APRÉS RUN

APRÉS RUN

Baked Vegan Mac & Cheese

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Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, no? I have to avoid dairy due to food allergies, and in my ongoing quest to make dairy-free food that tastes as good as the original… I created this baked mac and cheese recipe that has been a HUGE hit in our house.

Whether you avoid dairy due to allergies, personal choice, or are just trying to add more plant-based foods to your diet – you are going to LOVE this dish!

I make my baked mac and cheese in individual au gratin dishes, which makes them perfectly serving-sized and fun to eat. (The au gratin dishes we have are from Crate and Barrel here. They’re super affordable and hold up really well at high heat!) One recipe makes four ‘normal-sized’ servings – or two servings for very hungry people. (I always make this disclaimer, because we normally fall into the latter group 🤣)

A good high-speed blender or food processor is the workhorse of this recipe – as you’ll be making your own breadcrumbs and blending your vegan cheese sauce in it.

For those who have never made their own breadcrumbs – don’t be intimidated. It’s super easy, I promise, and gives the mac and cheese a great added texture.

The silky vegan cheese sauce (made from cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and spices) thickens up beautifully after being baked in the oven.

If you give my mac and cheese a try, I hope you’ll let me know in the comments down below!

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Baked Vegan Mac & Cheese

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

Your favorite comfort food – made plant-based. We love this healthy baked vegan mac and cheese on weekend nights in PJs and with a good movie.

Scale

Ingredients

Pasta

  • 12 ounces macaroni (gluten-free if necessary)

Breadcrumbs

  • 2 slices hearty bread of choice, toasted (use gluten-free if necessary)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegan cheese sauce

  • 1 1/2 cups raw unsalted cashews
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • Juice of 1/2 a large lemon (or 2 teaspoons vinegar)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Additional

  • Smoked paprika, to taste
  • Vegan butter for greasing ramekins

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 500º F. Grease 4 au gratin dishes with vegan butter and set aside.
  2. Make your breadcrumbs. Toast 2 slices of bread, then place in a high-speed blender or food processor, pulsing until finely ground. Spread onto a baking sheet, and toss with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Clean the blender or food processor quickly afterwards, as you’ll need this for the cheese sauce.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, and par-boil your macaroni for just 4 minutes. (Note: we are purposefully not bringing it to al dente, as it will continue to cook once in the oven.)
  4. Transfer pasta into individual ramekins.
  5. Meanwhile, combine cashews, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, dijon,  and salt and pepper (to taste) in the same blender or food processor as before. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
  6. Pour the vegan cheese sauce over pasta in the individual au gratin dishes. Toss together. Top with as much breadcrumbs as you prefer.
  7. Place au gratin dishes in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, until tops are nice and crispy. Remove from oven and sprinkle each ramekin with a dash of smoked paprika for extra flavor.
  8. Enjoy!

Keywords: healthy comfort food, mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, healthy mac and cheese, healthy macaroni and cheese, vegan mac and cheese, vegan macaroni and cheese

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Pancakes with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

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It’s no secret we love pancakes around here. I’ve done a lot of pancake recipes on the blog, but this one has been a recent favorite. As the weather gets warmer and you’re craving lighter, fresher flavors – try these Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Pancakes, served with an amazing maple cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

It takes a little bit of extra effort to peel and grate your own carrots, and to whip up a separate topping – but it’s a labor of love that’s well worth it, I promise! This is a great Sunday brunch idea for a group – or just a small weekend indulgence for two.

Enjoy!

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Carrot Cake Pancakes

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Category: Pancakes
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

These wholesome carrot cake pancakes are made with oats, lots of warming spices, and sweetened with applesauce and a touch of maple syrup. They’re also the perfect vehicle for my healthy vegan cream cheese frosting. Yum!

Scale

Ingredients

Carrot cake pancakes:

  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots (about 1 large carrot)
  • 1 1/2 cups oat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or other mild-flavor cooking oil of choice)

Cream cheese frosting:

  • 8 ounces plain vegan cream cheese (Kite Hill has my favorite consistency)
  • 4 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. First, grate and peel 1 large carrot, or as needed to produce 1/2 cup shredded. Place between two paper towels, and squeeze as much moisture out as possible. Place in a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Add oat flour, baking powder, salt, and spices, and mix.
  3. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat 2 eggs. Add applesauce, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and avocado oil. Mix.
  4. Add dry ingredients into the wet, and stir until just well-incorporated.
  5. Let batter sit for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a large skillet and heat over low-medium heat.
  6. Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to spoon batter onto the skillet. Cook roughly 3 minutes each side, or until the edges are bubbly and the opposite side is a golden brown. Flip and repeat. Transfer to a large plate.
  7. While pancakes are cooling, prepare your cream cheese frosting. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat vegan cream cheese, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon until light and fluffy. Dress pancakes with the cream cheese frosting, and enjoy!

Keywords: pancakes, carrot cake, carrot cake pancakes, gluten-free pancakes, healthy pancakes, healthy carrot cake

Tips for Running in the Heat and Humidity

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Ah, Summer running. Depending on where you live, you might love it, or you might hate it. For those in the northern part of the country, it might feel like a welcome break from a long Winter. For those in the South, it might feel like the dreaded part of the year where running feels like a massive struggle for 3-4 months. I think everyone can agree running in the high heat and humidity is not always fun, and will present some serious mental and physical challenges.

