Monday, May 31, 2010

Blueberry Corn Muffin - Delicious!

I saw blueberry corn muffins the other day on Kitchen Addiction.

I've been craving sweets and hankering to make something. I also need to think about recipes for my defense next Monday! ONE WEEK!!

I decided to modify the recipe and take out some flour. I've been very flour conscious with my recipes lately and prefer to minimize the gluten. In my head, it is also healthier. I also did this instead of going on a run or going to hot yoga. It just wasn't in the cards for me today. I do need to pick a race so that I can have something to train for.



I love almonds!


Recipe:

3/4 cup corn meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
dash of salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup shredded coconut

(mix all dry together)

1 egg
1/4 canola oil
2/3 cup vanilla hemp milk
3/4 cup plain greek yogurt

(mix all wet ingredients)

(mix wet ingredient into dry ingredients)

1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

(mix into wet/dry mixture)

Spray cupcake pan
Fill
Bake for 20-25 minutes in 400F oven

Finished (delicious) Project!

This was absolutely awesome with some butter. I had two. I couldn't help myself. It was great and not too sweet. It tasted like corn bread. I heart corn bread!!!!



Monday, May 17, 2010

Something "Healthy" for a Healthy Dose of Vitamin D and Activity!

Friday and Saturday were fantastic for outdoor excursions! On Friday, I read my thesis outside (yay! 3 more weeks until a Masters degree is mine for the taking!) and then went for a run at Discovery Park with my friend, Michelle, who I haven't seen in ages. I also got the GREEN light from Dr. Green to run and bike and do more things, of course, I go at them full force!


I didn't really have much energy to do anything Friday night and I knew Saturday was probably going to test me, since Manny and I were going on a bike ride and I haven't ridden outside in ages. I had a sweet tooth and didn't really want to go to the store to buy anything, plus, I really really really want to stay healthy and cut out even more sugar. I gotta get that bathing suit bod somehow...Hawaii is June 30. I took a look in the fridge and in the pantry. I wanted to use up some stuff that's just been sitting there (aka quinoa and some pumpkin seeds)...so this is what I came up with...it's not an exact science because I was just throwing things together, but I think it came out pretty tasty...I've been eating it for bfast, lunch and dinner.

In a bowl combine:
1 block silken tofu (mash with masher)
approximately 1 cup oatmeal
approximately 3/4 cup quinoa
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 handfuls pumpkin seeds
2 handfuls dark chocolate chunks
1 tablespoon vanilla

Combine...add flour to get a consistency you are happy with...so, not too soupy but not cookie dough like. A good batter consistency is desirable.

Place in a pan sprayed with oil. Drizzle with honey.

Place in 350F oven for approximately 30-40 minutes. Let the middle set. If the middle giggles then keep that sucker in there. :)

Below is a picture with a HUGE piece taken out. Mmm...it's best warm when the chocolate melts a little in your mouth! Plus, look at my new cast iron skillet! :)

I took a piece of this tasty treat with me on the bike ride. Manny and I went to Bainbridge Island. I've never been there before and it was a great day for a bike ride and a great day to lay on the beach. I was going to wear my bathing suit but I decided not to...but I should have. One lady stopped me on the side of the rode and yelled "Girl Power!" haha That's because I was waiting for Manny at one of the turns. He's such a trooper and did such a good job!


We biked to the State Park on the island. Next time, I want to go around the whole thing. We then went to the Cheese Festival in downtown Seattle. I recently found out that I have a love-hate relationship with cheese. I love, it hates. Boooo. I didn't have any. I waited til I got home and quickly whipped up an awesome smoothie.

1 heaping scoop Vanilla Rice protein powder
1 scoop Amazing Grass Berry flavor
2 handfuls spinach
1 banana
1 cup frozen berries
Rice Milk to fill...well approx 1-1.5 cups

It was fabulous! I stretched, took a shower and vegged.

Sunday was nice but kind of lazy. I went to hot yoga and the guy was great. Jo and I got a great stretch and I was amped and ready to go for this morning's workout at SassyFit. Now for school and lots of work and a track workout later tonight!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

It's a Resolution

I haven't been baking lately. The other day I put together a quick treat that was quite tasty. I don't have any pictures because I was too lazy. I've been slowly snacking on it for breakfast and snacks, so maybe I'll take a picture of that...

