Banana Cream Granola Parfaits + MCM Registration

It's Marine Corps Marathon registration day. Where thousands of runners vie for their chance to run the People's Marathon. I don't know which is scarier - trying to get in or the morning before the race starts, standing in the freezing cold scared of what's before you.

Sometimes you forget why you signed yourself up for this torture - all the grueling hot and humid early morning training runs.

But on race day it all becomes clear. Whether you're having a good running day or not, beauty surrounds you. There's running through Rock Creek Park at the beginning, running over Key Bridge with the Potomac rippling under you, going down M Street with its cheering crowds, the long trek down to Hains Point, finally making it to the Mall, running in front of the Capital, beating the bridge, meandering through Crystal City and finally making it back to Arlington. That hill at the end is nothing. It's all worth it, and it doesn't hurt you get your medal from a Marine.

So how do you secure your spot?

1) Take @orginalstalet's advice: typing drills.

2) If you don't get in on registration day, look on MCM's Facebook page. I decided to run after the registration date in 2010. I looked on the page and people were posting their bibs they could no longer use because of injury, etc. You can legally transfer up to a certain date.

3) Stay calm while waiting on registration time by making a banana cream granola parfait. You don't want to be weak when the frantic website reloading and info entering occurs.

Fingers crossed, this will be my fourth MCM. It's the only marathon I've ever done, but I'm pretty sure it's one of the best. Good luck to everyone trying to register. It's a great race.

These parfaits do require work the day before, but it makes breakfast easy the next day. Just layer everything together and you have a sweet and filling breakfast.

Banana Cream Granola Parfaits Adapted from Forks over Knives

Makes about 12    4 oz   parfaits

Ingredients

Banana Cream:

• 1   16 oz   package silken tofu
• 3 ripe bananas
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1 batch Maple Coconut Granola

• Strawberries and blueberries - or your favorite fruit

Instructions

Blend top ingredients in a blender (silken tofu, bananas, lemon juice, brown rice syrup, vanilla extract and salt) until smooth and creamy, about five minutes.

Chill overnight.

Layer parfaits: pour 2 medium spoonfuls of banana cream into glass, top with 3 small spoonfuls of granola, 3 sliced strawberries, 6 blueberries. Repeat until glass filled. Top with granola and a drop of cream.

My running story + Maple Coconut Granola

Starting this week, megbakes will have a special post on Wednesdays devoted to running tips and healthy recipes.

I hated to run. You couldn't pay me to run. It was torture.

But something happened. I can't exactly pinpoint what. Was it to get fit for swim team? Was it because I was scared of a backpacking trip or was it because I found I liked the challenge?

Something about pushing myself that extra mile invigorated me - so much so I ran 11 miles straight on a treadmill.

Running stopped though when out of nowhere the ball of my foot was in tremendous pain. I couldn't put pressure on it. I couldn't wear a shoe it was so swollen.

I was off the 'mill and the roads for over three months. I kept some fitness cycling, but it just wasn't running.

Once I felt like my foot was almost back to normal, I cautiously tried it out. I only ran 6/10ths of a mile that day, but I knew I was ready to run again.

After that, I increased my mileage little by little and before I knew it, I was signing up for my first marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon.

With training for my fourth marathon coming up, I think I've learned valuable lessons in how to run and how to fuel.

So each Wednesday, I'll share a running tip and a healthy treat to fuel your runs.

For the inaugural post I introduce you to my favorite granola - Maple Coconut with almonds and raisins.

It's perfect for breakfast or a snack and it's easy to make.

Be careful though, it's addictive!

Maple Coconut Granola Adapted from Edward & Sons

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats (Recommended: Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes
• 3/4 cup whole roasted unsalted almonds
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup canola/olive oil mix
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients from top column in a large bowl.

Combine wet ingredients from second column in a medium bowl.

Pour liquid ingredients into large bowl. Coat oats with liquid.

Transfer coated oats to greased baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes. Stir oats and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Maple Whole Wheat Bread

My obsession with baking probably started with a Whole Wheat Bread recipe from a bag of King Arthur Flour. Although I still love that recipe, I did it just a few too many times. To reenergize my bread baking, I was on a search for a new recipe. I'm always a little wary because some bread recipes are dry or quickly become dry. However, my fears were diminished with this recipe from Recipe Girl. Below you'll fine step-by-step instructions for the bread, as well as instructions for kneading! (It's not hard, but really therapeutic.)

This method for making bread is different than the usual ones I use, in that you don't dissolve the yeast separately. You simply combine your dry ingredients, heat your liquids in the microwave and then add to the dry. Stir until a dough starts to form.

After this you can start kneading. It seems like everyone's excuse for not making bread is the kneading. Well, I'm hear to tell you it's not that hard and really it gives you time to reflect and relax. So, no more excuses, let's knead!

The above pictures show the steps of kneading.

• Step 1 (Top Left Picture) - Find a seam in the dough. It should magically appear. If not, simply hold your dough from the top, or vertically.
• Step 2 (Top Right Picture) - Form your hand into a fist.
• Step 3 (Middle Left Picture) - Punch dough in the center of the seam.
• Step 4 (Middle Right Picture) - Fold dough in half
• Step 5 (Bottom Left Picture) - Pick up dough and find new seam. Start all over by punching in the middle of the seam and folding in half. Continue until dough is desired texture.

If this is too confusing, take a look at my kneading video. Let me know if you have any questions. Once you figure out kneading, the rest is really simple and fun!

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

• 1/8 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 + 1/3 cup water (Just in case that's confusing, add about 0.83 cups of water or 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread

Instructions

Mix all dry ingredients from first column in large bowl.

Heat all liquid ingredients from second column in medium sized microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about one minute. The liquids should measure around 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add heated liquids to dry and mix until a dough forms. Once formed, knead for 5 minutes. Oil your bowl and return completed dough. Allow to rise for one hour.

After first rise transfer dough to cutting board and roll into a 10 x 12 inch rectangle. Then roll the loaf up into a log. Transfer to a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan. First place in seam side up. Then invert and place seam side down. Allow to rise an additional hour or until loaf rises above pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake loaf for 20 minutes. Check to see if dough measures 190 degrees. If not, cover loaf with aluminum foil and bake an additional 5 minutes or until dough measures 190 degrees.