Caribbean Spiced Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I love this holiday...all the amazing food!  Not to mention the chance to really thing about everything that we are thankful for.  I can't believe how blessed we are.  We have so much excess stuff, great health, an unstressed bank account, amazing friends, the best family, and an amazing God that has blessed us with this all.  We are so thankful.  Anyways, back to food... I thought in honor of Thanksgiving, I would share my very favorite sweet potato recipe!  I just love these.  The best part is, they are eons healthier than the traditional sweet potatoes loaded with marshmallows and brown sugar. For a more traditional taste, you can eliminate all the spices but the sugar, salt, and pepper.  Hope you enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Caribbean Spiced Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 Medium Sweet Potatoes

1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil

2 tsp. Sugar

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp. Pepper

¾ tsp. Ground Allspice

¾ tsp. Dried Thyme

½ tsp Garlic Powder

¼ tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Directions:


Preheat oven to 325. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into rounds approx. ½ inch thick. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet. Place potato rounds onto wire rack and bake for 30 minutes. (See Above)Remove from oven and increase temperature to 475. Remove potatoes and cooling rack from baking sheet and place baking sheet in oven. After allowing potatoes to rest for 10 minutes, then toss potatoes in oil.

Mix spices together and sprinkle over potatoes. Remove baking sheet and put potatoes on it. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes, flipping potatoes once at 8 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

 

 

A Movie Suggestion... Chasing Mavericks



This past week, my husband and I went to see the movie Chasing Mavericks.  It is the story of a young boy convincing a father-figure surfer to train him to surf the Mavericks, one of the largest surf breaks in the world.  The 40 foot plus waves that roll in at this California surf break are technical and extremely dangerous to even the most talented surfers.  The movie is based on the true story of Jay Moriarity. 

 

This movie was one of the most inspiring I have seen, and not just because I love surfing.  It shows the journey one takes when training for an event.  It shows how truly grueling it can be, but also how very rewarding it is in the end.  The lessons learned can apply to many areas of life, but to anyone in training for an athletic event or anyone needing some inspiration to take the risk of training, it is truly inspirational.  Last time I posted, I shared that I am training for the XTERRA, an extreme of road triathalon.  I found many applications throughout the movie to this current adventure that I am in.

 

I highly recommend each of you take the time to watch this movie.  Training for any challenge is risky to the body, but even moreso to the mind.  You give youself the chance to fail.  But if you never take the risk, you never feel the thrill of success and accomplishment.  Watch this movie and you will see how beautiful taking the risk of training can be.

 

The Next Challenge...

With one week of training under my belt, I can officially say that I am training for the XTERRA race here in March.  XTERRA is an extreme triathalon with a 1500m open water swim, 22 mile bike through the mountains (on trails, not so much the road) and a 5 mile jungle run.  I got my very own bike and have upped my training in every aspect.  I can't remember the last time I was so sore and exhausted, but I am LOVING having something to train for again.  Why did I choose this race?  Because it terrifies me.  I have never challenged my body to this extreme before.  And I love beating my own fears.

Exhausted and covered in dirt after a mountain training excursion!
 

So what scares you physically?  And how are you going to challenge and beat it?  And what are you training for next? Let me know!

Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Cookies.

I am so sorry I have been lazy on posting on my blog!  I feel so bad about it because I have so many ideas, Ive just been so busy running around learning about my new job.  Which I am LOVING by the way!  The other trainers have been so helpful showing me the tricks of actually working in a gym, and I oficially start with my first clients next week!  Yay!!  I am so blessed!

 

Anyways, I know I just posted a breakfast cookie, but with fall coming, I redid the recipe to incude pumpkin, which I have been obsessed with lately.  Its a very similar recipe, still gluten-free if you use the right stuff, and still very good for you!  Plus its a nice change up. So here you go!

 

 

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Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Cookies

 

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 Tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tsp. Pumpkn Pie Spice 

1 1/2 - 2 Cups Oatmeal

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Mix bananas and pumpkin together. Add in protein powder, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.  Add oatmeal. Let batter sit for 10 minutes.  Scoop onto greased baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon or more pumpkin pie spice. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. (Be sure to keep an eye on them.)

 

Makes about 8 cookies.

 

Optional:  I haven't tried it, but I think a few dark chocolate chips would be amazing in these.  Yum!

 

Note: These are very moist.  Keep them in the refridgerator to extend their shelf life.

