I can’t recall the last time it snowed on Passover. It is becoming quite clear that Mother Nature missed the memo that my spring began March 1st.
I won’t even complain that I can’t run outdoors today. My feet need to rest after running the last two days.
My Navicular bone needs the rest actually. What and where is one’s Navicular bone you wonder?
It is the bone on the top of my foot that hasn’t been getting along very well with my favorite rainbow sneakers.
I am still trying to understand this little situation since I have been wearing the same Asics Gel Nimbus model three times over with a fourth pair still on reserve (please note that I blame the shoe, not the possibility of an overuse/overtraining situation).
So, why this pretty pair wants to cause trouble is beyond me. Especially with a half marathon on the horizon.
Not cool.
So what does a girl do?
She takes two pairs of her shoes for a car ride to her local runner’s shop for some expert advice.
Some people tote their little doggies around the town. I tote sneakers.
I wonder if Louis Vuitton makes a running shoe carrier?
As crazy as I may sound to you and the rest of the outside world, I feel quite at home and even appear normal in running related establishments.
The nice man (who might as well be a doctor of running shoes) listened to my crazy way of describing the issue, studied my two pairs of shoes and watched me walk.
His prescription?
Re-lacing the shoes.
I didn’t know it was legal to skip a hole in the middle of the sneaker. I mean, I already thought I lived on the edge skipping the second to last hole. Now I am truly a dare devil.
He re-laced the shoe to relieve pressure on this so called Navicular bone.
He also recommended icing the area.
Peppers are the perfect ice pack. And colorful too.
Anyway, I promised you the recipe for my “healthified” version of Hershey’s hot fudge cake.
It was a total success! Or so I heard.
I dropped off the boy off at his little Nickelodeon Kids Choice party along with the cake and ice cream so I didn’t have the opportunity to taste it.
But, I did receive rave reviews from the kids.
And if you know kids, they don’t lie. They totally tell you like it is and will not say something is good just to make you happy. Therefore, I KNOW THIS CAKE WAS GOOD!
The beauty of this cake recipe is that it isn’t about appearance. It is a bit of a scoop and dump in the bowl type of cake which then gets topped with whipped cream or ice cream (I say go with both!)
The original ingredient list from Hershey’s is as follows:
- 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa, divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1-1/4 cups hot water
- Whipped topping
The Cookie ChRUNicles’ Healthified Ingredients List:
- Half of a large banana to replace one cup of the sugar amount
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour/ 1/2 cup white flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa, divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup skim milk (preferably organic)
- 1 container of non-fat plain greek yogurt (to replace butter)*
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- a little under 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- handful of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips **
- 1 1/4 cup hot water
*You can certainly use half of the yogurt amount with a spoonful of butter if you are afraid to eliminate all butter.
**I added the handful of chocolate chips to this recipe simply because everything bakes better with an extra pinch of chocolate.
Directions:
- Heat oven to 350°F. Combine the mashed banana with flour mixture, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, yogurt and vanilla; beat until smooth.
- Mix in chocolate chips
- Pour batter into ungreased 9-inch square baking pan.
- Stir together granulated sugar, brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa; sprinkle mixture evenly over batter.
- Pour hot water over top of cake; do not stir.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set.
You can see where I poked the fork to check that center was set. As I said, the cake isn’t pretty.
- Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes.
- Original recipe speaks of scooping out and serving warm; spooning the sauce that forms from the bottom on top.
- It is just fine if you bake the cake ahead of time and it isn’t still warm.
- Warm it up if you can, it may not have the “sauce” at the bottom but it is all fudgy and still delicious.
- If you can’t warm it up, it is just fine and fudgy anyway.
The boy chose the Edy’s Cookie Dough Low-Fat Ice Cream for the topping.
While the kids didn’t use whipped topping this time, may I recommend Trader Joe’s House Whip anyway?
If you haven’t tried it, YOU MUST! Not only is it the best whipped topping I have tried, it is made without the artificial stuff you can’t pronounce.
I am off now to look over my recipes for the side dishes I am preparing for the Passover Seder tonight.
Matzoh this and Matzoh that…Matzoh is quickly overused during Passover. Just like my Navicular bone.
Speaking of recipes, I have an awesome, easy and healthy pancake recipe to share with you tomorrow!
These pancakes may involve Chobani bite Raspberry and Dark Chocolate….
Have a great Monday!
I need to know:
How was your weekend?
Have you ever suffered from pain/irritation on the top of your foot? Did you blame your shoe?
Are you going to try making my version of the Hershey’s cake?
Have a wonderful Passover Seder!
I have had foot pain in the bone below the navicular bone and I do like to blame the shoes I wear but I think it’s actually how I run, sigh.
Thank you! Did you always have the pain on and off or did you notice it when switching shoes? I swear I can’t understand how it is the shoes when I have been in this model for almost a year. Ugh! I feel nothing until I put a pair on and tie the laces.
I’ve always had some sort of issue with my right leg/foot. When I change shoes the problem just shifts to a different spot. I’m convinced I pronate on one foot and not the other. I don’t know it’s very odd. I just kind of deal with it. It’s not that bad.
I hope the relacing is the answer. Please keep us posted. I too had an issue and blamed the shoe. My toes on one foot get numb while on the elliptical for extended periods of time. The podiatrist said indeed it can be fixed by loosening the laces towards the front of the foot. Gotta blame the sneakers. Just have to.
Thank you for the TJ whipped topping tip- need to try that.
Oh no!!! I hope that navicular bone heals up – I have an accessory navicular bone that gives me some issues including a nasty fracture a while back…. rest up and you’ll be back out there in no time!
Thank you, it seems the re-lacing did the trick. At least I hope so!