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9.3 Miles!

October 31, 2010 by 7 Comments

On Saturday, I had a crazy fun day. It was crazy because I ran a new personal distance record (15K/9.3 miles), and fun because the weather was great and we ate lunch outside and shopped around outside.

Let’s start at the beginning…

9.3 Miles:

I had a goal of about 9 miles for the day, and I went to a new route for me to keep things fresh. I started with breakfast of two pieces Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin toast with peanut butter, blueberries, coffee and water. A never fail win. For the run, I realized that having different routes for long runs is really helpful to not get bored. I drove to Rice University and did a little under one loop around the campus (under 3 miles), and then went into the West University neighborhoods for about 3.5 miles, and then ended up back at the Rice loop and did another 3 mile loop. It ended up around 9 miles and I kept going to make it 9.3. It was also smart to run around restaurants and not only residential so I could refill my water bottle around mile 5.

Here are my stats:

Mile 1--11:26
Mile 2--11:36
Mile 3--11:46
Mile 4--12:24 (traffic crossing streets)
Mile 5--12:01
Mile 6--12:24 (water stop, more traffic)
Mile 7--11:56
Mile 8--11:47
Mile 9--11:45
Mile 9-.3--03:32
 Summary,01:50:42, 978 calories burned, average heart rate: 84

Where did my heart go?

Now here is the strange part–my average heart rate was 84, and it dipped as low as 55. I thought my heart was slowly stopping while running my distance record! When I ran 8.6 miles, it was 153 beats per minute (bpm), and when I ran 8 miles, it was 157 bpm. I noticed the heart rate around Mile 2.5, and started to worry about why my heart rate was dropping and if the monitor was picking up an accurate reading. It never rose about 110 the whole time. I’ll have to see what happens next time, but it was the lowest I have ever seen it during any workout, even my boring spinning class.

Other than that, it was a great run with an average pace of 11:53/mile. It is definitely slower than I have hoped I would be, but I really just want to increase the distance steadily, not hurt my legs, and have a good steady pace the whole time. I took 3 shot bloks with me and had one at miles 5.5, 7, 8.5 and drank about 40 ounces of water and then more when I finished.

Ready for the big times:

After 3 long runs into distances I haven’t attempted before, I definitely feel prepared for increasing distance, proper ways for me to fuel while running, I know better about how much water I need, and I definitely feel more ready for December 5. I am planning one more longer run at 10.5 miles, and then two weeks shorter at 9 and 7 maybe, and then the race.

(after the run, but Jeffrey for the life of him cannot take a steady picture with iPhone. 4 tries)

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Lunch at Tiny Boxwoods:

When I got home, I was really shocked that I ran 9.3 miles. I really can’t believe that I am increasing my distances week after week with little hip pains but no really painful shin pains. I have never been able to do this before! It really amazes me and I’m still crossing my fingers that nothing comes up.

Anyway, after plugging in my Garmin to see how I did and letting my puppy lick sweat off of my face, it was time for lunch! Post run lunch is the best part of a long run. We went to Tiny Boxwoods for a great outdoor lunch of people watching and delicious food. It’s a favorite of ours.

Tiny Boxwoods is the cafe that is part of a gardening store called Thompson Hanson. It is a small space with great outdoor space on a beautifully manicured lawn. I had the Beet It Burger with fruit and we shared a Banana Nutella Scone. It was amaazzing.

Just look at the pictures:

The patio at Tiny Boxwoods

View of the gardening shop

Most amazing Banana Nutella Scone. Crispy outside, chewy and soft inside. Bits of banana like Banana bread. So delicious.

The Beet It Burger with beets, black beans, oats, and I don’t know what else! Served with jalapenos (yuck), pickles and lettuce. Wanted more lettuce or added tomatoes, thought the burger was perfect, bun was good, sauce was spicy. Jalapenos not necessary! And berries are seasonal. In the summer they serve watermelon.

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Happy Halloween:

Then it was time to watch The Rangers (a win!), and The Longhorns (stinkers this year!), and go to a Halloween party.

We went as Night and Day. It was a handmade Halloween this year. See Jeffrey’s sleepshade and pillow? I liked that part.

And on that note, the day ended and it was exhausting!

Filed Under: Exercise, Half Marathon, Houston, Lunch, Restaurants, Running, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , , ,

5K + 5.5 = 8.6 miles!

October 24, 2010 by 6 Comments

(pictures courtesy of Lydia Baehr PR)

On Saturday morning, Jeffrey and I participated in Houston’s Health Museum Run for Your Life 5K race. I wrote about the race for CultureMap, link here with more pictures. This race is the only race I’m signed up for before the Dallas Run the Rock Half Marathon on December 5, so I used the morning as a dress rehearsal.

I started the usual way with laying out my clothes the night before and eating one piece of toast with peanut butter and raspberries in the morning, along with coffee and water.

The race had 450 people, and as most 5Ks are, it was very relaxed. But still, I wanted to push it and make it a good race. It’s also my first 5K since I’ve been blogging and tracking my times, so I had to do good to report back to the whole Internet!

Here are my splits for the 5K and then I’ll tell you what happened next…

(Marci’s note later–this splits are incorrect, I didn’t realize my Garmin was not calibrated. I completed the 5K in 33:37.)

Mile 1: 08:14
Mile 2: 09:28
Mile 3: 10:08
Mile .6: 00:05:46
Total: 33:37 for 3.59 miles 9:20 avg pace, avg heart rate 172, calories 382

I also wondered why my Garmin was ahead of the mile markers during the race, and it ended up that I showed the course as 3.59 miles instead of 3.1. I don’t think I took that many extra steps out of the way, and I don’t know how courses are measured, but .5 miles over is a lot for a 5K! Either way, I went much faster than I have ever gone, I kept a good pace the whole time, didn’t stop to walk at all, and really tried to be quick. Official time was 33:37 for 3.1, but I say 33:37 for 3.6.

So then I waited for Jeffrey to finish, and we were home before 9 a.m. I was feeling good and decided to go back outside and see if I could do more. I refilled my water bottle, grabbed 3 Shot Bloks for the road, and left. It was like my long run had a 30 minute pit stop in the middle.

I started running again and my shins were so sore. Then I knew I had gone too fast for the first 3.5 miles and actually thought I’d just walk around the block. It was very hot in the 80s too. I walked a little under one mile and decided to start running again, and my legs were fine. So I kept running and did all kinds of math in my head to calculate how far I needed to go to make this a true long run, when I could turn around, and exactly how far I had gone, since I restarted the Garmin at 0.

I ended up going 8.6 miles on Saturday, my new longest run! I felt great. Took Shot Bloks around miles 6, 7, 8 and finished my water. So I consumed about 45 ounces of water over the 8.6 miles. The break in the middle was a great time to refill.

Here are the next splits:

    

  • Mile 1: 13:10 (walking mostly)
    • 

  • Mile 2:11:07
    • 

  • Mile 3: 11:32
    • 

  • Mile 4:12:26
    • 

  • Mile 5:11:37
    • 

  • .04 00:27
    • 



Total: 1 hr for 5.04 miles, avg pace 11:57 (including mile 1 walking), avg heart rate 153, calories burned 517

For the whole morning, I went 8.63 miles in 1:33 time and burned 899 calories. That is pretty great! I really liked how I dropped to a more comfortable pace for the last 5 miles but still went faster than last week when I ran 8 miles.

There’s me in the front, blue shorts at the start.

 

Bring on 13.1!! Well, almost ready.

Filed Under: Exercise, Half Marathon, Houston, Running · Tagged With: , ,

Snap Kitchen Review

October 22, 2010 by 4 Comments

A new pre-made food place opened in Houston, and I checked it out. Snap Kitchen has two locations in Austin, and this is their first store in Houston. Their tag line is “fresh, healthy take-away” and “eat right. live clean. buy local.” The storefront is really colorful and clean, there are tables to sit at inside and eat, and they have a full salad bar that is as close to awesome as I’ve seen in Houston. I still love and miss Snappy Salads from Dallas.

Snap Kitchen is great for people with special eating styles like vegetarian, Paleo (if cavemen didn’t eat it, they don’t either–think meats and nuts and no sugar), gluten-free, dairy free, etc. They also do full meal plans where you can buy your meals and snacks from there, and they have a dietitian on site.

