A Fit Philosophy

September 30, 2015 by Natalie Bernacchi 44 Comments

WHOA whoa WHOA! HOLY PEANUT BUTTER QUINOA PROTEIN PANCAKES!

Do you guys ever feel like sometimes all of your to do’s get piled up on top of each other…just like this peanut butter quinoa stack above maybe (however, not quite as delicious)?

For me, I feel like it comes and goes in waves and right now my stack is piled mighty high!

Here’s the deal. I’ve been Working a full time 9-5 job. On top of that I always work out to keep in shape. I’m also blogging and creating recipes daily. And, for icing on the cake, I became certified in Fitness Nutrition by Precision Nutrition, all while still trying to have time for my family and friends.

All I can say is how the heck did I do this in college? AND how the hell do all of my friends that are moms get stuff done with kids running wild!?! I certainly can’t even imagine!

Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy all of these things, so that’s honestly why I do it all! However,  there are a few things that always make me feel better or like I might have life under control, which of course include a quiet weekend morning with protein pancakes and peanut butter. So, I thought what could be better than combining those ingredients and making a healthy, gluten free, delicious Peanut Butter Quinoa Protein Pancake stack?? Umm nothing duh!!

After all, when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad (or overwhelmed), I simply remember my favorite things (like peanut butter and protein pancakes) and then I don’t feel sooooooo bad! – Total dork, I know!

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5.0 from 5 reviewsPEANUT BUTTER QUINOA PROTEIN PANCAKES

SAVEPRINTPREP TIME5 minsCOOK TIME10 minsTOTAL TIME15 mins A healthy, gluten free, delicious Peanut Butter Quinoa Protein Pancake recipe!Author: Natalie BernacchiServes: 1 ServingINGREDIENTS

• ½ Scoop Peanut Butter Whey Protein Powder
• ¼ Cup Dry White Quinoa, cooked
• 2 TBS Coconut Flour
• ½ TBS Peanut Butter
• 1⁄2 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1 Egg
• ¼ Cup Liquid Egg Whites
• 1⁄2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1⁄4 tsp Xantham Gum
• 1⁄2 tsp Cinnamon
• Liquid Vanilla Stevia, to taste
• 1 TBS Melted Peanut Butter (for topping)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix all protein pancake ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth. Heat griddle or frying pan over low-medium heat. Once they are warm, you’ll want to spray with cooking spray. Then pour the batter in small round shapes. The batter needs to look very similar to a regular pancake batter. After around 5 minutes, or when the bottom of the pancake is lightly browned, flip the damn thing over and cook for a minute or two.
2. Next, you’ll remove the pancake from the skillet and eat the darn thing up like a hog.

Since this is a single serving recipe, I use the Magic Bullet to whip these pancakes up in a jif. Also, since the consistency of protein pancakes can sometimes be difficult to work with, I use this awesome pan to cook with. It has 4 places to pour your batter, you close the lid and flip. SO EASY! I was skeptical at first, but it really makes your pancakes look amazing and I’ve had it for over a year now and use it every time! Oh snap….the secret to my perfect protein pancakes is out!

Enjoy!

July 18, 2015 by Natalie Bernacchi 8 Comments

BACON BACON BACON!

Anytime my husband and I cook bacon or turkey bacon in the house, we say this three times fast and our dogs go bah-zerk! I mean, who could blame them with the incredible aroma of bacon seeping through all the vents in the house!

Bacon wrapped dates have to be one of my favorite entertaining appetizers of all time. Since they’re all bundled up, the heat really stays trapped inside, which makes this a win-win for serving hot appetizers at any party! The crunch of the salty savory bacon, paired with the soft chewy sweetness of the date is just simply to-die-for! And, just when you think all of your taste buds have been exhilarated, you stuff those bad boys with a little maple coconut butter and OH-EM-GEE! There are no words!

Since it’s pretty obvious that I lose all form of self control after having one of these, I swapped out the bacon for some turkey bacon, just to make room for some of those healthy coconut butter fats! This way, you can pop a few more in your mouth without feeling so guilty after!

Turkey Bacon Wrapped Coconut Butter Stuffed Dates (makes 12 stuffed dates):

• 12 Medjool Dates
• 6 Slices Turkey Bacon, cut in halves
• 6 tsp Coconut Butter (I used Sweet Spreads Maple Pancake)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut dates in half, lengthwise. Take out pits and stuff with 1/2 tsp coconut butter. Pinch date closed, wrap turkey bacon around date and secure with toothpick. Place dates on baking sheet (I cover baking sheet with foil for less clean up!) and place in oven. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through or until turkey bacon looks crisp! Enjoy!

Nutritional Information (for 1 stuffed date):

**Nutritional information may differ if using different brands.

• Calories: 92
• Protein: 2
• Carbs: 16
• Fat: 3
• Fiber: 2

You might want to double or even triple the recipe for any get togethers, as these will fly off the serving plate quicker than you can blink!

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May 23, 2016 by Natalie Bernacchi 52 Comments

Want to start your day hearty? Here’s my brand new strawberry blueberry overnight oats with only 7 ingredients!

