Snap

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?