Tuna Salad Stuffed Roasted Peppers

I was all ready to share a tasty little soup recipe today, but then summer went ahead and made a comeback.  Perfect timing too, as I couldn’t seem to escape the Finger Lakes this weekend – Saturday in Ithaca with some blog friends, then lunching in Skaneateles with my parents yesterday.  People have been out everywhere – eating, boating, walking, shopping – I think we all know very well snow on Halloween up here isn’t a rarity, so high 70s and sunshine are a warm welcome in early October! 

I’m glad the warm weather hasn’t bid farewell just yet, because it prompted me dig into the little bitty bakes recipe backlog and share with you this simple, light lunch I made over the summer.  You know those hot summer afternoons when you think it’s too hot to eat lunch, but you know you should eat something?  Or, those afternoons any time of year when you ate a little too much cookie dough while baking, and know you should eat something that packs a bit more nutritional value?  Well, that’s when you want to make these tuna salad stuffed roasted peppers!

I’m probably super late to the game on this, but did you know you can roast your own peppers right on top of a gas stove?  I learned that this past summer and have enjoyed quite a few quick-and-easy roasted peppers since.  For this recipe, I roasted the peppers until they were just charred, so that they were still firm enough to hold.

Once the pepper is roasted, all you have to do is stuff in your tuna salad.  And this isn’t your typical tuna salad – it’s nice and light, and it’s got salsa in it!  You can use any salsa you prefer.  I sort of became obsessed with this tropical fruit salsa from Wegmans over the summer—which includes everything your normal salsa has, plus mango and pineapple—so that’s what I used.  It made for a spicy, sweet tuna salad that went perfectly with the roasted pepper.

 Tuna Salad Stuffed Roasted Peppers

Roasted bell peppers serve as the perfect vessel for a sweet and spicy tuna salad.  Make these peppers for a light lunch or snack.

Serves 2 (for a light lunch or snack)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

• 2 (5-ounce) cans light tuna in water, drained
• 1/2 cup salsa (I used tropical fruit)
• 2 teaspoons light mayonnaise
• Salt & pepper
• 2 medium bell peppers

Mix the tuna, salsa, mayonnaise in a small bowl; add the salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate.

Cut the top of peppers and remove the seeds (keep the pepper whole).  Place the peppers over a gas stove burner on low heat.  Rotate the peppers every minute until charred on all sides but still somewhat firm.

Cut the peppers into quarters.  Stuff each quarter with the tuna salad. 

Challenge Yourself

Back in high school—when I swam just about every day year-round—my coach used to let us make up our own sets periodically.  Any athlete must know how enjoyable this can be, since being told what to do for two hours straight can take its toll on your state of mind, let alone your body!

One of my teammates had made up a pull set (no kicking, just pulling with your arms) where you could only breathe a certain amount of times per 50 yards, getting tougher with each 50 (i.e., breathe 5 times, then 4, 3, 2, 1, 0).  Being the free spirit I am, one day, I asked if we could do “Liz’s pull set.”  When my coach asked me what Liz’s pull set was, I thought quickly and responded with, “breathe as many times as you want, but challenge yourself.”  Everyone laughed, but we did that set that night, and it was slowly incorporated into the regular rotation of sets.

The interesting thing with Liz’s pull set was the way people interpreted it.  Many of my (lazier?) teammates took it upon themselves to relax and take a few too many breaths in Liz’s pull set, because by definition, they could.  I on the other hand pushed myself every 50, trying to breathe as little as possible with each one.  I didn’t need a coach or a set telling me how many times to breathe—I challenged myself on my own.

I think the ‘Liz’s pull set’ of years past has resurfaced this year in my no-plan marathon training.  I sort of touched on it before, but being able to create your own challenges and holding yourself accountable to them can be critical when you’re the person in charge of your training – or anything, for that matter.  On any particular day, I’ve got the option to run as little as I want and as slow as I want, or not even lace up my shoes at all.  At the same time, I know what’s good for me, and what I need to do to be at my best come race day. 

I’ve always been pretty good at challenging myself physically, but the ability to challenge myself mentally has grown a ton this training cycle, I think in part because I’ve created my challenges on a whim, since there’s no plan.  Examples:

• A month ago, I set out for an early morning ten mile run.  Rather than do a large loop, I decided to break the run into five two-mile loops – running past home every two miles!  Stopping at home would have tempted many, but continuing allowed me to push myself to stay tough.  I actually ended up using the loops to my advantage, picking up my pace each loop.
• Last week’s long run of 16 miles was met with cold drizzle and sustained winds of 30mph along the shore of Lake Ontario.  The first eight miles were run with the wind, which allowed me to zip along at a quicker than normal pace.  I had planned to do a loop to avoid running straight into the wind, but at the last minute, I downed a few shot blocks, got tough and went for it – eight miles straight into gusting winds and rain.  Sure, there were times when I wished I had chosen a different route, but I kept reminding myself that my decision was helping more than just my legs.
• This week, I skipped a 5am easy run in lieu of more sleep.  I planned to make up for it after work, even though I am not an afternoon runner.  When I got out of work and saw how nice it was outside, I decided to forget about the fact that I loathe evening running.  I laced up my shoes and ended up PRing my favorite run (six miles, avg. 7:46/mile pace).

