Peanut Butter Green Monster Smoothie

I know what you're thinking; "Peanut butter in my green monster smoothie? Gross". Right? That's what you're thinking, I know it, I can read your mind.  Or perhaps you've already discovered that this combination is actually quite delicious.  I mean really, peanut butter tastes good with everything, don't you think?  Let's face it, while the Paleo diet ("lifestyle") might be popular, I just don't understand how anyone could live without peanuts/peanut butter (that is, unless you're allergic).  Mixing peanut butter and spinach is actually quite nice when it comes to smoothies because, while the spinach definitely makes this smoothie green, you really can't taste it at all.  In fact, if the smoothie wasn't green I bet you would never even know there was spinach in this delicious concoction.  But the peanut butter? That you can taste.

Peanut Butter Green Monster Smoothie

Source

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 medium banana

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 Tbsp. powdered peanut butter (such as PB2)

1 scoop vanilla Whey protein powder

1 cup fresh spinach (loosely packed)

1-cup crushed ice

** NOTE: If you are following a low FODMAPs diet, this recipe is free of FODMAPs (just be sure to use a protein powder that does not contain inulin/chicory root).

Directions

1.  Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

I promise, this combination is a winner.  And while summer may be quickly fading away, I think smoothies can definitely be a fall and winter treat too (just like soup can be a summer treat, even though it's hot).

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1 serving (entire recipe)

Source: CalorieCount.com

Nutrition Highlights:  Excellent source of fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron

I think this is the perfect smoothie for a) breakfast or b) post workout.  All that protein is great for your first meal before starting a busy day, and/or for repairing muscles after a tough workout.

INSTAGRAM!

QUESTION:  Have you ever used spinach in a smoothie? What about kale? You could certainly use kale in this recipe instead of spinach, but first read my tip for using kale in smoothies.

Any fun plans for this Labor Day? I'm heading over to our local Labor Day Arts Festival.  I typically bring $50 and buy something for the house, if I find anything neat (fifty dollars barely gets me anything, but if I bring more I might spend it because there are always so many wonderful pieces of art at this event.)  It's so fun!  I'm no artist, but for one day a year I really get into art.  It's amazing.  Have a great day everyone.

Thanks for reading!  

The Candid Rd

Lower Sugar, Higher Protein PB&J Muffins

Every single night Nick eats bread for a snack.  I don't just mean a piece of bread, I mean two pieces, toasted, with lots of peanut butter (and as of lately, jelly).  When I saw this recipe on a favorite blog of mine, I figured maybe I could modify it a bit and make it Nick's new favorite nighttime snack.  I was happy with the turnout, but was terrified that Nick would hate them (I mean, I suppose I could have eaten them, but I had made them for him!).  Thankfully, he loved them.  Who needs boring bread when you can have (gluten free, lower sugar, and whole grain, shhh, don't tell) Peanut Butter and Jelly muffins instead?!

Lower Sugar, Higher Protein PBJ Muffins

Gluten Free, Whole Grain, low FODMAPs

Makes 12

Ingredients

2/3 cups peanut butter 

2 tsp. vanilla stevia drops

3/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond)

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt)

1 tsp. baking soda

1.5 cups brown rice flour (or oat flour)

3/4th cup frozen berries (I used blueberries) + 3 Tbsp. milk, blended together to make a "smoothie"

~1/4 cup jam for topping

1/4th cup powdered peanut butter (like PB2) for topping

Directions

Combine peanut butter, vanilla stevia drops, milk, yogurt and "smoothie".  Sift flour and baking soda into the mixture.  Stir together to form a thick batter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin tins with liners or cooking spray.  Fill muffins 3/4 full and top with a dollop of jam and a sprinkling of powdered peanut butter.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

So pretty. No??

Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1/12th of batch

Nutrition Highlights:  Good source of fiber, only 3.4 grams sugar (not bad!) and almost 7 grams of protein (14% Daily Value!)

