Healthy Happy and Free

What's poppin'? My close friends and family know that I LOVE popcorn! Despite a bad rap for being an unhealthy snack, popcorn can actually be a pretty good snack choice. It's a whole grain, high in fiber and antioxidants. It has protein and iron and is low in calories. Quinn Snacks makes a variety of neat flavors of popcorn and they use pure, simple ingredients, non GMO and even tell you where it was farmed! So far, I've had the pleasure of trying the Super Kale popcorn. It's made with organic dried kale and little carrot too! It's very green in appearance, but don't let that scare you. I really enjoyed it. It's a nice savory flavor without being overly spicy or salty. It does taste "green" if that makes any sense. You definitely get a kale vibe without it being overwhelming or bitter. Plus, you just feel healthy for eating it! XD At 43 calories per cup, using simple ingredients, this makes for a great snack in my books! I'

People wait all year for pumpkin season! I, however, am a strong proponent for year round pumpkin appreciation. Pumpkin also lends itself to great macro-friendly recipes!  Without further ado, I present to you Pumpkin Caramel Protein Snickerdoodles:  Ingredients: 1/2 cup white kidney beans 1/4 cup pumpkin puree  1 egg 1 tsp imitation caramel extract 1 packet Devotion Nutrition monkey bread flex flavor 1 tsp baking powder 1 scoop Slap Nutrition Cinnamon Swirl protein powder 1:1 ratio mix of truvia and cinnamon  Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Puree beans, pumpkin and egg.  Add the extract, sweeteners, baking powder, and protein powder. Mix until thoroughly combined.  Drop spoonfuls onto parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. The "cookie dough" is very thin, more of a batter consistency.  Sprinkle the truvia/cinnamon mixture on top of the cookies and bake for 8-10 minutes.  Enjoy!

The market for protein bars is simply incredible. I can not keep up with all the new brands, flavors, etc. However, I do love trying new ones often! I was very excited to try Sourcewell Nutrition protein bars because I've heard good things about them. They state that the whey they use is sourced from grass fed cows. Whey protein from grass fed cows provides beneficial bacteria and broader nutritional benefits versus a grain fed cow. Sourcewell is conscious of the source of protein and ingredients so they use high quality, fresh ingredients. Sounds good so far! I was able to try the two current flavors of their original bars - Birthday Cake and Cookies and Cream. They are coming out with a Snickerdoodle flavor original bar and Chunky Peanut Butter and Cookie Dough Nature Bars. Those sound great too! Birthday Cake: 200cal 6f/27c/20p  This bar looked very unappealing and slightly smushed but I had a positive attitude and was not disappointed. The flavor was very good, no lemon

It's goal time! I've been trying to set goals on a regular basis and make a conscious effort to work on them. I'm currently participating in the #slap90days3 "contest" on instagram which is hosted by  Slap Nutrition  and encourages overcoming your fears to reach your goals. One of my biggest struggles that I've been trying to work on for a long time is my caffeine consumption. I'm almost embarrassed to admit how much caffeine I would consume on any given day. Not only that, but I was drinking multiple diet sodas and sugar free energy drinks that utilize artificial sweeteners. I don't necessarily think that's detrimental every now and then, but multiple times a day is probably not ideal for the body. I've been doing pretty well so far, cutting my caffeine intake greatly, increasing my water and I've also found some substitutes that I think taste very good! One of my favorite "soda substitutes" is Zevia. It's zero calorie so

Another day, another 5k! I admire those of you who run half marathons and full marathons because sometimes 3.1 miles feels like 3000! I have my good days and bad days. Some days I run faster, some days I run slower, some days I run farther, and I never really know why! Photo from http://www.runncmedassist.com/ Running, though, has been part of my life for many years now, even after many injuries. My most recent injury was a broken pinky toe, so I did take about a week off from running to try to rest it a bit. After I came back, my pace was significantly slower and I've been quite frustrated. I have to remember, though, why I run. I run because I love the feeling after a run. I love feeling like I accomplished something, that I pushed myself, the adrenaline and the endorphins. I love being outside! (Treadmill = dreadmill!) So, I was a bit apprehensive for this 5k, however, the reason I run is not to win a tiny trophy. Plus, there was free pancakes and bacon at the finish l

I eat a lot of protein bars, probably more than I should! However, they are a convenient quick protein source that many people turn to. If you're one of those people, no doubt, you've heard of Quest bars. They had a big following, changed their recipe not too long ago, and some were not happy. They've also been coming out with a lot of new products and flavors. They even have a program you can apply for called Quest Labs where you have access to products not for sale to the general public yet. The Quest Labs community reviews it on a forum and then Quest may tweak the product and release it or choose not to. I've been a member and tried quite a few of the products. I actually tried all three new flavors before they hit shelves, but they're available to everyone now! The three new flavors are Blueberry Muffin, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, and Rocky Road. Blueberry Muffin: 190cal 22c/6f/21p The blueberry muffin flavor is a favorite to many Quest customers. The ar