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Fundays + Tomato Basil Beet Salad Guest Spot

July 2, 2012 By Laura

Forget Sunday-Funday.

 

This weekend was one big Funday!  Friday – for my cheat day – I went to my favorite underground supper club, Push Start Kitchen with my best friend.  Zack was serving a vegetarian dinner and once again blew it out of the water with his creative flavor combinations and impeccable execution.  God bless cheat day.

L to R: the table; amuse – a corn masa with red chili jam and pickled okra; appetizer – chilled zucchini soup with tempura pumpkin flowers, house-made ricotta with preserved lemon, arugula, and smoked chile jam; main – roasted chile, Israeli couscous with collards, black plum mole, crisped tamale “croutons,” cotija cheese, and hears of palm; dessert – arroz con leche with candied lemon, melon sorbet, lychee foam, and basil and sour cherry gelee.

 

Saturday I took an easy bike ride through the park and hit up the Green Market for some tomatoes and a beautiful bunch of basil grown right there in the park.  Doesn’t get more local than that!

 

Saturday evening I got to see some of my favorite bloggers at a going away party for Heather and her hubby Kirk.  They are off to Colorado!  We are sad to see them go, but we had a great time catching up and goofing off. 

L to R: Heather, Lindsay, Tina, and me.

 

Heather cooked up a fantastic (vegan) Mexican feast, even specially preparing ground tempeh so that I had something I could eat (going out on a strict diet is HARD).  I really loved her bean dip too – it was just the right amount of spicy.

I didn’t partake in the Cayenne-spice chocolate chip cookie sandwiches, but am told they were phenomenal.

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Tiffany @ Como Water invited me to write a guest post for her blog.  Please click here to check it out, and check out her blog.  It is a plethora of delicious, plant-based eats!

This dish I made for her is a Tomato Basil Beet Salad.  Who knew this beets and tomatoes would be such a win?  I mean, I thought it would taste good, but whoa.  This simple salad of beets, tomato, basil, and onion blew me away.  A bit of lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper balanced the beet flavor and the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes almost made it seems like dessert.

 

The other item that blew me away was a feta cheese. 

 

Last week I talked about the yogurt I received from Olympus; however, they also included a feta cheese in the package.  This creamy treat is imported from Greece, and is the BEST feta I’ve had in recent memory.  I’m not even exaggerating.  It was impossibly creamy, and have just the right amount of salt to bring out the feta tang.

For the full recipe, check out my guest post on Tiffany’s blog, Como Water.

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Recap time.  I’m on day 10 of my figure competition training and still loving it!  I had an appointment with my trainer Saturday.  It was a tough one – I got busted for my lack of protein on my “cheat” day (note to self: Steve reads blog… watch yo self) and was justly punished treated to a killer leg workout.  I’m really excited about my progress in a short amount of time.  I was able to squat 30% more weight than I could just a week and a half ago!

Thank god this week was only 3 softball games… ’cause it is HOT.  The obligatory #proof pic:

Workout Recap (6/25- 7/1):

  • Monday – Chest/Biceps, 2.5 mile walk
  • Tuesday – Legs (w/ trainer), 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Back/Tris
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Glutes, 2.5 mile walk
  • Friday – Biceps/Chest, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Legs/Hams (w/ trainer), 20 min bike ride, 1.75 mi walk
  • Sunday – 3 softball games

***

Don’t forget to click here and enter to win 2 boxes of Special K’s new granola bars!  Contest ends TONIGHT at 11:59p.

What was the highlight of your weekend?

Is it in the 100s where you are?

 

Filed Under: Fitness, Guest Post, Products, Recap, Recipes, Softball, Weights Tagged With: dinner, Olympus, Push Start Kitchen, salad, snacks, softball, vegan, vegetarian, workout

Ultimate Veggie Trail Mix

June 25, 2012 By Laura

It would be impossible to make this dish any more healthy.

Filled with raw, fresh veggies, you would probably ascend into some new level of raw health food heaven if you ate it all in one sitting.  Either that or have some serious gas.

