Win a Blender Bottle Sport Mixer...

Have you tried a BlenderBottle yet? If you haven't, you are missing out. I first saw them at my gym and immediately thought it was just another thing they were trying to sell me that I did not need or would not use.

Also, while I thought it was a cool concept, I didn't drink a lot of protein powders. I used to always buy the pre-mixed 4-packs of protein shakes. I still do sometimes just for the grab-n-go factor but there are too pricey to buy for every day drinking. I started trying different protein powders and although I liked the flavors of a lot of them I could not get past the clumps and gritty texture. I cannot think of anyone who would like to drink a gritty, clumpy drink. I tried using a cocktail shaker, using my blender, stirring them with a fork. Without fail, there was always clumps. THEN... I got a BlenderBottle. It pretty much changed the way I thought about all mixers, not to mention protein powders. I now became fully aware that it was in fact possible to make a protein shake free of clumps and grit that could taste like the expensive pre-mixed shakes I had been buying. LOVE!! I realized there was a reason my gym carried them and that all the trainers there swear by them. I visited their site and instantly knew how they came to be the best-selling portable mixer on the market. I'll never go back!

September Challenge - SET GOALS... THEN KICK THEM IN THE FACE

September Challenge – Set Goals... then kick them in the face!

Okay so it is here!! The first ever Peace, Love and Low Carb monthly challenge. The September challenge is to SET GOALS… THEN KICK THEM IN THE FACE! Write out a list of goals that you are committed to achieving in the month of September. Set goals that will take hard work and dedication but that also follow the SMART model of goal setting:

Specific – Measurable – Attainable – Realistic – Timely

…Next…

Take a picture of your goal list. It can be hand written, you can use a notepad on your phone, etc. It doesn’t matter how you make the list, JUST MAKE IT! Make sure that the list at least has your first name on it. Send me your list at peacelovelowcarb@gmail.com and I will post it into the September Challenge photo album on Facebook.

Marika Fitness - Fit Expert Pants

The fine folks at Marika Fitness were gracious enough to contact me and extend the offer to have me try their new pants out and review them. They have come out with a new Fit Expert line that caters to every size woman. 

The great thing about these pants is that they come in varying lengths - short 29" inseam, regular 32" inseam, long 34" inseam. They also have a pair that comes with a tummy control top. I was more than happy to try these out and review them. For the longest time I have only purchased crop/capri length workout pants. Being 5' 10" I could never find pants that I felt were long enough and did not make me feel like I was wearing highwaters. In the off chance I found pants that seemed long enough, they always shrunk when I washed them and then I never wore them again...

RECIPE: "Potatoes" O'Brien

Potatoes O'Brien has been claimed to originate from a Boston restaurant known as Jerome's and a Manhattan restaurant known as Jack's in the early 1900s. Wikipedia

Now that I have discovered what a great substitution for potatoes rutabaga is, the possibilities are endless. They are sweet and delicious. Be careful though because they are very easily mistaken for turnips in the grocery store. The first time I wanted to make this recipe we had mistakenly bought turnips and they have a pretty bitter aftertaste. If you do not mind bitter, they are also a good potato substitution and are even lower in carbs than rutabaga.

Oven Roasted Ranch "Potatoes"

Oven Roasted Ranch "Potatoes"

So obviously these aren't really potatoes.  If delicious potatoes were actually low-carb we would probably all be doing a little happy dance.  This recipe is made with rutabagas.  I love to take food and transform it to be as close to it's carb-laden counterpart as possible.  I have a new found love for this underrated root vegetable.  This recipe honestly couldn't be any easier.  You can lower the carb count quite a bit by making your own dry ranch mix.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lb Rutabaga

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 Packet Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°

Wash rutabagas, trim ends off and slice into wedges.

Add rutabaga wedges, olive oil and ranch seasoning to a zip loc bag and shake until all wedges are evenly coated.  

Baked on a lightly greased baking sheet for 40 minutes.  

Peace, Love, and Root Vegetables

Makes 6 servings:

Per Serving:

Calories -  89

Protein -  1  g

Carbs -    9 net g 

Fat -   10  g

***Nutritional info can vary greatly by brand.  Please be sure to check the labels of all of the ingredients you use***

The QUEST for the perfect low-carb protein bar...

In the name of full disclosure, let me start by giving the disclaimer that these bars were sent to me by Quest Nutrition to try out and review.  I do not work for them, nor am I sponsored by them in any way.  The thoughts and statements contained in this post are accurate, thoughtful and honest.  My opinions in my reviews are in no way swayed by being given free product.  With all that being said, HERE WE GO!

