APRÉS RUN

APRÉS RUN

On-the-Go Cereal Snack Bars

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What food is more nostalgic for current (and former) athletes than granola bars? They’re the ultimate convenience food – for pre-workout, pre-race, post-race, or on road trips. They pack well, and if done correctly – they can pack a lot of nutrients and satiating ingredients!

But not all granola bars are created equal. Many are packed with loads of sugar, or ingredients you can’t recognize (or pronounce). And while there are definitely some better options out there, I wanted to try my hand at making my own. I also used it as an opportunity to incorporate all my favorite things in a granola bar:

  • Cereal! – Is there anything more fun and nostalgic than a granola bar with cereal in it? I used half plain Cheerios, and half oats for nice texture and crunch. I love that Cheerios have a simple ingredients list.
  • Lots of different nuts and seeds – This bar has almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds for a great combo of flavors (and lots of nutrients).
  • Dried fruit for some extra (natural) sweetness – and a trail mix style flavor – Instead of raisins, which are a little more expected, I used unsweetened dried cranberries. These combined with the different nuts and seeds give it a fun trail-mix-style vibe.
  • Natural sweeteners and binders – I used brown rice syrup and natural peanut butter to bind these bars. The nut butter helps to balance out the brown rice syrup, and as a result, these bars won’t spike your blood sugar nearly as much as most conventional granola bars.

It took me two tries to get these bars *just right* – but the end result is perfect: they’re super tasty, great to travel with, and pack some serious staying power. If you give them a try, let me know what you think! Or let me know what’s in your perfect granola bar.

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On-the-Go Cereal Snack Bars

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 9 bars or 12 squares 1x
  • Category: Snacks
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

These cereal bars are healthy, super tasty, and make a great, portable snack you can take anywhere. I love the combination of Cheerios and oats – they make the bar feel reminiscent of a childhood snack, but are beefed up with lots of nuts, seeds, and dried cranberries to make them super nourishing and healthy.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup rolled oats (gluten-free, if needed)
  • 1 1/2 cup Cheerios
  • 1 cup raw, unsalted almonds
  • 1/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
  • 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, preferably unsweetened or lightly sweetened
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup brown rice syrup*
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • Coconut oil, for greasing pan

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350º F. Meanwhile, grease a 9×9″ pan with coconut oil, and set aside.
  2. Toss oats, almonds, and cinnamon on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until slightly golden and fragrant. Remove from oven, and let cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine Cheerios, nuts and seeds, and dried cranberries with the toasted oats, almonds, and cinnamon. Mix together.
  4. Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat, and add your peanut butter, brown rice syrup, vanilla, and salt. Stir, and keep over heat until smooth, warm, and just combined. This should just take a few minutes.
  5. Pour the peanut butter and brown rice syrup mixture into your large mixing bowl, and toss until all ingredients are well-coated and sticky.
  6. Press the combined mixture into your greased baking pan, cover, and let set in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  7. Once set, remove from freezer and cut into squares or bars of your choice.

Notes

* – I can’t guarantee results with any other sweetener. Brown rice syrup is really important for the right consistency and ‘stick’ factor. I purchased mine from Amazon and really love the Lundberg brand.

Keywords: Snack bars, cereal bars, healthy cereal bars, granola bars, healthy granola bars, gluten free granola bars, trail mix bars

Banana Walnut Muffins with Vegan Cream Cheese Mascarpone

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And the obsession with banana bread baked goods continues… (sorry I’m not sorry 🤷🏻‍♀️).

These are not just regular banana bread muffins, though. They’re hearty banana walnut muffins, topped with an incredible cream cheese mascarpone frosting. Is there anything more fun than a muffin with frosting? It makes eating a muffin feel 10x more fancy and decadent. When I make these, I always feel like I have a special treat on hand, and they look so beautiful all dressed up.

The frosting on these is a homemade vegan mascarpone. Mascarpone is a soft cheese, so it’s not designed to be a super sweet icing. Rather, it’s meant to be a savory complement to the sweet banana muffins. If sweet icings are your thing, though, I have a few tips in the Notes section (below) for how to make that happen.

Bonus: This recipe will make slightly more frosting than what you’ll need for topping the muffins. Store the leftovers in your fridge, and slather on a warm bagel with a drizzle of honey, dip pretzels in it, or use it to top pancakes or other baked goods with. The possibilities are endless!

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Banana Walnut Muffins with Vegan Cream Cheese Mascarpone

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 22
  • Total Time: 37 minutes
  • Yield: 12 muffins 1x
  • Category: Baked goods
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

Oh, my. I don’t have enough good things to say about these muffins. Elevate your weekday snack – or make a fun weekend baked good for a crowd – with these amazing savory-sweet banana bread muffins. The whipped mascarpone frosting really puts them over the top.

