Recipes – Page 5 – Movin' it with Michelle

Today’s recipe was inspired by a dream to…well…be something more. You see, I never wanted to work in a hospital, I never wanted a job in healthcare for that matter. But when I joined the Air Force 24+ years ago and signed on the dotted line, this was the job that was chosen FOR me. The rest is, as they say, history. (Note: I am very lucky to have an amazing job, and people to work with every day. It’s simply NOT my passion.)

But I am over having my career chosen for me. I work, because the bills won’t pay themselves. But I refuse to believe this is my permanent path in life. And it’s all I can think about lately. With that, I’ve taken up studying recipes again. I read cookbooks, magazines, blogs, and websites to get inspiration for new dishes. Because someday I hope that someone will read MY recipes and get inspired. I want someone to cook up one of my recipes, and have the food bring a smile to their face and joy in to their home.

So tonight, I have prepared braised chicken thighs in a tomato, Kalmata olive and caper sauce. Get out your Dutch oven, and a hefty appetite. You’ll need it for this dish!

Sicilian inspired braised chicken-low carb style

1 package of boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 jar of tomato sauce-(I use Mario Batali’s sauce-YUM!)

1 small white onion, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of Kalmata olives, roughly chopped

1 tbsp. capers, rinsed

The zest of one lemon

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of water/chicken stock

1 zucchini-noodled

Seasonings/Spices: kosher salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, rosemary, basil, oregano (all to taste-about a tsp. each)

Pre-heat your Dutch oven on medium high heat. Season your chicken with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides. Remove, and set aside. Deglaze the bottom of the oven with water/chicken stock to get all the brown bits up. Add in your onions, garlic, capers and olives and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add your chicken thighs back in to the oven and cover with the tomato sauce. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, rosemary, basil and oregano, and lemon zest – stir well and cover. Lower the heat to medium-low and let braise for 30 minutes.

I served mine over zucchini noodles for a healthy touch!!

This is a great weeknight meal, taking only about 40 minutes total to prepare and cook.

Questions! Did you chose your current profession, or was it chosen for you? What’s your dream job?

Have a great week, y’all!

❤ Michelle

marathon training, Recipes, weekend wrap up

Running long, cooking slow, and Lily Trotter sock review!

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

As most of you know, I had 19 miles on deck this weekend for my week 13 of marathon training. While I normally prefer to run my short runs by myself, the thought of running 19 miles solo was not giving me peace of mind. Add in the forecast of 50-60% chance of thunderstorms and you could say I was nearly dreading the miles. I didn’t sleep hardly a wink Friday night, but had my rain poncho and gear all set. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and was out the door by 5:15. The first few miles were VERY wet, and I was thankful for my poncho despite it’s lack of comfort. If you read my mini recap on my FB page, you saw that I accidentally ‘dismissed’ my first 3 miles of running when I ‘paused’ to take off my poncho. Damn. Thankfully I knew were I was and had just looked down at my watch. Here we go with more runner’s brain math, ack, lol.

I was lucky enough to run into my friend Melissa around mile14!

The miles ticked by, and something happened out there that even surprised ME. I was…HAVING FUN out there, running between raindrops, enjoying the trails, and listening to music. I COULD run solo, no matter the mileage, and this made me smile. It was liberating to be out there on my own, with claps of lightening in the distance to cheer me on. And even when it started to POUR cats and dogs, I smiled. I took cover briefly to fuel, but when I realized it wasn’t letting up I continued on for a good 3 miles in some pretty hard rain. And I do believe, I was smiling from what I’m told from friends who saw me out on the trails that morning. I felt/feel nearly renewed. My legs hurt, my knee ached, and my ITB yelled at me the last few miles, but nothing was going to bring me down. YAY for a good long run.

