Cranberry Salsa

This year for our cranberry sauce we had cranberry salsa. I found this recipe on this AWESOME blog. There is no way I can take any credit for this recipe whatsoever. It's too delicious, no one would ever believe I really created it anyway :-P

You have to make this. Besides the fact that it's incredibly-can't-stop-yourself-from-eating-it delicious, it's really good for you too! Which is something to be said for a Thanksgiving dish.

Cranberries are a good source of Vitamin E and Vitamin K, and a very good source of Vitamin C and Fiber. Plus they're a low calorie, low carb, no-fat food. Woohoo!
source

Go make this recipe ASAP, and then eat it on everything. - I doubled the recipe for Thanksgiving and when my mom served it with appetizers she piled it on top of a block of cream cheese- yumm!

Cranberry Pear Salsa

makes about 1 1/2 cups of salsa

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

1 anjou pear, peeled and chopped

1 large apple, peeled and chopped

1/4 red onion, chopped

1/2 jalapeno, chopped

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

the juice of two limes

the juice of one orange

4 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt or honey if desired.

Thanksgiving- gobble without the wobble

I got an email from Camp Gladiator a few days ago with some really good information in it to keep in mind this Thanksgiving. Inside this email was an article from Spark People titled Thanksgiving Survival Guide.

Here are some things in the article that I found really interesting:

"The average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone, according to the Caloric Control Council. Surprisingly, most of these calories come from the all-day snacking in front of the TV while watching parades and sporting events."

- wwwhhhaaaaattt!? That's ridiculous!

"So what happens to all those extra calories? Caloric intake above your total daily energy expenditure (calories in > calories out) is converted into droplets, which are gobbled up by your fat cells. One pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. Luckily, following puberty, the body has developed all of its fat cells. Unfortunately, fat cells can never go away. Although they can shrink, you can never actually get rid of the cell itself."

- okay, this statistic is a little disheartening, but you have to keep in mind that your body is burning calories just by being alive. This does not mean that you should shove another piece of pie in your mouth with the reason of "I need it to live!"...

"You can easily add a little more activity to your holiday routine to help "make up" for some of the extra calories you eat. Burn this many calories in just 10 minutes!

• Walking at brisk pace = 54 calories
• Heavy cleaning = 54 calories
• Step-ups (using stairs) = 175 calories
• Raking leaves = 40 calories

Build lean muscle and boost your metabolism even if you can't make it to the gym by adding 10-15 reps of each of the following:

• Squats-while you brush your teeth
• Lunges-on each leg while you tie your shoes
• Wall Push-Ups-before you walk out the door
• Curls-with a can of soup or bottle of detergent
• Plank hold-while reheating food. Hold for 30 seconds and work up to 3 minutes."

- okay, so ten minutes of step-ups sounds awful, but I think the point is small things here and there done with frequency can add up to make a big difference. 

This year my mom and I will be running the Thunder Cloud Subs Turkey Trot Thanksgiving morning. The Turkey Trot is an annual tradition in Austin. We're doing the 5 mile run and then we'll meet up with the rest of my family and all the dogs out at my parents house for the day.

me and mom, turkey trot 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

Welcome Back Mojo

Coldplay's playing. This can only mean one thing. Susan's in cooking mode.
Hey mojo, welcome back.
Seems like lately I've been running around crazy (yesterday this was literally the case) which meant there was little time to spend in the kitchen creating tasty things. I managed to get half a spiral sliced ham from HEB (and get a 12lb turkey for FREE!) so we've been eating ham.....lot's of ham.

Yesterday I participated in the Central Texas Warrior Dash. I wasn't going to do it this year, but my sister had something come up and she had already registered so I raced for her.
It was SO. MUCH. FUN. Warrior Dash is a 3 mile course full of mud and obstacles. I had no idea what to expect, but I did not expect to LOVE it like I did. It felt great and I kicked that course's a$$! We climbed over cars, under barbed wire, sloshed through several mud pits, dodged mesquite trees with their nasty thorns, dodged cactus and horse poo, climbed up a wall using just a rope, and swam through a giant mud pool just to name a few things.  I suffered a few warrior wounds to the knee and am pretty sore today, but it was all totally worth it.

me after I swam through mud to get to
the finish line. rawrr!

So this morning after sleeping in, enjoying 2.5 cups of coffee (complete with marshmallow) and watching Food Network Live I was fully ready to commit to some quality time in the kitchen.

I started with what was an applesauce recipe, but it never became applesauce. Instead it became and apple crumble....and then I ate half of it :-)

Apple Crumble

4 small-ish apples

(I had red delicious and although they're not considered great for cooking, they worked fine for me!)