Scale

Ingredients

Banana Walnut Muffins:

  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 3 medium super-ripe bananas (the spottier and more brown, the better!)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup plant-based milk of choice (I used almond milk)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Vegan Cream Cheese Mascarpone:

  • 1 8-oz. container Kite Hill Plain Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 cup plant-based butter or margarine of choice
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425º F. Grease a 12-count muffin tin, or line with baking cups, and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a separate medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas. Crack in the eggs, and whisk until well-beaten. And then add in the olive oil, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk everything together until well-incorporated.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir to combine, until no flour pockets remain.
  5. Add in the walnuts, and stir once more.
  6. Spoon your batter into the muffin cups. Fill all the way to the top, or just under.
  7. Bake for 5 minutes at 425º. Then – without turning off the oven – reduce the temperature to 350º and bake for an additional 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean and crumbly.
  8. While muffins are cooking, combine all mascarpone ingredients in a stand mixer, and beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate the mixture to let firm up before frosting.
  9. Once the muffins are done cooking, remove them from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes in the baking tin. Then remove them and let finish cooling on a baking rack.
  10. Wait until muffins are fully cooled before frosting. Be as generous with the frosting as you please, and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Because the muffins have a cream cheese-based frosting, they should also be refrigerated.

Notes

  • If you don’t need these muffins to be gluten-free, feel free to substitute 2 cups whole wheat flour in place of the 1 cup almond meal and 1 cup oat flour.
  • The initial high cooking temperature is a trick I learned from Sally’s Baking Kitchen. They allow the muffins to spring up and rise much higher than cooking them at – say- 350º for 20+ minutes. They’ll also give them a lighter, fluffier texture (and make them what I call ‘bakery-quality’ baked goods). Keep in mind – rising is all relative with gluten-free baked goods, which won’t rise as much as muffins made with a gluten-containing flour (like whole wheat).
  • This frosting is not designed to be super sweet – like an icing. If you prefer a sweeter frosting, add either 1-2 tablespoons of real maple syrup, or 1 cup powdered sugar to your mascarpone ingredients, and beat in the stand mixer until light and fluffy, as directed.
  • Feel free to use another brand of vegan cream cheese, if you prefer, but Kite Hill is the one I created the recipe with, and loved. Of all the vegan cream cheeses I’ve tested, this has the best texture, in my opinion.

Keywords: Healthy muffins, banana muffins, banana bread muffins, banana walnut muffins, vegan cream cheese, vegan mascarpone, healthy baked goods, gluten free baked goods, dairy free baked goods

Second Trimester Recap

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It blows my mind, but somehow I’ve just hit the third and final trimester of pregnancy. Which means it’s time to share my Second Trimester Recap!

ICYMI: Click here to read my First Trimester Recap. Spoiler alert – it was not a good time.

In general, whereas the first trimester was such a physical experience (vomiting, nausea, and fatigue overtook my life), the second trimester for me has been all about the mental and emotional journey, and riding out all the unexpected highs and lows (despite feeling really good, for the most part, physically!). It’s been really rewarding to feel like I’m ending my second trimester in a completely different place than where I spent most of it, and I’ll talk more about that below.

The good

Getting my life back at Week 14 1/2 – In general, everything has been so much better than in the first trimester. At some point during the first trimester, I thought I was going to be one of those women who was throwing up nonstop the entire pregnancy. (At that time, I thought I might have hyperemesis gravidarum, but I never tested positive for ketones, and thankfully – the vomiting eventually did subside.) For me, it wasn’t a magical switch-off that happened right at the Week 13 mark, but gradually I started stringing together days where I was able to keep more and more food down, and eventually, around Week 14 1/2, the throwing up tapered off. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I actually lost about five pounds in my first trimester. It has skewed my weight gain a little bit for the remainder of the pregnancy.

Having much more energy and motivation – for work and just daily life. I still have a ‘switch off’ point at night, where all of a sudden I feel like I can’t keep my eyes open anymore. But again, after the first trimester, it feels magical, and I’ve loved throwing myself back into work, new projects, and even just being able to do more around the house again.

Being able to eat a wide variety of foods again! And no more food aversions! This was truly a lightswitch effect for me. I’m back to eating the way we normally do now, and it’s felt wonderful. In my first trimester, my diet was mostly plain, starchy carbs, I was eating very little veggies, and cooking dinner was very infrequent – because the sight/smell of so many foods would make me want to vomit.

Passing my gestational diabetes test – This felt like a huge victory of the second trimester. My mom had had gestational diabetes with all three of her kids, and my grandma with all five of hers. I knew genetics were stacked against me, but I really wanted to beat the odds. At Week 25, I had my one-hour glucose test done, and I failed. I fasted the night before Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Eve morning I went into the lab and took my three-hour test. I was convinced it was going to come back negative, but I passed the second time around with flying colors!

The bad

Really bad pelvic pain and not being able to run – This has been my main physical symptom in the second trimester. No SI joint pain, no restless legs, no acid reflux, no insomnia. Just this – and so I try to keep that in perspective. After trying to push through for a week or two, despite loads of pain and limping around the house – I finally had to stop running at around 18 weeks. At first, I was completely gutted, and letting go – especially because I was finally feeling so good and had so much energy – was really hard and emotional. I went to see an OB PT, who ruled out SPD. She confirmed that the hormone relaxin (which prepares your body for body for labor by making your muscles, tendons, and ligaments looser and more flexible) was just doing its job a little too well. There was nothing structurally wrong me, and there was no physical injury to the bones or muscles. It was all due to the hormonal shifts, which obviously is not something you can reverse or fix (since they’re actually a good thing). Since then, I’ve been able to continue lifting – which I’ve really enjoyed. I’ve just modified and eliminated certain exercises – like anything single-leg – which give me a lot of pain. I love knowing that regular lifting could make my birth smoother and easier, and help my body’s recovery after. I’ve also been walking and aqua jogging for cardio – although I have to be careful not to overdo the walking, since it can cause the same pain as running.

