Showing posts with label healthy snacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy snacks. Show all posts

May 30, 2018

Why I Trust NOW Foods for my Natural Products


Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Fitfluential, LLC on behalf of NOW Foods. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.


In health and fitness, there are lots of claims and labels being thrown around by brands and people. As a former chemist (who will always be a science nerd at heart), I’m the type of person that finds the actual research article when I read a headline about a new study. Sometimes there are small samples for the study, bias, or parts of the research aren’t addressed. The same thing goes with labels such as “natural” not being a regulated label or even their being specifics about what constitutes “organic”. Before visiting NOW Foods headquarters just outside of Chicago for the #NOWGetFit influencer event this month, I hadn’t considered myself super brand loyal, but now I can tell you I trust NOW Foods!

NOW Foods #NOWGetFit Day 1
After a travel snafu (ugh American Airlines WHY) I made it out to the event on Thursday starting with a trip to the Cooking Skills Academy for an “Iron Chef Challenge” using NOW Foods ingredients. 

Chef showing us how it's done.

My team won with a take on an avocado toast-clearly all those years watching Iron Chef and the Food Network have paid off! 

The winning dish!
Also forgot to mention that the before our challenge the night before, Kasey from Powercakes made us DELICIOUS protein donuts. I don’t throw around the word delicious paired with protein donuts ever.

October 21, 2016

Super Berry ProYo Smoothie Bowl

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by ProYo. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Right before Expo East this year, I was introduced to the one of exhibitor products, ProYo, a protein-packed frozen yogurt pop.  I really find myself needing to up my protein and not just eat sugar-packed protein bars on-the-go, plus I love ice cream & frozen yogurt. It seemed like a win-win and spoiler alert: they taste delicious! Each 4 oz ProYo tube is made with creamy probiotic yogurt packed with 20g of protein, 2g of fat, 3g of fiber, and only 140 calories plus is rated as low-glycemic. It's also gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO.  

I love that I get an extra helping of probiotics to help my tummy out as well as 25% of my RDA for calcium. The pops come in various flavors including Vanilla Bean, Dutch Chocolate, Banana Vanilla, and Blueberry Pomegranate. Truthfully, I can tell the pops have that slight whey/protein taste,but despite this I still had to tell my boyfriend to keep his hands off of them! 

Despite being delicious right out the package, I've found that the recommendation on the ProYo boxes to blend with water like a smoothie has been one of my favorite ways to eat them. It's great make 'banana ice cream' with frozen bananas and pop one of these in there for a different flavor plus extra protein.  

When I'm feeling a little more ambitious to whip up a pretty food-blogger inspired smoothie bowl, I've been making a variation of the one I'm sharing on the blog today.  I really prefer eating thick smoothies out of bowls and love being able to top them with all sorts of goodies (chocolate chips is a favorite topping!). This is a berry ProYo smoothie bowl topped with superfoodie toppings like chia seeds. 

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Super Berry ProYo Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients: 

      1 Tube Blueberry Pomegranate ProYo High Protein Frozen Yogurt
      1/2 Cup of Frozen Strawberries
      1 Tbsp honey
      ½  Tbsp of chia seeds
      ½  Banana
      4 oz milk (based on preference)
      1 handful of ice cubes
Toppings (optional)
-       ½  banana
-       1 Tbsp peanut butter
-       ½ Tbsp chia seeds
-       1 Tbsp hemp seeds

Instructions: 

– Squeeze ProYo Blueberry Pomegranate Tube into blender.

Super-Berry-ProYo-Smoothie-Bowl_blender
– Add ½ banana, honey, and ½ tbsp. of chia seeds
– Add 4 oz of milk and handful of ice cubes.
– Blend all ingredients together and pour into a bowl.    It maybe a little thick so use a spoon to help.
– Slice ½ banana and place on top of bowl. Top bowl with peanut butter, chia, seeds, hemp seeds, and anything else you’d like!
Super-Berry-ProYo-Smoothie-Bowl_toppings
– Eat immediately and enjoy!


If you don't have any ProYo on hand this recipe could work by substituting 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries and 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt or various other substitutions. Obviously I totally recommend the ProYo (plus it's simpler), which you can find in the freezer aisle at Giant stores locally in the Maryland area or check out their store locator for more options. Check out more recipes on the ProYo website including mine :) 


Super-Berry-ProYo-Smoothie-Bowl_final

Do you enjoy drinking smoothies or eating them out of bowls? What is your favorite snack topping?

