Full on Crazy!

Full on Crazy

It’s a week after the marathon and I think I literally am still on a runner’s high – no lie.  Best.Feeling.Ever!!  I’ve been telling everybody I come in contact with about the race (okay, that might be part genetics – making friends with random strangers, thanks dad.  But here nor there, I’ve been telling everyone!)  I’m proud of my accomplishment and do believe it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.  I wrote a post about contemplating doing the marathon, Half or Full on Crazy, and in that blog I said that I was training for my friend Marcela.   The truth is that’s the reason I started training, but in the end this race was for both of us.  It definitely started out as me supporting her and running the longer runs with her.   And I’m not sure when it shifted, but along the way my co-worker kept telling me that “I should be doing this race for myself too”.  4 months is a long time to commit to training for a race, but it’s that consistency that helps you push through on the actual race day.  Here are a few things I learned throughout the training and a re-cap of our race (with a few pics throughout my training runs): 

4 months - my training guide

My brother is a meteorologist.  I had asked for a weather report for race day a week out (as they can have an overall accurate forecast that far out).  “Mid 50s with clouds marathon time,” he said.  A couple of days closer and he said, “Light winds.  Clouds.  No rain at the start but 30% during the race later on.”  Not the weather forecast you’d like to hear.  I live in SUNNY Miami.  I’ve been training since September in record heat weather for this time of year (January had 8-record setting days in the 80s).  I run faster in the cool weather as everyone typically does.  I had run in the rain during training a few days but only 6-8 miles.  26.2 miles in the rain?  Not something I was looking forward to.  And more than anything I was worried about blisters.  They say you have to “train in the elements”, well these were some elements I wasn’t able to simulate.  Marcela and I were in corral I – let me break that down for those that don’t understand that:  The race started at 6 am.  Corral I didn’t start until 6:43 am!!  Talk about lag time.  I know I’m not fast, but out of the 30,000 runners only 3,000 were running the marathon.  You’d think they would have had us a little closer to the starting line seeing as I’d be running WAY longer than those doing just the 1/2.  There was no rain at 6 am.  My brother’s forecast was accurate.  At 6:40 am, it started pouring rain.  I looked over at Marcela and the wave of people running with us to get to the starting line and we were all still in good spirits.  We were finally starting.  What’s a little rain anyways, right?  About ½ mile into the race, the course takes you over a bridge to the beach – a little incline, nothing too steep, but it was at that moment I looked at Marcela and I said, “I’m not sure I can do this if it keeps raining for 26.2 miles”.  Cold, miserable, and with our heads down (rain pelting in your face is not the most pleasant thing in all the world), Marcela as positive as ever said, “we’re doing this”!  I guess after a mile or so in the rain started to subside and it was just drizzle at that point.  Marcela and I started to pace ourselves and start our intervals that we are used to doing and it felt like any of our normal runs during training, only with thousands of people running with you.  There was some music, there were people clapping and cheering here and there, anything to keep us motivated.  Running the streets of Miami was truly amazing.  Having the streets closed down and you running your city.  Marcela and I both said that we were glad we had chosen Miami as the place to do our (one and only) marathon.  We grew up here and there’s no better feeling of pride seeing the beautiful city we call home. 

Marcela and I knew there were going to be moments in the race that we’d get a little overcome with emotion.  We weren’t sure at what point or where but we were ready (or so we thought).  The other thing Marcela and I had talked about prior to the run is that we would finish together.  I had never thought otherwise, but a couple of people had asked me prior to the race, if something were to happen would I go ahead (like if Marcela was running slower than I) – again, never a thought that had entered.  I think that’s where Marcela and I are similar in spirit – we were in this together.  We weren’t worried about our time, we just wanted to finish.  We were each other’s cheerleaders throughout training, so we needed each other. 

