Liquid gold

So for the past couple weeks, I've been making a breakfast smoothie every morning.  I had fallen off the green monster wagon awhile back because it was a bit labor intensive.  I made all 5 work-week monsters in advance and refrigerated them.  It meant that my Sunday evenings were spent whipping these puppies up, and for some reason it took about 45 minutes.  So I wouldn't always have them ready in time.  Monday rolled around without a monster, but I'd have good intentions to make 4 that night... on and on kept the good intentions until Saturday morning and the leisure to do what I wanted for breakfast.

I've been getting better and better about getting up earlier to work out before work, prep my own homemade lunches (they're delish!), and whip up a breakfast.  It's a protein smoothie to help my burning muscles, but it also has some health thrown into it.  We had a surprise working lunch yesterday, so I kept my lunch at work.  That gave me the time to snap a few pics of my breakfast for you!

Chocolate PB Nanner Smoothie

(You read that right... the holy trinity of vegan foodie bloggers all in one luscious breakfast, and it's all MINE! Well, and now yours too.)

• 8 oz nondairy milk (almond milk was my choice)
• serving of the protein powder of your choice
• 1 tsp flax seeds
• large glop of nut butter (I still use plain ol' PB because it's affordable)
• 1+ tsp cocoa powder to taste (omit if using chocolate protein powder)
• 1 banana
• ~6 ice cubes
• Optional: add spinach or other healthy foods for that extra "pat on the back" for all your smart choices

 

[whir whir blend blend toil and trouble]

 

Doesn't that look delicious?!?!  Almost like chocolate milk.  It was so smooth and creamy.  Since I am not cool enough to have a Vita, I start it on "stir" to get the initial kick of the motor warmed up, then boost up to liquefy.  Irish had a sip and also gave it a thumbs up.

I am debating whether to try making it with an orange instead of a banana.  (Remember those chocolate oranges where you "whack and crack" them to get the wedges apart?)

Popeye Time

Today was a rest day from working out.  I had very achy muscles from the weekend trip we took thanks to the bed that didn't sleep like ours.  I worked out Monday, despite still feeling sore.  Tuesday I worked out "to my edge" as Averie calls it.  I stretched to the point where I used controlled breathing to make myself not hold my breath through it.  I followed that with strengthening.  I felt great afterward and loved the protein smoothie even more that morning for helping me repair my sore muscles.

By last night, I asked Irish to buy some old lady salve Icy Hot to help.  This morning I woke up smelling like old lady, picking butterscotch wrappers out of my hair from the raging early bird party at the local pancake house, and figured the best thing for today were some light stretches.  

I worked out the sore muscles this morning, stretched them past the ache to where they relaxed into the stretch and felt better.  Then I cheered for the protein smoothie again as I fantasized about the protein paratroopers dropping into the war torn muscle world in my body.  With any luck, I'll be back to it with stronger muscles tomorrow after they win the war over the burn!

How do you soothe sore muscles?  When you have to decide between extra sleep or a workout, which do you pick?  What's your fave protein smoothie mixture?