When all else fails, bake.

I've really been slacking off this week with training.

Sunday, nothing.
Monday, 12 mile bike, quick 2 mile run to loosen up (not much).
Tuesday, decent swim with SB, but not enough to be a real workout.
Wednesday, nothing because I wasn't feeling right so I slept in (until 10!!!) instead.
Epic fail in the exercise department.

Recently, I've been feeling really tired and kind of "off". I take a variety of vitamin supplements, so I don't think it is that, though I ran out of calcium and haven't bought more... I've been eating a banana every day and I get adequate protein. However, I am cramping up every time I swim. I did some "google" research and I think I need to up my sodium intake. Growing up with a mother that always limited salt, I rarely add it to the stuff I eat. I drink an occasional V8 juice, but I bought the "lower sodium" variety. I have eliminated roughly 90% of processed foods from my diet and the things I do eat that are processed are things that are still minimally processed (ie natural chunky peanut butter, tofu). In fact the most processed thing I eat is probably the V8, but I don't count it because it's a healthy way to get in veggies, and it's better than fruit juice. I'm against sports drinks, and I don't think I'm at the level of exercise that requires me to refuel that much. I typically follow my workouts with soy or chocolate milk. I'm going to try to drink a daily V8 to get more sodium and possibly be more ontop of staying hydrated.

After a late evening MPRE review session last night that allowed me to realize that I'm a month behind schedule in test prep land, I decided to bake some bread. I decided to use a new recipe because the one I have been using keeps giving me different results and I've only had 1 of my 3 batches turn out nice. This new recipe eliminated gelatin, but adds vinegar. It also uses twice as much flour(!!). Overall, it wasn't quite as nice as my "good" loaf from the old recipe, but it come out as a more "sandwich bread" sized and was easier to slice. It however, was typical of gluten free bread and was dense and a little chewy. You win some, you lose some. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1tsp vinegar

1-1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup oil

4 cups flour blend

1 Tbsp. xanthan gum

3 Tbsp honey

1-1/2 tsp salt

1 packet Active dry yeast

Combine liquid ingredients and pour carefully into bread machine baking pan. Mix together dry ingredients and add to baking pan. Carefully place pan in the bread machine. Select normal/white cycle and start machine. Turn out on to a cutting board and let cool before slicing. Store sliced pieces in the freezer.

In my opinion, any baked good, perfect or not, is delicious still warm out of the oven (or bread machine). I "sampled" a small slice with a little butter:
I don't know which I love more, the smell of fresh baked bread, or eating it. One is sans calories, the other is just plain delicious.

The Beagle can't wait.

I think I will use this recipe again but maybe add in a healthier grain like buckwheat or something. I miss good ol' bread full of grains and seeds and stuff. I've never been too much of a fan for white bread.

Later today I have a pool date with SB and I'm going to try to make it out for a 5-6 mile run afterwords. I've been really slacking off in the running department since I got a blister on the arch of my foot and since The Beagle, my beloved running buddy, got a little pad injury. This is not good considering that I'm running a St. Patty's Day 8k. Normally on the days I don't run, I try to have a swim and/or bike workout. AS I mentioned earlier, this week has proved not too motivating.

Another goodie to look forward to today is that I get to pickup my CSA share after classes.
On the downside, I must drive up to Hillsboro this evening since I have a dentist appointment Friday in the a.m. Usually, I enjoy making it back home, but I have a make-up class Friday afternoon I'm going to try to make it back down in Eugene to and the OLSPIF auction later that night.

Time for bed, seeing that I have to be up in a few hours. Look out for a post later tonight about my CSA share and homemade polenta.... yummm.