The Cookie Diet - A Giveaway!

This image will be used for a re-gram option in the giveaway!

To celebrate #thecookiediet and my weight loss so far, I wanted to pass on some of the delicious love.  Lenny & Larry's sent me a package that I decided to pass on to one person since my cabinet is currently stocked to the gills (seriously, check my Instagram if you don't believe me).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Cookie Diet - One Week Update!

I started the Cookie Diet on Monday, June 1, 2015.  Today is Monday, June 8th and it has been one week.  In the last week, I have consistently eaten an average of 1,200 calories a day, as well as taken my vitamins and a Skinny Bird supplement from Hum Nutrition.

Breakfast today; a protein mocha, half a Complete Cookie, and supplements.

In one week, I am down three pounds.  Yes, I said three pounds.  I think I'm going to have to adjust my calories if my weightloss doesn't stabilize out to two pounds this week.  Most people would think it's great to drop weight that quickly, but ideally you don't want to drop more than two pounds a week and since I'm looking for sustainable, long term weight loss, I'd like to follow those guidelines.  Granted, I know my body pretty well so we'll see where we go with this.

If you're still interested in following my weightloss journey, I highly suggest adding me on Instagram here.  If you're looking to get your hands on the cookies I'm eating for the Cookie Diet, check here.  And last, but certainly not least, the protein powder I use and love can be found here, use code BBE100 for a discount!

The Cookie Diet!!

Losing weight is calories in < calories out.  It's a simple enough equation, and while I need to drop some quick weight, I felt like it was a chance to have a little fun with it.  If I were trying to build muscle, or cut body fat quickly, we'd have to do it with a little bit better control over nutrients and macros.  Also, this is not a long term, sustainable lifestyle change.  It is, however, delicious and kind of hilarious.

My TDEE is generally around 1,600 calories, on a particularly active day at work, my Fitbit claims I burn about 100-200 extra calories.  I shoot for 1,200 calories a day.  Being realistic, I eat closer to my TDEE, and on some days, I eat well over it (obviously).  I am probably estimating it to be a little low, but despite the amount of walking I do each day (10,000 to 15,000 steps), I don't think I'm off by much.  I used multiple calculators to land on this number.  For this fun little experiment, I will continue with my daily goal of 1,200 calories, with motivation to exercise for extra calories for snacks.  I am lucky that the math works out perfectly in my favor.. you see, three protein shakes and two full cookies are almost exactly 1,200 calories.  Yes, I just said cookies.

Lenny and Larry's Complete Cookies are a little piece of fitlife heaven.  For a whole cookie, which is 4 oz, you eat 380-420 calories, 12-14g of fat, 54-58g of carbohydrates, and an impressive 16g of protein.  They come in eight different flavors, so hold on to your seats here: Double Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, White Chocolate Macadamia, Oatmeal Raisin, Lemon Poppyseed, Pumpkin Spice and the newest Snickerdoodle.  The most important part about all of the different flavors?  They're actually good.  These cookies are the perfect mouthful of cookie, not too crumbly or dry or even too moist for that matter.  They're fantastic dipped in coffee or eaten plain.  I have yet to try one I don't like (and I've had a lot of them).

My protein powder for this experiment will be from True Nutrition.  It is their gemma pea protein (non-gmo) formulation, and the massive tub we have this time is in Creamy Peanut Butter.  That said, they have ten vegan protein sources, and more flavors than you can shake a stick at.  Seriously, if you manage to try them all, I will be impressed with you (and if you decide to do so, use my discount code BBE100).

For those curious of a breakdown of my day, they can follow me on MyFitnessPal.  If you just want to casually follow along, check out my Instagram!

Disclaimer: Lenny & Larry's did provide me some swag for this diet.  It did not influence whether or not I took on this cookie diet challenge.  True Nutrition has provided me products to review in the past.  The protein I will be using for this challenge was purchased.  They did send me a True Nutrition Blender Bottle to use for the challenge.  As always, I reserve the right to my open and honest opinion.

REVIEW: INBar Food Bars

Holy INbars, Batman!

Recently my friend Ashley sent me a box of INBar food bars.  I'm not talking like a handful of flavors to try either; my beloved sent me a handful of each flavor to try... about 30 bars in total.  As usual when I get mail, I was like a kid on Christmas, shoving my new gifts in Aaron's face and saying things like, "CHERRY CHOCOLATE?!  I bet that is so good!  Doesn't that sound good baby?!" to which he had to reply an enthusiastic and satisfactory yes to before I would go on to describing the next ultra exciting flavor... my poor boyfriend.  He is a good sport though and tried all of the flavors at least once.  Well, the exception that is the Chocolate Mint; he apparently doesn't care for "minty things" (which translates roughly to "more for me").

REVIEW: True Nutrition ModCarb™

This came in the mail the week before I left for Ohio.  It arrived with a few other items that I didn't get to try before I left, but this one couldn't wait.  I'd been looking at ModCarb™ for a possible pre-workout.  Since True Nutrition has a custom generator that allows you to make your perfect formula, I was looking to put together a pre-workout with 10% protein and around 90% carbohydrate.  I didn't just want something that would burn off fast or give me jitters (sugars).  ModCarb™ is fitting my needs perfectly.

Reviews coming soon of the other bags seen here!

I LOVE how this works as a pre-workout.  I use this in my morning coffee before work and I feel amazing until my break.  No crashing and no jitters, just pure energy.  It translates into my workouts too.  I love how it feels when this kick ins.  I don't feel shaky or jittery, just ready to do some work!  It's really perfect.  I've tried several pre-workouts that made me feel dizzy, jittery, or even like I was going to throw up.

The flavor on it is great and the texture is perfect.  It's totally soluble and the texture adds something to my coffee that I can't explain.  It definitely gives it more of that thick latte texture I was looking for.  It absorbed easily in water, coffee, and in soymilk.  I use a Blender Bottle™.  The flavor I got was the TrueFlavor™ Vanilla Cake Batter and it is delicious.  Nothing fake or synthetic tasting, it just tastes exactly like what you'd expect from a Vanilla Cake Batter.  Even though it's a dessert flavor by definition, it's not cloyingly sweet; for those of you who hate overly sweet powders, you'll love this flavor option.  It's sweetened with Stevia.

Nutritional Breakdown:
ModCarb™ TrueFlavor™ Vanilla Cake Batter
Serving Size: 30g
Calories: 125
Total Fat: 2g
Total Carbohydrate: 21.7g
Protein: 5g

Here it's mixed with 12 oz of coffee, 4 oz milk substitute
and gelatinized maca powder.

Want to get a discount on your order?  Use the coupon code "BBE100".

Disclaimer: I was sent these items to try by True Nutrition.  This does not effect my opinion, and I am encouraged to share an honest review.  Big thanks to Carl & True Nutrition!

True Nutrition's Custom Oatmeal Generator is the Best!

Carl from True Nutrition recently asked me to try out the new Custom Oatmeal Generator (use code BBE100 for a discount).  As a huge fan of the Custom Mix Generators, I was stoked.  True Nutrition is already one of my favorite companies for their wide range of vegan proteins and supplements, friendly and helpful staff, and unique Custom Mix Generator.  I use their Custom Mix Generator to create my preworkout/postworkout as well as my protein shakes.  I love the versatility of the brand and how many options there are, even as a vegan.

The Custom Oatmeal Generator is honestly just as awesome to use.  I played with it a little before deciding what I wanted to try, and spoke with Carl for his suggestions.  Carl is always full of helpful information and has more than once steered me in the right direction when I wasn't sure what to do (and even a few times when I thought I knew what I was doing...)

REVIEW // GIVEAWAY: About Time

This came in the mail.  I was beyond excited.  Even when I opened it up and realized most of the items weren't vegan, I was still excited.  My friend Christopher agreed to try the non-vegan stuff for me and help me review the brand.

In this box:
Whey Protein Isolate in Banana, Chocolate, Cinnamon Swirl, Mocha Mint & Vanilla
Vegan Protein in Vanilla & Chocolate
Fruit, Nuts & Protein Bars in Dark Chocolate Brownie, Island Coconut & Pecan Pie
Granola Clusters
AUX Pre Workout in Passion Fruit & Watermelon

About Time also gave me a 25% off coupon code for you to use: betheats

REVIEW: True Nutrition

I recently spoke with a member of the True Nutrition staff about their vegan protein options.  If you want a super affordable, customizable option, this. is. it.  I can make it even more affordable; with code "BBE100", you'll receive 5% off of your order with True Nutrition.

