Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Mexican Sweet Potato Salad + WIAW

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Have you guys been watching all of the Casey Anthony news?

I’m no lawyer, but I am shocked she was found not guilty.

 

How is it that people who are so terrible and that don’t contribute good to the world walk around alive and free?  Why are people who were amazing human beings, who gave back, who cared for others are taken too soon?

Mr. Billy Joel, why is it that only the good die young?!

I should probably have warned you that today marks 3 years since my dad was taken by cancer.  3 very fast years.  It’s hard to believe…

 

Not.  Fair.

Maybe I write about it too much, but my dad had continues to have such a huge impact on my life.  Not a day goes by that I don’t think of him.   On the 4th I ran the Peachtree Road Race wearing a ribbon (orange for leukemia) in his honor.

A big FU to the people out there who are just taking up space or – even worse – are harming others.  You’re lucky to have the opportunity to live.  Don’t waste it taking from others. 

***Stepping off soap box***

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Lucky for anyone reading this today is WIAW! I have something less depressing to post about!

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Breakfast

These Apple-Carrot Muffins I made a few months back are awesome.  Super filling, especially with the massive glob of PB I iced it with.

 

Lunch

Garden Lites Zucchini Souffle.  These are surprisingly good for frozen food!  Thanks to the egg, they are pretty filling as well.

Even though I microwaved it, the edges were a crispy (read: not rubbery) texture.  The egg helped make the inside of my souffle fluffy rather then mushy like any frozen meals.

Snacks

Pretty standard – I was super busy at work.

Side note: my dad used to love Think Thin bars.  He liked Chocolate Fudge, but I think Chocolate Toffee is the only way to go.

 

Dinner

I was underwhelmed by my dinner out, so instead I’m going to share a particularly delicious salad I ate this weekend.

It is no secret that I do NOT like white potatoes.  I do not like thick french fries, potato salad, mashed potatoes, twice baked potatoes.  I just don’t, Uncle Sam I Am.

 

The 4th of July is a potato salad-centric holiday… so I made a version that I like!

 

Obviously, it had to be Mexican-inspired.  Nothing says 4th of July like México.

Spinach also must be incorporated.  It is my salad.  Bwhahaha!  Of course there was cheese – I used Daiya
pepper jack but honestly it didn’t nearly spicy enough.  Use regular pepper jack if you eat dairy!

This was a winner.  The spices made the salad taste “special” and I was able to join the potato-salad eating.  Mine was better than that white potato stuff.

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Mexican Sweet Potato Salad

  • 1 sweet potato, baked and cubed
  • 1/2 C black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 small tomato, diced
  • 1 C spinach
  • 1/4 C red onion, diced
  • 1/4 C pepper jack cheese (I used Daiya) 
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp coriander
  • Juice from 1/4 lime
  • Drizzle of EVOO
  • S+P, to taste

 

Prepare first 6 ingredients and mix in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

Whisk remaining ingredients together in a small bowl.  Adjust spices to taste.

Pour vinegarette over salad and toss to combine.  Enjoy!

Makes 1 entree ensalada or 2 sides.

***

Tonight I’m looking forward to a meal by a chef you may have seen in Food & Wine. 🙂

Does it make you made when justice isn’t served?  

Do you think karma will take care of it in the long run?

 

There Ought to Be a Law

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There ought to be a law against going to work the day after the 4th any holiday.

 

At least  I have yesterday’s appearance on the Food Buzz Top 9 to boost me this morning!

That hummus really was good.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who buzzed me and WELCOME to new visitors!

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Yesterday’s Peachtree Road Race was really good.

I ran the world’s largest 10K in 51:08.  A new PR!

A time under 50 mins would have been awesome, but I can’t complain about anything sub-55.  And I finished in plenty of time to cheer on a lot of the finishers. 🙂

 

Post-race I met up with some good friends and enjoyed brunch their company.  Brunch was terrible – they ran out of EGGS, which meant I didn’t get to eat much of anything until 4 hours after finishing the race.

Fine if you run out of food, but at least tell me so I can order something different.  Like the spine my stomach was eating.

 

We made up for it in beverages fun at the next location.

The sign didn’t lie – it was the bar we were looking for.

Diesel (870 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, 404-815-1820) provided a knowledgable bartender and possibly the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had.

The D’Yer Mak’Er consisted of mozzarella, roasted tomato goat cheese, swiss, cheddar & bacon on rye.  The rye made the sandwich… YUM.

