Banana Pudding Protein Milkshake

Oh, Lord have mercy.

I’m going to say something crazy, here.

This protein shake is literally better than any banana pudding I have tried in my life.  I don’t think you realize how much banana pudding I may have consumed, so let me just say: I’m from the South and I have attended many, many church potlucks.  ‘Nuff said.

Sorry, Mema, this trumps your banana pudding.  Sorry everyone else.  It’s just the truth.

I don’t even know what else to tell you.  If you make it, you will get it.

Banana Pudding Protein Milkshake

Makes 1 big shake or 2 minis

1 cup almond milk

2 tbsp sugar free, fat free banana pudding mix

1/3 cup frozen Cool Whip

8 mini Nila Wafers (or 4 regular sized ones)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 frozen banana (freeze without the peel)

Fat free Reddi Whip for topping

Blend all this stuff up.  Top with Reddi Whip, a crushed cookie, banana slices and a cherry.

One big shake is perfect post-workout!

Oh my!

This is a really thick shake.  You may have to ditch the straw and dig in with a spoon.

Happy Monday, everyone!

WIAW: Cinnamon Roll Protein Pancakes

source

It's hump day, again!  Time to see what I put in my belly (yesterday, anyways).

Breakfast Part #1: Watermelon

This is currently my favorite thing about summertime (well, technically pre-summertime, but it feels hot enough around these parts to call it summer).  I had a little less than a cup leftover from the watermelon I pretty much single-handedly consumed on Sunday:

Yeah, I know.  That's such a happy watermelon face. 

Anyways, I ate that tiny cup before 5 a.m. boot camp & I was actually pretty hungry during and after, thus breakfast part #2 in all it's glory...

Breakfast Part #2: Cinnamon Roll Protein Pancakes

You know I'm not going to leave you hanging without a recipe ;)

Cinnamon Roll Protein Pancakes

makes 2 pancakes (1 serving)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 egg white

1/4 C almond milk

2 T wheat flour

3/4 t baking powder

1/2 t cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

pinch sea salt

1/2 t vanilla

Heat a skillet to medium heat.

While the pan is heating up, in a small bowl, mix all ingredients and whisk.

Combine this stuff in a Ziploc:

1 T melted low cal buttery spread

1 T brown sugar

1 sweetener packet

1 tsp cinnamon

plus, a little flour or protein powder to thicken...and maybe pop it in the freezer to harden up for about 5 minutes

Scoop battter onto griddle (or in pan) and cook for about a minute, then swirl your cinnamon mixture on the pancake using the Ziploc with a cut corner.  You could use a piping bag if you are fancy.

clearly the swirling of a professional

 Cook until bubbles form around the edges, flip and cook on the other side.

I served mine with a Laughing Cow Cinnamon Cream Cheese Wedge and half of a banana, sliced, then I hit it with a little sugar free syrup for added moisture.

Oh, plus I had a big ole mug of this goodness:

Mid Morning Snack: Luna Bar

I munched on this Luna bar before heading out for my lunchtime walk (well, like an hour before, I guess).

Lunch: Sort of Taco Salad

You can't tell from this picture, but there is alot of shredded lettuce under all those toppings!  My salad included shredded lettuce, broccoli, matchstick carrots, little tomatoes, 1/2 cup of leftover taco meat/bean mixture from last night's dinner (93% lean beef, fat free refried beans), a little shredded cheddar and some guacamole as the dressing.

It was super tasty.

Then I had to get my chocolate fix:

dark chocolate egg, ya'll

Afternoon Snack: Carrots 

Ate a couple of these out of the bag (classy) in the late afternoon to stave off hunger til dinner.

Dinner: Salmon Burgers

For dinner I went to cook at my parents' house.  I made us some salmon burgers on bagel thins (with guac, sauteed red onions and goat cheese) and Mom made some homemade, microwave potato chips and broccoli.  So good!  We enjoyed it while watching the new Glee and New Girl.

And of course I got to hang out with these cuties:

Dessert: Fro Yo!

