Back From the Dead & Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Hello hello! I am back. I am going to try and post more on this blog of mine, especially since traveling abroad to Japan is coming up in... 1 month! I am so excited. In the mean time I will post recipes and whatever else you guys would like to see or hear about!

Yesterday I received an awesome package in the mail. The package included peanut flour... which is some of the most versatile powder I have used. I love to dip bananas or apples in it, I love to mix it into yogurt, I love to bake with it,... the options are endless. So today I used it to make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies! These are darn delicious. I will post the steps with pictures and at the very end will be the recipe in one piece. If you try making them let me know! I would love to hear what you think.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

First, gather your ingredients. You will need almond flour, peanut protein or peanut flour, peanut butter, 2 eggs, vanilla extract, sweetener of choice, baking powder, and salt.

Once you have those gathered, measure out 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup peanut flour, 2 tablespoons sweetener, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Throw all of that in to one bowl and set aside

Next, in a mixing bowl combine 1 egg, 1 egg white, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and shiny.

Once well combined, stir in the dry ingredients.

Then fold in 3-4 tablespoons chocolate chips.

Use an ice cream/cupcake scooper to form 9 dough balls. Place balls onto a greased cookie sheet.

Flatten the dough balls.

Bake at 325 for 15 minutes. Let cool then devour!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Alison Gay

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (9 cookies)

Liquid Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup peanut flour
• 2 tablespoons sweetener
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of Salt
• 3-4 tablespoons chocolate chips-I use Lily's Sweets Chocolate Stevia Sweetened chips

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients (excluding the chocolate chips) together in a separate bowl. Set aside.

2. Whisk the liquid ingredients together until smooth and glossy.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the whisked liquid. Stir until combined.

4. Fold in the chocolate chips.

5. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick baking spray.

6. Use a cupcake scooper to measure out 9 cookie dough balls.

7. Place onto greased cookie sheet. Flatten cookies.

8. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes.

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Bread Sweet Bread

Lately I have had the biggest sweet tooth. All I ever want for each meal is something sweet, chocolatey, or decadent and let me tell you, it has been quite a struggle getting all of my vegetables and protein in this week (I think it's because I am having girl issues… TMI). However, I figured with this loaf of bread I could get some good protein and fats into my diet… while curing my sweet tooth!

This bread was a sweet sweet success! And it has actually fueled a bunch of my SWEATY workouts this week. I assume that if something sweet can help me sweat that it is okay to overindulge in. Because that is exactly what I did with these loaves. They were gone in less than 48 hours. Even my dad loved it!… and he is quite the picky "healthy dessert" guy. He doesn't really ever like "healthy desserts"…  but I think I definitely changed his mind with this one! So if I haven't convinced you to make this bread yet, I am not really sure what will! If you make it and enjoy it, let me know by either commenting on this post or posting a picture on instagram and tagging me, @eatburnbalance, and hash tagging #EBBrecipes. Enjoy!

PB Banana S'mores Bread

by Alison Gay

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients (2 small loaves, 12 slices)

For the bread

• 1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (or chickpeas)
• 1/3 cup mashed banana
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (I used Marantha crunchy PB)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 Tablespoons sweetener (I used Walden Farms Caramel Sauce)
• 2 Tablespoons Cellucor S'mores Whey (or protein powder of choice)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the topping

• 1/4 cup - 1/3 cup Lily's Stevia Sweetened Baking Chips
• 1/4 cup - 1/3 cup marshmallows (I used the brand Elyon from Whole Foods)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to convection 375.

Grease two small loaf pans.

Put all of the bread ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Stir the chocolate chips into the batter.

Pour the batter into your greased loaf pans.

Sprinkle marshmallows on top.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Turn up the oven to 400 then bake for 3-5 minutes longer.

Once a toothpick comes out of the bread clean then it is done. Let cool, slice, and serve.

This bread is also delicious served chilled! I store mine in the fridge if it isn't eaten right away.

It's Summer Over Here!

Wow. Summer already? Where in the heck did those first two semesters of college go?!! I am not really sure. All I know is that I had a great year away in Portland at college. First semester was rough with rowing and time management but once I got out of rowing and turned my focus to school I was having the time of my life. I finally had time to go to the library and socialize while I did homework. I could stay an extra while at our dining hall to catch up with friends. I was able to go to parties and meet tons of people. I got to know the girls living on my floor. And let me assure you… we had tons of dance parties in the study room on our floor. School was tough but having friends to turn to for a release was great. During the second semester of school I was honestly the happiest I had been in years.

