Guest Post, Frozen Sunbutter Fudge, and Sore Muscles
What do all of the above have in common?
Absolutely nothing. Who cares though, right? Onward to the fun…
First, if you didn’t see my post from yesterday (how dare you!), check it out… and while you’re at it, click on over to Go Dairy Free where I have a guest post today. This post includes the Sweet Mint Dessert Pesto recipe that were featured in the Chocolate Mint Pesto Brownies from yesterday. (If that doesn’t send you traveling, I don’t know what will) π (Thanks, Alisa! You know you’re awesome.)
That being said, let’s move on to the Raw Freezer Fudge that was created while my baking hiatus was in process.
(Sorta) Raw Frozen Sunbutter Fudge inspired by The Spunky Coconut and Raw Food/Real World recipes for raw(ish) freezer fudge
- 1 1/2 cups sunflower butter
- 1/4 cup raw cacao powder/unsweetened cocoa/ or carob
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 heaping spoonful of melted coconut butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- dash sea salt
- 1/2 cup almond butter
Combine all ingredients through to sea salt together in a bowl, mixing thoroughly. When combined, stir in almond butter until swirled and just mixed in (this isn’t for any particular reason, just for fun swirls..).
I’m not sure words can justify how delicious this is. Seriously. Make. It.
Fun add-ins:
- dried fruit: goji berries/raisins/cranberries/cherries
- chips: chocolate chips/carob chips/butterscotch chips/mint chips
- extracts: chocolate/mint/almond/etc.
- spices: cinnamon/cayenne/chili powder/coarsely ground black pepper/cumin/pumpkin spice/cardamom/curry
- ENDLESS posibilities
Since I always bake pretty healthy (e.i. gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, usually), I had some requests for some “real cookies” including the, in my opinion, unnecessary counterparts: White sugar, white flour, butter.
Ok… Betty Crocker wins.
Betty’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 oz unsweetened baker’s chocolate
- 1/2 cup butter or oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups flour
- powdered sugar for coating the outside of cookie dough
Melt the baking chocolate and stir in all wet ingredients including the sugar. Add the baking powder and flour. Mix again. Set in fridge for 45 minutes to harden a bit.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into balls and coat with powdered sugar. Bake for 10 minutes. Easy.
And that leads me to Sore Muscles, which I currently have.
True and completely random story: I was poking around on my CrossFit group’s blog for some pictures to add going with the sore muscles talk and I found this… OF ME! haha. Wow. I had no idea… and really, what kind of form is that?
Story done.
Sore muscles… we all get them (hopefully from exercise). But what I want to know is how I got every muscle in my back sore with yesterday’s workout of front squats. Intriguing.
Workout: Front Squats
- 3 sets of 3 (increasing weight with each set)
- 3 sets of 2 (still increasing)
- 3 sets of 1 (finding max effort) THEN…
- 60% weight of max effort: do 3 sets of 3 with speed and explosion
Then, do 5 rounds of the following for time:
- 10 kettle bell swings (35#)
- 8 dumbbell thrusters (20-25#)
- 6 burpees
- 200 meter run
So why is my back sore???
I can tell you this, I put all my effort into those front squats yesterday and you know this to be true when you are coming up (from out of the hole) and you start to get tunnel vision/light headed from the strain and heaviness of the weight. And my quads are telling me that I put the effort in. π
… and I just had to post this because it’s freakin’ awesome.
That would be box jumps. And that would be a dude (at my gym) completing a jump onto a 28″ box stacked with a ridiculous amount of 45 # plates. I can jump like 26″… so sad.
Good exercise reads?
Munchies, Muscles, and Mischief: Any and all of her posts. (Christine, I love your blog… it’s like a good kick in the ass. Which most of us need.)
MuscleHack: Just great info.
Good stuff reads?
Blog Catalog
I like the workout! Strength training is great for your muscles and for the whole body. To provide enough nutrients for active workouts I am taking Navy Seal Formula manufactured by MGNutritionals. I was always opposed to all kinds of chemicals, but this supplement contains natural compounds, like siberian ginseng extract and caffeine. Never expected that supplement would provide such a tangible result, but for me it works perfect.
