The sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese packs a lot of flavor into this simple orzo dish. Most sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, so to avoid adding all that extra oil to the dish, I just rinse the tomatoes under the sink and pat them dry. Although it doesn’t take out all the oil, it cuts down on a lot of the fat. The nutiness of the artichokes is a great addition to this dish. Did you know that the artichoke is neither a fruit or a vegetable. It is the original edible flower, the flowering bud of a Mediterranean thistle plant. Who knew? B didn’t appreciate me sneaking in the artichoke, in fact, he didn’t even know they were in there until I pointed them out. Looks just like chicken! This rustic Italian-inspired dish is great served with some sauteed greens.
Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo
4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orzo, preferably whole-wheat
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), divided
- 1 plum tomato, diced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt & pepper
- 1 can artichoke hearts
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
- Dill (optional)
Directions
- Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons oregano and vinegar in a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
- Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Add the orzo, artichoke hearts and cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.
- Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, tomato sauce and a sprinkling of cheese and dill.
It just totally dawned on me that yesterday marks my one year anniversary running marathons. I ran the Surf City Marathon February 1st, 2009, crazy how much I have done/learned since then and all the amaaaazing people I have met through running. Hope to still be doing this 60 years from now ha! (this blog will hold me accountable) I am also tempted to go into ultras, I have a 50K trail race this August. We’ll see how I feel about ultras after that, but a 100-miler race is temporarily on my bucket list 
A trip down Marathon Memory Lane…(not going to include the halfs in between each marathon) Here are all my race recaps
Surf City Marathon-Not my best race, but I really had nothing else to compare it to. Totally bonked somewhere around Mile 15-18, then never picked it back up again. I just wanted to finish the damn race. Too hot, dehydrated, side stitches, wrong shoes the list goes on. I would probably never do the full again because the course is flat out b-o-r-i-n-g, but I am doing the half marathon this weekend. How many surfboard medals do I need? This might be my last time doing this race…kind of pissed they ran out of the long sleeve tech shirt for my size last year. Going to the expo right when it opens this year lol. I actually finished this race in decent time, considering I felt like sh*t the last half of the race..hm. Official time: 3:48:51
L.A. Marathon-OK course, had a great support team (complete with sports drink, camera & shot bloks) out there the last 6 miles of the race which totally cheered me up. I don’t think the course really highlights L.A. in its best light, considering we ran through not so nice neighborhoods. The only part I distinctly remember was that the last mile finished uphill. Nice, real nice. This year, the course has changed starting from Dodger Stadium and ending in Santa Monica. This is the L.A. Leggers “race”, so a ton of friends will be running it. Don’t plan on taking this one too seriously since I’m signed up for the Napa Marathon 2 weeks before (hoping for a 3:30 for NY Marathon, wishful thinking). The last 6 miles should be fairly familiar down San Vicente since we run it every Saturday, but the beginning parts by Dodger Stadium is no bueno. Definitely excited to end in Santa Monica where the partying begins on the beach! Official finish time: 3:51:53
Long Beach Marathon-I was really really shooting for a Boston qualifier for this race. Fairly flat, fast course and this race completed my California Dreamin’ Series for me. What could be better than picking up my jacket, 2 medals, and a BQ? Well, the BQ didn’t happen, blacked out around Mile 21 and had to walk for the first time ever. Yes, it was a blow to my self-esteem as I never ever take walk breaks, but I knew I was probably going to pass out on the course if I didn’t stop running. Worst feeling ever, probably worse than Surf city. Watched the 3:40 pace group pass me as I struggled just to keep a 10 min/mile. Lesson learned: not fueling properly the night before and during the race, going out too fast & not doing enough speed workouts. Weird thing is that I was feeling awesome Mile 1-20, looking at my mile splits, I was going faster at Mile 19 than I was the first couple of miles. Funny how this race was actually a PR for me, incredible. Official finish time: 3:47:03
