Life continues to be very busy. I accepted a long-term substitute teaching position at a local middle school where I’ll teach 6-8th grade Spanish. I observed the teacher I’ll be subbing for and the students seem like they’ll be a lot of fun to work with. The assignment will end in March and I’ll continue to sub on an as-needed basis in the district and plan to also get on other school districts’ sub lists. I’ll also be keeping my eyes open for a full-time position to open up in a district in the Kansas City area.

I’m excited to get back into writing on this blog. I’m very much looking forward to all the opportunities that the next year will bring and I’ve been feeling an urge to get back into writing. My thinking lately has revolved around parenting, education, coffee, and food as well as new habits that I’d like to start in 2012. We’ll see where those thoughts take me on this blog.

A little over two months ago, some friends approached me with an idea: get a group of guys together to run the Warrior Dash. At the time all I knew about this “Dash” was that it was a 5k with obstacles including, but not limited to: water, mud, jumping over cars, haybales, 14’ rope ladders, hurdles, barbed wire, and jumping over fire. After reading the Warrior Dash website I thought it sounded like a fun idea.

There was one problem though: I wasn’t a runner. I had tried running in the past to extremely limited success. Shin splints, doing too much too soon, and not really being motivated to push through were limitations I faced in the past.

Merrell Trail Gloves

A number of friends had told me about running ‘barefoot’ style using minimalist shoes like Vibram’s Five Fingers (VFFs). Given that the VFFs aren’t the most practical looking shoes, I decided to seek out an alternative while still maintaining the essence of bareform running. One Saturday morning when Amelia and I were strolling through downtown Lawrence we stopped in at Sunflower Outdoor and Bike shop and I saw the Merrell Trail Glove shoe. After conversing with the staff, I found out this was Merrell’s entry to the barefoot running craze. At that moment I knew this would be the shoe for me. Though it turned out that Sunflower didn’t have my size, Brown’s ShoeFit did so I made my purchase and promised myself they wouldn’t gather dust.

Though you can find out all about the benefits of barefoot (or bareform, which I prefer) running through a few quick searches, here’s the basics that attracted me to it.

1. Bareform running forces you to strike midfoot, ensuring that you land with your knee partially bent rather than striking heel-first with your knee completely straight. This slight change completely redefines how the body absorbs the shock of impact when running on any surface. This was really important to me because as a veteran of 7 years of marching band, my body was trained to heel-strike and I suffer shin splints as a result. Heel-striking while running was one of my biggest downfalls that always ensured that it would be weeks between each run because of the pain.
2. Bareform running helps you be more aware of the terrain on which you are running. Due to the fact that the Trail Glove shoes are so thin-soled, it is very easy to feel the changes in the terrain and it has made me more mindful of how I’m running and how my stride affects how I feel and how much impact I’m making.

Couch to 5k

Once I had the shoes figured out, I needed a plan that would work to get me trained for the running portion of the Warrior Dash. Luckily, I had heard many success stories about the Couch to 5k program. After downloading the plan and looking over it, I felt like it was the right one for me. The very next day was a Monday, and what better day to start than a Monday, right?

I followed the plan pretty much to a ‘t’ though there were some days when I slacked off because it was too hot or I didn’t wake up in time to run before work. I made excuses on these days and definitely paid for them when it came time for my next run. As my Dad, track coach of 30+ years says, “Skip one day, no one notices; Skip two days, you notice; Skip three days, everyone notices.” Overall, the training went very well and I was continually impressed with myself for keeping up with the demands of the training. Before I started Couch to 5k, the thought of running more than one mile without walking was daunting and seemingly out of reach.

The Warrior Dash

Fast forward to Sunday, July 31st, the day of the Warrior Dash. My training was complete and I was mentally psyched to finish the race, have fun, and not get hurt. Although two of the original 4 guys who registered were not able to participate, my friend Brian and I banded together and completed the Warrior Dash in just over an hour. I’m not particularly proud of the time that it took but there are few things to consider: Temps were in the triple-digits, the course was extremely hilly and very very muddy (we ended up having to walk a good 1/4 of the course due to mud) and we had 10 obstacles of varying difficulty to deal with. In the end though, Brian and I met our three goals:

1. We finished
2. We didn’t get hurt
3. We had fun

The Warrior Dash was physically one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but I’m so glad I did it. To complete a ‘bib race’ as Brian called it made me really feel like I’m a “runner.” If you had told me 6 months ago that I would complete a 3.10 mile course with hellish obstacles, I would have laughed at you and told you that I don’t run. Today I’m given the opportunity to look at my race bib and the “Warrior Dash 2011: I Survived” medal that are hanging on the wall behind my iMac. It’s an extremely proud moment in my life and I look forward to future 5ks, 10ks, and possibly a half or full marathon. Six months ago, thinking of running 2 miles was a laughing matter. Today, 13.1 miles sounds difficult, yet feasible.

Thank you to my wife who believed in me from day one and didn’t question my ability to train for or run the Warrior Dash. Thanks to all those who encouraged me along the way, even if you don’t know it. Thanks to Brian for keeping me going during the race. And thanks to Merrell for creating a shoe that lets me run in a way that I no longer have to worry about shin splints and debilitating pain that would normally keep me from running for weeks.

All these things plus a little determination and will power have taken me from my couch to the finish line of the Warrior Dash and beyond.

To say that these are just memories of my trip to Spain 7 years ago wouldn’t do it justice. They are like puffy mosquito bites, oozing with temptation at every move. Though I can certainly relieve the itch by making my own versions of tortilla española and kalimotxo, it is only temporary. I must choose to either ignore it or distract myself from it until it goes away.

My seven-year itch to get back to Spain is at the strongest it has ever been. Perhaps it was the video I made for a class about tapas or the recent digital excavation of the pictures from my time in that beautiful country. My taste buds yearn for the rich food and drink, my tongue wants to dance along to the rhythm of the Spanish language, my eyes long to set their gaze on the Pyrenees and the sights found in the quotidian Spanish life and my body aches for a Quijote-esque adventure through La Mancha.

I know someday I’ll make it back, but for now….please pass the cortizone. I’ve got a mosquito bite on my thigh that’s driving me mad.

A note about the recipe: I’m vegetarian (though this recipe is vegan) but if you are more omnivorous, feel free to substitute chicken, shrimp, pork, or whatever other protein for the tofu and add scrambled egg if you’d like. Also, this recipe will probably kill anyone with a peanut allergy within a 5 mile radius so please take care to use alternatives to peanuts if necessary. Alright, on to the recipe. Oh, and a picture would be helpful too, eh?

Vegan Pad Thai

Ingredients:

Sauce: (original recipe here)

• 2 tblsp. smooth peanut butter
• 2 tblsp. soy sauce
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• Juice from half a lemon (*I used lime)

1. In a non-stick pan, combine all ingredients, stirring constantly, over medium heat until peanut butter has melted. Remove from heat and reserve.

1. Place rice noodles in large bowl, cover with very hot tap water and soak for 25-30 minutes. Then drain and set aside
2. Cut tofu into wedges and drain for 25-30 minutes. My draining method is to take a kitchen towel and place it on a large cookie sheet. I then place the tofu wedges on the towel in a single layer and then cover the tofu with a double layer of paper towels. Lastly, I place another cookie sheet on top of the paper towel layer and then place 3-4 soup or bean cans on top of the second cookie sheet to add some weight and make the draining process go faster.
3. While tofu is draining, prep and measure out the remainder of the ingredients.
4. Heat peanut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. While oil is heating, line a cookie sheet with a triple layer of paper towels.
5. Pan fry the tofu wedges in the oil, turning after 4-5 minutes or until a thin crust has formed. Once crust has formed on both sides, place wedges on paper towels to drain. Note: you may have to do more than one batch in order to cook all the tofu.
6. Stir fry the peppers, garlic, scallions, bok choy, and ginger until crisp-tender. Add a bit of soy sauce and 1/2 lime’s worth of juice about halfway into the cooking process.
7. Once vegetables are cooked, add rice noodles, your reserved sauce, and tofu and stir fry until rice noodles are al dente and tofu is warmed through (about 4-5 minutes)
8. Stir in bean sprouts and cilantro, then serve hot. Garnish with crushed peanuts and lime wedges. Add a sprig of cilantro for an even fancier presentation.

