Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Blender-Free Blend WIAW

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A Blend weekend (ironically) meant I actually ate nothing blended.

 

You don’t realize how addicted you are to morning green smoothies until you don’t have it.  Starting your day with carbs vs. greens feels different… not that I didn’t enjoy the spread we were treated to.  It was an epically fabulous departure from my norm. 🙂

 

The only thing that could have made last weekend better was if my girl Jenn @ Peas and Crayons had been able to come.  My What I Ate Wednesday this week is all about What I Ate at Blend.  Dedicated to Jenn, since we missed her so.

 

Check out my eats below; then click here to see what everyone else enjoyed for WIAW.

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Breakfast:

No smoothies, but it was fruit-filled!  We had mangoes, blueberries, strawberries, and the best pineapple I’ve had this season.  All of that plus some almond butter made for a killer oatmeal bowl.

 

 

I couldn’t decide what to have, so I went back for round 2.  Those muffins you see were homemade by the Xagave crew – the carrot muffin (let’s be honest – it was a cupcake) was out-of-this-world.

There was also a lot of tasty fuel provided by Green Mountain Coffee.  I really loved the Double Black Diamond blend!

 

 

Lunch:

Local joint Mountain Sun was our lunch destination on Saturday.  We showed up with a huge group that was ravenous from a 4 mile hike.  Most restaurant staff would have run screaming from the building, but these guys were so cool.  Lauren and I knew we were in love with this spot when the bartender said she LOVED giving people beer tastes.  *swoon*

 

 

After finally selecting a beer (a pale ale called “Kind“), we sat down to order.  Just when I thought the place couldn’t get better we found out that they have a hummus of the day (rosemary – it was delish) AND the server actually encouraged us to make modifications.  Ashley and I split the special Cinco de Mayo burger and subbed the meat patty for the veggie.

 

 

The East Coast crew was still adjusting to the time zone, so we ran next door to the The Cup for double espressos.  They came with the cutest mini biscottis!

 

Snacks:

Beer counts as a snack, right?

Lauren and her hubby hipped us to a great local brewery called Avery.  This place was awesome – 21 beers on tap, $1 for a 4 oz taste, and a delicious menu.  We came, we toured, we tasted.

 

 

See the bottom left pic?  Those are sweet potato tater tots.  And that dip?  Super-star Heather had them blend hummus and avocado together and then topped it with hot sauce to make us an amazing dip.

Dinner:

We stopped in at Rio Grande to get our obligatory Mexican fill.  Honestly, I wasn’t even hungry at this point… but Cinco de Mayo isn’t complete without fajitas!  And margaritas.

It may be a chain, but I was impressed – the vegetarian fajitas came with an incredibly tasty grilled Portobello mushroom and grilled zucchini.

 

 

Aaaaaand… maybe some tequila shots.  Disguises have been added to protect the identity of the not-so-innocent.

Gotta celebrate new tattoos.  No, I didn’t get another… I won’t let the cat out of the bag as to who did.  It looks good though. 🙂

***

I miss you, my Cinco de Blenders!!!  (P.S. I can’t remember who took these group shots… please claim them and I’ll give credit!!!  Sorry…) 

Did you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

Do you eat greens in the morning?  Would it throw you off to switch it up to carbs? 

 

Blends for Life

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Blogger + Friend = Blend.

 

Blend 2012 was one of the BEST weekends I’ve ever had.  This past weekend ~70 women descended on Boulder for a weekend of fitness, food, and FUN.

 

Me and Heather, post-boot camp

 

Tina, Heather, and I took off from Atlanta Friday afternoon to attend the Blend Retreat.

I’d only met a two of the non-ATL attendees in “real life” before, but I can honestly say that I ended the weekend with several new close friends.  It was one of those experiences where you meet someone and feel like you’ve known them forever (I’m pretty sure Heather is my soul mate.)

