Started off with a terrible headache, but I stretched for awhile to try and loosen up my neck, and then went for a run. As I told you the other day it snowed here…2.5’ to be exact! The sun was out and the snow was vanishing…quickly!!

Dakota l.o.v.e.s. finding the spots where the sun comes in the sliding doors. If the curtains aren’t open she actually walks behind them [in bt/n the curtains and doors] and falls asleep. She may actually be a cat ;)

So anyway, I tried to go down the usual path I take, which turned into a 1 mile obstacle course run. I was dodging puddles of water, mucky mud, snow piles, and sheets of ice! =) I had to stop once I got to the part where the pavement turned to a gravel path. It was just too muddy and semi-dangerous. I hit the hilly neighborhood streets instead, and ran about 4-5 miles. [I need want a Garmin Forerunner watch!]

Did some crunches + pushups + then took advil! I decided I needed to make pumpkin bread…so I was off to the store.

Before heading out to the store, I made a Hemp Shake mudslide drink. It was not nearly as good as the one I made the other day. This flavor was “Amazon Acai,” and it just wasn’t as tasty. I added in 1/2 pear, 1/3 avocado, 1T coconut butter, 1c. vanilla rice milk. I also heated up 2 leftover Boxty potato cakes, from the other day…TASTY!!!

Ohhh yah, so I tried the O.N.E. Coconut Water before my run. Guess what? I liked it!!! Waaaaaaaaay better than the Vita Coco water! Woop woop..and it helped keep my cramps away! Still has somewhat of that weird slippery-er than water texture going on, but I could drink it easily without gagging, haha. Pink Guava has my seal of approval!

chug.a.lug.

I went to my typical shopping spot that has Natural Grocers – NOVO Coffee – Great Harvest Bread Company – Sunflower Market. I went into GHBC and got to sample their pumpkin scone, which is really not like a scone at all. It is definitely more of a muffin texture and was FABulous. If I wasn’t planning on making the pumpkin bread I would have bought a 3 pack for sure.

I got a pumpkin cappuccino at NOVO’s and the worker assured me he makes the best capp’s in the West. I think it was true. It was the creamiest, frothiest, best cappuccino ever! [outside of the ones I had in Italy!]

All of their syrups use pure cane juice too! =)

Have you guys ever tried the thinkThin bars? I only have once or twice and they just aren’t very good, in my opinion. They have that chalky-protein bar taste/texture. I saw these thinkPink bars advertised recently and some of the proceeds go to breast cancer research, so I have been waiting to find them somewhere. They are smaller than the thinkThin and the flavors sounded good.

I ate a bite of the honey oat…decent texture, okay flavor…but then after a minute I started to get a metallic taste in my mouth. It was pretty disgusting, unfortunately. Not sure what ingredient made that happen, but their ingredient list was pretty extensive. Anyone tried these yet? YAK. =(

I am however, REALLY excited, and pretty hopeful that this is going to be DEE.licious. During fall, I’m all about the pumpkin. During winter, I am all about the peppermint. I’ll let ya’ know how it tastes.

I got back from the store and started making the bread. I took my Pumpkin Bread Version 1 and decided to health it up quite a bit. Recipe to come soon!

Baking explosion. Natalie was super excited.

She had the idea to add bananas and pnut butter chips to the bread. Since she is the only employed one in the house, I try to keep her happy!! ;) I was making 2 loaves and am always up for a baking experiment. Instead of mashing the banana [like in banana bread] I cut 2 whole bananas into chunks and about 3/4c. pnut butter chips and stirred them into 1/2 of the batter.

Both loaves turned out SO good and were super healthy. The banana was an excellent addition and of course the pnut butter chips were great. I think I will almost always add the banana chunks to my pumpkin bread now. And, once in awhile, dk. chocolate chips or pnut butter chips too ;)

Natalie bought a bunch of candy and we waited for trick-or-treaters…I think about 10 came. Lame! Where were they?? We still had fun…reminiscing about childhood memories =)

Chris ordered some delicious pizza with sourdough crust and I had 2 different pumpkin beers. MMMM

Sometimes you just gotta’ indulge…it was worth it!

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale – super delicious, but not pumpkiny at all. The 2nd was one of the Punk’n beers, that I mentioned the other week. Strange that both refer to them as Punk’n + Punkin.

The bread was super moist and delicious. It almost looked like a chocolate or pumpernickel loaf, but I think it was just from the ground flax meal and whole wheat flour. I’ll get the recipe up soon with nutritional info as well. It’s a bit confusing because I have to adjust quite a few of the ingredient amounts for baking at the higher altitude.