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The Clean-Eater’s Breakfast

I was going to title this “The Bodybuilder’s Breakfast,” but I was worried that would scare too many people off. As in they would see my head on Arnold’s body. Bodybuilding is just creating a toned and muscular body! But that aside…if you want to do some clean eating, here’s an easy way to start your day. I have this most days out of the week. It keeps me full for a long period of time and it satisfies my taste buds. Oatmeal and hard-boiled egg whites. Pretty common ingredients. Simple, nutritious, delicious

I always put hot sauce on my eggs...you could call me obsessed

I always put hot sauce on my eggs…you could call me obsessed

Oatmeal is such a foundation for creativity!

Oatmeal is such a foundation for creativity!

Clean-Eater's Breakfast
Serves 1
A great way to start the day, full of nutrition and satisfaction
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Cook Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup water
  2. 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats (however you can use any kind, it will just take longer)
  3. raisins
  4. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  5. anything else you want to add- bananas, nuts, other dried fruit, maple syrup, etc
  6. 3 hard-boiled eggs
Instructions
  1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil
  2. Take your hard boiled eggs and delicately peel the white off and drop in a bowl
  3. Add any hot sauce you want to the eggs and cut them up with your fork
  4. Once the water for the oatmeal boils, stir in the oats
  5. Soon after, put in the cinnamon, raisins, and any other additions you would like
Notes
  1. Hard-boil the eggs beforehand to make it a super quick breakfast
hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/
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You can spiff up the oatmeal all you want. While I was in contest prep, I just had cinnamon in it to limit my sugars, but you can go wild with it! In college, we used to put the weirdest things in. Hey, it’s fun! This breakfast is sure to provide long-lasting satisfaction with no guilt involved. Eat clean to stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

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Top 25 Video Game Countdown!

This has been a big deal in the making for a long time! Here at Hungry & Fit we support a healthy lifestyle. This usually includes exercising, eating properly, and being happy. If animals, movies, and video games make you happy, then you need to incorporate those into your life. As major nerds, one of our goals is to make our fellow nerds all over the world healthier! That is why we have so many nerdy posts! We want to attract nerds to our site so they can learn more about being healthy without giving up any television or video games!

"Move along, move along"

Fit at Comic Con 2013

Last year at Comic Con, some people in line made a comment about us because we weren’t wearing a ton of clothes. They said something along the lines of “and then you have people like that who come.” I’d imagine they were thinking we aren’t really nerds because we’re fit, but then I named the cosplay of every person in line and I bet there were not many people there who also could! So with that being said, I would like to introduce our new weekly countdown. For the next twenty-six Thursdays, we will be introducing you to our gaming brain trust and counting down each person’s top 25 video games of all time.

There are no complicated calculations or point systems, it’s completely subjective and is based on favoritism, not strictly game quality. There will be five of us and in my opinion we all grew up in the Golden Age of Gaming. We’re all a little bit similar and little different. And every week we will each give you an entry, in order from number 25 to our GOAT (greatest of all time), with a description of why it made the list and a favorite screen shot. I am sure there will be a lot of similar entries, but will they fall on the same place on the list? 

Doing a little gaming with Nymeria

Doing a little gaming with Nymeria

So next Thursday, you will be introduced to the H&F Gaming Brain Trust. And no, for all the real nerds, we don’t play a lot of Madden or CoD. I would never let anyone like that on the list. UNLESS they played every JRPG as well! (^-^) So keep your eyes peeled if you want to keep track of the countdown. At the very least, I can promise you over a hundred recommendations for some amazing games that need to be played!

See you next Thursday! Stay hungry and fit while gaming all you want!

