Short Term vs. Long Term Goals...

So when we last left our she-ra, there was contemplation about the 10K that has already been registered for on Monday.  Should I run or should I stay home?  Please be sure to sing that like the Clash would.  And I wanted to make that decision during today's training run...and let's just say that it's been made.

After a VERY introspective run that quickly turned into a walk, I have decided that I need some more miles under my feet before I will feel comfortable doing a 10K in public.  Do I think I *could* run it?  Abso-flipping-lutely.  But as I pondered listening to great tunes, I realized that there are more cons than pros to running it.

In a fairy tale scenario, I would run it in a 6 mph pace and cross the finish line looking fresh faced and breathing lightly.  But in what I'm pretty sure would happen, I would be a hot, sweaty red-faced panting mess if my last few runs are any indication of my performance in a 10K.  And you know what?  I'm PROUD of my decision.

I am typically a very optimistic person, but I had to look at all possibilities, and what helped most was when I looked at my long term goals vs. short term goals.  And what would make ME proud?  What if I had run out of steam at the halfway point and walked the remainder, coming in dead last?  Would not be a proud moment.  What if I ran the whole thing but with a really crappy time?  Another un-proud thought.  Finally, I went to the dark (but realistic) side - what if I actually injured myself during the run, which would put most fitness activities on hold for awhile?  Bam - that was it.  I was not trying to talk myself out of it, but this whole time I've been trying to talk myself into it, for all the wrong reasons.

I wanted to casually throw it out there in a conversation.  Friend:  What did you do over  Labor Day weekend?  Me:  Oh (with a flip of the hair), I ran a 10K on Monday morning.  Friend:  Wow - that's impressive.  And I thought, WOW, that is really taking caring what people think of you to the next level. 

I'm 40+ and that sometimes means saying what I want to say and doing what I want to do.  If I don't want to do something, I just say no thank you - no excuses because none should be needed unless it is truly something I *should* do - and then I just do it, no excuses.  Life is just too short to do things we don't want to do!  As I babble along, I keep thinking that this post sounded so much better and made more sense when I was writing it out in my head on the treadmill.

So...bottom line.  I have been on a fitness ROLL for two weeks straight.  I've even lost a couple of pounds.  And if I have an embarrassing time or don't finish or worse yet, get injured, I'm afraid that's gonna set me back.  And I need to look at my long term goal...living a happy, healthy life.  There will be plenty more 10Ks to choose from.  But until I can run where my legs don't feel like cement bags the entire time, it's just not for me.  I hope it is for me soon, and I will continue to throw some runs into my training here and there.  I will probably even find a 10K to truly train for.

Like I said yesterday, if they ever have an event of walking on the treadmill at a 4 mph pace with an incline of 6, sign me up.  Until then, I'll still go get my t-shirt tomorrow, though I won't wear it in public.  But I will wear it when I run sometimes, to remind myself of long term vs. short term goals.
So that's that.  Now this hot, sweaty mess needs a shower before getting together with some girlfriends later today.  And THAT is something I WANT to do :)

So...Is It for Me Or Am I Trying to Prove Something?

I have to giggle to a certain extent because this blog was supposed to be all about food - no getting personal or anything.  But I found that my life is NOT all about food - so neither should this blog be.  Yes, I TOTALLY enjoy cooking, especially learning new things, but I am so much more complex than that.  I love to read, play tennis, listen to music, watch reality TV (both "good and bad), spend time with my family, be with girlfriends, and walk.  And I'm *trying* to learn to love running...but so far, it's just not really happening.

I do love the challenge - the fact that I am dripping sweat after my workout.  The fact that my legs burn and I feel some new toning in my muscles.  I think I like to SAY I love to run...but I don't.  So I'm starting to get more and more nervous about this 10K on Monday.  I am not a complete novice.  I have done 3 half marathons before, although they were a few years ago.  I have run about half a dozen 5K and about as many 10K.  But none of these were within the last year or two, and I really only started training about two weeks ago.

Can I run 6.2 miles?  Yes.  Well...let me rephrase that.  I think so.  To this point, my longest run has been 5 and if you read that post, I was completely nauseous after the run because of not enough to eat during the day.  What if I get to the halfway marker and can't make it?  On the treadmill I can easily track my pace and slow down/speed up as needed.  It doesn't simulate the hills, even though this course seems relatively flat.  I have a set timeframe and/or mileage and if I want to alter it, I can.  In a 10K, I don't have that option.  Well - I can alter the time, but my pride wants a decent time.

I guess what I'm trying to say, and it helps to think out loud here, is that I sometimes wonder if I am running for myself or if I want to prove something to others.  And then I ask myself, what do I want to prove?  I am proud of myself for really getting back on the fitness track, and a lot has to do with the visit with my sister and my niece.  I enjoyed the walks we took so much...and then Sarah introduced me to My Fitness Pal.  And before you know it, I was wanting to do more than walk...I wanted to run.  And then I wanted a goal.  And now it is only 4 days away.

