Sometimes I surprise myself.

Random fact of the day: if you have earphones on and you’re eating, you realize how obnoxiously noisy your mouth really is when you’re eating. Or maybe that’s just me.

Anyways, HAPPY MONDAY FRIENDS I hope it is sunny beautiful in your neck of the woods because it is nasty here:) Aka, snow, cold, dark. Typical Upstate New York.

Clearly, Eeyore is not happy with this.

I’m with ya, bud.

Thank you for all of your sweet comments on my last post! I loved hearing about what happiness means to YOU, and what you thought of the recipe:)

So I have a bit of an announcement. I know I said that first Half Marathon would be July 23rd, but plans have changed a bit.

Let me tell you a little story.

Yesterday I set on the canal for my long run with the Padre and his Harvard buddy (both marathoners and buddy is an ultramarathoner), so I expected to run separately because I figured I wouldn’t be able to keep up.

I was wrong. These sons of guns intimidated me at first, but I was keeping up nearly effortlessly. Before I knew it, we had run ten miles. For the first time in my entire life.

No pictures of me because it was first thing in the morning and I was sweaty. Clayton (Harvard buddy) said I looked like I hadn’t even run yet, but obvs he was just trying to be nice. So here is a recycled picture of myself:)

I know don’t you just want to be me? Especially with my faces….good thing my friends know how to handle my crazy.

The stats:

AH:) I still can’t believe I did it.

Next weekend’s long run is 12 miles. Then I taper down…

For my first Half Marathon on May 1st!!!!

Will you come cheer for me?! It is the Flower City Half Marathon in Rochester, NY, it would make my heart so happy if y’all came out to support me<3

Holy roley poley oley. I am so so so excited, and I will have the Padre by my side the whole time. I cannot wait to share this experience with my Dad. It sounds so cheesy, but he is my hero and I never would have started running without him.

After our run yesterday, we shared a special father-daughter moment hug. It was beautiful ❤

Later, I met up with Lisa at the gym for some upper-body weight lifting (I am getting BUFF) and abs/stretching. Then we went to the local health food store and bought out their Zevia and bread stash (best bread in. the. world. Only ingredients = Millet flour, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, carrot juice, water, baking soda, and sea salt. BAM) and then made this monster.

Props to Lisa for her amazing stash of extracts (ALMOND) and her Avocado of the Month Club membership. Fuerte avocados – sheBANG.

I don’t even know what to call this. It kind of tasted like a cookie. Kind of like cake. Kind of like marzipan.

Well, he’s green…how about the cookie monster?

The Cookie Monster

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado (flesh scooped out)
• 2 scoops protein powder (we used Vega Sport Vanilla)
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 whole dropper-full of vanilla stevia (probably 20 drops)
• a few drops of almond extract

Directions:

1. Blend, baby, blend!
2. Eat with a spoon. Otherwise we’ll look at you funny;)

We ate these way too fast. But of course I was still hungs (hello 10 mile run) so we toasted some bread. Holy lord in heaven, best bread I have ever had. I will post a picture/my obsession with it soon<3

Gloooop!

Hahaha okay that is all for now loves.

Some parting words:

GO ENTER LISA’S GIVEAWAY!! She is giving away SunButter (obsessed), Vega deliciousness, Dandy Blend, raw granola, and a book. I love her to the moon and back and you will too ❤

Put it on your calendars to travel to chilly willy Upstate New York to cheer on CK on May 1st!

I know today was supposed to be a post on “Why Syracuse?”, but that will come tomorrow:) Other things to come….

How is the weather in your neck of the woods?

Narsty.

Any advice for a half-marathoner newbie?

Pwease and thank you:)

What are your Monday plans?

Meeting up with some of my girls later tonight!

xoxox,

Happiness is….

Happiness is seeing the first flowers of the season poking their noses out of the ground.

Happiness is wearing flip flops on a sunny day.

Happiness is meeting a giant turtle on your bike ride in the sun.

Happiness is Protein Ice Cream after working out.

