Simple Chocolate Mug Cake

I admit to having what I like to call a latent sweet tooth.  It sorta lays in wait and does not show itself very often... thankfully... but when it does appear, it demands to be placated and satisfied almost immediately.  I have come up with a Simple Chocolate Mug Cake, using ingredients that I always have in my panty. It tastes somewhat sweet and satisfies that need.  But it is also actually very low in sugar and carbs and fat, overall, and jam-packed with protein... and flavor!  It is gluten-free, and grain-free, too.

I can pretty much whip it up in a couple of minutes and if you have a sweet tooth that needs attention, you know how important immediacy can be!  You have just got to get something sweet into your mouth as quickly as possible so it might just as well be something that is not going to break your macro/calorie/Smart Points bank, right?

The 3 main ingredients in my Simple Chocolate Mug Cake are chocolate based... chocolate whey protein powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, and chocolate PB2... and then I add almond or other unsweetened nut milk and a bit of baking powder.  I mix them together and pop into the mike for a minute. The aroma is wonderful. Gives me something to savor and anticipate while I am waiting a few seconds for it to cool enough to slide out of the baking dish and into a serving bowl.

And it also gives me a bit of time to decide if I want or need toppings... yogurt, nut butter of some kind, berries, cinnamon... you know... the really good stuff.  Sometimes I just want plain chocolate cake and eat it right out of the baking dish!  It is that good.  I am thinking you could also make up an icing with protein powder or even top it with whipped coconut cream.  Mmmm.  Yep. Gotta try that!

Now, I have used a plant-based protein powder instead of whey to make this cake. And it works, but you need to cook it a bit longer for some reason.  Your choice.

I have also used a variety of nut milks, depending on what I have on hand.  I am sharing the nutritional information using unsweetened original Almond Breeze.  And if you don't have chocolate PB2, use the plain one, or failing that, use a second tablespoon of the cocoa powder. You will get an even chocolatier cake!  Is that even a word?

Okay, I did not make it in a mug... but you could!  My baking dish is a small glass bowl... about 4 inches across and about 3 inches deep.

Simple Chocolate Mug Cake
makes 1 cake

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop (about 32g) chocolate whey protein powder
• 1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbs chocolate PB2
• 1/4 cup nut milk
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions:

1. Coat the inside of a microwave safe cooking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Place the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
3. Add the nut milk and stir.  You want a brownie batter consistency so if it is a bit thick, add more nut milk a couple of drops at a time.
4. Spoon batter into prepared baking dish.
5. Cook in microwave oven for 1 minute on HIGH. Time may vary slightly.
6. Remove cooked cake from microwave and allow to cool about 30 seconds before removing cake to serving dish.
7. Top as desired or eat plain.

Per serving, without toppings.

Weight Watchers Smart Points = 3.

Calories 166

Fat 4g

Saturated Fat 1g

Carbohydrates 8g

Sugar 3g

Protein 28g

Printable Recipe

Dry ingredients before mixing together.  See the difference in color of my 3 chocolatey ingredients and then the baking powder?

Thick brownie-like batter after stirring in nut milk.  Not runny at all but very moist.

Cooked cake, cooling a bit before placing in serving dish.

With yogurt and berries.

With yogurt and a drizzle of sugar free chocolate mint syrup.

Whether you dress it up or enjoy it plain, you are sure to love this easy peasy chocolate cake!

Do you have a sweet tooth?  How do you satisfy it quickly?

Pumpin Protein Waffles with Turmeric and My Golden Milk

A week or so ago, I joined a new fitness blogging group on Facebook and one of the first conversations I read and took part in, was about turmeric... it's health benefits and how to add it into our diets.

I knew that turmeric has long been considered a superfood by many in the healthy living community, and I have thought from time to time that I would like to start using it more often, but it was this FB chatter that really prompted me to act.

I purchased a 100-gram bag of pure turmeric and that same day made my first cup of Golden Milk. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have been making it every couple of days since.  I did use a recipe that I found online, but changed it a bit.   The author does not take credit for it and said that this recipe and variations have been around forever, so I am taking the liberty to share my own version.

