Good Gourd, You’ll Love This Baked Pumpkin Protein Donut Recipe!

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Another protein donut recipe just in time for Thanksgiving morning! Oven-baked, scaled down in size and packed with nutritious, anti-oxidant filled pumpkin puree, there’s not much more you could want in a breakfast treat or late-night snack. Oh, except for protein, fabulous PROTEIN! I’ve snuck in a wallop of whey powder to give these goodies some sticking power. Really, you can use any flavor of protein powder you like from vanilla to cake batter (really!).  This time I used an unflavored brand of whey protein from BiPro so that the natural flavors of the pumpkin spices would shine through. You can make these protein doughnuts ahead and keep in the freezer until you’re ready to munch; just defrost and warm slightly in the microwave before dusting with the cinnamon sugar.

Baked Pumpkin Protein Mini Donuts Recipe

  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ cup egg whites
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup white all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
  • ¾ cup whey protein powder (unflavored or vanilla)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • Topping: additional sugar and cinnamon

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

In large bowl, use a spatula to mix together pumpkin, eggs, oil, and sugar.

In another bowl, mix together remaining dry ingredients including flours, protein powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Mix combined dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture, and stir, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until well-mixed.

Line a large 32 or 44 ounce cup with a 1-gallon zip-top bag, folding excess length down over sides of cup. Spoon in batter and secure top; snip a 1/2 inch triangle out of bottom corner to serve as your “pastry bag.”

Squeeze batter from bag into mini-donut tin, filling about halfway full.  If you don’t have a donut pan, use a muffin tin instead (donuts will like muffins though, obviously).  Give tins a spritz of baking spray in they don’t have a non-stick coating.

Bake in 350 F degree oven for approximately 12 – 15 minutes or until turning golden and springy to touch.  Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 2 – 3 minutes.

Flip out of pan and gently toss in zip-top bag or bowl filled with ¾ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.

Makes 36 mini-donuts.

Nutrition Information (per 1 mini doughnut)

 

 

Sparkle for Fun, Sparkle for Fast! Win a Sparkle Skirt for Running

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Confession: Before this summer, I would have bet you my last fun-sized bag of M&Ms that I would never be caught dead in a tutu, sequined skirt, or some other such nonsense.  But then it happened.  When out running the Hood to Coast Relay in Oregon this summer, the peer-pressure got to this one-woman wolf pack and I put on a sparkle skirt just to get a van full of giddy, girly-girls off my back. But let me tell you, a few strides into my run, I felt completely altered, like a different runner altogether . . . I was off my game, but in a good way!

With each rebound from the asphalt, my sparkle skirt gave a sassy little sway, as if to say “you don’t have to take this so seriously.”   I listened to my heart even more as the sun’s glint off the sequins created a flattering, soft-halo effect around my body. In this warm, fuzzy state, my heart was telling me that I am allowed to run just for fun, I don’t have to be that super-racer girl that I seem to so sadistically project onto myself.  I did run for fun, and it was wonderful.

Fast forward a couple months to a local 5k that called for a superhero costume. Everyone and their dog (literally) would be in a costume, except for a dozen or so hard-core runners up front vying for the win. Well, I dusted off that sparkle skirt and gave it another chance to make me feel good. This time the mission was to run for fun AND to win – could it be done?  Sure, it’s one thing to pass a few guys wearing the sparkle skirt (awesome), but to flat out cross the finish line as the first woman in a sparkle skirt, that’s an entirely different kind of cool.

I slipped into the light-as-a-feather sparkle skirt and threw a cape over my shoulders – when the gun went off, I hauled my bedazzled buns faster than a buttered bullet and DID break through that winner’s ribbon. Was I thinking about rainbows and unicorns while I ran? No.  Honestly, the race hurt like heck, but sometimes running does that. Now my new mindset exclaims, “why not hurt in a cute sparkle skirt?” Blood, sweat and sparkles, it’s the best of both worlds.

I’d love for one of you guys to have your very own sparkle skirt and wear it for whatever crazy reasons you desire. The fun and feisty ladies at Team-Sparkle.com have generously offered to let me give a sparkle skirt away in the color of the winner’s choice.  Check out their website, not only do they have sparkle skirts but lots of other fun stuff including racing wings, sparkle sleeves, visors, and more!  To enter, fill out the rafflecopter information below by Monday, November 26th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Eat More Protein, Run Zooma, Feel and Look Good!

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Protein is a power food for runners and athletes.  It plays a vital role in muscle building and recovery that can make a huge difference in the way you perform, feel, and even look. Packed with vital nutrients, protein repairs muscle damage after a workout and also tops off your glycogen stores when you combine it with carbohydrates – this lessens your chance of “bonking” in a race. Protein has also been linked with reducing the effects of the “stress” hormone cortisol on your body, which means you may even feel more relaxed. And, studies have also shown that a higher-protein diet from lean sources, especially when consumed at breakfast, experience a longer-lasting satiety level that curbs later-day snacking and thus helps to maintain, or even reduce, weight.

