Recipe: Paleo (ish) Stuffed Chicken...

Some nights, you just have to cook. No recipe, no real plan, just some ingredients, a glass of wine (obviously), some music, and the kitchen. It just screams stress relief to me. 

Life has been an adventure lately. Or a misadventure.. isn't that the name of this blog? So it should come as no surprise... I've started a new job, and I'm finally doing what I want to do, which is a blessing. But, it's at a very small (President and several contractors) company, and I work from home. Definitely a bit of a struggle and an adjustment. 

My training is still on track though! I've had a bit of a set back... of course one week before the half marathon... a touch of shin splints, or something. The muscles along my shin are knotted like you wouldn't believe! So I've had to have a bit of extra rest, but I'm ready! Except I need to choose my outfit still. That's important, right?

The shoes and green top don't exactly match, but I'm leaning toward a clashing-ish outfit of the Blue shorts and green top...  although right now, they're calling for a high of 54, low of 44, and chance of rain, which may lead to a long sleeve top. Oh, decisions...

Anyway... on to the recipe...

I had a great time, can't lie. Popped open an amazing Rose, and turned on the latest Michael Buble album on Spotify... great cooking music and I'm now obsessed with the song "Close Your Eyes". I invented as I went, and I'm glad to say this was not actually pronounced "blog-able". Mostly because the husband didn't stop chewing long enough to say anything to me!  

This recipe uses Organic Valley's Organic Cream Cheese. Again, we eat dairy in our house, so we find this acceptable. If you don't want it, leave it out. Or replace it with a goat cheese. The creaminess was really awesome, but it's (as always) up to you!

This serves 3, and I've left the ingredient list as such.. most likely, you'll want to double it.

Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 oz. organic cream cheese
• 1/2 medium red onion
• 2 large leafs of kale
• 3 slices bacon
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• splash of olive or grapeseed oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Slice your red onion and separate the rings. Add to a saucepan and cook until they begin to brown. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and continue cooking until soft. Remove onions and put bacon in pan. Cook until browned, but not crisped.

Remove and set aside to cool. Pour grease out of pan, add just enough oil to coat (if you prefer, you can use a new pan, but why make a mess? Just wipe it out and use the same, already hot pan!). Add your kale and cook until it just begins to wilt. Turn off heat, but leave kale in pan. It will continue to cook down while you prep the chicken.

While your kale is cooking and bacon cooking, prepare your chicken breasts. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit in each one, but do not cut all the way through. Fold the breast open, then use a meat hammer to pound each one to no more than 1/2 inch thick.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay each chicken breast open on the sheet.

Spread one side of each chicken breast with cream cheese. Sprinkle with onions. Crumble bacon on top of the onion layer. Add kale as final layer.

Once the stuffing is in place, fold each chicken breast closed. Cook for approximately 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.  Eat. Do not speak to wife until finished. Only then may you proclaim this dish's awesomeness.

I Think I'll Go To Boston...

Boston.

I don't want to spew anger. I don't want to wax poetic. I don't want to talk and talk and talk and say nothing at all. But I am angry. I am introspective. I am hurt. I am lost.

I lived in Boston for several years. Specifically in Malden, a suburb on the Orange Line. My family lives about 20 minutes outside the city. My stepsister is currently a student at Northeastern University. My stepdad works downtown.

Like so many, I saw the tweets first.  I had taken a break from work to work for a few minutes on the water currently seeping into my basement (5 straight days of a rain and a previous owner who did everything on the cheap will do that). I came back to my laptop and saw them. "Prayers to Boston."  "Why why why why???"

My heart dropped. Pulse crashed through my fingertips. Throat went dry.

I walked. Ran. Floated. To our back room. To our TV. It was still on CBS and Scott Pelley was showing the images over and over. Boylston Street. I love that street. I stopped at that Starbucks the morning after my wedding. I've walked past Marathon Sports hundreds of times.

I grabbed my phone and started sending out rapid-fire texts. "Are you OK? Were you there?" I am lucky. Everyone I love was safe. My mom works 20 minutes away, no worries. My stepdad was on his way out of town anyway. My stepsister had been in that exact location maybe a half hour earlier, but was now in Cambridge. Safe, but stranded. She would walk the 4 miles back to her apartment because the T shut down or had limited service. But they were Ok. Others weren't so lucky, and they are in my nightly prayers.

Even with my family safe, I am touched. I am numb. I am lost.

Boston.

"But I love that dirty water... Oh, Boston, you're my home!"

