Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Yes, I Got Through Security + WIAW

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Traveling doesn’t have to be hard.

 

Step 1: Choose your companions wisely.

I’m 3 weeks out from my next competition.  And I’m in Arizona this week.  Trying to get in 7 lean meals a day is NOT an easy thing to do on the road.  As I’ve described (in greater detail) before, I simply bring my own.

Healthy food to go

 

My diet changes this week mean no fat, no sodium, and a more limited list of fruits and veggies (to avoid bloating).  I packed enough food to eat 6 meals per day, and I carried it ALL on.  No checked bags.  The unplanned meal is one I can get at the spa restaurant where we’re staying (I called ahead).

And yes, you can make it through security with a lot of unmarked powders. 😉

Traveling with supplements

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We left after Meal 2 today, so 5 of my 7 WIAW meals were all eaten on the road.   It was actually fun!  This trip I rocked the desserts.  Hard core.

WIAWbutton

Check out my 7 low fast, low-sodium, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how more normal people are eating!

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Meal 1:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).  This is the one thing I haven’t figured out on the road since ACV is a liquid and that won’t fly.  I savored my last one for the week.

Then I rocked a workout in one of my favorite race t-shirts in honor of Boston.  I was a sweaty mess for breakfast, which was a cherry PB & Jeggs… on top of a corn tortilla.  Not gonna lie, it would have been better on an english muffin.

Race tee for Boston + PB & Jeggs

 

Meal 2:

My last meal at home.  This was straight up awesome – the best sea bass I’ve ever made.  I don’t think it was my preparation so much as it was the freshness of the fish.  I guess they’re in season?!

For my side I had a quick salad of cherry tomatoes, raw zucchini, basil, red pepper flakes, and rice vinegar.

Sea Bass with tomato zucchini basil salad

 

Meal 3:

Lunch on a plane.  I packed up my version of a chopped salad – chicken baked in Ethiopian spices,  cauliflower, celery, celery leaves, and cubed sweet potato.

Chopped salad

 

Meal 4:

Bison on a plane!  With cauliflower and snow peas by the light of my laptop.

My mom was staring at me in disbelief.  She even said “I can’t believe you were the kid who wouldn’t eat anything but bologna every day.”  My, how times have changed… and she was jealous because all she’d had time for that day was a shake and a bar.  Bwhahaha!

Bison on a plane

 

Meal 5:

We were both famished when we reached the hotel.  Our room wasn’t ready, so we enjoyed dinner on the patio looking out at the mountains.

Arizona

 

I ordered a simple salad (that dressing wasn’t used) and then added my own no-salt turkey and a side of sweet potato.  I wanted to leave the ‘tater on the foil… I thought it was funny… but Mom got embarrassed and told me to put it on the plate.  LOL!

Bring your own protein and sweet potato to restaurants!

 

Meal 6:

We went for a long walk and checked out the spa (where I’ll be all day – OMG their gym is NICE).  On the way back we swung by one of the restaurants at the property where I obtained a plate and silverware.  Eating out of a baggie isn’t the end of the world, but if you can have a real plate… well, that’s just better.

Mexican baked chicken with cauliflower and snow peas.  I had cauliflower to use, can you tell? 😉

Baked chicken

 

Meal 7:

This is part of my dessert creation success.  I took individual containers of non-fat Greek yogurt and mixed them with oats, a fruit, and various flavors.  Then I cover them in foil and place them in the freezer.  This way, when I pack them, they also act as an ice pack for my other food.

Fro-yo to go

 

Tonight’s selection was mashed blackberries, cinnamon, stevia, and cocoa powder.

Just as good as the creations I make at home, my friends!

Cocoa-Blackberry Healthy Fro-yo

***

Sitting on that patio at dinner in that dessert spa atmosphere I wanted a margarita so bad.  I texted my trainer to beg.  He said no and that I would appreciate it on competition day.  He’s right… but damn.

Did you #workitout for Boston yesterday?

Have you ever whipped out your own food at a restaurant?  I’m shameless.

 

Mango-Coconut TVP Oatmeal + WIAW

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Can there be too much of a good thing?

I’m not sure I could tire of dark chocolate.

How about Nutella?  Can you imagine having 5.5 tons of it?  Thieves in Bad Hersfeld, Germany have made away with a trailer loaded up with just that much of the hazelnut-chocolate-y crack spread.  According to this report, that’s about $20,700 of Nutella.

nutella stolen

Seriously.  What would you do with all that nutella?  What are they going to do with it?!  More importantly… will this cause a shortage? 😉

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On to healthier, less-alaming things.  It’s WIAW time!  This is probably the last day of normal (for me) eats pre-competition.  Cheat days are gone and I’m back to being super-strict.  How do people do this for 16+ weeks?!

WIAWbutton

Check out my 7 low-sodium, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how more normal people are eating!

