Brownie cafe cupcakes for one

I don’t know about you all but i love coffee .. Anytime of the day., especially at nigh. Yes I know , I’m crazy and this is probably why I don’t sleep well but the flavour is just too good ! 

I was craving chocolate as always.. I swear I’ve got some crazy hormones going on right now making my chocolate cravings go through the rough but anyways.. I decided to combine it with some coffee and gosh was the result ever good. Probably one of my favorite “carbs after dark” recipes that I have made to be honest! Fast easy and delicious! 

Thankfully I came across my unopened flapjack protein pancake mix in my suitcase and used this in my recipe! Head on over to their website at http://www.flapjacked.com to order directly from them or if you’re like me and are living on the other side of the ocean it may make more sense to order from vitacost.com or iherb.com. 

  

Chocolate cafe cupcakes for one 

1.5 TBSP Flapjacked mix

1 chia egg 

2 TBSP Water

1 TBSP Cocoa Powder

1/2 Scoop Protein Powder (Chocolate would be the best bet here)

1 TBSP Brewed Coffee

1. Create your chia egg first by combining 1 TBSP chia seeds with 3 TBSP water. Let sit. 

2. Add in the rest of ingredients ending with water. ( you could use coffee flavouring instead of brewed coffee)

3. Pour into cupcake mould and bake for 20 mins at 350 degrees 

4. Enjoy both , oh and top with protein fluff and chocolate! 

Mini Zucchini Loaves

I feel like every recipe that I saw on my feeds yesterday had something revolving around Saint Patricks Day. We all know that I’m obsessed with my Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix so what better way to bake with it then to add in some green veggies! Honestly you can’t even taste the zucchini, if you’re not a huge fan of the vegetable but thankfully I am, so the more the better!

 

Recipe:

Serves: one (4 mini loaves)

1/2 cup kodiakcakes

1 egg

1/3 cup shredded zucchini

1/3 cup milk( I used soy)

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 tsp baking powder + sweetener

Directions:

Mix well, adding water last because a thin batter isn’t fun let me tell you. Spoon evenly into 3-4 mini loaf tins. Bake for 20 mins at 350. Enjoy!

Strawberry & Cream Protein Loaves

I don’t know about you, but strawberries are a food that I eat like chips, which I guess isn’t a bad thing! I’ve been having a hard time fining them since they weren’t in season here in France but luckily I came across 2 lbs for 1.40 euros! I will admit they weren’t the best strawberries I’ve ever had because let’s face it, nothing beats fresh berries picked directly from the patch, but you make due with what you have.

Why Strawberries? 

They are jam packed with vitamin C which will boost your immunity

They are said to prevent cataracts and improve general eye health

 Contain Iron which fight anemia and fatigue

Rich in iodine to maintain a healthy thyroid

……

Oh, and they’re insanely delicious

Now let’s get to the recipe!

Recipe

Makes: 4 mini loaves

2 tbsp kodiak cakes pancake mix

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 egg white

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sweetener of choice, if needed

1/3 cup mashed cauliflower (can sub for banana/applesauce/etc.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix ingredients together until you have a creamy batter. I’ve found that with Greek yogurt the batter consistency can be thinner than when using another substance but it will still rise the same!

Spoon into 4 mini loaf molds or one small pan.

Bake for 20-22 mins.

Notes:

* Don’t over mix or the batter will be tough!

* You could use a strawberry flavoured yogurt in place of plain but this will add extra sugar.

Blueberry Coconut Muffins

The sunshine has finally found it’s way back to Paris folks! It was almost as if you could feel your body soaking in the vitamin D because it has been so long!

I spent my afternoon baking , who would has guessed right? I practically live in there. Here’s a quick and easy recipe for muffins that are perfect to take on the go!

blueberry coconut muffins

1 tbsp coconut flour

1 tbsp kodiakcakes or other flour of choice

1 egg

1/3 cup almond milk

1 tbsp shredded coconut

1/3 cup riced cauliflower

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup blueberries for topping

Mix all ingredients together except blueberries into small bowl.

Preheat oven to 350. Place spoonfuls of batter into muffin tins (I used mini because small cute food is always better).

Place blueberries on top of batter and sprinkle with coconut flakes. Bake for 20 mins. Remove, cool and eat!

Why you should try Spirulina today + Muffin Recipe!

When I was in Barcelona I walked everywhere, and when I mean everywhere I literally mean I saw the whole city without spending a single dime on ground transportation. That being said I came across a lot of unique shops and buildings that I would have missed if I hadn’t of taken the time to roam around.

My second day I found this small health shop that was hidden in the Gothic Quarter which I obviously had to check out. I instantly learned that the employees both spoke English, which made for a heck of a lot better experience.

I have wanted to try spirulina for a while now but it’s quite expensive in Paris so I figured I would just hold off until I went home. Surprisingly I found a bag for 9 euros at this shop and figured it was worth a try!

Upon arriving back in Paris the first place I headed was the kitchen; typical. I was a bit apprehensive of using this superfood in baking because I had heard that the taste was a bit strong but you can’t always trust the opinion of others so I gave it a try.

I’m going to be honest and admit that the taste a bit to be desired but mix it with some fruit and it masks the flavor!

What is Spriulina? 

It is a blue-green micro algae and is said to be one of the oldest life forms on the planet. It’s known as the worlds first superfood and contains the nutrients and minerals that our bodies don’t get enough of on a regular basis. You can find it in either tablet or powder form. I chose to go with the powder because I figured it would be interesting to bake with as well as add to my smoothies.

Benefits of Spriulina

First thing I noticed was a instant boost of energy. I’m a huge coffee addict but if I can get the same amount of energy plus an abundance of nutrients in a tsp of spirulina, then why wouldn’t I! This superfood is said to help endurance and reduce fatigue while also improving our immune system.

• Contains 65-70% complete protein which we need in order for muscle growth
• It’s full of B-12 vitamins which is especially essential for vegans and vegetarians
• It naturally detoxes the body and helps eliminates toxins from our body

Spriulina Muffins

makes: 7 mini muffins/3-4 medium sized 

INGREDIENTS

1. 5 tbsp coconut flour

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 egg

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp almond milk

2 tbsp applesauce

1 tsp sweetener of choice

 DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix dry ingredients with egg, then add in applesauce.

Slowly add in almond milk until you have a thin batter, but be sure to not allow it to become too watery or it won’t rise.

Bake for 20-25 mins in oven.

Protein Sugar Cookies – Gluten Free!

I’m not against grains, heck I eat them with every meal but if I can bake with coconut flour I do because it doesn’t leave me feeling bloated afterwards as when I bake with regular flour blends. I’m far from having a gluten intolerance but I do notice how I feel different after eating a white baguette for example than a cup of quinoa. It seems that as the years go by its become easier for people with celiac or gluten allergies to eat the same foods as someone on a typical diet.

Today I had already had a snack but was bored and still hungry (surprise surprise) so I came up with these 5 ingredient protein cookies , Yep only 5 ingredients! This whole intuitive eating thing has got my taste buds going crazy for all kinds of things! Today just happened to be sugar cookies! Sadly I had only one lonely egg left so that’s why this batch is so small, but hey if you’re watching your carbs this may just be perfect for you!

Protein Coconut Flour Cookies

Serves: 4 (I would suggest doubling/tripling the batch)

Ingredients 

1 tbsp coconut flour
1 egg white
Dash of baking powder
1/2 scoop vanilla protein
1/2 tsp sweetener

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all together until you get a sticky batter.

Place small spoonfuls of batter onto parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 15 mins.

Top with “Icing” (greek yogurt + dash of coconut flour)

Enjoy 😀

Pumpkin spice pancake bars

Finally I have pumpkin again! Well I did until it got turned into soup but I was able to sneak a little bit before that happened to make these pumpkin bars!

Does anyone else use baking as a way to relax and de-stress? I find lately it’s the only way to keep myself essentially happy and sane considering I’m babysitting every single day. Today I wanted to use up the last of my kodiak mix so I figured I’d make some Bars instead of muffins. Easy and simple— just the way I like it!

Recipe Makes: 4 small squares ( 4 medium muffins)

Ingredients

1/3 cup kodiakcakes

1/2 cup pumpkin purée

1/4 cup water/almond milk

1/2 scoop protein powder

Cinnamon

1/3 tsp baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix dry ingredients then add in pumpkin puree! Finally add in water or milk slowly making sure not to create a batter that’s too liquid or it won’t cook! Trust me it’s not pretty!

Pour evenly into silicone molds.

Bake for 20-25 mins. Take out and top with a mixture of 1/4 cup Greek yogurt and 1/2 tbsp coconut flour! Oh and sprinkles of course 🙂

Do you eat your yolks?

I grew up eating no eggs what so ever, simply because they weren’t a staple in my household. The reason behind that i’m assuming is that

1. They don’t come with instructions (sorry mom)

2. They also aren’t in a package that you can throw in the freezer.

I was raised on convenient store bought foods and didn’t start experimenting with anything really until the end of my high school years. When I first discovered eggs I was amazed by what you could do with them, but then I got it into my head that “egg yolks were bad” and would only consume the whites. Knowing what I know now, I feel 100% stupid to say the least. I have nothing against the white of an egg considering I bake with them all the time, but I no longer have that fear of the yellow. I almost feel like it’s a waste when I throw away the yolk and only use the white.

Long are the days when egg yolks were said to be the main cause of unhealthy blood cholesterol. We know are aware of the essential heart healthy omega-3’s and lean protein that it can provide our bodies with.

Photo: Prevention

I’ve been trying to incorporate more whole eggs into my recipes and this morning created a sweet pizza which was perfect for my post resistance workout.

Raspberry chia pizza

2 tbsp coconut four

1 egg

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sweetener of choice

1-2 tbsp almond milk

——————————————————————————————-

Mix all ingredients together until you have a thin pancake mix.

Pour onto lined baking sheet with parchment paper. I use a baking mat which is a lot easier run my opinion! No greasing, no sticky mess. Bake for 15-18 mins at 180. Remove from oven and top with raspberries, Greek yogurt , homemade cocoa sauce and chia seeds!

Chocolate Raspberry Protein Pancakes

I’m obsessed with pancakes, but not your typical ones that you fry in a pan.

I bake my cakes. 

Yep, may sound strange but they’re so much better! You don’t have to worry about the batter sticking to the frying pan or the cake breaking when you attempt to flip it. You simply wait, which yes isn’t fun but the result is SO worth it trust me!

How many times have you been told to choose baked > fried foods. Technically pancakes are pretty healthy, they just have gotten a bad reputation as does pizza.

A typical recipe of pancakes includes flour, eggs and milk. Seems pretty basic and clean right? I truly believe it depends on the quality of the ingredients you choose and how you use them:

Kodiakcakes pancake mix is a whole grain flour based product with With no added fat, sugar or cholesterol. Quite different than your typical white flour. I added protein powder because I know that if I don’t have enough in the morning, than I will still be hungry an hour later.

I also add vegetables in a lot of my baked goods to get some extra nutrients in where I may be lacking them. Also, I find that cauliflower adds a fair amount of volume making a larger batch and who wouldn’t want to feel they are eating more!

Growing up the only milk we drank was 2% cows milk whereas now I choose almond or soy. This is completely a personal preference but I can’t tolerate the taste of cows milk nor can my body but its not something that i want to eliminate from my diet so I substitute it with non dairy based fluids!

Recipe

Serves: one

1/3 cup kodiakcakes pancake mix

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 egg

1/3 mashed cauliflower

2 tbsp water/soy or almond milk

Directions:

1. Mash/rice steamed cauliflower and allow to cool and Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine all ingredients except milk/water until you get a thick batter.

3. Slowly add in milk until you have a slightly thinner mixture but still thick enough to place on a baking sheet.

4. Place spoonfuls of batter onto your pan.

5. Bake for 10-12 mins.

Protein Fluff

100 grams greek yogurt

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

raspberry juice from frozen berries

——- Mix all ingredients together and pour over your stack of pancakes —–

Top with chocolate pieces and raspberries!

What works for them may not work for you!

The amount of times I have read ” how many calories do you eat a day” or “what are your macros” is WAY more than I should.

Everyone is different in their looks, body shapes, dietary requirements.. etc. This means that just because your friend over there is losing weight on eating 1200 calories lets say, doesn’t mean that is your “perfect” number as well.

How many times have you read a magazine where it outlines a celebrities meal plan on how to get that “perfect” body. News Flash.

A. More than likely they aren’t consuming those foods on a regular basis or at all.

B. The perfect body doesn’t exist because no matter how amazing we are, we’re always going to find flaws within ourselves. We’re human.

I often will read other’s food diaries and see how little they are consuming in a day and think “wow, maybe i’m eating too much”. I know that I shouldn’t think this way but this is how the human mind works. We are constantly comparing ourselves to those around us, especially those who we envy or look up to. I had to take a step back from social media and review my own needs because before I knew it I fell down a path of essentially trying to be everything that I saw.

I would come across people who eliminated carbs from their diet which lead me to believe that grains were evil. Boy was I ever wrong on this thought. Maybe carbs aren’t what that particular person needed in their diet but for me I did. Now after introducing at least 200 grams of carbs more a day than what I was having in the summer I :

1. Have more energy

2. Am a heck of lot nicer person and no longer lash out at people because of the slight depression that came along with the restriction

3. TMI. I am regularly usign the bathroom again! Thank you fiber superpowers.

Then I came across the bodybuilders who eat 100’s of grams of protein a day therefore I thought ” Well i want to gain muscle so I must eat as much as them”. Let’s just say the body of a 20 year old 5 foot 4 female doesn’t require the same as a 30 year old 200lb male bodybuilder. At least in my case it didn’t work. I spent an abundance of money on supplements, protein powders and found an obsession with Questbars and guess what.. I didn’t gain anymore muscle than before I spent all of that money. I am not at a place nor do I have the resources to become a weight lifter so this wasn’t the diet for me.

I’m currently in a place where my body is reacting well to a variety of foods which I am gracious for considering the amount of food allergies being recognized today. I eat meat because I want to not because I see other people eating it, but for the sole purpose It makes my body happy. I love yogurt, cheese, milk so there’s no vegan in the future for this chick but that’s something I’ve finally come to terms with.

It’s okay to be different. It’s okay to be you.

It takes time, believe me I’m still trying to find that perfect balance but I know that if I keep trying new things and accepting my own needs that I will get there. Don’t give up just because you failed the first time. Pick yourself back up and give it a second, third or even twentieth try!