quick eats

oats + maple syrup + almond milk + cinnamon + brown sugar + berries

chicken + cuke + avocado + strawberry + pecan + spinach + natural poppyseed dressing

homemade greek salad + natural turkey + hummus w/ balsamic glaze + rosemary crackers

Back Bacon Asparagus Frittata Recipe + A Leg Workout That Works!

Hi All! Happy Monday :-) 

isn't this what summer is all about? ;-)



heading over to the concert! it was at this point that we
 realized bug spray wouldhave been a good idea.... ha ha!

I normally work 6 days/wk so I've gotta say, two days off in a row has been a serious treat for me, and topped with all this sunshine, I am one happy girl. :-) Got all caught up on things around the house and just life in general yesterday, got a wicked workout in, and spent the night out in a field in front of a stage just jammin' to some seriously awesome music, so I'm gonna call the weekend a win!

It wasn't until I woke up this morning and (finally!) got that morning-after leg burn from a good workout that I realized this one might be a good one to share (yeeeah buddy ;-) ). I'm not sure exactly what it is, but a combination of still working on my form for some of the newer exercises I'm doing and trying to find the sweet spot in terms of how much weight I should be lifting for each exercise. Either way, this one worked for me, so try it out and let me know what you think!




Smith Machine Squats (4 x 10) 80 lbs
Lateral Lunges (3 x 24) 40 lbs (12 left leg, 12 right leg)
Leg Press (6 x 12) 90 lbs
Romanian Lunges (3 x 12/side) unweighted
Deadlifts (4 x 12) 40 lbs

Superset:
Inner Thigh (Leg adduction machine) (4x12) 160 lbs
Outer thigh (Leg abduction machine) (4x12) 145 lbs

3 sets of:
15 Jump Lunges
20 Modified Mountain Climbers (start in straight-arm plank, and instead of bringing your knees to chest, bring them out to the side, and your toes land to the outside edge of your hands, instead of behind them)
15 Alien Kicks (basically a jump plie squat, but kick your toes out to the side and bring them back in quickly while you're in the air -- I will post a video soon!)

Anyways, on to the recipe... I love eggs, and they are a really great, lean source or protein so they find themselves in my weekly meal plan pretty often. I also love fritatta because there are so many different options in terms of what you throw in, it's easy to make and delicious.  This dish keeps fine in the fridge for a few days, so it makes a perfect snack, breakfast or lunch (paired with green salad).

This recipe is great because you get the added protein from quinoa, which also makes the dish more filling. I've chosen back bacon as the protein because it's much leaner than regular bacon and, although no one ever believes me on this one, I actually really dislike "regular" bacon!

Back Bacon Asparagus Frittata

Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup TruRoots organic quinoa (cooked)

200 g back bacon, thick slices + chopped

1/2 white onion, chopped

14 stalks asparagus, washed + trimmed 

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (to brown veggies + grease pan) 

2 freerange eggs

1 cup liquid egg whites

1 tbsp cream 

non-iodized sea salt + fresh ground pepper 

1. Find yourself a frittata dish (you could probably use a pie tray if you don't have one!) and lightly grease dish with extra virgin olive oil. Set aside, Preheat oven to 350 F and get ready to whip up one mean frittata! ;-)

2. Cook quinoa according to pkg directions. I do my food prep for the week on Sundays, and quinoa is usually on that list, so I already had some ready to go in my fridge, which makes this recipe a bit easier!

3. Chop back bacon roughly and brown in a medium fry pan.  I like to get mine from the deli counter as it's less processed than what's available in those vacuum-packs, and I ask for it sliced pretty thick so it's close to cubes than slices.

4. Chop onions & brown on low-med heat for a few minutes with extra virgin olive oil until they start to brown on the edges. Set aside.

5. Wash & trim asparagus and add a little dash of EVOO to the pan again. The element dial on my stove goes to 9 and I cook asparagus between 5 and 6. Cook until brown. Set aside. (I like to cook all of this stuff separate so as to not overcrowd the pan and then have the veggies turn to mush).

6. Grab a med sized mixing bowl, crack your eggs, add liquid egg whites, and cream. Get out those big biceps of yours and whisk it all up! This step is to add air to the mixture so that the frittata tastes light & fluffy.

