Tag: protein

Kale & Quinoa Bowl: Easiest, Filling, Nutritious Go-To Meal (RECIPE)

I introduce you to my latest obsession:

 

Nom nom nom....

 

 

You can’t really tell by the picture, but that bowl is HUGE and it’s holding 1 cup of cooked quinoa and 100g of chopped kale… along with an insanely delicious dressing that I will share below. This simple whole food duo is the perfect, delicious, filling, hearty base for so many different things – the list is nearly endless.

You can go savory, sweet, or spicy; you can add everything from more vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, or pumpkin – to fruits like chopped dates, figs, berries, or apples.

Another super bonus? If you’ve put yourself into a nutritional category box – I bet this fits into it. It’s all the “free’s” (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, nearly fat-free, egg-free) and all the “friendly’s” (Paleo-friendly, Vegetarian–friendly, Vegan-friendly, Carb-friendly, Allergen-friendly).

And when it comes to macro-nutrient ratios, this particular serving size has:

272 Calories

11g Protein

39g Carbs

5g Fat

7g Fiber

56g Sodium

Adding even more benefit? Both of these foods are incredibly nutrient dense in not only the macros above, but the micros such as: tons of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals ranging from B-vitamins to Vitamin E and zinc, body-loving fibers, and more.

Basically, quinoa and kale are soul mates in my book.

Like I said, there are ENDLESS directions this two-ingredient base can go; but let’s start with one of my favorites these days…

Creamy Southwest Spice Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • .5 to 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 heaping tsp Tahini (sesame seed butter, in Middle Eastern section of most markets)
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 2 tsp Mrs Dash salt-free Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt (I just fresh grind in to taste)
  • 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 Scant Tbsp Garlic Powder OR 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tsp Onion Powder OR 2 Tbsp minced red onion
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste… I like quite a bit)
  • Half a dropper of liquid Stevia, OR 1/2 Tbsp honey, OR 1 Tbsp Stevia in the Raw

Directions: Put it all in a bowl, whisk together, and toss with quinoa and kale…. That’s it. (Hint: make ahead of time by at least 30 minutes to let the flavors all soak up and merry. Nom!)

I always have a few cups of cooked quinoa in the fridge that I prepare in bulk in my rice cooker, one or two days a week. As for the kale, get 2-3 BIG handfuls, remove any stems (they tend to be a bit bitter sometimes), and chop up well before tossing.

Coming soon:

The True Health Trifecta Nutrition & Recipe Book:

Simple Salads, Soups, Sauces, & Dressings Edition!

This is turning out to be the perfect collection for everyone; from those beginning their health and fitness journey, to those well on their way and looking for new, EASY, healthy go-to meal ideas!

It will include TONS of crazy-easy yet healthy recipes like the one above; plus photos, nutritional facts & tips, kitchen & pantry basics and recommendations, my Macro-Nutrient Cheat Sheet, Pre- and Post- workout meal ideas, Soups, Salads, Dressings, and more!

Not to mention, unless you are allergic to a specific food, this book is EVERY-diet friendly! So whether you have put yourself in the Paleo box, Vegan category, High-carb-low-fat, Low-carb, Gluten-free, 80/10/10, intermittent fasting, carb-cycling… I purposefully made this a compilation of nutritious options that can be enjoyed by the majority of dietary lifestyles out there!

And, I know most people don’t have the time or interest to become the next Iron Chef in the kitchen… especially with the hustle and bustle of every day life. That’s why I made sure the recipes and tips in this book aren’t incredibly elaborate or time consuming. These are some simple basics to help anyone successfully achieve their goals without spending hours preparing and while getting in nutrient-dense foods that taste flipping amazing.

Can you tell how mega excited I am to be putting this together for you guys?! :)

Make sure to sign up for the newsletter and like the True Health Trifecta Facebook page for word on when it is available for sale in the shop! :)

EASY, Go-To Protein Shake Recipes!

Common Question: How do I USE protein powder?

Depending on the type of protein powder (for the sake of simplicity, I will refer to the two more common comparisons: whey and plant-based), there is little difference when it comes to actual preparation and ways to enjoy.

Compared to whey, plant-based protein (like my favorite: RawFusion), tends to act more like a ‘flour’ when mixed or baked into different things. It is a bit thicker, slightly harder to blend, and can even be made into a pudding quite easily (similar to casein protein for anyone familiar with Casein Fluff). Whey, however (especially whey isolate), tends to become more gummy and liquid-like and would not suffice in a pudding-type treat. Due to this, it does blend into liquids or other foods, like yogurt, much faster and easier.

So in the case of consistency, plant-based proteins = thicker like flour; whey proteins = easier to blend into liquid. Regardless, both are great for blended smoothies. And since most clients I have worked with are in need of a convenient way to use protein powder as opposed to becoming the next Master-of-Creative-Culinary-Uses-For-Protein (guilty, as proven by the video at the bottom of this post), I will share a couple of my favorite go-to protein smoothie ideas that are easy, delicious, and nutritionally-sound.

These are great any time of day: breakfast, an hour or so before your workout, after your workout, or literally any time. Sure, there are certain benefits timing-wise if you want to get more detailed with the science of nutrient absorption versus activity and a whole slew of other metabolic factors, but what ultimately matters is simply getting into the routine of having additional protein and feeding your body favorable nutrients in general. Trust me. Do not over-complicate things, especially with new routines. Focus on the grand scheme rather than minute details. Have your shake or smoothie where it fits best for you and your schedule.

Remember: it is best to start with small and simple habits!

Protein Mocha Frappuccino

  • 8-10 oz. unsweetened almond or coconut milk
  • 1 scoop Protein Powder of choice (or 2 for active men) *I use RawFusion
  • 1 Tbsp. Instant Coffee Granules
  • 1 Tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder *omit if you’re using Chocolate-Flavored Protein
  • 1 Handful of Ice
  • 1 Tbsp. Chia Seeds OR 2 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed
  • Optional: 1 tsp. vanilla extract, or any extract of choice! Coconut, Mint, Orange, Banana.. tons of fun flavors out there! Be creative!

Blend in blender and enjoy!

Fruity Protein Smoothie

  • 8-10 oz. unsweetened almond or coconut milk
  • 1 scoop Protein Powder of choice (or 2 for active men) *I use RawFusion Vanilla
  • A big handful of raw spinach
  • 1 Cup Frozen Berries
  • 1 Tbsp. Nut Butter, Coconut Butter, Chia Seeds OR 2 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed
  • Optional: 1 tsp. vanilla extract, or any extract of choice! Coconut, Orange, Banana… get creative!

 Blend in blender, sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and enjoy!

*For those seeking a trusty, inexpensive little blender, I always suggest this Hamilton Beach Single Serving Blender with Travel Lid. It is easy to find (sold at Wal-Mart or Amazon.com for $12-14), blends your shake smoothly, lasts FOREVER (I’ve had mine for over 6 years, plus check out these reviews), and is great to keep at work and/or at home.

The great thing about smoothies is that you CAN very easily adjust and get creative according to your taste! Make it a Veggie Smoothie by adding in some cucumbers, celery, spinachMake it an Apple Pie Smoothie by using vanilla protein, cinnamon, a chopped apple (or even organic apple sauce), and some walnutsMake a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie by using pumpkin puree, vanilla protein, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and some pecans… Don’t be scared to try new things! You’ll be surprised at some of the deliciousness you come up with.

For those who ARE open to becoming more creative with protein powder, try mixing it into some organic Greek Yogurt, or mixing it into cooked and cooled down oatmeal, or even making it into a pudding like I mentioned and using it as a dip or sweet cream sauce like I did in this recipe.

Want to get really fancy?

Check out this video recipe for Protein Marshmallows!

Coming soon: Recipes for both my easy, homemade chocolate bars and simple, sprouted grain “graham” crackers to use with the Protein Marshmallows for the delicious S’mores-From-Scratch as shown here…

Smores

Like I said, the possibilities really are endless! :)

Macronutrient Cheat Sheet now available!

Whether you are new to fitness and starting off your fat-loss journey, or you are playing with a macro-based form of nutrition and dieting (like IIFYM, or If It Fits Your Macros); or you want to learn more about the “categories” your favorite foods fall into in terms of Protein, Fat, Carbs, or Fiber; or you want to practice a sustainable way of figuring out portion sizes that doesn’t require you to carry a scale or measuring cups around (because, honestly, who wants to do that?!)… I am excited to share this with you!

Here is a little “cheat sheet” that I made specially for my clients, which is now available to all of you in the store!

This affordable, simple-to-follow Cheat Sheet will help you learn:

  • Numerous common different sources of protein, carbohydrates, and fats

  • Which common whole foods are natural combinations of proteins/fats or protein/carbs

  • General suggested serving sizes for men and women (that don’t involve measuring cups!)

  • General food timing suggestions for optimal progress or fat loss

  • Additional tips about fiber, greasy/junk foods, and seasonings

It has proven to be a huge help to many of you guys already, which makes me super happy to hear because I put a lot of thought and time into it for you all! I definitely encourage you to order up (it’s a full-size .PDF download you will gain access to once purchased), print it out, and keep on the fridge!

Shoot, print out a few and keep one at work and one in your wallet or purse, too. Look it over as a guide whenever you need to, and feel free to share it with friends!

THT Macro Cheat Sheet-page-0(1)

An even better idea (and how I provide these wonderful little things to clients in person) is to print your Cheat Sheet in half-page size and then laminate it at a local office supply store… this way you can circle or cross off foods with a dry erase marker, making it a compact re-usable grocery list!

IMAG1097-1

Whether you are just starting out towards your fitness journey with nutritional awareness or well on your way and in need of a handy guide to keep things in check, I hope this acts as a useful tool for you or someone you know! :)

 

Get yours here: Macro-Nutrient Cheat Sheet

 

3-Minute Chocolate Protein Cake (aka: the 2:30 AM Mudd Cake)

I’m going to keep this short and simple so you can try it, stat. Here is something so easy, SO yummy, and my clients have probably heard me mention it once or twice (hence the requests for this post, which I apologize for how long it took me to do)!
This individually-sized chocolate cake literally takes just a few minutes to make and uses simple, protein-packed ingredients that will satisfy your sweet tooth without artificial ingredients, sugars, or additives. The recipe is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and even vegan if you replace the liquid egg whites with a vegan-friendly egg substitute.
Easy Vegan Egg Substitute:  Mix 2 Tbsp ground flax (seed or meal) with 6 Tbsp warm water. Let sit for about five minutes, until it becomes a gooey, egg-like consistency. Use in recipe as you would eggs/egg whites.
Plus, did you know that cocoa actually has numerous health benefits, including alleviating cravings and encouraging satiety?  You’ll be surprised at how moist, rich, and delicious this turns out (and this is, admittedly, coming from someone who is NOT typically a fan of microwaving anything… never mind baked goods)!
Even more exciting news? This is just the first of a number of recipes (and videos) I will be posting featuring my most favorite, plant-based protein, RawFusion by SAN.
So here she is, the 3-Minute Chocolate Protein Cake (originally named the 2:30 AM Mudd Cake by the other half, who can also be credited for the lovely photo you see below… before it was devoured, of course).

RawFusion chocolate cake

3-Minute Chocolate Protein Cake (makes one serving)

In a mug or small bowl, whisk together the following:

From there, simply put it in the microwave at a power level of 5 for 2 minutes (adjusting that power level is super important to ensure the right finished product here). Anddd… DONE!

(Could that have been any easier?!)

If you want to get even fancier, feel free to top it off with the following:

Sweet ‘n Creamy Vanilla Sauce (enough for two servings of cake)

Simply whisk together the following in a bowl:

  • 1/2 Scoop of RawFusion protein (vanilla flavor preferred here!)
  • 1/4 C. unsweetened Almond Milk (or enough to make it a thick-but-pourable consistency)
  • 1 Tbsp Stevia
  • 1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

After the cakes are done, flip them over onto plates and then spoon that goodness on top. You can also sprinkle with some chopped nuts (like the pistachios seen above)! ENJOY :)

 

 

 

How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs EVERY Time (video)

I absolutely LOVE eggs. Always have, always will. Whether they’re scrambled, sunny-side-up, chopped over a salad, or even straight out of the carton (whites, in that case. And no, it doesn’t taste like foot. It’s tasteless and awesome)… Eggs have always been a staple food in my regime of deliciousness.

Eggs in bowl

Cadbury Creme Eggs were even my favorite holiday treat growing up, for goodness sake. Side note: Are you aware they have actually decreased 30% in size since back in the heyday? Truth.

I partly hold this on account of my dad and the memories of him making his yummy breakfasts of eggs, mushrooms, cumin, and close to a half-stick of butter in a pan. I always wanted whatever he was making because it smelled so warm and spicy. Plus, he always ate everything with Lebanese pita bread. Believe it or not, the pita and butter was my favorite part… I just kind of put up with the eggs (reminder: Nutrition Specialists are not born Nutrition Specialists) and I could still hear my mom saying, “That is TOO much butter for her! Way too much,” to which he would say okay and then slice me off another chunk of golden, melty goodness when she wasn’t looking.

Egg Halves

Coincidentally, I really miss my dad about now… and the thought of that much butter at this point kind of makes my stomach turn. But, I digress.

When it comes to the most convenient form of eggs – hard boiled – there is actually a LOT more involved then throwing eggs in a boiling pot of water and then peeling them after a few minutes. It’s a SCIENCE, and if you don’t have it down, you’ll likely experience one (or all) of the following hard boiled fails:

  1. Tearing and peeling half the whites off with the shell. I call this the Moon Crater fail.
  2. Success with peeling… but a puke green rim (or totally green, for that matter) yolk on the inside. Aka: the Groke.
  3. A yolk that isn’t completely cooked and still runny (which is on purpose, at times, ie. the soft boiled egg).
  4. A cracked or broken shell while boiling which ends up in seeping out whites and tumor-growth looking eggs.
  5. (Add your hard boiled egg fail here)

It came to my attention recently that so many people don’t know exactly how to make the perfect hard boiled egg. Whenever anyone asks me what a good, portable, convenient option is for a snack, one of my go-to suggestions is this winner. However, 9 out of 10 people say they can never make them right! As soon as a couple of clients mentioned spending way too much money on a way questionable means of this amazing, protein-packed snack (*cough* 7-11 ready hard boiled eggs in a plastic baggy), I KNEW I had to share this post to benefit their bellies and everyone else who fears attempting the delicousness that is the HBE.

I’m pretty happy to say I have it down to a science and am even happier to share it here!

IMG_1842

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT HARD BOILED EGGS

You’ll need:
  • Eggs
  • Water
  • Large sauce pan with lid
  • Large slotted spoon
  • Large bowl
  • Ice

As an example here, I’m using a small saucepan and just a few eggs. But I highly suggest making these in bulk and using the biggest stock or sauce pan you have because you want to make sure the eggs are covered by a good inch of water without it boiling over once things get moving. Plus, it’s amazingly convenient to have a bunch of them ready to go in the fridge, especially if you don’t have time to prepare food during the day and need a quick snack (or protein for a full) to grab and go.

Step 1: Carefully place cold eggs in a single layer at the bottom of your sauce pan.
Eggs in Saucepan
Notice the bottom egg is a little cracked. At the end, I share a tip that helps salvage the whites if they seep out while boiling.

 

Step 2: Fill the sauce pan with cold water until all the eggs are completely submerged (about an inch of water above eggs).

Cover with Cold Water

 

Step 3: Put sauce pan on stove and set it to high to boil.
Put it on to boil
Keep a good eye on it because it won’t need to boil for long…

 

Step 4: Once water gets going with a rolling boil, let boil for only one minute before removing from stove top.

Boiling eggs

 

Step 5: Cover with lid and take off the burner, setting it to the side

IMG_1803

 

Set a timer for 15 minutes. The eggs will continue cooking in the hot water as they sit.

Timer

 

Step 6: Fill up a large bowl halfway with ice and then up about 3/4 high with cold water

Ice Bath

 

Step 7: Once timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to remove eggs from sauce pan and place in ice bowl.
IMG_1809Eggs in Ice

 

Let sit about 10 minutes, until ice is mostly melted down.
Eggs in Ice Bath
Can you guess which egg is the one that had the crack in it?

 

Now. Time for things to get serious.

Peeling

 You’ve made it this far, peeling glory is soon ahead.
And what would an instructional post be without a little video for the visual people?

Main tricks are:
  • Have water handy for rinsing (and even peeling under). It will help the shell slip off.
  • Tap both ends of the egg gently on a counter, then do a gentle “rolling’ motion to break it all around before peeling off (this REALLY helps!)
  • Use the side of your thumb to gently glide the shell off (as opposed to nails or the tips of your fingers). This alleviates risk of tearing any whites off with the shell.
  • Organic, brown eggs are harder to peel than regular, white eggs. Basically, the fresher the egg, the harder to peel. I definitely suggest and prefer organic, free range eggs if you plan on eating the whole thing including the yolk-y goodness. But if you mainly just want the whites, it will be easier on your prep (and wallet) to just get regular white eggs.
  • Try not to eat them as you’re peeling. At least not all of them. Yummy little health balls they are.

Additionally, if for some reason an egg cracks in the pot and whites start seeping out (like one of mine did because it had a slight crack in the shell before putting in), have some distilled white vinegar handy and throw a splash or two in the water as it begins to heat up. This helps the white coagulate faster and works well to salvage the egg.

Food for thought: Do you feel like hard boiled eggs make you bloated and gassy?

There is actually justification for this. Eggs (particularly the whites) are very high in sulfur… what most people familiarize with the “rotten egg” or Florida sprinkler system smell. Sulfur is a beneficial nutrient and one of the reasons eggs are a great super food. Any time eggs are cooked, the sulfuric compounds in the proteins are broken down and hydrogen sulfide is released (the cause of that smell). In the case of the HBE, however, this hydrogen sulfide has nowhere to really go. The green rim around the yolk from “overcooking” is actually a reaction between the ferrous iron in the yolk and the hydrogen sulfide in the white (yay, science)!

Some people poke a tiny hole with a very small needle in the shell of the egg before boiling to release pressure and claim this eases any digestive upset caused by the broken down proteins. I’ve never noticed any digestive issues regarding HBE’s personally, but it may be worth trying if you’ve had this issue! People also claim that poking the tiny hole encourages more even cooking, making the eggs easier to peel. But, as you can see once you try my method, a hole isn’t necessary for super hard boiled success!

Now time to go enjoy them however you like! My preference is simple with a bit of sweet and tangy homemade ketchup :)

Delicious Eggs

Now that you know how to cook them up, what is your favorite way to eat hard boiled eggs?

Healthy “Birthday Cupcake” in a bowl!

After today’s workout, I came home to nonchalantly mix up a little recovery meal to hold me over a bit. This amazingly delicious bowl of goodness was the result of that. Filling, healthy, and literally tastes JUST LIKE the classic yellow cupcake with chocolate frosting on top. Not kidding! Definitely recommend you all try it out, feel free to share the credited photo, and ENJOY! :)

Great substitutes for the oat bran include quinoa flakes, cream of rice, or rolled oats.