Good morning!
How was your weekend? My time here in Bahrain is flying by and I can’t believe it’s Monday already. On Saturday I had a great time enjoying the race atmosphere at Challenge Bahrain, but I’ll tell you more about that in my next post. Today I wanted to give you a little snapshot of my vacation so far (as in, the food part), plus a recipe and a giveaway!
As I mentioned in my goals for December, part of my plan for this trip was to relax and also to get some good outdoor training in. The training part has been great, and I’ve gone on a couple of outdoor runs in the area. Because of my commitment to getting plenty of sleep, I’ve been running way later than usual – pretty much in full sun. Ho. Ly. Smokes is it ever hot! Still, it feels good to be outside and I have the lovely pool on our compound to jump into afterwards which was a big incentive to get ‘er done!
(Those shoes you see are the new New Balance Fresh Foam Zante, due out in 2015. I was sent a pair to try and they’re pretty awesome! Weight-wise they’re super light and therefore perfect for travel. More about these in a future post.)
If you’re wondering where the relaxation part comes in, don’t you worry – there has been lots of that! In addition to sleeping a solid 9 hours per night, we’ve had some amazing, delicious, totally over the top meals, including a huge brunch at one of Bahrain’s hotels, the Sofitel.
The Sofitel hosted the athletes for Challenge Bahrain this weekend, and I was totally starstruck when I saw this year’s Ironman Kona champion Sebastian Kienle and 3rd place finisher Jan Frodeno walk past our table. The fangirl in me wanted to jump up and take six squillion photos with them but at the same time I knew it probably wouldn’t be socially acceptable. Plus, I don’t like people getting between me and my food when I’m hungry, and as 2 pro triathletes, I don’t think they’d have appreciated the interruption either! Still, both awesome dudes in my opinion.
Annnnyways… the food.
Where do I even start. There was everything from fresh juices to champagne to drink, as well as an enormous salad bar with heaps of seafood on ice and smoked salmon, of which I consumed plenty.
There was also a big assortment of sushi, a DIY-pho making bar…
… and a stir fry bar with a big assortment of veggies, noodles, fish and meats. I had not one but TWO bowls of stir fried veggies and fish, and words can’t even begin to describe the foodgasms. In the words of white girls commenting on Tumblr photos, I couldn’t even.
I’m definitely more a fan of savoury and spicy things, but there was also no shortage of sweets.
My dessert was 2 plates of fruit with heavy emphasis on the watermelon because it’s going to be a looooong time before that’s back in season again in Canada.


So as you can see, it’s been a really, really terrible time so far. 😉
Moving on, I want you to have a little deliciousness in your day as well. Once in a while I put out a call for new recipe requests, and recently several of you asked for healthier versions of classic winter-y desserts. Not long ago I was feeling the need for the same, so I pulled together a few simple ingredients and got to work.
This Clean Eating-Approved Apple Crisp for One is the perfect mix of tartness, sweetness and spice. Feel free to use whatever kind of apples you like, but I recommend honeycrisp or pink lady because they’re just the freaking best. For the topping, I used a mixture of Love Grown Foods Super Oats (nuts & seeds flavour) to keep the recipe gluten-free, as well as some cinnamon, coconut oil, and a pinch of stevia to sweeten it up.
The quantities below are for 1 serving – and it’s a pretty big one too! However, if you’re cooking for more people you could simply double or quadruple the recipe and prepare it in a large pyrex dish before baking it in the oven.
Clean Eating-Approved Apple Crisp for One
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Ingredients (1 serving)
- 1 apple, cored and diced
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 1/4 tsp finely minced fresh ginger or ginger paste
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
- 1 tsp coconut oil, melted
- 2 tbsp oats (I used the Nuts & Seeds variety of Love Grown Foods Super Oats)
- pinch of stevia
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a small bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients, plus 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon and stir.
- Transfer the apple mixture to a small oven-safe ramekin or dish.
- In the same mixing bowl, stir together the remaining cinnamon, melted coconut oil, oats and stevia. Pour this on top of the apple mixture.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Let the apple crisp cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Click here to print the recipe.
Psst!
Now since I’ve given you a delicious dessert to enjoy, do you think you could do me a little favour? This Apple Crisp is my entry in Love Grown Foods’ Holiday Recipe Contest, and I’d LOVE if you’d vote for it! All you need to do is go to their Facebook and Pinterest pages between now and end of day Thursday, and hit ‘Like’ on the photo of this recipe.
Spreading the LOVE to you!
In the spirit of it being December, and with Christmas right around the corner, my fantastic friends at Love Grown Foods and I are teaming up to give away 4 Love Grown Foods products of choice to one lucky Eat Spin Run Repeat reader. Here’s what to do in order to enter:
- Mandatory entry: Comment below telling me what your favourite thing to bake/cook is over the holidays.