I donβt normally comment on blogs.. But nice post! I just bookmarked your site
Lori,
Yum! Great frozen fudge recipe with SunButter. I tried it with cinnamon and pumpkin spice over the weekend and it was fab. I cut the carob back a bit. Next time, I’d add nutmeg, too–it takes more than a pinch to compete with the SunButter flavors. Thanks for a great post! If you’re interested, we’ve got a recipe box full of SunButter creations online: http://bit.ly/9Pm79a
~ Elizabeth
(And in my barbell class tonight, I’m getting near a mirror so I can see my head during squats. Now you have me thinkin’….ha)
THanks for the awesome guest post Lori! And for that great sunbutter fudge recipe – yum, I will so be making that! You are the no bake queen π
Cute pic – um, you’re just using your head for momentum, right? π
.-= Alisa´s last blog ..Giveaway Today β¦ =-.
Congrats on doing a guest post at Go Dairy-Free!
I just had my first guest-poster yesterday π
Raw + pistachio + honey looks like an AWESOME pesto! And I love the inclusion of brazilnuts in the dessert one.
The freezer fudge looks AMAZING, and those chocolate crinkles are picture-perfect. π And that dude’s jump is ridiculously impressive.
.-= Amber Shea @Almost Vegan´s last blog ..Guest post- Almost Vegan Boyfriend! =-.
WOW…that fudge looks so good:) I love recipes that are adaptable!
You look awesome in that pict…so strong!
I’ve got sore muscles today too..I actually like being sore as I feel like I’ve accomplished something in my workout. That’s my 2 cents anyways.
Great workout! And that last picture ROCKS…I would have jumped right into all those weights HAHA!
.-= melissa´s last blog ..Walnut-hazelnut picking! =-.
omg!!! YES YES YES! fudge made the natural healthy way!!! this is soooo yummy looking, i miss fudge too- i definitely will save this and remind myself to make it, its totally worth trying out!! YUMSSSSSSS
Freezer fudge. I totally totally totally want.
.-= Joanne´s last blog ..Apple- Sausage- and Brie Pizza on a Pumpkin Pizza Dough Crust =-.
Okay I really craving me some ooeey gooey chocolate cookies fresh out of the oven. too bad I am too lazy to make them…wish I could steal some of yours ; )
Love the workout photo! You look so focused.
Oh that’s so funny – your yesterday’s post is totally fleshed out now! When I read it, it was really just a bunch of links. So I guess my comment barely made sense… I’ll have to go back and read the rest.
But those pesto recipes look just scrumptious. Especially the dessert mint one. Now I sense a pairing with a dessert peanut butter-based hummus (?with choc chips?) I saw on another blog a while back for some serious decadence. Your fudge looks delectable, btw, and I like that you mention all the possible add-ins too.
Amazing workout photos – and if that guy (who must be bigger and taller than you) is doing 45 and you can do 26, that sounds pretty incredible too!
love
Ela
.-= Ela´s last blog ..Back Home – To Winter! TSA Pet Peeve- And Finding My Voice on Blog World Controversies =-.
Also – hot picture! (Of you, not the guy…but he’s pretty badass too.)
.-= Katie´s last blog ..Iβm impulsive =-.
My guess is that you were probably pulling with your back while doing the squats. If you make sure to put most of the weight in your heels, all the power should come from your quads and glutes. Or, same thing with the KB swings; I’ve never done them, but I hear it is easy to use back muscles with those. I’m a nerd, and that might have been a rhetorical question….
The fudge – of course it is good with 2 cups of nut butter! And that Betty knows her shit.
.-= Katie´s last blog ..Iβm impulsive =-.
That workout takes tons of scapular stabilization. Go, girl! (also… fudge?! lord help me. we’re going to be dangerous if we ever end up in the same kitchen.)
.-= Anne´s last blog ..lets get it on =-.
hot damn this looks good!!
And those workouts are so intense. Especially jumping onto a 2 foot stack of weights… buncha crazies <3
.-= Lauren @ WWoB´s last blog ..Two quick and easy lunch ideas =-.
Have you ever made raw sunflower seed butter? I’m wondering if you could just food process the heck out of them and make a butter. That fudge is calling my name!
.-= Michelle@ Housewife in the Raw´s last blog ..A Few of My Favorite Things =-.
Holy smokes that fudge looks out of this world! Oh my goodness I cant get over how thick and lovely it looks! And let me just say, that guy is a BEAST! I am seriously speechless.
.-= Kat´s last blog ..End the Fat Talk =-.