Giant Oatmeal Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yeah, that's a handful to say. But they're so, so good. I've already made them three times and I think I've eaten one of these giant muffins every single day. But I'm sure that comes as no surprise, as you guys probably already know that I am a huge fan of breakfast, and breakfast food. The hardest thing about being in Argentina was that their breakfast consisted of coffee and toast. And I don't even like coffee, so there went half of my morning meal. We have something called First Friday at school, which is where on the first Friday of the month (makes sense, right?), a club or team signs up to provide a most delicious homemade breakfast to the entire faculty and staff. It's wonderful, and easily my favorite day of the month. And my teammates know it, so they'll frequently forward me the email announcing the First Friday information with a "YAY"-esque comment. All of this to say that I love breakfast. Though I'm also not willing to take 10-20 minutes out of an already jam-packed morning to make breakfast. And I know many others are constrained by time as well. This is where these muffins come in. 20 minutes of prep on a Sunday, and you have a healthy and filling breakfast for the entire week. All you have to do is store them in the refrigerator, grab one as you are running out the door, and heat it up whenever you get to your destination. Well, you don't have to heat it up, but who doesn't love the taste of melted chocolate in the morning?

I can't take credit for this recipe, as it is almost identical to the one provided by Alexis over at Hummusapien, though I added a few extra ingredients, and I chose to make my muffins in a giant muffin tin. That's certainly not a requirement, but it definitely makes eating only one of them in a single sitting a whole lot easier. It's all about that self control. And if you're freaked out about zucchini being included in a muffin recipe, don't be. I promise you can't even taste it.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp flax seeds + 6 tbsp water
• 3 medium-large ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or any other type of milk you prefer)
• 1/4 cup almond butter (or your favorite kind of nut butter)
• 1/8 cup honey (this gives the muffins some added sweetness)
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-3.5 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup + a sprinkle extra chocolate chips
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• OPTIONAL: coconut flakes, almond slices, raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and generously spray muffin tin with cooking spray
2. Combine flax seeds and water in a bowl and set aside
3. In a large bowl, mash the bananas using a fork, and stir in almond milk, almond butter, honey, zucchini, vanilla extract, and flax seed mixture until combined.
4. Stir in oats, baking powder, chia seeds, walnuts, chocolate chips, and cinnamon until combined. This would be the time to add the optional add-ins.
5. Using a spoon, fill each muffin cavity to the top and bake for 22-25 minutes.
6. Enjoy!

YIELDS: Six large muffins + a little extra (I have been baking the extra batter in a mini bread pan so that no batter gets left behind.)
Store these muffins in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If you want to enjoy them warm, put them in the microwave for about 45 seconds. You won't regret it.

I love that these muffins are free of oil, eggs, butter, and flour, and I'm able to sneak in an extra serving of vegetables without even noticing. And you can enjoy these muffins as breakfast (or as a part of breakfast if you're like me) or as an after school snack. I know I'll definitely be bringing these muffins along with me to inservice. I'll need something to snack on in between meetings and practice and setting up my classroom. Basically, starting next Monday, I'll be doing everything but sleeping up at school. Though I have been told there are cots. Anyway, these muffins will make my mornings a whole lot less stressful. And that's a happy Monday for you!

Green Goddess Pizza

Good morning, and happy Tuesday! Isn't it nice that today is like a Monday, but it's already Tuesday?  And I hope you all enjoyed a fabulous holiday weekend. Fourth of July is one of my absolute favorite holidays - rivaling Thanksgiving for the top spot - because of all that it stands for. I love traveling, and I love discovering, exploring, and becoming immersed in other countries. I will never stop being thankful for the opportunity to be able to do that. However, every time I step off the plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, I'm reminded of how great this country is, and how there is nowhere I would rather live than in the United States of America. Freedom certainly doesn't come free, but we're so lucky to be able to celebrate the freedoms that we have because of those who have so selflessly fought for it. And in this crazy year of politics - something I'm not even going to begin to discuss here - it's nice to take a step back and remember that we are a nation united as ONE. Regardless of political party, religion, gender, sexuality, race, and so on and so forth. So, while I'm glad to watch fireworks and eat burgers and dress up in my best red, white, and blue attire, I'm even more glad to be able to celebrate FREEDOM. Most importantly, the total freedom that we have in Christ.