I know I am undertrained, but not to the extent to where I would hurt myself - more that I would embarrass myself with a terrible time and/or finish.  So I ask myself again...is this for me?  I'm still on the fence, and honestly, tomorrow will be the deciding factor.  I will be running 6 miles, and then taking Saturday and Sunday off as rest days so that I have fresh legs for Monday.  If I have a good run, I'm ready for Monday.  If it is one where I struggle, I am just going to have to re-think it and shoot for the next one. 

The reason this was so relative to post was because when I first started this blog, I kept on wondering who was reading it and why was no one commenting.  And all of a sudden, it dawned on me.  None of that mattered - I was doing this because I WANTED to.

So there.  I want to do the run if I WANT to...not because I feel I have to.  So let's see what the final decision is.  I will say that I will continue my running b/c I know I am building strength and muscle and perhaps some lbs will go bye bye.  And to a certain extent I really do enjoy it.  I would be hellacious in a contest where we all walked on treadmills at a 4 mph pace and an incline of 6.  I could walk ALL day and then some.  Just not sure if I can run 6.2 miles.  I think I can...and will keep you posted of my decision.

Food stuff lacking b/c last night was trivia (man did we suck!) and tonight was leftovers as the parts for the fridge just came in today, so it won't be fixed until tomorrow or Monday.  Sigh.  Can't wait to do my first shopping trip once the fridge is operating again!  Looking forward to some fruits and veggies and all kinds of yummies!

A Fancy Schmancy Meal...and a TOUGH Run!

Back in late July, I was proud enough of making a yummy Melissa D'Arabian recipe, then posting to her wall about it and she commented (so I thought I was the coolest cat ever)...but I guess I never posted it or took any pics.  Let's just say that it was good enough to make the cut again and was just as wonderful as it was last time!  Just by serving the rib(s) over polenta and with a side salad, it was a restaurant quality meal and on the cheap!

Here is the full episode recipe from Food Network TV, and below are my "common folk" notes because I actually watched the episode and took notes instead of following her recipe online.

Country Style Pork Ribs

1 pound or so of country style pork ribs, bone in
Carrots
Celery
Onion
Vegetable Oil
Garlic
Tomato Paste (I used tomato soup b/c I was out)
1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
Chicken Stock
Red Pepper Flakes (I omitted)
Bay Leaves

Start by salting and peppering the ribs and sear them in a hot pan with olive oil.  You will want a nice crust on them, so get the pan.  Once they are browned, take them out and start to build a braising liquid by adding in some chopped celery, carrots and onions.  You may need a touch more oil, and also add some chopped garlic and tomato paste (or tomato soup worked in a pinch tonight).  Add in 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pan.  Use some red pepper flakes if you want some heat; or a few bay leaves.  Add the ribs back in and add chicken stock - just enough to cover halfway up the meat.  Bring that to a simmer and then put the covered pan in the oven at 350 degrees.  Cook for an hour with the lid on and 1/2 hour with the lid off.

Creamy Polenta

1 cup of milk
1 cup of half and half (I used almond milk tonight b/c we were out)
1/3 cup of coarse corn grits (polenta)
butter
parmesan cheese

Melissa says the ratio of cornmeal to liquid is 1 to 7 - but you start with 1 to 6 in a saucepan using 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of half and half and 1/3 cup of coarse corn grits.  Add in some butter and salt.  Whisk them and then spray a slow cooker with cooking spray.  After 20 minutes or so, I then poured the polenta mixture in there and cooked it for a few hours on high.  I cooked it about an hour and a half tonight and it was a good consistency.  This way you don't have to "nurse" it but can stir it once every 30 minutes or so.  Right before serving, add in some grated parmesan cheese, and if you want (and if your calorie content allows, you can add in a bit more half and half (to get to the 1-7 ratio) and butter).  But with just the cheese, it's still tasty.  Mine looks so messy - remember - I'm still learning!

So the meal was the good part of the day.  The tough part was my run - my 10 K is this coming Monday and I know for a fact I am undertrained.  But I was bound and determined to do 5 miles today so that at least I know I'm close.  And I did - but it was not pretty.  My knee was aching, my hips started hurting and just as I was nearing the finish line I started to get nauseous - a combination of speeding it up too much in the last 5 minutes along with not eating nearly enough throughout the day to fuel my body with energy. 

So literally, I finished, hopped off the treadmill, and let's just say I had a quick "puke-a-rooskie" but then felt fine.   I know gross - TMI.  But hey...I'm hoping some runners out there might have some pointers for me so that is not how I cross the finish line on Monday!  Definitely learned my lesson fueling up during the day.  Timewise it was okay...not my goal, but close to it, and I really need to be sure I am setting realistic expectations for myself so that I am not disappointed.  I did stretch out a lot, then took a nice hot bath with mineral spirits or whatever they are called - to help with aches and pains. 

