Another week of run streaking down and I’m now at 65 days! I don’t know how much longer I’ll keep this up, but it’s been actually great to get out there every day. This week was easier than usual, because my parents were in town for a few days! So, Sunday and Monday I was able to sleep late (6:30-7 ish) and get in a run while the kids hung out with my parents. They enjoyed the Nonna and Grandpa time and I enjoyed the time to myself to run!
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Month: June 2020
Raspberry Almond Bars
Here’s another quarantine treat that we’ve perfected over here – raspberry almond bars.
I’ve made these three times since March. That’s how much the family has enjoyed them. FW even requested these (along with ice cream) be his birthday treat, instead of cake! (He takes after me — who needs cake when you can have cookies, ice cream, etc.)
These are so easy. If you are looking for a delicious almond/fruit-like treat, I highly recommend these. The first time I made these, I didn’t have almond extract and used vanilla instead. They came out good, but if you love almond as much as I do I definitely recommend using almond extract! We also made them with a few different types of jellies and jams so far. Raspberry has been my favorite so this is our favorite combination — raspberry almond. If you want to half the recipe you can, you just need to put them in an 8×8 pan and then adjust the baking time (may not take as long but keep an eye on it!).
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I Have a Four-Year-Old
I’m not crying. I’m not crying. Nope. I’m not crying, I’m just in disbelief that I suddenly have a four year old.
FW turned four last week. He is no longer a baby, no longer a toddler, and sometimes when I look at him, I get a glimpse of what he may look like as a teenager. He has his own truly defined personality, his preferences and dislikes, taste in clothing, and more. He loves running (yay!), riding his bike and playing outside. He is an amazing big brother and a great helper, and I cannot imagine or remember life without him. It seems so long ago!
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Running with Wildlife
Wow – I saw SO much wildlife during this week’s runs! I don’t know what was up, but I saw some baby deer (so cute!), a turkey AND a giant snapping turtle.
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In A Running Groove
Another week of runs. I’d say it was boring and nothing exciting – and that’s true. But I still got out every day and kept up my streak! Some days were harder than others — especially on the days that I had stayed up super late working — but most days I was able to get up, go for a run, and be home before anyone in the house was awake and it was great to be outside.
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My Most Mileage In One Week
I did it! I broke 40 miles in one week. For me, this was a big deal. My highest mileage week this year was around 39, and even when I trained for the Cleveland Marathon, my highest mileage week for training was just 40. But this week, thanks to some solo and stroller runs, and some days of more than one run in a day, I was able to get to my all-time high of 43.2 miles! And, I’m still streaking – I’m at 44 days of running in a row.
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Easy Homemade Granola
For those of you that have been reading ICTW for a long time, you’ll be thinking, hey this isn’t the first time you’ve made granola before. And you know what – you’re right! I’ve been making granola for years. I grew up with my mom making a batch of granola nearly weekly (thanks to my brother’s obsession, which he passed along to me) and when I moved out of the house I missed it a ton. The store bought granola, while yummy, just didn’t cut it. So, every so often, I get on a granola kick and have to make a big batch for myself.
Luckily for me, my kids are loving granola these days as well. So, now I have someone to share it with!
This is another one of my mom’s recipes that she has been making for a while. I shared another one of her granola recipes here, but these days, the recipe below is what I’ve been craving.
Easy Homemade Granola
Here’s what you need:
- 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats, or organic oats
- 2 cups slivered almonds
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened (Note, if you can’t find and need to use sweetened, it’s okay, I’ve been there)
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (I’ve also used honey)
- Optional: 2 cups dried fruit (I love dried cherries and blueberries)
Here’s what you do:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
- Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl – oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon and brown sugar.
- In a small bowl, combine avocado oil and maple syrup. Once mixed, pour over dry ingredients. Mix well so it’s evenly distributed.
- Pour out mixture onto a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, checking and stirring at about halfway through.
- Now the hardest part — let cool and enjoy! I add in the optional dried fruit AFTER baking, so the fruit does’t also dry out any more.
Suggestions – if you’d prefer not to just eat granola right out of the jar, you can also serve over yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal or on top of your favorite smoothie bowl!
Questions for you:
- What’s your go-to breakfast?
- What’s your favorite type of granola?
I’m linking up with Meatless Monday with A Whisk and Two Wands and Confessions of a Mother Runner
I Crashed The Web 