I am running a 5K in the morning and I haven't raced since...July? Anyway, my training for the half is almost through, and I'm interested in seeing where I land.
Food is, like, important and stuff when it comes to racing. When it comes to doing anything, actually; typing this and breathing and blinking wouldn't happen without food to fuel it all. A lot of people can be maniacal about what they eat and when (athletes and non-athletes alike). For some, it's a fear of gaining weight. For others, it's a control issue. Some do it for optimal energy performance and some because they are superstitious about it. For me, I am a mix if the latter two.
If you know me at all, and as you are reading this I am pretty sure you probably do, you know I am no stranger to foods that are probably not the best to eat all the time (some of which barely make the "food" label: American cheese, anyone?). But most of the time, especially when I am prepping for a run and especially for a race, I make sure to eat a good balance of lean protein and vegetables and toss in some complex carbohydrates.
That sounds pretty generic; I would be surprised if a picture of boiled chicken over brown rice with a side of green beans and a glass of water didn't pop into your head. If I was reading and not writing and living this, that is how I would have read it. It doesn't have to be boring, just balanced. But I digress...
Eating what I need so I don't bonk (a.k.a lose my steam) is part of it. Eating certain foods before race day has also become superstitious for me. Sounds silly, but it's true. Knowing how your body reacts and performs with certain foods is key. I have a friend who can eat a sausage and egg McMuffin 10 minutes before the gun, then run 13+ miles no problem. This is abnormal. He knows this, but it's his superstition that keeps him at it. For me, race morning breakfast is coffee, Cheerios with 1% milk, almonds or walnuts and banana or craisins. Consumed no less than 1.5 hours before the start. Why? It works. I don't want to throw it up. I don't bonk.
See you at the start.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
flew
So the flu shot. Do you get one? I don't. I'm like...meh, I like to live on the wild side. Take my chances. Trust my immune system.
Then I learn that you will have to get two shots this year, yes two: one for the seasonal flu, one for H1N1 (SWINE!) flu.
Shots don't bother me. Snakes, yes. Shots, no. What bothers me is the semi-flu-like ache you can get from the shot. So I am going to continue on my merry way, throwing caution to the wind and take my chances this winter. And, as a preventative measure, I will stop licking the handles on the backs of the seats on the T. You know, I may mock fate sometimes but I sure as hell won't tempt it. Intentionally.
(If you are old, sick, have diabetes, asthma, heart disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS or a baby in your womb-region, get the shots. Just do it.)
Then I learn that you will have to get two shots this year, yes two: one for the seasonal flu, one for H1N1 (SWINE!) flu.
Shots don't bother me. Snakes, yes. Shots, no. What bothers me is the semi-flu-like ache you can get from the shot. So I am going to continue on my merry way, throwing caution to the wind and take my chances this winter. And, as a preventative measure, I will stop licking the handles on the backs of the seats on the T. You know, I may mock fate sometimes but I sure as hell won't tempt it. Intentionally.
(If you are old, sick, have diabetes, asthma, heart disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS or a baby in your womb-region, get the shots. Just do it.)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Blogging again, you know you are so excited.
I never blog anymore. I really think it's becuase I am in front of a computer 8-9 hours a day and the last thing I want to do when I get home is more computering.
But I want to blog. I really do. I miss writing, and so I am going to blog again. I am taking a class next month on food writing and I am reading a book on it...and actually reading other books, too, which honestly is super lame to admit that I am reading books...again...implying that I have gone on a book reading hiatus for quite some time.
The implication is totally right on. I did go on hiatus. For no apparently good reason, but I am going to find something to blame and as soon as I do I am going to blog about it.
But I want to blog. I really do. I miss writing, and so I am going to blog again. I am taking a class next month on food writing and I am reading a book on it...and actually reading other books, too, which honestly is super lame to admit that I am reading books...again...implying that I have gone on a book reading hiatus for quite some time.
