A Restful Week[end] & Gingerbread Molasses Oatmeal

Happy New Year week! I don’t know about you, but I have some big plans for this week.

Last week I got sick and it knocked me on my butt for longer than I had expected. It pretty much hit Monday night and I was out of commission for a few days; though that didn’t stop my Christmas plans! It did, however, stop me from hitting the gym. I went Monday after work, but haven’t been back since. I know I needed to rest and not push my body; I know I needed to just let whatever was in my system play out and not stress about getting in a workout. And I’m sure my body was craving a full week of rest.. the last time I took this long off, it was for the honeymoon! So we took time off and we relaxed. A lot.

We made a roaring fire!

We baked some get-better quick chocolate chip cookies [I swear, they worked!] with a side of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout and Ratatouille.. the movie, not the dish 😉

We had a quiet Saturday and a nice lunch out.

And we made a special Sunday morning trip for fresh bread and breakfast. [I need to make some 5-grain porridge!]

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my rest and relaxation. There was something just so nice about not having to set my alarm each night to make sure I get in my workout before our day’s plans. That said, it’s time to get back on track. But I’m lacking some serious motivation. I have my workout plan in place for the week and my big goal for the week with my diet is to chillax on the extra snacking. I think once I get back into the gym for the first time, I’ll get back into the swing of things, but I’m also hoping I can count on some extra push from all of you! Commit to 30 minutes of fitness each day this week with me, will ya? Let’s start off 2015 on the right foot!

And start your day off on the right foot too; don’t forget to eat breakfast everyday. Need a new oatmeal recipe? This one uses my favorite flavors of the season and is packed with protein and fiber.

Gingerbread Molasses Oatmeal

Serves 1

Ingredients
– 1/2 banana; mashed
– 1/3 cup almond milk [I love Califia Farms Coconut Almond Milk]
– 1/3 cup water
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/4 tsp ground ginger
– 1/8 tsp ground allspice
– 1 tsp blackstrap molasses
– 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
– 5 egg whites

Direction
Place a small pot over medium high heat and add the mashed banana, almond milk, water, and spices. Bring to a boil, stir in the oats, and lower the heat to medium low. Allow the oats to cook for a few minutes until they begin to thicken up. Add the egg whites and stir continuously so the whites to set.

When the oats setup to the thickness that you like, about another 5-7 minutes, remove from heat and scoop into a bowl. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy! I topped mine with a sprinkle of sea salt, golden raisins, candied ginger, and coconut flakes.

Nutritional Information
Per bowl of oatmeal without toppings

278 Calories / 4g Fat / 42g Carbs / 9g Fiber / 13g Sugar / 22g Protein

Looking for some more #MeatlessMonday inspiration? Check out Tina’s weekly link up!

Don’t forget a successful week also comes from a bit of planning. I like to have a set plan for our dinners, not only to know what’s on the menu each night, but it also helps to save money at the store so we don’t just pick up random items. We also have a bunch of leftovers from last week/weekend cooking so we’ll be taking full advantage of that this week too!

Weekly Meal Plan

Sunday – Moroccan chicken stew with rice pilaf [Nathan] & zucchini noodles [me]
Monday – Leftovers
Tuesday – Turkey bolognese with zucchini noodles
Wednesday – NYE!
Thursday – Leftovers
Friday – Out!
Saturday – Leftovers

Alrighty, friends. Let’s do this thing! I’ll be posting my workings on Instagram all week.. feel free to check up on me and call me out if I miss my 30 minutes 😉

Food for Thought

How do you keep yourself accountable?
Will you be joining me to hit 30 minutes of activity everyday this week?

Foodie Friday: Coco-Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes

Have you entered my Pure Via giveaway yet?

Some might say I have a peanut butter problem. Personally, I think it adds character 😉

I don’t know the first place I saw this, and I’m sure you’ve seen it before, but it’s so true! I’m always looking to add more peanut butter into my diet and have been loving coconut flour pancakes.. coconut and peanut butter? The perfect pair.

