Miles On Veggies

5 Ways to Bounce Back From Daylight Savings Quickly

Linzjane — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 15:40:28 +0000

The older I get the more daylight savings seems like some sort of sick joke. Right when we start getting a little glimpse of the sun back for early morning runs, daylight savings kicks in and snatches all hope away. I’d enjoy the extra time in the evenings if I wasn’t almost passed out on my couch by 7PM. As with all annoying but necessary life occurrences I’ve formulated a method to ease the blow of severe sleep deprivation following the commencement of daylight savings. Try these 5 tips this week to prevent mental breakdowns and avoid costing your employers thousands in unproductive hours. Office nap, anyone?

Attack Early Morning Wake-ups Head-on

Don’t hit snooze

As painful as the first few mornings are adjusting to a whole hour sleep difference, you’re going to have to rip the bandaid off at some point. Dragging it out only throws your schedule and productiveness off further making you feel lazy and unmotivated. Attacking your morning routine immediately is the best solution to avoid weeks of being in a funk. Getting up early consistently also wears you out faster making it easier to fall asleep at what used to be your dinner time. To follow through on sticking to your schedule, find an accountability partner and work with each other to stay on track.
Drink Water, Not More Caffeine

Ditch the coffee

We’ve all been there, 5 cups of coffee into the morning and no sign of your groggy brain being resuscitated. At some point the law of diminishing returns kicks in and the stress of overdosing on stimulants while being sleep deprived creates a harsh affect on your adrenal system. I suggest drinking your normal daily amount of caffeine then switching to water to clear your head and energize your day. I would also suggest temporarily cutting out alcohol for a few days since it can impair your quality of sleep making you feel even worse.
Move!

Boost blood flow

Nothing wakes you up more than a good workout. Even on days you’re mentally and physically wiped out, a walk or jog can dramatically improve your energy and focus. A boost in blood flow helps oxygenate you body and brain making you feel good and perform better at work. During the week following daylight savings I’ve found that starting off my day with exercise is good but I also need small movement breaks throughout the day to continue the momentum and ward off sleepiness. Take 5-10 mins to climb stairs, walk, or jump rope throughout the day to boost your heart rate and mentally get back in the game.
Snack Often

Snack on whole plant foods

Similar to exercising, feeding your body a steady flow of nutrient dense whole foods fuels your brain and keeps your metabolism up which in return keeps you alert. Ditch sugary energy drinks, protein shakes and processed snack foods that will spike your blood sugar then make you bonk and instead sub in fruit, nuts, and veggies. The tangible act of snacking in and of itself does wonders as it breaks up workday monotony and provides a range of stimulus that keeps you sharp. Some of my favorite workday snacks are almonds, oranges, microwaved sweet potatoes, and unsweetened dried fruit like figs or prunes. If your snack has 1 ingredient you’re good to go!
Take It Easy

Relax

The most important tip to recovery is listening to your body and taking it easy when you need to. As with any stressor that enters your life, learn to evaluate your mental and physical state and be kind to yourself. We put our bodies through so much and everyone bounces back at different rates. Realize you’re human, everyone is hurting this week and cut yourself a little slack. Take that extra nap, go easier on your workout and eat foods that will nourish your adjusting body.

Happy national sleep deprivation week. Once you’ve recovered hit me up for some patio action! – L

The post 5 Ways to Bounce Back From Daylight Savings Quickly appeared first on Miles On Veggies.

Winter Base Phase Recap

Linzjane — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 22:24:02 +0000

Where has the time gone! Last time I wrote about my running I was a week out from wrapping up my winter base phase. I survived my last 70 mile week and topped it off with a monster 11 mile marathon paced tempo/long run pacing a couple friends who are training for Boston. I’ve never run a tempo like that even for my own marathon training in the past and the fact that if felt relaxed and controlled was a huge confidence boost that really showed me how some of my training changes have paid off. As I mentioned in my last post, long runs and tempos have always been my weakness and this last year I got fed up with failing at them. So I tackled the issue, working hard to improve my aerobic base and endurance. Here’s how I went about it.

What is your aerobic energy system?

To preface, let’s break down what your aerobic energy system is. Aerobic means “with oxygen”. In aerobic activity, oxygen is the catalyst for the chemical reactions going on in your muscles the generate the power and energy that propells you through workouts. The body’s energy demands are balanced by its energy supply (fuel) and the goal in building an aerobic base is to increase the efficiency of your body’s energy demands. The end result of this efficiency is being able to do more with less stress on your body and reaching higher fitness goals due to improved recovery. Whatever sport you participate in, aerobic strength is vital for performance and improvement and should be the foundation of all training programs.

Why Runners Need Base Phases?

I’ve been a high mileage runner my whole life, why would I need to work on aerobic base? Yes, I have a monster aerobic base compared to just anyone off the street but my fitness had plateaued, my workouts were flat and I could tell my body was not operating efficiently and healing itself like it should. Distance runners, especially ones that race a lot can always benefit from planning an intentional offseason followed by a base phase that allows them to regenerate their glycogen stores, rest their bodies and build an improved aerobic energy system. I learned the hard way by going nonstop without one for 3 years which led to a lot of lackluster races, burnouts and nagging injuries. Learn from my mistakes and do it the right way.

Here’s what my journey to a better aerobic base looked like:

In college and in the first few years out I doubled on my runs almost daily. My goal was usually to get 10 miles in a day and I’d split it up 4/6 or 5/5. I’d do workouts that were a bit longer and struggled to run a 90 min long run each week. Earlier this spring I moved into the city and was limited to hilly routes for most of my training. My legs were wrecked from it. I was still trying to go out twice a day and my runs got slower and I dreaded workouts. The only thing on my mind was HIT THAT MILEAGE…Bad motto when you’re about to bonk. My husband, who has over a decade of coaching experience, had been telling me for awhile that I needed to quit doing so many slow junk miles and focus on longer periods of time between my runs so I could adjust and acclimate. In April I made the shift to singles and it has changed me as a runner.

