How can running be unhealthy?

Many years ago before I considered myself a runner, someone told me that running was an unhealthy activity because people who chose to run were, at least symbolically, running away from their problems.  This statement has stuck with me over the years as I have evolved as a runner and as a person.  Even Runner's World has considered this question with a recent article on how much exercise is unhealthy. 

I started running a little over five years ago in July of 2007.  In the months preceding my not-so-auspicious beginning, one of the dearest people in my life had passed away, I defended my dissertation, got a new job, moved into my first house, changed my relationship status (for the better), and had surgery for the first time.  Although there were a lot of positive changes in my life, so much crammed in to such a short period of time was incredibly stressful and I had consumed a lot of oreos along the way.  Blessedly, I had moved close to an experienced runner who was getting back in the game.  On that first day I don't even think it I made it a mile before I was tomato-faced and clutching my side, gasping for air.  Since then, I've taken some very small breaks from running, but never really quit being a runner.

Over the years, there have been times that running has been an unhealthy thing for me.  It's been unhealthy when I used a three-mile run as an excuse to eat whatever junk food in whatever amount I wanted.  It's been unhealthy when I have let comparison steal my joy by watching leaner, faster runners and wondering why I cannot or do not do the same. 

And, yes, I have also used running to "run away".  I run away from the middle schooler that I was who was ridiculed by a track coach.  I run away from my own limiting concept of myself as someone who is not an athlete.  I run away from the part of me that is shy and finds it a challenge to be in new social situations.  I run away from weakness.  I run away from letting fear keep me from trying something new.

In really analyzing just how unhealthy running is for me, I fall on the side that running has made me healthier in mind, body, and spirit.  I run toward a better version of myself.  I eat to fuel my body for a good run.  I run in the summer to absorb the golden nature of Texas heat and run in the winter to feel the cold in my lungs.  I run with friends, old and new, and rejoice in their fellowship.  I run alone to heal and think.  I run slower than some and faster than others, but I run, and, despite the naysayers, I will continue to run.

The First Day of Marathon Training: Back to School

My new year's resolution was to run 12 half marathons in 2012.  Here in the middle of June, I've logged 5 halfs on the way to that goal.  On June 10th, I completed the Wounded Warrior Half Marathon in Las Colinas, Texas.  The race started at 7:00 am and it was already 78 degrees and my weather app was registering a whopping 80% humidity.  Here's what went right with that race: I finished and I had the opportunity to contribute my racing dollar to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund to support those injured in post 9/11 combat.

There was a lot more that went wrong with that race.  I hadn't done a long run since my last half marathon at the beginning of May.  We recently got a treadmill and I've been enjoying my miles indoors in front of the TV.  It was humid and hot and I was not acclimated for the time outdoors.  All of that resulted in my slowest half marathon time EVER.  How did I let that happen?  And, what can I do about it?

I let it happen by not training properly.  Since we moved away from my get-your-butt-out-the-door running buddy, I am more than reluctant to go for long runs alone.  So what does any logical, clear-thinking person do immediately following an epic fail half marathon?

Yep, that's right.  Sign up for marathon training.

So this morning, I put on my sassy new kicks and went to my first training run fueled with a lovely petit filet from last night's dinner at Artin's Grill, oh yeah, and maybe a glass of cabernet or two. 

Starting with a new training group is a lot like the first day of school.  Is anyone going to talk to me?  What if everyone else knows everything already?  What if I'm not allowed to use the bathroom?  Very quickly, those concerns disappeared and we were off for a warm-up, drills, and a 3-mile evaluation run. 

This is not my first time to train with this organization, but I have never completed a season with them.  I usually get bogged down with my own agenda of how the training should be going.  For example, those drills before running wear me out. Seriously drive me nuts.

I've decided that this year, I'm going to heed the plan of those who run stronger and know better.  I'm going to put only one thing on my agenda - run the plan.  We'll see what happens.  I can guarantee there will be a lot more running, a lot more eating, and a lot more in between in the coming months as I chase the elusive marathon medal once again.

Frittata Bolatta Mi My Mo Motta - Fritatta!

While I was stalking another blog, I noticed that I have a new follower. This has inspired me to get back to the blogging after a hiatus in which I made several batches of cookies and had a dinner party at which I attempted to regale my guests with full-fat versions of incredible food. I didn't have to scrape any leftovers into the garbage, so let's call it a success.

I know you are really here in the blogosphere because you heart the incredible, edible egg, so let's get going with the frittata. For the uninitiated, as I was very recently, a frittata is like a quiche without the pie crust. You can fill it with just about any (healthy - I hope) veggie that you want. You will need a pan that can go from the stove top to the broiler so it needs to be capable of withstanding some heat.

While you prep your veggies, turn the broiler on low and let it preheat. Meanwhile, whisk six eggs, 1/4 cup of milk, and 1/4 lb. of cooked and roughly chopped bacon together in a medium bowl. That's the tasty surprise in our frittata - bacon! The Cook Yourself Thin ladies suggest 1/4 cup of Romano cheese, but I didn't use any because of the DH. I can honestly say I didn't miss the cheese this one time. I say skip the cheese and add another piece of bacon - mmmm!

