Chocolate Black Bean Protein Brownies!!

These Brownies are like real brownies but without any of the nasties!! I have read many recipes about these black bean brownies, just thought it was too good to be true! Added my own twist to them and I will be making these on a weekly basis!


Ingredients:

• 1 Can of black beans (organic always tastes better!), drained and rinsed well
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder 
• 1/2 scoop chocolate whey protein powder, 1/2 vanilla casein (just add 1 scoop of 1 if you don't have both)
• 1 tbsp agave or honey (I left this out, I like bitter chocolate!)
• 1 tbsp truvia / natural sweetener 
• 3.5 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp cocoa butter (only add if you have it, but an even better texture with it)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• sprinkle of cocoa nibs
• sprinkle of dark chocolate (broken or use chips, I use 85%)
• Vanilla extract

Method:

• Pre heat oven to 200
• Grease you baking tray with coconut oil (only makes about 6-8 brownies so a small square tray)
• place your black beans into a food processor and blitz
• mix all dry ingredients together then add gradually to the food processor, blitzing as you go, push down the sides if needed
• melt the coconut oil and cocoa butter together then add to the mixture
• add vanilla extract
• mix in the cocoa nibs
• blitz till smooth
• add the mixture to your tray and even out with a knife, I tried a spatula but the mixture just gets stuck!
• press the chocolate chips on top and bake in the oven for 17-20 mins
• don't leave longer than 20! they may not look cooked but they are! leave to cool, slice and refrigerate in a air tight container.
• last for a few days and are best cold. I sandwiched mine with thick greek yogurt and WheyHey protein ice cream!! Yum 

You can try alternatives-
So for kids you can add drinking chocolate instead of cocoa powder for a sweeter milk chocolaty taste. These were perfect for me but may be slightly bitter for others.

Vanilla Protein Cupcakes with a Chocolate Frosting!

As pomised please see below the ingredients and method of how to make these lovely cakes!!

Maybe the best texture I have made yet... Still need to play around a little especially with getting the frosting thick enough! This batch was an overall 7.5 for me... the texture in comparison to any other protein cake I have done was an 8.5!! The secret??? CASEIN!!!

For cake...

•  1.5 Scoops vanilla casein (or what ever flavour cake you would like)
•  80g coconut flour
• 25g low fat almond flour
• 1 and 1/5 tsp baking powder

Mix dry ingredients together

•  40g melted coconut oil
• 140ml unsweetened almond milk
• 4 egg whites
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the frosting...

• 1 - 2 scoops rich chocolate flavour protein powder (any kind)
• Plain Greek yogurt

Method...

1. Preheat oven to 180
2. mix dry ingredients
3. mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl, all ingredients must be at room temperature otherwise the coconut oil will solidify and we don't want that!
4. Then mix the wet with the dry, the batter will be very thick so don't worry!
5. Line your cupcake baking tray with 7-10 liners and distribute the batter evenly
6. cook for approx. 25mins or until golden
7. wait until cakes are completely cool then make your icing.
8. Add the yogurt to the powder in spoonful's, don't add to much as you want a thick frosting (I am still working on this! I used half normal yogurt... wrong move as it make my frosting too sloppy)
9. once mixed pipe your icing on to your cake and there you have it. YUMINESS

Macros approx.

Carbs - 10

Protein - 14

Fat - 7

Calories - 130

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS

The most simple a quickest snack EVER! Literally you can make these in minutes and then store them for at least 2 weeks in the fridge and 3months in the freezer!!

What you need...

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 heaped scoop chocolate whey protein
• 2 tbsp milled linseed
• 2 tbsp agave syrup (depends on how clean you want them! you can add maple or honey)
• 3 tbsp Peanut butter (I used nuts 'n' more Chocolate peanut
• water

1. Simply mix the dry together then the wet together in separate bowls.
2. Add the wet to the dry EXCEPT the water. the mixture is very sticky so get your hands in there and really work it.
3. Add water ONLY if needed, 1 spoon at a time. If you add too much you will then have to add more powder etc.
4. Keep working the mixture. you don't want sticky sloppy balls so just add water slowly until JUST combined.
5. Roll into approx.
6. in a bowl add milled linseed OR desiccated coconut and roll the balls into the mixture to dust the outside!
7. Store in an air tight container and keep in fridge

MANY more of these to come so keep your eyes peeled for new recipes

Part 3 - To compete or not to compete?

