Fall heralds the beginning of the baking season.  Pumpkins, corn-on-the-cob and squash of all shapes and sizes fill the produce department of your neighborhood grocer. Crisp, cool evenings and sun-filled days seem to beg for the warmth and homey-ness of spice scented goodies. I love Fall!

With Halloween right around the corner and the “baking bug” firmly taking root, I thought it might be time to set myself (and my family) up for success. After all, in only a few short days buckets of candy will be lurking around the house and holiday baked goods are short to follow. If I stand ANY chance of talking the kids out of their sugary treats (not for me  J ), then I need to have an acceptable substitute on hand.

 I love pumpkin bars, but they can be high in calories and fat. So I decided it was time to put a healthy spin on things. The result is a bar that is both cakey and moist. Perfectly spiced and full of pumpkin flavor, these bars work equally well as a coffee companion, after school snack or satisfying dessert. And with only a handful of ingredients, they’re easy to make too!

I hope your family enjoys them as much as mine did!

Andrea’s Fall-Spiced Pumpkin Bars

1 scoop Designer Whey Natural Protein Powder
1/2 c canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 c agave syrup (or honey)
1/4 c stevia-in-the-raw (or Splenda)
1/2 c egg substitute
1 c almond meal
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I used Trader Joe’s)
1/2 tsp baking soda

Pre-heat oven to 350*. Spray an 8×8 pan with cooking spray and set aside. Combine pumpkin, agave, stevia and eggs in bowl of mixer and whisk until smooth.(Hand mixer is fine) In a separate bowl combine almond meal, protein powder, sea salt, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda. Stir together with a fork. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix together at medium speed for one minute. Pour mixture into prepped 8×8 pan. (Mixture will be fairly thin) Bake at 350* for 20-25 mins, or until it begins to pull away from sides and center is set. (toothpick is clean) Do not overbake! Cut into 12 squares.

*This recipe doubles really well!

Nutritional Information:

Per Serving (1 square): 73 Calories, 5g Protein, 4g Fiber, 5g Fat, 3g Carbs, 2g Sugar

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Where does the time go? Summer is coming to a close, the kids have headed back to school and my precious baby boy is almost four months old (Wow!) Meanwhile, I feel like I’m still trying to figure out a day-to- day routine.  Despite my grand plans of jumping “back in the saddle” and shrinking back to my pre-pregnancy weight as quickly as possible, I have barely begun. I know, I know, “it’s only been four months,” you say, but it’s discouraging when you look in the mirror and the person looking back isn’t who you remember.

Finding the motivation, time and energy to start a new routine (or return to an old one) can seem like a mountain looming ahead.  Some days I feel strong, empowered and ready to go! “Tomorrow,” I think. “Tomorrow will be the perfect day to start getting back into shape!”  And then tomorrow comes and despite my optimism, it doesn’t go as planned and before I know it, another week has passed without so much as a single crunch, lunge or cardio routine.  DRAT. I’ve decided to use the headache of back to school as my motivator!

 I have to get up early to get my 6^th grader to school on time, (6^th grader ?!?) Getting up an extra 20 minutes early to get in a little cardio or do a quick ab routine while she gets ready and the little ones (and Hubby) sleep is the perfect “window” for me.  It’s not a lot of time, but that little bit allows me to feel a sense of accomplishment (no matter how small) and gives me hope that I will soon be able to get the rest of my day moving a little more smoothly! To coin a phrase, “Just do it!”

Oh, and a brownie at the end of the day doesn’t hurt either! While not as “gooey” or “dense” as the classic, these chocolate-y treats have been a hit with the whole family, so here’s the recipe to reward you for getting the ball rolling!

Andrea’s “Fudgy” Black Bean Brownies 

2 scoops Designer Whey Chocolate protein powder
Nonstick cooking spray
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee (single-serve packets work great here)
¾ cup egg substitute
½ cup non-fat yogurt, any flavor 
¼ cup granulated Splenda or Stevia in the Raw
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

¼ cup fat-free cream cheese, room-temperature
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Splenda (or Stevia in the Raw)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the beans, cocoa powder, espresso powder, protein powder and egg substitute and yogurt in the bowl of a food processor (or heavy-duty blender.) Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.

Add the Splenda (or stevia) and vanilla. Process until all ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with soft batter clinging to it. (The trick is to slightly under-bake.)