We were coasting along.  Miles 2-13 were easy breezy.  When we were training we had so many long distance runs that 13 miles seemed like nothing (yes we know 13 miles is no small feat all you ½ marathon runners out there, but when you’re running 26.2 miles, it pales in comparison or at least that was my mental way to look at it).  Approaching mile 13 there was a road division:  those running the half marathon and those running the full.  I jokingly looked at Marcela and asked her if she wanted to quit now.  She knew I was joking.  We did the ½ marathon in 2 hours 27 minutes and felt great – with the weather conditions the way they were, we felt we were doing quite well.  My brother was there shortly after the curve separating the ½ from the full.  Marcela spotted/heard him first.  We stopped to take a picture – and I have this look of joy on my face – I think it was plastered on my face the whole race.  I’m not sure if it was a literal runner’s high, but every picture I have I was smiling or focused on running.  Marcela got a little choked up seeing my brother – I didn’t get emotional for some reason.  It just wasn’t my time.  That happened about a mile later.  We had met a lady prior to the race that was raising money for a charity, Team Lifeline, that raises money for kids with cancer.  Talk about an inspiration – giving back to the families to allow kids to have experiences during their cancer treatment that they might not be able to do (with all the costs of treatment).  Well, probably around mile 14 I saw a lady run past me with a shirt that had a picture of a child with cancer.  It said, “Running for Joshua.”   My nephew’s name is Joshua and while I didn’t know this little Joshua she was running for, I knew in that moment I was so blessed to have a healthy 6-year old nephew.  I had no idea when one of my moments in the race was going to come, but it was right then.  There were other signs that said something to the effect, “you think running is tough, try having cancer”.  I’ve seen them before and not a day goes by that I’m not thankful I’m healthy.  Running puts things in perspective and makes you all the more grateful each step you take.

Mile 13 - Feeling Fine

I don’t remember exactly what mile it happened, but Marcela and I both started having issues with our IT band.  I think it was right around mile 15.  Throughout all of our training runs (the 16, 18, and 20 miler) we had had no issues.  So we were quite surprised that we were experiencing pain.  We kept blaming the rain and the cooler weather – what else could it have been?  Marcela did more strength training on her non-run days.  I had been doing yoga.   We were smart about our training plans this time around (2-years ago we weren’t all encompassing of including both strength and cardio training).   We kept going back and forth between each other and making sure each one was okay.  I knew that Marcela was in pain but I also wanted to make sure no further injuries would happen by continuing to run (just to say we had finished the race).  My foot also felt a little off – my left foot is the one I broke 4-years ago and I’ve always said it’s never been the same.  Here it was acting weak when I needed it to be tough and strong.  Mile 16 Marcela’s parents were on the course – got a little choked up, how could we not?  So uplifting to see the ones you love there cheering you on in the cold and rain – who knows how long they had been there – but to see their smiling, cheering faces was just what we needed in a moment of pain.  The miles kept passing us by, some felt slower than others, but next up was mile 18 – Marcela’s husband and children were there (along with close family friends).  The look of joy seeing Marcela’s kids hugging her and cheering her on, priceless.  Each mile was definitely made easier by seeing loved ones.  The course looped and at mile 20 we were able to see Marcela’s parents again.  They jumped to the other side of the road and cheered as if it was the first time seeing us again.  While we were struggling and in pain, we definitely tried to remain strong in front of them – I’m not sure if they knew at that time how hard we were running and in what pain we were running. 

Mile 22 there was beer.  I’m not a beer drinker, never have been, never will be.  But I asked Marcela if she wanted a little shot of what they were giving.  She immediately responded, “yes!”   As we were stopping I heard my name being called – at the beer tent, lo and behold was my friend Jillian.  Another photo op, and once again, the look of elation on my face.  Mile 22, only 4 more miles to go.  We knew there was going to be “a wall” and past mile 20 I had always said it’s going to be all heart.  I just didn’t know those last 4 miles were going to feel like forever.