If you don't use Stevia, you may want to put a spoonful of honey into this mixture.  It will counteract and bitterness you may taste in the turmeric and make you feel like you are having a luscious treat!

Golden Milk

Makes 1 serving.

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 tsp tahini
• 1 tsp turmeric
• healthy dash of cinnamon
• small dash of black pepper
• bit of Stevia to sweeten

1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan on the stove over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and stir till well-combined.  Do not let boil.
2. Remove to cup and enjoy!

Per serving.

Weight Watchers P+ = 2.

Calories 73; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 3g; Fat 6g; Fibre 1g.

 I was pleased, too, that The Captain liked the taste and texture of it. It is quite thick and creamy.

And now I am working on coming up with more and different ways to add turmeric to our diet.  It has a very brilliant orange color, so it seems a natural to me that it would go more readily into dishes we already expect to be orange.  Don't you agree?  And because the mornings are getting cooler here, well at least a little bit cooler, I pulled a can of pumpkin out of the pantry and set about to making some pumpkin protein waffles... I knew that I could easily hide the turmeric in this batter because it is already orange with pure pumpkin....yup, pumpkin season is about to launch, and so Pumpkin Protein Waffles with Turmeric were born!

Just make sure that if you are using canned pumpkin that you select pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling in this recipe.  As for me, I cannot wait till fresh pumpkins are in the local markets as I do love baking and cooking with them.

I recently received some Vege Pro-7 Protein Powders from North Coast Naturals, so I chose to use the vanilla flavor in these waffles. Vege PRO-7 is very tasty and it features super foods like organic bio-fermented whole grain brown rice, organic sprouted chia, organic Canadian hemp protein, organic pumpkin seed, and other nutrient-dense proteins.  And it has no added artificial colours, sweeteners or flavours. Vege PRO-7 is also made without wheat, soy, dairy, egg, gluten or pea.  And I love it because it is also low fat and low carb, too.  But of course you should use your favorite protein powder.

I also used North Coast Naturals Ultimate Daily Cleanse to add a bit of bulk and more nutrients to my batter. You can use ground flax seeds if you like.

And, one more thing.... I understand that some people find the taste of turmeric a bit bitter, so add a sweetener to this recipe if you must. I didn't, as I think the cinnamon negates any bitter taste, and I topped my waffles with a bit of sugar free syrup and a couple of banana slices.

My recipe makes 2 servings so either share with your friend, or freeze some for another day.  You could also cut it in half.

Pumpkin Protein Waffles With Turmeric
Makes 2 servings

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin
• 1/2 cup egg whites (4)
• 2 large fresh eggs
• 2 Tbs Ultimate Daily Cleanse or ground flax seeds
• 1 heaping tsp turmeric
• dash of cinnamon

1. Mix all ingredients together and let sit for a couple of minutes.
2. Cook in your waffle make according to directions... I used half for each of 2 double waffles.
3. Keep covered and warm till ready to serve. 
4. Top as desired.

Per serving, without toppings

Weight Watchers P+ = 5.

Calories 195, Protein 25.1g; Carbohydrates 10g; Fat 7g; Fibre 6.3g.

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Printable Recipe

Are you ready for pumpkin season too?

Do you add turmeric to your diet?  What is your favorite way?

Healthful Gluten-Free Waffles

Most of the waffles I have been making lakely have been with a mixture of protein powder and egg whites with with a pinch of baking powder thrown in...  they are really tasty, make up quickly, and have lots of protein... great on mornings when I am in a hurry to get moving.

But sometimes I like to take more time preparing a heartier breakfast... that often turns into brunch, really. That is the case with what I am calling my Healthful Gluten-Free Waffles.  'Healthful' because of the ingredients I have chosen to use in them.  And heartier because they kept me satisfied right through my normal lunch time.

I should also add that The Captain loved them... win win win!

I have had a bag of North Coast Naturals Ultimate Daily Cleanse sitting in my pantry for several months now.  It was in the last shipment of goodies I received to test and I admit to being somewhat intimidated by it... not really knowing what to do with it. But, today, when I thought I would use some ground flax seed in my new waffle mixture, I decided to open that bag and try some of the Ultimate Daily Cleanse instead. I am so glad I did!

