More Chocolate FlourLess Muffins

Any time I hear "flourless" anything, I roll my eyes and shrug, because... well because it just doesn't sound as amazing as the "real" thing when you get to the ingredients. And my reaction wasn't any different when I came across this recipe for HEALTHY Flourless Chocolate Muffins.

HOWEVER... (yes... it's a big however)

When I kept reading and noted the ingredients, I figured it's worth a try. Four ingredients? Chocolate with peanut butter and banana? I mean, why not? Worth a try and, if all else fails, it's only four ingredients and 20 minutes of my time. I may have a little time for that...

So I dove head first into baking them while the roomie and I binge watched Grey's Anatomy Season 11 (yes, I'm aware that I'm a weeee bit behind). And HOLY MOLY THEY ARE SO GOOD!!

They are RICH and GOOEY, which is opposite of what you'd expect from a muffin or a cupcake or whatever, but that makes them extra satisfying, oddly enough.

I'm posting the original recipe, though I made 1.5x the recipe, which resulted in 15 delicious, ooey gooey, finger-lickin' good muffins baked in cupcake tins (only 12 pictured here (: )

And let me tell ya! These muffins are WONDERFUL to have right before or right after a workout. I've had 1 or 2 right after a workout the last few days and it really helps me not be ravenous! And between the carbs (sugars) in the banana and the protein in the peanut butter, it's a great snack! A match made in heaven, if you will ;)

Fun fact: bananas are PERFECT after a workout. When you push your body to the limit, you're likely to zap the potassium levels in your body, so restoring them right after a workout (within 15 minutes!) is important since it's a key mineral in muscular energy. And when you eat a banana with some proteins, like those in nut butter, the simple carbs in the banana give your body the energy it needs to start immediately utilizing the protein for muscle recovery. BOOM!

Now... without further delay... the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 2 very ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 350.
• In a food processor combine all ingredients. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
• Once everything is mixed well, spoon batter into lined muffin cups. I used silicone molds. The batter will be VERY sticky. I found wetting a spoon kept it from sticking.
• You can top your muffin with chocolate chips or chopped up nuts. 
• Place muffin pan in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
• Wait until these are completely cooled before removing from the pan.

Store these muffins in the fridge. They should last at least 5 days. You can also freeze them for longer storage. Enjoy!

Love, Paulina

Bananas for Berries Oatmeal Cups

I'm all about the #MealPrepWhateverday

So when I came across the recipe online, I OBVIOUSLY had to share it for a few reasons:

1) Breakfast is SUPER important to health, weight loss, and just being a happier person-- it breaks the fast (see what's happening there?) that your body is on while you are sleeping, it kickstarts your metabolism, and it starts your day off on a good note with food! I mean, who doesn't love food?!

2) We are all busy for some reason or another. So if we can figure out hacks to make our day a LITTLE bit easier, why not do it?

3) Getting your day started with a healthy treat sets you up for a successful day! 

And the recipe below is just PACKED with goodness: Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber (aids in digestion and metabolizing carbs), helps lower LDL cholesterol and, in turn, improves heart health and regular blood sugar, and is high in magnesium (aids in processing calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K successfully). Add in some bananas for potassium, berries for phytonutrients and antioxidants (and such), and an egg for some protein, and you’ve got one awesome breakfast to get you started right.

In any case, here's the recipe: 

Makes 12 servings, 1 cup each

Total Time: 45 min.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large bananas, mashed
1 Tbsp. raw honey
2½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ cups unsweetened almond milk
1 cup fresh blueberries (or raspberries)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare twelve muffin cups by coating with spray. Set aside.
3. Combine eggs, extract, bananas, and honey in a large bowl; mix well. Set aside.
4. Combine oats, cinnamon, and baking powder in a medium bowl; mix well.
5. Add oat mixture to egg mixture; mix well.
6. Add almond milk; mix well.
7. Divide oat mixture evenly between prepared muffin cups.
8. Top evenly with blueberries.
9. Bake 26 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Tip: Raisins, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pomegranate seeds, or dark chocolate chips can be substituted for blueberries.

