Maple TVP Protein “Oatmeal”

October 11, 2012 By Laura

Eggs have a lot of sodium.

Since my sodium intake is now limited to 500 mg a day pre-competition, I had to find a way to get protein at breakfast without relying solely on eggs. Apparently eggs have a ton of sodium… how, I have NO idea.

There is no way I can eat seafood for breakfast ~~without puking~~, and my trainer doesn’t want me eating protein powder all day so it was time to get creative.

Sorry if this offends… I thought it was funny. Because it’s true… #sorryimnotsorry

Oatmeal is great, but it doesn’t come close to meeting my protein needs. I had to think of something to add to it. Enter: Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP).

TVP is made from soy flour after the soybean oil has been extracted. It’s then cooked under pressure and dried. It is a great source of protein and fiber. It’s gluten-free. In short, TVP rocks.

I’ve used it in savory dishes – like my Chick-less Nuggets – but never thought to use it in something sweeter. Necessity is the mother of invention!

Today’s creation is like a creamy bowl of oats, but with fewer carbs and a ton of protein. I did use one egg white (3T) to make it super-silky, but that’s a negligible amount of sodium compared to the entire CUP of whites I was eating before. There is also a bit of rolled oats in this. If you are cutting carbs, you can leave that out and reduce the liquid a tad.

Flavor-wise this is a massive bowl of fall. I added apple pie spice (you could also use a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice) and maple extract.

In my kitchen it smelled like a pie was baking as this cooked on the stove top!

Aside from the taste and creamy texture, my favorite thing about this is that is makes a MASSIVE bowl of “oatmeal.” The TVP expands as it re-hydrates, which makes this volume-eater very happy.

I topped mine with fresh raspberries, but it would be great with any fruit or even a healthy scoop of peanut butter (23 more days until that returns to my diet… not that I’m counting…).

Maple TVP Protein “Oatmeal”

1 C water
1/3 C Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP)
2 T rolled oats
1 tsp ground flax
1/2 tsp apple pie spice
1/2 tsp maple extract (can use vanilla)
4-5 drops liquid stevia (or other sweetener)
1/4 tsp brown sugar extract (optional)
3 T egg whites
My toppings: sugar-free maple syrup, raspberries, and cinnamon

Add first 8 ingredients (everything before the egg), stir, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook about 10 mins, until mix thickens.

Pour in egg whites. Allow to cook for 2-3 more mins, stirring frequently so that the egg doesn’t form chunks. The mixture should be silky smooth.

Scoop into bowl and add your favorite toppings.

Note: For a vegan option, add a flax egg or simply leave the egg out.

Approximate nutritionals (without toppings): 0.8g fat, 102 mg sodium, 13.8g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 3.2g sugar, 19.9g protein

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Unrelated: I really like casein protein at night for recovery, but they all seem to have a lot of sodium. Anyone know of a low sodium (<50 mg) brand?

Have you ever used TVP?

What is your favorite hot cereal topping?

Attack of the Killer Sodium + WIAW

October 10, 2012 By Laura

Sodium is in everything.

Except peanut flour, thank god.

With less than 4 weeks to go until my figure competition, my diet has gotten more strict. The latest adjustment it sodium. I’m only allowed 500 mg a day. No more bacon, sorry.

It turns out sodium is everywhere – even in thing that aren’t processed Egg whites, for instance. My trainer said I don’t have to cut egg whites until 2 weeks out, but if I eat them my sodium for the day will most certainly be over. And the super expensive crab in my fridge? Forget it.

We’ve seen a lot in the media lately about sodium, and how much is added to our foods. Too much sodium can lead to problems like high blood pressure, heart failure, osteoporosis (this one was news to me), kidney stones, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and hormonal imbalance. You don’t need to cut to the extent that I am, but The Institute of Medicine recommends limiting sodium intake to less than 2300 mg per day.

When I first started watching my intake, I was shocked to see how much was in items you’d never think to check. Protein powder is a culprit – I had one egg protein that was about 500 mg! Other unusual suspects: coffee drinks, bread, cereal, and pretty much every condiment known to man.

You don’t have to have salt (or fats, or sugars…) to add flavor to foods! Try some making your own blends for use on protein, veggies, and beans…

Italian: I make my own sodium-free tomato sauce with garlic, onion, basil, oregano and, parsley
Thai: For a spicy peanut sauce, try peanut flour mixed with rice vinegar, lime, sriracha, garlic, and cilantro (similar to what I did here in my: Chili Nutty Tofu)
Mexican: This is an easy one – toss in some lime, cumin, cilantro, garlic, and cayenne like I did in this Mexican “Rice” Bowl
Mediterranean: This is a staple-combo in my kitchen with its lemon peel, garlic, mint, oregano, dill, and onion
Indian: I rubbed a simple mix of lime, garlic, ginger, onion, curry, cumin, coriander, and garam masala on the salmon I used in Meal 2 below

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Another sodium-free item is pumpkin. Perfect for this month’s Halloween-themed What I Ate Wednesday. See if you can guess how much sodium I took in…

Check out my low-sodium, #strangebutgood (that’s scary, right?) eats below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is scaring up their food this month!

