Don’t bite off more than you can chew and I really need your opinion if I should buy this.

Well, this was the best thing that could have happened during the last 1.5 miles of my run yesterday… I ran into a really good friend of mine and we finished the run together.  She and I met at the gym ten years ago in a spin class that I taught.  She is so fun to talk to and it was just what I needed for the last few minutes of my run to keep me distracted.  She is training for the St. George Marathon (my favorite marathon ever)!  This marathon is the one that I am really going to miss doing this year, I guess we will just have to go down and cheer everyone on.

Speaking of marathons, or really any run (especially if it is a hard one) in general… one of my biggest tips is to take the run a piece at a time.  I think this is the key even for the hard stuff in life.  I was emailing with a girl that is going through an extremely hard life trial this last weekend and it really made me think back to the hardest times in my life and what I did to get out of it.  For me, I truly had to take things an hour at a time, a day at a time or an emotion at a time.  I couldn’t even think of the hard spots ahead of me.   Thinking about the weeks/months/years that I was going to have to tackle left me feeling hopeless and discouraged… I just had to stay RIGHT WHERE I WAS and get through that particular moment or day when it was rough.  For me back then the weekends were always the hardest (because the weekdays felt so much more busy) so if it was a Tuesday, there was NO way I was going to think about how I was going to feel on Friday up ahead.  I just had to get through that weekend (especially the ones where Brooke was away) when it came and not think about it until I was there.  Taking just a small piece at a time eventually added up to weeks and months of healing and moving forward until the finish line of feeling like myself again.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew—>  This is how I get through every marathon/hard speed workout/long run/etc.  There is no way I’m going to think about mile 22 when I’m at mile 14.  I definitely try not to think about my 5th mile repeat when I’m only on my 2nd.  What’s the use?  It just leaves me feeling discouraged and wasting time and energy worrying about how hard it is going to be up in the future.  I remember my best Yasso 800 workout ever (I think I averaged around 2:47 for the 10 x 800’s) was a workout I truly committed to STAYING in the 800 repeat I was doing.  It was overwhelming to think about doing 9 more 800’s when I was 2 minutes into my 1st 800 huffing and puffing and feeling like my legs were going to fall off.  I kept my thoughts on finishing the one I was in before the thought of the next one entered my brain.

Right now running is a bit harder than it used to be and I do this with my normal every day runs too.  It usually starts off with just thinking about getting out the door and then from there on… I think about finishing the mile I am in.  I stay in that mile until I’m in the next one (and tell myself to walk whenever needed) but that is what gets me through the daily runs at this point.  Some days I feel amazing and don’t need to do this but for the rest of my runs, I’m just thinking about the moment I’m in… no need to worry about 3 miles up ahead of me.   If you are feeling overwhelmed during your runs/races, it might be because you are thinking about how hard the road is up ahead… so focus on where you are NOW!

It always makes me happy to look down and see my bump while I’m out running.

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Breakfast with my girl afterwards.

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Yesterday was a Utah holiday so we celebrated with the rest of Utah.  It was Pioneer Day (to celebrate the first group of pioneers that came to Utah in 1847) which is a big deal here.  We first went to a carnival that had a ton of crafts and games for kids to do….

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Brooke was pretty aggressive with the root beer chugging contest (I think she had a total of two sips;).

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From there we needed some lunch to fuel for the pool so we went for chicken/rice/tortilla/pico/mango salads.

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Then we made it over to the pool for a few hours.  I all of the sudden got so tired that Andrew had Brooke in the water and I went over to the shade and set up a bed.  I fell asleep.  I can currently fall asleep anywhere.

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For dinner I realized I hadn’t had my Bisquick fix so I made some biscuits out of their mix.

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To go along with salmon (cooked with butter and lemon), parmesan potatoes and watermelon too.

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Brooke was pretty excited to show Beretta the portrait she made of her.

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And at night we were going to go to fireworks but my couch won.  I just need to stop planning to do anything at night.

Bachelorette +

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Peaches + popcorn!

