See You Next Week

You may have noticed, I'm taking the week off from LGS to focus on other things I've been meaning to get done.  See you after Memorial Day!

A Little Inspiration

My friend Kori, who has also been pulling some great weight-loss numbers this year, sent this to me this morning.  So, so true. :)

Weekly Update

In two weeks I've lost less than half a pound.  I'm 99.37% sure this has something to do with the massive quantities of cheese and margaritas I have consumed since the last time I checked in.  I know, I know.  I'm terrible.  I feel, though, that I've turned a corner and am on my way out of my diet/exercise regressions into a renewed sense of determination.  Maybe it's my milestone birthday looming, or maybe it's my quickly-approaching wedding date, but I feel a sense of urgency once again to make progress... and fast!

Yesterday I ran six and a half miles, and today I forced myself to tackle another four miles during my lunch break.  I was sore the entire way and TW was unaffected by my whining and begging to run more slowly - that was decidedly out of the question.  I love me my T-dub, but oh, the pain!  It's all in my glutes and hamstrings. Oy.  Tomorrow is definitely NOT a running day.  I'll find a different way to make myself sore.

Running 'Round the Lake and Other Adventures

I went for a run around Lake Union today and snapped this photo at my halfway point.  The sun on my face felt as amazing as this photo looks.  It's days like these that almost make me forget how much I hate the winters here.  Truth be told, though, I felt like hell the whole way around the lake, trying not to puke because I was running so hard.  Being nauseated while running is not awesome, but it was totally worth it.

When I got home I decided to take a go at crock pot marinara - cooking from scratch for the lazy girl.  My kinda cooking.  My aunt gave me a mini slow cooker recently and I'm making it my mission to use the heck out of it.  I've tackled cheese fondue, but something about marinara seems more practical for daily life.  So my plan for this marinara is to layer chopped raw ingredients into the crock pot and keep it on low all night.  Here's what's in it before I tweak it tomorrow morning:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 chopped onion
5 cloves chopped garlic
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1-1/2 tsp sea salt
8-10 chopped roma tomatoes
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey

I needed a little something to get me out of my slump, and refocusing on the two things that helped me drop 30 lbs in the first place, running and nutrition, seemed like a good bet.  I'll check back and let you know how it came out.

Update on May 18: I woke up in the morning to the extremely powerful smell of onions.  I mean whoa.  It looked good when I gave it a stir, and I decided to take the immersion blender to it for a few seconds to lightly puree the ingredients.  The taste was meh, so I added another tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a quarter tsp of ground black pepper.  It's still bubbling in the crockpot today while I'm at work.  Hopefully when the liquid cooks down a bit it will have a nicer richer flavor.

Monday Night Dinner: Thai Chicken Soup

I've got to be honest:  all I want tonight is cheese fondue.  However, I'm less than three months away from my wedding for which I've chosen an extremely form-fitting dress.  So instead, we're going with Thai Chicken Soup.  Ugh.

Thai Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 3/4 cup chopped carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow potatoes
• 2 cups chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 3/4 cups light coconut milk
• lime juice, yields of 2 lime
• 1/4 cup asian fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

In a soup pot, heat olive oil
Add chopped onion, chopped carrots, and chopped potatoes.
Saute until slightly browned.
Add chicken and cook halfway (I use whatever leftover chicken I have in my fridge, in which case you don't have to cook it before adding the liquids).
Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 min.

Serve immediately.

Currently On My Workout Mix - Phil Collins

Oh, hi.

I know.  I skipped the weekly update.  I didn't feel like it.  It's not that I didn't want to report bad news - I just didn't check my stats.  For all I know, maybe I could have reported great news, but I just didn't get around to weighing myself.  I haven't really been feeling up to working out lately, though I've been faithful about running or getting at least something in each day.  I need to tap into that fire I've been carrying since January, because it seems like it hasn't really been burning bright lately.

Come to think of it, chalk many aspects of my life up to that.  I need to get fired up.

Any suggestions?

