The Runner's Kitchen

 Holy comments! You guys must really like popchips

And the winner is:

Comment #39:  Erin says: February 17, 2010 at 1:04 pm  I love that speed workout – I need to try it sometime. My favorite chip flavor is definitely sour cream and onion. Yum!

Erin – email me your shipping info and I’ll have popchips send the goods

So last night, I attended my 4th consecutive CPTC Thursday road workout. After what seemed like an entire year of frustration and injury, I’m finally starting to feel in “racing shape” again. I’m still a little nervous about doing twice weekly workouts and a long run, but so far so good. I haven’t been so vigilent about my PT exercises, but I’m trying to give myself some extra TLC in other ways (sleep, lots of fruits & veggies, stretching). And the foam roller and I have been seeing a lot of each other lately! Last night was a pretty brutal workout, but I felt GOOD. As I was grinding out the last tough mile, I thought to myself: “This is FUN! I love running hard and pushing myself to the limit”.

CPTC Thursday Night Road Workout

• About 1.5 miles to warm-up
• 8.1 mile tempo run in 59:28 (average pace = 7:20)
• Ran the first 4.05 mile loop at roughly marathon pace – 31:00 minutes total, averaged about 7:39 per mile
• Ran the second 4.05 loop at half-marathon pace – 28:28 total, averaged about 7:02 pace
• About 2 miles to cool-down

11.5 miles total – yikes, that’s a lot of miles for a mid-week run!
Wore the lunaracers – no blister problems. I think they’re a go for the NYC 1/2 marathon next month. I love these lightweight racing shoes – they make me feels so fast!

By the time I returned home, it was almost 9pm and I was ready for food in a major way. I wasn’t up for cooking anything elaborate, so I just threw a bunch of leftovers into a bowl and called it a junk salad. It was actually pretty yummy!

In the bowl:

• romaine lettuce and homegrown sprouts
• dried tart cherries and walnuts
• triscuits topped with melted cheddar cheese
• homemade dressing made with 1 Tbs olive oil, 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar, spoonful of dijon mustard, and a spoonful of lingonberry jam whisked together until combined

I gobbled that down and they had a bunch of yummy (vegan!) cookies. They just might be the *best* vegan cookies ever. Are you ready for the recipe?? A few weeks ago I mentioned how enamored I’d become with Momofuku’s compost cookie. I made it my mission to create an animal product-free version for a vegan friend and while the results are not exactly the same, these cookies are pretty dayum good

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup packed earth balance (not the same as smart balance, FYI)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp instant coffee powder
• 1 Tbs ground flax
• 3 Tbs water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 BIG handful of chips, roughly crushed
• 2 oz. pretzels, roughly crushed
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
• With a mixer, cream together the earthbalance, sugar, and instant coffee powder
• In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax and the water until smooth, add the vanilla extract
• Fold the flax mixture into the earth balance & sugar 
• In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (oats through chocolate chips)
• Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until incorporated
• If the batter isn’t holding together well, try chilling the batter for about 20 minutes
• Scoop rounded Tablespoons of batter on to the cookie sheet and bake for about 10-13 minutes or until golden brown
• Cool on the baking sheet for a minute or so and then transfer to a wire cooling rack

Nutritional stats (per cookie – approximate): 95 calories, 4g fat, 13g carbs, 1.5g protein, .5g fiber.

More of your “Ask Me Anything” question answered:

In your opinion, what bakery serves the best cupcakes in NYC? I’m a sucker for frosting, so I’d have to say Magnolia Bakery. Although the Reese’s PB Cup cupcake from Crumbs is also really delicious….

How many calories do you eat a day when you’re running vs. a rest day and what is the break down of foods throughout the day? I don’t usually count calories, but I’d have to estimate that on a rest day I consume about 2,000 calories and on a hard workout or long run day it’s closer to 3,000. On my FAQ page I discuss what I usually eat in a typical day.

