Got apples?

Saturday morning I woke up to a dreary, rainy -> snowy (yes snow in October AHH!)  morning! I made the roomies some cinnamon apple whole wheat pancakes…

Apple Wheat Pancakes

While it was perfect day to curl up and watch lifetime … we had lots to do to get ready for our Halloween Pre-game Bash. The cleaning and cooking commenced. Heather made what I called “Peanut butter brownie oreo goodiness” haha Which is exactly that. She also whipped up fried apple dumplings using our freshly picked apples and chips using won ton wrappers! She’s amazing.  The chips were great with my famous pizza dip.  I got the recipe for pizza dip from my sister Chrissy and it has never failed!

Here is the recipe:

Bottom layer is 8oz of creme cheese spread evenly throughout pan
Layer of pizza sauce (small jar- I think I used Ragu)
Layer of diced pepperoni and onion
Topped with an entire bag of mozzarella shredded cheese

Baked on 450 for about 20 mins or until the cheese is melted

Serve with chips or french bread

Flavia made pigs in a blanket, and Janelle bought mozzarella sticks and chicken bites!

Halloween Goodiness... quite the indulgance!

It was a great time with a good bunch of friends! Everyone enjoyed the food, beer and spiked cider!!! We were all feeling good 🙂 oh yea and creepy crawly jello shots!

Happy Halloween Cheers!

Today I popped in Barnes and Noble during lunch and picked up Cooking with Trader Joes Cookbook-Skinny Dish. The recipes seem healthy, quick, and delicious. I spotted a recipe for Raspberry Applesauce. I figured it would be great to make considering I need to get rid of the apples, love raspberries, it is super easy to make and supposedly this recipe contains one-third the daily supply of sickness-fighting vitamin C. My throat has been killing all day!

Recipe calls for:

3 tart apples (unpeeled, cored, and cut into chunks)

2 cups of raspberries (frozen or fresh) -I used frozen because I usually keep a bag of  frozen in the freezer

1 tbsp of cinnamon

2 tbsp filtered water

THAT’S IT!

Cook and cover on medium-low heat for 15 mins or until apples are soft.

Janelle tried some and was wowed by the sweetness and the fact this required zero sugar!

 

Raspberry Applesauce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grab your bag and grab your coat…we are headed north!

October is an incredible month. I think we all agree, the leaves are changing, it’s perfect running weather, pumpkin spiced lattes  are in hand and other pumpkiny things are such a delite! PA is exceptionally beautiful  this time of the year.  It was time for my friend Flavia and I to take a trip back home to West Chester, PA for the weekend.

We left DC around 7:30pm to void some of the traffic… someee…(DC was just rated number 2 out of the top 10 cities with the worst traffic! Oh joy!).  We arrived around 10:30pm and were both a bit hungry.  I bought  Hodgson Mill Store Insta-Bake Whote Wheat Pancake Mix. I opened the fridge only to find.. dun dun nnnnn…Cinnamon Sugar Butterspread. I was not surprised my mother bought this. She and butter are BFF. I just didn’t know this existed! It paired perfectly with our whole wheat pancakes and syrup.

The next morning Flav and I did a few errands and grabbed a quick lunch. Then it was off to Highland Orchards to meet some of my sisters and their loved ones for apple picking! Lot of apples were on the ground already, and myself and the family were slipping and sliding everywhere. It was quite the site… poor baby John kept wiping out (it was kinda hilarious though!)

Gettin those apples!

Flav and I at Highland Orchards!

John picking apples!

We grabbed some hot cider along with apple cider donuts!! Chrissy and Patrick had us  all over for some grilled chicken, salad, and mac and cheese. Patrick poured some of his home brewed beer (Flav seemed to be a huge fan!) and the rest of the ladies opted for mulled apple wine (potent!). It was a nice time to catch up and relax.

Unfortunately, Amish country is not a happenin place on Sundays (we missed out on pumpkin cookies at Shady Maple– but probably for the best!) Flavia and I headed to Valley Forge Park for a scenic and historic bike ride. Neither of us had ridden a bike in years but it felt great to get moving and there were no injuries ;). After we headed to Iron Hill Brewery in town and had yummy harvest salad for lunch. Then it was back to DC for the work week. Now it is time to get cookin with all those apples!

Heads will roll… during a rainy run

I was 0ff offff offff… for a 6 mile run last night and pumped up Heads Will Roll-Remix by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Really fun song to run too and kinda appropriate for halloween! However, I was faced with an unexpected rain shower half way into the run. The rain felt good and hit at the right time as I struggled up Wilson Blvd from Rosslyn. Luckily, the endorphins kicked into full speed and I finished the run in 62 mins.

Friends, Fall, Flying down the streets

Fall is here!

