bringing back some old friends
This week I welcomed some old friends back with open arms:
Organic pumpkin pie mix to add to my greek yogurt and my favorite protein powder of all time: Metagenic’s Ultra Clear.
This protein powder is dairy free, soy free, and gluten free. More importantly, it tastes good and it gives me oodles of energy. This protein powder is a great option for anybody struggling with digestive issues as it it helps to repair the digestive tract and is extremely low in allergens. If you still aren’t sold, there are numerous anti-oxidants (free-radical killers) in this stellar feller.
Greek yogurt + 1T ground flaxseed + 2T canned pumpkin pie mix + a few drops of hazelnut flavored liquid stevia+ 1small handful of Nature’s Path heritage O’s cereal = pumpkin cheese cake for breakfast
2 scoops Metagenics Ultra Clear + 1/4 frozen banana + 1C coconut water + 4-6 pieces of frozen rhubarb + 3C spinach+ 3-5 ice cubes = insta energy.
Moving onto to my other obsession: peanut sauce. I finally made one.
My version looked a little like this:
- 2.5T natural peanut butter
- 1T tamari (or soy sauce)
- 3T water
- 1T rice vinegar
- 1t sucant
combine all of these delights in a spice grinder or food processor or whisk by hand
serves: 3-4 people
I enjoyed this gem on top a bed of kale, 1/2 sweet potato, grilled tempt & dash of nutritional yeast.
On another note, I am leaving for Vegas today to celebrate my soon to be sister-in-law’s last days as a single lady. I honor of such things, I got my nails did.
I am not sure how I feel about this green color. I am fairly certain I had this same color when I was 16. I am now 32. Something doesn’t add up.
I am tickled with my toe color. I will never be a foot model.
And with that, I am off to walk the pug, run and get my fanny on a plane to Vegas. Woot!
Have a great weekend!!
iHerb and a good night’s sleep
My bestie recently told me about Lucky Vitamin as a place to shop to get a good deal on not only supplements, but other household products like cleaning supplies, body lotion, shampoo and such. This spoke to me due to the recent bill I ran up at Whole Foods due to my conditioner, body wash, & body lotion. Lucky Vitamin is superb; however, I was also interested in a supplement called Kavinace (which I will discuss in a minute) and they did not sell that fella, so I gave iHerb a try. iHerb is kind of amazing, they have so many of the goodies I already purchase, but at a better rate and they ship for free on orders over $40.
I purchased body lotion, body wash, conditioner, poop bags for the pug, fish oil for sir Pug, and liquid stevia for over 20% less than I would at Whole Foods. I could have bought so many other things, but I decided to cool my jets. This stuff came so quick and was packaged so well.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional the below review is not medical advice, just a review on what worked for me!
I also purchased Kavinace: the supplement that has changed my life. This fella essentially simmers down anxiety, so you can sleep like a baby. I have had sleep issues for as long as I can remember. I can fall asleep, but I never really feel like I get a deep sleep. This all changed after meeting Mr. K. I take two of these gems at night and I have never slept better. However, if I eat too close to bed or have one glass of wine too many, this guy does does not work his magic, so it really only gets after the anxiety. If anxiety is not the issue that disturbs slumber, then Kavinase will not help.
If interested in purchasing from iHerb they gave me a coupon code to pass along to you fine folk. You will save $5 off your first purchase when you type in coupon code: POZ872. Woot!
Up next…
Grain Free, Sunflower butter, Chocolate Chip Cookies:
heavily inspired by this recipe over at Carrots-N-Cake
The Goods:
- 1c unsweetened sunflower butter
- 1c coconut palm sugar
- 1 egg
- 2/3c chocolate chips
- Sel Gris Noirmoutier finishing salt (completely optional. you could also use coarse sea salt)
How to:
- pre-heat oven to 350
- combine all ingredients in medium size mixing bowl (except the finishing salt)- mix until smooth
- put a small spoonful on greased cookie sheet
- sprinkle cookies with 7-10 salt granules- this really makes these cookies
- cook for 10-12 minutes
- allow to cool before consumption
These cookies are so dang easy to make, tasty, and not too bad for you.
And with that, I am off.
Happy Thursday!!
blog, i miss you
lately my days have been cray-cray, so sir blog gets ignored. sorry, blog.
Here are a few things I am loving:
steel cut oats with sun butter & jelly
steel cut oats with p butter & apple
I haven’t done steel cut oats in quite some time because they take forever, but I read somewhere (I can’t remember where) to try doing them in a slow cooker the night before. I tried it last week and it works marvelously and it couldn’t be easier.
