The Whole Fruit

My name is Elena and I love music, health, baking, reading, and more. I'm on my journey to embracing health and becoming the best I can be. Christian/Health Fitblr. .ig-b- { display: inline-block; } .ig-b- img { visibility: hidden; } .ig-b-:hover { background-position: 0 -60px; } .ig-b-:active { background-position: 0 -120px; } .ig-b-v-24 { width: 137px; height: 24px; background: url(//badges.instagram.com/static/images/ig-badge-view-sprite-24.png) no-repeat 0 0; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (-o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2 / 1), only screen and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and (min-resolution: 2dppx) { .ig-b-v-24 { background-image: url(//badges.instagram.com/static/images/[email protected]); background-size: 160px 178px; } }

[thewholefruit]

ProEnergy Product Review - PART 2

Happy Monday!

Let's start the week off right with some energy! 

Woohoo! I am so excited to tell you about these products. For starters - I loved them! :)

This is part 2 of my ProEnergy review. If you missed the first part, you can view that here --> ProEnergy Protein Review - Part 1

In my first review, I featured their incredible protein powders, but today I'm going to cover the EnergyFirst pre-workout drink and energizing superfood blend.

The first product I tried - besides the protein - was the EnergyFirst PREFUEL. This is a pre-workout energy drink. Now, I have never had a pre-workout drink (or food) before, so I was unsure of what to expect.

Yes, I do eat about an hour or so before I exercise, but it's not specifically designed to fuel me through my workout. (I hope that makes sense.)    For example, I might eat a banana an hour before my run.

Last night I planned on running 3 miles and then doing an ab and leg workout. This morning I felt like I could barely keep my eyes open. I was literally falling asleep as I was drinking my lemon water. I was SO TIRED.

I kept thinking - "how am I going to run?"(I was mostly wondering how I could get out of  bed?) It took me about an hour to actually wake up today; but when I did get up, I was ready to head out the door and get my run in.

I was so grateful to have this sample pack of ENERGYFIRST PreFuel. I was had no idea how it would taste, and honestly I was a bit apprehensive about drinking it. However, let me just say that this far exceeded my expectations!

When I opened the pack I thought it smelled like Emergen-C, which I personally am not a fan of. 

I simply stirred the powder into 1 cup of water and - voilà! It was a beautiful color and before I drank it I just stared and admired how very beautiful it was. When I took my first sip I was amazed.

Wow! This was sooo good! I was very pleasantly surprised at just how delicious it was. I really didn't think it would taste that great, but it was awesome! I loved the orange flavor. Yum!

Although I had planned on running 30 minutes after drinking this, I had other responsibilities which I needed to attend to before I could go. I ended up running two hours after drinking this. 

I don't know if the time period between drinking this and exercising is too far to tell the effects upon my workout, but I definitely believe that this drink significantly boosted my energy levels. Usually I feel like I need a nap around 9:30 - 10:00 A.M. and again in the afternoon at around 3:00 - 4:00 P.M.

I drank this at around 8:30, and I felt alert and energized all morning and amazingly... all day! SCORE! :)

(And by the way, I did have a fabulous run...)

I was really excited to try the GREENERGY - energizing superfood blend. I love green drinks, so I was very happy to have the privilege of reviewing this drink from ENERGYFIRST. 

I drank this as my afternoon snack (that might attribute to my increased energy as well...) and it was sooo GOOD.

A peek into the packet...

In a blender I mixed the green powder with 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of apple juice, and 1 medium frozen banana. It made one deeeelicious green smoothie.

SO.GOOD.

This was so delicious, satisfying, and of course - green. :) I thought it looked so pretty. It was creamy and fruity and oh so good. It didn't taste like vegetables at all. I seriously couldn't taste any veggie flavor. It felt wonderful to be fueling my body with this green drink that was perfectly sweet and so tasty!

I absolutely LOVED the GREENERGY and PRE-FUEL drinks. They were both delicious, satisfying, beautiful, and energizing! Who knew a drink could be so perfect?

Shout out to ENERGYFIRST: Thank you so very much for sending me these products to review. I absolutely loved them!

My overall impression of the ENERGYFIRST products is that they are high quality, clean, and satisfyingly delicious. Please, do yourself a favor and go get some of the ENERGYFIRST products. You'll be so glad that you did. :) 

[thewholefruit]

ProEnergy Protein Powder Review - PART 1

Today I am so excited to share with you some fabulous products that I had the great privilege to review. 