The food I tried at Snap Kitchen:

I picked up three meals–a lunch, dinner, and dessert.

For lunch I had the Provencal chicken wrap. It was $7.25, and had chicken, olive tapenade, sun-dried tomato pesto, and spinach in a whole wheat tortilla.

This was the most flavorful of the three dishes I tried, but it seemed pretty high in calories at 420, with 44 g carbs and 15 g fat. It only came in one size (lunch), whereas some entrees for dinner come in small, medium, etc.

I paired it with green beans and berries, to add more fruit and vegetables.

For dinner, I tried the Scottish Dill Salmon.

I really wanted to like it, but I didn’t. The vegetables were a little slimy from the fat of the salmon I think, and I thought the salmon was a little undercooked. I didn’t like the flavor. It had 210 calories, 7 g fat. It was $8.50 for size small, and was also Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and low sodium.

And for dessert, I tried the Blueberry Crumble with agave nectar, almonds, oats, vanilla bean, and a lemony marshmallow topping. It had 180 calories and 7 g fat, and 30 g carbs. It was also a one-size dessert and on the lower calorie scale. There were cheesecake options in the same sized container of up to 400 calories. I just did not like this. The marshmallow texture was just not right.

Things I liked about Snap Kitchen:

  • They have more than just square meals–they have Larabars, Pop chips, flavored waters, and store-made snack packs.
  • Their employees were very friendly, and the inside of the store was pretty.
  • The salad bar looked fresh and it had a big variety.
  • The food choices looked like a big variety, especially if you don’t have time to cook and don’t want to eat frozen meals.

Things I didn’t like:

  • I think $21 for three meals is a lot, but I think it compares with similar concepts in town. It would be very expensive if you’re buying for two or even a family.
  • I picked up a cookie and it was 130 calories per serving, but the cookie was 3 servings. Yikes!
  • I didn’t think that the lunch wrap I had for over 400 calories was filling enough for lunch.

Overall, I think it’s a great concept for people who don’t have time to cook, don’t like to cook, or like knowing the calorie count of their meals. But to me, the process of grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking is fun and enjoyable, and eating every meal from a container takes the fun out of food.

But give it a try and let me know your thoughts!

Filed Under: Houston, Product Reviews · Tagged With: ,

8 Miles!

October 15, 2010 by 16 Comments

Hi friends,

This run has been a long time coming. I have been ready and wanting to break through my longest run for a long time. Last weekend in Dallas, I ran 6.5 outside and it was good. And realizing that I don’t have that many weekends left to increase my miles, I had a little “now or never” moment and decided that it’s time to pick it up for real!

This is also the first time ever that I have run long distances so close together (within a week). Legs are ok, so let’s keep it like that.

8 Mile Run:

On Thursday morning, I had two pieces of Ezekiel cinnamon raisin toast with peanut butter and raspberries, coffee, and water before I left.

I filled up my Camelbak water bottle and added 3 Shot Blocks to the pocket on the bottle wrapped in foil. I also didn’t know the best way to carry these (ziploc or saran or foil, but this worked.) Also had my new Garmin (love!) with heart rate monitor, iPod, hat, tape on my leg, plus clothing. I feel like I had a bomb on me or something with all the things I have to carry now.

I really wanted to hit 8 without walking but would settle for hitting 7 and adding some walking. But no need for that, I ran it all!

Here are my stats:

Split Time Distance Avg Pace
Summary 01:36:41 8.00 12:03
1 00:11:55 1.00 11:53
2 00:12:00 1.00 11:56
3 00:12:00 1.00 11:59
4 00:11:47 1.00 11:47
5 00:12:47 1.00 12:45
6 00:11:58 1.00 11:56
7 00:12:02 1.00 12:02
8 00:12:07 1.00 12:12

About the Garmin:

This was my first time using it for a run with the foot pod. The pod is amazing, it is extremely accurate, and you’ll never lose a signal because it’s not related to a satellite. I was a little worried about picking the right watch (there is one fancier one above this and then they get real fancy), but this is perfect for me. It has up to 5 screens and I use two on auto-rotation. One screen shows heart rate, calories, and miles per hour. The other shows time I’ve been going, distance I’ve gone, and pace. All are customizable.

It also auto-laps on each mile and beeps at me. I love that part. It’s like we’re friends. I don’t have to push “lap” when I hit a mile. When I came home, I plugged it in to the computer and got to see my splits and graphs of time, heart rate, and cadence. I like the heart rate monitor more than I thought I would. I maintained a HR around 160.

Anyone know what’s ideal or rules about heart rate while distance running?

To compare, I wore it to Crossfit on Wednesday and my max was 180 while we did the workout of the day. And the day before that, I wore it to the gym for crosstraining on the elliptical and Stairmaster, and my max was around 160 on Stairmaster and 120 on elliptical.

The Garmin also told me I burned 828 calories with an average pace or 12:04/mile. It’s not an ideal pace, but I’ll work on that when training for the next race. However, my pace was very steady which is good.

About the fuel/water:

I took my first Shot Block around mile 4.5 I think, and then had another about a mile later, and then another a mile later. I loved the flavor! I think it is Strawberry. I ate the first one walking and then the other two jogging. Those are a keeper. Taste like thick gummy bears.

I drank all my water (about 25 ounces) and needed more, but waited until I got home. I considered asking someone for water to fill my bottle from their hose but decided that would be sketchy. During the Half Marathon, I may count on Mommy to hand me a bottle halfway through. (Hi Mom.)

How do you manage water and food? Where do you put it?

About my clothing:

Hey, it’s important too. I wore a Dry Fit Nike hat and it was perfect. Never came off, felt great, and blocked the sun. Love that. Everything else worked fine. I am now wearing Lululemon cropped leggings on long runs because Nike shorts were getting in the way. And I taped up my right shin, which felt fine and didn’t come off. I now think this injury is superstitious. My right hip always hurts, but not while running.

There’s a little review of 8.0! I hope increasing in the future feels as great. I was ready to be done at 8, but we’ll worry about that next time.

For my celebratory lunch, I had the BEST sandwich in town from Stone Mill Bakers. I just wrote about how much I love them after a great run.

Turkey with Cheese, Sprouts, Avocado on Whole Wheat

They have the best and biggest samples. Cinnamon roll with Raisins! Not the Larabar flavor cinnamon roll, the real stuff.

And a ginger cookie. I only had a bite and took the rest home. The cinnamon roll sample became my dessert.

Filed Under: Exercise, Half Marathon, Houston, Lunch, Running · Tagged With: , ,

A New Toy

October 13, 2010 by 4 Comments

1. Attention Houston runners/walkers: There is a 5K Fun Run next Saturday, October 23 for the Health Museum called Run for your Life. I will be running it, and hope you’ll join too! It’s in the Museum District, so you don’t have to drive far, and you can wear a costume! There’s also a 1K race, and all participants get free admission to the museum after the race.

I haven’t done a 5K race since starting the blog, so I am looking forward to setting an automatic personal record. And then I have a 10K race the following weekend. Eek! And 13.1 is creeping up too!

Click here to sign up for the Fun Run. And look for me near the back. Just kidding…a little.

My New Sport Toy:

Look what Hanukkah Harry brought to town early this year. The Garmin FR 60! (price listed on link does not include the add ons that come in the package) I have been researching watches in Garmin, Polar, and Timex, and I decided that this watch is best for me. It does not do satellite tracking but uses a small foot pod instead. This will be more reliable for me because the Garmin Forerunner 305 that I tested for a few weeks had poor reception in finding a satellite when traveling and even in my own neighborhood. With the foot pod, you never lose the connection.

This Garmin is so much smaller than the older versions like the Forerunner 305 and more attractive (I got pink). It still connects to Garmin online to view your workout stats, has up to 5 pages of 3 stats to view on the watch, and because there isn’t a satellite connection, you can use the footpod to also track indoor workouts. I haven’t experimented with that yet, but I plan to. It also has a battery like a normal watch and does not need to be charged.

I also like that it includes a heart rate monitor. I have never trained with one before but think it will be interesting to see how my body works on different exercises. On Tuesday morning at the gym I tried it out. I did the elliptical machine for 30 minutes and my heart rate was between 120-140. Then I did the Stairmaster for 7 minutes and my heart rate was above 160. And then I stretched and it went back to 90.