How to:
makes 4 hearty servings
- put 1C steel cut oats into slow cooker
- add 3 cups water (you could also do milk for a creamier version)
- add 1T ghee (optional- could also use butter)
- add 1T maple syrup (optional)
- add 1t vanilla (optional)
- add 1t cinnamon (optional)
- set slow cooker on low right before turning in
- upon waking- enjoy with toppings of desire
My only complaint with doing it this way, is it makes a lot. My hus does not enjoy oats, so this amount of oats requires reheating on everyday, but the first day. The re-heating just grossed me out because the oats get all clumpy. So when I do this I would do 1/4c oats to 1C water and just make one serving. This seems like a lot of equipment for such a small amount of oats. However, if you are feeding a family, this is a great method.
Moving on…
I discovered these gems:
These are sweet potato, kettled cooked chips. I have seen sweet potato flavored corn chips, but never sweet potato, potato chips. These are so darn good and they have such a teeny, tiny ingredient declaration. I am reading the book the Slow Down Diet, by Marc David and in it he mentions that if you are going to eat “junk” food, eat the best version of it. I do believe these count!
Up next….
I am back on the coconut water train. Lately, I have been spending a good amount of time in the sauna after a workout, so when I get home I have a thirst that water just can’t quite quench. I found Taste Nirvana’s coconut water that far exceeds the taste and quality of other coconut waters. I also love that they come in glass bottles. I feel superb after drinking this goodness. Side note: if you ever find yourself hung over, this stuff will blow Gatorade out of the water.
We close on our house in a few weeks and I am already starting to sleuth for decorating ideas. The bathroom on the first floor has a pedestal sink and I am just not a huge fan of those guys, so this is my dream sink of the moment (except a single version of it with different hardware). I love the idea of doing the outside fisherman’s light above the sink. J’adore!
I am also loving on the Burt da pug
he is giving me the stink eye because he is about to moved into his own bed
noshing on some kale. He eventually spit it back out. Not a fan.
And with that I am off to study and vacuum.
Happy Tuesday!
random things
This post is full randomness- proceed with caution.
1. Some dreams are not meant to come true. I ordered Lance from Proform on 01/27/2012 under the guise that he was to ship out on 01/28/2012.
2. On 02/01/2012 Lance still remained comfortably in Proform’s warehouse. Nobody could really explain why he still resided there, so the fellas at Proform threw in a free bike mat and a lovely 5% off of sir Lance with an assurance that Lance would be venturing my way on the following day with an email to confirm such endeavors.
3. As of 02/07/2012 and a few conversations with the folks at Proform, Lance still had not shipped. Again, I never really got an explanation as to why Lance was not on his way to my humble abode. Apparently, Lance was just not interested in leaving the warehouse, so I let Lance live there and decided to cancel my order.
4. A few hours later on 02/07/2012 Proform gives me a ring and asks me if I really want to let Lance live in their warehouse. Proform generously offers me the very same discount they previously offered with promises to ship Sir Lance tomorrow or the following Monday. I decline due to sheer annoyance. I was done with that silly little dance.
5. On 02/10/2012 a rectangular box arrived. In Mr. box is the mat that Sir Lance was to reside on, so I have a bike mat but no bike. A very sad day.
It is just too painful to open
On to more uplifting things. Burt’s dream did come true when I graced him with a very large beef stick. Hmmm that sounds a little naughty.
hooray for beefsticks
Side note: I spy an old man slipper in both pictures. They might be one of my favorite articles of clothing.
Moving on…
I had eggs for breakfast yesterday and didn’t hate it. This deserves a notable mention because I do not eat eggs for breakfast and I have always wanted to be one of those gals who could eat eggs for breakfast. Big dreams.
I bring you one baked sweet potato & 1 egg +1 egg white.
I became ambitious yesterday and replenished my egg stash with a dozen more eggs, assuming I had just transformed into an eggs-for-breakfast gal. Yesterday’s breakfast was great, but I did not want a repeat today. Turns out I really am not an eggs-for-breakfast gal. I am an ezekiel-peanutbutter-banana-for-breakfast gal. You can’t win ‘em all.
I also had big dream of drinking Dandy blend instead of my normal caffeinated cup-of-joe.
Dandy Blend is a caffeine free beverage that tastes remarkably similar to coffee without any of the negative side effects that traditional coffee offers. I really enjoyed the taste of this beverage; however, it will not replace my caffeinated friend. I will, however, enjoy Dandy in addition to coffee. I realize I completely missed the point of this beverage, but, again, you can’t win ‘em all.
That is all of the randomness I have to offer today. I am off to the gym to use their spin bike and lift some heavy things.
Happy Saturday!!
The New Kid on The Block
I got this guy in the mail yesterday. Ta da…
Vitol- 100% egg white protein
Vitol's vitals
I saw this protein powder on another blogger’s blog ( I can’t remember which blog it was) who is grain and dairy free. This excited me because she raved about the taste of it and the flavor is “Vanilla Ice Cream.” Yes, please! I really struggle with finding tasty protein powders that are not full of garbage.