- Optional entry: Like the Apple Crisp recipe on Love Grown Foods’ Facebook and Pinterest pages, and comment again back here letting me know you did.
- Optional entry: Tweet about this giveaway. Perhaps something like…
[Tweet “Ready to get my holiday baking on with @eatspinrunrpt and @LoveGrownFoods! #giveaway”]
This giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the United States, and I’ll announce the winner first thing on Friday morning. Good luck! 🙂
I love to bake cherry walnut buttertart squares They are so decadent and yummy.
I like to bake PERIOD. Probably holiday themed brownies and ginger cookies!
oh
Id marry that seafood on ice spread if I could.
I need that in my domicile.
daily 🙂
Really anything! The holidays are even more of my time to get totally creative in the kitchen and go all out!
Christmas holidays are not complete without a huge slow cooker full of turkey soup!
I liked them!
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/RebeccaGF666/status/541939314225991681
I love baking shortbread cookies over the holidays
I am Jewish so latkes are a necessity!!
I love to bake cookies, squares, and cheesecake over the Holidays! And this year I’m baking a crustless-quiche for my staff for Christmas brunch 🙂
My new fav thing to bake this holiday season is lace oatmeal cookies…so simple and light and easy to make!
I love my moms chocolate date bourbon balls
I have several holiday themed cookies/snacks that I like to make every year, & I also make a peanut butter pie for dessert on Xmas day because it’s sooo decadent!
Holiday baking is the best baking! Standing around the kitchen with family, dancing to Christmas tunes — it’s the best! Can’t wait to get shortbread and gingerbread cookie making with my little niece and nephew!
Not entering the contest (you know why) but I just wanted to say that this apple crisp looks HEAVENLY!! It’s got to be one of my fav winter desserts for sure. Will have to try this healthier version 🙂
Enjoy the rest of your trip!
I love to make healthy cookies with my mom!
When it comes to baking, I’m not picky! I have cinnamon rolls and copcat cranberry bliss bars on my list. Neither of which would be clean eating approved!
Over the holidays I like to indulge just a little, and make chocolate covered pretzels … most of them are given away, but some make it into my tummy 🙂
My favorite thing to bake is ricotta cookies for Christmas! They’ve always been my favorite!
Shortbread cookies 🙂
I like to bake chocolatey peppermint cookies!
I liked the apple crisp recipe on Facebook and pinterest
https://twitter.com/jessicanjzee/status/542102462757236737
I love to bake cookies!! I plan on experimenting with a few different kinds this season! Your apple crisp looks delish! I just went over to the Love Grown page to vote for it! Good luck 🙂
My favorite thing to cook over the holidays are soups! Tomato dill and curried butternut squash/apple are two favorites!
I love making healthier cookies and desserts over the holidays. I live in a different province than the rest of my family so they never get to have any of my baking. Christmas is a time when I finally get to show off my skills!
I liked them on Facebook and Pinterest!
I always make snowball/butterball cookies for Christmas. Not healthy at all, but so delicious and it’s tradition for me 🙂 This apple crisp recipe sounds simple and yummy!
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/j_mosh/status/542164583146745856
I love to bake snickerdoodle cookies for the holidays! They make me think of my grandmother 🙂
tweeted: https://twitter.com/justtellmewhen/status/542198601733001216
I have a new-found love for baking.. my current favorite is any kind of sweet bread! Banana nut, zucchini chocolate chip, it’s all amazing, and so easy!
I like to bake shortbread toberlone cookies! Family Tradition 🙂
I love making chocolate peppermint bark – sooooo good!
I love baking anything with ginger in it…and cooking all the amazing Christmas side dishes.
My favourite thing to bake over the holidays is soft gingerbread cookies! They’re perfect for dipping in my extensive David’s Tea selection when I brew a cup of tea.
I liked your recipe on Facebook! Good luck 🙂
Pecan cups. That’s what I call them. The requests and compliments every year are over whelming. Its an old recipe from my mom. I have yet to see a recipe posted for it.
Cannot wait to try the apple crisp! Thanks
I liked you recipe on Pinterest and facebook
I love making (and eating!) date squares! 🙂
I love to make caramels, and cheese rolls!
I love to make fudge in festive flavours over the holidays
My favorite thing to bake – pecan pie
Follow on fb (facebook.com/trabajardd) and pinterest (pinterest.com/sandyhills25)
tweeted -https://twitter.com/redbakingapple/status/543616710301868033
cherry pie
https://twitter.com/sweetums82/status/543622810669551617
Cookies!
peppermint or snickedoodle cookies