WellCommons

I love studying journalism, but it can make for some hectic weeks leading up to finals. With papers, newspaper assignments and occasional tests, I get pushed pretty darn near the edge — and I’m not even sure what the edge is. I don’t have enough time to think about it.

That’s why I need all the shortcuts I can get. Not only are these bites no-bake, but they are also delicious, wholesome and filled with protein… As well as some natural sugar, which gives me a little boost.

Energy Bites, two ways

Energy Bites. by pursuitofhealthfulness

Chocolate Chunk Squares

Ingredients

2 C almonds
1 C dark chocolate chips
3 C prunes, packed
2 T natural peanut butter

Directions

In a food processor, grind almonds into desired consistency (anything from a fine powder to slightly chunky). Add in chocolate chips and pulse so that chocolate chips are well chopped. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
Place prunes in the food processor. Process until a rough paste forms.
Add the almond mixture back to the food processor. Add in peanut butter. Process until everything is combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
Grease the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Evenly press the mixture down into the pan. Note: I used a cup to roll it out.
Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours before cutting. Cut into 2 x 2 inch squares. Keep refrigerated to store.

This first batch reminded me of brownies. Obviously, I love that. But, after making it, my wheels started turning as I though of ways to adapt the bars.

I decided to melt the chocolate, to make the bites a little smoother and I added in 1 t coconut oil to make the bars a little firmer. To switch it up, I also substituted dried apricots for the prunes.

Because I already had a full pan of the first batch, I downsized the ingredients for a smaller yield.

Chocolate Chunk Bites. by pursuitofhealthfulness

Chocolate Fruit Bites

Ingredients

1/2 C almonds
1/4 C dark chocolate chips
1 t coconut oil
1 C dried apricots, packed
1/2 T natural peanut butter

Directions

In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and coconut oil for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Microwave for additional 15-second increments as needed until the chocolate is melted.
In a food processor, grind almonds into desired consistency (anything from a fine powder to slightly chunky). Pour in the melted chocolate mixture. Process until thoroughly mixed. Pour the chocolate-almond mixture into a small bowl. Set aside.
Add dried apricots to the food processor and grind until it forms a rough paste. Add the almond mixture back in. Add in the peanut butter. Process until everything is combined and the desired consistency is reached.
Grease a loaf pan. Pour the mixture into the pan. Evenly press down. Note: I only used half of the pan for thicker bites.
Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours before cutting. Cut into 1 x 1 inch bites. Keep refrigerated to store.

Chocolate Fruit Bites. by pursuitofhealthfulness

Whereas the first batch reminded me of brownies, these reminded me a bit of fruity fudge. Both options are delicious — plus, it was fun to experiment in the kitchen and avoid my homework for a while.

At the end of my freshman year of college, when I set out to lose a little bit of weight, I started keeping track of my meals and started to pay more attention to calories. In the beginning, this habit was innocent enough. I just logged calories on a website that automatically calculated my daily calories.

However, my habit soon became an obsession. The website wasn’t good enough for me any more — rather, I felt the need to write down what I ate almost simultaneous to my eating it. I carried a little notebook around with me and jotted down my meals. It didn’t matter where I was or who I was around. All that mattered was being accurate with my “food diary.”

Food diary. by pursuitofhealthfulness

By that point, the calorie counting on the website was virtually obsolete. The group of foods that I allowed myself to eat was so limited that I could easily recite the amount of calories I was consuming per meal.

Yet, that equation was entirely one-sided. Rather than considering “calories in” vs. “calories out,” I was just looking at half. As I continued to push my workouts farther and limit my calories more, the gap in my equation grew even more so that I ended every day with a major calorie deficit.

After that, I had to do a virtual 180. Instead of counting calories to lose weight, I learned how to count calories so that I could be properly nourished. This was harder to learn — I couldn’t simply depend on a website.

To start, I had to eat more than I thought was necessary. And, for the first few weeks, my mind and stomach protested. I was so used to eating less, that it was difficult for me to re-adapt to normal meals. In addition, I also had to scale back my workouts. When I did go on a run, I was diligent about properly refueling, which was a concept I never before understood.

Still, it was hard to find a happy medium. The fact that I knew the caloric contents of most food was both a tool and a weapon. It was useful when I was dedicated to the cause of getting healthier —but harmful when I wanted to cut corners.

It wasn’t really until I went to Germany during the summer before my junior year that I really loosened my grip on calories. There were so many foods that I wasn’t already familiar with, so many restaurants that didn’t post calories and so many dishes that I just wanted to try…

Throughout that summer, I remembered how to eat without thinking — or, at least, without over-thinking.

After getting back home, I also got back to eating more familiar, “normal” foods. Their calorie contents were still logged in my memory. However, I found it was so much easier to use the calories as tools rather than weapons this time around. Now, I’m back to the happiest medium in my memory. I still check out nutrition labels and try to keep my diet in balance, but I don’t write the details down and I don’t add the numbers.

As with all things related to numbers, this is my kind of counting: something kind of vague and flexible.

Questions: What’s your take on calorie counting?

On any given day, I could come up with a list (at least) of 10 things at which I wish I was better. More often than not, “running” would probably appear on that list. That is because — I’ll admit — I am not the speediest girl on the block… I know some of the speediest girls. And there is a big gap between them and me.

Conference Cross-Country Meet at Haskell. by pursuitofhealthfulness

However, that’s not looking at the big picture. What’s really important is getting out there and simply running. Although I’m not taking home many medals that aren’t of the “finisher” variety, I am just as satisfied with myself when I get a PR as if I won the whole race. (Although I wouldn’t be upset about that, per se.)

That is what’s so great about running: You can have 10,000 people in a race and all of them can finish as winners.

Lincoln Marathon. by pursuitofhealthfulness

I had a key revelation a few years back when my friend told me she realized she was more of a “runner” than a “racer.” After thinking about what this meant, I couldn’t help but agree. Whereas a racer goes and competes against other people, a runner is out there competing against herself.

A runner doesn’t need a race. A runner doesn’t need a start or finish line. A runner just needs a goal — and that’s something anyone can have.

Last Thursday, my goal was to PR. Other times, my goal is to simply complete the race. And, on other occasions, my goals are more specifically related to the pace or overall tempo of my run.

Basically, with every run there is a new goal. That’s what keeps me going.

My ideal Thanksgiving dinner is pretty simple. Give me some mashed potatoes, asparagus, butternut squash and corn casserole and I’m happy. Add on some apple pie and I’m in Thanksgiving heaven.

It should be noted that nowhere in that perfect day is pumpkin pie. I’ve just never been a fan — but if you’ve read this blog more than twice, you probably know that’s not because of the actual pumpkin flavor. It’s just the texture that throws me off.

Dan, on the other hand, loves pumpkin pie. To him, if Thanksgiving passes without it, it might as well just be called “Thursday.”

So, in an effort to maintain a harmonious marriage, I endeavored to make a pumpkin pie that satisfied both of our palates.

Ginger Snap Pumpkin Pie

Ginger Snap Pumpkin Pie by pursuitofhealthfulness

Ingredients:

— Crust

3 C ginger snap cookies
6 T buttery spread, melted

— Filling

1-15 oz. can pumpkin (not pie filling)
12 oz. extra-firm silken tofu
1/2 C sugar
2 T pumpkin pie spice
1 t vanilla extract
2 T pure maple syrup
1 t salt

— Topping

1/4 C oats
2 T brown sugar
1/4 C chocolate chips

Directions:

— Crust

In a food processor, combine ginger snap cookies and butter. Pulse until well combined.
Pour into a greased springform pan (a pie pan should also work). Press down evenly and set aside.

— Filling

Clean out the food processor to use again. Combine all filling ingredients. Blend until everything is combined and smooth.
Pour filling over the crust. Spread it smooth with a spatula.

— Topping

In a small bowl, combine all topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the pie.

— To bake

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, until the filling is set in the middle.

Ginger Snap Pumpkin Pie by pursuitofhealthfulness

Dare I say that I’d pass on a slice of apple pie for a slice of this?

Ginger Snap Pumpkin Pie by pursuitofhealthfulness

Although it’s not just for me. It’s for the marriage.

Questions: What does your ideal Thanksgiving meal look like? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dessert?

Is it too soon to say that I am in love?

