Friday Favorites: Favorite Local Shops for Runners and Triathletes

Living about 30 minutes from stores, I do not do much shopping - especially with three kids in tow. However, when I need new running shoes or gear for triathlons, I find it worth it to pack the family up and head into town to the local running and multi-sport stores. Bonus - all these stores support the community in leading group trainings or classes for all fitness levels.

Here are three of my favorite stores:
1. Ken Combs Running Store - Located off of Shelbyville Road in St. Matthews,  I can take all 3 kids and be out of the store in about 15 minutes with a new pair of running shoes. I love that they recommend shoes based on your feet, so I can try them on and pick the best fit. My last visit I told them I was starting to have arch soreness. They gave me suggestions with icing and stretching which has helped. They have more than shoes of course if you are looking for some good running socks or other running clothes. They also offer track nights for group speed work. They also have race calendar on their website.

2. VO2 Multisport - Also in St. Matthews, this place covers areas in training and coaching as well as retail. They had a great sale in January this year where I was able to pick up my first cycling shoes and a few pieces of running and biking clothes. Check out their calendar for the bike rides, yoga, and other classes such as bike maintenance 101. They are there to help you whether you are a novice or a veteran!

3. Fleet Feet Sports - Located on Taylorsville Rd, this running store has lots to offer the community as well. They will also recommend running shoes based on your feet and lots of other gear to look through. They have group runs, training groups to help you achieve your running goals, yoga for runners, and a variety of classes such as Self Defense while Running coming up on Sept. 9.

Be sure to follow these stores on Facebook to keep up with deals and events such as the sale that Fleet Feet is having this weekend!

What are you favorite places to get your gear to keep you running and biking?

FIT IN for the Weekend - Aug. 29, 30, 31 and Sept. 1

A holiday weekend we all have been waiting for!! Enjoy your time with family and friends, but remember to have fun taking hikes, bike rides, or playing football with them too!

This week's picks highlight some free fitness fun! Step out of your comfortzone and try something new!


Friday, August 29

Free Yoga - Grab your mat and head to Kentucky Center at noon

Saturday, August 30
 Breakfast Club - Free group workout at the Waterfront

 Sunday, August 31
CrossFit Bluegrass - FREE class through Lululemon
 Free Spartan Workout - Registration needed




Monday, September 1
Mayors' Hike, Bike, and Paddle - FREE!


Looking ahead -

InstaFam Hunt -  Sign up for LFF's family oriented scavenger hunt at the Louisville zoo on Sept. 12
Learn orienteering Sept. 13 at Horine Reservation - pre-registration needed.
Derby Festival- Half and full marathon  opened up for registration for next April!
Free Self-Defense Class at Pro Martial Arts Stony Brook - Signup to reserve your spot for Sept. 27

Tasty Tuesday: Cucumbers

Cucumbers are easy to grow and healthy for you, so thought I would try for the first time this year in my garden. I am not a fan of just eating sliced cucumbers, but enjoy them in salads and pickles.

Cucumbers are a great source for vitamin C and K. You can read more about benefits of cucumbers on Care2 or World's Healthiest Foods. If you are like me and prefer not to eat them plain, it is definitely worth the time to experiment with recipes to find ways you can enjoy them.

Here are my 2 favorite (super quick and easy!) recipes using cucumbers -

Quick Pickle Recipe 
(This recipe is requested by several of my family and friends for me to bring to cook-outs.)
from Rachael Ray

Ingredients
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 rounded teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove cracked garlic
1 teaspoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves, chopped or snipped
1 bay leaf
4 kirby cucumbers, cut into 1-inch slices on an angle (I've used other kinds of cucumbers and it has worked just fine)

Directions
Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving.

Tomato, Cucumber, and Feta Salad

from Food Network

 

Ingredients
2 tomatoes, cored and sliced
1 1/2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions
In medium bowl combine tomatoes and cucumber. Season with salt and pepper. Add vinegar and olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle on feta and serve.

 

 

What are your favorite ways to eat a cucumber?