For the frosting, whip cream cheese, splenda (or stevia) and cocoa-powder until combined and fluffy.

Let the brownies cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack. Cut into twelve squares. Frost using a Ziploc baggie with a corner trimmed off and make “kiss” sized dollops (see pic) and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

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Hey Everyone!

Well it’s been a crazy couple of weeks, but we’re (finally) settling in nicely. I’m so glad that summer is here in full swing.

So, my inspiration for this post came from my recent trip to the local market, where I saw a bag of fresh key limes. Immediately my mouth began to water as I imagined a cool, creamy key lime pie (which is one of my all-time favorite dessert flavors).  However, at six weeks post-partum, I just received the “okay” to start exercising and finally working towards my goal of fitting into my pre-pregnancy jeans. Obviously making (and eating) key lime pie isn’t exactly a step in the right direction!  However, I recently stumbled on a recipe for Lemon-Buttermilk ice pops and thought “What if I can tweak this a little to taste more like the key lime pie I’ve been craving and make it a little (or a lot) more healthy?”

Now I know what you’re thinking, Buttermilk? In an ice pop? Weird. But stick with me here. I’m not one of those people who enjoy a nice cold glass of buttermilk. In fact, it has always tasted a little like spoiled milk to me (but I love to cook with it!). So when I ran across this recipe I was intrigued. Well, after a few adjustments (including some good ol’ French Vanilla Designer Whey), it’s now one of my (and my daughters’) favorite summer time treats!  Buttermilk provides a creaminess and tang that balances the key lime flavor perfectly, without adding a heavy amount of fat and calories. It just works! These ice pops are not only super delicious and refreshing, but a cinch to whip up. I also feel confident letting my girls make this with only minimal help (and mess!). Not to mention I love having a homemade dessert in the house that is healthy, too.

Somehow I have a feeling that “Key Lime Ice Pops” will be enjoyed in our house a lot this summer… hopefully in yours, too!

Till next time!

- Andrea

Key Lime Ice Pops (Adapted from Whipped)
2/3 cup Stevia-in-the-Raw
5 TBSP fresh key lime juice
2 TBSP key lime zest
Pinch of salt
1 scoop Designer Whey French Vanilla Protein Powder
1 2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

Whisk Stevia, lime juice, lime zest, salt and protein powder in 4-cup measuring cup until sugar dissolves. Whisk in buttermilk.

Divide mixture among ice pop molds and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.  (Yields 6-8 ice pops, depending on mold)

Total nutritionals for entire recipe: 278 Calories; 32g Protein, 0g Fiber, 6g Fat, 25g Carbs, 22g Sugar.

Per popsicle (Yield 6): 46 Calories, 5.3g Protein, 0g Fiber, 4.16g Carbs, 3.6g Sugar.

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Last week the Designer Whey Facebook page had a post asking about your favorite summer berry.  I know that blackberry was the winner, but (as much as I love blackberries) raspberries have always had my heart.  So to all my fellow raspberry lovers out there, this blog’s for you. 

When I was growing up, we had raspberry bushes along the length of our backyard.  In the summertime when the berries would “come on,” my mom would always tell us to let them be (since they were meant for her infamous raspberry jam).  Knowing that the berries were” forbidden” made them all the sweeter, and nearly every day a few handfuls would disappear into our eager mouths.  Looking back, I’m sure that my mom was well aware of our “secret” raids on the precious berries (I’m sure our stained hands and mouths, scratches on our arms and plenty of guilty glances toward the kitchen window gave it away), but rarely did she say anything. 

For the past few weeks I have been anxiously waiting for raspberries to arrive in our grocery stores. Frozen berries are great (I use them almost daily in my smoothies), but there is something special about the taste and texture of freshly picked raspberries.  I always try to capture that taste in all of my recipes, but while frozen berries provide the chill and thickness in a smoothie, they don’t possess the level of freshness that off the vine berries afford.  How could I keep the smoothie texture without using lots of ice and watering down the delicate flavor of the berries?  After numerous attempts (and a few failures!), I finally arrived at what I think is a perfect balance of freshness, flavor and texture. Why not freeze my liquid ingredients?  So here it is – my NEW favorite smoothie… for this week anyways. 

Till next time!