Coping and adjusting to a changing body – I did not expect to struggle with this the way I did. I obviously knew my body was going to change and grow during pregnancy. I knew I was going to gain weight, and I knew at some point my clothes were going to stop fitting – or start fitting differently. I even thought it would be cute to get a little pregnancy belly. But as soon as all those things started happening, I wanted them to stop immediately. None of it feels natural or comfortable to me, and I was constantly self-conscious. I really dislike how all the attention goes to your body when you’re pregnant. Everyone immediately looks you up and down, stares at your stomach, and makes comments about how big or small you are – and I really struggled with this.

In the first half of the second trimester: a lot of anxiety – I would say I had a lot of anxiety in general in the first half of the second trimester. Everything agitated me or made me uncomfortable. I don’t love a lot of attention – again, especially the body-focused attention – so now that we had announced it and everyone knew I was pregnant, I was having a really tough time! I wanted to wear a sign around my neck that said ‘Please don’t touch my belly.’

I also felt that in the first half of the second trimester I was fighting my body every step of the way. I was mad at it for not letting me run. I was mad that my pelvic pain made simple things like rolling over in bed, or getting up from the couch excruciatingly painful. I was (irrationally) mad at all the changes I can’t control, even though these changes are obviously a good thing 🙂

In the second half of the second trimester: moodiness + depression – In the second half of the second trimester, I started having days where I would feel really ‘down’ for no reason. Part of me wonders if this is the endorphin withdrawal from running (I find I get this way during planned running breaks, too) – but I also know it could just be from hormone shifts due to the baby. I fought this a lot around the holidays (during that weird time between Christmas and New Year when you have no idea what day it is…). I ended up consciously taking a little more time away from the laptop, putting some projects on hold until after the New Year, and spending more time with Ryan while he was home for his Christmas vacation. My hubby works in higher ed and has amazing PTO. It turns out the break – for both us – was exactly what we needed.

Big lessons from the second trimester

Your body really doesn’t give a sh*t about running and working out while you’re pregnant – And I mean this in the best way. I think it was Mary who finally said this to me, and it really stuck. My body is making a human being from scratch (no small feat), and physiologically that’s its number one priority right now. It’s where the majority of its resources are going, and the other portion is going towards keeping me alive. Having a loose enough pelvis to accommodate birth > a stable pelvis for running. Growing baby’s muscles > growing and repairing my muscles from my morning lift. Remembering this helps me to feel like I’m working with my body, vs. constantly fighting against it.

Having a healthy baby becomes your number one priority – This sounds so cliche, and makes me cringe a little writing it – but it’s true. Time has a way of bringing things into perspective. The further along you get in pregnancy, the more nerve-wrecking tests you undergo (Do I have gestational diabetes? Will my baby have only one ear? Is its heart growing outside its body?), and the more stories you hear about people who have not been so fortunate during pregnancy, the less you take an otherwise healthy pregnancy for granted, and the more you appreciate the crap out of your body.

It’s all temporary – I feel like I’ve ridden the rollercoaster of emotions that was the second trimester, and now I’ve arrived at enlightenment. I definitely still have days I feel down/anxious/just ‘off’, but in general I feel so much calmer and well-balanced. Although it’s taken me a while to get here, this is probably my biggest takeaway from the second trimester. It’s all temporary, and this is just a short season of life. It feels so permanent and all-consuming in the moment (just as the nausea and vomiting did in the first trimester), but the highs and lows all come, go, and shift. And in the end, I’ll spend the rest of my life thinking about the beautiful baby we brought into the world – not about Month 3, 4, 6, 7, etc. of pregnancy.

What’s next

A LOT has to happen between now and when the baby comes 😳- but I’m truly feeling very excited and motivated for the challenge! Baby B’s due date is March 31st, and of course I have no control over it, but I’m praying he doesn’t come a day early! More time to get stuff done!

Over the next three months, I have a lot I want to tackle personally and professionally. Namely, getting a few continuing ed certifications that will make me a better coach (and eventually a strength coach!), adding more wonderful athletes to my roster (my favorite part of what I do) before having to stop accepting new people for a while, and planning training for immediately after the baby’s arrival, when I’ll be a little more disconnected.

We’ll also have to get baby on a daycare waiting list, complete our online parenting classes, get a lot of his stuff, and start his room. Our beautiful home workout studio will become the baby’s room, so sadly we’ll be putting all that equipment in storage for a while and joining an out-of-home gym. The good news is that we’ve already been testing new gyms and found one we both love! I’ve started alternating between workouts in the home studio and there, to get used to the transition. It’s been fun having access to so much more equipment. Not so fun having to wait for platforms and machines again – but you make it work.

Perfectly Fluffy Gluten-Free Gingerbread Pancakes

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I made these pancakes for our Christmas Day brunch – and again on New Year’s Day, because they were that good.

These pancakes come out delightfully golden in color, and all the warming gingerbread spices will make your house smell amazing while cooking. They are hearty enough to stick with you for hours afterwards, but light and fluffy in texture – just how we like our pancakes around here.

The key for these was finding the just-right blend of flours. I used a combination of oat, almond, and coconut to not only make them not only gluten-free, but super healthy and nutrient-dense, and also to give them that perfect texture I was looking for.

