Waffle Tacos + WIAW

February 26, 2014 By Laura

The green-eyed monster has struck.

Isn’t envy a deadly sin?

I see waffles everywhere. All the cool kids are posting pics on Instagram. I am big enough to admit… I’m jealous! I know I could purchase a waffle maker, but I just don’t have room for more in my kitchen. They aren’t really that different from pancakes and I can make those quite easily. (<–That’s what I keep telling myself.)

Then I saw this:

Photo: Taco Bell

Taco Bell announced it is coming out with a waffle taco; the “AM Crunchwrap.” No, I don’t want Taco Bell. I’ve actually never eaten at Taco Bell. What I is to make my own Mexican waffle!!!

This weekend might bring a waffle maker to my house. This WIAW I (happily) settled for breakfast nachos.

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This WIAW I felt a little scattered. Between a dentist appointment and work, I actually almost forgot to eat! Almost. Who could forget about a sandwich on pretzel bread?!

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

Strange But Good: Hemp Protein

February 21, 2014 By Laura

Lately it seems all of my friends are moving to Colorado.

For reasons that are not hemp-related.

I want to move to Colorado too – not for the recent legalization, but for the healthy vibe people have and the amazing skiing. In the meantime, I’ll gladly enjoy my hemp down here in Georgia thanks to Onnit.

Onnit sent over an awesome package of their hemp-based products for me to try out via a FitFluential campaign. (FYI: hemp will not get you high and it won’t cause you to fail a drug test). I received Onnit’s Hemp FORCE in Cocoa-Maca and Vanilla-Acai, the Walnut Almond Cashew & Macadamia Cacao Cherry Nut Butters, and a canister of Earth Grown Nutrients.

I’d been lucky enough to meet a couple of the Onnit team members and try them out at the Blend Retreat last year. Their Walnut Almond Cashew Nut Butter left a lasting impression (I may have absconded with a jar).

Needless to say, I didn’t waste anytime ~~devouring~~ opening that jar. It was fabulous atop a #strangebutgood protein cake for breakfast! This creation was based on the protein loaf Debbie linked up.

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My favorite was the Coca Maca. ~~I live for chocolate.~~ I mean… it’s all about the health benefits! Cocoa in antioxidants and helps regulate blood sugar levels. It’s even thought to relax sore muscles. Many of you know about maca already; it helps boost the endocrine system and libido.

I’ve been using a scoop mixed with almond milk and a little cinnamon in healthy desserts. I mix it together in a teeny bowl and microwave it for 10-12 seconds to make a hot, fudg-y topping.

This one was particularly good – sweet potato cubes, a diced Arctic Zero ice cream bar, and the aforementioned hot fudge. Strange? Yes. Good? Most definitely.

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The Vanilla-Acai protein powder surprised me. I’m normally not a big fan of fruity-protein powders but this one had a fantastic taste – not fake or processed.

I couldn’t resist making a #strangebutgood combo with it (recipe at the bottom). It has tofu in it. Don’t freak out. If you’ve ever tried my Carrot Cake Batter Shake, you know that tofu makes for an amazingly thick ‘n creamy smoothie. Besides texture, I added it here for the extra protein. The only downside to this protein powder is that a serving is only 15g of protein.

Vanilla Acai Protein Smoothie (Bowl)

1 serving (3 scoops) Onnit Vanilla Acai Hemp Protein Powder
3 oz tofu
1 C spinach
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 in piece fresh ginger
Ice and water, to taste

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender (I use a Vitamx) and blend until smooth.

Transfer to a cup or bowl, top as desired, and enjoy!

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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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Don’t take my word for it – try it for yourself here using coupon code FitFood10 for 10% off any Onnit product!

Do you like hemp? (The protein. Don’t incriminate yourself. 😉 )

What’s the strangest thing you’ve eaten this week?

Sriracha Tours + Accidentally Gluten-Free WIAW

February 19, 2014 By Laura

Atlantarctica no more!

Working from home was nice, but the cold was no bueno.

This week we are finally thawing out down South (sorry about your luck, in the Northeast). While I hope it’s here to stay, I find myself craving a getaway. To some ~~place~~ thing warm.

Now that they aren’t shut down, California’s Huy Fong Foods factory (a.k.a. where Sriracha is made) is giving tours of the factory! It’s purportedly to educate people about “how our Sriracha is made and how delicious it smells” after near-by residents complained that the spicy Sriracha production caused “unpleasant odors and burning eyes.” ~~Wusses.~~

Source: http://theoatmeal.com/

Who’s up for a field trip???

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This WIAW I’m back in the office and on the wagon with meal prep. I brought back a few favorites, and learned to cook something new!

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

A Morning Cocktail + Fitmark Giveaway

February 12, 2014 By Laura

Atlantarctica.

No, that’s not a Ben & Jerry’s flavor.

My city is shut down over the winter weather. After the disaster 2 weeks ago, government leaders and business are taking no chances. We shut down yesterday… when nothing happened but rain.

