Veggies or bust

I have this weird thing lately where I’m really not all that hungry on days when I do long runs! Last Sunday, I did 10 mi in preparation for this morning’s Vernonia Half Marathon, and I had to force down a smoothie and dinner later on! Wtf, body! Same thing today. For having burned 1250 calories this morning, you’d think I’d be a bit hungrier for dinner (though it might have something to do with finger lickin’ while making mini carrot cakes to take to Easter dinner tomorrow!).

Din din tonight is small… trying that whole “honor your hunger thing.”

I steamed a couple of cups of TJ’s stir fry mix (brocc, snow peas, bok choy, cabbage, carrots), heated up a gardenburger in the nuker, and put some sweet chili sauce on top. Voila, an easy peasy dinner. It did its trick too – my serious veg craving is gone! Though I wasn’t really hungry today, the only thing that sounded appealing was veggies. I guess that’s a good thing! *pats self on back for listening to body cues*

Today’s half marathon was… interesting. I don’t really have pics since, well, I just started the blog like 5 mins ago But the weather was naaaasty. It was 35 and rain mixed with snow came down on us for most of it. Also, the trail was advertised as flat, fast and mostly paved. I guess those words are open to interpretation, because that’s not how it seemed to me!! About 3 mi of the path were on gravel road, which in this weather basically meant puddles of snow, ice and mud. My shoes are so gross!!

That’s my finishers medal on top. J and I booked it right after I finished so I’m not sure if I medaled or not – Jacob said only about 10 women finished ahead of me, so maybe I medaled in my age group? Now, that doesn’t mean I’m awesome or anything – just not that a lot of people 20-24 enter I finished the half in 1:47:something – 2.5 mins off my PR from January. I was upset today but I did the best I could under really crappy circumstances on a way hillier course than I was expecting! Oh yeah… my headphones died at mile 10 and I had to run the last 3.1 WITH NO MUSIC!! Needless to say that was pretty rough. Anyway enough whining about the bad conditions, I still ran 13.1 miles today!

My afternoon was spent running errands, including grocery shopping for supplies for these beauties:

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese and Toasted Coconut Frosting

Adapted from Cooking Light

• Cake:
• 3/4  cup  all-purpose flour (*I used whole wheat)
• 1/4  cup  quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/4  cup  canola oil (*I used 1/4 cup applesauce – I healthified Cooking Light!)
• 1  (2 1/2-ounce) jar carrot baby food
• 2  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4  cups  shredded carrot
• 1/2  cup  golden raisins
• Cooking spray
  Frosting:
• 1/3  cup  (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1  tablespoon  butter, softened
• 1 1/4  cups  powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla extract (* I used 1 teaspoon)
• 1/4  cup  flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

How to:

Preheat oven to 325°. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl; whisk to combined. Place flour mixture in a large bowl. Combine sugar, applesauce, baby food, and eggs; whisk. Add to flour mixture; stir just moistened. Stir in grated carrot and raisins. Spray cupcake tray with cooking spray, and ladle batter into cups until 2/3 full. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes**, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

** Bake time should be carefully watched. Cooking Light’s recipe was for an 8 inch square cake rather than cupcakes, and called for 40 min bake time. I only need to bake mine for 20 mins so be careful!

To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter with mixer until smooth. Gradually add in powdered sugar and vanilla, beating at a low speed until chunks are gone. Frost each cupcake and top with coconut.

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I haven’t tried a cupcake yet but Jacob said they were fabulous! Looking forward to taking them to his parents’ for dinner tomorrow.

We’re off to Rogue Brewery for some burrrrr. A sampler platter is in my future. (It’s a good recovery drink, ok?)

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