What I Eat In A Day

Lately I’ve been exploring other forms of fitness and I tried a boxing class for the first time! Because I’m still getting my ride done in the morning, I find that these doubled up days tend to help me eat a bit better since I know I’m fueling up for a few workouts - thumbs up for that! Now I’m not much of a cook, but I have been trying to make better choices lately so here is an example of what I eat (on a good day)!

Breakfast: I make a smoothie or smoothie bowl with spinach/kale, oats, berries, acai juice, almond milk, banana, half an apple, flax seed, chia seed, cinnamon and sometimes protein powder. I pair that with some delicious espresso and a ton of water. 

On The Ride: So on the ride, depending on how long it is, I’ll take a banana and a Clif bar. These are just my choices, of course there are plenty of options out there. Sometimes I eat, both, none or just one. Also, water is a given on the bike.

Lunch: When I get home from my ride it’s time to get to work. I baked some salmon and asparagus and put it over some mixed greens. It’s so easy and flavorful which definitely makes it one of my favorite go-to meals. Again, paired with water.

Afternoon Snack: Because I meet up with a friend for my boxing class, it actually takes me a while to get there. I’m always heading straight from work so I find a fruit pouch is an easy item to grab for in the car. 

Dinner: Coming home in the evenings is always something I look forward to. My boyfriend and I are trying to make an effort to cook together, so I chose to make a pasta bowl. This one is whole wheat pasta with broccoli, avocado, shrimp, cilantro and lemon. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t eat chocolate at some point during the day, so I added in a few pieces of dark raspberry chocolate for dessert. Again, I paired my meal with water. See a trend here? That’s usually all I drink except sometimes I’ll mix it up with a tea or La Croix. Also, if you haven’t treated yourself to a candle lit bath using a bath bomb, I HIGHLY recommend it. It’s becoming my favorite way to relax. 

Well that’s it! Here’s to a journey of better eating and mixing up my workout this year! 

Easy Healthy Smoothie with Berries, Oats + Seeds

I'm lucky to date a health freak who sometimes rubs off on me. Otherwise, I might only workout to eat chocolate and pizza. Which I mean, I do, but sometimes I remember that I should fuel my body with a bit more nutrients. So now I present my favorite smoothie that Zach has been making for over a year. 

Ingredients: (serves 1)

- 4oz Milk (I used Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk)
- 8oz Acai Juice (I bet this would be good to freeze into ice cubes and make this super cold)
- 1/4 cup Old Fashioned Oats
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Chia Seeds
- 1/2 tablespoon Flaxseed
- 2/3 cup frozen mixed berries
- couple dashes of cinnamon (I personally don't think you can have too much, maybe 1 tablespoon or less if I had to guess)

*sometimes I add in chocolate protein powder or a banana. 

Toss everything in a blender until smooth and enjoy! That's it! 

Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes

Hi hello! Today I'm talking about vegan cupcakes! I happen to date a vegan and his dad is dairy-free so I decided to whip something up that they can't usually eat! They are super yummy and sweet with a Christmas spin on them. (P.S. you should make sure that the person whose house you're making these at has a cupcake pan so you don't have to go to Publix to buy one last minute, hah!)

Serves 12 Regular Size Cupcakes

Ingredients:

CUPCAKES:

• 1 cup non-dairy milk + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter (such as Earth Balance), softened
• scant 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles + more for topping

FROSTING:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter, softened
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Splash non-dairy mil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a standard muffin holder with 12 paper liners.
2. Whisk the milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes to get curdled.
3. Add softened butter to the bowl and mix. Then add sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
4. Sift in the following ingredients: 1 cup flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and then remaining 1/2 cup flour. Blend until smooth. 
5. Add sprinkles and gently stir with a mixing spoon.
6. Divide evenly among cupcake holders making sure NOT to overfill. Mine were a little over 3/4 full. 
7. Bake on a center rack at 350 for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
8. Let cool completely on a cooling rack. In the meantime, prepare frosting.
9. In a large mixing bowl add softened butter and beat until light and fluffy. Then add vanilla and mix once more.
10. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue mixing until thick and creamy. Drizzle in a little non-dairy milk to thin. You want this frosting to be very thick so it will hold its shape once on the cupcakes.
11. Once cooled, frost cupcakes and top with sprinkles. Serve immediately. Store leftovers covered at room temperature or refrigerated.
    
    *Big thanks to Minimalist Baker for this recipe !