*These products were sent to me to review by ProEnergy; however, I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.*

{ProEnergy sent me a package of protein samples, energy drinks, and green drinks to review. This is going to be a two part review, so today I am just going to cover the proteins. I’ll post the second part on Monday.}

VANILLA BEAN 

I wanted to try the protein powder with just water to get the authentic taste of it. I usually use protein powder to make shakes, but I like to test them with water to see how the flavor really is. When you start adding milk, peanut butter, banana, or other fruits, you don’t really get to taste the protein. I decided I would try the vanilla flavored protein with water. (Sadly, I completely forgot to snap a picture of this. )

I mixed the sample pack of vanilla protein with 8 oz. of cold water. It looked very similar to milk. I was pleasantly surprised by the sweet vanilla flavor. I recently purchased a different brand of vanilla protein, and was a little disappointed at the lack of flavor. It does’t really taste like anything. However, this ProEnergy vanilla protein definitely has flavor. I think it’s awesome that this protein powder has no junk/fake ingredients. It is completely “clean” and tastes good too! I’ve had a bit of trouble finding a protein powder that not only tastes good, but is good for me too - meaning it has no fake ingredients and chemicals. I loved this aspect of the Pro Energy protein powder. The vanilla protein was good, but I think it would taste better mixed with some type of milk (e.g. almond milk). I can’t say I LOVED it with water, but it was good - especially considering that I only mixed it with water.

CHOCOLATE DECADENCE

I LOVED the chocolate decadence protein powder. This was fabulous. I tried this one in a shake and it was deeee-licious!

In a blender I  mixed 1 cup of almond milk, a handful of ice, a small ripe banana, and the chocolate decadence protein powder. It was soooo GOOD. It kind of reminded me of chocolate milk, but I think that the banana made it really creamy, and the chocolate flavor was perfect. When I took my first sip of the shake I was almost shocked at how delicious it was.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it to taste so incredible.

I don’t think it’s really fair to say I liked this better than the vanilla protein since I had the chocolate in a shake, but this was my favorite way of drinking the protein powder. I made this shake before I headed out to a convention and drank it on the way there. It was the perfect mid-morning snack. I absolutely LOVED the chocolate decadence protein from PROENERGY, and I highly recommend it.

STRAWBERRY SUPREME

All I can say about this shake is wow... knock your socks off amazing! The smell was just - oh my goodness! Yeah, I was a tad bit excited to "indulge" in this flavor. When I first smelled it, this flavor took me back to when I was a kid and my mom would let me drink Nestle's strawberry milk. It smelled just like it! I was blown away! 

This was a taste sensation. Seriously it was like a dessert. I made this with some almond milk and a frozen banana. The texture was superb! It was a creamy delight. If it had been a little thicker it would have been almost like ice-cream! I gave my little brother a sip and even he thought is was amazing! (He kept coming back for more!) There is only one word to describe this shake - A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

Buy these amazing protein powders here: www.EnergyFirst.com

FACEBOOK: @EnergyFirst

TWITTER: @EnergyFirst

[thewholefruit]

Interview with Fitness Model Kathleen Tesori - PART 2

This is the second part of my interview with fitness model Kathleen Tesori. To read the first part, click here.

                                 7. Have you ever had an injuries or set-backs that have affected you? How did you overcome them?

No injuries.  The only set-back I have had and still struggle with from time to time is body alignment.  I got into the bad habit of not stretching after workouts and working out with bad.  These bad habits caused misalignment issues which led to an unnecessary amount of soreness.  Now I make sure I stretch after every workout even if it means cutting my workout short… using a foam roller and seeing a sports therapist once a month for an hour.

8. What advice would you give to someone just starting their health journey?

Find a plan, read articles and do lots of research.  Surround yourself and your daily environments with lots of positives. 

This is one of my favorite links to share - “Pick a Physique” or a few “Physiques” watch the videos check out the links, make a plan… and try things out.  Ignore what the people look like and focus on the content…the guidelines.    bit.ly/pickyourphysique

The Search feature on http://www.bodybuilding.com/ is a great tool for any question you may have.  

Magazines make a great tool they provide workouts, recipes and lots of knowledge.  You can try everything for the month and repeat each month.

9. What is your main area of struggle in diet and exercise?

The main area of struggle for diet is balancing the number of events I enjoy yummy food at … you cannot enjoy everywhere you go or you will never get anywhere and will always be off track.

I do not really struggle with the exercise because I have a schedule and am committed to get physical activity in every day.

10. How had your faith affected you journey?

Faith has brought peace and happiness to my journey.  Faith has brought direction and the biggest thing is peace within.  I could go on and on in this area this is a whole interview in itself but before my faith there were many tears and anxiety and a feeling of being lost with no purpose even with all the success in my life.

11. What is the most valuable lesson that you have learned on your journey?

The most valuable lesson is creating standards in your life and sticking to them no matter what even if it means turning down money or an incredible opportunity.

Ask yourself three question’s:

• Why are you doing what you are doing?

• What do you want to accomplish?

