It’s here, my friends. That magical time of year in D.C. when the mornings are cool, clear, and crisp, the days are warm, and the running is happy. Oh, September. How I love thee.
Yesterday morning, I met my friend Lauren for a run. We had 6 miles on the docket and the weather was fully on our side. Even better? She was able to meet at 7 a.m. instead of my usual 6 a.m. run date time.
My legs were feeling pretty stiff and worn out after Sunday evening’s 17 mile adventure, but views like this sure helped. 🙂
Lauren and I hadn’t run together in nearly a month so it was great to catch up with her, too. I <3 running friend dates, and it was a big treat to be out on such a beautiful morning! The air felt so fresh and it was almost cold out.
We kept it casual on pace (and tackled a steep hill in the last mile) and finished out the 6 miles in 58:56. Love getting in a solid run before the workday starts!
In honor of the weather being cooler this week, I also decided some homemade soup was in order. On Monday night, I whipped up a simple vegan veggie & bean soup that came out delicious.
To make the soup, I boiled 8 cups of water and dissolved 4 veggie bouillon cubes in it as the base. You could also just use 8 cups of veggie broth – I’ve been using the cubes lately since our pantry is so small and they take up less space (and are cheaper)!
When the broth was ready, I threw in some frozen edamame and chopped carrots and let them soften a bit before tossing in some chopped celery, kidney beans, and some cooked brown rice.
I also tossed in some fresh parsley and basil from our apartment herb boxes and some garlic powder! I love soups like this – they’re so easy and versatile and it’s fun to get creative with what you throw in. Give it a try yourself! And if you want an official recipe, check out my Homemade Minestrone Soup (click for recipe). It’s an old favorite! Two other favorites, if you’re in the mood for soup, are my Chicken & White Bean Chili Soup & Chunky Turkey & Vegetable Soup. Yum!
Hope the weather is gorgeous where you guys are, too! How are you enjoying the start of the cooler temps?
