Will Run For Mud & Port Roasted Chocolate Cherry Creamsicles

chocolate cherry goodness

What do mud & chocolate cherry creamsicles have to do with one another?  Nothing really.  Surprise. But I do love chocolate cherry creamsicles almost as much as I love climbing through mud puddles on my stomach.

 The  Miners Mayhem  a local 7K obstacle run didn't have creamsicles but it did have lots of mud, hills, obstacles and some really awesome volunteers.  If you haven't participated in an obstacle run this would be a great place to start.

If you are considering participating in and adventure race here are a few tips that you might want to consider (a few of these I learned the hard way):

1. Outfits make everything better.  So does glitter.

2.  When designing your race outfit you might want to forgo anything that absorbs water and involves a glue gun and safety pins (e.g. a carrot made out of pom poms and an arm band made out of a dish towel).

3.  Make sure that the spandex that you wear doesn't stretch as it gets wet.  I apologize to anyone who was behind me as I hiked up my pants. 

 4.   Do. Not. Wear. Cotton.  Ever.

5.  Sign up for the right wave.  You don't want to find yourself crying your eyeballs out at the top of a climbing wall (climbing walls are scary!) while someone uses you as a stepping stone.  This didn't actually happen (the stepping stone part anyway) but I could see how it might have.  Everyone seemed to be great about encouraging each other when someone was having difficulty with an obstacle.

6.  If you are running with a team make sure that everyone has the same expectations.  No one wants to feel like they've been ditched or like they are holding their team back.  Our team motto was every woman for herself.

About those creamsicles.

Port Roasted Chocolate Cherry Creamsicles

(4 creamsicles)

1 1/3 C greek yogurt, almond yogurt, or full fat coconut milk

1 C frozen sweet cherries

1/4 C port

1/3 71% cocoa Camino chocolate bar grated

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Place frozen cherries & port in a pie plate along with port.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly.  Mash cherries with potato masher before combining with greek yogurt and grated cocoa or if you prefer a smoother texture combine yogurt and cherries in a blender and blend until desired consistency is reached then add chocolate.  Place mixture in popsicle moulds.  Wait impatiently until frozen.

Thunder, Super Carrot & Super Turtle  (not sure what's up with those spirit fingers)
photo courtesy of www.aegdesigns.ca 

Will Cycle For Rhubarb Creamsicle

Rhubarb Creamsicle

It's kind of hard to believe that you can't really get better at cycling by not cycling.  Oh, you knew this already? 

While cycling isn't nearly as scary as lake weed, water snakes, and drowning I still somehow manage to find a hundred and one reasons not to get on my bike.  I should mention that using more than one gear and wearing bike shorts makes a world of a difference. 

On Sunday's ride a concerned citizen was kind enough to provide us with some comedic relief as we were climbing a hill (after crossing the centre lane of course).

She wanted to let us know that she was okay with us cycling BUT that she lived on the road that we were cycling on and that she was going to call the police!  We were riding three in a row (a single file line actually)  We were clearly very menacing.  So. Much. Spandex.  A bike gang? 

What does all of this have to do with rhubarb creamsicles?  A friend mentioned that her freezer was where her leftovers went to die before she tossed them in garbage reminding me of the 20 + bags of rhubarb in my own freezer.  

What's hiding out in your freezer?  Rhubarb creamsicles I hope.

greek yogurt + rhubarb compote 

Rhubarb Compote

(makes approximately 1 2/3 C)

3 C sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb

1/4 C apple juice concentrate

2 gala apples peeled and chopped

Cream

1 1/3 C honey sweetened greek yogurt

OR

1 1/3 C full fat coconut milk (it must be full fat)+ 1 T agave nectar (or sweetener of choice)

Combine all ingredients over medium heat in a small sauce pan.  Use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to mash rhubarb & apple.  Allow to simmer until desired consistency is reached.  Allow to cool before combining with yogurt or full fat coconut milk.

Combine 1 1/3 cup of honey sweetened greek yogurt or 1 1/3 cup of full fat coconut milk & 1T agave nectar with 1 1/3 C of  compote.

In popsicle moulds layer yogurt or coconut mixture with leftover rhubarb compote.  Add your sticks.  Place in freezer until fully frozen (wait impatiently and resist the urge to check to see if they are frozen).  To remove from moulds place mould in warm water.

Share with your favourite dog.

If I look hungry enough maybe I'll get some yogurt.

Will Run For Kale Party Salad With Ginger Dressing

Kale Party Salad With Ginger Dressing

Kale party anyone?  I needed a kale party after spending an evening dress shopping.  My shopping partner wasn't too keen on the kale party.  She might have said something about it being the equivalent of a 5 am, shift work, double crust sandwich kind of party.  Apparently not everyone loves kale.

On that note, why must sales people insist on asking how you are doing while standing outside your change room door just as you attempt to silently thrash your way out of the fancy party dress that you are trapped in? 

 If you were fine you would have stepped out of the change room with dress in hand.  Clearly, you are not fine.

Instead you are inside of the change room with one arm in your dress.  The other arm is plastered close to your body and stretched out above your head trying to manoeuvre a sharp object out of your purse so that you can cut yourself out of the dress if need be.  

Note to self: remember body glide when dress shopping.

Kale Party Salad

1 bunch kale ( approximately 8C)

3 C colourful coleslaw (green cabbage, carrots & red cabbage)

1/2 red pepper thinly sliced

Sliced Strawberries (optional garnish)

black & white sesame seeds (optional garnish)

Wash kale & remove stems.  Tear into small pieces.  Add colourful coleslaw, & red pepper.

Ginger Dressing

(approximately 1/2 C)

1/4 C rice wine vinegar

2 T olive oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1T Bragg (or soy sauce)

1 T chopped fresh ginger

1 clove garlic chopped

1 T agave nectar (or honey)

In a small frying pan heat olive oil.  Add garlic & ginger cooking until fragrant.  Remove from heat add sesame oil.  Slowly incorporate rice wine vinegar, Bragg and agave nectar into olive oil mixture.

Allow dressing to cool slightly and coat kale (you will likely have extra dressing).  Garnish salad with sliced strawberries (or tangerines) and sesame seeds.

oh, kale!