Did you test yourself this summer? It could have been on the trail or some other aspect of your life where you decided to do something that you knew in your heart would be a challenge and you might fail.
I have really enjoyed seeing pictures of my friends on social media posting pictures and stories of themselves and the adventures they experienced in the last 4 months. Nikki completed section K of the Pacific Crest Trail on a solo backpacking trip (75 miles) and Becka quit an unfulfilling job like I did. Their portrayal of pride and confidence in following their passions has been so inspiring!
I told you briefly in July about a trip I took but I didn’t tell you I had an opportunity to be the assistant leader on that Mountaineers scramble (hiking off trail) to a peak right next to Mount Rainier, Mount Ruth. Mount Rainier itself is a technical climb (requiring ropes and such) but you can ascend lesser peaks in Mount Rainier National Park and have some of the same views. Mount Ruth is the one to the right of that green and grey peak just off center in this picture.
Leading up to this scramble, I had a lot of self doubt. I didn’t think I had trained enough or spent enough time on the trail this year. I was comparing myself to who I imagined might be on the trip, that they would be faster or more adept then I was at that time. I almost talked myself out of helping.
Of course, I did fine AKA I wasn’t the slowest and we didn’t lose anyone. Yes, sometimes those are my measures of success. Sure, I was more than happy to let a few eager students take the lead in kicking the steps up the mountain but isn’t that an important part of being a leader?
And not only did I make it up, I even had a chance to use my ice axe to glissade down even though it made me super nervous with my shoulder (requires digging into the snow to steer or stop as you slide down). It was a good reminder to stop doubting myself!
I know that a lot of you out there probably aren’t as driven to climb to the top of mountains like I am. But I do hope that you found yourself summiting whatever kind of personal pinnacle you had longed to conquer this year and celebrated by sharing it with those who support you.
When we take time to talk about how we have faced our fears and found joy, we inspire others to do the same. Share your bravery no matter how small it may seem to you!
#coconutmilk #almond butter #eggwhitepowder #collagen #vanilla #shreddedcoconut #cacoa
Protein smoothies. Protein shakes. Protein drinks. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE. There seems to be a protein drink for just about everyone’s needs these days. I have sampled a few and yet to find one that I really love or that contains all things I would eat on a regular basis. I did try the lovely Nutberg replacement meal and enjoyed it, but it wouldn’t be something I would consume on a regular basis because of the grain.
I try these beverages not because I want to necessarily load up on protein but because I want something that leans more towards protein and fat than carbohydrates because I feel better starting off my day without simple sugars and starches. Too much raises my blood sugar levels and upsets my stomach. Not good when you have big plans for the day! When I eat a high protein/fat breakfast, I often find myself able to get to lunch without snacking.
For my protein smoothie, I opted to go with 100% egg white powder as my base but of course, you can use whatever protein powder you prefer. I chose it because it has one ingredient and no fillers.
With things being crazy busy this summer, I had a little fun (and delicious) testing of some smoothie recipes for eating quick in the morning when I don’t have the time to cook up some eggs and vegetables. My motto is to eat real food but sometimes I don’t feel like cooking in the heat of summer and meal prep runs to spotty.
I feel this smoothie comes as close to real food as you can get in a drink where you are looking for a higher fat/protein ratio. My ultimate goal was to make something I could take on the trail but I wanted to start with a home version I enjoyed first.
At Home
I use a Ninja blender with individual blender cups. The lids that come with the blender cups make it easy to carry my smoothie out the door with a handful of carrots. I found my Ninja at a BigBox Outlet store for about half the retail price. Simply add all the ingredients (in the recipe card at the bottom of this post) starting with the coconut milk and blend until smooth. You can add more water if needed.
You will notice there is no sugar or anything that is supposed to simulate sweetness in this list of ingredients. It always bothers me when paleo or keto recipes include sugar when it is not necessary because folks can’t learn to eat without a sugary taste. Think Whole 30.
Sugar is a beast and every time we feed it just a little, it becomes a habit we struggle to quit. It takes a little conditioning but once you get used to it, the creaminess without the sweet is satisfying!
On The Trail
My number one way to enjoy this recipe is at home or on the way to wherever I am going. However, I did take a powdered version of this recipe out onto the trail a few times, so if you would like to try that I have included that recipe here, as well.
- 2 tablespoons almond powder
- 1 tablespoon cacoa
- pinch salt
- scrape of vanilla bean
- 1 tablespoon collagen
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder
I used an almond butter powder I was able to pick up at my local Fred Meyer’s store but it is available online. Definitely not cheap, so I have been rationing mine. The benefit to this product is being able to reduce weight and incorporate the almond butter powder more easily into other foods than a glob of almond butter itself.
If you are adding that fat in later on trail, it is probably a wash so I don’t see myself using this smoothie mixture for more than adding flavor and needed protein while on trail.
Mix in a baggie at home and add one cup water on trail. If you use hot water, coconut oil packet could be added and an empty nut butter jar or other twist lid container would be perfect for shaking and drinking your smoothie in. Letting it sit for a few minutes allows the ingredients to meld but it won’t be as smooth as if made in the blender at home, especially if you use cold water like I did.
The one reason I don’t see myself making this on trail a lot is because it would require a little bit more clean up (kitchen time) than I usually want to invest in. If you don’t mind, this smoothie would be a great lightweight way to add easy calories. I may find another way to enjoy the powdered mix on trail, like as a version of hot cocoa in my thermos this winter, or stick to fun things like my Banana Fudge Smoothie Leather. I’ll keep you posted!
For those of you who count calories (which I normally don’t), I did a little math to see the difference between the two versions. For the regular version made at home, you are looking at roughly 650 calories, 41g fat and 22g protein. For the powdered version, there would be roughly 210 calories, 14g fat and 13.5g protein. If you aren’t looking for that many calories/fat in the regular version, swapping out the full fat coconut milk for one with less fat would drop that number considerably.
Enjoy!
Dark Chocolate Almond Joy Smoothie Fat Bomb
Prep Time
5 minutes
Total Time
5 minutes
Course: Beverage, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Dairy Free, Keto, Paleo, Soy free, Whole Food
Servings: 1 serving
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut milk full fat
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 tablespoon egg white powder
- 1 tablespoon collagen
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 cup shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon cacoa powder
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Adding the coconut milk first, then the rest of the ingredients in a blender cup or bottle with mixer ball or a blender with a blending cup attachment.
- Process until smooth. Warming the almond butter before adding helps to make it smoother.
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