I bowed out of my Sunday run, it was –4 degrees outside and the treadmill just wasn’t calling my name.

Monday was a good workout with 5 miles on the treadmill before doing a 25 minute weight workout THEN finishing with another 3 speedy miles on the mill. 8 miles logged for Monday, a good way to start the week.

Tuesday morning was a mid range run on schedule for 11 miles.  The temperature read 31 deg., no sign of  wind nor wintery mix so I headed out with Shane for 4 1/2 warm up miles before doing a series of 800’s on the treadmill.  11 miles accomplished and, since Ted was in the gym while I was on the treadmill, time flew.  We didn’t even talk to each other much, just having someone else in the room to be able to comment on the news or such now and then helps a lot.

I’m not sure how many outside miles I’ll be able to get in this week since running on snow covered roads really taxes my left hamstring.  I thought I was over it but the Tuesday run for 4 1/2 on snow covered pavement got that leg aching.  It was fine on the mill.   So for the next 36 miles for the week, my fingers are crossed for better weather and no snow.  High hopes right?! This IS upstate New York!

My schedule for Boston should top out at 70-72 being the highest mileage week.  We’ll see if that happens since my body begins to feel aches and pains around 60.

GF Corn Penne with Spinach and Ricotta

I saw this recipe on my friend Peggy’s site.  It looked so good, I had to try it.

She sent me the site of the original recipe:  Educated Palate

The following is my revised version.

Serves 4 people

• 8 ounces fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons SmartBalance
• 3/4 cup Fat Free ricotta
• 1/3 cup Fat Free half and half
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated whole nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 8 oz. Gluten Free penne  *I used a 100% corn pasta. Low Glycemic index, Egg/Dairy free, Cholesterol free, GMO free.  EXCELLENT texture!

1. Fill a pot for the pasta with about 6 quarts of water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.  Prepare pasta according to package directions – al dente.

2. Peel and chop the onion.  Heat the SmartBalance in a large skillet until melted over medium high heat.

3. Sauté the onion until golden,about 5 minutes.

4. Add the spinach and sauté, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.

5.  Drain any liquid off the ricotta and add along with the half and half and nutmeg, to the spinach.  Cook until ricotta has heated through and the half and half is reduced, 2-3 minutes.

6.  Adjust for salt and season with pepper, then remove from heat.

6. When the pasta is done, drain well, toss with the sauce and the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve.

A very good pasta dish.  It wasn’t a heavy sauce as a lot of white sauce pasta dishes can be.  It was light in taste with nothing over powering.

A big thanks goes out to Peggy for introducing me to this winning pasta meal.

It’s been a week of ups and downs.  Thursday ended on an “up” note because….

I’m a FINALIST in the California Raisin Bread Contest once again!  Ted and I will be going to Manhattan, Kansas for the second time.

Here’s a preview of my winning recipe:

Marathon Mini Loaves.

More on the contest, the raisins, the judging, when we get to Kansas on October 13th.  Until then, make sure to become a fan of the California Raisin Board.

Speaking of marathons (you know, “marathon mini loaves???) yes, I’m STILL in training for Philadelphia on November 20th.  It’s not going quite as planned. I’ve suffered severe burnout this week. I think it’s because I let a couple of races that didn’t go as planned get to me. As a running coach, I would say to any client “Let it go.  There will be good races and there will be not so good races. The more important point of focus is that you finished.  Besides, those were not the races you’re in training for”. So more on that later.  For now, I’m HUNGRY!

Quick and Easy  – TUNA STUFFED PEPPERS

• 6 large green peppers
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 TBS cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 5 oz chopped sun dried tomatoes, oil packed
• 1/2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
• 12 oz can Chunk Light Tuna, drain and flake
• 3/4 cup quick cooking rice
• 1 can corn
• 1/2 cup crushed Tortilla chips

Cut the tops off the peppers, remove core, seeds and wash. Put in a saucepan and add about 3/4 inch water. Bring to a boil and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Drain on paper towel.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the celery.  Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add the cornstarch, salt and pepper.  Add the milk and broth and stir until thick and boiling. Allow to cook 2 more minutes.

Add the cheese, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and stir until cheese melts.  Add the tuna, rice and corn.

Fill each pepper with the mix, top with crushed tortillas, cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes.

These had a lot of flavor from all good things coming together like the cheese, sun dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and corn.  If you don’t like tuna, what about using cooked chicken?