I stopped at a porta potty shortly after mile 22.  There were a few pit stops along the way.  Let’s just say what we all know – I’m thankful that there is a place to go to the bathroom along the way, but let’s face it, they are beyond gross.  At this particular spot, it was a little hard to close the door lock, but I wanted to make sure no one walked in on me.  I felt the porta potty shift and I won’t lie, I thought that I might turn the whole thing over – all I could keep thinking is, “Who put the toilet on an incline?  Is this some kind of sick joke?  Please, please, do NOT tip over.  I do NOT need poop on me.”  I safely made it out. Phew. 

Throughout the whole race, Marcela and I had been averaging between 10-11 minute miles.  I knew our miles 23, 24, and 25 were our slowest.  I just checked my Fitbit and sure enough if we had been running at that pace throughout the race, we would have been doing 15 minute miles.   We walked a little more in between intervals, we stopped at the medic tent for some cream – we did what we needed to do in order to finish the race.  There was no stopping us.  This is what we had trained for and it was all coming down to this last mile and a quarter – because the last .2 of the marathon feels like a full mile.   I think I had a hard time processing the actual moment I crossed the finish line – what all the 4 months leading up to this meant – I do have a smile on my face – but more than anything I have this one picture where I’m looking back for a second, because while this was my moment to shine and cross that finish line, I wanted to make sure Marcela was right by my side.  We had trained together, laughed together (we had some interesting training runs.  When you run that long there’s always a story to tell), cried together, and well, I wanted to cross the finish line with her literally.  5 hours 24 minutes.  That was our official time.  We had kept pace with the 4 hour 30 minute pacer for the longest and then with the injuries started slowing down.  People always ask you how fast you ran the race.  I’ve always said that we’re not fast.  But that truthfully doesn’t tell the whole story of our race – you can read my excerpt and see all the stories there were along the way (and I didn’t share them all).  Running for me has taught me so much more than tagging a time to the race – and yes, believe me I know there are people out there trying to improve their time and win these races.  When I walked the full marathon in 2008 the headline in the paper the next day was, “It all came down to hosiery” – the difference in between the 1^st and 2^nd place winner were a mere 10 seconds.  The 2^nd place runner had to stop and fix his sock and that made him slow down just enough to come in 2^nd.  Yeah timing is important, and sure we were frustrated that we hadn’t finished with a better time.  But the truth is finishing this marathon is one of my greatest achievements ever.   I can’t speak for Marcela, this is only the story from my point of view.  But as the saying goes, "I dare you to train for a marathon, and not have it change your life."

A few things running has taught me along the way:

Put your mind to it and you can do ANYTHING. 

Training is KEY.  Stay consistent with your runs will help more than anything – even as hard  as it is to wake up at 5 am to go for runs, stick with it!  Even on vacation in Italy I was running.  No days off!

Nutrition is a given.  Maybe one day I’ll write a blog about what I ate during training.  As a dietitian, it just comes natural to me in knowing what to eat.  The only change that I did a few weeks in is to add in some seafood.  As a vegetarian I found it hard to get all of my protein simply from a plant-based source without going nuts from eating too many nuts! (and I don’t use protein powders).

Be mindful.  My runs turned into running meditations.  It was just me and the open road.  There is no better feeling than having a clear mind.  I did the 18-mile run on my own and I never thought I would have been able to run for 3 hours solo.  Running helps relieve stress and is ever more important to help you focus on your breath in moments when we sometimes forget to breathe.

Time Management.  Training takes a lot of time, let’s face it.  There were Friday nights I turned down social events.  I had to wake up early for my runs.  Call me a party pooper or call me focused.  Either way you start making time for things that are important. 

Sleep.  Just like nutrition you start learning how important sleep is to your overall health.  I didn’t do the best in getting to bed early every night.  And my runs would be effected the next day (and also my work).  I did increase to three cups of coffee/day – I enjoy coffee but I wasn’t drinking it because I enjoyed it.  So about a month out from the race I cut back to my normal 2 cups/day and started going to bed earlier.  And just a side note, I used the jelly beans during the race that had caffeine.  I didn’t want a caffeine withdrawal headache during the run, so I practiced with some caffeine (nor did I want the runner squirts – google that if you aren’t sure what I’m talking about!)

