Iced Cinnamon Bun Scones

Good morning!

I went out for my first post-marathon run yesterday. Also got the chance to try out my new Saucony Kinvaras. I just love the look of those shoes! So, I charged my trusty Garmin and headed out the door. Um…..I’m not sure what happened but my first mile beeped at 8:05. What?! I certainly didn’t feel like I was running that quickly! I actually spoke out loud and said, “What? That can’t be right!” Thank goodness there was nobody around to hear this crazy lady talking out loud to herself! Haha! I just figured my watch was a little confused since the last time it was used was a week ago and 2,000 miles away. Hm, or maybe not.

Maybe it’s the shoes? 😉

That’s Max. Isn’t he just the sweetest? He turns 10 this year. 🙂

Brunch treat!

I was flipping through my compilation of recipes from a variety of cooking magazines and I came across this one. I’m honestly not sure why I hadn’t made it yet! Well, it was definitely time to fix that! You don’t need any special ingredients to make these and they are really easy. No cream cheese? Yeah, I didn’t have any either. I subbed in Greek yogurt. I love Greek yogurt. 🙂 Om nom nom!

Iced Cinnamon Bun Scones
Makes 8 scones

2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice, plus 2 tablespoons softened
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large, heavy baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse the brown sugar with the two tablespoons of softened butter and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon until soft crumbs. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

2. In the processor, combine the three cups of flour with the granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and pulse to blend. Add the diced butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center.

3. Add the cream, egg and vanilla to the well and stir to combine. Using a wooden spoon, gradually stir in the flour mixture until a firm dough forms. Crumble the brown sugar mixture over the dough and knead it into the dough, leaving some streaks.

4. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto it and knead 3 times. Pat or roll the dough into an 8-inch round, about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges, then transfer the scones to the baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until browned. Let cool slightly on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.

5. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the lemon juice. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread the icing over the warm scones.

Recipe from Food and Wine magazine, March 2003

– jennifer

Marathons and Apple-Spice Bread

Six days until the Salt Lake City Marathon! I’m so excited!! I’m heading there to run with my friend Carla – someone who is so similar to me that we could, SHOULD, be sisters. I’ve never done that before either. Run a marathon with a friend. I’ve always done them by myself. It’s exciting, and scary, to think about! This will be my 6th marathon and I’m finally going to have a “partner” the whole way AND we’re travelling to a beautiful city to run in a place neither of us have run before. Of course, coming from 32 feet above sea level to 4200 feet above sea level is going to present its own challenges. We’re hoping that the humidity and thick air we regularly encounter when running will help us adjust a little easier to the difference. We’ll see. We’re not trying to break records or set PRs in this race. Start to finish, that’s the plan. Enjoying the beauty of the city and the mountains together is a bonus.

Of course, the Boston Marathon is tomorrow. So, between prepping for my trip and thinking about Boston has me totally jazzed. I’m so excited for tomorrow and I’m not even going to be there! I’ll be watching live streaming video during the race – yes, I am THAT much of a run nerd that I watch MARATHONS on TV or my computer. It’s really going to be a great race! I’m so excited for the ladies competition. Shalane Flannigan and Kara Goucher are my two favorite runners and I can’t wait to watch them run tomorrow. *side note: my sailor and I went out to New Orleans to cheer on a friend running her first marathon and Shalane and Kara were both there to run the half-marathon. Because I wasn’t running it, I wasn’t all over the race website like I am when I’m actually running the race and I had NO IDEA that Kara was going to be at the expo. We went to check out the gear – I got some really awesome headbands! – and I discovered that Kara was going to be there for a Q&A session in like 10 minutes and HECK YES, I sat down and waited for her. So. EXCITING! She’s amazing. Afterwards, I hung around and waited and got to meet her! EEEEPPP!!!!

Anyway, one day, I would like to qualify for Boston. It’s going to take some work and I haven’t even broken the 4 hour mark yet but with CrossFit in my life and determination, I’m certain that I can achieve both of those goals. Maybe I’ll make one of them this fall at the Kansas City marathon. Yep, I’ve decided to do that one. I’ll be back to solo because Carla’s running Denver but that’s okay. She’s going to have a great time there and Kansas City is a bonus because that’s where my sailor’s family lives. So, it’s a two-fer! 🙂

Breakfast treat!

