There’s less than one week left in our 20 Days—12 Meals promotion. So far we’ve given away gym memberships, spa treatments, happy hours, but have saved the biggest and best prize for last—Chef Phil’s Private Dining Experience!!

To get you salivating we had Chef put together 12 of his favorite recipes—recipes he could end up making for YOU and 3 friends!

How long have you been with Protein Bar? 2 yrs

Biggest Passions? Health/fitness

If you had to describe yourself in one word what would it be? Motivator 

A goal you have achieved that you are proud of? Masters Degree in Sports Medicine and Physiology from MSU ]]> Where are you from? And how did you end up here?
San Juan, Puerto Rico. My good friend Marc Sauseda said come work with him and for an awesome healthy “fast food” joint.

How long have you been with Protein Bar?
2 yrs

Biggest Passions?
Health/fitness

If you had to describe yourself in one word what would it be?
Motivator 

A goal you have achieved that you are proud of?
Masters Degree in Sports Medicine and Physiology from MSU (Go Green)and Personal Training Certificate through, National Academy of Sports Medicine. 

What’s your personal motto?
No pain no gain!

Do you have any unique talents?
Play piano and Sing.

Something surprising about you?
Was in an episode of  ”Friends”,  a few episodes of “ER”, the movie Charlie’s Angels Part 2 and the Italian Job.

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
Jumped out of a plane at 27, 000 feet over Miami beaches. 

What is the coolest thing about your PB team?
They are all new and eager to learn more about healthy eating. 

If you could eat one PB item forever what would it be?
Healthy Chicken Parm with crushed red peppers (added for a lil kick.)

If you could add one item to the PB menu what would it be?
Celsius Sparkling Cola

If you could manage a Protein Bar anywhere in the world where would it be?
Heart of New York

—Andre’s LOVE List—

Word—Determination 
Magazine—Hot Rod magazine
Musician—Josh Groban and Micheal W. Smith
TV Show—Sanford & Son, LOL
Movie—The Green Mile
Website—http://ptonthenet.com/
Way to spend your Saturday mornings—Teaching Boot Camp Classes
Restaurant—Rock Bottom
Way to work out—Cross Training
Way to celebrate—PIZZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

If you got chocolate for Valentine’s Day, you may be surprised to hear this nutritionist tell you to keep it! February does not only have Valentine’s Day in it, but it is also National Heart Month, with the focus being on the promotion of heart-healthy behaviors. I bet you didn’t know that chocolate does in fact help your heart health.

There is plenty of research out supporting ]]> Chocolate: Medicine for the Heart?

If you got chocolate for Valentine’s Day, you may be surprised to hear this nutritionist tell you to keep it! February does not only have Valentine’s Day in it, but it is also National Heart Month, with the focus being on the promotion of heart-healthy behaviors. I bet you didn’t know that chocolate does in fact help your heart health.

There is plenty of research out supporting the health benefits of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate. Antioxidants help the body’s cells resist damage caused by free radicals that can lead to the development of many diseases.

In particular, flavanols are the main type of flavonoid (an antioxidant) found in cocoa and chocolate. In addition to having antioxidant qualities, research shows that flavanols have other potential influences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, and helping blood platelets clot more easily.

In addition to these antioxidant benefits, dark chocolate also has vitamins and minerals such as:

• Potassium
• Copper
• Iron
• Magnesium

It is widely known that copper and potassium help prevent against stroke and cardiovascular ailments, while iron protects against iron deficiency anemia, and magnesium helps prevent type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Now, don’t go rushing out to buy candy bars and chowing down on them.  Everything in moderation is key to the benefits of this heart-healthy sweet- 2 ounces of pure, 70% or more dark chocolate has the best and most powerful health punch.

Some of my favorite recipes with chocolate in them include:

Ashley’s Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Ashley’s Vegan Chocolate Glaze Cheesecake (can be made non-vegan)

Chocolate Dipped Banana Pop

You need: 1 banana and 3 TB melted dark chocolate

Take the banana and dip it into the melted chocolate, freeze until hard, enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Buy a form of hardening dark chocolate (I like Dolci Frutta), dip in the strawberries, let harden, and enjoy! 