California International Marathon-I really really REALLY wanted a BQ for this race. (Do you sense a trend here?) Net downhill, enough said. To be clear, I realized after this race that “net downhill” is not the same as downhill, duh. Also, didn’t help that the weather was in the 20’s and I was wearing a running skirt and tank top (but with gloves!). Yeah, not the smartest move on my part, but I figure since I had no idea what 20 something degree weather felt like, I might as well go all out in what I would normally wear in 80 degree weather. How come someone didn’t slap me when I was packing my suitcase *ahem B*. Needless to say, not my best race, actually my worst time to date, but I felt pretty good during/after the race, despite the almost-frostbitten hands and toes. The race itself wasn’t memorable, but I had a blast going up to Sacramento with a group of friends and those are the memories I’m mostly taking away from this race. Official finish time: 3:53:52
Disney Goofy’s Challenge (Half & Full Marathon)-Hands down, the best race experience ever. And I’m not just saying that because it was my fastest time, actually I would be lying if I said the PR and BQ didn’t have to do with my favoritism towards this race. The half and full marathon challenge aside, it was an awesome trip with great company. I wasn’t expecting much from this race since I signed up for the 5K, half and full marathon all in one weekend so I didn’t really go into the full marathon thinking I would make the Boston time. Although the weather was even worse than CIM (ironically after CIM, I pledged to never do another race in that cold of weather again lol), I dressed appropriately and actually enjoyed freezing my ass off through all 42 miles. It is weird though, that I seem to perform better under not so ideal circumstances. Although, I did change up my running routine a bit before Disney to incorporate more hill training and track intervals. I think those two components played a huge part in running Disney. Also, the course was FLAT. Not this “net downhill” bs, it was literally flat as a pancake. Maybe it’s because I’m not used to running 26 miles on all flat surface along with singing Disney characters, but the race was pretty awesome. Would love to do it again when I get my finances back up, the trip took a heavy toll on my budget. Official finish time: 3:36:51 (yes, finally got that damn BQ woohoo!)
There you have it- 5 marathons down, countless more to go! Cheers to another year of amazing races!
Here is a great article about marathons
Race Day Strategies for Marathoners
Excerpts: “It’s not unusual to have a few miles when you just don’t feel good. These bad patches are a test of mental resolve. These stretches may last a while and then mysteriously go away. The key is to have the confidence that you’ll eventually overcome this bad patch.”
The Final Six Miles and 385 Yards
At mile 20, you’ve made it to the most rewarding stage of the marathon. Up to this point, every mile required the patience to hold back. Now you’re free to see what you’ve got.
During these final few miles you get to dig down and use up any energy you have left. This is what the marathon is all about. It’s the stretch that poorly prepared marathoners fear and well-prepared marathoners relish.
The key from 20 miles to the finish is to push as hard as you can without having disaster strike in the form of a cramp or very tight muscles. You need to use your body’s feedback to determine just how hard you can push.
Your legs will probably be on the edge and will limit how fast you can go. You need to test the waters a bit and push to the limit of what your muscles will tolerate. It is a process of taking progressively greater risks as the finish line nears.
You will know you have mastered the marathon if you can give it a little more effort and finish strong.
Risottos are a delicious (and inexpensive) way to enjoy whole grains. Though the dish takes time to simmer, it makes a filling weeknight dinner, as well as lunch the next day. Although risotto tastes creamy, there is actually no cream or butter in this dish. The richness of the rice comes from the way the rice is cooked that causes the starch in the rice to bind together and make the overall dish creamy and delicious. By adding butternut squash to this dish, you can make some very low fat and low cholesterol meals with risotto.
Here are a few tips when cooking and shopping for ingredients:
- The type of rice is crucial in making a good risotto dish. The most common Italian rice available is Arborio, which is available at most local grocery stores.
- The second important ingredient in risotto is the broth. You can either make your own chicken/beef broth, or buy it in the grocery store. You can also make it vegetarian by subbing the chicken broth in this recipe for veggie broth.
- Feel free to mix and match the vegetables in this risotto dish. Look for food that’s in season, whenever possible. Kale, onions and pumpkin can make a delightful winter risotto; zucchini and eggplant can offer a tasty choice with the summer harvest.
How to cook risotto:
Cooking risotto is different than cooking other types of rice. Instead of boiling a pot of water and dumping the uncooked rice in, risotto is gently simmered on the stovetop with a cup of liquid at a time until all the liquid is absorbed. Once the liquid is absorbed, you add another cup. You keep doing this in that fashion until all the liquid is gone and the risotto is creamy. Adding vegetables is easy. You cook them first and then either leave them in with rice or add them afterwards. Risotto is easy to make ahead and store for a few days. Depending on the ingredients, leftovers can give you 2-3 days worth of meals and side dishes.
