Complete rest day with a bit of cornbread!

For the whole year I haven't had a problem with my shins. I almost always get shin splints when I increase my mileage. But I didn't get them yet, because i've been doing a lot of cross training and strength work. But lo and behold, the week where I hardly run, I start to feel that little bit of pain in my lower shin. So, before it can get any worse, I've taken the whole day off! No 30 day shred, nothing. I'm hoping that this will help. Icing and stretching have pretty much been my best friends all day.

Here's to hoping that when September 25th rolls around, my shins won't hurt. I'll run on them anyways, but it would be nice to be pain free.

I finally bought a blender today. I brought it home, unwrapped it, and instantly made a smoothie. It was the most energizing smoothie I have ever had. I drank it, and then instantly felt like I had drunk 10 cups of coffee. I'm hoping to plan some sort of a smoothie party where I can blend tonnes of different smoothie concoctions!

Spinach, papaya chunks, ginger, lemon, parsley, avocado, almond milk

I've been extremely tired today so I didn't feel like cooking up a feast. I opted for an Ezekiel wrap with everything in the fridge on it, and some homemade cornbread.

Hummus, salsa, tomato, red onion, asparagus, red pepper, tomato, spinach, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, celery, cucumber, carrot.

The cornbread was very delicious and very easy to make!

Vegan Jalapeno Cornbread: 
This recipe was adapted from "Blue Ribbon Vegan Cornbread" 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ground flax/chia powder
• 6 tablespoons of water
• 1/2 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup organic raw sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup rice bran oil

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre-heat oven to 425. Oil an 8 inch rectangular baking dish. Bring the water to a boil and add in the flax/chia powder. Bring to a simmer, and stir until it gets thick and gloopy (1.5 minutes). In a bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Add in the flax mixture, almond milk, jalapeno, and oil. Stir until smooth. Put into baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. Make sure to do the toothpick test! Feel free to add other things to the recipe, like whole kernels of corn, onion, bell peppers, etc!

Cool on rack for 20 minute and enjoy! (I love adding vegan butter or jam to it)

Wet + dry ingredients.

Delicious vegan cornbread fresh out of the oven!

Just watching some Top Chef right now and I think I'll do a bit more stretching. I'm definitely rearing to go tomorrow for a long and great run!

Really easy high protein sandwich!

Hey all! Today was a pretty action packed day. I brought the doggies out for two long walks (and a 30 minute ball throwing session in the hallway of our apartment), went to the gym, cooked a lunch time snack, cooked lunch and dinner, cleaned, went to work, did a 60 min yoga for runners class, and still have time to post! Heck yes! At all of the moments that I wasn't in the house, Gigi managed to ruin something or get into something!  But how can you get mad at this cute face!

At the gym today I did a 60 minute power walk on an incline. I usually start at an incline of 10 and then build up to 13 (which I think is the highest it goes).
Distance: 3.5 miles (5.6 km)
Time: 60:00
Calories: 597
Average HR: 146
Max HR: 167

I felt like I was working a lot harder during this power walk then I do when I run. I think this form of cross training (along with spin classes and weight training) is what's keeping me injury free (knock on wood) from running. I always get some sort of injury when I increase my mileage, but I think the moderation in running is what's helping. The cardio that I gain from spinning and speed walking is just as good as the cardio from running, so I don't see why some runners seem so against doing other forms of cardio. I know that regular yoga keeps me injury free too. The benefits of yoga have been proven a billion times over so there's no need to argue it, but I know from personal experience,  that if it weren't for yoga, I wouldn't be in half the shape that I am now, both physically and mentally.

I made a really good sandwich before work tonight. I didn't have much time and had to pump something out really fast. So I did an open faced, hummus, black bean and salsa sandwich (like a fajita).

I started out with Cobs Ancient Grains bread (toasted) , added hummus and 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast:

Next, add the salsa (I used organic Neal Brothers corn salsa) and black beans.

I'm officially a cook!

Ryan says that i'm officially a cook now because I burnt and cut my fingers while cooking today! Even though it was for something stupid (grabbing a hot skillet with my bare hands, and prying open the top of a can) its like a right of passage! Hahah.

But I made a sort of quesadilla tonight and HE LOVED IT! So much so, that he had 3 servings! They were incredibly easy to make too, about 5 minutes in total (including prep and cook time).

Hummus is really great on everything! It's good on fruit, vegetables, bread, everything! Yes, I said fruit!

Incredibly Easy Hummus Quesadillas:

Ingredients:

• 2 Ezekiel tortilla wraps
• 3 tablespoons hummus
• 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 3 tablespoons salsa
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
• 1/2 cup black beans, drained and washed

Directions:
Spread the hummus, nutritional yeast, salsa, chives and beans onto one tortilla. Add the other tortilla on top and place on frying pan (I used olive oil to fry it) on medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side. Slice up into little triangles and enjoy!!!

Something that I forgot to add which I would have liked to is spinach! So if you make this, add about 1/2 cup of spinach, it will taste oh so yummy!


Breakfast this morning was overnight oats again! I changed it up a little though; I took 1 cup of my homemade granola (which i'm making more of tonight) and then 1.5 cups of almond milk with 1 tablespoon chia seeds and 2 tablespoons Vega Chocolate Protein Powder! It tasted amazing in the morning! Yum yum!

Totally delicious!

This morning I did a 60 min power yoga glow class from yogadownload.com and it was sooo hard! I was sweating quite a bit! But it made me nice and loosened up for my big day at work today!
I hope everyone is having a great  labour day! It seems like everyone is out and about tonight instead of staying at home and cooking their own dinners :)

Mediterranean Yummy Wrap!

Mediterranean Yummy Wrap:

Ingredients:

• 1 Ezekiel wrap or any other kind of wrap

• 2-3 tablespoons hummus (more or less depending on preference)
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, skin on, chopped
• 1/2 tomato, chopped
• 1 peeled carrot, grated
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds (adds a nice crunch)

Mix it all up and enjoy! You can add lettuce, olives, etc. if you want, but my wraps couldn't fit anything else!

I've been looking everywhere for dried mango (I love mango) without added sugars, and I finally found some!

So delicious, I could eat the whole thing in a sitting. Thanks Noah's for carrying it!

Little snack for Ryan and I before work!

I've been listening to Katy Perry's new album! It's addicting!