Two basic things to know

  • Running in the heat and humidity requires an adaptation period. Period. For everyone. At first it will suck. It WILL get easier, and you WILL (eventually) heat-adapt. The human body is pretty amazing and can adapt to a lot.
  • The rate at which you heat-adapt, and the degree to which you heat-adapt, will vary wildly from person-to-person.

How heat acclimatization works

Without fail, this time of year I start getting texts from athletes that read, “Omg, I’m so out of shape” or “I feel like I’m not improving”, “I don’t know what happened”, and “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.” I find it can be helpful to understand what is happening physiologically – it can make you feel a little less crazy when an easy runs suddenly feels impossible and you’re left questioning all your fitness.

Running in the high heat and humidity has been called “the poor man’s altitude training”. Training through hot and humid Summers can actually make you fitter in the long run, because like altitude training, you’re conditioning your body to run with less oxygen in the air. I know some very successful coaches in southern regions of the country who swear by this! After spending a few months training in a lower-oxygen state, when Fall comes and the temperature drops, you’re going to get a supercompensation benefit.

On average, you can expect heat acclimatization to take a full two weeks, or 14 days, of daily running (if you’re going around an hour or more each time). That doesn’t mean running in the heat will feel great after two weeks – but it means your body should be more efficient running in the heat after two weeks. What you feel symptomatically – increased effort and breathing rate, maybe some dizziness and lightheadedness, lots of fatigue post-workout (AKA, struggling) – masks the very sophisticated processes that are happening under the surface! Your blood plasma volume, the stroke rate of your heart, your aerobic metabolism, your body’s self-cooling mechanisms… all of these things are changing and adapting “behind the scenes”, doing a lot of work for YOU!

Tips for running in the heat

My biggest tip for running in the Summertime is prepare, prepare, prepare. Spring and Fall are our ‘sweet spot’ windows where you can get walk out the door and head out for a run without a ton of prep or thought. Running in the Winter and Summer is not going to be like that, and you’re going to have to put a lot more thought and planning into how and when you run. (Also – a reminder to not take those beautifully mild running days for granted… they’re too brief!)

1. Become extra diligent with planning and logistics.

Sadly, in the heat of the Summer we get much smaller windows to run. As much as you can, I recommend picking either early mornings or nights to run, and sticking with your decision. If you try to run in the early mornings some days and do nights on other days, you’re going to end up shortchanging your recovery.

Become a Weather app stalker. Periods of really high humidity, heat, Summer thunderstorms… all things that can thwart your workout plans. The people I know who are most successful running yearround are those who diligently track the weather! Yes – it’s important to practice running in all conditions. But it’s it’s also important to set yourself up for success. I’ve recently become acquainted with the mobile app Dark Sky – which is WAY more detailed and accurate than the regular iPhone weather app. You can use this to help determine and predict the best times of day to run. (Particularly useful if you have a tough session on hand!)

Get creative with your running routes, if needed. Pick as shady routes as possible – even if it means doing shorter loops multiple times. If you have the ability to run by a body of water or on trails, it might be worth a short drive for some relief.

2. Invest in some good gear. I sometimes feel like you need more gear and prep to run in the Summer than you do in the Winter. The important stuff: Lots of sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. Light-colored, sweat-wicking gear (it’s often worth it to pay more for the good stuff). If you chafe, make sure to use lots of anti-chafe balm or cream beforehand. Some of my favorite Summer running gear is listed down below!

3. Consider pre-cooling. You can apply ice to the body or ingest ice to bring your overall body temp down prior to running. Important: you should still do your pre-run dynamic warm-up to ready your muscles and help prevent injury, and yes – this will raise your core temperature slightly. The goal of pre-cooling is not to eliminate warming completely. It’s just to help offset how warm you’ll (eventually) get. Try the frozen bandana trick: soak and freeze a bandana (or three) in your freezer for a few hours or overnight. Prior to running, tie the bandana around your neck, head, and/or wrists. These will help to bring your overall body temp down. Women can stick a few ice cubes down your sports bra for the same effect. They will melt as you run. And you can also try an “ice slushy” pre-run. Blend a cup of filtered water with a couple cups of ice, and drink with a straw. For extra electrolytes, you can sub Pedialyte or Gatorade for the cup of water.

4. Perfect your hydration strategy. A hydration strategy includes hydrating pre-run, during your run, and post-run. Pre-run we want to set ourselves up for success. During the run we want to help offset some of our heavy sweat loss. Post-run we want to replenish and repair. Runners who are used to gutting out long (or short) runs without water should realize everything goes out the window during the Summer. Yes – it takes some planning and preparation, and that can be annoying. Yes – it can be annoying to have to ‘hold’ something as you run. But it can have an enormous impact on how you feel and your performance during your run, as well as how you recover afterwards. Two options for taking in water while running are to carry it with you, or stash it somewhere along your route. You can stash bottled water in a bush, behind a tree, or even in your mailbox (and do loops past your house).

People often get caught up with how many ounces they should be drinking per day and want a specific number. RDs I’ve worked with in the past – as well as research I’ve read – recommend monitoring the color of your urine (gross, but it works) and not fixating on a number. The bottom line is the amount you need can vary drastically day-to-day – especially in the Summer – and it’s going to vary enormously person-to-person. There are calculations you can use, and tests you can perform to determine your unique hydration needs, but monitoring the color of your pee has been shown to be just as effective, or nearly as effective, as many of these calculations. And it’s much simpler.

