Clean Eating Yam Protein Muffins

So, it's really hot outside. Middle of July in Arizona hot. Add monsoon season in there and random nights with lots of rain and get hot, muggy, sticky weather. Do you know the last thing I feel like doing in such conditions? Cooking! Turning on my oven in painful and so is going outside to grill... BUT the good news is in two short weeks I will be on the beach in San Diego for an entire week. And because of this glorious vacation I know I need to kick it up a notch the next two weeks so that I can be bathing suit ready! So, I sucked it up and turned on both the oven and grill yesterday-- quite the sacrifice, I know :) Over the next two weeks I'm going to drop my carbs down just a touch and swap out some of my oat-y,rice-y type carbs for yams and veggies. I will also be sure to get all my cardio in, lots of water, and kick the protein powder. 

A couple of my favorite ways to eat yams are shredding them on a grater and cooking them like hashbrowns or baking them and then adding some coconut oil and cinnamon. YUM x 2. After today though, I have a new favorite way of eating yams... Yam muffins! They're really simple, nothing fancy about them- but they are a great grab and go when you need carbs and protein but don't want something starchy.

Ingredients 

3 cups mashed yams

6 egg whites

2 scoops vanilla whey protein

1 T cinnamon

2 tsp all spice

1 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt 

Directions

1. Pierce 3-4 yams with a knife a few times and place in microwave for 10 minutes.

2. Place yams in mixer and mix until yams are mashed. The skin usually separates at this point and I take out about half the skin. 

3. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. 

4. Place mixture in muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes at 350. 

This made 12 muffins, each with about 70 calories, 10g carbs and 7g protein.

Keep in mind, the base of these is yams, not flour so they are not going to be your typical "muffin" consistency. 

What do you guys do to get ready for a beach vacation?