Adidas Update and New Beauty Finds

 

I request a lot from my shoes. I know what I am looking for, I know what I need and I won’t settle for less.

Here’s the thing – plenty of sneakers are comfortable. That’s what makes this so complicated.

You can try on a ton of running shoes that seem to feel amazing. You can even run a few miles in them and feel terrific. But, those same sneakers may not feel as great at mile 10 as it did at mile 3, and may feel even worse day after day of pounding the pavement.

I consider the running shoe hunt a matter of the survival of the fittest. These Adidas Energy Boosts have survived thus far. We shall see how they handle this weekend’s long run.

So today is the last day of school before the break. Exciting for the kids and teachers…me? As a mom? Not sure yet.

I am excited though to say my moisturizer is just about empty. Normally needing to purchase new beauty products can be annoying because I hate shelling out the money but there is a reason I am excited about this bottle being empty-

As you can see, it is the Whole Foods 365 brand signifying that a visit to Whole Foods is in order. Translate this to read: visit to Whole Foods = excuse for lunch at the food bar.

I haven’t mentioned some new beauty items I have purchased in recent weeks so let’s discuss today, OK?

New Blush from Tart:

I am still a recovering Dior Addict for allergy reasons and while I do like my Clinique products, I felt like I needed a new and cute blush compact in my life.

Tarte is allergy friendly and made without parabens and those icky ingredients we don’t want touching our skin.

This Amazion Clay 12 Hour Blush (Dollface is the color) really gives a nice pop of color and stays on throughout the day rather than becoming absorbed into your tinted moisturizer/foundation which tends to happen with other blushes I have used.

 Eye Shadow palette from Guerlain:

Sometimes you just need to splurge.

Switching from Dior eye shadow has been the hardest part of the shake up in my makeup routine. Finding amazing eye shadows like I used to have has been tough. Guerlain (which is actually in the same family of companies as Dior) makes a terrific variety of palettes while being allergy friendly (at least for me) and free from parabens.

What I haven’t bought but noticed on the shelves in Trader Joe’s are the gift sets for different bath salts, scrubs and hand soaps.

Reasonably priced if you still need a cute gift…or just want to buy something for yourself.

This hand soap set is a great hostess gift when you don’t know what to bring or want to bring something other than cookies. Or in addition to cookies if you are coming to my house.

On my list of things to order at the moment are awesome Active Accessories hair ties:

They are listed for $8 for a pack of six (with free shipping).

Oh, and before I forget, actually how can I forget? This article has shaken my little world a bit.

Click on the image for the link to the article.

I first read this article about my beloved Lisa Frank sticker empire the other day when it was posted as a link over at the blog, How Sweet It Is.

If you have checked out my Slam Book page, you already know I am a huge Lisa Frank fan and avid sticker collector.

Did you used to collect stickers? Do you still have your collection? Can I see it?

If you loved Lisa Frank as a kid (or still do now) it is a must read.

I am off to run outdoors for the first time in several days. The weather is actually warming up a bit! Don’t know how long it will last since winter officially begins tomorrow but I will take what I can get.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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I NEED TO KNOW:

Favorite new make up/beauty product?

Did you collect Lisa Frank stickers?

What do you think of the article?

Have you tried any of those Trader Joe’s soaps out for the holidays?

 

 

 

Back-to-Back Long Runs, Switching Up The Sneakers And Other Smart Moves

 

I did something smart. And cost-effective.

My Asics Gel Nimbus 15’s (on the left) are quickly wearing thin. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised – increasing one’s mileage will increase the frequency of purchasing new running shoes.

Don’t get me wrong – I love a new pair of shoes but spending big bucks right now to get THE EXACT SAME SNEAKERS THAT I ALREADY HAVE? Not interested.

To buy me some time (haha no pun intended), I realized I have a perfectly good pair of Brooks that just sit in my closet.

Friday morning I made the decision to take the Brooks out for a run. That run turned into a long run. Followed up by Saturday’s long run.

Back-to-back long runs? I never do that. But I felt like running. My feet felt great. In fact, I didn’t even notice my feet.

