Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Ho Fan

May 24, 2010

I can’t believe a full week has already gone by, but it is time to pick the winner of the dried, organic Black Trumpet mushrooms from the Hoosier Mushroom Company! Before I do, let me tell you what I decided to make with mine.

I’ve never cooked with Black Trumpets before and the first thing I noticed was the intense aroma when I opened the package. This is one flavorful mushroom, more so than any variety I think I’ve had before.

I poured boiling water over the mushrooms and soaked them for about 20 minutes. What resulted were thin, delicate ribbons of mushroom and a dark, rich broth some of which I used in this recipe and the rest I froze to add to soups later. I combined the mushrooms, broth and homemade chicken stock and served it over Ho Fan, a flat Asian noodle. I’ve read that Ho Fan is made of rice flour, but according the package, the variety I bought was made of wheat. I really enjoy this noodle; it holds up well in broths and vegetable stir-fry with a somewhat firm texture.

The Ho Fan was a nice match for the rich mushroom broth. This ended up being a very easy, simple meal, and with the Black Trumpets, the flavor is outstanding!

Black Trumpet Mushrooms over Ho Fan

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 to 4 green onions, sliced
1 oz dried Black Trumpet Mushrooms, soaked, drained and roughly chopped
6 cups chicken stock (I used homemade)
1 cup mushroom broth, reserved after soaking
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 – 12 oz pkg Ho Fan noodles, cooked and drained

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot on medium-high heat, add the garlic and onion; cook for about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the stock, broth and thyme (you can remove the sprigs after cooking). Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Taste the mushrooms; if they are tender the broth is ready. If not, continue to simmer until tender.

Divide the noodles into 6 separate bowls. Divide the stock evenly and pour over the noodles. Serve hot.

Without further delay, as selected using Random.org, the winner of the Black Trumpets is Emily from A Nutritionist Eats!! Congrats! Just drop me an email at lori (at) fakefoodfree (dot) com and we’ll get the package sent out to you. Thanks to the Hoosier Mushroom Company for allowing me to experiment with their delicious products and for hosting this giveaway!

This post was submitted to Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen.

Disclaimer: The Black Trumpet mushrooms were sent to me free of charge from Hoosier Mushroom Company. I was not required to review them and received no compensation for doing so.

BLT Pizza with Spicy Chipotle Mayo

May 20, 2010

The Bacon Lettuce and Tomato sandwich is a symbol of summer for me. Growing up, when the lettuce was ready in the garden and the tomatoes perfectly ripened this sandwich was on the menu. It is quick and easy with both protein and vegetables, not to mention some fat to help you absorb the veggie vitamins. I will admit that often my sandwiches were bacon and cheese as a kid, but fortunately I now appreciate the fresh vegetables so I’ve graduated to full BLT status.

Last week I was looking through one of my cookbooks and found a recipe for a BLT pizza. I thought it was a great idea for spicing up the traditional and decided to give it an even greater twist with a little chipotle mayo.

I bought the bacon from St. Asaph Farm not too far from the town we live in. I’m really excited to be finding so many natural farms around central Kentucky that implement the practices of Joel Salatin and Polyface Farm. In addition, I enjoyed talking with the owner, Rachel. She has lived abroad in the Dominican Republic and her husband in India and then they moved to India together after they were married. I’m always amazed at the international experiences I encounter here at home.

The bacon is jowl bacon from pastured pork and has a delicious flavor. It cooked up nicely. I like mine crispy and my husband likes his chewy so I usually cook a few slices of bacon longer than the others.

The lettuce came from my Dad’s garden which we got when we were visiting over Mother’s day weekend. The tomato, from a hydroponic grower at the farmer’s market.

I made this Focaccia recipe from Tyler Florence, split it into four loaves and sprinkled on some shredded parmesan before baking. I used the chipotle salsa from the Shrimp Taco Dorado I posted recently. It is really just a chipotle mayo. To make it, combine some mayonnaise, one to two chipotle peppers in adobe (based on how spicy you want it) and a squeeze of lime juice and blend it up.

