Jealousy Pasta

Monday mornings are typically run mornings for me, but after my 8:00 mile stint on a Woodway Friday compounded by my 9-mile long run on Saturday- my hip was so tight it was shooting pain through my quad and knee.  I sat out this morning; I don’t want injury!  I hate rest days that I don’t plan, but they are necessary sometimes. 

This morning’s breakfast was a concoction of oatmeal, banana, cinnamon, and chocolate mocha meal replacement.  

 

 

I think the vanilla meal replacement would have been better in the oatmeal…

I struggled with my hip all day at work (hello grandma status!). Could barely walk! Around 3:00, our physical therapist noticed I was in some pain and offered to look at it.  An evaluation and a hip ultrasound later, I felt better.  Thank you, Tyressa 🙂

Ate lunch with my colleagues today (which I don’t always get to do, but loveee doing).  Today 4 of us wore the exact same color without calling each other this morning (I swear).

 

I was SO JEALOUS today- they all had baked pasta or veggie lasagna and I ate a super boring salad for lunch.  Which inspired tonight’s recipe for baked pasta (which I named “Jealousy Pasta”- I know, I’m so clever).

The ingredients:

 

 

And the highlight- Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo (amazing- hurry up Tallahassee and get your Trader Joes!)

 

Step 1:  Heat soy chorizo over low heat, add onions and saute.  Boil pasta until tender.

 

Step 2: Spread pasta noodles in baking dish

 

Step 3: Add chorizo/onion mix 

 

Step 4:  Add chopped, frozen spinach (10 oz-defrosted) and handful of sweet peppers, chopped

 

Step 5: Add marinara sauce and mix together

 

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes and viola!

PS- always cook with a glass of cab 🙂

 

While the pasta is baking, I’m sipping wine and going through photos from this summer.  I’m desperately missing my adventure in Mexico- I need to do something fun, adventurous and crazy again soon!  

Background for those who read that aren’t FB friends- I presented an opening session at Mexico’s first annual national student affairs conference in Monterrey and led various workshops throughout the course of a week in Guadalajara in June of this year.  It was the time of my life…

View from my hotel in Monterrey:

 

View from Cerro de la Silla (one of the toughest hikes I’ve ever been on)

 

In Guadalajara:

 

At a church outside of Guadalajara- in Tequila, Mexico.  During a baptism, children wait outside the church and it is customary for the father of the baptized child to throw coins to the crowd outside

 

Also in Tequila- one of my good friends, Tom (also a conference speaker) and I toured the Jose Cuervo factory (yes, the tequila- yes, we tequila-tasted!). Tom shares his drink 😉

 

That’s it for tonight- more reminiscing to come (and along with it, some adventure-planning probably…)

10-Mile Trail Run and Spoonfuls of Peanut Butter

Breakfast this morning was a fallback- oatmeal, a scoop of peanut butter, banana, and muesli.  Microwave for one minute.

 

I told Kellie I wanted to run with her this morning.  She’s been good about mixing up my running experiences.  She took me to Miccosukee Trail this morning.  It was absolutely beautiful.  Mostly wooded trail.  And the miles flew by as we ran through the woods.  

 

 

Stats: 10 miles

Avg pace: 9:54 min mile

Calories expended: 1188

We were super inconsistent this morning, some miles were 10:30, some were 8:40.  When we ran St. Marks trail a few weeks ago, we were so consistent in pace each mile was only a few seconds off (for 9 miles).  I’m guessing it was the hills and varied terrain at Miccosukee. 

My hips and knees were screaming at me after Ultimate yesterday and 10 miles today.  

When I got home, this text was waiting for me.  Kellie and I are two peas in a pod (only she’s the more in-shape, competitive pea).  

 

I eat peanut butter out of the jar.  All the time. 

I needed to make lunch and something for our staff holiday potluck tomorrow.  Lunch was fettucine, broccoli, pesto, avocado, and egg.  Was delicious after my run. 

 

 

For the potluck, I’m making a pumpkin cheesecake pie:

1 package of sugar free cheescake flavored jello

1 can of pure pumpkin

1 graham cracker crust

Pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon to taste

Lite whipped cream and pecans

1.  Follow the directions on the box.  I substitute water for milk though (it tastes and mixes exactly the same).

 

2.  Add the pumpkin to the mix.

 

3.  Add pie spice and cinnamon to taste

 

 

4.  Spread evenly in crust, then pop in fridge to set. 

 

I’ll add these tomorrow. 

Hope it sets!  If not, we’ll all be spooning out pumpkin-cheesecake mush with graham cracker crust mixed in.  At least it’ll taste good…