When I saw this recipe for a Detox Salad from Angela @ Oh She Glows, I knew I had to make it post-Chilean tour of gluttony.  In my version I use her base of cauliflower and broccoli, but added some extra nutrients with kale and mushrooms.  I love the meaty earthiness the mushroom adds!

To dress the veggie mix, I used fresh lemon juice and my new Chilean spice blend, merkén.  You can read more about it here, but it’s basically a mix of red chilies, coriander, cumin, and salt.  Spicy and smokey!  The other blend in the pic above is a sea weed flake mix: dulse, laver, and sea lettuce.  I picked it up a Whole Foods recently and am addicted to the briny, slightly sweet flakes.

All mixed up it looks like trail mix, hence the name.  However, I wouldn’t recommend adding chocolate in this type of trail mix. 🙂

Recipe at the end.


I finally have workouts to recap!  This week I was back on it full-blast.  I’m embarking on a new fitness endeavor… after my first leg/glute workout with a trainer on Monday, I was so sore that I could barely walk until Friday.  At one point I (slowly) lowered myself to the floor to do push ups, gave up at 40, and then just laid there in downward dog for a sold half hour.  More this new punishment journey tomorrow!

Today I am sore from playing 4 softball games in 90 degree weather.  I drank 150 oz of water and I STILL had a headache until bedtime.  At least I my socks looked cool.

Workout Recap (6/18- 6/24):

  • Monday – Ab Ripper X, Legs/Glutes (w/ trainer), 40 push-ups
  • Tuesday – Tris/Chest, 1.5 mile walk, 100 push-ups
  • Wednesday – Shoulders, 3 mile walk, 100 push-ups
  • Thursday – Biceps, 3.5 mile walk, 100 push-ups
  • Friday – Back/Tris (w/ trainer), 2.5 mile walk
  • Saturday – Butt/Shoulders, 20 min bike ride
  • Sunday – 4 softball games

The Ultimate Veggie Trail Mix - this might be the healthiest thing you could put in your mouth!

Ultimate Veggie Trail Mix

  • 1 small head broccoli, stems removed
  • 1/2 small head cauliflower, stems removed
  • 1 large carrot, shredded or finely chopped
  • 2 large kale leaves, finely chopped
  • 5-6 baby bella mushrooms, diced
  • 2 T red onion, minced
  • 1/4 C pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1/4 C fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp merkén (or mix of smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, and salt)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • Dulse or lavar flakes (optional)
  • 4-5 drops NuNaturals orange liquid stevia (or other sweetener, to taste)
  • S&P, to taste

In a Vitamix or food processor, process the broccoli until fine. Place in a large bowl.  Repeat with cauliflower, then with carrots.

Stir in kale, mushrooms, onion, pumpkin seeds, and rosemary.  

In small bowl, stir together lemon juice and seasonings to taste.  Pour over salad and mix well.  Allow to marinate at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes ~5 cups.

Approximate nutritionals: 94 calories, 5.9g fat, 8g carbohydrates, 2.7g fiber, 2.6g sugar, 5.1g protein.

***

I brought this trail mix to the ball field for lunch.  Amazingly, people didn’t stare.  They must have been too busy having heat strokes.

Have you made any good blogger recipes lately?

What was the highlight of your weekend?

Filed Under: Core, Fitness, Recap, Recipes, Softball, Vitamix, Weights Tagged With: Chile, dinner, lunch, raw food, salad, snacks, vegan, vegetarian, workout

BENGAY Zero Degrees + Lots ‘o Legs

May 21, 2012 By Laura

Injuries and soreness aren’t fun.

Lately it seems like I can’t stay well (thank you, knees), so I was particularly excited when BENGAY contacted me to review their new Zero Degrees product.

What makes it so cool?  It literally IS cool.  According to their literature it is “the first and only topical pain reliever tha can be stored in the freezer, combining the instant sensation of ice with the long-lasting, trusted pain relief of BENGAY GEL.”