 

 

Armed with drink tickets and cupcakes, we kicked of the weekend with a group dinner.  Right away it became obvious that is was going to be a laid-back, drama-free weekend.

It also became clear that we were going to blow up Instagram. #blend2012

 

Here's to new Blends!

 

My table-mates

Right to Left: Greg, Lauren, Kelly, Heather, Core Power, Fitmixer reps,Elizabeth, Me, Caylee, and Christine. Photo courtesy Janetha.

 

Both mornings we woke up to an hour-long boot camp.  Day 1 was led by Tina and Lindsay (check out the workout here on Tina’s blog).  Day 2 was led by one of our sponsors at Chobani.  Both days kicked my butt… but Fitmixer’s Amino Acids drink helped us power through.

This view didn’t hurt either:

 

 

Saturday we took a casual 4 mile hike on the Flat Irons up a trail called Royal Arch.

It lead us to the top of this beauty:

 

Flat Irons

 

It took a little climbing, huffing, and puffing…

 

Unbelievably no one wiped out on the way down!

 

The view at the top was well-worth the climb (and post-climb soreness).  I wish I could do this every weekend!

 

We made it!!

 

Know what else is worth it?  A post-hike snack of Coconut Honey-Roasted Peanut Butter and Cookie Dough Nutty Butter, homemade by your FoodBuzz roomie/fellow weird food-living buddy, Sarah.

 

Me and Sarah

It really does taste like cookie dough. Be verrrry jealous.

 

After much-needed showers, we celebrated Cinco de Mayo in style, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for those fun stories.  Let’s just say that there was tequila shots and a tattoo involved… 😉

 

You guys know I’m not a crier, but when as our taxi pulled away from the cabins on Sunday I may have felt a little lump in my throat.

 

Until next year, my friends...

 

I do have one problem after the weekend… what am I going to do with all this schwag?!  Oh wait… I’ve already eaten a lot of it…

 

 

***

Thanks to Lindsay, Janetha, and Katie for pulling off an incredible retreat.  You guys wore me out so thoroughly that I actually took a rest day.

Have you ever met online/blogger-friends in “real” life?

Do you like to hike?  What’s the best trail you’ve been on?

 

Purposeful Running

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Today I have a guest spot!

 

 

I was flattered to have been asked by Laura @ Mommy, Run Fast! to write a post for her series, Purposeful Running.  Click here to check it out Laura’s site and my post on why I run.*

*Disregard the fact that I haven’t been able to run much due to my knee… in the words of Ah-nold: I’ll be back!

 

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Blend was amazing!  More to come this week!  For now, a workout recap:

 

Workout Recap (4/30 – 5/6):

    • Monday – This Pinned workout, Bis/Back w/ plyo, 2.3 mile run/walk
    • Tuesday – This Pinned workout, P90X Cardio, 100 push-ups
    • Wednesday – Shoulders w/ plyo, 2 mi run/walk, 100 push-ups
    • Thursday – This Quad + Core tabata workout, 2.5 mi run, Legs/Core
    • Friday – This Pinned workout, 3 mi walk/run, upper body weights
    • Saturday – Blend Boot Camp and Hike
    • Sunday –  Blend Boot Camp

***

 I need a weekend after my weekend!

What was the best part of your weekend?

If you are a runner, why do you run?

 

Mexican Cauliflower “Rice” Bowl + Giveaway Winner

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Rice has never been appealing to me.

It’s always been sort of boring to me.  Like a waste of plate space.  I’d rather have more veggies or a big piece of crusty bread.  I even order my burrito bowl from Willy’s without rice.

When I started seeing cauliflower rice recipes floating around Pinterest, I had to check it out for myself.  Finally, was way to re-create rice-based meals without having to waste space on actual rice.  Other benefits: it doesn’t take an hour to cook, it’s loaded with fiber, and one cup is only 28 calories!

I’d like to say that Cinco de Mayo was the inspiration for making this bowl Mexican… but really it’s just because I eat something Mexican-ish nearly every day.

