Thursday, September 29, 2011
Another Non-Scale Victory
One of my victories is that running is getting easier. Last night, it was like the skies opened up and the heavens said "Today, Kelly, you shall run, for you are scheduled to run a half marathon in 32 days, so get moving." Or something like that. Even with stopping for traffic, I maintained a pace of 9:03 for five miles, and it even felt good.
Another victory came in the form of a pair of hot little boots last weekend. When the whole boots craze came out, I was pretty much excluded. Everyone gains weight in different places, and apparently, I gain weight in my calves. I couldn't find boots that went over my fat little calves.
Last year, after losing some weight, I finally found a pair of boots that fit, but it was tight and a little uncomfortable. I still bought the boots because I was so excited I could actually zip them up. They were black with high heels and I enjoyed them.
This year, the trend is flat boots. I saw these boots at JCPenney's a couple of weeks ago and made a mental note that I wanted these. When I got a gift card, I decided that if my fat little calves fit into the boots, I was buying them.
I went last Saturday and found out that not only did they fit, but they were big. Big enough to tuck in my jeans or wear leggings. Big enough to make me feel like I'm finally getting small enough.
I will officially be wearing these boots non stop for the next three to six months, just in case you're wondering.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: Protein-Packed Pumpkin Snacks
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 Tablespoon Splenda
Dash of pumpkin pie spice
Water, to taste
Pumpkin Yogurt
2 Tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 Tablespoon Splenda
Dash of vanilla extract
Dash of pumpkin pie spice
Training Tuesday
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: Whole Wheat Waffles and a Long Run
I brought out my trusty Bugs Bunny Waffle Maker and whipped up these beauties.
Whole Wheat Waffles
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons Splenda
1 egg
1 1/2 cups skim milk, room temperature
1/3 cup melted butter
Whisk the wet and dry ingredients together, then combine and mix until incorporated. The batter will remain lumpy. This recipe made five Bugs Bunny waffles, but your mileage will vary based on your cartoon character of choice.
After devouring two of these babies topped with the requisite butter and syrup, I set off on my long run. I was seriously dreading this. We went out last night, so I knew it was going to be a painful, slow process. The sky looked really foreboding as well, and I put off this run for as long as possible.
I decided I'd just get it over with and pretend like I'm enjoying seeing the fall colors and wildlife. I did end up seeing six deer, one which was close enough to touch (but I didn't, of course). It took me a miserable amount of time to finish not quite 10 miles, but at least it's over with.
I finished my long run with stretching, snacking and taking an ice bath, and then spent the balance of today intermittently being lazy and cleaning our office.
Here's hoping the next long run isn't nearly as excruciating.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: Pralines
Friday, September 23, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: Crock Pot White Bean Stew
Crock Pot White Bean Stew
1 pound chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 zucchinis, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup turkey stock (use vegetable stock for vegetarian)
1 box of couscous, prepared according to the box
Goat cheese, for topping
Place the drained chickpeas in the crock pot with the onion and half of the oregano. Top with four cups of water and cook on low for five hours.
When I got home, I threw in the zucchini, tomatoes and broth and cooked on high for two hours. I then added the rest of the oregano and some salt and pepper. Serve this over the couscous and top with cheese. This made at least 10 servings and was super cheap.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: PB&B Oats
1/2 cup instant oats
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon Splenda
1 Tablespoon peanut butter (preferably organic all-natural .... yum)
1 banana, sliced
Mix the water, oats and Splenda, then microwave for one minute. Stir in the peanut butter, top with bananas and enjoy all the delicious goodness of a morning bowl of oats.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread with Cinnamon Glaze
I tried something new with the glaze. Instead of powdered sugar and heavy cream, I used Splenda and some cinnamon-flavored coffee creamer I had leftover. It turned out super delicious, so I think I'll try this trick again.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
Cream cheese filling
1 package light cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Splenda
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Bread
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Splenda
Glaze
1 cup Splenda
2 1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon coffee creamer
Mix all the filling items together with a whisk until smooth, then set aside.
Mix the flours, salt and spice together. Then mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugar together until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Divide half of the batter between two greased loaf pans. Top with half of the cream cheese mixture, then top with the remaining batter. It won't completely cover the cream cheese. Finally use a butter knife to swirl the layers by sticking it down through the layers, then dragging it both left to right and top to bottom.
Bake in a 325-degree oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes before removing the loaves from the pan and allow to continue to cool. In the meantime, mix the items for the glaze and top the cooled loaves with it.
Training Tuesday: Big Hit Half Marathon
Mantra: It doesn't matter how slow I go, I'm still going faster than I was sitting on the couch.