 

How about some icing on the grilled cheese cake?  Watermelon beer.

Our awesome bartender recommended this Hell or High Watermelon Beer by 21st Amendment after I requested something with flavor, but light.  Not too much alcohol content (who really needs an 11% alc beer?).  Not too sweet.

It hit the spot.  I thought the watermelon would make it too sweet for me, but it was much lighter than many of the “berry” flavored beers out there.

The watermelon flavoring was more “real” than candied/artificial.  It is a wheat beer, but remains light and crisp Nice amount of bubble.  Nothing overly complex, but a refreshing beer after a long day.

***

It rained last night so no fire works for me… the 9.5 hours of sleep I got instead was incredible.

How was your weekend?  Did you get to enjoy a race and/or fireworks?

Happy 4th of July!

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Saturday’s lake day didn’t result in any Jim Beam-fueled chants, but my friend Kristy did make the most patriotic jello shots the world has ever seen.

They were just as good as they look!

We also enjoyed a great spread – everyone made something to share.  I sweat we didn’t plan the Mexi-theme… obv nothing says the 4th like Mexican. 🙂

The goods included (back to front): watermelon salad, Tostidos, peach-avocado salsa, my chipotle corn hummus, veggie sticks, and bean salad.

Not pictured: sandwiches and a ridiculous amount of beer.

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2 hours until the Peachtree Road Race!!!  I’m so pumped.  This year will be my 4th one.

4th on the 4th.  Tee hee.

This is also probably the best running-shape I’ve been in.  I’m especially excited to see how this impacts my endurance – Atlanta is a hilly city!

I hit up the expo yesterday to pick up my number and peruse the freebies (free Vega Sport powder samples!).  Parking downtown is a nightmare, so I decided to jog there and back.  Not a terrible idea until i was half way through the run home and reallllly wishing I wasn’t carrying that bag full of freebies.  🙂

After a hydration-filled day, I got in bed early in hopes of being well-rested.  This was only moderately successful since

  1. I was too excited to sleep and
  2. I firmly believe it is impossible to feel well-rested at 5:30 am (it’s still DARK!).

Nevertheless, I have my gear ready to go and I’m drinking a cup of coffee with my pre-race Chia Banana Pudding.

I made the pudding the same as the linked recipe, but added a bit of almond extract and cinnamon.  LOVE the additions!

Items to Remember Not to Forget:

  • Race number
  • Safety pins
  • Ribbon (orange for Leukemia)
  • KT Tape
  • Inhaler
  • Gum
  • Watch
  • Shuffle + ear earphones
  • MARTA (ATL’s Metro) card
  • Sport Bean samples

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Last week I decided to begin posting a weekly workout recap on Mondays.  Even though it’s a holiday, I’m sticking to it and using this to add to race motivation!

My running was light due to the pesky Achilles injury, but I really enjoyed a weight-focused week.

Workout Recap (6/27-7/3)

  • Monday – Yoga for Runners, 30 mins stationary bike intervals
  • Tuesday – Biceps/Back, 84 push-ups
  • Wednesday – Legs, P90X Ab Ripper X, 84 push-ups
  • Thursday – 4 mile run, Core, 84 push-ups
  • Friday – Tris/Chest (w/ 1 mile of intervals), 84 push-ups
  • Saturday – Lake day! (that counts… right?), 84 push-ups
  • Sunday – Shoulders, P90X Ab Ripper X, 4.5 mile run

***

It’s already been quite the weekend!  I have a feeling I’m going to want a post-long weekend vacation day.

What’s the most fun you had over the long weekend?

Did anyone else enjoy jello shots? 🙂

***UPDATE: I did it in 51:08!!!***

Chef Summer Series – Bruce Logue

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Wednesday’s dinner was so good I woke up still in a food coma.

Yes, I realize that makes no sense.

The best way to recover from a massive dinner is a run.  The reason I love a morning-after run isn’t due to excess calorie intake.  The purpose of the run is to sweat out the stuff my body hates.

See, I LOVE dining out.  I like rich foods.  I like red meat.  I like wine a lot.  My body can’t stand those things.  I actually woke up in the middle of the night in a full sweat as my body rejected the aforementioned.

Today’s run was to sweat it all out.