Speaking of nutrients – these are sweetened with coconut sugar and molasses, both of which are low-glycemic and won’t give you a 2 PM sugar crash after eating. Molasses is also super mineral-rich and has a whole host of health benefits on its own – especially for runners.

There are so many fun ways to dress these up, too! A few ideas:

  • Coconut whipped cream (store-bought, or you can make it homemade, like we did. I love Minimalist Baker’s recipe)
  • Maple cashew cream frosting (I love this recipe from Cotter Crunch)
  • Fresh berries and drippy almond butter
  • Coconut oil or grass-fed butter, and real maple syrup (classic)
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Perfectly Fluffy Gluten-Free Gingerbread Pancakes

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 medium pancakes 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

These gingerbread pancakes are festive enough for the holidays, or hosting a great Winter brunch with friends – but just as good on a random Saturday morning in.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cup almond milk, or plant-based milk of choice
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Grease a large griddle or pan, and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, coconut sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt.
  3. In a separate medium mixing bowl, beat your eggs. Add in milk, molasses, and oil, and whisk vigorously to combine.
  4. Add your wet ingredients into the dry, and stir together until fully-combined and well-incorporated. Be careful not to overstir.
  5. Let batter sit for 10 minutes. This step is very important!
  6. With a few minutes left to go, start preheating your griddle over medium heat.
  7. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, spoon your batter onto the griddle, and let cook about 3 minutes (or until the edges are bubbly). Flip, and repeat on the opposite side, until pancakes are cooked through.
  8. Dress with desired toppings, and serve warm! Enjoy!

Keywords: pancakes, healthy pancakes, gluten free pancakes, healthy baking, gingerbread, gingerbread pancakes, gluten free baking

Mango Margarita Green Smoothie

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Happy December 26th! All of the holiday hustle and bustle is slowly dying down, and it feels nice to return to a slower pace of life.

After indulging in lots of yummy food the past week or two, I woke up this morning craving something super nutrient-dense. Enter big green smoothies.

You’re going to LOVE this recipe, which tastes like a (green’d-up) mango margarita, thanks to frozen mango, pineapple, and lime juice. And your body is going to love the fact that it’s packed with three different kinds of greens – spinach, cucumber, and chopped parsley. Even just making this smoothie is a sensory experience, with all the fresh greens, herbs, and citrus. It smells super fresh and makes you feel good about what you’re putting into your body.

I beefed it up with coconut water for extra hydration and electrolytes. The coconut water gives it a nice, ultra-smooth consistency, and lets it retain its bright green color. You can use coconut or almond milk as your liquid for a creamier smoothie – but the color won’t be quite as sharp.

I also used a tablespoon each of hemp and chia seeds for some extra staying power (and healthy Omega-3s).

Look at all the goodness in this blender:

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Mango Margarita Green Smoothie

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 1
  • Total Time: 6 minutes
  • Yield: 2 16-oz. smoothies 1x
  • Category: Smoothies and drinks
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

The perfect super nutrient-dense smoothie for recovering from a week (or several…) of heavy eating – or just beating the Winter blues.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups spinach, packed
  • 1/2 medium to large cucumber, diced
  • A couple sprigs of parsley, chopped
  • 2 cups frozen mango chunks
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • 2 cups coconut water
  • Juice of half a lime

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender. (I recommend adding ingredients in the order listed – with spinach at the bottom – for easiest blending.) 2. Puree on high, until fully blended and smooth. 3. Serve in two tall glasses, with a lime slice if desired.

Keywords: Smoothie, smoothie recipes, green smoothie, tropical green smoothie, mango smoothie, pineapple smoothie, fruit smoothie, detox smoothie

Seedy Gluten-Free Banana Bread (gf, df)

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Is there anything better than the smell of freshly-baked banana bread in your kitchen?!

I don’t think I’ll ever stop developing new banana bread recipes – there are just so many fun variations you can make.

I have a few favorites already on the blog that you MUST try if you haven’t already:

But as Winter approaches, I’ve been craving a good, hearty loaf that’s filling, fragrant (with lots of warming spices), and not too sweet. Enter my new Seedy Gluten-Free Banana Bread. This recipe is super comforting, satisfying, and exactly what you want to dig into as the weather gets colder. (In your PJs? In front of the fireplace? Yes?)

I love a sweet banana bread speckled with dried fruit, or dark chocolate chips – but this is not that. The texture (and flavor) here comes from lots of seeds – tiny nutritional powerhouses with protein, fiber, and healthy fats that will keep you full for hours, and which deliver a nice, satisfying crunch. It smells delicious, thanks to lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, and of course the classic banana bread smell. I like slicing this bread thick (you’ll get about 10 good-sized pieces), and serving warm with plant-based butter or coconut oil.