[frozen blueberries, frozen peaches, protein powder, xanthan gum]

Happiness is a Larabar on said bike ride….

…enjoyed with your feet dangling off the side of a dock.

Happiness is green grass.

But most of all, happiness is waking up the first morning of spring break and realizing that you have an entire week to do nothing but sleep, eat, and watch Jersey Shore.

And make pancakes.

Or should I say….a Bancake?

Power Protein Bancake

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup buckwheat, quinoa, or amaranth flour
• 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1 scoop protein powder (I roll with Vega Sport Vanilla)
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. stevia
• liquid of choice (water, non-dairy milk)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven/toaster oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a cake pan with coconut oil.
2. Mix all of your dry ingredients together, and then add liquid until you reach a pancake-battery consistency (not too thick, but thin enough to spread out).
3. Pour your batter into your cake pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes, and then plate and serve. Top with chia seed gel, nut butter, whateva suits your fancy:)

I topped mine with Chia Seed Jam made of…

[1 tbsp. chia seeds, 1 tbsp. carob powder, 1 tsp. maca, 1 tsp. acai, and 10 drops of vanilla stevia]

And defrosted frozen blueberries and blackberries:) See the one on the bottom right? It was HUGE. Biggest blackburry I have ever seen.

Get ready to be obsessed. It’s the pancake for all of us when we’d rather not bust out a pan and risk burning perfectly good batter. Or, when we want cake for breakfast.

Hence, the Baked Pancake = the Bancake.

This stuff tasted and smelled like Nilla Wafers. And vanilla cake.

It was love at first whiff.

Delicious…

…nutritious.

The stats? 37 grams of protein [with toppings] in this mother effer. Sorry if that language offends you, it’s something to embrace.

Talk about a protein punch.

I’m off to go on my long run with the Padre and his work buddy – who is a Harvard grad. Whatwhaaaaat

See you tomorrow babydolls! Coming up is a reader’s request. The topic? Why I chose this school.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday chickadees:)

Finish this sentence:

Happiness is…

xoxox,

Figgy Smoothie.

Good evening love doves!! How are ya?

Please say sunny and dandy because surprisingly that is how it’s going in Upstate New York! I know, shocker.

  

Oh, and I basically drooled over all of your favorite pancake recipes. I think my spring break is going to include my fair share of pancakes, don’t you? ❤

In other news, because of the sunny deliciousness weather we have been experiencing, I had to hit the pavement. It was calling my name. It was just me, the music, and Darren. So in love.

My getup was ORANGE style:

Holy cheekbones!

Darren on my left, as uge.

I pounded out a six-mile fun run, give or take 59 minutes (stoplight every two minutes, awesome). My Garmin pace was 9:54, but lord knows that the stoplights ruined my awesomesauce pace that I was ripping. Yup just used that as a verb.

Immediately after every workout, I down a recovery smoothie. Usually the recipe includes dates, banana, protein powder, dulse, xanthan gum, and EFA oil, but we were all out of dates. I KNOW I didn’t know what to do with myself…

SO I used my girl scout superpowers and got thrifty. (side note: I was never a girl scout I just like to pretend I was)

What does a girl do when she’s all out of delicious dates? She finds the next best dried fruit in her house. In my case, it was dried figs.

Say whaaaaa?!

Yup, Figgy Smoothie to the rescue!

Figgy Recovery Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup dried figs
• 1 tsp. dulse flakes
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum (optional)
• 1 tsp. EFA oil (or other oil of choice)
• 1 (heaping) tbsp. protein powder (I roll with Vega Vanilla Sport)
• 2 cups water

Directions:

1. Bend, baby, blend! Enjoy in a bowl, with a spoon. Only way to go.

I went with my favorite Pooh mug. It is giant, adorable, and makes me feel like a child again:)

This recovery smoothie recipe is based on Brendan Brazier’s recovery smoothie from his book, The Thrive Diet. I’ve found that this smoothie gives my muscles the refuel they need immediately after working out (no matter how hard or easy!), and reduces soreness and cravings by a million.

