{Recipe} Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Thighs

We are a week into the August Clean Eating Accountability and Yoga Challenge and I'm loving it!

I've been following a good 80/20 rule with my eating and even that 20% has been full of smarter choices. A new challenge always means new recipes for me, so I hit Pinterest and started searching for Clean Eating and Whole 30 meals that looked good to me...then I put my own spin on them.

The recipe I'm about to share is a combination of two recipes I found on there. One was a stuffed chicken thigh and the other was a bacon wrapped chicken thigh. Both sounded delicious and I couldn't choose which one sounded better so I decided to merge them together, make a few changes to the stuffing and the results were delish!!

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Thighs

• ¼ cup cashews
• ½ medium onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• small handful of basil
• 1 cup baby spinach (kale would work too)
• boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Cajun seasoning, to taste (I use Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning)
• nitrate-free bacon

 Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a food processor, combine the cashews, onion, garlic, basil and spinach. Pulse until it forms a thick paste with no large chunks in it. (If needed, add a little water or vegetable stock to thin it out so it doesn't get stuck - but don't make it runny.)
3. Open the chicken thighs and lay them out flat. Sprinkle with your seasoning, then spoon some of the mixture into each thigh. Roll it up and then wrap with a slice a bacon. Place each thigh, bacon seam down on your baking pan.
4. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads the proper temperature, between 165- 175 degrees.

These were really easy to make and they tasted amazing! I served them with some roasted sweet potato and zucchini.

As for yoga, I'm REALLY loving this series and I'm so happy I stumbled upon it on YouTube! Having a quick, program that is beginner friendly has been key to me sticking with daily practice.

I'm also happy to report that I have started running again! It felt good to get back out there and while my legs are really sore right now, I didn't lose that much progress, which was a pleasant surprise.

Have you tried any new recipes since starting the challenge? Please be sure to share them with the rest of the group and if you Instagram or Tweet a photo, use the hashtag #EatCleanWithNikki

If you are hearing about this for the first time, please join us over on Facebook for daily accountability, recipe and snack ideas and of course, the daily yoga video!

{Wordless Wednesday} Happy Fourth of July

{Photo from Lilsugar.com - Click for recipes} 

Kale vs. Spinach: Which Is Healthier?

I'm a fan of both of these leafy greens and tend to interchange them in recipes and smoothies. I mostly lean towards spinach as my go to green, but I've always wondered which was actually better for me. I stumbled upon this infographic and thought I would share!

*Infographic courtesy of Prevention.com - Click on the image above to visit the original*

Grilled Ratatouille

The warm weather of spring and summer bring about lots of time spent outdoors. We love to grill in the summer and we also visit farm stands and farmers markets more often. I tend to gravitate towards meals that showcase the great veggies I pick up at these stands or that my neighbors drop off.

I've typically always thought of ratatouille as a meal prepared in the oven (as well as a Pixar movie), but I love the spin that this recipe has put on a classic meal.

Grilled Ratatouille

 

This photo is from when I prepared it on the stove, but it's still super tasty! 

Ingredients:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Cajun seasoning, to taste
• 3 tbsps red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed with press or minced
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 large eggplant
• 2 large orange or yellow peppers, quartered
• 4 ripe plum tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions:

• Prepare your grill for direct grilling on medium-high.
• In small bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, and garlic.
• Cut onion crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Trim your zucchini and eggplant, then cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices.
• Brush half of the vinegar mixture on one side of onion, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes.
• Sprinkle with cajun seasoning.
• Grill tomatoes 6 minutes, zucchini and eggplant for 10 minutes, and peppers & onion for 12 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender and charred, turning over once.
• Transfer vegetables to a cutting board. Cool slightly, then cut into 1/2 inch pieces. (I remove the skin from eggplant at this time)
• Toss with vegetables with remaining vinegar mixture, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

You can serve this with pasta (you would toss the pasta along with everything in the last step. Or serve over rice.

I've made this on the stove when the weather wasn't good for grilling and it came out just as good (just a little less char). I also love picking up the pre-marinaded chicken breasts or thighs from Wegman's to cut up and toss in with this. My current favorite are the Cilantro Lime ones....so yummy!

 What is your favorite way to prepare fresh vegetables in the summer months?

