Category Archives: Recipe

Hot or Cold?

Posted on by
12

Hot or cold? And no I’m not channeling Katy Perry….

I’m talking about oatmeal!

someecards.com - Did you hear the joke about oatmeal? It's a bunch of mush!

I think the general consensus is that hot oats are perfect for the fall/winter and that overnight oats (or cold oatmeal) are ideal during the warmer months. I don’t feel this way at all. I have been known to eat overnight oats in 20 degree weather or go for a run in 80 degree temps and then cook up a pot of hot oats. For me, hot or cold depends on convenience. Hot oats are my fave but if I know I’m going to be short on time, overnight oats do the trick with no prep time in the morning, I can just grab a spoon and dig in!

Anyway, I am here to tell you about my new favorite bowl of oats. I have tried it in both hot and cold form and I have to say, I can’t decide which one I like more!

Dark Chocolate Cashew Cherry Oats
1/3-1/2 cup oats
1-11/4 cups water
1 tsp chia seeds
small handful of cashews (~6 nuts)
1/4 cup cherries chopped
maple sugar to taste
1 T dark chocolate chips (I use about 6 vegan chocolate chunks)

Heat oats, water, chia seeds, and cashews over medium high heat until mixture starts to bubble. Turn down heat and add in cherries and maple sugar. Cook until oatmeal reaches desired consistency. Take off heat, pour into bowl, and top with chocolate chips.

These oats are so good. The maple sugar sweetens the oats just enough and the chocolate chips melt into everything. Mmm. I also topped my warm oats with cashew butter to keep with the cashew theme. Delicious!

And now for the cold variety:

Dark Chocolate Cashew Cherry Overnight Oats (vegan)
1/3 cup oats
3/4 – 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp chia seeds
1/2 sliced banana
small handful of cashews (~6 nuts)
1/4 cup cherries chopped maple sugar to taste
1 T dark chocolate chips (I use about 6 vegan chocolate chunks)
1 tsp maple syrup, added as topping

Mix everything in a bowl and store overnight in the fridge. In the morning, top with maple syrup and nut butter of choice.

While the chocolate chips don’t get all melty in the overnight version, the banana slices are a nice touch and sweeten up the bowl juuuuust enough!

I still can’t say which one I enjoy more but I can guarantee that I will be making this bowl on morning when I need a little something extra (like chocolate chips ;) ).

My only other notable eat since we last talked food has been zucchini tacos. It probably sounds strange but Ian and I are going to Michigan this weekend and we need to use all the veggies in the fridge before they go bad. As we had three zucchinis to use, zucchini tacos sounded perfect for dinner!

I sauteed the zucchini in olive oil, salt, pepper, and chili powder and then served it in corn tortillas with broccoli slaw & vegan ranch dressed. I had one taco as is and then another topped with an avocado sauce made by mashing an avocado, lemon juice, a little olive oil, and more chili powder.

I ended up preferring the taco without avocado. The taste was much cleaner.

And while we’re talking about food, I also want to address another issue. The start of marathon training has changed my workout routine from one where I did a mix of running, swimming, and biking to one where I’m primarily running. Running wears my body down a lot more than any other form of exercise and as a result, I’m always much hungrier.

While I haven’t addressed this much on my blog (a little bit here) I went through a phase where I was under eating for my exercise level. I have made quite a few changes since then but a remaining consequence of under-fueling my body is that whenever I up my mileage, I mentally go into panic mode and start to crave everything and anything. If I’m busy (who isn’t busy anymore) I can easily forget what is a reasonable portion size and I start going back for multiple servings of dinner and dessert. This has started happening again and I just wanted to address it on the blog to hold myself accountable. It’s a weird situation for me as I don’t want to restrict and under-fuel like I have in the past but I also don’t want to overeat.

My goal is to pay better attention to my hunger signals and to listen to and honor my cravings. If I am seriously hungry and craving sweet potato fries then I’m going to have sweet potato fries, even if I think I should have a salad. When I don’t listen to cravings is when I start to get into trouble with uber-snackiness. I think this is probably true for a lot of people.

Do you prefer hot or cold oatmeal? What are you up to this weekend?

My First Track Workout + Corn

Posted on by
13

This morning I ran my first track workout! I always thought that I hated speed work but I actually had fun today. I never would have thought that was possible.

My schedule called for an 8 mile general aerobic run with 10 x 200 m strides. The need for a track actually stressed me out (I didn’t know where any were in Chicago!) but after asking some other bloggers for help, I found a quarter mile track right near my office. Perfect.