Stats:

  • Distance – 4 miles
  • Time – 32:17 mins
  • Pace – 8:04 mins

In today’s heat, sweating was not difficult.

The most important part of the morning-after run is to strike the “I’m a bad ass” pose.

What deliciousness brought on the morning-after run?

My friend Corrine and I attended another of ONE Midtown Kitchen‘s Summer Chef Series.  (Remember the first one with Chef Hugh Acheson?)

This week’s guest was Bruce Logue from La Pietra Cucina (my favorite Italian place in Atlanta).

Chef Bruce Logue

The amuse, 1st and 5th courses are done by ONE’s Chef Drew Van Leuvan and courses 2-4 are by the guest chef.  Each course is served with a pairing.

The Menu

As we waited for all of the guest to arrive, we were treated to crisp glass of sparkling wine that I wish I knew the name of.  It was light and refreshing after coming in from the heat.

Amuse

One of my my favorite dishes of the night – Potato Zeppole wrapped with a charred beef and dusted with rosemary and freshly ground pepper.

1st Course

This was my favorite.  We learned as the dish was being served that Chef Drew used to own a pasta making company.

That was apparent in the perfection on this Sweet Corn and Mascarpone Tortellini.  It was served with a tomato that had been roasting for 3 hours, smoked cream, and lemon verbena.

All of the flavors we good, but the perfection of the pasta made the dish.  It was so light it almost melted in my mouth.

The pairing was great as well.  A glass of Borgo Conventi, Collio Sauvignon 2009.  It was ok on it’s own, but paired with the dish the flavors grew and we discovered this was an incredible multi-layer, complex wine.  Brassy and floral, then a super-juicy melon, followed with a clean ending. Cheers.

2nd Course

This was the only problem of the night.  The planned course was to be a burrata, but it apparently was delayed in it’s arrival from La Pietra.  Therefore, we were served the 3rd couse.

The Cavatelli with green garlic, asparagus, and a white bolognese.  Cavatelli is similar to gnocchi; however it is made from flour, semolina, and water (no potato like gnocchi).

It was quite good – chewy pasta, rich bolognese, crunch scapes.

The pairing was excellent… and is now my favorite Italian beer!  Menaerea Ambe.  The beer was a nutty, surprisingly light amber with a touch of honey

The problem was the order – this rich pasta dish following another intensely-flavored pasta dish was too much.  We needed the lighter course and sparkly beverage originally planned here to rest the palate.

3rd Course

The originally planned 2nd course came out next: Whipped Burrata with summer squash, cherry tomatoes, and pesto genovese.

I love burrata, so whipped burrata seemed like a good idea and it would have been at a 2nd course.  Unfortunately, by there time we got to this we were ready to keep going to the meat.  The table agreed that it was like being brought down too soon at this point.

Don’t get me wrong – it was still tasty and the whipped burrata was interesting.  Almost ricotta-like.  The pesto was the highlight of this dish – not too cheese-reliant, allowing the basil to shine.

The pairing was not the best.  It was called a Ruby Slip: Absolut Ruby Red, Prosecco, and Lemon.  The drink itself would have been a great starter, but was wayyyyy to light at this point in the meal.

4th Course

Milk and Fennel Roasted Pork Arista with a warm broccoli salad and truffle chips.

Truffle chips are just as good as they sound like they would be, FYI.


Arista is just a fancy way of saying pork loin cooked in milk.  It is extremely moist and flavorful without being too rich.

The pairing was a Due Torri Pinot Noir.  I was more than ready for a good red and this fit the bill.  It was full of berries on the palate and finished with a hint of spice.

5th Course

We were stuffed at this point.  They brought out dessert and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.  It was a HUGE Blackberry Tart.

Thankfully, there is a whole other part of the stomach for dessert.

It wasn’t actually berry-heavy.  The tart was filled with a couple of blackberries, pecan cream, and… gorgonzola granita.  I finished it like a champ.

The gorgonzola granita stole this show – a salty, cheesy, ice cream topping.

The pairing was weird.  It was a deep glass of Tenuta Lodola Nuova, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2004.  I get where they were going, matching it to stand up to the granita.  However, it was way too intense for any bite that didn’t have the granita.  The smoky, leathery taste and chewy tannis overshadowed the tart filling… it was really good with the Pinot I had left for the previous course though!

See why I woke up in a food coma?!

***

One of my favorite parts about these dinners is meeting new people, as seating is communal-style. I promised the people at out table a shout out: Hellooooo! 🙂

What is your “cure” for over-indulgence?

