Limoncello Easter

April 25, 2011 By Laura

Knowing full-well Easter is yet another eating holiday, I woke up and got my workout out of the way first thing.

I’m a HUGE proponent of breakfast; however, pre-cardio I cannot eat. My stomach has a tendency to cramp, so I have to wait 2 hours after eating/drinking to bounce. This makes morning cardio hard – without food my energy stores are low and I find it hard to keep up the intensity.

Today I tried eating prunes beforehand. Yes, prunes. Like what your granny eats. In addition to the obvious benefit (fiber), they are loaded with antioxidants and high in Vitamin A. In conclusion, eat prunes to stay regular, preserve youth, and fuel a workout.

It worked like a charm! Not heavy, sticky enough not to slosh, and a natural sugar shot to amp me up. I rocked out 30 mins of a slightly modified version (I needed more of a challenge!) of my go-to interval workout:

Bike

Minutes 0-5 @ level 1-3 (3 RPE)
Minutes 5-7 @ level 5-7 (7 RPE)
Minutes 7-8 @ level 6-8 (8 RPE)
Minutes 8-9 @ level 8-9 (9 RPE)
Minutes 9-10 @ level 9-10 (10 RPE)

Elliptical

Minutes 10-11 @ level 4 (3 RPE)
Minutes 11-13 @ level 8-9 (6 RPE)
Minutes 13-15 @ level 9-10 (8 RPE)
Minutes 15-18 @ level 12 (9 RPE)
Minutes 18-20 @ level 9-10 (8 RPE)

Treadmill

Minutes 20-23 @ level 3.8 (3 RPE)
Minutes 23-26 @ level 6.5 (7 RPE)
Minutes 26-29 @ level 7.5 (8 RPE)
Minutes 29-30 @ level 8 (9 RPE)

Followed by 45 mins of back and biceps. Plus 100 stability ball sit ups and 75 push ups.

Bring on the second helping of dessert!

Nothing says Easter like family. Well, family with a side of champagne, mint, cornish hen, lamb, and veggies.

First, an aperitif. Limoncello Champagne Cocktails from Bon Appetit.

Mine were made with 1T of agave rather than 2T of sugar, but otherwise I followed the recipe. The mint and limoncello mix will be a funky shade of green (not that green drinks both me!), but after adding the lemon juice and champagne it turns a pretty Easter yellow.

Don’t use a $50 bottle of champagne for this – just be sure it’s dry. The limoncello-mint mixture steal the show.

Our lighter fare consisted of a strawberry-almond salad, cucumber + tzatziki, tomatoes, and fresh fruit.

Then the dinner drinks: Limoncello Collins a la Food & Wine.

Light and refreshing, this concoction combines limoncello, gin, and freshly squeezed lemon juice with club soda and mint. Two ~~glasses~~ thumbs up.

Time for the mains!

Lamb grilled on the Big Green Egg

Cornish Hen, also done on the Egg

Ann’s potato au gratin and bacon-brussels sprouts (soooo good!)

Spinach Bread Pudding with Feta and Lemon

My contribution was the Spinach Bread Pudding with Feta and Lemon. This was found on the Food & Wine site, but was actually a 101 Cookbooks creation. It’s a lightened version of a savory bread pudding, and I think I ate half of it myself. Fantastic.

Next time I would increase the amount of mustard to 2 T and the lemon zest to at least 1 T. I like a pronounced tangy flavor.

The bread I used was a whole grain bread made from Sweetwater 420 beer. I also used an awesome/fancy whole grain mustard, and a block of impossibly creamy French feta cheese.

These items, along with the picture below, were obtained at Whole Foods on Saturday night.

The end to my Easter was a little prettier than that…

I wish I had dessert pics… Mom made an incredible chocolate fudge pie and I made the Olive Cookies, this time with rosemary instead of basil. *le sigh*

***

How was your Easter?

Do you have any tricks to eating pre-morning workout?

Have a Happy Monday… and say no to crack!

