Couples who (fill in the blank) together, stay together.

Well, folks. It’s officially summer in Cleveland. Ok, I don’t think it is actually officially summer yet – but with weather as beautiful as we’ve had here, I’m just refusing to even acknowledge that there are other seasons available to choose from.

Mr. Grumpy and I had a pretty fantastic week livin’ life in the CLE, and it made me feel even more thankful than I normally do to have my best friend/boyfriend/fiancé/boytoy and an all around good guy here to keep me company while we explored and remembered why on earth we live in this city by the lake. Here’s a fun recap of everything we accomplished this week:

This is the view from our rooftop deck!

1. Couples who eat ribs ‘n’ corn together, stay together.

If you have not been to the Cleveland Rib-Off festival, boy do you have a long time to wait until next year’s comes back around. It was literally the most fun I’d had in a long time – we tried to eat as much food as we possibly could, while enjoying a nice view of the Cuyahoga River and all the fun boats that come in and out of the harbor (I’m not sure they actually call it a harbor. Is it called a port even? I just don’t know, but I think you get my point…). I even convinced my dear friend Kelsey to try frozen cheesecake (it was amazing, and covered in rainbow sprinkles), and my other dear friend Maddy convinced ME to split a funnel cake with her (it did not take much convincing). The sun was out all day long – it was the perfect way to spend Memorial Day. Now, I just have to diet until next Memorial Day.

Man, that’s some good lookin’ corn!

The frozen cheesecake was not a myth. Here is proof.

We really enjoyed the corn probably a little too much.

2. Couples who sweat together, stay together.

Now, we couldn’t get through the week without a few runs, of course. Unfortunately, Mr. Grumpy had a long week at work with a few late nights. It wasn’t until Tuesday when I was running by myself (and ran – literally – into Kelsey and her fiancé, B-rad) that I realized just how much I miss Mr. Grumpy when I go out for a run. Why? Well – he is super speedy, so I don’t miss being the slow poke of the couple. But, other than that – he is a great running companion. He makes fun zig-zags, he farts, he gets distracted and runs you off the sidewalk without even noticing it. It makes for a pretty entertaining run, and for that I really missed him. In all seriousness, Mr. Grumpy actually is the best running coach ever because he can always tell during a run when I’m discouraged and he’ll say sweet things like, “You’re doing a really good job!” So – if you can run with your manfriend, do it. It is a great bonding activity. Thus, tonight when Mr. Grumpy and I ran together, I wanted to run faster than I ever did just for him. And guess what – I got all the way down to 8:49 seconds a mile! It felt really good and I think I finally achieved that runners’ high everyone’s been talking about.

It was at the end that I got really fast, just FYI.

3. Couples who gawk at elephants together, stay together.

It’s true – Mr. Grumpy finally bit the bullet and took me to the zoo. Now, I have been BEGGING shamelessly for years to Mr. Grumpy to please have him take me to the zoo. We tried to go once a few months ago (yes, during the polar vortex), and my iPhone 4 (RIP) took us way out in the middle of nowhere. So far out that we finally just gave up and had it take us right back home. Well this weekend, we did it. We went to the zoo, and of course – I had an allergy attack. Thanks, Ohio trees. But, my swollen face aside, man, that place is really cool. If you haven’t gotten the chance to go, definitely go on a day that they’re doing the Elephant Crossing. We will have to go back to experience that one because it was not open today, but it was a pretty amazing zoo with a lot of interesting, sleepy animals.

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4. Couples who eat healthy together, stay attracted to one another.

Ok – let’s get down to my recipe for the day because I am telling you, I made the most perfect hummus today anyone has ever made. I know I’m really being a bragster about this, but seriously. Mr. Grumpy and I were just eating it with a spoon like it was yogurt. We are trying our hardest to eat healthier so we can both lose some weight before the wedding. So, I decided for lunch this week, I’m going to eat hummus and veggies. No carby pita chips, people. Just veggies. Hummus is great because it’s not like you eat it and think, “Yep, this is healthy for you.” It has a lot of great flavor and fills you up so you don’t overeat. And it’s made of all good-for-you things like chick peas and lemon and garlic (heart health, I think?). Anyway – I’d never made hummus for one very distinct reason: I refuse to pay a million dollars for tahini. Sorry. It’s always so expensive. And I just … refuse. So I decided, well, why not try it without. And man – this was amazing.

This is a terrible picture… but I promise it was good.

Here’s how you make it:

What You’ll Need:

• 2 cans chick peas (you’ll have to peel the skins off manually just by squeezing them ever so gently)
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/8 cup water
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• Dash of paprika and salt (do not go overboard, friends)
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or if you don’t want it too spicy, go down to 1/4 tsp)

Combine the chick peas, lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic, ground coriander, paprika and salt, and red pepper in a food processor until smooth. Stir once while still in the food processor (not while it’s running…) and then add the water and remaining olive oil until the mixture is soft and creamy. And voila! We cut up red and green peppers to dip in. It’s especially yummy when you let it sit in the fridge for just a bit.

