National Running Day

I usually eschew made-up holidays, but today, the first Wednesday in June, I will be celebrating the fifth National Running Day by doing a loop of my neighborhood park, maybe even two.  For me, running is a complement to healthy eating.  Sometimes it's compensation for less healthy eating, too.  Running is a low-cost activity that can be social, meditative, challenging, and rewarding.  Like almost everything, running can become more complicated than it needs to be, but in its essence, it is as natural as breathing.

With three kids at home, everyday I'm reminded of how innate our instinct to run is, unlike my desk job.  My youngest almost never walks, preferring the joy of running, whether it's down the block or just between the kitchen and the playroom.  My middle child loves to race her sisters home.  My eldest ran her first 5K in March, and she was almost as proud of this accomplishment as I was. 

Why run?  Like almost any physical activity, running is good for your heart, your bones, your lungs, your digestive system, and for your brain.  For weight loss, running beats walking, probably because it's more intense.  It also takes less time.  Assuming 100 calories burned per mile, one could burn 300 calories in almost half the amount of time running compared to walking.  When traveling, running is a great way to explore, whether it's on city streets or in a park or trail.  Although your first few times running may feel like the hardest. thing. ever., your body quickly adapts, and you'll quickly see improvements in your fitness.  Participating in races, whether you're in it to win it or just to finish, is addictive.  In New York City, thousands of people turn out for road races most weekends, and it's so inspiring to see the diversity of people who share a love of running.  The community aspect as well as the sense of pride in doing a longer distance or finishing faster is what keeps me racing and running.

If you're not a runner, or haven't exercised in years, talk to your doctor before you start.  If you're interested in taking up running, start slowly, and enlist a friend to join you.  National Running Day has lots of great tips to get started, find a running group, or to stay motivated.  If you're not able to or interested in running, do something else that's active and reap the same benefits.

Why do you run?

Meatless Mondays: grilling vegetables

Grilled Vegetable Kebabs:  so easy and so good for you!

 I live on the top floor of a brownstone building, and my kitchen gets so hot in the Summer that even turning on the stove feels like torture.  In other words, we do a lot of grilling this time of year.  Where I grew up, grilling mostly meant throwing some hot dogs, hamburgers, or chicken on the barbecue, but I'm trying to expand my repertoire to include vegetables.  Yesterday, it was vegetable kabobs, created with the assistance of my two oldest daughters.  We threaded 3/4 inch chunks of zucchini, summer squash, Italian eggplant, and grape tomatoes on pre-soaked short skewers.  I brushed the veggies with a very light marinade of olive oil, red wine vinegar, some leftover fresh thyme and salt and pepper.  They took about 5 minutes on the grill and emerged with the tomatoes just ready-to-pop juicy and the squashes tender but firm.  The leftovers might get turned into a riff on ratatouille or tossed with leftover bulghur and a minty vinaigrette for a meatless main dish or easy lunch. 

My kids' handiwork before they got grilled

We also regularly grill corn.  We don't do anything fancy with soaking or tying the husks back around.  We just peel it and place it directly on the grill.  A few of the ears get blackened, but this only enhances the flavor.  Portobello mushrooms, a bit cliched I know, are also part of our grilling rotation.  They couldn't be simpler.  Trim the stems so they're flush with the gills, brush with olive oil, then grill and flip until soft.  When they're done, top with salt and pepper of a bit of vinaigrette.  The warm mushrooms soak up any additional flavorings beautifully.  Leftover mushrooms will get sliced into salads, added to omelettes, and rolled up in wraps with greens and avocado.

Grilling shucked corn directly on the grate is the easiest method I've found.

Because vegetables are lower in protein, they are less likely to produce heterocyclic amines or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, suspected carcinogens created when meats are grilled, broiled or fried.  In fact, vegetables are high in chemicals which may prevent the formation of heterocyclic amines or blunt their effects.  Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower may be the best companions, then, to your grilled meat this summer. 

As Summer heats up, think beyond the meat case.  Grilling enhances the flavors of vegetables just as much as it does protein with the benefit of being good for you.  How do you grill your veggies?