Exercise Archives | Page 2 of 3

The Marathon Spectator

May 6, 2010

I think I get it now.

I’ve been involved with running events for a long time, since the beginning of college. They were mostly 5Ks and in addition to running a few I’ve been the race coordinator for some too. Despite my involvement and running my first half marathon in March I really didn’t get it until this past weekend.

I’m not sure I was prepared for the excitement, passion and power of the Flying Pig race events in Cincinnati. My husband had planned to run the marathon, his first, since January. I was thrilled to go and support him, but aside from the emotion of seeing him tackle an incredible challenge I thought I would be a simple spectator.

It rained…a lot. As we walked in the dark towards the start line of the full and half marathon there was a mixture of racers ready to go and their support teams holding umbrellas and wrapped in rain gear. As the crowd swarmed around us I couldn’t stifle the tiny voice in my head saying – oh, I wish I was running!

I’m not sure that this was truly how I felt. The thought of doing another 13.1 miles in the rain exhausted me, but the excitement of this specific event had taken over. That is what it is all about. It motivates you. It motivates you out of your comfort zone and beyond what you thought you were capable of.

I stood on 7th street in downtown Cincinnati. It was mile 5, the only place I would get to see my husband before the finish. Usually I’m snapping photos like crazy, but the rain had changed those plans and I had already gotten the flip so wet that it was, well, flipping out on me. It was just me, my eyes, my voice and my hands. So I cheered, and cheered, and cheered.

I remembered what it was like when I ran my half – the rain, the lack of spectator support, how incredibly hard it was because of those two things. I didn’t want to let anyone else go through that, not even at mile 5. So I cheered.

I was moved to tears more times than I could count. I caught runner’s eyes and they smiled as I clapped especially for them. Some said thank you. It was beautiful and it felt amazing that I could relate to them and how they felt at mile 5.

The crowd was loud when large groups of runners came by, but their shouts and cheers dwindled as the hour passed. I was frustrated with this crowd, to say the least. If they understood how these runners had stepped out their comfort zones to run these races, then they should have been willing to step out of theirs to cheer. I know it feels uncomfortable to have only your claps and yells heard in a crowd, but the support is so important.

I had a gentleman come up to me and tell me I was a good cheerer and I explained my half experience a few weeks before. His granddaughters were running their first half. This was one of many interesting conversations I had throughout the day.

The finish line was, of course, the most amazing part of the event. The support was still mixed until a man stood behind me and did more cheering than I had even mustered. We talked about all the people standing by to watch with closed mouths and hands in their pockets. He was frustrated too. I do believe he cheered for each and every person that passed us from that point on.

I had positioned myself just before the last tenth of a mile on the marathon side and watched both half and full runners finish. I was inspired as I saw half marathoners holding hands to cross the line, a woman at least 6-months pregnant jog in, and a man at least 70 lbs. overweight run past me. Think weight is a barrier to fitness? Ha! He finished the half about 20 minutes faster than I did.

I watched marathoners cross the line with smiles on their faces, some with tears in their eyes and others grimacing in pain. Some looked as though they had just run 3 miles instead of 26 and some were nursing an injury. I remember one specific guy who stopped and began walking in front of me and I cheered as loud as I could at him that he was almost there. I turned to watch him start running again on to the finish line. Cheering and support matters.

I had my camera all set up to take the perfect picture of my husband running in. I saw him, started shaking with excitement and sent my finger over my dial throwing my shutter speed out of whack. Good pictures just were not in the cards for us.

I screamed, I yelled, but he didn’t hear. I snapped bad pictures and took off running towards the finish line, knocking over a few people in the process. They all seemed to understand.

He finished in about 4:39. Incredible. Inspiring. He is amazing. I am so proud of him, but never doubted for a minute that he could do it.

And I get it.

It has nothing to do with being athletic, an exerciser or even a runner. It is about the passion and ability to push yourself beyond your perceived capabilities. Even if you never run a half or full marathon, I encourage you to at least go watch one. What you witness will change you and it is a lesson that can be applied to every area of life.