I promise, it won’t disappoint.   What’s your favorite filling for stuffed peppers?  Is it traditional hamburger?

Now I have to practice my bread baking!

Making up workouts, as pointed out yesterday, is not recommended. However, some of us are obsessive and can’t sit still until the weekly plan is complete which is why I was up at the crack running down the street again this morning.  Not a problem getting up but when I started to run, the legs revolted.

It was dark and weird monkey noises were coming from the zoo. That was enough to put the heebie jeebies in me. Then there was a dog that snuck up from behind the bushes and gave a big fat BARK! That knocked my legs into the jell-o zone for about a mile.  At the five mile point, I finally fell into a nice pace and enjoyed my run in the quiet, cool morning air.

The plan was to run for 75 to 90 minutes, what ever pace I wanted. I got 9 miles in over 86 minutes. It was a good training run and a good pace considering tired legs and a tired mental state.

A quote from Kara Goucher:

Do the work. Do the analysis. But feel your run. Feel your race. Feel the joy that is running.

Remember back when I told you about Margaret Thompson, the cyclist doing Leadville MtnBike? She did a great job and finally got around to posting her experience. GREAT READING! Here’s the link.   I won’t ruin it for you:

http://margaretthompsoncycling.blogspot.com/2011/08/putting-leadville-to-rest-for-while-or.html

For all you folks who love chicken, here’s a recipe you will definitely want to try.

Nutty Chicken with Danish Blue

This is such a tasty way to prepare “Bread crumb chicken” WITHOUT the breadcrumbs.  So if you’re going Gluten Free, start grinding nuts.

Serves 4

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup ground nuts (simply get your favorite nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc. and put them in the food processor until they become a breadcrumb like texture)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 TBS Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 2 TBS milk
• 2 TBS water
• 4 TBS Danish Blue Cheese Crumbles

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Pound the chicken breasts between two pieces of wax paper until thin, about 1/2 their original width.

In a bowl, mix the ground nuts, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper.

In another bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and water.

Prepare a baking dish with olive oil (about 4 TBS on the bottom of the dish then rub it around with a clean paper towel).

Dip the chicken in the egg mixture the immediately dip the chicken in the ground nut mixture to thoroughly coat all over.

Place the chicken in the baking dish and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Once all chicken pieces are in the dish, top with 1 TABLESPOON each of the Danish Blue.

Bake for 45 minutes *might be less or more depending on the thickness of your chicken.

Ted’s comment:  “This is SO good!”

When I was wrapping up his leftovers, he said “Don’t forget that cheese bit.”  He really liked the blue cheese topping.

In case you’re wondering what I had (since chicken doesn’t please my pescatarian palate), it was a Danish Blue omelet with Egg Beaters, Cherry Tomatoes, Asparagus, Spring onion, topped with Danish Blue.

We both enjoyed farm fresh green beans cooked with half a lemon for our side.

I’d say that meal makes the “healthy choice” table of champions!

Have a great weekend Y’ALL! We have my very special cousin coming to stay from England.  I’m SO excited.  It’s been over 20 years since I last saw him!

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You would think after a full day off from long walks, running, weights, and cycling I’d be ready for some serious working out.  It wasn’t so.  We had a terrific time in Niagara Falls and got home Monday afternoon.  Not sure if you’re vacations end this way, but when you arrive home do you take off at warp speed unpacking, vacuuming, grocery shopping and working twice as hard at settling back into routine?  It’s crazy!  Almost not worth going away.

After the whirl-wind arrival home and putting a quick meal on the table for Ted, my parents and myself, I needed to “vegetate”.  I went down into the basement and worked the weights (chest and arms).  Still needing a little space, with only Shane for company, I got on my bike and pedaled hard on the trainer for 30 minutes.  It felt good but left me wondering if I had anything for 11 to 12 miles of running at 4 am the next morning.

I was wide awake when the alarm went off but lacking in desire to do anything.  The infamous motivating speech resounded in my head:  “Get up and do this run today then skip it tomorrow. You still have a lot of time before you need to be serious about Philly.” I fueled up and started running…all of 1 1/2 miles before my stomach went side ways, backwards, forwards, up-side-down, and finally clamped down like a vice.  I couldn’t do anything but moan and sweat in the bathroom for 30 minutes while lying on the floor in fetal position.  At one point, I crawled across the floor to grab two acetaminophen.  Either the pills worked or my stomach had given up the punishment.  I was able to get back downstairs to work my legs then take Shane on a 5 1/2 mile run.  Not quite meeting the plan but I tried.