So even if you didn’t just work out, you should make it anyway. Because it’s really, really good. This was one of those times when you get to the bottom of the mug and think to yourself, Wait, wasn’t there more than this before? I swear I didn’t eat all of that already..

Well guess what self, you just did.

Time for me to go make some din! Should I roll with some socca, or pizza?! Help a sista out:)

See you tomorrow boos!!

What should I roll with for dinner?

I’m really indecisive when it comes to food. I just want everything!

Favorite post-workout smoothie or snack?

This son of a gun.

What was your Thursday workout?

Six mile fun run in the sun:)

xoxox,

Power Protein Pan-CAKES

Good morning bloggy boos!! How are you?!

I am having such a dandy morning sitting in my new college sweatshirt and sweatpants – next to my college lanyard and reusable BPA-free juice slurping container.

If you missed it yesterday, I stopped being such a tease and revealed my new home for next year – COLLEGE. But which one?

The other day I promised you a protein pancake recipe. Not so fast though, first I have to warn you:

Lisa and I tried this stuff. It was nasty. Don’t waste your money on this unless you plan I spitting it all over your significant other’s face. (hahaha)

Just don’t do it.

Anywho.

There was the GREATEST salad I’ve ever tasted:

Kale, spinach, Vegan Cheezy salad booster, hemp seeds, balsamic vinegar, and the most delicious olive oil on the planet. Props to Lisa for finding this delicious goodness.

And then there were pancakes.

Protein pancakes actually…

That tasted like cake.

In a few words, we couldn’t stop eating these.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 3 scoops vanilla sun warrior, or 2 servings protein powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup NuStevia baking blend (or sweetener of choice)
• 4 tsp. chia seeds (I would recommend 1-2 flax or chia eggs, all we had were teaspoons)
• water (add until a batter-y consistency is formed)

Directions:

1. Heat a pancake pan on medium heat and add oil (we used MacaNut oil, but I recommend either that or coconut oil).
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Add water and combine until a batter-like consistency is formed, about 1.5 to 2 cups.
4. Cook your pancakes in your pan, and serve warm with Pom Acai Chia Jam!

Delicious?

Devoured.

Make these..today. We had them for dinner and you should too. Whoever invented breakfast for dinner has a special place in my heart.

—————————————————————————————————

That’s all for today chickadees!! See you tomorrow:)

Favorite pancake recipe – GO!

This one ❤

Nastiest “new” food/drink you have tried lately?

That nasty beet drink pictured above.

What is your Monday workout?

SPINNING with Lisa and our awesome teacher Nancy – going to kick. my. butt.

xoxox,

Sun Warrior Protein Socca + Carrot-Almond Macaroons!

Gooooood morning bloggy boos! How are you?

I am sleepy weepy. Thank GOODNESS third quarter is over, I can now offich say I am a fourth quarter senior! It is allll smooth sailing from here:)

Thank you for all of your college stories and tips on going to college and roomies! You guys are so insightful, and it’s making me even more excited to go off to school in the fall!! (and meet my roommate on Friday)

Yesterday was spent in an awesome workout at the gym where I ran into a couple of friends and Lisa (haha as per the Friday uge). We talked for about an hour and a half on the bikes. Time flies when you’re having fun:)

….like this guy:

Free ticket to the gun show? Oh hey new spinning teacher.

Anywhos, since yesterday was Indulgence Friday, I indulged in a little of sitting on my batooty. Aka, I came home, ate, watched Biggest Loser and House (any fans out there? Holllaaa at me!), then went to sleep.

This morning will be spent on a gorgeous canal run, crossing my fingers that it does not rain/snow/hail/cats and dogs! Gotta love Upstate New York. <— Do you sense my sarcasm?

So as you read this, I will be hitting the pavement with my new baby (who is still yet to be named). Any suggestions?? The first new baby has been affectionately named Darren. Ob. sessed.

But since you all are most likely tumbly grumbling for a new recipe, here are TWO. One is super simple, and the other requires some fun ingredients.

Last week, Lisa and I got together for a food date before our kick-toosh spin class (we have agreed that if we were guys, we would completely have a crush on our spin teacher. weird? don’t answer that).