Ironman Volunteer - August 23, 2014

For the first time, I volunteered with Ironman Louisville in the gear and bike check-in on Saturday. It was a fantastic experience even in the rainstorm. I got to interact with the athletes taking on this huge athletic endeavor. I took their bags while helping to find their place for their bikes. Then we went over to the gear bags section to drop those off and answer any questions or direct them to more knowledgeable people. I had about 10-15minutes with each athlete to talk with them.  It was interesting to hear their stories from the first timers to the veterans. I talked with a first timer who was excited and so nervous it was hard for her to carry on a conversation. I helped another guy from New York that had to rent a bike because the airline lost his bike! I met a husband and wife completing the race together. It was amazing interacting with these athletes.

There were tons of opportunities available to volunteer for the Ironman starting midweek doing a variety of jobs. It's is incredible how much work and preparation goes on to put on such an event. For my particular position I needed to be there a few minutes early so they could brief us on what we needed to do and get our volunteer t-shirt. My volunteer job was pretty easy and simple. The 3.5hour shift flew by. I look forward to helping out another race soon.

Cheering the bikers along US42

Friday Five: Fitness and Volunteering

From coaching to bike mechanic to feeding the homeless, Louisville has a wide range of ways to volunteer in areas that are related to fitness in some way.

Here are this week's Friday Five:

1. Burrito Riders - From their facebook page, "We roll burritos in our homes, and deliver them to the homeless and the hungry, by bicycle, the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month." They are always looking for more people to make burritos and riders. You can also read a little more about them here.

2. runPossible - Sweaty Sheep initiative that meets every Wednesday morning with Wayside to connect with the homeless through running and walking

3. Volunteer at a Bike shop - Trikes for Tikes in Crestwood meets on Thursday nights to repair bikes to give to the needy. You can donate bikes, bike parts, and helmets. Falls City Community Bikeworks is another great place. From their website,  "FCCBikeWorks will serve a two-part mission: providing the space, tools and expertise to any community member who wishes to learn and practice bicycle maintenance; and channeling the donation of refurbished bicycles (and related equipment and skills) to Louisvillians who rely on bike transportation, but cannot afford to purchase roadworthy bicycles. The overriding goal is to make bicycling more affordable and widespread."


4. Be a coach or a mentor - YMCA, GOTR (Girls on the Run), First Tee of Louisville

5.Volunteer with road races such as the Ironman, the upcoming Hike, Bike and Paddle, Mighty Titans. Other road races may give you a free or discounted entry to their race.

There are still lots of other options out there such as 502 energy exchange or volunteering in a local club or maybe teaching a community fitness class.

My family and I currently help out with Burrito Riders and Trikes for Tikes, but look forward to trying some of the others out soon! Volunteering is just like fitness - you got to make the time to do it if you want to do it.

Do you know of other opportunities? I would love to share them too!

FIT IN for the Weekend - Aug. 22, 23, 24

Ironman weekend! Here are some ideas to get your FIT IN this weekend!

(image from greatmindsthinkfit.com)

Friday, August 22
Trail Run - 7:27am at Hogans Fountain in Cherokee - 3 and 5 mile routes

Free Yoga - Grab your mat and head to Kentucky Center at noon

Community Yoga - $5 at Infinity Bliss, 6-7:15pm

Saturday, August 23
Burrito Riders - Grab your bikes and pass at breakfast burritos to the homeless.

Cardio Boot Camp - 9:30am at Edge Body Boot Camp - Free with donation of non-perishable food item

Crossfit 222 - Grand Opening - free workout for everyone!


Sunday, August 24
Ironman Louisville - Find a spot to cheer for the athletes

CrossFit Bluegrass - FREE class through Lululemon

Mommy and Me Yoga -  Donation based through You Do Yoga


There are lots of parks around for hikes, runs, and biking! Looking for a road race? Check out Fleet Feet Calendar for some. If none of these fit your schedule or your fancy, check out the calendar link for more options like the Louisville Quest on Saturday!

Looking ahead -

• Signup to volunteer with the Hike, Bike, and Paddle on Sept. 1. E-mail  mhhm@louisvilleky.gov with your name and telephone number. Must be able to stand for 4 hours. Ages 15 and up please 
• Learn orienteering Sept. 13 at Horine Reservation - pre-registration needed. 
• Signup to run the Great Pumpkin 10K  on Oct. 4

Tasty Tuesday: Taco Tuesday Nights!