What events did you run as a member of your college track team? Which college PR are you most proud of? During my first few years of college I mainly focused on the 1500m  for indoor and outdoor track, but by senior year I made the switch over to the 5K. The college PR I am most proud of is my outdoor track 5K (18:52.73) It’s the closest thing I’ve ever experienced to a runner’s high. It was one of the best days of my life

As an experienced runner, what do you think about barefoot running? After reading Born to Run, I’m much more skeptical of all the fancy cushioning and stability features that modern running shoes offer. The human foot is a pretty amazing thing,  so it seems like we might actually be designed for barefoot running. HOWEVER, few of us have been running barefoot since childhood (like our ancestors did), so I think it’s important to ease into barefoot running very slowly. I’ve started wearing lightweight training shoes (Nike lunaracers) for workouts and some easy runs and I plan on incorporating some barefoot strides in the grass come springtime.

How do you get motivated or stay motivated to run in such cold weather? Good question! I am not a big fan of winter, so cold weather running is tough for me too. I’ve found that good gear helps (tights, running jacket, hat, mittens, etc.) and having a  buddy to run with in the morning motivates me on days when I’d rather by hibernating It’s already mid-February, let the countdown to spring begin!

Last, but not least:

Want to experience less pain during and after running? Tart cherries might be the answer!

Live in NYC? Check out this awesome runner’s map.

Happy Weekend! Anything fun planned??

I was snowed in yesterday evening, so I decided to get cozy in the kitchen and experiment with a new recipe. I received a cookbook for Christmas called The Craft of Baking and I love it! Lots of inventive recipes, beautiful photos, and easy-to-follow techniques. Today’s spicy caramel popcorn is based on a recipe from this book, however I made a few changes so that I could post the instructions without copyright infringement

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs canola oil
• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 Tbs unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 Tbs salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp chili powder

Directions:

• Heat the oil over medium-high in a large pot, add the popcorn kernels and cover with a lid.
• Allow kernels to pop (about 3-4 minutes) while occasionally shaking the pot and moving it around on the burner.
• Once kernels are done popping, dump them into a bowl that is sprayed lightly with cooking spray, remove any un-popped kernels.

I love the various flavors and textures in this recipe – sweet, spicy, salty, crispy, crackly, yum! You can play around with the spice level, adjusting the heat to your taste preference. I also really like that this recipe isn’t full of scary ingredients. No artificial preservatives, colors, or additives. Yay!

 Some runs (like last weekend’s 14-miler) are awesome and others….not so much. Last night I headed out the door for a post-work run and felt crappy for most of the 4.5 miles.  Maybe it was my frustrating day at work, maybe I was just tired.  I guess I can’t really be sure,  but at least the bad runs help you appreciate the good ones even more. I got 8+ hours of sleep last night, so here’s hoping today is a better day!

When I returned from my run, I crafted a giant salad. There’s nothing like fresh veggies and whole foods to chase away the winter blahs.

I chopped up some organic hearts of romaine, added leftover roasted beets, great northern beans, dried cherries, chopped walnuts, a big scoop of cottage cheese, and lots of hot sauce. Sounds weird, I know. But it was delicious! I love the combo of cottage cheese and hot sauce – the creamy and fiery flavors compliment each other perfectly.

And then I put on my baking apron! I’ve been itching to try the black bean brownie recipe created by Christine (NoMeatAthlete’s resident baker), but I used what I had on hand and made some modifications.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (use a good quality brand such as Ghiradelli)
• 2 tsp instant coffee powder
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 2 Tbs chocolate chips
• 1/2 can white beans (or any kind that you have on hand), rinsed and filled with new water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 8″ x 8″ baking pan
• Whisk together all of the dry ingredients
• Puree the beans and the water they are canned in
• Add pureed beans, vanilla, and additional water to dry mixture
• Mix thoroughly and then pour into baking pan
• Bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating pan half-way through cooking time
• Keep an eye on the brownies – you don’t want the edges to overcook!
• Allow brownies to cool completely and then cut into 9 squares

These brownies are incredibly moist and the serving size is BIG! I hate it when a “serving” of something is puny. These big, fudgy, moist brownies will satisfy your chocolate craving while providing a good dose of fiber and protein.