Monday Night Dinner: Lamb Kofte on a Pita

Now that you have a package of pitas from last week's recipe, you're going to have to use them up, right?  How about spiced lamb meatballs to go with that?  Mmmm.

Lamb Kofte

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground lamb
• 1/2 cup onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 3 Tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

For toppings:  marinara sauce and crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Heat olive oil on low in a med skillet. Dice garlic and onion and heat in skillet until thoroughly cooked. Stir often to make sure they don't brown. Once cooked, return to cutting board and further dice the cooked mixture. This cooking step cuts waaaay down on the intensity of your future garlic and onion breath and saves your stomach a few flip flops down the line.

Mince the mint leaves and put into a mixing bowl along with all the rest of the ingredients and combine well.  I like to just get in there with my bare hands for this, but you may want to put on a pair of latex cloves if you're squeamish about getting raw meat on your hands.

Form golf-ball sized balls, placing each on a lined baking sheet that has edges. Bake at 300F for 20-30 minutes.

This should make about 30 meatballs.

Warm your pita in the oven or on a pan on the stove top until warm and soft, but not browned.  Place three meatballs on the pita, top with a couple tablespoons of marinara and a sprinkle of feta cheese.

Currently On My Workout Mix - John Cougar Mellencamp

Weekly Update

Oh hi there!  All of those numbers are shocking to me.  My diet was not on par over the weekend, though I did get quite a bit of exercise in, dance party of three (and sometimes one) not excluded.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say.... "BOO YOW!"  Only one more measly little pound and I'll be under 150 for the first time in over ten years.  Since my heaviest, this marks 33 pounds lost.  Feels awesome. 

One little nod to my trainer today for keeping me on track: I was jonesin' for sushi today and was on the hunt for a lunch buddy to go to Cherry Blossom with when Trainer Wade intercepted; he reminded me I should really be going for a run since the weather today is amazing and the lunch I brought is perfectly delicious and much lighter in calories than a sushi feast. Too true.  Those four miles did much more for me at lunch than a bunch of tekka maki would have.  Also provided during my workout were holistic living tips, such as the benefits of sunscreen.  Wade, you are so wise, and yes, I am so sunburned.  Thanks, T-W, for showing me the way. 

The Bread Recipe

I made another loaf of bread last night so Andrew could have sandwiches for lunch and toast for breakfast.  I'm still tweaking the recipe, but this is the best one so far:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
1-1/4 tsp yeast

I use a bread machine so I literally just pile all of the ingredients in the machine and press a button.  I don't know any special kneading techniques and can offer no advice, other than to get a bread machine.  It's a big piece of equipment, but might be worth the storage space if you think fresh baked bread is important in your life.

Even if you only like white bread, making your own is a trade up from buying sliced bread.  Yes, you're still using refined flour, but what you're avoiding is more important: additives and preservatives to prolong shelf life.  Ew.

Monday Night Dinner: Cheater Zucchini Pizza

This dinner is on deck for tonight.  I'm craving pizza, but after a weekend of eating delicious rich food and drinking wine like it's water, I need something lighter for a change.  It's also my night to myself so I want to keep food prep time to a minimum so I can maximize furniture reupholstering time.

[ I have two sleigh-back dining chairs that have been sanded down to the wood and are ready for a repaint, but while I'm waiting for the weather to dry up so I can paint outside, I'm going to go ahead and recover the seat and back panels so they'll at least be usable and presentable in a shabby chic sort of way. ]

Cheater pizza is one of those meals that seems almost too easy.  That's what I love about it.  I don't have kids, but I imagine when I do I'm going to use this recipe a lot.

Ingredients

• 1 whole wheat pocketless pita (I use Kontos)
• 1/4 cup marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Zucchini
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

In a small pan on your stovetop, heat olive oil and saute zucchini chunks until browned.  Place your pita on a baking sheet.  Spread the marinara sauce on your pita, sprinkle evenly with cheese, and top with zucchini.  Broil until cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with just a touch of sea salt if you like.  Voila!
 
Serves 1

Currently On My Workout Mix - The Cult