And I’m back

Sorry for the long hiatus. Once I got sick I got a little off in my schedule. I’m a very habitual person and not exercising and eating oddly for almost a week threw me off my game. I’m only just finally getting back to normal.

My food photography has been pretty sporadic and I don’t actually have any pictures from yesterday or today so I’m just going to share some of the ones I’ve taken this month and you can just pretend that’s what I ate today.

Let’s start with a yummy plate of french toast-ed cinnamon raisin ezekiel english muffin. That’s quite the mouthful. I topped it with sliced pear, maple syrup and some goat feta. I love using tangy cheeses with sweet breakfast dishes, it’s such a good combo.

For lunch, lets say I had this:

I remember this meal as if it were yesterday, so close enough. A massaged kale salad with chipotle avocado, tomatoes and hemp seeds. Paired with a foodgasmic sandwich on whole wheat baguette – hummus, sliced radish, carrot, cucumber, avocado and pesto. So, so good.

And, what about dinner?

A stuffed acorn squash, perhaps. Filled with a vegan stuffing of whole wheat bread, apple, onion and cranberries. Stuffing is one of my favourite foods but I usually don’t think to make it for just a random dinner. I’m so glad that I did in this case because it was really good. I also had some spicy baked tofu with BBQ sauce for dipping.

Now back to reality -

Yesterday was a fun gym day. I was supposed to go to my weekly strength/cardio class but my favourite instructor wasn’t there and I don’t usually bother going if she isn’t teaching. Nothing against the other instructors, I just don’t usually find them as challenging and I end up regretting that I’m not off doing my own thing. So, I was left with an unplanned gym trip on my hands, my very favourite kind.

If I don’t have a set plan at the gym I just have fun with it and do whatever my heart desires. Yesterday that involved the following:

2 min on the rower (was supposed to be 5min but, being the klutz that I am, I jammed the hand grip against my knees and it hurt too much to continue).

1 min limping around in pain, deciding what to do next.

10 min on the step machine (I did the ‘aerobic intervals’ on level 10) while reading Impact’s feature on triathlon training.

5 min run around the track, gradually increasing speed to a sprint and then back down again. (~ 1km)

2 x 10 @ 12.5lb – bicep curl to shoulder press

2 x 10 @ 12.5lb – tricep extention

1 x 20 @ 12.5lb – lunges

5 min run around the track, gradually increasing speed to a sprint and then back down again. (~ 1km)

13 min on the bike (2 min spin, 1 min right leg, 1 min both legs, 1 min left leg, 1 min spin, 1 min climb, 1 min spin, 1 min right leg, 1 min both, 1 min left leg, 2 min spin). 6km total.

1 x 20 @ 12.5lb – squats and hammer curls

10 min run around the track, varying speed however I felt like (~2km)

I was a sweaty mess after this. Does anyone else sweat like gangbusters on the bike? I’m always dripping and it’s kind of gross, although also awesome.

Today I started off right with some pancakes . . . okay, not really.

But they were definitely worth sharing. I made these from a gluten-free baking mix I bought on accident but I really like it as a healthier alternative that still comes out with similar consistency and taste to classic, white flour pancakes. I made a really lovely sauce out of sauteed apple, pomegranate arils and maple syrup.

Then I half-jogged my way to yoga with 50lbs of baggage through a foot of snow, did a 90 min class, cleaned the studio (as part of my volunteer job), walked 25 min to the bus and came to work. I’m actually really exhausted now, even though it doesn’t seem like much I’m definitely feeling it. I’ve been ravenous all shift and finished my whole lunchbox before 3. I might have to scrounge up something from the dregs of the office fridge in an hour if my stomach doesn’t settle down.

Tomorrow should be pretty fun. I’m going to the gym to run, then meeting up with some friends for some swimming and then I have a family party to go to for my twin cousins’ birthday. The theme is Hollywood and I have no idea what to wear. Any ideas?

You know what?

Fall running is the frickin’ bees knees. This is definitely the perfect weather for me because I just don’t handle heat well. Thankfully the Calgary weather system is actually gracing us with a proper fall this year. My runs lately have been pure bliss.

