Buzzy bee

In addition to reporting on my fitness progress, I plan to post healthy and interesting recipes every week. And with that, I'm going to get stuck in...

It's Cleveland Beer Week, which means two things:

1. I am going to be drinking a lot of awesome, high alcohol content beer this week.
2. I am going to have less time to go to the gym.

Even when it's not Cleveland Beer Week and I don't feel like I'm in booze heaven, this is my biggest struggle. As a food writer and a beer enthusiast with three jobs (and now I'm one "juggling kids" line away from being a soup-on-the-go commercial) I often find myself consuming more calories than I normally would for the sake of my personal culinary education and my job. I also happen to live in Ohio City, which is practically foodie central in Cleveland.

Thankfully, for every plate of gourmet pork cracklins, there's an equally delicious roasted beet salad somewhere. I also do 90% of my shopping at West Side Market where I can take my pick of the best local organic produce and high quality goods that are low on preservatives and other nasty stuff. Avoiding the insane cannolis at Theresa's and the massive gyros at Steve's can be difficult, but it's much easier to shop healthy at the Market than it is at the grocery store.

To balance my dietary challenges, I try to work out at the Downtown YMCA at least four times a week. Last month I worked out six days, but I found that my workouts were less rewarding because I was pushing myself a little too much.

Yesterday I worked out for an hour. I ran two miles in 16 minutes and then focused on my core by doing some focused exercises with a fitness ball. I also did some sun salutations, as my back was bothering me from a clumsy incident in the pantry this week.

Today I'm biking to Bier Markt to enjoy a Beer Week event, and I'll bike to another one in Tremont on Friday. I plan to work out on Thursday and Friday evening. Let's hope I have time!

Last night I came home and made a delicious root vegetable pie. Unfortunately I have no pictures, but I promise I will post some in the future. This pie is hearty and healthy. I hope my fellow fit bloggers enjoy it.

Root Veggie Pie:

1 c mushrooms

1 c carrots/parsnips

2 c turnips

1 c rutabaga

2-3 c redskin potatoes

1 c fresh spinach

1 can Campbells low fat condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 tbsp ginger

3 cloves garlic

1 c organic vegetable broth

sage, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, black pepper to taste

Cube all veggies and throw them in a pot with a few tablespoons of olive oil and vegetable broth. Add seasonings and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables cook down. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

While the vegetables soften, make your pie crusts. I use the basic Crisco pie crust recipe for simplicity's sake. I'm sure there are healthier options though. You'll need a bottom crust and one for the top of the pie. You can also throw the veggies in a large pan and cover them with chunks of the pie crust for a casserole-type dish.

Stir the condensed soup into the veggies. Pour the whole mixture onto the pie crust in the pan and cover it with the other crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden-brown.