Running Fool. Drinking Veggies

So Jenna over at Eat, Live, Run has been swearing by this Amazing Meal stuff for weeks now. Both her and her boyfriend have been drinking in in place of their morning coffee, and both have lots more energy for the day. I am SOOO envious of this so I'm going to get myself some (it can't be any worse than all the other supplements I try to take for energy), but in the meantime, I have been experimenting with ways to make sure I get all my greens and vegetables in.

This weekend, our friends went on their honeymoon and dropped off all their produce for us so it wouldn't go bad. Then, we had a CSA pick up on Saturday. Needless to say, we ended up with produce out the WAZ-OOO!

I really have to give props to Andrew for most of this, he has come up with some amazingly creative (and TASTY) dishes for us.
On Saturday night, we took zucchini lasagna to a friend's going away party. Instead of using pasta lasagna, we sliced them thin the long way and layered zucchini in between marinara sauce and ricotta/mozzarella cheese. Just bake and viola! It was a hit at the party. Although I don't see how anything that includes cheese can not be a hit.

Side note: I have discovered smoked gouda. WHERE has this stuff been all my life?! I'm obsessed! It's my new favorite cheese. Sorry, Laughing Cow.

Earlier on Saturday, I wasn't feeling so hot so I decided I needed a veggie pick me up. I blended a couple strawberries with some watermelon cubes, a HUGE handful of spinach, and some protein powder to make a delicious fresh drink. I swear it was an instant energy boost!
This is the protein powder I use. Its got all kinds of good stuff in it and it has a yummy vanilla-ish smell to it. (It doesn't taste as vanilla as it smells, though)


I highly recommend this site Vitaglo for all your vitamins, supplements and so on. They have a great selection and even better prices!














The most delicious part of my drink was the blended watermelon. SO fresh and juicy. I've read that Kath has made a drink with blended watermelon, but she adds a little vodka to hers. A girl after my own heart....
I've been having these spinach protein drinks every morning and I have been feeling good (and, er, regular).

Today, I feel like I got hit by a bus but I had a hard workout yesterday...and ice cream, so it's my fault.

Anyhow, as of last night, we had turnips, two bunches of asparagus, a bunch of carrots and a huge bucket of kale that was all in danger of going bad. So Andrew whipped up a delicious creamed vegetable soup. I didn't pay too close attention, but I know he started by sauteeing the turnips and carrots with onions and then added the asparagus and some chicken stock. When the veggies were soft, he blended them up and added in some half and half and seasonings. We froze most of it, but oh boy, was it ever yummy! In fact, I'm having it for lunch right now!

(with half a banana and peanut butter, a laughing cow wedge and a couple crackers-don't worry, I'm saving my veggies for dinner)

I know this soup doesn't look like much but it is DAAAMNN good! Thanks, Andrew!






Also, thanks to whoever left those beautiful orchids on our front steps this weekend-SO pretty!




On the exercise front, this weekend is our relay triathalon. I'm excited and a little nervous. My running sneaks have been giving me blisters and I know its time for some new kicks (b/c they have also been irritating my ankles) but I have to get through the race with these ones. Buying new shoes five days before a race is a BAD IDEA. Andrew is going to pick me up some inserts today and maybe that will help. Then, next week, I'm off to Philadelphia Runner to get refitted.

Yesterday, I ran 3 miles in 30 minutes flat, so I'm thinking that I can do my 5k portion of the race in 32 minutes, maybe less since I usually sprint the end of races and not my training runs. That's my goal. If there aren't any hills on the course, I'm golden. If there are, I may come in around 33 minutes. I plan on it being very hot and humid but I have a sweet mp3 mix to get me moving. I'm the last to go (after the swim and bike), so there will be plenty of time to stretch out, sit around and let the adrenaline build up. Then afterwards, we drink! Beer!

Geeze, is it only Tuesday?? This week's gonna be a dragger, I predict.
Make sure you eat (or drink) your veggies!

Nibbles and Bits

I'm flyin solo for dinner tonight 'cuse my hard working fiance' is meeting with one of his freelance clients. I like to take these opportunities to eat a little less traditionally than the way we do when we eat together.

I am on a mission to eat up random leftovers in our fridge and, for some reason, we have a lot of produce that's going bad. (Well, not for some reason. The reason is because its produce and it never lasts very long). Anyhow, I love veggies but I'm not a fan of eating them plain and raw. I need something to dip them in, at the very least. So I opted for a tasting plate as my dinner. This is hands down my FAVORITE way to eat. I confess, I am a nibbler. Sure I'll eat a big ol plate of meat and potatoes, but defnitely prefer nibbles of lots of different things. Tapas restaurants are right up my alley. Right along with cocktail receptions and tasting events.

Here's the spread:
Cucumbers

Celery

Green Peppers

Strawberries

Leftover bruschetta that I made this weekend

Basil hummus (for dipping)

I also had a couple slices of fresh Italian bread and a glass of wine



This was perfection. I was satisfied but not stuffed AND the only thing I actually made new was the hummus. (But it was DELICIOUS so I doubt it will last very long)

I feel silly taking pictures of my food anywhere but at home otherwise I would have snapped a pic of the amazing bento box I had last night for dinner. It was fresh and healthy and di-vine! The place we went has the BEST spicy tofu!

I had a pretty tough workout with my trainer yesterday which has left me with some serious aching in my neck. Obviously, I was not doing my 1 million crunches correctly.
I put in an hour on the elliptical today at a nice high resistance and crossramp and sweated it out through two gossip rags. I am SO ashamed that I read these. I am such a sucker for pop culture and celebrity gossip. My random knowledge did, however, earn my Quizo team a decent amount of points last night, which had us finish in a VERY respectable 2nd place. I was the only one who knew that Miley Cyrus broke up with her boyfriend and went back to her Jonas brother ex-boyfriend. For shame, Becky. For shame.
I read a lot of NY Times and CNN.com today to make up for it.

Like I mentioned in my last post, I have been struggling to make my commitment to health and fitness "fit in" with the rest of my life. I've been thinking about this a lot the past week and I think what has me so frustrated is my "either/or" mentality. I have scheduled appointments with my trainer twice a week. The rest of the week, my workout routine is planned, so to speak, but I don't have any accountability to anyone else to be anywhere at any particular time.
Now that it's the summer, I am finding that my nights are filling up fast with fun events and time with friends. I would be lying if I said the weather wasn't a HUGE motivator in getting me up and out of the house after work hours (although it probably helps that I work from home).
Several times over the past month or so, I have had to decline invitations becuase of my appointments with my trainer and even becuase I was busy at work and hadn't had time to get in a workout during the day. Yeah. I opted to workout over spending QT with my friends. SO LAME. Of course working out is important to me, but when I really thought about it, I do not want to be bailing on my friends under those circumstances.
So I've been struggling with this idea that I have to do one or the other. After a couple of "deep" conversations with Andrew, I realized that I'm getting in my own way about this. This is as you know (if you have read this blog more than once) ALWAYS the case with me. Sometimes I am my own biggest obstacle. So I have deciced to make a conscious effort to re-think the way I think (I know that sounds a little wacky, but its what I'm going for). Instead of thinking that I HAVE to pick this or that, I am training myself to think "I am going to do both of these things. How do I make it work?"

I have to remind myself a lot. But to be honest, it is really working. I sometimes have to rush, and forgo drying my hair or putting on that extra bit of makeup in order to get places ontime, but (so far) I haven't declined any invitations. It has meant working out on my lunch break and doubling up on workouts in my less busy days, but I have somehow managed to fit everything in. And the best part? It has encouraged a little creativity and flexibility in me (which is something that has been a little lacking recently. Right, Andrew? :-)).

I am sure there are people who have been doing this successfully for many, many years. I bet moms are amazing at this. And I think its great practice. Not only for when I have kids, but for how insanely busy my work schedule is going to be come September. Then I'll have to figure out not just when to hang out with friends, but how to work out on a train (or in the car or while sitting at a meeting).