ashleyd /

Life Changes

Today we have the pleasure of revealing something that Bo and I have been keeping secret for the past three months.

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Today he resigned from his  current job.  While this was a bittersweet decision due to the wonderful relationships and experiences he gained over the past three years, it’s now time to move on to new experiences. While Bo will begin at a new, larger firm in three short weeks this still means that there will be some adjustments in our life.

Until he starts, you can look forward to the nightly culinary creations as he plans to cook each night. His goal is to continue balancing flavor and health in each dish.

In addition, his marathon training will return to normal as he gets to start running again and he is looking forward sharing a few thoughts with readers regarding training smarter his second time around in hopes of staying injury free.  Who knows, there may even be a triathlon thrown into the mix if he can find a redemption race.

Beyond that, there won’t be much change that will affect y’all. Our travel together may be less frequent the first few months as he is starting a new position and expected to be available. But, I on the other hand will be traveling to many new destinations with my new job during August and September!

The cooking started immediately with tonight’s dinner, Cooking Light’s Open-Faced Blackened Catfish Sandwiches.

IMG_3359 (478x640) This dish made Bo retract every negative thing he’s ever said about Cooking Light. The recipe, while simple and ready in less than 30 minutes, resulted in a meal that was bursting with flavor and left us dreaming of New Orleans.

IMG_3354 (640x478) Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 (6-ounce) catfish fillets
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 cups packaged cabbage-carrot coleslaw
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread, toasted

He only made two alterations to the recipe which says a lot! Our local Whole Foods didn’t have catfish, so he substituted tilapia. He also reduced the ground red pepper as 3/4 teaspoon is actually quite a bit! I can’t handle a lot of heat in my dishes, especially red pepper, so he used 3/8 teaspoon.

IMG_3352 (640x478) Preparation:

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of fish with paprika mixture. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add fish; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

2. Combine yogurt, juice, and honey in a medium bowl. Add cabbage and cilantro; toss well to coat. Top each bread slice with about 1/2 cup slaw and 1 fillet. Top each fillet with remaining slaw.

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We were lucky enough to have homemade okra and tomatoes in our freezer which we defrosted for an easy side dish.

We both loved this meal and were stuffed afterwards. If you’re looking for an easy meal that will impress without leaving you stressed than this is a great option!

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ashleyd /

NYCM Training Week 2 Recap: Running with Purpose

Week two of New York City Marathon training is officially complete. It was a hot week which meant there were many sweat filled workouts but overall, the week went well. While I was nervous how my legs would respond to the increased mileage this week; it felt great to finally hurdle the 20 mile mark this week and finish feeling strong.  IMG_3344 (612x612)

As a recap, here is what my week looked like in terms of workouts:

  • Monday: 5 mile tempo run
  • Tuesday: An AM personal training session focused on legs and arms and a PM yoga session
  • Wednesday: 3 mile speed workout
  • Thursday: An AM personal training session focused on arms, back, and abs
  • Friday: After 7 straight days of exercise, I enjoyed every second of this complete rest day.
  • Saturday: A sweltering 9.75 mile run
  • Sunday: 4 mile recovery run on the treadmill

This week I learned to focus on the purpose of each run before I begin. This helps me plan the run in my head mentally and envision success. For example, Sunday recovery runs are all about having fun. Some weeks I may run them with a friend at a leisurely pace while most Sundays I’ll run at a relaxing pace on the treadmill while watching Real Housewives. The toughest runs for me right now are the Monday tempo runs. They will increase in distance as training season progresses and I think it’s really important that they are a solid start to the week. For this reason, my goal is to switch them up each week. Last week’s run was done on a treadmill but this week’s run will be outside. In fact, I may even include a bridge just to keep things interesting.

If you’re interested in following my runs closer, I’m logging every run and workout on dailymile during marathon training.

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ashleyd /

Fur Balls and Beer Can Chicken

After 10 sweaty miles yesterday morning, the day ended with a pretty amazing afternoon and evening.

Bo and I headed over to Theodora’s apartment around noon to walk Bailey and give him some love and attention while his mom rocked her first triathlon! IMG_3302 (640x478) IMG_3308 (478x640) IMG_3310 (640x478) How can this face not make us want a dog? While the feelings are definitely there, for now I think we’ll just be Aunt Ashley and Uncle Bo who spoil Bailey at every chance.

After a quick visit, we attempted to save money and take the subway out to Queens for a celebratory barbecue that Lacey hosted in Theodora’s honor. After waiting at 2 platforms for more than 15 minutes and then finally being told that the subways weren’t running out there, we caught the first cab we saw. This is how we felt at that point.

IMG_3312 (480x640) But, within 15 minutes we were enjoying amazing friends, food, and beer so our attitudes changed quite quickly.

theodoraashleytri (480x320)Theodora’s first tri experience may not have been all she had dreamed of but she sure as hell rocked it, especially the 5k, and was all smiles by the afternoon!   

Since meeting Theodora a year ago, Bo and I have not only been blessed with her friendship but also her great friends Shannon and Lacey. shannonlacey (480x320)

Our food for the afternoon was beyond my wildest dreams. Lacey singlehandedly put together a delicious, fresh, and healthy feast that we all thoroughly enjoyed. Seriously, who knew that grilled romaine was so delicious? I’ll definitely ask Lacey to share the recipes with y’all.

The menu included:

  • Grilled beer can chicken
  • Grilled romaine
  • Grilled corn on the cob
  • Foil grilled peppers and onions
  • Healthy pasta salad
  • Assorted beers
  • Italian pastries and cookies

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IMG_3314 (640x478) IMG_3317 (478x640) IMG_3318 (640x478)Theodora’s adorable mom was even there for the party and brought tasty Italian pastries for us to enjoy.

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Though the trip out to Queens was quick, I’d say we all had a blast. The fun continued for us since Shannon is a rock star friend who not only wakes up at 4am to support Theodora’s triathlon endeavors by providing door to door car service, but she also volunteered to drive us back into the city. Who cares if Bo had a date in the back seat with Bruiser, it was a hell of a lot better than trying to track down a cab in the heat or deal with the subway chaos.

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Bo and I are heading out to see Friends with Benefits but I’ll be back later with a recap of NYC Marathon Training week 2.

Question: What is your favorite healthy barbecue dish?

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