Walnut Honey "Shortbread"

These little bites are slightly sweet and have a hint of the light melt-in-your-mouth quality that shortbread embodies.  They are a breeze to make, and taste best chilled or frozen but can also be eaten seconds after making.  When frozen I think they resemble shortbread even more in terms of consistency.

If you're sensitive to nuts, you can use all seeds or whatever ratio of nuts work for you.  For me, I use 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup sunflower seeds as the first ingredient, or even 1/4 cup walnuts and 3/4 cup seeds.  On a hot day, especially after a run/walk/swim/what-have-you, it is pretty amazing to have a couple straight from the freezer.  They will stay soft yet be delightfully chill, making them a perfect summer treat.

Today after a lap swimming workout, I enjoyed a couple for a post workout treat and I must say they are one of my new favorites!  Speaking of lap swimming, I aim for 30-45 minutes per session and recently discovered the joy of creating a plan to make the swim time fly by.  A sample workout would be to do the following, repeating it if you'd like!

1.  Warm up 4 leisurely laps either freestyle or breaststroke
2.  Swim 4 laps at a higher exertion with a kickboard fluttering your legs keeping your head in the water and taking breaths as you would in freestyle.
3.  Swim 5 laps at a medium intensity.
4.  Leisurely swim 2 laps backstroke or sidestroke.
5.  With a float between your thighs, swim 2-4 laps using just the upper body.  Squeeze the float as much as you can with your thighs, even making little pulses.
6.  Swim 4 to 8 laps at a medium to higher intensity/speed.
7.  Cool down, 2-3 laps super easy.

Note: though I was forced to be on the swim team for years as a child, I'm no coach: I just took an online workout and tweaked it to my enjoyment/capability.  Use it as a loose guide and enjoy!  Now that I'm pregnant with my giant twin belly, the pool feels amazing and I can always count on swimming as a good way to exercise with no pressure on my joints.

Walnut Honey Shortbread
yields 16 cookies or so

Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup gluten-free oats
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 2-1/2 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup
(my lovely friend makes a similar cookie using stevia; use stevia to taste and omit the sweetener for a sugar-free version)
1 tablespoon coconut oil (soft, not melted)
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Directions:

1.  Food-process the nuts (or seeds if substituting), and coconut.  Once it is pretty mixed and mealy, add in the rest of the ingredients.  Start with 1 tablespoon of water, adding more only as necessary for dough to stick together.
2.  Roll into 1 or 2 tablespoon-sized balls or discs and chill.  Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
3.  Enjoy!

Simple Cherry Date Bites

These fruit and seed balls are a breeze to make and only require three ingredients! (or four, if you opt to sprinkle in a dash of sea salt).  They also take about 1 minute to make, so it's a good quick snack to make.  They store well in the fridge, and you can easily pop some into a bag to take with you for an energy boost while at work, school or on the go.

Simple Cherry Bites

Ingredients:
6 to 7 medjool dates
1/3 cup dried unsweetened cherries
1/3 to 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
dash of sea salt
water, if needed

Directions:
1.  In a food processor, mix the dates (pitted), cherries, seeds and salt.  Sprinkle in water if needed for mixture to come together.
2.  Roll into little balls and eat or chill to firm up more.  Store extras in a sealed container in the fridge.  They will keep for several days and are very versatile; add in chia seeds for omegas and protein or nut or seed butter if you'd like a snack that's a little more filling.

Cinnamon Spice Zucchini Cake

This is a great, easy "cake" that can easily be a breakfast, snack, or dessert option.  It's also a good way to sneak in zucchini (especially if you have zucchini growing in your garden like crazy still) and also obtain a bit of that fall-is-coming spicy cinnamon aroma wafting through your house.

To be honest, I'm pretty excited about autumn and was planning on baking something with pumpkin and cinnamon, but since I didn't have any pumpkin in the house, I figured using up extra zucchini would be more productive and useful anyways.  This is also a really fast recipe; stir it up and bake 30-35 minutes and done!  (A little extra time maybe for the optional glaze, but really, it's a snap).

I ate two pieces and then the hubby and I walked the dogs along Asilomar Beach--today there was a triathlon taking place on the road near our walk, so I felt extra lazy stuffed full of breakfast cake walking while cyclists huffed and sweated as they streaked past us.  But hey, what else are Sundays for?? (Pregnancy has its perks, like when I eat two pieces of healthy-ish cake for breakfast and don't really care).  Or hey if you're not pregnant, and just want a great morning--I say dig in!

Cinnamon Spice Zucchini Cake
Yields 9x13" cake
12-16 pieces

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
3/4 cup nondairy yogurt OR 6 TBSP ground chia + 9 TBSP water OR 3 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raw cane sugar
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
2 cups All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour or oat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups shredded raw zucchini

Directions:

1.  If using coconut oil, warm the applesauce and melt the coconut oil before stirring together.  Add in eggs or egg substitute, vanilla and sugars and whisk well. (If using chia seeds and water, as always, let it sit and gel at least a few minutes).  If using olive, sunflower or avocado oil, no need to heat the oil or applesauce.
2.  Whisk the dry ingredients together.  I used 2 cups Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour and 1/2 cup brown rice flour, but any flour blend might well except for coconut flour; that will make the recipe super dry.
3.  Stir in zucchini last, and pour into a greased or lined 9x13" pan.
4.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350F degrees.  (Check after 30 minutes; my oven baked it perfectly at 33-34 minutes.)  Your oven may take up to 40 minutes; a good way to tell is you'll start smelling it and when a toothpick is inserted into the cake, it comes out clean.

5.  Let cool, cut and serve.  Serve plain or whisk creamed honey, organic powdered sugar, and a few drops of water to glaze.  Store leftovers in an airtight container.  I prefer not to refrigerate baked goods as it will dry them out much faster.

P.S. want pretty reusable cake pan liners?  I'm obsessed with my easy-to-wash and very presentable Ikea Drommar Cake Doilies!

For the optional glaze:

I used Trader Joe's creamed honey and organic powdered sugar (corn-free)

Stir together honey and sugar, adding a little water if necessary 

Aim for a smooth texture with little to no sugar clumps--spreadable or drizzle-able is good

Spread, drizzle or squeeze out of a plastic bag for desired look.  Enjoy!

Leftover Quinoa Pancakes

Some mornings, I wake up ravenously hungry.  You would think I had put in a long run the day before but nope, it's just my new lap swimming and walking routine and oh yes, growing twin girls!

Yes unfortunately I'm no longer allowed to run for the duration of my pregnancy, but it has been a surprisingly easy adjustment to slip into swimming laps a few times a week, and maintain gentler yoga and barre-type workouts combined with long dog walks and the occasional easy bike ride.  I'm definitely moving slower these days and at a lower intensity, but I'm pretty much hungry all the time.

heading out to walk and swim...all the while thinking of what to eat for lunch

Often I lay in bed a few minutes after I wake, dreaming up what I'll have for breakfast.  This morning, I couldn't be bothered to cook anything, so I ate a leftover organic veggie patty and spinach from last night's dinner, followed by an umeboshi onigiri an hour later (Japanese snack of sushi rice, seaweed and umeboshi that I could eat everyday).

Yesterday though was a different story.  I wanted pancakes, and as I pondered what kind to make, I remembered the leftover quinoa in the fridge.  I wondered if I could do an easy eggy quinoa pancake, and it turns out--yes!  It's easy, fast, nutritious and pretty filling.  So whether you're toting around a baby or two, or just heading out for your typical active day, you'll appreciate this easy quinoa pancake.

Quinoa Pancake
yields 4

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cup leftover cooked quinoa
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon crystallized honey or date sugar (optional)

Directions:
1.  Mix all ingredients into a bowl.
2.  Heat a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat and add a spritz of coconut oil or avocado oil or oil of choice.
3.  Spoon batter into the pan, in a circle shape.  I cooked two at once, and ended up with 4 medium pancakes.  Flip once batter is set and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, and flip for the other side for a remaining 2 minutes.
4.  Serve with honey or syrup or fresh fruit.  Enjoy!

*I drizzled mine with raw honey.  These pancakes soak up moisture fast, so it ended up being a fluffy spongey honey quinoa taste, which I loved.

By late afternoon, it's pretty much reading, resting and cuddle time with Yogi...we're both wishing we had more pancakes

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!

Favorite Workout Tools

Trail running while listening intently to a podcast

I know yummy allergen-free fueling recipes are great (who doesn't get excited about trying a new recipe post-run? What?  Not everyone?).  But sometimes I do excited about other things too, and on the days I'm not just slipping on shoes and going for a run or walk with the pups, I do have some fitness tools I like to utilize to switch it up.  SO here are the things I can't live without on my fitness journey.

