Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Grilled PB&J with Peanut Tofu Butter

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Comfort food will always reign supreme in my heart.

Even something close to the memory of your favorite comfort food can satisfy.  Take pizza, for example.  I LOVE good, Italian pizza but… It’s like gettin’ frisky.  All pizza is good, some is just better than others.

Cinnabon may be about to bust up my theory though.  They are apparently introducing Pizzabons.  Lucky ATL is their test market.  

[Photo: @AJCFoodandMore]

I can’t judge because I haven’t (and won’t) try it, but my hunch is that Cinnabon should stick with what it knows.

If I had to choose, grilled PB & J would be my #1 comfort food.  Growing up, my mom used to load the sandwich with lots of peanut butter (JIF) and my grandmother’s homemade muscadine jelly.  She would then butter the outside of the bread and grill it up like a grilled cheese.  The peanut butter would become runny and the buttery, crunchy bread was just the right contrast to the oozy-goozey center.

It’s been years since I’ve had one.  I can’t bring myself to put that much butter and gooey deliciousness on a sandwich.  This thing was probably close to 1000 calories.  That’s before the sides – Cheetos and chocolate milk (with extra syrup snuck in when Mom wasn’t looking).

When I was craving this particular sandwich yesterday, I decided to try to make a healthier version of my mom’s classic.

The bread was easy: I used my favorite P28 High Protein Bread.  The jam was also a no brainer – sugar-free Smuckers Strawberry.

The hardest part was the peanut butter.  I needed to achieve the right amount of gooey-ness, and actual peanut butter isn’t allowed on my training plan.  Time to get creative.  Peanut FLOUR is ok (it’s de-fatted), but it won’t melt.  It needs to be a creamy filling… and you know what’s creamy?  Tofu.

I blended my peanut flour with a serving of tofu and a couple of stevia drops for an amazing creamy, low-fat, protein-filled peanut butter.  Bam.

Rather then Cheetos I opted for apple sprinkled with cinnamon.  There was a little tofu-peanut butter left over, which made the perfect apple dip.

I never thought I’d say thing, but these days apple slices are legit more appealing than the processed orange cheese things.

Grilled Protein PBJ

Grilled Protein PB&J

  • Bread
  • 1 serving peanut tofu butter
  • 2 tsp sugar-free jelly
Peanut Tofu Butter
  • 3 oz tofu
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 2-3 drops stevia

Pre-heat George Foreman grill, panini press, or grill pan.

Place Peanut Tofu Butter ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Spread peanut butter and jelly on your bread of choice to make you sandwich.  Place in/on hot grilling apparatus and cook until each side is golden brown.

Enjoy!

***

To be clear: I have nothing against Cinnabon (outside of a general opposition to junk food).  Admittedly, the smell of their cinnamon rolls is intoxicating.  I just can’t imagine wanting a Pizzabon over a real pizza slice or a real Cinnabon.

Would you try the Pizzabon?

What was your favorite childhood meal?  Would you still eat it today?

Maple Zucchini Bread Batter + WIAW

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I’m full.

No, not full of shit.

Full of food.  Protein.  Complex carbs.  Veggies.  This is a result of my my nutrition plan changes.  I mentioned Monday that they were coming.  And come they did. I was secretly hoping I’d just get another cheat day. No dice.

The veggies and carbs have increased slightly… and then there’s the protein.  It has doubled, and is now required to be from a “real” source (fish, egg, or soy) at a minimum of 3 meals.  I’m not there yet, so don’t call me out on this first WIAW.  It’s going to take me a little time to ramp up.  I’m fast learning that figure competitions are not for the faint of heart.  😉

In summation, this is the bulking edition of What I Ate Wednesday.  Tuesday morning was spent at a panel event where I knew I wouldn’t be able to get the foods I need.  It was fun to brainstorm some portable meals that could be prepped the night before!

I did keep it seasonal, thanks to a recent rampage of the Farmer’s Market.  Check it all out below, then click here to visit Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s summer eats!

Meal 1:

As usual, I began my day with Fitmixer Aminos mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar and water.  I won’t bore you with another pic,  but trust me when I say this stuff is the bomb.  Especially when you have to wake up for a 7am conference.  I wish I was making that up.

