Little Desserts for Big Muscles

During prep I omit most dairy from my diet and strip down to the basic clean foods, this works extremely well for my body and helps me to keep me eating simple. 

Off-season I’m learning that I can pull these things back in – in moderation. Enter back in no fat Greek Yogurt. I get tired of meat as my protein source (read lazy), try not to have more than 1 protein shake a day and find a serving of Greek yogurt in the afternoon is the perfect fix. I like to switch up the flavor and add different protein or SF / FF pudding mixes into it. I limit my artificial sweetener consumption and this is one of the places that I allow it (offseason).

By far my two favorites have been Butterscotch and Cheesecake, if you’re able to resist and let it chill in the fridge for a bit the yogurt thickens and changes consistency. So good!

• 1 cup 0% Plain Greek Yogurt
• ½ - 1 TBL SF/FF pudding mix (dry)
• ½ scoop of ISO Z5 Vanilla Protein Powder by Complete Nutrition

Mix, chill, enjoy!

Gluten Free Beef and Broccoli - Clean and Prep Worthy!

Soooo a few changes since I've started this blog; We eat meat (read - not vegetarian) and I've started bodybuilding. That's it in a nutshell.

Today this recipe goes out to my peeps in prep. This is contest season and mostly all of my gym friends are in prep getting all lean and mean.

Recipe can be found here:
http://glutenfreebetty.blogspot.com/2008/10/beef-and-broccoli-gluten-free.html

I follow the preperation but with these measurements and ingredients.

It kicks baked chicken and tilapia's ass!!!!!

1 pound lean grass feed steak OR chicken OR pork OR shrimp

1/4 plus 1/8 cup tamari 

1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Syrup

3 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 1/2 cup cold water

16 ounces frozen broccoli florets

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 teaspoons sesame oil 

Also good served with rice or shiritaki noodles *super low carb*, don't know about Shiritaki??? 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Cream Frosting

I have a serious love for all things coconut and this is at the very tippy-top of my list.

During show prep I was all kinds of "free" or "low" and often times "no". This type of restriction coupled with cravings kept me either out of my mind or creatively seeking concoctions in the kitchen.

Mission: Must have something sweet and satisfying without killing my low carb, low fat, no fun prep diet.

Voila, Coconut Cream Frosting.

1 Can - Trader Joe's Coconut Cream
1 Tsp - Vanilla Extract
2 TBL - Peanut Butter
2 TBL - Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

The night before making place coconut cream can in fridge to chill (this helps with the frosting consistency). Once chilled, scoop out coconut cream into bowl careful not to get the liquid at the bottom of the can. Whip with beaters. Stir in unsweetened cocoa powder, add peanut butter and vanilla and whip again with beaters until well mixed. I always eat a spoonful right away then place in the fridge for later, mostly I'm back with a spoon in 5 mins.

The great thing about this recipe is that it has a great healthy fat which satisfies cravings and doesn't set off any further cravings for sugars or fat, it's also dairy free, sugar free, low carb. If you need it sweetener, just add whatever sweetener you use.

Happy Nutrition Facts - Servings size 1 Tablespoon

Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar

Per Serving:

40

1

4

1

10

0

Overnight Chocolate Oats - It's what's for breakfast Yo!

I love breakfast and it's the one meal that I will never, ever, ever skip. I don't think i could and still be a nice person. 

I have skipped breakfast a couple of times, but not on purpose. When doing fasted cardio in the AM if my gym time gets pushed back - I'm a hot mess afterwards. It's not pretty and lesson learned!

With the new year comes new resolutions commitments. One of my commitments for this year is to respect more what my body is telling me when I eat, "insert digestively aggravating food here", and simply, not eat it.

This has lead me to be dairy, gluten and legume free - for now. So far it has worked wonders in my physical overall health and an unexpected benefit to my mood as well. I'm less (bitchy) moody throughout my day.

I try as much as possible to prepare my meals in advance. This is a great throw together breakfast to make the night before. I've also made and eaten a couple of hours later with it being just as good.

My version:

1/3 cup GF oats

1 to 1 1/2 cup Coconut Milk - I use Trader Joe's brand or So Delish

Frozen banana - *melt and smash

About 1 TBL of cocoa powder

2 TBL Chia Seeds

Splash of vanilla

Sprinkle of cinnamon

Sweetener of choice to taste, if needed

* I buy bananas by the boatload and freeze, they are a great way to sweeten anything. Take a frozen banana and melt, gives you a carmelie, sweet - undeniably whole food sweetener. 

** i'm really tired of the "what's best for you sweetener" debates

Original recipe:

http://ohsheglows.com/2010/04/08/easy-vegan-overnight-oats/

Push.

