Thanksgiving Gone Healthy

I know we all have a love/hate relationship with Thanksgiving!!! It’s the 1 holiday that everyone feels like it’s 100% OK to stuff themselves until they can’t move! HA!! While I know it may seem impossible to eat healthy on Thanksgiving, there are A LOT of healthy alternatives for the traditional Thanksgiving foods, that offer the same great tastes that we LOVE but with just a few tweaks to allow for a much healthier option! So I wanted to bring a few of these healthier options to your attention to make it a little easier for you to get thru this Thanksgiving! 

Ohhhhhh the appetizers….we all love the appetizers!!! Between the dips,  hor d’ouvres, spreads, etc. it’s enough to fill you up even before you get to the main course!!!  The best way to limit yourself from overeating on appetizers? Take smaller portions, that way you can still have a taste but won’t fill up on just the appetizers! If you are planning to attend a Thanksgiving Day celebration, be sure to pick and choose carefully before dinner. If you must, fill up on light snacks so you don’t totally ruin your appetite by the time the bird hits the table!

OK so the turkey isn’t the BIG issue, it’s all those yummy side dishes that we gotta worry about!! Many Thanksgiving side dishes are built with enough ingredients to be a main meal by themselves. This is half of the fun; however, it can be very unhealthy. I have found 2 SUPER yummy but healthy alternatives for some of Thanksgivings favorite side dishes!! Check them out….. 

These Glazed Yams will definitely satisfy that sweet potato craving for you!!  http://www.teambeachbody.com/teambeachbodyblog/nutrition/glazed-yams-cinnamon-nutmeg 

Next up we have stuffing, gotta have stuffing!! But it doesn't have to be loaded with carbs, check out this Quinoa Stuffing, you'll get that GREAT taste of stuffing without all the added carbs/calories!! http://www.teambeachbody.com/teambeachbodyblog/nutrition/quinoa-stuffing  

Now that we got dinner outta the way there MUST be >>>>> dessert! Of course there will be Pumpkin Pie or it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving right?! Well I found you a healthy alternative to pumpkin pie, heck you could even make it if you are hosting or take it to the family gathering you will be attending!! I’m sure no one will know the difference and it’ll be a HUGE hit!!

*Low-Fat Pumpkin Cake Bars*

For the Cake: 

◦ 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

◦ 2/3 cup low-fat Greek yogurt

◦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

◦ 4 egg whites

◦ 1 teaspoon baking soda

◦ 1 cup Stevia Sugar

◦ 3 teaspoons baking powder

◦ 2 cups all-purpose flour

◦ 1/2 teaspoon of salt or sea salt

◦ 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

◦ Cooking spray

For the frosting:

◦ 5 ounces light cream cheese

◦ 1 cup powdered sugar

◦ 1 teaspoon vanilla

◦ 1/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped

Directions:

1 To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch glass cake plate with cooking spray.

2 Mix pumpkin, yogurt, vanilla, egg whites and sugar well in a large mixing bowl. Once combined, add in baking soda, baking powder, flour, salt and pumpkin pie spice until fully mixed.

3 Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cake comes out dry when inserted with a toothpick.

4 To make the frosting: Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla together. Once cake has cooled, frost and garnish with toasted almonds.

ENJOY!!! 

Remember the most important part of staying healthy at a Thanksgiving celebration is portion control regardless of what is served. Still, keeping the calorie count down on what goes into the food will benefit everyone involved. I hope these ideas/recipes help you make your Thanksgiving celebration a little healthier this year!!

-xoxoxoxoxo

Jenn 

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?!!?!?

There has been lots of bantering back and forth about one of my favorite teams, the Steelers, this pre season but no matter what ------- I am ALWAYS a TRUE Steeler girl!! And in honor of the 1st official game of the 2015-2016 season,  I wanted to share my  3 favorite snacks/appetizers with you! 

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!! 

OK so first up is.....my *Skinny Buffalo Chicken Dip*.....my absolute favorite snack and it's always a BIG hit with the family!! 

-2 cans of 95% Fat Free Canned Chicken (shredded)
-8 oz. of Greek Cream cheese
-1/2 cup of Frank's Red Hot
-1 TBLSP for WildTree's Blazin' Buffalo Seasoning
-1 cup Fat Free Ranch Dressing
- 1 1/2 cups of Fat Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese
*Mix all ingredients (only 1/2 of the cheese) in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, once finished garnish with the remaining cheese and serve with yummy BLUE Tortilla Chips!

2nd in my top 3 is.....*Mini Tacos*

-Won ton wrappers in muffin tins filled with taco seasoned turkey meat, fat free cheddar cheese & bake for 8 minutes at 350. Top with favorite taco toppings! .......yum!

