Monday, October 7, 2013

MHWTC End of the Year Party!

This weekend the MHWTC hosted their annual end of the year bash. It was a very memorable night. Like each and every event the triathlon club hosts, no detail was spared. The event was held at the beautiful Pratt Gardens. The decoration committee added to this beauty. The delicious Rode's catered, there was a very fun band, and a packed photo booth all night! However, the best part of the night was hanging out with so many inspiring women.

There was an award ceremony to honor the accomplishments of members throughout the year. The most determined award was presented to two women whom at the beginning of the season struggled to swim one lap in a pool, and by the end of the season participated in open water swims and triathlons. The most resilient award was presented to a friend of mine who overcame a terrible bike accident last fall, and got herself right back on the bike this season, still smiling! I was extremely honored to be awarded member of the year, in a club filled with so many motivated women. Winning Queen of the Hill was something I will never forget, but being a part of this years Bring Change 2 Mind charity committee has changed my life. The conversations we have had about mental health, the money we have raised, and the stigma surrounding mental health we have been able to shine a light on is something I am very proud of!

We are still not done, Run the Hill is coming up quickly and will be an amazing conclusion to this season!

Beautiful background

Decoration committee's beautiful work!

AC tri Relay team!

The founders of the club who dedicate countless hours to this club

Too much fun!





Pumpkin Chili

Once October hits I can not get enough pumpkin. I like pumpkin in everything, including my chili! Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients, this recipe was easy to make. I really enjoyed it, but next time I would consider adding more pumpkin!

Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients:
2 pounds of ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 29-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 4-ounce can diced green chilis
1 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
1- In a large soup pot, place beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat. stirring occasionally until the beef is browned.
2- Add the rest of the chili ingredients. Let simmer, stirring every so often for 15 minutes.

If you are in the chili mood check out another favorite of mine Buffalo Chicken Chili!








Eating on the Road

This summer my mom and I went on a road trip to Knoxville, Nashville and the Shenandoah Valley! It was an amazing trip, and I hope to post soon all about it. Before leaving for the trip I was concerned about eating out at restaurants for 12 days straight. I took a trip to Wegmans (my happy place) and stocked up on some road trip essentials. This took care of breakfast and snacks daily. Balance is the key to life so I definitely enjoyed lots of different kinds of barbecue in the south!

This was the first time I tried Cocomama. This quinoa breakfast cereal was so good and perfect for a busy morning. Quinoa is an amazing power food!




Puffins, Almond Milk, Breakfast on the Go, Cocomama


Almond butter, Almond pouches, KIND bars and KIND Healthy Grains bars