Another Beginning, 2023

Yes, another resolution post, like we haven’t all seen enough of them in the last week or so. I know, how cliché, but I love any opportunity to take a look at where I am, where I want to go, and develop a plan on how to get there. I want to share a few of my 2023 goals just for some inspiration because I know I love to hear what everyone is excited by lately even if I don’t want to achieve their same goals.

I like to pick at least one goal for several areas in my life instead of just getting stuck on one type that can seem overwhelming.

Fitness: Work up to running 6 miles/5 days a week. It’s been forever since I’ve had a true running plan and I miss the consistency and love how my mental toughness increases when I do a workout no matter my mood. Plus I am working on building muscle through strength training. It’s never been my favorite so I’m making it my mission to commit to it this year and find what I like most. I like pushing myself physically and it’s been awhile.
Health: Focus on small habits to up my wellness game. Specifically I want to have protein at each meal, pay more attention to eating intuitively, especially with portions/stopping when full, and delving into personal habits (why I do what I do). Researching wellness/health trends is one of my favorite things so I know what to do.
Finances: Create a new income stream. Ideally something I enjoy as a hobby that can be monetized.
Adventure: Travel at least once a month. I haven’t been on a plane since December 2019 and I’m going stir crazy, but road trips to little towns not too far away count as well. I want to explore more.
Food: Cook more actual recipes. I love to bake and watch cooking shows. I am the master at roasting vegetables and protein and making easy soups but when I follow recipes I’m amazed at how much better my food tastes. I also want to experiment with new techniques, ingredients, and trying classic recipes I’ve never made.
Bonus Challenge: Only buy clothes that are thrifted (thrift stores, Poshmark, etc.) as much as possible. This one is part eco, one part finances. It will obviously help me save money if I’m not buying new items but also make me get more creative in “shopping my closet” to create outfits. I’ve felt guilty for quite awhile with being such a consumer of new clothes when most of my favorites are from thrift stores anyway. Obviously I’ll allow myself to buy new undergarments (hah!) and if something is needed out of pure necessity.

Even though I love the goals I’ve chosen to work on I still give myself grace and not make them too absolute. If I slip up a day or even a week, it is my choice to get up again and restart. If I had said on January 1st “I will work out every day” for example, odds are I will screw it up and feel like a failure. However, I made my goal more about the overall process. I used to think the 80/20 rule with wellness was stupid because, what am I supposed to do? Be tracking my meals and calculating if I ate correctly exactly 80% of the time and splurged the other 20? That just never felt doable or sustainable. Lately though I’ve realized that the 80/20 concept is more like a figure of speech to not take literal. It is about sticking to your goals most of the time and allowing yourself that wiggle room for the more fun moments, the treats, and the mistakes. I think many people don’t set “resolutions” because they don’t want to be disappointed when they “fail.” In my opinion, if you are committed to a goal you truly desire you will be motivated to keep going. Make your goals personal. Don’t start January with a typical resolution that you hear everyone and your neighbor making. That will not excite you. And never forget that even the biggest goal you wish for the most will not always sound exciting and you will not always have the motivation. A little bit each day, one step at a time is how we grow and change.

I love this quote when I feel like my daily habits aren’t adding up: “Your days create your weeks. Your weeks create your years and your years create your life.”

~Whitney

P.S. I have other goals that I’m keeping more private. Plus, I realized I was rambling far too long on each of my bulleted goals above when I really wanted to stick to a simple post. I think I’ll go into each one more in depth later on.

January 5, 2023January 5, 2023

Whitney VictoriaLeave a comment

Procrastination

You know those things you really want to do but you end up procrastinating or worse, never start? I have a few tips for when this hits me and I need some extra motivation. Trust me, this is for me today just as much as it is for you guys.