Forgetting you have feet = Great Run

Coincidentally, Friday afternoon I saw this article on the Runner’s World website which discusses why you should rotate your sneakers. A recent study has shown that rotating your sneakers is associated with a lowered risk of injury.

Rather than recite the entire article to you, what spoke to me the most was this:

“…different shoes distribute the impact forces of running differently, thereby lessening the strain on any given tissue…”

Were my back-to-back great long runs due to the sudden rotation of the running shoes? Is that why I felt so great both days, no pain or discomfort or soreness anywhere?

Who knows but I will take it.

Come to think of it, my weekend involved a bunch of smart and cost-effective things besides rotating my sneakers.

I bought the Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride tea for the first time in a while (had a coupon, of course).

While the aroma of the sugar cookie was the same as I remembered, the flavor was just rather eh compared to my favorite Yogi varieties.

So, rather than end up with a full box of tea sitting in the back of pantry,  I combined a bag of Sugar Cookie with a bag of Yogi Cocoa Spice.

A little bit of cocoa, a little bit of sugar cookie all warmed in a mug?  Genius.

Never thought to combine your tea? Rather new concept to me as well so don’t feel bad.

I can’t take full credit on this tea combining thing – Amanda introduced me a while back to adding flavored tea to coffee and since then I haven’t looked back.

I haven’t looked back since discovering roasted apple skins either. If you have yet to try this out, please add to the top of your to-do list.

Speaking of lists, I went food shopping yesterday to pick up the things I missed on Friday.

Lucky for me, the Stonyfield Greek is back on sale and since I was in smart mode over the weekend, I took the time to print out some coupons from the Stonyfield website.

50 cents may not seem like a lot but it all adds up. Especially when your grocery store doubles coupons AND runs sales on what you are buying.

Think about it – those few dollars you saved can pay for a sushi roll.

Dinner Saturday night was sushi in the city. Do you ever request brown rice in place of the white? Sometimes I do and Saturday night was one of those nights – too bad my waiter heard me, wrote it down yet didn’t deliver.

Clearly this man didn’t check the weather forecast. Not too smart of him. Only in New York. I swear.

My intelligence failed me yesterday morning:

I was at the end of the PB2 container so I decided to just add some water to the bottom and mix rather than take out a bowl and have to clean it.

Dumb move. Very dumb.

I couldn’t get to all of the peanut butter because the container is long and tall. I am now on the lookout for super long spoon to avoid this dilemma from ever occurring again.

There is just nothing worse than being unable to reach the last drop of peanut butter. Nothing.

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Don’t forget to enter my #Kindawesome Giveaway – click here to enter!

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How was your weekend?

Do you rotate your sneakers?

Ever combine your coffee and/tea?

 

 

Red Mango, Running Gloves And KT Tape

 

I never made it to Panera Bread for the new Hot Chocolate with the chocolate chip marshmallows.

Did you try it? How was it?

I did get to Red Mango though. Of course I did.

We should start playing “Guess How Much Meredith’s Red Mango Parfait Cost This Week”. Wouldn’t that be fun? No? Oh.

This beauty only cost me 54 cents!

OK, to be fair, I had a $5 reward from using my Red Mango Club Card, but, if you are decent at math, that means the whole parfait only came to $5.54! Sure beats last week’s price of $11.00.

I went to a different Red Mango, one of the only Red Mango locations remaining that isn’t a self-serve store.

The girl who works behind the counter makes the parfaits up all nice and big yet costs a gazillion dollars less.

I do have to drive a bit further for this fabulous Red Mango location but driving for what I love has never been an issue.

In fact, I loved Saturday’s parfait so much that I planned our Sunday slightly around it so that I could have one again.

Thank goodness the little boy never says no to Red Mango. I wouldn’t go for no nor would I go for a tantrum.

Actually, it would probably be me throwing the tantrum if he disagreed with my lunch of choice.

Two gigantic parfaits (he even requested fruit and flax granola) all for the price I paid FOR ONE PARFAIT last week.

