High Protein Healthy Cheesecake

I've eaten cheesecake for dessert for the past three nights in a row. Um. Opps?

 Do I feel bad about that?

Actually, no, I don't at all. Why? Because I managed to make a high protein and HEALTHY cheesecake that tastes almost just like regular delicious, creamy and filling cheesecake but packs over 20 GRAMS OF PROTEIN in every single slice!!!


Hello delicious. Where have you been all my life?


One slice of this cheesecake including the crust is only 215 calories with 28 grams of carbs, only 8 grams of fat, and 21 banging grams of protein per serving.

Guys. Those are amazing macros for something that actually tastes so freaking fabulous.


And let me tell you. It TOTALLY tastes freaking fabulous. Three-nights-in-a-row-and-not-sick-of-it-yet fabulous.  I might even have a slice for breakfast tomorrow just cause I can.

So WHERE does all this protein come from???  Here are some of the important things I used to make this recipe (affiliate links):


You NEED vanilla protein powder (goes in the actual cheesecake portion) and I made a crust that incorporates a snickerdoodle flavored protein powder as well.  An extra kick of protein comes from using greek yogurt and greek yogurt CREAM CHEESE. If you wanted to cut back on carbs and fat you could make this recipe and leave the crust out, that's an option as well! I think next time I make it I will experiment with the crust just a tad more, I think it could be a little less thick/dry, but I still think it adds a nice touch. And then of course you can top the cake with whatever you want: raspberries, strawberries whipped cream, a melted chocolate drizzle with gobs of peanut butter and a crumbled up chocolate chip cookie....

Oh wait.  This is supposed to be a healthy cheesecake. Ahem. Sorry. How about you just stick to some fresh fruit and a quick hit of fat free whipped cream and you can enjoy this delicious slice with no guilt at :)

Here's how to make it!

Your Whims Wednesday #270 {And Features}

Time for another Your Whims Wednesday Party!

Your Whims Wednesday

Here are some of my favorites from last weeks party!

How to Make a Magnetic Knife Holder by The Country Chic Cottage
kitchen knife block and decor
 
Banana Pineapple Daiquiri by Unusually Lovely
 
Five Ways to Wear a Statement Necklace by No Small Life
How to wear a Statement Necklace 5 Ways
 
Caribbean Pok Kabobs by The Jenny Revolution
Caribbean Pork Kabobs Recipe
 
Master Bedroom Redo by Bombshell Bling
Master Bedroom Makeover - Bombshell Bling
 
Thanks to all who linked up! Grab a button if you were featured :)
Featured on My Girlish Whims
 
Now... onto this weeks party!
 

Easy Gift Packaging Idea using Crystal Charms

Need a cute and quick packaging idea for a simple gift? I have a super simple wrapping idea for you today using charms made with Swarovski® crystals!


I blogged about these charms made with Swarovski® crystals that are available at Michaels stores last week with my DIY Wine Glass Charms but I wanted to share one more idea of how these charms make great little present toppers!

Skinny Raspberry Pomegranate Spritzer


This Skinny Raspberry Pomegranate Spritzer is only 150 calories per serving and is the perfect refreshing cocktail to close out summer with!

So I know it's only Monday...but we can start the week off with a new cocktail recipe because it's still technically summer, right?!? Because I made a new skinny drink up this weekend and just HAVE to share it with you all!

I coordinated a fun little Girls Night Out with some of my girlfriends on Saturday night.  We made plans to go out for dinner and drinks in a cute little town called Phoenixville near where I live, and everyone met up at my apartment beforehand so we could coordinate rides over.  Our dinner reservations wasn't until 8PM so I invited everyone over a little early to enjoy a pre-going out cocktail. This raspberry pomegranate spritzer was what I made to share with everyone!


Everyone loved the drink! The alcohol comes from two different sources: Smirnoff Light Vodka and SPIKED Seltzer Water. Say what? Yeah, I didn't know it was thing until just recently either.  Add in some Fresca and a little bit of pomegranate juice and this drink packs a nice little punch of alcohol but still tasty girly and sweet all without the empty calories that so many sugary cocktails come with.  Here's how to make your own version!

