Brownie Batter Shake (and shh, it's healthy!)

Do I even need an intro for this, with a title like that?
And pictures like this, even from my crappy iPhone camera:

Yeah, I think not.
This is super chocolatey while not being overly sweet (you could obviously change that pretty readily if you just added some stevia or sugar) and truly does taste like brownie batter in liquified form. And it's low-fat, full of vitamins and minerals from the almond milk and pumpkin, and has lots of protein (gotta have that in our shakes!) Give it a try and you'll slurp it right up!

So thick, it's basically ice cream!

BROWNIE BATTER SHAKE

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

6 ice cubes, or more to desired consistency

1 frozen banana

1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese

1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder (optional)

1-2 stevia packets (optional)

1/4 tsp xantham gum (optional)

Topping: 37 calorie brownie (!)

(link here)

You know the drill…blend it all up and slurp!

With the protein powder, it's all about 300 calories, 20 grams protein!

Drowning in Syrup

I have a confession to make:
I have a bit of a cool-unnecessary-food-item addiction.
I'm the person who, while grocery shopping, ends up with an extra 1/2 cart full of items I'll never use that I saw at the end of the aisles and thought "Oohh, that looks good!" And then it sits in the cupboard uneaten for three months until it goes bad.
But that won't happen here:

Torani sugar free syrups. Yes, five bottles of them. No, I'm not ashamed. After much deliberation, I purchased: Chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter, hazelnut, salted caramel, and s'mores. Wouldn't it be awesome to add just a bit of these to a smoothie or oatmeal and get a completely different flavor?

The verdict: thus far, I've tried peanut butter and cookie dough…and I'm not all that impressed. The flavor of the peanut butter is really weak, which is such a bummer because I would probably GUZZLE that thing in a heart beat if it did. Okay, maybe it is a good thing. And the cookie dough is… not very chocolatey. It's got a great smell, but really it just made things sweet, not cookie-doughy. The jury's still out on the other three flavors…

Still, I am determined to continue using them anyway. I bought them, I paid good money, and I will consume. Just let this be a warning: pick your flavors carefully, and don't get your expectations too high.

Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie

Some days, you just need a refreshing glass of… cookies?
I tend to hate making recipes that I claim taste "just like" something else, because I never want to disappoint someone who is really craving the real thing. But this time, I'm confident enough to say that this smoothie is basically COOKIE IN LIQUID FORM!

Doesn't that look good?

I have been trying to eat more protein shakes lately because I'm trying to boost up my protein intake, so I thought I'd do a little bit of experimentation with my beloved blender. I wanted something thick, creamy, sweet, and of course, not chalky. If you like oatmeal cookies, I think you will love this, too.

*Note: I didn't really measure things before tossing them in the blender today, so these ingredients are just estimates! You can tweak as you like!

OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIE SHAKE

1 frozen banana, broken into chunks

2 T. rolled oats

2 tsp. raisins

1/3 cup low fat cottage cheese (you can't taste it, honest!)

1 scoop vanilla whey powder

1 packet stevia

Dash Cinnamon

1/2-1 cup almond milk

3 ice cubes (I used frozen almond milk so it doesn't dilute)

1/4 tsp. xantham gum (optional, for thicker shake)

Blend it all up until it's nice and thick and creamy! I topped mine with some more raisins and granola for a little bit of a crunch! Slurp it up and try not to get a brain freeze! This smoothie is full of muscle-building protein, healthy fiber, natural sweetness… and it's low-fat too!

Pumpkin Chocolate Protein Pancakes

There are certain people who think that pumpkin is a seasonal flavor.

I am not one of them. And, hopefully after these pancakes, you will not be either.
I mean, let's just talk about how great pumpkin puree is. First, it has amazing flavor, second, it can be used as a lower-fat alternative in baking for oil or eggs, third, it makes things super moist, and fourth, it's actually pretty cheap! So stock up, people, because you will want to make these! (Bonus: they're good for you, too!)

And then make them again. And again. And again.
Oh, and did I mention that this HUGE stack, with the whipped cream and chocolate topping, is under 300 calories? With about 20 grams of protein?

I knew you would come around.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PROTEIN PANCAKES

(Original recipe here)

1/3 cup rolled oats, ground into a flour

1/4 cup Pure Pumpkin

1/2 scoop Vanilla Whey Powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp Butter extract

1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

1/3 cup Liquid Egg Whites

1-2 Tbsp Almond Milk

1 Stevia Packet

Chocolate Layer: (technically optional, but who are we kidding)

1 Tbsp PB2/Powdered Peanut Butter

1/2 Tbsp Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder

1 packet Stevia

2 Tablespoons Cool Whip Free (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients for pancakes and mix well until everything is incorporated.

2. Spoon batter onto heated griddle and cook as you would any other pancakes (I made four medium-sized)

3. Meanwhile, combine ingredients for the chocolate layer. When pancakes are done, spread chocolate layer between each pancake, then top with cool whip. Yummy!!

Nutritional breakdown:

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 202 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  255 Calories from Fat  58

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  6.4g 10%

Saturated Fat  4.1g 21%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  22mg 7%

Sodium  163mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates  30.3g 10%

Dietary Fiber  8.6g 34%

Sugars  4.1g

Protein  20.8g

Vitamin A 191% • Vitamin C 5% Calcium 18% • Iron 17%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

High Protein/Low Carb Chocolate Raspberry Crepes

I know what you're thinking: a low carb crepe recipe? Please… it must taste like rubber! Well, I'll let you be the judge of that:

Doesn't look (or taste!) like rubber to me! There are only 5 grams of carbs for BOTH crepes (filling not included) along with a whopping 18 grams of protein (filling still not included)!! Plus, the crepes themselves are pretty versatile, so the chocolate raspberry filling that I whipped up for them is only one of countless possibilities for them. Maybe I'll have to try some Nutella or peanut butter and banana (we all know that I'm a girl after Elvis' own heart!)

Practically OOZING with velvety chocolatey goodness!

So, without further ado, a crepe recipe from me to you! (I'm such a dork, but oh, well. I embrace it)

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CREPES

For Crepes:

2/3 cup egg whites

2 T. ground flax seeds

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 packet stevia

dash vanilla extract

For Filling:

1/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt

1 T. dark chocolate cocoa powder

1-2 packets stevia

1/8 tsp. butter extract (optional)

Raspberries, for topping

1. Heat a nonstick skillet on medium heat (I always like to spray mine with some non-stick cooking spray just for extra assurance that I won't be left with a burned mess!)

2. Whisk together ingredients for crepes. When skillet is sufficiently heated, pour half the batter in and swirl it around the pan to coat evenly. Cook until you see bubbles start to form and you can turn it over easily. Flip and cook on other side. Repeat with other half of batter.

3. Combine your filling ingredients. You may want to take a taste and see if it is sweet enough or chocolatey enough for you before you spread it all over your breakfast! Top everything with raspberries and there you go!

Beet Crust Pizza

Basically, unless you've been living under a rock in the healthy living blogger world, you probably know or at least have heard of, the infamous Cauliflower Crust pizza. Since pale/low-carb/grain-free stuff is all the rage right now, it kind of makes sense why people are using this miracle veggie as a vehicle for the American staple of pizza… I bet we consume even more of this sauce and cheese laden flatbread than even the Italians!

Anyway, I love my cauli, don't get me wrong: it's great roasted, toasted, fried, shredded, steamed, mashed… even when I was a kid I would beg for steamed cauliflower for dinner! But let's talk about a different veggie that has stolen my heart - Beets.

They are such a beautiful deep red/purple color, full of fiber, potassium, and just the right hint of sweetness, especially when roasted and drizzle with some balsamic vinegar! Mmmm. Plus, there was a huge can of beets sitting on my shelf that needed to get used up, so I thought, "Why not try and make something interesting out of this?"

Behold: the beet crust pizza.

Topped with hummus, cucumber, nutritional yeast, and balsamic vinegar!

Okay, if you're looking for a greasy, saucy, cheesy pizza with a fair amount of crunch, this isn't it. Sorry. Really, it's a pizza in name only (and the fact that it's round and topped with random items). It tastes more like a soft, beety burger than a crusty bread, but that was fine with me. It's still full of great nutrients, fairly low in fat and calories, and delicious (or at least,  I think so.)

And let me be totally honest: it came about basically from me throwing a whole bunch of random ingredients in a blender, crossing my fingers, and hoping for the best. But then again, don't all the best recipes?

BEET CRUST "PIZZA"

1/4 cup uncooked TVP granules

1/3-1/2 (15oz) can beets

2 T. egg whites

2 T. rolled oats

1 T. ground flax

Garlic Powder

Basil

Minced Onion

To Top:

Balsamic Vinegar

Cucumber Slices

Hummus

Nutritional Yeast

1. Cook the TVP according to package directions.

2. Throw all the ingredients (minus the toppings) into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust the amount of spices to your own personal preference. Note: the 'batter' may be a little bit liquid-y. 

3. Either spray a microwavable plate or pan and spread your batter on that and microwave for about 3 minutes on high, then flip and microwave an additional minute to desired consistency, or bake in the oven at 350F for about 20-30 minutes (I used the microwave method because I am an instant gratification type of person, and can't stand waiting for things to bake, so I can't personally vouch for the results.)

4. Top with whatever you like, mine are just suggestions!

Just look at that creamy patty!

Linking to the HOSThttp://www.sprint2thetable.com/2014/02/strange-but-cheesey/

Peanut Butter Apple Cinnamon Oats

Basically, I've been using today as a catch-up day for this blog (and it's only day one!) I've been wanting to start it for a while, but either didn't have the time or just was in the mood to watch Dr. Who instead (I am obsessed with that show. I watch it pretty much without fail every day, and, in case you are a fan, I'll just go ahead and say: Ten's my doctor. He always will be. I love you David Tennant!)

Anyway, because I've written multiple posts in one day, there isn't a whole lot I feel like writing as an intro to this one. Plus, at least in my experience with food blogs, you just want to scroll down to the recipe anyway. Quit jabbering woman! So I'll stop talking and let you see this creation:

PEANUT BUTTER APPLE CINNAMON OATS

(I love peanut butter. And oatmeal. Could you tell?)

INGREDIENTS

1 gala apple (or a different flavor if you prefer)

Cinnamon

1 packet stevia

2 T. PB2

1 packet instant oatmeal

1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Dice up your apple and lay it out on a plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and stevia, and maybe just a little but of water. Microwave on high for 1 minute until semi-soft.
2. In separate bowl, mix together oatmeal and PB2. Add water to your desired consistency (I used about 1/2 cup) and then microwave it on high for 1 minute or until water is all absorbed. 
3. Add cooked apple to oatmeal and stir together. Voila! You're done!

**This creation counts for 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 protein