Maine Blueberry Cobbler Smoothie

I supplement with protein shakes frequently, most days daily-they are easy, tasty and deliver the macros I need without a lot of planning and cooking. Im busy, I like being able to put quality, organic protein into my body that has no garbage or fake stuff. Plus, they are economical. 

I personally use Isagenix IsaLean PRO, but you can use whatever protein powder you like. The Greens listed is also an supplement that I use daily (hello 9 servings of GREENS in one scoop...amazing!). I have tried other green supplements and honestly, hated the taste. The taste of these greens is very mild and mixes well with any flavor shake or smoothie, also mixes well with water just to drink. No strong "green" taste like I've had with other brands.

I am totally digging good fats lately and my 2 favs are avocados and coconut oils. 

I love creating new recipes and ways to enjoy shakes and smoothies. This is one I threw together today and it was a BIG thumbs up!! So I wanted to share...

Wild Maine Blueberry Cobbler Smoothie

10 oz water

6 ice cubes

1/2 a frozen banana, cut into chunks

1/2 cup frozen Wild Maine Blueberries*

1 TBSP Organic Coconut Oil

1 package Isagenix Isalean PRO Vanilla

(or a serving of your favorite Vanilla protein powder)

1 scoop Greens (optional)

Just a dash of quality cinnamon

A splash of Simply Organic Almond Extract

(no exact measurements on these last 2, sorry...it was literally a dash and splash)

Put into a blender and GO!!

I have tons of frozen blueberries from the summer, both WILD and conventional high bush berries...this just happens to be what I grabbed today. So why WILD blueberries?  

*Wild Maine Blueberries vs. Conventional Blueberries

wild Maine blueberries on the Left, conventional high bush on the right 

Learn more about wild blueberries here: http://www.wildblueberries.com/the-better-blueberry/faq/

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What's your favorite smoothie or shake recipe? 

What's your favorite blueberry recipe?

Which Whey?

My whey or the highway...

Ha! love it. I am actually reposting this blog from one of my athletes who is also a former scientist. I love that she digs into the science behind nutrition and training. We can have totally geeky convos about all kinds of stuff! Anyway, when it comes to protein supplements, not all are created the same.

Do you know what is in YOUR protein powder? 
Heavy metals? Hormones? Stimulants?

I love that MY whey is organic, from grazing grass fed happy cows that are not pumped up with hormones and antibiotics. My protein powder is safe for children, pregnant and nursing Mom's and provides a full range of amino acids and nutrients. 

Enjoy!:

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In keeping with my new Friday theme of “Food Fact Friday”, I’m taking a look at Whey protein powders.

I was introduced to protein powder about 5 years, when I started working with a trainer at the gym.   She recommended a protein powder, that was awesome!!  Loved it!  But as time went on, I started to learn about protein powders and what was in them.

And I started to learn what I DIDN’T want in my body.   As part of my “building a bada$$ triathlete” this year, I kicked up my nutrition plan.  Switched over to organic meat, (I already was eating fish 1-2x’s/week) and upped my veggies.   And my nutritional plan has a new protein powder.   And I kept hearing how this one was so much better, from athletes, I respect, who were feeling a difference in their performance.

Being the researcher that I am, I took a very close look at not only the ingredients but WHERE they were coming from.

All whey comes from milk.   NOW, I’m one of those folks  who firmly believes that if we ingest things, like whey, that come from an animal, then what condition that animal is raised and handled, affects that food.   Instead of me getting on my soap box and talking about how those factors affect our food, here is a GREAT article that explains it in detail.

Grass fed vs grain fed <<<-----seriously b="" read="" this="">

I LOVE the paragraph that says “It’s not only important what we eat. It also matters what the foods that we eat, ate.”

And that is the take home message for me.   The protein source for my nutrition plan is from grass fed, free roaming cows.  Whey protein from grass-fed cows deliver more amino acids and nutrients, is made with the finest non-denatured,  cold processed whey protein concentrate from grass-fed cows that are not hormone treated.

So, I’m taking in a protein powder that my body loves!!!   And did you know????

