{another} post for dog lovers // solid gold review

happy thursday! 

todays post is for the pet lovers {well, the company loves cats, too, but these products are for dogs}!

do you know solid gold northland?

they are a minneapolis-based wholesaler that partners with lots of really great, healthy, holistic dog // cat brands.

if you have been around for a while, you know that food & nutrition are really important to our little family. we only purchase whole, natural & {almost always} organic foods for ourselves and for daphne. i make a lot of our own foods {milk, nut butters, desserts} and lots of stuff for daphne {treats!}. i am a strong believer in only putting quality ingredients into your body!

when we were thinking about adding a dog into our family, we spent a lot of time researching quality food & treat brands.

daphne uses solid gold, merrick & fromms on a rotating basis.

because solid gold is based in the cities & because they are looking to grow their company ; each month, they offer great samples // products to their customers.

last month, we had the opportunity to try out {full-sized!} seameal {great for cats & dogs!} and a super-massive bison bone from tasmans natural pet.

the products : 

the timing for the seameal hasnt been perfect for daphne. about three weeks ago, we put her on depression medication {she has some serious anxiety issues that were really affecting her life!} & it has really messed with her food schedule // appetite. she is only eating about 1 meal a day & only when blake and i are both standing in the kitchen. {seriously, issues...}

we mix a small amount of the seameal with water & then put it in her food. when she eats, she really enjoys it.

i am hoping once the medicine gets into her system & she balances out, we can review this product more accurately!

{but, from what we have been using ; i am a fan!}

seameal is awesome for both dogs & cats. 

from the website : 

Solid Gold Seameal contains 60 trace minerals, 12 vitamins, 22 amino acids, digestive enzymes, and flaxseed meal. It is excellent for animals with allergy problems and/or skin and coat problems. When Seameal is added to food, it increases the digestibility of the food. It is made with 19 different species of sea vegetation, an excellent source of nutrients. The addition of seaweed and kelp to an animal’s diet can produce many great benefits. SeaMeal can help boost the immune, hormone, and enzyme systems of the body, restore lost hair growth, intensify coat color, and boost the immune system.

tasman's natural pet bison bone {jumbo-sized}

daphne LOVED this bone! and it really was massive. the bone itself was AS LONG as my pillow. watching her carry it around & get stuck in doorways was pretty silly. she learned to turn the bone & LOVED bringing it on the bed. if you have a 'powerful chewier' in your family {also known as a dog that can chew through metal ;)}, i definitely recommend these bones.

from the website : 

Tasman’s Natural Pet is proud to offer a unique line of all-natural Bison rawhide chews made from free-range US Bison Rawhides. Don’t mistake these rawhides as typical as they are far from it!

Free-Range Bison means no hormones or antibiotics are passed along to your pet and the chemical-free processing means no chemicals either! Great for dogs with allergies or for owners who want to provide their pet with an all-natural diet, even when it comes to treats!

my dad is a butcher, so we get bones from him quite a bit & daphne really seems to enjoy them ; but these rawhides were much easier on her digestive system & i wasnt worries about her cracking her teeth! 

stay connected with solid gold 

product list // where to find their products // facebook // twitter 

they also do really amazing things with pet rescue! here

 *disclaimer : solid gold provided me with these products, but like always, all opinions are my own!*

{VEGAN RECIPE} peanut sprinkled fall balls

october = fall balls!!

these past couple of weeks, i have been working from home & love to have a 'snack-y' treat in the afternoon.

i really love salty & sweet together ; so i gathered up some cocoa powder, peanuts & sprinkles and made myself a tasty 'power ball' treat for the afternoons!

tasty peanut sprinkle fall balls 

{the recipe is adapted from here}

{makes about 25 balls}

what you need : 

*2/3 cup peanuts {i purchase organic, unsalted peanuts from the bulk bins}{you can use other nuts, as well}

*1/3 cup cocoa powder {equal exchange is my favorite brand; AND they are fair trade}