It is a mixture of six natural ingredients:

• Ground 100% Canadian prairie flax seed (soluble & insoluble fibre & EFAs)
• Ground psyllium seed husk (soluble & insoluble fibre)
• Inulin fibre from chicory root (prebiotic fibre)
• Ground organic sprouted chia seed (superior nutrients, fibre and EFAs)
• Ground organic sprouted brown rice bran powder (soluble & insoluble fibre)
• Probiotics (1 billion good bacteria cells from non-dairy lactobacillus fermentum; provides the same healthy probiotic goodness associated with yogurt, without the taste or the dairy)

And I should add that it is dairy free, soy free and wheat/gluten free as well.... an all-natural blend that promotes healthy regularity.  You can check it out at North Coast Naturals web site if you are interested.

Okay then...

So as to start out gently and ease into using it, I substituted 2 Tbs of the Ultimate Daily Cleanse for the 2 Tbs of ground flax seed that I would have used in this recipe.  I didn't notice any taste or texture whatsoever.

I used a bit of maple syrup, some banana slices and shredded coconut to dress up my waffles.... so delicious!

Healthful Gluten-Free Waffles

Makes 2 servings

• 4 whole eggs
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze
• 2 Tbs Ultimate Daily Cleanse
• 1/4 cup coconut flour

1. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and beat till fluffy.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat again till the batter is smooth. It will be lumpy. Keep beating.
3. Pour half the mixture into a hot waffle iron and allow to cook about 5 minutes.
4. Remove to plate. Cover to keep warm.
5. Repeat with second half of batter.
6. Serve with your favorite waffle toppings.

Per serving without toppings.

Weight Watchers P+ = 6.

Calories 232; Protein 15g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 14g; Fibre 8g.

Keep mixing the batter till the lumps are gone!

Cover the cooked waffles till all the batter has been used.

And then dress them up before serving!

Printable Recipe

I did receive this product free of charge to use in my own kitchen and was under no obligation to review it.

What is your favorite way to get healthy fibre into your daily diet?

PB2 and Banana Smoothie Bowl

In keeping with my theme of having cold breakfasts on these hot Summer mornings, I want to share another fun new breakfast dish with you... or rather another breakfast 'bowl.  I call it PB2 and Banana Smoothie Bowl.

Is there anyone out there who has not enjoyed the pleasure of eating what has become commonly known as banana soft-serve or nice-cream?  You just take a frozen banana and a bit of almond or coconut milk and blend them together till creamy... lovely.  I like to  add flavorings to mine so this breakfast was just an extension of that idea.  I added some PB2, some yogurt and some vanilla protein powder, to turn a dessert snack into a hearty cold breakfast, just right for a hot Summer morning.

I always have a few frozen bananas, peeled and cut into chunks, in a sealed container in my freezer, just waiting to toss into the food processor for quick snacks and desserts... a great way to use over-ripe bananas.

PB2 and Banana Smoothie Bowl

Makes 1 serving

• 1 small banana, peeled, cut into chunks, and frozen
• 2 Tbs PB2
• 2 Tbs unsweetened almond milk
• 3/8 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1. Place banana chunks in food processor or blender along with the almond milk.
2. Process till smooth and creamy.  Stop appliance and push ingredients down occasionally if necessary.
3. Add the other ingredients and blend well.
4. Remove to bowl and serve immediately.

Per serving.

Weight Watchers P+ = 6.

Calories 255; Protein 23g; Carbohydrate 38g; Fat 3g; Fibre 7g.

Too thick to drink, it needs a spoon!

Printable Recipe

Are you a smoothie-for-breakfast fan?  Ever eat yours out of a bowl?

Nutty Truffles

I  had a bit of a hard time coming up with a name for these little balls… they have so many tasty and healthy things in them that it was not easy to focus on just one to name them. So, I am simply calling them Nutty Truffles.  Once you read the ingredient list, you will see why.

I made up the batter and then left it in the fridge for about an hour because as gooey as it is, it is much easier to work with when it’s cold.

I used my favorite North Coast Naturals 100% ISO vanilla whey protein powder and their hemp seeds to make these little goodies. You can use your own favorite brands. I also used PB2 instead of peanut butter just to keep the calorie count down… use your favorite nut butter of course.  It’s just a template… feel free to experiment.