Coco-Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes

Makes 1 serving of 4-5 pancakes

Ingredients
– 4 egg whites
– 2 tbsp coconut flour* [I use Bob’s Red Mill]
– 2 tbsp peanut flour* [I use Protein Plus]
– 1/4 cup coconut almond milk [I use Califia Farms]
– 1/2 tbsp baking powder
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– Pinch of salt

*These ingredients can be found on iHerb.com. Use code ZAF482 to receive $5 off of your first order.

Directions
Place a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Mix all ingredients together and use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to evenly distribute batter into 4 or 5 pancakes. Cook on one side until they start to bubble, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until cooked through.

Plate up with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

I like to put a few slices of banana and peanut fluff [2 tbsp peanut flour + water + stevia] in between each layer and then drizzles the leftover peanut fluff on top.

Nutritional Information
Per stack without toppings

182 Calories  /  5g Fat  /  8g Carbs  /  2g Fiber  /  5g Sugar  /  26g Protein

Talk about protein-packed! I hope you enjoy them as much I am. I even made an extra batch yesterday to eat on the way to the airport this morning. Speaking of airport.. Baltimore, here we come!!

Food for Thought

What is your favorite kind of pancake?
Any big plans for the weekend?

 

Foodie Friday: Green Monster Protein Shake {No Protein Powder}

I haven’t been the only one around here recently that has been feeling the ramifications of our outings. A couple weeks ago, Nathan asked if I would make him a breakfast shake. Obviously I wanted to make sure it was something that would fill him up but since he’s not a protein powder fan, I wanted to make some adjustments to the typical recipes I find. I also wanted to sneak as many extra healthy ingredients in there as I could 😉

It just so happens, a few weeks ago my friends over at Kiss Me Organics asked if I wanted to review their Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder. One of my most favorite smoothies I’ve had was a matcha smoothie from a restaurant in Baltimore, so of course I jumped at the opportunity to make my own.

If you’re not familiar with matcha, you should know that it has some wonderful health benefits:

• Increased energy and focus
• Increased metabolism
• High in antioxidants
• Improved skin health

Nathan had no idea how healthy I was trying to make him! This smoothie is the perfect combination of healthy fats, carbs, and protein. And he liked it! 😉

Green Monster Protein Shake [No Protein Powder]

Serves 1

Ingredients
– Large handful of spinach
– 1/2 frozen banana
– 1/2 cup Greek yogurt [I use 2% Fage]
– 3-5 medium strawberries
– 1/3 cup pineapple
– 1 tbsp hemp seed
– 1 tsp Kiss Me Organics matcha powder
– 1/4 medium avocado
– 1 cup almond milk [I use Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze]
– 3-5 ice cubes

Directions
Add all ingredients to your blender and whiz away!

Nutritional Information
Per smoothie

355 Calories  /  16g Fat  / 38g Carbs  /  10g Fiber  /  22g Sugar  /  20g Protein

I sometimes adjust the amount of fruit, specifically the pineapple and strawberries, depending on their sweetness. I’ve also used kale instead of spinach before, just a bit less since it can be bitter. It’s a great, refreshing way to start the day.

Food for Thought

Have you ever tried matcha powder before?
Are you a fan of protein powder in your shakes?

*This post is sponsored by Kiss Me Organics but, as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Foodie Friday: Peanut Butter Banana Protein Souffle Pancake

The other day, Nathan was looking for restaurants to try for breakfast during his mom’s visit and came across this amazing creation. Holy cannoli! I’m not usually one for ordering pancakes when we go out, but I seriously had to consider at least getting one for the table to try. Of course, then I couldn’t stop thinking about this amazing-looking souffle pancake. So much so that I was laying in bed that night thinking about ways to make a healthier version for breakfast the next day.

I mentally put a list of ingredients together and decided I needed to give it a whirl. I was so excited when it turned out so well and had to remind myself to slow down a few times because it was so good! Because of the whipped egg whites, this souffle pancake has a much lighter, fluffier texture than a typical pancake. And by using peanut flour over all-purpose flour, it adds an extra protein punch and a ton of extra flavor.

Peanut Butter Banana Protein Souffle Pancake

Serves 1

Ingredients
– 3 egg whites
– 1 egg
– 1/4 cup peanut flour [I use Protein Plus Peanut Flour]*
– 1/2 tsp baking powder
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/4 cup almond milk [I use Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla]
– 8 drops liquid stevia [if using unsweetened peanut flour – I use NuNaturals Vanilla]*
– 1/2 banana; sliced

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F and place a 10″ pan over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk the 3 egg whites until thick and white with stiff peaks.