Summertime BLT Pizza with Spicy Chipotle Mayo

Adapted from Weight Watchers Dining for Two

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 individual rounds of baked focaccia or your favorite pizza crust

8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped1 large tomato, chopped

4 cups lettuce, chopped
½ cup chipotle mayo (more or less to taste)*

Prep

In a large bowl, combine the bacon, tomato and lettuce. Pour over the mayo and toss to coat all the ingredients. Divide into four servings and place on top of each pizza. Cut into slices with a knife and serve.

*See explanation in text above the recipe.

Travel Secrets eBook for Charity:Water

May 18, 2010

A few months ago I participated in a game of blog tag over on The 3 Star Traveler which allowed me to share some of my best kept travel secrets. This fun project was initiated by Katie of Tripbase and after the huge response from travel bloggers it was decided that the tips would be turned into an ebook published by Tripbase and used as a way to raise money for charity.

The Travel Secrets ebooks launched today! They are full of helpful travel tips from experienced travelers and cover just about every continent around the world. My tips for the morning journey in Ubud, Bali and the Patara Elephant Farm in Chiang Mai, Thailand were included in the Travel Tips book, and my tip for Ilha do Mel in Brazil is featured in the Worldwide Beaches book. However, you all might be interested to know that there is a Foodie Travel book as well!

The ebooks are free and for each download Tripbase will donate $1 to Charity:Water, an organization that works to bring freshwater wells and clean drinking water to people in developing nations. One hundred percent of public funds donated to this organization go directly to water projects.

I’m thrilled to be a part of this exciting project! Please take a moment and click on the badge below to download a Travel Secrets eBook. It costs you nothing, but a little space on your hard drive. As a result, not only will you have an excellent travel resource at your fingertips, but you will be helping to support a great cause.

Author: The 3 Star Traveler - the3startraveler.com

I helped

people get clean water

Download Free eBooks

led by Tripbase

Chicken Shiitake Manicotti in Garlic Cream Sauce

May 17, 2010

When I was younger I used to hunt for morel mushrooms with my older brothers in the woods behind our house. I guess that is when I learned other mushrooms existed besides the white button variety so plentiful in US supermarkets and salads. Other than that, however, my mushroom knowledge was limited.

Fast forward 20 years and I still know very little about mushrooms, but I’m learning. Two things I’ve learned is that they offer multiple health benefits and they are highly respected ingredients in the culinary world with deep, complex flavors.

After reading food blogs and articles about mushrooms I was beginning to think they were another one of those gourmet ingredients most plentiful on the food-rich coasts of the US or abroad. Then I learned of The Hoosier Mushroom Company. Yep, an Indiana company. Not only am I living close to Indiana, but I am originally from there. That’s where we did all that morel hunting as kids.

The Hoosier Mushroom Company is a small, family run operation in Nashville, Indiana that began as a mushroom farm growing six varieties – Oyster, Shiitake, Maitake, Lion’s Mane, Nameko, and Reishi. Despite the fact that morel hunting is a pretty big deal in Indiana, there were very few resources in the state for mushroom hunting. This company has evolved into that much needed resource.

It is now both a retail shop in Brown County, Indiana and an online store. Mycologists on staff are available to help hunters identify mushrooms, and books, hunting and cultivation supplies are all available. The store offers gourmet foods like dried mushrooms and truffle oils, and even mushroom-inspired gifts.

I, of course, was interested in the gourmet food, and the kind owners, Megan and Stephen, sent me two packs of mushrooms to try — Organic Dried Shiitakes and Organic Black Trumpet Mushrooms.

I started with the Shiitakes and researched a bit why I could benefit from these little nutritional powerhouses. First of all, edible mushrooms are considered functional foods which are sometimes given the name nutraceuticals. According to the American Cancer Society animal studies which are now expanding to human studies show that Shiitakes have three main health benefits. They are considered antitumor, cholesterol-lowering and virus-inhibiting.

Shiitakes contain lentinan which is a beta-glucan. Beta-glucans stimulate the immune system and activate the attack of cancer cells. This has been associated with slowing tumor growth. Another component of shiitakes, eritadenine, has been found to lower blood cholesterol levels because it blocks the way cholesterol is absorbed into the blood stream.

The great site, WH Foods, reports that Shiitakes contain antioxidants. These mushrooms have one of the highest concentrations of L-ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant. The best part? This antioxidant doesn’t appear to be destroyed when the mushrooms are cooked.

