Must Be Natural

This was today’s breakfast, which was consumed around 7am in the Santa Monica mountains: oats with almondmilk, amazing grass, smidge of Justin’s ChocHazelnut butter, and banana. It was very grassy (as if the picture doesn’t already say so) and I don’t think I finished it since I didn’t really love it. It was missing frozen blueberries. I am seriously addicted to frozen blueberries in my morning oats but I go through the small 3 serving bags so often that I’m always running out…which results in me literally running out the door down the street to the nearest market. I love fresh n easy because it’s all self-checkout, so it means no interacting with people while looking like a crazed, starving lunatic! That’s always a plus.

We were in the mountains because my dad and tio were doing a training run on the course of the ultra-marathon coming up in August. I was dressed to run but didn’t have intentions of really doing anything because I was insanely sore from Level 3 of 30dayshred, which I did 2 days ago. After seeing people so pysched, I was itching to run but actually fell asleep in the car for awhile. Oops.

                                                actual size!

I did wake up in time to see my dad coming in looking as if he had been frolicking in the fields rather than climbing mountains . My tio on the other hand ( <— that one, specifically) looked like someone who had just run 13/14 miles, which is what they had done but there was a little more left to do. Since my dad was on fire, he went on and I hopped in as a mule rabbit, running the last 3 miles with my tio to make sure he would get back in one piece. It was just 3miles but I get bonus points for running with a water bottle in each hand and managing to not trip and fall off the narrow trail whilst not wearing trail shoes. #humble (It was super fun and now I really want to run it!!!!!!!!!)

  GREAT JOB to both! They inspired me so much, I shred level3 when I got home (ouch!) and walked 4 miles for a trip to the library<-complained for 2 miles, thank god Severin was nice enough to not leave me and my wobbly legs out to melt.

You know…I think the reason my dad did so well is because he had a bite or two of these cupcakes the day before. 

I used Oh She Glows recipe for vegan, partly whole-wheat cupcakes and I thought them to be AMAZING. I couldn’t believe such a simple, basic ingredient, relatively healthy recipe could produce such rich, chocolatey cake. These were for my sister’s birthday: no one requested I bake for her birthday- in fact the opposite was requested but they should’ve known not to leave me home alone for an hour! Since I wanted everyone to at least try them, I knew I’d have to have a frosting to make them less wary. I promise I’ve never poisoned anyone- they’re just phobic of all the ‘natural’ ‘healthy’ concoctions I make. I whipped some whipping cream, vanilla and sugar until my guns ripped my shirt sleeves (this happened before it was completely whipped but I was exhausted at this point), then adorned the cakes with strawberries. Super juicy, sweet strawberries definitely added to the whole thing. I was so in love with the cupcakes I ate 3 and then gave the rest away before I could do any more damage. So happy to have a go-to vegan cake recipe now, especially one that doesn’t involve flaxeggs since it makes things a little too springy…

How open are those around you to trying ‘your food’? Everyone tried the cupcakes but I don’t think anyone finished a whole one. Except for our 8year old neighbor/my brother’s BFF, who must have a very sophisticated palate because he absolutely loved them!

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