Eat Oxygen

Roasted Brussell Sprouts with PB

2011-12-04T11:19:00.002-05:00

My favorite simple snack: roasted brussell sprouts with peanut butter...has to be super chunky peanut butter :)

low carb pumpkin pancakes

2011-12-01T00:04:00.003-05:00

Kind of like my regular protein pancakes, but less egg whites and more pumpkin...

Ingredients:
- one scoop protein powder
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- spoonful of pumpkin

Directions: blend and cook like a pancake.

roasted veggies...

2011-11-26T22:45:00.004-05:00

My favorite topping on salads is roasted veggies. Every Sunday I go to the local farmers market and buy a bunch of veggies and roast them. Then I stick them in the fridge and top on my salads...

Prior to cooking:

After cooking:

strawberry pancakes (low carb!)

2011-11-25T22:47:00.003-05:00

2 ingredients (well, minus the toppings)

Ingredients:
- one scoop protein powder (I used strawberry dymatize)
- 3/4 cup egg beaters

Directions: blend and cook in pan like pancakes.

Makes a ton of them!

I topped mine with cinnamon and sugar free maple syrup.

Chocolate oatmeal and yogurt

2011-11-25T12:45:00.002-05:00

This is the easiest "recipe." Basically I added in hershey's cocoa powder to yogurt and oatmeal to make it more chocolate.

For chocolate yogurt, mix in splenda and hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder.

I cooked the oatmeal as I normally do and then mixed in the cocoa powder.

Turkey and FF Cheese Omelette

2011-11-25T12:42:00.002-05:00

What to do with leftovers?

Make a turkey and fat free cheese omelette!

Ingredients:
- one cup egg whites
- 2 slices fat free cheese
- turkey

Directions: Cook egg whites in pan. One cooked on one side, add in turkey and pieces of cheese. Flip. One cooked, put on a plate and top with other slice of cheese.

My thanksgiving favorites...

2011-11-24T09:58:00.005-05:00

Roasted Butternut Squash topped with cinnamon, salt and sugar free maple syrup...

Healthy cranberry sauce

- 2 bags of cranberries
- chopped apple (granny smith)

Directions: Boil cranberries in water until they all "pop." Drain water and add in chopped apple and cook some more.

chicken with Roasted Kale and Zucchini

2011-11-24T09:56:00.002-05:00

An easy chicken recipe. Roast some up some kale and zucchini and top with chicken and tomato sauce (literally, the sauce is from a can and topped with spices and salt).

2 yummy ways to enjoy my chobani :)

2011-11-23T13:52:00.002-05:00

If you had been following the site for a while, you know I only buy plain greek non-fat yogurt... but I never eat it plain!

Maple cinnamon yogurt
- Plain greek yogurt topped with cinnamon, one packet splenda and sugar free maple syrup.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Yogurt
- one microwave brownie (3/4 scoop of protein powder mixed with some pumpkin) and microwaved.
- container of greek yogurt
-cinnamon
- splenda

Mix the splenda, cinnamon and yogurt. Add in crumbled brownie. top with sugar free maple syrup.

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie

2011-11-21T19:25:00.005-05:00

Another two minute recipe... I top mine with sugar free maple syrup. You can top with peanut butter, almond butter, or sugar free jelly.

Ingredients:
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 1/4 cup egg whites
- big scoop of pumpkin

Directions: mix together and microwave....

Cinnamon Egg Whites with Peanut Butter

2011-11-21T19:24:00.004-05:00

I haven't had this in a while.

Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup egg whites
- cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Directions: mix cinnamon and egg whites. cook on a non-stick skillet and top with more cinnamon and peanut butter.

PB Chicken with Kale

2011-11-21T19:22:00.002-05:00

Tonight's dinner was kale chips topped with chicken and peanut butter....

"Zucchini Noodles" with Chicken

2011-11-21T19:15:00.004-05:00

Nice Low Carb Lunch.... zucchini "noodles" made with my spiralizer. Topped with chicken and diced tomato sauce topped with spices.

casein pudding

2011-11-20T15:33:00.005-05:00

Easy to make...

Ingredients
- One scoop of casein protein powder
- 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- one container of non-fat plain greek yogurt

Directions
- blend together

chicken...

2011-11-20T15:10:00.002-05:00

I am working from home this week, so I bought some chicken to last me all week...

All cooked up and in the fridge...

Roasted veggies (green cabbage, purple cabbage and carrots with salt and soy sauce) topped with chicken and peanut butter...

My favorite winter Veggie... Kabocha Squash

2011-11-19T14:33:00.001-05:00

My favorite part of winter is definitely kabocha squash... well, this is actually my favorite all year round....

Roasted in the oven and topped with cinnamon, salt and maple syrup... and a blob of peanut butter, of course :)

Back again....

2011-11-18T19:05:00.003-05:00

Hi Guys,
I am back again... after another short blogging break. Things have been busy with work. I felt like I have been living out of a suitcase the past 4 months. My job has been going great, I am finally happy again... woo hoo :)

These days I have been eating out of convenience... I have been eating a lot more low fat, higher carb and protein... and I miss my peanut butter!

Turkey and fat free cheese on 100 calorie bagel thins (I love these!)

Still obsessed with rice cakes topped with "protein spread..." (Protein powder mixed with a bit of water)

My new favorite on the go snack.... plain greek yogurt mixed with oatmeal, cinnamon and splenda.

Hopefully, things die down so I can continue blogging... because I missed it :)

Gotein Protein Prowder

2011-08-05T05:07:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Gotein for sending me samples of their protein packets to sample. These are perfect for on the go. If I am traveling I usually bring bags of protein powder, and more often than not, I end up spilling it all over my suitcase. So, these are great! Gotein is recommended for mixing the packet into a bottle of water/milk. However, I usually I mix mine with food. The other day I bought the chocolate and a packet of oatmeal with me to work and mixed them together. Yummy!

As shown below, they come in three delicious flavors: Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla.

The bars have either 100-110 calories, 16-17 grams protein and 5-6 grams carbs each.

These are genius :)

Supreme Carb Conscious Bars

2011-07-31T19:00:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Supreme Protein for sending me two boxes of their carb conscious bars to sample. Both bars ARE DELICIOUS! They taste like candy bars, and are a perfect treat anytime. (I am not going to lie, I can have these for breakfast, lunch or dinner)... and I have before. My only problem with them is they are so good, I usually want two! :) But seriously, these are a delicious and healthy snack for people on the go... as much as I love to cook during the week, I usually end up eating a lot of bars because they are not messy, require no tupperware, and they smell good (let's face it, chicken and cooked veggies smell horrible)... and I work closely with my fellow co-workers... so I am sure they appreciate it.

The two flavors they sent me were:
1.) peanut butter and jelly
2.) caramel nut chocolate

Both bars have 200 calories, 8 grams fat, 18 grams carbs and 15 grams protein.

However they come in a variety of other (delicious) flavors. I have had every one before.
1.) Peanut butter crunch
2.) cookies and cream
3.) rocky road brownie
4) peanut butter pretzel twist
5.) chocolate caramel cookie crunch

Is your mouth watering? They taste as good as they sound!

Thomas Blueberry Bagel Thins

2011-07-26T19:41:00.008-04:00

I was so excited when I got an email from Thomas to sample their new flavor in their line of bagel thins: Blueberry. I love all of Thomas' breads (you can't go wrong, their bread tastes so fresh), but I am a HUGE fan of their "light" product lines (which includes english muffins, breakfast round thins, bagel thins). And I am a HUGE fan of blueberry anything, so these were right up my alley. And you can't beat the calorie count: only 110 calories per bagel thin!

The blueberry bagel thins are delicious! I highly recommend them. As soon as I opened the bag I got a wonderful whiff of blueberry. These are so good I ate them plain. I didn't need a topping. I am going to make some healthified french toast with these... stay tuned for the recipe over the next few days :)

Other flavors these bagel thins come in include: plain, whole wheat and cinnamon raisin. I have tried the whole wheat before and they are delicious. They make super yummy turkey sandwiches.

Be sure to be ok the lookout for these bagel thins.

Thank you Thomas! :) These are delicious!

Macadamia Coconut "Noodles"

2011-07-26T19:39:00.003-04:00

Ingredients:
- Peeled Zucchini and summer squash
- coconut oil (1 tablespoon)
- macadamia nut butter (1 tablespoon)

Directions: spiralize zucchini and summer squash. Mix with coconut oil and macadamia nut butter.

