HEALTHY Carrot Cake Protein Pancakes

Well, it's been 3 days since the Butler game and my voice still isn't back! It hasn't caused too many problems other than when I tried to tell my hair stylist how I wanted my hair cut. Thankfully I had a picture to show because if not who knows what kind of hack job I would have walked out of there with. The annoying part is even though she knew I had no voice she still persisted to ask me 100 questions. Typical. 

On Sunday night, Kyle and I were both feeling breakfast for dinner, so I tried out a recipe I've been waiting a while to make - Carrot Cake Protein Pancakes. I know, they sound sinful and unhealthy, but guess what... they are 100% healthy, gluten free, and packed with protein. It doesn't get much better than that. The best part is, you can have three pancakes for about 230 calories and 18 total grams of protein. You won't find that in your average pancake. 

Another great thing about making this pancake is your throw everything into the blender, so it's pretty quick and easy. I think Kyle and  I will finish the left overs tonight after our spinning date night! 

                                                       Carrot Cake Protein Pancakes

                                                          Inspired by Dashing Dish

                                                               Makes 2 Servings 

Ingredients

1/4 C Vanilla Protein Powder

1 C Old Fashioned Oats

2 Eggs

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

2 Carrots, Peeled and finely chopped

1/4 C Skim Milk

1/2 C Plain or Vanilla Greek Yogurt

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Pinch of Ginger and Nutmeg

Pinch of Salt

1 T White Sugar

1 Carrot, Peeled and grated

Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients EXCEPT the grated carrots into a blender. 

2. Blend until smooth. 

3. Fold in the grated carrots. 

4. Heat a griddle and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

5. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, scoop batter onto the griddle and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. 

Thanksgiving Hangover Cure

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! I had an amazing time with some of my family, and happy to say that everyone enjoyed my first Thanksgiving dinner! I'll give a brief recap on it in a later post with the recipes, but first and foremost, does anyone else have a Thanksgiving hangover? I'm not talking about your usual hangover, but instead one induced from eating too much.

Well, I plan on getting rid of it ASAP. A lot of people stay in the holiday mode until the New Year and end up gaining 5 or more pounds and never get rid of the "hangover." That is not in my plans!


I find the best way to get back on track is to start with a healthy breakfast. Give my Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal a try. It's a wonderful mix of peanut butter, whole grains, and protein. You can add several mix-ins to this, but for this one I stuck with flax and raisins, and topped it with a banana and pomegranate seeds.

Give it a try to get rid of the Thanksgiving hangover. Now it's time for me to get a good workout in. Nothing gets ride of the Thanksgiving guilt like a good sweat out. Enjoy, and cheers to a Holiday season of taking control of your health.

                                                         Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal
                                                                         Serves 4

Ingredients

2 1/2 C Old Fashioned Oats
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 C Brown Sugar
2 Eggs, Beat
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 C Peanut Butter (Chunky or Smooth)
1/4 C Raisins (Optional)
2 T Flax Seed (Optional)
2 T Unsweetened Apple Sauce
1 1/2 C Skim Milk (or milk of choice)
1 tsp Vanilla

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 Degrees.
2. Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Pour into an 8 inch square casserole dish.
4. Bake for 35 minutes. The oatmeal should be golden brown and firm in the middle.
5. Top with fresh fruit, and enjoy!

___________________________________________________________________________________
Month of Gratitude:
Today I am thankful that God gave each of my sisters a different talent. We may be complete opposites at times, but we complement each other well.

Windy City Running + Breakfast On The Go

You would think after living in Chicago for a year and half that I would get used to the wind, but nope. We are expecting 50 MPH winds today and 25 foot waves in Lake Michigan. I actually contemplated going for a run, but...

     1. The Lake Front Trail is closed because it's a bit dangerous to run with 25 foot waves crashing over the wall.
     2. I can barley fight the wind walking to work, so running may prove to be difficult.

I guess that means I'll stick to the treadmill and cross training until these winds subside. Speaking of winds, my thoughts and prayers go out to all of you on the east coast!

I know most of you who are runners were thinking this upon hearing about the storm.

I cannot believe it's almost November! That means the Holiday's are right around the corner. If this stresses you, sorry that I reminded you. I'm actually pretty excited about Thanksgiving this year because I will be hosting for a small group. Over the next month, I will be testing out some healthy Thanksgiving recipes, and sharing them with you. Who said Thanksgiving had to be dominated by unhealthy food?

In the mean time, I made some delicious Cinnamon Vanilla Overnight Oats for breakfast this morning. I love to make overnight oats because in the morning I can just grab them on the go. That's right, you can skip the McDonald's drive-thru because these oats are even more convenient and 100% healthy.

I'm sure throughout the life of this blog, I will share several overnight oat recipes with you because they are so versatile. This is a very basic recipe, but feel free to spice it up with mix ins like berries, nut butters, etc. You really can't go wrong.

                                                 Cinnamon Vanilla Overnight Oats
                                                                      Serves 1
Ingredients

1/2 C Old-Fashioned Oats
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 T Flax Seed
1 tsp Honey
1 T Vanilla Protein Powder
1 C Vanilla Soy Milk (or milk of choice - if you use regular milk add 1/2 tsp of vanilla) [If you want your oats more thick, reduce the amount of milk]

Instructions

1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a Tupperware container or jar.
2. Seal and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning you can add other toppings like: berries, banana, nut butters, etc.

Fall in Love with Pumpkin Butter

Happy Thursday! Last Thursday greeted me with strep throat and this Thursday decided to top that with a sinus infection. I can officially say that I now hate Thursdays! I'll admit, sinus infections suck, but I did get the chance to use a neti pot for the first time today. I was apprehensive about using it, but what a life saver that thing is! While doing research about the neti pot I even found that a lot of yogis (people who do yoga) use them for inner purification. I love yoga, but not sure I am going to go to that extreme with my neti. Pretty neat to learn, though.

Well, enough complaining, I have another pumpkin recipe for you - Pumpkin Butter! It has a similar consistency to apple butter, but of course, it's made with pumpkin. Just imagine the taste of pumpkin pie in a jar. It's pretty close to fall paradise!

There are a lot of pumpkin butter recipes out there, but most are loaded with sugar. I cut the sugar in half for mine, so it's not too sweet and the pumpkin flavor really comes through. If the natural pumpkin flavor is too strong for you, you can add up to a cup of sugar. Just add it wisely. 

The best thing about pumpkin butter is that you can pair it with so many different things! Try it on: pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, toast, rice cakes, yogurt, etc. I even enjoy peanut butter and pumpkin butter sandwiches. They seem to complement each other well. Let me know what you plan on eating it with, I am always up for suggestions.

                                                                 Pumpkin Butter
                                                                  Makes 2 Jars
Ingredients

3 1/2 C or 1 29 oz Can Purred Pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie spiced filling)
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1 C Apple Cider
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes. Stir often! 

Fall into this Comfort Breakfast

Is it weird that I absolutely love waking up at 5:15 every morning to workout? For me, there is nothing like getting out of bed and going straight to the gym to start the day with a good butt kicking workout. I actually enjoy the days where I have such a hard workout that it's difficult to walk into work or when my arms won't stop shaking while I am doing my makeup. 

Yes, many think I am crazy. I mean how many 23 year olds really wake up before dawn when they don't have to? Better yet, how many 23 years olds go to bed around 9:45 to make sure they aren't too tired when the alarm goes off? I'll admit, I'm not normal, but I love my routine.

I love my Butler Power shirt! I got this for hang cleaning some major weight(when I used to lift really heavy for volleyball).

I also love that the same people go to my gym at 5:30 AM. You almost feel like they are your friends because you see them everyday. When I was out for heart surgery, an older lady (note: she is in killer shape) noticed I was gone and ran up to me on my first day back because she missed seeing me. It's the little things like that, that make my day. 

After my morning workouts, I refuel with protein oatmeal. I shared one of my recipes with you a while back, but lately I decided to change things up. I threw together a hodgepodge of ingredients yesterday, and made Pumpkin Pie Oats. I know, you are probably tired of seeing my pumpkin recipes, but you can't pass this one up. It's not everyday that you get to eat "pumpkin pie" for breakfast! 

You can eat this "pie" without feeling guilty too because it is filled with protein, carbs, and healthy fats. The perfect fueling strong combo. Give it a try, and let me know what you think below. Who knows, maybe you'll love it so much that you'll serve oats instead of actual pie at Thanksgiving this year. -Ha...I'm not sure that would work in my house. 

                                                                      Pumpkin Pie Oats

                                                                            Serves 1

Ingredients

1/2 C Rolled Oats

1/2 C Water

1/4 C Pumpkin Puree (don't use the pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

A dash of Cinnamon

2 T Chopped Walnuts (or Almonds)

2 T Vanilla Almond Milk

1/2 tsp Honey

1 T (or 1/2 Scoop) Vanilla Protein Powder

1 tsp Flax Seed

Start Cooking

1. Mix the oats and water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the oatmeal for 2 minutes. 

2. Stir in the remaining ingredients, and start fueling strong. 

Yoga Pants & Pumpkin Muffins Brighten My Day

I came home to a wonderful surprise last night! Kyle knew I did not have the best day, so he stopped by Athleta on his way home. This guy knows the way to me heart, yoga pants! Here is the newest member of my wardrobe. If I had it my way, I would never get out of them, but unfortunately yoga pants are not looked highly upon at work.

Speaking of work, we closed out summer today with an office outing to the putt-putt course. My golfing partner and I managed to dominate the course and won the competition! Not only did we win the competition, but we also won the "green jackets." They aren't nearly as attractive as the Master's jackets, but we are pretty darn proud of them.

For those of you who read my last post, Kyle is healing well. Don't worry, I was also able to make the pumpkin muffins that I intended to make the night he cut his eye open. Many pumpkin muffin recipes are filled with fat and sugar, but I found this recipe from Alida's Kitchen that cuts the fat and sugar in half by adding bananas. Don't worry, the banana flavor does not over power the pumpkin, it actually enhances it. Give this recipe a try, and let me know what you think.

                                                              Pumpkin Banana Muffins
                                                                 Makes 14-16 Muffins
                                                            Inspired by Alida's Kitchen

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 bananas, mashed
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Start Baking

1.  Set your oven to 350 degrees and line the muffin pan with paper holders.
2. In a large bowl, mix together both flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. In a separate bowl, mash the banana and add pumpkin, oil, eggs, and vanilla together.
4. Add the pumpkin mix to the dry ingredients. Make sure you do not over mix or the muffins will be tough.
5. Divide the batter between 14-16 cups and bake for 13-15 minutes.

Pancake Muffins

The picture below pretty much summarizes my holiday weekend. That cutie is my nephew, and Kyle and I went home to celebrate his 2nd birthday! We had a great time spoiling him with love, gifts, and plenty of sugar from my mom's bakery.

Korbin and his Mickey Mouse cupcake. He melts my heart!

Well, now that the celebrations are over, it's time to focus on another work week. Do you ever feel like it's difficult for you to cook during the week because of your work schedule? Well, you are not alone. Whether you are a full-time student or work 50+ hours a week, you can still prepare healthy meals regardless of time.

In the next couple of weeks, I will share with you some of my "quick cooking" tips to save you time. Today, let's start with breakfast! The majority of people claim that they do not eat breakfast because they do not have time. I understand that time is short, but skipping breakfast is one of the worst things you can do to your body. It's like trying to drive a car on empty, you must put fuel into your body to get it moving and to burn calories.

Try prepping breakfasts on Sundays. My husband leaves for work early, so on Sunday evenings I prepare meals that he can heat up at work. This week, I made pancake muffins. Basically, it's a pancake in travel form! Make one batch, and breakfast is served for the whole week!

All you need is a pancake batter and mix-ins (berries, bacon, nuts, etc). I prefer to make my own pancake batter, but if you normally use Bisquick or another boxed mix, feel free to use it. Get creative with your mix-ins. This week Kyle requested strawberry banana muffins and bacon muffins. (Note: If you are going to use bacon, stick to either Center Cut bacon which has less fat or turkey bacon)

These are not only perfect for working adults, but also for your kids before school! You can throw the muffins at them as they run out the door, and rest assured knowing that you helped them get their brain started for a day of learning ahead of them.

Let me know what mix-in combination you used for your pancake muffins. Remember, fueling strong starts at the beginning of the day!

                                                                   Pancake Muffins
                                                Adapted from Lady with the Red Rocker
                                                                 Makes 12 Muffins
Ingredients

1 ¾ C Whole Wheat Flour
1 T Baking Powder
¼ tsp Salt
2 T White Sugar
1 Egg
1 ½ C Skim Milk
3 T Canola Oil
1 T Apple Sauce
Mix-ins of your choice (blueberries, strawberries, bananas, bacon, etc)

Start Baking

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, sift all of your dry ingredients. Once sifted, add in the milk, egg, oil, and apple sauce.
3. Line 12 muffin cups with liners and fill ½ way with the batter
4. Add your desired mix-ins to each cup 
5. Cover the mix-ins with 1 T of batter.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, test with a toothpick to make sure they are done in the center.

Note: Store in the refrigerator and heat for a couple of seconds before eating.
 

Protein Oats

Happy birthday to my favorite 2 year old! My adorable nephew turns 2 today, and I cannot wait to go to Indiana this weekend to see him! Last weekend, Kyle and I went on an adventure to find the best gift for him. He loves Mickey, but Kyle thought a trip to the Lego Store would be an even better idea. Honestly, I think Kyle just wanted me to buy him some Legos. It didn't take long for us to decide that Korbin needed a Lego zoo set, and Kyle has already volunteered to help him build it. I guess I know what to get Kyle for Christmas this year.

Little man has grown so much in one year! 

I told you in an earlier post that I am a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast. During the week I make Protein Oats. This breakfast is filled with protein, carbs, and natural sugars that will keep you energized and satisfied until lunch. Not only is it healthy for you, but it is also delicious!

I use protein powder and almond or peanut butter to load the oatmeal with plenty of protein.  Don't worry the protein powder won't make you bulk up like the Hulk, unless you are eating the whole tub in one sitting. Instead, it will fuel you with protein that will help build muscle. Remember more muscle means: you burn more calories, you become lean, and you protect your bones from deterioration.

Today I mixed raspberries, blueberries, and figs into my oatmeal. I figured I might as well take advantage of these fruits while they are still in season. When winter comes I tend to add bananas and apples to the mix since berries are more expensive that time of year. Add in whatever fruits you like, and start fueling strong.

                                                                   Protein Oatmeal
                                                                        Serves 1

Ingredients
½ C Oats (I prefer thick rolled oats, but you use quick oats)
1 C Water
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
½ C Fruit (Blueberries, raspberries, figs, bananas, or sometimes I choose to put all of them in!)
3 T Vanilla Almond Milk
1 T Flax Seed
1 T Almond or Peanut Butter
¼ tsp Cinnamon

Get Cooking
1.       Place ½ C oats and 1 C water into a microwaveable bowl and microwave for a 1:30 – 2 minutes
2.       Add all of the ingredients above. Stir and enjoy!

Berry Lime Fruit Salad

I cannot believe that Labor Day is next weekend. I am excited for an extra day off of work, but sad because that means summer is coming to a close. Was this the fastest summer for anyone else? I am not quite sure where it went.

Labor Day seems to be a good time to get together for cook outs. If you plan on attending a Labor Day get together, I have the perfect dish for you to bring – Berry Lime Fruit Salad. I came up with this recipe last weekend after seeing that all of the berries in my local grocery store were on sale. An "On Sale" sign in the produce aisle, is always an open invitation to buy more and to not feel as guilty about spending the money! 

This fruit salad is filled with antioxidants. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, but do you really know why you should be consuming them? Every day we come in contact with chemicals and pollutants that cause our cells to weaken. The weakened cells, also known as free radicals, attempt to take over the whole body and make us susceptible to chronic diseases. No need to freak out, though. You can do your body a favor by fueling  with antioxidants to combat the free radicals. Not only do antioxidants strengthen your immune systems, but they also prevent inflammation and aging! Good bye to Botox, and say hello to antioxidants.

Even if you don't have any Labor Day parties to attend, give this recipe a try. It is great to snack on, and you can easily make this into a kick-starter breakfast by mixing the fruit salad with some plain Greek yogurt. Keep fueling strong. 

                                                            Berry Lime Fruit Salad
                                                                       Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Pint Strawberries, Rinsed and quartered
1 Pint Blueberries, Rinsed
1 Pint Raspberries, Rinsed
2 T Blackberry Preserves (I prefer organic because it doesn’t have added sugars)
Zest of 1 Lime
Juice of ½ a Lime

Get Cookin’

1.   Place all of the berries in a large bowl

2.  Mix in 1 T of blackberry preserves, lime zest, and juice of one lime

3.  Chill for 1 hour

    If you want more information on antioxidants, take a look at this article from Women's Health.

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

Saturday mornings are always a good time in the Toombs’ house. Not only does it mean that I don’t have to set my 5:15AM alarm to get to the gym before work, but I can also change up my breakfast choices since I have more time. During the work week, I am a creature of habit and typically eat protein oats, but on the weekends I like a little variation.

In order to keep Kyle fueling strong for his rugby game last weekend, I made Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes. These pancakes have a powerful combination of whole grains, healthy fat, and protein which are key to make sure you do not get hungry one hour later and to give your body the macro nutrients it needs to properly function.

Our natural habit is to douse pancakes in syrup, but remember syrup can pack on a lot of unnecessary calories and sugars. In order to avoid this, purchase either the light or sugar free brands and stick to 2 T. I prefer to skip the syrup since the pancakes are naturally sweet from the lemon juice and berries. Just put some berries on top, and you are good to go. Which ever way you decide to eat them, you are still fueling your body to perform at the next level.

Stay tuned for my Saturday morning breakfast ideas to keep your body fueling strong for your Saturday activities.

Note: I don't recommend eating as many pancakes as I have in the picture. Stick to two.

                                               
                                                Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes
                                                                    serves 4
Ingredients
1 1/4 C Whole Wheat All Purpose Flour
3 T White Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 C Low-Fat Ricotta Cheese
1 Egg
2 Egg Whites
Lemon Zest of 3 Lemons
1/2 C Fresh Lemon Juice
1 T Canola Oil
1/4 tsp Vanilla
1/4 C Skim Milk
1 C Blueberries

Get Cookin'
 1. In a large bowl, mix together your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In another bowl, mix together the eggs. Add ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, canola oil, vanilla, and milk.
3. Slowly mix in the wet ingredients into your flour mixture. Whisk the batter until the it is well mixed.
4. Slowly fold in the blueberries. Folding in the berries will keep them from breaking up and making your batter blue.
5. Heat a griddle pan. With a 1/4 measuring cup, scoop batter onto the pan and let cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. (Note: Once the top of the pancake starts to bubble, it is time to flip)
6. Continue cooking the pancakes until all of the batter is gone, and then it is time for you to start fueling strong.