13.1 part two

Yesterday Liz and I accomplished yet another milestone in our quest to get fit. We ran the Surftown Half Marathon, by the ocean, in gorgeous Westerly, RI. This is our second half marathon and I hate to admit it, but I really have the running bug now.

After the first half marathon I completed, I felt beat down. I was dying around mile 10, ready to be done. I managed a 2:12 finish for that one, but really struggled through it. This time, I realized I was never out of breath the entire race. We decided to run this one together and I finished in 2:16, but I felt like I could have easily shaved 10 minutes off of that pace. I am setting the goal now of running this race again next September and breaking 10min/mile. I would really like to break the 2 hour mark, which would be a 9:16 pace, but we'll see how that goes. The things that really made a difference this time were, the visor that kept the sun off of my face, the new shoes and orthotics I got from Olympic Physical Therapy (more to come on that later) and the fact that I was down 7 pounds from the last half marathon I ran. It doesn't seem like a lot, but I was in better overall physical shape. I was lighter, so I didn't have as much of a burden to carry while running and it was less strain on my legs. Last time I felt sick and couldn't even walk the next day. This time, my legs are a little bit sore, and I did get one blister on my foot, but otherwise I feel amazing.

It just goes to show what you can do if you really put your mind to it! Next race?? I am doing a 5K in October and will try to keep up short races before I start training for my next half!!

Menu Planning Sunday

It's Sunday again and that means figuring out what the heck we are eating for the week! Last week's meal plan only had one dud of a recipe. The ginger salmon and scallion brown rice pilaf wasn't that great. I already don't like fish that much and we have one go-to recipe for salmon that is good so I should just stick with it. Oh well, not everything can be delicious! The creamy chicken and biscuit sliders rocked. They were a fam favorite! The second favorite was the BBQ pork quesadillas and the vegetarian shepherd's pie is always  a win in our house. We didn't get to the make your own pizza on Friday. I was too beat to cook and the hubbs took the boy to swim so no one was home until 5:30, so we just ordered pizza. I will save it for another day because it sounds awesome! Onto this week's menu!

Sunday: Paella from a local favorite restaurant Los Andes. I ran 13.1 miles today (more on that tomorrow), meal planned, went grocery shopping and made a freaking apple pie, so I figured that excused me from cooking dinner.
Monday: Tomato tortellini soup (for the fam, I have a girl's night Mexican fiesta to attend!)
Tuesday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans
Wednesday: Pesto pasta with chicken sausage and roasted Brussels sprouts
Thursday: Turkey burgers, oven baked fries and salad
Friday: Chicken enchiladas with black beans and rice

BBQ pulled pork quesadillas

I made the best meal tonight and it took all of 20 minutes and not even all in one day. It is the perfect combination of a crockpot meal and a quick fix meal. I rarely use my crockpot because, first of all, it doesn't have a timer on it and also because I believe it is nearly impossible to make a delicious meal in just one dish.. Sure, things like chili and soup are good, but I have tried a lot of other meals and most of them have been just ok.  This is the first time I have made pulled pork in the crockpot and it was awesome!

BBQ pork quesadillas

Pulled Pork
2 pound pork shoulder roast
1 bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
1 cup water

Put all ingredients in the crockpot and cook it on low for 8-12 hours. I flipped the roast over a couple of times as I checked on it and ladled the sauce over the meat, but I'm sure you don't have to. Around hour 7 i used 2 forks to tease the meat apart and let it cook in the sauce for another 2 hours. I made the pork in advance and kept it in the fridge until we used it tonight. It is probably even more delicious because it has been in the sauce for  a couple of days,

Quesadillas
BBQ pulled pork
4 scallions minced
8 whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
4 oz pepper jack cheese shredded

Mix some of the pork, I only used about half of what I made in the crockpot, with the scallions and cilantro. I won't insult you by telling you how to make a quesadilla, but medium high heat, slap a tortilla down in the pan, cheese it and put as much pork as you'd like on it and put another tortilla on top. Cook it until your desired crispiness and then sit down and Mmmmm until it is gone...and you want another one...but you don't eat another one, but you want to because it is so delicious.  Then realize after it is gone that you forgot to take a picture. Now go make one, or come over because I have some left.