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Seedy Gluten-Free Banana Bread (gf, df)

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 50
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 10 hearty slices 1x
  • Category: Breads and quick breads
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

This is a super wholesome seedy banana bread recipe that you’ll be coming back to all Winter long.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I love this blend by Bob’s Red Mill). If you’re not gluten-free, you can use either spelt flour, or regular all-purpose flour.
  • 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds, plus more for topping
  • 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of xanthan gum (optional – just helps gluten-free flours to bind a little better)
  • 3 medium over-ripe bananas
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup almond milk, or plant-based milk of choice
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup real maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350º F. Grease a loaf tin, and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices, and xanthan gum (if using).
  3. In a separate medium bowl, start by mashing the bananas.
  4. Add in the beaten egg, milk, olive oil, maple syrup, tahini, and vanilla, and stir or whisk to combine.
  5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined and no bits of flour remain. (Do not overmix!)
  6. Pour the batter into the loaf tin, and sprinkle with a generous handful of extra sunflower seeds.
  7. Bake in the middle rack of your oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
  8. Remove from the oven and let settle for 10 minutes or so, before transferring to a plate or wire cooling rack. You can store the loaf on the countertop for 3-5 days if well-wrapped, or in an air-tight container. OR in the freezer for up to several weeks.
  9. Enjoy!

Keywords: banana bread, seedy banana bread, nutty banana bread, whole grain banana bread, gluten free banana bread, healthy banana bread

Superpowered Chocolate Milk Recovery Shake (df, vegan)

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Chocolate milk makes a great recovery drink for a number of reasons: it has both protein and easily-digestible carbs; it’s hydrating; and it’s quick, convenient, and tasty. But dairy milk doesn’t sit well in all stomachs (mine included 🙋🏻‍♀️) – so I set out to make a recovery shake recipe that checked all those same boxes, but was plant-based and allergy-friendly.

This shake:

  • Is hydrating and packed with electrolytes — Thanks to coconut water and banana
  • Has the quick-digesting carbs your body needs after a hard workout — Carbs = quick fuel for restoring glycogen stores and repairing muscles. This shake has two good sources, in banana and dark chocolate.
  • Contains protein for muscle repair — I used hemp and chia seeds, both good sources of plant-based protein
  • Is protein-powder free — I love and use protein powders regularly. BUT, protein powders aren’t budget-friendly for everyone, so I wanted to provide a healthy, hassle-free alternative you can make at home.
  • Is totally plant-based — Making this shake friendly for a lot of different stomachs and diet types. If whey or milk proteins make you stomach feel icky, try blending a shake – like this one – with fruits and seeds.

Taste testers also went crazy for this shake, and confirm it makes a great snack, post-workout or not 😉

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Superpowered Chocolate Milk Recovery Shake (df, vegan)

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 2
  • Total Time: 7 minutes
  • Yield: 1 large 24 oz. shake, or 2 small 12 oz. shakes 1x
  • Category: Smoothies and shakes
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

This shake tastes like an old-fashioned Yoo-Hoo from your childhood – but is packed with everything you need to effectively jumpstart recovery post-workout: hydration and electrolytes, and a mix of protein and easily-digestible carbs.

Bonus: it’s totally plant-based, and free of expensive protein powders, making it allergy-friendly, and gentle on even the most sensitive of stomachs!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1 medium frozen banana
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 20 grams 85% dark chocolate (roughly 1/4, or 1–2 squares, of a bar. I used Trader Joe’s 85% Dark Chocolate Bar)
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup ice

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Healthy Holiday Bliss Balls – 3 Ways

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We all know that the way to people’s hearts is good food. I love gifting homemade treats to people that might either be hard to shop for or seem to ‘have it all’ already. If your holiday gifting budget is small this year, or you’re trying to save money, it’s also a sweet, thoughtful way to gift that is always appreciated – and sometimes even moreso than giving material things.

I recipe-developed these healthy holiday bliss balls with gifting in mind. You can certainly get more mileage by making smaller balls, but I think the larger size looks better and more robust when packaged and given away.

I made the bliss balls in three of our most-loved holiday flavors – chocolate peppermint, gingerbread, and sugar cookie. I think sugar cookie was unanimously our favorite, with gingerbread a close second, but all the flavors are unique and delicious, and sure to please a crowd! Plus, there’s fun in getting to try them all 😉

Made from nuts, dates, oats, real maple syrup, and spices, these bliss balls are not only tasty – they’re also super nourishing and something you can feel good about gifting to anyone. For the active people in your life – they also make a great pre-workout snack!

If you try these, you have to let me know which is your favorite!

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Healthy Holiday Bliss Balls – 3 Ways

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 large bliss balls 1x
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: No-bake
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

These bliss balls are a super festive and tasty way to get in the holiday spirit, and best of all – they’re great for sharing, and gifting to others. We love all three holiday flavors, but feel free to make just one if you favor chocolate peppermint, gingerbread, or sugar cookie in particular. You can easily double and triple the batch to make a surplus.

These balls are no-bake, super nutritious, and come together in around 10 minutes. They’re also a super fun, hands-on recipe to make with kids.

Scale

Ingredients

Chocolate Peppermint Bliss Balls

  • 1 1/2 cup raw walnuts
  • 8 medjool dates, pitted and then soaked*
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons drippy almond butter
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • Optional: 1 candy cane or handful Little Secrets Dark Chocolate Peppermint Pieces, crushed, for rolling on top

Gingerbread Bliss Balls

  • 1 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 10 medjool dates, pitted and then soaked*
  • 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
  • 1 tablespoon cashew butter
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Optional: More cinnamon for dusting on top

Sugar Cookie Bliss Balls

  • 2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup real maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons drippy peanut butter**
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Optional: Coconut sugar for dusting on top

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients for your ball of choice in a food processor and blend on high until a sticky dough forms.
  2. Roll dough into 6-8 large balls, and dust with suggested toppings, if desired. If making the Sugar Cookie Bliss Balls, I recommend placing in the freezer and letting firm up for 5-10 minutes.
  3. For all bliss balls, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator (for up to a week or so) or the freezer (for longer-term storage).