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Meal 1:

After my morning cocktail (mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos), I enjoyed a protein mush. Failing miserably with the sodium intake yesterday, I skipped the eggs for breakfast and went for sodium-free pumpkin.

Pumpkin Protein Mush

2 T oats
1/4 C pumpkin puree
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 T ground flax
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp butterscotch extract
5-6 drops stevia
Liquid, to mix
Topped with banana

Meal 2:

Forget #strangebutgood. This was strange but amazing. There are only 4 ingredients if you pre-cook the salmon!

I loved the savory curry against the sweet salmon and the citrus in the blood orange. Bonus: blood orange is certainly a Halloween-appropriate food.

Curried Salmon and Blood Orange Salad

3 oz curried salmon (pre-cooked with the Indian spices mention in first part of this post)
1 blood orange, sectioned
1 T fresh basil
1 T roasted squash seeds (tossed in coconut oil, cinnamon, and cardamom before roasting)

Meal 3:

If tuna is the chicken of the sea, then swordfish is the steak of the sea. This is hands-down my favorite seafood. And it’s fairly low in sodium. Score.

Served with a Golden Dumpling squash, diced and roasted with thyme, Dora the Explorer edamame, and raw cauliflower.

Know what only has 1.7 mg of sodium? Sugar-free York Peppermint Patties.

Meal 4:

I am still addicted to this Tequila-Lime Tilapia recipe. Today I had it with a side of carrots. Yes, I recycled the lion plate from lunch.

Meal 5:

Last week I mentioned that I rarely chicken. Even more rare that eating it… I COOKED it. Raw chicken is one of the most disgusting things in the world to me. In my low sodium quest, I pulled out a cooking binder I made years ago and prepared a modified (low sodium, low-fat) version of a marinade I used to love. It turned out really well! I still hate raw chicken.

I DO love pizza. It seemed like everyone on Instagram last night was making pizza, so I jumped off that bridge too. I was going to make a socca crust, but realized that Kamut flour has less sodium. I mixed 1/4 C with just enough water to form a batter and cooked it like a pancake in a pan.

On My Pizza:

Chicken
Ricotta spread
Red onion
Fennel
Zucchini
Arugula

The ricotta mixture was simply fat-free ricotta with fresh herbs, cayenne, and white balsamic. I sautéed the veggies before topping the pizza and sticking it under broil for a few mins before inhaling the deliciousness.

Meal 6:

I ate meal 5 too late, so I didn’t get to excited about Meal 6. And I only had 75 mg left for the day. And I wanted eggs. ~~I was whiny~~.

Then something awesome happened. I remembered tofu. Scrambled tofu, specifically. Oh yes… we have VEGAN version of PB & Jeggs. A carrot cake-inspired PB & Ceggs.

Just as glorious as the “real” thing. The carrot cake-like spices make this veggie and protein-packed meal a dessert.

Recipe at bottom.

Meal 7:

If you guess I went over my sodium…. you’d be right. I have to ask my trainer tomorrow, but I’m guessing protein trumps sodium so I went ahead and exceeded 500 mg to get another 20 of protein.

The most sodium-free way I could think of to do this was no salt cottage cheese and peanut flour. Since I get a carb too I went for some pumpkin in the mix. Flavorings included cinnamon (it’s sick how much I love the stuff), nutmeg, cardamom, almond extract, vanilla stevia. Topped with figs. Nom.

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Vegan PB & Ceggs (Peanut Butter & Carrot “Eggs”)

4 oz tofu, crumbled
2 T peanut flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp maple extract (can use vanilla)
5-6 drops liquid stevia
3 T water (or other liquid)

Place crumbled tofu in a greased (I used PAM) pan over medium-high heat.

“Scramble” tofu until warmed through (~2-3 mins). Meanwhile, mix together peanut flour, spices, extract, stevia, and water to form your peanut butter sauce (note: you could always use 2 T of your favorite nut butter here).

Add peanut butter and shredded carrot to the eggs. Scramble together and allow to cooking ~1-2 mins more until hot.

Plate and enjoy!

Serves 1.

***

The protein count for the day: 169.4g. The all-important sodium count: 576.5mg.

Quick shameless plug: in case you missed it, check out yesterday’s post for a new technique you can use to bust through plateaus in your workout. It’s the first in a “Work It Out” series I’m doing!

Have you ever tracked your sodium intake? Did it surprise you?

What is the best thing you’ve eaten so far this week?

Presidential Fall Quiz

October 5, 2012 By Laura

We all like a good quiz.