7. Spread cooked quinoa, onions and back bacon out evenly in frittata dish. Add egg mixture. Top with asaparagus. Add salt + pepper. Cook on mid rack in stove for about 30-40 mins at 350 F. Stoves vary big time so make sure you're checking periodically. It's done when you can stick a knife in it and it comes out clean. :-) Now enjoy your delicious protein-packed creation, you master chef!

Nutrition - 1/4 frittata - 175 cals, 16.5 g protein


And now... time to head out for a quick run in the sunshine, grab my groceries for the week and some serious patio time with a girlfriend.... nice! I'll leave you with one of my favorite thoughts for the week:

You can do, have and be anything you want. 

The only question is: how badly do you want it? Are you willing to pay the price to get it? Because the only limitation is in your own mind, it is not contained in physical reality. 

Have an absolutely amazing + fantastic week, friends!! :-)

- brooke

The Gummi Bear Dilemma: Cravings + How to Kick them!

The Gummi Bear Dilemma. In order to be successful in living a happy and healthy life where you feel like you're in balance (and not in the middle of some diet battlefield), one of the important things to master is cravings!

As I'm sure you'll know if you've spent more than an hour with me, I have a major sweet tooth. Major! ha ha The guys at work all make fun of me because when I want something sweet, everybody knows. I literally go from office to office asking if anyone has a stash of candy... ha ha! But then, almost always, everyone says no, so I make my way over to our lunch room & grab one of my freezer treats. They're just sweet enough to cut the craving, but still nutritious so there's no "damn! damn! damn! why did I just eat those neon gummi worms!" afterthoughts ha ha ha! ....what? is that just me?

What I've learned is you've got to reprogram your brain to act differently in the situation. What is that saying? The definition of crazy is doing the same thing and expecting different results? And it's so true! Until you change your attitude towards the cravings and find a new way of reacting in the situation, you will most likely end up defeated again.  So, here's a few of my tricks! :-)

- Distraction - I go and do something! A lot of times, I'm just bored, or thirsty, or saw someone else eating sweets. If you focus your attention on something else for 15 minutes and still can't stop dreaming about Reese's pieces, have a snack, but opt for something like fruit or a healthier substitute - in this case, my peanut butter protein cups would be a great substitute!

- Be Prepared! - Making sure I have other, much healthier, treats on hand, like the recipe I've got for you today -- Pumpkin Protein Bars

- The with-yourself Convo - I was in Wal-Mart last night looking for the natural peanut butter and of course, their organic foods are right between the 8 billion bags of chips aisle and 4,000 bags of cookies section. If this isn't temptation, I don't know what is! I started thinking about buying a bag of chips and "just leaving the rest for Adam" (my brother).... but as soon as I caught myself justifying it, I shut that voice off and switched into mantra mode. "Resist, resist, resist, resist" "Our character is a sum of our choices" -- and guess what! I walked right outta that aisle like it aint no thang! ha ha ha :-)

Anyways... now for the good part! On to the recipes!

Pumpkin Protein Bars 

pumpkin protein bars

This recipe is originally by a huge inspiration of mine, Jamie Eason. She is a serious fitness guru and has tons of great recipes and tips worth checking out! I couldn't find brown sugar xyla so I just used the regular kind, and opted for greek yogurt instead of apple sauce because it's a little higher in protein and it's what I had! A few other small changes and voila.. my version of Jamie's little treats. :-)

1/2 cup xyla (natural sweetener)
1/2 cup natural, plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground clove
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp non-iodized sea salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (not the fake stuff!)
4 large egg whites
1 can of raw pumpkin puree
2 cups brown rice flour
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I use IsoNatural which is sweetened with Stevia, and has no artificial flavorings or additives)
1/4 c almond milk
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Get your oven up to 350 F & your pan ready to rock n roll. I use a dash of grapeseed oil to grease the pan, but you can use whatever type of oil you'd like. I also use a mini loaf pan because I have a bit of OCD... ha ha! This allows me to portion the bars properly and it just looks nicer and more intentional than baking them in a big tray & cutting them up. But you could just pour the mix into a 9 x 13 pan like Jamie does, up to you.

Be careful not to overfill! The recipe should
make 24 bars, so it fills each mini loaf
about 1/3 of the way. 

Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix all the wet ingredients in another. Combine. Ooooohhh... ahhhh... such a fancy process.. ha ha (not!) I pour my flour through a hand sifter just because my dad's always used one and it makes sure it's nice and airy, but I don't think this is necessary! Also, if you want to throw in a few extra shakes of cinnamon, you go girl! (or guy?... ha ha) Cinnamon is absolutely packed with health benefits including lowering cholesterol, helping with dairy & fruit digestion and it's antibacterial & antifungal (prevents yeast growth which leads to stomach ulcers and a variety of other problems). Aaaaanyways... the point being: adding extra cinnamon is a great idea. ha ha

Depending on the tray/pan you use, baking time will vary, but start by checking them at 25 mins if you're using a muffin/mini loaf tin and at 30 mins if a larger tray. They're ready when you can stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. I like to keep mine in the freezer because they stay fresh longer and I just like them cold.

Anyone else have any freezer treats they whip up and love??   Tried these & love em or hate em? Let me know!! I love reading your comments!

Happy Thursday all! Have a freaking fantastic day and remember that our character is a sum of our choices!

- brooke :-)

fries + chips: skinny girl edition

My idea of a fantastic night just doesn't include sitting on the couch for 5 hours and downing a bag of chips. I know to some people, this sounds like heaven. But to me, not so much.

It's funny, a lot of my younger years included just this, especially in high school. Add to that slurpee runs to 7-Eleven with a few girlfriends (where of course we never just bought a slurpee -- we each came out with a little bag of candy in hand, too!). Sometimes we'd make a plate of nachos. A big plate! Of course, at the time, we would get so hyped up on all the sweeteners, MSG and artificial flavorings in that food that we were floating on a sugar-coated cloud 9! ha ha But I was miserable. I looked horrible, had no energy, and always just wanted to "nap". Yes, the candy tasted good, but what kind of life was I living? 

doesn't this get you even just a
 little excited!!? ha ha ;-) 

Now, 40 lbs smaller, and a million times happier, my habits and lifestyle have taken a complete 180. Yes, I love watching The Bachelor and Housewives (of anywhere! haha), but I do it for the last hour or two of my day, not as the highlight of my night.  I spend my nights enjoying my work out, reading health + fitness blogs, and picking up groceries (this is actually one of my favorite things to do! -- filling my little basket full of bright, colorful veggies, lean proteins and healthy fats just makes me happy... plus, the cute guys you're guaranteed to find at the supermarket doesn't hurt.... ha ha ;-) And yes, I still see my girlfriends, but our nights are spent hitting up a yoga class or going for a glass of wine + some edamame. 

Now, instead of greasy bags of potato chips,  I snack on much lighter and more nutritious foods -- my favorite salty, snacky foods at the moment are: sweet potato fries + kale chips!

Sweet potatoes are a great alternative to "regular" potatoes because they're lower calorie (sweet potatoes have 170 cals/cup, regular potatoes 278/cup), less starchy, and packed with nutritients! A cup of sweet potatoes also has 7 g of fiber, which keeps you feeling full :-) 

mmmm....

Sweet Potato Fries

To make sweet potato fries, I wash the skin really well, chop it into "fries", and toss it in a bowl with 1/2 - 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, whichever spices I feel like adding -- my fav right now is garlic powder & curry powder... delish! I always line my baking tray with parchment paper as sweet potatoes do stick sometimes, so this prevents that problem. Then, pop them into the oven at 350 F for around 30-40 mins, flipping halfway through. I take mine out when the flesh has just become browned a bit, but you can take them out before that point if you prefer. 

Kale Chips

Give the kale a good rinse under the tap, then rip off small pieces of the leafy green part and throw into a bowl (discard stem). Again, a splash of extra virgin olive oil and whichever spices you're feelin. I do mine with is garlic powder, onion powder and red chili flakes right now, but you could try anything! I've also done it with organic taco mix seasoning before and I really liked it! Get creative :-) Because kale is a lot more thin and delicate than sweet potatoes, I usually only cook these for 10-15 mins, just make sure you're checking often as they burn easily.  Take them out when they've turned from "chewy" to "crispy". 

For serving, I love ketchup, but just be careful with this one as it's high in sugar, especially "conventional" brands like Heinz. I buy organic ketchup, which is better, but still just be cautious of serving sizes as 2 tbsp comes in at 40 cals, 8 g sugar so it does add up quickly! Another fav of mine is Franks' hot sauce, which is much lower in sugar & cals and also has an added benefit - spicy foods actually boost your metabolism, so it's a win-win! 