{total sidebar : the cocoa industry is nasty business! if you eat 'big name' chocolate brands, more than likely, you are supporting child slavery off the ivory coast. i suggest you do your chocolate research!}

*1 cup dates ; pitted & chopped

*1 tablespoon vanilla extract

*2-3 tablespoons of raw honey {using honey? go local!}{you can also use agave or maple syrup}

*sprinkles {optional}{but really, sprinkles are so much fun!}

how to do it : 

1) pulverize the nuts & cocoa powder in a blender or food processor until you have tiny crumbs! {if you mix too much, youll have peanut butter!}

2) add the dates & vanilla ; mix again. add your honey // syrup, one tbsp at a time, mixing after each addition.

3) your dough is ready when it 'balls' up and travels around the mixer. from the original recipe : 

Dough that resembles the consistency of nut butter is too runny and loose and dry ingredients must be added to help it solidify. Add a tablespoon or two more cocoa powder or cashews, as necessary, to dry out the dough. Dough that's too pebbly, dry, or sandy will benefit from anther couple dates or tablespoon of agave, as necessary, to moisten it.

4) you can either cover your dough & place in the fridge for a few hours to harden OR if the consistency is right, you can start to form your balls. {i did not place my dough in the fridge}. when ready to roll {get it?}, take a tablespoon-sized chunk and roll into a ball. if you are using sprinkles, pour them in a small bowl & dredge each ball through.

5) once i was finished with my balls, i placed them in the freezer for a few hours, taste-tested & then kept them in the fridge.

these are super easy & great for pre- and post- workouts. also great for fall hiking, apple picking and leaf-jumping!

happy snacking!!

come running with me {and lets talk about Girls On The Run!}

monday!
and the last day in september!
right now, i am laying on the bed, next to daphne and i have the window open. i love the breeze, hearing the traffic and seeing the leaves change color right outside the window!

do you know girls on the run? they are an international non-profit focused on inspiring young girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experienced-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.

i love this!
each 'session' is 10-weeks long and includes 20 lessons, empowering girls with a sense of self-aweareness, a sense of achievement, and skills for powerful team building. 
the girls run, play games & discuss important issues ; such as body confidence, bullying, contributing to the community and making healthy decisions.
i have two friends that are GOTR coaches & its something i have always wanted to be involved it ; but until recently, it just never fit with my work schedule.

programs like this are just so awesome! 
i was a 'poofy' kid; never skinny & never overweight. also, i had very little athletic ability. i played softball from ages 5-17, but in high school, it became a popularity contest & i was turned off.
i was the kid that cut corners around the track during the mile & was totally fine being picked towards the back of the pack in gym class. i was heavier than most girls in my class and i had friends that were really awesome athletes {actually, a few of them went on to play some huge games in college}. i never saw myself as 'heavy' or 'chubby' ; my lack of self-awareness was incredible. i didnt realize until i was in college that some our bodies look differently. {i know that sounds hard to believe, but i really was not aware of my size or the size of others until i was an adult}
i was pretty active as a kid ; i rode my bike, played with friends, played sports in high school {volleyball and softball} ; but i just never saw myself as an athlete. although, i was SO aware of others talents & had NO confidence in myself.

now, as a 29-year old adult, that makes me sad. i wasnt a sad or depressed kid ; but how awesome would it have been if there was a girls on the run-type of program in my town when i was younger? think of the confidence i could have built YEARS ago?!

i finally now see myself as an athlete. i am aware of my strengths {huge hills on my bike} and of my not-so-strengths {10:30 min miles and PUSH-UPS!} i make healthy choices & feel good in my body.
i feel lucky to have organically evolved into healthier choices & finding a good balance in my life. sadly, many women {my age and older} are STILL dealing with body-confidence issues. binging, self-loathing and sabotage ; all of that makes me so sad.
i strongly believe that if we all had programs like GOTR ; it could really change the way that ALL women see themselves!
we owe it to young girls everywhere to teach them the power of confidence, movement and other life skills.
there are GOTR chapters all over the country ; so if you are interested in becoming a coach, a running buddy or just connecting ; go here to find a location near you.

