Just a quick post to share a couple things! First, I’m taking over the @EatNuttzo Instagram account today — head over there sometime on this awesome Monday to check out how I use these delicious, nutritious nut butters to fuel my crazy, active life!
Read on to find out some other cool stuff that is going on! Continue reading
Just for full disclosure, I was provided the Designer Whey and Smari products talked about in this post as part of a campaign for #fitfluential. Of course, the recipe and opinions are all my own!
What SUPER things are you doing today? I’m eating a homemade granola made with some powerhouse SUPERFOOD ingredients. SUPER things are going to happen today, like maybe some more partner headstands! Anyway, after you laugh at the picture, read on to find out the scoop on my breakfast (and get the recipe).
‘Tis the season for pumpkin and I’m posting my last creation for the month using this big orange gourd . . . maybe! Actually, October 26th is National Pumpkin Day, so my timing couldn’t be better to bring you this recipe for Smashing Pumpkin Protein Granola. By the way, if you want to see my smashing of pumpkin recipes, just hop down to the bottom of the post.
I have to admit, I’ve never made granola before but it was the easiest thing ever! And, the way my husband and kids scarf it down, I am super excited that I’ll be saving a bit of money making it myself and can have more control over the ingredients. Rather than leaving it up to the cereal-making industry, I can decide the type and how much sweetener to use (like honey, agave or maple syrup) and exactly what types of mix-ins will fuel my body best. Since I like more protein with my breakfast than most store-bought granolas offer, incorporating a protein powder into the mix was my number one goal with this great granola experiment.
Designer Whey recently sent me a box packed with their awesome whey-based products to test out and the Almond Vanilla 100% Whey Premium Protein Powder seemed like a deliciously complementary flavor for my granola undertaking! You know, protein powder like Designer Whey isn’t just for making smoothies (although, it’s a darn good use)!
For my granola, I added a generous amount of nutritionally dense mix-ins including golden raisins (love ‘em), chopped almonds, pumpkin puree and shelled hemp seeds.I don’t think I’ve ever explained much about hemp seed on the blog. Shelled hemp seed is a superfood that contains all of the essential amino acids – this makes it a complete protein source and good option for vegetarians. Shelled hemp seed is comprised of 33% protein; in addition, hemp is also a good source of essential fatty acids (EFAs), magnesium, iron, potassium, fiber, and loads of antioxidants. Hemp adds a nice nutty flavor to your food; some liken it to pine nuts. Experts suggest that when cooking with hemp; keep the temperature at 325 F degrees or below to preserve the integrity of the EFAs.
So, back to the Smashing Pumpkin Protein Granola. It turned out fabulous and adding the protein powder into the recipe didn’t change the texture at all. I was swatting away hands all day until I could take the photos, and when I finally gave the go-ahead to munch – I kid you not – the batch was polished off on the spot.
I had to make a second batch to pair with Smari Icelandic Yogurt, a really super product that Designer Whey introduced me to. It sounded elusive, exotic and hard-to-find, but you can get at any Whole Foods Market.
Smari, is a thick and creamy, organic Icelandic-style yogurt available in four flavors – pure (nothing plain about it), vanilla, blueberry and strawberry. As a protein lover, what caught my eye about this yogurt is that it has more protein than most Greek yogurts. I inquired how this could be and was told that it takes 4 cups of milk to make 1 cup of yogurt versus Greek yogurt which uses 2 to 3 cups.
If you are a label reader, other good things to know – Smari uses organic cane sugar, uses Oregon fruit with no preservatives, is made with milk from grass-fed cows that live on small family farms, and uses natural tapioca starch as a thickening agent. It’s also gluten free and kosher and has 20 grams of protein, 0% fat and provides 20% DV of calcium per 6-ounce serving (pure flavor). Oh, and it has a very recycle-friendly carton. Whoot, thumbs up!
Smashing Pumpkin Protein Granola Recipe
Preheat oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place oats, almonds, hemp seed, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a large bowl; mix together.
Place the coconut oil, syrup, pumpkin, water and protein powder in a medium saucepan. Turn heat to medium and whisk until mixture is smooth, thick and creamy and just beginning to bubble. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.
Pour oat mixture into pot, stirring to combine and coat. Pour mixture out evenly on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.
