Good morning! I wasn’t planning on posting today because I have a few notebooks that still need a little organizing and some lists that definitely need some starting, but I have a few too many confessions to share.
Yesterday’s workout:
I taught a butt load of classes. I did not run.
First off, Kitty is back to having morning eye boogers and sitting on the darn stove.
Maybe he just wanted to be photographed after I made him take a bunch of pictures last night with my huge Brussel sprout stalk.
The best picture was posted on instagram, but I took quite a few. I even made STUFT Daddy take a picture of me holding that darn stalk while I was still in my sweaty gym clothes.
It was a great use of my time at 9 pm. Ha.
That big stalk from Trader Joe’s had a really good recipe attached to it that might be worth trying.
I didn’t try it last night. Instead I roasted the heck out of those sprouts.
I put the roasted brussel sprouts with some Costco sweet kale salad, mushrooms and chicken and topped it with some non dairy “cheesy” sauce and Cholula.
I may or may not have eaten one too many brussel sprouts.
I tried to make a new “frosting” last night for my Vitatop with a half of a banana and some coconut butter.
It was a baby step towards my attempt to limit artificial sweeteners. I wasn’t that impressed gosh darn it. I like three ingredient fudge (or my original oh fudge recipe) much better. I ended up having to top it with a huge serving of almond coconut ice cream. (Yeah, I “had” to.)
Another thing I attempted the other day was black coffee without any sweetener. Now that was hard to choke down. Do you all drink black coffee? Maybe it’s an acquired taste or something. I’m not ready for that just yet.
In fact, this morning I’m drinking a half soy milk half almond milk latte and had to add a little sugar free vanilla syrup to the mix.
This whole trying to stay away from artificial sweetener is going to be a bit harder than I thought.
I did make a really great cinnamon pear version of my breakfast STUFTwich yesterday that didn’t have any sugar substitute and I was pretty proud of it.
All I did was cook up egg whites with some cinnamon and thin pear slices.
Then put in on my favorite bread with some coconut butter.
It was pretty darn good. I may have to have it again today.
Since I just finished the last of my GNC chocolate soy protein powder I decided to use this little Vega sample for my daily dose of STUFT GNC protein goo.
I thought it might be a good peanut butter and berry variation with this berry flavor, but I wasn’t that impressed with my concoction.
At least it was cute in a Flatout cinnamon crisp bowl with some PB2 and coconut cookie dough crumble.
Yesterday I let the boys eat lunch in the family room after I slaved in the kitchen microwaving some Trader Joe’s veggie corn dogs.
Yep. Mom of the year. That’s me.
Speaking of “Mom of the Year”, remember the potty charts? Well, Judah has been diaper free for awhile now. Joaquin has no interest what so ever. I have not been very proactive about it either. We’ve been doing Pull Ups and he goes in the potty when he wants to. He also goes what seems like every 10 minutes or so in his pants. I really need to get on that. I’m a slacker.
I also have to confess that I have not been the most patient mom lately. I’ve been more irritable than usual. I know it’s because of stress and not enough sleep. I hate not being patient with my boys. Those early mornings sure do sneak up on me. Beavis.
Want to know something else? Over the past couple of weeks I’ve consumed way too many processed foods and snacks that I haven’t mentioned on the blog. I’m just not good at moderation friends. I’ve never been good at it. Those people that can have just one serving of cereal or pretzels are darn impressive. And really, can anyone have just one serving of Love Grown Foods granola at a time? I’m convinced that’s impossible, especially with Cocoa Goodness.
I know I’ve been craving these thing more because I’m stressed out and tired. Funny how your body does that to you. I can always tell if I’m well rested or not depending on what kind of food I crave.
Anyhoo…..
We’ve had some very generous companies send us some amazing snacks to try that I keep forgetting to share.
Nature Box sent us this wonderful package last month of healthy snacks.
They have a great monthly snack delivery service.
You get all these goodies in one box.
Our current favorite are the Garden Tomato Crunchies.
We only like to open one bag at a time so next up we’re going for these.
They’ll be a great salad topper don’t you think?
We also got a fun bag of California Walnuts.
I actually keep wanting to incorporate more walnuts into my diet. I keep seeing them around with all these new paleo friendly recipes. I need to do some more research, but I think they may be making their way into my breakfast scramble this morning.
Lastly, I was also sent some samples from Chike Nutrition of their new whey protein iced coffee drink.
The package came with a fun little Blender Bottle too.
I’ve tried it a couple different ways. I blended it with ice, dark cocoa powder and almond milk.
I was also desperate a couple weeks ago in the car on my last visit to see my best friend Bob. I mixed a packet with the only water I had left from my trip in the car.
I have to give it props for being pretty darn tasty under the circumstances. I’m so classy.
I have a little something for you though besides all the nonsense in this post.
The wonderful people at Chike Nutrition want to give some of you a chance to try their new protein drink also.
Giveaway time!
Three winners will get a package that includes 5 packs of Chike Iced Coffee and a Chike Blender Bottle (which a really darn cool by the way).
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment here. I’ll pick a winner Thursday morning. Open to US residents only.
Don’t forget to enter My Race Ragz giveaway also for a chance to design your own shirt.
See you soon with some fun running talk. Woot woot!
Black coffee, yay or nay?
Favorite nut to snack on?
Any confessions for me?
Always look forward to yours posts and honesty. You aren’t the only one who struggles with that whole ‘moderation’ thing! Whey protein and iced coffee sounds absolutely too good to be true!
I used to put skim milk or almond milk or creamer (a tiny bit) in my coffee but now I just use ice and Truvia. (I figure it’s the best of the artificial stuff? I don’t like how sugar feels on my teeth.) And I saw this and it made me think of you: http://www.shitmykidsruined.com/2011/12/07/pimp-my-ride/
Everything looks so good! I’d love to win<3
I mix cold coffee into my protein shakes in the morning now. Always looking to get hooked on a new product!
i LOVE black coffee (only hot) and drink it every morning, but i must add almond milk and stevia to iced coffee. that Chike coffee stuff looks yummy!
Oh wow that stuff sounds awesome!! I need to try that coffee protein drink bc I’m a true coffee addict and prob drink way to many calories and sugar along within!!
Your cat cracks me up! And your boys are too cute. I cannot imagine black coffee… I do like the idea of having the mix with the coffee and protein together that’s pretty cool. My confession is I’m a total sugar/artificial sweetener a holic. It’s seriously a problem. Thanks for your blog! It’s helping to keep me motivated as I get back into running!
I’d love to try the new protein coffee drink. Two birds with one stone in my book.
I love all things coffee. I wonder how it would taste using this powder in protein muffins!
The blender bottle is awesome! Black coffee – uck! My husband drinks it that way but only b/c he thinks it makes him more of a manly man! Fav nut – almonds or pistachios. Love the cinnamon and cocoa almonds by Emerald.
I almost always drink my coffee black, but I am a sucker for a skinny pumpkin spice latte! Yumm!
I love seeing all your ideas
I would love to try that drink mix! I am on the same page with you though about limiting artifical sweetners. It is WAY harder than I thought it would be, but just keep at it and you can do it
I am a total coffee addict and had seen these on a few other blogs. I would LOVE to try them. They look so tasty and I mean come on they have added protein! Can’t get better than that!
I’d love to try the new protein coffee drink…..coffee = I’m sold! Sometimes I drink coffee black. I have to be desperate.
Oh man, this has been the summer of my Iced Coffee Renaissance. There has been nothing more refreshing than finishing my long run and then drinking a big ol’ iced coffee. This would be an interesting product to try, that I’d probably never even have heard of otherwise.
I love following your blog!! And, would enjoy trying the Chike Iced Coffee
I would love to win some Chike!!
I know this was all about snacks but you made my day with the cat picutres
Oh I need some new iced coffee choices around here. The husband used up all my Torani Sugar Free Raspberry and now I’m in a rut. Also, don’t stress. Joaquin won’t go to high school in a pull-up no matter what you do.
Love your posts & your candid confessions!
I love my coffee. That being said, I HATE black coffee. I used to drink a little coffee with my cream & sugar. Now I’ve cut out the sugars & I drink my coffee with a bit of sugar free vanilla creamer. That’s about as much as I can sacrifice!
Raw almonds are my nut of choice. Although, in the spirit of confessions, I’d rather have a handful of salted cashews if my midriff allowed.
And lastly, my confession of the day. Today is National Hamburger Day & I want nothing more than a big, juicy,sloppy cheeseburger, all the way. But, I have ground turkey thawed in the fridge & that will have to suffice!
Thanks so much for the posts! Cheers!
Thanks Amanda!!!!!! I hope you have one HUGE amazing turkey burger tonight! He he.
I am a coffee fiend and would love to try Chike!
I’m right there with ya Kristin. i need to get off the artificial sweeteners. But It’s pretty hard because I have a major sweet tooth! My coffee is always the same– 1 tassimo breakfast blend with almond milk and some Torani SF Syrup. I normally have 8-9 in rotation so it’s whatever I’m feelin that day!. That’s normal right!?!? most people have enough SF syrup in their kitchen to look like a Starbucks….? no? oh well!
