Shitake Miso Soup

After a brutally hot summer, I am welcoming the fall with open arms. Fresh, crisp air is finally here! And with it, delicious recipes to keep me warm, cozy and full.

Yesterday's 16 mile training run left me completely famished and a bit cold from the chilly weather. When I got home, I jumped in an ice bath and although it helped my sore muscles, it did not help the chill. So instead of making my usual post-run green smoothie, I decided to start my meal with a huge bowl of steaming hot miso soup.

Miso soup is perfect for post-run refueling. First of all, just one ounce contains 52% of the recommended daily value for sodium. Sodium loss can be significant during exercise sustained for several hours and can lead to headaches, nausea, muscle cramping and other complications. Since, I had salt deposits all over my face from sweat that had evaporated over 3 hours of running yesterday, I knew I needed to replenish. Second, miso soup is extremely versatile. Just create a base of water and miso, and then add whatever your stomach desires. Tofu, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, soba or rice noodles... the possibilities are endless. And when you make it yourself instead of getting takeout from the local sushi joint, you can fill it with goodies and the soup becomes a really hearty meal.

To make ahead, prep your tofu and veggies and store in an air tight container. Store your miso soup base of miso paste and water separately. When you're ready to eat, throw it all in a bowl and heat in the microwave. So easy and so delicious.

Update on 10/4/2010: Just to clarify.... If I am making this soup and eating it right away, I cook on the stove and prepare as detailed in the recipe below. However, if I am making it to eat later, like after a run, I cut up all the components, cook the mushrooms, and prep the miso soup base (miso + water) on the stove. I store the mushrooms + miso soup base in 1 container, cut up tofu in another, and rest of the throw in veggies in a third. Then I throw them all together in a bowl and microwave. Hope that clarifies & helps!

A few notes about miso soup:

1. Aside from sodium, miso is chock full of great nutrients. It's a vegan source of B12, and also contains zinc, manganese, vitamin K and protein.
2. You'll notice that the recipe instructs to lower the boiling water to a simmer before adding the miso paste. Miso shouldn't be boiled in an effort to preserve it's nutrients.
3. Several types of miso paste are available on the shelves and each has a slightly different flavor. I used mild yellow miso for my soup this week and loved it. Feel free to experiment with different varieties.

Shitake Miso Soup
serves 4

1/2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
4 large Shitake Mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
dash of Salt
4 cups Water
3-4 tbsp Miso Paste
2 ounces Firm Tofu, cut into small cubes
2 Green Onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
other desired add-ins like fresh Spinach, Soba or Rice Noodles, etc...

In a medium saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the shitake mushroom slices and a dash of salt. Cover, and allow to cook until the mushrooms are softened and have released their juices, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes.
Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside, but leave the mushroom juices in the pan. Add the water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Pour a bit of the water into a small bowl and add 3 tablespoons of the miso paste. Whisk well to combine and then add back to the water. Taste and determine if more miso paste is needed. If so, repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of miso.
Add the cubed tofu to the soup and remove from the heat. Allow to sit for a minute or two.
Divide the add-ins among four bowls and pour the soup into the bowls. Top with shitake mushrooms and chopped green onions.
Enjoy!

Sweet Sixteen

Yesterday, I reached a huge milestone in my marathon training: I ran 16 miles which is my longest run yet. And the great news? It was awesome!

Notice the 16 mile blue column in my training log! Wooohooo!

By "awesome", I mean I accomplished a huge goal and finished strong with a smile on my face; but it wasn't easy by any means. Yesterday's 16 miler had it's highs and lows, and left with me plenty to think about. I learned a lot about where I currently stand in my training, and walked (or maybe limped) away with significant takeaways for further improvement.

On Saturday evening, I took a moment to re-read my blog post from 9/19/2010 and the supportive comments my readers posted to psych me up and get me mentally prepared for the challenge. And it worked. By the time I got in bed Saturday night, I could hardly sleep, which wasn't exactly the plan. Anyway, I woke up pretty early Sunday morning, had a bowl of gluten free oats with almond milk, agave, and raisins, and a quick cup of coffee. I then started drinking my pre-run bottle of salt water while I prepped my fuel belt, got my shuffle ready, and got dressed.

The great thing about long runs, beside building the strength and stamina needed to complete a marathon, is that they enable you to test out different running gear and fuel you may want to use during the actual race. During this run, I decided to test out my new compression shorts, and also to start playing around with my nutrition. I am pleased to announce that I love running in compression shorts! They were really comfortable, didn't ride up at all, and left me completely chafe free; a runner's dream come true. Unfortunately, the Gu didn't leave me quite as excited but they did the job. I tested out the Vanilla Bean flavor which was awfully sweet and, well, gooey. If anyone has any better flavor suggestions, I beg of you to leave a comment with some words of wisdom. Thanks in advance!

