My very own pre workout

Linda here...I have something to admit.  I don't take pre-workout, or supplements for several reasons.

Reason 1: Money, I don't want to spend it on supplements, been there done that, over it/ I'm cheaper than Megan...
Reason 2: I forget to take them anyway, so they sit in my purse for years.
Reason 3: I don't feel its necessary for me to pump all this crap into my body anymore.  This one time, I took a fat burner and thought I was having a heart attack for a month, that's all it did for me...scum.

So here's the other thing, my wake- up time is 4:30 am...I know I know, its OBSURD.  Sometimes I smack my alarm clock and say "no way in hell" and roll over, sometimes, at least once a week, which means I have to catch up on Saturday to make up for that missed workout. 

I took a brief 1 month hiatus from lifting a short while back and I'll admit it's hard to get back into, especially when you have no help from pre-workouts or supplements.  Now I am back into it and I am determined to do this all natural because...reasons above. 

Last night I had the brilliant idea that I would make myself a coffee, stick her in the fridge and gulp it down cold this am pre workout.  I did just that.  I sprung up with my alarm this morning (because husband yells at me if I don't, it wakes the sleeping bear), got dressed, dodged some friendly cats and opened the fridge.  "Oh ya I made a coffee"...and down the hatch.

image

Let..me...tell..you..

IT WORKED.  Hot damn, I was ON FIRE. Got me through the whole workout and then some. Here is the recipe to my very own home made pre workout...don't laugh...okay laugh I like it


-Regular coffee, no flavoring etc (I used a Kcup, so 1 Kcup)
-1/4 Cup of almond milk
-put in fridge
-consume next morning.

DONE, that's it, no flavoring, no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, I drank it just like that.  I mean if you feel the need to put something else in it, go for it I won't judge you, but it worked just as well as pre workout worked for me in the past, minus the whole tingling skin bit, I hated that about pre workout, also they always tasted DISGUSTING to me.  Coffee is coffee it tastes like coffee.

On a side note, I am by no means saying pre-workout is stupid, I just don't like it cause it makes me tingle for weeks then stops working and it makes my wallet lose weight.  Basically I'm cheap, and this is a frugal way to fuel workouts.  Try it out, it might work!  Or maybe it won't and you can comment about how much I suck, it's fine I'm cool with it.


 

Best most easiest breakfast ever...and why you should join a CSA!

So we over indulged for Easter....and I know I'm not really feeling much of anything besides blah. My hubby even said he wasn't feeling today when he left for work.  So I loafed around for a good hour and a half...made a cup of coffee and decided on  making this for breakfast.

Seriously people....it took 2 minutes.  Literally.  2 minutes.....

My dad came down for Easter dinner yesterday evening, so I wanted to make an Easter meal that was as clean as possible but yet still would be eaten by our 5 year old.  In the midst of all my grocery shopping, I got a box of baby heirloom tomatoes.  They are so colorful and cute and delicious.  So as I was staring at my refrigerator this morning wondering if my hubby looked at our CSA application, I got my box of tomatoes out and whipped up this.

All it is is jasmine rice I had cooked up (because I cook it in bulk every week for easy meals....and because if you don't eat jasmine rice, you really don't know what you are missing), a poached egg, and a couple sliced up baby heirlooms.  As the egg poached, I nuked the rice and tomatoes.  Top it with the egg and some pepper and voila.  Heaven.  The tomatoes are so fresh it's ridunk. You will thank me.

Back to my CSA....I love CSAs.  I think everyone should participate in a CSA program near you.   What is a CSA you ask?  Community Supported Agriculture.  A farmer offers "shares" to the public to buy (typically $300 for half share of $500 for a full share).  Every week for 20+ weeks, you receive a box with your share of vegetables and other items the farmer has produced.  It has perks for both the consumer and the farmer.  The farmers receive the payment early in the season which allows cash flow for their farm to operate.  If any of you are like me and live on a working farm, you know how hard it is to maintain a farm on its own cash flow.  My neighbors are currently storing grain in hopes that the prices go up to sell it so they can recoup some of the money they have lost on other crops.  The farmer also provides you with the freshest, hand picked vegetables out there.  You get to be a part of the farm, and most of the times the farmers include their share holders in pickings or other events on the farm.

