Salted Caramel Banana Muffins

These were such a hit in my Wellness page on FB (Join here if you aren’t in it already that I am sharing the graphic here so you can download it. You will want this on repeat!

Ingredients:

4 large bananas

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil

2 eggs

1/2 cup of oat flour

1 1/2 cups of Salted Caramel Protein Powder (order here if you don’t have this)

1/2 tsp of baking soda

1 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

1 cup of sourdough starter

1/2 cup of nuts (optional)

1/2 cup of chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F

Mash bananas. In a mixer, cream bananas with sugar and coconut oil.

Beat in eggs, flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract and sourdough starter.

Stir in nuts and chocolate chips if using.

Pout butter into muffin tin and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.

🎃 Pumpkin Salted Caramel Overnight Oats 🎃

Overnight oats have so many benefits… great carb source that will fill you up rather than have you starving 2 hours later (like rice for example). It also can be Gluten Free and protein can be added without changing much add all. I like adding 3 TBSP Egg Whites or 1-2 scoops Life Shake for added protein so it’s a complete macro meal!

Try this!

Ingredients:

½ cup old-fashioned oats

½ cup milk of your choice

¼ cup canned pumpkin puree

2 scoops of Salted Caramel LifeShake (or Vanilla and use caramel extract)

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Opt toppings: chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds or a dollop of Greek yogurt

Directions:

In a mason jar, combine oats, milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, LifeShake.

Stir well to combine all the ingredients until the mixture is smooth.

Cover the jar with a lid & refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours) to allow the oats to soften and the flavors to meld.

In the morning, give the oats a good stir and add your favorite toppings, such as chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt.

Enjoy chilled, or you can warm it up in the microwave for 30-60 seconds if you prefer a warm breakfast.

No-Cook Swiss Oatmeal

Planning breakfasts that feed a crowd and are easy to grab and go is what I plan for because I never know when a random sleepovers will happen, or I’ll be rushed and short on time. Here are some of my favorite breakfast planning tips:

Don’t be afraid of repeating - I like to plan two recipes for breakfast and alternate them throughout the week. Simple!

Remember carbs + protein in the morning to keep you fueled all day.

Make it delicious, not depriving. You want to wake up looking forward to your meals!

Here is a breakfast I have on repeat often, especially in the mountains . Is it just me or does oatmeal & mountains go hand in hand?

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No-Cook Swiss Oatmeal

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 cups dry old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten-free

3 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk

3 ½ cup reduced-fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 cups chopped strawberries

1 large banana, chopped

1/4 Tbsp. sliced raw almonds

Instructions

Place oats, almond milk, yogurt, extract, cinnamon, strawberries, banana, and almonds in a medium bowl; mix well. Soak, covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Divide evenly into 4 mason jars or plastic containers to grab and go each morning.

What’s your breakfast plan for the week?

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal for the fam!

Ohhhhh if you like pumpkin , or fall , or happiness … you’ll be making these STAT!!! The best part of this is you can make it ahead of time and it serves a crowd. This would be perfect on Thanksgiving morning to start the day with a high protein breakfast, that’s also healthy. Remember, all high protein isn’t a good option, look at the rest of the macros!

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:
½ tsp Ginger, ground
1 cup Pumpkin puree
1 Egg
1½ c cups Rolled oats
4 scoops pumpkin plant based life shake
¼ cup Maple syrup
1 tsp Baking powder
¼ tsp Cloves, ground
¼ tsp Nutmeg, ground
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla extract
¼ cup Pecans (opt, I omitted b/c my son & I don’t like the texture)
1 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce (replaces butter )
2 cups of choice (we use unsweetened almond SILK milk)

let me know if you’ll make this and report back how you liked it! I love feedback!

Almond Milk Chai Latte

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As the weather cools down, I love to add in more warm drinks, especially in the morning - this almond milk chai latte is a great source of antioxidants and a fun way to switch things up instead of your standard morning coffee!

This recipe makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other milk alternative)

• 2 black tea bags

• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• ⅛ tsp ground cloves

• 4-8 tsp honey (to taste)

Instructions

1. Heat up the almond milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat, until it begins to bubble over the edges of the pan.

2. Turn off the heat and add tea bags to the pot of hot milk. Wait 3-5 minutes for the tea to steep; then, remove the bags.

3. Add in cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and honey. Turn the heat to medium; whisk to combine, stirring regularly, until the mixture is hot.

4. Adjust any seasoning to your taste and serve immediately.

You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge - serve chilled over ice or reheat on the stove!