I must have been on a savings safari this weekend because I even scored running gloves at Target which are half the price as the Lulu Lemon gloves.

I see absolutely no difference between these Champion gloves and Lulu’s version – except for the price!

Please note that I bought the size M/L and I have small hands. If you intend to purchase them, I am going to advise you to try them on to decide which size is best.

On Friday I mentioned my quest to find warmer running socks. I didn’t come across a pair but I should probably address why my foot was covered in pink Saturday morning.

If you follow me on Instagram, you saw the picture.

How pretty that the  KT Tape matched my polish? Essie’s Madison Ave-Hue.

Why did I need KT Tape? I don’t really know for sure, I just know that something has been bothering me on the tops of my feet, more the right than the left.

Almost like a shin splinty feeling, nothing that stops me in my tracks but I notice it and felt like my right foot just needed a bit more support before I headed out for my run.

If you have never tried KT Tape, you must. I am a strong believer that KT Tape is a medicine cabinet essential. You never know when you will need it.

My run on Saturday went surprisingly well; time totally flew by to the point where 12 miles were done before I knew it.

Hmm. It sounds so weird to write that “12 miles flew by” but if you have ever run a long distance (or any distance), you understand what I am saying.

As for my foot, it really feels OK almost all of the time. I really don’t notice that shin splinty feeling (the only way I can describe it) until about half a mile in and it does go away.

I sometimes wish I could run in two different pairs of sneakers just to figure out which one is best, don’t you?

I tried switching up my shoes yesterday in an effort to pinpoint the cause of my discomfort but I have come to no conclusions.

That’s the thing – you can try changing your shoes, blaming your path, the weather, the treadmill, the pavement, googling each and every random symptom when deep down, you kind of sort of know that it is simply overuse causing your aches and pains.

Last week I realized that my weekly mileage is on the high-end of normal for me and that high-end has remained high for several weeks in a row. I have been around or above 35 miles a week and for me, that is a lot.

Please note the words: FOR ME.

So many of the amazing bloggers I follow each day consider 35 miles a week their low-end, their recovery week or even just a long run for a Saturday.

We are all different. And we need to remember that. Sometimes, especially if you follow a ton of running blogs, you start to read numbers of 7 mile daily runs or a half marathon preceded by 10 miles and you start to think it is the average thing to do.

You aren’t jealous, no, you just start to routinely think in terms of those higher numbers when in reality, those numbers may or may not work for you.

I scaled back a bit last week and even though I am participating in the Pile On The Miles Challenge, I am giving thought to scaling back even more.

I mentioned to a friend the other day that I am considering taking 5 to 6 days off from running and strictly cross-training just to see.

See what? I don’t really know exactly but it can’t hurt.

The muscles and bones could certainly use a break from pounding the pavement.

So why does it sound as though I am on the fence about this little plan?

I am stubborn. And a runner. Not a good combination.

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I NEED TO KNOW:

Did you try Panera’s New Hot Chocolate?

Which running gloves do you wear?

Ever have top of the foot pain like I described?

 

 

 

 

 

13.1 Miles and Red Mango News

Good morning and Happy Sunday to you! I hope that you are enjoying your weekend and that the weather in your area is feeling like fall.

I love all of the seasons for different reasons but come on, fall is the best. Especially when you can run in conditions that look like this.

Do you notice that fresh strip of black top behind the pretty tree? That would be my path! To my surprise, they basically finished the entire path!

Except for certain little sections where I need to run under some yellow tape (I am so daring, I know), I was able to run most my 13.1 miles yesterday all on my routine route.

It was a gorgeous morning for a run; crisp and cool with a bit of sun and leaves crunching under my feet. It even smelled like fall. Perfect.

My run? It was fine. Nothing spectacular, my pace is still a bit off although I don’t really get nutty about it when I go long. I may attempt some speed work runs this week to work on the issue.

I also may be saying goodbye to MapMyRun for my run tracking. The new Fit Friend app is on my mind and may be downloaded to my phone shortly. Stay tuned.

