Make Room!

2,015 in 2015 Change Hounds progress: Nancy: 536.6 Aaron: 330.6 (b: 299.7; w: 30.9)  Elly: 102.6 Total: 969.8

Even though scheduled by accident, Rest Day was perfectly timed today as it was pouring all morning. I know we're getting it way less than other areas, though; I feel for you, flooded friends!!

Okay, so I have another gem from the kitchen, but it doesn't come without a bit of an explanation as to why the sudden re-interest in recipes and the such. It's like, right when my motivation to run took a low plateau, I re-energized in the recipe search. Can't I do both at the same time? Evidently not. But! I think I have figured out why ...


There's the kindergartener hard at
work. He can still spell all of these
words, by the way.

This is the only way I can explain it: When Pit Crew #2 was in kindergarten, one of the things we learned from her wonderful, fabulous teacher was that as a child learns a new concept, they may seem to 'forget' other things they've learned until the new concept becomes more formed and understood. It's like the brain pushes some stuff out to make room for new stuff, but it eventually lets the old stuff make a comeback.

I thought it was an interesting concept, but it didn't really apply to PC#2. Then, PC#3 came along, and we saw it in action. He didn't just seem to forget things; it was as though he'd never even learned the things we knew he'd forgotten. Eventually, everything caught up and equalized and we all breathed a sigh of relief and forgot about this phenomena until the ride started up again. It happened often, and Aaron and I were surprised almost every time until the ohhh, yeah ... that happens! hit us. Yeah, we're smart like that.

Anyway ...

This afternoon, I was working and mentally indulging myself in last night's dinner YUM wondering exactly why I have a rejuvenated interest in learning and seeking and creating in the kitchen when the aforementioned concept hit me. Only, of course, I reapply it as 'Evidently, I only have so much of this particular brand of energy (we'll call it the Personal Health energy) to use, so while I'm learning more about the fuel, I don't seem to have enough left to burn up the whole tank on running.'

Or, something like that.

Even if that's a complete and total load of crap, it makes absolute sense to me. That and remembering what the kindergarten teacher said was pretty cool. And, either the kindergarten concept is completely applicable, or I am not the super woman I often pretend to be. And, we know that's not the case, amiright?

Okay, so, even though I don't and never will don a cape, I'm thankful for those out there who are dedicated to writing recipes that fit the kind of fuel I'm looking for! The other night, I came across what turned out to be a gem, so I had to share. It's Southwest Chicken in the Crockpot (click to get it!), and this is it in my bowl from lunch ...

Plated on a bed of quinoa and topped with a plop of plain
Greek yogurt ... CHOMP.

... before I devoured it alongside a serving of those fantastic lavash bread chips.

Here's the deal: I am not a big fan of white meat chicken. Generally, unless something fantastic is done to it, I find it dry and/or bland. Unfortunately, 'something fantastic' usually means 'something rather unhealthy'. This recipe totally did it for me in the healthy way!

The chicken goes in the crockpot thawed but raw*. I cut the breasts into pieces no larger than you'd find chicken fingers to help the seasonings permeate. And, after it cooked, I broke it all up and let it go for almost another hour to really let it soak in the flavors. It totally worked, and the request has already been put in for us to have it again! NO PROBLEM!

* Am I the only one who hates getting excited about a crockpot recipe only to find out everything needs to be cooked and/or otherwise prepared before it sits in the pot? For real; I hate that.

Want a new, super-easy, super-delicious meal? Click above, and go for it! The picture on the website is way prettier than what came out of my crockpot, but whatever. It was tasty! Oh, and mine seemed just a bit runny to put on a plate even with the quinoa, so I sprinkled about a quarter teaspoon of glucomannan and stirred which totally soaked up enough of the water to keep the dish from being runny!

We already can't wait to have it again ... until we've had it so many times we get sick of it then forget it ever existed.

From the kitchen today to the street tomorrow!! I'll see you after the morning run!