• How do you want to be remembered?

These questions will provide direction and will keep you on the straight and narrow – never deviate unless it is for the better.  

12. What is your best piece of advice for weightless in general?

The best pieces of advice:  

Never stop trying 

Never give up

Slow and Steady wins the race – making small changes creating new habits will add up to make the biggest difference. 

Living a healthy fit lifestyle is not something you can stop doing after reaching a goal it is an always and forever kind of thing.  

80% of how people look and feel will come from the food and drink they intake each day.  Timing and combinations of food and drink make a big difference.  Only 20% of how people look and feel will come from the time spent in the gym or doing physical activity.  So many get frustrated and give-up because they have been going to the gym doing endless amounts of cardio, an aerobic class here and there a little bit of weight training and are not seeing the results.  A relationship with food and drink needs to be established.  Balance and moderation in everything is an important thing to learn.  

Here are a few recipes that Kathleen enjoys! 

A Weekend Dinner

Instead of going out to dinner why not plan to make a nice dinner at home.  During the week most of us are pressed for time and dinners are usually boxed, frozen, fast food or quick fix recipes.  Making dinner at home can be fun to do as a family event, a fun date night or just to do for you.  

Pick out a recipe online, head to store to get the ingredients for this specific meal and for groceries.  Have your kids or spouse help pick out a menu, go shopping and help cook.  Make it a fun experience. 

Here is a meal I made last weekend. After this delicious dinner my family and I played games.

Protein Source:

Flank Steak Marinade 

½ cup of soy

¼ cup vinegar

2 T of Brown Sugar

2 T of Onion

1 T of Oil

1 Garlic Clove

½ tsp of Ginger

1/8th tsp of pepper

Put this mixture into a container and marinade with a Flank Steak for a few hours

Grill or broil 8 minutes on side and 6 minutes on the other side.  Adjust according to the thickness of the meat.

2 lb flank steak feeds a little over 4 people in my family.

Complex Carbohydrate Source:

Sweet Potato Fries

Preheat oven to 425

Cut 4 sweet potatoes into fry size wedges and place in a large freezer bag or container.

Add the following to the potatoes:

3 T of olive oil

2 tsp of paprika

¼ cup of parsley

1 T of lemon zest and a squeeze of juice

4 minced garlic cloves

Bake @425 for about 45 minutes to an hour

Vegetable Source 

Veggie fritters 

1 squash, ends trimmed

1 carrot peeled

1 zucchini ends trimmed

1 onion, halved and sliced thin

2 tsp of sea salt

2 large eggs

Fresh ground pepper

Toss squash, carrot, zucchini and onion in bowl with sea salt – use any combination of veggies you want.  This recipe can be easily adjusted.

Let veggie stand for 10 minutes and drain out extra moisture

Squeeze veggies in paper towel to draw out extra moisture 

In a separate bowl beat eggs and pepper until blended then add veggies and mix

Heat oil or macadamia oil in a pan and make ¼ cup veggie patties

Fry for 4 minutes on each side

Hope you enjoy this meal or a portion of this meal.  Dinning out does not need to be a regular weekend activity.

I hope you were all motivated by this lovely lady! Be sure to check here out on the social media world! Thank you, Kathleen!

FACEBOOK:  http://www.facebook.com/OfficialKathleenTesori

TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/kathleentesori

INSTAGRAM:  Kathleen Tesori 

WEBSITE:  http://www.kathleentesori.com

[thewholefruit]

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites (with Chickpeas) | Faith, FOOD, and Friends part 3/3

Here you go friends! This is the last (cue tears) post in the Faith, Food, and Friends series with my girl Lauren at Jesus and a Side of Peanut Butter. We decided to go out with a bang and make something with one of our favorite ingredients ever - PEANUT BUTTER! Tell me you don't like that beautiful, creamy goodness, and you might be sorry... just kidding - I'll still love you (maybe).  To see Lauren's peanut butter post, click here!

So this morning I made some cookie dough bites... I've seen multiple times that other bloggers have used chickpeas to make all kinds of cool things. I have always wanted to try it, but have never seemed to have them on hand at the time. Well last night my sister made some, so it was PERFECT for my experimentation this morning. Thank you LORD! I loved how they turned out and hope you do to! I could not tell there were chickpeas in here at all! 

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites

1/2 cup cooked, drained chickpeas

2 tbsp. peanut butter

2 tbsp. brown sugar (or sweetener to taste)

dash vanilla

dash salt

In a food processor, grind up chickpeas. Once a crumbly consistency, add in peanut butter and brown sugar. Continue blending and add salt and vanilla to taste. The dough should reach a crumbly cookie dough texture. Remove from processor, and form into about 3-4 small balls. Press out - or leave them rolled - and enjoy! Chill in fridge before eating for extra goodness!

