2 Minute Pumpkin Pie

I am still on a pumpkin kick, y'all. It is still cold right? I think I am good until at least spring break haha!

This recipe is THE ticket though- 5 ingredients plus 2 minutes and you have a tasty protein-filled dessert. YES! 233 calories and 19 grams of protein. BOOM!

Anyway, I got this new Quest Nutrition Protein Cereal bar the other day in the waffle flavor. The calories are super low and the calorie to protein ratio is perfect! It screamed out it needed to become a pie crust though, and so I got to thinking. Thus, this recipe was born!

Since I ran out of cereal bars though, I have to admit, I have made just the pie several more times without the "crust". It is THAT good. Seriously, tastes like the real deal!

I have a few new videos for you before we get to that recipe ;)

American deadlift - so good for high reps and glute pump!
*Stop at knee level, feels like a traditional deadlift on the way down
*When you come up, contract your glutes to drive upward
*At the top, really drive your pelvis forward with your glutes. It almost feels like a hip thrust.
I like to do 2-3 sets of these for 21 reps.

Overhead press PR! Did not go up in weight but got 2 reps in instead of 1! On overhead press, be sure to squeeze your glutes. I know it sounds weird bit it works!

Happy #flexfriday :)

Left was almost 3 years ago in Boise when my bestie Coach Jenny and I had just started working for Venus ❤ Right is this morning during workout when I realized I had on the exact outfit! Maintenance is a tricky game but Venus helped me figure it out. The only program I know that does teach that VERY critical part. What is the point in getting into great shape if you can't keep it?

Alright, so onto that recipe. It is SO simple, just a handful of ingredients!

2 Minute Pumpkin Pie

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 large, Egg

1 bar, Quest Cereal Protein Bar - Waffle Flavored (I think the cinnamon one would be good too!)

0.50 cup, Pumpkin Puree

3 tsp (0.5g), granular Stevia (can sub sweetener of choice)

0.25 tsp, Spices, pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Spray individual sized ramekin or bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Crumble your Quest cereal protein bar into the bottom in bite sized pieces. In another small bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients then pour over the protein bar. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. I topped mine with a little plain fat-free Greek yogurt. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:

Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 233
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10 g	16 %
Saturated Fat 4 g	20 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 196 mg	65 %
Sodium 241 mg	10 %
Potassium 122 mg	3 %
Total Carbohydrate 29 g	10 %
Dietary Fiber 7 g	28 %
Sugars 12 g
Protein 19 g	39 %
Vitamin A	75 %
Vitamin C	6 %
Calcium	15 %
Iron	13 %
* 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 10 VenusCrossing Articles and Recipes of 2016

2016 was a fantastic year :) my family made some changes from the heart that were scary yet thrilling. I could not be happier though, it was 100% worth it. Living on the beach, and working full-time doing what I love but with a flexible schedule so that I can do anything with the husband or kids I need to. Our time together has probably doubled, and that is priceless.

So without further ado, here are the top 10 articles of 2016 as ranked by YOUR visits!

10. Venus Ab and Core Work Progressions and Modifications




9. Taco Salad and Menu for Monthly Shopping




8. Commitment and Starbucks Blendicano




7. Healthy Crockpot Peach Cobbler Oatmeal




6. A Week in the Life of Liss: Planning your Deficit




5. A Month of Meal Plans and Groceries in 30 Minutes




4. Weekly Healthy Dinner Menus for the Whole Family




3. Sweet Balsamic Pork Loin




2. My Story




1. Lower Calorie Hawaiian Dream Cake



Thank you for your support! I am wishing you a fantastic 2017!
X-Liss

Almond Joy Protein Cookies

I have not been this pleased about a new sweet recipe in a LOOOONG time. Guys, these seriously knocked me over. They taste sinful, and yet they are really not too bad in calories. And a little punch of protein helps too. Both my kids liked them, and they are pretty critical judges.

They both are into Food Network shows like Chopped, so they now feel they need to critique my cooking (which sometimes makes me lose my cool admittedly). So when they give a healthy recipe two thumbs up and eat TWO, umm yeah. It is a winner. You can take these to non-health nuts and they will be just fine ;)

Banded kneeling clamshell - you have got to try this ASAP, ladies! For me this small tweak of kneeling, it really hammered my gluteus medius 🍑 be sure to switch sides. Palpate to really hit those glutes hard!

Pretty sure my muscles were popping from my love affair with stuffed peppers lately. They're magical muscle food ;) this one is 5 oz lean taco beef stir-fried with a few handfuls of cabbage, onions, and spinach all chopped. (Handy for chopping up and using whatever meat or veggies you have on hand!) Mix in a tbsp of tomato paste and 1/2 cup cooked rice then plop into a pre-cooked bell pepper. Top with 1/4 cup of cheese, because duh. They have been coming out around 450 cals and about 35 grams of protein!

Super shoulder burnout with plates - did this as a finisher this morning and it burned so good!
*lateral + front plate raises 5 each
*full front plate raise - slow eccentric 10 reps
Do for as many rounds as you can with good form. I did 4!

I have been really seeing some good changes in my delts this year trying to incorporate every plane of motion for shoulders most workouts along with mixing heavy reps with burnouts and slow eccentrics.

My MIL got me these cool shoes a while back for my bday! If you prefer minimalist shoes like me, these are the jam. I have worn them to lift in my gym during a cold spell, then running errands around town with my leggings. So comfy, like socks with a light sole. Think she said she got them Amazon, maybe. I am a fan!

Onto the recipe... I *think* you could get away with doubling the protein powder if you want to up the protein to calorie ratio. But my goal here was taste primarily, so I played it safe so that they would be closer to the real deal ;)

Almond Joy Protein Cookies

Makes 9 cookies

Ingredients:
1 medium, Bananas, raw (ripe is best, I used a previously frozen banana that I defrosted)
1/2 cup Flaked Unsweetened Coconut
1/2 cup, Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 scoop, vanilla Whey protein (I used Slap Nutriton)
1/3 cup, unsalted whole almonds (lightly chop them)
1/4 Cup, Egg Whites

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325*F. In a medium bowl, mash the bananta with the egg whites and vanilla whey. Stir in the coconut, chocolate chips, and lightly chopped almonds. Using a tablespoon, place the cookies onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the batter is set. (Mine took 12 minutes.) Enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Nutrition Facts
Servings 9.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 126
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8 g	12 %
Saturated Fat 4 g	20 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 3 mg	1 %
Sodium 28 mg	1 %
Potassium 134 mg	4 %
Total Carbohydrate 12 g	4 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g	8 %
Sugars 4 g
Protein 5 g	11 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	2 %
Calcium	3 %
Iron	4 %
* 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.