I know that using pureed beans instead of butter, eggs, or oil is a little unconventional, but I promise these are yummy. When Alma found out that the brownies were made with beans she was skeptical, but after taste-testing she was very impressed. Try this recipe, you’ll like it!

Nutritional stats per serving (based on 9 servings): 215 calories, 5.5 grams of fat, 5.5 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber.

Do you ever bake with “unconventional” ingredients?

Before you go – check out my latest True/Slant article: Lose weight, gain speed?

As part of Foodbuzz’s Tastemaker Program, I received a coupon for a free dozen of eggs. Eggland’s Best is my “go-to” brand because the eggs have four times more Vitamin D and over three times more Omega-3 compared to ordinary eggs. And the 6 grams of protein (per egg) and B-vitamins help me recover more quickly from tough runs. The other night I created a low fat, protein packed cheesecake and while the dessert was chilling, I even snuck in a nighttime run!

The main component in this dish is strained yogurt – the end result is very similar to greek yogurt!

I lined a colander with 6 flattened out coffee filters and then I placed the colander inside a large mixing bowl. Next I spooned the yogurt into the colander and let it drain overnight in the fridge.

My 32 oz ($2.99) container of Whole Foods brand plain non-fat yogurt yielded about 2 cups of strained yogurt. Plus a cup of whey – I’m saving this to use in cooking/baking because it’s packed with nutrients.

Protein Packed Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter (4 Tbs), melted
• 1 cup whole-wheat graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups of strained non-fat yogurt (from a 32 oz. tub)
• 2 8-oz containers of non-fat cream cheese
• 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites, lightly beaten (Eggland’s Best brand)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbs flour
• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and place a pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven (this will provide a humid baking environment for the cheesecake)
• Mix together the butter and the graham cracker crumbs, press mixture firmly into the bottom of an 9-inch springform cake pan, refrigerate while you prepare the filling
• Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar
• Gently fold in the eggs, yogurt, flour, and vanilla
• Pour the filling into the springform cake pan and bake the cheesecake on the top shelf of the oven for about 50-60 minutes. Don’t open the door until the 50 minutes are up!
• Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with the door ajar for about 30 minutes.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Add chocolate chips or raspberry jam as garnish!

Nutritional stats per serving (cheesecake yields about 10 slices): 230 calories, 10.5 grams of protein, and 5.5  grams of fat.

One of my favorite recipes of all time is olive oil granola. I was inspired by a New York Times recipe over the summer and made my first batch in August. The combination of savory olive oil, sweet agave nectar, chewy dried fruit, crisp oats, and salt is amazing.  Seriously, you must try this recipe!

I can’t believe it’s taken me nearly 6 months to make this yummy combo again. My creation differs quite a bit from both the original NY Times recipe and the granola I made in August, but I think the 2010 version is the best yet!

Ingredients:

Directions:

News you can use:

Tomorrow (Wednesday) Jamba Juice is selling it’s steel cut oatmeal for only $1!

On Friday, February 5th you can snag a free KIND bar sample from any starbucks.

Do you care about childhood nutrition, the environment, and food affordability? Sign the NYC food charter and pledge to promote healthy and sustainable eating!

What’s your favorite granola variety?

Dear Susan Herrmann Loomis,

I love your book On Rue Tatin, but your pear and honey clafoutis recipe made me want to tear my hair out!

If you’re wondering “what the heck is a clafoutis?”, you’re not alone. I had never made or eaten one before this weekend! According to Wikipedia:

a Clafoutis, sometimes in Anglophone countries spelled clafouti, is a baked French dessert that is typically made by baking fresh fruit (traditionally cherries) and a batter, halfway between a Yorkshire pudding/pancake batter and a custard, in a baking dish.