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Meal 1:

This morning I woke up SORE.  After getting my workout mojo back, I’ve been hitting the gym hard.  After my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) I talked myself  into an include treadmill walk.  I promised myself I’d only go for 20 mins to work out the soreness.  Well, once I got started I realized I was feeling MUCH better and did 40 mins!

That’s not to say that I didn’t spend the entire walk thinking about breakfast.  I was dreaming up something tropical and full of flavor.  Mango-Coconut TVP Oats.  I added coconut and butter extracts, then imagined I was on an island.

Mango-Coconut TVP Oatmeal

I can’t remember who suggested it, but adding a little baking powder to the original recipe made these nearly double in size.  I’m a volume eater, so I was in heaven.  Recipe at the bottom.

Meal 2:

This was so awkwardly timed.  I had posing practice so I didn’t wan to do that on a full tummy, but I was doing a leg day after which I refuse to do on an empty tummy.  So I scarfed this down between the two.  I’d recommend a little more time for digestion before 4 sets of 25 ass-to-the-grass barbell squats.

Shredded chicken with raspberries and pepitas.  And black pepper.  It’s good.  Really.

Chicken and raspberry salad

Meal 3:

I’ve seen Sarena do this for so long, I finally had to try it.  Cinnamon-roasted kabocha squash topped with vanilla protein powder “sauce.”  OF course, I had to #strangebutgood-ify mine up by making the protein green.  I blended it with spinach and maple extract.

You can’t taste the spinach… I don’t think my trainer believed me.  Whatever.  It was just the thing to take for a quick protein + carb shot after a killer leg day.

Kabocha squash and green protein sauce

Meal 4:

Is it weird to crave chicken?  I did.  Shredded chicken with green onion and diced cucumber.  I tossed it in a quick nutritional yeast dressing (nooch + apple cider vinegar + cumin + red pepper flakes).

Chicken + Cucumber Salad with nutritional yeast dressing

Meal 5:

I have “tested” this dish more than any recipe I’ve posted on this blog.  I think I finally got it right tonight!!!  And I took pics.  Recipe will come verrrry soon (read: as soon as I can motivate to edit said pics).

It’s an Indian curry.  I shared it with a friend, who gave it her stamp of approval. 🙂

Indian Curry

Meal 6:

I missed my salmon today!  Normally I like it with fruit for meal 2, but I definitely couldn’t do seafood right before squats (trust me – that is less-than-pleasent if it burps back up… TMI?).  Anyway, I decided to have evening salmon.

Sautéed portabello mushroom, red pepper, nutritional yeast, and salmon (pre-cooked during the Sunday food-prep with lemon and dill).

Salmon with mushrooms and red pepper

Meal 7:

I was conflicted tonight.  I needed more carbs, so it was a good night to try the baked chocolate chip Quest bar I’ve been seeing everywhere.  But I also wanted cottage cheese.  So I went half and half.  Turns out that was brilliant because I still have the other half of that bar to eat – it was AMAZING!

My cottage cheese was mixed with cocoa powder, vanilla, a little stevia, and cinnamon.  Topped with strawberries.

Cocoa cottage cheese and baked Quest bar

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Mango-Coconut TVP Oatmeal

Mango-Coconut TVP Oatmeal

  • 1/3 C Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
  • 3/4 C water
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp coconut extract
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • Stevia (or other sweetener), to taste
  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 1/8 tsp no-sodium baking powder
  • 1/2 mango
  • Unsweetened coconut, toasted

Add TVP, water, cinnamon, extracts, and stevia to a small pot.  Stir, and bring to a boil over med-high heat.  Cook about 5-6 mins, or until liquid is mostly absorbed.

Reduce heat to medium.  Pour in egg whites and baking powder.  Allow to cook for 2-3 more mins, stirring frequently so that the egg doesn’t form chunks.  The mixture will become voluminous.

Scoop into bowl and add mango and toasted coconut (I toasted mine in a pan with a bit of coconut oil).

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

***

Diet changes come tomorrow.  No more cheat days.  Reality has set in… I will be walking across a stage in stripper heels and a bikini in a month.  Ack!

What would you like to have 5.5 TONS of?

What have you learned not to eat before a workout?

Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack + WIAW

By

Everyone is a critic.

I have had to be talked off a ledge over bad service and/or food at a restaurant.

The Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan “came out” as a recently converted vegetarian.  This has sparked reactions from ‘we love you no matter what” statements of acceptance (Yonan compares it to when he came out as gay), to the expected accusations of not being a serious critic.

Vegetarian pie chart

Yonan admits to taking the occasional taste of meat out of curiosity or for his line of work, but in his daily life he’s keeping it meat-free.

I’ve said it over and over again, but diet is personal.  To be honest, I’d probably still eat more of a vegetarian diet if I wasn’t competing (I went vegan once too… but that wasn’t for me).  I think it’s great that Yonan is opening up about his choice.  Hopefully it will help more people realize that vegetables can be prepared just as decadently and be just as pleasing to eat as a piece of meat.

