Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Gratitude and a Simple Giveaway

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I have a confession.

When I added dairy back to my diet, I worried people would be pissed I wasn’t going vegan forever.

When I added seafood last week, I wondered if people would think I sold out.

When I read all of the encouraging comments you left, I felt gratitude.

Pushing myself to the limit in this past month of training has left me feeling a little vulnerable.  I’m feel strong and I am proud of what I’m doing, but I am outside my circle of comfort and that can be unsettling at times.

You reminded me that:

  1. The people who read my blog (yes, YOU) are amazingly supportive
  2. I shouldn’t worry about what others think of my eating habits (you’d think I’d never forget this since I blend spinach into everything)
  3. If you focus on doing what is right for you, and the rest will fall into place.

We’ve all struggled at some point in life with body image – if nothing else, its part of growing up!  What I continue to learn (re-learn?) is that you shouldn’t CARE what others think about you.  Especially when it comes to diet.  Your diet is just that – YOURS.  It’s a personal thing.

Some people are naturally teeny.  Some people have bigger bones.  Some were built to bench 200 lbs.  Some are aerodynamic sprinters.  Some people can eat red meat with no problems.  Some people can’t stomach the thought of eating an animal product.  And that’s fine.  Just don’t wear fur and we can all get along. 😉

Sunday will mark the beginning of the 29th year of my life.  The last year of my 20s.  Sometimes I’m amazed at what I’ve done in that time… and sometimes I panic because I wanted to accomplish more (wasn’t I going to rule the world by 30?).

From my perspective, the important thing this to keep your goals in sight and stay focused on the things that mean the most to you – family, career, athletics, crazy food creations, etc.  If you believe you can’t, you won’t.  If you belive you can, you will.

You can do anything you want to if you want to badly enough.  Bring it, world domination!

Thank you all for reminding me to stay true to myself, and that support will follow when you are genuine.  It sounds simple, but sometimes it’s hard to remember.

Speaking of simple…

For my birthday I would like to give you a gift!  The people at Simply Bar have offered to send a sample pack to one Sprint 2 the Table reader!

I first tried the Simply Bar at this spring’s Blend Retreat. The Simply Bars were in our (overflowing) shwag bags, and were there to fuel us through a strenuous hike.

I’m a big fan of anything that is natural, tastes good, is low in sugar, and is high in protein.  Here’s how The Simply Bar fits the bill:

  • 16g of protein from non-GMO soy crisps
  • 3g of sugar means no sugar crash
  • These gluten-free, vegan bars actually taste good too
  • At 160 calories they are filling, but won’t leave you over-stuffed

Their current flavors are: Peanut Butter Chocolate, Lemon Coconut, Caramel Peanut, Cinnamon Pecan, Cocoa Raspberry, and Cocoa Coffee.  I haven’t tried the last 2 flavors, but that Lemon-Coconut is positively addicting.  The texture is great – crunchy with a bit of chew, like a rice crispy treat.

How do you win? 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 sample pack from @thesimplybar with @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1rZ  #giveaway
  3. Be Social: Twitter Follow The Simply Bar, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What goal do you believe you can/will accomplish one day?

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST Wednesday night,  July 18th.  The winner will be announced here on Thursday, July 19th!

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

***

Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

~Dr. Seuss

Are you a Seuss fan too?

What are you doing for my birthday this weekend?

Veggie Sushi with Beet-Wasabi Sauce

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Sushi befuddles me.

 

How do they wrap it so tight and get the rolls to stick together?

I got a wild hair and decided to try my hand at veggie sushi.  No sushi mat, mind you.  I still have no idea how sushi chefs’ rolls don’t fall apart.  Mind did as soon as I picked a bite up.  But they tasted wonderful!  (Halfway through I discovered that cutting them with wet knife helps, FYI.)

 

 

I used parsnips to create the rice, making these rolls a light, veggie-only treat.

