While it may seem like I’ve disappeared from the blogosphere, Run DMT is still going strong!
Your favorite Tampa Bay mom on the run is still running, concocting recipes, sharing race recaps and writing product reviews.
Keep up the pace and read all the fun Run DMT adventures over at www.deniseisrundmt.com.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you on the flip side!
After a month of trying not to overindulge, I feel like it was a losing battle. I feel so bloated, globby and lumpy much like the Lumpy Space Princess from Adventiure Time. “Oh my glob! Don’t be hating on my lumps!”
But I truly hate the lumpiness. Maybe it’s because I’ve been unable to run for two weeks due to a nasty chest cold and I’ve not been able to burn the extra unhealthy calories. 
Well, the party is over! The sweets and globiness have got to go! It’s time to get back on the healthy track again; time to cut back on the carbs and attempt to eat better again.
A commitment to healthy eating again starts on Day 1 with our traditional New Year’s meal, a pot of lentil soup. This tradition was passed onto my mom by her best friend. Supposedly, lentil represent coins and with a bit of green such as spinach, it brings a promise of wealth in the new year. Also in the way of tradition, we eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, a Spanish custom that promises a month of good fortune with each grape. Hey, I’ll take all the good luck I can get!
And thankfully, Publix still has lots of wonderful veggies, fish and legumes on sale to help with the healthy and wealthy part of our resolutions and commitments. Saving pennies means keeping pennies in my pocket while keeping the calories and carbs off my plate.
S – Lamb Curry (still lots of leftovers in the freezer from Christmas)
M – Lentil and Spinach Soup with Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini Salad
T – Sweet Potato Crusted Tilapia with Fingerling Roasted Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
W – Skinnytaste’s Chicken Rollatini Stuffed with Zucchini and Mozzarella with Mashed Cauliflower
Th – Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas
F – Dinner out
Here’s to lots of luck, health, wealth and good fortune to you and yours in 2013!
What things are you cooking up this week? Are you eating less carbs too? Link up and share the delicious dishes you are pinning and planning to serve this week.
Plan your menu for the week and if you have some favorite food pins, add those too. Then, link up and share your post. If you’re not on Pinterest, send me an email and I’ll send you an invite.
Like most toddler boys, Little Lion Man is obsessed with trains. Although when my oldest daughter was his age, she loved trains too. In fact, because she loved Thomas and trains so much, we saw The Polar Express in the cinema when she was close to his age, however, she was a timid toddler and a few of the scenes frightened her.
But it didn’t frighten my Little Lion Man. He hollered out, “Whoa!” when he watched the Polar Express cascade down the mountainside like a roller coaster.
Since Little Lion Man loves locomotives, we boarded the 7 ½ gauge CP&G Railroad at Crews Lakes Wilderness Park for a ride on the Christmas Train to the “North Pole”. When Little Lion Man spotted the little engine chugging down the track, he had a similar reaction to The Polar Express. “Whoa! Mama, it’s a train!”
Winding along tracks through the woods, reminded me of a similar train in England years ago. On that train ride long ago, Allana met my friend, Suzie, her mum and Father Christmas.
But I digress.
Over the track and through the woods to Santa Claus we go went, but Little Lion Man wanted nothing to do with the big man in red. He preferred to watch the trains arriving at the station.
After a quick photo opportunity and an even quicker word with Santa to remind him of the toys to bring, we were back on our way home.
At the end of the day, that little train ride brought a great deal of joy to one little boy.
And the rest of us had fun too.
Merry Christmas!
What Christmas music is moving you this season?
Visit Xmas Dolly and Jade Louise Designs for more Music Monday.
Honestly, I wasn’t going to post a Pinning and Planning post since two days of this week’s menu would be consumed with Christmas dinners. But then I had a thought that perhaps my readers would want to see what Allan and I had planned for our Christmas dinners.
We spend Christmas Eve with my family which is typically a meatless meat per my mom’s request. It’s an Italian-American Catholic thing. Over the years, Allan has slowly added some meat dishes into the mix (chicken cutlets or Italian sausage) and no one has complained, although my mom, my sister and I still elect to remain meatless. (Some really rude joke come to mind. Keep it clean, guys! lol)
Growing up, our meatless Christmas Eve meals consisted on shrimp marinara, but Allan isn’t the biggest fan of shrimp and so years ago, he decided to serve eggplant parmesan. Now fifteen years later, everyone expects the dish on Christmas Eve. No lie, Iron Chef Allan makes the most delicious eggplant parmesan and I can’t stomach restaurant eggplant parmesan anymore. I’m always disappointed because it doesn’t taste as good as Allan’s, which really is a thing of beauty and I’ll have to post a photo of it for you.
Of course, there is nothing light about Allan’s eggplant parmesan and you could probably bake the eggplant to save on calories and fat, but it’s Christmas and Christmas calories don’t count, right? It’s a Christmas miracle! Thank you, Baby Jesus!
