Week 2 + Chocolate Soynut Butter!

Hey my Gorgeous Sugardoodles!

Thanks for all of your comments on my Homemade Soy-Nut Butter. I’ve also been having some fun with quinoa. Expect some deliciousness next week too.

Week 2 of the ThisFitChick Workout Plan! The first week I just focused on getting into the groove with the weight lifting moves, and after the first week I felt like I could step it up. By the way I felt after the exercises my first week I know I could give it more. So this week I started upping my weights. (For example, from 8-lbs each arm to 12.5-lbs each arm.) It’s also the beginning of the third week and I’m upped the weights again! The definition in my arms really shows it. I feel my legs getting stronger. I really like this program. It’s really nice having a written down workout plan and having a place where I can write down how many reps I do with what weight so I can have a goal next time – which helps me better reach my potential and find how strong I really am. By doing just the lighter weights and not pushing myself super hard, I couldn’t find out what I was made of. But upping the weights really makes a difference! And not, using heavy weights does NOT make you bulk up. Yes, it can increase muscle mass, but they are lean muscles!

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Last week I came up with a regular version of homemade soy-nut butter.

But this week — I’m here to share with you a chocolate version.

My Chocolate Soynut Butter!

Soak your soynuts in water for 7-10 minutes (just to let the nuts soften a little).

Add the soaked, dry-roasted soynuts into a food processor or blender (you don’t need anything powerful – just something to break the nuts down).

Pulse until the nuts are broken up.

Add the water …

… the coconut oil, cocoa powder, stevia (or alternative sweetener), a little agave or stevia, 1/3 cup water, and optional salt (if nuts are un-salted).

Process the mixture until it starts binding and smoothing out. Once it’s all smooth, transfer nut butter into a glass jar with a lid and store in the fridge. (Or just go grab a spoon.) Makes about 1 cup.

Chocolate Soy-Nut Butter

High-Protein, High-Fiber, Gluten-Free, Nut Butter

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry-roasted soy nuts (dry-roasted edamame works too), soaked
  
• 1/3 cup water
  
• 2-3 tbsp coconut oil (depending on taste)
  
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  
• Stevia, agave, or honey — to taste
  
• Optional: salt to taste (depending on if your soy-nuts are salted or not)
  

Directions

Soak your soynuts in water for 7-10 minutes (just to let the nuts soften a little). Add the soaked, dry-roasted soynuts into a food processor or blender (you don’t need anything powerful – just something to break the nuts down). Pulse until the nuts are broken up.

Add the coconut oil, cocoa powder, stevia (or alternative sweetener), a little agave or stevia, 1/3 cup water, and optional salt (if nuts are un-salted). Process the mixture until it starts binding and smoothing out. Once it’s all smooth, transfer nut butter into a glass jar with a lid and store in the fridge. (Or just go grab a spoon.) Makes about 1 cup.

Print This!

Note: Each tablespoon is 50 calories, 3.6 grams protein, 2 grams fiber, and only 2.5 grams fat.

(Aka, you can eat 1/4 cup of this for the same calories as 2 tbsp regular nut butter, but with over double the protein and fiber and half the fat.)

Regular and Chocolate versions – nom nom nom.

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Do you like to do lighter weights with more reps, or heavier weights with fewer reps?

I used to do a lot of my workouts with lighter weights and more reps, but then I realized after upping my weights (and doing fewer reps as a result) that I am capable of even more than I thought I could.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

CHOCOLATE FOR ME!!!

With lots of hugs,

Green Smoothie Challenge Update + BetterChip Review

Hello, My Glorious Sunshines!

Thanks for all of your comments on my last post about the 7-Day Green Smoothie Challenge I joined. I’m so glad that a lot of you guys joined along with the fun too!

I’ve been having a whole lot of fun with the challenge these past couple days, and I thought I’d share how I’ve been doing so far, starting from where I started.

MONDAY:

As soon as I heard about this challenge, I ran downstairs and made this lovely smoothie — simple but delicious.

My Easy Peasy Green Smoothie

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  
• 6 medium leaves of kale (washed and stems removed) – or as much or as little as you want
  
• a small banana, sliced
  
• 2 tbs ground flaxseed (optional)
  
• 1 pkt. Stevia
  

I figured an easy and simple recipe would be a great way to start off. (And then start to branch out later throughout the week.) After drinking this lovely, I got an instant boost of energy! It may have been simple, but it was SO efficient. It was as if my body has been asking for it, and I just felt AMAZING! It really put me in a good mood and I got excited for what the rest of the week would hold.

TUESDAY:

I had been hanging out with one of my friends Tuesday morning when I started desiring a green smoothie. As it turned out they had never had a green smoothie before — I thought it’s be a great chance for them to try one. This time I went a little easier on the bitter greens (aka, more sweet). I like my smoothies to have a more mellower sweet taste, as having it TOO sweet turns out tasting artificial to me, but I knew as their first time having one it would be harder for them with the greens level I’m accustomed to.

My Flaxy Orange Green Smoothie

• ¾ cup sweetened vanilla soy milk
  
• 3 medium/small leaves of kale
  
• ½ medium orange
  
• 1 tbs ground flaxseed
  
• ½ large banana
  

The ingredients are half of what I used total (as I made two servings). I loved it. Their reaction?: “Not that bad!” Haha. I could tell it was really new for them, but I am proud of them for trying it. I’ll try it again on them again some another time, using spinach instead of kale (both of which are more mellow tasting greens, but spinach more so). I’ll see what I can do.

WEDNESDAY:

I was in the mood to be a little creative with my smoothie. (And I was also in the mood for chocolate. ) So I rolled up my sleeves and got a little busy.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries Green Smoothie

• 10 fl. oz (1 ¼ cup) cold sweetened vanilla soy milk
  
• 2 cups kale leaves (I washed them, removed the stems, and added the leaves to a measuring cup.) — Use as much or as little as you want.
  
• 2 cups chopped strawberries (remove the green tops on if desired)
  
• 1 banana, sliced
  
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• dash of cinnamon (optional)
  
• stevia (as much or as little as you want)
  

I would suggest blending up the greens with the milk first before adding in the other ingredients. This helps make sure the greens are all blended up and the result with be smooth and creamy, not scattered with green pieces. This smoothie was a nice change to the regular kind of green smoothie. Chocolaty and just what I was craving. <3

THURSDAY:

I had an open can of pumpkin puree in my fridge that I wanted to use up, so instead of just having a smoothie for lunch, I had one for breakfast as well. Not green mind you, but it still contains two servings of veggies. So I count it.

My Vegan Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

(find the recipe HERE.)

Later on in the day (closer to lunchtime), I starting craving another smoothie. Iwas taken aback at first since I had just had a smoothie earlier that day for breakfast. But I then realized that my body was trying to tell me something. It was trying to tell me it was liking the green smoothies and all of the nutrients and phytochemicals and antioxidants it was getting through them and wanted more! So I followed its cue and whipped this beauty up.

My Green Grasshopper Smoothie

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  
• 1 large stalk celery, sliced
  
• 4 large leaves of collard greens
  
• 1 pear, cored, sliced, and chopped with peal
  
• ½ banana, sliced
  
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
  
• stevia (optional. Use as much or as little as you want. I actually liked it better before I added it.)
  

My sister was with me when I prepared this smoothie – and when I’m with her I always find it easier to have a little fun here and there. (I smile all the time anyways, but it’s always nice to have a sister who doesn’t mind being a little crazy sometimes.) And I loved the light green color this lovely had, so I named it Green Grasshopper. (Yes, I do like to play with my food sometimes. ) In addition to the pumpkin purée I mentioned earlier, I had some celery in the fridge that I wanted to use. You know what – I couldn’t even taste it in this. I never would have known it was in there had I not added it myself! A quite delicious green smoothie.

I can’t wait to see what tomorrow and the rest of the week will bring for me. I am really enjoying this 7-Day Challenge and I am really finding that my body does speak to me. It knows what it wants – what it needs. I can trust it. I can trust myself. That’s one of the greatest things I could ever wish for in a challenge like this.

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The BetterChip company contacted me a few weeks ago asking if I would like to review their line of corn chips.

After I responded that I would love to, they quickly got a package filled with samples for me to try. Here’s the box they sent me!

They even sent me a hat and shirt. I didn’t know they were going to do that! Thanks so much, BetterChip! 

The shirt says “Don’t Worry, I’m All Natural.” Haha. Silly-willy me.

What makes these chips different from other chips?

On their website, the BetterChip company markets that they are:

• Made with 40% fresh ingredients so the flavor is inside
  
• All Natural
  
• Gluten Free
  
• Non-GMO
  
• Made in a completely nut-free environment.
  