 

Even better was the sauce I served with them – a beet-wasabi puree.  I used Greek yogurt to achieve a creaminess that pleasantly contrasted with the crisp veggies in these roll.  The Greek yogurt I used was the Olympus brand I reviewed here.  Its a super thick and creamy yogurt – perfect for a hearty sauce.

 

 

The roasted beets gave the sauce an earthy flavor that was really neat with the nori wraps, and accented with the heat from the wasabi.

This sauce truly is a fun, unique alternative to spicy mayo that works perfectly with the milder, more sweet flavors of the cucumber and carrots in these veggie rolls.  I had some leftover, and it was quite tasty spread on a veggie burger, too!

 

 

 Looking for protein in your sushi?  Click here for a protein-rich vegan sushi roll idea.

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Veggie Sushi with Beet Wasabi Sauce

For the sushi:

  • 2 nori sheets
  •  1 parsnip, blended into “rice”
  • 1 carrot
  • 1/2 large cucumber
  • 1 radish
  • 1/3 C daikon sprouts
  • 1/2 avocado

 

Scoop a few tablespoons of the parsnip rice onto the nori sheet and spread it across half.  Add toppings and roll nori sheet as tightly as possible.  

Slice into sushi pieces, or eat whole.  Note: wetting your knife before slicing help to achieve a cleaner cut.

 

For the Beet-Wasabi Sauce:

  • 1/2 C beet, roasted
  • 1/4 C Greek yogurt (sub in almond/soy/coconut yogurt to make vegan)
  • 1 tsp wasabi paste
  • 1/2 in piece of fresh ginger
  • Salt, to taste

 

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  

If you are sensitive to heat, add the wasabi slowly, tasting to control for spice-level.

***

Totally unrelated, but I need to whine.  I had leg day with my trainer Tuesday night.  My muscles are so sore it hurts to even think about walking.  Second day soreness is the WORST!

When are you the most sore – the next day or the second day after a workout?  Or immediately?  😉

Do you eat sushi?  What is your favorite roll?

 

Vegan Protein-Packed Ancho Bean Burgers

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Sad, but true:

 

 

We are so lucky to have the knowledge we do about clean eating.  I am continually surprised by how many people legitimately have no clue how to make good food choices.  Not to mention those who just don’t care.

Remember then craziness most of us ate growing up?  Ding Dongs, Pop-Tarts, orange soda… I wouldn’t even think to buy those things now!  (Note: there is a restaurant in Atlanta that makes homemade Ding Dongs… those, I would buy. 🙂 ).

 

In my adult life, I shop the perimeters of the grocery store.  When I do buy packaged food, I read labels to ensure the ingredient list is recognizable.

 

Source: http://www.inshapeindiana.org

 

No one is perfect.  I’d be lying if I told you there weren’t a couple of questionable items in my freezer.  The point is to eat as clean as you can most of the time.

One of the items I’ve become more aware of are frozen veggie burgers.  I try not to eat many processed foods, but in my constant quest for protein I picked up a box of the burgers for a quick fix.  Then I realized I could quite easily make my own and keep them in the freezer for those times of need.

 

 

Beans are one of the top sources of vegan protein; however, I cannot eat enough beans to get my 25g required per meal.  I CAN mix them with other protein sources to amp it up though!

Note: I am not vegan, but I am striving to continue to eat as plant-based as possible while I train for a figure competition.

 

 

These ancho chile burgers combine beans, textured vegetable protein (TVP), and vital wheat gluten to deliver a homemade, protein-rich vegan burger.  The chili power and ancho chili pepper in chipotle give it a nice heat (if you’re sensitive to heat simply leave out the ancho chili).

I served one for dinner with sautéed shiitake mushrooms, onions, garlic, and spinach.  The remaining patties were wrapped up for later meals.

 

 

Between the liquid smoke and the grill marks (thanks to Mr. George Foreman and his grill), these bean burgers have turned my cubicle into a lunchtime picnic.  Ok, I exaggerate… but they are tasty! 

________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Ancho Bean Burgers

Inspired by JL’s Chickpea TVP Burgers.

  • 1/2 C fava beans, cooked
  • 1/2 C cannellini beans, cooked
  • 1/4 cup TVP
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/2 C Vital Wheat Gluten
  • 1/2 C fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 C onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ancho chili pepper in chipotle, diced
  • 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • S+P,  to taste

 

In a food processor, pulse the cooked beans (leave some larger pieces).

Combine the TVP and vegetable broth and let stand for 10 mins.  Stir in the Vital Wheat Gluten.

Add the TVP and all remaining ingredients and pulse until well combined.

Refrigerate 1 hour (or overnight).  Form the patties, making them fairly thin so the middle get “cooked” on the grill. Return to the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or over night.  At this point you may place in the freezer for future use.

Set out at room temperate about 30 minutes before grilling.  Cook on a grill pan (or grill if you have one) for ~6-7 mins on each side, or place in George Foreman grill for 6 mins.

Makes 5 4-oz burgers.

Approximate Nutritionals: 116 calories, 0.5g fat, 144mg sodium, 13.6g carbohydrates, 3.8g fiber, 1.7g sugar, 14.3g protein

***

In 5 days I will be 29 years old.  The last year of my 20s.  How did this happen?!

Is there anything shameful in your freezer or pantry? Make me feel better… lol!

Have you become more health conscious in your “old age,” or did you grow up eating clean?

 

Blueberry Protein Tart + WIAW

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Happy 4th of July!

I wasn’t going to post today, but how could I miss my favorite day of the week – Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday.

Last week I talked a lot about the nutrition plan I’m on to achieve my new fitness goal (competing in a figure competition).  I’m still packing in the protein and keeping it (mostly) vegetarian.  I’m struggling to find a wider variety of protein sources.

One thing I noticed last week was that my skin is breaking out from the increase in dairy.  Greek yogurt and cottage cheese had become protein-staples.  I’m aiming to just cut back a bit this week, limiting it to 1-2 servings of dairy per day, to see if that helps.

Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday theme for July is of “Food, Fun, and Fitness.”  Girl reads my mind with these themes!

Check out my protein-filled fuel below; then click here to the WIAW round-up on Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s fitness treats!

Meal 1:

Last week I talked about how I’m now eating 7 meals a day.  Meal 1 occurred yesterday at 8am.  Knowing I had an appointment with my trainer later, I focused on getting as much energy as possible from my morning eats.

Workout energy can be quite tasty!

This is a Blueberry Protein Tart.  I ate it for breakfast, but it would make one helluva dessert too!
The inspiration for this creation was Tessa’s own creation.  I am not allowed the peanut butter she added, and I needed to reduce the size because when you eat 7 meals a day they need to be a tad smaller (yet still protein rich – that’s a whole other challenge).
Despite the omission of peanut butter, my crust was fantastically chewy and fudgey.  And the “cream filling” was just perfect.  If you haven’t invested in peanut flour, you should do so ASAP.  I’m not kidding.
Recipe at the bottom of this post.

Meal 2:

This was my pre-workout meal.  In effort to limit the dairy, I made a massive tomato and egg white scramble with basil and a drizzle of balsamic.  I’m also allowed 1 T of sunflower seeds, which I sprinkled on top of the mix.

Meal 3:

This meal is like lunch.  Since it was also my post-workout meal, a protein smoothie was in order.  I have to eat immediately after my workout to build muscle, so portability is key.  I also packed cereal for some carbs to top my smoothie and a water mixed with Amino Energy to drink during and after the workout for energy and recovery.

This is one of my new favorite smoothies.  Carrot Cake.  I’ve tried it before, but I think this particular combo is the winner.  A couple more trials and I’ll post the recipe.

It did get the thumbs up from both trainers who sampled it.

Meal 4:

This is like an afternoon snack.  That means I can have a protein source (25g) and a 3/4 C serving of veggies.  Hmmmm… a protein-packed nori roll?  Is that possible?

Yes, yes it is.  I mixed a scoop of protein powder and ~1 tsp of wasabi with water to form a paste.

I slathered my nori rolls with it and filled them with sprouts, beets, raw asparagus, and raw cauliflower.  Not too shabby for a snack on the fly!

Meal 5:

Usually I have some sort of dinner in mind, but today I was drawing a blank on where my dinner protein would come from.  My protein ended up being partially in the form of beans, and some of the secret was in the sauce.

Note: I know several will comment that I should eat more to beans, quinoa, and lentils for vegetarian/vegan protein sources.  The problem with that is that they count as carbs.  I am limited to 3/4 C of carbs at meals 1, 3, and 5.  3/4 a cup of beans is about 12g of protein.  That leaves 8-13g protein I’d still need for that meal!

For this protein-rich salad, I combined 1/2 cup of fava beans and cannellini beans with 3 oz Greek yogurt, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and lavar flakes.  Then I tossed it all with beets, sprouts, green pepper, and onion.  Topped with 1/4 C edamame, basil, more nooch, and red pepper flakes.

Sort of like a bean-based chicken salad.  Sort of.

Meal 6:

By this time of day I am sick of eating.  That’s something I never thought I’d say!  Meal 6 was a quick scramble of soy-based ground “beef,” egg whites, and zucchini topped with nooch and radish.

Meal 7:

Last meal.  This – I am told – is my “dessert.”  I’ve pulled some good ones, but tonight I was just proud of myself for getting in the 7th meal.  Typically I’m too stuffed by meal 6 to get anything else in mah belly.

1/2 banana covered in Greek yogurt and frozen with bowl of peanut butter protein pudding (protein powder, peanut flour, almond milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon).

Blueberry Protein Tart - delicious (mostly) make-ahead clean breakfast!

Blueberry Protein Tart

For the Crust:

  • 1/4 C cereal
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 T vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 2 T unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or liquid of choice)
  • 5-6 drops vanilla liquid stevia (or your favorite sweetener)
For the Cream:
  • 3 oz (1/2 container) Greek yogurt
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 5-6 drops vanilla liquid stevia

For the Crust:

Place your favorite cereal in a blender and mix until it’s dust.  Pour into a small bowl and stir in cinnamon, protein powder, and chia seeds.  Stir in stevia and milk.  (Note: You may have to adjust liquid amounts depending on the powder and cereal you use.)  It should form a sticky ball.  

Spread the crust mixture evenly across a small plate (~1/4 in thick).  Refrigerate over night, or at least 20 mins.

For the Cream:

In a small bowl combine yogurt, peanut flour (you could sub more protein powder here), and stevia.  

Spread evenly atop your crust.
Top with the fruit of your choice and enjoy!

Makes 1 serving.

Approximate nutritionals (without toppings; can vary widely depending on cereal, powder, and yogurt used): 219 calories, 6.9g fat, 22.4g carbohydrates, 6.8g fiber, 4.3g sugar, 23.6g protein

***

In case you’re curious, I managed 154.5 g of protein with these eats. BAM.

How do you refuel post-workout?

What is your favorite 4th of July dish?

Fundays + Tomato Basil Beet Salad Guest Spot

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Forget Sunday-Funday.

 

This weekend was one big Funday!  Friday – for my cheat day – I went to my favorite underground supper club, Push Start Kitchen with my best friend.  Zack was serving a vegetarian dinner and once again blew it out of the water with his creative flavor combinations and impeccable execution.  God bless cheat day.

L to R: the table; amuse – a corn masa with red chili jam and pickled okra; appetizer – chilled zucchini soup with tempura pumpkin flowers, house-made ricotta with preserved lemon, arugula, and smoked chile jam; main – roasted chile, Israeli couscous with collards, black plum mole, crisped tamale “croutons,” cotija cheese, and hears of palm; dessert – arroz con leche with candied lemon, melon sorbet, lychee foam, and basil and sour cherry gelee.