• The more natural your food, the more lean muscle and the less body-fat you’ll probably have (this is because natural foods are assimilated better into the body)

• Toxins that you ingest can impair the fat burning and muscle building processes

My objective, in using protein powder, is to gain more lean muscle and drop the body fat.  And by using a protein drink that does that AND has no “add-ins” (like hormones that the cow was given), I feel I am cleaning out my body a bit more.   We are subjected to taking in toxins we don’t want (pollution, pesticides, etc) and if I can take control of some of that, I know my health will benefit.

I LOVE my new nutrition plan!!!

Being Brave & Having Fun!

Life has been a little crazy-busy lately and sadly, I have not had much time to blog!
`
As of this moment, I am laying in my bed getting some NormaTec love on my legs, hooked up to my recovery boots and my laptop, checking out Ironman Live for my IMLP friends and planning my bootcamp class for tomorrow. After two big training weeks, this week was actually a recovery week and I felt more tired recovering than I did busting my butt for two weeks straight.

Lots has been happening on the home front though. My Grandmother passed away recently but on the bright side, family was visiting from out of state when she passed away so my Mother was with all of her (three) siblings. Everyone found comfort in one another and "Nany" has gone on to a much better place.

With family visiting there has been lots of time at the beach, plenty of lobster a whole lot of fun.

Lola and I even had a very special day together-we went shopping for some Brave goodies like
this





totally sold out EVERYWHERE

but we got this



which OF COURSE she wore to the movie!!

and this





then had a lovely lunch date and went to see the movie.
It was really cute and she is already asking to see it again.


I love it that Merida is a strong (stubborn) girl (with a lot of sass!) who just does not want to be "a princess" and "get married". I dig the message of finding out who you are and living your passion-a great message for today's girls. Getting married is not the end-all be-all of a girls existence ;)

Anyway, I have some cool stuff to tell you about. I don't want to be one of those blogs that is just always talking about this and that item, but really--I AM DANG LUCKY to be able to use these two things and talk about it here!

Like these
I just love my NormaTec MVP's!!


Chrissie and I both recover in our NormaTec boots!!


and these delicious little gems from XPS Baking Company














and I also have some follow up posts on the awesome GNC protein powders that I have been reviewing. *hint*hint* Perfect Protein Ice Cream will be the first up on those...

Vega Performance Protein POWder

I am not a vegetarian
I am not a vegan
nor do I play one on TV

I am, however, an advocate of more veggies in our lives and I am currently trying to bring more nutrient dense, veggie based meals to my table. After watching Forks Over Knives, I ran out and grabbed The China Study (more on this in a later post).
I have always had a great amount of interest in the entire Vega line and this winter purchased the Vega One as a supplement to my diet, so when a tub of Vega Sport Performance Protein came along with the package from GNC, I was pretty excited to give it a try.


Yes! GNC carries Vega ~ Talk about a One Stop Protein Shop. 


I have tried hemp protein in the past and was not a big fan of the taste and texture. The Vega Sport Performance Protein is comprised of proteins from

• yellow pea
• SaviSeed (TM) sacha inchi
• sprouted whole grain brown rice
• hemp 
• alfalfa

but what really impressed me about the Vega is what was NOT in it.

The ingredients list looks like this 

Vanilla:
Natural French vanilla flavor, stevia extract, sodium chloride

From the VegaSport.com website

PERFORMANCE PROTEIN

A complete multi-source, alkaline-forming, plant-based protein blend, featuring 5,500mg of BCAAs and 5,000mg of glutamine per serving, Vega Sport Performance Protein is formulated to:

• Improve strength and exercise performance
• Repair and build muscles
• Reduce recovery time between training

The recent innovation to Vega Sport Performance Protein comes from the addition of SaviSeed (sacha inchi) protein, a rich, plant-based source of the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is a key component of serotonin production⁽¹⁾. Serotonin—the feel good hormone—helps with the mental aspect of recovery, so you’ll keep the drive alive and be motivated to train again. Take Vega Sport Performance Protein within 30 to 90 minutes of your workout or throughout the day to meet your individual protein needs to recharge and repair so you can do it all again, sooner.

