Low Cal Treats

Happy Friday round up 

/ BethonBeauty / Leave a comment

Jeans are a ‘year round’ wardrobe staple. Dark, light, skinny, flare, boyfriend – so many styles. Thankfully, I can wear jeans to work which gives me more of a reason to own 5 too many pairs.

So, what’s the point here?

It’s to share a new (to me) pair of jeans that I picked up for the summer. They may appear to be nothin special – but these babies are SUPER soft and have a good stretch. They’re comfortable and flattering. They loosen up as you wear them but don’t bag out. I got mine a size down and they’re perfect. Not skin tight, and have a little give after I wear them for an hour or so. Once you wash em, they’ll tighten up again. Overall, great pair of pants that hit right at the ankle – perfect for sandals/flip flops/wedges. Also, wash isn’t too light (I find too light styles can make thighs look bigger – na thanks!).

Name: J brand jeans in Imagine

Buy em here: @Neimans

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Next up, in a totally unrelated category – this new hair brush I bought off Amazon. It claims to help dry hair faster – because there are lil pieces of absorbent towel-like fabric between the bristles. I was skeptical, but I bought it. It lives up to its promise. It definitely helps get excess water out of my hair. I wouldn’t say it drastically changes my drying time – but it helps. Anything that minimizes the time I spent sweatin to the oldies in front of the hair dryer is good to me. See pic below of this funky brush.

Name: Goody QuickStyle 

Buy it here: Goody QuikStyle half round brush Color: Blue / Silver

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Last thing – I’ve been in the market for a new protien bar for awhile. I realize many of these so called bars are closer to a candy bar than anything healthy. BUT, for me – if I can find one with the right ingredients and less sugar, I’m game. Because…if i have something like this in my purse, I’ll reach for it when I’m hungry rather than an office cookie or candy. By grabbing one of these vs. total junk, I save myself from going into a sugar spiral. Which is a classic Beth move. That’s when I start with one cookie or piece of candy and then think F%CK IT (I’ve already eaten crap) and just go bananas eating more. So, needless to say, these convenient bars often keep me on track during a busy work day. I’d heard a lot about ‘QUEST’ bars. I was skeptical. But through the magic of Amazon, I was able to order a variety box and get within 2 days so I could finally test out the hype. Well…let me tell you…they’re tasty. I got the chocolate variety pack – I didn’t hate any of the flavors but I LOVE the OREO and the COOKIE DOUGH the best.

What I like other than the taste: low sugar, gluten free (although I’m not a gluten free eater)

Now here is where I sound like a hypocrit – I don’t trust nor know all the ingredients in these bars. They have ‘natural flavors’ which is a red flag for lab created aka not from nature ingredients. I like these bars as a quick snack to keep me on track but I don’t allow myself more than 1 per day. And if you have the time or if you’re good at planning ahead, opt for some raw nuts or fresh fruit over any so called protien bar.

Name: Quest bar 

Buy em here: Quest Nutrition Protein Bar – Chocolate Lovers Variety Box of 12 (Packaging may vary)

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Happy Friday!

creamy Protein shake recipe! 

/ BethonBeauty / Leave a comment

There are some protein shake recipes that make an excellent replacement for that ice cream you’re craving.* Really. I’m serious.

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Below is a new recipe I whipped together this AM.

        • Cup and a 1/2 of unsweetened coconut milk
        • Handful and a 1/2 of fresh berries – blueberries & strawberries (or you can do frozen berries as a substitute for the ice cubes)
        • A big tablespoon of {Justin’s Vanilla Almond Butter, 16 Ounce} this stuff is so good. I typically do the unsweetened kind but I had to try the vanilla and woa, it’s good
        • A few ice cubes

Blend…pour….and enjoy!

This is such a tasty & filling protein shake. Doesn’t have that artificial sweetener after-taste.

Next time you’re in the mood for a sweet, cold treat – maybe try this?! It kept me full for a couple hours

#yum

There she is – in my Maureen & Brian’s wedding mason jar :0)

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*Discloser: I’m still going to have ice cream today…it’s Memorial Day Weekend after all!

Had to share this protein shake recipe!

/ BethonBeauty / 1 Comment

2012 is the year of wedding planning and prep for me…I nearly lost my mind on a couple of occasions and have obsessed over everything from centerpieces, to my hair length, to my diet…it has been pretty exhausting but I can say I’ve learned a lot in the 8 or so months – especially about my diet and what makes me feel good vs. sick or too full or crampy. I’ve always been active but in the last year have picked up my work out routine and interest in healthier eating. Please don’t get me wrong, I frequently eat sweet treats and find myself out to dinner with my fiance for no good reason! – but, I have found a few key things that help me stay on track when I’m trying to be good. One thing in particular is my typical weekday breakfast – of the most delicious and filling protein shake.

