Bites of My Life

I took a week off of instagram last week and it felt gooooood. Does anyone else ever do that? I made a mental resolution with myself to take 1 week off, every month for (hopefully) the rest of the year. It was such a mind clearer. Similar to a body detox where you rid your insides of toxins, this was a mind detox. For one week, the comparison game was over, the feeling of having/wanting to document my every moment was gone, the mindless hours spent staring at my phone were minimized. I challenge you to try a week off here and there. 

I logged off instagram last Monday through Saturday. I then sat in church Sunday morning to hear our pastor touch on the effects of social media. How it can lead to depression due to the over comparison, how it can lead to us losing sight of our values. How important it is to know God, know his stories, and walk with him, in order to keep our values in line. Especially in this ever changing world and comparison game we live in. #FoodForThought going into the new week! ...already looking forward to my next insta detox!

-Green salad on repeat again last week! Added a soft boiled egg for extra protein after an amazing lunch class at Union with Chelsea! My favorite way to break up the day. 
-Blueberry coconut cucumber protein shake is my fave right now! The combo may seem strange but it's weirdly refreshing. The recipe is on my instagram highlights!
-Posted these insane brownies last week. I'm just going to make you go read the post because like I said, they are insane. And borderline healthy! 
-Almond milk capp at TJA while grinding through some work. I love having a built in coffee shop right at my fingertips!
-Addicted to this breakfast. Protein, fiber and probiotics coming from soft scrambled eggs on GG crackers topped with kimchi!
-Dinner with my Stacey girl but really celebrating that Trin has moved back from Florida!
-Batch of steel cut oats for me and for Sarah Beth! SB texted me last week looking for some breakfast inspo. She loves oatmeal but has to be at work super early, so oatmeal is just microwaved from a packet (which honestly I love), but it's nice to indulge in thick and creamy homemade steel cut oats sometimes! I made a big batch of McCann's with cinnamon for her to re-heat at work! I suggest topping with more cinnamon, some blueberries and a spoonful of almond butter! If you need it sweeter add some brown sugar!
-I was trying to re-create these for sunday night dinner, but the frozen shrimp I pulled out of my freezer was more than questionable. Luckily I had some leftover shredded chicken aslo in the freezer so I adapted and ended up with a really delish dinner. 
-Did you read yesterday's post? I'm doing somethin' and celebratin' with healthy protein cake balls!  

Annie

P.S. I updated my OKC City Guide last week! Catch the new new here. 

Healthy Funfetti Cake Balls + An Announcement

I hate cake balls, anyone else? Now you are probably like why the heck is this girl giving me a recipe for cake balls if she hates them? These Healthy Funfetti Cake Balls actually taste more like cookie dough to me, but when I think of funfetti I think of the box of Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix not cookies. So here we are with a cake ball instead of a cookie dough recipe.

But really, the moist, mushy inside of cake balls made from mixing cake and icing together just does not jive with me. Let's also all take a moment to cringe while we say the word, moist. OK, moving on. 

Protein balls, you've seen them all over Pinterest and instagram, protein bites, energy balls, energy bites whatever you want to call them. I even have a few recipes found here and here. They are basically just a cop out on a real dessert, but also pretty genius to have stored in your fridge when you need something sweet or need a tiny bit of substance before a workout class or something of that nature. I love how this funfetti version came out because 1. i mean how cute? and 2. the ingredient list is short and if you are a borderline health food junky like myself, you most likely have these ingredients in your pantry. If you don't...come over to my house, I'll make you some!

Healthy Funfetti Cake Balls
yields 9-10 cake balls

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 scoops Arbonne Vanilla Protein powder
6 pitted dates
3 Tbsp. Almond milk
2 tsp. Cashew butter (or any nut butter, I use Georgia Grinders)
1.5 Tbsp. Multi-colored sprinkles 

Directions:
Add coconut into a food processor and blend until it becomes tiny grounds of coconut.

Add everything else but the sprinkles, pulse until it becomes thick crumbs (dough is pretty dry, you can add more almond milk if needed). Pour into a bowl and stir in sprinkles. Using a cookie scoop, press and roll into golf ball size bites! Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving! Keep in an airtight container in the fridge! Good for 1-2 weeks.

Now for the announcement. If you have been keeping up with Take A Bite, you probably are not blind to see that I have been incorporating some of Arbonne's nutrition products into my daily routine over the past couple months...hello protein shakes. Well, after thinking it over and going back and forth, I pulled the trigger and decided to start selling Arbonne myself. I truly love the products and use them everyday. Their nutrition line is something I completely agree with and have personally reaped the benefits of since starting to use them. I swore I would never sell something like this, but I just really love the products and want to be a source for others who are interested in trying them or who may already love them too. 

