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Week 2, Run 2

I hit the treadmill once again after work today. This run went better then the last few actually and I didn't feel like death afterwards so that's a plus.

Distance: 2.3 miles
Time: 20:30
Time per mile: ~8:55 per mile

I walked an additional .2 miles at the highest incline at a 3.5 speed and then finished off with some weights.

I'm still undecided as to what to do with my training for a run that I won't be able to go to. I will keep up with the training as planned until I decide...

Week 1, Run 3 and more news...

This week I went on my Week 1 Run 3 which was my first long run of 2.5 miles. Ok so this distance isn't particularly longer then what I usually run, but on a treadmill I could feel/was aware of every step I took past mile 2. Once again, I can not wait until it is warm so I can run outside! I don't think I'll be able to do 3 miles on the treadmill for my next long run so I may have to brave the cold.

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 22:30
Time per mile: 9 minutes

In other news, I have some bad news regarding my 10K (but good news for my cousin!). I have a family baby shower that got scheduled for the same day as the race! Of course I will be attending the baby shower since that is more important then the run but I'm not sure what I am going to do with my training. I could finish my training plan and just not run the race, perhaps sign up for another race in the same general time, or move on to another exercise goal. Any suggestions?? I really am torn.

Martini Cake

This weekend was my dad's birthday and his favorite drink by far is a martini. We happened to have an over sized martini glass in our closet and I thought it would be fun to incorporate it into a birthday cake.

Since I wanted the base of the martini glass to be cake, I looked for a thinner cake that was still rich and flavorful. I decided on an Italian flourless chocolate cake. It basically tastes like a fudgy brownie. Sooo good!

Flourless chocolate cake with peanut butter cream and a martini glass filled with vodka jello.

Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe: (From Italian Country Cooking by Loukie Werle)

1 stick unsalted butter

6 oz dark chocolate

1 cup sugar

5 eggs, separated

1 1/4 cup finely ground hazelnuts

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 9-10 inch spring form cake pan with parchment paper. Butter the paper and sides of pan.

Combine butter, chocolate and sugar in a heat proof bowl set over simmering water. Heat until butter and chocolate are melted. Stir until mixture is smooth and cool to room temperature.

Beat egg yolks into chocolate mixture, one by one, with wooden spoon until completely mixed. Add ground nuts.

Beat egg whites wtih salt until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture, 1/3 at a time, until no white steaks can be seen. Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until cake starts to shrink away from sides and top is firm. Cool on rack.               

             Mixture going into pan.                       

Cake out of the oven

Peanut Buttercream Icing Recipe:

9 tbs butter, softened

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

5 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Beat beat butter and peanut butter in bowl until mixed. Add milk and vanilla. After combined, add powder sugar and stir until spreadable.

Vodka Jello Recipe:

2 packages of melon jello

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup cold water

1 1/2 cups vodka

Add boiling water to jello mix and stir until combined. Add cold water and vodka. Pour into martini glass and chill until firm in fridge (about 2-3 hours). Decoate with "olive" marshmallow. (Coat mashmallow in green food coloring. When dry, add one dot of red food coloring on each side.)

Week 1 Run 2

On Thursday I finished run 2 of week 1. I hit the treadmill and ran 2 miles in 18:13. As for my additional cardio, I stayed on the treadmill for an additional 5 minutes at the highest incline level to cover a .3 distance. I wish I was able to do more of the "additional cardio" but I forgot my ipod and the treadmill was sucking the life out of me. Next time I should opt for the bike or elliptical I guess.

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 18:13
Time per mile: 9:06

I really can not wait until the weather warms up and I can do these runs outside. The treadmill has been really beating me down.

10K Training Week 1 Run 1

My first run of 10K training is done. It was only 1.5 miles but I'm glad it was short since I've been struggling to get to the gym in the past two weeks due to a new job and getting use to my new schedule. Since it was a short run, I tried to run work on my time by doing 1-2 minute sprints though out.

Miles: 1.5

Time: 13:14

Time Per Mile:  ~8:50

Afterwards I did some weights and leg and chess presses.

I got off work early but had to use the treadmill due to this:

And that's just after 2 hours of snow.. There is suppose to be more to come tonight. It's so pretty but I think I'm looking at the treadmill for the next few days. Boo.