5. Couples who drink together, stay together.

Well, sorry. But this one is just obvious I think…

After going to Kelsey’s wonderful bridal shower in Cuyahoga Falls Saturday, I came home to Mr. Grumpy – and we immediately hit up the Clevelander to catch the rest of the Indians vs. Rockies game. I – as the native Coloradan that I am – was very torn, per usual as to who I cheered on. So I wore my Indians tank top, and ordered this beer. I think that covered it, right?

What fun things did you get into this weekend? Are you able to work out with your significant other? Share your other “Couples who (fill in the blank) together, stay together” mantras in the comments below! And make it a great week, guys!

A Quick 5-Month Recap! (And the start of training season!)

Well gosh. It sure has been a while since we last caught up. It’s been kind of crazy up here.

WHY, you ask? Well most of you already know, but … Mr. Grumpy popped the question and… I SAID YES! Actually – let’s be honest. I think the exact words out of my mouth were, “Are you really asking me?!?! Is this real life?!?! OMG YES, YES, YES!!!” Long story short – we’re engaged and knee-deep in wedding planning. Here’s some pics of our engagement session by Mindy Sue Photography (who is seriously the BEST – if you’re looking for a wedding or life-event photog. look no further. Mindy is basically my new BFF and her pictures make me not look like a deranged squirrel, so I’m especially in friend love with her).

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Of course, you’re probably wondering how Mr. Grumpy asked. It was pretty perfect – we were getting ready to head out to his parent’s house for our holiday (yes, I’m talking Christmas it was THAT long ago) celebration. In true Cari fashion, I had NO idea that he was trying to ask me to be his wife. So here I am running around the apartment, turning off all the lights. Then, after turning off the hallway light (the last one that was on), I hear Mr. Grumpy in his I-cannot-believe-you voice say, “Cari!!!!” – so I turn the light back on and there he is, in the hallway, getting on his knee. Then I realized what he was doing and immediately started crying, shaking my head up and down and hugging/smooching him. Then, we tried to call all our friends and family and NOT ONE OF THEM answered the phone… Which would only happen to me! But, eventually they did and we’ve been celebrating ever since!

Now, this winter was especially rough. Hello – did you guys hear about the Polar Vortex? I mean that was no joke. I literally did not leave our apartment until last week – and the 10 days I spent in Colorado with my fantastic fam celebrating the wedding (pictured below!In most of these, I was laughing pretty hard. Not sorry.)

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So after the long, long winter, man – am I ready to thaw out! So ready, in fact, that I already have my first real bad sunburn, compliments of The Ohio State University (we went for Mr. Grumpy’s little brother David’s college graduation last weekend and apparently I thought I was exempt from sun lotion). But, it was worth it David!! (I was basically the only person tweeting live from the graduation ceremony…)

https://twitter.com/carijeanne/status/462996121636196352

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https://twitter.com/carijeanne/status/462969677358977024

Because the weather is beautiful and I need to be in shape come October 25 when we say, “I do!,” Mr. Grumpy and I signed up for yet ANOTHER half marathon. Yes, the answer is YES – I am crazy. This means that we start training THIS WEEK. Part of me is excited and the other part is just asking myself, “Why. Why do you do this to yourself, Cari?” Well – sitting in the apartment for five months straight taught me something – I become a true blue Mrs. Grumpy when I can’t go outside. I also do not have the same metabolism as I did at age 23. I also developed a pretty bad addiction to Candy Crush, which ended in me having to completely delete the app from my tired, old iPhone 4. Therefore, it’s time to get my butt in motion. So, starting this week – I’ll be sharing updates on my training, wedding planning and healthy eating as we get closer and closer to the Big Day. Bare with me, folks.

Mr. Grumpy stumbled upon this handy tool on the ASICS website – you just put in what day your half marathon (or whatever your goal is) is, add your previous time (if applicable) and set a goal for this race. Then, it creates a complete training schedule for you at the click of a button. What’s great is that you can adjust your running days (for example, I refuse to run on Fridays, so I just switched my rest days) and you can change your pace at any time between easy, average and hard. What’s even better about it is that you can log all your runs and sync your schedule not only to your Google calendar (or Outlook) but also to your Runkeeper app. And if you miss a run (which happens), then you can easily reschedule.

So – if you’re looking for a handy training tool for whatever your next running adventure may be – you should definitely check this out – myasics.us. You won’t regret it! Or you might depending on how much you want to run…

What was for dinner tonight you ask? Homemade Chipotle bowls!

