Gaia Herbs: Review & Recipe

I've been thinking about this blog a lot recently. My last post was back in February! Life has gotten away from me lately, and I've been neglecting a lot of my old hobbies. I promise that changes this week!

Last month, I was selected to participate in a campaign with Fitfluential and Gaia Herbs. Those of you who have been following me on social media or know me personally know that I've been following a plant-based diet for just under two years. My nutrition has been pretty off lately, and I've been working hard to incorporate more whole foods and supplements into my diet again. So I was pretty excited when this showed up at my door:

Three tubs of Gaia Herbs Organic Maca Powder and a shaker bottle. All for me!

Not sure what maca powder is? Here's what you need to know!

Maca has been used as a caffeine-free, plant-based performance enhancer since the Inca Empire, as it supports energy and stamina. It's an adaptogen, meaning it supports a healthy response to stress. Sounds perfect for endurance athletes!

So what can you do with it? Maca powder can be blended into smoothies and juices, or mixed in to oatmeal, yogurt, or chia pudding.

I personally have used maca powder in my smoothie bowls, which I regularly eat for breakfast. I'm not the type of girl who swings by the local coffee shops for pumpkin spice lattes or maple-glazed pumpkin scones, so I find ways to enjoy those irresistible fall flavors in my favorite plant-based recipes. Because when it's fall and you're a twentysomething-year-old female, pumpkin spice is a must!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl
(inspired by Simple Green Smoothies)
Serves 1

Ingredients:
-1 cup fresh or frozen kale (to be honest, I never measure this...I just stuff in as much as I can!)
-1 cup (8oz) almond milk, unsweetened
-1 tablespoon chia seeds or flaxseeds
-1 teaspoon Gaia's Organic Maca Powder
-1 frozen banana, sliced
-1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

What to do!
Add kale and almond milk to a high-speed blender; blend until smooth (doing this first helps eliminate the chunks of kale). Then, add the chia, maca, and banana slices.

The star of today's show: organic maca powder!

Blend until most of the banana has been chopped up. Next, add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, and blend until smooth.

So basic, it hurts.

I almost forgot this little guy!

Finally, pour into a cup or bowl (depending if you want a smoothie or smoothie bowl) and enjoy! I'm not one for toppings but feel free to top with chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), granola, more pumpkin pie spice...whatever!

What's your favorite smoothie recipe? Share in the comments!

Snow Days and Recipes and Giveaways, Oh My!

When I first announced that I was moving to Northern Virginia almost a year ago, everybody told me that I would be much warmer here than I was in New York.

Everybody was wrong.

You won't hear any complaints from me though. I love the snow, especially when it falls in large quantities. I actually get excited when I hear that my area is going to be hit by a blizzard.

I still remember how I spent my snow days as a child. My siblings and I would spend hours playing outside, sledding or using the recycling bin to make cubes to construct an igloo. When our noses got too runny and our fingers were numb, we'd head inside to warm up. Even though I was one of the youngest, I would make popcorn and hot chocolate for everyone to enjoy after they changed into warm, dry clothes.

Fast-forward almost two decades, and I'm still spending much of my snow day in the kitchen. Back in November, Ron Redding of NuNaturals contacted me, offering me samples of different products offered by the company. Now normally when I hear the word "samples," I think of tiny packages of products that are usually only good for 1-2 uses. So I was shocked when I received a package from Ron a few days later, and it was filled with full-size bottles and packages of a wide variety of NuNaturals products.

You're a good man, Ron.

Two weeks ago, Ron agreed to host a giveaway with me here on my blog. If you're not familiar with the NuNaturals, let me give you a brief overview of the company and their products.

NuNaturals is an Oregon-based company that offers over 80 SKUs of quality, all-natural products. Their flagship brand, NuStevia, is comprised of non-bitter, zero-calorie Stevia products, such as powder packets, clear liquid extracts, and quick dissolve tablets. NuStevia is a sweetener derived from the stevia plant, a medicinal herb. Unlike artificial sweeteners, NuStevia is all natural, so you can consume it without the guilt. The products can be used in baking recipes, coffee, smoothies, specialty drinks, puddings, bean salads...the possibilities are endless!

Here's some information about the products that you could win!

NuNaturals Pure Liquid Vanilla Stevia, Alcohol Free: NuNaturals has combined the super high quality of Singing Dog Vanilla Bean Extractives with their Clear Stevia extract to give you a delicious way to use Stevia. Add this to your foods and beverages in place of regular vanilla extract to experience the delicious benefits of Stevia.

