My biggest weakness is anything with "Cake Batter" in the name. Just ask my boss at the frozen custard shop I work for! Well...now I can have my cake and eat it too (hehe...see what I did there).
This recipe for healthy cake batter energy bars allows you to satisfy your sweet tooth and have a great post workout snack.
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup packed oat flour
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp roasted cashew butter
5 tbsp honey
Handful of sprinkles, optional
(optional: replace 1/4 cup of the flour with 1/4 cup of your favorite protein powder)
Combine all dry ingredients and stir well. In a separate large bowl, add all wet ingredients. Stir to form a paste. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mixture evenly over the top. Place another sheet of wax paper over the top of the mixture and place a heavier object such as a cookbook or a glass baking dish on top to get the right thickness for your energy bars. This recipe will make two pans. Stick the bars in the fridge or freezer until hardened. Slice into 6 bars (I usually make mine into 12 smaller bars). Store in the fridge or freezer.
1 bar: 140 calories, 4.5g fat, 27.5g carbs, 3g protein (w/o powder), 2g fiber. If you're following the new Points Plus Weight Watcher's plan one bar amounts to 4 ww points.
Hummus has become very popular in the dieting world over the past few years. With its great taste consisting of garlic, chick peas, and olive oil, why wouldn't it be popular? This recipe is a new take on the traditional hummus that may even taste better than the original! It makes a great dip for veggies or pita chips!
1 peeled clove garlic
1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon tahini (if you cannot find this at your local store, check Amazon)
Juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the garlic and jalapeño pepper to a food processor or blender
and puree. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week.
I absolutely love this stuff! After making a large batch, I split it up into mini food storage containers so I can easily grab some to take to school or work with me. No fatty, salty vending machine snacks for this girl!
This also makes a great snack for the backyard family get together, poolside, picnic, whatever and wherever. It is so portable!
I've said it before and I will say it again...I am horrible at eating breakfast. In order to rev up my metabolism, give me energy for the day, and take my medication in the morning all while sticking to my busy schedule, I turn to Naked Juice. Drink it straight or blend it with ice to make a great tasting smoothie.
What I love about Naked Juice is that there is about one pound of fresh fruit and/or veggies in each bottle of juice. They have great tasting flavors such as peach guava, blue machine, berry blast, mango orange, banana chocolate, pineapple mango, pomegranate blueberry, strawberry banana, and more.
Go to www.nakedjuice.com for a $1 off coupon!
**NOTE: I am not being paid by Naked Juice to feature their products on my blog. I just really, really like Naked Juice! It tastes great and it is so good for you!
Summer is just around the corner and we all know what that means...pool parties, vacations, nice weather, sunshine, and GRILLING SEASON! I absolutely love grilled foods! Give me some grilled marinaded chicken, some grilled fresh veggies, and an ice cold glass of iced tea and I am as happy as a clam!
If you're using store bought marinades for your summer grilling, you are adding huge amounts of fat, sodium, and calories to even the leanest cuts of meat. Instead of punishing your waistline, reach for one of these healthier marinades instead.
1. Mediterranean:
This marinade is full of antioxidants and the lemon is a natural digestive agent. It also fits into the Mediterranean diet that has become popular.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp Mediterranean spice mix
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. For every 1 pound of boneless meat or 2 pounds of bone-in meat, add 2 tbsp of marinade. Let your meat marinade for at least 10 minutes. For the best flavor, cover and marinade in refrigerator for 24 hours.
You can make your own Mediterranean spice mix by combining 3 tbsp dried rosemary, 2 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tbsp ground coriander, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1/2 sea salt, and 2 tbsp cinnamon.
2. Southwest:
This is another marinade that is full of antioxidants all while being low in calories and there are no yucky chemicals like in the store bought marinades.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp southwest spice mix
Mix everything together and rub it on your protein.
Make your own southwest spice mix by combining 2 tbsp of chili powder, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp crushed red pepper, 1 tbsp ground coriander, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 tbsp dried oregano.
3. Oil and Vinegar:
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
4. Jerk Marinade:
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp jerk spice
Mix all ingredients together and rub onto your protein.
Make your own jerk spice mix by combining 2 tbsp dried minced onion, 2 1/2 tbsp dried thyme, 2 tsp ground allspice, 2 tbsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp vegetable oil.
5. Hot, Hot, Hot Marinade:
This is one of my favorites and can really curb your craving for not so healthy foods like hot wings. The spices bring your antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Tobasco sauce
1/2 tsp curry powder
6.
With my sister's wedding quickly approaching and mine only 8 months after hers, I am finding myself rushing to lose as much weight as possible so that I look good in not only my bridesmaid dress, but also my own wedding gown. I came across this great article that offers some great ideas for losing weight quickly and safely. It contains some awesome ideas that do not involve crazy diet tactics like liquid diets and all those other fads that we all know do not work.
1. Consume between 500 to 1,000 fewer calories than you burn daily. This is typically between 1,500 to 1,800 calories for most individuals. If you live a more sedentary lifestyle, try eating about 1,200 calories each day. GO NO LOWER THAN 1,200 CALORIES EACH DAY!!! If you go lower than this you are putting yourself at risk and you will not be getting the nutrients your body requires on a daily basis.
