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8 Things I’m Thankful For

November 19, 2010 by 11 Comments

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. I like that it’s right in the middle of the Fall/Winter holiday season, it’s all about home cooked food, family, and being thankful. I also like that there isn’t stress of gift buying or funky religious foods like on Passover.

It’s also fun to be a blogger so I can create recipes to share with my readers and write lists like this one and hopefully hear what you’re thankful for this year too.

8. I am thankful that I will be in San Antonio with my whole family this year. Jeffrey and I rotate families for Thanksgiving, and this year it’s San Antonio. We even have a new cousin addition to the table this year. And everyone will be there.

(my grandmother dresses up as a pilgrim)
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(all the “kids” –ages 6 to 27–decorate cookies the night before Thanksgiving)

7. I am thankful for our loving recent addition to our family this year, Lily the dog. She is so much fun, so cute, and so full of love to give. I am happy she is part of our family now too.

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6. I am thankful that three things I love to do (writing, blogging, and social media) have become a big part of my life this year.

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5. I am thankful that I have traveled to some great places since the last Thanksgiving: Paris (pre-blog days), Austin a lot, Dallas a lot, San Antonio, Los Angeles (pre-blog days), San Francisco, North Carolina (pre-blog days), Cabo San Lucas, Florida, Alabama, Las Vegas.

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4. I am thankful that my body has allowed me to run a few races (Houston Rodeo Run 10K, Dallas Bagel Run 10K, a Splash n’ Dash, Health Museum 5K, and hopefully a Half Marathon on Dec. 5). All recaps of those here. And get stronger at non-race things too. Like deadlifting 145 pounds.

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3. I am thankful that my cooking skills are improving and that I am more comfortable creating my own recipes and trying new ingredients. Cooking and baking are fun, creative, calming, and exciting all at once. Try any of these this week: Triple Pumpkin Scottish Oatmeal, Pumpkin Granola, Butternut Squash Soup, Fall Salad, Roasted Fall Vegetables, or Cranberry Apricot Sauce, Pecan Raisin Pumpkin Muffins.


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2. I am thankful for my parents and sister, who I talk to multiple times each day (well not sister, she asks if I needed something when I call to say hi).

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1. I am thankful for my husband who is my travel buddy, dinner guest, taste tester (sometimes) and editor. He is also the rational voice to my quirks.

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What are you thankful for? Tell me one thing, I really want to know!
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Pecan Raisin Pumpkin Muffins

November 16, 2010 by 7 Comments

Running

There were some great and helpful comments from yesterday’s post about IT Band pain. My pain is still here, but only when I try to walk down stairs, which means it’s definitely the IT Band. I am foam rolling, icing, and not running. I hope it goes away, but who knows. 10 miles really did a number on my legs! I was more sore than ever the day after in places like the bottom of my shin and of course the side of my left knee. That was definitely my last long run before 13.1, assuming I am able to run short distances pain free before then too. Oh me…

Pecan Raisin Pumpkin Muffins

Right after I created the recipe for Apple Pumpkin muffins, I thought it would be really good with nuts and raisins. So here are Pecan Raisin Pumpkin Muffins. It is the same base as the ones with apple, but without the apple.

If you have missed any of my other Thanksgiving flavored foods, check out my Triple Pumpkin Scottish Oatmeal, Pumpkin Granola, Butternut Squash Soup, Fall Salad, Roasted Fall Vegetables, or Cranberry Apricot Sauce.

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Ingredients (makes 15 muffins)

  • 2 C whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2/3 C brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 C chopped pecans
  • 1/2 C black raisins, rinsed and dried
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 egg whites (can do 1 egg)
  • 1 C canned pumpkin
  • 1/3 C plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 C unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine dry ingredients together, wet ingredients in a different bowl, and then add the dry to the wet. Mix well. Then add pecans and raisins and stir well together. Bake for 30 minutes.

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They have a beautiful orange color and reminded me of carrot cake texture with the nuts and raisins. They weren’t very sweet which makes them a perfect breakfast muffin. And they are also great with a smear of peanut butter or maple pumpkin butter.

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Filed Under: Injuries, Running, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized, Vegetarian · Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Homemade Cranberry Apricot Sauce

November 9, 2010 by 7 Comments

Hello! It’s back to regular blogging about everyday food, holidays, and exercise. If you missed any of my Foodbuzz posts, click on the Foodbuzz Blogger Fest tag on the right column to see them all. It was a great weekend, but nice to come back to cool weather too.

I ran 6 miles on Monday morning, which was a great way to start off the week. My pace hovered right at 11 minutes per mile for each mile, which is good for me, and faster than my speed when my distance is longer. I’m hoping cool weather makes me go a tad faster. I would be thrilled to run the half marathon (less than 4 weeks away, oh geez) at 11 minutes per mile average.

I am still amazed every time I run a distance longer than 3 miles that it has become so much easier. Not easy, but easier.

New CultureMap column:

First, I have a new column posted over at CultureMap’s site about the dangers of running without identification or paying attention to your surroundings. Go check it out and leave a comment. It’s not as light and fluffy as my other columns.

Cranberry Apricot Sauce:

I have mentioned before that I love Thanksgiving, and I jumped at the chance to make one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes–cranberry sauce.

This came from a Rachael Ray recipe that gives classic cranberry sauce a twist and extra flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 2 12-ounce bags of fresh cranberries
  • 2/3 C orange juice
  • 1/2 C dried apricot halves, sliced
  • 1/2 C white sugar
  • 1/2 C lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp grated orange peel
  • dash salt

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil on medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook until cranberries pop and mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Let cool and garnish with dried apricot.

It’s that easy with few ingredients. It also freezes well. You will never need to eat cranberry sauce out of a can! Please don’t tell me you do that.

Then I had a random flavors dinner of taco turkey with my cranberry sauce. Turkey goes with cranberries, no matter how it’s cooked, right? It also had fresh green beans, spanish rice, lettuce, and crackers. I just wanted to eat the cranberry sauce before I froze it while it was fresh and hot!

I love the pop of the fresh cranberries, the citrus from the orange juice and zest are great with the apricot and the tartness of the cranberries, and the color is so pretty. It even got an endorsement by Jeffrey. But he wouldn’t eat it with his taco meat turkey.

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