The protein powder and coffee mystery has been solved!

A few weeks ago, I tweeted out to my universal fitfam asking the question on whether there had been any success on mixing protein powder and coffee together. There was a lot of interest in the question, but no one seemed to have answers. Until now. I had a very successful afternoon in my test kitchen and just could not wait to share the results with you all! This is exactly what I did:

PB Chocolate Coconut Protein Balls featuring Paleo Pro Powder

Who doesn't love to make homemade protein snack balls? I have had the wonderful opportunity to try the Paleo Pro products and I am SO impressed. In fact, I used their Aztec Vanilla protein powder in what has now become my favorite shake combination ever (1/2 frozen blueberries, 30g Aztec Vanilla protein powder & 10 ounces of coconut almond milk). I am an unbiased and honest reviewer for everything I write on this blog and can tell you, as someone who has a sensitive stomach, these products made me feel great: no bloating, etc. And OMG THEY HAVE A PUMPKIN SPICE FLAVORED POWDER! Yes, I am one of those people who loves on that pumpkin spice. Judge away. You know you want some- click here to get some. No soy, no whey, no added sugar, no gluten, grains, wheat. artificial ingredients, and so on. The cost for these products is very reasonable given their high quality. Way to go, Paleo Pro! You have a fan for life. I loved making the protein balls and was originally going to use almond meal in the recipe but am so glad I used the coconut flour because it added some great fiber content. The recipe is below- give them a try!

www.paleopro.com

Raisin French Toast Protein Breakfast Bakes

I had never heard of a french toast flavored protein powder until I had the opportunity to try some of the Primera French Toast Protein Powder and I am sure glad I did! First of all, this line of protein powder is different because it is a hydrolyzed protein powder which uses an egg white & whey blend (hydrolyzed: this means it is fast digesting). Secondly, I am around a lot of researchers who are doing work with egg protein and its amazing impact on satiation (feeling full) which could be a great strategy for weight management, but I have also learned that the whey & egg protein blend is also looking very promising in the research world- in respect to fat tissue breakdown and muscle protein synthesis. Lastly, but certainly not least, was the joyful smell of these baking in the oven. It was unbelievably delightful. My husband ate these this morning for breakfast and loved them.

Ring the bell! School is in...and so are these items...

It is back to school time and travel soccer season for my household. There are some products out there that I have really been enjoying lately:

Easy Egg & Spinach Breakfast Bakes

When life starts getting really busy, I find that these egg & spinach bakes are a great way to kick off each morning with a delicious and nutritious boost to help me conquer the day. The GREATEST part about this recipe is that it cooks up in a batch so you can have them readily available to heat up for the rest of the week. And they're inexpensive to make!  Here are the INGREDIENTS:

Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth without the calories? Try Arctic Zero products!

I really thought that these products were going to be too good to be true until I tasted them.  Arctic Zero is a brand that makes low-calorie sweet treats, including pints of delicious frozen goodness that are only 150 calories for the whole pint in flavors such as chocolate, cookies & cream, coffee, mint chocolate cookie, chocolate peanut butter, vanilla maple, and other seasonal flavors (such as pumpkin spice) that are sure to please.  Also, they have 85 calorie bars in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and orange cream.  Here's some additional information that makes these even more enticing:

• Gluten Free
• Fat Free
• 14 grams of whey protein per pint
• 8 grams of fiber per pint
• Non-GMO
• Natural or Organic Ingredients
• No Sugar Alcohols
• Bars & Pints are suitable for the lactose intolerant

 

 

So you are probably wondering what it is sweetened with?  Well, Arctic Zero uses monk fruit and organic cane sugar as the sweetener.  Now, when you take a bite of these desserts, do not expect it to taste like Ben & Jerry ice cream.  It tastes more like a frozen protein shake, but it does curb the desire for a sweet treat.  My kids LOVED the frozen bars, except the chocolate coating did break off quite easily, making a bit of a mess for us.  I personally fell in love with the coffee flavored pint.  I also enjoyed the cookies & cream and chocolate peanut butter flavors.  The best thing about it all was that I had absolutely no guilt eating it.  If you do have a sweet tooth and are looking to try an alternative to satisfy your cravings, give Arctic Zero a shot. Here is the link to their website:  Arctic Zero and I would encourage you to follow them on Facebook and Twitter as well!

What flavor would you like to try?

Supreme Protein Bars...DELICIOUS!

When I contacted Supreme Protein to review their protein bars, I was told to put a seat belt on my taste buds because they were in for a ride!  I thought that was quite a statement, but it turns out that they were right.  I have finally found a protein bar that I am excited about!  Often, there are times when clients, friends, and family ask me about protein bars.  I have no problem with suggesting protein bars for after workout snacks, or even as a breakfast choice on-the-go, but this is the first protein bar that I have tasted that doesn’t leave an after-taste and is YUMMY.  Last night my daughters and I were on the go with a long drive for a late-night soccer game.  I let them try the Carmel Nut Chocolate & Peanut Butter Pretzel Twist bars as a snack to hold them until after the game.  They LOVED it!  In fact, my youngest daughter said “these should not be for adults, they are too good and kids would eat them!”.  I thought that was cute.  But not as cute as when my boss this morning (who is an avid runner and bicyclist), in her business suit, used her finger to get all of the chocolate out of the wrapper and said that she is hooked!  

Give these Supreme Protein  bars a try!  They are available at CVS, Walgreen’s, GNC, Wal-Mart, & thousands of other retail locations.  Supreme Protein graciously sent me the Carmel Nut Chocolate (my favorite!), Peanut Butter Pretzel Twist, and Peanut Butter & Jelly bars for free to me for review.  Thanks so much, because now I can confidently suggest a good-tasting protein bar to people!