Links to a Healthy Weekend

May 1, 2010

I waited until the perfect time to try it; after all the other treats had gone and day after day of staring at it made the cravings unbearable. You see I got quite the Easter gift this year. My thoughtful husband picked up my Easter gift while in the Chicago airport during a business trip — Vosges Haut-chocolat.

Thus far in my chocolate-tasting experiences, this is the best chocolate I have ever had. I absolutely love it, all the wild flavor combos with the wasabi, peppers, curry, bacon, sea salts. The list goes on and on. When I eat it I feel like one of those people on the tacky chocolate commercials who fall into a relaxing dream-like state of contentment.

It is that good. Promise.

My Easter gift consisted of a 42% deep milk chocolate rooster made with pink Himalayan salt and a 62% dark chocolate bunny made with Tahitian vanilla bean.

First came the rooster. I’m usually a dark chocolate fan, but there was something about the deep milk with its smooth and creamy texture that has me rethinking my preferences. It lacked the bitterness of dark chocolate and was sweet, yet not too sweet. The salt tingles your tongue. A perfect combination.

Next came the bunny. Poor bunny that was at first earless, then headless, and now, all gone. He was full of vanilla bean, and the mix of the bitter, yet sweet bean with the chocolate was nothing short of incredible.

I know. It’s just chocolate, you say. But no, Vosges chocolate is not just chocolate, it is seriously a full food experience.

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Now that I have everyone craving chocolate, I’ll move on to the links. I just had to share my Easter gift with you.

It’s a big weekend around here. My husband runs his first marathon tomorrow! He’s going to do great, but feel free to wish him luck anyway! I get to be a spectator and cheer him on as well as test my camera skills with action photos. I’ll report back on Monday.

Until then, I found some great reads over the past couple weeks that I hope you enjoy too.

It’s Derby time and if you don’t know what a Mint Julep is you need to read this. It’s a big part of Kentucky culture and food history. Cheers!

Homemade Strawberry Applesauce from Reluctant Vegetarian makes great use of those spring berries. It looks very easy to make. I probably shouldn’t, but I just keep picturing it over some ice cream!

Getting College Students to Eat Better Using a Stealthy Strategy is a report from Science Daily about recent research which shows that connecting food to environmental and social issues results in better eating habits. Very interesting and it has worked for me as well.

What Came First: The Chicken or the Cancer? is a guest post on the FRESH website regarding that popular fried chicken company that has decided it wants to donate money to cancer research. Even if you don’t have time to read the whole thing, just go read the last line. Sums it up pretty well.

Tips for Tackling the Hawkers and Savoring the Foods of Singapore is my recent post at The 3 Star Traveler. Lots of food photos from our time there last October!

Nutty Cauliflower Quinoa

March 12, 2010

I have a few races under my belt since first making this nutty cauliflower quinoa, but it still the type of meal I turn to when I need to refuel for running!

Nutty Cauliflower Quinoa | Fake Food Free

With all the running we’ve been doing, me training for my first half marathon and my husband training for his first full, I’ve really been trying to up the vegetable intake in our diet. After reading 50/50 by Dean Karnazes (an incredibly inspiring and informative book even if you are not a runner, by the way), my husband’s request was an increase in dark, leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables.

It’s not that we don’t eat these foods, but with our travel the end of last year and our recent move I’ve had a hard time getting back into the groove with my cooking. Things are getting better though. I’ve been relying some on cauliflower for part of our cruciferous intake.

In the research world, cruciferous veggies get most of their attention for the potential to reduce cancer risk. Cauliflower, specifically, is also an excellent source of vitamins C, K and folate. Cauliflower also happens to be one of my favorite veggies. In addition to liking the flavor, I like that I can prepare it in a variety of ways. We eat it mashed, steamed, raw, and in a bit of a stir-fry or sauté which happens to be how I prepared it for my lunch yesterday.