To be honest the start of the run wasn’t great. My body just felt off, uncomfortable and plain awkward. But I said to my body, “screw you, let’s do this” and pushing through. It got easier, as it usually does, and my pace ended up being way better than I expected. I ran the exact same route as Wednesday and although that run felt easier, I ran it faster today.

Distance: 9 km

Time: 47:10

Pace: 8:26 min/mile

At the end of this run I just ran like a child, flailing arms and all. In other words, I ran without thought or care. I ran without regard for my body or my pace or my form. I ran with pure, unadulterated joy and it was amazing.

I’m telling you, it’s unbelievable how much I’ve come to love running. I never thought I’d be saying that a year ago. I think in the beginning the notion was there that I might one day find it fun but I don’t think I ever knew I could love it this much. As much as biking, or even more because it’s so new. If you don’t think you’re the running type, it’s worth it to try it anyway. I’m not saying you’ll love it but you might and then you’ll thank me

I also put some new songs on my ipod which always makes me happy when they come up. I’ve decided to start doing a ‘Song of the Run‘ series because there’s usually one song during a run that really sticks out to me and makes me run faster or smile or dance. Yes, I am one of those crazy people who dances while they run. Don’t knock it until you try it because it’s maybe the most fun you’ll ever have. Other than bike dancing, which is just as good.

Song Of The Run (okay, I maybe need a better title than that) : September – Earth, Wind & Fire

Okay, maybe I’m just a big hippie at heart, but this song is the happiest thing you can imagine. If it doesn’t make you want to dance than you might want to check on the status of your soul, or maybe you just don’t like dancing, but that’s a whole other problem. The moment this song came on I got the widest smile on my face and it didn’t go away until the run finished. And I definitely danced.

And now on to the food.

Yesterday was a rest day and I was in the cooking mood when I woke up, so I did. First off I made pecan milk to go with my apple cinnamon cereal. Pecan milk is a great alternative to almond milk, with a nice caramel flavour. You just take 1/2 cup soaked pecans, 3 cups water and some vanilla stevia, whirl in the blender, strain if you’d like and you’re good to go. Sorry, no pic, I ate as I cooked. It just looks like almond milk, though, I’m sure you can figure it out

I also finally got around to starting some buckwheat sprouting (sprouted buckwheat is a staple in Thrive and I always seem to do Brendan’s biding).

Kinda pretty, isn’t it? I drained it and rinsed it today and it actually produced a mucousy substance as though it had contracted swine flu over night, but I guess that’s the nutrients growing, eh? I plan to use it to make some of Brendan’s energy bars.

I finally made some eggplant bacon, as well. Gina, aka the Fitnessita, has been mentioning this stuff forever so I actually got Everyday Raw out of the library just so I could try it. But you’ll have to wait until I try it to see a pic. Okay, I did have a taste and it was smoky and delicious.

For dinner (and lunch) I made a lovely salad. I got the inspiration recipe from the cookbook ReFresh, featuring food from the restaurant chain Fresh in Ontario. Next time I go east I definitely want to try this place.

I changed the recipe a bit, based on what I had. Great northern beans in pesto, artichoke hearts, tomato, avocado and pecans on a bed of spinach/arugula. It was a great combination and definitely satisfying.

I also packed up some of Gina’s Chocolate Chia Pudding to eat after yoga volunteering. I didn’t have maca (still looking for it) so mine wasn’t really ‘malted’, but I added a bit of carob instead.

I also topped it with some hazelnut butter and goji berries. I ate this while walking home and it was a fun, delicious snack. Chia pudding always has such an intriguing consistency.

Okay, I was going to share lunch from today but I’ll have to do it later. My battery is about to die and I have to head off because I’m going to a special yoga class tonight with the owner of Moksha Yoga, the studio I volunteer and practice at. I’m pretty excited.

What do you mean it’s not Sunday?

I am loving having Wednesday off in the middle of the week (It’s Remembrance Day in Canada).  The last two days have felt like an extra weekend.