This is Why I Run
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
I pigged out and decided to call this fueling since I had a nine-mile run to knock out this morning. It was a long and wet hour-and-a-half run that I followed up with more pumpkin: Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins. These things rock. A muffin made of pumpkin, stuffed with chopped apple and topped with a sugary, crunchy topping? Yes, please. These are seriously amazing, which is why I froze half so I wouldn't devour a Duggar-sized family serving in a day. I could totally do it, too.
Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
Topping
6 Tablespoons sugar
4 Tablespoons Splenda
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons butter
Muffins
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 ounces vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/8 cup Splenda
2 eggs
2 small gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped
Combine the ingredients for the topping and mix using your hands until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and it resembles wet sand. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix flours, salt and spices, then set aside. Beat together the pumpkin, sugars and eggs until smooth, then add to the dry ingredients along with the apples. Gently fold until just combined.
Spoon the batter into a greased muffin tin and finish off with the prepared topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Don't overcook.
Now, on to find something to eat that isn't pumpkin flavored. This could be difficult.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
It's Pumpkin Season!
While I don't much like cold weather, I do love fall. I love pumpkin season, apple season, boot-wearing, sweater-styling weather. In the past 24 hours, I have consumed:
- A pumpkin spice bagel
- A pumpkin spice latte (I didn't like it as much as I thought I would)
- A Shock Top pumpkin wheat beer
- A decaf coffee with one shot of pumpkin spice (much better)
I have big plans to try the second type of pumpkin beer we bought, O'Fallen pumpkin beer, which is described as a pumpkin pie in a bottle. Yes, please. Today has been the perfect fall day: I started the day with free yoga, then used a groupon at a beauty school for a facial and back treatment. I also met my friend for the aforementioned coffee before taking to my kitchen to get all kinds of pumpkin baking done. I stockpiled pumpkin last year ... and haven't used it all. I have three cans left to consume before I fill the cabinet again with cheap, delicious pumpkin. I relish the challenge. Check back tomorrow to see all the tasty things I made!
I can tell you this, Napoleon is super psyched for pumpkin season.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: Carbalicious Garlic Bread
Big News: Big Hit Half Marathon a Go!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: I Like My Chicken Fried
The recipe is pretty simple: take 1 1/4 pounds of chicken and chop it into bite-sized chunks. I dried off the chicken with a paper towel and dumped one of the two seasoning packets into a plastic bag. Just shake to coat, then cook in 1/4 inch of preheated vegetable oil. You know the oil is the right temperature when water bounces around the surface.
This was super quick cooking and I had dinner all together within 10 minutes, which is great since I still have a serious case of runner's hunger. I served this with a side salad, so that cancels out the fried food, right?
It was yummy, but we didn't really taste the soy or ginger. The coating itself is more of a powder than a crumb, so it produces a different type of coating that's not really crunchy, but is a texture I haven't tasted elsewhere. The light-style coating provides a really nice golden color to the end result. We both enjoyed trying this because it's something I wouldn't have purchased myself (mostly because I haven't seen it at ALDI). I'm looking forward to using the second packet of seasoning for shrimp and adding it to a salad.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Fort2Base Race Report
The race was Sunday, Sept. 11, starting at Fort Sheridan and ending at Naval Station Great Lakes. The start was at 7 a.m. with packet pick up at the base until 6:30 a.m. The race offered a shuttle from the base with the last one leaving at 6:15 a.m. There was both at 10 nautical mile (11.5 land miles) and a 3 nautical mile (3.45 land miles). My friends ran the 3NM distance and we carb loaded the night before.
I slept really poorly and was up at 4:15 a.m. I had my standard toast with peanut butter, flax and banana, along with water. We rolled out at 5 a.m., which turned out wasn't early enough.
Traffic was really, really bad, backed up leading up to the base for a mile. I actually got out of the car and walked on base, then walked to packet pick up. Well, I didn't walk. I ran to the packet pick up, then ran to the buses. I would have been on the last bus that made it to the start line on time, if the race started on time. Had I known, I would have made the hour drive the day before for packet pick up.
I got to Fort Sheridan around 6:50 a.m. and did gear check, then waited in line for the port-o-potties. There weren't nearly enough. They announced they would start 15 minutes late given the traffic. I was fourth in line for the bathroom when they said they were starting in 1 minute. I debated what I needed more: the port-o-pottie or the pacers. I decided pacers, so lined up next to the 9-minute sign.
The race started off and off we went. I felt awesome the first four miles, then had to concentrate on breathing deep. The course was beautiful, through a nice trail that was shaded. We crossed through the Highland Park train station and back onto the path, then back onto the Navy base. There were tons of volunteers and water stations, along with kids with signs and flags.
