Bless me blog-readers for I have sinned. Sort of.

Ok, let’s just say there are a few things that I may or may not do behind the scenes of Fitness & Spice and I thought I’d better come clean.

For example:

I may or may not eat protein powder straight from the container. Dry. With a spoon. You know how some people drink milk right from the carton? Well, that’s just gross, but it’s kind of like that. I don’t recommend trying this at home because it may or may not be a chocking hazard.

I may or may not eat PB2, powdered peanut butter, the same way I may or may not eat protein powder…straight out of the container. Don’t judge.

I may or may not swallow gum. Yes, I am well aware of what the rumor mill has to say about this one!

I may or may not have used ketchup in place of salad dressing last night. Not because I’m a ketchup person, I don’t put ketchup on my eggs or anything wrong like that, but because I was out of salad dressing and was too lazy to make any from scratch.

Speaking of salads, Chef Ann Cooper and the good people at Whole Foods are sponsoring a project to put salad bars in schools. Their goal is to get a new salad bar in at least one school near each of its U.S. based Whole Foods locations by January 2011—that’s nearly 300 schools! Check out the Salad Bar Project for more information and see how you can apply for a grant for your school or donate to the campaign.

Now I really may or may not have to back to the confessional but before I do, I need to wish Mom and Dad Spice a very happy and healthy anniversary!

I was grocery shopping at Hy-Vee last week when I ran head first into a Nuun.

And I yelled, “HOLY FIT!”

No I didn’t.

But I was excited to see they were giving away samples of Nuun, these little flavored electrolyte tablets, that I first heard about from my friend Suzanne.

Nuun tabs are great for hydrating and replacing salt during and after a long workout…or any workout for that matter. Here’s what I like about Nuun:

• The packaging -> There’s not a lot of packaging like other sports drinks so you can feel better about your carbon footprint while you’re pounding out miles of your own footprints.
• The nutrients -> No sugar added! And there are only 6 calories and less than 1 carb per tablet. Nuun also contains electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium)  and  a small amount of Vitamin C to help prevent cramping.
• The variety -> There are a lot of flavors to choose from. So far I’ve tried the Citrus Fruit and Tri-berry is up next!
• The taste -> Quite refreshing and not too sweet.

Now I really must go grab some water and a Nuun…after only having this stuff for a few days, it’s already becoming a habit!

A foodie I am not.

However, I love to take amazing recipes and give them a healthy shake. Are some of my creations worthy of being in Gourmet Magazine or Cooking Light? Um, heck no. But do they satisfy my cravings for the full calorie versions? Um, HECK YES!

So when I ran across a bag of Stevia Extract In the Raw last week at the grocery store last week I scooped it up and couldn’t wait to hit the Fitness & Spice test kitchen. Lucky for me on the same day Justin’s Nutbutter sent me a generous supply of their products so I grabbed a bowl and came up with…

Muffins Elvis Would Love Without the Fluff

• 1/2 (really ripe) banana
• 1/4 cup Stevia Extract in the Raw
• 1/2 cup nut butter (I used Justin’s Honey Almond Butter)
• 1/8 t baking soda
• Dash of salt

Mash banana until smooth and stir in Stevia. Add the nut butter, baking soda, and salt and stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour into mini muffin tins prepared with non-stick spray or cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

This recipe makes about 8-10 mini muffins but I’m sure you can double or triple this recipe with ease. Oh, and if you want to make them raw, just omit the baking soda and the baking of course.

Simple enough, right? Thank you, thank you very much!

Now I really must go grab a muffin and hit the gym…it’s now or never!

I don’t like to point out mistakes made on other websites because that’s just not classy. BUT when the FoodNetwork posted this article yesterday titled 50 After-School Snacks, I was like,

“Say what? I’d serve at least 49 and a half of those snacks to my kids before, during, and after school.”

That is, if I had kids. But I don’t so I just made myself some homemade granola inspired by one of those 50 simply delicious FoodNetwork recipes:

Mix 3 cups rolled oats, 1 cup mixed seeds, 1 cup chopped mixed nuts, 1/4 cup shredded coconut and a pinch each of salt and cinnamon. Toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 3 tablespoons honey. Spread on a baking sheet and bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees F, tossing. Cool; stir in 2 cups mixed dried fruit.

