Oats, sneaks and bark
3 blog-related things from the day:
1.) The return of savory oats
I say “oats” but it’s really Bob’s Red Mill hot cereal… oaty enough, though.
Seasoned with nutritional yeast, garlic, sea salt, cayenne, and topped with a slice of goat gouda + the last bit of Nana’s famous egg casserole
2.) New kicks!
I usually wear sneakers until they die, and my old Asics have been dead for quite a while. It’s amazing how new cushion feels! A little tip: it’s a good idea to have different shoes for different activities, since they’ll wear down the shoe unique to the activity, plus different styles have different purposes. For example, if you’re a runner, keep your running shoes separate from your cross-training/weight room shoes.
Those are the Asics GT2160 (my favorite style for running/walking) and I guess the 2170 just came out? Found them at the BX, so I’ll call it a win.
Another win:
3.) Peppermint bark! 
I have been dying for peppermint bark for the past week or so, but didn’t know how time-intensive it would be- I’m always a little apprehensive when I make something for the first time. I was going to just go to William’s Sonoma to get my fix, but when I found out how easy it was to make at home, I had to give it a whirl.
I followed *this recipe* pretty much exactly.
Melted the chocolate chips:
spread into an even layer, and put into the freezer to set
pounded out some candy cane pieces
(“First, I went through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest…”)
melted the white chocolate over a double boiler (or a simmering pot of water with a salad beast bowl resting on top)
added vanilla and mint extract to the white chocolate
spread the white chocolate over the dark chocolate layer
added the crunched up peppermint pieces on top
and into the freezer to set again.
It came out pretty much exactly how I was hoping, but I didn’t put the candy cane pieces on the white chocolate fast enough. Apparently you have to move quickly, because most of the candy cane has fallen off. I guess that means I have to try again.. tragedy, right? 😉
The funny thing is that I don’t really love white chocolate –ok, I love all chocolate, but prefer dark over white.. white makes my teeth hurt- but I love me some peppermint bark. Something about the crunchy bits of peppermint make my heart happy, and also give me an intense sugar buzz before teaching (like today).
White chocolate or dark?
Are you loyal to a particular sneaker for working out, or do you like to switch it up?
I’m off to bed!
See ya in the morning with a booty blaster.
xoxo
Gina
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pep bark makes me insanely happy. you should add sprinkles. 😉
oh i love that idea!
Peppermint bark is the most amazing thing ever, after your lovely macaroons that is!
mmmm sounds good!! I haven’t been able to find dairy free white chocolate, and I tried to make it last week with no success 🙁
Ooh I’ve never heard of bark but anything peppermint is fantastic in my books
yumyum!! Believe it or not but I’ve never ever eaten peppermint bark, I want to try now though because it looks and sounds delicious 🙂
I’m an equal opportunity chocolate eater. 😉 But if given the choice, I’d go for dark chocolate.
I’ve never made my own peppermint bark but I’ve been furiously eating Lindt’s version.
100% dark. Though white chocolate can have its moments too.
Thank you for the recipe! I shall try it out.
As for sneakers-I think I have more pairs than shoes for work! I love me some new sneaks.
Love peppermint bark; so seasonal and makes for great homemade gifts. As for sneakers…the past few times, I’ve bought mine off of Rue La La or Gilt. I just bought new Saucony’s for $49 bucks. Keep your eyes out!
I am so loyal to Nike Air Vomeros. I started wearing them ages ago…and now they’re on version 6. I remember when they were just Air Vomero. Now it’s Air Vom 6!
Your bark looks great…I just made Crack. I mean bark 🙂 yesterday, too !
it is crack! 🙂
Mmmmm, peppermint bark, so yummy!
I’m an Asics lover myself but run in the Nimbus, love, love, love them. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, is what I tell people when they ask me about changing shoes. 🙂 Stick with what works and you’ll avoid injuries!
I too love peppermint bark and dark chocolate but not white. I buy it at Costco (ha, imagine that). It’s a ginormous tub for $10 so it’s good to give some away or freeze some but they make it onsite and it’s good! I’ve abstained so far this season. But I will cave soon!