I'm trying to figure out my game plan for the next few days...don't want to over do it for sure, but also I want to keep on running.  I'm thinking maybe 4 tomorrow, walking on Thursday, 6 on Friday and then walking on Saturday and Sunday so that I have fresh legs on Monday.  Does anyone have any thoughts other than "you should have started training sooner than just two weeks ago!!!"  It's just that the race is so close by and I drove the course today...relatively flat and it's one where you turn around at the halfway point and I like those better for some reason.

Thank goodness my awesome supportive husband has all the faith in the world in me that I CAN DO THIS!  Now it just has to rub off on me :)

Alrighty - a few more chapters of my book "Pope Joan" and then off to bed.  I planned on an earlier bedtime but I am just way too entrenched in my night owl ways!

Taco Salad...An Oldie but a Goodie

Yes...the fridge is STILL not operating at full capacity, so I continue to have to rely on what I have on hand and be minimalistic in what I buy since storage space in the outside fridge is limited.  It's hard to top a meal at Ruth Chris Steakhouse which we enjoyed the evening before, but at John's request and a quick trip to the grocery store, taco salad was served!

As I have mentioned, we really do try to cook healthy - using fresh fruits and vegetables when we can, and when it's not possible or if a shortcut is needed, we look for frozen or canned goods that don't have too many additives etc.  The shorter the list of ingredients, the healthier in general.  And when it comes to meat, for the most part, I just DON'T like ground turkey.  I don't like the color, and I really do think it tastes different.  For those of you who are turkey lovers, can you please tell me how it beats the nutritional value of this lean ground beef?  I truly am open to input...

So, start by browning the beef (or turkey or chicken or whatever you choose) with some chopped onion.  I prefer yellow onion, but all I had was a red one, and that was fine too.  As per the instructions on the taco seasoning packet, once it is browned, add some water (I think 1/2 a cup?) and the seasoning packet and continue to simmer. 

Sometimes I will make Mexican Rice homemade, but I do like the La Preferida brand, found in the ethnic part of the grocery store.

The rest is easy-peasy, and I did take quite a few shortcuts for this time. The toppings for taco salad are limitless.  I like to use chopped peppers, pico de gallo, corn and peppers, black beans, Mexican rice, cheese, avocado slices and a touch of sour cream.  And of course it's not complete without a light sprinkling of tortilla chips.  The key is to use a LOT of lettuce as your base, and then add a very small amount of each ingredient - otherwise you will load up on calories!  Just curious - who prefers shredded lettuce and who prefers regular?  I prefer the shredded for this for sure!

For the peppers and pico de gallo, I cheated and used those already diced compliments of Publix.  Sorry but it's tough to go from being waited on hand and foot to spending tons of time chopping in the kitchen, especially being a bit tired from our long walk and working in the yard!  I used canned black beans as well as canned corn and peppers (both warmed and drained). 

Here is the final result.  Tasty and delicious!  I logged it as 500 calories, but honestly, I think it's less than that, especially because I had a huge base of shredded lettuce on the bottom.

Putting on the Ritz...Taco Salad Pictures Tomorrow

Many of you who actually know me for real know that today is my ONE YEAR anniversary - being married to the most awesome man who could ever exist is just a dream come true.  Obviously since I have a 15 year old, I have been married before, but this time is just SO different.  It is a true partnership - one where we honestly love each other more each day and concentrate on doing the small things for each other.  So...he had a surprise up his sleeve for last night, and my only clue was to "wear something dressy."

So I obliged of course, and got the surprise of my life.  Of course he had to be "funny" and kept saying we were going to Waffle House and actually did pull into the parking lot and was about to park...when he did say he was kidding.  Whew!

We were to stay at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead and have dinner at Ruth Chris - two adventures I had never had!  I had always heard about the Ritz - how all employees are just over the top happy and acknowledging and empowered.  And it is totally true.  We checked in and they were literally oozing over us.  Acknowledging our anniversary and announcing our upgrade to a corner room.  Every time we passed an employee, they were greeting us and being sure we had everything we needed!

And would we like a complimentary glass of champagne to take to our room - uh - duh, yeah!  So we arrive in our GORGEOUS HUGE room with views of the skyline all around and there is a small chocolate cake with a HAND WRITTEN note to Mr. and Mrs. John Carroll to congratulate us on our anniversary.  Really...could it get much better?  Very nicely done John - seriously amazing!!!

So...we sit in the room for 45 minutes or so sipping on champagne and admiring the view before dinner.  We talk, and reminisce and just enjoy the time before we head out to dinner.  The "courtesy car" (a Lincoln Navigator!) comes to pick us up and we go to Ruth Chris Steak House, about a mile down the road. 

I found the PERFECT choice on the menu for me - I hate being stuck with just one option so for $34 (way less than most entrees), I found an AWESOME choice - a "Mixed Grill" that included a crab cake, a mucho petite filet and a small chicken piece stuffed with an herbed sauce.

