Some things are embarrassingly easy.
And some are embarrassingly hard.
Today I have an easy recipe for you. Making lemonade in the blender.
Here’s the recipe: put a bunch of lemons in a high-speed blender (I’m biased towards my Vitamix) with some water and sweetener. Blend. Strain. Drink. Boom.
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It’s strange to admit, but we all like to be regular.
I mean that in the most TMI way possible.
Fiber. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Fiber helps you poop. It’s strange to admit to in public, but being regular is nothing but good. These Spiced Protein Fiber Bars are loaded with fiber, which helps you stay regular, which is good. #strangebutgood
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I’m a big dill.
In my head.
Really though. I posted the pic below on Instagram heading into leg day on Monday, but there’s a reason other than humor. Legs days with my trainer always kick my butt. He’s brutal… in a good way though. One of the reasons I love training with him is that he pushes me to do more than I even imagine to be possible.
When I walk into a session with him, I psych myself UP. So much of lifting is mental. If you tell yourself you can and approach the weights with confidence, you’ll be amazed by what you can do. That’s also a good example of how I #MoveHappy. 😉
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This WIAW I was STARVING from leg day. I wanted a little bit of everything, so that’s what I had!
Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s blog for everyone else’s delicious creations!…
Green is so easily considered strange.
So this recipe feels like a cop-out.
These green oats are legit strange though! It’s not the green you’re expecting, and it’s not really even oats. If you’ve been reading for a while, you know I have a thing for TVP oatmeal. TVP (Texturized Vegetable Protein) is like chicken. Or tofu. It tastes like whatever flavor you apply to it. A sweet bowl of TVP oats isn’t hard to make good!
Now for the green part. It’s spirulina. Heather repped Nutrex Hawaii at the Blend Retreat this year and generously shared a few samples with me. To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what I’d do with it. I knew it’s healthy. Spirulina is a microalgae that grows naturally in healthy bodies of water. It’s good for energy, immunity, cellular health, and cardiovascular, eye and brain health. It’s also high in protein and Vitamins A, K1, K2, and B12.
Did I mention it’s super-green? It begs for #strangebutgood applications. You want a bite, I swear…
Also found at Blend was a shiny new bottle of Cherry-Vanilla NuNaturals Liquid Stevia. I’d had it before and loved it, so I was excited for the refill. Of course, I mixed in my Growing Naturals vanilla rice protein (don’t forget about the freebie code!). Gotta keep fueling the muscle growth!
Protein powder adds stay-power AND a fantastic creaminess to your morning bowl of deliciousness.
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Add the TVP, oats, and 1/2 C water to a small pot, stir, and bring to a boil (you can also microwave it like oats).
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 10 mins, until mix softens and thickens.
Stir in protein, cherries, extract, and stevia. Add more water as needed (~1/4 C). Allow to cook for 2-3 more mins. The mixture should be silky smooth.
Scoop into bowl and add your favorite toppings.
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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.
If you’re not a blogger, you can still share your recipes on Instagram with the #strangebutgood hashtag.
Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂
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I’m back from my NYC adventures (check out Instagram if you’re curious) and SO ready to get back in the kitchen! More recipe are sure to come! 🙂
Have you ever had spirulina?
What is your favorite oats mix-in?
Happy Birthday to meeeeeee!
Shameless over celebration of birthdays is a family tradition.
Today marks the 3rd anniversary of Sprint 2 the Table. Rather than wax poetic, I figured I’d just give you guys presents. Everyone ok with that?
This week there will be a giveaway EVERY DAY! These are NOT sponsored – I reached out to my favorite brands to ask if they’d be willing to share some love with you in honor of the big #3. I’m excited to start it out with my go-to sweetener.
I try to avoid added sugars (within reason – don’t come between me and my chocolate cake), but I have a MAJOR sweet tooth. One of my strategies for taming a sweet tooth is to use Stevia, which come from the Stevia leaf.