October 13, 2016

My Go-To Post-Run Snacks with Relay Foods MD

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Relay Foods. As always all thoughts & opinions are my own. 

Thank you SO much for all of the congratulations on my previous post-yes a race recap for the Chicago Marathon is coming so stay tuned! 

With travelling and a really busy rest of the month ahead, I definitely am in need of some healthy and easy grocery shopping and meal prep options. I've reviewed Relay Foods MD before and even shared a yummy marinated mushroom recipe from Relay Foods that is still a favorite and easy side dish. I was definitely excited to place an order after getting back from Chicago so that food shopping was one less errand I had to run. 

Basically Relay Foods is an online grocery store where you can shop online from their stock of products and groceries from over 200 local farmers and vendors.  Most of their foods are organic, local, or all-natural and allow you to just fill up a virtual shopping cart online and either pick-up your groceries for free at their set pick-up spots or have them delivered right to your door for a small fee.  

relay-foods-md

Relay Foods also just released their new rigorous food standards, ensuring that they are always offering foods good for you, the community, and the planet. 

I just completed an order of my favorite easy snacks to refuel with after a run.  I always try to eat something within the 30-60 minute post-run window, even if it's a snack before I get the chance to make a meal. Honestly I'm always hungry so it's easy to eat, but it's good to try to get a snack with a good 3:1 carb to protein ratio that will help my body recover.  

Check out my go-to post-run snacks: 

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1. Bananas with nut butter 

(right now I'm loving Relay's Own fresh ground almond butter). 

2. Michele's Granola and yogurt (like this Liberte black cherry whole milk yogurt) 

Michele's Granola is a delicious Baltimore brand that is not too sweet or heavy on the sugar and is super crunchy. 

3. Organic chocolate milk 

(I limit dairy but chocolate milk has great a great recovery ratio and is super easy to drink a glass of while I'm prepping a larger meal!) or these single serve boxes

4. Trail mix

I'm a sucker for trail mixes especially ones with lots of different nuts, dried fruits, seeds and of course some chocolate chips. This Antioxidant Mix, Berries & Chocolate also satisfies my sweet tooth!

5. Energy Bars

It's easy to have an energy bar in my gym bag or purse to have on hand, especially if I'm away from my apartment or need to drive home from a run. Some of my favorites lately are the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabar, Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate KIND bar, and Coffee Chia Health Warrior bar


Relay Foods has a great Refer a Friend (RAF) program in which if you're a current customer you can refer friends to try out Relay Foods with your link and you both save! 

Currently a RAF link will save a new Relay Foods customer $20 off of their first order of $60 or more and the person who's RAF link it was, will also get $20 credit. During the month of October it has been increased to $30 off of $60 (still for new customers only!) and the RAF link owner will also get $30. 

relay-foods-md-refer-a-friend-october-2016

If you haven't tried Relay Foods and are curious, please use my Relay Foods link to save $30 off your first order of $60. If you already are a customer, share your code with friends to save! 


What's your go-to easy post-run or post-workout snack? 

July 31, 2016

Matcha Green Tea Protein Smoothie {with Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Boosters}

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill as part of a campaign through my partnership with SweatPink and Fit Approach. As always all thoughts & opinions are my own!

I have talked about how the new Bob’s Red Mill Protein and Nutritional Boosters packed with 20g of protein have helped me stay #summerstrong. Well I've always been a huge coffee and tea drinker, but this summer's newest drink obsession is iced matcha green tea almondmilk or soymilk lattes. I've been getting them from a local coffee shop (shout-out to 3 Bean Coffee!) in the mornings, and it's always so creamy and delicious. 

They are super refreshing after a hot run or workout plus I'm getting all that antioxidant goodness from the matcha, which is powdered green tea leaves. Unfortunately, right now I can't afford getting a $5 latte whenever I want one, aka everyday. 


post-workout-run-matcha-green-tea-latte
Post #NP_BAL workout iced matcha latte
I decided to come up with a protein smoothie version which is just as satisfying after a run and saves me some money plus gives me an extra nutritional boost! I had this package of Kiss Me Organics brand Green Tea Matcha powder that I used. I'm loving this vanilla gluten-free Bob's Red Mill protein powder so I used that-just a heads up that it has chia seeds mixed in so it's not little ants or anything, haha.  The end result of the smoothie came out a little more brown than green thanks to the banana and protein powder, but it's delicious nonetheless! 

