The Comeback Trail Detours in Boston

Happy Earth Day! In the worlds of running and cooking, we have so much catching up to do!

This town loves the marathon.

In the past 2 weeks, I've been able to run 2-3 miles about every other day. My foot has been cooperative, for the most part.

We traveled to Boston for the marathon. It was dreadfully hot on race day. I ran the first three miles of the race and then ducked off the course and onto the commuter train in Ashland, MA, with a few other spectators and heat causalities.

My registration fee into the race was not a complete waste, as it did allow me to go to the start at Hopkinton, start the race with Tuna, and make my way into runner-only territory at the finish. I was inspired by Big Spoon's efforts at Chicago.

Race number was very useful for my duties as #1 fan/groupie for Tuna. 

In Boston, we did the tourist thing which resulted in a lot of standing and walking. This flared up my foot for 2-3 days but by Thursday, it was back to pain-free. Some of our adventures are pictured below.

Game at Fenway.

Sam Adams Brewery.

I must confess, there is a voice in the back of my head that regularly nags "will I be able to train the way I used to again?"  But for now, I just ignore it and take one step at a time (literally)

I made a few delicious treats for a sushi making lesson with our DFAS friends and Chef Becky Nation. (Leave a comment with your email address if you want info on cooking lessons with Becky). They were all inspired recipes, rather than originals, but I will post the links with my modifications below.

Sushi night was incredible. We made sushi/maki rolls, pot-stickers and Pad Thai. Never a dull moment when we get together with the DFAS crew.

Remaining ingredients and Sonya rolling (back )

Finished maki roll! Sliced and ready to enjoy.

Fill the dumpling.

Fold and crimp.

Pot stickers.ready to eat!

Toss that Pad Thai! YUM!

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip (from Chockohlawtay)

The only change I made was adding a lot lot LOT more almond milk. Maybe this is because I cooked my own beans and they were not as soft. Or maybe my oats were thirsty. Either way, I added about 1/3 cup more almond milk than what was recommended. I also chose to swirl the peanut butter in at the end, just for fun. Next time, I might half the oats. Or leave them out all together. Because grain free is great. We dipped chocolate bears, animal crackers, gluten free bunnies, and pineapple into the delicious dip.

Cookie dough dip. Un-eaten eggs from Pad Thai in the background. Oops.

Everyone loved this dip! Even the guys (not pictured).

Next up was a lemon-blueberry pie. I used inspiration from The Crosby Kitchen and Gluten Free Fix which are both blogs that are new to me. I love the world of vegan/gluten free blogging. Always new things to discover!

I made a mock graham crust from Gluten Free Fix. I used coconut oil in place of butter. Amazing. I may never, no... I will never, make graham cracker crumb crust again. Why go to all the trouble of grinding up grahams when almond meal is already ground! Plus it makes a grain-free, gum-free, processed-free crust. I am in love.

I followed Crosby's vegan lemon tart filling recipe almost exactly, except I used 2 1/2 TBSP cornstarch instead of using ANY flour (for gluten free). When the pie came out of the oven, it was a bit too brown and I feared it would scare my non-vegan friends. So, rather than placing blueberries on top, I simmered some fresh blueberries with 1 TBSP coconut sugar and the juice of half a lemon to make a glaze. To cover the brownish-yellow. It worked beautifully. Everyone loved it and no one cared it was vegan, even after I told them.

And finally, I wanted to celebrate a BIG milestone with one of my Monday kids, but I wanted a somewhat healthy treat. So I made some gluten free, vegan, mini strawberry tarts. I used inspiration from Gluten Free Fix, again. I left out the whipped cream. The only other change I made was omitting the gelatin. I had planned to use agar agar, but I couldn't find it. So I decided just to omit, given how beautifully gelatinous my blueberry glaze turned out (above) without either gelatin or agar agar. Not sure how well they will stick together, but they sure look pretty!

Alas, a wonderful weekend of baking. Apologies if the links are frustrating. I just don't feel right about posting another blogger's recipes with such minor modifications. But, now you have three awesome new blogs to check out! You're welcome. :)

Hot and sexy....baked goods. And a birthday.

Liz had a birthday. These pictures make me happy. I must confess: I had a hell of a day yesterday. In a past life, I was a bit more of a worrywart than I am now. It's taken a lot of mental training and conscious self-awareness to be rid of that habit, but everybody has those days sometimes. You know what I mean: the shit has hit the fan and you're stuck in a place that requires you to hold your shit together until you punch out. That was me yesterday: like someone threw a Mentos in a 2-liter of Sprite and I couldn't twist the cap off until the end of the day. I made the end of the day come early and headed out for my post-workout shakeout run to just breathe. Another confession: when I get tired, I get weepy. Yeah, I'm like a 4 year-old. And I was exhausted from holding my shit together the whole day, so I battled that lump-in-the-throat waterworks feeling a few times out there. Every time I hit one of these patches, I did the Grateful Exercise: fill your mind with something really awesome in your life. Most usually, my thoughts gravitate toward people and the simple things. These pictures do a pretty good job of bringing those thoughts from my brain to your eyes.

