tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46832953127981224932024-03-19T03:35:42.725-04:00Clean Eating MachinesMostly clean, a little green, and lots of RUNNING in between!
This is what "clean eating" means to me.Clean Eating Machinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223723807274488155noreply@blogger.comBlogger462125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-45685898012913821042019-04-25T12:26:00.000-04:002019-04-25T12:26:08.987-04:00Clean Eating mac & cheeseThis is not a typical elbow-pasta-slathered-in-orangey-cheese-topped-with-buttery-crumbs kind of mac & cheese. But it still ranks mighty high on the decadence scale, without the side of guilt. The recipe comes from the March 2012 issue of Clean Eating Magazine, which accompanied me to Chicago. With a few minor tweaks, I was able to make this gluten-free so The H could enjoy it, too. Because it'd be pretty rude of me to make dinner for the family and then stuff my face in front of him while he looked on forlornly (and hungrily), don't you think?<br />
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<b>Clean Eating Mac & Cheese</b><br />
<i>from Clean Eating Magazine, Vol. 5 Issue 2</i><br />
<i>serves 4</i><br />
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I had a really great [camera phone] picture to post, but it was deleted before I could have The H send it to me. Alas, you're stuck looking at this dimly-lit, slightly unfocused version.<br />
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The broccoli and red pepper, not usually one of my favorites, were vegetation perfection in this meal. After a few bites, The H and I agreed that we could've done without the beans, though--too smooshy. However, we both think adding some cooked chicken would be delightful. The little guy was in a bad mood and pretty much refused to try this, even though it's packed full of things he usually loves. I'm sticking the kid-friendly tag on this anyway, because I truly believe if he was having a better day, he'd have asked for seconds of this one.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-77730710970439741372016-05-16T22:28:00.002-04:002019-04-25T12:24:30.441-04:00Hey there!Remember when I was complaining about not being in the shape I wanted to be?<br />
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So, we had a baby the next summer. :D And I'm <i>still </i>too fluffy for those shorts I was griping about! Now my days are spent running around after the new little fellow (a year old next month!), getting fresh air with him in our new jogging stroller, and going back and forth to help in my second grader's classroom. Once in awhile I'll pull out my blog for some meal ideas, but mostly I've been winging it.<br />
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One resource I always turn to is my copy of Squeaky Gourmet.<br />
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I love the recipes in this book because they're quick, clean, and easy. Sometimes the ingredients list doesn't make sense (where do I put in X, or what size container of Y?) but it hasn't been a deal breaker yet. This book is marked up with notes on things we've made, sticky bookmarks on things to try, and no doubt a few cooking splatters as well. When it's not open on my counter, I like to keep it in the car. It's paperback and very thin, so it's easy to slip into a seat pocket, and that way I can flip through it quickly in the grocery store or while I'm waiting in the school pickup line.<br />
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What's new with you?Clean Eating Machinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223723807274488155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-71018188387745795842014-06-29T18:52:00.000-04:002014-06-29T18:52:58.393-04:00Running more, weighing more?That is not how it should be! But alas, that's my fluffy reality. I've been running several days a week with my neighbor, who is a mom of three, and it's been so fantastic! But my stupid jeans remain tight, and don't get me started on the shorts that shrunk in storage over the winter. ;) My physical activity is in the right place with 5 weekly runs (20-30 miles per week) and yoga twice a week, so I'm spending time logging my food/exercise into My Fitness Pal to see where I'm going wrong. In the meantime, thank goodness for stretchy skirts and running clothes!Clean Eating Machinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223723807274488155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-60345587182652609722014-06-12T09:50:00.000-04:002014-06-12T09:50:38.067-04:00Juice!Grapefruit, pear, blueberries, tomato, carrots, celery, and one great little sous chef. This was a fun and tasty way to refuel after a 4ish mile run.<br />
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<br />Clean Eating Machinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223723807274488155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-49292371780256202652014-06-11T11:55:00.004-04:002014-06-11T11:55:57.033-04:00Summer has begun!At least, the <i>little guy's</i> summer vacation has begun. I feel a lot more work coming my way. Ha! I absolutely cannot believe he's a first-grader now. Just...wow. I might have to come up with a new nickname for him. We kicked off the season with a grocery-getting jogging-stroller run--man, that's hard now that he's so big! He turns six in a few weeks. Because it is summer, and I didn't have a school dropoff to make, I just didn't feel like getting up early to run. :p<br />
