speedvegan

the weather was absolutely perfect yesterday. it was cool and sunny and the humidity… er… WHAT humidity ?? i heard the weather girl say “enjoy the day. it will be humid again tomorrow !” yikes ! i got on my bike and went for what turned out to be the best ride i’ve had all year. i fought a moderate but relentless headwind on the way out. i didn’t want to injure myself, but the weather was just wonderful and i felt really strong. i stopped at Hillsboro Beach for a few minutes to rest and refuel. the ride back was FAST. gotta love tailwind !

The Kilo, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

This is the bike I was able to buy with the money I got from the insurance company after my accident. It was meant to replace The Tequilo (a better bike, IMHO) but you take what you can and make the best of it.

I had seen The Kilo before when I was in the market for a triathlon bike. I never liked it even though I am a HUGE Quintana Roo fan. If you do a bit of research, you will find that the man who invented the triathlon bike was not only a triathlete, but the founder of Quintana Roo. He sold out a few years ago and the quality of the bikes has gone downhill since. This is only my opinion, of course, but if possible, ride any 2001 or 2002 Quintana Roo and then hop on one of these ’05 or ’06 Kilos and you will see what I mean.

I settled for The Kilo because I didn’t expect to find something exactly like my old bike. Hindsight is always 20/20. I should have waited. My first ride on The Kilo was disastrous. The bike was not in good shape. You can tell this bike was thrown together, put on a shelf somewhere and then handed to me as if triathlon bikes are smart enough to adjust themselves.

I took The Kilo back to the shop because it was skipping gears. The rear derailleur needed to be adjusted. Also, I wanted the aero bars closer together. When I walked into the store, the sales girl, who had heard how disappointed I was with the bike, totally ignored me. I didn’t think that was very nice, especially after a percentage of the almost $3k I had spent went to her check that week. When I was finally able to get someone’s attention, I explained what I wanted and he took my bike away. He came back minutes later and said the derailleur was fine and the bars couldn’t be adjusted.

I won’t pretend to be a bike-know-it-all because, well, I’m not. But I do know more about bikes than the average person and enough to know this guy was bullshitting me. Sometimes, it sucks to be a woman because we get taken for a ride (or so they think). I was furious, but I’m not one to make a scene so I walked out quietly.

I took the bike out for another ride and it was clearly not fixed. I wanted to return it. The shop said “no way.” A friend of mine suggested I take it back, inform the credit card company and let them deal with the dispute. It sounded like a good plan, but the Buddhist in me couldn’t go through with it. It was then that I decided I would NEVER ever set foot in that bike shop again and I would warn others to stay away.

I took The Kilo to my local bike mechanic. This man is a bike wizard. I don’t know what he did or how he did it, but gears skip no more, bars are perfect and the bike actually feels like something worth keeping. Unfortunately, my hunt for an old Tequilo had not ended and with the help of Jose, I recently found an ’01 frame in pretty good condition. I got some new wheels and will have the components on The Kilo transferred to the “new” Tequilo very soon. I will post pictures and let you know how the new ride is as soon as it’s ready.

the question now is: will i make it ?

i just signed up for the 2007 MS Bike Tour. sure, i’ve completed this event 3 times in the past, yet i still felt nervous filling out the online registration form. a lot of things crossed my mind. by now i have learned to ignore some of the fears, but one thought made me hesitate. will my knee be ready for this ?

i don’t know. a lot can happen between now and April. the hardest part is getting to the start line and i know that if i am able, i will be there. i need to focus on what is important: the cause. in reality, it does not matter how far i ride as long as i show up and give my best. in the end it will be the amount of money i raise, not the number of miles i complete that will make a difference.

seriously. this needs to stop. i normally use exercise as a crutch when i’m down, but this time i don’t seem to have the energy to do that. i need a new goal. there’s a century ride in December, but 100 miles ?? i can’t even go 30 without my knee screaming at me. i wanted to do another self-supported triathlon, rollerblading the run portion, but my rollerblades were inside the Jetta and i can’t afford new ones right now. any suggestions ?

friday 10.20:
rest day

saturday 10.21:
rest

sunday 10.22:
rest

monday 10.23:
1 hr spin class

tuesday 10.24:
rest

wednesday 10.25:
1 hr spin class
strength training: abs

thursday 10.26:
32 min elliptical @ gym
strength training: abs

Eggplant Sandwich, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

If i had to eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be eggplant.