Oh yeah, and I made cupcakes.

Aren't they pretty?

Fresca Ninja tasted these at a sidewalk cupcake party post-Monday Night Run. She thanked me the next day for the very sexy dream that she had about this hott little thing the previous night. I wonder if Spooner (her bf) knows about this? These things are good. Better than good. You need to make them. And if you like things a little extra wild, double the cayenne. 

Spicy Thai Butternut Cupcakes with Cococado Buttercream

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sweet white rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup Stevia in the Raw
3/4 cup coconut cugar
3 chia eggs (3 tbsp ground chia seed mixed with 6 tbsp hot water)
1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup butternut squash puree
2/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup water (or nondairy milk)
1 tsp vanilla

For the icing:

1 ripe avocado
6 oz creamed coconut
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line cupcake pan with liners and prepare your chia eggs. Set the eggs aside to work their gelatinous magic. Whisk dry ingredients in a medium bowl, and set aside. Combine wet ingredients in food processor until well combined very well combined. Add the dry ingredient mixture about 1/2 cup at a time, pulsing as you go. Be careful not to overmix, as you'll wind up with dense little cupcake bricks. (I'm horrible about this.) Fill your cupcake tin and bake 17-19 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean, turning the pan halfway through.

While the cupcakes bake, prepare the frosting: Peel the avocado and remove the seed. Combine the creamed coconut and avocado in the food processor (or with a hand mixer) until well combined. While the processor is running, slowly add the honey. Continue to process for 1-2 minutes and then add the powdered sugar. Continue to process the frosting an additional 2 minutes or so. It may require less whipping time with a hand mixer since the processor blade doesn't do quite the whipping magic of the mixer.

Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting. I made a poor man's frosting bag with a pair of scissors and a ziploc baggie. It did the job, but we know Martha would be disappointed. I also regret not putting in another 1/4 tsp of cayenne in the batter. I was hoping for a bit more of a kick, but if you're afraid of the spice, follow the recipe as written. I saved a couple of these for Liz and VinoVino, but sitting on the counter, they were in too much danger of being shoveled into my black hole of a belly, so into the freezer they went. They kept well for a week in the freezer. The vivid green of the frosting had dulled the slightest bit, but the kick of the spices are enough so that you'd hardly notice.

Carrot Cake Breakfast Cupcakes

I got a new food processor for my birthday! And I love it. It is a 7 cupper, quiet and it pulverizes food about 90 billion times more effectively than my old 3-cup FP.

What did I not get for my birthday? A cake. Why? Because I'm a picky, picky lady. I obviously didn't want gluten, dairy, or eggs in the picture. And I also didn't want weird, unknown vegan and gluten free ingredients, such as gums, margarines, or other chemically produced shenanigans. I did want carrot cake. Because my momma always made me (each of us) cake for our birthday. And I always wanted carrot. Much to my older brother's dismay. So, my birthday present to you, carrot cake breakfast cupcakes with coconut cream, is a twist on a nostalgic favorite.

Cake Ingredients:
1 c almond meal/flour
1/2 c coconut flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 T cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
2 T diced crystallized ginger
1 T pumpkin purée
2 flax eggs
1/4 c honey
2 T melted coconut oil
1.5 cups grated carrots (about 6 carrots)
3/4 cup chopped pineapple (I thawed some frozen pineapple)

Topping Ingredients:
1 can coconut milk (not light)
1 tsp stevia
1 tsp cinnamon

First, the day before you want cupcakes. mix the topping ingredients in a container with a lid. Put it in the fridge. This will allow the cream from the coconut milk to rise to the top. If you have a high tolerance for frustration, you can try, multiple times, to skim the cream off the top and whip it into a fluffy topping. If you want to save your sanity, just skim and plop the cream on top of the cooled cupcake. I digress...

Now for the cake. Grate your carrots! It is a good thing I hate this part. Otherwise, I'd have carrot cake every week. What is that you say? The FP has a grating attachment? What a wonderful reason to make carrot cake more often!

Here we go, carrots! Cut them into similarly sized pieces.

It's working! Instant grater carrots.

Grated carrots in less than 3 minutes.

On a side note, organic carrots taste like a completely different product than conventional carrots. Reason number 204828375236420394 to buy organic.