and minneapolis folks! 
want to run with me?
on november 16th, GOTR is hosting their end-of-session 5k and for the first time ever, its open to the public! {thats really cool!}
the run will be held at lake nokomis and is a fun run; it wont be chipped or timed!
i will be there and would LOVE to have you join me! we will be running {or walking!} with tons of girls from the cities and their running buddies!
if you want to feel awesome and inspired, i highly recommend running next to and cheering on young girls!
{this gives me goosebumps just typing it out!}

if you want to register, head here to sign up.
or, head here for a chance to WIN an entry!
{all runners get a shirt and food after the race}

stay connected to GOTR 
website // facebook // twitter // instagram // pinterest
{and here is the GOTR twin cities site} 

tell me : are you familiar with girls on the run?
did you have a positive body-mentor when you were a kid?
are you local? do you want to run with me?!

*disclaimer : Girls on the Run provided me with a few talking points & photos in exchange for a free entry into the 5k ; but all stories & opinions are my own!* 

#poweredbybits // an ENERGYbits GIVEAWAY!

happy tuesday, everybody!
after taking two days off after my race this weekend, i jumped right in to a new workout program!
i re-started the beachbody turbokick series. when i lived in portland, i use to take a turbokick class & it was my absolute favorite! i have the dvd workout series & will follow the program through the fall & winter. i have some super-exciting fitness goals on the horizon that i will be sharing soon ;)

lets talk about energy bits!
have you heard of them?
they are aspirin-sized tablets of spirulina {fresh water blue green algae} that give you a huge boost of energy. they are perfect for sleepy days or to help power you through your workouts.

i was sent a sample to try out & to be honest, it took me a while to get up the nerve to take them.

the tin contains about 75 tablets & the company suggests you take 30 tablets before your workout. im not a good 'pill taker' {i get that from my mother.} pills are hard for me to swallow; let alone 30.

from their site :

Spirulina is nature’s equivalent to an energy drink – but its even better because it’s 100% natural, 100% green, is carbon neutral, has only ONE calorie per tab and contains no sugar, no caffeine, no chemicals, no gluten and no soy. It is the richest source of protein in the world (60% - 70%), has more beta carotene, more antioxidants, more iron than any other food  

with my race coming up, i decided to try out the bits for some of my harder workouts {40min run + 60min bike, 90min bike, ect}. i am totally convinced they work, you guys! on a few longer rides and harder brick workouts, i felt really great. my legs weren't as tired and i didnt feel as 'bonk-y' towards the end!

bonus : two weeks ago, at the healthy living summit, all attendees got a tin of bits.
bonus x2 : the ONLY ingredient in energy bits is the spirulina algae ; nothing else! no crap, no additives ; NOTHING ELSE!

saturday morning {duathlon race day}, i drank some water, 30 bits & an energy bar and felt really great on the first run & during the bike ride.

you can read my whole recap here ;)

the folks at energy bits are looking to give a tin away to one of my readers!
i have made it super easy for you to enter!
if you are looking for an energy boost ; go ahead & enter! 
good luck ;)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

*disclaimer : energy bits sent me a tin to review. everything i have said is my own opinion!*

that time i completed a DUATHLON // a full race recap!

happy monday, everybody! 

so, this weekend, it happened! after 4+ months of training ; i finished the 2013 treadman duathlon!!!

i have done 10ks, a half marathon, an inline marathon {26.2 miles on rollerblades} and i even biked 460 miles across the state of iowa last summer ; but this was my first multi-sport event.

and honestly, this was the most fun! 

i noticed a huge difference this time around.

i had fun! 

seriously ; i enjoyed my training, i took care of my body and i never allowed negative self-talk to destroy me.