Apricot Chicken

This recipe is easy to make and helps mix up "chicken dinner" night. I had some apricot jelly that I had left over from holiday cooking and decided to try to incorporate it into dinner. You can use this recipe with different jellies and cheeses. I'm sure it would be great with pepper jelly and pepper jack cheese, apple jelly and brie, etc.

Recipe:

2 chicken breasts

1 slice swiss cheese

4 tbs apricot jelly

Cayenne Pepper powder

Salt

Pepper

Pat chicken dry and then sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and cayenne powder. Cook in an oiled skillet over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Top each chicken breast with jelly and half a slice of swiss. Remove from heat and put pan top on to hold in heat to melt the cheese. Serve when cheese has melted.

Jake has been trying to help out in the kitchen and committed to make a side to go along with our apricot chicken and salad. He tackled the Kraft Home Style Mac and Cheese kit :)

Pretty delicious. Can't go wrong with mac and cheese topped with toasted bread crumbs.

Chicken and Dumplings.. and the importance of first-year-o-marriage back ups

So this week I figured out I like the idea of chicken and dumplings way more then I liked the actual dish. I came across an interesting recipe on the Pink Parsley blog. It is a chicken and dumpling dish that uses Salsa Verde which adds a kick and herb cornmeal dumplings which adds more flavor.

It took about an hour to put together but I had been cold all day and had the motivation to make a super comforting food.

        Recipe found here.

The first few bites tasted awesome. It had a lot of flavor, spice, and was incredibly rich. However, it was way too heavy for Jake and I to eat as a meal. We had ate about 1/4 of our plate and agreed that the rest was going to have to go in the fridge for another time.

In came my first-year-o-marriage back up food. Since I like to try new recipes quite a bit, it is crucial I have back up food in case the recipe is a flop. Some of these back ups include hot pockets, chicken pot pies, skillet meals, and of course toasted PB&J.

I think I got way more compliments on my 3 minute PB&Js then the hour long chicken and dumplings with fresh cut herbs, but I'll take what I can get :)

Colorado!

Jake and I just got back from Colorado the other night. It was soo beautiful and fun.

We went to go visit these guys:

After they picked us up from the air port, we went to an awesome restaurant called The Sink in Boulder. I was seriously craving a post 4 hour flight beer. This beer was brewed just a few miles away from Boulder and hit the spot.

Appetizers of guacamole/brie/and bruschetta followed...

We then split the best pizza I have ever had. It had tomato, basil, artichokes, and tofu. I had to take a few bites before I took a picture..

The next day we went skiing near by at Eldora. The slopes are in the background. I was way too paranoid to bring my camera skiing so this will have to do.

On Saturday we were motivated to climb a mountain.

We made it to the top without any major falls or freak outs.

On our last full day we went into town to do some shopping and watch the Jets/Patriots game at a whiskey bar. I am more of a clear liquor type of person so I went with the French Mojito.

It was so tasty! It included strawberry, mint, lime, lavender simple syrup, vodka, and champagne. I might have to try to recreate this drink sometime soon..  

Lemon Pepper Chicken Home Made Crouton Salad and Fresh Bought Ravioli Ridiculousness

One of the things I will miss about my old job is its close location to Eastern Market. They have a large indoor market with all sorts of fresh and hand made foods. I particularly love the home made pasta section. Earlier this week I bought these little beauties:

Hand made cheese ravioli with pretty stripes.

I boiled them for about 3 minutes and they were done! Fresh pasta has so much more flavor then store bought pasta and cooks in about a third of the time. I try to buy it anytime I come across it.

I topped it with my home made marinara sauce and....

Yummmy ridiculousness!

I know Jake doesn't consider food a meal without a meat so I grilled up some easy lemon pepper chicken.

Recipe:

4 chicken strip cuts

Lemon pepper seasoning

2 tbs olive oil

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Remove chicken strips from package and pat dry. Season both sides with the lemon pepper seasoning. Cook for about 8 minutes flipping chicken half way through. Remove once chicken is fully cooked through. Makes 2 servings.

I topped mine with a raspberry walnut light dressing and Jake went with the light ranch. I forgot to buy croutons at the store so I thought I would give home made croutons a shot.