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print recipe

Matcha Green Tea Protein Smoothie

matcha-green-tea-protein-smoothie-3



Ingredients
  • 1 banana, frozen
  • 1 cup almondmilk
  • 1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder
  • 1/8 cup Bob's Red Mill vanilla protein nutritional booster (or any vanilla protein powder!)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 handful ice cubes
Instructions
Combine all ingredients together in blender. Blend until fully mixed and serve immediately.
Details
Total time: Yield: 1 smoothie




matcha-green-tea-protein-smoothie-2


Just a reminder that if your local store carries Bob’s Red Mill products, you can get a discount on Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Boosters with this coupon!

This post was linked up with Weekend Snapshots

Do you like matcha or green tea flavors? What is your favorite summer drink right now?

July 22, 2016

#FuelYourAwesomeness this Summer with Bob's Red Mill Protein {Giveaway}

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill as part of a campaign through my partnership with SweatPink and Fit Approach. As always all thoughts & opinions are my own!

While the fact that summer is flying by makes me sad, I have been trying to pack my summer with as much awesomeness as I can. I haven’t even been able to keep up blogging but if you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you know I’ve been having some fun this month in Boston and at November Project Summit 4.0 in Canada last weekend (posts to come!).  Lots of travelling and eating out or on-the-go for sure! 


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Let’s be honest though, travelling and having fun are exhausting so that’s why I was glad to get some new Bob’s Red Mill Protein and Nutritional Boosters in the mail packed with 20g of protein to stay #summerstrong. I received 4 varieties including Vanilla, Chocolate, Chai, and Protein & Fiber Booster. 

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Even if my eating has been full of more treats and less greens, having a post-workout smoothie with some protein and fruit or veggies is an easy way to refuel this summer. 

bobs-red-mill-protein-ninja-smoothie

If your local store carries Bob’s Red Mill products, you can get a discount on Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Boosters with this coupon!

GIVEAWAY! ::woop woop::

One lucky reader will win a 16 oz. package ($30 value!) of Bob’s Red Mill Protein Powder NutritionalBooster to fuel their own awesomeness! Enter via Rafflecopter below!

This giveaway ends July 30th, 2016, 12 AM EST. The winner will be notified via email right away. If I don’t hear back from the winner within 24 hours I’ll have to pick a new winner. Delivery of the prize is by Bob’s Red Mill.

How are do you #fuelyourawesomeness this summer?

This post was linked up with my fave Friday Linkup ladies CourtneyMar, and Cynthia  as well as NicoleJilland Amanda .

June 24, 2016

{5 Friday Favorites} Beer, Beyonce, and Beast Mode

It's Friday and I'm here with some favorites from the past few weeks. It's been a hectic and humid week for me so I'm looking forward to a fun and sunny weekend.  

{5 Friday Favorites} Beer, Beyonce, and Beast Mode

1. Beyonce Formation World Tour

beyonce-formation-philly

A.K.A my second time seeing the QUEEN. 

I'm a HUGEEEE Beyonce fan so if you don't like her just skip this paragraph. Yes, I'm the girl blasting Lemonade in her car and singing along.  I could go on and on about this concert I went to a few weeks ago in Philly, but I'll just say it's literally a magical experience and in a completely different way from her last tour with Jay-Z. She puts on an amazing show-even people who aren't huge fans or don't know a ton of her non-radio hits have said so to me! Bey  was sure to keep the message about self-love and how the most important relationship is the one with yourself and how you can do anything #PREACH.  I mean that's a message all ladies can get behind. 

I also want a wind machine following me and an acceptable place to wear a sparkly leotard and high heels, kthanks.

2. Beer Flights

flying-fish-beer-flight

I got to enjoy a nice little beer flight at Flying Fish Brewing Co. with my family last weekend. Anytime I go to a new brewery I also get a beer flight. Sometimes when I can't decide what I want I get one too. I also love it because some beers are interesting for a little taste, but I don't want a full pint of it. Sometimes you just want a little bit of everything. Or if you are me, you always do. What's wrong with wanting it? 

