally) and some tahini.

And for dessert, I just had some delicious Trader Joe’s dark chocolate. Yum.

How was your day? Anything exciting going on?

21 Day Yoga Challenge

2011-08-01T18:36:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Monday! How goes it? I hope that you had a nice weekend! I had a great weekend filled with family, friends and sunshine which is just how I like it. To be honest, though, lately it has seemed as if the weekends are never long enough and I’ve been feeling a bit rushed and busy all the time.

Along with this, I’ve been experiencing a bit of trouble sleeping and have been stressed a little more than usual about work. This all means that, despite still being my happy, healthy, optimistic self, I’ve felt a bit out of sorts. I’ve made sure to keep exercising and get plenty of outdoor time (both are my favorite outlets), but I haven’t been doing much yoga at all.

Today, when I was making my way through my reader, I was excited to read Jenna’s post about her 21 day yoga challenge. I’ve decided I’m going to do it in the hopes of bringing some more balance and calmness in my life. I KNOW that yoga will help with how I’ve been feeling and will keep me grounded. I’ve re-read this post about what yoga has meant to me and its definitely driving me even more. :)

Upon getting home today I made myself a nifty 21 Day Yoga Challenge calendar. It will serve as a reminder to get at least ten minutes a day on the mat and will be fun to cross the days off as I go along. Tomorrow is the start!

Here’s to balance and serenity!

To Maine!

2011-07-17T20:22:00.002-04:00

Hi guys! Happy Monday! How did the day go? I hope it wasn’t too Monday-esque. :)

As promised, I have a bit of a recap of my Sunday for you. You see, for about over a year now, I have been close friends with a lovely lady by the name of Jen Dean. You may remember that Jen and I did a collaborative post back in March on the topic of empowerment.

Anywho, despite miles of separation (Jen and her husband, Jason, currently live in Arkansas), Jen and I have become close friends and regular pen pals. Jen is amazingly intelligent, funny, and caring and always seems to know just what to say. In short, I’m very thankful to have met her.

And, as of Sunday, I have actually met her in person! Jen and Jason decided to summer in Maine (hehe) and being that Maine is a relative hop, skip and jump for me, we made plans to meet up for brunch. Jen picked out a wonderful restaurant called The Porthole in Portland, Maine.

The Porthole has an old Maine charm that you would definitely expect. It is located right on the waterfront of Casco Bay and gives you the feeling of being somewhere entirely timeless and special.

For my meal, perhaps intoxicated by the overwhelming Maine flavor, I went with the special: Lobster and asparagus frittata. Um, yes.

The lobster, asparagus, egg and goat cheese was heaven piled on top of a mix of sweet and regular roasted potatoes. I’m so glad I went with the lobster.

Despite its deliciousness, the meal was most definitely outshone by the company. I’m so appreciative that Jen and Jason made the time to meet up during their vacation. Yay for that. :)

Do you like lobster? Have you ever been to Maine? Want to move there with me?

Saturday Sail

2011-07-17T20:10:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! How was your weekend? It was absolutely beautiful here and I was so lucky to have filled my couple of days with friends and adventure (and food!).

Yesterday, I went out on a sailboat ride with some of my classmates from grad school. It was really neat – we made reservations to take a ride on the Thomas E. Lannon schooner out of Gloucester. The boat is privately owned and operated by a family of wonderful sailors. It was built in Essex, MA (the next town over from where I live) in 1997.

While we had the opportunity to help with raising the four sails, our group held tight, enjoyed the sites and some cold beverages. Here are some shots from the sail:

After our ~~three hour~~ two hour tour, we were more than ready for dinner and made our way to Rocky Neck. Rocky Neck is home to a really active and pretty neat artist community. There are a number of amazing artists there who work on and sell their art. I even purchased a great print of a painting by artist E.J. Lefavour that just makes me happy…

The studios are right on the water and interspersed with a couple of great restaurants including where we went, Madfish Grill. The views from the restaurant are pretty unbelievable. We were seated right on the water’s edge…

I think it definitely made my wine and crab, avocado, tomato and lettuce sandwich taste better. :) In reality, the sandwich was great just on its own. The crab meat was tender and fresh and Portuguese sweet bread was used. Yum.

Stay tuned for my Maine recap…hint…it involves a very delicious and Maine appropriate brunch and great company. :)

Have a great night, guys!

This is…

2011-07-15T19:00:00.001-04:00

…what happens when there is no one around to eat with me and/or judge me for my dinner (well, I guess you guys can judge, but I’m ok with that).

Roasted sweet potato topped with veggies sauteed and warmed with marinara sauce topped with goat cheese…

Unpictured was a cold, delicious, Sam Summer Ale.

Happy weekend, friends!!

Mama Pea’s Peanut Noodles

2011-07-14T19:56:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Thursday, or Emilyday if you subscribe to it. :) How goes it? Things are going pretty well here. I finally got a good night’s sleep last night after a few nights of tossing and turning and random assaults by bugs (ick!) and it was glorious. I’m feeling quite rested and chipper. It helps, too, that the weather is phenomenal – sunny and about 75. I could deal with this all year round, that is for sure!

Anywho, as I mentioned on Monday, I had exciting plans for Tuesday night – making a yummy dinner for my friend Sarah and her husband Michael. Sarah has a great little blog that focuses on their adorable home. She’s super crafty, and just all around awesome. Sarah and her husband recently redid their kitchen and it is beautiful. I may have suggested this dinner date just to have a chance to use it! She has this amazing spice rack, and oh the granite counters that welcome hot pots!!

On the menu was a recipe by someone you may all know – the famous Mama Pea. While I have literally drooled over so many of her recipes in the past, I have never made any! Not one! So, when I saw her recent recipe for peanut noodles, I knew I had to try it out. (It was also the meal that Sarah, who is not only awesome - but pregnant, thought sounded good).

To save some prep time, I chopped all of the veggies and prepared the peanut sauce prior to my arrival at Sarah’s. I purchased and chopped my very first stalks of bok choy and a green bell pepper for the stir fry and placed them in a Tupperware along with the two cups of edamame. The sauce took a bit more time and lots of measuring.

Into the blender went ½ cup of light coconut milk, ½ cup fire roasted tomatoes, ¼ cup peanut butter, 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey, the juice of one lime, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp of fresh ginger and a healthy squirt of sriracha. Man, was this sauce good. I had to keep myself from taking a straw to it while transferring to my trusty recycled marinara jar for transport.

Once I got to Sarah’s, the cooking was easy peasy (did you see what I did there in honor of Mama Pea?). Just heated up some water for the rice noodles and sautéed the veggies over medium with some olive oil spray.

Once everything was cooked, I just combined and poured the sauce over top. I did forget to pick up peanuts and left out the fresh cilantro knowing that it can be something of a polarizing flavor. :)

Because it was pretty hot on Tuesday, we opted to chill the noodles prior to consumption. That was a good call, I think. I’m sure that they would be delicious warm, too, however.

Everyone, including a somewhat skeptical and nervous Michael, loved the meal. We used ample amounts of sriracha (which I think will become a new household item for Sarah and Michael) and sat for a long time over a leisurely dinner. It was so nice. (Thanks, Sarah, for letting me invade your kitchen!)

I will definitely be making this recipe again – in fact, my mom requested it for the next time I come home! I think I may add some onion and perhaps broccoli, just because. My only complaint/problem was that the noodles got super clumpy. Any recommendations for how to prevent that?

Packing Snacks

2011-07-12T17:49:00.001-04:00

Oh, hey! I told you I’d be back. This time, I have a day of work eats to share. As you guys probably already know, I bring all of my meals and snacks to work with me in the morning and while this means a lot of Tupperware and enormous “feed bags,” it also means a fatter wallet and often, healthier choices. :)

Packing everything does get tough sometimes, though. These “sometimes” include, but are not limited to:

Nights when I don’t want to prepare/pack my lunch
When I have a hard time choosing what I’d like to eat
When the fridge is nearly bare
When the work café menu looks particularly alluring (chipotle sweet potato soup!?)
When I’m having a particularly hungry day and haven’t packed enough

So, there are various ways to deal with these situations. Mostly, I try and pack my lunch while I’m making dinner. That means I’ll already have the cutting board, knives, etc. out and makes it easier when dish time rolls around. Plus, after dinner means complete and utter ~~Ally McBeal~~ relaxation time.

On my indecisive days, I just bite the bullet and pack my food. This indecisiveness may mean that I'm bored with my choices. Mixing it up helps. Also, usually just knowing that it is waiting for me is enough to make me crave it.

When the fridge is nearly bare and/or the work café menu looks particularly intriguing, I will often cave and buy something. This usually involves my work salad bar that is amply overflowing with healthy goodies…it’s cheaper than Whole Foods, I guess. Realistically though, I’d say I limit these days to about two per month. I tend to just get creative when the cabinets get bare.

Now, the last bullet, when I have hungry days and don’t pack enough, seems to be plaguing me more often. I tend to pack a “standard” amount of food, or, an amount of food that usually fills me up – a good sized breakfast…

a good sized lunch…

and a protein packed snack…

Lately, though, I’ve been hungry between breakfast and lunch and then quite hungry after lunch. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that I’ve become something of a weight lifting beast and my enormous muscles are screaming for nourishment.* So, I’ve been making sure to pack protein-rich munchies for the “in-between” times. This means hard boiled eggs, cashews, larabars, yogurt, etc.

All in all, I really enjoy bringing my own food to work. I love having wholesome, tasty food to look forward to and enjoy being “frugal.” Plus, when it comes time to wash out your 15 tupperware containers from the day, you’ll have ample time away from your desk to get in some (much needed) conversation with your fellow employees.

Do you guys pack your lunch? Do you have any tips?

*Total exaggeration. It would take me at least five minutes to knock out Governor Schwarzenegger (not for any political reasons, just for the challenge). My guns aren’t that big, really… You want to arm wrestle?

Farm Stand Food

2011-07-11T19:50:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Remember me? Ahem, you know, Em? The lover of Emilydays, nanners, snot rockets and peeing in the woods, and yoga. Did that help? Did you laugh? I hope so.

Anywho, a whole heck of a lot has happened since I last posted. My brother Sam moved to Massachusetts (yay!); we celebrated the fourth of July with family, food and hiking; I went for the longest bike ride in my existence (not too long, but still something to celebrate!); I’ve spent lots of quality time with people I care about, I’ve rekindled a love affair with the show Ally McBeal after 14 years (it’s scary that I feel like I am her this time around)…

Phew. So, let’s move on, shall we? Perhaps to some food?

With my recent goal to get all of my produce from the Farm Stand, most of my meals have been huge, delicious, piles of veggies. Really, there is nothing better than fresh veggies. I picked up some spinach and my goodness, the texture and taste is worlds above the grocery store alternative. Truly!

Recently, I’ve been seasoning them super simply – with soy sauce, hot sauce, avocado, mustard, cheese, etc. I will add some form of protein (beans, tofu, edamame, tempeh, veggie burger) and a carbohydrate and am pleased as punch.

All of the veggies have really transcended into other meals, too. I find that I’ve been even craving them at breakfast (where did my sweet tooth go?). You know what that means? Delicious goat cheese and veggie omelets or veggie-filled egg scrambles with avocado. Oh yes.

Are you guys loving your summer veggies? What are your favorite ways to use them?

I promise I’ll be back soon! I have plans to make a delicious dinner for my great friend Sarah and her husband Michael in their brand new, beautiful kitchen tomorrow. I’m planning to document. :)

Have a great night, guys!

An Emilyday Full of Eats

2011-06-30T18:31:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! How are you? Can I just say that I’m so excited for the upcoming holiday weekend? We luck out at work and actually get Monday and Tuesday off. Its going to be pretty great. I’m going to help my brother Sam move into his new place (in Massachusetts …yay!) and then we are making our way to our parents’ house for some bbq and hiking and just general fun. Do you guys have plans?

