Just Add Cayenne

Training Log - Wednesday 1/30/13

2013-01-30T21:38:00.002-06:00

Nothing special to mention today. Work was work and now I'm home resting after a good lifting session.

Before I go over the workout, I want to share this article on 83 Healthy Recipe Substitutions from Greatist.com. You should really check it out if you care anything about your health and the health of friends and family.

Other than the overhead squat, these are the same lifts from Monday's workout. I did increase reps where I felt like doing a little more. Body feels less tired, but quads are pretty tight and need a good stretch.

5 minute warm-up and another 5 minutes of handstand practice - handstands are improving!

OH Squat - 2 x 55, 70, 85, 95, 105, 110 (2 RM); 2sets x 4reps x 95lbs

Push Press - 3 x 5 x 110lbs

Back Squat - 215lbs x 6, 6, 10

Bent Row - 120lbs x 6, 6, 8

Front and side planks w/ 20lb vest x 2 x 62sec front and 50sec/side

Burpess with 20lb vest - 3 x 10

Overall good workout. I didn't eat enough at work today which is not new, but I'm making up for it now, in the comfort of my home; also nothing new! Tomorrow is my last training day until rest day on Friday; we'll see if I stick to that!

Do you ever hold off on eating when away from home and just anticipate a bigger meal when finally relaxed? I'm a self-proclaimed homebody/hermit, so this is a common thing for me. I am getting better at going out though....baby steps, right?

Snatch Grip Strength Needs to Improve

2013-01-29T21:22:00.001-06:00

Today was day 2 of week 1 in my new 9 week cycle. It had me working the hang snatch and snatch dead lift. I usually use mixed grip (over/under hand grip) when doing dead lift, but figure I need to improve my snatch grip to actually improve the snatch (description of the snatch found here on exrx.com).

Great example of the 2 Olympic Lifts...

(source)
The snatch is a highly technical lift and I need to use pretty light weight compared to most in order to keep good form. Patience will pay off, but it can be hard to not really push it sometimes.

Most of my workouts occur in the evening, after work, which can prove hard to get motivated sometimes. Probably doesn't help that I have a standing desk and don't sit down almost all day. This is by my choice, but squats, cleans, dead lifts, and random calisthenics seem harder to get into some days. As I've said before, I believe nutrition will play a role here and will take note on how I feel each day.

Today I still felt a little weak and sore from yesterday's workout, but I finally got in the groove and had a fairly good session.

Tuesday Evening Workout_01/29/13

Warmup with jumping jacks, jump rope, shoulder lock outs, air squats, and running in place
Mid-hang Snatch - 3 x 45, 55, 65, 75, 85 (3RM); 2sets x 3reps x 75lbs

Power Clean - 3sets x 5reps x 115lbs (~70% of 1-RM)

Snatch DL - 5 x 145, 165, 185, 200 (5RM) <--- factor="" grip="" here="" limiting="" strong="" was="">

Straight Leg Dead Lift - 3sets x 5reps x 215lbs

4 Rnds; No Rest:
- Double KB Swing x 25lb/arm x 15 reps
- 25lb KB Topside Half-moon x 10 reps/side

8x ~60m Hill Sprints + 12 Pushups (walk back to recover)

Tomorrow will be more back squats and pressing; better go get some good recover food! Have a great hump day tomorrow.

Tell me - how much do focus on form/technique? Would you sacrifice your form to add more weight? If so, please don't.....you might end up being able to lift nothing!

A New Training Routine - Strength by Feel Cycle

2013-01-28T21:54:00.001-06:00

Do you stress over finding the "right" training routine for you? It's something I think about many times each day and drives me crazy. As bad as I want to build strength, it's hard to accept that my conditioning will dwindle at the same time.

This is why I'm so drawn to CrossFit; it seems to offer a good balance of both strength and conditioning. I have read many posts on forums and articles on several training programs in search of something that will suit me well.

It seems there's always a missing component or too much of something that I just don't want or can't do. One takeaway I do have after reading other's training notes is that you have to try things out and see what works for you. With that in mind, I've decided on a 9 week long cycle...

With my allure to Olympic lifts but the need for more base strength, I am starting one of many cycles from Performance Menu, the Strength by Feel Cycle.

Here's my first day:

•Jerk – 4 x 95, 105, 115, 135 (4RM); 2 sets of 4 reps x 120lbs (~90%)

•Push Press – 5 x 100, 115, 125 (5RM); 2 sets of 5 reps x 110lbs (~90%)

•Back Squat – 5 x 205, 225, 235 (5RM); 4 sets of 5 reps x 215lbs (~90%)

•Bent row – 5 x 95, 110, 125, 130 (5RM); 2 sets of 5 reps x 120lbs (~90%)

Then 4 rounds with no rest of:

Lunges holding 45lb plate overhead x 15 reps/leg

20 ball slams with 15lb med ball

My rep-maxes were not my all out efforts as you are to leave some fuel in the tank this week. Next week I'll be trying to beat these numbers and don't want to hit a wall right off the bat.

I am pretty happy with this routine and look forward to the gains over 9 weeks. I will add conditioning using CrossFit WOD's listed on their mainpage or from one of the affiliate's websites. If I can't find anything, then I'll just make my own!

Hope you enjoy following along as lay out my daily training and notes.

Felt better than past workouts as far as energy goes, but really need to increase my fuel intake and come ready for an intense session. Will need to work on this and plan on noting my overall feeling each day.

If you have any advice, please let me know what you have or provide any useful links. I'm a sponge when it comes to exercise and nutrition, so anything is welcome....well, almost. : )

Thanks for reading!

I Heart Burpees! The Deck of Cards WOD

2013-01-27T22:11:00.001-06:00

Kelley and I played a nice game of cards today. It's not the sit at the table and sip your tea kind of game though; this was a heart pounding, sweaty game played outside. Speaking of, it got up to 75 degrees today; perfect weather for the Deck of Cards WOD!

After spending all day in the kitchen cooking (me) and cleaing all around the house (Kelley), we finally took a "break" from house chores and went outside to "play cards."

The Deck of Cards WOD is simple, face cards count as 10, Aces are 11, and the numbers are, well, their number.

We would usually make Jokers something like run .5 miles, but didn't have any in the deck, so we just started and ended with a run around our loop; approx .45 miles.

Here's what we assigned for the suits:

Hearts - Burpees (hence the title)

Diamonds - Pushups

Spades - Situps

Clubs - Squats

After our first run around the loop, we set out laying down 6 cards at a time and going through as RX'd. We hit blackjack on burpees and I got excited (love hate thing), but Kelley, not so much. I'd just work on my new found double under skill while Kelley worked through a few sets. She did awesome; no matter how worn out she got, she carried on.

This is a great, fun way to get some exercise and spend quality time with others. You can customize the game to make the suits whatever you want. Other choices might be pullups/chinups, jumping jacks, jump squats, etc.

Tonight I'm having a sample of everything cooked this weekend. I used fresh garlic extensively and really love it in a spaghetti squash egg white casserole I made. Yum!

Now, I must go on to a chilly protein smoothie of beets, spinach, cocoa powder, egg white protein, and stevia.

Do you have any crazy concoctions you like to puree into a delicious and healthy treat?

Have a great Monday....ughhhh.

My First Crossfit Total (CFT) and Lack of Fuel

2013-01-26T23:29:00.000-06:00

Today I completed my first Crossfit Total (CFT) at home. I didn't feel the best since it was the afternoon and I still had very little food for the day. There's a reason they call it fuel, and I was running on E.

Either way, I mostly happy with my numbers, but know I could've done better on back squat. For the overhead press, I just need to get stronger!

For as strict I am about eating healthy, I admittedly have an unhealthy relationship with food sometimes. I feel that I must perform some type of exercise before really eating that much. I know that the body needs food just to function and repair itself from previous workouts, but for some reason I don't allow myself enough.

Our bodies need quality macro nutrients to rebuild and refuel for whatever comes next. Without this, you will begin to feel run down, unmotivated, and just irritable. Hmmm, sounds like someone...oh...me! I'm getting better at this, but it's still an issue at times.

Along with my goal of increasing strength, I am working to increase my food intake. These things go hand in hand and you really can't get stronger without providing good food for the body. So, I'll make sure to mention how I did with food for most days and hopefully it's in the right direction!

Crossfit Total WOD:

Warmup

Back Squat - 1 x 185, 215, 235, 255, 265 (F), 260 (F)

OH Press - 1 x 95, 105, 115 (F), 115

Deadlift - 1 x 235, 275, 315, 325, 330

CFT = 710lbs

This would put me between intermediate and advanced with my bodyweight of 160lbs and height of 5'10. I know I could get a better squat, and will just need to work on the press. Geez, my upper body needs more strength! Hence my need to eat more. If only I can get over the fear of instantly blowing up into a fatty. No matter how much I read it won't happen, I still worry.

I planned on doing the Deck of Cards WOD today, but was seriously lacking the energy. I did muster out a quick 3 rounds of 3 x 270lb Deadlift and 5 x pullups. Then I helped Kelley her strength workout of back squat and bench press.

It's supposed to be another 70 degree day tomorrow, so we'll try for the Deck of Cards routine then. I have some cooking to do for both of our lunches throughout the week, so hopefully I don't spend forever in the kitchen like I usually do.

The menu this week will include organic chicken franks cut up with beans and veggies in a homemade tomato sauce with a lot of garlic. Thinking I'll make something with quinoa and canned tuna as well. I also have a mix of black and aduki beans soaking right now, so they'll be used in something tomorrow.