This weekend was fun, but pretty strenuous on my body.  If you’ve been reading for a while, you may know that I’ve had some trouble with my knee for the past few months.  I was in serious need of BENGAY Zero Degrees after a 7 mile hike Saturday followed up by a 3 mile run and 2 softball games on Sunday… and one lovely strawberry on my toosh:

No, I didn’t put BENGAY on my open wound (NOT a good idea).  I DID slather it all over my aching knees after spending some QT with bags of frozen peas.

I loved that BENGAY Zero Degrees comes in a deoderant-like stick, making it easy to apply – no sticky hands or pain when you forget and stick you finger in your eye.  Another plus is that it doesn’t stink like most other products out there.  My knees may make me feel like a granny, but I don’t need to smell like a granny too!

BENGAY has offered to send one of these cool Zero Degrees sticks along with some other fun goodies (I received a tote bag, hair ties, a workout towel, and Karina Smirnoff’s dance-inspired workout DVD) to TWO readers!

Receive up to 4 entries by:

  1. Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
  2. Tweet: You could say something like: I entered to win 1 of 2 BENGAY Zero Degrees prize bags in the @sprint2thetable giveaway: http://wp.me/p16jDn-1hS  #giveaway #fitness
  3. Be Social: Twitter Follow me, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What do you do to help your body recover?

 

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Thursday, May 24th.  The winner will be announced on Friday, May 25th.

__________________________________________________________________________________

This week’s recap should explain why I need that BENGAY!  🙂

I’ve been incorporating more plyo/active rest into my weight workouts.  It’s made a big difference in my appetite!  I feel like I’m getting more out of my workouts and I’m craving protein like a caveman.  Still not going too big on the meat, but I’m killin’ some protein shake creations.  After Sundays games in 85 degree temps and direct sunlight I couldn’t get to the blender fast enough!

Put me in coach!

Workout Recap (5/7 – 5/13):

  • Monday – Monday’s Pinned workout, Carol’s “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” (LOVED it!), 100 push-ups
  • Tuesday – 4.5 mi walk, Bis/Back w/ plyo
  • Wednesday – 3.5 mi run, P90X Ab Ripper X, 100 push-ups
  • Thursday – Thursday’s Pinned workout, Shoulders w/ plyo, 100 push-ups
  • Friday – Tris/Chest w/ plyo, 1 mi jog, 100 push-ups
  • Saturday – 3 mi walk, 7 mi hike
  • Sunday –  3 mi run, Softball x2, Hayley’s 6 min plank rotation, 100 push-ups

***

I just realized this post is filled with pics of my legs from various angles.  I love an unexpected “leg day.”

What is the last injury you had?

What is the best workout you’ve had lately?

Filed Under: Core, Fitness, Giveaway, Products, Recap, Running, Softball, Weights Tagged With: BenGay, injury, P90X, protein, running, softball, workout

Sneaky Monday

April 16, 2012 By Laura

Can you believe it’s already Monday?

 

I’m so tired I almost can’t stand it.  Why?  Because I woke up at 2:30am.

Apparently I fell asleep with my phone in my room.  My sheets were still in the dryer, so I crashed on the couch… and when my mom called I didn’t hear the phone.  This worried her and when I hadn’t gotten back to her by 2am she decided to drive 30 minutes to make sure I was ok pay me a visit.  No joke.

 

Here’s the Top 5 from the weekend:

 

1. Zucchini Bread Oats

 

 

I stayed at my mom’s one night and made these again after a brief hiatus.  She hadn’t had them and was skeptical… turns out she loved Zucchini Bread Oats!

 

2. Sticky Toffee Pudding

 

 

I went to a dinner party at my friends Katherine and Giles’ house.  Joined by Heather and her husband Kirk, we had a fantastic vegan fest.  My contribution was this Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Recipe to come soon… I need to take some better pics. 🙂

 

3. Foodie Penpal

 

 

The revel isn’t until the end of the month… but my foodie penpal package arrived!  The box she shipped it in got me excited. 