Greek Yogurt High Protein Mac and Cheese

What if I told you that I could serve you a big ole bowl full of creamy, cheesy mac and cheese that was not only good for you but packed FULL of protein? And I'm not talking "high protein" where something says it's high protein and then you check out the nutrition facts on the back and it only has 10g in one serving (eye roll). I'm talking PACKED FULL of protein...like as much protein as you would have in a meal of grilled chicken and vegetables but instead of eating meat you just get to eat a bowl of this deliciousness?


Well my friends, today is the day I tell you that I can serve you a yummy dish of macaroni and cheese that has a whopping 44 grams of protein in one serving! The protein comes from a few places including greek yogurt, milk and cheese but I also have a secret weapon... CHICKPEA PASTA!!!!

I recently found out about the "Banza" brand of pasta (affiliate code MYGIRLISHWHIMS gets you 20% off any order from their website) from a girlfriend of mine who also tracks macros and oh my gosh guys.  THIS PASTA IS A GAME CHANGER!

I've tried both the shells and elbows so far and it is SO GOOD! It tastes exactly like regular pasta to me (think of a whole wheat pasta taste) but it is made from chickpeas so it is packed FULL of protein. Plus, it's even gluten free!

Mac and cheese is my favorite food because obviously I am still 12 years old, but I have to eat so much protein for my diet plan that just sitting down with a big bowl of regular mac and cheese isn't really the best idea unless I want to be shoving egg whites in my mouth the rest of the day to get my protein in.  But now, that's not an issue! The rest of the dish is pretty healthy for you as well: I used NO butter and the cheese sauce is made with only greek yogurt, skim milk, and reduced fat cheddar cheese!

So go on, I dare you. Embrace your inner 12 year old and whip up a batch of this mac and cheese and enjoy every little bite with no guilt!

White Jeggings and Flowy Tank Outfit with Kiki La Rue

You know what I never imagined being able to do when I was 246 pounds? Wear a pair of WHITE PANTS and feel confident in them!!! I feel like white pants can be so unforgiving...depending on the brand and how thick they are I feel like so many kinds show cellulite through them and I just never found a pair that looked flattering on me when I was heavy.  So for like the first time in my life I FOUND a pair of white pants that I am ROCKING and think would look great on anyone else too!

 
These Everyday Jeggings from Kiki La Rue fit like buttah and I'm dying over how comfy they are to wear and how AMAZING they look on! They are a great thickness too: thin enough to still be jeggings and cozy but thick enough to not let any cellulite show though.

 Since it's still summer and warm out I paired these leggings with the Bogota Tank in Mint from Kiki La Rue because I think that mint/turquoise and white are just a perfect warm weather color combo.  I know summer is on the way out but this outfit gives me alllll the tropical vibes and makes me wish summer would hang around awhile longer :)

Oh, and of course the tank is flowy in alllll the right places to give you shape but it still has a relaxed feel to it. 


For this outfit I paired it with a mint and white statement necklace from Charming Charlie and some white sandal pumps from DSW. Confession: I went out and bought these pumps for the sole purpose of wearing them with these jeggings.  Oh, and because I had a $10 DSW rewards certificate that was just about to expire and LORD KNOWS I couldn't let that go to waste.


Your Whims Wednesday #269 {And Features}

Time for another Your Whims Wednesday Party!

Your Whims Wednesday

Here are some of my favorites from last weeks party!

Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies By Joy Food Sunshine
Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies! With only 8 good-for-you ingredients you can feel great about making special treats! Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free AND vegan!

DIY Perler Bead Citrus Fruit Drink Covers by Living La Vida Holoka
DIY Perler Bead Citrus Fruit Drink Covers
 
Garlicky Butternut Squash Chips by Sparkle
Garlicky Butternut Squash Chips
 
Strawberry Shortcake Moonshine by Pink Heels Pink Truck 
Are you a strawberry fan? How about strawberry shortcake? Then you are sure to love my take on this Strawberry Shortcake Moonshine cocktail. Bring on summertime!
 
