Weekly Recipe: Vegan Gingerbread Cake

Another delicious vegan recipe for you just in time for the holiday season. I made this on Christmas for Chema and I to munch on as the other goodies were not vegan friendly. It was great because we didn't have to buy any ingredients! We even had some crystalized ginger in the cabinet!

Vegan Gingerbread

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups pastry flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2/3 cup molasses

2/3 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup rice milk (or any non-dairy milk)

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside. Sift flours, baking powder, and soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In a separate bowl blend oil, molasses, brown sugar, and rice milk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add wet mixture. Don't over mix. Stir in ginger. Pour in pan and bake 40-45 minutes until done.

This recipe seems a lot more high maintenence than it is. I didn't bother sifting the flours because I don't have a sifter or a collander small enough. My cake came out perfectly fine. I used cake flour because I ran out of all-purpose flour. I assume that's the same as pastry flour. My cake came out perfectly fine. We ate this in 2 days flat! Try it!

Debate/Discussion: Gummy Vitamins

Have you seen them? They were originally marketed as an "easier" way to get kids to take their vitamins. 

When I was a kid I had to take chalky, Flintstones, chewable, vitamins with my oatmeal (and cod liver oil capsules). They didn't taste great although I did enjoy the shapes of the Bedrock clan! 

These gummy vitamins are delicious! They taste just like candy. I had to look closely at the bottle. Just to make sure my brother hadn't filled an authentic vitamin bottle with gummy bears to trick me! No, the bottle clearly states that you take two a day and it will provide you with your daily vitamin intake.

There are even gummy vitamins for adults. My mom takes a multivitamin and some extra calcium in the form of a gummy. Yes, those two are super delicious! The calcium ones are square and dense and just yummy! I could eat the entire bottle but you are only supposed to take two a day.

DEBEATE/DISCUSSION: DO THESE GUMMY VITAMINS "WORK"?

I use the word "work" for lack of a better term. But what I'm getting at is do these vitamins really contain what they say in the bottle or is it just a lot of sugar? Is a gummy vitamin really the best way to take a vitamin? All that sugar can't be good for your teeth, for example. 

Then again, maybe any way you can get kids to take vitamins is the "right way"? If that's the case, then why make gummy vitamins for adults?

On the other hand, even the vitamins I take say that the statements haven't been scientifically proven...So if you take that view, gummy vitamins aren't any less authentic than the pills.

Maybe I'm just one of those people who thinks that if it's too good to be true than it probably is. Although that's strange for me because I'm not a pessimistic person.

Perhaps I'm being a little over analytic after watching Food Inc. last night (please watch this movie!). For those of you who've seen it, you know what I mean. 

I'm just really picky when it comes to food and health in general. I take anything I hear "with a grain of salt."

For a long time I never took vitamins because I didn't really trust them. I do take a multivitamin now and that's mainly because I'm vegan and highly active. At this point in my life I feel like it couldn't hurt.

I've also suffered from anemia in the past. So I know that it's hard to get all the nutrients we need from foods. I'm not against vitamins and I'm not really against gummy vitamins either. It's just amazing that something that tastes like candy is good for you!

My family is in love with vitamins. I mean my mom alone has practically ALL of the B-vitamins, calcium, folic acid, iron pills...you name it, she takes it. So seeing them around isn't new to me. Like I said at the beginning, I used to take them when I was a kid.

I don't know, what do YOU think? Have you ever tried gummy vitamins? Do you take them now? What are your opinions on them? What are your opinions on vitamins in general?

Weekly Check In

Saturday Long Run

I went running on Saturday so that I wouldn't have to on Christmas Day. My task was 18 miles. The experience was NOTHING like last week. I ran it in 2 hours and 30 minutes, so that's about 8 1/2 minutes per mile. That's really good considering it was my longest run to date.

As I've mentioned before I don't like to eat or drink a lot while running because it upsets my stomach. This time I took some of those Extreme Sport Beans for energy that I bought at the half marathon race expo. 