Or is that just me?

Today I have 2. One is Presidential in nature. Don’t worry. I’m not getting political on you. This is all about what they EAT. (Source article here.)

Check out the following food items and see if you can guess whether President Obama or Mitt Romney like to nosh on…

Peanut butter and honey sandwich (I forgot about these! My mom used to make them for us all the time. YUM!)
Meatloaf cakes (Cakes? Was the loaf not enough?)
Pizza from Italian Fiesta Pizzeria (There is often pizza at fiestas…)
Chili (This nominee also enjoys Gas X)
Organic applesauce (This is tough… organic = hippie/democrat, but also expensive/rich)
Pumpkin pie (Not to be confused with warm apple pie… or Stifler’s mom)

(answers at the end of this post)

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Quiz #2 is all about fall.

I saw this quiz on Matt’s blog and thought it looked like fun. Since I’m in Tex-ass right now for work, I thought it was especially appropriate to “borrow” a quiz from a native Texan.

1. Apple picking or pumpkin picking?

Apples. We used to drive to the North GA mountains as a kid to pick apples. My favorite part was the little stores with their apple doughnuts and hot cider. And if we were good we got to stop for fudge in my favorite mountain town. I always got chocolate-peanut butter (not much has changed…).

My parents were brave getting 3 kids high on sugar and before an hour drive home.

2. Favorite apple recipe?

I am not a big fan of cooked apples, but I love my PB & Aggs (I add the apples at the very end so they are warm but still crisp) and my Apple-Carrot Muffins.

3. Favorite pumpkin recipe

That’s tough! Right now I’d say either my Pumpkin Protein Pancakes or Pumpkin Tiramisu Parfait. Side note: I do NOT like pumpkin pie. It’s too much.

4. Favorite soup recipe

Aside from the Butternut-Apple Soup I’m making for my Taste of Atlanta demo on Sunday (‘scuse the shameless plug), I adore Babaganoush Soup. It almost makes me look forward to cold weather. Almost.

5. Football: on TV or in the stadium?

It depends on the temperature outside, the importance of the game, and the quality of the seats. If it’s a good game that I want to watch closely and the seats aren’t good, I’d rather be inside. If the seats are good and it’s 75 degrees I’m all about the energy of the stadium! If the weather is good, the seats are bad, and I don’t care about the game I’d also rather be in the stands. It’s complicated.

6. Favorite football team to cheer for?

It was Georgia Tech. Until they lost to Middle Tennessee ~~Girl’s School~~ last weekend.

7. Daylight savings time: Love it or hate it?

I like to sleep in, so falling back is fine by me. Springing forward sucks. I still don’t fully understand why we do this…

8. How do your workouts change during the fall months?

They don’t change much now that I’m focused on weight lifting. They gym is temperature controlled. When I was running, I would typically do other forms of cardio (like kickboxing or this interval workout) when it got too chilly. The cold air hurts my lungs.

Also, I have Raynaud’s disease so that is not fun when it’s freezing out. White, numb fingers and toes that last for hours is creepy.

9. Any fashion essentials for fall weather?

Boots. With or without the fur. Definitely without the whole club lookin’ at herrrr.

10. Do your meals change when the weather changes?

For sure! I try to eat seasonal produce, and most of my meals are warm. Have I mentioned I hate being cold?

You’ll see a lot of Italian-inspired foods like this vegan Eggplant Rollatini.

11. Favorite fall dessert?

Dessert isn’t seasonal for me. I don’t like cooked apples or masses of pumpkin, so none of the traditional pies. We do have a Kentucky Derby Pie that is made every Thanksgiving. Bourbon, pecans, and chocolate chips… you really can’t go wrong.

12. Best thing about fall?

I love the colors when the leaves change, crisp mountain air, and FOOTBALL!

13. Worst thing about fall?

Cold. I’d be happy with 75-80 degree temps year round.

14. Best thing that will happen in Fall of 2012?

It’s already busy, but I’m looking forward to my first figure competition!

I also can’t wait to hang out with Allie this weekend (possibly again in Nov for NPC Nationals), and hopefully seeing Heather in November. Love my weird-o foodie friends.

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I almost forgot! The Presidential preference answers are…

Peanut butter and honey sandwich: ROMNEY
Meatloaf cakes: ROMNEY
Pizza from (in Chicago): OBAMA
Organic apple sauce: ROMNEY
Chili: OBAMA
Pumpkin pie: OBAMA

***
Allie comes in town tonight!!! Saturday we have leg day and go to posing practice with my trainer. Dine like ~~kings~~ queens at Cakes & Ale. Cooking demo Sunday. Could this weekend rock any harder?!

Tell me one of your fall favorites. Any seasonal recipes to share?

How did you do on the Presidential food quiz?

