SUP and Summer Wrap Up

It really was like a switch flipped on Labor Day! Seems that the seasons have changed from summer to fall in just one week! Here's the weekend/week recap complete with links to a couple of recipes...

On Labor Day weekend, the Sailor and I managed to play tennis twice (yay for finally getting out on the courts) AND, at long last, I crossed off stand-up-paddle board from my Summer Bucket list. I wanted to try it when I was in St. John, but none of the beaches I visited had boards for rent. Then the Sailor and I attempted it two other times- weather/wind and work interfered. I was just starting to think that it wasn't meant to be when we got out on the lake on a picture perfect, calm day.

Jillian "Shark Girl" Morris

Although the Sailor had 10:1 odds on me falling in, I managed to stay upright! It's a core workout for sure but it's low impact so I felt like I could have paddled for hours. In short, it was super peaceful and much easier than I expected. Stability is certainly a challenge at first, but a friend gave me a great tip to start with your feet fairly wide apart on the board and take shallow strokes. Once you get the feel for being on the board, you can adjust...but even though I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable I was on the board, I'm not ready to jump on the yoga SUP train yet! Maybe someday...

I know it's a fad, but I loved it! If we lived in a climate where I could use the board more than once-in-awhile, I'd go out and buy one tomorrow. The board itself was a lot bigger than I expected and a little unwieldy. Plus there are the issues of storage space and transportation. sigh. 

And to wrap up the summer, I made this 3-ingredient soft "ice cream" with coconut milk, cocoa powder and agave (subbed for the stevia). It's really a recipe for a mousse, but I popped it in the freezer overnight and then let it thaw a bit (15-20 minutes) to make it more like soft ice cream. The verdict- it was ok. It definitely was more of a mousse than ice cream. The Sailor didn't like the consistency, which admittedly was a little chalky, and it wasn't really very sweet. It was healthier than the sugar/carb packed real deal, but sometimes the real thing is much more satisfying.

This weekend, I started putting out some fall decorations, sorted through some clothes in anticipation of the summer- fall closet switch out, and was back in the kitchen. I made banana blueberry bread from Cooking Light. The surprising ingredient, "grits," give it a different texture than regular banana bread and make it really hearty. Some of the reviews suggest substituting Quaker Oats, pulsed in the food processor, for the grits. The recipe is a keeper though, and I'll be making it again...maybe with oats next time.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana
• 3/4 cup blueberries
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, grits, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine oil, banana, blueberries, and eggs; add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist.

Spoon batter into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool bread in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

And, poof, just like that, summer was gone...