Meal Monday: best soup #recipe ever!

I saw a recipe for Turkey Sausage, Kale and Cannellini Bean soup on Liz's blog a couple months ago. Finally made it on Sunday and WOW. It only took about 30 minutes to make and I had to stop eating at 2 bowls.  It's THAT good.


You can find the recipe here. I think you should also add her blog to your reader because this isn't the first recipe from The Lemon Bowl I've tried - they've all been winners. Go send Liz some bloggy love.

Do you have a favorite healthy recipe blogger you think I should add to my list?

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5 For Friday: cell phone pics

Mixing it up today with 5 things I loved this week, as captured my my phone.



Meeting a bunch of Cheeseheads at Founders on Sunday. They claimed to have fallen in Lake Michigan and washed up on our shores.


A glass of wine from a bottle I bought during my wine half girls weekend.


Iontopharesis to make my heel feel better.



Meeting friends for a beer run even though I couldn't run.



My crazy cat. She likes to pet my head when I hold her. Yes, it's weird but after a rough week it made me laugh.

What made you smile this week?

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#TTT: Words of Wisdom

I had a bit of a revelation last night. Ok - it pretty much slapped me across the face.

source

There has been too much negative here and I'm starting to really believe all the bullsh*t I've been telling myself.

source

I can't continue to feel sorry for myself. I determine my moods. I can't change what's happening but I can try to change how I react to it.

source

I've decided I really just need to STFU about this latest injury. I'm going to count my blessings instead.

I'm not in a cast or boot.

I don't need surgery.

I'm waking up with less pain every day.

Later today, I have a post going up at Shrinking Jeans and I'm hoping that's the last post I write on this subject. Granted, this is my space and if I want to write about how I'm doing later I will. But for now, I'm done posting negatives.

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Wordy Wednesday: a feel good post!

September 6^th, 1981 at Osceola Dragway in Osceola, In

There has been entirely too much doom and gloom on this blog lately so today I'm going to give you a completely different type of post for me.  I'm hoping you stick with me and can take a few minutes to help my BIL give his parents a really cool 50th anniversary.

My BIL, Ken, writes:

The background is that my parents were married 11/9/1963, so this year is their 50^th anniversary which made the ’63 Impala special to my mom.  As a kid, I remember being hauled around town in this thing; to the store, to grandma’s house, to school.  I always thought it was my mom’s cool car.  This is the car we raced, the first time I ever went drag racing at Osceola Dragway.  Mom loved the get-up-and-go, but stopped driving it, because gas for the hi-po 327 was not cheap, and it was a little cantankerous to drive. 

It hasn’t been on the street since I drove it a few times in high-school.  Since then, mom has been a little disappointed in her three boys, that we’ve never freshened up the motor in the ’63 so she could drive it again.  We’re trying to right that wrong and surprise them with the new ‘63 at their anniversary party in November.

MSD is giving away a fuel injection setup that would really be the icing on the cake for helping us complete this project in time for their party.

Below is the link and the picture that you are looking for on their website.  Vote often and early… or at least the one time that they let you vote.  I think you’ll have to like LSXtv and then vote.  You can always unlike them when the contest is over.

Please pass this along to anyone who might like this too!

Do you think you could take a few minutes today to help Ken, his brothers Brian and Brent, and ultimately their really awesome parents (yes, they aren't technically my inlaws and they are really great people).

This is the link to the contest: http://j.mp/1b03D1l and the picture/post you will be looking for.

State:Michigan

My mom hasn’t driven her 59,000 mile original ’63 Chevy since 1990 because the original 10.5:1, 250 HP, 327 is a premium gas swilling, unreliable, pain in her arse. So for our parents 50th wedding anniversary this November (married on 11/9/1963), we have decided to surprise her with a 5.3L LS engine swap that will start every time, run on regular gas, and make more than 300 HP!

Mom once broke the 4-speed shifter off at the floor while taking us to school, because she didn’t want to get beat by the Camaro in the next lane, so I know she’ll love the look and extra power of an MSD Atomic LS EFI system. Yup, that’s my Mom. 

Help make their 50th anniversary the best one yet!

What do you think?  Can you help?  Go here to vote for Brent Robbins' entry!

