pre-drive trail run

Dave and I got on the road early yesterday morning, anticipating a stop at Natural Tunnel State Park in Duffield, VA.  We wanted to get some exploring and a trail run in before the long drive home.  The park itself was about an hour from my parents' place and on our drive home, so it worked out really well!

We were greeted in the parking lot by a cat.  Dave was thrilled.

We first ran down to the bottom of the gorge, where a natural tunnel had been carved in the rock by the wind/nature.  Lucky for us a train came through right then, too!

The tunnel is at the bottom of a cliff called Lover's Leap, named after two Indians of warring tribes who fell in love, then tossed themselves over the side since they couldn't be together.

That's a pretty sucky way to die.

We ran a little further and found an old cabin, so we went inside.  It was crazy dark so we couldn't really see anything.  Still, proof we were there:

We hiked back up and then ran around the rim of the gorge, going about 4 miles and seeing four deer!  We got great views of the gorge and the tunnel, plus all the mountains and trees!

 Sweaty and tired (we're so unaccustomed to hills!) we got back in the car and began the long trek home.

After a short stop at Kroger, numerous bathroom breaks, and nothing else much eventful, we made it home!

Unfortunately, it's right back in the car for me this morning.  I'm headed back down to work.  So not excited to be in the car again!

well hello, eggplant!

It's no secret that I go through "food kicks."  I fall in love with a food, eat it like crazy for about a month or more, then move on to my next kick.  I've gone through green smoothies, oatmeal, roasted broccoli, sweet potatoes... all things I still love and eat, but maybe not with the "once or twice a day" gusto that I did when I first had them.

My newest obsession?  Greek eggplant wraps.  If you would have told me that I would love these before, I would have said you were nuts.  I didn't even like eggplant.  But oh, how things change in the face of olive oil, oregano, basil, tomato, and feta...

Take a tortilla and spread it with tomato jam.  Then add feta and fresh basil leaves.

Pile on a couple slices of roasted eggplant.  Wrap up and devour.  Repeat as necessary.

I've been eating these for breakfast, lunch, and dinner... I can't stop!  And eggplant is definitely going on my store list when I get home.  These roasted slices would be so good on sandwiches!

If you think you don't like eggplant please please please give these a try!  I think you will!

Roasted Eggplant
1 lb. eggplant
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4c. olive oil
2t. oregano
1t. salt
1/4t. pepper

Cut the eggplant lengthwise into quarters.  Cut each quarter into quarters.  Mix garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper in large bowl.  Add eggplant and toss until evenly covered.  Spread eggplant over a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.  Turn each piece, then return to the oven for 10 more minutes.

Stand and eagerly anticipate your eggplant.

Tomato Jam
3lbs. (5 large) beefsteak tomatoes.
3T. olive oil
1/2c. chopped onion
2t. minced garlic
1t. cayenne
1t. pepper
1t. coriander seed
1t. mustard seed
1/2t. cumin
1c. vinegar
3/4c. sugar
1/4c. dry sherry

Blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds, then plunge in ice water.  Skin and chop.

Saute the olive oil and onion in a large pot for 3 minutes.  Add in garlic and saute 2 more minutes.  Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients.  Cook over medium high heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer until most of the liquid evaporates, about 2-3 hours.  Cool completely.  Chill.  Makes 2c.

As is, the tomato jam is not spicy, but does have some kick to it (maybe a "medium" on the salsa scale).  Cut back on the cayenne for a milder jam.

Are you an eggplant fan?  If so, what's your favorite way to eat it?

last night in TN

Last night we went out in my parents' boat for a ride around a lake surrounded by national forest.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

 

 

Check back at lunch today - it's a recipe you don't want to miss!

hill repeats

Reader recipe poll winner: movie mix (crispix and peanut butter)!  Recipe and review will be Friday morning.

I don't love running on hills.  I live in northern Indiana, where you actually have to go looking for hills.  So when it comes to running hills, I'm not much of a fan because I don't have much practice on them.  This morning I headed out for a run.  Since I'm in eastern Tennessee everything seems to be on a slope of some sort - there isn't any flatland!  I decided to find a particularly steep hill and run hill repeats for something different.  I ran about 1.5 miles out to King College and found a rather short but pretty steep service road.  I did 10 runs up, jogged down, and then headed home.  I'm guessing tomorrow I'll be feeling it in my legs since I'm not used to running hills!