I was contacted by Lily Trotters a couple months ago to try out their compression socks. But I received the socks, on the very day of my daughter’s accident and honestly forgot about the review. Saturday seemed to be the perfect day to try the socks out after my long run to aid in my recovery. Here’s what I thought:

1. They were very easy to put on, unlike some other compression wear that you have to tug and pull to get on.

2. The colors were really fun, and I loved the polka dot print.

3. They were SOOO comfy, and I actually slept in them last night and woke up with happy legs.

All in all, I loved them and will use them in the future. I am particular with my socks, but am hoping they will make sleeves too so I can run in them as well.

In my attempt to eat healthier and lose 10 lbs. I decided to make crock pot pork carnitas for dinner so I would have yummy left overs for lunches this week.

Pork Carnitas

Pork roast, boneless-pat dry and season with kosher salt and pepper

1 large red onion, roughly chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

3 small red chili peppers, chopped

The juice of 1 large orange, 3 small limes

Spice Rub

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tbsp. dried oregano

Drizzle the roast with extra virgin olive oil, and liberally apply the rub. Place in your crock pot with the fat cap up, and add your onions, garlic, and peppers. Drizzle over the juice of the oranges and limes, and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low for 6-8 hours. Remove the pork, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Pull apart with two forks, and place in a bowl.

Drain the liquid from the crock pot, and add the strained liquid back in to the pork to keep it nice and juicy!! I served it over a salad of mixed greens with black beans, corn, and avocado. No dressing needed, just drizzle a bit of the drained juice over the top!

Weekly mileage-27 miles, a few miles short but my knee is happier

Core fitness-6 days=600 sit-ups

Lb.’s lost-NONE…but I blame it on girlie crap this week.

Did you run long or race this weekend? Have any good crock pot recipes you love?

marathon training, Recipes

Tuesday, tostadas, and truths in no particular order!

May 6, 2015May 6, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

After Sunday’s big race, (and during) I really have been thinking…shocker, right? I mean, what else are you going to do out on the trails for a couple hours? Although often times I can get lost in my own head while running/racing long, more times than not I spent the majority of the time thinking. It’s my therapy in essence, where I get to bond with God, nature, and everything in between.

Lately, I’ve been battling with myself, in regards to being upset over people who don’t get excited or support my crazy dreams. Not so much people, but FRIENDS. And after I wiped my tears away quickly Sunday during which time I was saddened to not hear from a couple friends that morning, I was reminded of the awesome support I DO have. My husband, sister, and a few friends all sent texts, and I had quite a few friends at the race cheering for me. Why was I upset over the few who didn’t bother to support me? That’s the question of the hour. I swear, I am my own worst enemy sometimes. I got this reminder, a text from 2014 when I ran this very same race last year, from my friend A and I just smiled. My sister reminded me of how far I’ve come, and I slapped away the sadness and drove on. Gah I am an idiot sometimes. LOL, at least I recognize it, right?

The last 2 days I’ve been walking around like I just ran a FULL marathon. WOWSA am I sore!!!! I truly gave it my all on Sunday, and am feelin’ it big time today. But, I had 4-5 miles on deck so immediately after work I changed clothes and ran. It started to rain, and I ran out of time, but I managed to beat the storms. 4.32 miles in 40:22 with an average pace of 9:20. Never did I think I would be able to say 9:20-9:30 would be an easy-ish pace. YAHOO!!! I finished up my work out with weights, and a wimpy 1:06 minute plank, lol!

It IS Cinco de Mayo, so I made chicken tostadas tonight for dinner after my run.

Chicken Tostada Recipe

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (You’ll want to bake your tostadas to crisp them up)

6 corn tortillas, baked on a cookie sheet at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken-cut into bite size pieces (I prefer thighs, but breasts work too!)

1/2 red onion-diced

1 red pepper-chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup of frozen corn (wait until the very end to add this)

Shredded cheese-1 cup (may be omitted, I only use a tiny amount on mine as cheese and I aren’t friends.)

Seasonings to taste: Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper

Sauté’ in extra virgin olive oil the onions, pepper and garlic for 4-5 minutes. Add in your chicken, seasonings, and can of black beans and cook through-around 15 minutes. Add in your corn, stir well.

