I Know, It's Been Awhile

Okay, so maybe a post every week didn't work just as I planned. I've been pretty busy though, doing some baking and experimenting, and I have two cookie recipes I want to share! Hopefully I’ll have them up on my RECIpage soon. 

Just in general I started running again after taking a week long break when my friends came home for the week, not to mention last week I did not run very much, simply because I was settling into my job and with bussing I was running around a lot! On busy nights it's a fun job to do, because you keep pretty busy. However on days like today where the sky is a dark grey and there is a constant shower of rain, the restaurant isn't very busy and I have to find misc. tasks to do. 

I am very happy to say I am getting back into green smoothies! I always assume that no one cares too much for recipes for smoothies, primarily because I have never followed one myself. But I am starting to experiment more and have found other green fanatics so maybe I’ll be inspired to think up some "kid-friendly" smoothies :)

Below is my after-run breakfast the other day, a green smoothie and Dave's Killer Bread with Almond Butter, strawberry jam, and raspberries pressed in our Panini maker for warm gooeyness. I have somewhat abandoned gluten-free-dom in eating, mostly because I wasn't seeing any difference. When I bake myself however, I still have been avid in creating really only gluten-free recipes. 

mmmmmm

i topped mine with agave and fresh strawberries for dessert! while still warm out of the oven...yumm

in mine i used buckwheat flour originally, but i wouldn't suggest it unless you really enjoy buckwheat. the taste is a bit overpowering and takes away from the cinnamon. 

in mine i used buckwheat flour originally, but i wouldn't suggest it unless you really enjoy buckwheat. the taste is a bit overpowering and takes away from the cinnamon. 

 i also made apple cinnamon muffins! below is the recipe for them. i've always been a huge muffin fan myself, and these muffins cut through the side, and slathered with Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter and eaten like a little sandwich is easily my favorite preparation. 

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients (18 muffins)

For Muffins

• 2 cups Flour (see note)

• 2 cups chopped, peeled Apple

• 1 1/4 cups Almond milk (or other non dairy milk)

• 1/2 cup Raw Vegan Cane Sugar

• 2 T Water

• 1 T Agave

• 1 T Cinnamon + 1 t Cinnamon

• 2 t Lemon Juice + 2 t Lemon Juice

• 2 t Vanilla Extract

• 2 t Baking Powder

• 1 1/2 t ground Flaxseed

• 1 t Baking Soda

• 1/4 t Salt

NOTE: i used 3/4 cup Brown Rice Flour, 3/4 cup Garbanzo Bean Flour, 1/4 cup Potato Flour, 1/4 cup Quinoa Flour, 3/4 t xantham (or guar) gum
For Topping

• 1/4 cup Raw Vegan Cane Sugar

• 3 T chopped Almonds

• 2 t Cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with silicone liners, or oil the pan

• Peel the apples and chop them up into small, 1/4 inch pieces. Mix them with the agave, 1 t cinnamon, and 2 t of lemon juice, then set aside.

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flaxseed with the water, then add vanilla extract, remaining lemon juice, and almond milk to mixture and whisk well.

• In a large bowl, combine flour mixture, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well, then add the liquid ingredients until just combined.

• Drain the remaining liquid mixed with the apples and fold the chopped apples to the mixture.

• Mix the sugar and cinnamon reserved for the topping, leaving out the 3 T of chopped almonds for now.

• Fill each muffin tin a little more than a forth of the way full, then sprinkle about 1/2 t of cinnamon sugar over the muffins, and top with remaining batter.

• Combine remaining cinnamon sugar and chopped almonds and sprinkle over muffins.

• Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

One reason it took me so long to write this post was because I wasn't going to let myself until I got at least halfway through Anna Karenina. Which I have in 3 days, after flying through Lolita the previous week. I have been reading so much more and I love it! Yesterday I literally just read the whole day after my run. I cannot convey how wonderful it has been to get back into reading! Not to mention I have started to write again, which is a huge step for me as I really haven't written much since sophomore year when an absolutely terrible teacher destroyed all my passion and love for writing. But I’ve been inspired again and it has been a nice change. 

that's about all for now! Hopefully i get the chance to perfect and post a few more recipes in the next week or two, but if not, just know it's because i'm reading and working like a madman!

thanks for reading :)