Spent Grain Banana Bread

Warning: This banana bread is not for the traditionalist.

It's earthy. It's grainy. And it's not for the faint-hearted. And that's because it's made with one very peculiar ingredient: spent grains.

Spent grains are, in essence, what's leftover after a brewing session. In the brewing process, you steep malted barley to extract all of the sugars, proteins and nutrients to create the base of your beer (know in the brewing world as wort). After sucking the life out of the barley, you are left with a load of totally useless grains.

Or so you think.

While many commercial brewers use their spent grains for cattle feed (high five to those guys and gals), I prefer to use mine to make delicious recipes edible by humans.

One of my all-time favorites is my oh so heavenly spent grain banana bread. Let's begin.

What You'll Need

• 1 C. spent grain flour (see steps below)
• 3/4 C. unbleached all-purpose flour (or whichever other alternative flour you prefer)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 Tbs. butter
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 2 ripe-ass bananas
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• Pecans or walnuts (totally optional)

Step 1. Preheat your oven to the lowest setting possible (175 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit). 

Step 2. You need spent grains! If you don't have any, I know someone who does (wink-wink). Place those puppies on an ungreased baking sheet in a 1/4 inch thick layer.

Step 3. Stick them in the oven, and let 'em bake for 5 to 7 hours, until completely dried out. I like to give mine a little stir after about 3 hours to prevent from burning/sticking. And then, voila! You're ready to get your grind on.

Step 4.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 5. Spoon your dried grains into a coffee grinder and grind until a fine flour forms.

Step 6. Gently combine your spent flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a larger mixing bowl. 

Step 7. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and banana and stir to incorporate.

Step 8. Add the batter to the flour mixture in two or three parts. Mix until well combined. 

Step 9. Transfer delicious, gritty, banana-y batter into a buttered baking pan. If I had it my way, I would add pecans throughout (texture, baby!), but I like to share my banana bread and realize not everyone fancies nuts. I settle for a sprinkle of pecan halves on one end, along with some generous spoonfuls of brown sugar across the top.

Step 10. Stick in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, and wait to be mesmerized. I like to check mine after about 45 minutes. Baked goods, in my opinion, are best left a little gooey.

Step 11. Remove from oven, and wallow in that banana bread bliss, baby.

Step 12. Slice and stuff (after letting cool for about 30 minutes, of course). And after topping it off with some almond butter. YUM!

Not all of my recipes will include spent grains, but this honestly just sounded so decadent that I couldn't resist making it and sharing it with you all. 

If you'd like to give this recipe a whirl, drop me a note, and I'll hook you up with them grains, girl (or guy).

Cheers!

Omaha Biking Infrastructure Needs Some Love

Well, would ya look at that—I finally created my very first YouTube video! 

It's pretty fascinating how simple it is to create and publish a video to share with the world.

I decided to create a short video about my frustration with the City of Omaha for the lack of effort put into maintaining and improving the bike routes and trails in town. I've biked in a lot of different cities across the U.S., and it pains me—deeply—to say that Omaha is arguably one of the worst in terms of safety, accessibility, usability and convenience. 

Many of the designated bike routes are chockablock with potholes, or they run through high-traffic streets not conducive for biking. I can't tell you how many times I've been riding down a shoddy, narrow road hoping the car I hear blazing up behind me doesn't barrel into me and send me off into oblivion. 

There are a couple of respectable trails—the Keystone Trail and the West Papio Trail—but those mainly serve as recreational trails, making it challenging to commute from Point A to Point B. 

Sorry, I don't mean to rant. I realize maintaining and improving the current biking infrastructure is a major investment for the city, but I also believe the demand to take such action is there. Omaha has a pretty raging bike scene, and making our city a little more biker-friendly would not only be appreciated by the current avid cyclists out there; it might also encourage others to get out and go for a ride every once in a while.

On that note, is anyone going on the Owl Ride?  

Cheers!