Ultimate Portion Fix Containers: 1 tsp
2B Mindset Plate It: Enjoy as an occasional treat.

Surviving the Holidays + Fun Workout Challenge!

Click image to download pdf!

Can you believe we're talking about the holidays? Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas and New Years are all going to be here before you know it! Here's my Holiday Survival Guide with lots of ideas for healthier holiday recipes and tips for staying on track and enjoying every minute. I've got you covered this holiday season!

Bonus, I included 8 different workouts to help get you moving, even as the weather gets colder. These are some of our newest programs and they are all so good! If you are looking for a new full program or just a few workouts to try out, press play and try them out. I would love to hear what you think of them, so if you try one out, send me your thoughts!

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are one of my favorite breakfasts for fall - and this recipe has all the best autumn flavors! Plus, it’s high in protein and fiber, so you stay full all morning! Bonus: it tastes like dessert, I’m here for that! 

Let me know if you make this Apple Cinnamon Crumble Overnight Oats and what you think!

Ingredients

For overnight oats

• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk

• ½ cup dry rolled oats

• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I use Shakeology)

• 1 small apple, chopped, divided use

• 2 tsp chia seeds

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For crumble

• 1 tbsp chopped pecans, unsalted

• 1 tbsp dry rolled oats

• 2 tsp almond flour

• 1 tsp coconut sugar

• 1 tsp extra-virgin organic coconut oil

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. To make overnight oats, combine almond milk, oats, protein powder, ½ apple, chia seeds, and extract in a medium bowl and mix well. Evenly divide the oat mixture between 2 jars; seal the jars and refrigerate overnight.

2. To make crumble, combine pecans, oats, almond flour, sugar, oil, and cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well.

3. In the morning, top each jar evenly with crumble and remaining apple pieces. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Yogurt

It’s time for a tasty treat … and this time of year is perfect for Pumpkin Spice! You may have seen a wonder whip recipe from 2B Mindset but this one is made for October!

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp pumpkin puree

• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup)

• 2 tbsp granola here’s a great “clean” option)

Instructions

1. Mix pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, Greek yogurt, and honey together in a bowl. Top with granola and enjoy!

Yield: 1 serving.

Ultimate Portion Fix Containers: 1 Red, ½ Yellow, 1½  tsp
2B Mindset Plate It: Eat as a healthy breakfast option!

Cocoa Nut Butter Protein Balls

These are sooo easy and can be modified however you want if there are allergies!

Ingredients:
- 5 cup QUICK oats (old fashioned requires more sweetener IMO)

- 1 cup any Creamy nut 🥜 butter (just make sure it’s clean and there’s no added sugar or oil)

Yogurt, Shakeology powder, loose granola on top! 1.5R, 2Y, 2 tsp

- ¾ cup sweetener of choice (I combined local Honey🍯 and Pure Maple Syrup)

- ½ cup cocoa

- 2 scoops / packets Shakeology (any flavor and either whey or vegan will do)

** if for a kids’ class, you could switch 1 cup of Oats with 1 cup Rice Krispies for a crunch

**other modifications can be diced cranberries, nuts, coconut or chocolate chips. These will require more sweetener to make it sticky enough to hold, so instead swap out ½ cup Oats for these modifications.

Directions:
1. Mix together with a mixer or you’ll get an arm workout too. It doesn’t matter which order you add ingredients, I mix once all are in the bowl.
2. Roll into balls (24-30), or put in a 13x9 pan and make bars (yields ~20-22 bars depending on thickness).

Serve with plain greek yogurt for breakfast (see above) with 2 - 3 balls (these are sweet enough so you don’t need a sweetened yogurt like Vanilla, and then you forgo the additives that aren’t great for you anyways). You can also put additional Shakeology in your yogurt and stir together before topping with loose granola, or crumble a few balls.

For lunch these can be a healthy carb (2-3 balls), or for snack (kids 4-5 balls, adults 2). These are heavier than my 21-Day Fix Granola Balls so I limit these to heavy fitness days like training, or days I work out for longer than 40 minutes.

Let me know how you like them! I find them very kid friendly!

Baked Donut Holes - Yes, please!

✨ Baked Donut Holes ✨

I’ve got an end of summer treat that is going to make your stomach happy… without throwing off all your results!

