Amee's Savory Dish

Favorite Green Beans

2012-03-07T18:52:00.002-08:00

I make these beans all the time because they are quick and full of flavor. I always use frozen organic green beans for this recipe because they don't require as long of a cooking time. Southerners, traditionally, like their green beans softened, not steamed to a crisp texture. I enjoy them both ways, but this method is definitely my favorite. Let the beans thaw in the pan for an hour or so before cooking and drain the excess liquid. They get a little caramelized with the sauteing and it really brings out the great flavor. Enjoy~

Favorite Green Beans

Ingredients:
5 cups frozen organic whole green beans, thawed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 packet concentrated liquid chicken stock dissolved into 1/4 cup water (or 1/4 cup regular chicken stock)
2 tbsp smart balance butter olive oil blend (sticks)
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped fine
1/4 cup slivered almonds
sea salt and pepper to taste

Cook green beans in the chicken stock in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook until liquid has evaporated and beans have softened. Add butter, garlic, almonds and dill and stir well coating the beans. Saute until beans begin to carmelize and serve immediately.

Kiwi Mint Mojitos....It's happy hour, baby!

2012-03-04T16:37:00.002-08:00

I'm going to continue on my kiwi kick for the week with this amazing cocktail recipe. You can be fit and fabulous and still enjoy your happy hour. Moderation, my friends! I found this great recipe in Rachael Ray's Everyday magazine. I made only one slight change and added a splash of club soda to the mix. I love the use of agave nectar instead of simple syrup here. If it could come with a hammock and a beach, I'd be all set!
Enjoy~

Kiwi Mojitos

Ingredients:
2 kiwis, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp agave nectar
4 mint leaves, muddled (and more for garnish)
2 oz light rum
ice
splash club soda

Rinse and pat mint leaves dry (I love a salad spinner for this). Muddle the mint leaves to release the oils using a mortar and pestle or you can do it directly in the cocktail shaker with the back of a wooden spoon. Just gently press down on the leaves (you don't want mint mush).

In a mini food processor, puree kiwi and agave nectar. Place kiwi mixture, 2 oz light rum, ice and a splash or two of club soda in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and pour into an ice filled glass. Garnish with kiwi and mint leaves.
Serves 2.

Fit and Fabulous Fridays #21

2012-03-02T00:01:00.002-08:00

It's time for another weekend round-up of amazing healthy recipes! Fit and Fabulous Fridays is a place where amazing foodies share their lightened-up recipes!! I welcome all blogging friends to link up and join the fun. This is a place for you to showcase your amazing creations, encourage a healthy lifestyle for my readers and add to my fit recipe collection. I really appreciate the great recipes that you share. I welcome all healthy lifestyle recipes (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo diet, etc.). A friendly reminder, PLEASE make sure you are submitting a HEALTHY recipe. Save that death by chocolate torte for the sugar coma linky. Just sayin'....;) Have a fabulous weekend!!!!

Here's how it works:

Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your recipe.
Please leave a link back to this post in your post and grab my button for your blog(please pass the word to your blog friends for more fabulous recipes!)
Share your delicious and fit recipes from this week (you can share more than one).
Leave me a comment telling me that you've linked up.
Please visit at least two others and comment on their wonderful additions to this party.
"Like" my facebook page for updates and link party reminders

Thank you for being a part of my link party! I love sharing recipes and look forward to trying yours! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Banana Kiwi Smoothie

2012-03-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

I seem to be on a beverage kick this week. The weather has warmed up a bit and I am craving smoothies and protein shakes. I picked up a big container of kiwi fruit at Costco for smoothies and fruit salad, so I thought I would share this favorite. The addition of chia seeds to this drink, gives you added fiber and nutrients. This is a meal in a glass and really tasty, too! Enjoy~

Banana Kiwi Smoothie

Ingredients:
3/4 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
1 large frozen banana
3/4 cup pineapple juice (no sugar added)
1 large kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp agave nectar (or 1 packet stevia)

Place all ingredients into a blender or Vitamix and blend until smooth.