I'm off to refuel....again. Have you ever tried exercising on little food intake? Did you like or dislike it?

Hope you have a great rest of the weekend!

Easy Lifts and a Couple WOD's + My First Double Unders!

2013-01-25T21:44:00.001-06:00

Finally! I just purchased an Ultra Speed Cable Jump Rope from Amazon recently and was able to perform several double unders today. You would think they are easy (maybe they are to you), but they have proven difficult to me; until now! Great way to end the week.

It would be nice for another three day weekend, but I guess that won't be happening, so we'll have to make do with two. It was hard to get myself going for today's workout as I was feeling tired and unmotivated. But, I got better after warming up and cranking out a few double unders. Can you tell I'm excited?

Today's workout - Evening

Warm-up; double under practice for 5 minutes

Hang Snatch - 3 x 3x 95lbs

OH Squat - 3 x 5 x 65, 75, 75

Back Squat - 5 x 95, 145, 165, 185, 185, 185 (went deep; past parallel)

OH Press - 3 x 5 x 95lbs

WOD #1 - 4 Rounds; No Rest:

Double Kettlebell Swings (25lbs/arm) x 10

Med Ball Half Moon Slams* x 10/side w/ 15lb med ball

*Start with the ball on the ground to one side of your feet, bend over to pick it up and raise all the way over your head to the other side and slam down. This should be the shape of half a moon. Pick up and reverse the motion; now do it for 10 times each side.

Rest 90 seconds

WOD #2 - 4 Rounds; No Rest:

Body weight dips x 10

Tuck jumps x 10

Jump Rope x 100

This was the last day of my de-load week and will shoot for a few heavy lifts tomorrow. I am thinking of trying for my Crossfit Total which is finding your 1 rep max (RM) for the squat, press, and dead lift. I'll post an update either way.

If I do the Crossfit Total, I plan on doing a WOD with Kelley a few hours later. Have you heard of the Deck of Cards workout? I'll explain more tomorrow, but I have a good feeling it will be fun...and exhaustive!

Okay, off to chow on a salad topped with slow-cooker veggies, nutritional yeast, and microwave egg whites.

Then it's on to a few protein smoothies with frozen blueberries and Greek yogurt! Perfect ending to the week.

Any big plans for you this weekend? I'm really craving just doing a puzzle with Kelley. We've been on this kick with puzzles lately and need a new one. Any suggestions? I'm thinking something Food!

Shirtless Run in January and Spicy Peanut Butter on a Sweet Potato

2013-01-24T21:33:00.002-06:00

Today is my no weight lifting day. Good thing since it was 75 degrees and made for a great run without a shirt. How many places can you (comfortably) run without a shirt in January? Not many in the U.S. for as much as I know.

After getting home from work, I made the quick decision to make use of the nice weather and changed into running shorts and my Vibram Five Finger Bikila's. I put our dog, Abby, on a leash and had a nice, moderate pace run for about 30 minutes; this equates to about 4 miles.

The run was nice and I followed up with 3 rounds of 5 handstand push ups and 8 strict chin-ups. Good stuff. I then made a giant protein smoothie with strawberries, vanilla egg white protein powder (sweetened with stevia), steamed spaghetti sqaush, carrots, and more stevia. Delicious!

I would be posting pics of my food, but right now I have the slowest internet and no more space on my Blogger account. I need to find another picture hosting website soon! Any suggestions?

Another picture I wish I could share is from part of my dinner tonight; sweet potato with Peanut Butter & Co. The Heat is On peanut butter. I've mentioned how good sweet potatoes and pb can be, but the spicy factor makes it just that much better! Have you tried?

Question of the Day: Do you follow a certain training routine or just wing it each day? Mix it with cardio and strength or only one?

Hey....tomorrow is Friday...Rejoice!

Yesterday's Workout and Setting the New Tone for My Blog

2013-01-24T15:47:00.002-06:00

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I am taking a much needed deload week from heavy lifting to help my body recover and refresh my mind. I can’t remember the last time I took a break longer than a day from some form of exercise. Of course, I’ve been doing CrossFit style MetCon’s every day after lifting sub maximal weights.

I’m really trying to get better at the classic Olympic lifts; Clean and Jerk and Snatch. The Snatch is really hard for me and will take a lot of practice.
I have been trying to gain strength by following a small bulk diet by creating a caloric surplus, but I am so averse to gaining fat that this is hard. Plus, I eat a lot of unprocessed food and cook my own vegetable filled meals which make you feel full on little calories compared to most meals.
Increasing my intake of food is still in order, and I have gained some strength and weight, but not what I could have. I have gone from 140lbs when I first started to 163lbs now. It’s been over a year, but I’d like to see more strength gains. The problem, as I said before, is my need to keep conditioning in my routine so I’m not just out of breath from walking.
Maintaining a good conditioning base while increasing strength is not easy, but I plan on detailing my adventure into trying. I will hopefully still have interesting topics to cover and stories to tell along the way.
Yesterday’s Workout (01/23/13)

Same weight routine I would follow on Wednesday, just with lighter weights. This helps keep your muscles primed for mobility without putting a lot of stress on them.
Warm-up for 5 min

Clean and Jerk – 95lbs x 3 sets x 3 reps

Front Squat – 115lbs x 3 sets x 3 reps

Snatch Deadlift – 5 reps x 115lbs, 145lbs, 165lbs

Deadlift – 5 reps x 185lbs, 205lbs

MetCon (Metabolic Conditioning) found on a CrossFit file located here
1,500 Rep WOD
10 rounds of:
100 jump ropes
10 burpees
10 situps
10 pushups
10 squats
10 pullups

(Source: Crossfit Houston)
Since I suck at pullups, I subbed jumping pullups instead. The rest was as RX’d (prescribed).
Then Kelley came home and I set up a WOD for her (I’m acting as her strength and conditioning coach) which consisted of:

As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 15 min of:

5 x Burpees

10 x Pushups

15 x 15lb Kettle Bell Swings

20 x 15lb Kettle Bell Squats

30 x Jump Rope

She was sweating pretty well after this one. Doesn’t help that it’s getting to 70+ degrees here in Texas!
For dinner I had slow-cooker mixed veggies with lentils, steamed spaghetti squash, and a microwave collard green egg white omelet. This was great, and then I had a cool treat of plain 0 % Chobani Greek Yogurt with mixed frozen berries and roasted pistachios. And then more.

Feeling a little sore today and will try to just enjoy the outdoors since it’s in the 70’s again. Maybe some sprinting and messing around with my new 15lb Slam Ball!

Have a great day….so glad it’s Friday tomorrow!

My Slow Return to Blogging and A Small Change in Content

2013-01-23T23:03:00.000-06:00

Hello, hello....it's been a while! My job got the best of me and required my full attention to where I just wasn't able to fit blogging in. After long days at work, I'd push myself through workouts and try to spend more time with Kelley.

It's still pretty busy and I am enjoying my time with Kelley too much to just come back full throttle like before. Now, I'd like to post more of my thoughts and not stress so much about having healthy recipes with each post. This will become more of what's on my mind in the health world.

I am working on increasing my strength while not losing too much of my conditioning from when I just ran a lot. I decreased how much I run and do more explosive-type exercises after some heavy lifting.

Trying to find a good routine that combines both has proven harder than I expected and I seem to burn myself out a lot. I'm taking this week as a deload week but find I'm still doing more metcon (Crossfit WOD) kind of work outs. Although I'm not lifting heavy, these met-cons are still pretty intense.

I only keep a hand-written log of my workouts, but plan to share here on my blog now. If you are reading this and ever have any advice or questions, please comment away and I'll be sure to respond. Starting soon, I will post some of my daily eats and workouts along with anything on my mind.

I won't stress to take pictures of everything I do right now, but if I have something to share, I'll share it. To any of my followers or anyone just now stumbling on to this blog, I hope you come back to read more. Please send any suggestions and let me know what you do/don't like about my proposed changes.

Until next time.....have a great day and keep healthy and fit!

WIAW + Healthy Food Tips from the Past

2012-12-04T23:26:00.000-06:00

Hello and welcome to WIAW in December! I saw another blogger mention how the first Home Alone movie is now 22 years old! That hit me like a semi-hard brick. Only semi-hard because I'm already a little aware of the aging process. Anyway, who else is in awe at how time flies?

Sooo, I have little time to write today, so I want to share some of my past blog posts on Healthy Food Tips and Ideas. As far as what I ate, it's been nothing different from past weeks, so please forgive me for not posting.

Before I start the list, I'd like to say congrats to Katherine for winning my Crunchmaster Kid's Crisps giveaway; thank you all who entered! And, as always, a big thanks to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting yet another festive What I Ate Wednesday!

Healthy Travel Tips - This is good info for those that are traveling for the holidays

Easy and Healthy Food Swaps - This was around Easter, but applies year round

How to Survive Vacation as a Health Food Fanatic - A follow up from my other vacation post; this lists things I ate while on vacation

Veggies Don't Need Ranch Dressing! - The title says it all; just my views on Hidden Valley's "healthy" advertising

5 Healthy Ways to Add Protein to Salad - This was a summertime post, but again, salads are great all year!

What's the Next Fad Diet and Why? - In sum, fad diets are pointless, dumb, and, well....fads

Top 5 Healthy and Tasty Dip Substitutions - My favorite savory dips; good for any dip lover!

Pumped Up Protein Staples - A list of my favorite protein dips and baked items with a link to all of my recipes at the end. Trust me, making these are worth your while!