Heavy sweaters and/or those prone to cramping may want to consider salt tablets for offsetting their sweat loss from running. Many of my runners have had success using these in hot-weather training and racing. All runners in training should make sure they’re taking in some form of electrolytes throughout the day. Drinking water alone is not enough to stay truly hydrated, and without electrolytes your body won’t retain all the fluids you’re taking in. Too much plain water can also dilute the content of your blood.

For more specific questions about unique hydration needs (and/or if you have any health issues that predispose you to dehydration), defer to an RD.

5. Let go of your ego on easy days. Adjust your expectations on hard days. On easy days – SLOW DOWN!!! No, really. Sloooow down. Let go of your ego, and remember that: 1) Most people will find it very difficult to actually run ‘too slow’ on their easy days. Conversely, most people run way too fast on their easy days. This means you have a much greater chance of running too fast than too slow. 2) Recognize what our goals are for easy days. To build the aerobic system, and to aid in recovery/bloodflow between hard days. View easy days as just a check in the box. If you do it, you win. If you don’t, you lose. All you have to do is show up, and run the miles.

On quality days, give yourself a range of paces to hit, vs. one specific number. This chart will help you adjust your pace for the dew point you’re running in. If numbers in general are really getting in your head, consider switching to training by effort. And always have a bail-out plan if needed. It’s better to be safe than sorry in regards to heat illness, and something is always better than nothing in running. (That’s especially true in the Summer!) Don’t get caught up in the perfectionism trap, thinking that if you can’t complete the workout ‘perfectly’ as prescribed it’s been a total waste. You’re likely still getting a lot of benefits.

6. Beware of appetite loss post-workout. It’s not uncommon to lose your appetite after hard workouts or races. It’s even more common after hard workouts or races in the heat and humidity (sometimes even after easy runs). Don’t confuse a lack of appetite as a sign you shouldn’t/don’t need to eat post-workout! Getting *something* in is always better than nothing – whether it’s liquid calories, a handful of gummies or fruit snacks, a sugary protein bar that you have on hand and can stomach.

7. Cut yourself some slack, and know that you don’t always need to be a hero. For Type A runners who derive a lot of their enjoyment and satisfaction from hitting ‘normal’ splits and certain mileage – it’s easy to let Summer running to feel defeating. My biggest piece of advice is to cut yourself some slack, acknowledge that your body is working really hard for you, and take ‘breaks’ where you can get them. You don’t get a medal for running in 80+ degrees and 90+% humidity. If it’s going to dangerously hot and humid – OR if you just need a break – run inside on the treadmill! The treadmill is a great tool, and you’re no less of a runner for using it.

Favorite Summer running gear

  1. Water-carrying solutions – I’ve crowdsourced favorites from runner friends and athletes over the years, and these have been the most commonly recommended:
    1. For a vest style – Nathan VaporHowe
    2. For a handheld style – Nathan SpeedDraw Plus Insulated Flask (it also has a large pocket for storing gels)
    3. For carrying on your back – Orange Mud HydraQuiver Single Barrel (sits on your very upper back, is easy to grab, and doesn’t bounce!)
    4. For multi-hour runs or long runs “off the grid” – Many ultra runners I know swear by Ultimate Direction water packs
  2. Sunscreen – I am all about Supergoop since discovering them this year. It’s a “clean”/nontoxic sunscreen brand that’s good for the environment, and I’ve found it holds up really well while working out. I use the Unseen Sunscreen for everyday and for runs 40 minutes and under, and the PLAY Everyday Sunscreen for longer runs/periods of sun exposure.
  3. Running sunglasses – Goodr makes great super affordable running sunglasses that won’t slip down your face, even when you sweat. Tracksmith makes a great, pricier – but luxurious – option.
  4. Anti-chafe gel – A few favorites are Body Glide (sold at most running stores), and Squirrel’s Nut Butter and Megababe Thigh Rescue (for natural/nontoxic options).
  5. Salt chews – My athletes who are heavy sweaters have had great success with SaltStick Fastchews. They’re a great, portable electrolyte option and can help prevent muscle cramping or dehydration-related issues down the road.
  6. Electrolyte mixes – Skratch Labs, Liquid IV, and Nuun are three favorites of mine as well as runner/coaching friends’. Everyone’s stomachs are going to be unique in what they can handle, what settles what, and what feels and tastes good. I recommend buying sample packs of as many different brands and flavors as possible and testing them all to see what works for YOU.
  7. Post-run clean-up – Megababe makes Shower Sheets (bonus: they’re biodegradable), Ursa Major makes my favorite face wipes, and I love Lush’s all-natural body sprays. All of these products are great for stashing in your running bag and freshening up post-workout on the go (or tiding you over in between showers).

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Marinade

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A good cook, in my opinion, has a lot of basic tools at his/her disposal. Some must-haves: a couple quick and crowd-pleasing weekday staples; the ability to whip up a tasty meal from mostly pantry ingredients (when in a pinch); can make rice and beans and quinoa from scratch; makes a “perfect” fried egg. And also… has a couple great marinades in their back pocket.

Marinades are key for really juicy, tender, and flavorful meats. Chicken breast (boneless skinless, especially) benefits from a great marinade, as it’s lower in fat and will tend to dry out more easily. This is why many people associate chicken and veggies as boring and flavorless. But I guarantee you – if you learn how to season and prep your veggies and chicken well, your life will be forever changed!