I ran about 3 miles to the park, set down my water bottle, and got down to business. I started at one end of the track, increased my speed as I rounded the first corner, sprinted the straight portion, and then “floated” the last corner. The track was slick from all of the rain yesterday so I made sure not to take the turns too quickly. I decided not to walk between strides and jogged between.

I did the first 5 and then stopped for about 15 seconds to get some water. After the second 5, I walked for 30 seconds before running the 2.5 miles home. I wanted to get my pace back up in the sub 8′s but my legs were definitely in recovery mode. Oh well. I completed the run in exactly 1:04.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I can start testing corn and soy to see if I have an intolerance to them. Unfortunately, testing a food doesn’t mean you can eat it when you want, you are expected to eat that food multiple times a day (ideally throughout the day) for a week and watch for any symptoms like stomach aches, acne, fatigue, trouble sleeping, etc. I decided to test corn this week so if you see a lot of corn on this blog, you know why ;) .

I also threw together a great salad (with corn of course!) last night though and wanted to share the recipe with you guys!

Mexican Broccoli Slaw
(serves 4 or 3 for big meals)
3/4 bag broccoli slaw
1.5 cups corn
1 can black beans
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 jar salsa
1/2 lime
salt & pepper to taste
cilantro to taste

If using frozen corn, thaw so that corn is not frozen but is still cold. Drain and rinse black beans and cut grape tomatoes into small slices.  Mix broccoli slaw, corn, beans, and tomatoes in a big bowl and toss. Add salsa and lime and stir to coat. Garnish with cilantro and season to taste.

You can serve this immediately or place it in the fridge for later. I found the salad much better the second day!

Does anyone have any good corn recipes? Do you do speed work?

Gluten-Free Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Posted on by
13

Hey guys, happy Sunday! I got back from a 13.1 mile run not too long ago and Ian and I are headed out to a BBQ this afternoon. This means I need to make some chocolate covered bacon (it’s ridiculous but Ian’s friends love it), pack my lunch, and get dressed in the next hour and a half. It will all happen but it will be rushed. So in lieu of my running post today (in a few words it was hot, tiring, and a little painful) here’s a really good vegan gluten-free recipe I put together last Friday. Enjoy :)

This is a super easy recipe packed with healthy ingredients. The cookies are light and doughy (this is NOT your crispy cookie recipe) and sweet without being overbearing. To be honest though, the best part about this recipe is that the cookies only take 20 minutes to make and that includes bake time!

Gluten-Free Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
(makes about 7 reasonably sized cookies)

1 tsp flax-seed + 1 T water
1/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup raw oats (make sure they’re gf)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 mashed banana

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Make flaxseed egg by combining flaxseed and water in a small dish. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir together. Add in raisins. Once the flax egg is set, mix it with vanilla, maple syrup, and mashed banana in another bowl. Add wet to dry and stir until everything is mixed.

Using a spoon, shape dough into balls and plop onto greased baking sheet. Flatten cookies a little bit with the back of the spoon and then back for 10-12 minutes. When done the bottoms will be a light brown color.

I’m sure the cookies are better if you let them cool but I couldn’t wait and I had one right out of the oven.

Delicious!

Try them out, you won’t regret it ;)

Have a wonderful day!

Foggy Brick Workout

Posted on by
7

Saturday mornings are reserved for my brick workouts. Bricks are so different from my weekly route that I really look forward to them. I also love how much farther you can go on a bike than by foot in the same amount of time.

I slept in a little bit this morning and then headed out on my bike. I did my favorite 17 mile loop where I head straight to the lake path, cycle south until I reach Hyde Park, cycle back north going a little past my apartment, and then loop through the city. Fellow Chicagoans please do not be afraid to head south on Lake Shore. You are truly missing out. The path is not nearly as crowded as it is up north and the views coming back into the city are spectacular. There are also quite a few hills, a rarity in Chicagoland but valuable for training. Sounds good right? Try it :) .

I always turn around at the point near Hyde Park and the views from the tip of the point are amazing. I brought my iPhone with me today so I could snap a picture but unfortunately it was too foggy to see the city.

Bummer. Maybe next Saturday.

I did get to see the end of the sun rise from the point though. I love being close to the water!

As I was biking back into the city I finally started to come across groups of runners. CARA must have started later this morning? Dealing with runners definitely slows me down but I kind of enjoy weaving around people on my bike. It’s helping me improve my steering and general contorl. Plus it keeps me on my toes :P .

After finishing my ride, I secured my bike in our storage unit and headed out for a 3 mile run. My usual goal with brick workouts is to do my run portion pretty fast. However, as I raced a 5k earlier in the week, I figured it would be best to let my body fall into its own natural rhythm. Interestingly enough, that rhythm was about a 7:14 min/mile. Hmm… could have used some of that speed over the last few days.

