Getting To Know You

Happy Waffle Wednesday!!!

Yup! I ate that whole stack :)

Fear not, for they are Van’s Mini Waffles. 

This is the other kind of waffle I chose to buy with the free coupons the company sent me. I love mini foods (mini bagels also come to mind).

 

Nutritionals aren’t as great as the gluten-free Apple Cinnamon waffles, but they are mini, so I will cut them some slack.

 
I had my pile o’ waffles dipped into a syrup/almond butter mix and a side of egg whites for protein.

Thoughts on the waffles? They were sweet! I felt like I was eating little waffle cookies! If you like dessert for breakfast, then they’re the one for you.

I ate this while reading the responses on my last post on muscle toning shoes. Some great thoughts were shared! Just a snippet:

Lori (Finding Radiance)

Those shoes. First off, I despise the word “toning”. Ugh! And, they are just another gimmick to get people to think they can be exercise-free and get in shape. However, if they actually get people to put them on and move about, it’s better than nothing.

Fattie Fatterton

I’m so glad that you wrote about those shoes. It proves again that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Madeline – Greens and Jeans

My mom had a pair of MBTs when they first came out and she thinks they helped her posture, but that’s about it!

Kelly @ Kelly B Well

I actually participate in a Reebok ‘new products’ forum to test the water. They recently sent me a pair of these goofy shoes to try.
I agree with everything you’ve stated above. I am supposed to wear them for 3 months, and I can’t stand them. It feels like ‘corrective shoes’ for being pigeon-toed, or something, but…worse than that.
They’re uncomfortable, and they don’t do anything.
There are no shortcuts to fitness and health.

Good reading!! Thanks for all the feedback!

After breakfast, I drove 20 minutes to the other side of town (okay, technically, a different municipality) just to go to a spin class. It’s a really nice gym – worth the drive!

I do not like those particular Star Trac spin bikes though.

The class was great! It was only 40 minutes long, and the instructor chose music I actually enjoy and would listen to outside of class. Because it was shorter than I’m used to, I went straight across to the gym’s yoga studio for a 60 minute yoga class. Very strange to go from a high-energy spin class to a very mild and gentle yoga class. It was very easy and more about the breathing, still fun though!

Busted through the door once I got home because I was staaaarving. Started throwing ingredients into a frying and pan and ended up with this:

I did however stop to snap photos of the funny looking veggies as I chopped them up.

Long red pepper.

 
And a baby carrot with a core??

It was like a chopstick in the centre of my carrot. Weird.

Anyways, back to the stir-fry at hand.

 
Other notable veggies included celery, broccoli, mushrooms and collard greens. Protein was two scrambled eggs, flavoured with feta cheese and hummus.

 
Oh yeah, and bacon. Bacon makes everything better ;) Hit. The. Spot.

Polished off with a Newfoundland chocolate.

Milk chocolate. With something in the centre – marzipan? Whatever, it was good.

Oh, and there may have been a few sugar-free Mr. Freezes today.

And by a few, I mean four.

I was struck with inspiration this afternoon while reading Naomi’s blog. She made Dreena Burton’s Super Charge Me Cookies.  I’ve been hearing how amazing these cookies are for what feels like years now, and I still haven’t tried them! I glanced at the ingredients and saw my mom had them all on hand. Score! It was finally time to get baking :)

 

1 cup quick oats rolled oats
2/3 cup spelt flour whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp (rounded) sea salt
1/4 – 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 –1/3 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit
3–4 tbsp carob or chocolate chips (optional; or use more dried fruit, nuts, or seeds)
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup flax meal (not flax seed)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 tbsp almond butter (may use cashew, peanut, hemp seed butter)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp organic canola oil

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a bowl, combine oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, coconut, raisins, and carob or chocolate chips, sift in baking powder, and stir until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flax meal, syrup, almond butter, and vanilla and stir until well combined. Stir in oil. Add wet mixture to dry, and stir until just well combined (do not overmix). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon batter onto baking sheet evenly space apart, and lightly flatten. Bake for 13 minutes (no longer, or they will dry out). Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 1 minute (no longer), then transfer to a cooling rack.

The recipe says 11-12 cookies, but I got 18 decent-sized ones out of the mix,

 
I licked the bowl clean – baker’s rights!!