The run itself didn't feel awesome, probably because I haven't been eating the best - lots of chocolate caramel brownies, chocolate chip cookies, Keebler fudge cookies, etc.  Dave and I try not to eat crappy on vacation just because it's vacation, but it happens sometimes (which is okay).  Our meals here in Tennessee have been definitely healthy... it's just the desserts and snacks that are doing me in!  I'm weak in the face of sugar!  I know once I get home and get back to more moderation with desserts my running will feel better, too.

And since my recovery from the Presque Isle marathon has gone so well (my legs feel great!) I decided to go for it while the going is good:

November 13, 2010, Columbia City, Indiana!

This gives me two more chances this fall to finish a marathon without vomiting.  And maybe get a new PR, too!

brown butter pasta and cauliflower

Mom and I made an old family favorite last night - pasta with cauliflower - but ended up tweaking the recipe a little to add our own spin.  It still tasted like the old dish we loved, but had a nice extra change to it, too!

The first change?  Purple cauliflower!

And we made the pasta instead of buying it!  It had been years since mom had used her pasta maker, so we weren't so sure it would work.  But after some grinding (and praying on our end), it started up and churned out penne for us!

The original recipe calls for butter and garlic, but mom and I thought we would try it with brown butter (because seriously, who doesn't love brown butter?!) and fresh basil.  I added a little spinach to mine, too.  The recipe calls for 1-2 heads of cauliflower.  Use 1 head for a more pasta-based dish, and 2 heads if you want the pasta to be more on the side.

Brown Butter Pasta and Cauliflower
1c. whole wheat pasta
1-2 heads cauliflower, white or purple
3 cloves garlic, minced
3T. butter
1/2c. fresh basil, chopped
1/2c. parmesan
1c. fresh spinach, chopped (optional)
1T. oregano
salt to taste

Wash and chop cauliflower into bite-size pieces.  Boil in a large pot of water until just tender, about 7 minutes.  Remove cauliflower from water and set aside.  Add whole wheat pasta and cook until tender.  Drain.

Meanwhile, add the butter and garlic to a small saucepan and melt over medium heat.  Allow butter to brown but not burn, stirring occasionally.  You'll need to watch your saucepan to make sure the butter doesn't burn.  When the butter is browned immediately remove the saucepan from heat.

(Butter melting on the left, browned and removed from heat on the right.)

Toss the cauliflower, pasta, brown butter and garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and spinach together in a large bowl.  Pour into a greased casserole dish.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Serves 4.

I'm headed out for a run... or maybe a couple sets of hill repeats, if I'm feeling really masochistic?

Don't forget to vote in the reader recipe poll!  Help fuel Dave and I's trip home on Wednesday!

guest blog: naan

My sister, Jill, recently was visiting my brother and his family.  They decided to make zucchini hummus and naan (an Indian flatbread).  Jill took pictures as they made the bread so she could share!  Unfortunately, she also started to feel the side effects of the stomach flu midway through the breadmaking process... and getting "pretty" pictures was not as important as just freakin' finishing.  Regardless, she says the bread is amazingly delicious - the kind you cram in your mouth as soon as it's finished baking... and probably never have leftovers.  Enjoy!

Naan (from allrecipes.com)
1 (1T.) package active dry yeast
1c. warm water
1/4c. sugar
3T. milk
1 egg, beaten
2t. salt
4 1/2c. bread flour (if you don't have bread flour regular flour works as well)
2t. garlic, minced (optional)
1/4c. butter, melted
(any other seasonings you might want: rosemary, garlic salt, etc.)

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy.

Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough.  Knead for 6-8 minutes on a lightly floured surface or until smooth (or just use the dough hook in the KitchenAid mixer).

Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise (or just leave in KitchenAid bowl).  Let rise 1 hour, or until dough has doubled.

Punch down dough.  (Knead in garlic, if desired.)  Pinch off small handfuls of dough, about the size of a golf ball.  Roll into balls, and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Cover with a towel and allow to rise until double in size, about 30 minutes.

(The above dough balls were just there to raise - they should be spread out more on separate sheets to bake.)

Flatten the doughballs with the palms of your hands to desired thickness, about 1/4inch.  Bake at 400 degrees for 4 minutes.  Flip the bread, brush the tops with butter, and sprinkle with herbs, salt, etc.  Bake another 4 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy with hummus, chicken and rice, dahl, veggies and couscous, curry, or whatever!

If you're lucky, you just might have a princess to help you taste test.

(My niece, Lizzie.)

reader recipe poll: cereal snack mixes

Dave and I are driving back from Tennessee to Indiana on Wednesday (a 10+ hour trip), so this week's reader recipe poll is a snack mix to help fuel us home!

poll by twiigs.com

I'll announce the winner Tuesday at lunch.  Recipe and review Friday morning!