Gluten-Free Coconut Protein Pancakes

Lately I’ve been getting bored of breakfast. Seriously, how many ways can I make eggs or oatmeal and expect it to taste differently than the eggs or oatmeal I had the day before? These protein pancakes are not only easy to make, but super tasty and nutritious as well. For a total of 280 calories you get SIX 4″ pancakes and a whopping 23 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber. That’s 60% of the recommended daily allowance for women, and 40% for men. Crazy!

Since a high protein and/or gluten-free diet can often suffer from lack of fiber, it’s important that you make a point of incorporating as much fiber in your meals as possible. Unlike other food components (fat, carbs, etc.) fiber isn’t digested by your body, but rather it passes through your system until it makes its way… out, which is why it’s often praised for keeping you “regular.” Besides that, fiber can also help lower cholesterol levels and control blood sugar levels, and it keeps you feeling fuller, longer. So after you eat these, you should be ready to take on the day without having to worry about any mid-morning hunger pangs.

This recipe can be made with your favorite protein powder. Mine is PlantFusion Vanilla Bean, which can be found here for super cheap! It’s tasty and not too… planty, which is totally a real word (if you’ve ever had a lesser quality plant protein powder, you’ll know what I’m talking about!) However, if you don’t dig protein powder you can just use almond milk instead (see recipe for sub measurement). There are a couple other subs that can be made in the recipe to accommodate different dietary restrictions, like replacing the egg whites with a flax egg (1 tablespoon flax + 3 tablespoons water, stir, refrigerate for 15 minutes) instead of eggs to make this vegan, or using a “paleo-approved” protein powder to make this paleo. And if it’s sugar you’re concerned about, you can sub stevia extract for the maple syrup. Easy peasy!

This recipe is:
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Refined sugar-free
• Soy-free
• Nut-free
• And can be paleo/vegan/sugar-free (see above)

Gluten-Free Coconut Protein Pancakes

• 2 egg whites (or 1 flax egg)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup water mixed with 1/4 scoop protein powder (or sub with 1/3 cup almond milk)
• 1 tablespoon flax meal
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinammon
• dash of sea salt
• coconut oil, for cooking

1. Mix all ingredients except coconut oil together in a medium bowl.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in a small bit of oil and swish it around the pan. Pour the batter in (I used about 2 tablespoons per pancake) and let cook until air bubbles appear. Carefully flip the pancake with a solid (not slotted) spatula. These things are fragile, so be careful! Cook for another minute or so and remove from heat. Repeat until all your pancakes are cooked.
3. Top with whatever you please! I topped mine with a small bit of almond butter, maple syrup, and unsweetened shredded coconut flakes. Nomz!

What’s your favorite gluten-free breakfast?

Workout Wednesday: Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred

By now I’m sure you know diet is a big part of any healthy lifestyle. But while the saying “abs are made in the kitchen” still stands true, you can’t just eat clean and sit on your butt and expect to look fabulous! You have to build some muscle. Not only does muscle tone you up and make you strong (duh), it provides you with benefits in your day-to-day life as well, like boosting your energy levels and increasing your resting metabolic rate. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no gym rat. In fact, I lost almost 40 lbs without ever setting foot inside a gym. My secret weapon? HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training.

To put it simply, HIIT maximizes your output by alternating bursts of high intensity training with short periods of low intensity exercise, or rest. It torches calories, helping you burn fat without losing muscle, and all that exertion keeps your body’s fat burning machine chugging along for a good 24 hours after. Plus, it’s highly effective – just 25 minutes burns about 300 calories. I’m all about efficiency, baby!

For my very first “Workout Wednesday” I’m sharing a (completely free & legal!) version of the HIIT workout that gave me my start: Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred. Jillian combines 3-2-1 intervals of strength, cardio, and abs (in that order!) to torch as you tone, with options for beginner and advanced fitness levels. I’m a big fan of Jillian’s no-nonsense attitude and quick, efficient workouts. To watch the video, click the image below and get ready to werk! 

What did you think of the workout? Let me know in the comments below!

Cheap Eats: Zesty Tuna and Spinach Salad

I’ve always been a tuna kid. Tuna melts, tuna sandwiches, tuna helper – I had it all and ate it all. But since going gluten- and dairy-free, I’ve had to rethink the way I eat tuna. In this fast and fresh recipe I replaced the mayo with hummus, nixing the bread and cheese for a bed of vitamin-rich spinach topped with cherry tomatoes and fresh salsa. Cucumber slices cool things off and make for easy dipping. All in all, this recipe takes about 5 minutes to prepare and serves two people. Cheap, healthy, and easy. Who says eating well has to be hard?

This recipe is:
• Gluten-free (check your hummus!)
• Dairy-free
• Soy-free
• Nut-free
• Refined sugar-free
• Paleo

Zesty Tuna and Spinach Salad

• 1 can solid white albacore tuna in water
• 2 tablespoons spicy hummus
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/2 small cucumber, sliced
• handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• fresh salsa

1. In a small bowl, combine tuna and hummus. Mix well.
2. Place half a cup of spinach in a bowl and top with half of the tuna mixture. Serve with cucumber slices, tomatoes, and a heaping spoonful of salsa. Repeat with the rest of the spinach and tuna in a second bowl. Serve and enjoy.

edit: This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursdays! 

