Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

It's dangerous to have a sweet tooth and to love to bake.  The least I can do is re-interpret recipes to make a bit less dangerous than the traditional muffin (which really is just a sweetened cupcake without the frosting).  I love the addition of wheat and nuts/seeds to make one heartier.

1 1/2 cups wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
15oz. can solid-pack organic pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I prefer dark chocolate)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease muffin cups.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Mix together pumpkin, oil, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg.  Add flour mixture in 3 parts until just combined.  Fold in chocolate chips and pumpkin seeds.

Divide batter among muffin cups.  Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Grapes with Pecans

With the arrival of Fall, my favorite magazines have been covered with all sorts of vegetables to roast.  Inspired by the latest cover of Whole Living magazine (November 2011), I did some experimental roasting today and roasted brussel sprouts, red seedless grapes, and pecan halves.  I served it over a plate of quinoa and it was DIVINE.  So healthy and light, but the grapes added just a little bit of sweetness while the roasted pecans had that wonderful nutty meat that we all love.

16 oz. Brussel Sprouts - halved
8 oz. Red Seedless Grapes
1/2 cup of Pecan Halves
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, toss brussel sprouts, grapes, and pecans with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread on a baking sheet and roast on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes.

Top Things to Do in Paris

• Visit Mona at the Louvre.
• Take a night time Seine River Cruise.
• Enjoy some macarons from the creator of them all, Laduree.
• Try escargot -- even if it means that you don't look at it before tasting it.
• When entering an establishment, say Bonjour/Bon soir to the shopkeeper before the shopkeeper says it to you.
• Create a self-imposed chocolate tour and stop in as many chocolate shops as possible for a tasting
• Enjoy a carafe of the house wine.  It's GOOD and CHEAP!
• French kiss a Frenchie.
• Explore the city by walking or renting a bicycle.
• Sit on the outside patio of a cafe with a cup of espresso and people watch.

Top Things NOT to Do in Paris

• Wear sneakers even though you aren't out for an actual run.  This is the fashion capital after all.
• Look for a big American Breakfast!  The French enjoy an espresso and croissant in the morning -- save your big meal for dinner.
• Be shocked at the numerous pick-pocket warnings at all of the popular tourist sites.
• Be in a hurry.

Homemade Energy Bars

4 cups dried organic coconut flakes
5-6 medjool dates (pitted, chopped)
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 T flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup agave syrup
1/4 tsp salt

In a high-powered blender, puree the dried coconut flakes until warmed and melted (consistency of coconut butter).  Use a spatula to scoop the coconut mutter into a mixing bowl.  Mix the remaining ingredients. 

Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper.  Pour mixture in.  Press very firmly into the loaf pan.  Refrigerate overnight.

All Signs Pointed to Paris

Do you ever experience weird coincidences?  Maybe someone tells you about a book that they think you should read and then two days later someone else recommends to you the same book.  I make it a mission to read these signs -- I interpret them as things I'm meant to do.  A sort of divine guidance if you are spiritual about things.

Today, I had such an experience. 

(1)  I was contemplating my upcoming travel plans with a friend.  I want to make a major trip to Asia, but I postponed it year after year to take advantage of shorter trips instead.  Yet, year after year, there was one place that I kept thinking about and hadn't made to yet...Paris.

"Paris isn't so great.  But you should go if you haven't yet," was her response. 

Not so great?!!  The last time I had almost booked a trip for myself to Paris was in 2007.  But while I was in the middle of planning a round-the-world itinerary for myself, I found myself an amazing condo at an amazing deal (once again, the stars were all lined up).  So, my Paris money went towards a downpayment and my Frommers "Paris 2007" guide ended up on a bookshelf of my new condo.

Fast-forward 4.5 years later, I'm reading an article on one of my favorite sites, CrazySexyLife, and (2) the October 6th entry read "We use money stress to keep us from really experiencing life."  *sigh*  She was right.  Now I'm not an advocate of putting yourself in debt, but I was at a point where i could plan a short trip to Paris for myself.  Why continue saying it?  As Nike says, Just Do It!

(3)  A text from Paul tells me excitedly that he and the family are going to Paris in early November...again.

The world was rubbing it in my face.

WTH?!!  That's it.  I started to look up the cost of flights to Paris on Kayak.com.  Maybe Thansgiving weekend would be a good time for me to go?

As I have a lists of prices running across my screen, I get a NEWSFLASH from Travelzoo.  (4)  It's a special for a direct flight to Paris flying business class for the same cost that I was looking up flight on economy class.  The catch...I needed to go in the month of October.  So, I checked my calendar and *click.*

Ladies and gents, in one week from today, I leave for a 4 day tip to Paris!

Race Report: Ragnar Relay Race "Run...Drive...Sleep? Repeat."

I woke up from my slumber and looked at my watch – it said 12am. Tossing my throw blanket aside that I was using as an impromptu sleeping bag, I sat up and stared down the dimly lit high school hallway. Amidst the sea of runners still passed out on the floor, I recognized the two sleeping bodies next to me as my High Cloud teammates Tom and Edgar. We were in the middle of Ragnar after all….

The Ragnar Relay is a running event where a 12-person team runs 200(ish) miles, day and night, relay-style, from Cumberland, MD, to National Harbor. During the relay, each team member runs three legs, each leg ranging between 3-9 miles and varying in difficulty. Only one runner goes at a time. The rest of the teammates are in support duty inside one of the team’s two vans. It’s a relay so as each runner begins, the rest of the crew in the vehicle drives ahead, cheers their runner on, and meets them at the next exchange point to pick them up while dropping off the next runner. After the first six legs, Van #2 takes over with the next six runners. After these six runners go, it’s time for Van #1 to pick up again…and so on…and so on…until 198 miles later, everyone ends up at the finish line. There were 250 teams participating in DC’s Ragnar Relay Race this year.

