Go Macro Giveaway!

Hello readers! I'm excited to announce the first give away by Flavor To Go Fast! After riding for and doing some reviews for GoMacro last year, they've come back interested in helping you guys try out some delicious Macro Bars!

Today I'm going to review the Chocolate Protein Bar, a new addition and my new favorite. But first the giveaway details:

Any reader of this blog can use the code BLOG15 when ordering off of the GoMacro Shop will receive 15% off of one case of bars (not individual bars).

Second, anyone that likes the GoMacro Facebook Page and comments on this blog post is automatically entered to win a free case of MacroBars ($43.35 value!). The winner will be chosen and announced 4 days from today.

Rating: A-

To explain my review of this bar I'll have to give a little info on the progress of my personal nutrition. I used to simply eat gluten free, but after cutting out all grains and legumes for a few months, I now only consume rice for grains because it sits with me the best. I do miss my oats, and for most people they are ok, but like gluten, often times cutting it out will reveal some benefits. I was attracted to this bar for that reason! It does not also make one starving after eating it or shortly after, due to it's lower sugar/carb content and therefore glycemic index. I would prefer whey protein over brown rice, but then it would not be vegan, so I cannot really complain. The use of brown rice syrup for sweetener is also one of my favorite aspects because fructose can definitely be hard to get down and is less ideal for health (sorry all you agave fans!), especially when consuming during training (I've been riding with these bars every day recently!).

On the flavor, I love it! Chocolate protein is a simple title that works for a number of audiences, but to me its more like Chocolate Tahini Crunch or Chocolate Sesame Crunch! And that's a great thing! I never new cocoa could go so well with a bit of grainy crunchy sesameness and sunflower seed.

If you want a tasty and nutritionally appropriate bar that's not overly carb heavy/sugary (especially not from fructose) for good long lasting energy and a little extra protein, this is the ticket!

I'm sad to say I just finished my last Chocolate Protein Macrobar on my 3.5 hour training ride today! And it made me feel so strong on those intervals!

Secret to Greek Yogurt

It's not really much of a secret actually. It's quite obvious.

 It's healthy and good on EVERYTHING. More protein than normal yogurt because it's strained, so less sugar/carbs.  Also even easier to digest with less fat. Zero fat makes this yogurt basically pure protein yet it somehow still tastes creamy and delicious, perfect to combine with some healthy fats from nuts or fueling carbs. A good protein-Substitution for everything:

• Sweet Potatoes and Yams (like Sour Cream)
• Waffles and Pancakes (Like Whipping Cream)
• Burritos/Guacamole addition (Sour Cream)
• Granola/Cereal/Pumpkin Pudding Cereal
• Tzatziki and Other Dipping Sauces
• Additions to Soups/Curries
• Thickener for Salad Dressing
• Fruit

But here we will explore my favorite and less obvious use. On my favorite food ever. Kabocha Squash! Otherwise known as Japanese Pumpkin.

Simply remove seeds and bake for 40-60 minutes at 400º F. Edible skin and all! I top with Cinnamon and Coconut Oil/Butter often, but when I desire something more creamy the yogurt comes in.

 And since Greek Yogurt also mixes EPICLY with Cinnamon you must throw some on, Sea Salt also optional and tasty.

 So simple, so delicious. I am known to eat mass quantities plain, and even larger with said toppings.

Eat as a snack of accompany with whatever dinner may be, in this case I tried out some Ginger-Sautéed Squid (fresh, local, and cheap from the Farmer's Market) in a massive salad.  The sweet creamy tender squash and yogurt combo balanced out the gingery crunchy salad perfectly.

As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway.

I also must mention that if you can, also try St Benoit's Yogurt.  They are the only yogurt makers i've found that use grass fed cows for their milk.  Thus, I get the full fat yogurt (instead of avoiding the corrupted fat from conventionally raised cows) they have when I feel like spending the money, although it is much more runny than Greek. I like to mix it up.

P.S. My interview over at RiseBar is now live! Check it out.

RiseBar

After a good 3.5 hour training session on the road bike from Santa Cruz to Pescadero and back, I was very excited when I found this at my door from Rise Foods. Even better than MacroBars?

Almond Honey Rise Protein Bars!

For those that know Boomi Bar, they are reintroduced in a whole new look. I was drawn to these for the on the go protein, but much more so for their grain free 3-ingredient list! How could you ask for more? I thought the Paleo plan pretty much put all bars out of the picture, but then...

Their other flavors are creative and delicious as well, never having more than 5 ingredients, the only grain being Amaranth, which is arguably a seed and the least offensive grain (as far as gut irritation goes).

One bar offers:

• 280 Calories
• 20g of Protein
• 13g of Sugar

These are perfect post workout or mixed in with other more carbohydrate heavy sources on longer riders and workouts. They have nearly a 1:1:1 protein, carb, fat ratio which is ideal in my opinion, and don't spike your blood sugar much with a relatively low sugar count compared to all other workout food products.