The implication is totally right on. I did go on hiatus. For no apparently good reason, but I am going to find something to blame and as soon as I do I am going to blog about it.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Baked Chimichangas
I love Mexican food. Who doesn't love Mexican food? If you don't, stop reading my blog. We have nothing to say to each other.
If you are still reading, Ole! Have you ever had a chimichanga? A flour tortilla wrapped burrito, deep fried, usually served under some sort of sauce (green or red), cheese, sour cream, guacamole...depending on where you get it from. Its a calorie bomb from Dios (heaven). Sometimes I want it real, real bad. There's nowhere around here with a chimi on the menu worthy of such a splurge. So I made one up.
Baked Turkey Chimis
Serves 8
1 turkey breast on the bone
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
Bay leaf
2T ground cumin
1T chili powder (or more to taste)
1T smoked paprika (optional)
1T dried oregano, crushed
2 tsp salt
2 bunches fresh spinach (or 1 bag), washed, de-stemmed and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups light shredded cheese OR cotija cheese
8 medium whole wheat tortillas
your choice of sauce: red, green, or fundido. OR just go buy some.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place turkey breast on a roasting pan and cook until 185 degrees or about 35-40 minutes. Set aside to cool. When cool to the touch, shred it with your hands into a bowl. Go on, get messy. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saute pan, film the bottom with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and bay leaf and cook, stirring frequently about 5 minutes or until it softens. Add garlic and cook about one minute. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and salt. Stir to combine and cook for about 30 seconds. Add can of tomatoes with it's liquid. Bring to a simmer and add turkey, beans, then spinach. Cover the pan, reduce heat to medium low. Uncover when spinach is wilted and reduce the liquid.
Spray a 9x13 casserole dish well. Heat tortillas in microwave between 2 paper towels for 45 seconds. Set up the 8 tortillas on the counter with 1/4 cup** cheese in the center of each. Portion filling into each of the tortillas, about 1.5 cup each. Wrap each like a burrito and place, seam down, in the pan. Spray the top of the tortillas well.
Pop that in the oven, bake until tortillas are golden and crispy, about 15 minutes. Serve with 1/4 cup sauce (or more). Wicked tasty.
**If you only add 2T of cheese to each, these are 7 WW points each
If you are still reading, Ole! Have you ever had a chimichanga? A flour tortilla wrapped burrito, deep fried, usually served under some sort of sauce (green or red), cheese, sour cream, guacamole...depending on where you get it from. Its a calorie bomb from Dios (heaven). Sometimes I want it real, real bad. There's nowhere around here with a chimi on the menu worthy of such a splurge. So I made one up.
Baked Turkey Chimis
Serves 8
1 turkey breast on the bone
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
Bay leaf
2T ground cumin
1T chili powder (or more to taste)
1T smoked paprika (optional)
1T dried oregano, crushed
2 tsp salt
2 bunches fresh spinach (or 1 bag), washed, de-stemmed and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups light shredded cheese OR cotija cheese
8 medium whole wheat tortillas
your choice of sauce: red, green, or fundido. OR just go buy some.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place turkey breast on a roasting pan and cook until 185 degrees or about 35-40 minutes. Set aside to cool. When cool to the touch, shred it with your hands into a bowl. Go on, get messy. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saute pan, film the bottom with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and bay leaf and cook, stirring frequently about 5 minutes or until it softens. Add garlic and cook about one minute. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and salt. Stir to combine and cook for about 30 seconds. Add can of tomatoes with it's liquid. Bring to a simmer and add turkey, beans, then spinach. Cover the pan, reduce heat to medium low. Uncover when spinach is wilted and reduce the liquid.
Spray a 9x13 casserole dish well. Heat tortillas in microwave between 2 paper towels for 45 seconds. Set up the 8 tortillas on the counter with 1/4 cup** cheese in the center of each. Portion filling into each of the tortillas, about 1.5 cup each. Wrap each like a burrito and place, seam down, in the pan. Spray the top of the tortillas well.
