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 #17 – Holiday Recovery

I love getting together with my entire family for meals. It’s great to see everyone, catch up, and eat good food. Ooooh, the food!

Jewish holiday meals always include brisket, some sort of poultry, whether it’s chicken or turkey, often there is fish, usually salmon, matzah ball soup, vegetables, kugel, an assortment of desserts, and the list could go on and on. To say I overeat at these dinners would be an understatement.

I always tell myself, “1 piece of this, 1 piece of that, a couple little bites of this, a couple little pieces of that… you can always go back for more.” And I do. I take a little bit of everything and always go back for more. What can I say? My family knows how to cook and I’m going to take advantage of it when I can!

So after two Rosh Hashana dinners, I find myself trying to recover and pick up the pieces of my “has-been” healthy eating habits.

[Breakfast]
Tone It Up pumpkin protein pancake topped with peanut fluff and, with all of the benefits of ACV (courtesy of Brittany at Eating Bird Food), I knew I had to have my bombshell spell. Steering clear from the grains for a day or two will definitely help, so I put the oatmeal on the back burner. Get it?! 😉

[Snack] Not Pictured
I found out that I’m not a huge fan of vanilla Greek yogurt without any fruit or granola in it. And unfortunately I had no fruit or granola in sight, so I went for the next best thing. I mixed in a tablespoon of no sugar added Swiss Miss. What, you don’t have a container of Swiss Miss at your desk?!

[Lunch]
The only good picture of the day. Salad topped with veggies and roasted salmon. The salmon was leftover from Rosh Hashana dinner and man, my mom did an awesome job! It’s a little smokey and a little sweet. And luckily I have some more leftovers to hold me over through the week!

[Snack]
It was a sad, sad day as I finished my very last Premier Protein shake. The vanilla is awesome and I will definitely be making my way over to Sam’s Club as soon as I can to get more!

[Dinner]
Chipotle honey lime chicken with coconut oil roasted brussel sprouts and broccoli. This chicken was so good! Nathan tasted the sauce and I got an “oh yea!” in approval and that’s when I knew I’d have to share the recipe with all of you! You know what that means.. check it out this Foodie Friday! 🙂

[Snack]
I just feel the need to apologize for this picture. It’s not a pretty one, but it was so tasty and hit the spot after a hard interval workout, courtesy of Julie at PBFingers! I mixed 1/4 cup Chobani vanilla Greek yogurt with 1 tbsp peanut flour, 1 packet stevia, and 1/2 tbsp vegan carob chips. Then I mixed in a chopped up apple and sprinkled a little cinnamon on top. Yum!

[Goals]
In the spirit of continuing with my previous goal of beating my 5K time of 26:08, I ran my second 5K on Sunday. Unfortunately, this one didn’t have a chip time, only a gun time. But according to MapMyRun on my phone, I had the exact same time and pace as my first 5K. And I have to say, that while I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t beat my time, I’m still pretty pleased that I did just as well. Next up, 5K on September 29th. It’s on!

Speak Up!

What is your favorite holiday meal and what are your favorite foods that go along with that meal?

What I Ate Wednesday #16 – Oatmeal Obsessed

It’s true, I’m obsessed. Oatmeal is by far one of my most favorite breakfasts and if you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, I’m sure you’ve noticed!

What can I say? They’re warm and sweet and delicious! So I’m sure you won’t be surprised to find that not only am I including them as part of my WIAW post (again!), but I will soon have a new recipe for you! You just wait.. I’ve hopped on the Fall train and am taking you to a pumpkin paradise.

[Breakfast]
Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Oatmeal (protmeal, if you will). Yep, I went there. I couldn’t handle all of the pumpkin recipes I’d seen popping up on Pinterest, so I had to hop on the bandwagon! Also had a side of the always wonderful Tone It Up Bombshell Spell out of an old coconut oil jar. What, you don’t reuse your jars?

Look for my protmeal recipe this Foodie Friday! 🙂

[Snack]
I know everyone raves about Chobani, but I have to admit, my favorite Greek yogurt is Oikos. Blueberry, to be exact.

[Lunch]
Salad monster! Romaine and spinach topped with green peppers, cherry tomatoes, grapes, cucumber, chicken, and a packet of 100 calorie Wholly Guacamole. That stuff is great!

[Snack]
Gnu Foods Espresso Chip Bar. I recently won a box of these from Anjali at The Picky Eater and lately they’ve been my go-to snack bars on non-PM workout days. They only have 140 calories but 12g fiber and 4g protein! Not to mention, they’re delicious!

[Dinner]
Romaine wraps with quinoa, roasted salmon, pineapple chunky guacamole, & salsa plus corn on the cob. A tex-mex inspired meal and I was a happy camper!

[Snack]
Cottage cheese, cinnamon, dark chocolate chips, and protein fluff.

[Goals]
Last week I mentioned wanting to get my race time faster for my next 5K on October 21. Well, people, things change. My next 5K is this Sunday! Ahh! So now I’m pushing my goal up by, oh a month and a half, and testing myself this weekend. To finish in under 26:08.. gotta do it! Wish me luck!

Speak Up!

What goals are you setting for yourself this week?

Foodie Friday: Peanut Chili Baked Tofu

Who else is excited for the weekend?! I know I’m ready. Time to kick back, relax, and try some new recipes! And speaking of, here’s a fun one if you’re feeling the vegetarian vibe!

