Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Advancing Socially

By

Do you ever ignore a “trend” and then realize it actually caught on… and maybe you should have paid more attention?

I’m a big girl.  I can admit that I have fallen wayyyyy behind on the social media train.

#SocialMediaFail

Sure, I Facebook.  I AM human.

Beyond that, I am totally in the dark.  I don’t “get” Twitter.  Stumble?  Clearly I don’t need help falling.  And WTF is a Reddit?!

Is that a typo?  You want a rabbit? Wrong store, buddy!

In conclusion, I now Tweet and Stumble.

Here’s my Shameless Plea.  Follow me.  Stumble through this crazy web with me. Love me.

And then will someone tell me what it all means?!

***

Speaking of using social media… one my my league-mates made me some fresh bittersweet chocolate pudding AND and big jar of apple sauce.  It is amazing, slurp-able deliciousness.

Check out her Little Tart Bakeshop on Facebook – you won’t be sorry!

Raw Raspberry Applesauce

By

Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil was full of you-know-what.

I woke up this morning to this:

Pretty.  But COLD.

The other downside (for school kids) is that the snow didn’t stick enough to cancel school.  Boo hiss!

News flash: For the first time, I was glad snow didn’t leave the city crippled.  I’m getting old. 😉

Most people love apple pies, baked apples, applesauce, etc.  I do not. I do love apples, but once they are cooked the flavor changes and they just don’t seem “right” anymore.

Not being able to chew, apples are definitely off-limits.

Or so I thought.

I owe Leanne @ Healthful Pursuit a HUGE thank you.  She shared her recipe for Raw Raspberry Applesauce with me yesterday!

Of course, I had to make it immediately… if not sooner. 😉

It’s perfect.  You could eat it for breakfast or snack or dessert.  In a box, with a fox…

In fact, I’m going to eat it with some greek yogurt later today.

Want a bite?

It is amazing how much this has the consistency of applesauce, yet retains the crisp, fresh apple taste.

It’s saucy, and it’s just my type. (Please read the previous sentence to the beat of the Beastie Boys’ “Crafty.”)

Raw Raspberry Applesauce

  • 1 medium apple (use a sweet variety, like Gala)
  • 1/4 C raspberries
  • 1/4 C water
  • 1/4 packet Stevia (add more as needed)
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ginger
  • Juice from 1/4 of fresh lime
  • Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Notes:

You may have to scrape down/stir a few times in between blends.  Don’t add too much liquid or you will have apple soup instead.  Which is fine, but would be disappointing if you wanted the sauce.

Depending on the sweetness of your apple or berry, you will need to adjust Stevia amounts.  You can use honey or agave instead.

You could use any berry here, or none at all!  I’d love to try it with blueberries.

Hummus with a Spoon

By

Last night I made hummus.  

 

Not an uncommon occurance, as I eat it in embarassing quantities.

THIS hummus was special though.  It’s hummus that is acceptable to eat with a spoon.  Who knew the slurp-life could be so good?!

 

The concept was from this recipe found on Oh She Glows.

Hummus soup is great for several reasons: great nutritionals (thanks to the musical fruit), good fats from the peanut butter and oil, and it is super-filling (something I’m quickly coming to appreciate in my delicate condition).

I ate the leftovers for lunch today.  Like many soups, it’s even better after the flavore have a chance to meld together!

________________________________________________________________________________________

Hummus Soup

  • 1 T EVOO
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • 2 15-oz cans of chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and skinned
  • 1 C vegetable stock (I used full-sodium)
  • 2 C water
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 T peanut butter
  • 1/4 C fresh parsley
  • S & P (to taste)

 

Heat EVOO in medium skillet.  Add in onion and heat over medium until just beginning to become translucent.

Add in zucchini and sautee until slightly softened.  Add minced garlic, reduce heat to low to avoid burning.  Let cook, stirring occasionally for 5-6 mins.  

Add garam masala, a pinch of salt, bay leaves, pepper, and fresh lemon juice.  Stir to continue to cook over low heat for 4-5 mins.

Meanwhile, combine vegetable broth, 1 C water, sesame oil, and chickpeas in medium pot.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer for 8-10 mins.

Remove bay leaves and add onion mixture and peanut butter to chickpea pot.  Cook for 5-7 mins, allowing flavors to combine.  Add remaining cup of water as needed.  Mix parsley in the last 1-2 mins, stirring to combine.

Pour the soup mixture into a blender and blend until smooth, or use immersion blender to combine.

Pour into bowls and garnish with lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes, feta cheese, and/or olive tapenade.  Serve immediately.  Makes 4 cups (4-ish servings).

Note: I added roasted red pepper olive oil and red pepper flakes as my soup was cooking.  I like it HOT.

Next time I’d add some rosemary and probably leave out the bay leaves.  I’d also like to try it with some roasted eggplant.

***

What’s your favorite smooth dessert?

I’m over vanilla ice cream and I can’t eat the chunks in my favorite fudge brownie.

 

Blue Oats

By

First thing today, a friend shared this link with me.  A certain Georgia lawmaker is asserting that allowing gays to serve in the military is akin to allowing thieves and drug dealers to join up.

