Runday Monday: One Half

Throughout the spring I vowed I`d run once I got the hang of caring for a brand-spanking new babe. During the summer I vowed to run, sometimes. In the fall, I vowed to run more and more consistently. Though I did run, it certainly wasn't more often or more regular. With the onset of the new year and the winter, I will keep this vow. You see, I have no choice. I've committed to running a half marathon in May. Committed to who you ask? Well, committed to me. But as that's sometimes just not enough to get my patootie off the couch and putting one foot in front of the other, I'm also committing it here online, in writing, to all of you.

There it is in black and white. No takesy-backsy. Nothing like putting something in writing and telling someone about it to make it real. To make me accountable. I know this from experience in running a marathon 10 years ago. OK, wow, where did that time go? Anyways, I signed up for the race, in writing, I told people about it, and even had a friend on board with me before I truly realized what I`d done. I guarantee you I would never have seen it through if I hadn`t. And there were many days on that gravy train where I was rueing my lofty ideas and big mouth. Many, many, many days. But alas, I said I would, so I did, and once it was done, it was awesome. So here I go again.

You may ask why, if I`ve already done a marathon, I`d bother with the half. Well, first of all, I have a life list of things I want to do in my lifetime. Both a half marathon and a marathon were on that list. Most people would have started with the half and then moved onward. Being me, I went in reverse. Good thing too, as I think if I`d run the half I may never have the gumption to do the double distance. As it is, it took me 10 years build up my reserves for the half! I also swore I`d never do another marathon and, while I believe one should never say never, right now I can muster the 13.1 miles, not another 26.2. At least not yet. So a half marathon it is.

Yes, I guess I could have crossed off both when I did the marathon, as technically I did the half and then finished with the full marathon, just all in one race. But that wasn`t my intent when I wrote up my life list (which I keep intending to share here and will soon!). I want to be true to myself and mark both complete,  in honesty. With that, training for the 2012 Bluenose Half Marathon in Halifax, NS began last week with my training plan`s first tempo, easy and long runs. I got my sweat on and loved it. But it`s early and the hard parts are really still weeks away, so stay with me on this one ok?


Oh and BJA? I`m counting on you too ;)

Sometime soon perhaps ...

As I note in my profile, I love to play with pots and pans in my kitchen and back in January I set out to check  'trying a new recipe every month for 12 consecutive months' off my life list. The first quarter of the year-long effort went well with moose stew, blueberry scones and cheddar and broccoli soup making the journey from stove top to table top.

However, since Hudson's arrival on April 4, there's been little time for cooking period. Let alone trying out a new recipe. The only meals I've been serving around my house this month are milk for the little man and pre-prepared frozen meals for mama and daddy. (Though I must give a shout out to my mom who cooked fresh meals for us when she's been staying with us - thanks again mom, you're the best!).

So, with the end of April just a day away, I can say with certainty this life list item won't be accomplished by December 2011 as originally planned - and that's a-ok. Maybe by May, I'll be in a good groove and that check mark will come in January 2012. Or maybe not, we'll see. In the meantime, here are a few recipes I've come across online that have my taste buds watering and might make their way onto the bloggo sometime soon:

Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Corn and Blueberries

Looks fresh, tasty and very suitable for a summertime side. 

image and recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Breakfast Quesadillas

I'm always on the lookout for interesting new breakfast morsels and these look like a nice break from the norm.

image and recipe by Kate Goodman over at Good Life Eats

Tiramisu Cupcakes 

Mmmmm. Tiramisu. Cupcakes. Tiramisu + Cupcakes has to equal deliciousness.

 

image and recipe shared by EatLiveRun on TastyKitchen.com

Stay hungry my friends.


Broccoli Cheddar Soup - New Recipe #3

I had some broccoli left over after making a couple of Chicken Divan casseroles for the freezer and thought about how I could use it, rather than just the usual roasting/steaming for a side dish. I also realized I hadn't yet tried my new recipe for March. One plus one equals broccoli and cheddar soup, made the healthy way.

