Running of the Beef

Hi! Sorry I have been sooo slow lately! I'm a busy girl I guess!

This weekend is my town's annual festival "Beef and Dairy Days" (welcome to Wisconsin!)

The festivities began on Thursday night with the crowning of Miss Whitehall 2013, and continued yesterday with the carnival. The community kicked off B&DD Saturday with the Running of the Beef 5K.

This was my first ever race for anything, so I have really been looking forward to it! I am definitely not a strong runner though, so it was a lot harder than I expected! I have been using a C2-5K app to help me get ready for this race and next month's color dash...I still have a long way to go before I can run an entire 5K.

The route was beautiful, as most of Western Wisconsin is, but also really hilly, so that took a toll as well! I ended up finishing the race with a time of 33:33.

The best part of this weekend though is getting together with family and friends that all find roots in Whitehall. My boyfriend has a huuuuge family, and his dad along with his two brothers operate a dairy farm just outside of town. Their family is so close, and I am so grateful to have become a part of it! 

Since there are sooo many Sygullas, we decided we should probably have a uniform for the Running of the Beef so we could all find each other. However, we are dairy farm people, and since it is Beef AND Dairy days, we changed it to the Running of the Dairy for ourselves. ;) We all ordered t-shirts that said "Running of the Dairy...Herd it's Udderly Fun!" and had a cow with a very obvious and almost offensively large utter. We also each had a cow tag to pin to our shirts with our own number.

Even though I did not run well and was absolutely miserable, The Running of the Beef was a great experience, and I will definitely be joining the Sygullas and Associates next year. :)

Homemade Taco Seasoning

So...funny story. I have only liked tacos for like 2 years. Before that I detested them...then I started liking them, then I started being healthy. After that, no more tacos. At least not without guilt.. ;)

Anyway, I came upon some posts on Pinterest that featured homemade taco seasoning with no MSG and wayyyyy less sodium than the packets. I mixed it up yesterday and we had chicken tacos with it tonight! Nomnomnom.. :)

The recipe is as follows...but I'm going to change it up next time. It was wayy to spicy for my wimpy tongue!

3 T chili powder (I used chipotle chili powder, and I think that's why it ended up so spicy!)
3/4 t garlic powder
3/4 t onion powder
3/4 t (or less) red pepper flakes
3/4 t dry oregano
1 1/2 t paprika
1 T + 1 1/2 t cumin
1 T salt
1 T black pepper

This makes roughly 9 T. We used between 2-3 for 1 pound of chopped chicken breast for tacos tonight.

I had about 1/3 cup of chicken on two 6 in. corn tortillas with lettuce, black bean and corn salsa, a touch of sour cream ( I needed it!), and a little shredded cheese, if you're looking for a recipe idea. :)

The seasoning can be kept at room temperature, but should definitely be in a sealed container!

Feliz Comida!

Banana Bread Protein Bars

Post one of two for the day, what a treat!

I got a recipe from the mom of some kids I babysit, who also happens to be a doctor. She went to make it and said she thought of me, so she texted it to me. And boy, am I glad she did.

These bars/bread squares are packed with energizing ingredients that give you a great jumpstart in the morning or before a workout. The bananas offer potassium, which can keep cramps away, the chia seed offers fiber and protein, along with the buckwheat flour...I could go on and on, but you can just find out for yourself. :)

I made a HUGE, tragic mistake when I made these heavenly little energy squares. I forgot one ingredient that offers some antioxidants along with some happiness...chocolate chips. I still have no idea how I forgot those, but I am very upset about it. Looks like I'm going to have to make them again soon!

Anyway, here's the recipe! And DON'T forget the chocolate chips!

2/3 cup Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Buckwheat Flour
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
1/4 cup Shredded Coconut
3 T Chia Seeds
3 T Chocolate Chips
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2 small-medium Mashed Bananas
1/2 cup Peanut Butter of your choosing (I used JIF Natural and melted it a little to make it stir in more easily.)
1/4 cup Brown Rice Syrup OR Honey
1 t vanilla

Just mix it all together, no particular order.
Spread into an 8x8 pan, and bake for 22-26 minutes at 350.

