Shakeology Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake

Some of my clients really love their shakes, and while I generally recommend whole foods and solid meals over shakes, I do understand that they have their benefits. They are convenient, easy, and can be tasty, filling, and satisfying to many people. Personally, a shake leaves me feeling like I still haven't eaten, so I only use them when I have to.

A good shake is pretty hard to find. You see plenty of protein powders on the market, but the list of bad guys is often much longer than the good guys where the ingredients are concerned. Soy predominates the 'ready to go' shake markets, unfortunately, but Shakeology is different! No soy!

While I'm primarily reviewing the chocolate one, today, know that they also have many other flavors, plus vegan varieties that also do not use soy protein, so kudos to them!

Shakeology Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake

What to get: A box of 24 convenient packets or a tub of 30 servings.

Where to get it: You can order it directly from Team Beachbody.

Why we approve: Gluten free, uses stevia as a sweetener, lots of vitamins, minerals, and 'superfoods.' No soy based protein powders. Delicious!

Nutrition: Calories, 140 per serving (can contains two servings), Total Fat 1g, Sodium 100mg, Carbohydrates 17g, Fiber 3g, Sugars 9g, Protein 17g

Preparation: I used 1 cup of water and 6 ice cubes. That's it. It was thick and rich and delicious. It was similar to a chocolate shake from a drive thru, only more rich and chocolate tasting.

Variations: Toss in a frozen banana or a good amount of coconut milk for more of a meal. I lean more toward adding extra healthy fat, but that's because people don't get enough fat. Add fat.

Chocolate & Tropical Strawberry (not reviewed in detail)

Cons: A little low in calories and very low in fat. It's enough to tide me over, but not a true meal replacement for me unless I have some nuts on the side, or add in something like coconut milk. However, if you eat meals or snacks every 2-3 hours then this could be perfect, as this is just enough to tide one over. A little gritty, but not too bad. Expensive, but if you truly replace a meal, particularly an unhealthy meal, it may be worth it for you for the convenience. '70 Healthy Ingredients' can make it hard if you find the culprit if you are sensitive to one or more of the ingredients. That doesn't make it bad bad, but it's something to keep in mind.

Pros:  The perfect 'tide me over' size snack. It says it contains over 70 Healthy Ingredients, so if you're looking for anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, and 'superfoods,' this is one stop shopping. The chocolate shake was thick and rich and delicious. It was similar to a dark chocolate shake from a drive thru. Gluten free. Vegan varieties are available, and from what I saw, they use primarily rice protein, which is preferable to soy. Convenient. Even drinkable with water and a shaker bottle only. Delicious.

Spinach, poached egg and cheese - 5 minutes to your plate

What to get: a bag of organic spinach, eggs, butter, cheddar cheese
Where to get it: your local supermarket or Trader Joes

5 minutes to a yummy dinner

I love tossing a few fresh ingredients in a pan and getting a delicious dinner in a matter of minutes. Sometimes Roland feels like having some meat, and I prefer to eat a lighter dinner, and last night was one of those nights. This meal also makes great breakfast, or a delicious stuffing for a lunch wrap or breakfast burrito. 

This is a super simple recipe for 1  :) To feed more, simply double, triple, etc, the suggested amounts:

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach
1 tbsp butter
1 egg
1 oz cheddar cheese
pepper to taste

To make, place the leaves with a few tbsp of water in a pan, and let them cook until the leaves have wilted. Add the butter, season with the pepper and stir. Add the cheddar cheese in small pieces, crack the egg on top and cover with a lid. Let it cook until the white has hardened completely.

Move to a plate, let it cool off and enjoy!

Portland fresh food grab and go

What to get: pineapple chicken,roasted mixed veggies, and quinoa salad
Where to get it: New Seasons Market, Portland  and other locations

This is our first guest post, and we thank our good friend, fitness trainer, Chris Bathke, for the contribution. Chris is a super busy guy, owner of the Elemental Fitness Lab, who has a super active lifestyle and has learned how to be a real meal survivor. While we were visiting him in Portland last year, we enjoyed the freshly made organic food at New Seasons Market and we were so happy that he chose to share one of his lunches with us. Whether you are recovering from a hard workout or looking for a meal to fuel your fat loss, New Seasons is the best place to get delicious cooked items, from salads and appetizers, to filling entrees and desserts.

Why we approve: the foods Chris chose were pineapple chicken, roasted veggies and a quinoa salad. This is a great option, rich in protein, complex carbs and fiber.

Preparation: none is necessary, just open the package and enjoy :)

Variations: Chris chose a complete lunch, but if you are watching your carb intake, skip the quinoa salad and stick with the pineapple chicken and veggies

Pros: quick, delicious and fast, rich in protein


Cons: it may cost you a bit more to pick up ready made foods at the market, compared to cooking them at home, but it's worth it for all the time it saves you.

For anyone who lives in Oregon, know we are jealous you have New Seasons Market.  Enjoy!

Kefir on the go

What to get: a bottle of plain Kefir
Where to get it: your local supermarket or Trader Joe's

This is the Lifeway brand, which has a nice zing to it!

What is it? a yogurt-type drink, result of natural fermentation


Why we approve: Kefir is an ancient fermented drink that provides protein, fats, carbohydrate and a modest amount of calories. One cup has 10-14 grams of protein depending on the brand and the thickness. Another really really cool thing is that due to the activity of the bacteria that turn milk into kefir, most lactose is almost entirely eliminated and it can be consumed even if you don't tolerate dairy very well.

Preparation: this is the ultimate on the go dairy product. Just open the cap, pour in a glass or enjoy directly from the bottle. Why share?

TIP: always buy full fat or reduced fat versions, stay away from non fat / zero fat.

make your own flavors with real ingredients at home, do not fall for the gazillion flavors at the store. get plain and upgrade it yourself.

 Variations:  I like Kefir on its own, but you can enhance the flavor by mixing it with fruit. Blend it with strawberries, blueberries or pomegranate. Yes, you can buy it flavored at the store, BUT that comes at the price of sweeteners and additives. No thank you! For a complete meal on the go you can pair some kefir with a fruit and nut bar, or a handful of nuts.

Trader Joes Kefir is very smooth and good for beginners. It's not too sour

Pros: tastes good, great source of protein, healthy for your digestive and immune system

Cons: can be a bit expensive, and some varieties may be way too sour; for some people just Kefir may not be enough of a meal, unless they combine it with other foods

Enjoy and be healthy!

Steamed lentils from Trader Joe's

What to get: Trader Joe's steamed lentils (salad section)
Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: lentils are filling, low in calories, high in protein and fiber and provide a cool plant source of iron. These are very easy to use, because they have already been steamed - that frees you from soaking, boiling, draining, etc. By all means feel free to do that when you are not in meal survivor mode, but when in a hurry these are a life savior.

Preparation: You can put these in a salad, in a dip, a soup, a stew, or make lentil burgers. Open the packet, stir and use as you like. I prepared two salads in a pinch. It's good to combine lentils with tomato or lemon juice, as that helps absorb the iron, so a meal with tomatoes is always great.

Tomato and feta cheese salad: mix lentils with crumbled feta, a chopped tomato, some fresh mint, a dash of ground cumin and olive oil. Stir well and enjoy cold. 

Sweet corn and tomato salad: mix lentils, cooked corn, chopped tomato, season with sea salt and black pepper, drizzle olive oil and enjoy!

Variations:You can use lentils in hummus instead of chickpeas or serve them alongside lamb, instead of beans in a burrito or in a soup. For the purpose of fat loss and maintenance, toss them in salads or eat when in a rush. Our friends Jo and Ashley make a really cool dip mixing the lentils, a container of fresh salsa and some feta cheese - you can get it all at Trader Joes and it makes a great dip for a party!

Pros: We love the taste and texture and they are very very convenient. Good source of protein and fiber! Great satiety!

Cons: It is still a mystery what natural flavor means. We will never find out. As with all prepackaged foods, stick to the best you can find and always make an effort to eat home meals cooked from scratch to compensate for those times when you have to be a meal survivor! 

Enjoy these! They rock!