I had some quinoa left over from a meal earlier this week and I decided to make that the base of my lunch. I chopped the cauliflower in small florets, cooked it in a skillet, and then added some chopped walnuts and spices. To finish it off I combined it with the quinoa for a bowl of whole grain and veggie goodness. The nutty flavor of the walnuts and cauliflower and the seed-like crunch of quinoa paired well with the bold spices of the poultry seasoning I tossed in.

Nutty Cauliflower Quinoa

2015-07-08 09:57:48

Makes: 3 main course servings

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Quinoa

1 cup quinoa, soaked, rinsed and drained
1 ½ cups water
1/8 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cauliflower

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
¼ cup water
¾ cup raw walnuts, chopped
½ teaspoon fine ground salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning

Instructions

Stir together the water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, cover with a secure lid, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Stir in the 1/8 teaspoon of salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and cook until it begins to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the water, reduce the heat just a bit, cover with a lid and allow to cook until the cauliflower is slightly tender, about 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and ensure all the water has evaporated. Add the walnuts (you can also choose to toast them before adding), and cook 2 to 3 more minutes. Add the remaining salt, black pepper, garlic powder and poultry seasoning. Stir to coat the veggie and nuts.
In a large bowl toss together the quinoa, cauliflower and nuts, and serve.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

This post contains affiliate links.

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More info on cauliflower and cruciferous veggies:
WHFoods: Cauliflower
Oregon State University, Linus Pauling Institute: Cruciferous Vegetables

A Big Win and a Good Cause

February 7, 2010

I’m stopping back in this weekend because I just had to share about a great prize I won a couple weeks ago. Macy (my pug) and I won a giveaway on Elizabeth Anne Designs. I honestly have no idea how I get so lucky!

The prize was customized stationery from Lydia & Pugs! I started following the site when I first learned about it on Owned by Pugs, the best dog blog out there. Dawn does beautiful customized artwork of pets and I won the opportunity to have a customized design on note cards. Since Macy loves popcorn and the couch, we combined the two. I received the stationery this week. Just look at how cute it is!

I also wanted to take this weekend to tell you about the organization I’ve decided to support through my half marathon coming up the end of March. I love animals and I wanted to find an organization that helped both animals and people, preferably something more local.

I found what I was looking for with Pawsibilities Unleashed. This non-profit out of Frankfort, KY trains service and therapy dogs for people in need. I’m happy to be raising funds to help train and raise a service pup.

I’ve set up a fundraising page on Give Forward. If this is a cause that happens to be important to you as well I definitely appreciate any contribution. I’m 40% of the way to my goal!

A Quest for Food – Eating for Activity

October 12, 2009

Our third guest post in the Quest for Food series come from Andrea at Off Her Cork. She is a runner and martial artist and her quest for food is all about fueling her body for the activity in which she regularly participates. She’s here to share her tips about eating in a way that keeps her energy levels up.

Hi guys! My name is Andrea and my little place on the web is called Off Her Cork. Our favorite Lori is off being the fabbo globetrotter that she is, so she asked me to do a little guest post for you all. Of course I agreed!

I describe myself as being a runner. I love running and when I don’t get to run, I become very cranky very quickly, which consists of me stomping around and acting all pouty as only a 32 year old can. However, I’m very new to running. I started running in July of 2008 and haven’t looked back since really.

Part of my start for running was to help me lose some weight and to also help my conditioning in order to help my martial arts. Because along with running, my husband and I train in two martial arts during the week as well. We both do Filipino stick and knife fighting and also Muay Thai. I can totally kick my husband’s butt but I’m not one to brag. 😉 This means my schedule is pretty jam packed!

Since running is still new to me, I’m still figuring out how my body works and responds to the activity. I’m currently training for my second half marathon which will be next month (eeep!), towards the end of October. Because I run and do martial arts, fueling properly is pretty important. One of the things that is drilled home for runners is that you need carbs. Carbs are good for you and you need to load up!

