THE MOST DELICIOUS PANCAKE RECIPE EVAR!

Over these past few months I have learned a great deal. At first when I started eating healthy, I was super OCD about counting my calories, making sure I didn't eat past 7, and just being extremely strict in general with what I ate (no sweets ever, nothing with processed flour, no extra little snacks here and there). Let's just say, it was probably about to get unhealthy if I kept it up for too long... But then I went on a two week vacation to visit high school friends, and I all of a sudden began eating too much probably. But it taught me a lesson. When I got back home to Savannah, I was eating healthy again, but I wasn't as worried about counting calories as I was about just making sure I wasn't eating anything too awful in large amounts. Like, yesterday I ate a little bit of Cinnamon Chex cereal around 11:30 PM with my boyfriend. The day before that, I was at a gathering that was handing out free candy to everyone, and I ate three squares of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate. And maybe a blow-pop.

And honestly, with all this intense running I've been doing, I think I'll be fine. As long as I don't start allowing myself to have a giant dessert everyday all the time. I just have to keep control over my eating habits, while still allowing myself a little slack. It may be difficult to find this balance and stick with it, but hey! I have my whole life to figure it out right? I have confidence in myself to do what's best for my body.

But, ahem. Back to baking.

Today after my gym workout (no running today - instead I used the Nike Training Club free app on my phone for circuit training and it was awesome!), I decided to get creative. Pulling from a few different recipes I had heard of before, I threw together an awesome pancake breakfast for one. I'm not exactly sure how much of each ingredient I used because I was so frickin' excited to try my creation that I just threw everything into a bowl and got straight to mixing!

NOM-NOM PANCAKE MESS

Cool name, huh? 

What you need:
1/3 C old fashioned oats
1/3 C 2% small curd cottage cheese
1 egg white
A splash of vanilla soy milk (to thin the batter)
A splash of vanilla extract
Cinnamon to taste
Half sliced banana (to add to the pancakes once they are already on the griddle)

What you do:
Mix all ingredients (except the banana!) in a small bowl. Use a hand mixer to soften/break up the mixture a bit, then pour onto greased/"cooking-oiled" pan or pancake griddle. Add banana slices. Let each pancake cook for about 2 minutes on each side on medium-high (depending on thickness), then flip! (Mine ended up being super messy when I flipped it because I absolutely suck at flipping pancakes.)

When I made it, the recipe produced about 2 medium sized pancakes - good for one person :) I topped mine with a bit of syrup and a few sprinkles of Kashi Go Lean! cereal. MM.

Also, I strongly recommend Stash Premium Tea's Chai Spice Black Tea, especially with a splash of Silk Vanilla Soy Milk. Soo good - and it gives me a caffeine kick in the morning!

Happy breakfast-ing!

STRANGE-YET-DELICIOUS: TALES OF A SECRET LOVE AFFAIR

A month ago, if someone were to suggest I eat anything involving Cottage Cheese, I probably would have gagged. My memories of Cottage Cheese from high school are terrifying, nightmare-ish, and shocking - to say the least (the thought of chunky dairy and melon mixed together just didn't do it for me, thanks to my friend Mary).

But now, for some reason, Cottage Cheese and I are having a little secret love affair, and I can't keep myself away from him. He's everywhere - almost, maybe, stalking me?

So, it's not a surprise that Cottage Cheese graced my first ever recipe, and is now making a booming appearance in the second. Here he is, starring in my...

STRANGE-YET-DELICIOUS APPLE CINNAMON BOWL
Recipe inspired by ANNE'S RECIPE

What you need:
1/4 C Non-fat or 2% Milk-fat Cottage Cheese (little to no sodium)
1/4 C Non-fat plain Greek yogurt (Chobani is my fave!)
1/4 C Unsweetened applesauce
A couple pinches of cinnamon
OPTIONAL: Stevia, to taste (if you have an insane sweet tooth like I do)

What you do:
It's pretty simple. You just mix it all together and scarf it down. In fact, I'm eating a bowl right now - well, I was, but it was so delicious that it pretty much disappeared within the first two minutes of me sitting down to blog.

And, how many calories per bowl, you ask? A mere 110. ONE HUNDRED AND TEN. With only 1g of fat. Perfect protein-filled, post-run/workout snack if you ask me.

Berry Cheesecake Breakfast Parfait!

Before I get down to business, I would just like to say that I feel super accomplished this morning. 5:45 AM 7 mile run, 5 miles at a 9:00min mile tempo (which is pace for under a 2 hour half marathon! Woo!). Let's just hope I can keep at that pace for 13.1 miles. I fueled with oatmeal and half a banana (mixed into the oatmeal) about an hour before my run (4:45 AM), and then post-run I drank coconut water to recharge my electrolytes (coconut is a great, healthy, and low-cal alternative to Gatorade, etc).

On sale for $3.99 at the local organic grocery store! What a steal! :)

I got back, did some ab exercises and a minute plank, showered, and then whipped up my latest creation:

BERRY CHEESECAKE BREAKFAST PARFAIT

You should try it. So good. And it's actually under 200 calories (165 without toppings, but with 1/4 C frozen fruit mixed in), with 18g of protein, 22g of carbs, and 1g of fat (great option for a post-workout snack)!

What you need:

1/2 C Chobani plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

1/4 C 2% (or non-fat) Cottage cheese, reduced sodium (small curd is preferable)

1 TBSP All-natural raspberry jam

Honey or stevia, if desired

*EXTRAS/mix-ins/toppings

Frozen blueberries, raspberries, or other berry

Granola 

Banana 

What you do:

Mix all of the original ingredients together (yogurt, cottage cheese, and raspberry jam). I also mixed in about 1/4 C of frozen blueberries and raspberries (they made it a pretty color!). If you want a fluffier texture, use a whisk. For a more cheesecake-y taste, add about 1/8 C to 1/4 C more cottage cheese. 

When the yogurt mixture is complete, scoop into a pretty bowl, add toppings, and, of course, snap some pictures. No breakfast is complete without pictures. 

Also, if you're not a big cottage cheese fan, NO FEAR! I'm not really either, but I know it is a good source of protein, so I add it. I can barely taste it though.

Nutrition Facts

(Columns from left to right: Total Calories, Carbs, Fat, Protein)

Enjoy!