I love a good cream of broccoli soup. It's rich, tasty, and hearty. I don't love that the restaurant versions are laden with heavy cream, massive amounts of cheese and oodles of sodium. After a good Internet search I discovered this recipe on eatingwell.com. It had an overall good reader rating, so I gave it a go.

I started with this bunch of ingredients:



Missing from photo: dry mustard, black pepper and flour.

I gave the carrots, celery and onion a quick dice and tossed in the pot with some oil for a saute.

Followed shortly by diced potato and minced garlic (again, no judging on the lack of fresh garlic please ;) and another short saute.

Add in the flour, dry mustard, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne. Cook's note: I eventually added in more cayenne, as there just wasn't quite enough flavour for my tastes. I think next time I'd also add in some thyme.

After just a quick mix in of the spices, the broth goes in for a 10 minute simmer. If you were using broccoli stems, they'd go in now too. I had just the crowns, so they wait until the heartier veggies simmer and soften. Once they're in, it's another 10 minute simmer.

Note: I also doubled up on the amount of broccoli the recipe called for and very glad I did.
I'd even try a little more the next time around for more of that broccoli flavour.

After the simmer, I let the soup cool a little on the stove before using my immersion blender to puree. You don't have to wait, that is assuming you don't mind the possibility of being splattered with scalding soup. Just saying. Use the cooling time to clean up the dishes, grab a shower, snack on some grapes. I may or may not have done any or all of these things. I also apologize for neglecting to grab an action shot of the puree. You could also use your blender or food processor, or if you like it a little chunkier just give a good mash with the potato masher. It's cooking, not an exact science after all.

Once pureed or smashed to your liking, you stir in the reduced fat sour cream and cheese. The recipe called for light cheese, but I only had regular on hand so I went with it.

Once the sour cream and cheese melts in, serve it up with some crusty french bread and topped with a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkling of grated cheddar, or heck go with both if it floats your boat.

The verdict: It was really good. I would say it's not quite as rich-tasting as some restaurant versions I've had, which I chalk up to the reduced sodium content and absence of heavy cream. But at just over 200 calories and only 9 grams of fat (a little more with regular cheddar cheese of course) in a 1 cup serving, I think it will be have staying power on the Ryan menu.

Paid in Full {Finally}

One of the items on my life list was to pay off my student loans early. Early being the operative word. Quite frankly I was tired of siphoning that chunk of money month after month after month to give to the bank, with interest of course. I preferred to see it go into savings, RRSPs or other personal investment. Not to say incurring the loan wasn't a worthwhile investment - it was. It allowed me to get a degree and a job in the profession of my choice. It was an investment in me, in my future. And yes it is paying off. I just think that post-secondary education should be more affordable for all, particularly given it generally leads to active, contributing members of our economy and communities. But I digress - a diatribe for another time.

Back to my life list. Once I had drafted my list, I picked a few priority items to accomplish first. Paying of my student loans early was one of those items. So I made a plan to make it happen. I increased my monthly payments right away - essentially raising them from the equivalent of compact car payment to a mid-size sedan payment. Seriously, four years of school plus interest costs that much. After that, any big chunks of change I had went right onto the largest of the two loans, diligently, until it was paid in full last spring. I then took the monthly payment amount from that loan and added to the monthly payment for the remaining loan - I was already used to seeing it going out of the bank account. I continued to pay down that loan, happily watching it decrease payment by payment.

Earlier this month, when there was just a little more than one payment left, I called the bank's student loan centre and told them to just take the last of it from my bank account. Take it now, I said. Ok, maybe that's not verbatim, but you get my point. Then yesterday I received this letter, the best piece of mail I received all month:

Proof that, after more than 10 years of payments, my student loan is {finally} paid in full. About two years ahead of schedule. I did it - I paid off my student loans early. Yay me!

