Some protein balls and half marathon tips...

When you are training you need all the protein you can get. When you aren't training you still need plenty of protein, but especially if you are one to workout or do high intensity sports or exercise. So today I made these yummalicious quinoa protein balls...

They are high in protein and are a yummy, high energy snack. Especially good for when you get the 3 o clock sugar cravings like I do.

Here is the recipe for you:

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2/3 cup water
• 16 whole pitted dates
• ½ cup raw almonds
• 1/3 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (can omit if you want to cut calories or add raisons)

Directions

1. Place quinoa and water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and leave to sit for at least two hours in the fridge – you can also leave it overnight.
2. Pulse the dates in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse again and then add the quinoa mixture and peanut butter and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped into each other and thoroughly combined.
3. Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Roll the mixture into 12 balls and chill until firm.

Recipe makes 12 balls. Calories per serving (ball): 135, fat per serving (ball): 6.5g, protein per ball 6.9g
- See more at: http://www.losebabyweight.com.au/nutty-quinoa-protein-ball-recipe/#sthash.tAJIoXk4.dpuf

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup quinoa
2/3 cup water
16 whole pitted dates
1/2 cup raw almonds (I used toasted)
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter (with no added sugar)
1/4 cup chocolate chips (or you could substitute with another type of dried fruit like craisins, raisins, apricots etc.)

Method:

1. Put quinoa and water in a pot and bring to the boil. Gently simmer for around 15 mins until all water is absorbed. Set aside in fridge to cool for at least two hours (can leave overnight). 
2. pulse dates in a food processor until finely chopped. Add almonds and pulse some more. Add quinoa and Peanut Butter and pulse again to until thoroughly mixed. 
3. Stir through the chocolate chips. Roll into 12 balls and chill until firm.

Viola! A delicious, quick and easy high protein snack. Each ball has 6.9g protein. YUM! 

1. Place quinoa and water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and leave to sit for at least two hours in the fridge – you can also leave it overnight.
2. Pulse the dates in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse again and then add the quinoa mixture and peanut butter and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped into each other and thoroughly combined.
3. Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Roll the mixture into 12 balls and chill until firm.

Recipe makes 12 balls. Calories per serving (ball): 135, fat per serving (ball): 6.5g, protein per ball 6.9
- See more at: http://www.losebabyweight.com.au/nutty-quinoa-protein-ball-recipe/#sthash.tAJIoXk4.dpuf

Today I was reading this article here about training for a half marathon. There were a few really great tips in it that I thought I would share with you...

The First-Timer
Tip: Go slow
You want to do nearly all your runs at a comfortable, conversational pace, and finish each run feeling like you have the energy – and the desire – to run another kilometre. The biggest mistake first-timers make is running too many kilometres, too fast, too soon, and that is a recipe for injury and burnout. “If at the end of your run, you’re gasping for air, in pain, then you’re going too fast,” says Janet Hamilton, coach and exercise physiologist (runningstrong.com). “I see too many people get too carried away in the beginning,” says Yasso. “Then they get hurt and end up watching the race instead of running it.”

The Returning Runner
Tip: Adjust your expectations
If you are returning from an injury, a long layoff, or a life- (and body-) changing event like having a baby, you are a different runner now. How long it will take to regain fitness depends on a number of factors, including how long you’ve been sidelined and what kind of exercise you’ve been able to do while you haven’t been running. If you attempt to log the kilometres or hit the paces you did before your break from running, you could end up hurt, burned out and disappointed. “You’ve got to start where you are now,” says Yasso. “You will get back to where you were. It just takes time.”

The Time-Seeker
Tip: Know your pace
Runners aiming to break one of these popular time goals should have completed at least one half-marathon and have already developed a good base of mileage and endurance. Now you need to develop a laser-sharp sense of race pace, says Hamilton. Start by running 800 metres at goal race pace, checking your pace as you go. Once you can nail that half-marathon pace within a few seconds without looking at your watch, move on to kilometre repeats at goal race pace. Start with 4 x 1 kilometre at half-marathon pace, jogging for 800 to recover between each repeat. Then build up to running two, three, and four kilometres at half-marathon pace, sandwiched by two kilometres of easy running to warm up, and two kilometres of easy running to cool down.

