Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie

There is nothing better than a fresh creamy smoothie for breakfast in the morning. It's a clean way to start the morning and a delicious one at that too so when my mother bought me the most kitchen sexy, industrial size blender for my birthday I was ecstatic to get going on my smoothie ideas.

So I clearly threw a few things in the blender over the past couple of weeks but this combination wowed me with a satisfaction and smile like no other. We are big fans of the Chobani yogurts because they are lower in sugar than other brands and massively higher in protein so you stay fuller, longer. We also love the Almond Milks for the same reason, remembering my Strawberry Vanilla Lassi {so good}.

So with a combination of my favorite flavors in the fridge came this fabulous smoothie, high in protein, nutrients and flavor.

PS, on top of loving smoothies, I kinda have a small obsession with Mason jars. {kinda small=massive}
It's a thing... they are so cute and so unbelievable functional.

Breakfast this morning was amazing. My smoothie was creamy, just the right amount of sweetness from the strawberries and yogurt and went down 'smooth'. 


haha, get it! {i'm corny}


Even better, breakfast took only 3 minutes total to put together (and I am really stretching my time here) and I was ready to hit the road. A great way to start the day and keep you on that healthy track. Nomm Nom Nommmm! Loved it, and of course so did the boy.

Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie
Recipe and photos by A Healthy Jalapeño 


Ingredients
1 Chobani strawberry greek yogurt 
2 tbsp orange juice 
1 handful (1-1 1/4 cup) frozen strawberries


Put all ingredients in a blender and crush until smooth.

Garnish with fresh strawberries.

I couldn't take another picture until I took a heaping slurp of this bad boy. It was so fruity-delicious.

Enjoy! 

What are your favorite smoothie blends?

Skinny Buffalo Wing Hummus

Sunday Football...

It's a ritual around our house!

Come fall, we slowly but steadily start to alter our schedules and plans around football games. It's strange how it happens so unintentionally but for some reason it happens. We just love football.

 There is always the yelling {cursing}, arms in the air, charging the TV, 'bad call ref' shenanigans going on and there is normally never the same fans in a room at one time... hence more fun in the screaming matches.


There is also something else that always comes along side with football, especially on Sundays... food! I swear it's true that even women that do not watch or enjoy football can entertain the idea of a game because it always brings a crowd of people and amazing food.


Wings: Beer: Chips: Dip: Chili: You Name It!!!! It's there, and it's being devoured. 

Again in keeping with my healthy theme and healthy waist, I had to find something for me to devour on Sunday Football that kept me in fall football spirits without greasing down my insides to a cholesterol comma. 

Win! It's like all the magazines I subscribe to are listening to my every request. Food Network Magazine just came out with an issue that highlighted skinny hummus dips and of course one was a Buffalo Wing Hummus. SCORE.

Of course this was the easiest thing to make EVER because you just throw everything into a processor and bam, it's done. I served this up with veggie sticks and a stacker of those freshly popped rice cakes for the food store and it was a huge hit. You still had the buffalo kick that you get from chicken wings but instead of deep fried you got fresh flavor!


Easy snack, fun to serve up, and health nut or not...this was loved by all.


Get ready for the kick off and the crowd with this awesome hummus dip!

Skinny Buffalo Wing Hummus
Recipe Adopted from Food Network

Photos by A Healthy Jalapeño

Ingredients
3 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
2 to 3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tps paprika
2 tbsp barbecue sauce
2 to 3 tbsp cayenne hot sauce 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
salt


Put the chickpeas, chickpea liquid, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, paprika, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, vinegar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a food processor. Puree until smooth and creamy.

Per serving (2 tablespoons): Calories 39

Come see on Church Supper! 

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Popsicles

Pumpkin! Pumpkin! Pumpkin!

It's finally that time of year where all the most amazing fall pumpkin and apple recipes come out of the wood-works. I have been drooling over all the amazing recipes that have been coming out from bloggy friends and I can't keep up with how many I wanted to make but luckily these made the cut!

 So I started to make these the other night and go figure I pull them out today to  test, taste and take my pic's and it just so happens to be the muggiest warmest day in a while... perfect for my fall pumpkin pie popsicles.


me = soooo happy!

The idea of these is so wonderful because who is to say that you have to wait till fall to enjoy the wonderful taste of pumpkin pie... you don't. Mix these puppies up (in like seconds), freeze, and before you know it you can be having your favorite pie in the middle of the summer.


Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays because it's simply a day of Thanks with friends, families and amazing food. Now I don't think we should all deprive ourselves in waiting all year long for this fabulous holiday just to bite into our favorite treat, instead were bringing the taste of pumpkin to an all year long treat.

Paul definitely snuck a popsicle the night I made them, to which I didn't know if they had even enough time to completely freeze but of course that didn't stop him.


::sneak::

I was waiting until Saturday because it's finally the weekend and with the weather and no plans today besides QT with my pups, I was absolutely going to be relaxing and enjoying my pumpkin pie.


It was fabulous. Creamy and 'dense' tasting just like that sliver of pie on Thanksgiving. Just as Marla mentioned in her Happy Pumpkin post, my almond milk rose to the top as the pop froze but every bite was rich and delicious.

Even though we are fully diving into fall with it's wonderful crisp air, the leaves changing and long sleeves, test these simple and healthy popsicle treats this weekend. Your family and friends will not only be impressed but they will be smiling ear to ear.


