Virtual Running Date No. 50: A Camping we will go!

Good morning, Crushers!

If this was a running date (and I've been cleared for running again - whoot!), I'd tell you all about our camping trip.

We got back from our camping trip on Sunday night, and I would like to say it was a total success. We had perfect weather - upper 70's-low 80's - and less mosquitoes than I thought. Like many northern states, Wisconsin could claim that the mosquito is the state bird during summer. I'm glad it's really the robin though. I digress...

View from top of the fire watch tower.

People told us to our face that we were nuts for taking a 3 month old camping. I even thought it when I saw how packed our SUV was just to take two adults and one tiny person to Peninsula State Park for 2 nights. So. Much. Stuff. We may cave and get a minivan before you know it. Or a truck. Anyway...

We camped with our friends Adam and Erin and their three girls (ages 5, 3, and 1.5). They camp like pros and bring everything you could possibly need for five families. Now that's some awesome preparation. The only things we forgot were a light blankie for Ellie and a bottle brush. Not too bad for our first camping trip with a kiddo!

Hiking with Ellie! (Yes, she had a hat, but I took it off for the photo)

 Our eggs and sausages with the chopped up veggies made breakfast easy. Erin and Adam had noodles with their girls the night before, so they asked if we could add them to some of the eggs. Scrambled eggs and noodles? Apparently it's a family recipe from their German heritage. No matter, it was surprisingly delicious! The breakfast cookies were also a hit. Only four ingredients and it was nice to just have a quick breakfast before packing up the tent!

Playing in the shade with daddy!

Erin made tacos and had all the fixings for dinner. Tacos while camping? OK! Again, delicious. We had a picnic lunch by the beach after seeing a lighthouse and climbing a fire watch tower. Camping was great.

Now to do it all over again next weekend... We are nuts.

Mini Frittatas: Why haven't I made these before?!

Good morning Crushers!

As you know, I'm embarking on a low carb, low sugar diet for the next few months to keep this baby healthy. I'm swapping out my usual breakfast of oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins or cereal for a high protein, low carb option: eggs. However, you can only eat eggs so many ways. Plus, I like to stay in bed as long as possible in the morning before having to get up and get going.

Unless it's summer and I've got a race to train for, of course.

Anyway, I was watching the Biggest Loser, and I remembered that they made some Turkey Bacon veggie frittatas that looked amazing! I know that there have been lots of recipes for this floating around the Internet and Pinterest. I've even bookmarked/pinned a few of them. However, I never actually tried them.

Thanks to Steve having the day off yesterday due to another day of weather being in the high negative numbers (seriously, we had colder temperatures than most of Alaska), he braved the cold and went out to buy a bunch of veggies and eggs for me! Love that guy!

We didn't have all the ingredients from the original recipe from Jennie-O, so here is what I used and how I did it:

Breakfast Frittatas
Ingredients:
8 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 dash parsley
1-ish tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 cup spinach, chopped up
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
2 slices of cheese, crumbled up
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Gear you'll need: A large bowl, a skillet, fork or whisk, a muffin tin, knife, cutting board, measuring cup and cooking spray.

Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet on the stove top, heat the oil. I did not measure the oil exactly, but I know it was not a full tablespoon. No need to add more oil! Anyway, throw all your diced/chopped veggies in the pan and cook until they are soft (about 5 minutes).

Lovely veggies! No idea why I can't rotate this darn picture...

While those are cooking away, mix the eggs, milk, cheese, and parsley in a bowl. I suggest a bowl that has a spout for easy pouring. Once the veggies are cooked, add them to the egg mixture and stir to combine.

Mixin' it up!

Then pour or spoon about 1/4 cup of the mix into each muffin tin cup. This will fill it up about 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20 minutes or until it's set.

Pre-oven

Then enjoy! (Or put them in a sealed container and pull out two for breakfast the next morning - only needs about one minute in the microwave!)

Virtual Running Date No. 21: Tips

Hello Crushers!

I am back in town near a computer for just a day before I head out to go camping for another long weekend. Have to get in the vacation time before school starts, right? FYI - Up North was amazing as ever, but my camera never made it out of my backpack. I was too busy having fun!

I'm going to use today's virtual running date to answer some newbie 5K running questions. My friend Hannah, previously mentioned here and here, is going to be running her first 5K on August 24, and I'm running with her. She recently asked me a few questions about running, and I probably overloaded her with answers. Whoops!

