Friday Food : Stuffed Shells

Have you ever experienced deja vu, where you find out about a new product or buy a new item and suddenly it seems like that thing is everywhere? And it was probably already everywhere, you simply were not tuned into it? Well, those thoughts and feelings are exactly what is going on with me and cottage cheese lately.

Last weekend I had a cooking extravaganza in my kitchen. Which lead to a very happy tummy all week long. One item I made was stuffed shells.  I was apprehensive since I was going to use cottage cheese instead of ricotta, and thought the flavor would be off. Since then I've read up on it and found they are basically very similar cheeses. The difference? When cheese is seperated, the whey is ricotta while the curds are cottage. Interesting huh? They can be interchanged easily, but it is texture one should be cautious of if important in presentation. Cottage results in a runnier recipe and since I like my Italian dishes gooey, I had nothing to fear.  FYI, for those wondering, I am pleased to report, I did not taste a difference at all.

Stuffed Shells

What you will need:

• 1container (16 oz.) Cottage Cheese
• 1 pkg.  (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
• 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 15-20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked, drained
• 1 jar  (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Mix cottage cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan.  
3. Spoon into shells.  
4. Spread half the sauce into 13x9-inch baking dish. Add filled shells; top with remaining sauce.
5. Cover and bake for 25 min. or until heated through.  
6. Top with remaining mozzarella; bake, uncovered, 2 min. or until melted. 

  Photos & Comments

I can't attest to how well these freeze because I ate them before I needed to learn! Ha! OK really I traded 4 with my Mom for something she made. My total was 15 shells, because as you can see I stuff 'em to the brim. If you're not as generous with your filling you will need closer to 20 shells.

Do you you like the orange Rachel Ray spatula my sister gave me for Christmas? I think it brings out the green of the spinach.

If you need more kick in your version, try adding Italian species to the stuffing.

If you can't decide between cottage and ricotta, why not do a mix? I say go with whatever is on sale that week.

My cottage cheese was also 4% milk fat if anyone is curious. When it comes to milk and diary products I go all out, oddly I have found this is easier on my stomach than the lower fat or skim versions.

Oh, and my pasta sauce? Thick and full of "garden veggies" feel free to cut up your own veggies for even more pizazz and added flavor.

CEP and Tommie Copper Sleeves

Raise your hand if you own and love compression sleeves! Well this girl here certainly has her arms up in the air, but I'll bring them back down to finish this post. Tonight I want to share with you my experience with CEP Compression and Tommie Copper. I am sharing them together because they are not "competitors" if you look at them my way. Instead they are wonderful partners in the fight against pain and suffering.

Please note, neither of these companies have reached out to me to have me do this, I am simply sharing products I love for my own fun.

Let's start off with CEP Compression Sportswear

Several years ago I bought my first pair of compression sleeves, I chose CEP because it was the most recognizable brand for me at the time. I liked how they came in different sizes and although at the time I had never had shin splints, I was having issues with my calf muscles and read/heard wearing sleeves for performance or recovery would help.

What is compression wear anyway?

In a nut shell, compression works by effectively delivering increased oxygen rich blood through your veins/arteries. The medical compression where it is tighter at the ankles than up through the calf, means your muscles are going to take longer to fatigue meaning you're going to have less stress and injury. CEP's claim to fame is being medically graduated. They add details on how when wet it can decrease temperature by 7 degrees.  Some reports also state wearing the sleeves can decrease running time by 5%, increase blood circulation by 30% and decrease exertion by 6%.

Here is a vlog for a lil review on CEP and how I manage to get in and out of them comfortably.

For those skipping the vlog or looking for more info: I started wearing my sleeves over night after long runs or races. Truthfully I did feel a difference. I was walking and moving more easily and more comfortably much sooner than I had in the past. It also occurred to me, my feet were swelling if I left them on too long AKA over night. Because of this I decided to try wearing them while running and only as recovery if I was going somewhere where I needed to walk. This second part happens A LOT in the summer. Thanks to my sleeves I no longer had to cancel or modify plans because I had an important race the same weekend! Although, I did find when I ran roads it seemed my legs were too warm in the sleeves . CEP sent out a tweet to me once, saying they actually do something where they keep your legs cooler in performance (I did not know about wetting them).

Eventually I found wearing them on the trails was my calling. They keep me protected from the elements and nature, while keeping any pains away while I try to fly over the terrain. This is still the main reason I go to my CEPs, as I now attempt to do ice baths after a long run and that seems to help when I need to get up and walk around. After all, short or skirts + sleeves isn't always a socially fashionable and acceptable choice. Boo.

Here is a photo of my sleeves:

To get your own pair, visit the website, where you  can find socks, leg sleeves, arm sleeves, various clothing and recovery specific designs. Personally I'm thinking I may get a few others in the bright pink or green.

CEP is also on Twitter and Facebook.

