Sprained Ankle = Kitchen Adventures!

I love coming across a new recipe that is delicious and super easy to make. I bookmarked this recipe for future use and it was perfect timing because I had a massive apple waiting to be eaten. Have I mentioned that I am slightly obsessed with the blog Oh She Glows? This is where I got the Baked Apples Stuffed with Date Pecan Oatmeal recipe from. It's one that I will use often for all meals: breakfast, snack, or dessert. I didn't have any pecans so I used sunflower seeds instead, and it came out tasting great. A scoop of vanilla ice cream and this dish is irresistable.

In other news, I signed up to play intramural basketball with some co-workers. I thought it would be a great way to have fun and be active. Unfortunately, it was just that, a thought; I heard a crunch and realized I rolled my ankle over my toes. This was in the first 10 minutes of the game too.

The result: My ankle disappeared under swollen tissue. 

I am hopeful that it won't hinder me too long. I can already walk without too much of a limp, especially when I wrap the darn thing. Ibuprofen helps with the swelling and pain. Positive though and applying RICE should get me back in working order soon. To help pass the time, I am experimenting in the kitchen. 

Sometimes I bake things that look delicious but don't taste great, and today was one of those days. I attempted black bean brownies. Looks can be deceiving. The brownies were ooey gooey to the eye, but bitter and pasty to the palate. I think I failed on this recipe because I cut out too much sugar. I like the idea of using beans instead of flour, and it did produce a moist brownie. It lacked sweetness and that 'melt in your mouth' sensation. I will definitely try it again, altering the recipe, but overall this trial was a failure. 

On the bright side, I was successful in making a huge pot of vegetarian chili. I had a bag of lentils and half a can of black beans (leftover from the brownies) to use up and this seemed like a logical dish. I was happy something with the beans turned out. I was also able to get started on Halloween baking. Since I am working 10 hours on Halloween, I thought I'd make some delicious treats for everyone. Gluten-free cake balls were a success and looking rather festive. If I have some time tomorrow, I will attempt some more baking.