Initially to accomplish longer single runs I had to back the mileage way off. My goal the first few weeks was to just hit 45 miles which was nearly 20 miles off of what I was use to hitting. All those longer runs kicked my butt at first but I started to noticed that longer breaks in between workouts dramatically improved how I recovered and my motivation towards training. 6 months later I had worked my mileage back to mid 60’s on singles and PRed in longer races in the fall due to mental strength I gained from longer runs and increased aerobic strength.

One of my better long run efforts since cutting out doubles

Though I had a successful fall racing season, it still had been years since I’d taken a break from workouts. I have never been seriously injured (knock on wood) so there were no forced breaks and I always got caught up in the hype of racing year round. As badly as I wanted to kill some indoor track this year, I took a solid 6 weeks to focus on just running miles and improving efficiency. I started the week after USATF Club Cross Country where I had a pretty flat race reinforcing again my need to take it easy. For an entire 6 weeks all I did was run relaxed miles complimented by a few picks or tempo miles when my body felt like it. I worked in a few doubles a week in the form of either another run, swimming or strength training. By the end I was mentally and physically rested and ready to build workouts on top of my base.

The KC crew after racing at USATF Club Cross in Tallahassee

The First 4 Weeks of Spring Training

I wasted no time in jumping back onto the track the week after base ended. I started conservatively with 6x800m at just under 6 min pace. It felt weird..like I had baby deer legs walking for the first time. The purpose of the workout was to reintroduce my legs to faster paces and keep building my aerobic energy system through a relatively steady state workout.

Capped off week 1 with a 14 mile point-to-point brew run from Parkville to North KC

Week 2 went way better and I actually felt like an athlete again. The workout was another steady state, 16x400m with 100m jog in between. I started at 88’s and got into a very comfortable groove ticking off 84’s for the last 8. I followed that up with a 2×2 mile tempo Friday night. I always way underestimate what I can hit on tempo runs. We averaged 6:18’s going up a hill for the first 2 miles, 3 min jog, then tore down the hill in 6:03’s.

In week 3 I decided to jump in a indoor 5k since my husband was doing it and I needed a tempo effort on Friday. I didn’t ease up in training during the week and did a track workout cut down of 2×1 mile, 800, 400, 200 a few days before. Those shorter quicker intervals definitely had me walking funny the next day. I ran an 18:21 for the 5k going out with the pack in the fast heat in just under 5:40. I have no experience with 300 meter tracks and had not concept of my pace..I knew it was going to hurt but tried to toughen up as much as possible. My last mile was rough but it topped off another good training week.

First 70 degree day in FEBRUARY! Not complaining

Week 4 (last week) my calves were still beat up from racing in spikes and my legs were not 100% better from a Friday night race/Sat AM long run. We did 16x200m hills – a good workout for when you don’t want to focus on paces. I had an ambitious 3, 2, 1 mile tempo scheduled for Friday night but 20mph wind gusts and a crazy work week made me postpone it until Saturday morning. The goal was to do it in the middle of my long run. I warmed up 3 miles and went right into the 3 mile tempo. That portion went well but was a little too fast. I had some fueling issues (started blacking out a bit) in the 2 mile portion and called it a day after 1.25. I’m planning on trying it again this week.

Anyways, that was a long-winded way of saying training is going well and I’m enjoying it more than ever, especially in the gorgeous weather KC has been handing us. My next run is the Big 12 Run on March 11th, one of best spring races in Kansas City. Happy running!

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4 Must-Try Spring Races In Kansas City

Linzjane — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 02:59:15 +0000

You’ve wrapped up winter training and somehow managed to stay consistent through the colder months. Now is your time to shine. Show off those new fitness gains this spring at the races that’ll give you the most bang for your buck. Kansas City’s race scene has blown up in recent years but combing through pages of 5ks can be daunting. Here’s my lineup of the best time-tested spring races, featuring the biggest parties, the best prizes, and killer venues. Start warming up, you won’t want to miss them!

Kansas City’s Big 12 Run

Distance: 5k/12k

Date: March 11 at 10 a.m.

Kansas City Big 12 Run Finish

Get your sweat on before indulging in March madness festivities. The Big 12 run features both a 5k and the rarely offered 12k distance – perfect for every level of runner in your group. Test your fitness on the rolling hills of this scenic course that starts and ends outside KC’s premiere Sprint Center. The 5k takes you on a jaunt around the beautifully urban Power & Light District while those looking for a bit more of a challenge can take the 12k route and explore the art district in Kansas City’s Crossroads. Don’t forget to don your favorite team’s jersey – competition will be fierce.

The perks for this race are what hooked me:

Every runner gets a uniquely designed finisher’s medal, t-shirt, and free beer at KC Live! compliments of Central States Beverage Company. Hang on to your bib and don’t forget your ID!
Age group awards for both men and women in 5 year increments from 17& Under all the way to 80& up
Overall winners both male and female in the 12k receive a $1000.00 gas card for Phillips 66 and 2 Championship Game tickets. 2nd place receives a still very impressive $500.00 dollar gas card
Overall winners both male and female in the 5k receive a $750.00 gas card for Phillips 66 and 2 Championship Game tickets

Brew To Brew

Distance: 44 miles

Date: April 2

Time: Start times are staggered in 10 minute blocks from 6:00 to 9:30 a.m

Brew to Brew Run Finish

Brew to Brew is one of Kansas City’s oldest distance events now in its 23rd year. Grab your friends, a car full of snacks and prepare for a fun filled day running from KC to Lawrence, Kansas. There’s a solo option if you’re crazy but who wouldn’t run 44 miles for beer? The course starts off of 27th street in downtown Kansas City and takes you through beautiful backroads and trails all the way to Lawrence’s famous levee trail. Pick your team leader and a catchy name then design your dream team and divvy up the 10 legs you’ll have to conquer to claim your beer at the end. The Kansas City Track Club throws you a party at Abe & Jakes after you finish with a chili and taco bar…also did I mention beer?