I am a big believer that exercise and nutrition go hand and hand. I am hoping that my tasty Tuesday posts give a little help in the nutrition department to make more meals and snacks at home.

We are a family of 5. With 3 young kids, dinner can be hectic. Thanks to the Lego movie, my boys have requested taco Tuesdays as a weekly meal. We have been having taco Tuesdays weekly since June. They look forward to it every week. It makes meal planning a little easier knowing this meal is always on the menu. It is an easy and quick meal. The taco meat can be doubled or made ahead of time and frozen which makes dinner even easier! The combos of taco night are endless. We typically set-up a taco bar with all the fixings - tortilla chips, lettuce or spinach, cheese, salsa, sour cream, avocados (or guacamole), tomatoes, rice (thanks to our rice cooker!), black beans, and hard or soft taco shells. The kids love deciding on a hard taco or a nacho plate.

Here are our favorite taco night recipes:
Taco Seasoning Mix
2t instant minced onion (I often omit because I add onion to the meat)
1t salt
1t chili powder
1/2t cornstarch
1/2t crushed dried red pepper
1/2t minced garlic
1/4t oregano
1/2t cumin

Mix all the ingredients. Use within 6 months.
This is 1 package of taco mix or about 2T.

Taco Meat
1 - 1.5lbs ground beef or ground turkey
1 taco seasoning mix
1/2 water

Brown the meat. Drain the grease. Add water and the taco season mix. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. (I typically add more seasoning such as the red pepper and oregano as needed. I also dice up some onion to add to the meat instead of using the onion powder. Double the recipe and freeze half to make another night's easy dinner. )

These taco seasoning mix and taco meat recipes are from Make-A-Mix cookbook.

Salsa

2 large cans of whole tomatoes, drained (Dei Fratelli is our favorite brand)

1/2 large sweet onion

1 jalapeno pepper (remove seeds for less heat)

1t salt

3/4 cilantro bunch

lime juice from 2 limes (microwave the limes for 10secs to get more juice)
4-5 fresh garlic cloves
(Feel free to add other green chilies or other peppers - bananas, green etc)

Pile all the ingredients in a food processor. Run the processor until well blended.
Yields about 7-8cups.


Check out the Guacamole recipe on my Tasty Tuesday: Avocados post. 

Chicken Fajitas (when you need a break from the tacos this is a great substitution)

2 green peppers, sliced in strips
1 red pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts; thinly sliced
4T soy sauce
3-4T lime juice
1T chili powder
1/2t ginger
1-2t crushed red peppers

1) Combine chicken and everything below in a ziploc bag to marinate overnight or at least 2 hours.
2) Saute peppers and onions with evoo and salt. Set aside in foil to keep warm.
3) Chicken and marinate to the pan and cook until done
Salsa and Chicken fajita recipes are from my friend Colleen W.

What are your favorites ways to eat a taco?

80's Themed Insanity at FitMe Studio

Once a month on a Friday night, FitMe Studio (Westport Rd. and Bayberry Place) offers a discounted fitness class ($3-$5). That is a fantastic deal! This month it was an 80s themed Insanity class that lasted just over 60 minutes.

I have tried their Insanity class earlier this year and had a great workout so I was looking forward to my second class. This time I brought re-enforcements with some friends. Since it was an 80's themed, several people dressed in 80's attire with leg work warmers, fringe, and headbands. I was quite jealous of not having a headband soaking up my sweat. 80's music was also played while Heath, the instructor, led the intense workout ending in a plank and push-up session that lasted longer than halftime at a football game, I think.  It was pretty similar to the previous class I reviewed - Insanity class, but that does not mean the second time around was any easier. It was still a great total body workout, using lots of muscle groups I did not work out while training for my triathlon.

If you have not checked out FitMe Studio yet, I highly recommend it. Great classes - for all fitness levels - with great instructors and friendly people at an affordable price.

