Chocolate peanut butter banana pancakes

Today's protein pancakes satisfied my chocolate peanut butter craving.

I Love You...

Life is too short to live with regrets, so love like you mean it. Say it often.

Shrimp Ceviche

Today I made a delicious shrimp dish that was so fresh, combined with veggies and a little brown rice it's a high protein, low carb dish that tastes amazing!

For the Spanish rice: (best to cook this in advance and use for other recipes and dishes)

1 can (14.8oz) undrained diced tomatoes
2-3 cups water or broth of your choice
1 Tbs. olive oil/coconut oil (I just used coconut oil spray)
1/2 bell pepper
1/2 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
1-1/2 cups short grain brown rice
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid. Add liquid and enough water or broth to make 3 cups liquid; set aside.  Heat oil in a heavy saucepan with a tight fitting lid.  Add bell pepper, onion and garlic; saute briefly. Add rice and cayenne; stir for a minute or two.  Add the 3 cups reserved liquid and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes.  Add tomatoes.  Cover and continue cooking 20 minutes or until rice is fluffy. Makes approximately 5 cups of cooked Spanish rice.  Can be used for many dishes over the next few days.

For the Shrimp Ceviche:

4 oz. cooked shrimp
small bunch of cilantro
half of a small red onion
1 clove of garlic
juice of 1/2 lime or more if you like
1/4 avocado

1/2 tomato diced or 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
salt and season to taste.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl with the shrimp and toss together.

(While making the broccoli refrigerate the shrimp so that the flavors mingle well)

Steamed broccoli:

saute 1 cup of broccoli in coconut oil for a few minutes until bright green
Add water; cover with lid and let steam for about 3 min. until tender.

Add 1/3 cup Spanish rice to the broccoli until mixed well and heated through.  (I had my Spanish rice already prepped so it was cold when I added it to the broccoli.)

Place Spanish rice and broccoli in a bowl and top with the shrimp ceviche.

Salad!

Salads can be so satisfying, but if you're like me, you might find it hard sometimes to find the motivation to get all the ingredients together to chop and prepare.  But l can tell you that it's so worth the time.

Many times if you shop at the grocery store with a salad in mind you will take care of "the ingredients" part and that's half the battle!

Chopping and prepping in advance is also very helpful.  So when you're hungry and craving a salad all you have to do is throw your ingredients together!

Some basics are:

-leafy greens (romaine, spinach, kale)
-tomatoes
-cucumber
-carrots
-onions (red, or green)
-beets
-bell peppers
-mushroom
-apples
-Sauer kraut
-protein (I usually use baked tofu but you can use chicken or fish)

(You can add so many more things to suit your taste.)

Then top and toss with your favorite salad dressing.  I love balsamic vinaigrette!

Have a salad for lunch today!   Enjoy!

Today's pancakes

Today was a cinnamon, peanut butter, banana kind of day.

Here are my yummy protein pancakes. I spread organic peanut butter, sprinkled with cinnamon and a little nutmeg then drizzled with organic honey.

Speaking of organic, all the ingredients I use in this recipe are organic.

Inspiration and Good Night

Eat well feel swell!

Recipe of the day

One of my favorite post workout recipes is oatmeal protein pancackes. This recipe is inspired by my trainer Latasha Renee and fellow workout friend Marianna Valdez.

Ingredients

1/3 cup oats (rolled or steel cut)
1/2 cup egg whites
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (I use ViSalus)

In a blender blend the oatmeal to a fine flour. Add dry ingredients to the flour and blend again until incorporated well.

Pour dry ingredients into a mixing bowl then add wet ingredients.  Blend well. Cook in a pan coated with coconut oil on medium heat. This should make at least two pancakes.

You can top with almond or peanut butter and bananas,  chopped strawberries drizzled with honey or stick with your basic maple syrup.

This is high in protein and gluten free!