This is the simplest recipe – you simply put the cauliflower in a blender or food processor and pulse until it resembles rice.  I added some red pepper to mine to make it more flavorful and festive-looking.

Topped with carrots, black beans, avocado, pineapple, and cilantro and then smothered in a spicy salsa verde, this bowl looked like a fiesta!  It made for a filling lunch that didn’t weigh me down and make me yearn for a siesta.

I really loved how the cauliflower really did resemble rice, and the way it took on the other flavors in my Mexican bowl.  If I hadn’t made it myself, I would have had no idea I was eating cauliflower!

Before we get to the recipe… I guess you want to know if you won the Nature Box giveaway. 🙂

The lucky winner is….

Carrie @ Fueled by Plants

Email me your address and I’ll get it to Nature Box in time for the May box delivery!

Mexican Cauliflower “Rice” Bowl

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1/2 red pepper
  • 1/2 C black beans
  • 1/2 C pineapple, cubed
  • 1/4 C red onion
  • 1/2 avocado, cubed
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • Cilantro
  • Salsa
  • Cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, S+P, to taste

Cut cauliflower and red pepper into pieces and place in a food processor or blender.  Pulse the pieces until they are the size and consistency of rice.

Transfer the “rice” to a medium bowl.  Top with remaining ingredients.  Sprinkle with cumin, a pinch of cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and S&P, to taste.

Enjoy!

***

I procrastinated packing last night… so I better get to it before my afternoon flight.  I can’t believe the Blend weekend is FINALLY here!!!

How will you be celebrating Cinco de Mayo?

Are you a fan of rice?  Have you ever made a rice alternative?

Cilantro Hummus Salsa

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I have ants in my pants.

 There is so much to look forward to over the next month-ish!  Tomorrow I leave for the Blend Retreat (I cannot wait  to meet so many of my favorites!!!), next weekend is the Food & Wine Festival in Atlanta, then I’m getting may hair cut/colored at Lava (it’s a big event in my life), then a massage and facial… and THEN I’m headed to Argentina.  Whew!

This weekend is also amateur weekend Cinco de Mayo.  In honor of that shenanigans, I bring you a hummus and a salsa in one.

Don’t be alarmed my it’s green-ish hue.  I didn’t put spinach in it!  This salsa-hummus is packed with cilantro (my apologies to cilantro-sensitive readers), garlic, and a serrano pepper.  A few tablespoons of salsa sets off the Mexican flavors.

How did it take me this long to combine my favorite condiments?

This would be good in just about anything: with chips, used in a layered dip, on tacos, as a schmer on a bagel with avocado slices… in a train, on a plane… 🙂

For WIAW yesterday I used it in a collard green wrap.

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Cilantro Hummus Salsa

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1 T tahini
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 giant handful cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 serrano (or jalapeno) pepper
  • 2 T salsa (I used a hot salsa verde)
  • 3/4 tsp cumin
  • S+P, to taste

Open the chickpeas and drain about half of the liquid out of the can.  Pour the peas and the remaining juice into a high-speed blender or food processor.  

Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, adjusting spices as necessary.

Yield: 1 cup

***

I could eat Mexican-ish food every day for the rest of my life.

Do you have vacation plans this summer?  Where are you traveling?

What is your favorite condiment?

Cocoa Krispies Protein Pudding + WIAW

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This is what I came home to:

 

 

Apparently my hot water heater went bad while I was at work and leaked all over my floor and down the wall of the unit below mine.  Lovely.

Soooo… I was going to have a recipe for you today, but that will have to wait for tomorrow.

 

Jenn @ Peas and Crayons is making me smile through my check-writing sadness with her What I Ate Wednesday.

 

Check out my eats below; then click here to see what everyone else enjoyed for WIAW.