Training Tuesday: injury update

This is going to be really short because I'm not ready to deal with everything.  I'm pissed and frustrated that I'm injured AGAIN.

I saw the doctor last night for what I thought would be 2 cortisone injections - one in my hip and one in my heel

I got a shot in my hip but the doctor said no shots to my heel without more "conservative therapies".  I got an X-ray and found out I have 2 bone spurs and they are too close to the tendons, which could be damaged by cortisone injections.  Those bone spurs will never go away.  Hopefully PT will make the pain lessen but I don't expect to ever run pain-free again.  (Yes, I'm feeling really negative right now - I'm sorry if this bothers you. It's my right to be upset.)  My hip hurts from the shot, too, and the effects of that won't happen for 3 or 4 days.  I have PT again this afternoon and hopefully I'll have an idea of what to expect in the next few weeks.

I wasn't ready to be done yet this season.  This is a really shitty way to end the year if I can't pull off another race or even go on a group run with my friends again.  One of my friends said no one can take the PRs away from me, but now I'm wondering if they were worth it.

Motivation Monday: acceptance

I'm trying to tell myself that this is ok right now.



Hopefully I'll be able to start running the way I want again after today's cortisone injections. If they don't work I'm not sure what the next step will be.

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Fitness Friday: 1-2-3

1 - the number of runs I've gone on since PT on Tuesday. Also the number of runs that were much more painful than they should have been.

2 - the number of places being injected with cortisone shots on Monday: hip and heel. I'm hoping this is also the max number of shots I'll ever need because I hate shots.

3 - pairs of running shoes sitting in my closet right now. PT still wants me to run but frankly, I'm not so sure at this point.

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#TBT Throwback Thurs: #fitbloggin

Normally I'd write a Thankful Thursday post today but I'm not feeling it right now. Going to participate in Throwback Thursday instead because I'm really missing these girls.









Tell me about a good memory.

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Weigh In Wednesday: suckitude

Starting Weight (11-28-12): 153.6
2 weeks ago week: 145.8
This week: 147.4
Change: up 1.6
Total change: down 6.2

Pretty much hate this but it's my fault for going out on Sunday to watch football (and eating wings and drinking beer) and eating some saltier foods this week.

I know I'm not working out hard enough and only being allowed to run 2 miles at a time doesn't help (my diagnosis is "greater trochanter bursitis" with "glute medius and minimus tendinosis" - basically fancy words for fluid on my hip & irritation near the femur).

I'm full of excuses, aren't I? Hopefully it gets better soon or I'm going to need to buy new pants and I'd rather save my money in case I can ever race again.


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Training Tuesday: waiting

I'm in limbo.  Last Friday I had an arthrogram and MRI done on my hip.  It sorta looked like this:

not my hip - source

Yes, that's a big-ass needle being injected into a hip socket.  Trust me when I say it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be, but it certainly wasn't pleasant.

I hope to get some answers when I see my PT tonight.  All I know is that I don't have a labral tear or a fracture.  The office girl said something about tendonitis in one of the muscles but she didn't elaborate and I didn't have the patience to try and get any information out of her.  All the doctor's note said was to continue PT and follow up in a month.

So I'm in limbo.  I've run 3 times since Wednesday, only 2 stupid miles each time, and each one was worse than the one before it.  I refuse to think I'm done for the year, but who knows.  Maybe I am.

Ironically, I'm blogging over at the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans today on how to improve your speed.  Sucks I can't even take my own advice.  

Meal Monday: Taco Stuffed Shells #recipe

Someone posted this recipe to Facebook last week so I thought I'd give it a shot.  We eat tacos almost every week at my house and this sounded like a nice change of pace.

Taco Stuffed Shells

1 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 4-oz pkg cream cheese
12 large pasta shells
1 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
2 cups shredded cheese (I used co-jack)
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
Any other taco "stuff" you like for serving - lettuce, pico, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, etc

Cook up meat and mix in taco seasoning as usual.  Then add in cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted.  Stir until combined.  Let it cool while you cook the shells.  After shells are cooked, drain and toss with a little butter.

Pour salsa into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Stuff each with the meat mixture.  Place shells on top of the salsa.

Pour taco sauce over each shell.

