Buff Bake Cookie Protein Almond Spread

My Review: Buff Bake Cookie Protein Almond Spread

Rating: B+
Tasting Notes: Chocolate, semi-sweet
Food Facts: Gluten Free, 2 tbsp: 200cal, Fat 15g, Carbs 10g, Protein 11g, Sugar 3g

I am so sorry it has been a while since I posted about my recent peanut butter adventures the holidays made time fly by, but I plan on posting a review at least once a month.

SO here we are! A new flavor to chat about! If you couldn't tell from my last few reviews I am on a Buff Bake Brand kick! Mainly because their nut butters are delicious and have good quality ingredients, in my opinion. 

This flavor confused me a little bit because I am not sure where the "cookie" piece came into play. It didn't really taste like a cookie nor did it have chunks of cookies in it or anything of that nature. To me, it tasted like chocolate almond butter, which isn't a bad thing! But again, I didn't really taste/understand the cookie component of this almond butter. 

Also, this almond butter was a little bit thicker than the other flavors I have had. Now that could be because I let it sit in my pantry for a little while before I opened it. I mean I had like 3 other jars of peanut butter open! So once I did open it the oils and almond butter separated (Which says so on their container!) so much that I had to blend it to make it smooth again. I think the texture was fine, not too creamy, but not too rich, so the flavor thing could be my fault that I let it sit too long.

However, I did learn throughout this that a good rule of thumb is if you're having a hard time mixing a jar of nut butter throw it in a blender/nutrabullet/Ninja for a few pulses and it will blend it together for you perfectly!

Like I said this tasted a little more chocolaty to me so it wasn't one of those nut butters I put on everything. Here is what I DID put it on:

• A blob in the center of my oatmeal (So good!)
• A topping on my yogurt
• Banana bread
• Rice Cakes
• Straight from the jar when I had a sweet tooth

This cookie almond butter was REALLY GOOD for curbing any sweet tooth I had. Also, occasionally I would mix 1/2 tbsp of this almond butter with 1/2 tbsp of another kind of peanut butter, like creamy Jiff PB, and the nut butter swirl would be DELICIOUS! If you don't mix your nut butter together I would definitely give it a try!

Have you tried this flavor? If you have, let me know how you like it! Happy Nut Butter Eating!

**These are my own personal food reviews and I am not sponsored or endorsed by any nut butter selling company. I just want to share my love of nut butters with the world! 

Game Day Cookies

Welcome 2019 bring your new year of baking!

I for one am excited about the new Food Network Magazine monthly baking this year! Last year it was ALL about the Muffins (Check out A Muffin a Month 2018 here) and this year it is ALL about the COOKIES!

Cookies are one of those sweet treats that just warm out heart...and your stomach :-) Eating a cookie fresh out of the oven and with the crispy outside and the ooey gooey middle.....and now I am drooling. I need a cookie! Good thing these cookies are super easy to make and hit every flavor note.

I made these cookies for a Super Bowl 2019 party because the name was too perfect to pass up and the sweet salty combination of these cookies is the perfect game day treat! I mean pretzels, kettle chips, chocolate chips, candied bacon, M&Ms?! All the best ingredients in one cookie.

Even though this is the January recipe and most likely created for Super Bowl I will not wait a full year again to bake them. They can pair well for any game day whether it be baseball, hockey, basketball, soccer, golf or even for your kids sporting event! They will be a touchdown (see what I did there?) with anyone who eats them.

Well, let's get baking!

Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 5 Slices bacon, chopped 
• 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flower
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda*
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup broken mini pretzels
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup mini candy-coated chocolates (M&Ms)
• 2 cups kettle-cooked potato chips, broken

*I only use baking soda since I didn't have baking powder and the cookies were just fine!

Get Your Bake On:

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat over to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set to the side. Cook chopped bacon (Full fat bacon works best!) in a medium skillet on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, usually about 10 minutes. Pour the pan drippings into a small bowl and set to the side, keep the bacon pieces in the pan.
2. Add 2 teaspoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of water to the skillet with the bacon and cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the bacon is crisp, about 1 minute. Pull pan off the burner and let cool.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the slightly softened room temperature butter, 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon drippings, the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and the granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk, and vanilla until well combined. Reduce the mixer to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. 
4. Stir in the pretzels, chocolate chips, M&Ms, and bacon until just combined. Stir in the chips with a spatula. I found it was best to crush up the pretzels and chips by hand or you could pour them into a plastic Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin. You don't want to crush the pretzels and chips too small because you want the cookie to have texture.
5. Roll the dough into large balls (about 3 tablespoons each). Arrange 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake, switching halfway through, until the cookies are golden and set around the edges, but soft in the middle, about 13-15 minutes. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes and then transfer to racks to cool completely. (3 tablespoon made really big cookies, but they kind of have to be because of all the delicious chunks in the cookie. Also, don't expect to have perfectly round balls...again the ingredients make them a little lopsided, but they do cook perfectly!) 

