Banana Bread Quinoa! Crockpot Recipe!

This morning's clean eats breakfast is one that will surely make your tastebuds happy. Not to mention, it'll make your entire house happy, since it'll smell like freshly baked banana bread! Yum! In addition, this recipe utilizes a slow cooker, making for very little prep work--- and it only takes a mere hour in the slow cooker. It's ideal for easy morning cooking; pop it in the slow cooker, go about your business getting ready for the day, and in an hour you'll have some scrumptious clean eats! Ready for the details?

Tastes like it's fresh from the oven... Only it's fresh from the crockpot!

Recipe:
Banana Bread Quinoa (Serves 2)

1/2 Cup quinoa
1/4 Cup light coconut milk
1/4 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 Cup water
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract (not imitation!)
1 Overripe banana
2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
4 Packets Truvia/Stevia

In a bowl, mash the banana. Add the banana, along with the rest of the ingredients, to the slow cooker, mixing thoroughly. Cook on high for 1 hour. Serve with additional chopped walnuts or banana slices if desired. Enjoy!

This recipe truly does taste like eating a bowl of warm, fresh, moist banana bread. Delicious! I served this with some egg whites on the side, to ensure adequate protein intake for breakfast. This dish was an absolute hit in my house!

On a side note--- this is my backpack. They really don't call me "Muddy Melissa" for nothing! Hehehe! I've got physical therapy again today, but, to be honest, even after my long run yesterday--- I'm feeling great! I think I'm finally (pun 100% intended!) back on my feet! Woohoo!

Limey Green & Morning Run!

So--- this week I'm trying out some juices from a business local to Pittsburgh--- Fresh From the Farm Juices. Indeed, these juices are made fresh; as I was picking up my juices, an apple delivery was being made. So far, it shows in their juices. I'm absolutely loving "Limey Green," which is, hands down, my favorite juice thus far. The first thing out of my mouth was: "I like that this is more limey and less green." The ingredients are apple, spinach, kale, carrot, lime, and cilantro (really, how much cleaner can you get?!); of course, that bright green color might initially scare some people off. Thankfully, however, "Limey Green" doesn't taste like liquified spinach--- the apple and lime are enough to make this juice bright, crisp, and citrusy--- yum!

I tossed a bottle of this in my gym bag today before heading to the gym, and I was a happy camper as I busted out one of my longer runs--- 15.1 miles. I did a half marathon with a mile for a warm up, a mile for a cool down, plus some slow/fast speed intervals toward the end for cardiac reserve training. I'm feeling good! How about the rest of you out there--- feeling good or feeling that mid-week sluggishness set in?!

French Toast Power Casserole! Crockpot Recipe!

Today's clean eats breakfast: French Toast Power Casserole! What makes it "power" casserole? Well, it's packed with protein to help you power your way through your day! Not to mention that this recipe is delicious--- apples, walnuts, cinnamon, and just a hint of honey and vanilla. You can't go wrong with that, can you?! Who said eating clean meant eating bland?! Not me!

Recipe:
French Toast Power Casserole (Serves 2; Crockpot Recipe!)

4 slices whole grain bread (I use Ezekiel's brand)

French Toast Mixture:
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
4 Truvia/Stevia packets
1 Scoop vanilla whey protein powder (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition in Birthday Cake)
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract (not imitation!)
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon

Apple Mixture:
1 Cup apples, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 Teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Cut bread slices into bite-size squares. Set aside. In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the French toast mixture. In a separate bowl, mix together all ingredients for the apple mixture. Once prepared, spread a layer of the bread cubes on the bottom of the crockpot, followed by a layer of the apple mixture, then another layer of the bread cubes, and finally a layer of the apple mixture again. Lastly, pour the French toast mixture evenly over everything, ensuring that everything gets thoroughly coated. Cook on high for 2 hours, or until the edges of the French toast casserole become golden brown.

This is, hands down, a delicious recipe that I dare you to resist! Yum!

My February Challenge!

As I train for my next marathon, I'm hoping all of you out there will help keep me accountable for my training! How can you guys do that? Well, it's simple--- for every +1 on Google, every like on Facebook, and every like on Instagram, I will run 1 mile in February! This is my challenge to myself & my promise to you guys! I'm possibly crazy for doing this, but I'm hoping you'll all follow me along here as I complete my challenge throughout February!

P.S. No doubles, guys! That's cheating!

W8Fit Review & New Workout Duds!

I recently purchased a set of weighted wrist cuffs from W8Fit, along with a couple other snazzy-looking workout shirts. These weighted wrist cuffs have 4 pockets, each holding 1/4 lbs of weight, to create 1 lbs of weight on each wrist--- 2 lbs total. Now, as someone who can squat upwards of 150 lbs & deadlift upwards of 200 lbs, those measly extra 2 lbs certainly didn't seem like they'd do much of anything for me. But--- these cuffs were on sale for $34, so I figured... what the heck, I'll give 'em a try!

And try I did! First of all, inserting the weights into the cuffs and putting the cuffs on is a breeze. Once on, the weight certainly didn't seem intimidating to me by any means, as I flailed my arms about to see how they felt. However, always the intrepid scientist, I really wanted to put these babies to the test. So, in preparation for receiving these in the mail, I used my Body Media monitoring device (tested for accuracy!) to calculate my caloric burn during various activities--- a P90X3 MMX (mixed martial arts) workout, an hour long run at a steady pace, and a yoga routine. So how did these cuffs fare?

Well, on the P90X3 MMX workout, I saw a whopping total of an additional 20.5% in caloric burn. On the hour long run (again at a set pace--- I used a treadmill for this), I saw a 25.8% increase in caloric burn. As for the yoga? Well, I saw virtually no change in caloric burn for that. My assumption is that, in regards to the MMX and running, the cuffs increased the caloric burn substantially due to the vigorous arm motions; whereas, in my yoga routine, which was fairly tame and did not involve extensive arm movement--- the cuffs had only minimal effect.

If you're looking to up your caloric burn during cardio activities involving a lot of arm movement, I think these weighted wrist cuffs work great to accomplish that. I obviously have no way to test, with certainty, if these aided in muscle development at all, but I will say that my arms were not sore whatsoever afterward, so I personally don't believe so. But that might just be because I am personally used to lifting heavy weights regularly. But in terms of caloric burn, these cuffs definitely increased the difficulty and, as such, increased the caloric burn. A simple way to add to your cardio workouts, in my opinion!

I also snagged some cute workout shirts from wW8Fit! Of course I needed to rep my marathon training, so I got a shirt emblazoned with 26.2 on the back! I also got a yoga workout shirt and a cardio workout shirt--- both are super cute, and I couldn't wait to try them out during a workout! You know how it is, girls out there... nothing gives you more motivation to work out than super cute new 
workout duds! Am I right or am I right?! 

Peanut Butter Power Pudding!

Today's clean eats breakfast recipe is a tasty treat for all you peanut butter fanatics (such as myself!) out there--- a delicious bowl of warm peanut butter power pudding for breakfast!

Recipe:
Peanut Butter Power Pudding (Serves 1)

1/2 Cup oats
1 Cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 Banana
2 Tablespoons PB2 powder
2 Packets Truvia/Stevia
1 Scoop peanut butter whey protein (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition)
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract (not imitation!)
Optional: carob chips for garnish

Note: if you do not have peanut butter whey protein, then you can subsititute for vanilla whey protein, but I would increase the PB2 powder by 1 tablespoon, and eliminate the vanilla extract.

In a pan over the stove, simmer the oats in the unsweetened almond milk until the majority of the liquid is gone. Then, pour the oats in a blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend thoroughly, then pour in a bowl to serve, garnishing with carob chips if you desire. Eat and enjoy! You can also store this in the fridge, then eat your pudding cold if you'd like. Yum!

Hot Cocoa Power Oatmeal with a Mug of Hot Cocoa! All Clean!

Yet another snowy day here in Pittsburgh! The roads are too bad to go anywhere yet again; my husband barely made it home safe and sound from work this morning. He even saw cars backsliding down the hill we live on! Our door is frozen solid--- even the lock is coated in ice! Brrrrrrrrr... I'm keeping my booty parked in front of the fireplace today!

And what is better on a freezing winter day than a mug of steaming hot cocoa? Nothing! So, in honor of today's blizzard, I present: clean hot cocoa power oatmeal and clean hot cocoa! YUM!

Recipe:
Hot Cocoa Power Oatmeal (Serves 1)

1/2 Cup oats
1 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 Scoop chocolate whey protein powder (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition)
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
2 Packets Truvia/Stevia
Optional: carob chips or baking chocolate

In a pot over the stove, simmer the oats in the unsweetened almond milk until the majority of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining ingredients. Garnish with carob chips or baking chocolate if desired just before serving!

Recipe:
Clean Hot Cocoa (Serves 1--- Only 40 calories!)

1 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
4 Packets Truvia/Stevia

In a pot over the stove, simmer the unsweetened almond milk over low heat. Whisk in the remaining ingredients until throughly combined. Once the hot cocoa is thoroughly mixed and heated, pour into a mug to serve and enjoy your chocolatey goodness!

What a delicious way to start the day off when it's so cold that you just can't seem to get going! But, of course, get going I will! I'm working out with the hubs today, since he's home from work. How about all of you guys out there--- keeping warm, hibernating, what? I want to know!

Food for Thought Friday: Workout Fuel--- What to Eat Before, After, & During!