Now onto the actual run... I headed out at around 9 am and decided I would run around the southern perimeter of NYC. Since the Tunnel to Towers 5k was taking place at 9:30 am and I didn't want to bump into that race, I decided to cross to the East Side, head down and around, and then back up the West Side to end near my apartment. It's sort of funny but I guess you don't realize how small the city really is until you have to find ways to run 16 miles in it.

It took me 2:54:57 to complete the run which was awesome because I was hoping to complete it in 2:55! Here are my splits:

1 & 2: I started out a bit too quick. The weather was cool & beautiful and it just felt so good! But I NEED to remember to pace myself at the beginning- this is something I struggle with often
3: Slowed down because I bumped into the 5th Avenue Continental Mile race and had to find a way to cross. Then I had to take a quick bathroom break at EJ's before continuing. May sound stupid but I'm proud of my potty break because it means I've learned something from past runs. I usually try to ignore that "uh oh" feeling because I feel like I shouldn't stop, and end up regretting it later. But this time I realized that bathrooms would be scarce along the FDR so made a smart decision.
4-8: Feeling strong. Met a nice old lady walking her dog at a red light who told me "I had attractive muscles". She was funny & cute; I thanked her, pet her dog and went on my way. Took a gooey Gu at mile 6 and washed it down with some H2O.
9: Most of this was under the highway approaching the Brooklyn Bridge so Samson (my Garmin) wasn't getting a signal which is why it looks like I slowed down quite a bit. But am happy to report I was still going strong at this point.
10-13: Perfect NYC moment: Empire State of Mind played on my shuffle just as the Statue of Liberty came into view. It was almost too perfect- very cool! Then, started to get a little tired so took a 1 minute Gu break at mile 12.

Lady Liberty cheering me on as I run my 16 miles!

14-16: I lost my right knee, then my left. I've always had pretty bad knees but they didn't hurt at all during this run until mid-mile 13. By 14 I was in a lot of pain but did my best to push through the pain, breathe and put my focus on finishing. I stopped for about 30 seconds to stretch and massage the muscles around my right knee but I had already run farther than ever before so I used that as my motivation to keep going. At one point I might have actually screamed "buns of steel" out loud as a reminder to myself. I have no shame.
17: Pushed through the pain and picked up my pace to finish strong! Incredible mix of pleasure & pain. I thought I had a smile on my face but a woman walked by and said "you look like you're in pain." What does she know?!? {hee, hee}

To summarize,  I did it! I followed my miles with a glorious ice bath, a huge bowl of hot miso soup, a salad, several veggie burgers and some Oatmeal, Chocolate Chunk, Walnut, and Dried Cherry cookies. Then a nice long nap to top off my day. I expected to be in lots of pain when I woke up this morning but I felt great! My quads were a bit sore, as if I'd performed way too many lunges, but I felt great otherwise and even wanted to go for a run tonight.

Like I mentioned earlier, I learned many lessons on Sunday:

1. I can run AT LEAST 16 miles. I will BE a MARATHONER
2. I need to learn better pacing at the beginning of my runs. No matter how good I feel when I start.
3. I look good in compression shorts.
4. I really need to strengthen my legs to support my knees and hips. Adding lunges, squats, and kickboxing back to my schedule. Fun times ahead!!!
5. Gu tastes like crap but seems to work for me and didn't hurt my stomach. I may consider Gu-ing it up a bit earlier next time so that I have the energy I need before I start getting tired. I'd still like to find some other, more natural and less processed sources of energy.

If you're still reading this crazy long post, thanks for hanging in & coming along for the run. I'd love any feedback, advice, or comments you have to offer. Go ahead, rip my run apart... I'm tough, I can take it. Or show me some love; I like that too.

Next weekend I am running the Diva Half Marathon in Long Island. I hope to find out what it's like to complete 13.1 miles wearing a pink boa and a tiara. Oh boy.

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chunk, Walnut & Dried Cherry Cookies

Yes, I know the title of these cookies are a mouthful. But they are a ridiculously delicious mouthful!

