Carbo-Loaded
Mmmmm… carbohydrates! My body is loaded with ‘em now! 
Our pasta party was a really fun time tonight. We had 7 friends over for dinner, drinks, and to watch the UVM basketball game. (They won! 
) Pretty much all of our guests are running the race tomorrow morning, so we all hit the carbs hard!
Before dinner, we snacked on some tortilla chips and Don Sabrosa Salsa in my funky Double Bowl. I pretty much ate a million chips– I just couldn’t stop myself!
Mal and I kept dinner simple with whole wheat angel hair pasta, Arrabbiata sauce, and Texas Toast.
I really liked the Arrabbiata sauce that I received from the Foodbuzz’s Tastemaker Program.
The Arrabbiata was a spicy tomato sauce with red peppers and lots of flavor. The consistency was a bit thinner than other jarred sauces, but it didn’t affect the delicious flavor one bit. Mmm!
Even though I really enjoyed the Arrabbiata sauce, the Texas Toast was easily my favorite part of the meal. I ended up eating 2.5 pieces!
Our guests dug right into dinner!
Here’s my plate, piled high with carbs! 
And Texas Toast + 1.5 more pieces. So good!
Tomorrow, we’re supposed to get a ton of rain and have some serious high winds (aka monsoon), so, needless to say, the 5k is going to be interesting! 
Wish me luck!
Tags: Bertolli Arrabbiata, Don Sabrosa Salsa, Foodbuzz Tastemakers
Dima — March 13, 2010 @ 9:43 pm
Good luck Tina! I’m sure you’ll do great.
Food Makes Fun Fuel — March 13, 2010 @ 9:43 pm
Good luck on the 5k! You’re properly fueled so I’m sure you’ll do great
Danielle (Coffee Run) — March 13, 2010 @ 9:43 pm
Good luck with the 5K! (You’ll rock it
)
Gotta love carb loading
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) — March 13, 2010 @ 9:44 pm
Have a greeeeeat race!! I hope the pasta carbs give you the fuel to run run run!
Jenny — March 13, 2010 @ 9:44 pm
Mmmm what a yummy dinner!
Good luck tomorrow- I know you’ll do so well!
Erica @ Fashion meets Food — March 13, 2010 @ 9:51 pm
Where did you get that dish you have the chips and salsa in?
Angela (Oh She Glows) — March 13, 2010 @ 9:55 pm
We’re getting that heavy rain and high winds here in Ontario too! I hope it isn’t this bad for your race. I was thinking today ‘Im so glad Im not running outside right now’ haha. Hopefully it will die down…but if not it will surely make for an interesting run! A good tip for rainy races is to wear a garbage bag around your body (or a disposable jacket) so you don’t get soaked while standing and then you can pitch it once the race begins. Have a great time!
Staceyhttp://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ — March 13, 2010 @ 9:59 pm
Were did you find whole wheat angel hair pasta at? Angel hair is my favorite but I have never been able to find it in whole wheat.
Jenna — March 13, 2010 @ 10:02 pm
I used to love pasta parties in high shook before all of our games!
You can never have enough Texas toast! All looks great
Carolyn @ lovinlosing.com — March 13, 2010 @ 10:05 pm
Have fun at the race tomorrow! It was supposed to be rainy and windy here today for my race, but it ended up being really nice. Hopefully ya’ll luck out, too!
Tina — March 13, 2010 @ 10:09 pm
@Erica @ Fashion meets Food: Here’s the link: http://carrotsncake.theopenskyproject.com/sagaform-double-bowl.html
Carrie (Love Healthy Living) — March 13, 2010 @ 10:10 pm
Is Texas toast the same as garlic bread? Looks yummy. No dessert???
Chelsea (Chelsea's Chew and Run Fun) — March 13, 2010 @ 10:15 pm
Gah, that Texas Toast looks amazing. Best of luck for your race tomorrow! If the weather is anything like it was in NYC today, then I wish you the best of luck! It’s windy and pure hell to get around in.
Jenny — March 13, 2010 @ 10:17 pm
Texas toast is soooo delicious and garlicky!! I love it
Good luck in the morning, I’ll be hoping the weather holds out for you guys!!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is — March 13, 2010 @ 10:17 pm
Good luck on the race!!
