Clean Eating Machines

I love my grocery store!

2012-01-30T21:00:00.075-05:00

This afternoon when I was checking out at Ken's Fruit Market (KFA) the [person I presume to be the] owner's wife asked me, with no other lead-in, if I was still doing my blog.

(source)
Now, I know it's a small store, and The H and I are in there *several* times a week, but I haven't mentioned my blog to her for over a year, since SHE asked ME if I was the "Clean Eating Machine." That interaction came about when I was purchasing leeks for a soup; she asked what in the world someone did with those, so I told her I was trying a new recipe for my blog.

So anyway, today. I was a little bit speechless for a second, but recovered quickly and told her that yes, I am still blogging, and actually recently linked to their website with my post about spilled flour.

And as I stand here in the kitchen, blogging and cooking all at once, I have to mention all the ingredients in tonight's dinner (Artichoke Lemon Chicken Pasta) that came from Ken's:

Chicken
Lemon
Mushrooms
Bacon
Cream
Parsley
Asparagus

The only non-KFA items are white wine, chicken broth (I had already gotten it at Costco), artichoke hearts (thank you, Trader Joe's), and gluten-free pasta.

Lemon Artichoke Chicken Pasta
from "So Tasty, So Yummy"
serves 4-6

Ingredients**
12 ounces pasta
2 strips of bacon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (omitted)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (half a bag of TJ's frozen ones worked beautifully)
2 teaspoons capers, drained (omitted)
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp butter (omitted)
Chopped fresh parsley for garnishing

**Looking back on this list, it seems I omitted quite a bit--but I don't feel that my changes negatively altered the overall product. It was still creamy and completely flavorful, just with slightly less fat, sodium, and calories. The instructions below reflect how I cooked this meal.**

Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Cook pasta as directed; drain and set aside.

2. In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon slices over medium heat. Remove to a paper towel and let cool. Chop into bits when cooled.

3. Cook chicken in bacon grease until lightly browned on each side, and cooked through. Remove to a cutting board lined with paper towel.

4. Add mushrooms and artichokes to Dutch oven; saute until mushrooms are tender. Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring to loosen all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook two minutes, then add chicken broth and lemon juice. Cook two more minutes, then add cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Slice chicken into strips and add to mushroom-artichoke mixture. Stir in bacon bits and a handful of fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot.

Post-dinner update: This was a hit! Even the little guy had more than one serving, and bravely tried the artichokes. I loved the lemony sauce over the pasta and artichokes, though The H thought he would've enjoyed it more with less lemon. (I have a "thing" for lots of lemon. Ask The H sometime.)

Either way, I look forward to making this again. We did not flour the chicken (for somewhat obvious reasons, I hope) but did add salt and pepper as it cooked. I omitted the butter but left the heavy cream as is, since it's such a small amount anyway. The box of GF pasta I had was only 8oz instead of the 12oz called for, so we had a lot of soupy sauce that we ended up thickening with an arrowroot slurry.

After watching the little guy pick out all the pieces of bacon that had the nerve to end up in his mouth, and tasting the bacony-flavored chicken as I sliced it, I realized I could probably omit the crumbled bacon at the end. Mine turned out crispier than I would've liked anyway, but the flavor was a nice base to start with. We served this with (not seasonal) fresh roasted asparagus.

Weekly menu

2012-01-29T23:00:00.014-05:00

It's finally looking like a true Michigan winter outside my window. We've gotten over 6 inches of snow since yesterday, on top of the few that fell Friday night.

While we're WAY behind where the snowfall typically is for this time of year, and I'm thrilled about that, it still doesn't really make me like it any more. Drivers around here are terrible in the snow (or any change of weather, for that matter). It makes me very grumpy. Since we *usually* have it on the ground for roughly half the year, November through April, one might imagine they'd get used to it. But no. Grr.

With that, I give you my Comfort Foods Extraordinaire menu:

Sunday lunch - grilled cheese and tomato soup

Sunday dinner - caramel apple pork chops with brown rice and kale chips

Monday - lemon artichoke chicken pasta with GF pasta

Tuesday - lentil and black bean soup

Wednesday - beef stew

Thursday - visiting my parents for the weekend

Lunches: roasted garlic cauliflower soup, clean eating egg salad, leftovers from dinner, maybe a frittata or Spanish omelet. The little guy asked for an "eggza" today... eggza = egg pizza, or what we called the aforementioned foods when he refused them at first. :)

No use crying over spilt gluten-free flour...

2012-01-28T20:45:00.001-05:00

because Amazon has a great refund policy, and I'm getting my money back. Good thing, too; that stuff is not cheap. Lucky for The H I just made a loaf of bread last week! I guess my Babycakes NYC experiments will have to wait until next week, unless I stop into Ken's Fruit Market and grab a bag there...

New year, new house

2012-01-23T11:18:00.000-05:00

OK, not exactly. "New year, new roof, new furnace" is much more accurate. Yes indeed; just a few short weeks after we roofed our house and garage, our furnace decided it wanted to be upgraded, too. Why does stuff like that always seem to happen on a (winter) weekend or holiday?

Thanks to a good recommendation from friends, we are getting taken care of as I type... wearing two pair of running tights, winter boots, and three top layers, including one with a hood and thumbholes. The little guy spent the (cold!) night at my in-laws with the dog while DH and I roughed it here with a few space heaters and loads of blankets. I also escaped to hot yoga for a few hours last night. A girl's gotta take care of herself.

The fact that I can't feel my nose makes me think "comfort food" for dinner tonight. The fact that it's close to 50* and thunderstorming outside is messing with my head. Either way, two-bean chili may very well be in order. And unless the new furnace kicks in soon, I'll be making some bread or cornbread to go with it. Or maybe just seasoning my cast iron skillets. Probably both.

Vegetarian coconut black bean soup

2012-01-16T20:15:00.002-05:00

This is another recipe from my favorite meatless book, "OK, So Now You're a Vegetarian." It's a recipe that didn't catch my eye until this month, despite owning the book for over ten years. Funny how tastes can change; I literally never gave it a second glance until now.

The little guy and I took this soup to share with friends when they invited us to dinner a few weeks ago. Meals with this particular family are usually a cooperative effort--a little of what we have available combined with whatever they have on the menu--and although a bit chaotic considering their three kids and our mini monster, always leave me with a sense of peace and satisfaction. Good friends and real, wholesome, hearty food has that effect on me. We agreed this soup was a great base for future inspiration. The picture below shows it as my leftovers for lunch, with shelled edamame and cooked cilantro-lime shrimp added.

Coconut Black Bean Soup
by Lauren Butts
serves 4-6

2 1/2 cups water
1 (14oz) can lite coconut milk
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, with the juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 (14.5oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (I used beans I'd cooked myself, about 3 cups)
1 cup cooked corn kernels (I used frozen white corn)
1 cup cooked white rice (brown rice or quinoa would work fine, too)
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a large heavy pot, combine water, coconut milk, tomatoes, and jalapeno. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often.

2. Add black beans, corn, rice, and salt. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5-10 minutes. Stir well and serve. This soup is best if served the next day, so flavors can thoroughly mingle, but it's still fine to make and eat at once.

Weekly meal plan

2012-01-08T09:00:00.001-05:00

What a gorgeous weekend it's been here! Lots of sun, no snow, very little wind. Perfect for running or working in the garage and yard (anyone else a little behind in taking down the Christmas lights?). Here's what's on our meal plan this week...

Sunday lunch - gluten free pancakes with pumpkin puree and chia seeds

Sunday dinner - sesame chicken with broccoli, from Better Homes & Gardens magazine

Monday - Spanish Tortilla from a gluten-free cookbook The H got as a gift

Tuesday - tacos with corn shells after running group (keep meat warm in CrockPot)

Wednesday - buffalo chicken sweet potato bites (didn't get to make them last week)

Thursday - pizza for my boys while I'm running and attending a jewelry party

Friday - chili in the CrockPot

Saturday - out/TBA

I also plan to try a new GF sandwich bread recipe for The H; my goal is to have that made for Friday's chili. Lunches will be leftovers--I'm still working through that minestrone soup--and things from my list that didn't get made last week. I did err on the side of over-prepared, which is just how I like it. Have a great week!

Minestrone Monday

2012-01-05T08:00:00.004-05:00

Monday marked Day 6 of our roofing job, and unfortunately not the last. Our house isn't all that big, folks, and the weather wasn't bad until Sunday. Big sigh. And is it a requirement that all construction workers must smoke? Yuck.

On a brighter note, since I was home anyway, I decided to make my planned dinner, minestrone soup, for lunch--much more time to putter when the little guy is at daycare! It made a giant batch, so I stuck one in the fridge and three more in the freezer. One of those is a "family size" portion that we'll have for lunch one day when The H is working from home. Even though I've been eating lots of fruits and vegetables for a number of years now, it still tickles me to know that I've eaten a giant portion like this in one sitting. Nerdy, right?

This recipe is from a book I bought in college, during my stint as a vegetarian. It's a very down-to-earth book; the author was a teenager when she wrote it as a result of the research she did to convince her parents to let her adopt a vegetarian diet. When I was flipping through it last weekend I was reminded how many great-sounding recipes there are in it! I've made this soup many times, but today was the first time I made it gluten-free by using corn pasta.

Minestrone Soup
from OK, So Now You're a Vegetarian by Lauren Butts
serves 6-8

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery (including the leaves, if you have them), chopped
2 carrots, chopped (I used about 12 baby carrots)
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic (I used two fresh cloves, minced)
1 potato, diced
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary (a little more is ok)
1 can (14-16oz) diced tomatoes, plus the juice
1 cup water
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (20oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup orzo, alphabet noodles, or other small pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, optional

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and potato, stirring often until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary and cook for a few seconds.

2. Add water and tomatoes and their juice; bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add broth and beans. Return to boil and sprinkle pasta over the surface.

3. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with grated cheese before serving (optional).

I also added zucchini, yellow squash, and fresh mushrooms when adding the beans, plus a bit of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper after I tasted it. The pasta I used was Sam Mills lasagna corte, and it held up remarkably well for a GF pasta. The picture above is a reheated portion, served with gluten-free dinner rolls--recipe forthcoming!

First 2012 meal plan

2012-01-01T20:45:00.033-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were delightful. We had a lovely time celebrating with friends and family. The little guy was thrilled to receive his very own play kitchen for Christmas, thanks to my in laws' Craigslist-stalking skills. He is adamant that he is going to be "a cook" when he grows up!

I took a few days of rest to recuperate from a spill that inconveniently occurred mere days before my final 5K of 2011. I ran/walked/trudged it anyway, with a friend and her 9-year-old (his first race!), clocking my second-slowest 5K time ever. We had a blast!

And to keep life really interesting, we decided to take advantage of our (previously) uncharacteristically warm and snow-free winter to do some much-needed work on the house and garage. You can see that as soon as work began, our nice-weather luck pretty much ran out.

Now it's time to get back on the proverbial track (that is, if you, like me, indulged more than normal throughout the past month). The best way for me to do that is to go into a week with a solid meal plan--not just for dinner, but also breakfast, lunch, and snacks. This is especially important for me this week, as The H is braving the elements and heading to Wisconsin for work. I find it much easier to stick with a plan when there actually IS a plan, funnily enough. I'll keep this list posted on my refrigerator for easy reference.

Sunday - GF pizza topped with a conglomeration of leftover odds and ends from the week's events (marinara sauce, black olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, bacon, onion)
Monday - minestrone soup from my favorite vegetarian cookbook
Tuesday - coconut black bean soup from the same book, a new recipe for me
Wednesday - local beef burgers and oven-roasted potato wedges
Thursday - homemade version of the little guy's favorite Chipotle meal, "rice and beans and cheese"
Friday - chicken and artichoke flatbread pizzas on garlic naan

Breakfasts - Better Oats apple cinnamon oatmeal with added chia seeds, green smoothies (post-run), leftover baked oatmeal, hardboiled eggs and wheat toast, homemade granola with almond milk

Lunches - leftover pizza, leftover soups (I may freeze portions of minestrone in order to get a jump on next week, too), shrimp and orzo, lentils and brown rice, leftover chili on top of sweet potato, Cara's sweet potato buffalo bites

Thanksgiving week meal plan

2011-11-20T14:00:00.001-05:00

Sunday lunch - gluten free mac 'n' peas with bacon, grapes, turkey sandwich for The H

Sunday dinner - chicken in lemon-mushroom sauce with quinoa and kale chips

Monday - The H's office Christmas party at one of our favorite downtown restaurants

Tuesday - kale, sausage, and white bean soup after running group

Wednesday - turkey chili and gluten free cornbread

Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving! We're celebrating with The H's extended family. My assignment is to bring gluten free bread or rolls and a dessert The H can eat. I think I'm adding a dish of blackened green beans with shallots to my responsibilities, and perhaps some hard boiled eggs.

Friday - TBA

Saturday - TBA

Have a wonderful, safe holiday week! Don't be afraid to indulge a bit. What is your favorite Thanksgiving food splurge?

Weekly meal plan

2011-11-13T14:45:00.003-05:00

Too much of the time when I go to make a weekly meal plan, I'm focused on making NEW recipes, and I forget to comb through my own blog (or others') for things we've tried and loved. This week I'm trying to bring back a few old favorites.

Sunday lunch - gluten-free pumpkin chia chocolate protein pancakes with turkey sausage patties

Sunday dinner - ???

Monday - marinated chicken breast with cilantro-lime quinoa and roasted broccoli

Tuesday - white chicken chili from the Plan-D Cookbook

Wednesday - turkey sausage ragu

Thursday - pizza for my men while I'm out with friends (run, yoga, dinner)

Friday - rutabaga frittata

Saturday - TBA, as usual

On a mildly related note, have you ever had Concord grapes? I found some locally-grown ones at our big-box grocery the other day (surprise to me!) and bought some... but now I don't really know what to do with them. They do contain seeds, and have a tougher skin than the green variety the little guy loves. I'd love some ideas!

Adzuki Beans and Rice

2011-11-11T23:11:00.002-05:00

Seriously good (the little guy ate two helpings!). Seriously non-photogenic.

I'm not really sure what led me to purchase adzuki beans, other than perhaps flipping through a blog that used them in a recipe and realizing they don't need to be soaked before cooking. The next time I went to our local health food store, I was determined to find them. They look like this:

(source)
After much research regarding cooking times and suitable meals to make with these brick red beauties, I decided on this recipe, with a few very minor changes.

First, I halved it. I had no idea how my men would react to this dish and didn't want to have 4-6 portions leftover. Second, I used spicy Italian turkey sausage, which my store happened to have on sale. Finally, I subbed organic, no-MSG, gluten-free beef stock concentrate for the bouillon cube. Other than that, we made it as directed.

But really. There was no chance I'd post a picture of it, and you all know how low my photo-quality standards are. Just try it. Take a big forkful and fill your belly with the mildly spicy deliciousness. Maybe close your eyes first.

Meal plan

2011-11-07T10:30:00.010-05:00

I cannot believe we're starting the second week of November already. Just this afternoon I was looking through the "Racing Ahead" section of Runner's World, perusing some upcoming races, and realized the one I was most interested in happened over two weeks ago. Serves me right for reading past issues, but still... it's November!

The weather here was delightfully pleasant this weekend, almost springlike, but the early sunset and pitch dark at 7 PM beg to differ. With that in mind, coupled with the fact that I saw a four-letter word that begins with "S" in the forecast (::sob::), my meal plan for this week trends toward comfort food.

Monday - adzuki beans and rice with kale chips

Tuesday - pot roast (with carrots, potatoes, onion, celery, mushrooms, rutabaga) after running group

Wednesday - slow cooker lentil soup

Thursday - leftovers after yoga

Friday - quinoa stuffed peppers

Saturday - TBD

Lunches - shrimp noodles, brussels sprouts with chicken sausage, leftovers

Chia seeds and crazycakes

2011-11-06T16:05:00.002-05:00

Surely you've heard of chia seeds... if not for their amazing health/endurance benefits, then because of these awkward looking things:

(source)
Those may have (thankfully) fallen by the wayside, but chia seeds are experiencing a comeback that is based on proven performance rather than fad. You can read about them here and here.

I recently started adding them to my diet for two reasons. First, it can't hurt. A little extra protein, fiber, and omega-3s are welcome around here. Second, perhaps they might even help as I train for my third--oh yeah, and fourth--marathon!

In the space of a week, after much hemming and hawing and pro/con comparing, I made the leap and registered for two marathons, a mere two weeks apart. Crazycakes! The first will be performance-based with a pretty ambitious goal in mind, and the second will be more for the scenery and experience of racing at a higher altitude, with a little bit of family vacation before and after. So far, I know at least two friends who will be running each of these--and pacing me for the first--so I'm pretty happy. Training will officially begin mid-December. That's next month! Why does life seem to go by faster as we get older?

Gluten-free chocolate macaroons

2011-11-03T09:30:00.001-04:00

The little guy has been really into playing chef lately. He says he wants to be a cook when he grows up--a cook who makes "glooten cupcakes" for me and him, and "glooten-free cupcakes" for his friend and The H. He has even come up with a name for his future bakery. I love watching his imagination develop!

To encourage his kitchen creativity, I decided to find a recipe for the two of us to make this week. The newest issue of Clean Eating Magazine arrived just in time! I had no problem finding a cookie recipe that was simple to make, didn't require any new ingredients, and that would be easy for the little guy to help with. The finished cookies are sweet, lightly crisp with almost a brownie-like interior, and perfectly portioned. They're even tasty for breakfast...

Double Chocolate Macaroons
from Clean Eating Magazine, Vol. 4, Issue 9
makes 24 cookies

Ingredients
8oz dark chocolate (60% cocoa or greater), chopped, divided
1 3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup organic evaporated cane juice
3 Tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup liquid egg whites (I used two large egg whites)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp pure almond extract

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350* and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt 3 ounces of the chocolate on high for 45 seconds. Stir and continue microwaving in short intervals, stirring often, until completely melted. Set aside to cool.

