Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Love is in the Air


My friend Kale and I have gotten into a routine where we are running Mondays and Wednesdays. Each time we do our loop in Yucaipa, we are able to do just a little more. Last Monday, we completed 2.75 miles straight. Today, we did the same thing but made it a total of 3 miles. This Saturday we have our 5k in Yucaipa and I am confident I will be able to run the whole thing. I am really glad that I am getting back into this and will soon be where I was before. The little improvements I am seeing each time keeps me motivated.
Also, I have been wanting to put up some of the recipes that I have tried from Pinterest or other sites. One of my recent favorites that I have made twice now is a warm lettuce wrap. I made a couple revisions to what the recipe called for but this is what I ended with:

Warm Chicken Lettuce Wraps
  • 2 pears
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small head radicchio
  • 2 small shallots
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 large carrots cut into matchsticks (I buy them already cut because it’s just easier)
  • 2-3 cups of shredded chicken or turkey (depending on how much you want)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 4 teaspoons Dijon
  • 6 tablespoons sherry vinegar

First I poach the chicken, shred it and set it aside.
Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the pears until they brown just a little. Then remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Heat up the onion, shallots, dijon, and sherry, in the pan for a couple minutes. Add the radicchio (coarsely chopped), along with the carrots and chicken.
Lastly add the pepper and pears back into the mixture.
I serve mine on butter lettuce or romaine (romaine is cheaper) and top with gorgonzola crumbles. I recently tried avocado on top as well and that was delicious. The bitterness of the radicchio, sweetness of the pears, and the tangy-ness of the cheese make them such an interesting and fun meal! This whole recipe serves me lunch all week long and I never get sick of it!
*The recipe also calls for walnuts and fennel and ¼ teaspoon of salt. I leave these things out, but those who like it could easily add them as well.

I thought I would also share what I did for my boyfriend for Valentine’s day. I made him a man-bouquet (pictured below) with miniature alcohol bottles and beef jerky, served in a beer mug. It didn't come out nearly as crafty as I had envisioned, but I am sure he will like it nonetheless. I also made him some chocolate sugar cookies that came out really well! With half of them, I tried an orange cream (orange zest, heavy cream, cream cheese, powdered sugar) sandwiched in between them and the other half, I decorated with royal frosting. I hope he likes it!




 Miles to date: 25.78

2 comments:

  1. ... can you be my girlfriend, too? And make me cookies??

    Those lettuce wraps look amazing!! I thought I was an adventurous eater, but I've never tried radicchio, or dared to cook a pear... you've inspired me!

    So glad to hear the running is going well :)

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  2. I am not the best cook, per se, so I am looking a lot of recipes up and trying to change them (if I can or am daring enough to). I am doing a little better, but I sure do know how to eat- yum! Also, you can be my boyfriend anytime hah!

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