Madison Half Marathon

I had a great weekend.  I went to Madison, Wisconsin with my family to run the Madison Half Marathon with my bestie, Tamara.  It was her first half marathon and she totally killed it.  We had so much fun hanging out in Madison, eating good food, and celebrating the weekend.  We have already started talking about when we will run our next race!

When we arrived on Friday, we had dinner at Dotty Dumpling's Dowry.  This is a Madison classic with great burgers.  It was delicious.  Then we headed to the Ivory Room where we listened to dueling pianos.  It was a blast.

A beautiful day at the Farmer's Market

On Saturday, we went to the Farmer's Market.  This farmer's market is the king of all farmer's markets.  There are so many great stands and almost all of them are handing out samples.  The veggies, flowers, and cheese are abundant.  We had so much fun sampling things and we even got some scones to take home.  We also ate some famous Stella's Spicy Cheese-y Bread.  Then, we walked down State Street and did some shopping.  I got a super adorable alumni sweater that I am really excited about!  After that, we went to dinner at Cento.  This place was delicious and the perfect place for a pre-race dinner.  Bri and I split a pizza and some risotto and it was amazing!

DINNER!

Sunday was race day.  The race started at 7 am and we finished in 2 hours and 8 minutes.  I was super impressed with Tamara.  Her foot was hurting her, but she wouldn't let that get in the way!  We kept a super consistent pace of 9:47 per mile and we were both really happy at the end.

Some of my awesome support team! 

We celebrated with brunch at the Great Dane downtown.  I got the Huevos Rancheros and we, of course, split some cheese curds (when in Wisconsin...).  It was such a fantastic weekend and it was a great half marathon!

Marathon Training Monday: The 20 Miler!

Ok, so it is Tuesday, but I was super lazy and didn't post yesterday.  I am feeling super lazy because this past weekend was moving weekend and the 20 miler.  Basically, I am super exhausted.  However, I am also super proud that I completed the 20 miler.

This past Saturday, I ran 20 miles along the Chicago Lake Shore Path.  It was the most difficult and most miserable run I have ever been apart of.  For 10 miles, we ran on ice (take a look at that pic above) and then for another 10 miles we ran into super strong/cold wind.  My face felt destroyed and my legs were hurting so much by the end.  I started the run nervous because I was already sore from moving.  Then, that ice just made me miserable.  You run differently on ice and you hold a lot of strain in your body.  Thus, I am still a little sore.  I also know that if I can do what I did on Saturday, I can definitely run a marathon.  AND, the plus side is now it is TAPER TIME!

Taper means we run less and less over the next few weeks in preparation for race day.  I am officially 18 days from race day and I couldn't be more excited to be at this point and finally tapering.  This week the mileage is 5, 8, 5 and 12.  I know this still sounds like a lot, but it is a far cry from last week's 6, 8, 6, 20.  So, I am very excited.

At this point in training, I am also hungry all of the time! It is sort of crazy.  So, I keep a lot of high protein snacks (like almonds or greek yogurt) nearby at all times.  I also celebrated the completion of the 20 miler with a bloody mary/brunch at Roots.  You even get a mozzarella stick on top of your bloody mary!

I am also stretching and resting as much as I can and I only wear comfy flats to school.  Overall, I am trying my best to take care of myself and get ready for the big day!

My California Trip: Davis, Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Sonoma

Cali was a great trip for me and Bri.  We have been there before, but we had never gone to these areas and so it was a blast!  We did a lot of sightseeing and a lot of eating!  I went for a couple runs and it was a really nice time!

Our trip started out in Davis where we visited Bri's brother, Kevin.  He showed us around campus, I went for a run through their beautiful arboretum and since he's a vet student, we got to play with kittens!  While staying in Davis, we decided to drive out to Lake Tahoe to see some gorgeous sites and eat some yummy burgers.  We went to Burger Me for lunch and then walked around the lake area.  Then, we went to Emerald Bay to get a good view of the lake as well as the scenic mountains.  

Back towards Davis, we went to Track 7 Brewing Company.  Bri and I love visiting tap rooms and drinking different kinds of beer.  At this place, we found a Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout!  It sounded pretty strange, but ended up being amazingly good!

We spent a night out for dinner and dessert in Sacramento.  For dinner, we headed to Pizza Rock for dinner and ate some amazing pies.  Kevin and I split a BBQ style pizza and Bri got a calzone.  Everything was delish.  Afterwards, we walked down the street to Rick's Dessert Diner.  This place was PACKED.  Obviously it is a place to be and it did not disappoint.  You can find every kind of dessert you can imaging in this cute diner.  I, of course, got a slice of the Red Velvet Cake.  

