Awareness in the Long Run + Sweet Potato-Pecan Mac N Cheese

February 7, 2013 By Laura

I know I’ve already complained…

But it’s really flippin’ cold.

Honestly, it isn’t TERRIBLE. I have a lot to be happy about. I made it through security with my questionable stash, had a productive day at my client’s office, and had a bangin’ workout.

Hotel workout

Not too shabby for a hotel gym that only had dumbbells, eh? I sure was happy to have a homemade chicken burger, celery, and snow peas waiting for me in the room after that burn.

I was also happy to have my Pop Snax. You can find these in the children’s food aisle at Whole Foods. Don’t judge! Kid food travels well and is typically low in sodium and sugar!

Pop Snax

Even better? When I asked an employee if she’d tried them before, she said she hadn’t but that I could try them for FREE. She game me the whole container. Yet another reason I ♥ that place.

Enough about me and my random foods. Kat is back this week with an amazing San Fran trip recap, and some serious mac ‘n cheese food porn.

Heeeeere’s Kat!

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There are so many ways to be self-aware. I think it’s increasingly natural for many of us to be aware of our food and what we put into our bodies, and we are generally aware of our basic needs and desires. For example… You could be aware of whether or not you are cat person or if you are more like a cat. Laura and I both feel that the following photo describes both of us (Editor’s note: Me? Never… HA!):

Okay, okay, really I was trying to find a way to fit this in!

But I’m talking about a different kind of awareness…the kind where you have to pay attention… to yourself.

Instead of looking at what others are doing or saying and judging them, looking at yourself and wondering why you feel that way about something said or done or the situation you are in. Then, don’t judge it or try to change it. Just accept it. Whether you’re happy, sad, or in pain from a work out (or something in life), it’s okay to accept it.

I started another 30-day yoga challenge on Saturday. It was a spur of the moment decision, but I’m ready to make some changes. What changes, you ask!? Well, I’m not even sure I know. I just know that I feel ready to change even more for the better, keeping with my New Year’s theme of taking crap off my plate to enhance the quality of what I do take on.

Yoga makes me run smoother, love better, and enjoy life.

I want to be more aware of the way I respond to other people and situations and why. I want to be more aware of my stressors and triggers that throw me into a mood, a frenzy, or some other state of discomfort. I want to listen to my body’s needs and desires in a new way. Yoga really helps me to concentrate on feelings that flow naturally and become more aware of them.

My goal in all this is to learn to love myself and my life more. I think my new “awareness” will help me to be more understanding, forgiving, and loving – of myself and others – in a unique new way. In the physical long runs and in the long run of life, awareness leads to growth – physical, mental, emotional. My theory? This is how to live a long and fulfilling life.

Now… onto some PHYSICAL and FOOD! Because I also personally think a good life is also when you get to spend as much time as possible outside being active and enjoying good food! (Editor’s note; AMEN to that!)

Recap 1!

RECAP!

I had some good times with old friends and acquaintances, we went to Napa and I got to visit Sullivan Vineyards (that Laura recommended) and joined the wine club, saw the Golden Gate from the overlook in Sausalito at night, explored the whole city on foot, did a trail race, had a picnic at Cowgirl Creamery (Editor’s note: No you didn’t! Lucky!!!), did more exploring, and rode on an old school cable car. The trail run was the most beautiful, and the steepest I have ever done.

The SteepRavine was the steepest and hardest, but also the most beautiful trail run I have ever done! It was a HUGE race. I chose the 25K distance. But… well…. as I told Laura and some other bloggers last week, I went off course, and ended up running an extra couple of miles. Oops!! But you can’t really be upset about that when it was THAT beautiful! (Editor’s note: You probably did it on purpose ;))

CHECK OUT THE VIEWS!!!!!!

Some of the most inspiring moments in the race showed up when you least expected them. I really paid attention to my body. I had to stop and adjust my food. It was freezing, and then hot, and then freezing. But I got to meet a lot of cool people out there, one of whom told me that you usually can’t see so far because it’s too foggy. Boy did I luck out!

My friends Sara and Jenny were kind enough to drive me out there and wait on me while I finished. And then we had an amazing little picnic afterwards. They really made my trip enjoyable. They were spectacular hosts who made me feel at home. The way they made me feel comfortable, made me feel calm, safe, and happy. Definitely good! They also helped me with my itinerary for my last day, where I got to visit the Ferry Building! CHECK OUT ALL THESE COOL LOCAL SAN FRANCISCO GOODS!

Cowgirl Creamery after the Race!

Ferry Building

I came back feeling extremely food inspired. Jenny and Sara took me to a place called Homeroom Mac and Cheese. Yes, that’s what they make! They specialize in Mac N Cheese!!!! Check out their menu! It’s inventive and awesome. I took a spin on it and created two of my own last Friday. I made a Sweet Potato Pecan Baked Mac n Cheese and a Tomato Basil Pesto Baked Mac n Cheese.

I personally liked the sweet potato better, so I HAVE to share this recipe. ~~Let’s pretend I actually measured most of this!~~

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Sweet Potato-Pecan Baked Mac ‘n Cheese

1 egg (tofu would work)
1 ½ C milk or milk substitute (I used coconut milk!)
¼ C fat-free sour cream (or substitute)
~2 T brown rice flour
~2 T butter
8-10 oz of Gluten Free Elbow Macaroni Noodles
CHEESE – LOTS OF GRATED CHEESE! (please grate your own… it DOES make a difference) – I used 1 C Cheddar, ¼ cup fontina, and ¼ cup smoked gouda
1 sweet potato
Pecans to top
Salt and pepper to taste (and a little cayenne)

Pre-heat oven to 375. Prepare an 8×8 pan for the mac.

