| Page 178

WIAW: Get it While it’s FRESH!

Posted on August 28, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

Hey guys!

Can you believe it’s already the LAST week of August?

Which means it’s also the last week of our “Summer Staples” theme for
What I Ate Wednesday! 🙁

Be sure to hop on over to Peas & Crayons and show Jenn a little LOVE…not only is she our hostess with the most-ess but she’s ALSO throwing our little shindig in the midst of her hubby JUST getting back from deployment!

Welcome home Paul!

I don’t know about you guys, but with summer’s end getting closer day by day, I’ve felt myself LOADING UP on every bit of summer produce I can possibly get my hands on! Even with the promise of apple and pumpkin season right around the corner, I have to admit I’m going to miss my all of my summer staples.

But enough of the pining over produce….et’s get this party started, shall we?

I rolled out of bed in the wee hour of 2pm NSZT (night-shift zombie time) and headed straight toward the coffee maker…

You know, ’cause that’s where I keep my Fitmixer! 😉

I still can’t believe it’s been a MONTH since I’ve had one cup of coffee. I’ve always said I would never give it up because I love the taste, but I haven’t even had a craving for it in weeks!

After hitting the gym, I had a little appetizer before I got started on lunch:

Vegan Bacon Date Roll straight from the fridge and oh so delicious with it’s perfect sweet and salty combo!

Definitely hit the spot and held me over long enough so I could prep this masterpiece:

It’s been TOO long since I’ve made an Egg White Breakfast Pizza!

Loaded UP with fresh summer veggies!

Jalapenos, tomatoes and peppers oh my! 😀

After lunch, I got started on dinner prep. I knew exactly what I wanted and knew it would take a bit of time to put everything together…

Oh yeah, look who’s the spring roll MASTER!

When I picked up the package of spring rolls at the Asian market a few weeks ago, I honestly thought this would be a REAL challenge for me, but I’m telling you guys, it was a CINCH!

Stuffed with avocado, sprouts, tofu, carrots, and pickled ginger with a super easy spicy peanut sauce (2 T peanut flour + 3 T water + 1/2 tsp Bragg’s liquid aminos + 1 tsp sriracha)

DEEEEE-licious!

Snackage for the rest of the night included a perfectly juicy peach:

And a not so perfectly tasting Greek yogurt:

Never again, Kroger, will you lure me in with your enticing flavors!

I tasted no cranberry, no fig…just sugar…with a sandy texture! Ick!

And surprisingly, after a CAAAAAA-RAZY 10 hour shift at the hospital, (maybe it was the sugar high from the yogurt) I came home and whipped up this beauty:

Mint Chocolate Chip Parfait anyone?

Recipe coming tomorrow!

Have you ever made your own spring rolls?

What summer staples are you trying to squeeze in before the season’s end?

Posted in What I Ate Wednesday | Tagged avocado, coffee, dates, eggs, farmers' market, fitmixer, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, peanut flour, protein, rice paper, spring rolls, sprouts, tofu | 61 Comments

A Marvelous and MEATLESS Monday!

Posted on August 27, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

Happy Monday lovelies!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend and a great start to the week.

I’m so excited about linking up with Katie and all my girls for my second MIMM post! A lot of great things happened this weekend and I can’t WAIT to share them with you!

Plus, how can you not love all the positive vibes from this link party?!

Mondays are no longer Munnnnnnndays! 😉

This weekend started out as usual with my Saturday morning trip to the farmer’s market.

I was SO happy to see some zucchini…last week all the farmer’s were out and I was a little worried since I haven’t quite met my “zucchini quota” for the summer yet…probably one of my most favorite summer veggies! And heck yeah, for FINALLY picking up some corn…I haven’t had ANY this season and I’m really wanting to try it grilled!

After the market, I hit up the gym. I didn’t have a plan going in, but I have to say (especially since I’m STILL feeling it today) I did a pretty good job of kicking my own butt!

Here’s what it ended up looking like:

I did my pushups on my knees because I’m still a little girl ;), but daaaaaaaaaang, in less than an hour, I was totally SMOKED!

#PROOF

Oh yeah, Mr. Tricep is DEFINITELY growing! 😀

And JUST when I thought the day couldn’t get any better, a little spontaneity proved otherwise…less than two hours later I was on a boat…with a hunk by my side!

Guess who’s FINALLY done traveling for work?!

I met up with BB and a friend of his at Kentucky Lake and the rest of the day looked like this:

One of the BEST salads I’ve ever made from a salad bar…that wasn’t Whole Foods! 😉

Seriously, that corn muffin was unbelievable, and the tomato and barely salad at the top right? Omg, I HAVE to recreate that!

