Asian Pork Skewers

D's dad was coming for dinner last night so I was scrambling to do something a bit different. We picked up a massive pork tenderloin from Rowe Farms and I promptly cubed it and tossed it in this simple but delicious marinade.

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sesame oil

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/8 cup packed light brown sugar

3 green onions, finely chopped

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp. Asian chili paste

1 1/2 tsp. pepper

Trim your tenderloin, cube it and toss in the marinade. Marinade for a good 8 hours or so, stirring or flipping once or twice.

Thread onto soaked wooden skewers (or metal if you have 'em) and grill for 8-12 minutes turning often.

The Patient

Surgery was a success! M's tonsils & adenoids were removed and the fluid in his ears & chest was drained. It was a short procedure but a long day and there were a few things we just weren't prepared for despite reading up on what to expect.

First, I thought we'd be allowed in the room when they were putting him out. Wrong. The doctor came to talk to us and said the nurse would be coming soon to bring M into the operating room. The doctor excited M with her talk about all the Spiderman & Thomas stickers and he was sad when he left without her. When the nurse came, we walked down the hall to the doors that opened to the operating area and the anaesthesiologist told us they'd put him out using a mask before inserting the IV. He warned that small children were particularly restless when coming out of the anaesthetic but it would only last about 30 minutes to an hour. Two seconds later, the big doors opened up and M walked in with the nurse. He didn't even look back. A little part of me died and I broke down in tears.

Second, the word "restless" doesn't even come close to describing how M was as he came to after surgery. The nurse came to get me just as he started to wake and I came into recovery to find a little boy who was sobbing, screaming, coughing & hacking who was just so completely out of it. I scooped him up and he was flipping between angry rage, sobbing fits & limp exhaustion all while coughing up blood & mucous on my shoulders. Hard.

Third, after what seemed like eternity of the "restless" phase, the nurses decided M needed a bit of morphine because he was just so far gone and he was beyond the point of calming. Just when it seemed like he might be calming down, cue the nurse noticing a pile of blood on the floor behind me. They quickly realized it wasn't from his mouth but rather, his IV came out during his struggles with himself. Six nurses later, the IV was back in and another dose of morphine & Gravol was administered.

Lastly, after all of the above, I honestly didn't expect recovery to be so slow. I wrongly expected our little guy to be full of smiles as he came out of surgery but he wasn't. It took him a good few hours to be at all complacent and even then, everything was a struggle. He felt so horrible that he didn't want a single sip of water or a popsicle and of course, we weren't allowed to leave until he'd started drinking. The nurses had to give him yet another dose of morphine and only then did he turn a corner and want to eat popsicles. 5 or 6 white grape popsicles later, we were given the all clear to head home.

We came home and M was starving. He was begging for Goldfish crackers, which he obviously couldn't have so he instead inhaled 4 scrambled eggs, chocolate pudding, avocado, well cooked orzo cooked in chicken stock with cheese and various other soft nibbles. We had to administer antibiotics and he pitched an epic meltdown because they burned his poor throat. He eventually cried himself into sleep on D's chest and we took him to bed.

All in all, we're on day 3 and things are going well. He has ups & downs and he's definitely still in pain. He's on Tylenol and we've been told days 4 & 5 are worse than the first. Hopefully not! I'm so glad the procedure is done and I'm really hoping we notice a difference in his health over the next few seasons. M is such a little trooper!

Tonsils & Adenoids... Oh My!

Big day for the little guy tomorrow. After countless battles with strep throat, M is finally having his tonsils & adenoids removed tomorrow morning. Poor little guy doesn't have a clue what's going on (and admittedly, we haven't been talking about it with him) so I know his biggest concern will be his missing water & breakfast tomorrow morning. Surgery is at 9:50am and we have to be there 2 hours before so we're hoping a swift 'get up & go' will be enough of a distraction. Here's hoping for a quick & successful snip and speedy recovery! Keeping a toddler still & quiet for a few days is going to be enough of a challenge.

Sangria! Ole!

We had a few friends over last night and made sangria. An old (but good) friend & I perfected our sangria recipe years ago and it's always a hit.

750ml Beaujolais

1 can Strongbow Cider

1/2 mickey of Brandy

2 small bottles of Orangina

Pint or two of Sprite

Mix in a large jug and add diced fruit (peach, orange, apple, etc.). Pour over ice & serve.

Maple Glazed Ribs

Haven't made these lately but I've had a few requests for my recipe. They've got a nice mild but sweet flavour that caramelizes nicely on the barbeque.

Side or back ribs (whatever your preference and averaged about 1/2-1 rack per person)

1 medium onion, sliced

2 celery ribs, with leaves, coarsely chopped

10 whole black peppercorns

Water, to cover

1 1/2 cups corn syrup

1/2 cup maple syrup (sometimes I add more depending on the taste once mixed)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp. chili sauce (I use sriracha)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Place ribs, onion, celery and peppercorns in Dutch oven. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until ribs are tender. Remove ribs and pat dry with a paper towel.

Combine remaining 9 ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour over ribs (large dish or Ziploc), turn to coat and marinade overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.

Heat the barbeque and grill until browned & caramelized!

White Screen of Death

My BlackBerry died last night and I am LOST. Seriously. Pathetic? No email, BBM, texts... just a glaring white screen that stares back at me. Of course, I haven't backed my phone up in ages so who knows what I'm going to lose when it is replaced. I feel so disconnected. Maybe that's a good thing for a Sunday?

Beet It!

Uh, yeah. Lame.