Here’s a quick recipe:

• 1 cup brown rice, cooked in chicken broth
• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 lb ground turkey (we use Jenni-O brand!), cooked and seasoned with paprika, smoked chipotle pepper and season salt
• 1 cup of frozen red peppers, onions and green peppers, sautéed and thawed
• 1 can of black beans and 1 can of pinto beans, drained and heated over medium heat on the stove
• 1/4 cup of low-fat cheddar cheese (optional)
• 1 can of no-sodium corn with green and red peppers, drained (we kept ours cold like salsa!)
• 1/2 red tomato, diced
• 1 cup of chopped romaine lettuce

Combine as you like it! I usually put the rice first, then beans, then turkey and cheese, the corn, lettuce, tomato and top it with the hot peppers and corn. But – it’s your bowl, so go through the line just like you would at Chipotle! Boy, this is a LOT cheaper and you’ll be a lot less tempted to put the “bad” ingredients Chipotle offers like the barbacoa or the sour cream. Enjoy!

 

Review: OrganicGirl Baby Kale (a recipe for Minestrone Soup!)

Disclaimer: I was provided product from OrganicGirl to review for this post. All opinions are my own. 

Hello, readers! Long time, no post, eh? Ok – I’m sorry. Life has been crazy – and I have been living off of peanut butter sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, ham sandwiches … and yogurt. And oatmeal. So, I didn’t really think you’d be too excited about that menu, right?

Over the past month, I have checked a BUNCH of things off my bucket list of things to do before I turn 26. The first – maybe most important item – was running my first half marathon. That is a whopping 13.1 miles, unless you take the wide turns – which Mr. Grumpy made me take. So, it was more like … 14.1 miles. With Mr. Grumpy as my SAG man (aka, safety and gear), the 13.1 miles went actually relatively fast, until the 10th mile when the marathon planners thought it would be hilarious and awesome to hit us with the largest hill I think exists in all of Ohio. Which was ridiculous. And we were basically the ONLY people in our running corral that ACTUALLY ran the hill. Which was not easy on the mind games – but alas, I survived. And I did it all without walking. Check that baby off. 

Ok, I know I said that I checked a bunch of stuff off my bucket list, but I really didn’t check that much more off. Really the half marathon counted for like eight items on my bucket list, so I’m sure you’ll understand. I did paint a chevron pumpkin. And went to a clam bake. And ate 3 dozen clams at that clam bake. And then I turned 26 (yes, it hurts, in case you were wondering). It especially hurts when you celebrate it at Ohio University. So, now I’m making a new bucket list of things to do before I turn 30. Here’s a recap of all those activities completed:

Readers, I have missed you so terribly. So what better way to bless you back with my presence than a review about OrganicGirl’s latest, most fabulous product yet! (If you maybe recall the last time I told you all about OrganicGirl when I made super yummy brie sammies with their Vive la France mix). 

I am one of OrganicGirl’s biggest fans. Why? Well – there are a few reasons. First, they make absolutely sure that, when you buy their greens in the produce aisle, that they are ready for you to eat. This means that it is washed THREE times before it gets to you. Which makes me feel really good and safe about what I’m eating. Plus, it comes in these really nice packages that keep your produce fresh for a super long time. We experimented with the last bunch, and it lasted at least a week longer than the other greens in a plastic container you can buy at the grocery.

This time, they sent me their latest and greatest – 100% baby kale.

I’ve been really excited about kale lately. Mr. Grumpy insisted we try it the other day, and so we jumped on the bandwagon. Then, he shared with me all these facts about kale that came out of NOWHERE (this is the same guy that while I was cooking dinner tonight was eating slices of cheese and Laffy Taffy…). I’m not sure he was sharing ACTUAL facts. For example, he claims that broccoli is human-made from baby kale. I’ve seen the Hidden Valley commercials, so I’m not convinced that his source – Uber Facts on Twitter – was being completely accurate. But if it IS true, it is probably why I love kale so much.

OrganicGirl’s baby kale is so crunchy and fresh – I was eating it like potato chips while I cooked. It has such great flavor – the perfect ingredient for my wintertime twist on one of my mom’s chilly evening staples – minestrone soup. As a kid, I used to get so excited to come home and smell Suzie Q’s minestrone soup. It warmed you up from head to toe. Plus DS and Erin always complained when she cooked it – so I would get to eat like 10 times more servings than everyone else (I was a really active kid, so that was ok). 

Kale is extremely important for people like Mr. Grumpy (who’s already training for another half marathon … …) and me (I’m working on mustering up the strength to run a 10K) because they absolutely need nutrients in their system after long runs or endurance work outs. Kale has the highest nutrition rating out of ALL the greens and vegetables. It has one of the highest level of nutrients out there (right up there with collard greens) and acts as an antioxident (you can read all about it on Whole Foods’ website). I mean – kale is just jam-packed with goodness. But what’s even better is you can do way more with it than just make a salad. Plus, literally everyone can cook with kale (I promise you) because it’s a great substitute for other greeny ingredients – including spinach (sorry, Popeye). 

