Gluten-Free Cinnamon Anise Protein Bread

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Anise Protein Bread

Who says you have to ditch bread when you're livin' the fat loss lifestyle? NOT ME! And who says you even have to know what you're doing in the kitchen? NOT ME! Here is my most recent "Kitchen Failure" (as those who love me like to refer to my creations), which happens when I initially set out to make one thing, but another thing totally opposite is born. I have these quite often, but I only blog about it when they turn out worthy of a blog post :-)

This was supposed to be protein brownies, by the way. But (who would'a thunk), as it turns out, brownie recipes should never contain baking soda :-)

Ok, here it is:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3c almond butter (Use the kind that has the oil sitting on the top, so it mixes better)
• 1 scoop unflavored or vanilla protein powder
• 2 tbsp Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose flour
• Pinch of baking soda
• Pinch of baking powder
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp anise extract (adjust to your taste preferences; I happen to be obsessed with Anise so I used a lot)
• Cinnamon & Xylitol

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in large bowl first, then in a separate, smaller bowl, mix the wet ingredients together
3. Pour the wet into the dry and whisk with a fork or electric mixer (I was too lazy to get out the mixer, so a fork it was!)
4. Lightly grease a medium-sized ramekin with coconut oil, and pour the mixture into it (sorry - I don't have a clue what the size of my bakeware is), then top with cinnamon
5. Bake at 350 for around 20 mins or so

I totally ate the entire ramekin, and even added a couple tbsp of apple butter to it, OMG! The apple butter was just steamed apples + cinnamon + cider blended/pulsed in a blender.

Tell me what you think!

Vanessa B.

Hi, I'm Karissa, and I've lost 200lbs!!!

Meet Karissa!

Karissa, oh my little Karissa. When I first met this girl back in late 2009, tears formed in my eyes as she told me her story. She was (and still is) pretty young, but had some big goals in mind. One of the things she told me, I will never ever forget. She said, "I just wanna be able to wear a tank top". Her self esteem had been shattered; she didn't know where else to turn; she had officially hit rock bottom. It was either now, at this moment, or she may not have had the chance ever again. She was putting herself through school, going through a lot of scary things, and she was over 330 lbs. This young, sweet, determined girl had almost given up. She came into my life at the most perfect time, and my promise to her was that we would fight for her life together. I wasn't going to let her give up, and I wasn't going to let her hand go. And thus began an incredible journey together, dropping over 200 lbs, landing a role in a magazine (see below!), landing a spot on The Today Show (<-- click to watch), wearing tank tops, bathing suits, dresses and high heels, and getting accepted into nursing school!!! Karissa tells her story below, and she has quite a personality!!!

I first contacted Vanessa back in 2009. At that point I had hit what most people would call “rock bottom.” My mother had just died; I was over 330lbs; I had migraine headaches everyday; I couldn't breathe; my knees and joints hurt all day and everyday; I was on the verge of Type II Diabetes, and simply walking was exhausting. I remember having to sit down after walking up four steps. (And yes I said four steps... sigh) I had NO self-esteem. None, notta (nada?), zip! I physically and emotionally hated myself. Sheesh, that was depressing! 

I had always been overweight. In fact, I don’t ever remember a time in my life when I wasn't. Trust me when I tell you that I've tried EVERY diet known to mankind. I'm pretty sure I even made up two, or three, possibly four. HA! Anyways, what I'm trying to get at is that while some may have worked on a short term basis, NONE of them worked permanently! Instead, these "short term crash diets" sent me on a hormonal roller coaster that left me heavier than when I started! 

This is when I found Vanessa. I contacted her because I was tired of yo-yo dieting and of the hormonal roller coaster. YIKES! Probably best we didn't know each other then LOL ;) I desperately needed something permanent, a complete lifestyle change. I needed someone to teach me how to eat and to exercise. I needed someone to hold me accountable and then to encourage me along the way. And that’s what she did with her custom lifestyle program. She gave me the tools and tips I needed to do that. That was four years ago. I now live a sustainable fat loss life-style and since then I've lost (drumroll please........) almost 200lbs!!! Yeah, I know I'm awesome ;) And, for the first time in my life I feel beautiful and I have confidence in myself. Not many women can say that! Not only that, but I'm finally living my life and my weight is NOT holding me back. I'm about to start my  2nd year in nursing school. Ahhhh! Dream come true!!!!

I’ve learned so much from Vanessa and I don’t ever think she will ever know how thankful I am for her. She has given my life back to me!! She has helped me become the person that I always knew I could be!! THANK YOU Vanessa <3 xoxo

Here's my advice. Tough love alert, so watch it! ;) If you’re on the fence and contemplating, just DO IT!! We can all make excuses: I’m broke, I’m tired, you don’t understand my life, I don't have time, I work 40hrs a week, I have other priorities, blah.. blah.. blah. I’ve been there and done that. Excuses will get you NOwhere. Excuses got me over 330lbs. I beg you to contact Vanessa. This is NOT "just another diet."  NO willpower, deprivation, calorie-counting, or excessive exercise here! Because who wants to do that? YUCK! This is a sustainable fat loss lifestyle. Remember, YOU are a priority! Whats the worst thing that could happen? 

For more information on how we can help YOU get your life back just like Karissa did, click here. Now is your time! Don't wait!!!

Spicy Tuna on an Eggplant Bun

Spicy Tuna on an Eggplant Bun

(Makes about 4-5 "sandwiches")

 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole eggplant


• 15-20 oz albacore tuna in water


• Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Sauce


• Optional: African Smoked seasoning & Himalayan salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees


• Slice eggplant into semi-thick circles


• Place side by side onto baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes


• While eggplant is baking, mix together the tuna, hot sauce, and optional spices/seasonings


• Once eggplant is done baking, remove and let it cool


• Stuff the tuna between two eggplant circles just like it's a hamburger, and enjoy!!!

Sugar-Free Pistachio Protein Pudding

Let's face it: it's not really realistic for most of us to cook each meal each day. I don't know about you, but I find it almost impossible to cook more than one meal a day, without relying on leftovers or simple snacks like this! This sugar-free, high protein pudding is perfect for breakfast on-the-run, or a mid-day snack to help balance hunger and cravings. It takes less than a minute to make, which makes this even more awesome for even the busiest of people. The fat loss lifestyle is ALL about making it work within the schedule of your busy life, as best as you can. I am always looking for ways to cut down on cooking time by creating much faster, easier, and still tasty versions of what would normally be not-so-healthy meals.

 

Here is the SUPER QUICK recipe & instructions:

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 packet sugar-free pistachio Jell-o pudding mix (alternatives: any other flavor you love!) *Note: the Pistachio mix does have real pistachio chunks in it, so if you have a nut allergy, use a different flavor)


2. 1 scoop unflavored (or vanilla) protein powder. I love PlantFusion's unflavored because it's micronized, so it mixes very easily for recipes like this


3. Unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

1. Pour 1/2 packet of any flavor sugar-free Jell-o pudding mix into a bow with your protein powder


2. Slowly add the unsweetened almond milk while stirring the mix, until it becomes a pudding-like consistency


3. Enjoy immediately, or store in fridge for later!

And that's all you have to do for this super quick and filling snack! Experiment with different flavors if you'd like. This is really filling, so you may even be able to use this as an actual meal. The sugar-free flavorings can be a buffer for some, and a trigger for others. Make sure you pay attention to your body's own reactions to sugar-free products so that you can make the best choices for YOUR unique fat loss formula!

 

Homemade Mini Peanut Butter Cups

Oh my goodness!!! Get ready for another super easy, clean recipe! You won't even believe this is real life.

The one thing I love about these homemade peanut butter cups is that you truly cannot tell a difference between this healthier version, and the version you find at the store-- well, except these are WAY better. So grab your peanut butter and Enjoy Life chocolate chips and let's go!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag Enjoy Life chocolate chips (these are soy/dairy/nut/allergen- free)


• Organic creamy peanut butter

 

Directions:

• Heat a sauce pan on low heat and melt the entire bag of chocolate chips (you may need more than 1 bag depending on the size and quantity of your PB cups!)


• Line muffin tins with a wrapper


• With a teaspoon, gently drizzle melted chocolate into each hole, just enough to cover the bottom for the "base" of the PB cup


• Then with another spoon, scoop desired amount of PB into each muffin hole


• Then pour the rest of the melted chocolate over the top of each hole until completely covered


• Stick in freezer for about 2-3 mins, then transfer to fridge. Remove and let sit for a minute before eating so it softens up.

YUMMMMMM ---> ENJOY!!!!

Improve Flexibility and Performance while Reducing Injury and Pain

If I told you that a cheap piece of foam could not only improve your performance in the gym and day-to-day activities, but that it could prevent injuries, improve flexibility and motion, and keep you pain-free for a lifetime, would you believe me? Would it be even better if I told you that you could do all of this for around $10-$30, and do it in the comfort of your own home?

Foam rolling (self-myofascial release) is an extremely effective and inexpensive way to reduce scar tissue, inflammation, pain, break up trigger points, and improve overall motion and flexibility.

So how does it work, and why is it different than traditional stretching?

If you've ever heard of the Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO), this is the important piece of the success of foam rolling. The GTO is basically a bunch of collagen and nerve tissue located where muscle fibers meet tendons (see figure below). The main function of the GTO is to sense muscle tension during a contraction, and then stimulate muscle spindles to relax that muscle. This autogenic response of "release" (sort of like a reflex action) is what restores muscle length-tension relationships, soft tissue function, improves flexibility and relieves pain.

 

Traditional stretching simply causes increases in muscle length (assuming we don't push too far and cause serious injury), while self-myofascial release on a foam roller increases muscle length and breaks down soft tissue adhesions and scar tissue, which is absolutely critical to address.

Some benefits of self-myofascial release with the foam roller:

• Improve neuromuscular efficiency


• Release tension around joints


• Release tightness in the hips


• Correct muscle imbalances


• Relieve muscle soreness


• Improves range of motion in joints

Guidelines:

This is pretty simple to do. You're just going to basically put as much of your bodyweight as you can (and eventually all of it) on the foam roller with the foam roller on the ground. Roll slowly over each area, and when you reach tender/painful spots, hold it there! This is going to hurt, I won't lie, but it's worth every minute of it. Hold it on the tender spots until the pain subsides (can take up to a few minutes, so be patient), and then move on to the next area.

In the picture below, it shows just one area you can roll (the IT band), which will probably be the most tender/sore area, but is so important for avoiding knee injuries and hip tightness, etc... (Note: if you're currently experiencing knee pain, try this area right away and see if it improves. Many times with knee pain, a common issue is simply iliotibial band (IT) tightness, which can be relieved through foam rolling)

 

As you can see, this can be a great addition to your normal routine while providing outstanding, long-lasting benefits! For a detailed instructional video of how to foam roll all areas of your body, check out this video.

Happy releasing!!

 

Chocolate Protein Frosting

A few days ago, I created a special recipe for the HealthyGrowingKids blog called "Super Antioxidant Omega-3 Cupcakes". These cupcakes are insanely delicious, and perfect for growing kids who thrive on wholesome ingredients, so be sure to check them out! And what would make them even better? Chocolate Protein Frosting of course!

I originally topped them with Barlean's Orange Cream Omega-3 for a frosting, but here is another delicious alternative. You can even put this frosting on first, and then use the Barlean's Essential Women's Omega Swirl in Chocolate Raspberry on top!!

 

Check this bad-boy out:

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="555"] Chocolate Protein Frosting[/caption]

 Ingredients:

• 0% Greek Yogurt


• One 85% dark chocolate bar

Directions:

• Simply melt the chocolate bar stove-top on LOW heat until it's thoroughly melted, then immediately remove from pan and scoop into a bowl with your Greek yogurt. 


• Mix well until the color is uniformly brown


• Viola! That's it!


• Other Options: you can add additional stevia flavors in to switch it up, or some unsweetened coconut flakes, or crushed walnuts!

 

See, I am all about simplicity when it comes to fat loss food. I can't be bothered slaving away in the kitchen, so you can be sure my recipe posts will always be simple yet delicious!

 

Let me know what you think!!

xoxo

Top 3 Butt Exercises You're Probably Not Doing

Ok, let's cut to the chase. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't think that nice, round glutes are attractive. They may not be the focal point of everyone's workout program, but let's face it-- especially to a woman, round butts are very desirable.

Now, let me preface this post by saying I am not going to talk about squats and lunges for a couple reasons:

1) While these exercises are great for lower glute development (specifically the glute ham tie-in), they mainly target the quads and don't really do much for the upper glutes; therefore, I want to talk about less-common exercises that you can incorporate into your glute training routine to round it out (no pun intended) :-)

2) These exercises are axial loading exercises (involve spinal compression), and people get so caught up in them because they're so popular, that they "forget" about training the glutes from all other angles. In order to really improve the shape of your butt, you've got to work it from all angles. Don't ditch the squats and lunges; just add  some others in for best results!

Enter my 3 favorite butt-shaping exercises....

 

• Hip-Thrusts:

Hip thrusts are ridiculously effective at targeting the entire glute region. They're similar to a glute bridge, except involve a greater range of motion once glute bridges become too easy. With these, you'll also  feel the "burn" more in your upper glutes along the line that connects to your lower back (erector muscles). You can do this exercise without a barbell, as a glute march, or single-legged. You want to make sure that as you come up, you're keeping your spine & neck neutral , while bracing your abs to prevent lumbar extension. Bret Contreras (aka: the glute guy), elaborates more on this exercise, here. Be sure to watch his video for excellent information on incorporating this exercise into your routine.

 

Sprints: Sprints are like the king of all exercises. I think if I had to pick only one exercise to do for the rest of my life to achieve the best possible body composition, it'd be the sprint. Not only is sprinting one of the best possible ab exercises you can do, but it's wildly effective for the entire body, including the glutes. It provides an insane metabolic after burn, increasing HGH (growth hormone) output long after you're done sprinting.  The explosiveness of this exercise is mainly achieved through glute activation when your foot hits the ground, which makes it a super effective exercise for glute muscle hypertrophy. Beginners- don't worry that you may not be sprinting "fast enough". Sprint speed is relative. As long as you're running with maximum propulsion, it doesn't matter how fast you're truly going. Your max is your max, and your max is all it takes to seriously activate your glutes! Note: sprints on the pavement, as opposed to the treadmill, will provide even MORE glute activation, so do them outside as much as possible.

 

And last but not least...

 

Single Leg Romanian Deadlift: 



This exercise is beyond amazing for all things hamstring, butt and back related -- as well as some serious sensorimotor training (ie: balance/coordination). What I love about this exercise is that you don't even need to go that heavy, and you can do this unweighted everyday and see amazing improvements in balance, coordination, and flexibility. Here is a great video showing how to execute this move. Just don't curse me out tomorrow when you can barely walk :-D

 

So those are my three favorite exercise for great glutes!  I want to hear from you: have you done any of these exercises before? If so, do you feel like they work your butt as well as squats & lunges? Don't be afraid to try new things! I'd love to hear about your results after incorporating these into your routine :)

 

 

 

 

Fat Loss Friendly Lemon Blackberry Protein Crepe

Oh. my. goodness.

→ This fat loss friendly Lemon Blackberry Protein Crepe is truly heaven. What's funny about this recipe is that it happened totally by accident (っ◕‿◕)っ it was supposed to be a pancake, but I can't flip a pancake to save life, and it broke, so I figured I will just roll it up like a burrito and stuff it with something marvelous. Anyhoo- this is how it goes...

Crepe Ingredients:

1 scoop vanilla (or unflavored) protein powder. I use Biotrust Low Carb
a lot in baking because it isn't as dry as most whey protein powders out there. Plant-based powders are also perfect for baking

1/2c liquid egg whites

2 drops lemon essential oil -OR- lemon extract

Stevia to taste (I used stevia vanilla creme drops)

*Depending on your protein powder, it may be a little too thick. If so, just add a few splashes of water until the batter is slightly thinner than regular pancake batter

Filling Ingredients (oh yes, there was filling! Look closely at the chocolate dripping out!):

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used Biotrust chocolate)

Slowly, on a light drizzle, add water and stir until it becomes like a pudding consistency.

Stick bowl in freezer as the crepe cooks so that's it's nice and cold

Toppings:

I drizzled Barlean's Blackberry Omega Swirl liquid over the top, & a little Natural by Nature whipped cream, which is my favorite because it's organic, grass-fed dairy, and doesn't contain any corn syrup (unlike traditional varieties). I get it from Trader Joes, but if you visit the link, there is a "locate a distributor" link that'll help you find it.


→ Cooking Technique: Simply pour the batter onto a greased pan on low/medium heat (I use coconut oil spray). Immediately swirl liquid around until it covers the whole pan and then cook all the way through (will be around 8 mins, or until bubbles disappear). If you're better at cooking than I am (& I really hope you are), you can flip it and cook the other side for 10-20 seconds before sliding off onto your plate.
Once on plate, take pudding bowl out of the freezer & spoon it into the middle of the crepe circle. Fold like a burrito, then drizzle with the Barleans & top with whipped cream. Ta Da! Now you have a fat loss meal that will make everyone around you jealous ツ

Fat Loss Meatballs

Here is a super-easy, really quick meatball recipe that is perfect for fat loss, *and* fun even if you really don't like to cook (like me). I like meatballs since they're easy for grab 'n go when you're in a rush. You can top these with pure tomato sauce & melt some shredded mozzarella over top for extra personality, though I love them Plain Jane so I can eat them in the car...

Ingredients

1lb 96% lean ground beef (or preferably grass-fed)

2 whole eggs (I forgot to put those in the picture)

3 tbsp Thyme

2 tbsp minced garlic

Handful plain, old-fashioned dry oats

Couple tbsp pure guacamole mix (this is optional, so if you don't want to use this, you can replace with a couple tbsp of unsweetened almond milk instead)

Few pinches of cayenne pepper, & optional Himalayan salt & black pepper

Technique:

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together

Shape into circles

Bake at 375 degrees for 22-25 mins

That's it!!! Let me know what you think!

#1 Diet for Real World Fat Loss

 #1 Diet for Real World Fat Loss

Now that I’ve got your attention, I want to talk to you about “dieting”.

I receive numerous emails per week asking me what my opinion is on what’s the best diet for fat burning, and what my recommendations are for starting such a diet.

Last night. I received such an email, and I asked his permission to post my answer in a blog, using him as an example. This guy, who is a father of 2, U.S. Marine veteran, and single dad (AWESOME!!), emailed me out of frustration. Basically, the short story is that he has spent years surviving on a mostly government-regulated, military diet (boy do I know ALL about this) of about 75% starch, and the ‘confusing’ part is, he LOOKS AMAZING!!! He is more than happy with his results, has a visible 4-pack ‘round-the-clock with little hunger, his blood panel numbers are excellent, and can play football with his kids for hours! He has recently separated from the Marine Corp. and because most people in the fitness industry look down upon a high-starch diet, he is concerned that he should change something. He wanted my help in creating a program that would be different from what he was currently doing.

Ok, here is where it gets dirty:

What do you think I told him in response to him wanting to find the best diet out there, in order to switch from his current diet and still see results? DO NOT CHANGE A THING! He doesn’t need my help.

The #1 diet for real world fat loss is the one that works for YOU in all aspects of your life.

Once you found your fat loss formula, you don’t need to change it based on what others are saying or doing. Don’t give in to fear-mongering.

So how do you know if you’ve truly found your unique formula?

✓ 1. You are HAPPY- This may not seem like an important clue into finding your fat loss formula, but it is crucial for sustained fat loss. Anyone can follow a rigid fat loss plan for a temporary amount of time when they’re miserable. But eventually, you will reach a point in which you cannot keep up anymore, and something has to change. This is why your mood is absolutely an important indicator of maintaining permanent fat loss

✓ 2. Your hunger, energy, and cravings are balanced- We like to refer to this as “HEC”. If these 3 things are in perfect harmony for YOU, you are likely on the right path to sustained fat loss

✓ 3. You can fall asleep and stay asleep, and you feel great when you wake up- Many people don’t realize that it’s not normal to have insomnia, or wake up frequently during the night, or wake up feeling like you got run over by a twinkie truck. Just because these symptoms are common in our fast-paced society, doesn’t mean they should be accepted. Often times just slightly increasing your carbohydrate intake before bed can elicit enough serotonin to relax you enough to go to sleep if you’ve been struggling with insomnia. If you can fall asleep easily, but struggle waking up throughout the night and can’t get back to sleep, you might find relief by increasing your protein intake before bed, which will stabilize your blood sugar enough to keep you asleep. These adjustments will help you get higher quality sleep, leading to refreshing wake-up calls. When we get adequate sleep, our hunger, energy, and cravings are often already going to be balanced by default!

✓ 4. You’re seeing/feeling results- Whether your goal is fat loss, maintenance, strength, endurance, or muscle gain, you’ll know you’re at least somewhat on the right track if those results are happening. I say “somewhat”, because it really doesn’t matter if you’re seeing results if numbers 1-3 aren’t also happening. Sure it’s great to see results, and sometimes that’s all we remember to focus on; however, they will not be sustainable long-term if you cannot get numbers 1-3 on track.

So, if you can put a check mark next to numbers 1-4, you’ve found your unique formula. It’s really as simple as that! The Marine who emailed me has found his unique formula, even though it goes against what may work for a lot of us. Whether you’re on Paleo, Atkins, Weight Watchers, Keto, whatever, if numbers 1-4 are happening for you, DON’T CHANGE A THING!