The Jewish holiday of Sukkot (pronounced Sue-coat) begins at sundown tonight and I'm so excited because it is the best holiday ever. Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around this holiday. From my childhood friend Adrienne's SSDS Sukkah decorating parties, to eating and drinking in the Sukkah with family friends back in my Long Island days. For 8 nights & 7 days, we get to eat our meals under the stars with good friends and family. What could be better than that? Ari from Run Ansky Run wrote a beautiful blog post this week about this fabulous holiday so please check it out if you'd like a better understand of the traditions and practices involved.

Best Sukkah decorations EVER award goes to Ari from Run Ansky Run. Old race bibs!

This year, I'll be spending the holiday with my best friend Michelle and her family, aka my second family. I love spending time with her folks, her kids, and her brothers and their beautiful families. My favorite part of spending this holiday with them is their Sukkah-bowl. Think the football game from Wedding Crasher but with a large Jewish family, and minus the violence and jealousy. So fun! Since I don't like going anywhere empty handed, I decided to bake gluten free Challah and some cookies for the occasion.

The gluten free Challah is the one I tried for Rosh Hashanah and it's the first gluten free Challah I've actually loved. You can find the recipe here.
The cookie recipe is a new one I recently made up and cannot stop baking. Hope everyone loves them as much as I do!


Oatmeal, Chocolate Chunk, Walnut & Dried Cherry Cookies (Vegan & Gluten Free)
makes about 2 dozen cookies

Preheat your oven to 350 F and prepare a large baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together:
2 tbsp Earth Balance, room temperature (or margarine, butter, etc...)
1/2 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar

Add:
equivalent of 1 Egg Replacer (or 1 egg if you eat 'em)
1/4 cup plain, unsweetened Apple Sauce
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

In a separate bowl, sift together:
1 cup Brown Rice Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon

Add the flour mixture to the creamed sugar mixture and combine well. Then, hand stir in and mix well:
2 cups gluten free Oats
1 large vegan Chocolate Bar, chopped into chunks
1/3 cup Dried Cherries
1/3 cup Walnut chunks (walnuts chopped into large pieces)

Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, flattening each cookie slightly. Bake for about 10-12 min. The cookies will be light brown at the edges when done. Let them cool on the sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.

Don't Apologize for Being Glamourous

After a busy week of creating new jewelry, taking pictures, designing my website, and a whole bunch of other things that go into starting a business, I finally took a few moments to sit down and enjoy the premiere issue of  Rue last night. Love it! It's chock full of beautiful inspiration for your home and your wardrobe. But out of all the page, these few put the hugest smile on my face!

all images via Rue

Don't apologize for being GLAMOROUS! LOVE! Hope your day just got a bit more colorful.

EXPECT to BE a MARATHONER

On Friday morning, I ran my second of two long runs while visiting South Florida. I wish I could say both runs were awesome, that I felt great, and was optimistic about the marathon after completing them. But I can't.

The first of the two long runs was 13 miles last Sunday. Even though I started out at 6:30 am, it was hot, ridiculously humid, and I felt like quitting by mile 3. I wanted to turn around and run home and when I realized that I needed to push through what I was feeling and run 10 more miles, I started to cry. I continued and finished my 13 miles, but returned home feeling defeated.

Friday's 11 miles weren't much different. Again, it was ridiculously hot and humid. Again, I wanted to turn around and go home, this time at mile 5. Even though I started out with a fuel belt full of water and gatorade, I was out of fluids by mile 8 and didn't know how on earth I would finish. After a rather unpleasant experience trying to find a water fountain I could use at a snobby local tennis club, I was lucky to sneak onto some other courts and get some water to finish my last few miles. But they were a mix of both walking and running, something I've never had to do.

I don't remember training for last year's Philly Half being so difficult. In fact, it seemed so easy. I didn't follow a schedule and didn't really plan how many miles I would run. I just listened to my mind and my body, and headed out for runs a few days a week when I felt like running. Sometimes I ran 3 miles, sometimes 4, 5 or 11. I ran the entire Philly Half with a huge grin on my face and felt like I was on top of the world for the entire race.

Big smile & wave at the start at the Philadelphia Half Marathon in 2009.

I remember seeing my parents at mile 6, watching them jump up and down screaming my name as I ran past them with a huge smile and a wave. Back then, mile 6 felt easy. So why has mile 6 felt like torture for the past 2 weeks?

Still smiling at Mile 6!

I've been doing everything right. Following my schedule, eating and drinking what I'm supposed to. I've even been going to bed at a reasonable hour. So what gives? I racked my brain trying to come up with an answer, a solution, anything at all to help me figure out how I could get back on track and get my head back in the game. Aside from my running schedule and mileage, what is the most significant difference I can find between last year's and this year's training? And then it hit me: my mind! Maybe it's the fact that my head isn't in the game!