Notes

* To soak your dates, first remove and discard their pits. Then, place in a small bowl with warm to hot water and let soak for 10 minutes.

** Use natural peanut butter, which should be drippy in consistency and have only one or two ingredients in it (peanuts and salt) – not conventional peanut butter with hydrogenated oils in it.

Keywords: bliss balls, holiday bliss balls, holiday treats, healthy holiday baking, no bake bliss balls, chocolate peppermint, gingerbread, sugar cookie

Holiday Gift Guide for the Runners and Sweaty People in Your Life

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I LOVE the holidays, and I LOVE gifting! So I was so excited to put together my first-ever gift guide for the blog – with plenty of time left to do your holiday shopping. Below I’ve curated some of my absolute favorite products (things I’ve been loving and want to shout from the rooftops), as well as things I’ve been coveting myself – all perfect for the runners and sweaty people in your life.

I’ve included a wide range of products for all budget types (from $ to $$$), and I’ve also tried to include women-run and small or local businesses wherever possible.

Obsession-worthy running gear

(1) Lululemon Speed Up Tight 28″ Full-On Luxtreme – $108 – This is my current favorite Lululemon tight for running (and that’s saying something, because I love my Lulu). It has just the right amount of compression, so it’s supportive but doesn’t make you feel like a sausage; it has big, stretchy side pockets that can safely store car keys, gels, etc.; and it has a nice, thick, comfortable waistband that hits in just the right places.

(2) Lululemon Align Pant II 25″ – $98 – If you think your wife or friend has enough Lululemon Align Pants, you’re wrong. Buy her more colors. If your wife or friend has never *tried* a Lululemon Align Pant, do her a favor and change her life. These are my absolute favorite non-running tights of all time. (Note: I do run in them, but they’re not ‘technically’ running tights, and won’t have pockets for storing things.) They are buttery soft, and have a super flattering high (but not too high) waist. I plan on wearing these well into pregnancy, since they’re nice and stretchy… but they’re just as flattering and forgiving for non-pregnant people who want to indulge in a few extra holiday desserts 🙂

(3) Athleta Speedlight Glow Top – $79 – I love Athleta’s long sleeves for running. They really nail all of the technical details – from the sweat-wicking material, to the length, to the grippy fabric on the bottom seam that keeps it from riding up while you run, and of course – thumb holes. And I love that this style has a little sparkle in it – super fun and festive for the holidays!

(4) Oiselle Crest Vest – $162 – This is on my coveting list. Warm base layers – and vests – are a must for cold-weather running, and Oiselle’s outerwear is to-die-for. I love the high (but not too high) neck and hidden pockets of this design, as well as how well-insulated it is! This is something I would reach for day-after-day on freezing 5 AM runs.

(5) Aftershokx Aeropex Headphones – $159.99 – Something I’ve been coveting big-time! Everyone I know who has these raves about them. They’re wireless headphones that actually stay put in your ears, but more importantly they let you still hear sounds and noises around you for safety. A great tool for all runners – especially women – who do the bulk of their running alone.

For someone you REALLY love (higher $$ items)

(6) Run coaching – $139-159/month – What better gift for a runner than the gift of a (potential) new PR? Obviously I am a little biased, but I’ve seen firsthand how 1-on-1 run coaching has helped people enjoy their running more, set better goals, feel more fulfilled and purposeful in their working out, and knock off PRs at every distance. There’s nothing like having someone on your team and writing training that it totally customized to you. If you have any questions or doubts about how run coaching works, feel free to shoot me an e-mail – I’m always happy to chat! Bonus – Lift Run Perform, the coaching service I’m a part of, is a women (and mom) run small business.

(7) Stumptown Coffee subscription – $120-390/month – For the runner who loves really good coffee, there is really nothing better than Stumptown, which is roasted daily in Portland, Oregon. I think this is a such a sweet, unique gift, especially for the person who seems to ‘have it all’ already. Food and experience gifts – to me – are the master trump card.

(8) The Garmin fenix 5S Plus – $749.99 – You can definitely get everything you need from a cheaper Garmin model (I’ve been using the Forerunner 235 for years and love it) – but how pretty is the fenix model with the white and rose gold band?! High on my coveting (want, not need) list, I love that this looks nice enough to wear when not running, and I love that it would sync up with my music, give me route feedback, and let me make post-run Apple Pay purchases, should I want a sweaty Starbucks or smoothie somewhere.

(9) Le Creuset Signature Oven, 5 1/2-Quart – $330 – I’m a firm believer that homecooking is one of the single best things you can do for your health (and your running). Another really thoughtful gift – and a great home investment – is a giant Le Creuset dutch oven. These things will never go out of style and are perfect for everything from big batches of soups and stews, to roast chickens, and even homemade hot chocolate for a crowd in the wintertime. This one pot will replace 3 or 4 others already in your arsenal and save you so much counter space. I’m a sucker for this gorgeous pink color (!), but if pink isn’t your thing, I LOVE it in the Sur-la-Tab-exclusive Sea Salt, too.

