Why You Should Eat Snacks + A Pancake Recipe

It’s Monday!

I always love Mondays. They’re a fresh start and the calm before the storm of a busy, yet wonderful, new work week.

This weekend was pretty low-key, but after going non-stop last weekend, a restful weekend was just want I needed. Friday was spent horizontal watching Grey’s and doing things I had been neglecting all week. You know those inconvenient things like laundry, dishes, and mopping up drips of green smoothie that somehow appear randomly all over the kitchen floor.

Either there’s a hole in my to-go cup or I’m thrashing my smoothie around in the morning. Jury’s still out.

But an early bedtime Friday made waking up at 6am on Saturday for a long run possible. I met my running group at Riverview park for 12 miles.

3 mile warmup
2 miles @ marathon pace [8:10]
2 miles @ little faster than marathon pace [7:54]
2 miles @ half marathon pace [7:36]
3 mile cooldown

After a long mashing session by J on Friday, my legs felt really good. Having a running group and seeing so many other runners out there makes Saturday morning runs something to look forward to!

Came home, made a green smoothie [Vega One, chocolate soymilk, frozen banana, and spinach]…

….took a hot shower, and made pancakes!

Because nothing tastes better after a chilly long run than a big mug of coffee and flapjacks with maple almond butter.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Spice Pancakes [gluten-free]
makes 12 pancakes [2-3 servings]

1 cup oat flour [simply grind rolled oats in blender]**
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice [or cinnamon]
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg white
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
** if you want these to be GF make sure to use GF oats [I love Trader Joe’s!}

Measure your dry ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Then add in the pumpkin, egg white and almond milk and stir until combined. It’s okay to still have lumps, no worries!