I mean, I’ve only known this significant other for a few hours. And, yet, I am head over heels.

So, I’m just going to admit it: This is iLove.

Healthy Apps by pursuitofhealthfulness

I was perfectly content with my old phone. At least I thought.

I had it for two years and it never really did me wrong. But, when we were out one day, a new phone caught my eye — and I just couldn’t get it off my mind. It’s not like my old phone was bad. This new phones is just so… good.

I would feel more guilty about it, but there are so many (free) apps that help my stay healthy. My old phone just didn’t offer those kinds of things. Here are a few apps that I am already in iLove with…

Fooducate One of my dietician friends at the University actually recommended the fooducate app to me. Naturally, I trust her judgment, so I instantly downloaded it. Basically, the app allows me to scan the bar code or search for any product at the grocery store. Then it reports a nutritional grade (A+, A, A-, B+, etc.) that was determined by nutritionists. There are also tidbits of miscellaneous, relevant information about the product as well as alternatives.

For example, Jif Natural Peanut butter is graded a “B.” The information says that “natural” is an unregulated term. As for alternatives, Trader Joe’s Creamy, Salted Peanut Butter is scored at an A-.

Epicurious I like Epicurious on the Internet, but it is even more valuable on my iPhone. This is partially because I can pull up random recipes on-the-go. It also allows me to search by ingredients, courses, cuisines, dietary considerations, etc.

But, honestly, the best attribute is the shopping list that it allows me to write. I seem to have 10 different shopping lists going at once, so it will help to have them all in one place.

RunKeeper I’ve wanted a Garmin for a while. But (although I still kind of do) the RunKeeper app should help me get by in the meantime. That’s because, there is a whole GPS built into it that should track my route, show my pace and give me a ton of fun stats. I haven’t tested it out yet, but it seems to have a lot of potential.

Instagram This isn’t a health app, per say. But, Instagram is pretty cool because it’s a simple photo editor that also makes it super simple to upload photos to Twitter, Facebook, etc. That means I can go on a hike, take a picture of a pretty view and immediately post it online.

What health-related apps do you like?

There was a time that I was convinced that if I really, truly wanted something, then that something would find a way to allude me. Whether it was making the cheerleading team, getting into a certain college, having some boy ask me out or making perfect cookies, things just never worked out how I wanted them to.

Frustrating as this was at the time, I can now see that everything happens for a reason.

Not making the cheerleading team? That allowed me to get involved in cross country, where I made my best friends.

Not getting into a certain college? I was able to go to KU, a school that has always had a very special place in my heart.

Not having some boys ask me out? There was really only one boy who I wanted to ask me out. He did and now we all know how that worked out…

As for not making the thick, chewy cookies that I so desired? Well, that worked out pretty well in time, too.

Chocolate Chip Granola Cookies by pursuitofhealthfulness

Adapted from “Muesli Chocolate Chip Cookies.”

Ingredients: 1 C granola (I used chocolate protein granola) 1/2 C whole-wheat flour 1/4 C unsweetened shredded coconut 1/4 t salt 1/2 t cinnamon 1 t baking powder 1 T milled flax seeds + 3 T water (alternatively, one egg) 3 T peanut butter Scant 1/4 C honey 1 t vanilla ~1/4 C dark chocolate chips

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix the milled flax seeds with the water. Set aside. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the granola, whole-wheat flour, coconut, salt, cinnamon and baking powder. Toss in the chocolate chips. In a larger mixing bowl, combine the flax seed mixture with the peanut butter, honey and vanilla. Slowly add the granola mixture to the honey mixture, stirring as you go. Once everything is thoroughly combined, place rounded spoonful of the dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet, keeping each spoonful of dough about 1-2 inches apart. Using a fork, gently flatten the cookies. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 9-12 minutes, until it the cookies feel semi-firm to the touch and are lightly browned.

So to heck with the high school cheerleading team, the college that didn’t accept me and the boys who never asked me out — Life is great now and that’s all that matters.

But having comforting cookies doesn’t hurt.

Birthdays were extra special treats in my house growing up. I loved the new gifts, the slumber parties and — I’ll admit — the attention. Most of all, I loved getting to have chicken pot pie.