Anywho, today I have a whole day of eats to share with you guys. I biked to work today so most of my food was easily portable, starting with a peanut butter and nanner sandwich. The whole wheat bread I got at TJ’s this past week was a bit dry but nothing crunchy pb, cinnamon, coconut flakes, and nanner can’t fix. :)

For lunch, I had a really great broccoli salad. I made this a couple days ago just by steaming some fresh broccoli, adding 1/2 cup of chick peas, chopping a green bell pepper, and adding red pepper flake and balsamic dressing. The first day, I added some raisins and cashews but today I added some whole wheat couscous and goat cheese. It was SO good. And I loved having the broccoli salad in the fridge for easy remixing. :)

Snack was my new favorite treat – a chocolate dipped coconut Luna Bar. Have you guys tried them yet?? They are amazing. Just like a girl scout samoa. Yum Yum.

After biking home I was SO hungry. I couldn’t believe it. I quickly threw a sliced sweet tater in the oven and chopped some onion and green bell pepper that I sauteed and mixed with some frozen TJ’s mixed veggies and chick peas. I served the taters with some chipotle hummus and topped the stir fry with some soy sauce and sriracha. Definitely hit the spot!!

In a few, I’m meeting up with my dear friend Sarah for a walk and some ice cream. Woot!

Have a great night, friends.

xoxo
Em

Veggies, Protein and a Side of Antioxidants

2011-06-25T19:30:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Saturday. :) How are you? Things are going well here. The weather has been less than ideal here today (about 60 and rainy!) but I enjoyed myself, nonetheless. I got some gym time, friend time and a pedicure in! Definitely, no complaints.

I just finished a super tasty dinner. I’ve made something very similar before (my tempeh fajitas), and was craving it. I simply sauteed a yellow bell pepper, half an orange bell pepper, a block of sliced tempeh and a sweet onion until a little bit brown and cooked through. I also heated some black beans with cumin, pepper, chili powder and garlic powder. I topped everything with lots of salsa and went to town.

Today, I had some delicious rainbow kale sauteed in a bit of olive oil and garlic as well. This was a gift from my friend Nan who gets a CSA and was swimming in greens. Thanks, Nan!

I also enjoyed some anti-oxidants on the side – the last glass of Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon (one of my favorite wines) leftover from dinner with my friend Emily on Thursday. So delicious.

Tonight is going to be quiet – it was an early and busy day and I’m looking forward to getting cozy with Netflix, some tea, and perhaps a bit of dark chocolate. Have a great night, friends!

To the Farm Stand!

2011-06-22T19:34:00.001-04:00

Hi guys! Happy Wednesday. How are you? Let me tell you: after a few weeks of shortened weeks due to vacation and holidays, this one seems to be inordinately long. Am I the only one? Regardless, tomorrow is Emilyday and we’re fairly close to the weekend!

So, today kicked off one of my summer initiatives: a trip to the Farm Stand. Starting today, I will be doing my best not to purchase produce at the grocery store. Its going to be a challenge for me because it will, at times, mean two different stops (I’m a busy lady!) and because I’m just so used to getting everything I need at the grocery store.

My reasons for doing this are two fold: 1) I want to support local farms. 2a) Lately, I’ve noticed that I’ve been in kind of a food rut. I go to the grocery store and always buy the same fruits and veggies (whether or not they are in season or local). Buying my produce at the farm stand will force me to switch up my routine and will hopefully come up with some new recipes. 2b) Local food just tastes BETTER! It really does. Its amazing.

Today, on my first trip, I picked up a (reusable) bag full of goodies: zucchini, sweet potato, asparagus, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, avocado (definitely not local), and a spreadable, delectable, cheese that I will go into in a bit.

For dinner tonight, I chopped two zucchini, a small onion, about half an eggplant, two tomatoes and two garlic cloves and sautéed them in some olive oil (starting with the zucchers and onion) until they were a bit caramelized and soft. The eggplant and tomaters released a ton of water and flavor and added an almost stew-like quality to it all.

Towards the end of cooking – probably about 20 minutes – I added a can of drained and rinsed chick peas, dried basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flake. This ended up being really, really tasty. I added a bit of parmesan cheese on top and went to town. Yum.

Now, onto the cheese. I was perusing the refrigerators at the Farm Stand and stumbled across this carton. I pretty much saw “Fig Pecan” and grabbed it as fast as I could. When I got home from the gym and the Farm Stand today, I was starving and in need of a shower. I also couldn’t stop thinking about the Fig Pecan “Trempherbe.” So I did the rational thing – spread a piece of whole wheat bread with an ample amount of it.

It.was.so.good. It reminded me of my favorite honey walnut cream cheese from growing up – except a bit more airy and complex. In addition to the fig and pecan, this contains cinnamon, honey and sunflower seeds. So.good. I can’t stop thinking of ways to eat it. How would you guys eat it??

Thoughts for Tuesday

2011-06-21T19:44:00.001-04:00

Hey guys. What’s the good word? I was looking through my sketchbook and found quite a few good words and thought I would share. Do you guys have any favorite quotes? Please share!

I must learn to love the fool in me – the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility and dignity but for my fool.

- Isaac Rubin

Work Meets Food

2011-06-20T19:20:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Monday! How was the rest of your weekend? I hope for those of you that celebrated, you had a great Father’s Day. Unfortunately, I wasn’t with my Dad but I did make sure to call him and had a card and fun Dad-appropriate gift waiting for him (an electric weedwacker!!). Love you Dad!

So, I know I don’t talk too much about work, but, I also write a blog for work focused on sustainability-related topics. Since my work post kind of overlapped with this, my personal, blog subject today (food!), I thought I would just share the link with you guys. Its quite light-hearted but interesting to think about, nonetheless.

On Artificial Meat

Have a great night, friends!

xoxo

Saturday Extravaganza

2011-06-18T19:44:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy weekend! How has your Saturday been? I had a great day, actually. I got so much done; starting with assembling my brand new, modern-aged tv. Oh yes. I never thought that I would be so excited about a tv, but my old (my parents’ old, actually) humongous tv just wasn’t doing it anymore. My new one can even stream netflix! Its fancy. Hopefully I’ll be able to get off the couch.

Anywho, I felt quite accomplished getting it all set up this morning and celebrated with a yummy breakfast and coffee. I scrambled an egg and had some whole wheat toast with almond butter and strawberry jam.

After some blog and news reading, I decided to try out some yoga from Netflix – Long and Lean Yoga with Baron Baptiste. This was my first class with Baron and oh my goodness – it was hard. I was thoroughly sweaty and exhausted (in a good way) after. I’m so glad that I found it!

I was most definitely ready for lunch post yoga and heated up some veggie soup with carrots, soy crisps and chipotle hummus on the side. Did the trick!

I then headed outside to tackle Hank (aka, my car). It had been WAY too long since I did a good cleaning and it felt so good to vacuum and clean him. He looks sparkly and almost new.

I then started my dogsitting duties (for my landlords) with a nice walk and some playing. Ari is such a cutie and was very well behaved. We had a good time out on the deck reading and barking at bike riders. :) I enjoyed a snack out there as well – a delicious blend of plain greek yogurt, chia seeds, blueberries, oatmeal, coconut, honey and cinnamon. This tasted like blueberry pie a la mode. So good!

I finally just showered and ate dinner. I was super hungry and wanted something quick and tasty (what else is new?) I made some whole wheat couscous with chick peas and marinara sauce with some roasted broccoli. I topped everything with deliciously creamy goat cheese (and lots of red pepper flake!).

I had a pretty late night last night and my busy day has left me exhausted! I think I’ll probably pull up some Netflix movies (on my new tv!!) and chillax. Are you guys up to anything exciting!?

Accomplished Beast

2011-06-16T18:59:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! How goes it? I have to say, I could get used to two day work weeks – ha! I’m going to savor the fact that tomorrow is Friday, anyhow. :)

This morning, I woke up bright and early to get my workout in before work. While I technically had time to exercise after work, there is nothing like getting the bad boy over with before the day even starts. A while ago, I bought a three pack of Jillian Michael’s workout dvds (30 Day Shred, Banish Fat Boost Metabolism and No More Trouble Zones). While I have done 30 Day Shred quite a few times, I haven’t tried the others – until today!

I busted open Banish Fat Boost Metabolism and got one of the best workouts I’ve had in a long time. This 50 minute workout was brutal (as is to be expected with Jillian). I was swearing, sweating and panting – proof of a good workout, I’d say! I felt like a strong, accomplished beast of a lady all day. Woot!

With my afternoon, I did some chores around the house and then made a simple but delicious dinner -

A whole wheat tortilla with babaghanoush, nutritional yeast, red pepper flake, and egg scrambled with green bell pepper and sundried tomatoes. I topped it all with a bit of spicy mustard. So good.

I also had a spinach salad with balsamic. Yummy!

This evening will be spent chillaxing and card making. Hope you guys have a great night!

Miles and Miles

2011-06-15T19:56:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy…wait…what day is it? Haha. Over the past 7 days, I have travelled 2,206 miles in the car! With traffic, stops, etc., that’s close to 40 hours. I feel like I’ve been in a time warp. However, it all was most definitely worth it because the time spent with my family was amazing. My Dad noted on the way to Michigan that these past five days have been the longest time I’ve spent with them since 2006. Wow!

Anyhow, I’m newly back in MA. The trip went pretty well, but there was quite a bit of rush hour traffic. I decided to get off the highway and get some grocery shopping done to give myself a break and fill my empty cabinets. Luckily, a Trader Joe’s was quite convenient. I picked up frozen veggies and fruit, tortillas, muffins, tofu, tempeh, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, peanut butter and a couple of the new chocolate dipped coconut Luna Bars. In short – YUM.

After finally getting home, I unpacked, cleaned up a bit and then got down to making dinner, brought to me, and you, almost entirely by Trader Joe’s. It all started with a bag of Harvest Hodgepodge frozen veggies (mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, baby corn, broccoli, sugar snap peas, carrots and water chestnuts) dumped into a heated pan. Once the veggies were defrosted and the water evaporated, I added some sliced TJ’s teriyaki marinated tofu as well as a bit of gyoza sauce, red pepper flake, garlic powder and ginger.

Once everything was heated through, I added some (non-TJ) cashews. It was delicious and quick! PLUS! Leftovers. For lunch. Tomorrow. Woot!

Now, its nearly time to cheer on the Bruins!! Are you guys watching the Stanley Cup final game?? So exciting.

Have a great night!

Em

Sam Graduates & Traverse City

2011-06-12T23:27:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Sunday (most likely Monday so I’m posting so late). I hope that all is well in your world! I’m currently on a mini-vacation with my family in Traverse City Michigan.

My parents and I arrived in Michigan (Flint, to be exact) on Friday in order to watch my brother graduate from Kettering University. It was great to see his campus and meet some of his frat brothers. We’re quite proud of him, naturally. :)

From the graduation ceremony, we made our way to Traverse City where my parents were awesome enough to rent us a great condo right on the lake. Its really beautiful here and its been so nice to spend the uninterrupted time with my family. Its been way too long since we’ve had a family vacation!

Today was our first real full day here and we made the most of it by visiting a Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The park surrounding the dunes is amazing – so many animals and beautiful trees. Needless to say, though, the dunes were the star of the show. Some people even climbed down (and then way way way back up) to the beach below…

We decided to try a bit milder of a climb – up and over a few dunes to see a great lake view.

We all couldn’t believe just how big Lake Michigan is. Its most definitely ocean-like. The color of the water is unbelievable as well – the brightest of blues!

Tomorrow is our last day in Traverse City before dropping Sam back off in Flint for his last week at school and heading home. I believe we plan on walking around through town and perhaps buying some souvenirs. :)

Hope you guys have a wonderful start to the week! I’ll be back again soon.

Fast and Fresh

2011-06-07T18:34:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happiest of Tuesdays to you! I think that its safe to say that summer has arrived. Today was absolutely beautiful with sun and highs in the upper 70s - and we're looking at a couple of 90 degree days in the forecast! Phew! After our rainy and gloomy spring, I couldn't be happier!

So, I'm not sure what it is, but I've been all about simple and fresh meals lately. My favorite for lunch this week has been whole wheat, high protein wraps filled with babaghanoush (so creamy and delicious!), sliced raw tempeh, red and yellow bell pepper strips and sundried tomatoes. Its crispy, fresh and flavorful. I round everything out with a healthy side of carrot sticks - gotta have my crunch!