Today promises to be more entertaining, but with nothing to report as of the time of this post… we’ll get right to the food and the giveaway.

This WIAW was unexpected work from home day. I love these days because it means I have time to put together meals and eat off of real plates! It’s the small things…

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

3 Surprisingly Quick Meals

February 3, 2014 By Laura

A little prep can go a long way.

This is why Sundays are sacred.

If I do my weekly shopping and prep right, I don’t need a detailed meal plan. My preference is to make a bunch of stuff and then figure out what flavors I want to add and how to mix and match it throughout the week. Variety is the best way I know to stay on track. If I’m not interested in what I’m eating, I’m not content.

Here are three meals that I threw together quickly when what I had on hand. They look fancy-ish, but in reality they were incredibly easy (and fun) to make. Who doesn’t think quickies are marvelous? 😉

The incredible, edible egg is one of my favorite breakfasts. This wrap was inspired by a french toast craving on an icy morning, and the fact that I was out of bread.

I kept the stuffing simple with cottage cheese, but you could use Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and any number of spices. Adapt it to your preference, and what you have on hand.

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Strange But Good: Peanut Butter Cake in a Squash

January 31, 2014 By Laura

Cake can be an acceptable breakfast.

It’s cooked in a squash, so it’s practically a vegetable dish.

Microwaves are the greatest invention since sliced bread. Or sliced squash?

The idea of a freshly baked breakfast was particularly appealing in Atlanta’s ice/snow disaster. I was eyeing Kierston’s bites, but was having a hunger problem. It takes too long to pre-heat the oven and wait for something to bake!

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Eating All My Food + WIAW

January 22, 2014 By Laura

My fridge is (almost) empty.

I’m in panic mode.

This was my fridge after dinner last night:

The yogurt and kombucha are gone now too.

Why so void of food? Well, it’s now filled with juices. I’m doing a cleanse. The awesome people at Skinny Limits reached out to me to try their 3 day cleanse… normally I’d balk at the idea, but after an indulgent holiday season and a year (or more) of packing in protein, I decided to give my body a rest.

For the next 3 days, 6 times a day, these are my meals:

There will be a full review coming, but if you’d like to follow along in real-time check out my Instagram.

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This WIAW I made sure to thoroughly enjoy my last day of solids til Saturday. I relished every last morsel.

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

Strange But Good: Sriracha Veggie Muffins

January 17, 2014 By Laura

Sriracha and I have a long relationship.

Second only to my relationship with my hair stylist.

Spicy is a food group all its own in my house. I put Sriracha or some sort of heat source on nearly everything. Even my chocolate sauce is “Mexican” with the addition of cayenne. Why should muffins be any different?

If adding Sriracha to muffins isn’t strange enough, I also added veggies. I choose red peppers, zucchini, and shiitake mushrooms to compliment the Vietnamese feels of the Sriracha. You can easily change it up with your favorites.

This spicy little number is also low carb thanks to coconut flour. I also added stay-powder with healthy amount of cottage cheese and eggs to amp up the protein.

Heat up your morning (or your evening) with a spicy little number. They’re good from the freezer too – just pop it in the microwave ~30 seconds to thaw.

It may sound strange, but it’s good.

[Tweet “Sriracha and veggies… in a muffin?! These are #strangebutgood!”]

Sriracha Veggie Muffins

by Laura Hall

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20-25 mins

Keywords: bake saute snack bread gluten-free low-carb low-sodium low-sugar nut-free soy-free sugar-free vegetarian coconut flour cottage cheese egg egg whites Asian

Ingredients (12 muffins)

1 small red pepper, diced
1 C cauliflower, chopped
1 C shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C spelt flour
1/4 C coconut flour
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp sodium-free baking powder
1/2 C no-salt cottage cheese
2 eggs
1.5 C egg whites
1 T sriracha

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.

Heat pan over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Saute veggies until tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in wet ingredients. Lastly, fold in sautéed veggies.

Divide evenly into muffin tins. Bake 20-25 mins, until toothpick come out clean.

Can be stored 5-6 days in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer.

Approximate nutrition (per muffin): 81 calories, 1.6g fat, 88.8mg sodium, 8.5g carbohydrates, 2.2g fiber, 1.3g sugar, 7.3g protein

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

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It’s finally going to be sunny all weekend here! Perfect timing for a long weekend.

What is your favorite hot sauce or spice?

Do you prefer savory or sweet muffins?

Waffle Tacos + WIAW

Strange But Good: Hemp Protein

Vanilla Acai Protein Smoothie (Bowl)

Sriracha Tours + Accidentally Gluten-Free WIAW

A Morning Cocktail + Fitmark Giveaway

3 Surprisingly Quick Meals

Strange But Good: Peanut Butter Cake in a Squash

Eating All My Food + WIAW

Strange But Good: Sriracha Veggie Muffins

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