Magical Spicy Carrot Soup!

Why is it magical, you ask? Because I'm going to show you how this:

(Carrots, celery, onion, broth, olive oil, apple, garlic, cooking cream, cayenne pepper, and flavor boost)

...when cooked in this. ..

 

...and pureed with an immersion blender...

TURNS INTO SOUP!

I opened the fridge today to take a little inventory and realized that the baby carrots and celery that I'd so lovingly and thoughtfully purchased last weekend were sitting there, unused...

I usually cut up fresh vegetables and bring them with me to work every day for a snack... but this week I started that new job, so life has been insane (I don't think I brought my lunch at all this week).

To make matters even worse, I actually had TWO bags of baby carrots - one brand new one and one half-used one.  I could not tolerate the idea of them going to waste.

It is overcast and gray today, with a slight chill in the air.  The perfect day for soup.

1) Cut up your vegetables - you can be creative here, but I used a bag of baby carrots, an entire package of celery hearts (washed and trimmed), a vidalia onion, an apple, and 2 cloves of garlic,

2) In your dutch oven (or stockpot), heat 3 TBSP of EVOO.  Add the vegetables, reduce heat, and let them sautee for a few minutes.

3) Open your can of broth and pour it in...

4) ... then use the flavor boost.  Not sure what flavor boost is?  It's amazing - these little packets that can be found in the soup aisle, near the boullion.  It is basically like hyper-concentrated stock -- and for this one I used one packet of the vegetable variety.  I've used the beef before, in stew or pot roast, and it is also pretty delicious.

5) Add a little water if necessary, so that the vegetables are just covered.

6) Add a little salt, a little pepper, whatever strikes you.

7) Cover and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

8) Remove from heat and set the dutch oven on a trivet...

9) Open up your brand new immersion blender (a wedding shower gift from your step mother-in-law), that you've never used, and marvel at how much nicer it is than the junky $20 you used for years.

10) working slowly, puree the vegetables.

11) I added about two tbsp of cooking creme here, but I'm not sure if it really made a difference.

12) Taste.

13) Season -- I was trying to replicate a boxed soup that I love, so I added a few shakes of cayenne pepper.  Careful, a little goes a long way.

Enjoy!

And now it is time for my workout. :-)

Off and running,
~Jessica

PS: Sorry for the poor picture quality - this was BEFORE I changed the 3 burned out light bulbs that magically all poofed out at the same time!

Take THAT, Monday.

My alarm went off at 5:30 this morning and I was up before the 2nd snooze even went off -- call it a case of the new job jitters or just excitement, or the energy that comes with feeling really GOOD again after a week of feeling "off" due to an ear infection... I was ready to rock.

Hit the treadmill for a quick 20, then came upstairs and hit the shower.  It's cold and rainy today, the perfect day for some comfort food, and since I'd been thinking ahead, I pulled a prepped pot roast out of the fridge and got the crockpot fired up.

And then, since a refreshing smoothie doesn't sound as appealing on a chilly morning, I made my new favorite breakfast -- Oatmeal Mug Muffins.  You will seriously not believe how easy, healthy, and delicious this breakfast is. 

 Ingredients: 1 egg, 1/4 cup of rolled oats, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, a splash of milk, a few raspberries, and a chopped up dove dark chocolate square (optional)

 Place all ingredients in your super cute "Just Married" coffee mug.

Mix with a fork.  Toss in the microwave for 2 minutes.

Tip mug upside down on a plate and you get this fun muffin thingy.

Mash with a fork and enjoy!

6 WW points, tons of protein, a whole grain, anti-oxidants (dark chocolate and raspberries, yo!), and a very decadent-seeming way to start the day!

And now, the coffee pot, hair-dryer, and train are calling!

Off and running,
Jessica

Big Spring Clean

The past few years of my life have never had a dull moment, and the same can especially be said for the past 9 months -- yes, it has been almost 9 months since The Hubs popped the question (almost 6 that we've been married!), and since getting engaged, I've also planned a wedding, prepared my house to sell, gotten married, opted to rent my house, moved out, got the house ready for a renter, fixed up Mike's house, maintained some semblance of a social life, family life, and a workout routine -- and oh yeah, also worked a 40+ hour workweek in a high pressure department within a Fortune 50 company.

