PB Cup Protein Shake

I am back on a protein shake kick because my brother got me a Nutribullet for Christmas. Lucky for me, this protein shake also happens to be on my monthly grocery shopping list. You can take a look at it here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-month-of-meal-plans-and-groceries-in.html


Man, this blender is AMAZING! I thought my Kitchenaid blender was fantastic, or even my Ninja. But this machine grinds spinach into bits of nothing and makes ice into snowcone-style shaved ice. I have been so impressed. It is also made to be one cup sized, the top flips off and you can put a handle lid on. It is also super easy to clean. Pretty much perfect for anyone who makes shakes and smoothies.

So this protein shake is just about my favorite one ever. If you like chocolate and peanut butter, you will love it. It takes like a milkshake, no way shape or form healthy LOL

PB Cup Protein Shake

Serves 1

Ingredients
1 scoop chocolate whey powder (I used Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 handful ice
1 tbsp creamy peanut butter (I used Jif) * you can also sub 2 tbsp PB2 powder to saved cals
*optional but not shown* 1 handful or 1 cup fresh spinach (or you can use frozen) - promise you cannot taste it!

Directions
Place all the ingredients into blender and enjoy!

Nutritional Facts per Serving

(as made as pictured with regular PB and no spinach)

Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 245
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 12 g	18 %
Saturated Fat 2 g	11 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 40 mg	13 %
Sodium 350 mg	15 %
Potassium 60 mg	2 %
Total Carbohydrate 9 g	3 %
Dietary Fiber 27 g	108 %
Sugars 4 g
Protein 29 g	57 %
Vitamin A	10 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	53 %
Iron	8 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Nutritional Facts per Serving

(as made with PB2 and spinach)

Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 205
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6 g	9 %
Saturated Fat 1 g	5 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 40 mg	13 %
Sodium 398 mg	17 %
Potassium 227 mg	6 %
Total Carbohydrate 11 g	4 %
Dietary Fiber 29 g	115 %
Sugars 3 g
Protein 31 g	62 %
Vitamin A	66 %
Vitamin C	14 %
Calcium	56 %
Iron	10 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Top VenusCrossing Articles of 2015

Some oldies but goodies are in here! Several owe their chart topping performance to going viral on Pinterest. Number one definitely owes its over 30,000 reads to Pinterest!

Number 10 post of 2015 - Exercise Progressions and Modifications: Push ups, Planks, and Dips

Here are some ideas for exercise modifications and the progression of difficulty for push ups, planks, and dips. These are the most common exercises that newbies need help with. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/03/exercise-progressions-and-modifications.html

Number 9 - Controlling Your Calories

Our focus this week is controlling your calories. This post is intended for those that have not reached our desired look/ ideal metrics. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2012/10/controlling-your-calories.html

Number 8 - Venus Ab and Core Work Progressions and Modifications

As a fitness coach, I am often asked about substitutions for core work in the various Venus Factor and Venus Index workouts.

What if I do not have a stability ball for stability ball roll ups or roll outs?
What is stability ball curl ups are too difficult for me?

Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/05/venus-ab-and-core-work-progressions-and.html

Number 7 - Commitment and Starbucks Blendicano

The most successful transformations 1) identify a clear goal 2) find a lifestyle plan that works with a nutrition and lifting component 3) stick to the plan- even when the going gets tough <- that is the hard part.

 I found the recipe on how to order a Starbucks Blendicano on IG a few weeks back and finally tried one while travelling. SO GOOD and something that will not suck all your cals up!

Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2014/08/commitment-and-starbucks-blendicano.html

Number 6 - Healthy Crockpot Peach Cobbler Oatmeal

Oh my word, this stuff is SO GOOD! Like dessert for breakfast good. Humm, that is an idea! I think I might start having it for my nightly treat sometimes! And guys, it is so easy. Seriously easy, just dumping stuff in your crockpot! Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/02/healthy-peach-cobbler-oatmeal.html

Number 5 - A Week in the Life of Liss: Planning your Deficit

This week, I want to share with you what a week of my eating and workouts look like. This is a pretty typical week for me if I am eating in a deficit (or cutting). For the 20 week VI contest, my calories averaged to approximately 8,000 per week. So that or lower is generally my goal for cutting calorie-wise. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-week-in-life-of-liss-planning-your.html