Ingredients
* 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
* 1½ tsp xanthan gum
* ¾ cup coconut sugar
* 1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
* ½ tsp ground cinnamon
* ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
* ¼ tsp sea salt
* 1 large egg
* ¾ cup + 1 tbsp coconut milk beverage, divided use
* 2 tbsp extra-virgin organic coconut oil, melted
* 1¼ tsp pure vanilla extract, divided use
* ½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1) Preheat the oven to 350º F. Lightly coat two mini-muffin pans with spray. Set aside.
2) Place flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a food processor (or blender). Pulse to blend. Set aside.
3) Combine egg, ¾ cup coconut milk, oil, and 1 tsp. extract in a medium mixing bowl; whisk to blend.
4) Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Process for 30 to 60 seconds, scraping sides occasionally, until a smooth batter forms.
5) Fill prepared pan with approx. 1 Tbsp. batter per muffin cup. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tops of donuts are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
6) To make glaze, combine powdered sugar, remaining 1 Tbsp. coconut milk, and remaining ¼ tsp. extract in a small bowl; whisk to blend.
7) Dip top of each cooled donut hole into glaze and place on a serving plate.

Notes:
For vegan donut holes, substitute 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2 tbsp water for egg. Mix flaxseed and water; set aside while combining dry ingredients.

Check your GF flour for xanthan gum; some contain it and some don’t! If yours does, you can omit that.

Portion Fix Containers: 1 donut hole = 1 Yellow
2B Mindset Plate It: Enjoy as occasional treat, be sure to track

Maple Cinnamon White Chocolate Chip Donuts!

Omgggg, don’t walk, run! Or click, in this case. You want these. You NEED these. You will not regret these! How often can you say that about donuts?? And they’ll satiate your sweet tooth and indulgence desires. We enjoyed them on a Sunday before church and I was worried the kids would struggle through an hour of church and being well behaved. Anyone else get me? My belly was very happy and there was ZERO sugar spike so everyone sat still and stayed focused on the message. Yes!!! We will be having these again!


Servings: 1 jumbo donut

Macros: 145 cal, 8 g protein, 3 g fat, 20 g carbs, 1.5 g fiber, 6 g sugar
Portion Fix Containers: 1Y, .5R
2B Mindset “Plate-It”: Great FFC and add 1-2 eggs for a well rounded breakfast

Even the dough was yummy. I mean, I think it was ;) Quality control is a thing you know?

You’re supposed to let them sit 2-3 min so they aren’t too hot to eat. This was torture waiting.

Added 2 eggs for more protein to make sure I was full till lunch, but one egg would have been plenty.

Margarita Smoothie - deliver poolside STAT!

Who doesn’t enjoy a refreshing ice cold beverage on the patio in the sun?? That has to be one of the best parts of summer! So often, our favorite drinks are filled with sugar and empty calories… but I’ve got a great recipe for you (that can be made with or without alcohol) — the Frozen Margarita Superfoods Smoothie! Yum-O!

Ingredients
* 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage
* 1 cup ice 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
* ½ cup frozen pineapple ¼ cup fresh lime juice
* 2 tsp finely chopped lime peel
* 1 dash sea salt

Instructions
Place coconut milk beverage, ice, Shakeology, pineapple, lime juice, and lime peel in blender; cover and blend until smooth!

Portion Fix Containers: ½ Purple, 1 Red, 1 tsp
2B Mindset Plate It: Makes a great protein + FFC as part of breakfast.

What is your go-to beverage in the summer? Mocktail or cocktail?

The best pancakes ever!

If you’re not Vegan, sometimes you don’t take to the dairy free, egg free, gluten free taste, but these pancakes will prove otherwise. For $19.95 a bag, I was hesitant to try them in fear we wouldn’t be a fan. But the conversation about these pancakes was hilarious and told that this purchase was one I’ll be making over and over again.

My 11 yr old came downstairs and said, "Mom, what’s for breakfast, something smells good! Wait, are we eating that? How can pancakes be egg free? That doesn't even sound right?” He threw out a lot of questions before I could even respond! ha! I explained that I'm lactose intolerant so I need dairy free and since these are vegan, they're egg free too. I convinced him to have an open mind and forget the “egg-free” part and see if he liked them. Not even three bites later, he said, "Shut up and take my money. These are the best pancakes ever. Can we hide the batter in the pantry mom? I’ll want more later." So there you have it, from the mouth of babes. ;)

My takeaways: Almond flavoring was prefect and sweet enough that they didn't need maple syrup (I won’t complain at omitting sugar!). I love the macros and the protein kept me full till lunch vs most pancakes which are just carbs and you're hungry two hours later. Even “protein pancakes” haven’t had enough. I've already purchased another bag for when this one runs out! Can’t risk the pantry being empty :)

Macros: serving size 3-5 pancakes (75g) 270 cal, 20g protein, 42g carbs, 11g sugar, 3g fiber, 2g fat
Portion FIx Containers: 1R, 2Y
2B Mindset Plate-It: Great breakfast!