2. Cut back on sugar, alcohol (easier said than done between being in college, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and weddings), refined flours, and liquid calories. What does this mean? Choose fruit instead of cakes or cookies for dessert, drink water instead of soda, choose to eat your chicken in a salad instead of processed white bread, limit your alcohol consumption. If you find it difficult to give up soda and other sugary beverages, check out my list of fruit flavored waters posted earlier on my blog.
3. Focus on foods with high nutritional content such as lean protein, green veggies, whole grains, and fresh fruits. Avoid fatty dressings, sauces, and toppings.
4. Pay attention to portion sizes. With every restaurant serving four to five times the recommended portion these days, this is an area to lose control. Try to stick to 2-3 ounces of lean protein, 1/2 cup whole grains, and 1/2 cup of veggies per meal. Vary your choices to expose yourself to a wider array of nutrients.
5. Snack once or twice each day. Each snack should be no more than 200 calories. Choose items like low-fat milk, plain nuts, fresh fruit, whole wheat crackers, low-fat cheese, or cut up veggies.
6. Add more physical activities to your day to burn extra calories. To achieve this I have started taking the stairs more, parking farther away from school and stores, and taking walks after dinner.
7. Aim for 250 minutes of vigorous activity each with. This amounts to about 50 minutes a day for five days each week. I like to get this time in my taking brisk walks, Zumba, Insanity, jogging, biking, or swimming laps. Set aside one day for your body to rest.
8. Perform resistance training at least two days a week to build lean muscle and accelerate metabolism. Do 8-12 reps of each exercise for each muscle group. Be sure to use weights heavy enough to fatigue your muscles by the end.
This is another one of those summer's just around the corner celebration smoothies!!! It would be great for the pool side!
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups pineapple chunks
2 tbsp honey
Enough ice to make it slushy
Toss everything in the blender and blend until smooth. Serve in glasses and garnish with a pineapple chunck.
This is such a refreshing breakfast or poolside snack during the summer time! Bring on the heat wave!
2 cups watermelon chunks
1/2 cup of ice or frozen watermelon chunks (I like to use both)
Juice from 1/2 of a fresh lime
Zest of 1 lime, optional
Toss everything into the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with a lime wedge and lime zest or a slice of watermelon and lime zest.
1 container (6oz) of Yoplait 99% fat-free key lime yogurt
1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp dry lemon lime drink mix (like Kool Aid mix)
1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt
Place all of the ingredients in the blender, blend it up, and serve. This is soooo good! I love adding ice to mine to make it extra frosty. Sometimes I will substitute fat-free milk for almond milk to save a few calories.
I found this recipe and Pinterest this morning and it immediately caught my eye. I was like, "Mojito Smoothies?! Whaaaat!!!"
With summer just around the corner, I will definitely be making this a lot!
2 ripe bananas, peeled and frozen
10 fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup coconut milk (from a can)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Throw this in the blender and pour into a glass. Garnish with a lime wedge and a mint leaf or two. I like my smoothies extra frosty so I added ice and it was DELICIOUS! This gives you all the flavor of a mojito without the sugar!
I love, love, love spinach! There are so many health benefits that come from eating this green, leafy super food! Here is a dish I like to make on the weekends to keep me full and satisfied through lunch without unnecessary snacking.
1 egg
Black pepper
1 cup frozen spinach
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp crumbled Feta cheese
This one is super easy! All you have to do is place all of the ingredients into a greased skillet and scramble it all together.
Sometimes we even make this one for dinner because it is so tasty! If you are looking for an added source of protein, add three ounces of white meat chicken or a strip of turkey bacon that has been chopped into bite size pieces. If you top your scramble with a dollop of non-fat Greek yogurt, your scramble will taste like it has been topped with creamy spinach dip, but without all of the guilt! YUM!
I use this recipe on Sunday mornings when my fiance wants to go out to breakfast. It tastes just like a dish from on of our favorite cafe's in our college town, but when we make it at home we are saving money and calories. I also use this recipe to sneak more veggies into my soon-to-be hubby's diet. This breakfast dish is so tasty! You will not even be able to tell that it contains a significantly lower amount of salt and fat than it's restaurant counterpart.
you'll need:
4 eggs
2 potatoes
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast strips (I love using leftover grilled chicken)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Non-fat plain Greek yogurt
Black pepper
Cumin
Cayenne pepper
Chili powder
Non-stick cooking spray
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Olive oil
Low-sodium soy sauce
Salsa
Wash and dry the potatoes and cut them into bite size pieces. Place the potatoes on a greased banking sheet. Spritz them with cooking spray and season with black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Bake them at 350 degree until they are golden brown.
Meanwhile, saute the minced garlic, pepper strips, onion, and tomato halves in olive oil. Season with black pepper and low-sodium soy sauce to taste. Toss in cooked chicken strips. Season the mixture with cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
In a separate greased pan, scramble the 4 eggs. Season with black pepper. After they are fully cooked, toss the eggs into the pan with the veggies and chicken.
