Friday Bowl- Kiwi Pear

Kiwi Pear is the taste of this Fridays Bowl. I am not a fan of pears as I think they have a soapy taste. But I gave it a try and totally enjoyed the fresh taste the combination with the yogurt. I’m starting to think everything taste good in yogurt.

Yogurt has always been a food I've ignored because I always thought it was bitter and tangy, but adding fruits and other flavors has made me learn to like it more every day. 

Kiwi Pear Yogurt Bowl

1/2 Cup -Fage 2% Plain Greek Yogurt 

1/2 Kiwi
1/4 Fresh Pear
 Tablespoon- Oat & Honey Granola
Tablespoon- Raw Pumpkin Seeds

180 Calories-  16 g Protein

🍓🍌🍉🍊🍒🍏🍅🍈

I have decided to reserve each Friday to share some of my creative food bowls. I have been eating these at least 4 times a week and I feel great. They are easy, healthy and fun. This is part of my new "Clean Eating" Plan. Wish me Luck.

Fridays Bowl- Super Blast

While I love to eat yogurt bowls for breakfast, I sometimes make a nutritious smoothie bowl for Sunday dinner. I know, I know, It’s a far cry from grandma's fried chicken and gravy but those kind of meals are so good make me sink into the recliner for a fat nap. With this smoothie, I feel satisfied and loaded with energy. It even has a serving of veggies thrown right in. 

Super Blast Fruit Smoothie

1/2 Packet- Great Value Super Blast Acai Berry Blend ( Mango, Dragon Fruit, Acai and Passion fruit).

1 Cup- Frozen Riced Cauliflower

1 Cup- Unsweetened Soy Milk 

1 Tablespoon Chopped Walnuts

1 Tablespoon- Big Boss Honey Almond Cranberry Granola

1 Tablespoon- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

1 Tablespoon- Kapok Quinoa Pop.

350 Calories- 14 g Protein

🍓🍌🍉🍊🍒🍏🍅🍈

I have decided to reserve each Friday to share some of my creative food bowls. I have been eating these at least 3 times a week and I feel great. They are easy, healthy and fun. This is part of my new "Clean Eating" Plan. Wish me Luck.

Friday Bowl- Toasted Marshmallow

Happy National Toasted Marshmallow Day.

Everyone loves sitting around a campfire with a stick and a marshmallow. Dipping the sugar pillow in the fire just enough to char the outside creating a unique taste with a melted gooey center. If you have never done this. You must do it!

This morning I did not build a fire to create this yogurt bowl. I just chard the marshmallow over the flames of my gas stove. The marshmallows cut easy with a spoon so I was able to get a piece of the flavor with every bite. I was a little iffy about the flavors this would create but to my surprise, the combination of the plain yogurt, sweet marshmallow and crisp topping was delightful and for just a moment I felt like I was sitting by the campfire.

Toasted Marshmallow Yogurt Bowl

1/2 Cup- Fage 0% Plain Greek Yogurt
2 Toasted Marshmallows
2 Lotus Biscoff Cookies

185 Calories- 13 g  Protein

🍓🍌🍉🍊🍒🍏🍅🍈

I have decided to reserve each Friday to share some of my creative food bowls. I have been eating these at least 4 times a week and I feel great. They are easy, healthy and fun. This is part of my new "Clean Eating" Plan. Wish me Luck.

Friday Bowl - Apple Cinnamon

They say, "An apple a day will keep the doctor away". I have always believed this but have not been eating enough apples lately. I just always felt like they are full of sugar. Then I realized that it contains natural sugar which includes fructose. Fructose is not harmful when it comes to fruit. With this bowl I found a new way to enjoy apples and plan to add them more to my diet.

After I took a photo of this bowl, I swirled in the cinnamon and mixed the apples around. I loved the two flavors together and the granola added that extra crunch. I closed my eyes and pretended I was eating apple pie.