Mixed Berry Lemonade....All Natural, No Refined Sugar

2012-02-27T07:20:00.000-08:00

This beverage has me dreaming of hot, summer days....It's refreshing, healthy and would be pretty amazing for happy hour with a little citrus vodka. ;) This is an adaptation of a Vitamix recipe that I received from a Vitamix sales representative. The only change from the original recipe for Strawberry Lemonade is the addition of raspberries and blackberries (because I love them!) Enjoy~

Mixed Berry Lemonade

Ingredients:
2 cups of organic red, seedless grapes
2 large organic strawberries, 3 blackberries and 3-4 raspberries (can use frozen)
1 small slice of lemon with rind
1 tsp agave nectar, or 1 packet stevia, or 1 tbsp honey ( I use agave)
1/2 cup ice

In a Vitamix: Blend on high for 1 minute. In a blender: Blend until smooth.

Fit and Fabulous Fridays #20

2012-02-24T00:01:00.012-08:00

Here's how it works:

Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your recipe.
Please leave a link back to this post in your post and grab my button for your blog(please pass the word to your blog friends for more fabulous recipes!)
Share your delicious and fit recipes from this week (you can share more than one).
Leave me a comment telling me that you've linked up.
Please visit at least two others and comment on their wonderful additions to this party.
"Like" my facebook page for updates and link party reminders

Thank you for being a part of my link party! I love sharing recipes and look forward to trying yours! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Fit Inspiration

2012-02-23T10:28:00.004-08:00

Raspberry Ketones.....Gimmick or Worthy of Praise??

*photo by raspberries.us

This supplement is getting a lot of hype lately. Dr. Oz did a feature recently on this "miracle fat burner in a bottle." You can watch his video here. I found this segment very interesting. I am not usually a fan of weight loss supplements. Let's face it, the best way to live a healthy life and acheive a healthy body is through clean eating and exercise. There's not a pill that you can pop to achieve overall wellness. Not to mention, a lot of weight loss supplements contain caffeine and dangerous stimulants. They can give you the shakes and a wicked case of anxiety....not a good feeling! However, the fact that this supplement is natural and has no (known) side effects intrigues me. I decided to be a product tester for all of you. I ordered my Raspberry Ketones from Amazon and started them today. I'll report back with my results in 30 days and see if there really is physical change from taking these pills. I will not alter my exercise program or eating habits, to ensure more accurate results. I'll do measurements today and see if it really is all that it's cracked up to be. You cannot eat enough raspberries in a day to get the same effect as the supplement. It would take 90lbs!! Be careful of supplements on the market now. A lot of the Raspberry Ketone products contain other ingredients like green tea, caffeine, etc. You want PURE Raspberry Ketones as a supplementation to a healthy and fit lifestyle. Let's see if they live up to their hype!

My friend Lauren over at Lauren Kelly, Certified Nutritionist shared a great article about the health benefits of Kale. You can read it here. Kale is easy to grow yourself, organically. It will also save you a lot of money. If you aren't sure how to cook with Kale, I wanted to showcase an article from Cooking Light that contains some great Kale recipes. Bon Appetit~

My featured recipe this week comes from the uber talented Foodie Physician. This Tilapia Picatta sounds and looks amazing!

I love her story. Sonali is a board certified Emergency Medicine physician and a culinary school graduate! Her ambition is amazing and she creates wonderful healthy recipes. She has competed on The Ultimate Recipe Showdown on Food Network and won or placed in quite a few recipe contests. I hope you'll check out her site and be inspired.