We started with salads.  His was the classic caesar, and let me just say that the Harvest Salad may be the best thing EVER!  It was a spring mix - with goat cheese crumbles, cajun spiced pecans, dried cherries (the bomb dot com), and crispy onion straws on top with the most ridiculously delicious dressing ever.  I put it to the side halfway through to save room.

So the meal came and it was phenomenal.  But alas, I was stuffed.  Literally from all the hard fitness work I had done the week to 10 days before, I felt like my stomach had shrunk.  And I WANTED to finish it.  But couldn't.  I bribed the waiter with money so that he would buy a styrofoam cooler so I could have it for lunch today.  I asked if we could meet him at 11 AM today so I could have my leftovers.  But no dice.  It's all good.  I just know that next time I go to Ruth Chris we WILL have a place for leftovers!  Believe it or not (and I counted EVERYTHING), I came in at 8 calories UNDER for Saturday!

We went back to the Ritz and were treated like royalty again the second we stepped in the beautiful palace like hotel.  I admired the crystal chandeliers in the elevator and all the gorgeous artwork and architectural details...and had a wonderful night's sleep in a super comfy bed.

We awoke to our AJC in a FANCY bag,

and slowly got ready for the buffet breakfast that was included with the package that John had gotten.  I had to giggle when I read the room service menu and honestly found a breakfast that would have been $575!!!  Really???  Who does that?!?

Even with an "all you can eat" option, I chose a two egg white omelette with spinach, mushroom, tomatoes and peppers, as well as some fruit and bacon.  It was amazing, and I just wish I was not so shy about taking pictures in restaurants!  Oh...and I tried smoked salmon...not my favorite but glad I could try it for "free" so I knew not to order it!

We headed home after a goodbye to the Ritz



And we took a 4.5 mile walk (in our HILLY neighborhood) as well as did some yardwork. Believe it or not both our regular and miniature gardenia bushes are blooming, so I picked some blooms and put them in water for a wonderful look and smell!

We kind of giggled as we felt like we should be totally relaxing, but it was stuff that needed doing, so it was all good.  For dinner, John wanted Taco Salad, and who was I to say no after this AMAZING anniversary present?!?  More on that tomorrow complete with pictures! 

In the meantime, I got our family 3 tickets to see Train at Chastain Park on Friday, September 7th as an anniversary present.  And next year, I will plan the dinner and a night out so we can switch gears every year.

Not sure how I am allowed to be so blessed but sometimes just a fancy night out really rejuvenates you and renews you and relaxes you.  I am the happiest of happy - that's for SURE!!!

A 4 Mile Run...From Boredom to Guilt to Runner's High (And ADD the Entire Time)

First of all...let me just say what just got through a FOUR mile run on the treadmill!!!  YOU.  And you and you and you.  Seriously, it was almost as if I composed this post while running and it was helpful knowing how proud I would be to be able to post it.  Let me start off by saying that I LOVE walking on the treadmill at a 4 mph pace and an incline of 6.  I love it b/c I can multitask and watch TV that I have DVRed...or sometimes even a movie.  I truly think I could walk all day long.

Running...I will admit...I don't love it.  I'm frustrated b/c in the 43 minutes I ran, it only logged me as burning 380 calories whereas my walk as noted above burns 450.  And the first 10 minutes or so, I was BORED.   That quickly turned into guilt - lots of things that needed doing.  What I DID learn was that next time I will finish my to do list BEFORE my run so that my mind can slow down and I can eliminate the guilt!

I used my IPod b/c I figure I won't be able to run the half marathon I want to run while watching TV, so I'd better get used to running to music.  Yesterday, I had it on Pandora, but I am definitely a song skipper...I can tell in 3 or 4 notes if it's a song I want to run to.

Ummm...in 43 minutes, I went through 225 songs.  Of course I did not LISTEN to all of those songs, but I heard a few chords and then either hit skip or let it play.  Interesting choices I made.  The Glamorous Life by Sheila E made the cut.  Bright Side of the Road by Van Morrison got almost a full listen.  Along others that I heard at least part of were Let's Get Ready to Rumble (Jock Jams), Mr. Brightside (The Killers), Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon), Keep on Growing (Sheryl Crow), Last Chance (Shooting Star), What Was I Thinking (Dierks Bentley), Pump up the Jam (Technotronic), Hero Takes a Fall (Bangles) and Glamorous (Fergie).

My original goal was 40 minutes...but b/c I slowed my pace a bit so I can run longer, I realized that I wouldn't hit 4 miles.  So the second that Ballroom Blitz came on, I somehow did the math and realized that if I cranked up my pace to 6 mph, I would only have to run a few more minutes and could hit 4 miles.  So I did it and ran FOUR miles in a ROW, in 43 minutes.  I know - super slow for many of you, but it's a start, and I will continue to keep this up and run my half marathon(s).

Gotta boogie now and shower, then get a haircut before our date night out!  Still no idea of where we are going.  But can't wait to spend an awesome evening with the love of my life.  And my anniversary present to him is for the whole family - but can't spoil it here, so will share tomorrow.