Love anything related to coffee!! I cannot drink it black though – blech!
I love coffee ANYTHING! However, I MUST have some kind of sugar or sugar free flavor with it. I can’t tolerate black coffee like my husband does. I wish I could acquire the taste for it b/c I do know how bad sugar free and processed sugars can be for your body:( Every morning I brew up some Kirkland Brand Meduim bodied coffee and add some Almond Milk and whatever sugar free sweetener I have on hand(my fave being Caramel) I did find some powdered Stevia at Whole Foods on clearance for $1 a container to use (occasionally) in place of the Splenda sweetened Torini syrups! I figure I’m just using this stuff in my coffee in the morning and no articial sweeteners the rest of the day. How bad could that be?;) As far as the snacks I can’t just eat one serving of….Cashews!!! I could literally eat half of the Costco sized container, though I have not eaten that much, I could easily do so!
I can’t do black coffee – bleck! Two teaspoons of sugar and some coffeemate naturals. I feel better that it’s not artificial sweeteners, but too much sugar either way. I’ve thought about switching to tea, but that’s about as far as I’ve gotten
My confession; i need to X-nae my gum addiction…its terrible!! AGH, i have my coffee with a little bit of half and half or soy milk creamer. Just curious, why do you avoid dairy products? No yogurts, cheese, milk? I love your blog and always look forward to it!!
I keep wanting to get my hands on the nature box. I love almonds. My confession, I just ate a huge handful of pretzels and don’t feel the slightest bit guilty. Processed? Yes, Salty/crunchy/yummy? Yes yes yes LOL
I only drink black coffee. I was trying to do the coconut butter in it – which was great, but when I say I hate preparing food, even adding coconut butter to coffee and whipping it is too much work… Wow, I am glad I don’t blog, I could do just a confessions blog. I love the Cocoa Almond 100 calorie packs. I keep them in my purse for emergency snacks when I am busy busy busy and haven’t eaten in a while. Perfect for holding me until I get home and they are awesomely yummy – protein, a bit of carb and some fat.
Confessions: We really have to get together – I could blow your mind with some of my dirty laundry – HA!!! Really – we have to get together somewhere other than the gym:)
I am loving Kitty…
Oh, and yeah…that moderation thing can be a problem over here, too!
As always, sounds like you are burning the candle at both ends.
{Hugs}
As for the sweeteners, I can’t do the fake stuff. My stomach is NOT having it!
Check out SweetLeaf Stevia…it doesn’t have the added stuff that even Truvia and many of the others have.
It might help you out!
Hey I would love to win esp because It’s my Birthday today!! haha.. You can never have enough shaker bottles or protein powder!! The bottle is super cute and I love sample packets of protein powder because you aren’t commiting to a whole tub and they are just plain awesome!. I sympathize with your concerns too. I am an artificial sweetener junkie lol Only Splenda though.. You can always find some packets in my purse and I never pass an opportunity to stock up for free no matter where I am.. I’ll snag em lol
Anyways, Pick me please!!
Black coffee is horrible, and I too love my sugar free flavored syrups.
Black coffee is just fine for me and actually I prefer it some mornings. My rule it there must be caffeine. My favorite nut to snack on is almonds. And my confession is that as bad as I want to feed the family unprocessed food I am having a terrible time getting my 4 yr old to agree. Ideas?
I would love to try Chike.
I have seen ads for the high protein coffee and have been wondering how it was. I love coffee with almond milk and stevia and my favorite nut o snack on would be almonds…. How are you cutting out all sweeteners? Are you using something else in its place like honey?? I have tried to do
It and failed miserably… I can’t seem to do without my nunaturals nustevia!
I’m just trying to limit a little. I’m not doing too well either. Ha ha. I love my stevia and sugar free syrups too much.
I love love love my coffee. But black, ummm no thanks!!! I have tried several times to go from coffee to hot tea, but it is just not the same. I have also tried in the past to get off artificial sweetners, but that’s not gonna happen either. I have too much of a sweet tooth . I do just mainly use Truvia, not sure if it is any better really but in my mind I’m doing better so I guess that counts?!
As far as nuts go, almonds baby!! Love them. Also I love pecans, mainly because I think it is a requirement to be a true southern girl!
Don’t sweat the potty training stuff, haven’t seen too many 10 year old boys sporting pull-ups! It will happen!
My favorite weekend indulgence is an iced latte (flavored, no plain black coffee here) so I would LOVE to try this..
You’ve gotten me hooked on iced coffee this summer, so it would be awesome to try this new stuff out!