I didn’t think the cookies looked quite done after 13 minutes, but I trusted the recipe. Plus, being vegan, there were no raw eggs that needed to cook anyways.

Sure enough, they came out perfectly!

I was going to save one for after dinner, but my mom suggested having one for an appetizer. Who am I to argue!?

Verdict?? Heckyes. These are good! Plain ole’ chocolate chip cookies with eggs and butter will always be my favourite, but these are definitely a fun alternative. I love how you can really taste the maple in them too.

And they get the thumbs up from my three step-siblings, who are definitely tough critics.

While my cookie business was going on, my mom was working on dinner beside me.

We seem to have a plethora of tortilla chips in this household. Which clearly called for a mexican dip

Mom dug out her recipe from the 1970s for this one. Made with buffalo meat, black beans, salsa and spices. The cheese-free section is mine :)

Mom also made a smooth guacamole, which I did not partake in because I can’t digest avocado :(

Instead of dipping the chips in the dip, I assembled a salad, then put the good stuff on top.

With extra salsa for good measure ;)

Solid meal!! Well done mom :)

 

Tamzin tagged me in a questionnaire for getting to know bloggers a little better. I thought it would be fun to do! Here are my answers:

Where would you be able to spend hours and be happy?

My bed. In fact, I have spent hours there and been perfectly happy doing it ;)

What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?

Chocolate glazed donut from Tim Horton’s. These days though, I limit them to the Timbits ;)

Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

Just my earlobes! I’m scared of needles, and didn’t get the guts to do my ears until I was 18 years old.

What is your favorite movie?

High Fidelity. John Cusack + Nick Hornby + Good Music + Top 5 Lists = Perfection.

Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?

My mom! I called her while I was out today.

Are you still friends with the people you knew in middle school or high school?

Yes, my closest friends are those I’ve had since childhood. My BFF in Halifax I just visited went to kindergarten with me. My other best friend and old roommie, Meghan, as known me since Grade 1.

What is the last thing you ate?

The above salad! Although, there will be a microwave protein cake in my belly very soon.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Everything. When I was really young, I wanted to be a veterinarian. Then I wanted to be a rock star, high school English teacher, flight attendant, journalist, and now personal trainer. I don’t think anyone ever figures out what they want to be when they grow up!

Name three things that are close to you right now:

My camera, Women’s Health Magazine, and Rudy.

What was your best subject in school?

Surprisingly, Chemistry! I took Level 1 Math and Chemistry and got 90s in both. Actually, I got 98% in grade 12 Chemistry. And then I went to a Liberal Arts university…

What is your favorite restaurant?

Calactus!

Any hidden talents?

I just asked my mother this and she says it’s my wicked sense of humour. Hm. How bout that!

What is your middle name?

Elizabeth. Common, but I still like it :)

What is your favorite website?

Gmail!! Ha! I go through phases, right now it’s 1000 Awesome Things and The Pioneer Woman.

How old were you when you had your first kiss?

I was in Grade 7… sooo…12 or 13?? It was sloppy.

Chocolate or vanilla?

If it’s flavour we’re talking about, then vanilla. But I will choose a piece of plain chocolate above all else at any time.

What is your favorite girl’s name?

I’m holding on to the name Wendy in case I ever need it for a baby. It’s my mom’s middle name and I LOVE Peter Pan!

Favorite store?

The Running Room.

Would you rather be a rock star or a famous athlete?

Rock star (see above)

Favorite food?

Chocolate chip cookies (see above)

What are you wearing right now?

Jean shorts (not cut-off!!) a flowery top and a black cardigan. See, I get out of my yoga pants sometimes ;)

What is your favorite animal?

Elephants are number one, owls are number two.

Did you graduate from college?

Yes, although in Canada colleges and universities are two different things.

What does your last text message say?

“Haha…of course.” From a friend when I told him I expected pictures of his upcoming Vegas trip on Facebook :)

Do you have any nicknames?

Sus, Susie and Susie Q. Nothing fancy!

 

And now I’m off to get ready to snag a ticket to the Healthy Living Summit!!

 

Questions of the Day:
1. What’s your favorite kind of doughnut?
2. Any hidden talents?
3. What is your favorite girl’s name?