Successful marathon today!

You guys…. I just instructed my Pumped Up STRENGTH class, which I LOVE - my daily group x classes fill my soul!!! All my classes! Since I have started high protein in Jan, 130 to 160 g, I have decreased body fat from 17% to 13%, & maintaining about 2000 to 2200 cals a day these days, varied whole plant recipes. We rarely get dinner out or order. I have ALL of these giant veins now!!! My AB’s, my arms, like a road map! I hate them!!! Summer is coming. What do I do?? Can I change this??

My 16 yr old leaves at 4:30 am tomorrow & not back home until 11:00 pm. Long bus ride, it’s a chorus competition. Instructions were to ‘send them with breakfast, lunch, & snacks’. I find pasta salads work well as a packed lunch because they don’t dry out or need to be heated up like grains, soups, or bakes. So, this recipe was born!! ‘Sweet Potato Soul’ (find her, she’s amazing!) taught me Texas is known for their smoky blacked eyed pea bean salad, so I created a pasta salad variation. My teen HATES fresh tomatoes. That’s ok, I blended sun-dried tomatoes into the dressing!!! I made this 24 hours ago & Matt already polished off 3 bowls 🤣) It makes 8 servings! 10 if you have it as a side vs a meal. Let me know what you think!! NO animals harmed in the making of this deliciousness!! Put good things in! Dressing: 1/4 c each of sundried tomatoes, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, water, & Frank’s. Zest & juice of 1 lime 2 Tbl each of tahini and nutritional yeast 1 Tbl each of mustard, tamari, & chili powder 1/2 Tbl each of cumin & smoked paprika. Blend all until smooth. Salad: 1 box whole wheat elbows cooked to package directions in vegetable stock 2 cans black eyed peas, rinsed & drained. Set aside, add these LAST. 2 diced jalepenos Diced bell pepper 1/4 of a red onion, diced 3 celery stalks, diced 2 large carrots, diced 1 pack of thawed & drained frozen corn 3/4 cup sliced black olives Optional: 1 cup chopped cilantro (my teen does not tolerate it but if making this for you, add it in!!! Parsley or arugula work too). Directions: Combine all ingredients except the beans & mix well with the dressing. Lastly, gently fold in the beans. Note: best if set overnight in fridge. Mix well before serving so the dressing gets reincorporated. Macros: 15 g protein, 12 g fiber, 400 cal, 5 g fat, 54 carb

56 g protein per serving! I could drink this sauce it’s that good - make this!!! Ingredients: Trader Joe’s Thai Whole Wheat Noodles, 6 oz Say Grace Shreds, 2 carrots chopped into match sticks, 3 cloves garlic minced, half a large red onion thinly sliced, bell pepper thinly sliced, 1 pack of whole brown mushrooms stemmed & sliced, 1/4 c & 2 Tbl tamari, 3/4 c shelled edamame, Tbl No Beef Better Than Bouillon, 1/2 tsp toasted black or white sesame seeds, 1/3 c natural peanut butter, 2 Tbl PB Fit, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1 c water, tsp ground ginger, 2 Tbl rice vinegar. Lime juice & chili crisp optional. 1. soak the Grace in 2 c boiling water & bouillon for 10 min, then simmer until water is absorbed & set aside. 2. In a hot dry pan, add the mushrooms & do not touch for 5 min. Deglaze w 1 Tbl tamari. 3. Add the veggies, & sauté 3 to 5 min. You want them to be cooked but w a little bite. 4. Add the Grace to the veggies. Cook the noodles to package directions, these just took a few min until the noodles broke up & were ready to be drained. 5. Thaw edamame & add to veggies. Add the seeds. 6. Add the noodles 7. Make the sauce: mix together the water, peanut butter, PB Fit, ginger, tamari, vinegar, syrup. You want the c of water hot, to melt the peanut butter. 8. Pour over the noodles/veggies & gently combine. 9. Option to finish with line & chili crisp. Enjoy!!! No animals harmed in the making of this deliciousness!! Put good things in!

32 G protein per plate!! Diced onion, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, 4 oz Bits of Grace Say Grace Protein, 1 cup dried chickpeas (get Rancho Gordo!!), 1 cup raw organic brown rice, 5 cups water, 1 Tbl Better Than Bouillon, 1 Tbl freshly grated ginger, 1 tsp maple or date syrup, 1 tsp each of cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, 2 tsp Tika Masala spice blend (I have access here in VT to an amazing spice shop!) Mix all & cook in Instant Pot 25 min, then after 10 min, release pressure & stir. (Option if you have time to sauté onion, garlic & spices as an extra first step, then deglaze w toms, to layer flavors & add depth before adding the rest) Serve with: (prep these while the curry cooks) 1. steamed cauliflower & steamed broccoli, 1 c of each per plate (HACK: sprinkle w mustard powder to enhance the cancer fighting properties!!), 2. Sautéed mushrooms & peppers (let mushrooms release moisture in a hot dry pan 5 min, stir, & add 2 Tbl tamari. Next add in frozen pre-chopped peppers to save time. (Fresh is also a choice) Drizzle w a little tahini & lime juice, & garnish with any green you like! (These are pea shoots)