Sweet Success: These yummy bars take the cake and keep you slim.

Carrot-Cake Bars:
Recipe from Eat Right - Lighten Up, Fitness Magazine (June 2011)
I used a different pan than suggested because I didn't have a 15x10inch baking pan. I used a 9x13inch to make my Carrot-Cake Bars and they turned out just as delicious! It only took approximately 20 minutes total to bake mine, inserted a toothpick and it came out smoothly. However, as delicious as these bars are, they are by far the most frustrating thing I have baked so far -- I hated shredding the carrots -- my grater might not be as sharp, would be easier if I had a food processor. Some of the carrots, I grated, until I lost patience, I then finely chopped the rest. 


Makes: 36 Bars
Prep time: 20 Minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Non stick cooking spray
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup slightly beaten egg whites (7-8 eggs)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup cooking oil
3 cups finely shredded carrot
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 15-by-10inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together egg whites, applesauce and oil. Stir into flour mixture. Stir in shredded carrot.
4. Spread batter in the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
5. In a medium bowl, beat together sifted powdered sugar and cream cheese until smooth.
6. Spread frosting over the carrot cake; slice into 36 bars.

Nutrition facts per bar: 125 calories, 2 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 g fiber

Saucy Secret: Applesauce is used in place of half the oil to slash fat. 

Grate idea: Three cups of shredded carrots supply fiber and beta-carotene.

Fat Fake-out: Omitting butter from the cream-cheese frosting reduced calories and fat. 

Raise the Bar: Spice up these treats by adding a flavorful ingredient or two

Sprinkle half a cup of chocolate chips on the frosted bars.

Stir half a cup of chopped walnuts into the icing.

Mix a cup of diced pineapple into the batter. 

.:hiding in my shell:.

Have you have ever seen a turtle draw back into his shell, hiding from whatever is out there? I feel like I have drawn back into mine in the past week or so. I have been at a stand still with the blog, trying to figure out what to write in regards to running.

All the effort and progress we made in the first month I feel like I have lost in the past week and a half, nearly two weeks now. Two Wednesdays ago I was sick with a horrible headache and a nauseated stomach, so we didn't run. We also decided that it might be a good time to take a small break because Nick had been enduring shin splints that he couldn't shake - making runs painful and hard to bear. That break turned into a lull and any gain in strength and feeling physically fit, I have lost. I know it's there, I know I can gain it back faster because we have been training for a month, but I am having a challenging time getting back into the routine of it. We ran this past Wednesday, planned on running Friday, but chose not to due to the fact that I didn't get home from work until 11:45pm and had to be back at work at 7:00am. Saturday, Nick worked a double and so I decided to go for a run by myself. I made it through 25 minutes of 30 minutes of our training. The whole workout that day was yet again, a mind game for me; conclusion drawn from that night - I'm not meant to run by myself, or I seriously need to figure out how to run by myself and not psych myself out. Nick believes I need to try running with music and see if that will help me -- just need to look into an armband for my ipod. Today we are scheduled for another run, just waiting for Nick to wake up and we'll head out.

As far as feeling physically more fit, aka feeling more self conscious this week, I have eaten like crap and feel like I am physically back at where I was before we started running. I noticed that since we haven't been keeping up with our program everyday, I have eaten like crap. Making poor choices in what I snack on and how often I have snacked. I ended up going back to the store on Saturday and stocked up on fruit again, hoping to make better choices. Just stuck in a rut and I need to jump out of it.

I think the hardest part of facing these past two weeks is the fact that in running I had received so much encouragement by those who I was also encouraging, and I feel  like the last two weeks have been a let down. I haven't wanted to write about my struggle because I want to believe that I haven't struggled and that I am getting through it; I wanted to believe that I am not sinking back to square one. The more I think about it though, the more I realize I am human and I will have moments -- as  I have written before in this blog. I am not, by any means, perfect, and there are days where I am fighting. But as I had written in an earlier post, I think we need to feel these challenges and have these moments where we realize our weaknesses and our strengths. These challenges will teach me what I am capable of and where I need to improve. The temptations shine through it and I only learn what to watch for next time I might go through a trial such as this. So through this, I just hope that I bring some encouragement through my trial. I feel like I have had many, but I haven't lost it all. I'll regain my motivation and endurance.

Growing peppers and flowering beans.

Our pepper plants are beaming with little peppers and our beans are flowering! 

Not the greatest picture but there is a tiny jalapeno growing! There is actually two, but only have one picture. 

The Green Bean Flowers

And of course we have to show off our garden gnome - courteous of Nick's coworkers!

(Nick believes that our little garden friend is bringing us luck)

.::.Love. True Love.::.

I love this photo! It's a big news hit right now, captured in the middle of Vancouver riots after Stanley Cup defeat. 

Make love not war. 

Sort of reminds me of this photo...

Kissing the War Goodbye

not really a crafty person...

...but I thought this was a neat idea. This idea might save some money, I'm not really sure and haven't worked it out in my head. I do know that I only do about 2 loads of laundry a week and I don't think that I would really save money using this method. However, if we had kids and were doing multiple loads a week, maybe it would be more cost efficient. Other than that, these DIY dryer sheets could be a baby step into greener living. If anyone gives it a try, let me know how they turn out and if you notice a difference when using them. 

