Eat your veggies with every meal

Or make every meal full o veggies!

Armed with a pound bag of mixed greens from the farmers' market and a couple other fun salad toppings, I prepped 3 days worth of salads. Why? Because I actually had time to and that's just what I do!

I'm usually pretty good about bringing lunch to work. I've found that the only days I cave and buy lunch are the days I'm either too rushed to make a lunch or make a really lame rushed lunch. I love the rare productive evening where I can prep for the week :)

Yes, I take the term big salad seriously. Those are the large round containers. I like to prep a nice big salad base (greens and a few key toppings) that I can simply toss into a tupperware, add a couple other toppings and take with me to work. Super easy. 

Since mixed greens don't have much going on as far as texture is concerned, I like to add a variety of crunchy toppings. I see salads as a great way to experiment with new raw veggies. Like this guy, for example:

Blog friends, meet Watermelon Radish.

Not much of a looker until you slice into it...

Gorgeous. My radish wasn't as brightly colored as other specimens, but I still thought it was pretty. Since this guy has a pretty peppery flavor, I decided to shave some onto my greens for a slight crunch and bite. Whether or not it plays well with the fennel I sliced into the salad, is yet to be determined.

After the crunch factor was added, I tossed in a few of my standard salad toppings: corn, chick peas, pickled beets, arugula, and avocado. Then my salads were ready for the fridge. Dressings vary from straight balsamic vinegar to salsa to a scoop of hummus. Easy, fast and tasty when you're rushing out the door. Every so often I'll crumble some cheese onto my salad even though my doctor says consuming cheese on top of that much ruffage is just asking for trouble (sorry, TMI). 

March ingredients used: arugula, avocado, fennel, radish

I know I'm not the only salad lover out there. What are some of your favorite toppings? Any must try dressings?

It's dinnertime

Since you can only do so much dining out/burning money, Jamie and I settled in for a nice, post ride home cooked meal. Originally we had planned on making Jenna's Chicken Parmesan with Pepperoni (totally up Jamie's alley), but as soon as we were settled and ready to make dinner, we realized one ingredient was missing.

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O yeah, that one. Kinda important, no? So we had to rethink dinner with what we had. Pork chops in the fridge, coconut ginger rice in the cabinet, salad fixins. Perfect.

I found this recipe for Miso Glazed Pork Chops on Foodgawker and modified it a bit to work with what we had in the apartment.

Miso Glazed Pork Chops

1 tbsp miso paste

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp mirin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

juice of half a lemon

3 boneless pork chops

Whisk all ingredients together and marinate pork for 20 minutes on each side. Heat a grill pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side.

Spoon marinade over pork and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Served with some coconut rice and a big bowl of salad

Well balanced dinner!

Last part of labor day. For reals.

Had enough yet? Too bad. I have more photos and recipes for you!

We took things easy on Monday with a leisurely stroll through Russian Hill and Nob Hill. To kick things off, we had lunch at Za...delicious pizzas as usual. Then some neighborhoody shots

And some wandering in Grace Cathedral

I even attempted to walk the Labyrinth (emphasis on attempt), but got impatient. Surprise. I opted to photograph it instead :)

It was incredibly warm out on Monday. I was so glad we went wine tasting the day before...it would have been way too hot to be wandering around up there! We called it quits early and I whipped up a tasty and light dinner for us. On the menu: Pan Seared Tilapia with Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salsa and an Arugula and Frisée Salad.

For some reason I had an urge to combine tomatoes and watermelon...I'm very glad I acted on that urge.

Pan Seared Tilapia with Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Salsa

3 tilapia fillets

1/4 c fresh pineapple with juices, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp mirin or dry white wine

1/2 c watermelon, diced

2 medium heirloom tomatoes, diced

1/2 shallot, minced

1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c cilantro, chopped

Combine watermelon, tomatoes, shallot, balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and cilantro in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Combine pineapple, garlic, olive oil, salt, mirin and tilapia in a dish. Let marinate for 5 minutes on each side.

Drizzle some olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Cook tilapia for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with 2 spoonfuls of watermelon salsa on top.

For some starch, I quickly roasted some fingerling potatoes (garlic, olive oil, salt, rosemary, thyme). Standard. Addicting. Yum.

