It's been a while...

So I went camping for four days and then came home to a broken water heater wherein I lost about a week of exercise. Add to that the gluttony that usually accompanies the lack of a stove or a fridge for that matter and you have major problems. This is me. No exercise, bad food, but good company. Does that make up for it? No, it really doesn't. I came home thinking that I had gained back everything that I had lost this last month and luckily, I only gained about a pound back from where I was before I left. Though, that means that I have to change my widget because that is two pounds more than my widget says. So sad! I am hoping that the change in weight is actually due to water retention because I have a lot of that. Four to six hours on a trail with no bathroom in sight does not make for good company. Thus in preparation of these outings I go on the defensive. I cut back on my water consumption and it has hurt me because while out in the desert, my salt consumption went up. So the imbalance left me with huge ledges where my socks were. Gross! I got in almost 7 miles today but I am still behind on my weekly mileage for my running challenge so I am trying to catch up. I hope I make it!

I had a great salad recipe, though not very calorie friendly it tasted good. So I add it because I liked it and may someday like to make it again. The original recipe called for walnuts and more onions and the nuts weren't candied but I like it better this way. This salad has about 274 calories per serving.

Apple Pecan salad with a Cranberry vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup cranberries
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 10 cups mixed salad greens, rinsed and dried
• 2 Green apples, cored and chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1/4 C Brown Sugar

Directions

1. Place 1 Tbs Olive Oil,1 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar, and Brown sugar into a pan and heat on medium heat until simmering, add pecans and toss until lightly toasted. About 4-5 minutes.
2. In a food processor, combine the cranberries, vinegar, sugar, and mustard. Puree until smooth; gradually add oil, and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a salad bowl, toss together the greens, apples, onions, and enough of the cranberry mixture to coat. Sprinkle with pecans, and serve.