I love Katy Perry’s new song Part of Me.

As a divorced woman, completely head over heels in love with someone new and amazing, this song really hits home. Love is the part of me that no one can never, ever take away from me.

As a runner, who finds solace in the repetitiveness and serenity that running brings, this song hits home. Running is the part of me that no one can never, ever take away from me.

As a child of a mother with cancer, who is losing her life a little more each day, this song hits home. Memories are the part of me that no one can never, ever take away from me.

Adidas Part of Me running commercial

Katy Perry’s Part of Me video

As promised…. here is my recipe for Brown Sugar Blueberry pie, straight from ingredients I had in my pantry! (except for the crust- sorry Monica, but I went pre-made this time around!)

Ingredients
4 cups of fresh blueberries (check for stems if you picked them off the bush like me!)
3/4 cup light brown sugar (or Splenda brown sugar blend)
1/4 cup white sugar (or granulated Splenda)
1/4 cup Bisquick mix
1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
2 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts

Directions
Follow the directions for the 2 crust pie on the box. For the crust top, you can choose to keep it whole and pierce it, or come up with something cute like I did and create a lattice or other decorative top!

For the filling, whisk together sugars, lemon juice, zest, cinnamon, salt, Bisquick and applesauce until combined well. Add whole blueberries and stir. Pour into the 9inch pie crust and make sure it is evenly spread. Add the top crust and brush with a slurry of milk and egg wash.

Top with whipped cream (of course), and enjoy!

In a previous post I introduced you all to
one of my favorite local springtime spots: BlueYouth Berry Farm in
Odessa. Well, I’m excited to share pictures from our 2nd annual
trip out to the farm! The berries were a-plenty: ripe, juicy and
HUGE! There were some that were almost the size of quarters! Very
impressive. The temps were amazing- we went at the absolute perfect
time (early AM)- and I left with 2lbs of blues, 1 bell pepper tree,
and a basil plant, all for $12! Here are some shots from our romp
in the blueberry bushes:

I love baseball.In fact, it’s the only sport I’ll watch. I love everything about it: the rules, the teams, pitching, live games.
It’s America’s past time, you know.

And with that brings a love of playing the game, as well, which is why I decided to finally join a softball team last year and get my cleats dirty once a week.

I remember seeing an advertisement on Craigslist about a City of Tampa team looking for a few girls to join their coed slow-pitch league. Although I hadn’t played in Y-E-A-R-S, I decided to give it a season and see how I liked it.

4 seasons later, Wednesdays and Thursdays have become my favorite days of the week! It’s competitive, but not in a “we’re going to kick you off the team for dropping that ball” kind of way. The people are laid back and it truly is an awesome way to spend an evening.

I’ve pretty much always played catcher (which I don’t mind ONE bit). I love interacting with the pitcher, the home plate ump and all the players at bat for the opposing team. It’s fun to hear the self-pep talks, groans and smart ass remarks they’ll make about anything and everything related to the game.

I’m by no means a power player, but I never miss a game, and always give it 100% while I’m out there on the field.

Oh, and before I go, check out this video of one of my at-bats where I make contact! Don’t laugh at my running though- running in clay with cleats is different than the pavement!

Many of my readers are runners or triathletes. Aside from those individual sports, do you play any team sports? Which do you enjoy more?

-Steph

I’m obsessed with U-pick farms.
Especially when
it comes to pumpkins. I’ve only actually chopped the pumpkin off
the vine once up in North Georgia, but it was enough to get me
hooked on gathering my own produce the “old fashioned way”.

Since then I’ve found great places (both local and
not so local) to pick apples, citrus fruits, pumpkins and, most
recently, blueberries.

Up in Northwest
Tampa lies a small little farm known as BlueYouth Berries. I happened
to stumble across their Facebook page one day, then
decided on a whim to head out there one Saturday last
year.

I. Was. Hooked.

And although we went late in the season, the
berries were still plump and a-plenty; perfect for our
first romp out in the fields.

I was totally
surprised to find out that blueberries grew on tall
bushes! For some reason I had envisioned low to
the ground, strawberry-like shrubs.

I was shocked
when I saw that very little bending was involved at all! Some of
the bushes were up to my shoulders in height, which completely made
the experience that much more enjoyable.

So why am I
blogging about this NOW?
Well, BlueYouth opens for the
2012 season THIS Saturday!
And guess what. Yup. I’ll be
there. With bells on.
Want to join us? We’ll be up there
by 8:45am, so google the address from the link above, then message
me here on the blog and I’ll be on the lookout for you!