Peanut Chili Baked Tofu

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 package super firm tofu (I use Nasoya Sprouted Tofu)
1/2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp chili garlic paste (Lee Kum Kee is my favorite!)
2 tbsp peanut flour (I use Protein Plus, but you can also use PB2, or 1 tbsp nut butter)
5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place tofu between paper towels with a light weight on top to press out the water. Let sit for about 10 minutes while you prepare the marinade.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients. After your tofu has been pressed, cut into 1″ cubes and toss in the marinade. Let sit for another 5-10 minutes.

Place a greased baking rack on a sheet pan and lay the tofu out in a flat layer. Toss it in the oven and bake about 20-25 minutes, or until the outside is a little crisp.

Serving Suggestions
I prefer my peanut chili tofu with a large helping of roasted vegetables. This would also be great over soba noodles and sauteed veggies or over a salad. You could even make this into a wrap, but I would suggest cutting the tofu into longer strips rather than cubes if you plan on doing a wrap.

Nutritional Stats
Per serving (1/2 recipe)

308 Calories  /  18g Fat  /  10g Carbs  /  5g Fiber  /  4g Sugar  /  26g Protein

Don’t forget to enter my Premier Protein Giveaway! And if you’re dying to get the peanut flour and are new to iherb.com, use the discount code ZAF482 at checkout for $5 off your first order!

Speak Up!

Have you ever had tofu? If so, what’s your favorite tofu recipe?

What I Ate Wednesday #15 – Goals and Giveaways!

I always love a good WIAW, especially when there’s a new theme! This month we’re setting goals and embracing healthy changes. What a great way to kick off a new month and almost a new season!

[Breakfast]
Chocolate protein Coach’s Oats topped with Earth Balance crunchy coconut peanut spread (whoaaa! Changing it up over here!), sliced banana, and cinnamon. What can I say, I just can’t get enough of it! And if you missed it, I’ve posted the recipe to this delectable way to start your day.

[Snack]
I was really, really hungry. I realized a few bites in that I didn’t snap a shot of my apple, so here ya go. A munched on apple 🙂

[Lunch]
My mango chipotle chicken salad made 3 servings, so I am happily eating it in wrap form for 3 lunches in a row. I love the little bit of sweetness you get from the mango and it’s super healthy! (Only 131 calories per 1/2 cup serving!)

[Snack]
Yogurt peanut crunch Premier Protein bar. Do you smell a giveaway?! I do! 😉 Loved this bar. It tastes great and has 30g protein! A little higher in calories than my typical protein bar, as it is created as a meal replacement, but it’s great for your high calorie-burning days!

[Dinner]
Skinny baked chicken milanese over quinoa. I love Skinnytaste recipes and this was did not disappoint. Happy to report that this one was fiancé-approved too!

[Snack]
Cottage cheese with peanut fluff. Don’t know peanut fluff? The wonderful PowerCakes introduced it to me and I’m in love. It’s the perfect topping for protein pancakes, cottage cheese, yogurt.. anything really! Just 2 tbsp peanut flour (I use Protein Plus), 1 packet stevia, & enough water to get it to whatever consistency you like.

And if you’re dying to get the peanut flour and are new to iherb.com, use the discount code ZAF482 at checkout for $5 off your first order! I get a bunch of stuff off this site.. protein powder, apple cider vinegar, agave nectar, and so much more! It’s such a great resource!

[Goals]
In August, I ran my first 5K. I was definitely pleased with my time of 26:08 at 8:26 min/mile pace, but my goal for September is to increase my pace for my next 5K. As it stands, that will be The Color Run on October 21. I’m planning on running at least once a week, unless my legs decide they can handle more, in hopes of killing my time! And now that I’ve shared, I have to get it done!

And now for the giveaway!

Premier Protein was kind enough to send me an amazing package and would like to give 5 of you wonderful readers a package of your own! Check it out!

Being that I love chocolate and peanut butter so, so much, my favorite items in this package were the Chocolate Shake (only 160 calories and 30g protein!), the Yogurt Peanut Crunch bar, and the Chocolate Peanut Butter bar. The Vanilla Shake and Double Chocolate Crunch bar was good too, but I just can’t say no to my peanut butter!

Your winnings will include:

• 6 Premier Protein bars: 2 bars in each flavor (Chocolate Peanut Butter, Double Chocolate Crunch and Yogurt Peanut Butter Crunch)
• 4 Premier Protein shakes: 2 shakes in each flavor (chocolate and vanilla)
• Premier Protein nylon bag

How to Enter

You have up to 4 chances to enter! Be sure to leave separate comments for each entry. Entries will be accepted through Sunday, September 9th, 11:59pm. Winners will be chosen Monday, September 10th.

1. Leave a comment telling me which product and flavor you’re most excited to try. (Mandatory)

2. Follow @premierprotein on twitter and leave a comment telling me. (Optional)

3. Follow me (@beermeamartini) on twitter and leave a comment telling me. (Optional)

4. Tweet “I’m entering to win a prize pack of @premierprotein shakes and bars from @beermeamartini on #BarrAndTable! http://wp.me/p2mo7x-6Z” and leave a comment with a link to your tweet. (Optional)