And the best part?! They're approved by all kinds of programs!! Details and nutrition info:

PFGH Steak

PFGH could stand for 2 things:

Pretty Freaking Good, Heavely 

or

Pan Fried Garlic and Herb

Either way, it's fitting to this steak. 

I love a grilled steak but when I don't have a grill available (which I often do not), I love to pan fry it like this. It keeps the integrity of the steak but still allows flavors to develop beautifully.

Ingredients:

• Steak- whatever cut you prefer
• I just happened to have some Tri Tip on hand :)
• Garlic- crushed or minced
• Quantity depends on how much you like garlic. I like it so I add a nice helping
• 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
• Herbs
• I usually use parsely but this time decided to go with some Thyme- I'm an equal opportunity herb-ist

Instructions:

• Season steak with salt (Himalayan, ideally) and pepper
• Heat up your pan on high, melting the coconut oil
• Once the pan is hot and oil melted, drop your steak into it
• 1 min on each side on high heat to sear the sides
• Turn down the heat to medium, add garlic and parsley to the oil

• Flip your steak again and sear each side for 30-60 more sec while dousing the garlic/parsley/oil mix over the top of the steak over and over until ready to flip once and then remove
• This should give you a medium-rareish steak- for a more done steak, increase the time for the second set of sears by 30-60 seconds

I paired my steak with corn and cucumber... because I like cucumbers, I like corn, so why not?!

Hope you enjoy!

Love,
Paulina

Love Me Some Spaghetti!!

Pasta is UH-MAY-ZING!!

But it definitely doesn't help me reach my health and fitness goals, so I try to keep my pasta portions in check. This is where Spaghetti Squash often comes into play.

I'm in Southern California for a couple weeks to help out my parents while they are in Poland. I can't WAIT to meet them there to celebrate my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary! It's been a couple years since I've been to Poland, and even longer since I've seen that side of the family.

Anywhoooo... while in SoCal, I wanted to stay on track so I can go to Poland feeling cute and confident. So....

As much as I love pasta, I love spaghetti squash just as much. Maybe even more since it's better for you and you can eat more of it without feeling gross and bloatie, but that's none of my business ;)

I've made this a couple times and I get asked for information about how I prepare it, so here it is!

First, let's start with the basics. This is what spaghetti squash looks like at the grocery store:

You can find them in most grocery stores. Costco even sells them from time to time, which is awesome because then you can get an even better deal!

The BEST thing about making this? You make it once and have tons of leftovers! (or you can feed your whole family, depending on which demographic you fit into (; ).

So to make an awesome meal from the spaghetti squash, you need:

1. 1 medium spaghetti squash
2. 1 lb of ground turkey
3. 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I tend to get mine from Trader Joe's of Sprouts-- both have great organic, no added sugar options)

Instructions:

First, start with the squash:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Slice the squash in half, length wise
• Spaghetti squash is really hard so be careful! We don't want to lose any fingers 
3. Scoop out the seeds
• If you've ever carved a pumpkin, you'll be a pro at this-- nowhere NEAR as many seeds! ;) Scrape out the seeds and stringy parts of the scoop WITHOUT digging into the the flesh-- that's the part that turns into spaghetti so keep as much of that in tact as possible!
4. Decorate the flesh
• Brush olive oil and sprinkle salt & pepper on the inside of the cleaned spaghetti squash
5. Place the squash halved face down into a roasting pan (face down = cut side down)
6. Pour a little water into the dish- enough to just cover the bottom of the pan
7. Bake the squash for 30-45 minutes

Now, while the squash is baking, prepare the turkey!

1. Heat a large skillet with coconut oil to medium-high heat
2. Drop your turkey into hot skillet and cook until brown and cooked all the way through-- covering the skillet while cooking helps a bit
3. Once done cooking, turn off the skillet until squash is ready

That was easy! Now to finish everything off!