Cube your sweet potato into roughly ¾ inch cubes and spread out on a baking sheet. Place in oven. I did not season or oil – plenty of seasoning and oils from the rest of the meal!

Boil noodles according to package instructions. Make them al dente; don’t over-cook. Strain, rinse with cold water. Strain again. Set aside.

Now the yummy part! Take your butter and flour and mix together in a sauce pan over medium heat. USE A WHISK! This makes a delicious roux. Don’t let it get TOO brown, but you want to do this for a good base flavor.

Reduce the heat to medium low, add milk, and mix until combined. Wait a minute for the temperature to drop because you don’t want your egg to cook! Keep whisking.

Start slowly adding your cheese. You could add even more than I recommended. Add all but ¼ cup of the cheddar (reserve that for the topping).

Once all the cheese is good and mixed in, you should begin to feel excited, very excited about the creamy delectableness. Add salt and pepper and a bit of cayenne, if desired. Paprika or cinnamon would also be good here. Taste it. Make sure it tastes good. This is an important step people – do NOT skip it! Whisk again.

Pull the sweet potatoes out of the oven. You want them to still be pretty firm, like the texture of an apple. Add the sweet potatoes AND the noodles to the sauce deliciousness. Mix up. Put in 8×8 baking dish.

Sprinkle the reserved cheddar on top and about ¼ to ½ cup of pecans – however many you like!

Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes.

Note: When you pull it out, it WILL BE JIGGLY! That’s okay – it’s because it’s creamy. Wait 5-10 minutes then serve and devour!

Please be sure to invite friends. (Editor’s note: I didn’t receive an invite. I demand an invite. De-Mand.) This will keep you from eating the whole pan in one sitting by yourself. Your friends will never forgive you for making them the best mac n cheese of their lives. Also serve with veggies.

I didn’t get many good pictures because I had people over and we dove in too fast… SORRY!

-Kat

***

Oh Kat… why must she make me drool from my hotel room? Whatever. I have more fro-yo for dessert. 24 degree temps, be damned.

Have you ever been inspired by something you ate at a restaurant, and then liked yours better?

How often do you pay attention to YOURSELF?

Strange But Good Blends + Cocoa-Cayenne Sweet Potato Oatmeal

January 25, 2013 By Laura

I’m slow sometimes.

Ok, a lot of times… especially in the morning.

Last year was the first time I’d ever heard the term “Blend.” Now I have some amazing blends. These people continually inspire me, push my thinking, and are some of the best friends I’ve ever had.

My Blend, Kat, writes a bi-weekly a guest post on this blog. Yesterday she included a recipe for Cocoa-Cinnamon-Cayenne Roasted Sweet Potatoes. I wanted them for breakfast… so I blended her recipe with a breakfast many of you have daily – oatmeal – to start my day with a strange but good treat!

If you are volume eater (and I am), you’ll especially love this. The sweet potato and the egg whites fluff this up so it’s like a giant bowl of sweet potato custard! The cocoa is more a secondary flavor – I didn’t want to be straight up eating dessert – but you could add more if you want.

Don’t be afraid of the cayenne. Start with a little and go from there. The hint of heat on the end of eat bite is a fun surprise to the palate!

Cocoa-Cayenne Sweet Potato Oatmeal

1/4 C oatmeal
1/4 C mashed sweet potato
2 tsp cocoa
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne (adjust to your liking)
1/2 tsp maple extract
1/2 C egg whites (optional)
Optional toppings: ground flax, cacao nibs, and blueberries

Cook oatmeal as usual.

Meanwhile, mix together sweet potato, cocoa, cinnamon, and maple extract (you could also use vanilla) in a small bowl. You may need to add water to keep it moist.

When oats are just down, stir in sweet potato mixture until well-combined. If using, add egg whites. Stir constantly to ensure that eggs are well-incorporated and don’t become scrambled.

Transfer to bowl, add toppings, and enjoy!

One of my best blends, Heather, made a Strange But Good recipe that was linked up here a couple of weeks ago! Our other best blend, Heather 2, created this scrumptious Lip Smackin’ Vegan Mac, which Heather 1 used to top her burrito stuffings. Strange but awesome!

I cannot WAIT to try this recipe!

Speaking of Blends… registration opens for the Blend Retreat opens SUNDAY! ~~Doesn’t someone want to sponsor me?~~

Check out the site. Register. Trust me. This was the BEST retreat I’ve ever been on . Lindsay, Janetha, and Katie did a fantastic job getting sponsors, organizing activities, and leaving enough down time for us to all get to know each other.

It’s also where I fell in love with Heather!

Alright, my strange but good blends… show me your weird food!

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.

In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

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Thank you all sooooo much for all of the kind words about the adventure race. This weekend… I’m resting. 🙂

What is your favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes?

Are you going to Blend???

Be Weird

January 24, 2013 By Laura

I’m no stranger to weird.

Or strange… but good!

When I saw the title of Kat’s guest post today I grinned. This girl rocks my weird world. You know it’s a sign of a good friend with a 3 hour trail run/hike flies by.