It was tough to leave everyone and my routine there behind but now I am back in Salt Lake City, sitting outside in the sun, sipping some iced peach green tea and relaxing after two semesters of tough work. This year I learned that I love to read and learn. That is something I really thought I would never love or want to do. In fact, I've been having a tough time sitting around all day and not going to class to learn something new. But I guess that's what books, TED talks, and conversations are for! Do you guys have any favorite books you recommend I read?

It has been nice, though, getting back into my groove at home. I get up around 8-8:30 every day and have my morning coffee and bowl of cereal with banana and peanut flour. Then I hit the gym to either lift or do a class. Classes at my gym are amazing. I really connect with the instructors and have created a network over there. I may even start teaching classes soon! I am excited to see what happens with that. After my exercise class or lift I come back home to my wondrous kitchen and whip up my new favorite breakfast known as cauliproats!

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1/2 cup oat bran or old fashioned oats
• 1-1.5 cups hot water
• 1 packet stevia
• Extracts of choice (I typically use vanilla, almond, maple, or butter)
• 1/2 a sliced banana
• 2-4 T egg whites or one large egg white
• 1 cup cauliflower "rice"
• 2 T protein powder
• Water to thin

Instructions

Measure out 1/2 cup oats or oat bran in a bowl. Then add 1-1.5 cups of hot water to the bowl and let it soak for a few minutes. Microwave for 2:30 minutes. Then stir in a packet of stevia, extracts of choice, half a sliced banana, 2-4 T egg whites, and 1 cup of cauliflower "rice". Make the cauliflower "rice" by putting cauliflower in a blender and pulsing a few times. The texture should resemble rice… you don't want to puree it! At this point you may need more water. Don't be afraid to add it! Stick your bowl back in the microwave for thirty seconds. Stir it up. Microwave another 30 seconds. Stir it up. And then microwave again if needed. Once the egg whites are thoroughly cooked, stir in 2 T protein powder of choice. I like to use cellucor brand the most.

Then go crazy with the toppings and enjoy your never-ending bowl of protein fluffy carby goodness! (Except the bowl of goodness does eventually end… sorry for the buzz kill)

Being home has also meant getting creative in the kitchen! One of my all time favorite Thai dishes is a pad thai. 

I saw these noodles at the store and knew I had to do something fun with them!

I decided to try and cook a bowl of pad thai up one night and it ended up being a sweet, salty, and tangy success! I didn't have all the ingredients I needed for the recipe I was following so I decided to ditch that recipe and just make it up on my own! I urge you all to try and do that in your own kitchen. It's crazy how your creative juices will get flowing. And it's a lot of fun!

Here's my creative spin on the traditional pad thai dish:

Single Serving Pad Thai

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: fry saute stir-fry entree low-carb sugar-free healthy dairy-free chicken Thai

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Ingredients (serves 1)

For the Base

• 1/3 raw daikon (julienned)
• 1-2 raw carrots (sliced in rounds)
• 1/3 raw yellow squash (julienned)
• 1 serving kona berry or kelp noodles
• 4-8 oz. cooked chicken
• 4 T egg whites
• 1/2-1 t ground ginger
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion

For the Pad Thai Sauce

• 1/3 cup chicken stock or broth
• 3 T rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
• 1/4-1/2 lemon or lime, juiced
• 2 packets of stevia
• 2 T fish sauce
• 1 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 t ground black pepper
• Tamarind substitute (chop up and mash 2 pitted dates, 1 dried apricot, and 2 prunes)

Instructions

For the Sauce

First, make the sauce, and let it sit for a few minutes so the flavors combine. To make the sauce, simply add all the ingredients together, mix well, and make sure to really mash the dried fruit. Add more lime or lemon juice if it is too sweet for you. Note that a pad thai sauce should taste sweet at first, followed by sour, and then salty.

For the Base

1. Rinse your kelp or kona berry noodles. Then soak in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle with coconut oil or spray with pam then add in the minced garlic, chopped onion, and ground ginger. Stir fry for about one minute, releasing the fragrance.

3. Add in the rest of your vegetables and 1-2 T of your prepared pad thai sauce. Keep the heat high so you are stir-frying, rather than steaming, your vegetables.

4. Add in your cooked chicken and 1-2 T more of your prepared pad thai sauce to keep the ingredients frying nicely.

5. Push the ingredients to the sides of the pan and pour in your egg whites. Stir so the whites quickly scramble.

6. Add your prepared noodles and 3-4 T of the pad thai sauce. Stir and incorporate the noodles with all the other ingredients. Keep adding sauce and stir frying until the noodles and vegetables are cooked to your liking. The sauce should get absorbed and everything should be cooked thoroughly but not too cooked, or else it will be a mushy dish.

7. Remove from the heat, garnish (some ideas for garnishes: green onion, crushed peanuts, sweet chili sauce, thai chili sauce, sriracha, peanut sauce), and serve immediately.

I hope you guys get around to trying this recipe and let me know if you do by posting a picture on instagram and tagging me (@eatburnbalance) in it!

Now to wrap it all up… I am happy to be home. 

I mean look at this place! It's gorgeous! Yes, I am missing my friends and time in Portland but I am excited to get to spend the summer in Salt Lake, working out, cooking, laying at the pool, and possibly working at LuluLemon! But I can't get too comfortable in the glorious kitchen of my home… because we move to our new condo in just 2 weeks! Big life changes are coming up but I am excited to take them on with 110% positivity and effort.

Oats 'N Froth

If you have been following my instagram you know that I absolutely love oats. I eat them for breakfast every. single. day. They are quick, easy, delicious, filling, and so fun to make pretty! Recently I have been asked a lot of questions on how exactly I make my oats and the process of frothing my almond milk. So I have decided to make a little tutorial on how I make my oatmeal! I hope you all enjoy :)

First, I measure out 2/3 cups of old fashioned oats and add 1 1/2 cups of warm water. I let that sit for a bit while I get my coffee ready. Letting it sit helps the oats fluff up.

Then, I microwave that for 3 minutes, watching the bowl towards the end, in case they start overflowing. I think we all have experienced the tragedy when that happens!

After 3 minutes in the microwave, I stir in a packet of stevia. Then I open my extract drawer and it takes me about 2 minutes to decide what the heck flavor I want. Today I was feeling lemon-y sweetness so I used lemon extract, almond extract, and caramel extract. I never measure those. I typically just put a quick little splash of each in and then adjust to taste.

Once that is all mixed up, it's time to add fluffiness! To get the oats super fluffy I add 3 tablespoons of egg whites. Mix that up really well and then add in half of a sliced banana. I think putting the banana in makes the oats taste more sweet and cake-y. Then I stick the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and then stick it back in for another 30 seconds. At this point, the whites have fluffed up the oatmeal and the bananas are all gooey and delicious.

Next up is the protein powder. I always add 2 tablespoons of some sort of protein powder. Today I chose to use Cellucor's Red Velvet Cake Batter. That protein powder is my all time favorite right now and seriously goes with any flavor. Even lemon! I mix that all up and then….

IT'S TOPPING TIME! My toppings of choice today included: sliced banana (as always), blackberries, goji berries, mulberries, golden berries (which I have a newfound love for), MaraNatha Foods Maple Almond Butter, and…

The famous frothed almond milk! Now this is what I get questions about all the time. I'll break it down for you. Step 1) buy an Aerolatte hand frother. You will not regret it. Step 2) measure out 1/3 cup almond milk. Step 3) this is optional but I like to add a little sugar free torani coffee syrup to it to sweeten and flavor it up a little bit! My favorite? Sugar Free White Chocolate. Step 4) microwave for 30 seconds. Step 4) use that hand frother you bought and FROTH THAT SHIT almond milk!

I let my almond milk sit for a bit before I pour it. While I let it sit I start dressing my oatmeal. First up are the bananas.

And then the berries!

And finally the nut butter and almond milk!! I only pour on part of the 1/3 cup of almond milk that I frothed. The liquid-y almond milk goes in my coffee and the left-over fluffy frothiness goes on top!

And voila. You have Ali Oats!

What are your favorite oat toppings? What is your favorite nut butter?