Here is a recap of a recent e-mail exchange:

Please note that I am not a professional trainer, medical professional or exercise guru. These are just things that I have found helpful over the course of my running experience. If you would like to start running, please consult your doctor or health professional to make sure you are in a healthy place to start a new exercise regimen.

Hannah: How much running or resting should I do the week prior to the race?  Obviously I want to be ready, but not push myself too much right?

Me: It all depends on how much you're currently running. For instance, if you run 3-4 times a week and you go about 2-3 miles each, then you're fine. You can "rest" on Friday if you'd like or do a shorter run (no more than 2 miles). Since this isn't a marathon or anything, there is no reason to eat a carb-loaded meal the night before. It won't do you any extra good.

Hannah: Also, any good recommendations of what to eat / not eat for breakfast prior to the race?

Me: It all depends on what you normally eat for breakfast and if it makes you have to go to the bathroom or not. I know that's kind of a gross answer, but there is nothing worse than having to go #2 in the middle of a run when you're far from a bathroom. Running faster only makes it worse! My go-to breakfast on race days are protein and a banana. A scrambled egg and a half (one whole egg and one egg white) and a banana or a banana and a big scoop of peanut butter usually works well for me. Bananas are a great source of energy because they have a lot of fruit sugars and fiber.

Here's another pre-race tip:
Unless you KNOW FOR SURE that they have bathrooms near the start line, DO NOT drink too much water pre-race. You want to drink enough water with breakfast to feel that your thirst is quenched, but don't over do it because the combo of a lot of water and nerves = pre-race sprint to the bathroom. That always freaks me out because then I feel like I wasted pre-race time waiting for my turn to use it than warming up and just hanging out at the start.

RACE tips:
There will be water stops. Depending on what you usually drink while running and how hot it is that day, feel free to skip a water stop or walk through it and chug one down.

Unless you are going to finish the race in a blaze of glory, there is NO REASON to start at the front. Seriously, I usually just look around me at 5Ks and think, "hey, that person looks like my fitness level" and then I stand BEHIND that person. I could have just under estimated that woman, and I don't want to get plowed over. You can always move up, but it pisses off really fast runners if you start too far up. If I ever get you to run a half marathon, you line up with your pace time.

I am going to run with you, so no worries on pace. If you are running to finish, that's great. If you're running to set a fast time, that's great. If you feel like mile 2 sucks and you need to walk a little because you ran mile 1 too fast, that's a learning moment and it's great to walk too (just walk on the side of the route so you're not in anyone's way).

I hope that you find these tips helpful on a virtual running date or a regular one!

Note: When I get back from camping, I'll have some fun over-the-fire recipes to share.

Meatless Monday options

Good morning, Crushers!

I know that today is Friday, but a friend and I were talking about "Meatless Mondays" as a way to try more veggie-ful and (usually) less expensive meal options. We are very cost-conscious about our grocery bill, but we don't want to sacrifice trying new foods and flavors either. And, obviously, I love to cook, so we don't buy too many pre-packaged meals. At times, eating whole foods can get a little expensive. Not to say I don't love tossing a bag of french fries in the oven or enjoying a frozen pizza now and then!

Anyway, Erie (the aforementioned friend) and I decided to brainstorm some meatless options. Here they are in no particular order:

• Bean and Rice burrito
• Bean and Veggie tacos
• Huevos Rancheros (egg dish)
• Breakfast for dinner: eggs, omelets, quiche, frittata, pancakes, biscuits and gravy (with beans instead of sausage)
  
• Stir fry/fried rice with egg and/or beans
• Vegetarian Lasagna
• Bean Soup
• Meatless Chili
• Loaded Baked Potatoes (use some of that chili!)
• Grilled veggie sandwiches
• Grilled mushrooms burgers
• Black bean burgers
• Homemade pizza with veggies

What do you think? What am I missing? What should we try first?

I got a wok for my birthday, so I'm thinking stir fry, but breakfast for dinner is calling my name!

Tailgating: Grill vs. Slow Cooker

From Wikipedia:

In the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and concerts. People attending such a party are said to be tailgating. Many people participate even if their vehicles do not have tailgates.

Everyone tailgates differently. I wish, oh how I wish I had taken pictures of the many types of tailgate parties I saw at the Packer game yesterday when The Pack beat the Arizona Cardinals. Some people just sat in chairs at the back of their cars eating sub sandwiches and some people had multiple grills for a buffet feast. I've seen catered groups with fancy cocktails and wine to tiny grills with 20-something men drinking crappy beer. It varies by sport, location, and local cuisine. However, the basics are all there: parking lot, sporting event, food and fun.