True Nutrition allows you the freedom to mix your own protein powders.  I don't just mean pick a base and a flavor.. I mean, you can pick percentages of various powders, carb and fat mix ins, flavors, sweeteners, and you can do this in any size from 1 to 100 pound quantities.  The custom mix generator is super easy to use.  As you change your options, it shows you how it effects your nutritional breakdown per scoop so you can make your mix exactly to your specific needs.  There is literally nothing else like this on the market that I am aware of, and more importantly, they have several vegan options.  The mixes come in your choice of a resealable bag with a plastic scoop, or a plastic tub with a plastic scoop.  I love that you have the option.

Day 11 (and beyond): Challenge Conquered!

I had a few weaknesses during this challenge.  I struggled with my personal protein goals during this challenge.  I thought I would be hitting them consistently since I'm usually good at getting my protein, but going from a goal of 45g of protein a day to 135g, I suddenly found myself struggling.  Even eating two protein based meal shakes a day couldn't save me.  My other weakness during this challenge was getting my butt kicked by my allergies and having to living on Benedryl several days.. which knocks me out.

I also had  a few successes during this challenge!  Despite struggling with eating more lean macros and not working out much more than usual, I still lost weight consistently during this challenge.  I definitely think eating higher protein, and taking fucoTHIN Green three times a day definitely made the difference.  However, not once did I feel like I was depriving myself or surviving on diet pills.

On day 9, I weighed in at 125.something.  I was shocked and impressed.  Today, after a night of not sleeping and in general definitely retaining water weight (I feel very bloated and just not good today), I weighed in at 130 pounds.  I am putting off weighing in for a few days.  Yesterday, I could see new bone definition on my hips and was in general very pleased with how I looked and felt.  It's amazing how one bad night of sleep can wreck how you feel.

I know it's been a few days since this challenge ended.  It's been insanely cold and I've been working nonstop.  I will get some updated photos for your soon.  I'm very happy with the results of the challenge and wouldn't mind doing it again!

Day Five Update!

The scale is moving!  Nothing drastic, down to 127.0, which is 1.4 pounds lost in five days, and isn't bad.  I'm off the next two days and have a lot planned in the way of catching up on workouts because work has been wearing me out (excuses!!).  The simple fact of the matter is I haven't really changed anything about my lifestyle outside of the fucoTHIN Green & the meal shakes and have lost weight, which is the point.  If anything, I may be working out slightly less (but will make up for that the next two days, while I'm off and it's finally not -3 degrees out).

Overall?  The challenge is a success so far.  I'm seeing a difference, and I see and feel a difference in my body.  I'm excited to amp it up for the last half of the challenge and see what happens!

Also, I've felt hungrier, but I've only found myself craving good food, which is a great thing!  Love this!!  I have a feeling that when I finish this bottle of fucoTHIN, I will order another!

Ten Day Challenge with Garden of Life!! [Starting March 1st]

I really love Garden of Life.  They are hands down the number one purchased brand in my home, with So Delicous Almond Plus milk being a close second.  I have bought their protein and meal powders for a while now, and repurchase them time and time again.  I am the type of consumer that doesn't care what you buy, necessarily, but what you keep buying.  For me, Garden of Life is that brand that I keep coming back to.

Garden of Life recently sent me their RAW Fit Protein in Marley Coffee and Original, as well as their fucoTHIN Green for a ten day challenge.  I would love to get more people on board with it!  There is a $5 off coupon in the Whole Foods book right now, and they carry several of the Garden of Life products (including their vitamins and supplements).

What will this challenge entail?  Starting March 1st, I will be replacing my breakfast and lunch time smoothies with RAW Fit Protein.  I will be drinking the Marley Coffee flavor for breakfast, and the original flavor for lunch.  Because the Fit protein powder is so low carb, I will probably pair it with some fruit at breakfast and probably nuts or fruit at lunch as well.  I will be keeping my calorie intake at 1200 calories, per usual, focusing on eating high protein and keep my carbs at or below 75g.  For those who follow macronutriet guidelines, I will be shooting for 75g of carbs (25%), 135g of protein (45%) and 40g of fat (35%).  For those of you who do want to follow macronutrient guidelines, I highly suggest the myfitnesspal app for calorie trackings, and really like this site for figuring out your macro needs.

I will be pairing these two meals with a wisely picked dinner and regular exercise.  I love the Insanity workouts.  I don't do them as consistently as I should, but I will be doing the workouts at least three times a week.  I will be trying to do it more often, as work allows.