Friday Five - Favorite Places to Run in Louisville

MY TOP 5 Favorite Places to Run in Louisville!

1. Creasy Mahan Nature Preserve - Trail running close to home - There are wide paths, narrow paths, hills, flat areas, and some wildlife to get a break from the hustle and bustle. 

   

   Wintertime at Creasy Mahan Nature Preserve

2. Parklands of Floyds Fork - Easily one of my favorite places to run because it has a little bit of everything:  paved paths or dirt trails, a few hills, runs along Floyd Fork, and an easy place to run short or long distances or get a brick workout. It is beautiful there!
3. Waterfront Park - This is a great place to run along the Ohio River downtown and almost always see several others running. You can cross the bridge and run the Indiana side as well.
4. Cherokee Park - The 2.4mile scenic loop is a nice training loop. It is a paved lane for walkers and runners. There are also lots of trails to go running as well.  There are always people getting their fit in along the scenic loop if you are looking for a place with others.
5. Seneca Park - This park also has a paved loop - 1.2miles. There is a nice route that is well traveled with other runners going from this park to Cherokee for a longer run.

Honorable Mention - There are still lots of places locally to run! I have to also mention Jefferson Memorial Forest and Iroquois Park. I have only run them in races since they are on 'the other side of town' from where I live, but if I lived closer I would definitely be running there more often as well. Jefferson Memorial Forest has some pretty rugged and challenging trails. Iroquois Park has some hills as well to challenge your runs!

Where are your favorite places to run?

FIT IN for the Weekend - Aug. 15, 16, 17

Finally the weekend! Here are some ideas to get your FIT IN this weekend!

Friday, August 15
Free Yoga - Grab your mat and head to Kentucky Center at noon

80s Themed Insanity - $5 at FitMe Studio (I'm hoping to check it out this Friday if you want to join me!)

Saturday, August 16
Inaugural 5K Midnight Run presented by Derby City Run Club
Canoe Hike at Falls Over the Ohio
Bike Maintenance 101 - V02 Multisport - FREE, but registration needed

Sunday, August 17
CrossFit Bluegrass - FREE class through Lululemon


There are lots of parks around for hikes, runs, and biking! If none of these fit your schedule or your fancy, check out the calendar link for more options!

Looking ahead -
Signup to volunteer with the Louisville Ironman! (I am helping with the gear and bike check-in this year if you want to join me.)
Learn orienteering Sept. 13 at Horine Reservation - pre-registration needed.
Derby Festival- Half and full marathon just opened up for registration for next April!

Tasty Tuesday: Paleo Spaghetti Squash Casserole

My friend, Erika, introduced me to this great dish from Slim Sanity! My husband and I love it, but my kids are not on board yet. I think it is a texture thing and too many vegetables, but I keep letting them try it. For this recipe, it is easy to use whatever meats and vegetables you have on hand. We have used sausage, chicken, turkey, and beef. For the vegetables, we use what we have out of the garden - zucchini or peppers or what is on sale at the store, but always use the tomatoes and spinach. We sometimes add feta on top as well. It is a great base recipe to play with the ingredients and has been tasty every time. Happy eating!

Author: Alysia

Recipe type: Casserole

Cuisine: Paleo

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 pound 93/7 lean ground beef
• 1 handfuls spinach, finely diced
• 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 whole egg
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ tablespoon EVOO

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes.
2. While squash is baking, brown ground beef over medium high heat. Drain, and set aside.
3. While your squash and beef are cooking, prepare vegetables. In a large sauce pan, begin to saute red onion, tomatoes, and garlic with EVOO. Add seasonings. Once onions begin to turn translucent, add spinach and cook down.
4. Once squash is done, remove from oven and shred the meat of the squash with a fork. Add to pan with sauteed veggies. Add meat, and egg. Mix together thoroughly.
5. Pour mixture inside a 9 x 9 baking dish, and cook at 400 for 15 minutes.

Race Recap: The Columbus Challenge Triathlon - Aug. 9, 2014

After nearly 12 weeks of training, I swam 0.9miles, biked 23miles, and ran 6.2miles to cross the finish line of my very first Olympic distance triathlon - Columbus Challenge Triathlon!

