Raw Walnut Tacos

First, let me say that I was pretty skeptical to try this recipe. Yes, I’m a vegetarian, but raw walnut tacos is taking it to another level. I was SO wrong. These tacos rock and they’re easy!  Just add the ingredients in your food processor and pulse. That’s it!  They’re also super flexible. The walnut “meat” makes a great base for your favorite toppings. I added black beans and corn to mine (recipe at the bottom of this page).

Add the taco ingredients to your food processor.

In case you haven’t cooked with coconut aminos, it’s a healthier alternative to soy sauce.  You can buy it in the asian foods section of your grocery.

Pulse several times until a the mixture forms a crumbly “ground meat” consistency.  Do not over blend.

Add to your romaine leaves, garnish and enjoy!!

Ingredients:

8 large romaine leaves
2 cups walnuts
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
Dash of paprika
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of black pepper

Optional toppings: black beans, corn, avocado, salsa, Greek yogurt, cojita or queso fresco, jalenpenos, tomatoes, fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice

Instructions:

Thoroughly wash and drain the lettuce in a colander or on a paper towel and set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Combine all taco ingredients in a food processor.

Pulse several times until crumbly, making sure not to overblend.

Spread the walnut taco meat on the romaine leaves in equal servings.

Garnish the walnut taco meat with desired toppings.

Lime Black Beans and Corn

Add the rinsed black beans and corn kernels to a medium pot.  Add the cumin and juice from half a lime.  Stir and cook on medium heat until warmed through.

Add fresh cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and add to your tacos!

Ingredients:

1 can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernals
juice from 1/2 lime
1 Tablespoon cumin
fresh cilantro; chopped
salt and pepper; to taste

Instructions:

Add the rinsed black beans and corn kernels to a medium pot. Add the cumin and juice from half a lime. Stir and cook on medium until warmed through.

Add fresh cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and serve.

Recipe adapted from: Marco Borges

Related Recipes:

Honey-Lime Sweet Potato Taco Salad

 

Chunky Veggie Tacos

 

One-Pan Mexican Quinoa

The Russian is Back on the Track

Monday:

6 early miles with friends and then 2 more solo.

Look at the goslings!

The temps are already so hot this year!

Watermelon really hits the spot!

I took some dresses to get hemmed.  Short person problems…

And met Jason for lunch.  Grilled portobello on top of a salad is so good!

My hair was crazy curly.  Just in case you had any doubt about humidity in TN…

I finally got to watch some of Orange is the New Black Season 3!  I’m trying to spread it out, but the struggle is real.

Track Tuesday: The Return of the Russian!

I posted the workout on my Facebook page and this is just a portion of the comments.  My friends crack me up!!!!

On to the workout:

I did a 4.5 mile warm-up

3x the following workout:
300m (100m recovery)
300m (100m recovery)
300m (100m recovery)
800m jog

1 mile Cool Down

I came home to some more of Jason’s artwork.

David Haywood from Run4Others made an awesome pace calculator.  It makes it super easy to calculate your track splits.  Check it out HERE!

After track and a much needed shower, I got my nails done at The Nail Bar.  OPI Mod About You.

I regularly get deep tissue sports massages and swear by them for recovery.  I switched it up and got a trigger point massage and holy crap did it hurt!!!  The therapist finds a knot or sore spot and digs in with her elbow until the muscle releases.  The scene of the crime…it looks so peaceful.  Don’t be fooled.

Taco Tuesday!

I made Raw Walnut Tacos and they were SO good!!  I’ll type up the recipe soon.  It’s a winner!

Have you ever had a trigger point massage? Have you ever wanted to use four-letter words during massage?!

What was your last speed workout?

Do you get your nails done?  How often?  I go through phases, but it does make me feel like I’m put together.

Do you own a food processor?  How often do you use it?  I’ve been using mine more than ever lately!

#choosejoy

Summer Fruit Salad

This summer fruit salad is a colorful and refreshing addition to your barbecue or brunch.  It’s drizzled with a light simple syrup and you can use any fruit of your choosing.  It’s also the perfect make ahead dish.

Over medium-high heat, boil orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest.

Reduce heat to medium-low and allow the syrup to thicken slightly; about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and allow to cool.

Layer the fruit in a large, clear glass bowl in this order: pineapple, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bananas, oranges, grapes, and blueberries.

Pour the cooled syrup over the fruit.

Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.  Garnish with fresh mint, stir, and serve!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup fresh orange juice; I used the juice of 2 oranges
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice; 2 lemons
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
3 bananas, sliced
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 cup seedless grapes
2 cups blueberries
Garnish: fresh mint leaves (I’ll bet fresh basil would also taste great.)

Instructions:

Bring orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.