Enjoy January's cookie recipe and keep your eye out for the other 11 months of cookies coming this year!

Competition Prep: Month 1

Hey there!

So I am officially 1 month into my competition prep for my second figure competition. It is flying by! This time during my prep I want to share more about my journey with training. I get asked a lot what that entails and people see my progress photos, but there is so much more to it than eating and weightlifting.

Deciding to compete in any body building show is never an easy one. Sure, it's easy in the sense of saying "Yes! I want to do that!" but you have to be emotionally, mentally, and physically prepared to take on the challenge. You can eat right and workout all you want, but if you don't have a strong mind you will fail.

I say that because there are going to be days when you don't feel like working out, the last thing you want to do it go hit the gym for the second time that day, you want to enjoy HH with your friends, you want to go out for an indulging Valentine's day dinner with your love, you want to say f*ck it and eat the cookie....but not on my watch. All of those things are temporary. At the end of your competition prep you have to decide was that cookie really worth it or is bringing your best package to the stage worth it? 

If you know me you know I LOVE to bake! I bake food network recipes (Check out my Food Network edition of A Muffin A Month), Pinterest recipes, and sometimes recipes I create. Bringing treats to work, baking for my Fiance or for my girlfriends at bible study and seeing them enjoy the treat makes it so worth it to me! I get asked all the time "How can you bake, but you not eat it?" Easy. I just don't eat it. I ask myself is this one second of bliss worth it in the end? Usually it's not. And I have the best live in taste tester in the world..he gladly steps up to the plate.

This will be my 3rd time in prep. My first time was in 2017 when I competed in the Beachbody Classic. My second time was in 2018 when I was in prep for 8 months and competed in two shows: the Beachbody Classic and my first OCB show the Presidential Cup. This time my prep is 4 months and I will be competing in 2 shows back to back: one in Richmond, VA and one in Catonsville, MD. I had 4 months off in between seasons, but I am confident I made progress! 

This time my prep is a little different as I am counting my macros instead of doing portion control. I have to say its been fun tracking my food in My Fitness Pal and learning about macros and how it interacts with my body. My nutrition plan is to eat 1700 calories a day with 50% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 20% fat. According to my fitness pal, that is 236g of protein, 142g of carbs, and 42g of fat. I usually have calories left over at the end of the day and it is rare I get 236g of protein in a day, but I do my best at the end of the day to get that 50%P, 30%C, and 20%F. Also, I learned what "IIFYM" means --> If It Fits Your Macros. Sometimes we can be like "oh this deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwich fits into my macros for the day.." yeah girl that ain't how it works! :-) You have to fuel yourself with the GOOD food to get the results you want. I may or may not be sick of eating chicken, egg whites, tilapia, and tuna at this point......but that's for another day!

My workout regime is HIIT on the stair master (or just HIIT) 2 to 3 times a week for no more than 20 minutes, I work each body part once a week (especially legs...only once because ya girl got thick thighs) and back and shoulders twice a week. My feedback from the judges last year was that my shoulders and back needed to they grow more so my body will be more symmetrical and my core needed to be "harder." Lastly abs, every...single....day. 100 reps of leg lifts, 100 reps of Russian twists, and 100 reps of crunches/sit ups. Yes, you did the math correctly. That is 300 ab reps a day. Like I said you have to put work in.

One month into prep and I have lost 5-6lbs. Most of that was bloat and weight I gained over the holidays. I was at 145lbs when I started prep on January 1, 2019, and I am currently at 138-139. My body feels most comfortable at 136ish so I was behind going into prep since I gained some weight over the holidays, but I am not stressing! That's another important thing with competing --> don't stress! Stressing is going to take the joy out of the journey. You have to want to do this to be a better person, to see what you're made of, and to test your willpower and determination. 

I am looking forward to the next 13 weeks and having you along for the ride! If you have a question, write me a comment! I love sharing with others what I have learned and learning from others.

3 Day Refresh

Some of you may be wondering what the heck is a 3 Day Refresh? It is an extended weekend getaway, is it a trip to the spa, is it a meditation thing? If you thought it was any of those things you would be wrong.

The 3 Day refresh is a 3 day plant based detox to help rid your body of the gunk that you put into on a regular basis! Even if you eat really healthy and clean you body could still use a reset every once in a while. The detox can help get your GI track back on track, rid you of a weekend, or months (AKA holidays), of food binges, and help you feel good again.