NuNaturals has offered to take place in the blogiversary celebration by offering to FOUR of you (1) one bottle of each of the Lemon, Peppermint , Vanilla, and the NEW Cherry Vanilla Stevia Liquids. Even better? This is open to anyone WORLDWIDE.
They sent me a little present too – I got to try the new Cherry Vanilla flavor! I went straight to me favorite meal of the day to test it out. Dessert!
Nearly every night I have a midnight snack in the form of a Greek yogurt or no-salt cottage cheese creation (yes, I eat after 7pm *gasp*). I don’t care for casein powder, so this is the perfect alternative for me. To sweeten these creations, I prefer to use liquid Stevia because I find it blends better.
This bowl of Cherry-Sweet Potato Greek Yogurt is the perfect blend of rich cherry-vanilla from the Stevia and creamy, sweet sweet ‘tater. The texture is silky-smooth, and I love adding cherries, raw oats, and cacao nibs to the top for a little texture contrast. And chocolate. Always chocolate… mmmm…
Oh, right… the giveaway!!!! Enter here and keep reading for the recipe! ↓
a Rafflecopter giveaway
In case you don’t win, NuNaturals is also offering s discount on all orders placed online (www.nunaturals.com). Just enter discount code BLG1213 to receive 15% off of your order through December 31, 2013. There’s also free shipping on in the US on all orders over $35.
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Combine everything in a small bowl and mix until smooth. You may need to add more liquid to achieve desired consistency.
Top with your favorites and enjoy!
Note: You can make this ahead and/or even freeze it to make a fro-yo! This also makes for a bangin’ protein shake combo.
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I have to say again how EXCITED I am for this week. Tomorrow’s is awesome… and it comes with a workout. Overall this week is pretty marvelous. 😉
Have you tried Stevia yet? What’s your favorite way to use it?
Which do you prefer – sweet potato or pumpkin puree? Others?
Friday in general is a win, but there were so many this week…
There are the NuNaturals giveaway winners to announce… at the end of this post. 🙂 (Yes, I realize you can simply scroll down.)
1. Grain-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie for 1
This brilliance was found here on Avi’s blog. I made it Thursday night and thought I’d gone to heaven. Of course, I added sugar with the dark chocolate M&Ms. 🙂
My modifications:
2. Raw Thai Pineapple Parsnip “Rice”
This was a huge win! This unusual (yet easy) recipe can be found here on Janet’s blog. My only modifications were to add cilantro and a bit of sriracha.
3. Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Cottage Cheese
You know when you feel snacky, but you’re not sure if you want something sweet or salty? I found the perfect solution yesterday. 
Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Cottage Cheese
I am told this sounds like a weird combo. It’s not – this is a delicious combo. Not unlike the combo below…
4. Stuft Mama’s Protein Pumpkin Cookie Dough
How did it take me soooo long to make this?! It’s amazing. Doh.
Do not – I repeat – DO NOT skip the PB on top. It’s sends the whole thing over the edge.
5. NUNATURALS WINNERS!!!
The following 4 ladies won NuNaturals Orange and Lemon Liquid Stevias. Please send me an email with your info so we can get those out to you ASAP!
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This is the weekend… I’m getting a tattoo tomorrow!!!
Do you have tattoos? What/where?
What’s the best blogger recipe you’ve tried lately?
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.
My breakfast is usually some sort of protein shake to follow a workout; however, I’ve been working out at night more and decided to shake up my breakfast routine.
Lat year I experimented with a raw bulgur – it’s not so different from overnight oats! You simply soak the bulgur in water for 15-20 minutes and add whatever mix-ins you like.
When NuNaturals reached out to me to check out a few of their new orange and lemon liquid Stevia products I was particularly inspired by the orange-flavored liquid Stevia. I could smell it before I even opened the bottle! The best part was that is actually smelled like oranges (i.e. not like some your granny’s potpourri) – both of the new products use real lemon and orange.
