Thursday, July 7, 2016




Workout leggings--Lululemon Review 


I was never a big fan of working out in leggings. I recently caved into buying a pair of Lululemons...typically a Nike person, I hadn't purchased their leggings in years. It was hard to resist trying on such a great pair in my favorite color, cobalt blue.

Initially I was scared the vibrant color would come off overpowering. Once in the fitting room, I was shocked with how well they fit and how flattering they looked. My favorite features of the leggings are the scrunched sides near the ankle and the back stitching.

The form fit made these leggings feel like a glove. They are extremely soft (just like all other Lululemon products) and flattering... you know what they say...look good, feel good, run good :)



My homemade HEALTHY MEXICAN version for ANIMAL STYLE FRIES!!!

Here is what you'll need:
-1 sweet potato
-onions
-mushrooms
-tomatoes
-as many jalapeños as you'd like
-half a can of black beans 
-light mexican blend cheese (Trader Joe's)
-chile lime seasoning (Trader Joe's)
-garlic seasoning

I cook my sweet potato covered with olive oil, garlic and chile lime seasoning for 50 min @ 375 degrees then top it off with sautéed onions and mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese, and warm black beans. Trader Joe's green salsa is a great addition too ( : ENJOY ! 




Thursday, June 23, 2016

The Quest of the Best Protein Bar



Good News! 

I recently purchased the Kirkland brand protein bars from Costco! Today I tried the chocolate chip cookie dough. Lately I've heard reviews about the Kirkland brand as a strong competitor to the QUEST nutrition protein bars. 

The products have similar nutrition facts, both at 190 calories. The Costco bar edging out Quest with only 7g of fat in comparison to it's 9g. Both protein bars have 21g of protein. Quest's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough does have less carbs than Costco's, at 20g in comparison to 22g. 

After today's taste test, I'd say the Costco brand tastes nearly the same (and maybe even better) than the Quest bar. I chose to microwave my bar for about seven seconds, just as I regularly do with my quest bars. I realized the chocolate melted quicker on the Kirkland brand product. BUT, I thoroughly enjoyed the texture and flavor. I give the new Costco protein bar a 10/10 for taste, and--you can't beat Costco's low prices. 


Breakfast made easy


Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, sometimes I go to bed wondering what I feel like making the next morning (actually). Below are some of my favorite breakfast ideas including oatmeal, sweet potatoes, fried eggs, and fruit.






    

Breakfast #1: The meal on the left is one of my go-to's because it has two main ingredients. This sweet potato/fried egg combo is simple with a TON of flavor. Step 1: Poke several small holes in the sweet potato and cover it with a moist paper towel. Step 2: Microwave it for 5-7 min depending on the size. Step 3: Top the sweet potato with one fried egg, basil and garlic seasoning, black pepper, and my favorite--Cholula hot sauce.






Breakfast #2: The meal is a slightly different version of #1. In addition to the sweet potato and the fried egg, I added 2 slices of turkey bacon and sautéed onions. I love using sweet potatoes for breakfast because I could also use them to satisfy my sweet tooth. I do this using a microwaved sweet potato, adding microwaved dates as a carmel substitute, sugar free syrup, cinnamon, and topping it with non-fat whipped cream.





Breakfast #3: I've probably had this breakfast waaay to often recently. OATMEAL! I love oatmeal because it could be enjoyed plain or with a variety of delicious toppings. I personally enjoy the texture of toppings in every bite. My favorite oatmeal combination is oats, coconut almond milk, raisins, granola, sliced almonds, cinnamon, sugar free syrup, and all natural black raspberry jam.








Breakfast #4: This small portioned breakfast would normally pair with some fruit. This low carb meal consists of lean ground turkey, vegan cheddar cheese, asparagus, and a fried egg.







Breakfast #5: If I'm in the mood for something fruity yet filling, I crave this breakfast bowl. My at home version of an acai bowl includes 1 Sambazon super fruit pack, 1 banana, ice, coconut almond milk, nonfat greek yogurt, and frozen strawberries. Once this combo is blended up I top it with granola, honey, and berries. I always make sure to add honey to the top of the granola to give it a chewy texture.






Breakfast #6: This is a combination of two things that I always crave-- PB&J and chocolate. To make this a meal, I would normally have a couple of slices or make one piece of toast savory with an egg combo instead. For the toast below, I use Trader Joe's low fat Peanut Butter, dark chocolate chips, and black raspberry jam (also used in breakfast #3).