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Mind Over Matter

This is a guest post by Eva McElwain Tucci AKA Gammianne and mom to Hungry
 
How many times have you heard the saying mind over matter?  When you are an exerciser, in time, working out becomes as essential as breathing and eating (and you can eat more when you work out which is a bonus point)
 
As stated in a previous post, I started exercising when I was 15 years old. I went through the Jane Fonda era …yes I had matching leotards, leg warmers, jazz shoes and the Jane Fonda album (yes I said album–those round discs we would play on a turntable) . I am relatively certain that Hungry remembers the Buns of Steel, Abs of Steel VHS that I used to work out to.
Sunbathing with the kiddos

Sunbathing with the kiddos

 
Back in the day, I would often work out three hours a dayAerobic Classes, Spinning and Weight lifting comprised the bulk of that workout ..oh and at least twenty five minutes of ab work a day. This served me well through three children by the way as my stomach is still as flat as a 20 year old due to all that time spent (downside to strong abs …babies don’t drop very quickly during birth but giving birth is always worth the effort).
 
I loved working out. I am wearing the same jeans I was wearing ten years ago …bonus as I have too many clothes to bother with multiple sizes . I weigh the same as I did when I was 20 as well (admittedly it may not be in the same place. I call this shape shifting). 
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I started heavy duty on the aerobics when I was diagnosed with very high cholesterol levels while still in my twenties. I tried the low fat diet but diet is a four letter after all and that was not working for me as I LOVE TO EAT. I had read an article that aerobic exercise increased the HDL’s (good cholesterol) in your system and therefore lowers the overall ratio of your cholesterol. I actually managed to bring my levels from a  ratio of 6 to less than 3 over a period of twenty years.
 
In 2008, I suffered a serious cervical spinal cord injury and was unable to continue many of the exercises, duration or levels that I had previously performed. Aerobics were out of the question due to compression on the spine. I was limited to use of the elliptical, the bike , leg weights and have been in physical therapy for seven years for my neck and arms.  Prior to that, I was considered to be pretty “ripped”.
My daughter, granddaughter, and I

My daughter, granddaughter, and I

 
There are days that I feel wobbly, off-balance , tired and in pain but I keep trucking to the gym (at off times with all the other 90 year olds). Just kidding, I am only 54 …I just feel like I am 90 and the 90 years olds do give me moment’s of pause because I do not want them to fall over on me and hit my neck. I try to always stay conscious of my environment as personal trainers may be tossing balls around with clients and I stay out of harms way. So my answer is go when it is quiet but keep going.
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Even though I am suffering a disability, there is not one of my doctors who tells me to discontinue. My body is riddled with arthritis from various accidents and a genetic predisposition and they tell me to keep moving or I will get stiffen up. I was recently away for three months which is the longest time in all these years that I have been without a gym. If anyone read my previous post, they know this was a dastardly winter and I made do with the elliptical and walking in the snow as much as I could. 
 
I am back at the gym and starting over. When I saw my neurologist recently, that was the first thing he advised me to do. Plus, I still eat whatever I want, whenever I want (yea ..some people hate me for that). Remember, mind over matter and never give up. And as always, stay hungry and fit!
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Chocolate Spinach Brownies

The first thing my dad said when I told him I made spinach brownies was “Eeew!” almost exactly. And I don’t blame him. Spinach…and chocolate…? It sounds like a weird combo, but it works. I wanted to make some sort of healthy treat for our management meeting today, and I remembered a recipe that I had bookmarked from Brooklyn Farm Girl. Perfect! Plenty of chocolate without the guilt. Now, that is something I can get behind. Especially after the cleanse, I’m trying to be good and stick to my macros (post on that coming later this week).

Whisk that mixture!

Whisk that mixture!

The dry mixture you stir into the wet...

The dry mixture you stir into the wet…

To put in the oven for 30-ish minutes

To put in the oven for 30-ish minutes

To come out like this

To come out like this

CHOMP

CHOMP

Things got a little weird in the kitchen...