What doesn’t fly by is the soreness after a long day of exercise. After that run and then this past weekend’s race I am no stranger to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). But I do have a solution! Or… a relief strategy. Some of you will think it’s weird but…

Seriously. If you can keep moving, that soreness will move on out. The day after my 8 hour race I walked 3 miles and jogged 1. By Monday I was back in the gym with my trainer. It’s not a miracle cure, but it DOES help.

Note: Be smart – if it’s beyond normal soreness, you have a strain or an injury, or you are sick REST is what you need. If you are just tight, walk it out!

Enough about me… read on for my weird friend Kat and her killer Strange But Good recipe.

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BE WEIRD, TAKE CHANCES, BE YOURSELF!

Let your spirit move you!!!! Do things that inspire you! That is my theme this week, this year, this lifetime.

I’m going to San Francisco today. It’s my first time as an actual tourist there. I used to go to California for wrestling tournaments in college. Read: All I saw were the insides of hotels and gyms. This time I will be going wine tasting, cheese tasting, and running a trail race on Sunday!! The Steep Ravine trail run (only the 25K distance I think) will be my favorite part! *sounds steep* (Editor’s note: Only 25k?! Kat is a trail running beast.)

I have learned to travel the world and make time for friends you haven’t seen in ages and some great, beautiful races. I will see my friend Jaime, from college (see her blog – Event Crashing at its finest ), who is amazing, and a few other friends. Jaime is the kind of friend you can take your hairless cats to a laser show with. No, that’s not a joke. We did that.

Jaime and I a couple years ago at Dave & Busters

Jaime and I a couple of years ago at Dave & Busters

When I was little, the last thing I wanted to be was weird. Now I embrace it! I think it is one of the reasons I take to Laura. She embraces her unique weirdness just like I do. (Editor’s note: Awwww! I heart you.)

A huge part of enjoying life, for me, is taking chances, doing things I’ve never done before, and being totally okay doing everything and anything that moves me. It creates more smiles, and more smiles means less stress! So let’s get out of the box today and share things that make us weird, happy, and stress-free, and brings a smile to your face. All photos were taken within the last two years.

Ride your bike 100 miles wearing a lei

Do Yoga Poses Anywhere and everywhere – let people stare!

Volunteer to model for a friend.. then become the cover of their look book

Run as far as you can through the woods… surprise yourself

The point of all this is… is that you must have random, fun, sporadic and unique moments in order to make the most out of life. Life is not meant to be suffered through, it’s meant to be enjoyed. That is why I spent a lot of time doing things that are outside of my comfort zone (or used to be).

Other things that make me smile include uncommongoods.com. I could browse that site ALL day! Amazing stuff like this:

Yes, that’s right

And just as good as weird, fun, and sporadic moments are – weird, fun and sporadic foods help you smile! I know, I know, another recipe.. but I have been cooking a LOT. (Editor’s note: That is encouraged here 🙂 )

After my amazing training day with Laura, I made dinner for my friend Martha. A cocoa rubbed pork tenderloin with … dun dun dun… Cocoa Cinnamon Cayenne (CCC) Sweet Potatoes (feel free to ask for the pork tenderloin recipe.. but honestly, they’re all the same).

Cocoa Cinnamon Cayenne (CCC) Sweet Potatoes

Cocoa Powder – 1/4 cup
Cinnamon – 1.5 tbsp or so
Cayenne – 3 tsp-ish
White pepper – a sprinkle
Salt – a couple sprinkles
Sweet potatoes

I used two types of sweet potatoes – regular and Japanese. I coated them in melted coconut oil (~2 tbsp), and tossed them in the CCC mixture. Disclaimer: I never actually measure

Place in a 375* oven for ~20 mins, stir, leave again (~20 mins).

They are absolutely delish! Ask Martha.

Serve with a homemade apple chutney (this was amazing… you can also ask for that recipe if you want… lots of mustard seeds… more savory than sweet).

Sweet potatoes finished in dish

The way I cook is….

…whatever I feel & the way my spirit moves me.

The best part of all of this… the recipe, cooking for friends, and randomness… is that a random and happy life is just that… a happy life!

When you live inspired, you will inspire others.

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I love this post by Kat… I’m inspired daily by her determination and “can do” attitude. Time to get inspired in the kitchen for tomorrow’s Strange But Good link up! I hope you will all join! 🙂

What recently inspired you? Have you done something inspired/out-side the box?

Tell me something really positive!

Setting the Tone for a New Year + Amazing Kitchen Mistakes

January 10, 2013 By Laura

Life is full of failures.

I am going to discuss one on Monday, in fact.

Sometimes they are happy accidents! One of my favorite stir-frys happened because I couldn’t figure out how to use my spiralizer. This Indian Ginger Tempeh Stir-Fry happened when I wanted zucchini pasta but failed to spiralize:

Or how about last week when I accidentally sprouted a spaghetti squash I’d planned for my meal? That forced me to come up with this Sweet Potato Chicken Salad Strange But Good (don’t forget tomorrow’s link up!) creation:

Breaking my jaw playing roller derby was a fail… but without that experience I would have never come up with one of my favorite oatmeal discoveries: Blueberry Pie. Made smooth enough to slurp thanks to an immersion blender.

Jaw-breaking in action.

Or how about when you leave for vacation thinking you’re going to Argentina, but end up in Chile? That was one FUN fail!

All that said, don’t be too discouraged by fails. Trust in what will be and happy accidents you shall see.

And now I’ll shut up and let Kat tell you about hers!