Challenge yourself.  Do something that’s out of your comfort zone.  Make a goal and commit to yourself to reaching it.  Never in a million years did I think I’d run a full marathon.  Believe in yourself.

Creating Healthy Habits NOT Restrictions

I recently met up with a fellow dietitian and we started talking about the infamous “weight loss” topic.  We see many patients for weight loss and I was curious to see if he thought more people needed to learn how to eat healthy or if people were there for a general counseling session.  It’s hard for me as a dietitian to counsel on weight loss.  That may sound odd, but it’s the truth.  I may be able to educate you on how to eat healthy, but the bottom line is that there are often times many other issues facing the patients that contribute to their struggle with weight loss – stress at work, financial issues, relationship struggles – the list goes on.  And until one is able to find a way to deal with these life stressors, struggles with weight will continue to persist. 

So how do I counsel my patients?  I take each patient into consideration and have them self-reflect to see where some changes can be made in their life.  I believe that these small changes will add up to big results.  I might throw a lot of ideas at them of where other changes might need to happen, but the choice is up to them – start with one change at a time.  Don’t go trying to do: a three-day juice cleanse, a go to the gym every day for an hour, or NO CARBS EVER – because real life will sneak up on you and before you know it you’ve inched back into your old ways.   These quick fixes don’t work in the long-term.  I believe that people have good intentions and it’s not always about one’s will power.  Truthfully I believe the reason that “diets” bomb is because of this “all or none” mentality.  And it is a vicious cycle where it may work for a little while and in the beginning one is all gung ho, but then give it a bit of time and one’s good intentions start to falter and you feel demoralized and end up doing what you’ve always done.  The truth is that sustainable weight loss lies somewhere in the middle ground – choosing one small healthy habit, implementing it and then moving on to the next – you start small without feeling like you’re changing EVERYTHING all at once.  And the key is to find the small change that you need to make as no one small change will work for everybody.  These small changes can add up to big changes!  Here are a few suggestions for some small changes:

Track your food intake.  Don’t change a thing of what you’re currently eating, but simply begin to measure the amounts.  Portion control – you heard me.  That’s what we’re after.  Most people have NO idea what a real portion looks like.  We’ve been too desensitized to portions thanks to restaurants – I mean everyone wants to get their monies worth, am I right?? 

 After a day or two look back over your food intake to reflect and see what it is that you’ve been taking in.  Periodically check back into yourself and start to log the food intake again - The simple act of writing this information down has proven to be one of the most powerful weight loss tools.  The act of writing it down is about holding yourself accountable.  You might also want to note how you were feeling right before you ate it.  Were you angry, sad, or bored?  We often focus so much on foods and calories, but our emotions are a huge part of our eating habits.  (With many of the current applications, Fat Secret, My Fitness Pal, or Lose It, they will help calculate out your estimated caloric needs based on your height, weight, age, and estimated desired weight loss.  This will give you an idea of what your estimated nutrient needs are, to be able to see how on point or how not on point you are).  I am NOT a calorie counter – if that were the case, avocado would come out looking unhealthy compared to ice cream – and well, we all know that’s not the case.  But I do believe that we need to make sure we are consuming enough CHOs/PRO/FAT and in the right combos. 

Track Your Sleep.  You may have heard that there’s a link between sleep and weight – and there is!  Losing just 30 minutes of sleep each night can lead to long-term weight gain in adults (not to mention a range of other ailments:  diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, stroke, and cancer).  Adults typically need between 7-9 hours of nightly sleep (according to the CDC).  If you know you’re lacking sleep, aim to get at least a little extra each night.  Incorporate a soothing nighttime routine – meditate, have a warm bath (make sure to turn off your tablet – the blue light from the screen can disrupt your circadian rhythm).  The key is to settle your wakeful brain to sleep mode – and aim for consistency. 