From my experience, I have to put a twist on this and say:

Find what works best for your body and make sure to eat smart carbs. Smart carbs are carbs that come from whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa), fruit, whole grain or whole wheat bread, and whole wheat or whole grain pasta. Not basic white semolina pasta. Not white rice or white bread. These are not beneficial and are just empty calories. If you work your body, you need to feed your body and feed it well.

Of course I’m still learning as I go along, but I have found for me personally carbs are okay but not enough. I need protein as well. To help my body recover from a run, I need three things:

Protein
Carbs
Small amount of fat

After a good run, no matter what the mileage, I will typically have a glass of chocolate soymilk as my recovery drink of choice. The length of the run and the intensity level will determine how much I have. Short runs equal a small glass. Long runs or runs where I sweated a lot, sometimes will get two glasses! Chocolate soymilk has it all, protein, a small amount of fat, and simple carbs to help give my body fuel and repair itself. I don’t drink milk, but chocolate milk would also work too.

And yes, I said the F word. Fat. I need it and so does my body. Fat helps me feel more satisfied and content. Which is what I want after an intense workout, otherwise if I feel empty all day long, I will eat to fill that void thinking that’s what I need. Which could lead to taking in too much and then I just blew my workout. Fat is not the devil and it is not bad when used in moderation and it is good fat that is eaten.

I follow the same rule for my long runs, which are Sunday mornings bright and early! A long run for me is anything over 5 miles. My favorite recovery and refuel meal after a long run is:

2% Fage (Greek yogurt)
Granola
Dash of maple syrup or jam

This also gives me exactly what I’m looking for. I get protein and fat from the yogurt, carbs from the granola, and simple sugar from the maple syrup or jam. YUM! And it does the trick of refueling and keeping me satisfied until Sunday breakfast so I can refuel with some more real food. During the week when I do shorter runs, I will eat oatmeal or oatbran for breakfast with a banana mixed in and some sort of additional fruit.

With my training, I have learned that protein is what I need more of as my miles increase and intensifies. I prefer to get my protein from seafood but will occasionally have meat as well. I also turn to nuts and nut butters for additional protein intake. Protein helps keep me satisfied and feeling strong.

The night before, my pre-race dinner is a combo of protein, fiber, and carbs. Whole wheat pasta, cheese, and lots of veggies. Or maybe pizza because is a great fuel source! And then on race day, it’s oatmeal with nut butter before heading to the starting line.

All of us are different and it makes sense that all of us are going to require different things to recover and refuel.

Thanks guys! And please come visit me over at OHC where we can talk more about food, running, and life!

P.S. In case you are just stopping by, I’m in the process of moving back to the US and am currently on an extended trip in SE Asia. I have weekly guest posts lined up this month and will be stopping by with foodie pictures from our travels as time permits.

Photo courtesy of the guest author.

A Trip to Floripa Part 1: Fitness & Desserts

April 30, 2009

Thanks so much for all the well wishes regarding my trip. It was a wonderful holiday filled with lots of excitement and equal amounts of relaxation. I have so much to share that it was hard to decide where to start. I thought I would tell you a little bit about the event that took us to Florianopolis and then finish this post off with some food highlights by having a little dessert first.

Floripa (the local nickname) is an island off the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. It is an area that combines a major city with secluded beaches, and is a very diverse place for travel. South American tourists flock there in summer months, usually from December until Carnival in February.

Not being one for huge crowds I really like the off-season there. Last time we traveled in November which was closer to tourist season than our trip this time. Unfortunately you do sacrifice a bit for the peace and quiet this time of year can bring. Many restaurants close up for the season or are only open on the weekends. However, as you will see, we didn’t have trouble finding some amazing food.

The reason for our travel was that my husband participated in the Volta á Ilha, a 150km relay around the island. It was an exciting event! The company he works for had one team of seven (which my husband was on) and one team of eight to run in the race.

