Gluten-Free Sprinkled Pancakes

I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning (starting at 27 weeks exactly my body seems to be expanding and aching like crazy.  Hopefully this is just a good sign the twins are growing healthy and strong!)  Instead of making it to my usual Tuesday morning routine of aqua aerobics and 30 minutes of lap swimming, I decided to have a healthy breakfast and walk the dogs.  I did in fact have a very healthy breakfast--sweet pea greens and leafy greens with snap peas and an egg with broccoli....and then half an hour later I was sheepishly whipping up a very birthday-ish breakfast: pancakes with sprinkles!

Why not?  Though they look and taste decadent, they are a healthy pancake option and the only sweetness comes from applesauce and the bit of sprinkles (I highly recommend the gluten-free vegan organic kind without nasty artificial colors and sweeteners).  They are also super light and fluffy thanks to the lemon-nondairy milk mixture which imitates buttermilk nicely.

For a fast, yummy and fun breakfast (I'm adding this to my list of fun kid friendly food for when our girls are older), try this recipe!  Kids and adults will love this, and I do think it would be a great holiday, birthday or hey, random Tuesday treat! 

Gluten-Free Sprinkled Pancakes
yields 8-10 small pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free oat flour (aka finely ground gf oats)
1 tablespoon baking powder (corn-free like this Hain Pure Foods Featherweight Baking Powder, 8 Ounce)
sprinkle of sea salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice + enough coconut or almond milk to make 3/4 cup
1 egg or egg substitute for vegan version ( Ener-G Egg Replacer or chia mixture)
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons gluten-free organic sprinkles

Directions:

1.  Squeeze lemon juice (approximately 2-3 teaspoons) into a measuring cup and fill with nondairy milk until it totals 3/4 cup.  Stir and set aside to thicken slightly.

2.  Finely grind gluten-free oats in a food processor or coffee grinder until it resembles flour.
3.  Add baking powder and sea salt to oat flour, whisk and set aside.

4.  Mix egg or egg substitute of choice into "buttermilk" followed by applesauce and extracts then pour this into the dry mixture, stirring until combined.

5.  Gently fold gluten-free organic vegan sprinkles (I love Let's Do Organic Sprinkelz Organic Confetti Sprinkles) into pancake batter.

6.  Heat a griddle or pan, spritz with oil of choice and portion out 1/4 cup of batter per pancake.
Once bubbles form and it is set, flip and cook another two minutes, until pancakes are golden and fluffy.

7.  Serve plain, with syrup, honey or applesauce and additional sprinkles.

Gluten-Free Morning Glory Muffins

I actually made these up awhile ago; I was inspired by a very delicious muffin I had in San Francisco awhile ago, at the only gluten-free bakery I could find that I could actually have.  It was such a great muffin that I made my husband walk about 4 miles two days in a row to get one, and I'm still regretting not stocking up and freezing some.

Luckily they listed their ingredients online, and though I didn't have all the ingredients, nor did I use the large amount of sugar they definitely did, I was still able to come up with a pretty hearty and tasty morning muffin.  I also love that they fill you up for hours, especially when you bake giant, jumbo-sized ones like I did.

Gluten-Free Morning Glory Muffins

 yields 14 regular muffins or 6 jumbo and 1 mini loaf

Ingredients:

½ cup raisins

1 granny smith apple

3 carrots

1-1/4 cup gluten-free oat flour

1 cup brown rice flour

2 tablespoons tapioca flour

½ cup sucanat or coconut sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/3 cup chopped pumpkin seeds or walnuts

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

3 eggs

2/3 cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil

2 teapsoons pure vanilla extract

¼ cup orange juice

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin or 6-cup jumbo tin with coconut oil or line it and spray the insides of the muffin cups.

2.  In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup raisins with hot water, and set aside to soak.

3.  Cut a apple into 5-6 pieces and place in food processor with 3 medium carrots and pulse until chopped pretty fine.

4.  Stir dry ingredients together.  Add drained raisins, carrot and apple to bowl, along with coconut, walnuts and sunflower seeds.