And that’s exactly what we did… So, here it is – adapted from a Cooking Light recipe from a 2005 issue of the magazine (Suzie Q has never shared her minestrone soup recipe with me … thanks, Mom).

Baby Kale Minestrone Soup

What You’ll Need:

• 1/2 cup low-sodium, organic chicken stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 links of sweet italian sausage (this can be optional, but it’s really tasty)
• 1 zucchini, quartered and cut into small slices
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 cans low-sodium, organic great northern beans, drained 
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground Himalayan pink salt (or just normal salt if you’re not cool like me)
• 4 cups OrganicGirl 100% baby kale, de-stemmed 
• 1 cup cooked ditalini noodles (minestrone noodles basically)
• 2 tbsp Parmesan flakes 
• 1/2 white onion, chopped

First,  chop up your zucchini and onion. Slice the uncooked sausage into little 1/2 pieces. Then, in a medium soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sausage and cook about 8 minutes until the sausage is cooked all the way through. Then, add the garlic and the zucchini, and let that cook for another 5 minutes. Add the beans, salt, pepper, 3 cups of kale, tomatoes and chicken stock. Let that come to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let that simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add in the noodles and the final cup of kale, and serve immediately! 

This is just a ridiculously delicious, wholesome soup. If you’d like, you can sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top like you would with a traditional minestrone soup. It is so good. In my mothers words, “Your tongue will literally slap your brains out.”

OrganicGirl offers so many versatile greens – you can use their handy store tracker online to find where you can buy them. I’m a fan! (Or follow them on Pinterest). 

And now – on to some fun pictures of my past month or so in the CLE!! Enjoy, readers! It’s good to be back. 🙂 

  

Erin and I were carb-loading before my half marathon. Naturally, we did so at Great Lakes Brewing Company. And yes, that is my shirt she’s wearing. So I’m the cool sister.

This is Mr. Grumpy and I pre-race. Look how unsweaty – er … I mean, cute we are!

This is Mr. Grumpy and I crossing the finish line. He thinks it is SUPER embarrassing when I wave for pictures.

My first half marathon! Check! 

Weeknight Dinner: Tomato-Basil Soup with Tortellini

When I woke up for work Wednesday morning, I was absolutely ecstatic. For the first time in about 2 years, I didn’t wake up drench in sweat with my hair the size of orphan Annie’s after an lightening storm in 100 percent humidity (in which the lightening strikes the hair…). Picturing that? Ok… that’s what I look like in the morning. Now, I would like to think that I wake up looking like a Disney princess, but let’s just be honest with one another. Mornings are a very scary place for me. And therefore, an even scarier place for Mr. Grumpy. Now, on this particular morning I realized that summer was almost over. There was a crisp bite to the air, and I was ready for boots and sweaters. So, it only felt natural that I make soup for dinner. Because I’ve been in hot flash mode (not really) since May. And I deserve a nice, steamy bowl of soup. However, I have had zero time in my after-work life lately – meaning soup from scratch was NOT an option. Training for the half marathon has officially taken over, and so, Mr. Grumpy and I have pretty much been doing simple dinners – Kraft mac ‘n’ cheese, oatmeal, shredded chicken or turkey sammies, peanut butter… anything that’s easy and can be reheated for a few days is what we’ve been eating basically. So, while I was grocery shopping, I thought up this super easy recipe and could not wait to come home and eat it. If you are short of time but still want something wholesome, steamy and good – this is your dinner. In just 25 minutes, you’ll have yourself a delicious bowl of soup and can sit back, relax and stretch out your legs. What You’ll Need:

• 2 cans tomato soup (Watch the sodium on this. We buy a low-sodium soup to make sure we don’t get overloaded)
• 1/2 cup fresh, chopped basil
• 1 cup three-cheese tortellini (not the frozen kind)
• 1 can of Hunt’s fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
• Parmesean cheese for sprinkling

Yes, I’m serious. This is all you need. It’s really that easy. Ok – here we go. First, put on your jammies. You want to be comfortable when your soup is ready, right? SO GET ON THOSE SWEAT PANTS! Next, in a large pot, heat the tomato soup (prepare as directed on the can. We used a soup that didn’t require milk or water) with the drained diced tomatoes over medium heat until simmering. Add the tortellini and 1/4 cup of basil. Cover and turn the heat to medium-low. Let that simmer for 30 minutes, until the tortellini are plump and softened. Depending on the type of tortellini you’re using, it may take less than 30 minutes, so keep checking on then to make sure you don’t over-cook them. Then, the soup is done. Really. That’s it. Separate into soup bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of basil and parmesean cheese. Curl up on that couch. And enjoy!  Related articles

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Weeknight Dinner: Fantasy Football Crock Pot Meatballs, A Day Late

Mr. Grumpy and I had committed this weekend to running 9 miles as part of my half-marathon training. So, naturally we waited until Sunday when it was 90 degrees outside. It. Was. A. Nightmare.