I could go on and on with the ways I’ve pushed my limits mentally in the past three months, but my point is that with focus and dedication (and a little bit of creativity), it’s possible to push yourself both physically and mentally in ways no plan ever would have.  My hope is that through these sporadic challenges along the way, I’ll be a little tougher this year when I enter the Bronx circa mile twenty.

We’ll know soon enough…four weeks from today!

Runners and non-runners included, how do you challenge yourself physically or mentally?  Sometimes when I’m scooping my nightly ice cream cone, I intentionally scoop slightly less – that takes a lot of mental strength

This post is part of a series I’m writing about training for the 2011 NYC Marathon without a plan.  I’m not a trained professional and hold no coaching certifications – my thoughts are mine alone and are based on my own experiences as a runner.

Frozen Candy Corn Mousse

It’s Thursday and there are no chocolate chips here for you.  But, dare I say I have something better to share?!

You guys are probably thinking all I eat is candy corn in the weeks leading up to Halloween.  Rightfully so!   I thought I’d share my secrets to not becoming overweight during candy corn season…

• Although it’s on shelves by August, I don’t buy candy corn until the end of September.  That gives me a solid six or so weeks to enjoy it all the time!
• I usually snack on pretzels or an apple between meals, so in October, I just swap the usual snacks for candy corn.  Who needs fruit?
• I only eat it at night.  That’s a lie!  I actually eat candy corn in the morning too.  Maybe that’s a trick itself – small portions throughout the day.
• I coincidentally keep training for marathons during candy corn season.  Hmm, note to self: find a marathon to run after Easter – Peeps for running fuel!

Have you ever let candy corn dissolve in liquid?  That’s probably a silly question, I’m sure most people would never think to do that.  Well, turns out you can infuse candy corn into all sorts of things.  Vodka and heavy cream (not together) are my favorite, but when you want something a bit more forgiving, grab a can of evaporated milk and make frozen candy corn mousse!

It really can’t get much simpler.  All you do is let candy corn dissolve in the evaporated milk overnight.  The next day, you whip it like crazy and stick it in the freezer.  After a couple hours, it’ll remind you of floam (remember that?!), and after that, it’ll turn to the sweet and delicious mousse! 

If you know what’s good for you, you’ll top off a bowl of it with more candy corn.

Frozen Candy Corn Mousse

Trying to figure out what to do with all that candy corn?  Grab a can of evaporated milk and make this sweet, light candy corn mousse.

Makes 5-6 cups

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: 18-24 hours

• 1 cup candy corn
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

In a small (2-cup) container with cover, combine the candy corn and evaporated milk.  Cover and refrigerate overnight, stirring occasionally, until candy corn dissolves.

Next day:  Freeze the candy corn mixture for 30 minutes to chill well.  Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until the mixture is double to triple its original volume.  Pour the mixture into a large plastic container; cover and freeze at least 6 hours, or until desired firmness.

Apple & Chicken Sausage Chili

I’m not sure how the weather is where you are, but here in Central NY, fall has barged in like it’s no one’s business.  Saturday we had temperatures in the 40s, sustained winds at 30mph, and non-stop drizzle.  It was bad enough looking at it from inside a warm house, but it was another thing to battle it during a sixteen mile run.  Woof…  

In my mind, dreary fall weather calls for a few things: lots of hot coffee, hoodies and slipper boots, warm dinners, and candy corn.  Nothing warms the soul like candy corn, right?   

Back to the warm dinners part.  I pretty much eat sandwiches and salads for dinner all summer long, but as soon as the weather turns, all I want is warm bowls of pasta, soup or chili.  Last week I used some of the apples I had picked to make a nontraditional chili of sorts – an apple and chicken sausage chili!

All I did was add two chopped Cortland apples to an otherwise smoky, spicy chili.  It still was a smoky, spicy chili, but the apples gave it just a touch of sweetness in addition to sneaking in some nutrients.  I swear, all my body mind wants lately is candy corn and peanut butter sandwiches.  I’m five years old.

If like me you find yourself with more apples than you know what to do with this time of year, and you know you shouldn’t make apple crisp everyday, give this chili a try!