NuStevia Cocoa Syrup: This product is a bit of an oxymoron. It's chocolate, but it's GUILTLESS. This cocoa syrup is comparable to Hershey's syrup, except that it's both calorie and sugar free! You can use this syrup on ice cream, in coffee, or to stir up a healthy chocolate milk. It's also great to use in recipes! Made with NuStevia extract, this syrup will not leave any unpleasant aftertastes. And the best part? There are 385 servings...in ONE bottle! 

NuStevia Cocoa Mint Syrup: If you're a huge mint lover like myself, this product is for you! This syrup can be used in all the same ways as the Cocoa Syrup listed above, but will add a great peppermint taste to anything you're whipping up in the kitchen. I used my bottle to make a Peppermint Mocha Latte that was cheaper and healthier than one from Starbucks!

NuStevia NoCarbs Blend,  50 Packets: The NuStevia NoCarbs blend contains premium, natural, all-purpose sweetener that can be used in tea, coffee, cereal,yogurt...anything that needs sweetening! And because they come in packets, you can enjoy them on the go! I always keep a few in my bag so that I'm not stuck using artificial sweeteners when I'm grabbing coffee at local coffeeshops, the gas station, or at work.

Before we get to the giveaway, I want to share a recipe that I created using both NuNaturals Pure Liquid Vanilla Stevia and NuStevia Cocoa Syrup. Baking cookies is one of those cliche snow day activities, but using NuNaturals products can help eliminate that guilt that comes with bumming around all day eating cookies!

Double-Chocolate Cashew Biscookies
Vegan. Gluten-free. Nut-free option.
Now I can't exactly call these cookies a hybrid, like cronuts or duffins, since biscotti is basically a type of cookie. But since biscotti are typically oblong-shaped (probably so that they can be dipped in coffee), and the ones I've created are round, I've decided to call them "biscookies."

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, room temperature (You can also use margarine or butter. Cookies will not be vegan if you use butter.)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. NuStevia Cocoa Syrup
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• dash of salt
• 1 very ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2 tsp. NuNaturals Pure Liquid Vanilla Stevia
• 2 cups flour (I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour)
• 1/2 cup cashews, chopped (Replace with dried fruit or chocolate chips to make these nut-free.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease a cookie sheet, unless it is non-stick. Place an empty glass cup in the refrigerator (this will make sense later).
2. Whisk cocoa powder and oil in a medium-sized bowl until combined.
3. Add coconut oil, cocoa syrup, baking powder, and salt to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.
4. Add mashed banana and liquid vanilla stevia; stir until combined.
5. Mix in the flour. Just before all of your ingredients are combined, mix in chopped nuts (or dried fruit or chocolate chips). The batter will be crumbly, so feel free to ditch the mixing spoon and use your hands!
6. Form 1 1/2" balls, making sure that the batter isn't too crumbly or else they will fall apart in the oven. Place on cookie sheet, and gently flatten with the bottom of the cold glass (I told you this would make sense later!)
7. Bake for 7-10 minutes on the middle rack of your oven. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack, as these cookies are crumbly and may break if moved when they are still warm.
8. Brew some coffee or make some chocolate milk to dip these in and enjoy!

I so love snow days!

And now, the giveaway! FOUR winners will receive:

• one bottle of NuNaturals Pure Liquid Vanilla Stevia
• one bottle of NuStevia Cocoa Syrup
• one bottle of NuStevia Cocoa Mint Syrup
• one 50-packet box of NuStevia NoCarb Stevia packets

In addition, each of the winners will also receive a free bonus package. The total retail value of each package is $70.00. To enter, all YOU have to do is leave me a comment telling me what you love to do on snow days! If it doesn't snow where you live, tell me what you love to do on your days off! The contest will close on January 29, 2016 at 11:59PM.  Four winners will be announced Saturday, January 30th.

If you don't want to participate in the giveaway, or if you're not selected as a winner, head over to  the NuNaturals site and save 15% on your ENTIRE order with code BLG0616. This code is valid through June 30, 2016. Please also check out NuNaturals on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get more information and learn about their entire product line!

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts Review, Recipe, and Giveaway!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Manitoba Harvest and the Sweat Pink community in exchange for a review of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts. All opinions expressed are my own.

Almost exactly three years ago, I become a vegetarian. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, so I decided that my last time eating meat would be at my family's Turkey Day feast. I enjoyed my last few bites of turkey at my grandparent's apartment, and haven't had a bite of meat since.

Even though I no longer eat meat, and my Thanksgiving dinner plate is usually loaded with salad and side dishes, I love all of those traditional Thanksgiving flavors. Cranberries, pumpkin, cinnamon, all those nutty fall flavors...the best! And since becoming a vegetarian, I've explored tons of new foods, especially those that help me meet my daily protein needs.