All set to get cooking and enjoy these health benefits, I decided to combine the shiitakes with some leftover local, pastured chicken we grilled last week. It resulted in a manicotti filled with delicious mushrooms, tender chicken and creamy ricotta cheese. The sauce is made with sweet roasted garlic. If you want to use less dairy feel free to substitute a stock for the milk in the sauce. I added a lot of black pepper to this dish which ended up giving it a nice, mildly spicy background flavor that goes well with the mushrooms.

You don’t have to slave over the stove long to make this dish. It comes together pretty quickly, but you do need to start a little ahead of time to roast your garlic and reconstitute your mushrooms.

Chicken Shiitake Manicotti in Garlic Cream Sauce

Preparation:
Olive oil
1 head garlic
1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
Boiling water

Manicotti:
6 manicotti, cooked to al dente
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
1 large green onion, sliced, greens reserved
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
¼ tsp each salt and black pepper

Sauce:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp white whole wheat flour
1 cup milk
2 tbsp parmesan, grated
¼ tsp each salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice off the top third of your garlic head, place it cut side up on a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in the foil and bake for about 45 minutes or until soft. Set it aside to cool.

Place the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water. Allow to sit for about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and reserve the water for stock. Gently dry the mushrooms and then roughly dice. Reserve about a 1/ 4 cup for the sauce.

Heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet and add the onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute then add the mushrooms, chicken and water. Cook for about 5 more minutes until everything is heated through. Stir in the parmesan, ricotta, salt and pepper. Set aside and allow to cool so that you can handle the filling.

In a sauce pan create a roux by melting the butter over medium heat, and then whisk in the flour to form a paste. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk constantly to smooth out any clumps. Return to the heat, still whisking, and allow the sauce to thicken to your desired consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon when it is ready.

Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze in the roasted garlic cloves (careful not to let any of the skins to fall in), parmesan, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Stir in the reserved mushrooms.

Spread 2 tbsp of the sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish. Divide the filling into six equal parts and fill each manicotti shell by hand or with a spoon. Place each shell in the baking dish, and then pour the remaining sauce over the top.

Bake for about 15 minutes until the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Then serve and garnish with the reserved onion greens, or scallions. Serves 2 to 3 people.

**************

Hungry for mushrooms, now? Well you are in luck. The Hoosier Mushroom Company has offered to give away a pack of organic dried Black Trumpet Mushrooms to one of my readers! Entries (via comment) are due by 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, May 23rd. I’ll announce the winner next Monday along with some more information on Black Trumpets and how I used them.

To enter follow the steps below. For each entry to count be sure to leave a separate comment saying you followed, tweeted, etc. You have the opportunity for 4 entries/comments. You will also need a US address to win.

Leave a comment telling me if you’ve used dried mushrooms before and how you would use the Black Trumpets.
Follow me (@lori1329) and The Hoosier Mushroom Company (@hoosiermushroom) on Twitter and tell me you do or did so.
Tweet the giveaway and @ both of us. Tell me you did so in a comment.
Like (become a fan of) The Hoosier Mushroom Company on Facebook and tell me you do or did so in a comment.

Resources for health benefits of Shiitakes:
American Cancer Society: Shiitake Mushroom
WHFoods: Shiitake Mushroom
Chang, R. Functional properties of edible mushrooms. Nutr Rev. 1996 Nov;54(11 Pt 2):S91-3

Disclaimer: I received the mushrooms mentioned in this post free of charge from The Hoosier Mushroom Company. I was not required to review them and received no compensation for doing so.

Links to a Healthy Weekend

May 15, 2010

Happy Saturday! Don’t you just love this time of year? There are so many things going on, you just can’t help but be excited – farmer’s markets, grilling, ripening strawberries and festivals! Speaking of festivals I’m headed to a wine fest here today if the weather cooperates. I’m not sure how much tasting I’ll do in the middle of a hot afternoon, but I hear there is supposed to be some good food. I’ll let you know.

Hope you enjoy the links and have a great weekend!

Don’t Be Late, Take Your Time by Eating Asia featured banh canh cua with a few tips on how to get your hands on some in Vietnam. I never tire of reading posts with all those incredible Asian noodles and condiments.