Thanks for being there to cheer me on during my run.  I hope it gets easier...and funner...and that I get faster.  But for now, I am enough.  And I am continuously practicing self improvement and doing the best I can do so I am the best I can be.

Oh...on a food note, I did find that by using My Fitness Pal I was MUCH more conscious of the appetizers at Book Club last night.  I started off with a HUGE plate of watermelon and grapes and then nibbled on a few chips and dips, but really did well. 

Promise I will get back to cooking, especially once the damn fridge is fixed.  Needs two new parts so most everything is STILL crammed into the small fridge in our garage.  NOT an ideal situation for someone who loves to cook!!

"We Are Family"

So I digress...I guess this blog will not be ALL about cooking!  I would also like to branch out a bit into fitness, health, books, and whatever else is on my mind.  Today's topic brought on by this last weekend's amazing family weekend will focus on fitness.  I can't tell you how great it was to walk with my sister and niece each day of their visit - we walked a full hour each day, and this is in our VERY hilly neighborhood.  At the end of the visit, we promised we would keep each other motivated and inspired, and one week later, I can absolutely say 100% that the visit did me a world of good.

Those who know me have seen my "all or nothing" approach to things.  If I can't get in a full hour of exercise then why bother.  If I can only read one or two chapters at a time, what is the point?  It is a flaw for sure - I will get SO gung ho on something (Boot Camp, Body Pump, Walking, Visalus Shakes) - whatever it is - and then I simply fizzle after awhile.  Now that I have my new BEST FRIEND My Fitness Pal (check it out if you haven't!!!) I have such a great way to hold myself accountable, and also take my fitness journey with others.  And now I have all of you whom I do not want to let down!

I am surprised my computer is even working right now as I am dripping sweat all over it as I type.  But I was so excited to just post my fitness accomplishments for today onto My Fitness Pal.  I barely got off the treadmill and ran to my phone to log them.  Not only did I do the 45 minute Pump and Shred (Les Mills Body Pump - a weight training DVD) but I RAN 2 and 1/2 miles on the treadmill at a 6 mph pace (a 10 minute mile - a good start).  The ironic part, hence the title, was that I had my I Phone on Pandora on the "Disco Mix" channel, and the last song to come on was "We Are Family".  Oh how many weddings have we boogied up a storm to that song, including mine, just last August 26th.

It's funny how though I planned to keep this blog so food focused and not really share too much else, it's kind of fun to recap my days with others - some total complete strangers whom I have never even met.  Did I mention I actually have 50 or so page views in Russia?  Shout out to you guys overseas!  And a handful in Germany, the Netherlands and Costa Rica...is that you in Costa Rica, Chrissy?  I never thought I would have so much fun with this, but it is a great way to just freestyle write about whatever I want to.

Now that I have opened up my soul to those who are NOT on Fitness Pal, I feel I will hold myself accountable to myself and to you on here as well.  I won't promise miracles, but I will do what I can to keep on going on a day by day basis.  There will be some days when I need a rest day - that has been one of my mistakes in the past actually.  The Les Mills Pump program SCHEDULES for rest days and I would always skip them...and then burn out rather quickly.  So I promise to listen to my body and do the best I can to take care of it.  Hey - it's the only one I got.

I have some weight goals in my mind - did you really think I'd share numbers with you?  Hell to the no!  BUT...I do want to run another 1/2 marathon this year - maybe two.  Sarah...send me the link when you can!  I will remind you by text as well.  There is one in Athens, GA (my alma mater old stomping grounds and you actually get to run around Sanford Stadium!!!) that will be hilly, but a good test run, and then one in flat Florida in November that I would love to run with my niece.

For now, I am me and I am enough.  I am inspired by others, and I hope one day to be an inspiration to others.  I have so many good and wonderful things in my life and I have made the most of a lot of God awful things in my life.  We are who we choose to be.  So today, be yourself and have an AWESOME DAY!

Tomorrow is "date night" - my hubby has a surprise evening planned for our one year anniversary and all he has hinted is that it is dressy.  So I will take my magic pill and lose 20 pounds before tomorrow night.  Ha ha.  Wishful thinking.  I WILL take my vitamins in about 1/2 hour and then a long, HOT shower before heading to book club tonight.  And I WILL get in my exercise for tomorrow, most likely using Sunday as a rest day to relax and read on the porch.

Ciao for now!!!!


Mari

Homemade Soup Using What We Have On Hand!

I like to consider myself creative, but I also usually need a blueprint for how to start a new recipe.  Tonight I decided to get wild and crazy and just experiment because our fridge is STILL ON THE FRITZ - what is this now -  2 or 3 weeks? - I just don't want to go grocery shopping until I know that all of our food can stay fresh.  We are using the outside "working" fridge for things like dairy products, leftovers and things along those lines, and the inside "broken-ish" fridge for things like sauces, marinades and things that I don't think will spoil.  A fridge is supposed to register at 37 degrees, so at 50 - 58 degrees, we are cautious of the inside fridge.

