Totally Free - Just click on the Protein Powder Recipes Link to get them.

Here is one of my favorites:

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Oatmeal Protein Cookies

In a food processor, blend:

• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 cup almonds (raw, unsalted, natural)
• 1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp. peanut butter-natural
• 2 tbsp. water

Chop until all is small and uniform, and it develops into a dough vs. a powdery meal. If it's dry, add more peanut butter (the oil particularly), or water 1/2 a tbsp. at a time till desired consistency.

Dump cookie “dough” onto a piece of wax paper, make a tight log, and wrap tightly, both sides first, then roll tightly and put in the freezer. When very well chilled (about 1 hour), take out and slice into 1/2 inch cookies. Store these in the refrigerator in a single layer in a well-sealed ziplock baggie. Or, keep these in the freezer, and take them out one at a time. They won’t be hard and frozen, they stay soft because of the oil in the peanut butter, and the oils in the nuts.

Makes 12 Protein Cookies

92 Calories, 4 grams of protein, 3 grams of carbs, 7 grams of fat each

A new study shows that this practice is also great for increasing insulin sensitivity too.

Researchers gave overweight  (but non-diabetic) subjects 2 blueberry smoothies per day for six weeks. At the end of the study, 67% showed a 10% or greater improvement in their insulin sensitivity.

More than 1/2 of the American populations is predicted to be insulin resistant by the year 2020, so you can start hedging your personal bets now and decrease your risk of type-2 diabetes.

On to my Recipe!

Blueberry Power Protein Shake

• 1/2 cup frozen bluberries
• 1 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1 scoop favorite protein powder
• 1 scoop greens or handful baby spinach
• 2 tbs walnuts or golden flax seeds
• dash of cinnamon

Try my recipe – your thighs will thank you later, and your taste buds will thank you now!

Was the 1st ingredient Avocado?  Not Anymore!

Check out this video of Karen Pauza discovering that her guacamole contained only 2% avocado!

If you read the ingredient list, it has over 35 ingredients!  Crazy!!!  There’s whey, egg yolk, sugar, dried milk, sodium benzoate (a preservative, but also a known carcinogen, when combined with vitamin c, it creates benzene, known to damage DNA and cause diseases; it also affects children with ADHD and makes them more hyper, malt dextrin (another sugar), gelatin, cornstarch, blue #1, red #40, yellow #5 and yellow #6. Why food coloring? This is nasty! I guess with all those ingredients they couldn’t get natural avocado green. If the first ingredient is skim milk, then we know the majority ingredient is milk, so they have to color it somehow. These food colorings contribute to allergies, cause asthma, thyroid tumors, etc.

Want REAL Healthy Guacamole?

• 1 whole avocado
• 1/2 Garlic Clove
• 1/2 to 1 Serrano or Jalapeno Pepper to taste
• 1/4 of an Onion
• 1/2 a large  heirloom tomato
• 1 small bunch of cilantro
• 1/2 a Lemon or Lime Juice
• Salt to taste
• Cayanne Pepper (if  no peppers available)

Karen has a great product that teaches you how to eat with a healthy vegetarian lifestyle filled with tasty recipes and food choices called Easy Veggie Meal Plans. I encourage you to check it out!

• 3 oz Chicken Breast, diced
• ½ cup Brown Rice (Raw Measurement)
• 2 Egg Whites
• ½ cup finely diced Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms
• ¾ cup Chicken Broth
• ½ tbsp Soy Sauce
• ½ tbsp Olive Oil

First dice chicken breast and stir-fry in 1 tsp of the olive oil until tender. Set aside.

Next, heat remaining oil in pan and pour in egg whites, stirring until cooked. Remove from pan and set aside with the chicken.

Pour in the chicken broth and soy sauce into a pot and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, add in vegetables along with rice, cover, and simmer for five to ten minutes, or as indicated by the package directions.

Once finished, stir back in the chicken and egg whites and gently pan fry for 1-2 minutes until slightly crispy. Serve.

Here’s a delicious recipe from my partners over at Prograde Nutrition for you.

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Avocado Salad

• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 tsp.  lemon juice
• 1 bag (10 oz.) torn romaine lettuce (about 10 cups)
• 2 cups  shredded cooked chicken
• 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
• 1 small  cucumber, sliced
• 1/4 of a medium Vidalia or Walla Walla onion, chopped
• ½ cup Red Pepper
• 1/2 cup  Light or Fat-free Italian Dressing
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Toss avocados with lemon juice in large salad bowl.

Add lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions; mix lightly.

Add dressing; toss to coat.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately.

Hey, if you like that one they’ve got 196 more!

Seriously, Prograde has a really cool 197 Healthy and Delicious Fat Burning Recipes ebook for just $4.95!

