PB2 Protein Mug Cake - The Craving Killer

The fascination with mug cakes is winding down. But in the  health and fitness  world they still have a practical place.

Have a craving killer with out packing your body with over processed junk and sugars.

I posted this one on Instagram and didn't think much of it until I thought about my clients and friends who ask me for advice. I think this one is a great way for those who are trying to learn to manage their new life style. Or a great mug cake for the heck of it!

1/8 Cup Natural Cocoa Powder
2 TBS PB2 (With or Without Chocolate)
1/4 Cup + 1 TBS Unsweetened Almond Milk (Vanilla or Plain)
1 Egg
1 TBS Stevia in the Raw (if you use liquid use conversion chart on product)
1/2 Scoop of protein powder (Vanilla or Chocolate, I used EAS Lean 15)
1 TSP of ON Fitness Fiber *Optional

Frosting
1 TBS of PB2
Splash of Almond Milk

Mix all your mug ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a well greased mug or ramekin. Nuke up to a minute. I start off at 45 seconds, and check for consistency. Too long will give you a heavy dried up brick!
While it is in the microwave mix up your frosting with the PB2 and start off with a dribble of almond milk. Keep adding until you reach the consistency you'd like.

*I did add 'ON Fitness Fiber' as an option. When you add more add in's be cautious of how much liquid you add. More things you add, more milk or water you will need. You will want it to look like brownie batter. If it looks a little thick then it will become a brick. Just add a splash when you need it.

Almond Paleo bread, that tastes more like a dessert!

Oh buggar! The first easy Paleo bread I do turns out to be addicting! Almond bread is a nutrient dense bread that tastes more like a coffee cake of sorts. It's didn't help I put some jam on top. I could of ate the whole thing. I am gad they are pretty small. The best part about the almond bread is one slice is VERY satisfying. Although it's scarf-able. I try to stick to one, or have it with a meal. That way I am not tempted to make a meal of it. 



This is a very simple bread. I was searching for a good go to that I can make with few ingredients. I always like a no brainer I can whip up in a pinch. Here I found "Savory Almond Flour Bread" from the Bombshell Blueprint. Maria Guadagno is a Holistic Health Coach, and Raw Food chef in NYC. See her link at the end of the page.

Ingredients
Almond Flour/Meal* (2 1/4 cups)
Ground Flax Seed (1/4 cup)
Salt (1/4 teaspoon)
Baking Soda (1-1/2 tsp.)
Eggs (3 large)
Honey (1 tbs.)
Apple Cider Vinegar (1 tbs.)

  
 One tip; make sure your Almond flour has no chunks in it. Almond flour is dense, and can stick together. My loaf came out a little flat. Next time I will run my flour through my coffee grinder. You want a very fine consistency.

Update: I have now done this a few times now. I have found that if you pop the honey and vinegar in the microwave for about 20 seconds it will blend better with the eggs. You really want to whip the eggs in with the honey and ACV too! My last loaf I used my hand mixer to really fluff up the eggs. That way I had more wet ingredient to add to the dry, and it was less dry and lumpy. The difference was night and day! I couldn't believe it was the same recipe. 

Instructions

1- Preheat oven to 300°F and use grease a  6.5 x 4" pan.

2- Combine the almond flour, flax seed, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.

3- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, and then add honey and apple cider vinegar.

4- Stir the wet ingredients into dry and mix only until combined.

5- Pour batter into a 6.5" x 4" loaf pan pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Recipe source. Thank You *Nom nom*

An Oopsie bread lunch idea.

I have some Oopsie bread left over and I wanted to keep it light today. I also am still running on this low-no and Paleo inspired cooking spree (Oopsie bread goes in the low carb category). So for this lunch inspiration I grabbed a little of every thing from the pantry. Now if you are seriously thinking going Paleo you want every thing to be organic/free range/grass fed. I have to clear out my pantry first before I go shopping again I don't like to waste food. Ask my husband about that, he has to eat all the left overs for his work lunches. Also Fridays will be leftover day, or Sunday afternoon. those tend to be the days I just need a rest!  Myself I have a strange aversion to eating leftovers. Although I know I cooked it, and I enjoyed it (first time around), I just can't do it. My Mum is that way too, strange thing to pass along. 

Oopsie Bread (or for Paleo: Almond) Lunch

1 small can Light tuna, Salmon would be nice.

Jalapeno peppers or green chillies  (or both), as much as you can handle.

Olives (any kind), as many as you want.

Juice from lemon or lime if you are doing the full can  of tuna about 1 Tablespoon

Fresh Cilantro, chopped about 1 Tablespoon

Avocado, 1/2

Combine all ingredients except avocado, and cilantro. 

I smashed my avocado separately because I wanted it more on the chunky side.

Gently mix in you avocado.

Then add your fresh cilantro (yay to my indoor herb garden!)

This was wonderful on Oopsie Bread (try it!), and I can't wait to try it on Almond  Bread. 

Protein, Caffeine, and Nectresse, Oh My!

I had forgot I pinned a great breakfast shake, I finally got to make it last week. It's now a morning staple. It's important to get food in your belly with in an hour of waking up. But in my house and many other busy households it can be tough. With in the first 20 minutes of getting up my husband and I are baby wrangling, and convincing a 2 year old to get out of bed. Hubby helps me and gets himself ready, while I fly down stairs and get the kids their juice. Our baby boy is not content until he slams a good 8 ounces of juice. Then it's a battle to find my little girl a breakfast to go. Mean while I am just desperate to get some coffee. But first its get my hubby his caffeine and a breakfast to go thing of sorts because he has his commute and drops of the toddler at play school two days a week! Even after they are all gone I am still feeding my 9 month old boy which is the same size as the 2 year old. The breakfast menu for my baby dude is extensive. Whew.. well if I can shove enough food in front of him, I get a chance to sit and have ... what? Well luckily I found my new staple in the mornings:

Adapted from Fit is the new black.

Ingredients:

♠  2 handfuls of ice

♠ 1 scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder. I use a vanilla flavored vegan brand, that has 22 grams of protein per scoop. That’s half of the protein I need for the day!

♠ 1/2 frozen banana

♠ 1 cup of brewed coffee-choose whatever flavor you like

♠ 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk- I like unsweetened almond milk because it’s dairy free, provides extra protein, is creamy, and only 35 calories. However, you can totally use whatever type of milk you want.

♠Nectresse to taste. I actually add it to my coffee like I am going to be drinking it before I add it to the blender. I don't want to over do it! I was originally not using any sweeteners because I have found that they all can be overwhelming and they do not enhance any flavor.

Add all ingredients to blender and go to town! I pour it into a blander bottle because it make a lot and the blender aeration adds to the volume. It is very filling, and I now have breakfast and coffee in a better for me way.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ng5y_XqDNk&w=560&h=315]

Review:

I just started using Nectresse, it is from the makers from Splenda. I will have to say I was slightly weary because I have not been a fan of zero calorie sweeteners unless it was a Stevia type but some times I found even that was too much. I had received my sample in my VOXBOX from Infuenster. After trying it out in my coffee I was surprised. I tasted my coffee, NOT sweetener. I tried it in my tea's which is a tough test to pass. I like a lot of fruit teas, and strong herbal teas and they are best with agave. But sometimes agave or honey can be too sweet, and added calories. Nectresse did the job with out over powering my tea! After all those basic tests I am ready to use in my protein shake.  The best part is that I am also using less sweetener too. You only have to use 1/4 teaspoon for every teaspoon you use! It must be that monk fruit, Nectresse is made with  Monk fruit and 100% natural. I am very happy with the final results, and will continue to use Nectresse.

Crock Pot Apple Butter to die for!

After the success of Crock Pot Apple Butter Pork Chops I had to make my own apple butter. Insanely easy! My house was full of spicy apple-ie goodness!   (I am making up words it was so good.) I used the same site for Apple Butter that I adapted Crock Pot Apple Butter Pork Chops from (Frugal Foodie Mama). I like any one with Mama in their title! 

After a day of two crock pots teasing me with dinner and apple butter I was rewarded this morning with Apple Butter on my home made bread, and a mock pumpkin spice vanilla latte. 

I adapted my recipe because I only had the minimum amount of apples and only had apple juice not cider. Also you will find my recipe for All Spice, and brown sugar below it's so simple,  there's no reason to ever buy it.

Did I ever tell you I hate peeling, and coring? It sucks, I rarely do it, I leave most skins on for all the nutrients. But this recipe calls for peeling.. BLAH! I only had 6 apples on hand and thats the below minimum. You really need 8-10, using 6 I should of used a little less apple juice because I had to scoop out my apples and leave some juice in the bottom of my crock. 

It's just as easy to dump in your ingredients but I wanted to make sure that I blended the spices with the juice before. I also ran out of brown sugar so I had to make my own too! 

After all the peeling, the coring, making all spice, and making brown sugar I poured the mixture over my apples and cinnamon sticks. It really is easy if you're prepared! I am the queen to making a chaotic mess. 


Im surprised I actually get food into a crock pot some days.

Apple butter you have to tend to during the day. I was stirring every couple of hours to make sure the cinnamon infused into the apples. It was a divine task. *NOM NOM*

I left my apples in for 8 hours because I used the full amount  of juice, and only 6 apples. I wanted the extra juice to hopefully boil down some. When It was time to add to the blender I scooped out the apples and left a juice at the bottom I could tell that it would be too watery if I added it to the blender. I used a a quick 3 second chop because it goes fast! Watch out! Too much and you have apple water. I reused my jam jars from my stash. Six apples made two average sized jam jars. I waited to cool then put into the fridge, it will last a couple of weeks, if not eaten this weekend ;-).

Crock Pot Apple Butter

8-10 apples- peeled, cored, and chopped

3/4 cup of apple juice or cider* 

1 1/2 cups of brown sugar**

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp allspice***

3 whole cinnamon sticks

Peel and core your apples, and chop into smaller chunks. Mix your juice or cider, and sugar with the spices. Pour over apples and cinnamon sticks. Leave in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. When reached a nice soft rich consistency pour into bender. Use a pulse setting, it will blend very quick. Blend until smooth. Contain in jars, either reused, or if you like to use elaborate means!

* I only had apple juice, and I love Spiced Apple Butter, So I upped the nutmeg to 1/4 tsp, and everything else heaping!

How to make your own brown sugar:

Some time ago I ran into a Pin about making brown sugar. Super easy, just mix sugar and maple syrup. That simple, but of course I didn't have maple syrup on hand. That's just my luck. So here is a substitute for the substitute. I actually used my Splenda baking mix, you don't have to, but I  did it with out thinking ( I do a lot of that). The consistency still came out the same, but this is the Splenda that had sugar mixed in, so I don't know about 'the straight stuff'. 

I was a half a cup sort, so I used half cup Slpenda baking mix, Karo Dark Syrup, and Maple Extract. I did not do any measuring because this was on a whim. I just tasted as I went. The cool thing is as I stirred it truly looked like brown sugar.  My only tip is dribble the extract as you go.  I could pick it up between my fingers and chew on it like the real thing! I don't think I will ever buy brown sugar again. The awesome thing about this is you can really add to the richness and aroma of the apple butter by doing this.

***Make your Own 'All Spice'

Equal parts of:

 cinnamon
 cloves 
 nutmeg

If you want less cloves and nutmeg just use half of what you used of cinnamon. I know mind blowing. 

I am really thinking that this Apple Butter had a gift-giving quality. Paired with a home made loaf it's "aces baby!" Yeah, I will get you my so-addictive-bread-it's-crack-recipe next. My list of stuff to share is just growing, and I am to the point that I forget what picture is for what recipe. I really need to upload and name the file or picture. There's a new idea! 

 

"Organize my files! Say what, that can't be done!"

Sexy Chicken! You dirty bird. And getting ready for the week!

I know, that was foul. Yeah, I went there. 

Every Sunday I prepare for the week. I like to get a whole chicken in the oven or crock, and bread made for the week. My husbands lunch staple it a rotisserie chicken sandwich. All home-made of course, along with his granola bar, and some other baked goodie. It seems a lot to do, but bread is super easy when you are using my quick bread, and in oven rotisserie.

