Tuesday, May 27, 2014

What I Ate Today! #4


Hey guys! Today I have an other "What I Ate Today" post for ya! I love seeing what other people make on a daily basis for ideas and inspiration! Today was a pretty normal (aka golf practice and working out..) summer day for me. As far as what I've been doing..I'm getting ready to leave for a tournament this weekend out of state, and have lots of golf tournaments coming up this summer. :) I'll be on the road a lot, but I'll try to keep y'all updated as much as possible! Okay back to today! Before I jump into what I eat I just want to say a few things..I eat "clean" whole foods 90% of the time- meaning no processed foods or artificial ingredients, mainly lean protein, fruits, veggies, and nuts and healthy fats. But I do I have a sweet tooth I like to satisfy in a (usually) healthy way. I'm currently also trying to gain lean muscle, and am very active so keep in mind everyone is different and should eat according to their body and goals! :)


For breakfast I had a green smoothie! Actually first I drank two big glasses of water with lemon. I TRY to do this every morning because it jump starts your metabolism, digestion, and wakes you up more than coffee! Then I take my probiotics, spend a little time reflecting, stretching, or catching up on other blogs..now time for breakfast! I've been obsessed with smoothies for breakfast lately. Every time I have something else, I never feel as energized as when I have a smoothie! This morning I tried my new Vanilla MCT Lean vegan protein powder, which I will have a full review on soon! As for now- I love it!
Here's the Smoothie Recipe:
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup spinach 
1 cup almond milk
1 scoop vanilla MCT Lean protein powder 



I packed my lunch for golf today (we had drive about 40 minutes so I ate in the car) which was chicken avocado salad ( one of my favorites! Sooo good and creamy!) over mixed greens and romaine. This is the perfect replacement for classic chicken salad that is full of mayo. I just mix about 3oz shredded chicken (that I Cook in the slow cooker to have for the week) with 1/2 an avocado and a squeeze of lemon.  I also had a side of berries and quinoa. I wasn't really in the mood for the quinoa but I know I needed some carbs to to give me good energy for a day of golf. The berries and quinoa are good on their own, but I like to mix a little with my salad too. :)


Pre-workout snack was a banana and brown rice cake topped with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and a sprinkle of chia seeds. This is a good pre workout snack full of complex and simple carbs and a little fat + protein from the peanut butter. 


Post - workout I had a Cookies & Cream Quest bar in the car driving home. I try not to eat a lot of whey protein, as I prefer plant based options when it comes to protein powders/bars and it's little hard on my stomach if I eat it too often- but quest bars are my one exception because they're just irresistible. This flavor tastes better than Oreos. I was never a huge Oreo fan as a kid, unless when they were either double (or triple) stuffed with cream or blended into a McFlurry. These live up to that. I feel like I'm eating something so naughty, but I'm actually eating 21 grams of protein with only 3 net carbs and no added sugar. Their almost too good to be true...Haha


After showering, watching some YouTube videos,doing a little blogging and diddle daddling...I finally made dinner. My workout was really tough earlier, and I burned a lot of energy- so I wanted to make sure I got in a good meal of quality protein, carbs, and fats. 
I was in the mood for eggs, craving carrots, didn't feel like meat and wanting something simple. Talk about picky..haha jk. This was actually a very quick dinner! I made a scramble of 1 egg and 2 egg whites with zuchini, red pepper and spinach. (All cooked with coconut oil) I topped the eggs some avocado and unpictured salsa. I had some sweet potato and golden potato already baked in the fridge (thank you meal prep!) that I cubed and sautéed in coconut oil with cumin and chili powder (best potato seasoning combo!) It's kinda like breakfast potatoes! Yummy! And for some veggies I had some steamed green beens and carrots, which I actually was really craving! Haha now we know why my hands are so orange..


After dinner, later on I was kinda craving something sweet but I wasn't too hungry. I didn't have any healthy treats baked up this week and I didn't want to make some elaborate concoction. My last trip to Whole foods I picked up a few these organic Dark chocolate squares. Their the perfect portion control treat when you really just want a bite! And their only 25 cents a piece! Their really small but satisfied my sweet tooth just enough before bed! 