  
 To think back when I first started training, I could barely swim a 1/2mile without stopping. By being persistent and practicing, I was able to increase the distance.  Even with my brother and his family and one of my best friends there, my anxiety about finishing the swim increased as the time to start the race got closer. They had a time trial start. This just means you lined up according to your number and a swimmer starts every five seconds. This way is a lot better than a mass start at the beach. The first 10 minutes or so of swimming, my heart was racing and I could not get my breathing right because of my nerves and the cold I had. I did alot of backstroke to calm myself down the first half of the swim. Once my nerves calmed and my nose got cleared out, I was able to go back to the front stroke. My sighting on the swim was pretty bad too and even got disoriented one time, but I was able to stay calm and start again. I imagine the lifeguards having a good laugh at my inability to swim straight from buoy to buoy. At the end of the swim, the volunteers were there to pull you out of the water because it was so slick.

Since the swim did not go as well as I had hoped, I still had plenty of energy left for the bike and run. The transition from the swim to the bike went smooth. I dried my feet off to get my shoes and socks on, walked my bike out of the transition, and on I biked. I had one of my honey stinger gels after I had been on the bike for a mile or two to keep me fueled. The course was mostly country roads with miles 7-14 around a big lake that had lots of hills and curves. I drove the bike course the day before so I was ready the hills. With a few miles left, I ate another gel to fuel up for the run.

  Coming into transition, I was able to see my mother-in-law and my parents with my 3 kids cheering for me. This was a first time, my kids had seen my husband and I race and it was my mother-in-law's first time seeing a triathlon. Having a cheering section was a first for me, so that made the race even more fun. The run was 2 loops in the neighborhood that was pretty flat. My legs handled the transition from the bike to the run pretty good. I had read slowing down a few miles before the transition can help so it seemed to have worked for me.

 Coming down the home stretch, high fiving all my family, and crossing the finishing line was an amazing feeling.  It did not matter to me that I had one of the slowest swim times, it matters that I had finished something that pushed and tested me - something 3 months ago I would not have been able to complete.  My husband joined me in this challenge as well. He ended up getting a flat tire around mile 6 on the bike, but still finished the bike ride - riding 17 miles through hills on a flat! We do the races to keep us motivated to stay healthy for our kids and to do something fun together. Now onto figuring out the next challenge!

Before and after the race 

 This race is a fundraiser for Foundation for Youth in Columbus, IN (my hometown). Packet pick-up was quick and painless and even had a free dinner if you wanted the day before. Race day parking was in the neighborhood which was an easy walk to the transition area. The weather was overcast, and the water temperature was 77F so wetsuit legal. The markings on the bike route was easy to follow and volunteers did a great job directing. I wished they had more lifeguards in kayaks or canoes, but overall I think it was a well organized race. There was even a mother-son team like Team Hoyt that was inspirational to see along the course and cheer for them in their first triathlon. 

Part III: TBT - Running

The last TBT (Throwback Thursdays) for this series. I have been sharing my background and thoughts of each of the 3 sports (swimming, biking, running) of which I am about to embark on for my first Olympic Triathlon distance (1500m swim, 25mile bike, 10K run) sharing my excitement and nervousness along the way. Part I: Swimming, Part II: Biking 

