addicted.

Playing with light + my morning bowl of creamy oats :)

Cinnamony Puffed Oats

• 1/3c oats
• 1/3c water, 2/3c rice milk
• 1/2 banana
• 1 egg white [last 2-3min stir in]
• 1T chia seeds
• 1/2t cinnamon
• splash of vanilla

Toppings

• Nature’s Path cereal 
• Back to Nature Granola
• pnut butter glob
• jelly glob
• Artisana Cacao Bliss shavings

The chia + egg whites made this eggstra creamy, hehe ;)

I recently upped my oats to using 1/2c + more toppings but noticed no change in how long I’m full for.  So, back down to 1/3c and my normal amount of toppings.  Either way the bowl holds me over for 2-3hrs max…..so why eat an extra 100cals if it’s not helping my hunger!?

Lovely lunch salad with a super fun + easy dressing that I just made up out of nowhere.  However the salad combo + dressing did not go well together.  I think the dressing would have worked better for a fruit + nut type salad.

Slightly Sweet Yogurt Dressing:

• 3T plain Greek yogurt
• splash of maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, + balsamic vinegar [appx. 1/2t of each?]

My salad had kidney beans, carrots, nutritional yeast, torn toasted bread + greens and the dressing just didn’t work for this.  I munched it down anyway though.

Whole Foods had some awesome sales today that I couldn’t pass up.  The large containers of lettuce were $1 off.  I got 2 huge cartons of spinach and bagged 1 of them to freeze.  I squeezed all of the air out and threw the bags in the freezer.  I really despise frozen spinach that you buy at the store.  It has a really unappealing taste and is always completely loaded down with moisture. 

I won’t be making any salads with this frozen spinach but it will be perfect for my green monsters!

Here is where my addiction starts.  If you don’t own a food processor, you should probably buy one just to make these :)  But seriously…I use my food processor 2-4x a week.  They are a great investment!  I have this Cuisinart one and love it!

I present you with, Peanut Butter Doughballs!!

I wanted to play with the recipe from last week and see what other combinations I could come up with.  I worked on this peanut butter version for a little while.  The taste was great but even after adding extra oats they were not holding their round doughball shape.

I kept trying to fluff them up for their photo shoot.  It didn’t work.  Back into the bowl these went + then into the fridge.  On to recipe #2.  I was just planning on eating the pnut butter dougballs with a spoon! hehe

I think I stumbled onto something good here.  Very good. 

Hmmm…now for a name!? 

Cran Crunchy Nutty Doughballs [vegan] [they’ll keep you regular! ;)]

• 3/4c. walnuts + almonds, chopped
• 1/4c. brown rice syrup
• 1/4c. + 2T rolled oats
• 2T unsweetened flaked coconut
• 2T almond butter
• 1T maple syrup
• 2T chia seeds
• 1T coconut butter or oil [optional]
• 1/2c. dried cranberries
• 1/4t cinnamon
• 1/8t fine grain sea salt

1. Add nuts + dried fruit to the food processor and pulse until broken apart and chopped.
2. Add all other ingredients and turn processor on until thoroughly combined. [This batch didn’t turn into the typical large doughball in the machine but it wasn’t a problem.  I think it was from the chia seeds.]
3. Scrape down the bowl to and turn on a few times to make sure ingredients are incorporated well.
4. Since it wasn’t quite as sticky I had to form these balls instead of roll them.  Still super easy!
5. Pop ‘em in the fridge!

If you’re big on texture, these are for YOU!  Oh and the flavor was awesome too.  Chris really liked these.  He said they were better than the almond cranberry doughballs I made last week.  Sweeet!

1. I only made a 1/2 batch which worked easier in the food processor.
2. I used chia seeds for added health benefits + texture.
3. I used walnuts + almonds.
4. I cut the maple syrup by over half and doubled the brown rice syrup, for a more mellow sweetness.
5. I used coconut butter instead of coconut oil just as a test.  I think either work fine and you probably don’t need it at all with because of the oil from the almond butter.

serious.yum.action.here.

I couldn’t stand the thought of the failed pnut butter doughballs sitting in the fridge. 

Think….think….think…Idea!

1. add spelt flour [or any flour]
2. add chia seeds

All I can say is that it worked + I wish you could have seen Chris’s face when he tried one of these.  Where was the camera!?

Peanut Butter Crunch Doughballs [vegan]

• 3/4c. peanuts
• 2T maple syrup
• 1/4c. brown rice syrup
• 1/2c. oats
• 2T fresh ground pnut butter [jarred will work too!]
• 1/2t cinnamon
• 1/8t salt
• 1T spelt flour [any will do]
• 1/2T chia seeds

1. Pulse peanuts in the food processor a few times.
2. Add in all other ingredients and turn processor on.
3. Scrape down sides as needed and make sure everything is ground well + incorporated.  This batch turned into a large doughball in the processor.
4. Roll into balls + refrigerate, or SCARF!!!

