Hi friends!
Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I took Sunday “off” from blogging to be with my cousins, since one of them already has to fly home this afternoon. I’ll rewind way back to Saturday morning for a few updates.
MSP and I wanted to get out for a run before our guests arrived, since we knew it’d be a little tough to break away for a workout after that. We had a BEAUTIFUL run along Willow Creek for 4.4 miles. The weatherman said it was 55 out… and you’d think by now I’d know better than to trust him! But I left my mittens at home anyway because I DID trust him! And boy was I sorry! We both thought it felt a little more like 25 than 55. My little hands were red and freezing the whole time.
Have you ever tried to run with your hands stuffed in your pockets? One word: AWKWARD! Imagine someone running with their hands plastered to their sides and think of how funny that looks. Then put me in that vision.. that was me. Maybe this was an instance of “you just had to be there” for it to be funny, but for some reason it cracks me up!
Sometimes I'm TOO energetic first thing in the morning!
I’ve never been one of those runners who can go outside in shorts when it’s cold out. I see people wearing tiny running shorts and a long-sleeved shirt with maybe hat and gloves when it’s below freezing. And then there’s me with insulated running pants, dry-wicking shirt, fleece pullover and down running jacket. Usually with an earband AND a scarf. I’d rather tie all those layers around my waist once I get warm than freeze my A$$ off for the first 20 minutes of my run.
After our run we came home to finish up the remaining items on my housecleaning to-do list, including some Doodie Duty (aka: squat-n-scoops) so at least I got a little leg training in. 
Then zipped off to the airport. Later in the afternoon we set up a “snack buffet” of pita chips with hummus, baked tostito scoops with salsa, and carrot sticks with my homemade navy bean dip. We watched the Cincinnati Bearcats game and just chilled inside while it was chilly outside.
That evening we ordered some gluten-free veggie pizza delivery from Garlic Jim’s so I had a piece of that with my usual extra-large ‘side salad’.
Sunday brought snow AGAIN, two rounds. One first thing in the morning then another one at about 2:30. It’s not even winter yet, and I’m already ready for spring! We all bundled up and took the dogs out for a walk… about 3 miles.
Post-walk nutrients:
Look what my cousin Lisa brought me from Ohio! A PLETHORA of PISTACHIO…!
(Wahooo! Thank you Lisa!) You know I had to gobble one up almost immediately.
We had a little “burrito/taco bar” action for lunch:
Here’s mine (whole wheat tortilla, Tofutti, mashed avocado, homemade blackbean dip, spinach and chunky salsa). My “burrito” looks suspiciously like a “wrap”. 
We did a little sightseeing at Red Rocks Amphitheater before the snow REALLY kicked in.
Once home again we were feeling “snacky” so I made some baked purple kale:
I ate almost the whole batch myself!
And some baked sweet potato chips sprinkled with cinnamon – these went over better with my guests than the kale did…
We played a little Wii and watched a couple of movies while snacking on the above chips (and some Halloween TWIX).
It is supposed to be sunny today so I’m crossing my fingers that maybe we can get out for a hike before noon when we have to head back to the airport. I’m hoping that I’ll have a few great scenery shots to share with you in the next post.
Have an excellent Monday, friends!
– Shari B. =)
#1 by Joan on October 26, 2009 - 7:48 pm
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don’t know what happened there…just wanted to say I made some butternut squash soup with coconut milk, leaving some left over in the can and I am going to use it up in the pumpkin lasagna recipe in place of the heavy cream (this was questioned in tn earlier post). I’ll let you know if it works.
#2 by Shari B. on October 27, 2009 - 2:33 pm
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Hi Joan!
That butternut squash soup sounds AMAZING with coconut milk. If it’s something that’s easy to share, I’d love to see the recipe (does it have more than like 7 ingredients?)
Great to hear that you’ll be trying it in the pumpkin lasagna – I’m sure Carrie will be interested in hearing how it turns out (as will the rest of us!)
Yay! Kale chips! I’m glad other people like them – my two cousins weren’t real hip on them. They loved the sweet potato chips but not so much with the Kale. Oh well, more for me
#3 by Joan on October 27, 2009 - 6:38 pm
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well it has 9 ingreds.
it’s not a favorite yet, I’m gonna tweek it next time around but here it is as written with my edits in ( ).
4 lb butternut squash, roasted (I peeled, cubed and simmered in broth)
2 T canola oil (olive oil)
3 lg leeks. rinced, sliced (one)
1/4 C peeled, minced ginger (1T ground dry ginger)
7 C chicken broth (6 C vegetarian ‘chicken’ broth pwd added to water)
1/2 C orange juice
2 tsp grated orange zest
1 1/2 C peeled, cored, chopped ripe pears
1/4 C light coconut milk (1/2 C)
Cut squash in half, clean out seeds, place cut side down in baking pan, pour 1/3 C water around squash. Roast 45 min in 375* oven. Cool slightly, peel,mash. ( I just peeled, cleaned/deseeded and cubed squash then simmered it in the broth. But first I sauteed the leeks in olive oil. Then added broth and squash cubes and everything else)
Heat oil, saute leeks till soft, add ginger, add broth, orange juice and zest…bring to boil. Reduce heat, add squash and simmer 10 min more. Remove from heat, add pears, and coconut milk. Puree. Stir in salt/pepper to taste.
Sorry if this is confusing…I rarely do a recipe as written. I”m forever tweeking it.
#4 by Shari B. on October 28, 2009 - 9:28 am
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Joan, thank you so much for posting the recipe. I have a LOT of those ingredients on hand. Maybe I’ll have to give something a try this week with what I have. (9 ingredients I can definitely handle!)
It sounds so delicious!
#5 by Joan on October 26, 2009 - 7:45 pm
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glad you had a great time with the cousins. This weekend I made Kale chips..yummy and hubby really liked them too. Then made some butternut sq
#6 by Shari B. on October 26, 2009 - 4:14 pm
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Oh CIndy! Don’t you hate it when that happens? I noticed that happened to you recently on someone else’s site too! Damn compoopers!
We’ll have plenty of snow this year to wear the scarf this year! No worries, no hurries! ENJOY making it, don’t rush!
#7 by Cindy on October 26, 2009 - 8:45 am
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well, I just had a comment go POOF.
sigh
I was hoping for some of your AM energy! Today I am dragging! bleh
Looks like you had fun despite the cold weather. Scarf is halfway done! i am not sure why this pattern is such a slow go-er…boo
I need some pep tea….I’ll be back later!
(still crying my first comment disappeared!)