Chicago.

I spent most of the day in Chicago on Thursday with my brother and Mom. We initially went to race the Jim Gibbons 5k, only since I hadn't been running it was just my brother racing this time.

Before the race, I met up with Sugar Plum (in real life, I called her Emily) for a cupcake at Molly's Cupcakes. At a mere two dollars for a standard cupcake, it's the best priced 'cake around. What I like about Molly's is that you can choose your own frosting. I ordered a red velvet with brown butter frosting. They also have a sprinkle bar and free water!

And games, for the kids. Sugar Plum and I were stared down by a little girl with wearing face paint. At one point, she was eying Emily's ice cream...

The cupcake was nice and moist with a hint of tanginess. I loved the frosting, though it was rather sweet.

During our goodbyes, we took a picture for proof. (Just call me the shadow lady from Seinfeld, why don't you.) Then, my family and I made our way to Lincoln Park for the race.

Here is my brother finishing the 5k. Look at his epic hair.

Post-race air show. I'm surprised I managed to take the camera out in time to snap a few shots.

Then we ate dinner, but I didn't take any pictures of that.

Random Things and I Am Injured, For Real This Time

Unfortunately, I'm really injured now. It's not serious to the extent that I need surgery, but serious enough that I can't run without worrying that it will get worse. The downside is that the scheduled forecast for the Sunburst half marathon is 74° for the high, which is actually low for a race where the highs often exceed 85°.

Such is life.

But that open-faced sandwich you see? That was a highlight of my depressing week. I've heard of a sandwiched called "French Butter & Radish Sandwich" but I've never tried it before. So the other day I toasted a slice of Hunza bread, which is a very dense, thinly sliced whole grain bread, spread it with butter (don't be shy on the butter), and topped with thinly sliced radishes and Palm Island red gold sea salt. Much tastier than I expected. I will try it with French bread and softened butter next time.

Larabar sent me some of their new Uber Bars last week. The difference between these and the regular bars are the chunks of fruit and nuts with a sweet and salty flavor.

I have to be honest here, I enjoy certain flavors of Larabars, specifically the coconut, because it has the least overwhelming date flavor. Almost every flavor tastes like flavor+DATE. Uber bars still have dates, but it's nowhere near as strong as the other bars and the saltiness helps to hide it even more. I really, really enjoyed these and I'm sad that my last bar will be eaten today. I'll be keeping my eyes out for Uber bars.

Besides the flavor, I enjoy that these bars are around 200+ calories. When I'm hungry, a lower-calorie bar just doesn't cut it. Plus, the fat from the nuts keeps me satiated. I kind of have a bar for every circumstance - I just feel snacky; I'm a little hungry; I AM SO HUNGRY; I FELL TO THE FLOOR BECAUSE I AM STARVING. These will work for "I AM SO HUNGRY" moments.

This is one of my cats, Merry. Like Pooh Bear, he likes sweetened condensed milk. Isn't his pink tongue adorable? I like it when he licks my forehead because it's like receiving a free exfoliation. Thanks, Merry, for being more than just a cute kitty cat.

I made this dinner on Monday. It's a spinach-leek stuffed chicken breast with toasted almond brown rice salad on the side. I didn't follow a recipe, nor did I write down measurements; sometimes I just feel like cooking without the pressure of jotting down notes and taking pictures. Since it's still fresh in my mind, I should write down a rough recipe and go back and make it again since it came out so well. I even figured out how to keep the chicken rolls together without using kitchen twine! That alone is worth sharing.

Tomorrow, I have a Running Foodie original biscotti recipe for you. It's my "everyday biscotti" recipe, unlike my holiday gingerbread biscotti. Stay tuned!

2012 Resolutions?

Pertaining strictly for my blog, I asked myself if I would bother making any cooking and/or running resolutions. I usually don't make resolutions on New Year's I typically make them up throughout the year. As I've found with my running schedule, though, I seem to stick with a plan compared to making schedules up on the fly so perhaps I should create a list after all. Here goes.

Cooking -

1. Learn techniques -
   I'm decent enough on the cooking and baking front, though I don't feel that I always have basic techniques down. What I have been meaning to do in the past is work my way through a "how to learn everything" cookbook. Martha Stewart has her cooking and baking handbooks, and the Culinary Institute of America has their versions. There is no particular reason why I've always wanted to do this other than to develop a comprehensive culinary knowledge. I don't have any plans to formally enter the culinary world, though I've always wanted to work at a bakery/cafe because it seems fun. Basically, I would like to learn the techniques that separate the chef from the at-home cook, and maybe one day enter the Gordon Ramsay cooking contest show on FOX (not Hell's Kitchen, because the idea of running a kitchen really does sound like hell).


2. Cook and bake more consistently -
   Maybe not so much bake, because who needs that many sweets lying around? But cooking... I get really lax. At best, I make up pasta dishes comprised of sauteed vegetables, maybe a protein, and the pasta. It's weak, and not worth writing home about. Or posting about. Part of this problem comes from a lack of planning, general laziness, or feeling like if I don't create a full meal (with a main entree and sides), it's not a meal. Instead, I could make a nice little stuffed chicken with a vegetable side in 45 minutes. Like I said, I'm just lazy and lack the foresight.
   
   Bread. I used to bake bread religiously, then I fell off the bandwagon. I rarely eat bread nowadays because store-bought bread repulses me. It just isn't that good, and if it is good it costs $5 a loaf. Why pay that much for one loaf when I can buy five pounds of bread flour for approximately the same price? Also, bread making is an art, particularly artisan bread. I've made a few baguettes in the past, and though I really like the no-knead bread technique I want to learn how to really make traditional artisan break.
   