That food critic would certainly give 5 stars to this month’s green WIAW theme!  While I did eat bacon (among other meat), I do have a fruit or veggie with every meal.  No matter your dietary practice, eating your greens is always important.

WIAW GOES GREEN

Check out my 7 veggie-laced, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

Meal 1:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Aminos) brought a smile to may face today.  I bought a new brand of glutamine (they were out of my usual), and it came with the cutest mini scooper!

Glutamine

 

Like last week’s Mexican Spaghetti Pie, I was once again craving a savory Mexican breakfast.  Apparently I was also craving some healthy fats, because this Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack included avocado, a runny egg, and bacon.

It may look fancy, but if you approach it from a semi-homemade angle (see recipe at the bottom of this post), this breakfast can come together in 10 mins or less.  Mex-FAST.  Get it? 😉

Mexican Breakfast Tortilla

This would make even the most anti-morning person smile.  And I did.

Does life get any better than a runny egg in the morning?

Mexi-fast Tortilla

Meal 2:

The salmon and fruit obsession is back with a #strangebutgood combo: salmon, beets, cilantro, walnuts and… watermelon.  It’s really good.  I promise.

Watermelon Beet Salmon Salad

Meal 3:

Lunch was a post-workout meal.  I braved the cold jog there (in snow flurries!) and back, so despite a good burn I was freezing again and wanted a hot treat.

I used my french vanilla Designer Whey to make a new microwave bake!  I’ve tried this combo once before and it needed work.  I think I have it down now, but want to try it one more time before sharing to be sure.

Meal 4:

I got the most perfect rotisserie chicken ever from Whole Foods this week.  It was fresh out of the oven and perfectly cooked.  Their Naked chicken is my favorite because they don’t add all the salt the others have.  I shredded it on Sunday for a quick meal during the week.

Today I mixed it with red pepper, celery, hummus dressing (hummus + apple cider vinegar), and freshly ground pepper.

Chicken Salad

Meal 5:

This was one of the most successful days for kitchen experiments ever.  For dinner I decided to try my hand at lamb meatballs and a cucumber yogurt dip.

Big.  Win.  I’ll share it when it’s warm light enough to take pics.

Lamb Meatballs

Served atop a spinach salad with red pepper and cauliflower.

There were also eggplant chips (I forgot them in the oven) and half a Carb Master cookie dough bar (dessert – it had to happen).

Meal 6:

I really wanted dessert, but instead I was good and had mahi mahi.  I baked it during my Sunday food prep with a Greek yogurt, rosemary, and lemon sauce.

For my veggies I had a side of carrot and celery sticks.  I love both veggies with peanut butter, so I made a quick sauce from peanut flour, sriracha, and unsweetened almond milk.

Mahi Mahi and Sriracha Peanut Dip

Meal 7:

Finally, time for dessert.  If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I ate the same thing last night.  It was sooooo good though!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bowl

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bowl

  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 C pumpkin puree
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1/4 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • Stevia, to taste
  • Optional topping: whole wheat rice crispies, blueberries, and cacao nibs

Mexi-fast Tortilla

Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack

  • 3 T tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic
  • Shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie from Whole Foods)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 C spinach
  • 1 corn tortilla
  • Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, freshly ground pepper and bacon sprinkles. 

Mix together tomato sauce and spices (you could also just use salsa here).  Add chicken, stirring to combine.  Microwave ~12 seconds, until warmed.  Set aside.

Cook egg in lightly greased pan, until cooked to desired level.

Add spinach to pan to lightly saute.

Place tortilla on plate between 2 moist paper towels.  Microwave ~10 seconds to soften.

Top tortilla with spinach, chicken, and egg.  Add any additional toppings.  Devour.

***

The protein count for the day: 169.3

Do you think an “official” food critic can be vegetarian?

What’s for breakfast?  Do you shake things up at breakfast or have the same things? 

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie + WIAW

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People will eat anything.

I know I’m all #strangebutgood, but some take it way to far.  To the point of #strangebutnasty.

Pizza seems to be the most common canvas for strangeness.  Sometimes it works – I love a runny egg on my socca (it’s also delish on my cauliflower pizza crust).

However, some things just shouldn’t happen.  Like insane stuffed crusts.  I ran across this article listing the “12 Craziest Things Mankind Has Stuffed Into Pizza Crusts.”

cheeseburger crust

That is a cheese burger crust.  A.K.A. Heart attack waiting to happen.

This next one I must admit is creative.  But come on.  Do you reallllly need buffalo wings in your crust?

buffalo wing crust

Moving on to something less nauseating… it’s another green WIAW!  Eating a high protein diet doesn’t mean sacrificing veggies!  I have a fruit or veggie with every meal, so I’m especially glad Jenn decided to rock out with her green out this month.

