Breakfast Favorites

Hey hey there! How have you been??? The weather here has been unbelievably gorgeous! High 60s and 70s... Hope it's here to stay!

Last week I enjoyed a plethora (yea SAT word!) of delicious and nutritious breakfasts, so I thought I'd share with you! You already know how much I enjoyed the new protein muffin with Barney Butter, but I've come up with a few new additions to my breakfast menu...

I loved each one, and as you will soon see, each breakfast was unique in texture, flavor, and ingredients and required different preparation techniques. I surely kept things exciting in the kitchen at 7 in the morning...

So here are the Top 5 Breakfasts of the Week!

(1) Kiwi Vanilla Chia Pudding

Stir together: 2 tbsp chia + 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tsp vanilla + sweetener of choice+ pinch of salt

Allow to stand for ~15 min. Then, stir again and add more milk to achieve desired thickness (it will thicken up quite a bit the longer it stands!). Mix in fruit of choice. The kiwi was fantastic!

Though I've been a chia lover for almost a year now, I can't believe I've never made chia pudding before! Shame on me! I love adding chia in my oatmeal because it makes it thicker and fluffier, but quite honestly, I was a little hesitant about making this gel-like chia pudding. Hesitant no more! For those unfamiliar with chia, the texture may take some time getting used to, but I guess my years-worth of oatmeal nearly every day has prepared me well and I loved it. It's very filling, too!

(2) Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie

Blend together: 1/2 large banana + 4 large strawberries + 1 scoop protein powder (I used SunWarrior Vanilla) + 1/2 cup water

Confession: This smoothie was inspired entirely by my recent love for the 2% Strawberry Banana Chobani Greek Yogurt.

(3) Fried Egg atop Sweet Potato

It was one of those mornings... I woke up and all that was on my sleepy mind was the delicious runny yolk. I love it when I know what I want! But the night before, I steamed some sweet potato that I was planning to mash into my oatmeal... Change of plans. Instead, I made my egg sunny side up, sprinkled with a dash of salt and peppa, and enjoyed it atop of the scrumptious, sweet, smooth sweet potato. The flavors and textures worked beautifully together!

(4) Banana Millet Bread (Please see original recipe by See Michelle Cook)

The stars were perfectly aligned for this bread. First of all, since my recent obsession with Barney Butter, I wanted another healthy option in place of my protein muffins to enjoy spoonfuls of Barney Butter with... Secondly, there were two overly ripe bananas eagerly looking at me from the fruit basket... But I didn't want to make the good ole' banana bread, which I consider to be a dessert. I wanted something more versatile, something that I could enjoy with different toppings, both sweet and not. Michelle's recipe was exactly what I was looking for. The millet added the perfect crunch, the banana kept it moist and subtly sweet, and the whole wheat and no added sugar(!) kept it healthy. Win-win-and win. We've been enjoying this baked creation with Barney Butter, strawberry preserves, Smart Balance, and as is!

(5) Manchego Cheese Omelet with Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower

Greens for breakfast, anyone? Yes, please! Unlike the mornings I had the chia pudding and the smoothie, this dish answered my salty ans savory morning call.

Omelet: (1) Whisk together 1 egg + 2 egg whites (2) Pour onto a heated and oiled skillet (3) Spread shredded cheese (4) and Cook until done!

Veggies: (1) Dice the veggies (2) Lightly oil or spray a frying pan (3) Roast the veggies until desired texture (I like mine crunchy, so it only took about 3min!)

*****

I hope you enjoyed my morning creations! Even though these may require slightly more time in the kitchen then the good ole' bowl of instant oats or cereal, standing by the stove and sipping on coffee while waiting for breakfast to cook is a relaxing way to welcome the new day. And a healthy, filling breakfast will keep my spirits high for the rest of the day!

Tell me: What is your favorite breakfast or brunch?