Apple Cinnamon Yogurt Bowl

2/3 Cup -Fage 2% Plain Greek Yogurt

1/4 Apple

2 Teaspoon- Cinnamon

2 Tablespoon- Oat& Honey Granola

179 Calories- 17 g Protein

🍓🍌🍉🍊🍒🍏🍅🍈

I have decided to reserve each Friday to share some of my creative food bowls. I have been eating these at least 4 times a week and I feel great. They are easy, healthy and fun. This is part of my new "Clean Eating" Plan. Wish me Luck.

Friday Bowl- Blue Butterfly

I could hardly wait to share this bowl creation with you today. I am not a fan of artificial coloring so I was excited to find some 100% natural food coloring. The blue color comes from Butterfly Pea Flower. The flowers are dried and turned into a powder. It's tasteless and can be added to any food or drink. 

Not only did it add some fun color to this yogurt bowl but it has some great health benefits such as, boost brain health, boost immune system, great for skin and eyes, enhances mood and vitality and stabilizes blood pressure. 

And then there is all the other good stuff thrown in to make this breakfast bowl a win for the day. 

I purchased my Suncore Brand blue butterfly pea flower powder from luckyvitamin.com.

Blue Butterfly Yogurt Bowl

2/3 Cup- Fage 0% Total Greek Yogurt

2 Tablespoons- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
 2 Tablespoons- 100 % Natural Bear Naked Granola
10- Blueberries
1 Teaspoon- Blue Butterfly Pea Flower Powder

202 Calories- 19 g Protein

🍓🍌🍉🍊🍒🍏🍅🍈

I have decided to reserve each Friday to share some of my creative food bowls. I have been eating these at least 3 times a week and I feel great. They are easy, healthy and fun. This is part of my new "Clean Eating" Plan. Wish me Luck.

Friday Bowl- Extra Protein

I do a lot of walking while I'm here at the beach. So I knew I would need a little extra protein for breakfast for extra energy and also so I don't get hungry before lunch time. This yogurt bowl is loaded with protein for the save. Sometimes it’s hard to make a tablespoon of peanut butter go a long way. The trick is to melt it in the microwave for about 20 seconds and drizzle away. 

Peanut Butter Banana Yogurt Bowl

1 Cup- Fage 0% Plain Greek Yogurt

2 Tablespoon- Oat& Honey Granola

1/2 Banana

1 Tablespoon- Jif Natural Peanut Butter (melted)

Honey Drizzle

303 Calories- 27 g Protein

🍓🍌🍉🍊🍒🍏🍅🍈

I have decided to reserve each Friday to share some of my creative food bowls. I have been eating these at least 4 times a week and I feel great. They are easy, healthy and fun. This is part of my new "Clean Eating" Plan. Wish me Luck.

Three Ingredient Pancakes

Happy Monday. I am on vacation this week so It really is a happy Monday for me.

Today I would like to share with you these delicious Banana Pancakes I made using only 3 ingredients. 

I love pancakes and waffles, but they can wreck my diet, so I am delighted to have found this healthier option and they are oh so good. You may have heard of two ingredient pancakes which consist of only banana and egg. I have tried them before and they came out flat and gooey. Sorry but that is below my healthy plan. 

You have to add a tad of flour to make these babies fluff. 

Three Ingredient Pancakes

265 Calories, 50 carbs, 10 Protein.

1 Egg
1 Ripe Banana
1/4 Cup self rising flour. 

Mix well and pour into sprayed frying pan. Cook on med/low until it starts to bubble then flip.

These pancakes are good alone or topped with your favorite topping. (Go ahead, no one is judging). 

I used zero calorie spray butter and sugar free syrup. I added a few blueberries just to make them pretty.

This recipe makes 2 large pancakes but I made 4 small ones so I could share one with Nick. He gave it a thumbs up. The inspired recipe with larger serving size can be found HERE.

Friday Bowl- August

Can you believe it's already August? I hate to see Summer fade away. Fall will be here before you know it. Meanwhile I created a scrumptious mess of a breakfast this morning. There is just something about the colors in this bowl that screams August to me.

