Indian Ginger Tempeh Stir-Fry + WIAW

July 18, 2012 By Laura

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:

My heavier lifting, longer workouts mean I’m hungry about 3/4 of the way through
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?

The Optimist

July 16, 2012 By Laura

Birthday dinners are key.

Every year I think long and hard about what restaurant to try on my birthday. It’s a big deal! You have to start out the next year of your life with a happy stomach. It sets the stage for the next year’s eats!

This year I was excited to try out a new concept by Chef Ford Fry (of JCT Kitchen and No. 246 fame). The Optimist (914 Howell Mill Rd,. Atlanta, GA 30318, 404-477-6260) opened just a couple of months ago. After being reviewed by some of the pissiest critics in Atlanta, I have not seen a bad write-up. My mom, baby sister, best friend, and her husband all came out to celebrate and eat.

Mom, me and Baby Sis

Despite having a broken air conditioner (sorry about my butt sweat on the seat…), the kitchen cranked out some phenomenal food.

To start they bring out what are the BEST dinner rolls I’ve ever eaten. I normally wouldn’t rave about bread, but these was exceptional. The fluffy, light rolls were just the right amount of sweet to complement the flaked salt sprinkled on top. I wish Blais should serve these at The Spence.

We also ordered East and West coast oysters (I did not partake, but am told they were delish), tempura-fried long beans with a buttermilk dill sauce, and corn hushpuppies.

The beans were good, especially with the dill sauce. My best friend’s husband even tried one. He doesn’t eat vegetables, but gave these a thumbs up. More proof that anything fried is delicious.

The hushpuppies were the favorite of the night. Done “beignet-style,” these were not your mamma’s heavy puppies. They doughnut-like balls of sweet, corn-filled bread were sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a side of sweet creamy butter. The butter proved to be totally unnecessary; these puppies stand alone in their perfection as they melt your mouth.

One (minor) complaint – if you don’t eat shell-fish and aren’t a huge fan of fried, there aren’t many starter options beyond a salad. I’d love to see a couple, lighter easy-to-share items.

Choosing a main dish was difficult for me. The entrees read like a fine list of food porn. Eventually I selected the Alaskan Halibut. The fish was possibly the best quality I’ve experienced. It was earthy and almost meaty, complimented flawlessly by hen of the woods mushrooms and the rich red wine bordelaise sauce.

Mom selected the trout served with marcona almonds and greens. It was an excellent dish; much lighter in flavor than the halibut, but offered a nice contrast of flavors between the flaky fish and the crunch of the almonds.

My friends both selected the skirt steak with romesco sauce and beef jus. At a seafood restaurant. I silently judged them until I tried a little bite. That steak could rival some of the better steak houses in town. Sadly, my pics didn’t turn out from this point on due to lighting and laziness.

Sides are not included with the entrees. We ordered an heirloom tomato salad, roasted beets with apple, and lightly roasted carrots with ginger vinaigrette. Each was alight and refreshing, allowing the farm-fresh flavors to shine. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you could easily create a satisfying veggie plate from the side selections on the menu.

The desserts were surprisingly good as well. We were treated to a peach cobbler with a rich side of beer cream sauce and a graham cake that was soaked in a fantastic syrupy sauce and topped with a toasted layer of house-made marshmallow creme. I’d eat bother again. And again. Little did I know that I had a bigger surprise coming…

My mom and baby sis had baked my grandmother’s carrot cake, then cut out circles of it to form a 29! It was delicious. Despite having lapped up ~~too~~ much of the other 2 desserts, I manages to eat my share of this carrot cake. This is a special cake in my family. It’s the cake that my dad requested every year for his birthday. I had an extra few bites for him. 🙂

We left the restaurant comfortably stuffed and a bit sweaty from the sauna A/C-less dining room.

Me, Greg, and Mallory

Our poor server was sweet, but painfully new. And sweaty. Service was spotty – cocktails were slow, I had to ask for water on multiple occasions, and we were nearly done with our entrees before she managed to bring out the bottle of wine Mom brought.

While mildly annoying, the service issue won’t stop me from returning. The new girl will learn, and the food was so good I wasn’t irked enough to complain. I have a new go-to spot in Atlanta.

This has nothing to do with food, but I have to share. On the way home I paused to take a picture of a parked car:

This dude’s friends are awesome.

________________________________________________________________________________________

My birthday weekend started out with a session with my trainer. After he killed my legs, I had a deep tissue massage, which I credit for my ability to wear heels to dinner. It was exactly how I wanted to spend the day. Figure competition training is hard, but rewarding. This week I realized that I’m able to increase the weight I left in my solo sessions, and that my arms are coming along!

I look forward to my daily trek to the gym… in part because I never know what fun sights I’ll see…

Workout Recap (7/9- 7/15):

Monday – Chest/Biceps
Tuesday – Legs (w/ trainer), 1.65 mile walk
Wednesday – Back/Triceps, 1.5 mile walk
Thursday – Shoulders/Glutes
Friday – Chest/Biceps, 2 mile walk
Saturday – Legs
Sunday – 2 softball games, 100 push-ups

***

Thank you all so, so much for your kind words on Friday’s post. I LOVED hearing about all of the goals you WILL accomplish. If you haven’t already, click here to check out the post and enter to win The Simply Bar sample pack in my birthday giveaway. 🙂

Is food an important part of celebrations in your family? Any cake-traditions?

What is the craziest thing you have seen in the gym?

Gratitude and a Simple Giveaway

July 13, 2012 By Laura

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:

The people who read my blog (yes, YOU) are amazingly supportive
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)
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:

Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
Tweet: You could say something like: I’ve entered to win a sample pack from @thesimplybar with @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1rZ #giveaway
Be Social: Twitter Follow The Simply Bar, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
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?

Fundays + Tomato Basil Beet Salad Guest Spot

July 2, 2012 By Laura

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.

________________________________________________________________________________________

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?

Loving Friday + Zucchini Bread Smoothie

June 29, 2012 By Laura

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

Place all ingredients into blender and mix until smooth.

***

I might even have a salad for breakfast.

What would/do you crave on a “cheat” day?

What are you loving right now?

Mexican Crustless Chickpea (Vegan) Quiche

June 28, 2012 By Laura

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 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!

June 27, 2012 By Laura

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:

Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
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
Be Social: Twitter Follow Special K, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
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

June 26, 2012 By Laura

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.

80% of the time I ingest my protein powder in green smoothie-form, and
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?

Meal 1:

Meal 2:

Meal 3:

Meal 4:

Meal 5:

Meal 6:

Meal 7:

Indian Ginger Tempeh Stir-Fry

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

1. Sunshine and Sunroofs

2. Olympus Greek Yogurt

3. Fitmixer

4. Nutty Butter

5. Zucchini Bread Smoothie

Zucchini Bread Smoothie

Mexican Crustless Chickpea Quiche

Meal 1:

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pudding:

Meal 2:

Blueberry-Ginger Smoothie

Meal 3:

Cardamom-Cinnamon Cottage Cheese Mix

Meal 4:

Meal 5:

Meal 6:

Creamy Peach-Ginger Overnight Protein Oats

Meal 7:

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

The Smoothie Base Recipe:

1. GNC Casein – Vanilla flavor:

2. GNC Egg – Chocolate flavor:

3. GNC Whey – Vanilla flavor:

4. GNC Soy – Chocolate flavor:

5. Vega – Vanilla flavor:

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Please leave a separate comment for each entry!

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