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

sprinkle of cinnamon

sprinkle of nutmeg

1 cup rolled oats

3 tbs margarine or softened butter

2 heaping tbs brown sugar

Peel, core and chop apples. Add apples, water, sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg into a sauce pan and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. While you enjoy the aroma the apples are creating in your kitchen, prepare the topping by combining the oats, margarine/butter and brown sugar.

When apples are done cooking, place in the bottom of an oven-safe dish and top with crumble topping. Place in a 350* oven for 15-20 minutes depending on your desired crunchiness of the topping.

YUM

Also on the list today are:

Dog biscuits for my girls, roasted pumpkin for I don't know what yet, apple chips, sweet & sour meatloaf, and funeral potatoes.

Am I the only one who has very specific cooking music? -
I don't know what it is, I just put all the Coldplay I have on shuffle (I'm pretty sure I have everything they have ever recorded, thanks to bf) and then I zone and cook. It's just relaxing.

San Antonio Rock N Roll 1/2 Marathon

*Caution: Lengthy post ahead*

This past Sunday I completed my first half marathon ever!
I'm not going to lie, it was hard, and it hurt. Bad.
I had experienced some pretty bad knee pain when I ran Run for the Water two weeks earlier and I was worried about that coming back. I was also worried about my foot and the injury from the spring making another appearance as well. By the 13th mile, I really thought I was going to have to crawl across the finish line. I had the most funky pace ever because my left foot and my right knee felt like they were going to fall off at any moment!

Here's the re-cap of race day:
We had come to San Antonio the day before to attend the Expo where (thank goodness it was here) I realized that I forgot to pack my sports bra! My flippin sports bra!! The only thing worse would have been to have forgotten my running shoes! Luckily Texas Running Company had a booth there with not only sports bras, but half price sports bras! woohoo!
After the expo, we headed to our hotel to check in and chill out before meeting the rest of our group for dinner. I laid out all my stuff for the next day, along with all of my food items. I brought some Powerade, lightly salted peanuts, 2 cliff bars, water bottles and the boyfriend had packed me a shaker bottle with protein powder in it (he was very concerned about my protein intake for this event, so sweet). Dinner was at an Italian place that was outside of downtown San Antonio. I had the Spaghetti Bolognese with whole wheat pasta- it was okay. Not the greatest I've ever had, but then again, I've had actual Spaghetti Bolgnese in Italy.

 After dinner was really nothing special- back to the hotel, make sure one more time that everything is laid out and I have it all, then do a little stretching and go to bed. The next morning we woke up about an hour before we needed to start walking down to the finish line. We thought it was going to be a chilly morning but we were very wrong- it was cloudy/overcast and sticky humid, blech.
I ate my cliff bar as we walked down to the start- anyone tried the holiday flavors they've come out with yet? Pumpkin Spice is good, Gingerbread was only good the first bite, and I'm not brave enough to try the Peppermint one, I feel like it was taste like gum. :-/

Anyway... We met the rest of our group at corral 16 so even though the start time was 7:30am, we didn't actually get moving until a smidge later. Which gave us time to do the obvious....take pictures!

pumped up kicks

pre-race huddle- I'm the pink in front with my sister & mom

And then all of a sudden we were moving up and it was start time! The whole point of the "Rock N Roll" marathon is the bands that play alongside the road and at the end. This kept the race pretty quick, going from band to band. By mile 3, however, I needed a pit stop and that's when I totally lost my mom and sister. :-( They did, however, wait for me at the Mile 11 marker and we finished together. By halfway through I was in need of some food-fuel. I had packed a snackbag of salted peanuts and at the water stop I gulped them all down together. It was just what I needed, a little protein, a little salt, a boost of energy. At another mile marker a few miles down the road they were handing out Gu packets. I took two giant handfulls- not because I needed that much right then, but to stuff in the bra for later consumption! I've never actually bought Gu's thanks to races! :-)
I'd say mile 10 is where the real wall hit- and it.hit.hard. My knee was having serious issues, my foot hated me, I was getting this weird soreness/cramp in the back of my right leg. It was uncomfortable and that's where I started taking walk breaks WAY more and longer than I wanted to. This, I know, increased my time, and I am not pleased with that but I also did not want to crawl or be drug across the finish line!
During mile 11.5-12.5 ish I had the most awkward pace ever- I probably looked like an old lady in need of a cane. Everything from my waist down felt like it has seized up, rallied together and decided to rebel again the rest of my body. It was going to find another torso to attach to, one that didn't torture it the way I had. I was fighting back tears, every step didn't feel so much like a step closer to the finish line but a painful reminder of all that runner's remorse I had been feeling the few weeks leading up to this. THIS is why I was so nervous, THIS is why I had all those doubts.
Then there it was *insert dramatic pause with appropriate music- aahhhh!* The last turn. The turn that meant all I had to do was make it up that hill -yes, hill.... that's just mean, isnt it?- and then it would all be over!
Oh, hey adrenaline, nice of you to show up......
I was able to zip up that hill (well, compared to the old woman pace I had going before, it was quite zippy) and then it was THERE! *aaahhhhhh!!!!*
I crossed holding my mom's hand, I'm assuming I smiled, but I dont really know. What I do know is that as soon as we crossed a volunteer handed me an ice cold towel for my neck and I lost it. Tears were flowing. Who knew I had any hydration left in me!? I hugged my mom and we were both half laughing half crying and we just stood there- in everybody's way. I cried cuz it hurt, I cried cuz I did it, and I cried cuz it was done.
I was handed my medal, told congratulations by the volunteer (sister, you have no idea....) and then we were herded like cattle through the tables with the post race treats.