Arugula & Frisée Salad

1 large head frisée

1 c arugula

1 c spring mix

1/2 avocado, sliced

1 plum, sliced

shaved parmesan

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp maple syrup

2 tbsp champagne vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together mustard, syrup, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Combine greens in a large bowl and coat with half the dressing. Top with plum, avocado and parmesan.

I'm having a rough month with plums. I just can't find one with the right flavor...it's either too tart or too sweet. Gah! I was happy with my vinaigrette though!

Phew. Labor Day weekend is done! We'll return to your regularly scheduled blogging topics shortly :p

Cold = no motivation

That's right. It's cold out. In July. So not helping motivation.

Ok, it's not frigid...just colder than my wardrobe is prepared for ;o) I decided to pass on tonight's KnockOUT Pilates class so I could get back in touch with my kitchen and crash early. On the menu: Israeli Couscous Salad (for lunch/dinner tomorrow) and a Roasted Potato Salad (for dinner tonight). Sometimes I like making two things at once :)

Israeli Couscous Salad

1/2 package Trader Joe's Harvest Grain Blend, cooked according to package directions

1/2 japanese cucumber

1/3 c smoked fontina, diced

1/3 c grape tomatoes, quartered

2 tbsp scallions, chopped

2 tbsp basil, chopped

1/8 c Monday Vinaigrette (see below)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before eating.

Monday Vinaigrette

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

splash balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

pinch salt

pepper

Whisk or shake ingredients together.

You like my creative dressing name? Seriously, random mix that ended up tasting pretty good. Will report back on how the couscous turned out tomorrow. I used the harvest blend because I thought I had a package of Israeli couscous in the cabinet, but no. I did not. Figured the harvest blend was the next best thing! I'm sure this would work well with just the couscous.

Tonight's main event was the Roasted Potato Salad. Last Sunday I picked up a handful of German Butterball Potatoes and I knew I wanted to roast them for a salad...I just never got around to it.

These cute little balls got cut in half and tossed with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. The standard roasted potato recipe, minus garlic (because I forgot it). I roasted them at 350 for about 20 minutes before plopping them on my large salad

I'm not kidding when I say large. That's a mixing bowl.

I ended up tossing some little gem hearts, mixed greens, hearts of palm, grape tomatoes, fontina, japanese cucumber, scallions and avocado with the remaining Monday Vinaigrette and it went really well with the potatoes. Who knew it would work out so perfectly??

So here are a few things I've noticed since I started buying my produce at the weekly Fort Mason Farmers Market:

1. Peaches and nectarines go bad faster than store bought ones. Must buy firmer ones to last me through the week.
2. I will always have to stop at Safeway to fulfill my banana fix.
3. Basil is plentiful, cheap, and has lasted me over a week.
4. Everything just tastes fresher and better.

I realized this as I nibbled on some of my grape tomatoes. I've never had grape tomatoes that were this sweet until recently. Plus, they're not ridiculously expensive as the pints at the grocery store! My cucumber was equally delicious. I've had weird cucumbers before that tasted slightly bitter and this one definitely did not have that trait. I heart you, farmers market! Do you have a farmers market near you? Have you noticed any differences between the farmers market and grocery store produce?

I came home with some broccoli rabe this Sunday, so keep an eye out for its return! Very excited. I'm thinking an asian-y tofu stir fry for half the bunch and a simple garlic, olive oil and salt mix for the other half. Any suggestions? I'm hoping for non-pasta...trying to branch out from that broccoli rabe safety.

O my, Friday came so fast!

Did this week fly by for anyone else??

Wednesday was an experimental breakfast day for me. A friend suggested I try the Trader Joe's Frozen Steel Cut Oats since they're easy, tasty and filling. Of course I pick up a box!

I expected the box of 2 servings to house 2 cute little containers of microwavable oats.

UM, good thing I have tupperware. I'll admit, the packaging is great - portable, minimal waste, perfect size; it was just unexpected.

Approximately 4 minutes later:

Ta Da! Maple Steel Cut Oats! Confession: this was my first steel cut oat experience. I have mixed feelings. The flavor was good and I liked the extra chew to each oat, but it was really soupy. I usually like my oatmeal drier than most. Are steel cut oats usually soupy?