 

Nutty Truffles
Makes 11 truffles

for the truffle batter:

• 4 Tbs PB2
• 3 Tbs Almond Breeze, vanilla unsweetened
• 2 Tbs coconut flour
• 2 Tbs almond meal
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

for the coating:

• 1 Tbs hemp seeds
• 1 Tbs fine coconut, unsweetened 

1. Mix all the truffle batter ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate till chilled, about one hour.
2. Mix the coating ingredients together in a very small bowl and set aside.
3. To make the truffles, scoop out a portion of the batter with a small spoon, and roll into a ball with your hands.
4. Drop the ball into the coating mixture and roll it around till completely covered.
5. Set on parchment paper and repeat process 10 more times.
6. Refrigerate till ready to eat.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 1.
Calories 46; Protein 4g; Carbohydrate 3g; Fat 2g; Fibre 1g.

Drop the rolls into the coating mixture.

Roll around till completely covered.

Set on parchment paper and put back in fridge to chill before serving.

The whole recipe N.I. is as follows so you can recalculate for each truffle if you happen to make more or fewer with your batter.

Calories 508; Protein 45g; Carbohydrate 29g; Fat 26g; Fibre 15g.

Printable Recipe

My Strawberry Coffee Protein Shake

We spent a fun and active week in Portland, OR at the end of July  to celebrate The Captain’s birthday.  It was hot… 90°F and upwards… and so much drier than we are used to. I had forgotten how we take our cooling, moist ocean breezes for granted here on the Island.
 
We left the car in a Park and Ride lot early one morning and rode the speedy MAX commuter train into downtown so we could spend the day exploring the the city core on foot.  At one point in the afternoon we stopped at  nice-looking Starbuck’s, and decided to splurge on a pair Frappucinos to cool us down and also give us a bit of a caffeine boost to power us through an afternoon of shopping… tough, I know.

I cannot for the life of me remember what I ordered… probably something with vanilla and skim milk, no whip.. but I do remember what The Captain ordered… a Strawberries & Creme Frappucino with an extra shot of coffee… because the barista came over to tell him that their Strawberries & Creme Frapps don’t actually have any coffee in them, and asked if he really wanted some… which he certainly did… 2 shots.  And gosh, it was pretty delicious, and looked amazingly like the picture on their web site although it came in a plastic container.
 


Now this drink has been on my mind a lot ever since… and today I decided to give it a try.. with a bit of a twist... and no whip.

We did a strenuous Metabolic Aftershock workout this morning that really worked our legs hard, then stretched and then went out for our usual half-hour walk… and when we got back, we were both quite hungry.  There were some fresh strawberries in the fridge at their peak of ripeness so I put together a few ingredients in the immersion blender and came up with these drinks.

You could use any milk you like, and any vanilla protein powder, too. I happen to love the North Coast Naturals 100% ISO whey. Halve the ingredients if you want to make a single shake. 

Unfortunately my pictures are not pretty, but the drink was delicious!  There is no need to add any sweetener, but if you wanted more color, you definitely toss in a few more berries!  This was a real pick-me-up after our workout and walk, and gave me enough fuel to last several hours.

Strawberry Coffee Protein Shake
Makes 2 servings

• 3/4 cup cold coffee
• 1-1/4 cups cold vanilla Almond Breeze
• 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
• 6 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1. Put all the ingredients into a container and then whizz for a couple of minutes with your immersion blender.
2. Pour into 2 glasses and enjoy!

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 144; Protein 25g; Carbohydrate 5g; Fat 3g; Fibre 1g.

Toss it all together and blend!

Printable Recipe

Do you ever add protein to your coffee drinks.. or coffee to your protein drinks?

If you like this idea I hope you will PIN it or share it on Twitter via @WeCanBegin2Feed... thanks!

