Recipe Time: Turkey Sloppy Janes

DH and I are like kids in a candy store when we find a Whole Foods. It is so nice to walk into the store and be confident that the items they carry are local, and the products are as close to nature as possible. In there ad flyer, they had this recipe which we made last night.

Turkey Sloppy Janes
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup grated carrots (from 1 large carrot)
3/4 pound ground turkey breast
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates (about 5 dates)
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
5 teaspoons yellow mustard

Method
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and cook until starting to stick and lightly brown, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, carrots and 2 tablespoons water and cook 2 minutes longer or until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits from the surface of the pan. Add turkey and cook 3 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink, stirring to break it up as it cooks. Stir in tomato sauce, dates, vinegar, mustard and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes to blend flavors.

We served this over quinoa, and also had a big salad and some nice crusty bread. Yummy!

Marathon training update....

The last two marathons I ran, I actually didn't sign myself up for. In January 2010, I ran the Arizona "Rock in Roll" marathon only after I had a phone call from my sister in the summer of 2009, telling me she had signed me up. Um, thanks? : )

Just recently we started talking about possible races and events to do while we are in Boston for 4 weeks where sister lives. I guess I should back up and explain that my sister is really a social coordinator when it comes to running. I think she should quit her job and start her own business where she just makes running fun for people. She loves traveling to races and taking her camera along to snap pictures of the scenery and her friends WHILE SHE RUNS THE 26.2 MILES. If you have not seen her pictures from Big Sur Marathon in California, check it out. Beautiful. I also love a little social event she put together for her friends recently that she invited with an email with the subject line "You can't spell bRUNch without "run". Too cute.

So there was a really small marathon in New Hampshire she was interested in doing the first weekend in October. I told her I could be interested in running either the half or the full, but needed to do some training to see where my fitness was. After a 15 mile run, that was good enough for sister, and she signed me up....again.

I just did my 18 mile run which was a big confidence booster. I was fortunate to have DH's sisters, Katie and Kelley (both have completed marathons) to run with me for parts of it. I love to talk while running, and it was good to get some one on one time with them.

I know some people are probably reading this and shaking their heads thinking I am crazy to try to do this, but honestly, I need it. I need the time to myself. I need to set goals and achieve them. I want to be an example for Wesley that if you are head strong enough to do something like this, you just have to believe it is possible. Crazy? Maybe. Dedicated? Probably. Feeling good about myself? Definitely.

Um, Wesley Thursday Update?

One good thing about vacation is you forget what day it is. One bad thing, I forgot my Wesley update! Here are two pics. Enjoy!

Update from Canada

Ahhh....vacation. I love it. I get so annoyed when people call my maternity leave a "vacation". Seriously, I work 24 hours a day now as a mom. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but it is life and perspective changing to have a little one.

So we are at a cottage in Canada on a lake, and that is about all I can tell you about our location. I have no idea the town we are in, what body of water is out my window, or how far we are from Toronto where we flew in. The cottage sits right on the water. What is it about just looking at water, that makes me feel so calm and relaxed?

My days are spent either running or riding my new bike, and spending time with the family. They are such a BIG help with Wesley. It is nice to have a break, and I think they are enjoying getting to know the new member to the family.

Wesley is such a good sport being passed around and having people in his face. I start looking for his cues that he needs some quiet time, and move him away to go kick in his crib and stare off in space.

I have some good pictures to post of Wesley. He got all dressed up for the family wedding we attended, and was such a charmer. Check back on Wednesday. Wesley wants to say hello.

Our last update from Denmark until October!

Here is a picture of Wesley from this morning in our new apartment. He was happy as a clam down on his play mat. Really looking forward to seeing the family tomorrow, but now I have to spend the day trying to figure out where all the things are that I intended to take with us tomorrow!

A couple fun new things from Wesley:

1. He slept in his own room last night! Our new bedroom is too small for our furniture and his crib. He did so well, and only woke up once at 3:30 to be fed. Mommy likey.

2. He loves to hold his spitup cloths (used) and stick them in his face. I guess they smell like me and milk, and he likes that. Cute and weird.

3. We play a game where he stands (I hold him up), I kiss his cheek, he sits back down. We do it again, and I kiss his other cheek. We do this about 10 times until I notice his cheeks are red from my kisses or DH cuts me off. : ) Everytime I go to kiss him though, he opens his mouth. Must correct that one day!

New Game

Monday is usually a recipe day, but I have found a way to make it a game. The game is tentatively called "clean out the fridge and pantry and use what you find to make a meal" until I can think of something more catchy.

Seriously though, we move tomorrow, we go to the US on Thursday, and so we are trying to use up what we have and avoid the grocery store and wasting food.

Today for lunch I had:

Whole grain pasta + leftover chicken + frozen peas + frozen corn + olive oil + mozzarella cheese = Food so yummy, Wesley was looking at it and his mouth started watering, or maybe he was just drooling. Not sure.

Tomorrow for lunch, I think I will have lettuce wraps with maybe chicken or the fish cake DH did not eat. It really is kind of fun to take what you have and try to find a new way to use it. I am almost tempted to take my Bisquick and make some pancakes but I am not that desperate yet. I still fresh and frozen veggies to use up!

Any throw together meals you are pretty proud of and want to share?

The Hardest Job

Might be a children photographer. I have to take about 100 photos before I have one where Wesley is looking at the camera and smiling, without his hands in front of his face.

Just had the baby nurse come and visit and our 3 month old Wesley now weighs 13.8 lbs! (6.25 kg)My right arm is getting such a good workout.

Have a good hump day!

Banana Bread

My DH makes awesome banana bread. I love when he starts talking about making it, because it is a healthy and delicious treat, and it makes the house smell so warm and cozy. He has made it TWICE in the past week. Once for us, and one loaf to take to work. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chocolate chips (Chocolate anything will work. DH threw in part of a Tolberone bar)
2 cups whole wheat flour(half whole wheat/half white if you are not crazy about it)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs (or a 1/2 cup egg whites)
1 TBS Flaxseed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together well. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle flaxseed on top. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Let it cool before serving.

So easy but so good! Enjoy!

Workouts - Out the Door

One thing I have learned that if I want to be a Fit Mommy is that I have to use my time wisely.

Before: Go to the gym everyday for spinning classes, BodyAttack, Step, cross trainer, BodyFlow (yeah, right maybe twice) The whole "event" by the time I include travel to the gym, getting to the class a few minutes early, talking for a few minutes after, and my commute home = 2 hours

After: Workout starts when I walk out the front door. This basically means I am either running, biking or walking. Denmark really has amazing weather in the summer. I don't have much to complain about when the rest of my family is suffering in the states from the heat, because it rarely breaks 80 degrees here. Now, we do have days that are gray and rainy, but those are my favorite times to run. The only day I have to really plan is when I am doing my long runs for my marathon training. Last week, I was up to 14 miles which takes over two hours. I made sure I had a bottle at home for DH to give to Wesley if he got hungry/fussy, and I was relaxed knowing my baby would be ok a few hours without me.

I came home last week, and I swear Wesley did not even notice I was gone. He and Daddy were hanging out having a good time.

Mommies or time crunched people: How do you manage to do it all?

Wesley gave me "The Look"

Not really sure what I did!