I knew my base ingredients - plenty of leftover egg noodles, some sauce from the beef stroganoff (no beef), some beef consomme soup and some fresh veggies.  It was just a matter of becoming a mad scientist and devising a plan.

I started out by chopping some baby carrots, celery, onion, fresh ginger, and garlic and sauteeing in some olive oil.  I then added a can of beef consomme soup and a larger can of beef stock.  From there, I started to throw in some spices - I believe I used tarragon, salt, pepper and perhaps a tad of chili powder to give it heat.  I also added in the leftover sauce from the beef stroganoff, and got even crazier and added a bit of horseradish sauce, soy sauce, worcerstershire sauce and half and half.  Oh, and I chopped up the leftover green beans into smaller pieces.  I really think that's it...and just let it simmer for about 1/2 hour.  And added in a bit of grated parmesan cheese.  Then I added in the leftover egg noodles and let it blend together for a few more minutes.  Just served it with some sliced Italian bread (for dipping) and let's just say it was YUMMY!!!

A vegetarian option would be to use vegetarian stock, delete the beef strogranoff sauce and I think that's all you would have to do.  We did not have a true meat in there...maybe tofu would be an option???

Anyways, it hit the spot and was super easy which is what I totally needed tonight!!!  Thanks to those who have joined me on My Fitness Pal.  Again, my user name is mariccarroll if you want to be my motivator (and I will motivate you).

Tonight the treadmill was NOT something I wanted to do.  I had god awful cramps and just felt puny - but I did still walk on it for 45 minutes at my 4 mph, just turned the incline down from 6 to 4, but still VERY proud because I "just did it"!!!

Tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!!  YAY!!!!!

Leftovers Last Night...and My Fitness Pal, My New Best Friend

Just to at least get a picture on here to make it pretty, here was my plate of leftovers from last night. 

Notice the HEAPING pile of green beans, the fist sized chicken parm, a small portion of noodles (still trying to find the refrigerated kind in multigrain) and one piece of bread.  This all leads me to my "step it up" goal, motivated by my sister and niece when they were here.

All in all, I have always been pretty good about eating healthy, exercising and drinking water.  But once I turned 40, it feels like you have to really work at it and thankfully, this past weekend, I got just the extra inspiration and tool that I needed.

My niece introduced me to an app on my phone called My Fitness Pal.  You basically enter your starting weight (don't worry - no one sees it!) and your goal weight.  It calculates the calories you should consume each day.  You can add in food and water, and it is even smart enough to be able to scan a barcode on packaged food.  You also log any exercise you do, so obviously, those exercise minutes give you a greater allowance of food options.

It is the simplest thing I have ever used to track, and one of the bonuses of it is that you can have "fitness buddies."  So for example, if I see that my niece worked out for an hour, I can comment something like "way to go".  Because I am really focused now, I would like to invite anyone who is interested to download the app on your smartphone (it's free) and send me a friend request.  My user name is mariccarroll and this will be a fun way to have new virtual workout buddies who have common goals.  This will help me be more accountable and I'm excited about the prospect!!!

Don't be shy - if you are working on your fitness, let's do it together.  The more the merrier, and I can't wait for my first weigh in next Monday when I hope I can actually show a loss.  We are in such a great electronic age where we have access to tools that can improve our lives, so I'm ready to take advantage of it for sure!

Hope to have some new workout friends the next time I post!  And I will truly try to focus on healthy meals - well balanced and tasty!

To all - drink your water, eat healthy, exercise and take your vitamins!  I started taking my vitamins with dinner b/c they would nauseate me so much in the morning - it made a huge difference and I have actually taken them 2 days in a row.  I want to be around as long as I can for my wonderful family!

So thanks again Sue and Sarah for really jump starting me.  We can all do this!!!

Chicken Parmesan with Julia and Her Friends

There is nothing more refreshing than hearing the giggles of teenage girls doing their homework at our kitchen table.  And even cuter when part of the reason they are here is because (in addition to the homework part), they want to try my chicken parmesan.  My recipe is one that I have created based on several different ones I have tried over the years.  It is easy and healthy and downright delicious if I do say so myself. 

Chicken Parmesan

8 thin sliced chicken cutlets

Spaghetti sauce of your choice (I prefer the tomato and basil Publix brand)

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Italian style breadcrumbs

Dipping sauce herbs
2 eggs

GOOD shredded parmesan cheese

Fresh basil

Olive Oil

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.  With a large deep skillet, heat a swirl of olive oil on medium high heat.  Dip each chicken piece in beaten egg, then breadcrumbs that are mixed with dipping sauce herbs of your choice.  If you are not familiar with them, Publix sells them in the bakery section (wierd place I know - like why aren't they in the spice area?) and it is a small jar with 4 compartments like rosemary garlic, tomato basil...whatever spices you can find. 