Things got a little weird in the kitchen…

  • Chocolate Spinach Brownies
    A healthy version of the traditional brownie
    Write a review
    Print
    Prep Time
    15 min
    Cook Time
    33 min
    Prep Time
    15 min
    Cook Time
    33 min
    Ingredients
    1. 1/2 cup regular flour
    2. 1/2 cup cocoa powder
    3. 1 cup pureed spinach
    4. 1/4 cup melted butter
    5. 3/8 cup (little less than half) regular sugar
    6. 3/8 cup brown sugar
    7. 2 tsp vanilla
    8. 1/2 cup melted chocolate chips
    9. 1/3 cup chocolate chips
    10. 1/2 tsp baking powder
    Instructions
    1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease up a 8x8 (or a cake tin) pan
    2. Puree the spinach in a blender or food processor, using a few tablespoons of water
    3. Mix the melted butter with the regular sugar and brown sugar
    4. Melt the chocolate chips and mix into the butter/sugar mixture
    5. Mix in the spinach puree and the vanilla extract into the buttery sugary mix
    6. In a smaller bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, or cocoa powder
    7. Slowly, add the dry mix to the wet until it's all in
    8. Fold in the non-melted chocolate chips into the mixture
    9. Put in the oven for 30-35 minutes and let cool
    Adapted from Brooklyn Farm Girl
    hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

 Mine didn’t turn out as fluffy as I had intended because first off, I didn’t have as much spinach as I needed and second, I accidentally omitted the baking powder. OOPS! Hey no worries, they still taste divine. They’re my little short adorable brownies and I love them. Play around with the recipe and have fun! Bake spinach brownies to stay hungry and fit! 

BONUS KITTY PIC

Cuties

Cuties

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3-Day Kaeng Raeng Cleanse Giveaway

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kaeng Raeng. All opinions are 100% mine.

Finally, finally! I’ve found a cleanse that is actually enjoyable. I’ve been through enough research and self-experimentation to know that there are many not-so-pleasant cleanses out there. Whether they are fasts or just horrible poop-your-pants cleanses, they don’t make the process easy. Enter Kaeng Raeng, my new favorite cleanse of them all.

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This cleanse is just three days of wonderful smoothies. There is no starvation, no unnatural ingredientsno caloric deficiency. I really appreciated that. For some cleanses, you aren’t exactly sure what’s in them. For Kaeng Raeng, it’s all freeze-dried fruit made into powder that you can mix into juice or blend for a smoothie. The scariest ingredient is probably the “L. Acidophilius blend,” but that’s just probiotics to make your gut happier! Plus, you get your full serving of all major vitamins while you drink the smoothies.

It actually tastes good. No, I’m not lying. How can fruit not taste good? Chris even liked it (he had a small sip)! There are some cleanses where I seriously struggled with. Some I had to try a million different ways just to get it down my throat. Not with this one. With Kaeng Raeng, I looked forward to each and every smoothie. And that’s how I made them: into smoothies. It was quick enough where I could just throw some frozen fruit, water, almond milk and the cleanse packet into the blender and drink it at home or on-the-go! So easy to make! It was so easy to make it into the smoothie I wanted without “cheating.”

"Joyful"

“Joyful”

I feel like Kaeng Raeng is a cleanse for your everday person. Have you ever been around me when I’m hungry (more like hangry)? It’s not pretty. Kaeng Raeng cleanses allow you to eat any raw fruits or veggies in between your smoothies. I was a happy girl. It’s simply not realistic or sustainable for me to do a cleanse where I can’t eat close to my normal caloric intake. It’s not going to last and it’s going to leave a bad taste in my mouth….literally (I’ll be here all night)!

"Daybreak"

“Daybreak”

For me I usually had the “Daybreak” packet in the morning which includes mango, peach, and pineapple. Lunch was the “Joyful” packet containing strawberry, raspberry, and pineapple. And finally for dinner, I had the “Into the Blue” with banana and blueberry. Like I said earlier, these are yummy. Kinda like going to a smoothie place without all the unnatural ingredients. My favorite was probably the “Joyful” which was perfect because I had something to keep me going for the rest of the day.

There are a few different levels of this cleanse and if you are unsure of where you place at, just take this quiz to find out. Another big plus about this cleanse is that they are so animal-friendly that a portion of each sale goes to animal protection organizations. As animal lovers, that is a big plus. You can buy Kaeng Raeng on Amazon for a very reasonable price. If you leave a review on Amazon, you can get 15% off your next order! The cleanse can also be found at select Whole Foods Markets as well, so call your local store to find out. Kaeng Raeng will definitely be my go-to cleanse from now on, and I urge you to try it. After the third day, I no longer had my normal cravings which was really really nice.