If you had asked me what I thought about while I ran last year, I would've told you I thought about how incredible it would feel to cross the finish line. Last year, my running thoughts were always happy. I often found tears in my eyes but not because I was miserable and wanted to go home; I would get really emotional at the thought of how strong and accomplished I would feel to cross the finish line. How proud I would be of myself. But this year, my mind couldn't be in a farther place. My last few long runs have me thinking how difficult it's going to be to run for so many hours. What if I can't do it? What if I can't breathe or my knee hurts or if I just plain fail?

Um, Erica, hello? It's no wonder my runs have been so defeating! I'm not even giving myself a chance to succeed. Instead, what if I thought less about how difficult it would be to finish the Marathon and thought more about how awesome it will be to run those 26.2 miles?

So new plan:
1- Expect to finish the Marathon on November 21st, 2010. No, not just finish it: finish it STRONG with a huge SMILE on my face.
2- BE what I want to be. I AM going to BE a MARATHONER. No doubt. Know that it will happen.
3- Have FAITH that failure is not an option.

Believe it or not, I am actually looking forward to my next long run. Next Sunday, I will run 16 miles back on my home turf and I will LOVE it! It will be the longest I have ever run and I will RUN HAPPY, I will FINISH STRONG, and I will BE a MARATHONER in training. And then I'll come back here and blog all about it so stay tuned....

Watermelon, Apple, Lime & Ginger Juice

Delicious & Beautiful!

It's been a brutal week of marathon training in the South Florida heat and I'm beyond grateful that my parents listened to my advice and bought a juicer. The minute I get home from my runs, I NEED some major rehydration! So I've been creating new juice recipes with whatever fruits and veggies I find in the refrigerator: watermelon, pears, apples, lemons, kale, oranges, celery, cucumber, ginger, spinach, etc... You name it, I've probably juiced it.

Last night I made what might be my new favorite juice and I must share the recipe with you! It's seriously delicious & the perfect way to use up the last sweet watermelons of the season. Lucky for me, we've got some gorgeous limes growing right outside in the backyard so I picked a few fresh ones of the tree for my juice.


Watermelon, Apple, Lime & Ginger Juice
makes 2 servings
3 cups of cubed Watermelon
1 large Granny Smith Apple, cored & seeded but not peeled
1 large Lime, peeled
1" piece of fresh ginger

Press the fruits through your juicer and enjoy!

Erica Sara Designs... work in progress

I can't believe it's been over a week since I've last blogged! But I have a great excuse... I've been crazy busy creating jewelry for Erica Sara Designs! With a lot of work, a little luck, and a whole bunch of faith, I'm hoping to launch my website within the next week or so. In the meantime, here's a sneak preview of just two pieces I've on today.

Love Necklace: Hammered Sterling Silver and Gold Filled Charms

Chandelier Cut Citrine Briolette Earrings

Stay tuned for more works in progress... and hopefully a website soon!

Inspiration for a New Year

Butterfly in Flight!

At sundown on Wednesday night, Jews all over the world will begin their celebration of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. We will join our families over delicious meals, eat, laugh, and discuss life. We will go to temple and pray to thank, to remember, and to hope for the future. Some of us will remember loved ones we've lost this year, and some of us will think about the loved ones who are to be born in the coming months with extreme joy and excitement. And hopefully, we will take the time to think about the changes we'd like to make to improve ourselves and this world in which we live.

During my preparations for the holiday, I was reminded of a post I wrote back in January 2010 about the New Year. The post contained an email from Rudrani, World Yoga Center's director, encouraging us to bring joy to the world by cherishing each other and treating people with love and respect. So as the Jewish New Year quickly approaches, I find it fitting to repost this email with the hope that you too will be inspired.
 
"Dear WYC Students,
Happy New Year!!
 

Yesterday, my fortune cookie said 'There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.' The great Tantric masters of yoga said that Love is all there is! That Ananda Shakti is our very nature.

What if we lived our lives as if love were all there is? When all people everywhere give their time and energy to love for one another and the world, we will have heaven on Earth- a global revolution worth creating.

Can we create ways to cherish and listen to each other more, cherish our planet more? How might each of us actualize a revolution in human consciousness, person by person? What form would that take personally in this new year 2010?

A good beginning is to dissolve differences, sit at the table with people of all religions and faiths and worship with one unified heart beyond formal traditions. Wherever there is love and Shakti, we can offer thanks whether in churches, mosques, temples, synagogues or kivas any where in the world. 