Purple tomatoes? If you like your veggies in a variety of colors you will enjoy this short feature about a hybrid tomato from Oregon State University.

Spinach Crust Quiche with Smoked Cheddar from My McDonald Meal caught my attention this week. Not only do I love smoked cheddar, but veggies in the crust goes way beyond my expectations. It looks great!

U.S. schools add fresh foods without busting budgets from Reuters highlights the great things schools are doing to improve nutrition and food quality. I was thrilled to see Jefferson County, KY schools mentioned. While Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution brought school food to a national light, the truth is, a lot of schools were making changes long ago, and not just on the coasts! Kentucky had great things going on prior to our move abroad and I’m sure other states are similar.

How to Begin Trail Running is a short video of an inspirational new mom who began running to take off the baby weight. If you need some motivation, take a look. I’m excited to be running my first trail race in June!

Photo of blueberries-to-be in my Dad’s garden.

The Benefits of Food Blogging

May 13, 2010

Food bloggers seem to get a lot of attention. You’ve likely come across articles in popular newspapers about how some chefs don’t like us because we come to a restaurant with an uneducated opinion regarding culinary excellence. Some gourmet diners tire of us because we take pictures of our food before we eat. Still others think we may be the death of printed cookbooks.

There are certainly some people out there who feel what we do is silly. Then there are others who we have helped tremendously or, at the very least, entertained. These are the folks I like to focus on and it gets me thinking about how much food blogs have helped me. The knowledge I have gained in the past two years is unbelievable.

I’ve met incredible people as well. These people are happy too. You don’t find much negativity in the world of food appreciation. Sure, there are food critics out there who enjoy complaining, but for those of us following our passion it is mostly fresh strawberries and sunshine. I, for one, LOVE IT! Food blogging is a true testament to the fact that a positive attitude rubs off. You only need a few comments telling you how delicious your food looks or how someone was inspired by what you did to put a smile on your face and give you a positive outlook for the rest of your day.

I like to think we are so happy because we have found the secret to eating delicious food while maintaining a healthy balance. We get to exercise the greatest form of creativity that combines food passion with cooking challenges. We eat what we want, moderate when appropriate and we are happier for it.

In fact, I’m feeling all happy and positive as I write this. If you hang out in the food blogging world long you see many bloggers come and go. They lose interest or life gets busy and the desire to post becomes less and less. I plan to be in this for the long haul because I’m having so much darn fun! These are a few of the things that keep me going, things I’ve learned and reasons I enjoy food blogging.

Quinoa, udon, fiddleheads, zucchini blossoms – just a few of the foods on my very long list that I might have never known existed if I hadn’t read about them on food blogs.

India, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, Hawaii, London, Philippines, Ireland, Indonesia – a few of the places and associated cuisines that I knew little-to-nothing about before I began reading food blogs.

I owe my inspiration to start running and my increased intake of oatmeal to food blogs.

Photography and gardening — a couple of the hobbies I’ve picked up since food blogging.

Cookbooks, chefs and restaurants – I still have a long way to go to be fully educated in this area, but at least I now know of Mark Bittman and Dorie Greenspan now.

I have a much greater interest in history. Yes, this history has to do with cuisine, cooking tools and food practices, but I loathed history for years. You might say food blogging helped me grow up and appreciate my roots.

There are more herbs and spices in this world than I thought possible and it may take the rest of my life to discover them all.

Whether you read, write or both, what have been your greatest benefits of food blogging?

Photos of cabbage, strawberries and leaf lettuce from my parent’s garden during our visit over Mother’s Day.

Butternut, Flax and Walnut Bread

May 12, 2010

It is rare that you come across a food that is fresh and local, yet out of season. Sounds kind of strange doesn’t it? Fall and winter squash is such an amazing thing. Stick those babies in a cool environment and they seem to last forever.

That is exactly how this bread came about. At Easter my parents gave me two butternut squash, the last two of the 2009 season. They had kept them in the garage all winter and spring.

I wasn’t sure what I would find when I cut them open. I inserted the knife and carefully split open the squash a little nervous that I might be met with smelly, rotting innards. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw only bright orange flesh staring back at me, ready to be roasted.

