Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Vegan Protein Sources + Recipes

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I’m not vegan…

…but I’ve dabbled in the vegan space, and I do acknowledge that my body loves a plant-based diet.

Since I’ve started training for a figure competition, I’ve introduced more diary, eggs, and fish into my diet.  I have to get ~150g of protein per day, so I felt it was the best decision for me to add those items back in.  (I have not added back in meat, which I think is the biggest offender when I felt like I was dragging in the past.)

That’s not to say that the average person can’t get enough protein on a vegan diet though!  Most people only need 0.7-0.8g of protein per pound of body weight.  If you are strength training to gain moderate muscle tone, try to get 1g per pound.

 

Much of my protein does still come from vegan sources, so I was excited to be asked by Kevin (@instagramfitness) to help put together a “clean eating” guide to vegan protein sources.  With input from myself, @_mr_nice_watch and @petitefi, Kevin designed this awesome chart:

Buckwheat clarification: 1C cooked = 6g protein. The 24g number is uncooked. Sorry!

 

Some of my favorite ways to incorporate the vegan proteins above:

Ginger-Lime Edamame and Black Bean Burgers

Cherry-Balsamic Chickpea Salad

Sweet Potato Asian Lentil Loaf

Seitan Chorizo

Salade Niçoise

Check out Kevin’s Tumbler site for more clean eating ideas – there are a few of great charts and info on the following topics:

  • Nuts & Seeds, Dairy, Oils & Fats and Condiments & Minerals
  • Veggies, Fruits, and Grains
  • Hydration and (Non-Vegan) Protein
  • How to estimate the protein, fats, carbs you should strive for each day

***

I would be remiss if I didn’t give shout out to my favorite vegan protein powder, Growing Naturals, and my favorite protein-rich “condiment,” peanut flour, from iHerb.

What is your favorite plant-based protein source?  Do you have any recipes to share using these protein sources?

What are you most looking forward to this weekend? 

Pick-Me-Up, a Tiramisu Protein Parfait

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Breakfast is the only reason I get up in the morning.

Not really.  I get up because I have to go to work.

Breakfast is the only reason I get up without too much grumbling.  Unless you count the grumbling in my stomach, which has been intense ever since I started training.

That’s a whole other topic.  I eat my last meal around midnight.  In theory that would hold me over.  Notsomuch.  I wake up so hungry you’d think I hadn’t eaten in days.

What’s really fun is waking up starving and remembering you have something really delicious prepped for breakfast.  Remember Meal 1 from yesterday’s WIAW post?  This is it – a Tiramisu Parfait.

The oats are cooked and soaked in coffee and cocoa overnight to produce a light, spongy pudding.  In the morning, I mixed up some Greek yogurt with vanilla protein powder to create the decadent, creamy layers in this Tiramisu Parfait.

Did you know that Tiramisu means “pick me up” in Italian?  Rightly so.  This breakfast rendition was so good it had this night owl up early and eating breakfast with a smile.

The Italian dessert certainly couldn’t be passed off a breakfast (not that it hasn’t happened in a moment of weakness…).  This is a much healthier version is perfectly acceptable in the morning, and you won’t be missing a thing with these flavors.  Espresso-soaked ladyfingers are easily replaced with coffee-cocoa overnight oats.  The sweet, tangy Greek yogurt mixture is the perfect sub for the mascarpone and heavy cream that layers a traditional Tiramisu.

If you’re feeling frisky, you could shake it up and top the breakfast treat with melted cherries.

A traditional Tiramisu can run upwards of 500 calories, 30g of fat, and 30g of sugar.  Never fear.  Depending on your protein powder, this Tiramisu Parfait is around 200 calories, 2g fat, 4g sugar… and 20g of protein!

I never wanted it to end.

Tiramisu-parfait

Tiramisu Protein Parfait

Inspired by this recipe.