Jessica @ The Process of Healing — March 13, 2010 @ 10:42 pm
Yay for carb loading!!! Texas toast is killer good
And good luck girlie!!! I can’t imagine running in this weather… you’re a stronger woman than I am!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) — March 13, 2010 @ 10:43 pm
Oh, good luck! Your carbs all look delicious! Have fun tomorrow!
Ann — March 13, 2010 @ 10:44 pm
Yummm ~ The carb dinner looks deee-lish, Tina!! I love pasta, but try to it only on occasion and always whole wheat!! Mmmm!
Good Luck at the 5K tomorrow! I can’t wait to see pics of all the St. Patty’s Day gear!!!
Cynthia (It All Changes) — March 13, 2010 @ 10:55 pm
If you are getting anything like what is hitting us on the Western half of the state you’ll need a slicker.
Good luck!
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] — March 13, 2010 @ 11:48 pm
Wishing you lots of luck! Wish I was able to run my race tmrw : (
Heather (Heather's Dish) — March 14, 2010 @ 12:34 am
YIKES a 5K in a monsoon sounds kinda scary
hope the carbs power you guys through (‘specially that Texas toast…totally my weakness!)
Danielle — March 14, 2010 @ 12:50 am
Well, you are certainly well-fueled! How fun, and delish. Good luck tomorrow
Run Sarah — March 14, 2010 @ 2:53 am
Good luck tomorrow – hope the rain isnt too bad!
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs — March 14, 2010 @ 3:37 am
All the best for the run! I bet you’ll be awesome
Jenn (www.j3nn.net) — March 14, 2010 @ 3:56 am
All my favorite foods! Pasta + bread = YUM YUM! Good luck in the race.
Jenn
Hannah — March 14, 2010 @ 4:22 am
I love dinner parties where you serve yourself out of a big bowl like that! It just feels so friendly
christie @ honoring health — March 14, 2010 @ 5:56 am
Good luck at the race!
Kelly — March 14, 2010 @ 6:46 am
Looks like a great dinner!
Good luck with the race! Right now the weather looks tough but let’s hope its going to improve haha
Jessica — March 14, 2010 @ 7:09 am
Good luck in the reace! Simple pasta is so good. It doesn’t need anything more that what you did with it!
Nicole @ Making Good Choices — March 14, 2010 @ 7:20 am
Good luck in your race hope you stay somewhat dry!
Julie — March 14, 2010 @ 7:51 am
Gah! This is not optimal running weather, good luck to you and your homies!!!
Casey — March 14, 2010 @ 7:56 am
im running the race too! good luck! hopefully the free beer/pub partays will be worth running through a nor-easta!
Lauren @ Running Examiner — March 14, 2010 @ 8:00 am
The rain in NYC has been awful! I hope your race isn’t affected by this horrid weather. Good luck!
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) — March 14, 2010 @ 8:05 am
Good luck on the 5k!! You’ll be great. And runs in the rain can be really fun in their own unique way.
Kelly - Local Foodie Fight — March 14, 2010 @ 8:29 am
YAY! you’ll do great !!
Rashmi — March 14, 2010 @ 9:23 am
GOOD LUCK..TINA
Monica (Musings of the Granola Girl) — March 14, 2010 @ 11:33 am
good luck!!! lovin’ your festive-wear!
Erin at The Healthy Apron — March 14, 2010 @ 11:53 am
Texas toast is easily my favorite part of a spaghetti dinner too! mm
M. — March 14, 2010 @ 6:07 pm
Sorry for odd question, but did you eat sauce cold(just wondering since pasta was already in serving bowls but sauce was shown still in jar?
Thanks!Made me curious
Jessica — March 15, 2010 @ 2:50 pm
Hey Tina,
Just to give you a little healthy living tip, “carbo-loading” for a 3 mile race is completely unnecessary and almost counterproductive. A 5k is hardly an endurance event and I don’t think it’s good for readers who are seeking healthy living advice to think this is the best way to approach a 5k race. I am MORE than for a big pasta dinner, carbs, sweets, etc., but to flat out claim this is needed before a race of this length isn’t the right message for what I think you try and tell your readers each day. Balance is everything and eating a ton of pasta before a race is perfectly normal and fun and great to do, BUT I just think you should warn readers (and yourself) that there is NO NEED (performance-wise) to carbo-load before a small 5k run for maximum performance; for fun and enjoyment,yes. But for scientific reasons, definitely no. I just think this is sending a mixed message and showing where you lack proper knowledge of the sport. Not trying to be harsh–just trying to help!