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Tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to start your blog, “The Pajama Chef.” How did you come up with the name?
I started my blog in July, 2010 after being urged by my husband and a few friends to create a place where I could share recipes I tried and/or created with others. At the time I had completed a year of graduate school and wanted a creative outlet aside from academics. I am currently finishing up my thesis to complete a dual Master of Arts in African Studies and Master of Library Science. I came up with the name for my blog while throwing around ideas with my husband, Ben. The “Pajama” part is basically a reference to the fact (that is well known around my family and friends) that I despise wearing “awake clothes” and would much rather wear comfy pajamas all day (and night) long! And of course, the “Chef” refers to my role as a cook and baker.
Aside from cooking, blogging, and school, I love reading, running, and traveling—all with my husband by my side. Ben and I have been married for three and a half years. We have two feuding cats, Sheba and Misty, who are learning to get along, so a lot of our chill time at home is spent mediating their interaction time. We are also very involved in our church and try to follow the Lord in all we do.
What are a couple of your favorite fast-and-simple meals?
I have two categories of fast-and-simple meals.
The first requires no recipes. Every other week or so, I cook up a big batch of black beans using this method (http://thepajamachef.com/2012/01/11/perfect-black-beans/), and then freeze them in 1 or 2 cup increments that can be easily defrosted in a hurry for an easy dinner with staples that I always have around. Then, I use these black beans to make dishes like black beans and rice, black bean quesadillas, black bean wraps. Most of the time I make these Mexican-style, using some taco seasoning or whatever I have on hand (cumin, oregano, garlic, etc.) to season the beans. Then I add things like shredded cheese, avocado, salsa or chopped tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, etc. to complete the dish. If you cook up a big batch of brown rice early in the week, you can use that to make preparation even faster, while still getting a homemade, healthy, filling meal.
The second category may be a little more time intensive, but are still relatively simple. They also provide time to make lunch for the next day so you don’t have to rush around in the morning. We really enjoy Lemony Kale Pasta (http://thepajamachef.com/2011/06/01/lemony-kale-pasta/), Chorizo and Potato Tacos (http://thepajamachef.com/2011/08/19/chorizo-and-potato-tacos/), and this 30 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup (http://thepajamachef.com/2012/10/18/30-minute-chicken-tortilla-soup/).
What is your favorite aspect about running? Did you always love it or did you learn to love it?
My favorite part about running is the sense of freedom it brings. Jesse Owens says it well in this quote: “I always loved running—it was something you could do by yourself and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.” I started running when I was 12, in 7th grade track. I didn’t truly love running until my freshman year of high school. My cross country and track coach is a great man—a wonderful motivator and encourager while also being strict, disciplined, and dedicated to our training. He taught me to strike a balance of seriousness and passion to running that I still have to this day. Of course, it also helps that I come from a family of runners—my dad was an All-American at his college, my mom runs for fun, and my younger sister competed in cross country and track as well. I definitely have found joy in running for myself but also through those around me.
I bring all the usual running things to a marathon—my favorite shorts and top, my Brooks Adrenalines (the only running shoe I have worn in at least a decade), my Garmin, energy gel (right now I like Vanilla Cliff Shot Energy Gel or Green Apple PowerBar Energy Gel), and my Nathan hydration backpack (I’m not a fan of carrying water on a belt or in my hand). I’ve never run a marathon wearing headphones; they start to bother me after awhile and I enjoy hearing the crowd. However, I’ve only run big marathons (Flying Pig, Cleveland, Columbus) so if I ever ran a smaller race with less crowd support I might consider it. I also bring my husband. I ran almost the entire last mile of my first marathon holding my sister’s and my husband’s hands; I was a bit delirious and out of it. Looking back, I think I might have been a bit undertrained for that race. Since then, I have found that the best way for me to prepare for big races is to be consistent on long runs, run 4-5 days per week, lift weights once a week, and cross train 1-2 days per week. People also disagree on how long the longest training run should be—I’ve found that 22 miles prepares me better than “just” 20, but that is simply a personal preference, and is something that needs to be considered in light of other things like past running experience, injuries/soreness/illness, etc. I also think proper rest and hydration is crucial.
What motivates you to keep going in a race or a workout session? Do you have any tricks that keep you going?
I am a very motivated person. If I start something, I finish it. I ran competitively for 10 years—from 7th grade all the way until I graduated from college. Opting out or quitting a workout partway through wasn’t really an option, so even 5 years out from college, I don’t consider it to be now either. In races, I can always hear my coaches’ and parents’ voices in my head cheering me on and I can remember their little phrases: “hip to chin!” “attack the hills!” “you gotta take risks in life!” Might be kind of cheesy, but it works.
Creating new recipes from the ground up is something that is relatively new to me, so I tend to stick to simple things that already have easy bases: muffins, pastas, frittatas, soups, etc. I just consider how different flavors would taste together and go from there. The tip to taste as you go is really important. Another technique I use is to think about my favorite foods and remake them into another dish. For instance, one of my favorite healthy snacks is apples and peanut butter. So I made Apple Peanut Butter Muffins (http://thepajamachef.com/2012/10/15/apple-peanut-butter-muffins/): a dessert-type muffin full of chopped apples and peanut butter chips. My biggest tip is to just experiment. Trying new things never can hurt—and might have some very tasty results.
For more from Sarah Keil, visit her blog, http://thepajamachef.com/