{confession : i have been that runner // rider in the past. i have talked myself down & brought myself to tears ; bullying myself for not being thin // fast // good enough to do anything}

i hate that. i hate that we allow ourselves to get into that mental state.

the awesome thing this time around : it never happened.

i am not a strong runner {biking comes way easier for me} ; but during the training AND the race ; i focused on the music & my form and continued to remind myself that i can do this. small steps are better than no steps at all. and i am so very lucky to have a body that allows me to run! 

how about a small race recap?! ;)

the race was last saturday in pine island, mn. it took about 90 minutes to get there ; so we left at 530am.

i drank a tiny bit of smoothie {maybe half a cup?} on the road ; but was starting to feel pretty nervous.

it was 44* when we got out of the car. i signed in, pinned on my bib & they marked up my legs {your bib number went on the back of your left calf & your age went on the right} and got my bike set up in the corral. {your bike, helmet, shoes, hydration pack &/or any other gear you need for your ride goes in a bike area}{when you are coming in from the run, you pick up your gear and WALK out of the bike corral ; then you can mount & take off} 

about 25 minutes before the gun went off, i took 30 energy bits tablets {im giving some away tomorrow!!}, a bit of water & had an energy bar from the people at ninja kitchen {they gave them out at the healthy living summit!}

i headed towards the back of the pack for the start of the 3.3mile run {seriously, not a fast runner} & *bang* ; gun went off, people started running! we started on a nature trail & went on gravel, past some farm houses, back onto pavement & into downtown.

my time after the run was 34min {pretty good for me!} and i was feeling great. good energy, great mindset, finally warming up & ready to nail the bike ride.

my transition from run to bike was 55 seconds ; in that time, i slipped on my hydration pack {filled with dark chocolate zico coconut water} & my helmet and ran out of the transition area.

when i read the race course description ; it said the ride was pretty flat, so i assumed i would be able to ride 17-19mph, pass a ton of folks & gain back a bunch of time. {the bike portion was 21.6 miles} 

WRONG! the first 8 miles were super flat, so i tucked in & rode hard {probably close to 18-20mph} ; but then we turned and the wind and the hills started! there were probably 15-20 hills ; some were rolling and pretty easy, and others were more intense. 

right around the halfway point {mile 12} ; there was a MONSTER hill! i mean it ; straight up and looked like it was going on for DAYS! i was in the lowest gear possible & got 1/4 way up the hill and my heart rate was 191 {also known as a heart attack!} ; so i got off and walked.

when i was doing the hill, there were 25-30 other folks on the hill and there were 3 people that rode all the way up ; everybody else was walking. it was seriously a beast! 

my goal time for the entire race was 2:19 ; but when i had 5 miles left of the ride, i noticed i had 25 minutes left until i missed my goal {and i still had another run...}

i didnt plan for the hills, but man, i was so proud of myself. i have really trained hard on how to use my gears and the best way to shift ; plus, my legs have gotten so much stronger. i would say that biking up the hills were my strongest suit for the entire race. i was so proud of how strong my legs have gotten.

coming in from the ride, i had no idea how fatigued my legs would be. i parked my bike in the corral, grabbed a handful of gummy bears from my pack & headed out for the last 3.3 mile run! i still felt pretty good, but i knew that this run would be a bit longer than the first. i told myself that i could walk when i needed to & i would run when i was ready. every few minutes, i would walk 15-30 seconds & then just keep truckin' along.

when i was on the bike, i probably passed about 30-45 folks ; many of which passed me once we were on the second run.. the second run was the same route as the first, but in reverse.

as i was getting closer to the finish line, i picked up my pace & crossed the finish line in 2:40:58 ; not bad for my first race! 

when i was planning for the race, i wanted to finish anywhere between 2:19 & 2:45 ; so i did just that.

i felt really great after the race. i hung out by the finish line & cheered for others that crossed and even high-fived a few of the racers that i recognized from the ride. i stayed for the awards ceremony, as well. i knew i wouldnt place in my age division ; but its so inspiring to see folks older than me crush times & records.

as i was picking up my bike, an older lady came up to me & said 'you passed me on the bike & i just wanted to say that you did a really awesome job!' awwww ; you guys, i felt so great. im sure it was easy to recognize me because i was dressed like a highlighter ; but she made me feel so great! 

this race was great! i had a lot of fun & felt really amazing. most of the folks in the race finished before me {the first guy finished in almost HALF my time} ; but i really felt so proud of myself.