This is my favorite bowl so far.

I never knew cantaloupe would be so tasty with yogurt.

August is also Fig season. If you read my blog you may remember me mentioning some fresh figs I received from a member of my church. I could not hardly wait to add these to my breakfast. The combination of these flavors made my taste buds dance while giving me the vitamins and nutrients I needed to start my day.

Cantaloupe Fig Yogurt Bowl

1/2 Cup Fage 0% Plain Greek Yogurt

3 Figs
1/4 Cup Cantaloupe
3 Tablespoons- Low Fat Oat& Honey Granola
Touch of Raspberries
Touch of Blueberries

217 Calories- 14 g Protein

Bowl & Spoon by: Cocoboo

🍓🍌🍉🍊🍒🍏🍅🍈

I have decided to reserve each Friday to share some of my creative food bowls. I have been eating these at least 4 times a week and I feel great. They are easy, healthy and fun. This is part of my new "Clean Eating" Plan. Wish me Luck.

Friday Bowl- Desert Vibes

I said "Desert" not "Dessert" but its hard to tell the difference with this delicious breakfast bowl. Just look how cute the little desert inspired cactus are.

As I stumbled into the kitchen for a nice warm cup of "decaf" coffee (yes I just made the switch), I was feeling a little sluggish and knew I wanted more than yogurt this morning, so I opt for this oatmeal bowl that filled my tummy and gave me the energy I needed to get through the morning.

Desert Vibe -Oatmeal Bowl

1/2 Cup -Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal 

1/4 Kiwi

1- Medium Strawberry
1 Teaspoon- Honey

1 Tablespoon- Mixed Seeds and Nuts

186 Calories- 6 g Protein

🍓🍌🍉🍊🍒🍏🍅🍈

I have decided to reserve each Friday to share some of my creative food bowls. I have been eating these at least 4 times a week and I feel great. They are easy, healthy and fun. This is part of my new "Clean Eating" Plan. Wish me Luck.

Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl

I have been on the Nutrisystem diet now for over 4 years. I have successfully lost 50 lbs in the first seven months. I have maintained my weight loss ever since. I still eat Nutrisystem as I like the food and its convenience but I eat a lot more meals of my own.

Today I would like to share with you this delicious Smoothie bowl I made using the Nutrisystem Fresh Start probiotic shake mix. I am not a fan of drinking my meals. I have had a canister of this shake mix in the pantry for a while, but when I learned you can make a smoothie a little thicker and add them to a bowl, I was in. 

Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl

288 calories- 19 grams of protein.

2 scoops of Nutrisystem Shake mix (or any other protein shake mix).

1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter.

1/2 frozen Banana.

1/2 Cup crushed Ice.

1/2 Cup water (or almond milk).

Add to Mixer and blend till smooth.

Top with your favorite toppings. 

I used 1 Tablespoon of grated chocolate and 1 tablespoon of mixed seeds and nuts. 

For the past few weeks, I have been experimenting with new tastes by putting away the muffins and waffles and making more yogurt and smoothie bowls. I am learning to like plain yogurt and adding in more fruits and veggies to my diet. In fact, I plan to start doing a short blog post every Friday to share my bowl creations and other healthy food choices. I’m hoping this will help me stick with clean eating and also help others that are thinking about eating better. I have some really good ones to show you, so stay tuned. 

You can get 50% off any Nutrisystem plan right now by visiting Nutrisystem.com/lisa50.

Coconut bowl set by Cocoboo.

🥥🍓🍋🍌🥝

Home Made Sherbet

It has been hot here in the Carolina's. This mean lots of cold treats. Like sherbet for example.
I admit I'm more of an Ice Cream eater over sherbet. My husband on the other hand, prefers sherbet.

