I had several people ask me for my spring roll recipe. I apologize for the double post but wanted to write it up before I forgot!
What you’ll need:
One bag of precooked shrimp, thawed and chopped.
One cucumber, chopped finely
Half of a red pepper, chopped finely
Two spring onions, chopped finely
One carrot, grated
One clove of garlic, minced
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
2 teaspoons of gluten free Tamari soy sauce
A splash of sesame oil
Kosher salt, black pepper and five Chinese five spice to taste
I package of rice wrappers
Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl and let marinate for 15 minutes.
Soak wrappers according to package directions.
Place about a tablespoon of the mixture at the bottom end of the wrapper. Roll a quarter turn tightly, bringing in the edges and continuing to roll tight.
Set aside.
Dipping sauce:
Tamari gluten free soy sauce-about a quarter cup
Splash of rice wine vinegar
Crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of freshly grated ginger
One teaspoon of spring onion
Pinch of brown sugar
Just a touch of sesame oil
Mix well and this makes for a tasty dipping sauce.
I served with basmati rice and edamame. Delish and healthy!!
I’ll keep this quick with my computer still being down but wanted to share this yummy recipe.
What you’ll need:
One head of cauliflower, roughly chopped.
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons of butter
Drizzle of EVOO
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup of low fat sour cream
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
In a deep pot melt the butter and EVOO and add in the cauliflower and garlic. Cook for about 12 minutes on medium high heat until tender, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Once cooked add in your milk and sour cream and purée with a stick mixer or blender.
Voila! Simple, quick, and a great side for any protein!
My computer official died. So my recap will be short as I’m posting via my phone.
We made it to the start with an hour to spare. I was oddly not nervous and was met up by my awesome friends. Brian was quiet but I believe he was excited.
After work today I quickly took a shower, got my kids fed and swept my little one off to ballet class from 6-7 pm. The season finale for Master Chef was TONIGHT, and I knew I’d miss the first 15 minutes but it was so worth while seeing my baby so excited to dance. So dance…we did.
Gotta get our reading done, Mom!
We got home at 7:15, and I literally ran down to the basement to watch the season finale of Master Chef. Thankfully I had an old pair of running shoes on…keep in mind, I am still wearing said shoes. LOL.
My hubby had the wine ready, and we settled in quickly to watch the show. One cool aspect was that Twitter was allowing you to ask questions to the Chefs…and yeah…Graham Elliot responded to my tweet. Keep in mind, I suck at tweeting.
THIS just happened.
But I watched in awe as these home cooks did their thing…and I cried at the end, hoping, wishing, envisioning myself standing there in boots, and not heels.
The kicker was, having my husband ask me why I was crying…”You see yourself standing there, don’t you?”…Your darn right I do…because I know I have the passion needed to get where I want, need, to be.
At the end of the day, my husband said, YOU CAN DO THIS…and I will polish off my combat boots and try my hardest.
Well, I haven’t ran this week as most of you know. I took it, mostly, in stride despite starting to go crazy by the end of the week. I had decided yesterday that I would run tonight, but I woke up with another sinus headache, and several bloody nose bleeds to follow so I set the goal of running tonight aside. After a couple hours, I got the nose bleeds under control, so I showered, got dressed and hit the grocery store running with my youngest in tow. She’s my ‘sous chef’ and we decided along with our regular grocery shopping that we would get something nice to prepare for our traditional “Sunday supper.” I was also secretly using tonight as a test run for my Master Chef try out dish.
On the menu was:
Pan seared scallops
Roasted red pepper and carrot puree
Zucchini salad
We started by prepping our carrots and peppers. Here’s what you’ll need for the puree in case you’ve missed my previous post.
Roasted red pepper and carrot puree ingredients:
2 large carrots, chopped
2 red peppers, chopped
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
Transfer to a large bowl, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet, and roast for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool, and transfer to a food processor, adding a 1/4 stick of unsalted butter, dollop of low fat cream cheese, and two teaspoons of sun dried tomato pesto with whole pine nuts. (I use the Bella Sane Luci brand, but any will do). Puree on high until smooth, seasoning as needed. I finish it with a sprinkle or two of freshly grated parmesan cheese. DELISH. I normally make this first as it’s the most labor intensive, and put in a baking dish to reheat although it’s quite tasty at room temperature.