You know I am feeling the after effects of a run when I spend the day out and about in sneakers whiling looking like I just rolled out of bed. Running errands and shopping after a morning of 13.1 miles is not exactly ideal but I took it slow and tried not to let my pocketbook slow me down. Anyone else find that their pocketbooks weigh more than them even when very little is inside?

RED MANGO NEWS ALERT: I spotted promotional material for the new Nonfat Greek Yogurt. It is about time.

I still don’t have the exact nutrition info but what we do know is that it is nonfat, contains 50% more protein than their regular frozen yogurt plus 25% of the daily value of calcium.

Perfect for my second post run meal and mid shopping fuel.

I have a busy Sunday ahead so it is time for me to get moving.

If you have Red Mango near you, please go and see if they have the Greek Yogurt yet and let me know what you think!

 

 

 

Saturday Long Run – I’ll Take The Physical Challenge

I love running. We know this, yes? I love to just get out there and do my thing, create my pace, challenge myself, relax, think, zone out, listen to music, listen to my thoughts and occasionally train and run a race.

Lately I notice a rise in the number of “specialty races” such as color runs, glow runs, electric runs, tough mudders and obstacle courses.

I have never really felt an itch to participate in any of these races even though many friends have asked me to join along.

However, this morning’s long run made me think that I was stuck in some obstacle course of my very own. Sort of like I failed to answer a trivia question correctly on Double Dare and was forced to take the PHYSICAL CHALLENGE.

So what exactly went wrong for me this morning? Where should I begin.

Let’s start with this sign. This sign and yellow tape greeting me at the start of my run. Without any warning from my community office, it seems various sections of the path I run inside of my development are under construction.

Some parts of my path were clear and then suddenly, I could go no further and would have to create detours to avoid not only roped off areas but construction vehicles and workmen wheeling wheel barrels straight at me.

Now, creating a new path was not my only issue today.

You see, I stayed out a bit late last night in the city watching the Islanders game over dinner and drinks.

No photos because some moments are simply meant to be enjoyed. That and because my phone battery was dying and my car charger stopped working.

Speaking of my phone, I never plugged it in last night. I didn’t want to wait long for it to charge this morning so I set out for my run with only 50% battery.

Because of this, I forced myself to listen to whatever songs came on my ipod rather than waste battery shuffling from song to song. Not easy for me to do.

Did I mention yet that my favorite athletic socks were all in the wash? Or that my heels are starting to bother me in the new sneakers?

And, for the highlight of my long run physical challenge, since we are such close friends and all, you should know I was also greeted this morning with a surprise visit from my most unwelcome monthly visitor.

So how was my run you wonder?

It really wasn’t bad at all. It was annoying to figure out a different route but, considering I was dehydrated and not operating at 100% percent, I felt pretty good and kept a decent pace. I told myself to just run and let the pace come naturally. I was shocked to actually be running under 9:00/min miles for a majority of my run.

I broke a couple of commandments this morning but hey, I never claimed to be perfect.

Oh wait, before I forget, look what was waiting on my doorstep:

The new Double Chocolate Chunk Quest Bars! Yes, they truly are the most delicious Quest bar yet.

I don’t often eat protein bars but these are my exception.

Time for me to put the focus on the birthday boy. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekend Recap – Sweet, Savory and Soles4Souls

I would like you to meet my newest pair of Asics Gel Nimbus 15’s.

It is said that you should replace your running sneakers somewhere between 300-500 miles. Normally I decide around the 300 -350 mile mark that my shoes are shot. This time around however, my Gel Nimbus 15’s held out closer to 400 miles.

I knew the end was approaching over the last few weeks but I just wasn’t ready for a new pair. Sneakers are so pricey; when you run an average of 30 miles a week if not more, you are looking at purchasing new shoes every few months.

Towards the end of last week however, I knew my shoes were done. I wasn’t achy or sore anywhere but my feet were noticing that the cushioning at the front of the shoes were gone, everything seemed stretched out and the support that my feet have grown to love from this Asics model was nowhere to be found.