 

4. PB&J Yogurt

 

 

This was is my new love.  How can you go wrong with anything PB&J-esque?  In my yogurt was:

  • 1 C Greek yogurt
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 5-6 drops vanilla Stevia
  • 1/2 C strawberries

 

5. Softball Sunday

It was another softball Sunday!   We won one game and lost one.  No split this week though. 🙂

 

 

One of my teammates rides a unicycle.  I love this time of year. 

 

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I thought my knee was cured this weekend when I ran a mile pain-free.  Then I tried for 1.5 the next day and was back in pain… *sigh*

It’s more P90X for me.

 

Workout Recap (4/2 – 4/8):

  • Monday – This Pinned workout, P90X Chest/Back, Ab Ripper X
  • Tuesday – This Pinned workout, P90X Yoga
  • Wednesday – P90X Shoulders/Arms, Ab Ripper X, 100 push-ups
  • Thursday – This Pinned workout, P90X Kenpo, 100 push-ups
  • Friday – P90X Legs/Back, 100 push-ups
  • Saturday – This Pinned workout, 4 mile walk, 1 mile run, Ab Ripper X
  • Sunday –  1.5 mile run, 2 softball games

 

***

I’m looking forward to a low-key week.  Knock on wood.

Has your mom ever driven to your house to check on you?

What was the best part about your weekend?

 

Filed Under: Breakfast, Core, Fitness, Recap, Recipes, Running, Softball, Weights Tagged With: breakfast, dessert, dinner, P90X, vegetarian, workout, yogurt

Being Serene

April 2, 2012 By Laura

Sunny weekends seem shorter.

 

I never want them to end!  

Before diving head first into a crazy week, here are the top 5 highlights that I remembered to take a picture of:

 

1. Serenbe Cooking Demo

While at my team’s retreat we were treated to a cooking demo by the founder of Serenbe, Marie Nygren.  Serenbe (“be serene” spelled backwards) is a small sustainable community just outside of Atlanta.  It reminds me of Seaside (where The Truman Show was filmed), but without the ocean.

 

Marie led us though a short cooking demo in her home.  She prepared collard greens two ways, kale, and cabbage.  It was all delicious… and her house was GORGEOUS!

 

 

2. *Almost* Justin Timberlake Sighting

Justin Timberlake is in Atlanta shooting “Trouble With the Curve,” with Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams.  Below is the camera crew.  No Justin… but I swear I saw Jessica Biel walking down the street the other day.

 

 

3. Softball Sunday

My team won!!!  The second game.  

Our problem is that we aren’t morning people.  We don’t wake up until half way through the first game.

 

My groin woke up too early thanks to play at first base.  I did a full split and caught the ball for the out.  And pulled my groin.  Ouch.

 

 

4. Powdered Hummus?

On my weekly trip to Whole Paycheck Foods I came across hummus powder in the bulk bins.  The instructions say all you need to do is add is water and olive oil.

Does this sound awesome or weird?

I haven’t tried it yet, but will report back soon!  They also had a powdered black bean dip.

 

 

5. Green Thumb

I’ve mentioned before that I have killed every plant I have owned.  I even killed mint.  Yesterday I helped my mom plant flowers.

 

They are so pretty, right?!  I hope my black thumb doesn’t affect them.


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I miiiiight be allowed to try running again tomorrow.  I go back to the doc and he’s going to give me the green light.  Or not.  I’m a little nervous since by the end of softball today it was a little sore from running bases, but nothing like before.

This week was a little light on workout intensity… and the clean eating… but I’m not going to kick myself too hard over it.  Sometimes you just need to take it easy.