I took one pack 30 minutes before heading out and then another pack when I got back. It says on the package to take it with water. About halfway through my route (mile 9) I took half of a GU. 

I felt great, especially after the run. Sometimes I feel really weak but this time I felt fine and I didn't eat until about an hour (or more) after runnng. 

This will be my marathon strategy for energy. The marathon is so early (it starts at 630am) that I doubt I will want to wake up 3 hours ahead of time just to eat. That's how long it takes me to digest enough to get ready to run. 

So I will take a pack before and then take the beans as I need during the race. To carry the beans I'll probably buy one of those shirts for cyclists that has pockets in the back. I think that'll be more comfortable than running with a belt.

Sunday

This was a rest day. I planned to do some light exercises and stretch but there was a lot going on. So I just ate and chilled out.

Monday

Today I will do the static bike for about 30 minutes, do some stretching and ab work.

Tuesday

After work I will do some weight training (arms) and interval training on the treadmill for 25 minutes.

Wednesday

Weight training (legs)

Thursday

I won't have time to hit the gym today so I will run my 20 minutes in the morning before I head to work and do some abs.

Friday

Rest day

Saturday

Rest day

Sunday

I will attempt to run 20 miles. I know you shouldn't keep increasing, but this week will be a pretty relaxed week and I will rest (and stretch) two days before. Plus, to recover, the following week I'll just clock 6 miles or so. 

I want to get another long run in before I have to start tapering. With getting sick, races, life... I haven't been able to stick as closely to my marathon training schedule as I would've liked. So before I start tapering (January 29th) I have this 20 miles and another 18 miles.

The marathon is coming so soon! I'm excited and SUPER NERVOUS! Before I know it, it will be February!

How are you staying active during the holiday season?

Week 31 Hair

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! OR MERRY WHATEVER YOU CELEBRATE!!! I hope everyone is enjoying time off with loved ones and relaxing.  

As I wrote about last week I tried something new with my routine. Instead of twisting my hair while wet as per usual. I twisted it dry. 

I think I like it!

It was a lot easier to twist (less tangles) and my hair didn't twist on itself at the ends like it usually does. Many times I have to clip off knots that form because my hair is so curly. 

The dry twists made it a lot more manageable. My hair was also a lot easier to style. So I played around with a few protective styles this week.

 

I didn't do anything too fancy but it was fun to try some new styles. Obviously, twisting it dry gave me a lot less shrinkage so the length allowed me a bit more freedom with styling. They were also less frizzy. So I didn't use any gel at all to slick down my edges. I liked that because although I like the slicked look, I don't like to use a lot of gel. 

I kept the twists in for the same amount of time (4 days) though. I exercise everyday so my hair needs to be washed at the end of the week. I don't bother to wash my hair with twists in because it's so curly it will just be a frizzy mess.

This weekend I did my long run on Saturday so I wouldn't have to run on Christmas Day. So I washed my hair yesterday and prepped it for twists.

Last week my hair was still a bit wet the next day so I'm going to probably twist my hair on Monday. I don't have to work so I don't have to worry about wearing a beanie on my head. I like beanies though.

Right now my hair is shampooed, conditioned, moisturized and in big braids. It is all ready for my twisting tomorrow.

So, I'm going to go downstairs in a little bit and start some of my vegan recipes. Definitely be sure to check those out this week when I post them on the blog!

Week 32 Hair

Detangle with conditioner

Shampoo

Deep condition

Kimmaytube leave in

Twists

Weekly Recipe: Vegan Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

This is another borrowed recipe. A good friend of mine sent me a link to a page on tumblr that has all kinds of delicious vegetarian/vegan recipes. One of Chema's favorite American foods is pancakes so I wanted to find something relatively easy to make. This recipe was perfect.

It is so easy to make and personalize that it will easily become a favorite of mine. I'm already thinking about adding different fruit, spices, and herbs so that I can have a different experience every time. For the first attempt I stuck to the recipe and just added some almond butter and honey as toppings.