Bloom Where You're Planted

I should be writing a Philosophy paper right now… but guess where I am… in my bed and warming up my writing brain by thinking out loud with you guys! Because according to my lovely blogging friends,  Heather and Amanda, that's what Thursdays are for!
It is also the first day of spring, my loves, so I wanted to share some beautiful pictures from my campus with you! Living in Portland truly means experiencing the seasons!

This is the quad and central part of my campus. Isn't it breathtaking?! I love it here so much, even if it does rain a lot. Because you know what rain means?.. Blooming! How does that saying go, April showers bring May flowers? And then mayflowers bring pilgrims? I sure hope our Mayflowers won't be bringing pilgrims. Unless they bring their Thanksgiving food with them ;) Let's get closer to those cherry blossoms...

Okay I'll admit I edited this one a bit whole lot. Nonetheless, look at those blossoms! They're so fluffy! "It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!" betcha you can't name that movie. Haha. Just kidding. I am sure you can.

The whole theme of "blooming" and "growing" during the Spring season is starting to translate from the flowers and trees to myself. I know, I know, it sounds so cliche. But true. Lately, I feel that I am becoming happier and more content with my being, my choices, my thoughts, my actions, my everything! I don't remember the last time I have felt this way since. Ever since my orthorexic thoughts took over it was hard for me to find time to enjoy my being, so I am absolutely loving it, and wanting to fight every day even harder. I shared a great article about intuition with a good friend, Kim, the other day. Talking a bit with her about intuition has helped me realize how far I have come with regards to accepting myself and my wants and needs compared to others. I guess that is what comes with aging, but I feel like I have progressed so much with that in the past year, especially with help from you all. If you have a few minutes, I really suggest reading that article. It is a fun, interesting, and reflective read.

One of the 10 things highly intuitive people do (found in the article) is that they practice mindfulness and this is a great way to tap into your intuition. I realized that I am very good at this, especially lately. As you may know, from my about me post, I started out as an engineering major. What was I thinking? I switched to undeclared. I thought that biology would be a good idea. So I am taking science-based classes this semester. And yes, they are very interesting and fascinating, but I still can't find a spark and true interest in them. I often find my mind wandering during those classes. 

Two days ago, I felt myself starting to wander and I stopped myself. I thought about what I was wandering about and realized something: I love to connect with people. I love to write. I love to take pictures. I am a creative thinker. I love to meet new people and communicate. I just am not dying to learn more about the inner-workings of cells and plants. Simple as that. I should not go into something I don't love and don't want to learn more about.

I met with my advisor next and told her all about my instagram and blog and what I have a passion for (i.e. health, wellness, effective communication, connecting, social media, etc.). She was intrigued by my instagram and was ready to offer so many ideas for possible majors and minors. The major I have decided on (after scrolling through pages and pages of class lists and descriptions) is in business with a marketing focus. I may even minor in global entrepreneurship or organizational communication. That will be decided later. I am so excited to see what the future holds in store for me.

I guess the point I am trying to get across with all of this is that sometimes we have to accept what we aren't interested in and chase what we are interested in. Even if it means not getting as much "material reward" (a higher paying job, wealthier friends, a bigger house, blah blah blah). The personal reward will always be greater. When it comes down to it, you're stuck with yourself and what you pursue daily. What you pursue should be what you love and have interest in or else, in my opinion, you will have a hard time finding motivation to continue each day and find love and passion in your actions.

Okay, ready, QUICK DANCE BREAK!

^^^currently my favorite feel good song. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do!

Now, two more things, then I'll leave you guys alone, I promise. First, the bad (but still good) news and then even better news.

Since I am at the University of Portland and it is a pretty hefty price to be here (although I do have a great scholarship), my parents have been forced to work overtime in order have enough money each month to pay for my education and room and board. We live in a pretty big house in Salt Lake City and it was great when both my brother and I were living there and going to public high school. Now that I am in Portland and my brother is at the University of Utah and living in a fraternity house, the house is too big for my parents and maintenance costs are quite high for a home they aren't dwelling in most of the day since they are working. So they have decided to downsize and move to a condo more towards downtown Salt Lake City. It will be sad not returning to my true home, but I am excited for them to get to live in a smaller and more intimate space, not have to work as much, and "bloom" and "grow" in this new part of Salt Lake.

Now the even better news!!! I got a wonderful package in the mail today from the folks over at Manbake. 