One of the most elaborate cakes I've ever made

Lady Liberty

My Fourth of July weekend was excellent, though. I got to spend time with three of my medical school friends - on separate occasions, as they have officially entered the crazy third year of hospital rotations - I ran nearly ten miles in the scorching July heat, watched the annual Third of July fireworks at Sugar Creek Country Club with my dad, brother, and Mack, and rollerbladed through the Heights decked out in America attire with Amira. Temperatures were scorching, but there was still lots of fun to be had.

Mack's first fireworks experience!

We're coming for you, Rio

And now, I have a recipe to share with you guys. It's so easy that I'm not sure it can constitute as a recipe, but it's way too good not to share. So, I present to you, Green Goddess Pizza.

The inspiration for this pizza came from a picture of pizza that I saw while perusing Instagram (classic), and I just couldn't get it out of my head. And what better time for a veggie-topped pizza than after a sweaty 10-mile run?

Green Goddess Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 Flatout Multigrain with Flax Flatbread
• Low-sodium tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup spinach
• 1/4 zucchini, sliced and chopped
• 1/4 squash, sliced and chopped
• 1/4 cup asparagus, chopped
• 1/4 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/4 cup Brussels sprouts, chopped
• 1/4 mushrooms, sliced
• Handful of onions, diced
• 1/4 cup chicken breast, cooked and diced
• Lemon pepper

*All of these amounts of approximate - you may use more or less depending on your preferences, and the size of your pizza

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Spread tomato sauce on the wrap
3. Spread spinach evenly on top of the tomato sauce
4. Spread vegetables evenly on top of the spinach
5. Intersperse chicken evenly among the vegetables
6. Sprinkle lemon pepper on top of the entire creation
7. Place pizza on top of a foil-lined baking sheet and cook for 17 minutes
8. Remove, slice - if desired, and enjoy!

A healthy, yet delicious, way to enjoy one of everyone's favorite meals. And while I did not put cheese on my pizza, as I am lactose intolerant, you could easily add it on top of the tomato sauce before adding the vegetables. This pizza is easily customizable to your favorite toppings, but in order to keep it healthy, try and stick to lots of greens.

Enjoy your day!

Healthy Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

This bread is technically vegan, but I am the least vegan person out there, so I decided to keep that one out of the post title. Anyway, happy Tuesday! It's the first day back at school for many, and I'm really looking forward to a great semester. The spring semester is always a bit longer than the fall, and it definitely feels a lot longer because we go ten weeks without any real break. And these ten weeks are going to be pedal to the medal, because one week after spring break we have the dreaded anticipated STAAR test. Not ideal, but you gotta do what you gotta do. It also feels a lot more calm, because I don't have the daily demands of volleyball (though I did get suckered into coaching club volleyball, more on that to come), so I have a little bit more free time. Just a little bit. But I'll take any extra time with the pup that I can get.

Speaking of, I had my first real "mom moment" the other day. Mack is a 19-week old puppy, and he's also a beagle (duh). Beagles are the absolute best, but they're also absolute lunatics. Mack's nose gets him into more trouble, and he doesn't always come when we call him. It was time for him to attend puppy classes, but with my crazy school and coaching schedule, there was no way for me to consistently attend puppy classes with him. The most viable option was sending him to a board-and-train obedience school for a couple of weeks, but my heart absolutely broke while saying goodbye to him. It didn't help that just about an hour after he'd left, I got a call from the trainer saying he had a very swollen nose and face. My thoughts are that he got bitten by ants when we was sticking his nose in the grass just minutes before he was picked up, but it made me want to drive down and take him right back home. However, I know it will be good for him (and me), and I also have no doubt that Mack wanted all of the attention to be on him. I miss him more than I can even put into words, but these next couple of weeks will fly by. I just know it.