Voskos Greek Yogurt + a strawberry parfait idea

What to get: a small box of Voskos plain greek yogurt, strawberries, stevia and vanilla from your pantry
Where to get it: your local supermarket chain

Why we approve: A serving of this yogurt provides a whooping 23 grams of protein. This particular one was low -fat, but feel free to go for a full fat version. The portion is self limiting. That means no going back to the tub to get second helpings and sabotage yourself. The ingredients are natural and there are no nasty thickeners and fillers.

Preparation: You can eat Greek yogurt on its own, with a handful of nuts or fruit, or use it to make dessert like I did. To make strawberry parfait, mix the yogurt with a few drops of vanilla extract and a small pinch of stevia. Beat it well until it mixes thoroughly. Top with strawberries.

Variations:You can use Greek yogurt to substitute for sour cream in your regular recipes, or you can use it to dip veggies and fruit. I sometimes throw it in a blender with some fruit and spices and make a smooth dessert. Peaches, bananas, pineapple, and berries, all work very very well!

Pros: This particular kind of Greek yogurt is very smooth and it's not bitter or tart like other varieties.

Cons: It can be more expensive than making your own at home. To do that, just place regular plain yogurt in a cheese cloth and let it strain for a few hours. 

 

Light string cheese

What to get: a package of light mozzarella string cheese
Where to get it: your local supermarket; we get ours at Target (Market Pantry) or Safeway

Why we approve: String cheese is just cheese packaged in a way you can take it with you where you go. It's the ultimate way to confront the drive through! At 8 grams of protein per serving it's a blessing for the active and busy person. The light version is a great choice if you are dieting, but please feel free to go full fat if you can allow the extra calories.

Preparation: Just tear open a packet and take out the string cheese. That's all.

Variations: You can have these as your main protein source, choosing 3-4 or 5 with lunch, or use them as a snack eating 1 or 2. Add them to 1-2 oz of nuts, or have them alongside a banana to build a complete meal. Here are our favorite combinations: string cheeese + walnuts + raisins; string cheese + almonds + banana, string cheese + 1/2 avocado + bell pepper; string cheese + apple.

Pros: Really, the only reason you want this is convenience and portability and it has both!

Cons: It is wrapped in plastic wrap and we want to minimize our exposure to wrapped packaged products. As with other meal survivor items, this is your alternative when you have no time at all. There are brands like THIS ONE, who claim that their string cheese is packaged in a BPA free wrap.

Enjoy!

Wholly Guacamole at Target

What to get: Wholly Guacamole, box of six 2oz packets (also available as one large family size packet)

Where to get it: Target Stores (and Fresh & Easy, too).

Each box contains six of these packets

Why we approve: Guacamole is almost pure avocado, and super healthy. Guacamole makes almost anything taste better, including leftover chicken and raw veggies!

Preparation: Just tear open a packet and squeeze the guac onto your food or plate.  

Variations: Great on meat, chicken, veggies, or eggs. It takes everything to the next level. Guacamole should be enjoyed with breakfast foods, lunch foods, snack foods, and dinner foods!

Pros: Avocado is a practically a superfood. A measured amount means controlling portions and calories is easy. Vacuum sealed packets keep it fresh and green. Just enough salt and peppery zing. 100 calories is more than you expect. As you can see in the above picture, it's quite a little blob of awesome.
Cons: More expensive than making your own, but still not bad. Garlicy...

Enjoy!

Cottage cheese pesto dip

What to get: a tub of cottage cheese and a jar of basil pesto, carrots, snow peas, celery, etc, for dipping
Where to get it: Your grocery store

 

Why we approve: Most people would not consider savory cottage cheese, yet it's awesome in combination with vegetables. You will get both protein and veggies, fiber, flavor, and long lasting satisfaction. This dip also makes the texture very smooth - and takes care of the fact that some people hate cottage cheese exactly because of the texture. Get it to look like cream cheese and you can use this as a snack between meals or a meal in itself, along with some veggies, or if you are very hungry, also along a cup of soup. I really like it pre-workout because it's not heavy at all and keeps me full for hours. One cup has 30 grams of protein and depending on the type of cottage cheese, this dip will have between 300 and 400 calories.

