Guinness Bread and St. Patrick's Day!

March signals the "you better hurry up because summer is right around the corner, so get to the gym" frenzy! Swimsuit season is almost upon us!

Soon I won't be hiding behind baggy scrubs at work and snuggle-worthy sweat pants at home. And it is my goal to finally make it to the beach this summer. I haven't swam in Lake Michigan yet and I've lived in Chicago almost a year! Wow, time flies! 

To jump start my shape up, and my wake up (see what I did there? word play), when the alarm goes off (5:30am sharp) every morning, I've been doing this awesome 10 minute body-weight workout. In addition to my regular post-work-stress-relieving gym time, I will be back in summer shape in no time!

Supplement your regular workouts or do it on it's own. Just do it!

It is also the most wonderful time of the year! Some say Christmas...

I say St. Patrick's Day!

I look forward to this day all year! Wearing green, being ridiculous and celebrating the day of my people! 

I made monkey bread for brunch last year! Not. Healthy.

St. Patty's in the D! On a people mover adventure!

Looking for something a little more authentic and surprisingly healthy to bring to your St. Patty's get together? 

Have a can of left over Guinness from some pre-St. Patty's festivities? (Wait. What's leftover Guinness?)

Guinness Bread

Hands on time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1.5 hours

What you need:

• 1 cup quick oats
• 2 cups whole wheat flour (or white)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
• 12 oz Guinness
• 1 T honey

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients. If you're using the Guinness cans, don't use the whole thing! They are almost 15 ounces! Take a sip!

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix, mix, mix. Grease an 8x8 baking pan and pour the batter into it.

Sprinkle with some leftover oats. Bake for 20 minutes at 425, turn the oven down to 400 and bake another 20 minutes. Now turn off the oven. Open the door a smidge and let the bread sit in the oven ANOTHER 20 minutes.

Let cool completely and enjoy! 

Have a safe and fun St. Patrick's Day!