I was in such a rush to leave the apartment that I grabbed the container of leftover lentils without realizing I only had like 3-4 tablespoons of lentils left. Not quite lunch-worthy. As much as I hated to do it, I knew I had to buy lunch.

After an extensive Yelp search for salads near my office, I settled on Sweet Joanna's Cafe. I've been here once before and was pretty impressed with the salad bar offerings. They've got standard lettuce and toppings, as well as some marinated salads. This time there was also a hot rice dish and some roasted chicken.

I made a beeline for the large to-go box and mixed greens...gotta build the base for my salad!

To top things off, I grabbed the usual salad fixins and scooped some cabbage salad, marinated eggplant and a tomato and cucumber salad. I also tucked a couple falafel in the corner with some hummus for dressing. YUM. I only wish my falafel (falafels?) were piping hot :\

I had a major running fail after work that I really would not like to re-live. Let's just leave it at I should know by now that I shouldn't stray from the sneaks I've worn for 4 years. Done.

Yesterday marked a few firsts for me:

1. First lunch outside of the office
2. First lunch w/coworkers
3. First happy hour in San Francisco (like legit, post-work happy hour)

Ridiculous, right? I've been here for almost 3 months and haven't done any of those. BAD! Since it was a day of firsts, I didn't whip out the camera so, bear with me as I try to find images for you guys.

We walked over to Sellers Markets on Market and 2nd Streets for lunch and immediately claimed a spot on the patio since it was a gorgeous sunny day. I had browsed the menu earlier and narrowed it down to 3 potential lunch options. After chatting with the girls, I ended up going with something totally different - Free-Range BBQ Chicken Salad (black beans, sweet shucked corn, red onion, roma tomato, corn tortilla crisps, romaine, house ranch dressing).

I forgot to ask for dressing on the side so it was a little over-dressed for my taste, but the chicken was fantastic. It was pulled bbq chicken and it wasn't funky fake chicken either (you know, like that weird spongy stuff from ABP I used to complain about?). The bbq sauce was mild, very tomato-y and kinda reminded me of a chicken dish my mom used to make. Two thumbs up!

A side of Creamy Mac n Cheese (all-natural cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella & finished with Point Reyes blue cheese) was also ordered for the table. At first I was worried about all those cheeses partying in the same bowl, but one bite...YUM. Rich, creamy and comforting. Good thing we split it ;)

Overall, I think Sellers Markets is a great lunch spot. I loved the large patio and the menu is diverse enough to fulfill any of your cravings. There are a couple other locations throughout the city and as I write this post, I see they have a Thursday happy hour too! $2 for a 20 oz PBR and $3 for a 20 oz premium beer. Good to know!

The afternoon zoomed by after that and then next thing I knew it was 6 and time to head over to Quiver Bar at Epic Roasthouse.

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From the website:

Epic Roasthouse is home to Quiver Bar, an intimate upstairs bar and lounge with panoramic views of the city, the Ferry Building and the bay. Quiver offers the full restaurant menu as well as its own separate bar menu, and specializes in expertly crafted classical cocktails, a wide selection of premium whiskeys, and a selection of local and international beers.

They weren't lying about the views either.

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Agh, I wish I had taken a picture! It was such a perfect evening with clear views of the Bay Bridge and Embarcadero.

Sorry, I got a little excited about the space and views. Back to the main reason we were there...happy hour! Quiver Bar is also home to the 3 B's. For a mere $20, you get a 1/2 pound burger, a beer (I think there was a restriction on this, maybe bottled beers only?), and a decadent brownie. Quite the deal, yeah? It gets better...it's offered ALL THE TIME.

The thick burger comes with a huge pile of potato wedges and cute cups of toppings (jalapenos, bacon, mushrooms, mustard and mayo). Not that hungry? Don't worry, it's big enough to split with a buddy.

I wasn't quite hungry enough to commit to even half of a burger, so I just ordered off the regular bar menu. Kicked off Thirsty Thursday with a Lagunitas IPA (apparently my new beer of choice at bars?) and settled on a Short Rib & Horseradish Slider and a Vinegar Barbecue Pork Shoulder Slider.

