PB & Pear Eggs + WIAW

October 9, 2013 By Laura

Technology gets me excited.

Clearly I need to get out more.

Being a figure competitor means my food scale is my most-used kitchen tool. I need to weigh my proteins to make sure I have enough, and I can more easily get accurate serving sizes for other items. Even if you don’t eat like a crazy person, scales are a HUGE help in baking. I no longer use measuring cups!

I read about this Countertop + Prep Pad with glee. This device can determine the exact nutritional content of whatever you’re making and track your eating habits. Beyond the traditional accurate weighing of ingredients, it has a BlueTooth connection and an app which displays your data. You place food on the scales, indicate what it is, and the app shows the nutritional data (with macros, micros, and ingredients). It even tracks goals for you!

It’s available to pre-order now for $149.95 (delivery in November). I’m soooooo tempted…

(I randomly ran across this… they didn’t pay me or anything. It’s just cool.)

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This is WIAW I am back to “normal.” I food prepped well this week, and was able to keep on track through back to back meetings. It’s a fun busy though. 🙂

Read on for my 4 weeks out eats, and then check out Jenn’s blog. for some more “normal” days of food.

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Breakfast:

Ever the creature of habit, a had my Aminos and ACV morning cocktail. Sam posted she’s been starting her day with ACV for a year… made me realize I’m at about 2 years. Whoa.

My meal was a win. Normally I go to bed thinking about breakfast, but last night I didn’t have an clear vision. It came in the morning though! Pear. Cardamom. Eggs. Peanut sauce. Totally normal.

Cardamom is one of those “a little goes a long way” spices, but just a pinch can make a dish something spectacular. Especially when that dish involves pear.

I plated this for a pic before pouring it into a solo cup to-go. See bottom of post for the prettier pic and full recipe.

Mid-Morning Snack:

Crab salad with arugula, cherry tomatoes, hummus, and pepper. I love crab. I really love crab that is 20% off.

Lunch:

Dijon Baked Chicken (so glad I made a TON of froze it), roasted bok choy, and yuca fries with salsa. I am newly obsessed with yucca fries.

Yuca (also known as Cassava) is a thick, starchy tuber. It’s sort of like a potato, but a little sweeter and drier. It’s also really hard to slice… but, like kabocha, it’s worth the effort. I sliced mine into fries and roasted it on 425 til it was crispy (maybe 25 mins?).

For a funny story about my lunch here.

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

I make a lot of food… which means sometimes I forget about recipes. This week I remembered one I really loved: BBQ Cauliflower Bites. Yesterday I ate it at work with asparagus and a veggie burger with beer mustard. Happy girl, I was.

Dinner:

Dinner was a pleasant surprise. I was SO SORE after leg day that I decided to take a rest day and detoured to Whole ~~Paycheck~~ Foods on the way home for some fresh fish. I ended up with flounder, a fish I’d never prepared at home before.

I baked my flounder for 10 mins at 425 with fresh lemon, pepper, and lemon-thyme a co-worker brought me from her garden (thanks Allison!). Eaten with half a roasted yellow acorn squash and broccoli slaw over a bed of arugula.

Dessert:

It’s finally feeling like fall in Atlanta, so a warm dessert was in order. I Made my 150 Calorie Microwave Chocolate Cake (using pumpkin puree instead of applesauce) and topped it with berries and pumpkin fluff.

Pumpkin fluff is amazing. It’s just equal parts pumpkin puree, Tru Whip (cleaner cool whip from WF), cinnamon, and butter extract. Just do it.

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PB & Peaggs

2/3 C egg whites
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
Pinch of cardamom

For the Sauce

1 T peanut flour (or nut butter)
1 T unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3-4 drops liquid Stevia
1 small pear, chopped

Scramble together then first 4 ingredients. Cook over medium heat until almost done. Meanwhile, mix together peanut sauce.

Add the peanut sauce and pear, stirring to combine. Cook just long enough to warm through.

Devour.

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Let’s revisit my leg day. I am so sore. So very sore. GROW LEGS!

Do you use a food scale? Would you buy this hard-core one?

Have you tried anything new lately that you’re loving? I’m a flounder fan now!

Peanut Butter Apple Cinnamon Roll

October 7, 2013 By Laura

There are certain smells that make me stop in my tracks.

Pleasant smells… the other kind make me RUN.

I spend a good deal of time in the airport. The Atlanta airport, like many others in the US, has a Cinnabon. I can walk away from the waffle cone smell at Ben & Jerry, the pizza from Sabrro, the Chick-fil-a chicken biscuits… but the smell of that cinnamon laced sugar bomb makes me pause.

Rather than having a 730 calorie bomb, I decided to make my own. And one-up them by adding peanut butter and apples.

It takes a couple of steps, but they are steps you’ll be glad you took as soon as you bit into this gooey-chewy cinnamon-laced roll. Plus, you can make a few to reheat for a quick breakfast throughout the week!

The pic above starts out with the uncooked, apple lined rolls in a ramekin. Then I baked the egg and cinnamon soaked bread into a hot roll oozing with baked apple deliciousness. After ~~dumping~~ neatly turning it on to a plate, I topped with peanut sauce.

A note on the bread and peanut sauce: I used P28 High Protein Bread to make this a super-high protein treat. You could use any bread, but know that P28 slices are huge so you may need an additional slice if you use a smaller bread. For the sauce, I used my beloved peanut flour. You could easily sub in peanut butter (or any nut/seed butter), or use a vanilla protein powder in the same proportions to make a glaze.

This would be good without the apples too… but it’s fall. Be festive! It adds a fresh sweetness to the decadent roll. And that’s pretty marvelous.

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Peanut Butter Apple Cinnamon Roll

For the Roll

1/4 C egg whites (or flax egg)
2 tsp sugar-free syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp butter extract
1 slice P28 High Protein Bread*
1/4 apple, sliced very thin (plus more, to top)

For the Glaze

1 T unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 T peanut flour (or peanut butter)*
1 tsp sugar-free syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp butter extract

Instructions for the Roll

Preheat oven to 375.

In a bowl, beat together eggs, syrup, cinnamon, and extract.

Slice the bread into 3 long strips, gently flattening and stretching out. Soak strips in the egg mixture, as if you were making french toast.

Line strips with the thin apple slice, roll up like a cinnamon roll, and place in a prepared ramekin.

Bake for 10 mins (until lightly browned). Allow to cool slightly. Turn ramekin over onto you plate to remove the roll. You may need to loosen the edge first.

Instructions for the Glaze:

Mixing together milk, peanut flour (or butter), syrup, cinnamon, and extract.

Slather across your cinnamon rolls.

Take a bite. Have a moment of silence. Continue to inhale the roll.

Approximate nutritionals: 223 calories, 4.6g fat, 328g sodium, 22.5g carbohydrates, 4.1g fiber, 8.2g sugar, 24.8g protein

*Notes:

You can use any type of bread. P28 bread slices are huge – if you use another brand, you may need to use 1/5-2 slices
Vanilla protein powder can be used in place of the peanut flour for a more “traditional” glaze. I like using Growing Naturals.

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Thank you all SO MUCH for the kind comments and participation in blogiversary week! Check back at the Growing Naturals and Favorite Things posts for the last 2 winners! I’ll have a discount code from the Growing Natural folks tomorrow!

Is there a “treat” you always have when you travel? I’m a sucker for Coke Zero and pretzels on the plane.

Have you ever re-created a favorite restaurant meal in a healthier way? What was it? Feel free to link up – sharing is caring!

You’re Off to Great Places + Growing Naturals Giveaway

October 3, 2013 By Laura

I’m addicted to the powder.

Not that powder. Where are your minds?! Shame!

Protein powder, bro. I have high standards:

NOT grainy or chalky
Not full of sugar or loaded with a billion carbs
Must actually taste like the flavor on the label
Ingredient lists need to be recognizable and short
Must contain at least 20g of protein

I have tried them all. Today, I am SO excited that my #1 favorite protein powder of all time, Growing Naturals, has agreed to join in the Blogiversary week celebration. They meet my high standards and then some… they are even soy-free and vegan!

The chocolate rice powder really does impart a chocolate taste. It’s perfect in my Mocha Beet Frapp. The vanilla was just the right amount of flavor to make my Plantain Ginger Bread taste like a warm treat.

I’m getting wordy. It’s Kat’s turn to blog today. Just click here for more on why they rock. Or, for proof, know that ~~beg~~ seek them out to sponsor me at Blend and do giveaways… I want everyone to try it! 😉

Sooooo… here’s the schwag one of you will WIN (giveaway entry at the bottom – US only, along with winners for Monday and Tuesday’s giveaways!):

Speaking of protein… my girl Kat is going to need plenty to fuel the race she’s running this weekend. Check her out and wish her luck below!!!

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You’re off to great places!

(by: Kat)

I’m leaving for my 100 mile race in Pennsylvania today. Yes, 100 miles, 32 hour time limit. I’m trying not to try to figure out how fast I have to run each mile to finish in under 30 hours, under 28 hours, etc. I really just want to finish. (Editor’s note: You are officially my hero.)

I’m scared, and I even emailed the race director to see if I could defer my entry ‘til next year. He said no, so I’m going. Eeeeeeek!

This has brought up serious insecurity. Why do my friends believe I can do this more than I believe in myself? My new mantra on my runs has inspired some confidence in me. I’ve been telling myself, “I am strong, I am injury-free, and I can do this!”

It really does help me re-frame and know my body is capable and my mind is yearning for the … what? (Editor’s note: This is so true. I do it in lifting. It’s amazing what positive self-talk can do to your physical abilities… and you know I’m not the touch-y feel-y type.) Maybe a break-through, maybe a break-down. Sometimes we need a little of both.

I plan on taking good care of myself, and Wednesday night was all about packing carefully, and preparing my food/necessities. With 100 miles on foot, you have to think: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and more calories. (Editor’s note: Meal time is my favorite!)

I also have to think about injury prevention, which means lights, batteries, keeping myself warm. I have to honor the body that allows me to even attempt this kind of challenge. I am so grateful to have a healthy body that allows me to push myself physically to achieve something mentally.

I also need to mention that waiting for my bar results has been a terrible waiting period, and I keep getting asked about the date for results which makes me a little batty. It’s October 28^th. Results October 28^th. (Editor’s note: We are going to celebrate hard core! I know you OWNED it!)

Right now, I’m wound up tight, and so are my finances. I’m so grateful for everything I have right now, including my Cold Life Organics deliveries, which save me money and allow me to experiment.

A few experiments lately include this parsnip-cauliflower puree and stuffed red bell peppers. They are both so easy I didn’t initially think of them as a blog post. But they are unique, delicious recipes that helped me to think outside the box.

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Parsnip-Cauliflower Puree

3 large parsnips, cut roughly into ¼ inch pieces
½ head cauliflower, cut roughly into ¼ inch pieces
½ Vidalia onion, diced
4 large cloves of garlic, chopped
Salt, to taste
1-2 T coconut oil
3 T butter
¼ C coconut milk

Saute onion, garlic, cauliflower, and parsnips in the coconut oil until it is generally soft-ish. You should easily be able to pierce the parsnips with a fork.

Add saute to a food processor and puree. Add coconut milk, butter, and salt to taste.

The parsnips give the cauliflower puree a floral taste that isn’t overwhelming. It’s a fun substitute for mashed potatoes that will leave your guests wondering. It’s gluten free, and can be made vegan by substituting the butter for your favorite butter substitute. It’s also lower carb and lower calorie, if you’re going for that! I served it with a little salad and chicken.

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

1/4 lb ground anti-biotic free chicken
1/4 C rice, uncooked.
2 red bell peppers
1 C marinara sauce
1/4 yellow onion
1 T coconut oil
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 green bell pepper
1/8 C nutritional yeast

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut the tops off of bell peppers, and clean out seeds. Boil water and cook the bell peppers in the water for about 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.

Saute green pepper, onion, and garlic in the coconut oil, add the chicken and continue to saute until just cooked, but not dried out.

Stir in marinara and nutritional yeast.

Stuff peppers with the mixture and bake for 20-25 minutes.

I put cheese on top of one, and not on top of the other. Both were delicious. They’re gluten free and can easily been made vegan by eliminating/substituting the chicken for TVP. These were so easy and tasty, and they brought back childhood memories for my dinner partner. We love nostalgic food. We both also added additional nutritional yeast as a condiment while we ate.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check back at the NuNaturals and Muesli Fusion giveaways for the winners!

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Good luck KAT!!!! P.S. You guys come back tomorrow. It’s a giveaway I put together myself of my favorite most-used items. 🙂

What easy recipes/meals do you forget to share because they are just so easy?

What challenges are scary to you lately, and how do you keep yourself going?

Strange But Good: Tofu Tabbouleh Salad

September 27, 2013 By Laura

Sometimes the strange is right in front of you.

If you live in a city, it’s right in front of you more often than not.

For this week’s meal prep, I had all the ingredients to make my Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad again. Except the quinoa. I swear, between the plumbing, burning food, and general forgetfulness… there is some sort of black cloud over my kitchen this week!

That cloud lifted when I had a strange (but good) idea for a substitute. Better yet, it’s high in protein… tofu!

It’s a bit different texturally speaking, but the soft tofu works against the hearty, crunchy parsley. I loved the way the lemon juice and spices soaked into this making it even more flavorful!

I followed the original recipe almost exactly, but as an afterthought added a tablespoon of nutritional yeast. Vegan cheesy tabbouleh… why not? I already jacked up the traditional version. 😉

My tofu sub and the “cheese” add worked like a charm. And then I did what Tiggers do best.

Tofu Tabbouleh Salad

12 oz firm tofu, crumbled
1 large bunch fresh parsley, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small cucumber, diced
1/4 C red onion, diced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 T nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp ground garlic

In a large bowl, toss together parsley, chopped tomato, cucumber, onion, lemon juice, and seasonings.

Add the tofu crumbles to bowl and mix together. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: This stores well in the fridge for 3-4 days. It is even better on day 2 when the flavors have time to marry.

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. 🙂

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I am so excited for next week. It’s my blog’s 3rd anniversary and I have a full WEEK of giveaways for My Favorite Things planned!!!

Does the Eeyore cloud ever seem to get stuck over your head?

Have you made anything strange lately? Link it up!

Flipping Out + Designer Whey Winner

September 26, 2013 By Laura

Flipping out isn’t always a bad thing.

Let’s be real though – usually it isn’t pretty.

When I saw strongWOMAN Tara post about tire flipping, I immediately texted my trainer and asked if we could incorporate that into our session that night. I have no idea why I do these things to myself.

I didn’t realize how heavy tires were! I did the first two lengths of the gym with a 225 lb tire. Just when I was patting myself on the back, he decided we needed to up the weight. The next 2 lengths were done with a 265 lb tire. That’s when the real ~~hell~~ fun began.

This is the last bit:

For some reason he refused to bring me a beer after that… then made me do more legs! How rude!

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Just in case you didn’t come here to watch my huff and puff, I’ll go ahead and do as promised. Remember this giveaway?

The winner for the Designer Whey 1 year supply of protein is…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations!!! For those of you who’d still like a sweet protein deal, check out Jody’s site for a discount code on you next order of Designer Whey!

You better believe I had a healthy serving of Designer Whey after tire day!

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I knew my butt would be sore, but my forearms are also STIFF after that flippin’ tire.

Have you ever flipped a tire? Would you willingly do so?

Do you yell or grunt when you’re lifting something especially heavy? I can’t help it!

Satisfying Creamy Asian Kale Salad + WIAW

September 25, 2013 By Laura

There are no short cuts.

That doesn’t seems to stop people from trying .

Satisfries? Really Burger King? According to this article, the fast food chain has developed a lower fat french fry.* One serving is 190 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 210 milligrams of sodium.

*Yes, they are really called Satisfries

Apparently Satisfries taste like regular fries – they are made with the same oil as the full-fat version. The trick is that Burger King uses an oil-repelling agent in the better that lowers the fat content.

This is kitchen wizardry, not a nutritious french fry. I can’t stand when companies do this because it’s misleading to consumers. Yes,ultimately it’s up to the individual to do their research… but they DON’T. They see these products come out and think eating fries for lunch every day is a good choice (with a burger and a diet coke).

Right or wrong, the timing couldn’t be better. The U.S Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is requiring restaurant chains to post calorie counts on their menus next year. I wonder how many more menus items like these will be popping up?

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This is WIAW was crazy. I was in back to back meetings and pretty much only left my office long enough to pee and run to the fridge for more food. Thank god for food prep. I’m sure people think I’m nuts.

Read on for my San Francisco treats, and then check out Jenn’s blog. for some more “normal” days of food.

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