Recipes

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Freezing 5K & Glazed Gingerbread

‘Tis the season for a busy schedule and when I had my first chance to rest all week yesterday afternoon the last thing I wanted to do was blog…no really, 4 hours at the mall yesterday afternoon = exhausted.

Anyways, at least the 4 hours were productive!  I’m 93% done shopping, but still need a few things.  I also realized I wish I had more kids to buy for!!  Kids stuff is WAY more fun.  Like this thing I saw at the Learning Express…almost just bought it for myself ;)

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How cool is that!?  Ok that’s my geeky side coming out, but I’m an engineer I can’t help it.

I’m grateful I had yesterday afternoon to basically just rest because we had to get up for a CHILLY 5k this morning!! 

All December people around here have been amazed at the mild weather, and I get the urge to punch someone when they “complain” that it “doesn't feel like December”…seriously?  Enjoy it!  Because it will come back to bite you, like today!  Easily the coldest day we’ve had this season, and me and hundreds of my closest friends had to fun a 5k! 

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(like my elf tights??  I LOVE them!)

Actually there were two 5K’s this morning.  The jingle bell run in Davis Square, and the Yulefest 5K in Harvard Sq!

I ran the Yulefest!  They were the ones who hosted that really fun Oktoberfest 5k earlier this fall!

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Once again this one was 21+ with a block party following the race with beer sponsors: Pretty Things, Notch Session, and Peak Organic, and also Clover Food Lab.

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It was just hovering over 20 degrees at 10AM when the race began, and this very well might have been my coldest run ever!  Brrr.  You know it’s bad when the water at the water station was frozen!

Regardless, we ran slow had fun and saw some great costumes…like the guy dressed at Santa riding an ostrich!!  Hahaa.

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(took that from the Cambridge5k facebook page)

How do you run in that?!

Anyways, after have a beer, thawing our tight and frozen muscles in the car, grocery shopping (yes I wore the tights…got lots of weird looks…and think little kids thought I was really an elf), we made it home to relax all afternoon…heaven!

Even had time to make a nice dinner AND bake!!

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For some reason I was in the mood for gingerbread, but also a healthy version I could enjoy for breakfast this week.

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Whole Wheat Gingerbread with Yogurt Glaze

  • 2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup unrefined sugar of choice
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground clove
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1 egg + 1 egg white
  • 1 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 350, and spray a loaf pan with canola oil spray

In a medium/large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients (flours through to all spice).  Whisk to combine.

Beat egg and egg white in a small mixing bowl.  Add in applesauce, yogurt, molasses, canola oil, and skim milk. (TIP: spray your measuring cup with canola oil spray before measuring out molasses.  It will easily slide into the bowl instead of sticking to the measuring cup).IMG_2356

Add wet ingredients to dry, and gently mix with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined. 

Fill pan about 2/3 to the top.  Bake for 45-50 minutes. 

Let cool for 10min, then remove from pan and continue to cool for another 30min or so.  Then glaze the bread!  The glaze is definitely optional…it’s great without it too.

Yogurt Glaze:

  • 1/3 cup non-fat Greek Yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 Tbsp skim milk
  • 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Whisk all ingredients until smooth. Keep refrigerated until bread has cooled slightly (it can still be a little warm).  Drizzle over loaf!

Lemon option: replace milk and vanilla with 2-3T fresh lemon juice. 

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It’s also REALLY good with the Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter (aka their version of Biscoff spread).     

Trader Joe's
(source)

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I love love love having a delicious yet healthy baked good with my morning coffee.  Much less sweet and heavy than anything you pick up at a bakery. 

Last week before Christmas!!  What do you need to get done this week??  I’m going to see the Nutcracker one night, getting to Crossfit at least 2x this week, and finishing my shopping somewhere in between all that and work. 

13 comments:

  1. I love your elf tights!! I'm the Philippines to spend Christmas with my fam and still need to wrap gifts :) Happy holidays!

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  2. Om gosh you looked so awesome for the race! 20 degrees??? Brrrr! That bread looks so festive with the glaze!

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  3. Adorable tights!! I was on my way back from walking my dog when I stumbled into this race. People had the greatest outfits!

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  4. I'm working all week but I still need to purchase a few more gifts, wrap them and bake cookies for Christmas!

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  5. ooh, that loaf looks fantastic!! right up my alley :) great outfit for the race, too!

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  6. Love the outfit - it was definitely a cold day for a run, I did the jingle run

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  7. those tights are awesome. and i'm pretty sure I will be making this bread recipe - i've been looking for something to make for Christmas morning. wonderful!!

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  8. I love gingerbread and that loaf looks fabulous.

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  9. Such a cute outfit!! I should have run this since we live in Davis - next year!

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  10. The cake looks delicious and I have to say, I want that kit for myself. It does look incredibly fun and I bet I would have loved it as a kid.

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  11. Saw your recipe for enchilla soup, LOVE this soup! I make it w/out chicken and will freeze a bunch of the soup. then I can add what ever leftovers I have....I tend to usually add ground turkey breast, so good (and a dollop of greek yogurt, YUM!)

    Were you around town on Sat? My girlfriends and I headed to Somerville to pick up our Cambridge series running jackets, then headed back to Cambridge for lunch. SANTA's and costumes everywhere! SANTACON was on, it was nuts!!
    Love all the costumes at the Jingle Bell runs, I did it last year and had a blast. This year I was feeling under the weather, so I passed. Definitely doing it next year.
    We even talked about trying to do both the Jingle Bell and then hoofing it over to do the Yulefest...doable?!?!?!
    Tara

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  12. @Tara - That's a great idea about freezing batches of the soup then adding things to it after!! I'll have to remember that one.

    I wasn't around town on Sat, but would of loved to see the costumes! I think the Jingle Bell run started at 11am, and the Yulefest at 10am so definintely doable! Although if it was as cold as it was this year, not sure I'd want to do the 2nd race but that does sound fun :)

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