{Recipe} Healthier Baked Ziti

One of my favorite comfort foods has always been Baked Ziti. There is just something about warm, gooey, melted cheese and pasta that makes me happy. Team that up with some fresh baked Italian bread (preferably from Brooklyn) and I'm on cloud nine!

The problem is, that as I have become healthier over the years, but I still crave that type of meal. My body now rejects high fat foods and processed carbs. I end up feeling sluggish and sick after I eat them, so I knew I needed to find a way to lighten it. As you know it that can be tricky to do when messing with cheese, but I think this turned out pretty good. I even added spinach/kale to the recipe for some vitamins and nutrients.

While this recipe is not the picture of health, it is lighter than your typical Baked Ziti and you can play around with ingredients to match your likes and dislikes. If you are a fan of gluten-free pasta, feel free to use it in this dish!

Healthier Baked Ziti (serves 8)

Ingredients:

• 12 oz uncooked ziti or penne (preferably whole-grain)
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes (I used Tuttorosso)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed (I didn't have spinach the last time I made it so I used Kale and it worked great)
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 oz fat-free ricotta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups (8 oz) shredded part skim mozzarella
• olive oil cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.

In a large pot, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Make sure you salt the water before adding the pasta! Drain and return to pot.

As the pasta cooks, heat a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic, being careful not to burn it. Add chopped spinach, salt, pepper and crushed tomatoes. Season with basil, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.

Add sauce to the pasta and gently toss. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta to the pasta. Carefully mix well, then transfer to your baking pan and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned. Let it cool 5 minutes, then cut it into about 8 equal portions.

*You can make this a day in advance if you need to. Just be sure it's stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking according to the directions above.

This meal would be perfect with a nice side salad instead of the bread, however it's one of the few times I look to eat Italian bread and found a delicious 100% Whole Wheat variety that my local grocery store bakes fresh daily.

Do you have a favorite comfort food? Have you ever attempted to lighten it up?

A Day In NYC for #FitBlogNYC (Part Two)

Welcome to Part Two of my #FitBlogNYC recap! I hope you found some helpful info from my first post about the amazing speakers who FITNESS lined up for us! If you somehow missed it, please take a moment to check it out here: A Day In NYC for #FitBlogNYC (Part One)

After our information packed morning of seminars, FITNESS provided lunch for all of the bloggers in attendance and an opportunity to visit all of the sponsor tables that were set up inside of the Mercedes Club. When we arrived at the event, we were given a program and on the back of it was a list of all of the sponsors. We had to use this as a sort of passport and collect stickers from each vendor in order to earn an amazing swag bag!

First up was Saucony, since we encountered their table immediately upon going inside. They had a table set up with amazing running shoes, in bright, fun colors. Looking at the array of colors just made you instantly happy, so you could image how I was about to burst with joy when I found out that we were all receiving a pair of them!! The shoe being featured were the Kinvara 4's and they are simply #Kickassimus and will help me #FindYourStrong!

For specs on the Kinvara 4 running shoes click here.

Next up was the Athleta table. They had a table full of swimwear on display for us to check out and two racks full of different athletic wear. While taking everything in, we were told about an Instagram contest they were running. We were to pick out an outfit we liked from the rack and Instagram a photo of it with the hashtag #PowerToTheShe. A winner was selected at midnight based on who had the most likes. Obviously, I did not win, but it was fun anyway!

From there we moved over to the Marmot table where we met Paige Claassen who is a Professional Climber. She will be taking part in the Lead Now Tour, which is a global tour to inspire people through rock climbing. While speaking with her, I learned that she will be traveling the world for year during this tour and that she is most excited to visit South Africa, which is where the tour kicks off.

For more information on Paige and Lead Now, click here.

The next table I visited was sponsored by Tonalin. I had never heard of them before, but learned that their products are used for reducing body fat and are sourced from natural safflower oil. Tonalin CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is natural and environmentally sustainable. I don't know how much I buy into supplements like these, but if you have ever used them and have seen good results, I'd love to hear about your experience.

From here I moved on to the Reebok table and it was fabulous! They had a great display of their CrossFit sneakers set-up for us to check out, along with some of their new #LiveWithFire apparel! There was also a photo-op set up here. We got to write a catchy phrase on a white board, along with our blog/twitter information and have our photo taken. Later, we found out that Reebok had also given us all a pair of their SubLite Train 1.0 sneakers (not featured in this photo) to try out! Score!

