Mojo and Sunshine

February 25, 2011 By Laura

You know you live in the city when…

…you notice brand-new, yet-to-be-bolted-down park benches and the first thought you have is:

I can’t believe no one has stolen those yet!

🙂

The new benches were noticed along my lunchtime run. The run I was NOT motivated to go on, despite the lovely weather.

The only advice I have to pushing through a run is to break it down, 1 mile at a time.

Set a short goal (mine was 2 miles)
At that mark, re-assess (I decided to do a 5K)
Still not feeling it? Walk for a minute, or run some stairs to break it up.
Determine the end goal (I did enough for an even 4 miles)

Today’s run:

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 35:50
Pace: 8:88/mi

I’m really proud of my time given the fact that it was SO windy out there!

You should always reward yourself after a run like that.

I recommend doing so with this:

How does Angela @ Oh She Glows come up with this stuff?!

Try her Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole. You won’t be sorry.

I followed her directions exactly, except I halved the banana called for, nixed the maple syrup (I used vanilla almond milk, which I find to be sweeter) and made them in 4 ramekins.

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Good news!

At my follow up appointment, the oral surgeon said I can eat items that I can mush with my tongue. My tofu is getting its mojo back!

If you’re like me, you open a can of chipoltes in adobo sauce, use 2 or 3, and then forget you still have half the can in the fridge. Use the other half for this mojo marinade! It was fantastic. I used half of the marinade on chicken (for the non-tofu lovers), and remainder in tofu. I’m told the chicken was good and I know the tofu was.

The marinade does have a kick, but it isn’t bad after marinating/cooking.

In need of a side, I got creative with the sunchokes and sweet potato. I have never cooked a sunchoke before, but had eaten puréed or sauteed sunchokes at several places (Holeman & Finch does a stand-up sunchoke sauté).

Sunchokes (a.k.a. Jerusalem artichokes) are the root of a sunflower. Raw, they look a like ginger root and can be found at your local farmer’s/speciality market. Sunchokes have an earthy, almost nutty taste and a potato-like texture upon cooking.

They are good for the intestines, and a source of Vitamin C, potassium, and Iron. And they taste good!

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Mojo-Marinated Tofu

(slightly adjusted from Tyler Florence)

1 block extra firm tofu
1 blood orange, juiced
2 limes, juiced
3 T EVOO
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 chipolte chiles, in adobo sauce
3 T cilantro leaves, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Drain tofu and pat dry. Cut in half horizontally, placed between towels, and press for 10 mins. (I placed a large iron skillet on top of mine.)

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth.

Pour over pressed tofu in a bowl or baggie, tossing to coat. Refrigerate for an hour hour, allowing flavors to combine.

Preheat a ridged grill pan on medium heat. Lightly oil the grill pan. Drain excess marinade from tofu and grill the over medium heat, cooking for ~4 mins on each side.

***

Sweet Potato Sunchoke Purée

1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 large piece of sunchoke, peeled (about 4 in)
1/2 large or 1 small yellow onion
1/4 C plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
S + P, to taste

Dice the the potato, sunchoke, and onion. Cut into 2 in cubes and place in a medium pot and cover with water.

Add 1/4 tsp salt, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins, until tender.

Drain the vegetables and return to the pan. Stir in yogurt, milk, nutmeg.

Using an immersion blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

***

What new food have you tried lately? Are you more likely to try it at a restaurant or devise your own concoction at home?

Lemme Upgrade ‘Ya

February 21, 2011 By Laura

Happy President’s Day!

It seems that most people had to work, but we had the day off since we didn’t get MLK Day.

Productivity was high! Checked off my to-do list:

Run
Banana Republic
West Elm (I still have the curtains that came with my condo… embarrassing)
Verizon
Talked to the tattoo guy (more to come on that…)
Farmer’s Market (where I managed to spend $50 despite not being able to chew food… foodie fail win)

The run this morning was slow going, but I was fine with that because I was sore from having a GOOD run yesterday!

