It was an exciting night sky filled with lightening and loud thunder boomers.  One such clap of thunder sounded like a huge firecracker going off outside the window.  Of course it was at that time that Shane decided he wanted to go out before retiring for the night. Lucky me. As we walked down the street, my thoughts were “I don’t want to go this way.  I just don’t want the local paper’s headline to read “AREA RUNNER STRUCK DOWN IN MIDST OF HER RUNNING CAREER BY STRAY LIGHTENING BOLT”!  – Hurry up, Shane! You’re lower to the ground than I am!”   We made it back inside and up to bed without harm.

I was back on the dreadmill this morning at 3:50 AM.  That’s pretty tough after sleeping until 6 for the past 9 days.  It was 50 minutes of trying to entertain myself with the Food Network then Numbers.  As usual, I ended up switching to the news.  After 50 minutes, 5.5 miles were complete. It was on to chest and arms for 40 minutes.  Shane and I walked 2 3/4 miles.  The rain had tapered off so we didn’t get wet.

The run felt good after a slow start. It was hard to find my running rhythm but, as usual, after about 2 1/2 miles, my mind went blank and the legs just pounded out the miles.

FITNESS SITE:  Did you know the government offers a FREE SITE for you  to track your food intake and exercise?  Here’s and excerpt:

Choosemyplate is an online dietary and physical activity assessment tool that provides information on your diet quality, physical activity status, related nutrition messages, and links to nutrient and physical activity information.

 Make sure to check it out.

Lentils, the healthy facts: 

They are an excellent source of protein.   The addition of brown rice or other grain will make the lentil a COMPLETE source of protein.

This legume contains a high amount of soluble fiber which lowers cholesterol levels and helps the heart. Iron, B vitamins, and essential minerals, the lentil provides nutrients to enrich your body without the need to eat meat.

Since they are low on the Glycemic Index, they won’t cause a surge in blood sugar which makes them a terrific choice in carbohydrates and protein for diabetics.

What’s YOUR favorite lentil recipe?

HOT LENTIL SALAD WITH PAN SEARED SCALLOPS – serves 3

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  • 1/2 cup dried lentils:  rinse lentils, place in a pan and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil and let boil for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce to a simmer, cover and let simmer 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • 2 large celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 TBS minced garlic
  • 2 small zucchini, sliced
  • 6 sliced soy bacon* – Morning Star Farms has a good soy bacon.
  • 1 1/2 TBS honey mustard
  • 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
  • 1 lb Sea Scallops – rinse and dry
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • lemon juice (about 2 TBS)

Put the drained lentils and a large bowl (serving bowl).  Heat olive oil and, when hot, add the onions and celery and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add the garlic, zucchini, and soy bacon and cook for another 5-7 minutes over medium to medium high heat.

Stir in the mustard and balsamic vinegar and then remove the mix to the lentil bowl and combine with the lentils.

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Using the same sauté pan you used to cook the vegetable mixture – DO NOT WIPE CLEAN- heat 1 TBS olive oil and when hot add the scallops.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the lemon juice and cook over high heat until done (about 3 minutes per side for large scallops).

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Serve the lentil salad with scallops on top…..

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or in this case, the lentil on top 

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Joanne

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