Chocolate Fondue

Melt 2-3 TB of dark chocolate
Cut up strawberries and bananas
Dip the fruit into the chocolate!

Where are you from? And how did you end up here? I am originally from Mexico City. My father came to Chicago when I was 3. He sent for us (mom, sis, and me) to come and join him when I was 6 years old. I have been raised here ever since and have never left. I am a Chicagoan at heart!

How long have you been with Protein Bar? It’s crazy to ]]>  

Where are you from? And how did you end up here?
I am originally from Mexico City. My father came to Chicago when I was 3. He sent for us (mom, sis, and me) to come and join him when I was 6 years old. I have been raised here ever since and have never left. I am a Chicagoan at heart!

How long have you been with Protein Bar?
It’s crazy to think that it has been almost a year! I was hired in the end of May or beginning of April.

If you had to describe yourself in one word what would it be?
Happy! I am rarely on a bad mood. I like to smile and laugh a lot. 

What’s your personal motto?
In the wonderful words of my lovely Kathleen, “You do you , girl”. It’s simple phrase but so hard to actually do. I think over the past year I have learned that I have to take care of myself first, make myself happy, do what I want to do, because in the end nobody will do it for me. I always took care of everybody else first but, there comes a time when you have to take care of yourself.

Do you have any unique talents?
MY LAUGH!!! Okay, it’s not a huge talent but I have to admit I have an amazing laugh…lol. You have to hear it.. you have to decide for yourself…lol For some weird reason people like it : ).

Something surprising about you?
I am PAINFULLY SHY! I get sooo awkward meeting new people. I never know how to start a conversation with someone.

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
OMG, riding the roller coaster at Six Flags!! I HATE heights!! I closed my eyes the whole time but I did it!….lol.

What is the coolest thing about your PB team?
We are all very different! There is not one person who has the same personality. They all have different goals and different lives. I can honestly say I love my team. Plus they make me smile and laugh everyday.

If you could eat one PB item forever what would it be?  
Anything with buffalo sauce.! YUM-O!

If you could manage a Protein Bar anywhere in the world where would it be?
Chicago of course!

—Elizabeth’s LOVE List—

Word—CLEARLY!
Musician—I am horrible when it comes to music…lol
TV Show—Too many
Place in the world—My grandmas house. She lives in Mexico, I may not see her a lot but she makes me feel at home every time I visit.
Way to spend your Saturday mornings—Eating breakfast with my family.
Way to work out—I love to walk around Chicago.
Way to celebrate—Dinner with my friends and family.

Fun Fact about Liz
Liz is by-far Protein Bar’s fastest Bar-rito wrapper! Watch her super speedy techniques here!

Dedicated to exceptional quality and real sustainability, we’re proud to offer two organic coffees from Counter Culture that represent a perfect synergy ]]> Protein Bar is proud to introduce a new partner in making your life even healthier (and more delicious)—the cutting-edge coffee roaster Counter Culture Coffee. Counter Culture works with some of the best farmers in the world to craft exceptional coffees from seed to cup, and we’re happy to now share this quality blend with you.

Dedicated to exceptional quality and real sustainability, we’re proud to offer two organic coffees from Counter Culture that represent a perfect synergy of quality, freshness, and sustainability. For our drip coffee (all locations), we offer farmhouse, Counter Culture’s innovative, seasonal organic blend that boasts a deep, sweet flavor profile that changes subtly throughout the year as its recipe changes with the seasons.

In just a few weeks we’ll open up our 5th Protein Bar location at 10 W. Lake, with this comes the exciting addition of espresso! Our baristas will craft drinks using Counter Culture’s Espresso Rustico, an all-organic blend with warming notes of candied almond, dark chocolate, and dried fruit.

Next time you need to perk up OR warm up—you’ll know where to go! Visit Counter Culture’s website to learn more about this amazing new addition to the Protein Bar family!

