Perhaps you’re a regular smoothie drinker, or perhaps you’re on a smoothie hiatus for the winter.  Either way, I was recently amazed at the way the right combo of spices can turn an otherwise ordinary banana and milk smoothie into a Chai masterpiece.

If you like chai and you like smoothies, this is your drink.

Vanilla Chia Breakfast Smoothie

Actually, this was my drink.  You are going to have to make your own.

I recently happened upon this chai latte coconut almond smoothie through my Internet (err, Pinterest) travels.  My version is definitely “inspired by” that recipe, but the beauty of this chai smoothie concept is that you can take cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and black pepper to chai-ify (new word!) any smoothie you might already make.

Muesli (with Pumpkin Seeds!)

February 25th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (5 Comments)

I’ve been on a muesli kick for the last two weeks or so.

Museli Mix

And just in time, because pumpkin seeds are on the list of healthy, affordable foods – and pumpkin seeds go great in muesli!

Pumpkin Seeds or Pepitas

If you aren’t in the know, muesli is a cereal combo (usually) made with oats, nuts, seeds and dried or fresh fruit.  Bananas have been my fresh fruit of choice lately, but frozen, thawed strawberries have been known to make an appearance in my bowl too.

Top with Banana

So it’s done!  The Flower City Half Marathon has been run.  By me.  And 2,364 other people too.

Pre-Race

My day started dark and early around 5 AM.  I spent the early morning hours puttering around the house getting ready to go – putting together things for Zak, the kids and my mom who would be coming along later, and packing up my own bag too.  The race started at 7:30, so I had a little something to eat around 6:30 to give myself an hour for digestion.

Pre-Long Run Breakfast

Don’t Sweat It

March 24th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (2 Comments)

A few days ago I started to notice that I was getting a cold. Fortunately, it never turned into a full fledged cold (special thanks to my bag of tricks for when I feel a cold coming on!) but I was definitely not feeling like my usual self on on Thursday night, Friday and into Saturday.

A Greener Birthday

March 8th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Vegetable Lovin' - (10 Comments)

My biggest gal turned 9 years old today. NINE! I guess that means I must have been 16 when she was born because I can’t possibly be a day over 25 myself.

(What?)

Ava’s birthday breakfast request was bagels, and so bagels it was.  After Deep Nutrition, bagels became more of a treat around here – this is why it was a birthday request. Bagels have been missed!

Some greens still managed to elbow their way into the birthday breakfast line up – a spinach and mushroom omelet with half a French Toast bagel (awesome!) and cream cheese.

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet

Day Three of Green

March 3rd, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Short or Sweet - (5 Comments)

It’s the end of Day 3 in this Month of Eating More Green Stuff challenge! Here’s a look at the greenery that showed up around here today.

The first green vegetable was spotted shortly after my (8 mile!) morning run. My favorite halved and roasted little green heads,

Brussels Sprouts Day 3

with some left over beef chili topped with a little shredded cheese and a few roasted sweet potatoes too.

Brussels Sprouts and Chili with Sweet Potato and Cheese

There was some unpictured, unexciting steamed broccoli consumed before running some errands this afternoon (“running errands” is code for “a trip to Wegmans”) and after a simple dinner of eggs and Ezekiel toast, I sipped on this green smoothie while putting together this post.

Spring Training

February 4th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (3 Comments)

Flower City Challenge 2013

The Flower City Half Marathon here in Rochester is twelve weeks away.  I haven’t officially signed up for this race yet – but I unofficially signed up in my head yesterday, and that totally counts.

Long Run Saturday

September 17th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (5 Comments)

OK baby girl, enough with the bike riding birthday breakfast bonanzas – you’ve got a marathon you’re supposed to be training for.

Steamtown Marathon Letter

Oh shoot, you’re right!  Well, it’s Saturday, so I guess that means we’re running long today, eh?

A few weeks ago I made my own version of Brendan Brazier’s Direct Fuel Bites for long runs. This batch was made much like the one I made last year – with dates, coconut oil and cocoa powder. This time I threw in a little dulse (for electrolytes), hemp seeds (for protein), chia seeds (for kicks) and shredded coconut (for fun).

Let’s Play Matchmaker

August 27th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (1 Comments)

When it comes to what to eat after workout or run, I don’t think much beyond “eat real food” unless that workout has been particularly long and hard.  (I am purposefully ignoring the obvious joke here.  This post just started!)

The neighborhood running group I occasionally run with sent an email yesterday saying they were going 10 miles Saturday morning. I haven’t run much more then 4 or 5 miles at a shot all summer – but I decided to join them for 10 today, and my reasons for doing so were three fold:

Trail Running Truths

November 6th, 2010 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (4 Comments)

Welp, a trail race was on the agenda for this morning! 10 kilometers to be exact.

Yes sir – 10 cold, rainy, snowy and more rainy kilometers. On the agenda.

Also on the agenda? A bunch of lessons to be learned. Get ready to take some notes.

Stay in the car as long as you can.

Rainy Race Day

Let’s not rush to get out there just to stand around in the snow and rain, mmmk?

Wet Shawn

Snow is better than rain.

Wet Snow

Because you don’t get soaked quite as quickly. Whose idea was this race anyway?