Next we'll talk about Tommie Copper

Tommie Copper caught my attention through fellow bloggers and Facebook. I have yet to meet anyone in person who uses the sleeves, but many fellow local runners have heard about the line. I finally acquired my pair after winning a giveaway on Megan's blog at On the Road Again.

TC's claim to fame is using copper infused yarn in their products. Why is this fabulous? Well instead of having the full compression quality, they are in the recovery market. TC's are not aimed at aiding performance by wearing them during an event. No, instead performance will improve by having quicker recovery and being at a better baseline when you begin your workout.

The following excerpts from the website better explain why copper is important.

How is copper used in medicine?

Copper has been used in medicine for thousands of years, one of the world's oldest medical texts, the Ebers Papyrus states, "Treat inflammation with pulverized copper". Copper also stimulates the immune system to fight infections, to repair injured tissues, and to promote healing. Copper has been shown to neutralize "free-radicals" which can cause severe damage to cells. Symptoms of copper deficiency include osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

How does the body use copper?

Copper is necessary for the growth, development, and maintenance of bone, connective tissue, brain, heart, and many other body organs. It is involved in the formation of red blood cells, the absorption and utilization of iron, and the synthesis and release of life-sustaining proteins and enzymes. These enzymes in turn produce cellular energy and regulate nerve transmission, blood clotting, and oxygen transport.

Copper stimulates the immune system to fight infections, repair injured tissues, and promote healing. Copper also helps to neutralize "free-radicals" which can cause severe damage to cells.
Symptoms of copper deficiency include osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Although it is not suggested, I have worn mine during performance, as stated in the vlog. I noticed I did not get the cramps or fatigue I normally feel when out on the trails. Now, after doing research for this post though, I am more convinced than ever to use them for recovery only. They are not as noticeable to wear as the CEPs (IMO) due to the different compression styles, so together they make a dynamic duo.

If you want your own pair, you can visit Tommie Copper online, on Facebook or via Twitter. They carry shirts, gloves, arm sleeves, calf sleeves, knee sleeves and ankle specific sleeves. I also love their colors. I own black, but want to get blue or the unusual olive green type color.

One more thing about Tommie Copper, they are VERY customer oriented. They followed me on Twitter when I was barely getting started. They sent me a Christmas card, even though I technically haven't given them any money. It is gestures like these that make me feel important and makes me more comfortable in supporting a company financially.

For the record here are my Tommie Copper sleeves:

And if you're curious. Here are the CEP's and Tommie Copper's next to each other.

What do you all think? Do you own and wear compression products? Do you prefer to wear them for performance, recovery or both? What brands do you cherish?

Diamond Candles: Call for Bloggers

Diamond Candles is looking for bloggers for a review/giveaway. I came across this from a fellow FitFluential member. If you're one of the first 100 you're in, seems great, huh?

From the site:

• Soy Candles by Diamond Candles

  We are so glad you are here! If you don't know much about us yet we have real rings worth $10, $100, $1,000, or $5,000 in every single earth friendly, all natural soy candle that we make. 
  
  
  The combination of highly fragrant premium quality soy candles, an exciting and fun 'ring reveal' experience (what ring will you find?), and a ring to wear for months and years to come means making something as boring as burning candles in your home something to look forward to. 
  
  
  You can take a tour and learn more about us here, watch some 'ring reveal' videos, or go ahead and take the plunge and get your first soy candle!
  
  
  -The Diamond Candles Team
  
  
  p.s.- Questions, comments, or want to chat? Connect here.

My trip to the ER

Monday was my first experience with going to the ER unexpectedly. Not that anyone should have to lay claim to that sort of thing, but I now can. While it was happening I was very scared and very convinced it was the end of the world. Looking back after being discharged I felt silly, but then I remembered fellow blogging friends who have also gone to the ER only to learn they were essentially "OK" and so I share my tale.

For the past few months/weeks I've had various episodes of feeling like my heart was out of sync and general illness which would pass a minute or two after onset. I've been ignoring these things thinking it was not a big deal or not wanting them to be a big deal while I waited for the stress test (Feb 2nd). The past few weeks I have been unable to stand for long periods of time. Oddly sitting is fine, and walking is wonderful, but the moment I'm not moving I become overwhelming disoriented.

On Friday I started feeling these issues on a much greater scale, but tried to stay calm. I even went to bed massively early, thinking I was simply tired and stressed. Saturday more of the same, which ended in having dinner with Tom while I Googled things about heart attacks, thinking I was in the process of having one. My chest felt heavy, my head was fuzzy and my arm was tingling. Again I decided I would live and went to bed. Sunday was really terrible, I couldn't even eat without feeling ill, but I didn't want it to be serious so I tried to ignore it. I know so many people think I'm a dumby at this point...and I probably am? Sooo when I went to work Monday I just wanted to do my job, I just wanted to be OK. I sat through a few sessions, but I couldn't focus on what the client was saying and I kept feeling like my whole body was a giant heart beat. I finally knew something was wrong when I started dry heaving in the bathroom. One of the my coworkers took my pulse and blood pressure, which was in the "normal" range, but incredibly high for my baseline. At this point I left work and drove to the ER which was less than a mile away.

