The Blog

Growing up in my youth before I was of junior high age, I played community league basketball on Saturdays. At least one if not both of my parents would be in attendance. My father and I had this tradition of a post-game Tim Horton’s donut after each game: win or lose. My Dad would get his coffee (large, 2 sugars) and I would select my favourite treat: either the Boston Creme Supreme (filled with REAL whipped cream) or the double chocolate-dipped cake donut. It’s funny the small things in life you never forget.

Fast-forward to today, and I’m bound and determined to (once again) recreate a traditional treat into something creatively nutritious! I acquired a pumpkin protein donut recipe via Pinterest several months ago, but just the other evening I thought to take it a couple steps further and turn it into something spectacular. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Double Chocolate-Chocolate Love ‘Pronut’: made with the high quality Magnum Quattro Chocolate Love protein! These are high in protein, low in carbs, and reasonably low fat. The topping is definitely optional, but I highly recommend you go all-out with this one 😉 Enjoy!!

Recipe

*yields approx 10 servings

• 1 cup pumpking puree at room temperature*
• 1/3 cup liquid egg whites at room temperature*
• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 4 scoops Magnum Quattro Protein in Chocolate Love
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• dash of salt
• donut tin

*it is essential to have these ingredients at room temperature so the coconut oil doesn’t coagulate

Icing

• 1 scoop Magnum Quattro Protein Powder in Chocolate Love
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 4 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped or chocolate sprinkles (optional)

Ready for the cooling rack, pre-iced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Grease donut tin with non-stick spray
3. Combine pumpkin puree, egg whites, and coconut oil in a separate bowl
4. Combine 4 scoops protein powder, baking powder, 2 tbsp cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl
5. Mix contents of both bowls until well blended and smooth
6. Place batter in fridge for 5-10 minutes
7. Add batter to donut tin: be sure to not ‘overfill’ each tin
8. Bake for 8-9 min or until batter is cooked through (test with knife/toothpick)

Do not over-bake the pronuts! (From experience) this will give you a very dry product.

Allow to cool before topping each with icing and chocolate chips.

These keep best when stored in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place or in the fridge.

Chocolatey-goodness sized to scale 😉

Macros (includes topping) per pronut: 129 calories; 4.3 g F; 8.7 g C; 15.4 g P; 1.9 g fibre

Baking was one of my very favourite pastimes growing up. Truthfully, to this day I’m not sure if it was the actual act of baking I loved or the tasting of the goods- especially the batter!! Peanut butter cookies were my absolute favourite to make. Fresh out the oven, my Dad and brother would pop them in their mouths like tic tacs!

Fast forward to today and I still have that very same love for baking. I still have the same sweet tooth, though my fitness goals require me to make smarter choices as to how I satisfy it. This is one of my very favourite go-tos to curb those hankerings for something sinful: the Protein Blondie. It has a chickpea base with natural peanut butter as a binder, so you get that rich, almost-doesn’t-taste-healthy satisfaction. I simply adore peanut butter, and if you try these you’ll see why I love this recipe so much 😉 It is super easy and quick to make; a balance snack to have on the go or pre/post workout. Enjoy! 🙂

Fresh out the oven

Recipe

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 heaping scoop Magnum Quattro Protein in Vanilla Soft Serve flavour

1/3 cup natural creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup sugar-free syrup

1 whole egg

1/2 tsp baking powder

Sea salt, dash (optional)

Splenda/stevia, to taste

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips/peanut butter chips (optional)

The batter will be quite thick: pictured here is my trusty Vitamix

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
2. Place all ingredients (except for chocolate/peanut butter chips) in a blender/food processor. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour batter into a sprayed 8 x 8 inch pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle chips on top, if desired.
4. Bake 15-20 mins: until edges are golden, and knife comes out clean from the centre. Cut into 16 squares once cooled. These can be enjoyed immediately, though I really enjoy them cold. These are best kept stored in the fridge.

Macronutrients (per square, with chips): 82 calories; 4 g F; 7 g C; 4.8 g P; 1.2 g fibre

I thought about sharing this meal idea of mine over the past week; as I curled up on my couch to enjoy my post-run meal the television talk-show The Social was featuring what I was eating: SMOOTHIE BOWLS!! Coincidence? I think not!

