4 Ingredient Vanilla Protein Pancakes

Good morning!! Happy Friday!!! 🙂

This morning I had some extra time before work & decided to make myself a real breakfast.. Vanilla protein pancakes seemed like the perfect way to start my Friday. With just four ingredients & about 30 grams of protein, the real MVP of breakfast is protein pancakes. 

{I’ve posted about these pancakes before, but figured this rendition deserved its own post}

What you’ll need: 

• one egg
• one banana
• one heaping scoop Optimum Nutrition Vanilla Whey Protein
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• *optional* 2 tablespoons ground flax seed

Start by mashing the banana in a bowl- I’ve found a fork works best.

Add the egg & mix until there’s a nice lumpy consistency.. Make sure the yolk is broken & spread throughout the mixture!

Pour your milk. Pour your protein powder. Mix away! (Waiting until you add the protein to mix in the milk makes it much easier to blend) I also added a few spoonfuls of ground flax to keep it movin 😉

Warm up your pan with whatever oil/butter of your choice. I used olive oil- would probably go with something lighter next time. Whatever you use, make sure you use enough to cover the pan so your pancakes don’t stick! 

Pour your batter in & watch the magic happen. ….Ok actually I JUST learned how to flip my pancakes without completely messing them up…so maybe what happens won’t be magical. Either way- your little creations should be ready to eat in about six minutes. 

  

Add some peanut butter, fruit, chocolate chips, syrup, sprinkles, or whatever else you desire! Enjoy!!

Peanut Butter Energy Bars

I’m always hungry.. I need a consistent source of energy (aka food) to keep me going throughout the day. Without an energy source, hanger sets in quite quickly. Which means I’m always looking for easy snacks & meals that will keep me full.

I also love peanut butter. [Anyone who has nut allergies, I’m sorry….this post won’t be of much help to you on your quest for easy recipes.] If you follow me on Instagram (@leedleg) you know I also love oatmeal. Put a few of my favorite things together & you get this amazingly quick, easy, & filling snack! 

Peanut Butter Oat Bars

What you’ll need: 

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup honey
• 3 cups raw oats
• 1 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup flax seeds (camera shy)
• 1-2 tablespoons cinammon

  
These bars are great because you can pretty much put whatever you want in them… They’re no-bake, so keep it within the realm of ‘doesn’t need to be cooked’. But go crazy! Add chocolate chips, almonds, my mind is blanking on other things….you get the point- take control of your snack bars!!

The first thing you’ll do is melt the peanut butter & honey together in a small pot.

   Already so yum, very wow.

Then you’ll mix in the oats. I tried to do everything in the same pot but it didn’t go so well… So I suggest starting this step in a separate bowl.

Once the oats are mixed with the peanut butter-honey blend, it’s time for all the other ingredients to join the fiesta!

   Using your hands > Using a spoon

When everything is mixed to your satisfaction, transfer it to a baking pan. 

  *holding the jar of peanut butter next to the pan is optional*

This is where your bars will live overnight while they become who they’re meant to be… Store the pan in the fridge, covered with tinfoil/Saran wrap/whatever you have. 

Voila! Tomorrow, let the bar come to room temperature & cut it into a desirable range of sizes. Bring em with you anywhere you might need a snack! These will probably last you a while if you’re not sharing, so keep them fresh in the fridge 🙂

~peace & all good~

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Fall has arrived. & there is no better way to spend a fall morning than with the sun warming your toes, hearty pancakes warming your belly, tea warming your soul, & a bee trying to fly up your nose! Welcome to my Sunday morning!!!

I decided to use the microwaveable sweet potatoes I had bought a few weeks ago. Actually, I only used one..but it’s progress. Sweet potatoes are full of wonderful vitamins & nutrients that our bodies need. Beta carotene, fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamins X, Y, & Z! You get the point. Sweet potatoes are cool AF. 

