Protein Pancakes-recent obsession

I'm a creature of habit when it comes to my eating. Partly because once I find things I like it's easy to shop and prepare quickly and partly because I just don't have time for trying new things all the time like I used to. So when I promised I would try a few different add-ins for the protein pancakes I've been eating...I fibbed. I just made them the same old way. And enjoyed them yet again! But ya know what, if ain't broke don't fix it!!

1/2c oats (I've used both old fashioned and quick cook-take your pick)
6 egg whites

That's it. For real. Now use your imagination. Or if you don't want to, try the version I've been making:

1T PB2

1T mini chocolate chips\

1t cinnamon

If you love peanut butter and haven't tried PB2-I highly recommend it. You can eat pb and keep your calories under control, there is a nutrition god! Also, I don't always add the chocolate chips so I'm giving you the nutrition data with and without. I'm just liking them with lately.

I scoop 2T of 'batter' for each pancake and it makes about 6. Just be careful not to overcook or they can get tough-it is mostly eggs after all!!

Protein Pancakes                         (per pancake-makes 6)
	w/o chips	with chips
Calories	46	59
Carbs	5	7
Fat	1	1
Protein	5	5
Fiber	1	1

If you're snacking on a couple the chocolate chips aren't going to cut into your calorie count too badly...if you're eating all six as breakfast (or watching sugar intake) you may want to skip, or reduce to 1t instead.

I really do want to try some other versions, I'm thinking dried cranberries with walnuts or shredded apples with pecans?? I have a bad habit of wanting needing something sweet with my morning coffee and these usually serve as a good substitute for something less nutritional. I've been contemplating giving up the coffee just for this reason. 4am workouts have been making that tough though!!

I imagine you could try savory add-in as well. Maybe next weekend...



Fitness Friday

I've been trying to figure out a way to get my workouts into posts and have it make sense all mixed in with the baby stuff. I found that I liked the way another blogger I follow does it: Fitness Fridays (check out Food, Fitness, and Family). She is really great about providing versions of her workouts for readers to do; hopefully I'll get there too, but for now I'll just tell you what I've been up to!

This week is more like what I haven't been up to...

Saturday:   5k race with my mom, bested my time from earlier this year :-)

Sunday:     Lots of family time-chasing kids is a workout right?!

Monday:    Stuck in a car for 8+ hours...BOO!

Tuesday:   Lunchtime power walk-hey, I had a hair appointment after work!

Wednesday: Jillian Michaels 30-Day shred before work

Thursday:  3.25 mile walk/run intervals, ab work while on the floor playing with G

Friday:      P90x Core synergistics before work 

I've been trying to find a good post workout snack. I've been using these Myoplex shakes. I need quick, and also portable since I multi-task like a mad woman at night. Any ideas???

I wish I could have gotten a shot of the mess I made in my car when opening this. I have some scrubbing to do this weekend. Why did I have to get the chocolate kind?!

I'm also now addicted to these super simple protein 'pancakes'. 2 base ingredients (egg whites and oatmeal)and then you take it from there.

I've been adding PB2 powder, cinnamon and sometimes for a treat, a teaspoon of mini chocolate chips. I haven't done the nutritional value on these yet so I'll repost as a stand alone recipe once I get all the deets in order. I'll try some different add-ins before that too. I'm a creature of habit so it'll be good for me!

They're pretty filling and take the place of a muffin for me with my morning coffee.

And just because I thought this pic was hilarious...G has decided she does not like broccolli!!! She kept putting it in her mouth though-silly girl!

Weekends-Road trip with a 7 month old!

With the extended holiday weekend it was our turn to make a trip to MI to visit with my family.

*Let me add a THANK YOU in here for both active military and veterans for Memorial Day. These days have a different meaning around our house with the hubs being a combat vet and both of us working for the VA*

We decided at the last minute to leave on Thursday night in hopes that G would sleep through the trip uneventfully. She did. We arrived very early on Friday morning.

It took her a little while to warm up to Gramma & Grampa again, but once she did life was all good!

This is the view in my parent's backyard now. Kind of disturbing to me. Can you see all of these windmills? I'm all for alternative energy but I also love trees! In the second picture is actually the house I grew up in, years ago I saw all the trees taken down for irrigation machines to go in and now these things go up for electricity generation. Progress? Hmmm.

Anyway, I talked my mom into doing a 5k with me at a local festival. We woke up to stormy skies and I thought she might get out of it-but she didn't even try! We wore matching way-to-bright tops and decided to have fun with it.

G was a trooper in her stroller with Grampa and Daddy while Mommy and Grandma posted good personal times. It's been 10 years since we did one of these together and we both beat those times. Take that Father Time!!! :-) 

By the time we cleaned up and came back to the festival it was hot and humid. We rewarded ourselves with some ice cream. This place had a ton of flavors-all with a little twist. Mine was a delicious salted cashew ice cream with ginger caramel. OMG-I love ginger. So good!

That evening my younger brother and his 3 boys came over to play. It is really fun to see G with other kids. She is totally content to watch everything they can do and just take it all in. My youngest nephew (13 months old) is able to throw a ball and he kept throwing it at G, she'd just pick it up and try to put it in her mouth, but you could tell she was having fun!

Sunday was another family visiting day with my cousin and her three boys stopping by and my aunt and uncle as well. It's so good to get up there and see everyone, especially now that we have G to show off!!

We left bright and early Monday morning hoping G would travel well during the daylight hours. It was hot and I'm sure she got cabin fever like we did, but she was a trooper. She ate her veggies right from these awesome packets. I squirted it right into her mouth and we made a game of it. Note to self (and other moms traveling with little ones): always travel with these!!!



Weekends always go too quickly, but weekends spent with people I love and miss go even faster. Can't wait to have the whole crew here in June for another adventure!