This Cilantro-Lime Chicken Marinade is a recent favorite and will be on repeat all Summer long. We love serving it with cilantro brown rice and either a side salad, or topping it with a chunky salsa (like my mango avocado salsa).

I hope you get to give this one a try soon!

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Cilantro-Lime Chicken Marinade

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Total Time: 5
  • Yield: For 1 pound of chicken breasts 1x
  • Category: Meats
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

A quick and easy chicken marinade that’s guaranteed to crowd-please. You can whisk together, pour over chicken, and let it soak for as little as 30 minutes – or up to overnight for maximum flavor. This recipe is designed for 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts, but can easily be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, or liquid aminos (if gluten-free)
  • Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Add chopped parsley and stir.
  3. Place chicken breasts in a zip-top bag, and pour marinade mixture over top. Seal the bag, and gently shake and massage to make sure the chicken gets evenly coated.
  4. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (ideally between 2-8 hours). When ready, grill up your chicken breasts!

Brady’s Birth Story

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Brady Ryan DePasquale – 8 lbs., 7 oz. and 21″ long

On Monday, March 30th, Brady Ryan DePasquale entered the world, and I can’t believe how quickly the past 4 weeks have gone by! March truly felt like the longest month ever, and April (for us) felt nonexistent.

I’ve tried to document my pregnancy as best I can on the blog. Part of that was for my own self to remember, but also – if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that every single pregnancy, labor, and delivery experience is completely different. When pregnant, I found so much comfort in learning from other people’s experiences. Hopefully sharing my own experience makes someone else feel normal/reassured/more educated/less scared. (Read my First Trimester Recap and Second Trimester Recap… Third Trimester Recap is coming soon.)

I should also add that in my last trimester we took an in-person childbirth prep class at our hospital. It was five and a half hours, there were very graphic videos shown, and I was thoroughly horrified by the end. The actual experience of labor and delivery – while definitely the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced – was way better than what I was expecting. So for anyone who needs it: here is my super non-scary, non-intimidating, and positive birth story! (Spoiler alert: There’s a super cute baby at the end of all of it!)

Early Labor

At 37 weeks, we went from our bi-weekly to weekly OB check-ins. Up until that point, we had every indication he wouldn’t come early and that nothing would be happening for a while – so I was content to stay put and just wait out the final weeks. Baby was healthy and happy in there, I had no complications throughout my pregnancy, and we knew that the first child typically comes a little later. Usually that’s either right around their due date, or after.

Much to my surprise, the night before my 37 week appointment, I started having bad cramps and contractions. They persisted for several hours and started gradually getting more and more painful. I woke up around midnight that night, 1) because I couldn’t sleep due to the pain, and 2) I thought maybe this was it and I was actually going into labor. So like a total nutjob, I went downstairs to our couch and started frantically sending off e-mails that I wanted to get out before I gave birth. (LOL.)

Early in the morning the next day, the contractions tapered off and confirmed I was not, in fact, in labor. But at my appointment that day, my doctor checked me and told me the contractions were doing something. I was a 1/2 centimeter dilated. It was a start!

The contractions continued like this off and on for the next three weeks. At points they were really painful – the kind I had to close my eyes and just breathe through. They also became really persistent, although they never got close enough together to actually send me into labor.

They weren’t false contractions, since they were actually doing something and getting me more dilated. But that process was just happening very, very slowly. After 3 weeks of this, I felt really worn down, mentally and physically. At my 38 week appointment, I was 1 centimeter dilated. At my 39 week appointment, I was 1 1/2 centimeters dilated. They offered to sweep my membranes at my 39 week appointment. While I was initially planning on turning them down, I decided to go through with it on the day. My doctor explained to me that if my body was close and ready to go into labor, this could tip me over the edge and it would happen within the next 48 hours. But if my body wasn’t ready, it wouldn’t do anything. 48 hours came and went, but unfortunately it was only more of the same – really bad contractions that lasted for hours at a time but never got close enough together.

Then, on the morning of Friday, March 27th (39 1/2 weeks), I woke up with excruciating pelvic pain. I cried trying to get out of bed, and I couldn’t roll over or put any weight on my legs. I’d had pelvic pain from loose joints and ligaments since 20 weeks, but it had never been anywhere near this bad. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t think I was in labor, either. My contractions still weren’t close enough to justify going to the hospital, and I really didn’t want to go to the hospital only to be sent home. My mom and Ryan convinced me to go anyway.

The hospital visit was anti-climactic. They were only really concerned about how far apart my contractions were and didn’t do anything for my pelvic pain. They did check me and told me I was 2 1/2 centimeters dilated at that point, and they offered to sweep my membranes again – which I said yes to. I limped home no better off, and later that night a nurse friend suggested that maybe it was baby’s positioning that was causing me so much pain. She sent me a link to this Spinning Babies move, which would help if the baby’s skull was bone-to-bone with my pelvis. It was low risk and I had a totally normal, healthy pregnancy otherwise, so I decided to give it a try. After only a few tries, baby seemed to move into a more favorable position, and it gave me tremendous relief. Immediately, I could walk with no pain. (Side note: I’m convinced this was a big thing that finally helped with triggering labor!)