I hate retiring a pair of sneakers that are still pretty clean and appear functional but when I have deemed them as worn out, I know that I cannot run in them any longer.

I was so happy when the man helping me at Runners Edge said that they are an official drop location for Soles4Souls.

From the Soles4Souls website:

Soles4Souls is a global not-for-profit institution dedicated to fighting the devastating impact and perpetuation of poverty.  The organization advances its anti-poverty mission by collecting new and used shoes and clothes from individuals, schools, faith-based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners, then distributing those shoes and clothes both via direct donations to people in need and by provisioning qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities.

I have a few other pairs of worn out running shoes in my closet simply taking up space. I plan on dropping those as well in the Soles4Souls bin.

To learn more about Soles4Souls and to find a drop location near you, click here.

So. The new shoes.

I was quite colorful on Saturday morning, yes?

You really are supposed to break in a new pair of sneakers slowly, but, since this is the same model I have already worn and since I am pretty used to running 10 miles, I decided it was OK to take them for a long run spin.

I wore them for a short run yesterday too and I intend to wear them again this morning.

You should know that something totally crazy happened yesterday morning though.

That would be my plate. I woke up craving an omelette. A vegetable omelette. With cheese. And Sriracha sauce.

Who am I? What happened to me? A savory breakfast? I don’t even understand.

Actually, maybe I do. On a very rare occasion, and I mean very rare, I crave eggs within 24 hours after a long run.

I think this is the first time the craving was strong enough to overtake a sweet breakfast to the point where the meal involved hot sauce but when a craving strikes, I always honor it.

You know what else I honor?

Devil’s Food Cheesecake from Junior’s.

This cake was more like a decadent hunk of chocolate fudge cake with a drop of cheesecake which was absolutely perfect for my taste buds since cheesecake itself really isn’t my thing.

My partner-in-good-food-crime took care of the cheesecake portion for us leaving me plenty of forkfuls of pure chocolate heaven.

I swear I could survive on just chocolate fudge frosting as dessert for the rest of the my life.

The great thing about cakes involving layers you don’t like is that it makes you appear not so selfish since you allow someone else to share and enjoy a good portion of it.  

A bit of a dessert mirage if you will.

Anyway, thankfully I have woken up this morning feeling normal. And what I mean by normal is that I am not wanting a plate of eggs or anything involving hot sauce.

I missed my morning bowl of oatmeal and fruit big time.

Ever hear the phrase: Out of sight, out of mind? Yeah, that just doesn’t apply here.

Have a great Monday!

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I NEED TO KNOW:

How often do you replace your sneakers? What do you do with your old pair?

Ever wake up craving something you never usually eat for breakfast?

Quick: Chocolate cake or cheesecake?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekend Recap and Mixing Up The Menu

Well hello!  I almost didn’t wake up on time for me this morning – between the sun rising later and later and my new cable box which lacks a clock on the display, I woke up in the dark and without seeing the time, assumed it was 3:00 am and went back to sleep.

It was not 3:00 am.

Anyway, as we know, Saturday’s long run was rather icky. I spent the rest of the day hanging by the pool, resting my legs and eating good food.

I have a new favorite restaurant – Andrea’s 25.

I really try to unplug on the weekends, especially when out for dinner, but I couldn’t help but snap a quick picture of the out of this world Dijon Baked Shrimp with Burnt String Beans that I ordered.

Beyond delicious. As was the rest of the meal. I can’t wait to go back there again soon. Like real soon.

Big News: Yesterday was declared a full rest day for me.

My legs really needed the rest as did my mind. I have definitely been walking the fine line between logging a nice amount of miles and overtraining.

It was nice to sleep in, lounge around and make pancakes. I went with chocolate chip pancakes this time instead of waffles.

So big and fluffy – have you bought the Kodiak Cakes Mix yet? If not, please add it to your shopping list for this week.

After breakfast we headed down to Atlantic Beach for the day.

We now have a lovely seashell collection. As well as sand in various places throughout my car and house. No matter how I try not to, a bit of the beach always comes home with me.