Zucchini/ Summer Squash "pad thai"

2011-07-26T19:38:00.002-04:00

Note: This was one of my faves so far. I love my new spiralizer... thanks Mom :)

Ingredients:
-peeled zucchini and summer squash
- 1/4 cup peant flour
- tablespoon peanut butter
- soy sauce
- salt
- ginger

Directions: Peel and spiralize zucchini/summer squash. Add salt and squeeze dry. Mix in peanut flour and peanut butter. top with soy sauce and ginger and mix in.

"Cheesy" Zucchini Coconut muffins

2011-07-23T23:20:00.007-04:00

Note: This tasted 100 times better than it looks.... promise :)

Ingredients:
- Shredded zucchini
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup egg whites
- 1 oz Follow Your Heart vegan Cheddar cheese alternative, cubed

Directions: mix all ingredients together in small tupperware. Microwave until cooked.

Peanut Zucchini Coconut Muffins (Minute)

2011-07-23T23:20:00.004-04:00

This is a good way to fit in the veggies. Can't even taste the zucchini.

Ingredients:
- shredded zucchini
- 1/4 cup peanut flour
- 1/4 -1/2 cup egg whites
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour

Directions: mix all ingredients in a small tupperware container and microwave until fully cooked.

My yummy salad...

2011-07-23T23:19:00.002-04:00

I made a salad using Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheddar Cheese Alternative and Food on Purpose Flaxies.

Follow Your Heart Cheddar Vegan Gourmet

2011-07-21T20:59:00.007-04:00

Thanks to the awesome people at Follow Your Heart for sending me their Cheddar Vegan Gourmet cheese alternative to review. Follow Your Heart makes dairy alternatives and vegan salad dressings.

This cheese is so yummy. It's a bit softer than regular cheese and doesn't melt as well, but it is very close to the real thing... I LOVED the cheddar that they sent me. Yummy!

Nutritional info: One ounce block (28 grams) has 70 calories, 7 grams fat, 2 grams carbs, o grams sugar, 1 gram protein.

Ingredients: (vegan, gluten free, dairy free) Filtered Water, Non-GMO Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Natural Flavor (contains Autolyzed Yeast), Tofu (Soybeans, Calcium Sulfate), Inulin (Chicory Root Extract), Non-GMO Soy Protein, Agar Agar, Sea Salt, Nutritional Yeast, Carrageenan (Vegetable Source), Lactic Acid (Vegetable Source), Annatto. Contains: Soy

Zucchini "spaghetti"

2011-07-21T20:57:00.009-04:00

NOTE: I am loving the zucchini noodles and my new vegan cheese :)

Ingredients:
- Zucchini
- 1 ounce block of vegan cheese from "Follow Your Heart"
- tomato sauce
- 3 ounces Chicken
- Benson's gourmet seasoning

Directions: Spiralize zucchini. Cook chicken in tomato sauce. Add zucchini and cook some more. Remove from heat and mix in cubed vegan cheese. Top with seasoning.

Peanut butter chicken "zucchini spaghetti"

2011-07-21T20:56:00.004-04:00

Note: My supermom bought me a spiralizer for my birthday. Thanks Mom. I am addicted to zucchini spaghetti.

Ingredients:
- Zucchini
- 30 grams peanut flour
- soy sauce
- 3 ounces chicken

Directions:
spiralize zucchini. In a pan, cook chicken. Add zucchini and soy sauce. Add in zucchini until cooked. Once cooked, removed from heat and thoroughly mix peanut flour.

Food on Purpose Review

2011-07-21T20:54:00.006-04:00

Note: Thanks to the awesome people at "Food on Purpose"for sending me samples of their raw foods to sample. They sent me raw macaroons, flaxies, and aw macaroons. Food on Purpose was created in 2007 and features delicious products that are gluten free, organic, raw and all natural.

Their products are made with 'superfoods-' foods with high phytonutrient content. Think raw cacao, maca, raw cashews, nori and sunflower seeds.

I highly recommend you try these products. Not only are they super healthy, but very yummy. They will no disappoint....

Flaxies- There are three flavors:
1.) Savory- seeded, raw flax crackers with pumpkin & black sesame seeds
2.) Garlic- flax wit a hint of garlic
3.) Sante fe flaxies- slightly spicy, raw, gluten-free flax crackers with cilantro & jalapeño

Oh my gosh... these are so delicious! Normally when I think 'flax crackers,' I think bleh! But these are seriously... VERY Delicious. Almost addicting!

Nori Chips- contains brazil nuts, garlic and maca root. These are delicious and crispy. And a whole bag is one serving and easy to take on the go. This is a nori wrapped in nut cheese. I is the perfect snack. So filling and so delicious.

Macaroons-
1.) Sunny-roonies- lemon coconut raw macaroons
2.) Choco roonies- raw chocolate
3.) Birds in the nest- coconut macaroons with raspberry puree

These are perfect little desserts. I love the resealable bag. I highly recommend the choco roonies!! Dipped in peanut butter.

It's really hard to tell that these are so healthy!

Beet Chips

2011-07-17T13:12:00.006-04:00

NOTE: These are delicious, but require some babysitting in the oven to prevent burning. And I usually don't like taking too long to cook. However, these are delicious and worth it. Also, you will get red hands! These were so delicious I forgot to take a pic of the plate. Luckily, I took pics of them while taking them out individually.

Ingredients:
Beets!

Directions: wash and cut in mandolin slicer. Place on baking sheet (one layer) and bake at 180 for about 20 minutes and turn. (I removed some 1/2 through)

Chicken Macadamia Stir Fry

2011-07-17T13:11:00.002-04:00

Ingredients:
- 3 ounces
- bok choy
- sprouts
- 1 tablespoon macadamia nut butter
- celery
- 3 ounces frozen chicken

Directions:
wash and cut bok choy. In a pan, stir fry sauce, the hard pieces of bok choy, sprouts and celery. Once fairly soft, add cooked chicken and bok choy leaves. Remove from heat and top with macadamia nut butter.

Coconut

2011-07-17T13:10:00.014-04:00

I bought a coconut... so I can make some raw coconut butter. I know some people like the taste of coconut water, so this is the purest way to have some. (I personally love coconut, but think coconut water tastes funky).

A WHITE coconut???! This is a thai coconut.

I poked a hole in one of the eyes and drained out the coconut water:

And took a hammer and smashed it into the towel......

Yum Yum Dishes (Product Review)

2011-07-17T13:10:00.009-04:00

Thanks to Yum Yum Dishes for sending me one of their bowls to review. These are so cute. They fit in the palm of my hand and are made of ceramic. Each set comes with four dishes: yellow, blue, red and green and holds 4 ounces each.

You can order online here for only $22.

Check out their facebook page here.

Clif Bar (Thank you!)

2011-07-17T13:09:00.008-04:00

Thanks to my friends at clif bar for sending me a chocolate brownie clif bar for my birthday. I was pleasantly surprised to see these in my mailbox... I love them :)

Clif bars taste awesome. There is a flavor I have YET to try that I didn't like... The chocolate brownie tastes like a brownie (guess that's why they named it that). :)

One bar has 240 calories, 4.5 grams fat, 1.5 grams fat, 0 grams trans fats, 45 grams carbs, 5 grams fiber, 23 grams carbs and 9 grams protein... and they tase delicious :)

Eco Zip Bags

2011-07-10T15:20:00.006-04:00

NOTE: Thanks to Eco Zip bags for sending me their quart/multi storage bag to sample. This is a unique idea. It's a regular quart bag, but there is also a zip lock in the middle so it can act as two separate bags. Or you can unzip the middle and use it as a quart bag.

From their website: Ecozip is here to help make everyone’s organizing and storage routine a bit easier while keeping our environment in mind. We use 20% less plastic while offering a double zip bag. This double zip bag reduces multiple bag use for things such as packing lunches, storing travel items, beach trips, and so much more!

2 compartments....

....or one larger bag!

Check out their youtube video here: www.youtube.com/ecozip.

Or at facebook.

Eden Organic Pumpkin Seeds

2011-07-10T15:19:00.010-04:00

NOTE: Thanks to Eden Organic for sending me their dry roasted pumpkin seeds and spicy pumpkin seeds to sample. These were delicious and they come in a resealable bag. They are wheat free, non gluten, low sodium, and an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, and magnesium. They contain no irradiated spices, refined salt, added oil, additives or preservatives.
Definitely try this out!

Nutrition Facts: 1/4 cup has 200 calories, 16 grams fat, 5 grams carbs (all from dietary fiber), no sugar and 10 grams protein.

The two flavors they sent were:

1.) Regular- These are organic. Tasted delicious :) Perfect to eat out of a bag or to sprin
Ingredients: Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Sea Salt

2.) Spicy Pumpkin- These seeds have a nice kick because of the cayenne pepper.
Ingredients: Organic Dry Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Tamari Soy Sauce (Water, Organic Soybeans, Sea Salt), Organic Garlic, Organic Cayenne Pepper

Maple Cinnamon Kale Chips

2011-07-10T06:49:00.002-04:00

Note: I liked the chocolate covered Kale chips, but these were much better, in my opinion.