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We picked up some locally-made multigrain bread, a few fruits and veggies for dinners and juicing, and a bag of local tortilla chips to shuttle guacamole to our faces. Most importantly, we beat the rain that was headed our way, and I didn't have to wait for The H to come home before I could exercise. :)<br />
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Tomorrow's juice will be a concoction that includes melon (from the reduced rack--nice and sweet), carrot, tomato, grapefruit or lemon, celery, an old spotty pear, and maybe some cranberries.Clean Eating Machinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223723807274488155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-17215821146656648902014-05-29T13:11:00.001-04:002014-05-29T13:11:44.830-04:00Lunch is ready!A delicious way to refuel following a 5 mile run and 75 minute hot yoga class (after my "extreme peach" smoothie at the local deli next to the studio):<div>
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Strawberry caprese salad with garden basil, a touch of salami, heirloom tomatoes, chipotle olive oil, and blueberry balsamic vinegar. A little sweet, a little tart, with just a touch of salty zing. Fresh foods are so much fun in the summer!</div>
Clean Eating Machinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223723807274488155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-41007656759015633082013-11-20T21:28:00.001-05:002013-11-20T21:28:49.817-05:00Behold, my raw materialsThis is what I'm working with this week, in terms of fruits and veggies. Of course I'm filling in the blanks with quality proteins and carbs where applicable.<br />
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If I write down what I have to work with, it helps me remember what's lying around and prevents me from finding limp brown celery at the bottom of the crisper in a month. So far, we've only completely crossed off "kale" because I made a batch of <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2012/05/kale-with-quinoa-and-chickpeas.html">my one true love</a> for lunches. The little guy and I made great progress on the green beans, onion, mushrooms, and cucumber tonight, but haven't completely wiped them out yet. Our oven stopped working--it doesn't come up to temperature and smells like gas when it's on--so I'm trying my best to work with stovetop, slow cooker, Foreman grill, and microwave (last resort_ as much as possible. Lucky for me, little man prefers his veggies raw.<br />
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Tomorrow I plan to use the celery, remaining bit of onion, carrot, brussels, and last few mushrooms to make chicken noodle soup with some leftover frozen rotisserie chicken. The forecast shows more rain and the potential for my least-favorite weather EVER (hint: it rhymes with <i>NO</i>!) for the next few days, so it'll be a nice addition to the menu.<br />
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Got any brilliant ideas for sweet potatoes? My preferred prep is thinly sliced and baked/broiled, but that's obviously out. Clean Eating Machinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223723807274488155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-87243089868491007782013-11-04T23:03:00.000-05:002013-11-04T23:03:44.317-05:00Clean Eating Wheat BreadThe past few weeks around our house have been all about getting creative with the meat in the freezer, using the all the veggies languishing in the crisper, and making do with what we have. I've gotten tired of shopping when the first layer--the "good stuff"--gets used up, leaving the same old rock-hard roasts and soggy celery dreaming of their chance in the spotlight.<br />
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OK, maybe I'm dramatizing the contents of my kitchen just a little. But for real, we did need to start using what we already had. Some unexpected expenses this fall have made me very aware of where our money is going. Bonus, I've always loved the nerdy satisfaction of using something up completely, whether it's toothpaste or a loaf of bread. Maybe it reassures me that I can provide for my family without going overboard or leaving them up a creek. In the name of provision, tonight I found myself making bread. Because a hunk of frozen lunchmeat just isn't very tasty by itself.<br />
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As I was making this, and a loaf of GF bread for The H, I wondered why I got away from homemade bread to begin with. The recipes are so simple! They come together remarkably quickly. And they saved me about $10 off the grocery budget this week.<br />
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I posted a <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2010/07/whole-wheat-flubber.html">link to this bread</a> recipe years ago, but recently discovered it no longer works. Here is the recipe, from Clean Eating Magazine, with my minor tweaks at the end.<br />