As stated on the program, the popularity of the ‘smoothie bowl’ is likely the combination of 2 great things: a delicious smoothie, and scrumptious cereal. What I love most about making these tasty, nutrient-dense concoctions is that you really don’t need a recipe at all. I often tend to use what I have on hand, and whichever flavours tickle my fancy for the moment. 2 mainstay ingredients in my bowls: 1/2 a ripe avocado, and a scoop of Magnum Nutraceuticals Quattro Protein!! Rich in healthy fats and essential vitamins, avocados have a mild flavour that blend well with pretty much everything. They add a wonderful creamy texture to the smoothie, and makes for a much more satisfying meal. Magnum’s Quattro protein contains 4 types of isolated protein, one of them being micellar casein. This also aids in the creamy texture, as well as satisfying that hunger. I adore all the flavours Quattro comes in 🙂

Listed below are the 3 different smoothie-bases I use for my ‘bowls’. Because I will use a different cereal depending on what’s on hand, I did not include cereal in the nutrition info. And you can top as your heart desires! These are great to have as a quick breakfast, or as a pre or post workout meal. Have fun and get creative and make them your own!

*Note: each recipe yields one serving.

Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl, topped with country berry granola

Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl

1 scoop Magnum Quattro Protein in Vanilla Ice Cream/Half Baked Cookies and Cream

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or your preferred choice)

1/2-1 cup ice cubes (more ice=thicker smoothie)

1/2 ripe avocado

1/2 medium ripe banana

1/2 cup frozen blueberries/dark berries

1 scoop Magnum Performance Greens (optional)

1/2 cup your cereal of choice

*Blend until smooth and creamy. Top as desired.

Macros: 381 calories, 37 g C; 13 g F; 34 g P

Bananas n Cream Smoothie Bowl, topped with Minion’s Cereal, of course 😉

Banana’s and Cream Smoothie Bowl

1 scoop Magnum Quattro Protein in Vanilla Ice Cream/Half Baked Cookies n Cream

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2-1 cup ice cubes

1/2 ripe avocado

1/2 ripe banana

1/2 cup cereal of choice (optional)

Macros: 302 calories; 22 g C; 11 g F; 33 g P

Decadent tasting with none of the guilt: Double Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

Double Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

1 scoop Magnum Quattro Protein in Chocolate Love/Chocolate Peanut Butter Addiction

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2-1 cup ice cubes

1/2 ripe avocado

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1-2 packets Splenda/stevia (optional)

1 tbsp dark chocolate chips (optional)

*Blend and top with chocolate chips.

Macros (incl. chocolate chips): 298 calories; 15 g C; 14 g F; 33 g P

Half the reason I wanted to start up a blog site was to showcase my take on clean eating. I have put such emphasis over the years on making sure I’m loving the meals I’m eating: and loving what I see in the mirror even more. It really does pain me to hear people say “I would eat good like you, but I love food too much.” Ummm?!?? I ADORE food!! I’m all about ways to create better ways to eat more of what I already love.

My most favourite meal of the day is breakfast. It’s the one meal I never miss!! As a shift worker, I have to be up at 5 bells to make it in by 7 am report (maybe 6:58 on most days)- I am a slow-mover in the morning. To ensure I get a decent meal in before my shift starts, I have been making night-before recipes that are as easy as zap-and-go: zap, optional 😉

I bring you one of my favourite night-before recipes: Baked Banana Protein Oatmeal, by southerninlaw.com!! It is a super-simple, easy, clean, balanced recipe that is DELISH!! My Champ loves it too (he’s not a morning person neither). It has a rich, banana bread taste and texture, and really satisfies. I top mine with natural peanut butter, and even some fat-free whipped topping if it’s around! Banana-cake for breakfast, or as a snack! Give it a try 🙂

Recipe

*Serves 4-6

1 cup quick oats

2 scoops of Quattro Protein powder in Vanilla Ice Cream

2 medium bananas, mashed

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup liquid egg whites

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)

Cinnamon, nutmeg to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease/line 9″ square pan and set aside.
2. Mash your bananas first in a large mixing bowl; add in all other ingredients, mixing until well combined.
3. Pour mixture into baking pan and bake for 35-45 mins: baking time will vary depending on your oven, and type of protein used. Test by pricking centre with either a knife or toothpick; top should be golden-brown.
4. Allow to cool before cutting and serving. Since I make mine the night before, I allow to cool before I store the slices in separate containers in the fridge. This way each portion is ready to go first thing!
5. This can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge- but it won’t last that long 😉 As mentioned, I like to top mine with some natural pb and also a drizzle of sugar-free syrup! Sweet tooth 100% satisfied with 0% guilt.