5.  Whisk eggs, oil, vanilla and juice and add to the above mixture, mixing just until combined.  Fill each muffin cup almost to the top and bake for 20-25 minutes for regular muffins or 30-34 min for jumbo, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

6.  Cool several minutes on a wire rack, and enjoy!

Copycat recipe: Lemon Vanilla Chia Bars

I took inspiration from an early morning snack by the beach yesterday for this recipe.  I wanted to recreate Kit's Organic Lemon Vanilla Chia Seed energy bars, and came up with a close enough version that is quite tasty, and best of all, super easy!  Scroll below the recipe for my top healthy energy bar picks that will fuel you, and not weigh you down as you achieve great things each day--whatever that looks like for you!

Lemon Vanilla Chia Bars
Yields 4 energy bars

Ingredients:
6 organic medjool dates, pitted (or 1/2 cup dates)
1/2 cup raw organic pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup dried apple, packed
2 tablespoons chia seeds
3/4 to 1 tablespoon lemon zest, loosely packed
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
1.  Mix all ingredients in a food processor, adding 1-2 teaspoons of water as needed for mixture to stick together.

2.  Press into a wax-lined loaf or similar pan, and freeze or chill to set for 20 minutes.  Slice and wrap in plastic wrap for a portable bar!  Store in the fridge sealed to last several days.

As you can see, I don't always have the time to make my own bars (especially when I'm usually selling them, hehe--don't worry, one day Running Girl Bakery treats will be available outside the Monterey Bay area!)

So when I do grab a meal substitute or snack on the go, I want to be sure it's completely gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free, and usually nut-free and vegan.  I like energy bars that fill me up but don't weigh me down, and most importantly, taste good.  If it tastes terrible, why eat it?  Life's too short for that nonsense.  So if you'd like my allergy-free recommendations, here you go!

Running Girl's Fave Non-Homemade Energy Bars :
all available at natural food stores on through Vitacost


1.  Kit's Organic Fruit & Seed Bars: two flavors, Lemon Vanilla Chia Seed and Cherry Pumpkin Seed are my snack or meal when I'm on the go and want a sweet treat with simple, healthy and organic ingredients and nothing hidden or sneaky.

follow me on Instagram! @runninggirlhealth

 2.  Squarebars: Oh-em-gee.  Really, I wish I had invented these.  This one of my favorite protein bars that gets its protein from pea and hemp (love that hemp protein), and it tastes like dessert.  This is my treat snack or dessert when I want to satisfy a chocolate craving but not indulge.  Also, if you're having a crappy day, have one with herbal tea.  Problem solved.  My favorite is Cocoa Mint, followed by Cocoa Crunch then close behind, Cocoa Coconut.  My husband's favorite is Cocoa Cherry--unfortunately I can't handle chocolate with cherry. Or chocolate with blueberries or raspberries.  I know it is a normal thing to mix fruit and dessert but I had bad experience as a child in a candy shop on the Oregon Coast that involved me vomiting everywhere.  Whoa I digressed.  You'll love Squarebars, I promise you.  It tastes nothing like a healthy food, yet it is!  Literally it may tie with my Chia Chocolate Chip Cookie for being the yummiest treat ever.

There are a select few bars I can eat without getting sick.  Almonds are the only nut I can tolerate in certain amounts, and I've learned some energy bars with almonds work for me, though most don't.  In terms of protein, I have another favorite:

3.  Exo Protein Bars: Apple Cinnamon flavor, followed by Cocoa Nut.  These are the only nut-containing protein bars on my list, but they are delicious.  I love the sustainably, eco-friendly protein source of cricket flour (yes, cricket flour!) and I suspect we'll be seeing a lot more food items made from crickets soon. Click here to try them out and enter code AFL10 to receive 10% off!