A PR Recipe. And Apple-Carrot Muffins.

April 23, 2011 By Laura

Recipe for a ridiculous PR:

Enjoy some pasta the night before your race
Don’t skimp on the red wine (heart healthy!)
Drink yer water
Wake up early enough to drink more water. And coffee.
Take a B-12 (serious energy)
Eat a miracle muffin and some PB
Run, Forrest. Run.

Last night I met up with some friends to indulge in some pasta in preparation for the Beat the Street for Little Feet 5K this morning. (Any excuse for pasta!)

We had a great time… and I had 3 glasses of vino. Oops. But I drank a lot of water, set my alarm and got in bed before midnight.

Fast forward to 6:15am: I roll out of bed, started the coffee, chugged some lemon water, popped a B-12, and ate a miracle muffin. With PB. Seriously, I credit the ~~wine~~ Apple-Carrot muffin for this race.

What was this ridiculous PR?

24:10

A moment of silence, please.

That is nearly 2 MINUTES faster than my previous of 26:02. Honestly, I don’t know where that came from.

Pete the Cat shirt and a post-race Mix 1 (which had 10g protein and was pretty tasty!)

You should really try these muffins.

Apple-Carrot Muffins

Closely adapted from these by Anja @ Food 4 Thought.

1 egg
2 T EVOO
2 T unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 C 2% Greek yogurt
1 carrot, grated (about 1 C)
1 medium apple, grated
1/4 C chopped pecans
2 T goji berries
1/4 C quick cooking oats
1 C white whole wheat flour
3 T palm sugar (you can also use agave/maple/stevia)
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together all wet ingredients in large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in the carrots, apples, nuts, and berries.

Divide evenly among 7* greased muffin tins. Bake 20-25 mins.

*The original recipe said it makes 6, but mine filled 7 standard-size muffin tins to the brim.

Nutritional Info: 178 calories, 8.6g fat, 1g saturated fat, 20.7g carbs, 3.4g fiber, 5.4g sugar, 5.5g protein

***

Now, I will reward myself with a mall trip.

When was the last time you shocked yourself?

Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal

April 22, 2011 By Laura

Spring has sprung, and I can’t get enough of these fresh berries. Here are two ways to enjoy seasonal strawberries in your oats. Start your day with Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal!

…

Mustard-Roasted Brussel Sprouts: My First Brussels

April 21, 2011 By Laura

We never got the storms they were predicting yesterday – hooray! Atlanta has many large, old trees and they have been falling with all the crazy weather we’ve had lately.

Not that I should complain – I keep seeing that some of you are still getting snow! Nothankyou.

All of this to say, I got in a good run yesterday. It never ceases to amaze me how much more focused I am in the afternoon when I am able to take a lunchtime run.

Stats

Distance: 3.5 miles
Time: 29:46
Pace: 8:42

“They” say that you should take frequent breaks if your work is sedentary and requires you to stare at a computer screen all day. Apparently, work is killing us slowly:

Prolonged sitting has been linked to increased risk of death regardless of the amount of exercise activity performed.

I’ve been considering replacing my chair with an exercise ball. My hips ache if I sit too long and I’m hoping that may help. Has anyone tired it? Do people stare?

Speaking of not caring when people stare… check out this video Caitlin @ Healthy Tipping Point shared yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/embed/M6wJl37N9C0

My favorite quote is at the end:

“You will never be merely pretty.”

Post-run there was more sittin’ pretty for me! I had my brussels and then worked the rest of the day standing up.

No, it’s not the first time I’ve eaten brussels, just the first time I’ve made my own. (Although the first time I ate brussel sprouts was this winter. Bad foodie!)

My first time was successful, if I may say so. You really can’t burn these – they only caramelize and get sweeter as they roast. I LOVED the mustard coating – next time I may even use a 2:1 ratio of mustard to EVOO.

While these were roasting, I threw together a salad and made an egg. The egg was going to be sunny side up… until I broke the yolk. It was still good!