Sautee the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side.  You can do 4 at a time, and when those are done, put into a baking dish and swirl a touch more olive oil in and do the next 4.  When all are done, top with spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and basil.  Cook in the pre-heated oven for 10-20 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

In the meantime, I made the pasta (again using the refrigerated kind because it is just SO much lighter tastewise.)  I also made some green beans (frozen that you boil - as close as you can get to fresh but cheaper and easier), salad, and Italian bread for dipping.  Oh and some fresh tomatoes with mozzarella cheese, balsamic vinegar and basil.

I feel very lucky to feel that at least for now, Julia's friends actually LIKE to hang out with us.  They are all super sweet girls and having 6 at the table is twice as fun as having 3.  I just love that food is what brings people together for fellowship and laughter.  And even though the pasta isn't homemade, I think things are different in this day and age when a working woman is not only putting in 40+ hours a week, but also trying to do things like exercise, read etc. 

LOVING the new Fitness Pal app that my niece introduced me to!  It helps track all my food, water, and exercise on my phone with goals in place.  So not only can I keep my food blog, but I can continue to focus on making healthy meals and making the progress I can with exercise, water etc. 



New Name, New Look and New Recipe!

Now it will be even MORE exciting to write in here because while my sister was in town, she gave me some "blogging" lessons so I can do things like add labels, links and also ways to spruce it up.  Along with the new look, we came up with a new name and I am stoked beyond belief!

She and my niece flew in from Fort Lauderdale Thursday night, and we were so blessed to have family time all day Friday and Saturday and part of Sunday, also with my brother who just hit 5-0 last Thursday.  I asked him what he wanted for dinner on Saturday night (when we would officially celebrate) and he answered exactly how I thought he would - Mom's Beef Stroganoff!

Talk about teamwork - my niece, daughter and I did the grocery shopping while my sister helped Brad with some errands on Saturday.  We were ready to roll with prep work at 3:30 or so, and divvied up the tasks amongst all of us so that it would all get done.  And the result was amazing!!!

The first step was to get the Ribbon Pie going - that is also one of Mom's famous recipes that Brad loves.  The first step is to cook the pie crusts, something I forgot until the first layer of pudding was done, but it worked out fine.  Here is the recipe for one pie - we made two, but you can adapt for one.

Ribbon Pie

Pie crust (cook according to instructions)
1 small box of instant vanilla pudding mix
1 small box of instant chocolate pudding mix
Milk (see boxes for directions on how much)
Cool Whip

Bake the pie crust according to instructions and while it is cooking, prepare the vanilla pudding according to the instructions.  Once the pie crust cools, fill halfway with vanilla pudding.  Refrigerate and let set for 2 hours.  Once it is set, make the chocolate pudding according to instructions, and layer over the vanilla pudding.  When ready to serve, spread cool whip all over the top.  Can you say DELICIOUS?!?

I then started on the beef stroganoff, another easy recipe, but I had to laugh at the lack of measurements in my mom's original recipe.

Mom's Beef Stroganoff

Cut round steak in cubes.  Salt, pepper and flour.  Brown with 1 medium onion (chopped) and one clove of garlic (minced).  Add 1 can of undiluted beef bouillon soup (or 2 beef bouillon cubes) and 1 cup of water.  Simmer until tender.  Add sour cream during the last 5 minutes.  Serve over cooked egg noodles.

So you may be wondering - how much of everything?  We bought 3 pretty good sized packages of the meat - since 3 of the folks we would be serving were grown men who like their meat and potatoes.  After I did all the simmering, I put it all in the crock pot to continue to slow cook.  I added about 1/2 container of sour cream.  We cooked 2 packages of the "No Yolks" egg noodles and had TONS leftover - will probably be making some kind of soup tonight since the fridge is STILL not working properly.

We put together an amazing salad with greens, fat free feta cheese, strawberries, walnuts, avocado slices, and mangos along with some rolls and Brad was one HAPPY camper!  A super fun birthday celebration for my awesome brother.

Uh oh...I was about to upload pictures and that icon is missing.  Somehow I was able to upload the pie picture above, but I have made a LOT of changes.  Will publish this for now and look for it later!!!

YAY!  Finally got my old toolbar back!  Won't even say how long it took, but here are some pics of the yummy dinner!  Beef stroganoff just isn't a "sexy" meal, so though it does not look as appealing, it really was tasty!

Oops...Chicken Again...But Yummy and Different

So...as I've stated before, I'm a huge fan of Melissa D'Arabian.  I just love that she won Next Food Network TV Star as an "at home cook" - someone who didn't really have culinary experience besides being a mom who cooks.  Also, her recipes are budget friendly, using common ingredients.  This way when you are encountering something like a STILL BROKEN fridge, you can thaw out a protein and make a meal with what is on hand in the fridge.