PS- Children and
strollers ARE welcome (and even get their own little
bucket), but pets are not. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses and good
shoes. There’s some uneven areas of the farm, and some spots with
soft dirt/sand. Bring cash (berries are $6/lb) and clean out your
trunk in case you’d like to buy a blueberry plant to take home!

See you there!
Steph

3 weeks ago I was screaming at my feet, my hips, my legs, my brain for signing up for a15k race.
3 weeks ago I was saying there is NO way I was going to EVER do another race longer than a 5k.
3 weeks ago I thought I would never be able to walk another mile. (dramatic much?)

It’s true what they say- you have to forget your last long race (and triathlon too!) in order to sign up for your next long race.

Although I LOVE sprint triathlons, the swim portion is always my nemesis, and I truly have to forget about each prior swim training or race in order to get back into the water.

Being an athlete is all in the mind I tell ya.
Sure it helps to be strong, and have endurance, but in the end, it is truly a mental game.

I’m almost ready to tackle another long race. Almost. However, I’m definitely ready to sign up for another 5k for the month of April and I cannot wait for tri season to start full force.

While I have summertime goals set in my sights, I also have life goals that have taken the forefront of my thoughts.

A year ago we found out that my mother had breast cancer.
11 months ago we started our chemo journey.
8 months ago we survived chemo.
6 months ago we found out the cancer had spread to her brain.
5 months ago we endured radiation.
3 months ago we received the cancer free news.
2 months ago hair began to grow.
1 month ago life was becoming normal again.
1 week ago my heart broke. The cancer is back. It’s aggressive. It’s terminal.
12 months ago we had hope. Today we have hope. We will have hope tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. Until our home is bursting at the seams with buckets of hope.

No matter what life brings, make space for extra time, happy experiences, cherished moments, personal goals, positive influences, silliness, uninterrupted talks, quiet times and healthy habits.
You never know when life will take an unexpected turn.

-Steph

If you know me well, then you know how much I love Fall! Once October rolls around, and the weather cools down, I’m in the kitchen baking so many delicious treats with aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, apple and pumpkin.

In honor of Pi Day (3.14), here’s a pie recipe I’ve faked that gives you all the warmth of Fall, without the warmth of new fat rolls!

Ingredients: Will yield 2 pies
2 pre-made 9-inch pie crusts (not graham cracker)
1 29oz can of 100% pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup agave syrup
4 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 12oz can of Fat Free Evaporated milk
1 jar of Smucker’s sugar free caramel topping (Usually found near the ice cream, where the ice cream toppings are)
2 cups of chopped pecans

Directions:
1. Open the can of pumpkin and place into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add agave, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Then add them to the pumpkin. Stir to combine.
4. Slowly add the evaporated milk into the pumpkin mixture, stirring as you add.
5. Continue to stir until smooth.
6. Divide the mixture between the two uncooked pie crusts.
7. Place in a 425 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 325 and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until fork test proves done!
8. Cool or refrigerate for an hour.
9. Remove caramel topping from a jar, and place in a microwave safe bowl. Place in microwave for about 25 seconds. Stir.
10. Using a spoon, drizzle caramel over each pie (1/2 bottle per pie), then sprinkle with chopped pecans (1 cup of pecans per pie)
11. Chill for 2-3 hours. Serve cold.
Enjoy!
-Steph

foodie_views_link_url = ‘http://fakedgoods.blogspot.com/2009/11/sugar-free-caramel-pecan-pumpkin-pie.html’;

It’s Spring Break around these parts. The time when teachers run amok and enjoy the time away from the little devils darlings.
It’s only Tuesday, but so far I’ve:

• done laundry
• cleaned house
• raked the backyard
• had lunch with a friend
• bought new running shoes (see below)
• was a featured blogger on Bloggers.com
• swam 1000 yards

Come again?
Yup, it’s early March and I swam 1000yds (sorry to my northern readers!)
My friend and triathlon trainer Deb has been posting group training Meetups held at a pool out in Brandon called Brandon Sports and Aquatics Center. I’m usually working when they’re scheduled, so I decided that Spring Break would be the perfect opportunity to check out this heated pool and get my first swim of the season in. Knowing that my pal Lindsey is off on Tuesdays, I asked her if she’d like to take a ride over and check the place out. She agreed and so we planned our trip!

I literally had to search for my tri suit, as I didn’t exactly remember were I had shoved placed it. Luckily, once I found it, it still fit (as a plus sized athlete, you always wonder what’s still going to fit after 5 months of no use!)