Definitely an Asics girl (Kayanos). My flat over-pronating feet need lots of support!
I can’t eat much white chocolate. It makes me feel sick to my stomach after a few bites. I like milk chocolate but I LOVE dark chocolate.
i have those shoes…same color and everything! got them once-worn at a race expo for $50. usually stick with asics, but i bought a pair of mizunos at the same time, just cuz they were such a steal. 🙂
anddd dark chocolate. definitely dark.
I am in the middle of finals and today I drove 20 miles to the nearest Williams Sonoma JUST for peppermint bark. It never even occurred to me to make it. This looks fabulous.
To prevent the peppermint pieces from falling off, do you think you could quickly mix them into the white chocolate after removing it from the heat, or would it just melt them and ruin the crunch?
Catherine,
That’s what we do–mix the peppermint pieces into the melted white chocolate. It works great and you don’t lose your peppermint pieces!
Found our recipe on the internet–supposedly Williams Sonoma’s recipe.
you girls are so smart. i definitely need to do that!
I just got the same exact ones and I can’t believe how much better they feel than what I was rockin before.. Nothing like a fresh pair 🙂
I have those exact same sneakers and love them!!
I definitely prefer dark chocolate over white chocolate. The white stuff is just way too sweet! For running shoes, I absolutely love the Brooks Adrenaline series. I’m in need of a new pair pretty quick!
white chocolate, White chocolate, WHITE CHOCOLATE!!
This is too great – was literally just looking up a recipe for pepermint bark last night! I ended up making a chocolate stout cake instead (guys b-day) but this will be next!
thank goodness for working out so I can eat all this stuff!
Annnnd I wear the exact same running shoes. I have them in pink and in blue ; )
And dark chocolate. Always, always dark chocolate.
I made this sorta bark last year and it was so delicious…now I want to repeat it again this year!! Yum!
I wear Vibram Five Fingers for all weight lifting and cardio at the gym (unless I’m doing spin – I wear my bike shoes there). I won’t ever go back to wearing normal shoes at the gym. Running I wear New Balance Minimus WT10s, Pearl Izumi Synchro Fuel, and I just got some Saucony Mirage. It helps that I work at a specialty running shoe store though… 🙂
i just made peppermint bark (with dark chocolate only) and the trick I think is putting the peppermint pieces down first and then pouring the melted chocolate on top of it.. then the peppermint chunks get completely submerged and definitely don’t fall off at all. try it!
What is your secret for crushing candy canes?!
I made white chocolate and peppermint cookie brittle yesterday and I went through crazy shenanagins trying to crush the candy canes! First I tried a ziploc bag, but the bag broke. So I tried crushing it in a bowl, but the pieces went flying everywhere! Then I wrapped up the pieces in aluminum foil and stepped on them with a heavy boot, but that didn’t work either. 😛
meat mallet + candy canes in a ziploc bag. it worked pretty well
We put them into 2 freezer Ziplock bags (one inside the other) and pound them with a vinyl coated 5 pound weight.
Ever since I found my now favorite sneakers at the local Under Armour outlet, I have worn them for anything and everything. Running, Zumba, Insanity, group classes, etc. I just need to buy a ton of this sneaker so I never run out, lol !!
Pinkberry has a peppermint flavor right now and they add chocolate mint bark as a topping to it! SO good!
Dark Chocolate all the way. That bark really reminds me of the holidays since my friend’s mom would always make it. I also love bark with nuts.
I haven’t found “the one” with shoes, but I found several pairs of ones i like and are super comfy. Still on the search…
I just bought those shoes a couple weeks ago- they are SO comfy!
I am not a fan of white chocolate – milk or dark chocolate all the way! My dislike of white chocolate grew even stronger after visiting a cocoa farm and learning that white chocolate ISN’T chocolate – it is a derivative of chocolate and is made from the cocoa butter.
That peppermint bark looks AMAZING. I’ve been trying to get myself in the holiday spirit, maybe making some of that would help… Yes, yes I think it would! 🙂
Mmmmm peppermint bark is the best! Now I’m craving it! It always reminds me of my childhood – the boutique where my mom worked always had it out in a glass jar during Christmas, and I was always sneaking bites of it when I came in after school.