Dinner tonight was equally simple - an egg sandwich on toasted wheat bread spread with some smart balance that I then sprinkled with garlic powder, salt and pepper. To kick it up a notch, I also added some nutritional yeast, sriracha and avocado. Yum. Roasted broccoli with drizzles of ketchup balanced it all out.

Are you guys digging on anything particular these days? Like I said, I can't seem to get enough of fast and fresh meals that allow me to eat, enjoy and move on. Speaking of moving on...time for French class!

Have a great night guys!

Em

Call of the Wild

2011-06-06T20:10:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Monday. Remember me? Yeah, I kind of dropped off the radar and apologize. We’ve been getting some great summer weather and honestly, I’ve had a hard time keeping myself inside. Today, I finally came home and chained myself to the duster and vacuum because, man, my apartment was indicative of my outside priorities. Maybe some views from over the weekend will coax your forgiveness for my absence?

Did that work? Maybe some breakfast pictures?

This bowl of oatmeal was just as good as it looks! 1/2 cup of old fashioned oatmeal made in 1 cup water with dried unsweetened coconut, chia seeds and cinnamon cooked in. Topped with a nanner, almond butter, some cashew bits (from the bottom o’the bag) and a drizzle of honey. Yum!!

Have you guys been enjoying the outdoors? What is your favorite thing to do out there?

Vegan Fudgy Brownies

2011-05-31T18:26:00.001-04:00

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

2011-05-26T18:28:00.001-04:00

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!

“Meaty” Veggie Fajitas

2011-05-24T22:30:00.001-04:00

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

2011-05-23T18:10:00.001-04:00

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

2011-05-22T12:48:00.001-04:00

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.

Speedy Sweet Tater Stir-Fry

2011-05-19T20:30:00.001-04:00

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!

Mes Petits Chous

2011-05-17T18:14:00.001-04:00

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

2011-05-16T17:51:00.001-04:00

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

2011-05-14T20:14:00.001-04:00

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!

Adventures in Biking

2011-05-11T18:56:00.000-04:00

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.

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!).
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.
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.
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

2011-05-10T16:00:00.001-04:00

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

2011-05-08T21:04:00.003-04:00

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

2011-05-08T16:01:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-05T20:34:00.001-04:00

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

2011-05-02T18:10:00.001-04:00

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. :)

Happy Birthday Dad!

2011-04-30T11:00:00.001-04:00

This post is a special post for my Dad. He doesn’t get much press here on the blog but he often leaves me awesome comments that make me smile with their use of “kiddo,” and “love, Dads.” Today is his birthday and I’d like to take a moment to thank him for just a few of the things he has given me:

When my Dad was a little boy, my great grandfather used to pick him up for road trips regularly and, as something of a human compass, my Dad has instilled the same love of car trips and new destinations in me. To this day, I love being in the car and taking “the long way” home – even though I can’t get anywhere without my GPS.
A special regard for all of the Back to the Future and Star Wars movies, in addition to Independence Day and Dances with Wolves. Even though Mom won’t, I will watch these movies with you anytime, Dad. Oh, and we can put on Fleetwood Mac and jam anytime you’d like.
“Be interested and interesting!” You see, bloggies, I wasn’t always such a dashing and magnetic individual. During the awkward teenage years (and, um, let’s face it, beyond), the struggle of meeting (and keeping) boys was a regular source of malaise. My Dad, ever the pragmatist, coined this phrase to keep my head in the right place. Let me tell you, being interested and interesting works. Tell your friends – and make sure to tell them about my Dad.
Endless support. My Dad is the biggest (and hairiest (TMI?)) cheerleader I know – thank goodness no pom poms or pleated skirts are involved. He is always, always there for me and my brother. Without him, my life would be entirely different. He has given me the courage I needed to move somewhere new on my own, go to graduate school and strive to always be the best – I still remember when an A- showed up on my previously all A report card and you told me that you “didn’t like the trend." Its amazing to have you in my corner, Dad.

My Dad is such a special person and I’m so lucky to have him in my life. Thanks for helping me to wish him a Very Happy Birthday!

Love you, Dad!

Royal Wedding Food

2011-04-29T15:18:00.005-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Friday! I was just checking in on the news and found this comical blogpost featuring speculations (and criticisms) of the Royal Wedding Food and wedding food in general. While I didn't watch the wedding, I've perused a few pictures and have to admit, I was pulled in more by thinking about the food. :) Surprise, surprise, huh?

Did you guys watch the wedding? Have any wedding food stories (good, bad or otherwise?). I've been pretty lucky with wedding food. I've always had delicious vegetarian entrees and amazing desserts. No weapon-like appetizers for this wedding guest! :)

Have a great weekend!

xoxo,
Em

P.S. Thanks for all the support and tips on my skin care post. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone!

Emilyday Skin Care Challenge

2011-04-28T16:11:00.003-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! This post is going to be a bit of a departure for me. I don’t very often talk about personal things or things that may bother or embarrass me but I’ve decided that in order to hold myself accountable and perhaps learn some tips and just generally share my experience, it is worth divulging sometimes. Also, if there is one thing I’ve learned while blogging, it’s that the quality of people that stop by this little blog is stellar. So, here goes!

I’ve never had particularly terrible skin. I remember one day when I was getting my haircut in high school, my aunt and hairdresser told me that I had beautiful skin. At that point, I remember being taken aback by her assessment. It wasn’t ever anything that I thought about. I don’t really even remember a skin-care regimen other than washing my face with Neutrogena at night and a wet washcloth in the morning.

As time went on, I would occasionally get a pimple here or there that I would attempt to zap overnight with Oxy spot treatment cream. Usually, they were few and far between – mostly just right before my period.

Over the past couple of years, and especially within the past 6-9 months or so, I have been frustrated to find that despite getting older (and naturally wiser), my skin has actually been getting worse. And by worse, I mean noticeable blemishes, black heads and pimples on my face. Blech.

My two “problem zones” (I hate that particular combination of words for several reasons and apologize for using it) seem to be my forehead and chin, in particular. While I diligently wash my face and moisturize during the cold months (and only around my eyes and cheeks in the warm months – lest my forehead and chin become a bit…oily), it seems like something is off, or missing.

Combine the seemingly naturally blemished face with the fact that I simply cannot leave things alone (read, most blemishes turn into very read and noticeable bumps after constant…attention), and you have an embarrassing problem that affects my mood and confidence (silly, I know, but true).

I’ve been assessing my diet, sleep patterns and washing regimen (elements that I can control) and I’ve determined that I don’t think it is my diet nor my water intake that is causing the change. I eat healthfully and drink lots of water. I also don’t believe that it is a lack of sleep because I’ve been very diligent about getting enough (lest I become cranky and miserable). When it comes to face washing, I am generally very good about washing my face upon waking and then before going to bed. Where I sometimes fail is in the case when I get home from exercising and don’t necessarily shower right away. I NEED to wash my face right upon finishing exercise – especially on days when I go right to the gym in my makeup.

Now, there is one other element that I know impacts my skin – stress. This is something that I can’t necessarily control, but I think that my overall plan will help to reduce its impact.

So, with that in mind, here is the challenge I am posing to myself.

Wash my face directly after working out, always. Prevention is the best medicine and I have invested in some new products to help prevent my breakouts and blackheads from occurring. I purchased some Aveno cleansing pads that are easy to use when I’m not at home or on the run. They are gentle and make my face feel super clean and soft. I also purchased a new Grapefruit Cleanser from Neutrogena that also makes my face feel super clean without over-drying.

In cases when blemishes appear (and they will!) I will leave them alone! I will not pick at them or squeeze them (sorry for the grossness). I will apply a spot treatment and let it go. My face will thank me.

Continue to eat lots of fruits and veggies and drink lots of water.

Get enough sleep.

Do yoga and meditation – for the mental benefits.

Well, there you have it. Thanks, as always, for allowing me to ramble and put myself out there. Do you guys struggle with keeping your skin clear? Do you have any tips?

For the Love of Alfredo Sauce

2011-04-27T14:24:00.005-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday. How’s it lookin’? What started as a nasty, grey day has suddenly turned into a bright, summer-like afternoon and I’m lovin’ it (do I have to trademark that? Mmm…Chicken McNuggets…kidding! Or am I?).

Anyways, today’s post pays homage to an old favorite food of mine – alfredo sauce. While it wasn’t something that I ate very often, alfredo was a luxury of eating out. It was something that I dreamed about – right up there with oh-so-thick cheesecake and gooey grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade mac and cheese (sensing a theme, here?)…

Although I can’t remember the last time I ordered, or even ate, alfredo, its delicious creaminess and the way it blankets pasta in saucy goodness still drives me wild. It was with that exact sexy and delightful image in mind that I concocted the following recipe. It happens to be vegan, but entirely by happenstance.

Vegan “Alfredo” Pasta for One

The supplies:

For the sauce:

1-2 tbsp tahini
2 tsp dijon mustard
Hot pasta water (enough to thin)
2 tsp nutritional yeast
Dried basil (to taste)
Red pepper flake (to taste)
Garlic powder (to taste)

For the pasta:

3/4 cup pasta of choice (I used whole wheat bow ties – there’s something about bow ties…)
Veggies of choice (I used broccoli and sundried tomatoes)
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

The assembly:

For the sauce:

Combine tahini, dijon mustard and spices in a small bowl. Prior to draining the pasta, add about 2 tbsp (more if necessary) of the hot water until sauce reaches desired consistency. (Mine was pretty thick… I’ll wait while you tell me something about what “she said…”).

For the pasta:

Prepare pasta as directed. (Make sure you remember to save some of the pasta water for your sauce!). Sauté minced garlic in olive oil until golden brown and translucent (please don’t burn it!! Blech). Remove garlic from the pan and add a bit more olive oil and your veggies of choice. Once the veggies are cooked, add the garlic back in, toss with your pasta and drizzle on your “alfredo” sauce. Give everything a good toss so that the sauce is allowed to permeate. Mmm...permeation.

I topped mine with a bit more nutritional yeast, basil and black pepper. It was pretty darn delicious, if I do say so, myself. I'm already looking forward to making it again!

Do you guys have a comfort food recipe that you have made over? Any food memories that continue to drive you wild?

Finding the Festive

2011-04-25T16:09:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Monday. How was your weekend? Mine most definitely did not go as planned. I got home to my parents’ house on Thursday night in preparation for our trip to Long Island Friday morning to find a very sick Dad. You see, my mom had been sick with a stomach bug earlier in the week and although we thought it was long gone, my father finally succumbed Thursday night.

Needless to say, we did not end up going to Long Island and with an urgency precipitated by my hatred for stomach bugs, I made my way back to Massachusetts Friday morning. While the good news is that I seem to have made it out without catching the bug, it made for a very different (and much more solo) Easter than I had planned.

Regardless, I treated myself to several delicious meals and utilized some seasonal ingredients to add a little festivity. Namely, I have been using oodles of delicious, fresh, unsweetened coconut flakes and dates. Yum.

My first, and perhaps favorite, meal that I’d like to share is my take on almond joy oatmeal. I started with 1/2 cup soymilk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup oats, cinnamon, vanilla and some chia seeds and added coconut, chopped dates, and the piece de resistance – chocolate almond butter. This was delicious and decadently dessert-like.

Next up was another amazing breakfast – french toast. The base of this French toast is a loaf of locally-made multi-grain bread. I used a huge slice of it and dipped it in a mixture of one egg, some soy milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Once nice and crisped, I topped my toast with some pb, more chopped dates (they look like olives!), coconut and a drizzle of maple syrup. Yum.

The coconut most definitely made these breakfasts. I’m so pumped to have it in my cupboard and can’t wait to come up with other uses for it.

Do you like coconut? How do you use it?

