And another . . .

For those who aren't aware, I'm currently in the midst of a scone obsession. I just can't seem to satisfy my craving for scones; if I could I would have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner--and snacks, duh!



The bad news is I can't do that--my overly conscious runner self won't allow me that luxury. The good news is, however, I've found friends that enjoy scones as much as like I do. This means I now have a justified excuse to plunge into the depths of Pinterest--and the plethora of cookbooks on my shelves--in search of the perfect scone recipe.



Well, turns out my search is going well: see this recipe and this other one. And then there's the following one. It claims to be a copycat Starbucks scone recipe; it's definitely up to par. Enjoy!



PS, keep an eye out for upcoming scone posts!



Healthy Wild Blueberry Scones (adapted from Babble)
Makes 8 scones.
Active time: 30 minutes; total time: 55 minutes.

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup no fat Greek yogurt
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
• 1 1/2 cups frozen wild blueberries
• Coconut oil cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 425 F; spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk the milk and yogurt until fully combined. Refrigerate mix until ready to use. 
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Using a large-hole grater, grate the frozen butter and toss with fingers until butter is well coated. 
4. Fold in the liquid mixture until combined. Transfer dough to a well-floured work space and dust with more flour. Knead 6–8 times, adding more flour as needed. Roll out the dough into a 12" square. Fold into thirds as if folding a business letter; fold in the short ends to create a 4" square. Transfer dough to a floured plate and freeze for 5 minutes. 
5. Roll out dough again into a 12" square. Sprinkle with blueberries, pressing lightly so they adhere to the dough. Roll dough into a tight log and lay seam side down; lightly press to flatten into a rectangular form. Cut crosswise into 4 even pieces, then cut each piece diagonally into triangles. Place triangles onto prepared sheet; spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with remaining sugar. 
6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool before serving. 

Drowsy Mornings

WARNING: part of this post was written under the delayed influence of a "pm" pain medication.



8:47 a.m.: Last night I took one of those over-the-counter pain turned sleep-aid medications. I'm not talking about a hardcore sleep aid, or a doctor-prescribed medication. This was a run-of the-mill naproxen (pain reliever) combined with some sort of "sleep" substance.



I took the pill at 9 p.m. thinking it would help with back pain and (really) hoping it would give me a 10-hour (or longer) sleep. My back pain is more-or-less gone, but my 10-hour sleep is still lacking. And, I now find myself feeling tired and not fully sober; I'm drowsy and all I want is a large cup of coffee and a large pasty.














9:05 a.m.: coffee is in hand and scones are in the oven.



1:32 p.m.: breakfast was delicious, and after a long morning of binge-worthy tv (namely Homeland and Young & Hungry), my body has seemingly assimilated the sleep-aid substance. I'm no longer feeling stupefied or lethargic.



I've decided to only take sleeping pills when my mind is prepared to really let go. Otherwise, on days like today when I'm anxious about anything--for example an upcoming marathon--I should avoid such pills at all costs. If I don't I not only won't get the rest I long, I'll also have a dazed aftermath during which I can't rest or be productive.



Blueberry Scones (adapted from Racing Weight Cookbook)
Active time: 15 minutes; total time: 40 minutes.
Makes 8 scones.

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (use white whole-wheat flour if you want more traditional looking scones)
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 5 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or butter)
• 1/3 cup almond milk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup egg whites, at room temperature. *Make sure to have ingredients at room temperature so that the coconut oil doesn't harden. 
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or other berry)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger; stir to mix well. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine melted coconut oil, milk, lemon juice, and egg whites; stir to mix. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients bowl and mix well. 
4. Gently fold in berries just until combined with batter. Spoon batter onto prepared pan in 8 equal mounds. 
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops and edges of scones are golden brown. Cool scones before serving (but still serve warm!).