I will also be taking their fucoTHIN Green supplement.  fucoTHIN has two active ingredients, Fucoxanthin and Green Coffee Bean Extract, both in their raw forms.  The coffee bean is decaffinated to prevent jitters, which makes me extremely happy.  Anyone who has had caffeine jitters knows what a nightmare that is.. now imagine being a makeup artist and trying to do liquid liner on a client.  I would also be scared to mix this with the Marley Coffee Fit protein if the supplement wasn't decaffeinated.  I've had large portions of caffeine, but that's during the holidays and I really don't feel well doing it.

As a precursor to this challenge, I want to give a brief description of both key players in this challenge, the Fit protein and the fucoTHIN.  I plan on doing an in depth review of both following the challenge, but I'd like to give you guys a little information now so that you understand why I chose them.

RAW Fit Protein:  RAW Fit protein is a hybrid of a meal powder and a protein powder.  It has an impressive macronutrient profile (28/5/67 on my 1200 calorie plan; I'm shooting for 25/35/45).  This means I have room for healthy fats, and means I will probably be eating a lot of avocados.  Avocados have been found to help suppress hunger, so they will be a great addition to the challenge.  That, and they're just damn delicious.  My favorite thing about the RAW Fit is that it is still a raw food, and that the protein blend is about twenty different things for a complete and rounded amino acid profile.  Also fantastic?  It's vegan, gluten free, dairy free and soy free!

fucoTHIN Green:  The active ingredients in this weight loss supplement are Xanthigen® (raw, concentrated Fucoxanthin) and Svetol® (raw, naturally decaffeinated green coffee bean extract).  These are both non-stimulant natural fat burners.  We've all heard of green coffee bean (it came to the market in 2002), but I'd never heard of Fucoxanthin prior to this supplement.  A little research taught me that it was a not so new ingredient used in weight loss that had recently gained popularity thanks to celebrity doctor Dr. Oz.  It's derived from a brown algae and is an accessory pigment in the chloroplasts responsible for their brown and olive color.  Scientists in Japan did a study with mice and rats and found that it increased thermogenin which lead to weight loss.  A later double blind study with a placebo in women found that when it was blended with pomegranate oil, the subjects taking the fuxocanthin lost weight.  I found this information with a google search and I recommend you do the same before you start any supplements with unfamiliar ingredients.

So who's ready to accept my challenge?  Who's in it to win it!!?  Let's do this!!

Where to follow me for this challenge?
this blog
my instagram
myfitnesspal
& facebook

What's In My Pantry: Recent Food Hauls

I've had these items for about two weeks and haven't made this post yet.  I've been a little busy with work and trying to get in three mile walks with my dog.

In this haul:
=> Spectrum Ground Flaxseed:  Got it on sale so it was pretty cheap.  I'm mostly excited that it's ground.  The pro to that is that it's much easier to absorb its nutrients.  The cons is that it can go bad more quickly.  It's an easy fix: store in the fridge after opening.
=> Nasoya Black Soybean Tofu Plus: this is my preferred tofu.  I feel like I compared the ratios and it was the best I could find for protein.  I'll have to check this again next tofu outing.  I got this for $2/5, with a $1 off coupon.
=> Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla and Unsweetened Vanilla Coconut:  These were on sale with a coupon so I grabbed a flavor I trusted, and something new to try.  I may have tried the Vanilla Coconut in the past, but I don't remember.
=> So Delicious Cashew Milk:  it was time to try a new "milk".  I've never had cashew milk.  These were on sale and had a coupon, so I jumped in; all or nothing.  Hopefully they're good.  I haven't gotten to them yet.
=> Dancing Star Chunks of Energy Chcolate Almond Chip: my local Whole Foods carries these in the bulk bins.  These are a great snack for prolonged activity.  I like to eat two of these before I leave for work in the morning.  Gets me through my morning walk and takes me into my day.
=> Roasted Unsalted Soybeans: these are a great high protein snack with good fats.  I like to munch on these when I'm craving something like potato chips.  It isn't the same texture or taste, but for some reason it works for me.  Much more protein than a potato chip.  These are also from the bulk bin at Whole Foods.

Garden of Life sent me these goodies.  There will be more about that tomorrow, actually.  Pictured here is their RAW Protein in Vanilla Chai and the RAW Fit powders in Original and Marley Coffee.  Also pictured is their Herbal D-Tox regimen, and their fucoTHIN Green weight loss supplement.  I'm so excited!!

Breakfast Smoothie: Chocolate Banana

I love making this for breakfast. It's super fast & easy, and I know I'm getting a nice boost of protein, simple carbohydrates, and some good fat from the hemp to start my day.