Check in with myself. Is this even a goal I still want to achieve? I think a lot of times we get thrown off by what we think we “should” do and then wonder why we aren’t excited about it. A goal set by someone else will rarely excite or inspire me. If I get quiet and decide, yep, this is something I really want, then I proceed to the next step(s).
Start small. Say I am procrastinating doing a workout. I can’t go in telling myself I have to do an hour on the treadmill. If I am not feeling it, I’ll tell myself just do 15 minutes. If it’s miserable, well then I’m done quickly but I almost always go longer. Once I start with just a little the initial hurdle of overwhelm is gone.
Remember why I started. What made me excited do this in the first place? If I’m training for a race it’s impossible to love every single workout so I need to visualize my end goal. I like to see myself showing up as my most authentic self who is vibrant, confident, and works out because she loves the feeling afterward. It’s normal to not always feel motivated!
Focus on gratitude. I GET to do this. I get to put one foot in front of the other and run or lift weights. I get to cook a delicious dinner because, gratefully, I can afford healthy food. I get get into bed early and read because I have an open schedule, etc.
Finally, let it go. I only truly fail when I quit so I stop dwelling and don’t call myself lazy. Start over this afternoon, tomorrow, or this weekend. We always have a choice to change and redo things. I used to get so stuck if I ruined my exercise streak. I thought I had to wait until the next day or the next first of the month or whatever to start again. Nope. No one gets to set the rules but me.

I usually end up using exercise/running as a metaphor because it is one of the easiest to comprehend but these steps can help with any of your goals you keep putting off.

Bonus tip: If all else fails reward yourself! See pic of me with an oat milk cappuccino. Haha, but seriously, as long as the reward is in proportion to the task, I say go for it.

December 8, 2022

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Why I Eat Gluten Free

Why do I eat gluten free? Should you?

Of course it seems super trendy, and I’ll be the first to admit I jumped on that bandwagon a few years ago. It promised less inflammation, probably weight loss (less carbs!), and an overall high vibe wellness-y life! Seemingly so at least. To be clear, when I “went gluten free” back then, it was with little purpose other than testing it out, hoping it would be the golden ticket to perfect health and my perfect body. I never actually was very strict about it. I would pretty much get a packaged product and think, “ooo, it’s gluten free! It must be healthy!” And, if there was something amazing like say, fried pickles or a delectable cookie, I’d eat it, guiltily. Needless to say, I never noticed a difference.

I was feeling pretty lackluster and very low on important vitamin levels for a few months despite eating very cleanly and (what I thought was) super healthy. I finally got a food sensitivity test done when all my other tests came back negative (thankful) for other major issues. To the best of my knowledge, I do not have Celiac Disease or an allergy to wheat or gluten. However, I have a severe sensitivity to gluten, wheat, rye, and soy. This is actually a lesser-known issue they call Non-Celian Gluten Sensitivity. I truly can tell when I’ve been “glutened.” This is a personal choice of mine to stay away from it as much as possible. I am far from perfect and thankfully a little bit here and there or cross-contamination will not cause lasting physical effects that I feel. But I do know, when I knowingly have something with those ingredients in it, I feel tired, sometimes get stomach pains, my throat will hurt, and my eyes feel dry.

It’s really important to keep in mind just how different we all are. This might not do anything for you! Or maybe you have it worse than me and have a true allergy or Celiac’ s and need to avoid it completed.

There might not be any reason to avoid gluten/wheat, and you don’t have to!, but if you do want to give it a try it might help if you have an autoimmune disease to lower inflammation, lift brain fog, and help with digestion issues, among other things. Remember, just because something is gluten free does not mean it’s better! Still focus on whole foods when you can.

Right now I do not worry too much about cross-contamination if I would really like to try something. That might change or it might not. Plus, I will have something like a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery if I’m in NYC. I just will try my best the rest of the day to be completely G-free so I don’t end up feeling totally wiped. Another thing I do is pay close attention to how I feel after eating something new. Sometimes I might eat something with oats (usually have cross-contamination), and will feel some negative effects. If that happens I probably won’t buy that brand/item again.

*Hot tip: This is controversial but I can tell a big difference taking an activated charcoal pill after I’ve been glutened. Just don’t rely on it!

This is just one tiny piece of the puzzle when it comes to health and wellness so take it with a grain of salt. I’ve been testing things out for YEARS and finally feel like I’m more in tune with what makes me feel best.

Something different works for all of us. Wellness is not one size fits all. I don’t eat like this for any other reason other than I feel my best without these ingredients.

