The ultimate juxtaposition: the Big Mac vs. Vegan Cheese

Remember my last posting? Where I talked about how my tastebuds have evolved and I am no longer interested in sweets and how I have risen above my sweet cravings and dessert temptations, yada yada.... well, scratch that ;)

After having my "lunch" at 9:30am after the 12 miler, these guys were calling my name!!! Being conditioned (from society, my own conscience, Jillian Michaels, etc.) to feel guilty for overindulging in sweets I felt bad for a short while, and then I realized that the only ingredients in these are basically just:

* walnuts

* almonds

* unsweetened coconut

* cocoa powder

* pure maple syrup

* agave nectar

* coconut oil

* vanilla

* pinch of salt

So let's be honest with ourselves and face facts: these bars can be considered health food!! Yes my friends, if you can get past the calories from agave nectar and coconut oil (not much per bar), these suckers are basically a great source of protein, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants. Of course, it helps to know that I burned approximately 1200 calories during this morning's run ;)

Mike and I kept changing our plans today and by the time we got around to getting out of the condo, it was almost 5pm. After waiting for a couple decades for a bus to take up Michigan Ave, we were notified that it's Venetian Night - apparently this is quite the crowd-drawer!

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We peeked around Niketown (I had gotten Mike a gift card in his Easter basket this year), and he got a dry-fit shirt, which I supported wholeheartedly. I frequently lecture about the dangers of wearing cotton while running but it's rare that he actually takes heed!

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My cousin Liane and her husband, Michael were visiting from Indiana and were staying at a hotel right by our condo, so Mike and I went back to the South Loop to meet up with them.

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Liane and Michael are in town for the Teb's Troops 5K tomorrow that they helped to organize - it's for a great cause (the fight against melanoma) and my understanding is that it's a really fun course that starts and ends at Soldier Field, so please check it out here if you are interested in running it!

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Before they arrived, I quickly downed some of this corn (chowder? gazpacho?) that I had made earlier in the week. I made it on Thursday thinking it would go well with the corn tamales but I wasn't hungry enough at the time. It was extremely simple... I basically just blended corn, spices, and a bit of EVOO. I had high hopes to throw in some cilantro, maybe some tomatoes, etc, but the taste was so simple and pure yet delicious that I left it in its unaltered state. (I didn't eat the whole bowl, maybe 1/3 or so.)Naturally dinner also involved one of these!Liane and Michael brought us a bottle of rose which was very good! It was great to catch up with them for a bit - I haven't seen them since my wedding in October! - but after awhile they had to leave for their dinner reservations and I had plans to go to my first blogger meet-up!

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Kath, of Kath Eats Real Food, was kind enough to invite some Chicago readers to meet up with her while she was in town for the BlogHer Conference. Kath, and Jenn from Eating Bender, were just as sweet as you would imagine them to be from their blogs!

It ws fun to meet them both as well as some other readers, as we seemed to have a lot in common, such as Emily who is training for her first marathon this year!

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After chatting in the lobby for a bit, we headed up to one of the BlogHer unofficial parties which apparently was sponsored by McDonald's... this was a first for me, as was....

...this! I was highly amused by the middle-aged women who were not only smashed but were donning hand-crafted McDonalds hats.

We all agreed that it was very "house party-esque" and definitely brought me back to my college days in a way!

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Again, thanks to Kath and Jenn, so glad I got to meet you both!

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I snagged Mike a giveaway hamburger from the hamburger "open bar" at the hotel party, and I was starving myself by the time I got home. Again wanting tomatoes but not having any, I couldn't decide what I felt like eating and finally settled on vegan cheese. I know I know, I am quite the odd one. After whipping up this not-so-asthetically-pleasing-but-very-tasty dish, I threw some carrots in it and called it a day.

Or I should say, I called it a day after enjoying a couple of these lovely things. Love the guilt-free "desserts"! After learning a bit more about the BlogHer Conference, the changes in the blogging community over the past year, and what direction things seem to be headed, it's gotten me thinking about what my goal is for this blog.

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As I told Kath tonight, my goal with Marathon Val is NOT to be the "next Kath" ;) or to be uber-famous in the blogging community. On the contrary, I started this out of my love for the blogs that I was into reading, because I truly enjoy the writing aspect, because it seems to have done nothing but enhance my interest in fitness and nutrition, but mainly because I wanted to find a forum for me to share my interest in social work, social justice, and because I would love to eventually take my charity fundraising to the next level and even to start my own non-profit agency one day.

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This is a lofty goal for sure, but with every day I am gaining more and more confidence that I may eventually be able to actually put this plan into action. I appreciate all of your support! All of my ideas are still in the very early stages, so if you have any ideas or advice I would welcome it! :)

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Have a wonderful night everyone!