And, before I leave, here's a quick Google search for "Just Add Cayenne" and "Healthy Recipes". It might be a little biased, but I think these are the best! : )

How well are you managing time for the holidays? I'm already not a fan of going out to eat, but with social gatherings and whatnot, I'm not going to escape it. Speaking of, I'm heading out for dinner at a nice seafood place with co-workers. As a fan of seafood, I'll get over my dislike of going out if there's fresh crab on my plate!

Hope you all have a great week and get any shopping done soon; it's only getting crazier!!

Happy What I Ate Wednesday!

November Foodie Penpal Reveal + End of Crunchmaster Crisps Giveaway

2012-11-29T23:00:00.000-06:00

If Friday were a tangible thing, I'd give it the biggest hug just about every week. I say "just about" because, well, I'm sure we all have those Friday's where everything seems to go awry. Let's hope this is not one of them!

It is the last day to enter for your chance to win Crunchmaster Cheesy and Grammy Kid's Crisps, so enter now for your shot. I'll announce the winner hopefully Monday next week.

We're already giving November the boot (or is it giving us the boot? Hmmm) and heading into December with Christmas fast approaching. As a kid, I remember everything taking "forever", but now it won't slow down! Seriously, didn't we just finish handing out candy to little ~~monsters~~ kids in costumes?

And now I'm sure most of us are rushing around looking for the best gifts for friends and family. Not to mention all of the holiday outings at work and outside of work. The holidays should be more relaxed, but it seems more rush-rush and hard to keep calm. Am I alone here or does anyone else agree?

I'm a person who thrives on knowing my schedule ahead of time and rarely like changing my daily routine. I recognize this is a problem and I'm currently learning to get over (some of) it. What would I really like to be doing? Just relaxing with my wife, Kelley, and sitting around watching full seasons of our favorite shows or going to partake in various outdoor activities.

In reality, I go crazy if I don't get a scheduled work out in and spend at least 2 hours in the kitchen. If anyone knows where that switch to turn off this obsessiveness is, please, let me know ASAP!

Enough rambling, it's Foodie PenPal Reveal Day!! A big thanks to Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean for hosting this giant connection of people across the world.

Both the person sending to me, Christina, and the person I sent to do not have a blog. This is okay, but I just tend to enjoy it more when I can read the other person's blog talking about what I sent them. Oh well, still fun nonetheless.

Christina seemed to be busy with holiday events since I just got the package yesterday, so I only have pictures to show. Maybe I'll mention these goods in a future post once I get to try them.

Sea Snax, ginger peach green tea, another autum-spiced tea, The Chia Co. chia shots, Go Raw Real Live Bar, another local item, Bearded Brothers Ginger Peach Energy Bar, Crunchy Cranberry and Cherry Almond Snacks, and a funky tube of hummus ready to eat.

Being from Austin, TX, she sent me some good looking local salsa from El Chile I can't wait to try. I love Austin, and since I'm just in Fort Worth, TX, it's really not that far away.

I've been wanting to try the Sea Snax, so I'm excited to get these.

The Chia Shots are something new to me. I buy chia seeds in bulk, but never see them like this, so it will be fun to bring the to work for a quick pick-me-up. The Go Raw Live Bar will be another fabulous work snack.

Again, the Bearded Brothers bar will be a work companion and I'm excited to try!

And tea is always a welcome item to me. I haven't tried the hummus, but am intrigued; I'll update once it's finished.

So, thank you, Christina, you did great sending me some goods. I will enjoy all but the Cranberry and Cherry Crunchy Snacks; more sugar and other things I can have, but my family will definitely love it!

Are you familiar with the Foodie Pen Pal Program? It's definitely worth looking into and always fun to see who you get paired with. You meet two new people and maybe learn a little something. Check out Lindsay's dedicated Foodie PenPal Page to learn more and sign up for the next event.

For December, Lindsay will not be hosting a regular event. Instead, she's asking for us to donate what we would've spent on our pen pal to victims of Hurricane Sandy. She'll have more on her Foodie Pen Pal Reveal Day post, so head on over there to learn more!

Thanks to all who stopped by! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and gets any necessary shopping done....like I need to do!

WIAW + Easy Egg White Garlic and Veggie Frittata

2012-11-27T22:53:00.000-06:00

Hello and welcome to my (at least lately) once a week post! I used to be better about posting at least 3 times a week, but it's apparently busy season at work with life in general. I've noticed a few other bloggers have decreased their postings too, so I don't feel so bad, but I do prefer writing to all of you about food over working.

Anyway, how's it going? Are you taking advantage of the Cyber Monday week? Seriously, retailers find any excuse to extend their "deals" to keep on advertising and get people shopping. It works for me....when online....I despise going out in the crowds to shop.

Amazon has some pretty awesome deals all this week and although I should be looking for others, I always end up looking at the food deals....for myself! I can't help it, I have an addiction to seeking out good food! Anyone else with me here?

Speaking of online shopping, time is limited and I want to get everything for friends and family now, so I'm cutting the post short. Plus, I just tried to upload pictures and apparently I've met my 1GB of storage allowed. So I have some clean-up on aisle Picasa Web Album before I can post more pics.

When you're in a crunch for time but still want a delicious and healthy meal, this loaded veggie frittata is a must! I like to microwave steam my frozen veggies while I let the pan pre-heat on the stove. You could just toss them right on without steaming, but it will take longer to cook them...obviously.

Easy Egg White Garlic and Veggie Frittata

Ingredients

1.5 cups of frozen or fresh veggies of choice

3 egg whites; or 1/2 cup liquid egg whites

2 cloves garlic, chopped

A dash each of cumin, black pepper, dried basil, chili powder, and cayenne

1/2 tbsp Coconut Oil

Optional topping of choice - I like salsa or brown mustard

Directions (Follow them, or not, I'm sure it'll turn out great!)

-Set a wide, medium depth saute pan on the stove over medium-high heat

-Steam your favorite mix of vegetables. I used mushrooms, broccoli, red bell peppers, celery, and onions

-Add oil and garlic to pan and saute until fragrant; about 45 seconds

-Add the rest of your veggies and spices and stir to combine everything together. Let cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

-Add egg whites to pan and twirl to evenly distribute.

-Cover pan to let top of eggs cook from the steam for about 1 minute.

-Check to make sure top of eggs is set and remove from heat. Slide onto plate, add toppings if desired and enjoy!

I love the fact that you can use a slice of the frittata as a delicious sandwich filler. If you haven't tried....do it, sandwiches are awesome.

Okay, off to do some shopping for loved ones....and maybe some for myself. Sorry for the lack of pictures, but I do have a nice salad topped with roasted veggies and eggs that made a great dinner. Thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wendesday!!

And of course I had a cup of both types of my chocolate and vanilla winter squash protein dip for dessert.

If you haven't entered yet, click here to enter for your chance to win a box each of Crunchmaster Kid's Cheesy and Grammy Crisps. The contest will end this Friday, November 30th.

WIAW –Thanksgiving Eve and a Delicata Squash Sugar Cookie Protein Dip

2012-11-20T23:23:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I know, plenty of you probably have to work today, the eve of Thanksgiving, but I’m complaining on behalf of all of us. Couldn’t you use the day before to prep food do a little extra exercise to prepare for tomorrow’s feast, and just be away from school or work? I’ll go ahead and answer for all of us again….YES!

I’ve seen so many healthy Thanksgiving feast recipes that I want to try but have no time before going to our family gathering. Most of the food is stuff I can’t (gluten reasons) or won’t (health/picky reasons) eat, and I like to bring things I know I will enjoy.

See? I'm ready for the pumpkin famine! Or maybe I just use it a lot.

Confession – I brought roasted brussels sprouts and mushrooms one year knowing that just one other person and myself would eat them. Sorry, but I don’t want premade mixes cooked from a box or food with poor ingredients for Thanksgiving….or ever for that matter!

So I prefer to make my own gluten free, non store bought bread (maybe just a personal Microwave Chocolate Protein Cake) and side dishes. I think I only end up eating an undressed salad and the turkey at most gatherings. Anyone else run into this issue? I don’t mean to complain (even though I am), or tell others what to eat, but I just want to have what I prefer and enjoy.

Not a bad "personal" Thanksgiving treat if you ask me!

If there was no work today, I’d be cooking all sorts of things I’ve wanted to try. Lately, sweet potato, pumpkin, and banana are all ingredients sticking out to me. And of course peanut butter would be in one or all of the creations. Maybe a spin on a no-cook pumpkin banana peanut butter pie? Hmmm, I’ll keep brainstorming and maybe have something to post on for the Christmas feast!

But really, a peanut butter pumpkin pie sounds pretty darn good any time. I have been using unflavored gelatin to make some easy and tasty dips lately, and suggest you try. Still need to get the recipe down before I post it, but here’s another quick, easy, and healthy dip for you to try in the meantime.

Delicata squash is my number one favorite squash (you can use any kind you’d like), and making it into a puree is simply delightful! Have you seen or tried Celestial Seasoning’s Sugar-Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea? It’s a good, caffeine free tea to drink, but throw it in with squash puree, vanilla protein powder, and a little stevia and you will be on Cloud 18. That’s Cloud 9…..squared; because it’s that good.

Delicata Sugar Cookie Protein Dip
(Sugar and Gluten Free)
Ingredients

2 medium delicata squashes, microwave steamed or roasted until the skin is soft
2 big scoops stevia sweetened vanilla protein powder; I used Vitol Vanilla Egg White Protein
1 T natural peanut butter
2 Celestial Seasoning’s Sugar-Cookie Sleigh Ride Teabags
Liquid or powder stevia to taste
1t pure vanilla extract

Directions

Once you have your cooked squash (I microwave steam mine), remove any really hard parts like the stem and throw everything else in a food processor. Yes, include the skin, it’s soft.

