The weather was rather icky yesterday (snow, slush, ice, sleet, rain) so I decided it was a good day to finally make black bean brownies.
I scoured my pinterest boards and did some google searching on the subject just to glance at the various combinations before formulating my own recipe.
When I finally came up with my plan, I took out the food processor and brownie pan, got the cocoa powder out of the cabinet, preheated the oven and opened the pantry for the rest of the ingredients including the black beans.
Guess who was out of black beans.
*Monday*
Pure Barre Mile High Series DVD & 6.71 miles
There was a black ice alert so I went slow at first to test the waters (I mean ice).
At the .71 mark of the first mile, I made the decision to complete my run inside on the treadmill because black ice means I can’t see it…but it was definitely slippery in spots and it was not a pleasant way to run.
Not to mention, I am a mother.
Being a mother automatically means to me that I put my son first and he does not deserve to have a mom falling on ice and getting really hurt because she insisted on running in dangerous conditions.
Once I took that pregnancy test about 12 years ago now (wow), my life was not my own anymore.
I mean, it technically is, but having a baby means that someone else needs you to think responsibly and be in one piece if you can help it.
I don’t love having to switch from running outside to inside but I do what I have to do so I stuffed my layers in one of the cubbies in the gym and hopped on the treadmill for six miles.
*Tuesday*
Pure Barre Studio Series DVD & 6 Easy Miles
I am getting better at the plank positions required in the Studio Series workouts.
And, when I do want to drop to my knees and die, I pop up into downward dog instead figuring that is somehow still a good thing.
*Wednesday*
6.30 Miles
When I don’t do Pure Barre in the early morning, I feel weird.
I have come to love it so much, even though it can be challenging, that when I skip it, I tend to do the stretching parts on my own to get the blood flowing before waking up my son, getting him ready for school and then heading out for my run.
6.30 miles @ a nice consistent pace of 8:49.
*Thursday*
Pure Barre Mile High DVD & 45 Minutes Elliptical
I look forward to the Mile High DVD days because they really seem that much easier (while still burning) than the Studio Series.
It fascinates me that there are so many variations to barre and so many ways to make my abs ache.
I work with four Pure Barre videos and each one offers different exercises for each part of the body. Sometimes it’s ever so slightly different yet challenges me each and every time.
*Friday*
10 Miles?
You must realize by now that when I say ?, it means my phone died so I lost track of mileage.
I never invested in a garmin because the MapMyRun app has always been fine for me.
Except for when my phone dies.
My phone konked out on me at the 6.30 mile mark so I finished what I think was ten miles but I may be off on that.
We will never know.
I ran a little more than my usual route just because it didn’t sound like I would get outside for a few days and I wasn’t in the mood to leave it all for the treadmill.
*Saturday*
11 Treadmill Miles
I was correct in that the weather would prevent me from running outside but I wasn’t expecting to feel amazing for 11 miles on the treadmill.
You know it’s winter when you have to wear your boots into the gym and then change into your running shoes.
I figured I would go with how I felt and I felt great immediately.
I followed this pacing plan to keep myself comfortable without overdoing it.
Once I saw I felt amazing (seriously, I wish every run, especially on the treadmill, could feel like this) I decided on two sets of five miles each for a total of ten miles.
It actually ended up like this: 6 miles -> stop for bathroom, water, jelly beans->5 miles.
Average pace I think around 8:40.
*Sunday*
Pure Barre DVD – not sure which one yet.
**************
Did it snow by you this weekend? How did it affect your workouts?
Have you made black bean brownies before? If you have a recipe for me, please share it!
Best thing you ate so far this weekend?
The Cookie ChRUNicles 
I made the baked apple sticks on Friday – delicious!!
Oh good! It was so easy simple, right? Not complicated or involved but so good. Those are even good after they cool and are eaten cold.
I do the same thing in planks when I’m about to die. lol. I feel like downward dog is better than falling flat on my face/body and then proceeding to take a quick nap. I’ve made black bean brownies, but I wasn’t a fan. I can’t even remember the recipe I used…found it on Pinterest i’m sure. lol. The taste wasn’t bad at all, but for strange reasons I couldn’t get past the texture….
I may need to try making them just to see. I am sure the texture is different than the traditional brownie though and probably doesn’t taste like a brownie but maybe I will like it as something different. lol
This is my favorite black bean brownie recipe: http://thelittlehoneybee.com/2013/07/09/black-bean-brownies/
It wasn’t a great week of weather around here either- mostly dealing with possible ice throughout the week. Yesterday I ran on the treadmill because I thought it would be icy but turns out it wasn’t- oh well! And now we are expecting snow this week which will surely turn into ice and prevent me from running outside again. Its just kind of what I have come to expect lately though!
Thank you for the recipe! Perhaps I will try making them when we are snowed in with the sudden blizzard in the forecast. Ugh.
Ahhhh… so frustrating about the black beans! I do that stuff all the time. I’m amazed that you felt so good after the 11 on the treadmill. And smart move taking your 10 miler inside to avoid the black ice. Our kids need us!
It did snow where we are this weekend- long enough to make it pretty in the morning, and melt by lunchtime. That’s my kind of snow 😉 That isn’t what put a damper on my workouts, however, it was the fact that my husband was out of town and I was alone with 3 kids for a few days. THAT can definitely put a damper on running outside. Or on the treadmill- because SOMEONE needs something every 5 minutes. Never fails 😉
Maybe I missed it, but you didn’t say how the brownies turned out? I too have been meaning to try black bean brownies but just haven’t had the time. Do you recommend the recipe you used?
I didn’t make them because I was out of black beans. I had no idea until I opened the pantry door. I bought more so I may try to make them this week since we will be snowed in with a blizzard. Ugh!
Way to go on the long treadmill run. I have to do a long(er) run on the treadmill tonight and might try breaking it in half to make it go by faster! Thank goodness for Netflix!
Definitely break it in half- mentally that really helps me!