Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Protein Pancakes

Maybe I should change my blog to Protein Pancake Paradise! Lol!  I know I post a lot of protein pancake recipes but I just can't help that I adore pancakes :) Any who, I woke up this morning with a huge hankering for something sweet!  Alone, my usual egg whites and oatmeal just wasn't going to satisfy my sweet tooth, but together with a couple added ingredients... they can make magic!  My goal was to meet my macros; I needed to get at least 25g of protein and 20g of carbohydrates in my system for my morning meal.  This recipe packs 31g of protein and 20g of carbohydrates.  Mission accomplished!

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Protein Pancakes

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1) 1 scoop VPX SRO Zero Carb Chocolate Whey Protein

2) 15g Organic Oat Flour (I used Arrowhead Mills)

3) 1/4 cup Egg Whites

4) 1/8 cup Applesauce

5) 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

6) 1 tbsp Peanut Butter & Co. - Cinnamon Raisin Swirl

 

Instructions:

- Mix the first 5 ingredients together until it is of pancake batter consistency. (The great thing about this recipe is that you don't even need a blender, you can just mix with a spoon!)
- Coat pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour 1/2 of the batter onto pan and cook on Medium-Low heat until golden brown (this should take about 2 minutes on each side).

*Tip* When the pancake begins to bubble that is a good indicator that you should flip!

- Spread 1/2 tbsp of Cinnamon Raisin Swirl peanut butter onto each pancake.

ENJOY!

This recipe makes 2 medium sized protein pancakes, nutritional information below includes all ingredients!

Nutritional Information:

258 calories, 7g fat, 198mg sodium, 296mg potassium, 20g carbohydrates (3g fiber, 6g sugar), 31g protein.

Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

I really don't think I need to say much, the recipe speaks for itself.

It's AMAZEBALLZ!

Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

Ingredients:

- 2 scoops Vanilla Whey Protein

- 30g Organic Oat Flour (I used Arrowhead Mills)

- 6 tbsp Liquid Egg Whites

- 1/8 cup Plain Greek Yogurt

- 1 Banana, mashed

- 1/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

- 1/4 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda

Toppings:

- 1 tbsp Dark Chocolate Chips

- 2 tbsp Walden Farms Pancake Syrup

- 1 tbsp Light Cool Whip  

Instructions:

- Combine the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl (I like to use one with a spout so it's easier to pour the pancakes).

*Tip* Use a ripe, more brown than green banana.  They are sweeter, softer, and easier to mash (you want to make sure you mash the banana very well so you don't have any chunks in your batter).  Also, research has shown  that the darker patches it has, the higher the immunity enhancement quality.

- Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat on Medium-Low.

- Pour batter into pan and sprinkle 1/2 tbsp dark chocolate chips onto each pancake.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. 

- Top pancakes with Walden Farms Pancake Syrup and a dollop of Light Cool Whip. 

*This recipe makes 2 servings*

Serving Size = 2 large pancakes 

Nutritional Information:

with toppings

327 calories, 7g fat, 341mg sodium, 308mg potassium, 33g carbohydrates, 35g protein. 

without toppings

247 calories, 1.5g fat, 288mg sodium,  308mg potassium, 22g carbohydrates, 34g protein.

Enjoy :)

 

         

Blueberry Pie Proats

I've said it once, I've said it twice, I've probably said it a million times... 

DON'T SKIP BREAKFAST!!!

For me and many other health & fitness fanatics, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.  I have read countless studies that confirm that people who eat a healthy balanced breakfast daily have lower body fat percentages than those that pass on a morning meal.  Why?  When you do not eat breakfast, your metabolism plummets.  If you are trying to lose weight, this is the last thing you want!  Eating a healthy breakfast helps you control your impulse to eat junk food when you're bored or stressed, prevents you from snacking between meals and overeating at lunch time, and jump starts your metabolism for the day, revving up your fat burning ability for enhanced weight loss!

