Not Inclined to Incline

Today after work, I had planned to go take a class at my gym.  Instead, I decided to stay home and go for a run on my treadmill.  Even though it was sunny outside, I whimped out and went for a run on the old hamster wheel.  After a long winter of many outdoor runs, I just can't handle any more.  Where is the warm spring weather?  I'm getting impatient!

I ran 3 miles, 5 min warm-up, usual pace(9:30-9:03), and 1.0 incline.

I haven't been running much lately so this was tougher than I expected, especially since you know I never do an incline.  I got to get back into the swing of things!

This is my scenery while running.  What, you didn't think people my age read Woman's Day?  It has good recipes, and I like to read about Valerie Bertinelli's attempts to stay relevant, and how she named her son Wolfie.  Poor Kid.

After my run, I cooled down, stretched, did a few planks, and headed upstairs for dinner.

On the menu:  Chicken Caesar Salads:

Weekly Workouts:
Mon- 3 mile run (Check!)
Tuesday:  Pump or Cardio Kick Boxing
Wednesday:  Yoga or possibly off
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: Off
Sat: Pump
Sunday:  Elliptical Workout + Abs

In Other News....
A friend of mine is designing a logo for Mac&Cheese&Peas, so you can expect to see that soon! I'm really excited about it.

As promised, here are some photos of the completed table.  I love how it came out.  I picked up the hardware from Anthropologie for $6, making the total cost of this project only $6.  I used leftover paint and brushes.  How's that for design on a dime??

 Are you working on any DIY projects at home? I'd love to hear!

A Baking Story in Photos

All photos taken by CJ, who really missed his calling as a food photographer. :)

Quiche- It's What's for Dinner

Quiche (or "egg pie" as I sometimes like to call it) is simple to make.  It takes about 15 min to prep and 30 min to bake.  It's filling, savory, and perfect for breakfast the next day!

Over time, I've been gradually attempting to make my quiches "healthier."

The first quiche I ever made was jam packed with cheddar, bacon, and heavy cream. It was scrumptious.

The second quiche I made was loaded with veggies and light cream, and still very delicious.

The third quiche I made was jam packed to the brim with all things green and earthy.  I sauteed some kale, steamed some broccoli, and fried up some mushrooms.
I mixed half 1%  milk and half light cream into the eggs.
It was satisfying and slightly healthier than the last.

The next quiche I make will have torillas for crust to eliminate the store bought pie crust, which contains partially hydrogenated lard (scary!) and is very high in saturated fat (yikes).

Step one: Prepare veggies.  I steamed the broccoli in the microwave, then chopped into small pieces.

I sauteed the kale in a little bit of olive oil, until wilted.

I chopped and sauteed the mushrooms in olive oil as well.

Lay out pie crust in pie dish.  I sprayed Pam cooking spray in mine to prevent it from sticking.

Start layering your veggies!  I also sprinkled in some reduced fat cheddar in between the broccoli and the kale.

In a medium bowl, whip up 6 eggs, and add 1/2 cup light cream and 1/2 cup 1% milk. Pour into pie dish over veggies.  Top with cheddar cheese and you're ready to bake.

When done, the quiche should look puffy, it will deflated when taken out of oven.  Use a toothpick to make sure it's cooked all the way through.  Let the quiche sit for about 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Pea's Knees: Spring Things

1.  Spring= warm weather = the start of frozen treat season!

This weekend I discovered a new place called Yeh! It's a frozen yogurt place with loads of flavors and an epic amount of toppings (mini pb cups??? yes please!)

2.  Spring= day light savings = more time to run outside after work= happy me!

3. Spring= swans!  These two swans live in the lake near my house and I'm hoping to see some ugly ducklings soon!

please have babies!

4.  Spring = spring cleaning= getting inspired to do crafty things!
This little make-up table was my mother's and she let me paint it.  Tonight CJ and I sanded, primed, and did the first coat.  I chose a light yellow the the table and a green as an accent color for the drawer.  I'll post more pictures when it's complete.

5. Spring= getting to spend time outside at night without freezing.  Can't wait for hot summer nights!

Happy Spring!

Ras na hEireann 2012

Hi Guys!  Happy Sunday!
Today I ran the Ras na hEireann 5k in Davis square.

It was a really fun race because:

 The weather was absolutely beautiful!  This was the first race I've done where it was above 35 degrees...

 Everyone (including me) was dressed in green...



 The course is mostly flat with a few rolling hills...





They give out awesome finisher medals with bottle openers! What more could you ask for?

I had a great time, and I really pushed myself.  I knew I was being slightly ambitious when I lined up at the 8 min pace maker, but I did it anyway. 

And I did pretty well!  My unofficial pace was 8:16.  That's unusually fast for me!  I'm still waiting to find out the official results but for now I'm going by my Nike+ sensor.

Official Results:
Net time: 26:34
Pace: 8:33 (slower than my nike+ pace)
Place Overall: 992/ 4367
Division/Total: 123/882 (top 14%!)

This means I conquered one of my fitness goals of 2012:

• to run a 5k in under 29 mins.  

I passed with flying colors!