PB&J Protein Smoothie

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It was your go-to snack as a kid. Whether you're the fancy pants who got mom to remove the crust and cut your sandwich into diamonds or the regular joe who ate whatever you got, crust and all, there is something nostalgic and comforting about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Your parents didn't just drown you in PB&Js because it was easy. They did it, at least in part, BECAUSE YOU LOVED PB&J. 

Now's the time to bring back that lovin' feelin' for your PB&J - but this time, instead of sandwiching it between carbohydrates, combine it with some protein and drink up!

PB&J Protein Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or any berry of choice - just as you had your favorite jelly back in the day, others work here, too!
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (feel free to substitute other nut butters if you have a peanut allergy)
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder or 3 tbsp Great Lakes Gelatin
• 1 cup water or coconut water

Directions:

1. BLEND
2. SERVE

^Yeah. It's that easy.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What's your favorite smoothie recipe?
• What's your secret ingredient?
• Do you like to add protein to your smoothies or just use them to get your vegetables?

Coconut Paleo Protein Pancakes

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I was still sleeping at 8am when my husband walked into the room and said, "I'm going to the store for milk. Do you want anything?"

And I did. I sure as hell did. I must have been nose deep in some culinary dreams, because I sprang out of bed with visions of paleo pancakes swimming through my head. I had almost everything, you see, but a few things would make it perfect.

You know, the good things. Like dark chocolate and maple syrup.

And so off I went, makeup-less and crazy haired, glasses smooshed to my face, because I was AWAKE now that pancakes were in the mix.

They did not disappoint.

Coconut Paleo Protein Pancakes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Coconut Milk
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 tbsp flax seed
1/2 scoop protein powder (appx 1.5 tbsp)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until well combined.
2. Grease a cooking pan with coconut oil.
3. Pour in a bit at a time and cook uncovered over medium-high heat. *If you are adding blueberries or fruit, add it now, after you've poured the batter* 
4. Once you see bubbles appear, carefully flip with a small spatula. The top will be a bit liquidy still as you flip, so do it decisively! It's alright if a bit of it spills- just use the spatula to move your pancake around and pick it up!
5. If you are adding chocolate or something else that is melty, add it on top now!
6. After another two minutes, check the bottom of the pancake. When it reaches your desired darkness, serve.
7. TOP THAT SCHTUFF WITH MAPLE SYRUP, OBVIOUSLY.

Zero Carb, Flavorless Protein Powder (+Recipe for Chocolate Berry Protein Smoothie)

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(Left: Great Lakes Gelatin; Right: Chocolate Berry Protein Smoothie)

Two months ago, I invested in some Gelatin Protein Powder. I read this post from Food Renegade about a healthy protein powder that had no added sugar, chemicals, etc, and was pretty much immediately sold. But, I had to try it out before telling you guys to buy it.

Well, go buy it. This stuff is a miracle.

     

^Link for the single / Link for the 2 pack^

Why should YOU invest in some Great Lakes Gelatin?

• High protein content. In 100 calories worth of this powder, you have yourself 24 grams of protein. 125 calories = THIRTY GRAMS OF PROTEIN. That is really hard to beat with a regular protein shake.
• Low carb content. That 30 grams of protein is accompanied by ZERO CARBS. I'd like to see any protein powder or protein bar beat that. Seriously.
• No flavor. You can throw this stuff in a smoothie with fruit, or with chocolate, or with... well, whatever the hell you want. But, you can also pour a bit of it into your coffee and stir it in and it will change absolutely nothing. So, go ahead and sneak this into your loved ones' morning cup of joe. They won't notice.
• Good for your bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, SKIN, HAIR, AND NAILS. Basically, it rocks. My mom used to have wrist pain and after a week of stirring this into her coffee, NO MO WRIST PAIN. That's right. I said it.

GO GET SOME HERE. Follow that link (or the links/images ads) to get the kind that will not congeal (i.e. will not turn into jello consistency and can be mixed into either hot or cold temperatures).

Now that I've hooked you on the product, here's my new favorite breakfast smoothie. It is high in protein, and has just a small amount of natural carbs due to cacao powder and fruit.

(Left: Great Lakes Gelatin; Right: Chocolate Berry Protein Smoothie)

Chocolate Berry Protein Smoothie

Chocolate Berry Gelatin Smoothie - Chemical Free
Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup frozen mixed berries
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 3 tbsp gelatin powder
• 6oz coconut water
• 5 drops liquid stevia (or 1/2 packet stevia/sugar)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined.
2. Serve and smile!

Chocolate Berry Protein Smoothie

      

^Link for the single / Link for the 2 pack^

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What's your favorite protein powder? I used to be obsessed with Perfect Fit's Vanilla Protein Powder, and I still use it, but now I am using it slightly less because it seems gritty when compared to this Great Lakes powder.
• What's your favorite protein shake recipe? I like combining berries with either chocolate or peanut butter (using PB2).

High Protein, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie

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On our way home from Northern Michigan, I was starting to feel that good old fall nostalgia. The trees are starting to turn, I'm having to check the weather and actually think about how to dress myself, and my instagram feed is being taken over by #PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte - I stay away, but here's a skinny copycat I made three years ago).

We stopped at Martha's Vineyard for a little DIY charcuterie action and a can of organic pumpkin caught my eye. I threw it in the basket and immediately started taking mental inventory of what else we had at home that I could combine it with.

And then this little ditty came to life. But I wasn't sure what to call it. Easy? Gluten free? High protein?

^^^^ALL. OF. THE. ABOVE.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

High Protein, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients for pie filling:

• 1 can organic pumpkin
• 1/2 tbsp half and half or heavy cream
• 1 tbsp coconut milk
• Egg whites from 3 eggs
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• Vanilla/Sweetener - Use any of these combinations: [1 tbsp liquid stevia + 1 tsp vanilla extract] [1 tbsp liquid stevia + 1 tbsp liquid vanilla stevia] [2 tbsp stevia powder + 1 tsp vanilla extract] [2 tbsp white sugar + 1 tbsp brown sugar + 1 tsp vanilla extract]
• Optional: 4 tbsp unflavored protein powder (I used Great Lakes Gelatin and highly recommend it - this ended up with 10g of protein per slice by incorporating it!)

Ingredients for pie topping:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Sweetener - Use any of the following: [1/2 tbsp liquid stevia] [1/2 tbsp maple syrup] [1/2 tbsp agave nectar]
• 1/2 cup pecans, crumbled or chopped into smaller pieces 
• 1/2 cup oats
• WHIPPED CREAM! Gotta have it.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine ingredients for pie filling and mix until well combined. 
3. Spray a baking dish (I used a 10 inch round dish) and then place the mixture inside evenly. 
4. Bake for 45 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine pie topping ingredients (except for whipped cream) in a pan on medium heat. Sautee together until the aroma is powerfully fall!
6. Once you take the pie out of the oven, sprinkle topping over it. 
7. Top each individual piece with whipped cream and serve!

P.S. If you've been following me since the beginning, you know I've got a plethora of pumpkin recipes on this site. A few years ago, I did a "Twelve Days of Pumpkin" series and basically turned my entire kitchen (and fingers?) orange. But, it taught me how many different food items you can incorporate pumpkin into. Looking for a little (or a lot) pumpkin in your life? Check these out!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What's your favorite fall-themed recipe? 
• Are there any fall recipes you love but want to see "healthified?"

MAKE THIS: Paleo Asian Pork Balls with Green Beans and Sriracha

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I post a lot of recipes on here that I've created, but I do manage to follow someone else's recipe once in a while. It takes a lot of patience, but occasionally I make it happen. I recently tried out these Paleo Meatballs, Asian Style and my mind was kind of sort of blown. There are a few prep steps involved, but it was very easy, and everything turned out perfectly.

The second time I made them, as is probably true to my character, I refused to use a recipe and winged it. I ended up with something that was similar, but not the same as Stupid Easy Paleo's version. I altered one ingredient, and the amount of added flavor is less, so you end up with a meat ball that still retains its Asian influence, but does so a bit more subtly.

I served it over green beans tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper (K.I.S.S.<--if you don't know what that means, I'm sorry, we can't be friends) and with a side pool of sriracha.

Did I mention sriracha? It is the perfect sauce for this recipe, because it is simultaneously hot and sweet.

Paleo Asian Pork Balls with Green Beans and Sriracha

Recipe Adapted From: Stupid Easy Paleo's Paleo Meatballs, Asian-Style
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 20-24 meat balls, I serve 4 to each person (but my husband always ends up eating 6 or so)
Ingredients (for pork balls):

• 2 pounds ground pork (turkey works too)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp liquid aminos 
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• Sprinkle of sea salt
• 3 stems green onions
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, for browning

Ingredients (for green beans):

• 1 lb of green beans
• 2 tbsp olive oil or melted coconut oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Rinse and chop green onions.
3. Combine ground pork, sesame oil, liquid aminos, fish sauce, sea salt, and green onions in a large bowl and mix well with clean hands.
4. Form into small balls, about 1 to 1.25 inches in diameter. I used an ice cream scooper the first time, but ended up just winging it. If you go for bigger ones, cook them for a few minutes longer than suggested. If you go for smaller ones, cook for a few minutes less.
5. Heat coconut oil on medium in the largest pan/skillet you own. 
6. Slowly and carefully place the pork balls into the oil, fitting in as many as you can manage without crowding them so much that they touch each other. (Note: You may have to brown them in two shifts if your skillet is not large enough)
7. Use a spatula to turn them a few times as they cook, so that you brown them all the way around (or as close as you can get).
8. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven at 375 for 10-12 minutes. 
9. While pork balls are baking, steam the green beans and then toss in a large bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper. 
10. Serve pork balls over green beans, with a side of sriracha or your sauce of choice.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What are your favorite paleo recipes? I want to try them!

Wedding Countdown in Workouts and Food

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My wedding is on FRIDAY! My mind is completely blown and I feel like I'm floating. It has come up so fast, but I can't wait. As I've been gearing up for my big day in a white dress, here's my routine...

WORKOUTS: Rain or shine, day or night, I'm at the gym. Well, mostly early in the morning, when it's barely light outside. This has lead to many half-awake mornings in front of the mirror, chugging my N.O. Explode and giving myself a pep talk. I am not a morning person... but I'm working on it!

Running! 
To the gym, to The Merc, while watching The New Girl on Netflix... I'm trying to run around town more. When I have appointments, I've been trying to run there instead of taking public transit. I am surprised by how easy it is to just turn those little errands into an excuse to run - and sometimes I even get to my destination faster than if I used public trans!

Hot Pilates/Toning Classes @ The Mercury Method! 
My routine is to run there, do the hour long workout, and run home. Each way is about 1.7 miles, so it ends up being a very well rounded workout by the time you add it all up. An hour of hot (literally) toning plus a 3.4 mile run? Perf. It also means that, because of running there (and sometimes sprinting to avoid being late), I frequently START the hot classes with a face that is ALREADY red.

Weights Galore! 
I pumped the most weight EVER in Bodypump this week and it felt like a serious personal accomplishment. Weddings are big motivators!

I've also been keeping up with Body By Science and doing one or two weights days per week with my fiance. He is a tough trainer...

FOOD & DRINK: My main strategy has been to avoid as much dairy, salt, and alcohol as possible, while loading up on protein and fat and limiting the carbs. This amounts to lots of fish, chicken, avocado, and Perfect Fit protein shakes.

I know I said I was kind of avoiding dairy... but let's be real, a grande unsweet iced coffee with a splash of whole milk is the bomb.

Morning tonic: Water (or Sparkling Water) + 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar. 

Psyllium husk and protein between meals: I bought psyllium husk and, let me just say, that stuff is like mud water. I don't care how awesome you think you are, it is just not good. So, I started mixing it with one packet of Perfect Fit Protein Powder and it is delicious! Tastes like brown sugar in a cup. Winning. Plus, for 90 calories, this thing has over 15g of protein and is PACKED with fiber.

Protein Salads: This one features blackened tilapia, butter lettuce, onion, and some drizzled balsamic vinegar and olive oil. And obviously... sriracha.

This one is similar, minus the sriracha, plus avocado and nutritional yeast (TASTES LIKE CHEESE OMG).

This one can hardly be called a salad. In my attempts to get as much protein and fat as possible, I occasionally just go straight to the good stuff: Crock pot chicken and avocado. YUM.

Meanwhile, my fiance (who is 6 foot 7 and seems to be able to eat whatever he wants, for the most part) is eating this...

Okay, it only happened once. Still funny. 

What about you?

•  Do you have special routines to prepare for big days or vacations?

Mean Green Post-Weights Smoothie

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I went to BodyPump this morning and either tied or increased my weight on every single track (one music track per body part). Every time I have a rocking BodyPump class, I have to be cognizant of what it means for my body - I could end up sore and hurtin'. To avoid it, there are two things I do... and, when I remember to follow both of them, it works like a charm.