Work around the State/Lake area? Contact win@proteinbarchicago.com for the chance to snag free lunch for you and ]]> The countdown to healthy eating has begun! We’re on track to open our 10 W. Lake location in just over 2 weeks! The construction team has been getting their SWEAT on to make the 5th Protein Bar as stylish, sleek, and delicious as the others! Stay tuned for exciting updates and for official “Opening Day” details.

Work around the State/Lake area? Contact win@proteinbarchicago.com for the chance to snag free lunch for you and your office!

How long have you been with Protein Bar? 9 wonderful months

Biggest Passions? All things food, and food related! It’s art that just so happens to make your tummy smile. All the thought ]]> Where are you from? And how did you end up here?
I’m from the south side of Chicago (GO WHITE SOX!), and I was sent by the protein gods to ensure everyone gets their daily dose of smiles,  protein, and buffalo sauce.

How long have you been with Protein Bar?
9 wonderful months

Biggest Passions?
All things food, and food related! It’s art that just so happens to make your tummy smile. All the thought and work that goes into making something that challenges your taste buds and sparks feelings, all while looking beautifully on a simple white plate (or wrapped in Protein Bar paper), its a completely under rated genius form art.

If you had to describe yourself in one word what would it be?
Uh….awesome….duh!

A goal you have achieved that you are proud of?
Graduating from college (Le Cordon Bleu). There were so many obstacles placed in my way growing up, and and even now, that it would have been all to easy for me to pick the wrong path. But the simple fact that I stayed focused and didn’t stray,  makes me feel good and also makes me more appreciative of all that I have now.

What’s your personal motto?
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.-Harvey Fierstein

Most embarrassing moment?
Do you want to hear the “How I ruined my grandmothers curtains by tripping over my own feet and falling down the stairs” story or the “I know Im clumsy but Im going to do stunt tricks on my bike like a BMx rider” story, both end with me flat on my face in front of many many people…

Do you have any unique talents?
Psh….I wish, unless you count expert Karaoke singer and cookie extraordinaire as unique talents.

What gets you up in the morning?
My four year old cousin…literally. She comes and jumps on me and screams “WAKE UP TIFFANY” and if I don’t move it’s guaranteed Im getting hit with something until I do…she’s lucky she’s adorable.

Something surprising about you?
I am obsessed with pageants! I would never be in one, but I am infatuated with everything about it. It’s the glam factor that gets me.

What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
White water rafting. I thought I was going to fall out and die! But it was fun and exciting….once I was on land

What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten?
Have you ever had ostrich….like in steak form not the jerky we sell….it’s actually pretty good. Ooohhh and then there was that one time I had rabbit….poor rabbits why must you be so delicious.

What is the coolest thing about your PB team?
Where do I start. I’ve never in my life worked with a more amazing group of people. Absolutely hilarious! Never a dull moment. We have our inside jokes and one-liners, we can talk to each other whenever we have a problem with anything. We’re more like that crazy family down the block that you don’t really understand but love because we’re just that awesome!

If you could eat one PB item forever what would it be?
Guac-n-Roll in a bowl!

If you could add one item to the PB menu what would it be?
Here we go….you ready….nachos…yeah I said it…nachos.

Craziest order you have ever received?
An Original……..with peanut butter…

If you could manage a Protein Bar anywhere in the world where would it be?
England….because I really just want a cool accent

Do you have any secret talents?
I can knit, very well….you need a hat I got you. A scarf? no problem. A sweater…well you’re on your own with that one.

How often have you heard that before either around you or to you or even saying that to someone? We always have one more rep in us. One more rep to push ourselves to the max, pushing us past what we think is our peak, until you hit pure fatigue of the muscles. That’s why you have a ]]> One more rep. C’mon! You’ve got this! One more rep! YES! Nice Job.

How often have you heard that before either around you or to you or even saying that to someone? We always have one more rep in us. One more rep to push ourselves to the max, pushing us past what we think is our peak, until you hit pure fatigue of the muscles. That’s why you have a spotter. That is why you have someone to push you, but how many should you be doing?

