Protein Doughnuts. Boyfriend approved!

These are way too easy to eat :)

Weekends are for relaxing, catching up with friends, watching bad made for TV movies (does anyone else still do that, or is it a Netflix world now?)
Weekends are also time for experimenting in the kitchen. Should things go bad, you can easily recover with a do-over or your seamless account. 

A few weeks ago, I decided I wanted to make protein doughnuts for my boyfriend and I. He was supportive of my decision even though I had tried to make lemon ricotta pancakes once and the result was not so edible. He still ate them. He's a good man.

These however were much more palatable especially when you add sprinkles or fresh blueberries. I decided to split the batter and add one of each. I'm a genius.  
 

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of flour (I used Bobs Red Mill GF)
• 1 & 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 cup of all natural nut butter
• 1/4 cup of almond milk
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• tsp of vanilla extract
  
   Add - ins like;
• Sprinkles
• Fresh Fruit
• Nuts
• Chocolate Chips

Get creative and go crazy with yourself. I sprayed a non-stick doughnut pan because I never trust non-stick.

I placed these in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Watch them to see when they start to brown on top. I got into the CBS Sunday Morning and forgot my second batch. They were still good but a little over done.

Enjoy!

How Slim is Your Kitchen?

It's been proven that certain paint colors can make you hungrier, happier, more relaxed etc. 
So it would make sense to think that the layout of your kitchen can have a positive or negative effect on your health goals.

If you can check off seven of the ten questions below, you're doing great! If not, what can you change?

Broc-a-mole!

It's All Mental

I'm not talking about your ex's, I'm talking about your will to succeed.
I struggled with my weight since 4th grade. Classmates, adults, relatives, strangers... all made comments about my appearance. Funny, I don't remember asking them for their opinion.

Needless to say, it's very damaging for any young kid to receive negative feedback about their appearance.  My chubby face didn't define my character as a human being.  Unfortunately, society very seldom cares.

I've spent so long berating myself and judging my appearance that even now, at the fittest I have ever been, I still struggle with seeing anything but a chubby kid.

Tortellini-less della Nonna

So creamy & yummy!

I’m over winter.  Considering this winter has been mild in comparison to most, I feel a like a brat saying that. Alas it is true, the last few weeks of cold and being sick more than once has me lingering closer to my couch. I long for sunshine and flowers.

When my body wants rest, rest it gets. I have a hard time sitting still when I’m home, so if I have a strong desire to curl up on my cushiony love interest, I will.  This also goes hand in hand with a longing for comfort food.  Who doesn’t love a lazy day with your favorite meal that transports you to your childhood.

For me, that is tortellini della Nonna.  Cheese filled tortellini with sautéed prosciutto & peas, covered in a creamy, buttery sauce. It instantly takes me back to my Nonna’s kitchen table.
 

So when a wave of tortellini nostalgia hit me, I had to take action. Since I’d been couch surfing for the better part of the weekend, I knew I couldn’t add butter, cream & cheese to resting metabolism.

Instead, I took a look into my refrigerator and came up with something that was a little healthier and totally hit the spot.  It would have been healthier if I didn’t eat it ALL, but you do what you can.

Tortellini-less della Nonna

• Serving of Explore Asian ‘”fettucine”. I eyeballed, so I’d say it was about a cups worth.  Or a hearty handful.
  
• 2 Laughing Cow cheese wedges
• ½ of a white onion
• 2 Slices of low –sodium deli ham
• ¼ Cup of parmesan cheese
• ¼ Cup of organic half & half
• 2 Tbs of Extra Virgin olive oil

I started by boiling the fettuccine in lightly salted water and chopping up the ham into small pieces.
While the pasta cooked, I sautéed my onions in a tablespoon of the olive oil until they were translucent.

I then added the chopped ham & peas to the pan, continuing to sauté on low heat.  I let the combination cook for about 10 min before I lowered the heat even more and slowly added the half & half.  Milk would probably also work, but I used what I had.
Once the peas, ham & onions were coated in the liquid, I let it cook up for another 2 minutes before adding in the cheese wedges.  The wedges don’t melt easily, so you need to stir them sufficiently until they melt down.

Once the pasta was at the texture I like, I strained it and added it to the mixture with the remaining oil & parmesan cheese.  I tossed the pasta in the pan until it was completely coated by the cheese sauce.

I then put some on a plate and marveled at how good my concoction tasted without butter, cream or prosciutto. I marveled so much, I helped myself to another plate :) Enjoy!

Workout of the Week

Click on the image to view this weeks workout!

Suspension Exercise :: You vs. Gravity

My favorite piece of gym equipment has got to be the TRX®.  It was developed by a Navy SEAL, who wanted a way to work out without weights or machines while traveling.  The result is a multi-functional suspension strap that lets you hit every major muscle group, while engaging your core the entire time.  It's a little intimidating to look at but once you learn a few moves, you'll be hooked. 

And no I am not a paid spokesperson. I wish!

I have a few favorite moves that I put in my workout rotation and am always on the lookout for new ones. The possibilities are endless on this thing.

I seriously think it's underutilized at most gyms I go to.  When they were first installed at my local gym, people used the anchor bars to do pull ups, completely ignoring the whole point of the set-up.

Here is an easy way to get that back sculpted.  The further my feet are from my body, the closer my butt to the ground, the more intense the workout. It's you vs gravity.

Obtaining Those New Year's Resolutions

New Year, New You, right? That's the plan for most people. I think the #1 New Year's resolution has got to be to have a healthier approach to the year ahead.

While I think a healthier lifestyle is always a great idea, how realistic are you about your goals?  If you haven't prepped food before, been to the gym in a while and generally avoid kale - you might need to ease into your new approach to health.

 

I think the vast majority of people tend to get excited about an idea, make a rough outline of their goals and jump in with both feet without considering obstacles.  When they hit a road block, and we will, many people throw in the towel and go back to a more comfortable way of living. Usually that way involves a Seamless account.

 First and foremost, get rid of the idea that foods are categorized into "Good" and "Bad."  There are foods that aren't beneficial to your fitness goals or health in general, but they aren't bad.  They haven't bullied so called, "good" foods or vandalized your refrigerator.

Having a healthy relationship with food is an important step to having a healthier life.  Once you get the idea of "good" food, "bad" food, out of your head you'll have a better shot at success.

 

Why? Well, remember those road blocks I mentioned? They’re real and they come in the form of after work happy hour, birthday cake, Sunday Funday etc. In other words, life. We can't stop living or put our social lives on hold while we shape up, only to pick up where we left off three months down the line.  That's why so many people fail.

Balance is key, as I’ve stated before, and this is where it comes into play.  If you have that slice of birthday cake, don’t throw caution to the wind and eat the whole damn cake. Or just as bad, chain yourself to a treadmill for 2 hours.  Enjoy the slice of cake and move on with life. Have a lighter dinner in anticipation of said cake. Punishing yourself won’t undo the caloric intake and it won’t make you likely to stick to your plan.

I think the best and most reasonable approach is to start small. Set small goals, attain them and then set slightly larger goals.  When I signed up for a half marathon a few years ago, I didn’t lace up my shoes the morning of and hit 13.1 miles in an effortless run. I worked my way up over the course of several months. I ran 3 miles, then I ran 5 miles, then I ran uphill, then I did intervals of sprints. You get the point.

I mapped out a plan, set small goals and put in the time to achieve my ultimate goal of a half marathon. It was incredibly difficult and incredibly rewarding.

If you’ve never prepped meals before, make a promise to yourself that you’ll bring lunch to work at least twice this week.  Working your way up to a week of homemade lunches.  The idea is more daunting than the task itself, I promise.  Cutting up veggies for salad add-ons or grilling chicken in advance isn’t difficult or time consuming.

Think of your fitness as a marathon, not a race. Break it down and make it happen. It might not be easy at first but before you realize it, it’ll become habit. A habit you’ll want to carry into the following year.