Yesterday I dragged my butt out of bed early so I could adjust my schedule and headed straight to hot yoga class. It was a new instructor and she was having some difficulty so the class didn’t flow quite as well as usual but it was still awesome. I think she might have been an athlete too, because we did a lot of pigeons, runner’s lunges and all my favourite poses for loosening up my ridiculously tight hamstrings and hips. I feel so much better with all the yoga I’ve been doing lately.

I also got a fantastic tempo run in. It was crazy windy out but I was feeling speedy and energetic. I always second guess myself on this route because there’s a giant hill halfway and I often question if I can keep my pace despite it, but it barely fazed me today.

Distance: 9km (5.6 miles)

Time: 47:40

Pace: 8:31 min/mile

This is right where I want to be with my tempo pace right now so I’m quite pleased. I felt so good at the end of the run, like I could have gone another 5k at that pace, so I’m stoked. Hopefully I can do another 10k race soon because I’m definitely on target to set a PR. My last 10k was May 30 and I ran a 51:46. My goal now is to make it under 50 min. It may be a lofty goal but I think I can do it.

Before yoga I was finally able to try Brendan’s Toasted Apple Cinnamon Cereal recipe from Thrive. I’ve been meaning to make this for months now but I’ve procrastinated because for some reason the long cooking time was throwing me off. It was more than worth the wait, though.

The best thing about this cereal, aside from the crunch factor, is the great roasted flavour the molasses provide. The “cereal” is pretty much a granola made with a ton of seeds and nuts and a coating made up of molasses, hemp oil and spices. It’s quite delicious. Unfortunately I ran out of almond milk the day before and forgot to soak any nuts to make some more so I ended up doing a cheater version of coconut milk. It was pretty much about 3 tbsp of dried, unsweetened coconut blended with just over 1/2 cup of milk and a couple drops of vanilla stevia extract. That blinding white blob in the middle of the bowl is some of the yummy coconut pulp left over after straining (holy overexposure, sorry about that). This is quite a lovely and quick milk solution when in a pinch.

For dinner I decided to try out Melissa’s Raw Pad Thai, which has been waiting patiently in my recipe folder for months now. I really wasn’t expecting this to turn out as well as it did.

It might not look like much – a bowl of red cabbage, carrot, cucumber and green onion may be a feast for the eyes but it isn’t that palatable on its own. However the dressing for this was outstanding and I almost gobbled up the whole (HUGE) bowl before remembering that we were going for dessert in an hour and I might not want a belly full of fiber first. This would have been even better if I’d had the mango & cilantro recommended but I’d used the last of my cilantro in a smoothie that afternoon. Damn me.

It was a good smoothie, though. You can’t really go wrong when pineapple & cilantro play together.

Post-dinner we went out with some new (!) friends for dinner at a great restaurant in town called The Ranche. The last time I was there the dessert was absolutely transcendent. I could have waxed poetic about the intricacies and perfection of that dessert for hours. And, like all good food, it had me swinging from the rafters. Alas, the dessert I had yesterday (the Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Marshmallow & Cranberry Beet Syrup), while lovely, did not quite reach those heights. I plan to go back to try the Banana Rum Sticky Toffee Pudding and hope for better luck. Not to be too greedy or anything. But I love sticky toffee pudding and would have chosen it had I not ordered my wine first and thought the cheesecake seemed like a better match for it.

I really, really planned to take pictures and even had my camera sitting patiently on the windowsill beside me, but I got wrapped up in friendly conversation and didn’t remember until my plate had been licked clean. Too bad, because the presentation was impeccable. I’ll definitely remember when I go back for seconds.

This morning I had a fabulous swim. I’ve been slacking hardcore on my swimming training lately. It’s unfortunately my least favourite of the triathlon disciplines and therefore the one I need the most work on, but I’ve had difficulty being motivated to swim since fall has arrived. Luckily I managed to make it there today and the best thing about midday swims is that I usually have a full lane to myself. It felt good to just get in the water, cruise, and let my mind wander. Unfortunately, since I tend to zone out while swimming I have a hard time keeping track of my stats. I think this is pretty close, though.