You might be like "whatttttt $300 for vegetables? Are you crazy??" But....that's $300 for 20+ weeks worth of organic, pesticide free, locally produced vegetables.  I don't know about you, but every week I go to the store I spend $100+ on groceries....and 75% of that is fresh vegetables.  Do the math...you will save a ton of money during the growing season.  Another thing I love....you get whatever vegetable is in season....you don't pick and choose, so it opens up your palate to new vegetables and new ways of cooking them.  The one CSA that is local to me offers a Budding Farmer program for elementary school kids. For $48 a season, they will  send educational material and fun stuff home every week for your kid to learn more about farming.  I literally could go on and on about how much I love CSA's and how I think everyone should participate, but I will spare you.

So that being said.....go to www.localharvest.org and find yours today!!!!!

Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!!

Okay.....so here's the scoopy doopy.  I downloaded the Blogger app on my phone.....typed up this post four....yes FOUR times.....forgot to save it and closed out of the app.  Poof.....it's all gone.  So now, for try five.

So, stuffs been super cray around here.  I've been so busy with work (yes....I do have a real job) that I haven't had time to do anything...literally anything....let alone catch up on here.  I've been feeling like a little worker drone who doesn't have enough time in her day to get done what needs to get done.  I mean, lets be honest here, when you start your work day at 6:45-7:00, by 4:30 in the afternoon you are tired, worn out, and ready to hit your head off your desk.  Not to mention, I've been traveling a lot this month so the ability to play catch up is non-existent.

Anywhoo...I'm back and have actually made some ridiculous gains in my hiatus.  I'll blog about that later because, well....there's another special topic I want to tackle with that one.  So back to my cookies.  I made brownies last night...because well IIFYM and I made sure brownies did do that.  So I thought to myself, man....I should probably make something a little cleaner to go with it. So I whipped up these cookies and they are yummy.  Like, straight out of the oven eat the whole pan yummy.  Or even...next day, make a cup of coffee and heat some up in the microwave yummy.  They are yummy. In every way shape and form.  I combined 2 different protein powder flavors this go around and honestly it works so good. So, here ya go. Keep in mind, you don't have to make it with canola oil.  I did because honestly, that's all I had.  You can sub whatever you want.

Servings: 13       Serving Size: 1 cookie
Cals:   113         Protein: 5g      Carbs: 8g      Fat: 7g 

• 1 1/2 c oat flour 
• 1 scoop vanilla protein
• 1/2 scoop chocolate protein
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup Splenda for baking
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients together (minus chocolate chips).  The dough should be kind of stiff.  If you need more of a liquid, add a smidge more applesauce tablespoon by tablespoon until everything is JUST combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Drop on to sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until just done.  Then EAT! 

Dinna- by Linda

Final product, soo tasty

                        

2 frying pans simultaneously

                         

 

So I'm not exactly a chef, I pretty much learned how to cook by just doing. When I lived with my parents I didn't even know how to turn on the stove, I also didn't know how to work the washing machine, and I'm a freakin clothing designer, another story for another day...

Anyway, now although I can use my stove and whatnot, I'm still no chef, but I get by, I just try shit.  The odd time I will try a recipe, and the even odder time it will work, but mostly I use my brain to try when I can.  I wouldn't say I love cooking, I hate having to do all that after a long ass day of work, and a long commute home, but if I didn't my husband and I would be 400 lbs..so there's that.

I had the forethought to pull chicken out of our freezer one morning and came home and thought "ya Imma do Chinese".  Please don't hate me for saying this, but I despise Chinese food.  I mean I like elements of it, but greasy Chinese takeout makes my stomach churn, but husband really likes it so on this particular night I started throwing stuff together.

Step one: rice cooker, cook 1/2 a cup of rice...yep for two people thats all you need

Step two: 2 frying pans, simultaneously

           Pan 1: chopped up chicken breast with coconut oil, 1 tbsp. of soy sauce, and random ass spices

           Pan 2: Mixed Asian veggies (it came in a bag, snap peas and carrots and broccoli), 1/2 a white

                      onion, 1 tbsp. coconut oil, 1 bag of bean sprouts, 1 tbsp. soy sauce, sarachia sauce, salt

                      and pepper, and whatever other spice you want

Step three:  When veggies and chicken are done, put them together into one pan on low and throw
                    your rice into the empty pan and fry that shit up for a minute or so

Step four:  Mix it all together, throw more sirachia on top and enjoy

You can add some eggs in if you like, I was going to, but forgot, and was too lazy to go back, it was delicious without the eggs anyway.

There it is, the shitty cook's version of Chinese food,  we gobbled it down nicely.

