Cycling Foodie

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I cooked a heart healthy Thanksgiving dinner for my mom and sister this year.

• Pork Tenderloin, marinated in fresh rosemary, thyme, olive oil, a splash of white wine
• Roasted Yams & Carrots
• Roasted Asparagus
• Steamed Haricot Verts

Heart healthy, comforting, and delicious!

I did not get to ride on Thanksgiving (the first time in 10 years!), but I did get a few walks in throughout the day. The weather was crisp and clear, and the light was bright and cheery.

This burst of color caught my eye.

Strolling along a creek side path in Santa Rosa..

Alas, the Holiday weekend comes to an end and I’ve got to head back to work. Now the count down to Christmas break begins! More blogs soon. I’ve got a few new recipes to post.

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It’s really hard to believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I’m cooking for family. It will be a pretty basic and healthy menu: Pork tenderloin. Asparagus. Green beans with mushrooms (no, not the ooey gooey casserole with canned mushroom soup and canned crunchy onions on top, but my healthy “stir-steamed” version). Roasted yams. Mom’s coleslaw. Mom is making pumpkin pie, so no dessert for me. That’s fine – I won’t have worked hard enough to earn it, so … dessert will have to wait for the weekend.

I’ll also cook something for dinner tonight and I’m thinking my seafood stew will be a hit. I’m just realizing that I have yet to post that recipe. It is a simplified version of this cioppino recipe. One of these days I will post that recipe.

Here are a few photos from my early morning walk … it was quite chilly out there in Davis this morning!

Thistles

Just my shadow and me, out for a chilly morning stroll.

Can you tell I like Autumn leaves?

Love my sunrise walks. I’m looking forward to sunrise bike rides again. Sigh…

There are lots of details to attend to before I head out for the holiday, so I’d best be getting to them. Here’s wishing you a wonderful, safe, and happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy in good health!

I am really sad that I won’t be able to ride tomorrow. It will be the first Thanksgiving in 10 years that I have not cycled in the morning. Hopefully I will be able to make up for it over the weekend!

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Short work week!

Beautiful morning for a walk or run!

There is just something I like about this photo.

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This would have been a lovely morning for a ride, but there’s not enough time before work to get the kind of ride in I really want. It would be waaay too tempting to just keep riding past the turn around point, you know? So, it’s a brisk morning walk instead.

Good Morning!

Sometimes it helps to take a slightly different perspective. 

Actually, I’m not sure why this picture uploaded sideways, but sometimes that’s just how life is, isn’t it?

Enjoying the Autumn leaves while they last.

A delicate spot of color.

A relaxing touch of fog.

Now it’s time for a hot cup of freshly brewed, locally roasted Pepper Peddler coffee and a warmed up Apple Yogurt Muffin. Oh, yeah, and work work work.

To warm the muffin, you can pop it in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, or wrap it in foil and heat it in a 350 degree oven until it’s warmed to your liking.  

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This recipe is based on this Apple Oatmeal Quickbread recipe. I made just a few changes.

Apple Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup non-fat Greek Yogurt, plain
1 cup whole oats
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large apple (about 2 cups diced apple – peeled or not, your choice)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a standard size muffin tin. You can line with muffin cups, or simply coat with some non-stick spray.

Mix together oats and yogurt. Set aside and allow to sit for 5 or more minutes.

Whisk together eggs, oil, turbinado sugar. Set aside.

Whisk together flours, soda, spices, and salt.

Dice apple and add to yogurt/oat mix.  Stir in the egg mixture and combine well.  Add dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated, but be careful to not overmix. This batter will be stiff.

Portion equally into prepared muffin tins and bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Allow to cool briefly in muffin tins, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Enjoy warm!

Wholesome and comforting, warm and spicy.

The hearty whole grains and spicy warmth will fuel you for a chilly morning ride.

Enjoy!

 

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Mmm … doesn’t this look like a good thing to have on a chilly, rainy Sunday?

Yesterday was ride day, with about 57 miles Davis-Dixon-Winters-Davis.

Today is a day of trying to get caught up on a few things. Wishing I had something fun to do today, rather than just chores. I might play in the kitchen a bit later. It is the perfect soup and bread making day – chilly, rainy, breezy.

Vegetable Soup with Spicy Chicken Andouille Sausage

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I got some decent cycling in this past weekend: 60+ miles on Saturday, and about 15 on Sunday. I had errands to run on, so there was only time for a short morning ride.

Stopping for a snack at Steady Eddy's in Winters.

This is their Fruitful Oat Bar. It’s “low fat” and chewy. I liked it – it was a nice change from my usual Oat Cake. It’s a bit on the sweet side, though.

I’m already looking forward to cycling this upcoming weekend. The weekend weather looks promising! Today looks like it’s going to be a perfect day in Davis for cycling …  if you don’t mind a bit of breeze! It’s still now, but the forecast calls for winds from the North at 13 mph.

It’s getting to be holiday time, so I’ve got to get working on some new recipes. It’s also time for the “real” camera to make a comeback, too.

Here’s wishing you a GREAT day! I hope you get lots of fun and safe miles in.

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I don’t often eat eggs for breakfast, but when I do, they have to be perfect.

Fried Egg, Avocado, Homemade Focaccia

And this was perfect.

Happy Monday!

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We have been so parched for so long, this rain is a very welcome relief!

It’s time to rejoin a gym or something, though, because the days of pre-work or post-work rides are gone for a few months. But this morning I think I’ll just enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee.