Snap
19 Fri, 2010 § 4 Comments
Playing outdoors often means packing & hauling quite a bit of gear around. Bouldering: crash pads, chalk buckets, climbing shoes, Klean Kanteens, guide book, etc. Mountain biking: bikes, camelback, water, tools, etc.
Whether we are climbing, backpacking, camping…hauling around heavy — or even light — bowls for Eisley is simply not efficient.
Our girl must have water though, & as perfect as Dave’s large hands work for a makeshift drinking bowl, we’ve found another solution to the problem of carrying bulky items.
This Pet Bowlz by Fozzils unsnaps to flat & is extremely lightweight. It easily slides/packs for all of our outdoor excursions. The set is great for trips as well; rather than packing heavy bowls from home, she simply ate her meals from these when visiting family or while camping. Honestly, as we are moving around & trying to simplify/reduce our “stuff”, these have become her permanent “bowlz”.
- Ultra Lightweight
- Packs Flat
- Sturdy
- Easy to Clean
- Bright Colors easy to See [even in dim lighting = good for camping]
Nearly every time we are out, we comment how glad we are Dave found these at the Black Diamond Store; I think they were ~$16 – $20. I believe you can find these at REI as well as other outdoor retailers.
Another snappy solution we’ve come to love while playing hard?
A means to hold our rings.
After seeing Natalie’s brilliant tip for protecting wedding bands while lifting weights,
I thought I’d share what we do with ours while climbing.
This nifty, spring-locking clasp hangs from our key chain as the perfect ring holder. I think they came from a couple crazy little Cootie key chains I had — do you remember Cooties?! So fun!
Now I’m not sure how to tie this next bit in with the “snap” concept…oh wait —
Harrummph [clearing my throat] —
I used to be bewildered & intimidated by bean burger recipes. I thought it had to be tricky to create just the right consistency to hold the burgers together. You know what? They are a snap. 😉
Tuesday evening rolled around, pasta was on the menu; & it just sounded too heavy. We wanted something lighter, like salads, but with a nice bit of protein & some texture.
A can of black beans called out, & I decided to just go for it & make my own burger creation.
Slightly crunchy on the outside, moist & soft on the inside — these were tasty. I’ll definitely be experimenting with burger creations more! Maybe I’ll try adding actual olives next time.
Olive Black Bean Burgers
makes 4 burgers
Preheat oven to 350*F.
- ~1/3 C bread crumbs, toasted [toast bread before tearing into crumbs]
[any bread will do, but the olive artisan loaf we used added a nice flavor]
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp corriander
- ½ tsp garlic powder [or 1 clove fresh garlic]
- ½ tsp onion powder [~2T fresh onion, chopped]
- substantial dash of red pepper flakes
- dash dried parsley
- salt & pepper to taste
In a food processor, process bread crumbs & seasonings to combine.
- 1 can black beans, drained [~1 heaping cup]
- 1 tsp EVOO
Add beans & oil to processor & pulse until coarsely chopped, leaving the beans somewhat chunky. Don’t over-process, or you might get mush.
- 1 flax”egg” [whisk 1T ground flaxseed with 3T warm water & let sit ~10minutes]
Add to processor & pulse a couple times until just combined.
Roll into 4 balls & flatten onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Bake at 350*F for ~20 minutes per side [~40minutes total].
~
How do you keep your rings safe & prevent losing a finger while working out or playing hard?
I love black bean burgers!
That works so well for holding your rings when climbing. I try to wear my ring all the time (except when lifting) and if I’m cleaning the house I put it on a ring holder. I’m so paranoid about setting it down somewhere and losing it!
I know! You hear about people losing theirs too often or it going down the drain!
I wish I would have thought of this/read this a few days ago. I managed to put a major scratch in my wedding band while I was bouldering at the gym on Tuesday…major oops. I’ll have to do something similar to protect our rings.
Those black bean burgers look great, thanks for sharing the recipe!
oh so sad!! I’m sorry about your ring — yes, find something to hold it to protect it but more importantly: I don’t want you to lose a finger! Not as likely to get hooked on something in the gym, but it’s a good habit to start for outdoor climbing.