I had such high hopes for the short rib slider, so I left that for last. Do you save the best for last or do you eat the best thing first?? The first thing I noticed when I bit into my pork slider was the perfectly crisp brioche bun. It was soft on the outside, but the inside had been toasted and had a delightfully buttery crisp crunch. AAHHH. Perfect with the tangy pork. I wish I saved this for last :(

The short rib slider was nice and tender, but really didn't have much flavor going on. Don't get me wrong, it was tender and juicy...it just didn't compare to the pork that packed so much zing! I also wished the horseradish sauce packed more of a horseradish-y punch.

I definitely recommend the 3 B's deal if you find yourself wandering along the Embarcadero on a gorgeous night (or day). I saw the plate of burger two of my coworkers split and it's no joke. It's a whole lotta food for $20.

Tonight was a return to home cooking as I tried to make use of the following ingredients that desperately needed to be used:

1. 1 Sweet Potato
2. 1/2 package lentils
3. bunch of kai-lan
4. small basil tree

Random assortment of goods, right? Here's the final product:

Lentils with Roasted Sweet Potato

1 sweet potato, diced and roasted

4 stalks kai-lan, chopped into bite sized pieces

1/4 onion, diced

1/2 package steamed lentils

2 tbsp basil, chopped

salt

pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 c chicken broth

Heat olive oil in a pan, saute onion until softened. Add kai-lan and half of the chicken broth. Cook until kai-lan starts to turn a bright green. Add lentils, sweet potato and remaining chicken broth. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in basil, salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yeah yeah, not exactly an exciting dish, but it used all of the ingredients. Plus I thought it was pretty yummy. Toss a little hot sauce on there and it's perfect!

For dessert I snacked on a little fun mix I made this afternoon:

I stopped at Trader Joe's on the way home and grabbed some dried mangoes, apples, cranberries, pepitas, pretzel nuggets, granola and a dark chocolate bar. I was inspired by my new favorite Clif MoJo bar flavor (Mountain Mix) and decided I'd make a sweet and salty mix of my own. I really want to find some yogurt chips and maybe some nuts to add to the snack mix.

I also picked up a couple bottles of this delicious adult treat:

I sampled some of this sparkling red wine last Friday at dinner and thought it tasted like a calimocho...but better. The best part about it? $4.99 a bottle. I love bargains!

Off to bed now. I've got a 10 miler tomorrow morning and I'm running the first portion of it on my own before meeting up with the running group for their scheduled 6 at 9:30. Welcome back to early runs! What do you have on deck for long run Saturday?

Oops I did it again

Man, the days are just zooming past me! It's hard to believe that June is almost over! So much for avoiding massive photo dump posts :\

I was pretty bummed after Jamie left last Wednesday so I tried to load up my Thursday with a nice long run and a light dinner.

I mapped a 5 mile route from my apartment (very first one!) that took me down Union Street for some fast window shopping, up that silly Fort Mason hill, along the Embarcadero, and through the Financial District where I snapped a quickie photo

I got up close and personal with the Transamerica Pyramid before heading up some monster hills through Chinatown. Yep, I failed to read the elevation chart on Mapmyrun.com (and by failed, I mean I obviously don't understand how to use it) and was greeted by a series of serious hills about 3/4 of the way through my run. WTF?

Thankfully I didn't have to dodge people in Chinatown (note to self, Chinatown is surprisingly empty around 7pm)! If only you could see my face as I stopped at this intersection...

That was only the second incline. I didn't even have the energy to take a picture of the 3 inclines to my apartment. Oy. I think the saddest part is that Jamie and I walked up those last 3 inclines...I KNEW those were there. D'oh! One day I'll share those gems with you...

After all that, I was too exhausted to even think about dinner (let alone get creative with the few grocery items I had) so I popped into the Top O' the Hill Market at the corner of Leavenworth and Union (it is in fact, located at the top of the hill). After wandering around the small market like a lost child, I walked out with some ingredients for a ghetto taco brown rice bowl. Oh my goodness. SO ghetto. You think I'm kidding? I wish I took a picture...chicken strips, brown rice, salsa, taco cheese and avocado. It was not pretty. I did grab a can of refried beans, but soon realized I didn't have a can opener. FAIL!

