Recipe: Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites (Vegan)

I love making rich little bites like these to eat as pre-workout fuel.  Since I often head to the gym at 4:45 a.m. to be there when it first opens, I do not have time to digest even a small breakfast before I workout.  These bites curb my initial morning hunger and are tasty enough to motivate me out of bed at the ghastly hour I need to rise in order to get my sweat session in. 

These are a variation of the LaurenConrad.com recipe for No Bake Cookie Dough Bites that was featured on the Tone it Up Blog.  See the original post here.

I pumped up the flavor by adding raw cacao powder and peanut butter to the original cookie dough batter.  I also substituted chocolate protein powder for the vanilla.  If you are a fan of PB2, feel free to add some of that into the batter as well.  Since I have the chocolate PB2 on hand, I added some of that to make it enhance the chocolate peanut butter flavor even more. 

If you are a fan of these sweet, simple bites, check out this Tone it Up recipe for Peanut Butter Balls.  This is a great option for anyone who isn’t a chocolate fan.

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites

Ingredients:

⅔ cup raw cashews

⅓ cup rolled oats

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ tablespoon cacao powder

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

¼ cup mini chocolate chips and/or cacao nibs

1 tablespoon Choc PB2 (optional)

water, as needed

Directions:

1.  Blend cashews and oats into a fine powder using a food processor or blender

2.  Add protein powder, cacao, maple syrup, vanilla extract, peanut butter and PB2 (if using) and blend.

3.  Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir on mini chocolate chips/cacao nibs.  Add water as needed to form mixture into a tight paste

4.  Roll into balls about a tablespoon size and refrigerate overnight.

Makes 12 balls

Tone it Up Nutrition Plan Review (Vegan)

Source

The Tone It Up Nutrition Plan was developed by certified personal trainers and lifestyle coaches, Karena Dawn and Katrina Hodgson, who run the popular health and fitness brand, Tone It Up!  The brand seems to be growing faster than ever, with the help of their Bravo TV show, “Toned Up”.  Yet, there are only a few in-depth reviews of their actual nutrition plan.

How and why I became a TIU Member:  At the start of June 2013, I decided that I needed to make a change.  Although I was at what is considered to be a “healthy weight” for my height, I had gained about 10 pounds from my own “happy weight”.  No real reason, apart from laziness and lack of motivation.  While I didn’t consider myself fat, I was starting to get uncomfortable in my skin and my clothes either stopped fitting altogether, looked bad or were uncomfortable.  I resolved to watch what I ate and get myself to the gym, and I did.  Soon after starting my journey, I began watching Tone it Up girls, Karena and Katrina on YouTube.  It wasn’t long before I started lusting after the nutrition plan. 

I LOVED that K&K offered versions of the plan for vegetarians, vegans, pescatarians, and those who are gluten-free.  It is so inclusive!  While I eat mostly vegan (I have eggs on occasion), apart from eschewing animal products, my diet had no framework.  The TIU Nutrition Plan created that very workable framework for me.

The Plan Itself:  The plan explains the basics of what to eat and when.   K&K lay out how many meals you should be having and what you should eat at each of these meals.  They explain the significance of eating “Lean, Clean and Green” and highlight their favorite whole foods.  K&K have a nice mix of background information on nutrition and physical fitness, mixed with some personal tips and tricks that have helped each of them (and several clients) reach their goals.  The majority of the plan’s pages contain recipes.  Each recipe or meal idea is accompanied by an easy-to-follow diagram that K&K call the “meal wheel”.  The meal wheel essentially tells you what time during the day you should eat that particular meal.  So easy to follow!  There is also a section of print outs (grocery list, progress chart, etc.) and printable workout routines. 

For me this loose framework, with just a few hard-fast rules, has been just the right balance.  I have shed that extra weight, improved my digestion and my overall mood.

My TIU Experience:  It's been amazing!  The plan is straight forward and easy to follow.  There are no "get rich quick schemes" so if you're looking to shed 30 pounds in a month, you will be disappointed with this plan.  But what makes the plan so successful is that it presents a healthy LIFESTYLE.  It is a lifestyle that is fairly easy (and fun!) to adopt, especially if you are ready to make a change.  I started following the TIU plan at the end of June 2013.  Like I said, my goal was to shed about 10 pounds and I accomplished that goal at the end of November 2013.  I did is slowly, steadily and healthfully.  I feel great!  I have yet to do a 5 or 7 day slim down and have no immediate plans to do one.  I follow the guidelines very closely, but do have a few “cheat meals” each week, which are reserved for when I am with my boyfriend or friends (i.e. special occasions).  I workout at least five times a week, doing a mixture of gym cardio, Bar Method class, tennis, and Tone it Up workouts.  I've grown to love working out, especially first thing in the morning.  This is what K&K have coined a "Booty Call". 

Price - $150

What you Get:  A 160+ page download which has your specified plan, 5 day slim down and 7 day slim down, special editions (typically, one special edition released a couple times per year ), a section of printable workouts, a lifetime of updates and membership in the TIU community with access to a member’s only online group.

Is it Worth It?:  No buyer's remorse here!  I love how the plan is designed.  The information is clearly explained and the recipes are simple, yet delicious.  K&K’s writing is motivating and personal.  Each special edition K&K release has amazing new content and keeps the dedicated community engaged.  They just released the Love Your Body edition, which is focused on super foods.  It rocks!

Read and see more on the Tone it Up Nutrition Plan here.  

Bulking Up at Bar Method? This Too Shall Pass.

The Bar Method is all about creating that coveted long, lean and strong dancer’s physique.  So imagine my confusion and frustration when, after about two months of regular Bar Method practice (and dieting), parts of my body appeared to balloon. 

First, I took a hard look at my diet.  I was being very diligent about the amount of salt I was taking in and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables while drinking the generally recommended ounces of water.  My diet didn’t seem to be the issue.  I was perplexed. 

Reading Burr Leonard’s wonderful blog I came across a possible explanation in this post.  Burr also touches on the bulking up issue in the question section of the Bar Method website. 

This HAD to be the answer.  Since Bar Method is the first strength training program I have done consistently, I fit Burr’s criteria for the kind of person who would most likely go through this awkward bar-balloon phase.  Still, it was difficult to find testimonials from fellow Bar Babes to show me that there would be a light at the end of the tunnel.  Most of the Bar Method reviews out there are based on someone’s first class or first month of classes.  I had doubts.  I thought I might never come out of this alleged phase. 

Luckily, the less superficial benefits of Bar Method kept me going to class and thoroughly enjoying my time there.  Fewer headaches, better mood, improved flexibility, etc. were the motivating aspects I used to keep going.  I continued attending classes 4x/week and eating a balanced (90% vegan) diet. 

And guess what?  Burr is right! 

At about the four month mark, my thighs slipped easily into my tightest pants, I could see the muscle tone that had been developing and my measurements went down.  It was like someone had stuck a pin in me and let all the excess air out.  Hallelujah! 

So this is my testimonial, in case anyone out there is going through this.  Bar Method IS an amazing tool in developing a slimmer physique.  You will slip into those skinny jeans eventually and your patience will be greatly rewarded.