   Pies. Pies are my weakness. The pies I made for Thanksgiving were the best. Why? Because the bottom crusts were crispy. I baked them for much longer than the recipe said to, otherwise it would have been a failure like usual. I don't know why this is. Maybe a pie a month, at least.

I can't think of anymore cooking resolutions right now.

Running -

1. Training -
   I use the word "training" very lightly. Mostly what I mean is that I want to be consistent and build a respectable (for myself) weekly mileage base, like around 30-35 miles per week. I'd like to incorporate speed work, long runs, and whatever on a semi-regular basis so I can be decent at races if I choose to run them, without actually training for any particular race. What I'm saying is that I want to be ready for spur-of-the-moment decisions. I'd also incorporate rest weeks/months where I just run without worrying about speed and crap.
   
   December has been a good month. While the grand total of 94 miles isn't impressive, it represents consistency and the fact that I created a plan for myself that I stuck to. I'm hoping I'll remain consistent as the weather begins to deteriorate. I'm not sure I have any motivation right now other than the realization that I'm no longer young and it's not going to get any easier, so I better do it now. There's nothing like fear to get you moving.


2. Races -
   Um... My racing schedule is tentative. There is the Sunburst half marathon that I've always wanted to do, but couldn't because I never ran enough during the winter to support a decent training plan. I have until the end of January to register for the earliest entry fee of $55, which is the most I'd ever consider paying for a half. I'm saying this because the cost of the race is relative to the effort I'm putting into it. If I know I've slacked off and I won't race as well as I want to, I'm not going to sign up for an expensive race.
   
   Why Sunburst? Sunburst is important to me because if it wasn't for this race, I would never have started running. I trained for it all by myself using a 5k plan from Cooking Light, managed to not get injured thanks to my lack of knowledge (I had no concept of pace -- the first 400s I ever ran were horrible), ran two 5ks leading up to Sunburst, and finally ran the Sunburst 5k in 24:54. It means a lot to me.
   
   Other races are up in the air. I considered the Holy Half in late March, though I'll most likely not run it. There is a half in May I considered, but I'm not signed up for it yet and I still don't know how I feel about it. As for any 5ks and 10ks, my lack of motivation is prompting me to bag racing all year, like in 2011. I'm just not there mentally, and I'm okay with it.

Cool story, right?

Now that I have nothing more to say, I'd like to hear about your goals. What are they, and what do they mean to you?

Happy New Year, folks.

PlanetGear.com

I'll be teaming up with PlanetGear.com to create a recipe for their new blog. Hopefully, I will be able to create a unique recipe that will make you excited for dinner. In conjunction with She Runs, She Eats and my recipe being featured, PlanetGear will host a giveaway for my readers.

PlanetGear.com offers limited, weekly discounts on major active and outdoor brands, such as IronGirl, TYR, and SurfTech. By signing up, you'll be eligible to shop their discounts and get some great deals.

This week, PlanetGear.com is partnering with FitBottomGirls to fundraise for Breast Cancer Awareness. For every new member on PlanetGear.com and "like" PlanetGear receives on their Facebook page, a dollar will be donated to the Breast Cancer Fund. It won't take much of your time, so please click through and help out!

Levain Bakery in New York City

Levain Bakery was one of my stops to make while in the city. I've been there before, but the pictures never got uploaded. It's a small bakery with very minimal seating. Upon entering, you walk down to see a view of the kitchen, with trays of freshly baked treats and bakery goods that have yet to be put in the oven. The bakery is always busy, and yesterday (Sunday) was no exception. Between the three men in front of me, the total amount of cookies purchased was near 30!

Along with an assortment of sweet and savory baked goods, there's also a decent beverage menu. Their coffee is only $1.25 (cheap for the area) and the water isn't too bad (I think it was less than $2, similar to buying it from a street vendor). Besides the basics, they also offer traditional espresso drinks, hot chocolate, and tea.

Back to the cookies that have made Levain so popular amongst the blogging world. I managed to take a few decent pictures through the wall of people. This is a tray of refrigerated chocolate chip walnut cookies being put on a baking sheet. They're bigger than baseballs!

Here's the display case. If you're not in the mood for a cookie, they sell savory pizzas, baguettes, scones, brioche rolls, cinnamon rolls, and quick breads. If you do want a cookie, you can choose between a few different flavors, like the aforementioned chocolate chip walnut, or chocolate peanut butter, or oatmeal raisin. The cookies will run you $4 a pop, but they're so large that you can split one between friends, or save half for later.

Here is my cookie next to a macaroon, for scale. As you can tell, it's quite large and about two inches tall. The cookie is very soft and chewy, though not at all unbaked. It's just barely set, while the outside is golden, with a slight crunch. The walnuts add a great flavor with the chocolate, and this cookie is packed full of both.

Many bloggers have recreated the Levain cookie, so if you want to try your hand at making some yourself, try this recipe by Confessions of a Foodie Bride. Search the web for many more.

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Levain Bakery
167 West 74th St
New York, NY 10023

There are a few other locations, too. Visit their website for more information.

Celebrate 75 Years with Goya Foods

Goya Foods is the leading Hispanic-owned companies, specializing in authentic Latino foods and ingredients. They distribute over 1,500 high-quality food products from every region of Latin America and Spain. Thanks to Goya's dedication to quality, you can be assured that using their products will liven up any meal you make.