Add the rest of the ingredients (just cut the teabags and dump the contents) and process until really smooth. I let my processor run for 2 – 3 minutes. Let chill for the flavors to “intensify” and help everything firm up.

I love having a giant bowl of this to go to when my sweet tooth hits, which is every night. This recipe is very versatile and you can sub your favorite ingredients as you see fit. I think coconut flour or cocoa powder would make for some extremely delicious versions. Try it, eat it, enjoy!

Now, for the part that brings us all together…What I Ate Wednesday! I have some new pictures to share, but not many. Please enjoy my offering and give thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons, for hosting these What I Ate Wednesday’s!!

Here's a look at the other gelatin dips/purees I've been working on. Yes, I reuse Chobani containers because they are just so convenient! These are pumpked with protein powder, coconut or peanut flour, stevia, squash, and the chocolate one has spinach too!

Coconut Pumpkin Protein Dip

Had these wholesome Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps for a snack. Enter to win your own from my giveaway here!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Dip

Slow-cooker Tilapia with steamed Brussels and Sweet Potato... Delicious Lunch!

Steamed bowl of mixed veggie goodness topped with nutritional yeast. First time trying the yeast, and I like it!

I Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving (if you're celebrating) and just a wonderful week if not.
Happy What I Ate Wednesday!

Question: Have you ever made something to bring to a gathering knowing that you'll be the only one that eats it?

WIAW + Crunchmaster Gluten Free Kids’ Crisps Review and Giveaway

2012-11-13T23:19:00.000-06:00

If you ignore products labeled “gluten free” simply because you can have gluten, now’s the time to change! Although they’re called “Kids’ Crisps”, these Crunchmaster goodies will bring a smile to the kid in all of us. Look, it’s even right on the box!

Crunchmaster was kind enough to send me samples of their new Cheesy Crisps and Grammy Crisps to try and review. I already knew how healthy and delicious other Crunchmaster snacks like their Multi-Seed Crackers were, so I expected the same with the Kids' Crisps. With a clean list of gluten free, whole grain ingredients, how can you go wrong?

Right upon receiving the samples, I obviously went for the Grammy Crisps first and was glad I did. Even before I had to avoid gluten, I had the hardest time finding anything like a graham cracker that met my healthy ingredient standards. Thanks to Crunchmaster Grammy Crisps with their whole grain, low fat and sugar goodness, I can enjoy once more!

These aren’t the typical long rectangle graham crackers though; they are bite sized squares (easier for little kid’s hands) that are perfect for snacking. The delicious cinnamon and sugar coating is not overly sweet and with only 5g of sugar per serving (this is usually way higher in other sugary snacks), I am just fine with that. More room for marshmallows and melted dark chocolate!

I think the box does a pretty good job at describing the goodness inside.

I brought the Cheesy Crisps to work for an easy snack to grab when “crunched” for time. See what I did there? As a former Cheese-Its consumer (before I read ingredients), these are not the same cheese cracker I was used to. But that’s not a bad thing; their wholesome ingredients and extremely liberal serving size of 60 triangular crackers for only 120 calories put them in a different class from other, lesser crackers.

The Cheesy Crisps taste pretty good alone, but make for a perfect topping on a salad or tomato soup. I actually like using the Grammy Crsips as a topping crushed over yogurt or even better, a healthy dessert dip! I didn’t like how the coating “coated” my fingers when eating, so it’s easier to just throw in soup or yogurt and eat with a spoon. So beware, with great taste comes great clean up! A little spin on the great power/great responsibility saying you hear in comics so often.

The verdict? Buy them, share them, eat them, and best of all, enjoy them as a much healthier option than what’s out there. I will gladly take a little cinnamon and sugar or cheese on my fingers in trade for a healthy, wholesome snack. Being gluten free just makes these more available to more people. So, I’m saying this in my own words since Crunchmaster is not compensating me in any way….choose these snacks for you and any kiddos you know; you’ll both be thankful.

Before you go scavenging the nearest store, why not enter to win a box of each? Then go scavenge. Crunchmaster, the generous company they are, agreed to give one lucky reader a box of each of the Cheesy Crisps and Grammy Crisps. How cool is that? First, lets move on to a few things I did not eat Wednesday and in no particular order. As always, thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting every week!

Low-fat Peanut Butter Banana Bread cooked in a pie tin

Bean and Veggie puree with Beanitos for dipping...a lot!

Crazy mix of scrambled egg whites, beans, spaghetti squash, broccoli, brussels, and mushrooms with nutritional yeast and plent of seasoning....yes, cayenne included!

Roasted these delicatas and pureed in my food processor with skin to make delicious protein powder infused dips!

A couple of my microwave bread creations using this recipe as a base. One is chocolate and the other is butter rum using a LorAnn Butter Rum flavoring oil.

Okay, back to that giveaway. There are 6 easy ways to enter, just leave a separate comment for each item below. A winner will be picked at random after the contest is over and announced soon after. Please make sure to leave your e-mail address so I can contact you. The contest will end on Friday, November 30, 2012.

~~1. Check out Crunchmaster’s website and tell me what cracker you want to try or like most.~~
~~2. Follow Crunchmaster on Twitter~~
~~3. Like Crunchmaster on Facebook~~
~~4. Follow Just Add Cayenne on Twitter and Tweet the following – "I entered to win Cheesy and Grammy Crisps from @luvcrunchmaster with @I_Love_Cayenne and so should you! "~~
~~5. “LIKE” Just Add Cayenne on Facebook. If you already “Like” Just Add Cayenne, leave a comment letting me know.~~
~~6. Support Just Add Cayenne and subscribe to my blog. Just leave a comment if you are already subscribed.~~

This giveaway has ended. Thanks for viewing and please check back for future posts and giveaways!
Thanks for visiting and good luck! Hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week!

WIAW #36 – Making Pie: Crust or No Crust?

2012-11-06T23:30:00.000-06:00

Source and Recipe

Even as that “tubby” boy who thought not once about calorie content in food, I never really liked pie crust. So now that I’m ever so conscious of what I consume, I opt for no crust on the healthy pies I make.

I’m writing this prior to knowing what November’s WIAW theme is, so please forgive my non-themed post. Not like I was very good at following last month’s theme either….sorry again. And while I’m on the topic of “sorry”, I’m sorry for the lack of brand new pictures for my post. I’ve still been cooking, but the pictures (as unprofessional as they are) take up a lot of precious time. Time I want to be spending with my loving wife, Kelley.

So hopefully I won’t lose any of you during this time of infrequent posts and pictures; I promise to get back into the game sometime…..just don’t know when!

Being November with Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’m sure there’s many a foodie with pie on the mind. I like pie, but only if made by me or I know the exact ingredients used and I like them. Since I don’t make pie often, this obviously means I don’t have a lot of the sweet, round, dessert. This season, I’d like to work on making my own healthy version that has no crust and that friends and family will enjoy.

I bet PB Crave Coco Bananas and pureed sweet potato would be an awesome pie! Ughhnnnnnggggg!!! I think my stomach is saying something....

Sounds easy, but most of my “healthified” dessert attempts wind up being something only I enjoy. That’s okay to a degree, but I’d like to share. So, the first part to a healthier pie is taking out the crust component. This isn’t hard, just prepare the pie filling (the best part anyway) and if it’s one you cook, put in pie pan and bake as needed.

I think making overnight oats in a pie pan would also be an excellent no-cook and healthy version. Imagine, overnight peanut butter pumpkin oats mixed with milk of choice, protein powder, and pumpkin pie spice all mixed up and placed in a pan to set over night. You could wake up and have pie for breakfast; and it would actually be good for you!!

Right now I’m just “talking the talk”, but please stay tuned, I will post an overnight pie recipe to do the “walking” part soon.

As mentioned earlier, I am lacking in the picture department, so I’ll list out what I ate and then post a few pics and recipes for pies I found online. Thanks yet again to Jenn at Peas and Crayons, I love What I Ate Wednesday’s!!

I actually made this Clean Eating Pumpkin Cheescake posted on The Gracious Pantry and highly suggest you try too. Obviously, I chose to use no crust and this dessert is simply wonderful chilled and topped with Greek yogurt.

For those who find it hard to stick to just one slice (me), make mini pies so you can have the whole thing and not feel bad! Here’s the recipe good for 8 mini pies you can keep all to yourself or share with everyone! I’m pretty sure I’ll have a few of these in my fridge soon! If you don’t have custard cups, I’m sure a greased or paper lined muffin tin would work as well. Then you could even make them a little smaller and have 12 mini desserts!!

I found this recipe just through a Google search and like it as a way to start; plus it’s less than 500 calories for the whole thing. I would not use any artificial sweetener like Splenda and go for Stevia instead. Also, instead of milk, I will use unsweetened almond milk and protein powder in place of flour. That’s the beauty of recipes….you can suit to your own desire!!

Another Gracious Pantry recipe must try is this Clean Eating Sweet Potato Pie. Yum! There’s a crust recipe posted too, but again, I’d leave it out although it sounds simply delicious! A big thanks to Tiffany at The Gracious Pantry for allowing me to post these tasty pictures on my site. If you haven't before, check out her blog and social media pages for clean and tasty recipes!

Web site: www.TheGraciousPantry.com
Facebook: www.FaceBook.com/GraciousPantry
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/GraciousPantry
Pinterest: www.Pinterest.com/GraciousPantry

So, have you or will you be making pies this season? Ever try going crustless? Besides saving in the calorie bank, I think no crust helps you enjoy more of the flavor filling anyway.

