Charleston Chow

Last weekend, I drove down to Charleston, SC, where I met up with my parents for what turned out to be a very rejuvenating mini vacation. 

We saw the sights...

Pineapple fountain on a waterfront park (pineapple=symbol of hospitality)

 One of the McMansions we saw on a mule-drawn carriage tour of the town

A vigilant feline

Spring has sprung on Magnolia Plantation

A walk on the Cooper River Bridge

Typical cobblestone street in town

Either they were nuzzling, or the one on the right has fleas

We filled up on the local chow...

My first-ever creme brulee - at Blossom

Lunch at High Cotton...

Black-eyed pea hummus

 

Grilled salmon salad

My mom's fish cakes & zucchini fries

Fro-yo at FreshBerry: FreshBerry tart with mango, strawberries, and shredded coconut

Huevos rancheros for breakfast at the Hominy Grill - this may have been my favorite meal of the trip (note to self: recreate at home)

I tried some of my mom's shrimp and grits - a classic of their low-country fare - and was impressed.  Sounds weird, looks mushy, tastes great!

Although we did indulge in some decadent eats this weekend, we also spent most of both days logging some serious miles by walking around Charleston and exploring the extensive gardens and swamps at Magnolia Plantation.  My dad and I also hit up the mini-gym at our hotel for some higher intensity exercise.

That stationary bike'll get your heart pumping!

All of the food was delectable and it was so nice to get to spend some QT with the parents.  We really packed a lot in over the weekend but I still felt refreshed and ready to start my week.

Raw 'n' Run

This past week, I've had a renewed zest for healthy food and fitness.  It all started when I picked up a copy of Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet.  The author outlines a diet centered around raw, plant-based foods.  The overall goal of the diet is to maintain a 20/80 ratio of acidic to alkaline foods.  She explains that an alkaline system is ideal for optimal health and disease prevention (she treated her cancer with this lifestyle).  I'm only a few chapters in, but so far it's making a lot of sense.  Her diet is a bit too extreme for me - she suggests a raw, vegan diet - but she has some very useful ideas nonetheless.

I've been majorly upping the greens this week, which means plenty of my favorite Green Monster smoothies, salads, and other concoctions.

The obligatory Naked Green Machine

Impressive numbers, huh?

Green smoothie from Berrybrook Farm.  Basically like a fresh version of the Green Machine.

And to prove I sometimes eat/drink while not behind the wheel...

Tilapia, lightly breaded and baked, with whole wheat couscous and steamed asparagus

In other news, I finally went to Inside Out Sports last week to have a running expert help me find the best type of shoes for my shin splint issues.  I spent about 30 minutes trying on different shoes and running on the treadmill in the store, and finally left with a pair of Asics and a long mental list of tips.

New kicks

I've never tried Asics before, so hopefully they will be my key to pain-free running.  So far, so good.

Crunch Time

While waiting in line at Starbucks today, I was drawn to this jackpot clearance item:

A fancy box of Tazo tea... 6 teabags each of Zen, Awake, Passion, and Vanilla Rooibos.

It was time to get down to business.

At the moment, as you can see, I'm trying out Passion.  The disclaimer on the package reads, "True passion is intoxicating and invigorating, soothing and sensuous, mysterious and magical.  We just thought you should know what you're in for."  Clever.  It did not disappoint.

Apart from impulse purchases, the other item on today's agenda was homemade granola.  I roughly based my creation on a recipe from Whole Living for Granola Base.

3 cups oats
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
4 tbsp coconut
2 eggwhites
3/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup honey (plus a little extra - halving the recipe was tricky)
1/6 cup olive oil
3/4 cup dried cranberries


Preheat oven to 350.  Mix the oats, flaxseed, walnuts, and coconut in a mixing bowl.  Whisk the eggwhites and salt in another bowl until foamy, then add in the honey and olive oil.  Stir the eggwhite mixture into the oat mixture until the dry ingredients are uniformly moistened.

Spread in a lightly greased baking pan and bake for approximately 20 minutes.  After 10 and 15 minutes, stir the granola so it bakes evenly.  Remove when golden-brown.

I also let it sit in the warm oven (turned off) for a few extra minutes so it could dry out (I was eager).

When cool, stir in the cranberries.

I enjoyed a small cup of the granola as my dessert, and thought it tasted not unlike store-bought granola.  I thought the olive oil would ruin the taste but it didn't at all.  I'm pretty excited about this because there's usually some flavor in store-bought granola that I dislike (too often, it's the cinnamon and particular/too many nuts), but now I can customize it for myself.   

Almond milk action

Sweet & Spicy

It's happening.

Spring is in the air and I could not be more prepared for it.  I was even thinking about doing some "spring cleaning"  this weekend, but the relentless rainfall (another sign of spring!) put a damper on that plan. 

I owe my idea for tonight's dinner to a recipe tip from my mom.  It's very simple: bake a sweet potato and top it with seasoned black beans (I used the pre-seasoned variety), salsa, and sour cream.

This meal hit the spot and was very spicy, due to the salsa I picked up from Trader Joe's earlier today.  

I'm a salsa enthusiast and am always looking for new foods to enjoy it on.  Needless to say, I foresee a repeat of this meal in the next few days.