Preparation:Measure 1 cup of cottage cheese and 1 tbsp basil pesto and blend in a blender (better to use an immersion blender - easier to clean). Chop up some veggies, such as carrots, celery, snow peas, and use for dipping.

Variations: You can make a sweet cottage cheese parfait if you want something sweet - here is a RECIPE.

Pros:great taste, reasonable calories, lots of protein, very easy to make! It literally takes 2 minutes to make something super delicious.

Cons: You still have to blend and wash your blender, but you will probably burn some calories doing so, so don't complain ;)

Bon apetit!

Tomato Bisque – Boxed Soups from Big Lots?

I have to admit that I wasn't thinking healthy or delicious when I decided to try a box of soup from Big Lots, but here I am writing about it! As I hope is obvious, we aren't a typical review site; we do review foods, but if we don't like them, why bother putting them up? We focus on the positives so you can grab and go!

As you can see in the picture, there's some cheddar on the plate. I was actually craving that grilled cheese and tomato soup feeling from childhood, but I don't find grilled cheese to be worth the calories. I sliced up two ounces of extra sharp cheddar from Trader Joe's, and it hit the spot. Sharp cheddar and tomato soup are great together!

Tomato Soup and Cheddar


What to get: 1 32oz box of Imagine Bistro Organic Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque, Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Trader Joe's or your local grocer.

Where to get it: Big Lots

Why we approve: To be honest, it's more of a snack and a comfort food, but it tastes great, and if you can be satisfied with a mug of really good tomato soup and some nice cheese, this is great. It has pretty good ingredients, few added bad guys (you just have to shake your head at the small amount of canola oil and deal with it).

Preparation: Heat the soup. Slice the cheese. Eat.

Variations: The carton contains four servings, so for dinner, you have options. Serve alongside leftover roast chicken of fish and a side of steamed vegetables like zucchini.


Pros: Delicious, thick, and rich. Resealable container. Only 120 calories per serving, but it tastes like more than that! Good stuff.

Cons: The soy sauce in the soup contains some sketchy things (natural flavor, etc.), but the amount of soy sauce is likely small. Seed oils are used, but in small amounts. Their other soups proudly claim to be "gluten free," but they don't claim this one is. I don't see any gluten ingredients on there, but there might be something "hidden."

There are more Big Lots soups coming up, too! There's some good stuff to be found in some unlikely places...

Lite Kettle Corn snack bags

What to get: Kettle Corn (one bag of six bags)

Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: low calorie, satisfying snack, self contained calories, my kids like it, a little sweet, a little salty, but not too much of either.

Preparation: Open the bag

Pros: Tasty and low in calories. Not too sweet and not too salty. Individual bags help limit scarfing. $1.99 for six bags. Low in sodium at 120mg. No gluten.

Cons: Sunflower oil is high in omega-6s, but if you keep them to a minimum in the rest of your life, a little shouldn't be too bad. Some people don't find it sweet or salty enough. There's still five more bags to scarf if you have no willpower.

I like this stuff. It takes longer to eat than a similar size bag of chips and is far more satisfying. I try to keep a six pack of these in the car because it tides the kids over until dinner on a long drive.

Thailand Mushroom Rice Noodle Soup Bowl

What to get: Thailand Mushroom Rice Noodle Soup Bowl
Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why 'we' approve: The 'we' is the 'Royal We,' meaning I approve, but I doubt the girls would. It's salty, but if you love and miss ramen, this might fit the bill. It's inexpensive, convenient, and not particularly bad, ingredient wise. You'll have to eat something extra for protein, unless it's just to tide you over.

Preparation: Boil water (about 1 1/2 cups). Open the bowl halfway, leaving the lid half attached. Tear the seasoning packets open and add to the bowl. Add the boiling water and close the lid for three minutes. Eat.

Aside from autolyzed yeast extract and rice bran oil, it's not too shabby, healthfulness-wise. Gluten free, which is a rarity for noodle soup.

inside the bowl

Variations: Add some leftover vegetables, chicken, or hardboiled eggs to the soup.

