Zucchini Fries!

I know, there is nothing better than REAL french fries. My favorites are beer battered fries from Duke's or sweet potato fries from Gullifty's. And while fries are fun to eat from time to time, if I ate them whenever I wanted them I would have quite a few more pounds on me... and not pounds of muscle! So since you can't out train a bad diet, I am always looking for healthier versions of junk food.

I've had a "thing" for zucchinis this summer and have been trying out a couple different ways to use them in recipes. A few days ago, I found several recipes online for zucchini fries. They range from very healthy versions to semi healthy versions- like this recipe by Paula Deen.

So I took the healthiest recipe I could find (not Paula's!) and tried to make it even healthier. But it still had to taste good.

And here it is for you!

Meg's Zucchini Fries

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchinis
salt, pepper, garlic, & Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese
1 egg white
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. bread crumbs (can be already seasoned)

Directions:

1. Quarter 2 medium zucchinis. If they're still pretty big, or you like your fries small, you can cut them into eighths. (That's what I did!) Then slice them in half so they're "fry sized".

2. Put your bread crumbs in a bowl. If they're not already seasoned, season with salt, pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning to taste.

3. Whisk the egg white and milk in another bowl. Coat each slice of zucchini with this mixture.

4. Lay out the zucchini on a greased baking pan.

5. Use a spoon to sprinkle the bread crumbs over your zucchini slices. You don't have to use all of the crumbs if it is too much for you. Then, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and any additional seasonings. I really like to overdo it on the pepper and garlic! And the salt. Who am I kidding?

 6. Oh yeah! Don't forget to preheat your oven to 425 like I did! I'm such a dummy!

7. Bake for 30 minutes, longer if you like your fries a little burnt like I do!

VOILA!!! AS YOU CAN SEE, I ENJOY MY ZUCCHINI FRIES SLIGHTLY BURNT AND DIPPED IN WARM MARINARA SAUCE WITH A GLASS OF WINE! 

ADD A CHICKEN BREAST AND THAT'S A DAMN GOOD DINNER!

Weekend Wrap-Up!

I was so looking forward to this weekend because we had fun things scheduled for every day. Sometimes I don't like to have my weekends totally planned out, but other times I am in the mood to be out and about!

Let's get rolling!

Friday

I managed to be pretty productive Friday morning. It was my turn to clean the house. The best time to do it is early in the morning when the daylight is streaming in and you can see all the dirty spots. The thing about our house is that it's never messy. Our "stuff" is always where it belongs, and we don't let things laying around. But the only time it is ever truly CLEAN is probably for the first 20 minutes after we're done vacuuming and the cats are still hiding under the bed. Once they're out, it's just a matter of time before the cat hair dust bunnies are flying again...

Then I headed to the gym for chest/back/legs, and home again to finish up with a little back yard "Deck of Cards" workout. The night before, a friend of mine introduced me to an interesting way to use a deck of cards to get your sweat on. Here's what you do:

1. Pick out four different exercises (squat, push up, burpee, whatever you want...) and assign one to each suit. Here's what I did:

Hearts- Burpees

Diamonds- Sit Ups

Clubs- Mountain Climbers

Spades- Jump Squats

2. Flip one card at a time. Do the number of exercises indicated on each card. Face cards = 10 and Aces = 15. 

I was EXHAUSTED after doing this. It took me 23 and a half minutes to get through the whole deck! So now I have a time to beat the next time I try this workout!

On Friday night we celebrated our friend Jen's birthday with her family at Green Valley Swimming Pool. The weather wasn't perfect but we still got to swim! They have a fun twisty slide, and I think I was the oldest old lady going off the high dive.

Twisty slide fun!

Happy B-day, Jen!

Saturday

I woke up  Saturday morning barely able to move. My ASS and my QUADS were killing me... more so my ass than anything. I guess that's what I get for doing about 100 jump squat/lunges the day before!

I love Bob.

However, the good thing about being sore is that you know you worked really hard, and your body is going to be all the stronger for it.

Saturday afternoon, my husband and I did our little disc golf/running date. He checked out a course in Carlisle and I explored the back roads of Middlesex Township. It was REALLY hot. On the way home, we found a gas station that was only $2.99 a gallon. Score! Now we have to time out our next Carlisle disc golf outing to when my car will be on empty again. (On a side note, I wanted to let you know that whenever I type the word "disc" I type "disco" and have to delete the 'o')

Later that night, we went to our friend's house in Middletown. We were treated to a DELICIOUS dinner and about a 2 hour round of Cards Against Humanity. I had to take a shower as soon as I got home. (Not just because of Cards Against Humanity, but because I was petting their cat. If I come home smelling like another cat, Christmas bites me. It's true.)

Sunday

Sunday afternoon, my husband and I met my brother and his family at Carlisle Sports Emporium for a sunny, sweaty game of mini golf (I didn't lose!) and arcade games. We have been to the Sports Emporium twice before, and I have officially decided I am not a fan of the place. You have to put your money on little "credit" cards to play the games, and swipe the cards whenever you want to play. Well, I lost about $3 that afternoon by swiping my card into games that ended up not even working. And it happened to my husband and brother too! You know, we never have that problem when we go to the arcade at Knoebel's Grove...

At Knoebel's you get REAL TICKETS!!!!!!

Also, you get REAL tickets you can HOLD IN YOUR HANDS at Knoebel's. At the Sports Emporium, the tickets are just on your swipe card. I bet kids these days have never even experienced the joy of getting actual tickets out of a machine. And that's a doggone shame!

Husband and Bro think they're in the NBA.

I love the "pretend to jump rope" game!

"Ellie, how do you think I should approach this shot?"

It was also a shame that a couple of 12 year olds were hogging the Dance Dance Revolution Machine so I didn't get to show off my mad skillz. I even wore my sneakers so I would be ready!