The following Monday – a day before my due date – was a low point. Two membrane sweeps, three weeks of painful contractions, and still no baby. Things were getting worse and worse with the COVID-19 pandemic, we were totally in self-quarantine at that point, and I was becoming more and more aware of how scary a time this was to have a baby. Ryan’s office had switched him to working remotely at that point, and that afternoon at the kitchen table we talked about how frustrated both of us were, and how much everything was weighing on us. After so many false alarms, we both agreed it felt like baby was never going to come.

At that point, I decided to stop work early and take a half day to take care of myself. I went upstairs, took a shower, and at 3:45 my water broke all over the bathroom floor! (How’s that for comedic timing?!) At first it just felt like I peed my pants (😳), and then the gushing continued, confirming that yes – this was real, and it was finally happening!

Labor and Delivery

Ryan was so cute when my water broke. He started running all around the house, putting our toiletries into our hospital bags, and getting all our stuff into the car. We knew that once my water broke, the baby had to come out within 24 hours, otherwise we risked infection. So the clock was ticking.

As soon as my water broke, things became really intense really fast. While Ryan was running around, I was calmly trying to finish my hair and get a little make-up on. Meanwhile the contractions were getting worse and worse and I had to keep stopping to double over in pain. (This gave Ryan a lot of anxiety… 😝). We got to the hospital just before 5, and at that point my contractions were just 2-3 minutes apart. I felt like I barely had any time to recover in between, and I was in a ton of pain. Labor came on like a freight train, and there was no easing into anything!

The hospital was really busy, so admitting me took a little bit. I gave birth just before the big COVID surge was expected in Rhode Island, and we’d later find out this was because women with due dates during that time were being brought in and induced early. By the time we got back to a bed in the Triage area (just before 5:30), my contractions were 1-2 minutes apart and unbearable – about 10 out of 10 on a pain scale. I was clenching onto the railing of my bed and trying so hard not to scream/cry/throw up. I was 5 centimeters dilated at that point and able to be transferred up to the Labor and Delivery Unit right away… we were just waiting for a bed to open. I asked for any pain meds until I could get my epidural. They gave me a low dose of morphine, which helped a lot. They also gave me something for the nausea, so that I didn’t throw up all over the nice nurse’s shoes 🙂

After the epidural, and finally pain-free!

At around 6:15 they wheeled me upstairs to a Labor and Delivery Room. I’m not really sure what happened between making it upstairs and getting the epidural, but I was really drowsy as the morphine was wearing off and kept going in and out of a light sleep. The whole time I was telling myself just to make it to the epidural. Once that was administered around 7:30 or 8, it was life-changing. After that, I felt no pain and couldn’t even feel my contractions anymore. The nurse told me they were coming in fast and hot, though, and much to all of our surprise – she goes, “I think we’re going to have a baby before 10:00!” Just after 9:00 the doctor came in to check me. I was 10 centimeters, and it was time to push! They immediately started prepping for delivery, and after only 20 minutes of pushing, Brady was here. (At 9:59 PM, and true to the nurse’s prediction!) The doctors were really impressed with how well I was able to push, and I truly credit all the strength training throughout my pregnancy and being able to keep my body physically strong. (I also believe it’s helped so much with my recovery… but more on that in a later post.)

Real birth is nothing like a TV or movie birth. Unless you’re getting a C section, you’re delivering in the same room and bed you just labored in for however many hours. Nothing is sectioned or draped off like they show in the movies, and if you have an uncomplicated delivery, there’s really only a few people in the room. For me that was one midwife, one nurse, and one student. The whole experience was a lot more intimate than I was expecting (and than I think it’s often portrayed!).

The amazing moment they put our sweet boy on my chest

Looking Back on Pregnancy

If you had asked me about my pregnancy while I was pregnant, I would have said I didn’t *love* being pregnant, but I didn’t hate it. I’m lucky to have had a very healthy pregnancy with no complications, and I don’t take that for granted. I think I struggled the most with feeling like I was in uncharted territory, not feeling like myself, and having to cut out a lot of the things that are near and dear to me. I spent the first 14 weeks of my pregnancy throwing up 2-5 times a day every day. At week 20, I had to give up running because relaxin (normal pregnancy hormones) had made my joints and ligaments super loose. Running, standing on one leg, even walking for long periods of time was extremely painful. Running isn’t everything, but from someone whose longest injury in the past 8 years had been 4 weeks… it was a tough blow. I haven’t not run this long since I first started running about 13 years ago. Basically, the second half of my pregnancy felt like having a very extended running injury. (And as any runner can attest, there are a lot of ‘injury blues’ that come along with that!)

Pain aside, the actual experience of labor and delivery was so incredible and made me forget about all the ups and downs of pregnancy. It was truly the most surreal experience of my life and something that no one prepares you for (in the best possible way). The love and emotional bond we felt with Brady instantly is out of this world, and thinking back on the day he was born moves me to tears. I’ve never felt more proud of my body and what it’s capable of, and I can say with 100% certainty that childbirth is the ultimate athletic accomplishment! I’ve never been more sure or excited to do it all again someday. But for now, we’ll rest, recover, and keep soaking in all the baby snuggles 😉

After 9 months of pregnancy, 3 weeks in early labor, and 6 hours in active labor… the sweetest reward

Gluten-Free Compost Cookies

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Cookies might not be able to prevent or cure infectious diseases – but baking can certainly cheer you up, relieve stress, and give you something (other than endlessly watching the news) to do.