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<b><b>Whole Wheat Bread</b></b><br />
3 cups whole wheat flour<br />
2 teaspoons yeast<br />
1 tsp kosher salt<br />
2 Tbsp honey<br />
2 Tbsp olive oil<br />
Warm water<br />
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Mix 1 3/4 cups warm water with the flour and yeast. Let this mixture rise until doubled in size, approximately 30 minutes. Add salt, honey, and oil to the dough and stir in completely; dough will be sticky. Let rise another 30 minutes, then knead or stir and let rise for 30min once more. Bake at 350* for 40 minutes. Slice and serve.<br />
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Tweaks: I know, from making this in the past, this has the texture of primordial ooze and will not tolerate kneading. It works well to simply punch/stir instead of kneading. Also, I moved 3/4 of the dough to a greased loaf pan before the final rise and made a flat focaccia out of the leftover. Tonight I was out of olive oil, but substituted blood orange infused oil with amazing results. Place a baking sheet under the loaf pan just in case.Clean Eating Machinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223723807274488155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-73651798617050622342013-10-30T22:36:00.002-04:002013-10-30T22:44:09.159-04:00CLEAN EATING MACHINES LIVES ON!After what feels like *AGES* of not being able to log in to this blog, my brilliant husband figured out how to get me up and running again. I'm <i><b>so very</b></i> <i><b>relieved</b></i> that I get to settle back in here and continue sharing the clean-eating love! There have been many times since my last log-in that I've wanted to jump on here and proclaim some awesome recipe/tip/workout to the blogosphere, but I couldn't. SO frustrating! But here I am again, still, and now I get to continue carrying on about delicious food, and running (marathon #4 is in the books), and the little guy--who, by the way, turned FIVE this summer and is in kindergarten! It's been a busy six months since I last posted, and I can't wait to start filling in the blanks.Clean Eating Machinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09223723807274488155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-89224164463248110172013-04-29T11:30:00.000-04:002013-04-29T11:30:01.191-04:00Meal plan for twoOnce again, The H is off exploring the wide wide world (Milwaukee is sooo exotic) so the little guy and I are enjoying some glutenriffic meals together. Here's what we have lined up this week:<br />
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<strong>Sunday</strong> - leftovers from a cookout with friends, including very early but very tasty sweet corn on the cob and strawberries<br />
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<strong>Monday</strong> - cheese tortellini or butternut ravioli with turkey meatballs, fresh green beans, mango<br />
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<strong>Tuesday</strong> - eggs and toast after running<br />
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<strong>Wednesday</strong> - I plan to go out with friends after yoga; little guy enjoys grandparent time <br />
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<strong>Thursday</strong> - lime quinoa or couscous, grilled salmon for me and chicken for the little guy, with a fresh veggie plate (carrots, bell pepper, green beans) and mango. The little guy prefers his veggies raw, which is a-ok with me.<br />
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<strong>Friday</strong> - pizza (pesto, goat cheese, fresh tomatoes, olives, local beef pepperoni)<br />
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My work lunches will be leftover kale-quinoa, yogurt, tomato-avocado salad, and hummus-on-whatever. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-65188158864297083942013-04-29T09:51:00.001-04:002013-04-29T09:51:18.310-04:00Digging outA few months ago I posted a giant whinefest of self pity. Good news: this is not another one. Even better, I'll keep this short and sweet, giving you the bullet points of what I've been doing to dig out of that waist-expanding hole:<br />
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1. Ran a half marathon<br />
2. Stopped eating multiple weekly cupcakes<br />
3. Invested more time in meal planning<br />
4. Registered for another marathon<br />
5. Joined some new people for long runs<br />
6. Cut back my drinks-with-dinner consumption<br />
7. Eating more good fats to feel satisfied longer and not mindlessly munch<br />
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After all this I am happy to report that my jeans fit better, though the number on the scale hasn't moved much. As long as my clothes fit like they should, I'm trying not to think too much about the number. Now that the weather is truly warming up, I'm looking forward to taking the dog on longer walks (he's 10 next week; can't keep up on my runs anymore), playing at the park with the little guy, and of course, beginning a marathon training plan in the middle of May.<br />