 

Saturday I took an easy bike ride through the park and hit up the Green Market for some tomatoes and a beautiful bunch of basil grown right there in the park.  Doesn’t get more local than that!

 

Saturday evening I got to see some of my favorite bloggers at a going away party for Heather and her hubby Kirk.  They are off to Colorado!  We are sad to see them go, but we had a great time catching up and goofing off. 

L to R: Heather, Lindsay, Tina, and me.

 

Heather cooked up a fantastic (vegan) Mexican feast, even specially preparing ground tempeh so that I had something I could eat (going out on a strict diet is HARD).  I really loved her bean dip too – it was just the right amount of spicy.

I didn’t partake in the Cayenne-spice chocolate chip cookie sandwiches, but am told they were phenomenal.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Tiffany @ Como Water invited me to write a guest post for her blog.  Please click here to check it out, and check out her blog.  It is a plethora of delicious, plant-based eats!

This dish I made for her is a Tomato Basil Beet Salad.  Who knew this beets and tomatoes would be such a win?  I mean, I thought it would taste good, but whoa.  This simple salad of beets, tomato, basil, and onion blew me away.  A bit of lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper balanced the beet flavor and the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes almost made it seems like dessert.

 

The other item that blew me away was a feta cheese. 

 

Last week I talked about the yogurt I received from Olympus; however, they also included a feta cheese in the package.  This creamy treat is imported from Greece, and is the BEST feta I’ve had in recent memory.  I’m not even exaggerating.  It was impossibly creamy, and have just the right amount of salt to bring out the feta tang.

For the full recipe, check out my guest post on Tiffany’s blog, Como Water.

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Recap time.  I’m on day 10 of my figure competition training and still loving it!  I had an appointment with my trainer Saturday.  It was a tough one – I got busted for my lack of protein on my “cheat” day (note to self: Steve reads blog… watch yo self) and was justly punished treated to a killer leg workout.  I’m really excited about my progress in a short amount of time.  I was able to squat 30% more weight than I could just a week and a half ago!

Thank god this week was only 3 softball games… ’cause it is HOT.  The obligatory #proof pic:

Workout Recap (6/25- 7/1):

  • Monday – Chest/Biceps, 2.5 mile walk
  • Tuesday – Legs (w/ trainer), 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Back/Tris
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Glutes, 2.5 mile walk
  • Friday – Biceps/Chest, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Legs/Hams (w/ trainer), 20 min bike ride, 1.75 mi walk
  • Sunday – 3 softball games

***

Don’t forget to click here and enter to win 2 boxes of Special K’s new granola bars!  Contest ends TONIGHT at 11:59p.

What was the highlight of your weekend?

Is it in the 100s where you are?

 

Mexican Crustless Chickpea (Vegan) Quiche

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In my constant quest for protein, I’ve become obsessed with chickpea flour.

I’ve always loved socca.  Chickpea flour is also quite good in Seitan Chorizo.  But what other uses are there for the protein-filled flour?  I need a lot more in order to get my daily 150g of protein!

I’ve been teasing you guys all week on the blog and on Instagram with pics of this dish:

It’s a vegan quiche!  Even if you are not vegan, you’ll love this one.  I’ve been noshing on it for lunch all week.  The Mexican-inspired ingredients of cumin, onion, and peppers give it a ton of flavor (which only gets better on days 2 and 3). 

 It lacks the traditional quiche crust, making it gluten-free.  However, it doesn’t lack a crust!  The chickpea flour forms its own thin crust around the edges and bottom of the quiche, giving you something satisfying to bite into.

Inspired by Janet ‘s Mediterranean Crustless Quiche.  If you haven’t check out Janet’s blog yet, please do.  I’ve made many of her recipes verbatim and they have all been outstanding!

Mexican Crustless (Vegan) Quiche

Mexican Crustless Chickpea Quiche

  • 4 C loosely packed cups spinach, destemmed and chopped
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, diced
  • 1/4 C red onion, chopped
  • 1/4 C cilantro, rough chopped
  • 2 C chickpea flour
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 T avocado oil (can use olive oil)
  • 1.5 tsp ground cumin
  • S&P, to taste
  • 3 C water

Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9″ spring-form pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together the vegetables and cilantro.