1.  Fitness DVDs.  I used to abhor fitness DVDs, probably due to a cheerleading conditioning elective class in high school in which a teammate's mom "coached" us by making us do the original Billy Blanks Tae Bo videos over and over.  Now though, I see the appeal of rolling out of bed and into the living room to do an early morning yoga or Pilates workout without worrying about my appearance or having to take more than a few steps to get on my mat.

Plus, when it's dark out or terrible weather, or when I'm traveling, it's an easy way to switch up my workout.  My current favorite is PiYo for low impact, but I also have DVDs ranging from Burlesque to gentle yoga to Insanity.

2.  My Yoga Mat(s).  Ok, I have about 5.  But my favorite has always been my lululemon The Mat.  Thanks to being a former lululemon employee as well as an on and off yoga instructor for 5 years, I have had the opportunity to try out many mats, and this is the one for me.  But really any yoga mat can be used for a variety of exercises and stretching routines.  If I had to keep just one thing besides my running shoes, it'd definitely be a yoga mat.

Yogi gets a little jealous when I roll out the mat instead of clipping his leash on

3.  My iPod.  And no, not for music.  I actually embarrassingly have usually 0 to 5 songs on my iPod, and it's the original nano I've had for years.  I got into listening to NPR and audiobooks a couple years ago and that's definitely my secret to hanging in their for the long run days.  I also love podcasts, and if it weren't for my iPod or phone, I'd probably take the dogs on much shorter walks.  Turns out though when you're listening to an interesting story or learning something new, you can walk or run miles and miles without realizing it.  Check out my post on my favorite podcasts HERE.

4.  My Bosu Ball.  Although there are many challenging bosu workouts out there, I usually use mine to sneak in a little exercise or flexibility training.  Sometimes I stand on it when I'm at the computer or blogging or doing any task where I can balance on the ball and work on heel raises and squats.  Occasionally I look up a YouTube workout or make up my own routine until I work up a sweat, but for the most part it's a stealthy relaxing way to strengthen and tone.

Check out the Bosu Ball complete with pump and bosu here:
BOSU Balance Trainer, Blue

5.  My aqua belt.  Yes, I love aqua jogging, preferably along in a pool with my iPod in a little baggie clipped to the top of my bun while I hustle up and down the pool.  I love it, and I love having my own  belt so it doesn't seem so public-pool germy.  I can vouch for this one working fantastic and lasting for years so far:

  

5.  Light weights, flexibility band, medicine ball, Garmin watch, gliding discs: there's a lot more things I like to use on occasion, but those four are my definite favorites.  I'd love to know what you like to do or what equipment you use on your non-running days!

Mediterranean Vegetable Salad

I love using cauliflower because it's so versatile.  Raw, pureed, roasted; there's a long to be said for what at first glance seems to be a pretty bland veggie.

I did a revamp of my raw cauliflower couscous from a couple years back, and with a more flavorful dressing and more fresh vegetables, it was just what I didn't realize I wanted: a fresh, flavorful crisp salad dish that is absolutely perfect for a warm summer day or evening.

I was lucky enough to receive a sample of Black Cumin Oil from Vom Fass USA,  whom has a great selection of oils vinegars and more including some organic options.  The Black Cumin Oil blended perfectly with fresh lemon juice and spices in this light dish, and I encourage you to give it a try!  It's a perfect side dish or light meal, and keeps well refrigerated for several days.

Mediterranean Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped and and packed
1/3 cup mint leaves, loosely chopped
2-1/2 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup green olives, diced
1 medium cucumber, diced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small lemons, juiced
2-1/2 tablespoons Black Cumin Oil
1 teapsoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Red Ape Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.  Rinse all vegetables (use a organic vegetable wash first if desired--that's my go-to way to get rid of any potential pesticides lingering on produce).
2.  In a food processor, add the cauliflower a little at a time, pulsing just until it looks like coarse grains or rice.  Add the parsley, mint, onions, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for a few pulses.
3.  Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add chopped cucumber, olives, and fresh tomatoes.
4.  In a small dish whisk fresh lemon juice with cumin oil and apple cider vinegar.  Toss salad in the dressing, adding a little more lemon juice or oil if needed.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, adding more to taste if desired.
5.  Serve at room temperature or chilled for a refreshing light meal.