Sweet treats | Apple Crumbles

All In Chocolate Almond Chip Cookies

I should have called this post “Joanne’s Kitchen Experiment” but then again, any time I begin perusing my cupboard shelves without a recipe in hand, anything that comes out of the oven is an experiment. Thankfully, the result was another success. Today I got busy with butter, oats, chocolate covered almonds, chocolate chips and cacao nibs. Ingredients: Makes 2 dozen 1/2 cup + 3 TBS unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 tsp vanilla 2/3 cups skim milk 21/2 cups flour 1 1/4 cups oats 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 cups chopped chocolate coated almonds [...]

By Joanne|2016-10-16T12:54:06-04:00October 16, 2016|Chocolate|2 Comments

Nutty Blondie Gone Bananas

This recipe is not your typical blonde brownie recipe. See for yourself. Lots of nuts with a banana twist. Makes 1, 13 x 9 pan – cut into small squares Ingredients with the directions along the way…the easy way to do it. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with non-stick spray. Cream the following 5 ingredients in a standing mixer for 4 – 5 minutes. Scraping down sides 1/2 way: 1/2 stick butter, room temperature 3 oz Almond paste 2 bananas, over ripe preferred 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 3/4 cup granulated sugar Add [...]

By Joanne|2015-02-22T05:23:38-05:00February 22, 2015|Baking|Comments Off

Nutty Ginger Snap Clusters

It’s the last weekend before Christmas which means times is running out to get all those treats made for gifting and eating. Oh Wait! You still have shopping to do? Yikes! Better check out this easy no-bake recipe for quick treats. But first… …what ways have you been keeping fit this month to deserve a little bit of sweetness? Even though I thought my running was going to be put on a two to three week hold, I’ve managed to find a way to get the miles in without aggravating the left knee any more than it already is. I [...]

By Joanne|2014-12-20T15:20:58-05:00December 20, 2014|cookies|1 Comment

No Bake Nanaimo Bars

After so many 20 mile training runs over the past 11 marathons, you would think that distance would no longer be a “mental” problem. It still gets me worked up, a bit frazzled, and, I’ll admit, grumpy a day or two before. Last week I questioned my 9 mile tempo run which would have totaled 12 miles with warm up and cool down. Then I questioned doing a 20 miler the following day. Then a funny thing happened: instead of running the tempo run, I ran an easy, enjoyable 8. That run changed my outlook for the long run. I [...]

By Joanne|2014-03-10T14:45:56-04:00March 10, 2014|cookies|5 Comments

Pumpkin Crunch and How Training Has Changed

I’ve been fueling my 1 1/2 hour workouts some really good seeds. See below for the recipe. But first…about those workouts… This year I’ve really changed my workouts. 1. No more getting up at 4 am. I give myself 30 to 45 minutes more sleep and sometimes even more if I’m only doing an hour. 2. My weight routine is done FOLLOWING my runs rather than preceding them AND chest/back, arms/shoulders are done on weekends which is why most week days I have more time to stay in bed. 3. I’m stretching after EVERY run. Maybe I should stretch before [...]

By Joanne|2014-03-21T15:46:49-04:00February 7, 2014|Health and Nutrition|6 Comments

Positive Affirmations and Buckeyes

I just put my training plan together for the fall marathons beginning on September 22nd and ending with Syracuse on October 20th. With this long 19 week session comes the need for a little motivation. I started with Positive Affirmations sent daily at 7:30 am to my iPhone. Example: ”Whether you decide you can or you can’t, you’re right” The other boost added to my daily reminder of “feel good” media was a desk top message. Do you use positive messages to overcome doubts and fears? Speaking of marathons, after the Flying Pig in Ohio I figured I’d celebrate my [...]

By Joanne|2013-06-11T16:07:52-04:00June 11, 2013|cookies|4 Comments