“Runner Girl” Sterling Silver Charm Giveaway

Posted on by
3

runner girl charm 3

i.m.keepsakes: This inspirational company makes beautiful jewelry. Yes, their products are lovely to look at, but the deeper beauty is found within the symbolic message every piece conveys. Each of the different charms found in the collection represents a choice in life.  You can collect charms that signify the achievement of goals, the pursuit of interests, and the journey of perseverance, love, and faith.  The choices we make compound daily to sculpt us into who we are today; these individual choices don’t stand alone, but become the building blocks for our own individual path in life.

I am so excited to give one of my readers the “I Am a Runner” charm (ARV $32).  It depicts a female runner enjoying her sport and is decked out with a cute little pink crystal in the bow. Made from genuine sterling silver, this charm is rhodium-plated to prevent tarnishing. A lobster-claw fastener allows you to fasten this charm to any open link bracelet, necklace or even a zipper pull.  On the i.m.keepsakes website, this charm is dedicated to Gilbert Tuhaboyne, an Olympian, genocide survivor, inspirational speaker, and running coach right here in Austin, Texas.  Gilbert is a really great guy who we all look forward to catching up with and high-fiving down at Ladybird Lake. Take to heart his advice, “Run with joy. Find joy in everything you do.”

i.m.runner.girl

Whether you race marathons, jog in fun runs or just like to trot through the neighborhood, I hope this “I Am a Runner” inspires you to keep running and reminds you of what a positive choice you are making. To enter, just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Plethora of Pears? Try this Cranberry-Ginger Pear Crumble Recipe

Posted on by
1

When you have a plethora of pears that won’t last until the morning, make pear cobbler. It’s that whole lemon-lemonade philosophy! I came into a large windfall of sliced red pears that didn’t get used in a recent cooking demonstration because I couldn’t bear to see them be thrown away. I mean, not are pears a favorite winter fruit high in fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins, they are just darn tasty. Plus, someone else had already done all the legwork, lovingly slicing them and tossing with a bit of lemon juice for freshness. So, with no shame (my son calls me a raccoon for this behavior), I skillfully rescued them from their ultimate demise in the dimpsty-dumpster.   “Wait, I’ll take those!” I say like a brash bandit! And, when I got home, I whipped up this scrumptious Cranberry-Ginger Pear Crumble from ingredients I already had squirreled away in the pantry. That reminds me, next time I will add nuts!

Cranberry-Ginger Pear Crumble Recipe

  • 6 pears, sliced (choose pears that are ripe yet still firm)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons butter cut into bits

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 cup oatmeal
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons butter, cut into bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss first six ingredients together in a bowl. Pour pear mixture into a 9” x 13” baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine all topping ingredients and mix with the back of a fork until crumble and butter is broken down into very small pieces.  Top pears with topping and pat down. Bake uncovered for 30 – 40 minutes, or until brown and bubbly.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or alternative of your choice.

This is what it looks like before baking, if you wanted to do omit the topping!

Note: You can peel the pears if you like; however I prefer to keep the skin intact because it’s a rich source of nutrients. Remember, natural color (not artificial) usually indicates lots of vitamins and anti-oxidants.

CrossFit & Fearless, Annie Sakamoto and Sore Shoulders

Posted on by
3

Well, it’s been about 10 days since my workout with CrossFit legend Annie Sakamoto who came to school us at CrossFit & Fearless in Austin While my shoulders aren’t sore anymore, I did wear my deluxe case of Delayed Onset Muscle Fatigue like a badge of honor all week. While I can now lift my arms over my head to shave my arm pits again, I do still have a nasty scab along my ankle from my not-so-dainty descent from a rope climb we did that day.