If running 44 miles wasn’t enough here are some other perks:

Sweet handmade finisher medals
Seeing me at the finish line if I’m timing the event this year
The experience of team relay running. Nothing gets your competitive juices flowing quite like a good relay.
A large portion of proceeds go to supporting the amazing Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and their research efforts.

Rock The Parkway

Distance: 5k/ Half Marathon

Date: April 8 at 7:30 a.m. for Half Marathon, 8:00 a.m. for 5k

In its 8th year of existence on the KC race scene, Rock the Parkway has exploded into the largest half marathon in the city maxing out at 7,000 participants. It regularly gains higher levels of competition and is arguably the fastest course in midtown. The out and back route takes you along Ward Parkway past KC’s historic mansions and Meyer Circle Fountain before looping around Jacob Loose Park and heading back to the finish. I personally have run my fastest half marathon time on this course and especially enjoy the last 5 miles which are conducive to huge negative splits and a great finish line kick.

Additional selling points:

Never a dull moment with live music and friendly spectators along the course
Beautiful finisher medals with the Meyer Circle Fountain molded into them
Great cash prizes for the top 5 finishers both male and female and masters
Age group award plaques from 14 & under all the way to 80+
More live music, snacks and vendors set up around Burns & McDonnell’s courtyard at the finish

Trolley Run

Distance: 4 miles

Date: April 30 at 7:45 a.m.

Trolley Run Participants Headed Down Brookside Blvd.

If you’re looking to show off your wheels with an impressive time, the Trolley Run is your race. Hone your speed through March and April then get ready to PR big. The course is one of the fastest 4 mile races in the midwest attracting elite athletes from all over the nation. This point-to-point race starts off in south Kansas City’s Waldo neighborhood and heads north along the well-loved midtown Trolley Track trail. You lose about 150 feet in elevation and end along brush creek off the country club plaza. Race coordinators make logistics easy with shuttles running from the finish to the start line starting at 6 AM.

Other reasons this race is a winner:

All proceeds go to the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired. Learn more about their incredible organization and what they are doing here: trolleyrun.org/about
United States Association of Blind Athletes partners with the run and recruits guides so blind and severely visually impaired runners can experience the race
The after-bash with all sorts of tasty treats and beverages
Cash prizes! Not listed on their site but usually go out to 4th place overall both male and female

The post 4 Must-Try Spring Races In Kansas City appeared first on Miles On Veggies.

Pulled Jackfruit Street Tacos

Linzjane — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 17:46:21 +0000

The last couple months I’ve been having a blast experimenting with jackfruit and a few the recipes I’ve created are quickly reaching obsession level. For instance these tacos. The jackfruit is easy to prepare and takes on the appearance and texture of shredded pork or chicken seasoned with my favorite taco spices, smoky chipotle powder and finished with a hint of fresh lime juice. For that addicting street taco appeal I then pile it into a warm corn tortilla with perfectly caramelized red onion, bell peppers, fresh guacamole and zingy pico de gallo. The flavors are so bright and decadent at the same time, it’s hard to believe these are healthy let alone vegan. I always make extra to pack for lunch the next day…they usually don’t make it that long.

Let’s talk jackfruit for a minute. If you’re new to the vegan community you’re probably going “jack what?” It’s definitely not your everyday grocery store ingredient. Jackfruit is the very large fruit of the jackfruit tree that is native to South and Southeast Asia. It’s a member of the fig, mulberry and breadfruit tree family known as Moraceae. The fruit of these trees is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world and can grow as large as 80 lb in weight, 35 inches in length, and 20 inches in diameter. I’ve seen one fresh one at a grocery store back in the day and it was pretty intimidating. Now that I know a bit more about the fruit, I’d love to try my hand at breaking down a whole one but in the meantime my recipes utilize the convenience of canned jackfruit. You can almost always find it in Asian grocery stores, health food stores, or occasionally in the ethnic aisle at the grocery store. I purchase a case of 18 cans at a time online and keep them as a pantry staple for all types of tasty things.

These tacos are more or less a conglomerate of a few small recipes and so I’ve listed them out as such. I’ve turned this dish into a buddha bowl with brown rice or quinoa at bottom and made rows of the toppings. If you just want good old chips and salsa/guac those “sub” recipes will make your taste buds happy.

Pulled Jackfruit Street Tacos

Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

1 hour

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Pulled Jackfruit

2 Twenty Ounce Cans Young Jack Fruit in brine
1 Small Can Green Chiles
1 Can Black Beans
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Packet Natural Taco Seasoning (I prefer Trader Joe's)
1 Tsp Smoked Chipotle Powder
¼ Red Onion Chopped Finally
Juice of 1 Lime

Fajita Veggies

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Bell Peppers
1 Large Red Onion
1 Jalapeno
1 Clove Garlic
Salt/Pepper to taste

Fresh Guacamole

2 Very Ripe Avocados
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Red Onion
1 Clove Garlic - crushed
Juice of ½ Lime
1 Tsp Cumin
2 Scallions Finely Chopped
½ Jalapeno Finely Chopped
Salt/Pepper to taste

Pico de Gallo

2 Medium Vine Ripened Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Red Onion
1 Clove Garlic - crushed
Juice of 1 Lime
½ Jalapeno Finely Chopped

For Tacos

8-10 Large Sturdy Corn Tortillas (I recommend Trader Joe's)
Chopped lettuce/kale
Hot Sauce
Extra Lime wedges