In a separate bowl, add the rest of the ingredients except banana. Mix those ingredients together until well incorporated, then gently fold in the whipped egg whites. Be careful not to mix too much as it could deflate the whites. Spray the pan with cooking spray and pour your mixture in. Let the mixture set about 2 minutes before placing the banana slices on top.

Once the slices are placed on top, turn the burner off and place the pan in the oven. Let bake about 7-10 minutes until it is completely set. Remove from the oven and set aside for 1-2 minutes. Carefully slide the souffle pancake onto a plate and top with your favorite toppings. I just so happened to have a fresh batch of coconut cashew butter just waiting to be drizzled on top!

*These ingredients can be found on iHerb.com. Use code ZAF482 to receive $5 off of your first order.

Nutritional Information
Per pancake, without toppings

302 Calories  /  10g Fat  /  25g Carbs  /  7g Fiber  /  10g Sugar  /  34g Protein

Food for Thought

Have you tried peanut flour before? Are you a fan?
How would you top your souffle pancake?

Cottage Cheese Oats

Sounds kind of bizarre, right? Well it’s not. I promise!

I knew that I needed to have a nice, big bowl of oats for breakfast yesterday now that Passover had ended but we were low on eggs [my go-to protein to add into my oats]. I wanted to try something different for a change and gave the cottage cheese a go. The oats came out nice and creamy with just a slight cheesiness to them. It was really great so I had to share!

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients
– 1/2 banana; mashed
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– 1/3 cup water
– 1/3 cup cottage cheese [I use low fat Daisy]
– 1/3 cup rolled oats [I use Bob’s Red Mill]
– Splash of almond milk [optional]

Toppings
– 1 tbsp nut butter
– 1 tbsp granola [the Banana Bread Granola is perfect!]
– A little extra cinnamon

Directions
Place a small pot over medium-high heat. Add in banana, cinnamon, water, and cottage cheese. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil before adding in the oats. Once boiling, mix in the oats and cook until desired texture is reached, about 5-10 minutes. I like add a splash of almond milk at the end and let cook another minute; I think this makes it extra creamy! Toss your toppings on and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Per servings without toppings

212 Calories  /  4g Fat  /  33g Carbs  /  5g Fiber  /  10g Sugar  /  13g Protein

Food for Thought

Are you a cottage cheese fan?

This Scramble is Bananas!

Happy Thursday almost Friday, friends! I just wanted to pop in and share a couple fun things from my day yesterday. First up: breakfast.

It was practically a miracle that I didn’t finish every last bite of my roasted butternut squash on Tuesday night so for breakfast yesterday, I clearly needed to polish it off.

Banana Butternut Squash Scramble

Serves 1

Check out the froth on that iced coffee!

Ingredients
– ~1 cup roasted butternut squash
– 1/2 banana; sliced
– 1 egg
– 2 egg whites
– Cinnamon
– Coconut oil

Toppings
– Favorite nut/seed butters [I used my homemade coconut cashew butter and maple sunflower butter]
– Granola

Directions
Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Melt coconut oil and toss in the banana and butternut squash. Mix in the egg, egg whites, and cinnamon. Scramble and cook through. Remove from heat and place everything into a bowl. Top with your favorite nut/seed butters and granola!

It was amazing. I’m not exaggerating either [in my mind]. Also, you could easily swap the banana for more squash and the cinnamon for other seasonings and make yourself a savory breakfast.

And speaking of amazing, we had another day of perfect weather. I went for a walk over to Marshalls and Trader Joe’s.. it’s so dangerous having both of those places so close by! I’ve been on the hunt for a new pair of running shoes since, you know, it’s been well over 2 years since my last pair. Whoops. I totally lucked out and found a pair of Brooks at Marshalls for $40! Can’t wait to give ’em a go 🙂

I also picked up a package on my way home with some delicious treats to try out from My Oatmeal. I got a custom oatmeal blend and one of their PB Lean blends. I’ll be back soon with a review.