Honestly, and I'm not just saying this, they are WAY BETTER than traditional pancakes. They are so delicate, light, and fluffy...like delicious little clouds! Yes, this is another must-try recipe! While my pancakes don't look nearly as beautiful as on the blog I took it from...I know they tasted just as wonderful!

Mine

From the blog.

Vegan Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 cups soy milk or non-dairy milk (I used rice milk)

2 ripe bananas 

Blend all ingredients (except bananas) in a blender until mixed. Next add the bananas and continue to blend until smooth. Cook.

That is absolutely it! I even kept the mix in the blender and just poured it in the pan so I had less dishes to wash afterwards. 

How easy is that?

I am not invincible

I like to think that I am, especially when it comes to running. But, no, it's not true and this past week proved it to me.

Monday & Tuesday

These two days rolled by without incident. I went to the gym and did what I usually do and felt great. Even though I did have a scratchy throat at work all day Tuesday I wasn't too concerned. I got home and had some tea with honey and lemon and some orange juice. It didn't matter because an hour later I had the sniffles. They lasted the rest of the night. I slept horribly.

Wednesday

I woke up feeling absolutely horrible! Yes, I had to admit it to myself: I WAS SICK! I couldn't even go to work. I was so delusional that I planned on going to the gym later that day. The only reason I didn't go was becasue I didn't have enough energy to get out of the bed! I did all the typical things to take care of myself but I just had to let this cold run its course. I also slept horribly.

Thursday

My younger brother's college graduation. I was in NO shape to go but I wasn't missing it! So I took tons of pills, put tons of tissues in my purse, and put on a little makeup so I didn't look completely horrible.

Me and my mom.

There's 3 siblings missing (at work and out of town) but there in spirit.

I survived. I had lackluster energy but still managed to scream and yell as he marched.

Friday

I'm feeling a bit better and have to go back to work. So, again, I take my pills and tissues and put on my game face. We also had our holiday lunch that day so at least I didn't have to be in the office all day. My ear was seriously hurting though. I thought that maybe I had an ear infection. Either way I was in pain and just rested the rest of the day.

Saturday

I agreed, like a crazy person, to go with my mom and older sister shopping. My mom is still on crutches from her little accident so I decided to come along and help out. We left the house at 10am and didn't get back until 430pm. I was exhausted, my ear still hurt, and I was miserable.

Sunday: I am not invincible

Taking all the above into account I still believed that I was ready to run my 18 miles. I had taken a short hiatus from the gym because I was sick so I figured I was healthy enough. I had slept fine and my ear didn't hurt anymore. So I woke up and got dressed. Chema and my youngest brother came with me on their bikes because we mapped the route the night before. I was feeling really good, on my pace and everything.

Around mile 9 I start to feel queasy. I mean REALLY QUEASY. I have never felt like this before, Sure, I've had cramps before or weird muscle spasms but nothing like this. I keep running, like the crazy person I am, pretending that all is well.

I stop at mile 10 (1 hour 20 minutes) because I am about to vomit. I fight it back down but some comes up and I cough on it. Chema gives me a GU and I munch on that thinking I'm dehydrated or need some energy. I walk for about 10 minutes and my stomach starts to normalize. These were super agonizing 10 minutes.

I start to run again and then have to stop at 15 minutes. I mean I was about to COLLAPSE! Chema has to ride me on his bike because I couldn't walk. I eventually get off because it was hurting my legs.

Meanwhile we are far from home, it's extremely cold outside, and I need to sit down. We walk for 20 more minutes and then I run for about 6 more minutes. I do it because I'm freezing and just want to get home a little quicker. I stop, defeated, I just can't go on. Luckily, my mom and brother were coming from the post office and see us once we make it to a main street.

At home I could barely shower because I had no energy! I was sipping on Ginger Ale the rest of the morning and in bed. I felt better though around the afternoon and even managed to eat something.