Ok, so these muffins weren't as pretty when out of the oven.  The blueberries blended with the milk gave them somewhat of an ugly blueish, green/brown color.  I was terrified Nick would not eat these, but, he did, and he had no idea how low in sugar they were (among the other great qualities).




If I make these again, which of course I will, I will maybe add a bit of real peanut butter on top, instead of powdered peanut butter (or perhaps I would mix the powdered peanut butter into the batter).  The powdered stuff didn't really do much and sort of sat on top of the muffins.  I guess it gives them character, right?!  Yeah, sometimes I go a little too far to reduce calories and add protein.  What can I say, I love experimenting in the kitchen!

QUESTION: Do you like to modify recipes to make them healthier, or lighter?  What's your most memorable success story?

Thanks for reading.

The Candid Rd

Protein; Do We Need More?

No, we do not need more. Generally speaking we (Americans) get more protein than we actually need. However, you may be one of the few who don't get enough.

Source: iStockPhoto

Don't get all excited now. I'm not going to tell you that eating more protein will help you build muscle. Nope. In fact, I'll tell you right now that you could triple the recommendation of protein and it will probably make zero difference as far as muscle is concerned. It will most likely cause you to put on extra pounds though, as that extra protein will likely turn to fat (unless you burn it and use it for calories).

Source: iStock Photo

So, who may need more protein? Well you may need more if you aren't getting enough currently. But I'd be willing to bet you're getting plenty of protein, unless of course you fall into one of the following categories;

- Older adults (past age 60)

- Adolescents

- Vegetarians

- Vegans

As we age we slowly begin to lose muscle mass, and at the same time our bodies become less efficient at using the protein we consume. That being said, as we age, we need more protein! According to a recent article in Nutrition Action Healthletter (published by the Center for Science and Public Interest) we should aim for about 20-30 grams of protein per meal (assuming we eat about 3 meals per day). This is especially important for older individuals.

What if you want to consume more than 30 grams? Many people eat a lot of their protein at dinner, and get much more than 30 grams.

Source: iStock Photo

This isn't the best idea because there is actually an upper limit on how much protein your body can use, in one single meal, for muscle synthesis (J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 109:1582, 2009). So what will happen to that protein? It will turn to fat, most likely. Another problem with high protein meals at night is that protein tends to keep you more alert and focused, therefore it may affect your sleep. Try adding more protein in the morning for breakfast, and slightly less at night.

"Good Morning" Sources of Protein

- Greek yogurt

- Regular yogurt

- Cottage cheese

- Milk (be careful with almond milk, it has very little protein)

- Eggs or egg whites

- Nuts and seeds

- Oatmeal

Another important point about the timing of protein consumption is that after a workout you're likely to get the best anabolic (tissue-building) response if you consume some high-quality protein. What about during a workout? Not such a great idea, as the proteins that regulate muscle growth shut down during this time. What if you can't eat right after a workout? That's ok, just try to get some high-quality protein within a couple hours of a workout.

Source: iStock Photo

What type of protein is best? Apparently leucine, which is an essential amino acid, drives a majority of the protein synthesis response (amino acids build proteins, which build muscle) (J Nutr. 136: 533S, 2006) . So after a workout, and especially as you age, focus on consuming some good sources of leucine;

Chicken or turkey breast
Cottage cheese
Pork
Beef (90% lean, if possible)
Fish
Tofu
Yogurt (not Greek!)
Cheddar and swiss cheese
Pasta
Oatmeal

Or you could go the supplement route (my least favorite option, but it does the trick). I do like recommending protein supplements, such as bars and powders, if indeed it's too difficult to consume enough protein through diet, but I think most people can manage this just fine. I also think some protein bars and drinks can be very convenient sources of protein, but they should only be used if you don't have the time to make something else. I'll be creating some videos, relatively soon, talking about my thoughts on protein bars and what I believe to be some better alternatives.

