Protein "Ice Cream"

My Christmas morning breakfast!

2 frozen bananas 

1-2tbsp almond milk

1 scoop protein (I used Cellucor's Cinnamon Swirl)

-Add chopped bananas and milk.

-blend then add protein. 

You don't want to add protein in the beginning cause when you turn on the blender, it'll go everywhere. 

I added a couple crumbled Paleo Gingerbread cookies, PB, and a chopped date.

You could use any protein flavor or add extracts like chocolate protein and cocoa and peppermint extract!

Go to cellucor.com and use my discount code: PeaceLoveFit for 20% off and free shipping.

Paleo Gingerbread Cookies

🎅Paleo Gingerbread Cookies🎄

-1 1/2c almond flour

-1/2tsp ginger

-1/2tsp cinnamon

-1/4tsp ground cloves

-1/4tsp baking soda

-1tbsp coconut oil (melted)

-1/4c molasses 

-1tbsp 100% pure maple syrup

-1 egg

1. Whisk all the dry ingredients.

2. Whisk all the wet. I heated all but the egg. I slowly whisked in the (room temp) egg. 

3. Add the molasses mix to the dry ingredients.

4. It should be thick. If too thin add a tbsp at a time of more almond flour. 

5. Pour out onto (big piece) parchment paper. Wrap up. Place in fridge for few hours or overnight.

6. Preheat 350. Keep gingerbread on parchment and then get another big piece to cover on top. Roll out and cut. This will be sticky and messy; as you can see my cookies' shape are not really pretty. Spread them out on the sheet. 

7. Bake for 11-15mins. Depending on how soft or hard you want your cookies.

Protein Brownies

I make these once a week because they are THAT good and THAT easy and THAT healthy!

I receive new protein so I decided to make them using WfitNutrition Chocolate mocha protein. 

I change up the recipe weekly by changing the protein flavors or the extracts.

Protein Brownies:

1 can rinsed/drained black beans

2 eggs

2 1/2 scoops WfitNutrition chocolate mocha protein 

2tbsp melted coconut oil 

1/2c (or so) almond milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract (or peppermint or butter or almond or any really)

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Stevia 

1. In a blender, add beans, eggs, almond milk, extract, coconut oil and stevia. Blend until really smooth and all the black bits are gone. 

2. Add cocoa. Blend. Need more liquid? Drizzle in some almond milk while blending.

3. Add half a scoop at a time while blender is on. Add almond milk as needed. 

4. Pour into lined 8X8 pan or a cake pan. 

5. Bake 350 for 18-20mins. I pull mine out at about 18. Allow to cool before cutting. I get 8 bars out of it.

I really want to double the recipe and use two cake pans and create a layered chocolate cake with a paleo coconut cream frosting...maybe that's to come!

Check out www.wfitnutrition.com for some of this protein or any other supplements.

Lumps of Protein Coal

So I adapted these from Jasmine (aka @jazzythings on IG) but totally changed the outcome.

She keeps these frozen which I started to do...but then i wanted something warm at the moment. So I decided to bake em!

Then after I made them, I realized they fit perfect for this Christams season because they look like "lumps of coal." So if you want to mess with little ones, play a joke and say Santa left you these coal cookies haha

Mint Chocolate Protein "Lumps of Coal:"

-4 scoops chocolate protein powder

-1/3c flax

-1/3c 100% maple syrup

-1/3c almond butter (I used chunky)

-1/2tsp peppermint extract

-3-6tbsp almond milk

1. Mix protein and flax.

2. In separate bowl, nuke maple syrup, almond butter. Add extract and START with 3 tbsp of almond milk.

3. Add to protein mix. Stir really well. 

4. Not coming together? Add a tbsp at a time of almond milk. Stir stir stir. It will come together in a ball.

5. Preheat 325. I stuck the mix in the freezer until the oven was preheated so it would be easier to handle.

6. Roll into balls. Keep them all the same size.

7. Now the tricky part:baking time. I put them in for 3mins (yup 3!). Checked them. Then left the oven door open and watched.

The key is-once you can pick them up off the foil without them sticking, they're done! That is why you want them all the same size. So literally about a total AT THE MOST is 5mins cooking time. 

It's protein powder so it cooks weird.

I literally ate them right then and there. These are gooey and sticky! I enjoyed kinda sucking on one...weird yes but you'd understand once you put it I your mouth.

Protein Oatmeal Cookies

Wet:

1c almond mik

1/2c pumpkin (I'm sure applesauce could work too)

1 banana

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla

Dry:

2c oats 

1/4c flax

2tbsp seeds

1tbsp xantham gum (or coconut flour)

1tbsp cinnamon

1tsp baking powder

2 scoops wfit nutrition protein (or any protein)

1/2c add-ins (nuts, fruit, choc chips)

1. Beat/mash wet ingredients together in a bowl. I used my mixer for this.

2. Mix dry in seperate bowl.

3. Add dry slowly to wet.

4. Fold in add-ins if you want or do like I did and put on top so friends/family know what they're eating.

5. Bake 400, 12mins. I made 2 dozen. 

Articles, Stories, Journals....

I come across lots of articles and I really like to share them with you.

Smiling is Contagious
This is written by Michele Letendre, a crossfit games competitor. She never realized before how or why she inspires other athletes; she has recently realized that she does indeed have an impact on many of us. Also to close her little journal, she includes a very moving bit that makes me look up to her even more, beyond just a crossfit athlete.

Mind Over Matter
I may or may not have read this two or three times. It's that good! But not just good-it's true, 100% accurate, motivating, inspiring, and so much more. This is a MUST read if you train, compete, or just simply want to. It may give one an epiphany if they find excuses or lack motivation or just not 'there' yet. It will make athletes push even more and really undestand what it takes.
Seriously, I absolutely love it. I have shared it with many of my friends and even forwarded it to my motivation, Andrea Ager, who I'm sure would appreciate this writing as well.

BoxLife Mag: Andrea Ager
Speaking of Andrea Ager, here is the link to the article of her from BoxLife magazine. Again, she is probably my number one motivation and always has been. Reading her words always drives me.

Reasons to Date a CrossFit Chick

Oh my goodness this is seriously such an accurate article! 

It just gives a few reasons why men should date a crossfit chick and man the are brutally honest and 100% true! As I read each and every single reason, I was shaking my head in agreement saying yup, yes, uh huh, oh yeah, yup that's me, totally,..etc. 

Women see if this is you and men see if this is what you want! 

Please read:::

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4312212

Bulletproof Coffee

So I recieved a nice little package, from Upgraded Self/Bulletproof Coffee company, that had their whole coffee beans and their MCT oil. I was uber excited because I already drank bulletproof coffee but I hadn't tested out their brand of ingredients. I used whatever coffee, a 90% MCT oil/10% coconut oil, and of course Kerrygold Grassfed butter.

I use this as my pre-crossfit because it boosts me and gives me lots of energy! All natural, no powders or weird chemical stuff like other pre-workouts.

Opening a fresh bag of coffee is like heaven because I seriously stick my nose right in the bag and get a big wiff. I breath in that absorbing aroma and let out a long ahhhhhh. 

Their bag even tells you how to make a bulletproof coffee:

I grab my grinder, pour a little in...

And grind until fine.

I actually read somewhere that the finer the better...for some reason I don't know.

I like using my coffee pot instead of a French press because it keep my coffee hot which I need my coffee hot hot hot to drink it. 

Waiting for coffee to brew in the morning seems like forever. As the pit is almost done, I usually pull out the pot before it's actually finished cause I simply can't wait any longer! 

I pour the coffee into my blender.

Tip: put hot water into your blender while the coffee is making so your blender is cold and cool down your hot coffee when you pour it in. Pour the water out right before yor about to add the coffee.

I add in steamed unsweetened almond or coconut milk to simply make it creamier. I also add in some stevia flavoring but this totally optional as a true bulletproof is just the butter and MCT. I have all different flavors of stevia drops : chocolate, vanilla, peppermint, toffee, hazelnut, coconut etc. You can add in coconut sugar it even cream.

Add 1-2tbsp of Kerrygold unsalted butter. I say 1 to 2 because if just starting to drink this, your body won't be used using the good fat for energy so starting with a smaller dose is best. The butter is what makes this uber creamy and gives it the foam on top. (The almond milk also whips up nicely to add to the foam.)

Add 1-2tbsp of MCT oil. Again, ease your body into it. 

MCT is what is the natural energizer of this amazing drink. 

I'll let you read what the benefits are above. 

Once you have added everything in...

Turn that baby on...I turn it on high to really whip it together. The longer you let it blend the bigger head or foam you'll get. 

I like a lot if foam so I let it gooooo

That is a small head of foam so I let stop to see and if I want more, I'll buzz it again.

Remember my earlier 'tip' about the hot water? Well I put hit water into my coffee cup as well.

Mmm the finished product. I have to have my coffee uber hot so sometimes I even stick it in the microwave for a bit. So I drink my coffee semi fast...

And in about 5 mins, it's gone!

 Bulletproof Coffee:

-coffee

-1 to 2 tbsp of MCT oil or coconut oil 

-1 to 2 tbsp grassfed unsalted butter

1. Blend all ingredients together.

2. Enjoy!

That is the original recipe. But I create many different bulletproof creations such as:::

Pumpkin Spice:

Add pumpkin spice to coffee grounds and brew. Add 1 tbsp pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, stevia to blender with everything else. 

Chocolate:

Brew normal. Add 1 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate stevia with everything else.

Cinnamon Dolce:

Brew with a few shakes of cinnamon in the grounds. Add more cinnamon to blender along vanilla stevia and everything else.

Peppermint mocha:

Add 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, peppermint stevia and everything else to blender. 

Apple Spice:

Brew with cinnamon added to grounds. Add cinnamon (or apple spice), 1 tbsp apple sauce (or apple cider) , 2tbsp 100% maple syrup. 

Protein:

Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder with wry thing else. 

These are just some of the ones I've created so I hope you try them out!

I want to say thank you to Upgraded Self company for sending me awesome products because I fully enjoyed them! Every time I make a bulletproof, I'll think of your generosity. 

Go check out their website Upgraded Self for these products but also others like their pure vanilla or cocoa!

Cinnamon Raisin Almond Butter

Cinnamon Raisin Almond Butter:

~2c almonds

~1/4c raisins (rinsed in water then laid out to dry)

~1tbsp cinnamon

~2-3 tbsp 100% maple syrup (100% comes straight from a tree so it's all natural & soooo good for you!)

.Make almond butter first with just the almonds; blend until creamy.

.Then, while blender running, add maple syrup and cinnamon.

.Add raisins and pulse until desired chunks. You can't really taste them as raisins; they really just add a sweetness. You can also add more raisins if you like them.

I keep mine in the fridge to keep it frah and make it last.

Blueberry Coconut (Protein) Bread

Blueberry Coconut Bread:

-1/2c coconut flour

-2 1/2 scoops WFit Vanilla Coconut Protein

-1 tbsp baking powder

-4 stevia packets

-1 1/2 apples (make applesauce-chop, nuke for 2mins, blend until smooth) or about 1c applesauce 

-3 egg whites

-1 tbsp coconut extract

-1 tbsp vanilla extract 

-1 tbsp coconut oil

1. Mix wet ingredients or blend in blender like I did.

2. Mix dry ingredients separately and then add to wet. I dumped mine into the blender. 

3. Once smooth, fold in 1-1 1/2c fresh blueberries. 

4. Pour into a loaf pan, I greased with coconut oil. 

5. Bake 350 for 40mins. 

Allow to cool completely (I made the mistake of digging in too early and it was a mess! But soooo good!)

Seriously so yummy and moist!

You don't have to use this protein, I'm sure vanilla would work but then add more coconut extract.

Use code: STACHEFIT for 50% off t wfitnutrition.com