Is it because I lived there? Weekends in Boston are great. I would take the T downtown and just wander. From Government Center to the North End. Up the Freedom Trail toward Boston Common, in to the Public Garden. Say "hey" to those Ducklings, forever skipping through the Garden. Up Newbury Street, over to Boylston. Feeling the sun, watching people, window shopping. I love that city. I would move back in a heartbeat.

Is it because they were running? Cheering for runners? You know I'm training for a half marathon. All I could think about was the joy and elation at the finish line. Runners, family, friends, complete strangers feel happiness at the finish. Joy to heartbreak in a split second. And again 30 seconds later.

Running to me is freeing. You strap on minimal equipment and out you go. You and the road. The fresh air. Each footstep reinforces your strength. Your will. Your determination.

These runners have dedicated thousands of miles to get here. Not just the miles they may have physically traveled, but the hundreds or thousands of miles their own feet carried them in their journey to Boston.

The crowd was there to share in this joy. To cheer on family, friends, even strangers. To watch the human spirit in front of and among them. The determination of the runners, 4 hours later. The carefree enjoyment of the crowd, out enjoying a city holiday. Patriot's Day. The Red Sox had finished hours ago. The elite runners had too. But Patriot's Day is a holiday. People roam the streets. Some going from bar to bar, some just hang out enjoying Boston's Spring kickoff. Kids are out of school. It's a party-like atmosphere, a day of fun.

A race isn't like a football game, a baseball game, anything in a stadium. It covers a long distance. It is open. The crowd comes and goes. The very thing that makes it enjoyable, that openness, the ability of the crowd to simply gather, to come and go as they please, that made it vulnerable.

All these things leave it such a mess in my mind.

Like so many others, I am comforted by the helpers. Comforted by all the people who ran toward danger, ran toward fear, reached out their hand and told someone, "You are OK. I am here, and I will help you." That is what makes America great. How we can come together. How good shines in the face of tragedy, again and again. How we support each other. How we are always determined. Sometimes the world seems overcome by hate, but there is always good chasing right after it. Standing up to it. And we must hold on to that good. We must never back down in the face of hate.

I went for a 5 mile run yesterday, and it truly felt different. I cherished it. I enjoyed simply looking around. I smiled when "Dirty Water" came on my iPod. I will run my half marathon on May 4 and I will cherish it. I will cherish the crowd. Our joy. Our determination. Our good. Our freedom.

I love that dirty water. Boston, I will run for you.

Recipe: Paleo Beef and Broccoli

Seems like a lot of CrossFit peeps are starting up Paleo challenges. I keep seeing it pop up in my Twitter feed, and it dawned on me that I have a fantastically easy, and delicious recipe to share! Why I've never shared this before, I don't know. It was almost Paleo right from the start...

I call it Pepper Steak because that's what my mom called it. But it tastes like Beef with Broccoli, or some other delicious Chinese food dish, just without the creepy stuff that sneaks into the sauces. You could serve this with some riced cauliflower, fruit, salad, whatever...  yum!

Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1 lb round steak
• 1/4 Cup oil (use coconut or olive)
• 1/2 Cup chopped onion
• 1 green pepper cut into bite sized slices
• 1-2 Cups chopped broccoli
• 1 Cup beef broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• Red Pepper flakes to taste
• 1 Tbsp wheat free soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1-2 tsp arrowroot powder
• 1 clove garlic or equivalent garlic powder

Directions

Cut steak into thin slices approximately two inches long. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic, allow to cook a few minutes. Add meat and cook, turning as needed, until browned.

Add onion, green pepper, broccoli, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. I usually use about 2 tsp worth, but adjust this according to your desired level of spiciness, or leave out all together.  Cook over medium heat, stirring, until vegetables are just tender. 

Blend broth and soy or aminos. Stir in arrowroot. Pour over mixture in skillet. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat, stirring constantly until sauce reached desired thickness.   (If you're like me and occasionally make your sauce too thick (arrowroot can be tricky), don't panic, just stir together a little more broth and sauce, and add it in).

Running Lessons...

I just finished Week 10 of half marathon training. Six weeks until race day!  And I have missed exactly ONE workout. Go me, right?

Sunday's distance run was 8 miles, and this week brings me a little bit of a taper before the 10 miler, which will be the first time I've ever run double digits. I'm maintaining a 10 minute mile. It's not the most impressive speed, but I'm OK with it. I'm aiming for endurance. And it's still fast enough to be considered running.

