Perfect Protein

As part of my post workout routine, I normally drink a protein shake or eat a protein packed breakfast.  I workout very early in the morning and can't stomach the idea of having the small protein filled snack experts say you are supposed to have, but the next best thing is eating within 30 minutes of your workouts culmination.  

The directions on the back of my protein powder can say to mix it with a little water and then drink it.  Well, I can drink it that way, but let's just say it isn't pleasant.  The powder refuses to dissolve completely with the water so you are left with little chunks when you are drinking it.  And, if you have ever tried protein powder before (it doesn't matter what kind) it has a weird aftertaste.  So, I had to find a way to make it more pleasant.  It has such great benefits and I really do think it boosts my workouts, but day after day, I can't take the chunky chocolaty protein powder water.  

This shake I created is protein packed, is full of healthy stuff and best of all tastes great!  You can use whatever fruit you want, but make sure to use bananas.  The blended frozen bananas create the best consistency.  It creates this creamy, decadent froth that you can't even believe comes as a plain old banana.  I like to freeze my own fruit, but you can use store bought if you want.  This shake keeps me satisfied for a long time and I look forward to making it every morning!

Chocolate Protein Shake

Ingredients

1/2 cup Fat Free Milk

1/2 Large Banana, frozen

1/2 Peach, Frozen

1/2 cup Blueberries

1/2 scoop Whey Protein Powder, Chocolate

Directions

Roughly chop banana and peach into chunks.  Pour milk into blender, then remaining ingredients.  Blend till mostly smooth and frozen chunks have been broken down.


What is your favorite post-workout meal?

Biggest Loser Night

In honor of the Biggest Loser, one of my favs, I thought it only appropriate that I make my favorite recipe courtesy of my favorite contestant I have seen on The Biggest Loser.

Wow! That is a lot of favorites...

The Biggest Loser is inspiring. It is motivating. It is heart-felt. It is about real people trying to change their lives. Most of all, whenever I feel like sleeping in instead of going to the gym, I think to myself if those people are working out, so can I. Say what you want about Biggest Loser, but if you would rather pollute your brain with the likes of people named Snooki or

The Situation, then let's just agree to disagree!

Back to Tara, my fav contestant. She was on a couple seasons ago and kicked everyone's butts in every competition. I am fiercely competitive and thought she had so much drive and heart behind her weight loss. It was great to watch! I am still bitter she didn't win, but I still love her and she made this recipe for Turkey Mini-Meat loafs. They are tasty, flavorful and low-calorie. You can make them, eat them, freeze them, make sandwiches out of them, chop them up to put in omelets. They are just a great all around basic to make!

On top of it, they are cute!

Disclaimer: I hate meatloaf. I have never tasted a meatloaf I have liked besides this...

so try it. You will not be sorry.

Tara's Turkey Mini Meat loafs

Ingredients:

1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

1 stalk of celery, coarsely chopped

2 canned chiptotle peppers in adobo sauce

1, 20 oz, package lean ground turkey breast

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

2 egg whites

Topping:

1/4 cup fat free & sugar free ketchup

1 Tablespoon chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar Substitute

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine onion, carrots, and celery. Pulse until finely chopped. Add chipotle peppers and pulse until just combined. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey with the pepper and vegetable mixture. Add egg whites and oats; gently mix until combined. Place about 1/3 cup of the prepared mixture into wells of a standard size muffin pan that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Remove meat loaves from the oven and spoon the topping over each one. Return meat loaf to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until meat loaf is firm and the internal temperature registers at 170 degrees. Let meat loaf stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 9-12 mini meat loafs. Calories per serving 110. Protein 16 grams. Fat 1 gram.

I used my Cuisinart Mini Prep Food Processor to chop the Mirepoix. It is one of the best kitchen tools I have. A lot of people have emailed to ask me how I manage to use my food processor, clean it, and not complain about it....I don't use my big one. I would much rather use this little guy! It is the best investment!

This is what the Turkey mixture should look like when you are done mixing

Aren't they cute!? Did you watch Biggest Loser this week?

Makes me want to go to New Zealand immediately...

A Taste of Home

I was running the other morning at Bootcamp and for some reason my mom's pasta fagioli popped into my head. I haven't had it in a really long time...like years, but for some reason I thought of it. Of course, then I had to locate her recipe and make it immediately!

I could not wait to run to the market and then run home to start making it. Just like any memory of childhood, experiencing it as an adult sometimes is totally different and familiar all at the same time. For me, I never realized how simple this soup is to make, but the flavors are still so developed. Warms my soul and reminds me of home, even though home is only 4 miles away. The weather has been so volatile lately, I feel like there are still several more rainy days lingering to enjoy a hearty soup like this!

Pasta Fagioli

1 cup chopped onion

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 garlic clove minced

1 cup pasta sauce

1 quart water

1 cup small pasta shells

2 cups cannellini beans

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

fresh chopped parsley

Parmesan Cheese

Saute onions, celery and garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes or until soft. Next, add pasta sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes, then add pasta and beans. Continue to boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, add salt, pepper and parsley. Serve with Parmesan Cheese on Top. Enjoy!

We Love Breakfast!

Brian and I are both big fans of breakfast! Brian loves the food and I love a nice healthy breakfast to start the day off after a great workout! This morning I made French Toast with Maple-Apple compote before I set off for work. I really meant to make this on Sunday morning, but didn't get up early enough!

Sunday morning I went to a cooking class with Bridget at Williams Sonoma. We both went in thinking that we were going to learn how to make homemade pasta, but that isn't what happened. We learned how to make a basic bolognese and boil pasta. There were two highlights: First, when one of the ladies was naming off all the names of various pastas and she couldn't pronounce any of them. Secondly, when they were adding the ground beef and called it "hamburger". HAHAHAHAHA. It was ridic! Bridget and I are still laughing about this...

Back to my breakfast....

Apples Sauteing...

Finished Product!
Complete with a Lactose Free Latte for Brian with some fresh grated Nutmeg on top!

About 1 minute later!

Overall it was a good, tasty recipe. It was fairly simple to make. I say fairly because I was making it after my Morning Bootcamp and before work. When I am working on a time schedule and have a lot of dishes to clean it makes me a little frazzeled. Despite all the bowls and pans, this is a good one. The best part of it is that it uses a lot of things I usually have on hand anyway! Try it out and tell me what you think!

Note: I used about half the butter that it called for.
If you are going to do this, watch out for the apples or turn the temperature down a bit so you don't have to babysit them otherwise they will burn!

Great Start

There is nothing better to start your day than a workout and a great breakfast! This morning marked the first day of my family's new private bootcamp. For the past 7 months we have been going to a bootcamp down the street, but they moved a lot further away and at 5:30 am no one wants to drive further or wake up earlier. Our solution: Make our own bootcamp! It is fabulous!

Last night I made these Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins as a new addition to our normal breakfast this week. My hopes are that Brian would like them and his brain would get its "unhealthy craving" for the day and be tricked! They are made with whole wheat flour and oats and really taste good. The part in the recipe where you toss the blueberries in flour first really works. They are pretty quick to make (despite my lack of interest in baking) and are great!

Batter-I used steel cut oats so I think that is why they are more grainy and visible. They tasted fine though. I sometimes make dumb choices at Trader Joe's!

Brian's Chocolate Soy Latte made with our Nspresso (best machine ever!)

Overeasy Eggs (with extra pepper)

Beautiful Muffins

What a great start to a great day! What do you do to start your morning??