It was real quick and used everything I already had in my pantry and fridge. I put the final project in the freezer, and to be honest, the treat isn't bad cold, especially since it's been gorgeous outside. The picture below is from a couple weeks ago at Alki Beach. The weather has been sunny and beautiful, which is good for vitamin D but bad for my allergies. Apparently, the allergy season started earlier this year and has been worse thus far. Nose spray, allegra and nose spray here I come. Sadness.
Ok back to the recipe. I'll call these Baked Oatmeal Goodness.

5-7 packs of instant oatmeal (I had maple and brown sugar, apple and cinnamon, and something else. I just combined all of them because in the end, you are just looking for the quick cooking oats and the sugar that's already in the packets)

4 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

handful dark chocolate chips (plus some for snacking)

3/4 cup coconut milk with licorice spice tea bag that's been soaking (adds a nice spice, if you can really taste it- ps. I'm obsessed with licorice spice tea)

Combine to mix. You can adjust all the wet and dry ingredients depending on what you have and the consistency you like. I suggest that the consistency look like thick cake batter). Spray a pan (any pan) and put in a 350F preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it. The aroma is awesome. It smells like oatmeal and cinnamon. I used to love baked oatmeal back in the dorms in college. I don't think it was a lot of people's favorites, but it was certainly mine.

After cooled, cut up and place in baggies. I store 3/4 of them in the freezer and take out as needed. I've been having one with a smoothie in the morning. I've been following the Green Monster Movement and OhSheGlows.

My smoothies have consisted:
2-3 cups of spinach
1 tablespoon maca powder
1 scoop of Berry Amazing Grass
1 frozen banana
healthy serving of frozen blueberries
1-2 scoop vanilla rice protein powder
coconut milk for the appropriate consistency

Usually makes 2 servings and I can place on in the freezer

Yummm!

Ok! Oh Glory Day! I got the official word of approval from the doc. I can start running and riding outside. No, I can't row yet or olympic lift...well, the physical therapist said I can do 20# cleans but he gave me this look like don't you dare over do it!

The New Years resolution is back on....for those of you that don't know, I am giving myself a year or year and a half to run a 7 minute/mile 5k. It comes out to a little over 21 minutes. I've also been doing the Sassyfit bootcamp. It's been pretty good. It's definitely meant for women and the crowd is early 20s to early 40s. Earlier this year, I had been religiously tracking my food. I think I'll start doing that again. I like to see how healthy (or unhealthy) I'm eating. It gives me a good idea of how my nutrition is effecting my workouts and sleep. I feel that there is a big correlation between the two, especially since I'm pretty slow to recover from workouts.

Yesterday I did 1 hour spin class. We did intervals. I'm always wiped afterwards because I have to give 100%, even if the racing is fixed and fake! I wore my UCI Rowing cycling jersey. It seemed to be a big hit. Perhaps, I'll wear my Canada jersey on Thursday. In the evening I did the butt and legs bootcamp at Sassyfit. We did lunges, push ups (I modify...in case my pt ever gets wind of this), box step ups, one legs slide squats (a paper under on foot and slide out while keeping the weight over the stationary leg), Russian twists (sit on bum and reach the forearm from side to side), wall sits, dips (modified), partner leg toss (lie on back and throw a partner's legs down and try not to touch the ground), side mule kicks (get on all fours and lift the bend leg out to the side and the kick to the side). My rump is sore today. I love sore. I was supposed to wake up at 5:30am this morning but couldn't muster the energy. I'll workout tonight. I'll probably go to Medora's Zumba/Hip Hop class at communityfitness.

I should start updating this more, even if only for myself. I think it will contain more exercise and what I eat in addition to the tasty concoctions I come up with. We'll see. My Masters thesis defense is June 7th, so I think I should get a move on for that too...and the Northwest Biomechanics Conference. I do want to make something nerdy for my thesis presentation. Cupcakes have been requested, perhaps I'll put some crazy worms (not real ones) on them to go with my C.elegans research.

Alrighty. I'm out!