Monday, October 8, 2012

Eating Lasagna and Burning Calories

I am sitting here between work and laundry and running trying to figure out meals for the week. I know I am not the only one who struggle with meal planning. You want meals to be HIP (Healthy, Inexpensive, Palatable), but if you’re like me you don’t give a crap if your family complains (well, it’s usually just the kids and one un-named child in particular) because YOU made the meal and if they don’t like it they can go to bed hungry with no candy corn Oreos for dessert.

As I’m trying to figure meals I’m thinking that you are all doing the same, so let’s trade. I’ll give you one of my tried and true HIP recipes and you give me one of yours. Fair enough? Just leave the link to the recipe, or the recipe itself in the comments and together we can make this world a better place. Don’t go giving me something like deep fried Rocky Mountain oysters (bull testicles) because I won’t make it or eat it, even if I do like balls.

My recipe? I have tons that I make regularly, but here’s a staple around here – Easy Spinach Lasagna. I love this recipe because you don’t have to cook the noodles beforehand. It’s also vegetarian if you’re trying to cut out meat a few times per week and BONUS – it only has SIX ingredients!:

image

Today I didn’t run because I ran a tough 7 mile yesterday and had to get up early today. Plus I wanted to wear normal/grown up clothes. Anyone else’s pie chart look like this (from Run the Edge)?

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This weekend someone asked me the effects of high altitude running on how many calories are burned. Very good question and I had no clue. But, Google did. Damn if I didn’t learn a ton about the effects of running at a higher altitude (info from HERE):

  • Your breathing speeds up, you work your diaphragm more
  • You burn more carbs than fat for fuel
  • Your metabolism may rise as much as 6 to 28% (this decreases as your body acclimates)
  • Although you may feel you are burning more calories due to a greater perceived exertion, in reality you are not.  You will, however, burn through more fuel and this can lead to weight loss (which I don’t totally get because if your metabolism rises, wouldn't you burn more calories?).

If you want to read a great article on the factors that influence how many calories are burned while exercising, go HERE. Great stuff. One way to burn more calories? Be born a man and get the flu because you burn more when you have a fever.

I hope you learned something here today. I mean what other blog can you go to where one day you learn what your stripper name is, and the next your learn about high altitude running?

What’s your HIP recipe to share?

Do you base your workouts on how many calories you are trying to burn? No, but if I was trying to lose weight I probably would.

Is your running laundry out of control? Mine is because while I don’t always wash work clothes (I sometimes wear them more than once – gasp!) you can’t really do that with running clothes or you will be arrested, have no friends or at least looked down upon.

SUAR

49 comments:

  1. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/broiled-tilapia-parmesan/detail.aspx Hubby was getting sick of chicken. We tried this tilapia and the kids LOVED it!

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  2. I'll give you 2! I love these and my family drools over them (including a hubby, 3.5 year old, 1.5 year old and dog).

    Paprika Grilled Fish: I serve this with a side of rice and some veggies.
    http://www.101cookingfortwo.com/2010/06/grilled-tilapia-with-paprika.html

    Crockpot Sesame Honey Chicken: Again, I serve this with a side of rice and some veggies.
    http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2012/08/crock-pot-honey-sesame-chicken.html

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    Replies
    1. I just made the second one for the first time last week -LOVED it!

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    2. After reading this post yesterday, I made the Crockpot Sesame Honey Chicken and LOVED IT! It was easy to make. I didn't use ketchup, but instead diced tomatoes from a can. I also added sesame oil. The only thing I would change would be to add the veggies in with the sauce. I served it on brown rice. I'm having it for leftovers. Thank you for this new recipe.

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  3. Quick and easy...http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipe/hoppin-john/

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  4. Uh, full time teacher and grad student here - I don't cook. My poor DH is on his own until I finish my master's degree. I have vague recollections of cooking though, before I started graduate school...

    My pie graph looks exactly like that, especially since it is a combination of "workout clothes" i.e. running, yoga, cycling stuff from both DH and I, as well as DH's uniforms, since they are made of the same material as workout clothes and also require the extra de-stinkifying process.