Word of Advice: Have dinner planned ahead of time on the days you go to the beach. Coming home with a tired and cranky child as well as being tired and cranky yourself does not make for a rational conversation or quiet night.

He had his tired sights set on going out for dinner to The Cheesecake Factory and I had visions of whipping something up from the freezer, getting him showered and quickly into his bed.

 

We compromised eventually on a homemade pizza bagel after he informed me that nothing I have on hand, or anything I make in general lately, is appealing to him.

I guess it is time for me to mix up my freezer/pantry essentials and come up with some new meals to add to our routine menu.

He has been asking me to make shrimp so I’m thinking to grab a bag of the Wild Caught Shrimp from Trader Joe’s today, along with whatever else I can find that is the opposite of what I normally purchase.

My legs are feeling good (so far) this morning so a short, easy run is on my morning menu. I hate to tamper with my sneaker situation but I remembered I have a pretty new pair of Brooks Glycerins in my closet so I am leaning towards taking them out to play.

Of possible interest:

If you have a clock on your cable box or feel like setting an alarm, you can get up super super super early tomorrow and go outside to view the last night of the 2013 Perseid Meteor Showers.

Kinda cool, yes?

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I NEED TO KNOW:

Does your cable box have a clock?

Do you have an easy shrimp recipe for me?

Are you tired of your usual go-to meals?

Have you caught any of the meteor showers this weekend or do you plan to?

 

Cinderella

My run yesterday was nowhere near as glorious as the last few have been.

The conditions were perfect, even after the flooding rains from Tropical Storm Andrea.

I blame my sneakers.

I just don’t know about these Brooks Glycerins. Some days they are great.

And then some days, they hurt the tops of my feet. Or the bottoms. Or, to put it simply, they just feel wrong lately.

I feel I have given them a fair chance. I even stop my runs to tie/re-tie and tie again.

To make matters worse, I don’t even know about the Saucony, Reebok or Asics I have lying around either.

I can’t fully explain my issues here. None of my sneakers are “THE ONE”.

I realize I am a Gemini. Please understand that I am not normally indecisive or bi-polar.

I have never had any form of a commitment issue.

Is it wrong to be looking for my glass slipper?

Run, Read and Eat Happy

Oh rainbow shoes how I loved you.

Lesson learned. Do not judge a book by it’s cover.

Although on a side note, I always seem to gravitate towards the novels with the pretty covers that have a picture of a cupcake, brownie or ice cream cone and they usually come through for me as great reads.

I have read a ton of books in my time and couldn’t even recall them all, not to mention their titles. Even for the ones  I loved.

However, This is How It Happened (Not a Love Story) by Jo Barrett still stands out in my mind as one of my all time favorites.

Hysterical yet touching novel.

A must read. Especially if you have ever wanted revenge on an ex. 

Anyway, back to my sneakers. Lesson learned.

As pretty as they were, there was something just “not right” to the point where I gave up yesterday.

Those pretty little sneakers, the third in my series of Gel Nimbus 14, were hurting my feet, especially my left one, and it was not improving no matter how I tried to fix it or ignore it.

I tried to run yesterday and stopped. It just wasn’t worth it. My foot hurt which was affecting my lower legs, knee and ankle and I really didn’t feel like pushing myself through pain and risking an injury.

Instead, I walked (I hate walking!) and strolled into my gym for a few minutes on the elliptical before taking myself to Runner’s Edge.

After explaining my dilemma and testing out a few pairs of sneakers, I made the decision to go with Brooks Glycerin.

Brooks, I sure hope you truly Run Happy.

Probably not the best time to be changing up the shoes with another half marathon scheduled for a week from Sunday.

Did I mention the race next week? I registered at the last minute for the Long Island Half Marathon. Better late than never, yes?

With another taper week about to begin, it is time to restock the bananas.

Yesterday I noticed I had one or two bananas about to become too over ripe.

I thought about making a banana bread. Isn’t that what everyone does when the bananas are about to go bad?

The boy was in major protest. He wanted me to take him for a milk shake.