This week I managed to NOT have PB & Jeggs for once.  This week I planned ahead and – knowing I’d need the caffeine for my early morning – made Overnight Mocha Protein Oats.  Who needs Starbucks when you have this tastiness?

Mocha Protein Oats:

  • 1/3 C rolled oats
  • 1/2 C water (or liquid of choice)
  • 1/4 C coffee (chilled)
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1/4 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1-2 tsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 5-6 drops liquid stevia 
Place the oats and liquids in a medium bowl and microwave ~3 mins (some liquid should remain).

Mix in remaining ingredients and place in fridge overnight.  In the morning, stir, top with your favorite fruit, and enjoy!  

Note: If you prefer your oats warm, you can also pop these in the mirco again in the morning.

Meal 2:

Greek yogurt is a protein-rich staple in my diet.  Right now I’m hooked on seasonally appropriate strawberry Greek yogurt.

The fruit flavors in the grocery store have a ton of added sugar, but you don’t have to buy those!  I make my own using fresh berries and a touch of Stevia.

To make, simply mash up 1/4-1/2 C of your favorite fruit and mix it into a serving of yogurt.  I added a bit of Stevia and cinnamon as well.  Topped with  pumpkin seeds and eaten with a side of black tea.

This bowl was prepped the night before and frozen.  By the time I was ready to eat Meal 2 (at the afore mentioned meeting) it had thawed to an awesome fro-yo consistency.

Meal 3:

This lunch on the go was better than I could have found at a salad bar chain!  Once again, I prepped everything the night before.  The salmon, Ezekial bread, and edamame were stored in the freezer over night so they were just thawed in time for lunch.

Yes, those are individually packaged Dora the Explorer edamame packets.  I swear I tried to find the regular package   They were out.

In the tupperware I packed my veggies and arugula, and had a dressing ready in the mini container.

The dressing was a quick mix of olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, lime juice, and cumin.

Beat that, Doc Greens! 😉

Meal 4:

I made it back home for afternoon snack and heated up a few of the Chick-less Nuggets I posed yesterday.  They are just as good on day 2!

The dip with this was awesome.  I picked up a jar of Marmite and couldn’t wait to use it!  It is a strong flavor, so I mixed 1/4 tsp with 1 T of peanut flour, 2 drops of liquid smoke, and 1.5 T of water.  I’m forever indebted to Heather for introducing me to this stuff!

Meal 5:

Other bloggers are a HUGE source of inspiration to me.  JL posted these tempeh patties 3 weeks ago and my only regret is that I took so long to make them!

I followed her method but increased the nooch to a full tablespoon and added fresh lime juice and thyme.  OMG.  Next time I’m tripling the recipe and freezing some for later.

Served with spinach socca (basic method here; this time I blended in 1 C spinach), sweet potato, raw asparagus, red pepper, onion, and a chipotle pepper pureed with a pinch of cloves, cinnamon, and teeny bit of water.

Meal 6:

I got called out on Instagram for eating Carrot Cake Batter every day week.  It’s addicting!!!

In an effort to be less boring, I decided on a different kind of batter.  I must have had Kristina’s french toast on the brain…. because this is what I came up with:

Maple-Zucchini Bread Batter.  Words cannot even describe.  Sweet with a little depth from maple extract and spice notes from cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of cloves.

Carrot cake whaaat?

Recipe at bottom.

Meal 7:

I went simple.  Apple.  Casein pudding.  Uncle Sam’s Cereal.  Cinnamon.  Classic.

Maple Zucchini Bread Batter

  • 1/2 medium zucchini, grated
  • 1 T vanilla protein powder
  • 1/3 C no salt added cottage cheese
  • 2 T unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • pinch cloves
  • 1/4 tsp maple extract
  • 7-8 drops vanilla liquid stevia 

Grate zucchini into a bowl and set aside.

In blender, combine remaining ingredients and blend until nearly smooth.  

Add blended mix to the zucchini and stir to combine.

Enjoy!

