Sponsor Spotlight: Healthy Food Bloggers
PIN IT!Hi friends! Happy Friday! I am so very excited to introduce two of my very favorite blogging ladies ever, who also happen to be featured sponsors for this month, Kelly and Jennifer!
I feel like my first sponsor needs no introduction because there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of her.
That little lady on the left of me is none other than Kelly from Eat Yourself Skinny! Kelly has quickly become not only an amazing blog friend, but an incredible friend in real life too. We talk every single day on gchat, and she’s always there to support me, talk me off the ledge and just make me laugh. She’s such an amazing and talented girl and I’m so blessed I can call her my friend! I can’t wait until we see each other again for wine and gossip, girl! Guys, if you haven’t already, check out her blog, Eat Yourself Skinny! You can also catch Kelly on Facebook here and Twitter here!
In addition to being sweet as pie, Kelly can definitely hold her own in the kitchen! Below are two of my favorite dishes from her blog that you need to make and try immediately! Trust me, they are so good and so good for you!
Cherry peach sangria, how perfect would this drink be for summer? Not to mention, it’s absolutely beautiful! Find the recipe here!
Lemon chick pea salad, perfect for hot summer days and BBQs! Find the recipe here!
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If you love Kelly’s blog, you’re going to also love Jennifer’s, Peanut Butter and Peppers!
Jennifer’s blog is all about finding a healthy balance between amazing food and healthy food! Her recipes span from sweet to savory (including an amazing chocolate cherry cake I know I have to try) and she’s always finding innovative ways to lighten up her favorite foods so they don’t weigh you down. I’ve been a fan of Jennifer for a while and I’m so happy to have her as a sponsor this month! Be sure to check out her amazing fare and read about her weight loss story, it’ll inspire you!
Be sure to check out Jennifer at Peanut Butter and Pepper’s here, chat with her on Facebook here and send her a tweet here!
Here are two dishes I’m DYING to try from her arsenal of yummy recipes.
How cute are these berry popover pancakes? They look like they would make perfect additions to a brunch menu! Check out the recipe here!
Dark chocolate cherry coconut bread, I mean really, need I say more? It looks so moist and delicious, I’d love a piece for breakfast! Check out the recipe here!
Now, excuse me while I make a big batch of sangria and eat some chocolate bread. Happy Friday!
Eat Skinny: Light Lemon Pudding with Blueberries & Raspberries Recipe
Friends, this little pudding made with lemon, raspberries, blueberries (and love) is probably my new favorite thing to eat, ever.
It’s SO light, fluffy and airy, which makes it absolutely perfect for those insanely hot summer days when you want something sweet but can’t muster the strength to eat (or bake) cake. Plus, the tartness of the lemon pairs with sweetness of the raspberries and blueberries amazingly.
Not to mention, they are pretty little things, don’t you think? I wanted to add both raspberries and blueberries to make it more patriotic since, you know, the 4th of July is next week! (I know, I know, I can’t believe either). How cute would these be at your BBQ? Or dinner party? Each person gets their own little ramekin!
Or, if you’re feeling REALLY creative, you can actually make a flat pattern on top of your cakes. Somehow. I wouldn’t know how to do that since I’m not that creative. Or, I’m just lazy. How’s that?
Trust me guys, these cakes are the perfect summertime dessert. I mean, each ramekin has JUST 114 calories and 6 grams of fat! Plus, these pudding cups pair amazingly with a crisp white wine, like a dessert white or even a Pinot Grigio? I’m going to do a taste test with a few different wines. Any VA bloggers want to get drunk — erm — do research at 11am with me? I’ll pay you in cake! and wine!
Recipe adapted from Sunset Magazine.
Light Lemon Pudding with Raspberries and Blueberries
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE
Serves 6.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs, separated
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons AP flour
- 3/4 cup skim milk
- 1/4 cup light cream
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup raspberries (divided)
- 1 cup blueberries (divided)
- Powdered sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place ramekins (or mini crocettes) in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Pour egg yolks into a medium bowl. (Set whites aside) Add sugar and mix until mixture is creamed and thick. Add in butter, flour, skim milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and cream. Mix until fully combined. (Don’t worry, mixture will be soupy looking).
- In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a whisk (or electric mixer) until a firm peak forms when you lift up (about 5 – 7 minutes). Gently stir in about 1/3 the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture.
- Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites, raspberries and blueberries until mixed. Pour mixture into each ramekin. Add about 1 inch’s worth of hot water into the pan along the side of the ramekins. DO NOT LET WATER GET INTO THE RAMEKINS. Or, your pudding will be ruined. Trust me, I learned this from Bobby Flay.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until pudding cake is set and lightly browned. Remove from water and let chill about 30 minutes. Then, garnish with remaining berries and powdered sugar and enjoy!
Nutritional information per serving (1 ramekin):
Calories: 114.5
Fat: 6.6 grams
Carbohydrates: 10.3
Fiber: 1 grams
Protein: 3.83 gram
Weight Watchers Points: 3
Eat Skinny: Roasted Butternut Squash Mac N Cheese Recipe
So, remember that time I instagrammed the sh** out of this recipe, then alluded to it again in like 45 other posts? Well, it’s time to share one of the most mouth-watering mac n’ cheese recipes y’all will ever have. And yep, you read that right, it’s made with A THIS GUY, the butternut squash.