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I need your help.  I am really thinking about getting this Instant Pot (I mean, I’ve been on a cooking kick for a solid week now… I’m sure it is going to continue forever;).  I would love to hear from any of you that have one… do you use it a lot?  Is it worth the money?  I’ve read a lot of great costumer reviews also but of course I take my friend’s opinions (you guys) a lot more seriously!  Should I go with the 3 Quart, 6 Quart or 8 Quart?

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Instant pot… yay or nay?  What size?

What is your favorite kitchen accessory/tool/thing you use?

Is there a race that you get sad missing out on if you have to miss it one year?

Are you a fish eater?  What are your favorite types of fish?

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117 comments

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I don’t have one but all my friends rave about their instant pots. They really love them. Like, really love them.
I love my Kitchen Aid a whole lot. I still need to figure out all the things I can do with it outside of cookies and shredding chicken ;)

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How do you shred chicken with a kitchen aid?! I think you just changed my life. I’m Youtubing it now!

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Seriously easiest thing ever! You cook it (either boiling or if you’ve had it in the crock pot or something.), put it in the Kitchen Aid and let it go! Shreds it super well and super fast! I usually do it when I’ve made salsa chicken in the crock pot, put in the the Kitchen Aid to shred and it’s ready for tacos or whatever I’m using the meat for.

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I have one and love it! Get the big one–especially because you do a lot of entertaining with family and friends. It’s truly a game-changer.
Baby bump is so cute!!!

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Staying in the mile I’m in has been my mantra lately! I’ve had some tough runs recently (it was 100% humidity on Sunday morning!!) and they haven’t always gone to plan, but concentrating on the next mile in front of me has been my focus — it helps so much!

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I don’t have an instant pot but I love my crockpot! It makes dinner so easy since it cooks all day with very little prep.
It sounds like you guys had a fun day yesterday! Brooke’s sunglasses are so cute. Also who hasn’t fallen asleep by a pool before?! It happens a lot to me if I’m sitting on the side reading.
Have a great day!

https://maureengetsreal.wordpress.com/

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I definitely try to stay in the mile when I’m running too – although right now I’m not able to run while I wait to have my compartment syndrome test :/. Counting down the days until the test and surgery. I cannot wait to be back to logging miles this fall. It may be a total of 4-5 months that I end up having to take off between all this time waiting and then recovery — I hope my body remembers how to run come October! o_O

I have been eyeing up the Instant Pot too. Looking forward to seeing what others say!

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I love my instant pot. The single best thing I use it for is boiled eggs. No more throwing half the eggs away because they won’t peel. They peel perfectly every time. We go through about a dozen a week. Also love it for sweet potatoes and whole chickens. Love if I’m sick or forget to get something out for dinner I can do frozen chicken breast in 15 mins. I also like you can sauté and use as a crockpot. Tips lets me brown my meat in the pot and the rest of the ingredients and turn on slow cook all with one pan. I do this for things like chili, spaghetti, etc.

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I agree. The instant pot has been a total game changer for making hard boiled eggs. I also use mine to make chicken stock and have even made a cheesecake in it. :)

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I need to experiment more with mine but since it’s been grilling season I haven’t used it as much as the colder months :)

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Your bump is so cute!! I always miss Cafe Rio — they need to come to Minneapolis, stat!

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I’m super sad to be missing out on a race here in Sydney called City 2 Surf, it’s so beautiful and ends at Bondi Beach. I’ve had a baby 9 weeks ago and haven’t healed yet so can’t run yet. The baby is worth it though :)
(btw my husband’s name is Andrew too and we adopted a dog, got married and had a baby within 2 years of meeting each other, I actually moved to Australia for him after we met 3 times while overseas. It always makes me happy to see another couple that just knew and got married quickly!)

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I’d love to do city 2 surf some day. Bondi is awesome, but babies are better. Congratulations.

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Michaela, thank you so much for sharing your story with me! I LOVE IT and I also love hearing from other couples that had similar stories. So happy for you and Andrew! Congrats on your new little one and you will be at City 2 Surf in 2018 (I want to come do it with you:)

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I am OBSESSED with my Instant Pot!! It makes cooking so easy! Once a week I make 18 hard boiled eggs and we eat a lot of corn on the cob and I find that this has made that waaaaay easier!!