3. In a large bowl, stir together coconut, cane juice, cocoa powder, and salt until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate until just combined.

4. In a small bowl, whisk egg whites, vanilla, and almond extracts until combined. Add mixture to coconut mixture and stir until well blended.

5. Scoop 1-Tbsp portions and set on parchment-lined baking sheet. Pinch the tops of each into a low pyramid shape (I skipped this and went for rounded tops instead). Bake for 14-15 minutes or until outer layers are firm, bottom edges are lightly browned, and centers remain soft. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

This is where the little guy and I stopped--they were plenty sweet without the next step, and I didn't want to make any more mess of the kitchen than we already had. Feel free to proceed if you wish. Perhaps if I were making these for a party, I would have completed them as directed.

6. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining 5 ounces of chocolate, stirring often. Carefully holding each macaroon upside down by its base, dip the peak into the melted chocolate. Place chocolate-side-up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition info per cookie:
Calories - 119
Fat - 8g
Saturated fat - 6g
Carbs - 11g
Fiber - 2g
Sugars - 7g
Protein - 2g
Sodium - 20.5mg
Cholesterol - 0mg

Serendipotatoes

2011-10-30T20:00:00.002-04:00

ser·en·dip·i·ty/ˌserənˈdipitē/

Noun:

The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: "a fortunate stroke of serendipity.

(source)

Today after church when the little guy asked what was for lunch, I found myself reluctantly saying, "How about pancakes?" You see, pancakes (+ eggs or chicken sausage) are one of my go-to, last-resort, cupboards-are-bare meals. I can mix them up on a moment's notice, probably even in my sleep. Goodness knows I stopped using a recipe for them ages ago. While I try to mix up the mix-ins and toppings so we never really eat the same 'cakes twice, today I was really, really not looking forward to another stack.

I started rummaging through the freezer to see if there was something, ANYthing, I could put into those pancakes that would make them remotely more interesting. That's when I unearthed a bag of frozen cubed potatoes. I had utterly forgotten about it! My wheels started turning... I had potatoes, onion, bell pepper... I hate the word, but could I come up with a decent hash?

Oh yeah, baby. I ran the potatoes under water for a few seconds to start thawing, then added them to a hot skillet with grapeseed oil and diced onion. A little of this (kosher salt, black pepper, dried dill) and a little of that (diced ham, red bell pepper, fresh tomatoes, salsa, garlic-and-chili-infused macadamia oil) made its way into the skillet. When I was happy with how that looked and tasted, I quickly cooked a few eggs in another non-stick skillet and slid them on top of each serving.

With a little dash of Frank's, my one true love, this meal was complete. And gooooood. So good, in fact, that I didn't even miss the white cheddar I had forgotten to grate on top. It didn't even cross my mind until I was cleaning up the kitchen and saw the cheese on the counter.

With a scrambled egg instead of a runny one, this would make a great breakfast burrito. This meal can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the ham, and could be vegan-ized by omitting the ham and topping with scrambled tofu instead of eggs.

Meal plan

2011-10-22T14:10:00.001-04:00

Sunday - leftovers
Monday - cilantro-garlic shrimp from Clean Eating Magazine
Tuesday - chili (or similar) in the CrockPot after running group
Wednesday - portobello gnocchi with marinara sauce, roasted brussels sprouts
Thursday - lentils and quinoa
Friday - pizza? It's a known pre-race meal for me and we're doing a 5K on the 29th!
Saturday - TBD

Old Town Alexandria, 3-year-old style

2011-10-06T20:30:00.004-04:00

Here's how we spent our day:

Playing ghost

Petting moss

Cheesing for the camera while acorn hunting

Watching a construction site (he loves the cranes)

Taking a coffee (for me!) and cookie (oatmeal raisin) break

Hanging out at the fountain near the train station

Observing the bubbles and money in the fountain

Playing with (antagonizing?) one of the tiniest dogs he's ever seen

Bumming around a farmers' market we found a block from our hotel

A brief cuddle with his oh-so-tired mama after dinner

Gelato date! He chose pineapple-basil. :)

He also spent time in the pool with The H, but I didn't document that. It's slightly different than how it might look if The H and I were here by ourselves, no doubt. But it was fun and tired him out, so I'm a fan.

Kid-friendly beef vegetable soup

2011-10-05T22:30:00.012-04:00

This recipe is another Squeaky Gourmet gem. While I can't post the recipe, I can tell you this: watching the little guy eat several bowls of this (twice--it makes a lot!) without complaining about the veggies is more than worth the cover price, had I actually paid for this book. He claims to not like zucchini, onions, or mushrooms, all of which are in this soup, but once I had him close his eyes and eat it, the complaints ceased and all I heard was "YUM! I LOVE it!"

We called this "taco soup" because the seasoning is slightly reminiscent of Mexican food--and because tacos are fairly familiar to the little guy. Once he chowed his servings, I told him what was in there and said now he couldn't tell me he didn't like those things anymore. In addition to the zukes, 'shrooms, and onion, this hearty bowl contains ground beef, wild rice, grape tomatoes, and celery. That'll bring your veggie intake up for the day!

Since it does make so much, we had leftovers another day. I'm pleased to report that this freezes and reheats very nicely. I dumped a semi-thawed brick of soup into a slow cooker one afternoon before running group, and we came home to savory simmering goodness that was perfect for warming up on a chilly fall evening.

Ten things

2011-10-02T20:30:00.001-04:00

1. I'm running the Army Ten-Miler in DC next Sunday.

2. The little guy, who claims to not like zucchini, happily gobbled his entire bowl of beef & wild rice soup (which contains zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions) with his eyes closed so he didn't have to see them.

3. My sister, who blogs at redwhiteandnew.wordpress.com , got some nerve-wracking news recently. If you have any good thoughts, prayers, or "best wishes" vibes to share, please send some her way.

4. My parents are in Kashmir for a few weeks.

5. I ran an average of 8:02/mile for my four-mile tempo run Friday. In 28mph winds on a not-entirely-flat route. Lots on my mind, apparently.

6. Yesterday was the busiest I've been in a long time--up at 6:30 for a run, ran 8 miles, prepped for a bridal shower, hosted said shower at my house, cleaned up, started packing for our DC trip, went out for coffee with my sisters (one of whom stayed with us last night, 9-month-old in tow), came home to finish packing, and conked out sometime before midnight (I think).

7. We recently revisited this meal for dinner. It was a great way to warm up on a blustery, stormy, power-blinking night.

8. I *adore* fall weather, including the kind mentioned above. LOVE love love it.

9. As much as I love my shorts and tanks, I've been itching to wear my colder-weather gear again.

10. My first blog giveaway is coming soon!

Meal plan Monday

2011-09-21T14:00:00.003-04:00

With our little family back under the same roof, it's time to get serious about a meal plan for the week. No more restaurant food for awhile, please!

Monday - GF pizza loaded with veggies
Tuesday - dinner with friends: a compilation of garden-grown veggies, chicken, and quinoa, with homemade salsas and two kinds of tortilla chips (sweet potato and chocolate, in case you wondered)
Wednesday - GF pesto pasta with chicken and tomato-feta salad
Thursday - breakfast dinner
Friday - TBA
Saturday - leftover beef & wild rice soup

I do have some recipes and pictures to post, I promise. Soon! But probably not between 9 and 10pm tonight, because I will be engrossed in fall TV premiers! One more reason to loooove this season.

Not MIA, just technologically challenged!

2011-09-18T22:42:00.000-04:00

I'm still here, with lots of potential blog posts banging around in my head. But I couldn't log in to Blogger for awhile! Frustrating.

This weekend The H and I are hanging out in our city's downtown, playing tourists and celebrating our anniversary. I'm excited to show you some of the treasures we've found (coffee and cupcakes, to name a few), and to get back onto a clean and fresh meal plan on Monday. There are some fantastic restaurants around us, and we have taken full advantage, but it's certainly not what I'm used to three meals a day!

We're going to start the day with a run along the river tomorrow, which should get the week off on a good note. He and I don't often run together, but we did when I first started running, and it's always a nice change in my routine to have him along.

Mayo-free potato salad

2011-09-01T09:30:00.006-04:00

In an inadvertent last hurrah to summer, we ended up with a picnic-themed meal Sunday night. The H grilled up our last package of hamburgers from our half-of-a-half-of-a-cow purchase, and I got to work on side dishes.

When I first started eating clean in May/June 2009, a mayo-free potato salad is one of the things I found myself making often. We had summer birthday parties and the requisite cookouts with friends to attend, and I wanted to bring something that I would feel comfortable eating, but that would still allow me to feel like I was participating in the spirit of the season... goofy? Maybe. But everywhere I took my mayo-less taters, everyone said how refreshing it was. I even made it for the little guy's first birthday party.

This isn't that exact recipe, but it's what I could come up with on a lazy summer Sunday afternoon.

Mayo-free Potato Salad
a Clean Eating Machine original, inspired by my mom's recipe

10 small-medium red potatoes, scrubbed clean and cubed into bite-size pieces
1/2 regular cucumber, mostly peeled (I like a little green for color)
1/2 sweet onion, chopped finely
1/4 to 1/2 cup jarred dill pickle juice
1/4 cup diced green onion, green parts only
2-4 hard boiled egg whites
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Kosher (or sea) salt and black pepper to taste

1. Place cubed potatoes into a large pot and fill with water until just covered. Add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Boil 15-20 minutes or until fork-tender.

2. Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients. Place diced sweet onion in a large bowl.

3. Drain cooked potatoes and add to bowl with sweet onion. Pour pickle juice over the potatoes while warm, and stir to combine. Let stand long enough to stop steaming. There should be a bit of juice in the bottom of the bowl, but you don't want the potatoes to be swimming in it.

4. Add cucumber, green onion, a drizzle of olive oil, some red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir in chopped egg whites. Serve cold or at room temperature.

We had a fresh sliced farmers market melon and a not-your-typical green salad to round out the meal. I'll share that one with you another day! Even though summer is coming to an end (how did that happen so fast?!) this makes a great addition to any party/picnic table.

Several summery salads

2011-08-30T08:00:00.004-04:00

At the end of last week, I was feeling the pull of the farmers market. Crisp colorful vegetables, juicy sweet fruits, locally-made foods just waiting for me to take them home... After dropping The H and the little guy off in the morning, I meandered down there. Incidentally, I also needed an idea for dinner. As I wandered around, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of local food, inspiration struck: summer salads!

I was a little worried about offering a selection of salads to The H for dinner; as much as I love to graze on multiple dishes and don't mind not having meat on my plate, he is very much a "meat + veggie + starch = meal" kind of guy. He usually doesn't mind (too much) when I branch out, and he is starting to as well, but for some reason my mental lack of direction at the beginning of my trip made me wonder how this would be received.

The salads I came up with were tomato-mozzarella, quinoa with balsamic grilled vegetables (zucchini, mushrooms, onion), and cucumber-sweet onion. At the last minute I remembered an uncooked mushroom-swiss bratwurst from Ken's in the fridge, so that was added to the grill with the balsamic veggies.

When I was growing up, my mom would make a cucumber-onion salad similar to this. I could never get used to eating slices of raw onion... I *wanted* to like it, but I just never quite warmed up to it. Since then I've tried making it myself, playing with the types of onions and the dressings I put on them. This one was probably one of my favorites--half of a cucumber from my mom's garden, half of a local sweet onion, kosher salt and black pepper, a little bit of olive oil from the co-op, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. I sweetened it up with a sprinkle of evaporated cane juice.

Here is what the table looked like when we sat down:

Know what?

There were no leftovers, aside from a single portion of plain quinoa. Summery salad success!

Samosa addendum

2011-08-24T18:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I reheated two of the samosas for lunch. In a 400* oven for 10-15 minutes, they crisped up nicely and the filling was piping hot.

I did mix up a quick little dip for them using Greek yogurt, a dash of Sriracha, and some dried cumin. It was a delightful combination of cool and spicy, and it complemented the hot-sweet samosa filling just right.

Enjoy!

Sweet potato samosas

2011-08-24T07:00:00.001-04:00

Indian food, or even Indian-inspired food, is probably the number-one thing I cannot get The H on board with. He'll put up with my recurrent attempts to sneak curry powder into things, but that's about it. The fact that I cannot find gluten-free phyllo dough (or fillo, depending on the packaging) releases him from the obligation of even a single bite. You're welcome, honey.

This recipe also gave me an excuse to use my new garam masala, courtesy of a trip to Penzey's when we were in Connecticut.

Sweet Potato Samosas
from Clean Eating Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 7
makes 12 samosas (serving size: 2 samosas)

1.5 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cups cauliflower stems and pieces (one small head)
1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3/8 tsp sea salt, divided
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
12 sheets frozen whole-wheat phyllo dough, thawed (my store did not have whole wheat)
Olive oil cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 400*. Bring a 3-qt pot of water to boil over high heat. Add sweet potatoes and cook for five minutes. Add cauliflower and cook for an additional ten minutes, until vegetables are fork-tender. Drain and set aside.

2. In a small saute pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes or until soft and slightly browned. Set aside.

3. With a potato masher, mash potato-cauliflower mixture until smooth. Mix in onion, peas, cilantro, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, curry powder, garam masala, and cayenne.

4. Assemble samosas... this part took me a while to figure out, but once I got it down (two lumpy victims later) it was effortless to reproduce.

Place 1 phyllo sheet on a cutting board and mist with cooking spray. Fold in half lengthwise and mist with spray again.

Place 1/3 cup potato mixture at top left corner. Fold corner over filling to opposite side, making a triangle.

Fold triangle over to meet straight side, then up to the top again.

Continue folding over until you reach the end of the phyllo sheet.

Repeat steps with remaining filling and phyllo.

5. Mist a baking sheet with cooking spray--or use a sheet of parchment paper--and place samosas on sheet. Brush tops with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

My two folding failures made their way to my plate for lunch, along with some cilantro-lime quinoa and kale chips. While I was convinced that two wouldn't be enough, they were plenty filling.

When I have these for leftovers, I will look for a dipping sauce recipe. The flavors are great together, but I felt they were missing *something* like a tangy yogurt dressing that would really push them to the "fantastic!" category. This recipe is pretty labor-intensive, not one I would consider for a quick weeknight meal unless I was planning to use leftovers.

Weekly meal plan

2011-08-22T09:30:00.009-04:00

In no particular order, here's what will be made (or eaten) in my kitchen this week:

Pesto pasta
Gluten-free pizza
Sweet potato samosas
Taco bowl with leftover cilantro-lime quinoa
Chicken-salsa-rice with black beans (slow cooker)
Teriyaki salmon from Clean Eating Magazine, with brown rice
Salt and pepper shrimp from the latest Clean Eating Magazine
Homemade chicken nuggets to freeze for an easy little guy meal

Cilantro-lime quinoa

2011-08-21T14:30:00.000-04:00

Are you one of those unfortunate souls who can't stand the taste of cilantro?

I'm sorry.

Not that it's my fault, but I'm sorry that you will not be enjoying this deliciously tart, nutty side dish anytime soon.

I've become a big fan of buying ingredients that can multitask, like a bunch of cilantro, without dictating that you make exactly the same meal--or even genre of meal--twice in the same week. For that reason, among others, I was giddy to see a recipe for sweet potato samosas with cilantro in the most recent issue of Clean Eating Magazine...but that's a future post!

Anyway, back to this "recipe." I put a few things into my rice cooker (two rice-cooker-measuring-cups of quinoa, three of water, the juice from one lime, some dried coriander, a sprinkle of kosher salt, a generous handful of chopped cilantro, and a packet of Trader Joe's chicken stock concentrate) and switched it to "cook." Thirty minutes later, we had steamy, flavorful quinoa that was the perfect complement to our grilled chicken and homemade pico de gallo (another use for cilantro). Yum.

Pesto!

2011-08-16T09:30:00.002-04:00

This summer I decided to branch out a bit and try growing more than just green beans, since that turned out well last year. Part of this expanded gardening attempt means I now have several basil plants growing in my yard. And yes, they are growing! So much, in fact, that a friend was kind enough to harvest some for me while we were in CT (to keep it happy), and I still had enough to make a batch of pesto with the stuff that remained.

Well, I thought I did. But it would've been a small batch. Not quite enough for the company we were having for dinner. And when I went to my beloved Ken's Fruit Market (they have a website now! isn't it pretty?) to grab another bunch or two, they were out. ACK! My company was on its way, if not at my house already, and I had to decide what to do, quickly.

And thus, spinach-basil pesto was born. Thanks to most of a bag of spinach in my crisper and the end of a jar of Trader Joe's pesto genovese, my meager harvest turned into a giant delicious heap of green goodness. Even the little guy, once we convinced him to just try it already, enjoyed his.

We served this with a salad (I know, leafy green overkill much?) and yellow watermelon from the farmers' market. That was the juiciest melon I've ever had! I think it's called a "yellow doll" or something. The little guy needed a bit of convincing to try that, too (are all newly-turned-3-year-olds this picky?!) but then he couldn't get enough.

These photos are remarkably less staged than even my usuals, since I almost forgot to snap any before we sat down to eat.

I used Bridget's blog for inspiration, mostly regarding the toasting of the nuts/garlic and bruising of the basil, but the quantities I used were based on what I had available. The spinach helped mellow the bite of the garlic and peppiness of the basil, but it still had plenty of flavor. My nuts were walnuts; my oil was grapeseed. I added 8 ounces of cooked chicken to the pasta before stirring in the sauce to make it more filling. And, of course, the pasta I used was gluten-free.

I was right...