Source: iStock Photo

And how much protein should you get? The RDA is about .36 grams per pound, but if you want to prevent muscle loss as you age, and possibly build muscle, it's a good idea to consume 25 to 50 percent more than the RDA (or the amount of grams equal to half of your body weight in pounds).


Two things to keep in mind;

1) Research indicates that consuming more than double the RDA for protein will not make you build more muscle.

2) You will not and cannot build muscle without resistance training! Keep it up your entire life.

QUESTION: What's your favorite source of high-quality protein? My two favorites are eggs and yogurt.

I received a question on my last post from a reader who was wondering about my exercise routine. Quite honestly, I don't technically have one. There are certain exercises I love and certain exercise equipment I use each and every day, but a "routine" is sort of non-existent. Nonetheless, I will be doing a post on my typical workouts and exercise moves in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

Dr. Oz Vs. Gary Taubes and the High Protein Diet

** To be fair to Gary Taubes, about an hour after I published the following post I received a comment from Tyler who told me about this post on Gary's blog. I sort of figured the producers of Dr. Oz had sensationalized Gary's views a bit, but this article really made me feel better about Gary.....thanks Tyler!!! **


Do you watch Dr. Oz? I usually tape it and then watch it only if the topic really interests me (that's typically about once out of every five episodes). Several weeks ago I saw the title "The Man Who Disagrees With Everything Dr. Oz Says". I was enticed! I pushed "play" and quickly realized the "man" was the author of one of my favorite books; Gary Taubes, who wrote the book Good Calories, Bad Calories. If you've read the book, or have heard of the book, you might be thinking, "this is the Atkins diet that this man is promoting! Gina...why do you like this book?!".

In the book Gary Taubes, a writer for the New York Times, discusses years and years worth of literature and research on nutrition, diets, heart disease and obesity, and concludes that sugar and refined carbohydrates are making us fat and putting us at higher risk for chronic diseases (especially heart disease).

Source: iStockPhoto

The book goes into great detail about our endocrine system and I was truly amazed with all that I learned. The book talks about how sugar and refined carbohydrates spike our insulin levels and therefore makes us store more fat (this was not news to me). He discusses how some people store fat more efficiently than others. You may have heard some people say, "I eat a piece of bread and it goes right to my thighs". There is actually some truth to that statement, for certain individuals.

As I read the book it didn't seem like Gary was promoting an Adkins-like diet. In fact, Gary is not a doctor or a dietitian, and he does not talk about any suggestions for a special diet at all (that I can recall). The book is simply scientific evidence that explains how our highly refined carbohydrate diet really is killing us.

Source: iStockPhoto

As I read the book I envisioned Gary's own diet being very healthy, and somewhat low in carbohydrates; lean proteins, plenty of healthy fats, whole grains, and lots of fresh vegetables (and some fruits). As I watched the episode of Dr. Oz I was appalled. Gary Taubes really angered me (if you want to see the video, click here)! He pretty much said we should all be eating a diet that is high in meat, poultry, eggs, and cheese, and the only other foods we should consume are the occasional green vegetable (such as spinach and kale, which are very low carbohydrate foods).

Here Are My Questions For Gary
(many of which were answered in his blog post)!

- What about fish as a protein? Why, on the Dr. Oz show, did you only focus on chicken, beef and even pork rinds?!

- What about other low carbohydrate vegetables such as pumpkin, mushrooms, turnips, tomatoes, onions, spaghetti squash and zucchini?? We need to vary the colors of produce we consume. Green veggies are great, but orange, purple, red and white are important too!

Source: iStockPhoto

- Why can't we eat more than just one serving of those green vegetables, per day? Where is the research that says only eating one serving of green veggies (with NO OTHER COLORS) is actually healthy?!

- Why did you refuse to share your cholesterol levels with Dr. Oz? He asked you, but you refused to report the numbers. Is there something you are hiding?? Is it possible that the long-term effects of such a crazy and unbalanced diet are actually worse than you envisioned?

