This week kicked me in the teeth. That pretty much sums it up. Workouts happened in that I ran and did some strength and yoga but I wouldn’t call it training since the runs were more for sanity and decompression than anything else (although my Garmin told me I’m peaking for the second time since running the Berlin Marathon so there’s that). Let me just say raising a teenager is no joke. My parenting skills were tested more this week than ever before. Having the Caveman gone didn’t help either. I’m stressed out but still breathing so there’s hope, right? We’ll get through this.
Enough downer stuff. There were good things too, as there always are, IF we are willing to look for them.
After not cooking too much of anything all summer, I had a fall cooking/baking jag, from which came some lovely soups, a pumpkin streusel coffee cake, snickerdoodle cookies (Thing 2 and a friend made those), and because I try to be mostly healthy, Snickerdoodle Protein Bites, which I’ll share with you in a sec.
I attended the WOW Summit. It’s a 2-day conference that was held in the Chicago area this year. The first day was filled with really good blogging seminars. The second day was about parenting and raising healthy kids, along with a nice big expo where we could hook up with brands. I learned some things and made new friends and connections. With all the chaos swirling around this week I had second thoughts about going but I’m glad I went.
As of Saturday, our basement rehab is FINALLY FINISHED!! Since the flood back in June, the entire subterranean level has been a devastation zone, including the pain cave. I was beyond sick of sharing my home with workmen in the basement every freaking day for over a month but finally FINALLY they are gone! We’ve yet to get the new furniture, rugs, etc. configured down there but it won’t be long. I’m just so happy to have the house to myself again.
Alright, about those Snickerdoodle Protein Bites. When Thing 2 and her friends made snickerdoodle cookies, a lightbulb went off as the fragrant cinnamon smell wafted from the oven. What about a healthier take on a classic cookie? That’s how these Snickerdoodle Protein Bites were born.
They’re super easy to make with a few of my favorite ingredients from Now Foods. No baking necessary. Just a couple of these babies satisfies my sweet tooth and keeps cravings at bay. Try them for yourself and let me know what you think.
| Snickerdoodle Protein Bites | Print |
- 1-1/2C Almond Meal (coconut flour also works well)
- ¾C Nut Butter (I used almond)
- 1 Scoop NOW Vanilla Protein Powder
- ⅓-1/2C Honey
- 2T NOW Coconut Infusions Non-Dairy Butter-Flavor Coconut Oil
- 2T Cinnamon
- 1T NOW Coconut Sugar
- ½t Vanilla Extract
- ¼t Salt
- Combine first five ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Add in vanilla, salt and 1 T of the cinnamon.
- Form into 18 balls.
- Combine 1T cinnamon with 1T coconut sugar
- Roll each ball in the cinnamon/sugar mixture
- Chill until set and enjoy!
- Can be stored in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
How do you shake off a hellish week? Did you race? What’s your favorite cookie? Be sure to join us for the Tuesdays on the Run Linkup where we’re talking all about fave fall running gear!
I’m linking up with Tricia and Holly for the Weekly Wrap, and with Deb and Sarah for Meatless Monday.
Those protein bites sound very tasty but I would not normally buy those ingredients and sounds like it would be expensive to make. That blogger seminar sounds fun, even though I don’t have any kids I’m sure there were plenty of other great info there.
Love snickerdoodles and those protein bites sound good! Congrats on the basement being finished! Must be nice to not have the workers there.
Sorry you had a rough week! I definitely use running when I have a tough week and it was so hard to deal with stress when I wasn’t running. This recipe sounds delicious!
That is one of the benefits of living in a big city — cool stuff happens! That conference sounds fun, and hopefully you got some tips from it to help with the teenager, too.
My favorite cookie is peanut butter with chocolate chips or triple chocolate or pretty much anything that involves chocolate. 🙂 I don’t bake cookies too often, though, because that is definitely one of my weaknesses!
The 2 day conference sounds really cool! Sometimes you need to make a little time for yourself! I need to get off my butt and try some of your recipes- they would made great snacks for work!
Raising teenagers is not for the weak! You have my empathy and my ear anytime you need it. You know I’ve been there.
I am so sorry I couldn’t go to the conference with you. Damn work….
Raising teenage girls is always challenging but they do come around in the late teens. Hang in there! These do look like a nice treat post run. Thanks for linking up for meatless Monday. One of these years I will have to make it to the summit
Sounds like a fun conference.
Glad my stepsons are grown and on their own. But they are boys and raising them was pretty painless.
I don’t bake often but I do love Christmas cookies with lots of butter – so healthy! NOT!
All I can say is hang in there. I certainly was a PITA in my teenage years and had my moments.
These look like the perfect fall pick-me-up! I’m sorry you had a rough week, though. I hope this week is better 🙂
Believe it or not, I have never made protein bites. Ever. And I have seen so many tempting recipes….I think there are just a few misc. ingredients that I don’t typically have on hand…and I keep forgetting to look for them when I’m at the store…yadda yadda yadda. I need to change that!
These look delish! Snickerdoodle is my favorite. 🙂 And I love that you call your kids Things 1 and 2. I do the same! And the grandbabies are GrandThings 1 and 2. haha
HUGE HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, those bites would help me! 🙂
Sounds like a fun conference and yay for your basement being finished! I’m a chocolate chip cookie fan but also love snickerdoodles. Your snickerdoodle protein bites sound yummy!
Yum to these- pinned! There is always sunshine I think- You have to see it otherwise life can get too overwhelming! Hang in there- I can say that, see, since mine are just approaching that age!!
These look so good! I tend to do more cooking and baking when the weather gets cooler so I’m looking forward to making these!
Those Snickerdoodle bites looks so yummy. I’m printing it out to give it a try!
Gosh, it’s always when I hear Moms of girls speak of the teen drama that I’m most thankful for having raised 3 boys…. they have their own set of worries inherent to them but nothing like my friends who have girls have talked about. I feel for you …it’s hard being a girl Mom and probably even harder being a teenage girl in this generation!
Those Snickerdoodle Protein Bites look amazing! I’m gluten-intolerant but from your list of ingredients it looks like they would be safe for me, so I’ll give them a shot!
I don’t have a teenager yet, but rather a THREEnager who is driving me up a wall at the moment!
I’ve got no wisdom about raising teens, except just hang on tight. They do grow up. When we were little, my sister and I made Snickerdoodles all.the.time. — probably because our Mom always had the simple ingredients on hand. My, that brings back memories. The protein bites look delish. Thanks for linking!