To celebrate its 75th birthday, Goya has created a birthday extravaganza - Match Your Birthday! Game. It consists of an online game, on-pack game, mail-in sweepstakes and Goya's Greatest Fan video/photo/essay contest. In total, there are ten different opportunities for participants to potentially win $75,000! Consumers can also receive a special Goya 75th Birthday Gift Pack just by playing either the online or - on-pack game. Click the link to learn more.

Goya gave me a complete boxed set of six (6) Special Edition, 75th Anniversary Series Goya® Recipe Booklets. Each booklet features a different Latin cuisine and is written in both English and Spanish. The recipes look fantastic, and I can't wait to cook something from one of them soon.

Meanwhile, f you'd like to try a recipe with Goya now, take a look at my Baked Sweet Potato Taquitos.

Yoplait Greek Yogurt Giveaway Winner

Hey Readers!

Sorry, I almost forgot. Today was the end of the giveaway and I was supposed to pick a winner to receive the Yoplait Greek prize pack!

Today's winner is #14, Esther, from Ambitious Deliciousness!

esther, 25 April, 2011 14:27

I'm not gonna lie - I'm trying to like greek yogurt more, because it sure beats eating egg bacon and cheese in the morning. =) My fave way to eat yogurt is in a smoothie! haha.

I will be contacting you so I can send your prize pack along asap. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Foodbuzz & Barilla Trip to Italy Contest

Foodbuzz and Barilla pasta are partnering up to host a trip to Italy contest. The requirement to enter is to come up with a recipe using Barilla tortellini as the pasta, then submit your proposal to Foodbuzz for a chance to be one of the 6 finalists. If I make it, I'll have the chance to create my idea and enter it for the grand prize, a trip to Italy!

Barilla prides itself on creating authentic pasta made from all-natural ingredients, and I would love to use their tortellini as the canvas for my creation. I like entering contests like these because it pushes me to be creative and think outside my repertoire. For example, I was considering a tomato-based sauce, but I do that often when I create pasta recipes. So my idea for this contest is to create a toasted walnut and roasted garlic cream sauce. Nuts in pesto taste good with pasta, so I'm using that component in a different way. I think that the nuttiness from the walnuts would pair well with the roasted garlic, both of which would compliment the flavor of the tortellini. The cream sauce wouldn't be too heavy because I don't want it to be too overwhelming in its richness. Fresh basil would garnish the top for color contrast and added flavor.

I'm going to stop before I make myself even more hungry. How do you like your pasta?

Oh Nuts! Sweepstakes, blog giveaway, and other such randomness.

You guys may have seen previous posts regarding Oh Nuts giveaways and product reviews. You may remember that they let me host a giveaway for Oh Nuts' collaboration with the film Life As We Know It. They gave me 4 passes to see the early release in Chicago, which was pretty cool. They also are wrapping up their sweepstakes, so click on the banner and enter to win a Hi-Def TV and Blu-Ray Player, along with a copy of Life As We Know It on Blu-Ray. If that doesn't work out for you, they are also giving away 10 copies of the film on either standard dvd or blu-ray. Sign up!

On another Oh Nuts related note, if you'd like to learn more about how the company began, the owner and the employees, and how they strive to make Oh Nuts good for their customers, check out their interview on Building Success. The topic is "strengthening relationships" and how they build customer loyalty. If you're in Brooklyn, take some time to visit their store!

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My friend Micki from Running, and What Not presented me with the Stylish Blogger Award. The requirements of receiving this award are that I have to present you with 7 facts about myself as well as passing the award along to 7 bloggers, which I think I'll forgo. Not that I can't think of a single blogger to award, but because I don't feel like it right now.

• I operate a personal shop on Etsy called, Catty Knits. I don't currently have anything listed because I haven't gotten around to it, which is a terrible business practice, but my Flickr set shows what all I do, particularly the copper wire and bead bracelets. I've even had business cards made up.


• My new running shoes finally arrived. I italicize it because the story goes as follows: Shoe Fit on Running Warehouse told me, based on the size of my current shoe, I would be a size 9 in New Balance 801s, which are being discontinues and with a 15% off coupon code I bought for a nice $50. Well, I didn't believe it. I've pretty much been a size 10 in running shoes since I've started running, and although this model says it "runs large", I still didn't listen.
  I ordered the 10s and it was ridiculously large. Returned for the 9.5s, which were still a little floppy. I currently run in New Balance 100s, a racing flat for trails... on the road. I like them because they're light, not too cushy, offer excellent feel, and are snug. I pretty much have become accustomed to snug fitting shoes and believe the snug fit is why I haven't had a blister in months. So finally the 9s arrived and the fit is really good. There's a tiny gap around the heel, it feels like, though I can try and tighten the laces to fix it. If these don't work, there is no 8.5. Also, I got a free NB long sleeve shirt and RW book bag that I haven't used in case I was going to return it. I suppose I could keep it, but the only reason why I got it was because I purchased these shoes that were over $50, so the right thing to do is return them if these don't work out (I am hoping they do work out, damn it!).


• I really like ramen and Annie Chun's noodle bowls. I've come to like ramen in bowls better than packets because the noodles don't get as soggy.


• I haven't raced since July of last year.


• I'm a big Gilmore Girls fan and recently bought a mug set. Two 20 oz. mugs, one with "Luke's" and the other with "Dragonfly Inn" printed on either mug. They are HUGE. That's 2 1/2 cups of coffee in each mug! The handle is awesome. I'll take a picture of them soon. (There's one of me holding the Luke's mug in the "about me" section.)


• I'm feeling more confident with entering cooking contests, not necessarily because I know I'll win but because I have more faith in my ability to be able to create fairly interesting ideas. I thank Foodbuzz and the U.S. Dry Pea & Lentil Council for the push.


