Category Archives: Recipe

PB, Banana, and Coconut Cookies

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Ingredients.

  • 3 Ripe Bananas
  • 1/2 cup All Natural Peanut Butter (two or less ingredients in pb)
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups Dry Oats
  • 1/3 cup Bobs Red Mill unsweetened shredded desiccated coconut (or you can use unsweetened coconut flakes)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (I also threw in a few pb chips as well)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
  3. In a large bowl, mash bananas, peanut butter, canola oil and vanilla extract together until smooth.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine oats, baking powder, coconut and cinnamon.
  5. Slowly add dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir until everything is combined.
  6. Fold in chocolate chips
  7. Place tablespoon sized balls of dough onto cookie sheet and bake 10 – 12 minutes, until cookies are slightly golden.
  8. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

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Enjoy!

Protein Cupcakes!

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Dark Chocolate Coconut Protein Cupcakes.

  • 2 scoops Vanilla Sunwarrior Protein Powder
  • 1/4 cup Coconut Flour
  • 3 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or more Smile)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 3 egg whites
  • 2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
  • 2 Tbsp coconut extract
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut almond milk

Pour ingredients into greased cupcake pan and bake for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

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Frosting

  • 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter
  • 3 Tablespoons plain Fage 0% Greek yogurt
  • 1 packet of Stevia in the Raw.

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Shower with cinnamon, an additional dark chocolate chip, and enjoy!

Homemade Chewy Protein Bars

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Carbs. Healthy fats. Protein.= Energy

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw oats
  • 4 scoops chocolate protein powder (Sunwarrior)
  • 1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons Agave Nectar
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice (more if needed)

Directions

Mix oats and protein powder in a large bowl. *Depending on the type of protein you use and how big you want your serving size, adjust the number of scoops accordingly.

Melt nut butter in the microwave until it becomes soft and easier to mix. Add into bowl.

Add Agave & milk, folding the mixture into each other *If extra scoops of protein were added, add more milk.

Plop mixture onto a non stick backing pan, or glass baking dish, and spread to desired width and thickness with a spoon. Consistency will be very sticky, ooey and gooey…but delicious!

Place in fridge for 1 hour, then cut to desired serving size.

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A healthy and energizing snack on the go!

You can use any type of nut butter you like, as well as additional dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Get creative!

Enjoy! xoxo

Playlists and Pine Trees

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Does anyone else feel like the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a lot closer than it really is?

Not that one month is a long time, but I always end Thanksgiving break with the notion that Christmas is like..two weeks away; One long weekend, quickly followed by another.

I guess we are all ready for a break once the end of the year rolls around, and though I have not started my Christmas shopping yet, I did get a head start on the decorating process!

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Matt and I are still debating on cutting down a real tree vs. buying a fake one this year. We both agree that a real tree makes Christmas feel like Christmas, however carrying it in and out of our apartment and picking pine needles out of the carpet for weeks can become a rather strenuous task.

(plus I really want a white tree this year, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get it)

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So along with decorating for the holidays, I also created a new workout and playlist for some Post Thanksgiving/Pre Christmas Fat Burning Fun!

Circuit workout

  • Beautiful People: Chris Brown
  • Shooting Star: David Rush (LMFAO)
  • I Can Only Imagine: David Guetta (Christ Brown)
  • Fire: Scooter
  • Dance in the Dark: Lady Gaga
  • Don’t Wake Me Up: Chris Brown
  • Bad Influence: Pink
  • Teeth: Lady Gaga
  • Seek Bromance: Tim Berg (Avicii)
  • Numb: Usher
  • Burn It To The Ground: NickelBack
  • Memories: Weezer

Enjoy!!

OH! One more thing…

I have been loving the addition of 1-2 Tbsp. of ground flaxseeds in my oatmeal.

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Allowing the oats and flax to settle in water for 10 minutes before heating in the microwave creates a fluffy, creamy texture, and it’s the perfect way to add some healthy fats to breakfast.

