Hormone Balancing, Energy Giving Protein Balls
Oh boy these balls are good.
Get your mind out of the gutter.
So what makes these balls hormone balancing and energy giving? Well the protein powder, sunflower butter, organic honey and cacao nibs are major contributors to the magical power these balls possess, but what makes these balls extra magical is sir maca. I am on a bit of maca kick. If you have not met Mr. Maca he is a superfood that boosts many redeeming qualities, a few of which include increased energy, endurance and libido. This crafty superfood also balances the endocrine system to help combat stress, so he really his quite super and he kind of tastes like malt powder, which is also super. No?.
The Goods:
- 1big scoop (approx 1/4c) chocolate protein powder- I used Vegilite
- 6T unsweetened sunflower butter
- 3T maca
- 3T almond meal
- 2T honey
- 2T unsweetened almond milk
- 2T Cacao nibs- could also use chocolate chips
- 1/4t sea salt
- 1/2t cinnamon
How To:
- Add all of the above goods to a medium size mixing bowl and stir until combined. If mixture is too dry add a wee bit more almond milk. Your goal is to get the mixture to cookie dough like consistency.
- Roll “dough” into balls. My balls were the size of golf balls and made 12.
- Put in refrigerator for minimum of one hour, but overnight works best
- Store in sealed glass container in refrigerator for up to two weeks- if they last that long.
These make for great post workout fuel or a snack for when you are seconds away from chewing your arm in lieu of incredible hunger.
And with that I am off to pack for Maui. Yes, Maui.
Have a superb week! I will be checking in on instagram (@skinspot) if any body need a dose of sun via social media this week.
a few things
this post is random, so giddy up.
A few new food loves:
1. Delicata Squash
this love muffin is so easy to prepare and tastes like heaven. I basically followed the instructions on this blog, except I added garlic salt & rosemary. Two delightful additions. I roasted sir delicata to just have it around the house to munch on, but I am thinking I might through a little kale, quinoa and edamame into the mix and use it as my dish to pass at my friend’s little soiree this eve.
2. In lieu of my search on how to roast Mr. Squash, I found the blog Summer Tomato. I am obsessed. There is oodles of good information on this site. I agree with so many of her viewpoints on nutrition and I love that she explains the science behind good eats. This is like the Mark’s Daily Apple blog for people who aren’t only interested in Primal/ Paleo. Where have you been hiding, Summer Tomato?
3. I never got the whole kale chip extravaganza. They Just didn’t do it for me. And then, I found these guys:
The only problem with these fellas is their $7.99 price tag. I got them on sale for $5. However, I have nearly polished them off in two days. That is an expensive habit. Morale of the story: I need to purchase a food dehydrator and make these at home. Better yet, I need to find a way to make the sans dehydrator, but taste exactly the same. hmmmm.
4. I made pumpkin no oat “oatmeal.” yesterday. I had a raging headache after eating them. No idea why, but I am officially sick of no oat “oatmeal.” There I said it.
5. However, I am not sick of my favorite smoothie recipe. I wish I could take credit for this smoothie, but I can’t. This recipe came from Abby, over at eat drink and be aware. Her recipes are unreal. If you have not been to her blog, you must go now. I altered her original recipe a wee bit, to see the original creation, go here.
In this gem:
- 1c unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 medium frozen banana
- 1.5 medjool dates
- 1T ground flaxseed
- 1T chia seeds
- 2t maca powder
- 2t detox powder (optional)
- 1/2t matcha (optional)
- 2T raw cashews
- approx 2c spinach
- a few drops of hazelnut stevia (optional)
- 5-7 ice cubes
This masterpiece tastes just like a milkshake and gives you barrels of energy. You must make. Must.
6. I am also not sick of these guys
My view as I rode Mr. Lance this AM.
7. I am also not sick of (how did I get on this tangent) pumpkin. In fact, I plan on making this recipe (except with GF all purpose flour) this weekend. Big plans.
And with all of this random-ness, I am off. Happy Friday!!
protein powder problem
I have a problem. I can’t stop purchasing protein powders. I have discussed a few of them before in this post, but recently my collection has expanded and I realized that there might be an issue here. I am not just hoarding them for giggles, I do actually use them, so this addiction may not be all bad. I also do not discriminate with my powders. I have hemp, sprouted legumes, whey, brown rice, and egg white. The only cat I am opposed to is soy. Sorry, soy.
Here is what I do with the troops:
I bake with them:
protein packed (sorta) cookies
The recipe for these delights is heading your way tomorrow. Stay tuned…
I also add protein powder of choice to my oat bran. A lot. This sweetens up the oat bran a wee bit and it gets in a hefty serving of protein. Win!
chocolate, peanut butter, protein oats
I used Thorne’s Vegalite Chocolate flavored protein powder in this creation. I am usually all about vanilla with my protein powder, but this fella was a nice switcharo.
the goods
And finally the most beloved protein powder of all, is my Metagenics Ultra Clear. This Time I got the Ultra clear plus PH. This “plus PH” supposedly makes your body more alkaline. Fine by me. After this holiday season I could use more alkalinity. I seriously love stuff. I love the taste and it gives me bundles of energy while keeping me oh, so full for hours. I sound like an infomercial.