Only I didn’t have any mixed nuts or dried fruit so I did some kitchen improv. I added flax seeds, frozen blueberries that I just baked right into the mix and didn’t bother to thaw first, and, you guessed it, I added about 3 tablespoons of protein powder for good measure.

And, if I had kids I’d probably let them help me make the next batch and I’d let them eat it as an anytime of day snack…if they promised to leave some for their mother.

Now I really must go get ready for show-and-tell the FoodNetwork that their granola rocks…even though it’s full of flakes!

I always tell people that in my next life I want to come back as a man that way I can eat more and spend less time on my hair. You would cry if you knew how long it takes me to dry my hair, it’s ridiculous, isn’t it, Matt? But enough about my locks, let’s talk about my appetite.

I would eat all day long if I could get away with it, but I can’t so when I find tips and tricks to help keep my diet in check, I’m all ears. So when I heard this tip on the Today’s Show about drinking 2 glasses of water before every meal, I turned off the blow dryer and listened closely…

The research shows that people who drink two glasses of water before each meal eat on average 75-90 calories less than those that don’t. Hmmm…I eat several times a day so those calories could really add up quickly.

Now I really must go finish drying my hair and see what’s on tap for today!

One year ago one of my favorite workout accessories of all time welcomed into the world a baby, fitbook junior!

fitbook junior is just like my fitness and nutrition journal, fitbook, only it’s designed for the kiddos in mind, that and it comes with a coaches guide and stickers. Lucky kids! The cool kids who already have these activity and food based journals call fitbook junior “AWESOME” and their parents give it an over all grade “A”.

And get this, according to a research conducted by fitlosophy inc, the makers of the fitbook product suite, 87% of parents reported seeing a “noticeable change” in their child’s awareness of eating healthier, choosing more nutritious food, and being more active on a daily basis when using fitbook junior.

Let’s recap with some simple math. Encouraging…

Healthy Play + Healthy Food = Fit Kids!

Bravo, fitbook junior!

You know who else thinks fitbook junior deserves top honors? The Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA) Media who announced today that fitbook junior received its coveted Parent Tested Parent Approved Seal of Approval for excellence in family products.

I think it’s safe to say the AWARD WINNING fitbook junior is going to have one heck of a happy first birthday!

I say this is grounds for celebration! Let’s make…

No Bake Protein Cake!

• 3 cups dry walnuts or almonds
• 1 cup pitted dates (I like Medjool dates)
• 2/3 cup chocolate protein powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1-2 T honey  (optional)
• Topping of your choice like strawberries, raspberries, or (my favorite) dark chocolate chips

Combine the nuts, dates, protein powder, salt, vanilla extract, and sweetener (if desired) into a food processor or high powered blender and mix well. Press the mixture into a cake pan or mini cupcake liners like I did, then add the topping of your choice. Serve chilled or even right out of the freezer!

Now I really must go clean up the kitchen, put on my tennis shoes, and get ready for my play-date!

I am a speed eater.

Not the kind of speed eater that enters hot dog eating contests, because that’s just gross. But I do have a tendency to eat fast.

A few months ago my niece Ali and I stopped for ice cream at this charming little shop in town called eCreamery. Have you heard of them? All the cool kids are talking about it like Rachel Ray, Rachel Zoe, and I.  In addition to their store, they are online, too, and you can design your own ice cream, gelato, or sorbetto, customize a label, and have it shipped to you (or better yet, to me). How cool is that?

Anyway…

Ali and I ordered a small ice cream and quickly learned that “small” also applied to the size of the spoon that accompanied our order. I kid you not, the spoon was the size of something you’d see in a miniature doll house. Crazy small.

But, the tiny utensil did make me slow down and enjoy every last delicious bite, not to mention the witty conversation Ali and I shared that day.

As a result of this trip, I purchased a small set of baby spoons reserved especially for things I tend to eat too fast like Greek yogurt, Unchunky Monkey Soft Serve Ice Cream, and Protein Freeze. And now I don’t even want to have a second serving because it takes way too long to eat, that and my body has time to recognize that it is indeed full. Just think, with all of those calories I’ve saved I can cash them in on a future trip to eCreamery.

Now I really must go get ready for a playdate, if you have any helpful tips to share, fork them over!

Move over spaghetti squash, there’s a fresh kid in town: Zucchini!

