Running Update & A Twist on Broccoli Slaw

Good Morning!

I hope your morning has started off fabulously! Yesterday was super warm and super windy, but the temperatures have dropped overnight and we are supposed to have a much cooler day today. I fit in a 30 minute run yesterday after work, but my right knee has been bothering me since a power spin class last Thursday, so I'm thinking this cool day would be a great day to take as a rest day.

I haven't updated you on my running progress for the past few weeks because I've hit a few snags in the road and things are going a little slower than I originally planned. First I came down with a brutal flu that turned into a chest cold overnight. That set me back for a couple of weeks and just as I was feeling better, I went to a spin class which was really, really challenging and my right knee hasn't been 100% since. It's been aching alot especially when I go from a squat position to a stand. I've run a bit through all of this, but I'm trying to be patient and take things easy because I don't want to set myself back even further by injuring myself seriously. It's a bummer when you get sidelined unexpectedly isn't it?!

We had originally planned to run our first 5K on May 13, 2012, but we've decided to push back our first race until mid-June. My friend, Natasha, who is planning to run with us broke her wrist about a month ago. Unfortunately, she had to have surgery right before Easter Weekend, so her training has also been delayed. None of us want to push our training too hard and commit to a race before we're ready. We'd rather give ourselves time to properly prepare so we can have positive results at that first race!

The good news is that each run is easier than the last and I am still really excited and really motivated. I'm keeping my eye on the prize and on imagining that feeling I'm going to have when I run that first 5K and cross the finish line.

Source: Pinterest

Okay, so now that we're all motivated and ready to keep on truckin', we need to talk a little about  food. Derek;s birthday was last week and our friend, Jeff, and I decided to throw him a little surprise dinner to celebrate his special day and to give him a little break from all of his work, work, work.

Planning and sneaking around to get dinner ready for 16 people without Derek noticing was no easy feat. We have a few friends who aren't too terribly adventurous with their tastebuds and I am the only vegetarian in our crowd, so planning a menu to please everyone was definitely a challenge.

We ended up going with pulled pork sandwiches, several salads, dips, munchies and lots of sweets. One of the salads I made was something I often make for Derek and I, but I've never made it for a big group. It's easily customizable for meat eaters, vegetarians or vegans and it tastes delish!  

To  me, coleslaw goes with pulled pork sandwiches. However, I couldn't just go with plain ol' coleslaw. I wanted to put my spin on it by using a broccoli slaw. We can get pre-made slaw in our grocery store that's a mix of broccoli, red cabbage and carrots. I used 500g of broccoli slaw and mixed it with 1 cup of shredded cheddar, 2 diced apples (I like using apples with a red skin to give that extra pop of colour), 2 thinly sliced green onions and some Three Cheese Ranch salad dressing. This combo is DELICIOUS!!!  It was a huge hit! If you're making this salad for a crowd of meat eaters, you can add some shredded chicken. For the vegans in your crowd, cheddar Daiya cheese works wonderfully and this recipe for a vegan Ranch dressing would be a perfect subsitution for the store bought variety that I used.

The nice thing about this salad is that you can whip it together in about 15 minutes flat. I made mine about 3 hours in advance and the dressing helps to prevent the apples from browning. It's absolutely perfect for a potluck dinner or casual dinner with friends wouldn't you agree? 

How do you handle your frustration when your workouts/training are sidelined by an injury/illness?

Do you like to host big birthday shindigs or do you prefer a quiet night in?

Have a wonderful day,

Andrea

xoxo



Balsamic Broccoli Slaw

Happy Monday to you!

This weekend I have been devising a plan to start toning and losing weight now that my eating habits are back on track....I've put the brownie fiasco behind me and am back on the cleanse.

I joined the local YMCA on January 2nd (yes, yes I know that is such a "New Years resolution" thing to do). I'm not a resolution type of gal, but I do believe in making goals. Two of my goals in 2011 were to join a gym and to run a 5K race.

I got right into the gym routine and was loving my workouts and then I hit a couple of snags. I suffered some pulled muscles in my back that stopped me from working out for about a week and then I proceeded to drop a large 3-wick candle (in a glass jar) on my toe. Ouch ~ there were tears and curse words involved Who knew one little toe could cause so much pain!! Needless to say I was unable to wear running shoes, or any shoes for that matter, for almost three full weeks. My toe is now recovered, but sadly I believe that my toenail is going to be a casualty of this injury.  I'm quite concerned about when I'm going to be able to start wearing sandals....does anyone know where I can some really cute band-aids to hide my toe for the time being??

Derek has some camo band-aids he said I could use (yes, we are in our 30s :-) but I'd prefer something a little more girlie.

This weekend was the first time I've been able to get back to the gym in a month. Do you go to the gym with a plan in mind as to what you are going to do? I usually try to catch a good cardio class, but if I go in to use the treadmill and/or weights I am at a complete loss as to what I should do. I have no plan and usually end up doing a 30 minute run and then leaving.

So my plan now is to make a mental list of what I'm going to do prior to going to the gym. My goal is to hit the gym four times per week. I'd like to do 2 - 3 cardio classes and then at least one day of running on the treadmill together with the dreaded weights. I'm a weakling and don't enjoy weights at all, but I have zero muscle tone and want to have a rockin' bod this summer, so I am going to have to suck it up and go for it! On my off days, my plan is to increase the dogs' walks, so I still get an hour to an hour and a half of physical activity.

I have also made a promise to myself that I am going to eat at least one very large salad per day. Today, I tried my hand at a broccoli coleslaw. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I have to tell you it exceeded my expectations ~ it was really, really good. The balsamic dressing is a perfect match with the sweet apples and cranberries and I just love the extra crunch that the walnuts give.

Balsamic Broccoli Slaw
serves 1

1 1/2 c broccoli slaw
1/2 apple, shredded or finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tbsp walnuts (next time I am going to toast them)
3 - 4 tbsp of your favourite balsamic dressing

I used the leftover Balsamic Dressing from when I had the roasted beet and sweet potato spinach salad. It is the most amazing dressing I have ever had and it was a perfect match with this salad. Warning: If you make this dressing, you will never buy bottled salad dressing again!!

Mix all of the ingredients except for the walnuts together in a bowl. Let sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. Add walnuts when you are ready to serve and enjoy!

Is it me or is this broccoli slaw glowing??

Delicious!!!

This was a really easy salad to pack for lunch at work today. It was very easy to throw together and the sweet cranberries definitely satisfied my sweet tooth, so I wasn't craving a chocolate bar by mid-afternoon.

Do you have any creative salad ideas you want to share? Leave me your link, so I can check it out.

Hope your week has started in the most fabulous of ways,

Andrea