Apple & Chicken Sausage Chili

A hearty, smoky sausage chili with just a touch of sweetness from cooked apples.  No apples on hand?  Try pears!

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 2 medium apples, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 fully cooked chicken sausages, chopped (I used Bilinski sweet apple)
• 1 can (16-ounce) pinto or cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
• Shredded parmesan cheese

Mix the cumin, black pepper, and flour in a small bowl; set aside.

In a large Dutch oven or pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the apples, pepper, and onion; cook about 5 minutes or until apples are tender. 

Add the chicken broth and mixed spices; bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat low.  Add the chicken sausage and beans; simmer covered about 10 to 15 minutes or until sausage is heated through. 

Serve with shredded parmesan or asiago cheese.

Making marathon training fun

When I started running regularly after college, I did it for fitness.  With my swimming career over, I wanted to stay in shape and running was the most economical way to do so—very important for someone suddenly immersed in undergrad/grad student loan payments.  Soon though, I came to love running not only because it kept me fit, but because it was fun and made me happy.  It was nice to have a laid-back approach to fitness after years of structured swimming training.

Last year, I made marathon training a chore.  I forgot about the real reasons I became a runner.  Instead, it was all about running x miles, x days a week.  Rightfully so, to a certain extent – you can’t just effortlessly lollygag your way to the starting line of a marathon and expect to make things happen.  But what I’ve learned this year is that I can train for a marathon effectively without the anxiety and stress.  I run because I want to.  Unlike my job, running doesn’t pay bills, so if at any point I wanted to stop, I could.  Sure, running isn’t fun every day of marathon training, but if it reached a point where it wasn’t enjoyable any day, I’d stop.  Because the marathon gods aren’t going to hunt me down if things don’t work out as I hope. 

And with that, I wanted to share some of the little things (shout-out to Julie!) that have been allowing me to keep my brain in check this training cycle.  Things that keep running fun for me or remind me that running is a very happy activity.

Fun new running toys

Historically, I’ve been a pretty bare bones runner – in my opinion, all that stands between a person and a good run is a pair of halfway decent shoes. I ran in cotton t-shirts up until this summer, tucked cash and/or running fuel in my sports bra, and relied on a basic Timex watch to keep track of my running times. 

This year, I’ve learned that splurging on certain running gear and apparel can not only make me a better runner, but also make running more enjoyable.  My Nathan handheld water bottle now keeps me hydrated on super long runs, and just a few weeks ago, I finally purchased a Garmin 305 watch, which uses GPS to track my pace and mileage.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m still just happy running sans-watch in a sweatshirt, but in a demanding four-month training cycle, I think these little toys have done a great job of keeping mental burnout at bay.

Sunday fun runs

During the week, my runs have an eye-rubbing 5:00am start.  On Saturday’s, I run 12-20 miles at a fairly good pace (8:15-8:25/mile).  Rather than taking an entire day off on Sunday (like I did last year), I’ve started going for short (2-4 mile) runs.  I keep pace “free” – basically, I run at a pace that feels good, which is usually around 8:45 (30 seconds slower than normal runs).  Sometimes I wear a watch, but I often don’t.  Sometimes I listen to my iPod, which I never do for regular runs.  And one Sunday, I even called my sister while running!  Bottom line: weekly fun runs make me remember that I’m lucky to be running, and to appreciate that.  And as a bonus, they really help shake out my legs after a long run!

Running races

I used to be of the mentality that when training for a big race, I couldn’t run any (smaller) races along the way, mainly out of fear of injury.  But you know what?  Turns out running smaller races on your way to a big race can boost your confidence and break up an otherwise mundane training plan.  I think it’s all about having goals.  It can be pretty hard to stay focused on a goal that’s so far away, but if you make smaller goals along the way (like setting a PR in a shorter distance), that ability to focus becomes so much easier. 

Last year I ran no races six months before NYC, which made training go…this… fast slooow.  This year, I’ve broken up weeks of high mileage with periodic weekend races.  I’ve run a 5k, 15k, and half marathon in the past three months, and I may try to sneak one more in before November 6th.

Nontraditional fueling

I’ve done one 20-miler this cycle.  And I left the shot blocks at home that day.  Want to know what I brought with me instead?

How painful can nearly three hours of running be when you’ve got a Spibelt full of candy corn to keep you entertained?!  In case you’re wondering (as I was), this (thankfully!) didn’t kill my addiction to love and appreciation for candy corn.  I’m snacking on it as I type this, actually!  And I’ve got a handful of fun recipes involving candy corn to share with you soon.

What are the little things you do to make running/fitness fun?

Chocolate Chip Pancake Cookies

One of my favorite things about baking so much is being able to share what I make with others.  Sure, I enjoy the sweet treats I make, but it’s so much more fun to see others enjoy them!  Especially when they could really use a pick-me-up. 