Operation: Bike to Work

2011-04-21T19:38:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! So, you all know that I'm currently training for a 10K race on May 1st. I'm pretty excited about it but am taking a fairly laid-back approach to it and my training. Really, I just want to have fun and get another race in before the summer heat kicks in. And, while I'm really enjoying my training runs and running in general, I'm absolutely giddy about my new adventure - commuting by bike to work! :)

As you know, I'm visiting with my family for Easter and will be bringing my long lost and newly tuned-up bike (thanks Dad) back home to MA with me. I live only about 5.3 miles from work and so it won't be a long ride (google estimates it at a half hour!) and its a safe route (I also just bought a new helmet with pretty blue flowers on it!).

I think that my goal will be to ride to work at least 2 days per week (to start). I have a feeling there will be a definite adjustment period and I'll have to figure out certain things; mostly, how to cart all my crap along with me. "Crap" in this case refers to shower supplies and a change of clothes as well as my food bag. I think I'll probably be breaking breakfast up into 2 portions so that I can eat something before and after my ride. I'll probably have to get an insulated bag and ice pack so that I can keep necessary items cold.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to fit everything into one backpack and I think it can be done. I may just end up leaving my shower supplies in my office and can use the locker room from there. We'll see!

Do any of you take alternative transportation to work? Any tips for a new bike commuter??

Chipper, brought to You by the Letter C

2011-04-20T17:51:00.001-04:00

Well, happy Wednesday, my friends. How are you? I’m quite chipper today. You see, being that this is today and tomorrow is Thursday, I have only one more full day to wait until I can begin my mini-vacation at my uncle’s house in Long Island. I’m going to be leaving to drive to my parents’ house after work tomorrow and from there we will make our way to The Hamptons (said in very nasaly bourgeois voice). While there, I have no plans other than a couple of lovely runs (perhaps on the beach!?) and lots of eating (including my mom’s carrot cake and duh duh duh…banana cream pie). Can you see, now, why I may be chipper?

Anywho, today has been a good day in its own right. I started out with what was probably the most difficult three mile run in a long time. I have a really hard time with morning runs. Particularly morning runs that start before 7am and before a proper breakfast has been consumed. Somehow, though, I muddled through and even did a bit of core strengthening upon my return (a strong core has been proven to help with cake and pie consumption).

When I got to work, I was more than ready to break into my packed breakfast – overnight oats made with 1/3 cup oats, 1 cup plain soy milk, 1 tbsp chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla, nanner and the piece de resistance: candied pecans. I made those babies a while back and they are sitting in my freezer for occasions such as this one. They were crunchy and delicious on my oats.

For lunch, another yum from home – spinach salad with cucumber, chick peas, carrots and cashews (um, hello to the letter “c” – perhaps the sponsor of this post?). I had some Newman’s Own balsamic dressing on this bad boy and some kashi crackers on the side.

Snack came early – morning workouts make me hungry! Some plain greek yogurt with muesli mixed in. I ate nearly all of it before remembering to photograph. Yum.

I have kind of a busy evening ahead – dogsitting, laundry and a special trip to a local candy store so dinner was quick and easy. Roasted broccoli (with ketchup, naturally), scrambled eggs and toast with hummus. Simple and delicious.

Do you guys have plans for the weekend? Do you celebrate Easter? Any foods that you’re looking forward to?

xoxo

Whirlwind Weekend

2011-04-19T20:16:00.001-04:00

Hi guys! Happy Tuesday! How are you? I’m doing quite well. The long weekend was a great one. It started off the best way possible – a delicious dinner (recapped here) with my good friend Di. The rest of the weekend followed suit and I don’t think I could have packed more into it. We’re talking some serious rugby watching, a delicious brunch, awesome ocean ogling…

…a hike through the woods (complete with sky blue salamander eggs!), a winning Celtics game, a refreshing (and expensive) new favorite beverage…

…running, weight lifting, spring cleaning, Boston marathon watching, a thick a$$ chocolate cherry smoothie…

…all topped off with a delicious dinner to celebrate/commemorate soccer Mondays (no more indoor soccer for a while!) and a viewing of the original Arthur (which I highly recommend…lets see how Russell Brand does with it!).

How are things in your neck of the woods? Did you have a good weekend and start to the week?

Ode to Overnight Oats

2011-04-15T15:08:00.005-04:00

Happy Friday, friends! What is the good word? Can I guess? Is it weekend?? :) It is a long weekend for me and a lot of other New Englanders in honor of Patriot's Day. I don't know much about Patriot's Day except that is also Boston Marathon day and means a long weekend. I'm ok with that.

I don't have much to talk about in addition to the exciting three day weekend except a favorite new breakfast of mine - overnight oatmeal. Overnight oatmeal is not a new concept to me and certainly is not a new concept to the blog world. For some reason, though, I have just fallen in love with it this week.

The first of my recent forays into the overnight oatmeal world involved 1/3 cup oatmeal, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 cup unsweetened plain soymilk, dash of vanilla and tons of cinnamon. I mixed all of the ingredients well and let them sit overnight in the fridge. Upon waking, I had a delicious, pudding-like breakfast that I amped up with a banana and some peanut butter. Tasty!

This morning, I used the same overnight mix but then this morning I mixed in some delicious cranberry, cherry and almond muesli and served the oats in a nearly empty peanut butter jar. The muesli was an awesome decision - it added some texture to the oats and sweetness from the dried fruit. Yum. (Sorry no picture, I was in scarf mode this morning).

Do you guys like overnight oats? Have any combinations for me to try?

Have a great evening!
Em

Rosemary-basil Baked Tofu with Marinara and Feta

2011-04-14T09:18:00.004-04:00

Happy Thursday, friends! How are you? While today is absolutely beautiful, yesterday was exactly the opposite...rainy, windy, cool. It was actually kind of nice, though. I love the sound that it makes on the windows and it makes being inside the office kind of cozy.

To go along with yesterday's weather, I decided to make a cozy dinner. Some of my favorite memories of home involve my mother’s (or father’s) homemade sauce and pasta. The smells of garlic and onion and the promise of a delicious loaf of bread are pure bliss. Sometimes, we would even pull out the Godfather soundtrack to make the meal feel that much more authentic (don’t worry, no mobster guns are allowed at the dinner table).

For dinner yesterday, I wanted to recreate that warm meal and feeling. Granted, I did not take the time to make my own sauce – I used Classico tomato and basil sauce instead – but it still came out deliciously and, along with some Godfather soundtrack, reminded me of being home!

Rosemary-basil Baked Tofu with Marinara and Feta

The goods:

Extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
Marinara sauce
Spinach (frozen or fresh)
Feta
Pasta of choice (I used a mix whole wheat shells and penne)
Garlic powder
Rosemary
Dried basil
Red pepper flake
Olive oil

The execution:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut tofu, drained and pressed (I pressed mine between two plates with the jar of sauce on top for about 20 minutes), into thin strips. Toss tofu strips with olive oil and spices (to taste). Spread on greased baking sheet and place in heated oven.

While tofu is baking (about 20 minutes or until nice and toasty brown), prepare pasta to directions and begin heating sauce on low heat. Add spinach to sauce to allow to wilt (if fresh) or heat (if frozen).

Serve sauce and tofu over pasta and sprinkle with feta. Allow yourself to bask in the easy, but delicious, meal.

Fin!

My New Gadget Love

2011-04-11T17:23:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Monday! How was the weekend? How was the work day? My weekend was pretty solid. We had some serious spring weather. I don’t think the nice weather is going to get old any time soon so you better be prepared for me to revel in it! :)

I was able to get out for a walk during lunch today and got super excited to see a beetle crawling along on the side walk. I could have easily stayed and watched him and enjoyed the sunshine for 45 minutes but alas, my desk was calling…

Anywho, I have an exciting new gadget in my life. CSN stores contacted me a few weeks ago to see if I would be interested in doing a product review. I jumped at the chance with one thing in mind – a spiffy new blender. While I’m not in the market for the king of blenders ($$) at the moment, I did manage to find Cusineart Smartpower blender that seemed to suit my fancy.

I did try my blender out for the first time about a week ago but that was when I was having my camera trouble and wasn’t able to take pictures. Fortunately, I captured this morning’s delicious smoothie breakfast.

In the blender went 4-5 ice cubes, 3/4 cup cherries, 3/4 cup plain soymilk, and a packet of chocolate hemp protein powder. I wanted a thick smoothie and so it took a little bit of spooning the mixture down into the blender but in less than 5 minutes I had a delicious, thick bowl of smoothie goodness that I topped with some granola.

I’m always nervous about the ice crushing capabilities of blenders but this baby does not disappoint. Woot! I’m definitely happy with my new blender and so excited to come up with some new smoothie recipes. What are your favorite concoctions??

Friday Plans…

2011-04-08T17:55:00.001-04:00

Happy Weekend, Friends!! <3

Speedwork is my Friend

2011-04-07T18:59:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! How are you? Things are going well here. It’s a beautiful New England spring day. I could get used to this!

My day started off with a fun and delicious breakfast hosted by work. I had half of a corn muffin (that tasted SO much like the beloved Boston Chicken cornbread of my youth) with eggs and some fresh fruit salad.

It was really tasty but not quite filling. I was more than ready for my trip to the salad bar for lunch. I loaded up on mixed greens, cucumber, carrot, onion, chick peas, kidney beans, feta cheese, some sunflower seeds and fresh croutons.

For my dressing, as usual, I used olive oil, balsamic and hot sauce. I always get crazy looks regarding the hot sauce, but it’s so good! Don’t knock it until you try it!

For my snack this afternoon, I had quite the treat. I saw this Bobo’s Oat Bar at Whole Foods the last time I was there [insert link here] and couldn’t resist trying the peanut butter variety.

This bar did not disappoint. It was like a healthy dessert and wasn’t skimpy at all. It was perfectly moist and not too sweet with a hint of peanut butter. Delicious.

Today, my 10K training plan called for 6x800 meters at my 5k pace. Unfortunately, I have a hard time doing speedwork outside and so I made my way to the treadmill after work.

Fortunately, I was feeling like a well-oiled machine today. It was awesome. I rolled through my intervals and felt strong. For some reason, I always psych myself out about speedwork and have to talk myself into it. BUT, once I get myself to the track or treadmill, I love it!

Anywho, to fill my speedy belly, I made some easy black beans and rice topped with salsa, nutritional yeast and avocado. Quick, healthy and tasty.

Now, I’m off to meet up with a friend for some girl time and dessert. Have a great night guys!

No Cameras Were Harmed…

2011-04-05T20:32:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Thanks for your comments on the camera. Wouldn’t you know, less than ten minutes after posting, I accidentally dropped said camera smack on the counter. Just like my brother Sam suggested (thanks, Sam!), I immediately turned on the camera and BAM! it worked!! I was so pumped. Apparently, giving the camera a little bit of tough love is the way to go. Still, cameras were only helped and not harmed in the making of this post. :)

Anywho, how was your day? Mine was really good, actually. You see, I’ve been kind of in a work rut. I think I have been dealing with some serious adult ADD and was having the hardest time focusing and feeling productive and driven at work. I decided to reassess things after a particularly long and stir crazy day at work on Friday.

I think a lot of my problem had to do with a particular morning routine. I’m always one of the first ones at work, which is a good thing, but usually, I spend a good amount of time eating breakfast and waking up to some blog reading and internet surfing. While I still get my work done and work an 8 hour day, I think for me, starting the work day off in this way set a bad precedent for the rest of my day (think frequent internet breaks).

To try and fix this, I’ve decided to stop eating breakfast at work and give myself some “me” time in the morning to read blogs and enjoy a home cooked breakfast. For the past two days, things have been going very smoothly and I find that I’ve been super focused at work. I allow myself blog reading/internet surfing during lunch, but other than that, I’m keeping out of it! Let’s hope I can keep this up. :)

My home cooked breakfast this morning was super delicious. I made an egg sandwich on everything rye bread (have you tried this!? its awesome), with avocado, sundried tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flake and nutritional yeast.

I could get used to this. :)

Do you guys ever have motivation issues at work? Any suggestions for how to overcome them?

Technical Difficulties

2011-04-04T18:42:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I hope that you’re doing well!! Did you have a good weekend? We got some amazing weather this weekend and it was just so nice to be able to get out and enjoy it. I hope that you enjoyed yours, as well!

