Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Wedding Recovery

By

One of my best friends got married this past weekend at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina.

Mallory and I hit the road for the wedding weekend, well-prepared with snacks.

No pedestrian road food for us!

That’s right.  I made guac for a road trip.  Normal, no?

In my guac:

  • Avocado
  • Jalapeno
  • Carrots
  • Red onion
  • Cilantro
  • Cumin
  • Coriander
  • S+P

 

We hit a little traffic at the end.

Inching along

We distracted ourselves by singing some Alanis Morissette.  Ironic.

Despite the crawl, we arrived in plenty of time to enjoy the view from our cottage before the rehearsal and dinner.

Looking out from the screened in porch

The Bride showed up to the rehearsal wearing the perfect dress.  Isn’t she pretty?

How cute is this chapel?!

Buffet.  S’mores.  Open bar.  You do the math. It was a good night.

Mallory, the (sober) mommy-to-be, and me

Side note: I’m not so sure I’m digging my spray tan.  Too Snookie?!


Saturday morning we had time to roam around and enjoy the day before the wedding festivities began.

It doesn't even look real!

 

Mallory and I wandered into the Market and I found nut butter heaven.

Guess what I'll be making soon...

 

We all got dressed and headed to pictures at the family’s guest house.  These houses were no joke.  I could have gotten lost in there.  Specifically, in the Viking stove.

Erica and Me

 

The wedding went without a hitch (pun intended).  Christina was a GORGEOUS bride!  I can’t wait to see the pics from the professional photog.

 

Post-wedding we had wine and hors d’oeuvres on the lawn.  My favorite people in the world were all in the same place!  (RARE occasion these days.)

Dallas, me, Angie, Mallory, Erica, and Jim

The we were treated to an awesome 5-course dinner, plenty of toasts and dancing all night.

We had a great time with fellow bridesmaids and new friends Lauren and Tricia… Lauren is modeling the longest cucumber slice I have ever seen.

You can't make this up

Sadly, we had to all part ways Sunday morning.  Slowly. Fueled with coffee and eggs, compliments of the bride’s dad.

The view driving out made it hard to leave!

Being cooped up in a car all morning did motive me.  After getting home, I went for a run, cleaned, played with Stevie (who was very glad I came home!) and got some work done for an early meeting.

Run stats:

  • Distance: 4 miles
  • Time: 34:06
  • Pace: 8:52

 

Today’s breakfast was simple (so was the cell phone pic), but hit the spot after a weekend of over-the-top food.

Protein, good fats, and antioxidants.  Just what the doctor ordered.

***

This afternoon I’m off to the airport for a business trip.  This will be the story of my life for the next month or so.  #marriedtowork

Does it seem like all of your friends are paired off/married/having babies?


Raw Brazilian Flax Cookies

By

It seems that the whole world is on the running train lately.

The whole world also continues to be on the weight-loss train.

Yes, running is a great way to shed some lbs… but it has other benefits!  In addition to the obvious (weight-loss and heart-health), running can also prevent bone/muscle loss and boost the immune system.

It can make you happier!  Exercise in general produces endorphins.  It also has a goal-achievement component.  Working towards and accomplishing a goal builds confidence.

Every time I have a new PR or run a little further than before, I’m proud of myself!  That’s a great feeling.

My favorite point the article make is that running is a social activity.  Often times running is boxed in as a solo sport.  It is to some extent – you can do it anywhere, anytime.  No special equipment or teammates required.  (Yet another benefit.)

However, as the popularity of running continues to grow, it is becoming an activity for friends/significant others/family to take part in together.  What better way to build friendships with other health-conscious people than by working out together?

Post-run with family on Thanksgiving

And you have a great excuse to share a well-deserved post-run beer with a new running buddy as it gets warmer. 🙂

While we’re on the healthy train, how about a healthy cookie?

Raw.  Vegan.  Brazilian (sort of… they  contain Brazil nuts!).

These cookies are filled with yummy “good” fats.