Please share any recipes you have as I really want to test a few out. And most importantly…

Happy WIAW, have a wonderful rest of the week!!

One more thing....it looks like another 4 years of Obama. Are you : ) or : (

As a typical Texan, I'm more : ( about this one, but I also know the world won't end as a result. So... : )

WIAW #35 - Random Eats and A Happy Halloween Questionaire

2012-10-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

If it wasn’t for What I Ate Wednesday’s, I don’t think I’d have one blog post this month!! Okay, maybe one. What’s up with that? Too busy at work? Kinda, but the really busy part has passed until year end. Whatever it is, I’ll just take it easy until my “post-ivation” comes back.

I think a big part has to do with the lack of pictures I’ve taken lately. If you don’t have pics, it’s really hard to be inspired or to find something to write about. Anyone else like this?

The seasonal winter squash and other produce have been cooked in my home, yet I don’t have much proof. Guess I have some catching up to do, but don’t know when that will be.
Anyway, with today being Halloween, I figure I would pose a few Halloween themed questions to you…..
What is your favorite memory of trick-or-treating as a kid?

Mine is when I was old enough to go out on my own with friends and feel soooo cool for running around shooting silly string everywhere. Remember that stuff; Silly String? The neon colored foam stuff in a can? When I was younger, just getting to dress up was my favorite part. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Superman were the best!

Would your parents go through your “treats” before you could have any?

My mom just trusted I wouldn’t have anything harmful…..so much for that!! Probably why I was a heavy boy!! Well, that and McD's or Burger King double meat burgers and fries. Geez, glad I changed!

What candy or other treat did you most enjoy from your collection?

Snickers!! Some people would even hand out full bars in the “rich” neighborhoods. The next best were Almond Joys for me….chocolate and coconut = bliss.
What candy or treat do you enjoy now?

It’s crazy to think that now I wouldn’t touch stuff I had as a kid. I would just think of the candy by each of its low quality ingredients and couldn’t even enjoy it. Nope, I’m perfectly fine with my homemade treats using protein powder, veggie purees, egg whites, fruit, and stevia. Oh, and of course natural peanut butter!!
Halloween leftovers – More for you or “get’em outta here quick!”?

This is first year Kelley and I are handing out treats and it is a big deal to me. She wanted to just buy the candy you see in stores, but I feel like I’d be a hypocrite for giving kids things I wouldn’t touch. She argued it’s not our place and for the parents to decide and we don’t want the kids getting mad at us. Well, good points, but I just can’t support it; doing that would drive me insane. So we settled on Annie’s Homegrown Halloween Bunny Grahams and Dove Dark Chocolate.

Someone commented to me a couple weeks ago that they handed out mini boxes of raisins, and I loved the idea, but could never find a big bag at the store. Plus, Kelley did not like that idea one bit. So the Bunnies and Chocolate is us “meeting in the middle” and will have to suffice. I’ll admit, the Bunny Grahams are pretty cool being whole wheat and all; too bad I’m gluten free now…..

Are you handing out candy this year? If so, do you try to keep it healthy or just give the usual mix for fear of getting your house egged/toilet papered?

See my answers above.

Did you go to any Halloween parties this weekend or have one planned for tonight? If yes, are you dressing up?

I will just be at home handing out treats and have no parties lined up. Back in college, it was a different story, obviously, and I got it all out of my system then. I remember one year Kelley and I had a party at our first home and dressed as a plug and socket. I’ll let you decide on who was which….. : )
One year, I was Zorro one and thought it would be fun to have someone video tape me sword fighting with a friend…..with real swords! Needless to say, I got stabbed in the upper shin and the rest of the night I was getting stitches in my leg. And no, I hadn’t even started drinking yet. The hospital was cool enough to let my Kelley and my 2 of my friends in to video the whole stitching. Maybe I’ll post the video one day….

Did you ever have any Halloween mishaps like my sword stabbing? Was it because of your costume?

That’s all of the questions I can think of right now. Hope you all have some great answers as I’d love to hear them. Now, despite my lack of pictures, I’ll attempt to share a few of my eats that I most enjoy. Thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons; I can’t wait to see what November’s theme will be. Hopefully I’m better at participating unlike my non-spooky eats and treats this month.

I love microwaves! This Microwave Veggie Frittata is delicious, healthy, and ready in minutes!!

Another microwave masterpiece - Microwave Protein Chocolate Peanut Cake

Creamy green smoothie with a slice of Microwave Protein Cinnamon Bread, Plain Greek Chobani, and Natty PB on top

This is how I start the majority of my dinners....big salads loaded with veggies and a source of lean protein. Then it's on to my creamy veggie protein smoothies!

No-cook Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (made by using my Pumpkin Protein Cookie recipe and adding cocoa powder).

Hope everyone has a Happy and Safe Halloween and I hope to see you around more often!

Happy WIAW!!

WIAW #34 Healthy Microwave Birthday Cake with Greek Yogurt Icing

2012-10-23T23:30:00.001-05:00

If I have been going for making shorter and less frequent posts this month, I have so far succeeded. But that’s not what I’m going for; it’s just panning out that way….boo.

My actual job has been taking up most of my time this month, but the super busy time has passed…for now. I was able to do more in the kitchen this past weekend, but hardly have any pictures for #proof. I do have some lovely pictures of Kelley, my dear wife, enjoying a delicious Chocolate Protein Layer Cake I made in the microwave. It was her birthday last Friday, but since I wouldn’t dare buy a cake from the store, I had to make my own.

She let me have a small bite, it was good, but that’s obvious from her leaving nothing behind. She was nice enough to take a big bite in front of me and rub it in, but I was just happy she liked it. Making a healthy yet delicious personal cake is perfect to avoid having leftovers staring at you and beckoning to eat it. Make it yourself, you'll see taste what I'm talking about; recipe at the end of this post.

Oh yeah, and, Happy Birthday, Kelley! I never made a post to say this on Friday, so I’m saying it on the blogosphere now.

Poor cake, never had a chance....

Aside from making microwave cakes, I ventured in the realm of non-dairy milk making this weekend too. My pictures are less than stellar, but this is pumpkin seed milk. The green tint is hard to distinguish in the pic, but it’s pretty green, just like my pistachio milk. Both would be perfect for a St. Patty’s Day beverage, and both are creamy, delicious, and healthy! I laugh at store bought milks now...ha ha ha ha....see.

The leftover pulp went to good use in another experiment; nut pulp dessert hummus. I’m sure you get the picture; I basically used the pumpkin seed pulp in place of garbanzo beans to make a sweet and healthy hummus. I think next time I’ll make it spicy with added peppers and of course cayenne. Once I get a chance to get the measurements down, I’ll have to share the recipe because you MUST try it!

I also ventured in making red lentil milk and a soy/black bean mix milk. The lentil milk turned very viscous and would hardly pour out of the bottle I put it in. This stuff was pretty much gel. Since there was no pulp left, I figure it’s what makes the milk so thick. I added stevia, vanilla, and sea salt to the gelatinous milk and used it to add to a couple bean and veggie dessert dips I tested. Recipes for these will come.

Soy/Black Bean mix milk is pretty good and similar to soy milk with a darker tint. I think I’ll try all black beans next time to see what that’s like. I bet it would be a good base for a Halloween drink! There, that’s my “Spooky Treat” for this What I Ate Wednesday. Sorry, I’m lacking in this department, so please work with me here.

Speaking of WIAW, I once again do not have a full day’s worth of eats, but rather some notable meals. Please accept these for now and hopefully I’ll get back on track soon! Thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons!

Enjoy and Happy What I Ate Wednesday!!

This is our staple Meatless Monday Meal...had on Wednesday

A tasty Kevita Mango Coconut Probiotic Drink along with my lunch. Refreshing!

More Spicy Peanut Butter Carrot Dip!!

Chocolate puree made with the think lentil milk, pumpkin puree, spinach, peanut flour, and cocoa powder

Pumpkin Pie Omelette. Recycled picture but sooo delicious! I see a lot more of these in my future. Belly beware!!

Today is supposed to be the last warm day here in Texas before a cold front blows in. Oh joy, just in time for the neighborhood garage sale at my mom’s that Kelley and I are helping out with. Nothing like waking up at 5:30am to sell our junk to others. Hey, that’s what coffee is for, right?

Oh yeah, here’s the microwave birthday cake recipe. Make it for friends, family, and yourself…..NOW!!

Microwave Chocolate Protein Birthday Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons vanilla or chocolate protein powder (I used stevia sweetened egg white protein powder)

3 tablespoons peanut flour or just more protein powder

3 tablespoons whole grain gluten free oats or flour (I used quinoa flour, but any other should work)

1/4 tsp salt

12 drops liquid stevia or 3-4 packets of stevia powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, applesauce, or mashed banana (I used pumpkin)

1/4 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)

1 whole egg or 2 egg whites; can use one flax or chia egg for vegetarian option

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons Peanut Butter Greek yogurt icing (optional; recipe below)

Directions

Combine dry ingredients and mix well; add liquid, stir, and then transfer half of the batter to a greased round, shallow dish like a ramekin.

Microwave 2 minutes and 10 seconds (may need another 20 seconds if not set). Wait for it to cool about 2 minutes, remove from dish and cook other half of batter.

Spread icing on top of first half, set other half on top and use remaining icing to cover the top.

Optional: sprinkle with cinnamon or cacao nibs with a cherry or strawberry on top. Oh, I bet sliced banana would be great too!