Baked Mustard Apple Pork Loin

Pork is not something I usually buy for dinner meat. Actually, besides bacon, I rarely consume it at all. Personal preference, really. Lately, to try and save money between the two of us, my boyfriend and I have taken to making each other meals during the week with what we have at home. On this particular night, I was challenged with a nearly empty fridge and pantry save for a few condiments and a good sized pork loin he had purchased. I accepted the challenge and put my craftiness to the test.

The sweetness of the apple juice contrasted nicely with the tartness of the mustard, the two pairing well with the mild savory flavor of the pork. Served over rice with broccoli on the side, it made for a satisfying meal made only more satisfying by the fact that we didn’t have to go to the store to get anything to make it ;)

This recipe is:
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Nut-free
• Refined sugar-free

Baked Mustard Apple Pork Loin
• 3 cups 100% apple juice
• 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• 3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari
• 1 tsp dried garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
• sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs pork loin

1. In a medium bowl, combine apple juice, mustard, tamari, garlic and cayenne. Whisk to combine.
2. Place pork loin in a large plastic bag and pour in half of the apple juice mixture. Reserve the other half at room temperature. Seal the bag and let marinade 30-60 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350°. Place pork loin in a 13×9″ roasting pan and pour the marinade from the bag evenly over the meat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and bake for 45-60 minutes, turning the meat over and seasoning the other side halfway through cooking. The center of the pork should be opaque and very slightly pink when finished.
4. While the pork cooks, pour the reserved marinade in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Bring the marinade to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue stirring the mixture and reduce the heat, simmering the mixture until it becomes thick and syrupy. If the it begins to stick add a tablespoon or two of apple juice, stirring to combine.
5. In about ten minutes, the reduction should darken and reach a sauce-like consistency. Remove from heat into a new bowl. Once the pork is done, slice and serve over a bed of rice topped with the sauce. Pair with you choice of vegetable and enjoy!

Paleo Steak Lettuce Wraps with Cucumber Carrot Slaw and a Tangy Cashew Sauce

Lettuce wraps have got to be one of my favorite dishes, like, ever. Juicy marinated meat, some kind of crunchy slaw, and deliciously tangy sauce all wrapped up in crisp, fresh lettuce – sign me up. But foodie, beware! Those tasty little cups they serve in the restaurant are packed with sugar that practically negates any nutritional value and makes the calorie count skyrocket. Luckily, this recipe makes it easy to get the flavor your crave in a clean, healthful way by using a bit of raw local honey.

Unlike the blood sugar spike that refined white sugar causes, raw local honey may actually help blood sugar control and insulin resistance as it contains nearly a 1:1 ratio of fructose to glucose, which the body tolerates better than sucrose (white sugar) alone. Plus, honey is naturally sweeter than sugar, so you can use less of it. Pretty nifty, right?

The marinade in this recipe is also the base for the sauce, but you won’t cook the sauce so make sure you divide it before you add it to the meat. I used romaine lettuce hearts as little boats for the wraps, though Bibb lettuce cups work wonderfully if you can get them. My boyfriend and I enjoyed this recipe for dinner one night, and I may or may not have devoured the leftovers alone in the kitchen after I got home from work the next day.

This recipe is:
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Refined sugar-free
• Paleo

Steak Lettuce Wraps and Tangy Cashew Sauce
• 1/3 cup gluten-free tamari
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon raw local honey
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1″ fresh ginger root, peeled and minced (or 2 teaspoons dried ground ginger)
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
—-
• 2 tablespoons cashew butter (sub almond butter if needed)
• 1 1/2 lbs steak (inexpensive cut – flank is good here), cubed, or stew meat
• Romaine hearts or Bibb lettuce cups
• 2 tablespoons chopped cashews

1. Combine soy sauce through garlic (all ingredients above the line) in a small bowl. Whisk ingredients until well combined.
2. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade and set aside. This will be your sauce.
3. Pour the remaining marinade over the cubed meat in a flat pan or large plastic bag. Let sit for about 30 minutes (longer is always better if possible!) while you prepare the sauce and slaw.
4. For the sauce, combine the 1/4 cup marinade with 2 tablespoons cashew butter. Whisk until smooth.
5. Once you prepare the slaw, you’re ready to get cookin’. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and marinade, and cook until medium rare, about 5 minutes.
6. Let the meat cool a bit while you wash and dry your lettuce of choice.
7. To assemble your wraps, place the meat inside the lettuce. Top with slaw and sauce. Sprinkle chopped cashews on top if desired.

Cucumber Carrot Slaw
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons local raw honey (optional – can negate if desired)

1. Prepare your vegetables. For the carrots, you can use a box grater and shred them by hand or use the grater attachment on your food processor. Separate the onion layers with your fingers.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the rice vinegar and honey. If not using honey, skip to the next step.
3. In a large bowl, place the cucumber, carrots, and onions. Add the vinegar mixture and gently stir to combine. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the meal.
What’s your favorite fresh dinner dish? Let me know in the comments below!