7 ingredients to Yumminess!

This is one of the easiest, tastiest muffins and it’s so dense, you will be full! I love this as a side to breakfast with Ultimate Portion Fix or 2B Mindset!! it’s also a great snack during the day!

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas, the riper, the sweeter
2 extra-large eggs (large will do, but I like the extra protein)
2 c old-fashioned oats
1 c plain greek yogurt (look at protein and sugar on the side, you want high protein, low sugar)
½ c maple syrup or honey (if you use vanilla yogurt, or extra ripe bananas then cut this to ⅓ c)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ c chai seeds (you do not need to soak these, just dump them in)
** top with nuts, seeds, oats, chocolate chips, or nothing, they’re pretty as is. I chose chocolate chips as my topping, but once I made these, the batter was plenty sweet so I never added them. If you know me, you’re probably questioning my mental health or thinking someone took over my blog. It’s true, I passed on chocolate. Don’t expect me to do it again :)
** I wish I added Vanilla Whey Shakeology, I will in the next batch. It’ll help sweeten it if you’re cutting the sugar (which I always encourage)

Directions:
1) In no particular order, dump everything in the blender! Don’t you love that, easy as can be! Get your kids involved, this is that simple.

The order doesn’t matter, i did bananas, eggs, oats, yogurt, seeds

How beautiful if this? I hate waiting for chai seeds to soak. Glad that’s not involved!

2) Blend 2 minutes or until it looks very well mixed. If you have some on the edges that didn’t get mixed in, you can stir it and blend again, or grab a spoon and eat it. I opted for the second options. YUM!

3) Pour in 12 lined muffin cups, or straight into silicone muffin holders. Anyone ever used these? Thoughts? I’m nervous to try, I don’t have a lot of faith in the sides not to go limp and spill batter.

I could have easily eaten this whole thing and never cooked them. No one would know expect you and I!

But, I poured 12 muffins and opted to pass on chocolate chips since it was plenty sweet. This is why it’s important to taste your batter :)

If your blender looks like this, you know it was DAMN DELICIOUS!!!

My kitchen smells good and before I had a chance to portion out breakfast for tomorrow and freeze the rest, my kids ate 4. Gone in 5 minutes flat. Glad this was simple since I’ll likely be making more in 2 days!

4) Cook at 175 celsius for 20 minutes. Stay near by so you can keep an eye on them and enjoy all the smells!
**Bananas can be replaced with sweet potatoes or pumpkin. Both would be delicious year-around, but especially in the fall.

Eat like your life depends on it!

The color of your veggies means something!

Our bodies are pretty amazing things and do so much for us, we owe it to our bodies not to fill it with crap! Did you know that the color of food actually tells you something? It’s like a fortune cookie :)

Blue/Purple: Lower risk of certain cancers, urinary tract health, memory function, healthy aging. Ex: purple cabbage & eggplant.

White: Heart health, healthy cholesterol levels, natural detoxifiers, lower risk of some cancers. Ex: Cauliflower, artichoke, garlic, onion, mushrooms, parsnips, turnips.

Red: Heart health, lower risk of some cancers, memory function, urinary tract health. Ex: Beets, red peppers, radishes, red onion, rhubarb, tomatoes.

Orange/Yellow: Heart health, vision health, healthy immune system, lower risk of some cancer. Ex: Butternut squash carrots, peppers, pumpkin, sweet potato.

Green: Lower risk of some cancers, vision health, strong bones and teeth. Ex: Arugula, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, leafy greens, spinach.

Which color do you tend to eat the most? What changes will you make after reading this?

Meal Prep Tips!!

Meal prepping is all about creating a method to the madness that is life and making things a little bit simpler for yourself. If your days are busy or you’re always on the go, having go-to snacks that you can take to work, the beach, on a road trip… well, it’s pretty much crucial!

Here are some high-protein snacks that you can prep ahead for the week!

✨ Hard-boiled eggs - here’s a ink that shows you how to make ‘em

✨ Canned fish - yeah, you probably love it or hate it. But if you’re in the former category, grab the portable, resealable pouches so there’s basically no prep involved - just grab and go! And most have seasoning and are still “clean” so it doesn’t have to be bland like we had as kids :)

✨ Nuts and seeds - make your own trail mix, making sure to pay attention to your meal plan! It’s easy to go overboard with portion control when it comes to nuts.

✨ Hummus - try making your own and snacking with carrots or other sliced veggies:

Beachbody also shares fully-created meal plans, and they’re even tailored to calorie levels if you’re following UPF - amazing right?! My husband loves these great lunch ideas so he can save money 2-3 times a week instead of eating out. I know, who is this guy???