I attempted a run last weekend and had to quit because my jaw bones were shaking (I have no idea how else to describe it… but it’s like I can feel my bones moving) and my head was pounding.

Anyway, yesterday I did a 5K in 26:40. Then ran/walked another 1.25 miles.

So a less-than amazing run today was fine by me. And I treated myself to a post-run latte at Caribou Coffee while reading the paper.

Now I need to figure out endurance before the Tough Mudder on March 12th… follow up with the Doc tomorrow… hopefully he won’t make me stop!

Any way, also in honor of my President’s Day off, I tried a new oatmeal method. Chocolate-Covered Katie’s Voluminous Oatmeal.

I added a little much liquid, but I’m re-doing it tonight to perfect tomorrow morning. This morning, I added a scoop of vanilla protein powder (post-run refuel!), cinnamon, and peanut butter. Tasty, if I may say so.

The BEST part of any holiday is the present!

I got an iPhone!

Thank you, Verizon

My first picture with the Hipstamatic app…. it was stressful trying to get everything set up!

***

So, now that I’ve joined modern society…

What are you favorite, must-have apps?

Smooth Operator

February 8, 2011 By Laura

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?

Inspiration

January 31, 2011 By Laura

Yesterday was a GORGEOUS day! It was nice to have a reprieve from the cold and ice even if it is grey and raining today. I ran around the park before dinner and it was almost too crowded to run. People-watching FTW.

Speaking of watching…

My friend Courtney shared a link to Food Gawker in the comments section yesterday.

I’ve long been a fan of the site, but it was a great reminder to visit another awesome sight: Food Porn Daily.

If you can look here without getting excited… kudos to you my friend. Don’t judge me. 🙂

It is from these sites, restaurant menus, and other blogs that I get the most inspiration. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a dish in one of these resources and run to the store for ingredients to make my own version.

Source: citynoise.com

Yesterday was one of those “buy all of these items you’ve been wishing you had on hand” days. We have a massive Farmer’s Market in Atlanta that has fantastic prices on veggies, spices, and wine. This place is epic. It is such a zoo so impressive that they have a strict “no cameras” policy.

It is easy to get carried away in there… and I’m proof. I live alone. There is NO reason I should leave there with more than $50 in groceries. Yesterday I almost hit $100.

In my defense, I was out of a lot of the basics.

And apparently I’ve been reading a lot of Indian recipes lately.

Garam Masala, curry, tumeric, cinnamon, coconut, ginger, tahini, chickpeas, chickpea flour (99 cents for a large container!)… it is going to be a fun week for cooking!

This is also going to work perfectly with my Recipe Pack Rat goals (does anyone else think “Rat Pack” when reading that?) – I have 5 Indian recipes saved and I already vowed to make Spicy Roasted Chickpeas.

I also would LOVE to try may hand at dessert hummus (how did I not think of this?!) by Evan at The Wannabe Chef.

Sunday morning I may have to try a Michelada. Thank you for a non-tomato hangover cure alternative, Tami @ Running with Tweezers.

Also purchased: a few squash varieties, wonton wrappers, pumpkin puree, San Marzano tomatos, too many oranges, bananas, jalapenos, poblanos, avocados, garlic, onion, kale, spelt flour, yeast, lentils, soba noodles, almonds, hazelnuts, dates, and roasted red peppers.

***

Suggestions for how to use all of this are welcome. 🙂

Apple Pie @ Breakfast

January 28, 2011 By Laura

This morning I received a call from my boss. He needs me to proof several (mucho importante) documents before they go to a client. We had the following conversation:

Boss: It is important that these are perfect.

Me: Sure – no problem.

Boss: Do whatever you need to do in order to maintain focus – read one, go for a rune, read one, go for a run.

Me: (LMAO)

🙂

Cool or scary that he knows this about me?!

Did I mention how much I love my job?

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Obviously, I need to be well-fed to complete this task. I’ve been looking forward to testing out the Apple Pie Oatmeal creation by Angela @ Oh She Glows.