Which, I know, is totally not in season. And that is super taboo of me as a food blogger. But, you know what? I don’t care because I love butternut squash. Absolutely love it. I love it roasted, pureed, in soup, grilled. You prepare it any way and I’ll eat it. And shockingly, until 2 weeks ago, I’d never had it in pasta.
I KNOW. Call the presses! Can you believe it? Butternut squash mac n’ cheese is nothing new. In fact, I’ve seen its face on many of my favorite blogs. But still, I held off. Well, I can’t say I’m ever holding off again because this stuff is legen-wait for it-dairy! (had to).
Gooey, cheesy with an awesome buttery flavor and texture from the squash. Each forkful literally melts in your mouth.
As you know, I’m a gal who loves her mac and this stuff? Gets my HUGE stamp of approval. Plus, you don’t need as much cheese because you get such an incredibly earthy and savory creaminess from the squash. In turn, giving you a healthier dish.
And if you haven’t caught on from the skillet lasagna, the chobani mac, the kale mashed potatoes and the lighter tuna noodle casserole, healthier comfort food is kinda my thang.
It may not scream summer, but this dish just makes you feel good, warm and fuzzy inside. And that’s something you need to feel at any season. Check out She Knows for the delectable butternut squash mac n’ cheese recipe!
Nutritional information per serving (about 1/2 – 2/3 cup)
Calories: 239.67
Fat: 9 grams
Carbohydrates: 24.6 grams
Protein: 9 grams
Fiber: 5 grams
Weight Watchers Points +: 5
Avocado Giveaway Winner & The Jamaica Inn
Hi guys! First of all, I’m finally announcing the winner of the avocado giveaway! Then, I’m talking about the Jamaica Inn. Wee! Secondly, Happy Skinny Bitch Tuesday! Sadly, due to my INSANE schedule, I wasn’t able to partake, but please check out Stephanie, Jennifer, Michelle and Kelly’s versions of this week’s recipe, dill and chive biscuits!
Okay, so the winner! Of all the things! Well, not all the things, all the delicious avocado things. DRUM ROLL PLEASE!
Aka, LAURA! Congrats love!
Now, as promised, a few more Jamaica photos and some snippets from my trip. Guys, I’m sorry I keep talking about it, sharing photos and the like, but it was honestly one of the best trips of my life. I learned so much about the culture and myself. So, I’m going to begin by telling you a bit about the first amazing hotel we stayed in Ocho Rios, the Jamaica Inn.
Guys, I can’t say this enough, this was the most incredible hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Not only are the views breath-taking (above is the view from the lobby!), the hotel rooms are top-notch, the food amazing and the staff is absolutely, hands down incredible. We had so much fun with all of them! In fact, one of the staff members had been there for 54 years! They all treat you like a family and you start to feel like you are family to them.
We when we first arrived, we were greeted with some Jamaican cocktails. 99% rum and a splash of juice.
As we sipped our cocktails, we got a tour of the incredibly beautiful property. Ocean and mountain views everywhere you looked, it was like a postcard or a movie.
Then, we got to our rooms. I, of course, forgot to take pictures of the inside, but it was a standard room with a big bed and bathroom! The real selling point for it was the view. As soon as you step out, you are on a huge veranda that is, literally, a step from the beach. Like, you jump over the railing and are on the beach. Absolutely incredible.
Right? That was my view from the porch.
In addition to beach front rooms, they have private cottages WITH their own infinity pools. Like, really. Although they are on the steeper end of the price spectrum (like over 1,000 dollars a night) they are completely worth it. Plus, you get your own little private stairs into the ocean. It’s perfect for a honeymoon or when you want complete and utter privacy and tranquility.
One of my favorite moments from our stay there was the room service. They deliver the breakfast, lunch or dinner to the table on your porch so you can eat, feel the ocean breeze and hear the waves. I ordered eggs Benedict and coffee Friday morning and it was pure perfection.
The dinners were just as incredible, I just didn’t get any photos since it was too dark. But, awesome food. The last day we were there we also got spa treatments! I got reflexology, which is where they rub the pressure points in your feet? I dunno. It was awesome, relaxing and was in a tree-house overlooking the water. I mean, can you beat that?
Seriously y’all, I can’t recommend this place enough. The deluxe veranda room (where I stayed) is about $500 a night during high season (Dec – April) and $300 during low season (April – December). But guys, you saw those views, right? SO worth every penny and more. You won’t want to leave the Jamaica Inn, I promise.
Claire
Tags:all inclusive Jamaica hotels, avocado, avocado winner, Jamaica inn, Jamaica Inn ocho rios, ocho rios
Jamaica on my brain
Hi friends! How are y’all doing on this bright and sunny (well, in DC anyway) Monday? I’m in a state of mass disorientation and confusion, which, is to be expected given this was my view yesterday and is not, in fact, the one I woke up to this morning.
I don’t have a new recipe or something pin-worthy for you guys today (I mean, besides the few photos I’m sharing) because I’m going through a serious Jamaica withdrawl. My trip exceeded all of my expectations and more. Guys, it was just one of the best trips I’ve ever been on. So, in between trying to form cohesive sentences and you know, cook for myself, I’m going to try to will a Carribbean beach outside so instead of seeing my backyard, I see that.
And now, a few pictures to take me to my happy place.
and probably the only photo of me that I have on my camera. Whoops. Check out my instagram feed for more pictures of, you know, ME in Jamaica.
Claire
Tags:Jamaica tourism, Jamaica tourism board, Jamaica weather, travel, visit Jamaica