I just wanted to check in and let you know that it appears that I am in need of a new camera. I get a lens error message when I turn it on and can’t seem to get it to work at all. Do you guys have any tips for how to deal with it or what might be going on? Until I figure things out, I may be posting a bit less and with cell phone pictures when I do. Yikes! I apologize in advance!!

Have a great night, my friends.

Different Dinner

2011-03-31T19:54:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! You guys are great – thank you for all of your positive feedback on my upcoming 10K. You are all an inspiration and have some amazing goals. I so enjoyed reading them and will definitely be checking in on you to see how things are going. Power in numbers, friends, power in numbers. :)

Tonight, I was feeling like having something different for dinner and I definitely did. Inspired by Sarena and her savory waffles, I decided to make scrambled eggs and savory buckwheat pancakes. Boy was it good!

For the pancakes, I mixed 1/3 cup of Bob’s Buckwheat pancake mix with 1 whisked egg white and 1/3 cup water. For the savory flavor, I added salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, dried onion and nutritional yeast.

My scrambled eggs were veggie-fied with sauteed green bell pepper, broccoli and sundried tomatoes. I added 1 egg and 2 egg whites and scrambled away.

When all was done, I added a drizzle of tahini to the pancakes and some sriracha to the eggs. Delish and different! Yum.

Tonight, I’m going to watch Love and Other Drugs. I got it on Netflix last week and its been sitting around. Do you guys have any fun plans to celebrate the almost weekend??

So, What’s Next?

2011-03-30T19:25:00.001-04:00

So, I alluded in this post to plans for a new running challenge and I think it’s about time to give you guys the details.

While I had such an amazing time training for and running in the half marathon, it is a lot of work and a lot of time spent on the road (or treadmill as it may be). This, combined with the fact that while I was running the race, I got to mile 6 and thought – phew, what a wonderful distance! got me thinking about how I’ve only run one 10K in all of my running history!

My new plan is to run in the James Joyce Ramble 10K on May 1^st in Dedham. I gave myself last week off from running and am going to be starting on a training plan that seems like it’ll fit into my needs and desires just perfectly. The whole plan is 12 weeks long but since I have a good base of miles behind me from half marathon training, I think I’ll be just fine starting at week 7 (since there are 5 weeks until the James Joyce Ramble).

My goals for this race are to continue maintaining my positive mentality while improving my speed (considering it is a shorter race!). I’m really looking forward to this new adventure and hope that you guys will enjoy hearing about it.

I mentioned, briefly, that I took a 5 mile run yesterday which went really well. I went out a bit fast (I blame the beautiful weather and all of the people out an about), but still managed to finish strong throughout the hills and wind. Tonight, the plan called for an easy 3 miles which I followed up with an upper body strength workout. I’m feeling energized and ready to go!!

Do you have any goals that your working towards (exercise or not)? I’d love to hear about them and how you are making strides to achieve them!

I hope that you guys have a great night! Thanks, as always, for being such an amazing outlet and source of support!

Pile O’ Superfood with a Side of Jasmine Rice

2011-03-29T20:32:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! How are you? What’s the good word? I hope that you’re having a wonderful day. Today was quite lovely in my neck of the woods. It seems like spring is really on its way (despite some chilliness) – its been so sunny and the birds are chirping. Its pretty wonderful. I managed to get a great 5 mile run in today (first one since the big race) and just loved being outside!

Anywho, moving on. When I was at Whole Foods last Friday, I picked up some goodies…mainly, I couldn’t resist the bulk section. I bought some dates, red lentils and nutritional yeast.

Tonight, I decided to cook up the lentils (my first time making the little legume, ever!). Lentils are packed with protein and folate and are quite delicious to boot. I simply boiled 1 and 1/2 cups water and then added 1 cup of lentils to cook until puffy and absorbed. The red lentils tend to get a bit mushy, by nature. Kind of like me. (Love you guys, mwah!)

To bump up the food power even more, I sauteed some carrot, onion and kale with tomato sauce, curry powder, salt and pepper. Its no secret that kale does a body good – it has oodles of anti-oxidants, beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein and calcium and has anti-inflammatory properties. Its a whole lotta goodness. The curry has been known to have anti-inflammatory properties as well.

I let the sauce simmer together until the lentils were done and then simply combined them. While making the lentils and heating up the veggie curry sauce, I also made some jasmine rice. I topped everything with a healthy serving of sriracha and dug in. In essence, what ended up being a pile of mushy goodness was also a big helping of healthy living. :) So good! And I have lots of leftovers. Woot!

Check out the unintentional yin and yang! :) Overall, I’d say it was a lentil success. Do you guys like lentils? My mom makes a mean lentil soup (that makes all others pale in comparison), but I’m something of a lentil novice (obviously). I can’t wait to cook with different types and in different ways.

Weekend of Foodie Delights

2011-03-28T20:33:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happiest of Mondays to you! How goes it? I hope that you had an awesome weekend. Mine was packed full of lots of fun and delicious food. Unfortunately, only one of my three delicious meals out went documented…its not going to stop me from telling you about them, though! :)

On Friday, Melissa and I met up for some dinner at Whole Foods followed by a trip to the movies to see Paul. I was so ready for dinner and had a delicious bowl of goodies.

Cabbage salad with sesame seeds, almonds and scallions (front); steamed veggies; curried vegetables (in the center); thai noodles with seitan (far right); and sweet potato whole wheat tortellini (back). Everything was so delicious but I think my favorite was the curried veggies. I love the Indian food at Whole Foods, yum. Satisfied, we made our way to the movie which was pretty entertaining! I think the best part was the company, though, that’s for sure.

My second most memorable meal of the weekend happened to also be my favorite meal to eat out – brunch. I finally made it to Sugar Magnolias in Gloucester after hearing about its deliciousness from several friends.

Somehow, the two of us managed to walk in and get seated right away despite a huge line! We lucked out. Despite many tasty things on the menu (I was seriously eyeing the egg sandwich with arugula, goat cheese and fig jam), I ended up with the bowl of porridge and I’m so glad that I did. It was, no joke, the best bowl of oatmeal I’ve ever had. It was made with apples, dried cranberries, coconut and brown sugar mixed in and was topped with deliciously crunchy granola and a drizzle of milk (that I added). It was unbelievable. I CANNOT wait to recreate this. :)

Finally, a bunch of friends and I ended up at Jalepenos in Gloucester Sunday night (after working up appetites with some intense candlepin bowling, hehe).

I couldn’t resist the one of the daily specials – lobster tacos! I usually only have lobster once a year and hadn’t officially had any in 2010 so I was way overdue! The tacos were delicious! It was two soft corn tortillas filled with lettuce and lobster and topped with fresh pico de gallo and avocado. Yum! I was happily served a side of black beans and rice and devoured that as well.

It was a great foodie weekend (and fun!). I apologize for forgetting my camera! Did you guys eat anything that was memorable or special over the weekend? Let us reminisce a little bit longer before the work week takes too much of a hold. :)

Imitating the Pros

2011-03-24T19:38:00.002-04:00

So, lately, I’ve been fighting two major cravings: (1) Chipotle burrito bowls and (2) Indian food. Being that I tend to have a stocked fridge of my own and am trying to keep the amount of money spent on takeout down, I haven’t splurged for the real thing. BUT, I have made a couple of pretty good imitations.

First up, the Chipotle burrito bowl. We’re talking pounds of lettuce, limey rice, black beans, fajita veggies, guacamole, and salsa. How could you go wrong?

Luckily, this bowl is pretty easy to recreate at home. I started with a base of brown rice and then added black beans cooked with cumin, black pepper and chili powder. On top of that, I added some sauteed red bell pepper and onion, mixed greens and half an avocado cut into thick, creamy chunks. Oh! And I made sure to add lots and lots of salsa and lime juice. Mmm…delish.

Next up, Indian food; which, admittedly is quite a bit more complicated. So many spices and long cooking times. Its a little overwhelming. Which is exactly why I reached for one of my favorite time savers – Tasty Bite meals.

This time, I picked up the Kerala Vegetables. Feeling a bit frisky, I chopped a couple of carrots, half an onion, some bell pepper, sweet potato and tofu and sauteed everything together until cooked through. Then, I added some broccoli and the packet of Kerala Vegetables. To make more of a sauce, I added a bit of water and more curry powder and a bit of salt. I simmered everything together until well incorporated (mainly so that the broccoli was able to sop up the delicious flavor, mmmm).

I ate a hearty bowl with a side of toast and some sriracha on top. So good. And the veggies and tofu bulked up the Tasty Bite meal enough to have leftovers! Score!

Do you guys have any “pro” imitations to share? Any takeout cravings to satisfy at home?

Emilyday Dance Partay

2011-03-24T19:20:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! Here is a little dance party for ya (complete with James Vanderbeek pulling his bra off, haha). Enjoy! :)

New Bedford Half Marathon Training Recap

2011-03-23T19:24:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday. I hope that you’re doing well. I’m doing just swimmingly. I know that I recapped the race a bit already, but I wanted to look back at the whole experience a bit to figure out what I think worked and what didn’t work for me this time around. Hopefully, it will help me to build on this experience and it may even help some of my fellow runner-readers. So here goes:

What Worked:

Throughout my nine weeks of training, I talked a lot about how I was thinking about training and the race. My overarching goal for this half marathon was to train and run in a way that built me up and made me feel strong – both physically and mentally. I made sure to give myself kudos for my hard, long runs (and even the short runs) and didn’t get discouraged by runs that felt tough or didn’t go as planned. I took a break from running (and the plan) one week because I wasn’t feeling it. I put my happiness (which sometimes involved hanging out with friends instead of training) at the forefront without losing sight of my goal. This was in stark contrast to my previous half marathon and proved to most definitely work!

According to my training plan, speed work was built in to longer, slower runs. I really liked this and it allowed me to improve my speed without tiring myself out. I think that mixing the speed work in with longer runs really helped my endurance as well. I was able to feel good about going a moderate pace knowing that I would be kicking it up during my scheduled speedwork. I was able to avoid putting pressure on myself to always run at X pace.

I also put a lot of emphasis on the way I was fueling for my training and race. While training, hunger (sometimes insatiable hunger) is inevitable. While it may be easy to reach for the quickest thing available, I made sure I focused on eating lots of fats, protein, and fruits and veggies. I think that this helped my recovery exponentially both during training and after the race. I also was battling a cold for the last leg of my training and I truly think that without such a balanced diet, I may have been much worse off.

What Didn’t Work:

Afternoon long runs. Nope, they don’t work. As much as I may want to have the morning and early afternoon to myself on the weekends, the prospects of me getting out to do a long run decrease exponentially as the hours pass by. I found that eating a solid breakfast with coffee and digesting for an hour or two before heading out for my long run worked best. I did manage to get one afternoon long run completed but my record weighs heavily in favor of getting them over with in the morning!
Waiting to shower post run. As much as I may want to chow down or sit down after my training runs, it is always best for me to at least change, if not shower, first. I find that if I don’t get out of my sweaty running clothes, my body temperature is off the whole day and it is harder to recover. I would sometimes have to force myself away from the kitchen and into the shower, but it was always worth it. Plus, meals are so much better when you’re nice and clean, am I right?

The Jury Is Still Out:

Because my training plan called for four days of running and three non-running days, the end of the plan only entailed fairly long mileage days (in order to attain the weekly mileage goal). For example, during my last two weeks of full training, my plan looked like this: Monday – soccer; Tuesday – 6-7 miles with speed; Wednesday – rest; Thursday – 6-7 miles with hill/speed work; Friday – rest; Saturday – 10 miles; Sunday – 5-6 miles. There were no shorter runs in that plan! Nope! BUT, I think that the ample rest days really helped to keep my legs fresh and kept me from getting burnt out. I’m not sure how I feel about this one…

So there you have it, my “what worked” and “what didn’t work” recap of half marathon training 2011. :) I’m most definitely looking forward to the lack of a structured workout schedule but I’m already thinking about my next running challenge, so stay tuned…

All the Deets

2011-03-22T20:28:00.001-04:00

Guys, you are the best. Thank you so much for your sweet comments on the race. Your support and kindness has meant so much to me – it always has. Sigh. *Wipes tears…*

Anywho, I’ve been feeling super good after the race. I was nervous about how sore and tired I would be but honestly, this time around has been so much easier than my first half marathon. I can even go down stairs without wincing! :) I’m not sure what the difference is, but I’m definitely happy about it.