My favorite sherbet flavor is Orange. I remember many years ago back in elementary school, they had an ice cream cart visit each room once a week. The kids would line up to purchase their favorite ice cream. I loved the Orange Push ups. I also like the Nutty Buddies, but there was just something refreshing about the sweet orange creamy sherbet.

Yesterday I thought I was going to have to have a tooth extraction and would want something cold to eat so I pulled out a bag of mixed berries and made my own sherbet to enjoy for my late night snack.
I ended up not needing an extraction but I still have a delicious snack.

It was so easy to make....

Just kidding, I had a mess with no end as I had berries everywhere. My blender was not strong enough to mix the frozen berries so I moved them to the food processor and that didn't work either. I then found a more powerful blender that I had stored away and it worked. Wheeew. I had a mess and three appliances to clean up.

So, if you have a powerful blender, this sherbet is easy to make.

Home Made Berry Sherbet

1 bag frozen of mixed berries (approx 2 1/2 cups).

2 tsp fresh lemon juice.

2 Tbs honey

3 Tbs warm water as needed to mix. 

Place all ingredients in high speed mixer.

Pulse until smooth and creamy.

ENJOY.

I enjoyed my sherbet in a waffle bowl. As it melted, it coated the bowl with sweetness. 

Cactus Pineapple Smoothie

I really want to start eating healthier by adding more natural plant based foods to my diet. It's really hard, but I have been adding more healthy options to my grocery list. I'm not Vegan or even Vegetarian but I believe they both are healthy habits. I just don't want to commit to any strict diets, but instead, just make some better choices in what I put in and on my body. 

Eating healthy has also led me to try new foods otherwise I would turn my nose up too. One of the newest foods I tried lately is (Nopal) Cactus. I read that there are a lot of health benefits hidden inside this prickly vegetable. I am excited to share with you this "Licuado de Nopal" aka Cactus Pineapple Smoothie. It tasted like nothing else I've ever had. Cactus itself taste like a cross between celery and asparagus, if you can imagine. Mixed in a smoothie it's not so bad after all.

Before handling any cactus, make sure to wear gloves. I learned this the hard way while picking through them at the grocery store. I was picking fine thorns from my hands all the way home while my husband thought it was funny. He suggested I use tongs that were available next time. 

Before eating, cut around the outside to remove the edges then take a knife or cactus scraper and scrape off  all the thorns, then wash thoroughly. I took my gloves off at this point and sacrificed my hands to make sure there were not more prickly things on the paddles. Luckily there were none and it was ready to cut into cubes.   

Cactus Pineapple Smoothie

1 cup- cleaned and cubed Cactus

1 cup- cubed Pineapple (I used frozen)

1 cup- of Orange Juice or Water

1 teaspoon- of Turmeric. (tasteless but optional)

add all to a blender and blend until smooth

Enjoy.

Cactus water (or smoothie) is known to help with weight loss, regulate blood sugar levels and improve digestion. It is also an anti-inflammatory. 

Other health benefits of cactus include:

• Great for joint inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Natural detox. Good for the gut. 
• Great for skin.
• Strengthens immune system.
• Lowers cholesterol.
• Help prevent against cancer.
• Helps control type II diabetes.
• Relieves menstrual cramps in women.
• It can also help with inflammation of the urethra and bladder to control bladder infections. 
• And if you get drunk....It's known to help hangovers.

I found most of this info here. (Source). 

The original recipe and more interesting facts can be found here (Source).

How did I like it?

It was pretty good. It was not like drinking a sweet berry smoothie topped with granola and chocolate, but it was good. It had a sweet tart bite too it but yet still refreshing. 

What I think about it?

We ended up making another trip to the Mexican grocery store for more. I have felt good after drinking one of these smoothies and actually had a good night sleep. I think this drink is a good thing and plan to drink one a couple times a week. I hope it helps with the inflammation in my ears associated with my symptoms of Meniere's.  

I have never been afraid to try new things. If it's edible, I’ll eat it. It’s good to experiment with different foods. There is a lot of good foods out there yet to be discovered. You’ll never know unless you try it. 