Leave a comment and tell me why or why not you eat gluten free! Or if you have any questions, I’d love to see if I can answer them.

~Whitney

September 18, 2019

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Fall Fabulous

I always can feel the seasons changing. Even when I was little. It would be steamy August and summer and I’d get (more) freckles each week, and then all of a sudden I would wake up one day and feel the morning air was the slightest bit brisk. Even if the summer sun would burn it off quite quickly, I just knew that that was Fall, hinting at its impending entrance.

This is my ode to Autumn. It’s a little bit funny that Fall has almost become a total basic girl cliché. I realized this today while daydreaming about pumpkin spice flavors, plaid scarves, and apple orchards, even though it’s currently about 78 degrees. Speaking of which, apparently it’s PSL day since Starbucks launches all the pumpkin drinks today. I’m usually underwhelmed by the actual pumpkin spice latte but their new Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew sounds like something I might need to try once.

I don’t really care that’s it’s so popular now because I’ve always been into flannel shirts and ankle boots and wandering through leaf-lined paths. Maybe it’s just social media that’s shed the light on the fact that just about every other person loves it too.

That crispness in the air? Pumpkins out front at the grocery store? The Halloween stores opening up? Pinecones, chrysanthemums, leaves of every color? Hiking without the gnats and ticks?

I’m here for it all.

The hot coffee, the beautiful sunsets, the leather jackets, the comfort food. The tights! Haha, a pale girl like me loves tight season.

I think Fall is a favorite for many people because it’s not as harsh as summer or winter. It’s leading into the time when we normally get cozy and slow down a little. School starts, and no matter how long I’ve been out, I get a little wistful for bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils.

I also start to feel more like myself again when the air gets cooler. I’ve often wondered why. Is it because I was born in winter? I feel at home there? There’s just a little extra something in my aura this time of year. As much as a I try to explain it and list the wonderful attributes of the season, I can never put my finger on it. I don’t really want to. If you know me, you know I love a little magic in my life and that’s what the unexplainable is. Magic.

~Whitney

P.S. What’s your favorite thing about Autumn?

August 27, 2019

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Laughing’s My Favorite

It’s soooo easy to get stuck in a solemn mood. Maybe it’s because I’m focused on a goal or possibly because I’m determined to craft a new plan of attack for whatever strikes my fancy lately. It’s not always because I’m sad or discouraged about something. These are the times when I stay in a mood. It’s that dull, lackluster, monotonous feeling where things seem to just be rolling along with the clock, no big changes or manifestations.

Ew to that. I like the sparkle and the joy.

It’s like when I want to be dancing around the kitchen, music blaring (Well, not blaring; I don’t like super loud things in my house. I have sensitive ears, okay?), making scrambled eggs or something. You know the feeling, when I don’t have a time schedule and just act a little weird and silly like no one’s watching, even if someone is. It’s freedom to let go of control and literally let loose.

I got to thinking this more and more recently. As adults it’s almost an unlearning of sorts. We’re taught to button up and save the wild times for very specific moments when they’re deemed acceptable.

Hello! There is no scheduling fun when you’re a kid. We can be silly! We can have fun! This doesn’t make us any less responsible or respected as grown ups. In fact, I believe it sends out the message to the universe that we’re having a great time here on Earth and we’re open to more enjoyable moments. So yes, it’s not a perfect world where we never lose our sense of fun for fun’s sake, but this just means we have to be a tad more conscious about it.

I’m trying to make time for the silliness.

Watch a funny movie/TV show I know gets me laughing or smiling or just feelin’ good.
Daydream.
Sing out loud to my favorite songs.
Color.
Play dress up.

None of this is relegated to kids; we just seem to forget these are options.

Last night my mom and I went to see I Love Lucy in the movie theaters for Lucille Ball’s birthday and it was so fun. They showed a couple episodes in color and even though I’ve seen them all (many times) before I still laugh so hard! It was worth the staying up a little later. If you know me, you know I’m in bed by 8:30pm on a weekday…

This was the reminder I needed that I can laugh and have a great time any moment of any day. A “normal” schedule doesn’t allow time for that. It doesn’t always come naturally but it always boosts my mood for a long time after. It’s something I’m working on and I think it will keep getting easier to do without thinking.