I have been dying to try those! I love my coffee for sure
I’ve only just discovered your blog, and Ive been thinking to myself “what does this woman have against black coffee”. Ha! Now I know! I hate sugar free sweetener, so I guess Im lucky. Why not cut the coffee bitterness with a little agave? It has like 15 calories which you would burn off in 5 seconds. P.s. your arms are so badass
Good idea to add a little agave. I’ll have to try that next time.
I love protein drinks–I drink one daily but haven’t ever heard or this brand so I’d love to try it!
My favorite nut is cashews, but I cannot have them in the house unless I am prepared to eat the entire package! (you are not the only one with a moderation problem!!).
Yum! We just started hotel living for the next nine months so this would be the perfect treat!
No sweetener for me, but I do use a little almond milk. I actually JUST cut out artificial sweeteners in January so I know your pain. And I must confess I do go to Yogurtland once a week and I know that is full of the fake stuff (but so so so good).
Almond Milk and Some Torani Syrup or Stevia..whatever I am feeling that day! But this whey protein and coffee together could be my soulmate!
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to try Chike. I’ve heard so much about it! Would definitely give a new spin on my coffee mornings!
I would LOVE to try Chike! Such a convenient way to get protein and a boost of energy in the morning! I usually put a little almond coconut milk in my coffee and it is great!
I can’t do black coffee. Yuck. You have inspired me to decrease my normal 8 drops of stevia to 5 though. Its a work in progress.
I would looooove to win the Chike giveaway – and the bottle sounds awesome.
sorry you’re not having an easy time with the artificial sweetener challenge. i actually went back to small amounts of sugar and honey when I was weening myself off artificial sweeteners. i found it much easier to ease back on sugar and honey than it was to go cold turkey on the artificial sweeteners. best of luck to you!
Coffee and protein had a love child and I must try it! Please let me win!
anything that mixes in plain water and taste good has to belong to me.. I’m always on the go and with twins you completely understand..;)
Way to go, staying away from AS. ! You can do it and your belly will thank you! I have been less bloated ever since cutting them out!
coffee + protein? yes please!
Moderation is so not my strong point. I have the open bag syndrome and can’t stop til its finished. Its horrible. I would LOVE to try out the Chike iced coffee. Looks yummy! I am still trying to work out my coffee situation. I do some almond milk in there and am trying to avoid the artificial sweetners but stevia doesn’t do it for me.
The iced coffee looks delicious!!!
Wanted to let you know that I came across your blog and you looked identical to a really close friend of mine! So much so that I had to send it to her and let her know she had a twin! Now, I am addicted to your blog and look forward to it everyday! I LOVE your recipes and totally wish I had your ARMS! Keep it up, you rock, and thanks for making me smile everyday!
Thank you for your nice comment Maria. It seriously just made my day. I really needed to hear that today as it’s been LONG.
Cyber hugs! Welcome to our crazy life!
Yay on black coffee!! This iced coffee looks delicious too! I dont think I can choose a favorite nut – i love ALL nuts!! I cannot be trusted with non-portion controlled nuts because I will eat an entire bag/container/jar etc..
Just say No! To black coffee….has to be sweetened or creamed up a bit…and yes, I am ok with that.
Is this similar to CLiCK protein/espresso drink mix? I drink that and I must say its to “die for” …well, not really….but, its yummy….just curious how it would compare. (I mix the Click powder, water, ice and a handful of spinach ….well, I don’t mix it but I plug in the Magic Bullet and let the action spin up….its wonderful if I do say so myself)
I used to really dig a good skinny vanilla latte, but somehow over time I have “matured” to nothing but BLACK coffee. Really dark, really strong and absolutely nothing else in it. That said, I use a bunch of artificial sweetener in lots of different things like oatmeal, yogurt, and my signature chocolate no-bake cookie dip. As for my moderation skills….I drink 5 cups of black coffee every morning, and it just gets worse from there!!
Good luck with the unsweetened coffee! You will get used to it. I think sweetened coffee tastes odd to me now.
I’d love to try that coffee! Stick with trying to limit the artificial sweetener – it definitely makes a difference!
omg that looks heavenly!id love to win!
I love iced coffee too. Flavored beans help me avoid sweeteners. Maybe you can try that…
I don’t like black coffee either. It’s got to have some kind of sweetener in it for me!!
I drink black coffee only because I don’t want the extra calories in the sugar and milk… I have tried most of your variations on coffee and they are really good. My favorite is to put dark chocolate Hershey powder in…YUM! Favorite nut…Almonds. Confession…I bought a bag of Kraft caramels this week, thinking I would make an apple dip for the kids, I opened the bag:( They are so small, I only eat two or three, but I know I shouldn’t. The Chick coffee would be fun to try.