My teacher Baba Muktananda used to tell a story about a building acquired by local villagers that was first made into a mosque but only a few people came so the villagers made it into church but only a few people came and after several more tries they finally they made it into a night club and then everyone came! Big profits were collected !

What if pleasure seeking, entertainment and profit were no longer our unifying force? What if cherishing one another and the world became humanity's unifying force?

Here's to a true revolution in this New Year!!

Much love to you all,
Rudrani"

Gluten Free Challah

I am ecstatic! After 6 years of experimenting with various Gluten Free Challah recipes, I have finally found THE ONE! And just in time for Rosh Hashanah. I can just taste it now: sweet soft Challah filled with raisins, dripping with golden honey. Awesome.

You see, ever since I was diagnosed with Celiac years ago, I've spent a weekend each year testing new Challah recipes with the hope that one would work and I could eat Challah with everyone else, instead of just apples with honey. Not that I'm complaining about apples and honey because I'm not. Apples are delicious but they're just not Challah.

Where did this miraculous recipe come from? Do you remember back in early August I mentioned that a friend of mine gifted me a great book about living a gluten-free lifestyle? If you don't remember, it means you haven't been reading my blog nearly enough so shame on you! In any case, in that post, which you can read here, I tried a recipe for Lemon-Blueberry Muffins using Jules's Nearly Normal All-Purpose Flour Mix and the muffins were fantastic! Jules E. Dowler Shepard also developed a recipe for Challah which is included in her book, Celiac Diease and Living Gluten-Free: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed. When I saw it, I decided it would be this year's recipe.

Looks like this year's recipe might be the last I have to try because I think it's a keeper! Although I don't really remember how glutenous Challah tastes, this recipe is delicious and actually tastes like a sweet bread. It's crusty on the outside, with a soft and airy texture inside. And it's so quick & easy to make!!!

And now for some Jewish fun facts to know & tell at parties:
1. Although the traditional Challah shape is a braided loaf, we eat round loaves on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize the circle of life, and the cycle of the New Year.
2. To celebrate a sweet New Year, some folks like to jazz up their Challah with additional sweet add ins. This year, I'll make 2 round versions of this recipe: Chocolate Chip and Golden Raisin.
3. To partake in the full experience of the blessing over eating bread, we must break bread made with one of the 5 species of grains: wheat, spelt, oats, barley or rye. You'll note that only one of these, oats, can be gluten free. So to make sure that I can fully partake, I top my Challah loaves with gluten free oats. So pretty, don't ya think?


Gluten Free Challah
adapted from Jules's Gluten Free Challah recipe
makes 2 loaves

Note: all ingredients should be at room temperature, except when noted.
Preheat your oven to 200 F, then turn it off. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix together:
1/3 cup Almond Milk (or any other milk sub you like), warmed
1 packet rapid rise gluten-free Yeast
1 tsp. Sugar
Set aside to allow the yeast to proof, approximately 5 minutes.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine and mix well:
1 cup Vanilla Soy Yogurt
1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
5 large Egg Yolks
1/3 cup Canola Oil
4 Tbs. Agave

In a separate bowl, whisk together:
1 cup Brown Rice Flour
1 cup Potato Starch (not flour!)
1 cup Cornstarch
1/2 cup Corn Flour
1/2 cup Tapioca Starch
4 tsps. Xanthan Gum
3 Tbs. + 2 tsp. Sugar
1 ¼ tsp. kosher Salt
½ tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. gluten-free Baking Powder

Stir the proofed yeast into the wet ingredients. At this point, add any desired add in such as chocolate chips, raisins, etc....With the dough hook attached to your mixer, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and combine on medium until all flour is well incorporated. You may need to stop occasionally to scape down the sides of the bowl.

Divide the dough in half and then divide each half into three equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a long ropes and using three ropes at a time, braid into a loaf. Make sure to pinch the ends of the three pieces of dough together well.

Place each loaf on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush with an egg wash of 1 large beaten egg. Sprinkle with any desired toppings such as oats, poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Place the loaves in your warmed oven and allow to rise for 20-30 minutes. Please note that the bread will not rise significantly at this stage.

Remove the loaves from the oven and preheat your oven to 350 F (or 325 F if baking in a convection oven). Bake the loaves in your preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Then try not to eat the entire loaf. I ate an almost an entire loaf in the last 24 hours but I'm carb loading so it's all good, right?

Now gluten-free members of the tribe have another reason to get psyched for the holidays this year! Shanah Tova & Chag Sameach fellow heebs!