Chitty Chicken

This is a dish I have come up with myself, and one in which all the family enjoy. It's particually good for me as it's loaded with Carbs and Protein.
It's also packed with B vitamins from the Chicken, Vitamins C and B6 from the Garlic and Onion. The rich tomatoes in their sauce, Vitamins C and K. The mixed herbs Vitamins K and A. Minerals in the dish include Selenium,Phosphorus,Chromium,Manganese,Iron,Potassium.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breasts cut into small cubes
• 1 Onion finely chopped
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons of Mixed Herbs
• 1 Teaspoon of Chilli Flakes
• 1 Teaspoon of Corriander Seeds crushed
• 2 Tablespoons of Ground Corriander
• 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
• 1 Chicken Stock Cube
• 400g of Chopped Tomatoes
• 300g of Tagliatelle
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Fresh Chopped Coriander Leaves (Optional)

Method

• Heat the Oil in a large Saucepan and add the Onion, Garlic and Crushed Corriander Seeds, Cook on a high heat for about 1 minute.
• Add the cubed Chicken Breasts and cook on the high heat for a further 3 to 4 minutes.
• Next add the Chopped Tomatoes and cook for about a minute.
• Lower the heat and add the Mixed Herbs,Chilli Flakes and Ground Corriander, stir well
• To finsh the Sauce, crumble in the Stock Cube and Salt and Pepper to taste.
• Turn down the heat to low cover and let simmer for 35 minutes.
• After 25 minutes, cook the Tagliatelle for 10 minutes.
• Serve the Tagliatelle on a plate and top with the Chicken and sauce.
• You could also add some fresh chopped corriander leaves at the end if you choose.
• Voila! Enjoy Chitty Chicken.

5 Things I have learnt this week.

1.Carob. A delicious healthier alternative to chocolate.

I discovered Carob when I brought a pack of 9 bars. http://www.9-bar.co.uk/about-9bar/our-bars/our-bars-flax.asp The flax seed bars that I brought were topped with Carob. I had never heard of this before and assumed It must be healthy to be be on these health bars. I checked this out on the internet and discovered I was right.

Carob is a legume that comes from the carob tree, an evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean. Today it is also grown in other warm climates including Florida and the southwestern United States. The tree bears fruit (carob pods) after six to eight years of growth. It can continue to bear fruit for 100 years.

Carob is very nutritious. Carob contains Vitamin B1,Niacin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and the trace minerals iron, manganese, chromium, copper, and nickel. It contains approximately 8 percent protein and is a good source of fibre. Compared to chocolate, carob is three times richer in calcium, has one third less calories and at least half less fat.

2. Loosen Shoulders. I suffer from an aching neck and shoulders sometimes during and after my runs. In this months Runners World magazine there was a great exercise to help loosen your shoulders. I need to relax the top half of my body when I run, especially on long runs. Hopefully the exercise on the right will resolve this...

3.Pace. Whether I go out and run 3 or 7 miles I tend to run at a fairly consistant pace. I ran twelve miles to work last Friday and dropped the pace by about a minute and a half per mile. This made so much difference to how I was feeling overall after the run. I was tired but not as whacked out as I feel sometimes on a quick 4 mile run.

I've always known that I should vary my workouts ie. add Tempo runs, Hill training etc. Having dropped my pace for an enjoyable and relaxed run, this has now shown me how important varying my training is.

4.Rest Days. I've started to now have a rest day after any run over 6 miles. I've suffered a few injuries recently probably from over training, since I've been resting every other day, I'm recovering so much better and seem to be injury free at the moment. (Touch Wood!).

I've been trying some cross training in between also. One swim a week and I'm following the 200 situps programme http://www.twohundredsitups.com/

5. Coke used to be green!!!

Crunch Time

Now that I'm into blogging, I've been checking out on other peoples blogs and came across the informative 'Run Bulldog Run' blog. I was checking out the past blogs and came across the '200 Sit ups Programme'.
As I've said before I'm not by any means a large person, but do suffer from a little extra around the middle. I've always wanted to stick to an Abs programme but have never succeeded. I don't know how I can go out and run for an hour and a half at a time but can't afford 10 minutes a few times a week doing the sit ups.
Well them days are over, and I'm determined to get my teeth stuck into this one.I will post my progress over the next 6 weeks as I go from one pack to 6 pack!!! (Well even 3 pack I would be happy with).



                               http://www.twohundredsitups.com/


As for an update on my personal running progress. I feel like I'm back on track now. I had a beautiful 11 miler on Sunday morning (Cold, but the sun's warming up!) along the canal footpath. I was surprised just how many other joggers were out and cyclists, walkers and fisherman. Other than that it's been the regular 3 x 4 milers at lunchtime, again in beautiful sunshine. The one thing I have missed out on in the last couple of weeks is my trip to the swimming pool. I will definitely get back to that this week and a run out with my son.

Canal Path - Lunchtime runs.

All about the Numb3rs?

I've been running regulary now for about 4 years. When I started it was simple just run. Then add a stopwatch and start to record the times. Then about two years ago add my Garmin Forerunner 301. This is when running changed for the better?
Not only could I get my times, I could see where I was running; see my heart rate; see my splits...Welcome to the geek world of running! I got involved on the Buckeye Outdoors and GoWagon Websites , and I could see my running months laid out for me. It was brilliant and remotivated me as a runner.
Then I saw the little words "My Challanges" and so it began. I started off last year with the 4 feet running challange 2009 feet running and I now have two challanges I created, 'East v West' and 'Run 1001,Swim 20.10 miles' for this year. I have also joined my friend and running partner Brian's challange '1000 miles or Bust' where to date there are 28 runners challanging....

I now see that I am X miles away from X runner and if I get myself out today and do a 5 miler, I can get ahead. If I do nine miles I jump up 4 places!!!
But I don't get out, I have a cold and didn't sleep well, I stay in, I get to the end of the day and....Frustration! X runner's in front of me has been out for a long run today and now I'm 20 miles behind!

Should we worry about the numbers? I guess that is part of the reason we all run. As I said before these Website's are a great motivation. But the real numbers should be those personal to you and our own personal races.

On a personal note, I have had a good week running, I'm just about back upto my 20 miles a week target following my 'Wii Fit' injury a few weeks ago.

I went with my boys to my sisters down in Poole, Dorset. There is some wonderful scenery in this part of the country and I had a pleasant run on Sunday morning around the bay that backs onto my sisters house. Despite the rain and getting lost for about 3 miles (5 mile planned run, turned into over 8 miles!)it was a good one that took me through the grounds of a Stateley home and along the coastline. It was nice running somewhere different but there is no place like Home.