After all that eating, we felt like we needed to get moving.  We spent some time strolling through Muir Woods. I thought that fairies were going to fly out at me.  This place feels incredibly old and magical.  The redwood trees are simply stunning.  Pictures do not do them justice.

Following our Muir Woods excursion, we spent the day in San Francisco.  We started off with brunch at Sweet Maple's.  This place was also a hopping spot.  We stood outside and waited for our table for quite some time, but it was totally worth it.  I got a scramble that was out of this world and the "million dollar bacon" was also a huge hit at our table.  I am not a big bacon person (gasp!...I know), but it even tempted me.

San Francisco is a great place.  We just loved it.

We even found dessert as a middle of the day pick-me-up at Dandelion.  This place happens to be one of the best chocolate shops in the world.  Go there.  Get the Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar.  Trust me.

Then, because you just ate your brains out, go walk up a hill and check out this gorgeous city.

And then find beer...

Tasting at 21st Amendment Brewery

At this point, you're probably wondering: "So this girl went to California and drank beer the whole time?"  Bri is a huge beer fan and I enjoy it quite a bit.  However, the answer to that question is, nope.  We definitely got our wine fix in Sonoma:

Wine Tasting Tour

Wine Tasting Tour

and more beer :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! 

Every day is mother's day.  I mean, what would we do without mom's?  Literally, no one would exist!  My mom is pretty amazing and I just wanted to say, I love you!  Bri and I are planning on having brunch with my mommy today and then dinner with his mommy later.  It is going to be a really nice day!  

Here is a round-up of some of my mommy's favorite recipes that I have made in the past:

Oreo Coffee Ice Cream Cake

Skinny Mocha Cupcakes

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

Chocolate Chip Banana Cupcakes with Creamy Peanut Butter Frosting

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

I hope that all the mother's out there have a really great day!

Enjoy :)

Hot Chocolate Run

A while back, I did a series called "Half Marathon Mondays."  I was training for a half marathon and decided to log my progress as well as any other work out shenanigans I was up to.  Ever since running the Chicago Marathon back in October, I have continued to keep up my running and I want to share with you all my amazing experiences.  Reading running stories continues to motivate me to stay healthy and strong and I hope that people out there find that here!  The best way to keep up my running and stay motivated, has been signing up for other races with friends.  The Hot Chocolate Run was one of those races.

This race was incredible.  There were two options, the 5K or the 15K.  I don't think I've ever heard of any other 15K so I decided to do it.  Plus, after running 26.2 miles, 9.3 didn't seem so bad.  In fact, I barely trained.  This was not my brightest idea, but it ended up working out ok.  I ran the race with two other friends and we all finished with about a 10 minute mile pace.  Plus, along the way, the water stations also had treats like marshmallows, tootsie rolls, and pieces of chocolate!  At the finish, we got medals as well as a chocolate fondue goody bag with, of course, hot chocolate.  It was pretty darn adorable.

After the race, we celebrated with brunch at D4.  If you are ever in Chicago and staying in the downtown area, you should try this place for brunch.  It is a huge space and I have never had to wait very long and the food is just amazing!  We also had their signature bloody mary and it was fantastic. I can't think of a better way to celebrate a long run then an amazing meal!

Since that race, I have kept up a consistent running schedule.  During the week, I run three times.  I'll do two shorter runs (3 or 4 miles) and one longer run (5 or 6).  Then, on Saturdays, I always try to run at least 8 miles.  I am also going to a Zumba class once a week and trying to incorporate more strength training into my life.  This is where I am struggling because I just don't enjoy it as much while I'm doing it.  If anyone out there has any suggestions it would be much appreciated! After all, my wedding is on its way and I want to be in tip top shape :)

Cranberry Coffee Cake

I am in a brunch mood! Today I am sharing a recipe that I made a while ago, but it is so good and can easily be adapted.  Plus, it is perfect for brunch!

It is only 8 in the morning, but I already ran 9 miles!  Today, I went on my first run with CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association).  Every Saturday, they have long runs where you get to the meeting place by 6 a.m. and run with a pace group.  I went with the 10:00 race group and it was a blast! It was so much better to run with other people and I am already done with my whole Saturday still in front of me! I met a ton of people, had some great conversations, and it was just a blast.  I will definitely continue getting my butt out of bed by 5 a.m. on a Saturday in order to do this.  Marathon training is a marathon in itself and it was so nice to have a group to run with.  Next week, we will be doing 10 miles!