• It's warming up. It may not stay this warm, but I almost wish it were staying cold, snowy, and all around despicable so I have an excuse to not run as much. I'm terrible.

EcoTools Body Mists Review & Giveaway

It's been review city around here lately! I was contacted by Rebecca on behalf of EcoTools, a natural line of bath and beauty products, asking if I'd be interested in reviewing their body mists, which come in two enticing scents, Passion for Change and Blooming Planet.

Body mists (or sprays) are light scents meant to offer a burst of fragrance without being as strong as perfume, and gradually fade away as time progresses. Whether you're looking for a way to brighten your morning, want an easy way to freshen up after cleaning up at the gym, or simply want an invigorating boost in the afternoon, these two scents will do the job.

Passion for Change is my favorite scent of the two, with the spicy and earthy scents of organic ginger and sage extracts, plus undertones of citrus and florals, the aroma easily makes me imagine that I'm taking a walk in the forest after a light rainfall.

Blooming Planet has a boost of floral explosion with each spritz, like carrying a bouquet of freshly cut flowers. The scent, to me, is almost typical, but the aroma feels more lively and playful.

Both are 98% natural, and the EcoTools line is a member of "1% for the planet". These are a definite must if you prefer natural products instead of ones with synthetic ingredients.

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Giveaway Info

If you're interesting in trying one of the body mists, the first five people to comment will win one of the body mists. There are only 2 Passion for Changes and 3 Blooming Gardens, so specify the body mist you want and the order of the comments determines who gets which. If there's a duplicate, I'll have to give you one of the remaining scents.

If you miss out, the body mists run for about $5.99 -- a sweet price for yourself, or to buy as gifts.

Good luck! Once the five comments are received, I'll try and contact you, or you can email me with your contact info.

Running Gear

This post pertains to the "gear" I use associated with my running. Not so you can see all the awesome stuff I have, but because sometimes it helps to know what other people use in case it'll work for yourself.

• Socks
  
  
  
  
  Probably the most important part of my running. Well, one might argue that it's the shoes, but the wrong socks can make your running a complete pain in the @ss.
  
  In case you can't tell, these are the socks I received from the Iron Girl gift pact, and I like that they tell you to "do more with grace". These socks are thin with a blend of nylon, coolmax, and lycra. The webinar panel stated that a synthetic blend is great for running, basically anything that isn't entirely cotton and wicks moisture to prevent blisters. It's the friction between the skin and socks, which is also brought on by excess moisture, that leads to blisters.
  
  Personally, I've found that I cannot run in thin socks. In fact, I prefer socks with some cotton and synthetic fabrics so that my feet are more protected and I still get the benefit of moisture-wicking. Currently, I bought some runnings socks from Target that have been great because they're a bit thicker and provide more cushioning, and they're cheap. I was using some bamboo-blend from the Wal-Mart that I really liked, too. I'd like to try out a pair of Injinji socks because the concept sounds great (the concept being that these are toe socks, so each toe is separated from one another, further preventing friction from rubbing together inside a traditional "mitten" sock).



• Blister Treatment
  
  
  
  
  If you decide to deviate from what you know works with disastrous results (*cough*), you're going to need to do something about those blisters. I swear by Spenco 2nd Skin Blister Pads. You remove the cover and simply cover the blister with the hydrocolloid pad, which lasts for up to five days to help the blister disappear without scarring. I sometimes have trouble keeping them on for five days due to taking a shower, small toes, etc., but they really do work.

Sun Protection

Yeah, sunscreen is important. Prevents skin cancer, rapid aging, all that stuff. But I'm talking about ways to avoid the sun beaming directly into your eyes, which I found has the unwelcome tendency of seriously draining me of energy during a run. When I don't squint constantly during a run lasting longer than an hour, I save a lot of energy. So. Sunglasses, hats, anything to keep the sun from your eyes. You don't have to spend a lot of money here. These sunglasses I bought from Target from their Ironman line since they were the most snazzy. They offer complete eye cover for me, so when I look down I don't see a line between the end of my lenses and the ground (this annoys me). The edges of the... uh, handles? They have this rubbery grip on it. Basically, they don't move or jostle when I run. They offer 100% UVA protection, which you should look for when you go to purchase a pair of shades.

The interesting part about me and sunglasses is that I refuse to race wearing them. I'm not sure why, it's just that I've never done it and don't care to start. I feel like I can't "see" people when I wear them, so I keep them off. I will, however, race wearing a hat. Like a Colts hat.

Running Clothes

Much like socks, you will probably feel better if what you wore wasn't soaked with sweat that clings to your skin. Cotton absorbs moisture, but doesn't release it (like a sponge). I used to run in cotton shirts so I have nothing against it; however, as I bought more running shirts with synthetic fabrics, I feel much more comfortable during my run than before (also because I seem to sweat more than I used to).

Another article of clothing we don't often consider until it's too late is underwear. Yeah. It can bunch up and make for THE MOST uncomfortable run of your life. This is not that big of a deal if you run in a completely secluded area where you don't have to wait until you're out of eyeshot of houses to deal with it, but if you run in a neighborhood or city you're pretty much screwed. I've found that seamless underwear with a synthetic blend to be the most comfortable, and actually, some of the underwear that Victoria's Secret sells has been the most comfortable for me to run in because it just stays in place and doesn't move. It's so thin that it's like a second skin that you don't notice.