***

Are you keeping track?  I managed 171.9g of protein – pescatarian-style this week.

Have you ever had to pump up your meals to gain muscle/weight?

Do you think I’m nuts on the zucchini batter piece?  I swear it’s good!

Chick-less Nuggets + Sweet ‘n Spicy Mustard Sauce

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Nuggets of gold, I tell you.

Vegan Chicken Nuggets

Who needs Chick-fil-a?!  These tasty vegan treats all the flavor and finger food deliciousness of the fast food treat, but without the MSG, high fructose corn syrup, ammonium sulfate, yellow 5, blue 1, etc.  (I only wish I were kidding about that ingredient list.)

Maybe they missed the memo:

Isn’t this awesome? I ordered this tee from Callie @ Rawxy. Her cookies are good too, IMHO. 😉

Growing up I thought my mom was so mean because we were rarely allowed to stop for fast food.  I wanted a toy with dinner!  Looking back I am grateful – to this day I have never eaten a fast food hamburger!

However, I did enjoy the occasional chicken nugget from a certain Southern chain.  Today I wouldn’t dream of buying them, especially when there are clean alternatives like these:

Vegan Chicken Nuggets

My chick-less nuggets are TVP-based and are vegetarian/vegan.

After a quick pulse in the blender, mix in some chickpea flour and an egg (a flax egg works here) to bind them.  This creates a nugget-like texture that… well… tastes like chicken.

Chick-less Nuggets! These meat-free nuggest easy to make and high in protein thanks to TVP.

You can make the bites any flavor you’d like, but I went for the classic blend of paprika, red pepper, onion, and garlic.  Lay off the red pepper and these would be ideal for kid meals!  Sorry, toy not included.

Dunked in a healthy, quick sweet ‘n spicy mustard sauce, you’d almost swear these were from a drive-thru… a thought you’ll quickly push aside because these clean bites are better.

Vegan TVP Chick-less Nuggets

Chick-less Nuggets

  • 1 C water
  • 1 no-meat chicken bullion cube
  • 1 C Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP)
  • 2 T chickpea flour
  • 1 egg (flax egg or the “real” thing)
  • 1 tsp spice blend (I used a mix of paprika, red pepper, onion, garlic)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, or 475 convection.

Heat water in medium bowl and stir in bouillon until dissolved.  Add TVP, stir, and allow to stand for 5 mins.

Pulse soaked TVP in food processor; you want larger pieces broken up, but not a puree.  Add egg and flour and mix well.  Season with your favorite spice blend.

Form “nuggets” with the TVP mix (heaping 2T per nugget).  Drop balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Place in oven and bake for 10 mins, until golden.  Flip nuggets and bake for an additional 5 mins.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Makes 10 nuggets.

Note: Use a flax egg to make vegan.

Approx Nutritionals (per nugget): 47 calories, 0.8g fat, 20.7g sodium, 3.7g carbohydrates, 1.7g fiber, 1.4g sugar, 5.8g protein

 

Sweet and Spicy Mustard Sauce

  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 2 T water
  • 2 drops lemon liquid stevia (or sweetener or choice)
  • Tabasco sauce, to taste

Mix together and dip away!

***

I added a mini “about” section to my side bar with a pic, but am unsure about it… too much?

Do/did you ever like fast food?

What is your favorite dipping sauce?

Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper

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I’m beet up and ‘choked up this Monday!

 

It’s the second installment of Heather’s Meatless Mondays from A-Z challenge!

 

 

Last week the ingredient we were to use was artichokes, and I submitted this Quinoa Stuffed Artichoke.  Without thinking, I incorporated this week’s ingredient – beets – into the recipe by soaking my quinoa in beet juice.

 

 

This week… Oops, I did it again.

My submission is a Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper, and in my tempeh stuffing I incorporated both beets AND artichoke hearts.

 

 

If you are someone who doesn’t do well with red beets, I encourage you to try the golden variety.  Golden beets tend to have less of an “earthy” taste, and are slightly sweeter than red beets.  I loved that sweetness in this dish balanced with the mild heat of the poblano pepper.