I love these bars for breakfast, warmed up a little and topped with honey, along side some fruit!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Oh man do I wish I had time to make this delicious of a breakfast every morning. I guess it's just that much better on the days I can that way...just remember, everything happens for a reason.

Okay, that's enough drama for this post, but pancakes are kid of a big deal. Make them healthy and they might just make your day.

You can tackle this morning-meal two different ways:
1. Prepare a few batches of dry mix and store it so it's always ready when you want it. (That's what I do!)

2. Prepare the dry mix and just mix it up with the wet ingredients and cook them right away.

 

  

Yummmm!

Recipe time!

1 batch of dry mix: 

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 t salt

2 T sugar

2 t baking powder

1 batch makes about 9 pancakes measured out with a 1/3 cup. 

For every 1 1/2 cup of dry mix add:

1 - 1 1/3 cup milk ( I use 1 cup of almond milk, and the pancakes end up pretty fluffy)

2 eggs

2 T canola/coconut oil

Mix it all up, mix it all up! 

I love these pancakes with nothing but honey on them. It soaks in just perfect and is so sweet and breakfast-y. I just love it...a lot. 

Happy breakfast! 

Post Workout Power Oats

I decided I'm going to start running. Or trying to. So today I started my Couch to 5K training program to prepare for our local 5K and the Color Dash that is coming to my college town, I am super excited for both, and to hopefully see results! I just have to keep my butt in gear! 

So I got home from my first (easy) workout and decided it wasn't too late to make today a good day, so that's what I did! I mixed up some flax cookies, then made these yummy oats! 

I call them power oats because they are packed full of protein, complex carbs, energizers, and yummy-ness! 

One of the main sources if protein in these oats is an egg white! Weird, I know. But if you're like me and prefer oats cooked over the stove you just add it in a few seconds after the oats. However, if you prefer the microwave you put the egg white right in with the original water and oats. 

My other ingredients in this bowl of sludge are oats, of course (1/2 cup), boiled in 1 cup water, 1 banana, a handful of walnuts, and cinnamon to taste. 

I gave directions for the egg white, but the banana, nuts, and cinnamon can be added just for serving in your bowl, or cooked in your pan for a few seconds. (I prefer cooking them!) 

This will definitely be a meal I will repeat, as it is clean, protein-packed, and very filling!  

College Readiness...Or Lack There-Of

Sorry about the delay on posts lately! We have been one busy family and I have been one stressed-out girl. Maybe I should take a look at my De-Stress section, eh?

Anyway, I move in for my freshman year of college in exactly 32 days, and I am SO unprepared. I have been working so much and spending all my free time sleeping that I haven't really even thought about what to bring, how to bring it, how to decorate, etc.

(That last part is a little bit of a lie, I have some stuff made, but I WILL NOT tolerate a plain-Jane room.)

I recently downloaded the College Checklist app to help me and set some guidelines for what to bring. It gives a list of the essentials under like 3 subcategories, and you check off what ones you have. It is very specific and in-depth, I would definitely recommend it.
*BONUS: it's freeee!

In the time I have thought about school I realized I'm not nervous at all about the classes, or getting around campus. My main concern is my social life (is that bad?)

I'm really concerned that I will have a hard time making friends and will end up alone. I only have a couple friends from high school going to my school, but we all have different majors and of course no classes together. But, that's okay. I WANT to branch out and make new friends. HELP MEE!

I have 3 more weeks of work, then I have one full week + 3 days off to get my sh*t together. I will keep you posted on the stability of my sanity level. Wish me luck.

Color Dash

I guess this is just a post of firsts...my first workout post, AND my first 5K!

I've always wanted to do the real Color Run, and there was just one in The Cities, it just didn't work out. I'm going with a knockoff organization instead, The Color Dash!

I am lucky enough that the Dash is coming to my college town in September! I am sooo excited to run! But, that also means I have to train! (That begins next week).

I set up a 12 person team for the Dash including my mom and sister, boyfriend's mom and sister, my aunt and her son, my other aunt and her two daughters, my grandma, and my roommate! It will be so much fun to do with so many people I love, making it even better!

I will post pictures after the race! Stay tuned!