Averie made these @ Love Veggies and Yoga.  After seeing hers, I knew they had to be MINE.

Raw Brazilian Flax Cookies

by Laura Hall

Prep Time: 15 mins

Keywords: blender raw snack dessert gluten-free low-carb vegan vegetarian Brazil nuts flax seeds coconut butter healthy

Ingredients (5 cookie bites)

  • 1/2 C flax seeds
  • 1/8 C maple syrup
  • 1 T coconut butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/8 tsp butter extract (mine is super-concentrated)
  • 10 Brazil nuts

Instructions

Place flax seeds in blender and run until well-ground.

Add the syrup, coconut butter, spices, and extract to blender. Run until mixed. Then add Brazil nuts, blending until small-ish chunks are left (just enough to leave a little crunch).

Scoop out 1 HEAPING tablespoon at a time, forming into little cookies.

*I used toasted flax seeds, which a fantastic nuttiness to the cookies.

Powered by Recipage

***

I’m ready for this grey weather to end so the SUN can be my motivator again!

Do you run?  If so, what is your motivator?

Strawberry Asparagus Tempeh Salad

By

Monday was eventful!  I…

1. …found out I received a number in the famed Peachtree Road Race on July 4th.  Who else is running???

 

2. …picked out paint colors for an accent wall and trim.  Although I’m pretty sure I picked too light for the accent wall…


3. …bought a new (much-needed) washer and dryer – being installed today!  Thank you, Craig’s List.


4. …saved $10.50 at Whole Paycheck Foods.  That’s one helluva PR!

 

5. …tried a new ice cream: Almond Dream Praline Crunch.  It was AWESOME – creamy, nutty, and didn’t have the “I’m unsuccessfully trying really hard to act like ice cream” taste.  Totally worth the $$$.  Nevermind that I had a coupon.


Not too shabby for a Monday!

AND I continued my streak of morning workouts with my favorite bike-elliptical-treadmill interval routine.  Despite the insane thunderstorms/rain that went on all night long.

AND I am participating in “Your Best Recipe” for the month of March.  Check back on Thursday, March 31st for an update/link to the list!

 

Hosted by Spicy Foodie (click image for link)

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Every smoothie I drink is green.  I think tofu is delicious.  The only acceptable way to drink coffee is black.  Olives have been known to find their way into my cookies.  Salsa and eggs were made for each other, IMHO.

“Weird” eating habits are not new to me.

HOWEVER, I will concede that if someone tried to tell me the dinner I ate last night was delicious… I may have rolled my eyes.

Balsamic roasted strawberries.  Roasted lemon-y asparagus.  Grilled tempeh.  Served over a bed of spinach and parsley.

Pure deliciousness.

Sorry for the iPhone blurry pic... I was hungry!

Tempeh can be a bit bitter if you don’t boil it.  One of the cool things about this recipe is that the sweetness of the strawberries cuts the bitter.  This way you can pan-fry your tempeh freely without having to worry about adding a sugary sweetener.

Strawberry Asparagus Tempeh Salad

For the tempeh*:

  • 2T EVOO (I used habanero-infused)
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 block tempeh

Mix together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Thinly slice the tempeh.  POur marinade over tempeh slices, gently tossing to coat.  Let sit 5-10 mins to absorb flavor.

Heat a large skillet over med-high heat.  Coat with a bit of oil and place tempeh slices in pan.  Cook until golden brown and crispy (~ 5-6 mins), flipping half way through.

Remove from heat and set aside.

*You could do this with chicken or tofu if you prefer!

For the asparagus:

  • 7-8 asparagus spears
  • Juice from 1/2 a small lemon
  • 2-3 tsp EVOO
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to broil.

Toss asparagus in lemon juice, oil, and pepper.  Place on foil in oven for 6-7 mins, watching closely.  Remove when just beginning to brown and wrinkle.

For the strawberries:

  • 1/2 C strawberries, quartered
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to broil.