Don’t be scared of the poblano.  It rates a 4 out of 10 on the Scoville Scale (compared to a habanero which is 9 out of 10).  A poblano’s heat is more of an accent than a punch.  They are perfect for those who like just a touch of spiciness.  FYI – the reddish-brown poblanos are more ripe, and are sweeter than the true green ones.

 

 

Poblanos are commonly used in Mexican dishes, but I took this in a more Indian direction by coating my sautéed stuffing ingredients in a quick sauce made of curry and nutritional yeast.  Curry is an excellent pairing with the nutty tempeh and nutritional yeast flavors, and the sweetness of the beets added a fun twist to the stronger flavors.

Admittedly, I’d never roasted a pepper before.  It seemed like a complex task for some reason.  Rest assured it was stupid-easy, and definitely worth a shot.  This recipe can be easily multiplied and customized to fit the needs of a crowd!

 Next week’s ingredient is caperberries… should I purposefully aim for artichokes, beets, and capers?  😉

_____________________________________________________________________________

Workout recap before food though!  This week was a weird one.  I traveled on Wed/Thursday so I had to take a rest day midweek.  Being on an airplane makes my body really tired/weak-feeling, making Friday’s workout was a hard one.  I also had a weird pain in my heel on Friday morning.  It feels bruised, but I didn’t do anything that would bruise it.  It happened before I workout – almost immediately as I got out of bed.  It still hurts today… I’ve been resting and icing, and I skipped past leg day Saturday to give it a rest and instead focused on upper body.  Like my triceps:

 

Last week I mentioned being frustrated that while I have seen increase in weight I can move, my weight is the same.  This week will bring some adjustments to my diet, adding more fats, protein from “real” sources (not powder), and a small increase in carbs and veggies (woo hoo!).  Candidly, I am a little nervous.  That’s a LOT of food, and I often struggle to get in all  7 meals with the smaller portions.  If anyone wants to come shovel food in with me, I could use the encouragement! LOL!

 

Workout Recap (8/6 – 8/12):

  • Monday – Legs (w/ trainer)
  • Tuesday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Shoulders/Butt
  • Thursday – Rest, 1.5 mile walk
  • Friday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises
  • Saturday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises
  • Sunday – Shoulders/Butt
______________________________________________________________________________________

Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper

  • 1 large poblano
  • 1/2 tsp avocado oil
  • 2 T red onion, chopped
  • 1/3 C golden beet, diced
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 serving tempeh
  • 1/4 C chopped artichoke hearts
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp curry
  • Shake of cumin
  • ~2T water

 

Preheat oven to 475.

Place the pepper on a baking sheet, and place in oven.  Roast for 30 mins, turning pepper every ~10 mins.  The goal is to char it on all sides.

Once charred, place in a bowl and cover with a towel to steam for ~10 mins.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and begin to saute onions and beets.  Once onion begins to turn translucent, add garlic, tempeh, and artichokes.  Add apple cider vinegar (or other white vinegar), and stir to combine.  Cook until warmed through, and garlic becomes fragrant (~2 mins).

Mix nutritional yeast, curry, and cumin with water and pour over saute.  Stir to combine and remove from heat.  

Remove pepper from bowl and begin peeling.  The skin with come off easily when they’re cooked like this.

Make a small slit down the length of one side of the pepper, being careful not to cut through to the other side. Carefully remove seeds, leaving stem intact.  Spoon tempeh mixture into the pepper to fill.

Transfer stuffed peppers to baking sheet dish.  Place in oven and bake until golden, 5-8 mins. Cool for a moment before transferring to a plate.  Sprinkle with chopped mint, lime juice, and additional nooch sauce if desired.

Makes 1 (easily doubled or quadrupled). 

***

I didn’t want to clutter the post with all of my cheat day treats, but this happened (among other things):

 

Have you ever had an odd heel pain?  Any advice?

Do you like beets?  What is your favorite way to eat them?

 

French Elvis Toast

By

My love affair with breakfast continues.

I couldn’t choose between something peanut butter-y and French toast.  Like a true healthy-living blogger I want nut butter at every meal, but I’d been thinking about french toast ever since receiving a loaf of P28 Bread.