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drain both cans of jackfruit and place jackfruit chunks onto a large rimmed cookie sheet. Shred the chunks by pulling the flesh apart with your hands. You can also chop it roughly with a chef knife but I like the appearance of the fruit when it's manually shredded.
Drain and rinse your black beans and pour both beans and the can of chiles over the jackfruit. Finally chop you red onion and sprinkle over the tray.
Drizzle everything with olive oil and sprinkle on the taco seasoning. If you don't have a taco seasoning pack swap out for 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Mix the spices and oil into the jackfruit using your hands. Make sure everything is coated well.
Bake at 400 for 30-35 mins. Squeeze juice of 1 fresh lime over the jackfruit while warm.
While your jackfruit is baking chop your fajita veggies into strips (see photo) and heat your olive oil in a large skillet to medium high. Place your red onion in first, break it up with a spoon and then leave it alone for 4-5 mins allowing it to start caramelizing and coloring. Add in your peppers and crushed garlic, stirring to incorporate everything. Continue cooking on medium high for 20-25 mins. The key to great fajita veggies is not stirring too much..only do it every 3-4 mins so that tasty golden brown color can develop. Salt and pepper then turn off heat.
In between stirring fajita veggies, start prepping your salsa and guacamole. Both are pretty simple. For the guacamole simply scoop out the avocado, give it a good smash and stir in finely red onion, crushed garlic, lime juice, cumin, scallions and jalapeno. Start with a half teaspoon of salt and pepper, taste and adjust to your preferences.
The pico is equally as easy. Dice up your tomatoes into small cubes. Mix in finely chopped red onion, crushed garlic, chopped jalapeno, and lime juice. Stir it up and you're set!
To assemble, wrap your tortillas in a cheese cloth or lightweight kitchen towel and microwave 90 seconds. Place a bed of lettuce or kale on the bottom of each tortilla and pile on a ample serving of jackfruit and fajita veggies. Finish the tacos off with pico and a dollop of guac. I drizzle mine with hot sauce and squeeze on a bit more fresh lime. Enjoy!

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Quinoa Tabbouleh Wraps

Linzjane — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 02:30:22 +0000

I owe most of my ethnic food knowledge to my mom who prepared and taught my siblings and I to appreciate diverse flavors from a young age. Some of my fondest food memories were when our family hosted internationals in our home over the summers or holiday breaks. We’d take these students grocery shopping and let them plan and prepare their country’s traditional cuisines in our kitchen. It was an amazing way to break through difficult communication barriers and better understand their cultures and backgrounds through food and tradition. I still use some of their techniques and flavoring tricks in my recipes today.

Tabbouleh is commonly eaten in Eastern Mediterranean (Levantine) countries. It is a dish traditionally prepared with chopped parsley, tomatoes, cracked wheat (bulgar) mint, and red onion. It’s usually simply dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. My mom would serve it to us growing up with falafel and yogurt dip and I couldn’t stand it. Good thing my tastes have sophisticated because this salad is so addicting. If parsley isn’t your thing the recipe still work sans parsley…you’ll just miss out on a antioxidant punch. You can swap spinach for a milder flavor. I deviated from the traditional cracked wheat in exchange for quinoa because I needed the recipe to be gluten free but also was seeking a boost of protein to make it an easy meal on-the-go.

Tabbouleh is typically served cold but this quinoa version is amazing both warm or chilled. Mixing the dressing and ingredients into the warm quinoa makes the flavors pop and everything sort of melts in with each other and gets absorbed by the quinoa’s little curls. The end result is a nutty, lemony, fragrant salad. I chose to make this version of tabbouleh wraps using rainbow chard because it’s in season and a nice hearty leaf that’s easy to wrap stuff up in. I flash blanch them to soften the leaves and make them easier to roll. You can use lettuce or collard greens or just eat the salad on top of a bed of spinach. I’m just always on the lookout for ways to pack greens into every meal.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Wraps

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

To Prepare Quinoa:
3½ cups water
2 cups Quinoa
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ Tsp Salt
Dressing:
Juice of 1 Lemon
¼ cup Olive Oil
1½ Tbsp Tahini
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 Clove Garlic - Crushed
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
Add ins:
1 small Red Onion or half a large one
3 scallions
2 Roma Tomatos
1 cup Parsley Chopped
1 Avocado
½ Zucchini
For the wraps:
One Large bunch Rainbow Chard

Instructions

On medium high heat bring all the quinoa prep ingredients to a boil. Boil 10 mins until most of the water is absorbed then turn the heat to low and cook until quinoa is fluffy. There should be no water at the bottom of the pot.
Fill a large pot up with water and bring to a simmer for flash blanching the rainbow chard.
While the quinoa cooks chop all your veggie add-ins into a small dice and place in a large bowl. Make sure your onions and scallions are very finely chopped.
In a small bowl whisk all the dressing ingredients together until smooth.
Pour your quinoa into the chopped veggies and stir in your dressing. Mix well until everything is well incorporated.
De-stem your swiss chard and split leaves down the middle. (Save the stems for salads or stir fries.)
Dip each half leaf into simmering water to blanch them and then pat dry with a paper towel. This makes the leaves more malleable and easier to wrap ingredients in without tearing.
Lay your blanched leaf out on a cutting board and put about a quarter cup of tabbouleh on the end. Roll up the sides and corners. It's easiest to roll away from your body.

Cooking Quinoa

Prepping Parsley

Cubing Avocado

Organic Rainbow Chard

The post Quinoa Tabbouleh Wraps appeared first on Miles On Veggies.

Superfood Slaw

Linzjane — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 03:15:10 +0000

One of the best parts of being vegan is experiencing so many more tastes, colors, and textures. As a die hard foodie, an exceptional dish, in my opinion, needs to be both flavorful and also display a range of contrasting textures and colors. That’s why I created this slaw. My weeknight go-to dinner usually includes me filling a large ramen bowl with brown rice or quinoa and topping it with rows of complimenting macronutrients in veggie form like avocado, roasted root veggies, beans, and of course my favorite, superfood slaw! It adds that bright, fresh crunch that all the other softer foods that need to be balanced out.

In addition to enhancing any meals visual aesthetic, this slaw merits its name due to the addition of black kale, purple cabbage, raw ginger, and raw garlic (watch out, pungent flavor not for the faint of heart). As a runner I look to get as many anti-inflammatory immune boosting foods in my system as possible and this slaw fits that bill. Black or Tuscan kale and red cabbage have some of the highest levels of antioxidants of any vegetable due to their characteristic deep purple and green hues. Ginger in raw form has a pleasant spicy heat and is packed with a strong anti-inflammatory compound called gingerol. Studies have shown that regular consumption of gingerol leads to a decrease in muscle and joint soreness and promotes a non toxic environment for your body to heal and restore itself.

