We Come Running

The runner in me might have inched her way back into my soul.  Last night I ran my first 5k this year!  (with the help of B)

Bri and I have decided to log our runs and share them with each other.  Knowing I have to send my speed, distance, and all that jazz to a friend makes me run until my knees give out.  I'm not a competitive person at all, but I tend to get REALLY embarrassed when I have to admit how badly I suck at stuff.  

i.e.  Arithmetic, swimming, and Guitar Hero.

I realized while I was running that the success of my run depends greatly on how well my ear buds are staying in my ears, if I'm positioned directly in front of a T.V. with control of the remote (this is only for treadmill running... which I despise!), and what music I have playing.

Which leads me to...  Cap's Running Playlist.

I decided to share some of the songs I love to run to in the form of a 32 minute playlist that includes a 9 minute cool down.  I will admit that I tend to run to REALLY terrible music.  It's a running joke (pun intended) with my sister that our tastes in music drastically decrease when we slip on those glorious running shoes.  I'll try to keep the cheesy songs to a minimum this go round.  :)

Hopefully 32 minutes gets you through a 5k, and get me closer to my New Year Resolution.  Hope you enjoy!

Cap's Running Playlist

Here's a little easier list to read with the minutes added..

Rome - Phoenix (4:45)

Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet (3:35)

We Come Running - Youngblood Hawke (4:17)

Shake It Out - Florence and the Machine (4:42) 

I Knew You Were Trouble - Taylor Swift (3:39)

Ho Hey - Lumineers (2:42)

Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (5:03)

Daylight - Matt & Kim (2:48)

We Found Love - Rihanna (3:43)  (This one gives me the extra boast I need to make it to the end!)

<Cool Down>

I Remember - Yeasayer (4:23)  

Funeral - Band of Horses (5:11)  (Fitting, right?)

Sushi Rolls

The finished product

I love sushi with every fiber of my being.  Often times I find myself craving it so badly that I manage to stoop so low as to purchase the scary little plastic containers from Kroger that smell of five day old tuna salad.

I always regret that.

Lewisburg has one sushi restaurant and J REFUSES to eat there with me.  He is convinced that you cannot trust the freshness of seafood from any inland state.  He tends to be right on that specific matter.

I decided to make my own sushi rolls last night.  I'm allergic to shellfish so I made myself a snow crab roll (using imitation crab meat, avocado and cucumber), and I made J one with shrimp tempura.

I tend to stay away from using raw fish mainly because I'm too chicken to risk giving my hubs and me food poisoning.  I have heard you can buy fresh fish from the sushi restaurants, but I imagine that would cost an arm and a leg. 

Things you'll need

For the sushi roll itself

Pacific Sushi Nori (seaweed wrap)

Sushi rice

Sugar

Rice Vinegar

Salt

* To make the sushi rice I used this recipe, Mom's Sushi Rice.  Make sure you let the rice cool before you start making the rolls.

For Tempura Shrimp

1/2 pound of uncooked shrimp (peeled)

1 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

2 eggs (beaten)

Salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste
Vegetable oil

* Heat oil over medium high heat in a skillet.  Beat eggs in a small bowl.   Mix the panko, salt, pepper and red pepper together in another small bowl.  Dip shrimp in egg first then panko, and set on a plate until you are ready to fry.  Fry shrimp in vegetable oil for 3-5 minutes turning over half way through.  I also cut wedges of squash and zucchini to batter and fry for tempura veggies.  :)

For Snowcrab
12 oz. of Imitation crab (shredded)

1/2 cup of mayonnaise  

about 1 1/2 tablespoons of Sriracha sauce...depending on how spicy you like it.  I would start off slow, and add more to your liking.
1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar

*Mix all of the ingredients together, and let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

I know this isn't a great picture, but it's the only one I had.

 

Extras
Avocado
Cucumber shavings
Sesame seeds

To assemble

Lay seaweed paper over a sheet of clear wrap or bamboo mat.

