Rotini with Vegetable Bolognese

I've been feeling a distinct lack of carbs lately, and I think it's been showing in my last couple of runs. It's that draggy, exhausted, heavy-limbed feeling I get after not properly fueling before a run. Anyway, tonight I tried to remedy that with carb-loading. On the other hand, I didn't want anything overly fatty, yet still hearty. So, I settled on this wonderful recipe from Giada de Laurentiis: Rigatoni with Vegetable Bolognese. It was fantastic!! The beauty of this dish is that it truly tasted like meat sauce, yet the dish was completely vegetarian. It's packed with all the bonus vitamins/minerals in vegetables, and lacking the fat from any kind of meat. I didn't even notice that it didn't have meat. Not only that, but Raquel, a carnivore who misses a meaty flavor in vegetarian dishes, couldn't get enough of it. She even went for seconds. Try it guys, you'll be really surprised.

Modifications:
-left out the porcini mushrooms, cause I'm cheap.
-substitute the mushroom liquid with low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
-use half the mascarpone cheese. it still gets nice and creamy.

Hopefully, my next run will turn out better.

Grilled Swordfish with Coconut Sauce and Tri-colored Orzo Salad

I made this dish on a really hot summer day, because it was so light and flavorful. A perfect ending to the perfect day. Grilled Swordfish with Coconut Chile Sauce and Tri-Colored Orzo. The only thing with swordfish is that it's usually a high-ticket item. So, I'm going to stick to making this dish when swordfish is in season and on sale. Then again, it's not like Raquel and I need large portions, so maybe we can stick it to special occasions. In any case, I loved this interpretation of swordfish with a light Thai spin. The ginger and chile really go well with fish. In fact, I'm drooling again after staring at this picture.

As for the orzo dish, I loved it. But, I think I'll need to make it more Raquel-friendly next time. She apparently isn't a fan of fresh arugula in a pasta dish. So next time, I'll probably substitute some sauteed spinach. And, since I'm not a fan of dried cherries, I substituted roasted red bell peppers for the dried cherries. Admittedly, it changed the intended sweet/salty balance of the dish. But, as far as flavor spectrum goes for pasta dishes, I've always favored the salty end.

BBQ!

While I'm at it, I'll post up the recipes from our last BBQ party. These recipes were DEFINITELY a hit, considering the number of full-bellied guests that were lounging around on our apartment floor. I love it when our guests are happy and well-fed. Menu:

Basalmic BBQ Chicken - tip: don't start basting the chicken with the sauce until it's about 5 minutes to finish. Otherwise, the sauce will make the chicken burn in the beginning due to the sugar in the sauce.

Honey Cornbread Muffins - That item went so fast, that I should've made double. YUM!

Italian style Baked Beans - I personally loved the tanginess of this. Thanks Giada.

Corn, Tomato, Avocado Salad - It was so refreshing and healthy.

Definitely one of my better BBQ's. Next time, I'll post pics of the Kona Coffee glazed Ribs BBQ.

Paella and Tapas

I'm definitely overdue for a food post. Well, this meal isn't very training-friendly. So, it's a good thing that I invited a lot of people over to play mahjong and help me eat the food. This meal was my indulgence after my 8.5 mile long run. My feet and knees are killing me, but my tummy is extremely happy. Plus, I got to play with my brand new paella pan, which feeds 8 people. Anyway, onto the menu: Seafood Paella, Prosciutto-wrapped Stuffed Dates, and Kahlua Flan.

I know the format of the photos aren't the same, but that's because I got lazy and didn't feel like taking pics. So, these are all photos that I've stolen from one of my guests and cropped. Overall, it looked like everyone enjoyed the meal, since I don't have any leftovers (always a good sign). And surprisingly, the meal was painless and easy to cook! But, that's because I've figured out how to utilize my live-in sous chef. Thanks honey!

Here are my modifications:

Seafood Paella

-swap chorizo with portugese sausage (linguica). It's hard to find spanish chorizo here instead of mexican chorizo. And Raquel loves portugese sausage

-I only needed 2 cups of rice to 4 cups of hot water. It was the perfect amount for a 15" paella pan. Also, make 1 cup of that rice, brown rice. You seriously can't tell the difference, and it's healthier.

-bloom the saffron in the water first for a minute. Then, throw all in with the water instead of later on in the recipe. It permeates the paella better.

-I didn't buy the lobster, cause I'm cheap.

-make sure to not add the shrimp too early. It cooks fast, and is easy to overcook. I'd wait till the water has almost completely disappeared.

