Mocha Chip Protein Cookies

Have a cookie – your next workout depends on it. To feel fully recovered from one workout to the next, you know protein powder – and its mighty branched chain amino acids – is an essential component. But you don’t always have to sip it. You can bite, chew and treat yourself to a post-exercise cookie that provides more than any other dessert. This batch is founded on a plant-based protein that offers body-loving nutrients, like glutamine, tart cherry, turmeric and even probiotics. By savoring a moment of chocolate and mocha now, you’ll be ready for whatever lies ahead.

Mocha Chip Protein Cookies

Makes about 30 small cookies

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups oats
2 scoops Vega Sport Protein Powder
½ c. cacao powder
1-1/4 tsp. stevia (or 6 packets)
¾ c. almond butter (or chocolate sunflower butter)
1-1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk
½ c. cacao nibs
1 tsp. sea salt

Directions

1. In a food processor, grind oats into a flour-like consistency.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and process on low (or dough setting) until smooth and well combined.
3. Using a spoon, scoop about 1 – 2 tablespoons of batter and roll into a ball. You can leave in ball form or flatten into cookies.
4. Place in an airtight container and store in fridge overnight before eating. Keep refrigerated.

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Power of Probiotics

I haven’t always been a fan of yogurt—except maybe the frozen kind that comes in a sugar cone. But in the last decade or so I’ve made a point of expanding my health horizons and now include it in my diet. Why? Surely you’ve heard by now that in addition to being a nice, low-fat, any-time-of-day snack, yogurt contains probiotics—or live microorganisms that play a part in health.

Years ago, the idea of ingesting bacteria may have caused me, or you, to raise an eyebrow. After all, these little bugs are the reason we use hand sanitizer, wipe down countertops and avoid door handles in public restrooms. Right? Not so fast.

It turns out our bodies naturally host hundreds of bacterial species, with trillions of microorganisms inhabiting a normal intestinal tract. Sometimes called “friendly flora,” these microscopic residents aren’t harmful. In fact, they’re known to lend a hand with a variety of important body functions, from aiding digestion to supporting immune system health.*

Why take probiotic supplements?

Knowing that some gut bacteria are beneficial, it makes sense to want to support healthy, thriving colonies within our bodies. But a number of things—travel, poor diet, stress and certain medications, just to name a few—can disrupt levels, potentially offsetting the natural balance between “good” and “bad” microorganisms that naturally populate the digestive tract.

While eating probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt (other options include kefir, miso, tempeh and sauerkraut) is an ideal way to support beneficial bacteria levels in the body, supplements can also help.* I don’t know about you, but I can only consume so many spoonfuls of yogurt before it becomes a chore—which is why California Gold Nutrition, LactoBif Probiotics is part of my regular supplement regimen.

How to choose a probiotic supplement

Choosing a probiotic supplement isn’t always easy, with strange names and confusing numbers to decipher on product labels. 

Daily Essentials: For those who already include a good amount of probiotic-rich foods in their diet but want extra daily support, California Gold Nutrition, LactoBif Probiotics, 5 Billion CFU may be a good fit. It delivers eight different strains of microorganisms and 5 billion colony forming units (CFUs) per serving.

Advanced Support: Maybe your diet is less than stellar, you travel frequently or stress seems to show up more often than you’d like. An advanced formula, such as Garden of Life Primal Defense Ultra, could be right for you. It contains 15 billion CFUs, plus 13 species of beneficial cultures including soil-based probiotics called homeostatic soil organisms (HSOs).

Supreme Support: For a potent probiotic punch, ideal for those with more adventurous diets or if you’ve taken antibiotics recently, Vitacost Renew Life, Ultimate Flora, Ultra Potent, 100 Billion, supplies 12 strains, 100 billion CFUs.

Specialty Formulas: Age, additional lifestyle factors and specialty diets call for specifically targeted formulas, like Renew Life, Ultimate Flora, Senior Formula, 30 Billion – a non-dairy probiotic supplement that offers 30 billion CFUs of 10 well-known probiotic strains. It’s the perfect formula for ages 50 and up.

Balance is a beautiful thing. Let probiotic supplements help you achieve it. To start your search for a Probiotics formula now, click here.

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Supercharge Your Smoothies

You know the drill: toss frozen fruit into the blender, pour in milk or juice, sprinkle in a scoop of whey powder and—voila, your smoothie is ready. But? Blah! You’ve been sipping the same protein drink for as long as you can remember, and it’s beyond boring. Don’t switch to bars just yet. You can bring back excitement to your favorite healthy beverage with a number of easy add-ins. Here are a few of my favorites.

Chia & flax seeds

By adding just two tablespoons of a unique chia, flax, coconut and cocoa blend, your smoothie will go from snooze-worthy to sensational. Besides enjoying the decadent flavor combination of chocolate and coconut, you’ll be fueling up with extra fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, protein and calcium.

Bee pollen granules or powder

Want an un-bee-lieveably healthy smoothie? Spoon in a couple of tablespoons of bee pollen. These little granules are packed with nutrients, such as amino acids, proteins, minerals, vitamins and enzymes – that your body will love. Start with just a few granules at a time (to make sure there is no allergic reaction) and build up to 1-2 tablespoons per smoothie or shake.

Maca

Maca comes from a root vegetable and is rich in many beneficial nutrients. Said to be a staple in the diets of ancient warriors for its energizing effects, maca may be just the boost you need before a big workout. It’s also easily digested and just a teaspoon or two is enough to enhance your drink.