Fresh Raspberry Summertime Smoothie

1 cup fresh raspberries, divided in half

1 scoop Designer Whey Strawberry Protein Powder

2 Tbsp ground Flax seed

1 cup plain yogurt

½-1 packet Stevia

3-4 cubes So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk (ice cube tray purchased in Target’s dollar section)

½ cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

Method

Combine ½ cup raspberries with the remaining ingredients, blending very well (the coconut milk ice cubes freeze extra solid.) After desired consistency is achieved add in remaining ½ cup raspberries and pulse 3-4 times, just until combined (this is the key to maintaining the “fresh” flavor!) Pour and enjoy!

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It’s been a little longer than I would have liked since my last post, but the past few weeks have held a few surprises.  After a couple of “almosts” and a few “false alarm” trips to the hospital, our little bundle of joy (finally) arrived at 38 weeks. Weighing in at a healthy 7lbs 9oz, all of the hard work from the past nine months seems to blur into a peaceful sigh.

Lying in the hospital bed laboring away is difficult (they don’t call it “labor” for nothing, right?). With only clear fluids (water, juice, broth, etc.) and maybe a Jell-o cup here and there to sustain you, it’s no wonder we get cranky! Like most people (especially those who are pregnant) I don’t do well without food. Labor or not, I was HUNGRY! I honestly considered begging the hubby to sneak me in a sandwich, but then he reminded me that across the street from the hospital was a GNC. If I could have liquids, I could have some Designer Whey Protein-2GO! Ten grams of protein would help tame my growling tummy and give me the energy I needed to work through this final hurdle. The Orange Mango flavor was so yummy I think I made the nurses a little jealous! As you can see below, that “extra pick me up” definitely helped and made things (including my hunger monster) a lot easier to deal with.

In the coming weeks as we settle into our new routine as a family of five, there are bound to be times that I will need a little extra energy (what parent doesn’t). Knowing that I can reach for Protein-2GO to help me through the day (or night) is a true comfort. I plan to keep a stash in the car, the diaper bag and of course, mommy’s “snack” cabinet! I even sent my Mom-in-law home with a few to try. Now the real fun begins!

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For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a Mom.  So when it came time for me to have my own children, it was very important to me to ensure that I had healthy pregnancies. As the newest contributor to the Designer Whey blog, I’m excited to share my personal experiences and a few tricks I have learned along the way for raising a health conscience family. For all of the Moms out there, you know this is no easy task!

Pregnancy can be filled with aversions, cravings, dos and don’ts, you name it! Not to mention well- meaning family and friends who encourage you to “eat for two” at every turn.  It’s very easy to get caught up in all of this, put on excess weight and not maintain a healthy diet.  Not only is that frustrating, but it can also create problems for you and your little one.  The way I see it, YOU are responsible to give your children the best start in life that you can. It’s only nine months, right?  (Only?!?)

One of my biggest challenges with this pregnancy has been eating a healthy breakfast. I know I need to, but when I first get up in the morning the LAST thing I have wanted to do is eat something good for me. Being a mom of two already, mornings can be rushed and hectic. Get the Hubby out the door with his coffee, my oldest off to school WITH her lunchbox and keep my toddler from melting down if things don’t go exactly as planned. (And I’m doing this again why? 

Protein is a vital nutrient in pregnancy. Not only is it the basic building block of your body’s cells, in turn it forms the building blocks of your baby’s body, too. The recommended daily amount for a pregnant woman is 70 grams per day, that’s 25 grams more than usual. When you are supposed to only add 300 calories a day to your diet, this can be tough.  Using Designer Whey has been a godsend for me! I can make one big batch of smoothies in the morning, feel good about what I am putting into my children and ensure that I am making a healthy (and yummy) choice for my baby. Not to mention my kids think I’m a hero when they get to drink a Chocolate Berry Cheesecake “shake” first thing in the morning!

My morning protein smoothie “habit” (I say habit, because now I can’t go without one!) is helping me to maintain a healthy weight gain for this pregnancy. As of 35 weeks, I have gained 27 pounds and I feel really good about that.  Keeping a healthy balance (amidst the chaos of everyday life) often seems to be a full time job in itself.  So to all my fellow Moms out there (pregnant or not), hopefully my journey can help to make your day a little easier.

Until next time!

Andrea

 Chocolate Berry Cheesecake Smoothie:

1 scoop Designer Whey Double Chocolate Protein Powder
½ cup low fat cottage cheese
2 TBSP ground flax (optional)
½ cup frozen mixed berries
½ cup almond milk

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy!

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