Thanks for helping further the stereotype that Georgia is a state full of uneducated rednecks, Rep. Franklin.

Without going on a tangent, I’m going to say that there should be a mandatory intelligence test for people who: run for office, vote, and reproduce.  If there was an minimum IQ one had to possess before partaking in any of these 3 things, the world would be a better place.

On to happier thoughts!  Breakfast.

_________________________________________________________________________________

This may be weird, but I go to bed thinking about what I’m going to eat for breakfast.

Today, having remembered an immersion blender can be used for more than soup,  I was excited to try some oatmeal.  This is the most solid food I’ve had so far!

Blended oats are GOOD!

I’m sure the toppings were awesome…

…but that yummy, well-dressed bowl of oatmeal was for Mom.

My slurp-able reality looked more like this:

No matter.  It was still good.

Like warm blueberry pie.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Blueberry Pie Oatmeal

  • 3/4 C oatmeal (I used McCann’s Irish Oats)
  • 1/2 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 C water (adjust as needed)
  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 C blueberries
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp coconut extract
  • shake of salt

Place first 4 ingredients in medium pot.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 mins.

When almost done, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Cook 2-3 additional mins, or until done.  Add additional liquid as needed.

Remove from heat.  Using an immersion blender, blending oats until bananas and blueberries are pureed into oatmeal (it WILL turn blue!).

Spoon into bowls and add topping of your choice (I used bananas and dark chocolate chunks).

Makes 2 servings.


Smooth Operator

By

Day 2 of liquid diet.  

Wasting away to nothing.  Famished.

I kid, I kid.

Still broken.  The whiplash part is worse today and my head is killing me.  And I still look like a swollen Frankenstein-chipmunk:

Exhibit A

But I enjoyed some butternut squash soup with fennel, onions, jalapeños, and Sriracha sauce for lunch. Pureed, of course.

In a moment of psychic planning, I scheduled a photo shoot with Ed Selby last Saturday (the day before I wrecked my face). Ed is an awesome photog.  He sent me an email a few weeks ago asking if he could shoot me.  I was so excited and we set up a time before the season began. Smart, eh?

Below are a few of Ed’s shots.  Pretty awesome, right?  Through the magic of Ed and photoshop, you can’t even see the massive zit I had right between my eyebrows.

The Dr. said that when I feel better I can run and lift weights.  Just no contact sports for a while.

Therefore, I’ve been plotting my body building debut.  Kidding.

What I HAVE been plotting is my race schedule.  I’m revising my 2011 goals to include 1 race a month.

I don’t know if I can stand the pounding enough to effectively train for the Publix Georgia Half in March, but I do really want to run a Half-Marathon again this year.  In preparation, I’m committing to run a race each month beginning March 12th with an adventure race I am already registered for: Tough Mudder.

This is a 10 mile race with obstacles that will have me swinging across a mud pit, walking through fire, and running UP a slippery motorcross slope.  Check out the obstacle map.

It is 4 weeks post-jaw break and it isn’t a contact sport… so I’m good to go!

2 weeks later is the Atlanta Women’s 5K.  That’s more than 1 a month, but I need to make up for January and February. 🙂  All the finishers receive a flower at the end – how sweet is that?!

April 16th I will definitely do a race.  Perfect way to celebrate surviving Tax Day. I was planing on Run the River.  But I just realized that is also the day of the Gerogia Tech Pi Mile (Pi = 3.14… get it?) AND the Sweetwater 420 5K.  The Pi Mile starts at 8a.  The Sweetwater 5K starts at 10a… are you thinking what I’m thinking???

Tonight I am really excited to try the Garbanzo Bean Soup Angela@ Oh She Glows created.

One of the saddest parts about breaking my jaw was the thought of not being able to have hummus.  I could eat it by the spoonful… but people would stare. Angela has solved that problem!

More on that when I make it this evening. 🙂

The smooth creation of the day so far was an Orange Cream Smoothie.

This Orange Cream Smoothies is a glass of creamy, vanilla-orange deliciousness.  Reminiscent of those yummy push-up pops from the ice cream truck. 🙂

Orange Cream Smoothie

  • 1 medium orange
  • 1/4 C Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1T Twister Power (sprouted omega blend)
  • 1/2 packet of Stevia
  • Big handful of spinach
  • Water + Ice to taste

Throw it in a blender, mix until smooth, and enjoy!

***

Two 5Ks in a day would really only be a 10K with a really long break in the middle…

What races are you planning this year?  

Have you ever done 2 5Ks in a day?

Broken

By

I got a new camera just in time.

 

How else would I have been able to take this lovely Frankenstein-like self-portrit?

 

Those are stitches in my chin.  There are 4.  That is also a big glass ‘o vino in my hand.  I deserved it. 🙂  What you can’t see is that my jaw is broken in 2 places.

We had a “Rookie Expo”  this Sunday for derby.  I fell.  Chin-first.

 

However… I am actually lucky.  My jaw is fractured in 2 places, but isn’t displaced.  One fracture is in the lower left mandible and the other is in the right condyle.  My chin is (obviously) busted too.