In a large blender (I used my Vitamix), combine the chickpea flour, oil, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic and water.  Blend until smooth and frothy.

Combine the chickpea mixture with vegetables and stir to combine.  Pour mixture into greased pan, making sure it is evenly distributed.

Bake at 475 for ~50 minutes, of on the convection setting at 450 for 40 mins.  The quiche should brown on top, and a cake tester should come out clean.  Allow to cool slightly before removing from spring-form.

Serves 6.

Approximate nutritionals (per slice): 175 calories, 4.8g fat, 24.1 carbs, 5g fiber, 5.7g sugar, 8.8g protein

***

Don’t forget to click here and enter to win 2 boxes of Special K’s new granola bars!  Contest ends Monday, July 2nd.  (Side note: Can you believe it’s almost JULY?!)

Have you ever made a vegan quiche before?  I want to try one with tofu, too!

What are your favorite quiche or savory pie fillings?

A Protein-Filled Wednesday + a Snack Giveaway!

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Snacking is the new name of the game for me.

Yesterday I revealed my new fitness goal to you all – to compete in a figure competition.  This means HUGE change in my plant-based diet.  Now I have to focus more on protein than plants, and I’m eating constantly… but my goal is to to keep to a vegetarian protein diet.

The Basic Plan:

  • 7 “meals” per day (I eat every 2 hours)
  • 20-25g of protein at each meal
  • 120 oz of water daily
  • 1 serving of fruit for the first 2 meals, and at meal 7 (“dessert”)
  • 1 serving of veggies for meals 3-6
  • 1/2 C carbs at meal 1, 3, 5, and 7 (beans, lentils, and sweet potatoes count as carbs)
  • Limited fats – flax at meal 1, nuts at meal 2, olive oil at meals 3 and 5

The good parts: no calorie counting or macro tracking; I get a cheat day once a week; I already love protein shakes

The hard parts: only eating 1 serving of veggies at a time is hard; eating that much protein on a veg diet is REALLY hard; eating all the time sounds fun at first, but I am really never hungry (except for when I wake up); eating every two hours take a ton of planning; all of that water has me running to the bathroom every 30 mins.

Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday theme of “Sensible Snacking” this month is just perfect for my new plan.  I am snacking all day!

Check out a day in  the food life of a wanna-be figure competitor; then click here to hop on to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s day of eats!

Meal 1:

Janetha hipped me to the fact that I was appropriately celebrating National Chocolate Pudding Day at breakfast

I made a chocolate-peanut butter protein pudding/spread to top my Ezekial bread.  This was accompanied by 1/2 cup of cherries (good for inflammation/muscle recovery).

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pudding:

  • 1 T GNC Soy chocolate protein powder (check out the review here)
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 1 T ground flax seed
  • 2 T unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract

Meal 2:

It’s blueberry season!  They are so sweet right now, making of an especially tasty shake… even if it did splash on my brand-new white shirt.  Note to self: don’t drink smoothies and drive.

Blueberry-Ginger Smoothie

  • 1 scoop Vega vanilla protein powder (see review here)
  • 1/2 C blueberries
  • 1 in piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 C spinach (I “cheated” and added veggies… I can’t help myself!)
  • 1 T sunflower seeds
  • Ice + water, to taste

Meal 3:

Leftovers!  Some of you may have seen the vegan quiche I posted on Instagram.  With a chickpea flour base, this high-protein dish made 6 slices which I will be bringing for lunch all week.  I enjoyed it with a side of sprouts.  For those that asked, I promise the recipe will come tomorrow!

While the quiche is high-protein, it’s not quite high enough.  No worries – it gave me an opportunity to have dessert with my meal.  A little sweet and a little savory, I loved this cardamom-laced treat!