I'm not gonna lie -- the thing that probably took the biggest toll was my job.  Right around the same time we got engaged, my role at work also changed significantly, and we started going through a bunch of organizational changes, including the departure of both my boss and of the director of my department, both of whom I absolutely adored.

From there -- well, I've been with Target for just under a year and a half, and I've had 5 bosses.  So I'll let you do the math on that one. 

I am one who adjusts well to change, but at the same time, I wilt without strong leadership.

(I was wilting.  Big time.) 

...until about 2 months ago when, as a result of MORE changes happening, I started reporting to a woman who had been with Target for over ten years.  And then, under her guidance, experience, and leadership, I began to flourish again.

But it is during the hardest times that you are forced to take a long look at yourself and prioritize -- and believe me, there were times when I almost turned tail and ran away -- I have a great resume and a husband who would have supported ANY decision I made, so the temptation to bail was often extremely tempting.  

I was in a bit of a fix, and I just didn't wanna fix it.  

I was just so... tired.

But then, the new boss helped me to do better -- to BE better.  And the frank guidance of a trusted friend and co-worker ("Quit?  Oh no honey.  That's not what girls like us do."), coupled with my own sense of needing to "right the ship" kicked in, and I was re-engaged, re-invigorated, re-committed, and renewed.

And starting tomorrow, I'm re-assigned.

I've been interviewing for a new position within Target for the past few weeks, and I found out last Friday that I got the job.  I start tomorrow -- I'm working again in an industry I love -- digital signage / in-store media -- focusing once again on an in-store television network.  I know a lot of the players in the industry from my time with PRN / BBY, and I absolutely cannot wait to get back into a role where I truly feel like I know what I'm talking about. I'm excited to start anew; to dive in head-first and really make an impact.

What does all this have to do with my running blog, you ask?  Well first of all, it isn't easy to admit when you're totally screwed up -- so "spring cleaning," in this case, means coming clean about my own mistakes - not only in regards to work, but wellness.  For the past month, my food, exercise, and drink choices have been... uh, less than stellar.  Usually if I have the presence of mind to THINK about my actions, I can swap a good workout for any other coping mechanism (eating, drinking, shopping, sloth), with obviously better results - but in the past month of stress, presence of mind was not really there.

That ends today. 

With a(nother) new job comes another sense of starting over -- new habits, new routines, and new choices.  Today, after two amazing nights of perfect windows-open-sleeping-and-snuggling weather, and a 2 hour nap this afternoon*, I feel like a new woman. 

A sense of calm has taken over.

I got up this morning and went to the grocery store as usual -- but this time only spent $50.  I'd overbought on protein sources last week and frozen them, so all I needed was produce, dairy, and a few ingredients.  I spent some time prepping meals** for the next few nights -- one of which we just enjoyed*** -- took a walk, took a nap, and took the time to actually think about my plan for the week - where I can fit in exercise, and where things will have to give.  I journaled my meals today, for the first time in weeks, and passed on a diet soda with lunch, sticking ONLY to crystal clear water all day long.

There's always a sense of renewal each spring - in Minnesota, we've been blessed with an early spring after an unusually warm winter.  I'm going to take that as a symbol that my personal renewal should also kick in early.

And just like that - I'm back on track. 

Prepped dinners.  Pre-planned lunches.  Journaled choices.  3 workouts minimum this week.

OH, and perhaps a Labor Day 10k****.

Off and running,
Jessica

*I never take naps, so this is sort of an amazing occurrence.

**Pot roast tomorrow in the crock pot.  Bowling (leftovers) on Tuesday. Brown sugar & garlic glazed chicken breasts on Wednesday. Shrimp stir fry on Thursday. Panko crusted walleye and baked onion rings on Friday

***Honey & Sauce sauce glazed pork chops -- very simple - marinate some bone-in pork chops in a mixture of soy sauce, honey, garlic, and scallions for a few hours.  Sear on HIGH heat for 1 minute per side, then reduce heat, cover, add the rest of the marinate, and cook for 10-15 minutes.  Delicious.

****Purely an IDEA at this point... but with calendar-quality firemen handing out champagne at the finish, how could I resist?  Hell, that's enough to maybe even run the full 26.2.