Is your body less of a fan of certain foods than your palate is?

Zucchini-Banana Protein Muffins

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Odd habits.

Everybody has at least one… right?  During a run last week I realized I have some odd running habits:

1. I have to chew gum

No idea how/why this started, but suddenly I don’t leave for a run without a stick of gum.

Morning runs get the energy gum.  Does it work?  I think so… at the very least the placebo-effect works!

2. I alternate the shoes I wear

Another randomly started habit.  I accumulated 3 (new) pairs of running shoes and convinced myself that rotating the shoes I run in will help with… I’m not sure what.  Soreness?  Injury prevention?  Matching my running outfit?

Somewhere I read that rotating deodorants is a good thing so your body doesn’t get too used to one brand and build an immunity.  In my head, running shoes are no different.

3. The mileage I run has to be a round number

Unless it’s a short run, in which case I must run 3.14 (a 5K).  Why not stop at 3?  Who knows.

One of the most-viewed pages on this site is my Zucchini-Banana Muffins.  98 calories. 2.2 g protein.  The veggie-factor.  Vegan.  These are some pretty good breakfast muffins!

I just made them better.

Zucchini-Banana PROTEIN Muffins

(a.k.a. The 92 Calorie Muffin)

  • 1/4 C white whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur)
  • 1/4 C spelt flour
  • 1 scoop (2 T) vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 small zucchini, grated
  • 1 small ripe banana
  • 2 T unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 T light agave nectar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 6 regular-sized muffin tins with Pam/butter/Earth Balance.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.

In medium bowl, mush bananas with a fork.  Add remaining ingredients and stir.

Add the wet mixture to the dry, stirring until just combined.  Pour into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating pan half way through.

Makes 6 muffins.

Approximate Nutrition Info: 92 calories, 0.4g fat, 17.9g carbohydrates, 1.8g fiber, 8.4g sugar, 5.3g protein

***

I’m still in a food coma from last night’s dinner – more tomorrow!  Today calls for a looooong, gum-filled, round numbered run. 🙂

Do you have any odd and/or randomly formed habits?

Baked Falafel + WIAW

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It’s WIAW time again!

Which means this is What I ate Tuesday. 🙂  (Check out what everyone else at too @ Peas and Crayons!)

I was supposed to be on a business trip this week, but was cancelled last minute.  I can’t say I was terribly upset… sometimes I get to go to cool cities, but that doesn’t mean I get to see any of them!

Due to this (and a lot of dinner plans), I am having a “use what’s in the fridge” week.

The Challenge

I can be am terrible at letting things go bad.  It’s wasteful.  There are starving kinds in Africa.  Money doesn’t grow on trees. *Insert whatever lines your parents used to force encourage you to clean your plate.*

Muffin trial run, eggs, restaurant leftovers, last week’s hummus, dregs of an artichoke jar, the last bottle of beer… they’re all being utilized!

Breakfast

Blueberry muffins, egg, and raw milk.

Recipe will come soon… I need to do some tweaking.  Good, but not quiiiiite great.

Lunch

Last night I met my very pregnant BFF for dinner at Cafe Sunflower, one of the few exclusively-vegetarian restaurants in Atlanta.

Overall it was good.  I liked my Jamaican Black Bean Patties with Pineapple Salsa and ate the leftovers for lunch.


The server was really weird.  He leaned around the wall by our table and whispered that he had a crush on me.  Then, when my friend went to the bathroom, he asked if I had a boyfriend and told me I have a good energy.  (Note: he had creepy energy.)

I’m here to eat, not get hit on! At least it got me a free sample of the 3 Bean Chili (which was horrible, btw).

Snacks

It was a back/bicep weight day, so I got my post-workout 20g of protein from a Banana-Cinnamon Protein Shake.

In the mix:

(measurements are approximations – I eyeball it)

  • 1 banana
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp maca
  • 1/2 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 C frozen kale
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of guar gum
  • Pinch of lemon-salt
  • Ice + water (as needed)
  • Granola sprinkled on top

Pretzels, carrots, cucumbers, and a bowl of cereal were also consumed.

Dinner

After a 5 hour conference call, I played with my food.

Falafel face

One of my 5 million bookmarked recipes included a baked falafel by Sarena @ Non-Dairy Queen.  In the spirit of using what I had, I made Japanese-ish Baked Artichoke Falafel – spicy-style!