This company is incredible. I hadn't heard about them until a friend mentioned them a while back on instagram. I had been dying to try them for months! And I finally got my hands on some after talking with Seth from their company. At Manbake they create fresh and wholesome snacks (they are literally baked fresh for your order!) that are vegetarian, gluten-free, and carb-conscious. Their products are fit for an ideal healthy snack but also pack the protein and nutrients so they are perfect for right after a workout as well. Delicious, quick, and nutritious. 

They sent me a package of their carrot cake beefcakes that were to die for. I am not usually the one to choose carrot cake but I think my mind has changed after eating one of these. All I want is carrot cake now!… but in the form of beefcakes of course! Look at that ingredient list and nutritional information. Too flawless.

They also sent me their cookie butter.

Can you guess how it was? Marvelous! Duh! I opened the jar and about died. The smell, the texture, the glossy goodness! No spoon needed here! My finger was the only thing needed. I absolutely loved this cookie butter. It is not like the cookie butter from Trader Joes or that speculoos butter. It is so much butter better. TJ's cookie butter and Speculoos is a little too sweet in my opinion. I can only handle it in certain amounts and at certain times. But this cookie butter hit the nuttiness and sweetness factors perfectly. I almost dove into the jar head first… but soon realized my head is too big. I am worried this jar is going to run out quickly. However, I am looking forward for the morning I get to eat overnight oats out of it! 

Head over to the Manbake site and get yourself some nutritious goodies! It is worth the $!!! I promise!

But for now… I'll leave you with this cute picture.

If you need me, you can find me cuddling up with this cute little guy. Have a great Thursday and upcoming weekend!

What are you thinking out loud about today?

Satisfying the Cookie Monster

ATTENTION. Everyone of all ages. Stop what you are doing right away. It is cookie time. By that I mean… it's time for you to saddle up in your high chair, get your cold glasses of milk, and get ready to be taken back to your childhood through bites into best cookies of all time! Okay maybe time travel won't actually happen… but I am sure salivating mouths and dropping jaws will. I introduce to you… "fully functional" cookies that will satisfy any dessert lover (heck, they'll satisfy any non-dessert lover as well)… Cookie Department Cookies.

I was given the wonderful opportunity by Akiva and Pam, the founders of The Cookie Department, to sample and share my thoughts on these cookies with you all. A big thanks (but maybe a little darn you!) to those two for getting me hooked on their cookies. Now I know where a lot of my money will be going (reason for the little bit of darn you!).
Akiva and Pam have started a great company. I believe that they are going to be very successful and prosperous once the word on their cookies gets out. They have created a great team and business slogan that perfectly fits in with foodies of all sorts, even fit foodies like me! Their team works around the clock and bakes batches of their cookies daily to send out to stores and folks who order them.
They start with all natural and simple ingredients, like organic coffee and maca root, and bake sweet and creative cookies with a purpose. Oh and I forgot to mention, these cookies are literally making the world a better place. Not only are they supplying our tastebuds with marvelous flavors, The Cookie Department uses local ingredients to support local communities and works to reduce their carbon footprint by using recycled materials to create their packaging. Fresh and fully functional cookies made by such a customer-world-oriented company! What more could you want?!

If I haven't sold you on this company and their cookies, I guess we'll get into the flavors :p
The flavors of cookies include: the Great Full (vegan sweet potato and cranberry), the Chocolate Chip Nookie, the Tough Cookie (peanut butter and protein), the Snap Back (ginger detox), and the Awaken Baked (chocolate espresso). A new flavor is being released soon known as the Cherry Bomb, which is a gluten-free, probiotic, chocolate-cherry cookie. I can't wait to try that one! The cookies come in two sizes: 3 ounces or 1.5 ounces(known as their "break size"). You can order them in assorted packs or single flavor packs HERE. They are having a 20% off special until March 31st if you use the code "INSTAGRAM" at check out. So grab these to try while they're on sale!

Now… let's get to taste testing…

The first one I wanted to try was the Great Full vegan sweet potato wellness cookie because it had sweet potato in it. Anything with sweet potato in it is very inviting to me. Especially if cranberry is included as well. Within the first second of opening the wrapper I was already amazed. Sweet swirls of potato and berries filled my nose My mouth is watering right now as I think about the smell and first bite of this cookie. Biting into it was easy. It was so soft and chewy and moist… like it was just taken out of the oven. The texture flashed me back to the days where my mom would pull fresh and fluffy cookies out of the oven and serve them to me on a huge platter. But now… the cookies had better ingredients and even better taste (sorry mom!). It was hard to believe. I pinched myself and nothing happened. This delectable cookie was real.

