Weekly Workouts and Updates 2/29-3/6

After skipping a week of weekly workouts and updates to bring you my February recap, I’m back at it again, having kicked into gear this week with running as I get ready for the New York City Half Marathon on March 20th. It’s nearly time for round three after it being my first ever half marathon in 2014 and the second stab last year, and it’s the start of a spring race calendar with the Scotland 10K on April 2nd and More Women’s Half on April 17th. All this leading up to the start of my training in May for the New York City Marathon.

 

 

 

 

Advertisement

Weekly Workouts and a New Running Routine 11/2-11/9

On Friday, I got an e-mail informing me that my one-year domain name registration was set to expire in a month. I was confused at first, since when I moved to my self-hosted website I registered with my hosting service for two years, not one. But then I remembered, back to last December, when I wrote my first post and wasn’t sure if the whole blogging thing was going to be a passing whim or an enduring part of my life. Here were are, 11 months and a few days in, so I guess the answer is clear! I’ll be writing a one-year mark reflection when the time comes, and look out this week for a sharing of my very first recipe for a Pumpkin Poufflé. In the meantime, on to my weekly workouts and a new running routine!

 

Wandering by Alice in Central Park

 

WIAW #26 + Tuna Salad Melt Recipe

This Wednesday, my diary of daily eats consists of baked goodies, warming meals, and, well, more baked goodies. The grey, rainy, cool end of last week put me in the mood to do some baking experimentation. Now it’s warmed up again a little, making it a glorious autumn outside that just begs for seasonal sweets. Perfecting my recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins? Check. Using up the rest of the pumpkin on some awesome pumpkin banana chocolate chip bread? Of course. Making even more muffins because I wanted to test out the batter in a blender? Oh, my goodness, the berryliciousness of it all. And there’s more coming your way on Friday with my pumpkin peanut butter cookies…

 

 

 

Lunch at Bailey’s Backyard

The restaurant

 

I met a good friend of mine for lunch yesterday, at a restaurant off our quaint Main Street called Bailey’s Backyard. I came here a lot growing up. They closed a couple of years ago, and when they reopened, the owners had altered the atmosphere and the menu, hopping on the farm-to-table bandwagon.

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch Menu

 

While I’m nostalgic for things that have changed since my childhood, the new menu is awesome. It incorporates a lot of local Connecticut and New England ingredients, in the excellent Sunday brunch, daily dinners, and as I found today, regular weekday lunches. I’m both gluten-free and nut-free, of course, which means I need to make alterations to a lot of dishes when dining out. My friend Taylor is also gluten-free, and she can’t eat eggs either. Luckily, although the menu includes lots of allergy-triggering items, the staff at Bailey’s is very helpful in letting you know where adjustments can be made. The chef even came out to introduce himself to us to see how we liked our lunches!

 

 

Seriously scrumptious side

 

We decided to split a side to start. Originally, we were both eyeing the kale and Gruyere gratin, but unfortunately there was flour in that mix and they didn’t have a substitute. However, our choice of the roasted rainbow carrots with garlic butter and roasted marshmallow was simply scrumptious.

 

 

 

 

Scallops seared to perfection

 

For our main courses, we both went with salads. Taylor had the Connecticut Kale Salad with grilled shrimp, and I went for the Spinach Salad with feta and onions and grilled scallops. Since I was allergic to the pistachio vinaigrette on the menu, the waiter suggested substituting the apricot dressing, which was a nice fruity addition.

 

 

 

 

A sweet treat like gooey s’mores

 

We ended the meal with decaf coffee for me, and more iced tea for Taylor. I’m not going to lie, I may also have scraped every last bit of the blackened marshmallow cream off that carrot plate! It was so lovely to enjoy a relaxing lunch with a good friend. I’m making this last spring break count!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where’s your favorite place for a girls’ lunch? Do you and your friends have any fun traditions?

 

 

 

© 2015 Renaissance Runner Girl. All rights reserved.