 *yes I say shit alot

Spicy Chipotle Southwest Salad

I was looking through my one food magazine and saw this amazing looking picture of a Southwest Salad with a Spicy Lime Ranch dressing. It looked absolutely amazing.....from the dressing straight to the corn chips that were on top.  I had it in my head all day that I was going to recreate something like it....and this is what I came up with.  I'm not going to do the nutrition on this, because you can top it with whatever you want. I think all around, each of my salads were about 400 cals with a nice balance of fats, proteins and carbs.   For mine, I did asparagus, avocado, roasted tomatoes, black beans, chicken and cheese.  My hubby got roasted peppers, avocado, roasated tomatoes, black beans, chicken and cheese.  When I met him he LOVED asparagus.....now he hates it.  I think I over-asparagused him last year with my over abundance of chicken and asparagus during my show training.

I didn't have corn chips or Spicy Lime Ranch....so I decided to make my own dressing and my own chipotle crisps to go on the side -- a much healthier alternative to topping with over salted and over processed corn chips.

The dressing is easy:  1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt, 1/4 cup Plain Almond Milk, 1 tsp Sriracha, 1 tsp Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning, 1-2 tsp of Ranch mix to taste.  It serves up as 2 servings - 25 cals each.

The chipotle crisps were easy.  I took a low carb wrap and sprayed it lightly with EVOO cooking spray. Sprinkle a little bit of Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle and toast until lightly browned.  Then I cut into wedges and put on the side.

On Sunday, when I was meal prepping, I made my go to shredded chicken, but I also cut up tomatoes, spread them on a sprayed cookie sheet, and sprinkled with Mrs Dash Basil and Garlic seasoning and roasted.  I did the same with the peppers.  It's so easy to roast your own vegetables.  I keep tupperware containers full of them to easily grab for breakfasts, lunches or dinners.  It really cuts down on the prep time when making meals.  Get it all done in one day!  I do asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and red potatoes every week.  In addition to my chicken and veggies, I also cook up turkey sausage for breakfasts, scramble eggs and egg whites for the hubby (I don't eat scrambled eggs in any form. Something about them makes me gag), and hard boil eggs.  Having everything available and cooked makes it easier to pick healthier alternatives.

I did 1/4 avocado on each salad.  Here's a tip on keeping the rest of your avocado...place in a container or bag and squeeze with lime juice.  It will prevent it from turning brown! I used to shy away from buying avocados because they would always turn brown before I could use them up.  This solves that!

Now my presentation wasn't as pretty as the one in the magazine, but I can say it was yummy.  It was so filling I literally had to stop and take a breather mid dinner.  It's packed with healthy fats, protein and balanced carbs -- a perfect, healthy dinner.  Enjoy!

Mini Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Muffins

I really feel like I don't have to write anything after looking at that picture.  I mean....look at all that chocolatey ooey gooey goodness.....in miniature form.  These little nuggets are literally TO DIE FOR.  I mean.....I wish I had another banana so I could whip up another batch. I'll be lucky if these last more than a day.

It was a super busy day doing food prep.  I have breakfasts, lunches and snacks made for the next couple days for both me and my hubby.  I needed one more clean snack that I could easily pack for the hubs to take to work or for me to just eat the whole entire batch in one sitting...either works in my book.  If I keep writing, I'm just going to go on about how good these are....so I'll just give you the recipe...

Servings : 12           Serving Size:  3 muffins

Cals:  132    Carbs:  17g     Protein:  8 g    Fat:  4g

• 1 1/2 cup oat flour (I use my old fashioned oatmeal and blend it in my Ninja)
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup Splenda
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 large egg white
• 2 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 - 2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 mini muffin pans with mini cupcake wrappers (It will make 36 muffins).  Put everything but the chocolate chips in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Pour the batter in a bowl and add chocolate chips.  Spoon the batter into the muffin tins -- make sure to fill almost to the top.   Eat all the muffins as soon as they come out of the oven......that's pretty much what I did.  Enjoy!!  

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

So! I have a lot to catch up on......I've been creating and photographing (sup-par photographing) but haven't had time to actually blog!  I was in Texas all last week and then this week was just crazy. My hubby had surgery Monday so I sat in a hospital for 13 hours on Monday and then went back up on Tuesday morning to pick him up.  Meals in my house have kind of consisted of salads and soups because it's the easiest thing for him to get down!  Anywhoo...I made these little treats on Tuesday. I had some bananas to use up and had a craving for peanut butter cups.  These seriously are SO easy to make that the boys in my house could do it.  It just takes a little patience (that, my friends, is something the boys in my house do NOT have!!!)  So these aren't the epitome of health food.....but they are a healthier alternative for you if you are craving something sweet that is a little bit peanut butter and a little bit chocolate.  I actually add them to my oatmeal instead of adding cocoa powder.  It's a two step process but if you have some bananas that  need to get used up and you don't want to make banana bread.....do this.  Keep in mind.....my chocolate spreading skills SUCK and so do my pictures of these.  But you can figure it out....

