Foodie Friday: Dark Chocolate Berry Protein Bites

It’s always bittersweet when I finish something, whether it’s a nut butter, protein bites, obviously anything else snacky. I hate to have the last of something, but that just means I get to experiment with new flavors! So when I finished my apple pie protein bites, rather than making more of the same, I decided to see what else was in the pantry. I noticed I have quite a bit of Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter. And you just can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter, am I right? That’s a good place to start..

Dark Chocolate Berry Protein Bites

Makes 38 bites Ingredients – 2/3 cup chocolate protein powder [I used PlantFusion] – 1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder – 1/2 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter [You can sub another nut butter.. but why? ;)] – 1/2 cup canned lite coconut milk – 75 drops NuNaturals Cherry Vanilla liquid stevia – 1/4 cup dried goji berries [Dried cherries would be great too!] Directions In a large bowl, add all ingredients except the goji berries. Mix until everything is almost fully incorporated and then add the goji berries. Continue mixing until the granola is evenly distributed throughout. Depending on the protein powder and nut butter you use, you may want to add a little more coconut milk as you’re mixing. Using a 1/2 tbsp measuring spoon, measure out your bites and roll into balls. Place in an airtight container in the freezer. Nutritional Information Per 1/2 tbsp bite 32 Calories / 2g Fat / 2g Carbs / 0g Fiber / 1g Sugar / 2g Protein The stats are pretty darn close to my apple pie bites and they just happen to be the perfect pop-able snack before the gym or when your sweet tooth hits! My Bob’s Red Mill giveaway winner has been randomly chosen. Congrats to Cassandra P! Please email me at Brittany@BarrAndTable.com with your shipping information so you can get your prize!

Food for Thought

What flavor combo do you want to see next?

Pure Via Recipe Round Up and Giveaway!

Growing up, my mom always had a big pitcher of sweet tea in the fridge. A nice cold glass of tea, sans ice, was one of my favorite things after being outside in the summer heat all day. It was so refreshing and I always looked forward to it.

With June being National Iced Tea Month, Pure Via, as part of a FitFluential campaign, sent me a Summer Fit Kit packed with goodies:

• Box of Pure Via® non-GMO packets
• Bottle of Pure Via® stevia liquid
• Bottle of Pure Via® vanilla stevia liquid
• Container of instant iced tea
• Pure Via mason jar & straw
• Pure Via pedometer
• Pure Via SPF 15 lip balm

Summer sweet tea, here I come! With a little less sugar, yes? 😉 I’ve been loving the vanilla liquid Pure Via in my coffee and PB&J yogurt parfaits. On top of that, there are tons of recipes on the Pure Via website that I can’t wait to try!

Drinks

Blackberry Lemonade

Blood Orange Iced Tea

Mojito

Treats

Fresh Peach Crisp

Fudgy Saucepan Brownies

Eats

Jamaican Curried Rice

Pineapple Mustard Glazed Chicken

Now the best part is that Pure Via is also giving away one of their Summer Fit Kits to you!

Click here to enter the giveaway today!

Food for Thought

What was your favorite part of summer growing up?

*Disclosure: I received a Pure Via Summer Fit Kit as part of a FitFluential campaign. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

What I Ate Wednesday #92: Breaking the Plan

We’re usually pretty good about sticking to our weekly meal plan even if we do swap a few days every now and then. I’m kind of a stickler for eating at home during the week, but when Nathan walked in after work yesterday asking if I wanted to grab a cocktail, I couldn’t say no. It had already been a long week and it was only Tuesday! It was an impromptu date night and it was just so nice.

[Breakfast]

I’ve been loving a new protein pancake recipe this week—I’m calling them coco-peanut butter pancakes. I’m still adjusting ratios a bit for the perfect texture but I will definitely be sharing the recipe soon.

[Morning Snack]

And because I haven’t had enough peanut butter, this PB&J yogurt “parfait” is hitting the spot!