Look for my Fit and Fabulous link up tomorrow and check out healthy recipes from great foodies around the web. I will be focusing on my other passion this weekend. I am attending a conference for children's book writers, illustrators and publishers. I am working on a children's book to publish this year. They are critiquing my book on Saturday.
Wish me luck. :)

Cranberry Orange Chicken

2012-02-20T07:20:00.001-08:00

This is a variation of a Cranberry Chicken recipe that turned out scrumptious. I have to say, it wasn't the prettiest dish to photograph. It's one of those really tasty, but kinda ugly dishes. I gave it my best shot, because we all thought is was worthy of the blog. I love the blend of cranberry and orange flavors. The tangy flavor of the onion soup mix goes great with the sweet and tart flavors of the marmalade and cranberry sauce. I recommend serving the chicken over a bed of brown rice. The rice soaks up all the sauce and tastes amazing. Enjoy~

Cranberry Orange Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 9oz jar cranberry sauce (such as R.W. Knudsen)
8oz fruit based orange marmalade (such as Simply Fruit)
zest of one orange
2 envelopes dried onion soup mix
1/4 cup dried cranberries (soak in orange juice for about 30 minutes and drain before adding to dish)

Arrange chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix all ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes more.

Makes 6 servings.

Fit and Fabulous Fridays #19

2012-02-17T00:01:00.001-08:00

It's time for another weekend round-up of amazing healthy recipes! Fit and Fabulous Fridays is a place where amazing foodies share their lightened-up recipes!! I welcome all blogging friends to link up and join the fun. This is a place for you to showcase your amazing creations, encourage a healthy lifestyle for my readers and add to my fit recipe collection. I really appreciate great recipes that you share. I welcome all healthy lifestyle recipes (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo diet, etc.). A friendly reminder, PLEASE make sure you are submitting a HEALTHY recipe. Save that death by chocolate torte for the sugar coma linky. Just sayin'....;) Have a fabulous weekend!!!!

Here's how it works:

Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your recipe.
Please leave a link back to this post in your post and grab my button for your blog(please pass the word to your blog friends for more fabulous recipes!)
Share your delicious and fit recipes from this week.
Leave me a comment telling me that you've linked up.
Please visit at least two others and comment on their wonderful additions to this party.
"Like" my facebook page for updates and link party reminders

Thank you for being a part of my link party! I love sharing recipes and look forward to trying yours! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Fit Inspiration

2012-02-15T19:00:00.001-08:00

Like you really need another excuse to eat chocolate, right?? Well, here is a great one from Prevention magazine. I LOVE when people to tell me to indulge in my favorite treat! Just make sure it's at least 65% cacao to get the most benefits without excessive calories. I try to keep individually wrapped dark chocolates in the pantry. When I get a craving for something sweet, I just have a couple and feel satisfied. It's a great way to get your chocolate fix without tipping the scale.

*photo by Godiva

If you love your crockpot as much as I do, you'll appreciate this article from Eating Well. They give us great tips on how to get better cooking results in this handy appliance. The convenience of a meal that cooks all day without any labor, helps busy families get healthy meals on the table! Healthy in a hurry makes a fit lifestyle easy and convenient!

Another great find this week is a pre-breakfast supergreens drink from FitSugar. It is great for getting a flat tummy! This debloating chia seed cocktail from celebrity trainer Valerie Waters is full of healthy fiber. You'll want to add this super fit drink to your morning routine to feel great all day!

Surviving the Stores posted a great deal for us on their site today! Whole organic chickens are $1.99/lb at Whole Foods this Friday (2/17). That is a great buy, so stock up if you have a store near you!

My recipe feature this week comes from Naked Moxie. She has shared a healthier Pasta Fagioli soup that looks amazing! You can click here for her recipe.

*photo by NakedMoxie

Enjoy an amazing week friends and stay inspired!

For Your Valentine... Upside Down Cake Pops

2012-02-13T20:07:00.002-08:00

I tried out the cake pop pan this weekend (recommended by a friend) and wanted to share my results. I love traditional cake pops that are prepared by crumbling cake and mixing with a little prepared frosting, however they are a bit time consuming to make (and can be a little too sweet and dense for some folks). So, I was excited about making the cake balls directly in the baking pan and skipping the extra steps. Here are my findings....