Transfer carrots to a bowl. Mix in pineapple, flax eggs, coconut oil (melted!) pumpkin and honey.

In another bowl, mix flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, crystallized ginger.

Add the wet to the dry. Or the dry to the wet. And mix until blended. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Cool and top with coconut cream, as described above. If you are interested in sharing your cupcakes with your coconut-disliking, cream cheese loving husband, you can leave a few unfrosted so he can top his cupcake with another form of frosting.

Cream cheese (business) in the front. Coconut cream (party) in the back.

Up close and personal

Mmmmm. Happy belated birthday to ME!

I dubbed these "breakfast cupcakes" because again, they are healthy enough to eat for breakfast. At least on your birthday. And because the texture is closer to a muffin than a cupcake. I think omitting the pineapple might help. If you try it, let me know in the comments below.

Deep Dish Pizza Round TWO

Tuna and I managed a weekend without a trip to Mellow Mushroom, which has been a staple in our social agenda the past month or so. This left me with a craving, nay, a need, for pizza. I struggle to buy gluten free pizza dough mixes for two reasons. One, they all call for eggs. De-veganizing the pizza crust. Minus one point. Two, I am fundamentally opposed to baking mixes as a cooking staple. Sure, I've made a Funfetti cake or two (ten), particularly in a pinch, but baking mixes/boxes/pre-made doughs, etc take all the fun out of being in the kitchen!

I am determined to make a delicious gluten free, vegan pizza crust. And I've deemed deep dish my first endeavor. My first deep dish pizza was amazing. But a little crumbly. And a bit bland without the delicious toppings. With version two, I wanted to make a tasty and more pliable dough. No crumbles.The key changes were adding an egg substitute (in this case, pumpkin) and dried herbs. I tweaked the flour mixture a bit to use less oat flour too.

Ingredients:
1 cup of warm water (90-105 degrees)
1 packet of yeast
2 T honey
3/4 c sorghum flour
1 c oat flour
3 T potato starch
1/4 c + 3 T brown rice flour
1/2 c cornmeal
1/4 c pumpkin purée
2 T oil (I used half melted coconut and half EVOO)
1 tsp Greek or Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic salt
Pizza toppings- vegetables, meats, sauce, cheese, herbs, etc.

Mix water, yeast, and honey. Set aside for 5 minutes to let the yeast activate. It should look foamy.

Combine flours, potato starch, herbs, salt, and cornmeal. Once yeast is ready, add it to the flours along with the oil and the pumpkin puree. Mix with a dough hook or knead by hand for 6-10 minutes. I mixed the dough for 6 minutes because I am impatient.

Place dough in a baking pan coated with coconut oil or other oil. Let it rise in the oven for 6-8 hours. Again, my dough did not seem to rise or multiply. It is still TBD if this step is necessary.

Press into a 9 in round baking pan.

Top with favorite pizza toppings, then cheese, then sauce. Then extra cheese to ID the vegan side. I want a delicious pizza in my belly. Not a belly ache.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting with a knife.

Is that not the most beautiful pizza you've ever seen?

Spillover sauce. What happens if you lack the patience for cooling.

Now that is a beautiful crust! Saving the best part for last.

The result? Amazing. Seriously. Make this for dinner ASAP. As you can see from the picture above, the crust is still somewhat textured. There is room for improvement. Next up? Cut the cornmeal (maybe dust the bottom only) and determine if the 6-8 hour rise time is needed. Who has the time for that anyways? And I may try a flax egg instead of pumpkin. Just to experiment with binders. As for you, get off your rump and make this pizza!

.

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Milkshake

Ugh Monday morning! Why do I sleep until 8 AM on Sunday and then expect that 5 AM will feel just as springy on Monday. This week, I couldn't do it. I couldn't drag myself out of bed at 5 AM to then further torture myself on an elliptical or bike. I felt guilty by the time my last chance alarm went off at 6:40. You know the feeling.

All was made right with this smoothie. The smoothie tastes like a milkshake. Probably because it tasted like I should feel guilty eating it for breakfast. But as the ingredients indicate, there is no need to feel guilty. So I was twice cleansed of my guilt. And  quite proud for throwing this together on a groggy Monday morning and using leftover ingredients from yesterdays baking extravang-zah.

2 c coconut milk (left-over from thinking I was special and could whip "light" coconut milk. Don't do it. It doesn't work. You need the heavy stuff.)
5 strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 c frozen fruit (I used bananas and raspberries)
1 scoop chocolate green or protein powder
1 T melted coconut oil mixed with 1 t chocolate powder (left over from yo Frisco)

All you have to do is mix it all in a blender. Or in a cup with an immersion blender. The melted oil/chocolate combo turns into tiny chocolate chunks when it combines with the cold fruit. It is amazing! Try it! You will be amazed!