For me, everything fell apart somewhere between the eight and 10 mile marks. I was weak, out of breath and in direct sunlight. And I still had to pee. I needed food, and didn't have any. I left the pacers and took a breather until some nice runner told me to buck up and keep going. And I did. Except there was a ridiculous hill at the 10ish that I had to walk up while begging some sailor to carry me to the finish line. Instead, he told me "Ma'am, there are no more hills after this. Keep moving!"
When I finally, finally saw the finish line, I had no idea my time. There weren't any clocks on the course (side note to any family reading this: a Garmin would be nice). I crossed the finish line in 1:45:27, which was just two minutes short of my goal. While the posted time says my pace was 8:57, the math just doesn't work out and I think it was 9:10.
I got a super sweet medal, along with a long-sleeve quarter-zip version of the tech shirt I've been rocking all summer. The only food left when I finished was bananas, which wasn't cutting it. There were sponsors with Cabot Cheese, FRS, Organic Valley Cheese and Kefir. Best Buy was also handing out half bagels. There was one massage/stretch station, but they looked a little feely for my taste.
Alas, after having to pee for two hours, I only saw a single port-o-pottie, so I headed to my mom's house. While she didn't make it to the finish line, my mom was on base for the festivities (how sweet of her!) and made me breakfast after my ice bath soak in my childhood bathroom. Thanks, mom!
Cost: I think $55 for early registration?
Time: 11.5 miles in 1:45:27
Pros: Awesome, mostly shaded course through a place that wouldn't otherwise be accessible (the base), nice post-race party, really impressive finishers medal, nice tech shirt
Cons: Not enough port-o-potties, not enough post-event food, bad traffic flow leading into the base
Would I race it again: Yes
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Fort2Base Race is Done!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Cooking with Kelly: A perfect Asian-inspired dinner
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
My Big Weekend
It really wasn't that simple. When we got back from New Orleans, the machine would agitate, but not spin the clothes dry. So I paid a guy $90 to come over for 20 minutes and tell me it would cost $390 to fix. Instead, I took myself to the store and purchased a machine that was delivered that afternoon for the same price. Winning.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
One Week to Fort2Base!
- Get rest. I try to be in bed asleep at 10 p.m.
- Eat well. I avoid fast, fried and fatty foods along with caffeine, coffee and chocolate. These can give me heartburn and make me sluggish, so I'd like to avoid feeling icky.
- Nothing new. In the same vein, I eat nothing that's unfamiliar to my system. Now is not the time to try a great new restaurant or fun side dish, because you never know how your body will react.
- Light exercise. I'll probably run a bit this week but focus more on cross training, including riding my bike, roller blading and using my elliptical.
- Stretch, stretch, stretch. I stretch before bed every night to stay limber.
- Water before water and then some more water. My water bottle will be with me permanently for the next week to make sure I'm properly hydrated for the race.
- Salt. Starting Thursday, pretzels or pickles will be an afternoon snack so that my body holds onto some of the water.
Any pre-race rituals you adhere to?
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Sweet Saturday: An Ode to Pralines
Thursday, September 1, 2011
What We Ate: New Orleans Edition
On our first morning, I wanted beignets. Bad. I hear they're what New Orleans is known for and positively heavenly. We went to Cafe Beignet and split an order of beignets and the Creole hash, which was a breakfast platter of scrambled eggs, french bread and fried potato squares with anduille sausage and jalapeno. The beignets were light and pillowy, fried to perfection. I enjoyed them, but essentially, they're just doughnuts without a hole. The hash was tasty and filling.
We also tried Cafe du Monde, which is known for its chicory coffee and beignets. We didn't order beignets there because by the time we got there, it was 900 degrees, plus humidity. The iced coffee was good, but I didn't taste the difference with the chicory.
Next, we had po'boys at Mother's, which is what they're known for. Tim ordered the Famous Ferdi, which is the dish that brought the Travel Channel to this place and is the one I snapped a photo of. I ordered the turkey po'boy, and both were delicious but super filing. That French bread expands in your stomach.
Our favorite place, hands down, was the World Famous N'awlins Cafe. It's an adorable stand in the French Market that serves up authentic cajun food. I ordered the jumbalaya, which contained chicken, shrimp and sausage with a side of French garlic bread. It was heavenly. I didn't even want to share because Tim quickly agreed mine was better. He had the crawfish etouffe, which was tasty, but paled in comparison to my dish. It might not look so hot in that photo, but trust me, it was amazing.
Finally, we ate a sampler platter at the Storyville Restaurant, which is in the French Quarter. This dish let us taste alligator, crawfish pies, meat pies, Creole eggrolls and boudin patties, which are pork, rice and spice patties deep fried. I wasn't a fan. The alligator rocked though.