Wednesday is Operation: Smoothie

Let me just say that the holiday Monday has totally thrown me off this week! I sat down to write my Monday Challenge for the Week blog last night & realized it was Tuesday! Feels a little like deja vu from last week except last week I was ahead a day

 & this week I am a day behind!

 Lol.... So, I apologize for no Monday Challenge this week! 

I hope you are all staying busy with previously posted challenges or your own thing &, 

of course drinking your H20!

Earlier I made the yummiest smoothie for today's post!

It was sweet with a teeny tinge of tart & very smooth & creamy!

Creamy Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie

1 container of Carb Smart Strawberry yogurt
1/2 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
3 frozen strawberries (around 70 grams) - 1 for garnish or you can throw it in if you like!
1 Tbsp Stevia or 2 packets
1- 2 packets of True Lemon
1/2 Cup of ice
1/2 Cup of H20
I floated raw natural almonds on top to make it pretty-ful! ;) 
Throw it all in your Ninja & blend until smooth!

This creamy dreamy twist on the all American classic Strawberry Lemonade is around 

130 calories, 12 carbs & 17 grams of protein!

Lemonade on Leap Year!

So today is Leap Year & so far, mine has been great! Leap Year  & lemonade sound good together so I thought I'd devote this post to a few of my favorite refreshing beverges!  Let me start by saying that plain water has it's place. I drink plain water at the gym (I know some of you may do protein shakes or other beverages) & after 4 pm, i switch from my flavored drinks to guzzling regular, premium H20! I have a 52 oz bubba keg & I drink 3 between 4 & the time I go to bed! Yes, I get up during the night to use the ladies room but it gets the days bloat off of me by morning & helps me keep my weight off!  However, during the day, I like my drinks to have flavor in them! I drink A LOT of fluids! I always have! If you see me, I have a beverage either in my hand, somewhere near me or I am headed somewhere to buy one! I never go without something to drink! So, with that being said.......... these  are some of my favorite drinks!
I love True Lemon! They also make an orange flavor that is really good too! They come in packets so they are great for your purse! I love so get a large H20 from Sonic with lemon & lime in it & add a few packets of Stevia to it. I used to drink a Diet Coke from Sonic religiously every day! And, while I still love my Diet Coke...... I have been opting for unsweet tea lately & just sweetening it with Stevia. I also like making a pitcher of unsweet, decaf tea & mixing in a  2 quart lemonade crystal lite & a 1/4 c Stevia for lemonade flavored tea!  I love the Crystal Lite regular lemonade & I LOVE the PINK lemonade (it's so pretty!) Lately I have been buying fresh lemons & limes & using a couple of slices along with a couple of packets of Stevia & just making one glass of lemonade at a time! However you like you water, just make sure you are getting enough of it! If you aren't a water drinker now, try some of these ideas & just challenge yourself to drink a gallon of water every day for a week & especially 2 - 8 oz glasses in the evening in place of what you are used to drinking now & watch the difference it will make! You will feel less  bloated & I would bet you would weigh in a little lighter the next time you step on the scale!

P.s. Check out this nutrition bonus of the lovely yellow lemon! :

Lemons can also relieve symptoms of indigestion, such as heartburn, bloating, gas and cramping. Drinking lemon water regularly will aid in the cleansing of the bowels, which helps eliminate constipation and diarrhea. A teaspoon of lemon juice in half a glass of water helps relieve heartburn. The juice of three to four lemons can also help ease the pain and decrease the flow of excessive menstruation.

Tuesday Treat- Strawberry Lemonade Protein Bars

Today was a great Tuesday! My first leg workout of the week was fierce! (I thought i was going to fall out at one point!) I have been working on getting my new MacBook Pro set up which is a lot of work & gives me a headache but I love it so I enjoy it! I got my new Scentsy Catalogs for Spring along with all the new testers & I am really excited about all their new products! I made plans to hang out with a good friend of mine on St. Patty's Day (yay!) before she moves FAR away (sad sigh) & then that got me thinking about planning something to do for my upcoming birthday in April (YAY!)..........I ate a piece of my deep dish pizza for dinner tonight & the season finale of one my favorite shows, Parenthood is coming on at 9! .........there was a lot of other stuff in between but I'll stop there.
On with the good stuff!...... I know you want to the recipe for these bars so I'll get on with it.......
Let me just say that experimenting with protein bars has become an obsession! I am always trying to come up with something new! Jamie Eason's lemon protein bars have always been one of my favorites & I was craving those so i came up with these based off of that recipe. I cut the calories  & carbs down from her recipe & bumped the protein up! They came out perfect! Tart yet sweet like a good lemonade! They were really cake - like  with a rich, thick & moist taste! I think I am going to have to try one warmed up & crumbled over a vanilla carb smart yogurt!! Mmmmmm.........Try em for yourself! Here is the recipe!   
*1 c oat flour (I make my own out of old fashioned oats)
*2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder (depending on the brand, the nutritional content will be different. I use MRM)
*1-2 qt lemonade crystal light packet
*2 egg  whites
*1/2 c stevia
*1 container of strawberry carb smart yogurt form Kroger
*4 oz water
*1/4 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp baking soda
-Grind oats and add all dry ingredients together. Add all your wet ingredients & mix until well blended. Bake at 350 in a 9 x 9 pan. Let cool (if you can stand it) & cut into 16 squares!
Each square has 39.25 calories, 3.8 carbs & 5.13 grams of protein!