• Lactose free (Red Pepper & Salsa Fresca, Jalapeno Sea Salt)
  
• Contain NO animal bi-products
  
• Made on a line dedicated to only tortilla products
  

They sent me their 4 flavors to try them all out:

RED PEPPER AND SALSA FRESCA

My favorite out of all of them!

JALAPENO AND SEA SALT

I loved these with guacamole – add a nice KICK (not a whole lot but enough to do the job).

SWEET ONION AND WHITE CHEDDAR

This one I did not personally try because of the dairy, but the rest of my family did and sadly didn’t care for it at all. They much preferred the other three.

And CORN AND SEA SALT.

These were my sister’s favorite, but the rest of my family agreed that they tasted just like regular chips.

The VERDICT:

The Red Pepper & Salsa Fresca Chip was the winner! If I were to buy ANY of these chips, I would buy the Red Pepper and Salsa Fresca one. The flavor just can’t be beat, and I especially loved how I could read and recognize each of the ingredients on the label (unlike some chips…). Our second favorite was the Jalapeno one. I really like how they are each made with 40% real vegetables in them, so real Red Peppers and real Jalapeno Peppers. You get in your veggies with every bite.

I was not paid to do this review. These samples were sent to me free of charge and I reviewed them with my own thoughts and feelings on each product.

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Do you like green smoothies? What have been your experiences with them?

It’s been a while since I’ve had smoothies like this on such a consistent base, but I’m truly starting to love it! I don’t want to stop now because of how amazing I feel!

What is your favorite dip?

I always love guacamole and hummus. And nut butters – can’t forget them.

What time do you usually go to bed?

I’ve started getting up at 6am to read my scriptures (to get my day started off right) and just have some me-time before the rest of the day starts. I’m striving for 10pm now. I always feel better when I get my 8 hours in. I just don’t feel the same when it’s only 6 or 7 hours…

with lots of hugs,

My 17th Birthday! + SlimKicker CrockPot GIVEAWAY!

Hey My Lovelies!

Thanks for all of your comments on my Sweet Potato Bars. My family really enjoyed them, but at the moment I’ve been thinking about those almond butter chocolate chip bars – I had only gotten one before they were all eaten, so I need to make some more almond butter so I can make me some more bars! I’m really glad that you guys liked that there was tofu in the sweet potato bars. I love sneaking in things like that into the things I bake (my family never knows it’s in there!).

My Birthday was pretty quiet. I had my Physics AP test that afternoon. (I wish I could have had more time to prepare, but I went and did my best.) Let me say, I was EXHAUSTED afterwards. Who knew a 3 hour test could really suck all the energy out of you??

And for my birthday dinner, I had:

CHIPOTLE!!!!

The Vegetarian bowls are my FAVORITE! You just can’t beat their guacamole!

And to my utmost surprise, my family bought me a birthday cake.

White mini cake with buttercream frosting. <3

It was SO cute! It meant so much to me that they went out of their way to get me a cake for my birthday. Usually I make it myself (as that’s the funnest part — making it!), but this year they bought it for me. We aren’t big cake fans, but we do like it once in a while. The flower on top was my favorite part o it! …………………………………………………………………………………….

Have you ever heard of SlimKicker?

It’s a game that helps motivate you to make healthier choices by turning your diet and fitness goals into a level-up game with points and challenges! They also feature useful tools to help you stay healthy such as a calorie tracker for tracking your macronutrients, and an iPhone app. 

And they have a chance for YOU to create a health challenge as a part of their GAME.

So what’s up for grabs if your idea is chosen??

A 7-Quart Manuel Stainless Steel Crockpot. (To read reviews of it, click here.)

The Product Features

• 7-quart round stoneware
• High, low and warm settings are perfect for making chilis, stews, sauces and more
  
• Perfect for nine or more people or a seven pound roast
  
• Dishwasher safe stoneware and lid
  
• Measures approximately 14.8 by 9.8 by 14.0 inches
  

A $40 value, and it can be yours FOR FREE!

How do you enter?

• Just leave a comment below with your suggestion for a fun, creative fitness or diet challenge. It doesn’t have to be any longer than 1-2 sentences.

This giveaway is open to all USA residents (I’m sorry, they’re limiting it to that because of shipping costs. ) and will be open until May 23^rd (Wednesday) at 11:59.99pm Central Time. SlimKicker will then pick their favorite, and once they contact me which one they’ve chosen I’ll announce the winner.

EDITED: This giveaway is closed.

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Good Luck! I can’t wait to hear all of your fitness/diet challenge ideas!

xoxox,