We drove out to the Cleveland Towpath for our nice, sunny run. Now, mind you, we had not been outside for nearly 36 hours (remember, Downton Abbey addiction?) and were not expecting the heat. In fact, before we left, I asked Mr. Grumpy if it was cool outside and he answered, “Yeah.” Which I now realize means he wasn’t listening to me… (shocker).

I thought, it can’t be that bad trying to run 9 miles in the sun. So, we began our trek down the trail, smiling at cyclists and runners alike as they passed by. Then, the first mile passed and I thought, “Man! This is going to be so easy.”

Cut to me at 4.5 miles down the trail. Dying, practically. Most likely having a stroke from overheat. And dare I say it, my ankle hurt. I was in poor form, friends. So naturally, as any calm girl in half-marathon training would, I flung myself onto the grass and pretended to pass out. When I looked up at Mr. Grumpy to see his reaction, I was not surprised to see him hovering over me, unconcerned, hands on hips with one of his unapproving glances (like this one, but he was wearing running clothes):

Also, while I was drenched in sweat (and now subsequently covered in dirt and grass), he was not even glistening. He was NOT EVEN PANTING. So, now I completely question whether or not Mr. Grumpy is an actual human. I’m sleeping with one eye open, but really. 90 degrees and you’re not even tired. You must be from another galaxy. Right???

So needless to say, we only managed 6.5 miles Sunday. But I am not giving up. And neither should you if you’re training like I am. Seriously – we’re almost there!

Anyway … I was really excited about a funny surprise I had planned for my alien boyfriend on Tuesday. Mr. Grumpy had mentioned that his Fantasy Football draft was that day, and I was so excited to make him faux Super Bowl dinner – aka, those delish crock pot meatballs that everyone knows about. I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate every girlfriend’s favorite time of the year – football season. Sigh. [INSERT FAKE SMILE HERE]

But, as you know, Mr. Grumpy and I are trying to be healthy and watch what we eat. I decided that after dealing with my meltdown on the towpath Mr. Grumpy deserved a little BBQ sauce in his life, so this was my happy compromise. I found the recipe for the meatballs on Cookin’ Canuck, and adapted it to be more BBQ-friendly. I liked the idea of using quinoa and zucchini to thicken up the meatballs. Plus, I had zucchini left over from our taco boats on Monday – awesome! In fact, I made these Monday night before I made the boats, and then just heated the meatballs up on Tuesday. It was SO NICE coming home to a crock pot meal, let me tell you. Phew.

So, what’s up with my headline? A day late, you ask? Well, yeah. His fantasy draft was actually on Monday. So I was a day late with this one – but it’s the thought that counts, right? I TRIED, OK?!?!

What You’ll Need:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 4 slices of light oatmeal bread
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 white onion, grated
• 1/2 cup of zucchini, chopped (smoosh the water out of it)
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 12 oz. jar grape jelly
• 1 18 oz. bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Next, in a small saucepan, boil 1 cup of water with the 1/2 cup of quinoa mixed in. Boil on full speed for 5 minutes, then cover and remove from heat. Let it sit covered like that for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, in a mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients EXCEPT the grape jelly and BBQ sauce. Now, because this is made out of ground turkey, it’s not going to feel as thick and sticky as the meatlballs you’re used to using ground chuck/beef. That’s ok – these will turn out really moist (hate this word), and I promise you’ll like them! Once your quinoa is done cooking, add that into the meat mixture. Stir everything together until it’s nicely combined.

On a large baking dish, spray it completely with olive oil-based cooking spray. Then, using a large melon baller, dish out your meatballs. They should be about 1.5″ large. About the size of your palm. Unless you’re a fembot and have really small hands. Then… just guess. (Eye roll)

Bake your meatballs on the mid-top rack (a few inches from the top) for 10 minutes. You want them to get nice and brown around the edges, but stay moist (really, really, really hate this word) on the inside. They won’t be completely done, but that’s ok because they’ll cook more in the crock pot.

Next, in your small crock pot, combine the grape jelly and the BBQ sauce. Once your meatballs are done cookin’, add them into your crock pot. Cook that on low for 6 hours. Stir gently every once and a while to make sure they are evenly coated. And…. enjoy! Even if you don’t have the fantasy draft binging every five minutes in the background (Mr. Grumpy, it must be your pick AGAIN!) 

We wrapped ours up in leaves of Boston Lettuce – like lettuce wraps! 

 

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Weeknight Dinner: Lo-Cal Chipotle Bean Burritos

As you know, Mr. Grumpy and I are working on making healthier eating choices. Mr. Grumpy thinks that means just eating less Nerds and sour gummy worms. I know. I’m beside myself.