Before you roll, it helps to pop the dough into the fridge for 10-15min to help stiffen it up.

It is hard to not go open the fridge door and gobble all of these UP!! mmmm  I’m not done here…I have more variety ideas!  Stay tuned!

Watch for a post mid-day tomorrow.  It’s late + this post is getting long…

Tomorrow:

1. DEElicious Vegan dinner
2. Running news!

Goooooooodnight!  Although most of you are already sleeping and just waking up and getting started with their day…soooo, Gooood Morning!!!

Aaaaaaaaand Happpppppppy Birthday to my lovely Laura!!! I love youuuuuuuu girlie! <3 <3 :)

~Ashley

p.s. I LOVE the weird stares I get at the park from running in my Vibram 5 Fingers..too funny!

Today I ran 2.75 in the Vibrams…Increasing a little bit at a time! My run felt great too!  Hopefully my feet feel good in the AM.  When I came home and got on the floor to Whittle My Middle.  I have about 2.5 more weeks to go.  Maybe I should have take “before” photos…oh well too late now. 

Whittle It:

• Front Plank – 60sec
• Side Plank – 50 sec each side
• Torso Twist – 24 reps with 10lb dumbbell
• Plank Ups – 16 reps
• Boat Pose – 1 set of 20 reps, 1 set of 12 reps
• Side Plank + Twist – 20 reps
• Bicycle – 50 reps

Aaaand I responded to comments late tonight…sorry bout that!

Comments

[Lauren]

I notice that 1/2 C of oats is just a bit too much for my tummy too. Plus I really like to add the mix ins and pump it up with things like applesauce or pumpkin so I find that 1/3 C. is the perfect amount.

I love your BALLS! :) LoL, I really need to just make some today because I can't take but to look and stare at their goodness for one more day. :)

Have a wonderful Tuesday hun!

[Kath]

FUN FUN!! I'm hoping to make these this weekend!!

[Teri]

Um, those doughballs look amazing. You are naughty for posting the recipes. :)

I transitioned my personal blog over to my new health blog this weekend - afoodiestaysfit.com - and have an entire page devoted to my boxer. Totally normal, right??

[Heather (Heather's Dish)]

i love seeing people run in the 5-fingers...they just look like they're floating :) i'm really needing to try the ball recipes, i need healthy snacks to take to work!

[Meg @ Be Fit Be Full]

I just got my husband a pair of Five Fingers for xmas! He hasn't tried running in them yet though. How do you get your toes in the fingers with socks on?
Oh, and I'm drooling over your doughballs!

[Morgan @ Healthy Happy Place]

those toe thingys are actually shoes? I've never heard of that before!

those balls look awesome. lol.

[Fallon]

Okay I think I have to make your peanut butter dough balls. They sound amazing! The only thing I need is peanuts and SPELT FLOUR! This flour seems to be popping up on many blogs and it being used in some wonderful recipes, I must get to Wholefoods ASAP!

How do you clean your food processor? I always hate to clean it after I use it, I feel like it never gets cleaned good enough.

[Katie (Sweet Tater)]

lovely balls! balls jokes just never get old...

[Sonja @ ActiveFoodie]

These doughballs are great, what a perfect little snack! I am also loving your pictures, they are so beautiful!!!!!!

[Ashley]

Yeah yeah!!!

[Ashley]

Rehehee ;) Oh yeah...totally normal, haha. I have thought about it too, believe me.

[Ashley]

You honestly feel like you're floating!!! [for the most part, hehe]

[Ashley]

omg omg I LOL'd at this!!! "how do you get your toes in the fingers" ;) That sounds HILarious + impossible!!!! Okay sorry..They make special socks with the toe dividers!! Great question, I'll post about it this week! Toooo funny how you worded it! Did your husband get sized for them? It's CRUCIAL to have the right fit...They should fit like a glove, hehe. Maybe I'll make a whole post about Vibrams and what I know about them...keep checking back!

[Ashley]

Why is "balls" such a funny word..well I guess that's a dumb question...every time I typed it I giggled...LOL...

[Ashley]

agreed. LOL

[Ashley]

Thank you SO much! Right back at ya!

[Ashley]

Thanks!!! You too!

[healthy ashley]

Your blog is so beautiful!! And the food is pretty good, too. I might be drooling :)

[Ashley]

Thanks lady!

[Beth]

ohhh those might be a good way for me to get more fiber in....Thanks for sharing!

[rachel]

have you considered trying chocolate pb banana doughballs? i might have to try that myself.