Macros (if divided into 4 servings): 236 calories; 2.4 g F; 31 g C; 21.6 g P; 4.2 g fibre

Hi, my name is Lindsay, and I’m a ‘basic’ white girl that loves all things pumpkin 😉

Although we are well into February, I love to eat pumpkin everything year-round: it’s not just for fall! Even though Starbucks disagrees… but that’s another topic. I say since you can buy pumpkin puree year-round, then it shall be served year round!

Besides the wonderful flavour and color, pumpkin can add many nutrients to recipes. Rich in fibre and betacarotene and relatively low in calories, there are many reasons to add pumpkin into your nutrition plan. I especially love the moist-density it gives to baked goods 🙂

I came up with this clean-eating (protein powder-free) pumpkin pancake recipe on my own a couple years back- mainly by trial and error. These are hearty and full of flavour (and fibre!), and sure to keep you humming all morning. They are also great as waffles!! I like to top mine with either almond butter or Greek yogurt, depending on my caloric requirements that day. Enjoy… I know you will 😉

Recipe

175 ml liquid egg whites

1/4 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 cup quick oats (dry measure)

2 tbsp ground flax seed

2 tbsp coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

2 tbsp almond milk (for consistency)

Splenda/stevia- to taste (optional)

Ready to flip

Directions

1. Preheat stovetop griddle/saucepan on medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick spray if necessary.
2. Place all measured ingredients into blender/food processor. Add almond milk last to help the batter along. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour batter on to griddle. Since the batter is so dense, it won’t ‘bubble’ when ready: check the underside of pancake at approx 4-5 mins. Flip when browned.
4. Once pancakes are firm in the centre, serve and enjoy!

Macros: 349 calories; 8.5 g F; 36.1 g C; 28.3 g P; 15.4 g fibre

Ready to serve

Waffle mode

I remember eating a lot of tuna sandwiches as a kid. A lot. I also remember my Mom jokingly referring to them as ‘gray sandwiches’- which did not help their likability. Tuna tends to have a fairly neutral-not-so-fishy taste, kind of bland. Mixing this pantry-staple of canned meat with dollops of white mayonnaise time after time- is it any wonder why tuna gets such a ‘boring’ rap??

I can’t remember where/when I learned the valuable advice of swapping out mayonnaise for avocados to mix with my tuna, but I have been doing it ever since! Avocados also have a very neutral taste, but have far greater health benefits than white mayo. Rich in healthy fats, avocados are (I find) a lot more satiating than the white stuff. And the colour!! The vibrant green-yellow flesh of the fruit makes for a lot more visually-appealing meal.

A picture-perfect, beautifully ripened avocado 🙂

I give you my easy, no measure clean tuna salad recipe! You may eat this on it’s own, with veggies, in a whole wheat wrap- sometimes I eat it on rice cakes or unsalted crackers (Premium Plus, all the way!).

Recipe:

1 can tuna, packed in water (my fave is Ocean’s flaked/chunk white tuna)

1/2 ripe avocado

1 tsp lemon juice

2 springs cilantro (optional)

Dash garlic powder, cayenne pepper, sea salt, pepper, paprika (all to taste)

1/4 cup chopped greens (ie. celery, kale, green pepper- whatever you have on hand)

Macros: 212 calories; 10 g F; 7 g C; 24 g P; 5 g fibre

Directions:

1. Start by taking half your avocado, sliced into cubes, and place into small mixing bowl. Add can of tuna; mash the two together until well incorporated.
2. Add lemon juice and seasonings. Stir until well incorporated.
3. Add your greens (of choice) into the mixture.
4. Sprinkle with additional seasonings (if desired) and serve!

All mashed, and ready to eat!