Cover and bake inthe oven at 350* for about 30 minutes.  Then, uncover and top each shell with some crushed tortilla chips and cover with cheese.


Put back into the oven for about 15 more minutes or until the cheese is melted and the shells are heated through.


Serve with whatever you normally like on your tacos.


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Fitness Friday: this!

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Thankful Thursday: finding the good in the bad

Wednesday wasn't the greatest of days, but I'm still coming up with a quick 3 things/thankful Thursday list - via bullet points because it's my blog and I can bullet if I want to.

• I have good insurance to cover the x-rays I had yesterday and MRI I'm having tomorrow.
• I have a great PT who totally gets me, even if his recommendations scare the shit out of me and he leaves bruises.
• I have amazing friends who will pick me up and help me find the bright side no matter what tomorrow's tests uncover.

Also, thank you to everyone who entered my Canvas Prints giveaway! Sorry it's taken awhile to announce the winner - without further ado it's....


Congrats Lisa! The folks at Canvas Prints will be in touch!

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Weigh-in Wednesday: roller coasters anyone?

This would make one wicked coaster

Starting Weight (11-28-12): 153.6

2 weeks ago week: 145.4

This week: 145.8

Change: down up 0.4

Total change: down 7.8

I'm a roller coaster junky, but this roller coaster isn't my favorite.

I upped my calories on MFP to 1600 after I learned starving myself didn't work (my net calories are probably closer to 1300 - I'm bad about recording everything and if I eat out I don't even try because it's too hard to calculate).

I'm not running which means I'm not burning as many calories as I'm capable of burning but I'm still working out. Being "rewarded" with a gain for trying to eat healthier this week was a let down.

Random question - do you get calf cramps at night? I get them all the time and they need to stop. Suggestions?


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Training Tuesday: in a holding pattern?

source

I feel this graphic pretty much describes my training over the past couple weeks.  I feel like I'm in a holding pattern of sorts.  I'm afraid I will be injured forever (x) and I keep making excuses of why I can't get in a decent amount of replacement cardio (y).  This is a deadly combination for me.  I'm stuck and I don't like it, but at least I'm not spiraling to a fiery crash yet.

Don't get me wrong.  I have a "plan".  I have my handy-dandy Google spreadsheet that shows me what I'm supposed to do each day.  I worked out 6/7 days this week but not to the level I was when I was running. I have my "strength" days and my "cardio" days, but I fear they aren't going to pay off.  I'm afraid when I'm ready to run again, I will have lost so much of the momentum I gained this year that I will struggle to come close to where I left off, much left have the ability to pull of my biggest goal for the year (I'm not planning to write about it just yet).  I'm definitely the picture of x + y = z.

I'm rewriting my plan a bit.  I haven't been hitting the cardio hard enough so my bike will be coming in and get attached to the trainer.  I'm going to start following the Train Like a Mother bike to run plan with more interval training on the bike.  I know I don't push myself enough outside.  I'm hitting heavier weights at least 1 day a week and on Sunday I could barely walk from Friday's workout so I must be doing something right.

I don't want "z" to equal a holding pattern.  I want "z" to equal progress.

How do you get out of the holding pattern?

Meal Monday: Creamy Pork Tenderloin #recipe

Warning: this is NOT health food! If you are ok with that, read on :)

I don't make this very often because a) it isn't exactly low in calories and b) it takes awhile. But my daughter requested it and we had pork tenderloin in the freezer, so I figured what the heck.

Creamy Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:



2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp crushed rosemary
1/4 tsp pepper
Dash garlic powder
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chicken broth
Cooked egg noodles

Cut each tenderloin into 3/4 inch thick slices. In a shallow dish or bowl combine next 5 ingredients. Dip pork in egg mixture & then in breadcrumbs (I shake them in a ziplock).

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown chops in oil for 5 min on each side.


Remove to a 13x9x2 pan and keep warm. In the same skillet, sauté mushrooms in butter until tender.


Stir in soup, sour cream & broth. Heat for a few minutes but don't let it come to a boil. Pour over pork.


Cover and bake at 325* for about an hour or until pork is tender. It will literally be tender enough to cut with a fork. Serve over noodles with a vegetable and green salad on the side.