I hope you guys enjoyed! See ya next time! What are your favorite meals or snacks lately? Let me know in the comments! 
Xoxo,
Stephanie 

Saturday, May 24, 2014

PB&J Protein Pancakes


Hey guys! I'm sure you've seen me make my protein pancakes a million times..but I played around with my normal recipe and loved how they turned out! I always love experimenting with different variations like flours, ratios of ingredients, or different topping combinations. One morning my batter looked a little thin and needed some more flour, and instead of adding wasting protein powder, I added some Pb2, which is a low fat powdered peanut butter or peanut flour (just made from ground peanuts without the oil) which added lots of volume and flavor without all the fat. Protein pancakes are a great healthy breakfast because it's high in protein, and not full of refined carbs. If your new to eating clean, protein pancakes are great option for you. They taste exactly like normal pancakes, just without the flour, sugar, chemicals and sky high calories! And, you can try all kinds of toppings, so you'll never get bored! This recipe kinda tasted like a PB&J. That's always a good thing right? Let's make some pancakes!

PB&J Protein Pancakes
gluten free, dairy free
(makes 1 serving)
  • 1/2 a mashed banana
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Perfect Fit)
  • 2 Tbs. Pb2 powdered peanut butter
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup almond milk 
  • pinch of baking soda
  • dash of cinnamon
  • handful of blueberries
  1. Mix all ingredients together (you can use a blender for convenience), except blueberries.
  2. Heat a sprayed pan on medium heat.
  3. Pour batter onto the skillet, drop in blueberries and cook over low-medium heat for a few minutes each side. It should make several small pancakes. Drizzle with warm strawberry sauce!
Simple Warm Strawberry Sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
  1. Microwave for 1 minutes, or until it reaches a syrup consistency.
Enjoy!

Now here's a quick comparison on the nutrition facts:

MY Blueberry Pancakes (with topping) : 290 calories, 2 g fat, 33 carbs, 15 g (natural)sugar and 31 grams of protein! And trust me it makes a huge serving! You'll be pleasantly surprised that the batch is all for you! :)
Versus:
 IHOP Double Blueberry Pancakes: 640 cals, 13 g fat, 117 carbs, 50 g of (processed) sugar, and only 14 grams of protein 

Now you pick! Haha mine are super healthy, high protein, and taste like the "real" thing! Even though the healthy version is the REAL food. Of course it's okay to have IHOP every once in a while, but why not enjoy pancakes everyday that are actually good for you?! 

XoXo, Stephanie



Friday, May 16, 2014

Discovering the Foods That Work (and don't work) For YOUR Body.. {My quest to find my 'perfect diet'}

Hey guys! Today I have a little different topic to talk about! It's about finding the diet that works for you. And when I say "diet" I don't mean a diet you go on to lose weight, in which health is not necessarily the main focus. You can lose weight eating unhealthy foods, short term, but not really heal your body and have optimal health. I'm talking about a "diet" as a way of eating for life. Everyone's body is different, and therefore reacts to certain foods differently. Some people are allergy to gluten and some are allergy to peanuts...some people can eat both happily but have an allergy to eggs! Everyone is unique. I personally have been struggling with some digestive discomfort this past year and I really want to figure out what the problem is once and for all. I already eat a very "clean" diet - lots of fruits and veggies, no gluten (except on rare occasion), lean organic protein... so for me it's not that I want to eat "cleaner" or even "healthier", but rather find the foods that don't work well for me and the ones that do. I think digestion is one of the biggest components of health and how we absorb the nutrients from our food. And even if I'm eating clean foods, but not properly digesting/absorbing them, how can I truly be healthy? As I embark on this journey, I'll start by telling you some things I've considered and/or tried:

Gluten Free Fad?
Now we all know how the label "gluten free" is trending all over the grocery store, and many people think they're being healthy by eating gluten free. Truthfully, a lot of these "gluten free" products are actually highly processed and loaded with sugar, which could actually do more harm than the gluten itself. I eat mostly gluten free, sometimes I'll have some sprouted Ezekiel Bread (which is easier to digest than most wheat). I've gone days without eating gluten and still had stomach pain, so I don't think gluten is the problem. But... gluten free doesn't mean grain free. Many people are actually sensitive all grains, including ones that are naturally gluten free, rice and oats.