Ingredients
– 1/2 cup greek yogurt [I use 2% Fage]
– 2 tbsp peanut flour
– 1 squeeze Pure Via [the vanilla is my favorite!]
– Splash of coconut almond milk
– A couple of your favorite berries [strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are my fave!]
– A few Toasted Coconut and Blueberry Almond Breeze almonds
– 1 tbsp granola [I use Bob’s Red Mill Honey Almond]

Directions
Mix your greek yogurt, peanut flour, stevia, and coconut almond milk together until smooth. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

[Lunch]

I was loving the smoothies at work for lunch but recently I’ve been in more of a salad mood. Especially with the delicious leftover brussels and sweet potato we’ve had!

[Afternoon Snack]

I pretty much could have eaten a horse yesterday. This was snack #2 after a lemon vanilla Luna protein bar. The gelato is pretty amazing and I’ll be posting a real review soon!

[Happy Hour]

Prizefighter is known for their cocktails. I’ve only been there once before but Nathan never had before and it was such a gorgeous night; perfect for a drink outside! My drink was the Tennessee Rye – rye, orange bitters, lemon, and soda. His was the Reconquista – mezcal, punt e mes, and aperol. They were both perfectly balanced and hit the spot. We’ll be back for sure!

[Dinner]

Dinner was an early one at Jasmine Blossom. They have an awesome happy hour—$3 drinks and $5-7 appetizers.

I got the fresh roll filled with beets, carrots, vermicelli noodles, mint, and lettuce and served with the most delicious peanut sauce I’ve ever tasted! Because clearly there’s never enough peanut butter in my life. I might have been nice enough to share the roll with Nathan too. I also got the ginger chicken salad which I love—it’s light and super flavorful. Nathan ordered the chicken pad kee mao which is essentially drunken noodles and again, delicious.

[Midnight Snack]
Dinner actually kept me full longer than I expected but my stomach was grumbling before bed so I grabbed a spoon, a jar of PB, and a little granola. Mmmmmmm.

And now it’s just a few more days till we’re headed home 🙂

Food for Thought

Do you stick to eating at home during the week or do you go out?

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary shipment of Toasted Coconut and Blueberry Almonds from BlueDiamondTasteMakers.com. All thoughts and opinions of the product are my own.

Five Things Friday

Weird, it’s feels like Tuesday. I guess that’s what happens when you have visitors mid-week. I swear, I never knew what day it was when my parents were here!

1. I had my coffee date with my mom yesterday. We skyped.. it’s certainly not the same as meeting at Peet’s but it’s better than nothing. Mmm those almond milk lattes are tasty..
2. I feel like a normal human being again. After a full day of eating like normal and drinking tons of water, my body only hates me a little bit. Ha! Kombucha and veggies are definitely my friends.
   

   One of my faves.

   

   Gimme all the veggies!

3. A super special email came through my inbox yesterday congratulating me on being accepted into the FitFluential Ambassador program! I’m really excited to have the opportunity to work with such an awesome company and be a part of an amazing community.
   
4. My new favorite way to keep gulping down water all day? A few drops of orange stevia. I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do with so much stevia at first, but now I can’t stop! I probably go through at least 15 travel mugs worth per day now.
   

   Peppermint water, anyone?

5. Meal planning kind of went by the wayside while my parents were here. It’s been a good 2 weeks since I’ve had a solid plan but that’s going to change. Gimme all the sales and fun recipes! I’m making a game plan today for next week and it’s going to be good 😉 If you’re looking for help with weekly meal planning, send me an email!

That’s about it for this gal. I definitely will be taking the weekend to sleep in and relax. We only vacation at one speed and we’re beat!

Food for Thought

How do you go back to “normal” after indulging for a few days?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bark

Sometimes my sweet tooth tends to take over in the kitchen. Where some people might see that as a bad thing, I see it as a challenge. It’s a challenge for me to figure out how I can tame my tooth without going on sugar overload.

Not only did I put together a sweet treat that I’m pleased with, but Nathan also likes it and he’s not much of a protein powder guy. I may have done a little St. Patty’s Day-inspired jig when he said he liked it. Don’t judge.