Pretty sweet picture setup, huh?

Toward the later part of the afternoon, I decided to take my work outside. I posted up on the deck to work on my tan [read: terrible tan lines] for Jessie‘s August wedding [<– miss her]! Also, I’m extremely pale. Gotta do something about that but it could take some time with my 100 SPF sunscreen. Ha!

Gimme that sun!

Keep your eye out for a delicious and easy recipe coming tomorrow. Hint: it’s coconut cashew butter. And you want to make it 😉

Food for Thought

Are you a sweet or savory breakfast person?
What is your favorite brand of running shoes?

What I Ate Wednesday #76: Newbs

Yesterday I took an impromptu day off from the gym. In my head, it sucked. But when it hurts to move your legs to get out of bed, it’s really a good sign. And after chatting with a few friends blends, I decided that I should get over myself and listen to my body. That said, I still couldn’t sit still all day so I did some quick workouts every hour. But guess what, I’m alive! An extra rest day didn’t kill me and, in fact, was kind of nice. Whoda thunk?! Hopefully now my legs will consider forgiving me and go back to moving like normal.

Speaking of normal, we’re finally back to our regularly scheduled meal plans this week, but I did try some new fun things on Monday.

[Breakfast]

This iced coffee promptly reminded me that I needed to buy some straws.

Another rendition of the sweet breakfast scramble. Topped with nut butters and granola.. what else?!
– 1 egg
– 3 egg whites
– 1/2 banana; mashed
– 2 tbsp coconut flour
– Splash of almond milk

Mid-Morning Snack

Wild blueberries really are so much better.

Frozen wild blueberries are my new favorite. And the kiwis out here are pretty awesome!

[Lunch]

I’ve been addicted to eggs lately.

No huge salad is complete without a fried egg on top. And if you’ve never had the pizza veggie burgers from Trader Joe’s, get on it! I’m pretty sure Nathan even admitted to liking them.

Afternoon Snack

This is my kinda dr!

This is a new-to-me brand of kombucha and it was great. Unlike some other brands, it didn’t have that noticeable fermented tea flavor [otherwise known as gym socks.. ha!] and kind of tasted like apple cider. I really enjoyed it.

A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.

I’m still celebrating National Peanut Butter Lovers’ Day…….

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

ALL THE BARS!

One of my faves.

A few weeks ago I was sent a box of the KIND Healthy Grains bars to review. Because I’m a big fan of KIND bars anyway, I was really excited to try their new product line. These bars are essentially their healthy grains clusters in bar form which makes it even easier to take with you. These bars are all around 150 calories and have 6-9g sugar. Not bad for a quick bite! I really enjoyed the Maple Pumpkin Seed bar but of course my favorite was the Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate!

[Dinner]

I went back for more potatoes. That didn’t last long!

Out of our ordinary, I decided to make baked pesto chicken parm. This might be the first time we’ve actually had pesto in the house but I think it’s going to be used up pretty quickly.

[Evening Snack]
Finished off the night with an apple. And more puffins. Because why not?

Food for Thought

What are your thoughts on multiple rest days per week?
What’s your favorite sweet and crunchy snack?
Have you tried the KIND Healthy Grains Bars yet?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Pin Ups

It’s time again for another Pin It Party hosted by the wonderful Lean Green Bean, herself! I love these posts because not only do I get to share some of my more recent favorite recipes, but I get to see so many other awesome pinnable posts from other bloggers in the link up. Don’t forget to make your way over there to check it out!

You can also see my first 2 Pin It Party posts here:
Pin It Party #1
Pin It Party #2

Breakfast

One of my favorite breakfasts. How can you say no to oats,
nut butter, and a perfectly runny yolk?

Entree

Another yolk! In case you’re feeling a little breakfasty for dinner.

Sweets & Treats

Mini snickerdoodle biscotti are great for any occasion! Maybe this should be under breakfast too 😉

This would be a great snack for the Superbowl. It’s nice a light and not too sweet.

Some dark chocolate fudge with a glass of red wine? Match made in heaven!

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did! Now go ahead and start pinning 🙂

Food for Thought

Are you a big pinner?