For those trapped at home right now, and maybe with limited baking ingredients: enter Compost Cookies! (AKA Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookies.) They’re a perfect way to use whatever you have on hand in your pantry – especially if it’s a lot of little things, but not enough to make a single-flavor cookie. I use dark chocolate chips, cornflakes, and mini marshmallows in this recipe, but you can easily accommodate whatever you have at home. This recipe is super versatile.

  • Instead of dark chocolate chips – You can use milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, chopped peanut butter cups, or another candy
  • Instead of cornflakes – You can use any cereal, chopped pretzel pieces, or even potato chips
  • Instead of mini marshmallows – You can omit entirely, or use a different candy

Basically, you can make these as healthy(ish) or outrageous as you want. The sky is the limit.

If not gluten-free, you can use regular all-purpose flour in place of the gluten-free blend (and omit the xanthan gum, as it won’t be needed).

These cookies are really fun, deliciously indulgent, and hopefully give you something happy to focus on during these crazy times. For those with kids – I imagine these would be super kid-friendly, and fun for little hands to bake, too!

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Gluten-Free Compost Cookies

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 24 1x
  • Category: Desserts
  • Method: Baking
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Description

Cookies in the time of global pandemics. These compost cookies are not only delicious and a super fun way to marry lots of different flavors and textures – but they’re also a great way to use up your pantry. You can easily adapt these to whatever mix-ins you have on hand.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut oil or vegan butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups packed coconut sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I’m a big fan of this blend from Bob’s Red Mill, which uses garbanzo bean flour as a base and is a little healthier than standard AP flours)
  • Pinch of xanthan gum, if flour blend doesn’t already contain it
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 cups cornflakes, or cereal of choice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add coconut oil/vegan butter and sugar, and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until well-combined, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 more minute.
  4. Add in the flour, xanthan gum (if using), oats, cereal, baking soda, and salt, and beat on medium speed until just combined and with no clumps of flour remaining.
  5. Add in the dark chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, and stir to evenly distribute.
  6. Using a medium cookie scoop, spoon approximately a heaping tablespoon of dough at a time onto your baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure to leave plenty of room in between cookies, giving them space to spread.
  7. Bake for 9-11 minutes on the middle rack of your oven. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Repeat baking process one pan at a time until all cookie dough has been used up.
  8. Enjoy!

Notes

Two tips for optimal cookies:

  • Make sure all ingredients are truly at room-temperature before adding to the batter. To bring eggs to room temperature in a pinch (without having to let them sit out for a long time), place in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes. This is really important for creating cookies that don’t spread too much.
  • Bake cookies one batch (and pan) at a time on the middle rack of your oven. Once cooked, don’t let them sit on the pan for too long before transferring to your cooling rack. This is really important for perfect, evenly-cooked cookies.

Keywords: cookies, compost cookies, gluten-free cookies, gluten-free baking

The Great Healthy Brownie Bake-Off

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If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen me post pictures and videos of my brownie bake-off last month. The experiment came from a desire to find the perfect ‘healthy-ish’ brownie recipe, and as someone who loves food science and experimentation, I figured the only rational way to do this was via blind taste test.

I enlisted the help of my husband and in-laws, and they all came over hungry and ready to give their honest feedback. My husband said this was ‘not weird at all’ – but then again, when your 6-month pregnant wife tells you she wants to bake six batches of brownies for fun, you probably do whatever she says and don’t argue with her. Whatever…

I did a lot of recipe research, tweaking, and playing around with ingredients and ratios. I started with six recipes I really liked, but only ended up making the four I felt would be the best. I needed all the brownies to be gluten-free and dairy-free (due to my food allergies) – but I also wanted them to be made of more wholesome ingredients, like unrefined sugars and oils, and darker (70%+) chocolates. What I didn’t want was anything truly weird or out there. No ‘faux’ brownies made from entirely raw ingredients, or made from beans. Just a healthier version of the original, and still made with the basics of flour, butter or oil, sugar, and chocolate.

I also wanted a brownie that was super fudgy, chewy, and dense – not cakey. (This was important.)

I didn’t disclose any of the ingredients to my taste testers – nor did I give them any hints about which recipe was which. Instead, I placed each of the four batches on a plate, and I labeled each of the plates “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D”. I gave myself, my husband, my father-in-law, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law a ballot, and asked them to judge each batch on the following categories:

  1. Crinkly top
  2. Fudgy middle
  3. Crispy edges
  4. Overall taste

Some notes on making really good brownies:

  • Unlike with other baked goods, you don’t want a toothpick inserted into the center of your brownies to come out clean. If it does, you’ve over-baked the brownie! Instead, you want lots of moist crumbs attached for a nice, fudgy brownie.
  • When making fudgy brownies, it’s normal for the center of your brownies to sink a little while cooling. Don’t stress if this happens!
  • However, to prevent excess sinking, you’ll want to be very careful not to beat too much air into the batter. Whether whisking by hand or using an electric mixer, be sure to beat your oil and sugar until just coated and combined – do not go crazy here!
  • For maximum fudginess, you want to prevent your brownies from cooking any further once they’re out of the oven. I recommend letting them cool for five minutes at room temperature, and then placing on a hot pad in your fridge for up to 40 minutes. Afterwards, you can slice into pieces and serve (and return to room temp).
  • And lastly – my secret ingredient: espresso powder. Don’t worry if you don’t like coffee. You won’t taste it, but it will help the depth and richness of the chocolate really ‘pop’.
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The ‘Perfect’ Healthy Fudgy Brownies (gluten-free, dairy-free)

