Winter Wonder land
Bubbles
Lonely Moon
Frozen, yet free
Pixie dust
Off and away!
Tonight’s Mystery Box Challenge
My husband came home from the store with the following “mystery box” ingredients:
Pork crown roast
Oyster Mushrooms
Mango
For those of you that have been following me for a while, you know one of my dreams is to be a Chef, and own my own restaurant. My husband and I fell in love with the show, “Master Chef” when it first came out, and although he swears I was ready to try out this year, I decided I needed a year to practice, perfect, and hone my skills as a ‘home cook’ that has had NO professional training.
Every couple weeks after our bi-monthly trip to the grocery store, he chooses several ingredients for me to create a dish with for our family.
I try to cook within an hour time limit, but am not always successful yet in that aspect of my goals.
So here is what I did…
I immediately preheated the oven to 375 degrees, and drizzled the pork with good extra virgin olive oil, and seasoned liberally with salt and pepper. I seared all sides of the roast, and popped it in the oven to roast. (Takes about 45 minutes, and I pull it out about 10 degrees early-150 degrees, as letting it rest at least 10 minutes will bring the temp up to the required 160 degrees).
While the roast was cooking, I knew I wanted to make a puree’ with the mango to set off the pork nicely. I chopped 2 mangos and put them in my food processor. I added a splash of chicken stock, drizzled with EVOO, and seasoned with salt, pepper, cilantro, jalapeno flakes, ginger and lemon juice and gave it a few pulses until it was pureed. Set this aside for plating.
Next, I thought since we had 45 minutes for the roast to cook, I’d make an appetizer with the oyster mushrooms. I cleaned several caps for the appetizer, and also sautéed half the mushrooms with garlic to serve in my brown rice-and the appetizer filling.
Stuffed Oyster Mushrooms
I added 1 dollop of low-fat cream cheese and light sour cream into a bowl. Chop 2 tablespoons of the sautéed mushrooms, a handful of green olives, 1 teaspoon of capers, and 1 chopped green onion and add them to the mixture. Mix well, and spoon onto the caps. Bake for 10 minutes and serve!
Prepare brown rice according to the package directions, and add in dry cilantro, salt, pepper, and the remainder of the Oyster Mushrooms.
Next, sauté your favorite veggie to serve along with the roast once you pull it out to rest for 10 minutes. I chose Asparagus and button mushrooms, tying the dish together.
Plate, and serve!
This delicious dinner can be prepared and served in just about an hour! Enjoy!!!
❤ Michelle
Polar Dash Recap, and more!
Today was my first race in over 3 months since I tore my Achilles tendon. Yet when my friends asked if I wanted to sign up for the Polar Dash race series, I was excited to have a race to look forward to again.
We headed out early, despite the challenges of slippery roads, time set backs, and yes, me forgetting my trail shoes and having to run home to get them.
We got to the starting point literally less than 10 minutes before the 14 mile start. I missed meeting up with some amazing women, but did catch Penny from 26.Yikes and SarahJeanne from In Mid Stride.
Lots of laughter, hugs, and chatting and we were FREEZING, but happy.
We headed to the start corral, and I realized WOW…I am doing this. BRRRR….
Not a 1/4 mile in, and we were faced with standing water, ice, and detours through snow banks. But we were HAVING FUN. Crazy right? I mean, really, who signs up for any sort of distance in JANUARY, in CHICAGO? Yup…we did.
So we took a lot of pictures. Stopped to walk the icy parts, and the best part? I didn’t look at my Garmin, at all.
Several comment were made about our attire…and the best being named the “Polar Princess’s” and the “Tutu crew.”
We stayed together.
No runner left behind.
We finished happy.
And afterwards we all met up for lunch, and of course the traditional Bloody Mary. Yup. I drank that.
And in the end, people can question our pace time, our finish time, or how we placed….
But guess what. For THIS race, NO ONE cared. It was about being together as friends, laughing, talking, reconnecting, and just RUNNING to be free.
While eating lunch and shortly there after, I found myself laughing…laughing, and smiling so hard I had tears streaming down my face.
THIS is something I don’t do often enough…
But I did it today. And I’m better for it. I thank all of my friends and family, both near and far, for giving me a reason to smile, laugh, live, and run.
Monday’s Movin’…who’s cookin?
Tonight’s dinner was off the cuff, and I was plainly just trying to be creative. Was I completely successful? I’d say no….but the dish turned out regardless; I simply missed the ‘wow’ factor.