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Do it! I have the 6 qt duo and wouldn’t go smaller. We use ours everyday for rice, poached eggs, hard-boiled eggs, steel cut oatmeal, stews, chili, steamed veggies, squash and mashed potatoes, yogurt, stewed chicken thighs, shredded chicken or beef, ribs, whole chicken, roast beef, lemon curd and rice pudding! I actually have two and an extra inner pot and lid. It makes cooking with kids so much easier because you put ingredients in the pot, set it and walk away! No need to stand in the kitchen babysitting a pot on the stove. You can usually get a great deal on Black Friday (maybe that’s too far away for you!)

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Yes to the pot. We make yogurt in ours on s weekly basis

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I love our instant pot! We use it for beans for taco night (they cook so fast with no soaking needed – it’s crazy), we make entire chickens in it, it’s been awesome for soups, and I use it instead of a rice cooker. It’s also really easy to clean, which I love. Get one!

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Jill- do you have any good bean recipes? I feel like my timing has been off and they come out mushy!

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I just bought my IP (6 qt Lux line) on Amazon’s prime day a couple of weeks ago. I’ve used it a handful of times and I am impressed with how quick it cooks things and perfectly cooked those items turn out. Love it!
There is probably isn’t a fish in the sea that I don’t care for (well, I don’t like sea urchin-too slimey). I make it a habit to eat fatty fish like salmon and sardines at least two times a week. Super good for a growing baby.

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I need some Cafe Rio in my life, stat.

My mom has one of those cookers – it makes the BEST rice. I would get one, buuuut my tiny apartment can’t hold one more appliance haha.

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I recently purchased a rice cooker, since my previous one was a gift and started not working, and I have to say it is high on my list of needed kitchen appliances. I also got a cast iron pan, though, and it is winning me over as well. I do use a crock pot, but I am not the biggest fan of it.

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2017 is my year of missed races thanks to this toe injury (7 weeks of no running and then after two weeks of running reinjured it and its been 7 additional weeks so far and no sign of when I’ll be back to running.
So yeah I missed three very important halfs this past spring that I love. And I’ll be missing the Staten Island half this fall which is my hometown race and I ran it 10 years in a row. It was my very first half ever. So sad to be breaking the streak. I hope 2018 is a good make up year :)

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I have an instapot pot but don’t use it a lot. Everyone’s comments are inspiring me to use it more, though! Gotta try the eggs. I’m a creature of habit and use my crockpot more.

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We got the 8qt instant pot a few months ago. I really like it. Some of the recipes have been a bit of trial and error. I can’t wait to try making my own yogurt. The steam valve always freaks me out though.

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I love fish but don’t cook it much at home. however, i always order it when i am out!

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I am trying to decide whether to get an Instant Pot, as well!!! I will be following these comments today, for sure! So glad that you are feeling well enough to run – I loved how I felt exercising when I was pregnant. Thanks for continuing to make every post fun to read!!!

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I’ve heard such good things about the Instant Pot and want one myself! I say go for it and then report back on what you make! :)

Missing the Chicago Marathon was/is really hard for me. I didn’t get into the lottery a couple years ago and decided that I’d be too sad being in Chicago that weekend and not running the marathon so I flew to Lake Tahoe and ran the marathon there (same exact day as Chicago)!

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I love those bisquik biscuits! They are like, the easiest things in the world to make, but ever since my mom started making them when I was little I have been obsessed. I am totally a fish eater and I LOVE salmon – have you ever had the kind from Costco with the lemon/dill butter on top? It is unbelievable.

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I’ve wondered about the instant pot. I feel like it’s the newest trend but we don’t even use our crock pot so I just don’t feel like we would use the instant pot either Lol.

I like the advice about running by pieces. My college coach would always say run the mile you’re in and it was one of the best pieces of advice we got too.

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Not sure about the pot, but enjoyed the running part of your blog post. When runs/races get tough I tell myself in a few short moments of time I’ll be back in my car wondering where the run went.