Eat More Vegetables.  You’ve seen the USDA’s “My Plate” where half the plate is vegetables?  Well, eat MORE vegetables.  I often call it the “fiber factor” with my patients.  The fiber does a critical job in your body.  Most people associate it with “aiding in digestion”, which it does, but more than that, it slows everything down and can give you a sense of fullness.  This is critical when it comes to helping one eat fewer calories at a meal (as vegetables are often lower calorie).  Let’s be clear when I say EAT more vegetables (I did say eat, NOT drink) – the non-starchy vegetables:  Lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, asparagus, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, onions, and more.  (Starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes, peas, and the winter squashes are technically classified as carbohydrates.  They work quite differently than the non-starchy vegetables in the body).  I’ve been challenging some of my younger patients, the kiddos (and even adults) to try one new veggie a week and try it in all different forms to maybe find the form they might like.  For instance, with cauliflower, try it raw, steamed or roasted.  You can even turn the cauliflower into cauliflower “rice” or make a cauliflower crust.  As a side note, they say cauliflower is “in” this year – kind of like how kale had its time in the spotlight – although, I’m not really sure when it was ever “out”?  Anyhoo, the key is to think outside the box when it comes to veggies and begin to incorporate more in for the fiber factor.

Excited to try new vegetables, even if this black radish was a fail.

Move More.  The latest trend has been and still is fitness tracking devices.  They count your steps all day (and some even measure your heartrate!)   I’ll admit, I’m a little bit obsessed with my Fitbit.  Obsessed in a good way.  When I first got my Fitbit, I started to notice that by the end of the workday I’d be averaging 3,000 steps in a day (just while at work).  If I did my morning run I’d tack on between 5,000-7,000 steps on those days, but on the days when no exercise was happening, I was at less than 50% of what the recommended goal is of 10,000 steps/day.  What I started doing over this last year, was beginning to incorporate a morning walk, a walk at lunch, or an evening walk.  The key for me was simply moving more.  I was conscious of the fact that my job was sedentary but seeing the steps was the motivation for me to use those 10 minutes I’d arrive at work early to go for a quick walk.  The lunch time walk is important for me to simply get out of the building and get some fresh air (many times people think that they’ll get more work done if they eat their lunch at their desk.  Sadly, that’s not the case.)  I’d love to tell you I’ve gone every day this New Year, but that’s not the case.  I could beat myself and get upset about it or I can strive each day to get up and get moving and go for that lunch time walk!  Remember, small steps.  If hearing 150 minutes/week sounds like too much and un-obtainable, simply aim to get 10 minute intervals in when you can.  The movement makes a difference. 

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate.  And I’m talking hydrate with WATER.  We’ve had an unseasonably hot and humid winter thus far in Miami (hello global warming).  And with that humidity needs the replacement of the water loss daily through sweating, etc.  More so, water is calorie free and the only drink that can truly quench your thirst.  I had a patient the other day that was having 2 sodas daily (the 20 ounce bottle size).  She admitted to being addicted to soda, but that was an additional 500 calories daily that by simply removing would allow for her to lose a pound/week.  She knew that they were extra calories, but wasn’t quite sure of how to eliminate them completely.  She wasn’t willing to eliminate them completely (too extreme), so I explained that maybe the way in which she could begin to make the change was to simply change the size of her soda.  Instead of a 20-ounce, 240 calorie drink, could she be satisfied with their 8-ounce, 90 calorie drink.  Remember, small changes.  Sure I’d love for her to completely eliminate the soda, but I also needed to be realistic.  She was willing to work on the amount that she was taking in when she realized I didn’t tell her to eliminate it completely.  Believe me, the end goal is to remove sodas completely, but it’s all in how you approach it.  We cut back 300 calories alone just with her drinks.  I then proceeded to show her other ways in choosing healthier options at the restaurants she was eating at to cut back even more.  Working where she was at and beginning to make small changes. 

