Monthly Archives: February 2012

Making Bread and Stuff

By Posted in Food Tagged , , , , 11 Comments

I prefer to think that I am of the simple cooking type.  If it doesn’t take about 2 minutes to cook up and has less than 5 ingredients then it’s my type of recipe.  If it’s too complicated-forget about it.  If it takes me starting 4 hours before…about that…

That’s why when my running friend wanted to make break (just call him the bread master) I was like uh…do you know me?

But a girl had to carb load for my long run of 10 miles last Sunday and well he had ski things to eat bread for and boys can eat bread whenever they want. 

Keep in mind this a very simple recipe because that is all I can handle but it’s good and easy.  So if you are like me and think you suck at cooking (well I know I do) then here ya go:

It yields 3 loafs of bread (I’ve already eaten two and I’m not joking in the slightest).

If I show you a photo of the product beforehand, you'll believe that we really were successful.

Ingredients:

3 cups warm water (this is important, it must be warm!)

2 packages active dry yeast

1/4 cup honey

5 cups bread flour (I used wheat bread flour)

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon salt

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

  1. Mix warm water, yeast, and honey. Add 5 cups bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 45 minutes, or until big and bubbly.  ‘
  2. Mix in 4 tablespoons melted butter and salt. Stir in 2 cups wheat flour.
  3. Using the other 1 cup of wheat flour, flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky – just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch.

*This may take more flour.

  1. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
  2. Divide into 3 loaves and put into 9X5 pans.  You must allow it to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes; do not overbake.

Then eat it and all and prepare for your next race or save it for later I guess.

Question for you: What is your favorite bread recipe?  I’m hooked on making it so give me more.  ;)

BMI Scale.

By Posted in Reads Tagged , , , 31 Comments

I had to write a whole paper on my thoughts of BMI.  As we all know in the health conscious would, BMI is such a controversial issue, I mean who wants to be classified in an overweight/obese/morbid obese or even the underweight category.  Sadly-the MAJORITY of the population does not fall under the health conscious category. 

If you don’t know your BMI-I would suggest going here and following the oh so difficult directions.

But let’s continue.   I am going to step on a lot of toes here and honestly, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest.  I think the BMI test is good and a good baseline for the majority of the population.  

I asked the question on several occasions via twitter and my facebook.  In my own primary research, I had 34 people answer.  I had 32 say that they thought it was a terrible measure. 

So that leaves me with two people that had a similar opinion as mine.

First, the biggest complaint people have about BMI is that it doesn’t take into account the muscle mass versus fat.  While this is very true, there isn’t a lot of society this covers and I will vouch that that they will always be in the minority.  Sure it covers athletes and just generally muscular and big boned people but having a BMI of 20.2 is not any better than having a BMI of 22.2.  It’s just a range.  Similar to having a weight of 121 or 120.8…it does not matter.

Let me back myself up here.  In our society, there are NOT very many people who fall under the category of being “overweight” on the BMI scale due to muscle.  If they do-they are very muscular to begin with and are already health conscious so are not going to see a 25 on the BMI scale and say to themselves-weird-I’ve really got to lose this extra fat that I didn’t know I had.

Furthermore, we are NEVER EVER EVER going to find a universal method to calculate what is the right amount of body fat for the right body.  Every single person stores fat differently.  I could weigh 120 pounds and have an ass bigger than someone who weighs 150 pounds.  Life happens, our genes are different. 

BMI is just a starting point for many people (keep in mind two-thirds of the American population is overweight or obese).  People with a BMI (muscle or fat composition) between 18.9-24.5 have been shown to be less susceptible to health risks.  Further  tests also have to be done to determine where you store your fat and all that jazz. 

In summary,  BMI testing is a good baseline.  It does not determine how healthy you are.  It is a good baseline for the MAJORITY of the American population who are overweight or obese.

Question for you: Let’s chat about BMI.  Thoughts/comments? 

Weekly Training Session Love

By Posted in Running, Swimming Tagged , , , , 19 Comments

I must tell you-I’ve just had nothing to say.  Oh well-I’m over it.  These few days of break have been nice for me and I’m not going to ramble around if I don’t have at least some sort of idea or inspiration.   Anyways-Sunday’s are my training recap days and honestly one of my favorite blogs to write (if for anyone-me personally).
This week has been REALLY successful.  Really really really successful-in regards to running.

ALL and I repeat ALL of my miles have been knee pain free.  This makes me extremely happy because this isn’t what they were expecting at all.  In all honesty, the doctors were expecting for my knee to not be at the level of tolerance it is now until June or July.