Bake in preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes, stirring once or twice. If granola still seems moist, keep baking in 5 minute increments until dry. Remove from oven and let cool completely on sheet. Crumble up in bowl and stir in raisins.
Store cooled granola in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 2 months.
More Pumpkin Recipes (in case you missed them!):
The harbinger of summer in my neighborhood is the melody of the ice cream truck pulling onto the street. I’ve been hearing this seductive siren song a lot this week; in fact, I think the driver is getting a little aggressive peddling his pops every day after school lets out. Bomb pops, fudgsicles, and nutty buddies, oh my! The traditional ice cream sandwich is my favorite. You know of what I speak – creamy vanilla ice cream between two chocolate wafers.
While a traditional ice cream sandwich may taste super yummy, it doesn’t really do much for my daily nutrition needs. For example, a Good Humor sandwich marketed as “lite” has 140 calories, 26g carbs, just 2g protein and tons of artificial preservatives. That’s a lot of carbs at the expense of protein, and don’t even get me started on all the ingredients I can’t even pronounce. Based on my refueling needs for running and working out, I aim to get around 18-25 grams of protein 5 times per day – so protein is just as important in my snacks as it is in my main meals. The nutrition information on the back of my Good Humor ice cream sandwich is putting me in a bad mood.
After hearing the ice cream truck roll by and about to cave in, I had a light bolt moment! I knew I could kick up this idea of a frozen confection with some quality protein powder and tweak the rest of the recipe to be healthier too. With a quick turn on my heels, I headed to the pantry for my canister of Designer Whey 100% Premium Protein Powder, a great-tasting product that delivers 18 grams of protein per 100-calorie serving (the optimal amount of protein to take in at one sitting) and uses only natural flavorings and sweeteners. And, it’s also a good source for calcium, vitamin D, and B-vitamins. I’m definitely going to use this protein powder in my new ice cream sandwich recipe!
White Chocolate is just one of the many decadent Designer Whey flavors!
The chocolate wafer cookies in my White Chocolate Protein Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe are made with coconut flour, coconut sugar and coconut oil making them gluten-free. And, they are also Paleo-friendly – that is until you add in the ice cream (but hey, this ice cream is still really healthy as far as ice cream goes). Because whey is derived from dairy products, it doesn’t make the cut with a 100-percent paleolithic philosophy. However, strict caveman eaters can swap out with a coconut milk whip or frozen banana mash instead – just not as much protein.
White Chocolate Protein Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe
Cookie Ingredients:
Ice Cream Ingredients:
In a medium bowl, add coconut flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix thoroughly.
In a separate bowl whisk together the melted coconut oil, eggs, and milk. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until it forms a thick dough. Dough will be fairly crumbly at the beginning; use your hands to form it into one big ball.
On a clean work surface, roll out the dough to approximate ¼” thickness. Using a round 2 ½” diameter cookie cutter, cut out circles. Reroll dough scraps as necessary and continue cutting circles until all dough used. Dough should create enough for 16 cookies. Bake cookies on a lined baking tray at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack to let cool completely.
Meanwhile, combine almond milk, Stevia and protein powder in a bowl and whisk until protein powder is completely incorporated and all lumps are gone. Pour into electric ice cream maker and prepare according to manufacturer’s instruction (my Cuisinart takes about 20 minutes). If ice cream still seems a little soft, transfer to a storage container and let harden in the freezer for a couple hours.
To prepare ice cream sandwiches, scoop approximately 1/2 cup of ice cream and set on top of chocolate cookie. Set another cookie on top and gently press down; repeat with the remaining cookies and ice cream. Eat quickly or return to the freezer to enjoy later.
Serves 8.
Nutrition Information (per serving) 188 calories, 15g protein, 26g total carbs (9g sugars), 148mg sodium, 11g total fat (8 saturated fat)
By the way, Designer Whey also makes other great products for sports nutrition including ready-made shakes, protein bars and Protein 2GO® .I whole-heartedly agree that whey protein is a real winner for post-workout recovery and nutrition. I’ve been stashing the packets of the lemonade flavor in my gym bag. With 50 calories and 10 grams of muscle-making protein, it’s been my little boost after running intervals and before my strength-training.
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