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Happy spring!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-32869136402309098532013-02-17T23:12:00.000-05:002013-02-17T23:12:16.078-05:00Meal planThis afternoon I spent a few hours making some lunch/dinner options for myself. The H has a short business trip this week, so I made <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2010/02/seriously-stunning-soup.html" target="_blank">this curried cauliflower soup</a> (spicy!) and a double batch of my beloved <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2012/05/kale-with-quinoa-and-chickpeas.html" target="_blank">kale-quinoa</a> to get me through most of the week without having to think too much about food prep. We had "House Chipotle"** for dinner, one of the little guy's favorites, which means 2) HE ATE SOMETHING and 2) I now have four more 2-cup portions of black beans in my basement freezer.<br />
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The dinner parts of our week will look like this:<br />
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<b>Sunday</b> - House Chipotle (**seasoned black beans, cilantro-lime rice, and shredded cheese...with diced tomatoes, salsa verde, and soft corn shells for The H and me)<br />
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<b>Monday</b> - tortellini in red sauce for the little guy, one of my soup portions for me with a hunk of naan<br />
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<b>Tuesday</b> - eggs on toast, fresh fruit, decaf coffee (after running group)<br />
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<b>Wednesday</b> - split pea soup with diced lean ham in the slow cooker<br />
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<b>Thursday</b> - GF pancakes for my men, one of my kale-quinoa bowls and an ahi tuna steak for me after running and yoga<br />
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<b>Friday</b> - GF pizza (excellent pre-long-run fuel!)<br />
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I've been enjoying real oatmeal with nuts, a fruit, chia seeds, and pure maple syrup for breakfast, but also bought a bag of spinach and some bananas so I can make a green shake to mix things up once in awhile. Happy eating!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-7322461524150658552013-02-15T20:32:00.001-05:002013-02-15T20:32:12.984-05:00Lesson learnedIn my quest to use our freezer stash of beef, tonight's dinner was lasagna. The grocery store didn't have the gluten free DeBoles noodles I've had great luck with before, so I took a chance on another brand--and won't do that again.<br />
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Tinkyada brown rice pasta lasagna noodles came out of the box semi-broken, were pain to cook (DeBoles are no-boil), and then proceeded to further fall apart afterward. And I even undercooked them a bit to account for oven time! I had to piece them together like a puzzle in the pan, and ended up short on the top layer because some stuck together. It was not a great end to my annoying stressful day.<br />
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However, the little guy *loved* it, which is so rare these days (yes, even if you start your kids eating healthfully, they CAN and likely WILL become picky eaters at some point!), and The H and I enjoyed it as well. We have half the 13x9 left for lunch on Sunday, so overall I suppose it turned out ok. We served this with roasted broccoli, which is always a win in my book.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-74536953577127260772013-02-12T16:30:00.000-05:002013-02-12T16:30:36.877-05:00Not just a dayRemember last month when I was griping about having a "fat day"? Yeah... it's turned into a fat month. Fitting that I'm posting about this on Fat Tuesday, huh? My clothes have been giving me a few FYIs lately, but apparently I've chosen to ignore them...and the scale, whose face doesn't lie no matter how much I beg it to pleaseplease<i>please</i> show a smaller number. I've become WAY too lax about having a treat once in awhile. Weekly trips to the cupcake shop at the corner (ahem: locally sourced desserts are still desserts!), a glass of wine or two with dinner several times a week, Bailey's in my coffee after dinner here and there--all these factors ADD UP. And they're taking their toll on my waistline and energy level. Blergh.<br />
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At this point I'm only a handful of pounds away from my pre-little-guy weight, which for the record was NOT my healthy weight. In fact, it was about 20 pounds <i>above</i> my healthy, happy, feeling-strong weight.<br />
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Yikes.<br />
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My runs are slowing down (partly due to snow, but even on the treadmill) and I have no oomph to tackle any new challenges. We've been traveling lately, which means a lot of convenience food and someone else's cooking and, honestly, movie candy in the car. (I KNOW! My name is CLEANeatingmachine, not CRAPPYeatingmachine!)<br />
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I'm annoyed at myself for getting to this point and also for not feeling motivated enough to get <i>away</i> from this point...until this past weekend when my sweet little guy innocently and inadvertently stung me with every overweight woman's favorite line, "Do you have a baby in your belly?" ::choke::<br />