Barney Butter... What are you doing to me?! {Review... And giveaway?}

A while ago the very kind folks at Barney Butter were quite generous to send me the most wonderful "care package" (I call it a care package because it came during exam week and immediately brightened up my life!). A 10oz jar of Crunchy Barney Butter and 2 squeeze packets of the Creamy Barney Butter!

Because I still hadn't finished my MaraNatha almond butter, I convinced myself to wait to try Barney Butter... Since my excitement was too high to stay away, I asked my grandma to hide it from me... Good thing she did because I finally had some today, and now I'm seriously worried... It's way too good to be true... And by "way" I mean it's dangerous for me to be near this jar... because it might not be around for much longer...

It's crunchy (which made me realize how much I love and miss chunky nut butters!). It's slightly sweet (a product of natural sweetness of almonds and the addition of evaporated cane juice). And of course, it has a hint of salty...

The texture is phenomenal... Apart from the chunks of almonds, the butter is soooo smooth. And there is something caramel-like about it, too! I want to say it's a whole lot like peanut butter disguised in the healthier version of almond butter! ...oh dear...

And apart from its deliciousness, what some of you may find to be especially notable is that Barney Butter is peanut-free and made in a peanut-free facility! So if you or someone you know is allergic to peanuts, not to worry! Barney Butter has come to the rescue! :)

So after begging my grandma to finally give it to me (I still haven't finished MaraNatha but didn't want to wait any longer), I finally enjoyed this spoonful of heaven atop my fave, one and only, protein muffin...

But not the good ole' banana vanilla protein muffin that started my protein muffin revolution...

Meet the Vanilla-Apple-Hemp seed Protein Muffin!

Dry Ingredients:
1 scoop of SunWarrior Vanilla Protein Powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp Nutiva hemp seeds(!!!)

Wet Ingredients:
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water; mix and allow to stand for ~3 min)

Directions: Mix the wet into the dry, and stir until mixture forms batter. Microwave for 3 min in a microwave-safe dish and allow to stand for another few min. Remove from the dish and enjoy with any toppings of choice! I went for that Barney Butter right away. :)

A fantastic, filling, delicious, and healthy breakfast. I was thinking about it as I was falling asleep last night. I wanted something protein-packed because I went running and lifted last night and needed better recovery today.

So while I bragged about this incredible new almond butter discovery, I'm sorry if I made you jealous!

Just take a look at these nutrition facts, and if you weren't impressed before... something tells me you'll want to try Barney Butter now...

[Click on the image for more details!]

So... was I right or was I right? ;)

Tell me: would you like to try Barney Butter, too?

If yes, comment below and I'll see what I can do about a giveaway! :)

I hope your weekend is going well! Thanks for stopping by, as always.

This Week's Protein Favorites & Chobani Giveaway Winner!

I recently rediscovered my love for egg white omelets... They bring back so many college memories. While I was there, my university had already begun to make great efforts toward conscientious and sustainable eating by offering farm-fresh & cage-free eggs, grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, and local organic produce. By the time senior year rolled around, there was an entire vegan salad bar resembling that of Whole Foods! Roasted beet salad with clementines... Merinated mushrooms... Roasted tofu... And even seitan!

In the mornings, I would often let the chef get creative with my omelets. Each time, I would find a different combination of veggies in my omelet and the absolutely best was when there was ooey gooey cheesy goodness. When I gave up meat and then dairy, the chef embraced the new challenge - he would add tofu or smokey tempeh (amazing!). On some mornings, I would bring my own container of Daiya or nutritional yeast, and he would recreate the cheesy goodness. Of course, this was truly special... and happened only because I was one of theee first students to come to the dining hall as soon as it opened at 7am (I was always an early bird, with early lectures, and looked forward to waking up early to start my productive day!)

I recently shifted my focus from cardio (mainly in the form of running) to strength-training (all done at home with resistance bands! I'm dreaming of a gym membership because I'm getting bored of working out at home), and have been trying to make some appropriate changes in my diet, too.