First we made jooooose…

Yes, that is a whole Vita-Mix full of juice. And yes, it is completely poss to drink all of that (except we didn’t…they should make juice-drinking competitions for health champs like us).

Served in wine glasses, as uge.

Do you see the wabbit?

It’s like looking for animals in the clouds, except juice tastes way better than air. Just saying:)

‘Twas a kitchen sink juice with carrots, cilantro, lemons, celery, kale stalks, dandelion greens, ginger, red pepper, and lawd knows what else. It was delish and hit the spotsky

Then we made Sun Warrior Protein Socca with sprouted LENTIL flour. Socca without garbanzo beans?! Say whaaaa?

You heard me right, and chickadees it was so good. Topped with Sunflower Seed Butter (my obsession) and leftover Acai Pomegranate Chia Seed Jam.

Oh and coconut, coconut butter, and cacao nibs because it was completely necessary.

Ob. sessed.

Sun Warrior Protein Socca

Makes 2 small servings, or one large portion.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sprouted lentil flour, or other bean flour (a la vitamix)
• 2 scoops vanilla Sun Warrior
• 20 drops vanilla stevia
• 1 cup water (not sure on this measurement–best to go by texture and add gradually)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl or Vita-Mix.
2. Heat a frying pan and add a tablespoon or so of extra-virgin coconut oil. Add batter in small amounts at a time.
3. Cook like pancakes until cooked through.
4. Top with your toppin’s and enjoy!

I think we downed this whole batch in two minutes flat and then ate some ‘roons later.

‘Roons say whaaaa? Get at me kiddos because this is the simplest, healthiest thing in the world. You’re going to wonder why you didn’t think of this biznazz.

I present to you,

ALMOND Carrot Balls!

Or if you want to sound fancy you can call them ‘roons. Whatever floats you boat:)

Carrot-Almond Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of carrot pulp (or squeezed, blended/shredded/processed carrots)
• 2 cups ground raw almonds
• stevia or other sweetener to taste (if desired)

Directions:

1. Make your carrot pulp, and grind your almonds.
2. Combine the two in a large bowl and pack down. Add sweetener to taste(such as stevia, yacon, lucama, agave, maple syrup, or blackstrap molasses).
3. Shape into balls or macaroons (with a melon baller). Eat straight up, or dehydrate for a few hours and enjoy as macaroons.
4. Enjoy!

First, you take some carrot pulp (from your juicer), or simply put carrots in the blender and then squeeze out the moisture with a cheesecloth.

Then you grind up a ton of almonds, and combine the two! Shape them into balls and eat them that way (absolutely delicious) or dehydrate for a few hours and eat them as macaroons.

Our next project is to dip them in dark chocolate and melted coconut butter!:)

That’s all for today loves! Enjoy your Sattyday:)

How did you celebrate Indulgence Friday?

Sitting on my bootay and tons of Quinoa-Hummus-Raisin-Balsamic bowls:)

Favorite super-simple recipe. GO!

These balls. <— Minds out of the gutter people.

Tell me about your favorite protein powder!

Currently mine is Vega Vanilla Sport Protein, but I am convincing the ‘rents to get me some Sun Warrior:)

xoxox,

banana bread blondie…cake!

Good morning bloggy boos! How are you?

I am quite the snuffalupagus this morning, I am pretty sure I have sneezed up a tornado. I think it may be appropriate to bring my own box of tissues to class. Whaddup, nasal decongestant!

I loved hearing all of your weird food stories and advice about college! In case you missed yesterday’s post, you can read it here. Long story short, I won an indoor triathlon and am choosing between two AMAZING colleges, and one that I am wait-listed to.

Finally it is sinking in that this is a decision that will determine my life path for the next four years. And possibly my life course for the rest of my life. Not going to lie, it’s a bit heavy but I am ready for it. No matter where I go, I know I will have a fun four years, at one more so than the others:) Sorority, here I come!

So what’s a girl to do with such a heavy decision on her shoulders? Um, eat.

Specifically, Banana Bread Cake.

That’s what happens when you’d rather have banana bread that looks like a slice of cake than a slice of bread. Chickayeahhhh 🙂

As a child, banana bread was my favorite thing that the Madre would make. It has a soft spot in my heart, and obviously I had to replace the sugar, eggs, and gluten with high-protein alternatives. You could basically eat this for dinner.

What, you don’t eat cake every day?

Because that’s just wrong. Make this, and have cake every day for the rest of your life.

Or should I say, ten times a day for the rest of your life.

Not that I would know or anything.

Vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free

Adapted from my Orange-Cranberry and Raspberry Amaretto Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 + 1/4 cup quinoa flour
• 1/3 + 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1/4 cup NuStevia Baking Blend
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1.5 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened So Delicious Coconut)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a cake pan with coconut oil.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. In a smaller bowl, mash both of your bananas until almost liquidy, and then add the extractives and 1/4 cup of non-dairy milk.
4. Add wet to dry, and mix thoroughly. Add more non-dairy milk as needed to make a dough that is stirrable, not tough or stiff. You want your dough to be wet enough to spread itself into a cake shape.
5. Pour dough into your cake pan, and smooth the top.
6. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Cook it more if you want a less dense center.
7. Try not to burn your tongue eating a slice of this straight out of the oven.

Dense like a blondie, banana-y like banana bread, and sliced like a cake. What more could a girl want?!

I enjoyed a (few) large slices with apple spread frosting, coconut butter, and chopped banana. It doesn’t get any better:)

No picture of that though because it just looked narsty.

^^ See my oven mitt thumb print? Aweeee presh, my cake has a beauty mark!

That’s all for today loves! Tomorrow you will have a delicious macaroon/ball recipe and some sweet protein socca! See you on the flip, chickadees:)

Tell me some of your college stories/advice!!

Please and shank you:)

How do you handle big life decisions? Are you a worrier or a planner?

I am a huge planner. Although things can worry me a little bit, my viewpoint is that there is a plan, and you will end up where you are supposed to be.

Favorite childhood food?

Banana bread and oat cakes:) Recipe for those son of guns coming soon!

xoxox,

triple-athaloner + a winner!

Good afternoon chickadees! How are you?

I have a surprise for you.

Bloggy boos, meet Stubby Stu!

Wuv my carrots:)

I am sorry for being a bit MIA the last few days! Let’s just say schoolwork, senioritis, and the Biggest Loser have semi taken over my life. No big.

First and foremost, we have a winner! The winner of the Love Grown Foods Granola giveaway is comment #194, Kaitlyn Nelson! Congratulations, Kaitlyn! E-mail me your address and Love Grown will have that granola sent out to you asap:)

Second of all, I am now a triple-athaloner. Or a triathaloner. Whatever you want to call it, the Padre, myself, and the Baby Sister made up a kick-toosh team and DOMINATED. We won. Holla @ me! I biked eight miles in 15 minutes flat and the Padre ran 2.34 miles. What. a. beast.

Our team tat:

First place!

Rewarded myself with a giant waffle. Prepare to see the ugliest waffle on the face of the Earth. Do not be fooled kiddos, this was scrumiddlyumptious:)

Smiley face!

Cookie Dough Bowl, waffle-style. I forgot the baking soda so sadly this is what happens:( BUT it tasted fantab so I am not complaining. Topped with apple spread and a chopped banana🙂

Fugly food is always the most delicious, remember? 🙂

That’s all for this afternoon loves! I’m off to a kettlebells class with Lisa, aka we are getting our butts whooped..again. But we love it, so we keep going back. It’s a love-love relationship with them kettlebells:)

Longer post tomorrow. There are many recipes coming in the next few days so get your eating pants on!

Latest weird looking food you’ve seen/eaten?

That carrot and these waffles. Delicious.

Favorite breakfast food. GO!

Cookie Dough Bowlllll

Tips from college bloggies/veterans?

Currently I am between two amazing schools, and one of my top choices to which I am currently wait-listed. Tell me about your experiences!!

xoxox,