Mini PB Protein Biscuits & Egg Whites

I had difficulty naming this one. Technically these could be protein puffs, mini breakfast cakes,  biscuits or what have you! I decided to stick with biscuits because when I separated them into three different rounds, they looked really flaky and soft. I have a had a few people think that their protein mug cakes come out a little dry, which is why I typically top mine with something like almond butter, protein icing (a little whey and almond milk mixed together) or sweet eggs…I don’t really mind the “dry” mug cakes but I also have a really strange set of taste buds:) These I made on a complete whim but they were so delicious that I had to share.

Mini Protein Biscuits & Egg Whites

Ingredients for Biscuits:
1 scoop Myofusion whey (I used peanut butter cookie dough)
1 T egg whites
1/3 cup almond milk
1/2 T flax seed

Toppings:
1/2 cup egg whites or 3  egg whites
Nut Butter (I chose Sunbutter)
Cinnamon
1 packet Stevia

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients for the biscuits in a mug and put in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Be careful to make sure it doesn’t spill over! Once done, turn over the mug on a plate and let the cake cool. Then scramble eggs in skillet. Cut the protein concoction into 3 pieces and top them with the eggs, Stevia, cinnamon and nut butter. This is almost identical to my strawberry mug cake, but just another way to spice up your whey:)

Yesterday I had a fun photo shoot at my gym sporting the RUNNUR since I wear this product around religiously. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so many funny looks at the gym. Wait no, I take that back. Carrying my competition heels to the fitness room made for a pretty long walk. Oh, good times….good times.

Oh YEAAHHHHH. Sexayyy RUNNUR.

And even though I did legs today, my past two posts have had leg workouts so here is my shoulder/tricep workout from yesterday.

Kettlebell swings with 25 lb- 3 sets, 25 reps
(All reps below 8-10)
Military press- 50, 60, 60, 40 to failure
Close grip bench- 70, 80, 80, 45 to failure
Clean and press- 45, 50, 50, 45
Dips (normal, not assisted, ladies!)- 4 sets
DB shoulder press- 35, 35, 25, 25
Shrugs holding 50 lbs in each hand- 3 sets of 30
Overhead tricep extension- 35, 35, 35

Okay so I know this looks like a lot but since my reps are in the 8-10 range, I do an extra set usually. I was DEAD by the time I was done though. Definitely felt it the entire day. Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!

Spicy Paleo Jambalaya

No rice? No grains? No problem! I’ve got a solution for your spicy southern cravings. This dish was incredibly easy, low carb, gluten/sugar free and just plain delish!

Spicy Paleo Jambalaya (for one)
1/4 head of cauliflower
1 Applegate Cajun sausage link
2 oz shrimp
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Red Pepper
2 T chopped onion
1 T Coconut oil

Instructions
Chop off the stems of your cauliflower. If you’re making this recipe for the whole family, use the whole head of cauliflower, it can serve 4-6 people depending on how much you use. I used the whole head and am saving the rest for other meals this week. After chopping off the stems, place the cauliflower in a food processor or magic bullet and pulse until the cauliflower is the size of rice. Set aside your “rice” and throw your onions in a skillet, on medium-high, with the coconut oil and saute them until translucent. Toss in your sliced sausage link, shrimp (I’m assuming you know it needs to be thawed) and as much of the seasonings as you want. I never measure mine; I just put in a generous amount of each. Let the meat and onions sizzle for a few minutes; add more coconut oil if necessary. When the meat is done, add your cauliflower rice to the skillet and let it heat up and soften for just a few minutes. Feel free to add any and all vegetable to this dish! I bet some steamed carrots and broccoli would be outta this world.

…LOUISIANA FAST…..

Sorry, couldn’t help myself. That commercial always gets stuck in my head.

How do you like your cauliflower rice?