Air Fryer Fried Watermelon Rinds

It’s finally Summer! Nothing says Summer here in the South more than fresh juicy watermelon. OK...Maybe iced tea and cherry pie but we will just leave it at that.

I wasn't always a fan of watermelon until the past few years. I have adapted a love for this red sweet melon that is full of health benefits. You can read a lot of them HERE.

Did you know you can eat the entire parts of a watermelon? You can spit the seeds to see how far they go but that's your own game. You can even eat the watermelon rind.
Hold on...this is real.

I read where it was good deep fried, so I had to give it a try.

Word has it, that you can not make these in an air fryer, but I wanted to try it anyway.
Hey, whata ya know, it worked!
I'm sure the greasy deep fried way taste a lot better, but what I created in my air fryer was delicious all the same.

• After you cut up your watermelon, wash the rinds and cut into fries.
• Roll in flour/cornmeal mixture (equal amounts of each mixed together).
• Salt and pepper and place in air fryer (or recommended deep fryer).
• If using an air fryer, coat each side with cooking spray.
• Cook in air fryer 400 for 25 minutes (or until brown) flipping over every 5 minutes.
• Let cool for few minutes as the inside is extremely hot.
• Enjoy alone or with your favorite Ranch dressing or dip.

Oh boy was it good! Seriously!

What did it taste like?
Honestly, It did not taste like watermelon at all. It tasted like sweet fried squash! It was awesome and makes a delicious healthy side dish or TV snack without any guilt!.

Oh and did you know that watermelon rind is good for your sex life? 

EAT MORE WATERMELON!

Easy Tzatziki Sauce

One of my favorite sides when I visit a Greek restaurant is the Tzatziki Sauce they add to the Gyros or on the side as a dip. I'm not a big fan of Gyros but I love Greek pita bread dipped in this creamy  sauce.

Tzatziki sauce is a creamy cucumber sauce usually made with yogurt and added spices.

I have had this sauce from a local grocery store before but the taste just did not add up to the restaurant style so I went searching for a recipe. I found many different ones but they all seem to make too much of a batch. I just wanted a little bit for my dinner as it does not keep more that a couple days.

I took bits and pieces of other recipes and broke them down to smaller portions until I found the right ingredients for a small jar. And the fact I only had a small yogurt in the fridge. 

I think it turned out great.

With homemade Tzatziki sauce, the main instruction is to make sure that the cucumber and yogurt are drained well. You do not want watery sauce. Mine turned out watery but it did not take away from the delicious taste.

Easy Tzatziki Sauce

1- 5 oz. Plain Greek Yogurt.

1/2- Finely chopped Cucumber (remove the seeds)

1- Pressed Garlic Clove

1 Tbsp- Dill Weed

Juice of lemon a wedge

pinch of salt

Make sure to squeeze all the water out of the chopped cucumber.

You can mix by hand but I added it all to a food processor until creamy. 

refrigerate for an hour for best results. 

Enjoy. 

Tzatziki Sauce (or cucumber sauce) is great on salads, sandwiches or used as a dip for breads and veggies. I will be enjoying this at dinner tonight with my Felafel's 

Homemade Tahini Sauce

While shopping for some new foods to try that were healthy and didn’t cost an arm and leg, I came across some Boca Brand Falafels. What are Falafel? . 

They are a middle eastern food made with Garbanzo Beans AKA Chick Peas. They are sort of dry and have an earthy taste. You can learn more HERE. 

I had them once at a restaurant uptown but did not like them so much. I also had no idea what I was really eating. After I learned what they were made of, I wanted to try them again. So I bought a bag from the frozen foods and poured them into my air fryer. 

But I needed a sauce. Falafel are good dipped in cucumber sauce or Tahini Sauce. 

What is Tahini? Don’t worry, I never heard of it until now either. 