Brian
Pls check out my book Running to Leadville / https://www.amazon.com/Running-Leadville-Marathon-Through-Colorado/dp/1533592845

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My interest is definitely piqued by the Insta Pot. I love my crock pot and use that thing at least twice a week, especially during summer when I don’t want to heat up the house with the ovens.

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You’ve gotten me hooked on bisquick pancakes. It’s literally all me and the baby want. They’re so delicious. I wish I wasn’t at work and could make some right now!

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That makes me so happy… I just had one and I hope you get one right after work today! Bisquick pancakes are everything ha! I hope you are feeling great today Sara!

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OK, I might need to jump on this Bisquick fix with you. Your pancakes and biscuits you’ve posted lately look SO delicious!

And I say no way to fish!

I was wondering what Pioneer Day is. Roolee had a discount yesterday for it, and I had no idea why! :)

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Yes to the Instant Pot! I have the 8 Quart one and love it! You can make great meals very quickly! I highly recommend it.

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im réally not a fish eater but learned to like sushi once I reached my thirties! I missed the Long Island half marathon this year for the first time in 5 years but it didn’t bother me much. i don’t know why but races don’t mean that much to me which is making the decision to train to run a half this fall a bit of an issue lol. not really sure that I feel like it!

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How about a big ol’ plate of calamari? LOLOL :P

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hahaha – never ever ever again!!

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Haha Andrew looks thrilled to be watching the Bachelorette! (I can’t wait to see last night’s episode today!)
I say go for the instant pot – and go big or go home!
Love your baby bump ;)

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I hate fish. I almost wish I liked it because it’s so healthy for you, but I don’t.

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I use my VitaMix at least twice a day. Would not want to live without it!

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I love your advice about taking things one piece/day at a time. I am really trying to have this mindset as I am dealing with my broken foot!

My favorite kitchen accessories are my veggie spiralizer and my milk frother! I love making zoodles and frothing almond milk for my tea and coffee!

PS I love Brooke’s bathing suit. Definitely going to look for an adult sized version… ;)

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What would you be using it for?

My favorite kitchen cooking/tool thing is a Zojirushi cooker (http://amzn.to/2vFYnfR)- it makes beautiful amazing rice, oatmeal, quinoa, etc.

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If you get an Instant Pot I would love your review!

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Omg those biscuits look amazing! And now I need one.
I’m sad I’ll have to miss the Turkey Trot again this year since I’m having my baby in the weeks before (totally worth missing it of course). I had to miss it last year because I was in the hospital the night before. This year’s reason is much better :)

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Definitely get the instant pot. I have a 6qt Duo and an 8qt Duo. We have friends over a lot so it’s easier with two. I would say get the 8qt. But the hard boiled eggs are amazingly easy. My favorite dish to make is a shrimp boil. I’ve got the best Mac and cheese recipe that cooks in 7 minutes total. Not to mention you use real cheese so it tastes so good. I’ve seen people make awesome cheesecakes. I haven’t made one yet but my husbands birthday is coming up so I think I’ll give it a try. Pinterest has lots of recipes. There are also some great you tube videos. We are empty nesters so there’s just two in my household. But we meal prep so we use it every week. Good luck with your decision.

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I’m going to have to steal that mac and cheese recipe from you Christina once I get mine! Cheesecakes too… that sounds awesome!! Thank you!!

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I love my Instant Pot! We use it a lot. Actually this weekend I used and washed it about 4 times. I like it for food prep, it’s so much faster. And there are great recipes that can be done to quickly. As a fellow sweet potato lover, I make all of my sweet potatoes in the instant pot now.

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Oh I cannot wait for the sweet potatoes, thank you Megan!!!

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I have one of those instant pots, I got it for Christmas in 2015 and I still haven’t opened it, haha!
I can tell you however that air fryers are AMAZING! I make fries, chicken, vegetables… pretty much anything in mine. It’s great because it cooks so much faster than the oven and you don’t need oil (I just use a spray of evoo) but the food comes out crunchy like it’s been fried. You could use it for sweet potato fries! ;) My daughter eats crispy broccoli EVERY night that I make using it, she can’t get enough!

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Well, now I need an air fryer too… that sounds amazing!! Is there a specific one that you recommend?

