Remembering all the times I let my friends talk me into something.
Let’s get a tattoo! And why not add your boyfriends initials, who you’ll only date for three months and never see again!
Yeah, I did that (I didn’t say I was bright).
Let’s jump out of an airplane at 10,000 feet with barely seven hours of training AND not tell our parents until AFTER.
You’re welcome Mom.
Let’s do a 5k obstacle course through a massive conservation area, that uses muscles you thought long dead. Just. For. Fun.
Also, let’s do it chest deep in mud.
As it happens, that was just last weekend. Some friends had unexpectedly found themselves with an extra ticket to the Mudgirl Run and asked me to go. I thought, I’m so out of shape and I’ll hold these ladies back so it’s a horrible, no good, very bad idea. But instead, I’d love to go! came out of my mouth before I could stop myself.
And considering that exactly one year ago I couldn’t even dress myself after an accident, I’m so happy I did.
Maybe it was a bit silly of me, but I didn’t look at any previous photos before the event so I had no idea what to expect. But when we got to the first obstacle, I couldn’t believe my eyes. You want me to step, IN THERE?!
It was muddy. And so slimy. And slippery.
And so dang fun.
I felt so proud of myself after. I don’t give myself enough credit sometimes. My gosh, I’m only 49, I’m not dead yet! But the accident left me with decreased mobility, a huge loss of muscle and perhaps a little bit of a negative attitude?
Just a few hours in the mud with some hilarious gals reminded me that this body is pretty remarkable. And it works, sometimes not the way I want it to, but it works perfectly fine.
So even though I had to shower 3 times to get the mud out of my hair and go to bed at 7pm, I felt more alive than I have in the past year and so so satisfied.
And let’s not forget, HAPPY.
Life is good, even when it’s muddy. Have a great week friends,
Renee xo
You know my love of snackin’ cake runs deep. This is the perfect recipe to use up all the extra berries in your fridge at the end of the week. This one has raspberries, strawberries and a few blueberries. It’s a light crumb that’s just slightly sweet, that can be cut up for lunch snacks or plated with a dollop of cream for dessert. A great way to showcase all the pickins from the berry patch!
Any Berry Snackin’ Cake - *12 servings
2/3 c almond milk
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 eggs
1 1/4 c sugar
3/4 c oil (I use olive or canola)
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 c mixed berries (or use all of one kind), chopped if needed
whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment; set aside.
Add the almond milk and vinegar to a measuring cup and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a medium bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs and oil until light and fluffy. Whisk in the vanilla.
Add in the flour, baking powder, salt and almond milk and mix with a spatula just until combined. Fold in the berries.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan.
Serve as is or with a dollop of whipped cream. Store leftovers wrapped, at room temperature.
You’ve got to love a spatchcock chicken because it cooks faster and is so moist and juicy. Actually, as the kids were cutting it up I could hear, this is so juicy! I love the spice rub on top and how crispy the skin gets. I will often buy a few whole chickens when they’re on sale and keep them in the freezer just for this!
Grilled Spatchcock Chicken - *6-8 servings
whole chicken, about 3.5- 4 lbs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 /2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp parsley
The first thing you need to do is prepare the chicken. You’ll need to remove the backbone. Use a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut out the backbone and remove it. Then turn the chicken over and use your hands to break the breastbone and press it flat; set aside while you prepare the grill.
Heat your BBQ to 350F. You’ll be cooking the chicken on indirect heat, so only one side of the grill is on.
Back in the kitchen, mix all of the spice ingredients in a small bowl.
Use paper towel to pat the whole chicken dry. Drizzle the chicken over with the oil and use a BBQ brush to spread it evenly. Sprinkle all area’s of the chicken with the spice mixture.
Once the BBQ has reached temperature place the chicken on the indirect side of the grill. Let it cook for approximately 30-40 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Then transfer the chicken to the direct heat side (still bone side down) for an additional 5-8 minutes or so until the temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Move the chicken to a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Am I the only one on earth not to have made this salad?! I decided to try it based on the recommendation from a good friend. I used mint, parsley and onion from the garden. Yum!! It’s loaded with healthy fats and protein and flavour flavour! I love the addition of mint. Way to go Jennifer. This will be my lunch meal prep for the week.
Jennifer Aniston Salad -*4-6 servings
1 cup quinoa, dry
2 cups water
1 cup cucumber, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup frozen edamame, thawed
5 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Rinse the quinoa and add to a small pot with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes, Fluff with a fork and let cool for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl mix together the remaining salad ingredients. Once just slightly warm, add the quinoa. Mix well.
Serve warm or chill until ready to serve. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.