Meatless Monday #1: Black Bean Soup

Miles Run This Week: 0

Days until Burlington: 131

Last night I capped off a 19.16 mile week - which is the highest volume week for me since Chicago, and featured my longest run (8.14 miles) since 2010 on Saturday. The 8 miles took me 90 minutes; it coincided perfectly with the base building I'm trying to do in the month of January (which had me completing a 90 minute run). I used the heart rate monitor to keep my pace in check - which I think is a big reason I was able to complete this run. I finished up the weekend with a 40 minute recovery run, for only 3.3 miles. It was probably a little too long (my legs are fried today) - but it was so awesome to check off the 19 miles from my to-do list.

Today was supposed to kick off my Meatless Monday resolution, and I just realized I had chicken soup for lunch. Curses!

Tonight I'll be making black bean soup for dinner (to consciously be no-meat) with a modified recipe (taking out the chili pepper) from allrecipes.com:  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 (15 ounce) cans black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 
  

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Seems easy enough - and looks yummy!

 

I'll report back and see how mine actually turns out!

This week is also Florida and my 10K race! I'm anxious to see if all the other training I did after the BAA 10K kept my fitness up/improved my fitness so I can stay under an hour for finish time again. I think it'll help that Joe (my rabbit) has decided to run it with me. I ran with him on NYE, and he pushed my pace to 9:30s for 5.5 miles, and I wasn't dying (or really feeling like I was at full throttle pace). Of course, I'll also be going from temps in the 30s and 40s to 60s and 70s - so that might hinder it a bit. I'm planning to run Thursday - Sunday because it will be warm! And sunny! And nice! But I'm still wary about burning myself out. 

Tonight's focus (other than no-meat resolution) will be yoga (another resolution!) to keep my hammies and my hips flexible!