Which leads me to a discovery I found on a blog called Rundurance for a brand of Brazilian-inspired underclothing called Vivvos. I haven't tried these at all, so if you click on the Rundurance link it'll take you to a review on her site. What I like about them, besides the fact that they look hot, is that they're a very thin, microfiber underwear designed to stay in place without bunching up. Much like the Victoria's Secret pair I have, the review says they seem smaller than you'd expect, but that's exactly why they stay in place.

Misc Gear

You all probably know by now how much I love my Moeben running sleeves. Literally the best discovery I've ever had for my running. They keep you warm in a different way that a long sleeve shirt does, and they are very comfortable. And eye-catching. The offer UV protection and also come in an eco-friendly line. They keep you warm in the cold, and cool in the heat (the fleece-lined sleeves can be dipped in water).

Watch

Garmin, regular watch with a stop-watch, anything that can help you gauge your time and pace is very beneficial to your training. Sure, you can go to the extreme with it and find yourself needed to back off, but for the most part it's a good tool to have. I have a Timex Ironman watch that is really good. There are two models, I believe, one (the 50-lap model) that includes more features, such as the ability to store workouts and recall them to figure out your average pace, fastest lap, etc., an interval setting, and a countdown timer as well as three different alarm settings. I have the 30-lap model, and I miss those extra features, but I still get along fine. You obviously have to manually press the lap button yourself (which you don't have to do with a Garmin) and know where the mile splits are, but it fits your wrist nicely. Both models are water resistant and has an "indiglo" light, plus two time zone settings.

Hydration

As the temperatures warm up, you'll need to pay more attention to hydration during your run. I bought a Amphipod hand held water bottle that carries 22 ounces of liquid. There is also a pouch to stuff some gels into, as well. It took a little bit of time to get used to, and I still don't particularly like running with it because during the end of my run I start fiddling with it because my hand begins to sweat underneath the strap. However, the times I have intentionally left it behind, I end up regretting it. I try to keep the bottle in the freezer for at least an hour before heading out so the stuff stays cooler longer.

That's all I can think of for now, and I'm getting bored. I'd like to know what you guys use, so let me know in the comments!

Iron Girl Gift Pack

My gift pack arrived in the mail today packed full of really cool things. Let's take a look, shall we?

I obviously couldn't help from micro-shaking the camera because ALL these pictures include a hint of blur. Fail.

Anyway.

First there is this really cool turquoise and pink visor. The cool part is that there's a terry cloth sweatband thing along the section that sits on your head/forehead. Then instead of a traditional backing, the backing is like this elastic band that you can can be tightened, and it also has the words "Iron Girl" printed on it. At first I asked myself if I'd feel a little weird wearing a hat for an event in which I've never participated, but I'll get over it when I run tomorrow. Because these are MY colors.

There is also a pair of pink goggles to use for swimming, or to wear whilst peeling onions in the kitchen (I've been told that it helps).

I'm really excited about these socks! They're a nylon, "cool-max fresh FX", and lycra blend, and on the thin side. I will test these out tomorrow, too. They look pretty snazzy!

And also for the feet we have a giant 2 pound bag of Dr. Teal's Peppermint Foot Soak, which is Epsom salt with peppermint essential odor and baking soda, in case you smell (it's what the bag says, not what happens to me). The peppermint oil is supposed to revitalize your senses, which is always a good thing after you're tired from a run or anything.

Included is also a Bodycology body wash, specifically for the softeningog skin, with silk and avocado oil, and a cucumber melon body mist from the same company. It smells pretty good, though a little sugary sweet for my tastes.

Next are two different types of eye drop samples from Rohto, one for dry eyes to restore moisture, relieve irritation, and cool. The next is for redness relief. (I'm thinking this is mostly for the swimming aspect of triathlons?)

In front is a "homeopathic flex power" pain relief cream. With gradual heat and a light scent for "active women", you can put some on specific muscles and joints experiencing minor aches and pains for temporary relief. The major ingredients are arnica, green tea, vitamins, aloe, msm and glucosamine. You are supposed to apply at least 10 minutes prior to exercise as well as afterwards. I put some on my foot earlier because it feels weird, and I can't report anything because I forgot I put it on and didn't think about if it was working or not. Fail. I'm sorry. I'll reapply in a moment. But this is the official sports cream for the USAT(rialthlon), USA weight lifitng, US snowboarding, ski team, and cycling.

There is also a Luna white chocolate macadamia bar as well as a Luna protein chocolate peanut butter bar.

Finally, there's a DVD for Coach Troy's "Runervals" with Iron Girl, which is a series of three workouts, all thirty minutes, but varying in intensity. The interval workouts are designed to "maximize your fitness safely and efficiently". The workouts aim to improve leg speed, burn body fat, and prep you for races of all distances, as stated on the back of the DVD. If I had a treadmill, I'd love to review this for you. However, I figure I can watch the DVD and mimic the workout on the road and see how it goes.

Also, the bag all this loot comes in is HUGE. It's one of those giant drawstring bags you can wear like a backpack with a front zippered pouch, the giant middle pouch, and a mesh pocket in the back. Can't wait to use this for races since the bag I am using is a tight fit for all my stuff.

Really cool stuff. Thanks again, Iron Girl!

Training Tip from Iron Girl and Fitness Magazine, and Iron Girl Gift Bag Giveaway

The webinar concluded earlier today and I've compiled notes of some of the topic discussed that stuck out to me. Much of the information I heard I've either heard before, or is available in books and magazines, but they spoke about subjects I've often thought about that have made me curious to know what an "official" perspective would be about it.