When making dietary changes, start small and set realistic goals.  The path to a healthier lifestyle begins one little habit at a time.  Make the commitment to making healthy changes and by this time next year, you’ll be in a much better place.  Balance, moderation, variety, and one step at a time.  It’s not a diet; it’s a way of life.

Change YES!

Whole 30, Paleo, Military Diet – Lose 10 pounds in 3 days, Complete Guide to the Keto Diet – those are just a few of the popular weight loss diets this time of year (and throughout the year) via Pinterest.  I get it – it’s a new year and you want change – and that change is to lose weight and keep it off.  It is the number one New Year’s resolution, to lose weight.  It is for good reason that people want to lose weight:  more than 150 million Americans are overweight or obese, and across the globe an estimated 1.5 billion are affected.  Struggling with obesity is the problem of our time.

Search all over social media and there are people trying to give you the answers you are looking for.  They have the quick fix, the detox diet, the latest crazy trend of the time.  I even saw this morning a couple of food bloggers (one is a dietitian) offering up a meal plan of sorts – 21 days of healthy meals, recipes, and even a shopping list.  Now that ought to do it!  Yeah, no.  I can’t tell you how many people come in to my office and want a meal plan – Yes, I can make you a meal plan, but what does that solve?  NADA.  Absolutely nada.  Are you going to go to the store and buy all the ingredients?  Who’s going to make the food for you when you get home late at night and don’t feel like cooking?  The meal plan is NOT the answer.  Not to mention it’s the one thing I detest (just ask my co-worker.  Hate it).  I can teach YOU how to make your own meal plan.  Now that’s more of what I like to do.  Listen, I see countless number of patients in my office for weight loss and I’ll be the first to tell you that nutrition majors need to take more psychology classes.  I almost NEVER, I repeat, I almost NEVER am teaching a patient how to eat what is right and healthy during my sessions.  What I am doing is being a cheerleader and a coach and trying to get to the bottom of why people are doing what they’re doing.  I do not have the answers, nor do I claim to have the answers.  But I will tell you this – food is not the underlying issue – it goes much deeper.  And I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but no crazy fad “detox” diet, is going to solve your problems. 

So yes, the New Year is a great time to re-group and figure out what needs to be changed in your life.  Throw out the concept of a resolution and start working on real everyday changes you can make in your life.   My yoga teacher, Marianne Wells, just posted on this same concept today – great minds do think alike, eh?  Change happens one moment at a time, not all at once.  Think of practical ways you can implement strategies towards achieving what it is that you want.  If weight loss is what that is, start breaking it down, one change at a time.  Attack the source of the problem and the symptom will go away. 

I’m going to throw out a lot of possible areas that you could change (from patients I’ve counseled).  But what I recommend is for you to sit back and really reflect on where it is that YOU need to change moving forward.  Small changes, big difference:

-Skipping breakfast

-Drinking sugary drinks (smoothies and juices included – yes I said it.  Worst.trend.ever!!)

-Drinking more water

-Check your alcohol intake – that can lead to increased eating (typically)

-Cutting back on the frequency of meals eaten out

-Getting your kids in the kitchen to help with the meal prep

-Meal prepping on the weekend to cut back on the time needed to cook dinner during the week

-Portion control (overeating carbs and not eating any non-starchy vegetables)

-Try a new fruit and/or vegetable each week.

-Mindless eating (typically late at night).

-Finding an exercise you like to do – it doesn’t have to be a chore – maybe you try a new exercise each week as well!

-Move more – we sit way TOO much (make it specific, maybe aim to walk 10 minutes at lunch)

-Have set meal times (so you can know when you’re mindlessly eating)

-Meditate

-Self-care:  taking 10 minutes every day just for yourself (reading, taking a calming bath, etc).