While I fell in love with spaghetti squash last winter, I just started seeing zucchini this summer. Ok, I’ve been seeing a lot of zucchini especially since purchasing the Spiral Slicer. This little gadget makes angel hair noodles out of zucchini (and other fruits and veggies, too) as easy as making curly hair out of play dough…and it’s just as fun!

So now that zucchini is in season I can welcome back pasta dishes without the guilt. These noodles make great no-cook (or as the cool kids like to call them “raw”) pasta, perfect for making all sorts of creations like Asian and Italian inspired dishes.

Yesterday I made a simple pasta salad by tossing zucchini noodles with some chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and carrots with a simple vinaigrette. And for dinner, I covered the noodles with a fresh tomato sauce that I made by piling Roma tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, red pepper, spinach, garlic, mushrooms, and seasonings into the Vitamix. Dinner was served in a matter of minutes!

And get this…did you know that zucchini are 95% water? How great is that?! A zucchini-filled dish will fill you up without weighing you down!

Now I really must go hit the gym and later I just might play a little squash!

I like my iced coffee like my personal trainers, strong and not bitter. So when I discovered a better way to make iced coffee I was pumped.

I used to just make iced coffee by brewing a pot of coffee and pouring it over ice—the result? Cold, bitter coffee. Not grande. Now I make the perfect pitcher of iced coffee in just 3 easy steps…

• Combine 1/2 pound of coarsely chopped coffee beans with 5 cups water and let it sit for 12 hours (not hard and yes you can double this recipe)
• Strain coffee into a pitcher using a colander lined with cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a paper napkin (right, Carrie?)
• Pour over ice and dilute with additional water or your favorite milk to taste (an important step as this brew will be venti strong!)

Now let’s address your questions:

• What if I like my iced coffee like my personal trainer…a little sweeter? Then it’s time to get a new trainer! Kidding! To sweeten the pot, simply add a little natural sweetener like stevia and/or a tablespoon or two of your favorite protein powder.
• I can’t possibly drink the entire pitcher in one day how long will it keep? You can store the coffee in the fridge for a good week or two, maybe even three.
• My doctor suggested that I limit my caffeine. Will decaf coffee work? Silly question.
• Are there health benefits to drinking coffee? Great question! I am not a doctor, but I asked WebMD and a few other sources and discovered there have been many studies about the perks of coffee including its benefits to athletic performance and recovery. Here’s what Dr. Terry Graham has to say on the subject…

” …[caffeine] signals you to ignore fatigue or recruit extra units of muscle for intense athletic performance. Caffeine may even have a direct effect on muscles themselves, causing them to produce a stronger contraction. But what’s amazing about it is that unlike some performance-enhancing manipulation some athletes do that are specific for strength or sprinting or endurance, studies show that caffeine positively enhances all of these things.”

[Disclaimer: Talk to your doctor about caffeine and drink responsibly]

• But what if I don’t like coffee? This does not surprise me. I just read this statistic on Livestrong.com that only 54% of people in the U.S. drink coffee everyday. I don’t get it. But to answer your question, I suppose if you are one of the people that can pass up a cup of coffee, you can pass this recipe on to 54% of your friends.

Now I really must go grab a cup of  coffee, my trainer said we’re going to hit the grounds running!

I  love leftovers.

Finding creative ways to spice up leftover food is one of my specialties. And lately when I have leftover drinks I’ve been turning them into low calorie desserts!

Bust out the popsicle molds and let’s get started…

• Got leftover coffee? Mix it with a little almond or coconut milk, cocoa powder, and stevia, pour into popsicle molds and freeze! You’ll have a frappuccino fudgsicle in no time!
• Got leftover lemonade? Add a squeeze of lemon juice and stevia, pour into popsicle molds and freeze! Low-cal lemon drop coming right up!
• Got leftover fruit juice? Or fruit that’s just about to go bad? Briefly blend, sweeten with stevia or honey if needed, pour into popsicle molds and freeze! Bring on the berry good brain freeze!

The popsicle possibilities are endless!

These simple and affordable solutions have been helping me cure my afternoon and evening sweet tooth all summer long. If you don’t have popsicle molds ice cube trays or paper cups with chopsticks for handles will do! And to catch drips slide a cupcake liner through your popsicle stick and you’re good to go.

Now I really must go save my morning coffee before it’s too latte!