For the Oats:

  • 1/3 C rolled oats (use gluten-free to make GF)
  • 2 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 C water
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp rum extract (almond would also work here)
  • 1/4 cup strong brewed, cooled coffee
  • 8 drops liquid stevia (adjust to desired sweetness)
For the Cream:
  • 3 oz plain Greek yogurt (use soy or almond yogurt to make dairy-free/vegan)
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 2-3 drops orange stevia (optional, you could also use orange zest or extract of you want the hint of citrus)

Combine the oats, cocoa powder, cinnamon, extracts, and water in a bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until the liquid is (mostly) absorbed.  Add coffee and stevia.  Stir to combine, then cover and place in the fridge overnight (or at least 2 hours).

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, orange stevia (or zest,/extract), protein powder, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until well combined.  This can be done the night before, or at time of serving.  

To assemble, place a spoonful of the oats in a cup, followed by a spoonful of the yogurt mixture.  Repeat until you’re out of each.  

Optional: Top with fruit of your choosing.  I chose melted cherries (cherries microwaved with a few drops of lemon Stevia for ~20 secs). Whipped cream would always be amazing.

Makes 1 serving.

***

This first time I made this, I couldn’t wait ’til morning and ate it as Meal 7 (dessert).

Would you eat this parfait for breakfast or dessert?

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Peanut Butter & Jeggs + WIAW

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Two things make me euphoric: good food and hard workouts.

Yesterday I was on the receiving end of both.  My spreadsheet delivered today!

Breakfast was mind-blowing.  Meal 2 is a new go-to protein source.  Lunch – although it was inhaled – was delish. Meal 4 wasn’t exciting, but the GNC Vanilla Whey tastes cake batter-ish when mixed with water.  Dinner… well, if it was legal to marry pizza I would.  Meal 6 was fun and close to being a new staple.  Dessert was a new (to me) recipe from one of my fav bloggers.

On the training front, I had a GREAT workout with my trainer.  I squatted 1.5x my body weight.  That’s a HUGE jump in just over a month of training.

Click for source

During a workout it can be overwhelming to push and go all-in.   That’s when you know you’re doing it right – when you are out of your comfort zone and breathing hard (provided you are using a good form and common sense).  I hit that point during my 4th drop sets of horizontal leg presses.

I looked up at my trainer and said “I don’t know how I’m going to do this.”  Then, with his encouragement, I just kept going.

Click for source

It was HARD, both physically and mentally.  I was careful not to say “can’t,” but I won’t say the thought didn’t cross my mind.  I shoved it out of my mind, and after the workout was incredibly proud of myself.

Which leads me to the 4th installment of the Fitness-themed What I Ate Wednesday.  If you’ve been following, I’m aiming to get ~150g of protein each day as I train for a figure competition (hopefully in NOVEMBER!!!).

In an effort to vary my protein sources, I try not to repeat meals throughout the day (ex: I don’t want to have 7 protein shakes, or 4 servings of scrambled egg whites).  Today’s eats included a whopping 5 different sources of protein!

Check out my vegetarian protein-loaded day below; then click here to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s fitness foods!

 

Meal 1:

Like I do every morning, I enjoyed a glass of my aminos mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar and water. I swear it gives me more energy than a cup of coffee… in fact, I no longer make coffee in the morning.

30 mins later I did enjoy a coffee-laced breakfast parfait:

It was a fabulous as it looks.  No joke.  Recipe tomorrow because I cannot hold this one in much longer.

Meal 2:

A new go-to: Peanut Butter & Jeggs.   I do enjoy savory eggs, but sometimes you just want a PB&J.  Meal 2 doesn’t get a carb, and PB&J doesn’t pack 20g of protein (the minimum I need at each meal)… so I got creative.

Egg whites, peanut flour, berries… it’s not as weird as it sounds.  Really.  Recipe at the bottom.

This might be weird: dose anyone else like the little crunchies left over from scrambles?  They’re especially good when they are laced with PB.

Meal 3:

Lunch was wolfed down.  I was slammed at work and running out the door for a lunchtime appointment with my trainer for the afore mentioned leg day.

This was a tasty combo… but I spent the drive to the gym wondering if eating all this so close to a workout would make me hurl.

On my plate:

  • Thai baked tofu
  • Spinach
  • Sweet potato
  • 3 bean mix 

Thankfully, I didn’t vom during my workout.

Meal 4:

This is what eating for fuel looks like:

GNC Whey Vanilla Protein I received as part of this Fitfluential protein powder review, mixed with water to form a “pudding.”

Followed by a giant carrot when I got home.

Meal 5:

I’m still swooning over this meal.  It’s one of the best I’ve had in recent memory… and that’s saying a lot.

Cauliflower pizza perfection (recipe here).

Topped with baby bellas, red onion, garlic, red pepper, French sorrel, and purple basil, and drizzled with nooch “sauce” (1 T nutritional yeast + 1 T water) before placing back in the oven for 15 mins.

Once cooked, I topped it with a balsamic reduction, red pepper flakes, and this KASS vegan grated parm (which is actually really good!):

Meal 6:

After being corrected by Coach last week (seriously… he busted me in the comments section), I did NOT skip meal 6.  This is a new creation… one I’m still working on.  As soon as it’s 100% I’ll share. 🙂

No coach, these aren’t protein macaroons. 

Served with celery sticks and “honey” mustard.  I say “honey” because it’s just Dijon with a drop of lemon Stevia.

I read this one someone’s blog but now I can’t remember where… please claim it if it’s your idea.  Sorry!

Meal 7:

Dessert was this Blueberry Protein Microwave Cake I’ve had bookmarked from my friend Sarena @ The Non-Dairy Queen.

Just a couple of modifications: I left out the oats, reduced the egg whites to 1/4 C, and used just 1/8 tsp  of baking soda.  I added 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and used lemon stevia in the coconut “frosting.”  Mine only needed 4 mins in the microwave.

It was friggin’ fantastic.

 

Peanut Butter & Jeggs

  • 1/2 C egg whites
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 2 T water
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 5-6 drops liquid stevia
  • 1/2 C berries

In a greased pan on med heat, scramble egg whites until 3/4 done (still a bit runny, ~2-3 mins).  

Meanwhile, mix together peanut flour, water, cinnamon, and stevia to form your peanut butter (note: you could always use 2 T of your favorite nut butter here).

Add peanut butter and fruit to the eggs.  Scramble together and allow egg whites to complete cooking (~1-2 mins).

Plate and enjoy!

Serves 1.

***

This day of eats was entirely vegetarian, and I managed 156g of protein.  And it included 2 of the best meals ever.  OMG.

Have you made a cauliflower pizza?

Any guesses about what meal 6 is?

Oatmeal Cookie Dough in a Glass

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You guys have the best ideas.

I make a LOT of shakes and smoothies (what distinguishes the two, btw?).  Would you believe that you don’t even see half of the craziness I blend up?

There are the favorites that end up in steady rotation:

Apple Pie Smoothie

Banana-Maple-Ginger (pictured with Lisa’s raw cookie dough ball)

Roasted Beet and Orange Smoothie

My all-time favorite… 

Liquid Sweet Potato Pie

And my new favorite…

Carrot Cake Batter Shake

Which brings me back to the subject of the day.  When I posted the Carrot Cake Batter recipe, Allie commented that she’s more of a cookie than a cake girl.  She requested an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Shake.

I owe her big time for that request, because this is GOOD.  The test batches weren’t too painful to drink either.

Appropriate for breakfast or dessert, this is one tasty batter.  The mix of oats, banana, flax, and coconut flour give it a fabulously doughy texture.  I almost wanted to pop the mix in the oven once I blended it.

Nutritional yeast may seem like a weird addition, but it have a rich, nutty taste that compliments the sweet flavors in this dough.  The vanilla and cinnamon add to the cookie flavor, and – if you have it – the butter extract just adds a hint of “fresh from the oven.”

Confession: I don’t like raisins (or any dried fruit for that matter).  Feel free to blend a few in for added cookie sweetness, but I – being a good blogger – bought 19 cents of raisins from the bulk bin for a topping to enhance the photo accommodate Allie’s request. 😉

***In any of these shakes, you may leave out the protein powder.  I like the addition because a) protein is good for muscle building/recovery and b) it make it more filling.***

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Oatmeal Cookie Shake

  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/3 C rolled oats (use gluten-free for a GF shake)
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1 T ground flax
  • 1 T coconut flour
  • 1.5 tsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp butter extract
  • 7-8 drops liquid stevia
  • 1/2 C unsweetened almond milk (or other liquid)
  • Ice, to taste
  • 1/8 tsp Guar Gum (optional, but this will make your smoothie thicker)
  • Toppings: crushed walnuts, raisins, cacao nibs (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a high-seed blender and blend until smooth.

Add toppings and drink your dough!

Makes 1 smoothie.

***

Another confession: I didn’t like oatmeal cookies until I was an adult.  I did; however, always like oatmeal.

Have you tried any of these smoothies?

If you could make a recipe request of any blogger, what would it be?

Lure Me Into the Weekend

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Like I ever need any luring into the weekend…

 

However, I was excited for the events of this past weekend.  I’ve recapped the best parts below, including purple basil, watermelon salad, my BFF’s baby’s 1st birthday (remember when he was born?), and dinner at the latest #ATL seafood hot spot.

 

First I want to take a moment to express my condolences to the people of Aurora, CO.  It is beyond me how anyone could do such an evil thing.  Furthermore, I don’t understand why it’s legal to buy those guns.  I know some people consider shooting to be a hobby, but we as a society have proven to ourselves over and over that assault rifles bring nothing but harm.

On to brighter things…

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1. Purple Basil

I found this delicious herb at my local Saturday farmer’s market:

 

 

Purple Basil is not quite as sweet as the green variety, and a bit heartier. Much closer to a romaine lettuce leaf in texture.  I loved it on a P28 Protein Bagel with some Greek yogurt and an heirloom tomato (also from the market).  served with a side of these Indian Roasted Chickpeas – an old recipe, but one I return to often!

 

 

 

2. Baby Jackson Turned 1

My nest friend’s little boy, Jackson, had his 1st birthday this weekend.  I’m sure he won’t remember any of it, but we have a fantastic time celebrating with him!  Doesn’t he look just like his daddy (pic below)?

 

 

We had a some tasty eats compliments of the baby’s grandmother.  I brought a new take on this cotija-watermelon salad that I made for his mamma’s baby shower a little over a year ago.

This new twist contained:

  • Watermelon
  • Cucumber
  • Blueberries
  • Jalapeno
  • Feta cheese
  • Mint
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Light drizzle of olive oil
  • Pepper

 

 

Of course there was cake.  Ever the gentleman, Jackson wasn’t about to face-plant into that baby cake like his Aunt Laura would have.

 

 

3. Dinner at Lure

My friend Keith and I headed to the latest restaurant concept by Fifth Group (an Atlanta restaurant group), Lure.  This group is one of the best in Atlanta, due largely in part to their staff.  The serve and attention to detail is always top-notch, and Lure upholds that tradition.

 

We began the meal with a couple of small plates:

The seared scallop crudo with sugar snap peas and horseradish was a huge win.  I can’t recall ever having a more fresh piece of seafood.  The slightly sweet, crisp snap peas was the perfect light pairing with the scallop, and the dollops of horseradish gave a nice kick to the dish.  This was my favorite dish of the night – love at first bite.

 

The next dish was a plate of French Horn mushrooms with baba ghannouj, chickpeas, and a parsley salad.  I loved the mushrooms, and the bright lemon juice the dressed the parsley.  I found the baba ghannouj to be a bit salty (I’m sensitive to salt, so you may think it’s perfect).

 

For round two, we ordered one more small plate and a main.  We were absorbed in conversation, so we didn’t notice our second dishes were taking a while to come out.  That didn’t stop a manager from coming out to apologize and off us free soup!  I didn’t get a pic of the Tom Yum Shrimp Bisque, but we very much appreciated the gesture.

Our entrees did arrive, and they were beautiful:

The small plate we chose was grilled octopus & pork lettuce wraps with basil, cilantro, red onion, rice noodles, and spicy Vietnamese sauce.  I loved the heat in the sauce.  The octopus was good, not too chewy… but I barely remember the pork.

 

My main was a sautéed black grouper served atop silver queen corn, curry, yogurt sauce, and a spicy lime pickle.  I was surprised at how well the strong flavors worked with the flaky fish.  It was perfectly executed.  The spice from the curry was excellent with the sweetness of the worn and the slightly sour citrus of the lime pickle.  It didn’t top the scallops, but it was close!

 

We were comfortably full… but it was my cheat day… how could I pass up dessert?  After polling everyone via Instagram, I selected the guava and coconut bread pudding.

This deliciousness was served with a creme anglaise and toasted hazelnuts.  We loved the bread – a brioche from the famed H&F Bread Co.  The toasted hazelnuts we like the icing on this cake.  Ever the texture lover, I enjoyed their nutty crunch with the chewy toasted coconut that coated the soft bread pudding.  It was also the perfect size and sweet-level.  Just enough to hit the spot without regrets.

 

Overall, this 5-day old restaurant impressed me.  As I said, the service was perfect.  The food was solid as well; it has a distinct “Fifth-Group” feel.  In comparison to The Optimist (the other new Atlanta seafood restaurant I wrote up last week), it is different.  The Optimist is more “farm-to-table” seafood; it uses few ingredients and allows the main ingredient to speak for itself.  Lure focuses more on spices and offers many dishes with of an “ethic” twist.  Both good in their own way.

Side note: Lure’s wine list is much better, another signature of this restaurant group.

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I didn’t just eat my way through the entire weekend!  I stuck to my workout plan and was very good about getting in my 7 meals after admitted last Wednesday to not being excited about eating anything.  This week’s workouts were pretty exciting to me – I’m starting to notice bigger gains in my arms.  I was able to do preacher curls with an EZ curl bar that I couldn’t think about curling a month ago!

The real boost happened Saturday at the farmer’s market.  I was walking around, eating free samples (it was cheat day!), and one of the women working looked at me and said “flex.”  I said “excuse me?” and she repeated herself.  I thought she was kidding, but she was serious!  I blushed hard… but obliged.  LOL!  It made my day.  Thank you, free sample lady. 🙂

 

 

Workout Recap (7/16- 7/23):

  • Monday – Back/Triceps, calf raises
  • Tuesday – Shoulders/Glutes, 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Chest/Biceps, calf raises, 1 mile walk
  • Thursday – Legs (w/ trainer), 2 mile walk
  • Friday – Back/Triceps, calf raises, 100 push-ups, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Shoulders/Glutes, 3 mile walk
  • Sunday – *rest day* … easy 3 mile walk

***

I also cooked a lot this weekend.  I cannot wait to share some new recipes this week, including one reader request! 🙂

What was the best part of your weekend?

What new item have you tried recently?  Have you ever had purple basil?

 

Boycotts and Friday Finds

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 Please excuse my soap box.

 

If you live in the South (a.k.a.: the land of Chick-fil-a), then you have probably heard the Chick-fil-a COO made a statement that Chick-fil-a supports anti-gay causes.  This isn’t a political blog, but I was outraged that I felt the need to speak up.

 

One of the great things about this country is our freedom of speech.  However… it’s hard for me to believe that in 2012 any company would waste their breath with such discriminatory sentiments.  Grow up, Chick-fil-a.