So, that is why I am in a brunch mood and this coffee cake is just the best.  I found a recipe over at Hungry Couple and just adapted it slightly.  This recipe called for cranberries.  I won't lie, I made this during winter when it was cranberry season and then just forgot to post about it.  However, you can totally use fresh blueberries or strawberries now that those are so amazing!

Cranberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp orange zest
1 1/2 cups nonfat, plain greek yogurt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups cranberries
Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a tube pan.
2. In a medium bowl, make the crumb topping.  Mix all ingredients into the melted butter so that you have crumbs that look like wet sand.
3.  To make the cake, in a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar and butter until well combined.  Beat in the vanilla, orange zest, and greek yogurt.  Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined and then, gently, mix in the cranberries.  Pour the batter into your greased tube pan.
5. Take the topping and sprinkle on top of the batter until it covers the whole top.
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cake has risen and is springy to the touch.

Enjoy :)

Roasted Garlic Potatoes with Scrambled Eggs

This breakfast was so freakin good that I forgot to take photos!  We had guests who stayed over at our apartment and I threw these potatoes together in the morning for a delightful little brunch.  It was so easy to make and ended up being a huge hit.  These Garlic Potatoes are amazing and definitely a great weekend brunch idea!  Or, serve them as a side with your dinner!  Since it is the weekend, I have brunch on my mind and I figured this was a fantastic recipe to share.

My weekend has already been so much fun! My friends, Russ and Tim, are in town from Wisconsin and we had a great night last night.  We went to dinner at City Dough and had a great meal!  Its right by the Wellington stop on the brown line, so if you are ever in the neighborhood check it out.  Also right there, is DMK Burger Bar which is fantastic, but typically has quite the wait.  So, between these two options you will have a great meal!  After dinner, we met up with some more friends and went out to some bars.  It was a blast.  I, of course, became super tired well before the end of my friend's evening and had to go home (I did get up at 5!).  I am excited to reunite with them today for some more fun around Chicago!

So, here's to a great weekend!  Make some Garlic Roasted potatoes, whip up some scrambled eggs and then you can start your day off with a great breakfast!

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
3 lbs. red potatoes, washed and quartered
6-7 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Toss potatoes in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat and the minced garlic.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3.  Place potatoes in a 9 by 13 inch pan and roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes.  Toss every 20 minutes or so.  Serve hot.
4. For the scrambled eggs, I scrambled two eggs with about 2 tbsp of skim milk and a little bit of salt and pepper.  I find that the milk adds a lightness to the eggs that is really great.  Then, I scramble them in a small pan until medium-well done.

Enjoy :)

Happy Birthday Brian! Homemade Walker Brothers Apple Pancake

Okay, I think I am going to return to blogging now that I made this recipe.  Bri's birthday was this past weekend and I went all out with his favorite breakfast and one of his favorite desserts.  Today is going to be all about the breakfast.

Walker Brothers Pancake House is a staple here in the Chicago-land area.  Growing up, this is where I met my girlfriends for breakfast on every late start of high school, is is where I drove to for the first time after getting my license when I turned 16 and it also happens to be where Bri likes to have brunch on his birthday!  Now that we live in the city, it is more difficult to make it all the way out for brunch, so I decided to bring brunch to us!  I got out my 12 inch cast iron skillet and made a GIANT apple pancake, Walker Brother's style.

I found the recipe online and then adapted it a bit to fit my skillet and my taste.  It turned out perfect!  Happy Birthday Bri :)

Homemade Walker Brothers Apple Pancake
(adapted from Tastebook)

Ingredients:
4 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cloves
8 eggs
2 cups skim milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter

Happy Birthday!

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
3. In another large bowl, whisk the milk with the eggs.  Whisk in the flour until no more lumps remain and whisk in the vanilla.
4. In your skillet, melt the butter.  Add in the apple mixture and then pour the batter over the apples.  Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Place a pan on a shelf below your skillet to prevent anything from dripping onto the bottom of your oven.

Enjoy :)

My First Half Marathon and a Memorial Day Dessert!

Bri caught a great photo of my crossing the Finish Line!

I did it! I ran my first Half Marathon in an ACTUAL race.  Last summer, I ran the distance, but I just went out there and did it on my own.  This year, I got my friends, Lauren and Patrick to do it with me and we had a blast.

We stayed together all the way through mile 10 and somehow kept a pretty clipped 9:30 mile pace.  Then, between 10 and 11, there was this AWFUL hill.  I had to walk, Patrick (good for him) ran it, and Lauren slowed down a bit.  I spent the last 2 miles attempting to catch up with Patrick which was great motivation because I ended up finished with about a 9 minute mile pace and only 30 seconds behind Patrick.  My finishing time was 2:07 and this is about 13 minutes faster than I was really expecting.  It was amazing that we all did this for the first time and were so great! We enjoyed our free beer and snacks afterwards and, after a quick shower, got all our friends and family together to go out for an amazing brunch at the Great Dane.