To serve, divide the potatoes and veggie mixture between two plates. Top each with a light sprinkle of cheddar cheese, a dollop of yogurt, and a spoonful of salsa.
This dish tastes so sinful, but with the massive amount of veggies, protein from the chicken and the Greek yogurt, a punch of flavor from the garlic and spices, and the lack of salt keeps this dish in my favorite healthy weekend breakfast lineup.
Enjoy!
I used to be the worst at eating breakfast! A combination of rushed, stressful mornings and feeling sick to my stomach from lack of rest caused me to dart out the front door every morning without even considering a meal. Because I am a college student, meals are typically the last thing on my mind throughout the day. Before I know it, its 4:30pm and I am starving to the point of scarfing down everything in sight. We all know this leads to over eating.
Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day because it does just that...breaks the fast. My last meal of the day typically falls between 5:30pm and 6:30pm. Following this meal, I consume nothing but water for the remainder of the day because I am not as active. From about 6:30pm until 6:30am, my body has been fasting. Our bodies need a morning meal to amp our metabolism back up and give us energy for the busy day ahead. Without eating breakfast, we feel sluggish, fatigued, scatter-brained, and hungry. Those who skip breakfast are more likely to binge at the next meal time and choose unhealthy snack options to curb hunger. Of course, this leads to packing on the pounds.
I was diagnosed with a couple health problems back in December that now require me to take medication twice each day with food. Now that I am forced to eat breakfast with my medication, I have noticed that I have so much energy during the day, I think clearer, my grades have gotten better, and my waistline began to shrink without any further dieting or exercise! I guess you could say I am now a breakfast advocate.
With busy mornings filled with a quick workout, getting ready your day, sending the hubby off to work and getting the kids off to school, I get that not everyone has time to sit down for a full scrambled egg white frittata with freshly squeezed juice and whole grain toast. If you do, that's great! Go for it! But for those of us who do not have the time for an elaborate breakfast, do whatever you have to do to provide your body with a healthy break to the fast. I have gotten into the habit of making smoothie packets with fresh fruit and yogurt in food storage containers. I toss my smoothie ingredients into the containers and freeze them. When I want a smoothie for breakfast, I dump the contents of one container into my magic bullet blender with ice and either fresh orange juice or almond milk, blend it up, pour it in a travel tumbler, and hit the road. Check out the rest of my blog for some tasty smoothie recipes!
On cooler mornings when I do not feel like a chilly smoothie, I grab a piece of fresh fruit, a cup of non-fat Greek yogurt or a protein bar, and fresh juice or coffee with almond milk. Whatever you have to do to rev up your metabolism for the day...do it! You'll feel more energized and overall healthier.
These tacos are so tasty, and good for you too. They are simple and quick to throw together for dinner or lunch, and they make a great "Meatless Monday" option.
-
1/2
cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
-
1/4
teaspoon chile powder
-
1
cup shredded romaine lettuce
In a microwave-safe bowl, warm beans, lime juice,
cumin and chile powder. Put bean mixture into tortillas and top with
lettuce, tomatoes and avocado.
Serves 1: 323 calories, 7g total fat, 64g carbs, 12g fiber, 11g protein.
I'm not a huge fan of avocado, so I typically replace it with onion, bell pepper slices, and mushrooms that have been sauteed in olive oil.
4 ounces salmon
3 ounces dry whole wheat penne pasta
1 1/2 cups frozen broccoli
1 tbsp butter, melted
4 tbsp low sodium vegetable broth (you could also simply use water)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
Broil or gill the salmon. A general rule of thumb for cooking salmon is to cook 1 minute per inch of thickness. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Heat the broccoli in the microwave until tender. Whisk together the melted butter, broth (or water), lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic. Toss the penne and the broccoli together in a bowl and place the salmon on top. Drizzle the entire dish with the garlic lemon butter.
Serves 1: 547 calories, 21g fat, 53g carbs, 8g fiber, 36g protein.
TIP: This dish is also really good when you replace the penne pasta with brown rice or risotto. YUM!
This recipe is so tasty you will not even realized you're eating a ton of veggies! It makes a quick and healthy weeknight dinner. Sometimes I will make multiple servings at a time and portion them out for yummy brown bag lunches. Bonus...the entire meal is under 500 calories!
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 boneless skinless chicken breast (3oz)
1 1/4 cup broccoli
1 1/4 cup bell pepper strips
1/2 cup potato, cut into bite size pieces (skin-on, or peeled...your call)
Salt and pepper
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Mix together garlic, 1 tbsp olive oil, and Parmesan. Pat the mixture into the chicken breast and place it on a baking sheet. Toss the veggies with remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and scatter them on the baking sheet with the chicken. Bake for 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender and the internal temp of the chicken reaches at least 165 degrees.
Serves 1: 455 calories, 19g total fat, 47g carbs, 8g fiber, 27g protein.
TIP: Sometimes I add a little bit of chili powder and cayenne pepper to the garlic mixture for a little kick. This added heat is also said to boost your metabolism. In addition, sometimes I will replace the broccoli with fresh green beans. This also tastes amazing!
