Jenna, Author at Just J.Faye

Plantain Chips

August 22, 2014 by Jenna

I’m backkkkkk from Costa Rica. And within approximately 12 hours of landing in Minneapolis I had a batch of homemade plantain chips in the oven.

Why? BECAUSE THEY ARE SO GOOD. And I missed them. And they are super easy to make.

Plantain chips were our snack of choice in Costa Rica. You know, something to tie us over when hunger struck at the beach or during our 20 minute drive home from the grocery store. I wouldn’t say we were obsessed, but I’m pretty positive we bought at least one bag every time we stopped at the grocery store, which was approximately every 2-3 days. However, they were small bags. Sometimes we shared with each other, but sometimes we just bought our own.

I love going to grocery stores when I travel. It’s like a whole new world of brands and snacks. I thoroughly enjoy them here in Minnesota too, but international grocery shopping is just way more interesting. Plus, if I’m at an international grocery store it means I’m travelling somewhere, which is just fun in general.

I’ve always enjoyed plantains, but I fell in love with them in Puerto Rico (Mofongo? So delicious). However, I never buy or cook plantains back in Minnesota. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. This may need to change (and basically already has), because Costa Rica reignited my love.

After getting back home (where my refrigerator was completely empty apart from condiments) I needed to make a desperate trip to the grocery store. I bought plantains for the first time ever. Then I made some plantain chips and chowed down on them while I pretended I was back in Costa Rica.

Plantains look like bananas, just like you may look like one of your siblings. Similar, but different.I purchased the sweeter yellow variety, but if you prefer the savory side of things, go for the greener ones.

They are so simple to make. Just toss some plantain slices with melted coconut oil, layer them on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven.

The difficult part is trying to resist eating them all instantly. However, they do taste best same day because they lose some of the crispiness factor overnight. So don’t resist too hard, I guess.

I think these would be really good with some additional seasonings sprinkled on too. Maybe some cinnamon or chili powder? I’m going to that next time. Because there will be a next time. A lot of next times.

As a bonus, plantains are great sources of fiber, beta-carotene, calcium, and vitamin c, sooooo… eat up!

Plantain Chips

Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

42 mins

These are inspired by my recent trip to Costa Rica. A crunchy, little bit sweet, little bit savory treat. They are best eaten the day of, so snack away!

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

2 plantains
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice plantains, no more than ¼-inch thick.
Add plantain slices and coconut oil in a bowl. Stir until all the slices are completely covered.
Spread plantains on a baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, flip the slices, and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes or until you reach your desired crunchiness.

Notes

I used sweet plantains, but go for the green ones for more of a savory taste!

One day when I get my life in order I will talk more about Costa Rica (side note: IT WAS AMAZINGGG!!!!) and post some pictures. But until that day comes I hope you make a batch of these and pretend you are on a beautiful beach.

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My Bags Are Packed….

August 6, 2014 by Jenna

My bags are packed and I’m ready to go…

…to Costa Rica!

I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT. It will be 10 days of relaxation, adventure, and silliness. I.am.soooooo.ready.

Because of this, I will probably not be blogging for 2-ish weeks. Maybe I will find the time, desire, and internet connection to do so? But we shall see.

Pura vida! It’s the Costa Rican way. I am just going to go with the flow and be on vacation and live happily.

I’m sure I will be posting a lot on Instagram though, so feel free to follow me there (@justjfaye)!

Until next time…. xo

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Pre-Race Strides

August 4, 2014 by Jenna

On Saturday morning I kicked off my Philadelphia Marathon training by running a half marathon. Pretty exciting.

Signing up probably wasn’t the best decision I have ever made, since I am a little untrained and haven’t run over 10 miles since Grandma’s Marathon last June. But it’s ok. I survived (clearly otherwise I wouldn’t be typing this).

This was my 4^th half marathon and unfortunately I didn’t set a new PR (Personal Record). At mile 10 there was a chance that if I just pushed it those last 3.1 miles I could have done it, but I didn’t. My racing mentality just wasn’t there that morning. Oh well. #betterlucknexttime

Overall though, I’m still happy that I did it. It was a nice long run and a good course. It will be a great baseline to see how I improve over the next few weeks with some actual training.

Now that I am officially in marathon training, it’s time for me to really get down to business. The next 16 weeks will be work, but fun work and exciting work. My goal for this marathon is to finish below 3:45, which would be a 4 minute improvement over my last time. I can do it! I hope.

Are any of you signed up for a race? 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon??

If so, it’ll be good to add some strides into your training and pre-race routine.

The thing that I love about doing strides is that they make me feel so good! First of all, they only last 30 seconds. Second, they really do help loosen up my legs. The goal is to stay relaxed during these bursts and just let your legs go. It almost feels like you’re flying and it’s pretty cool. When I do these I try to imagine myself in a race and it’s the last 30 seconds before crossing the finish line.