So for now, I’m just over here connecting with my inner child, people!

~Whitney

August 7, 2019August 7, 2019

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Sugar Detox: Why It’s Necessary

Yeah, I know. You might not want to actually quit sugar. You might love it. I totally do but it is one of those things that really hurts in the long run, no matter how good it seems in the moment.

I fully intend to have Lindt Lindor truffles on a semi-regular basis. Because they’re amazing. Because one makes me happy and satisfied. No, they are not the healthiest chocolate in the world. They do have some questionable ingredients, but they are some of the best I’ve ever had. Seriously, buy my favorite flavor right //ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=whitneyvictor-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B002RNYDBU&asins=B002RNYDBU&linkId=c721a00dfc767e41e57020bca4c6fd57&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff“>here. The extra dark are to die for. Well, every flavor really is, except the orange. That one just shouldn’t exist in my opinion.

Anyway, sorry for the chocolate rant. I just love it. That proves my point that I will still have a Carvel ice cream cake on my birthday every year. I just don’t want to NEED it. I don’t want to crave sugar to the point where I feel powerless in it’s grasp.

In one sitting, I’ve eating an entire bag of those exact truffles I mentioned at on point probably a year ago. Sugar is that thing that makes your brain think you need it to be happy and satisfied. The first, oh maybe 3 chocolates were amazing and I loved every bite, and then my brain kept telling me “More is better.” 12 empty wrappers and one almost stomachache later, I knew that wasn’t true.

What do we do about the sugar addiction?

I go cold turkey with the hard stuff. By this I mean the chemically engineered, fully processed versions of sugar like high fructose corn syrup and anything like Splenda or aspartame.

Then I start with replacing those sugars with naturally-derived sweeteners like raw stevia. I will only use //ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=whitneyvictor-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00CQ7YSW6&asins=B00CQ7YSW6&linkId=d9b24b6dc9f8de599a82580af56164c9&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff“>Stevia in the Raw packets or this //ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=whitneyvictor-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01B048808&asins=B01B048808&linkId=7cd9d157d83feabff1e74535624af3ba&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff“> liquid stevia (it comes in caramel and other great flavors!). I also use limited coconut sugar and unsweetened applesauce for baking. My snacks will include some whole fruits and I’ll still allow some clean snack bars. More on this in my next post.

The next week or so, I’ll try to limit adding stevia to my oatmeal and cut back on bars.

After that, I only eat fruit once a day, preferably in the mornings, and don’t add any sweetener to my dishes.

Then I stay in that phase for at least another week to the point that I don’t crave something sweet after lunch and supper.

That’s always my goal. I want to kill the cravings.

Is craving something bad?

Well, it is when it’s sugar. See, sugar is in so much conventionally-made food these days that you might not even realize it unless you’re constantly reading nutrition labels like I do.

When you give up sugar, you gain a LOT.

Some benefits:

Clearer, brighter skin
Less noticeable cellulite (yeah, it’s true. I’ve seen it happen)
You’re less hungry for junk food
Lose belly fat
1. and overall weight loss, for that matter
Drastically lower risk for diabetes
Energy increases

Check out the following sources: Here, here, and here.

Now. What does sugar actually do to you body?

Side Effects of Eating too Much Sugar:

Weight gain
1. “Additionally, excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating (4). In other words, sugary beverages don’t curb your hunger, making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This can lead to weight gain.” source
Increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer
Increases risk of depression
Accelerates skin aging
1. Yes, I’m vain enough to admit this is a factor in my detox
Potential liver damage

And, those are just a some of the reasons it’s necessary to quit the habits.

Now, who’s with me?

~Whitney Victoria

P.S. Bonus shot of me holding an ice cream cone called The Salty Pimp. The shop is fun and bright and offers treats like the “Dorothy” and the “Rocky Roadhouse.” Any ice cream place that joins rainbow sprinkles with the Golden Girls is okay by me. Just not every day…

July 11, 2018July 11, 2018

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Sugar Detoxing: Easing into It

I’m early into it, very early, like 2 full days into my self-imposed sugar detox. I’m always one for challenges and pushing myself but this decision seemed extra necessary this time of year.