I Googled heart rate zones and read that an ideal max range is 220 minus your age. That would mean my max should be around 194. That means that my elliptical session was pretty low even though it was above resting and I was still sweating. And the Stairmaster workout was closer to the max.

In my 60 minute workout, it said I burned 409 calories. I also haven’t tracked calories before, but I think this is the most accurate you can get with personalized weight, height, and heart rate programmed in to the watch.

Do you use an HRM? Have any tips?

3. PB & J Scottish Oats:

I have been experimenting with Scottish Oats and wanted to try a thicker version than ones I have done before.

This combination was perfect.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 C Scottish Oats (Bob’s Red Mill brand)
  • 1 C water
  • 1/4 C milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 sliced banana
  • 2 T raisins
  • 1 tsp chia seeds

On top, spoonful of peanut butter and jelly.

Instructions:

Boil water on stovetop. add oats and whisk in. Cook for 5 minutes then reduce to simmer. Add other ingredients, cook another 5 minutes until thick.

Move to bowl and add toppings.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Exercise, Houston · Tagged With:

Three Things Thursday

September 2, 2010 by 8 Comments


1. Movie Review “Eat Pray Love”

Recently I saw the movie, but I was prepared to be underwhelmed because of reviews I heard of people leaving the theater. It would take a really boring or violent movie for me to leave, and EPL was none of that. I read the book when it came out, liked Elizabeth Gilbert’s story, (and last name), and was excited for Julia Roberts to play her. Here’s my opinion–

I think the movie was very similar to the book, and if people didn’t like it, they didn’t understand the book. The movie was most fun in Italy, but India and Indonesia were a bit boring. It was the same in the book, and that was the point of her journey too. There was less emphasis than the book of true introspection, but how many monologues could a viewer really take? I think those are best left for a book anyway.

Javier Bardem was lovely, the scenery of Bali was beautiful, and I thought Julia Roberts played Elizabeth Gilbert very well. I hope there is no sequel to her second book “Committed,” because that I would walk out of. That book was an F for showing her whiney indecisiveness. Movie: B+

2. Attention Houston: Free Cupcakes!

Remember when I blogged about how much I liked Crave Cupcakes over the competition in town? Well, Crave’s second Houston store opens on September 13 in the West University area, and they are giving away one dozen cupcakes every day on their Facebook page. Sign up to win, like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter (@cravecupcakes), and read my review about why I choose Crave when making my Houston cupcake choice. What’s your favorite flavor? Mine is Strawberry. It’s to die for.

3. Why I Love Lululemon:

One thing I have not talked about on the blog is what I wear when I exercise. I am a big proponent of looking good to feel good, and definitely have my brand loyalties to athletic apparel lines. My original favorite is Nike, and I have an array of colors of Nike shorts. They are the best for all exercise in my opinion. However, when Lululemon first came to the United States, one of its first shops was a showroom in Dallas that was only open on Saturdays! I found out about it, and my first purchases were the Groove Crop and the original Power Y Tank. Well, Lululemon exploded and so did my wardrobe of exercise clothes.

Here’s what I love about Lululemon:

1. Most importantly, their clothes are fabulous. They fit perfectly, the luon material is magic (no chafing ever), and it’s so soft and comfortable. It is stylish like no other exercise clothes. I would wear some of the necklines as a party dress if they made them. I really love the necklines and back design that much. Is that weird?

2. The salespeople in the stores are so friendly. They are knowledgeable, help with styles and suggest things, and you can tell they enjoy working there. I like the Lululemon culture because they are all goal-oriented (they have “by when” goals) and fitness-loving people. You want to buy from people who really know their stuff, and embrace the culture too.

3. Their social media people are fun to follow too.

And here are my favorite pieces (note that these are from years of shopping, not all at once!):

The Scoop Neck Top is my current favorite. I have 3. Shh, don’t tell husband. I love everything about them.

I just bought the Push Your Limits Tank because I like the back, among the other reasons above of why I like Lulu.

The 50 Reps Bra is awesome. Stylish, and does what it’s supposed to. That’s all I have to say about that.

I also just bought the Dance Pant. This is unlike me, but I wanted a pant different than the Groove pants (because I have 3), but still good for travel and lounging but not exercise.