Cardamom-Cinnamon Cottage Cheese Mix

  • 1/2 C cottage cheese
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cardamom
  • 4-5 drops NuNaturals orange liquid stevia
  • 1 T unsweetened So Delicious coconut milk

Meal 4:

Here is where it gets hard to keep eating.  At this point I’ve downed 60g of protein and I’m feeling satisfied.  However, I’m not even half way through my daily meals!

Remember this seitan chorizo I made a couple of months ago?  I froze what I couldn’t eat for future uses.  I’m beyond happy I did that!  It gave me the protein I needed for the meal, re-heating well and retaining its flavor and moisture.  It was fantastic with the last of my Ultimate Veggie Trail Mix.

Meal 5:

I had an appointment with my trainer at 8p (more legs – OMG), so I wanted my dinner-time meal to be easy to digest.  That can only mean on thing.  Liquid Sweet Potato Pie-Shake.  Meal 5 requires veggies, carbs, and protein.

Since sweet potatoes count as a carb, I ate a side of celery sticks as well.

Meal 6:

This also served as my post-workout recovery meal.  It was also my favorite meal of the day!  This rendition of overnight (over-day?) oats was cool and refreshing after a excruciating really hard workout.  If you’re from Georgia, you know it doesn’t get any better than peaches and cream this time of year.

Creamy Peach-Ginger Overnight Protein Oats

  • 1 peach, mashed
  • 1 scoop GNC Whey vanilla protein powder (see review here)
  • 1/3 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/4 cup raw oats
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 4-5 drops vanilla liquid stevia
Stir it all together and allow to chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Meal 7:

I cheated.  I ate meal 7 as meal 6 (fruit, carbs, and protein).  Truth be told, I’m having a really hard time working in 7 meals.  I am hitting the protein goal of 150 grams, so I’m not going to worry about it until I’m told otherwise.  🙂

Now for the part you really wanted to hear about – the giveaway!

I was contacted by Special K just before heading to Chile with an opportunity to try their new granola bar.  I don’t eat a lot of processed foods/bars, but I was intrigued by their new concept.  They sent me the samples just in time for me to pack these up as a tasty plane snack.

Of course, I shared with my concierge, Kim, who was in love with the sweet treats.  She couldn’t believe that the bars are just 110 calories and contain only 7g of sugar.  Perfect for sating your mid-afternoon sweet tooth.  They also deliver 4g of fiber and 4g of protein.

My favorite part? The Special K Granola Bars come in my favorite flavors – Dark Chocolate and Chocolatey Peanut Butter.  The chocolate-peanut butter will rock your socks off.  

Yes, they are processed and they have more than 5 ingredients.  If you’re that isn’t a problem for you, you will be really happy with these bars.  They have a great crunch and won’t leave you feeling weighed down.

The lovely people at Special K have offered to let one reader try a box of each flavor.  Here’s how to enter to win:

  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 2 boxes of @SpecialKUS granola bars at @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1po #giveaway
  3. Be Social: Twitter Follow Special K, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What is your favorite sweet tooth satisfier?

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Monday, July 2nd.  The winner will be announced on Tuesday, July 3rd.

***

And again with the sore legs/glutes.  Thank god the counter is close enough to my toilet to provide support for lowering down.

Do you prefer to eat 3 solid meals, or snack throughout the day?

What is your favorite protein-rich meal?

A New Challenge + Protein Powder Review

By

A new fitness goal has been set.

The magazines I tend to read are full of health and fitness advice.  One such mag is Muscle & Fitness Hers.  they feature some great workouts, but my favorite parts are always about the figure competitors.  The ladies in those competitions blow me away – they are smaller and less and vascular than bodybuilders, but have a physically fit/well-balanced physique.  Getting to that level of health has long been a dream for me.

Last week I took action to reach that goal.  I joined and gym and hired a trainer to help ready me for a competition. 8 days (and a chunk of money) later, I’m on my way with a custom workout schedule, a diet plan, and a whole lot of support and encouragement.