In my salad:

Arugula
Brussel sprouts
Carrots
Celery
Cilantro
Cucumber
Not-so-sunny egg
Shallots
Spinach

These brussels stole the show.

Mustard-Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1/2 lb brussel sprouts, washed and trimmed
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T whole grain mustard
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/8 tsp ginger
S+P, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

With a sharp knife, cut the brussel sprouts into 1/4-inch slices. Chop vertically (from to top to stem) so that the slices stay intact.

Whisk together mustard, EVOO, garlic, and ginger. Salt and pepper to taste and whisk again (I used a herb-infused grain mustard and only needed the tinniest bit of S+P).

Gently toss the brussels with the dressing, avoiding breaking sprouts apart as much as you can. Spread the brussels in a thin layer on a foil-lined pan.

Roast for 10-15 mins, tossing once half way through. They are done when they begin to soften and brown.

***

Do you take breaks as recommended if you’re in a computer-dependent job?

More importantly, what’s your favorite way to eat Brussels? I have another 1/2 lb to cook!

Roasted Tomato & Onion Soup

April 20, 2011 By Laura

The best part about yesterday’s Whole Foods extravaganza is figuring out how to use it all!

Today I tried out the Fire-flavored Buchi.

Verdict? I love it.

Warning: It has a kick that isn’t for the faint of heart. Drinking it tickled my nose.

I’m getting ahead of myself though. Yesterday, I used all of those Roma tomatoes…

One would *think* after being forced to eat soup for 6 weeks, it would be a long time until I ate it again. That’s what I thought.

Then I saw this post. Roasted tomatoes? Yes, please.

Roasting tomatoes is the way to go this time of year – it’s still hard to find good ones to eat raw since they aren’t quite in season. Roasting gives them just the pre-season “umph” they need.

I loved my additions of red pepper flakes/habanero olive oil. Feel free to leave out the spice if you like it mild, but I adored the salsa-inspired taste it brought to the soup. Next time I’d also add some garlic (forgot about the roasted garlic in my fridge – doh!).

The soup’s dinner appearance was begging for a grilled pimento cheese sandwich on the side. I obliged – grilled pimento with with arugula on Ezekiel bread.

I forget how satisfying grilled cheese is. Maybe tomorrow I’ll remind myself how satisfying grilled PB&J is… 🙂

I will NOT deep fry it like ManEatFood

Not that the soup wasn’t satisfying. It was. 2x.

Soup looks lighter at lunch. Sunlight does wonders for pictures.

Roasted Tomato & Onion Soup

1 lb Roma tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (I used Sweetwater Growers’ Habanero-infused)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 C vegetable broth
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp tarragon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp turmeric
S+P, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place tomatoes, sliced length-wise, on a foil-lined pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then roast until tender and slightly brown, ~40 mins.

Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat until they become translucent, ~6-7 mins. Add roasted tomatoes, broth, and herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Cook for 20 mins more, allowing flavors to combine and adding water if needed. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

***

What was the last thing you ate so often that you had to “quit” for a while?

Are there items you will never get sick of?

I ate so much bologna in college… *shudder* Never again.

Post-Race Strategy

April 18, 2011 By Laura

My pre-race strategy for the Sweetwater 420 5K was flawless.

Since I didn’t do the first 5K Saturday morning, I decided to walk to the 420 race. It seemed like a fantastic idea when I started; however, I failed to realize it takes a LOT longer to walk 4 miles than to run it. The last 1/2 mile I was basically sprinting in order to make it to the start line! No matter, it was a nice warm up. 🙂

Those Carrot Cake Overnight Oats held me over like a champ.

They haven’t posted the official times and I never actually saw a) the race begin or b) the actual start line. I think I finished in about 28 mins – slower than my last 5K, but it was a hilly course and I’d just walked/sprinted to the start.

After finishing the race we all received a beer and a bagel. A true breakfast of champions.