Mack and me

And now onto the reason for today's post: healthy banana bread! I don't know many people who don't enjoy a warm piece of banana bread, but it can often be loaded with calories. This one is low on the calories and sugar, but high on taste and health points. You're even sneaking in some veggies so, bam! Take that New Year's resolutions.

I actually based this recipe off of this recipe from Vegan Heaven, though I changed a couple of ingredients here and there. 

Healthy Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 tablespoon honey (or agave, if you want to be totally vegan)
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 4 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup zucchini, grated (about 1 medium zucchini)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (plus a little more, because I'm me)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup almond milk

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees 
2. Prepare your quinoa according to the directions on the box
3. Combine the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl and stir together
4. Once ready, stir in the quinoa
5. Liberally grease a bread pan and pour in the batter
6. Cook for 60 minutes, and allow to cool before removing from the pan
7. Enjoy!

Breakfast? Dessert? Snack? I'll let you be the judge. But with only 12 days until the Chevron Houston Marathon, I'm making every effort to incorporate a few more carbohydrates into my daily diet. And thankfully, it's both a healthy and a delicious one!

Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Waffle Recipe

Happy Wednesday, and happy first day of fall! Or Autumn - whichever you prefer. Fall is my absolute favorite time of year, because it means football, yoga pants, sweaters, boots, perfect running weather, and all things pumpkin. Which is what brings me here today. I've got a most delicious - and healthy! - pumpkin waffle recipe to share with you guys. I can't take any of the credit, as I found this recipe while hardcore perusing Pinterest, but I knew that today would be the perfect day for it. Why? Because today the students and employees of the Houston Independent School District were gifted a fall holiday. Sure, it's on a Wednesday, and I have to go back to work tomorrow instead of enjoying a three-day weekend like I did last year, but this holiday could not have come at a more perfect time. It seemed as though every teacher was walking with a little extra pep in his or her step yesterday, brimming with talk of how the fall holiday was going to be spent. I would be lying if I said I didn't join in, and what I came up with was sleeping in until 8:00am, enjoying the cooler weather with a crisp morning bike ride, and indulging in a delicious fall-themed breakfast while catching up with Kelly and Michael.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 egg
• ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• ½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips + extra

*This recipe makes about 2-3 large waffles.

Directions:
1. Combine flour, baking soda, chia seeds, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, honey, egg, yogurt, and almond milk.
3. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture, taking care not to over-stir.
4. Gently add in the chocolate chips, again, taking care not to over-mix.
5. Heat up your waffle iron, and spray down with cooking spray.
6. Spoon about 1 cup of mix onto the waffle iron, spreading it evenly throughout the iron. Add a little more if needed.
7. Cook according to your iron's directions - my waffle iron took about 5-7 minutes per waffle, but it depends on the waffle iron being used.
8. Gently remove from the waffle iron, let cool, and enjoy! I added blueberries to mine, but I think strawberries would also taste fantastic. The chocolate was enough added sweetener for my taste, but if you're a fan of syrup, I have no doubt that would be another delicious addition. If you're looking for a real indulgence, a sprinkle of powdered sugar would really take the cake.

The perfect breakfast to start off a slow fall morning. It's delicious, yet chock full of good-for-you ingredients. Not something I would eat every morning, but a fun way to mix it up every once in a while. And with that, I'm off to do a little bit more baking. I have to get it in while I have the time!

Egg White and Vegetable Bagel Thin

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm just popping in to share a quick - and super easy - recipe with you guys. In fact, it's so easy, I feel guilty calling it a recipe. But I enjoyed it so much that I would have felt even more guilty had I not shared it with you guys. What I love about it - aside from the taste and the healthy factor - is that it's so darn portable. I whipped it up quickly this morning and carried it with me to Rice to eat just before the start of camp. I plan on making it tomorrow, and because I'll be up before any restaurant even thinks about opening, I plan on bringing it with me to eat on the airplane Friday.