French toast was my favorite childhood breakfast.  Mom used to make it on challah bread with lots of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.  She would then warm syrup with butter to pour over the decadent toast.

Obviously that’s not on my training diet, and I had not attempted to make a healthy version due to my protein requirements.  There’s no way French toast would pack 20g of protein… until I received high protein bread.

You may have seen me mention P28 bread in previous posts.  I absolutely love it.  One slice packs 14g of protein!  Count me in.

P28 bread is chewier than regular bread.  Some people (Lee‘s husband) like that.  I don’t mind it, but prefer the bread toasted.  The toasting turns it perfectly soft with a nice crunchy exterior.  Note: Due to the whey, it toasts faster than regular bread, so keep an eye on it.

Now about the french toast…

Peanut butter-coated and topped with caramelized bananas, I had to name it after The King.

You know how good warm, runny nut butter is?  Imagine that, but soaked into bread.  A little vanilla and cinnamon makes it almost like eating dessert for breakfast.  Dessefast?  Deckfast?

For my topping, I sliced the bananas and let them briefly caramelize in the pan.  Arranged atop of the peanut-y toast and drizzled with cinnamon-lace syrup, those bananas added just the right amount of richness and creamy texture.

No peanut flour?  No problem!  Just use regular peanut butter.  (It will be easier to mix if you warm it just a bit.)

But really, you should order this peanut flour via iHerb.  Use coupon code USO924 for $5 off your first order.  It’s awesome, and it’s made in Georgia. 😉

Let’s pretend I didn’t lick my plate clean like a little kid…

Recipe at the end.

And now for the fun part.  P28 has offered an opportunity for 3 readers to try their bread!

P28 is made with 100% Whole Wheat, Whey Protein Isolate, Oats, Flaxseed, Sunflower Seed and Millet.  It’s 100% Natural, and is a great source of Omega 3s and 8 essential Amino Acids needed for growth, energy, and vibrant health.

Want a loaf of your very own?  Receive up to 4 entries by:

  1. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
  2. Tweet: You could say something like: I’ve entered to win a loaf of high protein bread from @P28bread with @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1uR #giveaway
  3. Be Social: Twitter Follow P28, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What would you make first with your bread?

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST Thursday night,  August 9th.  The winner will be announced here on Friday, August 10th!

Open to US Residents only.  If you’d like to try these bars but didn’t win, check out their website to find a local retailer, or to order your a sample pack.

French Elvis Toast

  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 2-3 T milk (I used unsweetened almond)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 drops liquid stevia
  • 1slice P28 Bread (or bread of choice)
  • 1/2 banana, sliced

For Syrup:

  • 2 T sugar-free maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract

For the Toast:

Combine all ingredients in wide bowl.  Dip bread in mixture until saturated.

Cook in pan over med-high heat until golden brown on each side.

When almost done, place banana slices in pan and allow to caramelize slightly (they will turn a bit brown on top).

For the Syrup:

Pour syrup in small bowl.  Mix in cinnamon and butter extract.  Microwave for ~20 secs, until warm.

Plate your toast and top with caramelized bananas and syrup.

Makes 1 serving.

Note: If using regular bread, you may need 2 slices.  P28 slices are large and more dense than a standard slice.

Vegan Option: First, use a vegan bread source.  Second, replace the eggs with more almond milk and add a tablespoon of flax.  Let it sit for 10 mins to thicken before dipping your bread.  Proceed to cook.

Approximate Nutritionals (without syrup or bananas): 223 calories, 5.9g fat, 342.5mg sodium, 16.2 carbohydrates, 4.1g fiber, 4g sugar, 28.8g protein

***

I’m have a double serving for breakfast today.  Last night was leg day with my trainger and I sort of want to die after  those hack squats.

My trainer posing with his torture tool: the hack squat machine.

What was your favorite breakfast as a child?

Have you even done hack squats?

Finding the Bright Spots

By

I’m going to go ahead and admit it.

 

I’ve had a shitty week.  Work was frustrating, I didn’t sleep enough, my hamstring is pulled a bit, and I’m just grouchy.  Last night I showed up at the gym out of habit rather than desire.