Today's Food for Thought Friday installment focuses on food to fuel your workout. We've all heard the pre/post/during workout recommendations, but maybe you haven't been able to make sense of it, or you've heard conflicting things. My hope is that this short video will clear everything up for you! Enjoy!

Take away points:

3 Macronutrients
      1. Carbohydrates
           Simple vs. Complex
      2. Protein
      3. Fats

Pre-Workout Consumption (1-2 Hours Before):
      Complex Carbohydrates
           oats
           muesli
           sweet potatoes
           brown rice
           whole grain bread
           whole grain pasta
      2 8-Ounce glasses of water

Post-Workout Consumption (Within 1 Hour After):
      Lean Protein
           whey protein powder
           turkey
           chicken
           shrimp
           egg whites
      1 8-Ounce glass of water per 1 lb weight loss

*** Ideally, both pre and post workout you should aim to consume complex carbohydrates AND lean protein. However, if that's not possible (due to time, travel, etc.)--- the focus pre wokout should be on complex carbohydrates and the focus post workout should be on lean protein!

During Workout Consumption (ONLY for extreme cardio and extended workouts!):
      Simple Carbohydrates
           Fruits such as bananas, apples, etc.
      Electrolyte Replacements (Use with CAUTION--- I use NUUN!)
      Water, water, water!

Well guys, I hope you've found this informative. Questions, comments, life musings--- whatever, I want to hear your thoughts!

"Good Morning, Pumpkin!" Power Oatmeal! (Crockpot Recipe!)

Wouldn't we all love to wake up every morning, and have a healthy, warm, delicious breakfast waiting for us already? Well--- you can! With this recipe, all you have to do is put some ingredients in a crockpot before heading to bed, and you'll have a tasty treat waiting for you first thing in the morning! Who says that eating clean has to be complicated? It really is THAT SIMPLE! Ready for the recipe guys?

Recipe:
"Good Morning, Pumpkin!" Power Oatmeal (Serves 2--- Crockpot Recipe!)

1/2 Cup oats
1/2 Cup pumpkin (canned is fine, but make sure the only ingredient is pumpkin!)
1 Cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 Cup water
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon ginger
1/4 Teaspoon ground clove
4 Packets of Truvia/Stevia
Sprinkling of salt
2 Scoops vanilla or pumpkin whey protein (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition's Pumpkin Spice Whey Protein Powder)
Optional as garnish: walnuts, pecans, raisins, etc.

Place all of the ingredients (except the protein powder) in a slow cooker. Mix the ingredients thoroughly, then cook on low for 8 hours. Just before serving, stir in the whey protein, and garnish with chopped nuts or dried fruit if desired (I used some walnuts and craisins! Yum!). Please note, I like my oatmeal super thick (you know--- the kind that clings to the spoon!). If you prefer a runnier oatmeal, then add more liquid to your crockpot.

Enjoy guys! I absolutely ADORE this recipe, because it's a great treat to wake up to--- and even better because it's one that requires almost no morning prep work! Awesome!

Your Legs are a Gift... USE THEM!

Our bodies are a gift. Yet for those of us who are fortunate enough to have functioning bodies--- this is a gift we all too often overlook. I mean, really, when was the last time you looked at your legs? No, I mean really looked at them--- looked at them with wonder, joy, and amazement for all of the things they can do. Walk, run, dance, jump, skip, leap, frolic, stretch, squat, kick, lunge, tiptoe... and so much more! It's astonishing when you stop to think about it... these mechanical powerhouses that move us about in this world. I know, I know... you're probably sitting there thinking "they're just legs, Melissa. everyone's got a pair."

But the truth is--- not everyone does. Not everyone has been gifted with a pair of functional legs. I know this hard truth firsthand, because my own grandmother was wheelchair-ridden far too early in her life. She struggled with illness the majority of her life, and she spent more years in a wheelchair than years out of one. She was, however, a remarkable woman, and while she was not blessed with the ability to use her legs for much of her life--- instead, she was blessed with an innate inner strength, a pure heart filled with love, and many people around her to support her.

My grandmother... I love her and miss her more than anything!

She has been an inspiration for me, and she's motivated me throughout my life. Today, I wanted to share that same inspiration and motivation with you all as well. When she was young, my grandmother loved to dance--- and when she no longer could, she never complained about it. She didn't bitch or moan or whine. Rather, she learned to dance with her spirit, her heart, and her soul instead. And I know, in my heart of hearts, that she is in heaven right now--- looking down on me. So I dance for her (yes, that video is of me!), and I run for her. I live for her, and I love for her. I do all of these things for her--- because of her.

My challenge to you today is this: use your legs. They are a precious gift to you, so do not allow yourself to take them for granted one more day. Use them. To walk. To dance. To run. Something, anything, everything. And feel grateful for it--- because no matter what you choose to do, no matter how big or how small, you are doing something that not everyone out there can do.

