Cookies and Crew

Hello, hello!
I'm still trying to figure out my new semester's schedule - which will explain my random and sporadic posting.  I really want to get back to 1-2 posts a day :( I miss it.  Don't worry, I'll work it out soon!

There has been tons going on around here!
New workouts, new recipes - my life has turned upside down!

Breakfast:
My favorite breakfast recently has been some form of cereal, peanut butter, bananas, and blueberries.  It's especially delicious when you get to the bottom of a pb jar and you get to fill it up with goodies and top it off with almond milk! Um, yum.

Each bite had the perfect peanutbutter - banana - cereal ratio and I was in heaven...
for about 3 minutes until I finished it :(

Carrot Walnut Cookies
Somehow, among all the chaos of the week, I found the time to do a little baking.
I stumbled across this recipe on the Whole Foods recipe page and it seemed like a winner - carrot cake is kind of my kryptonite, so I figured a healthier, cookie-version might be a good idea.
it was.

Adapted from Whole Foods Recipes

Ingredients:
1 cup raw unsalted walnuts
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 carrots, grated
1 apple, grated
1 very ripe banana, peeled and mashed
1/4 cup apple juice
** I subbed in pumpkin pie spice in place of ginger, 1/3 cup of egg substitute in place of the banana, and 1/4 cup of cranberry juice in place of apple juice. I also added a tsp of salt and 3 packets of sweetener - just because of the ingredients I had on hand.

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine walnuts, oats and raisins in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger. Add carrots, apple, banana and apple juice and stir until combined. Drop by rounded tablespoons an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets, making about 24 cookies. Press down on each cookie with the back of a fork to flatten slightly. Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Nutrition: about 60-80 calories per cookie (depending on which ingredients you use)

I enjoyed 4 of these cookies right out of the oven.... and kept enjoying them until they ran out!

Workouts:
I've been running again, thank goodness. 
I did a nice 8 miles on Wednesday and an easy 10.8 yesterday (Friday).

However, there may be a new workout in my future: crew team.
The lightweight crew coach has been trying to get me to join the team, so this past week I went to an "erg" workout - stationary rowing machine - and an on-water workout!!  It was sooooo cool!

I expressed my concerns about being able to maintain my running schedule while rowing, and the coach said he would work with me so I'd be able to do both.  I'm not 100 percent sure I'm ready for this commitment - and the 5 am practices, 4 times a week - but right now, it's something I'm up to exploring!!  It's certainly a good workout, and it's absolutely beautiful when you all row in sync.

Has anyone ever rowed before?  Crew team??

I'm off to nap! And head out for a run with Lisa before heading to work!
Who said Saturdays were rest days....