Banana Raspberry Protein Bread

I had a container of raspberries and some ripe bananas laying around and wanted to save them before they went bad. So, I threw them into this bread and it came out really good!

You can definitely leave out the raspberries and make a regular banana bread instead. Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of raspberries. Which is probably why they were about to go bad in the first place...

Raspberries are an GREAT source of fiber- about 8 grams per cup! That  is about one third of the recommended daily value for adults. Fiber is helpful for slowing down digestion, making you feel full, and getting rid of waste (aka go #2).

Either way, leave them in or out- up to you.

You can find the protein powder, stevia and flour from Vitacost. Here's a link for a discount off your first order: 

Banana Raspberry Protein Bread

Ingredients:

2 scoop vanilla whey protein (I use Cellucor)
1/2 cup coconut flour 
1 tablespoon granulated stevia (or other sweetener of choice)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large bananas (about 150 grams each)
3/4 cup egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk
1/2 cup raspberries


Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large blender or food processor, blend together all ingredients except the raspberries. Fold in raspberries after.
3. Add batter to a loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
4. Allow to cool, then cut into 8 slices (or however many you like).

Nutrition Information for one slice: 1.5 g Fat, 14.5 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Fiber, 10.3 g Protein

Easiest Ever Black Bean Soup

I didn't have a lot of ingredients on hands, so I kept this really simple: diced tomatoes, black beans, garlic, and spices. It's an easy soup that is still full of flavor. If you're feeling fancy, top with some low-fat shredded cheese, and sliced green onion.

Easiest Ever Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

2 cans (14.5 ounce) black beans (with liquid- don't drain!)
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Add the canned tomatoes to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
2. Heat a large non-stick soup pot over medium heat. Add all ingredients to the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve!

Crock Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken

Ever since I bought a crock-pot, I never want to eat chicken any other way! It comes out so tender and falls right apart with a fork- no knife needed! The other great thing about crock-pots is you don't have to baby-sit your food -  just throw it in the pot and let it work it's magic.

I always recommend crock-pots to busy clients who want something quick and easy to make when they are prepping their meals for the work week. Here's another one of my favorite and super simple crock-pot recipes.

Crock Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken 

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast (2 large)
2/3 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce)

Directions:

1. Place the chicken in the crock-pot. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour onto the chicken. Cook on low for 6 hours.

2. Remove chicken from the crock-pot and place on a plate. Pull apart with two forks. Add back to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread

I'm really not sure why loving pumpkin makes you a "basic bitch", but since I loved pumpkin way before it became cool, I'm excluding myself from that hashtag. Plus, this bread is far from basic. It's moist and pumpkin-y and perfect for fall.

 I used baked kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin) for this recipe, but regular pumpkin should work fine (or even baked butternut squash). 

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

2 flax eggs (2 regular eggs works fine too!)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup millet flour
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup baking stevia
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup cooked kabocha squash
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk (or any milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. To make the flax eggs, mix the flax seed with 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add the flax eggs and remaining ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth (don't overmix!).
4. Add to a small loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Allow to cool, then cut into 8 pieces. Enjoy!

Macros per serving: 7.5 fat, 7 carbohydrates, 8 protein

Sauteed Mushrooms and Green Beans

There are so many ways to eat veggies, and it doesn't have to take a lot of preparation. I always stock my freezer with frozen steamer bags for days that I am super busy and don't have anything prepared. That wasn't the case today, but I wanted to add something to the mushrooms I started cooking. So I searched my freezer and pulled out a bag of green beans. Here's how it went down:

Sauteed Mushrooms and Green Beans

Ingredients:

2 (8 oz) cartons of sliced white mushrooms
1 steamer bag green beans
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Sherry cooking wine

Directions:

1. Heat a non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 6-8 minutes

2. Meanwhile, follow package directions on the steamer bag of green beans. Once the mushrooms are soft and the green beans are steamed, add the green beans to the pan. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of sherry cooking wine to the pan and toss to combine. Cook for about 30 seconds more then remove from heat and serve!