Red White and Blueberry Yogurt Pops

These tasty patriotic treats were a huge hit with the whole family!  My kids thought I was such a great mom because I even let them have them for breakfast.  Score with the mom points!! I mixed everything up and froze them in 8 store bought popsicle molds but you could freeze them in paper cups if you don't have popsicle molds on hand.  The measurements in this recipe aren't precise and because the size of your mold or cup will vary, they may need to be adjusted.  I'm excited to experiment with different fruit and yogurt combinations and come up with some new favorites.  I love finding healthy treats and plan to make these all summer long!

Ingredients
8 -10 large fresh straberries
4 cups Greek Yogurt*
2 cups fresh blueberries
honey, stevia or other natural sweetner, to taste
8 popsicle sticks

* If you're stricktly sticking to the 21 Day Fix program, use plain yogurt.  If not, you can use vanilla flavored.

Directions
Blend strawberries in a food processor until pureed.  If you want, you can add in some honey, stevia or other natural sweetener to make the strawberries a little less tart.  Pour into popsicle molds.  If you want a distinct line between the strawberry and yogurt layer, freeze for an hour or so before adding the yogurt layer.  Place blueberries in food processor and blend briefly, you don't want them to be pureed like the strawberries.  Gently fold the blended blueberries into the yogurt.  Mix as little as possible if you want to keep some of the white color from the yogurt.  Again, you can add a little sweetener if you want to sweeten it up a little (especially if you're using plain yogurt).  Pour into the popsicle molds over the strawberries.  Add in a popsicle stick and freeze until frozen through.  When frozen, run the molds under hot water to loosen the popsicle. Remove from mold and enjoy!

Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are such a fun meal!  The peppers make such a cute, edible dish just waiting to serve up the yummy filling in it.  There are so many different things you can stuff them with and this chicken fajita mix is fabulous!  This filling is so great in fact, that I love to use it for other things as well.  It makes a great filling for tacos and burritos and even works as a stand alone side dish.  As is, the seasonings combine to make a wonderful flavor.  I like to keep my foods pretty mild but you could easily spice it up by adding in some jalapenos.  Be creative and make this pepper yours!

Ingredients
6 medium bell peppers, any color
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb chicken, shredded
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with green chiles
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400.  Wash peppers, cut the tops off and remove all seeds.  Place open side down, on greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes.  While peppers are baking, heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large and deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until golden about 5 minutes, then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer, transfer onion mixture to a plate. Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil skillet, and add chicken, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, the paprika and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add tomatoes, onion mixture, black beans, corn, cooked brown rice, remaining 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin cumin, cilantro, lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook just until heated through.  When peppers are done, remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375.  Generously fill each pepper with rice mixture and sprinkle tops evenly with cheese.  Return to oven and bake for 5 minutes.  Serve warm, topped with more cilantro and Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream), if desired.

One Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies

I love the idea of only getting only one pan dirty when I make dinner.  Who doesn't love minimal dinner clean up?  When I came across this One Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies recipe, I knew we'd be good friends.  This is one of my most shared recipes and everybody that tries it, loves it!  Instead of pasta, this recipe uses vegetables as a base, so makes for a lighter meal.   The recipe calls for fresh asparagus but fresh green beans work well too.  I like a lot of sauce, so I actually doubled the sauce.  If you're a saucy kind of person, I recommend doubling it for lots of flavor.  This is a quick and easy to make and clean up.  Oh, and it tastes fabulous too!

Ingredients
1/3 cup light Italian salad dressing
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into strips
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb fresh asparagus
1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots
1 cup grape tomatoes

Directions
In a mixing bowl whisk together salad dressing, balsamic vinegar, honey and red pepper flakes, set aside.  Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then place chicken evenly in skillet. Cook about 6 - 7 minutes, rotating once halfway through cooking, until chicken has cooked through.  Meanwhile, trim asparagus of tough ends and cut and tomatoes in half.  Add half the dressing mixture to skillet and rotate chicken to evenly coat. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Add asparagus and carrots to skillet, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp tender, about 4 minutes.  Put meat back in the skillet with the veggies.  Pour remaining dressing over meat and veggies.  Stir gently to coat and cook for another minute.  Remove from heat and serve warm.