Zucchini Whey Muffins + a Demo

October 4, 2012 By Laura

Call me Little Miss Muffet…

… though I do NOT like to sit on my tuffet.

I do really dig my curds and whey. Like these curds:

Bloggers everywhere get excited when they have an empty peanut butter jar. Overnight oats are tasty ~~and exciting~~ – I won’t argue that! I will argue that cottage cheese in an almost empty container is equally good. The name is more cumbersome…

When I have an almost-empty jar, I swirl up my cottage cheese with mix-ins and take it to go. Easy mid-morning snack at work! This container included Sunbutter, cinnamon, a little stevia, nutmeg, and a plum.

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Before I get to the whey, I want to share a little happy-excited-nervous news with you guys… I am doing another cooking demo!

This one is at Taste of Atlanta. Slightly bigger than my gym…

I’ll be in the “Family Food Zone” tent with Sweetwater Growers (not to be confused with the brewery). Sweetwater makes amazing infused olive oils and hydroponic basil.

Apparently it’s official because I’m on the website:

The recipe I’ll be sharing is for my (vegan) Butternut Squash-Apple Soup that uses Sweetwater’s red pepper-infused oil. I started making it nearly 2 years ago (around the time of my blog’s birth!) and it remains my favorite fall soup to this day.

There is a rich sweetness from the butternut squash and the apple but it’s balances out with the rosemary and the bit of heat on the end from the red pepper-infused oil.

No Vitamix will be used, but I do get to play with my immersion blender. And my nerves. Did I mention I’m nervous? What if no one comes? what if lots of people come? What if there is awkward silence? AHHHHHH!

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Baking. Baking calms my nerves. Baking with protein powder calms my nerves AND gives me awesome post-workout treats.

Baking with zucchini also makes me happy… as evidenced by the fact that this is now my third zucchini muffin recipe. The previous 5 (all low-cal and free of added sugars):

This one is different, I swear! This recipe is the first one with whey protein, and it is a bit more savory. More reminiscent of the traditional bread. I especially love the hint of coconut with a little warm spice from the cinnamon and cardamom.

These muffins are also flourless. Almond and coconut flours replace “regular” flour here to lend a nutty richness to this muffin.

Super-moist. Low-carb, high protein. These are a great pre-workout snack, or a perfect clean addition to your recovery meal.

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Zucchini Whey Muffins

1 medium zucchini grated finely and moisture squeezed out (~1 C, post squeeze)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 C almond flour/meal
2 T coconut flour
1/4 C vanilla whey protein (I used GNC)
2 T Xylitol
1 T NuNaturals Fiber Baking Blend
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/3 C egg whites
1/2 C unsweetened coconut milk (I used So Delicious)
1/2 tsp coconut extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grated my zucchini into a bowl and squeezed out the excess moisture. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients. Stir to combine.

Add in liquids, and mix until just combined. Fold in grated zucchini.

Grease a muffin tine with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into tins. Baked for 15-20 mins.

Makes 9 muffins.

Approximate nutritionals: 95 calories, 4.2g fat, 45.3mg sodium, 9.2g carbs, 2.1g fiber, 1.4g sugar, 7.5g protein

***

The good news is that I’ve been so stressed at work that I haven’t fully felt the nerves of the demo until now. 😉

How do you calm your nerves and/or relax?

What is your favorite fall soup?

I Feel Scrambled + WIAW

October 3, 2012 By Laura

I feel scrambled.

It’s our busy season at work and I’ve been traveling, working, and not doing much sleeping. There are so many things I’ve fallen behind on. I’m seriously behind on blog reading, returning emails, and blogging topics.

I totally neglected to share an awesome offer from my friend Calee with you all. She’s offered a 15% discount when you use code “sprint2thediscount” in her Etsy shop. I first saw her goods at the Blend Retreat last year and fell in love.

A couple of my current favorite designs:

I’m going to stop feeling sorry and move on to some positive news. Last week I talked about the threat of a bacon shortage. Apparently there will be no baconpocalypse.

It wouldn’t be Wednesday if I didn’t blog about bacon, right?

I was almost too grossed out by this pic to post it…

According to a Mother Jones article, the swine shortage will “shave just a pound per capita off of US bacon production in 2013.” that means there are still 45 pounds of bacon per person for the year. Is that enough for you?

The real scare is fish. Climate change will sharply reduce the productivity of the oceans, meaning less seafood. the most affected ares are in the South, so those of us in the US and Europe probably won’t feel the bite.

It’s a new month (can you believe it’s already October?!), which means a new What I Ate Wednesday theme. Jenn just got even cooler in my eyes for going PINK this month for Breast Cancer Awareness. we’ll be sharing out Halloween-themed treats… as if bloggers needs any more reasons to eat pumpkin. 😉

Check out my sometimes spooky, sometimes pink eats below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is getting their Halloween on this month!