Base Recipe for LowCarb Protein Pancakes

Hey all! This is an oldie, but a goodie. Try this recipe - do it now.

I  posted this recipe for super clean protein pancakes right when I started this site. People LOVE them! Bonus that they're extremely clean and tasty. I have these on the weekend usually when I want to spend some time in the kitchen with a coffee. It really doesn't take that long, so they can actually be made during the week.

Now I know everybody has their own version of protein pancakes. I came across this one years ago and I've stuck with it. The reason being that it's really clean. Some recipes get carried away with oats, "clean" flours, even sweeteners... but I like it simple. I know exactly what's in these and they leave me satisfied. They sometimes turn out a crepe-like texture which is fine by me.

Consider this recipe a base - and add your own extras. Apples and cinnamon?  Pumpkin puree? Go for it!

What are your favourites?

New TrainRite Exercise and Fitness Journal covers!

Anybody starting to get their Christmas lists together? Check out some of the new covers for the holiday season for the ever popular TrainRite Exercise & Fitness Journal! All the same features as the traditional weight lifting log book, but with some fun new covers!

Available on Amazon.com, eBay & Etsy.

Quinoa Salad

So I just wanted to post a quick photo of what I've basically been eating all week. It's so simple to make and an amazing side to a protein (I prefer fish) and some steamed veggies. This recipe makes quite a bit if you're eating it as a side like I do. I'm new to this quinoa business...but I really like it. I've also made some quinoa burgers which I'll feature separately. Recipes will all be posted under the "FOOD!" section...

Find this recipe HERE!

"Mmm Sauce" and more...

I really like this recipe rubbed into kale leaves, but it can be used as a general sauce for anything really. It has a cheesy flavour, and a little heat if you opted for the sriracha. I make 4 batches at once, because I can’t get enough! This recipe can also be a great base – just add other spices/flavors as you want! Side note: I wish I had a better name for this recipe.

Check out my "food!" section! I'm going to try to post at least one recipe per week that I make. These recipes I'll keep as clean as I can, but delicious at the same time. Enjoy, comment if you try them!

mmm sauce

Breakfast showdown: Cottage Cheese vs Plain Yogurt

 

Most mornings when I’m short on time I reach for cottage cheese for breaky. Low in sugar and carbs, high in protein – it keeps me full throughout the day. Slice up some fresh fruit, or go the savory route with chopped onion, red pepper, celery and black pepper – it’s extremely versatile and takes me about a minute to prep. But this morning I was out. Being far too lazy and short on time for a grocery run, I found some plain yogurt and went for it. It was delicious! Better than my usual cottage cheese and fruit breakfast I’ve been eating for years. So I thought to myself, what really is the difference between the two?

Here’s a comparison of Nordica 2% Cottage Cheese and Astro Original 2% Plain Yogurt per half cup.

 

I didn’t choose these brands for any particular reason, but most plain versions tend have similar nutritional values anyways.

Calories Yogurt is slight lower in calories than the cottage cheese (40kcal less, 36% lower). So if you’re strictly counting calories, yogurt can be your friend.

Protein Cottage cheese wins this one, and by a long shot (9g more, almost 300%). A few years ago I opted for a low carbohydrate focused breakfast to a high protein one. That’s why I started eating cottage cheese in the first place. I always found I was starving at work within a few hour of eating cereal, toast etc. Most mornings I work out before eating breakfast so that blast of protein afterwards is great. Plus I still replenish carbs with the fresh fruit I add.

Fat They’re both the same. You chose them at 2%. :P

Carbohydrates Surprisingly they’re both the same. I’ve seen some versions of plain yogurt that have significantly more carbs via sugars, but the Astro brand seems to be a good choice.

Taste I really liked the yogurt better. This may be because I’ve been eating cottage cheese for years straight, and the change up is nice. Both have very different textures, and different flavor. I’m leaning towards the yogurt!

Conclusion: I was honestly expecting to heavily favour the cottage cheese. I assumed the two would vary quite a bit and always thought yogurt was higher in sugars and carbs, so this is a pleasant surprise. I’ll definitely keep both in my morning routine. Keep in mind this is PLAIN yogurt, once you get into the Vanilla and other flavors expect lots of sugar and/or artificial sweeteners. If you add chopped fruits, you really shouldn’t need the flavored version anyway.

There are obviously other factors involved in making the right choice for you – some yogurts have higher calcium, lower sodium and Greek yogurt will have more protein. Yogurt also has bacterial cultures with proven benefits for your immune system and so on. For me, I’m more worried about excess sugars, and getting that higher protein content. I’m not afraid of fat either, and it can be your friend - although calorie dense. So unless you’re concerned about higher calories, go the yogurt route. If protein is what you’re looking for, go for cottage cheese. Otherwise – either are a great addition to your morning.

Which of the two do you favor? Or am I the only one who thinks this much about breaky?

Thanks for reading, Matt for TrainRite

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Deconstructed Taco! (....salad)

Tacos are great! So in an attempt to recreate a healthier version... I came up with this deconstructed salad.It's also great. Honest. You may miss the taco shell and cheeses - but you have to make sacrafices sometimes, right? This was satisfyiing enough for me anyway :)

It may look like a ton of ingredients, but a lot of that is spices that can be left out/exchanged. The majority of your time will be chopping fresh vegetables. Enjoy!

See the recipe here!

Favourite Snack: Tandoori Masala Roasted Chickpeas

This is a great snack that I usually make once a week, and bring in my lunch.

They don't take much effort to make at all, just a little bake time. You can literally exchange any of the spices for something you like better; like garlic/chive/dill, cilantro/lime, sea salt and pepper, and so on. Many people do sweeter versions with cinnamon and sugar...so there are endless combinations. The process is the same for each.