Ingredients:
4-6 pork chops, thick cut
3 oranges, to include the zest/juice
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 gloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of organic honey
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
Kosher salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (pinch), basil, and parsley
Mix the above ingredients together in a food processor, pulsing until completing incorporated. Coat your chops, and let marinate for about 30 minutes to an hour. Save about ½ cup of the mixture to drizzle over the chops for baking.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
Seer your chops on high heat in a pan coated with extra virgin olive oil, both sides. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with remaining mixture, and finish baking in the oven at 375 for about 25-30 minutes.
Serve with your favorite veggie; I choose zucchini and mushrooms tonight! Quickly sautéed them in a pan and VOILA! YUM! Gogolowcarb!
Tonight’s work out was a great #TDF start…
Day 6 of the AB challenge done:
25 Sit ups
15 crunches
15 leg raises
25 second plank
Added with:
30 second wall sit x3
3 sets of bicep curls
3 sets of tricep extensions…
A great Monday, all around! #keepmovinforward
Simply Chicken Soup
I love the fact that most days, I simply take a protein out of the fridge or freezer with NO idea what I am going to prepare.
With the terrible snow storms and dropping temps here in Chicagoland, I made sure to get my grocery shopping and errands done YESTERDAY so I could at least enjoy the warmth of my home before going back to work on Monday. Most businesses and schools are officially closed, but hospitals simply can’t ‘close.’ So tomorrow at 3:30 a.m. I will be hitting the roads and getting slapped in the face with -30+ degree winds/temps.
With that being said, my first thought as I looked at the boneless/skinless chicken thighs was….SOUP. Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day?
SIMPLE CHICKEN SOUP
Ingredients
6 skinless/boneless chicken thighs (or breast if you prefer, but I find the flavor of thighs so much richer and they hold up better in soup)
6 cups of organic chicken stock
Noodles of your choice-if desired
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of flour (I use semolina flour)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
2-3 stalks of celery, diced
2 carrots, chopped into bite size pieces
6 button mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon of parsley and thyme
2-3 pinches of turmeric to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
You will need one deep sauce pan for the soup, and one fry pan for the chicken.
In the deep sauce pan melt the butter, and whisk in the flour until evenly distributed; about 3-4 minutes. Toss in your minced garlic, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Slowly add in your chicken stock, and bring the liquid up to a boil. Add in your veggies, herbs, and spices and lower the heat to a high simmer. Cover the pan while it is simmering.
Next, heat your fry pan and coat with extra virgin olive oil. Season your chicken with salt and pepper, and seer on both sides. Cook through, and set aside to cool/rest.
Next, if you desire, cook noodles to the packages instruction, ensuring you salt your water.
Chop the chicken finely, and add to your soup. Total simmer time is about 30 minutes.
Serve with your favorite bread, crackers, or by itself! This dish will definitely be on my menu!
Enjoy!!
Please feel free to share this recipe with friends and family, and I would love for you to follow my blog! XOXO
Michelle
#keepbeingmore #healthyeats #keepmovinforward
Day 3…I got this…
I sat at work most of the day in a fog. My head was/is stuffy, and I just wasn’t feeling myself. I know I have a decent job, and will never complain for being gainfully employed. But I have dreams, hopes, and aspirations. And working in a lab just isn’t one of them.
This brings me back, to over 22 years ago when I joined the Air Force under “open general” status. I wanted to be an Air Traffic Controller….something that was on the flight line, in the deeps, trenches, and you name it. ANYTHING but medical I said…
Here I am, 22 years later, almost 23, wishing I had been given another path. Wait. I may work in a lab…BUT…
But our paths in life, lead us to our destinations.
And my goal as a writer and a Chef are just around the corner.
I felt it today, and found myself nearly giddy with ideas.
So in the crazy winds of the Chicagoland weather path, I found myself shopping for photo books, scissors, and accessories to make my vision REAL.
What a perfect way, to spend a cold and ill feeling weekend, than to cut and paste my future into a vision.
I’m ready. 
Exciting times!
I currently have a terrible head cold. You know, the kind where you feel like you are living on a cloud, but not the fluffy, white, whimsical type of cloud. No…the kind of cloud that is fog laden and makes your head feel like it weighs more than a ton of bricks.
Yup…that kind.
With that said, I still have managed to work nearly the entire holiday ‘break’ despite looking a bit like Rudolph from blowing my nose so many times.
I did manage to get my AB challenge done, and was satisfied with that despite wishing I was outside running in the newly fallen snow.
Regardless, I promised myself I would write more with the New Year, so here I am…aimlessly writing about a whole lot of nothing.
With all that, I pray for quick healing so I can rock the Polar Dash 10K with my friends next weekend. No matter what, we will look cute in our tutus and penguin hats.