I decided that I needed to bake something this morning. I browsed my ample selection of cookbooks (seriously, I’m addicted) and found this recipe. I’m actually surprised I’ve never made it before! Apple-Spice Bread. How perfect is that?! It’s definitely Spring in northwest Florida – cool morning temperatures and thunderstorms in the area – and the thought of the cozy smell of baked apples and spices waking up my family was pretty darn enticing. So, there you have it. Delicious, lightly spiced, and healthy morning (or afternoon!) treat perfect with a cup of coffee or tea or even a tall glass of juice. Enjoy!

Apple-Spice Bread
Makes 1 loaf (20 slices)

1 cup shredded apple (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream (I used plain, nonfat greek yogurt)
2 egg whites or 1/4 cup cholesterol-free egg product (Egg Beaters)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour.

2. Mix apple, sour cream (or yogurt), and egg whites in a large bowl. Stir in remaining flour and ingredients. Spread into pan. (Warning: batter will be very thick. This is okay! Also, this bread does not contain yeast. It will not rise.)

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

Nutrition per slice:
Calories 45; Protein 1g; Carbohydrates 10g; Fat 0g; Sodium 120mg; Cholesterol 0mg

Here’s what my supervisor thinks about Greek yogurt:

Jump start your Monday with a workout & some warm Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Happy Monday!

How did you start your week? I went to CrossFit and learned something new about myself. That’s always a good thing! Learning about yourself and what you can accomplish right now allows you to better understand what to do to make yourself smarter, fitter, faster, stronger. Today’s workout only looked a little scary on the board. 4 rounds for time of: 100m run, 10 box jumps (I did 20″), 100m run BACKWARDS, 4 reps deadlifts 115#. The scary part was the 115#. I had no idea if I could do that – I’d never tried. Okay, fine, the running backwards part was a little scary too but mostly because I didn’t want to trip and leave brains on the sidewalk. That would be bad.

Anyway, as it turns out, I CAN deadlift 115# and it’s not my 1 rep maximum. What a great feeling! I am woman, hear me ROAR!

So, knocked out my workout in 10:35 and felt great about myself. I love that about both running and CrossFit. Working out, moving your body, improving yourself should make you feel good both inside and out.

Afterwards, I had one of my favorite post-run or workout treats – banana and peanut butter. I. Love. Peanut Butter. Seriously. I have to watch myself or I’ll finish a jar in a week. Today’s treat was even more special since I had it on some cinnamon swirl bread that I made. There is just something divine about peanut butter, cinnamon, and banana. Om nom nom!

What’s your favorite post-workout meal/treat?

Cinnamon Swirl Bread (Raisins optional)
Makes 2 loaves, 16 serving each

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
3 to 4 cups unbleached, all-purpose white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup nonfat milk
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup raisins

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let rest until the surface begins to foam. Stir in the oil and butter.

2.  Combine 3 cups of white flour, the whole wheat flour, and the salt in a bowl, stand mixer bowl, or food processor.  Pulse or mix in the yeast mixture.  Add the milk.  (If using a processor, do this while the machine is running.)  Add more of the white flour, a tablespoon at a time, until a dough ball forms.

3.  Knead until smooth and elastic.

4.  Place the dough in an oiled bowl.  Turn it once, cover with a damp cloth towel, and let it rest for 1 hour, until double in bulk.

5.  After the dough is doubled in bulk, punch it down, divide in half, and let it rest 5 minutes before shaping.

6.  Coat 2 loaf pans (about 81/2×41/2 inches each) with nonstick spray.

7. Lightly dust the work surface with flour.  Roll out one of the portions of dough into a rectangle, about 8×12 inches.  Dust with half of the cinnamon and spread on half the brown sugar and half the raisins (if desired), leaving a 1-inch margin all around.  Starting from a short side, tightly roll up the rectangle, pinch the ends to seal, and place seam side down into the loaf pan.  Repeat with the second ball of dough.  Let the loaves rise, covered with a damp towel, until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to an hour in a warm, though not hot, space.

8.  Put the oven rack in the center or bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

9.  Slash the tops of the loaves and place them in the oven.  Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.

Per serving:

Calories 105; Protein 3g; Fat 2g (saturated 0g); Carbohydrates 21g; Fiber 1g; Sodium 66mg

Recipe from 1001 Low-fat Recipes