To make a peanut butter chocolate chip version, simply add a few tablespoons of chocolate chips to the dough and mix together!

Or sprinkle with cinnamon and coconut!

Thank you so much for sticking around for the Faith, Food, and Friends series! I've had a blast doing this with Lauren! This was part 3/3 in the series. To see part 1, click here. To see part 2, click here.

Verse of the Day:

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

Proverbs 9:10

[thewholefruit]

Interview with Fitness Model Kathleen Tesori

Today I am so honored and excited to share with you an interveiw with fitness model Kathleen Tesori. I found Kathleen through Instagram and was inspired by her amazing hard work. There are a lot of great fitness people out there, but one thing that struck me as unique about Kathleen was that she shared her faith on her Instagram account. When I found out that she was a Christian I was so amazed! I love when people of influence aren't afraid to say that they are a Christian. I knew then that I had to see if I could get an interview with her! I hope you enjoy this!

This interview is broken up in two parts. This is part 1/2. The second half of Kathleen's interview will be posted next Friday [5/9/14].

1. What got you into competing?

I never thought about becoming a fitness model or even a model until my second or third year in college.  I can thank my friends for opening the doors to my aspirations about pursing the fitness industry.  

In July 2005, Miss Hawaiian Tropic (sun care company) held one of their nationwide preliminary model searches in Utah.  My friends heard the contest being advertised on the radio and called to see if I was going to compete.  They convinced me I should try.  I had done a few aerobic classes in college, but other than those few activities I did not work out or have a clean diet.

I had six days before the first competition and I put the pedal to the medal.  I made dramatic changes to my diet and went on a work-out frenzy!  I was shocked how much change I made in one week.  One of my friends stopped by my apartment to help me select my wardrobe and was shocked by my transformation.  I ended up winning and won a few more competitions.  In the end, I walked away with the Utah title and traveled to Hawaii for the national competition

2. When did you first discover your passion for health and fitness?

I discovered my passion for health and fitness in 2005 after my first transformation.  The first transformation left me feeling better in my clothes and I had so much more energy and was not bloated! Once you feel and see difference both inside and out anyone would be hooked to the Euphoric feeling a healthy lifestyle provides.

3. You are an inspiration for so many, but who is your inspiration?

My mom – she has a chronic progressive neuromuscular disease with no known cure.  If you were to spend one weekend with her you would see why I am inspired by her.  She is fun, crazy (she has a nickname of Panty Annie) and is so determined.  Even with all the pain and side effects from the medication and disease she never complains, always has a smile on her face and pushes herself to do and keep up with everyone around her (sometimes she pushes herself too hard which drives my dad crazy) 

My dad –a Jack of All Trades, has retired from two jobs and now donates his time as a fireman!  He is there for everyone and anyone when they are in times of need.  He is content being at home with my mom caring for her day in and day out and he tells me all the time how happy he is to care for her.

Mother Teresa – she placed herself completely at the service of others her whole life.  

4. What are some goals that you want to achieve?

This is a hard question for me.  I would be happy doing almost anything in life and am excited to see where life takes me.  One of my main goals is to be the best I can be every day and with everything I do.  Be prepared and ready for any opportunity that may come my way and to always be flexible with the up and downs of life.   I want to continue inspiring, educating and motivating others to life healthy lifestyles --- not sure what avenue and forum I will use in the future to do this but I know this is a passion I want to continue.

-I want to represent www.bodybuilding.com in the best light and be a value added team member.

-I want to continue to find ways to help others all year long.

-I also want to continue to build a trusted creditable name.

It is interesting --- the different interviews I have done since 2005 all have changed so much.  Each year our answers can change so much.  Just a side thought I had while typing this out.

5. What is your favorite healthy meal and snack?

Favorite healthy meal would have to be Flank Steak, sweet potato fries and a salad.

Favorite healthy snack would have to be veggies and homemade hummus. (there are so many flavors of hummus you can make)

6. How often and how long do you work out for?

My figure does not come naturally to me.  I have to work hard and be really consistent to maintain what I have built … some people are blessed and are naturally thin, fit or shredded but not me.  

When I am training for a specific goal, I work out in the gym six days a week.  During the off season I maintain a workout in the gym at least three to four days a week.   However, I always make time for at least 20 minutes of physical activity everyday no matter what.  The length of my workout depends on what I have going on for the day.  My workouts last anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours.  If I have the time I will go ahead and do a long workout but if I am pressed for time because of other priorities I will go for 20 minutes.  