At the high school, the six of us in High Cloud’s Van #2 were resting up after Leg 1. We stretched and groggily made our way back to the van. It was a moving locker -- stocked with bagels, peanut butter, cookies, Powerade, water, lots of baby wipes, clean clothes, wet stinky clothes, and some slightly muddy sneakers.

Wakey, wakey, you still have two legs left….

We strategized for our next leg as we drove to catch up with Van #1 at the next major exchange. They were currently “on” and the first half of the High Cloud team was putting in miles. I was runner #7 (the first runner in our van) and our second leg was in the pitch dark of the night. Safety first – we were required to wear headlamps, tail lights, and a reflective vest. Running in the dark gave me a lot of incentive to run faster. For fear of the boogieman, I found myself chasing the blinking red tail light of another runner. We were out in the ‘burbs running through neighborhoods that were sane enough to be in bed at this crazy hour. We were the insane ones – running at 2am. The only vehicles to pass me were the other crazy team vans decorated with painted windows and inflatable cartoon characters strapped to their rooftops racing to the next exchange.

Lien, Runner #8, who was just one day beyond her 60th birthday, reviewed her next leg course and asked what a “very hard leg” referred to. She wasn’t a fan of running in the dark, but I explained that it meant it was going to be really hilly. She exclaimed back, “Oh, I love hills! Give me hills.” Later on, she smiled as she ran up a mountain with an elevation gain of 1020 ft.

Edgar, Runner #9, kept staring at me and wondered how much he was drinking when I convinced him to sign up for the race a month ago. Tonight, not only was he a good sport about running despite having a lacrosse injury, he also stood like a Christmas Tree as the women on the team decorated him with glow in the dark necklaces, bracelets, and an earring clip.

Kathleen, Runner #10, went Lady Gaga and had costume changes for each of her legs. Fans of our van were stopping to pose for pictures with her.

Jake, Runner #11, was still a little bitter. His first leg was relatively flat. While he got our longest legs in the van with a total distance of 19 miles, he really wanted HILLS! Jake got his wish when he was assigned to run Sugarloaf Mountain. I drove through the gravelly roads praying that the van would be able to climb up the mountain without ending up in a ditch. On the other hand, Jake was running the trails with little resistance grinning from ear to ear. Seriously, who are these people?!!

We met up with Van #1 again at the next major exchange. This time, Rhyne, our team captain, appeared looking like a shorter version of Rupaul with sneakers. He was wearing a fluorescent green wig and knee high school girl stockings. A clown, a devil, a cowboy, a jester, and a ballerina proceeded to pop out of Van #1.

There were no more team hugs at this hour. We were starting to smell funky after having been trapped in a van for two legs of a run and 22 hours.

Tom, Runner #12, was all smiles as he ran over to hand the team baton, a slap bracelet, to Rhyne who was also Runner #1 on the High Cloud Team.

Those of us in Van #2 wished Van #1 “Good luck and have fun!” and strategized for some real food during our break. You know it’s rough when your idea of gourmet is the International House of Pancakes…and you are actually sober.

Inside the restaurant, there was another party of six seated at the table. One of their runners was passed out with his head on the table. Over breakfast, I stared across at Jake and noticed that if his mouth was not chewing then his eyes were shut for a quick nap. We were all starting to dwindle.

Fuel up, you’ve got one more leg to go….

With one leg left, I stood in the exchange waiting for Jessica, the ballerina and Runner #6 from Van 1, to run towards me with the team slap bracelet. I sprinted through the bustling city of Bethesda with a huge pair of fairy wings on my back and a race bib on the front of my shirt. As I stopped in the crosswalk waiting for the pedestrian sign, drivers would smile and wave.



In a few minutes, I was running back into a parking lot full of white cargo vans and heard my teammates cheering my name. I took the bracelet off and slapped it on Lien’s tiny wrist. After high-fiving the rest of my team, we jumped back into the van to go to the next exchange so that Edgar could have his last turn as well. At this point, my body was begging for Starbucks.

We dropped off Tom for the last leg and sprinted the van to the finish line to meet up with the rest of our team at the National Harbor. All of the exhaustion left our bodies as we were now on elated to almost be done. We greeted each other with smiles and momentarily forgave each other for how bad we each smelled, giving congratulatory hugs once again.

At last, Tom was spotted running down the boardwalk. As a team we picked up our banner and ran towards the big orange Ragnar archways together. The announcer yelled across the microphone, “And now crossing the finish line is Team High Cloud!”

The Ragnar Relay...not just an opportunity to race...it's a moment to convince 11 other friends to take a break from the mundane and laugh through some insanity.

198 miles + 30 hours + 12 runners + 2 vans = ONE CRAZY TIME

What if Supergirl Misplaced Her Cape?

It's funny how you can be doing everything...but still have lost your creativity.  Me losing my creativity is like Supergirl losing her cape.  She can still fly without the cape, but isn't something missing?

How does one go about re-grounding herself when she's been flying for too long?

1)  Reconnecting with family and friends.
2)  Learning to sit still on the couch alone with music in the background.
3)  Taking the time to cook for oneself.  (In addition, to eating healthy meals and drinking lots of water.)
4)  Cleaning and re-organizing.
5)  Targeting to get 8 hours of sleep each night (okay...maybe just 7)
6)  Journaling.
7)  Not booking something for every night of the week on my calendar.

Wish me luck.