I love ice cream and chocolate, obviously. Who doesn’t? I’m good at making healthier desserts but the problem is that if those options aren’t there, what am I going to want? The traditional cake, with gluten white sugar, and lord knows what else.

Those cravings were just getting out of control. Sure, I could kid myself and act like I’d only eat some super clean blueberry muffins that I whipped up, but then slowly I’d “allow” myself candy or Halo Top or something once week, which would become twice a week. Every savory meal left me wishing I had a sweet bit to finish it off. Sometimes I’d just have a piece of hard candy but other days that just set me off to wanting even more.

I just got tired of having a craving at all. I believe a craving means you don’t have control over wanting something. I don’t like feeling powerless, especially over something as small, and meaningless as sugar. I kept pushing it off and saying I’d stop eating “next week” or after the weekend, etc.

After July 4th, I knew I had to kick the habit. I had a “goodbye” bowl of ice cream and felt terrible after eating it. When I go for awhile eating mostly fruits, vegetables, and overall clean food, a big serving of sugar affects me like crazy.

I swear my heard beat a little faster and I felt soooo sluggish. I even woke up with what felt like a sugar hangover. I had no energy! It just reinforced exactly what I already knew.

Sugar was harming me. It felt for about 5 minutes and then it went bad. IT really is an addiction.

So. Yesterday I decided to go cold turkey.

I made up my own challenge because I wasn’t finding any program I really cared to follow.

My 3 simple rules:

No added sugar
- read this article for all the sneaky names of sugar!
Only 1 serving of fruit/day
- before lunch
Follow for at least 30 days
- preferably until the cravings are gone

I’ve done this type of sugar detoxing before and have pretty many tips and coping mechanisms. It’s never easy but I know it will be worth it.

I’m going to share just how to get through those cravings this week and how to still have fun eating! Stay tuned!

~Whitney Victoria

July 10, 2018

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Joy & Muffins

I decided to bake last night. I usually don’t bake during the week. I think I always feel like it will be an all-consuming 4 hour process or something so I push it off until I have “adequate” time on the weekends. Baking gives me a little jolt of accomplishment so I really need to stop assuming my other to-dos are more important and I don’t have time. You know what they say when your assume. The best part is that I had plenty of time to whip up muffins, pack some lunch for tomorrow, and do lift a few weight. Oh, and most importantly, I had time to watch Young and the Restless #priorities

My point is this: Don’t Postpone Joy. Chase it now.

So, what did I bake, you ask? In my head, you’re asking, ready for the recipe.

I always have criteria for my recipes. Usually I need to have everything on hand and easily accessible. No surprise that I couldn’t find something suitable from a quick Pinterest search, so I made up my own recipe.

Enter my Cinnamon Sugar Snacking Muffins.

They’re semi-healthy. Recipes like this I consider sorta like half-caff coffee. You’re still eating a little sugar and gluten but not near as much as in traditional recipes. The taste is still there and you most likely won’t miss the extra calories. It’s good when you want to bake something for a person who eschew healthy food. Most of the time I just can’t bring myself to not do some clean eating swaps.

This muffins are moist and have a cinnamony bite to them. They go well with tea as a snack. Since the batter doesn’t have as much sugar as most muffins, the topping adds a welcome sweet crunch.

Next time I plan on making them in my mini muffin tin. Like muffin poppers! Is that a thing?

Cinnamon Sugar Snacking Muffins

makes: 12 standard muffins or 18 mini muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour (can use Bob’s Red Mill GF too!)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter – melted

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp baking powder

pinch Himalayan salt

1/3 cup milk

1 flax egg (can sub for 1 egg)

Topping:

1/4 cup white sugar mixed

1 tbs cinnamon

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients. Whisk all liquids together. Slowly incorporate liquids into dry ingredient bowl, until just mixed.

Mix topping together.

Spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray. (I love this!) Pour batter evenly into muffin tins. Sprinkle topping onto each muffin. Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. They should be golden brown with a slightly crisp top. Don’t over bake!