Something you should know before I tell you about these bars is that I have never liked any protein bar that I have ever tried.  They all had the same strange cardboard taste and awkward mouth feel. I had tried so many different brands thinking that there had to be one I would eventually like.  I kept trying them, kept not liking them, kept buying them.  Don't get me wrong, I would totally eat them in a survival situation but only because my need for preservation of life would be stronger than my distaste of cardboard.  I did not think that Quest bars would be any different than all of these other countless bars I had tried.  BOY WAS I SORELY MISTAKEN!!!  Each one I ate, I liked more and more.  My favorite so far is Peanut Butter and Jelly and Chocolate Brownie.  No joke, I felt like I was eating an actual brownie.  The snozzberries, taste like snozzberries!!

Are all protein bars created equal??  They are definitely not!!

I did a side by side comparison of the nutritional profile of similar flavored bars on the market.  This little experiment proved to be even more information than I thought it would be.  The very first thing that I noticed is that I was actually able to recognize and pronounce every ingredient in the Quest bar. I cannot say the same about the rest of the bars.  Here are just a few of the things that set Quest apart from the rest of the pack.

No Added Sugar

No Artificial Sweeteners

No Soy Protein

No Glycerine

No Junk Ingredients

Gluten Free      

So, what's in them you ask??  Well let me just show you...

Quest Bar - Chocolate Peanut Butter

Ingredients - Protein Blend (Whey Isolate, Milk Protein Isolate), Isomalto-Oligosaccharides (100% Natural Prebiotic Fiber derived from plant sources), Peanut Butter, Water, Erythritol, Cocoa, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Lo Han Gua, Stevia

ZonePerfect - Chocolate Peanut Butter

Soy Protein Nuggets (Isolated Soy Protein, Tapioca Starch, Salt), Peanut Butter Fudge (Corn Syrup, Peanut Butter, Invert Sugar, Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Milk Protein, Soy Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Carob Seed Gum, Salt, Natural Caramel Color, Beta-Carotene, Vanilla Extract, Peanut Oil with Other Natural Flavors), Chocolate Flavored Coating (Sugar, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Cocoa Powder, Whey Powder, Nonfat Milk Powder, Soy Lecithin, Natural Vanilla Flavor), Corn Syrup, Acacia Gum, Fructose Syrup, Peanut Butter, Peanut Flour, Peanuts.
Less than 2% of the Following: Glycerine, Soy Protein Isolate, Natural Flavor, Salt.
Vitamins & Minerals: Calcium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, d-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Oxide, Niacinamide, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Ferrous Fumarate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Palmitate, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Sodium Molybdate, and Cyanocobalamin.
Contains milk, peanut and soy ingredients. Manufactured in a facility that processes eggs, peanuts, tree nuts and wheat.

Atkins Advantage - Chocolate Peanut Butter
Ingredients: Protein Blend (Soy Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, Sodium Caseinate), Glycerin, Polydextrose, Peanuts, Hydrolyzed Gelatin, Palm Kernel Oil and Palm Oil, Water, Peanut Butter (Ground, Roasted Peanuts), Cellulose, Cocoa Powder (processed with Alkali), Natural and Artificial Flavors, Vitamin Mineral Mix (Tricalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Vitamin A Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Sodium Ascorbate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12), DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Niacinamide, Biotin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Oxide, Folic Acid, Chromium Chelate, Phytonadione (Vitamin K1), Sodium Selenite), Olive Oil, Clarified Butter, Soy Lecithin, Guar Gum, Salt, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Sucralose, Mono and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Acesulfame Potassium.

South Beach Diet - Chocolate Peanut Butter
Soy Protein Isolate (Soy Protein Isolate, Tapioca Starch, Salt) , Maltitol Syrup, Peanut(s) Butter(Peanut(s) Ground Roasted) , Inulin (Fiber) , Palm Kernel Oil Fractionated, Glycerine, Maltitol,Oligofructose (Fiber) , Contains less than 22% of Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial, Milk Protein Isolate,Milk Non-Fat, Milk Protein Concentrate, Chocolate, Cocoa, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Peanut(s) Oil, Soy Lecithin, Butter (Cream, Salt) , Cream Heavy, Salt, Monoglyceride, Carrageenan,Caramel Color, Sucralose, Vitamins And Minerals :, Beta Carotene, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) ,Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Calcium Phosphate, Ferric Orthophosphate (Iron) , Folic Acid (Vitamin aB), Niacinamide (Vitamin aB), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) (Vitamin B2) , Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1) (Vitamin B1) , Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E Acetate, Chromium Chloride, Sodium Molybdate, Copper Gluconate, Manganese Sulfate, Phytonadione (Vitamin K1) ,Potassium Stearate

Starting to notice a pattern here???  