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 26
  • Total Time: 41 minutes
  • Yield: 16 1x
  • Category: Desserts
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

These are the winners of my Great Brownie Bake-Off. They’re everything you want in a truly indulgent, enjoyable brownie: crinkly, shiny top, fudgy center, chewy edges, and a great overall taste.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups superfine blanched almond flour
  • 1/4 cup high-quality cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder (or instant coffee powder)
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350º F. Grease an 8 x 8″ baking pan, or line with parchment paper, and set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, beat together your eggs and sugar, just until all the sugar is coated and moistened. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and again – beat until just combined. See tip above: For perfect fudgy brownies, you don’t want to beat too much air into your batter.
  4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet, and combine until no flour pockets remain. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  5. Pour batter into your baking pan, and place in the oven for 26-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. See tips above for how I recommend cooling and storing these.
  6. Enjoy!

Keywords: Brownies, healthy brownies, perfect brownies, gluten-free brownies, dairy-free brownies

Molten Chocolate Mug Cake for 1 (gf, df)

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I have two great Valentine’s Day recipes for you this year, and both of them were super fun to taste test and tweak. First up: a Valentine’s Day dessert you can enjoy all by yourself and don’t have to share!

If baking a full-on cake or batch of something feels intimidating and tiresome, this Molten Chocolate Mug Cake was made for you!

For those who have never made a mug cake before – they’re pretty magical. No bowls or baking equipment to dirty. No long cooking times. No cooling rack and frosting. You whisk together all ingredients in one mug, and microwave to perfection.

The trick to this mug cake is stuffing the middle with chopped dark chocolate pieces. It melts and creates a deliciously gooey center that’s reminiscent of a chocolate lava cake (but not quite). I recommend topping with homemade coconut whipped cream and more chocolate shavings, but I imagine a scoop of ice cream, or even berries, and fudge sauce, would be just as tasty.

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day alone, or with a special someone – I hope you enjoy! If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you.

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Molten Chocolate Mug Cake for 1

  • Author: APRÉS RUN
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 minutes
  • Total Time: 7 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1x
  • Category: Desserts
  • Method: Microwave
  • Cuisine: Healthy
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Description

An easy, indulgent Valentine’s Day dessert for one. This mug cake is rich and chocolatey, with a delicious gooey center. It doesn’t require a lot of slaving away in the kitchen, or cumbersome clean-up, and it’s made with wholesome, good-for-you ingredients like oat flour, coconut oil, dark chocolate, and unrefined coconut sugar.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup oat flour (See notes)
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons oat milk, coconut milk, or milk of choice
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee (Optional, but highly recommended!)
  • 1/2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped, plus more for shavings on top
  • Coconut whipped cream, for topping (See notes)

Instructions

  1. Grease a large, microwave-safe mug with cooking spray, or lightly coat with oil of choice.
  2. Add oat flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt to mug, and whisk together until well-combined, and until no clumps remain.
  3. Add the egg, oat milk, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and espresso powder, and again whisk until everything is well-incorporated and no flour is left at the bottom of the mug. Be sure your melted coconut oil is not steaming hot when added to the mixture, as you don’t want to scramble the raw egg.
  4. Spoon your chopped dark chocolate into the center of the mug, and cover with batter on top. (You want the chocolate to create a gooey center filling.)
  5. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, or until the mug cake has puffed up and is cooked through.
  6. Top with coconut whipped cream, dark chocolate shavings, and enjoy!

Notes

  • If you don’t have oat flour on hand, you can make your own by running an equal amount of plain, old-fashioned oats through a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse for 30 seconds to a minute or two (or until finely milled), and voila – oat flour!
  • You can use store-bought coconut whipped cream, but I highly recommend making your own. It’s super easy, and I love having leftovers on hand for spooning over berries, oatmeal, hot chocolate, and desserts when company comes over. This tutorial from Minimalist Baker is wonderful, and she does a great job breaking down which brands of canned coconut milk will yield the best results. (Hint: not all are created equal!)

Keywords: mug cake, healthy mug cake, chocolate mug cake, valentine’s day desserts, valentine’s day treats, healthy valentine’s day recipes

How to Build a Killer Home Gym (for Different Budget Levels)

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We are (very bittersweetly!) packing away all the equipment in our home workout studio this week. When we first moved into our condo, we had the option of making our second bedroom into a guest room or a home workout studio. We chose the latter, and now overnight guests get to sleep on an air mattress next to our squat rack 🤪

Down the road, though, we knew (/hoped) it would become a baby’s room, and the time has finally come to make that transition.

I’ve had a lot of people inquire about our home studio, what pieces we have in there, where we got them from, and why we chose them. My biggest piece of advice for anyone looking to build a home gym: Start with what you’ve got! You don’t need a whole room to dedicate to a workout studio. You can start with just a corner in an existing room. You also don’t need to throw loads of money into it – especially at first. I started with just a workout corner in the family room of the condo I was living at previously, and just a handful of equipment. Over time, we’ve invested more money into it and grown our equipment. But it’s been a slow, methodical process. Once we have a house in a few years, we’ll probably invest in a few more pieces of equipment, and are excited to just keep building out our dream gym one step at a time.

