Stronger than Yesterday... (yes)

LOVE THIS PIC!

I wanted to write this post before I weighed myself this week. I jumped off the wagon a bit this weekend food wise, but I am not going to let a number get me down.

Monday morning I woke up early, 5AM early, to some rustling on the baby monitor. The rustling stopped, but I couldn't fall asleep. So I did what any other neurotic person would do - check my email on my phone. I got an email showing a new blog post from one of my favorite blogs. I read the post and the guilt I was feeling from not being perfect over the weekend went away, and I wanted to run. It was a rare warm morning but it was pouring - so after tossing and turning a little...I went. It felt great and according to the Nike+ iphone app and Lance Armstrong's voice, I recorded my fastest personal best mile during my 2.5 mile run. 

Here is the post that motivated me and a link to my favorite running blog.  It is nice to have someone remind you that you are not always in control. Thank you Dimity for this post and also to SBS for providing such great candid profiles and such a great forum. Your book "Run Like a Mother" and your blog have helped me more than you could even know!

PS- If you want to check out the book, here is the link - it's rated 5 stars on amazon.com for a reason!!! :) Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving--and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity

SONG THAT KEPT ME RUNNING THIS WEEK: I'll be honest - I kept fast forwarding through my playlist on my last run - so annoying! I need new songs. I have to update my playlist asap... But the one that I landed on and stayed on was Britney Spears "Stronger" - no joke. I always imagine the lyrics of the chorus are saying "Stronger than yesterday, now it's nothing but a mile away"! but the lyrics really are "now it's nothing but my way". I am a dork... I know.

RANDOM TIP OF THE WEEK: If you are a cheese lover like me... something I've found that makes it easier to not go overboard with the amount are pre-measured portions. That way if you are measuring it yourself, you don't heap tablespoons etc. For example - I've found individually wrapped one-ounce goat cheese medallions at Trader Joe's. 

THIS WEEK'S RECIPE: My Easy Chicken Soup 

I am sharing this recipe, because although it is officially spring - it seems like there are people everywhere with colds still. This is great to whip up and freeze half so if a cold enters your house you have the soup ready for when you or your family needs it!!!!

Ingredients

• 3/4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 4 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs (you can throw the whole sprigs in the leaves will fall off when cooking and then you can pick the stems out :)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 quarts chicken stock 
• 4 ounces dried egg noodles*
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (for a quick sub sometimes I use the breast meat of a rotisserie chicken.)
• 3 quarts of chicken stock (for a shortcut I use purchased stock - I prefer kirkland organic chicken stock).
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Place a large pot over medium heat and add the oil turning the pot to coat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf - sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper.

*Note - you can also sub brown rice for the noodles just cooked in the broth (with lid on pot) until the rice is done. I often do this!