AND last, but certainly not least on the list is......*Zucchini Pizza Boats* OHHHH YES, they are deliciously healthy! 

Hope these recipes help make your football season a little more yummy while also being healthy!!! ENJOY!! 


-xoxoxoxo
Jenn 

5 Tips for a Hoppin', Happy & Healthy Easter

I seriously cannot believe that we are only a few days away from Easter??? Crazy to me, where the heck did March fly away to? That month came and went so fast!!! BUT we are here, I am super excited for Easter Sunday and to get to spend time with family AND that we are getting closer to Spring & Summer!! I don't know about you but I am OVER this winter and cold weather!! 

Sooooooo with that being said, we all know that holidays are great, but with the holidays comes indulging and splurging on foods we don't always eat on a daily basis. I get that, I totally do, because I definitely live by the 80/20 rule when it comes to nutrition.....because let's be honest if you restrict yourself, you will start to dislike what you are doing and not stick to it.....moderation with everything is KEY in my opinion! 

I want to share with you my 5 Tips that keep me on track during holidays like Easter!! Even though I LOVE to have a little indulgence and treat here and there, I always feel tired and sick after overeating! To me it's just not worth it BUT I have a few tips to help you fight those indulges and not over do it this Easter holiday! 

• Exercise!! Make sure to mark off some time on your schedule for some exercise this week/weekend before the Sunday Holiday! Even if it’s just a few short minutes, this will help you burn off excess calories!
• Balance Your Meals Out: Don’t be tempted to fill up your plate with rich, high caloric food. Instead have a tiny bit of everything, including fruits & veggies! Doing this will still get you that little bit of indulgence in moderation! 
• Prepare for outings: There is no reason to totally give up your healthy eating during the holidays, all we have to do is learn to manage it a bit more carefully over the holidays! 
• Stock up on Healthy Snacks: Be sure to have some healthy snacks on hand at home, that way when you are tempted you can just grab one of those to curb your craving! Also about a 1/2 hour before you leave for your event or party, have a small snack to hold you over and keep you somewhat full until dinner so you don’t find yourself munching on chips or sweets! 
• Don’t over eat: I know we have always been told that we should eat everything on our plates but you are an adult now, don’t feel obligated to lick your plate clean. When you feel full, stop eating, it’s that simple! 

I hope these tips will be useful and help you stay on track for this upcoming Easter Holiday and remember, everything in moderation, moderation is KEY to success in your journey! 

**HAPPY EASTER!!**

-xoxoxxoxox

Jenn 

*Skinny Brownies*

I love love love turning not so healthy recipes into healthier versions to share with my family & friends!!! Now they on the other hand....not so much hahahahaha! But they come around once they taste that the healthier version is actually not much different than what they are used to......SHOCKING huh?! 

That brings me to.....BROWNIES!!! Ohhhhh how we ALL love brownies........(I mean if you don't, I think there is something missing in your life!) I love brownies a little too much sometimes and tend to overindulge when they are around me, so I found a way to make 2 of my favorite things collide {Shakeology + Brownies = MAGIC}!! This recipe for Shakeology Brownie bites is yummy and you get the brownie taste without all the calories/added sugars!! 

 What you will need: 
-2 packets or 2 scoops of Vegan Chocolate Shakeology 
-2/3 cups of PB2 Peanut Butter Powder
-2 Tblsp of Honey
-2 Organic Eggs
-Few pinches of Cinnamon
-Baking pan or bread pan

What you'll do: 
Preaheat your oven to 350*, spray your baking pan with EVOO cooking spray, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, pour into your pan and cook for 8-12 minutes or until cooked through (I had to add a few more minutes to mine), once they are done cut up into small bite size pieces and devour reasonably!!! 

These were a BIG hit with the hubby & our 3 yr old niece and of course ME!! Hope your family enjoys them as much as mine did!! 



-xoxoxoxo
Jenn 

KID Approved Mini Pizzas

Ok so sometimes on Friday nights or on the weekends the hubby and I are craving pizza and we don't want to eat the bad stuff or just don't feel like ordering out, so I make these and it totally satisfies that pizza craving!!

These little pizzas are the BEST & easiest thing to make AND for the mommas out there,  they can be super fun for the kids to help out with, without making a HUGE mess for you to clean up!!! 