For more information on the SubLite Train 1.0 sneakers, click here.

Vichy Laboratoires was the next table I visited. Upon arriving there, we were presented with an iPad and earbuds so we could watch this funny video, which is part of their #celluliteconfessions campaign:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CX3Dc35HN4&w=560&h=315]

After laughing for a while and joking with Violet Zaki (Fitness Expert, Owner of ZakiFitness and Equinox Instructor), we were introduced to CelluDeStock and their new Capital Soleil Lightweight Foaming Lotion SPF 50, which smells amazing and doesn't leave that gross sunscreen feeling on your skin. Vichy was kind enough to offer us a full size bottle of each in our swag bags, so I'm sure I'll have more to offer on these products soon!

Our next sponsor was Smart Balance and they had a very fun set-up for us. First, we were offered a little snack made with Smart Balance peanut butter, of course! They were No Bake Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies and they were yummy! They were also kind enough to have the recipe printed out for us to take home, so I figured I'd share with you, too!

Smart Balance No Bake Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Smart Balance Fat Free Milk and Omega 3s
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 Tbsp Smart Balance Blended Butter Sticks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 3/4 cup Smart Balance Rich Roast Chunky Peanut Butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

• Boil the Smart Balance Fat Free Milk and Omega 3s, cocoa, Smart Balance Blended Butter Stick and sugar in a small pot for two minutes.
• Remove from heat and add oatmeal, Smart Balance Rich Roast Chunky Peanut Butter and vanilla.
• Drop by heaping tablespoons onto parchment paper or way paper. Let cool for at least 1 hour before eating.

Nutrition Fact: Serves 40. Nutrition per serving: Calories 72, Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 1g, Poly Fat 0, Mono Fat 2g, Trans Fatty Acids 0g, Cholesterol 1mg, Sodium 29mg, Carbohydrates 9g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Protein 2g.

They also had a fun aspect to their table. There were headbands for us to wear with the hashtag #BalancedBlogger on it and we had to attempt to do a fun pose on a Bosu Ball while wearing it. It was an interesting couple of minutes as I tried to balance on one leg for a photo. Luckily the representative taking the photo caught it right before I fell off. Good times! For our efforts we earned a jar of their peanut butter in our choice of chunky or creamy. If you Instagramed and tweeted the photo, you also earned the chance to win free Smart Balance peanut butter for a year.

The final sponsor we visited before giving into our hunger and breaking for lunch was Crystal Light. They had a table set-up with cups of water and a few sample flavors of their new #CrystalLightLiquid flavoring. We had a choice of trying Blueberry Raspberry, Pomtini or Strawberry Lemonade, which is what I opted for. I liked that you could control how much flavor was added to your water and that it wasn't overly sweet because of that.

From here we took a break to grab some food and head back outside to socialize and enjoy the gorgeous weather NYC was having that day.

I wish I had taken more photos of the bloggers I met during the event, but it complete mental overload and I was honestly more into socializing than documenting by this point. It was nice to meet up with Jen (@MomsGottaRun) since we went to High School together and it had been years since I'd seen her.

After lunch we headed inside to visit the final sponsor table, which was brought to us by Ford Fiesta and their #FiestaMovement. They had a fun photo booth set up so myself, Sylvia (@Frolic_Life_Syl) and Susan (@SusanFishback) participated together.

To view our video as well as others from this event  click here.

Our final event of the day was the group workout. Those of you who read my blog regularly already know we had a choice of three workouts. A Cardio Dance Party, Yoga or a Group Run. I chose the run so I quickly changed into a tank top and met my group. The run was being sponsored by Saucony and was being lead by Dorothy Beal (@MilePosts) who is a marathoner, mom of 3, cover model and running coach. Our group wasn't very big, but it was full of some runners who know their stuff and could easily do the 3 miles we set out to do. I felt great at first and was keeping pace with some of the newer runners, like myself, but as we continued our run along the Hudson River, I suddenly felt the familiar tightening of my chest... the one that has driven me crazy since I was Derailed By The Plague back in March.

I was starting to have an asthma attack and I didn't have my inhaler with me. Awesome! I slowed down and walked, tried to run again to catch up and then realized I had to walk if I wanted to make it back to the venue. I instantly felt like I failed and tears began to stream down my face. I called my husband to vent once my breath returned and he tried to reassure me that it was okay and I didn't fail, but it's hard to accept in the moment. I felt embarrassed and I felt like my body let me down. I eventually came to terms with what happened but it still sucks.