Servings:  28   
Serving Size:  1  (I mean....who would really eat one...but I just did that so I could figure out the macros on just 1)


Cals:  49    Carbs:  5g   Protein:  1g   Fat:   3g

• 3 bananas -- cut into 56 slices
• 2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 tbsp Peanut Butter
• 1 tbsp Smart Balance Light Butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Almond Milk

First....you are going to make little banana peanut butter sandwiches with the peanut butter and banana slices (like the picture below).  Set them on a cookie sheet and let them freeze for about 30-45 minutes.  

Next, after they are frozen pretty good, place the chocolate chips, almond milk, and butter in a bowl.  Microwave -- making sure you stop about every 30 seconds and stirring -- so the chocolate doesn't burn.  A trick I learned is  microwave / stir until only about a third of the chocolate chips are not melty.  Take it out and stir and and everything will melt together as you stir.  It's important you add your almond milk WHILE you microwave or else the chocolate will get all chunky and not smooth.  So add your almond milk in from the get go.   After the chocolate is melted, toss your bananas and coat in chocolate.  Place back on the tray and let freeze until solid.

The only thing left to do is EAT!!!  Really.....I told you my chocolate coating skills were crappy.  But who's worried about that when you are stuffing down your throat right??

Dark Chocolate PB Banana Protein Oats

This is my go to breakfast or snack for anything or any time when I'm running short on time, in a hotel room, traveling, or just plain lazy. It's seriously easy peasy and takes like 0.2 seconds to make.   When I travel...I pack out pre-portioned bags of all the dry ingredients (your PB has to be in a 3 oz container and its sticky so you want it seperate...duhhh) ask the flight attendant for some hot water and a double cup because that shiz is hot, and pour everything in, stir and let get thick. Banana's go through security easy....not peeled.  People stare at me like I'm cray cray but it'll be aighhhht.  I just feel bad for the guy who I sat next to on my last trip to Austin who had to endure this crazy chick next to him eating hard boiled eggs and chicken.  This recipe is much more friendly for those around you.  I love oatmeal so much I'd probably bathe in it if I could...I mean I can...but it will clog your drain.  

Oh....also don't judge my poor photography.  I am notorious for eating my oatmeal out of the pot I make it in.  I mean...who wants to do dishes right??  It may look like a pot full of crap but believe me....it is so delicious its absurd. Oh also....depending on what protein you use and how much of it you use....your macros and nutrition will change. 

Servings: 1

Cals:  297   Protein:  21g    Carbs:  27g   Fat:  9g

• 1/3 cup Old Fashioned Oats
• 2/3 cup Water
• 1/2 - 1 scoop Vanilla Whey 
• 1 tbsp Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
• 1-2 tbsp Stevia or Splenda
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 2/3 tbsp Peanut Butter
• 1/2 Banana

You can make this a bunch of ways.....microwave, stove, hot water.  I'll cover each.  

Stove:  Cook the oatmeal in the water until soft.  Turn off heat.  Add remaining ingredients and stir.  

Microwave: Heat water and oatmeal in the microwave until oatmeal is desired consistency.  Add remaining ingredients and stir. 

Cup of Hot Water:  Add all the dry ingredients in the hot water.  Stir.  Add PB and Banana. Stir and let sit. 

Dark Chocolate Berry Goodness Shake

So I woke up this morning feeling a smidge under the weather.....headache, stomach ache, stuffy and runny nose.  Just my luck that I would get sick 3 days before I go to Texas. Those of you that know me, know I'm a huge advocate of eating breakfast, even if it's something small.  You need to eat something for breakfast to get your metabolism up and running for the day.  So.....I was making my hubby's breakfast and thought "ehh...solid food....not so much" so decided on a shake.  Now, in the summer time, my mom gave me 20 pints of blueberries and strawberries from one of her local CSA programs (If you don't know what a CSA is...you should google it and take part in one around you.  Support your local farmers!) Well...I also freeze EVERYTHING.  So in my nice brand spankin new freezer my hubby got me is 20 vacuum sealed bags of strawberries and blueberries!  How does this all lead in to what I'm going to tell you?  Well.....I decided on a dark chocolate and berry protein shake.  Why the berries and not like a banana or something?  Well....a.) I felt like berries and b.) strawberries and blueberries are an amazing source of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants! So on top of the NyQuil, Cold-EEZE, and gummy vites I just choked down......I can get all that from my shakey shake too! As Cartman would say in South Park "yyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy".