    ...am I the only one who will wear running clothes twice? Especially because I've been in the "injured - low mileage" camp, after 3 slow miles my sports bra is barely sweaty and I've been guilty of hanging it up for next time.

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    Replies
    1. I will depending on how sweaty I got ;-)

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    2. Do tell - what is your destinkify process? I have two high school athletes at home and their work out gear reek - of course, mine never smell anything other than fresh !! NOT.

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  5. This is my go to crock pot recipe that is easy as all get out and yummy.. http://www.sarahdeclerk.com/2012/09/go-go-daddy.html

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  6. You should go check out ourbestbites.com for recipes. My picky family loves most of them and a lot of the recipes are easy to make. They have a ton to choose from and the recipe section is broken down really well so its easy to find a recipe.

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  7. Depriving your children from Candy Corn flavored Oreos is MEAN!! LOL
    Wearing your clothes twice...., I guarantee you that many will confess to "weekly work out" clothes..(especially guys), after 15 sweaty miles..nasty is nasty either way. LOL
    Great blog......(you made it thru a bog with any mention of body functions..woo hoo)

    Peaches SpankDream (generated stripper name)

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  8. My recipe contribution: http://cautiouslyaudacious.blogspot.com/2011/10/local-organic-produce-creamy-kaleswiss.html

    My running laundry, I won't admit how many times I re-wear some items... but yes it is generally out of control!

    I like to know how many calories I burned just for the added sense of accomplishment, maybe I can go try some of those candy corn Oreos now!

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  9. I really love this recipe - the kids might not dig it and it may make you fart a bit more than usual but it's mighty tasty and easy to assemble.
    http://blistersandblacktoenails.blogspot.ca/2012/08/the-sunday-ritual-recipe-and-race.html

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  10. Soups, Crockpot ideas, desserts, etc., there is a little bit of everything here. http://copperlanterncooking.blogspot.com/
    I just made the tortilla lime chicken soup last week. YUMMY!! (hold back on the spice for the kids) I love to cook for the family and I post my recipes so others can make yummy food too! Enjoy!

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  11. My fave go-to recipe for cheap and quick:

    1 pkg turkey sausage / smoked kielbalsa / any other sausage
    2 cans kidney beans - drained
    1 jar salsa
    Rice

    -Slice sausage to whatever size you want to eat (I usually slice entire sausage in half and then cut ~1/4" thick slices)

    -Brown sausage in skillet
    -Add kidney beans & salsa to skillet
    -Let stuff simmer for ~10 minutes (or until hot and not as runny)

    Serve over rice.
    Done and done.

    For giggle effect, I like to call this recipe Weenie Salad :)
    This might cause extra gassiness.

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  12. This sounds fancy, but it's easy and my kids eat it. We eat a lot of eggs here. Breakfast for supper is a universal hit. http://wp.me/p2anCK-4B

    We also like this rice recipe a lot and use it as a base for lots of other stuff... My picky "we don't brown rice" family doesn't even notice that it's brown rice. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-brown-rice-recipe/index.html

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  13. I read once about how bacteria start to multiply very quickly on sweaty clothes so I never wear mine twice, even if they are barely sweaty!

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  14. This is the second time I make Turkey Chili Beans in the crock-pot AND my family LOVES it! Very easy to make and tasty too. I also add 1/4 beer, tomato paste (spoonful), green and red bellpeppers. Enjoy!

    http://southernfood.about.com/od/groundturkey/r/bl90924c.htm

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  15. We're burger people around here, so I have a huge stash of those recipes in my head. Our favorite is a wild rice burger. http://www.homemadeservedhere.com/2012/06/25/eighteen-years-and-still-looking-forward-to-every-day/ I made it with nutritional yeast but cheddar cheese or something similar would work in it's place.

    And a huge part of our laundry is running-related. Glad we're not the only ones!

