On Wednesday I thought it was Friday.
That makes for a looooong week. It’s not even a holiday weekend. We only get 1 day off for the 4th. Grrrrr… Let’s focus on the good.
It is indeed finally FRIDAY!!! And I have a cheat day! After 1 week on the nutrition plan, I’m more than ready. I’m sure most people look forward to these days so they can have pizza or cookies. I’m just looking forward to a day where I don’t have to eat 7 protein-packed meals.
Vegetables are what I crave. Raw, leafy delicious vegetables. In fact I’m going to a vegetarian underground dinner tonight. I love veggies. *blissful sigh*
Here are 5 other things I’m feeling love for today:
1. Sunshine and Sunroofs
It may be 100 degrees, but I still love the sunshine. Also, I love my car. I couldn’t own one that lacks a sunroof! Smog be damned.
2. Olympus Greek Yogurt
One of the packages I returned home to post-Chile was from Olympus. They sent me a TON of yogurt to sample, and I am so grateful. This is one of the best I’ve had in a long time. Theirs is directly from its namesake – one of the only Greek yogurts in the US to be imported from Greece. It’s SUPER thick and creamy, and it only has 88 calories (as opposed to the typical ~130). This leaves plenty of room for me to add my own mix-ins.
In my bowl:
- 1 6oz container non-fat Olympus Greek Yogurt
- 2 T peanut butter flour
- 2 T unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 C blackberries (cut in half and roughly mashed)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cardamom
- 4-5 drops vanilla liquid stevia
3. Fitmixer
I swear I’m not a product whore. This stuff has legit been a lifesaver in this first week of heavy weights with my competition training.
The Fitmixer Amino powder has made a big difference in my recovery time and energy level (note: I like the fruit punch much better than the grape flavor), and their chocolate protein powder is actually tasty.
4. Nutty Butter
Ok, I do admit to being Sarah’s pimp. I order my first batch of her Nutty Butter and I am in nut heaven. Whatever you do, get the Cookie Dough. The Oatmeal Cookie is a close second. You really can’t go wrong with any of them.
5. Zucchini Bread Smoothie
I came up with this little oddity when trying to find a snack that had 20-25g of protein and a vegetable (Meal 4 of the nutrition plan). When I threw everything in the blender I was nervous. This was a weird one even for me.
Miraculously, the combo worked! Despite the arctic temperature of my office, I slurped down this creamy glass of goodness faster than you can say “protein.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Zucchini Bread Smoothie
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 medium zucchini
- 1 C spinach
- 1/4 C 1% cottage cheese
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 in piece fresh ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 7-8 drops vanilla liquid stevia
- 1/4 tsp guar gum
- 1/4 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- Ice, to taste
***
I might even have a salad for breakfast.
What would/do you crave on a “cheat” day?
What are you loving right now?
That new brand of greek yogurt sounds great! Did you just throw the zucchini in raw?
Yup – the zucc gave it an amazing creamy texture!
Haha the fact that your ‘cheat day’ involves a buttload of veggies makes me like you even more haha- amazing! I hope you are going to go OTT with the starchy veggies especially ;)! That Greek yogurt sounds great – is the protein content as high as Fage/Chobani?
It was 2g less (15g total), but I made up for that easily with the peanut flour.
LOVE Olympus yogurt!
Have you tried their feta cheese? It’s insanely good!
Haha, you are too funny… a cheat day with veggies!! Leafy greens actually have lots of protein, you just need to eat TONS!!! Way to go on eating all that protein. 🙂
Can’t even imagine what that many greens would do to the… errr… digestion. LOL!
Too funny that you’re looking forward to a salad on your cheat day. I don’t know what I’d crave – bread?
YUM! My coworkers gave me two zucchini literally the size of baseball bats… I’m gonna make bread… AND this smoothie! How timely 😀
I’ve seen some massive zuccs around too! Perfect time of year. Let me know how you like the smoothie!
My favorite kind of greek yogurt is the 80 calorie Oikos brand. For some reason it is the only one I want and it keeps me so full! Add some drops of NuNaturals, to die for.
I totally agree with the NuNaturals! I always add a couple of drops to my mixes, especially when I’m not adding fruit.
Zucchini bread smoothie sounds delicious! And genius.
I really don’t know what I’d crave! Probably sweets and bread. Only you would crave a salad. Love it! 🙂
I would totally crave chips or something salty. Love that kinda thing. That’s a gorgeous smoothie!! I love it when that happens!
I’m so happy it’s Friday too!!!! I crave ice cream on cheat days though I don’t really plan cheat days anymore (and just eat ice cream whenever I’m really, really craving it).
I’m so bummed I’m missing that veggie dinner – it’s too bad my flight doesn’t get in until 10PM. 🙁 And I am so in love with those FitMixer Aminos – the flavor is growing on me and I feel they really do make a difference!!
I tried to talk him into doing a vegan dinner! He said maybe. Hmmm…
Nutty Butter sounds perfect for you. 😉 and I was very cool with the idea of a zucchini bread smoothie until I saw the pic. Did Egon give you one of his samples from Slimer?
Have a great weekend my friend!
You would love the Nutty Butter. It like peanut butter glutton nirvana.
You have a good one too! 🙂
I love that zucchini smoothie idea! I just bought extra zucchinis in an attempt to get more green into Lil… zucchini has a nice neutral flavor that hides well. We’re definitely trying a smoothie!
That’s a great idea! My mom used to sneak them into pasta sauces for us. Let me know if the smoothie passes the test with Lil. You could always add some banana to the mix if you need to be super-stealth.
Zucchini bread sounds amazing, but in a smootjie I bet it is awesome!
I love having a sunroof too, even in this sweltering heat! It’s so nice to have the sun shine right on your face. Plus it feels amazing after being stuck in a freezing cold office all day. I saw you say your office is cold too!
That’s exactly what I do. It’s so cold in my office that my toes go numb some days!
That smoothie LOOKS good, but I don’t know if I’m brave enough. I don’t have cheat days because I am one of those weirdos that just craves protein packed meals all the time. 🙂 I’d probably want eggs for a “treat” but I already have them everyday, lol. Aminos do make huge difference in training, glad you’ve got some good ones!
You have to trust me and try it – it really is good! I do like egg whites too… they are just hard to eat on the fly at work. And it’s so HOT I just want something cold a crisp right now.
Definitely need to try that yogurt – so far, the only yogurt I can stomach is Wallaby (and not the protein-packed Greek yogurt)! It’s so good for me, I need to find one I like!
Have you tried Wallaby’s Greek yogurt? It’s my second favorite right now.
Ok I am seriously loving you even more hearing about al of your eating protein adventures 😉 HAHA it makes me laugh so hard that a cheat day for you is having the day not to worry about protein packed meals! hahahaha oh Laura <3 Your smoothie sounds spectacular!
LOL! I’m probably going to be in trouble with my trainer tomorrow, but it was so nice to not have to worry about all that protein. 🙂
We will be discussing your cheat meal not having protein. For now on, it will. 😛
Busted!!! It was so hot… I just wanted raw veggies…
I’ve just gotten caught up on your most recent figure adventure, and I am so, so excited about it! Trust me, I know all about trying to get tons of protein on a vegetarian diet, but already, you have done a great job keeping it varied and interesting. (That latest smoothie sounds delicious!) Good luck achieving your goals (not that you need it) and please forgive me for living vicariously through you. This is going to be awesome!
Thank you, Candy! It’s been a challenge and a learning experience early on.
When I was in Savannah in 2009, I found PB Loco’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Doug Peanut Butter and fell in love. Ergo I MUST NEED HAVES NUTTY BUTTER.
Hope the Cheat Day was a balm for your soul!
I don’t know if she ships internationally… but you must beg her! 🙂
The smoothie sounds delicious, Laura! I love that you used cottage cheese, never thought of that. Need to give it a try!
Oh yes, it’s also good in oatmeal!
I crave veggies too. I get nervous when my veggie box in the fridge isn’t full to bursting. Right now I’m still in love with frozen banana sundaes. I can’t get enough.
Also, I can’t turn on my stove because it’s that hot out.
Those are sooo good. Have you added PB to them? Nom.
I still don’t get the stove thing… it just makes your house too hot or it literally won’t work?
lol. It makes the house WAY too hot. Even with a fan going there’s no relief.
mmmmmmmmm bananas and peanut butter
OHHHHH! I get it. I thought you weren’t allowed or something. 🙂
never tried a zucchini in a smoothie before, doesn’t sound too bad but I like weird things!
Haha – weird things are the BEST things. 🙂
Mmmm, I love zucchini bread so no reason I should shun it in smoothie form 😀
Great great, gorgeous!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Of course! Zucchinis are perfect for sweeter treats. Even healthy ones like protein shakes!
i’m like you! crave veggies! i am sure you just want a big veggie salad. Cold and crisp! and yes, nutty butters galore. YUM!
I just discovered Olympus yogurt and LOVE it! It is incredibly thick and delicious
That’s awesome! I’m a sucker for thick Greek yogurt.
I really need to order some of Sarah’s Nutty Butters. I’m always drooling over everyone else’s pictures! Also, I would love to come visit sometime 😉 What’s the best time of year?
You must! Don’t skip the Cookie Dough. 🙂
Not now – it’s hotter than hell. I love Atlanta in the fall though. October? We could go hiking in the GA mountains!