I always save my favorite child for green smoothies.
And that is all I’ve got. What do you use your protein powders for? Or am I the only one with this odd addiction?
Happy Monday!
skin tip friday
Happy Friday to all! I shave decided to start a new tradition (or a tradition) over here at fullspot: every Friday I will put the aesthetician in me to work and offer you a tip for your visage.
Today’s tip: Coconut Oil
hello ma love
For any of my clients that read this blog or people that sign up for skinspot’s newsletter, I apologize if this is the 1,000th time you have heard me boast about coco oil. I think I was put on this earth to single handily make sure every person uses coconut oil in some capacity or another. It’s a noble mission, but somebody has to do it. With that said, my favorite use for coconut oil, is a make-up remover. Even if you do not wear make-up this is a great product to use prior to cleansing your skin at night. Oil breaks down oil, so if you use a little bit of coco oil on your skin you breakdown all of the sunscreen, face cream, make-up, sweat, pollution, cig smoke and other goodies your face collects after a long day out in the world.
Exactly how does one use coco oil?
- scoop coco oil out of jar in to clean hands- if coco oil is hard (it solidifies at any temp under 76 F) allow oil to soften a bit in hand (your body heat will do this in a matter of seconds).
- apply softened coco oil to skin
- get cotton pads damp
- wipe face with damp cotton pads
- see all of the grime from the day on white pad.
- splash face with cold water then proceed to cleanse as normal
Some may be asking why would I want to add another step to my nighttime cleansing routine? That is a fair question, but this step is crucial because it makes your cleanser work so much better. Your cleanser does not need to cut through all of the day’s grime to actually do its intended job of cleansing the skin. Or lets say you are the one who simply cannot get themselves to cleanse their face at night, well at least do the coco oil step. It takes 3 seconds (maybe 7) and your skin will thank you for it. Side note, you can pitch your current eye make-up remover because this is extremely safe to use on your peepers and it removes mascara brilliantly.
Other uses for coco oil:
- apply as an all over body lotion. You will smell like the beach. However, you may look like a greased up body builder. I personally do not mind feeling a little greasy, but I understand not wanting to use this in the AM before putting on work attire, if you shower at night, apply coco oil all over the bod and you will sleep better. I am not kidding. I had an Ayurvedic therapist give me that tip and, I swear to Betsy, it works.
- Eat it. Coco oil is said to speed up metabolism and make your skin glow from the inside out. I mean, can we say wonder drug? To find out more about this fountain of youth go to the Tropical Traditions website. This company sells my favorite coconut oil, but if you do want to order you can find coco oil at any grocery store. Just make sure the coco oil is unrefined and virgin.
On another note here are a few things that have made my friday great:
one rockin' bowl of pumpkin oat bran. nailed it
The sun!! It has been sunny for almost a week straight here. Very unheard of for a Portland December.
the pug in the sun
and my husband who did not get the pleasure of being photographed.
Happy Friday!!
Glorious Maca
As of late, I have been a wee bit of a stress ball. Stress wreaks havoc on your hormones, which then messes with the whole bodily system. In addition to trying to find various ways to manage stress, I decided to try a supplement to help tame the wild effects of stress. My supplement of choice is Maca. I use to make smoothies with it a few years ago when I was reading Brendan Brazier’s book Thrive, which is a really great book. If you are interested in a very comprehensive explanation on Vegan nutrition, Thrive is a great book.
What is Maca?
Maca is a root that grows high a top the Peruvian Andes Mountains. This is a remarkable thing because conditions in that locale are less than optimal. This locale is barren, there are major temperature fluctuations and extreme winds. This is important because the Maca root has the ability to adapt to stressful circumstances. By ingesting Mr. Maca one gets some of his adapting qualities, making him an adaptogen. What this really means is it helps to balance you out. If you’re feeling stressed/frazzled, Maca helps to calm you right down.
Other Benefits of Sir Maca:
- increases energy &endurance
- increases oxygen in the blood
- physical strength
- and it enhances one’s libido- ooh-la-la
Sound too good to be true?
Maybe it is, but I am willing to give it a shot and I like the way it tastes.
What Does Maca Taste like?
It is kind of malty, but a little bit spicy. Does that make sense?
What Does Maca look like?
If you get it in powdery form, it looks like this:
my photography skills are astounding
What can you put Maca in?
- smoothies
- energy balls
- coffee or tea
- salad dressing
- oatmeal
- the possibilities are endless
I enjoyed Mr. M in smoothie form this AM
green goodness
What is the optimal serving size to get the magical benefits of Mr. M?
1-2T per day.
Where can I buy said superfood?
pretty much any health food oriented grocery store or good ole Amazon.
Has anybody tried Maca? If so, did you think this superfood was super?
Happy Thursday!