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- big squirt sugar free maple syrup
- kale
- cinnamon

Directions:
- wash and dry kale leaves. break into pieces. In a bowl mix coconut oil and maple syrup. Dunk all the kale leaves in there and lay flat on baking pan. Heat in oven at 350. once done, toss with cinnamon.

Sun Food "Wild Jungle Peanut Butter" Review

2011-07-07T08:17:00.013-04:00

Note: Sun food sent me some yummy wild jungle peanut butter to sample. It was delicious- but then again, can peanut butter ever taste bad? :) I highly recommend this extra nutritious peanut butter. Thank you Sun Food!

As you can see from the jar, the ingredient list is minimal:

Ingredients:
- organic amazonian jungle peanuts
- organic brazil nut oil
- himalayan pink sea salt

Sun Food specializes in selling organic, raw foods and superfoods. In addition, they also sell supplements and minerals, herbs and teas, cleansing and detox, healthy and beauty and juicers and appliances. Their website is very informative as well. It features a live chat, in case you have questions. It also features recipes and videos on superfoods. Be sure to check it out.

Foods sold include some of my favorites: coconut oil, nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters, cacao butter, dried fruit, hemp products, energy bars, oils, raw cereal, sea snacks... and much more!

This peanut butter is very smooth. I normally like crunchy, but this is a good topping on my veggies since it's like a sauce.

I used it as a topping on my turnip fries with cinnamon! Yum! :)

Chocolate Covered Kale Chips

2011-07-07T08:15:00.002-04:00

NOTE: This sounds weird, but these are delicious. can't even taste the veggies in them.

Ingredients
- bunch of kale
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- equal
- cocoa powder

Directions: mix coconut oil, equal and cocoa powder. wash and dry kale. Pick of the leaves and dunk them in the mix. Lay flat on baking pan. Cook in pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes at 400.

I topped mine with a bit of sugar free maple syrup.

Ginger Peanut Butter Chicken and Bok Choy

2011-07-05T20:07:00.005-04:00

Note: This is one of my favorite stir-fries I made in a while.

Ingredients:
- 3 ounces chicken
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- ginger powder
- soy sauce
- bok choy

Directions: Wash and cut bok choy. Stir fry. Add chicken, soy sauce and ginger. Once all cooked, top with peanut butter.

One minute Coconut Muffin (3 more ways!)

2011-07-05T19:55:00.005-04:00

Note: I have been a little obsessed with my coconut minute muffins lately. They literally take 5 minutes to make. I have been busy lately so these are great to make quick and take on the run.

Basic Coconut Muffin:
- mix 56 grams egg whites with 2 tablespoons coconut flour. microwave for 2 minutes in small tupperware.

Toppings: can top with peanut butter. sugar free jelly, coconut butter

Coconut minute muffin topped with all natural peanut butter:

Coconut minute muffin topped with protein frosting (protein powder mixed with water):

Ginger coconut muffin topped with ginger coconut frosting:
- add ginger powder to coconut minute muffin
- mix ginger powder with coconut butter

Cinnamon Coconut Muffin with Cinnamon Coconut Frosting

2011-07-04T11:15:00.003-04:00

Note: My other coconut muffin was so good I needed a variation...

Ingredients:
muffin
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour (14 grams)
- 56 grams egg whites
-cinnamon

frosting
- one tablespoon coconut butter (or oil)
- cinnamon (desired amount)

Directions:
mix flour, cinnamon and egg whites in a small tupperware container. micro for two minutes. in a small bowl, mix coconut butter and cinnamon. Drizzle on top.

Coconut Minute Muffin with chocolate coconut frosting

2011-07-04T11:05:00.003-04:00

Note: excuse my language, but holy sh*t this was awesome :) you have to try it :)

Ingredients:
muffin
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour (14 grams)
- 56 grams egg whites

frosting
- one tablespoon coconut butter (or oil)
- cocoa powder (desired chocolate-yness)

Directions:
mix flour and egg whites in a small tupperware container. micro for two minutes. in a small bowl, mix coconut butter and cocoa powder. Drizzle on top.

Before the frosting goodness :)

Protein Waffles with Chocolate Peanut Sauce

2011-07-01T06:01:00.009-04:00

NOTE: Ignore the almond milk. I ended up not using it. Also for the chocolate sauce, I really didn't weigh anything out, but you can play around with the ingredients. My next plan is to add cream cheese and make it for like frosting texture... (but I didnt have any on hand).

Ingredients:

Waffles
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 1/4 cup egg whites

Chocolate Peanut Sauce
- spoon of silken tofu
- spoonful of cocoa powder
- stevia/equal/sweetener to taste
- spoonful of peanut flour

Directions: Blend egg whites and protein and make on waffle maker. Blend the chocolate sauce ingredients and pour on top.

"If You Care" Products

2011-06-29T20:39:00.022-04:00

Thank you to If You Care for sending me a (VERY!) generous sample of their environmentally friendly products to review. These are just like regular items that we use, only more safe for the environment... and for you. For instance, in their baking paper, they use silicone coating (non-organic natural product), as opposed to Quilon, which is a heavy metal that, when incinerated, becomes toxic and leaves trace elements. In addition, silicone can be used several times. So, although it might be pricier, it is worth the investment!

Be sure to check out If You Care!

If You Care Products are:
· 100% unbleached paper products
· 100% recycled aluminum foil which can be used over and over again
· All manufactured materials are made from renewable resources
· Only vegetable-based inks are used for printing and graphics
· All packaging materials are made from recycled paper
· Landfill safe paper products
· Biodegradable paper products

They have the following items:
- Aluminum foil - 100% recycled!
- Coffee filters- comes in the following sizes: No. 2, No. 4, No. 6, No. 102, and Basket
- cheese cloth- (homemade Greek yogurt to come)
- firelighters - 100% Biomass, made from wood and vegetable oil
- cooking twine- no artificial fibers, endures up tot 484 degrees/ 250 degrees celsius, landfill safe and biodegradable and microwave safe.
Baking Products- no greasing is necessary as it's coated with 100% silicone (non organic, natural) and all items are 100% unbleached!
- Parchment paper
- Baking paper in sheets
- Baking cups- microwave safe!

Chocolate Tofu Pudding

2011-06-29T20:39:00.021-04:00

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup soft tofu (I used tofu pudding, but you can use silken)
- tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- scoop casein pudding

Directions: blend all ingredients and enjoy :)

Peanutty Egg Noodles

2011-06-26T14:34:00.006-04:00

Note: this meal was so filling... but so low in calories... I couldn't eat for like four hours later (I normally eat every two- three hours)...

Ingredients:
- one package shirataki noodles
- 1/2 bag chopped kale
- 1/2 bag frozen broccoli
- 30 grams peanut flour
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- ginger powder
- tons of salt

Directions: wash and rinse noodles. add salt and microwave to remove excess water. In a pan cook up the kale and broccoli in soy sauce. Add ginger and saly until soft. Stir in noodles. once almosy cooked, add cooked egg whites (I actually heated in the microwave and peanut flour and stir it altogether).

Umpqua Oats

2011-06-25T22:34:00.006-04:00

Many thanks to Umpqua Oats for sending me samples of their "not guilty" oatmeal to sample. I feel like this product was made for me :) As much as I love to cook, I love convenience during the week, since I am always running late to work and rush around the hosue like a manwoman in the morning. These bowls are perfect. I usually eat breakfast at work (since that allows me extra sleep in the morning), so these are awesome to throw in my bag and make when I get to work.

"Not guilty" oatmeal is awesome!! I love that the ingredients are simple and clean. No added sugars.

Umpqua Oats "Not guilty" Oatmeal is:
* all natural
* simple ingredients: oatmeal, chia seeds, flax, apples, blueberries (that's it!)
* no added sugar
* Very nutritious: One bowl has 220 calories, 6 grams fat, 0 grams trans fat, no cholesterol, no sodium, 35 grams carbs, 8 grams fiber, 4 grams sugar and 8 grams protein.