Sprinkle the tortillas with shredded cheese, and top with the chicken mixture. Add just a touch more cheese and put in your 325 degree oven.

While the cheese is melting, make your avocado topping.

Avocado topping

1 avocado

1 tablespoon of low fat sour cream

Juice of 1 lime

pinch of salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper

Serve, and enjoy!

Total prep and cook time was 20-25 minutes. This is a great week night meal!

Do you think a lot during your long runs? What’s your favorite easy week night meal?

Have a great week, y’all!

Keep Movin’ Forward!

❤ Michelle

Races, Recipes, Sunday Supper

Great Western Trail half marathon race recap with a recipe

May 3, 2015May 4, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

I preface this post with the fact that I have only been working on speed every so slightly, once or twice each week on short runs in the last few months, and that I am an idiot for not being completely thrilled with my PR.

I’ve done this race now three times, and was excited to possibly break my course record of 2:01, as well as maybe crush that good ole sub 2 goal I’ve had for the last several years. The weather was nearly perfect at the start, with the temps in the low 60’s and a nice breeze. I was giddy as I got to hang out with Wendy from Taking the long way home, as well as the fact that this was my first race of 2015.

With that, I took off ~~too~~ fast, and only was able to hang with Wendy momentarily. But I felt GREAT so heck, I was going to give it my all. “The faster you run, the faster you are done” rang sweetly in my head along with “Slow down you idiot or you’ll burn out!!” I honestly could picture my PR/Sub 2 the entire race, and gave it my ALL. I tried my best to keep my pace at or below 9:09, only faltering on that goal for a couple separate miles. But as the temperature rose, and the sun came out in full force I could feel my head throb and hands swell by mile 11. The spectators and volunteers were amazing, and after a couple high fives from some VERY cute little dudes I picked it back up.

But then, there’s that last mile of the Great Western trail half marathon that isn’t for the faint of heart or weak of mind. It will take everything you have, and more to get through the winding hills, and never ending trail that seemingly is about to end…but then it doesn’t. I pushed, feeling as if I was going to pass out, and then pushed some more. I crossed the line with an official time of 2:00:11. And I cried. Sobbed nearly as big sweaty, salty tears stung my eyes.

And then I got mad, for not being happy that I got a PR, and that I finished strong WITHOUT passing out. My awesome friends were there to hold me up, and celebrate with me all I had accomplished and I am so very thankful I didn’t feel sad for very long.

A huge shout out to the Fox River trail runners, the race organizers, volunteers and spectators. I love this race! (Minus that last mile, lol)

5-3finishers — Teri from Reinventitude, Wendy from Taking the long way home, and Karen from Trading in my Heels ❤

This pic, truly says it all. Thanks to Dave Sheble from the Fox Valley Marathon for capturing it! What AM I doing with my hand, though?

I finished my day by prepping/cooking Sunday Supper. Tonight’s theme was Asian inspired. I even got my mandolin out, and if you recall from my Christmas post the mandolin and I got in a fight. I decided to tackle my fears. Heck, if I could PR in this heat, I can use a mandolin right? Mandolin 1-Michelle 1!

My husband is just hilarious, right? LOL

Asian inspired short ribs

What you’ll need:

Short ribs (we used beef, but pork is fine too)-season with kosher salt and pepper and set aside

Marinade

1 cup of low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup of chili garlic sauce

2 cloves of garlic-grated

Fresh ginger-grated

Juice of 2 limes

Fresh cilantro, finely chopped

5-6 green onions, chopped-use all of white, and some of the green

Drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil and mix well. Pour over your ribs and let refrigerate for a couple hours.

Bake the ribs for about an hour (covered) at 325 degrees. I might try lowering the temp next time, but they were amazing. I served with ginger infused mashed sweet potatoes and a fennel, green apple and baby bok choy salad. YUM!

Did you race or run this weekend? Any new recipes in your rotation? How do you handle missing your goals?

Have a great week, y’all!! It’s time to retire to the couch!