For race weekend getaways

(10) The Forestbound ESCAPE Traveler in Olive – $299 – I have the plain canvas version of this bag and have gotten compliments on it for YEARS wherever I go! It is my most-loved weekender, and perfect for packing 2-3 days worth of clothes, plus all your race supplies. My only regret is not getting my bag in a darker color, because it picks up stains easily. This beautiful new olive color should fit the bill perfectly, though. I love supporting Forestbound because it’s a women-run business local to New England, and everything is 100% made in America.

Jewelry

(11) Erica Sara Designs – “Because you can’t wear your race medal forever.” ESD is an amazing women-run business, and she does everything by hand and by herself. I had the pleasure of meeting her at a running retreat this Fall (and receiving a piece of her jewelry!). She is truly the real deal, and one of the sweetest people you’ll meet in the running community. I had trouble choosing just one of my favorites to feature, so here are a couple:

  • Personalized Silhouette Necklace – $128 – You send her a picture of your running stride, and she’ll create a custom necklace with your silhouette on it. Perfect for commemorating a great race (or favorite race photo).
  • Mantra Washer Necklace – $74 – I really like the look of this washer charm necklace, which you can have engraved with your own personal mantra and wear around your neck. Such a meaningful piece to wear with you on training runs and race day.
  • Race elevation map necklaces – $60-78 – Totally one-of-a-kind – I LOVE these! She makes necklaces with the elevation maps of famous marathons, from Boston to New York to Marine Corps and more. Such a unique gift for your favorite marathoner.

Relaxation, recovery, and gear for outside running

(12) Deep tissue massage – $80-200 (roughly) – Find a really good local massage therapist or studio that works with athletes, and gift your favorite runner some TLC time for their muscles. A relaxed and uninjured runner = a happy runner 🙂

(13) Sarah Marie Design Studios RUN Muscle Tank – $40 – A cute lounging around tank for runners. I have several SMDS tanks and tees and love them all! (It’s where I got the tank top in my pregnancy announcement post.) SMDS is a women-owned business, which I love, and she makes some of the cutest (and comfiest) gear.

(14) Patagonia Women’s Los Gatos 1/4-Zip Fleece – $99 – Ok, so obviously teddy jackets are super trendy right now. But why fight a trend when it’s this comfy? I want to wrap myself in this and wear it all winter. Perfect for before and after chilly runs, and cute enough to go out shopping in. Also – if you like supporting companies doing cool things, Patagonia is one to buy from. This fleece is sustainably made, and they do awesome work with conservation and recycling efforts.

(15) Outdoor Voices CloudKnit Hoodie & Sweatpants – $85 each – Truly the lux-est of fabrics, and makes the cutest lounge set together! Outdoor Voices really nailed this one. Perfect for rest days, or hanging around in post-long-run.

Stocking stuffers & gifts under $50

(16) Oiselle Rainbow Knit Beanie – $34 – If you have to bundle up to hit the roads, you might as well make it festive. I love pom beanies, and I especially love the fun, bright colors of this one, which will help you to be seen out on the roads.

(17) Oiselle A.T. Mittens – $34 – Sorry not sorry for all the sherpa spam. Another fleecy staple I want to wear all winter long. I get Reynaud’s in my hands during the winter, so mittens are a must for me. They trap heat so much better, and keep you so much warmer than gloves.

(18) Athleta Workout Wash Kit – $34 – How cute are the metallic colors of these dopp kits?! Women always need more bags to store all their stuff, and this is the perfect, compact size to throw into even the smallest of gym bags or backpacks.

(19) Minimalist Baker Everyday Cooking: 101 Entirely Plant-Based, Mostly Gluten-Free, Easy and Delicious Recipes cookbook – $24.48 – One of my most-used cookbooks. It’s a great entry-level cookbook for someone looking to add more plants into their diet – but just as good for an experienced cook looking to mix things up and add new recipes to their repertoire. You have to check out her Pizza Burger recipe (it’s on the front cover for a reason). The premise of Minimalist Baker is that all recipes require 10 ingredients or less, 1 bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare.

(20) Yeti Rambler 10 oz. Mug – $24.99 – I bought one for my husband for Christmas last year and kind of regret not getting a second for myself! This super durable camp-style mug will hold up against dings and scratches and keeps your coffee hot FOREVER. Perfect for the multitasker, commuter, or mom of young kids. And perfect for your pre-run coffee. I like that it’s aesthetically-pleasing and comes in lots of fun colors.

(21) Stance Uncommon Solid Wool Crew Socks – $20 – Crew-length wool socks are a must in the winter, and these are made with performance wool, which means they’ll keep you warm AND wick sweat while you run. Super comfy, and stylish (like all their socks), this is a great stocking stuffer for any runner on your list.

(22) Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes – Bag of 20 – $24 – This brand has been life-changing for my skin, and these have quickly become my favorite post-run face wipe to stash in my gym bag. Not only do they smell AMAZING, but they do a really good job of getting all the post-workout sweat and grime off, without leaving a weird residue. They’re also a clean and nontoxic skincare brand. I’ve converted several others to Ursa Major, and everyone who tries them loves them.

How to Shop at Whole Foods on the ‘Cheap’

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I’ve always been fascinated by people’s grocery buying habits. I know people who love grocery shopping, and others who loathe it. I know people who go to three or four different grocery stores to get everything they need, and I know others who use a subscription or delivery service to grocery shop for them, streamlining everything as much as possible.