While a nutritious breakfast is vital, eating an unhealthy, heavy breakfast can be just the opposite.  Avoid foods high in added sugars, sodium, saturated fats and calories. Cut back on sugary breakfast cereals, high-calorie pastries, and meats like bacon and sausage that are high in saturated fat and sodium.  Make sure you eat a well balanced breakfast containing protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber.  My favorite is egg whites (scrambled, sunny side, hard boiled, omelet, however you like!) with added vegetables (onions, spinach, peppers, zucchini, etc.) and oatmeal with cinnamon, honey, nuts, fruit, the list can go on and on!  

So, speaking of oatmeal, let me stop my rant and start with my recipe!

Which by the way is under 200 calories and packs 17 grams of protein.

Blueberry Pie Proats

Protein + Oats = PROATS!

Proats are a quick and easy way to start a healthy day :) 

Just add your favorite protein powder to your oatmeal and voila! 

Ingredients:

- 1/3 cup Quick Cooking Oats

- 1/4 tsp All Natural Ground Cinnamon

- Water

- 1/2 scoop Vanilla VPX SRO Zero Carb Whey Protein

- 1/4 cup Lifeway Blueberry Organic Kefir

- 1/3 cup Organic Blueberries

Instructions:

- Mix oats, cinnamon, and water (the amount of water depends on how dry or wet you prefer your oatmeal) in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute and 30 seconds.

- Take bowl out of the microwave (carefully, it's hot) and mix in vanilla protein powder.  

- Pour blueberry keifer over oats and stir in organic blueberries.

- Sprinkle a little cinnamon or add unsalted nuts on top if you'd like ;)

And that's it!   It's as easy as... blueberry pie!! :) lol!

Question:
What is keifer?

Answer:
"Kefir’s tart and refreshing flavor is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, but it contains beneficial yeast as well as friendly ‘probiotic’ bacteria found in yogurt.  The naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in kefir combine symbiotically to give superior health benefits when consumed regularly.  It is loaded with valuable vitamins and minerals and contains easily digestible complete proteins.  For the lactose intolerant, kefir’s abundance of beneficial yeast and bacteria provide lactase, an enzyme which consumes most of the lactose left after the culturing process." 

References:  

http://www.kefir.net/what-is-kefir/

Serves 1

Nutritional Information:

197 calories, 2g fat, 2mg cholesterol, 51mg sodium, 95mg potassium, 28g carbohydrates (4g fiber, 9g sugar) 17g protein

Enjoy!

French Thins

After looking at someone's Instagram photo of delicious french toast I really wanted, no, I needed, some french toast for breakfast! Lol!  So, after my cardio sesh this morning I scoured my kitchen in search of a few basic ingredients to make a healthy and delicious batter.  As for the bread, I used one whole Flax & Fiber Arnold Sandwich Thin, which, if you're counting calories, is only 100 cal per roll.  Also, they are high in fiber and pack 5g of protein, score!  Any who, this batter recipe below actually makes enough for two servings, meaning, it is more than enough to dredge 2 whole sandwich thins (4 slices) in!  You can make this breakfast for you and your boo, or do what I did and prepare the other French Thins for a tasty mid-day treat!

French Thins!

Banana Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate French Thins! (say that 5 times fast) lol!

Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup Egg Whites
- 1/4 scoop VPX SRO Zero Carb Chocolate Protein Powder
- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
- Splash of VPX Chocolate Protein Rush
- 2 Flax & Fiber Arnold Sandwich Thins

If you're not a chocoholic like me *gasp!* then you can always sub it for vanilla protein and add some pure vanilla extract to the mix ;)

Instructions:
- Whisk the first four ingredients together in a bowl.
- Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat on Low.
- Soak slices in batter.
- Cook covered until golden brown (about 1-2 minutes) on each side.

As you can see from the above picture I topped mine with two of my favorite foods, banana and peanut butter!  I sliced up half of a small banana and used 1 tbsp of Peanut Butter & Co. Cinnamon Raisin spread.  Amazeballz!  I also sprinkled some sunflower seeds on top for an added *crunch* :)

You can add your own toppings/stuffings to meet your nutritional needs and suit your taste buds.  Below I listed some suggestions I may have to try myself!

Stuffing Suggestions
- Apples
- Pears
- Peaches
- Berries
- Nuts
- Greek Yogurt
- Honey/Agave
- PB2

Nutritional Info (per serving): without toppings
140.3 calories, 1.1g fat, 259.8mg sodium, 92mg potassium, 21.3g carbohydrates (5.2g fiber, 2g sugar), 13.3g protein.