Source:  Cooking Classy

Honey Glazed Salmon

Last year I made a goal to try cooking seafood a little more.  I love seafood but the idea of cooking it really intimidates me.  I'm not ready to cook a fresh lobster but I've tried a few new things and have found this fantastic salmon recipe that I'm over the moon in love with!  We've had it a few times now and my family totally loves it too.  The salmon is so tender and the honey glaze is spot on.  I need to talk about this Browned Butter Lime Sauce for a minute.  It is in no way healthy or on plan with the 21 Day Fix program.  I thought about not posting it but I would feel selfish.  The salmon is FANTASTIC without the the sauce,  It is absolutely not necessary but every now and then I splurge and add a little because it is SO. DARN. GOOD.  So, I'm going to post the recipe for both the salmon and butter sauce and let you decide what you do with it.  This has got to be the easiest, most flavorful salmon recipe ever.  Definitely a keeper!

Salmon

4 salmon fillets

salt and pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons flour*

4 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

Zest of 1 lime

*If you're following the 21 Day Fix plan, use whole wheat

Browned Butter Lime Sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon honey

Juice of 1 lime

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Season salmon with salt and pepper, to taste. Coat each salmon filet with a think layer of flour and drizzle with 1 tablespoon honey.  Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, add salmon to the skillet and sear both sides until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.  I like to add a little more honey to each side before flipping it over.  Place into oven and bake at 400 degrees until completely cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.  While salmon is baking, prepare the Browned Butter Lime Sauce.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the foam subsides and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic, honey and lime juice, salt and pepper, to taste.   Serve Honey Glazed Salmon immediately with (or without) Browned Butter Lime Sauce and a little lime zest, if desired.

Source:  Damn Delicious

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

I love a good salad, especially in the summer!  It's a perfect quick lunch or light dinner.  My friend passed this one along to me a few years ago and I still love to pull it out and serve it for a filling, but lighter meal.  This salad is packed full of amazing and the dressing has just a little zip that will leave you wanting more.

Ingredients:
Dressing
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Salad
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chicken, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup avocado, diced
1/3 cup red onion, thin slices
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained*
1 cup corn

*kidney or pinto beans are also good

Directions:
To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stir until well mixed.  To prepare salad, combine lettuce and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Optional topping - tortilla strips*. Serve immediately and enjoy!

* You can easily make 21 Day Fix tortilla strips by using corn tortillas.  Brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.  Use a pizza cutter to cut into thin strips.  Toast for a few minutes until lightly toasted.  2 corn tortillas count as one yellow.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Fruit Dip

I'm always on the look out for yummy, kid and mom approved snacks.  This dip totally fits the bill!  In fact, it's so good that I totally eat it as  a dessert!!  My kids are all smiles when they get home from school and see this sitting on the counter.  Definitely kid approved.  It's so fast and easy to throw together and definitely puts a smile on my face too!  If you're doing the 21 Day Fix, just measure out the ingredients to fit your containers (e.g. 1 red container of Greek yogurt, 1-4 tsp almond butter, honey and chocolate chips).  Don't forget to count your purple containers with the fruit you dip.

Ingredients
1 cup Greek Yogurt*
1/3 cup organic almond butter (or peanut butter)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup of mini dark chocolate chips

*If you're doing the 21 Day Fix, use plain Greek yogurt to stay on plan.  Otherwise, vanilla Greek yogurt is great too.

Directions
Add Greek yogurt, almond butter and honey to a medium bowl and beat on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and serve with fresh fruit.

Cheddar and Broccoli Stuffed Chicken

As a busy mom, I'm always on the look out for ways to make dinner prep quick and easy.  Like most of you, dinner time is the busiest time of the day at our house.  The big kids need help with homework, the little ones are getting tired and cranky and I'm trying to divide myself between meeting all of their needs, cooking dinner and trying to make the house look a little less like a tornado just hit.  Sound familiar?  I got together with some friends last week and we spent the morning putting together some meals.  Best. Thing. Ever. We all went home with six healthy, homemade dinners just waiting to be put in the oven.  It was amazing!!  Dinner time has been such a breeze.  I could totally get used to this.  Anyway, this recipe right here is one that my friend made.  If you aren't able to make it ahead of time, it still comes together fairly quickly and we all loved it!

Ingredients
4 very thin boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded*
1  cup broccoli, chopped into very small pieces
 Season to taste with sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika
1/2  tbsp olive oil
toothpicks

*If you are following the 21 Day Fix eating plan, use one blue container of cheese for each chicken breast.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish, make sure they are very thin.  Season chicken with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese over chicken breasts, save a little to add to the top after you fold them.  Place a scoop of chopped broccoli on top of the cheese. Fold your chicken breasts in half and secure with 2-3 toothpicks each.  Brush the tops of the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with additional seasoning.  Cover baking dish with tin foil and place in the oven. Cook for about 30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.  Remove tin foil and sprinkle chicken with the remaining cheese.  Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Source:  Dana Nicole Fitness

Cucumber Hummus

I love having a fridge full of homemade dips and sauces.  For some reason I just find that very satisfying.  This homemade hummus is among my favorites.  Five years ago I don't think I had ever eaten hummus.  Once we were introduced, we became quick friends.  Hummus is perfect for dipping pita bread, veggies and crackers.  It makes a wonderful spread for sandwiches and wraps too.  We are big cucumber fans over here and I love the hint of cucumber that this hummus has.  My favorite Mediterranean restaurant serves their hummus with pomegranate seeds.  After eating it like that, I have to add it in.  The little sweet burst of pomegranate in each bite is addicting.  Plus it looks so pretty!  Excuse me now, I need to go eat some hummus.