 

Workout Recap (3/26 – 4/1):

  • Monday – This BodyRock, stationary bike, 100 push-ups
  • Tuesday – This workout by Lori, 100 push-ups, 20 mins of P90X Cardio… then quit in favor of playing tennis. 🙂
  • Wednesday – P90X Tris/Chest, Ab Ripper X
  • Thursday – This Pinned Workout (3x), 100 push-ups
  • Friday – Rest
  • Saturday – This BodyRock, Back/Bis, 100 push-ups
  • Sunday –  Softball 2x, P90X Plyo, 100 push-ups

 

***

I totally forgot it was April Fool’s yesterday.  We should have the whole month to mess with people!

Did you play any April Fool’s Pranks?

Have you seen powdered hummus before? Is it good?

 

Filed Under: Core, Fitness, Products, Recap, Running, Softball, Weights Tagged With: hummus, Justin Timberlake, P90X, Serenbe, softball, workout

Manic Monday

March 26, 2012 By Laura

I wish it was Sunday…

‘Cause that’s my fun day.

There was not an inch of free space on any Atlanta patio yesterday.  The weather was perfect – 70 degrees and clear blue skies.

My softball team, Laid Back, had our first games of the season.  We lost both by 1 run… but we had a great time!  I got to do my signature split off of 1st base.  I think I pulled my hip.

Super-old pic!

Here are a few more things that made this weekend fabulous:

1. My Sister, the Rockstar

Have a listen to Goose & Fox’s (my sister’s band) new song, “Fearless.”

 

2. iHerb Delivery

This was my first time ordering from iHerb.com and I was really pleased!  I ordered Sun Warrior vegan protein powder (my favorite) and more peanut flour.  They even threw in a sample bag of tea!  Orders over $40 receive FREE 1-3 day shipping.  I had my goods the NEXT DAY.  Perfect for someone who expects instant gratification.

Additionally, I got $10 off my order because it was my first time.  If you are interested, here’s the code: USO924.

3. Monday Night Brewing

Just when I thought I knew ever beer in Atlanta, I found this local craft brew from Monday Night Brewing at a local pub called Augustine’s.

The glass reads: “Weekends are Overrated.”

I should have stolen this glass.

It is called “Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale.”  A little smoky with notes of chocolate, I instantly loved this cleverly-named  Scottish-style brew.  Tasty beer and the company was even better. 😉

4. Tattoo Consultation

I have been planning this tattoo forever.  After procrastinating on the design, I finally asked my best friend’s husband, Greg, to sketch it out for me.  He did a great job on the sketches, and I had a clear vision to bring to the talented Danielle at Only You Tattoo.  It’s really special to me that Greg drew it; he and my bestie mean the world to me.

Danielle is a talented woman – April 28th was her first available appointment.  I’m 1 month away from new ink!

5. Whole Foods Hot Mess Bar

A little Sunday evening dinner treat.  The bar was LOADED with vegan options tonight – BBQ seitan, tofu cacciatore, vegan mac & cheese, vegan spaghetti with “meat” sauce… and raw kale salads galore!

I also ran into one of my favorite singers in the produce sections… I didn’t say hi…. but it was cool!

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Last week I mentioned that I may have found the root of the problem with my knee.  I was told to take it easy this week… I kind of did.  Against advice, I did run in the softball game.  It was just short sprints between bases… but I didn’t feel pain!  *crossing fingers*

 

Running makes me feel more sane.  It’s my release.  Saturday morning 5Ks give me something fun and athletic to look forward to every weekend.  If Dr. Justin fixed it… I’ll set up a shrine to him in my room.  LOL!

Workout Recap (3/18 – 3/25):

  • Monday – Elliptical, this Fit-in-Heels workout, 100 PUs
  • Tuesday – P90X Biceps/Back, 1-mile run, 100 push-ups
  • Wednesday – This workout by Lori, 100 push-ups
  • Thursday – This Body Rock (4x), elliptical, Ab Ripper X
  • Friday – This BodyRock (those abs were killer!), 100 push-ups
  • Saturday – This workout by Khushboo (4x)
  • Sunday –  Softball, stationary bike, 100 push-ups

***

I’m speaking to a bunch of MBAs at my alma mater today about post-careers… nervous!!