By Sunday afternoon I had an edible version, but let’s review what went wrong:

1) Don’t bring your computer into the kitchen and g-chat while you’re baking. You will probably do things like add 3 x the amount of sugar called for in the recipe. Once I realized my mistake I spent a good 5 minutes removing the extra sugar from the mixing bowl with a tiny teaspoon.

2) If the recipe calls for an 11-inch tart pan, a 10-inch spring form pan might give you problems. 5 minutes after popping clafoutis #1 into the oven I noticed a horrid burning smell. “Don’t worry,” I tell my roommate, “it’s probably just some excess flour on the outside of the pan that’s browning”. No. My spring form pan leaked and a big blob of batter was burning on the oven floor. Hello, smoke alarm. I tucked some foil around the pan to stop up the leak and continued to let it bake.

3) After I pulled clafoutis #1 out of the oven, I attempted to make the caramel sauce. I made it 3 times before I got it right. Note: The measurements on the website recipe are NOT correct. I hunted around for some other caramel sauce recipes and deduced that you need 1 Tbs sugar (not 2!) and 2 tsp water for the sauce to form. Also, don’t taste-test hot caramel with a metal spoon. You’ve been warned.

4) When I woke up on Sunday morning and lifted the foil to admire my clafoutis I noticed a pool of liquid in the middle of the pan. I cut a small slice and discovered that the center was completely undercooked. $#@%!! Luckily I didn’t have too much time to freak out, I had a half-marathon to run.

5) After my run, I went to the grocery story to buy more eggs and pears and started on attempt #2. Fortunately, the second round went more smoothly. My modifications:

• 9-inch pie plate as the baking vessel (vs. 11-inch tart pan/10-inch spring form pan)
• agave nectar in place of honey
• lowered the oven temperature to 375 F
• covered the clafoutis with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to prevent the top from over-browning
• added a dusting of powdered sugar in lieu of the caramel sauce

Before baking:

After baking:

The verdict? This was actually a pretty delicious (and healthy!) dessert. I would certainly eat it again as long as someone else makes it for me.

Question: Have you ever had any baking/cooking mishaps?

Long weekends are the best – especially ones that you spend with your best friends eating delicious food! I traveled to Boston this past weekend for a friend’s birthday party and it was full of yummy recipes, friends, running, and CAKE.

Upon arriving in beantown, we immediately set out to find some lunch. Someone recommended a little Italian shop in Davis Square called Dave’s Fresh Pasta and it was really cool. The store was stocked with all sorts of unique foodie products – like jars of pickled veggies!

The muffaletta sandwich looked very interesting…

My sandwich of choice was homemade whole wheat bread with roasted eggplant, spinach, red pepper, and fresh Vermont goat cheese. I ate it all, yum.

And an amaretti cookie for dessert. This was fine, but I’ve decided that I do NOT like almond-flavored baked goods (amaretti cookies, marzipan, etc).

After an afternoon of party prep and a glorious 7 mile run with Hannah (finished in 57:30 with negative splits, woo-hoo!), the party began! There was a lot of good beer, wine, and food. And the company wasn’t so bad either….

Agnes made garlic hummus and homemade tortilla chips.

Anj outdid herself with a beautiful apple custard tarte. You MUST try this recipe – I didn’t think I liked custard pies, but this was one of the best baked goods I’ve ever eaten!

A box of Italian cookies was brought by friends – my favorite was the chocolate filled coconut macaroon!

Anj used a Paula Deen recipe to make brie en croute with walnuts and raspberry jam – it was the perfect combo of savory and sweet!

And the crowning achievement of the evening – Better than Sex Cake! Yes, that is the real name. Shout out to Holly for the inspiration! Warning: this cake is about as sugary and unhealthy as they come – but that’s what 25th birthdays are for.

