Hello, hello! Let's sweeten up the start of this workweek with some cookies, shall we? It's no secret that I have a sweet tooth. One of my favorite ways to experiment in the kitchen is to come up with recipes and meal creations that are healthy ways to satisfy that sweet tooth. Today's recipe is a perfect example of that: apricot almond oatmeal breakfast cookies. Summertime is my favorite season for produce. I just cannot get enough summer fruit in. Cherries, nectarines, strawberries... you name it, I love it. The fruit star of today's recipe is the adorable apricot. ... [Read More]
breakfast
Veggie & Crispy Tofu Old Bay Breakfast Stir-Fry [vegan]
Hi friends! How was your weekend? Highlights of mine were a date night to celebrate my hubby's admission into his MBA program of choice for the fall (exciting stuff!), a trip to the dog beach with my pup, and recouping from last week's Vegas work trip. Resting up felt so nice after this busy time of work for me. I got a massage, hung out with my hubby, got a lot of sleep, did some yoga and drank a few glasses of wine. It all felt wonderful and was much needed! Today's recipe is one filled with veggies and a food that many people seemed to be freaked out by: tofu. The truth is, I wasn't always a tofu fan. Tofu is something that is totally dependent on how you prepare it and the flavors you add into it, and in the past, I didn't know how to cook it to my liking. That is until I ... [Read More]
5 Delicious Ways to Eat Pancakes + My Go-To Batter
Hello and Happy Monday! Hope that you all had a great weekend. Let's dive right into my weekend highlights! Workouts After another awesome workout at Fitwall on Friday, I knew that strength training would need to be kept to a minimum over the weekend so that I could let my sore body recover. On Saturday morning, my little family and I headed to Elfin Forest to hit the trails. ... [Read More]
Review: ProCakes High Protein Pancake Mix
It's no secret that I love pancakes. I regularly include them in my diet on at least a weekly basis, and I've gotten into the habit of making my own healthy batter. I often add protein powder or throw Greek yogurt into the mix, especially if it's a post-workout meal. I think it's important to include some protein in every meal to keep it balanced, and what some pancake mixes on the market today are missing is a good amount of protein. Say hello to ProCakes - a gluten free, no added sugar, high protein pancake mix. Recently launched by, Caren Magill, a fellow FitFluential ambassador, ProCakes pancake mix is made with whey protein, organic coconut flour, gluten free baking flour, and almond flour, and sweetened with xylitol, a naturally occurring sweetener derived from tree bark. A ... [Read More]
[Virgin] Bananas Foster Waffles
If you read this blog at all regularly, you know by now that I love pancakes. I usually whip them up a couple times a week, but once in awhile, I'm more in the mood for waffles than pancakes. This was the case a couple of weekends back, and so I broke out my waffle maker. But I wanted to make not just any waffles -- I wanted to make decadent-weekend-treat-for-breakfast waffles. In staring at my fruit basket, the idea of bananas foster came to my head. I haven't had the scrumptious dessert of vanilla ice cream topped with bananas cooked in rum, banana liqueur, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in quite a long time -- too long I would argue! -- and so I decided to recreate the dessert with waffles as a most definitely delicious, kinda sorta acceptable breakfast (we can pretend ... [Read More]
Apple Dapple Pancakes & My Favorite Breakfast Recipes
I think that one of the reasons why I'm always cooking and creating recipes is because I had my mom and grandma as cook role models growing up. Both of them have always enjoyed spending time in the kitchen making meals for the family to enjoy. To us, food is love. You still can frequently find my 80-year old grandma in her massive kitchen, complete with 3 ovens, 6 burners, and plenty of counter space to work, cooking up a storm. Her first questions when you walk into her house are always, "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" We've learned to never go to her house already full. She's a persistent little lady, and even if you initially say no, it's almost guaranteed that you'll somehow wind up with a plate in front of you. Today I'm guest posting on My Own Balance (a blog I ... [Read More]