2011-08-14T21:30:00.000-04:00

I had no idea what day it was when we got home! We left for Connecticut on a Sunday, and returned on the second Thursday. For most of our extended trips, we are gone Sunday through Saturday. When The H travels alone, he gets back on a Friday. So Friday felt like a Sunday to me and Saturday to him. Now that it's Sunday, it feels like...well, something else. I'm all messed up. What a jumble!

The little guy and I made the best of it, however, and made a stop at the farmer's market on Friday for some deliciously seasonal produce. Here's a couple-days meal plan I was able to concoct:

Friday - chicken tacos with cilantro-lime rice, corn on the cob, and homemade pico de gallo
Saturday - my former running partner's wedding! Leftovers for lunch
Sunday - breakfast-dinner for lunch, then homemade pesto pasta with chicken, watermelon, salad in the evening

My lunches on Friday and Saturday were largely composed of this beauty:

A rainbow of tiny tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, both from the farmers market, with basil from my yard and olive oil/vinegar from the co-op. I enjoyed a side of Greek yogurt with local blueberries and raw honey on the side. It was *almost* as good as ice cream. Don't let The H know I said so.

Freeeeeedom!!!

2011-08-05T13:30:00.001-04:00

This morning the little guy and I took The H to work, which meant we had the car all day! Oh how I love that glorious, sweet, wonderful (too small) car! It shuttled us ever so kindly to Target/Starbucks for my morning coffee--the hotel ran out of non-flavored creamer, do you believe it?--and some good ol' time wasting for me and my little buddy.

I don't care that we got there well before 9am, or that we left close to 11am. We had a darn good time cruising the aisles, playing with toys that make noise (yes, we put everything away), and even letting me try on some clothes. He came out of there with a Matchbox car and some bubbles, and I am three very simple, very-on-clearance wardrobe basics richer. Oh, plus we got some applesauce for lunch, and a carton of half-and-half... just in time to get back to our hotel and see the Sysco food delivery truck hauling in a fresh shipment. ::womp womp::

We spent the rest of the morning running barefoot in the grass, giggling like, well, a three-year-old, and chasing bubbles until the little guy sat down on the grass and said, "Is it not close to bedtime yet?" And away we went, into our room for a quick lunch, stories, and nap. Whew! Based solely on 7am to 1pm, so far I'd call this one of our most successful on-the-road "Mommy and Caleb Days."

Good news/bad news, CT style

2011-08-04T13:55:00.004-04:00

Good news: I got to run outside again--5 miles this time!
Bad news: It was more humid than I was expecting.
More bad news: Because I didn't think I'd have time to run a full 5, I didn't pace myself very well (should've left just five minutes sooner!) and the last half mile was done at a pretty smokin' pace.
More good news: ...the last half mile was done at a pretty smokin' pace. :)

Good news: After my run, I made a bagel scramble (two eggs, spinach, red pepper, green onion, salsa, cheddar) to help up my veggie intake.

Bad news: Most of my $1.60 red pepper was rotten/moldy inside (and I chose it SO carefully last night!!) so everything usable got tossed into this one meal.

More good news: It was yummy.

Good news: The little guy and I did some laundry this morning; my running shorts/bras are all clean and stank-free again!
Bad news: In the two hours since I let them know we'd be out, housekeeping didn't make it to our room.

Good news: There is a pizza joint within walking distance, so the little guy and I went there for lunch.
Bad news: We were out past his naptime...

Good news: He went to sleep anyway! And I got to eat my Greek salad (lettuce, tomato, green pepper, feta, balsamic vinaigrette, added my own baby carrots) in peace.

Bad news: Garmin Connect isn't working right now so I cannot upload my run. Some dumb glitchy updates going on. I want to see those splits! Whine whine whine. I'm done now.
More bad news: After typing it eighty seven thousand times, the word "news" looks pretty stupid.

Wednesday number one

2011-08-04T06:00:00.004-04:00

I got to run outside! There is a paved multi-use trail just over a mile from here. Granted, it's pretty much all uphill for that first mile, but whatever. Next time I'll drive there and just enjoy a normal, non-prehistoric machine, non-knee-busting workout. I got just over 4 miles in at a 9:something average pace, which felt like at least 5mi and a minute faster. Ooof. It's rather flat where I'm used to running!

Here's the rest of the day:

Pre-run: half a piece of toast with honey and organic peanut butter
Exercise: 4.25 mile run and core work, followed by an hour and a half in the pool with the little guy
Breakfast: green monster with lowfat milk, banana, spinach, chocolate protein powder
Snack: farmers' market popcorn and two chocolate Joe Joe's cookies
Lunch 1: quinoa-rice cakes with hummus and turkey, half a pear, half an orange, sesame almonds
Lunch 2: leftover chicken enchilada with rice and salsa
Dinner: Sooooo not clean. And too salty. But along with that-which-shall-not-be-named, I had a small side salad (iceberg, blah...with tomato and olive oil vinaigrette) and a bowl of fruit salad (grapes, banana, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple)
Snack: The H and I had some peanut butter fudge ice cream when the little guy went to bed

I've noticed a lack of fresh vegetables in my diet this week, so while The H put the little guy to bed, I went to Target for some kid-free time and came back with these goodies:

The baby carrots are super-thin and sweet (I'm not a fan of the fat ones that taste like dirt) and will be great in hummus. I'm going to add them both to my meals tomorrow. I will also make sure my dinner is more veg-heavy than they have been. The Crystal Light--not usually my thing!--is sweetened with real sugar and claims to have electrolytes in it; I will add some to my bottle of water on my next run. The Larabars had a $1 off coupon on them, and I like 'em. :D

First of two Tuesdays

2011-08-02T23:30:00.002-04:00

Our trip to CT is longer than a week, but shorter than two. We left on a Sunday and get back on a Thursday. So today is the first of two Tuesdays here. I'm going to be so confused when we get home.

After a different breakfast than yesterday--Kashi GoLean Crisp, with fresh blueberries and low-fat milk--the little guy and I slapped on some newly-purchased sunscreen and headed out into the sunshine to explore our surroundings on foot. Yeah, that didn't take long. From our hotel, and not even all on sidewalk, we can get to a gas station, Dunkin' Donuts, two nail salons, a convenience store, Subway, a pizza joint, and Bank of America. He was less than thrilled. I was wondering where in the world I (and The H) will get to run. The side street(s?) that are nearby look to be straight uphill. The memory of the prehistoric treadmill I pounded on Monday makes me determined to at least TRY running outside.

After wandering, we came back to our room for a little guy quiet time (he has been up before 6:30 every day since he turned three, and I'm NOT a fan!) while I made lunch. His plate was loaded with strawberries, hummus, and GF pretzels, with a cup of macaroni on the side. I'm a sucker.

Remembering that I needed more vegetation and variety in my meals, I made a sandwich on seedy-wheaty bread with hummus, spinach, and low-sodium turkey lunchmeat. On the side I had green grapes the size of golf balls, and a dish of strawberries with yogurt. It was quite a bit more filling than yesterday's soup; go figure. :)

Hello from Hartford!

2011-08-01T23:00:00.001-04:00

OK, we're not actually *in* Hartford, just a bit south, but "Hello from a tiny town in Connecticut you've probably never heard of!" didn't sound as snappy.

We got in yesterday afternoon so The H could start his assignment with the client this morning. After breakfast the little guy and I chilled in our room, watching junk TV and waiting for the pool to open. I also gave him a new puzzle to work on while I ate. That lasted about 30 seconds; this kid is a puzzle whiz. He LOVES them.

While our suitcases were mysteriously (much) lighter than they've been for past trips--even the one we took about a month ago--I've packed quite a number of breakfast/lunch/snack options for me and the LG so we don't have to eat out all the time.

This morning I started with whatever wheat-looking toast they had at the breakfast buffet, with a chocolate protein shake (using milk from breakfast) and coffee, which we brought from home. My toast was topped with an organic crunchy peanut butter The H got on his last trip and some honey my parents brought us from their trip to France.

Yes, it was a very brown breakfast. Tasty, though. Tomorrow I'll try to remember to include some fruit.

Once the pool opened, my highly excitable companion and I ventured down there. He did SO great this time, right away wanting to "go to the last step" and have me swim with him to the ladder in the deep(er) end (the pool goes from 3ft to 5ft) so he could get out, walk around, and do it again. Whew! Swimming works up a big appetite; we snacked on some farmers' market popcorn on the patio next to the pool while our suits dried and housekeeping straightened our room.

Lunch for me was creamy broccoli soup and crackers, courtesy of the soon-to-be-closing Subway we landed at for dinner last night. They'd made a fresh batch (or so they say... some things I'd almost rather not know) but funnily enough, soup was not a hot seller on a 90* day, so they were giving cups of it away. The little guy asked for peanut butter and jelly, which he polished off with uncharacteristic enthusiasm, along with an Activia yogurt, some gluten-free pretzels, and a glass of milk. Then we shared an orange from breakfast.

Once The H got back from work, we piled into the [very small] car and made the quarter-mile trek to the Target (which, incidentally, you cannot do on foot... such a tease) behind our hotel. We stocked up on some fresh items like spinach, grapes, and eggs, and grabbed a few things that forgot to come with us. Like, um, sunscreen. We ended up at Red Robin for dinner, where I once again thoroughly enjoyed a grilled chicken sandwich with melon.

I took advantage of The H being able to put the little guy to bed, and dashed out to the hotel "gym" for a treadmill run on one of the most ancient dinosaurs of machinery I've ever set foot upon. Broke a good sweat doing the "5K lake route" program, so I guess it worked just fine. I lifted a few weights for good measure. Then after some crunch twists and planks, I proceeded to eat my weight in chips and salsa. It was SO GOOD and exactly the snack I wanted after my workout. The end. :)

Green-ish monster

2011-07-27T07:00:00.002-04:00

The basis for this smoothie/shake comes from Squeaky Gourmet, my go-to resource of late. Some of the recipes in the book are SO SIMPLE and yet, I'd never thought to make them. Clean eating doesn't have to mean complicated, and even I forget that sometimes.

Anyway, this shake is supposed to be made with milk, protein powder, coffee (a packet of Starbucks Via works great--just dissolve it in a bit of warm water first so it's not gritty), vanilla, and ice. After making that a few times--The H likes it, too--I decided to mix it up a bit today and greenify it.

The one I made today contains almond milk (plain, unsweetened), chocolate protein powder, instant coffee, spinach, a dash of vanilla, ice and about a tablespoon of coconut butter.

Cool and refreshing, with the tasteless benefits of spinach. Not a bad way to start a day that I'm feeling under the weather!

Banana bread bliss

2011-07-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

Remember how I said this was the best banana bread recipe, gluten-free or otherwise?

Wrong.

It has been relegated to second place, after this guy (not the one in blue):

Behold, the new best-ever vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free (except for the chocolate chips) banana bread! This beauty hails from Erin McKenna's cookbook BabyCakes.

Seriously, this loaf has changed my perception of GF baked goods, homemade or otherwise--and believe me, I've had plenty--from this day forward, henceforth and forevermore. (That sure looks good. Think she'll ever let me have a taste??)

Pretty tall order, right? You haven't tasted it, or you'd be nodding in agreement.

It's light, fluffy. Springy to the touch. Sweet but not overpowering. Completely devoid of that funky mouth-roof tingle or telltale GF aftertaste. Unbelievably soft. Not gritty. Very cake-like. Purely blissful. (It's about time, Mom!)

Equally blissful are the giant muffins I made out of the leftover batter, studded with walnut pieces.

These beauties, as big as my palm, nearly got Hoovered up by yours truly before I could even take a picture. Then self restraint won out, and I set [most of] them aside to cool before bagging them individually for a treat or quick breakfast later this week.

It's hard being so virtuous.

I don't know why this recipe turned out darker than any banana bread I've ever made; it's certainly not burnt. Maybe the coconut oil does that? The recipe, interestingly enough, is slightly different from the version Ms. McKenna posted herself in December 2010. Guess the only thing to do is try them both and hold a taste test!

Invite me over for that, ok?

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
from BabyCakes by Erin McKenna

2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut oil, plus more for greasing the pan
2/3 cup agave nectar
2/3 cup rice milk (I used plain unsweetened almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium-large fruits)
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325* and lightly grease a loaf pan with oil.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup oil, agave, milk, and vanilla. Stir until smooth.

3. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.

4. Fill loaf pan halfway with batter (make the best muffins ever with the leftover!) and bake in center of oven 35 minutes, rotating pan after 20 minutes. The finished loaf should bounce back slightly when pressed, and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean.

5. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cutting board or cooling rack. Slice and serve immediately, or cool completely before serving. Wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Meal plan!

2011-07-24T21:15:00.002-04:00

So, I did it. I made a real live meal plan. Kinda had to, since The H isn't around and I refuse to feed the little guy fast food or convenience food at every meal... though surely it would be *easy* to, I would be a very large and lumpy woman if I didn't make an effort to plan ahead. I do love food. Even the junky stuff.

Here is what we're having this week, in no particular order:

Trader Joe's black bean and cheese taquitos (I said not *every* meal) with pineapple salsa, Greek yogurt with fresh berries, and leftover mac 'n' cheese from lunch for the little guy

Grilled chicken with caramelized onion quinoa--this grain dish is from Squeaky Gourmet, and man is it a good one! Surprising how some of the tastiest things are made from the simplest ingredients.

Buffalo chicken wraps using the meat from a whole bird I'm cooking in the CrockPot early in the week

Cuban black beans with brown rice and poblano peppers (another Squeaky Gourmet inspiration)

Balsamic lime salmon with the world's greatest tomato soup

Gluten free mini pizzas with black olives and co-op pepperoni, plus whatever veggie odds and ends I have left at the end of the week--this will make a great Friday dinner so The H can enjoy our inevitable leftovers when he gets home

That covers my bases for dinners this week. I may switch it up and make one or two for lunch on a daycare day (more time to putter) and have leftovers for dinner. There is half a package of shrimp in the freezer with this recipe written all over it. My mouth is watering just thinking about that one.

Anything fantastic on your menu this week?

Summer dress

2011-07-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

This is semi-related to clean eating...

I don't own any shorts that fit.* My smallest pair, which was tight a few years ago (and *just* fit in this photo)

are now saggy and baggy. They get me by for one wearing, fresh from the dryer.

So I've been leaning heavily on my skirts--brown cotton, black cotton, and denim. That denim one was a reach for me, since it's quite a bit shorter than the other two, but I'm happy with my legs and don't mind showing them off (yay running!).

For awhile now, I've been scoping out clearance racks at various stores, trying to add to my summer (and heck, year-round) wardrobe in my new smaller size without breaking the bank. I was thrilled to find two dresses that are not only cute on the hanger, but feel like they were made for me! I have a wedding shower to attend soon, and was dreading the thought of opening my closet to stare once again at the empty hangers and shapeless (on me!) garments that I can no longer fill out, top or bottom. When I tried this dress on, I knew I'd found my shower outfit.

And when the little guy looked up from the bench where he was reading a book and said, "Mommy looks fancy," I knew we had a winner.

Two years ago, I would never had chosen such a dress-it's so low cut! It's shorter than my shins!--but for whatever reason now, I was drawn to it, and was beyond pleased with the results.

There are so many great colors in the pattern; my next challenge will be finding jewelry to complement it. Thank goodness I didn't out(under?)grow my earring collection!

*Since drafting this post, I've been blessed with a pair of perfect denim shorts and a pair of linen-blend "walking" shorts, both for ridiculously good prices. But I still adore this dress. :)

Uninspired

2011-07-21T21:30:00.001-04:00

That is what I am. Especially when it comes to food. Maybe some of it has to do with the heat, and more than a little The H's crazy work travel schedule this month. Blah. It's depressing to plan meals for me and the little guy, knowing he won't likely appreciate them like I want him to. :) The perils of being 3, I guess. Th H is living it up Marriott style again next week, then shortly after that, we're all tagging along on a jaunt to Connecticut. Know anything about it? Anything we must do?

Since I last had a decent post, here's what I've been up to...

June 27th - Ran a 5K with my superfast friend, set a PR with 22:56. Enjoyed a most delicious root beer float afterwards. 4th in my age group.

July 4th - Dusted off my old (free!) bike and went for a 10-mile ride. Owie.

July 6th - Braved the sore butt and went for another ride, only 5 miles this time. Meh.

July 9th - Ran a half marathon with a group of running friends, set a new PR of 1:53. We had to get up before 3am to make it to the race that started at 6am. 2nd in my age group. (I'm the nerd in purple.)

July 16th - Ran a 4-mile race near my parents' house, set another PR of 31:26. Up until the last minute before awards were given out, I was 1st in my age group, but suddenly that changed to 2nd.

July 21st - Rode 7 miles in the morning, and tried a run in the evening. Not my finest moment. Or run.

I guess I've been busy. But not in the kitchen, bummer. I'm still loving the Squeaky Gourmet book and plan to tuck it in my purse when I grocery shop tomorrow for the week The H is gone. I *need* to get back on track. My pants (ok, shorts... I'm no fool) still fit just fine, but my energy and willpower are starting to suffer a little. I'm off to blog-browse for a touch of inspiration.

What have you been up to? Any fantastic recipes you've made?

Summer staples

2011-07-14T13:35:00.000-04:00

This afternoon, after a trip to the library and local coffee shop, the little guy and I stopped into our beloved Ken's Fruit Market for a few tomatoes. My mom came for a quick visit earlier this week and helped me plant some *beautiful* basil plants from the farmers' market, and it was about time to pick a few leaves for a caprese salad.

