Gretch Runs

I admit it - I've fallen into the TikTok trap. Since our first lock down happened, I joined all of the millennials flocking to the app and have learned so much from it. From beauty tips and painting tutorials to drink ideas and recipes (maybe even a dance move or two) it's been a great source of entertainment for me this past year! Today I decided to start a series where I try out some of these videos that I watched from some of my favorite creators, as well as two of the viral recipes that I've seen everywhere.  Just a note- in most of the videos there aren't real "recipes" so I've tried to get the steps and ingredients as close as possible. I didn't really measure anything and just eyeballed it and everything worked fine!  Now let's get to the recipes. Coffee The Anna by AnnaxSitar Ingredients Coldbrew, Chai Tea Concentrate, Cream or Milk, Heavy Cream, Vanilla Syrup, Cinnamon Directions In a glass filled with ice, add cold brew, chai tea concentr...

Hi there! How are you doing? Like, really doing? I hope that my posts lately have helped to be a distraction during this time, maybe even giving you ideas on fun things to read or new workouts to try. Today we're getting to the good stuff- food!  The past few weeks I've been trying to stretch the food that I have in my house to avoid going to grocery stores. I went about 10 days ago, and I just felt like I was holding my breath the whole time- it was so stressful and scary. So- I've been trying to get creative and using up food in different ways at home! Here's a look at what I've been rotating through the past month- I hope it helps to give you some new ideas. Stay safe friends! Frozen Egg Cups This is a great way to get some vegetables and protein in every morning, without worrying about them spoiling! I made a big batch of these and keep them in my freezer. One of my favorite ways to heat them up is tossing them in a frying pan and making them into...

Hi everyone and Happy Monday! Today I'm going to be starting a new series I'm calling "Cooking from Blogs". With it being a new year, a lot of people (including me) are trying to cook more at home to save money and eat healthier! To help inspire myself- I've been pinning recipes from blogs like crazy . The only thing is, I end up not making the majority of these recipes, go back to recipes I've made hundreds of times before, and before long am buying veggie lo mein or pizza because I have nothing  to eat at home! So- to help inspire myself (and hopefully a few of you!) I'll be trying out a full day of recipes from some of my favorite blogs, as well as a few new ones that I've recently discovered! Up first is Love + Lemons , which was recommended by my friend Alexa (spoiler alert- I'll be covering her blog in a future post!). After hearing her rave about this blog, I had to try it out. Here's how the day of eats went. Breakfast :   Overnig...

Happy Monday everyone!  It's my final week of work for the year (slash decade) and I'm pumped!  It's been a hectic, roller-coaster of a year, so I'm excited to see what 2020 has to bring. In my second post recapping the year (check out my favorite purchases here ), I'm sharing my favorite recipes that I tried out.  I love to cook, and these ones took the cake! Carrot Lox recipe and photo credit Time-intensive, but the taste and texture is SO close to smoked salmon for a fraction of the price and is vegan! Skill level- intermediate Prep time- 10 minutes Cook time- 1.5 hours + 2 hours marinating No Knead Bread recipe and photo credit Super easy method to cook bread, and it turns out delicious every time. Skill level-  a little more than beginner Prep time-  overnight Cook time-  1 hour Best Ever Veggie Burger recipe and photo credit I make this in huge batches and freeze them.  They are really delicious and better than ...

One of my favorite foods before going vegan was a smoked salmon bagel.  I got them as a special treat about once a month from Brueggers, or I splurged at the grocery store to get the ingredients and make them for myself at home.  The combination of cream cheese, smoked salmon, dill and capers was so delicious and filling that it made a perfect breakfast for me!  It was one of those foods that I've been missing a lot lately, so I was really excited and intrigued to read about homemade vegan versions.  I had to try it right away! I found two different versions- one using carrots and one using tomatoes.  They both have completely different methods, but similar marinades.  I tested them both out in two recipes- in a classic lox bagel, and in a sushi bowl (recipes below).  Keep reading to find out what I thought! Version 1- Tomato This is what I consider the quick and easy version.  To prepare the tomato, boil it for a few minutes in water unti...

Hi everyone!  I'm so excited to share today's post, because it's something that I've been working on for a while.  One question that I've gotten a lot since going vegan is "what do you eat?  doesn't it get boring?  what about lunch?"  Today's post is all about that - it's a full week of vegan lunches! I hope that in this post, I can show you that there is so much  variety and choice with eating vegan.  I'm feeling so inspired to come up with fun and exciting lunches.  I love all of the beautiful colors in each picture, and I can tell you each lunch was incredibly satisfying and delicious! For each day, I'll be sharing a main dish and three sides.  I'm using the Rubbermaid Lunch Blox container (I love how all the pieces snap together, and it comes with an ice pack that fits between the layers!). P.S. This is not a sponsored post, but that is an Amazon affiliate link!    I hope you enjoy this post, and get some new lunch ide...

Hi everyone! Who's excited for the long holiday weekend?  Does anyone have any fun plans?  Next week I'll talk more about what I'm up to, but I've been looking forward to it for a while! Today I'll be sharing some amazing recipes for the 4th of July.  You won't believe it by looking at the mouthwatering pictures or trying them out for yourself- but these are all Whole30 compliant!  Since I'm still on my Whole30 (more like a relaxed Mostly-Whole 70 ), I wanted to show you all that you don't have to sacrifice taste or picnic fun to stay compliant. I'll be sharing some recipes from my blogging buddies, but let's start off with some drinks that I'll be making!  You might have to miss out on wine coolers or beers during the Whole30, but these drinks are refreshing, delicious, and won't leave you feeling bloated when you want to change into a bikini and jump into the pool! Patriotic Mocktail Ingredients (for one mocktail) 2 o...

Happy Wednesday everyone!  I'm really excited to share a recipe with you that is perfect for this time of year. A few months ago, I met up with Alexa, the amazing blogger behind Fooduzzi.  We met at a local coffee shop called Big Dog Coffee in the Southside.  She suggested that I get her favorite drink- a turmeric tonic.  I've never had turmeric in a drink before, so I was definitely intrigued and followed her advice.  I'm so glad that I did, because the tea was amazing and has been on my mind ever since! I have been trying to come up with a recipe that is close to the original drink that I had, and I think this one comes pretty close.  It's spicy and sweet and can be enjoyed hot or cold.  I can't get enough of it, and I hope you enjoy it as well!  Before I share the recipe, I wanted to give you a few facts about turmeric.  This is a popular ingredient lately, and for good reason!  There are tons of benefits of this plant, which I ...

Hi everyone!  Today is a very happy Wednesday, because I have a great post lined up for you today.  You all know that I have a thing for energy bites, and today I'm sharing another version of my favorite treat.  These delicious treats are so decadent and incredible- but they're Whole30 compliant!  That pretty much makes them a health food, right? I love to make a big batch of these (this recipe will make two dozen) and grab a few when I can sense that rungry feeling coming on (which seems to be all the time now.)  Is anyone else in that part of their training where you're hungry all. the. time ?!  Luckily, these are really quick and easy to whip up, and have been my saviour at work or before I head out for a run.  They honestly taste like brownie batter, and I couldn't be happier with how these turned out.  My sweet tooth and stomach are both very  happy with this one! Brownie Batter Energy Bites 1/2 cup walnuts 1/4 cup cashews 1 ...