Champs :)

My Results

I was so happy to have the support of my family and Bri and we had a really nice day together.  Today my parents are packing up some of my room and heading home.  Next weekend, I have to take Teacher Tests back in IL and the weekend after that I move out! Basically, this was my last big hoorah in Madison and I can't think of a better way to have spent it.  I am so proud that I dedicated the last few months to training for this and I feel great!

Last year, I made adorable Skinny Memorial Day Cheesecakes and I just had to share them again here.  They are the perfect dessert for the holiday and they are a great way to indulge without feeling too guilty.  However, I just ran a Half Marathon, so I might go out an eat something a little more guilty than this :).

Skinny Memorial Day Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (adapted from Skinny Taste) 

Ingredients:

12 vanilla wafers

1 8 oz package of 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

6 oz fat-free vanilla greek yogurt

2 large egg whites

1 tbsp flour

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

strawberries and blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350, line a cupcake tray with 12 liners, and place a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each one.

2. In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.  Beat in the sugar and vanilla.  Slowly beat in the greek yogurt, egg whites, and flour until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Fill each cupcake well about 1/2 full and bake for about 25 minutes.  Let cool.

4. Top each mini cheesecake with some sliced strawberries and blueberries and let chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Enjoy :)

Simple Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip

Looking for a healthy and gluten free dessert to have during Passover?  Actually, this is perfect for your Easter brunch as well!  This versatile fruit dip is the perfect thing to have on hand for a healthy dessert, great breakfast, or snack during the day! Just mix some honey in with some non-fat plain greek yogurt and serve with fruit! It tastes sweet and delicious and it is perfect healthy!

Today is my Spa Day with my Mom and I felt like this was the perfect sweet treat to talk about.  Plus, it is perfect for Passover when you basically have to be on a gluten free diet.  This is one awesome fruit dip!

Simple Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip

Ingredients:
1 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
2 tbsp honey

Directions:
1. Mix together and serve with fruit! I had tons of strawberries and this was a great dip!

Enjoy :)

Spring Break! St. Louis Adventures

It's Spring Break! I am finally off on Spring Break and I couldn't be more ready to relax.  I left for St. Louis on Friday and I have been having an amazing weekend.  Of course, I kept up with my running and this week officially starts the beginning of my 10-Week Half Marathon Training Schedule! I even got in a 7.5 mile run through beautiful Forest Park before St. Louis got hit with a crazy snowstorm! But anyways...

Friday was great because I got to just chill with Bri before heading off to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with a bunch of his friends.  After, we hit up FroYo for some great dessert.  I know you must think I am crazy for skipping the cheesecake for froyo, but I just can't handle a dessert that rich.  I know I'm lame, but I wanted to do something light and healthy.  Maybe next time I will splurge a little.

On Saturday, after my 7.5 mile run, Bri and I got ready to head out and check out the Soulard Farmers Market.  It was a ton of fun.  We had yummy mini donuts, bought a ton of produce to make dinner and dessert (more on that later) and then found a great place for lunch!

We had lunch at Blues City Deli.  This was great because they had awesome vegetarian options (I got the Cheese Po Boy and it was amazing) and we heard some great live music! After lunch it was off for a few groceries to complete our dinner.  We planned on Homemade Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers with a Spicy Chipotle Avocado Sauce and Zucchini Bread for dessert.

Dinner was a hit.  We had a ton of food leftover for Sunday night dinner and then some! Plus, it was so cheap with all those veggies from the farmers market! After dinner, we got ready to go out and check out a great bar in the area with a bunch of friends.

We went to the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium.  It was right by Busch Stadium and had a crazy huge selection of beer as well as wine and other drinks! I got to try two new ciders and both were great.  Then, of course, I got super tired and we came home.

Sunday turned out to be quite snowy.  I woke up and did a little work out in the apartment, and then Bri and I went to Jilly's Cupcake Bar and Cafe for an amazing brunch! It was $15 dollars a person and it included drinks, an all-you-can-eat buffet and a dessert bar.  Oh my it was awesome.  The food was great (definitely get the scrambled eggs and 6-cheese macaroni) and then dessert was fantastic.  They even had a make-your-own cupcake table.  We left pleasantly stuffed and headed home for a cozy "snowed in" Sunday filled with movies and leftovers.

Now, it's time for me to head home for a nice week off from school! Happy Spring Break!