Self-Psychology Wednesday
July 21st, 2010 § Leave a Comment
“There are no failures – just experiences and your reactions to them.” – Tom Krause
Like many runners, I have come across my fair share of obstacles: training schedule conflicts, injuries, emotional roller coasters, etc. This quote pretty much sums up what I’ve been trying to tell myself for a few years now – live, learn and continue on. Taking the time to realize that what I do is pretty cool and makes me feel great is impactful and something that I need to continue reminding myself of anytime I get a case of “runner’s funk”.
Right now I am struggling with a foot injury that has me buggin’. On the outside I try to be calm and cool about it, but on the inside I’m freaking out because I had planned to start training for the CIM at the end of July and this setback has me all bummed out. Luckily, I reminded myself that it’s not the end of the world that I’m hurt and I started looking for ways to help myself heal and finding ways to prevent it from happening again (read: conquering the stationary bike in lieu of running and finally learning about running orthotics).
All in all, these words of wisdom can ring true for my running, my love of trying out new recipes and life in general. Just keep truckin’ along and learn from my experiences!
I can bake, too!
July 18th, 2010 § 2 Comments
So, I really like to snack on dried cranberries and almonds. I like it so much that I thought it would be a good idea to buy the gargantuan bag of Craisins from Costco. When I realized that I’m not going through them very quickly, I decided to look for some different ways to use them. That’s when I came across this recipe for Cranberry Orange Bread. I love it; my husband loves it. If you have some extra cranberries on your hands, I highly recommend this recipe. (Oh, and by the way, it’s actually not that bad for you either. Bonus!)
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 egg, well beaten
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 cup orange juice (I used the juice of two large oranges)
1/4 cup grated orange rind (from the two large oranges)
1 cup fresh or dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans.
Combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add sugar, egg, butter, hot water, orange juice and grated orange rind; mix until moistened.
Fold in berries and nuts.
Spoon into pan and bake 50 minutes (or 35 minutes for mini loaves).
Cool; wrap and refrigerate or freeze.
Optional: I made a glaze of simple syrup and Triple Sec and topped the bread with it. If you prefer a non-alcoholic version of this glaze, you can use some OJ instead.
Chicken Thighs Braised in Garlic and White Wine
July 8th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Ah, summer! A time when people think of:
- Swimming
- Retreats to cooler weather
- Shorts and tank tops
- Refreshing drinks and cool salads
Me? When summer hits, this is what I think of:
- I love my custom BBQ island, but darn, I wish we had a pool.
- Why on earth did I plan outdoor events for my company to sponsor if I know I will be working at all of them?
- Wow, my legs are pasty. And look at those mean tan lines from my running shorts and socks!
- I’m going to make some spicy food for dinner tonight.
My saving grace is that, in Arizona, there’s air conditioning everywhere. That doesn’t really help me with my pasty legs or tan lines, but it definitely keeps me cool in the three or four months of 100+ degree heat. Even though it was still about 97 degrees last night when I made dinner, I really wanted to make this recipe for a slightly spicy chicken dish. I know adding heat to heat doesn’t sound like it goes well, but trust me – if you pair it with a cold beer or a crisp glass of white wine, you’ll be just fine. Enjoy!
Chicken Thighs Braised in Garlic and White Wine
Ingredients
2 teaspoons dried oregano
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 lbs small chicken thighs (I used organic, boneless, skinless)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 small yellow onions, quartered
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 jarred hot cherry peppers, seeded and roughly chopped, plus 3 tablespoons of the brine
1 cup white wine (I used Foodies Chardonnay from Cost Plus World Market)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the oregano, salt and pepper.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, season with the spice mixture and dredge in the flour. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the chicken, 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add the onions to the pot and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cherry peppers and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the pepper brine, wine, and broth and bring to a boil.
Return the chicken to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions. Divide among individual bowls and spoon the chicken, onions, peppers and sauce over it.