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Because I blog bi-weekly, this is my first opportunity to say, “Happy New Year!”

I had an A-typical New Year’s Eve, which I used to help me set the tone for the year. I went to a hot yoga class that lasted from 10:30pm-12:15am. Yep, meditating, thinking about goals, who I am, who I have been, and who I want to be this year. It was amazing! I felt centered, and was happy to bring in the New Year thinking about health, community, and grounded-ness. (Editor’s note: Remind me to do this next year.)

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.

I want to share a couple of my goals, so you all can partially hold me accountable. First, I want to say, “No,” more often – in work, in family, and in social aspects of my life. This seems easy for a lot of people, but it give me knots in my stomach just to think about possibly disappointing someone.

This goal is in support of my second goal, to stop stretching myself so thin. I tend to take on way too much, and some things I do become a little bit less “quality.” So, in order to enjoy what I do more, and to have more quality, I have to reduce quantity. These are lofty goals. I also started a journal for the first time since I was 12, to help keep me working towards my goals and thinking about them often.

I later got to celebrate with a holiday party, a West Side Story theme. I got to get all dolled-up, and I was SO excited to get dressed up and dance the night away. My feet and legs were definitely sore afterwards!

I’m also back on track with all of my runs and work outs. I didn’t mention it, but December was rough for me and threw me through a loop.

I’ve also been cooking at home like a madwoman! I had a New Years Day party with mocktails and healthy food to start the New Year catching up with a few friends.

Many didn’t make it due to hangovers and being out way too late, but it was still fun! The mocktails were delicious, but too sweet, and kept me up all night from sugar! I made Indian food, pop-corn (Kat-classic), and a number of other fun dishes with lots of fresh fruit and veggies.

Eating and cooking more at home, for me, means many unplanned meals, sometimes just throwing whatever I have in my fridge together, and last week, amazing kitchen mistakes!

I was making dinner for a friend this week, and I had left over quinoa and brown rice, extra fresh broccolini, kale, and sweet potatoes, and some random tofu. So I just got started, and this is what ended up happening:

Amazing Kitchen Mistake

I sautéed the veggies with fresh ginger and garlic, re-heated the quinoa/brown rice combo (about 75% quinoa, 25% brown rice), and felt like the dish needed something else. Tofu. The tofu preparation was the amazing mistake. I wanted to sort of “fry” it, so I coated it with some brown rice flour mixed with cayenne, salt, and white pepper. I carefully coated each cube and placed it on a plate for frying. But I totally forgot cornstarch! This would have gotten the flour mixture to stick to the tofu and fry properly. Instead, when I put it in the hot coconut oil, the flour started to stick to the bottom, and it wasn’t going very well.

So, to save the tofu, I took part of a box of Trader Joe’s Carrot Ginger Soup and poured some in the pan with the tofu, stirred and scrambled the tofu with the soup and flour mixture, let it simmer, and made THE most delicious scrambled tofu I have ever had. (Editor’s note: will you plase make me a mistake too?)

Amazing Tofu Carrot-Ginger Scramble (Mistake)

1 block firm Tofu, 1 in cubes (which are later scrambled)
½ C brown rice flour
Salt, Cayenne and White Pepper to taste
2 T Coconut Oil (for frying)
~ ½ cup of Carrot-Ginger Soup (Trader Joe’s or Imagine Brand)

Follow the directions above and serve with the brown rice/quinoa mixture and sautéed veggies! This was definitely a healthy meal too!

It feels good to give. I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t also say that I’m donating blood today. It’s SO important. I also tend to be low-iron so I’ve had an iron-packed diet this week.

Note some things you should eat to pump up your iron (Editor’s note: I read this in an Arnola accent):

Sunflower seeds
Sun-dried tomatoes
Lentils
Raisins
Black beans
Pumpkin seeds

All of these give you almost as much iron as a big steak, and is less harmful to your body if you ingest too much iron because they contain nonheme iron. They also give you more per serving than the dark, leafy greens that are often recommended. If you eat whatever, nothing can compare to the iron-filled foods like liver, clams and mussels. And don’t forget dark chocolate and cocoa powder! Check out their nutrition facts for confirmation!

Additionally, I have a theory about blood donation for my own health. I think it promotes cell-regeneration throughout my own body! Do something good for others, while doing something good for yourself!

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I echo Kat’s thoughts on the importance of blood donation. My dad suffered from cancer for 4.5 years and made it as long as he did largely in part to blood, platlet, and bone marrow doners. Click here for more info on becoming a marrow donor. It only takes a cotton swab!

What amazing kitchen mistakes have you had that you want to share?

How do you get re-centered when you have an “off” month?

Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash + Holiday Amazingness

December 27, 2012 By Laura

Mind-readers scare me.

No, I didn’t go to a psychic to find out of the world would really end.

My friend a bi-weekly guest blogger (Kat), sent me her post last night and it appears we have been miles apart but on the same wavelength.

In the past, Kat has blogged about yoga, running + nutrition, and even homemade peppermint mochas! I really excited that today she’s sharing her first entree recipe. This girls loves food just as much as I do.

I’m at the gym working off my cookies, complete with a new top thanks to ~~my mom~~ Santa…

Top by Lucy

…and with a new toy! A fitbit one to replace my old ultra:

I hope you enjoy Kat’s first recipe today – while I haven’t had the pleasure of eating this dish (yet), I can tell from the pics and ingredient list that it’s a great, clean way to bring us into the New Year!