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Yes, I have the Power Air Fryer XL and I love it! :)

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Yes i love my air fryer! It never leaves my countertop. Love that you don’t have to preheat it so even though fries take about the same time to cook you don’t have to wait for the oven to preheat. I even use it for chicken, veggies and did steak the other day and it was perfect.

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Yes to the Instant Pot! I just used mine last night for cooking some sweet potatoes- it took 7 minutes to cook them (plus about ~10 minutes to heat up) and then I made mashed yams in half the time it would’ve taken to either boil or pop them in the oven. Also really love it to make a quick chicken enchilada soup for weekday lunches or chili when it gets into the colder months. I think I have the 8 qt and it’s amazing. Perfect for entertaining too!

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Okay, the sweet potatoes, enchilada soup and chili all made me drool just thinking bout them. Thanks Stacy for letting me know, I’m so excited!

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I’m missing the Disney’s half marathon race for the end of the year. That’s the race I’ve been wanting to run the most and haven’t been able to do it just yet.

I’m totally a fish eater. My favorite is salmon :)

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I LOVE mine and use it minimum 4x/week! I’m a pescatarian and my husband is a full on meat eater so it helps me a lot (when I make 2 main dishes). But even before I went meat free, I used it just as much :) I make a batch of steel cut oats for the week (cooks in 3 min). In the winter, I cook soups and stews. I make meatballs in sauce or meatsauce (for pasta). You’d love it for your chicken and sweet potatoes ;) It’s better than a slow cooker (for many reasons) but the largest 2- because it has a saute setting (no dirtying up 2 pans) and the texture of your meat is better (we found that slow cooker meat = shredded meat). My mother in law makes her own homemade yogurt- I plan on doing that at some point but don’t have time right now. Let me know if you have more questions :)

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THANK YOU AMY… I am SO glad that it helps you guys out so much each week! I cannot wait for the sweet potatoes:) Saute setting… yes please!!! Thanks so much and I hope you are having a great day.

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One of my favorite kitchen tools is my pasta maker. I made homemade fettuccine last night with tomatoes/basil/olive oil. So good! (http://mcmomentsandmemories.blogspot.com/2010/07/friday-foodie_23.html) This link also includes Lemonade Pie, which I made yesterday, too! My favorite summer dessert.

I didn’t eat fish until about 5 years ago, living Hawaii definitely changed me!

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I realized the link doesn’t contain the recipe for homemade pasta – here it is:
Pasta recipe from Bob’s Red Mill
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Water
1 Egg
3/4 cups Semolina Pasta Flour
1 tsp salt

1. Combine semolina and salt, add beaten eggs, water and oil. Mix to make a stiff dough.
2. Knead 10 minutes or until dough is elastic. Wrap dough in towel or place in plastic bag and let rest for 20 minutes. While it rests, prepare the filling.

And a tutorial: http://mcmomentsandmemories.blogspot.com/2012/01/friday-foodie-pasta-making-process.html

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A pasta maker… yeah, I NEED THIS!! Thanks for the recipe Kathy, this looks amazing!!!!

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I was searching the internet this morning looking for running blogs and came across yours. This post is exactly what I needed right now as I’m starting to train for my first half marathon this fall. Many times, I get discouraged thinking about the miles ahead and I need to try to focus on where I am. Thank you for the great advice!

I love salmon and the pictures of your dinner last night look delicious!

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Lyndsay, I am so glad we found each other on the internet:) Keep me updated with how you are doing with your first half marathon training, I’m so excited for you! One mile at a time! Keep in touch!

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I really needed the “Don’t bite off more than you can chew” lesson today. Thank you!

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You are welcome Emily, I hope you are having an amazing day!

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I bought the Instant Pot during the Prime sale, and then after reading a bunch of negative review, I ended up cancelling my order. The idea is great, I just know that I would be upset if it stopped working 3 months in, and there was nothing I could do about it, so I’m sticking with my trusty old crockpot, and oven.

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SO INTERESTING… thanks for letting me know Olviya!!! I’ll have to look into that!

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Yes on the Instant Pot. 6 or 8 quart. You’ll love it!