Last night I decided to try out a new dish from Raghavan Iyer’s book, “660 Curries.” Before I get into the recipe, I must say that if you like Indian food and want restaurant-style results from your own kitchen, buy this book. Here’s a link to it. I chose to make Chana Saag, a Chickpea and Spinach curry with a mild spice blend and roasted mustard seeds. At the heart of this dish and any other curry is spice. I buy all my spices from my local co-op, The Merc, because I can get them in bulk and I like to know I’m shopping local (even if the spices come from parts of the world I’ll probably never see). There’s plenty of other spice providers out there, including more well-known shops like Penzeys but I can’t stress enough how helpful it is to have somewhere local I can go to get bulk spices. I also buy my spices whole for the most part and grind them in a spice grinder. Enough about spices though, time for the recipe.

This curry uses a Sambhar masala as its spice blend and, according to Iyer, the sambhar masalas are used to spice stew-like dishes known as, you guessed it, Sambhar. One of the more interesting things about this spice blend, to me, is the inclusion of yellow split-peas. The legumes in the ground spice blend help thicken the sauce in the dish and I was in awe of the creativity of thought to include a dried legume into a spice blend. Genius, I say. The recipe does call for one spice that I could not find in Lawrence: Curry Leaves. However, the spice blend is the only thing in this recipe that called for them and based on the description given by Iyer, the curry leaves would have added a mild, citrus flavor to the spice blend and to the overall dish. The recipe also calls for both ginger paste and fried-onion paste but to save on time I just used finely minced ginger and red onion. So without further delay, here’s the recipe, starting with the Sambhar masala.

Chickpeas with Spinach and Mustard Seeds (Chana Saag)

Recipe from “660 Curries” by Raghavan Iyer

Sambhar Masala

• 1/2 c. firmly packed medium-size to large fresh curry leaves
• 1/2 c. dried red Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed
• 1/4 c. yellow split peas, picked over for stones
• 1/4 c. coriander seeds
• 2 tbs. cumin seeds
• 1 tbs. fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbs. black or yellow mustard seeds
• 1 tbs. white poppy seeds
• 2 cinnamon sticks (each 3 inches long), broken into smaller pieces
• 1 tbs. unrefined sesame oil or canola oil

Zucchini-Goat Cheese Pizza

Recipe from Vegetarian Times, June 2011

Pizza

• 2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
• 8 oz. (1/2 pkg.) prepared refrigerated pizza dough
• 1 3.5-oz. log goat cheese, thinly sliced or roughly chopped
• 1 zucchini, peeled into thin strips
• 1 small red pepper, cut into rings

A couple months ago I bought myself a very indulgent gift: White Truffle oil. Truffles are a foodie’s diamond and ever since falling head-over-heels in love with the Truffle Fries at The Burger Stand in Lawrence, I knew I had to cook with truffle flavor. As you may know, though, truffles are rather hard to come by, especially in Kansas. So thanks to some food scientist somewhere, regular folks like me can buy a $15 bottle of infused White Truffle Oil and get at least a little slice of the unctuous, earthy flavors of the coveted truffle.

Tonight I combined cremini mushrooms (baby portobellos), onions, garlic, and parsley with whole-wheat thin spaghetti, melted some butter on it and doused it with a bit of truffle oil as a final touch. I served it with a simple side salad of greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and red pepper along with a store-bought champagne grape vinaigrette. It turned out to be a simple yet deliciously satisfying meal full of earthy and aromatic flavors. Though the star ingredient, the truffle oil, is the most expensive item on the ingredient list, a little of it goes a long way and the bottle should last you quite a while. If you’re not into splurging on expensive oils, a good olive oil would do fine as a substitute, but I can’t stress enough just how much the truffle oil adds to this dish.