One thing that has been right on par is my hunger! I’ve been making sure to get enough protein and fat to help me recover and fill my seemingly bottomless pit of a stomach. Today, I started out with some of my mom’s delicious homemade Irish soda bread. She was nice enough to bring me half of her beautiful loaf. This baby is loaded with currants and caraway seeds. Mmm…

I had a couple of dense slices toasted and smeared with some pb as well as a boiled egg to break my fast.

For lunch, it was leftovers. Last night, I roasted a sweet potato, tofu, chick peas, onions and bell pepper (first tossed with some olive oil, garlic powder, thyme, salt and black pepper). I also made some brown rice and topped everything off with some low sodium soy sauce and tahini. This was delicious!

And for afternoon snack, I had a plain greek yogurt with nanner, some honey and cinnamon.

After work, I made my way to the gym. Yesterday I just did some easy and delicious yoga but today I felt like I should move my legs just a bit. I hopped on the elliptical and ended up getting lost in my book for 40 minutes. :) Love when that happens.

Dinner was prepared and consumed very quickly after a trip to the grocery store. I was HUNGRY! I made a delicious sandwich with cheddar, avocado, hummus, brown mustard and mixed greens. On the side – some carrot and red pepper sticks with extra hummus.

I just had some chocolate and am now sipping some tea and doing some major relaxing. :) Oh! Which reminds me…that ‘sundae’ from Sunday was actually a cupcake! It was my first Kick Ass Cupcakes cupcake and it was unbelievable. It was the moon pie cupcake – chocolate cupcake with deep chocolate frosting, marshmallow topping (and middle) topped with graham cracker. It definitely did look like ice cream, though, hehe.

Have a great night, my friends!

New Bedford Half Marathon (!)

2011-03-20T19:24:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Sunday! How are you? I’m feeling quite tired but so happy. Thank you for all of your good luck wishes and support. It means so much to me.

The race went really well today. I feel super proud and excited about the work that I did training as well as about the way the race went. We all woke up quite early (thanks Mom, Dad & Jamie) so that we could make our way to New Bedford. Luckily, we had some delicious coffee to get us started. I also had a whole wheat bagel with pb and nanner during the trip. It seems to be the perfect pre-race food for me.

Once we got to New Bedford, I easily got my race packet, used the rest room and collected my free shirt and then it was nearly time to get to the start. We lucked out with the weather – it was sunny and in the mid 40s. It ended up being pretty perfect despite a bit of wind (especially during the miles along the ocean!).

The course is relatively flat with a few tough hills mainly during the first three miles and the last three miles (brutal, huh?). I felt really good and managed to stay positive and keep negative splits going. I think that starting out slow and steady really works for me…I was able to conserve energy and get a good gauge on how my body was feeling.

Anywho, I cruised through the first 5 miles in about 45 minutes and was so excited to see my cheerleading crew. It is really such a treat to have people you care about there. I so appreciated it. (I was also making sure to think of all of you and your kind wishes and thoughts – makes such a huge difference!).

When I’m running long distances, I have this saying (which isn’t so much a saying as a “thinking” since I only “say” it in my head), it is “Tuck it in.” Basically, for me, “tucking it in” means shutting off your thoughts and just running…not thinking about how much longer I have to go or how fast I am going. Just thinking about one foot in front of the other and relaxing a bit. It really helped me and before I knew it, I was at mile ten.

And that, inevitably, is when the nerves set in. Ten miles was the furthest I had gone in my training runs and the 3.1 miles was “uncharted territory.” I was still feeling good despite some fatigue in my hips and knees. My breathing felt really good though. I knew that I could push on through.

And push on through, I did…despite slowing down quite a bit on the huge hills that make up the last three miles. It was definitely a test of my will but I managed to keep on trucking (with the help of some screaming spectators!) and before I knew it, I could see the finish line.

I finished today under my goal of 2 hours – 1:54:19 and I couldn’t be happier. :)

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for all of your support throughout my training. You guys are the best. Now, if you excuse me, I have a celebratory date with this bad boy.

xoxoxo

Getting in the Game

2011-03-19T14:50:00.001-04:00

Hi friends! Happy Saturday. How is the weekend treating you so far? Mine has been pretty low key which is ideal considering tomorrow is the big race! (gulp). I’m feeling pretty good. I go through moments of feeling panicky and nervous that I’m not ready and then other times I feel like I’m just super excited and can’t wait to go. Phew!

I made sure to sleep in and then made myself a delicious breakfast – oatmeal topped with nanner, pb, some plain greek yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup and some cinnamon. Naturally, a huge cup of coffee (x2) was involved as well. :)

After breakfast, I digested, read blogs, and watched Food TV. It was pretty awesome. I eventually peeled myself off the couch and out of my pjs and got out for an easy 2 mile run. Despite being a little bit congested (I’m still fighting a lousy cold), my run went really well. My legs feel super loose and ready to go. It was hard to keep myself to two miles.

My mission upon return: stretching! Since my knee started bothering me, I’ve been really good about stretching and it has made a huge difference. Today, I spent a good 15 minutes ohhh-ing and ahhh-ing through some yoga poses like triangle, pigeon, forward bend, etc. It was just what I needed!

Lunch was just what I needed as well – a whole wheat bagel with egg, cheese, mustard and hot sauce along with a mixed green salad with bell pepper, carrot, and sundried tomato. Hit the spot!

Now, I’m anxiously awaiting my parents who are coming to cheer me on during the race. Thanks to your input regarding the Ipod, I’ve decided to prepare a fun playlist in case I’m in the mood for it tomorrow.

The plan for the rest of the day is a delicious dinner out in Gloucester and then relaxing. I have Mega Mind from Netflix and am hoping that I can convince my parents to watch later tonight. :)

Have a great day, friends. Thank you again for all of your support regarding this race! I can’t wait to tell you how it went.

To Ipod, Or Not To Ipod…

2011-03-16T19:46:00.001-04:00

Happy Wednesday, Friends! How are you? My work day was a little stressful but its over and tomorrow is a new start! Yay for that.

So, naturally I’ve been thinking a lot about the race (on Sunday!!) and there is one contemplation that is giving me pause. You see, I’ve never been a huge run-with-an-IPod girl until I started training for this half marathon. I’m not sure why, but over the past 9 weeks, I’ve really become reliant upon it.

As this is a new thing, I’ve never run a race with an IPod. I know that a lot of people do it, but I just thought I would do a poll of sorts to see what you guys think. Do you run races with your IPod? Do you think its better to not do that? Let me know what you think! (Or, if you prefer neat and tidy, pick a letter!!). :)

A) Run with the IPod.

B) Leave the IPod behind.

C) Do whatever the heck you want, Em, its your race.

D) None of the above.

Have a great night, guys! I’m off to chillax. :)

Texture & Tahini

2011-03-15T20:59:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! How are you? I’m doing very well today. Thank you so much for your support regarding yesterday’s post. I have a feeling that the collaboration between Jen and I will be a very good thing. Make sure to check out Jen’s post if you haven’t already!

Now, on to the eats! A whole day of them! I started out with simple oatmeal, raisins, chia seeds, pecans, cinnamon and some honey for breakfast. It was so satisfying and I loved the crunch of the pecans – the added texture was awesome.

For lunch, a bowl of split pea soup with crunchy carrots and some cheddar cheese.

And for snack, one cracker with a tub of hummus. Just kidding, haha. This picture was my attempt at not showing you an ugly tupperware of crackers with a hummus (or hommus in this case) container.

After work, I made my way to the gym and ran what seemed like a super short two miles on the treadmill as well as four one minute speed intervals. Its officially taper week and I already feel a little out of sorts. I’m dreading the stir-crazy feeling that is surely on its way. :) It’ll all be worth it come Sunday’s race, though.

For dinner, I made a super simple veggie and brown rice stir fry. I sauteed an onion and added a bag of frozen stir fry veggies, some edamame, chick peas, soy sauce, red pepper flake, garlic powder and ginger. On top, I added drizzles of tahini and sriracha. Yum. This was tasty. I even have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Score!

I just finished some delicious chocolate and am going to sip on some tea while relaxing a bit. I hope that you guys have a wonderful evening!

Emily & Jen: Empowerment

2011-03-14T16:15:00.005-04:00

Emily & Jen: The Background

Julia Child had a pen pal who became her dear friend. In her day, correspondence was primarily composed of letters sent via postal service. In our modern times, pen pals take on a variety of forms. So, when Jen first visited fellow food lover Emily's blog, a friendship based upon blog comments and, later, thoughtful emails, was established.

Over the past several months, Emily and Jen both have moved, left previous lives behind, and are currently in the process of forging a new existence. When Jen emailed Emily recently, suggesting a blog collaboration, Emily jumped right on board.

As partners in this blogging adventure, we hope to inspire ourselves to delve deeply into topics that are affecting our lives and share them in a creative way with our readers (in hopes of inspiring you all, as well).

Our First Collaborative Post: The Inspiration

When we began thinking about our first collaborative post, we quickly came upon the idea of empowerment and what it means to us. As individuals, we have different ideas and ways of feeling empowered yet, as women and like-minded friends, some of our ideas are the same.

As such, our first post explores our personal definitions of empowerment and how we each feel empowered in our daily lives. The lyrics below serve as inspiration for this post, as the idea of making a life saving vessel out of only one's own scraps resonated heavily with us.

"Wandering Kind"
by: Laura Veirs

Clogging on her wooden board
The tattooed girl took up her swords
And plunged them down deep into the earth
A twinkling tide filled up her eyes
And poured out to the lawn
Made a raft of the scraps from her skirt
And sailed 'til dawn

[Read Jen's Post on Empowerment]

When I think about empowerment, I think about running. Particularly, I think about running during my weekend long run. In my mind, I’m always at a specific point in my route where the road turns and takes a gracious downhill slope. I’m less than a mile from home with a little over seven miles behind me. My legs are tired. My breathing is fast. And I’m listening to Laura Veirs sing her song, Wandering Kind.

Like most of Laura’s songs, Wandering Kind fills me with a sense of power. I’m lit up and inspired. It makes me feel strong. In it, I’m told the story of a woman who ‘weaves a raft from the scraps of her skirt and sails until dawn.’ She is of the wandering kind. Someone who, using only what she has, makes her way.

The reason, I think, that this image is impossible for me to evade when contemplating empowerment is that through recently taking up long distance running again, I have realized my power; power that was there all along and just not realized. Looking back, it is of no coincidence that on the day I decided to train for a half marathon, I also decided to take control of my happiness by striving to make a true life for myself in Massachusetts. Due to fear and a misguided attempt to not lose my past, I had held myself back from really exploring my potential here. Ultimately, I was getting in the way of my own happiness.

Taking on a half-marathon is something that many people do. While most of us love the feeling of exhilaration that running gives us, it is inevitably so much more than that. It is deciding to take this race on; to set the goal of finishing 13.1 miles and preparing for them appropriately. It is giving yourself the power to do something that is scary and hard. It is realizing your own potential and forgetting about why we shouldn’t or can’t do something.

The term empowerment, much like running, is so much more than just a word, or action, (and I LOVE words). It is a feeling of exhilaration. It is sailing, full breath in your lungs and wind at your back, to something bigger than you at this moment. It is deciding that you deserve happiness and reaching your goals, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable it may be. It is realizing that you are the key to your own happiness and fulfillment – and that you have all the tools you need to get there.

I always feel as if the simplest concepts in life are the most difficult to execute (and often the most beautiful, once attained). Empowerment is definitely one of those concepts. Do you guys have a story to tell about your own empowerment? What makes you feel empowered?

Visions of Chocolate Danced in Her Head

2011-03-11T13:24:00.006-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Friday! I hope that you're having a great day and are looking forward to the weekend just as much as I am. A while back I received an awesome product sample and I'm looking forward to finally sharing my thoughts with you guys...