About the black coffee….yes it takes time to get used to! When I do have coffee with sweetener now it is way to much!!
My favorite nut to snack on is dry roasted, unsalted almonds. I think they are salty enough as they are!
My mom and I roasted broccoli slaw last night, and it was fantastic! Usually we eat it raw but roasted is so much better! (and we didn’t burn it lol)
How do you like the Chike? Is it really coffee-like? I’m intrigued!
I love my coffee black, but everyone I know can’t stand the thought of it
Black coffee = ICK! I can’t get over the taste…it’s because my tongue wants coffee to taste the way it smells, you know, not like unflavored hot liquid. My favorite nut is CASHEW which is the terrible one I know…I do love walnuts in my oatmeal – since I’ve been doing overnight oats I should toss some in there, der. Confession: With 12yo & 10yo boys I lose my sanity every now and again, usually demonstrated by some loud talking on my behalf. I’ve really grown to depend on my husbands ability to calm me down and tell me why the little things shouldn’t bother me. That’s what I’ve had to get over…my Type A’ish personality and the fact that they are 2 little folks who still have some maturing to do. It’ll all work out…just walk away – close your eyes – take a breath – think of something dumb…you’ll find yourself back to yourself.
Black coffee only happens when I have run out of milk! And nuts..oh nuts! I heart nuts! Preferably cashews and walnuts; almonds and pistachios are super great also!
Coffee: I like to put in some unsweetened almond milk and a teaspoon of agave!!
Nut to snack on: Honey roasted almonds- woooooah baby they are good
Confession: I have been eating the pumpkin dip my mother in law brought over right out of the container with a spoon. No bueno, ma’am. But it’s SO GOOD. Help.
Coffee — Need extra goodies in my ‘black’ coffee cocoa power, splenda..
Would LOVE to try a whey protein iced coffee drink.
I am not a black coffee drinker either…yuck!! I need a little sweet to balance the bitter…a sweetner of some form!!
I like the blender bottle! I am a fan of iced coffee, but don’t mind trying some different options. Not sure if I could do black coffee.
I would love to try this new product. I drink coffee every morning. It’s my personal source of life! Hah. Black coffee is definitely “ick”; I much prefer some cream and stevia. Thanks for the chance!
I have always wanted to try coffee protein. YUM! I cannot drink plain black coffee- I need to add some almond milk (and 1T of creamer) + stevia. I’m a newer coffee drinker, so maybe when I “adjust” to my new drink (which i love iced) I’ll cut down on add-ins. It’s too good though as it is!
Can I enter if I’ve already tried Chike? I loved the stuff! I have a recipe on my blog for a frapp using it. Best pre-workout drink ever!
Do you use Stevia? I use the liquid stuff all the time… it’s all-natural, and I think the drops taste better than the powder form.
I would love to win some Chike
No to black coffee, ice, my mom drinks it’s black, most of the time! I just use lots of Stevia, I mean tons, it’s expensive yes, but a price I’m willing to pay. Favorite nut….uh would be cashews! I don’t even buy them because i can’t control myself.
Confession, I letit children eat way too many things I wouldn’t eat myself, moderation is good, but I am pressured by certain family members because they make me feel like healthy food isn’t normal and I should give mme kids REAL (you know the normal crap these days ) food, ug.
That stuff looks awesome, I bet my hubby would love to try it:)
Though I like a little milk with my espresso (pass me the latte!), I’m a black drip coffee kinda’ gal. It’s an acquired taste, but it’s worth acquiring.
As for my confession – I’m not so good at moderation either. Just ask the bag of tortilla chips I just put a hurtin’ on.
protein and coffee together!?! I’m in!!
p.s. I drink my coffee black. always have. Maybe it takes time to change your taste buds. ??
I have to at least have sugar in my coffee, and prefer it with a little fat free half and half as well. I don’t eat a lot of sugar so this is one area where I go for it!
Protein and coffee sounds amazing! I actually do like my coffee black! But for a treat I love soy milk and sugar free hazelnut!:)
Drink coffee every morning with some vanilla soy milk.. no black.
Confessions– where do I begin? I wish I was 1/2 the mom I dreamed I would be. I never have enough patience, smiles, hugs, and time for the girls that I would like to.
I snack on raw mixed nuts from Target…. Archer Farms brand.
Hope I win! I like black iced coffee with cinnamon but it’s really hard for me to drink black hot coffee lol. Need to try adding the coconut oil like you do and kelly
I would like to try the coffee. Looks good. I really enjoy your site. Thanks for all the work you put into it.