Yes, they have a right to do whatever they please with their influence and their money.  So do I.  That’s why I signed HRC’s pledge to let Chick-fil-a know that I don’t support discrimination.  And I can live without your waffle fries dipped in Polynesian sauce.

 *steps off box*

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Now for some positive reporting!  It’s FRIDAY!!!  In honor of my favorite day, here are some of my favorite recent “finds.”

Products, recipes, and blogs I’ve been loving lately:

1. New Flavors

Cake Batter.  Sizzlin’ Bacon.  Double Chocolate.  Caramel.

 

 

My favorite is the Cake Batter.  The others were ok, but the Bacon was a little disappointing.  It’s basically like liquid smoke.

These were ordered online thru Capella… the Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli hipped me to the fact that they are even cheaper here.

 

 

2. Peach Protein Powder

The guys at my local nutrition store gave me a sample packet of this Peach Sensation protein powder made my Allmax Nutrition.  I wasn’t familiar with the company before, but I will be now!  This stuff was really good.  The ingredients are pretty clean, and it’s low in sodium and carbs, and contains no sugar.

 

 

I blended it with cinnamon, ginger, and a little water to make a spiced peach protein smoothie.

 

 

3. Runny Eggs, Protein Bagels, and Roasted Cauliflower

Ok, that’s 3 things… but they are all so good!  I got permission from my trainer to have an egg yolk!  this is big news because I am obsessed with runny eggs.  It goes perfectly atop my other new obsession – P28 Protein Bagels.  Just 1/2 a bagel has 14g of protein.  Egg + Bagel = 20g protein

 

 

I also am on a cauliflower bender.  Today’s was cheesy chocolate.  I kid you not.  1/2 tsp cocoa powder, 1 T nutritional yeast, 1 T rice vinegar, 2 drops lemon stevia.  Roast.  Devour.

 

 

4. Surprises in the Mail

I came home last night to a package from the far away land of Canada.

 

 

Meg @ A Dash of Meg sent me a bag of her favorite ginger-flavored David’s Tea!  If you don’t know Meg, you should.  This is literally the sweetest girl I’ve ever “met.”  And we have discovered we’re food twins.  And this tea smells like heaven.

 

 

5. Green Spiced Protein Pancakes

I have made some pretty bad pancakes in my day.  This was not one of those days.

When I saw this green pancake recipe by Sara @ Stories and Sweet Potatoes (isn’t that the best blog name?), I knew I had to give them a whirl.  My tweaks were:

  • Add nutmeg 
  • Subbed 2 T of coconut flour for quinoa flour
  • Left out yogurt

 

 

I made the batter the night before and let it rest in the fridge overnight.  In the morning I dumped it in a well-greased (PAM) pan and made one tasty, gigantic pancake.  Note: Don’t skimp on the spices – go big in order to give the monster some flavor.  

Topped with cinnamon, apple, and sugar-free maple syrup.

 

 

Bonus: Cold Soup

Ok, this is a little self-promoting, but I really have been loving cold soup in the hot weather.  So much so that when rockstar athlete and foodie Lauren @ Oatmeal After Spinning asked me to write a guest post for her, I decided that would be the soup topic du jour.

 

 

Click here to check out my Peach-Cucumber Chilled Soup guest post, and say hi the the vacationing Lauren!

 

***

Quote from Trainer Abdul yesterday during a particularly fun set of leg presses:

Don’t cheat yourself, treat yourself.

 

What is your favorite “find” as of late?

Is there a quote or saying that gets you through “just one more” in workout or situation?

 

Tzatziki Chickpea Tuna Salad + Giveaway Winner

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I did something I haven’t done since I was in middle school.

 

I ate canned tuna.  My mom used to make tuna salad every Sunday after church.  She mixed in pickles, apples, onion, mayo… it was a hodge podge.  Every Sunday.  One day I decided I no longer liked seafood, and that was the last of the tuna for me.

This was not me.

