Learn Well: #Blogilates #Cheapcleaneats

Metabolic Supercharge Smoothie

Yes a smoothie, nothing new, BUT there is an interesting ingredient that is in this lovely smoothie that I've heard people use but I haven't tried myself. 

CAYENNE PEPPER

Why cayenne pepper?!  It not only provides that fiery kick, but it raises your metabolism!  YAY.  By 8% to be exact and that lasts 30 minutes after you drink it.

 Single Serving

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1 banana (I froze mine because I do not have ice)
1- 1.5 cups kale

Ice Ice Baby 

Throw everything in a blender and blend away.

Along with the cayenne pepper, bananas contain tryptophan which makes you happy!  Yay happy fruit.  Greek yogurt provides you with protein, kale aids in digestion and elimination (them healthy poops) and contains vitamins A, C, and K.

Vitamin A is good for your lovely peepers and skin.  Vitamin C is a immunity booster and boosts your metabolism.  Vitamin K helps with cancer prevention, which is why kale is such an awesome super food.

At first, I thought the kick was unusual and strong, but as I kept drinking it I really liked it.  Perfect pre kick boxing smoothie!

Check out Cassey's page for cheap clean eats and daily workouts!

Enjoy!

Eat Well: #breakfaststaples

Matcha and 2 Ingredient Pancakes 

Yes only 2!  Which is why this is a breakfast staple for me.  It's quick, easy and oh so tasty.

Why Matcha?  I just love Matcha it's almost unhealthy.

I tend to have this a lot, especially when I have my 5:30AM shifts at work and I don't particularly want to get up even earlier to make a delicious breakfast for myself.  Nevertheless, if I were to sleep in... I would pick breakfast over putting my face on.

Recipe from Blogilates 

Yields: 1 large, or a few small depending on what you want.

2 Eggs

1 Banana

Yeah that's pretty much it =]

Mash a banana and 2 eggs together until smooth.  On medium heat, pour the mixture into the pan and once the outer edges become dull (around the center as well) flip.  

Toppings: peanut butter, hemp seeds, chia seeds, berries, honey and cinnamon

Why Matcha?  I just love Matcha it's almost unhealthy.  I get my Matcha from Teavana usually, but this one from Booster Juice I received from a friend during Christmas.

Makes 1 Mug 

4oz of below boiling water temperature

1 tsp (or more...) of Matcha (It's usually sifted, but I tend to be too lazy at times)

Add the boiling water into a mug and a tad of room temperature water to cool it down.  

Put in your Matcha, and with a Matcha whisk, go up and down like an M shape repeatedly until you get a nice foam.  30 seconds or so?  Add your almond milk and voila!

 

This concoction has kept me awake through lectures and helps me get through my morning shift.  It has a high amount of caffeine but differs from coffee, in that I don't get that crash near the afternoon.  It contains fiber because you're essentially ingesting ground up tea leaves so it keeps me full.  And that color ooh lala.

Enjoy!

References: My mind =]

Eat Well: #doyouevenbreakfastbro

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Banana Pancakes

Inspired by a classmate, I wanted to try pancakes with cottage cheese for a while now!  These hot cakes are packed with protein and kept me awake through my 2 hour Physiology lecture this morning.

These are so simple to make and quite guilt free.

#themoreyouknow
Why cottage cheese?  Cottage cheese is a COMPLETE PROTEIN.  What's that mean?  It contains all 9 of the essential amino acids that are derived from the food we eat.  Protein aids in tissue repair and growth but it also aids in digestion and metabolism.

A combo of cottage cheese, bananas and rolled oats gives you extra fiber (keeps you full longer!), vitamins and minerals.

Recipe Adapted from AmbitiousKitchen

No. of Hot Cakes: 5
Prep Time: 2 min
Cook Time: 10 min (approximately)

1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1/2 medium Banana
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 Egg (or 2 large Egg Whites)
1/4 cup low fat or fat free Cottage Cheese
1-2 tbsp Almond Milk (I used 1.5 tbsp)

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend away until smooth (30sec).
Spray a nonstick skillet with pam (olive oil) and heat over a medium low heat.
Drop 1/4 cup of batter at a time.
Toppings: Peanut Butter (unsalted, unsweetened), the other half of the banana, blueberries, flax seed, hemp seed, Greek yogurt and maple syrup

Enjoy!

References: Benefits of Cottage Cheese
                    Complete vs Incomplete Protein