Cook&Go Culinary Studio

I was really excited when I got the invitation to attend Cook&Go because it would force me into learning something new to cook. The menu in my apartment is in desperate need of a refresh, the healthier the better. It's easy for us to fall back on what we know how to make and what's quick. Full disclosure: I am not usually the cook (more like the sous-chef), but I try! I figured attending would be a perfect way to expand our menu and have some fun while doing it.

A little bit about Cook&Go Culinary Studio: After several years of expansion in France, the NYC location (443 W 16th St between 9th and 10th ave) is the very first Cook&Go Culinary Studio in the United States. They offer workshops for anyone who is looking to improve their cooking skills, or who just wants to learn a new set of dishes (and eat them!) You’ll be cooking up individual dishes on the spot and be given the recipes to make the meals at home. At Cook and Go, you make the entire meal, not just a part of it.

Bonus? Everything on the menu for the night sounded delicious and I'd have a chance to make it myself!

Our menu was:

• Chickpea Burgers and Tahini Sauce
• Spinach, apple, carrot, ginger smoothie
• Raspberry filled shortbread sandwich

Like any awesome meal, we started with desert- making it that is. This is about the point when I realized I was way out of my league. I was a little overwhelmed at how fast it was going and wanted my dishes to be perfect. Once I let go of the fact I was not going to be the next Top Chef within 90 minutes, I started to enjoy myself. Our teacher was awesome, she made it an extremely laid back environment all while being extra informative. The company was great as well, but when is it not when bloggers are involved?! 

We moved on to the chickpea burger, who knew they were so easy to make?! It's definitely going to be added to the menu at my apartment! But even better than the chickpea burger was the Tahini sauce. None of us could get over how delicious it was! The list of ingredients for everything we made was so short, it's almost embarrassing that I hadn't thought to make it before. 

Next on the list was the smoothie, which was what I was looking forward to making most. I've been wanting to get a blender specifically for green juices for awhile and I think this was the push I needed. I don't know why I thought it was so complicated. I've been hesitant about making it because I'm not a fan of chunky or pulp, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. We used an immersion blender to make the juice; which I found out is usually used for soups, not so much chopping fruits and vegetables into smooth green juices. Honestly, I didn't mind the pulp as much as I thought I would. I'm pretty sure I need to get a regular blender now. 

Proof I did it!

The final products!

If this was a normal class, we would've packed up our dinner and left (hence, Cook&GO). When the weather's nice, most people take their dinner and eat it on the Highline, which is only a block away. I'd probably want to eat it ASAP instead of waiting to get back to Brooklyn, but that's only because I spend the last hour and a half drooling over the food. Since this was a private event, we got to eat there and I just couldn't believe how delicious it was. 

Brittany, Kimberly, Bridgitt, Our Awesome Teacher!, Carly, Me and Amanda!

This event was really great and I appreciate being invited. I'd definitely go back; it would be perfect for a girls night out or a date night. If you're interested in attending a class, which I highly recommend, use code BLOG14 for a 15% off. You can set up an account and every time you go, your recipes will be there.

Have you ever gone to a cooking class before?

I was invited to this event and enjoyed it so much, I wanted to share my experience with yall. I was not compensated or required to write about my experience. As usual, all opinions are my own.

Core Power Fit Kit Giveaway!

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try out Core Power, thanks to Fitfluential, and received the official Core Power Kit Fit:

The Core Power Fit Kit.

Inside this awesome gym bag was a yoga mat (that can be carried sideways- which makes me super happy!), a sweat towel, a CamelBak sports bottle, a balance ball, and samples of the Core Power protein shakes!

Chocolate (or strawberry) milk has always been my favorite way to refuel after a long run. It's one of the best sources of protein, helping to build lean muscle and recharge the body when consumed directly after physical activity. Core Power is the real-milk based sports recovery drink and contains natural whey and casein proteins found in milk - never removed from their original liquid state. Each bottle has about 26 grams of protein which makes for an amazing recovery drink! If that's too much for you, no worries. There is also a LITE version. The chocolate was delicious and I look forward to trying the vanilla and banana- Yum!

 

Core Power was recently named the “Official Protein Drink of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.” They have aligned with four top Sochi 2014 Team USA hopefuls, who will be featured on limited edition Core Power® bottles and across the brand’s different platforms. Core Power is available nationally, so look for it and the special edition packaging at stores in your area.

Want more information? You can check out the website- which includes delicious recipes you should try!

