Post-Race Brunch: The Heights

I am not a morning person.  Not at all.  If I'm going to wake up before 8 am there had better be a good reason like "if you don't get up and go to work, eventually you will be fired" or "if you don't get up and go to the airport, you will miss your flight to Miami" or "if you get up now you can have peanut butter, run 5 miles, and then have brunch."  

Pre-race fuel.

We found a stowaway in MG's gym bag. 

Sadly, he wasn't registered, so we had to leave him at home.

This morning involved the last.  MG and several of our friends and I ran the Navy 5 Miler around the Pentagon.  It was my first race of the fall season (I have 4 more to go), and it was great!  For the first time, I really felt ready for a race.  I've run a few races now, and generally I feel like I *can* do it, but not that I'm necessarily as prepared as I could/should be.  But this was probably the first race I've ever run where I felt like I was truly ready.

He loves it when I force him to pose for pictures at 6:15 a.m.

Despite some threat of rain in the forecast, the weather held, and although the humidity was less than desirable, overall we had good weather.  I was really proud of how well the race went for me.  I achieved my goal and ran a PR, and felt good throughout the race, despite not being very good at operating my watch or keeping an eye out for mile markers. 

Afterwards we came back, took showers (and had a much needed cup of coffee) and then headed out to a restaurant in our neighborhood for brunch.  Despite being a stone's throw away, I'd still never been to the Heights, so we decided that we'd take advantage of the weather and enjoy our breakfasts and beverages on their patio.

I treated myself to a Bloody Mary (my favorite drink, and not just because it comes with olives to snack on) and MG had a Bell's beer (I can't remember what kind).

 

Celebrating one race down!

For brunch I ordered the spinach, tomato and zucchini benedict, which came with an awesome spicy tomato sauce (I do not like Hollandaise).  

One of the better Benedicts I've had, and I do consider myself a connoisseur.

MG ordered the huevos motulenos, which was an awesome combination of black beans, chicken, plantains and avocado, with two eggs any style on top.  Although my dish was really delicious, after I had a bite of MG's I had a little bit of buyer's remorse.  I should have known that anything with "plaintains" in the ingredient list would be the best choice.  But, there will be a next time :)

If you look carefully, you can see a plantain peeking out from under the eggs.

We shared home fries and fruit salad - I wasn't impressed with the home fries, they were a little soggy and didn't have a lot of flavor.  The ones at Busboys and Poets are definitely better.  

Melon.

Although I'll probably need a nap later, it's always exciting to feel so accomplished (and so contentedly full) before noon on a Sunday!  Totally worth the early morning alarm.  

Early Edition: Almond Joy Oatmeal

Now that the weather is cooling off, I'm starting to eat more oatmeal for breakfast.  I love oatmeal, but during the summer I usually prefer cereal with cold milk to beat the heat.  I'm excited to be breaking out the Quaker again, though, and I've been finding a lot of oatmeal recipe ideas from some of the blogs I follow.

During the week, I normally have my oatmeal with 1/2 a banana, some peanut butter, chia seeds, and lately, pumpkin puree.  But weekends are for being decadent, right?  So this weekend I decided to surprise MG with oatmeal based on one of his favorite candies: Almond Joy.

Using some great inspiration from Chocolate Covered Katie (check her out!) on how to turn oatmeal into a delicious morning sweet treat, here's what I came up with:

Makes 1 serving

1/2 cup Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal
1/2 cup almond or skim milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 banana, cut up
1 tbsp slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
1 tbsp shaved coconut flakes
1/2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp chia seeds
sweetener to taste (1 packet of stevia in mine, 2 tsp brown sugar in MGs)

The night before:
Mix the oats, milk, water, cocoa powder, extracts and banana in a bowl.  Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When you wake up:
Remove the plastic wrap and microwave the bowls for about 3 - 3.5 minutes (keep an eye on them so the oatmeal doesn't overflow!)  Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a small skillet over medium heat.  When the oatmeal is hot and thickened, add sweetener, if desired.  Finally, top with the almonds, coconut, chocolate chips and chia seeds.

Enjoy a delicious coconutty, chocolately morning!

One satisfied customer.

Breakfast for Dinner: Huevos Rancheros

I love breakfast. I enjoy the meal (as in, waking up, making myself a cup of coffee and having something to eat while I read the news/emails) and I enjoy the food (as in, breakfast food! Pancakes, cereal, bagels, etc). I usually don't have time during the week to have more than a bowl of cereal/oatmeal or toast with peanut butter and some fruit. I'm not complaining, because I have a deep, devoted love of cereal, oatmeal and all things peanut butter-related.

However, for more complex breakfasts, like pancakes or eggs, I usually have to wait for the weekend. And when I can't wait for the weekend...brinner!!

Breakfast for dinner. Best invention ever. We actually had brinner twice this week - on Sunday we had blueberry pancakes and tonight: huevos rancheros!

MG whipped this up while I was at the gym - he reports that it was super quick and easy to make.  And I can happily report that it was delicious and filling and exactly what I was looking for.

Making the sauce, with fire-roasted tomatoes and green chiles.

He used this great recipe from Simply Recipes (minus cilantro, of course), seasoned some black beans with garlic powder, cumin and cayenne, and mashed up an avocado to go on the side. Also, props to him for cooking my eggs-over-easy *perfectly* (especially since they aren't his favorite way to eat them).

Key element.

Nothing like enjoying breakfast with the knowledge that in less than 12 hours, you get to enjoy it again. With a hot cup of coffee.

Instant Oatmeal Makeover

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but if you're in DC (or anywhere else on the eastern half of the country) it's pretty nasty.  MG and I have post-work dinner plans tonight, so we got up early for a run.  Considering that it was 80 degrees already at 6 a.m. when we got up and the humidity was through the roof, it was not an easy run, to say the least.  When we got back I wanted something filling but quick for breakfast, and despite the heat, oatmeal fit the bill.

I had two packets of instant "fruit and cream" oatmeal left, which seemed like a easy way to go.  I find, however, that the instant stuff isn't nearly as filling, delicious, or healthy (in terms of fiber and protein) as the real stuff, so some modifications were in order.

I selected the peaches and cream flavor and cooked it up to my liking.  Then I topped it with a tablespoon of fat-free Greek yogurt, a tablespoon of chopped walnuts, and half a cup of fresh papaya.  Fantastic!  The Greek yogurt melted and combined with the "cream" in the oatmeal and achieved a wonderful sweet cheesiness that almost reminded me of the sweet cheese filling in fruit blintzes.  (If you haven't had a blintz, I recommend remedying that, ideally with a trip to Katz's Deli in Manhattan.  More on that later).  That, plus the sweet tropical flavor of the papaya and crunch of the walnuts made for a tasty and filling breakfast, and my additions helped boost the protein and fiber.

Mmmm, creamy, crunchy goodness.

We're off to have Belgian food and beer for dinner, assuming we don't melt on the way there.  Stay cool, everyone!