Half Marathons, Recipes, and Life OH MY!

So, I started half training yesterday. 2.5 miles in 26 minutes. I was mentally preparing for that run all day- making myself get out there. The hardest step is the one out the door.

Well, I've made some pretty yummy things lately.

Spicy Shrimp Fettuccine

Ingredients

• 9 ounces uncooked whole wheat fettuccine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1-1/2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
•  2 cups reduced-sodium tomato juice
•  1/2 cup tomato sauce
•  1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/4 teaspoon pepper
•  4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup white wine or Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

Directions

1. Cook fettuccine according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the shrimp, tomato juice, tomato sauce, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and wine until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and sauce is thickened.
3. Drain fettuccine; stir into skillet. Sprinkle with basil just before serving. 

Review: Mr. Discovery was not a fan the first night, but he liked it the second time around. I think the sauce was too thin the first night, but for lunch the next day, it was thicker. I loved it both times.

Favourite Skillet Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed (I used Italian seasoned ground turkey)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 jar (14 ounces) spaghetti sauce (I used about 16 oz because that's what I had left in the jar)
• 2 cups uncooked whole wheat egg noodles (I used about 2.5)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, egg noodles, water and zucchini. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Combine the ricotta, Parmesan and parsley. Drop by tablespoonfuls over pasta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese; cover and cook 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 5 servings.

Review: I licked the plate. It was that good.

Grilled Tilapia with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons capers, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 4 tilapia fillets (6 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. For vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons basil, olive oil, garlic, capers and lemon peel; set aside 2 tablespoons for sauce. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of fillets with remaining vinaigrette.
2. Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Brush with reserved vinaigrette and sprinkle with remaining basil.

Review: Very good. Next time, I might make a little more of the vinaigrette, because it just didn't feel like there was quite enough of it to go around.



Well, there you go! I hope you find something in there! All of those recipes were from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking.

I've had a lot of subbing lately, which has been lovely. Big paychecks before Christmas! :-) I have today off, so I am finishing up Christmas decorating today before I have an Art class tomorrow and Band classes on Thurs/Fri. And of course HARRY POTTER comes out on Thursday night!!!!!!!! Totally going to the midnight showing.

Hope everyone has a great week!!

Wow! 101 posts!

My last post was my 100th post! How cool (and appropriate that it was about Disney)!

I apologize for the lack in posts lately. DH's car gave us a LOT of trouble last week and $1250 later, it is almost all better. Sigh.

We've had some good eats lately, I tell you what.

Cajun Jambalaya, Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb raw shrimp, 26/30 size, peeled and deveined, tail on
• 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1 inch pieces
• 1 all natural low sodium turkey sausage (I used two Jennie O's links), sliced
• 1/2 medium white onion, diced
• 1 med green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and discarded, diced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1 1/2 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, cored and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp salt-free Cajun seasoning
• 1 cup all-natural instant brown rice
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• Olive Oil cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400* F
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together all ingredients except cooking spray, mixing well until combined.
3. Prepare 2 foil pouches. Spray each piece of foil with cooking spray. Divide mixture evenly between both pieces of foil and seal.
4. Place pouches on a baking tray and slide onto middle rack of preheated oven for 25 minutes or until rice and proteins are fully cooked.
5. Carefully open pouch and pour mixture into a large bowl to serve immediately.

Modifications: I don't actually own Cajun seasoning, so I made my own. I also added some red pepper flakes and used rice that was already cooked in my rice maker. My shrimp were not peeled, because unpeeled shrimp are cheaper.

The Verdict: I loved this dish! I thought it was delicious! I think DH enjoyed it too.


Sweet and Sour Chicken, Clean Eating Magazine

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp raw honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more...)
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice (I added)
• 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into 1 inch cubes (I omitted)
• 12 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Place the chicken in a large shallow dish. Pour mixture over chicken, tossing gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet (or wok) over medium-high heat. Add chicken and marinade and saute for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add bell peppers and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender. Add pineapple (if using) and cook for 2 more minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately over rice for a complete meal, if desired.

Verdict: I LOVED THIS DISH. DH was okay with it. He wanted more sweet taste and a little more spice. When I make it again, I will add more spice for sure. I'll also experiment with other veggies, like broccoli, water chestnuts, et cetera.

I made another dish from Clean Eating Magazine this week, but it was a fail. Big time. It ranked in the bottom three meals ever. The worst was moussaka, next is the Tuna Nicoise Stovetop Casserole. I made cabbage wraps. The filling was good, which is why I'm glad I reserved some of that for lunches this week, because it made a good little burrito today; especially when paired with my homemade baked tortilla chips and Tom Leonard's FIRE salsa (I love the spice!).

In other news: I've been running TWICE since the last post!

Last Thursday I did four five minute runs broken up by 2 minute walk breaks. It went pretty well. Today I did a five minute run, two eight minute runs, and another five minute run broken up with 2 minute walk breaks. I did 2.75 miles in 32 minutes, which is pretty decent.I haven't had any knee pain yet, which is really nice, but I have been having pain around my rib cage where the shelf bra and sports bra end. Perhaps they are too tight, but it really hurts after a while. We'll see what happens. I hope everyone's having a lovely day and that you enjoy these recipes!!

Recipes and an update on a post from long ago!

Two more recipes from Real Simple Magazine...

Grilled Shrimp with Lemony Potato Salad

Ingredients

1 pound baby red potatoes (about 12)

kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 pound asparagus (Pre-trimmed weight)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds medium shell-on shrimp
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay)

Directions

1.Place the potatoes in a medium pot and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, run under cold water to cool, and cut into quarters.

2.In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the potatoes, celery, and chives and toss to combine.