March Goes Out Like a Steambath

Okay guys, so I'm not COMPLAINING about the fact that it is nearly 80 degrees in March*, but I have to say -- not my favorite. 

Where is spring?  Where are my beloved 60 degree temps / morning runs?  Where is light sweater and jeans weather?  

Instead, I've got frizzy hair, and I'm sweating just walking around the house**.  All my summer clothes are packed up in our storage locker because I didn't think we'd still be living in this house by now... so now is time to go dig them out, curse my pasty white winter legs, and apologize in advance for any blindness caused by their exposure.

~end rant~

The other thing I'm not ready for?  The food change that comes with a new season - in the freezer I still have a few comfort food meals left -- lasagna, individual chicken pot pies, wild rice casserole -- but Heat Of Summer temps make me swear off turning on the oven and gravitate towards the grill.  I picked up some steaks to grill tonight -- with some french bread, grilled peppers, and salad -- but I'm off to the grocery store in minutes, and I have no idea what to buy, other than my usual couple of packages of chicken breasts and some vegetables.  Thankfully, it looks like next week will be in the 60s, which means I can comfortably make those remaining dinners in my oven, but this week I need some help!

What are your summer recipe go-to's?  Favorite ways to avoid the oven / stove?  Grilling tips?  Quick meal ideas for busy work-nights? 

GO.

Off and running,
Jessica

*At this time last year it was 46 degrees and we had about two feet of snow still on the ground.  Although that was a wild and unusual swing in the opposite direction as well, it is much more reflective of our typical weather at this time of year.

**Of course, this could be due to the fact that I need to lose about 40 lbs, but I digress.  So much for my "not another fat summer" mantra.  Guess we'll be tryin' for fall!

Lioness: Day 2

The "A" alarm went off at 5:30 and I turned it off, knowing that the "B" alarm was set for 6:30.  At 6:15, I made the choice to wrestle myself out of bed and venture downstairs to the cold basement, where I stepped on the scale for the first time in a couple of weeks, smiled when I saw the exact same number I saw last time, then put on my running shoes and hopped on the treadmill.

30 minutes (and an episode of The Big C) later, I was stretching on my yoga mat, and headed upstairs to pour a much deserved cup of coffee.

By 8:30 AM, I was sitting at my desk typing the following Facebook status update:

"Managed to work out, make breakfast, pack lunch, caffeinate AND arrive at work fairly pulled together. 8:31 am and I'm declaring today a success."


My meetings thus far (yeah, it's 10:30 AM and I've already had four of 'em -- tha'ts how we roll here), have been productive, filled with engaging conversation and focused decisions.  I am reminded of two things (for the ten billionth time):

1) It all starts with a good night's sleep (in my case, I got 3 of them in a row!)
2) Exercise makes me smarter.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
One of the things I didn't do this year was give up anything for Lent -- I thought about it, believe me -- alcohol?  Soda?  Carbs?  Swearing?  Adopt a habit instead?  Nothing felt doable, and nothing felt right - perhaps because in the midst of such a stressful time, that would have meant giving away all the coping mechanisms I turn to. 
 
Of course, that would have been the brilliant thing to do, but it just felt really HARD.
 
Like magic, I got an email on Friday inviting me to be a part of the WEGO Health Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge -- I instantly signed up.  The premise is that they will give me prompts every day in April of things to write about.  I'm eager and excited to jump in, and to have somebody "queing" me each day on what to talk about.  You can follow the conversation on Twitter (#HAWMC), where you'll also be able to see posts from the other writers participating in the challenge.

I know that when I'm writing about health, fitness, nutrition, and weight loss, I'm more apt to make healthy choices.  It becomes top of mind -- something about that "over the fingertips" phenom -- when I don't make time for this part of my life, my life changes, and not in a good way.  It is not a coincidence that the absolute healthiest time in my life was when I was training for the marathon -- made healthier by the fact that I was writing about it. 

The timing is a little off, but here "WeGo" (haha) --
 
This year I didn't give up soda or alcohol, chocolate or four-letter words -- but I became a lioness for Lent.
 