I have always loved eggs, and you know I'm especially obsessed with runny yolks! (Check out all of my Happyolks posts!). The yolk unfortunately has a bad rep because of its cholesterol content, but I surely hope ya'll don't think that it's bad for you! The egg as a whole is the perfect source of complete protein, folate, B vitamins, and lecithin (one of my fave bloggers, Sarah, just wrote a wonderful post on the incredible, edible egg yolk), and the cholesterol is actually good for for blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels! So, don't fear the happyolk! Embrace it :)

Because I always do, it's important that I don't over-do on my happyolks, and on some days I do choose to go with the egg white only. However, I don't believe in letting the beautiful egg yolk go to waste. Instead, I've invested in liquid egg whites!

Today's egg white omelet was filled with fresh veggies - my fave combo from the college days: broccoli, cauliflower, and red pepper.

A side of ketchup is a must.

My other recent protein-licious creation, as you may have noticed, is the protein muffin, inspired by the very awesome Chelsey. I've been making one nearly every day, and now that I've got the hang of it and know the recipe by heart, I decided to get creative with the flavors...

Today's protien muffin: {Chocolate - Almond Butter Swirl Lava Protein Muffin}... okay, that's too long...

Swirl? Because it has two layers - bottom is the regular vanilla, top is chocolate, but it came out swirled!

Lava? Because it has an almond butter center!

Yup, I'm proud of this one :)

Ingredients: (Serves 1)

• 1 scoop Sunwarrior Vanilla protein powder


• 1/8 tsp. salt (helps to balance the "chalkiness" of protein powders! works like magic!)


• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon


• 1/8 tsp. baking soda


• 1/4 tsp. vanilla


• 1/4 cup fruit puree (i.e. banana, pumpkin, apple, pear, carrot - in fact, you can use baby food!)


• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp. ground flax + 3 tbsp. warm water, left to sit for ~3 minutes)


• cooking spray


• 1 tsp. cocoa powder


• 1 tbsp nut butter

Directions:

1. First combine the dry (except the cocoa powder), and then add the wet ingredients.


2. Stir until you have a "batter" - it will be sticky and thick!


3. Spray the baking dish with cooking spray.


4. Scoop 1/2 of the batter and spread to cover the bottom of the baking dish.


5. Make an indent in the middle and scoop the spoonful of nut butter.


6. Stir in the cocoa powder to the remaining 1/2 of the batter, and add to the baking dish to completelyy cover the nut butter.


7. Microwave for 3min and allow to stand for a minute or so.


8. Use a butter knife to loosen the muffin away from the edges.


9. Enjoy! I love to top my protein muffin with more nut butter or fruit preserves, or to crumble it on top of Greek yogurt for even more protein!

Last but definitely not least, the Chobani Champions has also made it to the Top 3 Protein Favorites of the Week! Indeed, Chobani Champions is the first Greek yogurt for kids, but who says an adult can't enjoy this delicious and healthy goodness? I'm a total fan!

These are smaller than the "adult" Chobani - 3.5oz instead of 6oz, and contains 8g (16% DV) of protein, about 100 calories. Creamy, smooth, and sweet (but not too sweet), they are a perfect afternoon snack. I've only tried the Vanilla Chocolate Chunk and the Orange Vanilla flavors. You can actually see the chocolate and the orange zest. Yup - that's what I call real food with real ingredients! Looks like there are also 2 other flavors! Honey Nanna and Verry Berry. YUM!

...Speaking of Chobani... Thanks to everyone for entering the Chobani Giveaway! The lucky winner will be getting an assortment case of Chobani Greek Yogurt!

...AND THE WINNER IS...

PARISA!

Congrats, girl! With just one comment entry, you're one lucky duck! Please check your email!

TGIF! Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

xoxo. Veronica

P.S. Please share your favorite sources of protein! Would love to hear from you! 

My Vegified #WIAW

I'm excited to join hundreds of other bloggers in the What I Ate Wednesday movement! And I certainly vegified today's meals, as Peas & Crayons encouraged (Love that blog to pieces!) :) My WIAW featured lots of eating and snacking - my appetite was through the roof!