With the hefty dose of raw garlic included in this recipe I’d consider eating it at the end of the day and not before social gatherings. You’ve been warned. Garlic has so many health benefits I could write whole blog post on it alone. It is super important for me as a female vegan distance runner because it can help with the absorption of non-heme iron. There is a misconception that vegans have a hard time getting enough iron but in reality the problem is with absorption. Garlic contains diallyl sulfides that increase production of ferroportin and aides your body in effectively absorbing plant based iron. (Ferroportin is a protein that runs across the cell membrane, and it forms a passageway that allows stored iron to leave the cells and become available where it is needed.) I’ve experienced sever anemia at various times throughout my running career so I make sure to get a lot of garlic in my diet. Every little bit can help.

Prep time: 15 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 pound purple cabbage (about half a medium head)

1 bunch of Tuscan Kale (also called lacinato or black kale)

1 Large Avocado or 2 small

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tsp Sesame Oil

Juice of 1 large lime

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2 Large Cloves of Garlic

1 square inch nob of fresh ginger (about the size of a thumb)

2 Tbsp water

1/2 Tbsp Agave

salt and pepper to taste

Zest of a lime (optional but adds more nutrients)

1/3 cup Brazil nuts

1/2 pepitas

Directions

Wash and shred or finely chop cabbage and place in a large bowl.
Wash the kale, remove stalks and finally chop the whole bunch. Add to your bowl.
Chop the brazil nuts finely and stir into the kale and cabbage. You can substitute cashew or macadamia nuts.
Put all remaining ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse off and on for 2 mins until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust salt to your preferences.
Pour dressing into the bowl and toss thoroughly.

Serving Suggestions

Serve as a side to BBQ jack fruit
Serve with black beans and rice for a simple dinner
Saute tofu with soy sauce and siracha and serve this slaw on the side
Mix with cold asian noodles, top with a dash of sesame oil and soy sauce

Finely chop cabbage

Finely chop black kale

Ingredients for dressing

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Easy Vegan Pancakes

Linzjane — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 17:12:29 +0000

We love our lazy Sundays around here and what goes better with sleeping in than a tasty batch of fluffy pancakes! For a long time I thought vegan baking was a hopeless feat without eggs. Substituting dairy is easy but eggs are what is often known as a leavening component giving baked goods their fluffy and light texture. On top of that my husband is gluten-free furthering the restrictions on my ingredient list. I didn’t even bother trying to make pancakes for awhile until I was tasked with creating a vegan cake for a coworker. I read through recipes for hours scrutinizing their leavening choices and weird un-heard of ingredient selections. I just wanted to make a cake without having to use a bunch of fake vegan eggs, gums and weird crap…is that so much to ask? I almost gave up but one of the last recipes I read through used all normal ingredients and relied on a mixture of acid and baking soda to fluff the cake up. It turned out beautifully, had the lightest crumb and rose like any other traditional cake. I couldn’t believe it. You didn’t even need the eggs! The chemical reaction between the acid and the base worked just as well if not better. I have since begun experimenting and applying it to all types of vegan baking including these pancakes. I use lemon juice in this because I like serving them with blueberry sauce. You can substitute apple cider vinegar or white vinegar if you’re not into lemon.

Prep/Cook Time: 30 mins | Serves: 3 (3 five inch pancakes each)

Ingredients

1 Tbsp ground Chia seeds

1 cup flour (all-purpose, gluten free all-purpose, or whole wheat pastry flour)

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Baking Soda

3 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

3 Tbsp Oil

1 Tbsp Agave or Pure Maple Syrup

3/4 cup Almond milk (any non dairy milk or even water will work)

pinch of salt

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

In a coffee grinder or food processor pulse your chia seeds until finally ground. Chia seeds become gelatinous when combined with wet ingredients which helps keep these pancakes together and holds in the moisture. Grinding them up helps accelerate this process.
Whisk together ground chia seeds, flour, powder, soda and salt. Work out any clumps and make sure your baking soda and powder is well incorporated into the flour.
In a separate bowl whisk together lemon juice, oil, milk, agave and vanilla.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until smooth. You should be able to see and hear the reaction of the acid and soda working to fluff the batter. If the batter looks too dry add a tbsp or 2 of milk and whisk.
Heat and grease a large skillet or griddle on medium heat for 5-10 mins. Drip a bit of your batter on the skillet to test the temperature. It should make a gentle sizzle noise.
Ladle out 1/4 cup portions of batter onto your skillet and let them cook undisturbed for about 90 seconds-2 mins. You should see a couple of bubbles on top. Even if they don’t bubble still flip them shortly after 2 mins. Pancakes get dry fast. Cook another minute on the other side and transfer to a serving dish.

Eat these up quick as they taste best right off the griddle. I love mine with fresh fruit and maple syrup or simple blueberry sauce I make by heating frozen blueberries with a little OJ, agave and thickened with corn starch. My husband prefers almond butter and bananas. You can get creative with toppings baked into these too. Try chocolate chips, nuts, oats…any fun textured or flavored ingredient you have on hand. Happy Breakfasting! -L

Grinding Chia Seeds

Finally ground chia seeds

Gluten free all-purpose flour

Vegan pancake batter

The post Easy Vegan Pancakes appeared first on Miles On Veggies.

White Bean Tahini Green Goddess Dip

Linzjane — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 23:30:42 +0000

I’m fortunate to live just a little over a mile from where I work and one way I like to spend my lunch hours when I’m not runching is seeing what I can whip up in 10-15 mins with what I have around my kitchen. It’s like a creative brainstorming exercise away from my computer that helps me reset and be more productive the rest of the day. This recipe came about in one such session and has become one of my favorites. I make homemade hummus as an easy protein rich dip for my veggies but was out of garbanzo beans on one occasion. Fortunately there was can of cannellini beans lurking in the back of my pantry. If you’ve ever worked with cannellini beans you know they’re exceptionally buttery and smooth making them an excellent pallet for all types of yummy flavors. I decided to swap them in for the garbanzos and play off a classic, green goddess dressing.