1. Once the spaghetti squash is done baking and tender, take it out and let it cool for a few minutes.
2. Once cool enough for you to be able to hold it (I usually use a towel so it doesn't have to cool too much), take it out with flesh side up, facing you
3. Using a fork, scrape out the inside of the squash
• Pull the flesh from the peel, separating the flesh into strands. You're "raking" the "noodles" into each other
4. Turn the large skillet back on to medium
5. Transfer the "spaghetti" from the squash peel to the skillet, mixing them together
6. Pour the jar of sauce into the spaghetti/turkey combo and mix together
7. Mix for a few minutes to make sure the whole mixture is warm
8. Serve and enjoy!

And seriously? One squash, one pound of turkey, and one jar of pasta sauce lasts me like a week! 

One of my favorite meals EVER!! Hope you enjoy, too :)

Love,

Paulina

Everything is Better with Coconut Banana Bread

I'm pretty sure that if I ever gave up carbs, I'd die. Bread... pasta... delicious, sinful, spongie goodness.



...Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my chin...



In any case, the moral of the story is that I love carbs.

In light of my new lifestyle, however, I've had to make adjustments. Bread is now whole grain. Pasta is now brown rice/quinoa/whole grain. Cakes are baked with coconut flour, whole wheat flour, etc. I'm a full believer in enjoying and indulging but also about being smart about it.

So after an awesome weekend full of awesome friends, unforgettable fun, and amazing food, I decided to be better today. But I still wanted a tiiiiny bit of an indulgence, so I snacked on some mini chocolate chips (which my enabling friend said is OK since chocolate comes from a plant) while I baked some coconut banana bread.

Yup! And it turned out DELICIOUS, even though it is Wheat/Gluten free! So. Freaking. Yummy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut flour (sifted)
• 1 1/2 cup ripe bananas (we're talking spotted.. about 2-3 bananas)
• 4 eggs (room temp)
• 6 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
• 5 tbsp raw honey
• 2-3 droppers full of liquid Stevia
• 1/4 tsp salt (I used pink Himalayan)
• 1 tsp- 1 tbsp cinnamon (I used 1 tbsp because I like the cinnamon-ie kick, but if you don't like it, just do 1 tsp for the depth)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp vanilla

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees
• Spray your bread pans with coconut oil spray to prevent sticking (I used 2 pans to spread the batter- better to keep portions under control (: )
• Smash bananas in a medium size bowl (or bigger)
• In the same bowl, mix in honey, coconut oil, vanilla, eggs, and stevia
• In a separate bowl, mix coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until they are combined, but don't over-mix
• Spoon the batter into your sprayed pans

• Bake for an 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Top and edges should be golden brown

• Let cool outside the oven for 15 minutes before removing from pans

• Slice, Serve, and Enjoy!!

I can't even tell you how delicious this stuff is. Like BEYOND. If you want more of a "traditional" slice, just make one loaf in one pan, rather than splitting the batter between two pans.

So when I say enjoy, I mean it. That's an order!

Love,

Paulina

Bombtastic Turkey Apple Burger Patties

Today I wanted a burger.

I'm recovering from a peg to the face with a volleyball.

The story:

I coach 7th grade girls volleyball and we practice in the same gym as 8th graders. During practice yesterday, one of the 8th graders kicked the ball clear across the gym and it pegged me straight in the kisser. My glasses flew straight off and across the court! What does one do in this case? I bent over, let the tears come as they may (they were more tears of shock than anything-- hardasses don't cry and my team thinks I'm a hardass ;) ), shook it off, and went to the bathroom to freshen up. The whole time, everyone watched in horror-- would I make them run when I was done? Would they be doing suicide drills the rest of practice? Was my brain going to explode? Was I going to return the favor to the 8th grader? I knew that's what they were all thinking-- like I said, they know I'm hardcore and were just waiting for me to explode.

Instead, I was mid-coaching so the other coach and I releases the girls for a water break. I came back out of the bathroom with a smile, and began telling the girls how that wasn't the first nor will it be the last time I get hit in the head (or face more specifically). Sports are hard and you're going to get hurt. Pause, assess, and if you can, shake it off and move on. That's what it means to be an athlete. That's life. Never had a bloody nose before and apparently my face is hardcore, just like the rest of me, because that volleyball to the face didn't give me a bloody nose either.