{Breakfast - 7 a.m.} - Vanilla Protein Pancakes with toasted almond slices and strawberries. Lots of coffee, too, because I just couldn't wake up this morning! I love this breakfast - it's so filling and healthy (23g of protein = 50% DV!!!), and the endless variety of toppings makes it fun and something to look forward to in the morning. I actually prepared the pancakes "batter" last night and kept it in the fridge. And get this - since I don't have a blender and since this is a one-serving recipe all for me (thus too small for a food processor), I blended the ingredients in a coffee grinder! Worked like magic :)

{Snack - 10:30a.m.} - A juicy pear that my dear N gifted me yesterday for Valentine's Day. Only best friends gift each other with fruit :)

{Lunch 12p.m.} - A mixed salad with balsamic strawberries (which I made last night by soaking strawberry slices in balsamic vinegar and a dash of brown sugar) amd roasted tofu cubes. D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s. Another friend treated with to a red velvet cookie - so moist and oh so yum!

{Snack/ lunch numero dos - 3:30pm} - When I got home from school, I knew I needed something to hold me over til dinner. So, I had a bowl of Borscht soup and pita chips with hummus (still obsessed with hummus... but I officially finished the big container we got at Costco... tear)

{Dinner - 7p.m.} - A gorgeous salad with more of my balsamic strawberries, pan-roasted brussels sprouts with caramelized onion, and shrimp-onions-broccoli-red bell pepper stir fry.

{Dessert - 8:30p.m.} - Have you ever heard of "aerated chocolate"?! That's the literal translation of this Russian treat we got at the Russian store! The bubbles make it so smooth and light - love how it melts!

And have you ever tried this unbelievably delicious and healthy sweet treat? Apparently it claims to be a snack, but to me - there is nothing about it that doesn't scream "dessert"! These bite-size brown rice crispy "almond pops" are heavenly - AND currently sold in Costco!!! Take a look at this list of ingredients: oven baked almonds, rice syrup, puffed brown rice, dried cranberries, puffed white rice, cane sugar, crispy rice, molasses, sea salt, natural flavors. Wow. I have a feeling I'll need to stock up on these before they are forever gone from Costco. I've never seen them before and have no idea where else I would get them again.

And so, here is to my very first What I Ate Wednesday and to the many more to come! It's so fun to document my daily eats - it allows me to make a retrospective review of my dietary habits to see how I eat and if I need to change any habits... I've noticed a recent increase in my sweet tooth activity, which I think I should address... I think. Baby steps. Just listening to my body and trying to be good to it!

Don't forget to enter the Chobani giveaway!

A Day of Love {Chobani GIVEAWAY}

Click here to jump to Chobani Review & Giveaway details or just keep reading!

...I know I'm sort of late with this one, but... HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! I hope it was filled with love, laughter, and joy, and spent with your loved one(s)!

[Mine was spent mostly eating, napping, and studying but that's because M and I are celebrating this weekend! We are going skiing! Woo-hoo!]

Let's recap today's eats & treats, shall we? This morning's Happyolks were perfect! Did you know that if you cover the eggs with a lid while they are frying, they will become like over-easy eggs?! Why did I just make this discovery? So much less fuss tan having to flip the eggs! The longer the lid stays on, the more cooked the yolk becomes. Mine was a perfect 50/50! I looooove runny yolks, but not too runny, or else it's just too gooey for me.

I adorned my Happyolks with a dash of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast. Cup of joe and toasted pita, and I was ready to take on the day!

Lunch featured a ginormous salad with salmon. A gorgeous orange for the sweet tooth... and...

N made me a CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKE! And brought a pear just for me! (she knows how much I love pears!) What a sweetheart that girl is. Always so thoughtful and caring. BFFs! haha.

 OMG. Look. at. the. peanut butter. filling.

I napped for 2 hours once I got home... I am still so exhausted from my weekend travels! Thanks to my mom, I woke up refreshed to the smell of freshly brewed decaf coffee (...somehow, it magically wakes me up! Decaf coffee is such a trickster!) ...Had peach Chobani with granola to hold me over til dinner.