1. Lemon is awesome for cutting fat, phlegm & mucus in the body, it’s full of vitamin C, helps boost your immune system, fight infection, and reduce inflammation which will help you recover from your workout. Lemon also helps detoxify your liver aiding your body in flushing toxins and fat.
2. Cayenne pepper, some people know it as red pepper/capsicum, and it’s spicy! This herb is one of the most powerful herbs on the planet…… and is one of the ancient healing herbs going back hundreds of years. It has a high heat unit which helps increase circulation so you carry more oxygen and nutrients into your cells and body, and it helps increase your energy. Cayenne pepper also helps cut fat in the circulatory system and lower cholesterol. Ultimately it will help your body and brain have more energy in the morning! It’s an amazing fat burning tool! (you can get cayenne or capsicum capsules if you prefer)
3. White Tea…this tea bag includes some other herbs including the shizandra berry. White tea is the least processed tea of the black tea, green tea, and white tea (they all come from the same plant) and has the highest antioxidants. It also gives you an energy boost without the crash later. It’s also a great boost for the immune system!

If you are interested in Healthy Vegetarian Meal Plans, they are on Sale Here Now.

Yield: 4 servings

Here’s what you need:

• 4 zucchini, ends trimmed and run through a spiral slicer
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (20oz) package lean ground turkey
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the spiral-sliced zucchini in a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium sized skillet heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft.
3. Add the turkey to the skillet and cook until fully browned. Add the spaghetti sauce and mix until fully incorporated. Remove from heat.
4. Mix the sauce with the zucchini noodles in the large bowl and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 292 calories, 8g fat, 26g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 27g protein.

Ratatouille is a dish of cooked vegetables that originated in southern France. It is hearty and satisfying, like comfort food, with none of the guilt. This version contains white beans which add protein and have a wonderful texture. Serve it hot or cold, either way this dish is sure to please.
Yield: 8 servings

Here’s what you need:

• • 1 large-size globe eggplant, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon water, for sautéing
  • 2 medium-size red onions, sliced
  • 3 medium-size zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch squares
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 4 tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped (or 2 cans – 15 oz each – fire roasted diced tomatoes)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 (15oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
  • Salt and fresh group pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil

1. Steam eggplant cubes for 10 minutes. Heat the water in a large-size sauté pan, add onions and cook, for 5 minutes.
2. Add zucchini and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes. Add steamed eggplant and cook another 5 minutes, then add garlic.
3. Add wine and stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-high and stir in tomatoes, parsley, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add beans to skillet, stirring well to combine. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender but not mushy and liquids have thickened, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
5. Remove skillet from heat, remove the bay leaves, and stir in chopped basil.

Nutritional Analysis:

One serving equals: 195 calories, 1g fat, 38g carbohydrate, 11g fiber, and 9g protein.

The following are simple tools that will serve you very well for years to come.

• George Foreman Grill
• Good Knife Set
• High Powered Blender
• Cooler and Tupperware
• Crock Pot
• Non-Stick Skillet

A George Foreman countertop grill is one of the best investments you can make for your kitchen.  Not only does it drain extra fat away from your meat, but it cooks everything Much faster due to cooking both sides simultaneously.  You can get a small one for about $20 dollars that you can cook your food for the day on, or about $100 for one that will cook your food for the week.  Most items will cook in 7-10 minutes.

A good knife set is an enormous time saver.  Knives can run anywhere from $20 to $200.  If money is tight, you should spring for at least 1 good all purpose knife.

Blenders are awesome for making protein smoothies, but their is little worse than a blender that can’t blend!  You can get a cheap blender, but you will have to replace it often and deal with subpar performance. I own a Vita-Mix which is a 2 horse power, $400 tool.  This is overkill for most people though.  For personal home use I would recommend either the Magic Bullet Blender, or a Kitchen Ninja.  Both of which are available for $50-$60.

Get a cooler that can hold your daily meals. Always have your food prepared ahead of time and take it with you. You can either get some disposable tupperware for just a few dollars, or spend a little more for glass.  I prefer glass (you should not heat food in plastic if you can avoid it), but I own quite a few of the disposable ones as well.

A Crockpot is such a versatile tool!  Soups and stews, meat and veggies, steel cut oats, hard boiled eggs, you are only limited by your imagination.  You can set it before work, and have a hot meal waiting on you when you get home.  Now that is a timesaver!

Finally, everyone should have at least 1 good non-stick skillet for sauteing.

One additional item that I can’t live without is a countertop oven.  I don’t use microwaves as I believe them to be unhealthy.  I take my prepared meals out of the tupperware onto a plate to heat it.  It takes just a few more minutes, but tastes much better.  My favorite is cinnamon apple baked oatmeal!

Contrary to what you may have heard, butter can be a very healthy food. Organic, whole-milk butter from grass-fed cows is loaded with vitamins A, D, E, and K, trace minerals, and the potent cancer fighter conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Grass-fed butter also has a healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.

However, all these benefits are compromised when the butter is made from milk that comes from grain-fed cows. Besides lacking nutrients, the fat composition of this butter is distorted. That turns it into a health risk instead of a health enhancer.

If you enjoy butter, go ahead and eat it. But be sure it’s the organic, grass-fed kind.