Ingredients
2 cups Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 sprigs fresh Dill
½ Cucumber, chopped
½ tsp Salt
1 TBS Lemon Juice
1 TBS Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp paprika
olive oil, pomegranate seeds and a dash of cayenne pepper to garnish

Directions
Put all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed.  Scoop hummus into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and pomegranate seeds.  Serve with pita bread, crackers or veggies.

Italian Caprese Chopped Salad

Hello summer!  This salad is so fresh, simple and screaming summer.  I love all things Mediterranean and this dish is a favorite. If you're measuring out your cheese intake, you can add the amount of cheese that you'd like to your individual serving.  

2 packages grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
12 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, diced into cubes
sea salt and pepper, to taste

In a serving dish, combine tomatoes and basil,  Pour balsamic vinegar over them and stir until evenly coated.  Before serving, add in mozzarella, sea salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and serve.

Thai Baked Pineapple Stir Fry

Look at this beautiful dish!  This perfectly seasoned stir fry is baked in a pineapple, infusing the rice with the sweet, tangy pineapple juice.  Throw in some cashews for a nutty crunch and we're talking paradise for dinner.  This is a meatless version, but any kind of protein can easily be added. Anything from shrimp to chicken to sliced sausage makes a great add in.  If you're making a special dinner for two this would definitely be a winner.  Or how about dinner guests that you want to impress?  Wouldn't this be the perfect side at your next BBQ?!  Come up with whatever reason you want to make this dish.  You've just got to make it!

Ingredients

1 ripe sweet pineapple

4 green onions, sliced

3 minced garlic cloves

1 TBS olive oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 cup frozen diced carrots and peas

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp coriander

¼ tsp chili flakes

¼ cup cashews

1 TBS coconut milk

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Cut the pineapple in half, including the leaves. Carve out the pineapple flesh but keep the skin intact.  Cut up half of the removed pineapple flesh into small chunks and set aside. Pat the inside of the pineapple boat dry with paper towel. Cover the pineapple leaves with aluminum foil to keep from burning. Place the pineapple boats on a cookie sheet and bake for about 5 minutes to dry them.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add green onion and garlic and stir fry for a minute until fragrant.  Add half of the beaten egg to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds without stirring. Then stir in remaining egg, cooked rice and carrots and peas. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, turmeric, coriander and chili flakes. Stir fry on high for 5-10 minutes to desired crispness.  Add in pineapple chunks, cashews, coconut milk and soy sauce and stir.  Scoop stir fry mixture into pineapple shells and bake for about 10 minutes until heated through.  Garnish with more cashews and green onion. Serve right away.

{skinny} Chicken Salad

I don't know about you, but I eat much healthier when I plan ahead.  If I'm hungry and grab whatever is quick and easy, it's usually not so healthy.  If I plan ahead and prepare some healthy snacks and meals to have on hand when hunger hits, it's much easier to stick to healthy eating habits.  This is one of my favorites.  The original recipe is from Jillian Michaels and makes 4 cups.  Each 1/2 cup serving only has 118 calories.  I like to make a double batch and keep the extras in the fridge to pull out for a quick lunch or snack.  You can serve it sandwich style on whole wheat bread, scoop it up with whole grain crackers, roll it up in a leaf of lettuce or eat it just plain.  So many options.  And speaking of options, this recipe is very versatile.  If you're not a fan of the grapes, just leave them out.  Not so fond of the celery?  Replace them with cucumbers.  Cashews are my favorite nut but you can switch them out for another kind if you have a different favorite.  I've listed some optional seasonings that I like to add in (not all at the same time though!).  Play around with it and find the seasonings that do it for you.  Make this salad yours and enjoy a yummy, guilt free, protein packed meal!

Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
1/3 cup chopped cashews
1/3 cup non or low fat plain greek yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1 tsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Optional seasonings and herbs:  chili powder, garlic salt, cumin, paprika, green onions, parsley, cilantro

Directions
Put the cubed chicken into a large bowl. Add the grapes and cashews and toss gently to mix the ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, celery, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the chicken and stir gently to coat. Season to taste.  Store the salad in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Watermelon Strawberry Sorbet

Summer and ice cream go together like peanut butter and jelly or cookies and milk.  When you're trying to eat healthy though, it just doesn't cut it to sit on the side nibbling carrots while everybody else is enjoying a big bowl of cold creamy, ice cream goodness.  This recipe right here is the answer to all of summer ice cream dilemmas.  It goes way beyond good.  Because I'm kind of a nerd, I looked up "good" in the thesaurus to see what they had to offer.  I think they nailed it - marvelous, satisfying, shipshape, rad, splendid, gratifying, stupendous, super-excellent, superior, tip-top, spanking.  Okay, and we'll stop right there with spanking.  Not sure where they were going with that.  After eating this there is not a single ounce of me thinking, "I wish I had eaten some real ice cream instead".  The only thing I'm thinking is, "I wish I had made more!"  And my kids are head over hills in love with it too.  They can't get enough!  And you can eat it and fill your kids up on it, guilt free because it's healthy too!  It's quick and easy to make.  You just need to plan ahead a little and freeze your watermelon cubes.  I can make 4-5 batches of sorbet with that one watermelon.  So, let's review.  Tastes amazing and is loved by all, mixes up in five minutes and it's healthy!  I must insist you go make this marvelous, satisfying, super-excellent treat.  Now.  Your summer will be glad you did!

4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed and frozen
2 cups strawberries, frozen
2-4 TBS stevia or other natural sweetner
1/2 cup cold water
1 TBS lemon juice, or to taste

Place all ingredients in blender.  Mix until smooth and well blended.  Add a little more water, a few tablespoons at a time, if it is too thick to mix.  Serve immediately or store in freezer in an airtight container for up to a month.  If freezing, let it soften for a few minutes before enjoying!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quinoa Bowl

Sweet potatoes are pretty much my favorite vegetable.  Especially in a savory dish.  (I'm not such a big fan when they go the sweet route.)  This dish is definitely a win for team sweet potatoes!  Serve them over quinoa and with black beans and you've got a very filling and satisfying meal.  And the dressing is fantastic!  Creamy but healthy, since it has a greek yogurt base, and full of flavor.  And for the record, I realize the recipe title says "bowl" but I obviously don't have it pictured in a bowl,  I'm a rebel like that.  Plus, I wanted to be sure to show off the beautiful layers and thought it would be hard to see all of them in a bowl.  You have my permission to serve this "bowl" recipe on a plate, If you'd like.  And as long as we're straying from the the beaten path, if you want to make this dish a little lighter, you can substitute the quinoa with salad.  Either way, it is fantastic!

INGREDIENTS
Roasted Sweet Potato:
2 large sweet potatoes, diced
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
Quinoa:
3/4 cup red quinoa
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Juice of half a lime
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Cilantro Cream Drizzle:
1/4 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp honey
Juice of half a lime
Pinch of salt, garlic powder, and chili powder
Other Ingredients:
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
Cilantro for garnishing

DIRECTIONS
Roasted Sweet Potato:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
Toss the diced sweet potato in the olive oil and spices and lay it out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.  Roast the sweet potato for 12-15 minutes or until it is fork tender.
Quinoa:
Rinse and drain the red quinoa then put it in a medium sized sauce pan with the water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Bring the quinoa to a boil, then cover it with a lid and lower the heat to medium low.  Cook the quinoa for about 15 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed.  Remove from the heat and season the quinoa with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, lime juice, and cilantro.
Cilantro Cream Drizzle:
In a blender add all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Assembling the Bowls:
In 2 or 3 serving bowls divide the quinoa mixture.  Top the quinoa with the black beans and roasted sweet potato.  Drizzle the cilantro cream on top with a spoon.  Top with more cilantro if desired.

Chicken Avocado Lime Soup

This soup is nothing short of amazing!  I've shared it with so many people now and everybody loves it!!  It combines some fairly basic ingredients to create a ligh, simple but bursting with flavor, kind of soup.  I usually reserve soup for the coller months, but this is one that I love to eat year round!

Ingredients
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves minced garlic
7 cups organic chicken broth
2-3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 medium avocados, peeled, cored and diced
Optional toppings - tortilla chips (I like to toast corn tortillas and cut into wedges), shredded cheese and plain Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream)

Directions
In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add green onions and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.  Add chicken broth, tomatoes, cumin, salt, pepper and shredded chicken.  Stir well and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Add avocados to soup just before serving (if you don't plan on serving the soup right away, I would recommend adding the avocados to each bowl individually, about 1/2 an avocado per serving). Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and Greek yogurt, if desired.