Who relaxes during the holidays?!?!

Yeah, I didn’t either. I think I raced through the holidays!

Recap. I flew into Orlando for a party on Friday (my mom had an end of the world party – she is such a hippie), worked all day Saturday, traveled over an hour to Dad’s on Sunday, Dad’s parents Monday night (for the first time in almost a decade), Tuesday with Mom and then later to her mom’s, and later to my sister’s boyfriend’s family. Talk about a holiday marathon (many of you know the drill)… but I have so much to be grateful for and it really felt like Christmas for me this year. Nevertheless, glad to be home!

This had my whole family laughing…even my dad.

It can be hard to keep up, but it’s also nice to catch up with family, have some sister love, and enjoy the holiday spirit with old and new friends. I managed to keep up my runs, and get plenty of quality time.

Honestly, none of the time would have been quality because I would have been completely mentally unbalanced without my runs. It just gets my head in the right place. Man, Laura and I have a similar philosophy… she recently wrote about having no excuses NOT to work out recently! (Editor’s note: You can click here to check that out). I even got to run through my old neighborhood – yeah, the one I grew up in. It’s crazy that what felt like a long run when I was 15 (about 3 miles) felt like such a short run to me today!

Holiday Run Time – Getting your head in order! No excuses!

Keeping with Laura’s theme from her past few blogs about cleaning up your kitchen and the winter weigh in about letting yourself indulge in your favorites (without going overboard), I managed to keep a pretty healthy diet too!

It’s totally okay to let your family and friends know what you do and do not eat. (Editor’s note: Yes! And you’d be surprised how often they feel the same way!) My mom, sister, and I told my Grammy we wanted to eat light and healthy, and that’s exactly what she did for Christmas lunch/brunch! She put up a wonderful spread of super healthy food. I also made it through without any dreaded gluten mistakes!

Christmas Brunch at Grammy’s

Needless to say, I have also been having meals at home that feel like winter indulgences but are also SUPER healthy! My first – real – recipe to share. Firstly, I LOVE squash, all squash, so it was hard to decide which “recipe” to share. But, I have been into stuffing my squashes lately, and acorn squash is a great size for stuffing – with almost anything, I would argue!

I always think of quinoa as a summer-y light and healthy meal, but made the right way, it can be comforting and winter-y too! I made this for a friend last week, and it was satisfying and comforting, but keeping with the kitchen workout. (Editor’s note: Where’s MY quinoa?!)

Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 medium acorn squash
½ cup of quinoa
1 cup of water or vegetable stock
½ cup of mushrooms
¼ red onion
¼ cup frozen peas
Some chopped kale and/or arugula
Touch of cayenne
Maybes: thyme, basil, rosemary
Salt & Pepper to taste
Parmesan to top, and your pasta sauce of choice (I like Whole Foods’ 365 brand)

Disclaimer: I don’t actually measure anything when I cook so please take all of these as amazingly close guestimates as to what actually happens in the kitchen

There are two ways to roast the squash, depending on how you want to present. You can either chop the top off, scoop out the seeds, put the top back on and throw it in the oven… or just cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and throw it in the oven at about 375 (prettier presentation for two people).

Roast the squash first, and roast the squash about 20-30 minutes. While this is happening, cook your quinoa (boil water, add quinoa, 10 minutes pass, turn of the stove, leave the lid on until totally absorbed – basically follow the instructions on the box), and then sauté your onions, then add your mushrooms and frozen peas (and any other fresh veggies you have in your fridge), as well as your kale/arugula.

Combine all of your quinoa with the veggies, and add your spices and potentially herbs (I like thyme and rosemary for this one). Mix.

Remove the squash form the oven, stuff the mixture into the squash, top with a ton of Parmesan cheese and put it back in the oven at 375 for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese browns.

Remove and top with warm pasta sauce.

This is delicious, packed with protein from the quinoa, but low calorie and super filling!

I need to work on taking pictures of my food, and writing recipes (so feedback please!!!). But, I guarantee this will be a great way to switch up what you’re eating while bringing in some healthy New Year’s habits!

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Don’t forget tomorrow’s 3rd #strangebutgood link up! Click here for the details, and grab the image below to share in your post:

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Did you make a point tell anyone what you needed to eat/not eat for the holidays?

What is your favorite squash?

How to Run 50 Miles Through the Woods + Nutrition

December 13, 2012 By Laura

Strange is good.

Sometimes… I’ve had some questionable encounters…

Tomorrow’s Strange But Good link up will certainly be good! I hope you guys will all come check it out and link up a dish you’ve had lately that may seem strange, but it quite good. In case you missed it, click here for details/rules.

In the meantime, Kat is back today with her bi-weekly guest spot. This post is all about something I think is strange: running 50 miles. LOL! Clearly, a good thing. I totally admire her, and all of you endurance athletes out there!

Here’s Kat…

As I finished up my finals week and went into finishing my papers, I thought a lot about my study breaks and writing for fun. I realized that these past couple of weeks have been a lot about pacing myself and doing just what I need to keep going and do my best from start to finish. These past couple of weeks have really reminded me what it takes to run 50 miles.

Everything I say in this post will be a metaphor for life. There is ~~probably~~ definitely a way to apply every principle from a 50 mile race into life because a 50 mile race IS living. You feel every possible human emotion, even ones that you didn’t know existed or that you can’t describe, you meet a ton of people along the way who help you in some way, and you learn both your limits and how strong you can be.

