[oomph] makes. easy protein cookies.

i am obsessed with these cookies!

if you've been keeping up with my marathon chronicles series, you'd know that i'm trying to increase my protein intake during my marathon training...and i'm looking for variety. sure, the drinks are the best way to take in all that protein, but i can only handle so many shakes. this 3-ingredient cookie is so quick and easy to make, that i whipped up this batch amid the morning rush.

there are variations of this recipe all over the web, and i just had to try it for myself. i was skeptical that you could make a cookie out of just bananas, but you can. and it's good! 

i'm gonna be honest. not good as in gourmet, rich, gooey chocolate, sugary-sweet good...but healthy, getting-all-my-protein-and-it's-something-other-than-a-shake good. 

easy protein cookies:

1 large banana

1 cup oats

1 scoop protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)

optional add-ins:

walnuts, cinnamon, chocolate chips, raisins, coconut, peanut butter

mix ingredients in a bowl.

drop spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.

bake at 350° for 15 minutes.

*approximately 4g protein per my nine cookies.

in this particular batch, i added a tablespoon of peanut butter and a few shakes of cinnamon, then topped the cookies with a couple of chocolate chips for sweetness. of course, you can play around with the recipe until you are happy with the consistency and flavor.

in fact, another variation is to use less oats for a more runny consistency and make pancakes.

and as always, you don't have to be training for a marathon to make these cookies. you can leave out the protein powder if it's not needed.

do you have a quick and easy recipe to share?

[oomph] makes. DIY protein bars.

i was originally going to post this in my marathon chronicles series since the reason i'm making them is to increase my protein intake during my training, but you don't have to be training for a marathon to make or enjoy these. 

i like simple, and it doesn't get any easier than these 4-ingredient, no-bake protein bars. plus, you'll save money making your own and have peace of mind knowing exactly what went into them. i'm not against store-bought protein bars when in a pinch, but many of them are high in calories and loaded with sugar.

no-bake homemade protein bars*

2 cups dry whole grain oatmeal

4 scoops vanilla whey protein powder

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/3 cup water or milk

i used whatever i had on hand - regular quick oats, chocolate protein powder, jif peanut butter, and almond milk. i added (chopped up) chocolate chips for extra yumminess.

mix ingredients together in a bowl.

line pan with waxed paper and press mixture flat.

refrigerate for 1 hour.

cut and store in refrigerator.

do you have a favorite protein bar?

have you ever made your own protein bars?

*i searched through tons of websites and recipes and cannot remember the exact site where this recipe came from.

marathon chronicles 03. juicing update.

it's been almost two months since i started juicing, so i thought this would be a good time to check in and see if the benefits outweigh the cost and time spent.

my main intent was to supplement mini-she's teen diet. although she has a well balanced dinner, she rarely eats (a good) breakfast, and who knows what she has for lunch at school. for myself, i wanted an overall healthy diet to go along with my training and increased physical activity.

i, personally, have no problem eating my fruits and veggies. in fact, i prefer to eat them. a huge bowl of salad is always on the dinner table, and fruits are always on hand at home. but truth is, with my typical weekday, generally eating only three meals a day, it can be difficult to get those 3-5 servings of veggies and 2-4 servings of fruit in. maybe not the veggies, but definitely the fruits.

that's where juicing works for me.

what i bought in february:

2x carrots 10lb, $7.49

3x gala apples, $8.79/$8.49/$9.99

3x organic power greens (baby kale, chard, spinach), $4.99

cucumbers, $4.49

strawberries $7.79

3x oranges, $9.79

lemons, $5.99

celery, $3.79

pears, $6.29

ginger $2.00

cost:

month total: $124.45

daily: $4.44

per person: $2.22

time:

juicing (prepping/juicing/cleaning) in the mornings added 20-30 minutes to my daily routine, depending on whether i prepped the night before. 

tip: juice more veggies than fruits. juicing can be high in sugar, so use veggies as your base, then add a little fruit to sweeten. as a beginner, we added lots of fruits to mask the taste of the veggies. i slowly decreased the amount of fruit and actually began to appreciate the "taste" of the veggies.

tip: buy organic whenever possible, otherwise scrub/wash well.

tip: regular kale can taste bitter and smells horrible in my opinion. this green mix is a lot easier to drink...

great for beginners!

tip: drink your juice with a straw.

goes down easier without the smell.

tip: continue to eat your fruits and veggies for fiber.

in fact, have a piece of fruit with your morning juice!

favorite 'green' juice:

4-5 handfuls green mix

2 celery stalks

2-inch cucumber

1 apple (or pear or orange)

1/2 lemon

favorite 'orange' juice:

4-5 carrots

1 apple

1/2 orange (or 3-4 strawberries)

1/4 lemon

small piece ginger

*makes about 15 oz

i use the breville juice fountain plus.

below are some of the popular juicers:

top centrifugal juicers:

top masticating juicers:

(better if you juice more leafy greens)

my thoughts?