I've read many articles and posts that say if you write down your life goals they will happen. I think we have to do a little more than just write it down - like prioritize, plan and act - but do agree that writing it down makes it real and spurs us more likely to take those next steps.

Today, I happily strike through that list item and prepare to move onto accomplishing the next one - becoming a mother. I'm sure you'll hear more about that life to-do very soon :)

Scones - New Recipe # 2

As I mentioned in this post, my list of things 'to do' in this lifetime includes trying at least one new recipe every month for a year.  This month I decided to tackle scones - something I've always wanted to try making, but just never had. I also received the Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook for Christmas and have been itching to make something from it for a single recipe. Fortunately, she had included a scone recipe in her breakfast chapter so I could combine both at once.


If you like to cook and you've never read the Pioneer Woman's blog - go now!
Well, go after you finish reading my post :)



And now for the scones. I started with these lovely ingredients, which already included variations on the Pioneer Woman's recipe. I can't help myself when it comes to altering a recipe.



I switched up the 3 cups of white flour with half whole wheat, partly to make it healthier and partly because I ran out of all white. I also didn't have heavy cream, but used a combo of blend cream and skim milk, again partly to make it healthier and partly to make sure I reserved enough cream for coffee. I do have my priorities. Finally, the recipe was for maple pecan scones and I decided to use blueberries instead of pecans - gotta get those antioxidants! I also didn't have pecans - I'm all about flexibility.

All the dry ingredients get combined.

Cold, cubed butter gets cut in to flour mixture. Note to self: need pastry cutter to make these often.



Cream, egg, milk get introduced to dry mix and everything gets worked together. Tis crumbly.

Gently folded in those blueberries.

Rolled dough into a large circle and scored into 8 wedges.

I may or may not have measured it with my mini-measuring tape to get the disc to 10".

Onto to baking sheet they go, for 25 mins at 350 degrees.

Out they come, just slightly more golden than when they went it. But, fortunately a whole lot less crumbly. I was getting worried that I was about to experience a scone FAIL.

And what's a scone without icing. Icing sugar, milk, maple syrup butter.

Drizzled on top. Mmmmmm.

They turned out wonderfully and went perfectly with the Starbucks that my husband brought home after digging our car out yet more snow. Given I have a free pass on shovelling this year, I figure scones were the least I could do.  And given he devoured more than one, I'd guess he agrees :)

 

Cheers to a new recipe, a tasty success.

RECIPE (my adaptation)


Scones1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled
1 egg
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cups blueberries, tossed with 1 tbsp flour to coat.

Icing
Half a bag of icing sugar, about 250 grams
2 tbsps unsalted butter, melted
2 -3 tbsps skim milk
1-2 tbsps maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and cut into flour mixture (preferably using a pastry cutter, but forks work too) until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Combine egg, cream, milk together and then add to dry mix. Work together just until combined - don't overdo it as it will make the scone tougher in the end. Gently fold in blueberries. Turn dough out onto large cutting board and roll into a 10" circle. Score into 8 wedges. Transfer to cooking sheet sprayed or lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 25 minutes until edges just start to turn golden. Let cool before icing. (I didn't wait for the first couple to cool and it was all good!)

Combine icing ingredients together in small bowl and stir until combined. Add more milk or syrup to thin out as needed or to taste. Pour over cooled scones and let set.
Enjoy!

Moose Stew & A Life List

Moose stew and a life list, not exactly a combination I planned in advance. But there it is. Well, sort of. My life list doesn't actually include moose stew, but it does include a goal of trying at least one new recipe every month for a year. I love cooking, regularly clip, dogear and bookmark recipes to try, and somehow never get around to making them. Given I whipped up moose stew last night for the first time, I thought this is as good a time as any to give the recipe adventure a go. 