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Three Things Thursday: Randomness and a Recipe

First off, I apologize to all the bloggers I've been neglecting this week.  I promise I'm reading your blogs but with school starting and insane craziness of life, I've been reading mostly on my phone and it's a PITA to comment.  Know I love you and thank you for reading my blog and commenting when you can.

Now, 3 totally random comments for today:

1.  I love my job.  I'm so fortunate to have a career I'm passionate about and this week I learned that my administrators really have my back even though things are insanely messed up right now.  That's a great feeling.  I also love that I have an intern this year who is proving to be an asset - and we are only into the 3rd day of school.

2.  I'm all over social media today.  You can find me profiled at Another Mother Runner here (so cool!!) and I'm writing at Shrinking Jeans today on what happens when you need to take a break from running. Sucks that I'll be taking my own advice on this one since my heel isn't really feeling much better and I haven't run since last week, Thursday.  *insert uber sad face here*

3.  I found the most amazing salad dressing recipe.  It's a tangy version of Italian and I'm loving it more than anything I've ever bought in a store. It's actually paleo and I had everything in the house to make it.
Paleo Italian Salad Dressing Recipe

There you have it - three randoms that I threw together as I ate my giant salad with that yummy dressing.  Now I'm off to check on my friend's doggie and then back to work.

Do you love your job?  If not - what would be your dream job?

Weigh-in Wednesday: how not to lose 5.6 pounds

I had a bit of a freak out Monday morning when the scale read 151.0 so I foolishly decided to cut carbs (really all starches), sugar and dairy from my diet without any clear-cut plan.

I ate fruit, lots of veggies and some protein.

This is what MFP had to say the past 2 days.

This is what the scale said this morning:

If you're doing the math, that's a 5.6 pound "loss" in 2 days.  In no way is this a fat loss - it's all water.  The past 2 days left me starving because apparently my body cannot live on vegetables alone - I need actual calories, too.  I ate fairly large meals that were mostly veggies, but my net calories on Monday were around 650 and Tuesday were around 250 until I "cheated" and had a yogurt and a beer.  I couldn't put sentences together and I knew I was being stupid.

I'm back to eating like a normal person. In all likelihood, I'll gain back the "weight" I lost but at least I'll be able to drive down the street without risk of crashing because I can't think straight.

Starting Weight (11-28-12): 153.6

2 weeks ago week: 147.4

This week: 145.4

Change: down 2.0

Total change: down 8.2

Fad diets, while they might make you lose weight initially, are really not realistic for me and in all honesty, probably not safe because I'm not willing to add a bunch of foods that I know the rest of my family won't touch.  I can't afford it.  If you are paleo, whole30, whatever - more power to you and I'm glad it works for you.  For me? I can't do it smartly so it's best if I just work on eating sensibly. 

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Training Tuesday: on a break

I'm taking a little break from running to try and heal this heal issue. (Go ahead and laugh, I did.) I worked on a training plan this weekend that is a mix of strength training for runners and cross training (most likely this will be biking because that doesn't hurt and I can go right from my house).



This is the ultimate goal for me. To come back stronger than I was. Heck, I've done it before & I can do it again.



Do you have a favorite (non running) cardio exercise? I need something other than biking & the occasional swim when I have an extra 45 minutes in addition to the workout.

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Motivation Monday: wake up calls

While I'm trying very hard to believe this:



The number on my scale was a rude awakening this morning. I saw the highest number I've seen in over a year. Really sad when I think about how much running and races I did this year but still manage to gain a ridiculous amount of weight.

I needed a slap in the face and I got it this morning.

I'm at the gym now. The reset starts today. First step was drinking my coffee without cream or sugar this morning. It was gross and I only managed 1/2 a cup. Next step is figuring out how to cut all the things I enjoy from my diet the week I start back to school - a school year that is going to be much more stressful and frustrating than any other year but I'm stuck with it so I need to make it work.

I don't know how to be successful with this. I want to eat what my family eats. I want to be able to have a beer with my friends. I'm not going to make such extreme changes that I am guaranteed to fail, but I'm going to try small changes because 150 pounds is NOT acceptable. Not fitting into my work clothes is NOT acceptable. Being unhappy and feeling like a failure is NOT acceptable.

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