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.