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  16. I love this Chickpea and Quinoa Salad for an inexpensive vegetarian meal. If you really want it to be inexpensive and you can plan ahead to soak the beans and quinoa overnight, then follow the directions and use dried chickpeas. I have been known to use canned garbanzo beans to make a super-fast meal instead (just cook the quinoa as directed on the package and continue with step 3 of the recipe).

    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chickpea-and-quinoa-salad-with-lemon-and-tahini/detail.aspx

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  17. http://www.shilohstaste.com/2012/09/easy-tortellini-alfredo.html

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  18. This crockpot chicken chili is beyond easy (most stuff from cans and raw chicken added right in) and deliciously perfect for fall and winter. I make it at least once a month and sometimes make a double batch to freeze. http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/11/crock-pot-chicken-taco-chili-4-pts.htm

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  19. I make grilled chicken fajitas almost 1x/week. Drives my family nuts, but it is the one thing I have mastered. Heat skillet sprayed w/cooking spray, slice 1 red and 1 green pepper, and I small red onion. Put in skillet and cover, stirring occasionally until softened. While veggies are cooking, season chicken breast cut into strips w/ salt free fajita seasoning (I like spice hunter), and grill until cooked throughout. Cut into chunks and serve w/veggies in tortillas.

    Ice runner totally grossed me out. I don't re wear running clothes. Sometimes I forget clean socks at the gym, so I have to put those back on, but that is my extent of re wearing running attire. Headwear and jackets don't count, right?

    I wash all my house linens weekly thanks to yahoo grossing me out. However, I only wash my denim every month or so, unless they have obvious dirt spots on them. And I do wear jeans if I am not wearing running clothes. I had a trainer instruct me to "wear something loose fitting" to workout. Duh! I am wearing my workout clothes UNDER my jeans!

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  20. My new family fav is Shredded chicken tacos.

    6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
    1 pkg low sodium taco seasoning mix
    1 jar of your fav salsa

    Put all in crockpot on low for 6 hrs or so. Take chicken out and shred. Return to crockpot and stir.
    Serve mixture in soft shells and top with your favorite toppings.
    I usually just serve this with some refried beans and a salad.

    -Jessica H.

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  21. In a large salad or mixing bowl: wedges of heirloom tomatoes, wedges of ripe fresh peaches, the kernals of one ear of fresh cooked corn, thinly sliced and diced red onion, a modest amount of extra virgin olive oil. Mix gently and top with crumbled feta cheese just before serving. Optional: diced avocado and croutons or pita chips. Spectacular! Here's a link to the actual recipe that appeared on July 6 in The Wall Street Journal:

    line.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304058404577496470404250412.html

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    Replies
    1. Sorry, but the link to the WSJ recipe above is missing the first two letters in the url. Try this link, which is complete and correct:

      online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304058404577496470404250412.html

      There is something really magical about this simple mixture of fresh ingredients. And it can be made in just minutes.

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  22. I use a chicken green onion sausage my local grocery makes in-house to cook this absurdly easy soup with three ingredients:
    http://complicatedday.blogspot.com/2012/01/foody-friday-three-ingredient-soup.html
    If you use a lighter sausage and whole wheat pasta it's healthy, too!

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  23. Veggie burritos....Easy, cheap, and good.

    Cook sweet potatoes any way you like them, heat a can of black beans mixed with an equal amount of frozen corn on the stove. Cook rice mixed with diced tomatoes (from a can) - I said this is easy, right? When everything is hot, put rice, beans/corn and chunks of sweet potato in a tortilla. As desired, add lettuce, cheese, salsa, black olives, avocados, etc.... The kids like the assemble-it-yourself aspect. I like that it is moderately healthy. If I want to make it even better, I saute kale and throw that in too. Done!

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  24. Not that you haven't gotten any ideas here (wow, they all look really good!!) but I wanted to leave my new favorite recipe / website here too:
    http://picky-palate.com/2011/08/25/southwest-chicken-chili-mac-skillet-style/

    This girl has some pretty good food ideas and my kids haven't complained about any I've tried. (okay, so I'm guilty of trying a LOT of her dessert recipes!) This dinner recipe for Southwest Chicken Chili Mac is a favorite at our house now though.