Training

Self Awareness - Developing self awareness of how your body reacts to training is crucial to your success. Oftentimes, during exercise, we'll try and distract ourselves so as to make the time pass by quicker. While this isn't always a problem, being in tune to how your body handles different kinds of training will really give you insight into how you, personally, work and handle different levels of stress. This will also come in handy during races and such.

Focusing on Technique - Instead of simply going out and running, or cycling, or whatever, it pays to focus on how you're doing it, and what happens when you change things up or try something new. No matter how minute, practice what you would like to do before you need it, like in a race.

From personal experience, when I have a curiosity on how I'd run with a different foot strike, leg stride, or whatever I look it up and ask others who would know, then when I run next I try out a few new things to see how I respond to it. If you find one that clicks, practice it over and over again to commit it to your muscle memory.

Efficiency - Practice efficiency so you can do more with less effort. Strides or intervals are a good way to quicken your stride and focus on proper technique and leg turnover. If you have an efficient form, it takes less effort to go faster or farther.

Again, personally, I found this when I adapted my stride to suit the "chi running" method of striking midfoot. I didn't feel like I was trying to constantly move my legs faster, which for me usually means I am overstriding.

Training in the Gray Area Coach Troy said that when you train in the same intensity zone multiple times a week at a moderately hard pace (the "gray zone"), your body adapts to running at a specific speed, and you won't improve. You might also increase your risk of injury, as well. While training aerobically is good for your running, training in this gray zone won't maximize the effort of your training like training at different paces would. Training at your threshold pace or above will help you improve, so try to limit the gray zone training if your goal is to get faster.

I'll bring up more points in the next post. However...

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Giveaway!

Iron Girl is giving me an extra gift bag to give to one of my readers. I'm not sure of the content, but I've been told that it includes some pretty cool stuff. (US residents only, please)

To enter:

• Leave a comment saying you'd like to enter - 1 entry


• Blog about this giveaway and leave another comment - 1 entry


• Become a follower on Twitter if you aren't, and retwit this giveaway, leaving a another comment - 1 entry

Giveaway ends Sunday, 27 June, and the winner will be posted on Monday. Good luck!

USA Dry Peas, Lentils, & Chickpeas Blogger Challenge

Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! It's one of my favorite holidays because it gets you thinking outside of yourself, and remembering and honoring those who paused their own lives for the safety of ours.

So, it's going to be a busy couple of days (and by couple, I mean many) around here, and I'll tell you why in a bit. First off, my second race of the year is on Saturday, the Sunburst 10k. I'm looking to hit a personal record, and if I run a smart race (i.e., refrain from starting too fast) I shouldn't have a problem with this. I've also decided to attempt a running streak for June. I feel I run better when I streak because I am almost forced to pay more attention to issues like hydration, nutrition, and recovery. I also simply enjoy being able to run everyday. The first two weeks will be tricky since I'm going to be busy not only with blog stuff, but after the Sunburst I have a 5k roughly two weeks after, the Traffic Jam 5k in Chicago. I'll see what I can do, and I do promise this time to make a concerted effort to at least post a weekly running recap.

On the blog front, I was contacted a week or two back about taking part in a blogger challenge hosted by USA Dry Peas, Lentils, & Chickpeas. The challenge is to come up or uniquely adapt our favorite dried pea or lentil recipes, six in total, and post about them, starting today. After two weeks, we choose our favorite of the recipes created to enter into their contest.

To help jump start the process, I was generously given a Le Creuset Legumier pot, and a monetary compensation for ingredients to the grocery store of my choice. I chose Martin's Super Markets, a locally owned grocery store that's been around since 1947. Not only are they involved in the community, but much of their produce is locally grown when in season. Of course, they (USA Dried Peas & Lentils) also gave me... Guess what? Dried peas and lentils to use!

Since their generosity doesn't end there, you guys can also get in on some of this action, too. Later on, I'll be hosting a giveaway that I'll expand upon next week, so stay tuned.

I started off simply with a lentil dish flavored with jalapenos, cilantro, lime zest, and sprinkled with queso fresco. The method of cooking I used here is similar to that of a risotto, where the liquid is added a little bit at a time until the lentils are cooked until tender, but still retain their shape. Besides the ingredients listed above, the lentils are cooked in a fresh-tomato infused base with chardonnay and chicken or vegetable broth. The resulting dish is flavorful, but as it's a side dish the flavors won't overwhelm the rest of the meal.

Recipe after the jump.

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Print this recipe

lentils with jalapeno, cilantro, and queso fresco
Recipe by Christina Provo

Ingredients ~

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, deveined and seeded, diced
3 garlic cloves, minces
1/2 cup chardonnay
1 2/3 cup grated fresh tomatoes (stem tomatoes, slice in half, and grate; discard skin)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
coarse salt
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco
grated zest of 1 lime

Directions ~

1. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion, jalapenos, and 1/4 teaspoons salt and saute for 5 minutes, or until onions are soft. Onions should not brown. Stir in garlic, then add chardonnay. When wine is bubbling, add tomatoes, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a rolling simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until sauce cooks down and thickens slightly.


2. Meanwhile, heat chicken or vegetable broth until hot in another pot.


3. When sauce is ready, stir lentils and two cups chicken broth. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat, maintaining a constant simmer. After 10-15 minute, or until much of the chicken broth has been absorbed by the lentils, stir in half a cup of chicken broth and continue to simmer, stirring often. Repeat, using up all chicken broth, for 30-35 minutes or until lentils are tender to the bite, but still holding their shape. Turn heat off; cover with a lid and let stand for 10-15 minutes.


4. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons cilantro, and lime zest. Check for seasonings, adjusting if necessary. Serve, garnished with queso fresco and additional cilantro.

I'm awarded with Honest Scrap

It's a funny sounding award, really. Anyway, Mica from MicaPie gave me this award the other day, and upon receiving it I'm supposed to reveal ten honest things. But don't except any personal revelations here, I'm just sticking to surface-level facts that I haven't spoken about due to being out of context.

1. I'm not addicted to coffee. Truth. I may be able to down more than 5 cups in a day, but the truth of the matter is that I simply enjoy the taste. The interesting part is that I'm able to go from 50 cups to zero the next day without suffering caffeine withdrawal headaches, which is why I can say I'm not addicted because I never feel like I NEED it so much as want it.
   
   Currently, I'm cutting back to 1-4 cups daily because it's affecting my hydration when I run.


2. I'm really lazy. When I do something, I don't take shortcuts or procrastinate too much, but personally I'm quite lazy. Knitting projects? Forget it. I'll put them off until right before the earth will explode in 2012, when I'll be in a corner knitting furiously to finish a hat or something.


3. As healthy as I typically am, lately all I want to eat is cookies and ramen noodles.


4. I like to watch TMZ, and I think Lara Spencer is stupid.


5. Often, I feel that people make their daily minuteness more important than it truly is.


6. I feel that I compete and compare myself with people too often, but I'm too lazy to actually do anything about it. This actually might be an instance where my laziness is good, because it keeps me from going into hyper-psycho mode.


7. I get mad when cars drive past me when I run.


8. Google Reader is really cool, but it's also the devil. There are times I won't even open it because I know that I haven't checked up on your blogs in a while. This isn't because I think you're waiting for me to comment, but I really do like to read your blogs and comment and I kind of feel bad when I don't.


9. I don't think I've truly been "in shape" before, and I feel that I need to do this now before it's too late. Or I succumb to ramen and cookies.


10. I actually think I can be a pretty good runner if I ever get myself to run consistently for more than a year.

Now I'm get to pass this treasure along to someone else, but I honestly don't feel like it. So, if you want to take part, I'm giving away three free award spots! That's lame, I know. Basically, if you want to do this just take the picture and blog away.

Blog Award

Last week, Lazaro Cooks! won their first blog award, the Sunshine Award. Congrats on your first blogger award! If you haven't read their blog yet, go do so. They have really delicious, flavorful recipes that are perfect if you've gotten in a food rut and need new ideas.

The requirement for receiving the award is to choose 12 blogs you enjoy reading to pass it along to, and they chose She Runs, She Eats as one of them. Thanks! And sorry for taking a while to blog about it.

So now, these aren't the only blogs I enjoy reading, but the ones I currently take great inspiration from, be it food or running.

1. Teenage Glutster -- Dude's got a lot of talent and reading his reviews is the next best thing to being at the restaurant yourself, though you shouldn't read his blog unless you have a snack with you.

2. Sugar Plum -- She's just flat-out inspiring. From her many recipe creations, the food contests she enters and wins, and her dedication to her blog, she's by far one of the best food bloggers out there.

3. MicaPie -- Mica is hilarious. And she's a runner with a great sense about the sport, and I love it.

4. The Sweets Life -- Natalie always blogs about such delicious recipes!

5. Obsessed With Baking -- But it's a good obsession! Steph is a very talented, young food blogger and her talent is incredible.

6. Bo's Bowl -- Bo's blog is another one I turn to when I need fresh ideas in the kitchen. Flavorful, different recipes that are Bon Appetit level.

7. Ambitious Delicious(ness) -- I love Esther's blog! The many Asian recipes she blogs about always make my mouth water, and I love her unique spin on recipes in general. Beautiful pictures!

8. How To Eat A Cupcake -- Who wouldn't love a blog about cupcakes? I do. She also blogs about so much more than cupcakes, and her skill is very apparent. I also love her cupcake polls where she lets us decide the next cupcake she makes. It's almost like I actually get to eat the cupcake!

9. Healthy Exposures -- I cannot decide whether it's Jess' photography or the quality of her food that I like the most about this blog, but her blog is definitely one you should check out.

10. Chew On This -- Laurel has a really fun blog, and right now I see all sorts of things I'd like to eat, like carrot cake. And candied orange peel.

11. Knitter in the Kitchen -- Besides cooking and running, I also enjoy to knit. Caitlyn's blog combines her creations from the needles and the kitchen into one blog, and I really like it! The food she blogs about is equally as fantastic as what she knits. All-around talent, right here.

12. Tri to Cook -- An triathlete, runner, and cook makes for an interesting blog!

a brief pause

Hey guys! Things have been a little quiet around here, but rest assured that I'm still around and cooking. The cooking is actually taking me in a different direction at the moment and once I'm finished I'll be able to get back to a normal blogging routine. Also, I haven't been commenting on your blogs much; just know I am still reading and enjoying what's going on in your kitchens!

As for running, I'm also talking a little break, not so much because of the cold as it is the snow. I've found that running in white fluffy matter affects my stride for the worse. Lately, my goal in running is to bring a realistic approach in how I view it; things ebb and flow, and I don't want to be a stickler for "getting my runs it". Granted, I don't have to stop all activity, it's just the way things are going at the moment. My advice to everyone is to step back and take a look at your training plans and running goals. Having goals is great, but we need to realize, especially if we tend to expect immediate results, that things take a while to come about and it's about consistency. I like to break things up into macro-goals that are attainable during the course of said long-term goal as it doesn't make the road ahead seem quite so long.