4.  CoGo Bars: These are tricky to find outside of Oregon.  I know they exist in several natural food stores.  This used to be my favorite bar (both the chocolate and apricot ones are amazing) and I still enjoy them though I prefer them as a light meal or snack, not necessarily a pre-workout fuel source or post-workout replenishment.  If they had more protein I'd be excited, but they are a still super-delicious organic allergen-free option. The apricot hemp one I think is a little better because it's less sweet, and I love they that have quinoa in them when you need a little more carbs.

Thats about it for now for the yummy bars that my sensitive stomach (and taste buds) can handle.  What are your favorites?  Have you had any of these?  Let me know in the comments if I missed a great bar that I need to know about!

Progess, rather than Perfection

If you don't have a dog, volunteer at a shelter or walk with a friend who does.
They really do make great best friends! 

Whether you're browsing my site for a clean eating treat recipe or seeking out a health or wellness tip: thank you!  Thank you for taking the time to visit my site, and thank yourself for taking a moment to seek out material to further you on your journey to an active healthy lifestyle.

If you're looking for a healthy treat recipe, stay tuned for my Runner Bar post coming up soon: this seriously good energy bar has healthy carbs, fat and ample protein and is sweetened with goodies such as dates and a touch of maple syrup.

OK you caught me: I considered calling it a Fertility Bar, but that sounds disgusting and only for women.  This yummy bar has ingredients that may help with fertility, but whether you're hoping for a baby or looking to fuel your run, it is a healthy way to treat your body and provide energy and nourishment.  So check back soon for that post!

As you may know from previous posts, I struggle with fertility and some past disordered eating and am still on my journey accepting my miscarriage and trying to stay in a positive place to keep trying.  With tools such as prayer, community and yes, therapy, I feel like I'm on the right track.  There are so many ways to find acceptance with your body, and it is a little cheesy, but it is absolutely a journey.  I face setbacks all the time, but remind myself that the goal is progress, not perfection.  There is no perfect body, no perfect life: life is meant to be imperfect, and my huge focus is to be happy and confident with where I am this moment.

"I'm in [this] earth suit that we call a body, but it does not define me." This quote by Jessica Raymond make me laugh at first.  I had to go back to listen to the episode again (number 5 on her podcast, the Recovery Warrior Show).  At first I could only picture the scene from Men In Black referring to the "Edgar Suit" (if you don't know what I'm talking then here you go: the Edgar Suit Clip), but when I got serious and really absorbed what she was saying, it hit me.  This is so true: why do most people let their bodies define them?  Losing 5 pounds or having a slimmer waistline might give you a temporary confidence boost, but it won't change who you are.  And being happy with who you are--not just your physical self--is what I believe to be an important key to overall confidence, happiness and wellbeing.  Thanks for bearing with me as I get a little hippie on you (I am from Oregon, after all).  I would love your feedback if you'd like more of these style posts, but if all you want is recipes and more recipes, then I encourage you to click over and look through my previous posts!

I woke up early this morning to do a PiYo workout (more detailed review coming soon) and absolutely loved it.  I had to be mindful; at first I wanted to do a high intensity workout (or HIIT training as most people seem to call it) but when I forced myself to stop, take a moment for prayer, stretch, and then start a short 25 min PiYo lower body workout, I realized I am in love with the feeling of gentle exercise, too.  There's a time and place for a long run or intense sweat sesh, but it's not every day.  I'm giving up keeping my body in a constantly stressed state, and committing to working in more gentle yoga and Pilates into my routine.

I hope you too can find ways to relax and destress when you need it, and I don't mean just by zoning out in front of the TV.  Sit down and breathe for 20 minutes, doing nothing but sitting: no phone or writing or anything.  Then try 30.  (Warning: if you're an always on the go or perfectionist-type, this is hard).  Get up and walk your dog or with a partner.  Call a friend.  Listen to an inspiring podcast.  Stretch and move.  Clean, garden, bake: do something that inspires and relaxes you and fills you with confidence.

Check back for my next delicious recipe (here's a little preview for you) and do something good for your body today!

The Runner Bar: Unbelievably good!