We serve our eggplant parmesan with spaghetti topped with marinara sauce and there’s always a huge tossed salad. So, those who are concerned with calories can pass on the parmesan and save room for the Yule log cake Allan always bakes (another photo worthy masterpiece). My oldest daughter has requested cheesecake too.
On Christmas Day, we’re entertaining Allan’s family and for the Taylor Clan, Iron Chef Allan will prepare a somewhat traditional British Christmas dinner of roast lamb and a small turkey with all the trimmings, potatoes and stuffing. His family loves Brussels sprouts so I think I’m going to try my hand at Healthy Homemade’s Brussels sprouts because she promises that her recipe will make the pickiest person a fan. There will also be roasted parsnips and mince pies for dessert.
The food fest continues the next day with Boxing Day. Iron Chef Allan always prepares huge sweaty British breakfast complete with scrambled eggs, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, fried bread, baked beans, potatoes and English breakfast sausages.
Since the Day-After Turkey Soup was such a hit in our house will eat that for dinner on Boxing Day, if we have any room for food.
I imagine it’s going to be a week of yummy leftovers. I can be healthy again when January first rolls around next week.
S – Eggplant Parmesan with Pasta Marinara and Salad and Yule log for dessert
M – Roast Turkey and Lamb with Mashed Potatoes, Sage Stuffing, Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Glazed Winter Veggies, Parmesan Asparagus and Mince Pie for dessert
T – Sweaty Breakfast and Day-After Turkey Soup for dinner
W – Leftovers
Th – Leftovers
F – Pizza
What things are you cooking up for Christmas and the rest of the week? Will it be a lotf of leftovers for you too? Link up and share the delicious dishes you are pinning and planning to serve this week.
Plan your menu for the week and if you have some favorite food pins, add those too. Then, link up and share your post. If you’re not on Pinterest, send me an email and I’ll send you an invite.
When I planned this week’s menu, I was craving this soup. Maybe with all the icky, sick germs in my house, my body needed the immune-building homemade penicillin that chicken soup always seems to provide.
I first found this ridiculous easy recipe in Rachel Ray Every Day, but over the years, I’ve tweaked it a bit by finding a way to reduce the fat without losing all the creaminess. I also use less gnocchi than the original recipe.
It’s been a while since I last made it, but one taste and I remembered how much I love it and it’s always a hit with the family too.
With the nasty cold weather expected this weekend, bundle up and stay warm and then get this soup started for dinner tonight. With this soup, you can prepare it ahead of time and then throw the gnocchi in just before you serve it. The leftovers reheat and freeze nicely too, so you’ll have it for another cold, winter day.
Leeky, Creamy Chicken and Dumpling Soup
(Adapted from Rachel Ray)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, white and tender green parts split lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
5 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup non-fat milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into small chunks
1 package gnocchi
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 Tbsp dry sherry
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery and bay leaf and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the cream and milk, lower the heat and simmer until the soup bubbles at the edges.
Add cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken and gnocchi and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and sherry. Serve hot.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Thanks for joining our weekly Friday Food Fight! Can’t wait to see what everyone is flinging this week!
While here, don’t forget to toss some cookies at The Ultimate Virtual Christmas Cookie Swap!
*Also submitted at*
When my sister and I attended a showing of Holiday Inn last year, the Tampa Theatre instantly became a new Christmas pastime. This year, I enjoyed the new holiday tradition with my girls when we were invited to attend The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Since the 1920s, the magnificent Tampa Theatre has been entertaining and dazzling audiences for generations and my daughters were no exception. With its gorgeous Mediterranean style décor, they felt like princesses strolling through a starry-lit castle.
The royal red carpet treatment continued when my princesses chose balcony seats. They loved experiencing the sights and sounds of a movie from new heights.
Just like in its early days, an organist serenades the audience before the featured presentation. For an extra special treat, Mrs. Claus made a guest appearance and shared stories with the audience.
To pay tribute to a golden era gone-by, the organist led the audience in a few sing-a-longs before the featured presentation.
Before the movie started, I slipped away to the concession stand for the usual cinema snacks of popcorn and soft drinks, but the Tampa Theatre also serves non-traditional libations such as beer and wine. While at the concession stand, I spotted a vintage replica blown glass ornament of the famous flashing Tampa Theatre marquis. Since the proceeds of the ornament benefit the restoration and maintenance of the theatre, I added an ornament to my popcorn and beer tab.
As for The Muppet Christmas Carol, I had never seen the film before, so it added an element of something new for all of us. Although the sound had some technical difficulties (which is completely understandable for a theatre nearly a century old), we still enjoyed the movie. Michael Caine made the perfect Scrooge and the Muppets delivered all the musical, silly, loving charm would expect from any Muppet movie.