 

 

On top of all that, it was the dreaded leg day.  I look forward to it because I love training with my coach, but I would honestly would rather work any other body part than my legs.  It was raining and thundering when I left the house.  I almost cancelled.  Habit prevailed.

Coach said I’d have a revelation at the end of the workout.  After squatting 2x my body weight and a set of leg presses with 8 plates on each side, I did have that revelation.  Sometimes the worst days produce the best workouts.  Mood = lifted.

 _______________________________________________________________________________________

Bad weeks can also product some amazing food.  It’s not on purpose, but I tend to eat “fun” food when I’m having a bad day.  Like it’s my bright spot.

There has been a whole lot of mood-lifting deliciousness in blog-land lately.  My three latest addictions are thanks to fellow bloggers:

 

This Cauliflower Pizza Crust inspired by Gluten Free Happy Tummy.  It’s the only cauliflower crust I’ve been able to pick up and eat like a slice of pizza.  Also, the egg I included in round 2 was sinfully good.  I heart runny eggs.

 

 

Kristen’s “Stuft”which – I do mine on P28 Protein Bread with sugar-free strawberry jam… sometimes I add a little Diaya and spinach.  It’s the jam.  😉

 

 

My Protein Breakfast Tart based on Tessa’s recipe has become a staple in my kitchen.  This one topped with “melted” blackberries (berries microwaved for 20-30 secs with 2-3 drops liquid stevia).

 

 

I have an ever-growing list of recipes to try.  Look for these on Instagram and #WIAW next week:

 _______________________________________________________________________________________

 

A bright spot in my week was the photos you guys shared with me of your takes on some recent recipes I’ve posted.  I always wonder if people actually try anything I make… so please do share when you do.  Unless you hate it.  😉

 

Meg tried her hand at the previously mentioned Cauliflower Pizza Crust:

 

Heather made some gorgeous Paleo Oat-less Oatmeal, subbing coconut flour for the protein powder:

 

Allie enjoyed the Oatmeal Cookie Protein Shake I made per her request:

 

Min tried my PB & Jeggs the DAY I posted it… and vouched for its odd deliciousness:

 

Heather (miss you!!!) made my Mexican Vegan Crustless Quiche, but did it in mini springforms and added smokey hot sauce:

 

Soben rocked a Tiramisu Parfait, adding chia seeds:

I swear I drafted this post before I saw Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli‘s post today… it’s titled “Sprinting with Broccoli.”  This girl – my prom date – wrote an entire POST about recipes of mine she’s tried.  I’m so flattered… I’m speechless and I could cry happy tears.

Thanks for making my week 100x better, Heather. 🙂

 ***

The only thing I have left to say is TGIF.

What blogger recipes have you been loving lately?

What brightens your mood after a hard week?

 

150 Calorie Chocolate Protein Cake

By

Kitchen failures are no fun.

Especially when they involve the microwave – an invention that is supposed to make things easier.

I’ve tried to make a good microwave protein cake over and over.  And Over.  And Over.  My attempts failed repeatedly.  God knows how much money I’ve wasted on protein powder.  But I’m stubborn (and obsessed with desserts), so I kept trying.

And, just like Dr. Seuss 98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed, I did succeed!  Finally a winner!

My only requirements for this cake were that it must be low sugar, less than 200 calories, and have at least 20g of protein.  The spinach was just the icing on the proverbial cake.  One can’t live on green smoothies alone.

This ever-so-slightly green-tinted treat is light, fluffy, and wonderfully moist (yeah, I said moist).  It’s sweet and chocolate-y.  Not flavorless, dry, and/or oddly flat like some of my other attempts.

Here’s what I learned in my experimentation:

  • It will work with 2T of applesauce or 2T of pumpkin puree
  • It will not work with Xylitol, but Stevia is delicious in it
  • Use high-quality cocoa powder (the Kroger brand is terrible)
  • You may need to add another tablespoon of cocoa powder depending on your protein powder  
  • Make it vegan using a flax egg rather than egg whites… be warned that it won’t be quite as fluffy
  • It can  be made in advance and transported to work for an afternoon delight
  • Yes, the spinach is optional 🙂

Did I mention it’s under 150 calories and packs 24.5g of protein?  Can I get a gold medal?