3. Summer long runs

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Okay so I don't like the humidity or being completely drenched after runs (#sweatyAF), but now that I'm in my first week of marathon training I do enjoy some of the routine of a long run and the peace that comes afterwards. Plus feeling like a badass for crushing many miles.  Another pro is that I spend at least 4 miles of the run thinking about what I want to treat myself to for breakfast afterwards. Long run days go wake up, run, eat, shower, eat, nap, then restoftheday.  Tons of sweaty laundry and trying to remove a soaking wet sports bra are definite summer long run cons. 

4. KIND Snacks variety pack

kind-snacks-bar-variety

A.k.a. the motherload of KIND bars. I was nice enough to have been sent this complimentary 30-pack of KIND Snacks bars which includes some new flavors such as Dark Chocolate Almond Coconut & Raspberry Cashew Chia (YUM!) and all my old favorites including Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt. I've always been a fan of variety packs becaus I like choices and a little bit of everything (see: beer flights) . 

Let's just say between my boyfriend and I, this pack did not last long in our apartment.  

4. Awesomeness alert- American Runs for Homelessness with Back on My Feet

america-runs-homelessness-back-on-my-feet

Back on my Feet is an awesome organization  that restores hope and independence through running in over 11 cities (including a chapter in Baltimore!) and has helped more than 4000 individuals find employment and housing. With half a million homeless people in the US, that's awesome. Go here and sign their American Runs pledge to help end homelessness. For each pledge BoMF receives $1, and you are entered to win a free year of Dunkin Donuts. You know I love me some DD coffee so that's a sweet bonus for helping out a great cause! 


This post was linked up with my fave Friday Linkup ladies CourtneyMar, and Cynthia  as well as Nicole, and Jill

What is one of your favorite workouts, snacks, charities lately? 

March 9, 2016

Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes {Review & Discount Code}

Disclosure: I received a complementary brand ambassador package of products from Munk Pack for review. This post contains an affiliate discount code. As always, all opinions are my own. 

As a lady on-the-go and chronic snacker, I love sharing my new favorite finds with my readers. I discovered Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes as one of the showcased new products at Expo East 2015.  I loved the outdoorsy booth and as an oatmeal fanatic, was intrigued by the idea of oatmeal in a pouch as a snack. I later learned it's also great for hiking and running!  After learning more about the brand philosophy, I'm super happy to be working with Munk Pack to fuel all of my adventures! 

Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes {Review & Discount Code}

The scoop: 
Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes are vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free and made with whole grains. They also are made of BPA-free packaging. Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes contain 3-4 grams of fiber each and omega 3s. The only sugar in the oatmeal fruit squeezes comes from the fruit. The pouches have a twist-off cap and then you just eat right out of the pouch. Each oatmeal fruit squeeze ranges from 90-110 calories which makes it a great small snack.The four different flavors of Munk Pack are: Apple Quinoa Cinnamon, Blueberry Acai Flax, Raspberry Coconut, and Peach Chia Vanilla.    

Munk Pack oatmeal fruit squeezes {Review & Discount Code}

February 5, 2016

Healthy Honey Banana Muffins {with Nektar Naturals}


I love muffins and banana bread so whenever I have some overripe bananas lying around that is always my go-to way to use them up. I buy bananas every week because they are my favorite pre-run fuel and afternoon snack of choice which means I often have overripe bananas! This week I made these honey banana muffins which have a nice flavor from the cinnamon and sweetness from the Nektar Naturals honey crystals without an overpowering banana flavor. I know I'm not a food blogger, but I do like sharing some yummy recipes!

Healthy Honey Banana Muffins {with Nektar Naturals}

The muffins are are also healthy and can be tailored to your dietary restrictions. I used almond meal and almond milk to make them dairy-free and wheat-free, but you can use whatever flour and milk you prefer.  

Healthy Honey Banana Muffins {with Nektar Naturals}
It was my first time trying Nektar Naturals which are just all-natural granulated honey crystals. It comes in packets or an easy to pour bottle so I could use honey in baking or in things like my tea, without the sticky mess. It found it really helpful for baking these muffins since I didn't have to measure out a bunch of sticky honey.  You can order Nektar Naturals online or pick up some at your local Walmart. 