My White Smoothie

I didn’t run very much during the month of March.  But I have a very good reason excuse. I had a one-month membership to GoodLife Fitness that I won in a giveaway and wanted to make the most of it so I attended some group exercise classes 3 times a week… Body Pump on Tuesdays, Flow Yoga on Wednesdays, and Body Flow on Fridays.  I did strength training on Sundays and Thursdays with The Captain at home, and we also did a lot of walking.  Before every group class I ran on a treadmill at the gym for anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes, including some sessions of sprint intervals… so there was that!  But overall, running took a back seat… and so when we did finally get out for a 5 km run earlier this week, and again today before our 3.5 km run (after our strength workout) I wanted to make sure we were well prepared with some nutritious fuel.

I like to drink a high protein smoothie before I head out for a run.  I find I don’t need to wait as long after drinking a smoothie before heading out, as I do if I eat something solid.  If I drink a smoothie I only need to wait about 20 mintues to half an hour before I start running. If I eat something solid I need to wait a full hour.  If I don’t I tend to get sick.

This simple combination that I call My White Smoothie is nutritious and delicious. Those are my two main criteria for a pre-run drink. 

My White Smoothie
Makes 1 serving

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 ripe banana
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 scoop Fermented L-Glutamine

1. Mix everything together with your blender and enjoy.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 5.
Calories 204; Protein 26g; Carbohydrate 18g; Fat 4g; Fibre 2g.

Printable Recipe

This drink is a good way for me to get my Fermented L-Glutamine in.  This supplement is flavor-neutral so there is neither added taste nor added color.  I also use a 100% ISO Whey Protein Powder – both of these products are from North Coast Naturals.  You can certainly make it with any vanilla protein powder you like… and  just leave out the L-Glutamine if you don’t use it.



What is your favorite pre-workout fuel?


Are you a high protein smoothie fan?

Power-loaded Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

For years now I have gone back and forth between whey and soy protein powders…. until I recently added North Coast Naturals Organic Hemp Protein Powder into the rotation.  Now I have 3 distinctly different kinds of protein powders in my cupboard. And I love and use them all.

I often select a soy protein powder when I am making something with a heavier, thicker batter, such as pancakes, or microwave mug cakes, or even cookies… when I want protein powder with a neutral flavor, and especially a neutral color.  I don’t normally use a soy powder in smoothies or frozen protein pops because I often find that I can taste the soy in these more delicately flavored items.

This North Coast Naturals Organic Soya Protein is high in fibre and a good source of Omega 3.  I like the N.I. Per 2 Tbs of powder: Calories 110; Protein g 10g, Carbohydrate 7g; Fat 4.8g; Fibre 5 g.  For you Weight Watchers, that works out to 3P+ per serving.

I put this NCN Organic Soya Protein to the test by blending it with some almond milk, a bit of cinnamon,  and a banana, and shared it with The Captain one morning recently, before we did our workout.  We both thought it was delicious!  And neither of us noticed any soy taste at all… only banana and cinnamon.  So this NCN powder truly is unflavored. This, to me, is a good thing.

Our Soy-Banana Smoothies

Since then I have made some wonderful protein-filled pancakes with it, too.  I always have lots of canned pumpkin on hand in the pantry, to fall back on, on days I don’t have cooked, leftover squash or sweet potato in the fridge.   I was craving pumpkin the other morning and came up with these pancakes, to enjoy after a morning workout. 

If you like, use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon, or add dashes of  allspice and cloves along with the cinnamon.  And if you prefer a puffier cake, add about 1/2 tsp of baking powder, too.

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Makes 1 serving

• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup egg white
• 2 Tbs NCN Organic Soya Protein
• 1 Tbs almond milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon and more for garnish

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Spoon half of the batter into a non-stick pan that has been warmed over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and cook about 3 minutes till bubbles appear.
3. Flip and cook the second side 2 minutes and then remove to a serving plate and keep warm.
4. Cook the second cake in the same manner.
5. Garnish with your favorite toppings and serve warm.

Per serving, without toppings.

Weight Watchers P+ = 4.

Calories 110; Protein g 17g, Carbohydrate 13g; Fat 5g; Fibre 7g.

I enjoyed my breakfast with the daffodils that The Captain picked for me that morning!

Do you use protein powders in place of grains in your pancakes, too?

Are you like me and eat pumpkin all year round? 