*I promise not to turn Take A Bite into a sales platform for my Arbonne business
*I promise not to spam you with only Arbonne
*I promise to stay true to myself and my brand and organically show you how I use Arbonne in my daily life
*I promise you will love these products and if you have any questions or want to hear more about the nutrition line please email me at annie@takeabiteblog.com

Annie

Bites of My Life

We are having the most amazing, un-typical August weather here in OKC. Tons of rain has brought cooler temps but no one is complaining. Nothing crazy it's still in the 80s, but the mornings and evenings are gorgeous and the afternoons made for perfect impromptu back to back pool days this weekend. Despite September on the horizon, I'm holding on to summer. Lots of watermelon consumed, pool time, bike rides and meals eaten outside. 

-Recipe post for Lemon Turmeric Energy Bites for the perfect pre or post workout treat...
-...or paired with an apple and almond butter for breakfast.
-Meal prepped all the ingredients to have cobb salads for dinner. Hard boiled egg, roasted sweet potato, avocado, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and bacon! Drizzled with red wine vinegar, salt and pepper!
-Crushing on chia pudding recently. Working on perfecting my recipe before posting it. 
-The most random lunch combination consisting of some of my favorite things. Plantain chips and salsa, pickled okra and watermelon.
-Lunch, snack, drink and reading material all picked up at one of my favorite grocery stores.
-Free beer, free food and free hats and we are suddenly the biggest OKC Dodgers fans.
-A piece of D.C. landed in my mailbox this week! TY TY RJ!
-My girl just being her normal cute, now one month old self!
-Homemade watermelon moscow mules. Just added Whole Foods watermelon juice and chunks of watermelon to my standard mule recipe.
-Post pool day cobb salad. I'm having a cobb salad moment.
-Early morning lattes outside in the most amazing August weather. 

Stay tuned for bites next week for a full bachelorette weekend recap. I'm Miami bound for Labor Day for Claire's bach weekend!

Annie

Lemon Turmeric Energy Bites

If there is an event that involves me, then you know there will be treats. I had so much fun hosting a private Beyond 500 class for friends and followers last Sunday. I wanted to bring something sweet to reward everyone for the hard workout, but I didn't want to blow all the work we would be doing in the class. Energy bites (not energy balls, I refuse) were the perfect post-workout treat. 

Lemon Turmeric Energy Bites
yields 20 bites

Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
6 oz pitted dates
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. vanilla extract
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
Put all ingredients into your food processor and process until everything comes together, about 3-5 minutes. Stopping and scraping down the sides every minute or so. You want to make sure the nuts, seeds and dates are finely processed and it comes together like a dough.  

Using a tablespoon size cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll to form balls. Store in the fridge for up to a week. Each bite is only 85 calories. 

With protein from the cashews and chia seeds, natural sugars from the dates, and an energy boost from the lemon and turmeric, they make for the perfect pre-or post-workout snack. 

Annie

Bites of My Life

Last week was active, literally and figuratively. I always feel like my week gets off to a nice slow start then ends up going 100 mph by the end of the week. I have a feeling this week will be no different. A concert, roadtrip to Tulsa, multiple fitness classes, soccer game, lunches, dinners, and getting prepped for the week, I'm exhausted from the weekend and currently enjoying a nice slow Monday from the comfort of my living room. 

-I've been doing my best to stay committed to eating Whole30 during the work week. That means Lunch Boards on repeat. 
-I somehow made my Perfect CCCs even more perfect, did you see the updates in last week's post?
-Elle's favorite nap spot is in Aunt Annie's arms. 
-Lake Street Dive at The Jones had me playing marketing manager by day, roadie by night. Please notice my walkie talkie making me look concert offish. 
-Learn acro yoga got checked off the bucket list this weekend while celebrating StudioHop launching in Tulsa! If you are in the Tulsa area, my code 'AnnieHop20' still works to get $20 off your first month!
-Lemon Turmeric Energy Bites for a healthy sweet treat. Recipe coming tomorrow!
-Post-workout snacks after a sweaty Sunday at Beyond 500. 
-#TeamTakeaBite went beyond. Thanks for having us Beyond Studios!
-Embarrassed at how quickly we demolished this fruit and charcuterie board, even with the large meal we had following. Sunday Supper at mom and dads is the best way to end the week.

Annie