And the Groove pants, my all-time favorite pant. I don’t go on an airplane without wearing these.

So who are you wearing when you workout?

Filed Under: Books, Dessert, Houston, Product Reviews, Restaurants · Tagged With: , ,

Three Things Tuesday

August 31, 2010 by 1 Comment

This post is a little of this and a little of that of what’s been going on lately! First is  yoga studio review, then a question about Garmins, and a recipe for turkey burgers!

1. Yoga Studio Review:

I tried a new (to me) yoga studio with a free pass that I received. The studio was Yoga One Houston. I did a Power Flow 90 minute class, and it was great. The room was heated to the mid 80s, there was music, and it was hard. The studio was calming and it even had a full locker room with showers. It’s close to downtown and I can see how that would be a major draw to become a member here.

I also liked how the studio offered different kinds of yoga like Forrest, traditional hot, belly dancing, and ashtanga, among others. If you follow my history, you’ll see that I enjoy yoga, but don’t practice regularly. This workout left my hamstrings screaming at me for days in a good way. It was a much needed class, and I’m looking forward to more.

2. Garmin, anyone?

The day after I did yoga, I needed to stretch my legs. I usually take that day off each week, but my hamstrings were seriously tight, so I took walked around Memorial Park (3 miles) with no pace in mind. I am borrowing a friend’s Garmin to help me train better outdoors for the Half Marathon, and I thought this walk would be a good time to try out the settings.

So I have a few questions for Garmin users—-I know everyone swears by them, and I understand how it has a lot of functions, but all I want is the pace and distance.

1. Is there a way to set your pace for minutes/mile? Mine was miles per hour like the treadmill, which is fine, but involves more math to figure out when the next mile marker is coming.

2. The pace would change drastically while walking depending if I was looking at it or if my arm was swinging. Does yours do that?

3. The Garmin looked like a watch from outer space on my arm. Why are they so popular if they aren’t really attractive and so bulky? Doesn’t Timex make a similar device?

3. Turkey Burger Recipe:

Turkey burgers are a favorite in our house–lean meat, great tasting, and can use it in so many things. This recipe was from a Rachael Ray cookbook, and I followed exactly. In parentheses is what I would modify next time.

1 1/3 lbs ground turkey =one package Jennie O Lean Turkey

1 tsp each salt and pepper

1/2 red bell peper, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped (I would use less next time, maybe 1/3 and cut it smaller)

2  garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 T tomato paste

1 T worchestershire sauce

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (this was too spicy for me, I would do less)

1/2 C grated parmesan cheese

1 handful parsley (I used dried)

Instructions:

Combine everything together and mix with hands. Divide meat into 6 patties.

Drizzle EVOO on one side of patty.

Put on grill pan until cooked on both sides.

I served ours atop a salad with lettuce, pickles, avocado, tomatoes, and a side of green beans and blue cheese dressing. The taste was spicy and flavorful. The recipe said to break the meat into four patties, but it was very thick so I did six. It was still loose when it cooked, so it might need something else to help it bind. An egg? More tomato paste?

And the blue cheese topper was great! And guilt-free because it’s Greek yogurt which is packed with protein.

Healthy Blue Cheese Dressing:

6 oz Oikos Plain Greek yogurt

any amount of blue cheese (I did maybe 1/4 C)

salt and pepper

Mix all together in bowl and add on top of burgers.

Green Beans:


Bring green beans to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes.

Drain beans in a collander and place back in pot with a little remaining water.

Add teriyaki sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook untl starting to brown, or at least until soft.

Filed Under: Dinner, Houston · Tagged With:

Giveaway Monday!

August 23, 2010 by 15 Comments

Before you read about this week’s giveaway, there are lots of exciting things happening!

New CultureMap column:

Did you see my first entry of my new column on CultureMap? I will be writing a periodic column for CultureMap called “Happy Healthy Me.” My first article is called “Blog all about it: A Tweet way to a healthy life.” I’m really excited about writing for CultureMap, so I hope you’ll follow me over there too. And if you found me from CultureMap…welcome!

Please click it, tweet it, show your friends, and leave a comment if you’d like.

