Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

Can I just mention how much I love the Olympics! As I was baking this evening I was watching the swimming Olympic Trials and being a retired swimmer it makes me miss the sport so very much. I've decided that I will live vicariously through the very talented athletes! However, all this swimming made me hungry so I decided to bake at least something good for y'all.

Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

1 1/2 c. gluten free baking mix

2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. honey

1 egg

1 1/4 c. almond milk

1 banana, mashed

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. dark chocolate chips

Directions: Measure and mix together dry ingredients in a bowl (first 5 ingredients). 

In a separate bowl mix together the wet ingredients (the remaining ingredients besides the chocolate chips). 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chips, you may need mix these with some flour so they don't all fall to the bottom while baking. Pour into a oiled baking dish (11x7 in.) and sprinkle with cinnamon if you would like.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Let cool and cut into 15 squares. Store in an airtight container.

 

 These are a bit different in texture since they are not cookie/brownie bar. They have their own personality, and are a great snack during the day! Enjoy :)


I know I will be eating these the next few days watching the swimming Olympic Trials thinking about what it would be like to be an Olympian...oh to dream... ;)

Birthday Surprise & Weekend Workout

It's the WEEKEND! I hope everyone is having a fun-filled Saturday :) Well this week I had a birthday and Drew planned a surprise for me...let's just say I was a bit excited when I found out it was a dinner cruise! 

 The boat we were cruising on for the evening...

 Once we had our seats (mine included an awesome Happy Birthday balloon) we were able to serve ourselves to the buffet. Here is a picture of a plate I got...

 The flatbread looks like it is taking over the plate! It was a bit dry so I only ate some of it, but I liked the rosemary baked in.

 There was a decent selection of food offered, which also included mixed vegetables (delish), mashed potatoes, a pasta dish, and two different kinds of meat which I forget what they were...whoops. I also got a dessert plate that had half a brownie and half a cookie bar. Of course this was my favorite part of the meal!

The views were the best part of the experience...

Overall, this was one of the best birthday presents! Thank you so much Drew! 

 --

On another note here is a  present I was so excited to receive...

 A SALAD SPINNER! Yes, I get super excited about getting any kind of kitchen related product for my birthday...I'm a dork.

And because I feel like rambling on and on here is the workout I did this morning in our apartment fitness center. It got a bit sweaty...

Saturday Circuit  -->2 rounds (:50/:10)

1. Squat+ Curl to Press (I used 20 lb. DB's...they were the lightest there, yes, ridiculous.)

2. Burpee+Tuck Jump

3. Single Arm/Single Leg/Bent Over Row (I used a 20 lb. DB)

4. Switch Lunge

5. Dive Bombers

6. Goblet Squat (I used 30 lb. DB)

7. Dips

8. Leaning Towers ( I used 10 lb. plate)

9. 10 High Knees+ 5 Squat Thrusts

10. Hanging Leg Raises

I hope everyone has a relaxing evening and a great rest of your weekend! :)

Coconut Almond Butter Bites

Happy Thursday! I have a quick recipe for y'all today. There are times a work or just in the middle of the day when I need a little pick me up to keep me satisfied until my next meal. Therefore, I present to you these little bites which include healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein!

Coconut Almond Butter Bites

4 Tablespoons almond butter (I used Trader Joe's)

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons shredded coconut (dried)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and shape into tablespoon sized balls. Place on a plate, cover, and refrigerate to keep them solid. This makes about 8 balls depending on the actual size you make them! 

*Tip: if they are not staying together easily add a little bit of milk.

Like I said, I take them to work or on the go whenever I need a little snack :)

YUM!

6.19 WOD

Happy Tuesday! Giving you all a quick workout that I completed this morning before work. It's less than 30 minutes so you will have no excuse not to fit it in today! Take a look...




6 rounds of each exercise (:20 seconds work/:10 seconds rest)


1. Burpee + tuck jump


2. Jump Lunges


3. Elevated Push up + knee tucks


4. Sumo Squat + twist


5. Dive Bombers


6. V-ups


**Try a 5 minute warm-up of (jumping jacks, high knees, lateral runs, etc.) Set your interval timer to :20 & :10 (I use a GYMBOSS). Begin with exercise 1 and go through that exercise for 6 rounds, then go to exercise 2, etc. until you finish with exercise 6. Do a quick stretch after the circuit and  you will be on your marry way! 


Have a delightful day y'all! :)


I thought this was funny...

Breakfast Time!

Good morning y'all! I know you are looking for a Tabata post and I am working on it there were a few setbacks in the past few days with life ya know!

So this morning I have a post about BREAKFAST! As you have heard so many times...Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The body is fasting through the night and breakfast is needed to kick start your metabolism! Research shows that breakfast skippers tend to eat more calories at the next meal or snack on high calorie foods to keep off hunger until lunch. Therefore, lets eat some breakfast people!


I have a ritual of oatmeal for breakfast most days of the week. It is a great choice because you can decide what you put in it. The cooking of my oatmeal is done in the refrigerator. Yes, I put all the ingredients in a bowl and let it sit overnight and eat it cold in the morning. Don't knock it until you try it!

This morning I made a Blueberry Coconut Protein Oatmeal bowl. I always have some sort of base for my oatmeal and then decide on add-ins for whatever I am feeling that day. Below is a picture of the oatmeal for this morning:

Blueberry Coconut Protein Oatmeal:


-1/3 cup organic old fashion oats
-1/3 cup almond milk
-1/3-1/2 cup water
-1/4 tsp. cinnamon
-1 1/2 Tbsp. dried coconut
-1-1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla protein powder of choice
-1 Tbsp. raisins
-1/2 cup blueberries

I placed all the ingredients into a bowl, mixed them together and covered the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to "cook" overnight. Take out of the refrigerator in the morning mix it up and top with a tablespoon of almond butter if you want for a little extra protein and healthy fats. Enjoy!

As you can tell...I really liked it. Just a bit :) Try it and let me know what you think. Have a delightful day!

Happy June!

How are we all doing this lovely Monday? My weekend was wonderful being able to see my parents, grandparents, and doggy!

 

Toby, my dog!

 With this being the first week of June we all have the opportunity to set some goals for ourselves. This can be workout goals, weight loss goals, work goals, etc. A few things to think about before you begin to set them...we need to learn how to set attainable goals. I come in contact with many clients who come to me and say "I want to lose ___pounds in ____weeks." This is such a common conversation and the first thing I ask them is "Why?" What is the reason they want to do this? What good comes of it for them? Doing this helps us realize if they are really trying to lose this weight for themselves...not for their friends, family, or significant other but for THEM! 

Let's think about our current summer goals...are you trying to accomplish them for YOU?! 

June Calendar

Next,  what kind of time frame are we working towards? If it is a month we have 4-6 weeks to make a habit, focus on our diet, exercise, etc. 21 days is the amount of time needed to make a habit of something. Therefore, if we are trying to change a habit our diet this time frame is sufficient to change!

Let's go ahead and begin planning this week so by the end of June we will have made a positive habit or change for the summer season!

What are your goals? What do you have planned for the summer?
My goal for the month of June is to get back to running. After a minor set back I am recovering from a slight injury and hopefully by the end of June I will be back! My plans for the summer involve working at my awesome job, exploring the wonderful city of D.C., and spending time with my family :)


Later this week I have a post planned for Tabata training...watch for it! Have a wonderful week!