“Let food be thy medicine, and let thy medicine be thy food.” Hippocrates

Doctors and nutrition experts all agree – eating healthy foods, known as “super foods” can help you live a healthier life, even warding off diseases and lowering your cholesterol.

It’s comforting to know that adding some super foods to your daily diet can put you on the fast track toward better health. Imagine having enough energy to sail through even the most hectic of days.  Who wouldn’t want to be in a better mood, enjoy a better night’s sleep and even have an increased libido? Maybe the best part about eating super foods is that you don’t need a prescription. They’re available at your local supermarket. When possible, try to eat organic, the way Mother Nature intended.  

Here are some of our favorite super foods you need to start enjoying today: 

Whey Protein - helps build and maintain lean muscles. Also helps muscles recover faster after exercise

Blueberries – high in immune-boosting antioxidants

Yogurt – contains probiotics to aid digestion

Pumpkin – a rich source of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, minerals,  & vitamins A, C, & E

Spinach – an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamins  C, E, B2 & B6, and potassium. It’s a very good source of protein, zinc, and copper. Plus, it’s a good source of selenium, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids

Flax Seed or Flax Oil – contains heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids & fiber

Broccoli – contains dozens of nutrients including calcium to support strong bones

Oats – fiber & protein pack a 1-2 nutritional punch

Oranges – an excellent source of vitamin C.  One orange (130 grams) supplies nearly 100 percent of the recommended daily dietary intake of vitamin C

Salmon – a delicious way to get your protein & Omega-3 fatty acids, which helps boost brain power

Tea (green or black) – rich in antioxidants to help protect the body against cell-damaging free radicals

Tomatoes contain high level of lycopene - an anti-oxidant that helps prevent cancerous cell growth

Walnuts – these tasty nuts, which are great for snacking, help lower LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol)

Beans – a rich source of protein & fiber (and a great meat substitute for vegetarians!)

The easiest way to start reaping the benefit of super foods is to treat yourself to a healthy Designer Whey shake every morning. Toss in a handful of frozen organic blueberries, a ½ cup of non-fat or low-fat yogurt & some flax oil. Check out some of our shake recipes that include spinach and pumpkin! They’re delicious…we promise! And you’ll love the way you feel. Here’s to a healthy 2012!

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Grazing Tips for Christmas and New Year’s…or…Food and More Food All Around Me!

1. Eat six small meals a day.

When confronted with a potluck, a holiday meal, or a work party our tendency is to go for the gusto and pig out!  Sound familiar?  Instead try to stick to a small meal even at these times.  For me, these small meals are about three hundred calories each.  Web search for “online calorie calculator” to help determine how many calories to consume to maintain your current weight, or lose weight.

2. Make an extra plate for later.

Want to go back for seconds?  Aunt Martha’s banana-cream-puff pie only come around once a year?  I know the feeling.  I had the most delicious chili rellenos at my Women’s Study Group Potluck.  They were to die for, or to live for another day for, and eat in the morning for breakfast!  The thought dawned on me, “I could make an extra plate for later!”  Next time I will try this.  Leave a comment if you try this, or have tried this, and let me know how it works!  Knowing I can have some more stuffing later entices me to exercise self-control, without stuffing myself until I feel ill.  Know the feeling?  Stuffed Christina is not on the holiday wish list this year.

To keep the caloric intake down, I decided to scrape most of the cheese off and eat mostly the chili portion, which worked out quite fine and kept my calorie intake for the meal lower.  Part of the problem with potlucks is you really do not know how many calories are in each dish.  Note to self: “decision” is the key word here.  It is your decision what to put on your plate and how much.  Most importantly do not kid yourself into thinking the calories do not count or just continuing to dive in.  The extra calories have to go somewhere.

3. Skip any and all caloric drinks!

Need a quick Soda fix?  Then take a sip and go back to water!  Do you have any idea how much sugar is in one can of soda? There are ten packets of sugar in one can of soda!  Juice, sparkling cider, wine, beer, tequila, etcetera, they all turn to sugar in your body.  Want to avoid the four pounds that most people gain each holiday season?  Then kick the cola habit and go with water.  Add a little lemon.  Add a little Designer Whey Protein packet and get ten grams of protein and a tasty treat without added sugar or low quality sugar substitutes.