Chobani Greek Yogurt Icing

1/3 cup plain, non-fat Chobani Greek Yogurt

1/4 cup peanut flour, vanilla protein powder, or chocolate protein powder

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

No worries if you have icing leftover because it’s wonderful by itself….YUM!

WIAW #33 Kevita Sparkling Probiotic Drink Review - A Liquid Treat!

2012-10-16T23:14:00.000-05:00

Are you craving something clean, refreshing, a little bubbly, and healthful to boot? No, it's not kombucha, I've got something else you need to try....Kevita Sparkling Probiotic Drinks!

Like kombucha, these are loaded with stomach pleasing probiotics and not loaded with sugar like I do see in kombucha drinks. Plus, they even add apple cider vinegar which I'm a fan of already. Kevita has several coconut flavors sweetened with stevia and I stuck to only trying these. There are some flavors with higher sugar content, but I liked the coconut versions having only 10 to 20 calories for the whole bottle.

When not drinking plain water, these are the ingredients I like to see in a beverage!

Since my meal pictures are still lacking, I am focusing more on this fun filled "treat" that's not spooky in the slightest. Sorry for deviating from the normal What I Ate Wednesday procedures, but sometimes you just have to change it up. Plus, these Kevita drinks are worth talking about. I do want to give a great, big thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting as usual; now go on over and pay her a visit!!

http://www.peasandcrayons.com/" target="_blank">http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vysyizBnLQk/UGs2kwFdpyI/AAAAAAAAJek/0hA2rqrA1JI/s1600/what+i+ate+wednesday+october+breast+cancer+awareness+halloween+button.jpg

" alt="Spooky Snacks and Healthy Halloween Treats" />

I had the Mango Coconut first thing in the morning on an empty stomach instead of my morning coffee. The result? I felt more energized by this caffeine-free beverage than my big mug o'coffee; and no stomach pains either! Win! I wanted to go and be outdoors all day with this in my body, but I had to go to work instead...boo. Fortunately, I was able to focus on my work better, so I'll take that for now.

I brought the Strawberry Acai Coconut one to work for a special beverage to enjoy with my lunch and again, I just felt good all over. Plus, I work standing up and eating lunch can be a chore, but at least the drink was no problem!

My favorite is the pure Coconut Kevita with it's clean, effervescent taste that just makes you feel....good. The other flavors look and sound like they'd be tasty treats too, and their sugar content is the same as or less than kombucha. If you are looking for a cleaner, crispier alternative to the more pungent probiotic drinks, look no further than Kevita Sparkling Probiotic Drinks.

Pick one up next time you're at the store, and let me know your thoughts. Have you already tried these? If so, what's your favorite flavor?

Oh, and here's a quick look at some of my eats....

[B] Spicy Carrot and Cauliflower Dip; iced black tea with vanilla rooibos; [S] Drew's Salsa and goat cheese crackers with green tea; [L] Medley of steamed veggies and Wild Planet Tuna topped with Drew's Salsa; Zevia to wash it all down; [D] Huge salad with radishes and grilled chicken topped with salsa; [D2] Chocolate delicata squash and spinach smoothie with pistachios, PB; then a cup of chocolate protein overnight oats...for good measure ; )

Happy WIAW, hope you have a great a week and your Fall is filled with pumpkins and apples!

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review and a Pumpkin Pie Omelette

2012-10-15T22:35:00.003-05:00

How many things do you know of that are good on and in your body? Coconut oil is just that, and Tropical Traditions makes some of the best quality coconut oil out there!

When the noble people at Tropical Traditions sent me a quart-sized jar of their high quality Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to try, I quickly searched for ways to use it. I first thought I would only find recipes to cook with it, but found it offers more than great, healthy cooking.

Like what you see? Get your own by clicking the giant picture of goodness and find your own ways to use this versatile oil.

Please note: If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you."

Plus, have you seen the prices of some coconut oil in stores? I urge you to at least check out what Tropical Traditions has to offer and possibly help me out at the same time. I'll be very thankful....even more than I already am that you're here reading my blog. Thank you for that. : )

I have very dry hands from always washing them while in the kitchen, and sometimes they'll be painfully cracked for days. Enter my new jar of coconut oil and my hands are healing nicely. Every night after my shower, I'll rub a little on the problem areas to keep them hydrated; no greasy mess! This stuff is absolutely wonderful for my dry skin and I think it will help fight the upcoming winter dryness I experience perfectly.

But, obviously, we all want to know how it fares in food, right? Simply put; awesome! This versatile and heat stable gift to us kitchen dwellers will keep your breads and pancakes safe from sticking to pans and impart flavor. Even egg dishes like my Pumpkin protein omelette inspired by Heather's (from Kiss My Broccoli) pumpkin omelette recipe easily slid right onto my plate for fast consumption.

As described on their website….

“The best and highest quality coconut oil is the wonderfully flavorful Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. This oil is the most nutritious, but not the most consistent in taste. It is handmade and has a strong, unique coconut smell and taste that will vary slightly from batch to batch. Therefore it is not the best cooking oil if you want a consistent taste. The oil usually retains most of its natural "coconutty-ness" during cooking (e.g. stovetop cooking) but when baked almost all of the strong coconut taste will dissipate.”

Just look at it; that thing is huge!! Pumpkin was the obvious ingredient of choice here considering the season, but I'd like to try another squash like kabocha or maybe even half pumpkin and half apple? Hmmm, I sense some more ~~work~~ fun in the kitchen soon.

Luckily, I have a lot left for more adventure in the kitchen and to keep my hands from cracking. I even gave some to my mom who has been wanting to try it herself.

I found that Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil added to my favorite overnight oats mix makes it extra thick and nutritious. They list so many ways the oil can be used including baking, in dips, for ketchup, homemade salad dressings, in soups, healthy fudge, pudding, in your tea or coffee (helps chapped lips too!), and many more; check out their full list here for the many uses.

I feel very lucky to have had the chance to sample and review such a great product to me, and I have my eyes set on trying some of their Coconut Peanut Butter soon. Two good things in one; synergy at it's finest. It must be good, because it's currently backordered! But never fear, you can make your own delicious spread by mixing Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Flour with your favorite peanut butter and a little water.

Special Price! - 1 Organic Coconut Flour - 2.2 lbs.

Check out their site for dozens of recipes for drinks, entrees, desserts, baked items, etc.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Oh yeah, I mentioned a recipe, didn't I? I'll be making this for Kelley and me (as you've already seen) all the way through into next year....and probably longer!

Have you used coconut oil before? Please share your favorites (or non-favs that we should avoid) and the best ways to use the oil out of the kitchen too!

Pumpkin Pie Protein Omelette

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree; canned or fresh

2 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice

1/2 t pure vanilla extract

2 scoops vanilla protein powder; I use stevia sweetened egg white protein

4 T unsweetened almond, soy, hemp, coconut, or other milk of choice

1 T coconut oil, melted

Instructions

Heat a lightly greased skillet over medium heat

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until well combined

Pour contents into hot skillet

Let mix set for 30 seconds and then slowly swirl your skillet around until the egg mixture coats the edges of the pan to avoid a heavy center

Cook for 5-6 minutes; the edges should start to pull away from the skillet

Using a spatula, carefully flip one half over to the other side to create a half moon shape

Let cook for about 2 - 3 more minutes to cook the inside and carefully slide onto plate

Optional: Top with plain, non-fat Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon

Lightlife Vegetarian Foods - How They're Making a Healthier World

2012-10-13T19:23:00.003-05:00

Have you heard of or tried Lightlife's veggie protein products? I have only tried their vegetarian hot dogs and was pretty impressed with the taste and texture. I'm not a dedicated vegan or vegetarian, but my consumption of meat is very limited and I make sure it's from a clean source.

Lightlife makes it possible to get plenty of high quality protein with their non-GMO soy products with no preservatives. If you have read my blog before, you'd know I like to make most of my meals from whole food sources not in packages, but Lightlife products will help me when short on time.

I choose acceptable packaged food by studying the ingredients and nutrition, and I have found Lightlife has plenty of clean products to offer. I'm really interested in their line of tempeh products and can't wait to try all versions, especially the wild rice!

With fall here and the slight chill (only slight because I'm in Texas) in the air, I've been craving comfort food that's healthy and delicious. When I don't have time (a lot lately) to make my own from scratch, I am ready to pick up their Smart Chili to try out on a cooler day. If you have tried it, please let me know your thoughts.

So why am I posting about Lightlife without really trying a lot of their products? Someone on behalf of Lightlife asked me to share a new video they have posted and I liked its message. The video depicts a farm where all of the animals are made out of veggies. I think the message comes across loud and clear and it's just a neat video to watch.

Please watch this short video and let me know what you think. Can you name the veggies that make up the animals? Some are hard to figure out, but the bell pepper body on the cows is pretty cool; same for the corn cob pigs. With so much news about the world's meat supply dwindling, it's a "smart" choice to reduce our meat intake and eat more veggies. I agree veggies give us most of what we need and meat is not needed with every meal.

Please, let me know how you add more veggies to your diet and if you have any great ideas to get enough vegetable protein from healthy sources and products like Lightlife.

Check out their website for info on how they can make you and the world a healthier place and see what they're up to on Facebook and Twitter.

WIAW #31 – Chicken 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili in a Hurry

2012-10-09T23:32:00.000-05:00

Life comes at you fast. It won't sit around waiting for you to catch up, it keeps moving whether you’re ready or not. So what’s a health-minded individual like me supposed to do when they refuse to eat meals they didn't prepare but demand full flavored nutrition while living a fairly busy life? Simple….make big batches of healthy meals to have over several day; something like....veggie-filled chili!