Off and running,
~Jessica
 

In Like A Lamb

On Thursday, March 1, I woke up at 4:30 AM, got ready for work, and headed to a Target store - it was the biggest milestone thus far in a project I've been working on SINCE JULY 2011 (incidentally, the work won't hit the store until July 2012 - if that gives you an idea of the scope of work), and it went beautifully.  I honestly could not have asked for it to go better.  To say I was thrilled (relieved, emotional, overjoyed, glowing, etc), would be a grave understatement.  It definitely set a tone of happiness for the remainder of my week, going into my weekend.

Friday was a couple glasses of wine with one of my best girlfriends, in town from Chicago to apartment hunt for her impending move to Minneapolis... then home to The Hubs, where we proceeded to go to bed around 8 PM and sleep straight through until morning - clearly, both of us craving and needing rest.  Saturday we had the joy of filing our taxes before dinner with my in-laws... it was another early-to-bed night for me, although The Hubs stayed up late catching up on work. 

(Are you sensing a theme here?  Clearly we both need a vacation).

But this morning when I woke up, after two blissful nights in a row of 9-10 hours of sleep, it was like somebody had injected Vitamin D into my veins -- the sun was shining brightly through our window, and I popped out of bed and immediately got to work:

Did the dishes cleaned out the fridge made a meal plan made a grocery list went to grocery store did some food prep threw clothes in the wash got a car wash got a manicure made food for my friend who is having a baby tomorrow snuggled with the husband delivered meals to aforementioned friend having baby made dinner got on treadmill ate dinner did dishes st coffee packed lunch and WHEW- time to relax with some TV and a glass of wine!


I've got a lot going on this week but have a solid plan of how to conquer it all - Tuesdays have started to pose food challenges, because we bowl on Tuesday night, which usually means the temptation of beer and fried food.  This week, I'm planning to eat something at home before we head to bowling, and stick to diet coke all night.  I generally try to not drink soda or diet soda, but I figure if a night of diet coke is what it takes to keep me from drinking miller light and eating pizza, so be it. 

I've done a great job of dinner planning this week (Garlic chicken, napa cabbage salad, egg rolls; Roast chicken, hasselback potatoes, brussel sprouts; Lasagna, garlic bread salad; Parmesan dijon chicken, wild rice, sugar snap peas), and planning out workouts (treadmill on Monday, bowling on Tuesday, treadmill on Wednesday and Thursday), and packing lunches (quinoa chicken salad, turkey & havarti on sandwich thins).  I've got another insanely busy work week ahead of me, so my intent here was to over-plan the food so that I can go on auto-pilot in terms of my eating - make it route, and just go through the motions so that I can concentrate on work and self-care -- sleep, exercise, and quality time with Mike.

I'm ready for spring.  

It's been a beautiful, easy, snow-free winter and it has been wonderful.  At the same tie, it is almost a tease -- not quite nice enough to be outside DOING stuff, and definitely dismal, dirty, and grey.  On Tuesday it is supposed to be 50 degrees, and I'm itching for spring - Twins games, gardening, open windows, bike rides, dinner on the patio, walks around the lake, outdoor running, and blue skies and sun!  Now that it is almost upon us - and some stressful work stuff is behind me - I feel like I'm ready to finally REALLY recommit to fitness and weight loss.  While Gabby and I have done an OKAY job of being accountable to each other, I've also been pretty lackadaisical about  exercise and about journaling. 

Dudes -- This is HARDER this time around - for one thing, my priorities are totally different - my LIFE is totally different. 

On the other hand, while conscious weight loss is harder, I've noticed that my natural lifestyle always involves "reigning it in."  Sure, I've eaten pizza or chipotle or chinese food over the past two weeks, but the next meal is almost always a big leafy salad or a bowl of broth based soup.  If I don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, I not only feel gross, but guilty.  I always have a bottle of water in my hand, to the point where my boss even commented the other day, "Jess, you are really good about drinking water - you ALWAYS have it. " So it seems that some things, after all these years, have indeed become habit.

In the midwest, we always hope March will come in like a Lion and out like a Lamb - that the tough days of winter will quickly be behind us, giving way to the calm and peaceful days of spring.  But in regards to my weight loss, I've been too lamb-like for the past 6 months.

It's time to live like a lion.

Off and running,
~Jessica