4. Drink plenty of water.

Our bodies are made up of 75% water when we are born and down to as low as 45% water if we are obese.  Average range of water for men is 60% and 55% for women.  Lean muscle mass holds more water than fat.  Whether you want to lose weight or gain weight (Yes, some people have a gaining weight problem.  Shocking!  I know) you need water to survive and it will help fill up your tummy during those feasts of fat and frolicking French fries at the drive through on your long trip to Aunt Mildred and Uncle Frank’s house.  So skip the fries, ask for a protein style wrap (hamburger wrapped in lettuce), and ask for an extra-large water!  Your body will thank you for it.  I know mine will. :)  Better yet…

5. Pack healthy snacks for long road trips.

My husband, Jason, thought of bringing sliced cucumbers and boiled eggs on our trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s house this year.  What a great idea!  Thanks honey!

6. Take a few bites of a sinfully delicious desert or entrée to get the taste but not all the calories.

I have heard it said more than once that the first couple of bites are the best.  Your taste buds are primed for variety and flavor and they soak up those first few nibbles.  Close your eyes.  Feel the texture on your tongue.  Sense all the different flavors in the bite.  Then, throw the rest away!  This takes willpower, but it is worth the effort, and your bottom line will thank you for it!

Have a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year!  And happy thoughtful healthy eating!

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I love the little packets of fifty calorie ProteinToGo that taste like lemonade.  My seven year old daughter sometimes feels hungry after we get done eating.  I like having an option for her after fruit and vegetables, if she is STILL hungry.  And, I love the Lemonade ProteinToGo too! 

I thought it would be kind of milky tasting lemonade, since they use whey protein which is derived from cow’s milk.  To my taste bud pleasure, they taste just like a big glass of ice cold lemonade. Also, there is no sugar and ten grams of protein!  To Go Lemonade is a perfect little treat in between meals or on the side to get in some much needed protein.

The other thing is, sometimes I do not want to add protein powder to my smoothies.  Sometimes I just want a nice tall glass of slushy fruit.  Different strokes for different folks, or as I like to call it, different shakes for different breaks!

So the next time you need a serving of protein and do not feel like digging a hole in your backyard to host your own luau with genuine roasted pig or whatever other protein foods you enjoy, try a little lemonade instead!  Or the other flavors: Tropical Orange and Mixed Berry.  My kids love all three!

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Designer Whey^® would like to thank all of our loyal fans and show our appreciation with another protein bar giveaway! 100 lucky fans will win one of our delicious protein bars! Test your knowledge by taking the following quiz:

Think you know everything about your favorite Designer Whey^® protein products? Which of these statements is false:

1. Designer Whey’s delicious bars pack a 10 gram protein punch.
2. Designer Whey^® protein powders have only 3 grams of fat and sugar per serving.
3. Designer Whey’s satisfying bars have only 170 calories or less.
4. Our deliciously-healthy powders give you 18 grams of protein at only 100 calories per serving.

Need a hint? Get the scoop on our delicious protein bars here: www.designerwhey.com/designer-whey/products-bars.htm

And on our protein powders here: www.designerwhey.com/designer-whey/products-powders-original.htm

The first 100 respondents to email the correct answer to winner@designerwhey.com will win one of our delicious protein bars! Good luck!

HOW TO PLAY:

Simply email the number of the FALSE statement to winner@designerwhey.com by  Friday, December 2, 2011 at 3pm PST / 6pm EST. The first 100 correct responses will automatically win a Designer Whey^® protein bar. Be sure to include your name and mailing address with your answer. We will announce the 100 winners on our Designer Whey^® Facebook page on Monday, December 5th. If selected, your bar will automatically be shipped to you via USPS. Contest eligible to U.S. addresses only. One prize per household. Must be 18 or older by December 2, 2011 to enter. Giveaway void where prohibited by law, and is subject to federal, state and local regulations.

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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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The thing I love most about Designer Whey Protein Powder is that in a pinch for protein I add it to a meal and get some extra protein into our diet for the day.  With three kids it is not convenient to make chicken and oatmeal for breakfast.  Ha! Ha! Ha!  Chicken and oatmeal!  That would be weird!  But putting some protein powder into the oatmeal is so convenient. 

I just jazzed up our breakfast the other day, realizing we had been a little slim on protein sources as of late.  I was rushing away in the kitchen making a big vat of oatmeal, stevia, strawberries, and blackberries and realized, duh!  I can just add in a scoop or two of protein powder.  I used the Designer Whey Vanilla Almond flavor.  It was highly received by my kids.  I was truly surprised by their fervor, because I could not find the Organic Cane Sugar to give it that “Extra-Kid-Kick!” that tends to help them be yummified.  Even without sugar, they were quite happy with their healthy breakfast and I felt satisfied that I had gotten in some extra protein into their diet.