Mikaela

Running on Purpose

I've been a runner pretty much my entire life. 

As a kid, I ran around my backyard playing intense games of freeze tag with my neighborhood friends and on the school playground during recess. All through middle school and high school, I ran my tushy off as a midfielder in soccer and an 800-meter runner in track. And let's not forget all of the running I did on the marching band field. I mean, someone had to keep those drumline boys in check.

Okay, okay, so I didn't really run much more than the average Jane or Joe growing up. Running had always just been a part of the gambit. It was a second thought. Sometimes, it was sheer mindless activity.

But college changes everything. 

 

Nothing I did anymore required me to run. I didn't have a coach yelling at me to go run laps, and I was hard-pressed to find a bunch of 18- and 19-year-olds willing to partake in a game of freeze tag. If I was going to run, it had to be my own personal choice to do it. So one day, I tied up my laces and jetted out of my dorm room for a nice, leisurely run. 

 

NOT.

 

It was torture. Pure torture, I tell you! By the time I made it about three blocks down Pine Street, I remember asking myself what the hell I was doing. I stopped. I walked. And I shunned myself for the terrible shape I was in. 

 

And then I gave it another try. 

 

Each time I would go for a run thereafter, I would tack on one minute. Yes, I said one minute, you jerk. Do you know how long that is in doggy years? And, eventually, it got easier. It got more pleasant. And without me even realizing it, it was gradually becoming an obsession.

 

About 10 years have passed since the running fever hit me. I've kept up the craze ever since, but it hasn't come easy. Probably because I've always been painstakingly hard on myself. Anytime I defeat a challenge, I'm ready to up the ante and take on the next. 

 

But I've learned to breath a little easier—and not just because I've built up my stamina! I've retrained my brain to think differently about running. It's no longer something I feel like I should do; it's something I want to do.   

I ran 11 miles this morning. For some, that may seem ludicrous, but more seasoned runners would scoff at that puny mileage. For me, for today, it was the perfect amount.

If the thought of running scares you, or you run occasionally and would like to make it a more routine activity, I recommend scoping out the Lazy Girl Running blog and the Runner's World website. Both offer great tips for newbie and novice runners who want to 

amp up their running game.

My husband, Chris, and I after completing our first half-marathon together
in summer 2013. Best believe a beer (and a shower) shortly followed.

I also welcome any questions you may have about getting started—just shoot them my way! I'd also love to hear about your own personal challenges and triumphs when it comes to running.

 

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my cup of post-run coffee. And then probably a post-run beer a little later. 

 

Cheers!

Mikaela

The Basics of Craft Beer

I feel privileged to have born in the era of the craft beer revolution.

Think about it. Had you or I walked into a bar 25 years ago, it wouldn't have entered our minds to ask for a beer menu. The simple statement of "I'll take a beer" would result in the server bringing back a bottle (definitely without a glass) of Bud Light, Busch Light, or Miller Light (or another omnipresent domestic style of beer they had in stock). Never EVER would you even think to order an imperial stout, a dry-hopped IPA, or a barrel-aged Belgian strong ale. And that's because these oh so heavenly styles of beer were non-existent. It wasn't until the early 90s that craft beer made a breakthrough in the market, and, ever since, its prominence has continued to surge across North America, posing a threat to long-time head honchos like Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors. Lucky you and me!
  

What exactly is craft beer, and what makes it so damn special?

You could ask your favorite beer-drinking snob, but to save you an egregiously long and painstaking response, the Colorado-based Brewers Association describes craft beer as small, independent and traditional.

• "Small" means the brewery distributes no more than six million barrels of beer a year.
• "Independent" means that less than 25 percent of the brewery is owned by a non-craft beer brewery (like Anheuser-Busch InBev).
• "Traditional" means that the majority of the brewery's output consists of "beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation." (Sorry, Smirnoff Ice.)

What exactly is craft beer made of?