Have you tried peanut flour yet?  What are you waiting for?!

What do you do to keep your mind healthy?

Filed Under: Core, Fitness, Products, Recap, Restaurants, Running, Softball, Weights Tagged With: beer, dinner, Goose & Fox, Monday Night Brewing, peanut flour, softball, Sun Warrior, tattoo, vegan, Whole Foods, workout

Defining a Good Weekend

March 12, 2012 By Laura

Define a good weekend.

 

For me, it means a relaxing 2 days filled with friends and good food.  Throw in a hair cut and some killer workouts and I’m a happy girl.

Confession: I didn’t do a good job of eating clean… but I did do an excellent job of eating delicious. 🙂

 

1. A+ Restaurant Dining, Vegan-Style

A family friend was passing through town and treated me to dinner at Empire State South.  This is one of Hugh Acheson‘s restaurants.  The Executive Chef, Ryan Smith, was recently nominated for Food & Wine’s Best New Chef).

The win happened when I scored a custom vegan meal thanks to the sage advice of Heather and JL, and the talent of Chef Smith.  Knowing ESS to be meat-heavy (their charcuterie is amazing), I called ahead to make reservations and ask if they could accommodate a vegan diet.  They could, and did!  It was better than previous meat-filled meals I’ve had there!

First, the wine: 2004 Angelo Sassetti “Pertimali” Brunello di Montalcino.

 

2004 was a great year for Brunello and this was no exception – light and plummy, with a little earthiness on the end.  Perfect with my veggie-based meal!

First custom dish of the night was an app that I couldn’t get enough of.  This was a dish of seasonal mushrooms, fried wild rice, pickled sunchokes, roasted and pickled beets over a schmear of peanut puree.

 

My main was equally good.  There is no way I can remember it all… but it was a roasted brussels dish with farro, mustard seeds, carrot, pea shoots, roasted garlic, and a ramp jam.

 

2. Dessert Happened (second helpings happened too)

Dinner at mamma’s house with mixed company meant 2 berry pies were made – one vegan and one “regular.”  Both used a vegan pre-made pie crust, mixed berries, and an oatmeal-granola topping.

My vegan pie had xylitol mixed in to sweeten it, and the other had butter and regular sugar in it.  No one could tell the difference. 🙂

 

3. Cheap Affordable, Delicious Wine 

This wine was a hit at mom’s dinner party.  The Epicuro Aglianico is an el cheapo bottle from Trader Joe’s.  Well, originally it’s from southern Italy but you know what I mean.   This is the best under $10 bottle of wine (it’s $4.99) I’ve had in recent memory!

 

4. New Hair

Getting my hair cut/colored is my favorite thing in the world to do.  This is shorter than I’ve ever had it… I’m still shocked every time I look in the mirror!  Holla to the rockstars at Lava Hair Studio.

Karen (stylist-wizard) and me

 

5. Romance Rekindled

Don’t get too excited.  I’m talking about my love-affair with Dulce Vegan, a local vegan bakery and cafe.  It’s on the other side of town… meaning it’s a whole 15 minutes away and I’m usually too lazy busy to drive there.

 

Between CrossFit and softball practice yesterday, I made the trip and indulged in a helluva TLT – tempeh “bacon,” arugula, and tomato with chipotle aioli on house-made millet bread.  It was as delicious as it sounds.  Especially that bread – OMG.

________________________________________________________________________________________

CrossFit has been SO much fun.  Totally intimidating, but fun.  I leave workouts starving – an increased appetite must mean I’m working hard!  I’ve amped up my protein shakes and become religious about eating every 2 hours.  They preach the paleo diet, which I’m not into… I’ve even been craving MORE carbs since starting.  Good or bad, I’m feeding my body what it wants!

