Mountain Mother Runner

I am nine weeks deep into ultra training, which means the nutrition plan experiments continue. One thing that has become a favorite is this Hemp + Coffee Chia Pudding . There have been runs that I couldn’t fully prepare for, so I opted for something packaged and quick. Those runs also ended up with energy crashes, hunger, and GI issues. Yuck! The best way to train and be properly fueled is to plan ahead! When I’m on a long run, I want my food to be bite-sized, easy to chew, and moist enough that it doesn’t leave my mouth feeling dry. A batch of these Elite Beet + Hemp Bites are perfect for carrying in a vest or belt and are the perfect size to pop in your mouth. Dates contain 50% more potassium (by weight) than bananas, which is great for muscle recovery. The Hemp Hearts from Manitoba Harvest are a powerful addition to this snack. The amount used in this recipe contains 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of omega-3 and omega-6. How’s THAT for fuel?! BAM!  ...

I’ve been enjoying the magic of hemp hearts for the last four years of my life, and I plan to continue this love-love relationship we share. Manitoba Harvest recently launched some new, oh-my-goodness, tasty products including their Toasted Hemp Seeds . My experience of eating hemp foods has mainly been hemp hearts (aka hemp seeds that have been shelled), hemp oil, and hemp protein powder, but not the whole seed. They are a little larger in size, are crunchy from being toasted, and pop when you bite them! These little guys come in two flavors, either Sea Salt or Sriracha. After a long run, I like to “treat” myself with food that’s yummy AND healthy. My hangry self doesn’t like to wait on cooking and I need to eat something, like now ! Smoothies are definitely my main squeeze as post-workout food, but other times I enjoy actually eating instead of drinking. One of the many awesome perks of toast is how versatile it is. Do you want it for breakfast with sprouts and a fried egg...

Hemp + Coffee Chia Pudding…need I say more?! Since I’ve started training for my first ultra, I have also been experimenting with nutrition. How much do I need to eat before heading out for a long run? What does my body require as fuel mid-run? Besides these questions, what are you supposed to do when you wake up WAY TOO EARLY for a normal human being to be hungry? I’m not sure about you, but when my alarm sounds off at 4:30am, food does not seem appealing. After forcing myself to eat something, I half consciously stumble out into the chilly morning and spend the first two or three miles waking up. There has to be a better way…oh wait, there is! The Hemp + Coffee Chia Pudding has become the ultimate pre-run fuel! Not only does the caffeine wake you up, the hemp hearts and chia seeds give you sustainable energy for your workout/run/race/day as a mama. Real ingredients for a tasty treat! *Exciting news!* Recently, I was selected to be a Manitoba Harvest brand advo...

Happy one year Blog-iversary to PNW Mother Runner! It's been one heck of a journey so far. (You can read the first, original post here ) We've created tasty treats, tried out new workouts, ran many races, and explored dirty trails! To celebrate, I'd like to share this delicious Nuun Energy Cherry Limeade Smoothie recipe with you! There is a noticeable difference in my runs when I drink the Nuun Active versus Nuun Energy. If I am focusing on speed work or am feeling tired/sluggish, I definitely reach for the Energy. It provides me with the electrolytes I need for a good recovery, along with B Vitamins and green tea extract to give me that extra boost! Being a mom can make you very tired before switching to "mother runner" mode. In case you didn't know, Nuun has a variety of products created to hydrate and fuel you, based on your different needs. They offer Nuun Active , Nuun Energy , Nuun Vitamins , and recently released Nuun Performance . Active r...

Oh don't mind me...I'll be hiding in a corner stuffing my face with all of these Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins! They are soooo tasty and a great way to sneak more veggies into your (or your kiddo's) diet. Instead of using egg as a binder, this recipe uses an alternative flax meal "egg substitute". Flax meal is simply ground up flax seeds. These tiny seeds are a great source of fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids, and protein! Another treat that I've used flax substitutes in are these Walnut Flax Cookies . Pin this recipe for later!  Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins ·          1 Flax “egg substitute” (1 tbs flaxmeal and 3 tbs water) ·          2 cups oat flour (2 2/3 cups rolled oats) ·          2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted ·          1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ·          ½ teaspo...

Striving to find a balance of healthy and tasty can be controversial in our household. Depending on who you ask (ahem...me) a cookie can be yummy without sugar, then ask someone else (my husband) and it might be a different story. Our 2 1/2 year old toddler is the biggest critic and if she gives something her stamp of approval by eating it while asking "more, more please" then I claim success !  We live in a society drenched in sugar, hidden in secret places and being labeled as unfamiliar terms. I try my best to be aware of what we are feeding our daughter and prefer to prepare her food at home, from scratch (mainly), and limit sweets for special occasions. Her first birthday cake was a homemade vegan cupcake topped with plain Greek yogurt and wild foraged blackberries. Her second birthday was a cupcake with actual icing from our local co-op, but she didn't even eat half of it! So far she's growing up without much of a sweet tooth and I have zero problem with...

We are nearly a month into 2017, so how are your resolutions going? Have you been keeping them up? I had quite a list of resolutions (are people supposed to do that?), with majority of them going strong, and a couple that didn't stick quite as planned. One of the most common New Year's resolutions is to eat better, in hopes of improving your health! My family eats all sorts of kale salads throughout the week and I'm always trying out new combinations. Whether you are wanting to eat healthier foods or you simply want to try something new, this Winter Kale Salad with homemade Kombucha Dressing is simply delicious! Pomegranate seeds and blueberries are both high in antioxidants, walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, kale is a great source of plant protein, and the Kombucha Dressing contains gut healthy probiotics! For the salad: ·          1 bunch kale (de-ribbed, torn in bite sized pieces) ·        ...

Breakfast is a pretty big deal in our household. Mornings can be hectic trying to get the little one fed after waking up with just a little bit of time to cook food for my hubby, before he leaves for work! I seriously love these Grain-Free Banana Pancakes because they are healthy and SUPER fast to make. Having a child typically means bananas and eggs are always on deck in the kitchen. They are both great beginner foods that are nutritious and easy to eat. Since Eisley doesn't eat meat (and lately is refusing beans), eggs, in addition to nuts and seeds, are important for her protein intake. Instead of flour, these pancakes use almond meal and hemp seeds! Yummy pancakes = happy toddler! Banana Pancakes ·          1 large banana ·          2 eggs ·          1 tbs hemp seed ·          ¼ c almond meal ·  ...

Are you feeling more than full after the Thanksgiving holiday? I know that the roasted turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, stuffing, cranberry sauce, jalapeno cranberry sauce, and homemade pumpkin pies have left me feeling full, sleepy, and unmotivated. As a mom, I am all about convenience. Having these Kombucha Kale Cubes in the freezer helps making healthy smoothies quick and rewarding! Each cube is about 1 oz and contains probiotics, protein, iron, and many vitamins. Toss them into the blender with some fresh fruit and your choice of liquid to have a tasty green smoothie. Enjoy! Have you ever made frozen cubes to add to your smoothies? What are your favorite combinations? print recipe Kombucha Kale Cubes for Smoothies by Emily Renteria November-25-2016 Easy and delicious cubes of Kombucha and Kale to toss into your morning smoothies! Ingredients 6 cups Kale 2 cups Kombucha 6 tablespoons Hemp Seeds ...