Also called white pinto beans, cannellinis are a staple in central and southern Italian fare prepared with tomato based sauces, olives and, other savory veggies. Like most beans they offer an impressive nutrient profile packed with iron, magnesium, folate, and a hefty dose of fiber. So I found my cannellinis and since it was the day before when I go grocery shopping I really only had a few other staples to work with – lemon, olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic, tahini sauce. That’s the beauty of having staples always stocked. The key flavoring ingredient in this recipe is the tahini sauce from Trader Joe’s which I recommend vegans and meat eaters alike always keep on hand. It’s pretty much hummus without the garbanzo beans (sesame butter, lemon, olive oil, garlic) and adds a nice nutty depth and tang to the dip. I call it a dip but this recipe is just runny enough that it can double as a rich creamy salad dressing. By adding a little more olive oil, water or lemon juice you can get it to you desired thickness and use it on all sorts of dishes.

Prep Time: 5-8 mins Makes: About 2 Cups

Ingredients

1 can Cannellini Beans Drained

2 Tbsp Olive oil

3 Tbsp Trader Joe’s Tahini Sauce (or plain tahini)

Juice of 1 Lemon

Zest of 1 Lemon

2 Cloves of Garlic

2 Handfuls Spinach

1 Tbsp dried Parsley

1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast

1 Tsp Salt

½ Tsp fresh Cracked Pepper

Directions

Pour the beans, olive oil, lemon juice, zest, and tahini sauce in a food processor or vitamix and pulse for a minute until creamy and smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until the dip is a lovely light green color. Pour into a serving dish or drizzle over roasted veggies or your favorite salad. Garnish with a bit more dried parsley, a little chopped red onion or scallions. So delicious, creamy, and addicting. Enjoy! -L

Trader Joes Tahini Sauce

Blending all the ingredients together

Smooth white bean puree before adding the greens

The post White Bean Tahini Green Goddess Dip appeared first on Miles On Veggies.

Swimming To Strengthen Your Running

Linzjane — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 22:04:36 +0000

One of my biggest weaknesses as a runner is cross training and I feel like most of my runner colleagues can relate. We use it as a last resort once we’re injured or a once-in-a-blue moon alternative to running after hard races. As painful as it is to get out of our running comfort zone, cross training can help you become less injury prone, increase your training volume without adding additional stress, and strengthen complementing muscle groups we don’t pay enough attention too. All in all, cross training could be the difference in your training plan that could get you to your next breakthrough performance.

I realize it’s easier said than done. I for one often feel like a fish out of water entering a gym. What equipment to use? What intensity? How can I get the most bang for my buck literally and figuratively time-wise and exertion-wise. If you got a chance to read my blog on winter training, you’ll remember I laid out some tips on picking a gym. One of the big deciding factors for me was that the gym I joined had to have a pool. That’s because I think, hands down, swimming is the best cross training option for runners because of the quality and diversity of workouts you can accomplish without impact.

I am by no means an expert at swimming so when I do get in a pool I tag along with my training partner who has a background in competitive swimming. She basically swims circles around me but at least I get inspired and learn new techniques every time we’re in the pool. Taylor Duncan was a NCAA D1 distance runner for Auburn where she put up some impressive times and attributes a lot of her success to the aerobic development her background in swimming gave her. She kindly offered to contribute her expert advice and a few workouts for you to try next time you jump in a pool.

Swimming Techniques For Better Running

Before I discovered my love for running, I was fully committed to the world of swimming. As I began running, I wanted to keep swimming as a part of my life but with the nature of college running, it was hard to keep it up on a regular basis due to the high level of intense training my body was already undergoing. I typically would reserve getting in the pool to off seasons or during the times I was injured. I’ve since graduated and begun my professional career and have more freedom with my training schedule. I’ve enjoyed reintroducing more swimming (1-2 times a week) back into life and have noticed more than ever how beneficial it is for injury prevention. Swimming is my go-to for active recovery days and when I am feeling stiff and achy. It’s the perfect workout for those seeking something that is low impact but still is a quality workout.

Any research on swimming will tell you that it’s a low impact activity, but what does that mean to me as a runner? It means I get to rest all those aching tendons and joints that are working against gravity and absorbing thousands of pounds of impact every time I run. I’ve battled IT Band Syndrome (a common overuse injury) many times in my running career and swimming has always been my first step to recovery. For one, it relieves my injury anxiety because taking an “off” day with swimming is not a wasted training day. And two, swimming is a great way to “stretch out”. I always feel looser after a swim, especially in my hips, lower back, and legs. This is mainly due to the fact swimming increases flexibility and mobility- two things runners, myself included, grossly neglect.

Along with the benefit of being low impact, swimming is great for runners because it strengthens the entire body. And when I say the entire body, I mean from the inside out. Most people associate swimming with strengthening the arms and legs. But there are other parts of the body that swimming strengthens that not all athletes realize, including the hips, core, and lungs.

Swimming Workouts for Hips & Glutes

Swimming strengthens the little muscles in the hips and lower back that we don’t always think about, but are so important to us as runners. We tend to weaken our glutes and shorten our hip flexors when we sit all day and then recruit the wrong muscles in a disproportionate fashion when we try to run fast. I specifically want to touch on how swimming strengths the hip flexor and gluteus medius. To strengthen these two areas of the hip follow some of these workouts below.

Hip Flexor:

• Flutter (Freestyle) Kick- Start by holding a kickboard out in front of you and kick for

10X25 yards (1 length of pool) building each 25 yards to an all-out effort with 10-15 seconds count rest. Be sure to focus on quick little kicks.

* As you progress and get stronger you can change it up from building 25s to full all-out effort 25yd kicks.