Menu Planning Sunday

Meal planning has been so crucial in getting my health and fitness back on track. It saves us from getting carryout and allows me to budget my calories by knowing what days I can and can't splurge on a treat. ;) The thing that I find most invaluable is, when I am so bored with meal planning that nothing sounds good, I can search back through my old meal planning posts and get ideas...and remember what we didn't like!

Sunday: Creamy chicken and biscuit sliders (made these tonight and they were awesome!) and broccoli
Monday: Chicken parm with fresh motz and whole wheat rotini
Tuesday: BBQ Pork quesadillas in whole wheat tortillas with corn on the cob
Wednesday: Ginger Salmon with scallion brown rice pilaf
Thursday: Vegetarian Shepard's pie
Friday: Homemade pizza on wheat crust. Olive and cheese for the kiddos and White bean and caramelized onion for us.

$50 Giveaway from Exotic-House of Jerky

 

If you are a fan of jerky I would love to introduce you to the amazingly flavorful and high quality products offered by Exotic House of Jerky!

 

House of Jerky products are made the old fashioned way.  Always made fresh with no preservatives, no MSG, no nitrates, no artificial colors or flavor enhancers. The superior flavor comes from their seasoning and marinating process.  House of Jerky's unique recipes ensure exceptional taste and quality.  Their premium, Grade A, jerky has been perfected and brought to us for over 10 years from their USDA approved, licensed and daily inspected facility, located in Evansville, Indiana.

  

Beef Jerky, Turkey Jerky, Buffalo jerky, Venison jerky, and even more unique varieties such as Alligator jerky and Kangaroo jerky can be found at Exotic House of Jerky. If you prefer not to eat meat, they even have Vegan and Mushroom jerky options!

 

I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first to try some of the more unique types of jerky, but I sampled the Alligator and Wild Boar at a festival and they were amazing. If you are looking for different flavors and delicious jerky, you have to give them a try!  I love their products. We keep jerky on hand and it makes a great on the go snack for us and the kids. I am excited to be giving away a variety pack of jerky ($50 value) which includes:

 

1oz of each:

Natural Beef

Black Pepper Beef

Teriyaki Beef

Sweet & Spicy Beef

Hot Beef

Black Pepper Turkey

Teriyaki Turkey 

 

1.75oz of each:

Kangaroo

Buffalo

Venison

Wild Boar

 



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Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I sampled the product at an event and it is just that good!

Not just a pretty face

She's a fearless climber 

 

 

and a mower of lawns,

 

 

a questioning toddler,

 

and an eater of all things that are not actually food.

 

 

She's got a penchant for accessories,

 

and a desire to play the day away.

 

She's a sweetie, loud and sassy, and she's mommy's little girl.

Unwanted Superpowers

We all have them; things we are really good at that we'd rather not be. My unwanted superpower is the uncanny ability to know where almost every item in the house is located, within a 3 foot radius.I guess it is somewhat like a photographic memory, but only within the confines of my home. This is good and bad. I rarely lose things unless someone {read my 2 year old} has moved them from the last place I saw saw them. The obvious drawback is the fact that the other 3 people living in this house rely on me to find all of their crap.

For instance, I was on a business trip in Colorado a few years ago when my phone rang at 6am. Even though I had to work, it was the first time I had been away from my son overnight since he'd been born. I was REALLY looking forward to sleeping until at least 7am. When the phone rang that early, I was sure someone was bleeding or my house was on fire.

Me: {Groggy as heck and slightly scared} "Hello."
Hubbs: "Do you know where my sunglasses are?"
Me: "On the credenza. Oh, and if you wake me up again tomorrow to ask where something is, I will kill you."

I kid you not. This kind of thing happens all of the time. Luckily with the girl child starting to act like a future bag lady (more on that later), and repositioning just about everything in the house, others are having to pitch in on the search efforts. What is a talent you have, but wish you didn't possess?

First Day September 2012

 I would like to point out that the reason for the early waking was an 11 mile run. I am amazed I managed to wear heels and stay up for a friend's 30th birthday surprise dinner! 

Link up with us at Journey to... or check out other people's pictorials of the first day of each month!