I was super excited right when I bit in to discover it tastes just like Bit O' Honey, one of my favorite candies growing up. So much sweet Honey, chewy crunchy Almond-ness, and bit creamy.

It actually has the same ingredients... plus a ton of other additives and unhealthy ingredients.

A photo for my interview over on their blog.

I let one of my housemates try just a smidgen of mine and he insisted on making me split the box with him!

Newman's Own Pasta Sauce Fun

This is part of a Tastemaker program with Newman's Own! Thanks!

 What could it be?

 A flip camera??

 And delicious healthy real ingredient salad dressings and tomato sauces! Let's see what we can do with Tomato and Basil...

 I first tasted it plain, and the Basil is sooo good. Very evident and fresh tasting. I love basil therefore I love it. The tomato factor has just the right amount of salty and sweet. I knew it would go perfect on some Spaghetti Squash Pasta.


For one hungry athlete:

The Meat (Optional)

• 5oz Lamb Shoulder Chops
• 1t Coconut Oil
• Dried Thyme and Chopped Chives
• 1-2oz Beef Jerky

The Pasta

• 1 600-700g Spaghetti Squash
• 3/4c or 200g Newman's Own Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
• 1t Coconut Oil
• 1T Fresh Rosemary
• Fresh Ground Pepper

The Salad

• Herb Salad Mix, Cucumber, Tomato, Avocado
• Macadamia Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar
• Fresh Ground Pepper

Use 1 Spaghetti Squash with 5oz of cubed meat of your choice (I sautéed Lamb Shoulder Chops in Coconut Oil with Thyme, Chopped Chives, and Cumin), and 1-2oz of Beef Jerky torn into bits.

 Slice in half before or after baking at 375ºF for 30-45minutes until soft. Scoop out and discard seeds and then run a fork from top to bottom and scoop out the flesh into a dish. The more you run a fork through, the more pasta-like, the less, the more squash like.

 Melt in 1 Tbsp of Coconut Oil for some creamy texture and a little hint of flavor.

 Pour 3/4 Cup Tomato Basil Sauce with some fresh Rosemary (about 1/2T, mine was right out of the garden!) and a few turns of Fresh Ground Pepper. Mix Well.

 Then mix in the meat/jerky (or tempeh/tofu), and accompany with a nice Herb Salad. Mine was composed of Herb Salad Mix, Japanese Cucumber peeled and chopped, sliced Heirloom Tomato, Avocado, and the other 1/2T of fresh Rosemary.  A quick salad dressing of Macadamia Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar (1T each), and of course some more Fresh Ground Pepper.

The already delicious pasta sauce combined with some Rosemary and Pepper, a hint of Coconut, and then slightly squash flavored 'pasta', and you have yourself one of the most delicious meals!  The Lamb is pairs up quite well and the Jerky acts like Bacon, mixing up the texture some more.  I love the sometimes pasta sometimes squash bites!

You could also skip the salad dressing and use one of the awesome Newman's Own options, however I cannot enjoy them due to the dairy and walnut content. However, my housemates are enjoying them to their fullest and love them!

This meal is the ultimate nutrient packed lowish carb healthy fat and protein powerhouse! Just the right amount of sodium in the sauce, and only real ingredients, not a huge list. That's how you refuel with simple meat and veggies and lots of flavor!

Foodie App Fun

Besides my digital kitchen scale (which I use for quick nutrition, recipes and portioning in a jiffy-pre race best overnight oats stress free), my smartphone serves as an essential kitchen tool.

 Beyond making notes all day about what i'm going to make, eat, or buy and looking at lots of nutrition and food blogs/recipes online, these are the following apps which come to my rescue on the regular.

Seafood Watch

This app by Monterey Bay Aquarium is a progressive and fun tool for finding and choosing the best sea food, for your health and the planet.  

• Quick and simple guide as to which fish to avoid (including from where and how they are caught)
•  Search Project Foodmap which locates fish around you, and you can add fish that you find to the project, increasing your profile rank the more fish you add

No more struggling to find and make simple choices on the ever complex subject of choosing healthy sustainable fish!

MyFood

There a lot of calorie and nutrition apps out there, and you could always just use google, but I rely on this because it's free, has most things I want to look up and does not require web access. 

 You can search to find the food, you get to see the entire nutritional breakdown, and it really has most foods available, like Quail Eggs!

Locavore

This app is super cool in my opinion. I have always tried to look up what's in season and it's usually inefficient and wishy washy given the area, so this is incredibly handy. 

 You can:

• Find local markets in your area, 
• Browse foods to see when they are in season, 
• See what is in/coming in season in your area (automatically switches as you move to new places). 
• Not sure about what a food is? Quick links to recipes and wikipedia fix that as well.