What I loved so much about this cookie was the texture. It was so moist and fluffy at the same time. But I also loved the taste. The brown sugar was perfectly balanced with the tart cranberries and rich sweet potato. The Cookie Department nailed this one. I'd say it was one of my favorites.
I shared a bite with my mom, the expert dessert connoisseur, and even she admitted they were so wonderful. She is always skeptical about the food and desserts I eat but she loved this wellness cookie so much. In fact, I went to my cookie box a few days after I received them and all the great full cookies were gone (besides one that I hid… shh. Don't tell her!). She is ordering a box of these this week. And I'm really hoping she sends some my way too ;).

Up next was the Snap Back ginger detox cookie.

I loved this one. Ever since I was little there has been a special place in my heart for ginger snap cookies because my Grandma made them whenever we visited her in Oregon. Now she only makes them on special occasions so I have been missing out on my ginger snap fix. But this cookie filled that fix immediately. The spice of this cookie was perfectly paired with the sugary and buttery flavor. All brought together with a superb texture: moist yet sugar-grainy. I think that is what I love about ginger cookies so much. The bits of sugar that come along with the moistness. You nailed this one too, Akiva and Pam. Well done.

I was ready for some chocolate so it was time to bite into the Chocolate Chip Nookie vitality cookie.

Buttery, chocolatey, velvety, fluffy goodness. It was like the cookies I was talking about earlier from my childhood. I heated this one up so the chocolate chips would get melty and it was seriously perfect. For some reason, I didn't like this one as much straight from the package… heating it up changed the game though. And of course I had a cool glass of almond milk on the side to dip it in. Everyone and their grandma thinks their chocolate chip recipe is the best but I am sorry to you all… this is the best. This cookie's ingredients surpass any grandmother's recipe I have seen. With the rich chocolate chips, buttery dough, and boost from maca, I'd consider this thing vital.

Fourth up, the Tough Cookie.

I believe that a peanut butter cookie is the answer to anything in life, be it a hardship or a celebration. In either instance, sitting down and eating a peanut butter cookie is just sweet relief and comfort. The Cookie department has brought such a delicious peanut butter cookie to the table. The peanut flavor isn't too overpowering of the buttery cookie flavor. It almost tastes like a peanut butter blondie. Quite delicious. The texture is spot on. Flawlessly fluffy yet nutty.

This cookie gives you the feeling of warmth and satisfaction. On top of that, you get 5 grams of protein from whey powder and a whole lot of crunchy peanut bits. It is amazing.

Last, but certainly not least, the Awaken Baked espresso cookie.

I saved this one for last because I am a coffee (and chocolate) addict and had a feeling this would be my favorite. That feeling was right. This cookie was unbelievable. When I opened the package, I got a whiff of espresso and when a coffee addict gets a whiff of espresso, it's like that espresso got injected straight into their blood stream. I was ecstatic to bite into this bad boy. I didn't get a picture of the cookie before I bit into it… I was about 4 bites in when I realized I should probably capture it to share with you guys. And look at that chocolate chunk. So rich. So heavenly. So divine.
What I was worried about with this cookie before I tried it was if the chocolate to coffee proportions would be balanced. I don't know why I would worry about that when The Cookie Department made this cookie, but it is definitely something other cookie-makers mess up on. But this. This ratio was perfect. Ideal amount of buzz balanced with just enough rich and chill chocolate. It was definitely my favorite. And got me extra jittery (because I dipped it into my coffee… which I suggest you do as well).


Overall, these cookies hit it out of the ballpark. They were magnificent. If I had to rank them it would go like this:
1. Awaken Baked
2. Great Full
3. Tough Cookie
4. Snap Back
5. Chocolate Chip Nookie

Being the cookie monster I am I thoroughly enjoyed getting to try these cookies. The texture and flavor went above and beyond my expectations. I strongly suggest and encourage you head over to The Cookie Department and read about this caring and customer-oriented company and their mission. You can order the cookies through the website and find if they are near you. Here is a link to their online store.
I hope you enjoyed reading this review and have been persuaded to invest in these fully functional cookies. Let me know if you end up getting any and how you like them. But for now… I must go enjoy another cookie dipped in coffee. Have a lovely Monday everyone!