Layer the fruit in a large, clear glass bowl in this order: pineapple, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bananas, oranges, grapes, and blueberries. Pour the cooled sauce over the fruit. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours and garnish with mint leaves before serving.

Recipe adapted from: The Pioneer Woman and Allrecipes.com

Weekend Wrap-Up

Saturday:

This seemed like an appropriate Instagram post as I was heading out to the trails for a 5 hour long run!

I made sure to lay every thing out the night before.  Pre-run was 1 cup of coffee and half a Picky Bar.  During my run, I ended up drinking around 50oz of water with Cocogo (Discount code: JENCHOOSESJOY (all caps), 3 Gu’s, and half a Picky Bar during my run.  My goal was 100 calories per hour.

It takes a village!  We picked up and dropped off friends throughout the 5 hour run.  I am so grateful for the awesome company.  It was super hot and humid, but we had a great run and the time flew by.  4,000ft gain!

After a much needed shower, I put on compression sleeves and drank my favorite Svelte protein shake.

And had the prettiest bowl of steel cut oats for breakfast…aka lunch because it was so late when we finished running.

It happened to be National Rose Day!

We stopped by the wine store and ended up leaving with a case.

I wanted a sweet treat, so I got a cup of froyo from Sweet Cece’s…piled high with cookie dough.

I totally understand why folks love their fitness trackers.  It is so much fun to see my numbers before I go to bed at night.  Now that I’m tapering, I won’t see these numbers again for another two weeks.

Sunday:

I woke up feeling surprisingly good after my long run, so I headed to the gym.  An empty gym is such a luxury!!

I met Jason for a breakfast of fruit, oatmeal, and coffee (of course)!

And we hiked at Radnor Lake together.  🙂

How sweet are these turtles?!

My shirt du jour pretty much sums it up!

I am in love with acai bowls and Daily Juice just added one to their menu!

My version of Sunday meal prep is stocking up on lots of fruit at Whole Foods.

The latest Batch Box came in the mail and included the cutest summertime cookies…ALMOST too pretty to eat!

As a fundraiser, our local high school puts a flag in our yard for patriotic holidays.  Sunday was Flag Day in the US…so pretty!

Peak and Pit of your weekend?  Peak: Having an awesome long run with Corrie and so many wonderful friends! Pit: Post-froyo bellyache.  (I might have to call it FroNo for a while.)

What do you drink or wear to speed up your recovery?  I like tart cherry juice, Svelte, and compression sleeves.  Oh, and lots of foam rolling.

Who watched Orange is the New Black this weekend?  I didn’t get to watch any of it this weekend.  I will remedy that this week.

Did you race or long run this weekend?  Share!!

Happy Monday and #choosejoy!

Scatterbrained

In the last two days, I’ve baked cookies and forgotten to take them and showed up to work a race packet pickup that isn’t until next week.  I’m blaming my ‘fuzzy’ brain on peak training week for North Fork 50.

Thursday:

I met up with the Brentwood Breakfast Club for a great run through Sylvan Park.

And we had breakfast on the Star Bagel Cafe patio.  Al (the man with the arrow) finished breakfast with us and found out that his wife had gone into labor.  Don’t worry.  He picked her up, made it to the hospital and now has another beautiful baby girl!!!!!

I came home and baked a new Biscoff Cloud Cookie recipe to take to the Dirtbag Trail Run and Mixer.  They turned out great!  Of course, I sampled one.  🙂

I had a surprise flower delivery from Jason.  Aren’t they lovely?!!

I was so excited for to see everyone at the trail mixer that I forgot my cookies.  😦

BUT, I had a blast and Jason took the cookies to work.

Thanks to Jared for this great picture!!  Yes, I had a big smile on my face even though they were taking pictures of our backs (blonde moment).

I came home to find a bunny on my porch!!!!  I was so excited and took like 50 photos.

Friday:

I’ve been tired and needed a relaxed morning.  So…Jason and I slept in a little (ok it was till 5:30, but that’s still later than I usually get up), and we had crepes at The Perch!

Then, I ran 8 easy paced miles at the gym.

I tried a new-to-me fruit…a Cherimoya.  You just slice it in half and spoon it out.  It’s tasted like a pineapple, apple, and custard had a baby.

How awesome is this shirt from Run On Organic?

Tomorrow is the longest long run for this training season…a 5 hour trail run.  I made sure to carb-up!!!

Ultra runners: Do you run for time or distance when you’re training?

What’s the craziest fruit or veggie you’ve eaten?  I really want to try a durian, but I can’t find them in TN!

Do you feel like you have “mushy” brain during peak mileage weeks?

#choosejoy and Happy Weekend!

