Vegan Strawberry Protein "Milkshake"

Having a protein shake immediately after a strength training workout is the best way to help your body build muscle. Some protein shakes can be really boring and gross. Why not have a little fun and make these shakes a little more interesting, right?

I play around with different recipes for protein shakes, protein bars and protein muffins -- to keep things healthy, but also tasty. My latest creation is is a modified strawberry milkshake made with almond milk, strawberries and protein powder -- and it tastes just like a milkshake! But it doesn't have all the high calories, fat and dairy. Different brands of milk and protein powder can effect the calories in the shake. But if you use the ingredients listed below, it's only 150 calories and has 16 grams of protein. Check it out.

Ingredients:

4 frozen cubes of Silk Pure Almond unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup Silk Pure Almond unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

3/4 cup frozen strawberries

1 serving SunWarrior vanilla protein powder

The almond milk is only 35 calories per cup. The protein powder is plant based, vegan and is only 70 calories per serving. Nice!

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender. Pulse on low then to high speed until all ingredients are combined well and thick like a milkshake. Depending on blenders, you may need to add just a little more almond milk if it's too thick. 

For the frozen cubes of almond milk: I simply take an ice tray, fill up four cubes and freeze for at least an hour. You may want to plan ahead of time or just have some frozen cubes ready to go for whenever you want to make a shake. I find that if you run hot water over the bottom of the ice tray, it helps loosen the cubes if they don't pop out right away. Use a sharp knife to pry the cubes out if you need to. 

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Southwest Pizza

I love pizza but unfortunately most purchased pizzas are fast food and full of junk. When I get a taste for pizza, I like to make my own out of whole grain tortillas and some healthy assortment of toppings making for a much healthier option to traditional fast food pizza.

The other day, I noticed that I had some some tortillas, a can of black beans and some monterey jack cheese and I got the idea to whip up a pizza. I added some tomatoes, green onions and black olives and bam -- a delicious, light yet filling pizza was made. The recipe below makes two pizzas. Share a pizza with someone or save it. One pizza is only about 300 calories! Be sure to get a low calorie and low carb tortilla to keep the calories down. The tortilla that I used had 71 calories. Check it out.

Ingredients:
2 low carb, whole wheat tortillas
1/2 can black beans, drained
1 tsp olive oil
3-4 shakes of chili powder
3-4 shakes garlic powder
3 tablespoons fresh salsa
sliced black olives
green onions, chopped
1 tomato, diced
2 oz monterey jack cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place tortillas directly on oven rack for 1-2 minutes, each side. Just long enough to get rid of their soft feel. You want them to be slightly hard because you don't want a soggy pizza crust.

While tortillas are in oven add the black beans, olive oil, chili and garlic powder into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Then add the salsa and pulse for just a few seconds, long enough to combine.

Once tortillas are out of the oven, allow them to cool for a few minutes. Then spread the bean mixture on the two tortilla shells. Add 1 oz of cheese to each pizza. Top with tomatoes, black olives and green onions. Place in the oven for about 5 minutes, just long enough for the cheese to melt.

Remove from oven. Cut each pizza into 4 pieces. Enjoy!

Even Seemingly Healthy Meals Can Sabotage Your Good Efforts

Veggie burger and sweet potato fries from Joe's Farm Grill 

If you dine out and opt for whole grain bread over white bread or swap white potato french fries for sweet potato fries, you're off to a great start. Yes, a start. These seemingly healthy choices seem like a sure way to help you reach your fitness goals, but sometimes they can set you back.

This week my sister was in town for a visit. Of course I had to show her all around the Phoenix area. I had been wanting to go to Joe's Farm Grill forever, but my schedule never seemed to allow it. Now that I had time carved out, my sister's visit was a perfect opportunity to check the place out -- and let lil' sis experience a true one of a kind eatery.

The restaurant was featured on The Food Network's Diners Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri. I had heard great reviews and the fact that there's always a line out the door, says something. The burger joint is known for its fresh approach on "common food done uncommonly well," as stated on its website. There is a farm directly behind the restaurant and all of the menu items' produce ingredients come from that farm. Nice. A true farm to fork restaurant.

I had heard that they recently added a veggie burger to their menu and I was eager to try it -- and I did. The "burger" consisted of a blend of grains, black beans and veggies. It came on a multi-grain bun and I ordered sweet potato fries as my side.

The meal was really good, but I was a little disappointed.

Though the meal was a healthier option, there were quite a few problems with this veggie burger and fries.

1. The portions were too large. 
2. The bun was gigantic, adding unnecessary calories.
3. All components of the meal were loaded with starchy carbs. (Read a previous blog I wrote on starchy carbs here.)
4. The fries, though sweet potato, were fried.
5. I'm not sure about the ratio of grains to veggies on the veggie patty. It tasted like it had more grains than veggies. 
6. I'd estimate that this meal had 1000 calories or more. Yikes! 

I'm sure this may leave you scratching your head and perhaps thinking, "then what is there to eat?"

I hear you.

The negative breakdown of this seemingly healthy meal may leave you feeling a little discouraged. Don't worry, there is a way to deal with this. 

For starters, if you view any meal that you don't cook yourself, as a treat, then you're doing yourself a huge favor. When we don't have control over the ingredients in our meals, we have to assume that something in there is not going to help us with our fitness goals. I strongly discourage dining out. But if you do find yourself at a restaurant, here a few tips to take that seemingly healthy meal, and make it better.

1. Only eat half. Take the other half home, no matter what.
2. If the bun on your sandwich is really thick, tear out the inner parts, making it smaller and eliminate 100 calories or more.
3. If you're eating sweet potato fries, remember they're fried and don't eat all of them. And don't use any ketchup or dipping sauce because that adds unnecessary calories.
4. Don't feel like you have to finish it. Eat until full, then stop. 

Dining out is a treat. I remember training for figure shows and hating having to eat out for social events. One time, I asked a server to cook my veggies "clean" meaning using no oils, butters or anything and he looked at me like I had two heads. Restaurants are in it to make things really tasty, to keep you coming back -- even the healthy options have their negative points and can sabotage your efforts. Don't let them. Know what you're eating and take the appropriate measures to stay on track.