Find the recipe here, and enjoy!

Recipe: Pulled Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Happy new year all! I'm making an effort to post as frequently as possible this year, and check back for some guest posts as well.

This recipe was created by suggestion from a friend for creating caramelized onions in the slow cooker. I love caramelized onions, but somehow I didn't think the entire wrap filling in onion would be as appetizing. It’s a really simple recipe, and the majority of your time will be spent filling up the slow cooker. Aside from the butter, this recipe is really clean and any spices for the pulled chicken can be substituted, as any of the filling ingredients. Try not to do what I do every time I assemble a wrap: stuff as much filling as I can only to have the entire thing fall apart on first bite. Less is more people! Especially with the delicate lettuce leaves. Needless to say I ate these alone, face covered, what a mess. Enjoy!

See this recipe here.

Sunday morning Protein Waffles...mmmm

Just wanted to post a quick recipe we tried out early this morning. It turned out really well, I'll definitely be making these again! Protein Waffles with Berry and Peanut Drizzles

Find the recipe HERE or under my "Food!" section.

Enjoy!

I really feel bad for anyone with shellfish allergies, because this dinner was so good.

I kept seeing seafood today... everywhere I went. First of all this article in the paper got me going. As a kid my family would go to Red Lobster about once a year, and that is seafood as I knew it. And I loved it! Likely because everything is slathered in butter and you don't really taste any seafood. One Christmas I ate so much shrimp that I got hives. Anyways, it's been a while and I made seafood tonight. Sidebar: I'm determined to go to this restaurant, it looks so good: Rock Lobster Food Co.

So tonight I went to the Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens here in Toronto, and picked up some Tiger Shrimp and Sea Scallops. The bill... was hefty. I have no idea why that place is SO much more expensive than anywhere else - or so it seems. In the end it was worth it for the fresh produce.

Check out the recipe for my Shrimp & Scallop with Lemon-Lime Salsa

To tell you the truth I liked the scallops better, and they were half the price. So substitute as necessary!

Healthy Movie-Night Snack Options?

I'm looking for some feedback here people! I love going to the movies, but mostly for the popcorn and loads of Bulk Barn items I sneak in. I'm going to see This is the End tonight, and I'm trying to come up with something to pretty clean to snack on. What do you bring?

So far I've come up with: Fruit Salad, Almonds, Veg + yogurt dip

If this sounds risky to bring in, they're pretty easy-going at the theatre I go to. Note to self: must remind female friend to bring large purse...

While trying to come up with the dip recipe on one of my favourite food sites TheKitchn, I also came across these Roasted Chickpea recipes. I really wish I had more time tonight to make these before I go. Next time, next time....

Oh, and why is TheKitchn one of my favourites? This is why...

That's right, a 7-Layer cake composed of brownie, chocolate chip cookie, marshmallow fluff, cheesecake, graham cracker and chocolate frosting. We made this for Christmas Dinner Last year. (Recipe: http://www.thekitchn.com/over-the-top-dessert-7-layer-smores-cake-179471)

Base Recipe for LowCarb Protein Pancakes

Hey all! I just posted a new recipe for super clean protein pancakes

I have these on the weekend usually when I want to spend some time in the kitchen with a coffee. It really doesn't take that long, so they can actually be made during the week.

Now I know everybody has their own version of protein pancakes. I came across this one about a year ago and I've stuck with it. The reason being that it's really clean. Some recipes get carried away with oats, "clean" flours, even sweeteners... but I like it simple. I know exactly what's in these and they leave me satisfied. They sometimes turn out a crepe-like texture which I love too.

Consider this recipe a base - and add your own extras. Apples and cinnamon?  Pumpkin puree? Go for it!

What are your favourites?

New Section: User Appreciation Pics

Hi all, So I've added a new section to pay my gratitude to all TrainRite Logbook customers!

A few photos have been trickling in and I think it's great! Keep 'em coming if you're a customer and you'd like to be featured on the page. I'm always amazed to see where my orders come from; Canada, USA, Singapore, Finland... all over.

Here it is - a big thanks to everyone!

Get one here! Facebook, webstore, Pinterest Instagram: @TrainRite00 Email: admin@trainrite.ca

Lunch this week: healthy, hearty Turkey Chili

 

Nothing like homemade turkey chili on a rainy day!

After a beautiful Sunday morning long run, I made my way to my favorite local grocers: Fiesta Farms (post to come!) and St. Lawrence Market to grab ingredients for my chili!

I try to do prep cooking on Sundays so I can save time during my busy week!

Want this recipe? Go to the "food!" section of this site, or here!

Meal planning for tomorrow: savoury cottage cheese

I have cottage cheese for breakfast most mornings after the gym. It's quick to prepare, I personally love the taste and it's a great protein. It'll easily keep me full until lunch. My standby combo is cottage cheese and fruit... and I was really surprised to find out that most people eat it as a savoury dish, and even cringe when I mention anything sweet with it! Anyways, I had to try the savoury version and I've kept this extremely quick version in my rotation about once a week. Anyone else have an old standby for cottage cheese?

As always I'll post the recipe under my "food!" section, but this one's so short I'll also post it below:

*single serving

Ingredients

1/2 cup cottage cheese 1 tablespoons yellow onion, chopped 1/4 cup chopped red and yellow peppers 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, quartered salt and pepper

Directions

mix all ingredients together dash of salt and pepper to taste

My favourite breakfast on run days - Overnight Oats

Here's a quick breakfast I have about 3 times a week: Overnight oats! I'll post the recipe under the "food!" section of my blog, but it's comprised of: oats, protein powder (Cellucor's Peanut Butter Marshmallow is my personal favourite), chia seeds, ground flax, almond milk and banana.