The Friday Five

1.  Guess what?!  It’s June 12th and Season 3 of Orange is the New Black is on Netflix!!!

2.  Bow down to this sassy dancer!

3.  I just bought a new pair of the Nike Terra Kiger 2.  They’ve been my favorite trail shoe for a couple of years now, and I love my new ones!

4.  I finished reading The French Twist: Twelve Secrets to Decadent Dining and Natural Weight Management.  It’s written by a nutritionalist about French culture.  The Francophile in me loved this book.  It’s an anti-diet book without rules…just relax, move regularly, and eat and enjoy real food!

5.  Thanks to Sam for sharing this gem with me!!! Jennifer is a Party Pooper!

Happy Friday and Choose Joy!

Lots of Fruit and Group Runs

Monday:

I met up with friends for a 5:30 run and then added on a few more solo miles.

We loaded up our fridge with lots of fresh fruit over the weekend.  It’s so good after a hot run!

Super cool surprise from Jason…an iWatch!

And for dinner, I made roasted veggie and quinoa bowl with peanut sauce from My Veggie Chef.  I always keep a few of their dinners in my freezer for nights when we’re in a hurry at dinner time.

And, I wrote a blog about hot weather running (with a bunch of fun gif’s…of course)!

Track Tuesday:

Check out the sunrise.

I’m still taking it easier than usual on the track.  4.5 mile warmup, 400m repeats (400m recovery jog), and 1 mile cool down.  I think you can tell just how hot it was!

I hydrated afterwards with peach, raspberry, and lemon infused water.  It hit the spot!

I got my hair cut that afternoon.  I love when my stylist straightens my hair!

Restoration Hardware, let’s talk about your phone book sized catalog.  I love you, but it’s completely unnecessary!

In honor of Taco Tuesday…

Wednesday:

I joined my sweet friends for a road/trail hybrid run through Percy Warner Park.  We logged another 1,000ft elevation gain.

I chowed down on the yummiest kiwi.

My iWatch definitely doesn’t replace my Garmin for running, but I’m really enjoying the fitness tracking features.

I stopped by Fleet Feet and picked up a new pair of Terra Kigers.  Aren’t they pretty?!  That will last for a few minutes on the trails!

For dinner, Jason and I tried the new Blaze Pizza.  Judging from the pizza bones, I think we liked it.

Is this a pet peeve for anyone else?

And a few outtakes from the track, because they’re always my favorite.  🙂

Who has an iWatch?  Thoughts?

What’s your favorite trail shoe?

What healthy foods do you try to keep stocked in your kitchen?  Obviously, I try to always have lots of fruit on hand!

Are you a pizza crust person or do you leave it behind?

#choosejoy

Grilled Chipotle Cauliflower

The warm weather has me craving grilled veggies, and this is my favorite grilled cauliflower recipe yet!  It’s smoky, a little spicy, and the lime and cilantro give it a fresh pop!

Start by mixing your olive oil mixture in a small bowl…olive oil, 2 limes (zested and juiced),

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons honey

And whisk it all together.

Place your cauliflower florets into a large bowl and pour the olive oil mixture on top.

In a separate small bowl, mix your lime zest, cumin, chipotle powder, and salt.

Pour the spice mixture over the cauliflower florets.

Stir until evenly coated.

Place the florets into a grill skillet or pan and grill on medium-high for 20-25 minutes; stirring occasionally.

Once the cauliflower is almost finished, place one lime (halved) cut side down on the grill for 2 minutes.

Once the cauliflower has reached your desired texture, top with cilantro and serve with the grilled lime.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
2 large heads cauliflower; chopped into florets
1/4 cup olive oil
2 limes, zested and juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 Lime; halved and grilled

Instructions:

Whisk the olive oil with the lime juice in a small bowl. Whisk in the grated garlic and honey or agave syrup. In a separate bowl, mix the lime zest, cumin, chipotle, and salt.

Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high. Place the cauliflower florets into a large bowl.  Pour the olive oil mixture over the florets and sprinkle with the chipotle powder mixture. Stir well to combine and completely coat the cauliflower.  Place the seasoned florets into a grill skillet on the hot grill.

Cover the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove the lid and carefully stir the cauliflower. Cook covered for an additional 5-10 minutes or until done to your desired texture.

While the cauliflower finishes cooking, place your lime (cut sides down) on the grill and cook for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve immediately with the grilled lime on the side.

Recipe adapted from: The Kitchn

Related Recipes:

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks

Simple Lemon Grilled Asparagus

Glazed Cauliflower ‘Wings’

#choosejoy

It’s Getting Hot in Here!