Pros

• Very easy to prepare
• Satisfying like ramen used to be (because you're not eating ramen anymore, right?)

• Inexpensive
• It's soup in its own bowl
• Gluten free noodles!

Cons

• Ridiculously salty. Not just high in sodium, but actually extremely salty tasting. I ate it, but Galya passed because of the saltiness. 
• Why use rice bran oil, which has zero flavor? We tried it and tasted nothing. Might as well throw that packet away. Sesame seed oil would have been tasty.

just skip the rice bran oil

• Don't try sipping from this bowl, because it will run down your chin and onto your shirt because of the turned under plastic lip.
• Needs something extra to be a complete meal (I added two eggs to mine).

So delicious coconut icecream

What to get: So delicious coconut ice cream - carton or Minis on a stick
Where to get it: Vons, Pavillions or any large supermarket close to you
Why we approve: We believe in incorporating sensible treats into a fat loss diet. Most of my clients can choose to get around 10% of their daily calories in treats if they like. Yes that's right :) Look at this ice cream - a serving will give you anywhere between 70 calories (for the Minis) or 150 calories for the more generous portion of the carton; comes in plenty of flavors and the additives are minimized, doesn't seem to make you eat the whole package! You don't want to give up ice cream just because you have a fat loss goal in mind. You can have your cake ice cream and eat it too!

We found this ice cream a few months ago during our ''everything coconut phase''.  At the time we were experimenting with coconut cereal, had switched most of our cooking oils to coconut oil and were enjoying a few really delicious coconut recipes. So why not try coconut ice cream? There are a few brands on the market, but when you get an ice cream craving at 10 at night, you only have your local supermaket to cruise. 

A regular serving ice cream, where the ingredient list on the boxes was acceptable, would still give around 220-250 calories, so we decided to try this, both for the coconut flavor we love and the really sensible energy content. If you are looking to cut calories, those 100 matter :) This ice cream also provided a generous amount of fiber (6 grams) so we felt like it was a winner!

Preparation: Use a measuring spoon or a scale to figure out how much a serving is. Honestly. Eating from the carton is not a good idea. If you just exercised, have a higher body weight goal, or you have the calories to spare, certainly go for double serving, just bear in mind carbohydrate will go higher.

Variations: You can get this ice cream in many different flavors, vanilla is our favorite. Top it with blueberries, pineapple chunks, raspberries or any fruit you really love. If you can afford the calories, some coconut chips lightly toasted may also work very very well.

Below is the Minis option of the same ice-cream, there are very small differences, such as the serving size (40 grams and only 70 calories), it is also a bit creamier, and if you let it thaw a tad it tastes just like chocolate mousse (mmm...). We like that kind because you can have just one - great for the ladies, or you can go back for seconds and still fit within 140 calories!

Overall this is a great choice if you are looking for a treat and if you want to get more varied fats into your diet.

pros: coconut fat is a special type of fat that may help in your diet, these ice creams are delicious and have a very sensible amount of calories and sugar for the taste and satisfaction they provide

cons: we have no idea what natural flavor is, it could be anything out of a long list of naturally derived substances; any time you see that on a label, it's a mystery - it could be absolutely innocent or it could be something like msg - moderation is key! We hope at some point we start seeing labels that are 100% honest about ingredients.

Tell us what your favorite coconut ice cream flavor is and how do you serve it! We would love your feedback! Also, we have just started building this site, so let us know what you need and what type of products you would like to see reviewed! Drop us a line at eatloveandtrain [at]gmail [dot]com!

Greek yogurt and Pure bar

What to buy: Plain full fat Greek yogurt and Pure bar (pictured cherry cashew)
Where to buy: Trader Joes or get the bars online
Why we approve: There are no thickeners in this yogurt, it's naturally strained. It also has fat which satiates, unlike the fat free versions. 1 cup has 9 grams of protein. Pure bars are absolutely delicious and made from 100% orgranic natural ingredients.

This is a great combo if you are looking for a quick breakfast or if you are hungry for something sweet in the late afternoon or after a workout. The combination of slightly tart and creamy strained yogurt and the sweet, velvety, fruity bar is one you will keep going back for. Remember, there is a lot of concentrated flavor in one of those fruit and nut bars!