4 years ago, i got on a bike for the very first time {as an adult}. i went from commuting on a 20+ pound steel-framed commuter bike to starting {and finishing!} an actual race. last summer, i biked across iowa and hated it. i cried every day & thought it was so hard and SO miserable ; but this weekend, i nailed every hill and felt so confident in my abilities. 

every race // ride i have ever done ; i have never trained properly & certainly never listened to my body. i have been injured {mostly IT band stuff} before // during most races i have ever done.

the fact that i trained, started AND finished this race with a smile, confidence AND without injury ; that makes me a winner. it totally sounds cheesy, but im super proud of my time!

also, i will definitely do another duathlon in the spring // summer, so if you are in the area {or want to come here!} i would love a training buddy!

finally, just a shout out to everybody that has been following my training, left comments, sent emails, tweets and good vibes ; i really appreciate it! 

a guide to minneapolis // part 1 : things to DO

hey everybody!
today, over on the healthy living summit website, there is a 'blip' about me & the bike session i will be leading in a few weeks. hop over to see! 

like i mentioned last week, the healthy living summit is coming HERE {minneapolis} in less than THREE WEEKS!
i am super excited. i really do love this city!
i know that a lot of folks are coming from out of state & many {most?} have never been here before.
so, i will be putting together a few 'tour guides' of all the awesome things we have to offer.

todays post : things to DO 

1) check out a twins game at target field
target field is one of the newest {and raddest} ball fields in the country. the views are amazing. the food is pretty good. and the tickets are affordable {the home run porch is my favorite place to sit!}
if you are looking to catch a game, the schedule is here. {also, post on the HLS facebook page to find someone that wants to go with}
bonus : the field is downtown, so you can walk, take the light rail or ride a nice ride bike!

2) visit a farmers market
we have some of the best markets in the country {are you seeing a theme?!}
on thursdays and saturdays there is a market on nicollet mall {a half block from the hotel}
saturday morning, you can head to the mill city farmers market, which is right on the river! you can walk the stone arch bridge and get amazing views of the city!
also on saturday morning is the minneapolis farmers market {this one is huge, but in my personal opinion, mill city is the one to go to!}

if you want to venture away from downtown, there are tons of farmers markets on saturday and sunday {fulton, linden hills, kingfield, midtown}{if you want to know more, let me know!}

3) drink some beer
small, local breweries are popping up EVERYWHERE in minneapolis. most do {free} tours on saturdays. and lots have food trucks, live music and open tap rooms on thursdays and fridays.
go here for a huge list // map

4) go to the library
the central library downtown is BEAUTIFUL! and massive. you are free to go in and walk around. they also offer tours!

5) rent a bike // canoe // paddleboat and tour the chain of lakes
minnesota is known as 'the land of 10,000 lakes.' people now think its actually closer to 15,000! right here, in minneapolis we have a bunch of lakes & trails that allow you to be right next to them.

we have a 50-mile trail system called 'the chain of lakes.' there are walking & biking trails. most of them also allow you to rent boats by the hour. you can stand up paddle board, canoe, kayak ; you name it. being on or near the water is a great way to see the city!

6) take your picture next to mary tyler moore
did you know that the MTM show was based here in minneapolis? there is a statue of her in her iconic pose {throwing her hat, of course!} and its right on nicollet mall! here is the address.

7) see a midnight movie at the uptown theatre
the uptown theatre is in the uptown neighborhood of minneapolis. its near lake calhoun & there is tons to do. shopping, bars, places to eat, ect. my favorite part of uptown is the theatre! its newly renovated and beautiful! they show indie movies and always have a saturday midnight showing. more info here.

