Sunday, Sweets and Smoothies

Lazy Daisy Sundays, full of grey clouds and drizzly skies, oh how I covet thee.

And what better way to spend them than with cleaning, running and food play!

First I tidied cupboards. Because they were disastrous.

Last I ran on the treadmill. Because I preferred to hang around in my PJs until the late hours of the afternoon rather than change into sweat clothes and sweat em up.

Right in between I completed some new baking missions because I could do that every single day and not get tired of it. And I have about 30 million saved recipes on my computers that I just have to try some day or another.

I started tackling 2 of those 30 million from this website of low carb treats. No I haven?t suddenly taken up some low carb diet or anything (no carbs? me? HA) but the Low Carb Sweet Bread Mix at the bottom sounded like a worthy try to me.

Mine included:

8 oz canned pumpkin
4.5 Tbsp vanilla whey protein powder
1 Tbsp vital wheat gluten
1 Tbsp melted light butter spread
1 egg white
1.5 Tbsp vanilla sugar free syrup
0.5 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp flax
0.25 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

When I was putting this into the pan I was thinking ?how the heck is this a bread?? since it was mostly the consistency of pumpkin, and based on the final result I?d call it something more of a baked pumpkin snack/treat/good since it?s not really bready.

Even so, whatever you want to call it it?s super moist and darn good and I?ll probably be gobbling it all up pretty fast.

I also made the Macaroons from the same page, a Kristie Kitchen first since I?ve never made macaroons before. These weren?t very sweet, though that?s probably easily fixable with more sweetener. Or even sweetened coconut.

I was just excited that I had homemade macaroons coming out of my oven.

I concluded my food concocting with some more coconut. That?d be three recipes in a row filled with coconut. Why not? I?m now officially out of unsweetened coconut but I have a bum load of the sweetened stuff hanging around to use. It tastes better anyway.

I used the last bits up by making some Cashew Coconut Balls.
20g shredded unsweetened coconut
35g homemade cashew butter (made by blending roasted cashew bits)
45g medjool dates
10g ground flax

All blended up and rolled into 10 bite-size balls. 52 calories, 3.3g fat, 1g protein each.

I didn?t only mess up the kitchen with new eats though.

I also satisfied my never ending craving for squash by eating the last of some baked buttercup leftovers for breakfast. Spinach and squash dressed in honey mustard dressing for breakfast? Why not? Alongside english muffin chunks with strong cheddar?

?and bowls of my other obsessions: cottage cheese, grapes and cold banana. Bests.

And for dinner? Mmmm pasta. That?s to make up for the carbs missing in my pumpkin treat. ;)

And more grapeage. Seriously, obsession. If there are grapes in my fridge then every time the door opens, a handful will make it into my mouth. And the fridge door opens a lot.

The rest of the weekend (aka Friday/Saturday) has been filled with plenty of that buttercup squash that I finished up today for breakfast (I roasted up a BIG one on Friday, YES!).

And plenty of my newest smoothie obsession: TEA smoothies.

I?ve been using up this very old box of Sugar Plum Spice tea that I don?t love when hot brewed on its own (a bit too sweet) but it makes for gorgeous smoothies.

I just steep about a cup of tea and let it cool. Then into the blender goes the cold tea with skim and/or almond milk, packet of stevia, scoop of protein powder, xanthan and guar guam and LOTS of ice.

This one included 5 giant, slightly mushy strawberries. Every sip was smoothie bliss.

And speaking of smoothies? get your creativity caps warmed up and be sure to stop by tomorrow for a Magical Giveaway? ;)

Happy Sunday evening!