-Monitor your sleep patterns (how much sleep are you getting each night?  When do you turn off your tablet/computer, etc?)

I could keep going, but as I said, start reflecting to see where you need to implement changes.  And more importantly, be more accepting of yourself.  Sometimes we are our own worst critics – we judge and at times can be too harsh on ourselves.  Take each day as it comes being present in all that you are doing, choose to be grateful, and remember to strive for progress, not perfection! 

That's A Keeper 6

I looked back at my last “That’s A Keeper” post and it was posted in January!   How did SO much time pass between me posting on some of my favorite recipes??  I’ll tell you how…life is busy!  Between training for my marathon, being crazy busy at work, and now the holidays, I’ve been trying to keep up with my blog every other week, but the truth is that hasn’t happened.  I haven’t been as consistent as I would have liked to, but as I always keep repeating, I’ll post when I have time and when I have something to talk about.  Which leads me to a few of my favorite recipes, that is definitely something to talk about.  There are always going to be hits and misses with recipes that I try, and I definitely wish I could read a recipe and know just by reading how’d it turn out.  I just don’t have that gift.  Nor do I have the gift of being able to concoct my own recipes.  So kudos to the people that do recipe development.  But I do have one favor to ask, can you really only post successful recipes?  I made some “Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Cookies” this morning – they do NOT stick together.  

Sure they look good...but you didn't see how many times they crumbled and fell apart!

When the recipe tells me to use my hands to roll them I just have to laugh.  I barely salvaged them by using a cookie scoop to try and get them to somewhat stay together.  The recipe should’ve read, “Be prepared to have them fall apart, all over you.  They will never really stick together, fyi.”  The flavor is okay, but truth be told:  these will NEVER be made in this household again and what a waste of all my pistachios.  Again, I wish I could read a recipe and just know if it’ll make keeper status.  Until that time, I keep trying so you don’t have to!

Breakfast: Vanilla Chai Overnight Oatmeal

It is December 18^th and it still feels like summer here in Miami.  I’m not complaining, I’m just stating the facts.  So having hot oatmeal in the mornings isn’t always my go to choice.  But I do love to have a breakfast that I can prep the night before and doesn’t take too much time in the morning.  This Vanilla Chai Oatmeal is full of flavor and just another way to put a spin on your normal oats.  The recipe calls for coconut milk – I’ve made it with both regular milk and coconut milk – and both turn out.  I used the regular milk for the extra protein.   Additionally I have cut out almost all added sugar in my diet (except for sweets like desserts!).  In this recipe it calls for between 3-4 tablespoons of maple syrup – I ended up eating this recipe 3 times, so in theory that’d be 1 tablespoon of maple syrup/serving – and that’s TOO much added sugar to start your day with.  Aim to start lowering the amount of sugar you’re using.  Your taste buds will adjust and get used to using less sugar.  Promise.  Other add-ons to this recipe – I always add nuts to my oatmeal to increase the protein content as well as increase my satiety from the healthy fats in nuts.  Get creative and switch up your flavors with your oatmeal.  This Vanilla Chai is delish! (no picture...all my overnight oats never look pretty!)

Salad: Pear, Parmesan, and Balsamic Salad

Whoever said eating their vegetables had to be boring was WRONG!  Dead wrong.  I think that sometimes people haven’t had a good experience with vegetables and therefore just write-off certain ones.  Or even worse, sometimes they haven’t even given the vegetable a try.  Salad is a good way to get your greens in – think spinach, kale, green leafy, red leafy, arugula, etc.  Not to mention add a few pieces of fruit and that always helps the vegetables taste better.  This salad combination uses pears and parmesan.  I also added in walnuts.  I’m always switching around the nut, the fruit, and the cheese.  The combinations are almost endless!  I have a persimmon waiting in the kitchen for my next salad.   And my go to salad dressing is this balsamic vinaigrette by Williams Sonoma. (I didn’t use the dressing in the recipe for the salad…too much sugar!)