Prosciutto-wrapped Stuffed Dates

-cook the finished product in the oven at 400 degrees for 8-9 minutes. It crisps the prosciutto and slightly melts and warms the cheese.

Give it a shot, it's easier than it looks. And your guests will be happy!

I Believe!

Apologies all around for my absence! Jog In Ocean took a couple of months of hiatus to take some summer camping trips, get settled in a work promotion, and ramp up on training for the Nike Women's Half Marathon (Oct. '09), But, I'm officially back. And, I'd like to start off with a shout-out to Sidewalk Monkey for joining our little pre-breakfast running club, and to Mayumi for being hard-core about her runs despite the ridiculous heat out on the east coast. I've also heard that there are a handful of new people who've started to read my blog. So, welcome to the intrepid web wanderers who stumbled onto my page!

I'm happy to say that my half-marathon training is currently in full swing. And, I've pumped up my schedule this year with more interval workouts, since I've added the pressure of a time goal. But, today's post isn't going to be about my last interval run, it's about my last long run yesterday (7.5 miles). Why? Well, because it was so bad that I felt compelled to blog about it. I began the day with the proper nutrition and hydration for a long run, but other circumstances hindered me from hitting the trail until high noon. I can't stress enough how much that's a BAD IDEA!

Unfortunately, yesterday's high temperature was in the 90's, and I could literally see the waves of heat curling up from the trail. Well, it was either that or I was starting to get blurry-eyed, which was also highly probable. So, yesterday's running goal swiftly turned from finishing in a respectable time to simply finishing (ie...a run/walk). I'm happy to say that I did manage to run/walk the full distance, but not without arriving at my car utterly drained, out of breath, and dizzy. Next time, I'll try to bring a small bottle of water. Since, I usually don't drink during a run, but in that heat you have to. I think that would've made a world of difference.

Also, Here is the one highlight of my run. I recently introduced a new song into my running rotation: "I Believe" by Yolanda Adams, from the Honey Soundtrack. Thanks to Mayumi, queen of dance movies, I watched the Honey movie, starring Jessica Alba, and loved the soundtrack. You never realize how much one song can affect you until you're running with it. Check out the lyrics:

They said you wouldn't make it so far.

And ever since they said it, it's been hard

But nevermind the nights you had to cry

Cause you have never let it go inside

You worked real hard

And you know exactly what you want and need

So believe and you can never give up

You can reach your goals

Just talk to your soul and say…

(Chorus:)I believe I can (I can)

I believe I will (I will)

I believe I know my dreams are real (know my dreams are real)

I believe I'll stand (Oh yea)

I believe I'll dance I believe I'll grow real soon and (That's why)

That is what I do believe

Your goals are just a thing in your soul

And you know that your moves will let them show

You keep creating pictures in your mind

So just believe they will come true in time

It will be fine

Leave all of your cares and stress behind

Just let it go

Let the music flow inside

Forget all your pain

And just start to believe

Chorus

Nevermind what people say

Hold your head high and turn away

With all our hopes and dreams I will believe

Even though it seems it's not for me

I won't give up

I'll keep it up

Look into the sky I will achieve all my needs

I will always believe…

Chorus

So yes, this may sound cheesy, but you truly feel the meaning of the words when you're pushing yourself to your physical limit. Every single phrase counts, every single phrase sinks in and fizzles down to your toes. My body literally started tingling, and I sprinted off, feeling weightless for the majority of that song. For a very brief 3 minutes and 43 seconds, I felt like I could sprint all the way back to my car (I was only at the 4 mile marker). My speed even kicked up an extra notch by the time I hit the last chorus, because that's when they bring in a children's choir to sing in the background. And I know that affected me because I grew up singing in a youth chorus. Then the song ended, and 2 minutes later I was back to plodding along again at a slow rate with the heat waves smacking me in the forehead. But, it just shows me how important music is for me on these runs. So what songs work for you out there? How does it make you feel?

Alright, that's all I have for this post. But, let me leave you with some additional tips to run in heat:

TIPS:

• If there is extreme heat in your area, try to run in the mornings or the evenings.
• If you have to run when it's really hot, try wrapping a light towel soaked in ice cold water around your neck.
• Wear light-colored clothing, hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen (protect your skin).
• If the heat is so bad that it's making your limbs feel heavy, try a run/walk. Jog at a comfortable pace through the shaded areas and walk through the uncovered sections to recover. If there are no shaded regions, jog for 10 minutes and walk for 4 minutes. Repeat.
• Hydrate an hour before the run and take water with you on the run.