Physical Therapy and Coconutter No-Bake Protein Cookies!

Well, I went to physical therapy this morning. I still don't have a definitive answer on why I'm feeling pain in my hip. As someone who works in the medical field, it baffles even me because the pain doesn't occur when I run or when I exercise--- its a sort of deferred pain that I don't feel until 1-2 days following. I did, however, receive a heat treatment and an ultrasound treatment, in addition to the hip stretching exercises I was assigned to do at home. Hopefully with a bit of rest (if I can manage that!) and these treatments, my hip pain will clear up quickly. I will NOT let any sort of injury get in the way of my marathon training!

Me--- getting a heat treatment at physical therapy!

Today's breakfast recipe? Coconutter no-bake protein cookies! These cookies have been such a hit in my household--- they quickly disappear whenever I make them! As such, I've taken to only making individual batches at a time (FYI this is the reason for the small measurement increments--- you can multiply the recipe as needed!). The combination of coconut and peanut butter is a match made in heaven; they compliment each other so well, yielding phenomenal results! And unlike traditional sugar, butter, and white flour-laden cookies, these protein-packed babies are treats you don't need to feel guilty about! And, of course, they're no-bakes so they're ready in a pinch! A word of caution though--- a serving of these cookies contains a serving of protein as well, so don't be gobbling these cookies down without consideration for your overall nutritional macros! 

Protein cookies... healthy treats without the guilt!

Recipe:
Coconutter No-Bake Protein Cookies (Serves 1; Makes 2 large or 4 small cookies)

1 Scoop peanut butter whey protein powder (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition in Peanut Butter flavor)
3 Tablespoons oats
2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/16 Teaspoon salt
1/16 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Packet Truvia/Stevia
1 Tablespoon PB2
2 Tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
2 Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut 

In a bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (except for the coconut), including the whey protein, oats, whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, Truvia, and PB2. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer the mixture to a food processor, and add in the unsweetened almond milk. Process together; the mixture should form a nice, sticky, thick dough. Add more/less milk as needed. At this point, you can refrigerate the dough for 15-20 minutes so that it'll be easier to form into cookies later. Place the unsweetened shredded coconut in a shallow bowl to coat the cookies. Form the dough into cookies; you can create 2 large cookie patties or you can create 4 smaller cookie balls. Coat the cookies in the unsweetened shredded coconut, and transfer to a plate. Eat immediately, or refrigerate until eating! Enjoy!

Hard at work in the kitchen creating clean eats!

Yum, yum, yum... another hit recipe from Muddy Melissa's clean eats test kitchen! I hope you guys enjoy!

Poblano Pulled Pork

Aaaaaaaand... onto the poblano pulled pork!

Spicy, juicy, tender, flavorful... Poblano pulled pork!

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder picnic roast, trimmed of any excess fat and cubed into 1-2 inch chunks (150 calories for 4 ounces... some cuts of pork are much fattier!)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 pound roughly chopped tomatoes
2 chopped Poblano peppers
3 chopped Serrano peppers
1/2 of a red onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I used Frank's--- it's clean)
4 cups fat free low sodium chicken broth (make sure the only ingredient is chicken broth/stock)
Juice from 1 lime

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Sprinkle the pork chunks with the salt and pepper. In a lightly oiled oven-safe pot on the stove, brown the pork chunks on high heat. Once browned on all sides, drain the pork of any excess fat, and set aside the pork temporarily. In the same pot, combine the tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook until all of the ingredients become tender, then add the spices (cumin, paprika, coriander, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce), along with the pork. Pour the chicken broth into the pot, ensuring to cover all of the ingredients (you may need to add more or less chicken broth). Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and place the entire pot in the oven. 


Cook for 2.5-3 hours, or until the pork is tender enough to pull apart with ease. Remove the pot from the oven, and use a slotted spoon to remove all of the pork chunks. Shred the pork chunks using two forks, and set the shredded pork aside. Place an empty pot in the sink, with a colander/strainer above it, so that the empty pot will catch any excess liquid. Pour the broth and pepper mixture through the colander/strainer, catching all of the peppers in the colander/strainer. Place the peppers in a blender, and measure out 1 cup of the broth, adding it to the blender as well, along with the lime juice. Blend together until thoroughly mixed. Once mixed, add the sauce to the pulled pork and mix the two together. You can add more/less of the broth, depending on how thick or how thin you want your sauce to be.

Shredded pulled pork ready to have sauce added

Let me just tell you, this recipe made the entire house smell fantastic! We couldn't wait to get a taste of the pulled pork (which is saying something--- because Steve and I both hate pork)! Steve's parents also got a taste of this poblano pulled pork recipe, and they were absolutely amazed with the recipe. You can eat this pulled pork in a variety of ways too: Steve and his father both opted for traditional pulled pork sandwiches (higher carb option), while I chose to make mine into a lettuce wrap (so messy but so good! you know that kind of messy goodness--- dripping down your arms with yumminess!), and Steve's mother decided to use her pulled pork to top her salad (pulled pork salad--- awesome idea!). The pork was juicy, tender, spicy, and flavorful. It definitely received a huge thumbs up from everyone at the dinner table and I hope it makes its way to your dinner table sometime soon too!