❤

Michelle

Recipes

Mid week recipe…Avocado dressing!

April 30, 2015April 30, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

I’ll admit, I’ve been slacking on my recipes and research in regards to my goal of writing my own cook book. As most of you know, I cook by taste, smell, and texture vs. exact measurements. In the last year or so I’ve really tried to quantify my ingredients and document my journey in regards to my love for food.

But then came marathon #3 training, and my goals have since fallen to the back burner (haha, get it?) unfortunately. So I’m back at it, with a goal to publish ONE recipe (at least) each week. Who’s ready for our first week’s exciting recipe? Ok…it’s not that exciting, but it’s simple, tasty, and a healthy choice for a mid week meal.

Avocado dressing/puree’

In a bowl place the following:

1 avocado

1 tablespoon of low fat sour cream

The juice of one lime

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder to taste

1 pinch of dried cilantro

Mix well until a creamy consistency is achieved. Serve over fish, chicken, or on your favorite salad in place of dressing. YUM!

This entire dish took 10 minutes to prepare!

Doesn’t get much easier than this, and my entire family enjoyed it thankfully!

What’s on your plate these days? Do you find it hard to balance work, training, and other hobbies?

Thanks, y’all!! Hope you enjoy this recipe!

❤ Michelle

marathon training, Recipes, Sunday Supper

Weekend Wrap up/Marathon training week 9 complete!

April 20, 2015April 20, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

My weekend was all over the place in regards to emotional highs, lows, and everything in between. Although I’ll keep the reasoning behind my roller coaster a bit vague, I will say I have learned from the events and feel better for it. It’s all about moving forward, right?

Friday night was a quiet night filled with Netflix and relaxing after a yummy night of sushi. (Sushi is carbloading too, right? lol). It would be an early night for both the hubby and I as he had his reserve duty weekend and I had a long run in the wee hours of the morning. I got all my gear set out, battled with some tummy issues, and drank some water before bed. I woke up at 5:45 am, battled with some more tummy issues and finally got dressed and headed to run club. My friend Deb agreed to slow her pace and run my scheduled 13 miles with me. YAY!

The first half of our run was pretty uneventful despite me having to stop several times to stretch out my ITB that was pulling hard on my right knee. We laughed, talked, and laughed some more. Halfway through we stopped to take a selfie with the Fox River in the background.

The second half of our run was a bit tougher with some really strong winds on our faces, but we kept pushing forward. We finished strong, and celebrated with coffee (her) and pomegranate lemonade for me. I even splurged and had a breakfast sandwich on an ‘everything’ bagel. YUM.

I spent the rest of the day with my daughter’s, and we shopped til we dropped at “Once Upon a Child, “Plato’s Closet,” and Clothes Mentor” stocking up for our warmer weather wardrobe. We all found some really cute items, and everyone came out with smiles, especially my bank account. Gotta love consignment shopping!

Today was chores, food prep and Sunday Supper. I made my own protein smoothies and stored them in previously used water bottles! Recycling=Winning! The smoothies were simple.

Berry Mocha Smoothie

1/2 cup of blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries

3 scoops of chocolate protein powder

16 ounces of water

Liquefy in a blender, and strain out the seeds. Transfer to the bottles and refrigerate

Banana Strawberry Chocolate Smoothie

1 cup of strawberries

2 bananas

3 scoops of protein powder

16 ounces of water

Liquefy in a blender, and strain out the seeds. Transfer to the bottles and refrigerate

I also spent time organizing my groceries after shopping, getting everything prepped and ready for the week. I am battling the scale and my marathon weight gain, NOW.

I'm ready for the week! — I’m ready for the week!

Tonight’s Sunday Supper was a simple pork roast in the crock poat with roasted veggies.

Pork Roast in a crock pot

Season pork roast with kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and season salt. Sear the roast on all sides in a cast iron skillet and set aside.

