Healthy Recipe: Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

One of my favorite things about spring and early summer is the fresh produce… it makes for some amazing salads. I love this one! I’ve lightened it up by reducing the amount of dressing the original recipe calls for – it’s a very simple and flavorful citrus vinaigrette, and a little goes a long way.

Cutting beets into hearts and making your salad extra adorable = totally optional.
Photo Credit: CupcakeVixens.com

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
6 Servings

Ingredients
4 medium beets – scrubbed, trimmed and cut in half
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 (10 ounce) package mixed baby salad greens
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces goat cheese

Directions
Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool, then cut in to cubes.

While the beets are cooking, place the walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat until warm and starting to toast, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook and stir until evenly coated, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make the dressing.

Divide the baby greens into six serving bowls. Drizzle each with 1/6 of the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Divide candied walnuts equally and sprinkle over the greens. Place equal amounts of beets over the greens, and top with dabs of goat cheese.

Nutritional Information: 256 Calories, 14 grams Fat, 25 grams Carbohydrates, 5.2 grams Protein

“Training = Good Days + Bad Days + Patience”

Quoted straight from a text from Coach Irondad, sent because I utterly failed at my swim workout this morning. I was supposed to do 900 yards in 30 minutes; I only did 800, and it took 31. I was supposed to go a little faster with each 100 yards; I stayed the same for the first half, and then went even slower in the second because my arms and legs were so tired. The best part was when, just as I was about to start my last 100, both calves cramped so badly that I was forced to sit on the steps of the pool and stretch for nearly 10 minutes before I could even stand up. Awesome.

(Not actually awesome.)

I was so cranky. This guy saw me hitting the lap button on Señor Garmin every 100 yards and was like “why don’t you just use the big clock?” and it was all I could do not to aqua jog over and punch him in the face. I can barely remember what lap I’m on, and you want me to remember nine different pace times?

It doesn’t help that he reminded me that I don’t yet actually understand how to use a pace clock. I’ve read this article once so far and it still doesn’t make any sense. Any experienced swimmers care to give me an easy “Pace Clock for Dummies” breakdown?

Is it just me, or does this kid look downright smug?

Chugging Along

Last week, I completed every workout that Coach Irondad set out for me. Actually, I kind of overachieved, by going on a three-hour group bike ride instead of the 1:30 he had planned. I only went over my calorie budget on two days out of seven. I’d like to say I’m feeling accomplished and awesome – and I kind of am, I guess. But really, right now all I can think of is how slllooooooww weight loss progress is. I’ve been consistently working really hard for three weeks, now. Shouldn’t I look like this?

Photo credit: http://fitgirllivinginabikini.tumblr.com/

Alas, I don’t. Yet. But I am making progress, however slowly!

Date	Weight	Pounds Lost
4/24/13	200.8
4/29/13	199.6	1.2
5/6/13	197.6	2
5/13/13	196	1.6

Healthy Recipe: Slow-Cooker Mexican Chicken

We tried this on Friday (and ate leftovers all weekend), and it is GOOD! Even better, Alex said it couldn’t have been easier to make. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: 110pounds.com

SLOW-COOKER MEXICAN CHICKEN
(Adapted from a Spark recipe and modifications from 110pounds)

Ingredients
2-3 chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans (do not drain)
1 can mexican chili beans (do not drain)
1 Package Taco Seasoning
1 can chopped green chiles

Preparation
Layer chicken in bottom of crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients in the order written. Do not stir. Cook on low 7-8 hours. Take out chicken and shred. Return chicken to crock pot and stir well.

This comes out a bit like a chicken chili. You can add things like corn, black olives, guacamole, etc., and you can serve plain or with chips – it’s very versatile. We made little tacos with shredded cheese and fresh cabbage for crunch.

The recipe allegedly makes six one-cup servings. I don’t know if we had mutant giant chicken breasts or what, but there was a lot more than that. And no one is complaining.