There are many things that inspire me to work hard in life. The moment when you feel like you can't possibly do one more thing for the day then - push - it's done; that is when I find my peace. The space in time that you know you just did something, above what you mentally were telling yourself you could or could not do.

There's a gal I know who I've looked up to for a few years now, Sara Christensen. Sara has been someone that has inspired me to always do better, be better. Someone who I see always pushing in a new direction, growing and creating. Sara has created Shine Healthy Living and will be opening a studio in So Cal soon. Sara shares below what brought her to a better way of life and what her inspiration has been. Thanks SC!!!

Sara and her boyfriend, Nate, in Sedona, Arizona

Don asked me to share with you my vision and big idea for Shine Healthy Living, a business that I'm really excited about opening in Southern California. Health and fitness has always been a part of my life to some degree or another, but a slight health scare several years ago drove me to dig in deeper and really do my homework.

What I found was alarming and a huge wake-up call.  I realized that living a stressful life and eating the standard American diet was just about the worst thing I could be doing for my health. I thought I was taking pretty good care of myself with my vegetarian diet, normal weight, and pretty active life - but the insane stress and inflammation I was creating in my body with what I was eating was really taking it's toll. 

I made some radical changes in the stress-reduction area: I sold the business that I ran and owned for 10 years. I got divorced. And I put the care of myself first via regular exercise and the very best nutrition. I got certified and started teaching Spinning and Zumba. I started eating mostly organic fruits and veggies and made a fresh, green veggie drink part of my daily diet. I stopped eating dairy and white flour. It was the best I had felt in my entire life - both mentally and physically! 

Then I started thinking how I could bring this knowledge and good feelings to others. Shine Healthy Living is going to be a place where people can go for fitness, friendship, and fun. The fitness component will be a offering of many different types of group exercise classes (indoor cycling, yoga, boot camps, Zumba, pilates) and small group personal training. There will be an emphasis on educating people on whole food nutrition via seminars, recipe sharing, cooking classes, and grocery store tours. 

For those people who are serious about their health and need a little extra help, we'll have coaches available to work one-on-one with people on creating health plans - and then sticking by their side to put those plans into successful actions. All that good stuff will be done with a huge emphasis on fun and laughter and celebrating each other. Think of it as recess for adults! 

Please visit us at www.shinefitstudio.com.  I invite you to join in on the fun!

The Protein Pancake

With the new workout regiment comes a new eating regiment. I've never really done things halfway and tend to jump in full force.

This recipe comes from an amazing friend, who like me, has no idea of what slowly easing into something means and goes straight away for the top (eh hem, CMG).

My breakfast consists of a serving of protein, a complex carb and a simple carb, along with copious amounts of coffee. This pancake, topping and a cup of coffee do the job marvelously.

The best part is the kids love it and I couldn't be happier with that.

Ingredients:
4 egg whites (can reduce to 2 or you can use egg whites in carton)
1 whole egg
1/2 cup uncooked oats
1/2 banana
1/2 to 1 scoop of protein powder of choice. I use vanilla or pumpkin protein powder for this
Cinnamon - as much as you like, I use a ton (optional)
Capful of Vanilla

Variation: you can sprinkle in pumpkin pie spice for a pumpkin pancake, add some pumpkin too.

Waffle option: I make these into waffles over weekend, store in fridge and pop into toaster during the week.

Topping:
Mash up other half of banana or eat plain.

Use a small amount of coconut oil to grease your pan. Blend all ingredients together (or whisk) and pour into heated greased pan. Let pancake cook, cut into fourths and flip each section. Top with banana, yogurt, or enjoy plain!


Fine print: The actual pancake does not look as beautiful and tempting as the one pictured but come on, the one picture would have you doing cardio for two hours to burn off and no one really likes two hours of cardio.

Changing Direction (but no pivoting and cutting)

I blew out my ACL on July 4th and tore my medial and lateral menisci. Had the reconstruction on the 18th and began recovery. It wasn't pretty. I don't take well to resting and recovery. I wasn't able to workout. It was depressing.

When I finally stopped feeling sorry for myself, I resolved to the fact that throughout the next six months I'd have to find a new way of working out. Under strict orders from my PT and surgeon I could not cut or pivot, jump or run. 

I decided to go back to my roots and weight train. Found a great trainer, a routine, a new eating plan (and new obsessive goals). Ohhh do I feel better. 

It took one week, one workout back at the gym to feel better. I honestly don't understand how people do not move their bodies in exercise (medical limitations excluded, I do get that). How can you not want to feel better than your current state - whatever that current state is? I am so much of a better person, better mother, better partner, better employee and just a better version of me when I work out. I sleep better, eat better, fit into my clothes better. I honestly think it's the only hour in my day that my mind isn't doing ten twenty fifty things.

I've never once worked out and thought, "Wow, that was a waste of time".

So, why do you workout? Maybe a better question for yourself - why are you not?