Building muscle, (ladies this means you too), think low reps, high weight and really from time to time, we all need to do this. If you really want to start building muscle, you will need to take this path and do these reps at some point. It’s a good thing that we all need to do for ourselves because muscle needs more energy, more energy means more calories are used up and well, you look and feel better too. That is the direction right? Generally anything 7 reps or below is the way to go when building muscle.

Strength: This is the middle child of workouts, something we all need when trying to build our bodies right. This is an intermediate step in to building muscle since we all need strength to do so, this is where most people believe they should be lifting, (more on that in a moment), 8-12 reps to help tone and give your body the control through the exercise to build up to the heavier weight.

Conditioning and endurance: Here is a side that I think some people lose out on, the higher reps. Now I say this with caution, there are some exercises you should do at a higher rep and low weight. Those exercises are when you first start to work out and you are just starting to understand your body or when you are working those smaller muscles to help stabilize or correct your posture and/or joints. We all have small, sometimes fairly sizable, muscle imbalances, when one muscle is tighter and the other is lengthened more then the other in which creates an improper movement in our bodies. Taking some exercises to help build your posture, correct muscle imbalances, as well as build the endurance in your muscles is needed. Going around 15-20 reps can help keep the joints stronger so you can build your body correctly.

Now what range should you be doing all your reps in? ALL of them. I am not saying you should always do 20 reps of an exercise nor am I saying 3 sets of 3 reps and you’re done. You should work with in different ranges based on where you are at. Those last few reps should be a struggle but not sloppy at any number. If you are starting out, I will take my clients through a slower, higher rep range so they can understand the movement of the exercise, they can start building control of their body and start to learn how to move through an exercise or if we are working out imbalances. Taking a route of high weight and low reps while not being able to do any of these will just create muscle on top of a dysfunction in which can turn in to more injuries down the line. If you are more advanced, I often like the idea of going through phases, one of conditioning, one of strength and then one of muscle building. Then repeat. I find that this, with a variety of exercise can help the body maintain, not get worn down and allow longevity of healthy working out while progressing through to the goal.

The bigger point I want to make is reps and sets are important, but also understanding you and your workouts. There is nothing wrong with having a long hard workout, but if you always have them with out proper rest for your body you will wear down your body to sickness or health. There is always room for a short explosive workout in your workout life, but if you can’t control the weight through an exercise or engage the muscles properly, then you will end up hurting yourself. Take a long range plan to your work out, health is for your life, mix up things, variety and working in phases to continue to challenge yourself and find what your body needs. All of it is good, but is it good for you at this time? Happy workouts!

Watch as our Sweatmaster works out with one of our biggest PB Superfan’s—Laura! Look for more Get Fit Friday videos in coming months.

Last Fall we hired Chef Phil Fox to continue to push our menu forward into new realms of healthy. Our commitment to providing quick, healthy options has never been stronger. We have taken some of our most ]]> Today Protein Bar introduces an enhanced menu with a new look and feel, as well as some exciting updates:

• New menu items
• Old favorites get a flavor upgrade
• Easier to order menu boards
• New packaging
• Exciting new coffee partnership

Last Fall we hired Chef Phil Fox to continue to push our menu forward into new realms of healthy. Our commitment to providing quick, healthy options has never been stronger. We have taken some of our most popular items and made them better, discontinued items we couldn’t take to the next level, and introduced new items that continue to deliver on our promise of quick, healthy, and flavorful options.

Introducing…the newest members to our menu family

• Memphis Salad—Our take on BBQ done healthy
• Newport Salad—This salad will remind you of a sunny coastal day
• Vegan Superfoods Salad—An antioxidant-packed salad with 3 of the most powerful superfoods in the world
• BBQ Bar-rito
• Pepita Spice Breakfast Bowl
• Breakfast Egg White Scramble Bowls