My go-to balsamic vinaigrette!

Sauce:  Chimichurri

What more can I say but that this sauce is EVERYTHING!  And I do mean everything!!  For lunch I tend to eat grain bowls – whether it’s quinoa, couscous, farro, barley – whatever the grain is that’s the base of my bowl.  Then I’ll roast veggies for the week.  I do an assortment and rotate the veggies throughout the week to help get a variety.  For my protein I’ll rotate a soft-boiled egg, tofu, beans, and/or some nut concoction I’ve done – think cashew cream, almond “feta”, etc.  And lastly I add the sauce – this is where all the flavors come together.  I’ve been trying to build a repertoire of sauces to have on hand.  This way I can utilize a different sauce throughout the week and even though the essence of the bowl is the same, the sauce will let me think it’s a whole different bowl.  Chimichurri can be used in so many ways – even though I’m a pescatarian, it marries well with many flavors, not just meat.  Make this and you can thank me later!

Vegetarian – White Beans with Tomato, Spinach, and Rice

Leave it to Real Simple to create a quick weeknight meal.  Little did I know when I stumbled upon this recipe I’d learn how to make full-proof soft-boiled eggs.  Score a W in the win column.  I’ve said this before, but I’m not the best in the kitchen.  If I could have a Go Pro camera watching my every move it’d be one for the history books.  Epic fails – coconut macaroon crusts falling on the floor and crumbling before my eyes, burning my hand on many a pan, creaming butter and sugar and sugar flying everywhere, yeah there have been some fails in this here kitchen of mine.  I follow the recipes, I swear I do!  Needless to say I was pleased when Real Simple directed me to the perfect soft-boiled egg.  Oh yeah, and the rest of the recipe is a score for a keeper also.  Simple, yet so flavorful.  The only thing I’d improve upon is by adding even more tomatoes.  Delish!

Seafood – Honey-Glazed Salmon

My tried and true go to salmon recipe.  While I’d love to experiment with others, this has been the one I keep using over and over.  I know I’m going to need a new one soon, but here are the many reasons why I love it – I can make the sauce up and use it throughout the week.  Two – I can leave the skin on the salmon when I get it from the seafood department at the store.  Three – Broiling the salmon makes for a QUICK weeknight meal (6 minutes on each side).  Four – training for the marathon has been challenging to ensure I’m getting enough protein (I spot check it occasionally and without the inclusion of the salmon I was eating WAY too much cheese).  I don’t love chicken, beef, turkey, pork, etc, but this salmon I can eat and enjoy.  I’ve been eating this three to four times/week to help ensure my protein on my run days.  Five – did I already say it’s a quick weeknight meal?  Well, that is if I remember to defrost the salmon the night ahead.  And don’t you worry, if that happens, it’s a breakfast for dinner kind of night!

Dessert:  Raspberry Cheesecake Tartlets

I’ll start off by saying the picture doesn’t do these guys ANY justice.   I’m not exaggerating.  Not only am I a walking mess in the kitchen, I am also not the best photographer.  My skills have improved over the past few months, but this here photo was taken in my early days when I was just starting out.  The cheesecake in this recipe is a liquid cheesecake – it’s exactly what it sounds like – cheesecake, baked just enough for the batter to cook, but not enough for it to maintain its structure.  Essentially a no fuss cheesecake recipe.  Follow the step-by-step directions for the crust – at first you may doubt the process.  Don’t.  Hummingbird High gives THEE best directions.  I included a real dessert recipe here, not some of the paleo, low carb ones I’ve been trying as of recent.  It’s a week till Christmas.  It’s a holiday and holidays are meant to be enjoyed.  That includes desserts.  Just don’t get confused and think that every day is a holiday.  You know what I’m saying??

So there you have it – a few more recipes that have recently made it into my “keepers”.  I hope you see a recipe or two that you might like to try.  My stack of “recipes to try” keeps growing.  I wish they ALL were keepers!