My lunch, or at least the first half (I'm sure I'll need more protein in a bit), was a delicious rainbow of summery colors: red tomatoes and green basil with some cubes of fresh white mozzarella, next to half of a juicy golden orange peach and emeralds of kiwi. Everything was SO fresh and SO succulent that I quite simply forgot to take a picture. Not everything was locally sourced (peaches and tomatoes aren't ripe here in the mitten until later, and I've yet to see a kiwi plant here) but I'm pleased I was able to support local business with my purchases anyway. These gorgeous shocks of color are sure to be major players in our meals for the next few months.

What is your favorite summer produce?

Oh where, oh where has The H gone today?

2011-07-10T21:45:00.004-04:00

Oh where, oh where can he be?

That's right. Vegas, baby. Which means I can eat shrimp this week!

The little guy and I are actually on week two of four "Mommy and Caleb" weeks in a row. Forgive my inevitable lack of creativity toward the end of this month. Super-humid weather and cooking-for-one (more or less) weariness is bound to catch up with me.

We did all right today; I was pretty proud of myself for remembering to marinate some chicken breast in Garlic Expressions dressing last night. It was easy to throw those on the grill after church, reheat some quinoa, and toss a few ears of corn onto the grill. With the addition of some sweet local cherries, our lunch was complete.

For dinner, we packed a picnic and headed to a local beach/splash pad with my in-laws. Playing in the water always gives him a big appetite! He mowed through a whole sandwich (blackberry no-sugar jam + almond butter on local whole-wheat bread), grapes, apple slices, two gluten-free blueberry muffins, and some Special K cracker chips.

My lunches this week will be leftovers (shrimp + quinoa with veggies, chicken breast + spinach salad, gluten-free spaghetti with meat sauce...) but as for dinners, I'm kind of flying blind right now. That is a pretty terrible place to be, for someone who is trying to eat clean anyway, so I will try to get my act together and form a decent meal plan. If only it weren't so *hot* I could probably come up with a great list in no time!

Squeaky-clean eating

2011-06-26T22:30:00.001-04:00

Ah, Sunday night. How'd you get here so fast? Having The H gone Thursday/Friday, planning the little guy's birthday party (and then hosting and cleaning up after it) on Saturday, spending time at church, then grocery shopping, meal planning, and a bit of gardening (more on that later) on Sunday all have a way of making precious "time off" go by too quickly.

In the interest of efficiency, I focused on just one resource for planning my menu this week, rather than pulling favorites and newbies from various places. The majority of my meals come from the book "Squeaky Gourmet: Simple * Clean * Food" by Maureen Jeanson and Jamie Wilson.

(source)
The authors were kind enough to send me a copy this past winter, when I was out of work and looking for some hobby reading to occupy my time. I'm excited to try them--we made three of them today alone!--and share the results with you. Virtually, of course. Unless you call ahead.

Here's what I came up with:
Mexican Burgers + Mom's Mexican Rice
Chicken with Olive-Tomato Relish + Quinoa with Caramelized Onions
Honey Lime Chicken + Lemon Quinoa with Asparagus
Sweet Potato Breakfast Cakes + Vanilla Cappuccino Shake
Thai Coconut Shrimp - this will be a lunch for me, since The H is allergic

I *love* flipping through a new cookbook or magazine for fresh ideas. The H couldn't believe how many sticky-notes I had flagging the pages of this book already. It's shaping up to be one of my new favorites! Hopefully in a few days I'll be able to post a more thorough review as I get a chance to cook through more of the recipes.

Decadent crispy chocolatey goodness

2011-06-24T11:30:00.000-04:00

When you think "rice crispy treats" what might come to mind (other than the fact that I spelled it with a "c" because the "k" version is a registered trademark) is the gooey marshmallow version that begins with melting a whole stick of butter. Perhaps you've even had one that includes chocolate or butterscotch chips (I know I have...yum).

Well. This recipe contains none of those. And it's phenomenal.

Chocolate Hazelnut Crispy Squares
from Clean Eating Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 3
serves 24

1/2 cup unsalted raw hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups unsweetened brown rice cereal (gluten free, if you so desire--Rice Krispies are not)
3/4 cup rolled oats (again, GF if you need that)
2 1/2 ounces dark chocolate (70% cacao or more), broken into pieces
1 cup unsweetened dried pitted dates, pureed
1/2 cup unsalted hazelnut butter (or other unsalted natural nut butter)
2 Tbsp raw honey

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine hazelnuts, cereal, and oats. Mix well and set aside.

2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler (small bowl set above a pot of simmering water). When melted, remove top part of double boiler from the heat and stir in pureed dates, nut butter, and hone. Stir carefully with a wooden spoon until combined. If mixture becomes difficult to mix, set over simmering water as needed.

3. Add chocolate mixture to bowl with cereal and fold in with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Spread into a 9"x12" pan, pressing firmly to even out the top. Refrigerate 30 minutes to let bars set. Cut into bars and serve.

These can also be rolled into truffle-like balls rather than into bars.

Nutrition information per 1 1/2 inch square:
Calories - 110
Fat - 6g
Carbs - 13g
Fiber - 2g
Sugars - 7g
Protein - 2g
Sodium - 0.25mg
Cholesterol - 0mg

Gluten-free coconut macaroons

2011-06-23T09:15:00.000-04:00

I've always loved macaroons--sweet, soft, coconutty goodness. While it's true that many macaroon recipes are gluten-free, the majority of them also call for sweetened condensed milk. No thanks! A web search led me to this recipe. For us, it's kind of a non-issue that they're gluten-free, because The H doesn't like coconut anyway. But I do, and I was excited to try these! In a half-sized batch, of course. No need to go crazy up in here.

Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroons
from Elana's Pantry
makes 24

6 egg whites
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup agave nectar**
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

1. Beat egg whites with salt until stiff peaks form.

2. Fold in agave, vanilla, and coconut.

3. Drop batter 1 Tbsp at a time on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

4. Bake at 350* for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet briefly, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

My batter was a bit wet, and some agave leaked out around the edges while they baked, making (very yummy) caramel-like puddles around some of the cookies. Those were easily removed without harming the finished product. Which, by the way, is soft. A bit sticky. And sweet. And coconutty. Perfect. The little guy has already chomped his way through three of them, proclaiming them delicious. LOVE that kid.

**There is some controversy about agave and how much better--if at all--it is than high fructose corn syrup. Read some articles/blogs (I like this one) and use your own judgment.

Coconut Chicken

2011-06-21T15:14:00.000-04:00

I hadn't originally flagged this recipe when I flipped through the September/October 2010 issue of Clean Eating Magazine, but at second glance (as is the case for many dishes I make from there) it caught my eye and got added to my meal plan.

Coconut Chicken with Pineapple-Strawberry Salsa
from Clean Eating Magazine, Vol. 3, Issue 5
serves 4

1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup light coconut milk, divided
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced, divided
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
1/2 small fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced (about 2 cups)
10 large strawberries (about 8 oz), diced
5 oz mixed greens

1. In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup coconut milk with white parts of scallion, salt, and pepper. Add chicken and let marinate at room temperature 30 minutes, or covered in the fridge overnight.

2. In another large bowl, combine remaining 1/3 cup coconut milk with green parts of scallion. Stir in pineapple chunks and diced strawberries (I also added a seeded, diced jalapeño). Set aside, or if not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Heat a grill (or grill pan) over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through and juices run clear.

4. Divide chicken and greens evenly among four plates. Top each serving with fruit salsa and serve.

The little guy wasn't into the chicken, so he had turkey breast, string cheese, and assorted fruits. With the exception of the bell pepper, which he said was sour (he preferred the red one he had before dinner), he cleaned his plate.

Nutrition information per 4oz chicken + 1/2 cup salsa:
Calories - 214
Fat - 4g
Carbs - 17g
Fiber - 3g
Sugars - 11g
Protein - 28g
Sodium - 90mg
Cholesterol - 65m

Summery salmon salad

2011-06-20T14:00:00.006-04:00

Last year when I got the July/August 2010 issue of Clean Eating Magazine, I put this meal on my mental to-try list. Buying salmon isn't something I do often, thanks to The H's allergy and my desire to purchase small portions of wild-caught fish (the co-op requires a 2lb minimum), so it's something I have to plan ahead for since I don't often have fillets in the freezer.

Today my restock-the-pantry travels led me right to the door of one of our favorite local meat places, and I made it a point to grab a few small ones--mostly for this recipe, and to have a spare.

Arugula, Asparagus, & Salmon
from Clean Eating Magazine, Vol. 3, Issue 4
serves 4

12oz wild salmon fillet, skin and bones removed
Olive oil cooking spray
2 cups asparagus tips
2 cups blackberries, divided
2 tsp raw honey
4 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp dark sesame oil
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
6 cups arugula
4 large scallions, sliced on the diagonal

1. Preheat the ovven to 400* and spritz a baking sheet with oil. Divide the salmon into four pieces, place on baking sheet, and bake 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

2. Set a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and steam asparagus for 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Rinse with cool water and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mash 16 of the blackberries, then add honey, soy sauce, oil, and orange juice. Stir to combine.

4. Divide arugula among four plates, then top each with asparagus, scallions, a piece of salmon, and reserved blackberries. Drizzle each portion with blackberry dressing and serve.

I subbed cranberry juice for the orange, used organic spring mix (which was surprisingly arugula-heavy) instead of the arugula, and omitted the asparagus because I forgot it was called for and didn't have any.

This was a light, fresh lunch that I didn't feel one bit guilty about eating after my many errands this morning, like I would have if I'd dashed to Buffalo Wild Wings... The salmon I used was 8oz (I halved everything else); once it was cooked, I packaged up half of it with half of the blackberry-honey sauce for tomorrow's lunch.

Good news/bad news

2011-06-19T22:05:00.000-04:00

Good news: I was able to maintain my weight while eating mainly from restaurants (ok, and a few street vendors...) for two weeks straight
Bad news: While the number is the same, I can tell I'm more "fluffy" than usual, no doubt due to decreased mileage and no work with weights

Good news: I get to shop and cook in my own kitchen this week!
Bad news: The H is out of town at least two nights
More good news: I can make the Thai Coconut Shrimp I came across in an old Clean Eating Magazine

Good news: The little guy's birthday is Saturday!
Bad news: In less than a week, I'll be the mom of a THREE year old
More good news: My parents, grandma, in laws, and sister (+ bro-in-law + nephews!) are coming to celebrate with us :)

In other news, on my menu this week:

Coconut Chicken
Thai Coconut Shrimp
Leftover chicken-salsa-rice
Electric Cheetah
Girls' run (salad night)
*Possibly* chicken-fried steak (yes, it's a clean-eating recipe!) if it's not too hot
Pizza for the little guy's birthday, per his request

Oh, and yes, I did get my familiar-turf run done today! That felt good. :)

Tonight, tonight

2011-06-18T21:24:00.000-04:00

I'll sleep in my own bed tonight!

And tomorrow I'll go for a run on familiar streets, free from clouds of secondhand smoke, in an area where I *know* people. After that, I'll go to my own church with my own family, have lunch that (hopefully) doesn't come from a restaurant, not surrounded by hundreds of strangers, and restock my full-sized refrigerator with beautiful fresh produce from the grocery store a few blocks away.

Home, sweet home! It was a good trip, but man, it's nice to be in our own space again.

With a little help from my friends...

2011-06-16T22:35:00.010-04:00

I mean, Trader Joe's and the Marriott breakfast buffet, I was able to refuel with steel-cut oats topped with walnuts after my 4-mile run this morning. While I do appreciate having things I don't buy at home, like bagels and cream cheese, when we travel, having them fairly often for two weeks isn't very smart. Granted, I have been mixing it up a little--eggs and toast, English muffin and peanut butter, fruit and yogurt--but it still felt really nice to get back to those old familiar oats.

Today the little guy told me he's "done with Phillyadelphia" and wants to go back to Michigan now. When I mentioned that maybe he'd get to have his new big boy bed for his birthday and not his crib* anymore, he clapped and said, "Yeah, and not a couch!" Poor kid...he's been an AMAZING traveling buddy, as usual, but it's quite apparent that he's tired of the nomad lifestyle. We have one more full day here, ending with a laid-back pizza dinner with my friend and her family. Oh, and packing. Lots and lots of packing.

(Has anyone ever shipped their dirty laundry home to lighten the suitcases on the return trip? Anyone?)

*Yep, it's true. As of two weeks ago, we still had our almost-three-year-old in a crib. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. However, after sleeping very well in a queen bed, a toddler bed, and on a couch made up as a bed, we think going back to the crib especially when he is nearly potty trained, would make it broke. :(

How to not feel like a boat...

2011-06-15T21:25:00.001-04:00

after eating at the Hard Rock Cafe: order two shrimp skewers (total: 12 large grilled shrimp) and a side of "confetti rice" (mixed with pea pods, corn, broccoli). It was more filling than it sounds, but still way lighter than any of the other options. I love that HRC lists the calorie *and* sodium counts of each item on their menu. Too much salt in a day makes me feel gross. I was very happy with this lightly satisfying dinner after almost two weeks of meals-from-menus!

The H and I ground some of our Ocean City Blend (decaf) coffee after the little guy went to bed, and now I'm perusing some running routes for tomorrow morning. Philly is a really cool city, FYI. I just wish there weren't so many people smoking everywhere we walk... :z

First day in Philly

2011-06-13T22:30:00.001-04:00

After a whirlwind tour of the great state of Pennsylvania, we arrived safely in Philadelphia last night. Our hotel room is situated in a way that we have a great view of "dat building wif dat man on it" according to the little guy. He and I spent the morning exploring our surroundings, playing on the giant game pieces at the municipal building, and bumming around Trader Joe's. Yum. I picked up a few snacks for us to have around this week (string cheese, hummus, rice crackers, dark chocolate) and some breakfast options (bananas, steel-cut oats, gluten-free Puffins cereal) to have when the breakfast buffet gets wearying. We had lunch in our room before he went down for an early nap. Being pushed around in a stroller for a few hours is apparently very hard work for this almost-three-year-old.

Post-nap found us in search of the Bath & Body Works I found on Google Maps (I need more lotion! It's all on sale!) and killing time waiting for The H to get back from work. For dinner, we ended up at a teeny little non-chain place called Giorgio on Pine. And that is where we wish we could spend the rest of our week.

Service was friendly, attentive, helpful, and fun. Portions were massive. They were *great* with the little guy, who wasn't so sure about this "fancy" place. It's a BYOB restaurant, but we didn't have any B (or W, actually) so that didn't matter. The owner, Giorgio, who recognized us from the phone call The H had made asking about a kids' menu, included a complementary creme brulee for dessert, after making sure The H was aware of all their (delicious) gluten-free options. Once he knew The H was gluten free, Giorgio brought The H his own package of crispy GF breadsticks so he could enjoy the garlic-infused dipping oil, too. We plan to go back, even if it's just for a splurge dessert or cappuccino later in the week.

Tomorrow, the little guy and I are off to visit a friend, whom I haven't seen since roughly 1999, and meet her little boy! Wish us luck on the train. I'm a big fat chicken about handling my impossibly wiggly monkey child on public transportation.

Eatin' on the cheap...on vacation??

2011-06-08T14:15:00.004-04:00

Usually when we travel with The H, we've on the company dime. We try to use some of his daily food allowance to buy us ingredients--healthy meal/snack options--so we're not forced to eat out every night. But this week we're on our own, and I don't want that to mean all restaurants, all the time. First, because it can be expensive, and second, because I don't want to rely on fat- and salt-laden meals all week!

The past two days we've spent nothing out-of-pocket on food until dinnertime, and one of those days included a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo.

We're fortunate to be staying at a hotel that sets out a fantastic continental breakfast spread every morning (included with the room rate). If we eat here, and bring a few extras back to our room for later, we can easily do lunch on the cheap. This time we took advantage of the little guy's insulated lunch box--previously filled with airplane activities-- and the icemaker in our room, and were able to pack a lovely little picnic for (nearly) free.

Here's what we had at the zoo:

The H: a few hardboiled eggs, gluten-free pretzels, and hummus (from our small grocery trip Monday), plus an apple and yogurt from breakfast.

The little guy and I: PB&J on wheat with peach yogurts (all from breakfast); he also had pretzels and hummus and some bites of apple while I had cantaloupe from breakfast.

We all brought our own water bottles, too. Having lunch this way saved us *at least* $30 (I think that's a conservative estimate) that we then had available for dinner. Plus, not having eighty zillion (unhealthy) choices in front of us, we all stuck to what we'd brought and that was that. No tantrums about this fried meal or that frozen treat! Love it.

Today's lunch was brought to us by "Kate's Tendency to Overpack and Plan for the Worst." Before we left MI, I tucked a few microwaveable soups and a box of GF mac 'n' cheese into my suitcase, in case we didn't have time to grab dinner at the airport between flights. My leftovers from dinner + macaroni for my boys + applesauce + more hardboiled eggs + chicken-rice soup = "free" lunch again! This was after we had breakfast in our room, which was a combination of grocery-store acquisitions and continental breakfast.

We even went so far as to bring our own coffee (and grinder...) on this trip, not really to save money, but because we're weenies.

Every time we travel with The H, one (or both) of us complains that hotel coffee "just isn't the same" as our freshly-roasted-from-a-local-roaster java at home. So yeah, it took us this long to figure out that if we bring our own, that's not an issue! SMRT, I tell ya. We've been augmenting it with half-and-half from the breakfast buffet.

How do you (or DO you?) look for ways to save money on vacation?

Hello, New Jersey!

2011-06-07T21:30:00.009-04:00

This is my first time in NJ, and the first week of our 14-day adventure with The H. I started the week with a lovely run from our hotel Monday morning. Although I started a bit fast, it felt GREAT to be running without a training plan hanging over my head! (FYI, the majority of that third mile was downhill!)