Heat a medium non-stick skillet (the one that can go in the oven in a few minutes) on the stove top and you are going to progressively add the ingredients. If you are improvising, keep in mind that the higher the water content of your vegetable, the later you will want to add it in the mix. Here's what we like in our frittata. Put them in the skillet in groups then saute for about 3-4 minutes before you add the next group.

First:

3-4 garlic cloves (no vampires come over for brunch)

1/4 c. of white onion

Second:

1/2 c. of asparagus

1 large zucchini, sliced in half moons.

1 bell pepper (I prefer green)

Oooh... wouldn't a jalapeno be fun here?

Third:

1/2 c. mushrooms sliced thinly (I just use what the grocery store has pre-sliced)

1/4 c. tomato (okay, I don't really use tomato because of the DH, but it would go here)

Fourth:

1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped

1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

If you, like me, do not have an herb garden, then feel free to substitute dried herbs - just change the amount to about a teaspoon. Watch out for that thyme, though. It can easily overpower the other flavors. Of course, you also need the requisite fresh ground black pepper.

After your saute action has yielded a nice mix of slightly firm and bright vegetables, pour the egg mixture over the veggies. You'll want to give it one quick stir and then let it set by leaving it on the stove top with the heat still on until the egg starts to firm up. It will look something like this:

Slip your pan under the broiler for about 12-15 minutes. It will be nicely browned around the edges and you'll be able to see that the texture is firm when the eggs have cooked. This recipe yields about 6 portions at 209 calories each. Fabulous, right? The protein content will help keep you satisfied, too. We have had this for brunch, lunch, and dinner - just not all on the same day.

See you next time for Green Chile Chicken Casserole! Giddy up, vaqueros!

Burger and Fries, But Light

Eating these sweet potato fries makes me feel self-righteous as in, "Ha! Take that, you naturally thin people! I can eat fries, too!" These "fries" are baked, of course, but they taste so good that I don't really care how they were made.

One large sweet potato is more than enough for two people. Give it a good scrub and chop it into fairly thin slices. Toss the potato slices in 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder (or garlic salt if you prefer), and 1/4 tsp of salt. The recipe from our Cook Yourself Thin ladies recommends 1/2 tsp of chili powder, but I double that to get them nicely coated.

Spread the fries on a baking sheet and bake them for about 30 minutes in a 425 degree oven. Every ten minutes, take them out of the oven and toss them so they bake evenly. To add a little crisp, I put them under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes at the very end.

Voila! And, did I mention that these yum sticks are only 89 calories per serving? How fantastic is that? One sweet potato yields about two servings, by the way. Adjust the seasoning ratio if you add more potatoes.

I usually have the turkey burger patties ready to go and start them about the same time that I put the sweet potato fries in the oven. I cook the turkey burgers in a pan on the stovetop at a medium-low heat for a longer time so that they cook all the way through. Unlike a beef burger, pink in the middle is not desirable for poultry. In fact, I took a long break from this recipe because I made it once when the DH and I were dating and he bit into a raw-in-the-middle turkey burger and banned it from the repertoire for about a year. True story.

This recipe for Basil Turkey Burgers is from a Light and Luscious cookbook that I bought ten years ago for $3.95 from the clearance rack at the bookstore. It is light and luscious, indeed, at about 255 calories per burger (bun included!).

Combine 12 oz of ground turkey, 2 tbsp finely chopped onion, 1 tbsp dry bread crumbs, 1 tsbp snipped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Can you guess what I'm going to say here? I usually add more basil and some fresh cracked pepper to make it more flavorful. Then, form four burgers from the meat. To be quite honest, I usually use more than 12 oz of ground turkey because my preferred brand (Jennie-O) just doesn't come in a 12 oz package. It all works out pretty well, even with a little more turkey per burger.

Can you guess who gets the burger with the slice of cheese (and another 90 calories)? That's right, it's me! The DH gets the extra charred one. It isn't that I am a negligent cook, my husband likes things burned. He's a freak, but I love him, and I hope you love this delicious burger and fry combo. Remember that the real secret to enjoying a turkey burger is that knowing it will NOT taste like a regular hamburger. It is its own entity and must be appreciated as such.

Next up: Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata

Skinny Stuffed Shells or Spiced Stuff Challenge?

If you ever watched Rocky and Bullwinkle, then you understand the voice in which you were intended to read today's blog title. If not, then your cartoon education is in need of some serious intervention.

I decided to wait and make the Stuffed Shells on a day when I knew we would be visiting some friends who had a baby recently so that I could take them some dinner. That turned out to be a very good decision indeed because this recipe makes A LOT.

This is the first time I have made this recipe and I followed the Cook Yourself Thin ladies pretty closely. Fair warning - this took me about two hours total to prepare and cook. That is way over my usual allotted time to make a meal, but what else is one to do on summer vacation?