The heat and humidity are in full force here in Tennessee!  Here are some tips to help you with your summer running…

1.  When the temps begin to heat up, it will take your body 2 weeks to adapt to the warm weather.

2.  Wear moisture-wicking running clothes.  Remember that cotton is rotten. (No sweatsuits and trash bags!)

3.  Make sure to wear sunscreen and a visor or hat to protect your face. (A fan is optional.)

4.  Run early or late in the day.  Avoid the midday heat if at all possible.

5.  If you can only run in the early afternoon, consider moving your workout indoors to the treadmill, stationary bike, or pool.

6.  Stay hydrated!  Drink water throughout the day and carry a handheld or hydration pack during your run.

7.  Add electrolytes to your water for runs over 60 minutes.  (In the summer, I always mix Cocogo with my water…even for short runs.  Use code: JENCHOOSESJOY (all caps) for 10% at Cocogo.com.)

8.  Strategically plan your route.  Choose a shady route (trees or tall buildings) and run by water fountains if possible.

9.  Start your run a little slower than usual.  If you’re feeling good half way through, pick up the pace a bit.

10.  Consider running by effort rather than pace.  Listen to your body and lower your intensity if needed.

11.  Know when to say when and take your workout indoors in the extreme heat.

12.  Lower your expectations.  You can’t expect as much out of your body.  Be kind to yourself and give yourself a little extra grace.

13.  For every 5 degree rise over 60 degrees F, expect to slow your pace by 20-30 seconds.  Here is a great post from Coach Mark Hadley from Maximum Performance Running on Temperature + Dew Points for Pace Adjustments.

14.  Lastly, think about how great you will feel in your fall race after a tough summer of training!!!

Silliness aside…the heat can be dangerous.  Here are the signs of heat exhaustion (source):

• Confusion
• Dark-colored urine (a sign of dehydration)
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle or abdominal cramps
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Pale skin
• Profuse sweating
• Rapid heartbeat

If you experience the above symptoms…

• Immediately get out of the heat (preferably to air-conditioning)
• Drink plenty of fluid (avoid caffeine and alcohol).
• Remove any tight or unnecessary clothing.
• Take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath.
• Apply other cooling measures such as fans or ice towels.

If such measures fail to provide relief within 15 minutes, seek emergency medical help, because untreated heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke.

Stay safe out there!!

What tips or tricks am I forgetting to survive summer running?

Do you pay attention to Dew Point before a run or just the temperature?

Are you already battling summer temps?

#choosejoy

Weekend Wrap-Up: Franklin Half Marathon

Saturday:

The Franklin Half Marathon (that’s actually run in Leiper’s Fork)

It was a steamy morning with lots of fog.  This is the parking field.

It’s a local race and so fun to meet up with my friends!

This definitely wasn’t a “goal” race for me and I used it as part of my training for the North Fork 50 later this month.  There was a little congestion at the start and it quickly thinned out.

This course is notoriously hot and hilly.  Every year I wonder why we run it!  I was soaked in sweat by the finish.

Temperature when I finished!

Stats:

I think the 666 elevation gain is a sign!

I’m super proud of our group!!!!

Nutrition:

• Coffee and a Picky Bar at home.
• Cocogo in my handheld during the race. Use code: JENCHOOSESJOY (all caps) for 10% off
• 1 Gu at mile 8

Pros:

• It’s a local race with lots of friends!
• It’s close to home, 2,000 runners, and logistically very easy.
• Water-Bags on the course.
• Encouraging and cheerful volunteers
• Peach Truck Peaches at the finish line!

Cons:

• It’s hot and hilly.  Seriously, did I mention that it’s hot and hilly?
• Because of the heat, they ran out of water at finish.
• The porta potty lines were super long and folks resorted to peeing in the fields.
• No towels or napkins at the finish.

That afternoon, I was a bum.  I made a big misto and watched McFarland (loved it)!

And ate entirely too many tortilla chips at dinner, because…salt!  Warm restaurant chips are heaven in a basket.

Sunday:

My ultra training called for back-to-back runs, so I met Corrie and CB at Percy Warner for a trail run!

It was another hot one and I inhaled a big bowl of mango at home.

Before our dinner reservation, we stopped to visit with sweet friends.  It’s always fun to see runners in “real clothes!” (Plus a photobomb by Mr. Huffman!)

And lastly a (blurry) toast to the end of full weekend…cheers!

Peak and Pit of your weekend?  Peak: After being out of town, I was so excited to catch-up with friends!  Pit: The heat kicked my arse!

Mangos: yay or nay?  I keep trying to love them, but they’re not my favorite.

Have you used the Water-Bags during a race?  Do you like them? I like them because it’s easier to drink and run at the same time AND I would use the bag on my neck to cool off.

Share your race or long run from the weekend?

#choosejoy