In your crock pot, add on can of tomato puree, 2 cups of unsalted chicken or veggie stock, roughly chop 1 carrot, 1 onion, 2 stocks of celery and 3 cloves of garlic. Also add in 2 bay leaves (remove later) and Italian seasoning to taste. Add your roast to the crock pot, and cook on low for 6 hours.

While my roast was making magic in the crock pot I decided to go for a walk to stretch my legs. My daughters even joined me, YAY!

Roasted Veggies

1 cup string beans

1 shallot-sliced

1 sweet potato-julienned

1/2 cup of Shitake mushrooms-sliced

2 cloves of garlic finely sliced

Place in a bowel, and toss with 1 teaspoon coconut oil, 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and chives. I also added some grated parmesan cheese for a little bite! Roast at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Now after a weekend filled with more time on my feet than I care to admit, I am going to retire to my couch!

How was your week? Do you food prep for the week? What’s your favorite smoothie flavor?

Have a great week, y’all!

❤ Michelle

marathon training, Recipes

Refocusing and a recipe

April 12, 2015April 12, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

So wow…I haven’t blogged in a week. My goal of 2-3 times of posting per week was shot last week. And I’m totally ok with that.

Why?

Well, because I’ve realized I’ve spent far too much time engulfed in the virtual world that I lost site of what matters most. What’s that? Why family of course. MY family. ❤

So with that, I’ve spent more time reaching out, hanging out, and hugging my kids just a little tighter. Most nights we are wrapped up in blankets on the couch watching previous episodes of “Once upon a time” on Netflix…TOGETHER. And it wasn’t always this way. Before my daughter’s accident, more times than not we would all go our separate ways after dinner. But now, we nearly rush to spend our evenings together most nights.

My training is also back on track, and I managed to log 26 miles last week, which is a distance PB for 2015. I had my 15 miler on Saturday, and it mentally jarred me, briefly…I had forgotten how hard a long run can be, especially when your only distraction is YOU. No one to talk the miles away with, just you, and the road. My first few miles truly SUCKED. No pretty way around it, but I kept going. I’d stop to stretch every few miles, and at miles 6 and 11 I fueled with my Chia HUMA gels. Just when I wanted to quit, I looked back on my first marathon and how hard it was and how badly I wanted to quit. But I had my awesome sister with me, cheering me on every step and I could hear her voice in my head as I plugged along the middle of my run. Mile 11 I started to really fade as I had run out of Nuun and the temps were getting REALLY warm for how I was dressed. (It was 38 degrees when I started and finished up at a balmy 61 degrees). Then Andrea, Carolyn and my hubby shot me texts and suddenly the spring came back to my step and I took off. 15 miles? DONE. And with the help of 7 cardinals, 2 blue birds, and countless squirrels and chipmunks that cheered me on for 2 1/2 hours, LOL!

Mentally one of my toughest runs this year.

We booked our family vacation for the summer today, and I am SOOOOO excited. We are headed to Marco Island, Florida for 5 glorious days. We haven’t had a real vacation (we like our Chicago/Michigan staycations, though!) in 3 years, so this is long overdue.

So today I spent the afternoon meal prepping and making healthy snacks. (Gotta get beach body ready! lol) I made Kale chips (not sure how I feel about them, yet lol) and spicy chickpeas to keep handy. Here’s the chickpea recipe:

Spicy Chickpeas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Rinse and dry two large cans of chickpeas

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl, and add the following seasonings:

1 teaspoon Tumeric

1 teaspoon Garlic powder

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon smoked Paprika

Kosher salt

Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes, tossing every 20 minutes. YUM!

How was your week? Do you take regular vacations? What’s your favorite healthy snack? Have a great week, y’all!

❤ Michelle

marathon training, Recipes

Weekend wrap up

April 5, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Happy Easter, y’all! Although I am not one to go to a brick and mortar church very often, I do have a very strong faith and have always appreciated the meaning behind Easter. I pray you all had a wonderful Easter weekend.