Maple and Butternut Squash Risotto
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups uncooked Arborio rice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- ½ Butternut squash diced
- 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Coarse salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Heat broth and water until simmering.
- In a separate pot, cook squash, until onions soft, about 7 minutes seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Add maple syrup and cook 2-3 min further till all well blended.
- Add rice to squash mixture and stir to coat and then add first cup of broth mixture, stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed. Keep adding a cup of broth until all liquid is absorbed and risotto is creamy. About 20 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese at the end.
This has become my new lunchtime staple-blue corn chickpea tacos. I love roasting a can of chickpeas during the days when I have school because they made for a great grab and go snack. These little peas are so crunchy and full of flavor, I don’t miss the greasy potato chips at all! Chickpea tacos are not only satisfying, but also super nutritious. I like topping my tacos with everything possible, to the point where it’s overflowing with deliciousness. Store-bought or homemade guacamole is a great binder for the chickpeas so they don’t fall out of the taco. I like making a black bean and corn salad with lots of cilantro and salsa for maximum flavor. Enjoy!
Blue Corn Chickpea Tacos
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 6 blue corn taco shells
- 1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- Toppings: Lettuce, salsa, corn, black beans, cilantro, guacamole
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
- Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to dry them. In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil, and season to taste with salt and chili powder. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and crunchy. Watch carefully the last few minutes to avoid burning.
- To make tacos: stuff the bottom layer of the taco with mixed greens, top with black beans, corn and salsa. Layer chickpeas on top and finish with guacamole
I used the leftover meat sauce from the previous night to make this simple and satisfying stuffed portobello mushroom. Surprisingly, this held me over really well paired with a mixed green salad, but that might be because the mushroom is bigger than my head and I stuffed this bad boy to the brim with the delicious lean ground beef mixture. This beef mixture has made four meals so far and still going strong! I’m thinking about using the rest in a taco casserole later this week, but talk about getting bang for your buck. Note: when cleaning portobellos, make sure you don’t rinse it under the sink. The mushroom will soak up all the water and get soggy (not good). Just take a damp paper towel and wipe the outside cap and the inner gills. Experiment with this recipe and top with your favorite cheese, just broil for a couple minutes until the top browns.
More portobello mushroom recipes:
- Tomato & Olive Stuffed Portobellos
- Vegetarian Lovers Lasagna
- Mediterranean Portobello Mushroom Sandwich
- Portobello “Philly Cheese Steak”
- Turkey Burgers on Portobello “Buns”
Stuffed Portobello Mushroom with Beef & Tomato
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 large portobello mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 cups well-chopped fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a saute pan, heat olive oil and add garlic and cook until fragrant
3. Add in ground beef, spinach, diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, salt, pepper and oregano.
4. Drizzle soy sauce on the inner side of each portobello mushroom
5. Stuff with beef mixture and put into oven for 10 minutes.
6. Top with your favorite cheese and put back in oven until melted
Here is a great salad to eat as a meal by itself or serve on the side of a main entrée. It is easy to make ahead for any party or potluck. Granny Smith apples are marinated in this dijon-vinaigrette salad dressing and bleu cheese and walnuts are tossed over a bed of mixed greens. This tangy vinaigrette goes beautifully with tart apples and pungent bleu cheese. The dressing can be prepared up to three days ahead and refrigerated in a jar. One of my favorite ways to eat bleu cheese is in a salad. I love the contrast of the sharp-tasting, creamy, salty cheese with the crispy, sweet fruit, and the earthy-buttery nuts. The garnish of crunchy walnuts adds texture and flavor to this simple, yet elegant salad.
Mixed Green Salad with Apples, Bleu Cheese & Walnuts
Serves 4
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper
Salad:
- 4 cups torn mixed greens
- 1 cup chopped Granny Smith apple
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
Directions
To prepare dressing, combine all the ingredients in a jar. Cover tightly; shake vigorously.
To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add dressing; toss well.
Making your own trail bars is so easy and when I brought these to my Saturday morning run with the L.A. Leggers, everyone loved these little treats. When you bake your own energy bars, you can be assured that they include whole grains like rolled oats and whole wheat flour and healthy fats like peanut butter and nuts. Peanut butter replaces butter in these treats, reducing the saturated fat and boosting protein. The unsweetened applesauce binds the mixture together instead of using canola oil. The great thing about these bars is that you can mix and match ingredients. Add flax seed, chocolate chips, carob chips or experiment with different types of dried fruits and nuts, anything works! These bars make ideal snacks—tuck one into your pocket when you head out the door or eat one after a workout.