Here’s the most relieving part – since nothing is displaced, I don’t have to have plates screwed into my jaw or even have my mouth wired shut!  I was having nightmares about eating nothing but chicken broth for 6 weeks.

I had to promise to take it easy and not chew anything for 6 weeks.  Not even noodles.  Helllloooo soup.

***

Other than some soreness and swelling, I’m ok!

Sooooo… anyone have a favorite creamy soup recipe?

 

TGIF

By

I almost posted “TGIF.”  Nothing else.

It had been a loooong week, but it did end well.

Dinner @ Sufi’s Kitchen tonight was really good.  I got to catch up with an old friend and tried a new dish.

Source: www.sufisatlanta.com

 

We ordered the Sufi’s Special as an app – sauteed eggplant with onion, garlic, chickpeas, and spicy tomato sauce.  The server kept warning us that it was really spicy.  It wasn’t. There was just a tinge of heat on the end.

Source: www.sufisatlanta.com

 

It was served with a fantastic flat bread (made fresh in-house).  It was baked in a stone oven that gave it a perfect crunchy char.  This was accompanied by the traditional dish filled with thyme, basil, mint, feta, butter, olives, walnuts, cucumbers, and radishes.  My favorite thing about Persian restaurants is this hodge-podge dish.  It is fun to try different combos with whatever app you order.

For dinner, they offer a Chicken Kabob Salad.  Normally, kabobs are served over a giant place of saffron rice.  The rice is good (I love saffron), but I’m not a huge rice fan so the salad offering was perfect.  I loved the chicken – it was perfectly grilled.  Plenty moist (ewwww… she said moist!) and still retained it’s lemony-marinade flavoring.

 

We ordered the Pomegranate Cheesecake for dessert at the urging of our waitress.

***Warning*** They give you the hard-sell bringing out the tray of pornographic irresistible desserts.

Pass on the dessert. It wasn’t worth it. Go next door to R. Thomas for that chocolate chip-banana cake instead.

 

Their wine list is sub-par… BUT you can BYOW and there is no corking fee.

I’ll take that any day!

 

No pics – we got caught up in conversation and flat out forgot. 🙁

Verdict: Worth a visit.  Don’t miss out on the appetizers.  Pass on the dessert.  Next time I’m trying the chicken-pomegranate stew.

______________________________________________________________________________________

This coming week is the Atlanta Rollergirls’ Debutante Brawl.

All are welcome!  We can’t wait to debut our new rookies to Atlanta the world!

***

Apparently it is Super Bowl weekend.  I don’t watch pro-football (love college ball… can’t get into NFL).

Who should I bet on???

 

Avocado Quinoa

By

Two important items in today’s news:

  1. Apparently we are getting SNOW tonight in the South (boooo hiss)
  2. I finally got a new camera!!!

Good-bye fuzzy cell phone pictures.  Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.

The new addition is a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3.

I have NO idea how to use it (you’ll see what I mean with the pics below…).

Even more awesome is the deal I got on it: $23 through an auction site!!!

It didn’t come with a cable… details, details…

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you’ve read much of my blog, you have probably noticed that I think Angela @ Oh She Glows is brilliant.  I’ve never made anything of hers that I didn’t like love.

In keeping with my recipe pack rat rehab, I tried one of her newer recipes.  It still counts!  I already had it bookmarked on Delicious. 🙂

Her Creamy Avocado Pasta is reminiscent of an alfredo sauce-covered pasta.

I took her recipe, reduced it by half (half my avocado was bad.  fail.), changed up the pasta, and added a little spice.

She claims it is a 15 minute recipe… she’s right.  The only “cooking” involved is the pasta of your choosing!

Here are the details, with my minor edits.

Creamy Avocado Quinoa

  • 1/4 lemon, juiced
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeded
  • 1 T EVOO
  • 1/4 C fresh basil (+ some for garnish)
  • 1 small-sized ripe avocado (or 1/2 a medium)
  • 2 servings (1/2 C uncooked) quinoa
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook quinoa according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, place garlic clove, lemon juice, salt, jalapeno, and olive oil into a food processor.  Process until smooth.  Then add avocado, basil, and salt.  Blend until smooth and creamy.

When quinoa is done, place pasta into a bowl, add sauce, and toss until fully combined.  Garnish with basil and black pepper.

Serve immediately.  Makes 2 servings.

Note: Next time I do it, I’ll top with red pepper flakes too (I like a lot of spice).  Also, Angela noted that it doesn’t keep well due to the avocado.  I’ll let you know tomorrow. 🙂

***

Do you have a go-to site for recipes?

Like I need more bookmarks… 😉

Follow Me!

instagram_b facebook_b twitter_bpinterest_b
rss_a email_ayoutube_b googlep_b

Popular Posts

Wild Sunflowers
Home | About Me | Privacy Policy | Fitness | Recipes | Training & Nutrition

Affiliate Links: This site is monetized through the use of affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, Sprint 2 the Table would receive a small percentage of the sale price. Thanks for your support!