Distance: 1750 m (70 lengths)

Time: 42 minutes

Workout: 2 x 25m breast stroke, 2 x 750m freestyle, 2 x 50m side stroke, 4 x 50m breast stroke

Dan picked me up after the pool (he’s had the week off work) and we went to an early matinee at the cheap theatre. We finally saw District 9, which I’ve been wanting to see for awhile now. It actually exceeded my expectations (which were already quite high) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had an early dinner/late lunch that was pretty much just thrown together on a whim. It consisted of roasted cauliflower with a crunchy coating of bread crumbs, nutritional yeast & red pepper flakes, sweet potato fries with chipotle seasoning, and a mushroom, onion & spinach frittata with a little blue cheese on toast. I may or may not have added some ketchup to this post-pic.

Tonight I went to see a play with a friend who got free tickets through work. It was called Speed the Plow, written by David Mamet, on the suitable topic of the movie industry (in case I didn’t mention it before, I work in film/television post-production). The play was really funny with blazing fast dialogue and very truthful subject matter. If it’s playing in your area I’d definitely recommend checking it out. I don’t go to the theatre nearly as much as I’d like because I really do think it’s a completely under-appreciated form of entertainment. The talent involved in even a local production is often amazing.

I’ve had a fabulous ‘faux’ weekend so hopefully the real one lives up to it

Just the basics

I’m starting to feel like I’m talking to myself here. I think I need to be a little more proactive in advertising my blog. Hello to anyone who stops by.

Part of my problem is that I’m not really sure what I want to be talking about yet and I’m having a hard time working out how to maximize my blogging time. I feel weird asking people to read my blog when I’m not sure it’s what I want it to be yet. But I may as well get into the habit anyway.

Yesterday’s post-yoga dinner was a quick but fun number.

Some nori rolls made with leftover brown rice mashed with miso, cucumber and avocado. Soy sauce and wasabi for dipping. And a guac salad – just spinach/arugula topped with guac & tomatoes.

I did a lovely bike workout at the gym today. I was supposed to do some strength work as well but I was still super sore from my long run/yoga yesterday so I tried to lift a few weights but finally decided to call it quits so as not to make my muscles worse. Instead I got on the bike and rode my heart out.

Time: 37:00

Distance: 17.00 km

I’m really happy with this time. My goal is to achieve a 2min/km pace for my races next summer, specifically I want to ride a 3hr Half Ironman bike leg. This time included a warm up and cool down so I’m right on track for pace. Now I just have to do 5 times this distance

I had another spelt pizza crust leftover from Monday so I whipped up another pizza tonight. It was beyond fabulous.

I stuck with a really basic formula – pesto sauce, sliced tomato, sundried tomatoes, and a little goat gouda. This was mind-numbingly awesome. I had a salad on the side – spinach/arugula, black kale, carrot, cucumber, sunflower seeds and a dressing made with cilantro, hummus, lemon juice and a little water. Perfection.

I thought I’d share my lunch today as well because I haven’t yet and I’m mildly obsessed with my lunchbox.

It’s from Laptop Lunches and I’ve used it every single workday since I bought it about a year ago. I work nights so I don’t really have a choice about bringing a lunch – there’s nothing open except 7-11 – but I never mind because this lunchbox brings me incomparable joy. It’s the perfect portion size for me and usually allows me 2 snacks and one meal per work day. I almost always fill the yellow square with fruit, the green square with a fun snack (nuts & dried fruit, a muffin, crackers, etc.) and the purple and red usually house leftovers from dinner.

Today I had:

Yellow: Grapes and apple

Purple: Leftover pesto pizza

Red: Oatgurt with simple raspberry sauce (raspberries, agave & apple juice, smushed together) & flax

Green: Pumpkin Spice Roasted Chickpeas, Medjool date with almond butter, and a piece of Zazubean Ego (goji berries & matcha) chocolate.