With the toppings it came out to about 285 calories and 18g protein.
Caloric Breakdown:
French Thins Batter - 40 cal per serving
Flax & Fiber Arnold's Sandwich Thins - 100 cal per roll
Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter - 80 cal per tbsp
Banana - 45 cal for 1/2
Sunflower Seeds - 20 cal

Hope this helps :)

And as always... I hope you ENJOY!

Easy Open Faced Egg White Omelette

I wanted to make a quick and easy breakfast this morning, and I did, so I thought I'd share it with you!  With just 5 healthy ingredients and only 5 steps, this recipe is super simple for my busy but health conscious fit fam.  Packed with 26.3g protein and only 158.3 calories, this high protein, low calorie, and low carb meal is the perfect way to start a healthy day!

Easy Open Faced Egg White Omelette

Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup egg whites
- 1/2 cup chopped baby spinach
- 0.5 oz low sodium turkey breast
- 1 oz low fat shredded mozzarella
- a dash of Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning

Instructions:
- Spray small pan with olive oil and heat on medium.
- Add chopped spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in egg whites and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add turkey breast and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle mozzarella and Mrs. Dash on top and cover with lid for 1-2 minutes.

And that is it!  You can always incorporate additional veggies such as; onions, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, the list can go on and on!

Serving Size: 1
Nutritional Info:
158.3 calories, 3.4g fat, 11.2mg cholesterol, 378.3mg potassium, 1.7g carbohydrates, 26.3g protein.

Enjoy!

Baked Spinach Salmon Burgers

This is a great meal because the main ingredients are powerful SUPERFOODS packed with nutrients!  And personally, I love spinach and I love salmon, so why not mix them together and make a delicious recipe out of it? :)

But first, I'd like to provide you with a few facts about our two key ingredients:

Salmon -
As you may already know, salmon is a highly nutritious food. Of course, it is high in protein, and Omega-3 healthy fats. But did you know that a serving salmon provides a full day’s requirement of vitamin D, which is essential for the maintenance of bone density?  Salmon also contains over half of the necessary B12, niacin, and selenium, and is an excellent source of B6 and magnesium.

Spinach -
Low in calories and high in vitamins, spinach is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in existence.  One cup of the leafy green vegetable contains far more than your daily requirements of vitamin K and vitamin A, almost all the manganese and folate your body needs and nearly 40 percent of your magnesium requirement. It is an excellent source of more than 20 different measurable nutrients, including dietary fiber, calcium and protein.  And yet, 1 cup has only 40 calories!

So, here is another amazingly healthy, high protein (18.5g protein), low calorie (only 143 calories per patty!) recipe that is easy to make and only takes a few ingredients!

Baked Spinach Salmon Burgers

Serves 4

 

 Ingredients:
- 15oz of canned salmon, drained
   (I used 3 5oz cans)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped baby spinach
- 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1/3 cup egg whites
- Fresh black ground pepper to taste
- Lemon juice to taste





Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine ingredients and mix well.
*Tip* If mixture is too dry, add more egg whites, if mixture is too wet, add more oats.
- Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Form mixture into 4 patties (should be about 1/2 inch thick) and place on baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes in the oven (mine took only 10 minutes).
 

Now, I was making this meal for not just myself, but hungry boys as well, so I had to beef it up a bit!  I used a 5 Grain Flax Artisan Foldit Flatbread in place of a bun (one flatbread is 90 calories).  On the flatbread I spread all natural, no salt added, Stoneground Mustard.  Then I put a slice of Swiss cheese, added some fresh baby spinach, and chopped up a large tomato and red onion and placed slices on top.

Some suggestions if you are trying to reduce your caloric/carbohydrate intake:
* In place of a bun, use romaine lettuce leaves.
* Skip the cheese, or use low fat mozzarella instead.

Side Dish: Steamed Squash
As a side dish, I seasoned and steamed squash.  I washed and sliced 4 zucchinis then put them in a large Ziploc bag with a tablespoon of Mrs. Dash Original seasoning and shook the bag up real good to make sure all the slices were coated.  I let the zucchini sit in the seasoning while I was preparing the patties then popped em in my steamer for 7 minutes.  Voila!

