• 2 medium medium bananas, mashed
• 1 1/2 heaping cups of oat bran
• 2-3 heaping tablespoons of cacao powder (100%!!!!!)
• 2 tablespoons of almond milk (or other milk)

Optional mix-ins: cinnamon (a sprinkle), nutmeg (1/2 teaspoons), vanilla (1 to 2 teaspoons), almond butter, nuts, etc…

For this recipe, I decided to add cinnamon and nutmeg, since we’re heading into the holiday season. All you need to do is mix all of the ingredients together and then bake in a 350 F oven for 15 minutes. To be honest, since this doesn’t include flour or raw eggs, it can totally be eaten straight from the bowl!

This will make at least 18 bite sized cookies. For the season, I decided to make holiday-shaped cookies (plus a car shaped one, since my son loves vehicles of any kind!). I’ll be making more of these closer to Chanukah and Christmas, likely ones which will actually be decorated!

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This class is different.  It’s only 45 minutes (opposed to an hour), and doesn’t feature ANY mat work (which was the ONE THING about barre I LOATHED as crunches can make me dizzy).  Of course, it’s not any gentler, which is a good thing.  In fact, I’m finding that I get MORE of a workout in those 45 minutes than I have in any one hour barre class I’ve taken in the past.  It’s likely because this class concentrates A LOT on glute and leg work, which I like.  And I feel great afterwards (okay, I was ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED after the first session, probably because my body wasn’t used to this version of barre).

Since there isn’t work on the mat at all, the class focuses much more on the barre and centre, in about a 55-45 rate (though these sessions are 45 minutes long, one STILL spends more time at the barre, probably an extra few minutes).  Like most classes, we start with a warmup at the centre, and then move to the barre.  This is followed by some work with weights at the centre and ends with a cool down back at the barre.  The 45 minutes go by very quickly and unlike some studios, I barely notice the music (I HATE loud music, and it’s probably why I stopped going to clubs/bars soon after I finished university.  I can count on ONE HAND how many non-classical/jazz concerts I’ve been to).  The only point of criticism I have for this particular studio that every session is more or less the same, without many new routines.  However, barre is relatively new to the studio, so things might change over the next few months.

I think this class is here to stay, at least for the time being.  I will also be trying some of their yoga classes as I’m looking for something gentle to replace Essentrics for the summer.  The yoga class I’ve signed up for focuses on restoring and destressing one’s body and mind – excellent, as I’m trying to get into a more “mindful” lifestyle.  I’ll report back!

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