Four of the most glorious ingredients to make their way to planet earth. In other words:

• water (this is a big one!)
• fermentable sugars (traditionally malted barley)
• hops (green conelike flowers that grow on vines and impart a degree of bitterness and floral flavor to the beer)
• yeast (living microorganisms that gorge the fermentable sugars and "poop out" alcohol. It's a dirty job, but these gluttonous antibodies can do it!)

Pictured here is a pile of hop pellets, which are basically pulverized whole leaf hops that look like rabbit food. Since pellet hops are pulverized and crushed up during processing, this also crushes up the lupilin glands in the hops. What does this mean? It means that you will be able to isomerize the alpha acids in the hops better and gain a higher extraction rate. This translates to mean that you'll get more bitterness out of your hops. YAY!

How exactly is beer made?

Now THIS is an excellent question! And one I will answer in an upcoming post next week. Stay tuned, my fellow craft beer likers, lovers, and gotta havers!

Weekend Getaway to Saint LOO-AY

I couldn't have been more excited to embark on a day of biking through one of the most well-equipped cycling cities in the U.S. 

Seriously, every single road had a bike lane/route—amazing! Not to mention, there were cyclists everywhere using them! Many of the trails even had two separate paths—one for wheels (cyclists), and one for heels (walkers/runners). I love you Omaha, but please take a lesson about the importance of having roads and trails conducive for the many cyclists and runners who live in your city.

#stl #bikeheaven

We hit up every end of St. Louis and all the places in between. To fuel up for the day, we started off with a hearty breakfast at Half & Half, a friendly breakfast/brunch joint located in the midtown Clayton area. I had a scrumptious over-easy (cage-free) egg, locally-sourced bacon and housemade aioli sandwiched between two made-from-scatch buttermilk biscuit halves. I topped that off with a generous serving of organic fresh fruit and some of the silkiest drip coffee I've ever come by. I was one happy girl and ready to get my bicycle on. 

#stlfood #half&halfstl

St. Louis got hit pretty hard with rain all of last week. With all of the debris in the roads, my husband and I knew there might be a good chance one of us would get a flat tire at some point in the day. I was wrong—we both actually ended up getting flat tires! Fortunately, we came prepared with some extra tubes and a repair kit. If you're a beginning rider, I'd recommend checking out this great video on How to Change a Flat Bicycle Tire. It may take you a few times to get the hang of it, but, with practice, you'll be a tire-changing pro!

 
Near the culmination of our 52-mile ride, you'd better believe we were ready for a good beer and some grub. We made our way to Schlafly Brewery in southeast St. Louis. It was approaching 90 degrees outside, and my palate was craving a light, refreshing beer, so I opted for the dry-hopped American Pale Ale. The assertive hop flavors paired so seamlessly with the pine/citrus aroma characteristic of the American hops. The beer was well-balanced and had a full body. Also pairing so nicely with my beer was a Cuban sandwich and summer salad topped with dried cranberries, feta cheese, sunflower seeds and a house-made white balsamic vinaigrette. Needless to say, this turned out be one hella perfect day.

#schlafly

Breaking Down HerThreeCheers

Don't you dare try and get saucy with me about how arbitrary this image is.

Everything in it, together, exemplifies the perfect summation of the meaning behind HerThreeCheers.

The beer in the upper left is one crafted by yours truly (and her lovely husband, Chris). It is an American pale ale style of beer we brewed for one of our recent homebrew club competitions. Its delicate balance of slightly sweet malty flavors, moderately heavy bitterness from the hops, and just all-around damn deliciousness earned it First Place in the competition! Not all of our beers have reached this level of near perfection, especially not in the beginning stages of our homebrewing craze (I'm sure I will post about our streak of beer bombs—literally—at some point, but let's not spoil the moment just yet). No matter how totally delightful or nasty a craft beer may be (homebrewed or otherwise), I will never regret giving it a chance. Unless it makes me vomit. Or deathly ill. Neither of which have happened yet. And I hope to heavens never do.

