healthy laps

I had a 90 minute run on the agenda for this morning, so I whipped up another version of my tropical smoothie for a pre-workout snack.

Tropical Smoothie – V2

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 tbsp coconut butter
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• squirt of agave

This version was great!  Check out the chunks of strawberries and coconut butter in there!

I ran 9.5 miles in 90 minutes for my weekly long run in about 10°F weather!  I came home to a post-workout smoothie!

Chocolate PB Banana Protein Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1 tbsp cacao nibs
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp hemp protein powder
• 1 tbsp ground flax

Blended to perfection!

Crazy Richards produces Krema PB as well, so I received some samples of this too!  It tasted just like the Crazy Richards Smooth PB.  It’s great!  I poured it right into my mix.

This guy was thick, but delicious!

I cooked up a storm last night – coconut yogurt and raw granola!  I was too exhausted to get the cookies in!  I have been trying to stay away from all dairy for the past week (since last friday, exactly) for experimentation.  I love yogurt, so I have been trying to find alternatives.  I don’t like soy yogurt, so I decided to try the new coconut milk yogurt that they have in stores, and I like it.  I like the milk, yogurt and ice cream!  So, I decided to try to make my own coconut milk yogurt!

I used the same steps as my last yogurt, but just used coconut milk instead of regular milk!

I started with 3 cans of full-fat coconut milk and added in 3 tablespoons of tapioca starch.  I was reading about how to make coconut milk yogurt and multiple people suggested to add it for thickness and texture.  Since I had some in my cabinet, I decided to do so.  We’ll see how it turns out!

I heated the milk to 180°F.

Then, I took the milk off of the heat and allowed it to cool to 110°F.  The milk is thick!  I’m not sure I needed that tapioca starch…

After cooling, I added 1 tablespoon of the plain store bought coconut milk yogurt as my starter.  I whisked that in until mixed.

I then poured my mixture into a pitcher and then into the 7 individual yogurt containers.

I plugged in my yogurt maker and set the timer for 12 hours, which is the suggested cooking time for coconut milk.  It will be done in the morning!

While that was cooking (it will be cooking overnight!), I started to work on my granola!  I started by zesting my orange and adding that to my food processor, along with the orange juice and pear.  I pulsed until coarsely chopped.

I had been soaking my almonds and macadamia nuts for about 3 hours, so I chopped each of them in the food processor individually, then added them to the pear mixture.

I mixed up some agave, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and vanilla in a separate bowl and then poured it onto my nut + fruit mixture.

I then stirred in my extras!  Chopped dried bananas, unsweetened dried cranberries, coconut, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Since my dehydrator is too small for a job like this, I lined a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread my granola mixture onto that.

I then put it in my oven on it’s lowest setting of 175°F, with the door slightly ajar and “baked” it for a long time – almost 5 hours.  Or, if you don’t care about the granola being raw, then bake it in your oven at 300°F for 1-2 hours.  Make sure you take it out and stir it around every once in awhile.

gRAWnola

adapted from the Fitnessista!

• 1 pear, roughly chopped
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 cup raw agave
• 1/4 cup pure grade A maple syrup
• 1 T orange zest
• juice of 1/2 orange
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 cups soaked raw almonds
• 1 cup soaked raw macadamia nuts
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds (i used 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup sunflower seeds)
• 1 banana, diced – i used 3 dried, unsweetened bananas
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cranberries (added to original recipe)

Directions:

1. Soak the almonds and macadamia nuts for a few hours before using.
2. In a food processor, combine the pear, orange juice and zest, and pulse until coarsely chopped then move to a separate bowl.
3. Add the macadamia nuts to the (empty) food processor and pulse to chop a little bit and add them to the pear mixture.
4. Repeat for the almonds.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the agave, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
6. Add this to the nut + fruit mixture and mix very well.
7. Stir in your extras – chopped dried bananas, dried cranberries, coconut, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
8. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet in an even layer (or use a dehydrator).
9. Bake (dehydrated) in your oven at the lowest temperature with the door ajar for about 6 hours (dehydrating will take longer).  Or cook at 300°F for 1-2 hours.
10. After it is ‘cooked’, let sit for a little while to cool before storing in an airtight container.
11. Serve with your homemade coconut yogurt!

The granola came out great!  I got impatient because I was ready for bed, so I turned up the heat in my oven for the last 30 minutes.  This browned the granola nicely!

It made a ton of granola!  A huge bowl full!

Speaking of yogurt, mine is done!  12 hours later, and 3 hours in the fridge to chill and it is the perfect thickness and texture.

My granola is also done, so I mixed up a bowl of coconut milk yogurt with about 1/a cup of my gRAWnola.  YUM.

The yogurt is definitely not something I could eat everyday, but it is perfect for a sweet breakfast or dessert!

Filed under: Eating Laps, Recipes, Running Laps, Uncategorized | Tagged: coconut, granola, peanut butter, raw, Running Laps, smoothie, yogurt |