Recipe:

4 pieces of Healthy White or Wheat bread cut into bite sized cubes

2 tbs olive oil

1/2 tbs of salt

1/2 tbs of pepper

1/2 tbs of garlic powder

1 tbs dried parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss bread cubes with oil. Add seasoning and gently toss again. Arrange on tin foil lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until bread is golden brown. 

They turned out pretty good and definitely more healthy then store bought croutons. I might try adding Parmesan cheese next time as well.

Home Made Marinara Sauce

I have always wanted to try to make marinara sauce from scratch. I don't know if it's the Italian in me or my super pickyness when it comes to marinara sauce - but this is a sauce I feel like I should master. During my lunch break I bought some fresh tomatoes, onions, and what I thought was garlic....

Has the shape of garlic and the store labeling of garlic...

But not garlic at all...

I swear it's staring at me saying (in a squeaky British accent for some reason..) "Ohhh nooo I'm an onion, not garlic silly.."

Sigh.. I told you all I was not a master chef...

After being humbled by my garlic failure, I returned to my marinara mission. I had some dried minced garlic and garlic powder that would just have to do. I prefer marinara sauces that taste light, slightly spicy, and aren't chunky.

Recipe:

5 tomatoes deseeded and chopped

1/2 yellow onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

10 basil leaves chopped

1/4 cup white wine

4 tbs olive oil

1tbs dried oregano

1 tbs salt

1/2 tbs pepper

1/2 tbs cayenne pepper powder

1/2 tbs garlic powder

1 tbs dried parsley

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium low. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and soft (about 7-10 minutes). Add wine to deglaze bottom of pot. Add tomatoes and basil. Let simmer for a few minutes. Take a hand blender and blend until no big chunks can be seen. Make sure to wear long sleeves and an apron since this can get messy. (There will be less of a splash if you keep the hand blender submerged the whole time.) Add remaining ingredients and stir. Add more or less of the spices depending on your taste. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Makes about 4-6 servings. 

While I really like how the sauce turned out, I'm going to tweak this recipe slightly. (i.e. remove tomato skins, add tomato paste, and try roasting the garlic and tomatoes). Hopefully I can do this in the next week or so and update the recipe :)

10K Training Plan

I researched a few 10K training plans before I came to the decision that I wanted to make my own. All the plans I found online had a few things in common. They all had a run that focused on pace with strength training afterwards, a run that was more relaxed but added in other cardio work, and a "long run" at the end of the week. Most of these plans took up about 5-6 days out of the week... Something I'm not ready to commit to for a 10K run.

My plan needed to be flexible and realistic for my schedule which means 3 days of runs per week.

Each week I will have a shorter run that focuses on pace and then strength exercises afterwards, a slightly longer run which will be slow and steady and then will do another form of cardio exercises, and finally a long run on the weekend to increase my mileage.
Here is my (color coded) plan starting January 22nd!

Week 1 :   1.5m + strength    2m + additional cardio        2.5m long run
Week 2:    2m + strength       2.5m + additional cardio     3m long run
Week 3:   2m + strength       2.5m + additional cardio     3.5m long run
Week 4:    2m + strength        2.5m + additional cardio     4m long run
Week 5:   2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio      4.5m long run
Week 6:   2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio     4.5m long run
Week 7:   2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio      5m long run
Week 8:   2.5 m + strength       3m + additional cardio      5.5m long run
Week 9:   2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio       6m long run
Week 10:  2.5 m + strength      3m + additional cardio      4.5m long run

Week of Race: 2.5 m + strength   3m + additional cardio     10K!!!

Not going to lie.. I'm kind of worried about the amount of miles towards the end of this plan but I'm going to do my best to stick to it!

1/11/2011 Run

Ever just have a bad work out? It happens at least once a month for me. I don't know why it happens. I guess a bad work out is just like a bad day - sometimes you can't control it and it just happens.  I got on the treadmill and after being on it for 2 minutes I knew the run was going to suck. I didn't enjoy one minute of it which actually improved my time since I was upping the pace to get off asap.