FODMAPs
FOD-what?? Yes, FODMAPs. Your probably wondering "what the heck is that?" FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides And Polyols. These are a group of short-chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed by the body. In people with gastrointestinal symotons, eating a diet high in FODMAPs can cause constipation, bloating, and stomach pain. Some include wheat, corn, certain fruits/veggies like apples, onions, garlic, mushrooms,chili, and lactose. I tried eliminating some, but I don't think I stuck with it long enough to see the results. I think I will try it again, because it makes a lot of sense. Click here for more information.


Dairy?
Now, I don't usually eat dairy, so I think something else is the problem. I personally know that when I do have dairy, I don't feel my best and I don't like the idea of drinking milk, especially since most milk is highly pasteurized. I used to eat a lot of greek yogurt, but I've cut back on it because it doesn't leave me feeling that great. Many people are lactose intolerant and don't even know. I plan on still limiting dairy anyway, but I'd like to know how it affects my body for sure. But of course, I will indulge occasionally on an ice cream or some cheese in a salad or pizza!


Paleo vs. Vegan? The great debate...
While I love the idea of eating vegan, and understand paleo, they are very contradicting. In this post, I'm just talking about health, not the philosophy or moral beliefs behind each one. Paleo includes meat and eggs and excludes beans, legumes, and grains (because they weren't part of the primal diet and can be hard to digest) while vegan would be the opposite...If you're not eating meat, eggs, or dairy, you'd have to get your protein from beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. I don't eat a lot of beans/legumes, but I don't know how I feel without them until I really try and cut them out!



But when I comes down to it, I always focus on JERF. Just Eat Real Food! Nothing made in a factory or anything I can't pronounce. That simple.



While many styles of eating can be healthy, everything works different for everyone! I plan on eliminating and reintroducing certain foods and keeping track of how I feel. I'm also going to see a specialist and get some food allergy tests done, and hopefully rule some things out! Let me know if you've experienced food allergies, or how different diets have worked best for you!
XoXo,
Stephanie

Thursday, May 15, 2014

What I ate Today! {2}


Breakfast- {9 am} Before a 10:00 Zumba class and yoga, I fueled up with 2 slices of Udi's Gluten Free Millet & Chia bread, toasted- One with natural almond butter, one with peanut butter, and a sliced banana. I also drizzled a small amount of honey on top and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I also had a few strawberries on the side (strawberry and banana...yum!) I usually don't drink coffee, but I had a small cup with almond milk, because I was kind of sleepy this morning! I haven't had pb+banana toast in a while, and I was really craving it! This hit the spot! 



Lunch- {12:45} After I got home from the gym, I was hungry for lunch! I was excited to have some of things I prepped this week, in my last post. I was on my way to golf practice next, so it was nice to be able to throw this together so quickly! I had some shredded chicken mixed with 1/2 and avocado and a little black pepper (This combo is definitely a new favorite!) which I like to have with some mixed greens with coconut vinegar as dressing, and on the side- some sweet potato sprinkled with chili and cinnamon for some good carbs. This was so simple and so yummy! It was a really good balanced meal that kept me satisfied all afternoon!


Afternoon Snack- {3:45} After golf I enjoyed a Blueberry Muffin Lara Bar! I love all Lara Bars, but this is one of my all time favorites! I tastes just like a blueberry muffin, and kind of reminds me of the Hostess Mini Muffins, I had when I was little...Anyone else remember those? haha :) I love how simple the ingredients are: Dates, cashews, blueberries, blueberry juice, and lemon juice!


Dinner - {6:30} Again, thanks to food prepping, this dinner was very easy! I used some of my pre-cooked quinoa to make some "fried rice". The original recipe is here! Basically I just heated a little coconut oil in a pan, sautéed some veggies, cracked to eggs, scrambled, and added some quinoa! I seasoned it with some coconut amines, which are delicious low sodium (and soy free!) alternative to soy sauce. Done! It sounds so simple, but it really does taste like actual Chinese fried rice! I also had a simple green salad on the side because I didn't feel like I got enough greens in me today!


Desert- I always have a sweet tooth, what can I say? I made some No-Bake Protein Peanut Butter "Rice Krispies", which I posted the recipe for on Instagram. They still need a lil' tweaking, but they are still yummy! I had one with some almond milk. And did I mention they only have 2 grams of fat and sugar and 4 grams of protein? :)

I hope you guys enjoyed seeing what I ate today... it's not creepy is it?? Haha I love seeing what other people eat to get ideas and inspiration! Let me know what you had!
XoXo, Stephanie

Food Prep #1! {And Tips for Quick and Healthy Meals}


Hey guys! This week I decided to do some food prep and show you what I decided to cook! Prepping food, one day of the week, that takes a little longer to cook makes it so much easier and faster to put together quick and healthy meals. It's nice to have some core ingredients ready that you can still make different meals and recipes out of. I usually will always make a big pot of quinoa to have in the fridge but I wanted to prepare a little more! Lately I feel like I've been slacking on time and having to spend forever in the kitchen! I was inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, Amy from http://thelittlehoneybee.com! She always does awesome food prep, and makes super simple, but delicious, nourishing and balanced meals. As far as food prep, it's good to prepare a protein for the week, like chicken, so you don't have to cook it every night for dinner. And you can have leftovers for lunch! I kept it pretty basic for my first time, so here's what we've got going on:

1. Shredded Chicken- This is my all time favorite type of chicken! I get soooo bored of grilled chicken, and it honestly is not that appetizing to me. I love how tender shredded/pulled chicken is and I haven't taken the time to make it in a while- but it's so easy. I just use our slow cooker/crockpot and put 2 pounds of organic boneless, skinless chicken breast (with about 3/4 cup water + salt+ pepper) in for about 4 hours. You can go on with some errands and be back with perfectly cooked chicken! No need to keep an eye on the stove or oven! I like to eat it plain or add to salads for protein, ect. My favorite is with mashed avocado, like chicken salad- Thanks again to Amy, for that one! 2 pounds is about 8 servings, perfect for one person for a week. :)

2. Hard Boiled Eggs- To be honest, hard boiled eggs aren't my favorite... I much prefer sunny side up cooked in a little coconut oil! Yum! But, they are so convenient, and I'm going to be super busy this week- I wanted to give them another try! Again, they are a great easy protein source to pack for lunch, salads, or even snacks.

3. Quinoa- Oh my beloved quinoa! Quinoa is definitely a staple in my diet. It's a gluten free carbohydrate that is high in protein, and I love to use it in place of rice. I love the taste and texture, but also just really agrees with me and doesn't leave me feeling sluggish afterwards. I enjoy it plain, but I also like to make salads out of it or make "fried rice" and stir fries with it. Click here for my Quinoa Fried Rice Recipe! You could also enjoy it sweet with berries or use it in place of oatmeal with a little almond milk, banana and cinnamon. So versatile!

4. Sweet Potatoes- another good carb source! I love sweet potatoes, but during a busy day, I don't want to have to wait for one to bake in the oven! So I just baked 2 potatoes- One is a regular sweet potato and the one is a Japanese white sweet potato. I'll heat this up with dinner or with lunch. I also like to dice them up and sautee them in a pan with coconut oil! I love how they can be seasoned so many ways! My favorites are chili+cumin or cinnamon+almond butter!

5. Asparagus- As far as veggies, this time I just washed and trimmed a bunch of asparagus. Now I can just quickly grab them and cook them to go with any dinner. They don't take very long to cook, so I just wanted to get them washed, because I get lazy! Next time I'll roast some broccoli and chop up some bell peppers. If you have your veggies ready to go, your much more likely to eat them!

