It was amazing how good I felt after the half marathon on Sunday.  Nothing was sore. In fact, I got up early, rode the recumbent bike for 30 minutes, did 25 minutes of legs and abs, then took Shane out for an easy but energized 3 1/4 miles. 

I thought for sure I’d be sore the day after pushing myself a bit harder for 13 miles. In fact, when I hit mile 10 during the race, I was really ready to stop.  The last 3 miles were tough but I found enough to push it hard over the finish line. 

Here’s a quote that pretty much says it all by John Elliott (taken from Runnersworld quotes):

Races always evoke some dread about pain that will come.  But we can’t escape the fact that the more discomfort we accept in a race, the faster we will run.  Successful racing means courting the pain.

Dessert any one?

This recipe will shock your socks off. It sounds pretty iffy regarding the ingredients. In fact, I had a tough time trying to imagine how it would taste. But Renee Loux sure knows how to pair ingredients.  In fact, she says

“Chocolate and avocado may sound like an unusual couple, but when these anti-oxidant and omega rich champions get together, the results are scrumptious”

So proceed with all your hesitations but I’m warning you, once you taste the result, you’ll wish you had DOUBLED the recipe. I did.

Makes 2 servings

• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• *Renee suggests 2 TBS organic evaporated cane juice or sugar but I didn’t use it and didn’t miss it.
• *Renee suggests 1 tsp of coconut oil, the mile aroma type. I didn’t use any additional oil and again, didn’t miss it.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp shoyu or soy sauce
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 pint fresh blueberries
• Mint leaves to garnish

In a food processor, blend the avocado, maple syrup, vanilla, vinegar, and soy sauce (also the cane juice/sugar and oil if using).  Mix until creamy.  Add the cocoa powder and blend again until smooth and creamy.  

Put some blueberries at the bottom of parfait or martini glasses, top with some chocolate avocado mixture, and top that with more blueberries.  Garnish with mint and allow to chill for an hour before serving.

Ever use avocado in a dessert before?

Lucky Betty!  She has such a delicious dessert named after her.  She will never be forgotten. 

This week’s recipe from CEimB, is hosted by Jessica of Learning to Love Vegetables.

Although the photos look dark (ok…burnt), the dessert was perfect.  You see, I used molasses in place of the brown sugar which colored my wheat bread a very dark, almost black color before it was cooked.  The result:  Excellent!  We really loved the molasses, not too sweet flavor.  For the original recipe, go to Jessica’s site or HERE for the foodnetwork online version.  The Apple Crumbles version goes like this…..

• 3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced *Ellie uses 5 large apples
• 1/2 cup apple cider  *Ellie uses 1 cup
• 3 TBS molasses, divided  *Ellie uses brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided  *Ellie uses 1 tsp
• 1 TBS Promise Healthy Heart margarine, melted  *Ellie uses 2 TBS Butter
• 3 slices of whole wheat bread, chopped up really small  *Ellie uses the same amount with more apples than I used.
• 3 TBS chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F

Combine apples, cider, 1 TBS molasses, vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon in large pan over medium high heat. Cook and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and pour into a 9” pie plate.

Mix the chopped bread pieces with the melted Promise margarine, mix with the walnuts, remaining molasses, cinnamon and scatter over apple mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Excellent choice Jessica!  There is only one small morsel remaining and I have dibs!

Wish me luck guys!  I’m off to Kansas for the California Raisin Bread competition featuring my Morning Glory Buns.

Ellie describes this weeks recipe pick by Leslie of Lethally Delicious as “Nirvana – a silky smooth delight…”   We could not have agreed more.

So easy…

2 ripe mangos – peeled and cubed

1 1/2 cups non fat yogurt

2 TBS honey

2 cups ice

Put all the above in your blender and enjoy.

My parents ate it with a spoon because my father was annoyed by the Mango Mustache…

As I walked into the kitchen to bring my empty glass to the sink, I heard…

“Oh! A little bit of rum would be delightful in this!”   Then there was “Ted….do you have any Grand Marnier?”  .  Guess Dad had second thoughts on the rum.

There was a little disruption of chairs and the pitter patter of BIG feet, “CLUNK” as a bottle was set down on the table.  Then I heard my mother squeal “ OHHHHHH!” 

Peering into the dining area, I see my father with a sheepish grin on his face and the bottle of Grand Marnier.  My poor mother is shaking her head as if to shake the strong taste of liquor off her tongue. 

Personally, I thought the drink was 100% perfect in its original form.

Ted’s only complaint was   BRAIN FREEZE.

Great pick Leslie.  We had fun with this one.

Today was the first day of the new workout.  Remember the one I showed you: Get Your Body Back Weeks 3 and 4? Today begins week 3.  This is today’s workout ( I changed Day 6 on the plan to my Day 1 because I don’t want sore or tired legs going into the weekend):  Quads & Hams

• Barbell squat 4 sets:  15, 12, 10, 8 *Last two of all the exercises are to failure and need to be heavy
• Hack squat 4 sets: 12, 10, 10, 8 *
• Leg Extension 3 sets:  12, 10 , 10*
• Walking Dumbbell Lunge 2 sets:  12, 12* These two sets are both to failure
• Romanian Deadlift 4 sets:  15, 12, 10, 8*
• Seated Leg Curl 4 sets: 12, 10, 10*

A warm up of a 3.25 mile treadmill run was just right to get the blood flowing.  The weight workout was followed by a healthy fast paced walk (jogging in places) of 3.4 miles.

Today’s AM good eats:  weekday oats, fruit and a healthy protein shake. 

1/3 cup dry Steel Cut Oats cooked with 1/4 of a banana and dried cranberries.

Chocolate PB Spiru-Teen Shake with raspberries

I felt good. Maybe it was due to enjoying this little treat after dinner.  I don’t usually indulge in desserts but this one somehow made it into my mouth after I took the photo….What is fruitola?  It is a delicious mixture of fruit and your favorite healthy granola, baked like a “fruit crisp”. 

 Baked Fruitola – Serves 8

1. 2 apples – peeled and sliced thin
2. 1 peach – peeled and sliced
3. 1/4 cup lemon juice
4. 1  cup Granola
5. 1 tsp cinnamon
6. 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
7. 8 oz Unsweetened applesauce

Peel and slice the fruits and mix with the lemon juice and vanilla.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the bottom of a baking dish with non stick spray and add the lemony fruit.  Sprinkle with cinnamon. Top with the granola.  Top the granola with the applesauce.

   Cover and bake for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, uncover and continue baking 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn the top over with a fork so you just mix the baked applesauce and granola – don’t mix the fruit slices at the bottom.

Turn the oven to broil and when hot, put the “Fruitola” back into the oven for 2 1/2 minutes.  Serve with light whip cream or frozen low fat vanilla yogurt.

It’s back to work after a terrific weekend spent in Newport.  I’m ready to get things moving again with all the hope of it being another busy week for orders.  Happy Monday!