Back to Basics: Portobella Steaks & Sweet Potato Fries w/ Avocado-Arugula Salad

So sorry for basically dropping off the face of the earth for the past two weeks. I have had a lot of graduate application deadlines, as well as random family stuff and starting my job hunt so I've been swamped. You'll be happy to know that although my blogging fell to the wayside for a little, my running and recipe testing have not, so I've got lots of new things to write about! And here is a preview of the recipe coming later in this post:

Yummy Dinner!

Running Updates:

I have been running almost every day, but not with any goals. Some days I'll run fast (which for me is around an 8:30 pace) 7 or 8-ish miles and others I'll run a long, lazy 9 or 10 miles (at around 9:30 pace). I've also been doing a couple of days where I just run 3 miles but at 7 minute pace. I basically just wake up in the morning, and see what type of run my body feel like doing. One really exciting thing is that I ran 8 miles in 70 minutes which I haven't done in a long, long time so I'm trying to do that at least once a week now! I'll have a more in-depth running post soon with some new running discoveries I've made ;)

Recipe Time: Portobella Steaks & Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Salad

Marinating Mushrooms

Portobella Steaks

Ingredients:

- 2 large portobella mushroom caps

- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

- 1 tbsp freshly grated garlic

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- optional 1-2 tbsp olive oil....if that's how you roll ;)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Add the grated garlic, salt, and pepper to the balsamic vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes. If you are using the optional olive oil you an add it this mixture as well. This is the marinade for the mushrooms

3. Clean your portobella mushrooms and lay them on a foil lined baking sheet with the gills face up.

4. Whisk the marinade so that all of the components are evenly distributed and pour/spread evenly over the two mushrooms. Let mushroom sit for at least five minutes and up to an hour before putting them in the oven.

5. Bake in oven for around 20 minutes.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs sweet potatoes

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp pepper

- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

- 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. After cleaning the potatoes, thinly slice them so that they are long and thing (about 1/4 inch or less in width)

3. Line a long baking sheet with heavy duty tin foil.

4. Spread out the sliced sweet potatoes on the foil.

5. Add the olive oil and spices to the sweet potatoes and mix/toss until everything is evenly coated.

6. Bake in the oven for around 20 minute or until they start to turn golden at the edges. For my oven this always takes a little over 20 minutes but watch them carefully once you hit the 20 minute mark because they burn quickly.

Avocado Salad

Finished Salad, most of the avocados are hiding

Ingredients:

- 3 tbsp champagne vinegar

- 2 tsp dijon mustard

- 1/4 cup chopped parsley

- 1/2 tsp pepper

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 2 grated cloves of garlic

- option 1 tbsp olive oil*

- 2 avocados, pitted and slices into 1/2 inch cubes

- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

- 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion

- 3 cups arugula

*I usually don't use olive oil, especially since the avocado in the salad definitely adds a good amount of fat to the flavor of the dressing but I know some people love their olive oil*

Directions:

1. In a small bowl mix together the vinegar, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, and optional olive oil (if you choose to use it) to make the dressing. 

2. In a medium bowl place the acovado, tomatoes, arugula, and onion and mix gently.

3. Pour the dressing into the medium bowl and mix gently until the salad ingredients are evenly coated.