I love Nike!!! They fit my feet the best, and they have awesome colors and styles.
Definitely bookmarking this peppermint bark recipe!
As for sneakers, I have always been partial to a particular Asics but they are now discontinued! I recently went out and tried Nike Frees and a Reebok. I think out of everything, Nike Frees are my favorite.
i’ve been wanting to try those!
Never tried peppermint bark, can you believe it?
Asics are my brand of choice. I have 5 pairs in various states of wear. Some probably should be tossed. They are kind of sad looking. 🙂
i still have all of my sad looking ones too! for whatever reason i can’t get rid of them. i’m a gym sneaker hoarder, i guess 😉
funny, i used to ONLY eat white chocolate… i never really liked milk or dark chocolate when i was little. but its good to know how easy bark is to make. i was considering making it last year and never did, and then again for my work holiday party next week, but i think i settled on cookies.. mainly because i had no idea how to make bark.
so… i didn’t work out till college and i used some old sneakers i had laying around that i NEVER used for anything ever ever ever. i’ve always not liked sneakers. when i started actually, REALLY working out like.. 2ish years ago, i finally bought some nice sneaks. but now that i use them every day, multiple times a day, for high impact things (turbofire..), i feel like i should replace them. any suggestions for sneakers that would be good for particularly turbo?
used to.. meaning now i prefer milk or dark over white. 🙂
I was the same way. Growing up I LOVED white chocolate until one Easter I ate so much of it I made myself sick, and have stayed away from it since. I used to hate dark chocolate, but it is my chocolate of preference now, the darker the better ! 😀
it depends on your feet. if you pronate, you’ll need something with more support. i’d go for a light shoe (that doesn’t feel heavy when you wear it) that has good support for the lateral movements and jumping. i wore my old asics for turbo fire (not the gts, but something else? from kohl’s) and they worked great
That looks fantastic, Gina!! I love peppermint bark too. 🙂
I JUST made peppermint bark myself. Little trick–stir the peppermint pieces right into the melted white chocolate before you pour. 🙂
so smart! i’ll definitely do that next time
Yay for new sneaks!! I wear Vibram Five Fingers whenever I can but I have Nike Free for sprints and when my husband is embarassed by my toe shoes.
2170’s already!? I feel like the 2160’s just came out! I had 5 pairs of the 2150’s and was so sad when they got discontinued. Asics FTW!
i loved the 2150s, too! 🙂
I am a fan of dark chocolate but not so much of white. Hubby loves the white chocolate though. And peppermint. Oddly enough I have never made this before. I suppose I should 🙂
Could you tell me what your favorite shoe for zumba or other gym classes are? Or weight training in general? I’ve tried a lot of brands of athletic shoes but can’t find any that I love. Any suggestions would be amazing!
Love your blog!
i’ll usually wear supportive nikes for regular gym stuff (whatever i like at the outlet) and for zumba, i use the huarache dance lows. i’m bummed they discontinued them, though, so i need to find a new zumba shoe
The Asics GT 21xx series are my favs too! Actually, I’m pretty sure November is when they usually roll out their new shoe … and this is the time to get last year’s model for CHEAP. I just picked up that exact same pair on Amazon (maybe it was 2150?) for $60. The only catch is I wear a wide … so that’s harder to find. “Normal” sizing is easier to find with a good price.
what?! that is awesome!
I’m a white or milk gal, I actually have a slight allergic reaction to dark chocolate for some reason so I generally avoid it.
I’ve never been brand loyal for tennies, just whatever fits well for the activity of the moment. This past year has been running, with my Nike Zooms… previously boot camp with Mizuno Waves and men’s Sauconys from DSW for weight room stuff.
I love, love, love chocolate and peppermint together but absolutely despise white chocolate so I tend not to consume a lot of peppermint bark. I made some of Tina’s Peppermint Bark Cookies (Carrots ‘n Cake), mainly because there was minimal white chocolate and it was amazing! This post reminds me that I need to make those again.
ohhh i might have to make some this weekend