Maple Walnut Freeze

For the past 7 weeks I've been doing a crossfit challenge that incorporates fitness and nutrition. The diet level I chose is pretty strict, basically strict paleo. In the need for something sweet, I got to creating again. 

In a food processor put:

6 bananas

1 can of full-fat coconut milk

12 medjool dates

1 cup of pure maple syrup

Process on high until smooth. Pour into a freezer-proof bowl. Mix in 1/2 cup cacao nibs and 1 cup of chopped raw walnuts. You can alter the amounts of these 2 ingredients if you want.  Cover and freeze. Stir it every hour or so. You may need to let it soften a bit before you eat it.

Cheers!

Angie 

Peaches & Cream

So easy. 3 simple ingredients. 

1 cup of almond milk

1 banana

2 peaches

Everything goes in the blender until smooth. 

Peanut Butter Cup Freeze

Giving up ice cream, especially Perry's ice cream sandwiches, was the hardest thing for me when I went gf/df.

I've had it suggested to me to use frozen bananas to create ice cream but have always been hesitant.  I don't like mushy bananas and I couldn't imagine this not being mushy.  

I finally grew a set and made some. I figure peanut butter and cacao makes everything better, right?

In a food processor put:

2 frozen bananas

1/4 cup of organic peanut butter

2 tablespoons of cacao

Mix until completely blended. 

Top with crushed raw almonds and cacao nibs. 

Snickers Bar Buzzzzz

I originally had a different name for this but when my coach said it tasted like a Snickers Bar I changed it. I usually get inspiration for names based on the flavor and I was going for something like Kicked Up Monkey or something like that. After his comment though I noticed it too. The instant espresso gives this a great caffeine punch. The dates give it the caramel flavor. I used cacao powder to flavor it and added the whole nibs as an afterthought. I love the crunch they have and it was perfect in this smoothie.  This was the perfect pick-me-up for my 6 hour road trip to Fort Drum today and I'm pretty sure it'll carry me through the Rolling Stones concert I'm going to tonite! 

Cheers!

Angie

2 cups of almond milk

2 scoops of protein powder

1/4 cup of cacao powder

1/4 cup of instant espresso  

3 tblsps of hemp powder

2 tblsps of maca powder

2 tblsps of mesquite powder

1 tblsp of lucuma powder

3 tblsps of rolled or Irish oats

Handful of raw almonds

1/2 cup of peanut butter

2 bananas

6-8 medjool dates 

8-10 ice cubes

Chopped cacao nibs

Put everything except the ice and cacao nibs in the blender. Once it's blended, start adding the ice. After you pour it into glasses or whatever, add the cacao nibs. You can add however many you want. This recipe makes enough for 2-3!

Cherry Milkshake

OK so I lied. Not much of an experiment as it was some basic ingredients. Still, I love love love cherries and this was pretty thick and tasted close to a milkshake.  I didn't use ice in this because the cherries and berries were frozen.

2 cups of almond milk

1 scoop of protein powder 

1 banana

1/4 cup of raw hazelnuts

1/2 cup of black raspberries 

2+ cups of cherries

You know the drill. Throw everything but the cherries in and blend. Add the cherries a little at a time. 

Smokin' Sit-Up Maple Smoothie

While rummaging through Trader Joe's I came across maple water. Basically it's the unprocessed sap from maple trees. I live in Western New York so I've had the opportunity to taste pure unprocessed maple sap. It's consistency is very much like water and it tastes like water that has been flavored with a touch of maple syrup. Just to be clear, when I say maple syrup I don't mean Log Cabin or Mrs Butterworth's etc. I'm talking about 100% pure maple syrup. Nothing artificial. 

I made this smoothie this morning and had some before my WOD. That might be why I beat my coach's time in gymnastics and his number of sit-ups in the WOD.  Maybe I should have brought him his earlier!  I told him it needed a name and he suggested Smokin Sit-Up Smoothie. I liked it so I used it. 

It's pretty sweet. I put the ice in while instead of crushing it in the mixer but you can crush it if you like.

1 cup of almond milk

1 cup of maple water

2 bananas

6 medjool dates

2 scoops of protein powder

3 tblsps of hemp powder

3 tblsps of Irish oats

1 handful of raw almonds

8-12 ice cubes

Everything goes in the blender on high until smooth. 