I'm hesitant, yet still expectant

Now, I'm not normally a bagel person. Though delicious, there are just too many empty carbs. What I mean by that is, I never feel fully satisfied after eating a bagel, and that's a problem when you consider how caloric many of them are. But thin the bagel out a little bit, make it whole wheat, and you've got yourself a winner. A breakfast full of healthy carbs, protein, vegetables, and taste. That last one is important. 

I have a feeling this one will be making many a school appearance. Especially as I'm juggling volleyball practice and inservice requirements - I'll be up there all day! I'll need something quick, easy to transport, filling, and delicious. And this one fits all of those requirements. 

Ingredients:

• 1 Thomas' Whole Wheat Bagel Thin
• 6 tbsp egg whites
• 1 handful spinach
• 1/4 cup asparagus, chopped
• 1/4 cup mushrooms
• 2 tbsp salsa
• Sprinkle of pepper

Directions:
1. Start by gathering your mushrooms and chopping your asparagus. Set aside.
2. Spray a pan with cooking spray and place over the stove on medium heat.
3. Measure 6 tablespoons of egg whites into the pan.
4. Place bagel thin into toaster, toasting for 2-3 minutes.
5. When the egg whites begin bubbling, add in spinach, asparagus, and mushrooms.
6. Using a spatula, scramble eggs and vegetables together until fully cooked, about 2-3 minutes.

7. Turn off heat and spread salsa over both bagel thins. Gently spoon egg white scramble onto both of your bagel thins. Sprinkle with pepper, if desired.
8. Carefully place one bagel thin on top of the other, like you're smushing together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (though maybe do it with a bit more caution, as the inside contents will come tumbling out if you haphazardly put them together), and enjoy!

This meal took no time at all to throw together. In fact, what probably took me the longest was the photography aspect of my breakfast. And now that I've got that out of my system, I'll be good to go. A delicious breakfast that you can feel good about eating, and that's the best way to start your day!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe

And somehow, today is the first day of July. I mean, what? Not that I can complain, because I had one heck of a June. It's been one month of summer, and I have yet to buy one new item of clothing, I have yet to put on a pair of jeans (probably my biggest accomplishment), and I have completed eight books. I'm hoping to up that list to ten by the end of the summer. I know it seems like I'm aiming low with that number, but my time is about to get less and less. So finishing two books in that timespan will be quite the accomplishment. But enough about my summer doings - I've got a recipe to share with you guys today! And I think you guys will really like this one because not only is it delicious, but it is so, so easy. It's made in the crock pot (or do you call it a slow cooker?), so aside from the slicing and dicing, all the work is done for you. 

I originally planned on titling this "Copycat P.F. Changs Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe," but I couldn't locate any ground chicken at the grocery store. I've had this problem before, so maybe I need to change my grocery store of choice when it comes to recipes calling for ground chicken. Instead, I used chicken thighs, and I cut them into small one-inch pieces. So it's not really a copycat recipe, rather, it's simply modeled after it.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken thighs
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp lemon pepper
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup asparagus, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and finely sliced
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1/4 cup hoisin Sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 8 oz can water chestnuts, sliced
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 heads Artisan Romaine lettuce
• Sriracha sauce

Directions:
1. Cut chicken into one- and one-and-a-half- pieces. Place into the crock pot, covering with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.

2. Slice and chop celery, asparagus, bell pepper, and onion. Place in a small bowl.

3. In that same small bowl, combine water chestnuts, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Gently mix all ingredients, so that vegetables are evenly coated with the sauce mixture.
4. Place vegetable mixture in crock pot over the chicken.
5. Cover and cook on "Low" setting for eight hours, or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
6. When putting together your wraps, place cooked quinoa in the lettuce head before spooning in the chicken mixture.
7. If you're a fan of the spice, add a bit of sriracha sauce. I'm currently addicted.
8. Enjoy!