Here are some fun links about tailgating food, tips and accessories (the magnetic beer koozie cracks me up):

Home Tailgating

Tailgate Warriors

American Tailgaters

When I tailgate for baseball games, I usually have a grill with some brats and burgers with chips and salsa or taco dip, some sort of dessert, and some sort of salad like potato, pasta or coleslaw. Generally, the weather is nicer so you can hang out for hours before (or after) the game with your fellow-fans. Oh, and don't forget to have some tasty beverages handy, too!

Tailgate picture from October 2010 - not much changes year-to-year.

We're at Lambeau Field!
(You can't tell that we've got a ton of layers of clothes on to keep us warm!)

Everyone in the stands had a piece of colored paper
to hold up to make a "Thank You Veterans" card stunt
during the Star Spangled Banner. I took this picture from
behind my red card.

When I go to a Packer game, which if you are from Wisconsin, then you know it's a big deal even if you're not a fan, I want warm, tasty comfort food that will stick to my insides and keep me warm through the whole game at Lambeau Field. It's not called "the Frozen Tundra" for nothing, folks!

If we go to an afternoon game (3 p.m. kickoff), then you're more likely to have time to start the grill and cook some brats or burgers. However, we went to a noon game, which means that we were there around 10:30 a.m. I don't know about you, but that's a little early to be eating brats for me. What to do? Breakfast casserole, bloody mary's and spiked coffee!

Unfortunately, since I make this slow cooker breakfast casserole as the very last thing before I went to bed, I was not thinking about taking pictures. I also spent most of the day learning how to caulk our bathtub so I was tired of scrubbing and just wanted to get cooking. It's so easy, you can do half asleep!

Anyway, you can go over to this website where there are pictures. I took Ott, A's recipe and only changed it by using crumbled Italian sausage in the layers for a little kick. Also, I did not saute the garlic and onions. I just put them in fresh.

Funny story: I found this recipe through Pinterest.com, and I later found out that one of my co-workers is related to the blog author. Small world!

Ingredients:
6-8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2-1 pound of Italian sausage (as mild or hot as you like), browned
1-2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 green pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 - 2 lb bag of frozen hash browns, I like using the string kind instead of the cubes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, pepper jack would probably be good too
12 eggs
1 cup of milk
salt and pepper to taste

You might want hot sauce or ketchup available in case you have people who like condiments.

Directions:
While you are browning the Italian sausage and/or cooking the bacon, take the time to chop up your veggies. It makes the assembly time much quicker! Depending on how fast you chop, you might also have time to crack the eggs in a big bowl and whisk in a cup of milk. Ott, A's recipe called for whole milk, but we just always use whatever we have in the fridge (skim, 1% or 2%).

Once you've got your bacon cooked and crumbled and the sausage is browned and all the fat is drained off of both, it is assembly time! Grease the inside of the slow cooker all the way TO THE TOP with butter or cooking spray. Layer 1/3 of the hash browns, cheese, onion, peppers, meat, salt and pepper in order and repeat. You will have three layers. This will fill up your slow cooker all the way to the top. Although, you think that you can't possibly fit in any more ingredients, you pour the egg mixture over the whole thing. It sinks right in!

Now turn the cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours. Then go to bed since you're going to be up early to hit the road to see your beloved team (hopefully) squash the other team.

Serving suggestions: Enjoy with coffee (spiked or regular), a Bloody Mary (with all the fixings or not), some coffee cake and a heaping dose of friendly trash talk with tailgaters wearing the other team's colors.

The Flipside part 2

Here are some photos to go with "The Flipside" post from last week. Please excuse the photo quality. I had to take the photos by myself with my phone since my husband wasn't home to be my photographer.

When you've got your pan hot and the butter is bubbling nicely, this is what it looks like:

Be sure and swish the butter around to coat the whole bottom of the pan. Although the pan is non-stick (Rachel Ray from Kohl's), it is nice to be sure that your eggs won't stick when you're trying to flip them.

Here is what the eggs should look like when you're getting ready to flip them. See how the edges are pretty well cooked and they don't wiggle when you shake the pan. It's OK if the top of the middle of the eggs are wobbly. Note the firm grip that's ready to flip!

 Now that you've flipped them by sliding them up the pan with a quick shove-away motion, this is what it looks like. Yes, that some egg residue from the flip on the edge, but that's OK. It was delicious!

See? All part of a healthy breakfast of yogurt, fruit, juice and an omelet filled with cheese and topped with homemade salsa.