Here are the current kids on the block:
The Kids
My thoughts on the kids:
Tempt’s Vanilla Spice Hemp Protein- I love this as a source of clean protein. Meaning it’s grain-free, gluten-free, dairy free, soy-free and there are no weird fillers in there. However, it tastes a bit like the earth and there is sugar in it. Honestly, I have only used this powder once, so I should give it another whirl or I might return it….
Vanilla Primal Fuel- This is Mark’s (The Primal guy) protein powder and my goodness is it pricey. However, you get a huge vat of it. I like this protein powder because it is grain-free, gluten-free, soy free and there are no weird fillers in it. I also like the coconut-y taste of it. With that said, I do not like this stuff in smoothie form, which is a problem because smoothies are generally how I get my afternoon dose of greens. I like to blend my spinach with protein powder, fruit and nut butter to conceal it. I guess that makes me 5-years-old. I will say I rather enjoy adding this protein powder to my morning bowl of porridge and to baked goods. I will probably not be repurchasing though.
Metagenic’s Vanilla Ultra Clear- My favorite! I love the taste of this stuff either added to porridge or in smoothie form. This stuff is deemed “medical food” because it offers so many gut-repairing nutrients. I worried that maybe I no longer needed this protein powder, but I have been assured that this stuff good for you no matter what. I also enjoy that it is dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten free. However, because it is a brown rice protein powder, it isn’t technically “Primal,” which stressed me out for a hot second, but now I am over it because I am not “Primal.” Phew. They other downside of this product is the price tag, but it’s my lunch for 2-3 months, so I am pretty sure it is actually a bargain.
Vega’s Vanilla Chai Flavored Powder- I honestly have’t had this one in a really long time. I like that it is a plant based protein powder, which means it is dairy-free and it is gluten & soy free. It is not grain-free because some of the protein is derived from brown rice. Truth be told, this powder has oodles of good-for-you stuff in it, but I just don’t really care for the taste of it. I don’t really like it in smoothies or porridge, which is probably why I haven’t used it in a while. This guy is priecy too, but it would be worth it if I enjoyed the taste of it.
A few things to keep in mind with these review:
- I really like vanilla flavored stuff, so if you prefer your protein powder not to taste like anything then I am not the person to take a review from
- I don not mind the taste of stevia, which is in every one of these powders (except the hemp one).
- I like my powder to err on the creamy, sweet side
- I am not aiming for massive amounts of protein per serving. I mainly use it to up my protein intake a little, get a few added nutrients, and make stuff taste better.
After all of that, I really cannot give a solid review on the new kid in town because I have only had him in my porridge. The real test will come when I see how he does in smoothie form. Overall, I like the clean ingredients, the source of protein and it tasted pretty darn good in my oat bran.
yet another bowl of porridge...
Off to the gym….
Vitamins
A few of my close friends were asking the other day about my thoughts on what supplements to take, so I decided to do a lil’ post on it.
My favorite supplements
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a doctor of ANY sort, so please take my words here as any sort of medical advice.
Here are my thoughts:
I honestly think supplements are a tricky beast. I also think they are over used and I do not know how necessary they are because, we get so little of what the actual vitamin promises. In most supplements there are the vitamins and there are binders and preservatives, which inhibit some of the actual vitamin absorption. And most times the cheaper the vitamin is, the more binders, fillers and preservatives it contains, which means you are getting less of the goods. In an ideal world, people should just get their vitamins through diet and lifestyle alone, but I know the standard American diet is a far cry from ideal. With that said, I would minimize your supplement usage. I remember a few years back I was taking 7-10 different supplements and I felt no different and saw no change in symptoms; however, my wallet took a hit and I developed a ridic schedule around consuming them. Do not do this. I think most people can do with a good quality multi-vitamin, but make sure you choose one appropriate for your age and gender. If you do not feel like taking a multi-vitamin, I personally support that. The only supplement I really think is important is a great quality fish oil. Fish oil is just so dang important and most people, unless they are eating sardines and salmon everyday, are not getting adequate amounts of it. My favorite brand of supplements is Thorne. I also am a big fan if vitamin D because studies are showing several cancers forming because we are becoming more and more deficient in vitamin D, due to lack of sun exposure. If you live in a place that is pretty sunny year round, then just get 15 minutes of unprotected sunlight exposure before 10:00 AM and no supplement required for you. If you are not so fortunate to live in a year round sunny place (like myself) then I would use a liquid form of vitamin D and make sure to get 1,000 IU’s of it. The last supplement that I think most people would benefit from is a good quality probiotic, especially if you have just had the flu or been through a round of antibiotics. There are other times supplements come in handy, like if you’re a vegan. Generally the way to get B-12 is through animal products, so if you’re not eating animals a B-12 supplement is not a bad plan. Ok those are my very deep thoughts on supplements. If you have questions regarding my thoughts, please do not hesitate to ask!
Just for giggles
Burt noshing on some kale, which he promptly spit out.
I am off to walk sir Burt.