I ate my falafel with another recipe I have been meaning to try – Baked Grilled Zucchini with Goat Cheese from one of my new favorite blogs: Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide.

If you never listen to anything else I say, listen when I say you HAVE to try this Stuffed Zucchini.  Grill or bake it this weekend for the 4th!

It is so easy – cut rows into a zucchini, stuff with cheese (I used goat), drizzle with olive oil, top with herbs, S+P, wrap in foil, bake or grill for 20 mins.  Devour.

Japanese-ish Baked Artichoke Falafel

  • 1/4 C Japanese-ish hummus
  • 1/8 C jarred artichoke hearts, rough chopped
  • 1 T coconut flour
  • 1-1.5 tsp garlic sriracha
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp hosin sauce
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • Brine from artichokes, as need to moisten

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together.  Form 5 balls (1 heaping tablespoon each) and place on foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20 mins.

Note: You can use any hummus or flour to make this.  Add some herbs and you favorite spices and you’ll have your very own customized falafel!

***

I’m so pumped for tonight – it’s the second in a Chef Series I’ve been attending and tonight features one of my favorite Atlanta chefs.  Full report to come… probably not until Friday though!

Show me your WIAW!!!

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten so far this week?

Weekend Stars

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Every once in a while, the stars align just right…

 

and a perfect Saturday is born.

This Saturday began with the 21st Annual Pride Run at the park across from my condo.

There was a special buzz in the air following the news that New York joined a growing number of states extending the basic right of  marriage to all of its citizens.

I’ve run this race 3x so far and it continues to be one of my favorites.  The course is great, it’s well-organized, the runners are friendly, and it gets strong crowd support.  Even the police blocking off the streets cheer the runners on!

This year’s race solidified the event’s place in my heart… it marks the first time I placed in the Top 3 Females Overall!

I earned 3rd place overall and 1st in my division!!!

Stats:

  • Distance – 3.14 miles
  • Time – 23:41 mins
  • Pace – 7:45 mins

 

I have NO idea where that came from, but OMG I was thrilled!!!

 

Post-race I walked across the park for some raw milk (I know it’s controversial… but it does have benefits and it tastes like a milkshake!), farm eggs, and peaches.  There is nothing more delicious than local, fresh food.

 

The afternoon was filled with softball and some quick pre-reunion weight lifting.

At the reunion I saw some people I was looking forward to reconnecting with, which was nice.  Overall… I don’t know what I expected, but was just ok.  High school seems like a lifetime ago, and it wasn’t the best of times for me.

 

In true foodie fashion, dinner was the best part of the night.

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A small group of old classmates (we are now good friends) – myself, Mallory (my BFF), Greg (her husband), and Laura (another friend) – all met for a pre-reunion dinner at Bocado (887 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, 404-815-1399).

Thank god because the only food they served at the event was a cold tray of chicken nuggets.

 

Bocado has been on my “to try” list for far too long.  Several have contended that they serve the best burger in Atlanta; however, the other menus items are the real standouts.

 

My jalapeno-infused tequila cucumber martini was light and clean tasting.  The flavors were perfectly balanced – a great start to dinner on this hot day.

We enjoyed our drinks with a cheese plate made up of:

  • Purple Haze (goat, California)
  • Humboldt (goat, California)
  • Ewephoria (sheep, Holland)
The Ewephoria took the prize as the favorite, and the best named.

 

Our cheeses were served with radishes, cranberries, honey, and perfect crusty bread slices.  I say perfect because often toasted bread is so saturated in olive oil or butter that it becomes a chewy, greasy mess.  These slices were brushed with just enough olive oil to compliment the flavors.

For dinner Laura and I ordered small plates to share.

These were the best Fried Green Tomatoes I have EVER had.  Normally I’m not a huge fan due the the soggy, greasy nature of the dish.

The chef’s interpretation of the dish did not suffer from this affliction.  The tomatoes were cut into spears and battered in corn meal, leaving them crisp and relatively light.  They were served over a bed of greens and radishes with hot sauce and a buttermilk herb dressing.

Our Beet Salad was served in a bowl with farro, orange segments, fennel, toasted hazelnuts, avocado, and goat cheese.  The flavors played together quite well.