The other night at dinner, Mr. Grumpy (whilst eating his first entree salad in like … four years) told me about this book he’d been reading called Born to Run. This book has really inspired him – in fact, he was so inspired he decided to give ME tips on cooking healthier dinners for the two of us… That’s right. You read that correctly. He gave ME tips on cooking us healthier meals. Readers, I have to say in my defense – I eat and cook in a relatively healthy way. There are ways to be healthy without dieting. One of those ways is not eating an entire box of Triscuits in one sitting, no?

My head was telling me that I should explain to Mr. Grumpy that it was not I who was forcing him to eat unhealthy foods – such as Tootsie Roll Pops by the dozen. However, I sought to find a recipe that would, once again, gain Mr. Grumpy’s approval. Then, I cooked it for him on an evening that I knew he wouldn’t be home. Just for revenge reasons, of course. (I was having another one of my moments…).

Now, I’ve had a fixin’ lately for Mexican food. In fact, Sunday evening, I begged Mr. G to take me on a road trip back to our old stomping ground – Lakewood, where the closest Taco Bell is. Yes, I said Taco Bell. Sorry, I’m not sorry. Those Doritos Tacos Locos (or whatever those things are called) are my guilty pleasure. And ice cream. Which I ate after I downed $8 worth (Mr. G also ordered $8 worth of TBell) of Cool Ranch tacos. El hell yeah-o.

So, I decided we needed to find an alternative to eating at this joint, and found this recipe in a 2010 issue of Cooking Light, which I adapted to Mr. G and I’s liking. Even though the picture looks like this is oozing with calories and fat, it’s actually good for you – especially when you have been running as much as I have. When I told Mr. Grumpy we were having these for dinner he said (and I quote!), “You. Amazing.” AND he even put a smiley face in there. It was a pretty unique situation. I think we’re making strides here, Mr. G. 

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, smooshed and chopped into little pieces
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 can organic (no-sodium) black beans, drained
• 1 can organic (no-sodium) pinto beans, drained
• 2 tsp chipotle pepper paste (comes in a can)
• 3 tbsp salsa
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 4 tbsp Organic Valley Mexican cheese blend
• 4 tbsp green onions, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
• 4 100-calorie tortillas (La Tortilla Factory makes a great package of these)

First, chop all your veggies. You’ll thank me later on this one because once you smell the goodiness of the beans cooking and that chipotle sauce, you’re going to want to just eat the burrito filling right out of the pan. This way, you can compile your burrito pronto, and get ready for your post-burrito siesta.

Next, heat your oil over medium heat. Add the chili powder and the salt, and stir for 30 seconds. Add the water and stir. Add the drained beans and chiptole paste. Stir. Still over medium heat, let that come to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the liquid cook off by simmering the mixture for 10-11 minutes. There will still be some liquid left, and that’s fine.

Next, add the 3 tbsp of salsa into the bean mixture and remove it from heat. Smoosh about 2/3 of the beans with a fork. Stir again. You’ll notice that this really thickens it up, which is really great.

Now, let’s put those burritos together. First, wrap your tortillas in a paper towel, and microwave them for 30 seconds. On each burrito, place 1/3 cup of bean mixture, 1/4 cup tomatoes, 1 tbsp green onions, 1 tbsp Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup lettuce and 1 tbsp cheese. If you’re feeling frisky, you could add olives or green chiles (though to warn you, this already has a bit of a kick to it). We didn’t – I wasn’t feeling that frisky. Wrap that baby up, and cut in half to make for easy eating. Or wrap it in foil, and it’s the perfect lunch or picnic entree. Why? Because it’s just as good cold. So delish.

Cooking Light‘s version didnt include calories, so I put this into my UP Band by Jawbone app and 1 burrito has about 530 calories. Not too bad for a dinner, right?? Right!! Now, enjoy that fast so you can go take a nap. You’ve earned it. (As a side note – this makes four burritos. Just in case you were wondering… or didn’t feel like doing math. I dislike math, so I totally get that.) 

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Weeknight Dinner: Salmon Patties with Cucumber-Dill Sauce

So, mostly everyone knows that the most important thing in my life (other than Mr. Grumpy) is the Backstreet Boys. Duh. This has been going on for quite some time – if you recall a former post in which I alerted you to this character flaw amazing part of me (Remember me, BSB? That girl who chased down your tour bus? Did I come on too strong??)

Naturally then, when the BSB came to Cleveland to perform right across the river from my apartment at Nautica Pavilion, you best believe I was there, sitting on the grass, with my best friend Ashley who loves the BSB almost as much as me, with a beer in my travel mug. Hell. yeah. 

