Phew, these last few days have been busy! Since I left the house early yesterday morning, I didn’t have time to pack lunch. Luckily I was able to find a veggie-packed meal without even leaving my office building.
- romaine, red onions, mushrooms, shredded carrots
- roasted cauliflower & bell pepper
- sprinkle of feta cheese, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and croutons
- spoonful of black bean & corn salad
- spoonful of farro & almond salad
- spoonful of mediterranean bulgar wheat
- Tbs balsamic vinaigrette
I LOVE when my salads contain a bajillion different ingredients 
I had a diet crack coke and some sunchips on the side.
Lunch was on the later side (nearly 3pm!), so I didn’t need a snack before I left the office. Around 6pm the rain finally started letting up and I was able to enjoy an easy 3-mile run through Central Park. Sometimes my brain feels so fried by the end of the day and I just NEED to do some physical activity to put myself in a better state of mind. I finished up with some stretching and foam rolling and then headed home in a much better mood
Din-din was leftover maple syrup roasted sweet potatoes and tofu wrapped up in whole wheat lavash bread. With hot chili sauce. Is that weird? Yeah, probably, but I like my food to have a little kick!
After catching up on some Mad Men (almost done with season 1), I headed to the kitchen for some extra special baking.
IÂ was contacted by the cherry marketing institute the other day about the Red Recovery Routine, developed by world-renowned Sports Nutritionist Lesli Bonci M.P.H. R.D. LDN CSSD.
Check this out:
Recent studies suggest cherries may have powerful pain relief benefits for marathoners and other athletes of all levels. This research revealed that powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, which give cherries their bright red color, have anti-inflammatory properties that can help protect muscles and joints even before an athlete laces up, thereby reducing post-exercise pain.
With the fall miles piling up and an upcoming marathon for many, improving post-run recovery seems like a win-win situation!
Using this Smitten Kitchen recipe as inspiration I baked up a batch of Tart Cherry-Dark Chocolate-Coconut-Pecan Blondies.
Ingredients:
- 8 oz melted butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg (organic if possible)
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- dash of salt
- tsp vanilla extract
- big handful of each: shredded unsweetened coconut, dark chocolate chips, dried tart cherries, and raw pecans
Directions:
- Mix together the melted butter and sugar until combined (I used a wooden spoon, but you could probably use a hand mixer)
- Stir in the egg, salt, vanilla, and flour
- Add in mix-ins (chocolate chips, etc)
- Pour batter into a buttered 8″ x 8″ pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F.
My “blondies” turned out more like crispy cookie bars, but that’s probably because 1) I don’t like to measure and 2) the temp on my oven is a little off. But don’t worry – these treats were definitely still delicious. I sampled my fair share just to make sure 
If you’re looking for more recipes that use cherries, check out the Choose Cherries recipe index!
I had plans to run with Alma after work tonight (i.e. no early a.m. gym visit), so I was able to get started on a freelance writing assignment. I had almost 2 full hours at home this morning before I had to leave for work. It was kind of weird! I (almost) felt like it was a Saturday or something…
Breakfast:
Stonyfield Oikos Greek yogurt (plain) along with a VERY ripe banana and a baked apple.
And lunch was eaten at my desk (I think this is going to be the theme for the next few weeks…busy time):
Almond butter, pumpkin butter, and banana on Ezekiel sprouted grain bread
And two (yes, two) bags of popchips. I’m normally not a fan of “100 calorie packs”, but I give pop chips two thumbs up. Especially the salt & pepper flavor. Mmm.
Oh yeah, and since it’s Halloween week – a fun size snickers!
And I’m off – I have plans for a run in Central Park in a bit!
Check out this article from the NY Times – Humans Built for DistanceÂ
So if we’re born to run, why are runners so often injured? A combination of factors is likely to play a role, experts say. Exercise early in life can affect the development of tendons and muscles, but many people don’t start running until adulthood, so their bodies may not be as well developed for distance. Running on only artificial surfaces and in high-tech shoes can change the biomechanics of running, increasing the risks of injury.
Love veggies more: If you like potatoes, you should try sunchokes.
Question: What’s your favorite vegetable? I could eat sweet potatoes and arugula every day!