There’s a new blog in town:

For Houston people (or those interested in a healthy life in Houston), please check out Houston Health Blogs. Rachael, who blogs from The Woodlands, has created a one-stop place for people to find healthy information about Houston. It’s new but growing, so hop on over for a visit.

Homemade Granola:

For my Sunday in the kitchen recipe, I made homemade granola for a friend who recently had a baby. If I were home all day for a long period of time, I think I’d want some healthy options to choose. And not just because I’m a healthy living blogger.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C rolled oats

1/2 C slivered almonds

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C mixed dried fruit (I did craisins, raisins, and apricots)

1/2 C apple juice

1/3 C maple syrup

1/4 C brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 C flax seeds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl (oats, flax seeds, almonds, cinnamon, salt, dried fruit). Combine wet ingredients and brown sugar in mixing bowl or measuring cup (apple juice, brown sugar, vanilla, syrup) until sugar dissolves.

Pour wet onto dry and stir until combined.

Spray baking sheet with Pam and spread mix evenly.

Bake for 25 minutes, mixing around every 10. Let cool and package it, eat it hot, or add to yogurt, cottage cheese, or anything else that sounds good!

It’s Giveaway time!


Recently, I found out about a company called Envicorp based in Houston. They make eco-friendly grocery bags called Envitotes, and I asked if I could try one out and offer it as a giveaway.

I used the bag (canvas with an adjustable velcro strap) at the grocery store (my grocery picture is above), and it is super sturdy, really holds A LOT of groceries that pack nicely because the bag does not collapse when open, and then packs down nicely at home when you remove the bottom.

Taking your own bag to the grocery made transporting home easy, and no plastic bags to throw away.


To enter this give-away, please leave a comment here telling me about that you’d like to win this eco-friendly and stylish bag to take to the grocery store with you. For a bonus entry, please follow them on Twitter (@envicorp) or Facebook (Envicorp Products LLC) and leave a second comment here telling me that you did so.

I will pick a winner on Thursday afternoon and announce it on Friday morning on my blog.

ALSO–if you do not win this giveaway but do order a bag from their website, you will get free shipping for being a blog reader of mine! Just enter Free Shipping as the coupon code.

Filed Under: Houston, Snacks · Tagged With: , ,

Houston Restaurant Week

August 18, 2010 by 6 Comments

Have you heard of the new website that compiles healthy living blogs like mine called Healthy Living Blogs? If you don’t live in Houston and want to find a similar blog where you live, check out HLB for one in your area. The site is just a week old, so keep checking back! There’s a widget button on the bottom right sidebar to click to the website also.

In food related news, Houston is concluding Restaurant Week and we checked out two restaurants. For $35, you get a 3-course meal offered at 130 restaurants in the city, including the swankiest and hottest restaurants in town. $5 from each dinner goes to the Houston Food Bank. You have until Saturday if you still want to check out some places! The nice thing about Restaurant Week is that the restaurants enjoy it too. They fill with people in a typically slow restaurant month and show off their food.

Benjy’s:

First up was Benjy’s on Washington. We have been to Benjy’s before, but this was a good excuse to try some new things. A fun and modern atmosphere is relayed in the food as well. We had a great waitress, Benjy walks around to check on tables and deliver food, and the food was great too.

First up was the pre-appetizer table sampler of rye chips, beet-flavored pickles, and parmesan crackers. More original than rolls! They used to serve popcorn. I liked the parmesan crackers best.

My salad was Farmer’s Market Tomatoes with Basil, Manchego Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette. Can’t go too heavy yet–we had a three course dinner. And I will try local and fresh tomatoes any day.

My main course was Grilled Canadian Salmon with watercress salad, Asian pears, and vanilla-kumquat vinaigrette. The portions are big and tasty, and the fruit and vegetables underneath were delicious paired with salmon. There was also some kind of grain on the left that I am not sure of. Maybe a quinoa?

Jeffrey’s main course was an all-star entree–Crunchy Chicken pistachio and pecan crusted, marbled potato gratin, and a sweet corn reduction. It’s delicious.

And my favorite part of going to Benjy’s is Mom’s Chocolate Cake with fudge pecan icing and vanilla bean ice cream. Rumor is that “mom” makes the cake daily and brings it to the restaurant so the recipe stays a secret. Also served with frozen berries and a not-too-crunchy biscotti.

