Screw peace... give brussel sprouts a chance!

The first time I saw brussel sprouts in their natural form (I'm talking on the stalk, people) I was amazed. It was at Detroit's Eastern Market, and these little beauties looked nothing like the soggy, smelly mini cabbages that I remembered from my youth. I had to buy them, and I have been hooked ever since!

I will only eat roasted brussels. No exceptions! It's quick and easy to do, and I swear, it is the best way to enjoy these tasty morsels.

There are many ways to roast brussel sprouts, but I prefer to clean and quarter them, drizzle them with olive oil, add some freshly chopped garlic and a shake of salt, toss, and bake at 375-400 degrees until they just start to brown, just remain crisp (maybe 10-15 minutes, depends on your tastes.

Pictured above is my favorite brussel dish. I tossed the above roasted brussels with some multigrain angel hair pasta and a sprinkle of shredded parmigiano reggiano... heck yeah! I just finished up that bowl you are drooling over, and after giving myself some time to digest... it's off to hit the treadmill for a nice, easy 10 mile run.

Just in case you are still not convinced about these little bad boys... read up!

Runners World: Eat this Now!
Worlds Healthiest Foods

Crap weather, good food.

Treadmill, dreadmill... whatever... Running on a treadmill is part of being a runner in Michigan. This is the first week of this training cycle that I need to hit 45 miles, and we are supposed to be getting the biggest snow storm in 5 years. Great. Everyone is in panic mode, stocking up on toilet paper, bottled water, and gasoline... while I was in my apartment's fitness center, hammering out a quick 7 miles on the 'mill after a long day of work... and tomorrow I will go back for 10 more...

During those 7 miles, I did my first tempo run of the year, just 3 miles at a 7 minute pace... which is nonexistent in treadmill world, so I did 6:58's... and now that I am in for the rest of the snowy night, I have the most insatiable hunger. Which reminds me... Maybe I should explain why I think I can eat my way to a sub 3 marathon...

I am about halfway through this book:

Which everyone I know thinks is ridiculous, because I am hardly over 100lbs.

But here is the deal... I am obsessed with food. I love to cook it, eat it, read about it... anything! Though I already knew about 90% of what I have read, and I don't really expect to learn much more... it has enlightened me on one thing. I need to run to eat... does that make sense? Instead of trying to balance my eating with my running (which is miserable when you love food and skinny jeans, and are a self confessed yo-yo runner), I just need to run more!... Which, if you read my first post, my physical therapist already told me... so this is my plan...

eat more + run more =  a faster, healthier athlete

But if I want to keep myself lean and strong, I need to keep it nutritious... duh! I have gotten that part down pat...but I am in a food rut... so I am going to take this all as a chance to expand my recipe repertoire.

Now, I will admit, marathon runners seem to have a little extra wiggle room with eating... and naturally slim runners have even a little more wiggle room... but that doesn't mean we can run strong on doughnuts, french fries, and ice cream every day.

So this is where I am at... Trying to be a consistent runner, by becoming a consistent eater.

Maybe this is all really obvious to you, but in a world that tells it's young women that we all need to be on a diet, because a size 000 isn't good enough, this is a real revelation for me. And with young, female athletes facing the Female Athlete Triad, I hope this blog will help female runners everywhere come to love their bodies, run strong, and eat properly.

Recipe for Yesterday's Indian Brown Rice Pudding

Yesterday was my first try at making Kheer. After reading tons of recipes for it, I put together my own healthier spin on this ancient dessert. Here it is...

Orange Scented Brown Rice Pudding (Kheer)

with Pistachios & Cardamom

Serves approx. 4 

4-5 cups Organic Fat Free Milk (I used 5, and I think it could have benefited from a bit less)
1/3 cup Rinsed, Uncooked Brown Bismati Rice (Soaked in water for 30 minutes if you have time)
Zest of 1 Organic Orange (I only zest from organic citrus... pesticides are icky!)
6-8 tablespoons Sugar
5 Green Cardamom Pods (whole, I found them at a great Indian grocery store in Troy, Michigan)
2 tablespoons (or a bit more if you'd prefer) Shelled , Unsalted Pistachios finely chopped

Mix your orange zest and sugar in a small bowl, let sit for as long as you can to infuse the flavors.

In a medium, heavy bottomed pot slowly bring milk, rice, and cardamom pods to a simmer, stirring often to prevent burning and a skin form forming. Reduce heat to low, continue to stir. Allow milk to reduce and rice to cook (the time on this will depend on if you soaked the rice). Remove any skin that forms.

After 20 minutes, I added the sugar and chopped pistachios and continued to cook for 20 more minutes until the rice was fully cooked, but as your cooking time will vary, just use your judgment. Cooking is fun, and if it tastes good, who cares when you added your sugar?! I don't!

Once the rice is cooked to your liking, and milk has reduced by over half, put a lid on the pot and let it sit until cool enough to refrigerate. 

Enjoy cold... after spinning class!

And don't waste that orange that you zested! Eat it (before it turns as hard as a baseball in your refrigerator), it's good for you!

Spinning, Sweets, & Spices

Today I cross train. Specifically, the torturous ritual known as spinning. Apparently it will make me a faster runner... Here's the back story.

My physical therapist (an elite marathoner himself) said that my yo-yo running is a big reason for my constant state of injury (you name it, I've had it). If I want to run the kinds of marathon times that I am dreaming of, I am going to have to get consistent to avoid injury. He made me a training schedule unlike any that I have ever seen before. It never lets up. Nope. Not until I hit 60 miles a week, anyway. Then I get one measly week of 45 miles, then right back to 60. On top of the miles, he wants me to spin hard twice a week, one hour for each session. After Boston, I am expected to keep a weekly average of 40 miles... but don't let me get ahead of myself.

If I am going to make it through another hour of spinning, I need a reward. A sweetly spiced one. That's just the type of girl that I am.

So, as Indian grandmothers worldwide are turning over in their graves, this skinny, white chick is going to make an attempt at cooking with cardamom... the green kind, in pods... Gasp.

Orange Scented Brown Rice Pudding (Kheer)

with Pistachios & Cardamom

With my revamped, healthier Indian style rice pudding, just finishing up on the stove... I am quite excited for the outcome... which I won't be able to have until after spinning, because it needs to cool. If all is well with this rice pudding (which smells fantastic right now!), the recipe will follow... if not... we'll try again!

So far...

Brown basmati rice and cardamom pods

 

Organic fat free milk

Chopped pistachios and natural cane sugar w/orange zest

Let the waiting begin!

...Later today... (post spinning)

 Success!!

My first attempt at Indian rice pudding (Kheer)!
I'll have the recipe up tomorrow.

*Please note* Kheer is not a thick pudding like traditional western puddings. It is thin, yet very tasty!

First, a little introduction.

I am on a quest to eat my way to a sub 3-hour marathon. Well, let's be honest here. I am going to do a little training too... and a ton of cooking. And so begins my adventure...

But first... Let me confess.

I am a yo-yo runner. I train, I marathon, I stop... Then repeat.

...And as my husband recently reminded me, I have been trying to go sub 3:20 for my last 2 marathons... So sub 3 is wishful thinking... I know.

I am currently training for 3:15 on April 18th of this year. Boston redux.

With 11 weeks until race day, 45 miles on this weeks training schedule, and a love for all food vegetarian... let's get this started. 

Oh. Just in case you are curious.

Boston Marathon 2010: 3:26:58

Bayshore Marathon 2009: 3:27:06

Detroit Free Press Marathon 2008: 3:36:56

BMO Vancouver Marathon 2008: 3:45:37