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Breakfast:

I made a smoothie.  It was green…

The flavor was Strawberry-Basil.  I wouldn’t recommend it.  In fact, I didn’t even take a pic.  Last week’s Banana-Maple-Ginger was much better:

 

 

Lunch:

Clearly I’m addicted to collard green wraps… but this week’s was different!  I used a Mexican-inspired hummus in it!  That hummus is the recipe that was coming today but will instead come tomorrow.  The flood took away my picture-taking light.

 

 

My co-workers and I took out lunch outside.  They appeared skeptical of my “wrap,” but I offered a bite and it was met with a reasonable amount of approval. 🙂

 

Snacks:

I have discovered I like to eat constantly throughout the day.  I snacked it up all afternoon.  Unpictured are some cashews, pineapple, and my daily kombucha.

Pictures below is cottage cheese with nuts, apple, lavar, and some rice cakes.

 

Dinner:

I had a fancier plan, but the flood changed it… however, this lentil salad wasn’t bad for a late dinner in a hurry!

 

 

In the mix was French green lentils, pepper jack Daiya cheese, broccoli sprouts, beets, shallots, celery, olive oil, lemon juice, basil, and S&P.  Translation: I scavenged my fridge.

 

Dessert:

This was seriously the highlight of my day.  The picture doesn’t look like much, but let me assure you… this was hard-core deliciousness.  It tasted like one of my favorite childhood cereals – Cocoa Krispies.

 

Cocoa Krispies Protein Pudding

  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 T chia seeds
  • 1 T carob powder
  • 1/4 C cereal
  • 3/4 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 6-7 drops vanilla stevia
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

 

Mix together all ingredients in a bowl, pressing down slightly to break up cereal a bit.  Place in fridge for 15-20 minutes to allow liquid to soak in.

Remove from fridge, stir, and devour.

***

Thank you all so much for the comments about my tattoo yesterday.  It is a really special piece to me. 🙂

Who do you call when things break at your house?  I had a moment of panic wondering what my next move should be!

What was your favorite childhood cereal? 

***

Don’t forget – click here to enter to win May’s healthy snack box in the NatureBox giveaway!

Tattoos and Red Birds

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Has a red bird ever flown across your path?

My Grandmother, my dad’s mother, used to say that seeing a red bird was good luck.

She passed away when I was very young so I don’t have too many memories of her, but from what I do remember and the stories I’ve heard we had a lot in common. MamMaw loved the Golden Girls, shopping, and baking.  She didn’t take a lot of crap and had a sense of humor that could make people blush.  I have always sensed a sort of kindred spirit in her…

…and every time I’ve had something big going on in my life – a new job, taking the GMAT, a death – a red bird has flown across my path.

The words in my tattoo read: “All I ask of livin’ is to have no chains on me.”

It is a line from a Blood, Sweat & Tears song called “And When I Die.”  If you haven’t heard of this band, it’s a  jazz-rock group that was popular in the late 60s/early 70s – lots of horns/brass and a good beat.  It was one my dad’s favorite bands.

One of the memories of my dad that sticks out in my mind the most was when we were sitting in the car after a softball game and this song came on.  He turned up the stereo wayyyy too loud and we sat in the car and jammed out.

It sounds small, but it was such a fun, happy moment.  Not a care in the world.  Just me and my dad with some good classic rock. 

July 6th will be 4 years since he passed away.

I’m positive he would hate the fact that I have a fairly large tattoo on my back. 🙂  I do think he would appreciate the significance.  Whenever I see a red bird, I think of my grandmother and my dad.  It’s a reminder to me that they are somewhere out there watching my back and hopefully sending a little extra luck my way when things are tough.

The song lyrics with the red bird remind me that the sky is the limit.  All I ask of life is to let me keep living it so I can see how high I can go.  My dad approached life like that – he believed that anything is possible, as long as you believe in yourself.  He was an incredibly intelligent man.  He owned his own business, built our family’s house, and excelled at everything he attempted.  I never heard him complain about getting a bad hand dealt.  He may have hit some hard times, but he would roll up his sleeves and fight his way through whatever roadblock presented itself.