"Into the Blue"

“Into the Blue”

Lucky for you, we are hosting a giveaway! We’re giving away one swag bag to a reader. Just comment why YOU want to try a vegan cleanse. For an optional entry, Like Kaeng Raeng on Facebook.Can’t wait? You can use the code “KRCleanseMT10” for 10% off your order at Kaeng Raeng. This code expires on 4/25/14. Use Kaeng Raeng cleanses to stay hungry and fit!

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Something is Better Than Nothing

Sometimes it’s tough to get a workout in. It could be a number of things that prevent you from getting to that workout. Maybe you just don’t have enough hours in the day. Maybe you had a bad day and your energy is drained. Maybe you have time but other people or commitments are stopping you. These are all things we may be able to get around. But remember, something is better than nothing.

Don’t feel mad at yourself because you didn’t fit in your entire workout in, be appreciative that you at least got that activity in. Things will prevent you from doing everything you want to do and that’s just life. That doesn’t mean we hang our heads in defeat. We still did something. From a trainer’s perspective, that’s huge. A few minutes of activity can be the make or break deal for losing weight, keeping your heart healthy, or defeating the threat of diabetes. Seriously. 

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Find some motivation that you stepped out the doors and onto the pavement for a walk instead of cramming lunch into your desk. Find some happiness in the fact that at least you got ten minutes on the elliptical instead of none. Find some inspiration that you at least hit most of the shoulder muscle groups instead of all. Find joy in the fact that your dog is now happier that you two enjoyed exercise together. Find a smile after you get ten minutes of interval bike training in instead of your planned thirty.

The bottom line is to stay positive. You at least did something. Your body will be grateful for that. I struggle with this too–not getting my full workout or what I planned. But hey, life happens sometimes and you gotta improvise. Try to take the positives out of each situation, each moment of exercise even though it may be small. That’s the best way to stay hungry and fit!

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Reasons to Be Excited for Spring

Yes! Spring is here! Although not all states in the country feel this way, fear not, for you know that it is at least on its way, even if it is lagging. Here are a few reasons WE are excited for Spring…

Enjoying some Spring weather after a run

Enjoying some Spring weather after a run

  • Warmer weather (definitely more me than Hungry)
  • Pretty flowers
  • Gardening and planting at our YMCA farm
  • Outside runs
  • Outside playground workouts
  • Obstacle Races (Spartan Sprint, here we come!)
  • Swimming outside
  • Hiking 
  • BBQ pool parties
  • Family visiting (YAY!!)
  • First time camping 
  • Humane Society of Boulder Valley Gala
  • Sunbathing
  • Farmer’s Market 
  • Longer walks

And those are just a few! Cheers for Spring! Use this season to stay hungry and fit!

My pretty Mum at a Spring wedding...

My pretty Mum at a Spring wedding…

  • Question of the Day: Why are YOU excited for Spring?

BONUS KITTY PIC

Adorable

Adorable

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Just Do You

Every day we hit the gym, there’s the same old people–the regulars, as you might call them. And they’re doing their thing, rockin’ their usual workouts or keeping up an inspiring routine. We smile and wave our talk about our goals. We help each other on sets and thank each other. It’s a good relationship. However, this post isn’t really about us “regulars.” It’s about the brave ones. 

Rockin' my new shoes

Rockin’ my new shoes

The brave ones? We’re talking about going to the gym, right? Yes, so I may sound a little odd or dramatic, but I speak the word brave in the full meaning of the word. I am talking about the “new” people to the gym. Whether it’s an overweight person, a girl braving the weight room, or just plain new in the gym, we respect the hell out of you. The gym is pretty damn scary the first time around. You think everyone is staring you down, judging you, making fun of you, but they aren’t. I can speak for a large part of the fitness community that we have deep down respect for you being brave enough to get your foot through the door.

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That you have the guts to hire a trainer because you can admit you need help with your goals. That no matter what your body type, you’re going to come into the gym to do your workout and you’re going to have a smile doing it. Honestly, seeing these people can be the highlight of my workout. No joke. I literally feel a surge of pride seeing them, so proud that they are here to get a workout in and they are facing their fears. Mad respect. Completely.

