My name is Michelle and I am a retired Air Force Master Sergeant. I have found a passion for running, cooking, writing, photography and all things that move my love for life! I've ran 3 full marathons, with a PR of 4:25, and 17 half marathons with a PR of 2:00:11 (yup-missed sub 2 by 11 seconds, lol). Thanks for joining me on my journey!
I am finally getting back in a routine of working out, and I can honestly say I missed it. I REALLY miss running outside, but I am doing the best I can with my current situation, making sure I put my kid’s needs first. So tonight after work I had a plan…a good work out AND good eats.
When I got home from work, I changed my clothes and was joined by my youngest. It’s been so much fun having them work out with me from time to time. I ensured my fish (I used Swai fish which is a buttery white fish-SOO GOOD) was thawed and preheated the oven to 350 degrees.
We completed day 3 of the 30 day shred (still on level 1) and felt great. I ran upstairs and prepped the fish. This is about the easiest recipe you can find.
smear the mustard thinly top with lemons and tarragonBaked fish with lemon and capers
2 fillets of swai fish, or any other good white fish
1 tsp. of capers, rinsed well
2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Salt, pepper, and tarragon to taste
And the secret? Just a smidge of Dijon mustard, smeared thinly over the fish.
Take your fish and pat dry with a paper towel. Thinly smear the Dijon mustard over the top of the fish, season with salt and pepper, then add your capers and garlic. Top with the lemon slices and add a pinch of tarragon. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Sautéed peas with pancetta
I served with simple sautéed peas with pancetta. Brown 2 Tbsp. of pancetta in a non stick pan that has been sprayed lightly with coconut oil cooking spray. (Regular cooking spray will work as well). Add in 2 cups of peas, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5-7 minutes, ensuring the peas still have a bite to the taste.
Dinner is served!
What’s your favorite fish recipe? Do you like peas? I hated them as a kid, but have grown to love them as a side dish!!
This past week, I lost a dear friend of mine to her battle with cancer. I took the news harder than I thought I would as this friend is someone I’ve never physically met. But over the last few years we’ve made a bond that I held very dear to my heart. She always had a kind word, a sweet gift, or a heartfelt reminder to share with her friends. I sobbed upon hearing the news knowing her life was taken far too early being only in her early 40’s.
With the news of her passing, I decided I needed to make the most of my life, my days…because the saying ‘Life is short’ really hit home last week.
Since not being able to run very much due to family obligations, I’ve turned my fitness plans around working out at home in my basement with my daughters, running on the treadmill while watching chopped, and taking walks on my lunch breaks.
30 day shred!
This weekend I showered my girls with fun, shopping, and facials. Total blog fail by not taking any pics. But we made the most of every moment and it felt great.
Tonight I decided to make a simple Sunday supper. Chicken wings, sautéed green beans, and cauliflower bites. I’d like to think my wings were somewhat healthy as I flash fried them in coconut oil before transferring into a 425 degree oven to bake. I also used seasoned gluten free flour to lightly coat the wings before frying…
But can you really say fried and healthy in the same sentence? hehe!
Cauliflower bites
I saw a version of this recipe on Facebook and just HAD to tweak it to my liking!
1 head of cauliflower/3 cloves of garlic, steamed and blitzed in a food processor
In a large bowel: Add in 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of low fat cream cheese, and 1 cup of shredded Colby jack cheese, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and a teaspoon of parsley. Mix well, and add 2 more egg whites that have been beaten well. Spoon the mixture in to mini muffin tins that have been sprayed with non-stick spray and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Low carb, high protein? Yes please!
How was your week? Have you ever lost a friend at such a young age? Any favorite high protein recipes you’d like to share?
Gosh, is it Monday already? Seems like the week really flew by! Last week was a whirlwind to be honest with you. My husband has been gone about a week and a half, and in that time I’ve gotten SOOOOOO much done. But my busy-ness has kept me from blogging, so I thought I’d write something up quick while I’m on my break at work.
Things I learned last week:
-I really CAN do all the things. I know I’ve said this before, but it truly is freeing to NOT rely on anyone-my husband included. Last week I worked, took care of the kids/house, moved furniture and steam cleaned my carpets, refinished my bathroom wood work, trimmed trees, and cooked. Talk about finishing the week feeling accomplished. I even managed to run twice, and do my daily 21 day fitness challenge. Today is day 9!
Phase 1 of my bathroom update!Me and the Rug Doctor, LOL!Veggies!!!