The cake pop pan (which I bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond) is overall a great design. It is well made and has a great non-stick surface. However, it tends to overflow as the pops are baking. So you end up with a bunch of cake "cups" on top of the pan. My kids thought this was great, though, because I just filled them with whipped cream and called them mini cake cup surprises. I think that they liked them better than the pops. I could have saved myself a lot of work and just scrapped the balls and served up some cake cup Valentine treats. A few sprinkles on top and I could have called it a day.

I made sure to follow the directions with the pan and added a box of pudding, used less water than the cake mix called for and added an extra egg. This is supposed to made for a more dense cake ball to work with to make sure that they don't fall off the stick. After they cooled, I added a small amount of melted chocolate to each stick and placed inside each cake ball. I placed them into the refrigerator to harden until set.

Dipping the cake pops were a little tricky, because they are larger and more fragile than a traditional cake pop. I used melting chocolate to dip the cake pops and topped them with various sprinkles. I found that a lot of my cake pops turned out great, but some of them wanted to fall off the stick. To keep them all uniform and pretty, I decided to turn them upside down into a cupcake liner and cover them with sprinkles. This way, they all turned out great and they would be super easy to transport to the kid's parties at school.

My verdict....I love this pan for making these upside down treats, but they are not easy to work with for traditional pops. They are larger, more airy and harder to dip. However, the fluffier cake texture is wonderful. I'll keep practicing with my new pan and see if I can't perfect the dipping technique. It was a good investment and these upside down treats are a fun twist on the original favorite.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Triple Berry Protein Shake

2012-02-12T14:18:00.000-08:00

Another delicious way to get your daily protein. Enjoy~

Triple Berry Protein Shake

Ingredients:

1 cup of triple berry blend(strawberries, raspberries and blackberries) frozen berries
1 cup of vanilla (40 cal) almond breeze
1 packet truvia
1 heaping scoop of BSN Lean Dessert protein powder (vanilla or chocolate flavor) or your favorite protein powder
1/2 cup cold water

I love the Cascadian Farms organic mixed berry blend.

Place all ingredients in a blender and enjoy!! Tastes amazing and great for you!

Fit and Fabulous Fridays #18

2012-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's time for another weekend round-up of amazing healthy recipes! Fit and Fabulous Fridays is a place where amazing foodies share their lightened-up recipes!! I welcome all blogging friends to link up and join the fun. This is a place for you to showcase your amazing creations, encourage a healthy lifestyle for my readers and add to my fit recipe collection. I really appreciate great recipes that you share. I welcome all healthy lifestyle recipes (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo diet, etc.). A friendly reminder, PLEASE make sure you are submitting a HEALTHY recipe. Save that death by chocolate torte for the sugar coma linky. Just sayin'....;) Have a fabulous weekend!!!!

Here's how it works:

Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your recipe.
Please leave a link back to this post in your post and grab my button for your blog(please pass the word to your blog friends for more fabulous recipes!)
Share your delicious and fit recipes from this week.
Leave me a comment telling me that you've linked up.
Please visit at least two others and comment on their wonderful additions to this party.
"Like" my facebook page for updates and link party reminders

Thank you for being a part of my link party! I love sharing recipes and look forward to trying yours! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Coconut Vanilla Cupcakes-Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Gluten Free

2012-02-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

Gluten Free Coconut Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp coconut flour

4 whole eggs

2 egg whites

1/2 cup organic sugar

1 cup coconut milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 and line a dozen cupcake holders. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until batter is smooth and even. Spoon batter into cupcake liners and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tops spring back at the touch. Cool completely and serve with whipped topping or frosting of your choice.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches- Crockpot recipe

2012-02-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

Another crockpot keeper here! I made these over the weekend and they are so delicious. If you love spicy, go for the hot sauce!!

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

*Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless frozen chicken breasts

1 17.5 oz bottle buffalo wing sauce (hot or mild), divided

1/4 to 1/8 cup chicken broth (depending on how large the chicken breasts are-it keeps the meat moist)

1/2 packet spicy ranch dressing mix (such as Hidden Valley Ranch)

2 tbsp smart balance butter

8 rolls for serving

Put frozen chicken breasts, chicken broth, 3/4 wing sauce and ranch dressing mix into the crockpot. Cook on low 6-7 hours. When chicken is done, it will shred easily with a fork. Shred the chicken in the crockpot and add the remaining wing sauce and the butter. Stir and serve on your favorite rolls.