I’ve only done it once, but it was awesome. September 22, this year, I ran the Georgia Jewel, the 50-mile option. When you wake up way before daylight to run through the woods, and will encounter obstacles you can’t even anticipate, there are a ton of feelings. You don’t know when the ups and downs (oh, and the hills), the obstacles yet to come will be or how long it will take you, so the only thing you can really feel is excitement, nervousness, and anticipation, both good and bad. You don’t know what kind of people you will meet, or whether you will spend a lot of time out there alone or with others, so all you can do is just… GO. (apply to life)

I mostly knew I was determined to have a great time and enjoy the ride, so I took a lot of pictures… (Editor’s note: clearly Kat was meant to be a blogger.)

It was BEAUTIFUL!

At the start of the race, you clearly need to be fueled, but not too full. It’s best to take it easy, but make sure you get a good placement so you don’t get lost in the back. I’ll talk about the nutrition and what I ate toward the end of the post… it’s vital to surviving this kind of race. Be fueled, but don’t overdo it.

So we started. It was DARK for the first few hours. You can’t see all the rocks, or even your feet, so all you can really do is be careful, and follow single-file on the single-track trail. I spent a great deal of this time listening to the voice of the person in front of me, getting to know them, and just kept going. I had to remind myself not to go too fast, even though excitement told me otherwise. I was so excited at the beginning. I was laughing, talking, and definitely had a pep in my step. Then at mile 10, we took in a little nutrition, and kept on going! This is the first time where you can really pass or fall back, make a move, hang back, get your bearings, and back onto the trails.

The next 7 miles for me were great… I met someone who I felt like I could really open up to and be real with, talk to about raw, real experiences and the depths of who I am. He was someone I could expose myself to, knowing I may or may not ever see him again. I mostly passed other people during this part of the race, while getting real with myself about how I was feeling, and what I thought my limits might be, even though I wasn’t really sure since it was early on (insert metaphor for life).

After a quick change of socks at mile 17, I kept going. I hit mile 18 – the farthest I had ever run before – and I kept going. AMAZING. Around mile 19, I hooked up with someone else who made me feel really good about myself, and we stuck together through the toughest hill of the race up to mile 25. We hiked up to the half way point together, laughing and talking, and when we got there, we felt AMAZING. This was followed by a very disappointing first couple of steps down. We made it to the highest elevation point of the race and I all of the sudden was afraid I wouldn’t be able to finish (insert life metaphor) because my knee got in my way.

I had to make a conscious and deliberate decision to push my limits, and I kept going, on my own. Along the next 5 miles, to avoid thinking about my own pain, I spent my time encouraging every other runner/hiker/human I saw. I just kept cheering with a smile on my face, hoping I wouldn’t be able to think about my own pain (this is SUCH a me thing to do). I spent the next several miles running by myself, and running into people who were really starting to struggle, but I kept it up.

At mile 32, another rest stop, I was greeted by some amazing SAG people. They helped me to sit for a minute, and asked me what I wanted. I had just been going and going, trying to feel nothing, unsure of myself, and I had no idea. I got it together, and put in my iPod for the first time, and there was nothing to do but try to finish! This is when it got REALLY hard.

By mile 41, I really thought I would not finish. I was 10 hours into this race, and my knee was killing me. Then a stranger came along. This stranger for whatever reason, believed I wasn’t done, and basically convinced me to come with him. The last ten miles are pretty hard to believe. I can only tell you, I saw one really angry man (a friend of mine), another man I barely knew cry, another man throw up, and another man so distraught because his kids might not see him finish because he wasn’t sure he could. I didn’t feel so hot myself, and we were all in it together. It was RAW. At mile 48.5, I sat down in the middle of the trail. Yep, sat. I still didn’t think I could do it. People started to pass me. (insert and remind yourself of the life metaphor again)

Although the 12 hours of trails had gotten me down, something inside me realized I was stronger than I thought I was. I reminded myself of the light inside me and began to skip. Skipping was way less painful than running, AND it put a smile on my face. After over 12.5 hours, I skipped across the finish line with a smile on my face, and received my award. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Now I know, and was able to prove it to myself.

I carry this race into my daily life, and have signed up for an even more intense challenge to learn even more about myself. The Georgia Death Race. 60 miles & 30,000 feet of elevation change. It will likely take me longer and beat me down more than the Jewel, but hopefully only to make me even stronger.

Now, probably the more informative, and less life-changing portion (or maybe it is) — the Nutrition.

For 12 hours, you have to think that you’re eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus some for all the calories you burn. No, I personally don’t break it down to a science because of my go-with-the-flow-ness… BUT I fuel as I go.

Throughout the day, I ate the following:

Breakfast: Shake w/ Juice, Greek Yogurt, and Protein Power + small cup of coffee
Mile 7ish: small 90 calorie Lara Bar
Mile 10: 3 M&Ms, a handful of chips, and about 4 oz of electrolyte replacement drink
Mile 17: a couple of small potatoes dipped in salt, a few M&Ms, and about 1/2 of a fuji apple (about 4 oz of electrolyte replacement)
Mile 21.5: GU gel
Mile 25: a couple of small potatoes dipped in salt, one apple slice.
Mile 32: a full Lara bar and a couple of apple slices, some electrolyte replacement
Mile 37ish: forced myself to have about a half of a GU
Mile 41: some coconut water and a couple potato chips (I was SICK of food by now)
Mile 45: some ginger chews (I was nauseated)
WATER CONSUMPTION: approximately 20oz every 7 miles… slow and steady flow of water throughout the day. I just kept one hand-held water bottle.