While he continued to rant and rave about his mother being a health nut and not wanting whatever “health nut” item I was baking, I decided not to make a bread but to make cookies.

I thought cookies were a good compromise.

I quickly threw together a random cookie batter with what I had on hand.

I am so bad at giving recipes because I haven’t a clue as to my exact amounts. I usually start with the bananas and dump in ingredients as I go.

This time I really wanted to try baking with chia seeds in place of using egg. Chia seeds pack amazing nutritional value in just one table spoon including fiber, protein and Omega 3 fatty acids. They have overtaken the flax seed as the seed of choice.

I must know this because I am a health nut.

If you don’ t have chia seeds, don’t worry. Sub with an egg or an egg white. I have even made a variation of this cookie without egg completely.

The beauty of my cookies is that anything really goes. There is no right or wrong, just work with what you have and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Truth: Any cookie that involves chocolate chips and peanut butter automatically will taste great.

THE CLEANEST KITCHEN SINK COOKIES:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 bananas (mashed)*
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce
• 1 to 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats 
• 1/2 cup oat bran (if you do not have oat bran, you  can sub with flour – preferably whole wheat)
• 1/2  cup Natures Path Pumpkin Flax Granola (or any granola/cereal you have on hand)
• Semi-sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips (add as much or as little as you want)
• Giant Spoonful(s) of peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
• Cinnamon
• Sea Salt
• 1 tablespoon Chia Seeds plus 3 tablespoons of water (or  sub chia seeds with egg/ or egg white)

*If you have more bananas to use, that’s fine. Just add in extra oats and/or oat bran to balance it out a bit.
**Feel free to add in raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, or any other mix-ins you like

 

I mashed the banana first.

Add in applesauce and then chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. The chia seeds with expand and  thicken the batter.

I think it is suggested you mix the chia seeds with the water in a separate bowl and then add to your batter.

I hate cleaning an extra bowl therefore I tend to dump everything in one bowl. And it works just fine.

Add in oats, oat bran, granola, peanut butter, pinch of cinnamon and salt.

Fact: Nature’s Path Pumpkin Flax Granola is amazing and is the same granola used at the Red Mango toppings bar. If you don’t have this box in your house, go out and buy it. ASAP. 

Feel free to sub any other granola or other cereal in this cookie recipe in the meantime. If you do not have a cereal for the recipe, just add in more oats/oat bran.

Stir in chocolate chips.

If mixture seems way too wet, add a little bit more oats. There is no exact ratio here at all.

You really can’t add too much or too little.

Spoon onto cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Ours did not last in the oven that long since the boy has no patience.

He devoured 3 cookies and couldn’t stop saying how amazing they were.

I was pleased with how these cookies came out. You would never know there were chia seeds in place of the egg and they tasted delicious, had amazing texture and best part – HEALTHY.

No added sugars, butter, flour. Not even an egg or milk.

I wonder when this little boy will learn to trust me. Especially when it comes to dessert.

Can I say HA I TOLD YOU SO to my own child? Is that acceptable?

I need to know:

Do you wear Brooks? Do you run happy?

What is the next race on your calendar?

Do you eat chia seeds? Have you made chia pudding yet?

Do You Believe in Karma?

Almost time for Three Tip Tuesday – but first I have a little story.

Now that I am  officially “training” for the Fitness Magazine Women’s Half April 14, I am trying to take my runs back outside as much as possible.

It was super windy yesterday morning but I was flying (perhaps because I was close to being blown away).

I know I have shown you before but in case you missed it, I run on a path that circles my community.

On any given day I share this path with other residents who are out walking their dogs or simply walking/running for exercise.

As I was running yesterday, a woman walking towards me motioned for me to stop. She said she had a question.

But STOP? She couldn’t be serious. She must not know me. Or even heard about me.

I have been told on more than one occasion that I am thought of as “unfriendly” simply because I do not smile, wave or stop for chit chat while I am out running on the path.

And then once these fellow path users meet me and talk to me in another environment they decide I really am polite and nice and all of those fun characteristics.