Upon returning back to the Mercedes Club, many of the bloggers had already grabbed their swag bags and were leaving. I quickly changed my shirt and headed over to claim my bag awesomesauce before meeting a few of my new blogger friends for a drink and some snacks.

 

Photo Credit: Susan Fishback

 

My bag full of Awesomesauce! (Ignore the mess behind it)

This was hands down and amazing event and I hope I am lucky enough to be invited to attend next year. I promise to share more information about what was in this amazing bag as I use the items, but the brands include Saucony, Reebok, CamelBak, Vichy, KIND, SparklySoul Headbands, Smart Balance, Marmot, Goody, Pure Barre, Three Jane, Athleta, Julep, Bliss Labs and many, many more!

 One quick item I'd like to feature is Sugarfina.

They gave use a beautifully packaged, delicious box of dark chocolate covered Goji Berries that even my kid liked!

They are offering our readers 20% off their antioxidant collection until May 31, 2013. Just visit Sugarfina.com/antioxidant and enter the code FITNESS at checkout!

A Taste of Summer + Crock Pot Beef Carnitas

The past few days have been simply gorgeous outside! It's been sunny and in the low 80's outside, which means it was time to clean up the yard and sit outside.

This year, the yard took quite a beating. Between Super Storm Sandy, snow and a few wind storms, we are missing siding, had more than our fair share of branches and leaves everywhere, and let's not even talk about the green hue my normally white house has turned.

Since I am still semi sidelined from the plague, my activity has come in the form of clean-up. Lots of raking, bagging, weeding and digging through the shed to find the cushions for the patio set. The one thing the nice weather always makes me crave is grilled food. There is just something about sunshine, fresh air and a warm breeze, that makes me crave a juicy burger, fresh grilled veggies or maybe some kebabs!

I had the grand plans of cleaning up the yard, giving the grill some TLC and making a yummy meal to be enjoyed al fresco. I went to the grocery store with a list in hand, purchased meats and veggies to be prepared over the hot coals, but then never mustered up the energy to actually give the grill that TLC that it desperately needed. Sigh. On the bright side, the yard is clean and we can sit out there, so there is a small victory.

The nice weather still had me craving "warm weather food" so I took to Pinterest and found a recipe to fit my craving.

I have a major love for Mexican foods. Tacos, burritos, guacamole, flautas, you get the idea. So I obviously got super happy when I found a recipe for beef carnitas that I could cook in the crock pot. I normally only use my crock pot in the winter time, but that baby will now be used in the warm weather as well. It really makes sense when you think about it. Most of the time when the weather is nice, you are at the beach, park, pool or just enjoying time outside. It's hot outside and you don't want to stop what you are doing to go inside and make the house warm by using the stove or oven. Most people turn to grilling instead, but why not toss your meal in the crockpot before you set out on your summertime adventure, and come home to a meal that just needs a pretty paper plate and some condiments?!

This recipe was super easy to prepare and I love that it required no added oils or fat!

Crock Pot Beef Carnitas Tacos
(original recipe found here, thanks to Pinterest)

 

My photo isn't nearly as nice as the ones featured on the site where the recipe came from.

One day, I'll put more effort into food photos for these posts.

Ingredients:
2 lb flank steak
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped (remove the seeds and ribs if you prefer less spice)

For the Spice Rub:
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Optional Serving Items:
corn tortillas
avocado slices (I made a fresh guacamole)
cilantro
salsa
lime
tomato, chopped

Directions:
Mix all of the spices together in a small bowl. Rub the spices well all over your flank steak. (Think massage here!) Once the spices are rubbed in, place your steak in the bottom of your crock pot.

Next, cover the flank steak with all of the chopped onions, tri-color peppers and the jalapeno pepper.

Set the crock pot to LOW and cook for 8 hours.

When time is up, remove the flank steak from your crock pot and begin shredding it with a fork. Once shredded, you can put it back into the crock pot and toss it with the juices as well as the peppers and onions, or transfer everything into a serving bowl and toss.

Heat your corn tortillas in a skillet on the stove (or wrap them in a damp paper towel and heat for a few seconds in the microwave). Spoon some carnitas on a tortilla, then top with a squeeze of lime and your favorite toppings.