This was on my New Year's Day run a bit after midnight. I set out for 10 and only made it 6 because I underdressed my hands. The first three miles were great! My brothers were going to join me when I looped back for the remaining 4 miles. Unfortunately, I called it quits and was not going back out; they went out for 1 mile and almost broke into the high 6-minute range! For my little bro, who just started running at the beginning of 2009 year, that's incredible!

I'll sign off with the words of Conan: Keep cool, my babies!

losing scones

Wait! Don't out click! This may or may not be the last post about scones for a while since I"m scone'ed out, but these I entered in a local baking contest sponsored by a local restaurant that I decided on entering.

I used the same recipe as in the oatmeal scone post, except with a few changes. Those changes were toasting the oats; just blueberries; adding 1 1/2 bars diced chocolate-covered marzipan; orange extract; freezing the formed scones for 15 minutes prior to baking; brushing the tops with a beaten egg and a tablespoon of milk and sprinkling with sanding sugar. Incredibly delicious and one of the best scones I've made in a long time. You couldn't quite taste the orange extract, but it blended wonderfully with the nutmeg and almond flavors. It wasn't a case of too many flavors since there was just enough of each flavor to create a medley that wasn't overpowering itself.
As for the texture, this recipe delivers: flaky and light, with a melt-in-your-mouth quality. It crumbles somewhat, but only in a tender manner and not because it's too dry, which it wasn't in the least bit. No need for additional butter or jam unless you can't eat a scone without it.

Besides scones, the other categories were Irish soda bread, brown bread, and Scottish shortbread -- I'll get to that in a bit. In the scone category there were 9 or 10 entries. Unfortunately, I was a bit camera shy and didn't take any pictures. You'll have to take my word, or not, that many of the other scones seemed like your typical, anemically pale, standard scones studded with fruit, drizzled with icing, and cut into perfect triangles. One was interesting and it seemed to be a peanut flavor of some sort, though I don't know for sure; it just had peanuts on top. There was a scone that resembled a giant thumbprint cookie filled with jam, though it still didn't have the wow factor based on its looks. Many looked like they might have been pasty.

Anyhow, I did not win. I did not even place 3rd. I don't necessarily care, although I'd like to know out of curiosity. My type-A personality came out in full swing and I started going through the various reasons why I might not have placed (and this is about to sound extremely pretentious) I honestly couldn't come up with many. Like you all are to some extent, I'm sure, when it comes to my baking I am my harshest critic. I know by experience what I want things to taste like, based on trial, error, and eats at restaurants and cafes, and I thought these would have had a shot, as I had that "moment" when I made the first batch that I didn't get with the scones I made before (I didn't blog those). So, I have no clue, basically, and must defer to the judges on this matter.

You may now be thinking that this girl has a rather big opinion of her skillz. I don't know, maybe I do, but I can sum my skillz up in one nifty sentence if need be, and that's not big at all. It's more that in many of the activities I do, baking including, it's easy to spot your errors and figure out how it was caused, and that's what was going on up there.

For a brief moment of digression, this cute apron came from CakeSpy. I won a giveaway sponsored by Carolyn's Kitchen back in July. Cupcakes on an apron! Thanks, Jessie and Carolyn!

Back to the topic, my mom decided to enter the brown bread division at the last moment, baking up a blue cheese-onion brown bread. While the scone category had 9-10 entries, Mom was the sole entry. Whether she placed first truly because her bread tasted excellent or simply by default, she says, doesn't matter to her since in the end she's now and forever an award-winning baker. She then went on to say that it doesn't matter what the judges thought, just that her family thought it was good.

That is me with her ribbon and her bread. =D

On another note, this Augusts marks the second year I've been blogging. My first post was an introduction to this place the direction of my blog. Yeah, yeah, I don't really post much about running, and I'm going to actually do something about that, try and even talk about various topics that pertain specifically to running that will help anyone seeking advice. Also, I don't use that dish nearly enough.
My second real food post was about the cinnamon rolls and coffee at the Victorian Pantry.

Looking back through the posts since then, I feel I have grown both in blogging and experience, though I'll never stop learning. I know what makes for a good photograph even if I don't always take them correctly, and as for the "stress" of blogging, I sort of have a handle on that. My tendency is to take too many unintended lapses because I had too many epic posts containing more than five pictures that I needed to edit on my laptop that has a speed between watching paint dry and grass growing and it just became a bit overwhelming. Sometimes I get in a rut and I don't want to have a photo shoot with anything. I just want to eat, readers!

Another reason is because I don't really have a direction, and I feel I should; I simply don't know which way I want to go in the sense of how my blog might be viewed because of it. Do I blog randomly on what makes the cut? Do I have a running theme I blog about a few times a month? And of course, I should actually blog about running. It's just quite a bit to think about, and this isn't even a job! While it always will remain a hobby, both baking/cooking and running are two things I'm very passionate about and if something comes out of this I would be thrilled. Basically, I'm open to the idea of taking this in another direction that what I had originally conceived.

Readers, friends, and anyone lurking, please share your tips. Also, please share what you'd like to see on She Runs, She Eats. I blog for myself, yes, but I also want to be of use to anyone happening upon this blog, and I like to share what I know with others. I also aim to make this as informative as I possibly can, because cooking is something that I feel is about growing and that occurs through experience and help. Where running is concerned, it's pretty much the same; you can learn so much by listening to what others share, and I know that to be true thanks to the many runners who have given me advice.

And finally, this long-winded post must come to an end. Thank you guys for reading, for sharing my foodie-ing with me thus far, and for letting me into your kitchens via your blogs. =)