Toss strawberries in balsamic.  Place on piece of foil in oven, letting roast for 2-3 mins.  (I just added mine to the asparagus during the last couple of minutes.)


Place a generous handful of spinach in salad bowl.  Toss with parsley.  Top with asparagus, strawberries, and tempeh.  Drizzle with a little EVOO and lemon juice.  Sprinkle with nutritional yeast (or cheese), and S+P to taste.

Note: You may notice in the pic that I added an heirloom tomato.  I’d leave it out next time… not terrible, but it didn’t add anything.

***

What’s the weirdest thing you like to eat?  Do people comment on your food choices?

My name is Laura and I <3 weird food.

 

5K PR

By

Thanks everyone for all the “good luck” wishes.

I think they worked!

26:02 – a PR time AND I placed 2nd in the 20-29 category.


I *think* I was in the top 5 women overall… but will have to wait to see the results posted. 🙂

Off to run errands in the rain and get ready for the bachelorette party!

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!


Mango-Cucumber Lentil Salad

By

Found on the packaging for a set of pots:

Creepy McCreeperson

The marketing person that approved this should be fired.  LOL!

 

Buuuut… who am I to talk?  I eat cold spinach-strawberry soup for breakfast.  And I like love it.

It’s not easy being green

I also think it’s funny to try on my bridesmaid dress (alteration success!) and send punk rock pics of myself to the bride-to-be:

All dressed up and no where to go

Welcome to my pre-5K Friday night:

  • Pasta/pizza dinner with my bestie
  • Trip to HomeGoods
  • Talk self out of unnecessary fro-yo trip
  • Download pics
  • Make sure bridesmaid dress alterations are correct
  • Cup ‘o tea
  • Watch movie bossman gave me – Glengarry Glen Ross

 

What 5K, you ask?  Welllll… I decided a couple of days ago to do it. By myself.  For no good reason.

File under: you might be a runner if…

So here I am at 6a on a Saturday morning drinking coffee, eating a banana, and blogging pre-race. Happy as a clam.

Earning this evening’s bachelorette party-dinner, one race at a time. 😉

______________________________________________________________________________________

In case you’re trying to decide what to do with all of the produce you bought whilst at Whole Paycheck Foods, over-excited about spring… I have a good one for ya!

For that reason, this time of year is killer on my grocery budget (or lack thereof).  However, this meal is low cost, fairly quick to assemble, and can be made in advance (in fact, its even better on day 2 once the flavors meld).

 

 

Beluga Lentils with a simple vinaigrette, tossed with onion, jalapeno, mango, and cucumber.

 

Served up with a sweet potato, topped with coconut butter and roasted cinnamon.

True, that frozen soup was a decent lunch as far as frozen foods go.  But THIS was well-deserved after a week of quickie lunches.  There will be a repeat tomorrow.

 _____________________________________________________________________________________

Mango-Cucumber Lentil Salad

  • 1/4 C beluga lentils
  • 1 1/4 C water
  • 1/4 C red onion
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds removed
  • Juice from 1/2 a lime
  • 1 T EVOO (is used basil-infused)
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • S+P, to taste
  • 1 small mango (I used a champagne mango)
  • 1/2 cucumber

 

Rinse the lentils, then put them in a small pot with the water.  Bring to a boil, then simmer gently until lentils are cooked, ~25 mins.  They will be tender, but hold their shape.

Meanwhile, mince the garlic cloves & chop the onion very finely. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion & garlic and cook over a very low heat until well softened but not coloured, about 10 – 12 minutes. Then remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, dice the onions, jalapeno, mango, and cucumber.  Place a small amount of EVOO in a pan and sauté onions until almost translucent, ~5 mins.  Add jalapenos and sauté 1-2 mins more (you want to mellow the flavor a bit without losing the crunch).

Whisk together the lime juice, EVOO, vinegar, cumin, and S+P.

When lentils are cooked, drain and place in a bowl to cool.  Pour the vinaigrette over the lentils and gently stir with a fork so that lentils are coated.