*Mini Pizzas*
What you will need:
-Sandwich Thins ( I usually make about 6-8)
-Organic Pizza Sauce (they have a good one a Giant Eagle, just can't remember the brand)
-Turkey Pepporoni
-Fat Free Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
-And whatever other healthy toppings you'd like
(We are picky so pepporoni is all we like)

What to do:
-Seperate your sandwich thins and lay them all out on a baking sheet
-Spread a Tblsp of sauce onto each sandwich thin
-Add 3 pieces of your turkey pepperoni onto each sandwich thin
-Sprinkle a little less than a handful of your cheese onto each sandwich thin
-Pop in the oven on 350° for about 8-10 minutes and you have Mini Pizzas ENJOY!!

P90 Results are IN & The the Start of My Insanity Max 30 Journey Begins!!!

Sooooo OK OK OK!! I admitted I was a slacker with my weekly update posts with P90 and I SOOOO apologize for that!! BUT the results are in and I am going to be 100% honest with you on this one!!! 

P90 was a GREAT program, I actually love changing it up and this was a nice switch up for sure! BUT 90 days is ROUGH and it's alot, let's be honest!! It got a little repetitive and I feel like some days I was just going through the motions. In my opinion, this program is definitely GREAT for someone who is just starting on their journey or getting back into working out, I wouldn't recommend for someone who has done harder/more intense programs such as FocusT25 or the 21 Day Fix. With that being said, my results are in and I did exactly what I wanted to do, toned up and maintained my weight!!! 

My measurements:

Before:                    After: 

Arm: 9.5                    Arm 9.5 

Bust: 28.5                   Bust 28.5

Waist: 25                    Waist: 25

Hips: 33                     Hips: 33

Thighs: 18                    Thighs: 18

Weight: 111.8                    Weight: 111.0

Mission Accomplished!

I can say that I am happy with my results from P90, losing more weight was not something that I wanted so this worked out perfectly for me!! I can definitely see more toning & shaping of that boooootttyyyy {which by the way was NON EXISTENT before Beachbody! ;)} and that's what I wanted!! 

Today I started my Insanity Max 30 journey and I couldn't be more excited but I must say I am gonna miss my weights/sculpting exercises from P90!!

Insanity Max 30 is NO JOKE!!! Let me just tell you that!!! Cardio, cardio and MORE cardio!! But I loved every minute of it!! Having ShaunT yelling and pushing me through when I am sooooo ready to give up is just what I needed after P90! (Tony Horton is much more laid back!) I cannot wait to see what the next 60 days brings, I know this workout program is going to push me harder than I have ever been pushed and I am excited for that and to grow through this program! 

I maxed out @ 16:52 very PROUD moment!!! 

NOW onto everyone's favorite part......the FOOD!!!! Insanity Max 30 follows the 21 Day Fix meal plan with the containers which is soooooo COOL!!! I have been following a pretty good plan of my own but wanted to step it up a notch with Insanity Max 30 to maximize my results so I sat down with the book, planned out my meals and voila! Meal plan=DoNeZo!! 

Ssssshhhh....Meal Planning in Progress!!!

It's nothing too crazy and I am totally used to eating the same thing daily because that is what works for me (everyone is different!), whatever works for you stick to it! I am not saying this meal plan is right or wrong I just know that it has worked for me! With that being said I plan to stick to this 100% throughout the week and give myself some 'cheats' in moderation on the weekends!  I will most definitely be having my 'comfort food' and healthiest meal of the day of Shakeology everyday for sure!!! Shakeology does a body good! Here is what I have come up with for my 1st week meal plan and I was shocked, I was actually FULL today and wasn't hungry or 'hangry' (angry/hungry LOL!)!!

I am so excited to go on this journey and cannot wait to share it with you!! I plan to share weekly updates (if my life isn't CRAZY!!) with you so you can go on this journey with me!! 

If you have EVER wondered what all this crazy Beachbody/Shakeology is all about, let's chat and see if one of these AMAZING programs would be a good fit for you!!!

-xoxoxoxoxo

Jenn 

My Super Bowl Favorite Snack Recipes!

Ok so smack me upside the head NOW....I seriously had NO CLUE the #SuperBowl was this weekend until I was looking for recipes for the blog and all these 'what are your favorite snacks for Superbowl Sunday?' recipes popped up in my google search!!! SEE what happens when my Steelers aren't in it, I don't pay any attention! Either way I am ALWAYS a TRUE #SteelerGirl!! 

Sooooo in the spirit of Super Bowl Sunday only being days away {even though my boys aren't in it!} I wanted to share my  3 favorite snacks/appetizers with you! 