My girlfriend Chaantal has a few salty tricks of her own -- she snacks on baked spicy chickpeas or edamame. I know there's got to be some other great ideas I've never seen, so if you have one, post it below, I'd love to try out your recipes! :-)

Make today ridiculously amazing, friends!

- Brooke

the miracle cookie: chocolate almond + hemp

the first time I tried this recipe I actually only made a half batch as my expectations were that they'd be an "ok" cookie. There is absolutely no flour of any type, so I thought they'd turn out really "wet" and seem uncooked - that, and I've never really been almond butter's #1 fan. It's so super awesomely great for you, so I've always told myself I like it, but on toast, it just wasn't doin' it for me.

But these cookies will change every perception you've ever had about cookies. And almond butter. I've called them the miracle cookie because not only are they completely g-free, they have no flour, sugar, or butter... and taste amazing. AMAZING! They are chewy, and sweet and perfect. Just like me! ha ha... well.. at least the sweet and perfect part.. ha ha ;-)

Another reason these cookies are great is that they have 3 great all-natural sources of protein; almond butter, egg whites + hemp hearts.






1 cup all natural unsalted almond butter, stirred well
3/4 cup Sucanat
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt (non-iodized)
1/4 cup hemp hearts
3 oz dark chocolate (I use Enjoy Life's Mega Chunks)

Preheat oven to 350 F & line cookie sheets w/ parchment

Mix together almond butter, Sucanat, egg whites, baking soda, sea salt and hemp hearts until well combined

Add in dark chocolate chunks

Now, I like to make sure all the cookies bake evenly & like them looking uniform, so I use our espresso  scoop to portion the dough into balls, put them on the cookie sheet and then flatten, but you could use an ice cream scoop or just freehand it! :-)

Bake for 10-12 mins, let cool & ENJOY.




adapted from: clean eating magazine, march/april 2010

brilliant breakfasts

two of my favorite ways to start the day.

rye bread + avocado + goat cheese + squeeze of lemon + balsamic glaze 

kashi honey puffs cereal + almond milk + berries + bananas + coconut

all-natural chocolate + salted peanut butter cups (packed with protein!)

These. are. delish! No, really! They taste like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups minus all of the odd "natural flavoring" taste (read: artificial flavors created by scientists in a lab).

But wait.

There's an added bonus to this delicious, all-natural package. Yes, thats' right: protein! Anyways.. enough talking, on to our treats!

"Grease" your pan. I use a mini cupcake pan, but you could also use this super cute silicone mini peanut butter cup mold. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine:

1/2 cup all natural peanut butter (i like Mara Natha)
1/3 cup chocolate protein powder
1/4 cup plain all natural greek yogurt
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
a squeeze of honey to sweeten

Mix with spatula until combined.

Spoon mixture into pan, taking extra care to flatten on the top & trim neatly around the edges. (Ok, maybe this part isn't that important, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist! ha)

Now, this next step is optional. I like the extra bite that sea salt adds, so I add a couple cranks to the top.  

Put tray into freezer for 20-30 mins until PB hardens up.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and put it into your freezer (a soon to be home for your chocolate-ified cups).

About 5 minutes before I'm going to take the tray of PB cups out, I'll start melting my chocolate (Enjoy Life's mini chocolate chips). I use a "double boiler" -- well, no, not really a double boiler, but a pot with an inch of water on medium-high heat, and then sit a metal bowl on top of the pot. Then I stir. Stir, stir, stir. Once the chocolate is melted, you're ready to coat  your beautiful little PB cups.

Take the PB cups out of the freezer, and one at a time, remove them from the mold and cover with chocolate. The way I found to work best was to use one of those little corn "skewers" to hold the PB cup and an icing knife to coat (ha ha ha corn skewers.. how nerdy, right?! oh well, whatever works! ;)
As each cup gets coated, put them onto the tray that's chilling in the freezer until set.

Once they've hardened, store them in an airtight container or freezer bag & empty your mail box because you're about to get a whole lot of fan mail! (from friends & fam who are lucky enough to enjoy these little gems, of course! ;)