Hey, what’s up, helloooooo! Happy November!! I have missed you guys! I’ve been somewhat silent with blogposts lately due to a lot going on in my life. I wasn’t in a good headspace and I have been super busy, so the inspiration to do things I love was lacking. I do love blogging and have really missed it, so it’s good to be back. To all my readers who reached out, thank you for the love. Today I’m sharing a little bit of my life lately with you which includes the storefront grand opening of my favorite smoothie bowl truck!! YAY! Continue reading Life Lately: Runs + Smoothie Bowls for Dayz at Healthy Bonez!
Tag Archives: chocolate
[The Friday Five] My Favorite Treats
Happy Friday! I don’t know how another week has already come and gone; time is flying! This week on the Friday Five, I’m sharing my 5 favorite treats with you. Looking at this list, most of them are pretty healthy, but like anything, should still be enjoyed in moderation.
Running & Chocolate!! [Recipe]
I have realized that I partially enjoy running because of all the food and carbs I get to eat. HAHA. It’s embarrassing to admit, but it’s true!! That is not why I started running, but this last week I have certainly been enjoying it. Tomorrow I am running a 15K!!! (9 miles) In getting ready for the race, I have gotten the “runchies” (runner munchies) pretty bad!
I have been enjoying all sorts of food this last week. I made this chocolate chunk protein bread last night… so DELISH! (insert heart eyed emoji!) This recipe uses the best protein bar on the market, QuestBar. Click HERE to purchase some Quest bars. You WON’T regret it!
I will post my own variation of this bread on the blog soon. It’s egg whites, protein powder and banana, and it tastes like bread, but it’s PROTEIN BABY! So yummy. This is how mine turned out…
While I do love to eat, I’m not over here shoving my mouth full of whatever I can get my hands on. I have eaten larger amounts of peanut butter and also larger servings of carbs. I do not eat low carb by ANY means, but when I eat a little more than normal, I bloat a tiny bit. Bloating = not cool, but the protein pancakes, pumpkin protein muffins and breakfast burritos have been SO YUMMY! I won’t go into endurance nutrition, but I noticed when I ran the half marathon that my nutrition the week before could have been different (newbie learning her way) so I decided to try it differently for this 9 mile race.
I am running the Hot Chocolate 15K — CHOCOLATE AND RUNNING! The perfect combo. I told my mom we should start a race that was all about running for (or running on) coffee – hahaha. Wouldn’t it be a huge hit? Especially here in the PNW!
I am excited to run this race. I always thought it sounded fun, but the distance was “too far for me”. Then last year in May, I decided to try a 5K and actually run the whole 3 miles and since then my life has changed…
There is going to be chocolate everywhere! I picked up my race packet yesterday in the afternoon and there was chocolate ALL over the expo. 
I walk in and this is the first thing I see… CHOCOLATE. Chocolate pieces, chocolate fondue, hot chocolate. They really mean business with the chocolate. 
After indulging in a few things, I went to get my bib. I got my corral assignment, I am in corral B!!! There is A-O and I am in B — I put my mile time as 9:00mi/mile, which to me is pretty average…but not for this race! So yah, no pressure to run fast. Haha. It will be fun to be up in the front and in the fast group!!!
Largest mug EVER and my bib with “B” assignment!
Then I went to pick up my “goodie bag”! (that’s what most people run for right?) 😛 
Check out how awesome these finisher hoodies are!?
I don’t know what that little symbol is on the back, but I could feel it so I was like take a pic! haha. It made me so excited!! I think it was a little sugar high from the chocolate, but also just because I can’t believe the race is here. I am running this one alone. It makes me a little sad, but I tend to be a lone runner anyway. All I need is music, my running shoes and some sunshine 😀
Then on my way out, I walked past the “rally card making station” … ummm how cool is that?!? Yes, I made myself a rally card. It just says “never give up” – I’ll snap a pic on race day. Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see the pic
I’ve never run a 15K before, but I have run a half marathon (21K) so I am not as nervous about this race. My training for this race was not as strong as my half-marathon training, so I may suffer a little bit in the final miles, but I know I will be able to finish.
The course seems like it will be flat with gentle inclines, nothing crazy steep. Sometimes I like to drive the course before the race, but I won’t do that this time. It’s a beautiful course and I can’t wait to run it! They have chocolate stations along the course too… check out the course HERE. Fun fact: I am kinda a chocolate snob, I love dark chocolate. I was kinda nervous this chocolate wouldn’t be very good. Let me tell you guys, all the chocolate I had at the expo was DELISH so I can’t wait for race day.
I will have a recap up about the race next week, so look out for that. The finisher medal is pretty sweet if I do say so myself. 🙂
If you haven’t already, subscribe to my blog HERE – I’d love to stay in touch with you!
XOXO
Stay Sweet!
Sarah
Peppermint Mocha Makeover [Dairy, Gluten Free + no added sugar]
Do you love peppermint?? This time of year peppermint is EVERYWHERE! Whether its candy canes, peppermint bark or peppermint mochas.
I LOVE peppermint and dark chocolate together. My most favorite protein shake combo this time of year is chocolate protein powder with peppermint extract.
As an occasional treat, peppermint mochas are delicious too! However, the downside of the mocha of course is the amount of sugar… check out these stats:
54 grams of sugar! Need I say more…
If you really love peppermint mochas and want to have one every once in a while, consider having a skinny peppermint mocha from Starbucks. Check out the stats for the skinny:
Still has 13 grams of sugar, but comparably its’s so much better and the calories aren’t as high either. If you are out and about and want to have one as a treat, the skinny mocha is a much better option.