Split	Moving Time	Distance
1	0:08:34	1
2	0:08:34	1
3	0:08:03	1
4	0:08:31	1
5	0:08:23	1
6	0:00:23	0.05
Summary	0:42:28	5.05

After I refueled (peanut butter toast, yogurt, melon) and got cleaned up, we set out for the Adventure Aquarium, where the little guy had a blast watching sharks, penguins, seals, and fish. He almost didn't stay awake through lunch, but lucky for us took a two-hour nap once we got back to our room. Whew!

Post-nap = pool. The water was a bit chilly (it was kind of breezy out) but I bet in a few days when the temp hits 98* or higher we will find ourselves there again. For dinner, we gladly gave our business to Pizza Pomodoro, which advertises an extensive gluten-free menu. Yay! A bit of brief grocery shopping followed, then it was home for bed. Whew! Great first day--looking forward to the rest of the week.

I forgot the camera cable, so no pics until I figure out how to upload from my phone or 'til I have The H load the memory card into his laptop...but trust me, there will be some! (Think: little guy in a full-body rashguard/wetsuit, complete with built-in Superman-esque swim floaties at the chest and back...)

Well that flew by...

2011-06-03T09:15:00.003-04:00

Has it really already been a week since we headed up to Traverse City for the marathon? Having a shortened week/long weekend to kick off this past week kind of messed me up. Here it is, Friday again, and I feel like it's only Wednesday. I suppose there are worse things...

Today is a whirlwind of laundry, packing, and shopping for me as we get ready for our two-week trip to Pennsylvania. Got any great "must-see" recommendations, or a gluten-free restaurant we should try?

Our meals for the past week were more or less cobbled together at the last minute, but pretty decent if I must say so myself. Last night we had grilled cubed round steak, corn on the cob, leftover potato salad, and fresh-from-the-co-op grilled asparagus. I used grapeseed oil instead of olive oil on the asparagus, which I don't recommend, but otherwise it was a good meal. We've also had one of my favorites, "fridge cleanout pizza." It was topped with mushrooms, green pepper, onion, and co-op beef pepperoni. YUM.

Tonight I'll probably throw some chicken breast on the grill, sauce it with Trader Joe's BBQ sauce, make some rice or quinoa as a side, and grab a green veggie at the farmer's market while I'm running errands. How handy that I just discovered a new market right near where I'll be shopping today!

MARATHON: OWNED!

2011-05-29T22:00:00.002-04:00

Short story: Ran my second marathon yesterday. Beat my previous time by quite a bit. Felt strong the whole time. Truly enjoyed the experience. Finished in 3:56:43.

Long story...

Saturday's forecast kept changing in the days (and hours) leading up to the race. By the time we woke up, not-so-bright and early at 4am, chance of showers was 50-60%. And sure enough, it was raining. I was extra careful with my SportWax application to prevent chafing.

I made my breakfast: peanut butter and Nutella (hey, it's race day) on local wheat bread with a banana and a familiar flavor of Gatorade. I ate half in my room (4:45am) and half once we got to the start (5:45am).

It rained--pretty significantly--until the race began at 7am. Thankfully we could wait inside the local high school for most of the time. We headed to the starting line about 45 minutes early, to use the porta-potties one more time.

We found our friends, The H gave me a good luck smooch (he was running the 10K--6.2 miles--at 7:30am), and we were off after the national anthem played.

My running partner Amy and I settled into a comfortable pace, albeit a little fast for how much we still had ahead of us. It took us a few miles to scale back to where we wanted to be for the first 18-20 miles.

Miles 1-5 went by very quickly. She looked at me at one point, around Mile 2, and said, "Did we start already?!" :p We were right on pace once we hit Mile 4, and feeling strong.

Miles 6-10 felt much longer. I had a pretty long stop in here, when I couldn't get my Gu unpinned from my shorts. The pin was stuck, then the Gu wouldn't come off the pin, and once I got it loose, I couldn't open the packet! A sweet race volunteer helped me get it open, but I wasted a lot of time there. Hate that.

Around Mile 10 I told Amy I was planning a bathroom stop at the halfway point. Somewhere in here we started seeing runners from the half marathon passing us the opposite direction. That put some pep in my step, and I unknowingly sped up. Amy helped reel me in by keeping a steady pace, though I was naturally starting to stay a few steps in front of her.

Mile 13, the turnaround point, came and went without a pitstop because the potties were too far off-course. I passed Amy when I turned, and told her I'd hit the next one hoping it wasn't crowded. And that was the last I saw of her until the finish line... On my way to that next aid station, I pushed my pace a bit (Garmin says 8:38), thinking I'd be able earn a few extra seconds and still come out with the average I wanted.

Mile 14-15ish, post-potty stop... I had a rock in my left shoe, but it wasn't worth stopping for. I was hoping Amy would catch up and we could finish together. She was nowhere to be seen, so I grabbed a water and kept on trucking, thinking she must've passed me, although I didn't see her hat ahead of me.

At the next two water stations, I looked for her everywhere, even running a few steps backwards here and there in case she hadn't passed me when I was using the bathroom.

Mile 17, single digits to go. Enjoyed "leap frogging" with several of the same runners/groups as we each stopped and started at the various water stops. Encouraged a first-timer who had the misfortune of running with a know-it-all who would.not.stop.blabbing about "it's just another long run, stay loose, don't waste your energy..." I'd have pushed him off course if he was running with me.

Mile 18, still feeling strong. I hadn't seen Amy in at least 5 miles. One of my worst race-day fears was coming true; not only was I running without music (my iPod was severely unreliable during training and I didn't want to carry it with me in case it decided to bonk again) but now I was also running alone. During training I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep up my planned race pace without Amy there; now I had to figure it out. Turns out, it wasn't as bad as I'd been fearing. Actually, I grinned like an idiot for much of the race! I was having FUN. During a MARATHON. That's messed up, right? :)

Mile 20, some jerky volunteer was saying "Last hill! You're almost there!" First, it wasn't. Second, we weren't. I told him if he was wrong about the hill, I'd come back and punch him. (Note to The H: I guess that was my long-run rage of the day!) I wasn't too upset, since I had run this part of the course before, AND I was expecting to see my friend Heather within the next mile! Trying to talk the hot spot on the bottom of my left foot into *not* becoming a blister. My water breaks were becoming a little longer. Just over an hour remaining for the last 6.2mi if I wanted to make my goal of coming in under four hours.

Mile 21, coming up to a big spectator area... looking for Heather... hearing so much shouting around me, starting to get disoriented and a little claustrophobic... It was crowded, I was almost through the tunnel of people... THERE SHE WAS!! I hollered a little and waved, and she squealed at me, then jumped onto the course next to me. She asked if I needed anything, how I was feeling, and said I looked strong. It was so nice to see a familiar face! I asked if she'd seen Amy, but no such luck. That must mean she was behind me... but how much? I was getting worried that her knee, which had given her fits a few weeks ago and caused a DNF (did not finish) at another race, was acting up.

Mile 22, are we really only four miles out? And was my pace really hovering in the low-8s?! I had Heather read the Garmin for me just in case my eyes were playing tricks. She runs a bit slower than I do on average, and while she was nervous about being "too fresh" for me when we met up, she now said she was worried about holding me back because I was running so freaking strong. Woot!!

Miles 23-25, still feeling good... hips starting to ache. Conversation becoming shorter--single words rather than phrases. Heather gave me a Gu somewhere in here, which was great. I think this is part of the reason I didn't hit The Wall like I did at this point in Detroit. (Throughout the race I ended up eating ten Clif Shot Bloks and four different kinds of Gu--espresso, chocolate, vanilla, and plain.) Right quad seized up a little, but I beat on it with a fist to release the knot, and I didn't even have to stop to stretch. Whew.

Mile 25.7, starting to approach the finish chute. I could see orange cones blocking off traffic and larger groups of spectators lining the way. I told Heather THANK YOU and asked that she run back and find Amy, and please give her my apologies for ditching her. :(

Mile 26, I saw some friends who had already finished! They hollered and cheered. Still feeling strong. Annoyed at the lady in jeans and a polo who was pacing some guy in front of me; I almost told her to haul ass and get out of the way. Lucky for them, they put on some serious speed and pulled away just as I started my finish kick.

Mile 26.1, I heard The H yell my name and saw my father-in-law just outside the high school track where the finish line was. Time to put on a smile and push whatever speed I had left. The H's dad has his camera around his neck--under his jacket. As I ran by, he said, "Hey come back here!" :p The Garmin read 7:55. WHAT the heck?! Go with it...I'm on the track...see the FINISH banner...smile...lift arms...DONE!

Mile 26.2 (my Garmin read 26.4) I was handed a medal and a bottle of water, and slloowwwly set off to get some food. They didn't have the space blankets I was *so* looking forward to. Once I wasn't moving as fast, I got pretty cold. The only thing that sounded good was orange slices. It was raining again, and pretty breezy. Grabbed a bag of Sun Chips and some pretzels and started looking for The H and the rest of my crew. The little guy ran to greet me across the infield, and had fun examining my medal. And eating my chips.

The H gave me a dry shirt and I chugged the Gatorade I had packed while his dad took some pics.

We met up with our other friends, I got to see some of our group's first-timers finish, and we found Amy! Her knee did indeed cause problems, starting at Mile 6! She never said anything to me, but by the half, she was hurting pretty badly. She finished, but nowhere near the time she wanted.

After hanging around until my lips turned the color of my shorts (OK, not quite that bad), we headed back to our hotel for lunch, showers, and naps. As much as everyone seems to think I should be ravenously hungry, I really didn't eat more than a normal amount throughout the day. Even my dinner, after a touch of post-run ickiness settled, was only two pieces of wild mushroom pizza and some antipasto salad at Pangea's Pizza. Oh, and a locally-made root beer. Mmmm bubbles. The H suggested ice cream, but really, I was content with a decaf mocha and big bottle of water.

Oh, and quite content in my 40-minute PR and very first sub-4-hour marathon finish. :)

Today I'm sore, but mobile. Three hours in the car didn't do me any favors, but I've continued to rehydrate, and took some Ibuprofen. As sick as it is, I've already started thinking about #3... no solid plans yet (The H would have a coronary), but I know I'm not done with the beast that is The Marathon...

Marathon training update: Race week!

2011-05-23T09:40:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that this Saturday is race day! Last time around, training seemed to drag on and I was *so* very nervous for weeks leading up to the marathon, but this time... it's race week already?!

Training has continued to go well (knock on wood) and I haven't had the nagging aches/pains/injuries that plagued me last time. Hopefully that means Saturday will be smooth sailing, too.

This week is all about lower mileage, staying loose and staying injury-free! I'm so excited for my friends who are running their first-ever 26.2, and wish them the best on race day. It's been a fun ride this time around knowing that so many of my running pals will be there with me!

My meal plan this week is based on the ever-popular Fridge Cleanout theme, so we don't have a ton of food going to waste while we're traveling. Tonight will likely be breakfast dinner since I recently got a shipment of Bob's Red Mill GF pancake mix. Beyond that... stay tuned and I'll let you know if something fabulous comes out of it. :)

Meal plan

2011-05-15T11:30:00.001-04:00

The H is jetting off to the wilds of Philadelphia this week. He's planning to scope out some things for us to do together when we join him for a few weeks in June! It's good to have something to look forward to after a big race (or other event). To that end, I also signed up for the Army Ten-Miler in October. I am not planning on another 2011 marathon, but I'd like to have a few smaller events on my calendar to help keep me moving. This will be my second 10-mile race in the fall.

Enough about that; here's our planned eats for the week:

Sunday lunch - Chicken broccoli pasta after church

Sunday dinner - Out with The H on the way to the airport

Monday - Beef tenderloin with asparagus and corn on the cob

Tuesday - Chicken barley stew in the CrockPot after running group; I'm planning to use white beans instead of black eyed peas, and some sweet potatoes in addition to white

Wednesday - Leftover shrimp noodles for me; ravioli for the little guy

Thursday - Girls' run at my house, dinner TBD

Friday - Pasta with tomato cream sauce from Cook, Pray, Love

Saturday - Burgers on the grill

Lunches - Shrimp noodles, wheat berries with caramelized onions and feta, leftover chicken pasta

Mildly Meaty Monday

2011-05-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

Score another win for Branny Boils Over. As I was wracking my brain to come up with a meal plan for the week, I scooted over to my Google Reader for inspiration. And there I saw Beef and Bean Fajitas--the perfect way to get me out of the "chicken and blank" rut I found myself in.

Because I didn't have quite the amount of beef called for (I wanted to use up some leftover steak from Saturday rather than thawing a whole new hunk of cow), I added some baby portobello mushrooms and sliced bell pepper to make up the rest of the weight; thus, mildly meaty Monday. I'll let Branny's recipe and original source speak for themselves; other than these extra fillers I didn't change a thing about the meal.

I served mine on a whole grain tortilla (with some faux sour cream--organic yogurt, strained through cheesecloth for about half an hour) and The H's on the last few corn tortillas from this meal. The little guy is not a fan of steak, so I made him a cheese quesadilla on the same kind of wrap I used, and he ate his black beans on the side. We each also had an ear of corn on the cob--super sweet!

We finished the meal with some of the biggest strawberries I've ever seen. My son, a notorious berry-fiend, couldn't finish two!

One-stop meal, courtesy of Ken's

2011-05-09T15:00:00.002-04:00

This dinner was made possible thanks to Ken's Fruit Market, that local gem that we've been thrilled to have in our neighborhood since last summer. I didn't realize it when I formed the meal in my head, but as I was assembling it, I had to laugh. Earlier this year I made a week-long challenge to myself to shop only at Ken's for our dinners, and here I accomplished the same thing by mere coincidence.

Grilled chicken breasts, marinated in Garlic Expressions dressing/marinade, topped with pico de gallo, and served with cilantro-lime brown rice (yep, even rice-cooker friendly brown rice can be found at Ken's!) and homemade baked corn tortilla chips made the perfect complement to the brilliantly sunny, breezy spring day we had here.

While The H grilled the chicken, I chopped all the goodies for the pico and cut/seasoned the corn tortillas. A few minutes of baking--just until browned on the edges--at 350* was all they needed.

Aside from the kosher salt, olive oil, and dried coriander I used in the rice and on the tortilla chips, everything I used in this meal can be found at Ken's.

While we may get a few "Oh hi, ma'am, you again?" looks behind the pleasant smiles that greet us at Ken's when we dash in for the third time in a week, we'll continue going back because it's perfectly located (can't beat less than a half-mile walk when gas is so expensive!) and they carry what we use at good prices. And no, this is not a paid advertisement. I just like the local guys!

I find myself very content when the little guy and I (and The H, when he's home) can spend a day grocery shopping, visiting the library, picking up a few things at the hardware store, mailing our bills, grabbing some cash from the ATM, and capping the day with treats from our favorite pizza joint and/or ice cream shop, without leaving our little neighborhood or hopping into the car. It makes me want to spend that much more time and money investing in our super-local community businesses, and happy that we have so many to choose from.

Marathon training update: Long runs DONE!

2011-05-07T21:30:00.001-04:00

Technically, I still have two long runs to do, but today was the longest one of all eighteen weeks of training, so the rest are (much) shorter from here on out..minus race day. :p

The weather was gorgeous for a change--no rain, snow, sleet, or gale-force winds--and we were able to enjoy sun and a light breeze the whole time. Good thing, too, since the route was so hilly we probably couldn't have handled anything else stacked against us.

My running partner and I made the joint decision to stay conservative (the hills kind of forced that anyway) and try to not burn out like we did for 19 miles. She had to pull me back a few times when my legs were getting ahead of my brain, but overall we stayed strong and steady. The effort felt faster than the Garmin says, but that's ok. We were still under our planned race-day pace.

Here are the splits:

Split	Moving Time	Distance
1	0:08:55	1
2	0:08:30	1
3	0:08:22	1
4	0:08:37	1
5	0:08:32	1
6	0:08:40	1
7	0:08:44	1
8	0:08:30	1
9	0:08:33	1
10	0:08:38	1
11	0:08:49	1
12	0:08:50	1
13	0:08:38	1
14	0:08:50	1
15	0:08:45	1
16	0:08:52	1
17	0:08:36	1
18	0:08:55	1
19	0:09:03	1
20	0:08:42	1
21	0:00:50	0.1
Summary	2:54:51	20.1

From 18-19 we were going up hill into the wind. You can't win 'em all.

The H met me at the door with my coffee. Oh yes indeed, he's done this before. ;)

My lovely friend Heather, who hosted us and planned the route, also made a fantastic baked French toast with chocolate and dried cherries. Between that and the two hardboiled egg whites I put The H to work peeling for me, I refueled quite nicely.

One of these also found its way into my belly.

Sugar-covered sugar for the win!

A few ibuprofen, some water, and an elevated-legs nap later, I'm feeling remarkably normal. I'll use the foam roller before bed, and anticipate no lasting effects tomorrow. My friends and I were reminiscing today about where we started from: back when my long runs were 4-6 miles, I'd go home and eat like a horse, then nap for hours and walk funny for a few days. Today I ran for three hours, and feel like me. :)

Pizza free-for-all

2011-05-06T09:00:00.001-04:00

Got some random veggies around? Not enough meat to build a meal around? Make a pizza! It's almost as forgiving as soup when it comes to using leftover odds and ends in a new way.

We've gotten pretty creative with our pies lately, and each one seems better than the last. One of my favorite combinations is barbecue sauce, chicken, red onion, and cheddar cheese. Adding green onion and/or green olive if they're available is tasty, too.

This one was topped with local nitrate-free beef pepperoni, artichoke hearts, black olives, pesto instead of red sauce, and a random assortment of awesome cheeses left from a party.

On the side, using one of the small crusts (when I make Bob's Red Mill GF crust, I make one large for dinner and two small pie-plate sized ones for leftovers), I made a garlic cheese bread. Yeah, not clean. But deeelicious, especially with the yogurt-based ranch-inspired dip I made on the side.