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So here’s to you. Facing your fears and stepping into the gym to tackle your journey for health. We of the fitness community raise our glass to you and serve you some serious respect. Just do YOU, be yourself, and have confidence in what you’re doing. And know that we others seriously respect how hard you’re working. You inspire us.  As always…stay hungry and fit!

  •  Question of the Day: What inspires you at the gym?

BONUS KITTY PIC

Sajah being absolutely adorable

Sajah being absolutely adorable

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A Thought on Modern Yoga Teachers

Disclaimer: This is by no means a “hating” post, simply an observation on modern yoga teachers from my few years of experience. I think everyone has a right to teach how they would like to and I impart no ill will to anyone.

This post was inspired by a recent experience waiting for a Yoga class at a local YMCA (not the one I work at). I walked a nice 15-minute sunny walk from home to arrive roughly ten minutes before class opened up. As I was sitting, taking my shoes off and waiting, there were two people having a conversation very close. I assumed that at least one was taking the Yoga class, too, because he had a yoga mat tucked underneath his arm. The woman he was speaking to had a Louis Vuitton bag tucked under her arm. Long story short, as we all shuffled into the Yoga room, I realized that this woman was the instructor. I was baffled. That, among other things, left me distracted the entire class.

You may think I am being judgmental. And you’re probably right. It’s just that these instances bother me as they take away from what I truly believe Yoga to be. Another yoga class I attended a few months back had me counting down the minutes as well. Although the instructor had a fun, bubbly personality, everything was for the wrong reason. She reminded us to get some “cardio” after class as Yoga was not sufficient for that. I left shaking my head, wondering What?! 

I know it’s obvious that Americanized yoga pulls toward getting a workout in nowadays. That instructors of almost every class I attend want to push you into that head or handstand even if you’re new. That yoga teachers are churned out like personal trainers (don’t get me started on that one, either). “Yoga” means balance and there is a lot to that meaning that I don’t believe instructors are teaching to. Of course they teach the physical balance, but it surpasses that by far. I took a course on Yoga in college that was very instrumental to my understanding of it. My professor didn’t have us jumping into handstands right away (much to our naive disappointment), but instead we started with the philosophy of it, to truly understand it. She is the reason I practice meditation every day. I feel like most yoga instructors have lost that foundation of Yoga or at least it isn’t translated in their classes.

My exceedingly high expectations for Yoga instructors could probably be blamed on Jasmine Lieb, who played the role of a second mother from my birth. She is a Yoga Master, studying with the teacher who basically introduced yoga to America. Just read this and this on her to get an idea of how she leads her classes. Without even realizing it, I was surrounded by true-to-the-roots yoga instruction growing up. I distinctly remember playing with my action figures on a yoga mat while Jas taught a class, looking after me.

 

We go to the Lieb’s for almost every holiday and I will see her at least twice while I am home. At these holiday get-togethers (parties sound too trivial), I will see Jas’ yoga students of years and years who have grown into very close friends. This is because Jasmine teaches yoga as a pathway to open up. Your body, your mind, your heart. It’s not about burning those 300 calories, it’s about understanding your body in a welcoming, comfortable way. It’s about rehabilitation, realization, and balance. One time when I was home, I attended one of Jas’ class that my dad attends every Saturday, expecting a laid-back easy class for older folks (since it focuses on rehabilitation). Boy was I wrong. Even though we never got off the mat, it was one of the hardest classes I’ve ever taken. Especially because Jas knows my body well so she wanted me to realize how my hips were so very off which affected my entire alignment. I felt great afterwards, but it was extremely difficult to try to balance and align my body.