TA-DA!

back at the hotel- those poor people in the elevator with us :-/

I have now learned my official time was 2hrs 47mins.
When I got home, I propped my feet up on the couch and did not move for a couple hours. Then I made it into my bed where I was fast asleep before 8pm. :-)
My Results

Spice up your metabolism!

This post comes to you courtesy of the weekly newsletter from My Fit Foods

Meg McCall wrote to all newsletter subscribers last week about the benefits of spices and what they can do for our metabolism. I found this to be full of good information, especially since I love to experiment with different spices in everyday dishes. Hope you find this useful, too!

 

 

 

picture from the MFF-newsletter.

Kick Up Your Metabolism With Some Spice! 

If you are part of the My Fit Nation, you already know most of our food has a little kick to it. But do you know why? All of the spices we use are great for our metabolism!

Check it out:

CAYENNE PEPPER - Present in nearly all of our spice mixes, this hot pepper's active ingredient, Capsaicin, increases body temperature and metabolism. One study found t hat Cayenne Pepper helps boost metabolism by as much as 50% for three hours! Cayenne's antioxidant power calms inflammatory chemicals, which is another mechanism to help weight loss.

BLACK PEPPER - Pepperine is the active ingredient that improves digestion and the breakdown of nutrients in the small intestine. It actually increases the bioavailability of all other nutrients - meaning you are absorbing more of the good stuff when adding pepper. It also stimulates the nervous system, which in turn boosts your metabolism.

OREGANO - Present in our Turkey Pasta, Breakfast Tacos and Luis' Fit Migas, among others. Per gram, Oregano has 40 times the antioxidant activity than apples. Remember that antioxidants combat inflammation and damage, and they restore both our liver pathways and cell regeneration. This all contributes towards a healthier body composition.

CINNAMON - This sweet smelling spice is found in both the Oatmeal and Perfect Patties as well as in supplement form. Research shows that Cinnamon makes the body's insulin receptors work better, which in turn results in less fat storage and more efficient energy production. 1,000 mg, 2 pills a day, or ¼ to ½ teaspoon a day will not only help blood sugar levels, but also triglycerides and cholesterol too.

GINGER - Fresh Ginger is used in the lean Ginger Chicken Delight. Like Cayenne, Ginger increases thermogenesis, or the heat of your metabolism. It is also a digestive aid and has anti-inflammatory properties.

GARLIC - We use Garlic Pepper, roasted garlic, and garlic powder in all of our spice mixes. Ok, so most people like to avoid the raw garlic breath, but in any form it's going to have an amazing effect on the immune system and the cardiovascular system. Research has shown that it is also powerful for both phases of detox in the liver and the increased blood flow effect that garlic has will directly boost metabolism.

Eat Fit! Live Fit!   

Meg McCall

My Fit Foods

 

You, too can subscribe to these newsletters. Just go to www.myfitfoods.com and subscribe at the bottom right hand corner of the home page.

FYI: I share these tips out of the desire to spread the good food word, My Fit Foods most likely does not even know I do it, therefore I am not being paid in any way to advertise them.

Rebecca's Stoup

Yes, Stoup- it's a technical term from Rachael Ray herself. It means Soup & Stew all at once.

This was my lunch the other day. It was ssoooo tasty! The best part about it? Someone else made it for me!

It was deceivingly rib-sticking. I did not think that this bowl was going to tide me over through the afternoon but I was pleasantly surprised! I did add in a side of steamed edamame, but quite honestly, it was not needed. After I inhaled this, I talked with the chef for quite some time on how it was created and decided to share it- cuz it's so stinkin easy and cheap!

Rebecca's Stoup

2.5-ish lbs of chuck roast, cubed

1 or 2 cans of chick peas 

a bag of frozen "stew/soup" veggies- in the frozen foods section, promise

water & salt

Cook the cubed chuck roast in a pot, searing the outside then sprinkle it with salt & turn the heat down a bit (medium) to let it cook through. Make sure that the fat side is down.Once meat is cooked, add in all other ingredients. You only need as much water as you want "broth" to the stoup. Heat everything through and get your hands on some crusty crunchy garlic bread. MMM MMM MMM tasty!