*Info without bun:

Weight Watchers ++=4

Weight Watchers Points= 4.1

182 calories, 2 g carbs, 5 g fat, 26g protein

Favorite Protein Shake

2012-02-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

I love a protein shake after a good workout. Your body needs the protein to help build lean muscle mass. I have tried MANY protein powders on the market and the two below are my favorites. Enjoy~

Chocolate Banana Protein Shake

1 scoop BSN lean dessert chocolate fudge pudding protein powder (or Tera's Whey chocolate protein)
3 ice cubes
1/2 frozen banana(I peel, slice in half and freeze bananas in ziploc bags for my shakes)
8 oz vitacoco coconut water
8oz 45 calorie almond breeze chocolate almond milk
1 packet truvia.
Mix all ingredients in a blender and enjoy!

Fit and Fabulous Fridays #17 Superbowl Edition

2012-02-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

In celebration of Superbowl weekend, I invite you to share your lightened-up party favorites! I welcome all blogging friends to link up and join the fun. This is a place for you to showcase your amazing creations, encourage a healthy lifestyle for my readers and add to my fit recipe collection. I really appreciate all of you and the great recipes that you share. I welcome all healthy lifestyle recipes (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo diet, etc.). Have a fabulous weekend!!!!

Here's how it works:

Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your recipe.
Please leave a link back to this post in your post and grab my button for your blog(please pass the word to your blog friends for more fabulous recipes!)
Share your delicious and fit recipes from this week.
Leave me a comment telling me that you've linked up.
Please visit at least two others and comment on their wonderful additions to this party.
"Like" my facebook page for updates and link party reminders

Thank you for being a part of my link party! I love sharing recipes and look forward to trying yours! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Fit Inspiration....Healthy tips and recipes from around the web

2012-02-02T18:41:00.001-08:00

I came across a great article on Livestrong this week. The Most Shocking Diet Myths may surprise you! Check it out here.

*photo by Comstock/Getty Images

Lauren Kelly, Certified Nutritionist has a delicious breakfast for you this week! Her Blueberry Zucchini Bread sounds amazing!! Zucchini bread is a favorite of mine and I can't wait to try Lauren's version. It's healthy too and has only 169 calories a slice!

Savory Simple has shared a great recipe for Basil Apple Lime Juice. For those of you that love to juice, this sounds really light and refreshing. It is also a glass of antioxidants, vitamin C and a lot of other valuable nutrients. Does the body good with amazing flavors to boot!

For lunch, Healthy Green Kitchen has an amazing Black Bean Chili with Chocolate. This filling soup is full of great fiber and nutrients!

*photo by Healthy Green Kitchen

For your Superbowl party, I recommend Gina's Skinny Baked Mozzarella Sticks over at Skinnytaste. Wow, these look great!!! I love when our favorite finger foods get a skinny makeover. :)

You don't think that I'd forget your cocktails, do you??? Kelly over at Eat Yourself Skinny has a great Skinny Beer-garita recipe for us! If you think beer + margaritas is weird, then you MUST taste them! The flavors blend beautifully. They are easy and really yummy, so go ahead and surprise your guests with this lightened-up concoction. They will love them. :)

*photo by Eat Yourself Skinny

For dinner, I love these Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts from Dashing Dish! They are only 8 Weight Watchers points per breast. My kids will love them, too. :)

That concludes my inspiring round-up for this week. I hope you all will check out Fit and Fabulous Fridays this weekend. Bloggers will be sharing their favorite lightened-up party recipes with us to celebrate the Superbowl. Don't miss out! Enjoy~