I’m serious. Chicken pot pie was basically my favorite thing in the world back then. As in, “Thanks for the birthday cookie cake, but can I have another serving of the chicken pot pie?”

Since going vegetarian, it’s one of the things that I’ve missed the most. Until now, thanks to this delicious vegetarian version of pot pie. Rather than chicken, butternut squash is the star of this show.

Butternut Squash Pot Pie

Butternut Squash Pot Pie by pursuitofhealthfulness

Ingredients:

— Crust

1 C whole-wheat flour
1 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t thyme
1/4 oregano
Pinch of pepper
1/4 t sugar
1/4 C cold buttery spread, diced
1/4 C olive oil
1/3 C cold water

— Sauce

1 small onion, chopped
1/4 C buttery spread
1 T whole-wheat flour
3/4 C vegetable broth
1 T evaporated milk (can probably sub non-dairy to make vegan)
~1 T white wine (optional)
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste

— Filling

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 bag mixed frozen vegetables

Directions:

— Crust

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flours, salt, thyme, oregano, pepper and sugar. Pour into a food processor. Add in butter and olive oil. Pulse until the flour is crumbly. Add in water and pulse until the dough pulls away from the sides of the food processor. Turn dough out onto a floured sheet and knead it into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Note: This can be done up to five days in advance. This also makes more crust than absolutely necessary.

— Sauce

In a medium-sized sauce pan on medium heat, melt the buttery spread. Add in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent.
Add in the flour and stir continuously for one minute. Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, whisking continuously. Add in evaporated milk, white wine, thyme and rosemary. Stir and reduce head to medium-low. Allow mixture to simmer for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

— Filling

Toss the butternut squash with enough olive oil to lightly coat. Season with salt and pepper. Spread on a greased baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
In a large bowl, mix the roasted butternut squash with the steamed vegetables. Stir in the prepared sauce. Pour the mixture into a large casserole dish.
On a floured surface, roll half of the crust out so that it is large enough to extend slightly over the edges of the casserole dish. Carefully place dough over the casserole dish. Crimp edges down with a fork. Slit a hole in the middle of the dish, so that steam is able to escape.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 18-20 minutes, until crust is lightly browned.

Butternut Squash Pot Pie by pursuitofhealthfulness

I could barely wait for the pot pie to cool before I sliced in. Such wholesome deliciousness!

Butternut Squash Pot Pie by pursuitofhealthfulness

Enjoy!

Baked Apple Fritters by pursuitofhealthfulness

(Adapted from Health Magazine)

Ingredients:

— Dough

2 t active dry yeast
1/2 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or any milk)
2 1/3 C whole-wheat pastry flour, divided
1/4 C sugar
2 T honey
2 T buttery spread, melted
1/2 t salt
1 T milled flax-seed + 3 T water (alternatively, one egg)

— Filling

2 T buttery spread
1 large apple, peeled and cubed
1/2 t apple pie spice
1 T cornstarch

Directions:

To make dough: Heat milk for ~30 seconds in a microwave. Pour into a large bowl and sprinkle yeast on top. Let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy. In the meantime, combine milled flax-seed and water in a small bowl. Let that stand for at least 3 minutes.
Add 1 1/3 C flour, sugar, honey, melted buttery spread, salt and flax mixture to the yeast mixture. Stir until smooth. Add in an additional 1 C flour. Stir until a soft dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (~10 minutes) or transfer to an electric mixer with a dough hook and mix 10 minutes on medium speed.
Spray the sides of the mixing bowl with cooking spray. Place dough ball back in the bowl and turn it around a few times to cover with the cooking spray. Cover and let the dough rise for ~1 1/2 hours in a warm place (ideally 85 degrees). To see if dough has risen enough, press two fingers into the dough. If the indentation remains, dough is good to go.
To make filling: Place chopped apples in a microwaveable-safe bowl. Toss with apple pie spice. Add in buttery spread. Cover the bowl and cook for 3-4 minutes, until apples are tender. Stir in cornstarch and set mixture aside to cool completely.
To assemble: Divide dough into 12 equal portions. On a floured surface, roll each section into 1 3-inch circle. Divide filling among the rounds. Gather dough around the filling and pinch at the seam to seal. Place each fritter, seam side down, in a cup of a greased or non-stick muffin pan. Cover the muffin pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 40 more minutes.
Uncover dough and bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow fritters to cool for 2 minutes in the pan, then remove each fritter and allow to cool on a wire rack.