Typically, I work out at 5:30am and this is a good post work out shake – however, I often have it even if I haven’t worked out because it keeps me full and it’s so easy to have on the run.

I searched hard to find a protein powder that avoids 3 things: dairy, soy, and gluten. Why you ask? Dairy– because I was having stomach troubles for months and got the lactose intolerance test…although my results were ‘inconclusive’ – it was highly recommended I avoid dairy…plus, I still get creeped out eating too much dairy with all the hormones they pump into dairy products. And I know dairy upsets my stomach and it also makes me feel bloated. Again, don’t get me wrong this doesn’t mean I avoid it completely – you will find me eating ice cream here and there, and indulging when I feel it’s worth it. Soy because it has been well documented that soy is not a great ingredient for women – and soy is in everything, it’s scary. I won’t go into this topic too much – hey, I’m not a nutritionist nor a doctor – but from what I’ve read on soy, it is worth avoiding. And lastly, why gluten? Well, although I don’t have a gluten intolerance I do think that there is too much gluten in our diets – so again, avoiding it in my morning breakfast felt right for me. So after much trial and error – and tasting of flavors – I landed on this brand:

Vega Sport

It is called Performance Protein

It is plant-based – soy, gluten, and dairy FREE!

It comes in 3 flavors but I love the Chocolate

120 cals / 1g fat / 6g carbs / <1g sugar / 26g protein per serving – those are some pretty good #s! low fat, carbs, and sugar! and a pretty solid serving of protein

Here is the link if you want more info: http://vegasport.com/en/recover/performance-proteinImage

Where to buy: Whole Foods or Drugstore.com

The 28.9 oz. container will run you about $55 – but it’s huge – and it’ll last a couple of months if not longer…I have this almost everyday for breakfast, so if you do the math it is probably more economical and HEALTHIER than buying my own breakfast!

Now the recipe – I use the Magic Bullet – which I love because it’s compact and easy to clean, you can also use the actual blender cup to drink from if you’re in a rush/don’t have any travel cups – in one of the larger Magic Bullet cups I put:

  • 1 scoop VegaSport protein powder
  • 1 cup of almond or coconut milk (unsweetened kind/no sugar in either!)
  • 1/2 cup of water (to add volume!)
  • 1 cup of frozen berries (I go with blueberries and strawberries – from Trader Joes or Whole Foods) – I like frozen because they’re cheaper, and make your shake cold, like a real shake!
  • Sometimes 1/2 a banana depending on how many berries I put in
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • Teaspoon or so of flaxseed (doesn’t taste like anything – but adds some omega-3s)
  • And one of my all time favorites – PB2 – powdered peanut butter – I won’t even get started on this, because it’s great for a lot of reasons – this isn’t a required ingredient – but it sure makes my shake tastier and richer: http://www.bellplantation.com/products/4-pack-pb2-powdered-peanut-butter.html

Blend for 30 seconds or so – pour into a travel cup and GO! so yummy!

Overall, this is a low sugar shake, which is surprising! The sugar really only comes from the fruit! PB2 only has 1g of sugar in 2 tablespoons. This is a delicious shake – you don’t feel like you’re drinking something flavorless…it is super tasty and chocolatey.

Love this! Do you use a protein shake – if so, which kind?

No pudging around

/ BethonBeauty / 2 Comments

Love chocolate? But also trying to be smarter about dessert choices? (ppfff)

I can’t recall when I first learned about No Pudge…but since it was introduced to me, I’ve consumed many a’ box. I was sold when someone said the words chocolate, no fat, low-calorie BROWNIES in one sentence.

Of course, I assumed No Pudge would taste funky, or be unsatisfying (like many no fat desserts!). BUT, I was beyond excited after my first batch of No Pudge – realizing that they taste like the real-deal. I was convinced this was some type of magical recipe.

The ‘secret’ is, No Pudge uses – fat-free yogurt in place of oil, butter, or eggs. You can also substitute yogurt for applesauce, soy yogurt, or tofu for lactose free brownies.

No Pudge is sold at most grocery stores ~$3.50 a 13.7 oz. box. I usually find it at Stop & Shop. I stick to the original chocolate – but they also have: raspberry, mint, and cappuccino. I once ordered a bulk box off of Amazon.com so that I would have a reserve of No Pudge, it was weird…but I never regretted it. I try to keep a box on hand for when  chocolate cravings strike.

The coolest thing is – you can make a single serving in the microwave in only 1 minute! Aside from the fact that you don’t have to cook a whole batch if you’re cooking for one, there is also no need to wait for the oven to pre-heat. You can make + enjoy in record time

Here is the single serve recipe:

For toppings, I like rainbow sprinkles…or a tiny bit of peanut butter. Hey, it needs some fat.

Check out No Pudge here: http://www.nopudge.com/index.html

Feel free to share your No Pudge experience or favorite topping(s)!