thenextmile

It’s hot out.  I really should have taken tonight’s dinner to the grill, but I cooked it on the grill pan inside and now I’m regretting it.  It’s way too hot in here now.

Anyway, tonight was mushroom sandwiches and Artichoke-Tarragon Dip.

As for the Dip:

2 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon dried

Preheat oven to 350°F Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Transfer mixture to 3-cup ovenproof soufflé dish or small casserole. Bake dip until heated through, about 30 minutes.

I also added a chopped garlic clove to the dip before I put it in the oven.  This is the first artichoke type dip that actually tastes like artichokes, not just cheese and garlic.  I served the dip with tortilla chips, but crackers or pita bread would work great too.

As for the sandwiches, I’ve made these a few times before.  They’re easy, quick, healthy, and are one of our favorites.  The goat cheese really makes the difference, and grilling the bread helps keep the sandwich together.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
4 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps
Cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls
1/2 cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.2. Combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic in a large bowl. Add bell peppers and portobello mushrooms; toss gently to coat. Remove vegetables from vinegar mixture, and discard vinegar mixture.

3. Place bell peppers and mushrooms on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Cut bell peppers into thin strips. Combine bell peppers, basil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.

4. Cut rolls in half horizontally; spread cheese evenly over cut sides of rolls. Arrange 1 mushroom cap on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with about 1/3 cup bell pepper mixture and top half of roll.

5. Place sandwiches on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook).

TRAINING

As for triathlon training, I was up at 5:15 this morning and went down to the Little Traverse Wheelway where I rode 16 miles.  I told myself I’d do 12 hard miles, and then just enjoy the last 4 miles.  Here’s the thing, while I hated the 12 miles, I enjoyed the last 4.  Turns out, I really don’t enjoy competitive riding, but I could see myself doing a day-trip on the bike.  So I’ve decided I’m not going to do the triathlon this year.  Frankly, I haven’t enjoyed the training all that much.  I don’t mind the swimming, and I love the running, but I dread the biking and I figure my life is too short to be doing things I really don’t care much for.  So instead, I’m going to run a 5k here in town the same day as the triathlon in hopes of placing in the top 3 in my age group.  I just realized this morning how much I’d rather be out running that early in the morning as opposed to biking.  Each time I passed a runner, I wished I was running.  And by not having to worry about all three sports, I can focus on being a better runner which is what I enjoy the most.  So starting next week, it’s back to 25+ miles a week, including a long 10+ mile run at least one day a week.

Despite the fact I didn’t enjoy the bike racing aspect this morning, I did enjoy the scenery:

I’m lucky to live in such a beautiful spot.

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