Anywhoo....so for the recipe.  Because I know you are all  bored with my ramblings.  Here ya go! Oh and yes....I do drink out of Monsters Inc cups because I'm classy like that.

Servings : 1

Cal: 222  Protein: 34 g    Carbs:  17 g    Fat:   3 g

• 1 scoop Vanilla Whey protein
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries and strawberries
• 1/4 cup Plain non fat Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp Hersheys Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
• 1-2 tbsp Stevia or Splenda
• 1 tbsp Ground Flax Seed
• water and ice to desired consistency 

Mix all in a blender until desired consistency!

Chicken and Roasted Veggie Stuffed Red Potatoes

It was totally a lazy Saturday today.  I'm reading a new book and literally only moved off the couch from reading it to cook and go to the gym.  I had every intention of posting my Protein Banana Bread recipe....but it lasted only a day and I have no pictures to show for it.  I did manage to go to the store today after the gym to pick up some things I ran out of and saw these huge, perfectly round red potatoes.  I saw a recipe a few days back from Fit Men Cook for salmon stuffed red potatoes and thought I could whip something up with them.  So here ya go, on this snowy, snowy Saturday night. It's super easy too. I had everything prepped before hand so it literally took me all of 15 minutes to make.  I only had to cook the potatoes in the microwave. This is a perfect meal to be served with a simple side like grilled asparagus, broccoli, or even a salad.  My grocery store was doing a 10 items for $0.88 so I did mine with cheddar cauliflower.  I made two of these bad boys, one for me and one for the hubs.  I did the recipe for only one -- so if you're planning to make more than one, just double or triple. You can also add in whatever veggies you want.  I kept the mushrooms out of my hubby's.

Like I said in previous posts, I make shredded chicken 2-3 times a week.  I just throw chicken in a crock pot, nothing else, and let it cook.  The chicken will release it's own juices and it will create super juicy shredded chicken.  You can roast the tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms in the oven.  Chop everything up, spray a foil lined cookie sheet with spray, lay everything in an even layer and roast at 425 until they start to brown and get soft.  Also, if your filling is a little on the dry side, try adding a splash of water to it.  I saved the insides to my potatoes so I can make homefries in the morning :)

Servings: 1
Cals: 395     Protein: 39g   Carbs:  20g  Fat:  5g

• 1 large red potatoed, cooked and hollowed out
•  5 oz shredded cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup fat free Ricotta
• 1/4 cup roasted tomatoes, peppers and mushrooms
• 1 tbsp Herbs de Provence (or you can use Italian seasoning)
• 1 tbsp Light Italian Dressing
• dash of salt
• dash of pepper

Cook the potato in the microwave.  Cut a little bit of the top off so you have a flat surface and then hollow out the insides (BE CAREFUL!!! It will be HOT!!).  Heat your shredded chicken and add to it your roasted veggies, ricotta, dressing and spices.  Toss so it is all coated and mixed.  Stuff the potato with the mixture and serve. 

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!  

Chicken and Ricotta Wontons

I love ricotta....literally everything about it.  I eat it straight by the spoonful because I love it so much.  It might sound gross but it works for me.  The other day I bought wonton wrappers at the store because I was going to make some homemade raviolis and I didn't feel like making my own dough so I was taking the easy way out. I was feeling inventive in the kitchen at lunch today....so I came up with these little suckers. They are deeeeelicious.  And super easy too.  The whole prep took just about 5 minutes and you just bake them for 10-15 minutes.  Hell...it takes longer to make a frozen pizza.  They are satisfying, easy to make, and a whole heck of a lot better for you then the fried wontons you would get in a Chinese restaurant....even though theses resemble nothing of a chinese wonton haha.  These wontons have a nice crunch from being baked too....so you won't miss the fact that they aren't deep fried!  You can have them by themselves for a nice lunch or have them with a nice salad on the side for dinner.

Every Sunday I put about 4-5 lbs of chicken by itself in a crock pot and let it cook all day to shred up.  It makes lunches and dinners super easy too.


