In my business I walk. I walk a lot. As I guide visitors along Juneau’s scenic waterway and through historic downtown, I add up the steps. In fact, I tend to walk about 10,000 to 16,000 steps a day all summer long. It has had a wonderful effect on my health and my energy.
Now that autumn has arrived in full force, I am no longer walking every day as part of my routine. I have to make an effort to get out and get those steps in. I confess getting motivated isn’t always easy. Some mornings it’s all I can do to get out of bed and head to HQ. The rains are hard and the winds are blowing. It’s cold. Not exactly the best walking weather.
To combat my procrastination I have enlisted some help. I have a great walking buddy, Elizabeth. I purchased the book “90 Short Walks around Juneau,” and Elizabeth and I set out to walk as many of the trails as possible. Elizabeth and I compare steps and look for trails that we haven’t walked so that we keep things different. We bought rain gear and ridiculous rain hats that we love and now we have no excuses not get out. It always helps to have a friend.
In September, Elizabeth went to England and really kicked up her walking. She was logging 18,000 steps and going strong. This meant I had to step up my game. Pun intended. While visiting my parents in Nevada I kept up walking and when in Chicago last week, I enjoyed walking the beautiful neighborhoods while basking in the warm autumn weather. We were both determined that no matter where we were, we’d keep up our activities.
This determination led to us participating in our first 1K walk for charity. This week we signed up for Juneau’s First Annual PolioPlus Fun Run sponsored by Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary. We walked about 7,000 steps, which was just over 1K, and had a great time supporting a wonderful cause.
Our leisurely stroll also lead to the proverbial “What’s for dinner” conversation. The funny thing about walking is that it tends to make one hungry. Michael had discovered a new taco recipe on Facebook and we thought it would be fun to try it. I offered to bring a side dish and through our stroll on the Brotherhood Trail, we came up with a vegetable side dish that had some flare and lots of flavor.
Utilizing ingredients we both had in our pantries, as well as a few fresh items from the grocery store, we created a stuffed pepper full of taste and zest. Simple ingredients make delicious dishes.
This week I present a recipe that came from a supporting a great cause while walking in our beautiful forest: Stuffed Poblano Peppers. If you are unable to find poblano peppers, any large pepper such as an Anaheim will suffice.
Whether you walk, ride, skate, or run, making each step and motion count is a great feeling. The outcome of the PolioPlus fun run has us agreeing that as long as we’re both in town and able, we’ll do as many charitable walks as we can. We want to make every step count.
I’m looking forward to continued walks and strolls throughout beautiful Juneau and to great food at the end of the trail.
Until next time…
Eat and enjoy,
Midgi
4 POBLANO PEPPERS
1 cup frozen or canned corn
1 avocado, diced
½ cup red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ cup black beans
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
Salt and pepper
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Combine corn, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and beans in small skillet. Season with taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook until warmed through and onions and peppers are softened. Mix with diced avocado.
Cut pockets into poblano peppers and stuff with mixture. Bake in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes, until peppers are softened. Top with cheese and bake additional 3 – 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.