First, cook a 12 oz box of large pasta shells. Reduce the cooking time by at least five minutes because you are going to bake them later and you don't want them to be like bricks. Lay them out on wax paper to cool while you make the sauce and stuffing.

For the sauce, pulse 42 ounces of peeled plum tomatoes in juice in a food processor. Saute 3/4 c. chopped red onion and 4 thinly sliced cloves of garlic in a pan, then add the tomatoes and juice, 2 sprigs of fresh basil, and a little salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 20 minutes until it thickens. By the way, guess who added another clove or two of garlic? Love the stuff!

For the stuffing, you'll need to chop 2 medium zucchini, 2 scallions, and 1 slice of ham. Here's a view of the chopping block:

For the stuffing, you are going to saute 1 lb of fresh baby spinach with a 1/2 tsp. of salt until the spinach is wilted. I transferred the spinach to a colander to squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Don't skip that step or you'll have soupy stuffing. In the same skillet, saute the zucchini until it is pretty and brownish, then toss the scallions in for a minute or so. Add all that to the spinach in a medium bowl along with the ham, 2 c. of part-skim ricotta, 2tbsp. chopped parsley, 1/2 c. of shredded reduced-fat, part-skim mozzarella, and pepper. Now here's a little magic: grate some fresh nutmeg in the mixture. Fresh nutmeg is $16.99 a pound, but you only need one nut, so it will cost you about 12 cents.

I wish I would have modified the recipe at this point. In the end result, the ricotta in the stuffing took over the flavor. If I make this one again, I will add some fresh black pepper, oregano, italian seasong.... something!

Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Stuff each shell and line the dish like so:

Spread the remainder of the sauce on top and sprinkle with 1/2 c. of mozzarella and 1/4 c. of parmesan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

Four shells is one serving and about 331 calories. What's the verdict? These shells with fill your time and your belly, but they need a little flavor-oomph to make it worth the effort. I shared with our friends and they did enjoy this recipe quite a bit, so don't let my so-so review scare you away.

Next time: Basil Turkey Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries

A Little Spice is Nice

A purist would say that I am cheating. I would say that I am bending the rules of my own game because this is one of my favorite recipes and I had a hankering for some peppers, hence the Baked Chicken Chile Relleno featured for dinner last night.


This is one of my favorite low-cal, make-ahead recipes. At only 260 calories and 10 grams of fat, Betty Crocker got this one right. First, pound your chicken breasts between two pieces of wax paper until they are about 1/2 inch think. Then, you put a green chile, a small cubed stick of Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro at the top of the chicken breast, and sprinkle black pepper and cayenne on the inside. You can control the heat by using more or less green chile and more or less of the pepper. For the DH who isn't happy unless the food makes him sweat, a liberal coating of cayenne inside and out is a must. Roll up the chicken breast and tuck in the sides to make a chicken roll-up.

I usually multi-task and make this the night before while I'm waiting on something else to cook. I wrap the roll-ups in some foil, twist the ends, and refrigerate until the next night. This eliminates the need for toothpicks to hold your chicken together and reduces your prep time to almost nothing for the next night. The trick also works with about 4 hours of refrigerator time.

When you are ready to cook, dip each chicken roll-up in a mixture of one egg and a tablespoon of water and then dredge in 3 tbsp of cornmeal mixed with 1/3 cup of flour and more cayenne. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.






We like to put some heated Herdez brand Salsa Verde over our chicken after it comes out of the oven. Again, this will make it a little spicier, but it also keeps the coated chicken from being too dry.

Sauce that chicken, cut in and enjoy the oozy cheese and pepper! It really is yummier than the over-exposed photo I have posted here. Next up, the cheese celebration continues with Skinny Stuffed Shells.

15 Minute Fave - The Skinny BLT

My first foray into this summer's project was a light version of a BLT. I know you are wondering how anything with bacon could be considered light, so I am happy to enlighten you. (Along with my weakness for cheese is a weakness for puns - oh wait! there's another one)


Here's an evil fact: Slice for slice, turkey bacon is not substantially different from regular bacon in terms of calories or fat. I still used turkey bacon for the sandwiches because a) I baked it and that is automatically healthier than frying, and b) it doesn't cook down the way regular bacon does, so you can feel satisfied by eating fewer pieces.


Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Brush each slice of turkey bacon with maple syrup (lightly!) and then sprinkle them with black pepper and cayenne. This really turned up the flavor, but since I was a little overzealous with the cayenne it also turned up the heat. Bake the bacon for about 10 minutes.

This recipe is from Cook Yourself Thin, and they recommend a baguette for the bread. I have recently discovered Ezekiel bread and used that instead because I like the richness and it makes me feel fuller longer. Of course, I added the requisite tomato and lettuce, some low-fat mayo, and a slice of mild cheddar (90 calories and optional for freaks who don't love cheese). Since I am piggy and had three slice of bacon, the total sandwich was 370 calories. I would have been happy with two slices and would have saved 35 calories, but bacon is bacon, people!

All in all, a yummy start to the summer adventure. Next up: Chicken Chile Rellenos.