This is top quality. I highly recommend that you try these bowls :)

They have other flavors too, including:
* Kickstart- nuts, fruit and a dash of brown sugar
* Lei'd back- cashews, macadamia nuts, coconut and papaya
* Monkey bars- chocolate, peanut butter and coconut (whoa!)
* Mostly sunny- dried fruits from the northeast
* Old school- granny smith gone wild! (apples, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts and almonds
* R U nuts?-walnuts, almonds, flax, sunflower seeds and a dash of brown sugar
* Take a hike- NW hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, and apricots

Arnold's Healthfull Bread

2011-06-25T22:33:00.004-04:00

Every time I see an email from Arnold Bread I get excited because I know yummy bread is coming my way :) This time they offered to send their new "healthfull" bread. This bread is delicious! As soon as I opened the bag, it smelled so good! It has a rich, nutty flavor. So yummy! Thank you Arnold! :)

One slice only has 80 calories, but has 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber! Only 2 grams sugar, 1 gram of fat and no cholesterol!

There are three flavors to choose from:
* nutty grain (the flavor they sent me) - highly recommended!
* hearty wheat
* 10 grain

And the slices are big!

Extra Peanut-y Protein pudding

2011-06-25T01:32:00.004-04:00

NOTE: another twist on the casein pudding. Add peanut flour for extra peanut flavor...

Ingredients:
- 1 scoop casein powder
- 9 grams almonds
- water
- tablespoon peanut flour
- xantham gum (pinch)

Directions: mix all ingredients in a magic bullet and top with more peanut flour. Yum!

Peanut Flour Minute cake

2011-06-25T01:31:00.002-04:00

NOTE: This cake came out a lot more dense. It still tasted good, but I like it more cake-like.

Ingredients:
- 60 grams pumpkin
- 1 serving peanut flour (30 grams)
- cinnamon
- sugar free maple syrup

Directions: Mix pumpkin and peanut flour. micro for two minutes. top with cinnamon and maple syrup.

cinnamon pumpkin protein cake

2011-06-25T01:30:00.009-04:00

NOTE: another twist to the protein cake.... yes I am slightly addicted.

Ingredients:
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 60 grams canned pure pumpkin
- cinnamon

Directions:
mix protein powder, cinnamon and pumpkin. line in small tupperware container and micro for two minutes. Top with more cinnamon.

Ginger Soy PB Chicken

2011-06-25T01:30:00.006-04:00

NOTE: this is one of my quickest go to meals (chicken is pre-cooked and broccoli is frozen).... and you can't go wrong with peanut butter :) I love ginger too since it soothes my stomach. I usually just throw it on the stove when I get home and run around doing other things... and then it's ready!

Ingredients:
- 1 bag frozen broccoli
- 3 ounces chicken
- ginger powder
- soy sauce
- salt
- peanut butter (1 tablespoon)

Directions:
cook broccoli with soy sauce in non-stick pan. Add chicken and ginger and cook through. Remove from heat and drizzle pb on top.

Protein Fudge Batter and Protein Brownie

2011-06-23T23:49:00.004-04:00

Note: this is a variation of the protein muffin- adding cocoa powder and now it's a brownie :) You can eat it plain like batter or microwave it.

Ingredients:
- 80 grams pumpkin
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Directions: mix all the ingredients. eat it straight from the bowl or micro it...

fudge batter :)

microwaved:

Protein Muffin

2011-06-22T04:41:00.002-04:00

Note: This is two ingredients.... easy!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin
- 1 scoop protein powder

Directions: mix in a small tupperware container and even out in a small tupperware container. microwave for 2 minutes.

The left shows before microwaving. The right shows after:

topped with protein frosting (1/2 scoop protein powder mixed with a bit of water).

Coconut frosting

2011-06-19T22:24:00.004-04:00

You will hate me for this one since it is so addicting... (sorry!) And of course I was so excited about I forgot take the pics of the ingredients:

Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon artisana coconut butter
- 1/2 packet equal
- drop of vanilla extract

Directions: mix all ingredients and out in fridge for about 5 minutes to harden a bit. Top on protein muffin.... or lick off spoon (but I warn you, this could be dangerous).

Kale in Your Kitchen

2011-06-19T22:21:00.004-04:00

Thanks to the awesome people at Kale in your kitchen for sending me samples of kale chips to sample. I ate not one, but both bags in one sitting :) At only 100 calories a bag, it's ok :)

They come in two flavors: spicy and original.

I liked that the spicy was not too spicy since I can't take the heat :)

These kale chips are organic and vegan. They contain no gluten, soy or dairy.

Ingredients include: organic kale, organic red bell pepper, organic fresh-pressed lemon juice, non-gmo nutritional yeast, organic cashews, organic apple cider vinegar, organic red chili pepper, organic garlic and pink sea salt... good stuff :)

Chia Protein Pudding

2011-06-19T15:43:00.003-04:00

NOTE: I added some chia to my regular protein pudding and fluffed it up... it gave me a HUGE amount... (I couldn't fill the bowl).

Ingredients:
- 1 scoop protein powder (casein)
- 1/2 cup almond breeze (unsweetened vanilla)
- tablespoon chia seeds
- pinch of xantham gum

Directions:
- mix in blender and serve

roasted cinnamon coconut peanut butter turnips

2011-06-19T15:41:00.005-04:00

Easiest recipe ever. I cut, sliced and roasted my turnips and topped with cinnamon, salt, peanut butter and more artisana coconut butter.... addicting :)

coconut eggs

2011-06-19T15:40:00.003-04:00

Oh my gosh, I love artisana coconut butter. It went perfect slathered on my egg whites. I had it along with some roasted veggies.

Artisana organic raw coconut butter is ridiculously yummy... There are no pesticides, artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, stabilizers, added oils, or GMO's.

Ingredients: 100% Organic, Raw Coconut Meat (dehydrated at low temperature)... That's it :)

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- 1 tablespoon coconut butter
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut

Directions: cook egg whites in pan. Top with coconut butter and flakes.

sans veggies: (picture color came out a bit off)

Chia Egg whites with Peanut Butter

2011-06-19T15:39:00.002-04:00

I woke up this morning craving peanut butter and eggs (don't knock it until you rock it). It's one of my favorite combos... other than chocolate and peanut butter. I was in a chia mood, so I added some seeds to my eggs...

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- 10 grams chia seeds
- broccoli
- one tablespoon peanut butter

Directions:
- cook eggs, once almost done, add in chia seeds. Cook broccoli on the side and adddrizzle peanut butter over everything.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Pancakes

2011-06-17T20:17:00.004-04:00

These were so yummy! Reminded me of The Thanksgiving holiday

Ingredients:
- 1 packet of About Time Cinnamon Swirl protein powder
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- scoop of pumpkin
- cinnamon

Directions:
Blend together and cook on stove. Top with SF maple syrup and more cinnamon.

Kitchen Table Bakers Parmesan Crisps (Product Review)

2011-06-17T05:53:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Kitchen Table Bakers for sending me samples of their Parmesan Crisps to sample. OMG, these are delicious! They are ENTIRELY made of cheese. You can eat them plain (I inhaled 1/2 the bag); on top of soup/ salad, or dipped in any topping. I definitely recommend these!

Flavors include: Italian herb, flax seed, aged parmesan, garlic, sesame, rosemary, everything, Jalapeno.

These are a great no-carb alternative to crackers!

Parmesan: As soon as I opened the bag, I got a big whiff of parmesa cheese: yum! The crisps were more bite sized.

* One serving has: 80 calories, 6 grams fat, < 1 gram of carbs, no sugar and 7 grams of protein. There are no trans fats!

* The ingredient size is simple! Pasteurized part skim milk, cheese cultures, salt and enzymes.

Everything: this was equally as delicious. It has a strong garlicy-oniony smell, which I loved :) These were a bigger size (Like the size of a ritz cracker).

Ingredients: Pasteurized Part Skim Milk, Sesame Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Garlic, Minced Onions, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Non-Animal Rennet.

Parmesan:

Everything:

I'm "different"....

2011-06-17T05:10:00.006-04:00

Some girls have a shoe obsession, I have a protein powder obsession :) Check out my new stash. I ordered this from fitrx.com. They have ridiculously cheap protein powder. They also have a flat shipping fee of $6.95 (or free for ordersof $200).

My order:
- 4 5-pound cans of dymatize elite gourmet (cookies 'n cream, cappucino rush, strawberry and chocolate peanut butter)
- 2 4-pound cans of optimum nutrition casein powder (chocolate peanut butter and cookies n cream)

OK, I might also have a shoe obsession (9 West was having a huge sale last week so I cleaned them out of boots for the upcoming winter).

About Time Protein Powder Review and Chocolate Coconut Pancakes!

2011-06-17T05:06:00.010-04:00

Thanks to About Time for sending me samples of their protein powder to review. This stuff is the real deal! 100% pure whey isolate protein! Top quality ingredients... pure awesomeness :) I definitely recommend you try this protein powder, this is one of the best I have seen out there. And the owners/co-founders know what they are talking about: see their bios here.

