Pre or post workout pancakes!

I found this recipe in Oxygen magazine and then switched it up a little bit. It turned out super delicious and was easy to digest before my workout!

Protein Pancakes:

This makes the perfect portion for one hungry and growing person (about 3 small pancakes). I can always eat an infinite amount of pancakes, but it made me full enough.


Ingredients:

•  2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup oats ( I used a mix of spelt flakes and steel cut oats)
• 1 tbsp ground flax or chia powder (I used sprouted)
• 1 scoop protein powder (I used peanut butter chocolate chip flavoured!)
• 1/3 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• Blueberries and 1 tsp agave for toppings!

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until a smooth batter is formed. Heat a pan with or without oil, depending on your non-stick situation. Pour a third of the batter into pan. When it starts to bubble, gently flip and cook other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

DELICIOUS

Nutritional info:
Per serving (3 pancakes)

• Calories: 380
• Total fat: 6 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 35 g
• Dietary Fibre: 6 g
• Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 42 g

Later tonight I will have some news for you guys!

Cornmeal crusted tempeh

I just ate a days worth of protein in one sitting. I love tempeh, but I've never really cooked with it, so I figured I should give it a try today. I did a cornmeal crusted tempeh with some balsamic brussel sprouts. While this dish was very satisfying and tasty, it needed some sort of a sauce. I didn't feel like making one once I had started eating because I was so hungry, but I will make one for next time.

Cornmeal Crusted Tempeh

Ingredients:

• 1 package of tempeh
• 1/4 cup tamari
• 1.5 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 gigantic garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed if you can
• 1/2 tsp thyme (didn't really like this)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne

Directions:
Boil or steam your tempeh for atleast 10 minutes. Now, mix your tamari, maple syrup, and garlic in a bowl. Place tempeh in a baking dish and cover with your tamari mixture. Cover, and bake for 50-60 minutes at 350. When it's cool enough that you can handle it, cut into manageable pieces and then roll in the dry cornmeal mixture. Now heat over a pan. Oil in the pan will lead to your pieces getting crispy. I only used a bit of oil (1/2 tbsp) and they were the perfect crispiness for me.

This is the tempeh in the marinade

The dry cornmeal mixture

Out of the oven and about to be cornmealed

Finished product! Delish!

Since yesterday's post inspired me to try and work a lil' harder in the gym, I decided to do things a bit different today. I did "century sets", which are sets of 100 reps. You only do 1 set, but trust me, you will feel it. I did legs, so my excercies were a back squat, hack squat, leg press, leg curl, leg extension, and the deadlift. I used a weight that was about 30-50% of what I normally do. For example, on the leg press I used 40 lbs total, where I would normally use 90-120. I found that for the first time ever, my legs were shaking as I was trying to get changed for the walk home. It felt so good!

The reason century sets are so good is that they use both your fast and slow twitch muscle fibers. When lifting normal weights in the 5-8 rep range, you're using explosive movements which require your fast twitch muscles. But your muscle isnt just composed of fast twitch, some slow twich is in there too ( its a different proportion for everyone, though I'm sure I'm all slow :) ), so it makes sense that once in a while you should pay attention to those slow guys. As you get to your 50th rep your slow twitch muscles will began to tire and will soon work to failure, thats when your fast twitch will come in and help out (I almost felt a second wind in my legs each time this happened). So hopefully utilizing both sets of muscle fibers will lead to greater muscle gain!

Now I'm off to watch some more Galactica.

I'll be doing century sets all week, i'll keep you posted.

Really easy high protein sandwich!

Hey all! Today was a pretty action packed day. I brought the doggies out for two long walks (and a 30 minute ball throwing session in the hallway of our apartment), went to the gym, cooked a lunch time snack, cooked lunch and dinner, cleaned, went to work, did a 60 min yoga for runners class, and still have time to post! Heck yes! At all of the moments that I wasn't in the house, Gigi managed to ruin something or get into something!  But how can you get mad at this cute face!

At the gym today I did a 60 minute power walk on an incline. I usually start at an incline of 10 and then build up to 13 (which I think is the highest it goes).
Distance: 3.5 miles (5.6 km)
Time: 60:00
Calories: 597
Average HR: 146
Max HR: 167

I felt like I was working a lot harder during this power walk then I do when I run. I think this form of cross training (along with spin classes and weight training) is what's keeping me injury free (knock on wood) from running. I always get some sort of injury when I increase my mileage, but I think the moderation in running is what's helping. The cardio that I gain from spinning and speed walking is just as good as the cardio from running, so I don't see why some runners seem so against doing other forms of cardio. I know that regular yoga keeps me injury free too. The benefits of yoga have been proven a billion times over so there's no need to argue it, but I know from personal experience,  that if it weren't for yoga, I wouldn't be in half the shape that I am now, both physically and mentally.

I made a really good sandwich before work tonight. I didn't have much time and had to pump something out really fast. So I did an open faced, hummus, black bean and salsa sandwich (like a fajita).

I started out with Cobs Ancient Grains bread (toasted) , added hummus and 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast:

Next, add the salsa (I used organic Neal Brothers corn salsa) and black beans.