I couldn't even tell you what half of the ingredients in the ZonePerfect, Atkins, and South Beach bars are.  I'm not comfortable with that.  I can take comfort in eating a Quest bar, knowing that it is low-carb and that I know exactly what I am putting into my body.  The added bonus is that they are absolutely delicious.  I would not put my name or reputation behind any product that I did not truly believe in.  I love these bars and I truly believe them to be a superior product.  I have been eating them almost daily after my workouts.  My gym started carrying them...  UH OH!!

So what does this mean for you????  A GIVEAWAY!!!!!

The fine folks at Quest Nutrition sent me some bars to pass on to you!!  Here is what you need to do to win....

Leave a comment on this blog post telling me which flavor you would like to try - CLICK HERE to view the flavors.

"Like" Quest Nutrition on Facebook - Tell them Peace, Love, and Low Carb sent you - CLICK HERE to go to their Facebook page.

"Like" Peace, Love, and Low Carb on Facebook - CLICK HERE to go to my facebook page.

From there, Comment on and share the giveaway post from my facebook page.  It will be pinned to the top.  A winner will randomly be chosen from the comments.  Please be sure to "like" Quest on facebook and share the post to qualify... THANKS and GOOD LUCK!!!

Grilled Portobello Caprese

Grilled Portobello Caprese

INGREDIENTS

4 large Portobello mushroom caps

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil 

_1/2 tsp sea salt 

_1/2 tsp onion powder 

1/8 tsp black pepper 

8 oz fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese 

2 beefsteak tomatoes

12 fresh basil leaves, chopped

5 kalamata olives, sliced

(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

DIRECTIONS

De-stem mushrooms and rinse thoroughly. 

In medium bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and onion powder.  This will be your marinade.

In a large dish with sides, place the mushrooms in a single layer, gill side up, and pour the marinade over the mushrooms.  Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.  Keep excess marinade that seeps from mushrooms.

Heat a lightly oiled, grill pan over medium heat, grill mushrooms gill side up 10 minutes.

Chop fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil and combine in large mixing bowl.  Mix in any remaining marinade.  Divide mixture among the 4 portobellos.  Pour any remaining marinade over top before serving.

Garnish with sliced kalamata olives.

Peace, Love, and Caprese

Makes 6 servings:

Per Serving:

Calories -  186

Protein -  12  g

Carbs -    8.75 net g 

Fat -   16.75  g

***Nutritional info can vary greatly by brand.  Please be sure to check the labels of all of the ingredients you use***

Roasted Rep Pepper, Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Roasted Rep Pepper, Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This warm, deliciously rich dip is very easy to prepare.  Serve it alongside mixed, fresh vegetable or with my Garlic-Parmesan baked tortilla chips.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 - 14 oz. Can of Artichokes

3.5 oz. Roasted Red Peppers

10 oz. Package Frozen Spinach - Thawed and drained

8 oz.  Cream Cheese - Softened

1 Cup Parmesan Cheese - Divided

1/3 Cup Mayo

4 Tbs. Garlic - Minced

Salt and Pepper - To taste

(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350*

Chop artichokes and roasted red peppers.

In a large mixing bowl, combine artichokes, roasted red peppers, spinach, cream cheese, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (Save remaining 1/4 cup to bake on top of the dip), mayo, garlic, and salt and pepper.  Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Place mixture in a glass baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on top.  Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the Parmesan on top is a nice golden brown.

SERVE AND ENJOY!!

Makes 6 servings:

Per Serving:

Calories -  286

Protein -  9.5  g

Carbs -    5 net g 

Fat -   24  g

***Nutritional info can vary greatly by brand.  Please be sure to check the labels of all of the ingredients you use***

Peace, Love, and Dips

Bacon, Blue Cheese, Caramelized Onion Stuffed Mushrooms

Bacon, Blue Cheese, Caramelized Onion Stuffed Mushrooms

I know the title is a mouthful but so are these mushrooms... A mouth full of goodness. Here is a little tip for cooking these beauties.  Use a mini muffin tin to cook the mushrooms.  It will hold them snugly in place and keep them from falling over and losing their toppings..  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Cremini Mushrooms

2 Small Vidalia Onions

4 Slices Thick Cut Bacon

8 oz. Cream Cheese - Softened

1/2 Cup Blue Cheese Crumbles

1/4 Parmesan Cheese - Shredded

3 Tbs. Butter

2 Tbs. Garlic - Minced

(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

DIRECTIONS

Thoroughly wash mushrooms and remove stems.  Finely chop the stems.