I’m a “meal prepper”. Yep. One of those kind of people that plans ahead and cooks their meals for the entire week on Sunday. I actually had the awesome opportunity to speak about “meal prepping” and various other topics (including but not limited to protein pancakes) on the Honor & Conquer podcast! It was awesome, so I hope you check it out!

I especially LOVE the concept of overnight oats too and with all of these American summer holidays coming up, I figured why not get festive with some red, white, and blue Strawberry Blueberry Overnight Oats for breakfast!

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t always prepare my meals in advance, but once I started doing it, I realized what an enormous time saver it was for the rest of the week! Just setting aside a few hours on the weekend for cooking in bulk really makes the world of a difference! I love making recipes in bulk like these Double Chocolate Protein Squares and these PB&J Energy Balls for snacks and I especially love when I have an easy breakfast like these Strawberry Blueberry Overnight Oats to get my day started off on the right foot! Have yourself a fab day with these Strawberry Blueberry #OvernightOats

These Strawberry Blueberry Overnight Oats take less than 10 minutes to throw together and you’ll have breakfast for the next 3-4 days! All you need are the following 7 ingredients, a cute little mason jar, stir, pop in the fridge overnight and voila! SO EASY:

Oats

Chia Seeds

Vanilla Extract

Liquid Vanilla Stevia

Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

Blueberries

Strawberries

So if you’re not a “meal prepper” yet, I DOUBLE DOG DARE you to make these Strawberry Blueberry Overnight Oats one night and you’ll be amazed at how amazing your next morning will be. No more hectic and chaotic mornings trying to get ready and still making sure to have time for breakfast. Instead, you can wake up and do your thang, whatever that is, and just grab your mason jar when you’re ready and have yourself a fab day!

5.0 from 3 reviewsSTRAWBERRY BLUEBERRY OVERNIGHT OATS SAVEPRINTPREP TIME10 minsCOOK TIME2 hoursTOTAL TIME2 hours 10 mins These strawberry blueberry overnight oats are the perfect way to start your day! They’re hearty, yet healthy and made with only 7 ingredients!Author: Natalie BernacchiRecipe type: Overnight OatsCuisine: Overnight OatsServes: 2 ServingsINGREDIENTS

• ½ Cup Oats
• 1 TBS Chia Seeds
• ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
• 5-10 drops Vanilla Stevia, to your liking
• ¾ Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• ¼ Cup Blueberries
• ¼ Cup Strawberries, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First step is to Mix the oats and chia seeds together in your mason jar.
2. Next step, add these ingredients to the jar – vanilla extract, vanilla stevia, and almond milk. Mix it real good so it gets swirly.
3. Next, add in blueberries and sliced strawberries, mix well so that all ingredients are covered well with almond milk.
4. Close the lid on the mason jar and place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
5. Wake up and enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATIONServing size: ½ Mason Jar Calories: 147 Fat: 4.5 Carbohydrates: 24 Protein: 4.5
So when you do try it, because I DOUBLE DOG DARED you – make sure to let me know how it tasted and how your morning went!

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WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• Do you prep your meals in advance for the week?
• Have you made overnight oats before?
• Do you have a morning routine?

April 22, 2016 by Natalie Bernacchi 52 Comments

Ready for a super fruity and refreshing strawberry banana maca protien smoothie packed with antioxidants and my secret recipe?

Strawberry Banana Maca Protein Smoothie….Maca What?? Maca-schmaca. Really, what in the *&$# is maca anyway?

Ever walk into one of those super trendy juice or smoothie spots and instantly feel like everything you’ve had to eat in the last 48 hours was just horrible for you? You know what I’m talking about…those little juice bars have popped up on every corner. You might see words like superfood, antioxidant, maca, chlorophyll, hemp seeds, matcha, and spirulina splashed all over their oversized chalkboard wall menu. Heck, I literally feel healthier just listing all of those words out, even if I’m not 100% clear on what they all are!

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is I feel you. I TOTALLY feel you! I used to get overwhelmed by all of the “healthy” terminology. I’d walk into these places and be like ok…chlorophyll…thats the stuff that’s in plants. So since green plants are healthy, thennnnn I should just have that. Haha, well you can’t really go wrong, I mean they all have added benefits, but sometimes it is nice to know what you’re putting into your body.

So I tested it out. I did some research on all of these superfood healthy magical ingredients and found out that a few might actually really help with some issues that I and many other active women deal with. I was diagnosed with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea a while back and have been working through it for quite some time. Long story short, for a while (before I really knew any better) I worked out at such a high intensity for so long, while depriving myself of proper food and nutrient intake, that my body totally freaked out and decided not to have a period. You’d think that’s awesome, but it’s not.

So that brings me to maca powder…Maca is a root from Peru that wayyyy back when was used as a remedy to help aid many different things like hormonal imbalances, menstrual problems, stamina, enhance energy, anemia, and the list goes on.

I wanted to give it a try because I do prefer natural remedies when available, but it turns out I’m not a huge fan of the taste. It’s weird because Maca smells like butterscotch, but to me tastes a little bitter. SO I basically did what any child would do and took the classical pairing of strawberry and banana to mask the flavor of the Maca and couldn’t be more pleased.  (PS…good trick for sneaking vitamins and nutrients in for kids is to blend into their favorite smoothie!)