12 Mile Run & Raspberry Vanilla Protein Cake With Creamy Protein Filling!

Muddy Melissa's test kitchen received quite a workout of its own today! I decided to prepare and photograph all of my meals and all of my recipes that I'll be sharing with you in advance to give me a jump start on my week. Let me just tell you guys--- GOOD STUFF IS IN STORE! As always, everything will be clean, healthy, and (let's not forget!) delicious! You'll definitely want to keep checking back for those recipes throughout the week.

Raspberry Vanilla Protein Cake with Creamy Protein Filling

My breakfast recipe of the day? Raspberry vanilla protein cake with creamy protein filling. Oh my gosh, this cake came out so moist--- Steve couldn't resist it. He ended up eating a serving of this for his breakfast this morning! Want to hear what magic Muddy Melissa used to make this yummy cake clean? Keep reading then...

Recipe:
Raspberry Vanilla Protein Cake (Makes 1 9 inch round cake)

2 Cups whole wheat flour
3 Scoops vanilla whey protein (I used my favorite--- About Time/SDC Nutrition's Birthday Cake whey protein)
4 Teaspoons baking powder
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon cinnamon 
10 Truvia/Stevia packets

1 Cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 Cup plain fat free Greek yogurt
3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract 
1/2 Cup seltzer water (carbonated water)

2 Cups raspberries (Set aside 1/2 cup raspberries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In one bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients (except for the raspberries). Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Gently fold in 1 1/2 cups of the raspberries, and pour the cake batter into a greased 9 inch springform pan. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of the raspberries evenly on the top of the cake. Bake until golden-brown on top (about 30-40 minites). Let cool.

Golden brown goodness!

Creamy Protein Filling
3/4 Cup plain fat free Greek yogurt
1 Scoop vanilla whey protein (I used my favorite--- About Time/SDC Nutrition's Birthday Cake whey protein)
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Truvia/Stevia packets

Whisk together yogurt, whey protein, vanilla extract, and stevia until evenly mixed. Once the cake has cooled, use a serrated knife to slice the cake longways. Remove the top half of the cake, and spread a layer of the creamy protein filling inside the cake. Replace the top half of the cake. Serve and enjoy!

Use a serrated knife to slice the cake longways 

Spread the creamy protein frosting over the bottom half of the cake

This cake came out super moist. Sometimes cooking with protein powder can yield unsavory results--- often the protein powder causes things to become dry. Not in this cake! This cake was moist, light, and fluffy (largely, I think, due to the added seltzer water). Steve loves this cake, and I hope you will too!

Also, I got in my run today. I did 12 miles this morning. I didn't feel any pain in my hip today, but I still have to meet with physical therapy tomorrow for my consultation. I just know that I'd much rather get any pain nipped in the bud ASAP rather than risk a season-deterring injury! I have too many things upcoming to let this get in my way! So, fingers crossed everything turns out well for me!

Before my 12 mile run today

Check back later tonight for another yummy recipe! I have some pulled pork poblano cooking up in the oven right now, and it's filled my entire house with the smells of deliciousness! So I can tell you without a doubt that it will be a recipe that you surely DO NOT want to miss!

Busy Day! 2 Crisp Variations & Pesto Chicken Skewers!

Well, its been a busy. It was pouring outside this morning, but I didn't let that deter me from my morning run. I did a total of 6 miles today. Unfortunately, I was in excruciating pain afterward with a bum hip... ouch! I stopped by an urgent care facility to get a referral for physical therapy. Of course they wanted to hop me up on pain killers--- but I said "thanks, but no thanks." Physical therapy will be more able to help me, and pain killers are not this girl's style. I'll tough it out!

FUCK INJURIES!

For breakfast, I tried out a few variations on my protein crisp recipe. One uses apples; one uses cherries. Both came out fantastic! These will become household favorites along with my original protein blueberry crisp recipe. Want the details? Keep reading, guys!

Oh gosh this was so delightful!

Recipe:

Protein Cinnamon Apple Crisp (Serves 1)

1/2 of an apple cut into rough chunks (about 1 cup total--- my apples were ginormous!)