Followed by the DELICIOUS albeit unphotogenic blueberry cobbler that led to yesterday’s pancake inspiration! 😀

I may or may not have shed a tear after this pic was taken.

Seriously can it get any more MARVELOUS than that?!

——————–

Now, onto the MEATLESS part of this post!

I have been DYING to join in on Heather’s Meatless Monday celebration for weeks now but my biggest problem was my timing.

I mean, c’mon…I rattled off not one, not two, but THREE beet recipes last week…yeah, only ONE WEEK late to the party! :-/

When I realized that this week’s featured food would be dates, I got a little more excited than is probably considered “normal” but who are we kidding? Me? Normal? Please!

I LOVE dates…the chewy consistency, the perfect amount of sweetness, and hey, stuffed with a little peanut butter, they make one of the BEST pre-workout snacks!

So I actually took THAT idea and put a little “spin” on it!

I’m sure you guys have seen those cheese-stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates appetizers that parade around Pinterest ever time a holiday rolls around…

But how about a VEGAN version?! 😉

VEGAN Bacon-Wrapped Dates

by Heather Powers

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: bake appetizer snack vegan eggplant dates nut butter

Ingredients (6 dates)

1 small eggplant
1 tablespoon soy sauce (I used Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
1/2 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
6 medium-sized dates
2 tablespoons nut butter or vegan cream cheese
toothpicks

Instructions

1. Slice eggplant lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Spread slices on a layer of paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Allow salt to bring out the excess moisture in the eggplant for about 20 minutes, flipping and salting the other side halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, prepare your “bacon sauce” by combing soy sauce, water, maple syrup, liquid smoke, maple extract, and garlic in a small bowl.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Blot the eggplant slices with a dry paper towel before dipping into the “bacon sauce” then set aside.
5. Cut a slit into each date and stuff each one with 1 teaspoon nut butter (crunchy peanut butter is my favorite) or vegan cream cheese.
6. Wrap/roll a slice of eggplant bacon around each date and secure with toothpicks.
7. Arrange on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes.
8. Serve warm or refrigerate for 2-3 hours and serve cold.

The salty smoky flavor of the “bacon” combined with the natural sweetness of the dates is unbelievable…and if you are a big texture person like I am, the addition of crunchy peanut butter takes this little nibble to a whole new level of enjoyment!

Although I have to say the soft and smooth cream cheese was pretty rocking too! 😉

But that’s where the fun comes in…and YOU get to decide!

Have you ever tried a date?

Share something MARVELOUS from your weekend!

Posted in Meatless Monday, MIMM, Vegan, Workouts | Tagged Broccoli Babe, cream cheese, eggplant, gym, peanut butter, recipe | 34 Comments

Blueberry Cobbler Protein Pancakes

Posted on August 26, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

Am I the only one who immediately thinks of cobbler when it comes to summertime desserts? Or is that just the southern girl in me?

Well yesterday, I FINALLY got a chance to satisfy my summertime craving in the way of some warm blueberry cobbler.

It was perfectly smooth, flaky, buttery…and GONE in about 5 minutes!

Obviously I have a hard time with the whole “savoring” thing…

Since the “strange disappearance” of said cobbler (roughy about 18 hours), my mind has been REELING with ways I could recreate that amazing dessert….what can I say? I have something good, and I want MORE!

And MORE I shall have!

Breakfast? Dessert? Same thing, right?

Good, glad we’re all on the same page! 😉

Blueberry Cobbler Protein Pancakes

by Heather Powers

Prep Time: 12-15 minutes

Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Keywords: fry breakfast high protein no sugar added vegetarian blueberries egg whites protein powder whole wheat pastry flour summer

Ingredients (Serves 1)

For the Blueberry Cobbler Topping

1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup water
5-7 drops liquid stevia (or other sweetener)
1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the Pancakes

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 scoop (14g) vanilla protein powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg whites
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1/8 teaspoon butter extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Blueberry Cobbler Topping

1. Combine blueberries, water, and stevia in a small pot over medium-high heat.
2. Once boiling, lightly stir in cornstarch and reduce heat to low.
3. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
4. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the Pancakes

1. Preheat griddle to medium heat.
2. Combine flour, protein powder, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until light and foamy (about 30 seconds)
4. Carefully stir milk, cottage cheese, apple sauce and extracts into egg whites.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined.
6. Spoon batter onto griddle and allow to cook 4-5 minutes per side.
7. Plate and top with blueberry cobbler topping.

*For an “ala mode” option, add 1/4 cup whipped cottage cheese sweetened with a bit of stevia.