Try them out a day or two before your next race!

What? You aren’t signed up for a race? That’s ok! You can still incorporate these to the end of a normal easy run. It’s a good introduction to speed work. And then go sign up for a race.

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Blueberry-Mint Brownies (sugar-free & dairy-free)

August 2, 2014 by Jenna

Would you still eat a brownie if I told you it was sugar-free?

I would. In fact, I made a whole pan of sugar-free brownies and almost ate the whole thing.

No joke. It was a small pan though. And I said “almost”. I still have some to share.

Earlier this week I was dead set on trying bake up some fudgy, sugar-free, healthy-ish brownies. Then after reading Minimalist Baker’s recipe for simple berry compote I knew I wanted to somehow combine a version of it with my brownies. After all, who doesn’t love fruit and chocolate together?

That is not a rhetorical question. Who doesn’t love that combo?! Let me know.

Anywho, I had blueberries on hand and some basil. Thus, blueberry-basil compote was born.

Now it was time for the brownies. I baked some up and they were… a total fail. I wanted something fudgy and delicious and these were dense, cake-like, and had little flavor. I baked them in muffin tins and topped them with the compote. They were still edible, just not what I wanted.

I gave them to my co-workers. This is basically how it went:

Me: “Hey! Want a brownie?”
Coworker: “Sure!”
Me: “Great! They are sugar and dairy free!”
Coworker: “Nevermind. I don’t want one. (2 second pause) Ok. I’ll still have one.”
Me: “Here you go! These were an experiment and not the best… but hey, brownie!”

It is so easy to give away free food. Bless their hearts.

They did give me some great feedback though. I went home, re-worked the recipe a little bit, annnddddddd……… SUCCESS!

The result was exactly what I was looking for.

I used a mixture of cocoa powder and melted chocolate instead of all cocoa powder. I reduced the amount of flour (I knew I added too much the first time around! Lesson learned.) I baked them in an 8×8” pan rather than muffin tins. I then swirled the compote in with the brownie batter so that the fruit was baked right into the brownies rather than just sitting on top. Also, I was out of basil, so I used mint instead.

Since starting this blog I have been doing a lot of baking experiments. Sometimes things work. Sometimes they don’t, which can be disappointing. But failure can lead to a lot of learning and then to success. I like learning and I like success. I also like eating delicious things. So basically, it all works out.

Oh, and as I mentioned before these are both sugar-free and dairy-free. I used honey instead of sugar and coconut oil instead of butter. So you don’t have to feel super guilty when you eat almost the whole pan. And by “you” I mean “I”. But you are welcome to make these and then eat half of the pan and then go share the other half with people who you like. Or keep them all to yourself. No judgement!

So there you go. Delicious, chocolatey brownies with burst of blueberries and mint. Indulgent, yet healthy-ish. Does it get any better than that?!

Yes. Yes, it does. Today is Saturday and it’s beautiful outside. Enjoy your weekend!

Blueberry-Mint Brownies (sugar-free & dairy-free)

These are delicious, fudge-y brownies with bursts of blueberries and mint. Since they are sugar-free and dairy-free, they are also a bit guilt-free too.

Author: Jenna Duesterhoeft

Serves: 16

Ingredients

For the blueberry compote:

1 pint blueberries
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped mint

For the brownies:

¾ cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
½ cup coconut oil
¾ cup honey
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the blueberry compote:

In a saucepan, add the blueberries and honey. Heat on medium-high until it begins to bubble.
Turn heat to medium-low. Stir and smash berries every few minutes for about 10-12 minutes.
Stir in the chopped mint. Transfer to a mason jar and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

For the brownies:

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8x8” baking pan, line with parchment paper, and grease again.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder.
In a saucepan on low heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate and coconut oil.
Whisk in the honey. Let it cool for a few minutes and transfer to a medium bowl.
Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.
Fold in the dry ingredients until combined.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Add spoonfuls of the blueberry-mint compote. Run a knife or toothpick through the batter to create a marbled effect.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

Notes

The first time around I used basil and the second time I used mint. I loved the outcome of both, so feel free to swap out the mint!
The blueberry-mint compote was inspired by Minimalist Baker's Simple Fruit Compote!

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Thursday Things

July 31, 2014 by Jenna

I am pretty bad at making most decisions, but running shoes? That’s an easy one. I know my brand, my version, and my size. On Tuesday I walked into Marathon Sports and told the very friendly salesperson that I wanted the newest series of Asics GT 2000 in a size 9. Easy. Done. BUT THEN she brought up three versions of the same shoe in different colors. Gaahhhhh. Why?! I literally stared at the shoes for a solid 5 minutes debating which color to get. Back and forth and back and forth. I had to take a decision break to go look at the different gels/running fuel. In the end I went with the black and I am sticking to that decision.