Many years ago, Suzie Q and DS used to camp out for several hours so we could get FRONT ROW tickets to the BSB. Of course, since then, they’ve taken me off Steiner Family Life Support (aka, DS cut up my credit card), and therefore instead of enjoying the BSB from inside the Pavilion, I must sit out on the grass singing at the top of my lungs (need I mention the beer in the travel mug again?) like a crazy homeless person. It’s fine though. I’m a pretty good singer, and also know all the words to every single one of the Backstreet Boy’s albums, so I don’t think I was too concerned about what people may think. Also, Ashley was NOT embarrassed when I asked her to arrive at my apartment three hours in advance of the BSB performing, and when I answered the door with 20 boneless buffalo wings wearing a Backstreet Boys t-shirt, telling her to hurry up and eat – it was time. See the excitement on our faces? I will never throw this BSB t-shirt away. Never. No matter what happens.

Now, where was Mr. Grumpy you ask? Well let me ask you a question. Knowing Mr G the way you do – where do you think he was? Out on the grass sharing in this irreplaceable moment with Ashley and I? Nope! Hiding in our apartment where he was disappointed to learn he could STILL HEAR THEM even after turning up the volume on his Nintendo all the way? Bingo. Needless to say, he was not pleased when we came home, empty travel mugs in hand, to sing him all the songs the BSB sang (I’m pretty sure AJ waved at me… yes, from across the river. I realize how irrational this sounds. Just go with it).

To make matters worse, I had yet to tell Mr. Grumpy that coming up on our menu for dinner this week would be the dreaded SALMON. Which he thinks is way too healthy for him. And to make things even WORSER (right, it’s not a word), there would be no cheese in this dinner. So, I wanted to surprise Mr. Grumpy and make up for the seranading and salmoning by getting him a special present to distract him while we ate dinner.

I had received a gift card to use at Nautica Pavilion since I’m such a loyal customer (this is the girl who sits across the river for free, so I’m not sure why they think I’m loyal?). So right before I left work, I checked to see what shows were up and if any, by the grace of God, were ones that Mr. G would like. And lo-and-behold – there they were. The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Mr. Grumpy’s all time FAVORITE band.

I immediately started signing up for tickets.

Now, let me warn you, readers. If you ever purchase tickets for a show online – you better check the name of the band. And then DOUBLE-CHECK IT. And then, make sure that you copy and paste it’s title into Google to triple-check it.

Why? Well, because if you do not, you’ll end up with General Admission tickets to see these guys:

(Photo courtesy of Allareas.de)

That’s right, folks. The Red Hot Chilli Pipers. Coming to Cleveland on August 20. Better get ‘yer bagpipe-listening ears ready (this is code word for ear plugs). Because … and this is according to their website … they apparently … um. Rock.

Awesome.

So, I went home – empty handed, ready to cook Mr. Grumpy his dinner – Salmon Patties with Cucumber-Dill Sauce. And boy were these bad boys delicious. When Mr. G. took his very first bite, his eyes got wide from shock that he could like something A) without cheese and B) from the sea. It. Happened. And it can happen to you. I adapted this recipe from Coastal Living magazine, which posted its 25 favorite salmon recipes, one of them being a Salmon Burger recipe.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

•  1 1/4 lb fresh, boneless Alaskan salmon with the skin cut off (your seafood butcher … seafood butcher? you know what I mean… can help you with this. It’s about two pieces slightly larger than the size of your hand. Unless you have Princess Cinderella hands. Then it’s about four slices the size of princess hands…)
• 1/8 cup red onion, diced
• 1/8 cup red pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp Spanish olives, diced
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup fat-free, plain Greek yogurt, plus an extra 1/2 cup
• 4 slices of light Pepperidge Farm oatmeal bread
• 1 large egg
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 1/2 tbsp cucumber, diced
• 2 tsp fresh dill, diced and divided
• 1 tsp Lemon Pepper McCormick’s Seasoning (seriously, why haven’t you bought this yet?!)
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 5 Hawaiian bread rolls (we buy Sister Schubert’s. It’s frozen and then you heat it up in the oven)
• Toppings for your Salmon sandwiches: cucumber slices, tomato slices, red onion, lettuce 

First, chop all your ingredients. Then, cut your salmon into small slices – about 1 inch wide in cubes. Place that in a food processor. Then, add the red onion, red pepper, olives, Dijon, bread and garlic into the food processor. Combine the ingredients on low in your food processor until the salmon chunks have turned into what I really don’t want to call it – a pasty-like mixture. Basically, it would look like ground chicken looks almost. You can leave some chunks of salmon, but for the most part, it should be pretty smooth. Then, slide the mixture into a mixing bowl, and add 1 tsp of dill, 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt, Lemon Pepper McCormick’s seasoning, 1/4 tsp salt, and the egg. Stir gently until the egg is combined in with the rest of the ingredients. Form small patties with the mixture, slightly larger than the size of your hand. This will make about five patties.