Beet Salad with Oregano, Pecans & Goat Cheese

4-6 beets (red, golden or a combination)

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

4 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

1/4 cup chopped lightly toasted pecans

Wash & trim beets. Boil beets in a large saucepan until a paring knife enters them easily, 30-45 minutes, depending on size. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm.

Peel the beets (by rubbing the skin off) and cut into thick wedges or bite-sized cubes. Transfer the beets to a large serving bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. Season with a generous pinch of salt & pepper. Sprinkle the goat cheese, oregano and pecans over & serve.

*You can cook, peel and cut the beets up to 6 hours ahead. Refrigerate, then return to room temperature before finishing.

I always add more goat cheese & pecans to this salad. Today, I'm making honey-butter pecans for a bit of a twist.

Fresh & Quick 2010, Fine Cooking, p. 27.

Pint-Sized Saboteur

I had plans for a long run this morning and even set the alarm for 6am. The alarm went off and I immediately thought I'd sleep for another 20 minutes before getting up to go. Less than 10 minutes later, a little voice was calling out through the monitor with a few random demands -- change my diaper, Cheerios with milk, go downstairs and the like. Alas, we're up and it's going to be a long & hot day with no run in site. Maybe tomorrow?

32E

Yes, that's my bra size sitting up there. Big & bold... both the title & the subject.

My chest & I have had a long love-hate relationship. It's actually more a tolerate-hate sort of thing but after many years & a breast reduction, I'm comfortable with my size. After many years of struggling with (worse) body image and clothing woes, I made the decision to have a breast reduction right before I turned 30. I went from a 36F to a full 34C and LOVED it. I walked taller, stood straighter, grew confidence and generally felt better about myself. I knew the implications and was okay with them. I knew I likely wouldn't be able to breastfeed (I didn't) and that if I had children, I'd run the risk of going up in size. Well, I did.

I recently went for my first bra fitting since the one I had shortly after having M. 32E. I was pretty down for a few days because I didn't realize that I'd gotten huge again but really, they just aren't that big. Are they?!?!

Anyway, the whole point of this post is about sports bras. I've ALWAYS worn Shock Absorber bras. They strap 'em in & down and they work. I've always been reluctant to try anything other than my faithful Shock Absorber bras until recently, when I decided to give Lululemon's Ta Ta Tamer II a try.

Love it.

Seriously, I love it. I wasn't so sure when I wore it at bootcamp for the first time. But then I tried it for a few more classes and I've now run in it twice. Love it. Tonight, I wore my old faithful to bootcamp and I hated it. I felt like I wasn't supported and old faithful just felt uncomfortable.

The bonus? Lululemon's bra is WAY cheaper than what I ever paid for my Shock Absorbers. At $58, I think I need to get this puppy in a few other colours. As for sizing, I'm comfortably wearing a 34D.

Just knowing I'm wearing a smaller size is a bit of a bonus! I know, I know... it's not about the number but let's be honest here, it's all about the size.

Bain Avenue

6km sandwiched between two days of good ol' bootcamp! Well, one of those days is yet to happen but it will.

I read an article last night about training for a half marathon in 8 weeks. I just need to commit to 3 10km runs during the week and a 15-18km run on the weekend. I'm committed to bootcamp twice a week until August and even then, I was planning on doing the next session. At some point I need to decide what I want to do because not only do I need a rest day physically, I can't shirk all responsibility at home. I don't want to run too late or when it is dark, especially if I'm doing greater distances.

Right now, my gut is telling me to do the half-marathon. Whenever I start out on a run, I feel like I run weird & stiff for at least the first 2km and tonight was no different. I started thinking that my legs just won't be able to do it but once I got into the run, I wanted to keep going and it (once again) made me realize that I'm better at long distances. The little runs are great for stretching and getting out there but I feel best when I'm doing 10km plus.

The run isn't until October 16th and I've got until the 10th of that same month to sign up. I think the best thing to do is consult with a new pair of running shoes and see what they think I should do.

Meal Plan for Week of July 11-15

Despite my state earlier today, I managed to pull it together enough to meal plan, prepare a grocery list and shop. $105 later, here is this week's meal plan:

Grilled chicken breasts with a roasted beet, oregano, pecan & goat cheese salad

Mexican casserole (meatless & made with quinoa)

Ham, brie & apple sandwiches

Roasted peppers stuffed with black beans & brown rice (meatless)

Grilled sausages with baked potatoes & veggies

I'm also planning on baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies & carrot spice muffins. Both recipes are from Quinoa 365 and use quinoa flour instead of all purpose or whole wheat. D grimaced when I told him about the chocolate chip cookies but I'm pretty sure he won't be able to tell or turn them down.

It's a bit more meaty than usual but I was lacking the motivation to peruse more than the 3 recipe books I had at hand. Basically, pure laziness. As usual, if any of the recipes are winners, I'll share 'em here.

My Head Hurts.

I'm hungover and a I want a Big Mac, damn it. Not going to happen but I'm just putting it out there.

Went out last evening for drinks with 3 girlfriends. Why didn't we take the hint when the first bar called last call at a respectable 12am? Why did we (I) suggest going to another bar?

Anyway, great night out with the girls. The headache is worth it.

8.2km!

Yes, the .2 counts!

Happy Canada Day!

Holy hot & humid out there! Perfect day for a 6km run to get things going. D took M out for brunch with his dad so I got to go for a morning run (a rarity for me) and now have the rest of the day free to hang with my little guy while D is at a stag. Yay!