Zucchini salad ingredients:
One half of a large zucchini noodled by your gadget of choice. I use the Vegetti and love it. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper and just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Top with 2-3 radicchios finely diced. For garnish, the tops of oyster mushrooms lightly fried in basil infused olive oil (I made my own!). Drizzle with a light lemon vinaigrette dressing of which I also make my own. (One teaspoon of Dijon mustard, juice of one lemon, salt, pepper, and whisk in extra virgin olive oil). Note: I separate all toppings, and make each salad individually.
Pan seared scallops:
Dry your scallops with paper towels, and place on a plate, seasoning simply with kosher salt and pepper. Pan fry (I used my basil infused evoo) on medium to high heat, and turn once. Finish by draining the scallops on a plate lined with a paper towel.
Serve, as shown. I garnished the dish with fried basil leaves, and it was a hit.
This picture sadly wasn’t the best, but it shows you how I plated the dish.
I made a couple yummy appetizers that I forgot to take pictures of, I know…blogger fail. But stuffed cherry tomatoes with cheese and basil roasted to perfection and crostini’s also accompanied our dinner.
My take away at my first real attempt at a “Master Chef” dish:
I need to acquire better pans to get that amazing sear on scallops without having them stick. (Christmas list item, number one.)
I need to work on time management as I find myself spending hours preparing these meals despite knowing the show is timed. Sadly (well not really) I lose myself in the kitchen nearly as much as I do with running…therefore losing track of time. Could I make this dish in just an hour??
I’m still unsure…but, I am still trying. Working. Hoping that I can find that inner spark to get my through to the ‘next round’ so to speak.
At the end of the day, I am pleased…I had almost given up on my dreams (yet again) of being well, more than I have allowed myself to be…but I have realized I am not satisfied with just ‘being.’
The last few years I have found myself talking in my own head…telling myself I know, I KNOW there is a greater purpose out there for me besides a 7-4 job…I just have to keep movin’ forward and FIND it…more so MAKE it happen.
And. I. Will.
So as I take my last sip of my orange cello (lemon cello with a twist of orange, YUM!) and I mentally prepare for our half marathon (my husband’s first!) I realize we can…and we will…OVERCOME. ALL things…in life. It’s our choice…it’s MY choice. And I’ve made it.
Just wait.
Question: What inner dreams do you have? Do you push yourself to attain these dreams, or do you let them be simply a dream?
I have been battling sickness for the entire week. My PTO bank is nearly empty, and I have a race to run in just over one week.
So what did I do tonight, after a long day at work?
I cooked. I washed my hands, cleared my throat, took my sinus meds, took another deep breath…and I cooked. I made my famous chicken soup, of course, because what else do you eat when you aren’t feeling well?
This week has been a toughy…sickness, seeing so many lose loved ones, and just in general discord lead me to write this post.
Because at the end of the day, isn’t it all about what brings us joy?
So tonight I dusted off my knives, prepared dinner with my youngest sous chef by my side, reminding myself not to be the squelcher of joy in my kids lives. Because sadly, I have found myself being a squelcher.
What is a squelcher you ask? It’s the one who constantly nags, clean you room, get your elbows off the table, do your chores, oh, and is your homework done all on a Friday night when they should be able to let their hair down…meh, I suck sometimes.
So tonight, I shut my trap. I let it all be. I called my Mom, like any 41 year old woman does, and I vented, chatted, and laughed. I listened to my kids banter. I welcomed my husband’s kisses…and I just smiled.
This weekend I will celebrate my eldest daughter’s 15th birthday one week early. I will rest. And I will mentally prepare for our half marathon NEXT weekend.
1. I haven’t ran in 6 days…after a wonderful weekend in Chicago this past weekend, I caught my death with who knows which strand of flu. I felt it hit Monday night and it took it’s toll on my body, and my mental strength to say the least. I have prided myself in my mental strength over the years not only in regards to running, but life in general as I’ve been hit with more than I’d wish on my worst enemy in my lifetime. But Tuesday night after being sent home from work (NEVER happens) I cried. I’ve worked so hard this summer training with my husband for his first half marathon, to not run for a WEEK is killer to the mind and soul. Because if I don’t run, well, he doesn’t either…so I hope this doesn’t hurt HIM in our race next weekend. We are going to run tomorrow, regardless of how I feel…I don’t want to let him down.