Thinly slice the onions.  Saute over medium heat in butter and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until onions are nice and caramelized - About 30 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, cook bacon until crispy and chop.

In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped mushroom stems, caramelized onions, chopped bacon, softened cream cheese, and blue cheese crumbles.  Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Stuff each mushroom with the mixture.  Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.

Take mushrooms out of the oven and top each one with a little shredded Parmesan.  Bake 10 additional minutes.

SERVE AND ENJOY!!

Makes 4 servings:

Per Serving:

Calories -  245

Protein -  10.3 g

Carbs -   6.3 net g 

Fat -   18 g

***Nutritional info can vary greatly by brand.  Please be sure to check the labels of all of the ingredients you use***

Peace, Love, and Shrooms

The Girl Behind Peace, Love, and Low Carb

Low Carb Teriyaki Beef Tips

 

Teriyaki Beef Tips

This teriyaki recipe is great as a sauce or a marinade and for just about any type of meat.  I was very pleased with how it turned out.  You can use soy sauce instead of the Bragg Liquid Aminos but I choose the Bragg's because it has a lot less sodium and has all natural ingredients. Also, you can omit the xanthan gum without losing any flavor.  However, the sauce will not be thick.  Omitting the Xanthan gum would be great for using this recipe as a marinade.  Let your meat marinate in the fridge over night before cooking..  ENJOY!!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Steak - You can use any cut you like.  Tastes best with a nice tender cut of meat

1/2 Cup Water  - Divided

1/4 Cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos - You can get it here - Bragg Liquid Aminos

1 Tbs. Rice Vinegar

1 Tbs. Brown Sugar Splenda - You can get it here - Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

2 Splenda Packets

1 Tbs. Garlic - Minced

1 tsp. Fresh Ginger - Grated

1 tsp. Xanthan Gum

(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

***Optional garnish - toasted sesame seeds***

DIRECTIONS

Cut your steak into bite size pieces.  

In a non-stick pan, brown your meat slightly on both sides and remove from heat.  (You will finish cooking it later)

In a sauce pan, mix together 1/4 cup water, Bragg Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce), garlic, ginger, rice wine, brown sugar splenda, splenda packets - Stir and heat over medium-high heat.  

In a glass mix 1/4 cup water and Xanthan gum.  It will not dissolve.  It will look like white clumps swirling in the water.  

Pour the Xanthan gum slurry into the sauce.  Whisk constantly until you can no longer see any of the xanthan gum and the sauce has begun to thicken.

Reduce heat to low and allow to continue to thicken.  

Drain any excess juice from the meat pan so you do not dilute the sauce when you mix it in.

Mix meat and sauce and allow to cook on low 5-10 minutes more or until meat has reached desired temperature (rare, med-rare, etc.)

SERVE AND ENJOY!!

Makes 4 servings:

Per Serving:

Calories - 174

Protein -  26 g

Carbs -  3.2 net g 

Fat - 9  g

***Nutritional info can vary greatly by brand.  Please be sure to check the labels of all of the ingredients you use***

Peace, Love, and Teriyaki

Low Carb Teriyaki Beef Tips

5000 Fans Giveaway

In honor of reaching the 5000 fan milestone, I am holding a giveaway.  Don't miss your chance to win some great prizes from Peace, Love, And Low Carb, Muscles Are For Girls, Foundation Nutrition, Swerve Sweetener, and Run For Your Life...  There are lots of ways to enter.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Turkey Taco Burgers

Turkey Taco Burgers

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Lean Ground Turkey

1 Avocado

3 Mini Bell Peppers - I used one orange, yellow and red - Diced

1/2 Small Onion

1 Roma Tomato - Chopped

1/2 Cup Salsa

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

8 Black Olives - Sliced

4 oz. Sharp White Cheddar Cheese - Shredded - Divided

2 Tbs. Chili Powder

1 Tbs. Cumin

1 Tbs. Garlic Powder

1 Tbs. Onion Powder

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl combine ground turkey, seasonings, salsa, 2 oz. cheese, salsa, and diced peppers.  Use a microplane to grate the onion into the mixture.  Mix until all ingredients are well combined.  Score the mixture into 4 even portion and form into 4 patties.

Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and cook the patties over medium-high heat until they are cooked all the way through.  

Top each patty with cheese, avocado, tomato, sour cream and olives.

SERVE AND ENJOY!!

Makes 4 servings:

Per Serving:

Calories - 423

Protein -  30 g

Carbs -  7.5 net g 

Fat - 25.5  g

***Nutritional info can vary greatly by brand.  Please be sure to check the labels of all of the ingredients you use***

Peace, Love, and Taco Tuesdays!

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