The Weekend of Baking and Running

Surprise, surprise! My weekend was full of two of my favorite hobbies. Hanging out in my kitchen and pounding the pavement are definitely high up on the list of things I love to do. You all know this. Judging by the amount of food I made this weekend, you’d think I was feeding an army. Judging by the amount of miles I ran this weekend, you’d think I was training for something.

Oh, wait. I am.

In the past 72 hours, I’ve made Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper Crisps:

Carrot Cake Energy Balls:

Crispy Tofu in a Honey Basil Dressing:

And, drum roll, please…two Sriracha Cheddar Loaves:

Here’s the mini one:

It pairs extremely well with a bottle of Malbec and my best friend:

As much as I didn’t want to leave my oven’s side, I received some motivation to put my sneakers on. Sunday morning, my grandpa sent me this:

And Danielle (who completed her first half marathon on Saturday!!), sent me this:

So back to training it was, with a 5 miler on Friday:

And an 11-mile run on Sunday.

That was the farthest Amanda and I have ever run and it felt pretty darn good. Especially the inappropriate stretching outside of her apartment, haha.

We are so ready for our race in 2 weeks!

Now if this post doesn’t epitomize hungry meets healthy, then I don’t know what does!

Questions for you:

• Which of the aforementioned recipes would you like to see most? I’ll post it tomorrow!
• Half marathoners: While training, what was the farthest you ran the week before your race? Some people stop at 10, some people continue…talk to me.

What I’m Loving Wednesday 6.27.12

1. Snacks. I love love love snacks. I’d rather snack all day than consume meals. These kale chips by Rhythm Superfoods that my grandparents sent me were delicious.

The almond & apricot KIND bar was equally delicious.

2. This “fresh cupcakes” scented air freshener from Bath & Body Works.  Do you understand how wonderful it is to get in your car and smell cupcakes?! As a bonus, it sparkles in the sunshine. You need to embrace your inner princess and buy one.

3. This lotion from Bath & Body Works that I wear almost every day. People love it. Boys especially. (Not a joke.) It’s magical.

Scent description: a seductive blend of dark berries with a kiss of vanilla to unleash your most primal passions. Key fragrance notes: sensual incense, Mirabelle plum, and night musk

4. I must wear headbands when I exercise. I have silly thick hair and both a headband and ponytail holder are necessary to control the mane. I found these headbands in the girls’ section of Target and immediately snatched them up. Obsessed.

Dear God, please don’t let neons ever go out of style.

5. This e-card.

6. So true!

7. CHARLESTON YOU ARE SO STINKING BEAUTIFUL!!!

(That was taken with my cell phone. Yup. This city is that pretty.)

New Bars from Gnu Foods, Workout Motivation

In June of 2010, I reviewed Gnu Foods Flavor & Fiber Bars. They recently offered to send me a package of their three new flavors. I was overjoyed when I found out what they were: Blueberry Cobbler, Carrot Cake, and Blondie. Those are three of my favorite dessert flavors! I was checking my mailbox daily.

Before I tell you about the new flavors, let’s talk about Gnu Foods Flavor & Fiber Bars. The bars contain 6 whole grains – grains that have not milled or processed, which strips them of the grain kernel that contains nutrients, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.  Each bar contains 12 grams of fiber and is 140 calories or less. All of the bars (aside of the Blondie flavor) are vegan. In addition to the new flavors above, the bars come in the following flavors: Banana Walnut, Chocolate Brownie, Cinnamon Raisin, Espresso Chip, Lemon Ginger, Orange Cranberry, and Peanut Butter. My two favorites are the Banana Walnut and Cinnamon Raisin. Each bar tastes exactly like what they’re named after, so rest assured, you’ll get what you want.

The first bar I tried was the Blueberry Cobbler.

As soon as I opened the wrapper, I could smell the blueberry juice. The bar also contains plums and raisins which give it a great texture and overall flavor.

The next day I tried the Carrot Cake. Yep, it sure did taste like Carrot Cake. The cinnamon and nutmeg flavors were strong, but not overwhelming.

Finally, I tried the Blondie. This one had the least amount of flavor, but was still really good. I have no complaints about a nutrition bar that tastes like a dessert!

Overall, I loved these bars just as I expected. The blueberry was my favorite and I’m excited for them to hit the shelves. In the past, I’ve enjoyed them on their own, or crumbled into oatmeal or Greek yogurt.

Gnu bars can be purchased online or in a store near you. For my Charleston friends, you can pick yours up at Whole Foods. They’re on one of the higher shelves that I can barely reach. :)

For more information, check out their

• website
• facebook page
• twitter

Have you tried these bars before? What did you think?

On a completely different note, the weather here in Charleston is incredible. I’m talking sunny and in the low 80s. Absolutely perfect. This is a slap in the face gentle reminder that Summer is right around the corner. In fact, on Sunday, I went to the pool with my friends Brandy and Lynn. The three of us got sunburns. That’s right, I said" “pool” and “sunburns” in MARCH.

With that said, enjoy some workout motivation as you prepare for bikini season!!

See you tomorrow!