Chocolate Sweet Potato Protein

Last sweet potato experiment for the week.  I think I could probably add them to any of my recipes at this point. 

You can use any raw nuts and any nut butter that you like. I just use what's laying around. 

And no.......there's no picture. I forgot to take one again and it was gone before I remembered. 

2 cups of almond milk

1 scoop of protein powder

3 tablespoons of hemp powder

3 tablespoons of whole oats 

3 tablespoons of cacao powder or nibs

1-3 tablespoons of instant espresso 

1/4 c organic peanut butter

1/4 c raw hazelnuts

4 medjool dates

1 banana

1 sweet potato

12 ice cubes

Cube and cook the sweet potato in the microwave or oven until it's soft then let it cool completely. 

Throw everything but the ice cubes in a high powered blender.  As its mixing, add the ice one cube at a time.  You may also have to add a little more milk to thin it out.

This makes enough to share or save!

Sweet Potato Protein

Again, here's me trying to choke down sweet potatoes.  It's amazing what peanut butter does for things!  Throw in some PB and all is right with the world! 

 

I have to thank my coach for being my guinea pig. Good thing he doesn't mind trying new things, especially knowing he may be getting something that doesn't taste so great. Thanks Robbie!  I would have never posted yesterday's or today's recipes. I also have to thank Matt L & John H for sharing the idea to put sweet potatoes in smoothies. Not something I would have ever tried. 

Make sure when you're choosing sweet potatoes, make sure to choose the ones with reddish skin and orange flesh (labeled as yams) over the white ones. 

Sadly there is no picture today. We drank it all before I remembered to take one.  Hopefully I'll remember tomorrow!  

Cheers! 

Angie 

2 cups of almond milk

1 scoop of protein powder

3 tablespoons of hemp powder

3 tablespoons of whole oats 

1/4 c organic peanut butter

1/4 c raw cashews

4 medjool dates

1 banana

1 sweet potato

12 ice cubes

Cube and cook the sweet potato in the microwave or oven until it's soft then let it cool completely. 

Throw everything but the ice cubes in a high powered blender.  As its mixing, add the ice one cube at a time. 

This makes enough to share or save!

Blueberry Sweet Potato Smoothie

I have a couple of friends who frequently put sweet potatoes and yams in smoothies. These are not things I like to eat, let alone want to drink them.  

I've been playing around with this smoothie recipe for a couple of weeks but couldn't make it taste good.  I couldn't seem to pick out any other flavor except the yams. Lucky for me my coach didn't mind being a guinea pig today. He liked it and said I should publish it so if you don't like it, I guess we can blame him. 😁

1 cup of unsweetened almond milk

1 banana

1 apple with skin

1/2 of a yam w/ skin 

4 medjool dates

3 tablespoons of hemp powder

1 scoop of your fav protein powder 

1/2 cup of blueberries (or more if you like)

1/4 cup of raw walnuts

ice

Cube and microwave the yam until it's soft then let it cool. Then just throw everything into a high powered blender until it's blended.  Maybe add the ice last a cube at a time.  I doubled this and used 12 ice cubes.

Cheers!

Angie

Magnificent Mayan Protein Smoothie

The Mayans definitely had some culinary creative skills.  Chocolate and spicy heat are one of my favorite combinations!  I'm not too picky on what the heat profile is but I do love smoky heat with chocolate. This smoothie has a perfect choco-spice flavor that hits you in the back of your throat with every swallow!

1 cup of nut milk

1 banana

3 tblsps of Irish oats

1 scoop of your fav protein powder

3 tblsps of hemp powder

2 tblsps of raw cacao nibs or powder

1 tblsp of Maca powder

1 tblsp of cinnamon

2 tblsps of raw honey or 4 medjool dates

1/2 tblsp of cayenne pepper

1 tsp of ancho chili powder

1 tsp of chipotle chili powder

4-6 ice cubes

Throw it all in the blender, except ice,on high.  Add ice a cube at a time until the ice is crushed.  If you have a vitamix or other high powered blender, you can put all the ice in at once.