This is just plain yogurt dolled up with some salt-free herb blends and a few shakes of dehydrated veggie flakes.

Everyone loved it. :)

Happy weekend eating!

I made Hamburger Helper.

2011-05-04T15:55:00.000-04:00

Not the kind in a box, relax. It was a homemade knockoff, using this recipe from Kitchen Stewardship. I wanted something quick and easy for after running group, but I didn't want to make chili in the CrockPot. (Turns out the night was chilly enough for chili, but I already had this halfway made before we left, so never mind about that.) None of the search results on allrecipes.com were thrilling me, so I went to trusty ol' Google and picked one that I had the ingredients for.

You'll realize there is no picture. Even I have my limits to what I will post. :D But the dish did turn out well, really. It just wasn't ready for a close-up.

I used Sam Mills gluten free corn pasta, lean, local ground beef (fat drained), Vidalia onion instead of onion powder, and HFCS-free ketchup in place of tomato sauce. That was our only grumble about this recipe. Between the ketchup and the sugar (turbinado--I didn't want to overpower the dish with sucanat, though I might try it next time), the sauce was quite a bit sweeter than either The H or I cared for. Reducing the sugar by half if using ketchup might be the way to go. I also omitted the salt and pepper, except for a sprinkle of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper on the meat while it browned--nowhere near the teaspoon and 1/2 teaspoon she calls for.

As far as quick and easy, this fit the bill. I couldn't really detect the cheddar at the end, and it seemed quite creamy enough without it, so when I make this again, I will either use a sharper cheese or omit it altogether. Between that change, using real tomato sauce (or Pomi strained tomatoes), and sucanat in place of sugar, we could have a decent one-pot dish to add to our rotation.

Once upon a time...

2011-05-01T13:15:00.001-04:00

Once upon a spring day in 2004, I ran a 5K. My time was 34:18. Average pace, 11:02 per mile. The next year, I ran it again. My time was 34:05. Average pace, 10:58 per mile. The NEXT year, I ran it again. My time was 34:05 (funny, right?). Average pace 10:58.

Five years later, I ran it for the fourth time. My time was 23:43, and I won 1st place in my age group. Average pace, 7:38 per mile. How NUTS is that?!

(Yes, I realize I could pack for a week's vacation in the sacks under my eyes. While I had the foresight to put on earrings--uber fancy for me--makeup was *not* happening before that race, and I hadn't had any coffee yet! Focus on the medal, people.)

My parents were there doing the 5K walk, and The H pushed the little guy in the jogging stroller. After the 5K, the little guy "ran" in his very first race: a one-lap journey around the indoor track, which he finished piggyback-style on The H. Running is hard work, especially when you're only three feet tall.

I find it delightfully amusing that I've gotten faster as I've aged, but not only that, I'm in such better shape now than I was in my mid-20s. My diet no doubt plays a major role in that, and I'm so glad I've been able to adjust my lifestyle to accommodate a mostly-clean eating plan. The payoffs have thus far proven well worth it.

Below are my splits from the race--the first two miles are my warmup. SO glad I was able to get those in! Being loose and warm only worked in my favor, I'm sure. (Besides, to meet my marathon-training mileage for the week, I had to run a total of five miles! Four weeks to go...) While I was getting a little freaked out seeing 7:09 and 7:11 as part of my moving pace on the Garmin during the first mile, I tried not to think about it too much, since I knew it would all be over soon. :)

Split	Avg Moving Pace	Distance
1	9:37	1
2	9:33	1
3	7:17	1
4	7:42	1
5	7:29	1
6	7:11	0.18
Summary	8:17	5.18

A day with the little guy

2011-04-28T14:30:00.002-04:00

My son goes to daycare three days a week, something we've continued even though I'm no longer working on those days. The other two (week)days have become known as "Mommy and Caleb Days," and they are usually the highlight of my week. I love spending time with this tiny person, who has such big ideas and conversations for a person his age--of course, since he's my first and only, I'm sure I'm highly biased!

Today we shared a little snack of raw almonds, fresh apple, and cheese while he played in the kitchen.

After snack time, inspired by how much he enjoyed a decently clean snack with me, I assembled a handful of "snack bags" that we can easily grab and toss into my purse, his stroller, or The H's lunch bag when we're in need of a munch. These bags contain a serving of almonds, dried apricots, and a half-serving of chocolate-covered roasted edamame. The little guy calls them "choklit beans."

We had some time to kill before lunch, so we did some coloring and informal letter-learning. He's great at recognizing (and sounding out) capital letters, but lower case needs some work. Good thing he's only two, and we have plenty of time for that.

Here is a video--the first I've ever posted--of an impromptu ABC concert. Perhaps my favorite part is the "cheeeeze" at the end; think he's had a camera pointed in his face a lot lately? :)

First there was snow...

2011-04-26T21:00:00.002-04:00

...and today we got slammed with some of the craziest weather I've ever seen, and I've lived in this state my entire life.

The day started out rainy, but the sun made its way through the clouds several times--in between sudden, harsh downpours. When The H got home from work, the sky was clearing and in one of its sunny moments. However, we were under a tornado warning. That did not stop us, little guy included, from setting out for a quick run. Yeah. I know. My mom wouldn't have liked that.

The sun stuck around for the first mile, though we were getting showered with ever-so-few raindrops along the way... and then, we hit Mile 2. Thunder. Lightning. Darkening sky. Must run faster! Just about 3/4 of the way through that second mile, the sky opened and down came the rain. Big, fat, juicy plinky drops. Those were followed quickly by skin-stinging hail. Ack!

Just shy of three miles, I dashed home ahead of The H and little guy (yes, we had the decency to cover the jogging stroller with a plastic rain cover, and he had his raincoat on) and opened the garage for them. The three of us stood there in awe of the loudest and largest hail I've had the privilege of seeing. The H caught some pics on his phone, then went to grab the camera when it let up for a minute.

And what was I doing during that minute?

Who wants to leave her Garmin at 2.83 on a day that was supposed to be *3* miles? ;) You can kind of see the hail in the grass behind me. And my super-cute Nike Tempo shorts. Clearance, baby.

Here are some pics of the hail, and our rain-flooded yard:

After we were all warm and dry, we had a family picnic in the basement, watching Wall-E as the tornado sirens (for a different part of the county, thank goodness) went off twice. Oh, and today happens to be the first day I've seen my tulips beginning to open.

Ah, Michigan!

Who invited winter?

2011-04-26T14:00:00.001-04:00

Two weeks ago (April 10th) it was 84* here in my corner of the mitten state. Last week (8 days later), we got 3 inches of snow. How is that fair?! The H took this picture out our upstairs bathroom window in the morning:

My poor blooming daffodils and hyacinths.

It melted by mid-afternoon, but this non-winter-lover wasn't very excited to see everything covered in white again.

Last Tuesday, the day after the snow picture above, was gray, blustery, and drizzly--even a little sleety--so the planned quinoa and black bean salad, which is quite summery tasting, got shuffled to later in the week in favor of a hearty, warm bowl of bean-and-potato soup. That's one of the (many) nice things about having a meal plan--you have everything you need to make your chosen recipes, so your plan can be adjusted as the day dictates.

This is one of those "no real recipe" meals. I started (around 1:30pm) by putting three pieces of bacon in a skillet to brown while I set to chopping whatever else struck my fancy: two medium red potatoes, two fat carrots, a handful of organic celery, three green onions, a medium sweet onion, a handful of baby portobello mushrooms, and two cloves of garlic. Once the bacon was crisp, I drained it, trimmed the fatty edges for the dog, and finely chopped the rest. I tossed it into a 4-quart slow cooker crock with the veggies, added four cups of organic chicken stock and a small jar of bean-cooking liquid from last week, and set it on high.

Before we left for running group (5:00pm) I tasted it, seasoned a bit using sea salt, pepper, and an herb blend from Penzey's, added the home-cooked equivalent of one can drained, rinsed navy beans, and switched it to low. When we got home (7:45pm), I tossed in a handful of German Tilsit cubes I had left from a party last week. It provided a nice extra bit of full flavor and creaminess. Of course, it would have been just fine--and a bit more clean-friendly--without. Either way, coming home to this in the CrockPot after a *super* windy, rainy run made me happy!

The leftovers made a great lunch, along with some gorgeous green grapes and veggie crackers. That book on the left is one of the many I'm currently reading, Lost and Found: Unexpected Revelations about Food and Money, and one that I so far highly recommend. I won it in a Goodreads giveaway and have really been enjoying the author's insights. A good book + a good lunch = rainy day perfection!

Marathon training update with pictures

2011-04-23T17:45:00.005-04:00

8am, ready for our 19-miler...

Set...here we go!

(I'm the green goober on the right who looks like she's about to drop a deuce on the trail. No, I do not really run like that.)

DONE! And still smiling.

Yeah...

Uuugghhh...

Data:

Split	Moving Time	Distance
1	0:08:31	1
2	0:08:22	1
3	0:08:23	1
4	0:08:32	1
5	0:08:25	1
6	0:08:24	1
7	0:08:32	1
8	0:08:22	1
9	0:08:35	1
10	0:08:46	1
11	0:08:22	1
12	0:08:22	1
13	0:08:16	1
14	0:08:37	1
15	0:08:40	1
16	0:08:42	1
17	0:08:54	1
18	0:09:14	1
19	0:09:23	1
20	0:00:11	0.02
Summary	2:43:33	19.02

Yes, I realize we slowed down quite a bit after 14 miles. But we felt so good at the beginning, it was easy to keep up our (super awesome and fantastical for us) pace! Now if only we can learn to run more even splits in the next five weeks, we could be looking at a pretty sweet race.

Beef & Snow Pea Stir-Fry

2011-04-21T21:00:00.003-04:00

Ever since we bought a half-of-a-half of beef this past winter, I've been thrilled to find new clean-eating ways to use it. This stir-fry from Clean Eating Magazine (March 2011) appeared in front of me at just the right time!

Beef, Snow Pea, and Shiitake Stir-Fry
from Clean Eating Magazine, Vol. 4, Issue 3
serves 4

1 cup brown rice
12 oz top sirloin beef, trimmed of fat and sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 cup low-sodium tamari sauce (if you are gluten-free, make sure your sauce is, too!)
1/4 cup water
2 tsp tapioca starch (I used arrowroot powder)
1 Tbsp raw honey, local if you can find it
1 Tbsp coconut oil, divided
2 cups sugar snap or snow peas
2 cups small fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed (I used baby portobellos)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
8 sprigs fresh cilantro (optional--for garnish, or chop and add to dish before serving)

1. Cook rice according to package directions; while it is cooking, prepare the rest of the meal.

2. In a medium bowl, combine beef, salt, and five-spice powder until evenly coated; set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk tamari, tapioca starch, honey, and 1/4 cup water; set aside.

4. Using a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat half of the coconut oil on medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Transfer beef to a clean large bowl. Add remaining half-tablespoon of oil to wok, followed by peas, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger. Saute 2-3 minutes or until peas are crisp-tender. Add veggies to beef bowl.

5. Heat tamari mixutre in the wok over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened--about 30 seconds. Return beef and veggies to wok and stir to coat.

6. Divide cooked rice between serving bowls and top each portion with beef-veggie mixture. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve hot.

I've mentioned before that soy sauce is not one of my favorite flavors, and it is fairly prominent in this dish, so next time I make it I will decrease that slightly; perhaps using some beef broth in its place would lend a rich, but not as salty, flavor.

What I'm making this week

2011-04-18T21:30:00.001-04:00

Monday -- pesto-sauced GF pizza with locally-made nitrate-free beef pepperoni, black olives, and artichoke hearts

Tuesday -- quinoa and black bean salad with avocado

Wednesday -- white bean (or potato?) and bacon soup, OR breakfast dinner (waffles)

Thursday -- burgers on the grill (looks like it will finally be warm/dry enough again!) with roasted red potatoes

Friday -- chicken and rice, specifics TBD (this is a good, safe pre-long-run meal)

Saturday -- out with friends, or similar... this is my 19-mile day and I will want easy!

My snacks/lunches -- roasted beet and feta salad, shrimp noodle salad, cantaloupe and cottage cheese, green smoothies, anything I can justify roasting brussels sprouts for... ;)

Slump-busting soup

2011-04-12T09:00:00.003-04:00

The other day I was slumping around the house after a few days of not-so-hot eating habits, bemoaning the fact that I "had nothing to eat" in the fridge. Yeah, right.

I may not have had any frozen meals, junky snack foods, or leftover portions from previous dinners staring me in the face, but I had more than enough ingredients at my fingertips. I can't remember what led me to my Google Reader, or whether I searched for a certain term or just happened upon this post from Cook, Pray, Love, but that is immaterial now. The point is, I was inspired by the ingredients in this soup and got off my duff to make my own version. You can see the original recipe at the site I linked; it gave me a great start that I otherwise would not have thought of. Lame, right? You'd think by now I'd be a pro at throwing this, that, and the kitchen sink together. Ha.

How I Made My Curried Lentil Soup
inspired by Cook, Pray, Love

First I sauteed half a chopped onion, garlic (2 cloves), celery (2 ribs), and a big carrot in some olive oil. When the onion looked softened, I added curry powder (1 1/2 teaspoons) and cumin (1 teaspoon), then stirred in green lentils (1/2 cup), chickpeas (1/2 cup), water (3 cups?) and chicken stock concentrate, and some quick-cooking brown rice. Once it came to a boil I turned the heat down and covered it while I went to clean up after my run. The rice took 35ish minutes to cook, which was just perfect for the lentils, too. I tasted a bit of everything and added a dash more curry and cumin, as well as salt and pepper to my liking.

At the last minute, I thought I'd really put my veggie intake over the top for the day, and crammed in several cups of fresh spinach.

One sliced lemon (2 wedges for me, thanks) and a sprinkling of grated provolone later, I sat down to my lovely, hearty, made-from-nothing lunch. Don't you love my Polish Pottery soup mug? I used to work at a gourmet cooking store and PP shipments were *big* news. And big bucks. I got mine at TJMaxx on clearance. :D

I ate leftovers for two more lunches in the days following, and even convinced The H to take a portion to work. But I didn't tell him it had curry powder in it (surprise, H!) because 1) he thinks he doesn't like it and 2) he had a cold that day and likely couldn't taste anything anyway. He said it was good, so he was either lying to spare my feelings (which he doesn't usually do regarding food, or he knows he'll be stuck with it again), couldn't taste it, or really did enjoy it. I'm telling myself it was a combination of the last two.

Marathon training update: 18 miles!

2011-04-10T20:30:00.001-04:00

This weekend I ran 18 miles for the third time in my life (here is the first, and the second was last October) and I'm happy to say it went as well as can be expected; maybe better. I didn't really feel like I hit my usual mental slump after seven miles--I was very careful to fuel and hydrate early and often. Here are my splits:

Split	Time
1	0:08:32
2	0:08:56
3	0:08:48
4	0:09:02
5	0:08:54
6	0:09:03
7	0:08:47
8	0:08:46
9	0:08:46
10	0:08:44
11	0:08:42
12	0:08:43
13	0:08:30
14	0:08:58
15	0:08:41
16	0:08:54
17	0:08:58
18	0:08:41

Not incredibly even, but I had my Garmin covered most of the time so I just ran by feel. It actually felt better than the previous week's 16 miles. Seems like my legs are pretty happy in the mid 8:40-8:50s. Sweet! I'm still stopping more than I'd like in the last three miles (to drink, stretch, gripe...) but things could be worse. For the last marathon my strategy was to walk every water station and run the rest (which I did) so maybe that's what I will aim for during my last few long runs.

My training plan has six more weeks of heavy training, then one week of significantly decreased mileage leading up to RACE DAY! Translation: Memorial Day is 7 weeks away! Can you believe it? Seems like spring just got to Michigan (today, actually--temps in the 80s with glorious sun all day long), and already in less than two months, the summer season will be here--and with it, the farmers market! Fresh corn...non-mealy tomatoes...crisp fresh beans... Yum! :)

Late-breaking meal plan

2011-04-07T15:38:00.002-04:00

Yikes! So it turns out when I have my Google Reader open (under one email account) I cannot have my Google Blogger blog (registered under another email) open at the same time. Thus, when I was catching up on my GR, I was falling behind in my own posts!

So here's what we've been eating this week:

Monday - I had planned on breakfast dinner, but The H took me and the little guy to our favorite local place instead. Hectic afternoon!

Tuesday - CrockPot salsa chicken; nothing to write home about.

Wednesday - the breakfast dinner from Monday, which was Clean Eating Magazine's spinach-ricotta frittata and homemade chicken apple sausage.

Thursday - OUT for my birthday! The H is taking me to a place that has a lobster dinner special. Yum.

Friday - beef and snow pea stir-fry from Clean Eating Magazine; during the day I will also slow-cook a whole chicken from the co-op so we can have meat for sandwiches, wraps, or salads this weekend.

Saturday - party at our place! My bro-in-law, a Philly native, is cooking up cheesesteaks for our guests. I'm making caprese skewers and German potato salad; friends are bringing sides/dessert.

Sunday - out with friends for lunch, and over to the in-laws for dinner. The H's bday is Monday!

Vegan(ish) banana muffins

2011-03-28T12:15:00.002-04:00

This recipe popped up at just the right time, in one of those "you might also like..." features at the bottom of the blog I was reading--one of my favorites! We hosted our running group's long run on Saturday and needed to come up with food for about 20 hungry, sweaty people. Since I am the Clean Eating Machine, I try to provide post-run goodies that jive with that persona. Practicing what I preach and all that. :) This muffin recipe called for stuff I already had available, so I could make it basically cost-free. Love that!