Like I said, it was NOT scientific, but it felt perfect for my body giving me sugars, carbs, salt, and electrolytes, as protein is not easily digestible and used for fuel. (Editor’s note: the ginger chew idea is brilliant!) I ended the day with some simple grilled chicken with nothing on it, and a soy café au lait (Editor’s note: why am I not surprised you had a coffee?). It’s all I had in me to drink/eat.

Sorry this post was so long, but running 50 miles is long! Cheers to 50-mile life races!!

Work hard, and it pays off. Enough said. (Editor’s note: True story.)

***

I’m convinced there’s nothing Kat can’t do… and I’m REALLY excited to be one of her SAGs for the Death Race!

What challenges have changed your life?

What is your favorite metaphor for life?

Balance for the Holidays

November 29, 2012 By Laura

I laughed when I opened this post.

I swear we didn’t plan this.

Kat is back with her bi-weekly spot. It focuses on balance over the holidays…. and it rounds out perfectly this week of posts focusing on holiday survival.

Are you with me the on the #KitchenWorkout?

Most of my posts have been about clean eating and balancing it out with some treats. Leave it to Kat to keep me honest on the mental front. It’s not always easy with all we have going on, holiday family visits, and end of the year thing at work!

Don’t neglect yourself – keeping a healthy mental state will benefit you and everyone around you. 😉

Here’s Kat…

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I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday! Mine was unreal! As usual, I had a TON of work to do, but I was in Hawaii. This felt like a conundrum at first… but I gave myself the “in the long run” pep talk and knew what I needed this trip was balance!

My sister, Kristyn, lives in Hawaii, and because of the cost of travel, she rarely gets visitors. So, my mom moved Thanksgiving to Hawaii this year!! I had never been, so I was especially excited to visit my sister, see the island, and celebrate one of my favorite holidays! My friend Jimmy also came along for the ride!

All in all, I give the trip an A! The grade is based on the fact that I got a lot of work done, and was also able to spend a couple of care-free days enjoying myself and time with my family.

Whale Watching

Hawaii is NOT really a place for foodies. However, it IS really a place for active folk!

I don’t know how many miles I swam in the ocean. Yes, miles. (Editor’s Note: I cannot even imagine doing this… you rock, Kat.) I also got to run more than I should have (poor IT band, sometimes it hates me for how much I love to run), and got in hours of surfing! All of this helped to keep off the thanksgiving lbs we all tend to rack up!

I hadn’t surfed in almost 10 years, but after a quick lesson from my sister’s boyfriend on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I was back up and at it! Surfing so early in the trip was perfect because not only was it a blast, but it also helped me bring balance into the rest of my trip.

I’m nerdy and metaphorical (Editor’s Note: It’s part of her charm), but after falling a couple of times, and remembering to get up and try again to keep my balance, I knew I would make it through the trip alive, and that I would be able to keep this balance thing going! (I also did some yoga on the long board.)

So after swimming a few miles in the ocean after surfing, I took my Monday to work. Almost 8 hours at Coffee Gallery in Haliewa, HI. I got all of the research for my independent study done, and then had an awesome dinner with my mom and sis, and a fun Thanksgiving trip to Whole Paycheck – yep, they’re all over the island! Besides the fact that my sister kept poking fun at me for being the only chick in Hawaii swimming in a one piece, this balance thing already felt good.

Tuesday I spent the day with my big brother (I mean, my sister’s boyfriend, John). It was AWESOME. We hiked up Koko Head. 1,200 feet of elevation gain in 1 kilometer. It was so much fun and beautiful up top, with 360 views of the southeast side of the island.

Afterwards there was more swimming and lunch. Later that day I got another opportunity to sneak in some work!

Koko Head

Wednesday was one of my favorite days, randomly enough. I spent the day with my sister at work. She works at Starbucks, so I could work on my 35-page independent study all day, and see her, meet all of her friends, and get a run in.

It went pretty well up until about oh, 7 miles into my run, when I realized I was 5 miles from where I needed to be, my IT band wouldn’t let me run another step, and I had to flag down a cop to pick me up and drive me most of the way back into town because the cab I called couldn’t find me. You follow? Yes, ride in the back of a cab car in Hawaii. If only I had a picture of that! This day still felt balanced because of the assortment of randomness and the work that got done! (Editor’s Note: Only you… 😉 )

Thanksgiving also rocked! We surfed in the morning, and I got to spend a bunch of time working while my mom and sister cooked up most of our amazing feast. I made gluten-free stuffing. However, I made another contribution that I am eternally sorry for – popcorn. Yes, I broke a tooth on a kernel and am off to the dentist today to see what can be done. Yikes!

Sisters contemplating the waves

The trip was certainly balanced, and I feel more connected to my sister than ever. Amazing! How lucky to get to swim, surf, and run for a week in Hawaii!?! Thanks mom!

Now, I am in the throws of finals, and hope you all wish me luck in the coming weeks, as I finish the two papers and conquer business tax! Balance might even be more important this week!

***

I know jealously is unattractive… but I am insanely jealous of Kat on this trip! 🙂

How do you remind yourself to stay balanced?

Last dental problem that you caused yourself? (Editor’s Note: I cracked a tooth on a hard nut in a piece of carrot cake on Thanksgiving… but the worst was breaking my jaw.)