-If people distance themselves from you when you’ve done all you can to be a positive force in their lives-LET THEM GO. Some people prefer to hang on to negativity because it’s easier. Let them…it only steals YOUR joy to hang on to THEIR drama. #rantover
It’s ok to not always be training for a specific race/distance. Sometimes we need to step back from racing and the stress of training and just BE. I loved sleeping until 9 a.m. this weekend, and don’t feel one ounce of guilt for not being registered for a race. I’m sure I’ll be back at it this fall! For now, my kids and other responsibilities come first.
This week’s recipe is Tomato/zucchini soup!
Last week I tended my neighbor’s garden while they were out of town, and my payment was all the veggies I picked. Score!!! I didn’t want to waste anything, so I shredded and froze some zucchini, as well as made this yummy soup!
Ingredients:
1 large white onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
12-15 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
Drizzle of EVOO
1 cup of white wine
1 pat of unsalted butter
Basil, oregano, parsley, kosher salt and black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, smoked paprika-about a teaspoon each/to taste. Also, 2 bay leaves-remove after the soup is cooked.
Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat. Drizzle in the EVOO and sauté the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Next, add in your tomatoes, zucchini and seasonings. Add in your wine, and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir occasionally. Reduce the soup to a low simmer, and let cook for an hour. Add 1 pat of butter, and let melt. Puree with a blender or immersion blender. VOILA! Simple, yet so flavorful! For a ‘thinner’ soup, feel free to add chicken stock or water. I prefer my soup to be a thicker consistency.
I also served this dish with a zucchini salad. I used my noodler, and topped the zucchini with black olives, cucumbers, shallots, and cherry tomatoes! I used a great store bought balsamic dressing to dress the salad and it was DELISH!
I roasted pork belly to use as my protein, and let me tell you what…it was amazing. I seasoned it with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning and seared it on all sides rendering off the fat. I transferred the pork belly on to a baking sheet and roasted at 275 degrees for 2 hours. AMAZING.
Dinner is servedZucchini noodle saladDon’t forget to let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing!
Have you done any DIY projects? This was my first major one, so I was super proud of myself, hehe! Do you own a ‘noodler’? What’s your favorite soup?
Since I worked all of last weekend, I was off today! I’ve been beating myself up about not doing all the things so I decided to start the day out right. A run on my dreadmill and day 3 of my 21 day challenge.
After which, I decided to bake zucchini bread. Keep in mind, as much as I love to cook-I am a terrible baker. But I’m tending my neighbors garden while they are on vacation so thought, why not?
yummy fresh veggies!
I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching again lately. And came to the realization that I need to celebrate how far I’ve come vs. dwelling on what I’d have done differently.
With that, I’ll be spending more time doing the things I love, and with the people I love. Well this should be common sense, right? Not always. While I preach not to let others treat you like an after thought, I don’t always walk that walk. Time to start steppin’, right?
What’s on your plate these days? Do you like zucchini bread? What’s your favorite thing to bake?
Sorry I’ve been a bit absent. Between “life stuffs” and vacation, I’ve been focusing my efforts on my constants in life…family and friends. So here’s my vacation recapped in pics. I’ll tell the tale, soon.
I’ll add some descriptions, soon. But these pics truly captured much of the magic and happiness we felt on this trip. Thanks for the support!
Hey gang, sorry I’ve been so quiet. A lot has been going on in my life, and I am trying to sort through it all. This caused me to step back, unplug, and focus on finding my center again. After a full marathon, I always tend to get the blues as I said before…this time was no different.
BUT…I am happy to report I’ve been walking A LOT during my lunch break (we only get 30-45 minutes so not enough time for a run unless I REALLY want to offend my coworkers with my after run stench, LOL), and even laced up and RAN for the first time in a couple weeks on Monday.
Very slow, very humid, and very blissful miles
I’ve also been cooking a lot more, and even BAKED this past weekend. It was store bought puff pastry, but hey…I made the peach preserves that were inside!
YUM!My take on sausage and peppers…but with chicken sausage and rice pasta! YUM!
Lastly…my family is packed up and ready to head out for our first family vacation (other than local staycations) in 3 years. Long overdue, and NEEDED! This will be my view in less than 24 hrs:
I may never return home! LOL!
With that, I bid you all a wonderful week. I plan on unplugging and recharging over the next few days!!!!
I haven’t felt much like writing lately, or cooking, or running, or, well anything else for that matter. Post marathon blues I am sure were settling in, but I decided to slap the blues in the face today and start my week out right. It’s my day off today, as I had weekend duty Saturday and Sunday and I wanted to spend time with my girls. We don’t get ‘time’ to really have quality time together very often, so we spent the afternoon in the sun enjoying the break Mother Nature decided to give us after a VERY wet summer here in Chicagoland.