I wanted to do the 3 Day Refresh (3DR) since August 2018! I just came out of my competition season and even though I ate really clean I always have GI issues after a season. Low and behold I kept putting it off and off and off. By the time I remembered to do it it was almost Thanksgiving so I decided to wait until after our trip to NYC the first weekend in December. Another week went by after that and I found myself in mid-December thinking "why do it now? I will just wait until after the holidays to get a real good cleaning." 

What really influenced to do a 3DR was I was SO unhappy with how I felt in my skin. Coming out of competition season I was at my lowest of 118lbs and over the 4 months I got back up to my normal weight and plus some. I feel most comfortable around 135-137lbs and before my 3DR I was sitting at 145lbs. NO WONDER all of my clothes felt tight on me. Getting dressed every morning was self-defeating because I would try and pick out the loosest clothes so I didn't feel like a stuffed sausage. Also, I was CONSTANTLY tired and drinking multiple cups of coffee throughout the day just to feel energized. I knew something needed to change.

On January 1, 2019 I got my junk together and decided to commit to going back into competition prep. The 4 days leading up to the 3DR I started portioning what I ate and cut out all excess sugar. I ended up losing 3lbs right before I did the 3DR. I was SO excited because I knew the 3DR would help me to continue my weight loss and feel SO much better! Luckily, my fiance committed to doing the refresh with me so we were in it together! 

The 3 Day Refresh is comprised of eating fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, protein shakes, and a fiber sweep (to get the GI track moving if ya know what I mean). Plus hot tea and lots and lots of water. The 3DR is great compared to other detoxes where you're on a juice diet, or something similar, because they're often filled with excess amounts of sugar which can leave you feeling drained; with the 3DR you get to eat food!

The Recap:

Saturday, Day 1- We were both excited! We drank a lot of water, but we were definitely feeling it. Our energy did feel a little low because we were eating way less than usual (average of around 800-1000 calories a day on the 3DR). We both had headaches (normal with a detox) and we went to bed early because we were tired. But we stuck with it!

Sunday, Day 2- We woke up ready for the day! Both us of had a little, little headache, but nothing like the day before. We both felt more focused and at times we did get hugry, but we overcame that with being aware of why we were hungry, we really just needed water. I had a couple of trips to the bathroom, which is a good thing. Sorry, not sorry for TMI we are talking about detoxes here!

Monday, Day 3- Neither of us woke up feeling exhausted which is a rarity for us. This was also a work day for us so we thought we would have some challenges. However, we both were super focused at work and I felt very alert, even with no coffee! I told my co-workers what I was doing and they were supportive to not temp me with treats. 

Tuesday- RESULTS DAY!! This is when the real effects were felt. I woke up right when my alarm went off (I usually hit the snooze button). I woke up feeling so refreshed and ready for the day. I felt lighter and my mind was clearer. One of the best things was putting on my workout pants that morning and NOT feeling stuffed into them! Also, the whole week at work I was super productive and focused..yeah I credit that to the refresh. 

Overall I lost 1.6lbs, 1 inch off my waist, and 3/4 inch off my hips. I felt lighter, clear headed, alert, and renewed. I felt happier and not so weighed down by my bloat.

Albert (Fiance) lost 8lbs!! He felt more alert and level headed, less exhausted, he felt his "front fat" as he calls it was less and he could get up off the couch easier without groaning about it. 

The 3DR helped jump start my weight loss from the holidays and set me on a good path as I head into my competition season. Albert committed because he knew something needed to change and this would help him start making healthy choices again. The 3DR can be there for whatever you need it to be, whether it's helping you make healthy choices again, jump starting weight loss, or a bi-monthly tune up. You can't go wrong!

If you want more information about the 3DR or to get access to my 3DR accountability group comment on this post or email me at blairae21@gmail.com!

Apple-Pumpkin Muffin

I LOVE baking in the Fall. I love all the apple, pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla flavors and aromas. The flavors are so comforting and they make me so happy.

Most weekends you can find me in the Kitchen baking up a storm. I enjoy trying new recipes and seeing what flavors come together. So when we were asked to a potluck at our neighbors house I thought "What should I make?" Well, it was perfect that this months muffin of the month from the Food Network Magazine was Apple-Pumpkin Muffins. Two of my favorite flavors combined and I had all of the ingredients already in my pantry. I had a Crispin Apple left over from the bushel of apples we picked from the apple orchard a few weeks ago.

These muffins pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or warm tea, with a scoop of ice cream, or by themselves! Warm them for a few seconds in the microwave and you will be in heaven!

Now, we've chatted long enough....let's make these delicious muffins!

Ingredients:

- 1 Granny Smith Apple (I used a Crispin Apple)
- 1/2 cup sugar plus 1 teaspoon
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon plus a pinch
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup plus 1.5 to 2.5 teaspoons whole milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar


Let's Bake!