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is another favorite banana muffin recipe of mine. If you cannot already tell, I have a banana obsession!! My blog recipe for "Donna's Banana Muffins" (which are fabulous, by the way) is great for anyone with food allergies and vegans. It is a dairy-free, egg-free version. If you don't like chocolate chips, just substitute nuts. This is the muffin of choice for my kids. They always ask for these for breakfast. I have made them healthy enough that I don't mind feeding them chocolate chips in the morning. Enjoy~

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup white wheat flour (can also use spelt or unbleached all purpose)
3/4 cup oat flour
3/4 cup natural brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 egg
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tsp good quality vanilla
3/4 cup mini or regular chocolate chips (use semisweet or 60% cacao)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients, including sugar. Whisk until well mixed. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine banana, vanilla, egg, coconut oil and yogurt. Make sure that the coconut oil isn't warm or it will solidify in chunks in your batter. It must be soft but make sure it has completely cooled before adding to your mixer. Mix until well incorporated on medium speed. Stir in flour mixture and chocolate chips. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray. Fill 16 muffin cups with batter. Bake for 22-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. Enjoy~

White Bean Bison Chili- Crockpot recipe

2012-01-30T06:18:00.000-08:00

This meal is loaded with excellent protein, fiber, lycopene and good carbohydrates. Not to mention, it's easy!!

White Bean Bison Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb ground bison (you can also use ground turkey,grass-fed beef or meatless veggie crumbles)
1/2 cup chopped onion
30 oz diced tomatoes with juice (I use the Pomi tomatoes in the carton)
16 oz white kidney beans (can use cooked dried beans or canned, if you use canned, drain and rinse them)
1/2 cup salsa (I use Jack's Special medium salsa)
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
sea salt and pepper to taste

For garnish:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sliced black olives
jalepenos
Sour cream or plain greek yogurt

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown bison and onion. Drain off any excess fat (there won't be much because it's lean). Transfer meat mixture to the crockpot and add all other ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Serve with optional garnishes. Serves 4.

Fit and Fabulous Fridays #16

2012-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's time for another weekend round-up of amazing healthy recipes! Fit and Fabulous Fridays is a place where amazing foodies share their lightened-up recipes!! I welcome all blogging friends to link up and join the fun. This is a place for you to showcase your amazing creations, encourage a healthy lifestyle for my readers and add to my fit recipe collection. I really appreciate all of you and the great recipes that you share. I welcome all healthy lifestyle recipes (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo diet, etc.). Have a fabulous weekend!!!!

Here's how it works:

Please link up to the URL of your post, not the URL of your main blog. When it asks for "Name", type in the name of your recipe.
Please leave a link back to this post in your post and grab my button for your blog(please pass the word to your blog friends for more fabulous recipes!)
Share your delicious and fit recipes from this week.
Leave me a comment telling me that you've linked up.
Please visit at least two others and comment on their wonderful additions to this party.
"Like" my facebook page for updates and link party reminders

Thank you for being a part of my link party! I love sharing recipes and look forward to trying yours! Have a wonderful weekend!!

PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies- No refined sugar, dairy free, wheat free

2012-01-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

I am really pleased with my latest creation. I wanted to make a cookie that satisfied our sweet tooth without refined sugar, wheat or dairy products. These cookies turned out amazing! Everyone loved them. You can easily substitute almond butter for the regular peanut butter, for those with peanut allergies. I even think that crunchy nut butter would be great, too. The flavor sort of reminds me of a no-bake cookie (one of my childhood favorites), except these are MUCH healthier! I like them best after they have cooled and set.
Warning: This batter is so delicious that they may not make it to the oven....

PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup natural peanut butter (such as Earth Balance)
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 whole egg plus 1 egg white
1 tsp good quality vanilla
3/4 cup oat flour
1 cup oats (can use regular or quick oats)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix first four ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth and well blended. Combine the oats, oat flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl with a whisk. Mix the contents of both bowls together and stir in chocolate chips. Refrigerate batter for 30 minutes to an hour to firm up. Using a small cookie scoop (about a tbsp in size), place on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until cookies are set and lightly golden. Cool and store in an airtight container. After they are set, they are a soft and very moist cookie.