First up is.....my *Skinny Buffalo Chicken Dip*

-2 cans of 95% Fat Free Canned Chicken (shredded)
-8 oz. of Greek Cream cheese
-1/2 cup of Frank's Red Hot
-1 TBLSP for WildTree's Blazin' Buffalo Seasoning
-1 cup Fat Free Ranch Dressing
- 1 1/2 cups of Fat Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese
*Mix all ingredients (only 1/2 of the cheese) in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, once finished garnish with the remaining cheese and serve with yummy BLUE Tortilla Chips!*

2nd in my top 3 is.....*Mini Tacos*

-Won ton wrappers in muffin tins filled with taco seasoned turkey meat, fat free cheddar cheese & bake for 8 minutes at 350. Top with favorite taco toppings! ..yum!

AND 3rd on the list is......*Zucchini Pizza Boats* OHHHH YES, they are deliciously healthy! 

Hope these recipes help make your Super Bowl Sunday a little more yummy while being healthy!!! ENJOY!! 


-xoxoxoxo
Jenn 

Who doesn't LOVE Lasagna.....Especially the HEALTHY kind?

Is your mouth watering yet???

OK so I absolutely LOVE lasagna, you would think I married an Italian or something ;) hahahaha! But no seriously, if you asked me what one of my FAVORITE comfort foods is, I would undoubtedly say some form of pasta, pasta, pasta!!

I am always on the look out for a healthier version of some of my favorite foods so that I can still enjoy them without feeling all the guilt! Well.....I totally found that when I discovered *Whole Wheat Lasagna Roll-Ups* >>>>> 1 word AMAZING!! The simple roll ups help you make personal size lasagna servings. And best of all, scooping them out of the pan when serving couldn’t be easier (I always find with lasagna, that it can get a little messy...)! 

If you are looking for a yummy, quick, easy, healthy recipe these roll ups are the solution to your problem! 

So do you wanna know the recipe????? Thought so......here ya go! 

What you will need: 

• 6-8 cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 1/8 cup regular almond milk
• 6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup fat free shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 1/2 – 3 cups organic tomato sauce/paste
• chopped fresh parsley for sprinkling

What you'll do: 

Preheat oven to 375° F.

In a bowl, stir together the almond milk, Greek yogurt, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Evenly spread the mixture on to each of the cooked lasagna noodles. Sprinkle each with mozzarella and carefully roll. Leave about 1/4 cup of mozzarella for sprinkling on top.

Pour half of the tomato sauce into a baking dish. Place each roll in the sauce with the seam side down. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella over top.

Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes, until cheese is melted. Cool before serving and sprinkle with parsley. 

AND Voila ----> lasagna the healthy/easy way!  ENJOY! 

-xoxoxoxo

Jenn 

{Husband APPROVED Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup}

I am always on the lookout for healthy versions of recipes so I am not stuck eating the same thing alllllll the time!! It’s that time of year that everyone is looking for some ‘comfort food’! It’s getting colder outside and we are wearing warmer clothes/boots….it’s just that time of year where we want something warm & comforting to eat!! So when I came across this *Healthy Version of Stuffed Pepper Soup*, I of course was craving something warm & comforting and stuffed pepper soup seemed like it would really do the job….. WELL, let’s just say, I was in ‘comfort food’ heaven!!! Hahhahahaha it’s the small things for this girl!

This recipe has been husband, parents & grandparents {APPROVED} !! So of course I must share it with you too!! Sorry there is only one picture….we were too busy enjoying the soup to take more pics ;)

*Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup!*

What you will need:

3 cups cooked brown rice

1 lb ground turkey or chicken

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup diced onion

3 cloves chopped garlic

2 cans (14.5 oz each) organic petite diced tomatoes

1 3/4 cups organic tomato sauce

2 cups reduced sodium, fat-free beef broth

2 cups of water (may need to add more as necessary)

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper to taste

I tried to figure out the calorie count and I think it runs about 275 calories for a heaping bowl (about 1 1/2 cups).  Makes about 8-10 cups total. 

What you’ll do:

Cook 3 cups brown rice and set aside.

Using a large soup pot, brown the meat and drain any remaining fat.  Reduce the heat and add in the peppers, onion and garlic.  Cook until the veggies are slightly tender (about 5 minutes). 

Add in canned tomatoes, beef broth, tomato sauce, chili powder and salt and pepper. 

Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Lastly, add in the cooked rice and simmer on low for 25 minutes. 

This is a FAVORITE in our house throughout the fall/winter months and you can even make a bigger batch and store some in the freezer for when you need a quick meal….just thaw, heat and eat!! Hope this recipe WINS over your family like it did mine! Share your comments or if your family enjoyed it, I’d love to hear all about it!!

{ENJOY!}

XOXOXO

-Jenn