01 | August | 2014 | chocolate runner girl

I am doing my first LINK up for Five Things Friday! Yahoo! I have seen a few link-ups in the past few months and decided to finally join in! So thank you to Courtney (Eat, Pray, Run DC), Cynthia at You Signed Up for What and Mar at Mar on the Run for linking up with all this fun!

Today’s theme: What’s New!

1. For ~~a while now~~ years, I have had issues sleeping. I have tried a variety of items over the years, prescription and natural, and it always comes back to me not getting enough sleep.
I saw this tea over the weekend at Trader Joes, and combined with this organic lavender lotion, I have had a few better nights of sleep this week! Here’s to it working long term!!

2. The paste few months have been so nutty that my house has fell apart in terms of cleaning. And it has overwhelmed me in many ways. This week I started something new. Each day I work a little at a time, and by the weekend it shouldn’t be so overwhelming!

(This week I did a few days, and already feel less stressed….Let’s hope I can keep it up in the weeks and months to come!)

3. I added a new yoga mat to my life this week! I have been needing a new one for a while, and I did buy one recently, but it was too slippery for me, and I kept feeling like I was going to fall on my face during my piyo classes!

4. I also got a new mini foam roller! I need to foam roll more than I used to, and the foam roller I had was too big to travel with. This new one is simply perfect for traveling!

I also received a new AMAZING foam roller at work today as a sweet gift from my boss! THANK YOU!

5. In case you missed my earlier post today, I am part of a foodie link up that will be taking place over the next few months! Go check out some perfect picnic food!!
You can also check out the other link-up blogs: Farrah from Fairyburger, Montana from Pretty Lil Mudder, Emily from Whatever Floats Your Oats and Annmarie from the Fit Foodie Mama!

What is new with you?

Xo
Esther
-Chocolate Runner Girl-

Hello all and welcome to the FIRST (of many) Foodie Friday Link-ups! I am joined by Farrah from Fairyburger, Montana from Pretty Lil Mudder, Emily from Whatever Floats Your Oats and Annmarie from the Fit Foodie Mama! Today’s theme is the Perfect Picnic!!
Check out all these awesome recipes in the link up, and feel free to add any additional recipes you have!!

I love picnics! In the past week I have been on a few picnics with the twins I nanny! They have been really fun and full of adventures! I decided that I wanted to take a twist on some picnics that I used to have as a child with my family. The typical picnic was fried chicken, some sort of potato salad, fruit, and store bought cookies!
Well, I was inspired by the new Spicy Paleo Cookbook I won recently! So here is my grow-up version of a perfect picnic!

Coconut Chicken with Mango Salsa!

Chicken
2 chicken breasts
4 tablespoons coconut flour
pinch of sea salt
pinch of black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
4 TBS coconut oil

1. Slice chicken into strips
2. Mix flour and spices in a bowl
3. Beat 2 eggs in another bowl
4. Fill the third bowl with unsweetened coconut
5. Dip each tender in the flour mixture, then the egg and finally the coconut. Place on a clean plate
6. Heat coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add each chicken tender. Cook about 5 minutes on each side. Place on a paper towel.
7. Enjoy with mango salsa

Salsa (can be made ahead of time)
1 Red pepper
1 Mango
1 Small jalapeno pepper
1/3 cup honey
1 lime, juiced

1. Peel and cut the mango into small chunks
2. Chop red pepper into small pieces
3. Seed and mince the jalapeno
4. Mix all ingredients together and chill till needed

Zesty Carrot Dip with Raw Veggies

Carrot Dip (can be made ahead of time)

1 lb of carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 cloves of garlic
1 whole lemon, juiced
1 tsp hot chili power
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 TBS olive oil

1. Place chopped carrots in a saucepan covered with water. Bring water to a boil and cook for 15-20 min, or until the carrots are soft. Drain the carrots and allow them to cool slightly
2. Add all ingredients to a food processor, blend
3. Chill and serve with raw veggies

Raw Veggies
1 small bag carrots, washed
1/2 head of cauliflower, washed and chopped
1/2 head of broccoli, washed and chopped

1. Place carrots on a plate
2. Add broccoli and cauliflower to same plate as carrots
3. Enjoy with the zesty carrot dip

Watermelon
1 small watermelon

Cut up watermelon and place in a bowl

Brownies
This recipe I found on the Delighted Momma, and they have not failed me yet!

1 cup of almond butter
1 1/2 cup of grated or chopped zucchini
1/3 cup of honey
1 egg
1 tsp of vanilla
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1 cup of dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix everything together.
3. Pour into a greased 9×9 baking pan.
4. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.