1 small eggplant
salt
olive oil
4 slices ciabatta bread
roasted peppers
spinach, rinsed and dried, stems trimmed
2 thin slices vegan cheese

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)

1. To make the vinaigrette, combine olive oil, basil, thyme, garlic, pine nuts, and vinegar in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

2. To prepare the eggplant, partially peel the eggplant lengthwise, leaving 1/2-inch stripes of skin. Slice the eggplant 1/2 inch thick, sprinkle the slices generously with salt, and let stand in a colander for about 1 hour (optional). Rinse thoroughly, gently squeeze each slice dry, and pat with paper towels. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush the eggplant slices generously with olive oil. Place in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes.

3. To make the sandwiches, lightly toast the bread slices. Brush the eggplant, roasted peppers and the slices of bread with the vinaigrette. Assemble each sandwich with spinach leaves, eggplant, roasted peppers, and cheese. Slice each sandwich and serve.

One word: delicious.

the police called me yesterday to let me know that my Jetta was recovered. unfortunately, my insurance company already sent me a check a few weeks ago and i’ve since purchased a new vehicle. according to the towing company the right front tire is flat, but overall the car is in good shape. i’m going to drop by later today to pick up any personal items still in the car and to sign some paperwork releasing the car my insurance company. i feel so emotional !

Dinner for one, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

Breaking up sucks. Regardless of the length or intensity of the relationship, hearts will be broken and tears will be shed.

You may have noticed Jose and I are no longer together. I’ve wanted to write about it but haven’t found the right words because despite all the things I’ve experienced this year, this one is perhaps the most difficult. I know everything happens for a reason and typically people go their separate ways for “the best” but that doesn’t take away from the ugliness of the situation.

This is by no means a desperate plea for free shrinkage. I just wanted y’all to know my recipe posts may dwindle (even more so) because I just plain hate cooking for myself. That may change when I eventually come out of my funk. But, until then, please bear with me.

well, look… another crappy week ! all the recent social obligations are distracting me. it’s kinda hard to stick to a plan when you don’t have a goal. sigh… my knee is still up and down. the pain is not as intense after working out, but the clicking has gotten worse. the therapist said that *might* happen. of course, it’s the clicking that prevents me from running so i feel like “take the clicking and give me pain !” but that’s way too masochistic.

friday 10.13:
rest day

saturday 10.14:
rest

sunday 10.15:
rest

monday 10.16:
1 hr spin class

tuesday 10.17:
rest

wednesday 10.18:
1 hr spin class

thursday 10.19:
35 min elliptical @ gym

Liz’s Favorite Pasta, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

I had dinner with my cousin on Saturday. We went to the Cheesecake Factory. For a restaurant with such an anti-vegan name, they sure do know how to accommodate us. They’ll substitute any of the meats in their dishes with portobello mushrooms. I noticed a pasta on the menu called “Evelyn’s Favorite Pasta.” I wasn’t hungry enough for pasta, but kept thinking of it all weekend. Tonight I made something similar with my all time favorite, eggplant.

1 medium eggplant, cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 oz whole wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup vegan pasta sauce
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
1 tsp red pepper flakes

1. To roast the eggplant, preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, parsley, garlic and lemon juice. Place eggplant cubes in a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil mixture. Transfer eggplant to glass baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Set aside when done.

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta and place in medium-large pan.

3. Stir in the pasta sauce, pine nuts, basil, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat.

4. Carefully stir in the roasted eggplant. Serve immediately with ciabatta bread.

Sensory Overload Cookies, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

My landlords are great. Every year they give all their tenants a little something for the holidays. A few years ago, when i was still vegetarian, they made cookies for us. These were the best cookies I had ever had in my life. I liked them so much that i asked them for the recipe. I never got around to making them and didn’t even come across the recipe again until I was already vegan. This weekend I decided to veganize the world’s best cookie. My friend referred to them as “sensory overload cookies” because they have a little bit of everything. And that is what I will call them from now on.

2/3 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
2 tbsp soy yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream together the margarine and sugar until fluffy.

3. Add soy yogurt, vanilla extract, flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

4. Fold in the rest of the ingredients.

5. Drop by tablespoonfuls spaced about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly browned.

7. Allow to cool before eating !

The vegan version is SO much better than the original.