Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Batter Protein Pudding

Yes, I realize this is the longest name in the history of names...but I really needed to capture the essence of what I'd created & exactly what I was tasting.

Let me tell you about this snack I just made for myself...It's amazing! It tastes exactly like the name describes. So lets get down to the recipe (measurements are approx, because when I cook & bake, I kind of just throw things in until I'm happy...but I'll try to be as accurate as I can):

1/2 cup FF greek yogurt

2-3 TBSP 1% cottage cheese

1 scoop Cellucor Cookies n Cream protein powder

1-2 TBSP PB2

3 pitted dates

1 tsp Stevia

Unsweetened almond milk to desired consistency (I used 1-2 TBSP)

Topped with: 1 TBSP melted Kraft Chocolate Peanut Butter

Rockwell's Coconut Chips

I mixed all ingredients in my food processor (to chop up the dates & emulsify the cottage cheese), adding almond milk as needed for consistency. Then I topped with the melted peanut butter & coconut chips. 

So delish! This weighs in at about 365 calories for the whole recipe... Let me tell you, I wasn't able to eat the whole thing...only about 3/4 of it.  So feel free to cut the recipe as needed, or just save some for later! Enjoy!

Apple Pie Pancake Zoats...the Results

So I had my first batch of Zoats today (well, I snuck some last night)...Let me tell you...amazing!!! I topped them off with some greek yogurt "frosting". I mixed some plain greek yogurt with some unsweetened applesauce, some vanilla & some stevia. Then I placed some coconut chips on top & away I went! So good. I definitely recommend make them soon!

Overnight Oats & ZOATS??

So I happened upon the wonderful world of overnight oats the other day... They are absolutely FABULOUS!!! I felt like I was eating a healthy blizzard...It was that amazing. Here's an instructional video:

So then, in my Instagram travels, I read about ZOATS... "What the heck are zoats?", you might ask (if you were like me, and didn't have a clue).  Zoats are oats (oatmeal) cooked in combination with shredded zucchini to give you a fuller meal without breaking the calorie/carb bank with all of those oats! You can also add egg whites (zeggs, get it?) Here's a link describing how to cook egg whites into your oats...from the fabulous, fitgirlfuel (whom I found thanks to the lovely & inspirational Ashley)

So I decided to try making a breakfast trifecta...overnight zoats/zeggs. I decided to try to make an apple pie pancake flavor... So here's what I came up with:

*Cook 1/3 rolled oats in 1 cup water. I turned the heat down to medium after adding the oats.

*A couple minutes in add 1/2 C shredded zucchini & grated 1 apple.

*Cook for a while until everything is soft & mushy. 

*Add 1 TBSP cinnamon & stevia to taste (I think I added about 2 tsp of baking stevia)

*Add 1/3 C egg whites (I got 1L at Superstore for $3.99!) & stir constantly (otherwise you'll end up with scrambled eggs in you zoats!) until everything is nice & fluffy. 

*I then added 1/2 scoop of vanilla ice cream protein powder, 2 TBSP walnut pieces, some sugar free maple syrup taste syrup & a little unsweetened almond milk. 

* I stirred well & put the mixture into a container to refrigerate overnight. 

It smelled amazing & I can't wait to try it tomorrow! I'll post pics & my opinion of the results tomorrow!

Product Reviews! Things I've Been Loving Lately

1. Green Pastures Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil - There is awesome info about FCLO here  “Fermented cod liver oil is the one supplement I think nearly everyone can benefit from. I’ve seen it clear acne, lift depression, balance hormones, and reverse autoimmunity. I use it myself and recommend it to all of my patients.” – Chris Kresser, L.Ac.

2. PB2 - I found out about PB2 from Alex's cousin, Ashley, who has been a huge motivator for me. It's powdered peanut butter & has less fat than straight up peanut butter. You can add the powder directly to smoothies/baking, or reconstitute it with water!

3. Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate Gelatin - I found out about this gelatin from my dear friend, Kristi, who has taught me a lot about health & wellness! Collagen "is a  hydrolyzed gelatin...recommended as a pure protein source and collagen supplement...As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, causing our skin and bones to lose their flexibility, and we experience stiff joints and wrinkles associated with aging.  Athletes whose bodies are required to regenerate collagen fibers for optimal body fitness find that hydrolyzed gelatin, a protein source that is both tryptophan-free and sugar-free, also enhances athletic performance and speeds recovery.  Great Lakes Hydrolysate Gelatin is also recommended as a weight loss suppressant because of its ability to suppress the appetite.  Supplementing our diets with Great Lakes Hydrolyzed Gelatin is a healthy way to add a protein in its most absorbable, rapidly available form for maximum joint care and anti-aging effect."

4. Nikki's Coconut Butter - "Prepare yourself for a new addiction" the home page warns...& it's true. These flavored coconut butters are amazing. You can bake with them, add to smoothies, or eat right off the spoon. My faves are 'Honey Pecan Pie', 'Vanilla Cake Batter' & 'Macadamia Nut Cookie'.

5. Rockwell's Coconut Chips - I mentioned these before, as the secret ingredient in my blueberry smoothie...sooo yummy! You can use these to sweetened just about anything, especially if you grind it up in a food processor. They're also awesome to add to trail mix or granola, or just on their own! I found these at Costco :)

6. Krisda Chocolate Chips - These chocolate chips are great! They're sugar free, gluten free, with no artificial sweeteners or additives & are high in fibre! I just love them! I've added them to greek yogurt & plan to use them in some overnight oats.

So there you have it... just some of the awesome products I've found (some with the help of others!) & am loving!

Depression Reared It's Ugly Head

Depression...I know I've mentioned it before, but I need to write about it again.  I've been really struggling with it & it's held me back from my fitness goals. It's like treading through very thick fog & you just don't seem to get anywhere.  I know it's different for everyone, but for me, it presented itself with symptoms of fatigue (extremely tired, all the time), complete lack of drive and motivation & just general feelings of sadness & blah.  I finally sought help to deal with it & have been seeing vast improvements in the last couple of weeks. It feels like a light has been switched on & the fog has gotten a lot thinner.

I don't know how many times I've heard ''Oh you know how to do it...you've done it before, you can do it again''...I knew that...I just didn't have the full capacity to go forward & do something about it.  But I do now :)  As a result, I'm eating a lot better & have the drive & energy to workout.  I've been tracking my meals & snacks on My Fitness Pal & my runs with Nike+ Running. Things are going well... I've got some more weight to lose to get back to where I was when I was tracking a few months ago. It's frustrating to have the setback...but I know no matter what, it's gotta get done & I know I can do it... and this time when I say that, I believe it!