Don’t forget about breakfast, which “breaks the fast” and energizes and fuels us for our day. Eating within 2 hours of waking up can help minimize temptations and you’re less likely to overeat later in the day. Try these 15 healthy breakfast ideas!

What snacks do you always prep to have on hand for when life gets a little crazy?

"Recipes of the Week" from Peak Physio!

I’ve recently been introduced to Peak Physio, Sports and Spine Centre, and only have amazing things to say about everyone there! Amy Goldstrom is one of their physiotherapists and she just got certified as a Function Medicinal Practitioner; yay Amy!! She created these clean, fun and delicious recipes that I’m passing along to you! If you wind up making them, tag @PeakSportsAndSpineCentre in your post and make her smile. I think I’ most excited to try the chai pudding and protein pancakes. What about you? Click on the image for the ingredients and instructions.

Help chose my business logo; vote below!!

So, I did a thing!! I got Certified as a Personal Trainer with NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) and am starting my own business focusing on nutrition (also got certified with NASM as a Nutrition Coach) and fitness. Not just fitness though, doing functional assessments (via Zoom thanks to Covid) so we can create your training program around muscles that are short and overactive; thus need to be stretched, and muscles that are long and underactive; therefore, need to be strengthened. No one program suits everyone! I’m loving this because my first four clients are already seeing weight loss and strength gains which his a double W I N !!!

My business name is following my Instagram Handle (@eatsweatpray) so Eat. Sweat. Pray Fitness. These are transparent so they can be placed on trucker hats, muscle t’s and documents / letterhead. I’d love your opinion. The ones in teal would remain that way, the ones in all black could be changed to teal writing or design so just go with design you like best. Maybe top 2?

Thanks for voting! I’ll choose a random comment to send a Herb Stripper to as a thank you! See what it is here! The kids use ours every week!

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Avocado Smash

In Australia we call it Avocado Smash and it’s just about as good as gold! So delicious and filling. I chose this, with wholemeal sourdough and add 2 poached eggs on top. The macros are perfect for a balanced breakfast and if they have rocket on the menu, add that for flavor and spice!

Ultimate Portion Fix = 1R (with opt 2 eggs), 1Y, 1G (with opt rocket), 2B (chose ¼ avocado for just 1B and stir with lime juice and it will cover more area!). I never get more than 1B so I get creative!

Sweet Potato Muffins - MAJOR HIT!

First let me say, this recipe can be made many different ways. I rencently made this for our babysitter’s birthday because she requested a healthy, nut-free, dessert-like baked good and since most things I make are clean, but have nut butter of some sort, I modified this. I’ll show you how below…

Ingredients the way I prefer it most:

• 1 cup pealed orange sweet potatoes / yams (cook and allow to cool first. they should mash fairly easily so you can squish in measuring cup if you like, no need to dice or get all fancy here - cram it in ;)

• 1 cup non-dairy milk. I prefer unsweetened almond milk (you’ll get enough sweetness from the potatoes, but if you need this to be nut free, you can use coconut milk, soy or rice milk)

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (PURE, not Aunt Jemima’s here!)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation)

• 2 TBSP hemp / chai seeds (these can be pricey and some kids don’t like the texture so it’s not do-or-die, I omitted them and they turned out just as well)

• 2 cups less 2 TBSP wholewheat flour (if you need this to be nut-free), or 1 cup almond flour AND 1 cup whole wheat flour (this is my preference and what I used in the recipe)

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp ground sea salt

• 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips (then you have prettier muffins and isn’t that half the purpose? with my kids eating it, yes!) or use non-dairy chocolate chips if you need this to be dairy free.

Preheat oven to 170 celsius and fill muffin tins with 12 liners. If you want more, fill a little less and you can get 18 easily.

Combine cooled sweet potato, hemp seeds (opt) and all wet ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Takes less than 2 minutes. In a large bowl, add remaining dry ingredients and stir thoroughly until well combined. Add wet mixture to dry and stir until completely mixed and then add chocolate chips (you could add sultanas instead, but lets live on the wild side and use dark chocolate chips here - there are health benefits you’re gaining too!).

Scoop mixture into muffin pan and bake for 15-18 minutes (if you made 18, cook on lesser side). Check doneness around 12 minutes. Remove and let cool a few minutes in the pan and then transfer to a cutting board to cool completely. Serve 1 muffin (if 12 servings) or 2 muffins (if smaller) with 2 eggs for a complete breakfast! ENJOY and share your thoughts below! These freeze well too!