I feel like I love coffee more than I should…
Plus I’ve been sending my boyfriend multiple photos of Flat Kitty…we’re gonna get one whether he wants to or not.
I can only drink coffee black if I’m desperate! Or if it’s espresso, that is the only other option, but gives horrid breath!
Coffee and protein?!?!?! could it get much better, i don’t think so! must be a great pick me up in the afternoon or anytime for that matter
I would truly benefit from these samples and blender bottle! I am a college athlete attempting to put on more muscle and I feel like this would really, really help me achieve that
I like almond milk and stevia in my coffee…scratch that, I love those in my coffee. I can do black if I’m really tired and slowly sipping, but when I’m at home, I like it creamier and sweeter.
You’re too hard on yourself! You are doing great my friend. Hugs to you!
A coffee giveaway is right up my alley!
I have currently been obsessed with coffee protein combos….makes it feel so much healthier! Very interested in trying Chike..have been using CLICK and am really loving the cold frappe…would probably be better for me without the extra add in of butterscotch syrup….but hey, at least it has protein and caffeine!
I’m not really a coffee drinker,but i had real Colombian Coffee (black) and it was really good.
I love iced coffee with some extra protein! Would live to try this brand for something new!
Oh my gosh this Chike sounds amazing! I’d love to try some!
I like that the coffee drink is simple to prepare on the go – and I really want one of those shaker cups!
Black coffee-blech! you are so good to limit artificial sweeteners. So hard… All the Nature box goodies sound so yummy!! Would love to try the Chike too!
That coffee looks awesome! I am so glad you are experimenting without artificial sweetener because I need some non sweetened recipes! I tried fig apple muffins this weekend no butter or sugar- bleh! They were gross! I am following Bob’s skinny rules which don’t allow sweetener. Confession- since school started I have been getting Starbucks at least once a week. I do notice how much sugar or sweetener affects me! When I eat it I am hungrier and crave more! I haven’t found a good alternative.
And black coffee? No thanks! I tried a Cafe Americanism once because its what Bob gets but it way gross! If I’m going to drink coffee it has to have sugar!! And.. I have no self control so I’ve had to throw out all the processed foods- even the “good” ones because I can’t control my eating.
would love to win this- coffee and protein are my two favorite thing!!!
I cannot do black coffee….ick! My confession is that I am snacking in candy corn out of my desk drawer at work…..not good! Thanks for the giveaways…they are awesome.
Oh I just Love your recipies!!!! Im trying to ween out sugar subs too….Im really excited to see what can come out of your wounderful recipies!!
But yes I must say im gonna have to try a pear in my egg whites….yup yup..that was lookin purdy tasty…..and HELLO that coffee/protien drink has 2 wounderful shots of expresso!!! how mag-niff-a-cent!!!! im gonna have to look into that more….Absolutly! 
Omg I love coffee! And I have been thinking of a way to incorporate it into my protein shakes. I consider myself a bit of a coffee snob! Lol I too am trying to cut back on sugar. And artificial and other sweeteners I hate that they change the taste of my beloved coffee. I have found xylitol and vanilla liquid stevia to be the best( both you can find on iherb.com) good luck!
i like my coffee without sweetener…BUT with a little fat free half and half. i’ve gone black a few times, but its just not as good in my opinion.
I can totally do black coffee if I have to, but I just bought pumpkin syrup!
As far as nuts, I like cashews.
Drinking black coffee is SO hard! I’ve tried it too, but I just can’t seem to do it! I have to add some milk and a little Xyllitol.
I love walnuts, they are SO good roasted! I usually roast a big batch at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes and then use them on salad or just for munching!
Can’t do plain black coffee–no way. I love it with almond milk and stevia (or sf torani syrup!). I have used artificial sweeteners since I was about 16. I’m 47 so that means I started with saccharin (which was truly awful), then went to aspartame and Splenda as those came on the market and then switched mostly to stevia several years ago when the newer formulations removed that bitter, licorice taste. Stevia (and some Splenda) keeps me away from sugar, but I don’t think I could fully give those up with my sweet tooth! My favorite nuts are cashews and almonds.
love putting a spoonful of coffee to my protein shakes in the am to give me that boost before hitting the gym!
I’m such an artificial sugar addict, too! It’s awful. I use stevia every day, plus Crystal Light drink mixes…oh well. Chike sounds awesome…any protein powder that tastes good mixed with car water must be pretty good hahah.
Coffee + Protein in one? I’m game. I will usually blend cold brewed coffee with a frozen banana and a vanilla whey or egg white protein for an awesome morning beverage.