Banana-Millet Muffins
from The Clean Eating Mama
makes 12 muffins

2/3 cup whole millet
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I subbed Bob's Red Mill GF flour)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt (don't overdo it... about 1/8 tsp)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup soy milk, or non-dairy milk of choice (I subbed cow's milk since I had it)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup non-dairy or organic chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375* and line a muffin tin with papers or reusable liners.

2. Grind millet in a blender or food processor until nearly powdered. Dump into a mixing bowl and add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

3. Combine mashed bananas with oil, milk, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix gently; fold in chocolate chips.

4. Scoop batter into muffin cups and bake 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

When I first tasted one, I thought they were kind of gritty, but then I realized that was the millet talking. If you don't want that touch of crunch, grind your millet more finely. The chocolate chips provide a touch of sweet creaminess, and if you're a fan of putting butter/Earth Balance/jam on muffins, that would be tasty, too. I double the recipe and ended up 24 large muffins and 12 mini muffins, with a few left over after the run. I enjoyed two of them with coffee this morning after my 8-mile run (marathon training is ramping up...).

Gluten freaking-good flourless cake

2011-03-25T08:00:00.008-04:00

The H wowed us all with this (not-so-clean) dessert recipe for Thanksgiving. (I know! It was ages ago! I thought I had one more photo to upload, but I guess not. Sorry for the tardiness! Try it for Easter.) He found it in a gluten-free cookbook I have, and decided to make it all on his own. The only thing I contributed was the ingredients... and my phenomenal taste-testing abilities.

Check it out!

The cake was, as expected, very dense. It had an almost candy bar-like texture. Incredibly rich and delicious fresh or left over! I told him that he may have worked himself into a permanent position as family baker. This recipe will likely be requested for a long time to come.

Flourless Chocolate Cake
from Incredibly Easy Gluten-Free Recipes
serves 12

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
12 squares (1oz each) unsweetened chocolate
4 squares (1 oz each) semisweet chocolate
6 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup strong coffee
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, divided
1 cup whipped cream (optional) for serving

1. Set oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350*. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, or grease with Crisco.

2. Beat cream with 2 Tbsp sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form; set aside.

3. Place all chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high 2-3 minutes or until chocolate is melted, stirring every 30 seconds.

4. Beat eggs and remaining one cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed about 7 minutes, or until pale and thick. Add melted chocolate, coffee, and salt to egg mixture; beat until well blended.

5. Fold the whipped cream (from Step 1) and 1/4 cup walnuts into egg mixture. Carefully spread into prepared pan; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts. Place pan in large roasting pan and carefully pour hot--not boiling--water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the cake pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until set but still soft in center.

6. To unmold, loosen edge of cake with knife. Place a serving plate upside down over pan and invert. Serve warm, garnished with the optional whipped cream.

We had some extra batter and didn't want the cake to go *right* to the tippy-top edge of the pan, not knowing how much it would rise, so we played it safe and made a second, smaller cake on the side.

(the font may appear different-colored because I typed the recipe in Word and pasted into Blogger later)

Should've snapped a pic!

2011-03-24T20:45:00.001-04:00

Tonight was "fridge clean-out night" for dinner. So far, I've stuck to our weekly meal plan down to the letter, which both shocks and pleases me. Alas, that's going out the window tomorrow when The H takes me and the little guy out for dinner with a gift card he was recently given... but I digress. TONIGHT we had leftovers, just as I'd planned. The H, who had chili for lunch, opted for broccoli soup and a make-it-up-as-you-go pizza gluten free pizza crust. What he did with it (lightly prompted) was fantastic! I had the other portion of chili, btw.

The crust was about the size of a pie plate. (OK, it was exactly the size of a pie plate. Because that's what I had pre-baked it in.) He brushed it with olive oil, sprinkled it with feta and grated Parmesan, topped that with half a sliced red pepper, two chopped artichoke hearts (saved from this salad), and fresh sliced Provolone. It went into a hot oven and baked 'til hot and bubbly.

Then we ate it. And it was yuuuummy. I should have him do stuff like that more often...

Italian Shrimp Salad

2011-03-23T20:30:00.000-04:00

This recipe appealed to me because 1) I love shrimp and 2) I need to eat more salads.

Italian Shrimp Salad
from Clean Eating Magazine, Vol. 3, Issue 2
serves 4

12oz fresh or frozen raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup shelled fava beans (I subbed edamame)
1 6oz jar artichoke hearts, drained, quartered, and rinsed
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped (I used yellow for a splash of different color)
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup red grape tomatoes, halved
3 cups Romaine lettuce, shredded
1 recipe Honey & White Balsamic Vinaigrette (see below)
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp unsalted pine nuts (I subbed walnuts that I toasted lightly)

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, until shrimp turn pink. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and rinse in cold water; set aside.

2. In the same water, add beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine shrimp, beans, artichokes, green pepper, fennel, tomatoes, and lettuce. Add vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper, tossing gently to combine. Divide salad between four plates and top each serving with 1/2 tablespoon of nuts.

Honey & White Balsamic Vinaigrette
(from same CEM issue)

2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp raw organic honey
1/4 tsp mustard seeds, ground (double this)
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Refrigerate until serving or use immediately. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

Even The H appreciated the freshness and crunchy of this salad. When I first read it, I thought it sounded pretty bland and very green. It was a nice alternative to reheated leftovers for lunch on a rainy day, though. I LOVED the toasted walnuts on top!

In the future I'll be sure to squeeze or pat my shrimp dry; my salad was very *wet* between the shrimp, artichokes (even after they were drained), tomatoes, and dressing. Before I packaged my leftovers, I let the leftover shrimp--couldn't mix them together because of The H's allergy--marinate in the extra dressing for more flavor without actually adding more dressing when I go to eat it next.

A bit of a meal plan...

2011-03-20T22:30:00.001-04:00

My heart's not in this one, so it's not written in stone... but here's my lazy-day meal plan for the coming week:

Sunday lunch - leftovers (chicken & bulgur for me, orange-beef stir fry for The H, mac & cheese from our favorite local joint for the little guy, all with green grapes and mango on the side)

Sunday dinner - pizza with friends

Monday - breakfast dinner (chicken apple sausage, allergen-free waffles)

Tuesday - chili in the CrockPot after running group, hopefully with gluten-free cornbread

Wednesday - barbecue chicken with fresh green beans and butternut risotto

Thursday - perhaps leftovers again?

Friday - beef stew and gluten-free peach muffins

My lunches this week will be broccoli soup from last week (I froze two large portions) and the shrimp salad I didn't get to make yet, along with whatever other leftovers we end up with after the meals above.

Lemon Chicken & Bulgur Salad

2011-03-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

This recipe is one of the many from the March/April 2010 Clean Eating Magazine that made my list this week. What drew me to it was the simplicity of a lemon-marinated chicken combined with bulgur (which I can use this week, rather than subbing H-friendly quinoa!) and mint, which I have never used in my cooking.

The chicken deserves to marinate a lot longer than a measly 30 minutes, so plan for that. Mine was in the marinade for several hours, as I prepped most of this ahead of time while the little guy was at daycare. A squirt of lemon or lime is almost necessary at the end, to brighten up the flavors. As I was eating this, I thought honey would be a welcome addition (and wouldn't be out of place taste-wise) in the marinade next time, though I'm not sure how that would go when it's time to cook. Any ideas?

Lemon-Grilled Chicken & Bulgur Salad
from Clean Eating Magazine, Vol. 3, Issue 2
serves 4

2 4-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup fine-grain bulgur wheat
Zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted (I used whole raw ones that I chopped with help, as you can see above)
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
Sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

1. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, oil, pepper flakes, cumin, and lemon juice. Stir to coat and marinate 30 minutes in the fridge.

2. Preheat a grill or grill pan (I used a cast iron skillet) to medium-high heat. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Remove from heat; add bulgur and lemon zest, cover, and let sit 5-7 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed. Transfer to a serving bowl and mix in almonds, mint, salt, and pepper.

3. Remove chicken from marinade and grill for 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through (juices should run clear if you poke the thickest part). Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes, then chop and add to bulgur mixture. Serve warm or cold.

I doubled everything (my chicken breasts were huge) and served this side-by-side the first time, but chopped the leftover chicken and divided it between the four portions of bulgur I had left. The little guy, who attempted several times to say "bulgur" but could only ever manage "bo-git," ate his required two bites plus a little more of his own accord. Despite the quantity of red pepper called for, the chicken was definitely not *spicy* by any means, so I'm considering this kid-friendly.

Menu plan

2011-03-13T19:00:00.001-04:00

The H is jetting off to sunny Florida for work this week, so my meal plan this week is based on things *I* want to eat that he may not be able to, as usual. Some of these things may be made as lunches and eaten whenever.

Unlike most of my meal plans, I'm not assigning a day to any of these. I am just planning to make what sounds good when I have the time for it. All the components (or reasonable approximations that I need to use up!) are already in the house. I like to shop ahead when The H is traveling so I know I'm ready to prep and cook when the mood strikes.

Grilled cheese and broccoli soup from Chef Mommy
Italian shrimp salad (Clean Eating Magazine)
Lemon chicken with bulgur (Clean Eating Magazine)
Cellophane noodles with shrimp (a Clean Eating Mag favorite!)
Orange beef stir-fry (Clean Eating Magazine...so what if I so handily happened to have an issue on me when I made this plan and went shopping?) :D

Marathon training update: 14 miles

2011-03-12T13:30:00.005-05:00

Today's long run was 14 miles, the longest I've run since the marathon on October 17th. And I survived! It helped having two friends with me the whole time, and while it still wasn't easy, it was more enjoyable than I had been fearing. New shoes probably contributed to that, too. My knees were a little achy (I've been slacking on my calcium supplement) but the other issues that have been bothering me lately were kept to a minimum--probably better than they've felt in a few weeks, actually.

Our overall pace was still under 9:00 per mile (8:55 average), which was a pleasant surprise based on the hefty wind and wicked hill we dealt with. We finished in 2hr 5min--faster than my first half marathon. I love seeing progress like that! Tonight I think we're going out to dinner with The H's parents; after burning over 1,000 calories this morning, I just may enjoy a little dessert... And now I'm off to take a nap while the little guy is snoozing, too.

This is what my splits were like (sorry for the smooshy formatting; this is a copy + paste from the Garmin site):

Split	Hour:Minute:SecondTime	MilesDistance	Minutes per MileAvg Pace

1	00:08:24	1.00	08:24
2	00:08:34	1.00	08:34
3	00:09:00	1.00	09:00
4	00:09:07	1.00	09:07
5	00:09:03	1.00	09:03
6	00:09:26	1.00	09:26
7	00:09:13	1.00	09:13
8	00:09:19	1.00	09:19
9	00:09:05	1.00	09:05
10	00:08:48	1.00	08:48
11	00:08:32	1.00	08:32
12	00:08:32	1.00	08:32
13	00:08:56	1.00	08:56
14	00:08:54	1.00	08:54

Salmon Wrap

2011-03-11T09:00:00.003-05:00

This was a nice lunch-appropriate alternative to a plain old hunk of salmon on a plate with veggies. I had never steamed fish on the stovetop before, but I probably will again; I like how it kept the fish pleasantly tender. As with the curried chickpeas from earlier this week, this would benefit from a squirt of lime before serving.

Dilled Salmon Roll-Ups
from The Best of Clean Eating
serves 4

6oz raw salmon fillet
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 clove garlic, minced (I used 1/2 tsp dried minced garlic)
1/4 tsp dried dill
1 stalk celery, chopped finely
2 (12-inch) whole-wheat lavash breads
1 medium tomato, sliced
2 leaves cabbage or lettuce

1. Over medium-high heat, set a steamer basket over one inch of water in a medium pot; bring to a boil.

2. Place salmon in the steamer basket skin side down. Cover pot and cook for 6-10 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. The flesh should flake easily when it is done. Remove from heat, remove skin, and roughly flake fish with a fork.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, dill, and celery. Add cooled, flaked salmon and stir to combine.

4. Place lavash wraps on a cutting surface. Spread the salmon mixture down the middle of each bread, leaving two inches to spare at each end. Place tomato slices over the salmon mixture and top with lettuce or cabbage leaves.

5. Fold the uncovered ends of the lavash toward each other and over the filling; roll up tightly. Cut each roll in half and serve.

I am rather inept at rolling tortilla-like products (these are Smart & Delicious wraps with olive oil) so mine cracked, but you get the idea, I'm sure. Next time I'll warm the wrap first.

Coconut Curry Chickpeas

2011-03-10T09:00:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week I *finally* buckled down and made this recipe that has been on my to-try list for several months. The combination of coconut milk (I've never used it before) and curry powder (one of my favorite "no H around" ingredients) sounded super-tasty, and the fact that this comes together in only 10-15 minutes was extra appealing.

Sad to say, though, this didn't quite live up to the expectations I had for it, and I'm not quite sure why. I served it over rice noodles and added some Sriracha once I tasted it and found it lacking something... but that still didn't hit the spot I was looking for.

Perhaps I will add some lime juice when serving next time, and increase the garlic and basil. The silver lining to this semi-flop is that it only makes two servings, so I'm not left with a zillion cups of a disappointing recipe.

Coconut Curry Chickpeas
from The Best of Clean Eating
serves 2

Olive oil cooking spray
1 cup napa cabbage or bok choy, sliced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup coconut milk (be sure to shake the can first)
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp curry powder
3/4 cup cooked chickpeas
1/4 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat a nonstick frying pan (I used a cast iron skillet), lightly coated with olive oil spray, over medium heat. Add cabbage and saute until it shrinks down. Add onion and pepper; saute for 2-4 minutes.

2. Add one tablespoon of the coconut milk, along with the garlic, ginger, and curry powder; saute another 2 minutes. Add chickpeas, remaining coconut milk, and salt and pepper; heat through. Add fresh basil and serve.

Marathon training update: 6 weeks down

2011-03-07T09:00:00.004-05:00

This weekend marks the one-third point in training for my second marathon. My long run on Saturday was 10 miles, which I completed at an average pace of 8:55 per mile--I finished just under an hour and a half. Honestly, that's kind of on the slower end of my usual these days, which is weird for me to say. Last time, just this past summer, I was averaging about 10:10/mi for runs of 9-10 miles. My long run pace was never under 9:00 per mile last training cycle; I didn't start speeding up, ironically, until after the marathon. It was a red-letter day if I finished a long run faster than 10:00/mi pace.

Just before my 18-mile training run last September, I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and a bone spur on my right heel. I made it through training and the race just fine, and it seemed to have calmed down quite a bit, until this month. Sad to say, the spur has been causing me more problems lately. It's been hurting during a run instead of just mildly uncomfortable afterward. I hope that changing to a fresh pair of running shoes will help, but I'm kind of nervous about it being so painful this early in training.

This weekend the long run jumps to 14 miles...

It's been a while...

2011-03-06T12:30:00.000-05:00

Seems like it's been ages since The H went out of town for work without us (a nice perk to being semi-retired), but alas, it had to happen sometime. Little guy and I are on our own for a few days next week, which means I get to make non-H-friendly things again!

So far I'm thinking salmon one night (got any fantastic recipes I should use?) and curried chickpeas the next night, with perhaps a trip to the Indian place for good measure. I've had those chickpeas on my "to make" list for at least a month! It's a recipe from Clean Eating Magazine.

This afternoon I'm also planning to make a loaf of clean eating wheat bread, which I've made before; this time I'll try to remember to post the recipe!

Anything interesting on your menu this week?

Carbs + protein: Why?

2011-03-02T11:45:00.005-05:00

One of the principles of clean eating is to eat 5-6 times a day, including a lean protein and complex carbohydrate in each meal or snack. But why the combination of carbs + protein?

For one thing, it helps me feel like I'm having more than just a mindless munch. Combining fruit and nuts with cheese, or chicken with vegetables, makes it feel more mini-meal-ish. Not only does it physically make me feel more full, it also works mentally. Knowing I just ate a real, solid combination of good, clean foods rather than just a handful of pretzels or a single piece of fruit encourages me to *not* keep eating.

On a more scientific note, according to Tosca Reno in The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged, "Eating protein causes your metabolism to speed up as a direct result of the numerous chemical reactions required to digest protein... Eating a meal that combines lean protein with complex carbohydrates causes your BMR to begin to rise within one hour. This increase lasts from three to twelve hours..."

Eating these mini-meals of carbs + protein helps your metabolism stay stoked all day long and keeps your blood sugar stable. The best part of that? No mid-afternoon crash! Once I started eating clean, I felt more energetic, calmer, and less mood-swingy. Now when I slack on eating quality carbs and protein throughout the day, I can definitely feel a difference. I'm more sluggish, less motivated, feel more tired, and have a general foggy-headed feeling. Not fun! I'd rather fuel up with carbs and protein and get on with life--I have things to do, after all, despite being semi-retired. :)

Steak Salad

2011-02-24T13:00:00.000-05:00

This is a nice, fancier-than-ordinary meal for a weeknight. With a glass of wine (well-chilled pinot grigio, to be exact) it hits the "TGIF!" spot just right, without having to deal with the lines and sodium content of a restaurant meal.

One of my favorite parts of this meal was the dressed vegetables that go on top of the salad. I told The H that I'd like to serve those as a side to another meal sometime, never mind the rest of the salad! Although very good, this is a bit time consuming--not one to try last minute.

Grilled Steak and Potato Salad
slightly modified from this recipe on allrecipes.com
serves 4

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp minced garlic (I used 2 large cloves)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp granulated sugar (or clean substitute of your choosing)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 lb boneless sirloin, NY strip, or Delmonico steak
1/2 lb fresh green beans
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
1/2 lb white mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (I left this out)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and halved (I left these out)
Salad greens of your choice

1. Whisk together vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, thyme, pepper, sugar, and oil. Place beef in a shallow dish and pour 1/3 of the marinade over. Turn to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes.