2. I am in awe of the friends and family who reached out to me this week. My immediate family, friends both near and far, and even coworkers texted to see if I needed anything. I feel. so. loved. Additionally, I realized I need to stop chasing people who just don’t give a shit about me even if they are blood. I’ve unfollowed several this week, and will continue to squelch negative energy from my life. For I have so many blessings that surround me. Chasing long lost hopes for relationships that used to exist is a waste of my blood, sweat, and tears. Just because you were close to someone decades ago, doesn’t mean that relationship will last. Move on. ‘Nuff said.
3. Today marked the 13th anniversary of the September 11th bombings. I never do very well on this day…I remember the call, the terror, and the sense of urgency that was felt while I was stationed at Scott Air Force Base, IL in 2001. I remember working more hours than I can count that day as our blood donor center was activated. I remember the buzz of the Humvees that circled the base’s perimeter. I remember my friends and I huddled in my tiny trailer home, tightly snuggled on my couch, watching the news and people falling from the top of the towers. I remember tears, pain, and a newfound love for my Air Force family. We were bonded so closely, but this brought us even closer together. Our lives, will never be the same, and if asked I could name every single person that sat with me on that grave evening.
This post has no pictures, gifs, or the like.
It’s simply a real post of ME, and all I have held close to me in my 41 years.
Well it happened. I am sick as a dog. I haven’t felt this terrible in years. Woke up with a head cold and fever but dragged myself out of bed and to work. My boss took one look at me and sent me home. I barely made it an hour into the day. But he was right. I needed rest. I drove home, took some Benadryl and poured myself into bed. I had hoped some rest would make me feel better. But here I sit after my third dose of emergenC and my head is still fuzzy and I just don’t feel myself. With my race looming just next weekend I couldn’t help but to cry. I don’t have time for sickness. But who really does?
But at the end of the day I will still count my blessings.
Truth- I have a pretty cool boss who’s told me to stay home tomorrow reassuring me he’d take care of my department.
Truth- I need to trust in my training and realize the taper madness can often lead to getting sick.
Truth- I am lucky to have family and friends who checked on me today, as well as a pretty cool dog who wouldn’t leave my side today.
Do you find taper madness leads to sickness?
Does it drive anyone else batty to miss work?
I haven’t blogged in over a week. There. I said it. My computer is on the fritz, and to be honest I’ve needed to just unplug somewhat lately. Less…well, is more lately. Sometimes you just need a little support and feedback, and social media has more than disappointed me lately. Bah.
But some key bullet points go a little like this…
We’ve remained nearly on point for our half marathon training. We did our last super longish run on Friday night, despite the crazy rain, thunderstorms, and tornado warnings. 10 miles, done. We will do our miles this week, and a semi-long run this weekend to keep consistency but embracing the taper. Our race is less than 2 weeks away!
We went to Chicago last weekend to get some much needed downtime, and enjoyed some amazing food.
This afternoon my eldest texted me a photo of a note that her “friend” wrote her asking her to homecoming. My heart was so happy for her, yet sad for me as I see my baby girl growing up into a lady…please. stop. time. But I am thankful she shared this moment, with me…
Tonight, my youngest started her first ballet class, and despite feeling very rushed after work to get home, feed the kids, get homework squeezed in, and a quick shower, (ack, holy commas) we made it to class by 6 pm. I snuck quite a few peeks in the window, and was taken aback by my daughter’s grace. She lacks focus, she has a hard time staying on track…but she would see me watching and all of a sudden her ‘position’ moves became seamless. I couldn’t help but to smile behind my tears. My parents were always too busy to put me in activities, and I find myself often in the same situation. So making time for this one hour per week class is almost selfish for it’s for ME too…seeing her joy brings ME such joy. It’s worth missing out on a run/workout to see her face light up.
We watched Master Chef tonight…and although I may have sidelined my audition for yet another year due to financial constraints, I still get that pull to my heart watching the contestants compete each week. Yet I know I don’t have the confidence or skill quite yet…but it’s coming.
So this year I will regroup. Refocus. And cook my heart out by recipe from world renowned cook books that sit on my shelf collecting dust.
I may or may not go to the casting call of Master Chef in Chicago on October 11th. I need to dig deep. And believe. But I also know our family cannot sustain on one income.
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Movin' it with Michelle 