Distance: 2 miles
Time 17:58
Time per mile: 8:59

I did some leg and chest presses, ab work, stretched, and made a bee line out of the gym. I came home, drank a smoothie, and didn't move for the rest of the night.

Important things to remember with bad work outs are that they happen and don't be discouraged by them.

Excitement & Italian Food!

So I had grand plans of making a healthy dinner.. All of that went out the window when I got a call this afternoon. I currently am employed at a political firm which I love, but like alot of political jobs, it is seasonal work. I have been searching for jobs for a few months and finally one came through at a comminucations firm! My healthy dinner went out the window and in came delicious carb and cheese loaded italian food :)

Jake wanted to take me out but once I got comfy on the couch I decided delivery was the way to go.

Carbonara with gnocchi.. probably the most unhealthy thing you can get at an italian restraunt but it was delicious and hey, it was a celebration dinner :)

Movie/Wii Night = Spiced Popcorn

Last night Jake and I had some friends over for a movie/Wii night. Dinner for Shmucks was hilarious as was watching Jake get beat in all the Wii games he thought he "owned" :) I found a recipe for Spiced Popcorn  and tweaked it slightly. It was pretty tasty and easy to make.

Recipe:

2 bags of popcorn popped

1 stick of butter

4 tbs brown sugar

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cayenne

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp salt

Place popped popcorn in a large bowl or pot that has some sort of top. Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Add the rest of ingredients (excluding popcorn) until well combined. Pour butter mixture over popcorn some what evenly. Place top over bowl and shake gently until mixture has coated all popcorn. Transfer popcorn mixture to a tin foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes and serve.

Jake's Take: Thinks sprinkling Seasoning Salt over popcorn is easier and quicker... But still liked the final result and thought it was a good spin on movie popcorn.

1/8/11 Run

Jake and I spend ALL of last night with more bedroom organization and furniture moving. I didn't think I was going to be able to move today after all the heavy lifting..

However, Jake woke up motivated to go to his boxing class and I decided to go for an easy run. I was not feeling the treadmill so I braved the cold and headed off for a scenic run through cute neighborhoods and parks. I didn't time myself or even really know how far I ran (probably 2-2.5 miles).

My NikePulse has completely given out on me so I am investing in a used Garmin Forerunner which I'm so excited about! Hopefully I will be picking it up tomorrow and giving an update on its cool functions and such.

In other news, my 10K Richmond run is coming up in 12 weeks! I will be posting my 10 week training plan later on this week which will begin January 22... I'm nervous about the amount of running I'll need to do but hopefully I can stay committed and this blog will help me keep to the schedule.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Kind Of Night

Our neighbors are moving out soon and they gave us their bedroom set! We are so excited and matching Ikea  furniture is a definite upgrade from our college "set" :) I'll post some pics once the bedroom make over is done.

I knew tonight we would be busy assembling dressers and moving furniture upstairs so I wanted an easy and tasty dinner to make tonight. I came across a Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe and since I've never made this before, thought it would be a good opportunity.

I came across a recipe which looked awesome especially since it included a white wine sauce.

I served it with some brown rice and called it dinner :)

Recipe from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/chicken-cordon-bleu-ii/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 6 slices ham
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Jake's Take: Liked it a lot but want to add a bread crumb crust next time. I agree with that as well.

01/05/11 Run

Due to cold weather and lack of sunshine at 6PM, I hit the treadmill to get in a run. The treadmill actually gave me a good chance to work on my running time since I was able to control my pace. I ran the first 16 1/2 minutes at a 6.5mph pace and then ran the remaining 2 mile distance at a 7.3mph pace.

Miles: 2

Time: 18:12

Time per mile: 9:06

After I hit the two mile mark, I slowed down to 3.5mph and increased the incline to its highest height for 2 1/2 minutes. Here's what my finished run looked like including my inclined walk.

 After my run I did some leg and chest presses, ab crunches, and stretched. I am happy with my 9:06 per mile time but I know I will have to work hard to maintain a pace like that for the entire 10K.

Treadmill Tips (because it's January and freezing outside...)

The treadmill is never my first choice when it comes to running but since it's January (i.e. freezing outside and dark by the time I get home from work) it often becomes a must if I want to run at all. The treadmill is good for three things:

1.) It can be safer then running outside.