Ingredients:

• 1 c almond milk* (vanilla, unsweetened)
• 1 tbsp raw agave nectar
• 1 tbsp raw cacao nibs (could also use cacao powder)
• 1 tbsp raw supergreens
• 4 tbsp raw hemp protein powder
• 1 medium-large banana (frozen is best)
• 1 c spinach (also best frozen)

Directions:
With my Ninja, I prefer to use the small blending cup when I'm doing single servings (this is about 2 cups blended).  I put in my milk first, followed by my banana, my powders & cacao nibs, and top everything with the spinach.  I start off using the dough button (#1) for about 5-10 seconds, then bump it up to blend (#2) for 10-20 seconds, followed by about 10 seconds on crush (#3) to break down the cacao nibs.

Pour into a glass & enjoy!

*not a raw food, though you could make it yourself!

In My Pantry: Raw Vegan Protein & Meal Replacer

I'm presently still stuck on the Garden of Life RAW Meal, this time in Vanilla.  I'm having a hard time switching to another brand because I know I like the taste and for the price, it's scary to jump into something new.  Also, it's raw.  Most of the other meal replacers are not a raw food.  For my protein, I just switched to the Hemp Pro 70 from Manitoba Harvest.

Why did I choose these two?  Keep reading!

Since I stopped eating raw...

As the holiday season geared up in retail, it became increasingly difficult for me to stay on track with my raw diet.  I started eating more and more processed foods, and more importantly, more and more empty carbs, and specifically wheat.  Although I have not gained much weight (three or four pounds), the main differences I see are constant bloating and my face is broken out SO bad.  I haven't been this broken out in so long.  My face had very nearly cleared up, and now it is worse than ever.

What does this mean?  It means I need to get back on track with eating a primarily raw diet.  If that means keeping my blender bottle and Garden of Life RAW Meal mix in my locker at work again, so be it.  It worked well before, I am happy to do it again.  More importantly, I have a good blender now, so morning smoothies should be easier, but with hitting snooze more than I ever should, it's been harder and harder to get back on track.

Recently, since incorporated cooked, processed foods and wheat back into my diet.

As you can tell by the smoothie in my hand, this was when I was eating a primarily raw, vegan diet.

Workout Pudding Recipe: Chocolate & Coconut

The idea of recovery & workout puddings is something that I learned by reading Branden Brazier's book Thrive.  Although this is a fantastic powerhouse of nutrients and protein, this is also tasty and a good dessert.  The texture will be unusual to anyone not used to eating chia seeds.  There is no photo of this because it looks like chocolate goo.  It's not cute.  The next time I make it, I'll take a picture.  Seriously though, it looks like goo, and you're not missing out by this post not having a picture.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c milk (I used Almond Plus Milk from So Delicious) OR 1/2 cup coconut water
• 2 tbsp Spectrum Decadent Blend Chia & Flax Seed with Coconut & Cocoa
• 1/2 scoop RAW Protein Powder in Chocolate (or any chocolate protein powder)
• 2 tbsp chocolate almond butter (I get mine fresh ground at Whole Foods)

Directions:
Combine half of the milk (or coconut water) with the Spectrum Decadent blend and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Alternatively, you can use a food processor or blender.  I just used a fork & a bowl.  After it has coagulated, add the remaining ingredients & combine until thoroughly blended.

This is a pretty generous portion and could easily be divided into two servings.  This would also be delicious with a banana mashed into it.  Nom!

Nutritional Info (as prepared):
Total Calories:  315
Fat:  20
Carbohydrates:  19
Protein:  19

What's In My Pantry

People constantly ask me what's in my pantry & what I eat.  Lately, I've been doing a lot of bicycle commuting so I've been more conscientious of my protein and general calorie intake in the morning versus my usual game of skipping breakfast.  I have found that I'm a-ok to drink my breakfast, so I've been pairing a morning protein smoothie with my daily vitamins to fuel up before I hit my bike ride.  It's only 5.5 miles to the nearest train station, but most of that is on the road, and part of that is through terrifying construction.  I'm trying my damnedest to keep up & not be a wuss.  Keep in mind, I'm really not that experienced with bike commuting.  I've casually done it around my college town, but it was never my primary means of transportation and rarely was I seriously on the road.  That's all changed now that I live in White Rock.  I can either take the train, or I can make a ridiculous bus commute.