Then, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on a grilly skillet (seriously, still don’t know what the BEEP this thing is called. It’s that pan with the grill marks on it… you know??) over medium heat. Don’t overheat the skillet because your salmon patties will burn on the outside before cooking all the way through. Add the first three patties to the pan, and cook for three minutes, until the outer layer is nice and crispy and it starts to look white-ish on the sides. Flip, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel. Heat the remaining olive oil. Add the remaining patties, and repeat the steps I just told you.

In the meantime … (aka, make Mr. G do this), combine the remaining Greek yogurt and dill, along with the diced cucumber and the remaining salt. 

We turned our into sandwiches, which was a definite treat. But if you’re trying to avoid bready carbs, you could just eat the patty with a dollop of the sauce. If you’re training for a half-marathon and could USE the carbs…. then do this:

Put together your salmon sammies by placing the patty on the bun, adding a dollop of your Cucumber-Dill sauce, and toppings of your choice. And watch the magic happen on your Mr. Grumpy’s face. I seriously was shocked he liked these. 

Ok, I was actually shocked I liked these because I’m pretty hot and cold when it comes to seafood – especially fish that’s not crabby legs (my all-time favorite thing ever. Maybe because I like to WORK for my food…). But, they are so tasty. And such a great, healthy way to enjoy a burger-like dinner without the calories. The patties also make for great lunch leftovers the next day on a bed of lettuce greens! (Just don’t microwave it – it’s bad coworker etiquette).

Plus, I’m pretty sure they said at some point that salmon makes you smarter, which is never a bad thing, right? Right. So, enjoy friends! And wish us luck while the Red Hot Chilli Pipers are in town!

PS: What are other burger alternatives to save yourself from the calories? Tell me!! Tell me now!!!

PPS: Although Mr. Grumpy DID like my dinner, he also disappeared for a few minutes and came back from the Market downstairs with an ENTIRE BOX of sour gummy worms. Well, at least I tried! 

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The Dangers of Going to the West Side Market with Post-Race Hunger

So, Mr. Grumpy and I ran a 5K this Saturday. Mr. Grumpy asked for permission to run without me, mostly because he runs faster than a cheetah (Mr. Grumpy actually says he runs faster than a bat out of Hell, which makes no sense because bats don’t run). And I run at the speed of a … really fat elephant. So, of course I told him to leave me behind. And boy am I glad – when I arrived at the last tenth of a mile at the race, there Mr. Grumpy stood on the side of the road, yelling at me to start sprinting as hard as I could. Yelling very loudly, I might add. So loudly, in fact, that the girl running next to me turned to me and said, “Wow… is that your boyfriend?” She was being very judgemental. So I told her I had no idea who that was and that maybe he was yelling at her, not me. Then, I sprinted away… 

Mr. Grumpy was being really super humble and wouldn’t tell me what his time was on the race. We stuck around for the awards ceremony, in which I thought we’d marvel at all the winners together and make fun of all the old men with shorty-shorts on… Well, when they got to our age group winners, they said Mr. Grumpy’s name. He had WON the race – and in only 19 minutes. Pretty impressive, right? (My time was 32, thankyouverymuch). No big deal, guys. He got a pretty sweet medal make out of a wood chip. And he had to stand in front of everyone with said medal. Then, we realized our car was a mile away from the finish line, so naturally he made us RUN to it. As if we hadn’t run enough …

So naturally, the first thing he said when we got in the car was, “So what’s for lunch?” Uhhh… I had not planned a meal as I had been focused on getting first place at our 5K (which I would have if they would have let me compete in the 65-year-old age group) so I suggested we go pick up some food at the West Side Market. Big. Mistake. Everyone knows you should NEVER go shopping for food when you’re hungry. $60 and six bags of food later, we were headed home with lunch on our minds.

Enter italian sausage sliders. The best post-race meal like … ever. These really hit the spot – and we sucked these babies down so fast that I, again, went into a food coma and took a two-hour nap. This is becoming a routine for me…

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1/2 lb spicy (or sweet is fine too) italian sausage (you can just buy it without the sausage casings)
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 large green pepper
• 1/2 small white onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slider buns (we got potato rolls from the market)

First, combine your sausage and mozzarella cheese by gently folding the cheese into the meat in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste, and mix in. Make four small flat patties with the meat mixture. Next, cut your green pepper and onions into long, thin slices. Toss them in the olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on them. 

Heat up your grill. Place the peppers and onions and the sausage patties on the grill. Cook the sausage patties for five minutes on each side. In the meantime, keep turning your onions and peppers until they become soft. Remove the green peppers and onions when that happens (about 10 minutes).

Place your sausage patties on the bottom of the bun. Put the peppers and onions on top of each patty, and drizzle with a little ketchup if you’re into that. Top it off with the bun lid, and VOILA! Enjoy your lunch. (We had ours with a side of Ohio City Pasta’s greek pasta salad. It’s so good.)

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