Five Things Friday {7/25}

Happy Friday! Today starts my weekend, Nathan is working from home, and the weather has been gorgeous here so we’re hoping to sneak out mid-day for some sunshine. We’re both ready for some relaxation.

1. Tomorrow we’re headed out on another road trip down to Carmel. It’s one of the places we’ve been talking about exploring but just haven’t made the trip yet. Like I said, the weather’s been beautiful so we’re planning on leaving early, grabbing some lunch when we get there, and laying out on a blanket on the beach. Relaxation at its finest. [Maybe a bottle o’ wine, too?] If you have any suggestions for restaurants or other places to go in Carmel, we’re all ears!
2. I recently received a pair of PRO Compression socks to review as part of the #KeepItTight Campaign with Fit Approach. To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure how much I really expected them to help. But after a bunch of shifts at work this week where I’m on my feet for hours at a time, as well as my workouts, slipping these bad boys on at the end of the day has really made a difference.
   

   With a little O’s action in the background!

   The idea that compression socks increase blood flow to your legs has been proven and dare I say my calves and feet have felt less tired and sore by the next morning. If you want to give them a try for yourself, use code PINK at checkout for 40% off your entire order!

3. I killed the salted caramel brownie brittle. Which, of course, means there was brittle dust at the bottom of the bag just begging to be sprinkled on some PB&J yogurt. Obviously. Best idea ever.
   

   Bloobs, figs, & brittle dust.

   

   Cherries & brittle dust.

4. My Swanson 45th Anniversary giveaway ends Sunday night. Don’t miss out on your chance to win a $45 gift card to get some awesome products!
   
5. Baby girl. [And her mama.] That is all.
   

   1 month till squeezes!

Food for Thought
What are your plans for this weekend?

What I Ate Wednesday #48: Cajun Chicken Pasta and a Giveaway

I have to admit, this week’s eats have really not been too exciting. Good thing I have some pictures from last week! And maybe a little treat for you 😉

Breakfast
Protein-packed TVP oats with homemade pumpkin seed butter, coconut peanut spread, Sunbutter, & a little granola.

Morning Snack
Plain cho with a little stevia, cinnamon, and fresh cherries. I loveee cherry season.. which also happens to be fig season. Amazing.

Lunch
Ezekial wrap full of baby kale, red pepper, carrots, cucumber, crunchy sprouts, leftover coconut curry sauce, and grilled tofu. This is the first time I’ve tried Ezekial wraps and I love them! I wrap everything up with foil around it to hold it all together and throw it in the toaster oven for 15-20 minutes to get everything warmed through.

I also love taking wraps to work; I bring a container of all of my veggies and protein and have a little assembly line in the office kitchen. I also tend to bring too much so I end up with a little side salad too! 🙂

Afternoon Snack
Barre bars are wonderful and this Black Swan chocolate berry bar was the perfect snack microwaved for 10 seconds. I love that they are made with all natural ingredients. Any time I can have a little sweet treat and it’s healthy, I’m a happy girl!

Dinner
Mara’s Pasta recently sent me a package of a few different cuts of their whole wheat pasta; I knew I wanted to figure out a light and delicious recipe to try it out. This cajun chicken pasta came together to quickly and easily. The pasta has great flavor and the perfect bite. It was a great addition to this dish. Be on the lookout for a recipe coming soon! 😉

I’m excited to be able to offer one of my readers a package of this wonderful pasta as well. To enter the giveaway, click here!

Don’t forget to join the email list to stay up-to-date with their latest products and visit Mara’s Pasta on Pinterest for some more great recipe ideas!

Food for Thought

What is your favorite pasta dish?
Have you ever tried Mara’s Pasta before?

Disclaimer: Mara’s Pasta provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Foodie Friday: Dark Chocolate Cherry Protein Pancake

I’d like to introduce you to my new love.

I’m not sure what came over me, but one night as I was thinking about what to make for breakfast the next morning (what, don’t you think about your breakfast immediately after finishing dinner?) and it hit me; dark chocolate and cherries. Duh! Why hadn’t I done this before?!

I took a mental inventory of my pantry and the next morning, I made my dream a reality. And it’s so very dreamy.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Protein Pancake

Serves 1

Ingredients
3 egg whites
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Hot Cereal [you can sub ground flax]
2 tbsp chocolate protein powder [I used PlantFusion]
2 packets stevia
1 tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder [I used Hershey’s]
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp dried cherries [you can sub other dried fruits like raisins, goji berries, cranberries, etc]
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Optional Toppings
Banana slices
Peanut fluff [2 tbsp peanut flour, 1 packet stevia, & water to reach desired consistency]
Unsweetened shredded coconut
Sliced almonds
Dark chocolate chips
Dried fruit

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

Directions
Heat a small 8″ pan over medium-low heat. Mix all of your ingredients together and grease your pan. Pour your batter in and let cook about 5-6 minutes on the first side, or until it is sturdy enough to flip. After flipping, finish cooking about 2 minutes on the other side.