Since turning 40 a couple years ago, I’ve struggled a bit with the changes my body is going through with the whole pre-menopause thing…but last week my sister reminded me gently that I need to embrace ME, and remember all the hard things this body has done. I’ve given birth twice, ran 3 full marathons, and have ran countless miles!!!! Somehow, she’s a lot like my Mom…nearly ALWAYS right. 😉
So today, as we sat outside on our deck, I looked over at my daughters and smiled. I excused myself, went upstairs to my bedroom and changed out of my unflattering one piece suit and donned a bikini I bought a couple years back. I came back outside and both my daughter’s faces lit up. “You look amazing, Mommy!!!” I just smiled. Sure, I have an extra few lbs. I’d like to lose, and my saggy tummy/pooch is more prevalent since turning 40…but so what. I decided leading by example was much more important than a few physical flaws, and that teaching my daughters to love themselves trumped my silly insecurities.
My youngest wanted to have a photo shoot, so here’s what she came up with:
HEHE
After our fun afternoon, I decided to start the week out right with some weights. I did 3 sets of bicep curls, triceps extensions, side bends with weights, 50 pushups, and 100 v-ups. I’ll finish my sit-ups tonight!
Quick, yet great work out!
Next, it’s time for dinner! On my days off, I like to make a bit fancier meals for my family not only for their pleasure, but to constantly practice and perfect my skills as a Chef wanna-be.
Pan seared scallops with roasted red pepper puree, turnip “chips” and baby bok choy salad that’s dressed with a lime/soy vinaigrette.
Scallops
1 lb of fresh scallops that have been patted dry with a paper towel, and seasoned with salt and pepper.
In a non-stick pan heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and a pat of unsalted butter to medium high heat. Sear the scallops on both sides, turning after 3-4 minutes. Be careful to NOT burn, yet NOT overcook. Drain the scallops on a paper towel.
Turnip Chips
2 turnips, sliced thinly at an angle
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, sliced
Kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes
The leaves from 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and mix all ingredients in a bowel. Transfer veggies to a baking sheet that has been lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for about 40 minutes until the turnips are ‘crisp’ like a chip.
Red pepper puree
Char 2 red peppers on all sides on your burner (this can be done in the oven, too…this process just speeds things up a bit).
Transfer the peppers to a baking sheet, add 6 cloves of garlic, and season with kosher salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let peppers cool, and peel off the charred skins. Place the peppers and garlic into a food processor and add salt and pepper to taste. Also, add a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Puree on high until blended, and the strain out the mixture into a bowel. Set this aside for plating time.
Lime and soy vinaigrette
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of low sodium soy sauce or Tamarin (gluten free soy sauce)
Pinch of kosher salt and pepper
Drizzle in about 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, and mix well with a whisk. Taste for seasoning, and serve over baby bok choy and shallots that have been thinly sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
Dinner is served!
Are you self-conscience about wearing a bathing suit? What’s your favorite ‘fancier’ meal?
Well, I didn’t meet my goal of blogging at least 2 times each week as of last week, having only posted once last week and not posting since…But sometimes life just gets too hectic for all of the fun things that we enjoy doing. And sometimes, we just need to step back and let things happen as they should. For the saying IS true…everything WILL fall in to place eventually.
I had a pretty amazing opportunity come my way. I will leave that part of this post fairly vague, but to say it’s an opportunity of life time is pretty accurate. But…I can’t take the opportunity, as I am needed here by my husband and kids. Part of being a military wife, is giving up your own wants and needs so your husband can serve the country. And while I know my husband and kids (and my country) are so much more important than any sort of career chance I may be afforded, I still am left feeling very sad, and ever so slightly resentful. Gah.
I hate that feeling. I hate the dreaded sadness that can sit in the pit of your stomach and just burn, reminding you of it’s presence constantly throughout the day like bad heartburn after you’ve eaten spicy Mexican food, far too late at night. I hate crying every time I am left alone with my thoughts. I hate the reminder of the depressed person I once was and the memory of crying every single day. Double GAH!
So last night I reminded my husband that I only had a few days left before this opportunity would be a thing of the past. I had to decide. They didn’t REALLLLLLY need me, did they? They all spend their evenings on computer games or in their rooms. They wouldn’t even notice I was gone, would they? #whoamikidding
He shook his head. “You can’t go,” he said sadly. “We need you,” he said quietly. And he’s right…and I knew that all along. But hearing him say it, made me feel needed and loved. More so than I have felt, in quite a long time.
