Jamie Eason's Cinnamon swirl protein bread (GF styles)

I hope you all had a great long weekend! I sure did! We celebrated my mom's birthday on Friday, Saturday had my friends Sarah and Chuck's wedding and Sunday night had a BBQ with friends! Today i worked out first thing at home instead of hitting up the gym then i gardened all day and managed to get my boxer Laila out for a 5k walk. I think I'll sleep well tonight!

What did you guys all get up to this weekend? Were you active? Did you get a chance to garden?

Here is the latest recipe i am trying. I can't wait to eat this tomorrow for my morning snack. Yummy. It may not 100% turn out since i put 1 too many eggs in. It's currently in the oven baking...i can smell the Cinnamon...mmmm. 

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup organic sugar or stevia (i used half and half because i got sick of ripping apart stevia packets)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups oat flour  (i used GF oats and buzzed them up in a blender to make a flour) + 2 scoops vanilla brown rice protein powder or hemp seed protein powder or even whey. I find rice protein and hemp protein easier to digest
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup organic sugar or stevia (I only used 1/3 cup since the protein powder i used was sweetened already)
• 2 egg whites or 1 whole egg (i read this wrong and used 2 egg whites AND a full egg)
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (Almond Breeze)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray loaf pan with non-stick spray. I used a 9x9 square pan. If using loaf pan the cooking time will be different!

In a small bowl combine:
1/3 cup organic sugar and/or stevia
2 tsp cinnamon
(set aside)

In a large bowl combine:
(whisk together)
1 1/2 cups oat flour + 2 scoops vanilla brown rice protein or hemp protein
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup organic sugar or stevia (i used 1/3 cup)

In a medium bowl combine:
(whisk together & add to large bowl)
2 egg whites or 1 whole egg (I used 2 egg whites AND 1 whole egg)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (Almond Breeze)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

Pour a shallow layer of batter into the loaf pan (about 1/4 of the batter). Sprinkle heavily with half of the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining batter & cinnamon/sugar on top. Draw a knife through the batter to marble.

Bake for 20 to 25 min. if using 9x9 pan. Bake for 45 to 50 min. if using loaf pan. Let cool for 10 min. Bread will be dense.

Running and baking

My squares were so yummy that they didn't last long. There are two left right now but i am sure they will disappear by the end of the day. Sundays are my baking days usually. I love going out for a long run in the morning and then relaxing stretching etc. Then the afternoons are my baking time. Even before going gluten free i baked all the time always trying new recipes. I make muffins, bars, cookies, squares etc all healthy of course! I even bake with protein powder too, not all the time but i do enjoy my baked goods to have the added goodness of protein, i don't always get enough as i do like eating lot's of meals meat free. Don't get me wrong i love meat i just really enjoy vegetarian meals too:) Some might say i am a flexitarian! 


So today i went out for my morning run with some friends who are triathletes. They are all faster than me which i love because it pushes me to get better, faster and stronger. We ran about 17.5 k and the last .5 we walked after a nice stretch. It was a little too much for my legs i think...it was a tough and great run. But i don't think my body was quite ready for that long of a run after running a half marathon last weekend. Oh well i stretched a few times since then and foam rolled so by Wednesday's speed workout i should be good to go! Can't wait to start speed training with the tri crew, i know they will KICK MY ASS. I am excited to push myself and get faster. 


Ok now on to the Gluten free Banana muffin recipe!!!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12-muffin pan and dust with a whisker of rice or sorghum flour.

Combine in a large bowl:

1 cup mashed ripe bananas ( i used 4 small ripe banana's and i think it was over a cup)

1/4 cup light olive or safflower oil

1/2 cup organic light brown sugar ( i used regular organic sugar)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 Eggs

1/4 teaspoon mild rice vinegar

Whisk together in a separate bowl:

1 cup sorghum flour (I don't have any yet so i used Brown Rice Flour)

1/2 cup potato starch (I don't have any yet so i used tapioca starch)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and beat or stir until smooth. If the batter looks too thick and dry, add some non-dairy milk such as vanilla hemp or rice milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the batter is smooth- but thicker than cake batter.

Add in options:

1/2 cup organic dark chocolate bar crushed up

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup dried fruit- cherries, cranberries, or blueberries

Mix in your choice of add-in. I actually didn't have any chocolate on hand and just had the cranberries in my squares so i opted out of the add in options. But do plan on used a dark organic chocolate bar next time i make these!

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups and bake in the center of a preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Cool the muffins briefly in the pan, on a wire rack; then turn them out of the pan to keep them from getting soggy; continue to cool on a wire rack or serve warm.

Wrap leftover muffins; bag and freeze for easy on-the-go snacks. Reheat briefly in a microwave, to melt the chocolate and make them taste fresh out of the oven again.