8) hang out at the walker & see the cherry
the spoon & the cherry is a landmark in minneapolis. bonus : its in the sculpture garden at the walker art center. both the museum and the gift shop are a must-see. the spoon shares its space with 30+ other sculptures, so be sure to look around. its a nice walk from the hotel. {you can always rent a bike ;)}
here

9) smile with charlie brown & snoopy
did you know that charles schultz was from here? there are HUNDREDS of amazing peanuts sculptures around the city. you can try your luck & find some on your own, or check out this guide.

10) go bowling at brits
brits pup is right downtown & offers $5 lawn bowling every saturday and sunday. its first come, first serve & a bunch of fun. info here.

tell us : have you been here before? 
if you are coming to HLS, what is on your must-see list?
and if you live here, what do visitors NEED to check out?

the healthy living summit : lets talk about bikes, minneapolis & making blog friends

happy tuesday! 
do you know the healthy living summit?
its an annual health // wellness // fitness conference, held in a different city each year.
this year, its held here, in minneapolis!
which makes total sense, you know? minneapolis is almost always rated as one of or THE top city for health & wellness in the country.
this state is really amazing. we have over 15,000 lakes. in the twin cities alone, we have hundreds of miles of biking and walking trails. the people of minnesota are known as a hearty bunch. it gets a bit cold here in the winter, but you still see people out each day ; running, skiing, walking their dogs.
having the conference here is super exciting. 
i feel like minnesotans are pretty proud of what we have got here.

so, lets talk about the conference!
its being held downtown minneapolis, september 13-15th.
there will be speakers, cool sessions, free food, city exploring and lots of new friends!
you can read all the faqs here.
the cost for the weekend is $130, but you can try to win a free entry here. {but hurry, you only have 5 more days!}
so far, there are over 80 people that are attending // speaking at the conference. the girls behind HLS were awesome enough to create a pinterest board with the blogs of ALL the folks attending! you can check that out here. click around, leave a few comments & make some new friends!!

for local folks, or people that are flying in on thursday or friday, there will be a whole bunch of fit mingle events. {love this idea!} all the info for the fit mingles has not been announced yet, but think 'active happy hours.' i will be hosting one friday morning that involves biking & being really nice ;)
on saturday, there will be a keynote speech & 10 break-out sessions.
{fun fact : i will be hosting a session about bike commuting & everything you need to know to stay safe & have fun on the bike!!}
you can see the entire schedule here.

i am super excited for the summit!
also, in the next couple of weeks, i will be creating a few posts about all the awesome things to see & do here in the cities!
if you are coming from out of town & need a place to stay {most attendees are staying at the hilton downtown} ; blake & i would love to host you. we already have two girls staying with us {hooray for new friends!!} ; but we have more room if you are on a budget or need a bit of space to recharge.

tell me : are you attending?

{travelpantz} the best pizza i have ever had + day one of our minnesota road trip

so, we have been back from our cross-minnesota road trip for a few weeks now, but i still have a few great posts i want to share.

todays involves pizza, wisconsin & a picture of grandpas. ;)

when we started our 8-day cross-minnesota road trip ; we left minneapolis on wednesday afternoon. our first stop was nesbitt's nursery in prescott, wisconsin. [yes, our first stop in our MINNESOTA road trip was in WISCONSIN!]

each wednesday night from 430-8pm, they have pie night. they hand-make pizza pie, sweet pies & savory pies [quiche]. everything is made on-site & most of the ingredients come from the farm.

they have live music [when we were there, there were four grandpas playing swing music], fresh squeezed lemonade & a great patio.

no dogs allowed on the patio, so when the pizza came, we sat under a big tree with daphne & enjoyed the country.

the pizza was amazing! ours was a large caramelized pear & goat cheese.

not only did we eat the entire pizza, but we also bought two slices of pie!

inside the shop, they also have a market FULL of local items ; honey, soap, dish towels, ect.

we had a really great time! if you live in // near eastern MN or western WI ; i highly recommend stopping for pie night! 

have you ever been to a place like this?!