One of my favorite discoveries since transitioning to a plant-based diet is hemp hearts. So when FitApproach provided me with an opportunity to do a review and giveaway on my blog for Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts, I applied immediately!

Hemp hearts are tiny seeds that have a slight nutty flavor, along with a whopping 10 grams of protein in each 30-gram serving. And there are so many ways to eat them! These seeds can be sprinkled on top of salads, cereal, or yogurt, blended into your favorite smoothie, or whisked into the batter of your favorite baked goods. You can even eat them straight out of the bag! The possibilities are endless.

Now, you're probably wondering why I mentioned my love of Thanksgiving foods earlier. FitApproach and Manitoba Harvest asked that I try out a new recipe with the 2oz bag that I received. I looked up several recipes using hemp hearts on the Internet, before selecting a Fruit and Hemp Seed Muesli recipe from Whole Foods that I altered to taste just like Thanksgiving dinner (minus the bird).

Everything-But-The-Thanksgiving-Turkey Muesli

Ingredients:

• 1 1/8 cups quick-cooking oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats)
• 1/2 cup Manitoba Harvest Shelled Hemp Seeds
• 1/2 cup Craisins
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (I used Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds)
• 5 pitted dates, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and toss to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

To serve warm, combine 1/2 cup muesli with 1/2 cup liquid of choice (unsweetened non-dairy milk, water, etc.) and simmer on the stovetop until oats are softened, 1-2 minutes.

Want to win a bag of your own? Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite Thanksgiving food is and you're automatically entered! Winner will be announced on November 13, 2015. Good luck!

Freekeh Foods Review & GIVEAWAY!

Remember when I said I wouldn't go another two weeks without updating?

So that didn't happen.

I tried my best. I really did!

Well TODAY I am pairing up with my friends at Freekeh Foods to share a favorite recipe and provide YOU with a chance to score your own bag of freekeh!

A lot of you are probably asking yourselves, "WHAT IS FREEKEH?!"

Freekeh Foods describes freekeh as "a process which means 'to rub' in Arabic. Freekeh was created by accident nearly 2,000 years ago when a Middle Eastern village was attacked and their crop of young green wheat was set ablaze. Most folks would sulk over their misfortune, but the crafty villagers rubbed off the chaff, cooked it up, and 'Eureka!' Freekeh was created." Freekeh Foods offers the grain in three flavors: Original, Rosemary Sage, and Tamari.

When I gave up meat almost three years ago, I began searching for new foods to eat that were nutrient-dense and contained protein. Freekeh became one of my favorite ancient grains because not only does it contain more nutrients than other grains like wheat and rice, but it's absolutely delicious! As a busy plant-based athlete, I'm always looking for recipes that I can make ahead of time and store in the refrigerator or freezer so that I don't have to cook every night. This week, I used my Original Freekeh to make Roasted Sweet Potato Stew with Kale and Freekeh, a recipe straight from the Freekeh Food's website!

Sweet Potato Stew with Kale and Freekeh

1 8-ounce package cracked freekeh, any variety (I used Original)
3 sweet potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 bunch of fresh Lacinato kale, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 12-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
2-3 garlic cloves, diced

Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle a little olive oil on them. Bake in 375° oven for about 25 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside. While the potatoes are cooking, pour all ingredients into a large pot on top of the stove over high heat. Stir with a spoon and heat for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add roasted sweet potatoes. Cover partially and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Check occasionally and give a stir.

Continue to cook longer for richer flavor, adding water or more broth if desired.

Options:

• Sprinkle a little nutritional yeast on top for a “parmesan cheese” flavor without the fat.
• Try using roasted pumpkin or butternut squash instead of sweet potato for a delicious twist.

GIVEAWAY!

Want to get your freekeh on??? Leave me a comment telling me which flavor of freekeh YOU would like to try (Original, Rosemary Sage, or Tamari) for your chance to win a bag of your own! Contest ends Friday, August 14th at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be announced Monday, August 17th!

Updates, and a recipe!

Note to self: Don't start a blog the week before one of the busiest weeks of your life.

I feel like I've been on autopilot since starting this blog last week. Here's a few exciting things that have happened.

Work
I started my summer job last week. The cafe I work at serves Starbucks beverages, so my co-workers were pretty fired up that they didn't really have to train me since I was a barista when I graduated college. I memorized most of the recipes! I am new to cold brew coffee though, and it is AMAZING.

Yoga
I took my first yoga class last week! A few weeks ago, I bought a Groupon for one month of unlimited yoga classes. Just $17! Fitness classes can be pretty expensive, so I feel like I pretty much won the lottery. I've only attended two classes so far, but I really enjoyed it. And let me tell you...YOGA IS HARD. The classes are for yogis of all levels though, so there is absolutely no intimidation. I can't wait to go back!

