The best Green Monster I have ever made.

Yes, that is a bold statement.
I mean, let us be real, Green Monsters are no joke amongst bloggers.
They are an addiction for many, a cure for some, and a frightening sight for outsiders.
In all, Green Monsters have developed into quite the movement.

I swear by them. Since the day I began blogging I have been posting about the power of the green smoothie.

Today something magical happened in my blender. It may have been a combination of heat and post-work out endorphins kicking in, but I created something special that I must share.

The Recipe
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 frozen banana
3 cups organic baby spinach
1 cup freshly chopped organic mango
1 scoop chia seeds
1 scoop Amazing Grass green superfood powder (berry blend)
1.5 cups ice
1/2 cup water

That is it. Really nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, it was truly extraordinary.
~Jenn

How Sweet Muffins

Instead of following my normal routine of working out first thing in the morning I decided to forgo exercise and bake. After scouring the web (okay, just my google reader) for a recipe, I landed on one that made my taste buds salivate. I adapted this recipe from Jessica at How Sweet It Is.

Her recipes make me drool on the regular, so I knew I could do no wrong attempting to recreate one of her treats. Originally based off of the Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Bread Muffin recipe, I made a couple of alterations based on what I had in the pantry.

The bananas I had lying around were ginormous so I only used 3 instead of the recipe's recommendation of 4.

I also used baking powder instead of soda because I don't actually believe there is a difference.
I tasted the batter, because c'mon who doesn't, and I did not think it was sweet enough. So on a whim, I added 1/4 cup of light brown sugar, unpacked.

Finally, strawberries have hit their peak in Arkansas so I had plenty to spare. I switched out the 1/2 cup of blueberries for 1 cup of freshly chopped strawberries.
Because of all the adaptions I made, I was a little nervous as to how these would taste. Let's just say, I was pleasantly surprised. They are dense, chewy, and not overly sweet. In otherwords, my perfect muffin.

The only thing I would change for next time is I would pre-grease the muffin tin or use some sort of non-stick muffin cup because mine stick to the paper.

Happy Baking!

3 meals a day.

I did something today that I have not done in a very long time...

called a rest day from working out??...wait that's definitely not it seeing as I did not log one workout during my last week in Strasbourg. No no...today was special because I actually cooked all three meals for myself!

I started off the day with a sweet breakfast. On my last jaunt to Whole Foods, I picked up something I have been seeing around the blogosphere for a while now, Raw Cacao Nibs. I went with oats because, well, they work with just about anything.

(1/2 cup oats, 1/2 almond milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tbsp almond butter, 1/2 tbsp chia seeds, and sprinkle of cacao nibs).

I'm a fan for sure. They taste like healthy chocolate chips! :)

Mid-morning I snacked on a whole mango (it was a baby) and a kiwi.

Lunch consisted of another first for me.
I cooked lentils. Ever since the host mom made me a dish containing lentils I haven't been able to stop thinking about the little guys. I really like the texture of them and they are a great source of protein for vegetarians. (Expect to see a lot of lentils around here!)

(1/2 cup lentils, leftover grilled tofu, steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Spices: dash of garlic powder, salt, and pepper).

I spent the afternoon running fun errands. And by fun errands, I mean shopping. Clearly it was of the utmost importance that I buy a new day planner (mine ends in July for some reason) and a photo album for my travel photos which should be arriving tomorrow! Then I hit up Kroger for dinner ingredients.

Small aside: The man in front of me at the checkout like caught my eye. I am not one to judge what people purchase at the grocery store, but his selection made me very sad. It was clear that he had walked to Kroger (as he was sweating profusely) and was not well off. Yet, he purchased 10 packages of ramen that were on sale (for around .20 cents each), a package of $4 cigarettes, and a 6 pack of Heineken beer. I was struck by how much more he spent on poisoning his body rather than nurturing it. I guess the point is that I wish all people had the opportunity to learn about health and nutrition and how to properly take care of themselves.

Okay, back to dinner which was based on a recipe that I found on Cara's blog. The moment I saw her post about Zucchini Lasagna I knew I had to replicate it. (Click the link to see the recipe. I don't want to claim ownership of her genius!)

I made a couple of alterations based on what I had in the fridge and cupboard. I omitted the rosemary, used wine + regular vinegar instead of rice wine vinegar, and added spinach to the tomato sauce. I also served my portion on a bed of fresh spinach.This recipe is magic. Seriously, make it. It tastes exactly like the heavy calorie laden lasagna your grandma used to make. I ate half of the pan (the recipe is 2 servings) and I can't wait for leftovers!

Dessert was the norm tonight, but with a fresh twist. Summer berries to be exact!(Blueberry vitatop, 1 tbsp dark chocolate dreams, 1 cup strawberries and blackberries).

On the workout front, I decided to push up my 1/2 marathon training a week. That means I start Monday! Ready or not, it's happening! I'm excited to have something to work toward but I am also intimidated as hell. But I figure adding a week will give me time to adjust as necessary and redo a week if I feel as though I am not ready to move forward.

Until next time,
~Jenn