Turkey Basil Artichoke Meatballs

I think I’ve decided that instead of calling my non-training days “rest days” I should call them “cooking days” because during my rest days I spend most of my time in the kitchen preparing dishes I’ve been wanting to get to for awhile but haven’t had time. Cooking and food photography are two of my biggest passions, besides lifting weights and writing (duh), and I think it’s good to spend time doing things that are creative outlets. I make a list every week of two new dishes I want to try and this week one of them was Turkey Basil Artichoke Meatballs by PaleOMG. You can see the recipe here or at the bottom of this post. She’s a pretty creative paleoista.

I wish I could take credit for this dish. But I can’t…the only thing I did was take some purty pictures and stuff my face. All good fun.
I did use a slightly different set of spices though, considering I’m a spice hoarder and have to use as many as I can when they’re applicable. Luckily almost everything goes well with meatballs.

Basil garlic, Mrs. Dash Table Blend, Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder= BAM.

The cutest little raw meatballs. Not really… they look pretty narsty and I reeked of onions. But it was sooo worth it.

Turkey Basil Artichoke Meatballs (paleo; egg & nut free)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound extra lean ground turkey
• 1 (14 ounce) can of artichoke hearts, diced
• ¼ yellow onion, diced
• 4 T fresh basil, finely chopped
• A few dashes of Mrs. Dash Table Blend OR 1 tsp dried parsley
• Garlic Powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 T olive oil
• (I also used Basil Garlic Seasoning just for an extra dose of…basil and garlic)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute the diced onions and artichoke hearts over medium heat in olive oil. Once they’re done cooking (onions are translucent), combine them in a large bowl with the ground turkey and the rest of the ingredients. Mix them up with your hands and make palm-sized balls…I ended up with 14 though you can make them as small as you would like to have more. Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes (since mine were bigger I ended up doing 20 minutes).

Pair them with spaghetti squash, homemade sauce (or salsa if you’re an addicted like me) and green bell peppers. So much better than any carb-loaded, fattening Italian dish and I think it’s much more yummy too!

WIAW & Another Sweet Egg Scramble

Time to talk about food and my Wednesday treats! I’ve noticed that lately I have been eating so many more greens than ever before. Since I don’t have rice and oats to fill up half my plate, I focus more on my protein as well as lots of veggies and of course complex carbs/healthy fats.

Meal one- Nectarines, cooked in coconut oil, sweet eggs (scrambled eggs with stevia and cinnamon), topped with melted blueberries, cinnamon and nutmeg. This is an AWESOME sweet egg concoction!

Post workout- 1.5 scoop whey and small white potatoes.

Meal 3- 5 oz chicken breast, 5 oz japanese yams and Brussels Sprouts.

Meal 4- 1/2 cup quinoa, 4 oz chicken, 1/2 avocado and sauteed veggies.

Meal 5- Steak salad with mixed greens, broccoli, bell peppers and cucumber.

Meal 6- Low carb protein pancake (1 scoop whey, 1/2 cup egg whites, dash of almond milk)

It looks pretty dry but it wasn’t with the almond milk. I topped it with a little almond butter too:)

Still think you can’t eat paleo? It’s the freaking bomb. Just saying. Delicousness all day.

What’s on your WIAW menu?? Happy hump day! 🙂

New Obsessions

I can’t get over the fact that it’s possible to combine two of my favourite things. Edward Scissorhands and clean eating.

I laugh every time.

Today, I worked out my back and biceps, or in other words, it was a “pull day.” I think I had one of the best back pumps I’ve had in a very long time. Nothing too crazy but when you lift heavy for EVERY set and control every rep, you really feel the burn.

And yes, I have a new food obsession. As always. If you’ve been keeping up with my instagram then you know I’ve been making sweet egg concoctions. “Sweet eggs” are just eggs seasoned with cinnamon and stevia. And then I mix it with whatever is on my mind and in my fridge. Yesterday I made fried apples (apples in the skillet with coconut oil) and mixed them with my eggs and almond butter and it was surprisingly awesome.
The pictures of these meals never turn out to be the most beautiful but don’t knock it till you try it! You may surprise yourself and really love the concept of mixing eggs with…uhhh..just about…everything. Or maybe I just love it because I’m a little weird:)

Okay, that’s all for today. Tomorrow I should have a WIAW up so stay tuned!