Do you want your own Fit Kit and a chance to try Core Power for yourself? Of course you do! Core Power has graciously agreed to give a kit to one of you. Enter below! (US Residents only, please!)

I was given the opportunity to test out this product thanks to Core Power and Fitfluential. I am not being monetarily compensated and all opinions are my own.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Koss Fit Series: Perfect for Active Women

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Koss

I was very excited when I found out I was invited to participate in this campaign. Mainly because I'm nervous that the over-the-ear headphones I've been running with for the past 2 years are about to give out- and they don't make them anymore! 

Koss has been in the business of stereo headphones since 1958. Recently, Koss’ female designers teamed-up with Gold Medalist Dara Torres to create the world’s first headphones designed specifically for women, by women. The FitBuds are 33% smaller than any earBud Koss has ever created. Along with being sweat resistant, the Koss Fit series also come with three different sized ear cushions for an even more perfect fit. All of those points were music to my ears and I couldn't wait to find out for myself! 

I knew I would be a fan of the FitClips, over-the-earbuds work better for me, especially for long runs. What I didn't know was how comfortable they were! It's rare that they don't hurt the top of my ears after an extended period of time. The FitClips never bothered me and will most likely be my go-to's for long runs from now on. 

I was really looking forward to trying out the FitBuds. I have yet to find a pair of in-ear buds that work, ie actually stays in my ears! I can wear them for the gym, but not for long distances. So, I initially tested them out on the commute to and from work, as I waited patiently for gym day. I noticed they were really snug in my ears, keeping all of my music in!

For the treadmill test, the FitBuds passed with flying colors. I didn't have to constantly push them back into my ears. In fact, I forgot they were even there! Since they're really snug, I was able to just get lost in the music and have a great treadmill run. I also tried them out during my long run this weekend. Since it was outside and I would be wearing ear warmers, I knew they would have an advantage- most earbuds stay in place when I have something covering my ears. I was right! Even though I only had one FitBud in (safety first!), it stayed the whole time. I did notice myself pushing it back in my ear many times- but for no reason. I think it was just psychological, but either way, I'd probably keep the FitBuds for gym days and FitClips for long runs, since that's what I'm used to. 

And since the holidays are right around the corner, I think these are a perfect stocking stuffer for the active women in your life! They're retail for $29.99 but I believe you can find them for $19.99 at these retailers:

Wal-Mart

Best Buy

Walgreens

Kmart

Sears

For more information about the Koss Fit Series:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/koss 

Twitter: @KossHeadphones 

Instagram: @Koss 

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/KossHeadphones 

What kind of Earbuds do you prefer: Over the ear or In?

Rock-n-Roll: Brooklyn, a race recap

  
It's been kind of fun seeing this race evolve each year. I've run it since it's inaugural and I can say it's leaps and bonds from what it started out to be. 

We can start with the non-existent expo the first year. I volunteered to give out bibs and it was literally in a running store in midtown Manhattan. No room for anything. Last year, they actually had a pretty decent pickup area upstairs at the 18th st. Pavilion. This year, they made the ground floor with a healthy amount of vendors AND. . . .wait for it. . . .

 MERCH!!!

I was super excited, but I'm also a sucker for anything that says Brooklyn :) Sadly, I passed on those because my bank account was going to boycott me if I didn't- but I'm hoping they had left-overs and they pop up on the website soon. I was a little bummed they did not have the medal pins or magnets to add to my RNR collection, but maybe next year? 

Along with all the expo improvements, the course has changed each year. The original course was 2 loops of the park, this year's course took you out of the park longer which I thought was awesome.

As I've said previously, this was supposed to be my 20 mile week. I registered for the race thinking I wouldn't be training for the marathon again and it would be a nice 6.2 miles followed by a great post-race concert. That was definitely not the case. Since I already had a few races lined up before I finally settled on marathon training again, this weekend was the only weekend I could fit my 20 in again. Last year, I ran with someone which made it so much easier. This year? No one. Not gonna lie, the thought of running 20 miles solo AND with a race was extremely daunting. I wasn't sure I was going to do it until I actually woke up that morning and I was still praying for rain- it was the only thing I would allow myself to get out of it. 

 

Grand Army Plaza

I decided getting 4 miles in before the RNR Brooklyn would give me the push to do it- I figured I'd be half way through at the end of the race and that sounded a lot better than I have 14 more miles to run. That was a genius plan if I do say so myself. I was so proud of myself for getting those miles in and making it back to the corrals in time. 