YO-RUN-GA and One Chore a Day

November 1, 2012 By Laura

Who’s sick of my repetitive posting?

I know I am!

Today we have my friend Kat back (see her intro post here) to talk about how she fits it all in. As I said before, she may be the only person I know who’s even busier than I am. Today she has so great tips on how she does it all, and encouragement for those of us who struggle to stretch (I have TERRIBLE discipline here!).

Meanwhile, I’ll be eating asparagus and packing for this weekend’s competition! And packing my post-competition treat of choice:

$15 nut butter. I think I earned this one.

________________________________________________________________________________________

I’ve been so excited to post again! Ever since my first post, I’ve been brainstorming, writing down ideas, taking pictures of my food and random self portraits, like me in a mirror at the Stonewall Bar Association Awards dinner on Thursday night (who am I?).

I have a TON to share with you guys, but I will have to pace and limit myself. Really, I should write a novel, but who has the time!?

If I learned anything from my 30-day-challenge, I learned it was super hard to fit in as much running as I like while doing at least one yoga class a day. Solution? Yo-RUN-ga.

Yes, running incorporated with yoga. I had to run commute the 5-ish miles to and from yoga, or show up to yoga about 30-45-minutes early, throw my mat down, and go for a short run. I also made a couple of run dates immediately after yoga to make sure I fit them in. I had to cut back to running about 40 miles per week during the challenge, but I would be insane without running. As most of you know (and some have pointed out), you make time for what’s important.

Like I tell my sister when I give her a pep talk, you don’t have to run/walk/workout/lift for an hour to get a workout. You can spend 15 or 30 minutes, and you’re still beating someone who is sitting on the couch!

A friend of my from my Ultra-running group, GUTS, had a status update one day that said “Yo-RUN-Ga”… I didn’t get it.

My thoughts exactly: “I would never do yoga. I don’t like it, I don’t have the patience for it.” (Editor’s note: That is my sentiment toward yoga!) And look at me now!

My attempt at a self portrait after running to yoga last week.

What changed? That friend who started to yo-run-ga got me to come to her yoga studio, Atlanta Hot Yoga (yes, all the classes are hot, even the flow classes—I don’t like classes that aren’t hot). I started on a 20-day Groupon, and I was HOOKED! I realized that yoga is really great for ANY athlete. I was stretching for the first time (a lot of runners are notorious for lack of stretching), I was sweating my ASS off (a clean sweat), it caused an increase in my metabolism, an upping my immune system, and I was “coming down” for a minute. Honestly, it’s an escape, where I just think about my breath, and not my go-go-go lifestyle.

I also set an intention as part of my practice, which helps me to work on things I typically wouldn’t just work on—patience, seeing beauty in myself and others, accepting imperfections, getting out of my comfort zone, “just being here”—sitting with a feeling that might be uncomfortable and accepting it, and being grounded and strong.

Besides, run-commuting to yoga, work, and various other places, one of the other major time-savers that I practice is one-chore-a-day. I don’t know when or how it started but it works!

I almost never have to clean my whole apartment. (Editor’s note: Good… can you come clean mine?) Sometimes my one chore is as small as picking up my bedroom, emptying the dishwasher (my least favorite chore ever), a load of laundry, a quick sweep of the floor. If you make a decision to do ONE chore a day, whenever you do a bigger clean, it is much more manageable and takes far less time. Cleaning the bathtub is a prime example of something that if you put off too long will take twice the amount of time. (Soap scum gets stickier over time, doesn’t it!?!) I get to mine at least once every week and a half, and it takes me about 5 minutes to thoroughly clean.

This really helped me last weekend when I had to go to three yoga classes, shop for a bridesmaid dress for my cousin’s wedding, attend a wedding in Tennessee (my beautiful friend Kelly is a WIFE!!), and still get all my school work and other work in! Yay for a clean kitchen and freshly mopped floors! Although, what I really need to do is give my cats a bath! Seriously, they’ve been giving me the, “Mom, we need some more attention, please,” faces all too frequently lately!

I am already looking forward to my next post! You have no idea the amazingness of the 15-page single-spaced Word document with ideas that has accumulated on my computer! All fun stuff! I hope you want to tune-in again!

In the coming two weeks, I will be dog-sitting for a friend, taking the MPRE, going to Arizona to bridesmaid for my cousin’s wedding, writing a 14 page paper and a 35 page paper, and still going to class and working. AYE!!!!! But I seriously love the way I feel when I get it all done! Yay for sleep! (Editor’s note: And having a celebration dinner with me!!!)

***

Kat’s Questions:

What keeps you sane when you are busy? Running? Comfort Food?

What is your least favorite chore?

Have you ever tried something you didn’t think you would like and end up loving it!?

Are you totally excited to hear about Laura’s competition next week!?!??!

Awareness in the Long Run + Sweet Potato-Pecan Mac N Cheese

Sweet Potato-Pecan Baked Mac ‘n Cheese

Strange But Good Blends + Cocoa-Cayenne Sweet Potato Oatmeal

Cocoa-Cayenne Sweet Potato Oatmeal

Be Weird

Setting the Tone for a New Year + Amazing Kitchen Mistakes

Amazing Tofu Carrot-Ginger Scramble (Mistake)

Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash + Holiday Amazingness

Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash

How to Run 50 Miles Through the Woods + Nutrition

Balance for the Holidays

YO-RUN-GA and One Chore a Day

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