Pizza Break!

Even though it's Spring Break, for the runner, that does not mean a break from running. We're still pushing workouts and accumulating the miles. Though we're still running, less time in the class room means more time in the kitchen! After running around beautiful, sunny Boulder (I snicker as I think of those on the rainy beaches of California- those who I initially envied as I made the decision to stay homebound to Boulder to nurture the running life style) It's time for some food! As my stomach starts to rumble and my mind flips through a mental cookbook, I know it's time for something fun- Pizza.

Starting an hour ahead I make the dough:

• 3/4 cup warm water 
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• (combine in a little bowl and wait a couple minutes)

(Combine in a big bowl)

• 2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Pour the little bowl into the big bowl!

Add a splash of olive oil!

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Give your legs a break and use your forearm muscles!

Kneed that bread!! (5-10 min)

Let rise in a warm area!

Have you ever hear the saying don't go to the store hungry... well Steve and I headed to Sunflower Market to get my favorite part, the pizza toppings and well... we WERE HUNGRY!

Squash

Zucchini

Red onion

Bell Pepper
Eggplant

Spinach 

Pepperoni

Sausage 

Asiago cheese

Colby-Jack cheddar

Mozzarella

After letting the dough rise sufficiently, it was rolled out into rectangular form and put on the cookie sheet- a little sprinkle of cornmeal on the bottom- (omission with no hard feelings) 

Smothered it in tomato rich pizza sauce (will have to try this from scratch some time)

and loaded with the veggies lightly sautéed.

Once the veggies we distributed evenly the meat took over! We covered it with a blanket of cheese and put it in for a 30 min nap. (450 F) 

All that was left was to pour the milk! 

Pizza is being devoured before Shalaya can take adequate pictures. 

Waffels

Track season is upon us, and for me that mean it's time to play in the water. It's steeple time! Because the track can get so crowded in the afternoon- each of my teammates doing a different workout- and because the men's steeple barrier is at a higher height, Emma and I have elected to do our workout in the morning.
Spiked and psyched at nine! (That means you've done your 3 mile warm up, stretched, gone to the bathroom and put your shoes on before nine)
8 x [300 meters flat, 300 meters with barriers and the water jump]. Woo! Let me tell you it looked a lot easier written down in Coach Wetmore notebook than it actually was!

After defying death, Emma and I untied our steeple spikes and put on our training shoes. We shared and mentally indulged in the breakfasts we were going to have. Emma was planning for decadent peanut-butter french toast with caramelized bananas and I had chocolate on the mind. Maybe a giant stack of pancakes or waffles I could put chocolate-chips in.

As I finished my cool down and entered my back yard I could see my boyfriend Steve through the kitchen window. "What is Steve doing lurking in my kitchen!!"  To my extreme excitement, I found him making waffles for me!

I might have rushed through my stretches due to the hypnotically incising aromas coming from the kitchen. Once I had the steaming plate of waffles in my little paws, I smothered them in peanut-butter and topped them with coconut and chocolate-chips! Yum! Nothing like a few calories to get you ready for the next run in a couple hours!

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Out to dinner Friday night with my girls in Boulder Colorado.

We pull the prius into a front row parking spot for "alternative fuel vehicles only." A parking sign that is not surprising to find in the organic, natural, Wholefoods loving Boulder.  Tonight we are going to Mod Market. Their slogan- Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. They're famous for salads, with as many toppings and condiments as an icecream parlor (but we'll get to dessert later). Start with a some spring greens, add a scoop of walnuts, some potatoes, a little goat cheese, throw some edamame in there, a little corn,  maybe steak- you literally feel like you could stand there with a clipboard and pen, checking off all your daily vitamins and minerals as you watch them mix and lightly dress everything in a bowl. 

And maybe today you're feeling macho and extra hungry, you want one of their flatbread, whole grain pizzas. They'll fill you up and you'll still leave feeling you ate something green.

While most night going out with the girls is fun, tonight it is mysterious. All seven of us have received anonymous letters in the mail telling us to go to Mod Market at 6:30p.m Mountain Standard time on Friday, March 11th. The letters are printed on CU track and field stationary, so we know it's someone on the team that's pulling this shenanigans. So now we're here. We look around at the crowded tables for a familiar face (actually, we're expecting a table of snickering boys). Unsure of what to do, Paige, Kelly and I pursue the line and order. As Paige pays she's handed something....

At the table, as we all sit with delicious food in front of us beginning to devour it, we pass around a strange card printed to The Factory (Our house is unanimously known as "The Factory" to everyone on our team"). 

There once were these girls from the Factory,

who are very close to finding me,

to unravel this pickle,

you must next go to Ripple.

But first eat, relax 

and loosen the belt on your slacks.

Welp, I had no trouble with the idea of dessert. 

We call it icecream, but this is Boulder, it's really frozen yogurt. Ripple is a build your own cup, top it yourself, frozen yogurt place! I guess you could call it healthy... that is until you pile on the cookie dough, brownies, poptarts, marshmallows, chocolate sauce and totally bypass the fruit station. 

We get to Ripple and we're expecting another clue like the time from before. With our eyes large with icecream (uh frozen yogurt) we all sit down, spoons in hand, and I proceed to tell a little story.  

My little story starts with some letters I mailed. And I cashier I talked to at Mod Market. Telling her I'd be back in a half hour with a group of girls, wearing "this same bright red jacket" and I'd be so very grateful if she's give them this card addressed to the factory. 

In the end we all sat at the table enjoying our dessert as we see more of our runner kin toping off their own bowls of dessert.

I got exactly what I wanted- A family dinner!    

Seven Beans in one Salad; Seven Girls in one House

This is my twist on the classic four bean salad.
Apparently the idea of a salad full of beans is troubling to some people. I never thought twice about it. But the first time I served it to my boyfriend he stared at it a little confused. There was no lettuce, or noodle, or anything else to be comforted by (that you'd normally find in a salad). Like any runner, I'm always craving some carbs, so when I made it this time, I threw in a little pasta! and BAM- I had a  fueling pasta salad packed with a ton of protein from the beans.

(Rinse in a strainer and combine in a giant bowl)
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can green beans
1 can corn
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1.5 cups cooked orzo past

Dressing:
2 cups white vinegar
1.5 cups sugar
.5 cups olive oil
splash of worcestershire sauce
(combine in a bowl and whisk together before pouring over beans and pasta)

I like to let this sit over night. The longer you let it sit, the better it becomes!

Morning Miles, Family Feasts

Most of us distance runner are as sensitive and picky about our food as three-year-olds are. For this reason there is always seven different breakfast, seven different lunches, and seven different dinners in our house. However on the rare occasion we all make it to the table to share a meal together.

This morning was one of those few breakfasts. Wonderful roommate Paige had blueberry pancakes, bacon, and sweet potato fries steaming and ready for us famished long runners as we came dragging our feet through the door.  It couldn't have been a better day to come home and find food already on the table. After our longest run of the week at Magnolia Road (made famous in Chris Lear's, Running with the Buffalos) at an elevation of 8,000, with an extra mile tacked on to everyone's "normal" Sunday long run amount (normally I only run 13 miles, today I ran 14) devouring Paige's feast was no problem!!