“Hmm you know what would be really effective?  If they set up hibachis right in front of the treadmills!” *Giggles to self*

“yea, yea and I will yell my order out as I’m running, then the chef will calculate the calories for my order and tell me how long I have to run to burn it off.  He’ll start cooking and the sight and smell of the food will propel me to keep running!”

I think I spend too much time at the gym because I’ve been having those sorts of crazy “entrepreneurial” ideas… Do you guys ever find yourselves coming up with some random thoughts while exercising?

On to the treats!

Somersault Snack Co.

This is my “full disclosure face”

I got two free samples of Somersaults all-natural snacks simply by clicking on the company’s website — one snack for me, the other for my twin (and you can get a free sample here, too!).  I’m writing about them because these are so good I would seriously purchase them if they became more widely available (i.e. available at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods). They are described as “crunchy nuggets with sunflower seeds & toasted grains” and there are three flavors available: chez cocoa, s.s. sea salt & salty pepper.  They are about the size of a nickel and taste like little sunflower encrusted crackers.   The texture and taste are amazing.

The above flavor, Chez Cocoa, is sweet in a very SUBTLE way.  It is in no way sweet as in “dessert sweet.”  But it is damn good.  So good that I ate the entire bag and then realized that the serving size on the back was for TWO servings not one.  Yikes! One bag has a total of 300 calories, 12 g fat, 6 g fiber, 12 g protein *le sigh* I had thought I was only eating 150 calories, so, honestly, I would suggest to Somersault that they adjust the nutritional info. to reflect one serving, not two, as the size of the bag resembles a snack-size and one might be compelled to presume it’s one serving.  In other words, please make your nutritional info. idiot-proof for yours truly.

In order to provide a more rounded opinion on these snacks, I had my boyf try the above flavor, s.s. sea salt. He said they were the best “freebie” I’ve gotten so far.  He thought the sunflower seed taste was the most prominent flavor and he really liked them.  One bag has 300 calories, 14 g fat, 6 g fiber, 12 g protein.

You can purchase these snacks via the website for $1.79/2 oz. bag + shipping. Or, you can find them at select stores (Pete’s Coffee where I live…).

Two New Home-Made Sweet (& Wholesome!) Treats

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from the Whole Foods’ Market recipe here

The big cookie was the boyf’s idea

Ingredients

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter –1517 calories, 130 g fat, 15.5 g fiber, 64.7 g protein
• 1 egg — 74 calories, 5 g fat, 0 g fiber, 6.3 g protein
• 2/3 cup honey – 640.20 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 1.1 g protein
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Nutritional information for one cookie (36 total): 61.98 calories, 3.75 g fat, 0.43 g fiber, 2.0 g protein
  

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Line cookie sheet with foil, spray with Pam
• Stir together all ingredients
• Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet, pressing lightly with the back of a fork. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly set
• Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling
• These cookies are fantastic — so easy to make and they do not taste like a “health food”

Orange Quinoa Burst
Inspired by the Quinoa Pudding recipe here

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa — 636 calories, 9.9 g fat, 10 g fiber, 22.3 g protein
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries – 280 calories, 0 g fat, 4 g fiber, 0 g protein
• 2 cups orange juice — 220 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4 g protein
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Nutritional information for entire recipe: 1136 calories, 9.9 g fat, 14 g fiber, 26.3 g protein
  
• For one 6th of the recipe: 189.33 calories, 1.65 g fat, 2.33 g fiber, 4.38 g protein
• This is a great way to get the excellent benefits of quinoa, but the orange juice flavor is very prominent, so if O.J. is not your thang, this will not be for you!

Directions

• Place quinoa in a sieve and rinse thoroughly. Allow to drain, then place quinoa in a medium saucepan with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover pan with lid, lower heat, and allow to simmer until all water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Mix in all other ingredients. Cover pan and allow to simmer for 15 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Have you guys tried quinoa?  How often do you bake and what’s your favorite thing to bake? Have a wonderful day!

<3, The Cranky One