For converting measurements I use google or Convert Units  a lot.

 Self explanatory:

I hope you try out some of these apps and benefit your healthy living life!

My Power Pancake!

I've made power pancakes before, but I can confidently say they were modeled/inspired by and don't live up to these. Other than Lenny and Larry's The Complete Cookie, these are a good buyable healthy tasty food!

Thanks to Alan at AbsClubLA where you can purchase these tasty and nutritious babies online!

Right now I only have the Chocolate Chip Hempseed flavor, but I really shouldn't say only.

I would say they are a cross between an epic breakfast oatmeal cookie without lots of oats and a chocolate chip pancake with some extra delicious dried fruit and seeds. And 100x more nutritious ingredients. Good on the go, or enjoy them at home after softening in the microwave if that's your thing or making them nice and toasty in a toaster/toaster oven.  Getting some nice warm melty chocolate chips is always a bonus. Could even top with nut butters, yogurt, etc for extra fun.
*I must mention that I toasted one with some coconut butter to melt all over the top and it was off the hook!

I love dates and chocolate. Enough said. Just try them!

Thankfully, they are wheat free, so the gluten content is low in the rye flour. Also no dairy so happy digestion all around (no eggs either for the vegan fans out there).

Great for pre or post workout nutrition, providing plenty of carb fuel/refuel along with just enough fat and protein for fuel/rebuilding, but not overworked digestion (and not super high glycemic raising sugar carbs that will just make you crash/not last long either).  I also use them for longer lasting exercise like rides well over 2 hours.

At $2 a pancake (plus discounts!) they are competitively priced for buying what I would consider an unprocessed real food that is excellent on the go or pairing with exercise/workouts.  Far more nutrients (and same calories/$) than what you get in your standard $2 sports bar!

I'm really excited to get my hands on the Carob Chip and Mango flavors!

Canada To Cali

A few quick inclusions from the trip from Canada to Cali:

A pretty dialed meal as far as eating while driving goes. Well balanced bursting with flavor and super healthy.

 I am obsessed with these Bombay Curry Kale Chips! They are extra tasty with a bit of spice and all good ingredients. Some yummy big clusters and they remind me a little bit of childhood BBQ Lays.

The Grass Fed-Teriyaki Jerky was pretty good too.

More of the Standing Stone Brewery! I wish I could eat here so many more times to try everything on the menu!

I had to try their in-house kimchee, and it was delicious. Lots of ginger and they use real chile flakes to avoid the preservatives in other kimchee seasonings/peppers. Different (the ginger factor) but quite good. And they let me sub it for the salmon's pub mashers!

Wild Alaskan Salmon Fillet

 So goooood! A quality fish but the highlight was the sauce on top, lemony with a hint of curry/cumin, definitely Thai-influenced. Served over a delicious mix of sautéed veggies.

I can't wait for the Ashland Mountain Challenge in 2012 so I can go here again!

Waffle Testing

Although using my super easy protein waffle/pancake batter to make waffles is ideal, sometimes an even faster breakfast is in order. And I was out to find the best.

I looked online first at various gluten free freezer waffle options, and none will be as healthy as making your own due to the use of vegetable oils and potato starch, but on occasion the best of them all will suffice.

I narrowed it down to two brands based on the best ingredients and here's how it went.

This Nature's Path Buckwheat Berry Waffle was good, I would prefer it without the berry flavor but all around I can't complain.

It paired perfectly with 'Protein Yogurt' (Just mix powder with less liquid) made with Vanilla Vegan Protein, Coconut Milk, and some extra Cinnamon of course. I could eat it for days. I dabbed a little coconut oil to melt on as well.

I also toasted the waffle with some berries from the freezer, and they got nice and tart/on the verge of explosion! Some were just enjoyed fresh as well to mix it up.

I've been on a hot cocoa with the weather in Canada going from summer to winter in <24 hours (85º to 45º). This is the healthiest best i've had, no sugar. Just Unsweetened Dagoba Cocoa w/ Hot water, a little Coconut Milk and 3-4 drops of Stevia. Even better tasting than the decadent version.

At first I instantly thought, wow this van's waffle is truly plain and less good than the nature's path buckwheat (where the buckwheat really makes a difference for a fresher more whole real waffle taste) but then I realized it tastes like an eggo! Ironic?

They are about equally healthy, so in the end if you want a slightly berry flavored, more whole wheat real tasting waffle go with the buckwheat, and for an eggo substitute go with the van's. I care for both!

Sometimes I just feel like munching on a ton of steamed vegetables. Extra soft, with sesame oil and seeds on my squash. Hummus as well, and some tender lightly spiced with herbs chicken breast, melt in your mouth with a hint of coconut oil...

And some more experimental cookies! Pretty successful this time qith quinoa/brown rice flour, and Japanese sweetened red bean.

 Cherries and Cacao Nibs go so well together...