 

The Chicken of the Sea (canned tuna) is a cornerstone of the bodybuilding diet.  In my quest for new ways to add protein to my diet, it was only a matter of time until tuna salad had to return.  It’s easy to make, portable, and is actually better on day 2.  It’s also filled with protein, fat-free (if you get it packed in water), and has virtually no bards.  The perfect lunch to take to work.  

 

When I decided to give it a go, I knew I had to do something different (no offense, Mom).

In my salad, I incorporated smashed chickpeas for a variation in texture.  The ‘peas were easier for me to think about eating than tuna.  

If you are vegetarian, this would be a great salad with just the chickpeas!

 

Mayo is (of course) not permitted on my nutrition plan, so I opted for a version of tzatziki sauce to stir into my salad.  This slimmed-down version of the Greek classic is Greek yogurt-based, adding even more protein.  It is also full of flavor from the herbs and garlic, leaving no trace of fishiness in the salad.  Watch out for garlic breath though!

 

The verdict?  I’ve taken this for lunch twice this week.  Apparently I really like tuna salad.  Winner, winner… chicken-of-the-sea dinner!

Note: I made my chickpeas from dried peas rather than canned to keep the sodium low.  If you do this and have left over, try roasting them for a fun snack like I did here.

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Before the winner dinner recipe, I suppose you guys are more interested in the winner of The Simply Bar Giveaway?

Congratulations to….

Layla!!!

You are the winner of a sample pack of Simply Bars.  Send me an email with your address and I’ll pass it along to the Simply Bar crew. 🙂

Thank you all for entering, and for sharing your goals.  Click here and read through the comments – they are really inspiring!

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Tzatziki Tuna Chickpea Salad

For the Salad:

  • 1 can of tuna (packed in water)
  • 1/2 C chickpeas, smashed
  •  1/2 C red pepper, diced
  • Cilantro (optional, for garnish)

 

For the Sauce:

  • 1 container Greek yogurt
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1T chopped yellow onion
  • 1/4 C fresh dill
  • 1/4 C fresh cilantro
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 large jalapeno
  • 1/2 large cucumber, finely chopped

 

For the Salad:

Combine salad ingredients in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

 

For the Sauce:

Place all ingredients except cucumber into blender and blend until smooth.

Stir in diced cucumber and enjoy!

 

Makes 2 servings, with some sauce leftover.

***

I saw on Nightline last night that chin implants are the fastest growing plastic surgery procedure… because people don’t like the way they look online.  Wow.

Is there a meal from your childhood that you still can’t/won’t eat as an adult?  Meatloaf, anyone?

Would you ever get a chin-plant?

 

Indian Ginger Tempeh Stir-Fry + WIAW

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Something very strange happened yesterday.

I woke up not wanting to eat anything.  That’s not too odd.  Often I prefer to wake up and hit the gym first thing, without breakfast.  That has had to change for two reasons:

  1. My heavier lifting, longer workouts mean I’m hungry about 3/4 of the way through
  2. My 7th meal would end up being at midnight since meal 1 wasn’t until 930 or 10a (way too late for me)

That’s why this morning I ignored the part of me that wanted to skip breakfast before my workout and shoveled down my “oats.”  When I returned from the gym it was time for meal 2 and I still didn’t feel like cooking or eating.  Nothing sounded appealing, and that didn’t change throughout the day.  I reworked my spreadsheet at each meal just trying to find something that sounded tasty.

This never happens.  I always at least enjoy the process of cooking.  Maybe I’m getting sick?  I hope not!

 

Sorry for the blah intro to the 3rd installment of the  “Food, Fun, and Fitness” What I Ate Wednesday.  I’ll bust out of this funk by next week.  I can assure you that (most of) my food still tasted good… I just didn’t feel like eating it.

Check out my vegetarian protein-loaded day below; then click here to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s fitness foods!

Meal 1:

The day started out as usual with a glass of my BCAAs mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar and water.