I’d met with trainers before, but after talking to this gym I knew it was the perfect fit.  Despite the fact that it’s 30 miles away.  House of Payne is a serious gym – none of the “see and be seen” BS.  They offer everything I need from training to posing classes!

My first workout with the trainer was legs and butt last Monday.  I wasn’t able to lower myself to the toilet without a firm grasp on the counter until Friday.  Good workout, no?

One of the most challenging things about training is the food.  In addition to not being allowed booze (*whimper*),  I am aiming to get 150g of protein a day over the course of 7 meals (basically, I eat ALL the time).  I have to gain weight and some serious muscle!  This is especially difficult on a vegetarian diet – it involves a ton of Greek yogurt, egg whites, cottage cheese, beans, tofu, and tempeh.  The heavy rotation of dairy, beans, and soy gets old, so look forward to a couple of protein powder creations each day.

Which brings me to the next topic – the loot I returned home to after the Chile trip!

I thought it was Christmas in July… errr… June

I was given the opportunity to sample and review a variety of GNC and Vega protein products through  Fitfluential!  If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I have always been a stickler for getting my post-workout 20g protein in to build muscle and aid in recovery.  Protein shakes are a great way to do that – especially if you find it hard to eat solid foods after a hard workout (like me).

Below is the line up of powders I received, pics and some quick thoughts.  I made them ALL into green smoothies with spinach and banana for 2 reasons.

  1. 80% of the time I ingest my protein powder in green smoothie-form, and
  2. I wanted to “test” them all with the same base (fair and balanced!)

The Smoothie Base Recipe:

  • 1 scoop protein powder
  • 1 C spinach
  • 1/2 large Banana
  • 1/2 in piece fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (or 1 4-5 inch cinnamon stick)
  • 1/4 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 7-8 drops vanilla liquid stevia
  • Ice

1. GNC Casein – Vanilla flavor:

Slow digesting, making it perfect between meals or before bed for overnight muscle repair.

I am a big fan of casein; however, this one is a bit gummy/slimy.  I even tried the smoothie sans spinach to see if it would help the texture.  Notsomuch.  The flavor is great, and I do think having it in a smoothie at night contributed to my being able to getting out of bed in the morning.

2. GNC Egg – Chocolate flavor: 

Great for breakfast, and for the lactose intolerant; consume just before or after workouts.

This one is a favorite.  I’d never tried an egg protein powder before, and I really expected it to be slimy too.   Quite the opposite!  Great texture and a natural-tasting chocolate flavor.

3. GNC Whey – Vanilla flavor: 

Fast absorbing; consume just before or after workouts.

This one also has a great texture when blended in a smoothie.  You can tell it’s a “protein powder vanilla” flavor.  I’m totally used to it, but if you’re new to powder it can take some adjusting.  Add a cap of vanilla or almond extract and it will be just fine.  I also tried it mixed with water just for fun… and remembered why I always make smoothies.

4. GNC Soy – Chocolate flavor:

A plant-based protein; good pre-or post-workout, or as a snack throughout the day.

I’m a sucker for chocolate.  This made an awesome midnight snack while I laid on the couch lamenting my sore glutes.

5. Vega – Vanilla flavor:

Another plant-based protein; within 30-90 minutes of working out, or to recharge/repair.

This was my #1 vanilla-flavored pick.  The plant-based powders tends to taste a bit more natural to me.  I had tried Vega a couple of years ago and didn’t care for it  – their new formula is awesome though!  Perfect texture and just the right amount of vanilla flavor.  One warning – if you are sensitive to salt, it is a bit on the salty side.

These products were sent to me for review purposes. All opinions are my own.  Like I could ever keep them to myself.

Thank you again to GNC, Vega and Fitfluential for the opportunity!

***

20-25g pf protein per meal is hard… but I already notice a difference!  Now I just need a sponsor… anyone? 😉

Have you ever tried to amp up the protein on a veggie diet?  Any new ideas are welcome and appreciated! 

What is your favorite protein powder?

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