So while I am sad, I know my family comes first, and that someday there will be ANOTHER opportunity, perhaps at the RIGHT time…until that time, I’ll hug my family, count my blessing, and keep…movin’…FORWARD. I’ve started running/walking again this week after a 2 week break, which has helped me digest this whole situation immensely.
Have you ever had to pass on a good opportunity? Did it take you a while to digest it all?
My planned come back to running tonight was postponed due to my left shin and right LEG still being a bit wonky. I have no races scheduled so figure it’s best to not hurt myself for no reason. Because we all know how stubborn runners can be when it comes to training, and we often run through the pain. Totally unnecessary at this point, since the next half marathon I have planned isn’t until late September.
So…I sorta needed today’s run. NEED you say? Yeah…after a bit of family drama last night that left my pillow a bit wet when going to bed, I longed for the trails and had hoped to leave my feelings out on my hood trails tonight. BUT…no such luck. So now what? I COOK of course!!! My next favorite thing, and quite possibly even my VERY favorite…shhhhhh don’t tell my running habit I am cheating on ’em. LOL.
I have truly fallen in love with sweet potatoes so I decided to swing by the store after work and pick up a few for dinner tonight. Unbeknownst to me, my family had already eaten their dinner by the time I came home, and I quietly passed on the sandwich being handed to me (most know I REALLY try to avoid bread) and started my dinner prep. Here’s what you’ll need:
Sweet Potato Hash
2 Tbsp of coconut oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 small white onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 fried egg (cooked separately)
2 links of spicy chicken sausage, halved, then sliced in to 1/2 moons (or your favorite kind/brand!)
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
Seasonings: kosher salt, pepper, oregano, basil, hickory salt, crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Diced green onion for garnish
Heat a non-stick frying pan with the coconut oil to medium high heat. Add in your potato, onion, garlic, and sauté for 5-7 minutes until slightly tender. Next, add in your chicken sausage and seasonings and sauté for another 10 minutes. Just before serving add the parmesan cheese. While the hash is sautéing, fry one egg in a non-stick pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray and heated to medium-high heat. Scoop your hash on to a plate, top with the egg and garnish with green onion. YUM! This is enough to serve 2, so I saved the other half for my lunch tomorrow!!! Winning!
Dinner is served in less than 25 minutes!
Sweet Potato ‘Chips’
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Peel, and slice one sweet potato and place in a bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of coconut oil, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, a dash of kosher salt (not too much-the parmesan cheese is already salty!), black pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well, coating all of the ‘chips.’ Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with cooking spray. Evenly place the chips on the sheet, being careful to not overlap the chips. Bake for 20 minutes, and turn the chips over. Return to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Garnish with parsley, and serve!
These were a huge hit in my house!
What’s your favorite sweet potato dish? What do you do when you find yourself a bit blue?
It’s crazy to say that marathon training (and the race) is over. After 18 weeks of blood, sweat, and tears I managed to finish the Grandma’s Marathon with my sister and cross yet another thing off my bucket list. WINNING.
So now what?
First, there’s that on-going pipe dream of writing my own cook book that I always seem to gravitate back to…and that of course requires a LOT of work and time. Having busied myself with full and half marathon training the last several years, that dream has perpetually been put in the back seat. This in part mostly because I don’t cook with measuring…I cook with my palate, embracing the smells and flavors of food and never-ever measure out ingredients. So over the last few years I’ve paid closer attention to my cooking so I can catalog my recipes with approximate measurements so people can replicate my dishes. You can see the start of my collection HERE
And then, there is also that lingering sub-2 half marathon goal that although sometimes seems impossible, it also is something I REALLY want to achieve. Why? Not sure…but it’s a goal I want to smash one day-so last week I went to my first EVER speed work session at the track. WHAT you say? YOU did track work? I did…guilty as charged said the girl who’d never run on a track again after 6 years of junior high school/high school track and 20 years of military running, again, around a track. Although it was a bit soon coming off the full marathon on Saturday, I can honestly say I had FUN…shhhh, don’t tell anyone. Now that my legs are fully rested, I plan on going back on Thursday for some more speed work. YAY.
Lastly, it’s time to kick the last few remaining negative forces that have resided in my brain, out of my head and heart once and for all. I figure if I say it enough, I’ll eventually DO IT. People, friends, life MOVES ON…whether or not I do…so it’s time to quit hanging on to things that no longer exist. All it does, is drag me down…#notimeforthatanymore
What’s on your plate for the remainder of the year? What’s your favorite go-to recipe?
Movin' it with Michelle 