The market wasn't too bad...definitely pricey and there's a limited selection of food. I'd probably go there in a pinch, but one weird thing I noticed - it's always closed when I pass by? Bizarre.

My Safeway delivery was scheduled to arrive Friday afternoon and I was really excited to finally fill up my cabinets! Since I don't really trust others to pick out produce for me, I only got canned/heavy foods and pantry staples delivered. The rest I picked up on my walk home :)

First stop of the day was Cheese Plus. I'm trying not to spend a ton of money so I refrained from splurging on all their goodies. I walked out with sherry vinegar (what? I've been searching everywhere for it!), a bag of arugula and some Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus (I've missed you!). I also found out that they do knife sharpening once a week, unfortunately it's not free :(

I found myself wandering into Real Foods next. I think this place is a little too expensive for regular groceries, but they do have a great variety of produce and food. I grabbed a couple fruits, yogurt and took note of the other interesting options they had to offer. I was surprised at how well I controlled my urges to buy!

I was really just holding out for Polk Street Produce. Ok, I have to admit that the first 3 times I walked into the store, I managed to miss ALL the fresh produce they have sitting outside. Obviously I'm a space cadet. Jamie mentioned he saw some good produce (in particular, some champagne mangoes) so I figured I'd stop in.

I grabbed some cherries, a few berries, some salad greens and toppings and headed home in time to greet the Safeway man with my goods. Woo! To celebrate, I made myself a massive salad:

I mixed some salad greens with my arugula, threw in some pickled beets (yay!), corn (double yay!), green pepper, avocado, hearts of palm and some deli chicken. Topped it off with some Brianna's Home Style Poppyseed Dressing:

SO yummy and SO not healthy. I'm usually not a creamy dressing person, but ever since I had this on a salad at Cafe Capriccio I've been hooked! It was actually a great addition to the salad :) Fabulous end to the week!

Saturday morning took me on a bus adventure to the other side of the city. Why? For a 10 mile run with the running group, of course! Our run started off at the Beach Chalet parking lot on the Great Highway at 9:30am. My morning started a little after 8 for my hour-long, 2-bus commute. Woah. It actually wasn't too bad. Now that I know how to get there, I might be able to nap next time ;) The bus stops right before the ocean!

Hey, ocean!

Oh Great Highway....we meet again. Not going to lie, I may have gotten a little choked up remembering marathon #1. *insert laughing at my nerdy sentiment here*

We headed south along the bike path and back to put in 4.5 miles before heading north on the Great Highway for an additional 5.5 through Golden Gate Park. Running along the path immediately reminded me of Saturday runs in DC/VA. It was fairly flat and quiet with a little greenery for good measure.

Running through the park - not as fun. I think it's because we stuck to a dirt path and you know how I am with unpaved paths...yeh. I also found out that we were running a very long and gradual incline to our turnaround point (the De Young). Jeebus. I don't know what happened (perhaps my gel kicked in or maybe it was the slight downhill), but a little while before the turnaround point, I got this freak burst of energy and next thing you know I'm zooming through the next 3 miles! It felt awesome! Ended up finishing in 1:42...not bad for first long run back.

I was STARVING by the time I got home and wasn't really looking forward to cooking breakfast on my own so I opted to splurge on brunch. I paid a visit to Rex Cafe since it didn't look like it would mind my post-run look. I sat at the bar, guzzled a couple glasses of water and chowed on this monster:

I got the California Omelet (avocado, jack cheese, fresh salsa, & sour cream, served with home fries & toast) because you know I love avocado. Oh, did I mention the massive side of ham I ordered? Had no idea they'd give me a giant plate with 3 slices. Dang.

I ended up only eating about 1/3 of my omelet because it was just too rich. I had no idea they'd shove a ton of avocado inside the omelet on top of the cheese...WAY too rich. I guess it's a good thing I got that side o ham. I ended up eating that with potatoes.

Walked home with the intent to be productive after my shower, but ended up vegging the rest of the day. I forgot how tired I get after the first couple long runs of training season. Useless! To counteract my ridiculous post-run meal, I made another massive salad for dinner. Yep. Had to be done.

What's your favorite post-long run meal? Favorite post-long run activity?