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialKathleenTesori

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/kathleentesori

INSTAGRAM: Kathleen Tesori

WEBSITE: http://www.kathleentesori.com

[thewholefruit]

PlantFusion Review

I am so excited to share with you a review of PlantFusion's protein shakes and meal shakes! PlantFusion offers plant-based protein that is filled with amazing ingredients! Want to know more? Read on! I'll share my thoughts with you on all of their amazing products!

Phood Overview

Phood is a meal shake offered by PlantFusion. This is a plant based meal shake. 

100% Plant-Based from whole food sources

No Major Allergens; Dairy, Soy, Gluten, etc...

No Animal

No Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

It has 200 calories per serving and 18 grams of protein. I really liked that it had a significant amount of protein. Also Phood does not contain any artificial sweeteners - major plus in my book! 

Phood Vanilla

I followed the instructions exactly for this packet. I just used the package of Phood with some water and ice. The texture of this meal shake was amazing! I was really impressed. It was so creamy and thick! This was the first PlantFusion product that I tried and the “different” flavor of the plant protein and stevia hit me quite boldly. I haven’t ever tried any other plant based meal shakes to compare this to, but I got used to that “different” flavor quickly. I also don’t consume much stevia, so that flavor was a bit strong for me. I'm sure that for people who consume more stevia it wouldn’t be such an obvious flavor. I did get used to the flavor as I tried other shakes from PlantFusion though. After drinking the Phood vanilla shake, I noted that next time I would probably use a mix of almond milk and water to help me better appreciate the flavors. I rarely follow the directions when drinking protein or meal shakes - I like to mix them up a bit and use almond milk and maybe a frozen banana sometimes.

Phood Chocolate/Carmel

This is the second flavor of Phood that PlantFusion offers. I really enjoyed this one! I love the creamy thickness of these Phood shakes. This one had a great flavor. I made mine with some milk, water, ice and the Phood. I was really impressed with both of the Phood shakes- they really satisfied me! I was not hungry for a LONG time when I drank one of these shakes. I had them as a dinner replacement and I was not hungry for the rest of the evening. I really liked that. If I was to have a typical protein shake for dinner I would most likely be hungry before bed. That is an amazing benefit of the Phood meal shakes!

PlantFusion Protein Overview

PlantFusion offers some really amazing flavors of plant protein shakes. They have Chocolate, Chocolate/Raspberry, Cookies N’ Creme, Vanilla Bean, and Unflavored (Natural). A serving of protein powder has only 120 calories and 21 grams of protein! They are sweetened with stevia instead of all those junk artificial sweeteners  - and they contain “no dairy, soy, gluten (wheat), eggs, nuts, fish, tree nuts, or shellfish. Also free of artificial flavors and preservatives.” [www.plantfusion.net]

Chocolate

This was the first PlantFusion protein shake that I tried. The protein shakes are creamy - but not as creamy as the Phood shakes. This one was good. I was expecting a more chocolatey flavor though. In my opinion, it wasn’t chocolatey enough - but you could probably enhance the chocolate flavor by adding a bit of cocoa powder to the shake. It was still very good though.

Chocolate/Raspberry

Wow! This flavor was definitely my favorite of the protein shakes. When I opened the packet to make my shake I was shocked by the delectable smell of berries! The powder itself had the most delicious smell of raspberries. It smelled amazing. The flavor was great in the finished shake as well! Again though - the chocolate side of this shake wasn’t super chocolatey but I was enchanted by the berries… Yum!

Cookies N’ Creme

I was really excited to see that PlantFusion offered this flavor! I was very eager to try it. I like this flavor. It was good - however I don’t know that it tasted exactly like cookies n’ creme. It was good - don’t get me wrong! I just don’t know that I would have said it was cookies n’ creme if I didn’t know. Again though, the texture of the shakes are really nice.

Unflavored

 I like that PlantFusion offered an unflavored protein powder. This is prefect for baking - and that is exactly what I used it for! I used the unflavored protein powder to make some protein pancakes. Oh my goodness! I am hooked - those things are amazing! This protein powder worked well for cooking which I was very happy to see.

Vanilla Bean

This is a great shake. This is probably the most versatile of all the protein shakes. It is great for baking, adding to smoothies, or just drinking plain. Although my favorite flavor is the Chocolate/Raspberry, I would definitely recommend the vanilla as well. It’s always good to have some vanilla protein powder on hand!

Overall, I really enjoyed the PlantFusion protein shakes and meal shakes. I'm really glad I was able to try them. I love how "clean" their ingredients are for all of their products. I read their labels and knew what everything was. There weren't any crazy things on there that I was left wondering what they were. They offer high quality products for good prices. 

To learn more about PlantFusion, visit www.plantfusion.net.

Watch my video review of PlantFusion's products here!

[thewholefruit]

FAITH, Food, and Friends - Part 2/3

This post is part of the Faith, Food, and Friends series with Jesus and a Side of Peanut Butter. To find out what my verse to Lauren was, check out her blog! Check back next Tuesday for the final part of this series!