I'd love to have more time to share my thoughts and kitchen adventures (lackluster as of late) with all of you WIAW-er’s, but I must be selective and post just the “goods” like a hearty pumpkin chili you can make in 30 minutes (recipe at end of this post). Because, sometimes we need to get out of the kitchen and spend time with loved ones (my wife, Kelley) before the race car of life laps us!

Don't let life lap you, show it who's boss like this.....

.....no more lapping!!

Why so focused on the speed of life? Because I've been taking too much time in the kitchen along with working and exercising too much and not reserving time for what matters most, my family; specifically Kelley. Yes, my wife, if you're reading this, I love you! Oh, and hi too!

This chili is quick to put together and can be made vegetarian by adding more beans or even lentils, or make it extra meaty with more meat. I like to create a good balance of both proteins and always load it with veggies. Canned pumpkin and chili beans along with thick sliced chicken deli meat are the components that bring this dish together fast without sacrificing flavor. If you have the time, use ground beef, chicken, or turkey as desired; or add chicken breasts to a crock-pot and shred after cooking for several hours. The possibilities are plentiful!

Like that? Plentiful; not endless like most people say. I like to be different.

Note to self: Take digital photography lessons!!

Other than this savory pumpkin chili, I was able to make a few treats this weekend that I'll go into detail about on a future post. A lot of my time is spent trying to make healthy treats that are ready for me to eat when I finally sit down at night. This includes a lot of bean and veggie “dessert” purees with stevia, peanut flour, protein powders, etc. I usually don't measure ingredients, but just add a little at a time until it just seems “right”.

In lieu of spending time making this unmeasured mixes, I am going to try other healthy alternatives. Using gelatin or agar agar for protein puddings is my new plan; I just need to actually get the measurements straight. Have you ever used unflavored gelatin, agar, or another gelling agent for homemade pudding? Katie from Chocolate Covered Katie has a delicious and easy soy free pudding I'd like to try. I’ll report back once I've had a few test runs. Geez, I have a lot of “I-O-U’s” to deliver on, but I'm good for them; trust me. : )

So, in the essence of time, I'd like to thank Jenn at Peasand Crayons for hosting this fun event as usual. Here’s a look at not really a day of eats, but just notable eats I’ve photographed recently. Enjoy and Happy What I Ate Wednesday!!

Oversized pumpkin omelette on top of steamed veggies with pumpkin spice coffee.

Low fat Peanut Butter Pumpkin Protein Cookies - new recipe in the works, but these are pretty tasty. Seriously, I need to A) measure ingredients and B) write them down!!

My 3 Bean Chicken Pumpkin Chili....with two random brussels sprouts I felt compelled to add.

Loving this combo! Microwave protein bread slices with coconut butter and peanut butter. Great snack or even a quick mini-meal if needed!

Steamed veggies with tuna and spaghetti squash. Could probably eat this all day.....after I run out of the above picture.

We had a cold front in Texas when I made the chili, but now it’s back in the 80’s as I’m having it for lunch at work. Still awesome and I have no regrets, but there’s just something about the cold weather with a warm bowl of chili….it’s more comforting. Do you agree?

Chicken 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 15 Min

Cook Time: 35 min

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 (15oz) can drained and rinsed chili beans; black, kidney, or any white bean will work too
1/2 lb thick sliced chicken deli meat, chopped into 1/2in. squares
Frozen cut green beans; or one can drained - 12 to 15 oz
Frozen, fresh or canned carrots - 12 to 15 oz
Frozen or canned sweet peas - 12 to 15 oz
Frozen chopped broccoli - 12 to 15 oz
Bag of frozen diced green peppers, onions, and celery mix; or fresh
4 – 6 cloves fresh garlic; I love garlic, use less if you don’t
1 T each of cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, dried parsley, and paprika
2 t dried thyme and coriander
1 t cayenne powder and cinnamon
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 26.4 oz box of Pomi Chopped tomatoes; 2 (15oz) cans of diced/chopped will work too
2 T apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Heat a nonstick medium to large saucepan over medium-high heat

Add garlic and frozen pepper/onion mix; sweat for 1 minute or until the garlic becomes fragrant

Add chopped deli meat and saute for another minute; the edges should be slightly curled up

Add vinegar and scrape any burned pieces from the bottom

Pour in the stock and tomatoes

Add remaining ingredients then cover and simmer for 30 minutes

If it looks too runny, crack lid and let reduce down to desired consistency

Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes

Transfer to bowls and relax with your quick'n healthy pumpkin chili

As for spooky snacks....I don't have any to share, unless you are scared by my food. I want to make something to share, but won't make any promise on this one. Speaking of, Kelley and I want to hand out treats for Halloween but do not support about 99% of the candy options out there. Any ideas on a good alternative that kids would like but is still at least somewhat healthy?

I don't want to be "that guy" who gives out toothbrushes or worse....pamphlets on how to avoid childhood obesity, but I'm not sure of what to give. Maybe little bags of dry roasted peanuts or Hershey's Dark Chocolate Kisses? Do you hand out candy or turn off the lights, shut the blinds, and lock the doors?

Have a wonderful week!

Homemade Creamy Pistachio Milk

2012-10-08T04:00:00.000-05:00

Texas weather can and does change over night. It's crazy; Friday was an enjoyable mid-80's, and the next morning was in the upper 40's! It never got over 55 degrees all weekend, but it's supposed to be back in the 80's by Tuesday.

Since I'm not training for a marathon like I did for the past several years, I don't mind the cold as much....because I can choose to stay inside! My workouts are mostly in the garage, but I like to make mowing the lawn a workout too. Here I am after mowing with a 20lb vest using a reel mower (no gas, no electric, just blades and you pushing) which I just finished Legs day on my Supreme 90 Day schedule.

I will usually work some sprints in across the yard as I push the mower for an extra kick-in-the-A. Neighbors think I'm crazy (or weird)....maybe I am? Oh well, I'd say this is functional fitness for sure.

Besides my mowing adventure, I stayed mostly indoors cooking lunches for Kelley and me throughout the week, and making several healthy treats. One said treat is a new-to-me milk I made with my Soyajoy G3 Soy/Nut Milk maker. I'm really enjoying the milks I can make and don't have to buy now. Goodbye extra added ingredients I don't want or need!

The simplicity of making milk with the Soyajoy G3 makes it even more appealing. All I did was soak a 1/2 cup of pistachio kernels in water overnight and then add them to the maker with about 4.5 cups of water. All you do then is push a button and it does the rest within 30 minutes. Pretty awesome stuff, and I love using the leftover pulp after straining in baking recipes and for added nutrition in smoothies.

If you've never made your own non-dairy milk and don't have a milk maker, you can still make it without one. I've made coconut and almond milk with great success before, just takes more time. We all have extra time to burn anyway.....right? Please, sense my sarcasm....there's never enough time!!

To make your own, just soak a 1/2 cup of any nuts or beans you want for 8 or more hours. I've soaked for over a day before with no issues. For beans, I suggest cooking them on the stove first; nuts are optional and make good milk cooked or raw.

Once soaked long enough, drain and rinse your nuts/beans and then blend them with 4 - 5 cups water (depending how thick or thin you like it) in a blender or food processor. When everything is blended, pour your milk through a strainer and viola, you have homemade milk!

I like to add vanilla, stevia, and a dash of salt to the milk and the outcome is pure, milky bliss. Use the pulp to make veggie burgers, bake into breads/muffins, or blended into smoothies. Speaking of veggie burgers, I still owe you a recipe for my veggie okara burgers on this post.

I didn't forget, but, for the same reason I should be asleep right, work is keeping me from sitting down to take the time to write it. I just throw things together and hope for best, which it usually does turn out great. But I'm taking time to write this post, you say? Well, yeah, because I wanted to share my pistachio milk, duh.

Homemade milk goes great with homemade treats like these Pumpkin Peanut Butter Protein Cookies. Patience, recipe testing in progress.

Haven't said "duh" in a while....that felt weird, even typing. So, I'll stop here for today, but I do have a few things I must share with you hopefully soon. For a hint on some things, how does a carrot-ginger "milk" and a healthy coconut oil peanut butter oatmeal cookie sound to you? Good, I hope, because I'll revisit these some time in the near future.

Until then, hope your weekend was well and you have a great week ahead!

Have you ever made your own milk?

Has your cooking style changed as the cooler weather sets in? I made pumpkin chili with beans and chicken that is ultimate comfort food without guilt; another thing to share soon!

WIAW #31 Spooky Food and I Didn't Even Know It!

2012-10-02T23:24:00.003-05:00

Yes, just ideas. I sound like a broken record, but work has been keeping me from my true passion for food, cooking, and taking pictures of both. So, in an effort to keep it short but still have a post for What I Ate Wednesday, I just wanted to post a few "to-do's" for this month's WIAW theme of spooky snacks and healthy halloween treats.

Usually our busy time at work is closer to year end, so hopefully it's early this year and I'll have more time around x-mas and the new year. But, lets focus on now, October, the month where it's ok to eat eyeballs, fingers, and brains! Or at least food that looks like them.

I searched for healthy, spooky treats on Google and found this cool site with pretty neat spooky food ideas. Here are two of my favorite pics from the site....

Banana Ghosts

Apple "Bites" - The teeth are slivered almonds

The bananas are covered in melted white chocolate, but I would try something else since I am not a fan of sugary things. Maybe a mix of vanilla protein powder, almond milk, and coconut oil would do the "trick" for a delicious "treat." See what I did there? I get a kick out of myself sometimes...that's all that matters, right? Check out the site, all of the creations are worth checking out.