Pop that in the oven, bake until tortillas are golden and crispy, about 15 minutes. Serve with 1/4 cup sauce (or more). Wicked tasty.
**If you only add 2T of cheese to each, these are 7 WW points each
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Iron fer yer strength
I was gifted a freezer-full of meat. Thanks to a friend's cross country move, my heme iron intake has skyrocketed. Why do I care? I mean, you know and I know and hopefully more and more of the general population knows that iron can be obtained from plant sources (aka non heme iron). But heme iron is especially important: it's easily absorbed. Ladies, we need iron! We need more iron than men do! We lose a bunch of it every month, and need to replace it. Females age 19-50: get 18mg a day! Males? Pssshhht. A measly 8mg.
Don't worry vegetarians and vegans out there. There's hope. Here's a table of non heme iron sources:
*DV based on 18mg a day. For the ladies.
Now, don't get too excited. Just because there are plenty o' options out there to build everyone's blood cells doesn't mean everything that goes into your mouth actually goes into your body. If you only consume non heme iron, you need to take an extra step to make sure its getting in there. Vitamin C actually helps that absorption tremendously. This doesn't mean you have to begin to suck lemons every day. If you are getting your 5-7 servings of fruit and vegs a day, chances are you are probably getting enough C to cover yourself. Keep in mind, though, that some soy proteins can actually inhibit non heme absorption. If you are having tofu for dinner, just make sure to add some C to your meal: squeeze orange over it, have it with cabbage or eggplant or eat fruit for dessert.
Don't worry vegetarians and vegans out there. There's hope. Here's a table of non heme iron sources:
| Food | Milligrams per serving | % DV* |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-eat cereal, 100% iron fortified, 1 cup | 18.0 | 100 |
| Oatmeal, instant, fortified, prepared with water, 1 cup | 10.0 | 60 |
| Soybeans, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 8.8 | 50 |
| Lentils, boiled, 1 cup | 6.6 | 35 |
| Beans, kidney, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 5.2 | 25 |
| Beans, lima, large, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 4.5 | 25 |
| Beans, navy, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 4.5 | 25 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, 25% iron fortified, 1 cup | 4.5 | 25 |
| Beans, black, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 3.6 | 20 |
| Beans, pinto, mature, boiled, 1 cup | 3.6 | 20 |
| Molasses, blackstrap, 1 tablespoon | 3.5 | 20 |
| Tofu, raw, firm, 1 cup | 3.4 | 20 |
| Spinach, boiled, drained, 1 cup | 3.2 | 20 |
| Spinach, canned, drained solids 1 cup | 2.5 | 10 |
| Black-eyed peas (cowpeas), boiled, 1 cup | 1.8 | 10 |
| Spinach, frozen, chopped, boiled cup | 1.9 | 10 |
| Grits, white, enriched, quick, prepared with water, 1 cup | 1.5 | 8 |
| Raisins, seedless, packed, 1/4 cup | 1.5 | 8 |
| Whole wheat bread, 1 slice | 0.9 | 6 |
| White bread, enriched, 1 slice | 0.9 | 6 |
*DV based on 18mg a day. For the ladies.
Now, don't get too excited. Just because there are plenty o' options out there to build everyone's blood cells doesn't mean everything that goes into your mouth actually goes into your body. If you only consume non heme iron, you need to take an extra step to make sure its getting in there. Vitamin C actually helps that absorption tremendously. This doesn't mean you have to begin to suck lemons every day. If you are getting your 5-7 servings of fruit and vegs a day, chances are you are probably getting enough C to cover yourself. Keep in mind, though, that some soy proteins can actually inhibit non heme absorption. If you are having tofu for dinner, just make sure to add some C to your meal: squeeze orange over it, have it with cabbage or eggplant or eat fruit for dessert.
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