The first method to making them, I found in (excuse the language) "The Big Ass Book of Crafts", written by Mark Montano. 

What you need:

-1 Yard of Cotton Fabric

-Pinking Shears

-Empty Spray Bottle

-1 Bottle of Fabric Softener (If you use a concentrated softener, mix one part softener and one part water)

-Optional: Sewing Machine with zigzag stitch capability - sew a stitch around the edges to prevent fraying.

What to do:

-Cut your fabric into 8x8in squares using your shears

-Sew the edges if you choose

-Fill your spray bottle with the fabric softener 

-When your ready to do a load of laundry, spray a square 6 to 8 times and throw in the dryer with clothes. 

-Wash your squares every once in a while to remove build up - squares should last for years (according to Mark Montano)

I have searched for other methods in making them, here are the sites:

-Using recycled fabric and a repurposed baby wipes container

-Similar but letting them dry out before using them. P.s. I love the laundry room photo!

"Running is as much for the tortoise as for the hare."

     "When I started running in the 1970s, we didn't run for fitness," says nine-time NYC Marathon winner Grete Waitz. "Nobody jogged. The health aspect of running didn't even exist in those days."
     Now running is as much for the tortoise as for the hare. No matter your size, shape, age, or ability, you'll find a place in the sport, and you might find someone like Waitz standing at the roadside cheering for you. She started a women's race in Norway that attracts more than 25,000 runners annually. "I wanted to encourage all women by downplaying the competition and by letting them know that it's not embarrassing to go slow," says Waitz."
     Running is both convenient and efficient, providing one of the best workout bangs for the buck. Half an hour spent running will burn more calories and provide a better cardiovascular workout than 30 minutes spent doing almost anything else. It strengthens muscles and bones and builds endurance. For women seeking fitness benefits in a limited amount of time, running can't beat.

**Taken from page 262-263 of Runner's World: Complete Book of Beginning Running by Amby Burfoot

We are rolling into week 4 of our training program. This week, being week 4, it is supposed to look like this:

Monday: Run 8 min; Walk 1 min; Repeat 3X; Run 3min

Tuesday: Walk easy 30 min

Wednesday: Run 9 min; Walk 1 min; Repeat 3X

Thursday: Walk easy 30 min

Friday: Run 10 min; Walk 1 min; Repeat 2X; Run 8 min

Saturday: Run 11 min; Walk 1 min; Repeat 2X; Run 6 min

Sunday: Rest

But instead, it has looked like this so far: 

Monday: Run 3 min;  Walk 1 min; Repeat 5X

Tuesday: Walk easy 30 min

Wednesday: Run  3 min; Walk 1 min; Repeat 5X

And we actually started doing this last week Wednesday, so we have changed our training program for about a week now. Three minutes does not seem like that long of a time interval to run, but we are doing it for a few different reasons. We feel like our endurance level hasn't been built up to where it needs to be and we have also been experiencing different physical struggles. Nick has been dealing with shin splints and there was a point (as posted before hand) where I was physically and mentally exhausted. So we backed down a little bit to listen to our bodies. Sometimes thinking about this, I feel a bit wimpy or weak, but then I remember what a coworker said to me, "When I see people out running or exercising, I don't judge them, because at least they are doing something." And I agree! At least we are moving and working on it. I love our program and the book, but we have also kept in mind our personal challenges and how we feel. We have talked about whether we have pushed ourselves too fast, maybe we should have stuck with the 24 week training program where week 4 looks like this: 

Monday: Run 2min; Walk 2 min; Repeat 7X; Run 2 min

Tuesday: Walk easy 30 min

Wednesday: Run 2 min; Walk 2 min; Repeat 7X; Run 2 min

Thursday: Walk easy 30 min

Friday: Run 2 min; Walk 2 min; Repeat 7X; Run 2 min

Saturday: Run 2 min; Walk 2 min; Repeat 7X; Run 2 min

Sunday: Rest

But I am not sure if we would feel as challenged in this program. There are a few things that we question when it comes to our bodies and how we feel emotionally, mentally, and physically. All I know is that we started training 4 weeks ago and other than some bumps, we are doing it and we are learning to take care of ourselves. Running gives flexibility and allows you to be challenge yourself when needed. It doesn't matter how you run (to some extent), what you look like, or  when you do it, you are doing it! Nick and I have had a quote over the past 4 weeks, "It doesn't matter if we finish pretty, as long as we finish." Let me tell you, I am definitely not fast and I most definitely turn red as tomato and sweat!! But I am going to finish! 

 

Apple Sandwiches.

I came across this sweet healthy snack from another blog, Cook Happy, and I thought it looked delicious! Haven't tried it yet, but I thought I'd share!

Apple Sandwiches

I borrowed the recipe from Whole Foods Market

2 small apples, cored and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds 
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional) 
3 tablespoons peanut or almond butter 
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips 
3 tablespoons granola

If you won’t be eating these tasty treats right away, start by brushing the apples slices with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. 

Spread one side of half of the apple slices with peanut or almond butter then sprinkle with chocolate chips and granola. Top with remaining apple slices, pressing down gently to make the sandwiches. Transfer to napkins or plates and serve.