I’ve been repeating some of my favorite protein-filled breakfasts lately (like this Blueberry Protein Tart that I’ll be eating again tomorrow).  There have been a few crave-worthy meals!  Today I did my Paleo Oatmeal again, but this time using peanut flour instead of protein powder and vanilla instead of almond extract.

Meal 2:

The second meal of the day is a little weird, but it’s what I could get down post-workout.  Today was shoulders and glutes.  I pushed it to the limit and after my workout all I wanted was something to drink. 

These Isopure drinks are great because the entire bottle is 40g of protein!  I drink 1/2 at a time.

That was accompanied by an apple and my sorry attempt at sunflower seed butter.  It was a nasty sticky mess (which didn’t help my lack of motivation to eat).  #fail

Meal 3:

Lunch was really, really good.  One of my comfort foods is an egg sandwich, so I made just that.  I scrambled some egg whites with garlic and basil before stuffing it between 1/2 of a protein bagel.

The awesome people at P28 sent me a bag of bagels to sample and I am addicted.  It’s the first time I’ve had a bagel in years.  You definitely have to toast it, but who eats a cold bagel anyway?!  They are chewy and nutty and have 28g of protein per bagel.  Now I need to get my hands on the sliced bread and the rumored new product – wraps!

On my bagel I spread a mix of sriracha and cottage cheese before adding the egg, then stuck it in my George Foreman for a quick press.  Served with a side of roasted cauliflower, coated in a quick sauce of nutritional yeast, paprika, garlic, and rice vinegar.

This actually hit the spot. 

Meal 4:

This was the least satisfying thing I had all day.  I wanted a chocolate protein shake.  I wanted it super creamy, like a milkshake.  This did not hit the spot.  I won’t even go into details.  I’m still irked.

Meal 5:

Again, I couldn’t think of what to make and didn’t want anything.  So I went to my new staple – an Indian tempeh stir-fry.  I ate the same thing for dinner yesterday, and I ate it last Friday too.  It’s bizarre for me to repeat a meal so often, but it’s damn good.  This ginger-spiced, garlicky dish comes together quickly, and is easily changed up with different sides or mix-ins.

Last Friday I served it over parsnip rice, Monday night over a ton of fresh spinach, and last night I added zucchini and red pepper to the mix.

Confession: I tried to serve it over zucchini “pasta,” but I can’t figure out how to work my new spiralizer. 

My carb source with it last night was a sweet potato + cinnamon.

Recipe at end. 

Meal 6:

Eh.  I didn’t want meal 6 and I knew I was going to clear my protein goal for the day.  So I skipped it.  Sorry, Coach.

Meal 7:

Dessert is not a meal I ever skip.  Tonight was a bowl of Pumpkin Protein Dough with blueberries that I microwaved for ~15 secs with a bit of sugar-free maple syrup.

There’s not much  of a recipe.  Here’s what I  mixed together:

  • 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder 
  • 2T of pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 C cereal
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 7-8 drops liquid Stevia 
  • Almond milk (maybe 2-3T?)

Stir together and let is sit in the fridge for 30 mins to let the cereal get soggy and form a dough-like texture.  Nosh away!

Indian Ginger Tempeh Stir-Fry

  • 1/2 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 T ginger, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 T green onion, chopped
  • 1/4 C red pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 jalapeno, minced
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 T rice vinegar
  • 1/4 C water
  • 1 serving tempeh, crumbled or grated
  • 1/2 zucchini, cubed
 Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add ginger, garlic, onion, pepper, and jalapeno.  Saute 1-2 mins, until fragrant.

Add spices and vinegar, stirring to combine.  Add water, tempeh, and zucchini, again stirring to combine.  Simmer until liquid evaporates, ~5 mins.

Plate and enjoy!

Makes 1 serving (easily doubled).

***

This day of eats was entirely vegetarian, and I managed 145g of protein.

Do you ever just not feel like eating?

What do you eat before working out?  Anything?

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