I served these with some yellow rice as well some corn and black beans. It was super tasty and very easy, which are all major requirements for dinners in this house!

Do you have any warm weather meals that you like to prepare in the crock pot?

Being Productive Makes Me Happy

This has been a really good week for me!

I've stuck with my workouts, been eating much cleaner and tried some new recipes. Two new ones are right here in this post, and the Green Monsters (which are my new obsession) can be found here.

No-Bake Energy Bites - These are so yummy and really satisfy my sweet tooth! They calculated out to about 120 calories each, which isn't too bad.

Chicken, Quinoa and Summer Squash Casserole - I swapped out the summer squash for zucchini and used Italian seasoning instead of rosemary.

As you've probably already seen in yesterdays post.... I also reached my 100-Mile milestone this week! I originally hoped to have reached this on Valentine's Day, but my hamstrings and Mother Nature didn't like that plan. The important thing is I reached it and honestly, 500 miles seems pretty easy now. I hate to say it out-loud but as long as I stay healthy and don't get injured, I think I'll easily pass my goal! *fingers crossed.....knocks on wood....yeah....I know I probably just jinxed myself...sigh.*

 

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

~Tomorrow starts the Road ID Badge Challenge over on FurtherFasterForever! You might recall that a few weeks ago I participated in the Sandy Hook virtual event they put together. I'm really excited about this challenge and I'm curious to see how many badges I can collect from March 1st thru March 14th. I'm a newbie to this and I know most of the people who participate are serious athletes, but I'm a determined newbie and will do my best....everyone starts out somewhere, right?!

How is your week progressing? Anything special you'd care to share? What has made you proud or happy this week?

My Name is Nikki and I'm a Green Monster Addict

It's true. I'm hooked!

For a while I was nervous to try smoothies that incorporate spinach in them, but I was foolish and didn't know what I missing out on!

Thankfully my friend Jac did a Guest Post here about them and then pinned a recipe over on Pinterest that finally made me try them.

The recipe she pinned was for a Blueberry Pie Green Monster and when I followed the link, I found even more of these Green Monster recipes. Then, one caught my eye and I knew I had to try it. Which one, you ask? Well, the Cookie Dough Green Monster, of course!

I actually had all of the ingredients on hand and just needed to pick up some baby spinach, so that's exactly what I did and then tossed everything in the blender as per the directions on the recipe and enjoyed!

I always have a bunch of bananas, frozen in a gallon size Ziplock, They're a staple item for me.

 

Is this cup fitting for the color of this smoothie, or what?! I also had a fear of it tasting Wicked,

but thankfully it was not.

 

I think it's safe to say I've been enjoying the addition of Green Monsters to my day.

If I could lick the side of the cup, I absolutely would!

I have also tried the Peanut Butter Green Monster, but I tweaked that one a bit and LOVED it! I used coconut water and a chocolate coconut peanut butter in it. Yum!

Today I made the Banana Bread Green Monster and tweaked this one as well. I didn't have walnuts on hand, but I did have Banana Bread flavored Quaker Oats (Weight Control variety) so I used that in place of regular oats and walnuts. OMG....this may be my new favorite!

I tend to use Almond Milk or Coconut Almond milk in my Green Monsters and I like to add ground flax seeds to them as well. You'll need to take any changes as well as brands you into consideration when figuring out the calories for these. Each of mine were around 400 calories.

Let me know if you try any of the other flavor recipes from the blog where I found these or if you know of another blog that features these cups of green goodness!

{Recipe} Chicken "Bruschetta"

It's been a while since I've tried a new recipe, so I hit the web in search of inspiration for the boneless, skinless chicken breasts I bought on-sale the other day.

Not seeing a particular recipe I liked, I decided to take a little of this and a little of that, from the ones that did catch my eye. The result was pretty tasty so I decided to share it.

 

Chicken "Bruschetta" served over whole-wheat pasta

Chicken "Bruschetta"

Ingredients:
8 ounce bag of spinach
3 Tb chicken stock
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper, to taste
chopped garlic (use as much or as little as you like)
onion powder
Italian seasoning
2 large tomatos, coursely chopped1 small onion. chopped
1/4 cup Roasted Peppers (I used frozen ones from Trader Joes)1/3 C fresh parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place the spinach in the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass baking pan.  Drizzle with the chicken stock, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Arrange the chicken on top of the spinach and season well with the salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder and Italian seasoning.  Add the chopped tomato and roasted peppers, then top with the parmesan cheese

2.  Loosely tent the pan with a piece of aluminum foil.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake for another 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.  Serve immediately.