 I was actually really, really impressed with this powder. It is, by far, one of the better tasting protein powders I have tried.

The texture was a bit different but it blended very well and there was no sticking to the side of the cup, no caking and no clumps.

I knew right away I had to honor this vegan protein powder with my very favorite berry!
BLUEBERRIES!!
These are Maine high bush blueberries I picked myself and froze.

My very favorite Blueberry Smoothie

A LOT of frozen blueberries 

the more you use, the more it is like ice cream

one scoop of Vega

8-10 oz of coconut milk

whiz away and that's it

BERRYTASTIC!! This has definitely become a breakfast ritual, I also add a half scoop of the Vega One to up the nutrition factor. 


The Good Stuff:

• this is one tasty powder! 
• blends easy
• simple ingredients, clean stuff
• low sugar, low fat and lots of protein

The Could-be-Better Stuff:

• sodium content (520mg/serving) 
• cost, this is rather expensive-just about $70 a tub-but with a GNC Gold Card you can save 20% so that bring the price down to about $55 which is closer to the prices of other quality protein powders

GNC sent me product for review purposes, all opinions are my own. 

PROtein POWder

When the opportunity to review several different protein powders from GNC came my way, you bet I was all over it. I have long been a believer in supplemental protein and often use them as a meal replacement (mostly breakfast) and for recovery after a tough or long workout.

Protein powder used to be something reserved for bodybuilders seeking muscle growth however, protein powder supplements are now consumed by a much wider range of the population including the recreational to competitive athlete, health-seekers and those just looking to supplement their everyday diet. Even the elderly are adding protein supplementation to their diet to maintain muscle and bone health. 


There are several types of protein powders and there is a choice for every type of lifestyle out there-from egg protein to the popular vegan brand, Vega. Over the next few weeks, I'll be testing out different protein sources and talking about them here!


First up was the GNC Pro Performance 100% Egg Protein in Chocolate.

 I made my first egg white protein shake for breakfast and decided to make one of my very favorite shakes-one that I call the Green Monkey:


8 oz of your favorite milk (I use almond or coconut)
1 frozen banana
1TB natty PB
1 BIG handfull of baby spinach
1 scoop of Chocolate 100% Egg Protein Powder

Mix everything up in your blender-I love my GNC On-The-GO Blender (read about it here).
Just toss everything into the cup, pop it onto the blender base and viola, DONE!

I made several variations of the typical kicked up smoothie--using frozen strawberries and even having just plain with only almond milk.

What are my thoughts on the GNC 100% Egg Protein Powder?

The Good Stuff:

• low in sugar (1g/serving) 
• high in protein for 1 scoop (25g/serving) equal to 4 egg whites
• low in fat (.5g/serving)
• egg albumin is easy to digest and absorb and contains 9 essential amino acids 
• great option for lactose free diets
• this basic powder allows you to bulk it up if you want (ie add in some fruit carbs) but it's basic makeup makes it great for leaning out too. Versatile

The Could-Be-Better Stuff:

• chocolate flavor was kind of dull, I was expecting a richer chocolate taste
• the powder was the "stickiest" of them all, meaning it would stick to the side of the blender almost every time
• *high in sodium (490mg/serving) and potassium (400mg/serving)
• it made me gassy 

*while this is not a huge issue for me as an endurance athlete, if I were focusing on getting lean and ripped, this extra sodium could cause bloating and diminish the appearance of lean muscle.


NEXT : Vega Performance Protein Powder


I received these protein products from GNC for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Fast & Easy! {my newest toy}

Did you enter my Fabulous FourHunded Follower Giveaway yet? 
What are you waiting for?? 

A couple days ago a giant box of goodies arrived from GNC-

I was super excited to see a blender in the mix
(ha! I'm so pun-ny)

I have always been an advocate for supplementing with protein and now that my base training volume is ramping up, I am turning to more and more liquid nutrition for quick recovery. Quick recovery is important for me so I can move from one big or challenging workout to the next without it effecting my performance. I can have a long bike session and then totally blow a time trial workout the next day! This would change the way the Coach Awesome has me train. I want my results to be as accurate as possible.