Fit Inspiration

2012-01-25T11:34:00.000-08:00

Here are the healthy finds from around the web for this week. If you have been inspired by an article, recipe, workout, etc. and you would like to share, please leave a comment to this post. I love feedback, so let me know what you think! Have a great week, friends and stay inspired! ;)

I found a great article from a Busy Mom Gets Fit via Heavenly Healthy. You can read her tips here to stay motivated!

I really love the savory Breakfast Donburi from Chindeep. This Japanese dish is simply perfect. You can serve it with brown rice to increase the nutrient value.

Six Sisters Stuff has a great lunch idea for us this week! I love this Pineapple Chicken Salad recipe. Delish and lightened-up!

For dinner inspiration, head on over to The Truffled Pig for a delicious Roasted Butterfly Chicken with Ginger Soy Marinade. Those wonderful flavors sound incredible! Peggy also has an amazing story about her journey through battling cancer. She lives a healthy lifestyle and truly is an inspiration!

Lisa over at Lisa's Dinnertime Dish has a great recipe for us to make our own Amazing Aioli. This would be wonderful as a topping for fresh, grilled fish or spread on a baguette for sandwiches. I love this wonderful recipe. It's fancy schmancy, but oh so easy. :)

If you are looking for that perfect side dish to accompany your dinner this week, then be sure and visit Carrie's Experimental Kitchen for a wonderful Champagne and Thyme Roasted Cauliflower. Sounds amazing!

If you'd like to enjoy weekend happy hour (like I do :), I can't think of a more delicious cocktail than the Blood Orange Martini from Basilmomma. The fresh squeezed blood orange juice is amazing here. Feel free to substitute the simple syrup for agave nectar to slim up this cocktail. Love it!

For dessert, Shape magazine posted 10 Healthiest Ways to Enjoy Peanut Butter in honor of National Peanut Butter day on January 24th. Included on slide #9 is The Fresh Diet's Peanut Butter Cheesecake. Yum. It's the perfect lightened-up recipe in honor of the beloved peanut!

Shape also has a great article on Quick and Easy Chia Seed Recipes. Since I featured them last week, I thought this would be a great way to show the versatility of this amazing, little powerhouse of nutrition.

I hope that you enjoyed this weekly edition of Fit Inspiration. Have a wonderful week friends!

Jala Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream Sandwiches- Awesome product alert!!!

2012-01-24T11:06:00.000-08:00

We are a bunch of ice cream fanatics in this house, especially my kids. I had gotten to the point where I just quit buying it, because the hub and the kids have zero self control when it's in the house. Since they tend to have portion control issues, I prefer buying desserts that are already portioned in single serving sizes. I saw these ice cream sandwiches at Publix this week on sale BOGO. I love a deal! I bought two packs and brought them home to my serious ice cream critics. They were a huge hit! These babies have 140 calories and are made with frozen yogurt. You get the benefits of active probiotics with a delicious dessert. This is a great option for your sweet tooth, so you don't blow your eating plan. Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Crockpot Chicken (So easy!)

2012-01-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

I am always experimenting with new crock pot recipes. Our weekdays are BUSY and my kids are on the go, so we need meals without a lot of fuss and preparation. I saw a recipe that a friend had posted last week on facebook from allrecipes called Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken. It sounded really good, so I played around with the recipe and added a little more flavor variation to come up with this version. It's delicious! I served it with brown rice, but you could also shred it up for tacos. This one will remain a favorite in our dinner rotation. The kids loved it! Enjoy~

Sweet and Spicy Crock Pot Chicken

Ingredients:
6 small organic boneless frozen chicken breasts
1(16oz) jar medium (or hot) salsa
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small vidalia onion, chopped fine
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 cup apricot or peach All fruit preserves
1 green pepper, chopped
fresh ground pepper and sea salt, to taste

Place frozen chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker. Top with peppers, onion and garlic. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl and pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.