And it's really as easy as that. And this recipe is good. In fact, it's so good, that I planned on enjoying this recipe for three or four days, but my family just couldn't resist the smell coming from the crock pot, and they too enjoyed a couple of lettuce wraps, meaning my crock pot meal that was meant to last for three days, lasted me just one. But it's about time I earned my keep, right? Even my brother requested that I put this recipe together again. And that's when you know it's a hit. Be on the lookout for a killer track workout being posted on the blog tomorrow. Have a great one!

Movie Goer + Smoothie Parfait Recipe

Here we go again! Another Monday. And my last real Monday before my schedule starts getting crazy. Okay, not crazy, but it's my last week of freedom before I start having actual things to do with my days. I'm working a couple of Rice Volleyball camps, one of my friends is getting married, and I'm rounding out the summer with a trip to New York City. Because those three things are such a huge burden, so I am sure I am receiving all of your sympathy right now. But I am hoping to get a lot done this week, while still maintaining some regularity with this blog. Here's to hoping that I have a completed to-do list before I leave for a weekend in Austin on Friday afternoon!

Breakfast

I've got another new recipe to share with you guys today! It looks far more complicated than what it actually takes to throw this creation together. After waking up and going for a neighborhood bike ride, and running the hill up at Stratford, I was more than ready for something cool and refreshing. Thus, this smoothie "parfait" was born. 

Ingredients:
For the smoothie -

• Pink portion
• 3/4 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 sliced banana
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• Handful of ice cubes

• Green portion
• 2 handfuls baby spinach

For the parfait -

• Granola
• Blueberries

Directions:
1. Line the bottom of a mason jar with granola. I used my own version of this homemade granola, but any granola will work.
2. Place all ingredients for the pink portion in a blender, and blend until smooth.
3. Pour half of pink portion into the mason glass, over the granola.
4. This is where it got tricky for me. I happened to have blueberries handy in my fridge, and they are not the most buoyant fruit. They didn't sink to the bottom, but they didn't quite float on top of the pink portion. In any case, I added in blueberries as my next layer.
5. Add two handfuls of spinach to the blender, blending the spinach into the remaining portion until smooth.
6. DO NOT JUST POUR THE GREEN PORTION OVER THE PINK PORTION! Instead, and this is a bit more time-consuming, spoon the green portion over the pink portion, going around the edge of the glass first. Once one layer is complete, keep spooning the green portion into the mason jar until full.
It really doesn't take that long, and you'll get an Instagram-worthy breakfast.
7. Top with another spoonful of granola, and another handful of blueberries.
8. Enjoy!

Movie Mania

You guys may or may not know that I am not a big movie-goer. It's rarely something that I will choose to do, and even if suggested by another person, it's a 50/50 chance that I will actually go with said person. It's not even that movies have gotten so incredibly expensive, because they have, but it's that I often feel guilty about sitting for two hours, doing nothing but looking up at a big screen. I feel as though there's something else I could be doing, and while that is usually true, sometimes being still is exactly what I need at that point in time. And even then, I'll often choose reading over seeing a movie. Which is why I haven't seen a movie in theaters since October, when I saw Gone Girl (which, by the way, didn't hold a candle to the book).

However, when my uncle came to Houston in late April, he talked about how he spent an extended afternoon at Sundance Cinema downtown. And this wasn't the first time I had heard talk of Sundance. Many of the teachers at school frequent it, because it's the type of place that won't be overrun with teenagers. Not that we don't like teenagers, of course, but if how they behave in the classroom is any indication of how they behave when they are out and about, I can speak for all teachers when I say that we'd prefer not to share a movie theater with them. I'm just saying. Anyway, I had heard that Sundance is the best of the Houston movie theaters, so as a devoted Houstonian, I knew I was going to have to check it out. So after Friday evening's massage, I made my way downtown, drove around a bit trying to find the best parking (sidenote: Sundance will validate parking up to three hours. Score!), and ventured inside for my first Sundance movie experience. And after having a Sundance movie experience, I'm not sure that I can ever go to another theater. And here's why -