You can order a skinny peppermint mocha from any coffee place as along as they have sugar free peppermint syrup and sugar free chocolate sauce. And of course, leave off the whipped cream.
The only downside to the skinny mochas is all the sugar free syrups and chocolates have a lot of chemicals and additives in them. SO – if you are able, try making your own peppermint mocha at home!! It’s so much easier than you would think!
Peppermint Mocha Makeover
This peppermint mocha is dairy free, gluten free and has NO added sugar! Yum, yum, yum! A delicious coffee treat that you DON’T have to feel bad about. (recipe card at bottom of post)
Ingredients:
½ cup unsweetened almond milk (can also use regular milk)
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cacao powder (can also use unsweetened coco powder, just be sure it is unsweetened)
½ tsp. raw honey (optional) or stevia
¼ tsp. pure peppermint extract
1 cup brewed black coffee (or 1 shot espresso)
I did not use the honey to sweeten my peppermint mocha, however you can sweeten with honey or with stevia if you wish. You can use your favorite brewed coffee, you can use a packet of instant coffee with hot water, or you can use an espresso machine if you have one.
To make:
Bring almond milk, cocoa powder, honey or stevia (if desired), and peppermint extract to a boil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
This is what it looks like once it is boiling.
Remove from heat; mix vigorously with a whisk until frothy.
Making this frothy is a serious arm workout! 😛 If you have a handheld milk frother you can use that too.
Once frothy, pour coffee into a large serving mug (if not already there) and top with almond milk/chocolate mixture.
Then enjoy!!!!!
Peppermint Mocha Makeover
2014-12-05 13:37:33
Serves 1
Dairy free and no sugar added version of this popular espresso beverage. Enjoy the season with no guilt!
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or use regular milk)
- 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cacao powder (can sub coco powder, just be sure it's unsweetened)
- ½ tsp. raw honey (optional)
- ¼ tsp. pure peppermint extract
- 1 cup brewed black coffee (or 1 shot espresso)
Instructions
- 1. Bring milk, cocoa powder, and honey (if desired), and peppermint extract to a boil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- 2. Remove from heat; mix vigorously with a whisk until frothy.
- 3. Pour coffee into a large serving mug; top with milk mixture.
- 4. ENJOY!
A Sweet Blonde & Her Fit Life http://sweetblondesfitlife.com/
“Healthy” Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies [Recipe]
HAPPY FRIDAY! I am SO excited to share this recipe with you! It’s relatively easy and pretty yummy. An added plus is the sugar content is pretty low, so if you are watching sugar, these are great! They would be a wonderful healthy treat to share at a party, potluck or get together.
Someone actually gave me this recipe out of a magazine. I’m not sure which magazine, but I was really intrigued by it because of the garbanzo beans being the main ingredient along with peanut butter!
Like most people, I love peanut butter. I love all nut butters, but peanut butter by far is my favorite. These cookies have LOTS of peanut butter as you will see. (The whole recipe is listed at the bottom of the post on a “recipe card” if you want to skip the pics) I posted my fresh ground peanut butter recipe before, if you have made that or want to make it, that is the peanut butter that I used in this recipe!
You will need:
1 can garbanzo beans
Vanilla extract
Peanut butter (I used fresh ground)
PB2
not familiar with PB2? It’s powdered peanut butter without the fat. I love adding it to smoothies. The calories are also much lower than regular PB. You can mix the powder with water and get a more peanut butter consistency – I have seen it popping up in more grocery stores & you can get it cheap on Amazon
Honey
Baking Powder
Organic Raw Cacao Nibs
I used Cacao Nibs
One: because I am participating in a Sugar-Less September with some of my #fitfriends, and we are focusing on not eating things with added sugars. Because cacao is like natures chocolate chips, they are okay.
Two: raw cacao is one of the most plentiful sources of antioxidants and magnesium, and it also contains a plentiful amount of fiber and essential minerals including iron – so why not add that to these cookies instead of chocolate chips?!?
Essentially this recipe is dump, blend and then bake. So it’s super easy and no hassle.
I put all the ingredients in my blender (except the cacao nibs). You can also use a food processor. Process or blend until smooth.
Remove from your blender or food processor and stir in the cacao nibs or chocolate chips.
Using a 1/4 cup scoop, portion out the dough into 11 balls/rounds on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350F for 13-15 mins – then they come out looking like this!
They are puffy and delicious! They reminded me of those puffier almost muffin top like cookies sometimes you see at the store (never gluten free though 🙁 ) I enjoyed these the most when they were fresh out of the oven (isn’t that they way it is with any cookie? LOL) The nutrition facts aren’t too bad on these either. Check them out below:
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
2014-09-19 12:02:02
Serves 11
delicious, puffy peanut butter cookies with a touch of chocolate.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
25 min
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup & 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1/2 PB2 plus 1/4 cup water, mixed together to get liquid consistency
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup cacao nibs (or chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Combine all ingredients except for chocolate chips in blender or food processor and blend/process until smooth.
- Remove dough from food processor to a mixing bowl, stir in cacao nibs
- Using 1/4 cup scoop, portion out dough onto baking sheet in 11 rounds/balls. Flatten cookies slightly if you would like.
- Bake at 350F for 13-15 minutes
Per cookie
- 138 calories
- 6g fat
- 5g protein
- 18g carb
- 3g fiber
A Sweet Blonde & Her Fit Life http://sweetblondesfitlife.com/
XOXO
Stay Sweet! – Sarah