Choco-Nana-Cado Dessert - A Healthier Way to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Every once in a while (aka every 8 hours or so), I am in need of a sweet treat. I have found that this dessert, which uses Better Body Foods Chocolate PBFit, is one way that I can get my fix without killing my diet. 

The main ingredients in this dessert are banana and avocado. Add a few additional ingredients, and you have yourself a rich, creamy dessert that is guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth.  

Choco-Nana-Cado Recipe: 

2 Ripe Bananas

1 Ripe Avocado

1/2 Cup Lowfat Milk

3 TBSP Chocolate PBFit Powder

5 TBSP Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 TBSP Honey

1 TSP Organic Bourbon Madagascar Vanilla

Directions: Blend banana, avocado, and milk. Add in Chocolate PBFit powder, cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for two hours. Top with an assortment of slivered almonds, chia seeds, and coconut flakes. The avocado gives this dessert a rich and creamy texture, the banana and honey deliver the sweetness, and the Chocolate PBFit, Vanilla, and Cocoa powder bring the flavor to the party. Enjoy!

Choco-Nana-Cado 

No-Bake Chia Oat Peanut Butter Bites

These bites are protein packed and full of flavor. You can modify this recipe in any way to incorporate your favorite ingredients. 

All of the healthy, flavorful ingredients that go into the no-bake bites

From Top: Rolled Oats, Ground Almonds, LivFit Superfood Blend, Chocolate PBFit, Chia Seeds, Toasted Coconut Flakes, Ground Flax, Rolled Oats.

This recipe uses Better Body Foods Chocolate PBFit. This is one of my new favorite products - PBFit can be incorporated into so many recipes. 

BetterBody Foods makes these bites a superfood! 

Chia Oat Peanut Butter Bites: 

1 Cup Rolled Oats

3/4 Cup Almond Butter

1/2 Cup Ground Flax

1/2 Cup Better Body Foods Chocolate PBFit Powder

1/2 Cup Better Body Foods LivFit Superfood Blend 

1/4 Cup Better Body Foods Organic Chia Seeds

1/4 Cup Ground Almonds

1/4 Cup Toasted Shredded Coconut (unsweetened)

1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (pulsed in blender)

1/4 Cup Honey

Optional - 2 Packets Splenda (if you enjoy a sweetness boost)

These will not last long in your home!

BetterBody Foods PB Fit Powder, Chocolate Peanut Butter, 30 Ounce

Cinnamon Vanilla Breakfast Quinoa - A High Protein Start to Your Day

Breakfast is BY FAR my favorite meal of the day. I love coming up with new ideas and recipes for this day part. I am a huge fan of quinoa, but up until now, I was mostly eating it at lunch or dinner in savory dishes. If you enjoy oatmeal, you will LOVE quinoa used as the main ingredient in this subtly sweetened breakfast bowl. 

My favorite place to get my Organic Quinoa is from Better Body Foods. You can find some of their products in your local Costco, but all of their products are available online. They offer the tri-colored variety, which is a blend of the red, white, and black quinoa grains. Quinoa offers 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber per serving. Also included in my breakfast quinoa recipe is Better Body Foods Organic Chia Seeds and Organic Coconut Palm Sugar. 

Cinnamon Vanilla Breakfast Quinoa Recipe:

3/4 Cup Cooked Better Body Foods Organic Quinoa

1/2 Cup Blueberries and Raspberries

1/4 Cup Lowfat Milk

1 Tablespoon Better Body Foods Organic Chia Seeds

1 Tablespoon Slivered Almonds

1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Seeds

1 Teaspoon Better Body Foods Organic Coconut Sugar

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Directions: Cook your quinoa. Add the milk, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, coconut palm sugar, and chia seeds. Stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Top with almonds, pumpkin seeds, and mixed berries. Serve warm or cold. 

Smoked Paprika Egg Salad Sandwiches

There are many ways to jazz up egg salad, and today, I did just that with the addition of smoked paprika, avocado, and garlic aioli. The following are the ingredients that you will need:

Ingredients needed for smoked paprika egg salad sandwiches

Smoked Paprika Egg Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat Bread Slices (toasted)
• 4 Hard Boiled Eggs
• 1/2 Large Avocado
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Dash of Cracked Black Pepper

Takes 10 min, serves 3.

Garlic Aioli Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise

1 T Lemon Juice

2 Pressed Garlic Cloves

1/4 tsp Salt

Dash of Cracked Black Pepper

Mix all of the above egg salad ingredients together

Next, add four eggs that have been passed through an egg slicer, 1/2 of a large avocado (cubed), smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to a bowl. Mix the egg mixture and set aside while you prepare the aioli.

Garlic Aioli - Do not leave this one out!

For the garlic aioli, whisk together the mayonnaise, pressed garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. The final step is to assemble your sandwiches. Pile your egg filling as high as you'd like. I used the garlic aioli as a dipping sauce today, but you can also mix it into the egg mixture or spread it onto your bread slices prior to adding the egg mixture. Enjoy!

Chimichurri Flank Steak

Chimichurri sauce is from Argentina and is used on grilled meats. My personal favorite is chimichurri flank steak. The sauce delivers full and robust flavor - it is definitely one of my favorites to make. I choose to make mine with cilantro - some recipes only call for parsley, but I like both! Last weekend, we had a beautiful 60 degree Saturday here in March, so my son and I went for a two hour stroller walk. We stopped at the local meat market and picked up this cut of meat. The butcher scored it for me to allow for max marination prior to broiling.

Once you have your flank steak, you will need the following ingredients for the chimichurri marinade:

Chimichurri Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 Bunch Parsley
• 1 Bunch Cilantro
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Cup White Wine Vinegar
• 5 Cloves Pressed Garlic
• 1 tbsp Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Cumin

Remove any thick stems from your parsley and cilantro. Put all of these ingredients together in your food processor (I used our baby bullet!) Blend until smooth. If you use thick bunches of parsley and cilantro, you may need to add more olive oil to thin out your chimichurri.

You should end up with this bright green deliciousness!! Talk half of your sauce and use it to marinade your flank steak for two hours. The other half will be used to drizzle over your cooked steak. 

Next, you are going to want to broil your flank steak. Turn your broiler on, and set your oven rack about 4-5 inches from the broiler. Place some olive oil on a baking sheet (use one with an edge to catch drippings). Place your chimichurri marinated steak on the baking sheet, and broil for 7 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven, and flip the flank steak over, exposing the other side. Broil again for another 7-8 minutes. This will leave you with a perfectly cooked, medium rare flank steak. Kick it old school and take out your electric knife. Slice the flank steak and then pour your remaining savory chimichurri sauce over the steak. Now dig in!

Protein-Packed Overnight Oats

I LOVE overnight oats. I love mason jars. I love to eat overnight oats from a mason jar! But I really love knowing that I can add two scoops of Vital Proteins Collagen Whey and will be set for hours. I need to remind you - I work in a food lab. I am constantly surrounded by the best of the best in culinary creations. It is very easy to go overboard on all the innovative new product development here at the company I work for.

Incorporating Vital Proteins into my daily routine has greatly helped to curb my cravings before lunch. To make these overnight oats, add the following to a container in the evening:

3/4 Cup Almond Coconut Milk

1 Cup Whole Oats

2 Scoops Vital Proteins Collagen Whey (I use the Vanilla & Coconut Water Flavor)

1 TBSP Almond Butter

1 TSBP Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

1 tsp Cocoa Powder

1 TSBP Chia Seeds

Optional: 1-2 Tablespoons of Better Body Foods PB Fit - Amazing! 

The next morning, give your oats a good stir. These oats have a whopping 40 grams of protein. This is about the same amount of protein as in two lean grilled chicken breasts - only in a more desirable breakfast option! Enjoy!

Vital Proteins Pasture-Raised, Grass-Fed Collagen Whey, Advanced Protein Utilization Formula (Vanilla Coconut), 20 oz Canister

Reasons You Should Kick Your Day Off With Protein

Over the last couple of weeks, I have begun to incorporate Vital Proteins into my diet. We are now in what is known as the "holiday" season. Every corner that I turn, I spot another pumpkin pie or tray of cookies. I am very aware of what I should be steering clear of, however, with so much good food around (and the fact that I work in a food LAB), I was in need of some extra help in curbing my craving for these decadent delights.

It is important to start your day off on the right foot. If you are like me, you usually wake up and eat perfectly until 10 am. Then, something happens. You're at work, and all of a sudden, all those "fringe foods" start to look delicious. These are unplanned foods that go straight into your mouth and stick to your hips - forever!

In order to work to reduce my old grazing habit, I have begun to make a variety of Collagen Peptide infused Greek yogurt bowls for breakfast. One of my favorites is my Exotic Greek Goddess Bowl:

Protein Packed Greek Goodess Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Fresh Blueberries
• 1 Cup Greek Yogurt (my favorite is Fage Total 0%)
• 2 Scoops Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
• 1 TBSP Chia Seeds
• 1/2 Cup Pomegranate Seeds
• 1/2 Dragon Fruit, Cubed/Sliced
• 1 Small Guava, Sliced
• 1 Starfruit, Sliced

Takes 10 min, serves 1.

Instructions

1. Puree 1 Cup Greek Yogurt, 2 Scoops of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, and 1/2 Blueberries
2. Pour the collagen peptide infused blueberry Greek Yogurt into a bowl, and top with your favorite exotic fruits. These tropical exotic fruits complement the tart yogurt perfectly.