Another pleasant discovery was the baking powder I used.  My training plan has me watching my sodium intake, and typical baking powder has a TON of it.  I was lamenting this fact when Sarena located this Hain sodium-free powder!  I ordered it online and was thrilled when it worked just as well as the full-sodium stuff.  (If you aren’t concerned with sodium, the standard stuff work too.)

Chocolate-Microwave-Protein-Muffin

Microwave Chocolate Protein Cake

  • 2 T chocolate rice protein powder (~22g)
  • 1 C fresh spinach (optional)
  • 1 T unsweetened cocoa powder 
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp no sodium baking powder
  • 1/4 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 2 T applesauce (no sugar added, can also use pumpkin puree)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp butter extract (optional)
  • ~5-6 drops chocolate liquid stevia
  • Optional: vanilla protein powder, cherry on top

Place all ingredients in your blender of choice and mix until smooth.  If not adding spinach, there is no need for a blender to mix.

Transfer to a large, greased (I use PAM) coffee mug and microwave for 3-4 mins (mine took 3:21).

Tip the cake out onto a plate and top as desired.  My cake was topped with a sprinkle of vanilla protein “powdered sugar” and a cherry.  I also really like to use melted cherries (cut into pieces and microwaved for 20 secs).

Makes 1 cake.

Approximate Nutritionals (will vary based on protein powder brand used; this is with Sun Warrior): 148 calories, 3g fat, 219.3mg sodium, 11g carbohydrates, 3.6g fiber, 3g sugar, 24.5g protein.

**

I was blown away by the positive responses when I posted this on the Chick-fil-a controversy.  The Dean of the  Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business (my graduate alma mater) wrote a great op-ed piece for the New York Times on individual freedom.  I respect his opinion, and hope you will take a second to read his thoughts.  Click here to read.

What is your most memorable kitchen failure?

Have you reached microwave cake perfection?  Do share!

PB & Aggs + Carrot Cake Batter {WIAW}

By

I’m a big fan of modifications.

Have you seen the dishes I bastardize exercise creative license with?

This week my nutrition plan has had one awesome modification.  After mentioning that I almost hurled last week after shoveling down lunch right before a workout, my trainer gave me an life stomach saving tip.  If a workout is scheduled right after a carb meal (Meal 1, 3, 5, or 7), then I can switch the order of the meals.  So instead of my scheduled Meal 3 carb + protein + veggie combo, I could have swapped it for Meal 4 which is just a veggie + protein.

3 Benefits to This:

  1. Quick protein boost before a workout (and a little energy from the sugar if this occurs in the morning when I get fruit rather than a veggie)
  2. Complex carbs post-workout are great for muscle repair/recovery
  3. No risk of regurgitation

Similar to running, you don’t want to lift heavy on a full tummy.  It’s hard work and being full just makes you feel draggy.  When you’re in prep for a figure competition the last thing you want is to have a junk workout.  I’ve been relishing in this modification all week.  It has done wonders for my energy at the gym, as well as my comfort level!

Enough tummy talk.  We have a new theme this week for What I Ate Wednesday!

Seasonal eating is a big deal to me.  Food that is in season tastes better, and it is less expensive.  Not to mention the fact that you can support your local farmers by purchasing your product through them rather than from far away places like Chile.

Check out my (mostly) summertime appropriate eats below, then click here to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s fitness foods!

Meal 1:

I’m recycling the pic from last week of aminos mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar and water.  I drink this down 30 mins prior to meal one for its benefits related to energy, digestion, and skin.

As I mentioned above, I’m doing some meal-order-swapping around my workouts.  Since I was about to hit the gym, I swapped meals 1 and 2.  So… Meal 1 = Meal 2, meaning I need a fruit and a protein.

You follow?

Last week’s PB & Jeggs were so good I did a little remix of that idea.  Rather than using mixed berries, I uses apples to create PB & Aggs!  (Any Aggie fans out there?)