So do you want to know more about Annie? It seems wrong to say “cute as a button” and “she’ll kick your butt” in the same sentence, but it is oh-so true! Only five feet tall (if that), this Santa Cruz superstar, with hair I would kill for, made me feel like an uncoordinated (and very weak) giant bumbling through a WOD in Lilliput (no, not Lululemon land, I wish). According to the 2012 CrossFit Games site, Annie’s PRs are 178 lbs. for Clean and Jerk, 140 for Snatch, 280 for Deadlift, 260 for Back Squat and 46 pull-ups. Now, take all these records and divide them in ½ (and maybe even more) and that’s about what I can handle!   Oh, and did I also mention she’s a mom of two?

We spent the first part of our training doing some skill work with Olympic Weightlifting, fine-tuning our Power Cleans, Hang Cleans, Front Squat and Jerks. We were supposed to keep adding more plates, going up and up and up until near maximum effort. But, I decided to keep it semi-easy and focus more on the skill, ‘cause I was having a little trouble with one of them, ahem.

Next onto the WOD, and as usual it looked so easy written out on the whiteboard. But, I was singing a different song once I was through the first round.  It’s written out on the top photo of this post if you want to try it out in your free time – ha! Some of the highlights are below:

CrossFit box owner, Valerie and me like a little friendly competition.  Rowing like we stole it!

If my 6th grade P.E. class could see me now!

 

 

Noodle Night! Thai Chicken Peanut Pasta Recipe

Posted on by
2

Speedy, spicy, and super yummy; this peanuty chicken pasta dish fuses the flavors of Thai food with plain old spaghetti noodles. It’s already nutritious, but substitute with whole grain pasta to be even healthier!  I’ve been making this Thai Chicken Peanut Pasta dish forever; it’s one of my husband’s favorite quick, weeknight meals. Until recently, the creation has always been in my head; I’d just do a little of this and a little of that. But, I’ve had a recent query to feature it in a publication, so I decided to measure everything out and take a proper picture. I’ll keep you posted on that news.  But, until then, enjoy the sneak peek!

Thai Chicken Peanut Pasta Recipe

  • 1 tablespoon olive oli
  • 1 pound ground chicken breast
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 cups julienned carrots
  • 1 medium red onion chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Srirachai Sauce (the red “Rooster” sauce)
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon (more or less to taste) dried red pepper flakes
  • 12 ounces dried spaghetti noodles
  • 4 green onions chopped with tops
  • 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

In large skillet, cook ground chicken breast over medium-high heat for 10 – 15 minutes or until lightly browned; drain grease if any. Add garlic and carrots and red onion to skillet and continue cooking mixture several more minutes over medium heat, taking care not to over-cook.

At the same time that chicken and pepper stir fry is cooking, begin preparing noodles and sauce. Cook noodles to manufacturer’s directions; drain and set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together, Sriracha sauce, soy sauce, broth, lemon juice, peanut butter and red pepper flakes.

Over medium heat, pour sauce into skillet with chicken and pepper mixture and let simmer for 3-5 minutes until heated through. To serve, place a mound of warm noodles in an individual low pasta-style bowl and top with a portion of the chicken mixture. Top with chopped green onions and peanuts. Yield: serves 6

Notes: Sriracha sauce is a Thai condiment made of hot chilies; typically found on Asian aisle in supermarket.

Beef for Breakfast – “Top of the Sirloin” Sweet Potato-Steak-Egg Bake!

Posted on by
6

I’m excited to say that this delicious recipe of mine, ‘Top O’ the Sirloin’ Morning Sweet Potato-Steak-Egg Bake, is featured as a guest post on Beef Loving Texans. I love this site, it’s packed with cooking tips and creative recipes straight from the kitchens of carnivores right here in the great steak, err, I mean state, of Texas. We’re friendly in here in Texas and like to share, so everyone’s welcome to click on over and surf around for a spell.

I’ll also be presenting this healthy breakfast recipe along other options for lunch and dinner, like the Mojo Beef Kabobs, at the Live Well 2013 event this Saturday. I’m really looking forward to it; It’s going to be a really fun way to share my love of healthy eating and grilling with a big group of folks interested in reaching their health and wellness goals.