March 2010

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Last night, I attended my first Yoga Nidra workshop. One of my former neighbors, Karma, is a yoga instructor (and a very cool person who radiates positivity!) and sent me a Facebook invitation to the workshop.

Yoga Nidra means yogic sleep, a state of conscious deep sleep for extreme relaxation and subtler spiritual exploration.

We were instructed to bring blankets and pillows in addition to the usual yoga mat to in order to get very comfortable and feel supported for the meditation. We started off the class with some regular old yoga flow which felt so good to this runner’s tight legs. I forgot how much stretching helps!

Then we got down to the meditation, which Karma led in a very warm and soothing voice. Throughout the meditation, I definitely checked out of my mind and body, something that doesn’t even happen when I really sleep. I forget a big chunk of it, and was kind of knocked out of my blissful state by my snoring neighbor! Some people really do fall asleep; it is that relaxing! I “woke” from the meditation feeling really calm and centered, perfect for a Sunday night.

I had planned on making a recipe from The O2 Diet, chicken salad stuffed cucumber boats, which would have required grocery shopping, and since it was after 6, we decided to go home and make do with what we had in the house.

Instead I came up with avocado boats stuffed with pesto shrimp salad.

The pesto is an easy favorite, and the ingredients can be adjusted according to taste.

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Several large handfuls of baby spinach

3-6 garlic cloves

3 TSP olive oil

Small handful walnuts

I ran the ingredients through my mini processor until roughly chopped as I was in the mood for a chunky pesto.

I set the pesto aside and steamed the tiger shrimp that we had hanging out in the freezer.

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I rapidly cooled the shrimp by running them under cold water and popping them in the freezer for about 5 minutes. When cool enough to peel, I peeled and deveined them, then chopped them roughly and mixed them with a few large spoonfuls of pesto. Then I added the best part: a couple large spoonfuls of 0% Greek yogurt. Mixed altogether, the salad tasted heavenly, like it was full of fat like some of the restaurant chicken or seafood salads I have had. I love how Greek yogurt can melt into just about anything and make it decadent while adding protein and calcium!

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To serve the salad, I cut open an avocado, removed the pit, and filled each half with salad. We ate it with spoons so that we got a good mouthful of avocado with each shrimpy bite 🙂

Although nothing like the original recipe, which I do want to make someday soon, this dinner was so delicious and full of nutrients. It was light yet filling and just what I wanted after a beautiful day and a relaxing yoga and meditation session.

I have a 10 miler today and am preparing for my 21 miler later this week. Of course, on my taper back weekend it was gorgeous, on my 21 miler weekend it is meant to rain the entire time 8(

Hope you all have a fantastic Monday!

Do you use recipes for inspiration and do your own thing? Or are you a stickler for following them?

Tags: cooking, dinner, Food, healthy, recipe, yoga

Glorious weekend! Saturday was a feast for the senses, and stepping outside has never felt so good! I started the day off by blogging about spring, then read a bunch of other blogs and did some other bloggy work.

Then the husband and I went to Castle Island in South Boston. Castle Island is a beautiful place to walk, run, or picnic and provides a nice paved loop that juts out into the bay. I love going there not only for the views and the lovely ocean air, but also for the zillion dogs out walking and running! So cute. There is also a refreshment stand, Sully’s, that sells all sorts of delicious treats. If you live in Boston and have never been, I would definitely suggest going.

After our 2.5 mile walk, I went for a run and did a hill workout. I felt great! This weather makes me feel so much looser and more free, and I think more of my energy is directed to running rather than my aches and pains.

I was ravenous when I returned home, and French toast was all I wanted. I made a simple egg and milk blend with freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg for dipping the bread. Then we cooked it up and topped it with a mix of organic maple syrup and agave nectar.

 

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We had our French toast with Trader Joe’s Organic Cranberry Green Tea. Since reading The 02 Diet (post to come this week), I have been trying to integrate more green tea into my diet. For some reason regular green tea makes me nauseous – to the point where I almost had to leave work one day. But this cranberry green tea blend tastes great and makes me feel fine.

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After eating, we spent some time just lounging around the house with the windows open. My cats loved it.

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This is Scout’s favorite time of year. She actually looks at the windows in the middle of winter and squeaks at me to open them.

Since the hubby didn’t have to work, we decided to go on a little date to celebrate the nice day with some food and wine. Since we have been talking about Morton’s a lot this week after my events post, he chose Mortons’ Seaport location for our dinner. We had previously only been to the Back Bay location and thought it would be fun to go somewhere near the waterfront.

We were able to get a reservation and were seated right at 7:00. Water glasses filled, and a giant loaf of bread served, we were then shown a presentation of the menu which involved a staff member going through the starters, sides, cuts of meat, fish, and any of the desserts that needed to be pre-ordered. Its fun to see how much attention is paid to the quality of the food.