2. Place potatoes in large pot and cover with cold water; add a palmful of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain potatoes and place in a large bowl; pour half the remaining dressing over and stir gently to coat.

3. Microwave beans on high power for 2 minutes, or until just tender. Add to potatoes, along with mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, and tomatoes (if using).

4. Prepare grill pan, cast iron skillet, or broiler for cooking the steak. Remove steak from marinade, discarding the remaining marinade, and cook until desired doneness is reached. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain into thin strips.

5. Arrange salad greens among four plates. Top each serving with potato-vegetable mixture and a portion of sliced steak. Drizzle with remaining dressing.

I was so busy in the kitchen that I didn't know what the little guy was up to until The H brought me some pictures:

That's the hazard of keeping fresh fruit (sort of) within small hands' reach!

Something new

2011-02-23T12:00:00.011-05:00

Back in January I mentioned that I was looking at a few new cookbooks. Every once in awhile it's good to shake up "the usual" and make something new. With that in mind, I have some exciting news!

Does the word GIVEAWAY mean anything to you?

This will be a big "first" for Clean Eating Machines.

Stay tuned...and tell your friends!

Buffalo chicken salad

2011-02-21T11:00:00.000-05:00

Every so often when asking for healthy lunch options, a person might hear, "A salad topped with grilled chicken." Well, that sounds kind of boring to me. So I added hot sauce.

There's no real recipe for this baby. I combined some romaine lettuce, a sliced tomato or two, half a sliced bell pepper, and some boneless, skinless chicken breast marinated in Frank's RedHot, and a yogurt-based Ranch dressing. It came together very quickly, since the chicken was cooked before I marinated it briefly in the sauce. To make the chicken less saucy but still fully flavorful, I baked it at 350* for 10 minutes before adding it to the salad.

Simple and tasty! The H used the leftover components in a (gluten-free) wrap for lunch.

Mustard-Marinated Beef

2011-02-19T20:00:00.003-05:00

Tonight's dinner was brought to you by the game "Rummage in the freezer 'til you find something that won't take too long to thaw, marinate, and cook.. ready? Go!" Aaand we have a winner!

A quick allrecipes.com search led me to this recipe, which I modified a bit (shocker, I know). We served it over brown rice, with roasted garlic-lemon broccoli on the side. Here is my version.

Mustard-Marinated Beef
modified from this recipe
serves 4

1 lb sirloin steak, sliced against the grain into thin strips
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (some brands contain HFCS--read the labels!)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp for the pan later
2 Tbsp (two big squirts) prepared yellow mustard
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Brown rice

1. In a shallow dish, whisk together Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp olive oil, mustard, and pepper. Place steak strips into mixture and marinate at least 30 minutes.

2. Cook rice according to package directions.

3. Heat a medium skillet (cast iron works great!) over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add marinated steak strips to pan; discard unused marinade. Cook steak 3-5min per side, or to your desired doneness. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Next time I make this, I will double the recipe to make sure we have leftovers for lunches. The beef was very tender and flavorful. The original recipe calls for onion, which I didn't have, but I can see how it would be a tasty addition to this dish, perhaps even with a sliced bell pepper.

What IS clean eating? A refresher course

2011-02-11T22:10:00.001-05:00

It was brought to my attention tonight that, after nearly two years of living a (mostly) clean-eating lifestyle, The H is unclear just exactly what "clean eating" means. Can you say "FAIL" on my part? Without further ado, here are what I believe to be the ten most important principles of clean eating, paraphrased from a cut-out section in every issue of Clean Eating Magazine:

1. Eat five to six times a day--each meal or snack should include lean protein + complex carbohydrates.

2. Drink at least two liters of water a day--bust out your pretty and reusable bottles!

3. Choose foods with one or two ingredients--if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it (edamame and quinoa are exceptions). ;)

4. Avoid processed and refined foods--ditch the white flour, sugar, bread, and regular pasta. Use whole grains instead. This is the heart and soul of clean eating for me.

5. Skip the bad guys--avoid foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fats (note: if a food contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, it DOES contain trans fats, regardless of what the per-serving nutrition info says), things that are high in sugar, and anything fried.

6. Shop carefully--try to purchase local and humanely raised meats if possible. Produce that is in season is tastier and usually more affordable.

7. Some fats are good--the body needs essential fatty acids daily.

8. Eat proper portion sizes--pretty self-explanatory.

9. Take your time--slow down and savor your meals.

10. Be prepared--pack a cooler for work and/or outings so you are armed with clean-eating foods even when you're not at home.

In the future, I'll try to be better about describing the "why" behind some of the choices I make, rather than assuming everyone (even those in my household...) understands what I'm doing.

Which aspect of clean eating is most important to you?

Worth the wait

2011-02-11T11:12:00.000-05:00

This morning I couldn't decide what I wanted for breakfast, but I knew I didn't want it to be the Chex and Rice Krispies that my men were enjoying. While I sipped my first cup of coffee (half caff with half-and-half, same as always), I had a piece of locally-made wheat toast spread with Earth Balance to stop my belly from grumbling and to buy me some time until I figured out what I really wanted. Not oatmeal. Not pancakes. No pumpkin to make a protein cake with... it took awhile, but I finally came up with a scrambled egg + egg white, spinach, and Sriracha wrap in a sprouted wheat tortilla. YUM. Warm and filling with just a hint of spice (should've increased the hot sauce), and perfect with my second cup of coffee. It wasn't that appealing looking, so no pic, but I'm pretty pleased with it--oh, and the fact that I successfully avoided putting fresh homemade whipped cream into my coffee. ;) Happy Friday!

Derailed: update

2011-02-10T22:00:00.002-05:00

(This is an update to my gripe last Thursday)

One week, four runs, 27.5 miles, and 2,169 calories (burned by running) later, I'm happy to say my jeans are fitting better... but then I split a piece of Cheesecake Factory flourless Godiva chocolate cheesecake with The H after dinner tonight. Oh, and I made fresh whipped cream to put on top. Insert big sigh here. I've never done that before. Why is self-sabotage so easy?

On the plus side, my running this past week has been strong and very enjoyable. I've gotten to run with some good friends that I haven't run with in awhile. Oh, and I've mostly stuck with our meal plan for the week, aside from a junky lunch with the little guy today and GF, egg-free pancakes for dinner instead of my planned spaghetti squash. That makes tomorrow's dinner a no-brainer, AND gives me a meal for Sunday.

Maybe I'll take the dog for a nice long walk tomorrow...

Clean eating chocolate biscotti

2011-02-08T14:00:00.001-05:00

Clean eating what?!

Yeah. Chocolate biscotti.

This is the first time I've made biscotti, so I can't truly compare the "clean" version to a standard recipe, but let me just say that when I was blog-browsing the other day and came across a biscotti recipe that called for more than a full stick of butter, I was content to let this recipe be my one-and-only. No oil or butter here! Plenty of flavor and crunch, though. Works for me.

Mix up a batch of these to go along with your spiced hot chocolate! These biscotti are more crumbly when fresh, but still not too hard to bite into after they've had a chance to age slightly.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti
from The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged by Tosca Reno
serves 15 (haha...)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw unsalted whole almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped, divided**
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
2 tsp instant coffee crystals (I use one little instant coffee "tube")
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup Sucanat
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp grated lemon zest (I've never used this)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350* and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place 1/4 cup of the almonds**, both flours, cocoa powder, coffee crystals, baking soda, and salt in a food processor. Process for a few minutes until the almonds are finely ground. Transfer mixture to a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

3. Combine sucanat, egg, egg white, extracts, and zest (if using) in a blender and process until foamy, about 3-4 minutes. My bullet-style blender works just beautifully for this.

4. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture. Add remaining chopped almonds and mix well.

5. Divide dough into two (very sticky!) lumps on the baking sheet. Shape into logs--wet your hands a bit if the dough is sticking too much.

6. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, reduce heat to 300*, and let logs cool 10 minutes.

7. Cut each log on a diagonal into ten pieces. Spread slices out on baking sheet and return to oven for another 20 minutes. Cookies should be dry to the touch.

8. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

**Rather than messing with the food processor, I've found that using 1/4 cup almond meal in Step 2 and mixing by hand, then crushing another 1/4 cup raw almonds by hand for use in Step 4, is less mess and just as effective.

Spiced hot cocoa

2011-02-07T09:00:00.002-05:00

This post is brought to you by my sweet tooth, craving something rich and desserty... at 4pm on Friday afternoon. Too early for "dessert" (even if I'd had any made) and too late for a froofy coffee drink (yeah, I'm old enough that caffeine after 3pm keeps me awake). My yen for chocolatey goodness led me to allrecipes.com, where I found--and modified--a recipe for spiced hot chocolate.

It made plenty for the two of us, plus a slosh for the little guy, and even some leftover that I refrigerated for not-so-distant future use. It would make a fun coffee "creamer" if you're hoping for something more flavorful than milk or half-and-half. Adjust the spices to suit your taste; this one kicked me in the tonsils on the way down!

Spiced Hot Chocolate

modified from this recipe

serves 4

3 cups low-fat milk

1.5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbsp turbinado sugar (oops, should've used some stevia!)

1/2 Tbsp sucanat

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Frothed milk, optional

1. Heat milk in a medium saucepan over low heat.

2. Whisk in cocoa, sugar, and sucanat until dissolved.

3. Add vanilla, cinnamon, chili powder, nutmeg, and cayenne*.

4. Heat and stir 5 minutes or until well combined. Serve topped with frothed milk (or whipped cream if you're not feeling the cleaner option).

*I poured some for the little guy before I added the cayenne pepper; it would have been too spicy for a toddler otherwise. Use your best judgment regarding your own family.

What we're eating this week

2011-02-06T14:00:00.001-05:00

Sunday lunch - Spaghetti (GF corn-quinoa pasta) with meat sauce, made with local ground beef

Sunday dinner - SuperBowl party with friends

Monday - Chicken tikka masala over brown rice (probably plain chicken + rice for the little guy); The H is traveling so I may resort to the convenience of a Trader Joe's simmer sauce this time

Tuesday - Leftover pasta with meat sauce after running group

Wednesday lunch, if I'm feeling ambitious and/or bored - Coconut curry chickpeas (a Clean Eating Magazine recipe)

Wednesday dinner - Lasagna (meatless and gluten-free) and a spinach salad

Thursday - Spaghetti squash casserole, done the right way this time

Friday - Steak and potato salad

Saturday - Out with friends for a Valentine's dinner

Lunches not specified will consist of leftovers, in preparation for a fridge clean-out before traveling with The H next week.

Happy eating!

Half of a half is...

2011-02-06T09:00:00.002-05:00

a LOT! If you're talking about a cow, that is.

What you see here (in very poor lighting, yes--it was almost 10pm) is our "half of a half" of a cow, raised by a friend's family, processed locally, and picked up last night. I'd say we're pretty set in terms of beef for quite a while.

These boxes--three total, but one broke--contained the following cuts and quantities:

Burger patties - 9 two-pound packages (1/3lb patties)
Chuck roasts - 7 (huge!)
Cubed round steak - 5
Delmonico - 4
Ground beef - 19 one-pound packages
New York strip steaks - 3
Rump roast - 1
Sirloin steaks - 6
Sizzler steaks - 2
Tenderloin - 3

I can't believe it all fit into our little chest freezer! Now I just have to figure out a way to use all this meat and not get sick of it. In other news, our grocery bill will likely go down, thanks to this one-time investment. I'm excited to head up to the corner and spend some time at Ken's Fruit Market picking out produce to go with all this beef! There's a certain steak-and-potato salad I've had my eye on...

Pumpkin protein breakfast cake

2011-02-05T14:15:00.001-05:00

See all this?

Looks like a random grab-bag from my pantry, doesn't it? But in less than three minutes, this hodgepodge of ingredients (minus the pineapple...) yields a warm, sweet (but not too sweet), comforting breakfast that just may be good enough to stick a candle in and sing "Happy Birthday" around.

It's called pumpkin protein breakfast cake, the idea for which comes from Cara's Cravings. This sure hit the spot when I wanted something other than Kashi cereal or yet another bowl of steel-cut oats in the morning. You can find Cara's recipe here; I didn't make any changes to it other than using Stevia instead of a packet of Truvia. My cake turned out looking almost identical to hers, right down to the green bowl, so I didn't take a finished-product photo. Try this next time you're scavenging for a breakfast that's just a little bit out of the ordinary. Thanks, Cara!

So far, so...ok.

2011-02-04T14:37:00.000-05:00

I'm trying not to jump the track again today, but it's not as easy as it was yesterday. Breakfast was kind of delayed; the little guy stayed home from daycare with a slight fever, so when I would normally be sitting down with my coffee (and work...) and breakfast, I was still running around getting him fed and comfortable, and doing some kitchen clean-up. I did eat a homemade allergen-free waffle with Earth Balance on it while I swigged some coffee; it was entirely unsatisfying. But then I got caught up in playing with the little guy and doing laundry, and forgot to eat anything else until it was after 10am.

For snack, I made a peanut butter-banana-Nutella (yeah, I know...) sandwich on sunflower seed bread. After more laundry and more playtime, I scoured the fridge and cobbled together a Buffalo chicken wrap (sprouted wheat tortilla, spinach, cooked chicken, Frank's, organic yogurt dressing) for lunch. With each of those, I drank a 500mL of water. Other than semi-skipping breakfast, this isn't too bad so far.

But now I'm munchy. And that could be dangerous. I need to stop thinking about the Hershey's kisses and Ghirardelli squares I have in the cupboard and think about a *clean* snack... hardboiled egg whites and half an apple? Why does the junky stuff sound so much better? But I know that if I'm not "hungry enough to eat an apple" then I'm likely just eating/grazing out of boredom or thirst. Ever heard of that rule of thumb? Time to refill my water bottle.

Derailed

2011-02-03T15:55:00.002-05:00

For the first time in two years, my jeans were tight this morning. ::collective gasp:: Just like a normal person! (You know, 'cause I am.) No really, my weight fluctuates even on a clean eating plan. Usually it's within the same 5lb range (even throughout marathon training) but my pants always fit the same. So their squeeziness is either a sign that I shouldn't let The H dry my jeans on high heat anymore, or that I have been getting too lax in my eating/meal planning. Since fresh-from-the-dryer jeans have never been a problem for me, I'm sadly going with the latter. Perhaps being out of work has affected my eating habits more than I've cared to admit.

Rather than wallowing in self-pity about my lack of employment (and newfound muffintop), I've decided to shape up my habits and get back on track. There's no time like, well, NOW. Here's what my day looked/will look like:

Breakfast - steel cut oats with a few dried cherries, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, maple sugar flakes, cinnamon, nutmeg, and low-fat milk

Snack - Green monster (spinach, milk, flax meal, 1/2 scoop protein powder, banana), half a grapefruit, string cheese

Lunch - Leftover chicken and garbanzo soup (chicken, leeks, garbanzos, homemade stock)

Snack - Half an apple with a small yogurt cup, two small squares of very dark chocolate

Exercise - 3-4 mile run (-5 windchill doesn't thrill me...may stick with the treadmill today)

Dinner - BBQ chicken pizza (chicken, Trader Joe's barbeque sauce, green onion, sharp cheddar, red bell pepper, GF crust)

Snack - (undecided) GF banana bread and decaf

I'm also carrying around a water bottle, something I seem to have gotten out of the habit of doing now that I'm not parked in front of my computer for work. Hopefully by this time next week (I know, these things can't be rushed) I'll be fitting into my jeans like I normally would. That's solid motivation to be mindful of my eating at this weekend's SuperBowl party!

Stay normal!
-Kate

Chicken & White Bean Soup

2011-02-02T11:00:00.001-05:00

Also known as, "How to make a week's worth of lunches and clear out some leftovers at the same time"...

Last Tuesday before running group, I started a CrockPot full of white bean & leek soup from The Eat-Clean Diet cookbook. Because I was so pleased with the rutabaga from this frittata, I thought I'd add one to the soup. More veggies = good, right? Well, only if you take into account the size/texture of said veggies, and give your recipe long enough to cook.

I did not.

Thus, we came home after running to find a slow cooker of delicious-smelling, hearty-looking, mostly-inedible soup. ::sad trombone:: The rutabagas were downright crunchy. I cranked it back up to HIGH while The H put the little guy to bed, after which the two of us raided the leftovers-for-lunch stash for our own dinners. Two hours later, the soup was ready. Too bad it was 11pm. The H had a small serving, declared it very good, and helped me portion out the rest for *more* leftovers.

This soup just keeps getting better. Yesterday when I reheated some for lunch, I added a sprinkle of Penzey's Parisien Bonnes Herbes, a salt-free seasoning blend I got for Christmas. Next time I make the soup I'll add some of that to begin with! What a great complement. I was fascinated to see that the rutabagas turned more golden as the soup aged; they almost looked like butternut squash yesterday.

This was the perfect meal to have waiting for me after a frigid (-2 with the windchill) 6 mile run! I love refueling with filling, clean food.

Chicken and White Bean Soup
from The Eat-Clean Diet by Tosca Reno
makes 12 cups

Ingredients:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 leeks, whites and centers only, chopped (rinse very well and drain in a colander)
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1/2 tsp dried sage
6 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
2 cups water
2 cups cooked white beans (I used cannelini)
2 lbs chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
8oz package frozen spinach, thawed and partially drained (I omitted this)

Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add leeks and onion. Cook 5 minutes, or until clear and softening. Add sage and cook 2 more minutes. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Stir in chicken, beans, and spinach. Continue cooking until heated through.

Nutrition info per serving:
Calories - 176
Protein - 22g
Fat - 4g
Carbs - 16g

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ser·en·dip·i·ty/ˌserənˈdipitē/

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Should've snapped a pic!

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