Number  4 - Weekly Healthy Dinner Menus for the Whole Family

 I make breakfast and dinner for my family most every day. I have a 45 minute commute each way, and teach an hour long gym class 4 days a week. Both of my littles play sports and my husband works a crazy shift which means he is only there to help about 25% of the time. If I can cook most of the time, I bet anyone can if they plan accordingly. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/06/weekly-healthy-dinner-menus-for-whole.html

Number 3 - Sweet Balsamic Pork Loin

This recipe became my go-to pork loin recipe about a year ago. Since then, we have had it almost weekly and I still love it.  One of the first things that I want to point out is that I prefer to use the small pork loins by Farmland rather than pork tenderloin. #1 it is cheaper by about $1 per pound and #2 there is less calories per serving. I find the Farmland pork loins at Walmart, they are about 2 lbs generally. If you are eating lean meat and you have not discovered pork loin, you are missing out. It is almost identical to chicken breast in terms of grams of protein per serving and cals per serving. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/09/sweet-balsamic-pork-loin.html

Number 2 - My Story

No surprise here, everyone likes a good transformation story and this article tops every year since I started blogging! I summarize growing up and my lifelong weight struggles, then how I lost and have kept off over 50 lbs. Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2012/11/my-story.html



aaaannnd.... *drum roll*

Number 1 - Lower Calorie Hawaiian Dream Cake

My birthday was a few days ago, gaaa... I am getting old! And I wanted CAKE! But wait, most cakes are 500 calories a serving. That takes a big hit out of a girl's daily calorie budget!

So, I made my lower-calorie Hawaiian Dream Cake. People do not believe me that this cake is half the calories of a normal cake with frosting.  Read here - http://venuscrossing.blogspot.com/2013/07/lower-calorie-hawaiian-dream-cake.html

... And that wraps up my top articles in 2015! If you made it this far, I want to take a minute to tell you thank you for being a reader :) sometimes I wonder why I do this haha! But my motivation is, and has always been, to help and inspire others. I hope your 2016 is wonderful, make it happen.

X- Liss

Beef Burrito Bowl

This recipe is the fourth in a series on "A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes." - link HERE

We shop for a month at a time, for more explanation on how we do this see the above blog post link. It saves a ton of time, money, and calories from buying off plan items. I will also be sharing with you a week of my eating and how I plan these recipes into my diet.



My kids and husband love this simple recipe, everyone can personalize their own bowl!  It is easy to make and makes plenty for a crowd. It also freezes and reheats well, so you could make a batch for your whole work week of lunches or dinners.

Burrito Bowl

Serves 5

Ingredients
2.25 lean ground beef (I used 90% lean)
2.5 cup cooked rice (I use white Minute Rice)
2.5 cup cooked pinto beans (you can also sub black beans)
15 tbsp salsa
10 tbsp plain, fat-free Greek yougurt
taco seasoning - you can buy it or HERE is my recipe from scratch
*optional toppings: shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, diced onion, diced bell peppers

Directions:
Brown beef with taco seasoning. Cook rice and beans. I do my rice in the microwave as directed and my beans in the crockpot all day. HERE is the recipe for how I do beans in the crockpot, just stop at the refry part. I freeze extra beans for future use.

On a place or bowl, layer 1/2 cup cooked rice. Then top with 1/2 cup cooked beans. Top with 6 oz beef taco meat, 3 tbsp salsa, and 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt. Finish with toppings as desired but be sure to count those in!

browning the beef

microwaving the rice as directed

beans in the crockpot!

Nutritional stats per serving

499 calories
52 g protein
46 g carbs
9 g fat

Red Chili with Chicken and Beans

This recipe is the third in a series on "A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes." - link HERE

We shop for a month at a time, for more explanation on how we do this see the above blog post link. It saves a ton of time, money, and calories from buying off plan items. I will also be sharing with you a week of my eating and how I plan these recipes into my diet.

This chili is a nice change of pace from my normal beef chili recipe. It is easy to make and makes plenty for a crowd. It also freezes and reheats well, so you could make a batch for your whole work week of lunches or dinners.

Red Chili with Chicken and Beans

6 Hearty Servings 

Ingredients:
1 large bell pepper, diced
2 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
30 oz pinto beans, cooked or canned
2 cans diced tomatoes
2/3 cup Chili-O Seasoning Mix
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
Optional toppings - green onions, plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, or sour cream

Directions:
In a large pan or pot over medium-high heat, saute the onions, bell pepper, and garlic until onions are translucent. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and chili seasoning. Once the mixture is boiling, add in the chicken. Allow the chili to come to a boil and then turn the heat down to low-medium. Allow chili to simmer for 15-20 minutes for the flavors to come together. Top as desired, but be sure to count those calories that are added. I like to top mine with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, enjoy!

