Low-fat Banana Strawberry Smoothie
PIN IT!Not to brag, I promise, but the gorgeous photo below is going to be my view in two weeks.
So, naturally, I’m frantic because I’m nowhere NEAR bathing suit ready. I mean, I’m probably as far as they get. That is why when I was asked by DailyBuzz Healthy Living to try, review and recipe create with the new Diet Cranberry juice from Ocean Spray, I was ALL OVER IT. In addition to tasting it, I also added it into this super light and fruity low-fat banana strawberry smoothie.
We were asked to whip up our own version of their very berry smoothie and I immediately thought strawberry banana. It’s one of the most popular fruit flavors ever and I actually had the ingredients on hand. WIN.
I could definitely get on board with having one of these everyday. It’s light and frothy, super fruity and flavorful with just the right amount of sweetness. I hate when you order smoothies from restaurants or fast food joints and they taste like the person who made it added 14 cups of sugar. This low-fat banana strawberry smoothie has NO added sugar whatsoever. The only sweetness you get is from the fruit and a bit from the juice. Plus, the addition of the Chobani gives each serving (1/2 mason jar) a whooping 8 GRAMS of protein. Isn’t that amazing?
In regards to the actual diet cranberry juice, I’ll say, I’m a fan. I NEVER buy, drink or support store-bought fruit juices because they are awful for your health. Each jug is loaded with ingredients I can’t pronounce and more sugar than two giant candy bars. However, this Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Juice is far from that. In fact, each 8 ounce serving has less than 1 gram of sugar and just 5 calories.
It’s not something I’ll drink everyday, but it’s a great low calorie mixer for cocktails and makes a fabulous addition to lighter smoothies. Ocean Spray, you did good.
Low-fat Banana Strawberry Smoothie
Yields about 1 pint (serves 2). Recipe slightly adapted from Ocean Spray.
Prep time: >5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice (or your favorite light juice)
- 6 ounces Chobani banana yogurt
- 3/4 cup frozen strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1/4 cup fat free reddi whip cream
Directions:
- Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smoothie. Garnish with additional whipped cream, strawberries or sliced banana.
Nutritional information per serving (1 cup):
Calories: 172
Fat: 1.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 28 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Protein: 8 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 4
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I have partnered with Ocean Spray through DailyBuzz to help promote their new Ocean Spray Diet product. I have been compensated for my time commitment to work with this product, however my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.
Wedge Salad Crostinis
This recipe for wedge salad crostinis came to me in a dream. Before you leave because I sound like a complete freak, let me explain.
So, you probably need a bit of back story. I’ve been watching this ridiculously sad show on ID (it’s a real channel) called Disappeared. Basically, it’s all about people who vanish without a trace. Yup, very depressing right? For some reason, I’m addicted to it even though it scares the bejesus out of me and I have horrid nightmares every night. I know, I’m not well. ANYWAY. So, two nights ago I watched two episodes after I got home from a long day at the winery. That coupled with one (read two) glasses of red wine led to the most bizarre dream I’ve ever had.
My husband and I were in some prehistoric place near a beach. Like, there were a ton of rocks and the restaurant we were dining in had canvas over it to shield it from the elements? I know. So, we were eating and I was just very unimpressed with the menu. So, I said out loud “This food isn’t that great. I’m not impressed.” Well, the chef heard me and was a bit irate. Can I also say that the chef looked like José Andres?
Well, this chef had never heard criticism before because he basically told me he was going to kill me. It was this giant production and he had planned my execution day. Well, for some reason, him and I were walking on the beach and I just decided to tell him how I felt. I told him the reason his food wasn’t that great was because it was boring. A boring wedge salad with dressing, blech. So then I gave him some advice. Change it up and get new customers. How did I suggest he change it up, you ask? By turning his beloved wedge salad into a bite size crostini.
I couldn’t even make that up if I tried. That is what my brain conjured up while I was deep in my REM sleep. A murderous chef who wanted to kill me. Safe to say, my life was spared and I was awoken a few minutes later. I usually only remember like 75% of my dreams but this one was so vivid I remembered every last detail, including how I made this infamous wedge salad crostini. So, clearly, I ran to the store yesterday morning, bought the ingredients and made this before I went to work. I was 100% hesitant because, well, it was a weird a** dream. So, I took a giant bite and just DIED.