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Time to dig out.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-63741018438632196692013-01-28T14:00:00.003-05:002013-01-28T14:00:51.468-05:00If we are what we eat...then I'm a big bowl of kale-quinoa-chickpeas with steel-cut oats for legs. Seriously, can NOT get enough of those two things. Last night I mixed up a batch of kale-quinoa for lunches, using leftover quinoa, the last of my kale, and the last lemon in the house. I felt very resourceful. Then I thought, "Why not mix up some awesome breakfasts while I'm standing here at the stove?" So I did. <br />
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Fifteen minutes later, a quadruple batch of Trader Joe's quick-cooking steel-cut oats was ready to be portioned and refrigerated. To each bowl, I added chopped pecans, ground flax seed, chia seeds, a drizzle of real maple syrup, 12 chocolate chips, a few frozen wild blueberries, and a dollop of natural peanut butter. And then I <em>almost</em> couldn't resist eating a portion for dessert. LOVE that stuff! It's almost like a no-bake oatmeal cookie when it gets reheated, all gooey with peanut butter and a touch of chocolate (minus the guilt of nomming a pile of white sugar and butter). <br />
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My morning routine was delightfully streamlined having these two options in the fridge. After my run, I heated up some oatmeal while I packed my lunch, then it was off to shower and work. Great start to my Monday!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-43791579619934456112013-01-16T21:13:00.000-05:002013-01-16T21:13:21.574-05:00Fat dayToday was a "fat day" for me. I know you know what I mean. The mirror and my clothes don't reflect it, but my mid-section felt a little soft and despite my (short, with the dog) run this morning, I felt like I needed to do something about it. So after work I stopped by our favorite local grocery store and loaded up: grapes, bananas, honeybell oranges, blueberries, strawberries, broccoli, baby carrots, peapods, black olives for the little guy's pizza, and some dark chocolate-covered peanuts. Then I came home and put on stretchy pants. :)<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-63270870530828058832013-01-13T23:34:00.000-05:002013-01-13T23:34:00.148-05:00Meal plan<b>Friday</b> - zucchini & Swiss quiche<br />
<b>Saturday</b> - beef tacos<br />
<b>Sunday</b> - chicken & chickpea tikka masala<br />
<b>Monday</b> - GF pasta with meat sauce<br />
<b>Tuesday</b> - eggs and toast post-running group<br />
<b>Wednesday</b> - The H is traveling; I'll defer to the little guy for a change <br />
<b>Thursday</b> - pancake night! <br />
<b>Friday</b> - probably leftovers (The H won't be home yet)<br />
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Super thrilling week, right? Blah. I need to browse some of my old posts to see what we were eating this time last year. What's on your menu this week? Where are you getting inspiration these days? Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-26296139624539875632013-01-06T22:58:00.000-05:002013-01-06T22:58:21.572-05:00Happy new year-and-a-week!Let's not even pretend that I'm resolving to be one of those bloggers who delivers a post a day with thirty six photos and a printable recipe or three. Some days I think I'd like to be, or at least be able to promise a few posts on a regular basis, but realistically, it's not going to happen. My new job, while never demanding more than 10 on-site hours of my week, is more time consuming than it appeared at first, partly due to the fact that it's not very close to home. My meal planning has fallen severely behind, and while we haven't resorted to fast food every other night with takeout pizza in between, I know I can do better. Here's what's on our plates this week:<br />
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Saturday - beef with broccoli. We bought another <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2011/02/half-of-half-is.html" target="_blank">half-of-a-half of cow</a> this winter. Moo.<br />
Sunday - homemade-ish GF pizza with olives, mushrooms, and local beef pepperoni<br />
Monday - possibly dinner with my parents<br />
Tuesday - quinoa-and-bean stuffed bell peppers<br />
Wednesday - chicken and artichoke pasta, I think...<br />
Thursday - pancake night for The H and the little guy while I'm at running/yoga<br />
Friday - TBD<br />
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This week, if I can find a store selling kale, I plan to buy a bunch or two and make some of my <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2012/05/kale-with-quinoa-and-chickpeas.html" target="_blank">beloved kale-quinoa</a> for my lunches. Leftovers have gone over surprisingly well lately, which leaves space in the fridge for marinating meat and a container of cooked grains (brown rice or quinoa, most likely) to help pull together a quick meal. In my spare time (can I get an LOL?) I intend to browse through old posts to see just what in the world we did with all this beef last time. <br />