It's all in the timing. I like to get the chicken in  first thing in the morning. That way it's said and done, and if I don't cook another thing all day... there's dinner done too!

 So you wonder why I call it Sexy chicken... well it's mainly how he went into the oven. I decided to remove all the skin for the hubby so I can get it super crispy all the way around.  Well, after I skinned the thing Mr. Chicken was a bit all over the place. Every time I put him in his pan his legs would flop open and over the sides. I didn't have any roasting tie to bind the legs and arms, but that's OK, it would have been a little too Shades Of Grey. There was still a lot of poking and rubbing to come. So the only way I could contain him  was pose him seductively like a man on a bear skin rug. Or Stan Lee on a couch. 

There you go. Stan Lee on couch.

It was a risk taking the skin off because you do run the risk of it being slightly drier. But the rotisserie rub created an all around crispy shell. Pretty cool. I prefer the skin on for a more sticky rotisserie taste.

Original recipe makes 2 whole (4 pound) chickens

Sticky Rotisserie Chicken

• 4 teaspoons salt


• 2 teaspoons paprika


• 1 teaspoon onion powder


• 1 teaspoon dried thyme


• 1 teaspoon white pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder


• 2 onions, quartered


• 2 (4 pound) whole chickens

Mix all your spices in a small bowl to make the rub. Wash and pat dry your chicken. Stuff your onions in the body cavity. Rub mix over entire body. Not you the chicken.  Place in roasting pan, bake at 250 degrees for 5 hours uncovered.

*Tip: The local grocery store actual prepares their chicken 24 hours ahead! Rub your mix on your chickens and place in an air tight plastic container over night in the refrigerator. The spices react with the skin to really create that super stickiness! *NOM NOM* 

If you did your chicken in the morning, you now have the afternoon to play,  make bread and treats.

The 'go to' bread I make is so diverse. It can be used for rolls and pizza dough :-) I use half of this recipe to make 2 pizzas. But to do sandwich rolls and pizza use full amounts.

• 2 ½ C warm water


• 6 Tbsp sugar


• 3 Tbsp yeast


• 2 Tbsp oil


• 6 C flour (can use white or whole wheal)


• 2 tsp salt


• 1 tsp baking powder

Stir water, yeast, sugar and oil together. Leave for 5 minutes until it becomes frothy on top. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Knead. Roll out if making a pizza base or shape for use as buns / bread / loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Keep your eye on it, times will differ for rolls and pizza dough. My pizza base took about 15 minutes. If you are making bread or rolls paint the tops with butter when they come out of the oven, delish!


Before it went into the oven I rubbed them down with chopped garlic.


The pizza bases came out so puffy, and the garlic looked delish! I am thinking Naan Bread!!!!


All done! I had a white pizza with chicken, and the hubby had a traditional pepperoni pizza.

Now you have had your lunch. *NOM NOM* If you are not in a coma, or have made a mess by now time to kick out the granola bars. A favorite in our house. I bought a dented can of pumpkin awhile back for 64 cents.  I figured now would be a great time to try it! I have never used canned pumpkin, or tasted, and I hate pumpkin pie. But pumpkin spice lattes are my crack... I know I'm an odd cookie huh? So searching around I found a few recipes, so as usual I smashed them all together to make this:

The are so fun to wrap up in wax paper to add to lunches.

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats


• 1 tsp. cinnamon


• 1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice


• 1/4 tsp. salt


• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree


• 1/3 cup agave nectar


• 3 tbsp. maple syrup (I did not have so I used some more agave, and added a tsp. of maple extract.)


• 1 tsp. vanilla


• 1/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped (I don't use nuts because I feed these to young ones)


• 1/3 chocolate chips, Dark chocolate is a wonderful complement


• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

I like to mix all my ingredients together BEFORE I add oats, nuts, chocolate, and cranberries. I like to use the whisk attachment on my mixer first. Really whip it up so it's blended and you have a nice glue for your bars! I change to the paddle attachment and fold in the oats, I do it slowly because I don't want my oats pulverized. Then slowly fold in your mix-in's . If you like your bars loaded with everything keep an eye on the mixture. Too dry and they wont stay as a bar. You can drizzle in more agave if needed.  Press into a greased baking pan, or glass dish. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until you have a golden crisp around the edges.  Let cool thoroughly then slice up in the pan, or flip onto the counter. I used a pizza slicer, works like a dream to cut!

♥Enjoy, you have goodies done for the week.♥

Damn You Nutella!

Damn you Nutella! Not cool! Why is there not a warning on you, why didn't some one warn me. Why isn't the FDA putting warnings on this. Is the cashier @Kroger negligent for my sugar induced coma. Will they pay for my rehab. I love hazelnuts, how dare you trick me.

I had to write this down quick all this has just derailed me. I was at the store picking up organic juices, and good things. I saw Kroger does their own Nutella yay! Now I can try it, maybe get my toddler to eat it on bananas. Well of course she will, it's crack!! We got home and smeared some on a banana. Went over nicely, all over the face, hair, arms, and now my two year old is hopped up before nap time. Greeaaaaaaaat. There was no nap that day.

Well stupid me, I did it again, thought I'd treat my toddler to having some pretzels dipped in Nutella... *sigh*. I am such a Nutella newb. Some how it exploded, and I am not talking about the kid. I had it down my shirt, and its on the lap top... I just .. I just can't remember what happened. I think I blacked out and went into Nutella shock. 

So now I must do good... I must use it in a recipe. Then it will be gone! You know whats funny.. after I came out of my coma I googled: Damn you Nutella. Good times, I am glad I am not alone.

There were a lot Nutella brownies, and butter cream  all this will not be helping my sugar shock. So I have taken something as EVIL as Nutella and made it nice again. Well long enough to use it, and get it out of your home:-)

This is the easiest recipe to do. I would replace the milk, use Soy, or almond, unsweetened, just to balance out the sweet.

Use a light whip, or soy whip. 

And marshmallows optional. But after comparing, marshmallows they seem more innocent now ;-)

My next adaption is of course make a granola bar! I am going to use one of my base recipes, and add Nutella, and flax seed to make my conscience lighter.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="487"] Perfectly NOT sugary! A great balance, and NOM NOM![/caption]

Here is my  recipe, along with options and mix in's:

• 2 cups old fashioned oat


• 1 3/4 cups of puffed BROWN rice (or just use 3 3/4 Cups of oats)


• 1/2 cup ground flax*


• 1 tsp of Cinnamon


• 1/2 cup wheat flour


• 1/2 tsp baking powder


• 2 large bananas (Use ones that are still a bit green, the starch hasn't turned to sugar yet)


• 1/4 Nutella, or store brand version


• 1/4 Agave light nectar* ( or honey, or maple syrup)


• 1tsp of Almond extract*


• 1/2 tsp of Vanilla*


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1 cup of banana chips lightly smashed


• 1/2 cup of dried cranberries*

Mix your dry ingredients, set aside. In a small pan melt your smashed bananas, agave, extracts and Nutella. Use medium low you don't want to burn your mixture. After a minute of a low simmer pour over your dry mixture. Use your mixer on low ( or fold in with spoon) until mixed.  Press into a greased pan of choice. Depending on how thick or thin you want them. Bake on 350 for 20-25 minute depending on thickness.  I did 9x9 glass, and it took 25 minutes, I am also in Colorado high and dry altitude cooking. You just want it slightly browned.  Let cool thoroughly. If you get the urge to flip it, wait 10 more minutes. Thats what my husband says. I have a bad habit of not wanting to wait and I flip the pan onto the rack causing my bars to break. It's a cheap excuse to just eat them.

* there's a lot of stars there for a reason. This recipe is so interchangeable depending on how sweet you want it.  Like I said I just came out of a guilty Nutella coma and had to rectify the situation! You can substitute any of your agave nectar for maple syrup, or honey, or use agave with maple extract instead of almond extract. You can use Vanilla extract only, or add it with maple. It's all yummy. I used almond because I just didn't want the sweet, and  used 1/2 of vanilla, I almost wished I did 1/2 of maple, next time! I also starred flax seed, you can also change this to the new super Chia Seed! Flax does add fat, but still amazing for you. It depends where you want to take it!  You can switch out cranberries for chocolate chips or any kind of nut. I just used what I had on hand. Go "nut's" :-)

For quick snacks you can use your banana chips and dunk in Nutella, place on parchment paper and let set in the refrigerator. It also works with just about everything. Avoid shoes, Cheetos, and already fudge covered cookies, I just don't recommend them no matter how bad you need a sugar rush! I will also be dunking lemon cookies, cinnamon graham crackers and pretzels. That way my toddler cant just suck it all off. 

I was hoping to find a support group, instead I get a Fan Club... No No No... that will not help!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="292"] This guy angered the Nutella nation... probably the best thing you could do with it :-)[/caption]

Staying savvy in the face of the ZPOC

You know what most, and or ALL zombie movies are missing... Birthdays. As we all watch The Walking Dead unfold we  see moments of life returing. But how about a freaking birthday cake every now and then.  If you're me you think about these things. Well it's all rather easy, staying a calm collected woman in an apron, it's cake! Well in the ZPOC kitchen it can be.

I am sure by now you know the 2 ingredient cake?!  Rather sustainable pantry eats. Oooooh you say; "Sure it's easy to say, but the grid is down."

You wouldn't of said that if you knew me on Twitter. No really. I did a series of it! I'm fun that way.

No worries, I gotcha'

Well there's a lot of 2 ingredient cakes out there, but not this one. It's particularly gross looking. It's zombie inspired.

• Chocolate cake mix (boxed, any brand)


• Cherry Pie filling


• Stir, Bake, pour into spray greased (shelf friendly spray grease) cake pan @350 degrees, 30-40 minutes

May you be Nom Nom be with you, not the Zombie :-)



 Powered Sugar  shelf friendly, strawberries,well camp by a farm or grow. Canned toppings work too. May all your birthdays have cake in the ZPOC :-)

Now to cook it.....

Here, I took care of that for you, I found this:



You're Welcome. Happy Birthday. :-)

My Use and Re-use day...

Lids Lids Lids!

Feeding my 7 month old is a fun and easy task, no really. After we have tons of these great little tubs. We moved from the jars, and found Parents Choice stage 2 foods are an amazing deal. Other than popping them in the recycling bin I have been using them for the usual; kids craft, togo snack packs, and starting seedlings. But I started saving the heck out of all my plastic lids. You'd be amazed what they fit on when you need to save food in the fridge short term. Save that foil, plastic wrap, and save a wash load of plastic wear.



Shots any one?

Then I was digging through my parents basement and I scored tons of plastic and paper ware. There are some weekends I just don't want to see a dish! I also found all of these plastic shot glasses they are perfect for toddler feeding. Not only for portions, but what toddler doesn't love dipping food:-)

I also saw these shot cups at the Dollar Shrine, I mean Store.



Left over shelving paper from the Dollar Store...

I bought the kids a table from IKEA. Unfinished pine, yay! So I was going to do that trick with DIY stain, but I didn't want to buy steel wool. If I didn't have it laying around the house, forget it! So I had some left over paint samples for the house, and this paper. An accidental black and brown mix I ended up loving. No more light wood, and no more scrubbing out food and paint stains.

Love!



Need a reason to save more?

Save your medicine measuring cups! If you are anything like me you are making natural concoctions in your bathroom. And you have another pantry in there. Well instead of getting another set of spoons use those medicine cups. Not only great for measuring liquid, but much easier for doing those shots of ACV (apple cider vinegar).

In the beginning my husband asked if I was making salads in there. Almost! I used to have olive oil in the bathroom, it's the gate way natural remedy.

Kramers' garbage disposal in the shower would be the natural best step for those cucumbers ;-)

I am only missing my sunflower seed oil in the picture, I am still running downstairs to get it in the morning... Why!!?? Yes, note my Zombie Awareness bracelet. May is Zombie Awareness month, Just saying. :-D