Happy Wednesday, friends. Today is an exciting one over here and I'm feeling very motivated. One of the reasons being that I can't stop thinking about how great Ellie Goulding and Andra Day's performance was at the Grammy's on Monday night and it totally reminded me how obsessed I am with Ellie Goulding...I mean come on, look at this British badass! #goals.  [embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/BB1QN_LTfS8/?taken-by=elliegoulding[/embed]

On a more serious note, today is my last day working at Group Two Advertising. WHAT?! I will no longer be working in advertising and I am pursuing a career in fitness full time. I'm pretty psyched, people. I've learned so much from my time in the agency, but all along I've kept up my fitness jobs part time, and I came to realize that I just needed to take the leap and jump in full time.  Every day when I would get to work, there was just this little hole in my heart because I wasn't pursuing what I am truly passionate about. GOODBYE desk job! I'll chat more about this later, because I know there might be some others in the same boat, but for now, let's talk about these Peanut Butter Banana Protein Bars...

There's not many combos that can beat a little peanut butter and banana. Sure, the taste is spectacular, but aside from the taste factor, the energy that these two foods provide together are perfect for starting your day, giving you a little afternoon boost or keeping you full at night.

 These Peanut Butter Banana Protein Bars are packed with protein to keep you full and satisfy that sweet tooth. They have a dense and moist texture, much like a pound cake or corn bread. And the best part is, these are so easy to make - one bowl, one pan! 

You'll want your bananas extra ripe for this recipe - easier to mix and also adds more sweetness! 

MMM, look at that crumbly, cake-like goodness :) 

[yumprint-recipe id='16'] XO- Rach

Have you ever taken a big turn and different direction in your career?

What's your favorite post-workout snack?

What's one of your favorite food combos?

Okay guys, after I made Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter Boozy Brownies (like literally, right after - I was baking for hours), I saw two spotty bananas in my fruit basket that just had to be eaten, and I created this Chocolate Porter Whole Wheat Banana Bread. It's a little bit healthier than my brownies, but still freaking delish. 

This Chocolate Porter Whole Wheat Banana Bread is insanely moist, fluffy and delicious without all of the refined sugars and fat! The beer gives the bread a light and airy feel, while the peanut butter, whole wheat flour and banana adds some hearty nutritional value. The bread is topped off with some semi-sweet chocolate chips, of course, to satisfy that sweet tooth. 

Again here I used DuClaw Brewing Co.'s "For Pete's Sake" Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter. Yes, this is my third recipe with beer - what can I say, I LOVE BEER!

[yumprint-recipe id='12']Now that I've gone a little overboard with the baking lately, it's time to start thinking about my goals for the new year - I've got so many and I can't wait :)

I hope everyone has a great day - I'm off to Florida this afternoon after work and could not be more excited to RELAX with family and friends for several days. Much needed! 

P.S. - I finally figured out how to fully utilize my profile on Yummly (I'm still learning) so if you use that platform to browse recipes, you can find me there and also use the Yummly button on the right side of my site to add recipes straight from my blog! 

Enjoy!! 

XO- Rach

Starting to think about your New Years resolutions?

Have you ever tried baking with beer?

Favorite holiday tradition?

Chocolate + Peanut Butter = one heck of an amazing combo. When you add DuClaw Brewing's For Pete's Sake Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter into the mix...now THAT'S what I'm talking about.  I was so thrilled to be sent a few bottles to taste and create a recipe with. One thing immediately came to mind when brainstorming recipe ideas - BROWNIES. I wanted to create something with simple ingredients to really let the beer shine through. So I present to you...Chocolate Peanut Butter Boozy Brownies. WARNING: These are HIGHLY addictive. 

About the beer:

In the words of Duclaw Brewing Co., after one sip of this porter, you’ll be exclaiming “For Pete’s Sake!” And so the name was born. With an ABV of 9 percent (9 PERCENT!!), “For Pete’s Sake” is a big and bold brew, yet silky and smooth, with big roasted malt flavor and subtle notes of fruit and coffee. "For Pete's Sake!" was just released this month and is only seasonally available!

"For Pete's Sake!" is a very dark beer made with grains including Pale, Cara Munich, Chocolate, Black and Flaked Oats. The coffee flavors really stood out to me, which is another reason I chose to go with brownies here. I absolutely love the rich dark taste of espresso when used in brownies and I knew this beer would give the brownies a similar decadent feel. These Chocolate Peanut Butter Boozy Brownies will warm your soul in every possible way. Pair them with a shot of espresso and you're living. 

[yumprint-recipe id='11']These are insanely delicious. Please go do yourself a favor, make these and consume them all before all the new year's resolutions commence :). Enjoy!! 

 About Duclaw Brewing Co.:

DuClaw Brewing Company is a leading craft brewery founded in 1996, and is based in Baltimore, MD. Driven by the company motto “craft be cherished, rules be damned,” founder Dave Benfield took DuClaw from a home-brewing operation that sold beer through his dorm room window to a state of the art brewery. DuClaw Brewing Co. has released more than 65 brews. Today, Benfield and DuClaw brewmaster Jim Wagner work to continuously release more than 25,000 barrels of high-quality beers per year. DuClaw is available in select liquor stores, restaurants and bars throughout MD, DC, NJ, DE, VA, PA, NC, WV, and most recently, Cleveland, OH. I can’t wait to visit the brewery next time I’m driving through Batlimore! 

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Disclosure: I’m proud to partner with DuClaw Brewing Company as part of their DuClaw Pumpkin Brew Blogger Campaign! I am being sponsored by DuClaw Brewing Company for this post, but all opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared can be verified at duclaw.com. I greatly appreciate your support surrounding this post! Thank you!