Better than Sex Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Devil’s Food cake mix (plus the oil, eggs, water, etc. specified in box baking instructions)
• 1 jar of caramel ice cream sauce
• 1 jar of hot fudge topping
• 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tub of cool-whip
• 1/2 bag of mini heath bars, crushed

Directions:

• Bake cake according to package instructions, while still warm use a chopstick to poke holes in the cake
• Pour condensed milk and caramel sauce over the cake
• Heat up the hot fudge in the microwave until liquid and than pour over the cake
• Put cake in the fridge overnight (or for a few hours)
• Once cool, frost the cake with cool whip and decorate with crushed heath bars
• Eat cake, repeat, give yourself diabetes (heh, just kidding)

At some point during the night, I started eating the caramel and hot fudge sauce out of the cake pan by the spoonful. Yumm. It’s a good thing I ran 7 miles that day!

Running buddies

Hooray for friends! And cake! And funny (bad) photos!

Question: What is your favorite type of cake? Although this weekend’s recipe was amazingly decadent, I’m loyal to yellow cake with vanilla butter cream frosting!

I’m still feeling a bit under the weather, so I’m taking it easy this week. Tuesday’s breakfast included lots of nutrient-packed foods: yogurt (probiotics!), an orange (vitamin C!), and a slice of Eli Zabar’s health bread (flax seeds!) topped with peanut butter and raspberry preserves.

My stomach started to grumble mid-morning, so I sipped on a cappuccino and a few (big!) handfuls of peanuts.

I brought my lunch from home and while it tasted delicious, it looked a bit ghetto. My large spinach container was about 1/4 full, so I used that as my salad bowl (enter strange looks from co-workers here). To the spinach, I added chopped red cabbage, cubed swiss cheese, homemade croutons, and a bit of leftover savory asparagus and mushroom bread pudding. The yellow tuperware contained my homemade salad dressing. To make the dressing, I whisked together 1 Tbs flaxseed oil, 1 Tbs dijon mustard, 2 Tbs garlic rice vinegar, and dash of salt. Yum!

My mid-afternoon snack was a cup of green tea and an Amazing Greens bar. I like that this energy bar is full of whole food ingredients (dates! nuts! greens!), but it tasted a little too sweet for me.

After work I headed to the gym to attend a pilates class with Darien. I definitely would NOT go to pilates classes solo. I just don’t like them! However, I know I need to build up my core strength, so a workout buddy makes the 45 minutes bearable

I was wayyy hungry when I finished with the gym (some day I will get home before 8pm…), so I fixed a super quick dinner: healthy nachos!

I cut a whole wheat tortilla into wedges, misted them with cooking spray, and then baked at 350 F until crispy. Then I topped the tortilla chips with black beans, swiss cheese, a wedge of laughing cow, and salsa and popped the plate back into the oven until the cheese melted.

And then I started on a special baking project! I’m a pretty busy girl, so I rely on Clif bars and luna bars a lot for quick energy. I like the way they taste, but I’m not so thrilled about the long ingredient list (lots of soy derivatives). I decided to get creative in the kitchen and make my own energy bar!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs (I use Eggland’s Best organic)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (I used Crazy Richard’s creamy peanut butter)
• 1 Tbs canola oil
• dash of salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees, lightly coat an 8″ x 8″ baking pan with cooking spray
• Mix all ingredients together until combined
• Press batter into the baking pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown
• Cool and cut into 9 squares

Nutritional information (per serving): 230 calories, 10 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and plenty of vitamins and iron from the oats, eggs, and peanut butter!

For dessert, I topped one of my oatmeal-chocolate chip bars with a little greek yogurt and peanut butter.

Note: The Krema Company sent me a sample pack of 4 of their peanut butters. I’ve already devoured one of the crunchy varieties and the smooth variety worked well in this recipe. I love that the only ingredient is PEANUTS. Thanks Krema/Crazy Richard’s!

In the News:

Check out the latest on Running Shorts – Imprisoned by a Garmin?

My favorite article of the week – 50 steps to simple happiness. I particularly like #’s 6, 16, 37, and 50!

Question: What’s your favorite brand/style of peanut butter? My go-to is Whole Foods 365 Organic Crunchy. Perfecto!