Whey Isolate Protein Powder:
- no artificial flavors
- no artificial sweeteners
- lactose and gluten free
- no carbs
- no fat
- Nutrition: (Only!) 103 calories and 25 grams protein per serving.
- a variety of flavors to choose from, including: chocolate, birthday cake, cinnamon swirl, strawberry, peaches and cream, mocha mint, vanilla, peanut butter, banana, chocolate peanut butter and unflavored.

Be on the lookout as I feature these products in future recipes :) I have tried the chocolate so far in pancakes (see recipe below) and I am looking forward to trying the other flavors they sent me.

They also make protein bars which are sweetened with agave. I can't wait to try these (review coming soon!)

They also make pre-made shakes (see above). I plan to feature this one separately. But basically, it's powder in a bottle and you just add milk/water... easy on the go and convenient. Can't wait to try it! (I actually meant to bring it to work with me today and I must have left it on the counter.. dummy!)

Using their protein powder, I made myself some delicious pancakes for breakfast this morning. I highly recommend you try these!

Chocolate Coconut Pancakes:
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 serving about time whey protein powder
- 1/2 cup egg whites

Directions: Blend all ingredients and cook on skillet.

Topped with sugar free maple syrup:

Coconut Chicken and Noodles

2011-06-13T22:03:00.006-04:00

Ingredients:
-one package shirataki noodles
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 3 ounces chicken
- tablespoons unshredded coconut
- soy sauce
- red and green cabbage

Directions:
Wash, drain and pat dry noodles. (add salt to remove excess water). Heat up coconut oil in pan, throw in veggies, then noodles and chicken. Top with soy sauce.

Remove from heat and top with coconut.

Fiberful protein pancakes

2011-06-13T22:01:00.006-04:00

Note: Do these ingredients look familiar? I basically took my regular low carb pancakes and added a scoop of nutrafiber flakes for added fiber.

Ingredients:
- 1 scoop casein powder
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- 8 grams nutra-fiber

Directions: blend in bullet, make pancakes and serve.

One Minute PB Muffin

2011-06-13T07:22:00.000-04:00

This is an easy and quick recipe.... and only two ingredients!

Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup peanut flour
- 1/2 cup egg whites

Directions: mix ingredients in a mug and microwave until fluffy (takes about a minute). Quick and easy snack.

Low carb Protein Pancakes

2011-06-12T19:53:00.003-04:00

NOTE: These are super esy to make and convenient to take on the go.

Ingredients:
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 1/4- 1/2 cup egg whites
- cream of tartar
- tablespoon of unsweetened almond breeze (to thin out)

Directions:
-mix all ingredients in the bullet (or by hand if you dont have a bullet). cook on non-stick skillet (sprayed with pam) like pancakes.

I top mine with cinnamon and sugar free maple syrup, but you can use peanut butter, sugar free jelly, cottage cheese, etc.

Asian "Noodles"

2011-06-12T19:21:00.005-04:00

NOTE: This is soo yummy. Low carb noodles (Using shirataki noodles)

Ingredients:
- red and green cabbage
- 3 oz chicken
- soy sauce
- ginger powder
- peanut flour (I used 15 grams)

Directions:
Cut and dice cabbage. Cook on stove and add noodles and soy sauce. Add pre-cooked chicken and ginger powder until thorough cooked. Once done, remove from heat and mix in peanut flour.

UFood Restaurant Review

2011-06-11T21:49:00.003-04:00

Last night I went to dinner with my sister and my niece at one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Ufood grille. They make a lot of regular foods that we love and make them healthy, including wraps, sandwiches, salads, paninis, breakfast sandwiches, smoothies and fries. They also have a nutrition store next door, so this is where I sometimes get my protein powder and bars. Also, they have some bodybuilders who work there so I always hit them up for advice. My favorite employee is Craig Torres (see his ridiculous biceps here. I think his biceps are bigger than my legs. He is the nicest guy and is always so helpful). I love going here.

Ufood Grill is located in Watertown and there are other stores in the Boston area. I haven't been to any boston ones since the one in Watertown is less than a mile from my house.

The inside (I felt weird about taking pictures, so this was a quick shot). It is very bright and cheery.

I got the plain grilled chicken and steamed veggies (you can also get flavored like thai chicken or bbq). I covered mine in hot sauce, salt and mustard.

My sister got the cheeseburger wrap.

These are their "unfries." The fries are not fried, but baked; therefore, they are healthier and less oily than regular fries.

My adorable niece enjoyed their Uberry tart frozen yogurt, which is loaded with probiotics. Only 90 calories per 4 fluid ounces.

Oil Free Turnip Fries

2011-06-11T21:47:00.004-04:00

A reader sent me an email asking if you can make the turnip fries without the oil.... of course you can :) I personally do prefer the coconut oil because it reminds me more like fries.... however, these are delicious without them.

Directions: Wash and peel turnip and cut in same-size shapes and sizes. Lay on parchment lined paper and sprinkle with salt. Bake in oven at 400, checking every so often. Flip them halfway through. once ready, remove from oven and sprinkle cinnamon (or other spices) and more salt.

Extra Protein-y Pudding

2011-06-10T22:39:00.003-04:00

So, last night I completely forgot I was out of pecans for my normal protein pudding... so I substituted the pecan milk with egg whites and made it a bit different. I then ended up freezing it for a bit and it made this thick tasting pudding. It was delicious.

Ingredients:
-1 scoop casein protein powder
- 1/2 cup egg beaters

Directions: Beat the egg whites until fluffy (I used my kitchen mixer.... after wiping off the dust- it's been a while). Add in protein powder and whisk some more. Pour in a bowl and freeze for 10-15 minutes.

Back from my Trip! (For work)...

2011-06-09T20:15:00.008-04:00

I just got back from a few days traveling for work.... It was fun. Here are some tips for eating healthy on the road...

I knew I was going to be eating a lot of salad this week, but I am pretty picky about my dressing. Since I was driving to my destination, I decided to bring my own homemade salad dressing

Homemade dressing:

- mix mustard, apple cider vinegar, splenda and balsamic vinegar. (spicy brown mustard is better than regular mustard, but I was out)

I mixed it all in the apple cider vinegar bottle and took it with me.

My room (all clean) before I destroyed it... (I am not such a neat freak)

YAY! I had a refrigerator and microwave, which makes things easier since I like to make my own food than eat out.

I went out to stop and shop and got some brussel sprouts and better 'n eggs (No I didn't have a stove)....

MICROWAVED EGG WHITES! The easiest breakfast to make. Pour egg whites into a cup, microwave for a few minutes (watching closely so they don't explode), and eat!!! It is so easy. I used a paper cup that the hotel provided so there was no messy clean up. (and they gave me a salt shaker too for the week), since I can't live without my salt.

ATKINS Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough- I have had these bars before and they are one of my top favorites. I like to freeze them and then eat them for a snack. I used to eat a lot more of them, but I cut down because I was getting stomach aches from the sugar alcohols. Yes, I would prefer "real food" but these are just more convenient. I leave my house at 6AM every morning and sometimes don't come back home 8PM- midnight.... so, grabbing a few bars is a lot easier than making meals.

Nutritional info for chocolate peanut butter: 1 bar has 240 calories, 12 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fats, 22 grams carbs, 10 grams fiber, 1 gram sugar, 10 grams sugar alcohol and 19 grams protein.

ATKINS Peanut Butter Granola bar: I also bought one of these atkins peanut butter granola bars. This is the first time I tried them and I love them. One bar has only 210 calories, 11 grams fat, 19 grams carbs, 5 grams fiber, 11 grams sugar alcohols and 14 grams protein.

This was delicious.... you can't go wrong with atkins bars :)

AdvantEdge Carb Control shakes:

I also tried out these EAS AdvantEdge protein drinks.... LOVE THEM!!

Stats are awesome (See below). The only thing I would say is it's a lot more cheaper to make your own protein shake (even if you buy an expensive protein powder) than to buy pre-packaged drinks, but these are VERY convenient for on the go...

Myoplex carb control bars:

These are one of my fave protein bars... I lived off these during my busy work season. They are sooo good. I have had this flavor (cookies and cream) and chocolate peanut butter (I can't decide which one I like better, so I switch between the two). Tons of protein and the net carb count is low. And they taste awesome. (Again, because of the sugar alcohols I had to cut down on these because I would sometimes get bad cramps).

Calories= 260, 8 grams of fat, 26 grams carbs, 4 grams dietary fiber, 2 grams sugar, 18 grams sugar alcohol, and 25 grams protein.

Perfect for a substitute meal.... unfortunately, they are kind of addicting, they are that good!

OK, now onto a new product I have never tried but heard about it on a low carb forum.... PORK RINDS. These are awesome!!! I love the crunchiness. And they are very convenient...