- How could you go on the Dr. Oz show and not at least mention that you should be supplementing essential nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D if you decide to do such a diet? You know that many Dr. Oz fans are women are in their 40s and 50s, desperate to lose weight, and willing to try whatever they can to lose it. If they try this pathetic diet they will likely be deficient in many nutrients that are especially important for their age group (hello...where's the milk?!). At least tell them the facts! And don't tell them they will get their calcium from the green leafy vegetables, that just doesn't cut it.

Bottom Line

- I agree that refined carbohydrates are bad, but I don't agree that you're better off eating zero carbohydrates. I happen to believe that the fiber found in whole grains can actually help people lose weight. Did you find any research on that??!!

- I agree that eating less carbohydrates will help you lose weight, but if you're going to decrease your carbohydrate intake don't substitute high fat processed meats. You may lose weight, but your chances of getting cancer will skyrocket.

- If you decide to take Gary's advice, do yourself a favor and eat better sources of protein, such as fish, grass-fed beef and fresh poultry. Also, include some more of those low carbohydrate vegetables that I listed above! And please, get at least once decent serving of whole grains. One serving of oatmeal (not instant) will provide about 45 grams of whole grain. And of course, take some extra calcium and vitamin D.


QUESTION: Did you watch this episode of Dr. Oz? What are your thoughts about Gary Taubes and his extreme views? Please read Gary's post (in response to the show I just wrote about) if you can! It really makes me lose respect for Dr. Oz and his producers.

My Thoughts on Protein Powders

Before starting today's post I thought I'd give a little update on my "elimination diet". I had a few people ask me how I would know which foods were giving me troubles if I was just going to go ahead and give up a bunch of foods. For starters, I'm not doing the elimination diet 100%, by any means. The week after my elimination diet I only added two things each day. I noticed the increase in dairy at night, and my addition of popcorn at night, both gave me some troubles in the morning. This is why I have cut out popcorn and reduced my late night dairy intake (mainly ice cream....). Who knows, maybe I'll actually have to go back on the diet 100% and slowly add foods back in the right way in order to find out the real problem foods. If it comes down to that I will do it, but I'm already feeling better so I think I'm on the right track.


Ok, so now onto today's post!

Protein powders are a topic of interest for many of my readers and many customers with whom I talk at work. This article really shed some light on the problem with protein powders and pretty much summed up many of the reasons why I do not use them. Like many dietary supplements there is an industry need for protein powders, but not everyone should be using them.

Who May Benefit From a Protein Powder?

- Vegans may benefit from protein powders. Powders made from soy, hemp, quinoa, and pea proteins are just some of the options for vegans, since they do not contain animal products. To view some words which may signify dairy in a protein supplement, check out this website.


- Vegetarians or people who just don't eat a lot of meat, poultry, and/or fish may benefit from protein powders because it's an easy way to add high-quality protein to their diet.


- People trying to increase muscle mass? This depends. I often recommend consuming whey protein after a workout for muscle growth, but milk is a better source of whey protein, in my opinion. Paying for a protein supplement is just a waste of money when you can have a glass of milk for half the price. Not only that, but you know what's in the milk. The same is not true with all protein powders. There is also evidence out there that suggests too much protein can actually cause your muscles to atrophy. If you want to put on muscle mass, eat more calories and increase your workout intensity. If you don't have enough time to eat all of those calories, a protein powder may actually be beneficial.






If you're stuck on protein powders for their "convenience" and you truly believe they are making a difference in the way you look and/or feel, please be sure to do the following;

- Drink plenty of fluid throughout the day. Consuming too much protein can cause dehydration.

- Make sure your kidneys are healthy before beginning a protein powder regimen, as too much protein can cause kidney damage. This is especially important if you are diabetic.

- Be sure to choose a protein supplement that you trust, and that has been third party tested (look for GMP or USP labels).