Disclaimer: The Cookie Department sent me these products free of charge, but I received no compensation of any kind for this review. All of the above opinions expressed are my own.

Viva Las Vexcess

Okay peeps! I am finally finding the time to write about my time in Las Vegasexcess. After spending my Thursday grocery shopping and food prepping for the short (but sweet) weekend at home I am de-stressing, eating my salmon dinner, and sharing my times of Vegas with you all. What a perfect way to get ready for Friday.

My trip to Las Vegas was… interesting. I forget how crazy Las Vegas is. So much to do, so much to see, so many people everywhere, such good food, such unhealthy food, lots of alcohol, lots of smoke, lots of gambling,… Man. I could go on for a while. Let's just all agree on the fact that Las Vegas has everything (literally everything) in excess amounts. Las vegas goes big. There is no doubt. That is why I have decided to rename it to "Las Vexcess". Nonetheless, I did have a great trip.

Laying in the sun all day and being with my family laughing about everything was the perfect way to decompress after a tough week of midterms. And I mean… getting to lay by this fashionable dad of mine? No where else I would rather be. Those are my sunglasses by the way ;)

Here is my brother and I… he put on his "I'm hard and I lift heavy stuff for fun" face for this picture… but he's still cute :)

While in Vegas I didn't even think for one second about school! I decided to leave my backpack zipped (besides unzipping it to grab my quest bars) and I kept all my thoughts about school in a part of my brain that I shut off. It was great. I even started reading a new book.

It's called "The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green. I only got a quick few chapters in because I was reading the preview on my kindle. I decided I need a hardcopy of this book because of the great quotes and reminders I have already read. Have any of you read this book? How do you like it?

Dinner the first night was absolutely amazing. We went to a Thai restaurant called Lotus of Siam that was off of the strip. Their menu was like the Cheesecake Factory's. The flipping of pages never ended. Somehow, we all decided on a dish and did the whole dinner "family style".

A whole bunch of veggies, protein, and delicious sauces over steamed rice. This was the best Thai food I have had since being in Thailand. It was so authentic and tasted like it came right from the kitchens in Thailand. I am somewhat convinced that they had super fast shipping and a restaurant in Thailand cooked up our meal then sent it over to Las Vegas. I donno… could be possible… right?

This is what my plate ended up looking like! I promise there is rice under there :) My favorite of all the dishes was definitely the Pad See Ew. I used to be terrified of this dish because of the sauce and noodle calorie count (dumb, I know) but I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn't even worry about those stupid calories. After our dinner we walked the strip and went in and out of all the humongous and ridiculously fancy palaces hotels. We stopped for gelato at the Aria but I failed to take a picture because we ate it so quickly! Our favorite part of the strip after that night was the Aria property. It was so futuristic and pretty quiet compared to all the other hotels. I think it was a little quieter because it is so fancy and a little more pricey than everywhere else. My mom is set on staying there next time we visit.

The next day, after my brother had left town to meet friends in California, my mom, dad, and I drove to the outskirts of Las Vegas to Red Rock Canyon to get some hiking (and more sunshine) in. It was so nice to get out of the city scene and be surrounded by rocks, blue skies, and just… nature! I love hiking more than a lot of things in life so this day was perfect :) We even picked up rocks and used them as weights to get an upper body workout WHILE hiking! About halfway through one of the hikes, all of our stomachs were growling so I pulled out the infamous Quest Bars! My parents went gaga over them… My dad even kept saying, "Hey Ali! Quest me!"… Whatever that means.

We even had a photo shoot with some Quest Bars. Isn't my dad ripped?! He is such a goof too.

After the hike we got some lunch at Cafe Rio and were back at the hotel to shower and get ready for our night. For dinner we went to an amazing French Steakhouse at The Paris. It was called Mon Ami Gabi. Our waiter was amazing. He was so willing to change items on the menu to satisfy my not-so-accepting-lactose-tummy. I ended up getting the chicken paillard that was served with root vegetables and arugula.

Classic "Steakhouse lighting" on that picture… but oh boy was the dish de-lish! My mom got some sort of fish that was smothered in capers so I was not really a fan of that. Capers are not my thing. Yuck. I don't know what it is but I can't stand them. My dad got steak covered in caramelized onions and a red wine sauce. I had a generous amount of his food.