Since settling into our condo in Providence two years ago, our weekly grocery routine has been pretty consistent. We drive down to the closest Trader Joe’s (20-25 minutes away, depending on traffic) for the majority of our supplies, and then supplement with the (much closer) Whole Foods for specialty items and things Trader Joe’s might not have had in stock. For us – just shopping at Whole Foods would be way more convenient. But we make the effort to go down to Trader Joe’s because we can get so much more food for the same dollar amount there. Grocery shopping for us is a process, and it takes us a good couple hours on a Sunday. Time that I sometimes wish I could be spending doing other things!

This weekend I decided to give myself a personal challenge – If I was really careful and strategic, could I do a one-stop grocery shop at Whole Foods, and still come in close to what we’d spend at Trader Joe’s and other supermarkets? I decided to do a little research beforehand, and I promised I’d put together all my findings in a blog post to help others who might be in the same predicament.

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen me share on my stories Sunday – I was SO excited by the results of my challenge! Just tracking what we typically spend on a week of groceries (all stores included), I know that our baseline is somewhere around $200 – plus or minus a little, depending on whether it’s a restock week, and/or how carried away I get with the specialty items. Going into this challenge, I set a goal of getting a FULL 7 days worth of groceries, only shopping at Whole Foods, and for $150-175. I ended up getting us SO much food, and spending a total of $167.65!!

Some notes:

  • I totally get that everyone’s food budget is different, and I realize that for some people this might be a lot to spend on a week of groceries. For us, investing in good food is such a huge piece of our health and happiness, so we make it a priority and would rather cut corners on other things, if needed. We also are both very active people and eat a LOT of food. And lastly – we don’t buy a lot of processed food, so the majority of our grocery bill is coming from meats, fish, fresh produce, etc., which are definitely the most expensive things in the supermarket.
  • I wanted to make this a realistic challenge and didn’t want us to have to sacrifice all our favorite specialty items ($7 granola, some dairy-free cheeses and yogurts, etc.). I definitely could have cut costs even further by eliminating some of these items, but instead I tried to just pick and choose a few specialty items I knew we would really enjoy.
  • We do have a pretty well-stocked pantry, and this wasn’t a restock week for us. So things like brown rice, bread (which we keep in the freezer), chickpeas, and pasta are things we already had on hand. (We pretty much have a Banza shrine – 6-8 boxes of pasta – in our pantry at all times. That’s how much we love pasta.)
  • We did have one lunch planned with friends on Friday, and we wanted to try a new brunch place together Sunday morning – so this isn’t all all-encompassing of our weekly food budget (technically). But it is close.

Here is everything I bought with our grocery budget for the week – feeding 2 people over 7 days:

Here is our weekly dinner menu, plus our lunches and snacks for the week:

We pretty much eat the same thing for breakfast every morning – eggs and avocado toast, with a cup of coffee. Sometimes we’ll do oatmeal.

How I made it happen – My top Whole Foods shopping tips

  1. Shop first, write the menu later. If you go in with a specific agenda of what you want to make for the week, you’re going to end up spending a lot more than if you went in with an open mind. There are definitely pluses and minuses to both ways, but if your #1 goal is to save money, I recommend shopping first, then meal planning after.
  2. Build your meals around weekly sale items. I start shopping in the meat and produce sections, since I know that’s where the bulk of our meals are going to come from. I start with seeing what is either on sale this week in both departments – or what I can get at a really good price. For example, this week they had a great price on grass-fed ground sirloin… which normally is NOT cheap! I like to (roughly) think of each dinner as having 1 veggie component, 1 starch, and 1 protein – so once I have one of those components, I’ll build the rest of the meal around that.
  3. Skip pre-chopped veggies. Buy loose veggies (instead of packaged) whenever possible. It’s amazing how much $$ is added to produce when they chop the veggies for you, or even when they add some basic packaging. For example, I noticed I could buy a full pound of loose mushrooms for the exact same cost of half a pound of packaged mushrooms. You’re going to have to wash and chop them anyway – why not just buy them loose? Make an exception for things that are going to make a massive difference in your life. For example, peeling and chopping a whole butternut squash can be a pain in the a**. For this, I chose to buy pre-cut and packaged.
  4. Choose Whole Foods (365) brand products over name brand whenever possible. Whole Foods’ in-house brand (called ‘365’) is actually really, really good stuff! We get their oatmeal, hummuses, and nut butters and spend WAY less than name brand/specialty counterparts. All non meat or produce products on my grocery list are 365 brand, unless otherwise noted.
  5. Pick and choose which specialty items are most worth it to you. Like I said before, we like being able to buy our $7 fancy granola and $7 cashew cheeses, etc., and this week’s grocery haul included both of those things. Things like plant-based yogurt, cheeses, fancy dark chocolate bars, artisanal chips and crackers, and baking mixes are all going to add massive $$$ to your grocery bill if you don’t keep yourself in check. You don’t need to eliminate all of those things, but try to just pick a few to enjoy each week. Next week you can always choose some different ones.

Are you someone who shops at (or avoids) Whole Foods regularly? I hope this post is helpful! Please feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit from it, and leave a comment below with any tips you use or that I might have missed!