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1. Reserved seating. This isn't required, but if you buy your ticket online, you get to pick your seat. So if you have a favorite spot in the movie theater, you can make sure it's yours.
2. The seats rock, for lack of a better word. Roomy and comfortable, and the armrests are huge. Which is a nice plus because then you don't have to feel as though you're in your neighbor's lap throughout the entirety of the movie. It feels like you're on an airplane, you know, without the plane part. This would really be an ideal date night theater.
3. Though I didn't check it out, as I was riding solo this round, Sundance has a bar, with food and drinks that are made to be carried into the theater with you. Like I said, ideal date night theater. 
4. And mainly catering to the adult crowd, there are both indie and mainstream movies shown here. The prices aren't that much more than they are at any other movie theater, and to me, the experience was worth it. Though I don't see my movie-going percentage increasingly significantly, I will certainly be returning to Sundance the next time a movie craving hits.

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And I actually saw two movies this weekend. I know. We're going 0 to 100 real quick over here. Friday I saw Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, which I absolutely loved, but made me cry in such a way that no movie has done in a while. I'll even step out and say that this film was better than the film adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars. I didn't love that movie, though I absolutely loved the book. I digress. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is actually based on a young adult novel as well, and it chronicles the senior year of three teenagers - Greg, Earl, and Rachel. It's the typical "high school" story - the relationship between a teenager and his overbearing parents, the reality of high school cliques, and the unique relationship between student and the "cool" teacher, but it does it in such a way that truly mimics reality. It captures the stereotypical high school moments, but not in a stereotypical way. It's tough to be a teenager, and that's highlighted in the protagonist, Greg, who is clearly not comfortable in his own skin, even preferring to call his best friend Earl his co-worker because he doesn't want to give someone the friend label and then be let down. High school is a time when self-esteem issues are commonplace.

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And then we have Rachel, the girl with leukemia. Something no teenager should ever have to face, but unfortunately, something that teenagers do face. Rachel isn't interested in those who pull the cancer card, and while Greg originally hangs out with her on his mother's request, a genuine (doomed) friendship eventually develops between Rachel and Greg. And Earl, too. Greg lets his guard down when he lets Rachel view the films he and Earl have made growing up, and they even try to put together a film for Rachel as her condition continues to decline. 

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I obviously have a soft spot in my heart for high schoolers. I really think they're the coolest. And I appreciated the way this movie captured the complexities of what it means to be a high school student today. Self-loathing, low self-esteem, selfishness, genuine friendships, feeling out-of-place, bumps in the road. And I really appreciated that this wasn't a cliche love story. Because believe it or not, high school boys and girls can just be friends. A raw and real portrayal of adolescence that gets five stars from me. 

Saturday's movie was an accident. I was hanging out with Gayle as she unpacked and organized her room from her big move home from College Station - okay, I probably distracted her more than anything - but she and a college friend who has also moved home to Houston had plans to hang out that evening. She invited me to join them, and it was decided that we would do dinner and a movie. Gayle's mom suggested we see Spy, but neither Gayle nor I am a big Melissa McCarthy fan. And I've heard only good things about Disney Pixar's Inside Out. So Inside Out it was. And I absolutely saw what all the hype is about. 

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Another coming-of-age movie, this one focuses on Riley, a girl who is taken from her life and friends in Minnesota when her family moves to San Francisco. As is the same with everyone, she is guided by her emotions - Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust - the little voices inside her head who work in Headquarters to guide her through life. Joy prides herself on the fact that many of Riley's memories are just that - joy. But when she moves away from everything she knows, she begins to experience loneliness, isolation, and sadness. And I think what is most memorable about this movie is the importance of Sadness. Without it, Joy can't do her thing. It allows viewers to understand that sadness is real, sadness is normal, and that it's okay to feel it. We just can't be happy all of the time, and more often than not, sadness is what draws our loved ones closest to us, which allows us to feel that joy again.