Disclaimer: I care about my health and my body. This was not me thinking: I don't care if I'm sick, I'm going to run anyway. I honestly felt better. But I should have listened to those around me. My mom told me not to run, to give myself some time to recuperate. Even though I was feeling better that did NOT mean I was ready to run. I could have really hurt myself.

So, it's important to know (and respect) our limits.

So this week I'm taking a break. I plan to go to the gym on Thursday and Friday and then try my 18 miles again the Monday after Christmas. Lesson learned.

What are some lesson you've learned the hard way in running, exercising, life...?

Week 30 Hair

This week I've been experimenting with hair accessories. 

I love hair accessories! 

As well as wearing my hair out. 

I went "clubbing" with my sister for a friend's birthday party last weekend and I wanted to wear my hair out. The initial idea was to do curls with the flexi rods but that didn't work out.

I had my 5K that same day so we couldn't put them in the night before. Then with trying to find something to wear and getting all glammed up we did it too late.

My sister did put the flexi rods in but I didn't have enough time to prep my hair or wait for them to dry. So instead of frowning at the huge 'fro I was left with, I embraced it. I put my hair in a side puff with a pompador style bang and a cute flower.

I love natural hair! 

It can be crinkly, curly, a 'fro, big, little...the options are endless. Since starting this HHCJ I haven't worn my hair out, at all, except for a few ponytails. So I completely forgot how big my hair can get! 

I didn't have a chance to take a pic of my hair that night. But I replicated it for my younger brother's graduation this past Thursday. My hair didn't come out quite as big (and these pics were taken at the end of a VERY long day) but you get the idea. Just imagine my hair twice as big and that's how it looked for the birthday party.

To re-create this look I just re-wet my hair. I was not about to have those flexi rods put back into my hair because it was too much work. Instead, I wet my hair in sections, detangled, and then applied some coconut oil. 

I then braided each section. Next time I will just twist each section because I don't need my hair to be super stretched out for this look. Plus, braids take forever to take out! I ended up having to finish my hair in the car, with no mirror, because I was running late. (No, I was not driving!) 

Once all the braids were removed I just separated and separated until the puff got as big as I wanted it.

The flower I got at TJ Max or JC Penny. It was on sale for $7. I picked up another one this weekend while my mother was finishing her Christmas shopping. I don't remember what department store it was but I got it for $5. It's actually cuter than the one in the above picture so I can't wait to rock it!  

Like I said: I love hair accessories! I've been meaning to pick up some but they are too expensive! Many of them are more than $10 and I refuse to pay that much for a flower or a headband. 

Plus, the two I have now double as broaches. So I will be using them on my scarves and cardigans! I know you can pick up cheap ones from Forever21 and places like that but I haven't had the time to get out there yet. 

Some people find the cutest ones at their local dollar store or hair store. I've been in both places where I live and haven't found a thing. So I will keep searching. 

But these things quickly glam up a simple style. If you don't wear hair accessories now I seriously encourage you to try them, regardless of your hair type.

Anyway, as far as my routine goes I'm thinking of trying something new. A few youtubers (I'm always quoting youtube because it's great for natural hair ideas) say they only twist their hair when it's dry. 

Their twists look fabulous so I'm going to give it a try. It works out perfectly because I don't plan on washing my hair this Sunday (Christmas). I plan on keeping these twists in until the Monday after Christmas.

I prepared my hair yesterday by doing the usual. I then divided it into sections and braided each section to keep it stretched out. I wore my beanie to work today and now will commence to twisting as I watch reruns of Teen Titans. I will definitely take pictures of the twists to let you know how it turns out.

It's funny because during the winter months people tend to cover up their hair with protective styles. But this past week I've enjoyed wearing my hair out. Actually, wearing it out made it so much easier to detangle. 

While I won't abandon my HHCJ, I'm discovering how much fun it can be to have natural hair!

Week 31 Hair

Detangle

Shampoo

Deep condition

Kimmaytube leave in

Twists