I must say the pool is a bit far for this Tampa girl, but to find an open, heated pool for $5 on your vacation is not an easy task, so it turned out to be completely worth the trip. After paying our entrance fee, we grabbed some kick boards (love those by the way, had never used them!) and jumped right in. The facilities were really nice- clean, organized, with timers all around the perimeter of the pool (in case you’re into timing yourself). There are life guards on duty, and big, spacious lanes. The pool was a little busy with the sounds of swim students and their coaches filling up most of the lanes. Lindsey and I shared lucky lane 7, and honestly, the workout wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Of course I was tired (these were 50yd lanes). Of course my arms felt like Fruit Rollups. Of course I had to stop and rest when Lindsey (the awesome swimmer!) kept up a great pace. But when all was said and done, I completed a total of 1000 yards and felt pretty damn good as I climbed out of the pool. I really hope our local pools open up soon because swimming is my weakest sport and I desperately need to get back into the water on a regular basis.

So how are you getting ready for the upcoming tri season? Don’t forget- if you’re interested in training for YOUR very first triathlon (yes, you can do it!) please check out our Meetup page and come out for a training session! You’ll find people of all fitness levels, some riding mountain bikes, some that don’t run, just walk, some that are scared of deep water (me, remember my first post?). Believe me, you will find someone to bond with to start your adventure!

See ya soon,
Steph

Way back in once up a time time, I would ride with my grandmother to a little nutritional shop around the corner called Nature’s Harvest. She loved shopping for fresh produce, vitamins and other hard to find health items here. The strongest memories I have of going here as a kid are the smells. The entire store smelled like the inside of a vitamin C bottle. Now, of course, that’s not always a bad smell if you’re a health nut, but as a kid, it wasn’t always the most inviting of scents!

Nature’s Harvest has evolved quite a bit since then. Over the years we’ve seen a name change, expansions, and more offerings than ever before. Rollin’ Oats, as we all know it as now, is definitely the hidden Tampa gem in a world of farmer’s markets, chain “organic” stores, and local delis. There’s a great emphasis on providing locally produced groceries, items and baked goods. Customer service is prime with visible, knowledgeable staff in almost every aisle. The produce section has hard to find items and a classroom attached- where a variety of nutrition classes and demos are offered periodically throughout the year. There is a HUGE beer and wine section (with not so huge prices), a bakery with the MOST amazing jam dot cookies, muffins, vegan cakes and pies, and a recently updated cold and hot deli with daily specials (try their cauliflower, mac and cheese, vegan pot pie and weekend pizzas- YUM). You’ll find a very roomy, multi-table sitting area if you’d like to stay for lunch and enjoy anything from the hot foods area, or a wrap and a cup of soup with some juice or a smoothie from their juice bar.

With all that cooking going on day in and day out, let’s just say the aromas you catch a whiff of upon entering won’t remind you of something out of a bottle.

In addition to all of this you will find a vast selection of frozen foods, snacks, spices, groceries, dry goods, pet products, cleaning and beauty supplies and just about any type of vitamin or supplement you could possibly need. It really is a one-stop shop.

So the next time you’re in the area, make sure you check out Rollin’ Oats. It’s close to the corner of MacDill and Cypress, in a shopping center on the right if you’re traveling north. Here’s the information:

1021 N. MacDill Ave.
Tampa, FL 33607
813-873-7428
Monday-Friday: 9 AM-8 PM
Saturday: 9 AM-7 PM
Sunday: 10 AM-7 PM
http://rollinoatstampa.com/

See you there!
-Steph

*The opinions expressed in this posting are soley mine. I was not compensated for any of these opinions or thoughts.

It’s Sundays like today that make accepting the the hour I
lost last night due to daylight saving time a little easier to
swallow. My friend Monica is a natural born
entertainer. Her get togethers are always warm and
inviting- filled with scrumptious smells, delicious drinks
and of course her cozy home. When she sent out an
invite for a brunch with the chicas, I knew this event would be no
less than amazing. You see, it’s not about gourmet foods, fancy
china or expensive decor that make a foodie get together memorable.
And Monica knows that. It’s the little things- the conversation,
soft cloth napkins, rustic self-serve dishes and Rufus (we’ll get
to that in a second) that make a get together worth carving out
time for.

My new best friend Pinterest led
me to what I thought would be a fun and easy dish to bring to
share: baked eggs in bread bowls.

It’s pretty easy to pull together. I wasn’t sure
what kind of bread to use, but finally decided on these:

After proofing
for about 4 hours,

Here is the recipe once again if you’d like to try
it out for yourself! Make sure to comment on this post with your
own versions of these baked eggs!

As for the
rest of the brunch? Well there were other scrumptious dishes:
quiche, hashbrown casserole, spinach dip, pull apart lemon bread
and homemade peach bellini’s (I had four. Don’t judge).