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I won't even begin to pretend that this is scientifically correct, because I do remember some things from my AP Psychology class senior year, but I thought it was a wonderful presentation of the complexities of our feelings and emotions, and how it's okay to feel them. We don't have to put on a happy face all the time, and acknowledging these other feelings will often result in genuine happiness.

And with that, I'm off to sit by the pool and read before heading up to Bellaire for tonight's open gym. I've got my fingers crossed that I'll even get to play tonight, as many players are in New Orleans for Junior Nationals. Catch y'all later!

Chocolate for Breakfast Round Two

Happy FRIDAY! I'm back with another post for you guys today. And this one is a great one because it centers around yet another easy and healthy breakfast recipe that includes my very favorite ingredient - chocolate. It really doesn't look a whole lot different from this recipe right here, but I did make a couple of changes to it. Minor changes, but to me, they made all the difference.

I don't know how you fall on the quinoa spectrum, but I absolutely love it. I've never been a huge fan of rice, and couscous, while delicious, has few nutritional benefits, but quinoa is just plain addictive. And good for you. And I often end up cooking far more than what I actually need at that time, and it's not one of those foods that keeps particularly well. So if you have leftovers, you have to use them pretty quickly. Which is why this healthy quinoa pancake recipe is absolutely perfect.

And even though every day feels like a Friday when you're a teacher and you still have summer vacation, thank goodness for Fridays, right? Chocolate is obviously a must.

Chocolate Chip Quinoa Pancakes

Prep time: Less than 5 minutes

Cook time: 4-5 minutes

Makes approximately 8 small-medium pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup almond milk (or any milk, but I'm on the dairy-free spectrum)
• 1/2 cup egg whites (or 2 eggs)
• 2 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
• Dash of honey (or sweetener of your choice)
• Pinch of salt
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• Handful of chocolate chunks

Directions:

1. This recipe makes the most sense when you have leftover quinoa, but if you don't have leftover quinoa, cook up some quinoa. It requires minimal effort and takes less than 15 minutes.

2. Put quinoa, milk, egg whites, honey, baking powder, cinnamon, and chia seeds in a large bowl.

3. Mix all of the above together until smooth. Batter will be thick.

4. This is where we may differ, though it will certainly end with the same result. I have a Perfect Pancake Maker, because I am the world's worst pancake flipper. So I simply scooped batter into each of the four rounds, sprayed down with cooking spray, and placed the pan over medium-low heat. If you don't have a Perfect Pancake Maker, no stress! Simply spray down a large skillet and scoop your pancake batter into three or four rounds.

5. Once the pancakes are in the rounds, sprinkle the chocolate chunks into the batter.

6. With a pancake maker, close the lid, give it 2-3 minutes on one side before flipping it over for 1-2 minutes on the other side. The same goes for using a skillet, you just don't have to close the lid. It may even be easier because you can keep an eye on the pancakes and flip them when they turn a golden brown color.

7. I totally intended to eat these topped with strawberries and blueberries, because those two fruits plus chocolate are hard to beat, but I got so excited that I completely forgot about the fruit. Next time. But garnish as desired - fruit, syrup, Greek yogurt, butter, etc.

8. Enjoy! Because chocolate for breakfast is always a good idea.

And that's it. An easy breakfast that will keep you full for hours afterward. My breakfast of four (okay, maybe five) pancakes fueled me for another one of Felipe's strength and circuit workouts. It was a toughie, but I really enjoyed it. I felt strong and full of energy throughout the class, and some of the exercises we did had my brain churning with potential circuit workouts. So be on the lookout for some of those. And with that, I'm off to fix myself a (very) late lunch before heading downtown-ish for a massage and a movie. Because every once in a while you just have to treat yourself.