I’m hoping to get that 11 to 12 miler in at least once then a long run on Saturday.  Here’s hoping all stomach bugs have left the premises.  Oh! I’m changing my Philadelphia Training plan yet AGAIN!  I still have to get it updated.

Quick Meal:  45 Minute Meal

This is what I call a “Return from vacation dinner”.  You know when you get back from a vacation, whether it was five days or ten, you just don’t feel like cooking that first night but everyone feels like eating.  The idea of another meal out just doesn’t appeal.  Pizza? Yeah, that’s an option but chances are you had a slice for lunch on the way home.

This dinner is home cooked, quickly put together, and tastes like you spent the afternoon putting it together.  *WARNING! Both items (salad and casserole) I have written based on memory since I didn’t write down quantity nor ingredients as I was making them. I think the following are pretty close to what I served.

Pecan-Cranberry Garden Greens

-Serves 4

• 3 cups mixed garden greens (3/4 cup per salad)
• 1 cup baby spinach, cut into strips
• 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 2 large radish, sliced
• 1 large celery stalk
• 1/3 cup toasted pecan pieces
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 4 tsp feta cheese
• 8 TBS Raspberry Vinaigrette (1/2 tsp zesty honey mustard+2 tsps raspberry vinegar+6 TBS extra virgin olive oil+1 tsp dried chives + pinch salt: Whisk the mustard, the vinegar, and salt. Add the oils in a stream and whisk until combines. Stir in the chives.)
  

Slice the celery stalk in half and slice one half. Cut the other half into 4 equally long sections. Divide the salad greens, spinach, tomato and radish slices equally among 4 bowls. Add the chopped celery. Place a celery “stick” into each bowl and top with pecan, cranberries, and feta. Drizzle with about 2 TBS each vinaigrette.

Tuna and Rice Casserole

-Serves 6

• 2 large cans tuna (12 oz)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 15 oz green beans
• 7 oz wax beans
• 7.5 oz roasted red pepper, sliced small
• 6 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil – chopped
• 3 TBS chopped onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 can Condensed Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 can water
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 TBS Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350F. Place all ingredient into a casserole dish (EXCEPT Parmesan) and mix until combined. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 45 minutes. *The cheese gives the casserole a very light, crisp top.

Love casseroles! They are always better the next day (if you have left overs).

I’m not sure what happened but I had a fair amount of energy Sunday but couldn’t for the life of me muster up enough energy to run the 5K KAC run in Clinton Saturday night. Sometimes you got it, sometimes you don’t.

Sunday morning, Shane whined.  He wanted water.  Gave him water and decided I was wide enough awake to go for a run. Shane and I went for an easy run through the golf course and back again. When we got home, Ted was up and ready to go.  We left Shane at home and went out for 4 miles.  It was a cool morning and just perfect for running.  Total running miles: 12.2 ACCOMPLISHED!

During my run with Shane I thought “what to do with the rest of the day?”  I could suggest 9 holes of golf?  I could suggest a bike ride?  The bike ride won out since FOOD was attached to the end of it.  Ted and I rode 11 miles, ate a delicious breakfast at Creekside and came home to finish with Sunday chores.,

Energized and accomplished.  What a Sunday.

How was yours?

Potato Pizzas

Who knew you could be so creative with a big potato.  Thanks to the Idaho Potato Commish, I found this recipe in an issue of acfchefs.org.

*I used 1 large potato and it was enough to serve 2 people for lunch

• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large potato sliced into 1/4 inch slices (lengthwise)
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup small chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 basil leaf, torn into small pieces
• 1  tsp rosemary leaves, chopped
• pinch garlic powder
• *I also added a few pieces of sliced black olives and some chick peas

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Spread 1 TBS olive oil evenly over a foil lined baking sheet. Arrange potato slices on baking sheet and bake about 10 minutes or until golden.

Turn over and bake another 6 minutes.

In the meantime, combine the cheeses, pepper, salt, basil, rosemary, and garlic in a bowl. Toss to combine.

Remove potatoes from oven and spoon mixture over the top.  Return to oven and bake for 5 – 6 minutes.  Let stand 3 minutes before eating.

Add turkey pepperoni slices if you enjoy a little meat with your potatoes.