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  • 1/3 cup oats
  • 1.5 tbsp. ground flax
  • 1 scoop Sunwarrior Protein
  • 1/4 chopped apple
  • pumpkin pie spice & cinnamon

Deeelicious

side note: to create a vegan egg, mix 3 tbsp. water with 1 tbsp. ground flax, allowing to settle for 15 minutes. Best results are when placed in the fridge during that time.

So If you’re not a fan of Egg White Oats…

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Or if you just don’t eat eggs for that matter, try this version next time Smile.

Be Thankful

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My Zesty Apple & Cranberry Sauce is set to go, and all that’s left is roasting and mashing some veggies!

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  • 1 bag cranberries
  • 1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
  • 1 navel orange. Zest and juice
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger

Directions

  • Bring cranberries, water, and sugar to a boil.
  • Add your orange zest, juice, and diced apple into the pot, and reduce heat to medium low
  • Let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every so often.
  • Best if made the night before and refrigerate overnight for extra thickness

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Today, whether it be your health, family, roof over your head, or a paying job, find the time to reflect and be grateful for all of the blessings in your life.

But most of all, be thankful for the body that carries you.

The body that allows you to roam freely, live freely, and speaks to you everyday if you take a moment to listen.

The body that also allows you to workout and get strong.

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And informs when it’s time to take a rest day.

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Allow yourself to see each moment that passes, and spend it with the people who matter most.

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Be thankful.

Eat to Workout. Don’t Workout to Eat.

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I’m ready prepare my Thanksgiving side dishes, and I’m pretty excited about it.

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 zesty apple&cranberry sauce, cinnamon spiced butternut squash, balsamic roasted asparagus, and a batch of roasted rosemary root vegetables.

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droooool

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday,  full of comfort foods and savory vegetable dishes.

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It’s a time when everyone gathers around the table, (which is every Sunday in my house), and enjoys a delicious meal with plenty of conversation, laughs, and story telling.

Our menu this year is as follows:

  • escarole soup
  • stuffed mushrooms
  • stuffed artichokes
  • antipasto
  • eggplant parm

Break to digest

  • Turkey+ gravy
  • mashed potatoes
  • mashed butternut squash
  • stuffing
  • asparagus
  • root veggies
  • cranberry sauce

And of course, an assortment of pies, cakes, cookies and candy for dessert.

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Quite the spread, and definitely something to look forward to.

So, while I promise not to lecture you about “stuffing” yourselves silly during your Thanksgiving feast, I will offer this little bit of advice to bring to the table with you;

  • Eat as you normally would, be mindful of how fast you are consuming the food on your plate, and remember that our stomachs are not used to so much food all at once.
  • Allow for time to pass before reaching for seconds, or diving right into dessert, and taking a short walk after dinner can work wonders for an overly stuffed belly.

That’s it!

Taste everything, ENJOY YOURSELF, keep the mindset that you eat to workout, not workout to eat. And on Friday, pick right back up where you left off!

I know that for me, when I start the morning off on a healthy note, it sets the tone for the rest of the day. As a result, I will be attending my usual 6am spin class tomorrow, Thanksgiving, as well as a 7:15am spin class on Black Friday.

Get it out of the way and enjoy the day!

Well, the cranberry sauce needs preparing, and the root veggies need to be chopped.

Have a fun Thanksgiving Eve everyone!

And remember,  tomorrow marks the day that we can finally bust out the best Xmas album of all time!!

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squeal.

Peas and Crayons

Chocolate, Coconut, Candles and Cycles

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It’s the perfect day for a cup of Hot Cocoa

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  • 10 oz hot water
  • 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (or more if you’d like)
  • 1 packed Stevia in the raw
  • squirt of Fat Free Reddi Whip
  • sprinkle of Trader Joe’s sugar, chocolate, and coffee bean grinder.