The course goes from road, to sand dunes, to beaches, to mountains. It is certainly an adventure and last Saturday it became more of an adventure than most of the participants were expecting. The day started out in pouring rain, but my husband managed to finish his first leg in record time. The team was doing really great overall until early afternoon.

The rain and rising tide caused water to collect in the dunes along the course and wash out the check points. At certain places along the way the runners had to wade through waist deep water! This slowed them down, of course. Actually the second company team had to drop out. Things got pretty stressful for those of us waiting at the finish line at the end of the night.

The event was started at 6:45 am (earlier by others) and had to be finished by 8:00 pm. This meant the last three runners, including my husband, had to make some great times on their final legs. The excitement was amazing as we saw them coming down the finish lane. They completed the race with 7 seconds to spare!! How awesome is that? I was so proud of him and the rest of the team. They worked so hard!

Here are a few pictures of the event. First, my husband finishing his first leg in the pouring rain, next a check point on the beach and some runners completing the beach portion of the 12th leg, then another check point on the beach. I don’t have any great pictures of the finish line because it was dark, but I assure you there was plenty of celebration. Many teams crossed the finish line with Brazilian beer in hand!

I have so much great food to share with you along with details of our vacation portion of the trip. I thought I would kick it off with dessert. I think you can tell by my blog that I’ve come across some great desserts in Brazil. This trip I encountered some that have quickly become my favorites.

This tart is from a French bakery in Curitiba. We spent the night there to break up our 11 hour drive. At first, this may not seem too rare, but chocolate chips are really hard to come by. I have never seen them where we are living.

This tart had a chocolate cookie crust and was filled with a banana cake topped with walnuts and chocolate chips. The best part was that it wasn’t overly sweet. The banana wasn’t strong at all which made the nuts and chocolate really shine through.

Next, was the refreshing Crème de Morango. This is a spinoff of Crème de Papaya which is very common in Brazil. The papaya version includes the fruit mixed with ice cream and topped with Crème de Cassis liqueur.

We chose to branch out and try morango (strawberry) this time and were not disappointed. It tasted like a fresh, homemade strawberry ice cream straight from an old-fashioned bucket with a hand crank.

My husband and I agree that this final dessert may be the best and most creative we have had in the country thus far. The combination of passion fruit (maracujá) and chocolate is a delicious one and we ordered this dessert knowing it came with passion fruit sorbet and a brownie. This is what we got…

A passion fruit hallowed out and filled with a creamy and tart sorbet. Next to it and incredibly rich and fudge like brownie with nuts. Along the outside is the sweetened pulp of passion fruit with the crunchy seeds. Both the flavor and the presentation were impressive!

I still have a lot left to cover including the seafood feasts we enjoyed, pictures of the island and some German food and beer right out of southern Brazil. More to come tomorrow!

Revisiting Resolutions

April 1, 2009

Well, it is April. That makes it about three months since many of us discussed the things we were planning to improve on or achieve in this new year.

I think traditionally the expectation is that resolutions are forgotten by about March. This always seemed to be the trend when I worked in the gym. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that resolutions were forgotten AND spring break was over since I was usually working on a college campus. (i.e. no urgent need to look good in a bikini once spring break is over)

The last week or so, I’ve had my resolutions on my mind. I chose some that I really wanted to stick with this year. They were not my typical lose 10 lbs, eat more veggies, but these were things that I really care about and felt motivated (still do) to accomplish.

Let’s see how I’m doing. Thanks for holding me accountable, by the way.

Stay in the moment. It is going to be a busy year for us and I don’t want to get distracted looking ahead to the next step all the time. I want to remember to enjoy the present.

Um…I’m going to have to go with so-so on this. Among my resolutions I think this has been the hardest one. I have to admit I’m enjoying what I can in Brazil, but I also can’t wait to move back to the States and the adventures I will have again there as well. Note to self: I definitely need to work harder at staying in the moment.

Improve my running ability.

