Realization Event

I am 23. I am young and healthy. I realized today that I better damn well take advantage of this. I don't want to look back 30 years from now and wish I took advantage of my body and ability to get in better shape. I know that doing triathlons (or any athletic endeavor) will not get easier the older I get. Running will only come with more aches and pains, and biking will only hurt my back more. I'll only get slower at swimming.

Yes, there are those later-middle aged folks who are amazingly fit and active. However, this is the last time in my life I have all the time in the world for myself. All I have to balance right now revolves around the world of Jayme. School, job, dog, boyfriend. All Jayme-centric. Once I get married,have kids, I have a feeling that things will move from more Jayme-centric to kid-centric and family-centric. So instead of trying to juggle the potential that comes with this amazing body I have been given with work, kids, family, *other people!*; I am going to take advantage of it NOW.

On the plus side, If I take care of myself now, it'll pay off later. I've never heard anyone regret eating healthy in their 20's or staying active.

Sauteed Spinach over Zucchini "Spaghetti"

Here it is:

Sauteed Spinach over Zucchini "Spaghetti" Ingredients

1 Zucchini sliced with a julienne peeler
2 big handfuls of baby spinach
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 shallot "clove", minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, roughly chopped
Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese (or another soft cheese)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, heat up sun dried tomatoes and the oil that comes with it. Add minced garlic and shallots and cook for about 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook until it wilts. Place zucchini noodles in a bowl with dollops of the cheese. Spoon the cooked spinach over the noodle and cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and eat once the cheese is all melty.

You have to admit it, even looks like noodles

One of my favorite things in the world

Delicious!

This has been linked to Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays

Multigrain Chocolate Chip Cookies

Finals are approaching and that means emotional eating. I know this is not a habit I need to be supporting, but I have had an uncanny desire for chocolate cookies. Seeing that I am trying to clear out my cupboards, I altered the traditional recipe and made it gluten free.

Multigrain Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon potatoe starch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup oil (I didn't have butter so oil it is)
3/4 cup brown sugar or sweetener of your choice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine oil, brown sugar and mix until thoroughly combined, stir in egg, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and xanthan gum. Mix in flours and once combined, stir in chocolate chips.

Drop 1/2 tablespoon blobs of dough onto a ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 11 minutes.

This is not a sugar-free recipe. I needed to get rid of brown sugar I had laying around and well, chocolate chips are obviously not SF. If I make this recipe again I will replace the sugar with agave nectar and maybe some SF cocoa nibs


.

Toys are fun

Have you ever made "Spaghetti" noodles out of a vegetable? I've had spaghetti squash and love it. I don't love how long it takes to prepare. While I was doing some grocery shopping last night I picked up a julienne peeler. I have read on other blogs about making noodles out of raw vegetables such as zucchini and carrots. Well I did it, and it was EASY. What's better? It was delicious! I was unsure of the raw zucchini, but it actually had a pasta-like texture and once I covered it with sauce... yummy. The carrots were less "pasta-like" but still good. I don't have a picture because I ate the "noodles" up quickly. I do have a picture of the peeler I'm talking about. Not as exciting... but still. I will have to play around with this new toy of mine and post some yummy goodness.



PS
I bought a wetsuit today. I better kick some triathlon ass.

"Just Keep on Swimming!"

My creative recipe itch has been in hibernation mode recently. Finals are only 2 weeks away and I feel like everything is just crashing into these last weeks and I have so much to do. It also doesn't help that I'm trying to clear out my freezer. I still cook a ton, but I can't see the general public finding any of my personal creations appetizing or appealing. It seems that smoothies are a good way to get rid of frozen veggies (sugar snap peas) and a frozen hamburger patty goes well with pasta dishes.

Along with my lack of creativeness in the kitchen, I have also felt this way about my swim workouts. Seeing that my free time has been lacking, I am trying to jam all my swim workouts into 1 session and I plan on jamming them into 2 sessions later down the line as they become longer. Don't get me wrong, I love to swim, but it can get boring and a bit "treadmill-esk". (read hamster in the wheel). HALP! if you swim, give me ideas for workouts. I'm in need of things between 2000 to 3000m.