Wegmans
A Wegmans opened up in my city, right across the street from the yoga studio! If you've been to Wegmans before, you understand why this is a huge deal. If you've never been to a Wegmans, you haven't really been living.

#1MillionMinutes
On June 21st, Fit Approach kicked of the #1millionminutes campaign in celebration of their fourth birthday. The Sweat Pink community is coming together to achieve one million minutes of activity this summer (through August 21st). The goal is to inspire and encourage EVERYONE to get moving. We've racked up over 100,000 minutes already! If you'd like to join us, visit fit approach.com to sign up and track your active minutes. Then, log those minutes and share your progress towards helping the Sweat Community reach their goal of 1 million minutes. You can also win prizes! Share your progress on Twitter, and follow the daily prompts to upload pictures on Instagram. Be sure to use the hashtags #1MillionMinutes and #SweatPink to show how you're staying active this summer!

#WeRunSocial
#WeRunSocial is a fairly new online community of runners. Started by some of my favorite bloggers/social media runners, the community is described as "a crew with the sole purpose of running all the miles and winning life on the interwebs." When I first saw that this was project was launched, I knew that I had to join. While experiencing a running funk during the month of June that kept me from meeting my goal of 100 miles (see below), I decided to order a racerback from Pavement Runner. I swear this shirt is magical. On Sunday, I had set out to run 16 treadmill miles. I walked one. On Monday, I received the shirt in the mail, took a quick selfie with the TimerCam app, uploaded it to Instagram, and then banged out 7 miles on the treadmill like it was my job. I am so thankful for this community.

100 Miles Per Month
My goal every month is to run a minimum of 100 miles. Some months, I shatter this goal and run almost 150 miles. Other months, I just squeak by with 100-110 miles. Last month, I ran just 79 miles. I struggled a lot with motivation, and I think a lot of it had to do with nutrition. My nutrition was on point during the month of May (which resulted in a 13+ minute PR at the Vermont City Marathon), but I got off track during early June. I'm not sure if it's because my parents came to visit and took me out to eat three times, or because I watch the Food Network every night. Regardless, I started my training plan for the Dumbo Double Dare (September 5-6) this week, so I have really high hopes for July!


Speaking of July, did you know it's National Ice Cream Month? Since I'm usually training for a marathon, I do watch what I eat, and can honestly say I don't even remember the last time I ate ice cream. BUT...during the month of May, my diet was really consistent. I figured out that what works best for me is consuming all or mostly raw foods for breakfast and lunch, followed by a high-protein dinner. I had a lot of energy, slept better, and looked and felt leaner. I also felt really great during my workouts. Just about every morning started off with "nice" cream. For those of you who don't know, "nice" cream is "ice cream" made entirely from fruit, with optional milk and protein powder. The best is that this concoction tastes just like ice cream, but does not contain any added sugar or fat. I love it so much that I've decided to share my recipe with you! You can eat this any time of day, but I prefer it in the morning because it gives me so much energy and keeps me satiated (and who doesn't want to eat ice cream for breakfast???).

I use my shovel spoon from the Ben & Jerry's Factory to "dig" in!

Non-Dairy "Nice" Cream

Makes 1-serving.

Ingredients:

-half a banana, sliced and frozen

-1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced and frozen fruit of your choice (strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mango, or even the other half of your banana...feel free to mix them!)

-1 to 2 tbsp non-dairy milk (almond, cashew, coconut)

-*1/2 to 1 scoop plant-based protein powder (optional; I use Vega One in French Vanilla)

-**Optional toppings: chopped nuts, chia seeds, granola, more fruit.

Directions:

-Place sliced/frozen fruit in a food processor or blender, and use the "chop" feature to break the fruit down into smaller pieces.

-Add milk, and puree. You may need to stop and mix the fruit with a spoon so that all pieces are being pureed.

-Add protein powder, if desired. Stir the protein powder in a little bit so that it does not stick to the top of the food processor/blender.

-Scoop nice cream into a bowl. Add desired toppings and enjoy!

*Protein powder is recommended if you are eating this as a meal, as it will keep you satiated. I once forgot to add the protein powder and was starving two hours later!

**I'm not into toppings, but you do you!

Be sure to comment and let me know how your "nice" cream turned out! I seriously loved this recipe!

Also...what are your fitness goals for July?

Note: This post was not sponsored by Vega, and I was not compensated in any way. Also, remember that I am not a health professional. Please contact the appropriate health professional before making any changes to your diet.