PORK RINDS
OK, I was walking by them in the store and remembered I heard them mentioned on a low carb forum, but thought these were only sold in the south... I was wrong... so I decided to give them a try. (I did make the mistake of googling what a pork rind was before I ate them and I actually was afraid to try them, but they are delicious!) I was trying to figure out what they taste like so I can describe them on the blog.... they taste like a cheetos without the cheese.... so, some might say they are bland. (kind of like a rice cracker). But they would go awesome dipped in salsa, ranch dressing or anything else... They have tons of protein and no carbs!

The Stats for one bag:

Pure Protein

2011-06-07T09:06:00.001-04:00

I am addicted to Pure Protein bars. These are my newest faves. Only approximately 200 calories per (50 gram) bar and only 2-3 grams of sugar, but they taste like candy bars. They are very sweet. The only problem is once I have one, I want 3 more :)

I have tried four of the bars so far:

Chocolate Peanut butter: my absolute favorite!! It's chocolate and peanut butter combined... you can never go wrong there. One bar has 190 calories, 6 grams fat, 17 grams carbs, 2 grams sugar and 20 grams protein.

Smores: This has a sweet marhsmallow-y filling.

Chocolate chip: Just like the name implies, these have chocolate chips throughout.

Chocolate Deluxe: this is extremely chocolatey for you chocolate fans.

Be sure to check out their website for other flavors. They also have ready-to-drink shakes, protein powders, protein "shots" and high protein gelatin snacks.

Zone Perfect (Sweet and Salty)

2011-06-07T09:06:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Zone Perfect for sending me samples of their new "Sweet and Salty" bars.

Nutritional Facts (for the cashew pretzel bar): 200 calories, 7 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fats, 14 grams sugar, 10 grams protein.

The two flavors are:
1.) Cashew Pretzel- MY FAVORITE! Anything with cashews I love. This bar was both super sweet and salty.... just like the name says!
2.) Trail Mix- this was yummy too. I love dried fruits.... and we all know I love salt. So this was great.

Both of these bars are perfect for pre-workout.

Navita's Naturals (Maqui powder and Hemp Seeds)

2011-06-06T19:05:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Navita's Naturals for sending me some hemp seeds and maqui powder (and another stick of cacao lip balm). I have had hemp seeds before and you can google some recipes on my page for them.

Maqui powder: I had never head of this before! It's an organic (and raw!) freeze dried powder. It would go great in oatmeal, protein shakes, yogurt, cereal and dessert. I have yet to try it any of these ways, but I wanted to try it, so I dipped my finger in the bag and licked it. It was tarty (I wasn't expecting that) and tasted like blueberry/acai. I liked it and can't wait to add it in my protein shakes. Maqui is a berry and considererd a "superfood" and contains many antioxidents.

Hemp seeds: I love these bad boys :) I put them on top of my veggie stir-frys and stirring them in peanut butter. It has a mild nutty taste. The Navita brand is raw. You can also blend these seeds and make a nice nut butter (note to self this weekend). Hemp seeds are known for providing a great source of energy and good source of protein (8 grams per two tablespoons). It contains all 10 amino acids (therefore, making it a complete protein) and it has omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids.

Cacao lip balm: This moisturizer is made from the pure, cold-pressed oil of the cacao bean, along with a rich mixture of nature's most skin-friendly oils. It's all natural, made with organic raw cacao butter from 100% cacao oil. All ingredients used are certified organic, cruelty-free and contains no chemical preservatives.

Coconut Macadamia Turnip Fries

2011-06-04T19:11:00.005-04:00

So yummy.... I am addicted to these fries, as you can tell!

Ingredients:
- turnip
- coconut oil
- homemade macadamia nut butter
- cinnamon

directions: cut turnip into fry-like shapes. Toss in a bag with one tablespoon coconut oil and cinnamon mix. Once all part of the turnip is covered in oil, lay in a parchment paper-lined paper and cook in oven at 350 degrees. Once cooked, remove from heat and top with macadamia nut butter and more cinnamon.

Tuna and Broccoli Salad

2011-06-04T19:09:00.003-04:00

This is a great dish that hides the naaasty taste of the tuna :)

Ingredients:
- bag of frozen broccoli
- handful of green beans
- can of tuna
- soy sauce

Directions: Cook veggies in pan with soy sauce. Once cooked, mix with tuna and add more soy sauce.

Seriously, I know I keep harping on this, but soy sauce makes tuna taste so much better...

Macadamia Coconut Brussel sprouts

2011-06-01T04:20:00.004-04:00

This would make a great side dish.

Ingredients:
- bag of frozen brussel sprouts
- tablespoon of coconut oil
- tablespoon of macadamia nut butter

Directions:
- cook brussel spouts in pan with coconut oil. Once cooked through, remove from heat and mix in macadamia nut butter.

I forgot that the coconut oil gets hard when its cold. It stuck to the frozen brussel sprouts at first.

Protein fudge (low carb)

2011-06-01T04:19:00.004-04:00

Note: Use this with a protein powder you like. I love Dymatize. (I am sure I have posted this recipe a number of times), but its worthy of a re-post.

Ingredients:
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 1 tablespoon all natural peanut butter
- 1-2 tablespoons water

Directions:
- mix all ingredients and refrigerate.

Maple Coconut Turnip Fries (Low carb)

2011-05-30T22:19:00.003-04:00

Just when I thought I couldn't get better than regular coconut fries, I made a SWEET version...
I am hooked. I already made this three times this week!

Ingredients:
- 1 turnip
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- cinnamon/splenda mix
- drizzle sugar free maple syrup

Directions:
Peel and cut turnip into fry-like shapes. In a bag, mix turnips, coconut oil, splash of sugar free maple syrup and cinnamon/splenda mix. Once all thr turnips pieces are covered, line turnips on baking pan and bake in preheated oven until crispy.

Low Carb Coconut Curry

2011-05-30T22:15:00.011-04:00

This is a filling dinner.... It's low carb because it uses chopped up cauliflower as the "rice."

Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 head of cauliflower
- curry powder

- 1 tablespoon peanut butter

- salt and pepper

- coconut shreds (optional)

Directions: chop up cauliflower and cook in coconut oil/curry powder until soft. Once cooked, add peanut butter on top and mix. Top with coconut shreds...

What have I been up to... some recipes I have been making...

2011-05-30T19:06:00.007-04:00

Hello,

Hope everyone is having a happy memorial day... I had SUCH a relaxing weekend :)

Thought I would share some of my typical meals/recipes I have been making lately:

My typical pre workout meal:

rice cakes with protein spread:

-3 rice cakes

- 1 scoop protein powder mixed with water (2-3 tablespoons, depending on the brand of protein powder used)

Directions: mix the protein powder and water and spread on rice cake. I usually make this the night before and freeze/ refrigerate.

P.S. Use a whey that tastes good. I personally LOVE dymatize protein powders. I also like muscle gauge nutrition (peanut butter), all the whey (cake batter or cinnamon, rocky road), VPX graham cracker, and BSN lean dessert. I hate the taste of stevia flavored protein powders, so this wouldn't work with them.

P.P.S. If you are low carbing it, the protein spread tastes good ones it own! Literally tastes like dessert!

Pecan milk.... a low carb/low sugar alternative to regular milk.

- Mix 9 grams pecans (I used raw) and 1/2 cup water and blend in magic bullet...

- Variations: try adding a drop of extract to flavor it (I like vanilla!), cocoa powder and splenda to make chocolate), or cinnamon. Also, any type of nut would work.

Pecan milk helps make AWESOME Protein Pudding:

Ingredients:

- 1 scoop casein protein powder (I am a fan of optimum nutrition)

- pecan milk (see recipe above)

- few pinches of xantham gum (thickens the pudding)

Directions: add ingredients to bullet and blend... this sh*t is awesome :) It's been my snack every night.

P.S. You HAVE to use a casein protein powder or you won't get the same texture.

Still loving my homemade macadamia nut butter.... It is SO EASY TO MAKE. Just throw a bag of macadamia nuts in the oven at 300 for 10-15 minutes and blend in a food processor until creamy. I saved a handful of macadamia nuts and threw them in to make it crunchy... any my house smelled awesome for days...

I love making homemade nut butters because you can make them any flavors. You can add coconut oil, cinnamon, cocoa, sugar, maple syrup, extracts, anything you want!

and I'm still eating plenty of salads with spices and homemade dressing (balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, spices and splenda)...

And still trying to find ways to make tuna less nasty :)

TUNA WITH SOY SAUCE/CABBAGE
I am personally convinced soy sauce makes everything taste better. my new fave creation is tuna, soy sauce and cabbage. you can eat plain or on mix together and throw in a low carb wrap.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST... I have had my fair share of cooking disasters....