Ingredients
– 3 tbsp coconut oil
– 3 tbsp Perfect Fit Protein
– 3 1/2 tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder
– 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
– 15-20 drops liquid stevia or 2-3 packets powdered stevia
– 3 tbsp peanut butter; divided [I used Peanut Butter & Co. Crunch Time]
– 1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
– Pinch of sea salt [Optional]

Additional Optional Toppings
– Chocolate chips
– Peanut butter chips
– Nuts
– Dried fruit
– Sunflower seeds or pepitas

Directions
Cover a small 8″x6″ pan with aluminum foil.

Scoop coconut oil into a small bowl and microwave about 15 seconds until liquified. Mix in protein powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, stevia, and 2 tbsp peanut butter until everything is well combined. Adjust sweetness to taste.

Pour the mixture onto the pan. Scoop the remaining 1 tbsp of peanut butter into a small bowl and microwave 15 seconds until liquified. Pour on top of the chocolate mixture and swirl with a knife. Sprinkle the top with shredded coconut and a little sea salt.

Store this in an air tight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Nutritional Information
For 1/12th of the recipe [This is difficult to measure as they break up into uneven sized pieces]

60 Calories  /  5g Fat  /  2g Carbs  /  1g Fiber  /  0g Sugar  /  3g Protein

Food for Thought

How do you tackle your sweet tooth? Do you have a favorite go-to recipe?

Foodie Friday: Banana Brûlée Protein Pancake

A year and a half ago, I would head into work and eat a Fiber One bar at my desk. I called that breakfast.

And now? Oh man, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day! If I could eat protein pancakes and oatmeal all day, everyday, I would be the happiest of campers. So it really shouldn’t surprise you that I came up with yet another protein pancake to satisfy my cravings.

Banana Brûlée Protein Pancake

Serves 1

Ingredients
1 banana, divided
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 egg whites
2 tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Hot Cereal* [can be substituted with ground flax]
2 tbsp Perfect Fit Protein
1/2 tbsp chia seed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 packet stevia

Optional Toppings
Peanut fluff [2 tbsp peanut flour*, 1 packet stevia, & water to reach desired consistency]
Maple syrup
Berries
Chocolate chips

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

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash 1/2 banana with applesauce and egg whites. Add in the rest of the ingredients, except the other 1/2 banana & stevia, and mix until well incorporated.

Slice the other 1/2 of the banana. Pour batter into a greased, 8″ non-stick skillet or cake pan and press the banana slices into the top of the pancake. Place your pancake in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until set.

Once set, take the pancake out of the oven and sprinkle with stevia. If you have a kitchen torch, go ahead and torch the bananas, if not, place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, until the bananas have caramelized.

Remove from the oven, top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Nutritional Stats
Per pancake without toppings

304 Calories  /  4g Fat  /  49g Carbs  /  11g Fiber  /  21g Sugar  /  26g Protein

Food for Thought

What is your favorite meal of the day? Do you prefer sweet or savory breakfasts?

What I Ate Wednesday #22 – Election Day Eats

The day after a presidential election is always a good day. Whether you’re please with the result or not, I think we’re all glad the ads are over!

All politics aside, the day after election day means it’s time for another WIAW!

[Breakfast]
Poor, poor planning on my part of not requesting an absentee ballot, not changing my voting place to right down the street from where I live now as opposed to down the street from my parents house, and not attempting to vote early resulted in an early morning for this gal. Knowing this, I planned accordingly. Cinnamon overnight oats adapted from my Overnight Oats & Quinoa recipe made me quite happy while I was waiting in line to vote.

[Lunch]
Trader Joe’s has some awesome boxed soups. If you haven’t tried them yet, I’d highly recommend you get on it! I added some edamame and nutritional yeast* to my tomato and roasted red pepper soup. Delicious and full of protein!