First, stretch. Duh. 

Second, a mean smoothie. I don't know why I'm calling it that, it just feels right. It's packed with vitamins, protein, and healthy fats (but not a lot of them, unless you add some kind of nut butter). 

Mean Green Post-Weights Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 Strawberries, washed and cut
• 1/3 banana
• 1 cup Spinach
• 1 Scoop Protein Powder 
• 1 cup Almond Milk
• OPTIONAL: 1 tbsp Chia seeds, 1 tbsp Nut butter

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Add ice if the fruit is fresh, but skip this step if you've frozen your fruit. Blend until smooth and serve.

Notes:

• What kind of protein powder should you use? Whatever you like! I have tried it with Gold Standard Double Chocolate Whey, and a Vanilla, as well as a Sweet Cream Visalus, which is more of a meal shake than a protein shake... more on that later.
• To freeze... or not to freeze... your fruit? I am a big advocate of frozen. I buy strawberries and banana and, when they're perfectly ripe or just a bit past their prime (like when I realize, "Oh crap, I have a thing of strawberries in my fridge that will go bad if I don't use them ASAP!"), I cut the banana into small pieces, add some washed and cut up strawberries, and freeze them in single serving bags with spinach.
• What's in each single serving freezer bag?
• 1/2 to 1/4 of a Banana (depends on how I'm feeling when I cut them up)
• 2 Strawberries, washed and with the green part cut off
• 1 cup Spinach

Check out the stats on these babies... I'll call that protein perfect.

What about you?

• What do you eat/drink after a workout to re-fuel?
• What do you do differently after a weights workout vs a cardio workout?

Post-Juice Cleanse Wisdom

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The Three-Day Cleanse I just did has really increased my awareness of my body and its needs. I didn't realize it during the cleanse, itself, but it became readily apparent on my first day without it. Here's the story.


I'm not hungry for as much at once.

• How I learned: For breakfast, I started with one banana and two tablespoons of PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter. I had read that you shouldn't add nuts back in immediately, but my body really wanted it, so I listened. I had roasted a bunch of veggies the night before and was pumped to eat them, but once I finished my banana, I realized I was no longer hungry, so I packed up my veggies and some fruit and brought it all to work. 

Coffee isn't that great.

• My first attempt: I tried to have some coffee with breakfast. I'm trying to stay away from dairy (very hard for a cheese lover), so I just added a few drops of Vanilla Stevia to black coffee. I tried a sip and "icked" out loud. Not for me. I just didn't like the flavor all of a sudden, so I didn't drink it.
• My second attempt: A few hours later, I wanted to try again. I decided to try a Tall Soy Latte from Starbucks. It was definitely delicious and easy to get down... But, a few hours later, I found myself craving my juices from the past few days, and I realized I wished I had done a juice instead of coffee. Maybe I need to start juicing in the morning and bringing it to work as a pick me up?
• What my body told me: I took my juice cravings as an indicator that my body wanted the nutrients it had gotten used to receiving on such a regular basis. This was actually really encouraging to me, because it made me realize how seriously my body takes everything I put into it. Apparently soy milk and caffeine do not count as a quality snack (though it did wake me up). Big surprise there... not.

My body is talking to me... about sodium.

• How I used to feel about sodium: I generally try to stay away from high sodium soups and such, and try not to add salt to my cooking, but other than that, I haven't had a history of looking up sodium counts. 
• What my body's saying about sodium: I had been planning on a quinoa bowl from Protein Bar for lunch, but for some reason the thought of it was making me uneasy. I figured there was something about it that my body knew was wrong for me, so I looked up the stats. Turns out, their menu is fairly high in Sodium (like 40% of the recommended sodium intake for someone on a 2,000 calorie diet... which means even more than 40% for a tiny person).

The moral of the story?

MY BODY WANTS HEALTHY THINGS IN APPROPRIATE PORTION SIZES! It's like the cleanse was a functional "re-set" button on my nutritional habits and now all I crave are healthy items. Let's see how long I can ride this baby out...

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Protein Green Pancakes

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I know, I know. They look... weird. But don't be put off by weird looking food. These are actually delicious and freaking good for you. Kind of hard to beat that combination, isn't it?

