Gimme Lemon....Everything

There is something genuis behind the lemon, ya know? It's beautiful, bright yellow color makes me instantly happy, invoking fantasies of sipping' lemonade in the sunshine. I'm going to totally pretend like it didn't snow a few days ago and summer is right around the corner. Good news is these Lemon Chia Protein Bites are the perfect way to get ready for that bikini, or tankini, or swim dress. I love to make a big batch at the beginning of the week and have them on hand whenever I get the urge to snack, which might be every 20 mins. Anyone else feel my pain???

Lemon Chia Protein Bites

½ cup quick oats

1 TBSP chia seeds

3 cups vanilla flavored protein powder

1 TBSP Truvia

1 tsp lemon zest

4 TBSP lemon juice

6 TBSP water

·      Combine oats, chia seeds, protein powder, Truvia and lemon zest in bowl.

·      Add in lemon juice and water

·      Form into balls (note: all protein powders have different dryness levels, so you might need to adjust water measurement)

·      Roll in unsweetened coconut shreds and place in freezer for 30 minutes.

·      Remove from freezer and store in airtight container in fridge. Will last for 5 days

Mini Crustless Vegetable Quiche

Being a vegetarian can make it hard to find quick, healthy protein snacks. Most bars and pre-made protein shakes are meant to be eaten sparingly. This past month has been so busy that I have relied too much on these 'fast foods.' I had some pretty serious stomach pain, and that was the wakeup call I needed. I have started meal prepping again and choosing better sources of protein for my body. The craziest thing was I could feel a difference right away! Once I eliminated these manufactured sources of protein, my tummy has been so much happier. I do still drink a protein powder every day, but I make sure it is quality! Click here if you are wondering what my favorite protein supplement is.

After staring at the nearly three dozen eggs that our chicken laid, I decided that I could use more eggs in my diet. Eggs are a great source of protein (roughly 5g per egg). I try to do a 6=1 ratio of egg whites to egg yolk. The yolk of an egg contains carotenoids, which are helpful for keeping our eyes healthy. Also 90% of an egg's calcium is in its yolk. However, yolks are much higher in fat so that is why I do a majority of whites, but still add in a yolk here and there.

All of my life, I haven't really been a big fan of eggs. The smell, the taste did not ever appeal to me. But I have noticed that when I serve them with some yummy veggies, they are more palatable. So I came up with these mini crustless quiches as a quick, protein packed snack (or meal if you have a few).

Mini Crustless Vegetable Quiche

• place cupcake 12 cupcake liners in muffin pan or spray with nonstick spray 
• gather whatever veggies you want (i usually use my sad looking veggies that are on their way of getting thrown out)
• this is what i used: kale, roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, red onion, shredded carrots
• saute veggies in a dab of coconut oil, season with salt and pepper
• crack eggs and beat until frothy (i used 14 eggs (12 whites and 2 with yolk)
• allow veggies to get soft and cool a bit
• optional: add some crumbled feta or shredded cheddar cheese to eggs
• stir cooled veggies into eggs
• scoop into tins with a cookie scoop, they should be almost completely full
• bake at 350 for 23-25 mins

These are great to have in the fridge for a day or two. If you want to use them for meal prep, you can put them in the freezer. They will freeze well

ENJOY!

XO,

Veggie Lisa