My morning smoothies have been lacking.  I'm not going to lie, there is a nearly finished tub of Plant Fusion back in Ohio that I dearly, dearly miss and wish had ended up in one of the boxes that came to Texas!  To date, I have not tried any protein powder that I like as much as the kinds I've had from Plant Fusion and Sunwarrior.  Vega is on my list to try, but I just can't presently justify the price tag.

This is pretty much all I have in the pantry, haha.

Chili gone wild!

Clancy's chili is in the monster tupperware container at the bottom.
I've already eaten two servings of mine...

Clancy and I are busy people who like to eat tasty food on the cheap and on the fly. Hence, large quantities of chili being cooked at once. But here's the thing.. there are TWO kinds of chili here. We started off with very similar base recipes, but he added sausage (like, real sausage, from a pig) and I certainly didn't. Different strokes for different folks, and YES, vegans can happily co-exist.

And by the way?  This chili is a vegan protein powerhouse.  You're welcome.  =]

Ingredients for my chili:

• 2 cans of chili ready diced tomatoes (or just diced tomatoes, adjust your spices accordingly)
• 1 can golden sweet corn
• 1 can dark red kidney beans*
• 1 can black beans*
• 1 pkg Tofurkey Ground Beef Style
• 3 mini sweet peppers (or 1-2 bell peppers), diced
• yellow onion (I used up what I had left in the fridge, I recommend 1/2-1 medium onion), diced
• Season to taste (cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, white pepper, chili powder, garlic, etc)

Directions:
Pour all of your canned ingredients into your crock pot and put it on high.  In a nonstick pan over medium high heat, saute your onions and peppers in your oil until your onions are starting to go translucent.  Add your "beef" and continue sauting for about five minutes per package instructions.  Stir your "beef" into your chili.  Let your ingredients cook for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally, and adding water as needed.  Bump it down to low, and let it simmer as long as you see fit (chili tends to simmer all day & night around our house).  Enjoy with homemade biscuits and peanut butter sammiches!

Nutritional info (serves 8?):
Calories:  229k
Fat:  4g
Carbohydrates:  37g
Protein:  14g

* = feel free to use whatever beans you like!  It's your chili!

posted from Bloggeroid

My Usual Breakfast.

This is how I start most of my days.

I have never been a morning person.  I've definitely never been a breakfast person.  As a matter of fact, I'm lucky if I can choke down a piece of fruit in the morning without feeling like crap.  Instead, I tend to drink some sort of tea or coffee (though even teas can be dangerous) and hit the ground running on empty.  As such, I've started putting my protein powder into my morning drink on the days that I can't make myself eat.  This isn't really much of a meal replacement, as I don't think my energy drink is meant to have any sort of satiety satisfying ingredients, but it works for me.

Ingredients:
12-14 ounces of coffee (cooled is best; mine is usually left over from Clancy's pot before his midnight shift)
4 ounces "milk" (don't use creamer, you'll go through it way too quickly & it'll be crazy sweet)
1 scoop Plant Fusion Vanilla Bean Protein Powder*

Directions:
Shake well.  The Blender Bottle does all of the work.

Nutritional facts (one serving; drink it all!):
Calories:  200k
Fat:  5g
Carbohydrates:  20g
Protein:  22g

* = I used Plant Fusion Vanilla Bean Protein Powder because it tastes amazing in coffee.  I recommend using a flavored powder to give it more of a latte/mocha texture and flavor, versus a plain, unflavored powder.

Plant Fusion's PR department sent me this 2 pound tub of their Vanilla Bean flavor for consideration.  This does not change my opinion of the product, and I reserve the right to my honest opinion.  Thank you to P.F.!

Modified Vegan Brownies!

I found the Sarah Kramer How It All Vegan brownie recipe online (because my book has gone MIA in the move) & made some modifications to suit my diet and pantry.  Can I just say that I am insanely excited to use the Calphalon pan that Clancy bought me?!

Ingredients:
1.5 cups flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 scoop protein powder (I used Plant Fusion Vanilla Bean which is sweet, and has smooth texture)
1.5 cups soy milk (or other "milk")
1/3 cup oil/butter (I used Earth Balance Buttery Spread, just to melting point)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar (optional; for topping)

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl sift flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, protein powder and salt. Add oil and soy milk. Stir gently until just mixed. Pour into 8X8 inch pan and cook for 30-35 minutes. (Check by inserting a toothpick).  Allow to cool completely, then sift confectioners sugar over top.

Nutritional facts (per brownie; serves 12):
Calories:  163
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 24g
Protein: 5g