Stairmaster, I've missed you.

After several months of avoiding the gym at all costs, I finally made my return this week. I have all sorts of excuses for why I haven't been. I re-injured my shoulder in January playing soccer. Sure, that shouldn't keep me from jumping on the stairmaster or elliptical, but it makes it really painful to pull my sports bra over my head. How's that for an excuse? Also, baseball season started up, I've had to travel more for work, my allergies are going berzerk, mercury is in retrograde(?), etc. You get it. I'm lazy. Now, I have been taking the dog for several walks every day and playing soccer on weekends. But, still. I actually PAY for this gym membership. So, I met my sister at the gym the other night and we hit the stairmaster. Ouch. Cardio, check. We did a little weight work, as well. But, the steam room was really calling to me. In my defense, I did do some ab work while laying in the sauna. I did a few leg lifts. So... yeah. Abs, check.I wanted to go back to the gym last night. I should've and really, I could have. But, I went to Target, instead, while silently promising myself an extra-hard workout tomorrow.






So, today is that 'tomorrow'. The Boys are with their dad this week. No chaotic morning of the battle to get kids out of bed, dressed, fed and off to school. I got up extra early, put on my work-out clothes, took the dogs for a walk and drove to Starbucks. I heard on the Today show that a cup of coffee 20 minutes prior to a workout helps with energy/endurance. So, everything was in place for a perfect workout. It's gonna be a good day. Until, I pulled into the Starbucks drive-thru. First, the Starbucks girl tells me that the person in the car 20 cars ahead of me purchased coffee for the next 20 cars. Score. Free coffee. Sweet. A really good day. Then she says, you can 'pay it forward' by buying coffee for the car behind me. What? Crap. I go to this Starbucks every day. I don't want to be that jerk. So, fine. I'll buy the next car coffee. The bill is twice what mine is. Great. Paying it forward. Fan-freakin-tastic. Phone rings. Work call. As I'm retrieving my coffee from the barrista, I hit the cup on the car window and spill it all over me, the car, and my work-out wear. So, now I obviously can't go straight to the gym with coffee all over me.


Now it's too late to go to the gym. Gotta get to work. Maybe at lunch, I'll get in a workout. Maybe.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

My sisters and I have always made fun of my mom's cooking.  Don't get me wrong- it's not the taste/flavor that we ridicule.  She's an amazing cook.  It's the volume.  She makes ridiculous amounts of food - especially at Holiday meals.  And, they aren't typically very healthy.  They start with vegetables, but usually end in a smothered, fried or marshmallow crusted [barely recognizable] version of the original.  So, this past Thanksgiving, I did two things I had never even considered before: 1)I brought a date to dinner, AND 2)I brought my own side dishes.  With an  upcoming trip to South Florida planned, Kirk and I were trying to eat healthy and avoid the extra holiday pounds.  Of course, I brought plenty for everyone, and surprisingly, most everyone prefered the healthier side dishes.  This is an alternative to the sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows that Mom makes.  Bon apetite!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling potatoes after cooked
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Lay the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle the oil, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes in oven or until tender.
Take sweet potatoes out of the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil.

Ninfa’s Green Sauce

Austin has some amazing Tex-Mex restaurants. Guero's, Maudie's, Angie's and, of course, Chuy's. Most have their own unique salsa often touted to be 'The Best.'  But, the green sauce at Ninfa's was something special.  And addictive.  Oh, how I miss Ninfa's.  This recipe was borrowed from the Houston Chronicle.  I tried it a couple of times and it was a HUGE hit. Ingredients:
3 medium-sized green tomatoes, coarsely chopped (you can substitute yellow if you can’t find green ones, but never use red)
4 tomatillos, cleaned and chopped
1 to 2 jalapenos, stemmed and coarsely chopped
3 small garlic cloves
3 medium-sized ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
4 sprigs cilantro
1 tsp. of salt
1 1/2 cups of sour cream

Method:
Combine chopped tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapenos and garlic in a saucepan. Bring to a boil (tomatoes provide the liquid), reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Place tomato mixture with the avocados, cilantro and salt in food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into a bowl and stir in sour cream.


Makes 4 to 5 cups