5.0 from 4 reviewsSTRAWBERRY BANANA MACA PROTEIN SMOOTHIE  SAVEPRINT PREP TIME2 minsCOOK TIME2 minsTOTAL TIME4 mins A super fruity and refreshing Strawberry Banana Maca Protein Smoothie packed with antioxidants and secret health benefits!Author: Natalie BernacchiRecipe type: SmoothiesServes: 1 SmoothieINGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Frozen Strawberries
• 1 Small Banana
• ½ Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
• ½ Cup Water
• 1 TBS Maca Powder
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 Scoop About Time Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
• Optional – 1 TBS Flaxseed Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATIONServing size: 1 Calories: 240 Fat: 2 Carbohydrates: 34 Fiber: 5 Protein: 27
So anyway, next time you’re in a juice bar, or better yet, at HOME…make this Strawberry Banana Maca Protein Smoothie for those extra added energizing and stamina boosting benefits! If your hormones are out of wack, definitely give the maca a try too, it’s worth it! Then next time you hit up one of those super trendy juice/smoothie bars, you’ll know what’s up!

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I’d love to hear from you!

• Are you ever overwhelmed by all of the choices when you walk into a juice bar or smoothie shop?
• Have you ever had Maca? AND do you like the taste of it?
• Are you a fan of herbal remedies?

Don’t forget to tag #AFitPhilosophy with your recipe creations! I’d love to hear what you think and see what recipes you’re making!

August 13, 2016 by Natalie Bernacchi 50 Comments

These oatmeal breakfast cookies are literally the easiest cookies to make on the planet! All you need are 3 easy ingredients and 15 minutes later you’ll have a delicious warm and healthy breakfast with a kitchen that just oooozes of the most incredible soft cinnamon banana aromas.

I will never forget my mornings on school days as a kid. My alarm would go off, I’d hit snooze…this happened maybe three or four times until my grandma couldn’t take it anymore, so she’d come knock on the door to wake me up. I’d yell “I’M AWAKE NANNIE” and then fall back asleep, then a few minutes later hear her yell “YooooHoooo” from downstairs until I got up. Then I’d go into the bathroom, turn the shower on, and sleep on the floor until she caught on and realized that’s what I was doing. HAHAHA. I know, I was THE WORST morning person ever!

So let’s just say mornings were rough at my house growing up and I definitely ran out the door with an empty belly almost every morning. Even now that I’m a true early bird, I still like to have my breakfast ready to go during the week! I’m definitely not fun when I’m tired, hungry, and wayyyyy worse if I’m both [It’s called Hangry people…HANGRY]!

Having an easy healthy breakfast on hand is crucial for busy families in the morning before school and work to help your mornings run smoothly! I especially love this recipe because the ingredients are super basic and healthy, but you’d never guess! As a kid I despised oatmeal…ewww that stuff is for adults! BUT if I had these back then, I’d never guess it was basically oatmeal in the form of a cookie.Be Supermom to the rescue with these 3-Ingredient Breakfast Cookies!

Also, I’ve been really making an effort lately to only purchase organic items too. It is SO important that we read our labels and know where our products are coming from! No joke when I tell you I went through my entire kitchen last weekend and threw out everything that was not organic or non-gmo. That’s why I love these Organic Quick Oats from Farmer Direct Co-Op! They’re 100% organic, 100% fair deal, and 100% farmer-owned. No brainer that I’ll be using these from here on out.

So, gone are the days of running out the door hungry! Now you can make these the night before (or pop in oven when you get in the shower) and have breakfast treats for the whole family! Serve it with a glass of Organic Valley Milk for added nutrients and calcium and you’ll really feel like you’re having dessert for breakfast too.

Don’t believe how EASY and SIMPLE these are?? Check out my quick little video below for proof!

5.0 from 1 reviews3-INGREDIENT BREAKFAST COOKIES PRINTPREP TIME5 minsCOOK TIME15 minsTOTAL TIME20 mins The easiest 3-Ingredient Breakfast Cookies made with simple real food ingredients.Author: Natalie BernacchiRecipe type: BreakfastServes: 12 CookiesINGREDIENTS

• 2 Bananas
• 1 Cup Farmer Direct Co-Op Quick Oats
• 1 tsp Cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mash bananas in a medium bowl with fork.
3. Add 1 Cup Farmer Direct Co-Op Quick Oats and stir well.
4. Add 1 tsp Cinnamon and stir.
5. Place rounded tablespoons on to greased baking sheet [I use Calphalon Non-Stick Bakeware]
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

NOTESFor baking, I’ve been using Calphalon Non-Stick Baking Sheets and I love them!NUTRITION INFORMATIONServing size: 1 Cookie Calories: 50 Fat: .67 Carbohydrates: 10.5 Protein: 1.5

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WHAT ABOUT YOU:

• Do you have trouble getting your kids to eat good nutritious breakfasts before they leave the house for school?
• Are you an early bird or are mornings rough for you?
• Do you get HANGRY when you don’t get a good breakfast?