Category Archives: running

More Muffin Mania

My dancing dogs are barking!

The Carolina Chocolate Drops had me on my feet until 11:30 last night.

Have you heard these recent Grammy winners?  This string band puts on a great show with lots of audience interaction and shining charisma.  They play mostly old-time traditional southern string band tunes with a few modern hits thrown in.   One of the highlights of the show was Adam Matta and his beat-boxing wizardry.   Check out this mix of “Irish mouth music” and beat-box!

It was so much fun to see a big live show!  It’s been a long time, like since before we moved to Peru!

My legs might also be feeling my run yesterday, I set out for 5 miles but took a wrong turn and ended up completing 5.7!  I seem to have a habit of doing that…

FYI, yoga was delicious yesterday.  Upon returning from my run I flowed through 20 minutes of salutations with a few favorite poses thrown in at the end (Half Moon!).  The first few minutes were really distracted but after that I was able to drop into being present and enjoying what I was doing instead of being preoccupied with what else I could be doing (my main roadblock on the mat these days, when I actually get on the mat).

I promised you muffins this morning so muffins I will deliver.

Inside Out Carrot Cake Muffins

Prep

Preheat oven to 365* F

Butter and flour 6 cups of a muffin tin

Place 1 cup of plain yogurt (I used organic nonfat) to strain.

Soak 1/4 cup raisins in 1/4 cup of water for at least 15 minutes before you start in on the batter.

The Wet

  • soaked raisins and soaking water
  • 1.5 cups unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup grated carrots

Process raisins and water in a food processor for 1 minute.  Add applesauce and process for another minute.  Add egg and process until completely mixed (~15 seconds).  Pour mixture into a bowl and add grated carrots.

The Dry

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon and ginger

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.

The Filling

  • 1 cup strained yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • stevia to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

To Make

  • pour dry into wet and stir just enough to mix throughly
  • put a heaping spoonful of batter into the bottom of each muffin cup
  • with a wet spoon, make an indent in each batter pile

  • fill indents with a spoonful of yogurt filling
  • top with another big dollop of batter (it may be helpful to use clean hands here the scrap the batter off the spoon and cover the filling)

Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 22 minutes.  Once out of the oven leave in tin for 5 minutes or so to cool before removing onto a cooling rack.

Filled with frosting-like goodness!

(Note: this was my second batch, where I used a flax egg instead of a real egg.  The egg produced better results so I went back to it for the post but I forgot to take a picture of the cross section.  These ones fell and were a little dense :(. )

These muffins are free of refined sugar and loaded with vitamins A and C and fiber.  They are about 175 calories a piece and are great with coffee (what isn’t?).

Have a delightful weekend!

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Filed under baking, recipes, running, yoga

A Salty Situation

Hello Winter! Can’t say I missed you but I sure did enjoy that little Spring teaser we’ve experienced over the last few weeks.

Snowy days are perfect for kitchen projects!

Todays recipe features three simple ingredients

I was first inspired to make herb salts while living in Lima, Peru.

Every Saturday I would walk two miles to the weekly Bio Feria.  There are so many fruit carts and produce markets in Peru, like this shopping cart of avocados that roamed the streets

The Bio Feria is the equivalent of a farmers market here but focuses more on whole grain baked goods, organic products, and prepared food than produce since local produce is everywhere.

One of my favorite products from the market was a “salad” herb salt made from organic herbs and quality sea salt, all ground up super fine and powdery.  I don’t remember exactly what the combo of herbs was but it was delicious on everything!

It is certainly possible to buy herb salts here in the States but they aren’t cheap and they are so super easy to make (and I am such a DIYer!).

Today I made a Rosemary Salt and a Lavender Salt.

Gather your ingredients, I bought all three at Integral Yoga but they can certainly be found at Whole Foods, World Market, or probably any health food store with a bulk sections.  Or, even better, use your own garden grown herbs!

The salt is a coarse grey sea salt.  I only buy sea salt because it is less processed than iodized table salt (regular salt) and kosher salt (table salt with a different size/shape crystal) and thus contains more minerals.

Process the herb first

 

Oh how I wish the scent of crushed lavender could waft out of your speakers right now!  Amazing.

Then add the salt.  The ratio is really a matter of personal choice, I like about 1:1 but you could certainly tip it either way.

I love using coarse grey sea salt for this because it’s a very wet salt and the flavor quickly permeates throughout.  The final texture is also a matter of personal preference, you could go very coarse or very fine or somewhere in the middle, like I did today.

Repeat process to make Rosemary Salt.

Add salt

Choose your texture!

This salt dish lives on our table and the rosemary always empties first!   I have heard that lavender salt is a natural with pork but I don’t eat pork so if you are so inclined to give it a try let me know what you think!  I love it on steamed butternut squash and coconut truffles and Kath swears by it on salad.

I have every intention of creating my own blends but these two are so good as is!

There is no way I am going to meet my February walking goal. 😦

I am at 58 miles with 7 days left.  Yeah, it’s not going to happen.  No biggie, I think I will drop it down to 85 miles.

On the other hand, my running goal will be met and exceeded!  I am at 23 miles and plan on another at least another 10 over the next 7 days.

No running today though, I already had a hell of a workout with Core Four this morning!  I will be pleasantly sore tomorrow.

Time to give my foam roller some love!

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Filed under food, goals, recipes, running, workouts