NOTE TO SELF: Don't bake when tired! I fell asleep making dinner one night.... lucky for me, I did not burn the house down... but dinner was pretty unedible :)

I'm baack! (and delicious coconut turnip fries!)

2011-05-30T13:33:00.003-04:00

Hello!
It's a good feeling to say "I'm back!" :) A lot has happened in the last 6 months, so I put the blog on hold until I felt "life isn't hectic anymore." But is life ever not hectic? Even when I am on vacation, I move a mile a minute....

Well, glad to say things have slowed down. Being an accountant, my "busy season" is over... and I must say I really missed blogging whileI was gone. I especially realized this yesterday when I was at the Town Diner in Watertown with my best friend and his parents and they asked me about my blog and my friend mentioned I hadn't posted in a while.... (by the way, I highly recommend the town diner.. I got the veggie omelette with egg beaters and it was great!)

Well, today I was in a fry eating mood, so I hope you enjoy this recipe:

COCONUT OIL TURNIP FRIES: lower carb and just awesome...

Ingredients:
- one turnip
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- spices: cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper

Directions: cut turnips into fry shapes. mix in a bag with coconut oil and spices. Lay on parchment lined paper and bake in over at 400 for 20-30 minutes (I wasn't paying attention). Flip halfway through...

Smart For Life Cookie

2010-11-18T07:52:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Smart for Life for sending me their chocolate chip cookies to sample. Smart for Life is known for their "cookie" and "cupcake" diets. To be quite honest, I am not a fan of the so-called "cookie" diets or other fad diets out there. I would probably not last a day on these types of diets. As you can see from the picture below, the cookies are only 100 calories each and they are very small (smaller than my palm), so I personally could never eat these as a meal and feel full... I couldn't probably eat them as a snack either. However, I ate these cookies as part of a snack today with my protein shake and they are delicious treat to enjoy... and a much healthier alternative to the traditional chocolate chip cookie. They are all natural, 60% organic and contain 6 grams of protein per cookie!

The cookies come in two flavors:
* chocolate chip- they sent me this flavor.
* oatmeal raisin

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size 29g
Servings per Container 6
Calories: 100
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total Carbohydrates: 9g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 6g

INGREDIENTS: Vegetable Glycerin, Doctors Protein BlendTM (Milk Protein, Egg Protein, Organic Whey Protein, Kosher Gelatin), Triple Filtered Water, Organic Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Whole Oats, Organic Canola Oil and/or Organic Palm Oil, Organic Dark Chocolate Chips (Organic Sugar, Organic Chocolate Liquor, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Natural Vanilla), Invert Syrup, Soy Crisps, Organic Rice Crisps (Organic Brown Rice Flour, Organic Fancy Molasses, Calcium Carbonate), Food Gum, Organic Whey, Digestion Resistant Maltodextrin, Soybean Lecithin and/or Enriched Organic Flax Meal (Organic Flax and Marine Oil), Organic Oat and/or Wheat Bran, Low Sodium Baking Powder, Cultured Wheat Flour, Plant Sterols, Baking Soda, Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Apple Juice, Vegetable Gums, Vitamin E Mixed Tocopherols.

Jay Robb Protein Powder and Bars

2010-11-16T19:59:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Jay Robb for sending me samples of their delicious protein bars and protein powders to sample. They also sent me a cute tank top and a shaker bottle. If you have been on my site before, you know that I am a huge fan of their protein powders. They have egg white, whey and brown rice protein powders.

Whey Protein Isolate
Made With 100% rBGH-Free Whey Protein Isolate as The Protein Source

From grass fed cows not treated with rBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone)
Now with 25 Grams Protein per Serving!
Mixes with a blender or Shaker Bottle
No Fat, No Cholesterol
No Sugar
No Aspartame
No Sucralose
No Acesulfame-K
No Artificial Sweeteners or Colors
Made With Stevia
No Casein
No MSG
No Gluten

PROTEIN BARS
And now I am a fan of their protein bars. Up until now, I have never had them before and I love them. The flavors they come in are:

* cashew coconut
* peanut butter- my fave!
* fudge brownie

Jay calls these bars "no junk" because they are all natural and organic. They contain no sugar, corn syrup, casein, artificial sweeteners, maltitol, acesulfame-K, evaporated cane juice, aspartame, or sucralose!

The stats for the cashew coconut bar are as follows:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 bar (57g)
Servings per box: 12

Calories: 230
Calories from fat: 100
Protein: 14g
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 4.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 160mg
Potassium: 182mg
Total Carbohydrate: 24g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 9g
Sugar Alcohol: 5g (from xylitol)
Net carbs = 14 grams

Ingredients: Organic raw cashew butter, organic agave syrup, whey protein isolate, unsweetened coconut, whey protein crisps (whey protein isolate whey protein concentrate, tapioca starch, calcium carbonate), hydrolyzed whey protein isolate, xylitol, gum arabic, rice bran, natural flavors, water, sea salt.

Kim and Scott Pretzels

2010-11-10T15:00:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Kim and Scott from Kim and Scott's Gourmet Pretzel for sending their deliciously flavored stuffed soft pretzels to sample.

They sent me the following flavors:
* Pizza Pretzel
* Cheddar Jalapeno
* Grilled Cheese
* Spinach Feta

In addition, they also have the following flavors:
* Classic Pretzels- traditional bavarian and sourdough parmesan
* Stuffed Pretzels- apple cinnamon, chocolate crumb, cinnamon roll, cream cheese, and egg and cheese.

I liked that their Pretzels are:

• All-Natural	• Source of Whole Grains	• No Trans Fats
• Premium Ingredients	• Twisted by Hand & Made from Scratch	• No Hydrogenated Oils
• Microwavable	• Made in a Nut-Free Facility	• No Preservatives

These are delicious as a snack or meal. You can check out their nutritional facts here

Perfect Portions Scale

2010-11-05T22:10:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Perfect Portions scale for sending me their scale to review.

From their website:
The Perfect Portions Food Scale + Nutrition Facts is a scale and nutritional calculator in one. It is the most intuitive, easy-to-read nutritional scale on the market because it integrates the familiar Nutrition Label.

Unlike other nutritional scales, the Perfect Portions Scale breaks down the information into % daily value, tracks your daily total, and even allows you to customize the scale by entering your own foods.

The scale is designed with a stylish glass-top surface and touchpad keys to integrate the platform, display, and keys into one clean surface. Beautifully designed and intuitively engineered, the Perfect Portions Scale revolutionizes the usability of food scales for portion control and weight management.

You can check a demo of the scale and how it works here.

This is a top of the line scale. Very user friendly and accurate! I highly recommend it!

Popcorn Indiana

2010-11-05T22:00:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Popcorn Indiana for sending their all natural popcorn for me to sample. The popcorn comes in many awesome flavors, many of which I have never tried before, including the all natural bacon ranch and smoked cheddar cheese.

From their website: Our mission is to make the best tasting better-for-you snacks on the planet. We have our own facility, filled with honest-to-goodness corn that is specifically grown for popping. We have special kettles that are filled, by hand, one scoop at a time, by real people, who are carefully producing, oh-so-lovingly, the greatest popcorn you’ve ever had. That sentence had a lot of commas, so you know we’re serious. We have popcorn chefs who do nothing but dream up fantastic flavor combinations. What a gig! We live and breathe whole grain snacking!

Flavors include:
* aged white cheddar

* sea salt

* movie theatre

* cinnamon sugar kettlecorn

* sweet and tangy BBQ

* smoked cheddar

* buffalo cheddar

* bacon ranch

* all natural kettlecorn

I saw these at stop and shop today, but you can also check out great online deals here.

Crazy Camel Hummus

2010-11-05T21:46:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Crazy Camel Hummus for sending delicious samples of their DESSERT hummus to sample. They sent the following flavors:

* peanut butter
* toasted almond
* caramel apple
* pumpkin pie
* maple walnut
* chocolate mousse

This hummus tastes so good. And they can go on almost anything, depending on the flavor you want. And you can not even taste the chickpea flavor. They are a delicious and healthy treat! You can spread on fruit and veggies, rice cakes, bread, in your oatmeal, or straight out of the container!

The hummus has 1/2 the fat of regular hummus and are gluten and dairy free. There are no artificial preservatives either. Check out their nutritional stats here.

Zone Perfect Cookie Dough Bars

2010-10-09T12:51:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Zone Perfect for sending me their new DELICIOUS tasting high protein cookie dough bars to sample. They also sent me a little "not cookie" jar to store them in. I have had other flavors of zone perfect bars before and I am a huge fan of them, so they had some high expectations. Well... they did not let me down one bit. These are delicious. They are moist and chewy like cookie dough and they taste more like a treat than a nutrition bar. Great job Zone Perfect!!!

