Cooking up a storm

The rainy weather today has forced me inside. Too wet and cold to run, I am grateful that I got 7 miles under my belt yesterday as it looks like there is more rain in the forecast later this week.  Greg and I also managed to squeeze in a short hike this weekend (when the weather was still warm and fair) to count as our November hiking date.  We returned to the Thompson Creek trail and found a path called the Sycamore Trail that headed into the foothills, it seems this path links up to Johnson’s Pasture, which perhaps we will explore during our December hike. If you continue a few hundred yards beyond the junction, you will find your hike cut short, so next time we'll take the steep path up the hillside when we have more time and see what we find.

Glad to have had an active Saturday, which ended with an awesome 90 proof show (Greg’s band) at the local pub, we were glad to have an excuse to spend a lazy day indoors today. As the skies darkened and the clouds burst, I fired up the oven and set to preparing a plethora of tasty treats.

I started by trying out a recipe for brunch.  I’ve been craving pancakes but I still feel lighter and more energized when I stay gluten-free.  So I tried this recipe for Paleo Pancakes which I found on Pinterest.  I tried to follow the link, but it was no more.  So I can’t give credit to the author of this recipe but it is very simple.

1 ripe banana (mashed)

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp cinnamon

Stir all of the ingredients together with a fork.  Heat a skillet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. (I used the coconut oil version from Trader Joe’s.)  This mixture made about 4 pancakes, they were not easy to flip but even as messy torn discs they were delicious.  I served them with fresh blueberries and raspberries from the Farmer’s Market and a little real maple syrup. 

As the wet weather persisted throughout the day, I took the opportunity to prepare many delicious dishes for the busy week that lies ahead.  I baked my usual cereal to serve as our breakfast for the upcoming week.  I also created some gluten-free mini cheesecakes of the salted caramel variety to delight us for dessert. While the oven was hot, I roasted some beets for an autumn salad to take for our lunches, along with the leftovers of the cauliflower cheddar soup I cooked up for supper.  

I think I was inspired to prepare all of this food for several reasons.  First of all, we had watched The Hobbit earlier in the week and as the rain poured down this afternoon, we cued up The Fellowship of the Rings.  I am always delighted by the hobbit tradition not only to consume second breakfast but several other meals throughout the day; elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, supper and dinner.  Even after consuming plentiful meals at two Thanksgivings, I find that with all the yoga and running I am doing, that I often go to bed and wake up rather hungry.  Knowing that I’ve got a yoga teacher training to gear up for next weekend, I figured I would embrace my inter Hobbit and stock the larder.

In fact I’ve been so wrapped up in this Hobbit ideology of multiple meals today, as I was typing this blog entry tonight, my husband went so far as to call me, Bilbo Bloggins.  As a Tolkien fan,  I can’t think of a better nickname.