Ingredient Note
If you must avoid peanut butter because of an allergy, you can substitute soy nut butter or sunflower seed butter.
Other delicious energy bars:
Coconut & Cranberry Energy Bars
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Trail Bars
Makes 24 bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup natural-style smooth peanut butter
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the peanut butter, sugar, and honey in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until blended. Blend egg and egg whites with a fork in a small bowl. Add to the peanut butter mixture, along with applesauce and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add reserved flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula. Mix in oats, raisins and almonds. Scrape batter into the prepared baking dish. Use a piece of plastic wrap to spread batter into an even layer.
3. Bake the bars until lightly browned and firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack before cutting into 24 bars.
Here’s a quick dinner that I literally threw together in less than 30 minutes. I love these 1 pound lean ground beef packages from Trader Joe’s because they come in handy for a lot of quick meals. This dish combines moist and tender ground beef with diced portobello mushrooms all tossed together with hot chewy gnocchi in a rich tomato sauce. If you want something more decadent, you can easily make this into a baked casserole and layer the pasta/meat mixture with layers of shredded mozzarella topped with some breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. I opted for the lighter version and just broiled some shredded cheese on top of each dish for a nice cheesy bite.
Gnocchi with Portobello Meat Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound fresh or frozen gnocchi
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 large portobello caps, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 cups well-chopped fresh spinach
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions
- In a saute pan, heat olive oil and add garlic and cook until fragrant
- Add in ground beef, spinach, portobello mushroom, diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, salt, pepper and oregano.
- Boil the gnocchi in salted water per package instructions. Drain pasta, toss with some olive oil. Set aside.
- Add gnocchi to beef mixture and combine. Sprinkle some cheese on top and broil on high for 2 minutes until cheese melts.
Over the holidays, I made a huge pot of cranberry orange marmalade and packaged them as gifts for friends. Ever since then, I have had an abundance of frozen cranberries sitting in my freezer and this was the perfect recipe to use them for. The tartness of the cranberries pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the oranges. This bread isn’t very sweet when baked. I like to smear some peanut butter or jam on top when my sweet tooth kicks in. These healthy breads come in handy when you are rushing out the door in the morning. Make a couple extra baby loafs during the weekend for quick grab-and-go breakfasts during the week. Pack some up and snack on them throughout the day. For a healthy and decadent breakfast, warm up a couple slices in the microwave with a drizzle of maple syrup over the top and serve with sliced bananas. This is one breakfast you don’t want to miss. You can also add different nuts and flax seed to the mix and you can easily double the recipe if you are making these baby loaves as gifts.
Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread
Makes 8 slices
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 oranges + orange juice
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Pulse cranberries in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Squeeze juice, adding orange juice, if necessary, to measure 3/4 cup. Add orange juice to cranberries and mix.
- In a large bowl, add whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk to blend.
- Whisk egg, sugar, applesauce and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add to the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in cranberry-orange mixture and 1/4 cup nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, spreading evenly.
- Bake the loaves until the tops are golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen edges and turn the loaves out onto the rack to cool completely before slicing or wrapping.
Here is a healthy snack when you are looking to incorporate more fiber and protein into your diet. Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are inexpensive, readily available in your local supermarket, and packed with fiber, protein, folate and iron. These chickpeas are oven roasted and seasoned to taste for a delicious high fiber snack. Spicy roasted chickpeas are crisp and when you roast them they shrivel up into peas – tiny, easy to eat, and addictive. This is one snack that you can feel good about munching. Roasted chickpeas will keep you full and satisfied and the addition of olive oil will also give you a healthy dose of monounsaturated fat…the good fat! These chickpeas are addictive when you are craving something crunchy and salty (i.e. chips, pretzels). I think I may have found my new go-to snack! Make sure you eat these soon after you’re done roasting them for max flavor and crunch!
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Garlic salt
- Cayenne Pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
- Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to dry them. In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil, and season to taste with salt, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and crunchy. Watch carefully the last few minutes to avoid burning.