 

Workout Recap (3/5 – 3/11):

  • Monday – CrossFit, This Pinterest workout (5x)
  • Tuesday – CrossFit, This BodyRock, 100 push-ups
  • Wednesday – CrossFit, This BodyRock (weighted part 2x), 100 push-ups
  • Thursday –  Yoga, This workout, 100 push-ups
  • Friday – Tris/Chest, 100 push-ups
  • Saturday – This BodyRock (with 20 reps on weights)
  • Sunday – CrossFit, Softball practice, Bike intervals

***

I didn’t have to change my bedroom clock for daylight savings time… because I never changed it last fall… 

What is your definition of a good weekend?

Do you crave more carbs depending on the type of exercise you do?

 

Filed Under: Core, Fitness, Products, Recap, Restaurants, Softball, Weights, Wine Tagged With: dessert, dinner, Lava Hair Studio, lunch, restaurants, vegan, vegetarian, wine, workout

Better-Than-S’mores Brownies

July 25, 2011 By Laura

It’s Weekend Recap Monday!

Saturday I got to see the now 1 week old Jackson – how cute is he?!

That’s my massive-looking finger he’s holding!

Mommy, Daddy and baby are all doing well.  They are all so cute together – I can’t believe the girl I used to run around the softball field with now has a baby.  Totally surreal.  

Of course, I couldn’t drop by empty-handed.

I brought the new parents some of the treats I made to take to a friend’s beach volleyball party.

These baller-friends built a sand volleyball court right in their own backyard.  It stays there year-round.  Coolest.  Idea. Ever.

We braved the heat and played for hours.  I was impressed at the skill level of my friends!  After a few rounds (and a minor injury), I decided to play it safe and spectate.

My thumb is a hard-core shade of purple today.

Volleyball = not one of my many skills

The Chipotle Corn Hummus made an appearance at the party.  

Heat + charred, sweet corn + hummus = Mmmmm.


Oh… did you want to know about that treat?

I put the Edge Brownie Pan mom gave me a few years ago to a whole new use.

S’more Brownies.  Complete with graham cracker crust and toasted marshmallows.

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know I like to sneak “secret” ingredients into foods.  (I swear by these brownies).

Betcha can’t guess the secret in S’more Brownies…

I used brownie mix.  Don’t judge me.

Rather than adding the called-for water and oil, I added a can of Diet Coke.  You can stop there, but I added an egg to achieve a fudge-ier brownie that would be a bit more reminiscent of melted s’more chocolate.

The chocolate chips in the batter give it added texture and make this even more sinful fantastic.

This may be one of the best desserts I’ve ever made.  (And I make a lot of desserts.)  They’re your childhood s’mores on crack made better.

I can never make these again.  

For at least a week.


S'mores Brownies

S’mores Brownies

Crust:

  • 1.5 C crushed graham crackers
  • 1/4 C + 2 T Earth Balance (or butter)

Brownie:

  • 1 box brownie mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Diet Coke
  • 1/4 C chocolate chips (mine came in the brownie mix)
  • Marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 and grease brownie pan (I used the edge brownie pan).

Mix together melted Earth Balance (or butter) with crushed graham crackers.  Press on to bottom of brownie pan.  Bake for 8-10 mins.

*Here’s where I stopped and froze mine overnight.  #1 I didn’t have time to make it all at one and #2 sometimes freezing a crumb-y crust help it to crisp up/not be too greasy.*

Mix together brownie batter (except marshmallows).  Add the soda in fourths to be sure batter doesn’t get too runny.

Pour batter into the brownie pan on top of the crust.

Bake at 325 for 35-40 mins, until batter is set.

Set over to broil and top the brownie with just enough of the marshmallows to cover (they will expand as they warm).  Place in oven for 30-45 secs, until marshmallows are browned.  Watch them closely!!!

Let cool COMPLETELY before cutting.

***

I love how desserts can be re-thought and made even better than the original.

What is your favorite dessert re-make?

Do you re-create them on your own or try them in restaurants more often?

Filed Under: Baking, Core, Fitness, Recap, Recipes, Running, Softball, Weights Tagged With: baby, dessert, P90X, running, softball, workout

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