At home, I showered, changed, and dug into breakfast: a chocolate avocado cold oatmeal parfait.

Last night while I cooked the oatmeal, I made chocolate avocado pudding by mashing together 1/2 an avocado, 1 T maple syrup, and just under 1 T cocoa powder (unsweetened). I layered the cooled oatmeal and avocado pudding in a glass and then refrigerated it overnight.

This morning, I topped it with the usual, a small glob of almond butter, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds.

I know that avocado in the morning sounds weird (or just sweetened avocado in general) but it is actually really tasty. It is also a nutrient dense food that will usually hold hunger over for a loong time. Can’t beat that!

Lots of errands on the agenda today! Have a great one :)

Edited to add: for those of you who are as obsessed with the Olympics as I am, check out this article on the female athletes to watch!

Lit Fest, Sox Game, and Apple Baked Oatmeal Recipe

Posted on by
2

How’s that for a blog post title? Be prepared (and warned) because this post is all over the place.

A few hours and a short nap after posting yesterday, I walked over to the Printers Row Lit Fest, the largest free outdoor literary event in the Midwest. The lit fest is pretty awesome and consists of booth after booth of booksellers, publishers, and literacy and cultural organizations (source).

While I enjoy walking around and looking at all of the booths, I really go to the event for the cheap books. Last year I spent $30 and walked away with 5 books. This year I bought two for $15. Considering one was hardcover, thats not too shabby!

After purchasing my books, I met Ian and we went grocery shopping for the week. After a sweaty walk to and from Trader Joe’s, we were both ready for some lunch!

I made a millet salad with brussels sprouts, cannelloni beans, and hummus and then ate it on top of arugula.

I also had a nice juicy peach! I wanted to make sure my lunch was substantial as I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to find anything at the game.

We digested, watched part of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (it was on tv), and then headed to U.S. Cellular Field.

It was a wonderful day to be at a baseball game! It was hot no doubt (and our seats were in the sun) but we had good seats and great company. Can’t beat that!

While everyone else enjoyed beers and concession food, I drank a two waters. Gotta stay hydrated!

Look at this man with the margarita backpack. It had a little dispenser that he used to fill cups. How cool is that? Although, I do have to say, if I had his job and it was 87 degrees out, I’m sure more margarita would end up in my mouth than in the cups!

The game was tied until the 5th inning when the Sox scored 5 runs. The game was basically over after that and the Sox ended up winning 10-1. We even got to see a grand slam!

When we got home I put together an easy dinner of mixed greens, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and lentils. I also had some oil & vinegar dressing on the side.

I really need help with these lentils, I just don’t love them, but I bought a pack of pre-cooked ones and need to use them. Any suggestions?

Dessert was a cup of puffed millet with a little almond butter. I’m loving the texture of the millet.

And then I got baking!

Apple Baked Oatmeal
(serves 4) based loosely off Sarah‘s baked oatmeal recipe.

2 cups raw oats (I used gf)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 flax egg
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1.5-2 cups chopped apples
1 banana mashed (use 2 bananas for sweeter oatmeal)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make flax egg by mixing 1 T ground flax-seed and 3 T water. Set aside. In a larger bowl mix raw oats, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add applesauce and stir until most of the oats are coated or look wet. In another bowl whisk together almond milk and the flax egg. Pour wet ingredients into the dry and stir. Fold in apple pieces. Next, mash banana until it has the consistency of an egg (I use a fork for this), add into the batter and whisk until there are no more banana pieces (this naturally sweetens the oats, if you prefer sweeter oatmeal, add two bananas).

The batter will look like this:

Pour into sprayed casserole dish and bake for 35-40 minutes (mine took 37).

I enjoyed a serving this morning, post-run, with 1/2 sliced banana, 1/3 cup rice milk, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Delicious.

And speaking of that run. I woke up at 5 a.m. to get in a 9 mile run before the heat (although it was already 78 degrees) and the air quality alert went into effect. I felt fine for the first 5 miles and then I started to feel the heat. Luckily, I was still on the lakefront path and stopped by a drinking fountain to splash some water on my face and neck before heading into the city. My Garmin started to malfunction around then so I have no clue what my actual pace was like but there was a much nicer breeze and more shade in the city. I ended up running between 9 and 9.5 miles (Garmin says 9 but gmap-pedometer says 9.5) so my guess is that I ran somewhere in between. Do any other Chicago runners have problems with their Garmins in the city?

Ah! I have another busy day today. Enjoy your Sunday!