Chicken Apple Sausage and Vegetable Egg White Frittata

Happy Thursday! I think I brought the rain and gloomy weather home with me, because we have yet to see the sun around these parts. I'm hoping it will make an appearance this weekend, but I'm not holding onto much hope there. We actually got a bit of a reprieve last night, which I was glad for as I made the trek on over to Bellaire for our second open gym of the summer, and I loved getting to see my sweet volleyball girls. It had only been two weeks, but when you're used to seeing them every day, a happy reunion is sure to ensue. Shout out to so many of these girls for putting in work over the summer.

Workout

I ran a couple of errands after leaving Bellaire before returning home and calling it an early night, as I had plans to wake up for Felipe's 7am Muscle Blast class at the MAC. I'm not even going to think about the fact that 6:30am feels early, rather, I am going to savor the extra few minutes in bed for as long as I can. I will admit that when my alarm went off, I contemplated staying in bed, but I knew I would regret not going more than I would regret going. Plus, I have quite a bit that I hope to accomplish today, so the earlier the start, the better.

I've talked before about how tough Felipe's class is,  and today's episode was no different. I can already tell that my legs are going to be S-O-R-E tomorrow. Lots and lots and lots of squats. And lunges. But one of the things I love about Felipe's classes are that he targets multiple muscle groups at once - ie, we'll be doing bicep curls as we step up on a bench with one foot, and when we come back down, we lunge back. It prevents me from thinking about how much one muscle group hurts, because multiple muscle groups are being worked out at the same time. Tricky tricky.

And while I don't want to compromise the integrity of the class by sharing exactly what we did (and more importantly, I don't want to bore you guys), but I will share a couple of my favorite exercises. The latter portion of the class consisted of a giant circuit workout. I used the rope for the first time,

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learned that I am still a hula-hooping champion,

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and the TRX band that has long intimidated me was one of my favorite exercises. We did both TRX Rows and TRX Chest Press. It may even have inspired me to take one of Felipe's TRX classes. Just maybe.

TRX Row (Source)

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I headed straight home after the MAC, promising to get in some cardio later today, but I was more than ready to dig into my newest breakfast creation.

Chicken Apple Sausage and Vegetable Egg White Frittata

I'm broadening my horizons a little bit. I'm not straying away from the egg whites completely, but it has taken a little shift. And I am officially hooked.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups egg whites
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped squash
• 1/2 cup chopped asparagus
• 1 1/2 chicken apple sausage, chopped (I use Aidell's)
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• 2 small handfuls spinach
• Pepper
• Salt, if desired

Directions:
1. Spray a 9" pie pan with cooking spray and set aside
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. Over medium heat, saute onions in a frying pan
4. Using a cutting board, slice, chop, and prepare all remaining vegetables

5. Slice and chop sausage links, pairing them with the vegetables
6. In a large bowl, combine all vegetables - including onions - and sausage pieces

7. Pour in your three cups of egg whites (the equivalent of 8 eggs)
8. Add in two small handfuls of spinach and stir
9. Season with salt and pepper, if desired
10. Carefully pour mixture into the pre-sprayed pie pan
11. Place pan in oven and cook for 40-45 minutes
12. Enjoy! I topped this with salsa, because if I'm being honest, while I love egg whites, they're just a little bland without something to spice them up. And as for storage, I covered the pan with foil, stuck it in the refrigerator, and heated up a slice this morning.

Healthy? Check. Delicious? Check. Colorful? Check. I don't know why you wouldn't sink your teeth into this one. You're sneaking in a serving of vegetables where you normally wouldn't get any, and the chicken sausage adds that all-too-important protein, something that many of us don't get enough of. And this recipe is so easily customized to whatever YOU want! If you don't like mushrooms? Switch them out for something else. Zucchini, bell peppers - it's completely up to you. And then you have breakfast for the week. I see this sneaking its way into a regular school-week breakfast. Especially during volleyball season, when the less time I spend on food prep, the better.

And now I'm off to cross a few things off of my to-do list. Have a great one!