1 packet of Truvia/Stevia

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Juice from 1/4 of a lemon

Crisp Topping (Tops 1 apple crisp)

1 Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition's Whey Protein in Birthday Cake)

2 Tablespoons oats

1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon ginger

1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon ground cloves

Juice from 1/2 of a lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make this crisp variation, microwave the apple chunks in a bowl filled with water for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, the apples will be tender. Drain the apple chunks, and mix with the Truvia, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Place in the bottom of a ramekin. In a food processor, add all of the crisp topping ingredients. Process until the crisp mixture becomes crumbly. Layer the crisp mixture on top of the apple mixture. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden-brown on top.

Proteiny cherry crisp goodness! Mmmmm...

Protein Black Cherry Crisp (Serves 1)

1 Cup of black cherries (fresh is preferable... if not, frozen would work too--- just make sure the only ingredient is cherries! Don't let them sneak unnecessary sugar in there on you!)

2 packets of Truvia/Stevia (I added more Truvia for this variation to cut the tartness of the black cherries)

Crisp Topping (Tops 1 black cherry crisp)

1 Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition's Whey Protein in Birthday Cake)

2 Tablespoons oats

1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon

Juice from 1/2 of a lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make this crisp variation, coat the cherries with the Truvia. Place the coated cherries in the bottom of a ramekin. In a food processor, add all of the crisp topping ingredients. Process until the crisp mixture becomes crumbly. Layer the crisp mixture on top of the coated cherries. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden-brown on top.

These crisps were actually eaten by my in-laws! I tasted both, of course (I can't be recommending recipes I've never actually tried!), but I had an egg white frittata for breakfast this morning instead. I got a little bit experimental this morning, and I concocted (what I believe to be) the perfect frittata--- a heavenly balance of sweet and spicy! It was a fabulous intermingling of sweet cherry tomatoes, red peppers, and pomegranate vinegar with spicy poblano peppers, cajun spice, and some hot sauce. I honestly think this is the best frittata I've ever made!

I was in frittata heaven this morning!

Recipe:

Sweet and Spicy Egg White Frittata (Serves 1)

1/2 Cup baby bella mushrooms

1/4 Cup chopped sweet red peppers

2 Tablespoons chopped poblano peppers

1/2 Cup chopped kale

1/2 Cup halved sweet cherry tomatoes

1 Tablespoon pomegranate vinegar

4 egg whites

Salt & pepper to taste

Cajun spice to taste

Hot sauce to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a lightly oiled 6-8 inch oven-safe pan over the stove. Sauté mushrooms, red peppers, and poblano peppers until tender. When tender, add in the kale as well. When the kale has become slightly wilted, add in both the sweet cherry tomatoes and the pomegranate vinegar. Sauté for about one minute. Remove from heat, and add in the egg whites, as well as spices to taste (I added about 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and cajun spice, as well as some dashes of hot sauce). Place the oven-safe pan in the oven, and bake the frittata for about 8-10 minutes--- or until the edges become golden-brown.

For dinner, I made one of Steve's favorites: pesto chicken and cherry to skewers. I served it with a yummy side of sweet cinnamon carrots (carrots+cinnamon=totes awesomesauce, FYI). Steve gobbled his up! For whatever reason, I wasn't in the mood for this tonight... so I had protein (About Time in Birthday Cake flavor) pancakes for dinner. Yup, brinner again for me! We must look like quite the odd couple, sitting there at the table together--- him with large skewers of chicken and tomatoes, me with a short stack of birthday cake flavored pancakes. Oh well! We both enjoyed our dinners!

One of Steve's favorite clean eats dinners!

Recipe:
Pesto Chicken and Cherry Tomato Skewers (Serves 2; Makes 4 skewers)

4 Skewers
8 Ounces chicken breast, cubed
1/2 Cup chopped fresh basil
1 Chopped garlic clove
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (I know you'll be tempted to opt for the fat free/reduced fat stuff--- please don't! It's only fat free/reduced fat because it's been processed to hell and back... go with a natural, full fat, fresh cheese, and instead eat that sparingly! Please! Your body and I will thank you!)
1 Tablespoon oil (try to use a healthy oil--- I used sunflower oil, but EVOO would work too)
1.5 Cups whole cherry tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and oil in a food processor. Process until thoroughly mixed. Coat chicken breast cubes and cherry tomatoes in the pesto mixture. Place the chicken breast cubes and the cherry tomatoes on the skewers in an alternating pattern. Place on a greased baking sheet, and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle. (Please note: in the summer, I toss these skewers on the grill outside... they're super tasty that way! Unfortunately, its winter... so no grilled skewers today! But they can be cooked either way, and they come out delicious!) Enjoy!

Sweet Cinnamon Carrots (Serves 2)
1 Cup sliced carrots
2 Truvia/Stevia packets
1 Teaspoon cinnamon

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil carrots until carrots become tender. Drain. Toss carrots with Truvia and cinnamon. In a lightly oiled, pan sauté the coated carrots for a few minutes. Serve!