I am excited for the weather to clear up because I am really enjoying my new bike which I have decided to name "Carmen." Carmen has also inspired DB to purchase a boyfriend for her, but he is having sizing issues. I have new riding gear coming in the mail and I can't wait.

Fact of the year: Apparently, one is not suppose to wear underthings with bike shorts. You can bet that I bought another pair because... ew.

That is all, nothing new to report on.

Wordless Wednesday

Sprouted Quinoa with Shrimp, Edamame, and Corn

Seeing that I have enough food in my freezer to feed a small gluten free army, I am going to try to eat up everything in there before I go grocery shopping. (minus fresh produce).

Here's what I threw together:

Sprouted Quinoa with Shrimp, Edamame, and Corn

Ingredients

1 cup sprouted quinoa *see note
1/2 cup frozen edamame
1/2 cup frozen corn
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
about 2 cups thawed, unshelled shrimp, tails off
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce (GF of course)
few leaves of fresh basil

In a skillet, heat sun-dried tomatoes with their oil until hot. Throw in garlic and sautee for a few minutes. Toss in shrimp and cook until done, about 3 minutes each side. While the shrimp is cooking, defrost the corn and edamame and toss with the quinoa in a large bowl. When the shrimp is cooked, remove from the skillet and cut into bite sized pieces. Toss shrimp pieces with tomatoes and garlic stuff and into the quinoa mixture and toss together with vinegar and soy sauce. Finish off by mixing in some chopped basil.

This recipe is part of Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays Series over at SimplySugar&GlutenFree. Check it out.


In training News:
I biked this morning. I decided not to swim on Mondays because I cover more than enough distance on my Tues and Thurs swims. I figure as long as I get the same mileage in, it's Kosher.

* To sprout quinoa:
Take regular quinoa and rinse well. Stick in a large container and cover with water. Soak for about 30 min. Drain and rinse the quinoa and let sit on the counter overnight. In the morning, rinse the quinoa again and leave uncovered in the original container at room temperature for about another8 hours. You can continue to rinse and "sprout" for another day.

Vegetable Stock

So this is less of a recipe and more of a money saving idea. What do you do with your vegetable scraps? The kind you get when you de-stem kale, or cut the tops off of carrots? Most likely you toss them in the trash, or if you're clever, you might have a compost bucket you throw them in.

I like stock.

I am known to go to people's houses and come back with a chicken carcass so I can make chicken broth. Also, because gluten-free broth can be hard to come by and/or expensive, I rather make my own. Plus, I know what goes into it. I looked at some stock" concentrate stuff I had in my fridge from when I had the flu, and it had "corn syrup solids" and sugar in it. Why did my chicken broth base have "corn syrup solids" in it?! EWWWWWWW

About a month or so ago, I asked myself why I was throwing away all my vegetable scraps when I could be saving them to make broth later? Because I am moving out of my "glorious" apartment in about 2 months (YAY) I did an inventory of my freezer this morning. Along with forgotten chicken breasts and baked goods, I came across my veggie scrap stash. Every time I trimmed the bottoms off asparagus or other things, I'd throw them into a bag in the freezer for safe keeping. I decided today was the day that I needed to make use.

The contents of the bag went into my trusty stock pot along with part of a frozen ginger root I found in the back of the freezer and some sad looking celery from my fridge. I filled the rest of the pot with water and it's now simmering away on the stove top. You could use a slow cooker, but today, I am impatient and I don't have all day.

I will repost when I have the stock completed. Some things in my stock: parsnips, kale, turnip greens, carrots, ginger, celery, shallots, onions, asparagus, and a ton of other things I couldn't recognize anymore. Another benefit is that I can tell you my apartment smells AMAZING right now. yuuuummm I can't wait.

Somethings to keep in mind: Make sure there is no dirt on your scraps. No one wants gritty stock. Once you are done simmering the stock for a few hours, just strain into containers. Stick some in the freezer and some in the fridge. It'll probably last for about a week in the fridge... though mine never lasts that long. It's delicious.