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We started with oysters on the half shell, of course. I don’t think we ever go to a restaurant that has oysters and NOT order them. These came with an entire little cup full of just horseradish, plus a separate cup of cocktail sauce. I was in spicy heaven!

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I really wanted to have a couple of appetizers for my meal, as I often do. I ordered the tuna tartare which was stacked with avocado and served with a little side of cucumbers and tomatoes. I had a nice soy flavor to it, and the avocado and super fresh tuna went perfectly together. This was a pretty spectacular and healthy dish.

 

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On the not—so-healthy side, the hubs and I split a wedge salad topped with homemade, out of this world blue cheese, tomatoes, hardboiled eggs, and crispy bacon. Quite obviously not the healthiest option on the menu, but it was oh so good. Morton’s does sides and salads incredibly well.

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We each had a glass of wine with dinner. I stuck with the spring-like theme of the day and had a glass of Lunetta Prosecco. Light and bubbly, it was like honeydew melon in a glass. So refreshing. The husband’s wine, however, was amazing. He ordered the featured Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon, Krug 1881. It was blissful. A big, dark red Cab, it had a slightly woodsy nose to it and tasted of dark fruits. It almost coated the sides of the glass. If you can get your hands on a glass, definitely do!

After all of that, we were too full for dessert, and I was tired from so much fresh air! We headed home and watched some Mad Men before konking out at around 11.

I love how alive I feel right now! I normally find Sundays to be a little depressing, but today has been another great day of walking dogs at the MSPCA, walking around Castle Island, and I am off to a Yoga Nidra workshop.

I’ll be back later! Make sure to enter my giveaway if you haven’t already!

Tags: Boston, breakfast, Dining out, Food, giveaway, running, spring, tea, wine

I had another Prague post planned for today as I realized this week I never finished posting about our trip to Ireland and the Czech Republic back in January! But hey, maybe its nice to sprinkle in a little travel here and there rather than sharing it all at once. What do you think?

Instead of writing about our snowy (but gorgeous) time in Prague, I am inspired by the chirping birds and the sun streaming through my windows to write about my favorite parts of spring. Then I want to hear yours!

1) Longer days! I think we all have had enough of coming and going in the dark and rarely getting a chance to spend time in daylight. Even if it is that dark blue 5:45 sky, with a tiny bit of light off in the distance, it is a hopeful sign of longer evenings.

2) Spring flowers- Truly one of my favorite places to be in spring is Ireland because of the abundance of daffodils, but New England isn’t too bad. Copley Square in Boston does a gorgeous bed of tulips, and the Boston Public Gardens come alive this time of year.

3) Copley Square Farmer’s Market- While the photo below is from late summer, the farmer’s market does re-open in late spring, and the bounty of fruits and veggies slowly increases and changes as we enter the summer months. Two blocks from my office, I consider the Copley market one of the best things Boston has to offer!

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4) Green! Whether it be the wearing of the green for St. Patrick’s Day, the drinking of the green in my daily smoothie, or the eating of the green in a variety of dishes, green is definitely the color of spring. FINALLY the dirty black snow melts away, and little green shoots start appearing everywhere. Is there any sight more welcome than buds on trees? (Other than the allergies they cause!) There is also something about spring that makes me want to eat healthier. . . and fresh, local produce becoming available makes it easier! Suddenly, its light out when its time to cook dinner, and a heavy, creamy casserole and red wine seems out of place. Enter Vinho Verde, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and other fresh wines that might have a touch of green flavor.

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5) The Boston Marathon- As much as I am dreading it right now, both because I feel out of shape and am not close to my fundraising goal, the Boston Marathon is such a massive Boston tradition that no spring would be complete without it. Any day now, the billboards and the signs will be set up, Adidas sponsored ads that provide inspiration and get everyone revved up for the big day. It could be that as a runner I am biased, but to me it is a day of TRUE athleticism in Boston where thousands push themselves to the limits for various reasons,  and for only a handful is that reason personal financial gain. Its crowded, and I am sure annoying to people affected by road closures, but if you can ever get to the race route on Marathon Monday I highly recommend it!

I could go on and on about spring. I love being able to have drinks and dinner outside, taking walks at Castle Island without a whipping wind, putting away my dark, heavy clothes and pulling out something lighter and more fun. I love brightly colored pedicures, open windows, and less time sitting around. As we move closer to spring, I can’t wait to share all of those experiences with you.

What are your favorite things about spring? Anything specific to where you live?

Have you entered the Secrets of a Skinny Chef giveaway yet?

Tags: Farmer's Markets, Food, spring, wine

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