Another week has commenced but let’s recap 2 weeks ago! It was not the best week of running for me. Major slack-age-I drug myself to the gym to run even  all week was having stomach pains. Luckily, Saturday I was better then ever and was able to enjoy the wine tour. (Seriously, wine > running!) My mother called around 9am with a voice mail “Coll it’s a bit early, you are probably out running! Call me! I found that book under your bed!” I giggled because little did she know, I had a mimosa in hand and was on a bus headed to three wineries!  It was really enjoyable, and I couldn’t have asked for better friends to go with! I guess I did get a little running in when we headed to Markoffs Haunted Forest in MD! Run for your life… scary trail. I may have broken Heathers wrist and dragged Chicko around like a ragdoll.

Sunday morning, I hosted a brunch with some of my best girl friends. It was quite lovely… lots of yummy food. I made a french toast souffle from Cooking light http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/french-toast-souffl-10000000222008/ (which was surprisingly very easy and tasty!). Heather made a delicious egg, cheese, and turkey sausage casserole, Ellen brought a brie cheese dip, and Sarah made a a festive snickers salad! There was some berries too-to make it seem kinda healthy. Ellen popped some of the berries in her mimosa hah! I made some of the pumpkin granola again for the girls to take home in a goody bag for a fall treat.

All in all it was a great time to catch up and a beautiful day. Afterwards, Heather and I took a little hike into the Donaldson Run trails. Definitely, needed to walk after all that food! Heather and I broke off and I embarked on my long run of 10 miles. Ran from Arlington, through Georgetown, across memorial bridge, up Roosevelt Island, tackled the hills in Rosslyn through Courthouse, Clarendon, and finally home sweet home. Heather was sweet and checked on me  during mile 9 with an “Are you okay?!” text-seeing as we left the house at 3:30 and I wasn’t back until 7:30. I was definitely hurting the next day but a good hurt! A wonderful weekend!

 

Fall Brunch!

Homemade pumpkin granola with dried pomegranate and sunflower kernels..nomm

Last night, I decompressed after work with a nice pumpkin ale and made some homemade pumpkin granola. No, I haven’t turned into a pumpkin yet! I got the recipe from http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/ blog! Here is the link  http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-granola/. I always find yummy things to make on here. I’m not going to lie, my apartment smelled amazing!!

 

Pumpkin Granola!

I substituted with a low sugar maple syrup and pomegranate crasins and the sunflower kernels… but you can mix what you like!

A brought a baggie in for Diana today at work. We are both trail mix fans so I thought this was something she would enjoy. She said, “it’s addictive and can’t wait to see what I mix up next!”

17 miles in last week.

I averaged 17 miles last week. Two 5 mile runs on the Custis trail practically in the dark, a Four Miler in Tennessee and a 3 miler when I got back to DC which went wrong. 😦

I have a lot coming up this weekend but hope to get some good runs in!

It’s Tuesday and I made pumpkin muffins…

Pumpkin Muffins

I have been wanting to try this recipe I found on Pinterest for awhile now.  Yesterday day I did some cooking and baking for the week on my lovely day off for Columbus Day. It is so simple and delightful! Mix canned pumpkin and cake mix (no eggs, no oil, no water) together and bake at 350 for 20-25 mins.  I added walnuts to top some of them off for a little crunch. I got good reviews at the office and not muffin was left by noon! YUM

BRRRR!! “I’d rather be baking and in slippers…”

…I admitted this to Sarah, around lunch time via gchat today. However, I ate way too many baked goods due to 3 different friends birthdays over the weekend (ohhh I don’t regret it!). Ps. I promise this is the last time I will complain about the weather this week…  While the humidity has waved goodbye the coldness has slapped me in the face! Another dreary day, where I would rather be taking a nap. However, I knew I needed to get a good run in tonight. Run off all the birthday treats and knowing the fact I have after work plans and Jackies wedding in Nashville this weekend. (I am bringing the shoes to Nashville!)

I went over the steps in my head to try and motivate myself to not jump in my pjs and watch some SVU.

Step 1- Get home (don’t sit down!)

Step 2-Get changed

Step 3-Put the running shoes on

Step 4-Pump up some music

Step 5-

 Just go… getting out the door is the hardest part

 

Tonight I ran 5 miles… in darkness… I almost busted out the flashlight application on my iPhone. But really, hello winter. The weather was actually perfect  running weather and I easily glided up the hills on the Custis Trail.

Breakfast: Plain oatmeal with a sprinkle of brown sugar and raspberries

Lunch: Chicken noddle soup

Honey greek yogurt

100 Cal roasted almonds

Snack: Banana

Dinner: Harvest Salad with Lemon Chicken-walnuts and cranberry toppings

1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt with frozen raspberries and table spoon of chocolate chips

 

Fall is here… Time to bust out the running (hot) pants!

BRRRR..A rainy yet eventful weekend of fun!

Yesterdays short 3 mile run in the rain and 49 degree weather… yuck!!! But must be thinking… what if I have to run the 13.1 miles in this for the Philly Half in November?!

Song to get me through the run: Miike Snow: Silvia Remix‘

Need to step up my game this week!