Its no secret that I love me some delicious chocolate. It is a well documented treat on this little blog. You will not be surprised to find out, then, how excited I was to opt-in for a sample of Pure Dark chocolate through Food Buzz.

Even before tasting the chocolate, I was pumped about the company, which prides itself on creating hand-crafted, minimally processed and highly intense and unique chocolate. I received two types of chocolate from Pure Dark. Their "slab" - a thick chunk of handcrafted dark chocolate with 70% cocoa content...

And their "bark classic" - dark chocolate topped with cherries, roasted almonds and caramelized cacao nibs...

I was a bit intimidated by the slab of chocolate upon opening the package. It is thick and amazing looking. For a minute, I thought about just putting the whole thing in my mouth and using it like a pacifier, but I decided lobbing off a hunk with my huge knife would be a better idea.

This was delicious, rich and intense. I think it would be amazing in cookies, brownies, breads ice cream...you name it. I enjoyed it thoroughly on its own, as well.

Next, the bark. Um. This is amazing. I have been allowing myself little bites to try and delay the end of its goodness. There are HUGE dried cherries, ample amounts of almonds and the caramelized cacao nibs add crunch and amazing flavor to the chocolate. Its so good. I want some right now.

If you are a chocolate lover, I highly recommend trying some of Pure Dark's goodies. They have a store locator on their site, or you can order online.

Yum. Let me know if you guys try it! :)

Have a great weekend!

Surprise Success

2011-03-10T19:29:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Emilyday! How are you? I’m doing pretty well. I just finished a delicious dinner and am looking forward to a night of relaxing and nbc tv, for sure.

I had a really good run tonight which was super exciting. My left knee has been feeling a little bit strange…no pain but just weird. Almost as if its not in the right place or something? I’ve been making sure to do lots of stretching and warm up and cool down before running and I hope it makes a difference. Anywho, I went to the gym today with the intention of running only if my knee felt ok.

I hopped on the treadmill and actually felt great. Not much knee weirdness at all. I sailed through six miles of hills and couldn’t be happier.

For dinner (and refueling!), I was craving lots of protein and crunchy toast – enter scrambled eggs for dinner. I sauteed some bell pepper, onion and tofu and then added an egg and one egg white. It turned out deliciously. I had crispy toast and some roasted broccoli as well. Hit.the.spot.

Now, I’m off to clean up my kitchen – its like a bowl, saucepan, baking sheet bomb went off. :)

Have a great night, guys!

xoxo

Excitement!

2011-03-08T20:02:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday. How are you? My day went well. It was another super sunny day which is always welcomed. Its starting to feel like spring may actually be on its way. Woot! Is it becoming spring-like where you are? I know only 3.5 hours away in Albany it is decidedly NOT spring-like. (Sorry Mom and Dad!)

So, the title of this post. This week marks the last week of full training for the half marathon (on March 20th!). Its crazy! I nearly fell over when I looked at the plan this week. I’ll run 32-34 miles this week and then next week is my taper before the race. This means that I will only run three days – 3 miles Tuesday, 3 miles Thursday, and 2 miles on Saturday (day before the big day!).

This also means that this week is the last week for quality training runs. It means that pushing through is what its all about. It means I’m nearly there!!

Tonight’s run was actually pretty great. I felt good and ran a steady 3 miles, followed by a speed mile, followed by 2 additional steady miles for a total of 6 miles in about 57:14. I was definitely tired (and sweaty) upon completion but felt quite accomplished.

I was SO ready for food, also. I find that its super easy to cut up some veggies and protein to roast while I hop in the shower. Tonight was no exception – I diced a sweet tater along with a half block of tofu. I added the tater and tofu to a big bowl and added a can of chick peas. I tossed everything in some olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and red pepper flake.

Popped them in at 450, along with a separate pan of broccoli, and showered away. Not long after I got out, everything was good to go. I piled everything into a bowl along with a small amount of whole wheat couscous and topped it with some tahini and sriracha.

Yum, hit the spot! I’m definitely going to break into some dessert. Probably in the form of chocolate. :) I hope that you have an amazing night, guys!!

xoxoxo

Weekend Wrap Up & Hungry Monday

2011-03-07T16:00:00.006-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Monday! How did the weekend treat you? Mine was super refreshing. There is nothing like a trip home to visit family, really. We started the weekend off right on Friday night with some wine and delicious homemade lasagna (sauce by mom, lasagna by dad). My brother brought a friend, Brett, home with him and so it was fun to entertain and meet someone new.

Saturday involved a ten mile run outside which was difficult but super empowering. I did two five mile loops near my parents' house. At the end of the first 5 miles I was loving life...and at about mile 8 I was more than ready to be done. I powered through, though which is what counts. I finished in about an hour and 35 minutes which means that I should be able to meet my goal of finishing around 2 hours on the 20th.

After my run, my mom was sweet enough to saute some delicious veggies for me - yellow bell pepper, onion and mushroom. By the time I was out of the shower, all I had to do was crack open an egg, toast up some fresh bread and add a slice of cheese for a perfect post run open-faced sammy (with mustard and hot sauce)...

The rest of the weekend was super low key. I got to spend a lot of time with brother Sam and Brett and had a delicious lunch with my friend Melissa. Sunday was really rainy and I think my mom could tell that I didn't want to go out and run my scheduled 5 miler and so she put on her (actually my Dad's) raincoat and joined me on her bike. It was so nice to have company and it pushed me to go a bit faster than I would have normally. Thanks Mom. My legs were quite tired but I got through it!

I made my way back last night and had just enough time to unpack and unwind before a great night's sleep. Another good thing about running a lot is that you tend to pass out right when you hit the pillow. Its pretty awesome.

I woke up super hungry today and have been pretty much all day. I had a great breakfast of peanut butter toast with nanner, honey and cinnamon.

And lunch was a bowl of garden vegetable soup beefed up with some edamame along with some cheese and crackers on the side.

For snack, a delicious and protein packed blueberry chobani with oatmeal stirred in. Mmm...

Tonight, I think dinner will be super simple and quick. We have a soccer game tonight so easy and light is the name of the game. I have some whole wheat pasta and a bunch of frozen veggies so I'm thinking about a pasta primavera of sorts. Mmm....Did I tell you that today is a hungry day!? :)

Hope you guys are having a great one!

Em

ABCs & Welcome to the Weekend!

2011-03-04T12:36:00.002-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Friday! We’re so close to the weekend, woot! I’m heading to Albany this afternoon to spend some quality time with my parents and brother over the weekend. Naturally, I can’t wait. I hope that you guys have some fun plans, too!

You guys have probably seen this around the blog world and I thought I would partake. Its cute and a good weekend warm-up. :) Let me know some of your own answers in the comments, if you are so inclined! I'd love to hear them!

A = Age: 26

B = Bed size: Queen – and I share most of it with copious amounts of pillows. :)

C = Chore you dislike: I hate cleaning the floors. I think it stems from childhood and not being able to walk on them for what seemed like ever when my mom was washing them.

D = Dogs: None at the moment. We had a little shih tzu named Lizzi when I was growing up but now I’m obsessed with French bulldogs.

E= Essential start to your day: Definitely a large cup of coffee (preferably hazelnut with milk).

F = Favorite color: Blue. It switches between blue and green, though, officially. I like orange, too. And pink.

G = Gold or silver: Silver. I do enjoy antique looking gold, though.

H = Height: 5’6″

I = Instruments you play(ed): I played the piano for a few years when I was little and played the guitar in college.

J = Job title: Managing Editor

K = Kids: None but I do enjoy them and hope to have some of my own rugrats someday.

L = Live: Northshore Massachusetts

M = Mom’s name: Mary Beth aka Momma aka Woman aka my best friend…

N = Nicknames: Em, Ryan (my last name), Emms8, Emdog, Emmaclaire

O = Overnight hospital stays: No overnighters for me, thank goodness.

P = Pet peeves: People who eat and chew very loudly. Also, un-sorted silverware drawers.

Q = Quote from a movie: It’s so fluffy I could die! Haha. Just watched Despicable Me yesterday. I also am extremely annoying to watch Dumb & Dumber with because I can quote the whole movie (and often do).

R = Righty or lefty: Righty

S = Siblings: One brother, Sam. He’s awesome. And he’s graduating from engineering school soon. So proud of him.

T = Time you wake up: Depends on whether or not I work out in the morning. During training, I’ve been waking up around 7 before work. On the weekends I usually sleep in until 8:30 or 9 if I can. :)

U = Underwear: Just the cutely patterned cotton undies from VS. No thongs or crazy things going on down there.

V = Vegetables you don’t like: Celery. I hate it. Ugh. My mom purees it and hides it in dishes that it is essential in…like pasta fagioli... so that I don’t notice it.

W = What makes you run late: Honestly, I’m crazy punctual. Usually the only thing to make me late is traffic or getting lost (I tend to get lost easily). Sorry Melissa!

X = X-rays you’ve had: My wrist (I broke it when I was 8), my shin (just a shin splint) and my teeth, but of course. I think that’s it.

Y = Yummy food you make: Hrm. I tend to make pretty tasty veggie stir fries. I also love to make homemade pizza.

Z = Zoo animal favorites: This is a tough one. I think otters might be my favorite. Or the elephants. Or maybe the wolves….

The Key To Health...

2011-03-03T15:49:00.003-05:00

Is most definitely rest! Tuesday night, despite my best efforts, I felt awful. Chills, fatigue, sore throat, exhaustion...I ended up falling asleep with my sweatshirt, huge fleece pants and fuzzy slippers underneath about 15 blankets at 9:30. Wednesday I didn't feel much better and so called in to work. The amazing thing, though, is that by the end of the day of rest, I was feeling so much better.

Oh, in addition to my rest, there was also a delicious breakfast involved that was made for me with love as well as numerous movies and laughs. That all helps too, I think. :)

Today has been such a good day and I'm so thankful to be feeling better. Its a perfect, sunny, Emilyday. I hope that you're having a great one as well. Any fun plans for the weekend? Its almost here! Heyo!!!

Em

Fighting the Sickness

2011-03-01T19:33:00.001-05:00

First things first, I don’t say this enough – you guys are awesome. Thank you so much for your constant support and kindness. It means so much to me – more than you know!

How has your Tuesday been? I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather today with a sore throat and swollen glands but I’m doing all I can to battle getting full blown sick. I’ve been eating lots of fresh fruit and veggies and have been taking some echinacea regularly. I find that the echinacea really helps to boost my immune system (it could be the placebo effect though, too, hehe).

After work, I got my five mile run in. It was pretty solid and I’m glad that I got it over with. I have earned my rest day tomorrow. After my run, I quickly showered and met up with some co-workers for drinks. One of our own is moving to North Carolina in a few weeks and so we had to send her off. I had a yummy glass of merlot.

By the time I got home, I was definitely ready for dinner but wanted something simple and cook-free. This tasting plate was just what I wanted – bell pepper, carrot, tempeh, reduced fat cheddar, kashi crackers and roasted red pepper hummus. It hit the spot and was super fun to eat.

I’m most definitely going to break into a vitatop with some soy ice cream in a bit and will probably be calling it an early night. Do you guys have any tips for battling a cold? This morning I made myself some hot lemon water with a bit of honey to soothe my throat and it definitely did the trick. I may actually have to make some more before bed. :)

Have a great night, guys!

Get me off this thing…

2011-02-27T20:00:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Sunday! Did you have a good weekend? Mine was really great, actually. I went indoor rock climbing for the first time on Friday night. I’m a little bit afraid of heights but man, it was amazing. I’ll definitely be going back! I also got to spend a lot of quality time with friends which is key for a happy weekend, I’d say.

Today was really all about my long run, though. I got up and had quite the leisurely breakfast of a whole grain bagel with egg whites, cheddar cheese and soy sausage, plenty of coffee, and blog reading.

After digesting and cleaning up a bit, I made my way to the gym. I really was hoping to get my run in outside but mother nature had other plans and dropped about five inches of snow on us! (Boo!)

So treadmill it was. Since my training plan called for a ten miler today, my plan was to run 7 miles on the treadmill and then 3 outside later in the afternoon when the roads had been cleared. I couldn’t imagine running 10 miles on the ‘mill. Well, I got on and felt pretty great. I decided to try and run for as long as my mind could stand it.