My girls loved the movie, but the beauty and overall experience of the Tampa Theatre makes any movie even more magical.
“Each December, the Theatre offers a Holiday Classics Movie Series on the big screen, with the opportunity to sing along to carols with the Mighty Wurlitzer organ before each show, in the unmatched elegance of the city’s historic movie palace. Tickets for the Holiday Classics Movie Series are $9 for adults and $7 for children, seniors, military and Tampa Theatre members at the box office, or online at TampaTheatre.org ($2 convenience fee applies).”
*My family and I received a tour of the Tampa Theatre and tickets to The Muppet Christmas Carol in exchange for my honest review. My opinions and love for the Tampa Theatre are real and my own.*
When I registered for the Holiday Halfathon earlier in the year, I had no intention to aim for a PR. With these plantar fasciitis feet, my PR days are gone, however, I expected to beat my time from three years ago. Since I was pregnant, I could totally redeem that time even with bad heels.
Being a stunner runner, my attire is crucial next to the training. Chrissy, Maribel and I wanted to match, so we decided on homemade tutus with striped furry stockings and a red wicking running shirt. I added a little sequined clip-on Santa hat to my ensemble to finish my sporty Santa Baby look.
Lots of our Strider friends were also at this race as well as many of my runner blogger friends, Katrina of Sneakers and Fingerpaints and Beth of Discom-BOB-ulated Running. Everybody looked so festive in their holiday attire.
About 4 miles into the race, I was dying from a heat stroke. Usually, December races are cooler, but with the warmer weather, overcast and humidity, it felt like we were running in a Santa sauna. I haven’t exposed my post-pregnancy belly in a sports bra in public, but I didn’t care. I stripped off that shirt faster than a Catholic school girl at a frat party and then, I rolled down my cute striped socks.
Although Chrissy had been suffering from a sinus infection, she looked like a rock star out there. She showed those bridges that she was the boss and she smiled the whole time.
The bridges were another reason I didn’t anticipate a PR. I didn’t even want to push myself on that course. I just wanted to finish better than I did three years ago.
Between the bridges and the heat, I needed to walk a large portion of the course. Another runner on the course ridiculed Chrissy and I every time we walked the course. John teased us about our tutus and socks having superpowers, but I don’t think so. Those furry striped socks were my kryptonite!
Eventually, Chrissy and I caught up to Marie who was struggling due to a nasty bronchial infection. Poor thing! You know speedy little Marie is not up to par if she’s pacing with me.
Even with all the bridges, that last mile had to be the toughest for me. We ran for a short distance on a sidewalk and then final half mile led us along a sandy, soft uneven trail covered with pine needles. It was difficult to judge my footing and I stumbled a few times. I decided to walk the trail and then I ran the last stretch to the finish line. I suppose my tutu did give me some superpowers because I saved a sprint just for John. I finished a few seconds before him and I beat my time from three years ago by nearly 30 minutes!
13.1 miles
Gun Time 2:26:55
Chip Time 2:26:36
Ave Pace 11:13
We lost Maribel early in the race, but after we crossed the finish line, we all ran back to meet her. The week prior to the race, her knee had been giving her a lot of grief and now, Maribel was really hurting. When she spotted us, her spirits lifted and she sprinted the final stretch of her first half marathon. Once past the finish line, we all cried in a huddled, blubbering mess for Maribel and everyone’s accomplishments and then we helped poor Maribel hobble over to the picnic tables to ice her knee.
Poor sick speedy Marie could barely talk.
I just wanted JM’s cookie cake beer.
At the post-race party, I found Jina of Behold the Turtle and we posed for a quick photo. I loved her reindeer shirt! As you can see, I was still so hot after the race and I was looking real hot in my white, very see through sports bra. Yep, I’m a classy act. Thank goodness for Cliff Shots covering my ta-tas like pasties!
I am so making Santa’s naughty list this year.
Thirteen years ago, I was teaching at an elementary school is a migrant community. After the Columbine shooting, my school district put lockdown drills into place. We practiced those drills along with fire drills and tornado drills.
Sometime after that, the lockdown drill became a reality when a person ran through our school’s soccer field wielding a gun and shots were fired. We (the teachers) had to turn off our lights and hide with our students in our classrooms. We had to be brave for our students. We had to protect them and these students came from horrible homes and probably saw this type of thing regularly. School was their safe place, but not that day.
As an educator, I can’t even imagine how the teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School felt that fateful Friday last week. I can’t even imagine what went through their minds as they tried to be brave and protect their students who thought school was their safe place. As parent, I just want to hold my babies and never let go.
God bless the teachers, the survivors and the families as they deal with their loss. Hopefully, schools can be safe places again and maybe the powers that be will make common sense gun control as common place as lockdowns.
