chewy.crunchy.melty.creamy.

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This breakfast was purely evil.  It was so hard not to get up and make a second.  Good thing I was out of English muffins.  My favorite hearty + healthy English muffins are the Ezekiel sprouted grain.  I’ve also been out of rolled oats for a week or so [the horror!], so I made this morning’s banana scramble with Bob’s Red Mill high fiber cereal.  It worked great!

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I stuck to my latest recipe for the banana scramble, but I also added 1/2T chia seeds to the mix.  It was topped with peanut butter + peanut butter carob fudge, from yesterday.  I can’t even imagine the goofy look on my face, while chowing down on this sandwich. 

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I couldn’t even sit down before taking a bite!  The best part about this sandwich, is that it actually keeps me as full as my typical bowl of oats.  Not many breakfasts can keep me full that long, even my beloved farro.  Speaking of farro, my local Whole Foods, now has it in the bulk aisle.  They had a sticker on the bin that read “exciting and new!”  GUESS how much it cost???

$12.99/lb!!!!!!  Whaaat!?  And it wasn’t even organic.  The bag I bought at Costco was $8.50 for three pounds and organic.  If you can’t find it around you, trying ordering it.   This is the cheapest I have found online.

Now back to this sandwich…it has all my favorite breakfast components…

chewy.crunchy.melty.creamy.

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I finally made it to the pool today, after a 3 week hiatus.  Since starting swimming last spring, 3 weeks is the longest I’ve been away from the pool.  I typically go twice a week, but with being home in Cleveland, the holidays, and Chris’s week off, it’s been hard to get back!

It felt awesome to be in the pool again.  Although I was still a bit sore from snowboarding on Monday.  My breathing felt good.  I wasn’t gasping for air, but my arms were sore + tired.  Definitely happy with my first swim back.

  • 100m warm up
  • 750m freestyle
  • 250m aqua jogging
  • 250m breast stroke
  • 250m freestyle
  • 250m aqua jogging
  • 150m breast stroke
  • 50m cool down

total length: 2050m = 1.25 miles in 53min

I’ve had a few questions recently about swimming workouts + how to get started.  I’ll be posting on that topic soon!

I got home from the pool, and chugged an almond milk + protein powder mixture, to replenish my muscles.  Then it was time for lunch.  I couldn’t stop thinking about soup leftovers!!

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They were really good the first day, but far better on the second day.

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I toasted up 2T pepitas with a few sprinkles of smoked paprika.  To toast the seeds, I just put them in a dry pan over medium heat, for about 5-8min, until nice and brown.  They started making popping noises + getting puffy when they were about done.

Oh man.  This blew away the avocado topping.  The crunch was awesome.

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slurp.crunch.chew.

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When Chris got home we took off for the gym.  Yes, I already swam today, but I needed to get in some lifting + core work.  I’m really trying to get back into lifting.  It’s something I did a lot during high school + undergrad college.  There are a few free-weight exercises that I do on a regular basis, but I want to put more focus on lifting, and develop a better routine.

Today was all about legs, and I’m definitely going to be feeling it tomorrow!

lunges + bosu ball balancing + leg extensions + leg curls + calf press + leg press

We got home late, so dinner was a hodge-podge of randomness!  My favorite part were the kale chips with Gena’s amazing balsamic tahini dressing.  We both LOVED it.  First, I made the tahini, and then blended in the other ingredients.  I kept it on the thick side, but will be thinning it out to top on salad tomorrow.  YUM.

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I baked the kale chips dry, with just a little garlic + salt, and topped with this amazing sauce.  It was a fun change for an old standby.  Tomorrow, I might even be brave enough to try Gena’s raw banana sushi breakfast.  Depends if my bananas ripen in time!

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There is so much that’s been flowing through my mind lately, on food, exercise, the new year, etc. but I just can’t seem to find the time to get it all out!  I’m hoping tomorrow is a very productive day. 

Goooooodnight!

Ashley

a no bake crunchy treat

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What happens when you open a can of pumpkin?  Well, you have to use it up!  No problemo :)

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Same recipe as yesterday, except the CRUNCH was the end of my protein packed granola.  YUM. 