I broke them in on my run tonight. 5 miles and 8 sets of 30 second strides. It was awesome.

Anywho. Here’s five fun things I discovered this week!

While I was taking my shoe color decision break I found these Hüma Chia Energy Gels. I usually go for the Gatorade GUs, but these intrigued me. I’m going to test them out on Saturday during my half marathon. Probably not the greatest time to test out a new product, but oh well.
Speaking of running, spread the word: running just 5 minutes per day can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. 5 MINUTES A DAY! I saw the news story on the Today Show Monday morning and was in awe. Do it, people.
A play about The Simpson’s?! Ummm yeah, I need to go to this.
This tutorial on a DIY padded camera lens case is awesome. I wish I could have time to make one before leaving for vacation next week. Who knows though, maybe I’ll get crafty this weekend?
French braids have been my go to running hairstyle and haven’t-washed-my-hair-in-a-few-days style. I didn’t even think I could French braid until I actually tried it. Then I saw this Dutch braid. Ummm… so cute. I tried it on my sister this weekend and it looked great. I’m not sure if I’d be able to do it to myself, but I guess it’s not that drastically different from a regular French braid??

In conclusion, this weekend I will hopefully be powering through a half marathon by Hüma Chia Energy Gels, running, day dreaming about The Simpson’s, sewing a new lens case, and Dutch braiding. Doesn’t sound so bad!

HAPPY THURSDAY xo

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No Equipment Strength + Cardio Circuit Workout

July 29, 2014 by Jenna

It is always great to be able to sneak away from Minneapolis and go on little weekend getaways. This is especially true when it’s spent up north with lots of family, good food, relaxation, and sunshine, which is precisely how I spent my time this weekend.

The downside (probably the only downside) to weekend travel is figuring out how/where I can squeeze in a workout or two. You know, in between sleeping in, brunch, beers, and relaxing. It truly is a rough life.

But really, it does give me some anxiety.

This weekend I was in northern Minnesota at a family reunion (it was so fun, but more about that later, I’ll discuss the workout first) and fortunately my mind was at ease because I fit in my 10-miler on Thursday morning annndddd because I was scheduled (per my Mother’s reunion agenda) to lead a Saturday morning bootcamp with the family.

I was a bit nervous (so I guess my mind wasn’t totally at ease) that A) people wouldn’t show up for the bootcamp and B) whoever did show up would think it was dumb, too hard, or not challenging enough. I even had a dream Friday night that my sister and cousin were the only ones that came and they ended up quitting mid-way through. Sad.

Luckily, none of that happened. People came! We met out by the lake at 9:00am and had a great workout together outside.

To sum it up, this workout is composed of four rounds and three sets of each round. 30 seconds of a resistance training exercise is followed by 30 seconds of a cardio/plyo exercise. This workout keeps your heart rate elevated and helps you hit the major muscle groups.

The great thing about this workout is that absolutely no equipment is necessary. We did this out by the lake and the only thing I needed was the stopwatch on my phone to time the 30-second intervals.

Meaning, no more fretting about weekend travel workouts! You can do this workout anytime, anywhere. Do it on your next vacay. Or today at home!

Another great thing about this workout is that anyone can do it! Progress or regress the exercises as needed (feel free to put a question in the comments if you need help with this) for whatever works best for YOU. Push yourself during those 30-second increments and make the work count. You will (as I did and some of my family members too) feel it the next morning.

The workout above is a little bit modified from what I went through on Saturday. We did some more ab work and added on some hills at the end. Yes, hills! We were not messing around. You are welcome to tack on some hill training on the end of this too if the mood strikes you, but the outline above is a great workout as is.

Everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves – you know, after it was all over – which was a huge relief for me.

Dummers can party hard and work hard. Look at this: strong, sweaty, and smiling.

The rest of the weekend was an absolute blast. I was even able to fit in two 5-mile runs on top of Saturday’s morning bootcamp (bonus!). We went out on the lake, ate too much good food, had a bean bag tournament, golfed, drank beer and margaritas, made s’mores by the campfire, celebrated a 40^th birthday, played volleyball, and enjoyed time together as a family. Some of these people I hadn’t seen since our last reunion three years ago!

We are planning to have the next one in two years, potentially in Laramie, WY. But no matter where it is, it will be amazing. I’m already excited.

Here are some fun pictures from the weekend.

My favorite is the top one of the three brothers. They are three handsome and amazing men, who met beautiful women and raised wonderful families. I love them all so much. The bottom picture is just the Ed (my grandpa’s) branch of the Dummer tree.

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