I’ve been sitting on a certain post for a while and it seems as timely as ever after yesterday’s devastating and shocking news that Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are ending their 72-day marriage.

The Value of Marriage

I’m newlywed and admittedly still in the honeymoon phase. Yet, Dan and I took a lot of time for reflection before our wedding and I think that has helped the transition go so smoothly. Although we don’t have years of experience under our belts, I believe our intentions were right to begin with and that has put us on the right track.

So, this is my modest take on the importance of marriage…

It is hard to know where to start on the long list of benefits that are connected to marriage. To state a few, married people earn more, a physically healthier and experience significantly less domestic violence and infidelity than unwed individuals in relationships, according to a study by the Witherspoon Institute.

But, who really goes into marriage thinking, “Wow, this is great! I’m going to have more money and live longer!”

Instead, many of us hopeless romantics hope for a deep, loving marriage. I thought it was well put in a recent column from the Harvard Crimson…

“Marriage is not merely a union of hearts and minds, nor is it only a romantic or sexual partnership. It is a comprehensive union that unites a husband and wife across all dimensions of the person.”

Marriage. by pursuitofhealthfulness

The question is: How does one get to that place?

To start, the two people in a marriage have to be right for each other… Not right for each others’ ideals, images or friends. Right for each other. There should be passion, humor, depth and joy. If it isn’t there in the beginning, chances are it won’t be there 10 years down the road. There should also be a good foundation of trust, support and all-around teamwork. This revelation came to be one day when I realized that my happiness is linked to Dan’s —I’m only happy if he is.

The relationship should also grow. Although the beginning of relationships are always fun, it’s only when those relationships have depth that they become meaningful. This is something that Dan and I try to build on every day, whether get caught up in a conversation about a new subject or tackle a new adventure together.

As for us, those adventures are just starting and we will undoubtedly have a lot to learn. But, with Dan by my side, I’m excited to take give it my all — or, in the words of Katherine Hepburn…

“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get. Only with what you are expecting to give, which is everything.”

That’s what marriage should be founded on, not a multimillion dollar TV contract.

This post was originally published on Pursuit of Healthfulness.

Generally speaking, it is so easy to dismiss compliments in adult life. This may be because we are used to hearing positive comments all throughout our lives. Or it may be because we just don’t believe the compliments are true. Either way, the effects they have on us is relatively fleeting.

That’s not the case with children. To them, every single comment is true and all compliments are meaningful. That’s why I believe it is particularly important to emphasize the right things when complimenting children — and not just because of the effects is has on them as children, but also because of the way it molds us throughout life.

I know this subject may seem out of the blue, but I got thinking about it recently because of a Twitter comment that Caitlin Boyle, author of "Operation Beautiful," made about a couple on Teen Mom: “Gary, Amber and their families need to come up with compliments for Leah other than ‘pretty’ or ‘beautiful.’”

It’s something I had never really thought about before, but I couldn’t help but be struck by how good of a point Caitlin was making. Although the general judgment of many people on Teen Mom is questionable, it’s a very valid point. All too often, we compliment other children on superficial things…

The problem is that by focusing on beauty, children will grow to think their value is directly attached to physical measures.

On an advice website for parents, Nanny Deb, who is on the TV show Nanny 911, suggested: “Each day, make sure your kids hear the following phrases from you: I love you. Please. Thank you. Thank you for being my child. I’m proud of you. I believe in you. I trust you.”

Notice that no where in there is a compliment about how beautiful the child is. Now, I don’t think there is anything wrong with children believing they are beautiful. In fact, I hope all children believe that. What I do find fault with is when children believe that their worth is only related to that beauty. Instead, I hope that children are fostered to be confident in their intelligence, kindness and personalities.

Of course, all this sounds fairly silly for a 20-year-old to be ranting about. But I think it’s important to think about now — no use in waiting until I am a mother to start giving more meaningful compliments. Don’t be surprised if you overhear me telling my dog that she is “so smart.”

This post was originally published on Pursuit of Healthfulness.

Beauty. by pursuitofhealthfulness