 

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Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

 

 

I had to post about last night's baking project, which had to get done so I have a quick and healthy breakfast option for this morning.  I need one because I will be going to work for my first day as a personal trainer!  Thats right folks, I am officially hired by the Navy base gym here in Guam!  Yay!! Anyways... I have been making these breakfast cookies for months now, and they are AMAZING!!  They have no flour or sugar in them at all, but still taste like, well, a cookie!  They are very healthy as well as quick and easy  for breakfast in the morning.  The recipe can be found at this wonderful blog:

 

http://watching-what-i-eat.blogspot.com/2012/06/peanut-butter-banana-oat-breakfast.html

 

A few notes on the recipe:  I always use the protein powder, specifically Muscle Milk's Vanilla Creme whey powder.  Ladies, do not fear. It will not cause you to bulk up.  It's very important to get some protein in your breakfast, and this helps me do that.  I also add in things like a handful of mini chocolate chips and/ or raisens.  It tastes like an oatmeal cookie!  This last time I also added some cinnamon.  I am hoping it turns out well.  Also, make sure to let it rest for 10 minutes like it says in the recipe.  I was in a hurry this time and didn't, and they spread more than normal and cooked a little strangely.

 

Finally, I THINK (think being the operative word here.) these are gluten free. I have heard that Irish Oats can be found without gluten.  I am not sure about the protein powder, but that is an optional ingredient.  Since I do eat gluten, I am not sure about this and would love any tips from those that cannot eat gluten concerning this.  Agin though, if you are allergic to gluten, do not take my word for it that these are gluten free. I just think they are.

 

Enjoy!

Fall in a Glass Pumpkin Smoothie

Continuing on my quest to make fun and tasty smoothies, I decided to make a new fall flavored drink for my post run recovery today.  I made a fantastic pumpkin smoothie that was AMAZING!  Very different than your normal fruit smoothie.  It was perfect for my post run recovery drink, but can also be made as a healthy snack.

 

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Ingredients:

1 Banana

1/3 cup of canned pumpkin (I would have loved to use real pumpkin, but ours aren't ready yet)

4 oz. plain yogurt, preferably greek yogurt

1 scoop of vanilla creme protein powder

A few sprinkles of pumpkin pie spice

Splash of milk

 

The directions are easy.  Put the banana, pumpkin, yogurt, pumpkin pie spice, and protein powder in a blender.  If you are using this as a snack instead of a post workout drink,  substitute the plain yogurt and protein powder for vanilla greek yogurt.  Use about 6 ounces. Blend it all together until mixed.  The smoothie will be very think at this point, so add some milk and a little more yogurt to bring it to a consistancy that you like.  Pour into a serving glass and spinkle with a dash of pumpkin pie spice for garnish.  Enjoy!

So tasty!!

 

 

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Fitness Adventures Series! *Extreme Hiking*

Here on Guam, there are many opportunites to have adventures that can double as working out.  For example, this hike we went on a little bit ago.  It took about 6 hours and involved hiking down to a waterfall, up a river, and back out of the ravine.  It was wonderfully exhausting and so much fun! 

After a couple hours of hiking to the valley, we climbed down the side of the valley using ropes.  There were places that I had to pull myself out of that were up to my chest!

 

 The view at the bottom was worth the climb.  We made it to Lower Sigua Falls!  My husband had the guts to jump in from a third of the way up.  I chickened out though.  I stuck with just swimming around.

Then we climbed around to the top of the waterfall where we found this baby waterfall and little pool.  We climbed down the little waterfall, explored a bit, then started thelast leg of our journey- up the river.  And when I say up the river, I'm not kidding.  We walked for over 2 hours THROUGH the river.  It was very, ah, wet.

By the end of hiking up the river, I was pretty tired and soaked.  I was covered in dirt, sweat, mud, and probably some spiderwebs.  I was so glad I had my tall pink socks and gloves on to help me climb up over rocks and mudslides and to protect me a little.  But I was most thankful for my Camelback.  I woud suggest anyone that ever is doing a strenuous activity where they aren't sure where they can get water to invest in one.  Mine is nice and small and I can even run with it, but it keeps me well hydrated.

 

We finally made it to Upper Sigua Falls!  This was one tall waterfall and quite the beautiful site to see.  Once we got to the top of this set of falls, we looked over the terrain that we climbed over all day. Talk about feeling accomplished! 

Hiking is a fantastic way to exercise in a fun, different, and challenging way.  A hike does not have to be nearly as intense as this particular one was.  The best part about hiking is it can be done just about anywhere! Whether you are going on vacation or want to explore your own area, there is always some place to hike.  Check out your local state parks for an easy way to find some trails.  For my followers in Wisconsin, I recommend Rails to Trails (www.railstotrails.org) or the Ice Age Trail (www.iceagetrail.org/).  If you have a place you like to hike, feel free to share it below!