I decided it would be perfect for breakfast in my raw bulgur bowl. The bright orange sweetness went perfectly with cinnamon and a bit of cardamom.
Topped with fresh coconut, I felt like I was having breakfast on a tropical island rather than in the early morning dimness of my condo. Recipe at the end of this post.
NuNaturals would like YOU to try out their new products too – the lemon liquid Stevia (I used here in this vegan Alfredo sauce) and this orange liquid Stevia.
Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Thursday, April 26th. The 4 winners will be announced on Friday, April 27th.
***You may also order Stevia directly from NuNaturals, and receive a 15% discount using the code BLG0612. (effective until JUNE 30, 2012).***
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Let me start be saying I am NOT complaining but…
I finally got a referral to an orthopedic doc for my knee. I took the first available appointment (May 22!). THEN on my walk Saturday I realized I was feeling pretty good and decided to try running. 5.5 miles later, my knee was still fine! Now, I didn’t run all of that 5.5. I didn’t even try to run more than 1/2 a mile at a time, but all told I think I ran 2.5 miles… wayyyy more than I’ve been able to do since January.
Did simply making the doctor appointment cure me?!
Workout Recap (4/16 – 4/22):
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Mix together everything except the coconut and chopped nuts. Allow to soak for 15-20 mins.
Stir and top with coconut, nuts, or other toppings as desired.
Note: You could sub a bit of orange extract and your preferred sweetener here if you don’t have the NuNaturals orange liquid Stevia.
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My Sesame Baked Tofu made the FoodBuzz Top 9 this weekend. Thank you for the Buzz!!! Check out the Top 9 here.
Have you ever eaten bulgur (or other grain) raw/soaked?
Did you enjoy the sunshine this weekend? Any races?
Today is a tribute.
Friday seems like the perfect time to celebrate some fantastic bloggers who have inspired some of the best meals I’ve had. This list is not at all exhaustive, but it’s what I’ve had lately for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
These fluffy, lemon-flavored chia muffins were based on this Lemon Chia Cake created by Lisa @ Healthful Sense. I’ve made several of Lisa’s recipes and have never been disappointed. She’s also the only person more obsessed with sweet potatoes and peanut flour than I am.
They are gluten-free and vegan – great for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Next time I make them I’ll add some poppy seeds too, as that’s what the chia bites reminded me of. Who doesn’t need a little opium first thing in the morning?
My modifications:
You should try these. Like now.
When I can work from home, lunch is my favorite meal of the day. I can cook something fresh AND use the daylight for picture-taking. Even though I was too lazy to whip out the good camera for this pic.
Sweet potatoes. Smashed and coated with goodness. I took the idea from Pinterest – this recipe for Hot Crash Sweet Potatoes pinned from Donalyn @ DLYNZ.
My modifications:
These “crashed” sweet potatoes tuned out beautifully, and my Middle-Eastern spice blend went perfectly with the Coconut Curry Marinated Tempeh by Turtle Mountain I had in the fridge. Nom.
After an orange lunch, I needed a green dinner.
Janet @ The Taste Space created a Spinach Dal Palak that couldn’t be any greener if it tried. If you don’t already follow Taste Space, check it out. There isn’t a day where I don’t drool over a post.
My modifications:
Served with sriracha and an Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortilla. Pinned and will be making again soon!
I have a bajillion blogger desserts marked to try… but tonight was my own.
These Chewy Granola Cookies (not limited to dessert – momma texted me to say she had 2 for breakfast with Greek yogurt) with a glass of “Chocolate Milk.”
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“Chocolate Milk”
Mix in cocktail glass and serve with ice.
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Yes, I realize such a simple drink shouldn’t count as a recipe… but it was good, so I’m going to milk it. (Tee hee… milk it… get it?)
What blogger recipe have you made lately and loved?
What do you use to bookmark recipes? Pinterest? Reader? Delicious?