Recipe (serves 2 hungry adults):

Ingredients

• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6-7 medium cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1-2 tblsp. olive oil
• 4oz. Whole-Wheat Thin Spaghetti
• 1 tblsp. butter
• 1 tblsp. white truffle oil
• 2 tblsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

This weekend, Amelia and Sam went out on a play-date and, as they say, “while the cat’s away the mouse will play.” My love of cookies and my disdain for high-fructose corn syrup got together and out popped these homemade oreos. In my opinion these are better than the real thing and I’ll definitely be making them again. I had one pan of the cookies turn out really well; very crumbly cookies that puffed the right amount and are crisp-tender while the other pan completely flattened out into crouton-like chocolate cookies. Needless to say I’ll have to play with this recipe a little more to figure out just what when wrong with that second pan. Regardless, here’s the recipe, taken from a blog called “My Baking Addiction“:

Ingredients:

For the chocolate wafers:

• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. room-temperature, unsalted butter
• 1 large egg

Dinner on Friday took a tropical twist with this dish. I used recipes from Vegetarian Times, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, and my own kitchen know-how to make this meal. Though the dish is somewhat complex, using the right method will enable you to cook this all in about an hour.

The foundation of this meal is the Jerk Seasoning. It is used on the Tofu and the veggies, and you’ll greatly benefit both in flavor and in cost savings by making your own. Blending spices takes all of five minutes and it’s likely you have all these spices on hand. If not, pick a place that will sell spices in bulk so you can buy just as much as you want without having to fork over 1/3 of your grocery budget on bottled spices. The recipe for this blend comes from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. Also, buy a spice grinder, because spending $30 to get better flavors from your spices since you’ll be starting from whole spices is worth every penny.

Jerk Seasoning

• 1 tbsp. allspice berries
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg pieces
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. cayenne, or to taste
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. salt
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. peeled and minced fresh ginger or 2 tsp. ground

• 1 pkg. Firm Tofu, well drained
• Peanut Oil
• Jerk Seasoning

1. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut the tofu into 4 even cutlets.
3. Place tofu in baking dish
4. Liberally coat tofu with Peanut oil
5. Place about 1tsp. Jerk Seasoning on each tofu cutlet and rub spice mix on surface. Flip tofu and repeat until all sides are evenly coated with peanut oil and spice blend.
6. Bake at 350F for one hour.

With the tofu in the oven, it’s time to prep the veggies and coconut rice ingredients. I used Zucchini, Red Peppers, Red Onion, and Garlic for my vegetable mix but feel free to use whichever veggie mix suits your taste. Because the rice takes a little longer than the veggies (about 30 minutes total) you’ll want to get that started before the vegetables.

Coconut Rice (from Vegetarian Times)

• 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1, 3-inch stick cinnamon
• 1 c. jasmine rice (or plain white rice), rinsed and drained
• 3/4 c. light coconut milk
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. grated lime zest
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• 1/4 c. shredded coconut, toasted (optional)

1. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add ginger, garlic, and cinnamon stick, and sauté 1 minute, or until fragrant
3. Stir in rice, and sauté 2 minutes, or until grains are opaque.
4. Add coconut milk, sugar, salt, lime zest, white pepper, and 3/4 c. water.
5. Bring contents to a simmer. Stir well, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.
6. Fluff rice with a fork, cover, and let rest 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with toasted coconut, if using.

Jerk-Seasoned Sautéed Vegetables

• 1 medium red onion, cut in half then thinly sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into “half-moons”
• 2 medium red peppers, thinly sliced
• Jerk seasoning (to taste)
• 2 tbsp. Peanut Oil

1. Prep vegetables
2. Heat Peanut oil in large skillet
3. Sauté vegetables, adding Jerk Seasoning after the onions begin to turn translucent, until all are crisp-tender.

Now all that’s left is to pull the tofu out of the oven, plate your dinner, and garnish it with chopped cilantro if you like. Hopefully I’ve shown a good method to preparing this dish and, as I said before, this meal should take about an hour from start to finish. If you make this meal and come up with any other shortcuts, or just want to comment about what you thought of the dish, please let me know in the comments. Bon appétit.

I took the dogs to the Pet Store tonight to get more food for them and while making our way through the store the song “Stellar” by Incubus started playing. As I’m sure most people experience with one song or another, I felt immediately transported into my past. The album “Make Yourself”, on which “Stellar” can be heard, was one of my favorite albums during my senior year of high school.

High School.

The amazing thing to me is how this one song could bring back so many memories. Because of this song I remember comic books, making a jelly bean mural of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”, my Grandfather’s heart attack, seeing Incubus live at Pershing auditorium, college applications, graduation, my high school girlfriend Denise, mission trips with my church youth groups, and so much more.

Where were you 10 years ago? Did you ever imagine the life you live now 10 years ago?