Old favorites get a little flavor enhancement

• Each of our dressings has been meticulously crafted and reworked to pack major flavor with less calories
• Our Super 6 Salad Mix now features fresh kale—one of the world’s most powerful superfoods!
• Our bar-rito ingredients will be mixed in a bowl and piled in to the low-carb wrap versus just layered on the wrap. Our Signature Bar-rito recipes will all have enhanced flavor from some recipe changes
• Our house-seasoned black beans have a new recipe for more flavor
• Our Greektown Bar-rito now features a Vegan Greek dressing (instead of Greek Yogurt) and house-made hummus so it’s vegan friendly

Easier-to-Order menu boards

• We’ve redesigned our menu boards to be easier to read with dark, warm colors and less words
• We’ve made the protein choice automatic, based on popularity. We’ll no longer be asking “Would you like chicken, beef or tofu on that?” Of course, if you’d like to swap out all-natural chicken, organic beef, or marinated tofu for each other, please do!
• We now will post the total calories and total grams for the 4 most basic nutrition elements (protein, fat, carbs, and fiber) and in the coming weeks, we will be launching a Nutrition Calculator on our website which will allow you to see exactly what happens to our nutrition info when you customize your item how you want it.

New packaging designed for functionality

• Our quinoa bowls now come in our white logo bowls—which stand up to heat longer and are better in delivery and though they look different, they hold the same amount as our old bowls
• We’ve switched to salad bowls that are easier to eat from, mix ingredients better, and work better in delivery
• Our breakfast bowls are now served in bowls more appropriate for the portion served

Our new partnership with Counter Culture Coffee is based on a mutual respect for coffee farmers, organic products, a healthy environment, education, and a need for an amazing cup of coffee. We will be featuring the FARMHOUSE blend which is an organic, direct trade coffee that changes seasonally to serve up the very best beans of that season. We looked high and low for partner in our coffee program and loved what the team at Counter Culture is doing. They will also work with us to bring our new ESPRESSO program to our newest location at State and Lake.

While the changes above are all positive, there are a few tough calls we had to make to ensure we continue to serve the most nutritionally-relevent products we can and continue to deliver to on our mission of “changing the way people eat on the go.”

The food industry saw massive price increases in 2011 as a result of rising commodity costs and under-supply of wholesome food to the world. We resisted the urge to raise our prices in hopes that the costs would come down but in fact they have continued to rise. For example, just since June, prices have risen substantially on some of our most-used ingredients such as black beans (+6.5%), steel-cut oats (+14.4%), and romaine lettuce (+8.2%).

Instead of switching to lower cost (and ultimately lower quality ingredients), we decided that our commitment to serving the best possible products was what our customers wanted—even if it meant a slight price increase on some menu items. That being said, we still have priced appropriately and even lowered the price on many items.

We also took a hard look at the nutritional profile of our products. As a result of this, we had to eliminate some items that we just did not think offered the type of nutritional balance we want to serve to our customers. We had to eliminate our granola bowls, which despite being delicious, did not offer customers the right balance of protein, good fat, and healthy carbs that we strive for. The same thing went for some specific menu items, such as our popular Harvest Salad, which was reformulated to the Newport Salad.

The reformulation of our menu items also meant a change to our nutritional information. We continue to use a meticulous third-party software program to catalog and calculate our nutrition information, but you may notice slight changes to the nutrition information of some of your favorite menu items. Our goal in posting our nutrition information remains the same as it has since we opened our first store on May 18, 2009—give our customers the information they need to make the best nutrition choices for them.

With all of these changes, there are still many things that haven’t changed

• Our commitment to helping active, on-the-go people get the fuel they need to tackle the world
• Our focus on serving the very best ingredients we can find
• Our use of antibiotic-free chicken
• Our use of local, organic, free-range 100% grass-fed beef
• Our use of organic quinoa and steel-cut oats
• Our whole wheat flax seed low carb low calorie tortillas

As a local business, we thrive with the support of you—our customers. We know we will only get your support and trust by evolving our business, remaining transparent in all we do, and striving to continually improve. A lot of the changes we have made are based on feedback from you and we listen—so please share your thoughts with us as you sample some of our exciting new menu options.

In Good Health,

Matt, Mike, Chef Phil and Protein Bar