Banana Protein Pancakes (paleo)

Okay so I think I’ve started to master this whole “protein pancake” thing. Well, not master per say, but I’ve been trying every combo that pops in my head. Whole eggs, egg whites, powders, coconut butters, almond butters, sweet potatoes, flours, cocoa, etc. I’ve got to say this combo is one of the best ones I’ve made yet. It’s super easy and perfect for pre or post workout. For a lower carb pancake, all you have to do is take out the banana and it becomes just a regular protein pancake! If I’m craving something at night I’ll make this recipe without the banana but I’ll always throw one in if it’s around my workout. Best part is- it’s paleo:)

Ingredients:
1 banana, mashed
1 T coconut flour
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (or banana if you have it)
3/4 cup liquid egg whites
1 tsp baking powder
Dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves

Directions:
Microwave the banana a little under 1 minute to get it nice and soft. Mix in the coconut flour, protein powder, egg whites, baking powder and spices. Let the batter sit for about a minute. Lightly spread a spoonful of coconut oil on a skillet and pour the batter on top. You can nix the coconut oil and just use nonstick spray, but I love the way coconut oil makes my pancakes taste. Flip over the pancake once little bubbles start to form in the batter. This recipe should make 2 medium sized pancakes. And yes, I eat them all myself.
I topped mine with sugar free syrup and a few almonds! I think walnuts would go much better, and you can even sprinkle on a few dark chocolate chips if you’d like:)

“Ripped Cream” Review

How many of you guys love to start your day off with a warm mug (or two) of coffee? Or drink coffee before your workout for that extra energy? I know most of you love your a.m cup of joe but can’t get used to drinking it black, or have a hard time parting with your coffee creamer. Unfortunately, the calories from coffee creamer add up throughout the day, plus it’s fat AND sugar loaded. Many are flavored unnaturally and contain absolutely no health benefits, but yet it’s so hard to shake the nasty habit. Well well well. There’s FINALLY an answer to this nagging problem.RIPPED CREAM….get RIPPED by drinking coffee!
*All Natural
*5 grams of protein
*11 Amino Acids
*50% RDI Vitamin D3
*Gluten Free

I was lucky enough to get to review this coffee creamer and I have nothing but good things to say! For those of you that don’t have an easy time eating a lot of protein for breakfast, this “cream” is a great way to get in that extra dose in. It’s convenient, fast, and it provides immediate protein for your muscles first thing in the morning. Though it’s only 5 grams of protein per serving (2 tbs), you could consume it several times throughout the day and your daily protein consumption will easily increase. It contains 10 grams of carbs per serving as well, which I actually like because my carb intake is  lower now (because I no longer eat grains) and this is another way to get some extra energy. Even if you’re on a low carb diet, this product should not inhibit any results. Not only is it a ridiculously smart solution to so many coffee cream lovers, but it also tastes delicious. The chocolate is really subtle but gives my morning coffee the flavor of one of those Starbucks mocha-java-frapps minus the fat and sugar. Totally guilt free and it actually helps you work towards your goals. The vanilla makes a wonderful combination with my medium roast coffee because it tastes so much lighter and fresh. I absolutely love vanilla so I was SO excited to be able to drink it in the mornings!
The coffee creamer comes in a little pouch perfect for traveling or keeping it in an office desk. I was wondering what else I could put this stuff in…protein shakes? Bars? Egg whites? Protein pancakes? The possibilities are endless. Anyways, I’m so excited to have this now instead of always having to drink my coffee black! Follow @RippedCream on Twitter and check out their products here!

What did I enjoy my protein coffee creamer with this morning, you ask?