I made some thin, whole-wheat spaghetti to serve with this and it was very yummy. I liked the ease of this dish and how you can easily change the ingredients to fit your taste-buds.

Have you tried any new recipes lately? Do you have a go-to website to find dinner inspiration?

A Smooth-ie New {Guest Post}

This week I have a great guest post courtesy of Jac, from Nora & Jac! If you follow me on Twitter you may be familiar with her name from The Plank Challenge.

We have only met in person once (and it wasn't under the best of circumstances) but I consider her a good friend and I'm glad that I met her on that crazy place called Twitter.

I enjoy that we motivate each other and that she is just as willing to try new healthy recipes as I am! Heck, as I type this I'm sipping on the Skinny Water recipe she blogged about the other day (It's on her blog...check it out!) and making a list of ingredients I need to purchase to try the recipe below.

 

I apologize for my Instagram photo. I forget to bust out the good camera first thing in the morning.

Hey y'all, I'm Jac of Nora & Jac - Nikki and I met through a mutual friend of ours and have became great pals since! This girl motivates me like no one else to get healthy and get my bum to the gym. {which I have failed to do lately.} I love having someone who is states away but can still send me a tweet saying get off your ass and get moving and I kinda feel like I have to listen to her. So thanks for that, lady!

And while I'm getting back on the healthy track I've discovered my love for "Green Smoothies". My first thought on them were that they would be gross, taste like grass, or be one of those things I just drank because it's healthy. Spinach in a smoothie just seemed bizarre to me. But, eventually I thought I'd give it a try.... and boy was I wrong! DELICIOUS!

Before this discovery I tended to stray away from smoothies, not because I didn't like them {I LOVE them} but because they always made me feel kinda icky and bloated afterwards. However, I was also buying those pre-made smoothie packs - that could have had something to do with it. But now, after using all fresh ingredients and a huge handful of spinach I feel good after drinking them and stay full until lunch.

Ingredients: 
{bare with me here - I don't actually measure anything. Unless using my hands count? ;)}

A handful of spinach leaves

1 cup of greek yogurt {any flavor - I used Stawberry here}
6 large blackberries

1/2 c blueberries

1/2 banana

3 strawberries, sliced

1/4-1/2 c skim milk

a dash of cinnamon

I always freeze my banana the night before. This time I also froze my strawberries and the greek yogurt. I spooned the yogurt into an ice cube tray {about 6 ice cubes worth}.

Put the spinach in the blender first, then the yogurt, then just layer the fruits and pour the milk and cinnamon over it. You kinda have to eyeball the milk amount... I just add milk until it's blending properly. I loved this berry/spinach smoothie.

There are so many variations you can do. This morning my smoothie was spinach, pineapple, peach, banana, greek yogurt, and I used coconut water as my liquid. Yum in my tum!

So... the lesson here being... if you were apprehensive about spinach smoothies... TRY THEM! You won't regret it! And if you are an avid spinach smoothie drinker... what do you put in yours??? 

Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes!

Today is National Pancake Day!

Normally I would love to toss the kiddies into my truck and head over to iHop for some pancake delishiousness, but that's just not happening. Instead, we have decided to make some for dinner tonight, right here in the comfort of our home.

The boy has requested traditional pancakes, the girl will most likely want chocolate chip and I'm going to have a banana protein version.

Of course I had to hop on Pinterest to see what they had for inspiration and as usual, they didn't let me down. I found a paleo version of the pancakes while just browsing thru what the people I follow pinned. (Thanks Jackie!)

So here is the I found and what I'll be using in the kitchen tonight:

 

This stack of fluffy goodness is made from 4 simple ingredients that you probably already

have on hand! Photo and recipe from RecipeBoy.com - Click on the photo to view both!

I'll be using this recipe to create all three variations I mentioned above (unless the picky boy sees me, then he'll be having Bisquick pancakes....don't judge!) I think I'll add some cinnamon and a scoop of vanilla protein powder to my banana pancakes....think a healthy version of banana bread!

Do you have a healthier version of pancakes that you love? Care to share your recipe? (wink wink)

What's Your Super Bowl Game Plan?

It's quickly approaching! Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner and that means Super Bowl parties and snack food galore!