I am the returning runner, returning to running after having a baby, and have definitely realised that things are not the same as they were before having a baby. I am loving getting back into the running but definitely need to listen to my body a lot more and take it a little easier.

I have applied this tip to my marathon training which officially starts in 2 weeks and 4 days... EEK! I really wanted my third marathon (this one) to be a sub 4, however I don't think that I should have that goal since it's my first run back after having had a baby. My goal for this race will just be to run it and run it well, then I can look at the sub 4 for my next marathon I think.

Do you have a favourite high protein snack?

Which of these three runners are you (no matter what distance you may be training for)?

1.  

1. Place quinoa and water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and leave to sit for at least two hours in the fridge – you can also leave it overnight.
2. Pulse the dates in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse again and then add the quinoa mixture and peanut butter and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped into each other and thoroughly combined.
3. Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Roll the mixture into 12 balls and chill until firm.

Recipe makes 12 balls. Calories per serving (ball): 135, fat per serving (ball): 6.5g, protein per ball 6.9
- See more at: http://www.losebabyweight.com.au/nutty-quinoa-protein-ball-recipe/#sthash.tAJIoXk4.dpuf

29th
Aug

Nutty Quinoa Protein Ball Recipe

• 
  
• 155

Making your own protein snacks is a great way to save money as well as know exactly what is going into your protein and healthy eating snack.
Last week we brought you chickpea and chocolate chip protein cookies and this week we have gone for a nutty quinoa protein ball – we hope you enjoy!
We have also used dates in this protein snack recipe as they are super sweet, and are a brilliant way to make foods sweet without adding sugar, plus the quinoa is packed with protein.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2/3 cup water
• 16 whole pitted dates
• ½ cup raw almonds
• 1/3 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (can omit if you want to cut calories or add raisons)

Directions

1. Place quinoa and water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and leave to sit for at least two hours in the fridge – you can also leave it overnight.
2. Pulse the dates in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse again and then add the quinoa mixture and peanut butter and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped into each other and thoroughly combined.
3. Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Roll the mixture into 12 balls and chill until firm.

Recipe makes 12 balls. Calories per serving (ball): 135, fat per serving (ball): 6.5g, protein per ball 6.9g

- See more at: http://www.losebabyweight.com.au/nutty-quinoa-protein-ball-recipe/#sthash.tAJIoXk4.dpuf

29th
Aug

Nutty Quinoa Protein Ball Recipe

• 
  
• 155

Making your own protein snacks is a great way to save money as well as know exactly what is going into your protein and healthy eating snack.
Last week we brought you chickpea and chocolate chip protein cookies and this week we have gone for a nutty quinoa protein ball – we hope you enjoy!
We have also used dates in this protein snack recipe as they are super sweet, and are a brilliant way to make foods sweet without adding sugar, plus the quinoa is packed with protein.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2/3 cup water
• 16 whole pitted dates
• ½ cup raw almonds
• 1/3 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (can omit if you want to cut calories or add raisons)

Directions

1. Place quinoa and water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and leave to sit for at least two hours in the fridge – you can also leave it overnight.
2. Pulse the dates in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse again and then add the quinoa mixture and peanut butter and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped into each other and thoroughly combined.
3. Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Roll the mixture into 12 balls and chill until firm.

Recipe makes 12 balls. Calories per serving (ball): 135, fat per serving (ball): 6.5g, protein per ball 6.9g

- See more at: http://www.losebabyweight.com.au/nutty-quinoa-protein-ball-recipe/#sthash.tAJIoXk4.dpuf

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2/3 cup water
• 16 whole pitted dates
• ½ cup raw almonds
• 1/3 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (can omit if you want to cut calories or add raisons)

Directions

1. Place quinoa and water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and leave to sit for at least two hours in the fridge – you can also leave it overnight.
2. Pulse the dates in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse again and then add the quinoa mixture and peanut butter and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped into each other and thoroughly combined.
3. Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Roll the mixture into 12 balls and chill until firm.

Recipe makes 12 balls. Calories per serving (ball): 135, fat per serving (ball): 6.5g, protein per ball 6.9g
- See more at: http://www.losebabyweight.com.au/nutty-quinoa-protein-ball-recipe/#sthash.tAJIoXk4.dpuf