What better way to eat a really cool food than using them for something that’s also super cool?! PANCAKES 😀 Sweet potatoe pancakes make for a more satisfying pancake-eating experience than your typical pancake can give you. Trust me, I am a pancake expert (no I’m not at all). 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup flour (I used whole wheat)
• 1 cup sweet potato purée 
• 1 egg
• dash of cinnamon
• smaller dash of nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (I tend to confuse the two baking substances..)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil/canola oil/olive oil – whatever oil you have
• splash of vanilla 

I microwaved my sweet potato this morning, peeled the skin off, & mashed it with a fork. That was my ‘puree’…  
 

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg

  
Mix everything else together in a larger bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until they’re just combined. Leaving air bubbles/small clumps in the batter will make for fluffy pancakes!

  
Throw some butter in a pan & add however much batter you want to form your pancakes. I also added dark chocolate chips to one because it seemed like a great idea. It was. 

  
Mine took about 3 minutes on each side, then I gave them a few extra minutes to crisp up.

Top the magical pancakes off with maple syrup or whatever you desire. Homemade whipped cream would’ve been perfection…

  
Enjoy!!!! 🙂

  

Coffee Scrub

Coffee scrubs. An aromatic way to give your body some well-deserved TLC, made from things you probably have laying around in your cupboards. …..Do people still use the word cupboard?? idk. 

The star of this post is my younger, more creative sister…she found a rough recipe for a coffee scrub & made it her own. It’s a bit messy, but definitely worth the extra few minutes (if that) of clean up!

Here is what you’ll need: 

• as much coffee as you want/have
• a teaspoon of vanilla
• 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil
• a container for your scrub

   

   
Measure out the coconut oil. You may/may not look happier than my sister does here…

 
If it’s solid like ours is, microwave it for about 30 seconds & mix it to make sure it’s all liquid.

   
 
Mix in the vanilla extract. 

Transfer the coffee to your container of choice. Then pour in the coconut oil/vanilla mixture. 

  
Stir the scrub until all of the coffee looks wet. If you didn’t use enough oil, bows the time to add however much more you need. (We decided to add a capful of olive oil because it was easier than melting more coconut oil..)

I’d say the best place to use this is the shower, once or twice a week when you feel like starting fresh. It will get all over the shower walls but a few splashes of water will make everything clean again. My dad (who’s a plumber) doesn’t get mad when my sister & I use this scrub so it must be ok for the drain….if it wasn’t we would definitely hear about its clogging effects.. 

This coffee scrub will leave your skin soft & smooth. You can even skip the step of putting on lotion because the coconut oil will take care of that for you! 

So wake up & scrub with coffee!!! I hope you & your skin enjoy this caffeinated exfoliating mix! 

~peace & all good~

A Berry Delicious Smoothie

Ha…See what I did there??

Here’s a quick, healthy smoothie you can make for breakfast, lunch, a snack, pre-workout, post-workout, whenever! All you’ll need is a banana, some strawberries, blueberries, & whatever fresh/frozen fruit you can get your hands on! 

I used fresh berries because we had an abundance of them in the house & I figured why not freeze them for a smoothie? 

  I folded the larger bag in half when I froze it so I would remember to use the berries in 2 smoothies. 

Frozen fruit is a great option because it saves $$ & lets you enjoy your favourite fruit even when it’s out of season!

Fill your blender with about a cup of water (or milk if you want it creamy). A smaller amount of liquid will keep the mixture thick like an actual smoothie. 

Now it’s time to throw in your fruits.

   (it looks like more water because the fruit displaces it)

If this is your breakfast/pre-workout snack- keep your coffee or tea close..

  
I added chia seeds & vanilla protein to my mix. If there’s anything else you desire, there’s no time like the present. Add away!!

It’s blending time 

If your mini blender is anything like mine, you’ll have to help the whole blending thing actually happen…annoying side effect of getting a cheap blender. 

  
Enjoy your healthy, delicious little creation! Get creative with the next one 😉 

Adding smoothies to your regular diet is a great way to give yourself more energy. Being consistent is a little difficult at first, but once you start feeling the benefits in your body it’ll be worth it! Having more fruits & veggies will be a good thing.

~peace & all good~

Rose Water Face Spritz

It’s Sunday.. Time to treat your face! This time I’ve got an easy Rose water face toner/refresher for ya!