I adjusted it a bit for my taste. I added the apples later in the process to ensure they held onto their crunch, and included ginger. Of course, I had to top it with PB because apples + PB go together like peas + carrots. Jenny.

Eating this was a Friday morning religious experience amazing.

Warning: Blurry cell phone pics coming to an end SOON!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

1/3 C oats (I combined multi-grain and Scottish)
1 tsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/4 C water
1/4 C unsweetened applesauce
1/2 Braeburn apple, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 T peanut butter
1 T pumpkin seeds

In a small pot over med-high heat, mix the 1/3 cup oats, chia seeds, spices, milk, water, and applesauce. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. When the mixture is just beginning to thicken, add fresh apple pieces. Pie Oatmeal is done when the mixture thickens and the liquid is absorbed.

Pour into a bowl and add toppings of choice. I used peanut butter and pumpkin seeds.

***

How well does your boss know you?

Well enough to know midday running produces maximum concentration?

Souper Saturday

January 22, 2011 By Laura

Getting out of bed is the hardest part of going to Saturday morning practice.

I got out of bed at 7am. I don’t get up that early for work.

At 8am this morning we began a 3 hour derby practice. SO glad I woke up.

A couple of amazing guest skaters – Rice Rocket and Varla Vendetta – were in town to lead a workshop. I’m not gonna lie – I was derby crushing. We learned some new drills and were able to do a quick scrimmage with our teams.

Then – because I am extra crazy – I came home and ran 3 miles. In 26 minutes!!! This is pretty fast for me. It is freezing outside and I think my body was just trying to get warm. 🙂

I love a souper-motivated Saturday. I also love Souper Jenny. Jenny makes creative, tasty soups fresh daily, along with salads and a couple of sandwiches. I have been known to:

Drive 30 miles from my old office to eat there for lunch
Save her daily email menus to remember a particularly interesting flavor combo
Completely change my plans to eat dinner there on Thursdays for Grilled Cheese Night

All this to say that I finally attempted my own soup.

(I did make the Butternut Squash Apple, but I’d read like 40 recipes first. This one I just went into the kitchen and threw stuff together. 🙂 )

It isn’t half bad. In fact, it is pretty damn good!

Perfect for lunch after a frigid run.

White Bean, Butternut Squash, and Kale Soup

EVOO
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 C (1 can) vegetable broth
3 C chopped tomatoes (I used Pomi)
1 C (1 can) cannellini beans
3 celery stalks
1 sweet potato
1/2 medium butternut squash
4 C kale
3 stalks fresh rosemary (~3 T)
1 T fresh lime juice
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp roasted cinnamon
S & P to taste

Chop all veggies into bite-sized pieces. In a large pot, heat EVOO over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeños. Saute 6-7 mins until onions are translucent and soft. Add in garlic and cook for another 1-2 mins.

Add in sweet potato, butternut squash, and celery. Stir to combine with the saute mixture and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes.

Pour in the vegetable stock, chopped tomatoes, and spices. Bring to a boil. Add beans and kale to the soup. Stir to combine, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover pot with the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Salt & pepper to taste. If you like a thinner soup, add water or more stock and adjust spices.

Makes 5 servings (1 cup each).

My creation has approximately: 250 calories, 6 g fat, 42 g carbohydrates, 12.5 g fiber, and 10 g protein. It is also rich in Vitamins A and C.

***

My favorite thing about soup? It is souper (I know I know… I’ll stop) filling and can easily be made nutrient-rich and low-cal.

What is your favorite soup creation?

Slurp Your Sweet Potato

January 15, 2011 By Laura

Despite being up until 3am working, I woke up (late) this morning ready to MOVE.

Breakfast was a coffee, an apple, and a jalapeno-cheddar scone (recipe to come… it still needs a little work). To fuel my energy, I read some neglected fitness magazines.