“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,     And a time to die; A time to plant,     And a time to pluck what is planted;

 A time to kill,

    And a time to heal; A time to break down,     And a time to build up;

 A time to weep,

    And a time to laugh; A time to mourn,     And a time to dance;

 A time to cast away stones,

    And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace,     And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain,     And a time to lose; A time to keep,     And a time to throw away;

 A time to tear,

    And a time to sew; A time to keep silence,     And a time to speak;

 A time to love,

    And a time to hate; A time of war,     And a time of peace.”

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

This is such a beautiful passage. It so perfectly illustrates that life is a journey and that there are different phases that we will all go through. Not every moment will be one of laughter - nor every one filled with tears. With time we will experience them both and they will be both sweet and bitter. I think that this verse brings comfort, because we realize that we will experience a variety of feelings and emotions - life is a journey. Just like many say in the health and fitness world - “Enjoy the journey” - that saying so perfectly describes how we should look at life as a whole. 

But we need to remember that in every time - no matter whether it is good or bad - we can rest in the love of our Savior and trust in the arms of our LORD. He is with us in the laughter and the tears, in the love and in the hate, in life and in death, and everything in between.  He is holding us and keeping us - despite what may be going on in the world around us. 

In all seasons of life, God has you there for a reason. He knows why we are going through different things and He has a purpose for us. We have to believe that no matter what season we are in, God has a purpose for it that we might not yet understand.

Give glory to God in every season and time.

If you missed the first part of this series, click here.

[thewholefruit]

Carrot Cake

I happened to make a carrot cake today. I've been meaning to post the recipe for a while, but haven't ever gotten to it yet. So finally it is making its appearance on The Whole Fruit! This cake is amazing! I just love it... 

It's easy to make and it can be modified quite a bit. I adjust things to make it healthier, but it could be "healthified" even more if you want!

This cake is super moist and refreshing. It's filled with lots of deliciousness that will make you very happy.

And then when you top it with some sweet and creamy Cream Cheese Frosting - it's perfection.

Carrot Cake

2 cups flour [use 1 c. white flour and 1 c. wheat flour to make it healthier]

2 tsp. baking powder

1 /2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. brown sugar

4 eggs

1/2 c. oil

1/2 c. apple sauce

3 c. shredded carrot

3/4 c. raisins

3/4 c. crushed walnuts

1 c. coconut flakes

1 c. crushed pineapple

1/2 c. pineapple juice

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Then whisk in eggs, oil, and apple sauce. Once mixed, add shredded carrots, raisins, coconut flakes, walnuts, and crushed pineapple. Stir and add in pineapple juice. Once the batter is mixed, pour evenly into two greased circular cake pans. Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes - or until a knife comes out clean. Cool and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 8oz. package softened cream cheese

1/2 c. softened butter

pineapple juice

dash of vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter. Slowly add in powdered sugar. As needed, add in small amounts of pineapple juice. You'll probably end up using a few tablespoons of the juice. Add a dash of vanilla and you are done. The icing should be pretty thick so that it doesn't slide of the cake.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Be sure to comment and tell me if you make it. Or tweet me a picture of your cake!

Do you like carrot cake? What is your favorite cake?

________________________________________________________________

Verse of the Day:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

~Philippians 4:6

[thewholefruit]

Faith, Food, and Friends - A Three Part Series with J&PB

Alright, I am really excited to share this with you... Today is the start of a three part series with Lauren from Jesus and a Side of Peanut Butter! She is a really awesome girl with lots of yummy recipes and inspiring posts on her blog. So yeah, if you haven't already, GO CHECK HER OUT! I kind of really like her and I'm really glad that we have become friends through the blogging world. 

We are starting our Faith, Food, and Friends series with Friends, I will be doing an interview with Lauren on my blog- that way you can get to know all about her! She will be interviewing me on her blog too- so don't forget to check that out as well!

     1. What made you decide to start up your blog Jesus and a Side of Peanut Butter?

Ever since I came across my first health blog, it had always been an idea of mine. One day (about 6 months later) I finally decided to do it. I knew I loved health & fitness, but I also knew that I could reach people by sharing my faith. Originally it was called "One Step Closer", and that was the theme of my senior presentation. Once I graduated and started college, I decided to give it a more permanent name.

2. I'm just going to take a wild guess and assume that you kinda like peanut butter... do you have a favorite peanut butter recipe?

You bet I do! Straight out of the jar is the best way ;) but recipe? Probably oats drowned in PB is to die for!

3. What is your favorite exercise to do?

I'm a swimmer! I swam for 12 years, but now that I'm not on a team anymore, I'll fallen in love with running.

