Sweet Summer Treats

Happy Thursday!

I’ve been making some delicious summer treats with the extra time I have had on my hands while I continue on in my career search, which I’ve been promptly sharing on my health Instagram (@chowidohealth). I have gotten many requests for recipes, so here I am attempting to please you lovely people!

***Disclaimer: most things I make, I am able to make educated guesses from previous experience with certain foods, and sometimes I don’t write everything down that I do. So if I’m not following an already established recipe, chances are I’m guestimating measurements and what not, but I shouldn’t be too far off!

First up is a hearty breakfast involving these yummy things called oats. As much I have been trying to stick to bounds of raw fruit in the morning, I do recognize that oatmeal breakfasts give me the most sustained energy for my mid-morning workouts. In efforts to get creative, I thought up this fun spin on traditional oatmeal!

Blueberry-Banana-Date Oatmeal Bake

Obviously I had to immediately taste test 😛

• 1.5 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup ground flax meal
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 ripened banana
• 1/2 cup blueberries (up to you)
• 3 medjool dates
• Cinnamon (how much do you like cinnamon?!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together flax meal and water. This will serve as your binding agent. Stir. Let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Mash ripened banana to a creamy, non-clumpy consistency.
4. Mix together oats, creamed banana, flax-water combo, and stir together.
5. Pull apart medjool dates into pieces and add in. Mix.
6. Add in blueberries. Mix.
7. Add in as much cinnamon as you prefer. Mix.
8. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes. (Watch them, because cook time will vary based on oven)

Make sure to let them cool once done cooking! Those berries get might toasty. Enjoy! And if you’re feeling extra indulgent, smother the top with a nut butter of choice. 🙂

Peanut-butter Chocolate Chip Brownies (Vegan, GF) – adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

So moist & rich!

• 1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup natural maple syrup (honey or agave works too!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all natural unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt, if desired
• 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I use the Enjoy Life brand)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Oil 8×8 inch pan. (I rubbed a dab of coconut oil all over)
3. Cream together peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and applesauce.
4. Add chocolate chips into batter, and mix well.
5. Pour batter into pan and place pan in oven for 18-22 minutes.

They are vegan, so no need to worry about them cooking all the way through! Take them out whenever you desire, depending on how gooey you like ’em.

I mentioned last post that I would be creating a What I Eat in a Day blog post, like this post last winter, as my next feature, but as much as I take pictures of food, I can’t quite seem to remember to take a picture of every single thing I eat and I want to be the realest I can with you all. I’m determined now though, so hopefully you’ll be seeing one very soon!

As for now, I’ll be living up the rest of my summer…maybe at home, maybe at a brand new place! Only time will tell.

Let the earth be your pantry and life be your jungle gym!

Where’s the most creative place you’ve worked out?

I’m out. Chow!