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Happy new year! Thanks for reading.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-9943846223903301322012-11-13T21:52:00.000-05:002012-11-13T21:52:05.610-05:00Life happeningsEek, another quiet few weeks. Still here! And I got a job! Just a few hours per week helping with administrative and organizational stuff at an insurance company, but it'll pay me and get me out of the house--WIN! I've also signed up for a 30-day beginner's membership at the local hot yoga studio and have used that in between running several days already. I'm determined not to gain anything throughout this holiday season; simply maintaining is realistically what I'm hoping for. So... how've you been? Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-34939617630236375472012-11-05T14:50:00.002-05:002012-11-05T14:50:50.866-05:00Did you know...that I grew my own acorn squash this year? We've gotten 10 or so from two decent vines (I stashed several throughout the yard), and have given a half-dozen more to the animals that started helping themselves anyway. Actually, this year we had our biggest garden ever. Since May, here's what we've planted:<br />
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<b>Acorn squash</b> - good<br />
<b>Zucchini</b> - good without being overwhelming<br />
<b>Butternut squash</b> - small, haven't eaten any yet<br />
<b>Pattypan squash</b> - fail; never produced<br />
<b>Basil</b> - good<br />
<b>Cilantro</b> - good<br />
<b>Parsley</b> - good; I'll do much more next year<br />
<b>Rutabaga</b> - greens look great; haven't tried digging any yet--likely too crowded to grow large<br />
<b>Kale</b>, two kinds - good<br />
<b>Broccoli</b> - surprisingly good; it was put in as an experiment for the little guy<br />
<b>Brussels sprouts</b> - HUGE leaves, but nothing edible-sized yet<br />
<b>Green and wax beans</b> - decent, after I replanted when the bunnies ate our first planting<br />
<b>Green onion</b> - super cute! but we haven't eaten any<br />
<b>Beets</b> - nice looking greens, but super-tiny roots; only three plants sprouted anyway<br />
<b>Tomatoes</b> (three kinds) - the tiny grape-sized ones produced best, with a few Roma and even fewer Purple Cherokee<br />
<b>Raspberries</b> - truly pathetic this year; I think we got three fruits total<br />
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WOW that's a ton of produce for someone who <i>really</i> isn't a gardener. I think I "weeded" twice this summer. We have a great spot in the backyard for a more organized garden next year, but we'll need a rototiller and about eight friends who want the crazy prolific lilies and irises back there first. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-56514186047184581012012-11-03T23:52:00.000-04:002012-11-03T23:52:43.586-04:00Veggies galoreSeems like that's been the theme in my kitchen for the last two months. Yay, right? A friend of mine got me hooked on bruised kale salads, which has only increased <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2012/05/kale-with-quinoa-and-chickpeas.html" target="_blank">my adoration</a> of the leafy green. Preparation of this salad is literally more hands on than other salads we make, but it's so worth it.<br />
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After the kale has been torn, washed, and spun dry, I drizzle some olive oil on it and start mooshing and smooshing it around in a large bowl (wedding ring off for this step!). Once the leaves are softer and starting to wilt down, I add some salt and pepper, then shake on some vinegar or lemon juice and a drizzle of agave. These are all to taste, so of course I don't have any measurements. When I get the flavor I want, I start adding the goodies: cheese, fruit, nut, seed. One day it might be grapes, gorgonzola, pinenuts, and chia; the next time might be goat cheese, dried cherries, sliced almonds, and hemp. Whatever the combination, it's always delicious as long as the oil/vinegar/agave was right to begin with.<br />
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It's no surprise, then, that this is on my meal plan this week. Since The H will be on a business trip, I'm trying to cook as little as possible but still feed the little guy and myself without resorting to fast food. Here's what we'll have:<br />
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Chorizo-apple stuffed acorn squash (my lunches--I made four halves last night and froze them)<br />
Homemade (and frozen) <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2010/10/grilled-cheese-and-tomato-soup.html" target="_blank">tomato soup</a> and grilled cheese<br />
Leftover pasta with meat and hidden veggie sauce/roasted brussels sprouts with walnuts and bacon<br />
Leftover GF pizza/seared ahi and kale salad<br />
Homemade (and frozen) <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2010/10/at-least-they-tasted-good.html" target="_blank">chicken nuggets</a>, corn on the cob, roasted broccoli<br />
Butternut squash ravioli (thank you, Costco), fresh green beans/spinach salad<br />
...and if we need one more meal before The H gets home, black beans with cilantro rice<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-68051566408882644812012-09-09T22:21:00.000-04:002012-09-09T22:21:23.835-04:00Eat food.