I started making these a few months ago, and they have become a comfort staple. Sometimes, I just want to eat a plate of pancakes. But I don't want to feel like I just gained ten pounds in doing so. Here's your solution :)

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Protein Green Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 handfulls rinsed spinach
• pinch of salt
• (Optional): 1/4 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and mix well.
2. Heat a greased pan over medium-high heat. Pour pancake batter into the pan and watch until it starts to bubble (~2 min). Start trying to flip it over and do so gently, using two utensils if needed. Repeat process until batter is gone.
3. Top pancakes with delicious toppings! I've tried maple syrup, sugar-free syrup, peanut butter, greek yogurt, fresh fruit, sunflower seeds... the list goes on and on!

Protein Shake Revolution - In Search of the Perfect Meal Replacement or Snack Shake for Fitness

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A few weeks ago, one of my coworkers got me very interested in the shakes she was drinking. On the side, she is a rep for a company that provides shakes that are fairly high in protein and vitamins while still filling you up and being low calorie.

As I began searching for my personal substitute, I started digging around online to find out why this brand of shakes was so successful. The most common answer? Because it not only had protein, but it also had a lot of fiber, which not only helps you feel full, but also helps you... er... regulate.

So, naturally, I set out to concoct my own shake. My goals were to create a shake with the following attributes...

• Could be a mid-morning snack or lunch replacement - I wanted to be able to just dump stuff into my shaker bottle and take it to work with me. So, ideally, all of the ingredients would be dry/powdered in form (otherwise, I would have to deal with things going bad or getting chunky before I was ready to drink the shake).
• Good source of protein - It didn't have to be totally jam packed, because I do get a decent amount of protein in my daily diet (thanks to these cheesecakes). But, I did want it to have at least 15-20 grams of protein, to keep my metabolism going and help me feel full while also working on regenerating my muscles.
• Good source of fiber - Since this was one of the highest reported reasons that people liked the other meal replacement shake I was looking at, I decided that it was a good thing to keep in mind for mine. That said, it was important that I incorporate fiber without making it taste too gross or chalky. That means no Orange Metamucil, friends.
• Easy to make - I wanted my morning routine to just involve me adding a few scoops of this and that to my shaker. Nothing complicated. No time consuming prep work.

The Ingredients and Tools:
I ordered a bunch of Blender Bottles via GNC online on one of their Friday Deals (they were $5 each). I already had on hand a few different types of protein powder, as well as things like chia seeds and PB2 which can add texture and flavor, respectively. I also just ordered some vitamin filled powder online, which I'm looking forward to incorporating into the recipe, because it will make it even better. So, here are the items I've used:

• Blender Bottles - You can use a regular BPA-free plastic bottle with a cap, but the blender bottles with the silver whisk balls inside really help shake it up and make it frothy. I find that the smaller blender bottles do the job - the larger ones just take up too much space and you don't use all of the room anyway. Here's green, pink, blue, and a black double pack.
  
• Protein Powder - Chocolate or Vanilla or Cake Batter (or all three!). I typically use Chocolate, because it juts appeals to my taste buds more, but all three are delicious.
  
• PB2 - Peanut Butter or Peanut Butter Chocolate (or both!)
  
  
• Vega One All Nutritional Shake - Chocolate, Vanilla Chai, or Natural (I'm starting out with Chocolate, so I can't actually speak to the taste of the other two yet. If you're going with vanilla protein, I'd suggest trying the Vanilla Chai Vege One).
  
• Optional flavorings: Cinnamon, Peppermint NuNaturals
  

Want it all? Click here to browse the entire shop for "Shake Revolution"

The Method:
I either fill my bottle at night or in the morning before I leave the apartment. Here's what I've tried so far:

1. Double Chocolate: 3/4 scoop (or 1.5 Tablespoons) Chocolate Protein Powder, 1/3 scoop (or 1 Tablespoon, as the Vega One scooper is huge) Vega One Powder
2. Double Chocolate Mint:  3/4 scoop (or 1.5 Tablespoons) Chocolate Protein Powder, 1/3 scoop (or 1 Tablespoon) Vega One Powder. Just before adding water/milk, add 3-7 drops Peppermint NuNaturals.
3. Chocolate Peanut Butter:  1/2 scoop (or about 1 Tablespoon) Chocolate Protein Powder, 1/2 scoop (or 1.5 Tablespoon) Vega One Powder, 1 tablespoon PB2

I'm excited to try the seemingly unlimited flavor options I received from NuNaturals this week. Can't wait to share even more shake recipes with you!