The other dessert on the table (everyone gets their own!) was butterscotch bread pudding with ice cream. Equally delicious, but my heart belongs to classic, dense chocolate cake.

Haven Houston:

Next up for our anniversary, we went to Haven. This restaurant is relatively new to Houston, and focuses on locally grown everything served in creative ways. Like spicy shrimp corn dogs with a lemonade shooter. It is a beautiful space inside with a pretty patio area too. You’d never know you are a block from a major highway. We love hidden Houston restaurants.

I started with the baby arugula salad with peaches, peach vinaigrette, candied pecans and a goat cheese crostini. It is delicious to eat fresh peaches in the summertime.

My main course was the vegetarian option. I usually would order a chicken or fish, but their choice was squash, and I love squash cooked for me. It also had other ingredients that I don’t know how to prepare (like kale).

Summer Squash with quinoa, shelling peas, mire poix, butternut squash, kale

I learned that I like butternut squash best. Can’t wait for Fall!

Jeffrey had the Free range chicken with bacon spaetzle, and crispy onions. What is Spaetzle? I’m still not sure but it looked like mini gnocchi.

And again, our own dessert. I ordered the Ambrosia with blackberries, peaches, blueberries, lemon curd, pecans, coconut, peach sorbet, and fresh mint. It was delicious and light.

Jeffrey got the coconut tres leches bread pudding. Mmmm good too.

And with that, we will roll home and eat salads for the rest of the month. Restaurant week goes on for 21 days–Try somewhere new if you haven’t yet!

Filed Under: Houston, Restaurants · Tagged With: ,

Book and Restaurant Reviews

August 11, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Remember to enter my giveaway for a free one-year subscription to Everyday with Rachael Ray, the Rachael Ray magazine! Just enter a comment in Monday’s post before tomorrow for a chance to win!

Book Review: Final Exam, A Surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality

 My sister suggested this book to me over a year ago. She reads some different books than what I would usually pick up (and probably was attracted to this because she is getting her Master’s in Hospital Administration!), so it took me over a year to read it. I am slowly weening off of traditional chick lit and finding that I like books with a little more thought to them.

Dr. Pauline Chen wrote this book in the middle of her career as a liver surgeon who sees terminally ill patients daily. The book starts with her first days in medical school in the 1980s and tells stories of respecting her team’s cadaver and how working with cadavers impacted the way she practices medicine even today. She tells many patient stories throughout the pages and describes how she as the doctor dealt with death and treating dying patients. The stories were thoughtful and not gruesome, and the book was informative without being depressing.

I really enjoyed reading this quick read and would recommend it if you’re looking for a serious one.

 

Houston’s Latest Yogurt Shop (or one of the newer ones): Yogurtland 

 

I recently went to Yogurtland in the Briargrove area of Houston with 7 friends (boys included). I can’t find a website to link, but Yogurtland is our new favorite yogurt shop! It got 8 thumbs up. Here’s why we like it and how it compares to the others:

Yogurtland is SO CHEAP. I’m talking 30 cents per ounce. We filled our cup and paid under $2.

SO TASTY. Picture above is Vanilla bean yogurt flavor with cookie dough balls and Butterfinger. Other tasty flavors we tried were peanut butter, oreo, and the usual tart ones. For dessert, I like sweet.

Cute interior with fun spoons and tiles on the walls.

It is in a random strip center, but rumor has it that it’s coming inside the loop soon too. Can’t wait to go back!

 

The picture above is outside of La Vista restaurant, also in Houston’s Briargrove area. And this might have been Annie’s last prego shot. She had baby Samuel a week later! We also love La Vista because it’s BYOB, a fun outdoor-indoor atmosphere, and good, reasonably priced food. We had pizzas, salads, chicken, salmon, etc. and everyone was happy with what they ordered. Tasty bread to start too. Check out one of our favorite BYOBs but prepare to wait. No reservations unless you book the private room for parties.

 

California Pizza Kitchen is not new to town, but I love this salad–the Moroccan with Chicken.  It has dates, beets, squash, avocado, carrots, chicken, and lettuce. It’s delicious and a little surprising to find this at CPK. I love it everytime.

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