My 7 miler last week was the catalyst for several running lessons. Michigan, like most of the country, decided to ignore Puxatowny Phil and go with 6 more weeks of winter instead. So, I got to run 7 miles in about 3 inches of snow. The snowy spots were soft, a little unstable, but nothing too awful. Some businesses decided to use snowblowers and salt. They are my heroes. But some people decided to do a half-assed job of shoveling their sidewalk. This was actually worse than those who did nothing because my foot would land on half dry ground, half packed snow. Every kick of my leg was a slip and by about mile 3, I was feeling it.  Add to the beautiful conditions my ignorance about hydration. I learned pretty fast that you can NOT run more than an hour without some form of additional fuel.

I made it home, but my left calf locked up on me tighter than my puppy's jaws when she's stealing one of my running socks! I tried rolling, elevating, warmth, and more. It was sore, but I figured I could manage.

I went out for the week's 4 miler... and Michigan decided to drop from the 40s back into the high 20s. About 3 miles in, Abby started pulling toward something across the street. I look back to find a Pomeranian playing in traffic.  Of course, we went to rescue dear Fuzby (seriously?), who quickly taught me that Pomeranians are pricks (sorry if you have one). He was harassing Abby, peeing on EVERYTHING, and in general annoying the heck out me. Worse, while I stood around and flagged down someone who had a cell phone to call the number on Fuzby's tag, I was getting colder and colder. By the time we had returned Mr. Prick to his home, I was chilled to the core.  Off we went on the remaining mile home. And about a block from home, fingers numb, mood cranky, I felt a popping sensation in my left calf!  I walked home and placed my already frozen leg on ice while I sat and debated total and complete panic.

In a moment of clarity, I reached out to the Facebook world for ideas. A friend who just ran a full marathon suggested a few things I had already tried and then mentioned her husband swears by compression sleeves.  I had been icing, using the foam roller, soaking my feet and calves in epsom salts, so with another 4 miler looming, I hunted all over town for some compression sleeves. (hint, try a running store instead of a 'sports' store).  I picked up some sleeves by CEP (Allsports Sleeves) and I am obsessed.  I wore them on my 4 miler, and left them on for quite a while after so they would aid in the workout and the recovery. No pain. I did the same for my 8 miler.. only a teeny bit of tightness!!  No dreaded derailment of training!

The other important lesson of the week.... hydrate!! I wizened up and bought a little water bottle to take with me. Runner's World actually makes one that fit my hand well, and wasn't so large that it would be obnoxious. I filled it with the old standby, Gatorade, and sipped as I ran along.

I picked up some energy chews, but haven't noticed a sure difference. I can't be the only person who finds them miserable to chew, right? Way too thick... and HOW would you chew that while running? I also picked up some Power Bar performance energy blends. Problem fixed, question answered! They are basically fruit smoothies in pouches with extra carbs for burning. Made with real fruit, and gluten free! They taste good and can be used before and during activity. Win. I tried the blueberry banana flavor this weekend, and YUM! (seriously). Plus, no stomach issues or problems. I will definitely be picking up more for the rest of my training and race day!

The only downside? My running buddy seems to have a 5 mile limit, so I still take her on my mid-week runs, but she's been forced to stay home on long runs. And yes, she knows she's missing a run, and she cries the whole time I get ready.

What strategies do you have for long runs? Have you tried compression sleeves?

Recipe: Paleo Chicken Marengo with Roasted Cheddar Broccoli

I am extremely proud of this recipe! On my ongoing quest to recreate my (sadly) gluten-filled, non-Paleo favorite dishes of my childhood, I reached Chicken Marengo. Like with Beef Stroganoff, my family went with the quick n' easy version... consisting mainly of Tomato soup and Golden Mushroom soup.

This one was *not* a first-time hit. It took a few tries... but tonight's version was pronounced...  "blogable".

Paleo Chicken Marengo

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. chicken breast tenders
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 6oz. can tomato paste
• 4 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. garlic powder (or two cloves crushed)
• 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 3-4 oz. white mushrooms, diced  (I usually use 3 good sized mushrooms)
• 1 C. beef stock
• 1 C. water

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix onion powder, salt, garlic and tomato paste. Add 1 C. water and 3/4 C. beef stock. Whisk until smooth.

In a large saucepan, brown the chicken in the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, onion salt and garlic powder as desired.
Once browned, remove the chicken and pour off the oil.
Add remaining beef stock to still hot pan and add diced mushrooms. Sautee mushrooms in stock until tender.
Add chicken, and pour tomato mixture over. Stir just to mix. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  For a slightly thicker broth, remove the lid for the last 5 minutes of cooking sign. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Cheddar Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 C. shredded sharp cheddar 
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Put broccoli florets in large mixing bowl, add olive oil and garlic, toss to cover. Add half the cheese and toss well. 