My holiday decorations are nearly put away, and my weekend will be that of organizing and cleaning as I ready myself for a new year full of adventures.
My cook book project will start THIS weekend, and I have the hubby on board in researching starting our, wait for it, very own RESTAURANT. Those that know me, know this is my dream. He’s studying the business side, as am I, as well as we plan to research American cuisine paired with regional wines. Just. wait.
My running will continue, but I plan on holding back to the half marathon distance so I can have time for my family, and ME. The last two years of full AND part time work, along with marathon training taught me that I can ONLY DO so much. And although I love the 26.2 distance, I have found it almost silly to try and do with all I have on my plate. I just can’t give it my ALL again a third year in a row, so stay tuned for some rockin’ half marathons.
With that, I bid you all a wonderful evening. May your hearts be full, the wind at your back, and wonderful food on your plate.
#keepmovinforward
A new year….
I don’t like to look back, too much…yet sometimes I find it soothing to look back on where I once was, and find where I now am is pretty darn incredible.
Today is the first day of 2014, and sadly I woke up to a completely stuffed up nose, and foggy head. I could say it was due to too many drinks last night, but I partied “smart” drinking water in between each of my four cocktails.
But sometimes, working too hard and sleeping too little tends to catch up with the body and eventually that strong body, breaks down. I missed my group run this morning, even after waking up on time as I knew I needed some extra rest.
But the missed run won’t take away from my goals this year.
I don’t ‘do’ resolutions, more so I focus on goals.
So for this year…my goals are as follows.
I will WRITE, daily, if not weekly as time permits.
I will run, 3 times per week, regardless of snow, rain, or inclement weather.
I will start my half marathon training, THIS WEEKEND, and not look back.
I will run for FUN, with friends, and as often as possible.
I will focus on what I HAVE, not what I want…
I will learn more about photography and cooking, which are my two ‘other’ passions besides running.
I will sleep more. Drink more water. Smile more. And eat better.
I will lose 10 lbs, come hell or high water.
I will work on my e-book. Will it be a cook book, motivational book, or inspirational story? I’m not sure yet. But I won’t put it off another year.
Bring on 2014…I have big plans, to build my page, my passions, and my happiness. All of which will benefit my family.
And I’ll stick to this Ab challenge, DAILY!
#keepmovinforward
My first post….
Sitting near my fire, nestled quietly in my ‘corner’ (yes, they do put baby in the corner from time to time, but guess what, she may like being in her corner sometimes) I find myself looking back on 2013 with a great peaceful feeling.
I have attacked my love for running full force, and despite injury at the end of the year I can still say I tackled my goals and gave it my all.
I have re-discovered my love for cooking, and plan on continuing to learn, grow, and flourish as a ‘home cook’ Chef.
Lastly, I have learned that not everyone will understand, or support our goals and dreams. And that’s ok…For our number one fan must always be US first.
With that, I say…find your passion…your ‘thing’…your ‘people’ and focus on what matters most.
Family…fitness…and forward motion.
2013 year in review!
I’m looking back on the year 2013 with smiles, nostalgia, and remembrance of so many great moments.
In 2013 I ran eight official races, and one virtual half marathon.
I ran/biked/walked 766 miles, which is just a couple hundred miles shy of my goal of 1000 miles for 2013. Injury kicked my tail from October on, but I managed to keep moving. I am still over 100 miles further than I moved in 2012, so I am pleased to say the least.
My eating and habits weren’t stellar this year, and I plan on next year focusing more on less wine, and more veggies. I seemed to go in waves of eating great, yet I have still not found a happy balance in caloric intake/workouts to maximize weight loss/lean building.
Let the research begin.
With that, I have to recognize all I DID accomplish in 2013.
I PR’d my half marathon at the Trailbreaker half with a time of 2:02.
I placed second in my age group for the Dewey Dash 5K with a time of 27:24. My first, and only age placing medal!
I PR’d my FULL marathon at the happiest place EVER for me at the Fox Valley marathon with a 4:25, finishing 49th in my age group!
I started a new career/step down in career as the Histology Coordinator at St. Joe’s Hospital in Elgin, IL. But more time with my family was needed, so the step down, was really a step up. I’m still trying to find that job, that doesn’t feel like a job. Lol
I made more time to cook, write, and take pictures because it’s what I LOVE to do.
Goals for 2014 are….
Run and Bike…MORE.
Cross train…MORE.
Weight train…MORE.
Lost 10 lbs.
Take more pictures…write more….work on my e-book…sleep more…drink less wine…smile more…laugh more…pray more…focus on the positive….MORE.
#keepbeingmore