Just in time for Valentine's Day Nektar Naturals is selling these delicious-looking chocolate-covered pretzels dusted with Nektar honey on Amazon which would make the perfect gift for a friend. You can also go to their website and send a  free honeygram or little love note & sample to someone in the mail on/before Valentine's Day. My friends should look out because I already sent a lot of free lovenotes to people!





Speaking of Valentine's Day these muffins would be a great addition to breakfast in bed or a way to share some love with your friends. I also have a fairly low-key Valentine's Day which usually includes going out to dinner with my boyfriend and exchanging small gifts. I love to bake something from scratch and have made cake, cupcakes, and other sweets in the past so I might just be making these again next weekend! 

Healthy Honey Banana Muffins {with Nektar Naturals}

January 28, 2016

My 4 Favorite Portable Protein-Packed Snacks

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post with Mantioba Harvest through my association with Fit Approach. I received free Hemp Heart Bars and compensation in return for my fair review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Now that school has started up again my schedule is full, and I'm always running around to school, work, coaching, and social events. I get really hungry (and hangry) if I don't eat so I need to have protein-packed snacks on me to keep me satisfied.  Here are some of my stand-by favorite portable snacks that are packed with protein. 


My 4 Favorite Portable Protein-Packed Snacks

1. Anything with nut butter 
Seriously. It pretty much goes great with almost anything, and I'll take it anywhere. Some of my favorites are nut butter with an apple or banana (included as my favorite snack in this round-up), peanut butter and jelly on crackers, or ants on a log (peanut butter on celery topped with raisins). 


My 4 Favorite Portable Protein-Packed Snacks-nut-butter
Nut butter by the spoonful everyday (topped with chocolate chips sometimes!)
2. Hard-boiled eggs
I love eating eggs not just for breakfast, but anytime of day. They are cheap, available everywhere, and a great source of protein. Hard-boiled eggs can be made in a big batch or you can even buy them already cooked. I like keeping a bunch of hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator already peeled so that I can eat them as a quick snack or throw in a plastic bag and take them to school or work with me.


My 4 Favorite Portable Protein-Packed Snacks-hard-boiled-egg

3. Trail Mix 
I love a great trail mix. I love buying the single-serve packets from Trader Joe's.  I especially love trail mixes that include almonds, dried fruit, and chocolate chips. I love that it's portable and can be a nice mix of salty and sweet flavors. Some of my favorite homemade trail mix recipes are Lean Clean Brie's Superfood Trail Mix, Hummusapien's Spicy Wasabi Trail Mix, and Eating Well's Gorp Trail Mix

4. Protein bars
While whole food is always a better option, I love a good protein bar to take with me since I'm always on the go. Right now I'm loving Quest Nutrition bars, KIND bars, SquareBars and other protein bars that are packed full of nutrients and fairly few ingredients. I can now add a new favorite protein bar to that list-Manitoba Harvest's new Hemp Heart Bars. I was sent a box with each of the flavors of bars thanks to my Manitoba Harvest and Fit Approach. 

My 4 Favorite Portable Protein-Packed Snacks-hemp-heart-bar

They are delicious and packed with 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of Omega 3 and 6 thanks to all that hemp seed goodness. The hemp seeds have a texture similar to chia seeds, but these bars aren't chewy at all and come in 3 tasty flavors-vanilla, chocolate, and apple cinnamon. My favorite flavor was the apple cinnamon which tasted like cinnamon apple sauce. 

If you want to try the new Hemp Heart Bars for yourself, you can save some moolah by using the discount code hhbarlaunch1015 for 15% off your purchase at Manitoba Harvest [code expires 3/31/2016]. 

Also you can totally enter Manitoba Harvest's photo contest by tagging your healthy living photos with @manitobaharvest and using the hashtag #fuelledbyhemp to be entered to win your favorite hemp food product  each month. Check out all the details here


My 4 Favorite Portable Protein-Packed Snacks-hemp-heart-bar

Today I linked up with my fave Friday Linkup ladies CourtneyMar, and Cynthia  as well as Nicole and Amanda .

What is one of your favorite portable protein-packed snacks?