Oh you know, just a coconut pancake loaded with BACON. Well turkey bacon but it was bacon nonetheless. New coconut protein pancake recipe will be posted soon too. This may be my favourite protein pancake recipe yet and it’s grain-free and totally paleo;)

Sweet Potato Protein Shake

Happy Monday! For me, it’s been a pretty good one…here are today’s highlights:)

First, I made a personal record on barbell curls….65 pounds baybeh. But really, my whole workout was great! I’m loving my new gym and I’ve been making some more fit friends, which is always delightful. Before the gym I mixed a sample packet of Syntha-6 with some almond milk and it was super yummy. Usually I just have my natural optimum nutrition whey but I have a ton of sample packets from different companies that I frequently experiment with. This is one brand I’ve heard a lot of good things about!

And my back/bis workout for today:

Deadlifts- 12, 10, 8, 8
EZ bar curls- 10, 8, 8, 8
Barbell underhand rows- 12, 10, 8, 8
Isometric alternating dumbbell curls- 8, 8, 8, last set a drop set
Lat pull down- 10, 8, 8, 8
Cable curls- 12, 10, 10
Remember to use lots of heavy weights if you’re looking to improve your size!

Back to the highlights….
-I hit 1,500 followers on my Twitter (YAY for being a social media nerd!!)
-I experienced the overwhelming excitement a foodie gets when they make a new delicious recipe and take awesome photos of it.
-The Bachelor comes on in a few hours…anybody else want to strangle Tierra? GO HOME.
-Also, I feel a little better after my allergy comedown the past few days. All weekend I literally just wanted to sleep. I got in a great glute workout Saturday morning but it took all the energy I had to get through it and afterwards I just wanted to sleep for day.

Okay so here is the new recipe I made today that totally blew my mind. It’s extremely simple but still so delicious and perfect for your post workout shake. Sweet potatoes are an EXCELLENT post workout carb and of course you have your whey and calcium in there too!

Sweet Potato Protein Shake

and the things you’ll need…

Ingredients:
1 scoop vanilla whey
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
4 oz cooked sweet potato
2 T stevia
A dash of: cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, allspice & nutmeg
1 cup ice

Directions– Super easy- it’s a shake, y’all. Throw all your ingredients in a blender and mix it up! Add as many spices as you want to get the flavour you desire:)

I used a BIG dash of cinnamon, as you can see.

And there you go! Blend it up and watch your muscles GROW. This is going to be my new favourite shake. Now, if only I had that cinnamon bun protein powder…..that would be delicious in this recipe!! What kinds of carbs do you prefer post workout??

– I originally found this recipe on youtube by Michael Kory. Watch his video and find tons of other great bodybuilding meals here.

Back to school & a shoulder workout

Yesterday I had my first day of my last full semester of school. After this, I will have just one summer session and then I’m done. Forever. Pretty much my entire life I’ve been in school and I’m a few short months away from ending that chapter of my life for good. One very long thick chapter. And I can’t wait! What’s next for me? Well, as much as I’d love to say travel, spontaneity, fine dining and adventures, it doesn’t really look like that’s going to be possible for awhile. Of course if it was up to me I’d finally get to see a little bit of the world but that’s probably going to have to wait until I save up some money and can afford adventures outside of the United States. For now, I’m focusing on graduating (got that in the bag), finding a job, setting up my new apartment, building some substantial muscle and creating my first fitness and nutrition program. YES, you heard me! MoonFitness is going to be making some moves soon. As of now, this is just a spark in my imagination but knowing me, when I want something badly enough I’ll get it done in time. I’ll certainly talk more about the program later but for now, I’ll leave you knowing that I want to create a customized plan for individuals who are looking to get in shape, eat better and change their lifestyle for good. This plan will guide you through the basic steps of eating clean, working out and cultivating healthy habits. I will be there for you along the way, providing support and guidance. Like I said, right now this is just an idea that will soon be put into motion.

Anyways, today I did a Nicole Wilkin’s shoulder workout for the second time in the past month. That woman has an amazing figure, so I’m always down to try one of her workouts…and she didn’t fail me!