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“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
<br /> ―
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2121.Michael_Pollan">Michael Pollan</a>,
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/3100234">In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto</a> </i></div>
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I'm here! My doctor says it's ok to run, and my knee x-rays didn't show any signs of damage. He gave me some stretchy bands and exercises to do at home to help strengthen them, and I'll go back in October to get re-checked. In the meantime, I'm planning to run a local 10-mile race next weekend! This week marks the highest-mileage week I've had since early July when my knees started complaining. </div>
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The Michael Pollan quote above has been on my mind lately, especially since I cut my weekly mileage in half. My weight was creeping up and I was becoming unhappy and uncomfortable with it. In the grand scheme of things, 5-6 pounds may not sound like a lot, but when someone goes from being highly active and eating in such a way as to accomodate 6-7 workouts a week, to working out less intensely 3-4 times a week, those pounds are quite noticeable. I used to say "I run so I can eat." Remove running from that equation, and you're (I'm) left with a sugar-laden, acne-speckled grump.</div>
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I realized in this two-month period that my farmers' market trips have decreased in frequency and volume. My meal planning slacked off (did ya notice?) and my family was heading for the corner ice cream shop a little too often for my comfort. We were going through a lot of bread and more restaurant food than normal. That's not how I got to my happy weight! In fact, just the opposite. </div>
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With Michael Pollan in mind, I've been hitting the market and kitchen with more intensity lately. We're trying new things and amping up old favorites. My four-year-old *loves* broccoli, and one of my favorite vendors just happens to grow The Best broccoli we've ever tasted. The little guy actually <i>cried</i> last time I didn't make enough for him to have seconds. This week, I bought double what I usually do. I've been playing with my new yogurt maker and have landed on a combination of starter/milk/time that The H and I really enjoy. </div>
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I even tried making coffee yogurt, with surprisingly good results. </div>
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We've gone through two Costco-sized cartons of strawberries within the week. I've feel like I've eaten more produce since Friday than I did almost the entire month of August (yes, that's an exaggeration!). This weekend I'll be sure to prep some things so we're ready for the week ahead. I've got a scrawny meal plan written out, and will post it once I give it some more life. Have a great week!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-65018102560672742732012-08-21T09:37:00.003-04:002012-08-21T09:37:38.424-04:00Food prep, menu, updateWhen the little guy went down for a nap on Sunday afternoon, I got to work in the kitchen. And boy, did I work! At more than one point--with the stove burners full, oven on, two small appliances working, and a sink and dishwasher full of dishes--I thought I might've gotten a little carried away, but it all worked out. And at the end of the day, here's what we had waiting for us:<br />
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Two pans of blueberry-walnut baked oatmeal (one 13x9, one 8x8) <br />
Three gluten free pizza crusts (one family sized, two individual)<br />
Six freezer bags of black beans (equal to one+ can each)<br />
Seven 7-oz jars homemade yogurt (so cute!)<br />
One leftover-roundup quiche (mushrooms, zucchini, onion, two kinds of cheese, chicken sausage)<br />
Quinoa for a quick side dish or to be combined with black beans for a lunch salad<br />
Rice for the dog, who suddenly decided he hates his food<br />
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After prepping all that, we went out for pizza. Ha! I shared a salad with The H and breadsticks with the little guy. I love feeling productive and prepared for the week! Stay tuned for more pics of my homemade yogurt process... it's not perfect yet, but I look forward to trying again once we get more milk from the co-op on Wednesday. Here's a short list of what we're eating this week:<br />
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S - Grilled chicken sausage, corn on the cob, grilled broccoli, peaches (75% from the farmers' market!)<br />
M - Chicken breast with olive-tomato relish, wild rice, homegrown sauteed zucchini<br />
T - Pizza with mushrooms, kalamatas, tomato, co-op pepperoni<br />
W - Quiche with... ? I don't know yet!<br />
Th - Out with my youngest sister who's coming to visit (leftovers for my men)<br />
