Apple Pie Granola

My legs are sooo sore today. I woke up in the middle of the night and I felt like my knees were going to break. Waking up in the morning was no better. I did a power vinyasa yoga class today and it loosened me up a bit, but not back to where I was pre-race; that might take a few days.

I didn't feel like cooking, so I rode over to Whole Foods and got some of their hot/cold bar options.

Most of the good stuff was hidden, but there was curried chickpeas, different rice and grain dishes, a "detox" broccoli with kelp flakes, and much much more! Very delicious! Also, very expensive.

I found a website link at Whole Foods for the varying nutrient densities of foods and I came home and took a peek.

Source:  eatrightamerica.com

I find this chart very interesting. I never thought that whole wheat bread was that low in nutrient density. The website explains that if you ate only all very nutrient dense foods you wouldn't get much fat or protein, so you would be too thin and in ill health. They recommend eating these nutrient dense foods as well as other foods, to get a good balance. Too bad I hate kale.

I made some great "Apple Pie Granola" in my boredom today.

I've eaten two bowls of it already, it's delish

Little Health Monster Apple Pie Granola:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of organic oats
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup chopped granny smith apple
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup no-sugar-added apple sauce
• 1/4 cup agave
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or agave)
• 1/8 cup coconut oil
• 1 tablespoons each of flax and chia seed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together (except the flax and chia seeds) and mix well. Pour onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, or a silicone sheet. Spread out evenly. Bake for 30-50 minutes, making sure to shake the granola so both sides cook. When it's nice and golden take out of the oven and sprinkle with flax and chia seeds. Let it cool completely before putting it in a container, or you will have soft granola when you wake up. The reason for not adding the flax and chia seeds until after is because the high heat kills the great nutrients locked up in these seeds.

Enjoy with some almond milk!!

Vegan pizza portobellos!

Pure delight!!!
But I can't find the correct spelling of portobellos anywhere!

This recipe was adapted from Ohsheglows recipe and they were so amazingly delicious. I don't even like mushrooms and I ate three of these in no time at all.

They had great tomato, garlic, cheese and basil flavour. It was so delicious, i'm lost for words.

Vegan Pizza Portobello's:
As adapted from "ohsheglows"

Ingredients:

• 6 portobello mushroom caps
• 1 cup tomato/pasta sauce
• 1 cup of chopped red pepper and yellow pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped vidalia onion
• 6 basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon red chili flakes
• 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water for atleast an hour)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp rice bran oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Make the vegan cashew cheese ( puree the raw cashews, sea salt, rice bran oil, 2 leaves of basil, garlic clove, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice) and set aside. Now, preheat the oven to a broiler setting. Put parchment paper on a baking sheet. Wash mushroom caps and place with the concave part facing up (so you can fill it). Make sure to remove stems. Put 2-3 tablespoons of your tomato sauce into each mushroom and follow with the vegan cashew cheese. Put as much cheese as you want! I put a lot and it was soooo good! Next, add your chopped vegies, then top with minced basil and chili flakes. Broil in the oven for 15-20 minutes, just make sure to watch it. My oven broils at a very low temperature so it took a bit longer.
Enjoy!!!

I planned on doing a 12 km run this morning before work--> It didn't happen. I woke up at 7, ate my overnight oats, then went back to bed :(   . I went to work feeling so horrible that I didn't run. But I remembered that quote from Jillian Michaels, and when I got home I did the run. And I killed it!

Distance:  12.01 km
Time: 1:06:19
Calories: 714
Average Pace: 5:31 min/ km
Average HR: 158
Max HR: 171

My last km was done in 5:02 ! Yaii! At the end of the run though, my stomach was really starting to ache. I think it had to do with my stomach bouncing up and down for so long. But I just had to keep running because I was still so far from home. I've really been feeling a lot better during my runs (except for this sore stomach) , my spirit is up, and I am starting to enjoy the run, and the peacefulness and alone time it gives me. I hope it can stay like this :)

Now for some core power yoga!