Dinner featured salad adorned with sweet corn and horseradish "salad dressing" and spinach raviolis on the side! [and yes, that's yet another new member of our dish family!] I love big bowls & plates.

Of course I had to pay tribute to today being Valentine's Day and the fact that the Chocolate Espresso Cookie from Firehook Bakery was an arms distance away... With a cup of vanilla chai, I left the dinner table oh so pleased!

But this day of LOVE doesn't have to and isn't going to end just yet! How do you feel about gettin' some CHO LOVE? [...what kind of question is that, right?!] I am a huge fan of Chobani Greek Yogurt - you'll find it in my oatmeal, baked goods, in soups and salads in place of sour cream, and most importantly, in my post-workout snacks! It's such a healthy and nutritious way to nourish and refuel the body.

Chobani recently treated me to an assortment case of 12 different CHO flavors - now that's what I call being in Chobani Heaven! Can't get much better than that! Since I've always bought my Chobani from Costco, where the case includes blueberry, strawberry, and peach flavors, I was was excited to finally try the other flavors! There is not a single one I don't love.

The reasons to love CHO are endless...

• Tastes DIVINE
• Zero grams of fat (0% flavors)
• Up to 15g protein (which is 32% DV!)
• An average of 120-160 calories
• All natural ingredients
• 17 different and all delicious flavors

Chobani wins over my heart time and time again... Just when I think I have a favorite flavor, I discover a new one I love just as much... So, thanks to the very generous and kind folks at Chobani, here are the flavors I tried (and LOVED) and the ones one lucky winner will get!

Raspberry 0%

Blueberry 0%

Strawberry 0%

Cherry 0%

Strawberry 0%

Lemon 0%

Pomegranate 0%

Peach 0%

Vanilla 0%

Plain 0%

Strawberry Banana 2%

Pinapple 2%

I actually highly recommend that you try the 2% CHO - it's creamier and the flavors are so rich! Don't fear the 2% - just remember, a healthy diet with everything in moderation (including healthy fats and occasional treats) will keep you happy, healthy, and satisfied! :)

So... would you like an assortment case of Chobani Love, too? Show some love by entering this giveaway! Here is how to enter (leave a separate comment for each step that you complete):

• What's you favorite Chobani flavor, favorite way to eat it, or favorite Chobani recipe?
• Like {my eats & treats} on Facebook
• Follow {my eats & treats} on Twitter
• Like Chobani on Facebook
• Follow Chobani on Twitter
• Like this post
• Subscribe to this blog via email or WordPress follow!

You have until February 29th @ midnight EST to enter! That's two whole weeks! What are you waiting for?!

City Traveler {From Philly to DC}

Hey there! Hope you had a fantastic weekend! It felt like a super long weekend for me... but  that's because mine was 3-days long. As you know, I was quite the traveler over the past four days. First, I visited M in Philadelphia, and then I joined my friends from medical school for AMA Lobby Day in Washington DC. Lobby Day was such a wonderful learning experience. We learned about several issues affecting our lives as medical students and future caregivers, and then discussed these concerns with members of Congress. I'm not the best public speaker (I get really nervous and my Russian accent kicks in!), but I think I actually go the hang of it over the last few days!

Here is a pictureful recap of the many scrumptious eats & treats from the trip!

I got to Phlly right around lunchtime on Saturday, and there was a rumbly in my tumbly! M whipped up a phenomenal and huge bowl of salad for me! Mixed greens, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, cheese, and to-die-for cured & preserved black olives (I probably ate like 20 of those...). M loved the Chocolate Banana Almond Butter Cakelettes/Muffins I baked for him the night before. His favorite part = the almond butter filling! Next time, I will add a bit more of the almond butter, since the cakelette is twice the size of the muffins Christina made with her original recipe.

