I’ll start with scenery.
My kitchen looked pretty in late morning sunlight:
And flowers were blooming out my bedroom window:
In all the spring excitement, I went for my first real run in about a week and a half, and it was glorious! I ran in capris and no sleeves because Brooklyn decided it would let spring visit for a day. Again, I felt some groin/gluteal (ugh, how much longer am I going to have to say that?) discomfort and found that I had to take much shorter strides than normal, but nothing was overly anxiety-provoking. I ran slowly and carefully and pictured the yoga string pulling the crown of my head straight up 🙂 Stats: 3.83 miles, 46.5 minutes, 352 calories, 145 average heart rate, 171 maximum heart rate. I came home, did the 20-minute Yoga for Runners #1 from yogadownload.com, and then iced for 20 minutes. I’ve got a bit more of a limp now than I did pre-run, but that’s to be expected.
Look what I encountered during my cool-down walk home!
This is what I love about my neighborhood. We’ve got this unofficial swap system. If you don’t want something, you just leave it out on your stoop. It will be gone within the hour 😀 I went through everything and picked out and washed what I wanted. The remainders will go back out on my stoop. Here’s what I’m keeping:
(You can’t tell from the picture, but there are nine plates there: 5 with the design, 1 plain blue, 2 white, and 1 clear glass. I feel like I just got back from a shopping spree at Crate & Barrel.)
I had a lovely lunch today. I sauteed the last of my asparagus and portabello with curry butter with spinach stems, roasted red pepper, and 1/4 cup of steak left from Nydia’s lunch at work yesterday. I also added in a tsp of sofrito that I made the other day using Inginia’s recipe (cilantro, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, ancho, onion) and a packet of magic seasoning that Vianni donated. This is what helps all my coworkers feed me deliciously authentic Dominican delicacies 🙂
Final product:
I had the sauteed mix on a bed of spinach and arugula with four Newman’s spelt pretzels crumbled on top for crunch:
Arugula, how I love you.
I also spent a large chunk of today whipping up a batch of jasmine tea biscotti bites to send to Kelsey, the highest bidder on these in Meghann’s bake auction. Some of the cookie dough did not make it into the oven. Instead, it garnished my dessert: a pile of pineapple with a dollop of plain Oikos and a sprinkle of cardamom (on a new plate!).
Picture that cookie dough times about 4. That’s probably closer to what I actually consumed.
I spent a different chunk of today baking a Passover-friendly sponge cake to bring home this weekend. Details on that will come later. In the meantime, there was batter:
Rest assured, the batter is now gone. Phew. I will let you use your imagination to figure out where it went. Hint: it did not go down the drain. Where did the batter go? And are you in charge of making anything exciting this weekend?
Win some salmonella-free pistachios!
Tales of Expansion: Baby Butternut Edition 
so glad you had a good run AND managed to get some free stuff! You never seize to amaze me 🙂
I don’t celebrate Passover/Easter (I’m Eastern Orthodox, so my Easter is a week later and there’s nothing fun like bunnies or eggs). But my proff invited me to Easter brunch this Sunday, I think I’ll make dessert!
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Love that first photo – looks like a set on a theatrical stage or something!! 🙂
Easter egg hunt this weekend here – whoo hoo!!
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I’m Hispanic and I use that seasoning alllllll the time!!!
It’s like my little secret! 😉
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I’m glad you got to have a proper springtime run! I can’t wait for one of those.
Those dishes are awesome, and especially since they are free!!
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I am such a batter licker! I think I purposely leave some in the bowl when I bake so I can eat it!!
That is one great stash of kitchen items you got there! I’m jealous of those plates!!! Way to go!
As usual, I love how all your food looks!!!
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Goya seasoning is my best kitchen helper!! 😀 It’s so versatile, to add to stir fry, chili, pasta, everything! 😀
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yay for a springy run! i love all the free stuff you found – those plates are super cute!
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hehe me and cookie dough used to be best buddies, i had to stop making it!!
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Mmm.. beautiful dessert! I want me some cookie dough now!
My family is Polish so today, mum and I will be dying and decorating hardboiled eggs and putting together a traditional decorated Easter basket (containing traditional food) which we will take to church tomorrow to be blessed.
On Sunday we have a ceremonial breakfast where we share the eggs and the food from the blessed basket. It’s one of my favourite traditions – I love Easter 🙂
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Love the lunch – especially the pretzel pieces. That’s so neat that you have a neighborhood exchange system. One doesn’t typically think of NYC or Brooklyn as being so neighbor-friendly. But I’m guessing it really is like a bunch of small communities. Do you like living there?
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Love that dessert!!! Awesome combo 😀
I made Easter sugar cookies today. They’re delish!!
xoxo
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hahahaha. only you would go out
for a run and come home with a
bucket full of new dishes. only you.
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My sister and I are making my birthday cupcakes to bring to the famjam get together on Sunday since my birthday is next weekend but ill be at school.
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So glad the run went well!! See your patience paid off, soon you will be back to normal w/ no post- run limping! 🙂
I love how your neighborhood has that unofficial swap system going on!!! You SCOREDD! I’m jeal, those plates are cute!
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happy to hear you got to enjoy the weather and get a good run in!
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Oooh, I love the pretzels on the salad! And those dishes are lovely, sweet find!!!
I’m making absolutely nothin’ this weekend! I’m heading over to my boyfriend’s place to gorge myself on his mom’s gravy and pie (although, not together).
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Glad you’re out running again! Oh Sarah, I have quite the weekend of eating planned in Philly this weekend, and none of it involves Easter! I’ll wait and see what happens and report back!
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