Personal bests even by seconds

So i really suprised myself last Sunday. I managed to beat my personal best, only by 21 seconds but i am still happy with my accomplishment! I was sick all last week after all...and still have the pesty cough. My previous personal best (PB) was 1:56:38 my new PB is 1:56:17! I was planning on doing another half in August but have decided to work on speed all summer and will start my next half training at the end of July for the Legs for literacy half the end of October. My goal will be to beat my personal best there.

I will be starting speed workouts next wednesday at 6pm with a bunch of runners around Moncton. I am really excited to learn from them and for them to push me. It's going to be a wonderful experience. My next race is June 11th, The Three Mountain Relay. I don't know what my leg is yet but should know within the next few weeks. I am sure it'll be a toughy as Pat O'Brian likes to push and challenge me. After that race i will do another 10 k or two before i start my training! I will be doing some races as well during my training i think.

Now on to an awesome recipe. I was looking for some sort of gluten free healthy square for my snacks this week and came across an AWESOME gluten free/vegan one. My fiance even loves these! And he doesn't always like my healthy cooking:)

Vegan Coconut Bars Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking pan with vegan butter (i use earth balance). Dust with a bit of gluten-free flour.

Whisk together dry ingredients:

1/3 cup coconut flour (I didn't have any so i used gluten free oats)
2/3 cup rice flour or sorghum flour
1/3 cup tapioca or potato starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

In a separate bowl, beat to combine:

2/3 cup organic brown sugar
1/4 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon raw organic agave
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup warm vanilla hemp, coconut milk or rice milk, more as needed (i used almond milk)

When the wet mixture is smooth, slowly add in the dry ingredient mix and beat just until combined.

Add in by hand:

2/3 cup shredded coconut unsweetened

1/2 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips (i used dried organic cranberries)

Dump the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Sprinkle on extra chocolate chips if you like (and press them gently into the top).


Bake in the center of a pre-heated oven until the batter is set and slightly golden brown - anywhere from 22 to 30 minutes, depending upon altitude (at high altitude these took almost 35 minutes to bake). The surface should be slightly firm, like a blond brownie (if a finger touch leaves a dent, bake a tad longer).


Cool completely on a wire rack; chill before cutting and wrapping for storage.

These bars are moist and chewy, and are best eaten chilled. Hot from the oven they fall apart.

Makes 15 cookie bars

Oh the luck

Just a quick little update from me:) I managed to get sick with strep throat this week! No fun. I rested and slept so much Tuesday and Wednesday and got meds which helped a lot. Yesterday i was feeling 100%, and still am. So i did weighted abs at lunch and then a 5k on the treadmill after work. Well the run was great at the time i now seem to have developed a cough. I have asthma and every time i get sick my asthma gets bad:( No fun. So my half marathon is 2 sleeps away and i now have this cough to contend with. So after this week and only getting 2 of the 3 runs i had planned in i am no longer aiming for a personal best. Some feel that i maybe shouldn't do the race and i probably shouldn't but i have been training for months and i already paid the $60 so i am doing it damn it. It won't be the prettiest or fastest race but i am going and i am still excited to run it and already have plans for my next one August 14th. I have decided to tackle the Saint John hills again. I was crazy and tackled them for my first half and didn't do enough hill training. This time around i will be more prepared and will have a goal of beating my last Saint John half time of 2:14:something...i am off to work now so no time to look it up:)

Just wanted to give you all a quick update before i head to Fredericton for race day! Have a great weekend everyone!

One week until the big day

My 4th marathon is a mere week away. I feel so strong and feel like i will own this one. My goal is to beat my PB (personal best) of 1:56:38. I can do this! My friends Mel Kinnie and Connie Corbett are running the full next weekend they are also going to kick ass...i have been doing my long runs with them the last few months and breaking away when my distance was done while theirs continued. It will be Mel's first marathon and Connie's 3 or 4th i think (sorry Connie, i can't remember). I am so excited for Mel to complete her first! One day i will be there too but for now i will stick with my beloved half's. I am thinking i will do the Legs for literacy half or maybe the St. John half in September as it will be nicer. I will have to majorly amp up my hill training. Saint John is insanely hilly. I won't strive for a PB there i would just run to run and push myself. I love a challenge! I also plan on trying to increase my 10k speed this summer and will choose a race in either July or August i think.

I had a great 6k taper run today with my boxer, Laila. She is loving running with me and i have been trying to increase her mileage. Thursday we ran 8k! The most she's ever done, it was quite warm too, about 23 and we both struggled with the heat as we weren't used to it! I don't think I'll ever get her above 10k i think 10k would be her max as her face is smucked in and i think it would be harder to breath for her running any longer. She is so strong and muscular it's crazy! My fiance, Shannon and i say that if she was human she'd be on sports illustrated as she is gorgeous too:) We are a little bias though.

Well that's all for now i will report again next week and recap the half and how my race went and probably how Mel and Connie made out too!