>Yeeee-HAWW

>Hi guys 🙂 How was your day? This morning I woke a little later than I hoped for (10am, eeek), inhaled a Protein Cupcake then jogged with the Manfriend to the gymnasium. I did shoulders + triceps then took an impromptu Spinning class. I wasn’t in the mood to lift anymore so I figured some Cardio + Endorphins would fix my mood…

Whelp, it did the trick aaaand a little more. I have never SWEAT SO MUCH from a workout except Bikram. Fabulous + disgusting at the same time 🙂 And I couldn’t be happier.

After a much needed shower, I whipped up a Peanut Butter Cup Green Monster:

– 1 scoop Chocolate SunWarrior protein

– 1.5 tbsp Peanut Butter Flour

– 1 frozen banana

– 2 hand fulls fresh spinach

– Ice + H20

– stevia

– pinch xanthan gum

– dash sea salt

Shortly after refueling, Kelsey (sister) and I headed to Virginia for a COUNTY FAIR!!! Brings me back to childhood in New Hampsha.

There were animals:

And preggo ones:

Side note: Our friend Andrea (super girly-girl, nurse in DC) grew up on a farm and her family shows cows a few times per year (they have 200!). We went to see her show em’!

Andera posing with fresh milk from her cows:

And ME drinking the FRESH COW MILK!

There were also lots of GAMES:

And FOOD:

Had to TRY a FRIED OREO. When in Rome, right?

Green apple + Cheddar from a dairy farm. Oh so good.

And tasted some vanilla soft serve, also from the dairy farm

All in all, a fantastic day. Tomorrow it’s BACK to THESIS-ing! Night kids 🙂

QUESTIONS:

Did you attend fairs as a kid?

What’s the strangest food you’ve tired in another state??

>You can call me the (turkey) chili master

>Hello bloggies,

How was your Monday? Mine was bueno. It started out with a peanut butter – protein cupcake and coffee. Fantastic.

I’d like to say I worked super hard on my thesis all morning, but the reality was I was L-A-Z-Y. So I lounged, hung out with Sir DVR and eventually made my way to a 12pm BodyPump class. Love the Pump. I’m addicted.

After getting the Endorphins pumpin’, I did get to work. Hallelujah. I thesis-ed until my brain almost exploded then decided to prepare dinner early tonight so after Spinning I could come home to a feast.

And a feast it was. Behold: Black bean & Sweet Potato Turkey Chili (inspired by Gina‘s recipe):

Ingredients:

Ground lean turkey

3 large sweet potatoes

2 cans black beans, rinsed

1 can corn (no sugar/salt added), rinsed

4 large tomatoes, chopped

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 pepper (orange or yellow)

1 cup tomato juice (or V8)

2 garlic cloves, diced

2 tbsp Red chili powder (not pepper!). Add more if desired (I do!)

1/2 tbsp Cumin

1 tsp Sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Add corn, beans, peppers, 1 diced garlic clove, onions to large pot

2. Dice sweet potatoes into large cubes and boil until soft. Drain and set aside.

3. Cook tomatoes covered over medium heat until they can be easily mashed (~5 mins). Add to pot:

4. Add remaining garlic, cumin, 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder to a cooking pan. Brown turkey (just sear outsides of turkey):

5. Add turkey to pot (and remaining spices, tomato juice) and cook covered over medium heat until turkey is cooked and onions/peppers are soft:

6. When turkey/peppers/onions are cooked, add sweet potato.

7. Drool.

Note: To obtain a more “chili” taste, add more red chili power and cumin. I add quite a bit 😉

Alright peeps, time for some vino + dark chocolate + reality TV. Ahhh, the life.

-Lauren

PS…Who is watching WEEDS tonight????

>Calling all peanut butter lovers

>Have you ever come across a product that completely changed your life? More specifically, a FOOD item that’s rocked your world? For me, stevia is up there. I was a Splenda addict until the lovely no-calorie all natural sweetness – that is stevia – came into my life. And I am still thankful ❤

Recently however, a new love has come into my life. And this one just may be my #1…

Behold…The incredible fabulous fantastic item that is PEANUT FLOUR! You may be asking, is this another healthy flour, perhaps the next Spelt flour? And my answer is, it’s better than that. Peanut flour is peanuts ground into flour with INCREDIBLE nutrition stats. Per 1/4 cup:

Yep, that’s 16g protein for 110 calories. And trust me, the TASTE is even better than the nutritional info.

I started using PB Flour (1-2 tbsp) in my chocolate protein smoothies. Yeeee-UM. Then I got an idea, “Bet I could create a delicio-so Chocolate Protein Cupcake”.

And behold: Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein muffins with PB + Banana Frosting:

Combine + mix:

– 6 Scoops Chocolate Protein powder

-1/4 cup PB Flour

– 3/4 cup FF Greek yogurt

~1 cup H20 (depending how thick your protein is)

– 1 egg (or 3 tbsp egg whites)

– 1 tsp Baking powder

– 1/2 tsp sea salt

Cook for 20 mins at 400F

“Frosting”: In food processor combine:

– 1/4 cup FF Greek yogurt

– 1/4 block FF cream cheese

– 1 banana

– 2 heaping tbsp PB Flour

– 1 tsp PB

– 3 servings (or packets) stevia

– 1/4 tbsp sea salt

These are no joke. Probably my greatest protein creation so far!

Enjoy Peanut Butter Lovers!

– Lauren