Protein Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

I was craving french toast this morning and decided to make a healthier version of the popular breakfast. I like making protein pancakes or protein french toast to change up my usual breakfast routine. If you are tired of egg whites and oats in the morning, you should give this easy and quick recipe a try!

Protein Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

Ingredients

• 2 slices of Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• 1/3 cup egg whites
• 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• dash of cinnamon (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp natural maple syrup or sugar free syrup

Directions

1. Spray a large pan with non-stick spray and heat on medium
2. Mix egg whites, almond milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a bowl
3. Soak each side of Ezekiel bread in your mixture
4. Cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side
5. Drizzle syrup on top and eat up!

Crock-Pot Flank Steak Fajitas

I love making crock-pot meals. When you are trying to balance a busy schedule around a healthy lifestyle a crock-pot will come in handy! I plan my crock-pot meals for hectic days when I know I will not have the time or energy to cook at night. I throw everything in my crock-pot in the morning before work and head out the door. Crock-pot meals are easy with minimal clean up and they make your home smell amazing!

I found this flavor packed dish on 100 Days of Real Food. It's delicious, healthy and easy! I usually pair this dish with brown rice or a whole wheat tortilla and a side salad. Give it a try!

Crock-Pot Flank Steak Fajitas

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs flank steak, preferably grass fed 
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably the low-sodium variety
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 – 5 bell peppers, any color
• 1 onion

Other fajita fixings:

Whole-wheat tortillas, grated cheese, fresh sliced avocado, cilantro, lime slices, fresh spinach leaves, sour cream, hot peppers, etc.

Directions

1. Mix together the dry spices with a fork including the chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.
2. Rub the spice mixture over all sides of the flank steak and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle the soy sauce on top.
3. Top the flank steak with the diced jalapeno and minced garlic. Slice the bell peppers and onion and throw those on top of the steak as well.
4. Turn the slow cooker onto HIGH and cook for 5 – 6 hours or until the steak can easily be shredded with two forks.
5. Drain the meat and peppers well then serve with the recommended fajita “fixings” (listed above). 
6. Enjoy!

And My Blogging Adventure Begins...

I follow a few different fitness bloggers and I find their blogs to be extremely helpful when it comes to motivation, recipes and tips. It has been almost 2 years since I started training and eating clean on a consistent basis. The fitness lifestyle is a choice and it truly is a lifestyle change. I learned that if I wanted to see real results I had to be consistent, determined and disciplined every day. I decided to start blogging because I am compassionate about living a healthy lifestyle and I want to share the knowledge that I've learned over time. I complied a lot of information and recipes over the last 2 years and I cannot wait to share them. Doing your research and finding that passion to change your life will put you on the road to success!

I am going to finish this first blog post with an example of what I eat daily. I consume 6-7 meals a day that consist of lean protein, complex carbohydrates and vegetables. This is what a daily meal plan for me would look like:

Breakfast: Protein Smoothie 

1 cup almond milk

2-3 ice cubes

1 scoop of chocolate protein powder

1/2 banana

1 tbsp all natural peanut butter or 1 tbsp flax seed

Blend for 30 seconds-1 minute and enjoy :)

Mid morning snack: 2 Banana Spice Protein Muffins and 24 raw unsalted almonds

I found this recipe on www.muffin-topless.com. This is one of the fitness blogs that I follow. Her blog is full of useful information as well as many yummy clean recipes.

Lunch: 4 oz. extra lean ground turkey, 1 cup green beans and 1/2 cup brown rice

I season my ground turkey with onion powder, garlic powder and freshly ground black pepper. I usually put reduced sugar ketchup on top.

Mid day snack: 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup green beans and 1/2 cup brown rice

I season my chicken with Mrs. Dash seasoning and like to put a little of Annie's Organic BBQ on the chicken to change it up every now and then.

Pre-workout meal: 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt and 1/2 cup granola

Post-workout meal: Protein shake and 1-2 unsalted rice cakes

I am pretty simple with my protein shakes after workouts. I usually just mix a scoop of protein powder with 1-2 cups of water. 

Dinner: 1 flounder filet, 1 cup broccoli and 1/2 cup brown rice

I usually pan fry my fish with a little bit of blackened seasoning.

 This list is very plain but it gives you the general idea. I change my meals up so that I don't get bored and I usually make something different for dinner every night. I hope this helps you get an idea of what a meal plan that consists of 6 small meals looks like. I will be posting clean recipes and other useful information periodically :)