- Watch out for "proprietary blends" on ingredient lists. This is just another way of saying "we have created a special mix of ingredients that we do not want to disclose!"


Question: What are your thoughts on protein powders?

Percentages vs. Gram Macronutrient Recommendations

Thanks so much for all of your comments on my last post. As an RD I am always prepared to have people dispute what I write on my blog. In fact, I encourage my readers to share their opinions, whether or not it coincides with my own, and I'm always more than happy to comment with my own detailed thoughts and explanations. I also encourage you all to dispute anything I say if infact you believe I am wrong. I've actually had readers teach me stuff I did not know (when I did the MyPyramid post I said 1/2 cup cooked vegetables = 1 cup uncooked. WRONG! Apparently that's not the case with the new MyPyramid.gov. Now I know!).

I received another comment from a reader named Lara, to which I would like to respond. Again, her comment is in black writing, and my responses are in red.

In my previous post I wrote that my personal trainer at Urban Active had suggested that if I want to gain more muscle I should consider a 40% protein diet. In my blog post I wrote that I didn't think this was accurate, as I would likely lose weight if I chose such a diet. Lara said:

Why would you lose weight if you ate 40% protein. That makes no sense. Weight loss is primarily about calories. Yes, this is true. When my PT at Urban Active told me that I should consume 40% of my calories from protein, I was considering my own personal diet. I am aware that I consume an average of 2000 calories per day, and about 80-110 grams of protein. This equals about 16-22% calories from protein (there are 4 calories per gram of protein). When the PT said this to me I was considering what this would do for me personally, not the general public. If I started increasing my protein intake, I would likely decrease my carbohydrate and fat intake. I would also likely eat less calories, as higher protein diets have been proven to decrease a person's appetite, and I know that is the case for me.

And as an RD you should know that percentages are meaningless. 40% of 1500 calories is a lot different than 40% of 2500 calories. It is grams of the macronutrients that are what is important. Of course I know this. I don't feel that I need to explain every single thing I say, 100%, on my blog. If I did, my posts would be a mile long. I know that 40% protein for me would be about 400 grams, which equals about 4.2 grams per kg body weight. This is simply too much for me (and really too much for anyone if you ask me....).

Macronutrient intake is very personal of course, some do better with more of this or that but the comment that 40% would make the rest of your diet be unbalanced is totally unfounded. In my personal case, this is not totally unfounded. For others, you are correct. I was discussing my own diet, not the diet of someone else. That being said, perhaps I sounded like I was making a general statement, and I apologize for the confusion. I have seen people live happy and healthy lives on a high protein diet, and I really have no problem with these diets. If your kidneys are healthy and you compensate for the possible risk of dehydration, high protein diets are perfectly safe.


Any more comments out there? Bring them on! I'm happy to answer any questions, concerns, and/or complaints you may have. And please, don't ever hesitate to share your feelings.

This weekend I finally bought a new pair of shoes, thanks to Joanna's suggestion to do so on her post "Spring for Some New Shoes". I sprung!

The green inserts are for my high arches. I was told I have high arches, which is what causes my to get shin splints and stress fractures so easily. I started using these Dr. Scholl's inserts about 4 years ago and have not had any problems since. Of course, I also don't run outside as often anymore, and I think that makes a huge difference too.

Some of you asked me if I was sore after my session with the personal trainer on Thursday. The answer is YES. I was VERY SORE. I am now convinced that I need to do more resistance training. Nothing major, but more than my typical 10-15 minutes, 3 times a week. I actually enjoy it more than cardio anyway.

Coming Up

Did everyone watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on Friday?? I finally had a chance to sit down and watch it last night, and I plan on actually doing a post about it tomorrow. Stay tuned!

If you're interested in how I would eat if I were a vegetarian athlete, check out my post on our workplace wellness blog. I've been really into tempeh lately and I think tempeh would be a major staple in my diet if I were to become a vegetarian (heck, it already is!).

Thanks for reading. And have a great day!