Toasted hazelnuts added a dimension to the more typical beet-orange-goat cheese combo.  I especially enjoyed the different textures – the crunch of the nuts with the slightly chewy farro and creamy avocado and goat cheese.

 

The Burrata was the one dish that I wasn’t impressed with.  The eggplant caponata on top was great, but the burrata itself was a bit too rubbery.  It was the only dish we didn’t finish.  However, it was served with a kalamata olive country toast that was delicious.

Our waiter highly recommended the Summer Squash Salad.  As advertised, it was very good.  My only complaint is the heavy hand on the olive oil.  The squash was delicious and the cherry tomatoes were some of the best I’ve had this season.

Mallory and Greg both ordered the infamous burger.  It was quite good.  As good as Holeman & Finch?  My vote is YES… but it’s very close.

The burger is served with house-made herbed french fries and a side of a buttermilk herb sauce.  I’m not a HUGE french fry eater and I could have eaten an entire plate of these.

For dessert we chose a Banana Bread Cake layered with chocolate ganache and cinnamon icing.

We hated it.

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Several other bloggers have begun posting recaps of the previous week’s workouts.  I love the idea – if for no other selfish reason than to have a reference for myself to look back at.

Workout Recap (6/20-26)

  • Monday – 4 mile run, 84 push-ups
  • Tuesday – P90X Ab Ripper X, 84 push-ups
  • Wednesday – Triceps/Chest, 3.5 mile run
  • Thursday – 4.5 mile run, 84 push-ups
  • Friday – P90X Ab Ripper X, 15 mile bike ride, 84 push-ups
  • Saturday – 5K, softball, 30 mins upper body weights, 84 push-ups
  • Sunday – Softball, P90X Ab Ripper X, 84 push-ups

***

I never was a cornflake girl…

Was high school a good experience for you?

Do you like when bloggers post workout recaps?


Breakfast Apple Cupcakes (Recipe)

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Bicycling seems to be the next big thing.

Safety first!

Bloggers are into it, cyclists are rampant on Atlanta streets, and my friends all seem to have taken up the sport.

Naturally, I had to try it.

My friend Summer agreed to lend me a bike (along with a helmet and padded shorts) and take me out for a trial run ride.  I was really nervous because my Achilles was killing me and I’m running a 5K this morning… followed by a softball tournament and then my high school reunion.

Definitely don’t want to be too injured/sore to run/play/party!  But I broke out the KT tape and away we went!

It was the only color left in the store.

Pedaling Cycling is much harder than I expected.  Summer did say this was a hilly course, but whoa.  Thank god I’m not new to exercising – I refused to walk the bike up a hill!

You can’t tell me this isn’t hilarious.

What I should have been more nervous about was the storm!  We made it 11 miles and realized we were about to get hit.

That last 4 miles we were going as fast as we could into the wind.  I literally almost got blown over!  Lightening, tree debris hitting us in the head and littering the path, crazy temperature changes… I was running on nothing but adrenaline at the end.

Recap:

  • 15 hilly miles
  • 1.5 hours
  • Near death experience
  • Celebration beer and a sandwich

I’d totally do it again.

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After a long week I like to “treat” myself with a fun breakfast.  Nothing says fun like cupcakes!

These are so easy to make – simply core an apple and top with your choice of deliciousness.  Choosing your icing topping is the best part.

I iced mine 2 ways:

  1. Mixture of Greek yogurt, almond butter, and chia seeds, topped with chocolate cookie crumbles
  2. Vanilla whipped cottage cheese (see recipe below), with chia seed sprinkles

Yes, I picked the cookie off and ate it first like an impatient 5 year old.

Fun fact: My mom used to call me Tinkerbell… hence the mug. 🙂

Both were fantastic, but I think the whipped cottage cheese was my favorite.  It was almost cheesecake-like!

The vanilla and apple sweetness was perfect with the tangy cheese and lemon combo.

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Apple Cupcake

Vanilla Whipped Cottage Cheese

  • 1/2 C cottage cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/4 packet of Stevia
  • 1/2 T chia seeds

In a blender (I used the Magic Bullet short container) combine all ingredients.  

Blend until the cottage cheese becomes smooth (you may need to stop and scrape down the sides).

Enjoy as a snack or as icing on your favorite treat!

***

This may be TMI… but my butt is SORE.  And now I must go run.  Wish me luck!

What is your favorite “treat” breakfast?

Do you bike?  Any tips for a novice?!

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