So I have been an extremely good (busy but good) mood.

Stats of the week:

Running: 47 miles (all easy)

My runs right now (as stated last week) are not focused on speed or anything.   Just easy base building miles (which has been my mantra all along).

Arctrainer: 6 hours (as my miles go up, this will go down)

Weights:  2 sessions (I am currently testing the waters again to see how my arm reacts.  I’ve lost a lot of arm muscle/strength sadly)

Core work: 4 sessions (I’m actually quite proud of this one)

Swimming: (YES real life here) 3000 yards

I decided to go swim today.  My coach has recommended it, to get off my legs some more and get some bonus cardio in.   It honestly felt really good to get back in the pool and I’ll be trying to make a weekly habit of this.  Trying being the key word.

Moving on to next week

Running: between 45-52 miles

Weights/Core sessions: Preferably I’d like to continue working core and making it strong and start building back my arm muscle that I lost all of last month (which yes I lost a lot of muscle…go figure with a broken arm).

Cross Training:  Swimming and Arcing are when I can fit them in now.  They are becoming secondary to running.  As my mileage goes up, my cross training goes down.  It’s still there but I don’t plan it too much.  J

My next “race per say” is the Shamrock half marathon on March 18th in VA Beach.  Orignally before all my injuries, this was the race I had planned to PR.   I was going to go under 90 minutes and train hard for it.  Well life happened, I broke my arm, had knee problems so took a month or so OFF of running.  It was the greatest choice for me, and I’ve now just getting back into running shape.  There are plenty of halves for me to do this year , so this one is reserved for testing out the waters and not getting my panties in a bunch.   Will I try extremely hard?  Yes of course.  Will I cry if it’s not a PR?  No.  It’s all about timing.  :)

Question for you: Tell me about your training.   I love to hear how ya’ll are working out! 

Fisher Cats!

By Posted in Uncategorized Tagged , , , 24 Comments

It’s Wednesday (yo).  I really do use the “word” yo to pretend I’m badass or something like that.  I honestly have no idea what to talk about so I just wrote a variety of sentences together that don’t flow all numbered and add some photos.  If you know me in real life-you know that’s how my mind works.

Most of you know it’s lent.  I gave up gas station coffee for lent.  Mind over matter.   I’m not going into religion on my blog-I’m just informing you, this will probably be moderately difficult for me.  I will probably not mention it again but if you want to check up on me, feel free to email.  :) I’m also going to throw out that my biggest pet peeve is people who use lent for a diet that aren’t even religious.

*Okay really I’m done.

  1. I lifted weights yesterday for the first time.  Lower resistance than when I could before my arm, but boy did it feel goooood.
  2. My running is coming along nicely this week.  I’m still sticking to easy runs, and we all know I could write a small novel on how UNTIMED easy runs have benefited me.   I’m really starting to get back into the grove which means I don’t have an excuse to not work my core either.  So there coach.  ;)
  3. Potsdam weather has been the bomb.com.  It’s been 30 or so degrees but warm.
  4. Finally to actually hit why I titled my blog as so, my housemate and I discovered a family of fishers “cats” in an abandon foundation near my house.  (by near I mean it’s across the road).

This is what google provided me when learning more about them

Also- you have any questions for cooking with your main girl, the next edition will feature some questions about pancake making.  Leave them here or formspring ;)

Question for you: Tell me a fun fact about anything you please. 

Pancakes Pancakes Pancakes

By Posted in Breakfast, Pumpkin Tagged , , , , , 20 Comments

I couldn’t think of a good title-at all.  I think I sat here for ten minutes.  First I thought about just making the title pancakes-then it evolved to pancakes and more pancakes.  Finally, I decided to just say pancakes three times.  Right then.

It be no surprise to you if you know what today is that I am celebrating.  In real life, in fake life, in blog life, while running, while arcing, studying, chatting…it will appear in everything I do.  If you could hastag me today-it would just be with #obsessed

But anyways-Happy National Pancake Day

Here are some of my favorites and go poke around the recipes and make yourself some good ones.  You can email me photos of the pancakes you ate to celebrate and I’ll post em here.

I get a lot of questions about my favorite type of Pancakes.

Right now it’s Pumpkin-maybe it’s because they take the best photos.

 

 

 

Sometimes its chocolate+peanut flour

Other times I’m feeling fruity

Cherry!

Blended strawberry

Raspberry

 

Blueberry

Let’s not forget the other randos that made it into my belly…

Sweet Potato

 

Red Velvet

 And to answer your questions…yes I’ve had pancake failures.  Often. 

:(