I just realized those of you not in the South may not be familiar with Sweetwater Brewery. They are based out of Atlanta and they make some delicious beer – my favorite is the deliciously hoppy IPA.

Lee came out after her very successful 5K in another part of town. It was fun to meet up and share a beverage!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Post-post race my friends and I headed to glory that is the Dekalb Farmer’s Market to pick up ingredients for dinner. This “market” is difficult to describe (and they don’t allow picture-taking). In short, it is 140,000 sq feet of foodie heaven.

Source: Mother Earth News

One of the many goodies to discover at the market is the cheese.

My selections:

Tomme de Savoie – Good. It was a nutty cheese, made from cow’s milk. The cherry-filled Cabernet we opened was a bit too big for it – I’d like to try it again with a Malbec or Cotes du Rhone.
Irish Cheddar w/ Red Wine – Delicious. Rich cheddar. The flavor only got better as I chewed. It paired really well with the vino.
Cypress Midnight Moon – Upon Matt’s recommendation, I was sure to pick up this up. I’m a huge fan of nutty cheeses and this goat’s milk cheese hit the spot. It was probably my favorite of the night.

We served these as appetizers with hummus, carrots, and pretzel chips. I also added a hunk of the basic feta I bought to use in the burgers.

For the main event, Dallas and I prepped sliders to be grilled on the Big Green Egg. His were a tasty blend of ground beef and ground pork. Mine were lamb.

In my sliders:

Ground lamb
Feta cheese
Kalamata olives
Fresh dill
S+P

I also made an impromptu tzatziki sauce with Greek yogurt, dill, mint, garlic, olive oil, and lemon + zest.

Add to that an arugula salad with cucumbers and grapefruit, grilled eggplant and sweet potato rounds… and by 10p we had a ~~meal~~ feast!

I was so excited I forgot to take a pic. 🙁

Annnnnddddd… by 11p we needed dessert.

These Chocolate Chip + Pretzel Cookie Bars by Michelle @ Brown-Eyed Baker have been saved in my Delicious bookmarks for just such an emergency.

This salty-sweet deliciousness hit the spot. 3 times. ~~That’s what she said.~~ We “iced” them with honey-peanut butter (one of the best decisions I made all day).

My only complaint is that the pretzels don’t hold their crunch. Any suggestions???

I want to do these again when I’m feeling more creative and make a few adjustments. I’m thinking toffee or peanut butter chips or chocolate-covered pretzels…

Add to this a Sunday morning 3 mile run and a sunshine-filled afternoon playing ball…

…and you there you have my post-race strategy!

***

What is your favorite summer drink? Has anyone outside of Georgia heard of the Sweetwater Brewery?

Happy Tax Day to all! May your returns be plentiful.

Pre-Race Strategy

April 16, 2011 By Laura

This morning I had a grand plan to run 2 5Ks. Wellll… I pulled my hamstring last weekend, there was a crazy storm last night, and this week has been exhausting.

These are my excuses to keeping the 5Ks to a minimum today.

I was going to do the Georgia Tech Pi Mile and the Sweetwater 420 5K. One doesn’t start until 11a and has free beer at the end. Choosing between the two was the easiest thing I’ve done all week.

Without further ado, here is my pre-race strategy for a late, beer-promising 5K:

1. Eat a tasty dinner.

Yakatori leftovers. Mmmmm… carbs.

2. Have a chocolate protein shake.

Get your protein in the night before – too much the day-of can cause cramping.

In my shake:

1/2 dark chocolate EAS
1/2 scoop cookies ‘n cream protein powder
1/2 large banana
1/2 C kale (frozen)
1 tsp cinnamon
ice + water

3. Spend the evening writing a proposal for work and ordering free Bragg samples.

I love their Apple Cider Vinegar drinks too – Apple-Cinnamon is the best!

4. Wake up too early (stupid work programming me to be an early riser).

Post-storm sunrise

5. Drink coffee.

I know, I know… I drank 2 glasses of water too!