Nutritional Stats
Per serving without toppings

245 Calories  /  5g Fat  /  29g Carbs  /  7g Fiber  /  11g Sugar  /  26g Protein

Food for Thought

What is your favorite protein pancake you’ve ever made? Do you go towards a sweeter preparation or a simple, plain pancake?

What I Ate Wednesday #10 – Out on the Town

Saturday was a rainy, gross, stay inside kinda day. But we just don’t like to do that. It’s the weekend.. gotta have fun!

I started my Saturday with a workout, a hair chop, and a dress purchase. But this wasn’t just any dress purchase. My friend, bridesmaid, and college roommate announced last week that she is getting married. Next month.

Say whaaaaaaattttt?!

I know! And I’m also a bridesmaid! With all of 4 weeks to prep, she asked for the bridesmaids to wear black or silver and she didn’t care what it looked like. And I’m pleased to say that I was successful in a short amount of time! (Thank you very much White House Black Market!)

I wish I could say my night out on the town involved dressing up in my new fun dress, but sadly, it did not. It did, however, involve some delicious eats and drinks!

Breakfast
I’m still way too obsessed with the banana bread protein pancakes from Julie at Peanut Butter Fingers. They’re just my favorite pancakes and I can’t stop wanting them! I also had my Tone It Up Bombshell Spell and since it was the weekend, I topped it off with my favorite coffee. Get this. Chocolate coconut coffee. Seriously, what could be better?!

Snack
Also on my obsession list, cherries. And they were on sale last week! We stocked up.

Lunch – Outing #1
A little while back, I got a LivingSocial deal to Bang Bang Mongolian Grill. If you enjoy cooking and controlling your ingredients, this place is for you! You grab a bowl, load it up with protein, vegetables, sauces, and spices, then give it to the cook and choose your starch. They cook everything on a flat top and hand you a steaming hot bowl of deliciousness! It’s like cooking at home without having to actually cook! And without the mess.

I loaded up on salmon, shrimp, tons of veggies, zesty orange garlic sauce and went for the brown rice. It was delicious and super easy. Definitely going back soon!

Snack
Not pictured, but super delicious. Vanilla greek yogurt with Great Grains Cranberry Almond Crunch. If you’re a cereal or granola lover, this one is for you! But beware, it’s addicting! (Don’t say I didn’t warn you.)

Dinner – Outing #2
Baba’s Mediterranean Kitchen. Oh yes.

If you’re in the Baltimore area, make your way over. We started with a sampler.. hummus, baba ghanoush, spanikopita, and falafel. Nathan said it’s the best falafel he’s had since Israel. It was all amazing though. For my dinner, I got the shrimp ouzo over quinoa with a side greek salad, hummus, and pita. My only complaint is that they don’t make their own bread.. and we’re bread people. Beyond that, I would go back in a heart beat! (And the prices are awesome!)

After Dinner
Since we were with some friends, we headed over to The Wine Market; an adorable little wine shop (duh!) and bistro. The girls got some wonderful assortments of red wines (not pictured) and the boys shared 2 beers. A Tripel Karmeliet to start; an amazingly delicious Belgian tripel that pretty much can’t be topped. But why not try? They followed it up with an Ommegang Hennepin; this one is a Belgian-style Farmhouse Saison. Another winner. And while I was definitely enjoying my wine, I’m clearly much more intrigued by beer. Can you tell? 😉

Fitness
After reviewing that dinner, I’m really quite pleased that I got up for my workout Saturday morning! I hit up my Tone It Up girls for a couple of my toning faves – the Sandcastle workout and the Itty Bitty Bikini workout. Don’t let these names fool you.. it burns! Especially that total ab tone up at the end of Itty Bitty Bikini!

I paired that up with a favorite HIIT elliptical workout from SELF Magazine I was ready to hit the town!

Speak Up!

What’s your favorite type of cuisine? We love Mediterranean! Saturday was our first time trying Baba’s and we’ll definitely be back.

“KIND” Bar Crumbles

Before every vacation I scour the internet looking for fun, healthy snacks that are easy to take with us and with our upcoming Cali trip, I was on the prowl! Bars are always the way to go, so why wouldn’t I attempt to make one of our favorites? KIND Bars are the real deal.

I found this recipe from Peas and Thank You for homemade KIND bars and decided to take that and run!

Recipe adapted from Peas and Thank You

Ingredients
2 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tbsp flax seed
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup agave
1 tsp salt
1 cup almonds, roasted & chopped
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup rice cereal <– Loved the added crispiness from this!
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix ground flax seed, flax seed, honey, agave, and salt. Mix everything until well combined. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Spread everything onto a parchment covered baking sheet in ~1/2″ layer. Make sure to really smash it all together so it really sticks!

Bake about 20 minutes, turning half way through, until the bars have become slightly crispy.

Let cool completely before breaking into pieces. And try not to eat too much of it while packaging it up! 😉

Speak Up!

When you go on vacation, do you pack snacks? What’s your favorite travel snack?