Tahini is a thick paste made from sesame seeds. Once you have Tahini paste, you make the Tahini sauce. You can find Tahini paste in most grocery stores but here on the West side of town, It was not found. That's when I decided to make my own. It was easy and way less expensive. 

Homemade Tahini Sauce

1 cup sesame seeds

4 tablespoons Olive oil.

Directions: Add sesame seeds to sauce pan and stir until to desired brown. 

They will brown quickly so make sure to keep an eye on them. 

Remove from heat and let cool for a minute or two .

Place seeds in food processor and grind until fine.

Add the oil a little at a time and keep blending until it becomes a soft paste. 

You may not need all the oil but I did.

Now you have your paste.You can keep it in the fridge over a month until ready to use.

To make the sauce, just add 

lime juice (1/2 lime should be enough).

Salt and pepper.
1 minced garlic clove

 1/2 cup yogurt.

You can adjust the thickness to your liking by adding more yogurt, or water.

There you have it. A nice little creamy dip that can be used for veggies, on salads, sandwiches, Falafels and more.

Tahini sauce reminds me a lot of Hummus.
NOTE: You can make the sauce without adding yogurt for a more vegan style.

Next time I make Falafels, I plan to make a cucumber sauce dip instead.

I'm always open for ideas if anyone has a great idea for a dip or side to go with Falafels. 

Air Fryer Veggies

I'm a little behind on my blogging. I have been pretty busy though. Every afternoon it seems there is something to do. We go for our walk if it’s not raining. I have been filling some crochet orders. This means trips to Hobby Lobby. I love going there so when someone asks me to crochet something for them in a color I do not have, I’m like “yes!” I need to go to Hobby Lobby. Then I'm in there for 30 minutes just to pick up a roll a yarn.

Ha.

Now that I'm finally settled down, I want to share with you some veggie recipes that I've made in my new air fryer. I have used it every day since I got it. Everyone asks me what kind of air fryer I got. It is a 5 qt.“Gourmia digital air fryer”. It was a sweet gift from my daughters boyfriend. Yep he's a charmer.

Since I have been eating healthier, fried foods is something I have stayed away from. But now I can enjoy the taste of fried foods without actually frying them. We usually cook anything we want to be crispy on a baking sheet and place in the oven. The oven takes 10 minutes to preheat, and baking something for 20 minutes can heat a kitchen up therefore keeping the air condition running during the Summer. We usually take it to the grill at that point but sometimes that's a hassle. Now I have this cool little cooking vessel that will cook just about anything an oven or microwave will cook without using oil and in just half the time. 

Here are a few veggie sides that I have made so far. 

Enjoy.

Zucchini Fries (rolled in pork skin).

Wash and cut zucchini. Roll in egg and milk mixture and toss in 

crushed pork skins as you would bread crumbs. 

Spray with olive oil.

Cook 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Frozen Veggie Tots

Open bag pour into fryer. 

Cook 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Shake to toss half way through.

Chick Peas

Drain can of chick peas. Pat dry and pour into air fryer. 

Season to taste (I just added a little salt and pepper).

Cook 400 degrees for 15 minutes. 

*These turned out like crunchy nuts and made a great healthy snack. 

Frozen Broccoli

Open bag and pour into air fryer. Season to taste.

Cook 400 for 15 minutes.

2 Ingredient Bagels

(I know this is not a veggie, but too cool not to share)

Make a dough using 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup Self rising flour.

Shape into bagels. Brush with egg wash.

Cook 350 for 15 minutes. 

I prefer fresh or frozen veggies over the breaded veggies but I really wanted to try those tots. We also did okra and sweet potato chips. 

Here are some tips to remember.

If using frozen foods there is no need to spray with oil.

If using fresh or canned you should spray with cooking spray. 

I have yet to cook any meats in the air fryer but you can actually cook a whole turkey breast or chicken in this thing!

Do you own an air fryer? If so, what are some of your favorite things to make in it?

Air Fryer Pop Tarts

If you have been around me or follow me on social media, then you know I have been wanting an air fryer. We use the oven a lot to bake our veggies. During the hot months of Summer we really hate to use the oven, so this is a perfect alternative.