Welcome to 2010! Matt and I wrote an article for True/Slant about our running goals and resolutions for the New Year. Check it out and hold us accountable….

I rang in the New Year surrounded by good food, great friends, and maybe a little too much champagne. I’ll give you the highlights:

Apple and Caramelized Onion Tart – I used a recipe from the December 2009 issue of Real Simple. The free sample of Puff Pastry I received from Pepperidge Farm made this recipe super quick to make.  I was a little bit worried about mixing savory onions and sweet apples, but the flavors combined really well. I think the tart was the star of the party

In attempts to use up some fridge leftovers I made a Mediterranean-inspired pasta salad. I cooked up a pound of whole wheat rotini and added cannelloni beans, sauteed garlic, roasted red peppers, cubed iberico cheese, feta cheese, and olive oil.

And what’s a party with cookies?! Once again Real Simple Magazine provided inspiration for the Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. These were pretty good, but I thought the cocoa powder produced a rather dry texture. I think next time I would add some chocolate chips to the batter!

The party spread also included pistachios, goat cheese with crackers, and kettle corn.

Plus A LOT of champagne

I think this photo sums up the night:

This was the first time in 2 years that all of my housemates from senior year of college were reunited. Much to celebrate, indeed.

Needless to say…I was not feeling my best on Friday. Usually I try to practice what I preach – moderation. However, there is a time and a place for excess and for me that happened to be my New Year’s Eve party. I spent the day recuperating – a gingerbread misto from Starbucks, a hangover cure juice from Peacefood Cafe (this time I actually needed it!), a long walk in lieu of a gym visit, and plenty of time lazing about and catching up on Mad Men, Season 2.

This morning (Saturday) I woke up feeling refreshed and back to my normal self. I hydrated with a big bottle of water and then made a simple breakfast – banana with a BIG spoonful of nutzo and the Odwalla bar that I received from my Blogger Secret Santa (Thanks again Melissa!)

After some procrastination, I finally got myself out the door and headed to the gym. But first – I needed to make a quick Starbucks pitstop. Mmm, tall decaf misto with one-pump of gingerbread syrup. Probably not the best thing to consume pre-run, but luckily it didn’t bother my tum too much. Stomach of steel!

And then I had a very special run. This week I’m celebrating 1o years of running, so to commemorate I ran 10 miles on the treadmill in 1 hour, 27 minutes, and 30 seconds. I would have preferred to run outside, but the 20 degree weather and gusty winds made an indoor workout seem like the better choice.

In January 2000, as a high school freshman, I joined the junior varsity track team. On my first day I could barely run 400m. After running once around the track, I hunched over, gasped for breath, and said to my friend: “Please…tell…me…it…gets…easier.” Despite being sore for about 2 weeks straight, it DID get easier and now 10 years later I can run 10 miles like it’s nothin’. Matt touched on this subject the other day when he mentioned the book Talent is Overrated. Success isn’t necessarily determined inborn talent, it’s about the amount of time and effort you put into something. If you consistently train hard (and smart), you will become a better runner. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve definitely struggled over the years: under-training, over-training, injury, losing focus, coming thisclose to quitting while in college, but I wouldn’t change a thing. These experiences, successes, and mishaps have made me the runner (and the person) I am today. So, thank you running. Here’s to the next 10 years!

Anyway….back to 2010! Post-run I re-fueled with the “Equinox Cocktail” – freshly juiced beets, celery, carrots, cucumber, parsley, spinach, and ginger. It was delicious and nutritious! (Joe – If you’re reading this I know you’re probably horrified.)

I’ve been foam rolling like a fiend lately and apparently I’ve been a little over-zealous. Check out the bruises on my leg, yikes.

It was f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g today, so I heated up some leftover Tomato bisque when I made it back to my apartment. Alongside I had a string cheese for protein and some Stacy’s sea salt pita chips. Obviously I had to go back for seconds thirds of the pita chips. Why are they so addictive???

And a few pieces of chocolate. Thanks Hannah!

