Protein Lessons + WIAW

April 9, 2014 By Laura

Learning lessons is a theme in my life lately.

Some I’d rather not learn, but that’s another story.

Despite having done this cleanse 3 times before, I’m learning a whole new lesson with this one. It’s about protein. I had NO idea how much energy and strength I was getting from all the protein I took in! The first 10 days of the cleanse are meat-free. It also eliminates common allergens, so I can’t even replace that protein with soy, dairy or eggs.

I have a delicious, clean pea protein powder from Growing Naturals that accounts for most of my intake. I also have some from quinoa, lentils, and seeds… but that’s really not much. With the “rules” of the cleanse, I end up eating about half my normal amount of protein and twice the carbs. Carbs give energy, right? Notsomuch. I’m tired. I’m sleeping more and having to lift lighter. Apparently carbs give energy when you have enough protein.

I did get through my back and tri workout. Fueled by dates and tahini, I took a moment to twerk in the empty squat rack for Arman and Lucie. Refueled with a protein smoothie made with strawberries, raspberries, basil, coconut, and spinach.

Lesson two is hunger. I’m a bottomless veggie pit. I eat stacks of vegetables (and fruit), but they don’t have the same staying power that protein does. Kudos to the vegan body builders out there… I have no idea how they do it!

Curious about protein? Click here for a piece I wrote for Growing Naturals on the importance of protein before and after a workout. And then check out these 30 High Protein Breakfasts from many of my FitFluential friends!

This WIAW is the end of my first week on the 21 day cleanse. I’m definitely in a good groove, but anxious to add some lean protein in on Friday!

Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s blog for everyone else’s delicious creations!…

Super Clean Eating is Fun

April 7, 2014 By Laura

People turn their noses up at the word “cleanse.”

Yet they embrace the McDonald’s…

This cleanse is my favorite because you can eat. Don’t get me wrong, I do miss peanut butter and meat. However, judging from the way my body has responded, I needed the break. I’ll refrain from the TMI, but let’s just say I’m definitely cleaner!

The other awesome thing about this cleanse is the creativity it inspires. Check out of some the fun stuff I’ve made in the past few days!

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Creamy (Raw) Red Pepper Soup

April 4, 2014 By Laura

Rules can inspire creativity.

Translation: nobody puts baby in a corner!

One of my favorite things about this particular cleanse is that, while there are parameters, the rules are easy to work within.

For instance, one of the guidelines is to eat more raw veggies than cooked. I love raw vegetables, but sometimes that can get a bit boring. Raw soup, on the other hand… that’s interesting! Eating a soup raw may seem strange, but it really is good. And perfect for this warmer weather!

The cool thing about this chilled soup is the creaminess. The avocado and hemp seeds lend healthy fats and a smooth, cooling factor that is the perfect compliment to the jalapeño kick.

Red pepper and carrots add a natural sweetness. It’s still early in the season, so I added just a bit of stevia. I may or may not have added an extra jalapeño in my version… don’t worry, that’s not in the recipe as written below.

All you need is a blender to make this souper-easy soup. I used my Vitamix, but any high-speed blender would work. If you chop up the veggies a little more, I think you could even make it in a Magic Bullet!

[tasty-recipe id=”18074″]

How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family, and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

An InLinkz Link-up

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I always feel a little high after eating raw – is that just me?

What inspires (or forces) you to think outside the box in the kitchen?

Are you a raw food fan?

Island Cottage Cheese

April 3, 2014 By Laura

I’m in need of a vacation.

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Daisy Cottage Cheese. All opinions are my own… ’cause you know I can’t keep them to myself.

While I can’t be skipping off on a luxury tour of exotic islands, I can pretend. It’s not the same, but it tastes good and that makes me happy.

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Cleaning Up My Act + WIAW

April 2, 2014 By Laura

It is time I clean up my act.

Let’s be real – it’s beyond time.

It’s generally pretty easy for me to keep my diet in check during the week. The weekends… it’s another story. Since I’m not competing this year I haven’t been following any real nutrition plan. ~~Of course~~, I took that to the extreme.

What I know about myself is that I love to indulge. I also know that when that starts happening too much, I feel like crap. It affects me physically and mentally. I’ve been struggling lately, and I know it’s time to reign it in.

For a few years now I’ve been doing my own version of a cleanse… it’s really more of a jump start though. Basically, it’s eating super clean and eliminating common allergens like eggs, dairy, nuts, and gluten. The first 10 days is meatless. The last 11 days include chicken and deep sea fish.

I’m only through Day 1, but here’s my first reactions:

Not taking pre-workout is hard
I’m going to need to buy a lot more veggies
Some of the dishes I made when doing this previously are really good – I’m excited to bring them back
Fruit can make a fun ice cream dessert
Good lord, I miss meat

This WIAW is my first on the 21 clean(se). I’m still working out the best foods to bring and when to time protein and carbs to get the energy I need.

Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s blog for everyone else’s delicious creations!

Breakfast:

My morning cocktail had to be modified. The Aminos I usually use aren’t really clean, so I modified by using ACV and juice from half a lemon. It wasn’t too bad.

Cleanse meal #1 was chia pudding. It’s been a long time since I’ve made a chia pudding, but I used to eat them all the time. Today’s was a berry theme, with my favorite pea protein for added stay-power. I served myself in a martini glass… 2 cocktails in one morning! 😉

Berry Chia Pudding

Mashed berries, to taste
1 T chia seeds
1/3 C unsweetened coconut milk
1 scoop Growing Naturals vanilla pea protein
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger

In a small bowl, mash berries until they are a chunky puree. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 2-3 hours).

In the morning, uncover and stir. Add additional liquid or sweetener as needed.

Mid-Morning Snack:

This happened in two parts. My new pre-workout was dates stuffed with tahini. It was delicious, if not a little messy. It was slow to get going on my workout, but I felt better once I got into it.

Post-workout I made sure to get my protein and carbs in. Can’t lose my gains!

This is my Liquid Sweet Potato Pie made with a date instead of Stevia (Stevia is permitted, but I’m trying to limit it), no extract, and – knowing I have a lot of greens coming my way – I left out the spinach.

Lunch:

Salad of epic proportions and a creamy red pepper soup. See what I mean about the greens?

Afternoon Snack:

Roasted veggies from my trusty Tupperware. Brussels, shiitakes, broccoli, and eggplant with coconut oil, cumin, and cayenne. Coconut oil is a very, very good idea when roasting things. Why do I always forget to use it?

Dinner:

I was starving. Not gonna lie. I forgot my quinoa at home, so I missed my delicious, filling carbs. The better to fuel with when I got home!

Sautés are a quick and easy hanger cure. I tossed some red pepper in a pan to soften while I washed and chopped kale. Then, I added the kale and some pico de gallo to the pan, cooking until the leaves were just beginning to wilt. Lastly, I mixed in the pre-cooked quinoa and a bit of lime juice to warm. Toss it all in a bowl and top with avocado and freshly ground pepper.

Dessert:

Super clean, #strangebutgood dessert. I made protein ice cream by mashing together half a banana, some avocado, pea protein, cinnamon, and unsweetened coconut milk. I froze it for a couple of hours, then blended it in my Vitamix. Topped with cinnamon-honey coconut flour fluff and cacao nibs.

Color = questionable. Taste = good!

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Day 1 done. 20 to go.

Have you ever needed to clean up your act?

What is your favorite pre-workout? Do you keep it clean?

The Company I Keep

March 31, 2014 By Laura

House guests are my favorite.

Well, some guests…

This weekend I had the best guests possible – two of my favorite blogger friends! Heather and Sarah started out as internet friends, but we become fast “real” friends after meeting in person at food-related conferences (yet another reason you should attend the Blend Retreat!).

I was so excited to spend the weekend showing them more things I love about my city! Our first stop was to Atlanta’s “ethnic” food strip: Buford Highway. We dined on Vietnamese food at Chateau deSaigon. We have some sort of shrimp patty wrapped around sugar cane sticks, a sweet and sour tamarind soup, shaken beef, and burnt rice. The rice was my favorite, but the other tow said it reminded them of burnt popcorn. Probably why I liked it…

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Mocha Plantain Protein Bread with JAVAPRO

March 28, 2014 By Laura

Some days I need a caffeine IV.

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of JAVAPRO.

I’m actually not a huge coffee drinker. It takes too long for me to drink! By the time I’m half way through the cup, it’s cold. That’s not to say I couldn’t use the caffeine. I’m not a morning person, and the flourescent lights in my office don’t help matters.

What I do love are protein powder creations. Since I can’t bring myself to drink enough regular coffee, I was thrilled with Nature’s Best offered me a bag of their new Mocha JAVAPRO whey protein powder. It never even crossed my mind to drink it. I was excited to bake with it!

Side note: I’ve never actually had a traditional protein drink just mixed with water.

This is protein powder is unique because it includes real coffee! Finally, a way to get my caffeine fix without struggling to finish a hot cup ‘o joe. I immediately used the JAVAPRO protein powder in my traditional untraditional way. It may seem strange… but it’s good!

Mocha plantain bread! With peanut sauce… is there anything peanut butter isn’t good with?

I’d made a Gingerbread Protein Bread in the past, and I used that recipe as the base for this mocha java version. The mocha flavor was perfect for this chocolate lover, and I really enjoyed the shot of energy the cake-like bread gave me. Plus, who doesn’t want an excuse to eat cake for breakfast?

One serving of the protein powder packs 20 grams of protein and 80 mg of caffeine; perfect for pre-workout muscle fuel for endurance and energy! For more information, check out their Facebook Page.

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Mocha Plantain Protein Bread

1 medium plantain, fully ripe*
1/2 cup liquid egg whites
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp no sodium baking powder
1 serving mocha java protein powder (31 g)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small blender (I used a Magic Bullet) blend all ingredients except the protein powder.

Add protein powder and blend again until just combined.

Pour into a prepared pan (I used 8-in round) and bake for 15 mins.

Makes 2 servings.

*A plantain is fully ripe when the skin has turned almost black; it will be aromatic and sweet.

Approximate nutritionals (for 1 serving): 161 calories, 1.2 g fat, 124.9 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrates, 1.9 g fiber, 9.4 g sugar, 17.4 g protein

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How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

An InLinkz Link-up

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I’m gearing up for a weekend of fun… two of my most #strangebutgood blends, Heather and Sarah, are in town!!! Follow our shenanigans on Instagram!

Are you a coffee person?

Have you ever made a plain protein shake (protein + water)?

Strange But Good Bison Cakes + WIAW

March 26, 2014 By Laura

Fast food wine shakes?

Something about liquor and dairy scares me.

Red Robin ain’t skeered. They are rolling out a boozy little ice cream number mommy can enjoy. Wine. Ice cream. The shake? A Mango Moscato Wine Shake made with wine, vodka, mango puree and vanilla soft serve. Hmmmm…

Photo: Red Robin

The target market is 35- to 49-year-old moms “in need of a break.” A $7.49 break. It better be a big shake!

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This WIAW I had a seriously fun day of food. You can’t go wrong with pancakes for dinner!