The slice of pizza chock-full of yummy toppings is from one of my favorite new local eateries called Noli's Pizzeria. This place does it right—New York-style pies with eclectic ingredients. Pictured here is the Liguriano, which comes with a hefty load of locally-source sausage, Kalamata olives, goat cheese, Portobella mushrooms and pesto sauce—YUM! Served right out of the 900-degree wood-fire oven or refrigerator-cold on a napkin (as pictured here), this pizza is molta deliziosa and represents a small taste of my appreciation for house-made, artisinal and completely imaginative food creations.

Hogging the other half of the image is my brand-spankin' new bicycle helmet and semi-new running shoes (you've got to replace these puppies fairly often, especially when you're as accident-prone as I am). More often than not, one of these two items is on me when I leave home. Weekday mornings, I rise at 4:45 a.m. and am out the door by 5 a.m. to start off my day with a brisk three- to five-mile-long run. A typical Saturday morning begins with a 10 to 12-mile trek through my midtown neighborhood. There may be no greater feeling in the world than finishing up a long, hard run and having a cold shower and hot cup of coffee waiting for you at the finish line.

My husband, Chris, and I are also currently trying to fit in some serious bike rides once or twice a week. Our 30- 60-mile-long rides are excellent training for us as we gear up for the the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI). Many relatives on my husband's side of the family are diehard RAGBRAI riders, boasting more than 30 years of participating in the annual week-long bicycle extravaganza. This year, the ride takes place July 20–26, and it will be my second time participating. On average, each day is about 65 miles-long, and there's always one day tossed into the route that gives riders the choice to complete an extra loop that will bring the total mileage for the day to 100. It's a grueling challenge, but, man, what a feeling of accomplishment when it's all said and done. Oh, and i this case, there's typically a cold shower and a cold beer waiting for you at the finish line.

This weekend, my husband and I will be visiting some friends in St. Louis, Mo. You can expect some tasty blog posts from our many planned (and unplanned) biking, beer-tasting and food-devouring adventures.

Cheers to life's simple pleasures!

Mikaela

About Me & My Love for Fitness, Food & Craft Beer

It all began with a few thousand overly eccentric taste buds.  

I have one of those palates that can find pleasure in just about anything that touches it. I love outrageous, unexpected ingredients, but I can also appreciate flavors in their simplest form. My imagination runs wild in the kitchen. Sometimes my recipes are pretty delectable; other times they end with me sobbing over a insipid-looking substance that pervades my dinner plate. Nonetheless, it’s always one more experience in the kitchen I will never forget.

My adventurous palate led me to discover the world of craft beer (do you hear the angels singing?). I’ve been sipping on this yummy stuff for about eight years now, and about three-and-a-half years ago, it hit me and my husband how fantastically awesome it would be to make it ourselves. We invested in the necessities (a brew pot, mash tun, bottling bucket, wort chiller, glass carboy, and a glorious book written by homebrewing connoisseur Charlie Papazian), and we went to town! Ever since, we’ve joined a local homebrew club and have come to find ourselves planning our weekends and vacations around brewing or indulging in some of our favorite craft beers.

With all that yummy food and beer infiltrating my belly, I’ve got to lead a pretty active lifestyle to keep my health in check. Fortunately for me, the final component of HerThreeCheers, and perhaps the most indicative of who I am at my core, is bodily exertion, a.k.a., exercise. Bicycling and running consume about 18–20 hours of my week. If I had it my way (ya know, and didn’t have a job or school to get in the way of everything), it would be far, far more. What I love about these activities is the unparalleled satisfaction I reap from doing them. Whether testing my body’s limits, exploring new sites and scenery, or simply taking some time to zone out from reality, running and biking never fail me. They do leave me with some pretty wicked tan lines, though, but those make for the easiest conversation starters. 

Whether stone-cold sober or with a scanty buzz, I look forward to sharing my many fitness, food, and beer sampling/brewing adventures with you all.

Cheers!
Mikaela