F - Visiting family and going to my high school friend's (and maid of honor) wedding!<br />
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I'm happy to report that since my last post, I've been making a more conscious effort to move more and eat less while my running miles are still on the lower end. This means more yoga, walking the dog on my non-running days, and not vegging out in front of the TV after dinner. It may not have made a difference on the scale yet, but I do feel better for it. Just a few more weeks 'til my next race! It's good to have something on the calendar again.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-72542477534874091762012-08-05T22:49:00.000-04:002012-08-05T22:49:27.219-04:00Oh heyRemember when I cut my running in half (61 miles in July) but forgot to adjust my caloric intake? Yeah, whoops. Thank goodness for stretchy running shorts and pants. My knee has been more cooperative lately, which is a big relief, and I'm making a conscious effort to rein in my sweet tooth, but I still have a few extra pounds to work with these days. Today I made a batch of Babycakes gluten free, vegan banana bread and muffins, which are, in the little guy's words, "So, so delicious." What a great way to use up the brown bananas cluttering up my freezer!<br />
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Thanks to colorful wonderful summer produce, I haven't put a ton of effort into meal planning lately. We've been starting with something like cucumber-onion salad, corn on the cob, and fresh fruit, and filling in the gaps with whatever protein I have handy: grilled chicken, chicken burgers, kale-quinoa-chickpeas, and so on. "So, so delicious" for sure, but not really blog-worthy! Sorry for the lack of interesting material.<br />
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I've also been slowly working on a business idea that's been rattling around in my brain, but has yet to amount to anything more than a brief blog post on another host. If it grows further, you bet I'll be hollering about it here! For now... wish me luck and awesome networking skills, ok? :)<br />
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Happy AUGUST!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683295312798122493.post-91284563288458003952012-07-22T23:21:00.002-04:002012-07-22T23:21:49.288-04:00Go ahead...tell me, "I told you so." Turns out that after 40 consecutive days of running, my knees had something to say about the matter. :(<br />
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I've been taking it easy lately, and after some days off, only lacing up my shoes every other day for the past few weeks. Still happy to be out there, albeit slower and shorter these days, happier that it's not as freakishly hot outside, and hoping my once-in-awhile knee twinge doesn't turn into an injury.<br />
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The H is heading to Vegas for work this week, leaving me and the little guy to eat gluten to our hearts' content. He gets such a kick out of the fact that he can eat "glooten AND glooten-free!" Here's our meal plan for the week:<br />
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<b>Sunday lunch</b> - <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-new-favorite-burger.html" target="_blank">chicken burgers</a> with blackened peppers and onions, corn on the cob, melon <br />
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<b>Sunday dinner</b> - broccoli/cheddar/Canadian bacon <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2012/07/make-ahead-quiche.html" target="_blank">quiche</a> (my favorite combination so far) with pancakes. My pancakes are never straight-up batter. These were gluten free with blueberries, pumpkin, hemp seed, and almondmilk. Fantastic. :)<br />
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<b>Monday</b> - asparagus-gruyere ravioli (a Costco impulse buy) and my own homegrown zucchini<br />
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<b>Tuesday</b> - <a href="http://www.sheletthemeatcake.com/2011/03/adzuki-bean-and-quinoa-veggie-burgers/#.T47eL65a8t0" target="_blank">quinoa burgers</a> on mixed greens<br />
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<b>Wednesday</b> - chicken sausage, corn on the cob, and co-op pickup night<br />
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<b>Thursday</b> - pizza or local beef burgers (depends on the temperature!)<br />
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<b>Friday</b> - my Mom's birthday dinner, with family<br />
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I made a triple batch of steel cut oats for breakfasts this week (I eat toast with peanut butter on mornings I run), and I'll boil a dozen eggs for snacking once they age a bit more. Lunches will be leftovers, PBJ, and <a href="http://cleaneatingmachine.blogspot.com/2010/10/shrimp-noodle-salad.html" target="_blank">my favorite shrimp noodles</a>. Have a great week!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1