The Brooklyn Public Library

Around mile 3 of the race, I noticed the ball of my foot was developing a hot spot, so I pulled over to the med tent and used the vaseline trick Pam taught me at Dumbo. I had too many miles to go to worry about stopping. The med volunteers were super great, too! Apparently, since it's such a short race, they hadn't had many visitors. 

The last 3 miles went by quickly. I will admit it was a great course, even if it did include that killer hill. But what's a prospect park run/ race without it?

I crossed the finish line, got my medal and some gatorade and chocolate milk and was on my way again. To finish the 2nd half of my long run, I did half of a loop inside the park (roughly 2 miles) and decided to do 2 loops of the exterior of the park (4 miles each). The path inside the park was too banked for my knee to handle. For not running in Prospect Park often, I was proud of myself for remembering where the landmarks were and even better- water fountains and bathrooms! 

The weather was perfect and the only complaint I had was my darn knee pain. It would come and go and I took way too many stretch breaks, but hey! Whatever it takes, right? I knew towards the end it was going to get pretty dark mentally, especially considering I was alone and didn't have anyone to take my mind off of all the pain. I decided to focus on the fact that I needed to enjoy the run for what it was: my last 20 mile run. That seemed to work well and even though the run didn't go as well as I would've like physically, I believe it was a success mentally. 

Next year, I'm sticking to just 6.2 miles! 

Special Edition: WoW. Happy National Running Day!

Happy National Running Day! 

Running has taught me to love myself for who I am, which I've discovered is the ultimate key to happiness. If I hadn't watched my best friend run Boston or if I had dropped out of training with TNT for the NYC Half, I don't think I would be in the place I am today. I don't think I would've learned the true meaning of happiness or who I am. I'm thankful everyday I am lucky enough to realize that. 

Tonight in honor of the holiday, Run by Foot Locker in Union Square was hosting a run from the store. I signed up in the excitement of the day and then I realized: hello lady, you are slow. I debated for most of the afternoon if I was actually going to go, but in the end I went. I'll be honest, after I checked in and got my tshirt, I almost snuck out of there. No lie. These are pretty much THE situations I dread being a slow runner.  

Luckily, there was a fabulous woman who was willing to slow down for me. We ran about 3.5 miles from the store to the Westside highway, up to 23rd and then back. Thank you, Baby Jesus, for creating crosstown red lights; that helped us sort of keep up with the group. 

Holy cow, guys, I did it! I survived to tell the tale after all that anxiety! I'm super proud of myself. On top of that, I didn't bring my gymboss and ran as much as I could- which means one walk break not counting all the red lights. What What?! And that my friends, is why I run. 

Did you do anything special for the holiday? 
Why do you run? What's one thing about running that scares you? 

What's Beautiful

I'm so excited to tell yall that I'm working with Under Armour, thanks to Fitfluential, on their What's Beautiful campaign. Under Armour originally started this campaign to “redefine the female athlete by setting epic goals and pushing past where we’ve ever been and where we thought we could go.” I absolutely love everything that this stands for and I can't believe I get to be involved. 

Since the first 2 rounds were so successful, here is our chance! I've already signed up and picked a goal:

 PR at a 10k #iWill

There you have it folks. I put it out in the Universe. I think the timing is perfect, too- I already have a few on my calendar in preparation for Dumbo weekend. Seeing as focusing on getting faster has been a goal for me for awhile, I figured why not put it in writing and make it happen already?! I've been playing around on the site and I already feel empowered to kick some serious 10k butt.

Now, it's your turn- create a profile and accept the challenge. You don't have to be a runner or even consider yourself an athlete (although, you should!)- all you have to do is set a goal any goal and then kick butt at achieving it. Here's your chance to define what's beautiful!

Under Armour has set a bunch of fun challenges to keep you motivated along the way! I can honestly attest that it's a great community filled with lots of encouragement and makes me want to push myself to be the best version of myself; and that's definitely beautiful if anything ever was! Follow other beautiful people and cheer each other on. There is even an option to create or join a group for people who share the same goals or any goal you want to be a part of. With all these different ways to get involved, get motivated, be motivating and stay focused, I think it's an awesome way to redefine what's beautiful.

What goal do you have that you know you should just write it down and get over trying to achieve it?

** This post is sponsored by Under Armour & FitFluential. I am not being compensated for this post. All opinions are 100% my own**