I’m proud to say that this one gets a check. I’ve been sticking with my program since mid-January without giving up. I’m planning to get in a 5K in May (I haven’t done one since we moved to Brazil in 07) and am looking at longer distances later in the year. Also, if you are a runner I’m looking into this event in Kentucky in October – The Bourbon Chase. I’m trying to form a team so if you are interested and located nearby or want to consider traveling in, let me know.

Get away from standard gym workouts and increase my exercise variety. I am taking squash racquets back to Brazil with us and I want to do more hiking.

Half check. My husband and I have been playing squash on the weekends and I love it. However, Saturday morning is our only option since the gym is closed Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. So I have to admit that things can get in the way of our weekly meetings such as waiting for the Internet repair go to show up like last weekend. The hiking hasn’t been accomplished, but that is to come. This is something that will be much more accessible later this fall when we make our move back to the US.

Explore the option of getting back into teaching group exercise. Pilates and yoga instruction are starting to appeal to me more.

I’m still exploring ideas and I’m pretty sure I will get back into teaching later this fall. I just can’t progress with any certifications until then, but I am researching my options.

Expand my web writing and get an article in a print publication this year.

I’m getting there with this one. The book that I mentioned which will be a compilation of ideas from previous blog posts for Charity Mile focusing on planning fitness events will certainly be a print publication, but I had magazines in mind when I wrote this resolution. This month I will be focused on developing more article ideas and queries. My goal is a print pub by the end of July. I’ll let you know.

Your turn.

Do you still have your resolutions in the back of your mind? Which ones have you accomplished and which are you still working on?

Book Review: First in Thirst

February 25, 2009

If you participated in any sport as a kid, are involved in them now or take part in more vigorous exercise there is no way you escaped the influences of Gatorade. I just recently finished reading the book First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat into a Cultural Phenomenon by Darren Rovell.

It is a short, to-the-point book about the history of Gatorade including its creation and marketing throughout the years. My husband read it first and knowing my conflicting views of the product encouraged me to read it.

I don’t mean conflicting to be negative. I’ve always felt the drink had its purpose, however, in many of the publications I’ve written, especially, those about physical activity in youth, I’ve felt the need to identify just when it is necessary and when it isn’t. For example, I, and many other nutrition professionals I know, feel that for exercise less than one hour water is sufficient to rehydrate the body. For exercise lasting more than an hour a drink, such as Gatorade, that replenishes and restores electrolyte balance can be beneficial.

The book provides an eye opening account of the marketing of the product. While certain characteristics are necessary for promoting and selling a drink, Gatorade has remained relatively true to their original purpose, although things have changed and progressed throughout the years. According to the book, it is important to keep the drink only in the sports arena and not open it up as a casual beverage such as a soft drink or fruit drink. I personally find this pretty respectable considering how they may be able to increase sales by promoting the drink to the general public in addition to athletes and exercisers.

Upon finishing the book my husband asked me right away what I now thought of Gatorade. He drinks it during his long runs, especially in the intense heat we experience in Brazil. He knows my concern with processed, fake foods and how I’m trying to eliminate packaged goods from my diet. My response has remained the same – Gatorade serves a purpose in the exercise and athletic world.

My main concern, which was addressed in the book, is with the calories. I’m talking about the average exerciser who puts in a 30 minute session a few days a week and wishes to lose weight. Drinking back your calories isn’t beneficial in this type of situation. However, when you are working up a sweat through hours of training, the few calories the drink adds isn’t going to matter much. Again, it has its purpose.

I think this book is a good read for anyone who is an avid exerciser or athlete. The book provides the positive details of the brand, but also covers concerns of critics. I am big believer in learning more about what we put into our bodies and this book is a good resource for doing just that.

If you’ve read the book or have an opinion about sports drinks, I’d love to hear about it.

