Back To Rock Climbing

This morning Matt and I went rock climbing at the Delaware Rock Gym.  I hadn't been in a couple of months, but Matt has been going with a friend once a week for the past couple of weeks. I decided to give it a go again and see how it went.  I'm glad I made it to the gym yesterday and this was the perfect chance for me to mix things up and get a really good upper body workout. And it's pretty fun too.

Yea my eyes are closed...

My forearms are killing me now and my hands are super sensative, but it was worth it.  When we got back, I whipped up a salad real quick and we sat down to watch Love Actually, one of my favorite Christmas movies.  Then I started on dinner, homeade whole wheat pizza!!

As promised here are the recipes for the cookies that I made for the cookie exchange last night.

First I made Pumkin Cranberry Muffin Tops. I actually made these once previously and loved them so I decided to make them again.

Then I made my own peppermint bark (which I'm obsessed with).  I based my recipe off of the one I found at Peanut Butter Fingers.

Recipe:

8 ozs Bakers brand semisweet chocolate

8ozs white chocolate

1/2 tsp canola oil

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

3 crushed candy canes

First I melted the semisweet chocolate in the microwave for 30 second intervals mixing in between until it was all melted.  I then mixed in 1/4 tsp canola oil and spread the chocolate evenly on a baking sheet lined with tin foil that had been sprayed with Pam.  I then stuck this in the fridge until it hardened.  Then I did the same thing with the white chocolate adding 1/4 tsp canola oil and 1/2 tsp peppermint extract and then spreading it over the dark chocolate.  Then I sprinkled the candy cane peices over it and stuck it back in the fridge and broke it into squares when it had hardened.



Craving Pumpkin

Today was a blur! Busy day at work with a birthday lunch for a coworker smacked in the middle.  We went to a vietnamese restaurant in Newark.  I had never had vietnamese food before, but it was pretty good. I went safe and ordered the  chicken and mixed vegetable.  It sure was filling, so I stuck with just a peanut butter and apple butter sandwhich for dinner with a banana on the side before I went to the gym.  The gym was much less crowded than Monday! I think all of the post thanksgiving workout people have already given up lol.  I did 25 minutes of weight training and 40 minutes of cardio.  I broke my no running rule and ran for 20 minutes and loved every second of it. I did some small intervals but kept it at an easy pace just in case. But my foot feels good! I finished with 20 mintues on the bike at level 8 on the random setting.

Last night I was craving pumpkin like no other. Sometimes you just have to feed the beast! haha. I found a recipe for Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin Tops.  I think pumpkin and cranberry are amazing together so this was perfect for me. I adjust the recipe for what I had on hand and they came out perfectly.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin Tops (from fANNEtastic food)

dry ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

wet ingredients:

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup applesauce

1/6 cup dried cranberries

1/6 cup maple syrup

1.5 tbsp egg whites

1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately.  Then add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.  Form 12 small cookies.  Bake for 15 mintues on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper at 350 degrees.

YUM!! It was just what I needed. Healthy and satisfying!