Pour onto lined baking sheet and spread out so florets are not too crowded. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the broccoli. Cook for approximately 10 minutes. 

Recipe: Paleo Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I love zucchini. Grilled, roasted, steamed, whatever. Cook zucchini and I'm there. Why I didn't think to make them my main dish instead of a side before now, I don't know!  I can't wait to make this again in the summer when the zucchinis are a bit bigger.

Paleo Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Ingredients

• 4 large zucchini 
• 1 lb. chicken breast (I used thin sliced cutlets to make life a little easier)
• 1 large tomato
• 4 oz. black olives
• 1/2 large onion
• 3 oz. feta cheese 
• Seasonings as desired (I used oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper)
• Olive oil to brush on zucchini

Boil the chicken until cooked. I added oregano and red pepper flakes to the water when I boiled the chicken. When done, drain, and allow to cool until it can be handled.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the ends off each zucchini, then slice in half lengthwise.  Scoop out a channel in the middle of each zucchini, creating a shallow place for the stuffing. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Brush each zucchini with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Dice chicken breast, tomato and onion. Slice olives. Add ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Scoop mixture into each zucchini. Don't worry if it overflows!

Roast for 15 minutes, allow to cool, enjoy!

My Running Buddy...

My running buddy is awesome. She is always ready to go for a run. Just the word "run" gets her excited and she bounds out the door with glee unmatched by any other runner I've ever met. No weather is too hot, cold, snowy, wet, or otherwise undesirable for her. She constantly urges me to go faster. She's eager to see the world, the other runners, to just keep moving through the outdoors powered by her own feet. She quite simply enjoys the run.

My running buddy is named Abby, and she's almost a year old. She's a Black Lab named mixed with something else that has kept her tiny, powerful, and FULL of energy. She is 50 pounds of muscle, and no run seems too long for her. After 4 miles, all I want to do is stretch, drink water, relax. My running buddy? She wants to chase her ball and do laps around our living room.

Really, how do you say no to this face?

My running buddy is an asshole. She knows that when I put on certain clothes, I'm getting ready for a run. She knows that when I put on certain shoes, we are almost ready. She knows that when she has her harness on, it's time to get out the door! She will bound around excitedly, run to the door and back to me until it is time to go.  Yet, despite this knowledge and this glee, she is a pain in my ass from the start.

She knows her harness means run time. She gets excited as soon as I get it out. And then she fights me for 20 minutes while I try to get it on her. She runs from me, tries to nip my hands (gently), does everything she can to keep it off. Once it's actually on, she's fine, but we better get out the door fast because she is amped!

She runs for the glee of running. The sniffing, the exploring, the fact that we're going on a really long walk, except it's faster!  A run with Abby will include no fewer than two potty stops. Yes, my running buddy regularly makes #1 and #2 in the middle of the run. Right there on whatever course we are using.

She ping-pongs from side to side of the sidewalk, sniffing people, eating snow, investigating telephone poles and trash piles. This results in numerous 2 second stops, several arms being jerked nearly out of socket, and countless urges to "COME ON, ABBY!!"

She will come to a complete stop and when the urge to move forward sinks in, she will charge ahead as fast and hard as she possibly can, taking me from run to stop to sprint all in 5 seconds. She will look back at me, decide I'm cruising just fine, and start to run harder, pulling me along as I fight her to return to speed, "Whoa Abby! Whoa!"  She will stop and jump on my hip, causing us both to stop, and then sprint ahead like it's all a game.

And yet, try as I might, I can't leave her behind. I've threatened her on several occasions, when she fights her harness extra hard. "Ok Abby, I don't care. I'm going without you. No run." She'll inevitably cock her head at the 'r word', and I'll inevitably come back for another 10 minutes of fighting with her, until we're both ready to go face the day's weather.

Annoyed as I get, as much extra effort as the run takes, try as I might, I can't leave her behind. My running buddy runs just to run. She loves to run. She loves every step, every smell. She loves when we return home, slow to a stop, and she gets the pat on the back, a "Good job! Good girl, Abby!" She loves that difficult first step out the door, and she loves the last sprint home. She loves the in between, the new parts of town she's never sniffed. She loves it all.  I don't know when I'll have to leave her. We're going 5 miles today. She's gone 4.9 before. I know at some point, the runs might get too long. I don't know when that will be. But for now, I'm going to keep letting my running buddy show me how to enjoy the run.


Do you run with your dog? How far do you think is too far?  Do you have a harness you like?