The end of competing for this year??

I would like to write today's blog today as I have calmed down now after the British Championships. WOW! What an anticlimax. However, I hope to shed some light on this industry. How tough it can be. Maybe advise others of what maybe to look for. Because I can assure you - it is ruthless to say the least and there are not many athletes willing to share their knowledge, experience or downfalls. If I am completely honest I can only count on 1 hand the down to earth and helpful individuals that I have met on my competing journey... and I have met a lot of individuals!

What to expect back stage
You will find many girls being very fake to one another!! Like life I guess, many followers wanting to be in the 'it' group. But if you are serious about the game you will find your only little niche and other like minded competitors that have the same idea as you and these are the girls that you will find friendship in.
I met a couple of amazing girls at the British. But this has by far been my worst backstage experience yet. I don't think I heard any girls cheering each other on. Simply ruthless!

So my advice...

1. If you want to be a follower then sure go ahead (you will more than likely get further this way within the UKBFF anyway!)
2. On the other hand if you are more of a tom-boy like me then find your area, have a decent playlist and visualize yourself on stage. (I say tom-boy... I am still very friendly! but not fake!)
3. Don't get ready too early - you will be surprised how long you will be kept waiting, you will not be told when you are on stage so watch your carb intake!

Is competing for you?

I have now grown a pretty thick skin so this recent experience has actually made me appreciate what I have happening in my life. (I am 5th from the front)

I didn't place at the British. Which obviously upset me. As you can imagine and some of you reading will know... You put EVERYTHING into this 1 day!! I mean my daily checklist always has POSING written on it. My diet is dead on point to the gram every single day, I do not and will never cheat myself when I have a goal set. So like I say as you can imagine this time on stage has your everything in it!

I absolutely looked my best, 100% the judges did not look at me for 20 seconds. In my opinion they already had their winners. Once again they were rushed and short of time so rushed all the girls on the stage and the quarter turns were shockingly quick - the judges could not compare 21 girls in 15 second turns its simply not achievable.

So myself and many others simply felt cheated as this was an unfair show. One girl was left in the line and not called up to the line-up once to becompared as they forgot to call her number??!!, yes everyone worked very hard to be there but no way was this judged fairly which is the only upsetting part.

Advice...

• You are working very hard for a long time to be JUDGED do not forget that! They simply may not like you on this day and what they say goes.
• DO YOUR RESEARCH (I personally will never put my money into the UKBFF again, I still haven't received feedback from my first show after numerous emails and phone calls!) find the federation for you - a professional one if you are serious.
• If you have a coach do your best to do your own studying, connect with your body and feel the changes (It is so worth doing this alone as you really know how your body is reacting and you can take this with you into the future).
• Remember to be proud of yourself no matter what
• Stay grounded and humble and keep yourself focused.
• RESEARCH - again needs to go into post show - post show blues, post show diet. Get this wrong and you can be heading down a long road of mental health problems and will pile weight on like no tomorrow!!

This all sounds negative huh?!

In all seriousness this is information I could have only dreamed of! We all should find this kind of information before going through such an intense journey I mean you will get OCD and crazy mood swings (mood swings if the diet balance is wrong). 

This process is a complete life changer and many of those completing the process and getting onto the stage become serious competitors in more ways than one. So this is truly an amazing experience teaching you - management skills, confidence, self discipline, strength, organisation skills. It will teach you so much about yourself its mental! But be aware it can be very lonely at times as many of your family members won't really understand what you are going through which will then make you feel selfish as your life really is all about you (this feeling goes on competition day).

I have worked hard to make sure I have goals in place post competition. An amazing nutrition company has sponsored me and I am proud to wear their brand as they too are down to earth and honest. I have fitness modelling jobs coming up and also have had clothing brands approach me. 

 (I am 3rd one in from left)

To some everything up, it has truly been an amazing journey. But like I say! Be prepared to work so intensely day in day out for a 'judge' to look at you for less than 30secs!

Competing certainly is not over for me. I get such a buzz from it. However, I will learn from my mistakes and will certainly do my research next time. I will not be becoming friendly with any 'judge' to become noticed!

Until my next blog.... over and out.