If only chicken and oatmeal were possible?  Thankfully, Designer Whey Protein Powder works great added into so many meals and snacks.

1. Smoothies
2. Oatmeal
3. Pancakes
4. Muffins
5. Waffles
6. Cereal – as a milk replacement – I used to do this very regularly when I was training for a Sprint Triathlon after my first daughter was born.  It is so quick and easy!

In a pinch, I love that I can mix the various Designer Whey Protein Powders with water and go.  No prep required.  I am so about getting delicious and done!

Happy “In a Pinch” Eating To You Today!

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Flashback to the middle of August…

I don’t know what got into me!  3 bags of Organic Pancake mix, 2 cups of Designer Whey protein powder, 3 zucchinis, tons of water, a couple apples, some stevia, cinnamon, canola oil, little sugar……4 pans…1 waffle maker!  1 spatula, 3 CHILDREN!  I CRAZY MOM! 

I didn’t count, but I’m guessing 40 pancakes and 12 waffles.  Frozen!  Frozen!  Frozen!  Done!  Done!  Done!  Breakfast!  Breakfast!  Breakfast!  For weeks! For weeks!  For weeks!

My kids are going to get sick of these scrumptious creations!  And I need to find some low sugar syrup.  May make apple sauce syrup…or berry syrup.  Or just go to the store and buy some sugar-free syrup

September 8^th 2011

Okay!  So the pancakes were a hit!  I definitely recommend you try them.  Here’s the recipe if you want to give it a whirl:

½ cup Designer Whey Protein Powder (YOUR favorite flavor, mine’s Vanilla Almond right now)
3 cups organic pancake mix (add what the bag tells you to add.  Usually water/milk, egg, oil)
1 zucchini
2 apples
¼ cup sugar
4 droppers liquid Stevia
1 Tbsp Cinnamon

That should do it!  You may need to add a little more water/soy/almond milk if it’s still too dry.

Nutritions for a 2-Pancake serving: 141 Calories; 14g Protein; 4g Fiber; 2.5g Fat; 12g Carbs; 5g Sugar

EASY Strawberry Syrup:

I took our organic Strawberry Jelly and just added water!  It was so quick and easy!  And the kids loved it!  This is definitely going to be a staple in our household!

Posted in Christina | 5 Comments

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.

Posted in Andrea M. | 1 Comment

Candy bars, potato chips, soda…these are just a few things we at Designer Whey urge parents everywhere to say “NO” to!  Children need quality snacks to help them grow into healthy, strong, happy adults. Healthy snacks don’t have to taste bland. Get creative and have some fun putting together easy, nutritious snacks your kids will love.

Here are a few healthy, protein-packed snacks for kids on-the-go:

• Designer Whey Protein Bars
• String Cheese
• Pretzels & peanut butter
• Low-fat yogurt Squeeze Tubes
• 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter, whole-grain crackers or bagel
• Carrot & Celery sticks & Hummus
• Trail mix
• Sliced Apple w/ Peanut Butter
• Nuts or Sunflower seeds
• Fig bars

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It’s back to school time! The lazy days of summer have given way to rushing to make the morning bell, the fast pace of after school sports & activities and endless homework. PHEW! We get exhausted just thinking about it!

Kids need to keep their bodies fueled with proper nutrition, especially when they’re really active. Staying focused in class, working up a sweat in gym, carrying heavy backpacks — it all takes energy. That’s where Designer Whey™ protein comes in. Protein is an important part of a healthy diet, but when it comes to healthy kids, getting the right amount of protein is a must. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar levels, giving children the energy they need to help them stay focused throughout the day.

Busy parents can make sure their kids are eating right during school hours by stocking their backpacks with healthy snacks. Grocery store shelves are loaded with many snack options. Take some cereal or granola bars. They might seem convenient and healthy, but most are loaded with sugar and typically contain little or no protein.  Sugary snacks disguised as healthy foods are still sugary snacks – they create a sugar spike energy burst that’s quickly followed by a crash. Sluggish, cranky and irritable is no way to get through P.E. class. 

Designer Whey™ has made it easy to make sure your kids are getting the protein they need. Our new, all natural protein bars are a delicious, healthy snack your kids will love. With 10 grams protein, added Calcium and Vitamin D to maintain and rebuild healthy bones, B Vitamins to help keep energy up, these naturally flavored & sweetened bars are a welcomed addition to any lunch bag or backpack.

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