On to the stew. Moose isn't a common ingredient in my house, but I happened to have some in the freezer courtesy of my in-laws. I also happened to have a half dozen men coming by the house this evening giving me good reason to cook it up (cause I ain't gonna eat, moose and I aren't exactly best friends!). Now to get all factual on ya, I didn't actually cook the stew last night. I just assembled the ingredients in the slow cooker and switched it on this morning before work (allow me an aside: if you've never used a slow cooker, I highly recommend it - life-saving cooking tool for the busy working girl!) When we got home this evening, we were greeted by the delicious aroma of a hearty stew simmering away, ready for the burly men to dig into when they arrive for the car-party.

I used this recipe as a guide, but modified it to suit my needs (as I usually do with recipes). A couple of the changes I made:

• used moose instead of beef (obviously, its moose stew)
• didn't brown the beef, but seasoned it with S-n-P and tossed with some flour
• replaced sweet potato & celery with carrots & turnip
• used mini potatoes instead of average sized ones
• added in worcestershire sauce and garlic...garlic makes everything better.

Hmmm, as I type I realize that perhaps this is more of a complete change in recipe than a modification. Oh well, all part of having fun in the kitchen ;) Here are the 'before and after' pics - and I do apologize for the photo quality, lighting at 8pm in January leaves much to be desired. I promise it looks much more appetizing in person.



Moose, veg, and broth all hanging out and getting to know each other in the slow cooker.



And the finished stew. Everyone came together and made friends.

 And the hungry-man reviews are in: The stew is almost completely gone, several second helpings were had and not one bowl was left uncleaned.

All in all, a good start to a year-long recipe adventure.



New Year Perspective

Like so many others, with the start of a new year, I think about what I’d like to change – about myself, my life, my habits – in the year ahead. Some years I come up with actual resolutions, maybe even write them down. Heck, some years I even manage to keep a couple. And it’s all good. Setting goals for ourselves, challenging ourselves is how we grow and develop. However, too often the goals we (I) set for ourselves (myself) are about ‘fixing’ what’s ‘wrong’ with us (me). You know the drill – I’m going to lose X pounds this year because I’m heavier than I once was or I’m going to exercise everyday because I’m a little lazier than I used to be, and so on. And then, when we don’t hold up our end of the bargain, we consider it ‘failure’. But who says we really need fixing? Who says being a little larger or lazier is a ‘bad’ thing? And who says that just because we lost 8 pounds instead of 10 we've failed?

Perhaps that’s why this quote from Ellen Goodman resonated with me on New Year’s Eve:

{We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential.} ~ Ellen Goodman

Cue the light bulbs. No, flashes. No, fireworks! Instead of tackling the New Year with a resolution to exercise more because we’re less active than we were five years ago, perhaps we should strive to acknowledge what we already do to be healthy and our potential to build on that in the year ahead. Not to say we shouldn't strive to go for that daily walk more often, but maybe just think more positively about what we’re doing when we don’t take that walk. If we’re spending that time with our families or maybe learning something new instead, is that not also tapping into our personal potential to live healthier and happier? It may not take off that extra pound as quickly, but it might bring a smile to your face and make you stronger just the same.

Again, I’m not poo-pooing setting goals. Not at all. I strongly believe that having personal goals is key to living a happy life and that writing those goals down makes them all the more real and achievable. In fact, I have my own life list (that’s another post for another time!) and some of those life goals will make it onto a 2011 shortlist (again a soon to be post). I just think that we all, myself included, could use a new approach to coming up with New Year’s resolutions. Instead of trying to ‘fix’ ourselves, let’s accept who we already are, what’s already great about ourselves and look for opportunities to tap into that more in the New Year.

After all, we don’t just sell our house because the kitchen paint is peeling. Instead we accept its solid structure, treasure its place in our family memories and pick up a new can of paint to restore the beauty it already holds. And that’s also how we should treat ourselves.

Thank you Ms. Goodman for the perspective.