{#1} La Croix Sparkling Water

Over the past few weeks I’ve started gearing up to slowly give up something I love almost as much as running and my husband-caffeine! I really like this sparking water. The fizz makes me think I’m drinking soda, but the all natural, no caffeine, no sodium, no calories, and many flavors are all things I love. It took me a few cans to get used to, but now I’m hooked.

{#2} Whole Wheat Oatmeal and Berry Pancakes

Ryan and I made pancakes Easter morning as a special treat. These were yummy and not heavy feeling like pancakes can be. We left the nuts out! Recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fruit-and-Nut-Pancakes-386529

{#3} Baseball has started!

To celebrate opening day we clinked cupcakes and watched Moneyball; the Brewers played their game during the day. I substituted Chobani non-fat plain greek yogurt for vegetable oil-tasted awesome!

{#4} Running on Empty by Marshall Ulrich

I started reading this book on the way to Alabama in February. I finally got to read a few more pages over spring break. So far he is just starting his run across the United States; very interesting and motivating. I want to run an ultra race someday, but not across the U.S.

{#5} Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients
1 Onion, chopped
6 cloves of fresh chopped Garlic, adjust to taste
1 large Bell Pepper (I like yellow or orange in this sauce)
Olive Oil
28 ounce can of chopped Tomatoes (I used fresh, organic tomatoes instead)
a few pinches of Sea Salt
a few pinches of Cracked Black Pepper
a few pinches of Smoked Paprika
optional: a handful of chopped fresh Basil or Italian Parsley
Method
In a large saute pan heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and onions. Cook stirring frequently until soft, fragrant and slightly browned about 5 minutes. Some pieces will char a bit, but that will add more flavor to the finished sauce. Reduce heat to medium, add bell pepper and cook a few minutes longer. Add tomatoes. Increase heat and bring sauce to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Let the sauce cool a bit and purée with an immersion blender or food processor.
Notes
This recipe is more a method than anything else. Feel free to toss in some spinach, mushrooms, fresh herbs, finely diced carrots, celery, etc.
Adjust salt and seasonings to taste. You can also make it spicy with red pepper flakes or cayenne.
Source: familyfreshcooking.com

Happy Weekend!
Trailbreaker Half Marathon Race report to come!