I wanted to share what I think are the best bang-for-your-buck pieces of fitness equipment at all budget levels, and when I recommend investing further. I’ll also share some of my favorite brands, as someone who has not only worked in a strength training facility, but also as someone’s who’s done a TON of research on this topic!

Note: This post is just intended to cover strength-training equipment. Cardio equipment I find is highly personal, so I’m leaving it off the list. But a treadmill, spin bike, indoor trainer, elliptical machine, and/or rowing machine are all great addition options to consider – depending on your sport, goals, and what you enjoy using the most!

First – enjoy some dream home gym inspo. (All images sourced from Pinterest.) How beautiful are some of these home gyms?

Basic

When to invest: If you want to dip your toes into the water of building a home gym, this list is where I recommend you start. You don’t need to dump loads of money in to get most of the items on this list. AND, if you’re looking to save money – keep in mind you can often find fitness equipment (especially weights) in great condition for cheap on Craigslist and Ebay. People are trying to get rid of used workout equipment all the time.

  • A jumprope
  • A set of minibands – Perform Better’s are the best and won’t stretch out. Green = easy. Blue = medium. Black = very hard. I don’t often use the yellow, which is even lighter than the green.
  • Mobility and soft tissue tools: a high-quality foam roller (this is my favorite), a lacrosse ball, and a stretching rope. Bonus: if want to really invest in your mobility and running health, learn active isolated rope stretching from the Whartons. You can buy their Flexibility Kit here – or they’ve got downloadable videos here.
  • A Manduka yoga mat – Trust me on this one, and invest in the high-quality yoga mat. I’ve purchased cheaper ones from Target or Walmart in the past, and they don’t even come close to comparing in quality. This one actually provides great cushion, and is long-lasting. You’ll have it forever and ever and never need to buy another.
  • A basic bench – A great basic one from Dick’s here.
  • A few sets of dumbells in varying weights – To strength train properly, you shouldn’t be able to use the same weights for everything. You want a few different pairs (at least) for upper vs. lower body exercises, and to be able to progress in weight as you get stronger.
  • A few kettlebells in varying weights
  • A stability ball
  • A moderately-weighted medicine ball – 10 or 12 lbs. should be good for most people

Intermediate

When to invest: If you have a full room (or even garage) to spread out in – AND if you have the money to do so, I can’t recommend barbell training enough for truly getting stronger. Step 1: Get yourself a squat rack, barbell, and some weight plates. Step 2: expand on your existing collecting of free weights for ancillary work. And explore some of these other fun tools to continue to build out your home gym. (P.S. – Plyo boxes are awesome… especially for runners.)

  • A squat rack, barbell, and weight plates – Rogue Fitness is the industry gold-standard, in my opinion. This is the model of squat rack we invested in, which is going to be much more affordable. But if you can swing for a full power rack, and have the space for it, even better!
  • Mats/flooring for under your squat rack – If you don’t have a wood platform, you’ll likely want something under your squat rack to protect your floors and allow you to set up deadlifts, or drop weights – if needed – on.
  • A bench that inclines – Here is a good one from Dick’s.
  • Plyo boxes – I love this foam one from Rogue, which you can tilt on different sides for different heights. Foam is going to be a lot safer than steel, or even wood, boxes – but some people do prefer the feel of a ‘harder’ box. For those, both Rogue and Perform Better have great options.
  • More dumbbells and kettlebells in additional weights – Keep adding to your collection.
  • Storage for your weights – Once you start collecting more weights, you’re probably going to want a stand or shelving unit to organize them on, so they’re not scattered all over the floor. This is the one we have. It stores dumbbells on the bottom, kettlebells on the top, and weight plates on the side.
  • A second or third medicine ball in a different weight – And if you already have a hard medicine ball (that bounces), you might want to consider getting a soft medicine ball, like these or these, which are better for throwing, tossing, and slamming exercises.

Advanced

When to invest: If you’ve been strength training consistently for several years and have the space and money to invest in building your dream gym, these are some awesome and fun ‘nice-to-haves’.

  • A mirror – Not necessary, but it can be helpful for watching your form when working out alone. I always recommend filming yourself when working out for this same reason.
  • Kettlebell pairs – Buy a buddy for your existing kettlebells. With two of the same weight, you can do great exercises like double kettlebell swings, overhead pressing and rowing exercises with both arms, front-racked squats, and the farmer’s carry.
  • A suspension training system (like a TRX) – There are so many amazing functional and full-body exercises you can do with a TRX. It’s also great for challenging balance – something that most runners, especially, need to work on.
  • A pull-up bar – You can get one that hangs in a door frame, or even better – a sturdy steel pull-up bar anchored to a wall.
  • If you want to invest in machines, here are a few that are truly worth your $$:
    • A cable or Kaiser machine – Again, super great for functional exercises. Both of these machines are also going to be super versatile, and there’s so much you can do with them.
    • A glute-ham machine – Great for developing strength in the big muscle groups athletes and active people are actually going to recruit the most. Here is a great one from Rogue.
    • A hip thruster – If glute development and/or power and speed development are a priority, OR if hip thrusts are already in your routine regularly, this is a great machine to add to your repertoire. It’s not necessary, and you can definitely do hip thrusts with just a bench and a barbell. But it makes the exercise 10x easier to set-up, and much more safe, as the bench is bolted in and guaranteed not to move.

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