My daughters boyfriend met up with us last weekend for dinner. He handed me flowers and an early birthday present. Hes a sweetheart, right?

The gift was an air fryer. I was so excited and told him I could not wait to get home and play with it. I was serious. I have used it every night so far. Last night, I made these delicious Pop Tarts. 

These pop tarts are made using only two ingredience, three if you count the jelly in the center. The original recipe calls for Greek yogurt and self rising flour but I chose to use Nutrisystem’s vanilla protein shake instead. It worked up nice and the vanilla flavoring gave the dough just enough sweetness. Needless to say, they are healthier than regular pop tarts. 

Air Fryer Pop Tarts.

2 cups- self rising flour

1/2 cup - Nutrisystem Shake. ( I used the pre made shakes but you can mix the powder too).

Roll dough thin and cut into triangles.

Layer jelly between to layers and seal the edges with a fork.

Place two or three at a time in air frier.

Cook 400 degrees for 8 minutes, flipping half way through. 

(Makes about 6 at approx 140 calories each.)

Icing is optional.

They tasted great but I will warn you not expect them to taste like Kellogg's. The husband gave them a thumbs up so thats a win.

For dinner each night I have had fun cooking my veggies crispy. We normally do this in the oven but the air fryer is easier and quicker.

I call it my “easy bake oven” which I never had growing up by the way. 

I plan to use my air fryer for a more healthy way of cooking without oil. Since being on a diet, I rarely eat any fried foods any more. Now I can have the taste and texture of deep fried or oven fried foods with out the guilt. 

If you are looking to loose weight the right way, join Nutrisystem like me. 

This has been the only thing that has worked for me and as a result, I lost 50 lbs. and feel the best I have felt in years! 

(Results can vary. Expect to lose 1-2 lbs on Nutrysystem)

Use my link below and get 40% off! 

https://www.nutrisystem.com/Lisa40

I found the Nutrisystem pre mixed shakes at Harris Teeter grocery store.  

Protein Crepes

I'm always playing around in the kitchen looking for new things to eat that fit into my diet. Foods low in calories and high in protein are what I look for.

I found a recipe for making crepes and and thought I'd give it a try. I have never eaten a crepe before but I am familiar with what they are. Crepes are basically very then pancakes rolled around a filling. You can make them sweet or savory. I made them sweet. I also made them using Nutrisystem Vanilla Protein shake mix. You can use any protein powder but I just so happened to have Nutrisystem brand laying around. Go figure that.

I wasn't sure what type of filling would work for the inside so I picked out two of my favorite things from the fridge. Cool Whip and Cream Cheese! Yea baby!

I made the filling the night before. It consisted of  8 oz cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar free Cool Whip. I mixed the cream cheese alone first. This is important so you do not have lumps. (I learned this the hard way while making a tart last year). Once the cream cheese is smooth, mix in the Cool Whip and store in the fridge until ready to use. I suppose you can mix in flavors such as lemon or honey but I left mine plain. I just wanted a sweet creamy filling.

When the morning came, I was ready to make my very first crepes.
The crepes were easy to mix and only consist of two ingredients.
I mixed together 1/2 cup of egg whites and a serving of vanilla protein shake mix to form a thin batter.

I poured a small amount of batter in a heated skillet and spooned it around a little to spread it out into thin pancakes. Flipping them was the hard part. This made about six crepes. Mine are not that pretty but, HEY! It was my first time.

Once each crepe was made I rolled them around a layer of cream cheese filling and added some blueberries. I sprinkled a little powdered sugar on top just to make them more pretty and devoured them in no time. 

They were absolutely the best thing ever! The vanilla protein mix made the crepes a little sweeter than a waffle but not quite as sweet as a doughnut. They were perfect. Nick even gave them two thumbs up.

You can find several recipes for crepes online but this one was the easiest for me as the vanilla flavor was already in there.