Turned out 9 miles was it. After almost an hour and a half, I just wanted off that treadmill! While I ended up being a mile short, I did get a lot of running in during soccer on Monday and also took a bit longer run than scheduled yesterday. I feel quite accomplished as it is the furthest I’ve run for the marathon so far and I’m feeling much less nervous about ‘going the distance.’ :)

When I returned home, I was SO ready for lunch. I made some delicious veggie pasta with sauteed bell pepper, carrot, onion, garlic, spinach and whole wheat shells. The real kicker, though, were the seasonings: a healthy dollop of hummus, some salt, pepper, basil, red pepper flake and parmesan cheese. Mmmnnn…this was SO good.

The rest of the day has been spent doing just a bit of shopping and mall walking and now I’m settling in for the Oscars. Are you guys watching? I’m at least going to watch the red carpet coverage and the beginning. I’m excited that Anne Hathaway and James Franko are hosting!

Have a great night, guys! Enjoy what’s left of the weekend. :)

Emilyday Dance Party [turn it up]

2011-02-24T19:57:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! This dance party brought to you by Emilyday. Don’t be afraid to get a little nuts. :)

Making the Commitment

2011-02-23T19:33:00.001-05:00

Hi there, friends! Happy Wednesday. I hope that you've had a great one. It has been another good day for me complete with sun and a happy walk to the coffee shop for a summery iced green tea. I cannot wait for warm weather! :)

Anyways, as you guys are well aware, I've been training for the New Bedford Half Marathon. This week marks my sixth week of training which means that there are only three more weeks of training left until the race! A lot of my energy and time has been spent getting physically and mentally prepared for this race and yet, some of you may be surprised to find out, I just officially registered.

I'm not sure why it took me so long. I think I was afraid that the minute I registered I would start feeling burnt out or not want to do it anymore. I'm very happy to report that the opposite is true. While I have definitely had my fair share of tough runs and trouble getting out the door, I have felt stronger and stronger with each run and appreciate the work that my body and mind are doing, regardless. Also, I have been so lucky to have the support of all of you, my friends, and my family. During the times that I'm tired or just need someone to ask me how it is going, I have received the exact little boost that I need. (Thank you for that.)

I'm nervous but so excited for this race and I already feel like I have accomplished so much. I've realized the importance of staying mindful of the difficulties and victories involved in every step along the way to my goal. Each run, each stone along our path, is pushing us further along and making us grow and become better. Its quite exhilarating. :)

With that, I bid you adieu. I have a rest day to indulge in (as well as some Modern Family).

xoxoxo

Emily

Solid Tuesday

2011-02-22T22:04:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! How is your week going? Today was a pretty solid day. I got a great night’s sleep last night and it was super sunny and it definitely helped me to plough through the day. You know what else powered me through this day? An awesome bowl of oatmeal made with almond milk topped with peanut butter, honey and cinnamon. Mmmm….

Lunch was super delicious and fresh as well – a spinach salad with carrot, edamame, raisins, candied pecans, cheddar cheese and poppyseed dressing. Check out that sunlight!

Snack was most definitely snacky and a little naughty (with the diet coke, of course). Some afternoons just call for a little bubbly. :)

Last night we had a pretty tough soccer game and so my mus-kles were a bit tired and definitely not looking forward to tonight’s training run. I made my way to the gym though and managed to power through six pretty slow and steady miles on the treadmill. I earned my rest day tomorrow. :)

I also earned a delicious roasted veggie and chick pea dinner. I slathered this baby in ketchup and hot sauce. So tasty. I always throw everything in the oven right when I get home and by the time I’m settled, showered, and dressed, its time to eat!

I finished off the night with some dark chocolate, naturally. :) I hope you guys have a great night!!

xoxo

Pre- and Post-Run Fueling

2011-02-20T09:56:00.001-05:00

Hi guys! Happy Sunday! How are you? Have you been having a good weekend? This weekend has been just what I needed after a long and busy week. I have been able to see good friends (including finally getting to see No Strings Attached with some lovely blogger ladies) and catch up on sleep! I also had a great long run yesterday, and felt pretty bad ass being outside and fighting against the giant wind gusts that we’ve been weathering here in New England. :) I’m a beast.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how training is going and what is working (and not working) this time around. For example, with soccer on Monday, I was finding that my speed sessions that are scheduled for Tuesday were leaving me exhausted and sore. Because soccer involves fairly intense sprinting, I’ve been counting that as my speed work and taking it easy on Tuesday.

I’ve also been putting a lot of thought into the meals that I’m eating prior to and after running and I think it has been making a huge difference in my energy levels and muscle recovery. I really like getting my weekend runs over with in the morning so that I have the day to do as I please. But, I find that I need to have a nice breakfast and some coffee to allow myself to wake up and give my body the energy it needs. Lately, my pre-long run breakfasts have looked like this:

1. Oatmeal with banana, peanut butter, raisins, and some maple syrup. 2. Egg white french toast with banana, soy sausage, syrup and coffee. 3. Oatmeal with plain greek yogurt banana, sun flower seed butter and maple syrup.

All of these breakfasts have a sufficient number of carbohydrates, protein, and a bit of fat. The maple syrup provides immediate energy and the oats and banana gives me staying power… I find that I’m able to get through an hour and fifteen minutes of running without needing fuel while running.

When I get home, though, all I can think about is refueling. I usually force myself to shower first (I find that I get major chills that last all day if I allow my sweat to dry after long runs!) and then get to making lunch. Most often, I crave something warm and veggie filled (probably because of the high water content). I also make sure to add a healthy amount of fat to this meal as it seems to really help my satiety.

My post-long run lunches have looked like this:

1. Scrambled eggs with cheddar, avocado, broccoli and sundried tomatoes with buttered toast. 2. Tofu, butternut, broccoli stir fry with tahini. 3. Spinach, bell pepper, onion, carrot, tempeh and salsa stir fry with cheddar cheese and blue corn chips.

While these meals are by no means scientific, I truly believe that they are helping me to train more effectively and have better runs and recovery. Of course, staying hydrated is important as well. I find that an electrolyte enhanced drink (my current favorite is Powerade Zero) helps me to bounce back quickly.

Do you guys find that you can feel when your meals match your fueling needs and help you to be more prepared for whatever you’re doing? I’d be interested to hear about your experiences with proper fueling…or, if you just find that going with the flow is what works for you!

Have a great Sunday, guys! I’m off to run. :)

They’re Baaaack

2011-02-15T18:45:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday. How are you? I hope that you had amazing weekends and even better Valentine’s Days! I usually am not such a fan of the romantic aspects of the day that can kind of just create undue pressure, but I am most definitely a fan of letting the people you love know that you love them! I made sure to do just that and it was an awesome day.

Anywho, today was a pretty darn good day. I was able to get a lot of to-do’s crossed off of my list at work and, despite being freezing cold out, the sun was so nice. :) I started the day out with some toast with pb, nanner, honey and cinnamon. So good.

For lunch, it was leftover veggie fried rice. This was so good and so simple. Just brown rice, frozen mixed stir fry veggies, egg, a bit of tahini and some low sodium soy sauce. Oh yeah, and sriracha (!!). I can’t believe that I lived so long without that stuff. Its awesome.

And snack was also pretty darn delicious – some blue corn chips with hummus.

Despite having an awesome day, I was SO tired today. With soccer and some hanging out last night, I didn’t get much sleep. Needless to say, I wasn’t feeling very confident about my run. I still managed to get myself to the gym and ran a great 5 miles. I was thinking that while not ideal, training while a bit tired is probably good for me. After soccer and my run today, though, I’m definitely looking forward to my rest day tomorrow. :) Yay for that.

So, dinner tonight was kind of a big deal (in my world, that is). I made the jump at the grocery store yesterday and picked up a couple of sweet taters. In case you don’t remember, I woke up one morning about six months ago, after years of LOVING sweet potatoes, and couldn’t stop thinking about how gross and nauseous they made me feel. I’m not sure what caused it but yeah, I haven’t eaten them since then and its been quite the bummer!

Anywho, I’ve been starting to crave them again and mmmm…roasted sweet taters most definitely hit the spot tonight. I also made some kale chips for the first time and they were delicious. I love the really hearty flavor and texture of them. And they are delicious drizzled with ketchup.

To continue the randomness (and add some protein) I made some black beans with sauteed bell pepper and onion and topped them with salsa and hot sauce.

Mmm…such a satisfying dinner.

I’m most definitely going to break into some of my Valentine’s Day candy tonight. And its going to be an early night! I hope you guys have a great one!!

Hugs & Kisses

2011-02-14T18:18:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine’s Day, Friends!! Have an amazing day. I promise I’ll be back tomorrow with a normal (as normal as I can muster, hehe) post.

xoxoxoxo

Emilyday Worthy Eats

2011-02-10T20:30:00.001-05:00

Hi guys! Happy Emilyday! Thank you so much for all of your great support and insight about my last post. You guys are awesome. Today’s post is going to be all about getting back to the basics – the food. I ate particularly deliciously today!

Breakfast was a plain greek 2% yogurt mixed with some dry oats, chia seeds, and sliced nanner and all plopped into a nearly empty sunflower seed butter container. It was awesome.

Lunch was really fresh and delicious. I packed a spinach salad with tempeh, carrots, sundried tomatoes, half an avocado, and some yummy poppy seed dressing.

My snack this afternoon was an old favorite…a caramel nut brownie Luna bar. This is probably my favorite…well maybe its tied with the chocolate raspberry flavor.

After work, I made a quick trip to the gym where I ran a couple of easy miles (I did some rearranging of my training plan and just needed a couple of miles to get enough miles in this week). I felt pretty good and did some upper body lifting after and then called it a day.

I was so ready for dinner when I got home and made an awesome one – roasted broccoli and potatoes with some homemade sauce made with sauteed bell pepper and onion and chick peas. The sauce soaked into the taters and broccoli and was oh so scrumptious.

I piled on the parmesan cheese after that picture, trust me on that one. I’m going to do some major relaxing tonight, peanut butter and chocolate soy ice cream with some cookie dough included. Mmmm…

Have a great night guys!! :)

Why A Half Marathon?

2011-02-08T19:19:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! How’s it going? Despite waking up to more of the white stuff, it ended up being a pretty good day! Work has been incredibly busy but we finally finished up a big project and so tomorrow should be a little more relaxing.

After reading a post written by Melissa today about exercise and how to avoid getting sucked in to comparing your own routine with someone else’s, I thought it might make sense to talk a little bit about why I’m training for the half marathon and what it means to me (and what I hope you will get out of me sharing my training here). Plus, even my Dad asked me the other day about what made me decide to train for another marathon and so I’d imagine it could be something others are wondering about as well.

I think its important to start by saying that training for a marathon isn’t necessarily about staying or getting into shape; it is not about that for me. I was in shape and happy with my fitness by doing yoga, walking, and a bit of weight training. For me, training for this half marathon is about the challenge. Its about setting a goal and making a plan for getting there. It is about seeing progress and overcoming adversity. After finishing my masters degree in December – it was just what I was looking for.

Additionally, the last time I trained for a half-marathon, I didn’t train smart (by running too much and too often) and running became something of an addiction that affected my mood and how I felt about myself. I was tired and cranky and physically and emotionally drained. It was the opposite of a fulfilling experience and led to a long hiatus from regular, focused, running (until I started training just this year!).

I hope that by sharing my training and race with you that we can all navigate how to healthily and gratifyingly train for a race that’s hard and anything but glamorous (think blisters, lost toe-nails, snot rockets, etc.). I also, selfishly, know that this is an amazing community of support and who couldn’t use some in taking on a challenge?

I hope that if you are ever feeling pressured or have questions about why I’m training or exercising the way I am you would comment or ask about it!

With that…I have to say that despite my 8 miler and a soccer game last night, my scheduled 5 mile run went really well tonight. I was nervous going into it but felt great and am starting to think that this training thing is working. :)

Hope you guys have a great night. Sorry for the super wordy post!