The final leg of the race happens to be my favorite. There are no worries about drowning  or falling off a bike. Running also happens to be the one I have been practicing for over 20 years and had my shares of ups and downs with it.
  I started off in junior high track. I ran the 800 and 1600 and an occasional relay. I was not the fastest on the team, but was respectable - not that that matters. I enjoyed being able to run with a friend during practice and basically just talk. I found this true for high school cross country as well. I met some of my best friends in high school on my cross country team who are still some of my very good friends. What other sport can you practice and talk with your friends? I dealt with your typical injuries as well - twisted ankles and shin splints, but I also got diagnosed with exercise induced asthma, so racing became less fun. I still enjoyed running, but not to the point that my asthma started to bother me. 
 I learned how to control my asthma and still ran for fun while in college. Running was a great stress reliever. I would meet with friends early in the morning or at night to go for a run. We cared more about distance than time so we ran slow enough that we could still talk. I occasionally did a race or two until I got the crazy idea to do some half marathons with my dad (who had not been running) and eventually two marathons. Training for these races gave my dad and I time to hang out while running and catch up since I came home for some of the long runs. 
 Jump ahead to my first real jobs, I found myself running with some co-workers at lunchtime which was another unique bonding experience! Have you ever run with your boss before? Makes for some interesting conversations.
  This is why I call myself a social runner - I run with friends, family, and co-workers. For me, running is an outlet. It gives me time to myself, but also with friends. You do not have the distraction of technology or kids interrupting. I am more of an introvert, but running makes me extroverted by being comfortable in it. I love running with others - especially those who are training for a race they thought they would never be able to run. I do not consider myself a fast runner. I am not out there looking for speed, although I do enjoy the occasional PRs now and then. I am out there looking for new challenges and adventures, and running helps me be prepared both mentally and physically. Have you ever run on a treadmill? That really helps build your mental strength!
  While training for this triathlon, I have had issues with my breathing again. I have had issues in the past after high school but they were so few and far between that I just ignored them. But I decided not to ignore them since it was happening more frequently (and I have kids now...).  I take an inhaler now before my workouts which has helped tremendously. It feels great to not wheeze and be able to get a full breath when I need one. 
  This triathlon is about me attaining my goal - finishing an Olympic Triathlon Distance! I maybe slow, but plan on being steady and finishing strong. Being amazed that I can cover over 30miles by swimming, biking, and running. Training for the race has been a 12 week journey of ups and downs and of learning how to balance 3 sports, becoming a better swimmer and biker which ultimate helps me have more energy for my kids. It provides an example for my kids that with dedication and hard work you can reach your goals. It does not matter what size or shape you are, you can train your body to go the distance. You have to start with believing in yourself!

 

Tasty Tuesday - Granola Bars Take 3

I. love. homemade. granola bars!

If you couldn't tell from my previous  posts, my family loves them too. You can fill them up with lots of healthy treats they may not otherwise want to eat. My son, Rooster, and daughter enjoy making them with me so it is a win-win for me! They are easy to put in our snack bags when we are on the go.

I recently saw Merrell Outside posted Nutrition Kitchen's homemade chewy peanut butter energy bar, so we had to try it!
With my sous chefs ready, we got all the ingredients out except for the coconut flakes since I did not have any nor do I care for them. I also did not have almond butter so I just put a handful of almonds in my food processor until it turned into almond butter.

This recipe was not as quick to make as the no bake Larabars, but everyone did enjoy them.  I liked how this recipe was a bit different from my other recipes using coconut oil and Chia seeds. We will be keeping this recipe in the rotation too.

Ingredients for Chewy Peanut Energy Bars:

• 2 cups Oats (Gluten free if needed)
• 1 cup plain peanuts roughly chopped (not salted or roasted)
• 1 cup Seeds (pumpkin & sunflower)
• 1/2 cup Coconut flakes
• 2 Tbsp Chia seeds
• 1/2 cup water
• 10 medjool dates (chopped)
• 1/4 cup Coconut oil
• 1/3 cup Maple syrup or (rice syrup/ honey)
• 2 Tbsp Almond Butter
• 2 Ripe bananas

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2) Spread oats, seeds and coconut on a baking tray
3) Place in oven for 15 minutes to lightly brown, stirring regularly. Be careful not to let the coconut burn. When ready, place in large bowl and add chopped peanuts.
4) Meanwhile put the Chia seeds and 1/4 cup water in a bowl and set aside.
5) Place the chopped dates, coconut oil, 1/4 cup water and the maple syrup in a saucepan.
6) Gently heat until the oil is melted and the dates have softened. Then, add to the bowl with the chia seeds.
7) Place the bananas and almond butter in blender until smooth, feel free to add a little of the date liquid if you need to.
8) When smooth, add the banana mixture to the chia seed and date bowl and mix together with 1/2 tsp sea salt.
9) Add the bowl of wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
10) Pour the mixture into a lined baking tin and spread with the back of a spoon until it is evenly dispersed and compacted.