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I’m feeling about 95% better, just a little stuffy, so I wanted to get to the gym today.  I took off awhile after breakfast to walk to the rec center, which was closed!  Denver city offices were closed today in observance of Cesar Chavez day.  I feel like this is something I should know about but don’t…

So I ended up walking there and back for a total of 1.5m.  When I came home I did 30min hip opening flow from yogadownload.com.  Totatlly amazing!!  My body was feeling completely out of whack from a week parked mainly on the couch.  My hip flexors + hamstrings were tight, as well as my neck + back.  I could tell a HUGE difference just after that short stretch session.  Just lovely :)

Lunch time.  I finally got to buying this yogurt called Noosa.  It is locally made at a dairy farm here in Colorado.  Whole Foods sells their milk + yogurt.  The milk is awesome and noticeably has more flavor.  Well the yogurt was just amazing.  It was creamy and rich with an awesome raspberry flavor.  There was no “fake” taste and it was not too sweet.  It’s not something I’ll buy frequently because the protein is low-ish [5g per serving] but still fun once in awhile.

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I pan satueed a bunch of veggies and wrapped them up in a sprouted grain Ezekial wrap. 

What’s in the mix?

  • broccoli
  • red pepper
  • mung bean sprouts
  • kale

Cooked in:

  • olive oil
  • balsamic
  • apple cider vinegar
  • s+p

Topped with:

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Veggtastic!

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With a side of 4% cottage cheese + noosa raspberry yogurt.

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Chris was itching to get to the rock gym.  I was feeling really good after yoga, so I thought it might be fun.  If my head hurt or anything I could just belay Chris until he was ready to leave.  Snack “to go” style on the way to the gym.

Whatever reader suggested pear + almond butter…thank you! 

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It was great to get back to the rock gym after over a week off.  My body was definitely still pretty tired.  I did not have my full strength, so I didn’t push it.  We climbed a few routes and then did a little bouldering.  SO fun :)

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As soon as I got home I made my way to the kitchen.  I have been meaning to make the 101 Cookbooks recipe for Peanut Butter Krispy Treats.  I made this back in the fall and it was seriously SO good.  They were like rice krispy treats, but better!!

I have been on a gluten free baking kick.  There no substitutions to make this gluten free, which is nice..it started of GF!

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mini-muffin cups

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Normal size muffin pan

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I wanted to see if I could “health” up the recipe a bit.  I think it definitely worked!

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So adorable + delicious.

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Rice, Nut, + Seed Krispies [altered from this recipe]

  • 3/4c unsalted peanut butter
  • 1/2c brown rice syrup
  • 2T maple syrup
  • 1t salt
  • 1t arrowroot starch, dissolved in 1-2tsp water [or tapioca or cornstarch]
  • 3 1/2c unsweetened crisp brown rice cereal [not puffed cereal]
  • 3/4c toasted, chopped almonds [or whatever kind you prefer]
  • 1/4c hemp seeds
  • 3T chia seeds
  • 1/2c ground flax meal
  • 1/2c pepitas
  1. Heat pnut butter, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, and starch mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently.
  2. In a bowl combine salt, cereal, 1/2c almonds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax, and pepitas.  Mix well.
  3. When liquid mixture starts to slightly bubble around the sides, turn the heat off and pour in the dry mixture.
  4. Carefully fold the ingredients together until well combined.
  5. Line 18-24 muffin tins and fill them, to desired amount.  Press with the back of spoon to compact ingredients together.
  6. Sprinkle with remaining nuts + lightly press down.
  7. Refrigerate until set + enjoy!

If you want, instead of using muffin tins you can spread the mixture in a glass baking dish.  Refrigerate and cut when they are set. 

These are suuuuuuuuuuper delicious.  I bet any kid would gobble them right up!  If you want a simpler recipe definitely check out the originial.  It is amazing!

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Off to bed!!  I have to get up early tomorrow…because I have a part time job!  Yes that’s right!  Can you guess where??  Whole Foods!!  Go figure right?  I mean it only makes sense ;)  I’m training this week and excited to get started. 

Night night!!

~Ashley