Enter the GNC On-The-Go Blender Deluxe.
(thank you GNC) I'll have more info on the other products sent on a later post.

On-The-Go Blender Deluxe
Ultimate Blend & Go System For Healthy Smoothies, Food Prep and Refreshing Juices

15 Piece Deluxe Set Includes:

• 2 –BPA Free 28oz Cups
• 2- Leak Proof To-Go Lids
• 1- Powerful Stainless Steel Base with 300 Watt Motor
• 1- Ultra Sharp Stainless Steel Mixing Blade
• Includes GNC’s Custom Recipe Book with Healthy Delicious Smoothies

Plus These Exclusive Additions

• 2- BPA Free 20oz Cups
• 2- Flat Lids with Straws
• 2- Stay-Fresh Lids
• 1 – 10oz Cup
• 1 – 28oz Juicer Attachment
• 1- Ultra Sharp Stainless Steel Chopping Blade

As you can see, Lola was more than happy to help with this project.

Reading the directions is a MUST!!

LOTS of blending and juicing and mixing OH MY!

I have been making protein shakes and smoothies as long as Lola has been toddlin' around. The only thing that stopped me from making them more often was dragging out my giant blender and then having to clean it.
Total pain in my butt. Not that it's that hard to do, but it's just so big and bulky.

An orange a day....

Not so with the On-The-Go Blender Deluxe.
The base is small and takes up very little space.
The set came with a variety of different sized cups.
Small (perfect for Lola) 10 oz.
Medium (perfect for medium recovery) 20 oz.
Large (perfect for those GRRRRRRR workouts Coach Awesome hands out) 28 oz.

The cups also came with several different lids. A closed screw-on lid, another screw-on style with a hole to fit a straw (yes, this set came with straws too!) and a flip-top lid as well.
Not only do you have the attachment to blend your drinks right in the cup of your choice but this set also came with a blender AND a juicer. And did I mention STRAWS? we just love straws around here!
How is THAT for variety??

So with this new toy, my training sessions and Lola's love of smoothies, the On-The-Go Blender Deluxe was a huge hit and used a couple times a day!!

You know that commercial that says it's so easy, a caveman could do it?

Yeah, well this blender is so easy to use, even a 3 year old Lola can do it.
And she LOVES it:

no pacifiers were hurt in the making of this smoothie!

so proud of her fruit skills

yup, this looks right

nom nom nom nom nom 

On this day we made fresh clementine, strawberry and banana with yogurt and almond milk.

My favorite shake is the Green Monkey



vanilla protein powder
almond milk
a scoop of PB
a frozen banana
chia seeds
a BIG handful of baby spinach leaves

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This blender is so easy to use and easy to clean.

Nothing jammed up in the blender.
No big chunks of anything left over. SMOOOOTH SAILING.
Lola can even help me by putting her fruit in the cup and because the whole thing is closed, I feel safe letting her turn on the buttons. (Not feeling safe with the big blender).
Years ago, I bought a "bullet style" blending system for my own smoothies and for making baby food. This left a lot of (chunks) to be desired--especially with the hefty price tag. Lucky for you, this blender comes with more and the price tag is a lot smaller.

With the 300 wattage in the GNC On-The-Go-Blender Deluxe, there are no worries about your smoothie being smooth.

I have zero objections to making a shake for Lola anytime she asks (I used to dread pulling out the BIG BLENDER) but I know that this keeps her snacking on healthy things AND it's so simple!!

I am mixing more and more protein shakes before and after workouts thus speeding up recovery and I have definitely noticed a difference. I truly believe that the liquid nutrition gets to the muscles quicker and this makes the process happen faster!

I have not had a chance to try out the juicing attachment on this but we are excited to try it. So more to come on this one.

As of this posting, the GNC On-The-Go-Blender Deluxe is a steal at $29.99 (usually $69.99)
Want just the basics? The GNC On-the-Go Blender is also available.

FTC Disclosure: GNC provided me with the blender free of charge. I was NOT compensated for this review and all opinions expressed here are my own (and Lola's).