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This year I missed out on a lot of runs but all worth it. I was supposed to do my first Ragnar and a triple crown series here in San Diego but honestly carrying and nurturing for my baby bump was and is more important. I’m lucky to still be running at 36 weeks and looking forward to next year’s races ?

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So awesome that you are still rocking your running at 36 weeks Daisy!! Next year, you will be there!!!

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I love my Instant Pot. I bought it during the Prime sale last year, and we use it several times a week. The other night I made shredded chicken to have for lunches this week from frozen breasts. I spent five minutes getting everything together and in the pot, then went for ice cream and came home to fully cooked, delicious chicken for lunches. Hard boiled eggs are the best. Soups are amazing…they taste like they’ve been simmering all day in less than 30 minutes.

But understand that the time savings isn’t because food cooks faster. Pulled pork still takes an hour or so. But I don’t have to prep it in the morning to put it in the crock pot (my mornings are already early and crazy enough) and I don’t have to do anything but put all the ingredients in, start it and walk away.

I also hear sweet potatoes are amazing in them ;)

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Thank you so much for letting me know… I am always wanting shredded chicken for a meal quickly. I need this. Oh and the soup thing, that’s all I want to eat this fall:) Good to know… yeah I never have time in the mornings so this should help. I can’t wait for the sweet potatoes wahoo!

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Thanks for the words about staying in the moment! I had an easy run this morning that I was making hard in my head because I wasn’t hitting my “easy range” and worrying about how that is going to transfer to my marathon in 2 months (St. George!). 80+ degree runs in Texas are not representative of what race day will be like, so I’m not sure why I beat myself up so much.

Definitely get the big Instant Pot for your growing family! A co-worker of mine tipped me off that the models at Costco might be cheaper than what you find online.

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HEY JENNY! I am SO excited for you to run the St. George Marathon… please keep me updated with how you are doing! YES YES YES… 80+ degrees in Texas = way harder than race morning temps! You’ve got this! I’m going to have to check out these Costco ones. THANKS!!!

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I have the 6 quart instant pot and am obsessed. It’s big enough that I can cook a lot in it at once, but I would probably stick with 6 quart or 8 quart for your family. I have had mine for six months now, using it 3-5 times every week, and it still works perfectly. LOVE IT.

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Good to know Allie… thank you SO much!! I can’t wait!

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Hey!!

I have the insta pot, my mother in law snagged it on black Friday for an awesome price ! I will say that it’s pretty useful when you need to make dinner in a pinch… yet I don’t think using the “insta” setting compares to slow cooking all day. If you have a crockpot that you use often, I would say that works better so long as you have the time to plan out your dinners in advance.

It does cook a whole roast in about 45mins to an hour but I just don’t think it tastes nearly as good as when it has been cooking all day! Hope this helps! :)

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HEY SARAH!!! Oh I am so glad that you like your insta pot! Thanks for the tip about the fact that it doesn’t compare to slow cooking all day long! That is awesome it can do that for a roast in such a short amount of time! I hope you are having a fabulous day!

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How did I miss that you are expecting? CONGRATULATIONS!

I am running St. George. Hope to see you there.

I’m a cookbook author x 3 so the InstaPot is a huge topic right now. Honestly, all my culinary friends (many other vegan cookbook authors) LOVE it. I’m a minimalist, so I won’t be buying it. I’d rather get an air fryer -ahaha! Shows you were my priorities are ;)

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THREE COOKBOOKS, you are amazing Dynise! I am so excited for you… I love that race! HAHA I think your priorities are right on:)

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Love my instapot! It is wonderful!!! But i would wait and watch Amazon. If you are patient, you can buy it a lot cheaper than the price you posted!

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Hey Katie!! Thanks for letting me know about that! I have an Amazon gift card that I might have to use if I’m not patient enough:) Glad you love yours and thanks for your comment!

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You NEED an Instant Pot. And get the biggest one! It can replace your slow cooker as well.

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Thank you Jen for letting me know.. I can’t wait!!!!