[Dinner]
Thai red curry chicken with roasted broccoli, sweet potato, red onion, and turnip. I’ve become a big fan of Sharwood’s sauces and since finding a reasonably priced bag o’ garam masala, I’ve been looking forward to breaking out the Thai red curry. I’m happy to have leftovers 🙂

[Snacks]
A (not pictured) grapefruit in the morning and Gnu Espresso Chip Bar in the afternoon are added to the list. But the snack to top them all is my current favorite (clean eating) dessert. Vanilla greek yogurt with mini chocolate chips and peanut fluff (peanut flour*, stevia, & water). This has been satisfying my night time sweet tooth and has a good amount of protein to make it a great snack for after workouts. Sometimes when I need a little crunch, I top it with a few bunnies 😉

*I get my peanut flour and nutritional yeast from iHerb.com. Use code ZAF482 for $5 off of your first order.

Look out Friday! I have a delicious treat coming for ya that I can’t wait to share.

And big thanks to FitSugar for sharing my Pumpkin Protein Souffle with Cream Cheese Filling & Frosting!

Food for Thought

Did you stay up all night watching the election results roll in or did you find out this morning?

I zonked out at 11, but woke up at 2am and checked twitter to find out. Because really, where else do you go to learn about current events?! 😉

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 #4 – 5 Day Slim Down Edition!

Tone It Up has become a way of life for me and when this month’s WIAW theme of Sensible Snacking, I knew I wanted to share a regular day’s worth of eats. This week I’m doing the 5 day slim down, which essentially is a way to give your body a break from processed foods and helps you slim down. I’ve done it a couple times before and I love it! It’s not too intense and I feel so refreshed when I finish.

This week’s pictures are through the eyes of Instagram.. enjoy!

Breakfast

Tone It Up pineapple protein pancake with slice strawberry, some blueberries, a sprinkle of cinnamon, a little drizzle of maple syrup, and some unsweetened shredded coconut. Hello heaven! You wouldn’t believe this delicious pancake is so healthy and loaded with protein!

Mid-Morning Snack

My usual snack in the morning is 1/2 grapefruit sprinkled with stevia or truvia while I’m sipping away on my coffee with almond milk. Talk about sensible snacking.. grapefruits are so good for you! In fact, the lovely ladies at Tone It Up wrote an entire post about them!

Lunch

The slim down plan includes recipes for tons of delicious collard green wraps, but seeing as how I ran out of collard greens, I decided to make my wrap into a kale salad. So delicious!

To combat the bitterness of raw kale, I always try to marinate the greens overnight with a touch of EVOO, vinegar (white wine, balsamic, ACV all work!), lemon juice, salt, and pepper. This helps to soften the kale and gives it great flavor for your salad!

I topped my marinated kale with a fresh pineapple and red pepper salsa, and a homemade teriyaki turkey burger.

Mid-Afternoon Snack

A cup of almond milk and a Tone It Up bounce back smoothie. This smoothie tastes much better than it looks! Another example of sensible snacking, this smoothie, filled with tons of raw fruits and veggies, really fills you up and isn’t heavy at all.

Dinner

More turkey burgers! Nathan and I went to Sam’s club on Sunday and really loaded up on ground turkey so Sunday night I went to town! I made about 20 burgers.. half teriyaki and half herb.

I had 2 small herb turkey burgers topped with some delicious mango habanero salsa with a side of roasted asparagus and cherry tomatoes. I roasted the veggies with coconut oil, which is rather new to me, but reading all about the benefits, I knew I had to try it. Kasey, Ms. PowerCakes, herself, uses coconut oil all the time and you just can’t argue with those results!

Dessert

One thing I love about the 5 day slim down is that it offers you a nice little dessert. I was just sticking to a piece of fruit, but after reading Kasey’s post on what to eat before bed, I’ve been adding 1/4 cup of fat free cottage cheese or vanilla greek yogurt to my dessert. And while this may look rather indulgent for a before-bed snack, I’ll assure you that the delicious chocolate syrup seen here is Walden Farms Sugar-Free, Calorie-Free Chocolate Syrup, as seen here, gifted by my foodie penpal last month! That stuff hits the spot!

I enjoyed my delicious yogurt with a drizzling of chocolate syrup, a sprinkling of cinnamon, and a kiwi on the side. A wonderful way to end the day!

And all of this on a “diet?” Well, that’s what is so wonderful about Tone It Up. It keeps me full and satisfied, and never bloated! I couldn’t ask for much more!