What resulted was an amazing workout:

5 min elliptical warm-up
Wide grip lat pull-downs – 3 sets of 12
Bent over dumbbell row – 3 sets of 15
Seated cable row – 3 sets of 12
30 second planks as an active rest between sets in #2-4 (total 10)
Dumbbell pullover – 3 sets of 12
Row to raise – 2 sets of 12
Push-ups- 3 sets of 15 – superset with…
Standing dumbbell curl – 3 sets of 12
Alternating dumbbell curl – 5 sets of 12
Hammer curl – 4 sets of 15 (or to exhaustion)
1 min sprint intervals on the treadmill between each set in #10-11 (total 8 )

Then I took the stairs back up to my condo. Whew!

That killer workout called for a gigantic protein shake.

You’re probably going to think this is weird… BUT just trust me.

Sweet Potato Smoothie

1/4 large sweet potato, cooked (mine was left over from this)
1 hand full of spinach
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Ice + water/milk to taste

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Slurp away!

***

Time to head out the door for the derby sleepover – so excited to hang out with the team off-skates!

Does anyone else have adult sleepovers?!

It’s like high school but now you don’t have to sneak in the alcohol.

Spice Up Your Dessert

January 13, 2011 By Laura

I don’t want to run.

At all.

This frigid, icy weather has taken a toll on my workout motivation. Yet I did.

Want to know the secret steps to success when you’re held captive by the weather?

Make a plan – mine was a incline interval run
Write it on a piece of paper
Get dressed in workout gear (it helps you commit to going!)
Get on the “dreadmill” WITH the written plan in front of you
Promise yourself that if you go 10 mins and still feel terrible, you can stop
Promise yourself a giant spaghetti squash dinner and a glass of wine
Wait for about the 8 min mark
Motivation/resolve sets in. At this point you realize you will go the full time and survive.

I have no idea how I got through that one, but I did.

Then I ate this:

Thank god for the cleanse and my discovery of Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti.

My derby teammates, the Sake Tuyas, are having a sleepover this weekend. Everyone is bring a dish and the theme is Mexican. Because I am crazy, as I was laying in bed last night I was contemplating the possibilities (doesn’t everyone lull their self to sleep thinking about food?). Then it hit me.

When I made these Black Bean Brownies, I thought I had hit the jackpot. But… no. There’s something better out there.

Black beans are in (I think) every taco at Moe’s (clearly an authentic Mexican specimen).

This alone qualifies them for the potluck. But why stop there?

Amp it up and add some spicy-goodness! The addition of cinnamon and spice and everything nice adds a depth of flavor that is not to be missed.

Protein-rich, fudgy brownie with ~150 calories per serving (less than the original since I reduced the sugar and egg). Does it get any better?

Mexican Black Bean Fudgy Brownies

3/4 C cocoa powder
1/2 C salted butter, melted
1/2 C applesauce (unsweetened)
15 oz canned black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 C walnuts (chopped)
2 tsp vanilla
1 T instant coffee
1 1/4 tsp roasted ground cinnamon
1 tsp ancho chili powder
3/4 tsp cayenne powder
Shake of kosher salt
3 eggs
1 C light agave nectar

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Prepare an 11 x 7 in pyrex dish by lining with parchment paper or lightly oiling with Baker’s Joy/Pam/butter/etc.

In large bowl, mix together melted butter, applesauce, and cocoa powder until combined.

Place the beans, 1/2 C of walnuts, vanilla extract, and 3-4 spoonfuls of the cocoa mixture into a food processor. Blend until smooth (~ 1 min). It will be very thick. Set aside.

Add to the cocoa mixture the remaining 1/2 C walnuts, instant coffee, cinnamon, chili powder, cayenne, and salt and mix well. Add bean mixture to cocoa mixture, manually stirring until well blended.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with a mixer until light and creamy (~ 1-2 min). Add agave nectar and beat well. Fold the egg mixture (reserving 1/8 C to drizzle over top if desired) into the bean and cocoa mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into prepared pan.

Bake for ~45 mins, until the brownies are set. Cool completely in the pan before cutting. You may need to refrigerate first – these are extremely soft.

Optional: Sprinkle top with a mixture of cinnamon, chili powder, and powdered sugar.

***

Now to do a quick core workout before bed. If I can just get started…

What are your secrets to motivation for a bad-weather workout?