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I don’t have an instapot, but a lot of people I know in the USA have one. At first I felt like everyone was posting/talking about it and now I rarely hear about it. Trend? It sounds pretty nifty but I have 1, okay 3, crockpots that I use. I work M-F during the school year so it’s easy to plop things in the morning and have it ready when we get home.

My KitchenAid is my baby. Even though it’s not the MOST used appliance, it’s the most loved. I use my spiralizer A LOT as well as my food processor. Once I haul that thing out I try to grate/chop/puree anything it my wake.

Although I’m not much of a “has eyeballs” eater, I do like fresh wild salmon in the Pacific NW.

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Oh gosh… I have been thinking about the instant pot, but after reading these reviews I’m sold! I guess I will get the 6 oz! I can’t wait to try the boiled eggs and sweat potatoes… thanks for the purchase support!
And of course thanks for the marathon training/racing reminders- I need to keep that in mind! Fall marathon training gets underway soon!

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Yeah between the hard boiled eggs and sweet potatoes, I’m sold:) Thanks Bette and keep me updated with how your marathon training goes… so excited for you!

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We bought something similar at Costco for around $90. Check there first and try it since you can always return it!

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REALLY!?!? I’m going to have to stop by Costco today and see if we have them!!! Thanks Lauren!

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I use it 3-4 times a week. Best purchase ever!

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That is AWESOME!! Thank you so much for letting me know… I’m going to have to do it!

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Ha! Brooke in the bathing suit and sunglasses, with that look on her face and that lollipop in hand….I see your future teenage daughter in that photo! Adorable.

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HAHAH yeah… I’m a little nervous for the teenage years between the two of them. Thanks Lisa and I hope you are having a fabulous Tuesday!

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The Instant Pot is magic! I use it once a week, easily–I have the 6 qt one. I make super quick mac & cheese, lemon butter chicken, chicken picatta, beef and broccoli, and lots of soups and stews in the fall. I’ve made a few cheesecakes, and it was awesome. Think crockpot, but way faster. I even make my dog’s food in it. I always try to convince anyone to buy one. It’s totally worth it.

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SO good to know… all of those things sound amazing. Going to order it now. I LOVE that you can make your dog’s food in it… amazing! THANK YOU!

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I LOOOOVE my Instant Pot! I paid $79 for the IP Lux60 6qt model. The only feature I don’t have (I think) is the yogurt making function. Since I knew I wouldn’t be using that one, it made sense to me to save money and buy this model. I can cook a whole chicken in 40 minutes. I’ve done an 8lb pork shoulder for pulled pork in 1.5 hours. I make chili in just 20 minutes! I have always loved my slow cooker but was having trouble always getting stuff started early enough in the day to have ready by dinnertime. Now even if I don’t know what I’m making for dinner until 5:00pm, I still have time to get something healthy and home-cooked on the table. I put off buying an IP for a while because it seemed so… gimmicky. I am so glad I finally made the purchase. It’s been a lifesaver!

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$79… that is INCREDIBLE Jaimee!! Okay, that all sounds amazing… I’m going to have to order it now! Thank you!!! I am like you, I never start things early enough. I can’t wait! I hope you are having a great day and thanks for letting me know!

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Yessss buy an Instant Pot! I use it a LOT. I make dairy free yogurt and it is such a breeze. I really love it for cooking beans from scratch it only takes about 30 minutes! I don’t eat meat so haven’t tried that but I’m sure it would be great for slow cooking. Anyways just get one! I was on the fence for months about getting one and wish I had gotten mine sooner.

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Dairy free yogurt… umm that is amazing!!! I am so glad you are loving it Abbey, I’m definitely going to have to get it now!

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Pretty much love all kinds of fish!!
Going to miss out of the Charlotte half since we will be moving into our new house! I am sure I will be getting lots of exercise moving boxes!!
I do not have the Instant pot but I am obsessed with my crock pot and I can’t get over that obsession so I think I will stick to that! I currently have bone broth cooking away in it!

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I recently purchased an Instapot and love it! I am inspired by all these helpful tips and recipes. It is so quick and helps when I forget to defrost meats. I am making beans next. I love any fish. Salmon, tuna, red snapper, trout, mahi mahi and all of them. My husband doesn’t love them so I eat fish mostly when we eat in restaurants (which is seldom).

