Raspberry and Almond Overnight Oatmeal with Coconut

It is officially the holiday season.  There have already been a few Christmas or light parades, the radio stations are playing Christmas music, and I have already attended my first Christmas party.

I'm a little caught of guard that Christmas is just around the corner.  I don't purchase many Christmas presents, and fortunately I already know what I'm going to give everyone.  I don't give all of my siblings gifts.  Instead, we alternate between giving one person a gift a year.

Flourless Chocolate Brownie

I don't think you can have too many brownie recipes at your disposal.  You may be in the mood for Cream Cheese Brownies,  peanut butter swirled brownies,  or brownies with a peanut butter and chocolate ganache.  

These Mississippi mud caramel brownies had a ribbon of caramel running through the center and were topped with pillowy marshmallows and silky glaze.   They were very decadent.

Almond Pancakes with Dried Cherries and Chocolate Chips

For over a year I have wanted to stop drinking diet Dr. Pepper and diet Coke.  They have been a guilty pleasures for years.  I started drinking them regularly in graduate school.  I was a full time student, and I worked part time.  I didn't manage my time particularly well, so I was often tired. 

I would buy diet Dr. Pepper at work to have an excuse to get away from my desk, and I found I my sleep deprived body functioned better with a stimulant coursing through my veins.  I also would spend hours in the computer lab working on statistics and mapping homework.  I would take a break from the lab and treat myself with a cold diet Coke. 

Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tomorrow is a big day.  I'm running a half marathon.  It will be my third half marathon.  The last half marathon I ran was two years ago this month.

Even though I am older, I am better prepared.  I am confident that I will run faster than two years ago.     I'm getting well hydrated tonight, and I'm going to go to sleep early.