Time for a treat, folks.  Running is hard and we deserve something tasty.

Have you ever made popcorn on the stove?  My mama used to make it when we were little, but I had not tried it myself until last week.  Now I am totally hooked!  And the kids adore making it, too.  They shriek with delight when the kernels start to pop.

Not that you need an excuse to eat popcorn, but it has tons of fiber and is 100% whole grain.  If you skip the butter, a cup of popcorn only has about 31 calories.  Whee!  And a recent study found that popcorn is also loaded with antioxidants.

We use organic popcorn and organic coconut oil (great for high heat cooking) from Trader Joe’s.  We season it with only a sprinkle of sea salt, but you can add Kerry Gold melted butter if you want the extra yummy indulgence.  Crunchy, warm, YUM.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp oil with a high smoke point (coconut, canola, peanut or grapeseed are good choices)
• 1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels
• 1 3-quart covered saucepan
• 2 Tbsp or more (to taste) of butter, optional
• Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Time for a treat, folks.  Running is hard and we deserve something tasty.

If you have been following my posts, you know that I’m an ice cream addict.  Being an addict means I have to generally stay away from the real stuff; tell a coke addict to snort “just a little bit” of cocaine and see how that works.

So I’m always on the lookout for treats that satiate like ice cream, but won’t drive up my calorie, fat, and sugar intake the way that ice cream does.  My cherry chocolate chip “ice cream” does the trick these days.

Cherries are in season and delicious.  Did you know they have all sorts of hidden health benefits?  I didn’t!  They are surprisingly high in melatonin, making them a nice pre-bedtime snack.  And they are a terrific post-run treat: one and a half cups of tart cherries can significantly reduce muscle inflammation and soreness.   Pair them with Greek yogurt, as I do in this recipe, and you have a terrific protein-antioxidant-anti-inflammatory punch after your workout.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 cups of fresh cherries, pitted
• 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt (I love the brand Fage with 2% fat, but anything unsweetened and unflavored works fine)
• 1/4 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cover a sheet pan with parchment or wax paper.  Lay pitted cherries on the pan in a single layer and place in freezer for approximately 3 hours, or until frozen.
2. In a food processor or blender, mix Greek yogurt and frozen cherries.  Blend until smooth.  Fold in chocolate chips, if using.
3. Return to freezer until re-frozen, approximately 2 hours.
4. Alternatively, if you want your “ice cream” sooner, you can skip steps 2-3 and simply sprinkle frozen cherries and chocolate chips on top of the Greek yogurt.  Some of the yogurt will “freeze” from the cold cherries.  Still satisfying and refreshing without the wait time!  🙂

Time for a treat, folks.  Running is hard and we deserve something tasty.   This granola is delicious.  It isn’t going to make you run faster or cure world hunger or do your laundry, but it is damn good granola.  You won’t want to stop eating it.  It is just the right blend of sweet and salty and has a delicious aroma from the spice blend.

The best part is that you can change the nuts, dried fruit(s), and spices to suit your personal tastes.  Use the same total measurements (e.g., if you decide to use dates and apricots instead of figs, use half cup dates and half cup apricots).

Folks, this granola is so good that it is how I “pay” my running coach, who refuses actual monetary payments.  I always at least double the recipe.  You’ll thank me later.

Hazelnut Granola with Toasted Quinoa
Recipe by Anna Brones of Foodie Underground

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups oats
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup raw hazelnuts (or nut(s) of your choice), coarsely chopped
• 1 cup dried figs (or dried fruit(s) of your choice), chopped or cut into small pieces with a pair of kitchen scissors
• 1/4 cup uncooked white quinoa
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (here is where you can play with the spices.  Try ginger, coriander, nutmeg, allspice, etc.!)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a bowl, combine the oats, coconut, hazelnuts, salt and spices.
2. Place the quinoa in a small frying pan and toast over medium heat, constantly stirring so that it doesn’t burn. After a little bit, you’ll hear popping noises. That means the quinoa is toasted. Remove from heat and add to the bowl with the oat mixture. Stir the ingredients together until well blended.
3. Pour olive oil and honey into a small saucepan, and slowly warm on low heat. As it warms, whisk or stir with a fork until the oil and honey are thoroughly blended together. Pour over the oats, and using a wooden spoon or your hands, stir until the oats and other ingredients are evenly coated.
4. Spread out the oat mixture on a baking tray and bake at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Granola should have a golden brown color to it.  It may not be crunchy; it will become crunchy as it cools.
5. Remove from the oven, gently stir in the dried figs (or fruit of choice).
6. Let cool. Once cool place into a glass jar with a lid to store.  Attempt to not eat it in one sitting.

Time for a treat, folks.  Running is hard and we deserve something tasty.  These Honey Tahini Almond Cookies are just the right blend of salty and sweet, chewy and crispy.

And did you know that sesame seeds might be the oldest condiment known to humans?  They are loaded with beneficial minerals like copper, magnesium, and iron.  And they contain super fibers called lignans, which have been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in humans.  Delicious!

Recipe and photo from Anja’s Food 4 Thought, a wonderful blog with terrific clean recipes.  I want to try them all!

HONEY TAHINI ALMOND COOKIES

1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chopped candied ginger (optional; my addition because it added some tasty zest)

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Yields 25-30
————————————————
Preheat oven to 175C/350F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine almond meal, salt and baking soda.
In a large bowl, stir together honey, tahini and vanilla extract until well combined.

Add the almond meal mixture to the honey tahini mixture and stir until well incorporated. Add ginger, if using.  The dough should be solid enough to form balls. If it’s too wet, add some more almond meal.

Form balls of the size of a cherry. Roll in sesame seeds, then flatten it to 1/4 inch thickness and place on the prepared baking sheet. Leave 1-2 inches space between cookies. Repeat until all dough is used up.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until bottoms are golden. For extra crispy cookies, flip them upside down and leave in the warm oven for a few more minutes.

Time for a treat, folks.  Running is hard and we deserve something tasty.  Loaded with almond butter and cocoa powder, these Double Chocolate Cookies from PaleOMG are the perfect “good for you yummy” that the end of a tough week requires.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS