As much as I love my routine, I also love trying new things(so long as they fit in, somehow). Well, I’ve just tried 4 new things and 3 of them were a hit! Would you be surprised if I told you the 3 were food and the 1 was not? 
Didn’t think so. Last night it seemed like everything was a repeat on television; what was with that? I ended up watching an old Grey’s and having a sweet snack.
Q.bel Mint Wafers
Q.bel came out with 2 new flavors this year and I got both of them in the prize pack I won from Facebook! One of those flavors is mint, which seemed like a nice palate cleansing dessert. I looved this, and reviewed it here. It was kind of like a peppermint patty but with a little wafer in there, too. I’m confused why they used milk fat in the dark chocolate; that makes it milk in my book, but it’s still really deep in flavor. These Q.bel bars are really dense in calories for something so light, but Twitter friends assured me it’s all good:
TryingToHeal @EvanFMFF Um, yes. All chocolate should be devoid of calories anyhow.
The judge has spoken. After that I tried another new thing with my bowl of oatmeal.
Organic Vanilla Cinnamon Almond Butter
I ordered a few favorites from Naturally Nutty with my Christmas money. When I opened up the box, I was surprised to find this little gift Katie snuck in: a new flavor! It’s so new, it doesn’t have it’s own label yet. But when it comes out in Spring it will be Organic Cinnamon Vanilla Almond Butter. Yes please!
Oatmeal With Organic Vanilla Cinnamon Almond Butter
This was delicious! I had a feeling I’d like it, since I looove the vanilla almond butter for it’s clean, crisp taste. The vanilla cinnamon almond butter had that same cleanness to it, but with an added depth from the cinnamon. I was impressed how it’s spiced so that the cinnamon doesn’t detract from the other spices–definitely on to keep an eye out for on their website.
This morning I “slept in” and felt raring to go to the gym.. And when I say slept in, I mean 7am; I just couldn’t not be an early bird. I grabbed a bar–a new one–and was off.
18 Rabbits Funky Figs And Cherries Granola Bar
I’ll share the disappointing part first: This bar didn’t really taste like figs or cherries 
It definitely had those in there, but they tasted more generic like raisins in raisin bran. Overall, though, this was another story; I loved how the texture was chewy and crunchy, and this was packed with seeds and nuts. The strongest flavors were hazelnuts and cacao nibs, which were perfect. And this has so little sugar, it really makes me happy. The quaker oats man needs to take a lesson from 18 Rabbits!
New Bike Machine
As for the workout, I started by running an awesome 7 miles. I had to slow the pace a lot lower than I’d like. But that let me go further than I expected I could at this point at the game, and I’m all for rebuilding that endurance. After 7 miles, which took a little more than an hour, I decided to try this bike machine for another 30 minutes of The Today Show at resistance level 3. Confession: I’ve never really used a bike machine before, so this was totally new.
Uncomfortable Seat
It felt like an OK workout–not quite like running in my opinion 
My only question has to be what is with that seat?! I would think if you’re going to be rigorously active somewhere for extended periods of time, you’d want that place to be comfortable. A pillow, maybe? Not something with a rigid figure that probably was too loose. Another thing: I wouldn’t mind a virtual reality helmet so I feel like I’m biking through a sunny neighborhood or something–just saying.
Greek Yogurt With Raspberry Jam
French Toast Oatmeal With 2 Cage Free Eggs, Maple Syrup, And Cinnamon
Breakfast was not at all new and that I did not mind. I could just never get enough of yogurt with raspberry jam. And no fancy shmancy jam here; 365 brand is a great and tasty bang for your buck. I picked up a french toast craving somewhere along the way and made my oatmeal with 2 Eggland’s Best cage free eggs and topped it with New Hampshire maple syrup and Trader Joe’s cinnamon–perfect. It felt so “homey”. And maple syrup season is only 2 months away! So I better eat up all that “old” stuff, haha.
I’m so glad it’s really the weekend already; I love having most of my morning to spend working out, but if I were expected to do anything after that I’d feel so behind and lost. I have a short and simple to-do list to tackle, and plenty of time to get on that. Happy Friday!
Breakfast sounds scrumptious and I want naturally nutty to send me some samples, like, yesterday
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Once it’s gets warmer you should get a bike and take the barrington bike path! It’s one of the things I miss the most about Providence (besides long runs involving multiple loops on Blackstone Blvd)
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They actually have stationary bikes with virtual reality screens now but no helmets hah. That would be so cool though! Your endurance will come back in no time especially since you were not completely sedentary or injured. Now I’m tempted to make another Naturally Nutty order!
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I am confused…are those raw eggs in your last picture IN your oatmeal??
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Evan Thomas Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
They aren’t completely raw. The whites cook in there for about a minute and then the yolks join for another 30 seconds
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what a weird bike seat! that’s my least fave part of spinning class, when you have to sit down. uncomfy! mm those mint qbels sound fantastic, ive never seen them in storest hough!
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wow 7 miles after a 5 week hiatus?! dayyyyum. but in a good way
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Mmmm….I too love the chewiness of 18 Rabbits!!!
And, Cinnamon Vanilla AB?!? I want to go to there!
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Vanilla almond butter? Sign me up.
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How exactly do you make those french toast oats? They look awesome!
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Evan Thomas Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
After the oats cook, I stir in the eggs and microwave a bit more. At the end I top with maple syrup and cinnamon. Since I like runny yolks, I leave them separate while the white cook for the most part
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I told Ben you called being Sophia on twitter and I thought it was the funniest thing. He didn’t get it and I was laughing alone
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Evan Thomas Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Lol. Btw, this youtube user has pretty much every episode. God bless that person http://www.youtube.com/user/GoingGoldenAgain
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heck yeah! in my book, chocolate is free of all things ever deemed negative towards it!
and love the look of that new ab! me wants!
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I love runny eggs…aren’t they the BEST!!! Seriously!
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those bike seats are always super uncomfortable =/
im so jealous of your new foodie finds – I haven’t been able to find naturally nutty anywhere!
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ah I forgot how amazing naturally nutty is — I miss my stashhhhh.
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I have seen other bloggers love the non cinny version of: Organic Vanilla Cinnamon Almond Butter as well. And so I just really need to try that whole line…yum!
Bike seats make me squirm. Uncomfy no doubt.
The eggs…i dont even like (or eat) eggs but those eggs look perfect. If people eat eggs, you are supposed to eat the entire egg, not just process out the whites b/c one of the 1st foods that holistic pedis tell people to give babies is egg YOLKS b.c they have amazing stats, micronutrients etc and obvi cage free foraging for bugs & worms is the kind of chicken one wants their eggs from. Yours look bueno.
Got all your contest entries, duly noted! And yes, TGIF!!!!!!!!!!
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