A savory salad made with mushrooms, beets, yellow peppers, and egg whites cooked in coconut oil

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A Pumpkin Spice candle burning in the kitchen

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And an evening spin class.

Be thankful for the little things <;3

Chicken and Cabbage Vegetable Soup

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I have a cough.

I can’t stop sneezing.

And the only cure for my sickness is currently cooking away in the crock pot.

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Find out it is what at the end of this post Smile

So..Hot & Sweet Mustard is back in my pantry, and I’ve been putting it on anything, and everything, that I can.

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wild arugula, chopped sweet potato, kumato tomatoes and shredded chicken

But if you’re not a fan of mustard, or do not have a Trader Joe’s in your area, I also have another dressing that’s every peanut lovers dream.

2 tbsp. Peanut Flour + 1/3 of Water: Mix to desired consistency, and drizzle over your salad, stir fry, or even your Sunday morning pancakes.

spinach,baby carrots, broccoli and egg white scramble, topped with peanut flour dressing and a sprinkle of cinnamon for a hint of sweetness.

This dressing resembles the peanut sauce that you find at Japanese restaurants, which Matt and I went to this weekend to tackle our Sushi craving head on.

Salmon Maki and Tekka (tuna) Maki with brown rice and extra ginger

Luckily, Matt doesn’t like ginger, so I got it all to myself Smile

(You can find peanut flour and other healthy items at @ iHerb. Use my promo code, VOZ131, to receive $10.00 off of your first purchase of $40 or more, or $5.00 off your purchase of less than $40!!)

Go quick!

OK, as promised, here is my crock pot recipe for Chicken and Cabbage Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

  • 5 cups Low Sodium, Fat Free Chicken Broth, or Vegetable Broth. (I used vegetable) Add more broth, or water if needed
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 3 chopped carrots
  • 1 cup peas ( I used frozen)
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cups purple (or green) cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 3 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1-1.5lbs)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp parsley
  • shake of red pepper flakes

Directions.

  • Add all of the ingredients into a crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 5-6 hours.
  • Once the chicken appears cooked, remove it from the soup and let it cool slightly before shredding it with a fork.
  • Add shredded chicken back to soup and heat for remaining time.

And while you wait for it to be ready, snack on this Smile

Greek yogurt, honey crisp apple, ground flax and cinnamon.

Or try a slice of my Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Bread

Dinner is looking good tonight.

Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

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pumpkin bread

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 handfuls dark chocolate chips

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup egg whites (2 large eggs)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions.

  • Mix all dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Set aside
  • Mix all wet ingredients in a large bowl until thick.
  • Add dry ingredients into the large bowl and mix until well combined
  • Pour mixture into a 9×5 loaf pan sprayed with nonstick spray, and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

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Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting.

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Enjoy!

Orange You Glad…

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As if my skin tone wasn’t orange enough, I’m looking at you sweet potatoes and carrots, I’ve begun a love affair with yet another Beta-Carotene and Vitamin A rich vegetable..

Squash.

After making spaghetti squash earlier in the week, I decided to finally use my butternut squash for something other than harvest décor.

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love this!

I sliced my two-pound squash in half with a large knife, spooned out the seeds and strings, and proceeded to aggressively peel away the skin.

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Talk about an arm workout.

You can always purchase the ready to use package at the store, but there is something organic and empowering about cutting and peeling your own squash.

We lift weights, we peel squash Smile

Once the squash was peeled and chopped, I tossed it in a large bowl with 1 Tbsp. EVOO, some ground black pepper and generous shake of cinnamon for a simple, yet tasty combination.

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spread onto a baking sheet and place in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring half way through.

(I like to broil them for the last 3-5 minutes to add a slight burn to the outer layer.)

Enjoy the squash as is, mixed with Greek yogurt, topped with raw almond butter, use different herbs and spices, or make it into a soup/chili.

Fall food is the best Smile

Now onto today’s workout.

elliptical HIIT

Squash it!