Chickpeas, Beets & Malbec

I cannot believe it is almost November. It is so cold out! I'm from Cleveland, OH and they woke up to snow this morning. That is something I am just not ready for.

First, I thought I'd do an update on my running mileage. I'm getting closer and closer to reaching my 500 mile goal every day.  In fact, just this morning I reached 490.5 miles.  I'm hoping to hit 500 way before November 18th, but I'll keep you posted!

This morning I went for a 5-miler and I was largely motivated by the meal I concocted last night.  It was a lot - that and I have to wear a dress tonight. This morning was a particularly good run - There is nothing better than watching this city wake up.

Now, onto my dinner last night. Step #1 was choosing a red wine.  This might seem backwards but wine was really the priority last night.  I went for a Malbec - Malbec is great with meat. Unfortunately, I didn't have any steak lying around.  Instead I had lots of vegetables.  Lucky for me, Malbec also pairs well with bold and spicy vegetable dishes.  Perfect!

Here what I was working with:

5 peeled and chopped carrots

7 white potatoes - quartered for roasting

1 onion - chopped

2 large Beets – peeled and slivered

2 tablespoons Sriracha chili garlic sauce

1 can of chickpeas

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt & Pepper
Endless EVOO

First, I preheated the oven to 425 for the beets and potatoes.
I decided to sliver and roast the beets - just like roasted potatoes. I had never done beets this way and it might be a new favorite.  I tossed the beet slivers in EVOO, salt & pepper, put them on a baking pan, and roasted them in the oven for 40-50 minutes.  I prepared the potatoes in the exact same way. 

The beets before the oven (obsessed with their color):

The beets after some roasting (also obsessed with this color):

I seasoned the beets and potatoes pretty lightly because I wanted them to balance out the spicy/bold flavor of what I made to put on top.

Now onto the spicy vegetables. 
I sauteed the carrots in light olive oil for 5-10 mins.  Next, I added the onions, chickpeas, and the chili garlic sauce. I let it simmer for about 5 mins on low heat. The chili garlic sauce can be really strong so I would suggest putting in a little bit at a time - I like a lot :) I thought this sauce added enough of a garlicky flavor, but feel free to add some minced garlic in, as well. And of course, season with salt and pepper as you see fit.

Nice and spicy:

I wanted some added protein and a flavor to tie it all together, so I fried 2 eggs to go on top.  I was feeling particularly inspired last night and decided to work on my presentation skills....Definitely some room for improvement. Here is the final product:

The potatoes are hidden underneath, but it really was delicious and super filling. There were so many different textures and spices. The egg yolk added a bit more creaminess to it all. Now onto the best part....

Earlier in the day I picked up dessert: doughnuts from the Doughnut Plant. I'm lucky enough to live just 2 blocks from this place.  I got the Pumpkin Cake flavor and a Peanut Butter Banana Cream one. 2 little pieces of heaven. Highly recommend!

 

For my last few posts I've been using whatever is in my kitchen and trying to make a recipe (my own version of the TV show Chopped).  For my next post I'm going to think of a recipe/post BEFORE I go to the grocery store - should make for something delish.

500 Miles

Well I've stuck to my word and have definitely been running more.  Not only have I been doing more mileage, BUT I've been mixing up the scenery which is one my favorite things about running. I love to use a run to explore new places or to simply get outside. With the minutes of sunshine dwindling down everyday, I'm really trying to take advantage of these last few weeks of sunshine when I'm not glued to a desk.

As I've mentioned, I love having goals and tracking things.  I also love making lists and crossing things off said lists.  Anyways, I always track my runs -- mileage, speed, routes - using the Nike Running app. Their app is really awesome and I use it every time I run - except when on a treadmill. The app keeps your mileage total for all recorded runs, too.

After my run this morning, I was at 469 total miles, and it occurred to me that I started using the Nike App just about a year ago .  I checked, and my first run on the app was on November 18th, 2012.  I decided it'd be really cool to reach 500 miles by November 18th of this year -- 500 miles in one year. So the countdown begins - 31 more miles in a little over a month.  Definitely a great reason to get new running shoes :)

Here are some fun photos of my most recent running adventures:

A "muddy-up" 5K in Greenwich, Ct - including running through creeks (fell twice), mud swamps, an 80 yd swim (water in September is freezing), and full on competition with 5 year olds

One of my favorite places in the city - The Reservoir in Central Park

Phoenix, AZ bright and early -- amazing running weather - warm and no humidity:

And a throwback to my vaca in Charleston. This might be my favorite. If you ever get the chance to run on the beaches surrounding Charleston, do it.  The sand was so hard that people were even biking on it - and obviously, it's flat so you can go forever.  So amazing.

Winter may mean colder weather and less outdoor time, but it also means more red wine and more cooking for me.  In my mind, there is always something to look forward to.