Nutritional Info

Per serving

428 calories
5.3 g fat
51.8 g carbs
41.1 g protein

Chocolate PB&J Protein Oats

This recipe is the second in a series on "A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes." - link HERE

We shop for a month at a time, for more explanation on how we do this see the above blog post link. It saves a ton of time, money, and calories from buying off plan items. I will also be sharing with you a week of my eating and how I plan these recipes into my diet.

This recipe is one of my weekday favorites. I can prep the oats while I get my coffee ready and it travels well in a container until I am ready to eat it! I have a *slight* addiction to peanut butter too, so this hits that craving in a macro friendly way ;) and it will keep me full until lunch! The carbs and protein are also pretty perfect for post workout too!

Chocolate PB&J Protein Oats

Serves 1

Ingredients

0.5 cup dry oats

1 cup water

0.5 cup strawberries (I used the bagged strawberries that are frozen and sliced)

1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (I used Optimum Nutrition Extreme Milk Chocolate)

1 tbsp peanut butter

Directions:

Prepare oats in water with strawberries in the microwave, I use quick cooking oats and do 1 minute and 15 seconds in the microwave. You can also leave the oats, water, and strawberries in the fridge overnight then just warm them the next morning for about 30 seconds. 

Stir in the whey powder. Top with a dollop of peanut butter and enjoy!

I have also discovered that you can blend a cup of baby spinach into your water before cooking! Cannot even taste it, but such a great nutritional boost. Just add 7 cals to nutritional stats below; )

Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 313
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10 g	16 %
Saturated Fat 2 g	10 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 30 mg	10 %
Sodium 202 mg	8 %
Potassium 182 mg	5 %
Total Carbohydrate 25 g	8 %
Dietary Fiber 5 g	18 %
Sugars 8 g
Protein 31 g	62 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	74 %
Calcium	10 %
Iron	10 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S.

Hashbrown Omelet

This recipe is the first in a series on "A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes." - link HERE

We shop for a month at a time, for more explanation on how we do this see the above blog post link. It saves a ton of time, money, and calories from buying off plan items. I will also be sharing with you a week of my eating and how I plan these recipes into my diet.

This recipe is one of my favorites. Both my kids and my husband like it too. It is easy to make for a crowd and just as easy to make for one. It also reheats well, so you could make a batch for your whole work week of breakfast.

Hashbrowns Omelet

Serves 1

Ingredients
0.75 cup shredded potatoes (can use dehydrated potatoes)
2 oz deli ham, cut into ribbons (could sub turkey too)
1/4 cup cheese (I used cheddar)
0.75 cup liquid egg whites or egg beaters

Directions:
If using dehydrated potatoes (which is what I use), soak potatoes in an equal amount of hot water as potatoes for 15 minutes. Spray a small skillet with nonstick spray and lay out your hashbrowns in an even layer. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are golden, about 7 minutes. Flip potatoes and cook for about 5 more minutes. Then add ham, cheese, and egg whites on top of  hashbrowns. Cover and cook about 2 minutes until egg whites are set. Flip out onto plate and enjoy. I like to top mine with a little ketchup too! Just be sure to count it in your macros.


Scaling this recipe up for oven- you can also scale this recipe up and cook it like a casserole, just multiply the ingredients by the amount of servings that you need. I found a 6" round pan is perfect for 1 serving, an  8x8" pan works great for 2 servings, and a 13x9" works well for 4 servings.

Directions: Preheat oven to 450*F. Spray pan with nonstick spray. Cook hashbrowns in a single layer for 10-15 minutes until golden. Top with ham, cheese, and egg whites. Cook another 5-10 minutes until egg is set.

Nutrition Facts per Serving
Servings 1.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 379
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11 g	17 %
Saturated Fat 5 g	27 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 29 mg	10 %
Sodium 979 mg	41 %
Potassium 546 mg	16 %
Total Carbohydrate 23 g	8 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g	12 %
Sugars 0 g
Protein 41 g	83 %
Vitamin A	6 %
Vitamin C	23 %
Calcium	19 %
Iron	3 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.