There you have it. Stop throwing away your scraps and make some stock!

New Bike

So..... I went for the gold and bought a new bike tonight. I took advantage or REI's member's 20% discount and dropped a crapload...
There she is. I need a name because we're going to have a long relationship. Here are some of the specs:

• 6061 aluminum frame is strong and fatigue resistant; sport geometry sets you more upright than race geometry, enhancing long-ride comfort
• Kinesis carbon fork delivers solid steering and damps minor road vibrations, reducing harsh shockwaves traveling through hands, arms, shoulders and back
• FSA Vero triple crankset features lightweight and durable cold-forged aluminum arms; ramped and pinned chainrings give crisp shifting and years of solid use
• Triple chainrings let you storm hills, rocket descents and race flats; 9-cog rear cassette dials in resistance for cadence, wind or slope changes
• Shimano Sora shifters and Tiagra/Sora derailleurs are light and responsive and deliver the reliability you expect from Shimano components
• Shimano long-reach brakes enhance tire clearance and accommodate fenders easily (fenders sold separately)
• Features low-resistance Vittoria Zaffiro tires mounted on lightweight, smooth-handling Alex DA-22 rims
• Elegant San Marco Ischia women's saddle is contoured and padded to support sit bones through long training rides
• Platform pedals with toe cages let you wear everyday shoes while keeping feet secure on the pedals

so I would have liked a more race specific bike, but for my price range... they one is the best buy. I like that once I am over this tri-stage of mine, the bike can be altered into a commuter bike. After my test run in the parking lot, I could already feel the upgrades. Much faster, lighter and smoother. Thank you Wally, but I have to break it up. You were a good bike for the past year and a half, but I had to move on to better things. On the other hand, if anyone is looking for an entry level road bike, let me know. Honestly, good ol' Wally is a good bike,especially for the price. Held up great in the sprint.

UPDATE: Wally is sold. thanks everyone.

Olympic Tri Challange

I am hereby challenging you, dear readers, to follow me along with my proposed training plan for my next triathlon. This is designed for an Olympic length (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10k run). I will be starting next week and I hope to be able to stay on track. What can you do to support me? You don't have to do all the workouts but maybe try to swim and bike on the days I do. You don't have to bike 12 miles for the first time ever, but what about biking to school instead of driving or a few laps at the pool? Ready, Set, Go!

If you would like an emailed pdf. of this workout shoot me a comment.