Black Coffee? YAY! I do enjoy a little added stevia sometimes. For your quest to quit artificial sweeteners, have you tried stevia? There are many brands/versions out there and I’ve found Sweetleaf to have great liquid stevia and KAL to have a wonderful pure stevia powder.
It can be hard, but so worth it after getting rid of that artificial stuff.
Yes! I own Sweet Leaf liquid stevia in a couple different flavors. I love the english toffee one.
I’ll have to check out KAL though. Thanks for the tip. 
I was trying black coffee… nay. Some things in life you just need to have… cream/sweetener in coffee! fave nut is honey roasted peanuts.. NOT the healthiest and NOT in moderation! I have the same issues under stress and sleep deprivation… my hunger and snacking is at an all time high these days and i can’t seem to shake it! I’m totally hooked on the protein goo, like realllllly hooked haha! I work out lots and it adds to the chaos.. training for a half marathon! Looks like we’re on the same page here… thanks for your creativity and keeping it real! Did the booty blast 2x thru yesterday.. OMG.
Andrea- Yes, looks like we’re on the same page. We need to force each other sleep. Ha ha. I’m convinced sleep can solve all my issues. If only I had time for it. LOL. Two times on the booty blast? Yay!!! Fun right? What half are you training for?
HAHA, my doc says sleep will solve my issues and i said the same thing to him – give me 8 more hours in a day and I’ll sleep!
Booty blast IS super fun – love that its only 8 minutes… burns reallll bad though, of course 
I’m running the Santa Clarita half in November. Training keeps me motivated to stay in shape even though I’m super busy with school and work!
So many confessions, so little time. Cheated on my attempt (again) to eat healthy and clean with Oreo cake batter ice cream…but it was delicious. Complained too much about work when I should be thankful to have a great job. Luckily tomorrow is a new day and brings a fresh start
coffee with a splash of non-fat milk is where’s it’s at. Would love to try the coffee protein shake!!
Abby- I’m with you. Tomorrow is a new day. Way to have a good outlook. Coffee cheers to a fresh start!
I can drink coffee many ways depending on my mood. I only go black if it is good coffee and I am eating something with it because my stomach does not like it but normaly I drink it with whole milk unsweetened because the milk taste sweet. I love pistachio. I ate almost a full bag of biscoff cookies in 2 days.
Umm no do not like it black.
I also need to start giving up those artificial sweeteners… I have a serious addiction thanks to my serious sweet tooth. (or teeth for that matter!) … I can only drink my coffee black when I’m in a rush, otherwise I like it to be sweet. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to give up my sugar free Torani syrup in my coffee! But I am slowly cutting back!
It’s a process ! haha
A big ‘ole Nay to black coffee I am afraid…. My Mom says that you are only a true coffee drinker if you drink it black…. Oh well……
Black coffee huge yay. Sometimes for a sweet treat I will add creamer but I’m weird about drinking calories, unless it’s wine or protein drinks of course. Lately I have been using cold coffee to mix my egg white chocolate protein powder. Double goodness, so I can see what those giveaway people were thinking. Fave nut is the roasted pistachio, but macadamias are great too. Confessions?? I’ve been spending way too much time ( and money ) online shopping lately. Living in a small town in Wisconsin can do that to a girl.
Would love to win some Chike ! I love checking out all your recipes and no, I don’t like black coffee either
MMMM I love ice coffee;-)
I think cutting out/cutting back on artificial sweetners was one of the hardest thing I ever did–but probably one of the best decisions I have made. It just takes time to have your body adjust to the taste of less sweet things. Start out slow–instead of 1 pump of coffee syrup, use 3/4 of a pump, etc. I used to eat yoplait light allll the time. I bought one last week and took a bite and thought it was rotten because it was sooo sweet (the husband said it tasted fine).
This is my first comment ever on your blog! I absolutely love reading your blog, and I just find it so straight forward, honest, and funny! I have trouble with moderation with healthy foods most of the time. I can bake regular cookies and pace myself, but I bake a batch of “health” cookies and I eat half the batch! I have also been trying to cut out on so much artificial stuff too. On another note, that Iced coffee with protein sounds like my kinda thing!!! I cannot miss my iced sugar-free vanilla americano in the morning, but always struggle to find a good snack to go with it. This would be a all-in-one kinda thing!!!!
Ha. I hear you Allison on moderation being hard with the “health” baking. That’s why I walways jst have to do single serving things. LOL. Takes more time, but then I can’t eat like 4 of them.
I can’t drink black coffee. I need a tiny amount of sweetener & some form of a milky substance. I’ve tried the Click coffee protein but have never tried the Chike. I’m curious to see how it compares.