I mean, what’s not to love? It’s an amazing wedge salad on a crispy crouton! I gobbled three more down before I offered some to my husband. Honestly, these are incredible. Each bite is bursting with amazing tomato, bacon and blue cheese flavor. I’m so glad a crazed murderous chef gave me the inspiration.
You are now free to judge/leave/laugh at my expense.
Wedge Salad Crostinis
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Yields 8 crostinis. Dressing makes 1/2 cup.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: About 10 minutes
Ingredients:
For the salad:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
- About 1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
- About 5 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 3 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped
- 8 slices of French bread
- Green onion for garnish
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup ounces blue cheese
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon light milk
- Dash of salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the French bread slices on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 6 minutes.
- Make the dressing by mixing all of the ingredients together (except the blue cheese) in a large bowl. Using a spatula, carefully fold the blue cheese in. Add additional milk if dressing is too thick.
- Heat cooking spray in a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent about 3 – 4 minutes. Add cherry tomato halves and cook until soft. Remove from heat.
- Carefully mix the tomato & onion mixture with the iceberg lettuce. Dress the salad with about 2 – 3 tablespoons of blue cheese. Save the rest of the dressing for a later use (or more crostinis). Top each slice of bread with two tablespoons of salad mixture. Then, add a few crumbles of bacon to the top and garnish with green onions.
- Serve immediately for the best flavors.
Nutritional information per two crostinis:
Calories: 287
Fat: 11
Carbohydrates: 37 grams
Fiber: 3.5 grams
Protein: 9.25 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 8
Claire
Tags:appetizer recipes, healthy recipes, low fat recipes, skinny recipes, wedge salad recipes
Peanut Butter & Jelly French Toast
What a WEEK, my heavens. Each day I’ve had 4 articles due and today is no exception. But, I really can’t complain all that much because my day consists of making fajita stuffed avocados and recipes inspired by Oz the Great and Powerful. Things, they could be worse. But, since it’s Friday and the end of peanut butter week, I think everyone should rejoice so I’m sharing a quite indulgent but so good it hurts recipe for peanut butter and jelly french toast.
I mean, look at it. Look at the gooey peanut butter dripping out of the egg and milk battered sandwich. Just LOOK AT THE POOL OF SYRUP. Don’t you want to dive right in and never come out? No? Just me? Fair enough. I actually made this recipe in JULY. Can you believe it? But since it was for work and not even the slightest bit healthy, I never shared it with you guys. Which is a shame because it’s totally worthy of everyone’s eyes.
Even though I photographed this way back when, it’s not a distant memory. In fact, I make this probably once a month when E and I are feeling indulgent. Because even though it’s a sandwich skillet fried and drenched in syrup, it’s not the worst thing you can put in your body. Probably because old habits never die and I used whole wheat bread, low-sugar jam and a light peanut butter to make it not quite as bad. (You can take the health nut out of the….) Even in all of its decadence, it’s still far better for you calorie and fat count wise than a big bacon, egg, sausage, bagel and lard sandwich from McDs.
Need one more photo to convince you to make this BEAST of a breakfast this morning?
Seriously, try turning that plate of sexiness down. Just TRY IT.
CLICK HERE FOR THE AMAZING RECIPE FOR THIS FRENCH TOAST!
Nutritional information per 1 sandwich:
Calories: 425
Fat: 16.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 43 grams
Fiber: 5.4 grams
Protein: 15 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 10
Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chip Bars
Or things that were supposed to be blondies but didn’t turn out quite right.
That’s okay though, these peanut butter white chocolate chip bars still look amazing right? And dontcha worry, they taste EVEN BETTER than they look. Basically this morning I got cocky. I messed with a recipe I found online and was like “these will totally come out awesome. I’m so awesome. Yay me.” Well, when I go into anything with that ‘tude, sh** hits the fan. And it didn’t really hit the fan per say in this recipe, but they sure as heck didn’t turn out like the picture.
See, blondies are supposed to have a sexy smooth brownie like top. These have sort of a spiky top. Which, can’t be explained. But guess what, they are still gooey, incredibly moist and just fan-freakin-tastic. I mean look, look at how squishy and decadent they look.