I will admit I was pretty thrilled. One, because of how amazing these veggies are that they can be stored for so long and still taste great. Two, because this cool, rainy spring we are having is really messing with my cravings! I should be in a blissful state of enjoying fresh salads and grilled fish, but I find myself wanting warm comfort food and baked goods scented with cinnamon and spice.

The latter led to this recipe. Regardless of the season I can’t seem to pass up a tender, yet hearty quick bread for breakfast. This one is a twist on banana bread. It is sweetened with mascavo sugar and maple syrup and has some walnuts and flax meal thrown in for extra crunch and nutrition. The result? A slightly sweet bread, soft and moist from the squash — the perfect partner for coffee or tea eaten plain or with a small swipe of cinnamon butter.

Butternut, Flax and Walnut Bread

1/3 cup minimally refined cane sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup roasted butternut squash, mashed or pureed
2 tsp ground flax meal
¾ cup milk
2 ½ cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
½ cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two loaf pans, or you can use one standard loaf pan and two mini-loaf pans like I did.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, syrup and butter. Add the eggs and whisk until combined. Stir in the squash, milk and flax. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Gradually mix these dry ingredients into the wet batter just until everything is combined. Stir in the nuts.

Divide the batter between loaf pans. Bake the small loaf pans 20 to 25 minutes and the standard loaves 30 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, de-pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Revising Recipes: Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies

May 10, 2010

Every now and then I come across a recipe that is great for wooing the crowd. You know, when you have a potluck or guests. These recipes have to meet three criteria in my book – simple to make because these events come at busy times, use of familiar flavors because you are trying to please the a majority, and they make everyone ask for the recipe afterward.

This is one of those recipes and I found out about it while watching Ultimate Recipe Showdown. I really like watching this show and not just because Guy is the host. I like it because it showcases amateur cooks like many of us in the food blogging world.

The recipe? Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies

Did you see the episode? Have you tried them? If not, believe me, you will want to. That is, if you are a pb-chocolate lover. I simply never seem to tire of the combination.

I’ve made them twice now and altered the recipe a little each time. The most recent time I made more alterations and the brownie didn’t turn out as rich and dark as I would have liked it. I substituted melted dark chocolate for the unsweetened chocolate because I didn’t have any and cut the sugar. Very good, but not great.

I did use white sugar and brown sugar as the recipe calls for, but my goal is to eventually recreate something similar using my new faves – mascavo sugar and whole grain flour. These are the adjustments I’ve made to the recipe so far.

Melted ¼ cup of the ¾ cup of chocolate chips and combined it with the butter. (I used 60% Ghirardelli chocolate.)
Used ½ cup white sugar instead of 1 cup in the brownies
Used white whole wheat flour
Use natural, no-sugar added peanut butter

Maybe by the end of the summer I’ll have a new version completely. However, until then I had to share it with you because whether you make substitutions or not, this is one good dessert!

You can find the recipe on the Food Network site – Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies

April in Food

May 7, 2010

My Project 365, Food in 2010, is still going strong. I’ve found I miss a few days here and there simple because I forget, but manage to get a food photo the majority of days each month.

I’ve also been taking a fabulous live photography course, Fundamentals of Digital Photography with John Greengo, from Creative Live out of Seattle. I found out about it via Twitter. It is a free 10 week course, about 2 hours a week and you watch it via live stream on the web. There are about 5,000 enrolled worldwide. Again, it’s FREE, so if you have an interest in checking out the remaining 5 weeks you can register on the site.

I’ve learned so much and I hope you will find that begin to show in my photos. I have a long way to go, but I’m really starting to understand how to fully utilize all the functions and abilities of my DSLR.

So without further delay, here is my April in Food. I was having trouble getting the mosaic to show the graphics larger so I split this month into two sections. Enjoy!

Leftover roasted cauliflower

First asparagus from my Dad’s garden

Our Easter basket in a dog bed for Macy

Vosges Chocolate bunny

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Cheddar Salsa Spread

Beer at the Races

Spinach Pesto

Strawberry Season!

Chimichurri Beer Burgers

Gorgonzola Spinch Pasta Salad

Asian Slaw

Cheesecake

Mushroom Spinach Risotto

Red Velvet Cheesecake – Husband’s Easter present, will post when perfected!

Smoked, Pastured Pork Butt

Local BBQ Sauce

Granola Pancakes

Sausage Jalapeno Pizza

Jackfruit Muffins

First asparagus in our garden!