Link Love #18: My Top 5

Happy New Years Eve!! Wow, I can’t believe the year is over.. it seems like it just began. It’s time to wrap this baby up and look forward to creating new goals [and achieving them!], new experiences, and new memories. I usually use my link love posts to share some of my favorite posts from the blogosphere, but in the spirit of wrapping up this year, I thought I’d share my top 5 most popular posts and my top 5 favorites from this past year.

Most Popular

5. What I Ate Wednesday #4 – 5 Day Slim Down Edition!

That’s a tasty pineapple protein pancake!

I most certainly have some Tone It Up ladies to thank for this being up there in numbers! People seriously want to know about that slim down. It’s no joke.. you need to be really dedicated and if you are, it really works!

4. Spaghetti Squash Kugel

Definitely making this again soon!

Between Passover and all of the Paleo and low carb diets, it’s no wonder this recipe was a hit! And have you ever had kugel? YUM! Give me my kitchen!

3. Recipe Remix: Carrot Cake Protein Pancakes

Ooh baby! I almost forgot about these.

I love my sweet breakfasts and anyway I can sneak a little veggie in there makes it that much more perfect.

2. Foodie Friday: Peanut Butter Wonderful Powerballs

Everything is better with peanut butter!

My first attempt at protein bites and they were a delicious success! I definitely recommend this recipe.

1. Minty Irish Powerballs

The perfect mix of chocolatey, nutty, and minty!

How do you make a protein bite better? Use your homemade nut butter 😉

My Top 5 Recipe Posts

Eggy Quinoa Stuffed Squash
Coconut Flour Pancake Variations
Homemade Cashew Butter
Buddha’s Feast
Chipotle Lime Sweet Potato Tofu Burgers

My Top 5 Life Posts

Hitched
Dealing With Doubt
I’m grateful for…
The “S” Word
Baltimore Bucket List and Big News!

My Top 5 What I Ate Wednesday Posts

#44: Wine in Italy
Quick Honeymoon Update
#45: The Wedding Food
#59: Ten Years Gone
#64: The First Weekend

Food for Thought

Do you have an all-time favorite post from this past year?
Any big plans for NYE?

Foodie Friday: Cinnamon Raisin Eggy Oats

TGIF! Wait.. do I always start my Friday posts like that? Whoops.. but this is an extra awesome Friday because Nathan and I are celebrating! I know it seems silly to celebrate a dating anniversary after you’re married, but we’ve officially been dating for 10 years. HOLY CRAP! Keep in mind we’ve only been married for 5 months now. I’m super excited for an awesome dinner tonight at Birrotecca and can’t wait to share that with you. I’ve heard such great things about this restaurant.

At my brother’s wedding.. and we’d already been dating for 4 years!

Until then, I’m going share with you a #StrangeButGood breakfast that I’ve been eating this week. In an effort to increase my healthy fats [thank you, Lindsay], I decided to play with some of my favorite breakfast items and I’m loving it this creation!

Cinnamon Raisin Eggy Oats

Serves 1

Ingredients
– 1/2 banana; mashed
– Ground cinnamon
– 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
– 1/2 cup water
– 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
– 1/2 tbsp raisins
– 1 tbsp Sunbutter [or your favorite nut/seed butter!]
– 1 tsp coconut oil
– 1 whole egg
– 2 egg whites

Directions
Place a small pot over high heat and add the 1/2 banana, a sprinkling of cinnamon, almond milk, and water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the oats and raisins and cook until desired consistency. Pour the oats into a bowl and top with the nut or seed butter.

Melt the coconut oil in the pot and add the eggs. Sprinkle the eggs with a little cinnamon and cook about 1-3 minutes per side, depending on how runny you like your yolks. When the eggs are finished cooking, slide on top of the oats, sprinkle a little more cinnamon and dive in!

Oh, and don’t forget to post a pic to Instagram, obviously 😉

The runny yolk with the Sunbutter and creamy oats is an unbeatable combination and it’s been a great post-workout breakfast!

Nutritional Information
Per serving with Sunbutter

480 Calories / 22g Fat / 51g Carbs / 9g Fiber / 16g Sugar / 24g Protein

Food for Thought

Have you ever tried sweet eggs?