I had full intentions of making these last night, photographing them first thing this am and having this post ready by..um…an hour ago. That was until I got sucked into watching hours of The Real Housewives of BH. Y’all watch that? Because um…those b’s be crazy. I know the show is scripted, but you can’t script 100% crazy. I think you need to be a little nuts in order to act as out of control as some of these ladies do. It’s just…hard to watch. That and all of the plastic surgery I feel like I’m watching a drunk episode of the Muppets. Those ladies need a dash of “reality check” and soon. Or they just need to eat something. Maybe I should mail them some of these peanut butter white chocolate chip bars with a note that reads “YOU’RE 38, STOP WEARING DRESSES FROM FOREVER21.”
No, I clearly hold no opinions or feelings about that show. I just think I could be a way better housewife than some of these quacks. I say with a mouth full of these dessert bars, hair tied up into a VERY messy, very unpinterest worthy bun, no bra, a large oversize t-shirt and leggings with a hole in them. Is the real housewives of…abnormal food bloggers who really should get their life together hiring? Bravo? Is that you? I’m really good on camera, am super talented at drinking wine and can bake. Just have your people call mine.
Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chip Bars
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Yields about 12 bars.
Prep time>10 minutes
Cook time: About 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Dash of salt
- 1/3 cup peanut butter (I used low-fat)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons skim milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons crushed walnuts
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 8 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the sugar, flours, baking powder and salt together. In another smaller bowl, beat the peanut butter, butter, applesauce, eggs, skim milk and vanilla together. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth over the top with a spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middles comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool completely before you cut into them.
Nutritional information per bar:
Calories: 144
Fat: 7 grams
Carbohydrates: 15.6 grams
Fiber: >1 gram
Protein: 4 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 4
Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Seed Smoothie
AKA all of your days protein and fiber in one delicious jar. Seriously. That’s why I suggest each one of these power smoothies serves two people b/c you aren’t going to be able to finish it. I barely got to half way through this jar without feeling almost “too” full.
Welcome to day two of peanut butter week, y’all! Hope your Tuesdays (or Wednesdays for my friends over the pond in Australia) are off to a good start. Mine could have started 10,000 times better, but I’m not dwelling on it. I’m determined to make today a good one. And you know what, kicking off your day with a smoothie that tastes like ice cream is not a bad way to make that happen. I’m not kidding when I say this tastes like ice cream. Okay, so it’s a little thicker than that, so maybe super rich custard? It’s basically dessert for breakfast. But don’t worry, it’s healthy. It has a few tricks hidden in that luscious cocoa belly, like three tablespoons of fiber packed chia seeds!
Ever used these before? I sure had not, which is dumb because I have a huge bag of them whistling at me every time I open the cupboard. So finally, after another series of cat-calls (chia seeds are rather aggressive), I threw some into a blender with a pound of other deliciously healthy ingredients and made the thick jar of dark chocolate lovin’ you see right in front of ya.
I’m not a breakfast person (I know, everyone shun me and then send me memos that declare the importance of this meal). This is another reason I know I’m meant to be French. I’d much rather eat last night’s baguette and a coffee than some flan cereal. This smoothie though might change things. It’s so FILLED with fiber you won’t be hungry until June 1st and it tastes like dessert. Curbed appetite and satisfaction for my fat kid sweet tooth? Win double freakin’ win.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Seed Smoothie
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Serves about 2. (About 1 cup serving size)
Prep time: >5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds (we used Bob’s Red Mill)
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1 1/4 cup skim milk*
- 1/2 cup all-natural Coffee-mate Natural Bliss Low-fat Chocolate**
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
*Add additional milk if too thick.
**If you don’t have this available, sub in additional skim or chocolate milk!
Directions:
- Pour all of the ingredients into a blender and pulse on low until mixture is thick and creamy. Add more milk if it’s too thick for you. Pour into a cup and enjoy!
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 380
Fat: 20.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 30.5 grams
Fiber: 6.5 grams
Protein: 13.5 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 9
Claire
Tags:chia seed recipes, chocolate recipes, healthy recipes, smoothie recipes