3.Meanwhile, heat grill to medium-high. In a bowl, toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon of the oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a second bowl, toss the shrimp with the seafood seasoning and the remaining tablespoon of oil.

4.Grill the asparagus, turning occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Grill the shrimp until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve the shrimp and asparagus with the potato salad.
 
Review: WOW. This is a keeper. I mean, okay... the shrimp and asparagus are nothing fancy as far as prep is concerned, but the grilling brought out such great flavours! I only used 1 lb of shrimp, so DH and I ate... all the shrimp... Also, the original recipe calls for a 1/2 lb of asparagus, trimmed (I assume that means that it should be 1/2 lb after you trim...) for four people. Um... Yeah right. I bought a whole pound (pre-trim), which I assume works out to a bit above 1/2 lb trimmed, and we ate all the asparagus with no problem. In fact, I wanted more. Haha. This was my first time making potato salad and I loved it. Especially the second day!
 
And...
 
Salmon with Dill Sauce

Photo by Romulo Yanes for Real Simple

(because mine was not photogenic)

Directions (Ingredients in bold)

1.Season 4 6-ounce pieces skinless salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Cook in olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until opaque, 5 to 6 minutes per side.

2.Mix ½ cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons each lemon juice, chopped capers, and chopped dill; season with salt and pepper.

3.Serve the salmon with a vegetable of choice. (I chose steamed zucchini and Annie's Organic Macaroni and Cheese)
 
Review: This recipe was good: not okay, but not great. It was just somewhere in the middle. Also, I forgot to save a lemon for the sauce, so... that could have some bearing on the quality. It was missing some brightness, I will say. I like the Lee Bros.'s Salmon with Buttermilk Mint Sauce recipe better, which feels like blasphemy since I LOVE dill.

So... many a moon ago... 10 months to the day, in fact... I posted this blog about wanting to run a marathon. Well, amazingly, I have completed the first four goals that I wrote out for myself. Unfortunately, the other goals will have to be rewritten. I actually feel really good about having completed four of the seven goals. For me to have run a 10k is such an accomplishment, considering where I used to be with running. Unfortunately, I am almost back at square one again. I'm hoping that once I actually start running again, my legs will remember with some re-training, but having taken three months off... I don't know. Like I said in a post a few days ago, I went running with my sister-in-law in Texas and about died after a mile. So, it is now time to set new goals because I really do miss running (NEVER thought I'd say that!).

• I really want to run a 5k. I thought my alma mater was having one for homecoming in 2 months, but I can't find any info on it, so they must not be having one this year.
• I really want to run a half marathon sometime in the early Spring.
• I really want to run the Ukrop's 10k again on April 2, 2011.

That's it for now. If I can make it through those three goals, then I will reassess and see if a marathon is really what I want to do. I still think it would be a wonderful, amazing, unbelievable accomplishment, especially for me, the girl who dreaded (unhealthily) running the mile in gym class in elementary, middle, and high school. We'll see and I'll keep you posted!

As Promised

Garlic-Basil Shrimp
Courtesy of Ellie Krieger, So Easy

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/4 lbs large shrimp (20-25 per lb) peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups cooked orzo pasta, preferably whole wheat

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over med-high heat until hot but not smoking, then add the shrimp and cook, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the oil remaining in the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and basil and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook just until heated through. Serve with the orzo.

Serving Size:
1 cup shrimp mixture and 3/4 cup orzo

Per Serving:
Calories: 380
Total Fat: 10g (Sat: 1.5, Mono: 5.5, Poly: 2)
Protein: 35g
Carb: 35g
Fiber: 4g
Cholesterol: 215mg
Sodium: 490mg

I made a half batch, and it was absolutely amazing. I highly recommend this to everyone. :-)

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta and Sweet Potato Oven Fries

Two new recipes today....

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

1 tbsp olive oil
1 med. onion, diced (1.5 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
Two 14.5 oz cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used a lot less dried herbs)
1 tbsp finely minced fresh dill (I used rosemary)
1 1/4 lbs  medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Dash of salt
Dash of black pepper
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 oz)

Preheat the oven to 425*. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cool stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomato juices thicken.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, dill, and shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the feta over the top. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and the cheese melts, about 12 minutes.

Review: Okay, I don't know if I didn't simmer the tomatoes long enough or if the frozen shrimp made it extremely watery, but it was very watery. Tasty, but watery. DH really liked it and thought it was tasty. This coming from a man who doesn't care for tomatoes!

For a Thursday night T.V. watching snack, we had...

Sweet Potato Oven Fries
Tosca Reno's The Eat Clean Cookbook

Eat Clean Cooking Spray
Fresh Rosemary to cover a baking sheet (I used dried)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground pepper
2 medium sweet potatoes (about a lb) scrubbed and blotted dry

Preheat oven to 400* F

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread rosemary on sheet in layer, making sure the surface is covered. Mix all other ingredients, except potatoes, in a small bowl. (Instead of doing this, I just sprinkled each over the potatoes and used cinnamon instead of the paprika to complement the sweetness of the potatoes).

Square off potatoes and slice into "steak fries." Lay the strips on the rosemary in single layer. Sprinkle with mixture and spray generously with cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes.

Spray again and return to oven for 25 minutes or until fries are golden and puffed.

Review: These were really squishy after even the second 25 minutes, and I ended up leaving them in for another 10 minutes at least. I did NOT care for these at all, but I think that's because I just do not like sweet potatoes. I was very excited about trying a new veggie, but I still feel yucky after trying to eat them... On a lighter note, DH LOVED them and ate them ALL.

HFNHC is going well and I love doing it. :-) Part of doing the Sweet Potato Fries was for a part of the challenge. :-) Try a new vegetable and post a review. Since making sure I drink all the water, I am visiting the potty quite a bit these days! Haha.