Preparation: none is necessary. Peel/open and enjoy. You may need a spoon if you are on the run, Trader Joes will be happy to give you one.

Variations: Pure bars come in many different flavors, make sure to check out their website, but TJs carries only two - the cherry and the chocolate. You can add whey protein to your yogurt if you need a protein boost, since a cup of yogurt and a bar only come to 15 grams. This is not meant to be a big meal, and it provides about 460 calories and 29 grams of carbohydrate, so I would not have it every day if fat loss was the main goal as you can spend your calories on something that has both more protein and less carbohydrate.

Another thing you could do is just have the Greek yogurt and add some raw nuts, such as almonds or walnuts.

Pros: Very very delicious and satisfying. It is an excellent choice for breakfast or after a workout.

Cons: It does have quite a bit of carbohydrate, so watch for the meal timing, especially if you are female or you are looking for faster fat loss. The bar uses agave nectar for sweetening, and we think they could easily just skip that and make it less sweet.

Citrus Chicken Salad

What to buy: Citrus Chicken Salad
Where to get it: Trader Joe's


Why we like it: lean protein, nice variety of unusual nutrient-rich ingredients (daikon radish, green papaya, red cabbage in addition to regular greens); tasty

Cons: not really a meal. A snack for most people at 220 calories. Also, the dressing is canola oil and adds double the calories of the salad--if this were a good oil, that would be ok, but that is a lot of questionable-quality fat. 

This salad is very tasty and has some fun ingredients--it's very Thai tasting, and the fish sauce is a very clear note in the dressing. I had this item as a light dinner and found myself hungry a few hours later--I'm not sure what I would add to make it a full meal.  Maybe I could eat two of them and only use half the dressing--that would provide a decent level of protein. Overall, a bit expensive for a snack but if you like Thai flavors it could be a nice occasional light meal.

Stuffed Cucumbers

What to buy: Persian cucumbers, canned salmon, avocado, lemon pepper
Where to buy: Trader Joe's or get the cucumbers at your local farmers' market
Why we approve: This quick to make meal is packed with protein and healthy fat and provides a good amount of fiber.

Preparation:
Open the can and pour the excess liquid.  Depending on how big of a can you bought go for 2 servings (26 grams of protein) or 3 or 4 if your target weight is higher. Mix in half an avocado, season with lemon pepper and a touch of lime juice and you are ready with the stuffing. Cut two or more Persian cucumbers and gently core them to make space for the stuffing. Distribute stuffing and enjoy!

Variations:
You can get braver and add a touch of Tabasco sauce to hive heat to this meal. If you are eating it post workout and need some carbs it will be very nicely paired with a baked potato. You can also use the stuffing and cut up cucumbers inside and roll all of that up in a tortilla.

Pros: high protein, healthy fats
Cons: the fish comes from a can, but at least it's wild salmon, fishy aftertaste which some people may not enjoy but is easily remedied with an apple or other crisp fruit or vegetable

Olive guacamole

What to buy: Olive Tapenade, Avocado
Where to buy: Trader Joes
Why we approve: both avocado and olives are excellent sources of fat and this makes a great side or dip

Trader Joe's olive tepenade is one of my favorite ways to add olives to salads, dressings, omelets, even fish...You don't have to deal with the pit inside the olive, the olive is already cut, and ultimately that saves you time!

Preparation:
To make this simple olive guacamole you need:
1 small avocado
2 tbsp olive tapenade
dash of lime juice (optional)

Core the avocado, mash it with a fork and mix it with the olive tepenade. You may wish to add a dash of lime juice, but that is entirely up to you.

Variations:
This recipe can be used as a side or a dip. Use this olive guacamole to dip veggies, spread in sandwiches or as a nice side to omelets and baked potatoes. You can also pair it with white meats or fish. Make sure you keep your serving sizes reasonable ( one avocado can have as much as 400 calories) if fat loss is your goal.

Pros: it's really easy to make and very very flavorful; offers healthy fats for meals that are lean and keeps you full a long time
Cons: it is quite heavy in calories and you need to watch serving sizes