6. Devour Carrot Cake Overnight Oats (a la Oh She Glows).

You should make this. Double the recipe… you will want seconds.

My additions: nutmeg and ginger, topped with greek yogurt and pecans (icing!) rather than Angela’s muffins ~~(mine must be lost in the mail…)~~.

7. Blog about pre-race activities and catch up on some reading.

8. Race!!!

***

Good luck to everyone running this weekend! How did you all do?!

Is anyone else going to a festival?

Atlanta has at least 3 this weekend – Dogwood, Sweetwater 420, and Alpharetta Arts Fest!

Empire State South

April 15, 2011 By Laura

After complaining about the funk and then reading an inspirational post by Caitlin @ Healthy Tipping Point about Ellen, a very cool 73 year-old marathoner, I cranked out a run.

One of my favorite quotes from the interview: Remember, energy begets energy…and it’s contagious.

As per usual… I feel better.

Someone just kick my in the arse out the door next time, please!

Stats:

Distance: 4 miles

Time: 33:54

Pace: 8:36

_____________________________________________________________________________________

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I agree… but brunch is certainly the most delicious meal of the day.

Especially if you can enjoy it at Empire State South (999 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30309, 404-541-1105).

I’ve visited for dinner twice. Although it was before I could chew much of anything (my order was an odd mix of sides), I highly recommended you eat every meal here (I live right down the street… danger!).

L to R: Kimchi Rice Grits, Brussels, Oyster Mushrooms with Bok Choy

The Kimchi Rice Grits are addicting.

Back to brunch.

I met a group for brunch at ESS last Saturday – this is a pretty food-oriented group and we were not disappointed.

I’m not a Bloody Mary fan, but I did sample the Caesar Bloody of someone in my party. It was made with clam & tomato Juice, worcestershire, olive brine, tabasco, black pepper, lemon. It was GOOD – to the point that I almost ordered one. Almost.

I drank a delicious cup of Brazilian coffee, made using the pour-over method. This method renders the freshest cup of coffee you will ever taste. I drank mine black.

As a starter we tried the pimento cheese with bacon marmalade. It was served in a little mason jar with a side of crisp toast. The chewy, candied bacon was a nice addition to the creamy pimento. I’m a big fan of the salty-sweet combination to being with. Add bacon and I’m over-the-moon.

Then came the mains.

If you’re in the mood for something light, don’t miss the Spring Farm Salad.

It consisted of farro, local lettuce, legumes, goat cheese, orange segments, carrots, cucumbers, English peas, and radishes. It was crunchy and full of flavor – more “toppings” than lettuce made it extra satisfying. It was drizzled with a balsamic reduction and a citrus vinaigrette (I ordered on the side). The vinaigrette was perfectly balanced with the sweet citrus, sea salt, and olive oil.

Another dining mate ordered the Pork Confit served over a Jalapeno & Bacon Biscuit with poached eggs, arugula, balsamic onion jam, hollandaise mousseline.

I did a little taste test and can vouch for its deliciousness – the confit was impossibly flavorful and juicy. Not over salted or greasy, as I have found to be the case around Atlanta lately. Sadly, he ate it before I got a pic.

Then there was the Special. OMG – it was special.

I wish I had written down the description, but from what I recall it was a: Pheasant Empanada with a green chili chow chow, poached egg, local lettuce, orange segments, and a balsamic reduction. Holy mother of deliciousness.

I’ve never been a big pheasant fan, but this couldn’t have been better. The empanada was flaky and light – not too greasy (as I find is often the case).

And they brought out a little dessert-snack. Some sort of peanut butter fudgy-toffee.

Just when I thought I couldn’t love them more…

If you’re in Atlanta and in need of brunch this Saturday/Sunday, ESS is worth the trip.

Reservations recommended – especially with the Dogwood Festival this weekend!

***

What is your favorite meal of the day? Is brunch a weekend must or a special treat?

Happy Friday!!!