Nutritional Information (per one cup serving): 220 Calories, 5 grams Fat, 13 grams Protein, 29.4 grams Carbohydrates

Progress & Obstacles

I thought I’d check in every Wednesday to let y’all know how I’m progressing towards my current goal of getting to 170 pounds by Big Kahuna. So far, so good! I’ve lost 3.2 pounds since returning from Mexico.

I know I could do something much fancier in Excel, but there’s something deeply satisfying about doing this by hand, with pen and paper!

The black bars are where I should be if I lose two pounds each week. The blue highlighter represents my actual numbers from my Monday weigh-ins.

______________________

Lately, I find myself asking (quite often, actually), why things can’t just be EASY. Spraining my finger comes to mind. Forgetting almost everything I needed for my long run in Vegas is another example.This week, it’s “major drama at my gym causes all the personal trainers to quit.”

This kid knows what I’m talking about.

It’s so frustrating, because I finally had a good thing going with my trainer. And now he (and all the others) are at a gym down the street that costs $60/month and isn’t, y’know, in the lobby of the building where I work.

Also, the chain/gears/shifters(???) of my new bike are messed up. Alex and I have both looked at my chain and it seems to be on properly, but it’s just not right. The bike is noisy, and when I pedal it does that ka-chunk! slipping thing. It doesn’t FEEL like I’m in the gear that’s indicated, and I can only even kind of ride in the highest gear or two. I have to take it to the bike shop; hopefully they can help me understand what I’ve done wrong, and how to avoid/fix it in the future. This morning, I slogged through my 30 minute ride by going around and around the blocks of my neighborhood, because I wasn’t comfortable out on main streets with traffic. I felt dumb.

Finally, a Good Day in the Pool!

Alex kissed me goodbye this morning and said, “have a good swim.” Ever full of positivity, I replied “I won’t.” I had oversnoozed (which is like oversleeping, but nine minutes at a time, and by choice) and I knew that the pool was going to be packed. That hasn’t gone so well for me lately. Plus today’s focus was endurance, so I would be out there (being terrible) for a little longer than usual.

But I lucked out! It was only a little crowded, and I was able to find a lane marked “SLOW” with just one swimmer who was going about my pace. Sweet! I did 100 yards to warm up and then started four 150-yard ‘steady’ sets. A third guy joined our lane and I switched to circle swim (no getting kicked in the face for me today!) but he was just too slow, and I kept having to pass him. You’d think I’d be annoyed by this, but no! It was very exciting to not be the slowest one, to have someone else interrupting MY flow instead of being constantly worried that I’m doing that to another swimmer.

So, I switched lanes. The area I moved into was the shallow side, and marked “for walkers only” but there was just one person there, and he was swimming laps. So I asked him if I could split the lane with him, and he said “of course.” I finished out my workout – including two 50-yard “all out” efforts that I ALMOST made it straight through (had to keep my head above water because I was breathing too heavy about 40 yards in) and a cool down 100 that was easy peasy Japanesy.

So very happy to finally feel good about a swim workout! Next goal: getting good enough that I feel comfortable checking out one of LA Tri Club’s “Ocean 101” or, eventually, “Chicken of the Sea” open water swims.

Healthy Recipe: Mediterranean Chicken with Potatoes

I made this for family last week, and everyone really liked it! Even my husband, who hates olives, and my 14 year old brother, whose palate I would not call “adventurous.”

My cooking notes: the thyme springs are a nice touch, but not necessary. The potatoes took about 5-7 minutes longer than the recipe states. And – as always – double the garlic! Enjoy.

Photo Credit: Randy Mayor, Melanie J. Clarke – CookingLight.com

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN WITH POTATOES

Ingredients

4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
12 small red potatoes, halved (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped pepperoncini peppers
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
2 cups chopped plum tomato
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine 2 teaspoons garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and potatoes on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until tender (be careful not to overcook, or they’ll just turn to mush when added to the chicken later!).

Heat a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add half of chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken; remove from pan.

Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring wine to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 2 minutes). Add potatoes, chicken, broth, pepperoncini, and olives; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 teaspoons garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, tomato, basil, and artichokes; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.