it's the final countdown

(beeeeeeeeee do beeeeee do beeeeeeeeeeee do be be do)

hey, friends.  my first half-marathon is THIS SATURDAY.  you really snuck up on me, half-marathon.  touche.

after 12 weeks of training (more like 9 since for three weeks I was pretty much m.i.a...my bad,) the BIG DAY is more or less finally here...and you know what, i'm presently more concerned with not finding any cool, knee-high, halloween-themed socks to run in than finishing.  don't get it twisted, i will finish barring any outlandish injuries.

i feel like i should be more worried than i am...oh well.  once that baby starts, there's no turning back.  only one way home and that's the finish line.

i just have to say, "thanks!" to everyone who has supported and encouraged this crazy affair from day one.  i'll do you all proud.

just another meatless monday (oh way oh)..except for the shrimp...and except the fact it's tuesday

fact: i love tofu. 

i totes used to hate that spongy, grey, dank-smelling salty brick of blaeeeeeeeeeeeahhhh but i've grown to love the stuff.

fact:  until today, i've never prepared anything at home with tofu.  i've let that up to the pros at hu hot, gingerootz, and the cafeteria at franklin campus.

it's tricky to get in protein in if you're vegging out for a while.  although i'm running this month like a pecestarian (thanks, mike!) seafood be pricey, yo.  so it's time to get down and dirty with the bean curd and the first time around was pretty damn tastey.

i present to you a recipe for (me so) hot and sour soup

ingredients:
8 oz fresh or frozen peeled and devined shrimp (i bought the cheapest, smallest shrimp i could find)
3.5 oz chicken broth
7 oz canned whole mushrooms drained (i just noticed the recipe said to halve the shrooms...you totally don't have to)
1/4 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar (white vinegar was just fine)
2 tbsp soy sauce (i used low sodium)
1 tsp sugar
1tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 oz tofu cut into bite-size chunks (adorable)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
1 cup fresh pea pods (didn't include in my recipe)
1 beaten egg (sorry, egg)
2 tbsp green onion (didn't have but wish i would have...next time)

directions:

*thaw shrimp if frozen.  combine broth, shrooms, vinegar, soy, sugar, ginger, and pepper.  bring to a boil.  reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 minutes.

*get the shrimp and the tofu into the hot tub (pot full of the other ingredients) and simmer covered for 1 minute more. 

*stir together the cornstarch and water.  stir into the hot tub and add the pea pods.  cook and stir until slightly thickens and bubbly.  cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  pour egg into the soup in a steady stream while stirring 2-3 times to creat shreds.

*remove from heat, add green onions, and get ready for a oriental taste treat senseation numbah 1!

i love this soup.  it's better than the rando bowl of meaty, brothy mystery you get at a restaurant.  you could even go without the shrimp and it'd be just as good.

now, i elected to serve mine with some brown rice on the side, a rando fortune cookie from the back of the cupboard, and some new belgium belgo ipa (which is great) but do what you want.


trust me.  this stuff is better than it looks in my half-assed picture above.

pps: shout out to better homes and gardens, "easy dinners: soups and stews" for this bitchin' delight

happy anniversary to me

so today marks approximately the 2 month anniversary of this blog--what up!

i woke up this morning and thought, "hey, let's try on a pair of those jeans that have been collecting dust."

so....i did...and a pair actually fit--happy anniversary to me, you guys.
no calisthenics were required to stretch jeans into being "wearable."  you peeps know what i'm talking about--the squats, the lunges, the pulling on the waistband...the stretching and contorting and shimmy-ing and hoping and wishing...none of that...i just put on the pants and got on with my day (after some celebratory cusses :) )

even though in two months my grand total weight loss has only been 10 lbs, i'm pretty surprised that there is, in fact, something to this "building muscle" thing.  i mean, i couldn't get these babies over my thighs eight weeks ago and i'm still pretty damn surprised that i'm wearing these jeans today because the scale, well, the scale has been a little bitch.

i'm off to walk these little babies around the town today and by around the town i mean at the office and then celebrate tonight with a 10-mile run and a Brew Crew victory (i really hope they win...i can't imagine a life without my husband and a loss just might crush his will to live.)

just another meatless...month? (oh way oh)

hot off the heals of my confession on friday, i submit confessions pt 2 (just like usher)-i ate like ridiculous this weekend.  we had a wedding and i've never seen so much awesome food in my life...shrimp the size of my fist, bacon-wrapped scallops, bruschetta, steak, and open bar...man, it was cray-cray!  and, you know what, i pigged out like ridiculous and honestly, i don't even feel bad about it.  once in a while, we all have to go a little nuts and i choose those times wisely and i had to strike while the iron was hot on this one, folks.

anyway, i'm no worse for the wear today but feeling like some detoxing is in order.  as the fates would have it, it's also time to go grocery shopping again.  hubs and i decided we are going to try and go vegetarian 6 out of 7 days a week until thanksgiving (after which, we will eat a TON of turkey and sommersausage and all that other great meat stuff.)  we decided to allow fish so basically, we are going to be vegetarians...except on sundays (tailgate food, people!)...and we'll allow fish...so, i don't know what that actually is called...i know it's not vegetarian...whatever...it's close.

anyway, this crazy adventure starts today.  stay tuned for some rabbit food recipes!

also, what a great weekend for wisconsin sports...the badgers, the brewers, and the pack (my fave) just wrecked the competition.  loves it.