Mix in the mango and cucumber, season with S+P as needed.

Makes: 1 serving, easily multiplied

***

This rain may force an afternoon snooze for me!

Did you run a race today?  

If you are going out tonight (post-race?!), will you be taking a nap?

 

Shower Me in Berries

By

The bridal shower was a success!

L to R: Erica, Angie, Me, Christina (Bride-to-be), Mallory (Mommy-to-be)

(We took the same pic at my housewarming 1.5 years ago.  Standing in the same order, of course.  Can’t believe how time flies!)

As long as you count good food, 8 bottles of champagne killed, and a lot of great loot for the bride a success. 🙂

Erica, one of the other bridesmaids (and also one of my BFFs) arrived early to help with the set up/plating/etc.  We were actually ready before guests arrived!

You know we’re close when she didn’t smack me after I told her that her anal-retentiveness is part of her charm.

The spread included:

  • Mimosas
  • Chicken salad croissants
  • Cucumber sandwiches (it is the South)
  • Hummus + veggies + chips
  • American Gra–frutti pimento cheese
  • Mimosas
  • Roaring 40’s blue cheese
  • Olive-basil cookies
  • Roasted red pepper-asparagus-goat cheese mini-quiches
  • Spinach salad with orange vinaigrette and pancetta
  • Mimosas
  • Mixed berries + cannoli cream + toasted almonds
  • Carrot cake
  • Mimosas

Did I mention there were mimosas?

By the end of the shower, most of the food was gone and Christina had some awesome gifts (I have Pottery Barn-envy).

The lucky bridesmaids got a surprise, too!

I still had work to do before Monday, but all that anticipation/energy/Georgia Half-Marathon-envy had me craving a run.

The Stats:

Distance: 6 miles

Time: 49:10

Pace: 8.18

Needless to say, Stevie and I were exhausted by the end of the night.

In debating what to share first, I landed on the Berries + Cannoli Cream in honor of all of the berry-inspired recipes posted this weekend.  It seems that everyone is ready for springtime goods!  I guess you can’t eat winter squash ALL the year…

I made this for Angie’s bridal shower.  It was so good that I wanted to do it again for Christina.  Another friend brought the berries and I made the cream.  Because there’s no “I” in “team.”

Spring Berries & Cannoli Cream

Mine is based on Giada’s recipe, but I simplify the fruit and booze up the cream with orange liqueur.  This cannoli cream is light and fluffy – the perfect compliment to the berries.  For a richer, more dessert-like treat, you could use frangelico or Irish cream and/or sprinkle with cocoa powder.

Spring Berries & Cannoli Cream

by Laura Hall

Prep Time: 20 mins

Keywords: blender appetizer brunch dessert gluten-free vegetarian ricotta cheese berries Italian spring

Ingredients (10 servings)

  • 1/3 C part-skim ricotta cheese (high-quality!)
  • 2 T + 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 T orange liqueur
  • 3 T powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 C fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered
  • 2 C fresh raspberries
  • 2 C blackberries
  • 2 T fresh mint, shredded
  • 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions

Combine ricotta and 2 T of cream in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat remaining 1/3 C of cream, powdered sugar, orange liqueur, and cinnamon in a large bowl until semi-firm peaks form.

Gently fold the ricotta into the whipped cream. Refrigerate at least 30 mins to allow cream to set and firm up. (Can be prepared the night before.)

Toss the fruit and mint in a medium bowl to combine. Serve with cream and toasted almonds on side for a party-buffer. Alternately, spoon the fruit into dessert bowls, top with cream, and sprinkle with almonds.

Powered by Recipage

***

Work is interfering with blogging really busy right now!  Recipe for my favorite party item coming tomorrow… it’s reallllly good though.

What’s your favorite springtime dish?  

Have you already switched your menus at home?