Easy Braided Bracelet by The Crafting Nook
DIY Easy Braided Bracelet
 
Thanks to all who linked up! Grab a button if you were featured :)
Featured on My Girlish Whims
 
Now... onto this weeks party!
 

DIY Wine Glass Charms with Swarovski® Crystals

Today's project that I have to share with you all is a real winner because it involves two of my most favorite things in the whole world: beading and WINE!


Ok so technically this isn't really a jewelry making project, but more of just a general craft but it does involve CRYSTALS and it most definitely involves wine. Yup, we are making wine glass charms- whoop, whoop!


I whipped up these cute little wine glass charms after receiving a few of the new charms made with Swarovski® crystals from Cousin Corporation that are now available in Michaels stores!


I was immediately drawn to the pink and clear crystal charm sets because, well, OBVIOUSLY I love pink and sparkles.  I decided to connect the two sets to make a dainty little pair of wine glass charms.  This is pretty much the easiest DIY ever - you can make your own version in only five minutes with very little materials!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes

It shouldn't seem strange that today is Sunday and I'm posting about protein pancakes since that is my norm...but this week it actually is strange because I was NOT supposed to be making pancakes today. Nope, this delicious stack of Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes was NOT supposed to have happened.


I was supposed to be driving home from Virginia after my week long vacation in Chincoteague. I stayed in a Sunday-Sunday rental so today was supposed to be the day I packed up my stuff and headed back home to PA and then set about unpacking, doing laundry, and overall getting ready to get back to the Monday morning grind that is sure to come bright and early tomorrow morning after having a whole week off. In all the hustle of unpacking and getting ready, I figured pancakes would be the furthest thing from my mind. Yup, pancakes oozing with chocolate sauce and peanut butter wouldn't have crossed my mind at all...


Alas, plans unfortunately changed and due to a bit of a medical emergency with a family member of someone I was staying with on vacation, we had to pack things up in a rush on Friday afternoon and drive home early.  LUCKILY the family member is fine now, but he was air lifted to ICU for an emergency procedure so getting back to PA was more important than spending another two days at the beach.


So I may not have been at the beach earlier this morning, but it wasn't all bad because I was able to get settled and unpacked yesterday and take today to get back into my routine which of course includes a Sunday run followed by protein pancakes! And guys...these pancakes were alllllmost worth driving home early for anyway because that's how delicious they were.


 As always they look decadently delicious but this whole stack is only 515 calories and packs a whopping 56 grams of protein. The chocolate flavor comes from chocolate protein powder mixed in with greek yogurt, a sugar free chocolate pudding drizzle, and a few mini chocolate chips.  The peanut butter comes from peanut butter flavored protein powder in the pancake batter and a chocolate peanut butter drizzle made using powdered peanut butter for less fat! Let me show you how all this deliciousness comes together :)

  Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes


Orchard Mile - Making it Easy to Shop for Designer Items

This is a sponsored post for Orchard Mile but all opinions are my own.

I'm at a fun point in my life where I'm off on my own...financially stable...and able to make my own decisions of what types of items I like to skimp on and what types of items I like to splurge on.  For the most part I think I am decently conservative with my shopping habits.  I LOVE to shop but I typically search for deals and frequent bargain stores a lot. While I love a good deal, I'm also slowly beginning to learn that it is fun to sometimes save up a little extra and splurge on a really nice item that will really become a treasured part of my wardrobe and not just another $15 cotton sun dress I got on clearance.  

Problem for me is...I hardly ever go to "designer" stores and I think even if I did go into one I would feel super intimidated. Dumb, I know, but I really think I would. That's why when I read about the online website Orchard Mile - "a unique destination where you can shop the full collections, directly from the designers' sites with one simple shopping bag" I got excited for an easy way to shop for some token items for my wardrobe without having to wander into specialty shops or 10 different designer websites.


 At Orchard Mile you can browse designer items from all over the internet from the best contemporary designers all on ONE site.  The site is super easy to navigate: you can search items by designer, occasion, or type of item like dresses, athletic wear, shoes, etc.