2.) You can run on it no matter the weather.

3.) It can improve your pace and running time.

There are a few things that can make your time on the treadmill more enjoyable.

• Entertainment. Listening to music, watching a TV show, or looking through a magazine will make your treadmill time go by so much faster and make the run easier.
• Vary your pace. Changing your pace every few minutes will help mix up and break up your run. It's a lot easier to tackle 2 or 3 minutes at a time then run at a steady pace for a long period of time.
• Don't look down! Or cover your time panel with a magazine or towel. Watching your time go by while running is a death sentence to your run. I'm convinced time as we know it actually slows down when I look at the treadmill timer... 
• Run next to someone. Ok this maybe awkward and unadvisable if your gym is empty. BUT if your gym is semi full and it wouldn't be weird to grab the treadmill next to one of the other runners - DO IT. I don't know why, but running near others sometimes helps keep you motivated. If you get bored you can also try to outrun or "race" the person next to you.

I will leave you with one safety tip I learned the hard way. Last winter I was walking towards an empty treadmill while staring down at my ipod. I proceeded to step on the treadmill unaware that someone had left the machine on full speed. I went flying across the gym and was lucky enough to have the cutest trainer there witness my utube worthy tumble and help me up... After receiving pity looks from everyone in the gym for the remainder of my work out, I learned that it is important to be aware of your surroundings and be alert while in the gym. That means not staring down at your ipod while walking around the gym and and getting on machines.

Enjoy your next treadmill run!

Pepper Jelly On A Mission

Like I said yesterday, my goal was to incorporate delicious pepper jelly into dinner this week. Well tonight was the night :)  The pepper jelly was awesome with the turkey sausage and green beans. It added a nice sweet and spicy flavor that wasn't too strong.

Pepper Jelly Green Beans

Recipe:

Steamed green beans

Salt

Pepper

1 tbs of pepper jelly

1 tsp olive oil

Steam green beans and then toss with remaining ingredients.

Turkey Sausage Pepper Jelly Stuffing

Recipe:

1 package of italian turkey sausage

3 tbs pepper jelly

2 cups of stuffing prepared as directed on package

Remove skin from turkey and place in cooking pan over medium heat.  Add pepper jelly and mix until combined. Break up turkey into bite size peices as it cooks. Remove from heat when turkey is fully cooked. Add turkey mixture to stuffing, toss, and serve.

Jake's Take: Added a sweet taste to dinner and would eat it again.

An Ode to Pepper Jelly

Best things in the world that start with "P":

Peace

Puppies

and Pepper Jelly

I am averaging one jar of pepper jelly a week.. no joke. I seriously have a problem. Something about the sweet/spicy combo has me hooked. Here is what I've been eating for the past week and as we speak:

Yum. Cracker with pepper jack cheese and pepper jelly. I am determined to incorporate this jelly into a full on dinner this week.... Wish me luck!

01/02/11 Run

Well my first run of 2011 wasn't exactly great.. We just returned home from skiing last night and my legs are still trying to recover. I however wanted to get in one more run before the work week so I decided to do my 2.3 mile lap. I was about a mile in when it started pouring. I continued on but hated every wet cold minute of it..
Miles: 2.3
Time: My Nike timer died on me so my time was around 22 min.

This puts me at just below 10 minutes per mile. I'm not so happy with my time, but considering the rain and having jello legs from skiing, I'm just glad I got through it.

Happy New Years!

Jake and I returned late last night from an awesome weekend of skiing in Pennsylvania. We have had bad New Years experiences in the past so we decided to do a weekend get away this year to celebrate. Besides having to change hotel rooms at 3AM due to a party going on right above us on New Years night, the trip was a success and we were able to get in some warm up runs before our trip to Colorado in two weeks.

Jake and I at Round Top :)

On the way back to the hotel we stopped by a frozen lake and took a walk on it to check it out. The person behind us is the park ranger who was taking a measurement of how deep the ice was. It was 7 1/2 inches thick so we were good to go.

We also stopped by a beer store to pick up some champagne for the night and found this:

I really thought Four Loko had been banned? We bought some to try :o)

You can't tell me this is a natural color:

We split one can... Tasted like green jello with a hint of battery acid.