Update: Okay, I knew I had read this somewhere and Andrea brought it up in the comments. Liquid Gatorade in the US now contains HFCS. I searched for this post by a Life Less Sweet, but couldn’t find it when I was doing my research for this post. There is no HFCS in what we buy in Brazil and the powdered does not contain it. I’m definitely not going to promote something with HFCS (not that I’m promoting the drink at all), but if you are going to drink it go for the powdered….or buy it in another country. Just kidding.

(Cross-posted at Charity Mile)

Trying Some New Bars

January 27, 2009

I should probably clarify that I mean the eatin’ kind, not the drinkin’ kind. And this time they were not purchased but made by yours truly.

My husband is training for a marathon type event here in Brazil. The Volta is 100 km race around the island of Florianopolis in Santa Catarina state. It is a relay with 24 stage. Most people participate in teams where each team member runs about 3 legs of the race. Some of it is on the road, some on rough terrain and some on the beach. Needless to say he is running a lot.

He had been asking me if I could make him some kind of bars for part of his breakfast. The bar selection in the supermarket where we live is practically non-existent. You basically have a few choices of breakfast granola bars filled with preservatives.

Now, I’ve tried making my own energy bars before, but I usually end up incorporating so many ingredients that they have way to many calories and fat to be considered nutritional. However, considering how much he is running this isn’t really a problem for him so I gave them another try.

I found this recipe for Chocolate Cinnamon Energy Bars and used part of it as my base and then went on from there. Warning: these have quite a bit of brown sugar. They were almost too sweet with the fruit so next time I’ll be cutting that back. Other than that I thought they turned out pretty good and he likes them too.

However, I’ll be having them in moderation for sure. They fall into more of the meal replacement category than a snack.

Energy Breakfast Bars

2 ½ cups rolled oats
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup honey
½ cup vegetable oil (I used soy)
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup prunes, chopped
½ cup soy nuts
1/3 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut

Line a small cookie sheet with foil and grease well. In a bowl combine oats, brown sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. Pour in honey, oil and vanilla; mix well until all dry ingredients are coated. Stir in prunes, nuts and coconut. Press into greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

Different Way to Get Your Chocolate

January 13, 2009

In case you haven’t noticed, I haven’t been cooking a lot lately. I’m eating at home, but I really didn’t think you would get excited about the same ol’ oatmeal, scrambled eggs and all the other boring stuff I’ve been having. So I’m entertaining you with my travels and finds until I get back into the kitchen more, probably next week.

I visited a friend in Louisville, KY last week and found myself a Whole Foods. As I think I’ve mentioned before, I could never do all my grocery shopping at that store, but I love browsing the aisles for the unique. I ended up buying a few things to take back to Brazil with me including some bars so I’m not stuck paying $5 for a mini can of Pringles if I get hungry on my domestic flights.

Traveling is just about the only time I purchase bars, mainly due to their convenience. I will have to say the major bar-making companies are doing a good job of putting less and less ingredients in their products. While, I don’t consider them completely off the fake food list for me, many are getting darn close.

This time I decided to try a Clif Nectar Cacao bar in Dark Chocolate Raspberry. It looks like these officially came out in 07, but they are new to me. Along with the ingredient list, I was mainly convinced to buy it because it was decent size for the 160 calories it offers. I just can’t get into a tiny 1 inch bar that has 200 calories in it. Also, it was about $1.19 a bar. Not cheap, but nowhere near the most expensive in the bar aisle.

All the ingredients in the bar are organic. This isn’t of huge concern to me, but it may be to you. The list was short and included dates, cashews, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa and raspberries.

It was definitely a winning combination if you are looking for a sweet snack. I do wish they would take the “2 servings of fruit” off the front. Sure, it may equal that in some random way, but let’s get our fruit servings from fruit and not focus on getting them from bars. You know me though, there is always something.

Would I get this again – for sure! I was actually looking for them around my hometown, but didn’t find them. If you want to get some chocolate in a relatively healthy nutrition bar form I say go for it.

In fact, after looking at the ingredient list I’m wondering why I couldn’t throw that combination together and make these bars myself. I just might give it a try.