Protein pancakes and a run

In my day job, I work at a wellness clinic that just so happens to sell 180nutrition protein powder.

I'm not so big on powdered food, especially not when I can get all my nutrients and essential amino acids from cupcakes and coffee (This is scientifically correct, I know this for a fact, because cupcakes are the bombdiggity and not you nor the institution can tell me otherwise!).

But after hearing where 180nutrition comes from, how clean and unpretentious their product is, I decided I would give it a go.

I tried it first in an almond milk milkshake in the chocolate flavour, and it was...interesting.

The product is not ground smooth, so you're picking bits of sesame seed and flax out of your teeth afterwards.

The great part of this protein mix is the taste. It's actually delicious--nutty, chewy, and hearty in a good way.

Stuff like muffins, pancakes, breads, stir-fries would do great with the addition of this powder.

So I decided to make pancakes this morning.

I read through 180nutrition's pancake recipe, but I'm not nearly paleo enough to have coconut milk in my fridge. I basically added some of this, some of that, and up with this mix:

mostly 180nutrition coconut protein powder
some flour
a scoop of brown sugar
a teeny bit of baking soda
1 egg
whole milk until it's goopy
more butter than you think is adequate

If you don't understand my recipe measurements, then you obviously need to spend more time in the kitchen.

The pancakes cooked up really well.

They came out perfectly. I made a blueberry sauce (frozen blueberries and brown sugar cooked until...well, saucy) and drizzled honey over the entire plate.

They were really tasty, but dry. They sucked up the blueberry sauce like little delicious sponges, which was a good thing.

Next time, I will try less protein powder and maybe another egg to moisten.

After our sugar-protein-calorie-fest, Steven and I went to caffeinate it up at a local Aussie coffee shop, Gloria Jean, which is strangely from America? I say "strangely" because they seem to pride themselves as an Aussie owned and operated franchise.

After some errands, I decided to offend the good taste of the North Sydney running community with my blue/purple/red outfit.

I was so surprised to see that my elevation gain was actually quite modest.

I felt as if I had been climbing mountains (MOUNTAINS!), but Garmin Connect failed to register that.

Post-run glow-in-the-dark socks and a big smile. I'm so glad my knee is better, because I love running!

My stats:
2.47 miles
27:41 minutes
11:14 min/mile av pace
elevation gain 229 ft (wtf?!)

I didn't know Instagram was this much fun!

I really don't consider myself a technology noob, not when I'm comfortable switching Apple-Android-PC-Mac as often as I do (Steven is Mac, I'm PC).

Remember these awesome ads?

But by Golly, I didn't realize how much fun this Instagram business is!

LOOK AT THESE!

Have you ever seen such a glorious bowl of Cheerios?!! HAVE YOU??!

Do you see what I did in this one? I FRAMED IT!!! I FRAMED MY LUNCH!!

 It even makes me doing yoga at home in front of my laptop EXCITING and ROMANTIC and INTERESTINGLY-HUED!

Is Twitter this fun too?

Btw, you can follow me on Instagram now! My name may resemble something like Morethansevenpairs..... look me up!

My Knee Hurts...Again

I've been plagued with a bum right knee for ages, but I only really noticed it when I started practicing yoga nearly 3 years ago.

Since then, it's been on-again and off-again. I can't really say that it's ever healed completely. Recently, with my daily home practice, I've been getting closer and closer to a pain-free ardha padmasana (half lotus). I do this with a lot of care and attention each time I move my knee in an external rotation. I thought my work was paying off.

However, yesterday, something triggered a deep ache in my right knee that I can't seem to shake.

Every step today has been worrisome and painful: downhills, uphills, stairs, even just standing still--it all hurts my knee.

Steven and I came home early from a day out.

He made dinner, and now I'm calling it an early night. Hopefully I'll wake to a healthier, happier knee.

Yea or Nay Sunday

1. Three Dollar Donuts

Naaayyy to overpriced disgusting fried dough.

2. Kids in Giant Balls in a Pool of Water

How can you not say HELL YEA!

3. Ninja Bread Men

If this isn't obviously YEA! then there is something wrong with you.

4. Tickets to the Australian Ballet at the Sydney Opera House

Let me hear your Big YEEEEAAA!!

And last but not least...

5. Indian food, namely, Palak Paneer

If I'm not hearing a YEA from you I don't think we can be friends anymore.

