Coconut Protein Bars

These are adapted from another recipe. I added vanilla whey protein powder to them. I'm going to tweak it so that it's lower in fat and calories. Also, they are not "sweet" like a cake would be, so be prepared for that, even though there is sugar and sweetener in them. I added a drizzle of melted dark chocolate chips on top that is not included in the nutritional info - mmm!

COCONUT PROTEIN BARS
Preheat oven to 375.

In one bowl, mix together dry ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup coconut flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup splenda brown sugar
2 packets Truvia
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup vanilla protein powder

In a larger bowl, mix together wet ingredients:
2 egg yolks - reserve egg whites in separate bowl and whip into soft peaks.
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1 16 oz. can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 cups vanilla almond milk

Mix dry ingredients into wet, then fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and bake 35-40 minutes.

Makes 16 bars, or 16 larger bars. For 32 bars, divide the nutritional info in half.

For 1 bar out of 16:
Calories: 183.6
Fat: 6.5
Protein: 6.7
Carbs: 29.5

Antiquing Day

Today, my hubby and I went around come local towns looking at flea markets, junk stores and anywhere else that looked promising. I was in search for an old fireplace mantle that I want to use as a headboard for our bed. One place in particular looked promising and had everything BUT a mantle. I found an old ice box that I wanted, and may still go back for it, from around the turn of the 20th century. I love old things, the way they were made, the beauty in the simplicity of it. I also love just the oldness of things, even if they aren't "beautiful" anymore.

I found this old Clabber Girl sign on the side of the building, old, rusted and barely legible, but I found something beautiful in the colors. Likewise with the Coca~Cola bottles sitting in the sun.

My Beautiful Rescue Dog!

It's been 6 years since we found our baby in the Conway Animal Shelter. She was 2 years old, in need of some TLC, and very thin for her age and breed. She was depressed about 2 weeks after coming to live with us, but after that, she has flourished and is the BEST dog. She's super smart, can learn tricks within a matter of a few times, and I swear she knows English. She loves the snow, comes inside when it's hot and only barks at wild critters in the yard. Otherwise, she's a porch dog! Her name is Mallory and she's now 8 years old. She was a full blooded AKC registered Alaskan Malamute and was dumped off a the dog pound. These are the first animals that get put to sleep because they are owner surrendered. So if you think you won't find anything at the shelters, I beg to differ! Look at this beautiful dog!

Native American drawing

This is my drawing of White Belly, a native American.

Cherokee Maiden

This was the first of the native American drawings I did. This Cherokee maiden in wedding attire is in large scale, pencil.

Indian Maiden

This is my latest sketch of a young native American maiden, taken from an actual photograph. I used pencil for the drawing. The final product will be on a large scale.

My New Car

Here is my new car that my hubby bought for me this weekend. I had been driving a 2009 Honda Accord, baseline model, just to drive back and forth to work about 100 miles round trip. Fortunately, now I don't have to do that anymore. So, we decided that we'd trade my old one for a new one. This one, happens to be my dream car (Ferrari aside), with leather, sunroof, V-6, Handsfree bluetooth, heated/memory/power seats, XM, and a bunch of other stuff I haven't figure out yet. LOL - I LOVE IT!! I'm getting accessories on it in the next few weeks (tinted windows, trunk liner, car cover, splash guards and molded floor mats). It'll be with me a LONG long time. :) I love my husband!

Asian Lettuce Wraps

ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS 1 head lettuce (I used iceberg because my Walmart is still living in 1970) 1 lb. lean ground turkey

1 tbs. canola oil or other light oil 1/2 yellow onion, chopped fine 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbs. low sodium soy sauce 3/4 cup hoisin sauce 3 tsp. ground ginger 2 tbs. rice wine vinegar 1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, finely chopped 1 carrot, grated 1 bunch green onions, sliced fine 2 tbs. dark sesame oil 2 cups instant brown rice, optional (not listed in nutritional values) rice noodles, optional (not listed in nutritional values) Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, careful not to tear. In a medium skillet, over high heat, brown turkey, breaking into small pieces. Drain and set aside. In same pan, in tbs oil, add onion, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, hoisin and soy sauces, ginger, vinegar. After onions soften, add in water chestnuts, green onions, carrot, and sesame oil. Stir in turkey and coat well. If you want, you can cook brown rice according to package directions and season with chinese fried rice seasoning. In one lettuce leaf, add 1/2 cup of turkey mixture, top with 2 tbs. rice and sprinkle with crunchy noodles (again the rice and noodles are optional and NOT listed in nutritional value - but I like the crunch!). Also would be good in them would be chopped cashews! Makes about 7 wraps. Each wrap with lettuce leaf and 1/2 cup turkey mixture: Calories - 198.7 Fat - 4.4 Protein - 10.4 Carbs - 32

GREEN SMOOTHIE

This is a great smoothie for breakfast! Don't let the color scare you - it's really sweet! And don't skip the avacado - it makes the drink smooth and thickens it slightly, plus it has good fat that your body needs. 1 - 1/2 cups fat free, skim or almond milk (I use and recommend vanilla almond milk - gives it more sweetness) 1/2 c. coconut water 1/4 diced avacado 1/2 c. diced mango or pineapple 1 scoop vanilla protein powder* 2 -3 large leaves of kale taken off stem ice to taste dash of vanilla, optional 2 tablespoons agave Blend together. Makes a large (16 oz) glass of drink. 6 ounces Nutritional facts: 296 calories 4.2 g fat 48.7 carbs 16.9 g protein *I use Body Fortress vanilla. BOLD shows my personal preference

Phase 2 of P90X2

Week 4 of Phase 2 of P90X2: This is my favorite phase so far. I love the workouts! There is a nice mix of cardio, weights and balance, plus killer core workouts. I've seen a significant transformation in how lean I am. I'm not really losing "weight" but I'm slowly seeing more muscle show thru. It's wonderful! I'm thinking of sticking with it one more week (5 weeks total) before a recovery week and then hitting phase 3.