Let me start out by saying, for those of you in the Johns Creek/Cumming area, Super H Mart is an awesome place to shop for chicken, steak, fish, seafood, fruits and vegetables.  The prices are ridiculously low and I have never encountered any issues.  I will say that if you are buying fish or seafood, I would recommend that you cook right away b/c the fridge shelf life is short.  I had some chicken thighs from there that I had frozen (6 thighs for $4.80!!) so I defrosted them and did some research on the internet looking for a recipe.  I knew along the lines of what I wanted - sort of a braised French type dish, and her "Roasted Garlic Clove Chicken" recipe was perfect, with some slight modifications.

Here is the link to Melissa's recipe, and then I have shown the changes below.

My Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs
salt and pepper
5 tsp of minced garlic
olive oil
butter
2 tsp herbs de provence (I did not have this; I looked up the ingredients for it, and I had 5 out of the 7 spices needed.  So I mixed together 1 tsp each of basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme and rosemary.  I was missing fennel and savory, but it didn't seem to matter tastewise)
1 tsp flour
chicken stock
lemon juice
white wine
balsamic vinegar
bread (to dip in the yummy sauce)
spinach

Rinse and pat the chicken dry.  Liberally season with salt and pepper and allow to temper on a cutting board while you prepare the garlic.  In a large ovenproof saute pan, cook the garlic in olive oil and butter (I used about 1 tsp of each).  Let it get nice and golden brown, appx 10 minutes.  

Remove the garlic from the pan.  Increase the heat to medium high and brown the thighs skin side down until the skin is golden and crispy - 5 - 10 minutes.  Turn the chicken over and sprinkle with the herbs.

Add the garlic back to the pan and place the hot pan in the oven.  Bake the chicken until cooked through, 25 minutes or so.  After that, I returned the pan to the stove, and took the chicken out.  I added in some chicken stock, lemon juice, white wine, balsamic vinegar, and flour.  I let that simmer for a bit, then added the chicken back in, making sure that the skin was above the liquid so that it did not lose its crispiness. 

When I was ready to serve, I put the chicken onto a platter, spooned some sauce over it, and put the rest of the sauce in a small bowl.  I also used the pan that still had some of the remnants of the sauce and cooked a bunch of spinach in that.

My sides were multigrain angel hair pasta and cut green beans, with the bread warmed and sliced for dipping.

This would be a great meal for company b/c everything could be done in advance and warming while you are serving appetizers to your guests.  It will definitely be on my rotation list for tried and true recipes!

Last Night's Super Yummy Dinner

So...our friendly cooking "competition" really inspired me. 

Paul knows some of the fancy terms, like mirepoix, so when he mentioned it on Saturday night, I remembered that it was what Melissa D'Arabian used when starting off her ribs recipe.  So I decided to make an attempt at a homemade spaghetti sauce recipe, starting with a "mirepoix", which is simply a mix of chopped celery, carrots and onion, sauteed in a touch of olive oil (and/or butter - I did use a bit of both). 

Once the vegetables started to soften, I added in some tomato paste (almost a whole small can), as well as some garlic and fresh basil.  Then I added in a can of diced tomatoes (the kind with basil and oregano flavoring), undrained, as well as a bit of chicken stock.  A healthy dash of red wine and I let it simmer to bring all of the flavors together.  Last but not least, I chopped some spinach into it since I knew the spinach would cook down, and to get rid of some of the leftover spinach I had.

Speaking of leftover spinach, I made a very tasty (and simple) spinach salad to go with it.  Started off by destemming the spinach and placing in a bowl.  Then I hardboiled 2 eggs and crumbled them, as well as using the last of the chopped pecan as a garnish.  Some mandarin oranges completed it, with the exception of a dressing.  I LOVE a hot bacon dressing and decided I could probably figure out how to do this.  I started with some raspberry pecan preserves, olive oil and chopped pecans and used the food processor to blend.  After some internet research, I added in bacon bits (I used artificial), dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and some sugar.  The end result - delish!!!  The perfect complement to a spinach salad.

Next was my chicken.  Lots of leftover chicken from Saturday night, so I sliced it into small, thin pieces.  Put it in an egg wash, then dipped it into a mixture of flour with some dipping sauce and sauteed it all up.  Had it warming in the oven while I finished things up.

Now for the fettucine.  I do love homemade pasta, but obviously that is a bit time consuming, so I used the Bertollini (I think that's the brand) refrigerated fettucine.  It is SO much lighter than boxed pasta - a bit more expensive and I have not come across a whole grain option yet, but it was light and tasty.

And last but not least, a bruschetta with the bread that I never used Saturday night.  I warmed it, topped it with a light spread of garlic, then on some pieces I added fresh diced tomatoes.  But since most of our family are non-tomato lovers, I left them off on most.  A sprinkling of parmesan cheese, and we have a simple but tasty bread dish.

Since it looks like our refrigerator will now not be fixed until THURSDAY, I have to keep being creative in using up leftovers and using what we have.  Thankfully that only means figuring out meals for tonight and tomorrow night since Wednesday night is trivia, but it has been SO frustrating.  Tonight is definitely a leftover night, and I think I will defrost some chicken for tomorrow and continue to use what we have on hand, hoping my creative juices will flow!