You would think we would be tired from such a jam packed weekend, but my husband and I had one more adventure- a FREE comedy show at Second Street Comedy Club. (It's on the third floor of what used to be The Hardware Bar. You know, the floor that played techno music and had cages you could dance in?) It was a comedy show to benefit Scurvy, but it was free, so I guess that was a joke? Anyway, the drinks were overpriced and it was decorated kind of weird, but it was still a good time. Of the two times I have gone, they have had several comedians do short sets. I like that set up. That way, if there is someone you don't like, you're not stuck listening to them talk all night. My favorite this time was Shane Gillis. That guy is freaking hilarious!

Tomorrow I shall sleep all day to recover from all of this fun and excitement.

I hope your weekend was AWESOME!

What's your favorite source of Vitamin C?
Do you love Knoebel's too?

Ophidiophobia

Ophidiophobia: Do you have an irrational fear of snakes????

Yesterday I went on my first trail run in a loooooooong time. This past spring, my husband and I got in the habit of hitting up different state parks that have disc golf courses. He plays a round of golf while I run the trails. It times out perfectly, and by the time I am done, he's heading back to the car, too.

Then suddenly this summer, my fear of snakes turned irrational. I decided I would not be running trail again until the fall or winter- whenever it would be cool enough for the snakes to be hibernating. I've never liked snakes, but my fear of them also never held me back from a trail run. Yet for some reason this summer I decided my fear of seeing a snake was greater than my love of the trails!

**Fun Fact: I love hearing about other runners who have seen snakes! Whenever someone mentions they were on a trail run or a hike, my first question is, "Did you see any snakes!?"**

In preparation for writing this post, I typed "fear of snakes" into Google images. I could barely even look at the pictures, it made me want to puke!

Over the past six or so years I have probably run over a thousand miles on the trail. (I used to be crazy and run ultra marathons, so a Sunday morning 20-25 mile training run on the trail was not an out of the ordinary thing for me!) You would think I've seen a TON of snakes, right? WRONG! Out of all those hours spent on the trail, I can count the number of snakes I've seen on one hand...

Megan's Snake Sightings!

Snake Sighting #1: I once saw a snake on the tow path at Wildwood. It was really small and slithered right in front of me. EW!! Obviously I never run on that path anymore (because I'm sure that snake is still there) and when I do a loop at Wildwood, I run Industrial Road instead of the tow path. And anyone who has ever run on Industrial Road knows how GORGEOUS it is. (cough! *sarcasm* cough!)

Snake Sighting #2: I hopped over a little long brown snake on the Conewago Trail. I was completing my first ever 18 mile run and was less than a mile from being finished. My friend and I yelped when we saw it, and now every time I bike on that trail I envision little brown snakes jumping up and biting my ankles.

Snake Sighting #3: I was walking the Lakeside Trail at Pinchot with my husband and we saw a green snake chilling right in the middle of the path. We had to walk around it through the woods and I made him carry me on his back. He felt very manly and "knight in shining armor-ish" after that.

Snake Sighting #4: Apparently, I once ran by a huge black snake curled up on the side of the trail at Pinchot. I didn't see it, but the runners behind me did. My friend and I were too busy discussing Sex and the City that we didn't notice the big scary creature. So I don't even know if this one counts, because I didn't actually see it.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is IT! I have only seen three, almost four snakes while running the trails. This summer, I've seen more snakes on the ROAD (dead, mind you, but still gross!) than I have seen on the trail in my whole life! But I always wonder... how many snakes do I run by but don't actually see? Probably hundreds! It is so scary to think about!

But today my husband gave me a pep talk. He told me he knows how much I love the trail, and I shouldn't let snakes keep me away. I should do what I love, and that I probably won't even see any because, well, I never really see any!

So I took his advice and ran a loop around the Lakeside Trail at Pinchot while he did his disc golf thing. I will tell you, after taking several months off from trail running, I forgot how buggy, insect-y, spiderweb-y, and pricker-y trail running is. I felt like the bugs were crawling in my eyes. I swallowed something, not sure what it was, but it was alive before it entered my mouth. I got a few scratches but nothing major- pretty normal for a trail run. I also got in some good thinking, which I really needed.

I bet you are wondering if I saw a snake?

I did NOT! I saw a squirrel, a bunny, and a beautiful deer hopped across the trail right in front of me- but no snakes! Except for the ones that were there and I just didn't notice...

Will I run trail again this summer? I'm not sure. I hope so. It's pretty ridiculous to not go out and enjoy something I love just because I might see a snake.

A happy time on the trail with no snakes...
At one of my favorite spots on the Appalachian Trail
between Boiling Springs and Scott's Farm

Are you afraid of snakes?

How many snakes have you seen?

ABCs of Running! (The good and the bad!)

A is for APPALACHIAN TRAIL.

B is for BOSTON.

C is for CARBS.

D is for DIGESTIVE TRACT ISSUES.

E is for ENERGY, OF THE LIQUID FORM.

F is for 5-Ks

G is for GARMIN.

H is for HILLS.

I is for INTERVALS.

J is for JUST RUN.

K is for KNEE PAIN.

Source

L is for LAKESIDE TRAIL.

M is for MARATHONS.

Source

N is for NPR.

O is for OPTIMISM.

P is for PEEING IN THE WOODS.

Q is for QUIT WHEN YOU HAVE TO. DON'T BE STUPID.

R is for REST DAYS.

Source

S is for SPORTS BRA.

T is for TEMPO RUNS.

U is for ULTRAS.

V is for VIEWS.

W is for WAVE RIDERS.

X is for X-TRAINING.

Y is for YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE.

Z is for ZZZZZZZZZS.