So anywhoo...here ya go. (PS Don't mind the paper plate.....I'm trying to use them up because my hubby HATES eating off them)

Chicken and Ricotta Wontons
Serving size :  6 wontons   Servings:  1

Cals:  277   Protein:  22g   Carbs:  26g   Fat:  8g

• 6 wonton wrappers
• 1/3 cup shredded chicken
• 1/3  cup part skim ricotta
• dash of pepper
• dash of salt
• dash of Herbs de Provence

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray well with cooking spray.  Mix the ricotta, chicken and spices in a bowl.  Lay out wonton wrappers.   Place filling in the center of the wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water (you don't need too awful much!!).  

Fold the wrapper in half and seal the sides.  

Fold up the sides towards the middle.  

Bake for about 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy.  I topped mine with someone homemade marinara and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.  

Enjoy!

Lower Carb Cheesy Pizza

So my step son wanted pizza for lunch yesterday....and lets be honest....I wanted some pizza too.  I could eat either pizza or double cheeseburgers and cheese fries for dayyyyys. I went pretty carb happy all yesterday morning ....so I didn't want something that I could take 2 bites of and a) be done b) not be satisfied and c) have it be like 40g of carbs for something that lasted 0.2 seconds.   So I ditched the can of pizza dough I had in the fridge and opted for this route instead.  It was my meal #3 for yesterday (I'm usually so good about my eating schedule but yesterday was all out of whack!)....and it was a nice balance of carbs, fats, and protein.  This is a nice alternative to a heavy, loaded down pizza.  It only has 16 g net carbs --- SOO much better than having one slice average 30g!!!  You can top with veggies, turkey sausage or turkey pepperoni if you want too...I just didn't feel like that on top of mine.  If you serve it with a nice salad or maybe some steamed veggies, you can have nice fulfilling dinner.  I had it for a snack and it served its purpose.   Also....excuse the horrible picture and the bite marks....I was seriously ravenous and couldn't wait any longer to eat it.

Cheesy Lower Carb Pizza

Cals: 297   Protein:  19 g    Carbs:  23 g    Fat:  14 g

• La Banderita Low Carb Soft Taco Wrap
• 1/2 cup your favorite marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup Italian blend cheese 
• 1/4 cup Part Skim Ricotta 

Heat your oven to 400.  Spray a pan with cooking spray.  Place the wrap in the oven to somewhat "toast" (keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn -- mine took about 5 minutes to lightly toast).  Once its toasted lightly, take out of the oven and top with sauce and shredded cheese.  Take the ricotta and drop little spoonfuls all around on top of everything. Bake again until the cheese is all melty and bubbly -- about 5 -10 more minutes.  Cut in 4's and enjoy! 

 

An Easy at Home Skinny Latte

I love coffee.  Anyone who knows me knows I drink at least 8 cups of coffee a day.  I literally always have a coffee in my hand.   So needless to say....I love Starbucks.....and McCafe for that matter.  Hell....I love anything with milk, foam, and some sugar free flavored syrup. So....as I was asking my hubby for Starbucks gift cards just because...it hit me that I can make the same exact thing...if not better...at home without some fancy schmancy latte machine, and have it be WAYYY less cals too.   Anywhoo....here ya go.

Cals : 30    Carbs:  5   Protein:  3   Sugar:  4

• 8-10 oz hot water
• 1-1 1/2 tsp Cafe Bustelo Instant Espresso (or really any strong coffee....hell you could just do a dark roast K cup)
• 1-2 tbsp Torani Sugar Free syrup of your choice (I have vanilla, caramel, and hazlenut)
• 1 packet Stevia
• 4 oz skim milk 

Either brew your dark roast K cup in a mug or go the instant coffee route....whichever you have.  Add the syrup (I do 2 tbsp but that's because I like to taste it) and the Stevia.  In a shaker, Blender bottle, really any sort of bottle that has a lid and you can shake...... add your 4 oz of milk (You can sub almond or soy too for those of you that are lactose).  Shake that shaker like it's your job for about 30 seconds.  You should start to see the milk foam.  Put it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.  The heating will make the milk froth even more! Take out....pour into coffee and spoon the froth on top. Top with some cinnamon to make you feel like you're at Sbux.   Voila.  

Oh and ps....ALL the stuff to make a plethora of lattes cost me about $5....which is the price of oneVenti Skinny Vanilla Latte.  So...nice on my waist....nice on my wallet.  Win win.