MMM MMMM Muffins!

It is fall!!  For lots of people that means time to bake and cook until our kitchens look like the refrigerator and pantry exploded all over.  Today was one such day for me and I just wanted something pumpkin-y!!  I found an awesome muffin recipe here but I felt like it needed a few extra things.  So here is the recipe I came up with.  I'll admit some recipes with almond flour can taste a bit grainy and weird, but people, this recipe is amazing.  I had one...and then I had another...just to make sure it was blog-worthy of course! : )  Just to give you an idea nutrition wise...a pumpkin muffin at Panera has 590 calories and 89 g net carbs.  My little guy is 195 calories with a net carb count of a little under 10 g carbs.  This also got the husband's stamp of approval with the request that these muffins be a fall tradition.  Then he said, "scratch that.  I think this recipe needs to be a year-round tradition."  I would call that a success!

Protein Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
2 scoops NNW Healthy 100% Whey- Cinnamon Bun Flavor (you can substitute vanilla protein powder if you'd like)
2 Tbsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
4 eggs
1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter (softened)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all dry ingredients together including the walnuts.  In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients until well blended.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little bit at a time.  Use muffin liners in your muffin pan and spray each liner with nonstick spray.  Fill each liner 3/4 to full of batter.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Yield: 18 muffins

My New Addiction

Before I started getting back into shape the thought of protein powder absolutely disgusted me.  Something healthy?  In powder form?  No thanks, I'll pass.  That was me last year.  However, let me tell you that since then I have done a complete 180.  Hello, My name is Elizabeth, and I am a protein powder addict.  I think it is important to note: NOT ALL PROTEIN POWDERS ARE CREATED EQUAL!!  Yes, there are some really nasty protein powders out there.  I know because I tried them.  My world was rocked one day when a dietitian at Hy-Vee introduced me to NNW Healthy 100% whey protein.  She likes it because it has Stevia as a sweetener and according to her, has a great protein profile.  I just like it because it tastes good and has a great serving of protein. : )  Holy moly.  This stuff is like a dessert shake if you follow the recipe below.  I usually do the first recipe after my workout and then the second recipe if I'm on the go and need a little pick me up before a workout.  I do not do both in one day.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!!    Oh, I also tried PB2 for the first time.  It's a peanut butter in powdered form.  It gives you the flavor of peanut butter without the extra calories and it is easier to shake up with my blender ball container for my on the go shake.  You can find both the protein powder and PB2 at Hy-Vee in the health food section, but I think there may be some Price Choppers that have them too.  By the way, this stuff is not cheap.  I usually buy the 2 lb bag which is about $20, but it is worth it and the bag lasts me for a few weeks.

Funky Monkey Post Workout Shake

1 c. milk (you can substitute almond milk)
1/2 banana ( I like to freeze my bananas-gives better texture for smoothies)
1 Tbsp. all natural peanut butter
1 c. ice
1 1/2 scoops NNW Healthy 100% Whey Protein Powder (peanut butter chocolate flavor)

Blend and enjoy!!!

Funky Monkey With Regular 2% Milk

Funky Monkey With Almond Milk

On The Go Pre Workout Shake


1 Tbsp. PB2 peanut butter
1 1/2 scoops NNW Healthy 100% Whey Protein Powder (peanut butter chocolate flavor)
1 cup almond milk (you can also use regular milk)

Shake and enjoy!!

On The Go Shake Nutrition Info

Snack it to Me

     I have been busy, busy, busy, lately!  Just because I'm busy, it's no excuse to ignore eating throughout the day instead of eating three large meals.  I tend to eat breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner, and sometimes an evening snack.  Because I eat every 2-3 hours, I am not overeating and craving food like I used to.  Since I am busy though, I try to keep snacks handy that are easy and quick.  I just want to share what I have found lately that I always keep stocked in my pantry/refrigerator/freezer.  As you can tell from the picture, and if you ever talk to me about what I'm eating, I will tell you "protein, protein, protein!"  So it's no wonder that my snacks are also geared toward eating protein.  Before I jump into the science behind protein vs. carbs, let me tell you about the fun stuff: the snacks!! My snacks vary throughout the day and week, but a few of my go-to things are as follows:   

*Mott's prepackaged apple slices (I bought these at Sam's Club) with Jif natural peanut butter

*a nature valley protein bar (the peanut butter and dark chocolate ones are my favorite - you can buy them in bulk through Sam's Club or Costco.)

*Yasso frozen greek yogurt bar (also great dessert treat)

*cheese snacks (of any kind)

*protein shake

*handful of almonds

*hard boiled egg

*cottage cheese

    I will try to put this in the simplest terms possible, so here we go...

So what's the big deal with protein? The thing about protein is that it takes longer to digest in your system than starchy carbs and other sugars.  But wait, isn't a calorie of protein the same as a calorie of carbs?  Yes and no.  Yes they are valued at the same amount of calories, so if you are only counting calories, there is no difference.  However, they have VERY different effects on your body and appetite.  Typical starchy carbs and sugars tend to increase your blood sugar much more rapidly than complete proteins.  With the steep rise in blood sugar, you are bound to get the crash that follows.  Then what happens?  You get hungry because your blood sugar is low, you crave more carbs, the cycle continues.  Carbs are terrible to help curb your appetite.  Protein acts very differently.  With protein your blood sugar may rise a bit, but it takes longer to digest and therefore you feel fuller and you are not having the sugar drop as you would with carbs.  Because I maintain a healthy amount of protein throughout the day, I don't crave carbs and I don't tend to overeat. When people comment that I'm always eating, they are right.  I was one of those people that would eat little bird meals and be surprised that I wasn't losing weight.  Then I found out I wasn't taking in ENOUGH calories.  My body was fighting back by holding onto whatever it could because I was not feeding it well enough.  But it's not how much you eat, it's all about the quality of what are you eating!  Am I snacking on doughnuts, crackers, cookies, chips? No.  I snack on things that help my metabolism so that I am able to keep my energy up and burn more calories.  The proof is in the pudding folks.  I feel less bloated, I'm not having the weight retention around my waist, and I am no longer "craving" the bad stuff, not to mention my weight loss.  Good luck with your journey and let me know if you have any questions! : )