Banana Almond Butter Protein Smoothie featuring ProYo Dutch Chocolate High Protein Frozen Yogurt

The snow’s coming down. I’m watching it fall

The snow’s coming down. I’m watching it fall. Yep! Old Man Winter is officially here in Upstate, NY and what better way to start the day (and unofficial start of winter) than with a cool, creamy, high protein “almond butter” smoothie. And this isn’t any regular smoothie. This is a high protein smoothie featuring ProYo’s Dutch Chocolate High Protein Frozen Yogurt.

This is the perfect breakfast to start even the coldest of days and filled with 20+ grams of protein, banana, Justin’s Almond Butter and Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Breeze it’ll keep you full and powered until your morning pick me up. Get into my exclusive recipe below, be sure to come back tomorrow for another ProYo inspired dessert recipe and last but not least, head over to www.proyos.com to learn where you can purchase your very own ProYo’s high protein frozen yogurt.

 

Banana Almond Butter Protein Smoothie featuring ProYo Dutch Chocolate High Protein Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients

¾ cups Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Breeze
1 4 oz tube ProYo Dutch Chocolate High Protein Frozen Yogurt *
2 teaspoons Justin’s Almond Butter
1 teaspoon raw honey + 1 pinch of sea salt
1 medium frozen banana, peeled and cut into 6 pieces

Preparation

  1. Add all ingredients into a blender in the order listed and process until smooth
  2. Add more liquid if needed to blend. Transfer to a serving glass with ice.
  3. Serve immediately.

* Can be substituted with ProYo’s Banana Vanilla High Protein Frozen Yogurt and for an added treat add in blueberries and strawberries for a PB & J flavor. 🙂

 

 

What I ate today: Watermelon redux

watermelon-for-babies  The amount of watermelon that I have eaten so far this summer is a little embarrassing. I mean I can’t get enough of it. I’m like a kid in a candy store eat so much that I give myself a stomach ache amounts of watermelon. Watermelon for breakfast, lunch and dinner. OK. Now I’m exaggerating (only slightly). But I do think I am addicted. Fortunately it is 90% water and a weight watchers approved “free”food.  I hope you are having an awesome week.

the gluten free chef

Recipes for free: Tuna macaroni salad

macaroni saladTuna Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

1 package Tinkyada brown rice macaroni

2 packages premium Albacore tuna in water pouch

2-3 celery stalks, washed and thinly chopped

1/4 cup green onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 container plain unsweetened So delicious yogurt

To taste: sea salt, cracked black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool.
  2. In a large bowl combine macaroni celery, green onion, garlic, yogurt, olive oil, vinegar. Mix together well.
  3. Add mustard +mustard powder.
  4. Season to taste. Refrigerate until chilled.

Recipes for free: Strawberry corn muffins

Strawberry Corn Muffins

Strawberry Corn Muffins

Strawberry Corn Muffins slightly adapted from Silvana Nardone’s Cooking for Isaiah

Ingredients

1 cup All purpose flour blend

3/4 Martha White cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup diced fresh or frozen strawberries

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup rice milk or other non-dairy milk

1/2 cup olive canola oil

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line or spray 12 cup cupcake pan with olive oil spray or cupcake liners

2. In a medium bowl whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In a small bowl combine sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir into dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in applesauce, then fold in strawberries.

4. Pour batter into prepared muffin pan until each cup is about 2/3 full.

5. Bake muffins on 400 for 6 minutes. Then lower oven temperature to 350 degrees and complete baking until muffins are springy to touch or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean; about 25 minutes. Let muffins cool on a wire rack.

Recipes for free: Slow cooked white bean, lentil & kale soup

Someone in one of the recipe sharing Facebook groups that I am part of asked for the recipe to this soup. I paired it with a slice of my “world famous’ gluten free cornbread. The soup itself is vegan but I added pan seared jumbo shrimp the first time I made it. It might also be good with chopped bacon; but it really doesn’t need any meat. Slow cookers are great for the summer; it does most of the work so you don’t have to.

white bean lentil and kale soupSlow Cooker White Bean, Lentil & Kale Soup
Ingredients
2 cups dry great northern beans
1 cup green lentils
1 bunch kale (chopped)
1/2 medium cooking onion (chopped)
4 celery stalks (chopped)
4-5 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
3 vegetable bouillon cubes
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp or more to taste of:
onion powder, garlic powder, cracked black pepper , onion flakes, salt
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
dash of brown sugar

  1. Cover 2 cups of great northern beans and 1 cup of green lentils with water so that the water cover beans about two inches.Slow cook for three hours, or until beans are just tender. Meanwhile, finely chop 1/2 medium white onion and about 4 celery stalks and set to these to the side.
  2. After about 3 hours; drain water off beans saving 1 cup of this water. Spoon about 1.5 cups of beans into a blender or processor and puree with  1 cup of the saved water. Add cooked beans and the bean puree back to the slow cooker. Add diced celery and onion.
  3. Add about about 4-5 cups of stock or broth (I use veggie stock) to slow cooker. Add an additional  cup of water.Season broth and beans with 3 veggie bouillon cubes  and 2-3 tbsp of each: onion powder, onion flakes, garlic powder, and celery seeds. Add olive oil and apple cider vinegar.Cover slow cooker and cook on low for another 2.5 hours. Add chopped kale to soup. Cover until kale is tender for another 20 minutes.

 

Recipes for free: Coconut macaroons

Coconut MacaroonsEasy Does it Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

3 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/4  cup shredded organic coconut, lightly toasted

1. Preheat oven to 325 ‘F Line cookie sheet with parchment or non-stick cooking spray. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl with electric mixture until soft peaks form.

2. Beat in the sugar 1 tablespoon at time, until the whites are smooth and shiny. Fold in coconut and vanilla

3. Drop by rounded tablespoons on prepared cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.  Bake 18-22 minutes until light and golden. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, transfer cookies to a wire rack.

Recipes for free: banana, carrot & spinach blast

spinach1What can I say, it’s late, I am tired and this month has been super busy between baking and trying to rebuild my health and become well(er) than I have been in a long while, I haven’t been eating as diverse as other months. Mostly I am sticking to protein shakes, with added fiber, loads of supplements like garlic, cayenne, tribulus, SAM-e, fruits, (grapefruits, apples, avocados, and prunes) veggies (carrots and tomatoes) and raw nuts which are quick to prepare (no prep) portable and fresh. I felt bad so I wanted to post something. Does this juice count as a real recipe? I hope so. I hope everyone is eating and baking well.

the gluten free chef

Ingredients

1 very ripe banana

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1 1/2 cup spinach fresh spinach leaves

1/2 cup gluten free whole oats

Add to Nutribullet or blender and serve chilled over ice. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Mad Cupcake blog since my lighting was too bleak to take a decent picture