Lululemon FunRun and RunningBrooke Updates

Posted by runningbrooke at 8:06 PM |


Hello Alexandria and Arlington (and beyond!) Friends and Neighbors-

I know a lot of you have been wondering where I've been -- hello favorite mother-in-law -- and what I've been doing ;0 ...  I'm  actually not too sure myself, and scratching my head trying to figure out where a full week has gone...

We'll start from today -- since I can still remember today -- with our AWESOME FunRun out of the Lululemon Arlington store.  Great mix of runners for an easy 4 1/2 miler.  Stretching exercises (by moi), foam roller demonstrating (again by moi) and banana bread eating (by tout mes amis).  This is my now-famous recipe -- haha! -- that I gave to my Lulu friends...

If you're not a cook and don't feel like slogging through my cooking humor, skip to the bottom for the updates and latest press!


Banana Bread

Yield: Makes 2 loaves
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:
  • 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour.  I use King Arthur 100% Whole Wheat Flour -- my picky eaters don't care that I use the whole wheat...  It still has all the good stuff in it (wheat germ and bran).  It is never bleached or bromated and made from 100% US grown wheat and the company is 100% employee owned.
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda - I use Arm & Hammer.
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon - I use whatever brand I have around of varying quality.
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt - for baking I use regular Morton Salt because I like the cute picture on the box.
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes.  I use my farmer's brown eggs whose hens have been roaming around and pecking in the dirt eating bugs and other things I probably don't know about.
  • 2 1/3 cups sugar -  Ok, that's A LOT of sugar.  I use about 1 1/3 cups sugar and it is plenty sweet.  I do use evaporated cane juice as a replacement for white, refined sugar.
  • 1 cup vegetable oil -  Again, that's A LOT of oil.  I use about 1/3 to 1/2 cup.
  • 3 cups coarsely mashed, very ripe bananas (6 large).  The older and grosser, the better, and sometimes I'll puree a zucchini or carrots or pears and toss 'em in there.  Believe me, no one will know.
  • 1/4 cup creme fraiche - I never have that in the house so I always use my farmer's half-and-half or his creme cheese.  The same amount.  Whatever I have the most of and whatever I need to get rid of...
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla - I do splurge here and get it from La Cuisine in Old Town.  Find them at www.info@lacuisineus.com
  • 1 1/3 cups walnuts (4 ounces), toasted and chopped.  I use semi-sweet chocolate chips here instead of walnuts.   They'll eat anything with chocolate chips!
 Special Equipment: a standing electric mixer.  Don't need it but makes it a lot easier!

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter 2 (9 by 5 by 3 inch) metal loaf pans, then dust with flour.  I spray my pans and have used glass, metal, and ceramic with equal success.

Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a bowl.  I put everything in a bowl first and then whisk it around.

Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl of electric mixer at medium-high speed until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beater is lifted, about 10 minutes -- I never time this step.  Reduce speed to low and add oil in a slow stream -- careful here, you can make a mess! -- then mix in bananas, creme fraiche and vanilla.  Remove bowl from mixer and fold in flour mixture and walnuts gently but thoroughly.  I use the mixer for this step to...

Divide batter between loaf pans, spreading evenly -- I give each pan a little shake/shimmy on the counter -- and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, -- good tip -- about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.  I set the timer for 74 minutes and we're all good.

Cool loaves in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack.  Turn loaves right side up and cool completely.


RunningBrooke Updates
  • one week away from my next marathon in the great state of Nevada!  Red Rock Canyon just outside of Las Vegas with an elevation that is likely, again, to kick my b***.  The race director is a fellow Lululemon Ambassador.  I plan to connect with her and drop by the Vegas store.
  • working on TV and Newspaper press...
  • secured another 'Ten in '10' Sponsor.  Welcome Sean McEnearney!  www.seanmcenearney.com
  • working on RunningBrooke 2010 Kick Off Party on St. Patty's Day
  • meeting with Alexandria's mayor on Tuesday!
  • aqua jogged 3x last week.  Hello pool friends and wrinkly fingers!

RunningBrooke Press (New)

Saturday, February 27, 2010

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