They come in three flavors:
* peanut butter (my fave, obviously)
* chocolate chip and
* oatmeal raisin

The Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bar has 190 calories, 7 grams fat, no trans fats, 22 grams carbs, 13 grams sugar and 10 grams protein.

Thomas Bagel Thins

2010-09-23T08:16:00.005-04:00

Huge thanks to Thomas for sending me samples of their bagel thins to review. They sent an OVERLY generous package- 3 packs of bagels (everything, whole wheat and plain flavored), a jar of peanut butter, a jar of strawberry jam, and a Toaster(!)

I have had these bagel thins before so I was very excited when they contacted me to review their products. Personally, I am a huge fan of bagels, but I rarely eat them because of carb and calorie count. These bagels are perfect if you love bread but are watching your intake.

Each bagel has only 110 calories and 1 gram of fat! In addition, only 24-26 grams carbs, 3 grams of sugar and 4-6 grams of protein per bagel! Awesome stats! Normal bagels have anywhere between 350-450 calories each!

I definitely recommend you try these out. They are perfect for a breakfast sandwich, part of lunch sandwich, or even as a snack!

Titan Cookies

2010-09-18T04:40:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Premier Nutrition for sending me some of their Titan Cookies to sample. These cookies are new on the market and they are delicious! One pack includes 2 cookies. They have 150 calories, 5 grams sugar and 10 grams protein per cookie. As you can see below, the packs are easy to take on the go and are a delicious afternoon treat! (I actually couldn't wait to have another one and had the oatmeal raisin for breakfast this morning).

They sent me the following cookies:
- oatmeal raisin
- chocolate chip
- peanut butter

For more info on their cookies, check them out here.

Lundberg Couscous

2010-09-16T08:13:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Lundberg Family Farms for sending me samples of their roasted brown rice couscous to sample. They sent me four delicious flavors to sample:

* mediterranean curry
* roasted garlic and olive oil
* savory herb
* plain original

Lundberg Farms couscous is gluten free. Their original plain flavor has 150 calories, 1.5 grams fat, 35 grams carbs, 1 gram sugar and 3 grams protein per serving (45 grams). It is also organic, vegan and cooks in only 15 minutes! Perfect side dish for any meal. And I love their ingredient list:

Ingredients: Organic Roasted Brown Rice. THAT'S IT! Nothing else!!! Big bonus points for no fillers or other stuff.

Lundberg farms is family owned and operated. They have a ton of recipes on their website www.lundberg.com.

Other than couscous, lundberg farms also offers rice cakes, rice, rice chips, risottos, pastas, rice bowls, syrup, flour and cereals. Be sure to check them out!

Blue Mountain Organics Earth Chips

2010-09-09T22:02:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Blue Mountain Organics for sending me their Earth Chips to sample. These chips were amazing! The main ingredient is kale, which has a crispy texture when you roast it. I ate both bags of chips in one day :) Yes, they were that good! The flavors they sent were "cheezy kale" and "coconut curry kale." I couldn't decide which one I liked better, the flavors were so different. But, if I had to choose one, I would say the cheezy kale. I love my nutritional yeast :) The ingredient lists were short, which is always a bonus... and I recognized every ingredient. On top of that, they taste delicious... and since the main ingredient is kale, you can eat a huge bag of it... it will fill you up... and it's not a lot of calories!

Nothing artificial. No preservatives, fillers or additives. No oils. No trans fats. No GMOs. Gluten free.

Coconut curry:
Premium, Organic Ingredients: Raw, Kale, Water, Cashews, Coconut, Dates, Curry, Carrots, Garlic, Lemon Juice, Nutritional Yeast, Paprika, Cayenne, Salt, Turmeric.

Cheezy:
Premium, Organic Ingredients: Raw, Kale, Water, Cashews, Nutritional Yeast, Dried Red Bell Peppers, Lemon Juice, Salt, Turmeric.

The chips are raw, organic and vegan! They are dehydrated at low temperatures to maintain their superfood, enzyme-active state.

I definitely recommend you try these out!

Artisana Foods

2010-09-09T21:17:00.002-04:00

A HUGE thanks to Premier Organics for sending me samples of their delicious nut butters and cacao bliss to sample. Oh my gosh. this stuff is my crack! I had never tried them before, but I know they are popular among many bloggers.

I have devoured nearly all the packs in less than 3 days. I love that their products are raw and organic! Artisana Nut Butters are certified Organic by QAI to the International Standard of Organics and certified Kosher by KSA. They use a special low heat process that preserves the life-essential fatty-acids, enzymes, and vitamins. These nut butters are TOP QUALITY!!

They come in the following flavors:

Artisana Organic Raw Almond Butter

Artisana Organic Raw Cashew Butter

Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter

Artisana Organic Raw Macadamia Cashew Butter

Artisana Organic Raw Pecan Butter

Artisana Organic Raw Tahini

Artisana Organic Raw Walnut Butter

Cacao Bliss

Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil - Never Heated

Be sure to check them out on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Artisana-Raw-Organic-Nut-Butters/48491770876

Chocolite

2010-09-07T18:20:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Health Smart Foods for sending me samples of their chocolite protein shakes and bars to sample. These were awesome treats! The bars come in over 15-20 flavors. I can't wait to sample every one of them :) The Protein Bars are Sugar-Free/Gluten-Free, 95-100 calories, 3-4g fat, 3g net carbs, 9-10g protein, and 9-10g fiber. Perfect little snack in the afternoon that won't kill your diet.

The shakes were delicious too. They come in strawberry, chocolate, french vanilla, banana.... and my favorite... PEANUT BUTTER! Only 150 calories per serving. In addition, there are only 3 net carbs, 5g fiber, and 24 grams of protein in each serving. Great for low calorie & low carb diets. With 16 vitamins and minerals, they make a great meal replacement for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Be sure to check out their other low carb products, including ICE CREAM!!!

Julian Bakery Smart Carb Bread

2010-08-28T07:48:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Julian Bakery for sending me their Smart Carb bread to sample. They sent me their smart carb #1 (low carb) and smart carb #2 (cinnamon almond raisin) breads. They are delicious! Actually, this bread is quite addicting like regular bread. MINUS THE CARBS! Personally, my body does not like carbs, so this is perfect for me. I love it. Thanks to Julian Bakery for sending me these delicious breads! I am hooked!

Smart carb No. 1: One slice of this bread has 12 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein. Only 109 calories and one net carb per slice! (13 total carbs- 12 grams dietary fiber= one net carb.) There is only one gram of fat and no sugar.

Ingredients
Fresh Ground Whole Grain *Wheat, Sprouts of *Kamut, *Spelt, *Rye, Lentils, Sesame Seeds, *Millet, *Quinoa, *Amaranth, Ground Flaxseed, *Wheat Bran, Oat Bran, Eggs, Undenatured Whey Protein Isolate (90%), Chicory Root (Inulin Fiber), Wheat Gluten, Yeast & Sea Salt.
*Organically Grown

Smart carb No. 2 (cinnamon almond raisin): One slice of this bread has 13 grams of fiber and 16 grams of protein. Only 137 calories and two net carbs per slice! (15 total carbs- 13 grams dietary fiber= two net carbs.) There is only one gram of fat and one gram of sugar.

Ingredients:
Fresh Ground Whole Grain *Wheat, Sprouts of *Kamut, *Spelt, *Rye, Lentils, Sesame Seeds, *Millet, *Quinoa, *Amaranth, Ground Flaxseed, *Wheat Bran, Oat Bran, Eggs, Undenatured Whey Protein Isolate (90%), Chicory Root (Inulin Fiber), Wheat Gluten, Cinnamon, Raisins, Yeast & Sea Salt.

America's Nutrition - Valeo 8 Pound Medicine Ball

2010-08-26T19:45:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Cheryl from America's Nutrition for sending me a Valeo 8 pound Medicine Ball to review.

America's Nutrition sells a variety of exercise equipment, nutrition bars, protein powders, weight loss and other supplements.

The Valeo ball comes in either 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 pounds. They are great to use as part of your workout routine. They help improve flexibility, strength and coordination. I love to use them for ab workouts. I love how it comes with a wall chart of exercises. The ball is easy to grip and has the texture of a basketball.... but a little bit heavier :) So, it's easier to grip. The 8 pound ball sells for $26.99, but you get a bigger discount if you buy more. Shipping is $4.99 per order, but free for orders over $99.

Be sure to check out America's Nutrition website! There are a lot of great deals!