Date	Swim	Bike	Run
Week 1
Monday	750 m	12 mi	off
Tuesday	750 mi	off	20 min
Wednesday	off	12 mi	off
Thursday	1000 m	off	20m
Friday	off	off	off
Saturday	off	off	30min
Sunday	off	15 mi	off
Week 2
Monday	750 m	12 mi	off
Tuesday	1000 m	off	20 min
Wednesday	off	12 mi	off
Thursday	1250 m	off	20 min
Friday	off	off	off
Saturday	off	off	35 min
Sunday	off	15 mi	off
Week 3
Monday	750 m	15 mi	off
Tuesday	1000 m	off	20 min
Wednesday	off	15 mi	off
Thursday	1250 m	off	25 min
Friday	off	off	off
Saturday	off	off	40 min
Sunday	off	20 mi	off
Week 4	Recovery	Recovery	Recovery
Monday	750 m	10 mi	off
Tuesday	750 m	off	20 min
Wednesday	off	15 mi	off
Thursday	off	off	20 min
Friday	off	off	off
Saturday	off	off	30 min
Sunday	off	20 mi	off
Week 5
Monday	1000 m	15 mi	off
Tuesday	1000 m	off	20 min
Wednesday	off	20 mi	off
Thursday	1500 m	off	25 min
Friday	off	off	off
Saturday	off	off	40 min
Sunday	off	25 mi	off
Week 6
Monday	1000 m	20 mi	off
Tuesday	1250 m	off	25 min
Wednesday	off	25 mi	off
Thursday	1750 mi	off	30 min
Friday	off	offo	off
Saturday	off	off	45 min
Sunday	off	25 mi	off
Week 7
Monday	1000m	20 mi	off
Tuesday	1500 m	off	25 min
Wednesday	off	25 mi	off
Thursday	2000 m	off	35 min
Friday	off	off	off
Saturday	off	off	50 min
Sunday	off	30 mi	off
Week 8	Recovery	Recovery	Recovery
Monday	750 m	15 mi	off
Tuesday	1000 m	off	20 min
Wednesday	off	20 mi	off
Thursday	1500 m	off	25 min
Friday	off	off	off
Saturday	off	off	40 min
Sunday	off	30 mi	off
Week 9
Monday	1250 m	20 mi	off
Tuesday	1500 m	off	25 min
Wednesday	off	25 mi	off
Thursday	2000 m	off	35 min
Friday	off	20 mi	off
Saturday	1000m	off	50 min
Sunday	off	40 mi	60 min walk
Week 10
Monday	1500 m	25 mi	off
Tuesday	1750 m	off	25 min
Wednesday	off	25 mi	off
Thursday	2250 m	off	40 min
Friday	off	20 mi	off
Saturday	1000 m	off	55 min
Sunday	off	45 mi	60 min walk
Week 11
Monday	1750 m	25 mi	off
Tuesday	2000 m	off	30 min
Wednesday	off	30 mi	off
Thursday	2500 m	off	45 min
Friday	off	20 mi	off
Saturday	1000 m	off	60 min
Sunday	off	50 mi	60 min walk
Week 12	Begin Taper	Begin Taper	Begin Taper
Monday	1500 m	25 mi	off
Tuesday	2000m	off	30 min
Wednesday	off	25 mi	off
Thursday	1000 m	off	45 min
Friday	off	off	off
Saturday	off	off	60 min
Sunday	off	40 mi	45 min walk
Week 13
Monday	1500 m	25 mi	off
Tuesday	off	off	45 min
Wednesday	1500 m	25 mi	off
Thursday	1000m	off	30 min
Friday	off	off	off
Saturday	Race Day	Race Day	Race Day
Sunday

One Down, Many more to Go

YAY! I finished my first triathlon today! The weather was horrible (though, could have been worse... read: it could have been snowing), but it was super fun! I was faster in my swim than I thought I would be and same for the run. My bike however... was slow. Nothing like a huge ego killer than getting passed by every 55 year old woman in sight.... the ones you left far behind in the swim...lol. However, my good ol' Walmart bike held up and I am still pleased with my time. My feet were numb for about a mile and a half through the run, but one I could feel my legs again, I made up for some time. The results of the entire race can be found here then click "view all". Mybike photo can be seen here and my finish photo can be found here

After our race, I prepared a yummy leg of lamb Pre-Easter dinner for DB and his parents. I read a few recipes prior to get a good idea of what to do but winged the rest of it. REsults: good. Sorry, no pictures, we were too hungry to wait (or remember to take pictures.) The amounts of ingredients are an estimate, as I don't typically measure things.


Roast Leg of Lamb with Basil Fig Sauce

Ingredients

One Leg of Lamb (we bought a boneless one from Costco)

Marinade
2 tablespoons Fresh Rosemary
3 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
1/4 cup yogurt

Basil Fig Sauce
1 lemon and its zest
a handful of fresh basil leaves
olive oil
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup dried figs

The night before, rub the lamb with rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and yogurt. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Once the lamb has been marinated, remove from the fridge. Squeeze about 3/4 of the juice from the lemon all over the lamb. Place on an ovenproof pan and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes per pound. (FYI, lamb is fatty so this needs to be a deeper dish because the meat will render out a lot of fat and juice)

In a food processor combine all the ingredients for the sauce, using the remaining lemon juice and zest. Puree until smooth (a few fig seeds will remain).

Once Lamb is finished, cover with foil and let rest for at least 20 minutes.

Serve with basil fig sauce and watch the dogs drool.