Also thirteen years ago, I married my best friend. It’s been a crazy, mad wild ride but I wouldn’t change one day of it, especially since my husband still has a few surprises up his sleeve. He bought me this mirror from IKEA that I’d been eyeing for the longest time and wrote a message on it that says, “Denise, Happy Anniversary. You are beautiful and I love you. xxxx ♥ ♥”
His present is…er…um….on backorder. Yep, that’s it!
Speaking of surprises, my husband pulled a doozy on me yesterday. He high jacked my email and contacted Joe of 10 News to ask if he would to announce our anniversary on the air during our Moms Squad segment. Watch it here and check out my totally surprised expression at the end.
On the subject of the Mom Squad, Joe has asked Marisa, Jenny and me to be his regular team every week, so we are officially The Mom Squad, which of course means we need our own coffee mugs since we’re part talk show television. Plus, if I was holding a coffee mug, it would keep me from speaking with my hands. Here’s last week segment.
I’m really struggling mentally with my marathon training. I’m just so tired lately and as a result, my training is suffering. Then, the Holiday Half didn’t go so well, but at least I beat my time from 3 years ago which shouldn’t been hard to do since I was pregnant then. (More about the Holiday Half tomorrow!)
I had a really tough time recovering after the half marathon. On Sunday I woke up with this horrible Charlie horse in my thigh I know it’s a direct result from not fueling properly after the race. Other than a few beers, I didn’t drink any of my usual recovery drinks such as chocolate milk or coconut and I didn’t eat for hours after the race. Stupid move, I know and I definitely paid for it in the middle of the night.
Since my Mondays are Mom Squad days, I’ve also had to readjust my whole marathon training schedule. But given the whole Charlie horse episode, I also decided against speedwork last week and just went for an easy 3 mile run.
3.1 miles
Time 31:25
Ave Pace 10:08
Max Pace 8:08
And that was the last time I ran last week, except for my 20 miler on Saturday. Again, not my proudest marathon training moment, but it happens. Last week was a really tough week for me emotionally and my training suffered. I honestly considered postponing my 20 miler until the following week, but my running partners talked me into it. Sometimes peer pressure does have its benefits.
So, I ran I went into my 20 miler with only 3 miles recorded that week and I was dreading it. I feared the worst and I warned my running partners that I would be all piss and vinegar and cussing up a storm.
After 5 miles, I had this weird pain in the top of my foot, like my shoelaces were too tight. I tried to loosen them but things still hurt. Overall it wasn’t my best, but we finished just under 4 hours and I could walk afterwards. 20 miles in the books! And even with all those weird foot pains, I found the energy to do a 5-10-15-20 dance with my running partners.
20 miles
Time 3:56: 35
Ave Pace 11:50
Max Pace 8:07
Today, I decided against speedwork but elected to do a 4 mile tempo run. I even threw some sprints in at the end.
4.25 miles
Time 40:46
Ave Pace 9:36
Max Pace 6:47 (0.25 sprint – 7:33)
According to variety of plans I’m following to make up my hybrid plan, this week is a step-back week to 12. I like the sound of that distance.
What’s you running plans for the week? Got some sprints to share? What other work-outs are you doing?
I am excited to announce a new Track Tuesday co-host! Meghan of runMeganrun will be joining me on the track for weekly speedwork. The “rules” are still the same, so link up and play along with us.
To join our Track Tuesday linky party, do your speed work (at least 4 quarter mile sprints) on Tuesday or any day you that works best for you, blog about your times and remember to add our cool Track Tuesday button to your post. Then, link up your post at either runMeganrun or Run DMT to share Track Tuesday Speed Work Sessions. To show support for our other virtual running partners on the Track Tuesday Team, be sure to visit the other blogs listed in the linky party. Give them a virtual high-five and leave some comment love too.
*Also linking up at*
With Christmas only 10 days away and one more week of school left full of holiday children’s parties and playdates, I was already feeling a little overwhelmed. Then, the horrific events at Sandy Hook Elementary unfolded and everything seemed so trivial.
Though I’m finding it difficult to focus, I need to be here for my family. I need to keep on running, planning dinners and play dates to keep things as normal as possible for my family. I need to keep the magic and joy in Christmas. And each of us needs to hug our babies a little tighter.
S – Leeky, Creamy Chicken and Dumpling Stoup
M – Sautéed Tilapia with Lemon and Capers on a bed of couscous
T – Anniversary Dinner
W – Cumin Lime Zucchini Quesadillas
Th – Chicken Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes Ravioli (BOGO this week at Publix)
F – Pizza
What things are you cooking up this week? Link up and share the delicious dishes you are pinning and planning to serve this week.
Plan your menu for the week and if you have some favorite food pins, add those too. Then, link up and share your post. If you’re not on Pinterest, send me an email and I’ll send you an invite.
Run DMT 