Nutritional Facts: (per patty only)
143 calories, 3.6g fat, 304.4mg sodium, 76.4mg potassium, 9.2g carbs (1.8g fiber, 0.8g sugar), 18.5g protein

ENJOY!

References:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/408658-what-are-the-benefits-of-canned-pink-salmon/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/2700-facts-health-benefits-spinach/

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pudding Cake

If you haven't noticed already, I am quite a fan of peanut butter!  I could probably put peanut butter on almost anything and enjoy it :) 

Not too long ago, I purchased PB2 after hearing so much buzz about this amazing powdered peanut butter.  PB2 has the same consistency as full fat peanut butter with all of the natural roasted peanut flavor, but with nearly 85% less fat calories.  PB2 is made with high quality peanuts that are slow-roasted and pressed to remove the oil.  It is all natural with no artificial flavors or sweeteners, and no preservatives.  PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter is mixed with water to create a traditional peanut butter mixture.  It also works wonderfully in recipes that call for the use of peanut butter.

Since purchasing PB2, I have been looking for different ways to use it in my recipes!

And this folks, is an absolutely AMAZINGLY delicious recipe!

My Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pudding Cake is so moist and delicious, I seriously had to calculate all the ingredients and measurements several times to actually make sure it really was UNDER 150 CALORIES!!!  It is SO good I have eaten it for breakfast, before my workouts, and at night for dessert.  Yup, I may be slightly addicted to PB, but that's fine with me :)  

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

- 1/4 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

- 1/4 cup Pumpkin Puree

- 1/4 cup Egg Whites

- 1/4 small Banana

- 1/2 tsp PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter

- 1/8 tsp Vanilla Extract

- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon

- 1/3 Stevia Packet

- Pinch of Nutmeg

Topping:

- 1 tsp Sunbutter Natural Sunflower Seed Spread

Instructions:

Blend all of the ingredients together (I used my Magic Bullet) and pour into a small microwave safe dish.

Microwave on high for about 3 minutes depending on your microwave wattage.

*Tip* For more of a pudding consistency heat for less time, for more of a cake consistency, heat for longer.

While warm, top with Sunbutter.

Super easy!

Serving Size: 1

Nutritional Information:

136 calories, 4g fat, 15mg cholesterol, 130mg sodium, 319mg potassium, 15g carbs (4g fiber, 7g sugar), 13g protein

I KNOW you will enjoy!

Overstuffed Bell Peppers

This was my first time making stuffed peppers and now I must say I am addicted!  I will certainly be making this recipe again, and soon!  It provides a perfect balance of lean protein, complex carbs, and veggies.  I used whatever I had in my fridge and pantry and this was what I came up with :)

OVERSTUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Ingredients:
- Organic Tomato Sauce (enough to cover the bottom of a casserole dish)
- 5 Large Bell Peppers
- 1/2 cup Yellow Onion, chopped
- 1.5 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Mrs. Dash - Italian Medley
- 2 lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey
- 1 cup Organic Brown Rice (could sub quinoa), COOKED
- 1 cup Zucchini, diced
- 3 oz Fresh Mozzarella
- Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce.
- Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes.
- Place in a casserole dish.
- Spray pan with olive oil and cook the onions until translucent (5-7 minutes). 
- Add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Season ground turkey with Mrs. Dash then add the ground turkey and brown.
 

- In a large bowl, combine the cooked ground turkey, cooked brown rice, and zucchini.
- Scoop mixture into each bell pepper half.
- Sprinkle ground black pepper on top of each to taste.
 

- Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. If desired, uncover, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top, and bake an additional 5 minutes.

- Scoop tomato sauce from bottom of the pan and drizzle on top to serve.

Serving Size:

1 serving = 1/2 bell pepper

Serves 10

Nutritional Facts:

177.8 cal, 4.8g fat, 66.6mg cholesterol, 133.1mg sodium, 172mg potassium,

11.8g carbs (1.9g fiber, 2.7g sugar), 24.1g protein

ENJOY!