Tip: You can fill just 8 muffin tins to the top for bakery-style muffins.

Let me know if you whip these up! I think adding apples would be great. : )

July 4, 2018

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Whitney Lately Vol. 2

Admiring lately:

Lower Manhattan

This is from a recent Uber ride from Brooklyn to MSG to eat gluten free pizza and have have macaroons from the bus station. This view will be a part of my daily life. It’s always been in me.

Crushing lately:

Tone It Up Bikini Series

“Crushing” might be a little strong but I’m officially on the last day of the TIU Bikini Series. I gotta say, it’s 8 weeks, but those weeks really did fly by. There’s an app that has free daily moves every day. Each day is dedicated to a certain body part you’re working. You swipe through the moves and then the last screen is this one. A little encouragement is always welcome.

Seriously check it out. I’m a TIU girl now for the long run.

Sipping lately:

All the iced coffee

I’m loving my coffee cold even more so than usual. It just tastes sooo good to me this time of year. Who am I kidding? It tastes good any time of the year but in winter my hands start to freeze if I don’t get hot drinks. But then again, that’s what I have gloves for.

Researching lately:

Summer Events

On July 18 I am going to an event for the Almost 30 podcast in NYC and I cannot wait. I took the day off and the next day just because I’ll get back late on a “school night.” Even though the event only starts at 6:30 pm, I’m planning on taking some time in the city before it starts. Right now, my schedule is wide open. I’m a planner but I’m working on being more flexible with my schedule. It’s actually way tougher than I thought it would be when I started to work on this trait a few months ago. I actually feel stress when I have something “fun” planned but I don’t have an entire, completed, highly-detailed itinerary in my possession. Anyway…I am slowly getting there and am allowing myself to enjoy some true free time. So, for this day trip I had to at least have some things in mind. As we speak I have a few options:

Catch a matinee show on Broadway (This most def. revolves around finding a good price.)
- Currently cruising this site right here for tips and tricks – Last Minute Broadway Tickets
- I’m dying to see Anastasia and Dear Evan Hansen (amazing music that I only know because of my Greatest Showman Pandora station)
Find a new cafe and people watch while I enjoy a great coffee and pastry
Eat at a top chef restaurant for lunch and take my time enjoying the meal
FINAAAALLLY go to a Soul Cycle class
- I so want to do this eventually but my main reason for most likely striking this one from the docket is that I won’t look super cute for the Almost 30 shindig a few hours later
Possibly find a semi-affordable hotel for the night so I can leisurely enjoy myself without rushing home at 9pm

Watching Lately:

Imposters

This was just recommended to me by a friend and I’m hooked. A Bravo show that follows a team of con artists and the jilted marks who are trying to catch them. I”m currently catching up on the first season on Netflix and will probably finish it in a few days.

Tonight I’m heading to see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and can’t wait. I haven’t looked at a single review because I want to just go enjoy Chris Pratt, Jeff Goldblum, and some Velociraptors.

June 30, 2018June 30, 2018

Whitney Victoria4 Comments

Mocha Protein Muffins – Gluten Free & Vegan

Sometimes I want to eat cake for breakfast…but when I actually do that I end up on a downward spiral for the rest of the day, craving more sugar, more carbs, more unhealthy anything. These muffins can be a great option for those days when I really want the cake without the crap.

This is the nice middle ground between a muffin and a brownie. I tweaked a recipe from Tone It Up. These aren’t dry like some gluten free recipes and they have a rich chocolate flavor because of the coffee. Coffee brings out I learned that from Ina.

So easy. Tasty as a snack or dessert.

Mocha Protein Muffins

makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 oat flour

3/4 cup vegan chocolate protein powder (using this kind at the moment)

1/4 cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp melted coconut oil

1/4 cup raw honey

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup coffee

1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax dissolved in 2 tbsp water)

Instructions:

Mix dry ingredients together. Add all wet ingredients. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. (I prefer coconut oil spray) Pour batter evenly Bake 24-28 minutes until just firm.

Let me know what you think!

~Whitney Victoria

February 6, 2018February 5, 2018

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