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners or spray the pan with non-stick spray.
2. Peel apple and core the apple using an apple corer. Cut each wedge in half and then dice into small pieces. Combine the apple pieces, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and a pinch of cinnamon and salt in a medium non-stick pan. Cook over medium heat until apples are browned and softened, approximately 5-6 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Then whisk in 6 tablespoons melted butter, 1 cup of milk, the pumpkin, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl until well combined.
4. Divide batter among the muffin tins, filling them 3/4 full. Spoon the cooked apples into the center of each muffin pushing them down into the batter a little so they stick.
5. Cook for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
6. Once muffins have cooled make the glaze. Stir the confectioner's sugar with 1 1/2 teaspoons milk and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. If needed, gradually add up to one more teaspoon of milk. You don't want the glaze to be too runny, but you should be able to drizzle the glaze over the muffins. Let set for 10 minutes. TIP: Put a sheet of wax paper under your muffins when you drizzle for an easy clean up!

Then, ENJOY!!

Manna Butter Coconut Cashew Pineapple

I was SO excited to try my first nut butter from Manna Organics. A co-worker of mine actually introduced me to this brand because she knows how much I LOVE peanut butter. To my surprise, she brought me in a whole jar! She quickly became my favorite. 

Overall Thoughts: I think I started drooling once I tasted it
Rating: A
Tasting Notes: its very chunky, small chunks of cashews and coconut flakes, dried pineapple adds a little sweetness

I do not know where this new found obsession with coconut is, but I am loving all things coconut. It has been a really hot and humid summer here in Virginia so maybe the coconut is a bit refreshing. If you do not like coconut I would not suggest eating this cashew butter as it is a very prominent flavor.

One of the things I like about this cashew butter is that all of the ingredients are certified USDA organic and I can pronounce all of the ingredients. Not hidden ingredients like molasses or palm oil. There are 6 simple ingredients in here: organic cashews, organic dried coconut, organic dried pineapple, organic coconut sugar, organic vanilla extract, and Himalayan pink salt.

Even though the cashew butter is a little on the thicker side, all of the flavors are blended together really well. 

So what should you pair this cashew butter with??

Personally, I have enjoyed eating it by itself straight from the jar. It is so flavorful that it can stand on its own. I would put a dollop in the middle of my oatmeal, on toast, a dip for fruit, yogurt, or added to a batch of overnight oats would be fantastic! 

I hope you enjoy as much as I have! I can't wait to try their other flavors!



*Have a delicious nut butter you think I MUST try? Tell me below and I will add it to my list!*

Irish Cheddar, Bacon, and Potato Muffins

When you think of cheddar cheese, bacon, and potatoes...what is the first thing you think of?

Maybe a loaded baked potato?? The luck of the Irish?? A hearty breakfast??

I find it pretty smart that the Food Network made this muffin the "muffin of the month" for March. It screams Irish and is a nice hearty, savory bake. It will do the trick to soak up all that green beer you may (or may not) consume. :-)

The best way to describe this muffin is to think of a loaded baked potato, but in a muffin form. It's stuffed with freshly grated Irish cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and shredded potato, plus chives to give it a pop of color and alittle something extra.

If you're looking for a savory bake this is it! It is a very hearty muffin, but the muffin itself is still pretty fluffy, which I love. I baked these muffins for a bake off at my boyfriends work and let's just say we won that week! Now, grab those ingredients and let's get baking!!



For this recipe you will need:

- 1 large Yukon gold potato (about 8oz)
- 1/4 teaspoon plus 2 pinches of salt
- 3 slices bacon, chopped and crispy
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
-1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup diced Irish cheddar cheese (about 4oz)
- 1/4/ cup chopped fresh chives
- Freshly ground pepper

Time to Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners and spray with non-stick spray.

2. Prick the potato all over with a fork, wrap in a damp paper towel, and microwave until just cooked through, 4-5 minutes, turning the potato after 2 minutes.* When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and grate the potato on the large holes of the box grater. Season with 2 pinches each of salt and pepper.

3. Cook bacon in medium skillet until browned and crispy, flip halfway through; about 8-10 minutes. Remove bacon and place on a paper-towel lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings.

4. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center (make a hole in the dough so you can see the bottom of the bowl in the center).

5. Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, egg, and 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in a bowl. Pour this mixture into the well of the flour mixture, stir until combined.

6. Fold in the grated potato, bacon, cheese, and chives.
7. Divide batter among muffins tins, filling them all the way to the top!

8. Bake muffins until tops are slightly golden brown, 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool 5 minutes in pan before transferring to a cooling rack.

9. Top with more cheese or butter and enjoy!!

*You could also peel the potato before microwaving it. I did not do that, but I am sure it will work the way. If you do try this, let me know how it works out!