WIAW GOES GREEN

Check out my 7 veggie-laced, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

Meal 1:

Predictably, I began my day with a cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

This morning I went savory.  Remember this Spaghetti Squash Pie?  Today I made it Mexican and ate it for breakfast.  I prepped the meat and squash the night before, so it was easy to compose and throw in the oven first thing in the morning.  #strangebutgood Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie 1

I LOVE this combo.  It’s not so weird to have eggs, cheese, and salsa in the morning… so why not add some ground chicken and squash and call it a pie?

I used salsa in this version and added bulk using black beans.  After it cooked, I added fresh avocado to the top – I wouldn’t recommend skipping this step.

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie

Recipe at the bottom.

Meal 2:

Spicy baked chicken had become something of an addiction.  I baked this with a TON of Indian spices – ginger, dry mustard, cinnamon, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and fenugreek.

Eaten with perfectly ripe mango.  Sweet + Spicy = Addiction  Strange but good?

Indian chicken and mango

Meal 3:

Lunch was a post-leg workout meal.  Let’s pretend I was more creative… but no.  I brought my old favorite to the gym.  Carrot Cake Protein Batter.  Made with french vanilla Designer Whey and topped with brown rice crispies.  After 100 hack squats, I would have eaten my first.  But this probably tasted better. 😉

 Leg day refuel

Meal 4:

The salt-free deli turkey addiction continues.  Today I made little cucumber open-face sandwiches and topped them with avocado, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground pepper.

Turkey cucumber sandwiches

I mayyyyy have also done a little quality control for a cake I was baking.  This is my first attempt at gluten-free baking, so it had to be tested.  I made a mini confetti cake:

mini confetti cake

Meal 5:

You guys know my friend Kat who guest posts here every Thursday?  It was Kat’s birthday yesterday!  She had a potluck dinner at her place, so I enjoyed everyone’s home cooked dishes at dinner.  We had kale salad, roasted sweet potatoes, beet and orange salad, nuts, hummus, GF chips, and peanut M&Ms.  All the basic food groups.  And wine… heart health is important, you know. 😉

Plus cake.  Kat is gluten-free and requested a GF confetti cake.  I happily obliged and made a cake based on this recipe, plus some boozy hazelnut icing.

The flavor of the cake was awesome; it was just enough vanilla to have a distinct flavor.  I was especially happy that it remained moist.  However, the texture was a bit gummy.  Anyone know how to fix that?  Or is that just common in a GF cake? 

The icing was a win.  Nutty and creamy, it was just the thing against the vanilla cake.

Gluten Free Confetti Cake with Frangelico Frosting

Frangelico (Hazelnut) Frosting

  • 3 C confections sugar
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, room temperature
  • 4 T Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)

Whip butter with electric (or hand) mixer until light and fluffy (~3-4 mins). Slowly add powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time  (adding slowly means it’s less grainy and requires less sugar to thicken).

When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Frangelico and whip it until combined.  If this makes frosting too thin, add another tablespoon of powdered sugar.

Meal 6:

Ha!  There were no more meals.  I ate 5-7 at the party, and enjoyed celebrating with Kat!

How awesome are the photo bombers?!

Kat is guest posting again tomorrow – don’t forget to come back by and wish her a happy belated!  Teaser: I think her post is going to be related to the Ultra Marathon she ran last weekend!

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie

  • 1 small spaghetti squash, pre-cooked (about 3.5 cups, easy microwave instructions here)
  • 1/2 C egg whites
  • 1/2 C fat-free ricotta cheese
  • 1 tsp dried cilantro 
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 8 oz. ground chicken
  • 1/4 C red onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 C salsa
  • 1/2 C black beans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a pie dish.

Stir together the spaghetti squash and egg whites.  Pour evenly into the pie dish as the crust (note: this will look too runny, but it isn’t – the egg will solidify in the oven).

Mix together the ricotta cheese, cilantro, cumin, and garlic powder.  Arrange evenly over the spaghetti mixture, leaving ~1/4 in space around the edge to preserve the “pie” look.

In a large pan, brown ground chicken with onion, jalapeno and garlic (can also use olive oil).  Add salsa and beans, allowing to cook over medium until warmed (~6-7 mins).

Evenly pour the chicken and sauce mixture on top of the ricotta layer in your pie dish.

Bake uncovered for ~45 mins, or until most of the “jiggle” is gone.

***

The protein count for the day: I don’t know… I definitely did well but I wasn’t about to measure everything at a birthday party.  Let’s just say my leg day was fueled.

We all like brinner (breakfast for dinner), but do you ever eat dinner for breakfast?

Do you ever make a “tester” when you try new recipes?

Quick Breakfast Bread Pudding + WIAW

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Restaurants are banning food photography.

 

I’d leave if they told me I couldn’t take pics!

It seems like a weird thing to me.  I understand banning flash photography – that could be distracting to other diners – but a simple phone pic?  Instagram can HELP restaurants grow business.  If I post something tasty-looking and tag the restaurant, that’s free advertising for them!

I do think that if your dining companions are annoyed by your pics and having to wait to eat while you document everyone’s meal you should refrain.  Luckily, my friends are usually reminding me to take pics! 🙂

I would have hated to miss this pic from an underground dinner last Sunday… recap coming soon!

 

A restaurant group in Spain gets it.  According to this article, the group is actually hosting classes to teach patrons to take better iPhone pics.

The theory is that good pics make their food look better.  If they can get customers to post more delicious-looking pics, it only helps them.  Duh.

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We all know I can’t help but take pics of my meals.  It’s why I love WIAW.  This month Jenn is going green!

WIAW GOES GREEN

Check out my 7 veggie-laced, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

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Meal 1:

Predictably, I began my day with a cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

I wanted something different this morning.  Something with bread and eggs.  A little sweet, a little savory.  Something that felt fancy, but prepared quickly – I woke up hungry!  So I just started putting stuff together.

Breakfast Bread Pudding

 

It may not look pretty (brown food is IMPOSSIBLE!), but the result was pretty good, if I may say so!  It was a bread pudding, done in the microwave.  I used a bit of stevia, lots of cinnamon, and crumbled bacon to hit the sweet-savory craving.  Full recipe at the bottom of this post.

On the side I had a broiled grapefruit, which is incredibly easy but has a juicy, decadent feel.

Breakfast Bread Pudding and Broiled Grapefruit

 

Meal 2:

Today I have a surprise.  For once I did NOT eat salmon.  During my Sunday food prep, I baked a bunch of chicken with various spices.  This piece was coated in a Mexican spice blend.  I cut it into strips to heat, then topped it with avocado and strawberries.  Love the sweet and spicy combo!  Strange but good?

Mexican chicken, avocado, and strawberries

 

Meal 3:

Lunch was a post-workout meal.  I wanted to be festive, so I made my protein Shamrock Shake… with a twist.  Since I’d just had avocado at Meal 2, I used sweet potato to cream up my smoothie instead.  I also added cinnamon… because I put it in everything. 😉

Shamrock Smoothie Bowl

This thing was SO massive that I had to eat it in two rounds.  It wouldn’t all fit in my largest bowl!  Topped with Special K Popcorn Chips.  I am so glad they are now gone. I couldn’t stop eating them!

 

Meal 4:

I completely forgot I  had a whole pound of salt-free deli turkey!  This made for a happy snacker, as I had no idea what I was going to make.  In a bowl I shredded up the turkey and tossed it with beets and broccoli slaw.  Then I poured a quick sauce over it.

The sauce was just nutritional yeast, no-salt mustard, smoked paprika, coconut vinegar, and pepper.  I didn’t bother to measure.

Turkey Salad

 

Meal 5:

If I told you I hadn’t been thinking about this meal all day long, I’d be lying.  A tempeh-stuffed baked artichoke.  I crumbled the tempeh and mixed it with marinara sauce, fresh rosemary, and minced garlic.

Topped with a runny egg.  It took longer to bake than I’d hoped.  I should have started earlier, because I didn’t eat dinner until 8:45p.  And it could have baked a bit longer.  Whatever.  It was still good.  

Tempeh-stuffed Baked Artichoke

Leave it to me to take a vegan dish and top it with egg. 😉

 

Meal 6:

I was forcing this down.  After my late dinner I didn’t want meal 6, so I kept it light with some turkey and celery slices.  Yawn.

Turkey and celery

 

Meal 7:

Dessert is always my favorite meal… yet I have the HARDEST time figuring out what I want to eat sometimes!  I finally settled on my 150 Calorie Chocolate Microwave Cake, made with my Growing Naturals chocolate protein powder (purchased from iHerb – use code USO924 for a discount) and using carob powder in place of the cocoa powder.

Microwave protein cake and strawberries

This was  topped with warmed strawberries.  I heated the berries in the micro, mashed them up, and added a little ginger.  Also a scoop of cottage cheese, cacao nibs, and cinnamon.

It’s a bit early for strawberries… but oh-so-good to have them back in my life.  Is it spring yet?!

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Breakfast Bread Pudding

Breakfast Bread Pudding

  • 1 Ezekial english muffin (or other bread)
  • 1/4 piece bacon, crumbled
  • 1/2 C egg whites
  • 1/4 C unsweetened almond milk (or other liquid)
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • 3-4 drops orange liquid stevia (or other sweetneer, to taste)
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

 

Prepare a coffee mug (I coated mine with coconut oil).

Tear English muffin into bits and place in mug.  Crumble bacon over top.

In a small bowl, whisk or beat together egg whites, milk, chia seeds, spices, extracts, and sweetener until combined and a bit frothy.

Pour egg mixture over bread in mug, pressing down so bread is coated.

Microwave for 2:30-3 mins, until egg is cooked.

Enjoy!

***

The protein count for the day: 167.5g.  Rawr.

What are your thoughts on food picture-taking in restaurants?

Do you have a “dessert” every night?  What is your favorite?

 

Designer Whey Protein + WIAW

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I eat a lot of protein.

Oh?  You didn’t notice? 😉

My primary source of protein comes from fish and meat, but I do use protein powders.  After yesterday’s supplements post, I realized I needed to address protein powder too.

I have started religiously having a serving a whey protein after each workout, and it’s really made a difference in muscle development.  My current favorite is Designer Whey.  I received an awesome package from Designer Whey through the Fitfluential Ambassador program to review.  As always, all opinions are my OWN.

Designer Whey protein review

Their whey powders are delicious.  I’d never tried a White Chocolate powder before, and this is my new favorite.  It’s not too sweet or “fake” tasting.  In addition to the fantastic taste, it blends well.  In my meal 5 today I used it without anything creamy (like Greek yogurt).  It blended in with my carrots without the slightest hint or grit or chalk.  Nutritionally, they are awesome as well.  Low in sugar, low in sodium, and high in protein.  It also contains calcium, vitamin D, and B vitamins.

Next were the bars.  I loved the taste – especially the Peanut Butter Crunch.  A lot.  I do wish they were lower sugar and higher in protein, but appreciate that they don’t use a lot of “mystery” sweeteners that you see in SO many lower sugar bars.  I loved it as a quick punch of energy before hitting the gym!

Designer Whey protein bar review

I’ve been experimenting a lot with the Designer Whey powders in recipes.  I have one today that I’m in LOVE with (see meal 1), and I’m working on a new microwave cake… I just have to figure out how to prevent the microwave explosion.  Tasty, but messy.

As soon as I can quit eating the powders, I’ll review the drink mix.  Can I use it with vodka? 😉

This WIAW Jenn is going green!  I love my veggies.  Despite being a protein whore, I make sure to have a fruit or veggie at every meal.  The proof is in my eats today!

WIAW GOES GREEN

Check out my 7 veggie-laced, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

Meal 1:

As always, I began my day with a cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Aminos).

In addition to White Chocolate protein powder, my other latest addiction is whipped cottage cheese.  I’d gotten on the kick a few weeks ago, but forgot about it until I made Monday’s Everything Bagel Schmear.  That creation lead me to the solution for the problem I was having with THIS creation.

Fail

#fail

The problem with the first experiments was the “cream” was more of a sauce.  I had been trying to make it with a mix of protein powder and Greek yogurt, which became too thin when the warm berries were added.  By using whipped cottage cheese, the mixture stayed creamy!

Balsamic Strawberries and Cream 1

If you’ve never had strawberries and balsamic, you are missing out.  My balsamic is a thick, aged variety from Italy, but you can reduce a standard balsamic to thicken it and achieve the same syrup-y richness.  That tang with the sweet berries is not to be missed!

I also added chia seeds, cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, and a bit of lemon stevia.  Nutmeg and lemon stevia aren’t common ingredients, but if you have them on hand I urge you to use them.  If not, try a ground nutmeg and a couple drops of lemon juice.  It takes the flavors to a whole new level!

Meal 2:

Some call it a rut.  I call it delicious.  More salmon and fruit has become a meal 2 staple.  Last week’s curry salmon was so good I did it again this week.  On Sunday night (food prep time) I coat a large piece of salmon with lime juice and curry power, then roast it in the oven for ~12 mins on 375.

Mixed with grapes and raw pepitas (again).

Curried Salmon and Grape Salad

Meal 3:

Lunch is another recipe I cannot wait to share… but I will.  Mostly because I really hate editing pictures, so I’ve procrastinated too long to share it today.  It’s a new, healthy version of the Spaghetti Pie my mom used to make when I was growing up.  I ate it for lunch with a side of cucumber slices.

I took it to Starbucks where I spent the afternoon working.  Shameless.

Spaghetti Pie

After lunch I drank my green tea with a little dessert surprise.  They have a new carrot muffin, and the barista brought around samples for the patrons.

It’s delicious.  Probably loaded with sugar.

Starbucks Carrot muffin

Meal 4:

This snack was also taken in to Starbucks.  Tuna salad mixed with celery, cauliflower, red onion, coconut vinegar, and Brown Beer Hummus.  No one seemed upset by the tuna smell. 

Tuna Salad

Meal 5:

Another meal on the go.  I had a leg appointment with my trainer before dinner, so I took my whey creation with my to the gym.  372 calories later, I inhaled this.  It’s a repeat… but I love it.  Carrot Cake Overnight (Over-afternoon?) Oats:

Carrot Cake Whey Overnight Oats

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 scoop French Vanilla Designer Whey
  • 1/4 C raw oatmeal
  • 5 g creatine
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • Water (just enough to mix the powder… maybe 3 T?)

Mix, let soak for at least an hour to allow oats to soften and flavors to meld.  Enjoy!

Meal 6:

After I got home (it’s a 40 min drive), I was hungry again.  Leg day leaves me ravenous!

This came together really quickly thanks to my Sunday  meal prep.  This Mexican-ish bowl had a crumbled turkey burger (pre-cooked with Mexican spices), spinach, parsnip “rice,” salsa, and an eggplant chip on the side.

Healthy Mexican Bowl

Meal 7:

My Greek yogurt addiction is still going strong.  This bowl was the perfect end to the day.  It’s hard to believe it was healthy!

I mixed my Greek with cinnamon and peanut flour (purchased from iHerb – use code USO924 for a discount) and a little stevia.  The toppings are banana, cacao nibs, coconut shreds, cocoa powder sauce (cocoa powder + liquid + stevia), and a crumbled Nutty Quinoa Fuel Bar.

PB + Banana Greek Yogurt Bowl

Balsamic Strawberries and White Chocolate Cream

Balsamic Strawberries & White Chocolate Cream

  • 1 Ezekial english muffin (or other bread)
  • 1/4 C no-salt cottage cheese
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1 T unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 scoop White Chocolate Designer Whey
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • 3-4 drops lemon liquid stevia
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 C strawberries, sliced
  • 1/2 tsp aged (or reduced) balsamic vinegar

Toast english muffin and set aside on a plate.

In a small blender, mix cottage cheese, chia seeds, and milk until desired level of “smooth” is reached.  Add liquid as needed.

Stir in protein powder, cinnamon, extract, stevia, and nutmeg.

In a small pan, saute strawberries and balsamic until warmed and becoming soft, ~2-3 mins.

Top the toast with protein cream and berries.  Enjoy!

***

The protein count for the day: 157.9g. Other good news: I went for my annual at my Dr. (ladies, you know the one), and I’ve gained 7 lbs since last year!!!  That’s muscle.  Woot!

What is your favorite way to get more greens in your diet?

Do you use protein powder?  What is your favorite?

Growing from Challenges + WIAW

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Challenges are necessary for growth.

Even though sometimes it hurts. 

Katy’s 28 Day Blogger Challenge isn’t too painful.  The painful part is find time to make blog improvements.  Since reading her post, I’ve begun making some improvements.

28 day blogger challenge

Progress thus far:

  • Going through old posts to make edits and fix any broken links/pics  
  • (Slowly) transferring all of my Recipes to my Recipage
  • Editing my Google Reader folders for better organization
  • Increased focus on growing my Facebook page
  • Visiting/commenting on new blogs

And the big one: I bit the bullet and created a media kit!  Katy was kind enough to review it for me and then posted it on her Best Blogger Media Kits page!

Does anyone else find these tasks daunting?!

 

Now on to the most important business: food!  A lot of my WIAW meals this week were eaten in the office.  With a little planning and prep on Sunday, I can grab meals to go spending much time in the morning (which is good because I am ALWAYS late).

WIAWbutton

Check out my 7 prepared meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how others dined this week!

 

Meal 1:

Of course, I enjoyed my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

Then I took a 30 min incline walk on the treadmill, I devoured a favorite treat – overnight oats in a jar!  But this wasn’t just any jar… it was a tahini tin!  Strange But Good.

Tahini-Banana Oats

Tahini-Banana Overnight Oats

  • 1/3 C oatmeal
  • 1/2 banana, masked
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 2/3 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • End of a tahini jar (~2 tsp)
  • Stevia, to taste
  • Pinch of xanthan gum (to thicken)

Meal 2:

Salmon and fruit has become a typical meal for me.  Today I ate it with grapes and raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds).  My salmon was pepped on Sunday night, baked in the oven with curry and lime juice

Salmon and Grape Salad

Meal 3:

Lunch was one that made people in the breakroom stare.  I guess swordfish isn’t a popular lunch from home?

On Sunday I’d baked my swordfish with mediterranean seasonings and garlic.  I quickly chopped up some broccoli and red peppers and mixed it with nutritional yeast and apple cider vinegar.  Topped that off with edamame and red pepper flakes just before serving.  I keep red pepper flakes in my desk.

Swordfish and Edamame Salad

The sweet potato was “dessert.”  I coated it in cinnamon.  Cinnamon is also kept in my desk drawer.

Meal 4:

Nearly every week I buy a “naked” rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods.  I de-bone it as soon as I get home, which makes it a really easy meal option throughout the week.  I mixed a portion with my Brown Beer Hummus, purple watercress, and celery.

Chicken and Beer Hummus

Cheers to sneaky beers at work!

Meal 5:

Something about a cold night makes me want meatballs.  Id’ baked a bunch for my Oscar party, so I took a couple of the leftover balls and made an open-faced sandwich with an Ezekial english muffin.

I served my meatball sandwich with a side of parsnip fries and a purple watercress and cucumber salad.  The salad dressing was awesome – I mixed nutritional yeast with balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Baked Meatball Sandwich with Parsnip Fries

Meal 6:

You know what’s awesome? Eggs and bacon with red pepper, mushrooms, and a little cheddar.  I mixed in smoked paprika, freshly gound pepper, and herbs de provence.

Confession: This was going to be an omelette… but I’m not so good at making those.  It tasted just as delicious scrambled. 😉

Bacon and Egg Scramble

Meal 7:

I’m going through a Greek yogurt and cereal addiction.  This bowl was like a creamy, deconstructed PB&J.  What’s not to love?

Deconstructed PB&J Bowl

Deconstructed PB&J Yogurt Bowl

  • 3/4 C Greek yogurt
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Stevia, to taste
  • Brown rice crispies
  • Blackberries
  • Cacao nibs

***

The protein count for the day: 159.4g.  I hope it goes to my ass…

What challenges have you powered through lately?

Is there anything that would enhance your experience on my blog of social media stuff?  I love feedback!

My Figure Delay + WIAW

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Knowing when to hold off is important.

 

But I really hate it. 

Yesterday I did a leg session with my trainer (I am walking like a granny today).  I was going to do my next figure competition in March, just 4 weeks from now.  We talked about my progress and decided to delay .

This is why:

Back progress

 

My upper body has filled out a lot.  Shoulders are wider, back more developed… he actually said my upper body is competition-ready now.  BUT do you see my butt?  It’s not catching up.  Why, oh why doesn’t chocolate cake go straight to my butt and legs?

So we made the call to hold off until May to give me more time to grow so that I can present better in a couple more months.  We’ll be going super heavy, making some TBD diet changes, and focusing more on my rear.  The diets changes I had made (mostly more fat) have been good, but the gains haven’t been quite to the point we need.

I’m disappointed.  My bum bums me out… but I know my trainer is right.  🙁

________________________________________________________________________________________

In happier news, I finally have a WIAW post where I got to eat at home!  I don’t really mind being on the road, but not eating out of a baggie is a welcome change.

WIAWbutton

Check out my 7 home-cooked meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how others dined this week!

________________________________________________________________________________________

Meal 1:

I’m still loving my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

30 mins later I made my new favorite breakfast: toasted Ezekial English muffin with some warmed no-salt deli turkey, nutritional yeast sauce, and a runny egg.  I ate it with a side of sweet lime.  Sweet lime = Strange But Good.

Yolk porn

Savory Nooch Sauce

  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Cumin
  • Cayenne
  • Liquid smoke
  • Pinch of xanthan gum (to thicken)

 

Meal 2:

I really love having salmon with fruit for meal 2.  Today I ate it with my sweet lime, raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), basil, and a little cayenne.  Sweet lime really is amazing – like a mild orange.

Salmon and sweet lime salad

 

Meal 3:

Lunch was post-workout, so it was a Carrot Cake Whey creation.  This is one of my go-tos. I love carrots.

Carrot Cake Whey

Carrot Cake Whey

  • 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 C greek yogurt
  • 1/4 C raw oatmeal
  • Enough water to mix

 

Then I decided I deserved a little treat – kombucha!  I drank it in the car with the moon roof open.  I’m loving being home where it’s 60 degrees and sunny by lunch!  I re-set my HRM post-workout to catch the leg day after-burn.  125 cals in the hour following my workout!

Leg day afterburn

 

Meal 4:

After talking to my trainer, we are going to be looking at keeping the fats high.  This way I can shovel in more calories without being too stuffed to want to eat (which is what happened when we tried to drastically increase carbs).  This is the fun part!  I made bison burgers… cooked with bacon.

Bison and bacon

 

The bottle in the background is Robbie’s sugar-free, low-sodium BBQ sauce I found at Whole Foods.  I’d made my own before my first competition, but when I saw this I had to try it.  I like mine better, but this wasn’t bad!

Eaten with cucumber slices and some unpictured hummus

Bison burger and cucumbers

Meal 5-7:

That’s not a typo – this was like 3 meals in one.  I had dinner at Lure with local bloggers and friends, Beth and Amy.  I love these girls – we laughed through the entire meal.

When we sat down we were gifted with a giant punch bowl from the owner.  It was some sort of apple cider and rum concoction, and it was absolutely fabulous.  We must be getting old, because we actually couldn’t finish it all.

Lure Atlanta

For my app I ordered brussels.  It’s actually a side item, but it sounded so good.  Roasted brussels with grapes, pumpkin seeds, and lemon aioli.  I loved the flavor together, but the aioli was so rich that I only finished half (it was a HUGE serving!).  There was some (unpictured) sesame bread involved too.

Dinner was a delicious grilled Arctic Char fillet coated in berbere spice served with young carrots and farro verde.  I almost licked my plate… but saved a little room for dessert.  A chocolate and peanut butter mousse cake.  It was so good I forgot to take a pic until we’d eaten all but 2 bites of the slice.  Bad blogger.

***

The protein count for the day: 150.1g.  I think… you never know with restaurant meals.  Either way, I sufficiently refueled after a brutal leg day.

Have you ever had to take a step back to perform even better in the long run?

Do you enjoy traditionally savory foods with a pop of sweet from fruit?  It’s a favorite Strange But Good in my kitchen!

 

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