Getting Ready to Shower

By

Bridal Shower, that is. 🙂

The other bridesmaid throwing this party would kill me if she knew I was blogging right now.  Shower begins in 3 hours!

It’s been crazy trying to get everything ready.  I thought I’d do a brief, 10 step pictorial of how to get ready to host a shower.

10 Steps to Shower-Ready

 

Step 1: Get your hair did

 

Step 2: Pre-bake mini-quiches

 

Step 3: Hide your clutter

 

4. Go for a run.

Distance: 4 miles

Time: 33:16

Pace: 8:29

 

 

Step 5: Share cannoli cream with a (very happy) kitten

 

Step 6: Buy new dress (apparently jeans are a no-no)

 

Step 7: Break for dinner at Empire State South

 

Step 8: Bake cookies. Do not eat them all.

 

Step 9: Make quick microwave oats for breakfast. Add blackberries.

 

Step 10: Don’t forget to clean the toilet!!!

***

Who ran the Georgia Marathon today?  How was it?

Congratulations to all the finishers!


It’s Bananas

By

The perfect end to an out-of-control b-a-n-a-n-a-s week is a new ‘do.

My hair is now blonde-ish.

I love Karen, Stylist Extraordinaire

I’ve been going to Karen since I was 15.  She moved 5-ish years ago to open her own salon – Lava Hair Studio – almost 60 miles outside of Atlanta… and I drive all the way out there to see her.

If I moved out of state, I’d probably fly back to see her.

Crappy in-the-car-rushing-to-meet-friends cell phone pic, but…

  • It’s no longer red-brown (therefore NOT clashing with my bridesmaid dress for upcoming wedding)
  • It’s no longer bushy (why does my hair grow SO fast?!)
  • I can style it in 5 mins flat.

FTW

Active.com recently posted an article called 5 Reasons to Work Out in the Morning.

In light of my recent morning work out success, I got really excited to read this and decided to share my own Top 5.  (There may be some overlap… they were spot on!)

My Top 5 Reasons to Work Out in the Morning

  1. It’s done – there’s no backing out because you’re too tired after work/would rather go to happy hour
  2. One shower – they listed this too and I couldn’t agree more.  2-3 showers/day es no bueno
  3. No crowds – the gym in my building is usually empty in the morning, so there’s no wait, I can control the TV, and no one is in the small-ish gym stinking it up
  4. Temperature control – in the winter months, it warms me up for the day and in the summer months it’s not unbearably hot
  5. Alertness – yes, it’s hard to actually wake up enough to get going, but once you do it’s almost better than coffee for my wakefulness

Speaking of being awake… I’m eating my pre-work out banana breakfast appetizer and hitting the pavement for a quickie run before resuming wedding shower prep!

It’s going to be 80 degrees and sunny today!  If I leave the balcony door open, I wonder if Stevie will try to jump off…

Note to self: train kitten NOT to go on kamikaze missions.

I love grilled bananas – they caramelize and create a delicious banana syrup.

Plate them and immediately top with cocoa powder your favorite nut butter, letting the hot bananas turn the butter slightly melty.  Mmmmm…

Caramelized Banana Bites

  • 1 banana
  • 1 T nut butter
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder

Heat pan to med-high on stove top.  Cut banana into 1 inch slices and place in pan.  Grill ~2-3 mins, or until just turning brown.  Flip and grill 1-2 mins longer until other side is browned.  Plate, sprinkle with cocoa powder, and top each slice with your favorite nut butter.

Try not to lick and left over syrup/cocoa mixture off the plate if others are watching.

***

Make me feel more sane.

Do you drive a ridiculous distance to you stylist/restaurant/market/etc?

Follow Me!

instagram_b facebook_b twitter_bpinterest_b
rss_a email_ayoutube_b googlep_b

Popular Posts

Home | About Me | Privacy Policy | Fitness | Recipes | Training & Nutrition

Affiliate Links: This site is monetized through the use of affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, Sprint 2 the Table would receive a small percentage of the sale price. Thanks for your support!