I mean come on, it's Pumpkin Pie... in a popsicle.
What could be better? 

Pumpkin Pie Popsicles
Recipe and photos by A Healthy Jalapeño 
Original recipe by Family Fresh Cooking

Ingredients
8 ounces of unsweetened original Almond Milk
4 ounces 100% pure pumpkin
1 tbs blue agave sweetner
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Add extra sweetener to taste. 

Pour into popsicle mold with about 1/4 inch room at the top. Put the mold topper on and place popsicle sticks through. Freeze for about 2 hours or until frozen solid. 

Gently remove pops from molds.

This recipe won Top 5 on: Deelicious Sweets Pumpkin Blog Hop


Enjoy!

Sautéed Tilapia with a Creamy White Wine & Lemon Sauce

Healthy Healthy, Joy Joy!

Healthy Healthy, Joy Joy!

So tilapia is one of those fish that I love and 'un-love'. It's such a plain fish which explains my love/hate relationship because alone the fish really isn't something to write home about but when paired, dressed or sautéed with other flavors this plain fish comes to life and brings home the bacon.

Paul is away, again, so before he left I wanted to make him a hearty and filling dinner that was going to still be lean on the buns since he's been in training for his big event in November.
{he's too cute}


Tilapia recipes are hard to find without some type of breading or flour-rolled crust so I was happy enough to stumble upon this recipe on Gourmet Betty that had none of the frying, breading or crust piece to the recipe. I kind of changed it up a bit to what I had in the kitchen, and it worked out perfectly. 

To hardy up the dish a bit I put the tilapia over couscous but I think this fish recipe would also be fantastic of a light bed of spinach to really accent the colors and add that light crunch to the dish.

The fish was excellent and the sauce was just the right creamy texture to moisten up the dish. Sprinkle a little extra basil or parmesan on top and you've got dinner served. This is also an excellent way to introduce kids to fish because the comfort in the creamy lemon sauce makes this dish 'taste just like chicken'. I think the whole family would love this sautéed tilapia.

Try it tonight.

Sautéed Tilapia with a Creamy White Wine & Lemon Sauce
Photos by A Healthy Jalapeño
Recipe adopted from Gourmet Betty


Ingredients
3 tbsp lemon olive oil
1 ½ lbs Tilapia Fillets
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon lemon olive oil
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon fresh basil
1/2 lemon

In a sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the lemon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté shallots and garlic until softened and beginning to color, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Add wine, increase heat to high and bring to boil, boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3-5 minutes. Remove sauce pan from burner and whisk in butter, parmesan, parsley and a squeeze of half a lemon. Keep warm till ready to serve.

Lightly season both sides of fillet with cayenne, salt and pepper. 

Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on each side and until the edges of fillet are opaque and bottoms are lightly browned.

Transfer fillets onto plate. Pour the lemon sauce over the tilapia and serve on top of couscous.

Alternative: This dish would also be excellent over a bed a spinach. 

Enjoy!

{Lazy Thursday's}

Today I am feeling quite under the weather, well actually it's more like sick as a dog. I had planned on making a fancy and fabulous dinner tonight but I think hot tea and a popsicle is all I will be capable of tonight.

Hopefully with meds and lots and lots of fluids I will be back in no time!

The puppies and I wanted to say hi from the couch. 

Have a great night :)

Callie got really zoned in watching That 70's Show [umm yes, we love it]! 

Couldn't find my Zoey until I walked upstairs.

What a cutie!

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Frozen Grapes {for Snack Time}

 {Snack time OR Dessert}


Who doesn't love snack time. I mean, we all got it when we were kids and somehow it got lost as we grew up or instead our unhealthy selves would reach for the bag of chips in the vending machine or a quick candy bar instead of having a nice healthy snack.

 I keep in touch with one of my girlfriends from high school, mainly because we are both addicted to blogging, her about her newly blissful life as a mommy to her {now} two adorable kids and me learning healthy and fun ways to cook in the kitchen. 


We got to talking in the beginning of the summer about cross-referencing our blogs because her and her family are also 'Crossfitters' as well as healthy eaters. Our mutual love for Crossfit, health, and of course blogging... how could this not be the best idea ever! 


Mama's blog is Our Tiny Place {I know, how cute} and you have to swing by and check her out. She is such a perfectly well-rounded momma with the most adorable little munchkins you have ever seen. This snack is dedicated to Mama Bug, Lady Bug and Love Bug for a healthy delicious snack.

Frozen grapes are such an easy and healthy treat that hit's even the biggest ice cream lovers sweet tooth. These grapes don't completely freeze through, instead create a very similar texture to italian ice in the middle after you break through that sweet skin. Plus, this is a great last resort for those grapes that are close to going bad... throw them in the freezer to savor the favorite fruit longer. 


For all grape lovers, kids and grown-ups alike, these juicy 'popsicle' bites will make everyone smile. 


They are a low-everything kinda snack so indulge and share the love.

Frozen Grapes {for Snack Time}
Recipe and photos by A Healthy Jalapeño


Ingredients
Red grapes
Green grapes


Wash grapes thoroughly and then let them drain to let go of any left over water, then pat dry. Put grapes in a ziplock back and in the freezer for at least a half hour, checking every so often until they reach the frozen texture you wish.

Then, it's snack time.

Don't forget to check out Our Tiny Place and see what Mama and Lovebug had to say about these frozen little treats.  :)

Enjoy!