Best of all, they were rather healthy, sugar free and full of protein.

Potato Crab Cakes- Nutrisystem

It's been a while since I posted a recipe using Nutrisystem foods. If you follow me, you know my success with Nutrisystem. You can also read my journey by clicking the tab at the top of my page or if your reading by smart phone, just click HERE.

I have been on Nutrisystem over four years now. The past two years I have been on the maintenance plan. This is where I eat a lot of foods on my own but still keep Nutrisystem foods at hand. I still have a least one Nutrisystem meal a day. I like it that much. It tastes good. It's convenient and I know I'm eating something that's good for me. Taking what I've learned about healthy eating habits and balancing my diet, I have been able to keep the weight off and I feel great!

People often ask me if I ever get tired of eating Nutrisystem foods. I say "not really". Why? because Nutrisystem is always adding new meals to their menu and they have a large variety of different foods. Also, I like to play around with some of the foods and make my own recipe.

Today I want to share with you this delicious recipe using Nutrisystem's loaded potato.

*Makes 4 patties (photo shows 3 because one was tested first).

**counts as one meal plus one power fuel.

Potato Crab Cakes

1- Nutrisystem loaded potato (cooked as directed).

1/4 cup- mix of finely chopped onions and peppers.

1- Snack pack imitation crab meat (about 1/2 cup) finely chopped .

-Saute' the onions and peppers until soft and add all ingredients together.

-Mix well then form into 4 small patties.

-Cook in a non stick pan or use cooking spray ( I use both because I have trust issues in the kitchen).

 cook until browned on both sides.

I experimented and made a dipping sauce (since I did not have any tarter sauce) and it turned out perfect. My husband even gave it two thumbs up.

1- Tablespoon of mayonnaise.
1/2 -Tablespoon horseradish.

Sprinkle of dill weed.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Hearts Of Palm-Wraps

While shopping for groceries the other day, I came across a can of Hearts of Palm. I had no idea what these were or how to use them but I tossed them in the buggy and continued my shopping.

The curiosity was killing him, so Nick started searching for some info about this veggie and found a recipe to try. I'm not sure what the recipe is called but I have to give him all the credit for this one. It was a win as he put together a combination of healthy veggies and made a delicious filling for tortilla wraps.

Hearts of Palm comes from the center of a cabbage palm tree. The textures is crunchy yet soft sort of like an asparagus stem. (They taste nothing like asparagus). 

They have the taste that resembles artichoke hearts. They are very tasty and I could seriously eat them right out of the can.

This veggie is full of nutrition. To name a few:

• Zinc
• B-6 (promotes healthy sleep cycle)
• C
• Potassium
• Protein 
• fiber 

Hearts of Palm has many health benefits. To name a few:

• High in fiber and protein so it enhances weight loss.
• Improves immune system.
• Great for digestive system.
• Lowers blood sugar..
• Decreases inflammation.
• Supports bone health.
• Prevents Anemia.

You can use Hearts of Palm for many recipes as they take on any flavor they are mixed with. They are also great chopped into salads or made into dips. I seen a recipe for "Crabless Crab cakes", I cant wait to try next. 

I love the recipe Nick came up with for the wraps. We have eaten these several times as a healthy, delicious and filling meal. Here is how he did it. 

Hearts Of Palm Wraps

Spray sauce pan with no stick spray or ad a touch of oil.

add:

Chopped onions

Frozen Zoodles (or chopped zucchini) 

Cook until soft.

Sprinkle some minced garlic (optional)

salt and pepper.

add:

1- can of chick peas (Garbanzo beans).

1- can of chopped Hearts of Palm.

Cover and simmer about 15 minutes to get it all softened up.

Now Enjoy.

We like to add sour cream, cheese and salsa to our wrap before rolling it all together. These are delicious and you will not even miss the meat.

I can't help but wonder about the first person that chopped a palm tree down and said, 

"hmm, I wonder what this taste like".