Hopefully I’m not too late & you haven’t started your nightly skin routine yet…… If I am, tomorrow is just a day away. Although now that I think about it- the chances that you’re reading this & have Rose Oil on hand are very slim. SO….I guess that solves that problem.

This one is extremely simple & can be taken with you wherever you go. If you think you’ll need to refresh your skin at any point during your long ass day, this is good to have on hand.

I got this idea from my sister. She would be quite mad if she saw this & I didn’t give her credit for ‘stealing’ her thing.. -__-

Anyway…. 

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• mini spray bottle
• small bottle of Rose extract
• H2O, to fill the bottle

You can get a spray bottle from the dollar store, or a discount beauty store. Basically, it should only cost you $2 at most. 

The Rose Essential Oil you can find at a health food store. It should be about $7-$10.. but a small bottle will last for a LOT of refills of this face toner!

Why Should You Use It?

• It will aid in the treatment of rosacea/redness. It soothes irritated skin & gives a calming feeling to the face (or wherever you use it).
• This spray can keep you young!!! It helps your skin maintain its elasticity by keeping it hydrated.
• It feels great! I’ve used this spritz on my face, neck, & chest after leaving the gym & let me tell you- it made me feel so refreshed. It’s perfect to keep with you for whatever adventures (or misadventures) you find yourself getting into.

Enjoy!!

~peace & all good~

Coffee Smoothie

How can you go wrong with a coffee smoothie? Two of the best thing mornings have to offer in one place… You’re welcome. 

So what will you need? 

  

• coffee (shocking, I know) – about 1/2 cup brewed, or throw in 1/4 cup of grinds
• 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1/2 banana, or the whole thing if it’s small 
• 3-4 ice cubes

If you’re using coffee you brewed, try to let it cool before using it for your smoothie.

   I used way too much coffee…don’t follow in my footsteps. If you do, you’ll have a mixed coffee drink- not a smoothie. Still great, but not quite what I was going for..

Blend it all together in whatever you may use for smoothie-making until the  ice chunks are gone. Feel free to add anything else you want that will make a more enjoyable experience for you. 

  
Enjoy this protein, caffeine, deliciousness filled breakfast (or snack/pre-workout)!!! 

Have a wonderful day 🙂

Oats for Your Face

Time for another skincare recipe! I’m trying to post these every Sunday. I figure after the weekend our skin usually needs a little help so it can face the week ahead… 😉

This one is a face mask- it’s made of Greek yogurt & raw oats.

   (panda face mask coming soon)
What You’ll Need

• 2 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon of raw oats

Mix the two ingredients in a small bowl until they’re blended together. 

  
I pretty much guessed on the amounts..you may find that you have to adjust them. You’ll just want to make sure there’s more yogurt than oats do it doesn’t become too dry. 

After washing your face, spread a thin layer on your face! Avoid the eye area for the well-being of your experience.. 

Leave the mask on for about 10 minutes. Once it’s dry, wash it off with warm water (or a wash cloth). Then continue with your nightly ritual of lotion/toner/chocolate, whatever you do! 

Why Yogurt & Oats?

Greek yogurt is loaded with protein. Seems weird that this is a good reason to put food on your face.. But your skin cells need protein in order to look their best! The yogurt’s protein supply will help your pores get in shape & stay tight; while the probiotics will help to fight any bacteria.

   GONNA KICK SOME BACTERIAL A$$ !!!!
Oatmeal. I really love oats so I just threw them in for fun… Jusssst kidding! They help to exfoliate your face in this mask. Oat exfoliating is something you can do more often then a regular exfoliating because the oats are very gentle. 

Typical exfoliation opens your pores, but this mask has the magic touch of Greek yogurt so it’ll actually help your face maintain elasticity! Who knew the things in your food pantry could do such wonders for your skin?! 

I guess you can think of this mask as a workout for your face…? I’d suggest adding this to your skincare regime at least twice throughout the week.

Enjoy your fresh, smooth skin!! 

peace & all good~