This may have turned into an “I love Jas post” but I’m not surprised. Since a young age, Jas has taught me the meaning of humility, kindness, and unconditional love. She has been a truly positive role model throughout my development. I don’t think I’ve truly realized how amazing Jas is as an instructor until now (I’ve always been lucky enough to be spoiled by her wonderful personality, though). And that comes from experiencing other instructors who I just don’t find the true yogic spirit in.  Maybe it’s because of the attendants who expect a certain thing, who knows. All I know is that Jas lives the principles of Yoga. She doesn’t just show up to teach a class and then switch off into a fashionista or a hard-ass egocentric. And I certainly don’t mean to say that there are no true-to-Yoga teachers left, in fact I recently attended a wonderful class that helped me completely focus on the inner me. It’s just that the majority of instructors nowadays don’t quite hit what I’m looking for. The true meaning of yoga–balance. 

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Noke could use some understanding of yogic principles when it comes to food

Noke could use some understanding of yogic principles when it comes to food

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Silk Helps us Stay Hungry and Fit!

Every single day we are growing. Growing into the people we want to be, growing into an ideal, or simply just growing. Sometimes people grow in an opposite direction of what they intended. And what’s relevant to me in this story is fitness. Some people grow into bodies that don’t feel like theirs. They are unhealthy, sluggish, and ultimately unhappy. This is quite the opposite of blooming into the person you want to be. It’s not always easy to bloom by yourself, so it’s nice to have tools and products that help you do so.

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People are shocked when they hear that Hungry and I can get into slumps, especially around fitness and eating. People see us as fit people. And we are…but it’s hard to stay on track 24/7. I’ve always been into athletics and fitness, but it hasn’t always been my central passion. In the first two years of college, you’re surrounded by food you usually aren’t. My family meals at home usually consisted of a protein, a carb, and lots of greens. We were always healthy. But at the college cafeteria, you could get pizza, french fries, french toast sticks, and the list goes on. So of course, (as my roommate and I cringe at this memory), we shovel all that stuff down. Now, of course, it wasn’t like that every day, and we did still eat relatively healthy and workout, but it was getting to me. Not necessarily just in weight or anything, but also the way I felt. I felt sluggish and blah and it certainly didn’t help my mood.

At the beginning of junior year in college, I decided to go vegetarian (or weird-a-tarian, I’ll only eat hunted or wild caught meat/fish) and take back my fitness. Sure, in the first two years I still did workouts and intramural sports, but I never dedicated enough time to it. It was time to take my life back to a healthy place and bloom! It’s funny because I specifically remember starting to use Silk milk in my morning cold and hot cereal. I would always go for the “blue” (as we would call it, it’s actually called Silk Vanilla Soymilk) Silk soymilk and it would leave me feeling good and refreshed. It wasn’t too thick so I didn’t feel tied down. From that point on, I have been in control of my fitness, my body, and my mind (because a healthy body is important for a healthy mind). Quite simply, Silk has helped me bloom into my role of “Fit.”

Mixing Silk Vanilla Unsweetened Almondmilk is way too delicious with cereal

Mixing Silk Vanilla Unsweetened Almondmilk is way too delicious with cereal

Continually working on my pull-ups

Continually working on my pull-ups

Nowadays, I like to stick to the Silk Unsweetened Almondmilk. I love the taste of it, the amount of calories, grams of sugar, and the silky lightness to it. I used to drink regular dairy milk, but now there is alwaysSilk Almondmilk in our fridge because that’s my go-to. Don’t tell Hungry, but sometimes I will drink it out of the carton (naughty girl! I can hear my mum saying)! It has become a staple in my recipes and in my life and I appreciate it every day I can glug down a glass or two without any guilt. Look below for some killer recipes that use Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk.

Recipes using Silk Unsweetened Almondmilk

Those recipes are delicious and with using that Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almondmilk, they are nutritious too. Phew, I love not having to worry about that. Using Silk products like this really helps me bloom into the person I am today. I can still eat and drink what I want while keeping a Spartan-like physique (just kidding, but that’s my eventual goal). I am thankful Silk has played a positive role in my life. Now it’s YOUR turn.

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Sign-up for Silk’s newsletter and you can get a $0.75 coupon on your next Silk half-gallon product. On registering, you have monthly chances of winning a year’s supply of Silk milk, Silk sweepstakes and promotions, and more. Just sign up here. Share your thoughts below! And share your Silk story with us! Use Silk to help you bloom into a hungry and fit beast!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine. Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.

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