Triple Berry Truffle Shake

I've been trying to figure out how to get more vegetables into my diet.  And the biggest issue is that I like food to taste YUMMY-- and no matter how hard I try, steamed spinach and broccoli is not yummy -- to me at least.  I know veggies are good for me.  They fill me up; they are full of nutrients, but I just can't down a veggie shake just to get all that goodness.

Then my good friend Adrienne introduced me to her Triple Berry Truffle Shake.  I'm hooked. Chocolate, berries, protein and spinach make this shake filling, full of nutrients, remarkably filling and DELICIOUS!  All at the same time.  We've got a winner!  This baby gives will check off a serving of fruits, vegetables and protein from your to eat list.  I dare you to eat it all in one sitting too.  I'm full/satisfied with  just over half the recipe.

One caution though.  The longer it sits the more the spinach flavor will blossom.  I like to eat it fresh from the blender.  I would not love it a half hour later.  Just saying it might taste a little like eating grass at that point-- no offense to you grass lovers out there.

I dig this shake after a tough toning or weight lifting session.  Happy Eating.

Triple Berry Truffle Shake
1/2 cup frozen berries (raspberry, blueberry, I do a mix)
1 cup fresh spinach, stems torn off
1 scoop chocolate protein powder*

1 1/2 cup water

Puree together in your blender and enjoy!

* or 1 scoop vanilla protein powder plus 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder makes a good dark chocolate protein powder substitute.

My New Year Discovery

Did you have a great Christmas?  I did.  And what made it even better was that I didn't gain weight!!!! (From Halloween to New Year's Day I actually lost 10 lbs.)

So with the new year I am ready to get my rear in gear and work toward my IronMan.  I know crazy!  I have done a couple sprint length triathlons before (.5k swim, 12 mile bike, 3.1 mile run).  But Iron is WAY longer.  So this year I am working on increasing my stamina in each discipline.  I will do one sprint triathlon, and two Olympic length tris (.5mile swim, 24 mile bike, 6.2 mile run).  I'll probably throw in a couple 5ks too, just for fun.

I was searching online for good tri-training plans.  I already, teach aerobics and weight training 5 days a week and need maintain that plus pull in some good time in the pool, and on the bike.  AND I FOUND (drum roll please): triathlongeek.com

An amazing site with a FREE sprint tri plan.  I thought, ok, I'll give it a try. I downloaded the plan.  45 pages of AWESOMENESS!!!  Week by week guides with swim, run and bike drills to help you be more efficient.  Weight training strategies to help with each phase of each discipline (yeah, the ladies in my classes are going to focus on those muscle groups with me-- kill 2 birds with one stone) and a nutrition/hydration guide.  So excited.

One of my favorite things in the guide was a recipe for a recovery shake.  Filled with fruit, terrific fiber, and protein this will soon become a staple in my workout diet.

Dr. Clyde Wilson's Recovery Shake
1/2 cups uncooked oats
1 piece of fruit
1 TBSP peanut butter (I used 1/2 scoop of whey protein)
3/4 cup non-fat milk
Blend together.  Drink 1/2 of the shake before your workout and the rest after.

I will admit that the oats gave the shake a grainy texture, but the complex carbs helped me stay full all morning.  The shake totals 320 calories.

Enjoy your workout today!