The update:

Well, today, I have a tiny bit of swelling and bruising, and a whole lotta tenderness. All around my left eye and on the bridge of my nose. My poor face.

The food:

In any case, now you know why I'm all "Woaw is me, someone get be a burger!"

Well, I was inspired by this article by Muscle & Fitness with the low fat protein patties. I took the Chicken-Apple Sausage Patties and decided to run with it-- with the ground turkey I had in my fridge. The bonus of using ground turkey instead of ground chicken? Even leaner protein with even fewer calories! According to my calculations, the patty is about 160 calories! Obviously, add extra for toppings, bun, etc. :)



The recipe calls for a tart apple. Studies have shown that eating tart apples (like Granny Smith-- which is what I used), helps improve digestion and fight obesity. So OBVIOUSLY let's get guys into our plan!

In any case....

Now... without further delay... here's the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 large tart apple, peeled and diced very finely
• 2 tsp seasoning of choice (I used Flavor God Lemon & Garlic Seasons-- it's similar to Mrs. Dash and you don't need to add salt or pepper to it)
• 1 lb of ground turkey (I used 93% fat free)
• I also sprinkled red cayenne pepper liberally into the mix... just because I use that ish on everything :)

Instructions

• Combine the apple, seasoning and red cayenne (if you're using it) in a bowl.
• Crumble the ground turkey over the mixture and mix it all together. I use my hands because... well, why not :)

• Shape out your patties. This recipe makes 4-5 patties, depending on how big/small you want them. 
• I made 5... next time I'm going to make 4 to make them bigger :)
• Heat a large pan over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Do so lightly if you use 93% fat free turkey- there's still enough fat in there to help the cooking process

• Place patties in pan and cook on each side for about 5-6 minutes-- until they are no longer pink and there is a light golden brown crust.

• Build your burger and enjoy!

I built my burger with whole wheat buns, a touch of mustard, mixed greens, and tomato. On the side, I had some steamed veggies to round things out (yes, you definitely can scroll up to oogle on my delicious meal (: ).

HOLY MOTHER OF BANANAS that was the BEST burger patty I have had in a long time. Turkey burgers? Yes please! I think even the most suspicious of turkey burger haters will appreciate the juiciness, tenderness, and flavorfulness of these ridiculously amazing patties.

Enjoy!

Love,
Paulina

Sweet Kickin' Chicken

I decided to experiment with my chicken. I was tired of the salsa chicken and the basic seasonings for my baked chicken. I bake a lot of chicken-- it's one of my go-to lean proteins and I'm terrified that I will get bored with it! So I try to keep it mixed up and fresh as much as possible. Well, I was getting bored, which made me panic a little bit- What if I can't look at chicken ever again? What if I get so disgusted with chicken that I get lazy about cooking? What if I get so lazy that all my good habits go out the window?

Basically... my mind decided to jump to insane conclusions because of some damn chicken. Now that's a little bit ridiculous, I realized, and I couldn't let some chicken get the best of me.

So I got creative.

And HOLY SMOKES my creativity is sooooo good!

I've named my creation the Sweet Kickin' Chicken! This delicious bird has a touch of sweetness but it definitely gives you a good kick, too. However, either way, it is SOOOO good! I will be repeating this experiment in the future, that's for sure! In the meantime, I am sharing my creation with you :)

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup of mustard (your choice, but I like Spicy Brown and Dijon)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Salt & Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper
• Oregano

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In a small bowl, mix together mustard, syrup, and vinegar
3. Place chicken breasts into 9x13 greased baking dish (or any baking dish that will fit). Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano.

• I used 1/2 tbsp of cayenne pepper and eyeballed the sprinkling of salt, pepper and oregano. Use more cayenne for spicier chicken, less if you can't handle the heat ;)
4. Pour the mustard mixture over chicken, making sure the chicken is coated.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

The end product may not look like much but trust me. YUM!!! I'm enjoying mine with asparagus and corn tonight!

Enjoy!! :)

Love,
Paulina