Well guys, I have a hot date with a heating pad tonight (get it--- hot date?! man, I crack myself up!). I hope you enjoy these clean eats recipes. Just a heads up--- tomorrow morning I'm attending a pop-up vegan brunch buffet, so I won't be posting any breakfast recipes tomorrow. I will, however, be updating you on the delicious vegan eats I'll be experiencing tomorrow!

Food for Thought Friday: What Does Food Mean to You?

Hi all! I want to welcome you to the first installment of FOOD FOR THOUGHT FRIDAY! Now, what's that, you ask? Simply put, on Food for Thought Fridays, I'll post a short video with nutritional information. We all know that the two keys to a healthy lifestyle are diet and exercise, but all also know that actually unlocking those two things--- by working out and eating right--- aren't always so simple! My hope is that, by watching my two weekly video series, WOW Wednesdays and Food for Thought Fridays, you'll be better able to take control of your health and your body. So here goes! In this week's video, I discuss the meaning of food. Please watch--- its short but sweet!

We all love food. But, the fact is--- sometimes the food we love isn't loving us back. Too many of us have an emotional relationship with food... and that relationship is emotionally abusing us! With such strong emotions and nostalgic memories surrounding food, many of us end up seeking emotional needs in food that can't possibly be fulfilled. As a result, the only emotion that food gives us--- is guilt. Why? Because we KNOW we should be making our food choices based off what we need to nourish our bodies, but we FEEL that making certain food choices will in some way nourish us emotionally. That, of course, isn't possible, leading to a cyclical relationship with food... one where we are always chasing an emotional feeling from food that we know, with our heads, that food is never going to give us. But we keep repeating the same behavior--- again and again and again.

I do have a psychology degree, guys! Ha!

My husband previewed this video for me, and I have to tell you--- he did have an "aha! moment." One of Steve's favorite foods and biggest weaknesses is pizza. Little Caesar's pizza, to be exact! After watching this video, he suddenly exclaimed "I think I know why I can't resist pizza!" He then revealed to me that, when he was a kid, whenever he got a good report card at school--- he would get rewarded with a pizza. Just from watching my video, he began to connect the dots: does he really want that pizza? Or is capturing that feeling of his parents being proud of him and getting rewarded for his hard work what he really wants in that moment when he succumbs to his pizza cravings?

What about you guys? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic--- as well as on my video. Love it? Tell me about it! Share this video & tell your friends! Hate it? That's okay too--- just drop me a comment and let me know why, so I can do better next time. In next week's installment, I'll be discussing a topic that I've gotten asked about a lot: what to eat (carbs, protein, fat) and WHEN to eat them--- pre-workout, post-workout, late at night, etc.! So stay tuned for that video next week!

As always, stay happy and live healthy!
xoxox,
Muddy Melissa

      Take away points:

• What does food mean to you?
• What struggles do you have when it comes to food? Eating late at night, eating at social functions, falling victim to convenience food?
• What drives you to eat? Stress, loneliness, peer pressure, feeling like you're depriving yourself if you don't eat something?
• How else can you meet those needs--- that don't involve food?
• What is your emotional relationship with food?
• Lastly, do you have any strong food-related memories? Your mother's cooking? A restaurant you always went to as a kid? Your grandmother's baking?

Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry with Cauliflower Tots

I have another yummy recipe for ya'll! Straight from Muddy Melissa's menu today!

Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry with Cauliflower Tots... Who said healthy had to be BLAND?!

Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry (Serves 2)

8 Ounces shrimp (this is great with chicken too!)
2 Tablespoons diced onion
1/2 Tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 Chopped garlic clove
1/2 Cup light coconut milk
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro (or 1/2 tablespoon dried cilantro)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a pan, saute the onion in a bit of oil on high heat. Once the onion begins to become tender, lower the stove to medium heat, then add the coconut milk, red curry paste, and chopped garlic clove. Bring the sauce to a light simmer, then add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp until it becomes opaque (remember your Cs and Os when cooking shrimp--- it should curl into a "c" shape... if it curls into an "o" shape, its been overcooked!). Just before serving, mix in the cilantro and season with salt and/or pepper to taste. 

Cauliflower Tots (Serves 2)

1/2 Chopped head of cauliflower
1 Chopped garlic clove
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1 Teaspoon parsley
1/4 Cup panko breading

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a pot, boil cauliflower until it becomes tender. Remove from pot, drain the cauliflower, and place the cauliflower in a food processor along with the garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley. Process the ingredients together. It should be a rice-like consistency when finished. Place panko breading in a shallow bowl to use when coating the caulilfower tots. Wait until the cauliflower has cooled, then remove spoonfuls of cauliflower. Take each spoonful of cauliflower, and form it into a 3/4-1 inch ball. Roll the ball in the panko breading, then place the cauliflower tot on a baking sheet. Repeat until all of the cauliflower is used, then bake the cauliflower tots for 10-15 minutes, or until the cauliflower tots begin to brown. Enjoy the crunchy low carb goodness!

I love this recipe! If I were cooking just for myself, I would have made it spicier, but alas... Steve's a wimp when it comes to anything spicy! So the recipe is pretty mild as is! And tots? Come on, no one can resisit a tot... cauliflower or not! I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

Steve made me watch Insidious 2 with him tonight. Man, I love scary movies, but when it comes to watching them, I am SUCH a raging wuss. Guess who will be sleeping with the lights on tonight?! I slept with the lights on for 2 weeks after watching Paranormal Activity. Reason #5046546 to work out: to scare away all the ghosts and monsters and baddies before they scare ME! Hehehehe... Night guys!

Winter Run, Back & Biceps Day, Plus Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes

Stepping outside to the 20 degree weather felt almost like a hot summer day in comparison to the below freezing temperatures we've had lately, so I quite enjoyed my morning run on the trails today. As always, running outside in the cold improves my pace--- I'm always in a hurry to go, go, go... that way I can get home to my toasty fireplace! I did 5 miles this morning, so nothing too crazy. The trails were beautiful today, even though I didn't spot a single soul out there with me today! I guess the cold chased everyone else away but me!

Snow covered shoes and snow covered trails

Today's weight lifting workout was back and biceps. Bicep curls, hammer curls, Zottman curls, EZ bar deadlifts, EZ bar bent over rows, one armed rows, bent over reverse flys, pull-overs, chin ups, and pull-ups. My back and biceps will be feeling it tomorrow, that's for sure. Also--- I'm at the point where I need to buy the expansion weights for my PowerBlocks and buy additional weight plates for my EZ bar. This, of course, makes me happy that my lifting has progressed so much--- but sad that I'll have to shell out a pretty penny for both!

Live.Love.Lift.

This morning's clean eats breakfast was one of my favorites: peanut butter protein pancakes. I usually make my pancakes and waffles with Big Train Low Carb Pancake and Waffle Mix. There are numerous protein pancake recipes floating out there, and I've tried more than a few of them--- but I always come back to my Big Train mix. Its easy, convenient, and clean. Plus I find that a lot of the protein pancake recipes result in an unsavory texture... flat, chewy, yuck. So I stick with this! I made my protein pancakes with About Time/SDC Nutrition protein powder in peanut butter flavor. Yum!

I'll post the recipe, but its fairly simple!

So easy but so delicious!

Recipe:
Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes (serves 2)

1/2 Cup Big Train Low Carb Pancake/Waffle Mix
1 Scoop About Time/SDC Nutrition in peanut butter flavor
1 Tablespoon unsweetened applesauce (substitution for the oil recommended on the box)
2 Egg whites (substitution for the whole egg recommended on the box)
1/2 Cup Water

Whisk all of the ingredients together. Pour batter in 1/4 cup increments onto a very hot pan on the stove. As soon as the edges start to become cooked, flip the pancake on the other side to cook. This recipe should make about 6 pancakes. Eat and enjoy!

Protein Fluff Recipe!

I can't take any credit for this recipe for protein fluff whatsoever; this is a recipe that circulates around on a lot of bodybuilding websites, because its just such an awesome (and ingenious!) way to utilize protein powder. Believe it or not, sometimes even I get tired of all of the shakes, shakes, and more protein shakes. But I really wanted to share the recipe with you guys, just in case you haven't come across it before. So what is protein fluff? Protein fluff is a light, airy, creamy, delicious, frozen mousse-like concoction that is 100% clean! Its something akin to ice cream, frozen yogurt, or whipped cream. Want in on the frosty deliciousness? Here's how...

Delicious and nutritious!

Recipe:
Protein Fluff (serves 1)

1/4 Cup whey vanilla protein powder (this works with casein too--- the results are just a tad bit thicker)
1/4 Cup unsweetened almond milk (or your milk of choice)
1 Cup frozen fresh fruit (berries work very well due to the moisture content)

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender. Once thoroughly mixed, whisk with an electric whisk for about 5 minutes. As you whisk the protein fluff, you'll see that the protein fluff will increase EXPONENTIALLY in volume! In the end, you'll have a heaping amount of delicious protein fluff. Whisk less for a more ice cream/frozen yogurt-like consistency, and whisk more for a more whipped cream-like consistency. You can add almost any frozen fruit you'd like--- raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are favorites in our house! Additionally, if you have a frozen popsicle maker, you can pour this creamy treat in, and you'll have delicious protein fluff popsicle treats once they're frozen! I love this recipe for a nighttime snack. Its a GREAT way to curb that sweet tooth when you'd love to just dive headfirst into a bowl of ice cream. Instead, you can nosh on this in lieu of those sugar and fat laden things, and get ALL of the frozen goodness with NONE of the guilt!

Enjoy guys!