* Once that is easy flip onto your back in a streamline position (arms above head, hands together) and do the 10x 25 yards. Build again—focus on keeping your hips up at the top of the water and using small quick flutter kicks. Knees and feet should not come fully out of water. This will also require you to engage your core as you try to keep your hips at the top of water.

*After you have conquered the 25s or if they’re too easy to begin with move on to 50s→75s→100s.. lower the number of reps to your discretion once you get to 75s.

How to swim freestyle

Gluteus Medius:

**Note the gluteus medius is a very important muscle for injury prevention.

Breaststroke Kick (Frog Kick)

** You will do the same workout as previous but with the breaststroke kick.

** This will also help with your hip mobility.

** When you move to kicking on your back for breaststroke focus on keeping your knees underwater.

*NOTE: Make sure to engage the glutes the entire time you’re swimming. It keeps your hips from sinking and this helps keep an easier and even stroke… and who doesn’t like to work that booty??

How to swim breaststroke

Swimming Workouts for Core

Next, I will touch on how swimming strengthens your core. In general, swimming requires you to have a strong core. In order to stay up and balanced while you work your legs and arms at the same time your core must be constantly engaged. If you are looking for ways to work your core out even more in the pool, I suggest the following:

Butterfly Kick: Butterfly kick is bound to make your core burn, especially if you have never done it before. I always incorporate some butterfly kick into my swim workouts:

• 10×50 yard Kicks: Alternate 25 yards Freestyle kick and 25 yards Fly kick with 10-15 sec count recovery.

• 10×25 yard Fly Kick on Back—make sure to keep a tight streamline with your arms, squeezing your ears…it will help keep you from sinking.

how to swim butterfly stroke

Sprints: Swimming all-out 25 yards requires you to engage your core as you swim as fast as you can.

*Again I suggest you “build” into sprints.

• 10-20×25 yard Build Freestyle @ 10-15 count rest: Build to an all-out effort

•10-25×25 yard All-Out Sprint @ 10-15 count rest

Swimming Workouts for Lung Capacity

Finally, I am going to touch on my favorite part of swimming—working out the lungs. I probably spend 30-50% of all my swimming workouts holding my breath in some way and have seen huge improvements in “running lungs”. Here are a couple of my go-to lung workouts:

• 8×25 yard Underwater water kicks @ 10-15 count rest; Just as it sounds, I kick in streamline all the way underwater, no breaths. I make sure to squeeze my ears and keep a tight core—my go to kick is fly kick but I have seen a lot of people prefer flutter kick.

***NOTE – Beginners gage your body and do not push yourself too much when you first attempt these. If you have to take a breath come up and keep count of how many you take. Try and take the breaths down as the 25s get easier.

• 4-6×75 yards with restricted breathing @ 10-15 second count rest: This gets a little technical, for each 75 yard rep you’ll be breaking it down into 3 25 yard segments – First 25 yards breath every 3 strokes, Second 25 yards breath ever 5 strokes, Third 25 yards breath ever 7 strokes.

**When it starts to get easy turn it into 100s and try to take 0-1 breath on the last 25.

• 10×50 yards alternating 25 yards underwater and 25 kicking on you back @ 10-15 count rest. I really like this one because you don’t stop after the first 25 and get a nice “lactic” burn as you recover on the second 25.

Example of a Full Pool Cross Training Session

Below I have put together a “typical’ full swim workout I would do on a cross training day. Like any running workout, it’s structured with a warm up, various drills, and a cool down. This workout can easily be cut down depending on your swimming fitness level and time constraints:

Warm Up: 1000 yards

500 Swim (100 free, 100 free/back, 100 free, 100 Kick on back alt free/fly, 100 free)
10×25 Build Free
250 Swim Choice – I usually do some drills for form here.

Lung Busting Workout: 800 yards

8×25 Underwater Kick
4×100 3-5-7
8×25 Underwater Kick

Kick Session: 450

10×25 All-Out Effort Kick
2×200 alt free/fly kick on back

Swim Session: 500

10×50 Build

Cool Down: 250 EZ swim

Hope you are able to use this post as a resource for your next cross training session and happy swimming! -L

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Everything You Need To Know About Matcha

Linzjane — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 16:58:22 +0000

Coffee is by far America’s #1 choice for caffeine but what do you drink when your stomach can’t handle the acidity? Most folks I know conclude there’s no good solution other than to settle for lesser forms of caffeine and move on. Oh the horrors! I used to be a coffee addict and, although my stomach can handle it, I phased it out over my college years because of the nasty breath and teeth staining that came along with it. I’m not going to lie, I take caffeine in a supplement form first thing in the morning to save time before I hit the road for a run but I enjoy drinking something at work to relax and refocus. I tried traditional black and green teas but like a stronger flavor and doubling up tea bags gets costly. There also wasn’t quite the level of caffeine in tea that’d I prefer (can you tell I’m a junkie). Enter Matcha! I first stumble upon this vivid green beverage on instagram and probably spent over an hour gawking at all the stunning variations and creative ways people use it. Matcha is actually a type of green tea but on steroids. That’s no understatement, it has 130x the antioxidants of standard green tea, a hefty dose of slow-release caffeine. The great thing about it is it can be used in so many ways that you’ll want to make it a kitchen staple immediately.

Origin

Matcha can be traced back to China’s Tang Dynasty where tea leaves were regularly steamed, dried, and packaged for trading purposes. After the growing and processing stages, the tea was traditionally prepared by toasting and grinding the leaves to a very fine powder before they were mixed or whisked with boiling water in small bowls. This method of preparation became a common ritual for Buddhists in traditional tea ceremonies practiced in their temples for centuries. Matcha was used to help monks stay alert but still calm and relaxed during long periods of meditation. Eventually Zen Buddhism and the powder tea preparation method made its way to Japan in 1191 by way of monks and have since died off in China as a traditional beverage. However, the powdered tea has made a comeback in recent year as a trendy modernized drink and as a featured ingredient in many Asian dishes.

