protein Archives - nourished wellness

September 12, 2017December 12, 2017

health coach picks: best protein bars

Best protein bars!

If you’re busy and always on-the-go, protein bars are a super convenient snack to have on hand! Not all are created equally, so I highly suggest doing your research (and your own personal taste tasting) so see which you like best! Here are some of my favorites:

Kind bars – one of my all time favorites! I’ve been a fan of these bars for years. While they don’t have as much protein as some of the other bars, they have clean ingredients, are low in sugar and have plenty of healthy fats which will keep you satiated. They also have tons of delicious flavor options.

22 Days Plant Power Protein Bars – a new-to-me bar that I fell in love with! Super clean ingredients, vegan, non-gmo and 15g of plant protein

Square Organics bars – organic, gluten free, non-gmo and around 12g of plant based protein. These bars also have a really good balance protein, carbs and healthy fats. You can get 20% off these bars when you use discount code “OHWELLNESS” at SquareOrganics.com!

Oatmega bars – I’ve posted about these bars before because I like that not only are they non-gmo and gluten free, but also have 14g of quality protein from grass-fed whey and have added Omega-3’s which have tons of health benefits! All of their flavors are yummy and these bars have a nice crispy texture.

Zing bars – a gluten free, whey-based protein bar that packs 13g of protein! Obviously, the chocolate peanut butter flavor is my favorite

Quest bars – although these bars have some “questionable” ingredients, they pack 20g of protein, tons of fiber and are a great option for when you’re craving something sweet!

Power Crunch bars – These bars taste like a delicious wafer cookie They are a bit higher in fats, but still have around 10g of protein. While these bars are not as filling as the others due to the lighter texture, they are another great option for when a sweet tooth craving hits!

What are some of YOUR favorite protein bars?

Get more great snack ideas and healthy eating tips in the NOURISHED FOR LIFE e-book!

Be well,
Tina

May 4, 2017December 12, 2017

peanut butter banana smoothie recipe

I love making smoothies! They are a quick, easy and delicious way to fuel your body with nutrients. I usually switch up my smoothies based on whatever flavor combo I am craving that day, but one of my go-to staples is the classic peanut butter & banana combo!

peanut butter banana smoothie recipe
serves 1

ingredients:
>>2/3 cup milk of choice (I used Silk brand unsweetened cashew milk)
>>1 tablespoon organic natural creamy peanut butter
>>1/2 a frozen banana (using frozen fruit is the key to a super creamy smoothie! I cut ripe bananas into chunks, throw them in a zip-lock bag and stick them in the freezer.)
>>1 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder (optional)
>>superfood add-ins like chia seeds, spirulina powder, chlorella powder, ashwaganda, etc. (also optional)
>>3-4 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients in a blender, pour into a glass and drink up! You can also add some toppings such as shredded unsweetened coconut, cacao nibs, a crumbled up Lara bar or Bulletproof collagen bite, etc. and eat it with a spoon! 🙂

SO.GOOD.
Enjoy!

Be well,
Tina

September 1, 2016December 9, 2016

FitJoy protein bar review

I always keep a protein bar in my purse in case hunger strikes while I’m running around. I picked up a few of the new FitJoy protein bars while I was at Vitamin Shoppe this week. While I find that many of the protein bars on the market today are filled with very questionable ingredients, FitJoy bars are gluten-free, GMO-free and do not contain artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. Each bar has around 220 calories, 13g of fiber and pack 20g of protein, making them a great, filling snack. The bars come in 6 different flavors, and I purchased the 4 flavors that most appealed to me.

Here is a run down of the FitJoy flavors I tried:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – FitJoy’s take on this classic flavor is subtle, but solid. The texture of this bar is very “doughy” with chocolate chips throughout. It’s not overly sweet and doesn’t have an artificial-tasting cookie dough flavor like some other bars I’ve tried. I give this flavor an 8/10.

Chocolate Iced Brownie – While I love chocolate, when it comes to protein bars, it usually isn’t the first flavor I’ll gravitate towards, but even so, I really enjoyed this flavor. It had a similar texture to the cookie dough, and if you’re a chocoholic, this will be a winner for you. I give this flavor a 7.5/10.

Chocolate Peanut Butter – Being a lover of all things peanut butter, I had high expectations for this flavor and was sure that it would be my favorite of the bunch. It has a chocolate fudge-like layer on top with peanut pieces sprinkled on it. Sadly, I found it to have a fake peanut butter taste to me (think powdered peanut butter, like PB2) and the chocolate was overpowering, so the peanut butter flavor I was hoping for didn’t come through enough. I give this flavor a 6.5/10.

Mint Chocolate Crisp – This bar has a crispier texture than the first few bars I tried, which I liked. I am a fan of peppermint + chocolate, but this bar has more of a menthol minty flavor, which I still liked. I give this flavor a 7/10.

The two flavors I passed on trying were the Frosted Cinnamon Roll and French Vanilla Almond. If anyone has tried these, I’d love to know what you thought!

Overall, I did like them! Compared to Quest bars, they are softer and chewier. The bars have some “whey protein crisps” scattered throughout which added some crispiness, but they don’t have the chunks of goodies (chocolate chunks, pieces of dried fruit, graham cracker bits, etc.) that Quest bars have. (Side note: I’m comparing them to Quest bars because they seem to be one of the most popular protein bars that many have tried. While I am a fan of some Quest Bar flavors, I find their new formula to be a bit “artificial tasting,” so I haven’t been having them as much. Plus, nothing can take the place of real food. ☺)

EDITED TO ADD: I just tried one of FitJoy’s seasonal flavors, Winter Peppermint Bark.

I’m a fan of mint chocolate everything, so I had to give this flavor a shot. The texture of this bar is great! It is crispier and less chewy than some of the original flavors and has a strong peppermint flavor, so if you are a mint lover, I’d give it a try!

Be well,
Tina