Yum!  Had to hit up Yo Lo and use my $2 off coupon on some frozen yogurt.  I got some caramel flavor and red velvet flavor with a scoop of Oreo topping.  It hit the spot.

And that about does it.  See you on Friday with an awesome recipe :)

**basic protein pancake recipe adapted from Fitnessista

Protein Enriched Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I have been jonesing.

For cookies, duh.

I take a core class on Saturdays for abs and such, and the instructor is always saying, "make your body into a 'C': 'C' for 'crunch'."  

In my mind, "C" will only stand for one thing.  And that is cookie.

Anyone else jonesing for a bowl full of cookies?

This is the best "healthy" cookie recipe I have tried, to date.  So dense and chewy with the nutty flavor of browned butter and just a touch of sea salt to counter balance the chunks of chocolate.

Let's do this thing.

Protein Enriched, Browned Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

makes 21 regular sized cookies

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (see my protein powder of choice here)

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp sea salt

1 stick butter (I used Smart Balance)

1 cup + 2 tbsp loosely packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup egg substitute (or use 1 egg)

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chunks

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Heat butter in a small pan on the stove (on medium heat) until bubbly, whisking occasionally. Once it starts to take on a brown color, remove from the stove.  

Measure the brown sugar in a small bowl and pour the melty, browned butter on top of it and whisk it up.  Add the egg and vanilla.

Pour the sugar, butter mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Add in the chocolate chunks and chips.

Line your pans with parchment (or spray them, whatever) and scoop dough with cookie scoop (or heaping tablespoon), pressing them down slightly with your hands.

Bake for 11-12 minutes and cool on parchment or cookie racks.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Eat the Love blog.

Oatmeal Cookie Protein Shake

Ok, so I never got the whole protein shake thing until I started making them.

I get it now.

They are like really awesome milkshakes that help you get healthy and stuff.

Love them.

Need them.

No, seriously, I only do a protein shake only once or twice a week.  You don't want it to be your main source of protein.  I get my protein from lean meat, beans and legumes mostly.

But this is an awesome treat & you should totally try it.

Oatmeal Cookie Protein Shake

• 1 frozen banana (note- peel your bananas before you freeze them)
• 3/4 -1 cup unsweetened almond milk (I used Silk)
• 3 Tablespoons old fashioned oats
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (this is my protein powder of choice)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. 

Recipe from Eating Bird Food

Check out my chocolate covered strawberry (sweetheart) shake, too ;)

Or if you just have to have a cookie, try this giant oatmeal cookie or this skinny cookie pie.

Oh, by the way, just found this awesome website where you can customize a print with you & your sweetie's initials:

Here's mine!  Here's the link: The Wedding Chicks.  I am totally printing ours out & framing it!

Skinny Sweetheart Shake

I've been thinking about this recipe all week long.

Remember those Sonic sweetheart shakes?  Me neither.  I mean, I never had one.  But, Google told me that it was a chocolate covered cherry shake.  Which sounds good.

But, I had strawberries.

So this is a chocolate covered strawberry shake.

And it is healthy.

What are you waiting for?

Skinny Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shake
(a.k.a. Skinny Sweetheart Shake)

Heaping cup of almond milk (I used 9 oz of Silk almond milk)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (see what I use below)
8 frozen strawberries
3 slices frozen peaches (or frozen half banana)--this is for texture: you can't taste it.
2 tsp sugar free chocolate syrup (I used Hershey's)

Blend it up.  I used the mason jar technique rather than dirtying up my whole blender.
Squirt an additional little bit of chocolate syrup all around your glass, then add your shake.
Top with (optional) fat free Reddi-Whip and sprinkles.

Here's the protein powder I use.  It is my first and only protein powder, and I really like the taste.  Leave a comment below if you recommend any other kind of protein powder.

You can certainly make this for your sweetheart for Valentine's Day, or you can hog it all to yourself.  Because, you know you are a sweetheart ;)

My husband got me some giant chocolate covered strawberries last year.  They were the size of my head.  In case you are wondering, I have an average sized head.  I think this year, I'll stick with shakes.  It seems safer than head sized fruit covered in chocolate.