baking & boots

A few weekends ago, I committed to attending the REI Garage Sale with my boyfriend.  This event allows you to purchase slightly (or aggressively) used apparel and equipment at a faction of the cost.  We got a late ticket time, so it was slim pickings by noon.  I was on the hunt for hiking boots and a puffy down coat.  My puffy coat dreams will have to wait, but I did manage to find a pair of Lowa hiking boots for $100!  Colin told me that was steal for that brand, especially since they didn’t even appear to be used at all.  I swallowed the vomit that spending $100 on hiking boots brought on* and made the purchase.

I also found a pair of Smart Wool long johns for $5.  SCORE.

Took these bad boys for a spin around Sloan Lake this morning.

boots

I am one step closer to not dropping loads of dough on hiking and camping equipment.

#coloradolife

I also spent the weekend cooking and baking up a storm.  I have a giant bag of Made in Nature dried figs that I purchased from Costco.  They stopped carrying the dried mango (WHY??!  WHYYYYYY!?!), so I thought these would cut it.

Although delicious, they are not, in any way shape or form, the same as dried mangos.

NOTHING is as delicious as these dried mangos.

Except tacos.  Always tacos.

I knew I needed to make something with my JUMBO bag of dried figs, so I present to you…

APPLE FIG CRUMBLE

(gluten and dairy free if you wanna be)

crumble

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  • Grease a 9×9 pan with Kerrygold butter (or coconut oil)
  • In a blender/food processor mix
    • 1 cup gluten free oats
    • 1/4 cup raw almonds
    • 1/4 cup pecans
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar (mine was rock hard so I blended it)
    • 2 tablespoons cinammon
  • Mix your oat puree with 1/4 cup chopped up cold Kerrygold butter (or dairy free) to create your crumble.  I used my hands**, but you could also just add this to your blender/food processor.
  • Set aside and cube
    • 3 Fugi apples
    • 1 cup Made in Nature dried figs
  • Mix in 9×9 pan with cinnamon to taste***
  • Add oat crumble to the top of your fruit and cinnamon mix.
  • Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until crumble is browned just the way you like it.

ENJOY!

crumble close up

*DISCLAIMER:  I have since learned that these boots retail for almost $250.  This makes me feel much better about life.

**DISCLAIMER:  Don’t be gross. Please wash your hands.

***DISCLAIMER:  I accidentally dumped about 1/4 cup of cinnamon into the pan.  I do not recommend you do this, as it is all you will taste in this recipe.

my love affair with sweet potatoes

Do you have one of those foods that you could eat endless supplies of?  Mine is tacos.  And pizza.  But for performance foods AND tastiness, my body has a love affair with sweet potatoes.  My friends tease me for it, and I seriously question how I haven’t taken on the shade of an Oompa Loompa .

oompa loompa

For my weekly meal prep, I regularly roast up broccoli, sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts.  It’s easy and OH SO delicious.  Roast any vegetable and I’m totally okay with it.  During the month of February (and slightly into March), I completed the Whole 30.  Meal prepping went to a whole new level when you have to look for added sugars, no legumes, no dairy, etc.  I like to think that I eat relatively clean anyway, but I had to get creative!

One of my favorite go-to meals was SO easy and my boyfriend (who did NOT complete the Whole 30 with me) LOVED it.

Crockpot Meat Sauce

  • 1 jar spaghetti sauce (Whole 30 compliant..I LOVED Raos Homemade)
  • 1 box of mushrooms chopped
  • 1 lb ground meat of choice
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon coarse ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
  • handful of fresh basil chopped

sauce

Seriously just throw that shit in the crockpot on low for 6 hours and you’re in heaven.  I would usually pour it over spaghetti squash, but I was recently reunited with my spiralizer and tried sweet potato noodles!!  Oh my gosh.  GAME CHANGER.

I present to you

Swoodles

swoodles

  • Peel two sweet potatoes
  • Spiralize the shit out of said sweet potatoes
  • Sautee over medium heat with olive oil and garlic powder for 7-10 minutes

 

ENJOY!