I shook it up a little to be more like PB & Agg Pie. (Is that taking the naming thing too far?)

PB & Aggs:

  • 1/2 C egg whites
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 2 T water
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 drops lemon liquid stevia
  • 1 small apple, cut into ~1/2 in pieces

See this post for detailed instructions.

Meal 2:

Post-workout I ate what was supposed to be Meal 1.  Hooray for post-workout complex carbs!  This is a seasonal cherry-ginger protein smoothie bowl (with spinach, obv) topped with homemade granola.  It was simple but hit the spot. 

Meal 3:

I often make it through the day with entirely vegetarian protein sources, but today I enjoyed a tuna burger with a said of salsa.  I’d love to share the recipe with you, but to be honest it was a little dry.  The flavor was good… I will keep tweaking and report back.

For my seasonal sides, I enjoyed carrot sticks and raw asparagus.  Produce is so sweet this summer!  I read somewhere that it is due to the extreme heat.  Apparently, some good does come out of 100+ temps! 

My complex carb was a slice of Ezekial bread with some Sunbutter.  After a nasty failed attempt at making my own sunflower seed butter, I sucked it up and bought a jar.

Worth.  It.

Meal 4:

Another seasonal veggie favorite is zucchini.  I’ve seen a lot of pics posted around the web of some massive zucchini. I wish I’d taken one of this sucker before I cut it up because it was a beast.

Eaten with no salt added cottage cheese mixed with peanut flour, nutritional yeast, and sriracha.  It was a sort of Thai peanut sauce!  To be honest… I went a little heavy on the nooch. 😉

Meal 5:

Apparently last Wednesday was particularly inspiring to me.  For dinner, I repeated yet another meal from the week.  What can I say, I fell in love with the (gluten-free) Cauliflower pizza!

I made the crust just like this one, but topped it with a local tomato, red onion, aged balsamic, a farm fresh egg, and a bastardized vegan version of spinach pesto.

 

The pesto creation was quite tasty – lots of herb-y, fresh flavor.  Here’s how I did it:

Vegan Spinach-Rosemary “Pesto”

  • 1 C fresh spinach
  • 1 large sprig of rosemary
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 tsp olive oil
  • A bit of water (just enough to blend)

 Place it all in the blender and mix until smooth.

If you haven’t made this yet… well, I feel sorry for you.

Meal 6:

Carrot cake is something of a tradition in my family.  It’s not surprising that my favorite protein shake is this carrot cake creation.  It’s what inspired the following snackage.  I had already had a smoothie at Meal 2, and since I try to vary my protein sources, I racked my brain to figure out what other sources I could get 20g of protein from.  The answer?  Greek Yogurt!

Ladies and gentlemen (do any dudes read this blog?!), I give you a bowl full ‘o Carrot Cake Batter:

This protein-packed snack reminds me of that recipe handed down from my MamMaw.  The freshly grated carrot and the hint of nutmeg make this batter is scarily close to the “real” thing.  I have eaten it as Meal 6 every night this week.  Admittedly, some cream cheese icing would be nice.

Recipe at bottom.

Meal 7:

I’m in comfort-dessert food mode.  Pumpkin Pie Mush, anyone?  I’m going to turn orange.

This has been done ad nauseam in blog-land, so I won’t beat a dead horse.  Basically, you mix together your desired amount of oats, protein powder, pumpkin, water or other liquid, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, stevia.  Let sit in fridge for at least an hour.  Devour.

Carrot Cake Protein Batter

  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1 T vanilla protein powder
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp maple extract (optional)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 7-8 drops liquid stevia, or sweeter of your choice

Place all ingredients in a bowl, and stir to combine.  Depending on the thickness of your yogurt and the absorption of your protein powder, you may need to add a bit of liquid.

Note: This is also delicious with peanut flour, PB2, or coconut flour in place of the protein powder.

***

Are you keeping track?  I managed 149.1g of protein.  Even more exciting (to me) is the fact that I actually kept my sodium down to 1,137mg.  Shityeah.

What are your favorite summer foods?

Have you ever actually gotten sick during a workout?  I think I would die.

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