Anyway, I shouted to this woman (since I was listening to music, I am pretty sure it came out as a shout), “Sorry, no I cannot stop.”

Rude of me? Nah. She didn’t appear to be seeking medical attention.

I was in the middle of my run. I stop for nothing.

In an attempt to be polite, I looked over my shoulder as I passed her.

“Just one question – where did you get those sneakers?”

Awww. See. Now that touched my heart.

I shouted, “I ordered them online.” I couldn’t get out all of the words to explain the who, what, where, when, how and why.

She shouted one more question as I was several yards away. “Are they New Balance?”

One word reply from me, “Asics”.

Now, I was taught at a very young age by my father that running shoes are chosen for fit, comfort and durability. Not for appearance.

He was a runner. If you meet him, within the first few sentences of your conversation, it is certain he will whip out his wallet sized photo from one of the three NYC Marathons he completed.

I made fun of his photo sharing as a kid. I now understand.

Anyway, I always wanted the cute sneakers as a kid. I recall one pair in particular that my parents did not buy for me.

I refer to them as the “rainbow sneakers I was never allowed to have.”

They were lavender with a rainbow design and velcro. I must have been 7 years old.

They looked something like this (but oh so much cuter!). I was not allowed to have them because they didn’t offer enough support.

This still bothers me. And while it may seem that my long-held anger is better suited perhaps for therapist to analyze, I do have a point here.

I may not have understood as a child, but now as a runner, I do understand.

I never choose my running shoe based upon appearance.

I have learned it is all about fit.

By the time I actually arrive at the right shoe, I am truly so relieved to have found the correct fit that I take whatever color combination available.

I got lucky this time around though. Call it karma if you will.

The current model I am wearing comes in a variety of great colors.

Once I fell in love with the fit of this shoe, my father, the former runner, ordered several pairs for me (from Road Runner Sports) to ensure I had a full supply before the model ends up on the “endangered list” and is gone forever.

See, I was meant to have a pair of rainbow sneakers. And, he was meant to get them for me.

Karma people, TOTAL KARMA.

I continued to see this woman as I was running our path. I was lapping her actually. Several times.

As I kept passing her, I realized that lapping people is great motivation for keeping your pace. Which leads to today’s Three Tips!

THREE TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR PACE WHILE RUNNING:

Tip #1 – DO NOT STOP TO TALK! – Yes, I know it is best to always be polite but it is OK sometimes to think of yourself first.

Be a little bit selfish! You are out for your run. It is your “me time”. There is time to talk before and after. If you want to keep your pace, stride and focus, you do not stop to talk.

If you must be polite, simply keep running and say, “I am sorry, I am running, catch ya after.”

Of course, if a situation arises where someone needs help, by all means stop to help. Or, if you run with your phone, call someone else to come help them. It may slow your pace a bit to make the call, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do as a good Samaritan.

Tip #2 – WEAR THE RIGHT RUNNING GEAR – I know I have said this before, but it is so important to be wearing the right clothes (as well as socks and shoes) in order to have a great run.

We all have those pants that look cute but start to fall as we move, yes? DO NOT WEAR THEM TO RUN. If they fall down once for you, they are not to be trusted again. No second chances.

Trust me, I have I have learned from experience.

My pace slows as I attempt to keep my pants on. Once they start to fall, as I pull them up, I pull my underpants down simultaneously. Trying to adjust this mess while still running and holding an iphone – pace inevitably slows down.

Tip #3 – USE OTHERS AS MOTIVATION – If all else fails and you can’t seem to keep the pace you want, look around you. See anyone walking? If so, your running pace is still faster than their walking pace. You are probably lapping them too! Use that as motivation.

They are probably envious that you are able to run while they are walking those miles.

I swear there is an ecard for everything. I could certainly use a card or a shirt that says something like, “I am polite, really I am. Just don’t try to talk to me while I am running.”

Almost time for my spin class! Have a great day!

I need to know:

Do you stop to talk to people when you are running?

Do you choose your running shoes based upon appearance or fit?