Shoulders WOD
Warm-up- barbell shoulder press (2 sets, 8-12 reps)
Barbell shoulder press (2 drop sets to failure)
Single arm lateral cable raise (3 sets, 30-12 reps)
Upright barbell row (3 sets, 12-15 reps)
Cable reverse flies (3 sets, 12 reps) << new favourite!
Rear delt raise (3 sets, 10 reps)

Yup, by the time you’re done with this you should be pretty freakin tired. Here’s the video of Nicole going through the workout if you want to see the proper form.

Hmmm let’s see what else is new with me.
I’m currently on my second official week of my “muscle building” diet and routine and I’m starting to see improvements already, especially in my upper body. I’ve committed to cutting out cardio for as long as it takes and according to my trainer, I shouldn’t count on gaining more than 10 pounds of substantial muscle PER YEAR. This makes me wonder…when will I be revisiting my good friend cardio again?! I don’t know, I believe that’s something I will just have to wait and see. When you have a goal that requires difficult sacrifices, what do you do? I simply remind myself that this lovely thing we like to call fitness is a JOURNEY and there is no final destination. In order to get from point A to point B, you may have to make sacrifices and be….extremely…patient. If you’re one of the many other girls that are going through the mentally challenging act of cutting out cardio I beg you to PLEASE read this post by my friend and fellow blogger Meg. She is going through the same thing as me, but she’s been without cardio since November. I’m learning form her patience and dedication. It’s great to see other girls going through the same thing as me when it comes to cardio- it’s a mental challenge but one that can definitely be overcome!

Trying to Make New Gains

Okay so remember two posts ago where I was all like, “I’m gunna try out this paleo thing”?! Well, well, well, little miss jump the gun forgot about one very important thing she’s been trying to focus on ever since her competition. I’m trying to BUILD MUSCLE. Duh. Okay so here’s the deal. I’m what is considered a “hard gainer” in the body building world, AKA ectomorph. These are people that have an extremely hard time building size to their muscle. Currently I’m bench pressing 100, curling 60 lbs and squatting almost twice my body weight…but yet I’m itty bitty in the muscle area! People that are considered hard gainers have to avoid the traditional diet plans that involve high protein, low carbs and moderate fat and lean towards a diet that is high in carbs & protein and very low in fat. As a matter of fact, during my entire competition prep I was eating 155 grams of carbs PER DAY and managed to get to 6% body fat.That’s proof that carbs should not be feared! In order for me to put on additional size I need to do 2 things: cut out the cardio and eat more carbs. I like cardio, so that one has been mentally challenging more than anything. Eating more carbs is a little difficult as well but it’s much easier if I start eating early, like around 7:00 that way each meal can be spaced out at least 3 hours. If I wake up at 9, I feel like the rest of the day I’m stuffed because I’m trying to catch up on my carbs:/

With that said, I did eat paleo for 4 days and felt GREAT! It really does get rid of the soft belly/bloated feeling, but unfortunately with my body type there’s no way I could put on the muscle I want. But I will be limiting my oats because I have realized, as much as I love them, they really do upset my stomach and instead I will be eating a lot more sweet potatoes, rice cakes, squashes, brown rice (going to try to limit this as well), wheat flours and a few low sugar, less processed cereals. I’m increasing my carbs 50-70 grams more than what I was doing during my competition prep but keeping the protein and fat intake around the same. My metabolism should still be fairly quick and the gains I will be making will hopefully take place in the muscles and that’s it:)

So there you have it- I still highly recommend you try out paleo for yourself if you have been thinking about it. Once I personally get to a place where I don’t think I necessarily want to build for awhile, I could definitely switch to paleo and see how it works. I think it would be great for maintaining weight and muscle mass, just not particularly building it.

OH I almost forgot! Since I’m limiting my oatmeal intake I found a new way to make delicious pancakes. 1 scoop vanilla whey, 1 large mashed banana and a about 1/2 cup of liquid egg whites! Stir it up and put it on the skillet:) These are great right after a workout because the sugar in the banana will spike your insulin, delivering the protein to your muscles at a much faster rate.

I even used a strawberry whey today and they came out pink! Strawberry banana protein pancakes?! I’ll take it!