Production

Matcha seedlings start the same as any other green tea you can pick up at the store. What makes it unique is the tedious and technical growth, harvesting and processing methods the tea plants undergo. The technical name of the plant matcha comes from is camellia sinensis and there are a few variations of the tea with some being more prized than others. The three most coveted varieties, calledsamidori, okumidori, and yabukita, come from Japan and are renowned for their brilliant color, smooth finish, and superior frothability when being prepared. They are the gold standard of matcha and are difficult to come by on the states side as they lose their favorable color, texture, and flavor due to the oxidative effects that set in the longer they’re exposed to oxygen.

Matcha tea leaves are grown in extreme shade for 3 weeks. The most traditional practice is to lay large bamboo screens over the tea seedlings allowing a small bit of sun and air in so the plants don’t rot. This method of shading method slows down growth, keeping the plants tender and also forces the tea to create extremely high levels of chlorophyll giving matcha its trademark vivid color and boosting the production of amino-acids. After the 3 weeks are up, the best tea buds are picked, flash steamed to prevent fermentation and laid out flat in rows to dry. After the leaves have dried completely, they are deveined, de-stemmed, and ground slowly with a very dry stone to create matcha tea powder.

Where To Buy

My experience is that you’ll need to buy matcha online. You can occasionally fine a matcha-like powder (low grade matcha) at specialty bake shops and Dean & Deluca but I’ve yet to find a high quality, good sized bag for a decent price here in Kansas City. I’m sure other cities will vary. Give your local health store a call and see if they carry it or can order it wholesale. I’ve had a great experience purchasing mine from Amazon. They have a variety of venders both domestic and international and a huge selection. A rule of thumb while selecting a matcha is the darker the vibrant green color the better. If the tea appears mossy light green or yellowy, it’s old and has oxidized to a point where it has lost most of its nutrient dense properties. Obviously you won’t be able to assess that tangibly when buying online so do your research, read reviews, and avoid “green tea powders” as they will be a lower grade product.

You will also need to purchase a matcha mixing kit or at minimum a bamboo whisk. There are plenty of low cost options online as well and they won’t put you back more than a couple bucks. It’s a vital part of preparing your tea which I’ll explain next. The first time I purchased matcha I opted out of the kit and preparing it was a disaster.

Preparation

In addition to selecting and purchasing your matcha, you will need a traditional bamboo matcha whisk (pictured). Metal whisks or forks will NOT work. A shallow 4-5 inch mug or bowl works best for mixing it up. Some people recommend buying a small sift to break up the clumps in the tea but I find that whisking it while dry works just as well. I put 1-2 teaspoons into my mug, give it a good whisk to break it all up then add about 2 oz. of boiling water and whisk it rigorously to make a thick syrupy consistency. This step gets any clumps broken up that I missed in the dry whisk step. Add another 4-6 oz. of boiling water depending on how strong you like it and whisk again until frothy and light. Voila!

Health Benefits

I could write another whole article just on the health benefits of matcha.

To start, 1 cup matcha has the antioxidant levels of 10 cups traditional green tea. But it gets better, these aren’t just any antioxidants, they are a unique type called catechins that are only found in green tea. Catechins have powerful cancer fighting and free radical neutralizing properties. If you haven’t read it yet, my article, Eating to Reduce Oxidative Stress, covers in-depth just how vital antioxidants are for our bodies to heal themselves and prevent longterm inflammation. A couples cups of matcha and you’re well on your way to relieving your daily oxidative stressors and then some.
Matcha supports healthy weight management with a slow release form of non acidic or jittery caffeine that gently boosts your metabolism without raising your heart rate or blood pressure. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition conducted a study that showed individuals improved their ability to burn calories from 8%-10% of daily energy expenditure up to a whopping 35%-43% of daily energy expenditure. Burning calories was never so tasty.
L-Theanine found in matcha is linked to memory enhancement and calms anxiety. Unlike most forms of caffeine matcha does not produce the jittery effect that can send your mind into ADD mode. Try it before a big test, interview or marathon study session. You’ll feel poised and sharp as a nail.
Building off the antioxidant perk, matcha boosts and supports your immune system. This benefit is the result of the antioxidants doing their job and detoxifying your system so that inflammation is low and your body’s natural ability to fight disease is increased. When you’re no longer tied up fighting free radicals you can start fighting the big stuff and the result is less sick days!

Alternatives Uses

Aside from being a delicious and nutritious beverage, matcha has taken off as a start ingredient in modern baking. It’s beautiful color and potent green tea flavor transforms cakes, cookies, and ice cream. You can find endless creative recipes for just about any dessert online. I experimented a couple weeks ago with a pistachio matcha cake that got rave reviews (will post the recipe soon). Try matcha for Saint Patrick’s Day baked goods instead of green food coloring this year! Serve them up with a matcha latte and impress your friends with the festive and far more healthful alternative to green beer. Cheers! – L

The post Everything You Need To Know About Matcha appeared first on Miles On Veggies.

Miles On Veggies

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Move!

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Take It Easy

Winter Base Phase Recap

What is your aerobic energy system?

Why Runners Need Base Phases?

Here’s what my journey to a better aerobic base looked like:

The First 4 Weeks of Spring Training

4 Must-Try Spring Races In Kansas City

Kansas City’s Big 12 Run

The perks for this race are what hooked me:

Brew To Brew

If running 44 miles wasn’t enough here are some other perks:

Rock The Parkway

Additional selling points:

Trolley Run

Other reasons this race is a winner:

Pulled Jackfruit Street Tacos

Quinoa Tabbouleh Wraps

Superfood Slaw

Ingredients

Directions

Serving Suggestions

Easy Vegan Pancakes

Ingredients

Directions

White Bean Tahini Green Goddess Dip

Swimming To Strengthen Your Running

Swimming Techniques For Better Running

Swimming Workouts for Hips & Glutes

Hip Flexor:

Gluteus Medius:

Swimming Workouts for Core

Swimming Workouts for Lung Capacity

Example of a Full Pool Cross Training Session

Everything You Need To Know About Matcha

Origin

Production

Where To Buy

Preparation

Health Benefits

Alternatives Uses