Pruney

What up hooligans? I hope your weeks are off to a fantastic start. I don't know about you, but my Monday started off with a little extra pep in my step thanks to some sunshine filled deck time on Sunday afternoon. 

I can almost taste you summer. 

Last night I spent a solid 90 mins plus in the kitchen getting after some serious food prep. I would say my favorite item that came out of it was hands down my paleofied version of banana prune muffins. 

You heard me right, prunes. 

I'm a fan of prunes, and raisins, and dates. Pretty much all food. Now if you're a prune hater, that's fine, but let me encourage you to actually try them if you haven't within the past few years. I feel like they get a bad rep for absolutely not reason at all. 

Banana Prune Muffins

-1/2 cup coconut oil

- 2 ripe bananas

-1.5 cups of almond flour/meal

-2 eggs

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1 tsp baking soda

-1 cup chopped pitted prunes

Let's be honest, I'm no chef. I literally just mashed/mixed all that stuff together in no particular order, poured into muffin liners, baked at 350 for 15-20 mins, and gobbled them up. Delicious, moist, healthy.

In case you forgot, I'm linking up every Tuesday in May with Rebecca and Chelsea to present to you a favorite sweaty exercise. This Tuesday is favorite arm/upper body workout. 

I gotta be real; I'm not an upper body girl. I've been working on it, and I'm starting to take some pride in the little bit of tone I've gained. I don't have an entire arms circuit that I follow; I tend to mix push-ups, tricep dips etc., into the interval-type workouts that you've seen me do. 

bicep is that you!?

My single favorite arm/shoulder/back/core workout? Plank rows. 

"Kait that's cheating you only like it because it incorporates ab work too." 

Sue me. 

man does she look pumped to be doing plank rows.

I typically hit plank rows with 10 lb dumbbells, 15 if I'm feeling sassy. Start out with a weight you feel comfortable with - even 5 lbs works. 8-10 reps each arm, rest, repeat. I normally go through it two to three times. 

Get it girl/dude.

Cheers to some sweaty rows, followed by some prune muffins- 

Kait

An InLinkz Link-up

Crammin'

This is going to be fairly short because I still haven't packed, or worked out today, and both of those things are non-nonnegotiables on my to-do list.

Am I the only person aware of this?

Do you like my nails? They make me happy.

100% frozen sweet potatoes people. In your freezer, ready to go at any moment. So of course, I saw this as a challenge and added it to my overnight oats this past week...

Make fun of me all you want, but seriously, don't knock it 'til you try it.

Cranberry Sweet Potato Overnight Oats

-1/2 cup of rolled oats
-Handful of frozen cranberries.
-2-3 small chunks of frozen sweet potatoes
-1 TB cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
-1 TB of honey OR I used some cranberry apple butter that I happened to have on hand.
-Enough milk to cover all ingredients in container/bowl. I use almond milk.

Mix well, make sure the oats are completely submerged, let sit overnight. Enjoy a Thanksgiving-ish breakfast full of nutrients to start your day!

I played in the big girl gym yesterday morning before work, after spin class. I've found I'm much less intimidated to creep around the weight room at 6:30 AM when it isn't chocked full of testosterone-crazed men. Just bein' honest.

I did a 10 min workout of the following, as many reps as possible. (AMRAP)

-5 cleans
-10 deadlifts
-20 reverse lunges
-20 air squats.

Good stuff... I'm sore today, hence my date with the pool.

THE WEATHER WAS BEAUTIFUL YESTERDAY. IT MADE ME SO HAPPY.

Running out of work yesterday afternoon :)

Andrew's dad is in town, and we went up to the inner harbor for an outdoor dinner near the water last night.

THE DRAGON BOATS ARE OUT!

OK, I'm out the door peeps. If anyone has any advice as to how to cram my life into a large suitcase and two small duffel bags, please do share. I have to pack business attire for the still chilly Chicago climate next week, and then a full-fledged cowgirl wardrobe for my 4 days in Colorado.

Have I ever told you guys how much I love Colorado?  ;)

Okay, for real, bye.

Cheers to traveling, and the weekend, being sore, and pretty weather!!