Our bellies were completely satisfied (almost too satisfied) after dinner and we were ready to walk the strip again! We went across the street and watched The Bellagio fountain show.

It was so mesmerizing. I wanted to stand on top of one of the water shoots and go flying up with the water as it shot up. How fun would that be? I feel something like that has happened on a Spongebob episode before. 

Of course we had to get a selfie with the beautiful Bellagio building. How cute are my parents? They're into the whole "selfie nation" thing right now… you should see the pictures (and videos) my dad sends me. He makes me laugh so hard.

Then we went in The Bellagio and straight to the patisserie where they have the worlds tallest chocolate fountain. Isn't it pretty? I was about ready to start quoting Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Or break the glass and let the chocolatey goodness flow down my gullet. Haha. 

We had enough chocolate viewing and proceeded to the humongous green/flower house in The Bellagio (don't forget this is all INSIDE the hotel… quite EXCESSive) to see all the pretty flower arrangements and introduce our noses to a scent other than cigarette smoke. This was gorgeous. But I think there was some sort of sleep drug being exhaled by those flowers because we were ready to snooze right once we walked out of the flower room. To our hotel we went.

The next day my dad left for home because he had to get back to work so it was down to my mom and I. We decided to sleep in until 11:30! WHAT! I don't remember the last time I slept that long. I was feeling pretty drudge-y waking up that late and the last thing I wanted to do was work out. But my mom got my butt in gear with a cup of coffee and to the gym we went.

What the heck was I thinking, not working out?! I forgot how much I love that sh*t! My kind of drugs are endorphins. An endorphin high cannot compare to anything. Does anyone else feel that way? Just me? You all would rather do real drugs? Haha. Kidding. After this awesome burn I fueled up with food from our hotel cafe:

An eggwhite skillet. In the bottom of the pan were roasted potatoes. Topped with scrambled egg whites, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions and mushrooms, turkey bacon, and avocado. Whole wheat toast, fruit, and coffee on the side. Woo-wee. It was good.

For the remainder of the day (even though it was already 2 since we slept in so late) my mom and I soaked up the sun at the pool and debated where we should go for dinner. Putting two total foodies together and trying to make a decision on dinner is quite a difficult task. After awhile we finally decided. We went to the room, cleaned up, and were on our way to Todd English Pub at the Aria. I was a little skeptical going here… but after the first smell bite of my dinner I was in complete heaven.

Again… lighting not so great… but the food. Very veggie. Much yum. So bread-y. Honest to goodness the best portobello burger I have ever had (and I have had a lot of porto burgers!). Two balsamic marinated portobello mushroom caps, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions and zucchinis, lettuce, tomatoes, and a garlic aioli all sandwiched between a toasted seven grain bun. Oomf. On the side were pickled vegetable and my mom and I shared grilled asparagus. That asparagus was perfect too. I was a happy Ali after this meal. My mom and I walked around in the Aria for a bit and then through the shops in The Bellagio and Caesar's Palace. By 10, we were ready for bed.

We had a great sleep after our pub food and woke up ready to take on our 7-hour drive home. But first we had to fuel up! A lot of you suggested we go to Hash House A Go Go and that we did! Wow is all I can say. That place is amazing! The plates they were bringing out were unbelievable. Their most famous plate was obviously the fried chicken and waffles. Two fried chicken pieces and four waffles. Can you say EXCESSive? It was crazy. My mom and I kept it simple and got the roasted chicken hash with asparagus, mushrooms, and peppers and then the huge bowl of oatmeal with fruit galore.

It was a great meal. Thank you everyone for the awesome suggestion! My mom and I were eager to get on the road and back home to our routined and not-so-excessive lives at home! So just like that… we were off and out of Las Vexcess!

The drive was long, but with music bumping and a huge costco bag of carrots, we kept ourselves busy. Seven hours later, we were home! Home sweet home! I opened my bedroom door to a great home-warming package from Akiva over at The Cookie Department.

Look at all those cookies! I dug into one right when I opened the package… more to come on those soon. I will be doing a full review as soon as I try each one!

I hope you all enjoyed your past weekend and week. Can you believe tomorrow is already Friday?! I better get out of EXCESS land and get some homework done!