Mine started out with a bang. Or a clunk more so…for the last several days I’ve heard/felt a grinding in my brakes. I took my Jeep to the shop after work on Friday only to find out I needed to replace my rear rotors and brakes. Ouch. Bye Bye pay check. Oh well, better safe than sorry right?

Saturday was long run day, and the day we’d celebrate Easter with my immediate family. I set my alarm and hit the trails with my friends for my 14 mile run. I felt little nags and aches but managed to finish this run rather strong after allowing myself a couple walk breaks and several breaks to stretch. My ITB continues to be a B@#%! but I won’t let it stop me. I will however foam roll daily moving forward.

I haven't ran with these two in a while, so it was great to meet up with Melissa and Pat for some miles! — I haven’t ran with these two in a while, so it was great to meet up with Melissa and Pat for some miles!

Isn't ALWAYS about having fun? I think so... — Isn’t ALWAYS about having fun? I think so…

After my run, I came home and made my traditional bacon and eggs. ALL TIME favorite post run food. Then I hopped in the shower and headed to my sister’s house. It felt so nice to be with everyone and I of course got emotional when we got there.

My J, and my niece! <3 — My J, and my niece! ❤

My sis and Mom. Gorgeous right?! <3 — My sis and Mom. Gorgeous right?! ❤

Today was a nice and quiet day at home. We got up early, hunted for eggs and cleaned the house. Not very Easterly I know, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

I made a yummy and easy Easter dinner of spiraled ham, mashed potatoes and amazing roasted parmesan carrots.

Roasted Parmesan carrots

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Peel and slice 5 carrots into 1/4-1/2 inch discs.

Slice half a red onion

Mince two cloves of garlic

Grate 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

Toss everything in a bowl with extra virgin olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste

Place on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, in a single layer if possible.

Roast at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes

DELISH!

This week I have a doctor and dental appointment, ugh. Joys of aging, right? But, speaking of doctors, J is healing slowly but surely and we are hoping she can return to school in the next week or two. Thanks for the continued prayers.

How was your Easter? Did you have a long run this weekend? What’s your favorite veggie?

Keep Movin’ Forward, y’all!

❤ Michelle

marathon training, Recipes, Sunday Supper

Weekend wrap up

March 23, 2015March 23, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

I’ll start this post with the fact that I was supposed to be on weekend duty at the hospital. Once every 5 weeks I am deemed in charge of the entire laboratory and it’s mind blowing and scary all at one time. BUT..my amazing peer and friend offered to take my duty knowing I should be home resting with my daughter, and not enduring unneeded stress. I couldn’t thank her enough, so left her a card and a Starbucks gift card on her desk for the weekend. Good friends truly rock.

We had a very quiet weekend filled with normal housework, laundry, and snuggles. I’ve learned a hard lesson that I’ve wasted far too much time stressing over cleaning and mundane chores. So it’s been glorious snuggling up with my girls to watch a show, or take an extra 20 minutes after my J’s shower to brush and dry her hair. No…I’m never too busy for that.

This morning I had 12 miles on deck and had planned to run the miles with my friend Debra. She texted me early at 7 am notifying me the stomach bug from hell was still in the house. Crap. I knew Janel was meeting me for a couple miles, but could I do 12 on my own? You’re darn right I can, and had the help from Melissa, Seth and Janel for the first couple miles, and my sister texting me at mile 10 that I better run faster so I could be DONE faster, LOL! It worked, I finished my last mile in 8:45 with an over all average pace of 10:06.

I came home, made some bacon and eggs, and took a very long shower as I was frozen to the core. Despite the 30 degree temps, the wind-chill made it feel more like 17 degrees and I. WAS. COLD. After my shower I crawled in to J’s bed, and we watched Netflix for 30 minutes. It’s SOOOO good to see her on the mend, and able to do more ‘stuff’ each day.

Sunday Supper rolled around and I decided to make fish tacos with homemade guacamole and red cabbage slaw with a side of twice baked beans and roasted veggies.