4. So I know that you're a health/food/faith blogger, but what are your other hobbies? What do you like to do in your spare time?

Well, school takes up a LOT of time. But during summer, I love to play Frisbee and spend time reading in the California sun!

5. When I was little I used to have three "essential" questions that I would have to ask people... so I'll ask you! Here you go! Favorite color? Favorite number? Favorite animal? 

Color-- Yellow! 

Number- 23! (Totally just made that up, but that's my birthday date!)

Animal- I really love dogs!

6. Are you a coffee or tea girl?

Mmmmm, I'll have to go with coffee. But the truth is that I don't really drink a lot of either! I have enough energy as I am :)

7. What is your favorite snack?

I do love bananas, but fruit smoothies are pretty high up there as well!

8. What is one of your favorite Bible verses?

Ahh, yes. Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

9. Who inspires you? (In general, not just for health and fitness)

Absolutely my dad. We're so alike and he inspires me to be strong in my faith. I love him!

10. What's one crazy, random fact about you?

I don't like having long fingernails. It bothers me so much!

And that is the lovely, Lauren for you! Be sure to check out my interview over on Lauren's blog! The next part of this series will be up on both of our blogs next Tuesday! See you then!

[thewholefruit]

Protein Pancake

I have just fallen in love. Seriously, you guys... it's kind of hard to beat the  amazingness of a delicious protein pancake. This is my third one and I am never stopping! I made my first one not really expecting much - but then I took that first bite and my life will never be the same. 

How do I make it, you may ask... well I shall tell you! 

(This recipe is based off of the many protein pancake recipes that I have seen on the internet.)

Protein Pancake

1 small ripe banana (the riper the better - it adds more sweetness)

1/2 scoop protein powder

3 egg whites

1/4 cup rolled oats

cinnamon and ginger to taste

In a bowl, mash up your banana until it is nice and smushed. Then add in your egg whites. Mix together, and add in your protein powder, oats, and spices. Mix all the ingredients together and then set aside. Heat and spray a fairly large skillet. When hot enough, pour all of the batter into the pan. You are making one big pancake. Cook on both sides and then serve! Eat plain, or top with nut butter, berries, jam, or syrup!

Peanut Butter Yogurt Topping

1/4 cup plain low fat yogurt

1 tbsp. peanut butter

sweetener

Mix the yogurt and peanut butter together and then sweeten to taste. Place desired amount on your protein pancake and enjoy!

[thewholefruit]

Exciting Things!!

Hello my dears...

Well, I said that I wanted to do some cool things this April on my blog and guess what?!? I AM! There are about four things that i've got lined up to appear on the blog soon... I am SUPER EXCITED! 

You won't have to wait long - I should have some fun stuff up really soon! 

Now for a bit of an update:

I have decided to drop the half-marathon training for right now. I am really sad about it, but honestly I'd rather not take any chances with my knee. I took about two weeks off of exercising to let it recuperate and it still is a little weird sometimes. I hope to still run a half-marathon one day - I guess just not right now. 

So there you have it! I hope you all have a fabulous rest of your week! 

With love,

Elena

[thewholefruit]

5 Ways To Stay Motivated

Motivation can be something hard to have all the time. Sometimes I am really pumped up and feel ready to conquer the world - and other times I'd rather be hiding in a hole somewhere. So is life... it's a journey over hills and through valleys - we can't be forever on the mountaintop. But regardless of that statement, there are ways that we can stay motivated to make our dreams come true. Here are 5 ways to stay motivated.

1. Know your goals

I think we all know what our goals are, but having a firm idea down on paper is really helpful. A lot of times our goals change and we forget what exactly we are aiming for. "I want to be healthy" is a great goal, but try to get more specific. What does "healthy" mean to you? Know your goals and write them down. Then constantly remind yourself of what you are aiming for so that you know what you need to do to get there!

2. Track your progress

Seriously, tracking you progress is a really great way to get yourself motivated! Pull out a measuring tape, the scale, and even your camera and get tracking! 

Another great way to track your progress is to keep a food journal. Get a notebook and write down what you eat every day. Look back over it every week and see what you did awesome on and what needs some improvement! Write everything you put in your mouth down. This is great for accountability!

3. Immerse yourself!

I find that when I am surrounded by healthy things, it's easier for me to make healthier choices. Find pictures, read health books, watch videos, buy magazines that have to do with health... all these things will help keep your mind on a healthy lifestyle. Making an inspiration board with all your favorite quotes and pictures is a great way to stay motivated as well. Sites like Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram are great places to find healthy inspiration. 

4. Find a support team

While there are times when we have to push through things alone, it is a nice relief to know that you have a team cheering you on. Your team can be one person, but knowing that others believe in your dreams and want to see you succeed is very helpful. Find your group of supporters - it could be a family member, a friend, a personal trainer... anyone who believes in you!