If you are curious about how much protein to eat, when to eat it and what types of protein are best, check out my guest post on Zooma Women’s Race Series today. It’s all about the benefits of protein and includes a delicious recipe for Sirloin with Sugar Snap Pea & Pasta Salad.  What a great make-ahead meal to enjoy after your long training runs in preparation for the upcoming  Zooma Florida (1/19/13) or Zooma Texas (3/23/13)

Breaking news, 10-percent off code for those of you who want to Run Zooma Texas on March 23, 2012 — it’s good for both the 5k and the half marathon.  Just click here to register and enter TXAMB3 in the promotion code box.

‘Fall’ in Love With Black Bean-Pumpkin Soup

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Even though it’s really not that cold yet in my part of the world, I’m ready to slurp me some soup. I love making a hearty soup for dinner; it is soul satisfying and the leftovers are always better the second day!  I came up with this Black Bean-Pumpkin Soup recipe last autumn when they finally put the canned pumpkin back on the store shelves. I’m like Bubba Gump for this ginormous squash – pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin lasagna, pumpkin enchiladas and more. You could bake and smash your own pumpkin, but who has that kind of time? Try this healthy, vegetarian recipe tonight. It’s packed with protein from the beans and loaded with vital vitamins from the pumpkin. The dollop of light sour cream adds a satisfying touch and eliminates the need for any kind of fattening topping.

 

Black Bean-Pumpkin Soup Recipe

  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds

Place beans and tomatoes in a food processor; cover and process until blended. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven, saute onions in oil until tender. Add garlic and cumin; saute 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, pumpkin, vinegar, pepper and bean mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in bourbon if desired. Garnish each serving with sour cream, green onions and pumpkin seeds. Yield: 8 servings (2 quarts).

Nutritional Facts: 1 cup equals 238 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 716 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 13 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1-1/2 fat, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable.

I Know ‘Jack’ About Sauce – My Apple Honey BBQ Sauce with a Bite Recipe

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As the end of October nears, I’m feeling a bit nostalgic for one of the most sensory-overloaded food experiences of my life (to date) – the 2004 Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue. This annual event, held in Lynchburg, Tennessee, features barbecue teams from all over the globe who come together to smoke, season and sear their best recipes to the delight of more than 25,000 spectators. Let me tell you, this shindig isn’t about tossing some hotdogs and burgers on the grill; it’s an epicurean extravaganza that is serious, serious business. I figured that out early on the first morning when the big rigs rolled in and started setting up some epic-sized barbeque pits. Plus, you’ve got to be a state or national champion just to get an invite!

Now, the particular year I was lucky enough to sample my way through what is fondly called “The Jack,” I was a guest of the famous whiskey distillery. Apparently they took a liking to my Apple Honey BBQ Sauce with a Bite (keep reading to find recipe below) and said, “come on down!”  I have to disclose that I am not a huge whiskey drinker, but it is pretty darn good in a recipe – just wait until I share my whiskey onion soup recipe!

Part of the barbeque boondoggle included a seat at the prestigious Kansas City Barbeque Society judging certification course, definitely the most gut-busting class I’ve ever taken.  I learned all the important details of upholding my responsibilities as an official  BBQ judge including spotting the various barbecue cooking methods, the nuances between regional barbeque flavors, and a deeper appreciation for the three main criteria of BBQ judging – appearance, taste and tenderness.

As you can imagine, this job required a lot of meat sampling. I feared falling short of the official oath I had just taken, so I made sure to polish off every last morsel of meat. Let me tell you, I was as stuffed as a turkey on Thanksgiving, but I did finish, finally waddling away four hours later with my official KCBS judge’s badge and certificate suitable for framing

kansas city barbeque society judge badge

KCBS Credentials! Wonder what would happen if I walked into Rudy’s or Salt Lick with by badge? Oh, and that’s ole Jack Daniels in the b&w photo.

The next day, I was actually still so full that I had to pass on my judging assignment. Instead of wallowing in my failure as a carnivorous critic, I hoofed it around the festival and watched the various teams battle it off tong to tong, slop mop to slop mop. After nearly a full day of this moderate exercise and inhaling the delicious smells, my appetite thankfully returned. Dashing back to the judging arena, I made it just in time for the ‘dessert’ category – all things are definitely made better with Jack Daniel’s Whiskey!

Now, next time you’re firing up the ‘cue, whip up a batch of my Apple Honey BBQ Sauce with a Bite, the perfect sauce for beef, chicken, pork or whatever you’ve got grilling!

Apple Honey BBQ Sauce with a Bite Recipe

  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 medium onions, minced
  • 2/3 cup Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup apple juice
  • ½ cup honey
  • ½ cup dark molasses
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Melt butter in large saucepan, add oil. Raise temperature to medium and sauté onions until caramelizing and golden brown. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 40 minutes until thickened.