Coconut water powder

Maybe you’ve tried coconut water. But did you know it’s available in powder form? Just add one or two tablespoons to your post-workout protein drink when your body needs extra hydration, electrolytes and minerals.  You’ll get all the benefits of coconut water simply by adding a scoop to any drink.

Powdered peanut butter

If you’ve been avoiding peanut butter as a protein add-in because of its high fat content, try powdered peanut butter. With up to 90 percent less fat than ordinary peanut butter, you can still enjoy the protein and flavor of of your favorite nutty spread without worrying about extra calories and fat.

Nut & seed butter blend

Why settle for just nuts (or nut butter) or seeds in a smoothie? Get the benefits of both in a unique blend that will not only enhance flavor but add a ton of extra nutrients, including protein, omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and more.

Matcha green tea powder

Battle back free radicals generated during exercise by adding a tablespoon of matcha green tea powder to a smoothie.* Containing phytonutrients and compounds known as catechins, matcha is made from shade-grown and early-harvested Camelia sinensis plants. It’s bright green in color and strong in flavor, so a pinch is all you need to rev up a drink.

Supercharged Post-Workout Protein Smoothie

Ingredients
2 scoops whey protein powder 
1/2 banana (or fruit of choice)
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 tsp. maca powder
2 Tbsp. nut butter
1/2 tsp. bee pollen
1 scoop glutamine powderAlmond milk, coconut water or coconut milk (to achieve desired consistency)
1 cup (or more) ice

Directions

In blender, combine all ingredients and process for 15-30 seconds.

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E.L.F. COSMETICS // TOP 5 MUST HAVES

If you are after affordable, but high quality makeup products, look no further than e.l.f. (eyelipsface). It is no secret that I love many things from this brand, and today I'm comin' attcha with my Top 5 from the brand. This was definitely a hard one to narrow down and I've cheated a little by adding in some honorable mentions at the end. They're also in no particular order, because ranking them would be an even harder task!

The 'Studio' line from e.l.f. is the stand out from the brand, although the normal 'Essential' line also has some great products. The Studio line offers a higher quality product and also better packaging. e.l.f. products can online from  iHerb is a good way to go.

BLUSHES
I recently did a post raving about these blushes and the six that I own, which also includes swatches of the shades. I love these for a lot of reasons; the cheap price, the colour range, and the quality stands up to any of my higher end blushes. My favourite shades would have to be Tickled Pink and Pink Passion.

DEFINITION UNDEREYE SETTING POWDER
I finally got onto this after watching Shaaanxo use it multiple times in her videos. At first it looked a little scary and very glittery but I find this barely transfers onto the skin and it does a mighty fine job at setting the under-eye concealer and keeping it crease free all day. As well as setting every in place, it also brightens the under-eye area. This was a product I didn't know I would need until I had it in my life!

BRUSHES
Devotedly a Real Techniques girl, the brushes that come in second to those are e.l.f ones from the Studio range. You can get them in brush sets or you can purchase them individually, which is what I have been doing and adding them into my collection a couple at a time. Each one impresses me more and more; they are so soft, have no bristle fall out and wash up good as new with some warm water and baby shampoo. The Complexion Brush is the perfect one for bronzing and the Blush Brush has just the right amount of taper to it that it makes contouring a breeze. The Stipple Brush is my must have for cream blushes and the eye shadows brushes are great for packing on colours.

WATERPROOF EYELINER PEN IN BLACK
This liquid liner is from the Essential line and it comes in at around USD $2. It is my go-to for liquid liner and I've been through a couple of these over the past year or so. The pen nib is stiff enough that it can create a precise line that is densely black on first swipe and it doesn't budge all day.

MAKEUP MIST & SET

I've been through a few bottle of this, and use it while I'm doing my makeup to set it between stages, when I've finished my whole face, and then throughout the day to refresh my skin. It has a pretty fine mist that sets down in around 30 seconds, and although I don't think it prolongs the wear of my makeup for much longer, it definitely helps to keep the face from looking too cakey or powdery; it just makes everything settle down to where it should be. This is also a good one to carry in your bag over the warmer months; during the summer I'm spritzing this like crazy!

HONOURABLE MENTIONS 

STUDIO MATTE LIP COLOR IN NATURAL
The formula on these are unlike any other matte product; they're matte without drying out the lips and the colour sticks around for a good amount of time. There are a few other shades but this Natural one is that perfect 'your lips but better' shade and just works with any sort of makeup look you are going for.

STUDIO BLUSH + CONTOUR KIT IN ST. LUCIA
You can tell that e.l.f. have drawn a lot of influence and inspiration from NARS, especially in these duos (and also in their Studio Blushes). This is a perfect duo, with a peachy pink, slightly shimmery blush and a near matte bronzer. They both blend onto the skin easily, and this compact makes a great travel companion (the large mirror is a total bonus!)

DEFINITION POWDER
Loose powders can be a little tricky and messy to use and this one would have made the Top 5 but the packaging really lets it down - it's cumbersome and the powder goes everywhere. But I have to overlook that because the actual powder inside is amazing. It is an extremely fine, translucent powder that feels like silk once you put it on the skin. It sets everything down and just seems to blur pores and uneven areas - it's a bit magic if you ask me (I just wish the packaging was better!)

So that is my [current] Top 5 products (plus a few extra) that you all need to check out from e.l.f. The range is immense and there are so many other products I need to try out!

You can find E.L.F. Cosmetics products at iherb.com

You can take 5$ OFF your order by following this link:

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