*I didn't have a bamboo mat to roll the sushi with, but it wasn't hard to just use the clear wrap.  You can also use a heavy dish cloth under the clear wrap if you feel you need something to keep it stable.  If you do have a bamboo mat, wrap it in clear wrap before making your sushi rolls.  :)

Wet your hands, and press the cooled sushi rice on the seaweed paper.

Sprinkle some sesame seeds over the rice.  If you like the rice on the outside of the roll you can flip the paper and rice over at this point.  If you like the seaweed paper on the outside, then just place everything you want to stuff in the roll near the bottom of the little seaweed rectangle like so.... 

Next, begin rolling the sushi roll upwards.  You want to make sure you bring the bottom end a little past the ingredients on the inside and the pull it in tight.  Make sure you are squeezing the roll pretty tight while you are rolling.  You don't want it falling apart when you slice it into smaller pieces.  :)

Roll the clear wrap back down, and then finish rolling the sushi roll to the top.  When you finish, give it a few extra squeezes and then slice into smaller pieces.

Serve with soy sauce and wasabi!  :)  You can find Eel sauce at a lot of Asian markets, but we do not have one here in Lburg.  I'm going to search for a recipe soon.  If I find one I will let you know!

Enjoy!

-Cap

Resolutions and Granola Recipe

I'm not one to normally form New Year resolutions, but last year I set a goal to run a 10k without the use of an inhaler (I have the black lung AKA Asthma), and somehow... MIRACULOUSLY... I conquered it.  Afterwards, I cried in the middle of the street for what seemed like an hour, called everyone I knew to tell them the good news, and sent a letter to my doctor to thank him for making my lungs strong.  Asthma has been a serious struggle for the majority of my life and in 2012 I not only finished my first 10k, but also felt like I had finished my battle with Asthma.  So I set a new goal.  In 2013, I will run a half marathon.  

The bad news

I went for a check up the day after Christmas and found out my lungs are only using 45% of their capacity.  Normal is 100%, and I was at 100% LAST YEAR!!!!  Being the extremist that I am, I convinced myself that I was surely going to drop dead by the time I set foot outside of Dr. Menon's office.  I called Jason in a panic.  This is when being the wife of a medical student is really helpful.  He explained to me that while this sucks, I will still live to see Mosley grow into a mature puppy.  :)

Actually, he said something along the lines of "diffusion rate across albeolar capillaries".  Which translates to "No worries"  in  my head.  

Still, I don't like the idea of only functioning at 45%.  I am OBVIOUSLY dying to blame living in high altitudes for the change, and I am also struggling to resist the temptation of throwing a lengthy pity party.  Instead, I decided to keep the same New Year resolution.  At the very least, It will get me out of the house more.

What's your resolution?

We rang in the New Year during our 17 hour trek back to West Virginia... Specifically, between Chattanooga and Knoxville.  :)

For those of you who are making resolutions to eat healthy in 2013, I've got a wonderful recipe to share!  It's granola, and it is yummier and cheaper than the organic bagged stuff!  

Ingredients

4 cups old fashion oat meal

3/4 cup of oat bran

1/2 cup of flax seed meal 

3/4 cup of wheat germ (this is found in the cereal aisle at Walmart or a local health food store)

1 cup finely chopped almonds 

1 cup finely chopped pecans 

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/8 cup of maple syrup

1/3 cup of honey

1/2 cup of peanut oil

1/2 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract

1 cup of dried cranberries or 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips

*I purchase both the flax seed and oat bran from the organic section in Kroger, but any local health food store should carry it as well.  Also,  buy the bagged nuts that are in the baking section.  They are cheaper than the ones in the fruit in veggie area!

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, flax seed meal, almonds, and pecans in a large bowl.  Bring the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla to a boil over medium heat in a saucepan.

Pour the mixture over dry ingredients and stir to distribute evenly

Spread the mixture over the parchment paper and bake for about 20 minutes.  (I took my out and stirred once halfway through)

Once the granola is toasted and cooled you can add in the cranberries, chocolate chips or anything else you may like!  

Store in an air tight container.

I use the granola as cereal and also eat it for a snack throughout the day.

Hope you enjoy!

-Cap