Beautiful run and delicious lunch

I set out for an early evening run today to conquer the trail I couldn't find previously.

Well, I did it. I found it.

Ok, I took take a little detour...BUT I STILL FOUND THAT BITCH.

SEE?

This roughly 2 miler loop is called Balls Head Reserve (yes, ha-ha, I know). 

It's incredibly beautiful. 

You start on a gum-tree-lined residential street with the bay in the distance.

Then, the houses end and you get to a peninsula jutting out into the river. This is the start of the loop. To your left is the gorgeous Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

You have a choice here, to continue onto the shorter route along the road, or take a trail.

Sorry for the blurry picture...I was trying not to trip over my feet. 

The trail ends far too soon (I think I was only on it for 5 minutes?), and you exit onto the main looping road. There are gum trees everywhere, and the smell of eucalyptus in the air is refreshing and invigorating. 

I wish Balls Head was bigger so that my run wouldn't be so short. 

Yes, I did just wish for a bigger Balls Head (giggle, sorry I'm 14-years-old apparently). 

No run would be complete without my compression socks. 

I'm loving these socks, by the way. I really do think they help me recover faster, with less soreness and stiffness the next day. 

However, I haven't tried them after a long run, since I'm limiting my runs to no longer than 2.5 miles these days anyway. 

My stats: 

2.25 miles

25:36 min

11:23 min/miles

On a completely unrelated note, I made some yummy food the other day: rice paper wraps!

For the all-important sauce, I bought that shameful Plum sauce hiding in the back. It's horrible, dreadful stuff. Don't use it. Don't waste your money. You're better off licking dishwasher fluid.

Instead of poisoning myself with plum crap sauce, I combined Vegetarian oyster sauce, honey, lime, and chopped parsley. Delicious.

This makes an incredibly easy lunch or snack. 

Douse the rice paper wrapper under the sink for just 3 seconds, set it on a plate. 

Layer on some fresh lettuce, spinach, or whatever green you like. But you MUST remember the Thai basil. That shit makes this so yummy you'll want to slather it all over your face. 

Then, if you have some tofu, cashews or eggplants, put those in too. 

Spoon in some sauce, and wrap it up. 

Go to town. 

V-day in the Haus

So it turns out my boyfriend doesn't just sit around, eat fried chicken, and scratch his armpit hairs, eh? 

Because isn't that what men do on Valentine's Day?

Not mine! He got me a bag of coffee.

A pack of Caramel Tim Tams (by far the best version).

And a scrunched up face of joy.

The best part may have been the water bottle EXACTLY LIKE THE ONE I LEFT IN CANADA.

No wait, the best part may have been this:

Unfortunately, these turned out nowhere as good as Prairie Girl Bakery back in Toronto. Why is it so hard to find really good fresh cupcakes in Sydney? And can someone ship me a Prairie Girl to bake me some awesomely soft and fresh red velvet with cream cheese frosting please? Or ship me this girl. That's cool too.

Anyway, I got Steven a couple of ties because all the moving had ruined one of his nicer ones.

Not sure if he likes them...seeing as how they're kind of hard to match with shirts. Who knew that ties would be that hard to buy?

Steven wrote me a wonderful card: 

"Dearest Sandy, 

Roses are red & violets are blue

These are the givens that we take to be true

But not our relationship,that I don't take for granted

Just like a strong tree, it's not enough to be planted

It must be cared for and nourished and given plenty of food

So on this Valentine's,

If you're keen we'll go for some curry, possibly green

Be my date and you'll be in for a treat

Desserts are a-plenty if they survive this heat."

And then we went out for curry. 

And it was green.

How was your Valentine's Day?

I'm the new kid on the block...that is, I'm lost.

Today's run was sure to be a good one.

Slightly overcast with a cool breeze.

Plus, I would be running on roads I've never ran before, seeing as how Steven and I just moved to this 'hood. So there was no way I'd be bored.

I ran past a park, and then I reached a bay-side running path that used to belong to BP oil plant.

The scenic path ended far too soon. I climbed a set of stairs to get back to the main road.

Back onto asphalt, I started seeing road names that reminded me of a walk/run I read about in a book.

Here's the map from the book:

I didn't know which way to turn to get to the Reserve, and before I knew it, I was back at the train station.

Here's my run:

Next time I go out, I'm going to bring the book with me...or a map.

My stats:
Time: 22:38
Distance: 1.80 miles
Average pace: 12:33 min/mile