I quickly got distracted while writing this post over all of the beautiful goodies I am now just jonesing to make mine...like these strappy heels which I am just DYING OVER

Sigerson Morrison Melody Dress Sandal

Herbed Focaccia Crostinis with a Carmelized Onion Sweet Corn Relish

I'm away on vacation this week down on the Eastern shore of Virginia at Chincoteague Island! 

I've never been to the Island before but have always grown up knowing it existed (I remember reading the book Misty as a little girl) and had heard so many wonderful things about how lovely the beaches are and how cool it is to see the wild horses roaming around freely.


So far the island has lived up to all of the hype I've heard extremely well and I'm enjoying a fabulous vacation of not really doing a whole lot of anything.  I've laid on the beach, I've laid on a dock, I've laid on the deck of the house I'm staying at, I've laid on the couch....I've been doing a lot of laying around :)

I've also been doing a bit of cooking though as well! I love volunteering to cook for a meal or two when I go on vacation with others because I can pick recipes that involve a little extra prep work because I have the time to devote to make it.  I'm planning on making some yummy fish tacos later this week but I tried out a new crostini idea as an appetizer for us all on Monday night and these little "Chincoteague Crostinis" were the fabulous result.


I've nicknamed them the "Chincoteague Crostinis" because to adequately describe them they would have to be called "Herbed Focaccia Crostinis with Prosciutto, Sharp Cheddar and a Sweet Corn Caramelized Onion Relish" which sounds fabulous....but maybe is just a little bit of a mouthful? 

But maybe we can handle a mouthful for the name...because you can DEFINITELY handle a mouthful of this delicious little appetizer because they were fabulous. It starts with a deliciously fresh piece of focaccia bread pre-seasoned with garlic, thyme, and various other herbs that I melted an extra sharp white cheddar cheese on top of.  Add a thin slice of prosciutto before a fresh relish made with grilled sweet corn, carmelized onions, and just a hint of a squeeze of lemon....oh god.  I'm literally drooling remembering how delicious these little crostinis were!

So, call them whatever you want, but DEFINITELY plan on making your own version and giving this recipe a go!

 Herbed Focaccia Crostinis with Prosciutto, Sharp Cheddar and a Sweet Corn Caramelized Onion Relish



Your Whims Wednesday #268 {And Features}

Time for another Your Whims Wednesday Party!

Your Whims Wednesday

Here are some of my favorites from last weeks party!

Floral Deer Head Pallet Art by Lolly Jane
DIY floral deer head pallet art. Easy DIY deer head silhouette craft! Love this Rifle Paper Co floral covered metal deer head art!

Spicy Sausage and Mango Grilled Cheese by Home Cooking Memories
Spicy Sausage and Mango Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Raspberry Citrus Summer Sangria by Busy Being Jennifer
The most delicious and refreshing Raspberry Citrus Summer Sangria! - BusyBeingJennifer.com

Black Lace Style by Living on Cloud Nine


Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Pasta with Garlic Goat Cheese Sauce by The Kittchen
Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Pasta-8

Thanks to all who linked up! Grab a button if you were featured :)
Featured on My Girlish Whims
 
Now... onto this weeks party!
 

Discount Codes


I work with a few brands that have discount codes specific for my followers! Here is my current list of discount codes (some affiliate links provided):

  • Body Analyzer Scale
    • I use this scale for keeping track of my weight: it tracks weight AND body fat
    • Code "whims" gets you 60% off (making the scale $50)Work It | Digital Scale & Body Analyzer
  • Western Bagel
    • Code "whims" gets you 10% off (must create an account)  
  • Butcher Box
    • My landing page will get you $10 off and free Ribeye steak in your first box!
        • Love With Food
          • Healthy Snack Box Subscription Plan
          • Save 40% off your first snack box with subscription
        • Detour Bars
          • Code "mygirlishwhims" gets you 20% off any order
          • Brady Bands
            • Code "MGW15" gets you 15% off any order 
            • Fab Fit Fun
              • Code "REB10" for $10 off your first box 

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