    And oh. my. word. My running laundry often dictates when I need to wash again!

    --thanks again for inadvertently compiling such a great list of dinner ideas!

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  25. I love this about laundry. I was literally sitting in my bathroom (where my laundry room is built in) wondering how at least 2 days a week it looks like Sports Authority threw up all over it and how I should blog on it and saw this...Too funny!

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  26. Mine is chicken cacciatore: http://www.chimesdesign.com/blog/2012/05/16/wonder-bred-italian-boy-cooks-chicken-cacciatore/

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  27. My favorite meal is a delicious soup I make all the time. It's perfect for cool/cold weather. I usually make a double batch, freeze some and then I pull it out anytime I want a quick meal. http://ultrarunnergirl.blogspot.com/2009/10/our-favorite-soup.html

    And the altitude info is great. No wonder I am RAVENOUS whenever I go out to Frisco, Colorado!

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  28. i just KNEW men were the lucky ones. dont have to spend money on sports bras and they burn more calories. im gonna go cry in a vat of chocolate fudge ice cream.

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  29. This was a good idea! My go-to (although no kids in my house will eat it, which is why I make fresh-baked bread every time I try a new dish - Thank God for bread machines!):
    http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Creamy-White-Chili

    You could also visit www.orgjunkie.com and click thru her menu plan monday posts. Some folks post healthy menus.

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  30. Here is my go to easy chicken recipe, I've done this so many times, and served it for guests, it's so good! and so easy!

    http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/bistro-roast-chicken-10000000222263/

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  31. This is one of my favorite recipes...I usually add a grilled chicken breast and I'm good to go. My kids will actually even eat this one! The pine nuts and quinoa can be pricey but you can buy quinoa in bulk at Costco, and a bag of pine nuts from Trader Joes last a long time.

    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spiced-quinoa/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=quinoa&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1

    re: workouts, I don't really think about calories burned. I used to back when I first lost a lot of weight, but I've been at a good weight now for years and mostly just schedule my workouts according to whatever training plan I happen to be following!

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  32. So easy, so flavorful, so perfect for weeknights!
    http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/southwestern-chicken-soup-10000000780308/index.html

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  33. Love this, you can modify it a bit to make it healthier

    http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/no-fuss-tex-mex-roll-ups-95069.aspx

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  34. Here is an easy recipe I made recently. You can leave out the ground beef and add black beans if you want😊
    http://sandeesmidlifemarathon.blogspot.com/2012/08/quinoa-stuffed-peppers.html?m=1

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  35. Love this post!! I love healthy, easy recipes. I really want that lasagna!!! I learned a ton on the altitude training and I would only have to wash 2 loadsa week if I didnt run. An easy recipe is take chicken breast and put them in a crockpot. Pour a bottle of BBQ sauce on them. Cook all day. Then its so tender its shreds and awesome for BBQ sandwiches. Heat some broccoli and you have a good meal!

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  36. I love running at altitude. I am hoping it will help me during my marathon in San Francisco this weekend. Eek!

    Also love lasanga. My HIP other than pasta, stirfry with lots of veggies (frozen are just fine) or chicken and rice casserole with a veggie side.

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  37. A few years back my family went to the same dinner on Monday night: Fish (usually salmon) rice & salad. It is amazing how much it simplified my life to have one night a week that we didn't have to decide/discuss what was for dinner.

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  38. Within 10 minutes, i've started to sweat. Consequently, running and biking clothes don't get reused until after a load of laundry. This includes hats, jackets and gloves. We pitch the workout gear into a separate basket which gets washed every couple of days. Adding vinegar to the wash cuts the stink.

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  39. I'm a little late in sharing a recipe, but this is one of our favorites--you can use chicken instead of fish and it is amazing: http://www.cozi.com/live-simply/recipes/greek-tilapia

    And your laundry chart looks a lot like mine . . . yeah, I have more running/workout clothes than anything else these days. :D

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  40. The work which is involved doing physical activity will definitely make us cut off the calories!Nice info-graph!
    howmanycalories

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