Kale and Mushroom Quiche

Cocoa Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Mushrooms to review from Hoosier Mushroom Company

Beans and Rice made with the smoked pork butt

Blackberry Yogurt Coffee Cake

The Marathon Spectator

May 6, 2010

I think I get it now.

I’ve been involved with running events for a long time, since the beginning of college. They were mostly 5Ks and in addition to running a few I’ve been the race coordinator for some too. Despite my involvement and running my first half marathon in March I really didn’t get it until this past weekend.

I’m not sure I was prepared for the excitement, passion and power of the Flying Pig race events in Cincinnati. My husband had planned to run the marathon, his first, since January. I was thrilled to go and support him, but aside from the emotion of seeing him tackle an incredible challenge I thought I would be a simple spectator.

It rained…a lot. As we walked in the dark towards the start line of the full and half marathon there was a mixture of racers ready to go and their support teams holding umbrellas and wrapped in rain gear. As the crowd swarmed around us I couldn’t stifle the tiny voice in my head saying – oh, I wish I was running!

I’m not sure that this was truly how I felt. The thought of doing another 13.1 miles in the rain exhausted me, but the excitement of this specific event had taken over. That is what it is all about. It motivates you. It motivates you out of your comfort zone and beyond what you thought you were capable of.

I stood on 7th street in downtown Cincinnati. It was mile 5, the only place I would get to see my husband before the finish. Usually I’m snapping photos like crazy, but the rain had changed those plans and I had already gotten the flip so wet that it was, well, flipping out on me. It was just me, my eyes, my voice and my hands. So I cheered, and cheered, and cheered.

I remembered what it was like when I ran my half – the rain, the lack of spectator support, how incredibly hard it was because of those two things. I didn’t want to let anyone else go through that, not even at mile 5. So I cheered.

I was moved to tears more times than I could count. I caught runner’s eyes and they smiled as I clapped especially for them. Some said thank you. It was beautiful and it felt amazing that I could relate to them and how they felt at mile 5.

The crowd was loud when large groups of runners came by, but their shouts and cheers dwindled as the hour passed. I was frustrated with this crowd, to say the least. If they understood how these runners had stepped out their comfort zones to run these races, then they should have been willing to step out of theirs to cheer. I know it feels uncomfortable to have only your claps and yells heard in a crowd, but the support is so important.

I had a gentleman come up to me and tell me I was a good cheerer and I explained my half experience a few weeks before. His granddaughters were running their first half. This was one of many interesting conversations I had throughout the day.

The finish line was, of course, the most amazing part of the event. The support was still mixed until a man stood behind me and did more cheering than I had even mustered. We talked about all the people standing by to watch with closed mouths and hands in their pockets. He was frustrated too. I do believe he cheered for each and every person that passed us from that point on.

I had positioned myself just before the last tenth of a mile on the marathon side and watched both half and full runners finish. I was inspired as I saw half marathoners holding hands to cross the line, a woman at least 6-months pregnant jog in, and a man at least 70 lbs. overweight run past me. Think weight is a barrier to fitness? Ha! He finished the half about 20 minutes faster than I did.

I watched marathoners cross the line with smiles on their faces, some with tears in their eyes and others grimacing in pain. Some looked as though they had just run 3 miles instead of 26 and some were nursing an injury. I remember one specific guy who stopped and began walking in front of me and I cheered as loud as I could at him that he was almost there. I turned to watch him start running again on to the finish line. Cheering and support matters.

I had my camera all set up to take the perfect picture of my husband running in. I saw him, started shaking with excitement and sent my finger over my dial throwing my shutter speed out of whack. Good pictures just were not in the cards for us.

I screamed, I yelled, but he didn’t hear. I snapped bad pictures and took off running towards the finish line, knocking over a few people in the process. They all seemed to understand.

He finished in about 4:39. Incredible. Inspiring. He is amazing. I am so proud of him, but never doubted for a minute that he could do it.

And I get it.

It has nothing to do with being athletic, an exerciser or even a runner. It is about the passion and ability to push yourself beyond your perceived capabilities. Even if you never run a half or full marathon, I encourage you to at least go watch one. What you witness will change you and it is a lesson that can be applied to every area of life.