To celebrate Valentine's Day a little early, we decided to make dinner together... I've been dying to try pappardelle pasta, and we stumbled across Lemon Pepper Pappardella at Trader Joe's, which I took as a sign that we had to make it! Sauteed shrimp, made in garlic butter sauce with onions and fresh tomatoes... We were in food heaven! While watching the movie 50/50 (which I highly recommend - it's definitely one of my favorites after watching it just once!), we shared Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream (What a treat! it. was. incredible.)

I had to wake up at 5:30am on Sunday to catch the bus to DC. Not my favorite thing to do on a Sunday morning, but you do, what you gotta do!  Thankfully, breakfast and a huge cup of coffee made it aaaaall much better!

What this beautiful bowl of mixed cereals doesn't show you is the spoonful of this peanut butter hiding under the giant pile of blueberries. This jar may have been M's roomate's, but no one has to know that! Shhh! I found it in the fridge, and it was actually solid, and SO GOOD! Like peanut butter chips with peanut chunk and banana flavor. I need to find this ASAP!

Nearly 6 hours later, I reunited with my friends in DC and we paid a very-much-so-awaited visit to Busboys & Poets restaurant. Of the 12 of us there, not a single one was not pleased with his/her meal. The food was fantastic, the atmosphere so cozy, the vibe was simply great.

Art by local artists was displayed on every wall (how cool are these female/male bathroom signs?!), funky jazz-y music was  all around. There was even a small bookstore. The atmosphere was perfect for lounging, eating, socializing, and reading. We so didn't want to leave.

I was amazed by the amount of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu, all of which were far from boring. Unable to decide, my vegetarian-partner-in-crime, M (gosh, why do all of my friends have the same first initial?!) and I decided to order and share the Avocado and Tempeh paninis. Now that's what I call the best of both worlds! The paninis were huge, so I decided transfer the components of the Tempeh Panini into the Avocado Panini - the combination of all the flavors rocked my taste buds! And yes, the capuccino was just as perfect as it looked in its adorable mug. I honestly think that the mug makes a world of a difference when sipping on hot coffee or tea. It adds an element of coziness that can't be replaced.

Several meetings and group discussions later, it was dinner time at last! Not sure what part of DC the cab took us to, but our destination was an Ethiopian restaurant Meskerem. M and I devoured this vegetarian dish made with all sorts of lentil, pea, potato, and spinach dishes. I love eating with injera - no need for utensils, and this sourdough-like "crepe" is so light and delicious!

Though all 12 of us were stuffed after Meskerem, our sweet tooth (teeth??) kicked in, and all we had to do was cross the street to find ourselves at Tryst Coffeehouse.  This picture does not do it justice... We ordered... three different cakes, two of which were cheesecakes, incredible loose leaf teas (with animal crackers on top, haha!), and chocolate waffles topped with nutella and strawberries that made us all go wow.

The next day we woke up at 6:30am to this serene view...

And after continental breakfast and more conference meetings, we went to conquer the city, one Congressman at a time! The day was sunny but chilly. All of our meetings were great success - I really enjoyed bringing forward our concerns, and it felt great to be heard and our efforts appreciated.

After Sunday's feasts, my body was craving for something green and crispy... a ginormous salad from the Senate's cafeteria!! Let's not talk about the fact that this salad cost me $12... it was worth it... And thanks to this salad, I discovered my new love for pears in my salad! To be recreated at home :)

Many meetings and miles later, we found our tired feet at the Firehook Bakery & Coffee House. What a perfect and energizing afternoon treat! (Thank you, sugar and chocolate!) What you don't know is that these cookies are the size of your face... And every. single. bite. was totally worth it. By favorite was this chocolate espresso cookie.  I'm a crunchy cookie type of girl, and this was a hybrid of gooey brownie encrusted by a meringue shell. wow. I bought several to bring home for my family for Valentine's Day. :)

And thus our trip came to an end. Five hours later (at midnight), we were back home, exhausted yet so inspired by what we've accomplished and by how much fun we all had. I hope to visit DC soon! There is still so much more to explore!

Have you ever been in Washington DC? What are your favorite spots?