Maybe it’s hokey, but this tattoo reminds me of the example he set.  It reminds me that with hard work, confidence, and a little luck, anything is possible.

Thanks to my best friend’s husband, Greg, for designing my tattoo – it makes it that much more special.  And, of course, a huge thanks to Danielle at Only You Tattoo in Atlanta for doing such an incredible job.

***

PSA – put a towel down before you sleep on a new tattoo:

Do you ever feel like you’ve been given a little extra luck just when you needed it most?

Is there a song you associate with one of your parents/grandparents?

Nature Box Giveaway + Foodie Penpals

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It’s Nature.  In a box.

 

Sort of.

Nature Box is a monthly mail order snack company.  For $19.95 they will send you a box with 5 new healthy, all-natural snacks each month.

 

They were kind enough to send my April’s box to sample, and the snacks inside did not disappoint!

In my box:

  • Cranberry Granola
  • Dried Currants
  • Dried Pears
  • Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
  • Salt & Pepper Pistachios

 

 

My favorite was the Spicy Pumpkin Seeds (obv – I love me some heat).  Each bag contained 3-4 generous servings… not a bad deal for $20!  That’s only $5 a bag.  It’s less than your latte. 😉

 

***Disclaimer: I was provided with this box at no charge. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***

 

So what’s in it for you?

Nature Box would like to offer one reader their May box for free!  Receive up to 4 entries by:

 

  1. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
  2. Tweet: You could say something like: I’ve entered to win May’s healthy snack box in the @NatureBox giveaway at @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1hN  #giveaway
  3. Be Social: Facebook Like NatureBox, Twitter Follow NatureBox, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What is your favorite healthy snack?

 

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

 

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Thursday, May 3rd.  The winner will be announced on Friday, May 4th.

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Speaking of boxes…

I also received a fun box in the mail from my Foodie Penal – Elizabeth @ I am Guiltless.  Why fun?  Check out the packaging:

 

Alas, there wasn’t any beer inside.  The goodies she sent were tasty though!

 

In my Foodie Box:

  • Quinn popcorn – lemon & sea salt flavor
  • Rice noodle soup
  • Loose-leaf green tea AND a tea ball
  • Vega Sport powders
  • Cherry-Almond Rise bar (OMG – this was amazingly good!)

 

To sign up for a Foodie PenPals in May, send an email to the brilliant Lindsay at theleangreenbean@gmail.com with the following info:

-Your full name
-Your email address
-Your blog name/address (if you’ve got one)
-Your twitter handle (if applicable)
-Whether you are a US resident or Canadian

Join in by May 4th as pairings will be emailed on May 5th!

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And the wrap up…

The running is still “eh” thanks to my bum knee.  I’m taking it sloooow (which kills me), but it is nice to be able to do a little bit.  Even if that little bit isn’t pretty.

 

 

Thank god for weights.  I love them.  And Pinned workouts.  The end.

 

Workout Recap (4/23 – 4/29):

  • Monday – This Pinned workout, Tris/Chest, 2 mile walk, 100 push-ups
  • Tuesday – P90X Plyometrics, 2 mile walk, 100 push-ups
  • Wednesday – Bis/Back, Ab Ripper X, 2.5 mi walk
  • Thursday – This Quad + Core tabata workout, 4.3 mi walk/run, 100 push-ups
  • Friday – This Pinned workout, 3 mi walk/run, Shoulders
  • Saturday – Tris/Chest, Ab Ripper X
  • Sunday –  This Pinned workout (OMG – 1 legged burpees suck… love/hate them), Softball, 100 push-ups

 ***

The tattoo is awesome.  Pics and the back-story tomorrow!  Oh… and there will be cupcakes. 😉

What are your thoughts on ordering food (via subscription, co-op, online grocery, etc.) vs. going to the store yourself?

Have you ever done one-legged burpees?

 

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