My brother – who was hit by a truck while cycling about six months ago – had knee surgery last week and will be on crutches for the next couple months.  For someone with an extremely active lifestyle, this can be pretty, well… depressing.  So what what did I do?  Sent him cookies, of course! 

Let’s say you’re going to make chocolate chip pancakes.  You’d need pancake mix, chocolate chips, butter and syrup, right?  So, let’s say you’re about to make pancakes and then you remember you wanted to make cookies for your brother.  No need to grab the flour and sugar – you can make chocolate chip pancake cookies!

You heard that right.  The kitchen legitimately smelled like chocolate chip pancakes after I baked these.  And warm out of the oven, it’s seriously as if you’re eating a chocolate chip pancake gone cookie.  If it weren’t for the fact that I had to ship these off to my brother, I’d totally have dunked these into a little dish of maple syrup!

Chocolate Chip Pancake Cookies

A crowd-pleasing weekend pancake breakfast morphs itself into subtly sweet chocolate chip cookies with a hint of maple flavor.

Makes 1 dozen

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1/2 cup light maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups “just add water” pancake mix
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, stir the butter, agave, and syrup until smooth.  Add the pancake mix and stir until mixed well.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop the cookie dough by rounded tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheet.  Bake about 15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.  Allow the cookies to cool about 2 minutes, then transfer paper to wire racks to cool completely.

You might have what it takes if…

Last week I wrote about the fact that my NYC marathon training plan is essentially a blank Excel spreadsheet that’ll stay that way unless I do something about it.  Training without a definite plan takes just as much work as training with a plan, however, it’s not for everyone. 

You might have what it takes to train for a marathon without a plan if…

You’re self-motivated.  First and foremost, I run because I love it.  I don’t do it for anyone else.  I love the challenge, the ups and downs (both geographically and physically), the health benefits, etc.  And I’m training for my second marathon because it’s something that will makes me happy and gives me a sense of personal growth and achievement.  I really believe any healthy person can train for and complete a marathon, but to do it well on your own without a plan, you really need that extra inner drive.

You have a network of support.  Without a real coach or running club, it can be pretty tough to get through three to four months of high mileage training on your own, even for the most self-motivated runners.  Having someone to talk to about training – someone who really gets it – can do wonders for keeping that drive.  I probably have a slight advantage over most, with parents who have run nearly forty marathons combined, and super-triathlete siblings who can run faster than I ever will. 

And I can’t forget about my little social media network!  My Saturday/Sunday morning Twitter stream bursts with tweets of long runs, race results, etc.  The power of 140 characters or less about running can be quite compelling, let me tell you.

You’re dedicated and hold yourself accountable.  Plan or no plan, training for a marathon takes a lot of dedication.  But without a definite plan, it’s easy to hit the snooze button continuously until it’s too late to run.  Now, technically the no-plan plan can allow for random days off, because well, there is no plan!  But there’s a fine line between taking beneficial time off and skipping a few too many workouts.  Which brings me to my next point…

You’ve got running smarts.  Just like you wouldn’t want to go walking alone at night if you didn’t have street smarts, you probably don’t want to train for a marathon somewhat aimlessly if you don’t know a lot about running.  This is technically my weak spot – I’ve only got one marathon under my belt.  But I’ve also got years of training experience from swimming, which follows a similar training pattern (i.e., building up training, varying workout types, tapering). 

The wild cards…

You’re injury prone.  From my own experience, there’s nothing worse than not being able to complete your training as planned because you’ve been sidelined by injury.  Actually, let me take a step back – there’s nothing worse than pushing through workouts when you know you’ve got an injury forming, all because you want to be able to check off that planned workout.  Being able to approach training with a clean slate has been huge for my physical and mental health.  If my old injuries start to tip-toe their way back, I can back off easily, without feeling that guilt.

You’re a fairly busy person.  Maybe you’re in school.  Or you’re a mom.  Or you work three jobs.  Or maybe you work 50 hour weeks, commute 90 minutes everyday, and tend to get caught up in the kitchen most days baking cookies.  No matter what the situation, if you’ve got a lot on your plate, not having a set workout staring you down every day can be huge for you mentally.  Don’t have time to run eight miles tonight?  Run five instead.  Just don’t make these compromises an everyday thing.

You really love to run.  This seems silly, I know.  But (assuming the other “if’s” are in place), if you really, really love to run, then training for a marathon without a plan is really no big deal at all! 

This post is part of a series I’m writing about training for the 2011 NYC Marathon without a plan.  I’m not a trained professional and hold no coaching certifications – my thoughts are mine alone and are based on my own experiences as a runner.