I called my Mom crying and freaking out, convinced I was going to die or wake up post-op with a missing heart or something. After being admitted/looked at...I spoke with nurses and a doctor and another attending doctor. They ran another EKG on me. I love how the EKG tech just handles boobs like they're no big thing. Finally after much waiting and feeling ill and not knowing I was able to speak with a doctor on what had happened.

I had a vagal response. Which looks sexual when written and sounds silly when pronounced (it's like "bagel") but apparently is a real thing. The vagal response is usually what makes someone faint, only mine didn't, and it's only dangerous if you faint and land on something. Other than that, a-ok.

Per the Mayo Clinic:

"Vasovagal syncope (vay-zo-VAY-gul SING-cuh-pee) is the most common cause of fainting. Vasovagal syncope occurs when your body overreacts to triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. The trigger results in vasovagal syncope — a brief loss of consciousness caused by a sudden drop in your heart rate and blood pressure, which reduces blood flow to your brain.

Vasovagal syncope is usually harmless and requires no treatment. However, you can injure yourself during a vasovagal syncope episode. Also, your doctor may recommend tests to rule out more serious causes of fainting, such as heart disorders."

Per Wikipedia the following are sometimes triggers:

• Prolonged standing or upright sitting
• Standing up very quickly
• Stress
• Any painful or unpleasant stimuli, such as:
  
  • Watching or experiencing medical procedures
• Sudden onset of extreme emotions
• Lack of Sleep
• Dehydration
• Random onsets due to nerve malfunctions

Since there isn't treatment for it, I can only try to learn to control it if it happens again. The doctor thinks it's probably related to what is going on with my testing and being overly aware of my body and it will fade with time once I have answers. It was NOT an anxiety attack. To me they sound similar, but the doctor was very stern in my understanding it was different. The EKG they ran also came back abnormal. So the good news is I'm not doing all of this for nothing, there is something "off" we just don't know what or to what degree. Oh and she doesn't think it was a heart attack. The other good news is the new EKG shows no new damage or risk of impending heart attack.The bad news? Once someone has one of these episodes it's more likely to have another and more likely it will be severe. I'm hoping the Fri-Mon was my serious cycle through.

See image for where the heck the nerve is located. Hint, look at the top in the yellow...notice how it associates with the heart, lungs and down into the stomach. Fun thing to have go haywire, huh?

Tuesday at work was much smoother. My appetite was back (didn't even realize it was gone until I noticed how hungry I was). Sessions were productive and I didn't feel ill mostly all day. A few moments here and there, but I kept it in check.

You turn...what embarrassing and stressful experiences have you had with the ER?

Memories

Happy Chinese New Year!

This weekend I spent a lot of time on Saturday going over my site. I am back tracking and adding tags to many of my posts and fixing spelling errors as I catch them. Oops. I also added the little social media buttons I have such a tech crush on and cleaned up some other odds and ends from the sidebar. Sunday was a cooking extravaganza! I made pork stir fry, stuffed shells, chicken enchiladas, granola bars and peppermint bark! Yikes! None of the dishes made too much of a mess though and it's sooo nice to have a fridge and freezer full of options to take with me to work.

Now, over the past few weeks there has been a substantial amount of new traffic to my site. Between coming across good material myself in my reviews and thinking it would be a good idea to take a moment and share with you, I've come up with various posts you may want to review in order to get to know me better and to catch up with things. In no particular order...

1. You may have noticed me talking about not being able to work out right now and needing some tests done on my heart. Please visit "the heart of the matter" to read up on the whole story. I am so glad it's only a little more than a week before I can put all of this behind me!

2. Do you find yourself craving certain foods and you don't know why? Did you know it could be your bodies way of signaling it's missing something? Or your emotions way? Did you know there are often easy ways to stop the cravings?

3. While at internship I made an inspiration book full of fitness, food, home all areas of my life.

4. As I've mentioned I'm more than "just a runner" although no shame in that either! I am also trying to become a better cyclist. I created a post to help people gain a basic understanding when trying to get involved with the sport.

5. Way back when there was the night I fell in love with ultra running...as a volunteer. Last year I repeated the experience.

6. Which lead to the report from my first ultra (a 50k)

7. What review wouldn't be complete without the top 10 reasons running is better than sex.
 
8. Two days my strength was pushed to the limits...my first counseling client and my first DNF

Obviously after 2 and half years these pages are filled with various and a lot more than 8 links of information, these were just the tip of the ice burg. Feel free to ask a question, I won't be offended it its been answered. In fact it may prompt me to revisit things in my past and I love to look back and see how I've changed. Oh, and since every post should have visual appeal, here is my beautiful puppy Emme, begging you to play with her.

DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR THE VALENTINE'S EXCHANGE. LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE ALREADY IN ON IT, THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT!