Pumpkin Protein Bars

Hey Everyone!! I am back with the much anticipated PUMPKIN protein bars! This is another of the cakey type variety. As always you can add whatever you like to the batter...I choose Pecans as they are my favorite with pumpkin, but feel free to explore. If I could change one thing, I think I would add a little ground cloves to the mix as well. I think it would give it a little more of the fall pumpkin flavor I was looking for. Either way, the honey is being cut in half, so that is good all the way around!!!

•  1/2 cup Almond butter (you could also do 1/4 peanut butter and 1/4 cup almond. I haven't tried it, but I bet it is good!!) 
•  1/4 cup Canned Pumpkin 
• 1/4 cup honey (or Agave if going Vegan)
•  1/2 cup Arbonne Vanilla Protein 
•  Cinnamon (you should know by now I don't measure this type of thing, so do something around a teaspoon, maybe tablespoon) 
•  1 cup gluten-free oats (not quick oats) 
•  1 cup(ish) crushed Pecans or Walnuts 

 Throw it in a bowl and mix it up!

Enjoy the Fall everyone!!

Breakfast Anyone?

I don't know about you, but I cannot have something too sweet for breakfast. It has been my mission the last couple of weeks to come up with a protein bar that was not as sweet as the others, and maybe even had a different texture. After reading a bunch of recipes and playing around I came up with this. It is not perfect, I will probably change it a ton of times, but it has majorly grown on me, and now I am having them every morning for breakfast. Yes!! As a side note, I usually have a shake. However, I am under crazy construction, the bullet is too much right now to clean and have out. I was using the shaker cup but then I ran out of fiber! OH NO!!! While I await my delivery, I am enjoying grabbing a couple bars from the fridge and eating while I am frantically driving the kids to summer camp! Here we go: 1/2 cup Almond butter (you could also do 1/4 peanut butter and 1/4 cup almond. I haven't tried it, but I bet it is good!!) 1/4 cup Apple Sauce (FYI - one kids pouch of applesauce is 1/4 cup - convenient, huh?) 1/4 cup honey 1/2 cup Arbonne Protein Boost Cinnamon (you should know by now I don't measure this type of thing, so do something around a teaspoon, maybe tablespoon) 1 cup gluten-free oats (not quick oats) Throw it in a bowl and mix it up! I use a small cookie scoop, scoop them out and store them in the fridge. I put a pecan on top of each of these, but you could throw in chopped nuts if you like. Maybe some dried fruit...Whatever makes you happy :) Like I said. I don't think these are 100% complete for me. I want to play around a little. At first I thought maybe I wanted them a little sweeter, but now I am thinking they are the perfect amount of sweet for me. If you want them sweeter, I would do the protein as half plain, half vanilla. The interesting thing about this recipe is the applesauce seems to have changed the texture. It made it more of a cakey type texture, and that I am LOVING!!! If you make them, let me know below. I would love to hear different variations on this recipe! Up next...I'm trying pumpkin!

Vegan, Gluten-free, Chocolate Crispy Protein Snacks!

Hi Everyone!  I am back with a brand new recipe that I know you are going to LOVE!!!

I was just about to make some cookies when this just came to my mind.  I made sure I had everything and then started mixing!  They are DELICIOUS!!

This is a rather small recipe for me, usually I make larger batches, but I stuck with this just in case it didn't turn out.  The balls you see on the plate are all that came from this recipe.

Let's get to the good stuff!!!

• 1/2 cup almond butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup (a little less) Agave
• 1/2 cup Arbonne Chocolate Protein Powder
• 1/2 scoop Arbonne Fiber Boost
• 1 cup brown rice crispies
• 1/4 cup coconut + another 1/2 cup for rolling

Toss everything in a bowl (except the 1/2 cup coconut) and mix it up!  Scoop little balls and roll them in the coconut.  THAT'S IT!!!  I had these ready in about 5 minutes :)

I hope you enjoy them!  I am excited to serve them at my next party!  If you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear it!

Take care of yourself!

Jill

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oatmeal Fruit and Nut Protein Bars!

Hi Everyone!!  I have had such an overwhelming response from my Healthy Happy Hour post, that I have created a new recipe that has gone over amazing!!

First, I want to mention that this recipe incorporates the NEW Protein Boost product!  This protein powder offers 10g of protein per scoop, and that is ALL!  No sugar, no flavors, just straight up protein!  You can add this to soup, salad, your regular protein drinks, ANYTHING!  THIS is a Game Changer!

I have seen recipes that have you heat the honey/agave, and the almond butter...This girl doesn't have time for that!!  I take all the ingredients, throw them in a mixer bowl, and turn on the Kitchen Aid! I smash the dough into a pyrex and cut a square when I get hungry!  I keep them refrigerated and they last FOREVER!

Say hello to my little friends:

This is all that goes into these awesome bars!  I think they taste like an oatmeal raisin cookie, but of course they are Vegan and gluten free!  By adding in the Boost, I was able to cut the sugars from the protein in half!  Since there is already Agave, you don't even miss it!







So, like I said, get out a mixer bowl and add everything to the bowl:

• 1 cup Almond Butter (I use Trader Joes Raw)
• 2/3 cup Agave or Honey.  I use Agave for Vegan treats, Honey if they are for home
• 1/2 cup Vanilla Protein
• 1/2 cup Protein Boost
• 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats
• 3/4 cup Walnuts
• 3/4 cup cranberries (or raisins if you start making the bars and realize you just ran out of cranberries - OOPS!)
• Cinnamon - optional.  I meant to add cinnamon to the recipe to try it and I forgot!  I didn't want to take it all out of the pyrex and put it back in the bowl, so I sprinkled a little on a bar and mashed it up.  It was really good!!  Next Time!  I have made this plenty of times without cinnamon and it is delicious! 

When you are finished mixing, grease the pyrex with coconut oil and press the dough in.  Refrigerate the bars and when you get Hangry, have a little square :)

This was my scratch after I made them.  I have been baking since I was a little girl, so I tend to just throw things in a bowl and see what happens.  Then I have to hurry up and write it down afterwards if I like the result :)

I have more ideas, but if you have something you want me to experiment with, please let me know!!!

Thanks for reading!

Jill

Day 7 and Beyond.....What happened??

In case you are wondering what the heck happened to me.....Day 7 I came down with the flu!  Like sleep for 20 hours and not eat a thing flu.  This lasted for maybe 4 days.  After I was all recovered, I had lost a pretty good amount of weight, just from the sheer fact that I didn't hardly eat.  I didn't feel right posting that I had lost all kinds of weight, when it was for false reasons.  I then became insanely HUNGRY!  Of course.  When I am sick, I let my body do what it tells me it wants to do.  Sometimes it is eat chicken soup, sometimes I crave chocolate!  I give it a pass and just focus on getting better, and for me sometimes that means I eat chocolate :)

So today is March 1, and guess what that means.....HEALTHY LIVING CHALLENGE!!!

Boy, I have really been a slacker over here with the blogging!  It is now March 9, but the good news is that I have been eating my normal routine.

BUT

I have been drinking lemon water instead of the usual water.  Add lemon to a fizz stick - POW!  Mind = BLOWN!

I do feel that my entire weight loss was lost and I am basically starting over.  Put on top of that I am going on vacation in 2 weeks, where a bathing suit will be required, and I am doubly committed to making this a go!

So I am just going to start fresh from really this week.  I have been good all week and so this should be a piece of cake protein bar ;)

I would say that I am going to keep this up while skipping down Main Street (my term for going to DISNEY!!!), but I am not going to give myself false hope.  There are too many places to eat and too many yummy things to try, but I do usually order on the side of healthy.  Besides, when walking about 10 miles a day, I think a Mickey Ice Cream bar is ok every once in a while!

I will try to keep up to date here on my loss and how my bathing suit progress is going :)

Good Living everyone!  I hope you all feel great!

Day 6 - 1/2 a cheater...

2/13/2016

As we always say....this is about following our program 80% of the time.  If you have an occasion and it calls for eating something not as healthy as usual, well - go for it!  Just don't call a random Tuesday afternoon where you are feeling lazy a special occasion :)

Today I woke up and had my usual lemon water...Had my chocolate shake, and even had a fizz stick.  Then I got a text from a dear friend.  "What are you doing today?"  It is FREEZING outside and our plans for skiing were cancelled because of it.  "Nothing, why, what's up?"  Turns out she was coming our way!!!  I have been trying to get her to come visit at my house FOREVER!  Seriously.  For about 9 years!

So we dropped everything (which was nothing, but I had to get dressed and suddenly scramble to clean!) to meet them nearby!

We hung out for a while in a museum, and then came back to our house!  YAY!  What was on the menu for dinner?  Well.....uhhhhh.....I don't have much food in my house right now for guests to eat.  Do you all have that problem?  I don't cook for my friends what I eat on a regular basis.  I have to plan for what to eat when friends come over, and there was no time to hit the store.  My friend wanted to order pizza for everyone, so there ya go!

Pizza and salad for everyone!  There is no way I am going to eat a bowl of brown rice and vegetables while everyone else eats pizza.  Not only would I be hating my healthy eating lifestyle right then, I feel like it would make everyone else uncomfortable.  Some people may say to hell with that, but I don't think a slice of pizza will kill me :)

We had some pretzel, bar snack mixey stuff, because we were all starving before the pizza got there,  and then I had salad and 2 slices of mushroom pizza.

Then of course I put brownies in the oven, because I ALWAYS have some sort of dessert available!

So we then had coffee and a small brownie.

I will say this.  My stomach was very bloated after dinner.  You really notice what not so good for you food does to your body when you haven't had it for a while!

It's all good though, I will hop right back on the wagon tomorrow.  I tend to be a little more lenient on the weekends, and the week I am pretty regimented.

So there ya have it.  I had a great day with my friend and her family and I was so happy they came over!  FINALLY!!  :P

Have a great weekend everyone - and stay WARM!!!

PS - Tomorrow is Valentines day and we may go out for a nice dinner, but I will try to find the healthiest thing I can!

Day 5. Even better!

Hey there. Thank you for making it to day 5 with me! Today was once again an easy day for me...

Breakfast: chocolate banana shake

Snack: fizz stick and handful of almonds

Lunch: brown rice, Brussel sprouts, 2 gluten free all natural chicken strips, chohula sauce

Snack: protein bar and coffee with cream. I'm still out of tea, and now I am almost out at home. Noooooooooo!!!!!

Dinner: brown rice, mixed vegetables, chicken tikka masala (frozen SAMs version)

Snack: protein bar, detox tea

It is amazing how sugar cravings go away once you stop eating sugar. I do use the protein bars as a substitute, but they are so good, and so good for you, that I think it makes for a great snack.

Weight: 135.5! It was almost on 135 but not fully, and I didn't want to take credit quite yet :)

In case you are wondering, I have yet to exercise. I usually do, but this has been a tough week for me. I plan to get back to boot camp next week! We have been skiing every weekend, and I do walk a lot on my commute, but as far as running or gym work, it hasn't happened.

My super nice boss brought me a Valentine cupcake today. I brought it home for  all of us to share.  I can't say that I wouldn't have scarfed it down a few months ago, so I am grateful for the willpower this program gives me.

In case you are wondering, I do not have a weight goal, but more of a measurement goal.  I think I will achieve it with 5 more pounds, since I tend to lose weight in the stubborn areas on this plan.  Yay!

Have a good night and weekend everyone!