I don't make spooky treats often, and before knowing what this month's theme would be I made some of these creations in the pics below. Some of them could easily work as healthy, spooky treats. Of course, there are those annoying people at work that think my healthy, unprocessed food is spooky as is and the crap they eat in a bag is "real food." I let it get to me too much, but it is annoying!

This could work as Moldy Puke Puree. I thank pureed spinach and crumbled goat cheese for the gross out factor...but it's sooo good. Here's the recipe if you want to try; but I don't recommend handing this out to trick-or-treaters.

This is simply cooked barley I used as a cold cereal that could become Maggot Cereal! Add whole cashews for the giant larvae or pistachios for a nice green effect.

These Pumpkin Protein Crepes can easily double as Burned Skin Peels or something skin related.

I have a few more pics from the past that could double as spooky food, but I'll save those for next week. Does anyone else have existing food pictures you didn't intend to be spooky, but after going back to look at them, you can imagine a gross name for it? Don't lie....if you've ever made a green smoothie, you're in the spooky food club.

Ok, I could discuss food all day, but I'm running on E from little sleep, lots of work, and still working out, so lets get to the WIAW part of this WIAW post. Thank you, Jenn at Peas and Crayons, for being such a gracious What I Ate Wednesday host!

Breakfast - Steamed veggies with a little turkey leftovers from my lunch (see "Lunch" below); rooibos and green tea

Lunch - Baked Jersey sweet potato smothered in simmered turkey cutlets cut into cubes and a side of steamed broccoli

Dinner - Steamed Brussels sprout salad with Trader Joe's Chipotle Salsa, brown mustard, and a few clams hidden under the salsa.

Din-essert - Microwave pumpkin protein bread slices with crunchy peanut butter, coconut butter, and a little Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil; ok, I had a green ginger protein smoothie too, but no pic to prove it...just trust me : )

Have you tried Tropical Traditions Coconut products? They even have Coconut Peanut Butter that I have to try soon! I'll be trying this oil out over the next couple weeks and hope to share some tasty recipes and then possibly a giveaway.

Guess I better jet, hope you have a great week and find some healthy, spooky foods to make, eat, or both!

September Food PenPal Reveal: My Trader Joe's Care Package

2012-09-30T23:06:00.001-05:00

This is only my 3rd Foodie Penpal posting but I already feel like I'm a part of an exclusive club. I guess, in a way, it is an "exclusive" club, but any foodie can join. No blog required, you can just be a reader and join in on the fun. To learn more and sign up, check out Lindsay's Foodie Penpal program details and then stay to enjoy her food and exercise tips at The Lean Green Bean. Thanks, Lindsay, for putting this amazing event together for us all to enjoy!!

This month, my package came from Allie who has a fun blog at A Day In a Joyful Life. Her post on Sunday is looking back at being a kid and she posted a picture of the original Power Rangers; wow, forgot about those guys! My little brother would watch them and I'd watch along pretending I didn't care; but I really did! No shame here.

Allie was so kind as to take into consideration my requests for nothing with a lot of ingredients, no sugar, most oils, or carageenan gum. On top of that, I am now gluten-free adding more things to look out for. I also tend to hold a grudge against anything in a package, with a few exceptions, since packaged usually means too processed for my liking.

From our conversation, I could tell she genuinely cared about getting things I'll enjoy, and she ended up with the perfect package! This was basically a Trade Joe's care package I'll happily accept anytime! Here's what she sent.....

- Trader Joe's Ruby Red Chai Tea
- Trader Joe's South African Smoke Seasoning Blend Grinder
- Trader Joe's Hot Chipotle Salsa
- Trader Joe's Almond Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds

"Awesome" was the one word I used upon first opening the box, and awesome best describes the items I received. Tea, not sweetened at all, is always a welcome gift for me. I brew all types of tea throughout the day everyday and love how many varieties there are. Mixing herbal with black or green tea gives me a flavorful boost of caffeine in minutes; I love it! Red (aka Rooibos) tea is my favorite herbal variety, and chai is my favorite flavor blend, so the Ruby Red Chai is a win-win for me!

Perfect for my Meatless Monday meal!!

Another everyday essential in or on my food is some form of salsa (for my salad dressing) and spices galore. I didn't own any spice mixes and usually just add a little from each bottle I have each time, but the South African Smoke spices made this a lot easier and kicked up my salad with the heat I crave. Adding to the heat, I topped my salad with both the spices and Chipotle Salsa to make a delicious cold, yet "hot" salad. The smokiness from the spices and chipotle creates a depth of flavor that would be perfect in baked salmon cakes ....hmmmm.

Last but never least, almond butter with roasted flaxseeds is pretty much good on anything. I dipped carrots in it, smeared it on my microwave protein cinnamon bread, and mixed it into creamy protein dips. Oh yeah, and I just ate it with a spoon. Good, no, great....I don't want it to end.

Share? I don't understand that word.....

Thank you, Allie, for the perfect package and being so thoughtful in your choices. I am making great use of all of these and it even inspired me to go to a Trader Joe's not so close to my home for the first time. The verdict? I'll be returning very soon!

If you want to see what I got my Foodie Penpal this month, check out Olivia's blog at The Lovely Sisters.

And now it's time for some details about Foodie Penpals. In case you’re a new reader, here’s a reminder of what the program is all about:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.

-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!

-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!

-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)

-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We've determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.

If you’re interested in participating for October, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

You must submit your information by October 4th as pairings will be emailed on October 5th!

*If you're from somewhere besides the US, Canada or Europe and want to participate, send me an email and I'll see if we get enough interest this month!

WIAW #30 - Homemade Milks + Veggie Okara Burgers

2012-09-25T22:54:00.001-05:00

I don't know about everyone else, but it I am positive the temp rose in conjunction with the first day of Fall. We were basking in the almost-perfect 80 degree weather last week, and now we're back in the mid-90's here in Texas. What gives?

Oh well, I shouldn't complain, I choose heat over cold any day. I'd rather sweat pools, not shiver like stiff, rigid tree on a windy day. Yeah, that was the analogy that came to mind, so I'm using it.

Besides the lack of Fall feeling in the air, I still feel like it's Fall when I go to the store. There is winter squash and Fall decorations place across the store I go to. The squash catches my eyes more so than any decorations; you can't eat those!

This Fall, I'm predicting I'll use my new Soyajoy G3 Soy Milk Maker for a lot of things. Of course, I'll make soy milk, but you can make milk for anything that's a nut, seed, grain, or bean, so why limit myself to just soy? I've already made quinoa milk and a mix of soy and pistachio milk which both created a creamy, tasty milk perfect for smoothies, cereal, or drinking alone.

But soy milk isn't all you can make with this handy kitchen tool; it makes juice, smoothies, soup, and a base for veggie burgers/patties too. The pulp leftover after straining the fresh-made soy milk is called okara and is similar to tofu but less processed and has more fiber. Yay, fiber makes you "move"!

My first attempt at using the pulp/okara to make vegetarian burgers turned out fantastic. I'm not a fan of using the traditional bun, so I made an open-faced portobello bun burger instead. As you can see, I had to try before I felt it was picture worthy, but it obviously passed. I'll be making these using different add-ins quite often.

When I don't have time to use the okara for patties, I can just make thick, protein filled smoothies instead. I haven't tried, but wonder how it would do in a microwave protein cake recipe like my chocolate layer cake. Hmmm, stay tuned.

Old, recycled pic. Like the red tint everywhere? There's nothing actually red in there!

I need to do some more tampering with the burger recipe and then I'll share with anyone who cares. The next function I am eagerly waiting to use is making soup. As soon as the fall weather accompanies this fall season, I'll attempt a creamy pumpkin-ginger soup.

I know there's winter squash galore at the store (didn't mean for that to rhyme), but I also have 2 cases of Farmer's Market Pumpkin Puree to use when in a time crunch. You might say I got a little excited on Amazon, but organic and bpa-free cans at a lower that in-store price is hard to turn away. Plus, you can never have too much pumpkin on hand!

Needless to say, the soy milk maker is a healthy addition to the kitchen and you can expect to see several delicious creations I've made using this machine.

Thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons as always for putting on this WIAW event! Now, lets get to the eats....

Happy What I Ate Wednesday!

Ok, this is not my typical way of eating (although I do take in most of my daily energy at night when in the comfort of home), but I had to fast all day for a blood test in the afternoon. After that, I finished my work for the day, struggled through a workout (yes, I'm stubborn....or is it stupid?), and then went about eating to my ~~heart's~~ stomach's content.

This is my breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, etc. all in one. Since my stomach has limits, I'll make up for the lack of food tomorrow, I'm sure of it!

I'll admit, I did have this in the morning with a little homemade soy milk.

Then, in the evening, I started with my usual big salad. This one had a lot of salmon and brussels sprouts drenched in my own lentil salsa dressing.

I snacked on a lot of these peanut butter pumpkin cookies along with a chocolate spinach protein smoothie.

Moving on, I demolished a microwave chocolate protein bread/cake with plain Chobani and peanuts.

Not one to give in to a slightly full stomach, I ended with a generous portion of my coconut peanut butter pumpkin protein dip. This stuff is bliss in edible dip form; so addictive!

Not as much as usual, but I'm sure you all have "those" days...right? Fasting as a foodie is no fun!

Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week!

If you could or do make your own alternative milk, what would you use (besides soy) to make the milk? Think of all the nuts, seeds, grains, and beans; so many options, I don't know which to choose next. Maybe black bean milk? Hmmm, sure that would look tasty....