I probably won’t share my lunch very often because it’s often just a replay of other meals but it makes me happy so if it’s an interesting mix I might feel compelled to share.

Breakfast of Champions-to-be

Hello my name is Jessica and I drink green slime and melted chocolate ice cream for breakfast.

Well, not really but I’m sure to anyone not in the food blog world these don’t exactly look like breakfast. To me they were tres delicious.

Item A is a Super Green Smoothie made with a small orange (which makes it ultra-pulpy and probably extra gross to people who aren’t crazy like me), pineapple, 3 collard leaves, amazing grass, hemp protein, lemon juice and agave.

Item B is a protein pudding creation in the remnants of an almond butter jar. It was made with Mori Nu silken tofu, carob powder, almond milk, chocolate amazing grass, vanilla stevia extract and some guar gum. This really did taste like melted chocolate ice cream and there’s was more almond butter than I thought in the jar so I probably ended up eating about 2 tbsp. Not that I’m complaining

Even though it’s winter I’ve still been enjoying the liquid breakfasts lately. They’re just easier on my digestive system and so fun to play around with.

In fact I did a long run today and had a shake both before and afterward (no pictures – honestly they just looked like brown sludge).

On the schedule for today was 24km (15 miles) at a 10:05 pace. I actually started this run with a pretty negative mindset. I just didn’t feel like running and was feeling sore from yoga yesterday and tired from oversleeping (9.5 hrs – I tend to be lethargic if I sleep over 8 hrs). But I made myself go (aka Dan kicked me out the door because I was hanging around procrastinating) and spent a good 20-30 minutes getting my mind on track. It is almost impossible to get through a long run if you don’t have an ‘I can do it’ mindset so I had to get myself back on track.

In the end I managed 23.9 km (14.85 miles) in 2:25:00 – a 9:46 min/mile pace! That’s really fast for a long run for me so I’m quite pleased. It was tough but I ended up doing some 1 min walk breaks near the end and it really helped keep my legs strong. It was fan-bloody-tastic.

Back to the weekend, on Saturday night Dan and I went over to my parent’s house for dinner and games. We’re big board game fans in my family so there’s usually some form of game played whenever we go over there.

My mom served us a charcuterie plate, full of high quality meats and cheeses. I don’t typically eat meat and dairy all that much but if it’s high quality I have no problem enjoying some.

From left – Lanjager sausage, boar pate, mini dill pickles, Valbella chimneysticks sausage, red wine sausage, whole grain dill mustard (so good). I had a few bites of each, although I avoided the pate because I’m not a fan.

From front to back – blue cheese, carmelized onion confit, Guinness cheese (this is one of my favourite cheeses ever), fig confit, lactose-free gouda.

My mom’s homemade sourdough bread and Haute Cuisine crackers to serve everything with. I love simple, delicious foods like this.

There was lots of wine throughout the evening as well (I probably had about 4 glasses, which is pretty standard for being at my parent’s house).

This one was particularly good – lovely aroma and good, fruity flavour. For dinner we had roast fingerling potatoes & beets, spaghetti squash and everyone but me had bbq chicken breast as well. And chocolate for dessert, of course.

Then it was time for games!

We played a game Dan and I brought over called Entdecker. It’s a new one so I don’t have a full review of it yet but it’s pretty fun so far. And a I won, which always helps

Yesterday was pretty lazy. I went to hot yoga, which was yummy as always, and was supposed to swim but when I got to the pool there was a sign saying they were closing at noon (it was 11:50). So no good. I instead got some groceries and headed home to hang out with the boy. I made a delicious meal of pizza and salad.

I used a spelt pizza crust from a local bakery and topped it with marinara sauce, mushrooms, pineapple, sundried tomatoes, red onion and goat gouda. It was so good and I ate way too much. I paired it with a kale salad massaged with pineapple dressing, carrots, tomatoes, pineapple and some roasted chickpeas.

Alright, I’m off to another hot yoga session and then back home for dinner and maybe a movie, then on to work. Yeah, my schedule is pretty crazy Hasta.