although i don't see any physical differences after a month of juicing, i feel better knowing that i'm getting my daily servings of fruits and vegetables. i have my juice in the morning on an empty stomach and do feel "clean" and energized...it certainly makes me think twice about what i put in my body the rest of the day. i believe the cost per drink is reasonable considering you'd pay $5-$7 at a juice bar. eventually, i'd like to incorporate other veggies, but i stuck to what was conveniently available (in bulk) at my local costco. 

overall, i would not survive on a liquid diet. i love food too much. however, daily juicing as a complement to my meals (as opposed to a replacement) works for me. i can't afford the extra 30 minutes in the morning, so i'll have to make an effort to do more prep work the night before. i will continue to juice at this point and will make another assessment in a few more months.

if you juice, what's your favorite recipe?

if you don't juice, would you consider it?

marathon chronicles 02. third time's a charm.

who knew it would be so hard to find running shoes?

i remember it being as simple as picking out a pair of nike cross-trainers that looked decent, trying them on, and purchasing. the end. and those shoes were worn until a toe or heel literally touched ground.

now that my shoes need to serve a specific purpose, long distance running, there's a lot more to consider. proper fit, support, and cushioning, while look and cost become secondary.

after reading a lot of running blogs and related fitness websites, i came to the conclusion that i needed a shoe with enough cushioning for a 26 mile run, obviously, and it probably wasn't going to be a nike. after all, many runners were sporting asics and brooks.

after several unsuccessful trips to big-box sporting-goods stores, i decided it was time to visit a specialty running store. it was running shoe heaven! walls of shoes and different brands to choose from. 

after having my feet, walk, and current shoes analyzed (by several salespeople at this point), i was clearly a neutral/normal pronator. 

images: random google search

still, i wasn't convinced that minimalist nike shoes would be enough support and cushion for longer distances. so i asked for more cushion and support, and here were the shoes that came home (and went back). but first, here's my current shoe:

nike air pegasus 28

size: 6

love these shoes! they are so comfortable and fit like a glove. had them for two years, ran two 8-mile races and a few 5k races with no issues.

#1) Mizuno Wave Rider 17, $114

size: 6.5

issue: i wanted to love this shoe, but it was a little too firm for my liking, hot spot (rubbing) across the top of my toes

#2) Asics GT2000, $109

size: 6.5

issue: great cushioning and snug fit, too much arch support for my neutral foot

#3) New Balance 890v4, $100

size: 7.5

third time's a charm! slightly roomy in the toe box, but fine with thicker socks. closest fit to the nike. i completed a couple runs in these shoes and have no issues yet. 

#3a) Nike Air Pegasus 30, $100

size: 7, narrow

these would have been #3, but the normal-width size 7 was too roomy in the toe box...so i went with the new balance 890v4. i later found these shoes online in narrow-width, so i purchased them. the narrow width fits perfectly. i completed two runs in these shoes with no issues.

what i learned?

• buy your first pair from a running shoe store. they will analyze your feet and help you find the right shoe. bring your current shoes and socks with you.
• try on as many pairs as you can.
• don't be swayed by reviews; everyone's feet are different.
• when you find a brand/style that works for you, stick with it. "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." i was stubborn thinking that i needed more support when the nikes were just fine for me.
• don't assume your feet/shoes are the same size as before. shoe sizing is not always consistent; i went from a nike size 6 to a new balance size 7.5. even within a brand, i am now a size 7 in the nike air pegasus.

in case you like any of the above:

what is your current running shoe?

are you loyal to a particular brand?

weekend in photos.

helloooo, monday.

i had a productive weekend full of firsts. and while i'm usually dreading mondays, i can't wait to get back on the treadmill. what?? i mean, just look at the first picture.

invited by a friend, mini-she and i went to our first women's conference on friday night. over 800+ women in an energetic atmosphere, singing songs of praise, inviting jesus into their hearts. for any newbie, it's overwhelming...even a bit uncomfortable. but i did enjoy the speaker and her message about change. after the conference, i had some one-on-one time with mini-she as we chatted over good eats.

mini burgers, southwest spring rolls,

and artichoke dip and chips.

on saturday, i met my friend (and marathon training partner) for our first run together in 2014. we have been keeping each other in the loop about our weekly workouts and treadmill runs, but it was nice to actually hit the pavement. following our 5-mile run (woot!), her husband juiced for us. i had my first ever green juice. greens & kale, green apples, lemons. it did have a strong "green" smell, but it was totally drinkable. i am definitely team green. how about you?

and on sunday, mini-she had a church outing to a local trampoline place. since i had to pick her up, i decided to check it out with mini-he. it was our first time there, and it was super fun. i'd only seen YouTube videos of similar places, so i was confused when the guy said 'only one person per trampoline'. makes sense, but there were tons of people there; how many trampolines could this place possibly have, i wondered?! but i understood once i saw it...one person per square.

you have to wear non-slip socks, which you can purchase there for $3. mini-he had such a great time and kept thanking me for bringing him to get some exercise. he did complain about being a little sore today, but so was i. i actually considered purchasing 90 minutes of jump time, but one-hour is plenty!

tell me about your weekend.

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