Love getting my Nature Box every month to see whats inside to try. We love the tomato crunchies too! The Chike looks very interesting and would love to try it. Good instant iced coffee is a hard thing to find!
I’ve been trying to cut back on artificial sweeteners but seriously I feel ya – it’s so difficult! And no way regarding the black coffee question. I NEED milk and splenda.
I actually do not have a blender bottle yet so this would be cool to win.
The protein sounds yummy, I would love to win!
I love coffee!!!
I think black coffee is horrible! I gave up artificial sweeteners for lent last year and I choked down my coffee every morning with skim milk. It was a long 40 days to say the least haha. And one small confession. I can related to your tiredness and stress. I have multiple exams and clinicials this week for college so dinner last night was chocolate chips cookies ::sigh::
I am a total Click fan, so it would be awesome to be able to try some Chike!!!
I love my coffee black with nothing in it!!! Sometimes I get all crazy, though, and add in some Stevia! LOL!!!! I know how to party!!!
My favorite nut to snack on are pistachios, although I rarely buy them and tend to snack on almonds more…..
I’m sure it’ll take a little while to adjust to, but so proud of you for starting to reduce the amount of artificial sweeteners you eat/drink! Real foods may be higher in calories or natural sugar, but they’ll be better for your body
Holy Cow….that is a lot posts
With that being said……Coffee may very well be my favorite thing in the whole wide world. My typical morning begins with either Starbucks iced americano with a little soy, or 1 scoop chocolate pp and a starbucks via. I would love to try the new product Chike, it sounds right up my alley
I love all of your posts and fun eats…I try almost all of them. I hope you have a wonderful day. Those boys are so darn cute. My twins are 7 months now. Watch out..I am in for some real trouble.
Oh Jenny- yes you are. Just wait!!
Love black coffee but I usually add a little milk to cool it down on my way to work. I never add sugar unless the coffee is really bad. Keep up the hard work!
Love you blog! Today’s post was so nice to hear someone else has a hard time with getting on the eating processed foods wagon and not being able to get off. I needed that little bit of motivation today!
Looks awesome, I love giveaways!
Confession: I’m addicted to Fruity Pebbles lately, they are delicious little nuggets!
I will drink black coffee, but I also love it with a little organic half and half. I would love to try a coffee drink that has protein in it. That would be awesome. Confession: I really need to cut back on the amount of coffee I consume. I always say I am just going to have two cups in the morning, but that never seems to be all I have!
Yum yum yum,!I I live vicariously through your food posts. As a mommy to a happy 2 year old caffeine is my saving grace and pair that with delicious and simple it must be a little slice of heaven. Can’t wait to see how you “STUFTify” the mix and make new and mommy on the run approved recipes
Hi Kristen–Happy Tuesday…used to do the black coffee thing years age, but now I appreciate an iced coffee with French Vanilla flavoring–usually iced in the summer time and also enjoy a hot mocha in the wintertime. Favorite nut is almonds — just love a handful mid afternoon!
Yay ive been wanting to try this protein coffee drink! Coffee is pretty much my fav thing ever
ooops left my comment on the wrong post!!
anyway.. i’ve been loving coffee w/ almond or coconut milk and sprinkle of pumpkin spice seasoning!
love almonds and macademia
Your blog is so inspiring!! I LOVE coffee (probably a little too much)! I don’t think I could ever drink it black. I too have been trying to cut down on my sweetners, but it is so hard
A coffee with protein is such a wonderful idea! Chike sounds like such a great product!
I really need to try this chike drink! Sounds yummy!
Awesome giveaway!!
Black coffee i can only do as espresso with a packet of real sugar in europe… Somehow not the same here! Have you tried brown rice syrup or date paste as a sweetener?
I am *so* glad I found your blog! So far I love all the recipes I’ve seen. I want to start making some and help me on my journey to healthier eating…working on it…! I like Brussels sprouts, but I’ve never cooked them from a raw stalk. I’ve thought about it, but haven’t yet. Nutritional yeast scares me too…..I’m sure I will cook Brussels sprout stalks, but we shall see on the yeast…
I would love to win this nifty cup!
coffee and protein? sign me up!
You can never have enough protein…or COFFEE….or Shaker cups!!! Yay! I love Joaquin in his diaper showing those walnuts. My boys loved to run around in their diaper- and now that they are 10-12, they walk around in their underwear!!! (Oh, what you get to look forward to!)
Have a great day- try to get some rest! Hugs!
Ah, I love all of your photos and the fun little updates to go along with them. I agree that you can never have enough protein or coffee!