I braved the cold once again to meet Agnes for a 60 minute hot yoga class. It’s been over 3 weeks since I’ve practiced yoga and I definitely noticed. My hip flexors were SO tight – but pigeon pose worked wonders! I snacked on an un-pictured clementine on the subway ride home (mmm, potassium!) and then created a yummy dinner combo with something I just picked up from Whole Foods – Bubbie’s Sauerkraut. This sauerkraut is made without sugar or vinegar – the only ingredients are cabbage, water, and salt.

Did you know? Sauerkraut is fat-free. It also is low in calories, with one cup of un-drained sauerkraut having only 44 calories, and one cup of sauerkraut juice, only 22. It provides almost one-third of the US RDA for vitamin C, plus other important nutrients, including iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. One cup also provides approximately 8 grams of fiber. [Source]

I topped a slice of whole wheat toast with a Morningstar Farms veggie burger, a generous serving of Sauerkraut, and melted some swiss cheese on time. Perfecto!

And in lieu of my usual dessert, I made something a little healthier – chopped apple, plain yogurt, a spoonful of peanut butter, a dollop of raspberry jam, and a sprinkle of Kashi Go Lean.

Enjoy the remainder of your weekend and stay warm!

Question: What’s your go-to healthy-ish dessert? After all the holiday cookies, pie, and chocolate I’ve had this season, I’m looking forward to incorporating some lighter dishes into my routine. Bring on the fruit!

Despite a blowing wind and the first heavy snowfall of the season, Alma and Megan’s 1st Annual Holiday Party was a success. I went to bed a little tipsy with a belly full of cookies, so it’s a winner in my book!

Check out our beauteous spread of food! Homemade oreos, chocolate chip candy cane cookies, baby carrots, spiced almonds, crackers, feta-stuffed piquillo peppers, olives, brie (!!), iberico cheese, and pistachios. Yum.

I made spiced almonds for our house-warming party back in October, but this time I decided to go in a slightly different direction. These almonds were more sweet than savory – similar to the candied nuts you can buy on the street corners of NYC. Just as delicious, but much less sketchy.

Sugar & Spice Almonds

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of raw almonds
• 1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp each of nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and cardamom

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 35o degrees, cover a baking sheet with several pieces of aluminum foil.
• Mix the almonds and maple syrup in a large bowl
• Mix the spices together in a small bowl and then add the spices to the almond-syrup mixture. Stir well to combine.
• Bake almonds for 10-15 minutes (stirring after 5 minutes) or until toasted and golden brown.
• Allow nuts to cool briefly and then immediately transfer them to a large bowl (work fast or they’ll stick to the foil!). Once completely cool, store in an air-tight container.

Chocolate Chip Candy Cane Cookies (makes about 20 cookies)

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbs firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 3 crushed candy canes

Directions:

• Heat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl combine sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla and egg until blended.
• Add flour, baking soda, and salt – mix well.
• Stir in chocolate chips and crushed candy canes.
• On an ungreased cookie sheet, bake heaping teaspoonfuls of dough for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack.

Alma’s festive feta stuffed piquillo peppers!

My plate – had a couple of these throughout the night, plus lots of red wine and cookies

The best part of hosting a party at your own apartment? Not having to brave the cold and snow. However, we MUCH appreciated the wintry trek our party guests made Thanks friends!

Red wine!

Darien & Megan

Megan & Alma

College Roommates unite! Missed you Anj and Hannah

Cute couple

These brave souls sampled our eggnog & triple sec mixed drink.

?? glasses of wine + pop music = Megan pretends to be in an itunes commercial. Or at least I think that’s what was going in here…

After running 12 miles in the morning and partying until after 1am, I was wiped out. I’m pretty sure I fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow. Visions of sugar plums (and homemade oreos) danced in my head!

Check out my latest post on True/Slant: Have your cookies and eat them too! My thoughts on how to enjoy the holiday season without sacrificing your running fitness.

Question: What’s your favorite party food? I love brie, but for some reason I only buy it/eat it during the holidays.