You know what I'm talking about.... Nachos, Wings, Dips, Pizza, Chili, Chips, Desserts....you name it! All lined up on a table, waiting for you to stuff your face with them while you scream, laugh, curse and catch up with family and friends.

If you are one of the many people who made getting in shape your New Years resolution, it means you've been putting in some serious gym time and watching what you eat. Why toss that all out of the window for one party? Granted, some of you are reading this and thinking, "I'm entitled to a cheat day!" or "One evening of eating these foods won't kill me." and you're right...but why waste all of those calories or tempt yourself to travel back down the road of poor eating habits when you don't have to?

What you need a is a healthy game plan!

Here are two links to some recipes that look great and will save you calories, while giving you the flavors and foods you associate with Super Bowl parties:

Better Homes and Garden: Healthy Game Day Snacks

Eating Well: Healthy Super Bowl Recipes and Menus

For the most part, it comes down to using lower fat/calorie dairy products or substituting some Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, baking instead of frying and using as many fresh ingredients as you can. You will always have more control over what you put into your body if you are the person preparing it because you are in charge of the ingredients. I know it's easier to pick up the phone and order a few pizzas, but I highly recommend preparing some items from scratch, on your own. (If you do order, at least opt for a thin crust with veggies....please!)

If you are hosting the party, or just staying home to watch, you'll have a little more say on what gets served for the game watching festivities. However, there is nothing wrong with bringing something to party if you are invited somewhere. Your host will appreciate it and you'll know there is at least one healthier option for you.

Also, don't forget that beer can eat up a lot of your calorie allotment for the day, plus it also contains a lot of sodium. If you choose to have a few beers during the game, opt for light varieties and don't forget to drink water between drinks!

Another tip? Don't skip your pre-game workout! Hit the gym or go for a run before you head out for the big game. Doing so will not only burn calories, but it'll start your day off with a healthy mind set and you'll be less temped to sabotage yourself once you arrive at the party!

If you try any of the recipes from the sites above, please let me know. Also, if you have lighter versions of football snack food favorites, please feel free to share a link to the recipe on your blog or post the recipe below!

Pleasant Surprises + Recipe

The other day when I came home from work, there was a box sitting on my table. At first I thought it was just a holiday present I had ordered and then I took note of the return address on it. It was the prize pack I won a few weeks back from participating in the #PastaFits twitter party! I had completely forgot about it, so it was a very pleasant surprise.

Of course, being the child I am, I had to rip into it to see what I won! The box was filled with all different types of pasta, ranging from gluten-free to veggie, The Carb Lovers Diet pocket guide, a spaghetti spoon and a $25 Visa gift card!

I'm a big fan of pasta, so this prize pack is right up my alley. I was even making pasta for dinner that night! Here is the recipe I prepared. It's from a cookbook I received for Christmas a few years back, called Preserving Our Italian Heritage. It's not the healthiest dish in the world, but it's one of my favorites to have occasionally, in moderation. The light cream can be substituted with half & half to save some fat, of course. You can also use whole wheat, whole grain or gluten-free pasta!

Salsa di Caserta  (Cream Sauce with Sweet Sausage, Green Peppers)

Ingredients:

1 lb. sweet sausage

1 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 cup light cream
1 tsp. dried marjoram, crushed
1/8 tsp pepper
1 lb. farfalle pasta, or your favorite pasta, cooked al dente

Directions:

Remove sausage from casing, crumble into a skillet. Stir and cook until sausage is no longer pink. Add onion and garlic, saute until onion is soft and light colored. Drain any excess fat that might be in the pan. Stir in the light cream, parsley, cheese, marjoram, salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer and make sure you do not boil, reduce heat, cook and stir over medium heat 6-8 minutes until thickened. Toss with the pasta and enjoy!

Healthy Baking Substitutes

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and that means many of us will begin baking for family events, holiday dinners, office parties, cookie exchanges and quite honestly, just because it makes us feel festive.

That sweet tooth and favorite cookie recipe doesn't have to be ignore this season. All you need to do is change your perspective on food and make a few improvements on those sugary, overly processed ingredients our recipes normally call for.

Here's a handy list I found on Pinterest:

It's amazing how much sugar and how many calories you can save with these simple substitutes. What's even more amazing is that you can't even tell you changed anything with most of them.

Do you have any healthy holiday baking tips?