I hope you guys enjoyed this and got some ideas for food prepping! Let me know if you'd like me to keep posting them, as I'm going to try to do this every week! 
Thank you!
XoXo,
Stephanie

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Happy Mothers Day! + DIY Gift Idea


Happy Mother's Day, everyone! I hope you're enjoying it with your mothers and grandmothers! They sure are some special ladies! I love putting together homemade gifts, and this year my mom and I were both sick on mothers day... so I wanted to put together a gift of a planned day of fun that we could enjoy when she's feeling better! I decided to put some gift cards to her favorite restraunts/activities we could do together. I found a really cute mason jar with a "badazzled" lid at Micheal's Craft Store, and filled it with the following:
  • A Starbucks gift card for: "A Latte Full of Love"
  • A movie gift card enough for two tickets to her movie of choice & a Maggie Moo's Ice Cream gift card (which is right by the movie theatre) for: "Moo's and a Movie"
  • A gift card to one of our favorite local gourmet bakeries/sandwich shops for: "Sandwiches for Shopping"
  • I also stuck a flower through the top!
  • And filled the bottom with pink tissue paper.
I hope you guys had a great Mother's Day and enjoyed this is a gift idea you can you use for any occasion!
XoXo, Stephanie








Friday, May 9, 2014

Baked Blueberry Banana Oatmeal

Baked oatmeal is the perfect way to switch up an ordinary bowl of oatmeal. If you have a little extra time in the morning,  it's totally worth it! Baking the oatmeal makes it taste like a freshly baked muffin! Yum! Blueberry and banana are one of my favorite combinations. The banana sweetens it naturally, so there's no need to add extra sugar. This is definitely one of my favorite ways to enjoy oatmeal!


Baked Blueberry Banana Oatmeal
(Serves 1)
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats 
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1 banana
  • 1/4 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. coconut sugar, for the top
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  1. Pre-heat oven at 375 degrees F.
  2. Meanwhile, mash the banana, and leave a little bit for a few slices on top.
  3. Mix the mashed banana with the oats and milk. Add vanilla, baking soda, and cinnamon, and stir in the blueberries.
  4. Pour in to a small baking dish or ramekin.
  5. Top with a few banana slices and blueberries. Sprinkle with the coconut sugar, which makes an amazing "glazed sugar" topping!
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  7. Remove and top with walnuts or almond butter! I also like to add a splash of extra almond milk. Enjoy!





Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Carrot Cake Protein Bites



Hey guys! Today I have a recipe that I made this week, inspired by my mom's carrot cake birthday cake! It's one of my favorite treats, so I wanted to make a healthier version I could enjoy on an everyday basis. I cannot explain how amazing these turned out, and how much they taste like carrot cake! This is a "no-bake" recipe, so it's super simple and easy to make. These little protein bites are a perfect healthy dessert, pre-workout snack or afternoon pick me up. You can make a batch of them and have them in the fridge for a whole weeks worth of a quick snack!

Carrot Cake Protein Bites (Vegan, Gluten Free)
(makes 1 dozen)
  • 1 cup medjool dates 
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1/2 cup vegan vanilla protein powder (I used Arbonne today)
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon,nutmeg, ginger, and cloves)
  • 1/3 cup shredded carrot
  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup raisins

1. In a food processor, chop dates until a sticky consistency. (make sures the pits are removed!)
2. Add the almond butter, protein powder, and spices and continue to blend. It should start to form a ball.
3. Now add the shredded carrot and walnuts and blend until they are roughly chopped and combined well, but not too blended. 
4. Add the coconut and raisins and pulse until combined well.
5. Remove blade from the processor, and roll into bite size balls. You can also make them into bars.
5. Sprinkle with extra coconut or a drizzle of melted coconut butter if you want. Enjoy!

XoXo, Stephanie


Monday, May 5, 2014

Baked Banana Boats


I love this super simple dessert! It's takes your average banana and peanut butter snack to the next level!

Baked Banana Boats
(Serves 1)
1 banana
1 Tbs. Almond or Peanut Butter
1 Tbs. Chocolate Chips (I use dairy free)
Almond Milk, for serving 

Desired Extra Topping Ideas: 
Nuts
Shredded Coconut
Granola
Raisins
Cinnamon

1. Slice banana lengthwise then in halves. 
2. Top with almond butter and chocolate chips.
3. Place in a small oven safe remakin or wrap in foil and place on a baking pan.
4. Either bake at 350 for 10 minutes (or until the chocolate melts) or broil for 5 minutes.
5. Place in a bowl.
6. Add extra toppings if choice.
7. Pour in some almond, to keep your boat afloat and eat with a spoon. I love the cold almond milk with the warm banana! Or you can skip the milk and have a yummy finger food treat!
8. Enjoy!