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So glad you are loving it Jenny!!! I can’t wait to join you with using one:) I hope you are having a beautiful day!

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I bought an instant pot a few months ago but I haven’t used it yet :) I opened the box and immediately felt intimidated. The whole reason I got it is because people raved about it so I’m sure it’s great. Please share if you end up buying one and liking it!

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I bought an IP just over a yer ago when there was an awesome sale for them on Amazon and I had heard so many people loved them. Mine is still in a box in my closet…..sooooo…..

I am so behind on the Bachelorette. Maybe I should come snuggle up with you and watch it. That would be totally normal.

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I LOVE, love, love my immersion blender. I’m always stoked to make a recipe that requires it. It’s awesome for making real
hot chocolate (the kind you make
with a chocolate bar grated into milk), creamy soups, etc. I also love my vitamix but I’m pretty sure everyone loves their vitamix.
I love salmon and tuna steaks, otherwise I’m not a big fish person.

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I don’t have an instapot but my sister does and swears by it. I watched her make yoghurt, and cook entire meals in there. She literally pushed a button and walked away. My two cents:)

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1. Those Parmesan potatoes look SO good!! Would you mind sharing the recipe? Also, how do you cook your salmon?

2. We got an instant pot last year for Christmas. I used it once and gave it away :-/ nearly every recipe had a million steps, which to me kind of defeated the purpose of an “instant pot.” I went back to my crock pot and never looked back!

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Hey Christine!!! Yes, here is the recipe:
http://sugar-n-spicegals.com/2013/04/parmesan-roasted-red-potatoes-yummy.html

They are amazing. So Andrew just puts it on the BBQ and added butter to the top and some lemon… delicious!! I am so glad you love your crock pot so much. Not sure about a million steps. I’m not good at that!

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Instant Pot FTW!! Living in Texas, it is too stinking hot to turn on the oven most nights. I feel like I learn something else I can make in it every day- and it is so quick and easy to clean. Tonight, we made shrimp on the stove, rice in the instant pot and broccoli in the air fryer. If you don’t have an air fryer, get one of those too!!

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We love our Instant Pot, and wished we would have purchased the 8 qt size because we would like to do more whole chicken and some larger pork shoulder roasts. The pulled pork turns out so tender and falls off the bone. The 6 quart has been more than adequate for all of our other cooking. If I had more room in my small kitchen I would get an 8 quart and use 2 of them. Our favorite things are hard boiled eggs, potatoes, rice, steamed veggies (3 minutes!!), it does wonderous things to bratwurst and meatballs. We like to make a soup recipe in one of the popular books with beans, ham, kale and onion, only takes 20 minutes! I only had 1 fail in the instant pot and that involved too much pasta and not enough liquid in the recipe. Other than that we love it and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone!

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I don’t have one….but one of my friends who cooks just as much as I do is RAVING about it! She got hers on Amazon Prime day and immediately texted me when she got it to tell me how much she loved it!

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I am eating a salmon salad at lunch while reading this…..

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I really have to be in the mood for any kind of fish. My favorite tools to use in the kitchen are the crock pot and cast iron skillet. What will you cook in it if you get the pot?

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Asking a question for all you Instant Pot lovers–we don’t eat a ton of meat….is it still worth it?? I have been thinking about getting one since Christmas but just don’t know!

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DEFINITELY get the Instant Pot! I bought one last year, and I seriously use it ALL THE TIME. It makes the best sweet potatoes, too, which I know is super important to you :) I would recommend the 6 quart, or the 8-quart, depending how much food you make at a time. If you like to prep food in huge batches, go for the 8! If you prep/cook more on the average side, I’d say go with the 6-quart.

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Could not agree more with the advice to stay in the moment or mood, or whatever that you’re in. I always remind myself to run the mile I’m in, to enjoy it and be present in it and then get to the next one and stay in that one. Somedays that’s half miles, or on especially difficult days in the Virginia heat, that’s the quarter mile, but it helps me so much to not get overwhelmed with all that’s left to get through.

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