Extra swirl of coconut milk on top. Don't mind if I do.

And no. I did not drink half the smoothie and then decide to take a picture. I put half of it in a mason jar for tomorrow, as per my own recommendation, thankyouverymuch.

Now, I do feel a bit of remorse that these pictures are pretty awful. I'll blame it on the Monday AM grog. You get the idea. No go try it!

Getting frisco-y

Place the top cookie and you've got yourself a Frisco.

What a difference a week can make! I'm halfway through my 2x/wk x 3 weeks of ART. I've had another PT evaluation. And, perhaps most news-worthy, I'm attempting another return to running number. Comeback number three. The new additions to my rehab include low-dye arch taping (below), ultrasound, and a tweak to my calf stretch to avoid compensatory eversion and keep my posterior tibialis happy.

I also have a better understanding of why my foot and ankle share the hurts. And have resolved to wear a shoe or tape (no bare feet) at all times until my foot pain is a distant memory.

I'm not getting my hopes up too high and I'm not going to be pushing the limits, but I am feeling good about this.

Wrinkles. What happens when you tape your own foot.

As expected, with the potential for running comes an increased loathing of cross training. So, Saturday I headed to Velocity Cycle Studio in Powell for a great 60-min spin class.The studio is in the back of a personal training gym and has about 8 bikes.  The class was great! Exactly what I needed to break up the monotony. The teacher warned us that interval training was on the menu. I wasn't intimidated. After one-song warm-up, the intervals set in. About halfway through song number two, my heart rate was high and I was thinking, "I am SO out of shape." But much to my surprise, without too much coaxing, almost naturally, my thoughts turned into "Wow, I haven't worked this hard in a while." My heart rate has stayed in the 150-160 range for most of this cross training quarter. It is no wonder why I felt uncomfortable when my HR was pushed near its maximum. I haven't training like this, via running or cross training in over three months! As I said, the class was great, but really the highlight of Saturday was this quick and subconscious change in mindset. Tayler has told me all along, "your foot is pissy for a reason." Maybe cross training will teach me something after all.

Enough mushy mush stuff. The real reason you visit this blog isn't to hear of my petty foot drama. It is for the food. Am I right? Today I set out to make another version of gluten free deep dish pizza and some carrot cake cupcakes to celebrate a belated birthday with... myself. I ended up with an extra flax egg. Not a bad problem to have. So I ended up making some peanut butter cookies. They reminded me of the peanut butter cookies at Pasquale's Italian Restaurant, specifically of the delicious cookie they use to make a Frisco. What is a Frisco, you ask? It is a Reese's Cup/Peanut Butter Blossom combo on steroids. More specifically, it is creamy peanut butter and melted  chocolate (that has solidified) smashed between TWO peanut butter cookies and drizzled with more  melted chocolate. It is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. And it will cost you about half the amount of dessert at any other restaurant. Needless to say, I have missed Pasquale's and their Frisco since going dairy/egg/gluten free. I have been meaning to recreate it, but hadn't made a peanut butter cookie worthy of the name. Until today.

Gluten free, vegan peanut butter cookie:

1/2 c oats
1/4 c coconut flour
1/2 c coconut sugar
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 t baking powder
1/8 t baking soda
1/4 t vanilla
1/4 c non-dairy milk

1/4 c add ins, if desired- chocolate chips, raisins, peanuts, etc

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all ingredients. The peanut butter can be hard to blend in, so you may want to plan on being patient or just use a hand mixer. Scoop onto cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Cool completely.

Delicious vegan, gluten free peanut butter cookie

To make the Frisco-
1-2 T creamy peanut butter per person. I love Trader Joe's creamy.
melted chocolate (did you know Trader Joe's chocolate chips are vegan?) OR homemade vegan, loaded chocolate (recipe below)

Homemade vegan loaded chocolate:
Coconut oil
Chocolate greens powder (Barleans, Amazing Grass GreenSuperfood, etc)

Melt coconut oil and mix in chocolate greens powder. Put it in the fridge to harden 10-15 minutes. Melt ever so slightly again, if needed. You want the chocolate to be slippery enough to get out of the bowl but it can still be in hunks.

Melty and delicious vegan chocolate sauce.

To assemble to Frisco (first in words, then in pictures)

1. Turn your cookies upside down
2. Spread chocolate on the bottom of one cookie.
3. Spread peanut butter on top.
4. Add more chocolate on top of the peanut butter
5. Top with another cookie

Voila! Best dessert ever. And save the rest of that chocolate sauce for your Strawberry Chocolate Chip Milkshake. You'll be glad you did!