5. Focus on today!

It's easy to get caught up in long term goals and plans - but that can get overwhelming and even discouraging if you have a long way to go. Instead know your long term goals but focus on today. We can only live one day at a time and that day is today. Do your best today. Focus on what you can do to reach you goals today. Live one day at a time...

With love,

Elena

[thewholefruit]

Peanut Butter Banana Ice-Cream

Banana ice-cream is the best. It is such a nice refreshing treat that you can feel good about. Today I decided to have some for lunch! Who cares about real food - I want dessert! [Well not really, but today I did!] This came out so delectably good that I just can't not share the recipe!

Peanut Butter Banana Ice-Cream

1 large frozen banana (peeled)

1 tbsp. natural peanut butter

shredded coconut

chocolate syrup

Take a frozen banana and put in it a food processor. Blend it up until it reaches a crumbly stage. Add peanut butter and continue mixing until it reaches a creamy ice-cream stage. Pour into a bowl and top with shredded coconut and chocolate syrup if desired.

This is so versatile and you can fix your ice-cream however you like! Top with lots of delicious goodness and enjoy!

[thewholefruit]

Happy April!

Happy April! Another month is here full of potential for all of us! It’s a new chance to grow and change! I am excited!

So you may have noticed that things have been a bit slow around here the last few weeks days… sorry about that. I am looking forward to some awesome posts this month though!

A few things have changed for me. You may know that I was training for a half-marathon - well sadly I am not sure where that stands right now. After a 7 mile run on Monday, my knee injury flared up pretty badly. I haven't run all week because of it. I am not sure what I should do right now. I really want to run and I really want to run a half-marathon - but I don't want to never be able to run because I injured my knee. So I'm trying to figure out what I am going to do right now. Shorter runs haven't bothered it, but that long run really did. So yeah, I guess I will keep you all updated with training and stuff. I've got to figure it out. 

On another note, I hoping to have some great interviews up this month with some of my favorite bloggers! I am eager to see who will be featured here on The Whole Fruit! So stay tuned for that!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

With love,

Elena

[thewholefruit]

Burn the Fat, Build the Muscle - BOOK REVIEW

Last week I finished reading a really awesome book. I've read quite a few health and fitness books and some have been good and others just okay. Well Burn the Fat, Build the Muscle by Tom Venuto fits into the "really good" category. I really enjoyed reading this book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is new to health and fitness and also those who are already on their journey. It covered a variety of topics. 

A few things I liked about this book:

uses the leanest people in the world as examples for health/fitness

encourages building muscle!!

focuses on "fat loss" instead of "weight loss"

I felt like this book had a lot of very solid information. It wasn't anything crazy - which I liked. So go and check it out! If you read it - or have already read it - tell me what you think/thought! You can find this book here!

Have a blessed day!

With love,

Elena

[thewholefruit]

Chocolate Cinnamon Flax Shake

1 ripe frozen banana

1 c. milk of choice

1 tbsp. flax seeds

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. cocoa powder

stevia or sugar to sweeten

 Blend on high and enjoy! .

[thewholefruit]

Half-Marathon Training Update #1

I finished my first week of training for a half-marathon. Okay so technically I am just training for fun right now since I haven’t signed up for a race yet. BUT… I know exactly which one I want to do! It is going to be in December and the course is all around downtown Orlando. What makes this race special is that my mom ran this same course when she was younger. So if all goes as planned, I will do this “sample” training plan and the repeat it again for my real race. If that makes any sense to you!

The plan I’m following has you start training on a Monday, but that didn’t work out that well with my schedule, so I adjusted it a bit. Instead of starting on the Monday, I shifted everything over to start on a Wednesday. That makes it fit my life better. So even though today is Monday, I have already completed all the exercise days for the first week. Thank goodness tomorrow is a rest day… I am pretty tired tonight!

So here is a run-down of what my week looked like exercise wise:

Monday: REST DAY Tuesday: 15 minute butt exercise Wednesday: 3 mi. run (This marks my first day of training.) Thursday: 4 mi. run Friday: 30 min. upper + lower body exercise [this was for the cross training day] Saturday: REST DAY Sunday: 2 hr. soccer practice (I was supposed to do a 3 mile run, but my dad had me go play soccer with them instead.) Monday: 6 mi. run + 1 hr. 24 min. soccer (I beat all my running times from the previous weeks! Plus this was the farthest I have run before! I was super tired from the combination of my long run and soccer. I went to play soccer with the family a few minutes after my run. My legs were sooooo tired!!)

I am feeling really good getting back into running. I love beating past times and seeing how far I can push myself. I can’t wait to keep running farther and farther!

With love,

Elena