Guacamole

3 avocados

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 plum tomato, chopped

1/4 red onion, diced

juice of half a lime

Seasonings: kosher salt, pepper, cilantro, cayenne pepper to taste

Combine in a food processor-pulse until mixed well, but still chunky

Red Cabbage Slaw

3 cups of red cabbage, thinly sliced

1/4 red onion

juice of 1/2 lime

splash of vegetable oil/rice wine vinegar

Seasonings: salt, pepper, and cilantro

Twice baked beans

In a sauce pan add one can of red beans, one can of black beans that have been drained and rinsed

Add 1 clove of garlic, 1/4 cup of diced poblano peppers, and salt, pepper, and smoked paprika to taste. Heat until tender, and transfer to your food processor. Puree on high, then transfer to a baking dish. Top with shredded cheese and toppings of choice. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.

The rest is pretty cut and dry. I roasted my carrots and red peppers for 25 minutes at 375 degrees and grilled my fish for the tacos. All in all? Delish, and healthy.

While on my run today I was reminded of so many things. Why I love to run, how thankful I am for the support my family has, and that we need to focus on those that lift us up, not those who tear us down. And for a moment, I felt myself nearly flying.

How was your week? Log any miles? Make any good food?

Keep Movin’ forward, y’all!

❤ Michelle

moving forward, Recipes

Lesson’s learned

March 22, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

If you read my last post, you read of my daughter’s life threatening accident. This past week has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, filled with ups, downs, and more emotional strain than I think I have ever experienced. But in these last few days, I’ve also learned many lessons that I believe will help me be a better Mom, Wife, friend, and person in general.

Firstly, the old cliché that “Life is short” became very real to me this week. I had flashes of losing my daughter more times than I can count, and moving forward I will truly do my best to embrace EACH DAY. I won’t nag my youngest about housework when she wants to put on a fashion show, or worry about whether or not I’ve perfectly folded the tee-shirts and socks. I will spend MORE time living, and less time worrying about meaningless crap.

Doesn't my dog look thrilled? LOL — Doesn’t my dog look thrilled? LOL

Secondly, I was reminded how very important being kind is this week. Be it a phone call, a text message, A fruit basket in the hospital, a card in the mail or flowers for my daughter ALL these acts of kindness helped ease my stress. And in receiving such amazing support, I’ve been given the gentle reminder that support goes both ways. I’ve often let a busy life be an excuse for not reaching out…well, no more.

Thirdly, the saying “Laughter is the best medicine” really IS true. J needed help in bathing again today, and as I helped her get dressed she smiled. Just an hour prior she was irritable and grumpy (expected side effects of the injury and medications she is on), so her smile was welcomed. I offered her my gel deodorant to use, so she took it gently and applied it under her arms. “It feels funny,” she said, and then started laughing. It was a gentle, quiet laugh to which she said, “I don’t even know why I’m laughing.” I just smiled with tears in my eyes. What music to my ears it was to hear her laugh.

Lastly, do what you love, and love what you do. Having been in the hospital for half the week, and the other half just plain exhausted I haven’t cooked or been running. So tonight my hubby and I tag teamed dinner. He was on grill duty, and I made some yummy sweet potato and red pepper mash. I don’t have an exact recipe, but here goes:

Sweet potato and Red pepper Mash

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 red pepper, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

Seasonings: crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons of butter

Boil the potatoes in water until fork tender. Reserve about a cup of the water. While the potatoes are boiling, sauté the garlic, peppers and crushed red pepper flakes for 5-7 minutes until tender. (I sauté in extra virgin olive oil over medium to high heat-drain grease)

Combine everything to include the seasonings in to a food processor, and add the reserved water little by little to ensure the taters don’t get runny.

Tomorrow I’ll hit the trails running with my dear friend for a nice 13 mile run. There will more than likely be tears, laughter, more tears, and much needed release of stress. But my miles will be dedicated to my daughter, as she is the toughest little fighter I’ve ever met, and I am so blessed to have her in my life.

Thanks everyone, for your continued love, prayers, and support. We are movin’ forward!!!

xoxo!

❤ Michelle

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