Grain Free Butternut Squash Pancakes

I made these Butternut Squash Pancakes a few days ago, to use up some cooked, leftover butternut squash that was in my fridge.   And they were so good,  I made them again! I know they would be very similar with cooked and mashed sweet potato, or even canned pumpkin. They were delicious and quite filling, with the almond meal and bit of coconut flour, and whole eggs.  

Yes, it’s a hearty breakfast that will certainly keep you satisfied till lunch.  You might even prefer it for a weekend brunch.

Coconut flours vary so the amount of almond milk required to get the batter to the right consistency may change from time to time. I really think that the amount of humidity in the air makes a difference when using coconut flour. The first time I made them I used only 2 Tbs of almond milk.. the second time I needed 3 Tbs.

Butternut Squash Pancakes
Makes 1 serving

• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbs almond meal
• 2 tsp coconut flour 
• 1/2 cup cooked and mashed butternut squash 
• 2 - 4 Tbs almond milk
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Beat the eggs till frothy in a medium bowl.
2. Add the almond meal, butternut squash, coconut flour and cinnamon.  Mix well.
3. Add 2 Tbs of the almond milk and mix. If the batter seems too thick, add more, 1 Tbs at a time till desired consistency… not too runny.
4. Set your non-stick skillet on the stove top over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
5. Using a 1/4 cup measure, spoon the batter into the pan. Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, then flip and cook the second side.
6. Remove to serving plate and keep warm till 5 pancakes are cooked.
7. Serve with toppings of your choice. 

Per serving, without toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 8.
Calories 286; Protein 17g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fat 18g; Fibre 5g.

 

My pan only has room for 2 cakes at a time.

Flip, and cook the second side.

I topped mine with banana slices and a bit of syrup.  Nut butter would be good too, or some coconut shreds.

Printable Recipe

Coconut Chia Pudding

I have been looking for ways to add bits of coconut to my food.  I am convinced that coconut has lots of health benefits… I have read so much about it over the past couple of years, and now find, with one of my own health issues, that the type of fat in coconut is very beneficial to my body.

I shall spare you the details!

I already use coconut oil exclusively for cooking, and I have also been brushing my teeth with a mixture of coconut oil and baking soda occasionally… but now I am eating more coconut meat.  And I have been adding shreds to lots of my Breakfast Bowls and mixing it in to my snacks, too.

This Coconut Chia Pudding is something I started experimenting with a while back, and I have finally tweaked it to my own satisfaction so it is ready to share.  The use of the microwave oven warms the almond milk and helps it to set up the chia seeds faster… but you can leave this step out if you like… just be prepared to leave the pudding in the fridge for several hours or even overnight to set up and thicken your pudding.

Coconut Chia Pudding
Makes a single serving

• 1 Tbs shredded unsweetened coconut meat
• 1 Tbs chia seeds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• dash of cinnamon

1. Mix the coconut, chia, and milk together in a small microwave safe dish.
2. Place in the mike and cook on HIGH for 30 seconds.
3. Stir in a dash of cinnamon and then chill in refrigerator for about an hour.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 112; Protein 7g; Carbohydrate 7g; Fat 14g; Fibre 7g.

I do like to have a banana with mine occasionally.  I think that it would be nice made with coconut milk, too, but I haven’t tried it yet.






These are pictures of one I just took out of the fridge a couple of minutes ago!

Are you a coconut fan, too?

Butternut Squash Nooch Sauce for Zoodles or Noodles

I am absolutely obsessed with zoodles.  I am typing and saying the words zucchini noodles or  zuke noodles so often now that I am  officially changing the name to zoodles, just to save me some strokes and some breath!

But I am not only obsessed with writing and talking about them, and taking pictures of them on my plate, I am completely obsessed with eating them… I think that The Captain is afraid I am going to start turning green, but at least I have finally cut back to eating them only every other day now.

I think the spiralizer is the most phenomenal gadget I have ever owned… and I do love my little gadgets.

This Butternut Nooch Sauce was developed one day earlier this week. I was challenged to go without eating meat that day, and decided to use some nutritional yeast as as one of my protein sources.  And I figured, why not partner it with one of my favorite foods… Butternut Squash?

I do like nutritional yeast.. it is a bit salty and it has a lot of protein and only a little fat, and lots of Vitamin B.  It is a nice thickener, and sometimes adds a cheesy flavor to a dish as well. 

If you like, you could try coconut milk, instead of almond milk here.  And you can use any Winter Squash in this sauce and get similar results I am sure… and a similar nutrition profile as well. If you are very hungry, eat the whole thing.  I did. If not, save the leftovers in the fridge overnight or share it with a friend.

Butternut Squash Nooch Sauce
Makes 1 large serving

• 1 cup cooked squash, mashed
• 4 Tbs nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1/2 cup Almond Breeze, unsweetened original flavor

1. Blend all ingredients together well in a medium bowl, and pour over zoodles or regular pasta.
2. Using 2 spoons, toss the sauce with the zoodles to coat them, and then serve.

Per serving, sauce only.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 137; Protein 8g; Carbohydrate 24g; Fat 2g; Fibre 6g.

Printable Recipe

What do you think? Do you use squashes to make sauces, too?

Shamrock Soft Serve

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day

 

This is the only day of the year where the world turns green and everyone claims some ties to being Irish…. well, I have always been proud of  my Irish heritage.  My paternal grandfather was an Orangeman and we have always celebrated our Celtish roots.

 

But no Shamrock Shake or even dark red beer for me this year… so I decided to celebrate with a Shamrock Soft Serve instead.

 

It was so easy....  I just put a handful (about 1 cup) of fresh spinach into the bowl of my food processor with a splash (about 2 Tbs) of unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze and set it to whizz until the spinach was cut up into small bits… then I tossed in a cu-tup frozen banana and pureed the works for a couple of minutes.
 
It is delicious!  Sweet from the banana but no banana flavor at all… or spinach either.
 
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 120; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 29g; Fat 1g; Fibre 4g.

Just look at that awesome color!

 

How are you celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day?

Chocolate Protein Pops

I recently won a set of popsicle makers in a giveaway I entered at a blog I love called spabettie.  I have been waiting for just the right day to try them out... and trying to decide what to make in them.

I finally realized that I can never go wrong with a chocolate pop so I got out some ingredients and went to work.

The first thing I did was to determine how much volume I would need to fill the 6 moulds.  I filled one up with water and poured it into a large measuring cup 6 times, just for accuracy sake.  My 6 new moulds hold 3 cups of liquid.

I like to use protein powder because I feel it offers more nutritional value than just plain cocoa would, and the yogurt gives these a nice creamy texture.

I am so happy our hot weather is holding on into September so we still feel like eating frozen treats!

Here is how I made them up.. you could easily use a different chocolate protein powder, and change the amounts of the ingredients to meet your own needs.

Chocolate Protein Yogurt Pops
Makes 6 (3 cups liquid, approx.)

• 109g GNC Rebuilt Mass protein powder, chocolate brownie flavor
• 1 cup fat free plain yogurt
• 1-1/8 cups Vanilla Almond Breeze

1. Mix all the ingredients very will and then pour into moulds and allow to freeze for several hours.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 90; Protein 7g; Carbohydrate 13g;  Fat 1g; Fibre 0g.



Printable Recipe

Celebrate Labor Day with a Special Coffee

Here is a fun little summer drink idea... a special tribute to the last lazy days of Summer as Labor Day rolls around again...

Brew a pot of coffee and fill an ice cube tray with it.

Place the tray in the freezer and leave for several hours or over night, until the coffee cubes are frozen solid.

Then, when you are ready for a lovely cold drink on a hot Summer day, remove several cubes from the tray and place them in a large drinking glass.

Cover them with your favorite milk.  I used unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze, about 8 ounces.

The coffee cubes melt slowly as you sip and give your milk a really nice light coffee flavor.  The longer you can leave it before you start drinking it, the more the ice will melt and the more coffee flavor your drink will have.

And, if you still have some iced coffee cubes left in your glass when the milk is about half gone...

fill up the glass with hot coffee.  The frozen coffee cubes melt quickly into the hot coffee, cooling it, and the Almond Breeze gives it a rich and creamy texture!

Can you think of other ways to enjoy these iced coffee cubes?

Do you think this might work with flavored teas as well?